A wry smile appeared on the owner's face, as he quickly grabbed the coins and put them in his pocket.
"Hm, me fren', there be many rumors floatin' around. And I can just feel dat somethin' big is brewin', if ya get what I mean. I've heard that Pierre Le Grand, da one that likes ta be called "King o' Pirates", be involved with somethin' about Forestlin's. Dey say he wan's ta get rid o' them, once an' for all, an' that he got da soldiers an' da Empera' on 'is side.
Anotha' thin dat's spoken of a lot is dat dem elves beyond the Hilìr be growin' more an' more restless by da day. Dey sent their soldiers all over dem plains, and dey be buyin' lots an' lots of weapons from us an' da dwarves. Dem elves be up to no good, I tell ye, me lad.
About da places, lemme think. If ye wanna get rich, get to Teitania. A lad o' mine just returned from dere. He sold loads o' scrap like wood an' cloth, an' dey gave 'im a mountain o' gold fo' dat! But if ye like things gettin'...adventurous, there be many dangerous places past da Holler. Blashyrk Pass be just northeast of Teitania, an' none who crossed cam back. Plus, crazy ass explorers be always lookin' for some fool to follow them eastwards. Ye jus' need to look fo' dem: ships and expeditions leave almost everyday."
The man turns towards what looks like the beginning of a brawl, and sighs. What began as an arm-wrestling contest between a human sailor and a dwarf is quickly degenerating.
"I'm afraid I must leave ye, me lads. Anythin' else ye wanna ask?"
The owner notices that somebody else entered his inn, an old friend, and waves at her.
"Aye, madame Talon!"
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Cold be hand and heart and bone, and cold be my sleep under stone...
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The captain steps out of cabin, and immediately spots the woman. With a dry, serious voice, he begins to speak.
"Ah, you must be Fraulein Falon. Captain Lorenz von Meiland, a pleasure to meet you. I am your new employer. The pay is two thousand ducats at the end of the job, plus the five hundred you have already received. Since I know your experience, I shall tell you in detail what the mission consists of. You are to retrieve a caravel, the Sea Serpent, which has been stolen by Forestlings and brought to their settlement on the shore of Redclaw, Hrakh'niel. The settlement is going to be besieged by Imperial forces around the same time your mission will be carried out: thus it is of vital importance that the ship is carried out of the city's port as soon as possible.
I have hired three more people for this job, whom do not know the true nature of the mission. They will distract the Forestlings while you get to the ship and bring it out in the open sea. The survival of your comrades is not essential in the slightest: it is of great importance that the Sea Serpent and her cargo are brought to safety. Currently, I have seen at least two of them entering that inn. Perhaps you should meet them and gain their trust. Do not inform them of anything that was said here."
The captain reaches for an item in his pocket, before handing it to Falon.
"One last thing, Fraulein Falon. Take this map: it should be helpful to you."
The captain begins to walk towards his cabin, before turning back one last time.
"Good luck."
"Ah, you must be Fraulein Falon. Captain Lorenz von Meiland, a pleasure to meet you. I am your new employer. The pay is two thousand ducats at the end of the job, plus the five hundred you have already received. Since I know your experience, I shall tell you in detail what the mission consists of. You are to retrieve a caravel, the Sea Serpent, which has been stolen by Forestlings and brought to their settlement on the shore of Redclaw, Hrakh'niel. The settlement is going to be besieged by Imperial forces around the same time your mission will be carried out: thus it is of vital importance that the ship is carried out of the city's port as soon as possible.
I have hired three more people for this job, whom do not know the true nature of the mission. They will distract the Forestlings while you get to the ship and bring it out in the open sea. The survival of your comrades is not essential in the slightest: it is of great importance that the Sea Serpent and her cargo are brought to safety. Currently, I have seen at least two of them entering that inn. Perhaps you should meet them and gain their trust. Do not inform them of anything that was said here."
The captain reaches for an item in his pocket, before handing it to Falon.
"One last thing, Fraulein Falon. Take this map: it should be helpful to you."
The captain begins to walk towards his cabin, before turning back one last time.
"Good luck."
The air in the tavern smells of ale, food, and sweat. The main hall is lit by a few torches and candles, and is packed with patrons, who are just as varied as the rest of the people of the town. A group of soldiers drinking together with pira honest sailors; a bard in a corner, a strange lute in his arms, singing an old ballad with a small mug on the floor nearby, asking for some coin; even a group of dwarven workers, eating and drinking loudly.
From the backstore, comes an old, grizzled man, a red bandana tied around his head. His tan indicated that he his probably a native: with his only eye scans the dining room, and spots Gustav and Katya. Sligthly limping, probably because of his wooden left leg, he walks to their table, a strange smile on his face.
"Foreigners, eh?
Welcome to Kinston', lad! And compliments for yer lass. I'm da owner of this proud institution. Ye're a mercenary from da' old land, eh? Lads like ye come here all da' time. Dat's good, 'cause dey get kill'd all da time by da Forestlin's, ha!"
The man spits in a spittoon on the floor benath him, and continues to speak with his hoarse, dry voice.
"I'm just screwin' wit ye. I see ye already got yer meal. Need anythin' else? I wouldn't want my customers dead afta' their first job, ha!"
From the backstore, comes an old, grizzled man, a red bandana tied around his head. His tan indicated that he his probably a native: with his only eye scans the dining room, and spots Gustav and Katya. Sligthly limping, probably because of his wooden left leg, he walks to their table, a strange smile on his face.
"Foreigners, eh?
Welcome to Kinston', lad! And compliments for yer lass. I'm da owner of this proud institution. Ye're a mercenary from da' old land, eh? Lads like ye come here all da' time. Dat's good, 'cause dey get kill'd all da time by da Forestlin's, ha!"
The man spits in a spittoon on the floor benath him, and continues to speak with his hoarse, dry voice.
"I'm just screwin' wit ye. I see ye already got yer meal. Need anythin' else? I wouldn't want my customers dead afta' their first job, ha!"
Yep, 'twas a typo.
Yo-ho-ho, moar lore comin' through!
Of Teitanians and their culture
"North of the mountainous region in which Dwarves live, lies the barren, cold land of Teitania, home of the Teitanians or simply Teitans. Although Teitania is located relatively far away from the regions colonized by humans, the trip from New Jahan to this region is made much easier thanks to the so-called Mountain Path, an old road which connects Northpass, near Argo, to the heart of Teitania itself. The region consists of a dry desert of grey, metallic dust, whose most prominent feature is the great number of immense polyhedric pillars littering the landscape, of a dark grey color, which can rival mountains in their size. These columns, often called "monoliths" by scholars, are intricately carved with golden letters in an alphabet and language that are yet to be deciphered.
Teitans themselves are said to be made of stone: this is only partially true. Their body is, in fact, composed by what appears the same strange material of which the monoliths are made,(the so-called Teitanium) complete with complicated carvings on their body. Although their physiognomy is humanoid in shape, it is notably different from that of humans: they possess only two-claw like fingers on their hands and one thumb, their eyes have a black sclera and a small blue iris (seemingly without a pupil), and their facial structure is entirely diverse from the human one, and vaguely more similar to that of avians, and with teeth and jaws resembling those of reptiles. Also, it is unknown whether they are gendered or not. They are usually a little taller then humans: the average Teitan are around six and a half feet tall, but others can easily reach the seven or seven and a half feet.
Studying Teitan anatomy is extremely difficult, because this people notoriously tends to avoid showing his body and face to others, especially members of other species. As many explorers know, the only clothes they wear are robes, capes, hoods, scarves and similar garments of various colors. Rosaries, necklaces, moniles, bracelets and other such trinkets, of wood or precious metals, are also very common. An item every Teitan possesses is the so called "Stone staff", a magical artifact consisting of a teitanium staff. These jagged staves are carved and decorated, with the patterns becoming more intricate and elaborate the higher the caste of the owner.
Teitans are not only secretive about their appearance, but also about their society and customs. Teitanian society is rigidly structured in what could be defined a caste system. Eleven different castes have been identified so far, each symbolized by a color: in fact, the cast of an individual Teitan can be easily determined by looking at the color of his robe. Blue robes, indicating the lowest caste, are the most common, while a Teitan with a crimson robe was seen only once by humans, and appeared to be of a very high caste. The interactions between different Teitans are notably influenced by this caste system: it has been reported that a blue-caste Teitan would not even dare to look at or talk to a orange-caste one, because of the large gap between their two castes.
Teitans appear to not have the need to sustain themselves through eating or drinking. They are incredibly more longevous than humans, perhaps even immortal: it has been calculated that the oldest known Teitan is around one million years old. New borns are extremely rare, especially in higher castes. They possess no cities or villages, and are mostly nomadic. The only "buildings" they have are the so-called monastries, around which small community of Teitans gather, dwelling inside the structure, again made of teitanium. Teitans are free to join or leave these communities at any time, though usually once they become a part of a monastry they remain so for around a decade. Sometimes, the so called "gatherings" are called by one or more monastries: when this happens, many Teitans nearby flock to the monastry, and once a determinate number is reached, the doors of the monastry are sealed shut, to be opened again only when the gathering has completed. This can last for days or decades, but no human knows what happens inside the monastry while its gates are closed.
Teitans are also known for possessing a great propensity for magic. Although their school of magic hasn't been studied yet by the Academy, it is cleat that even Teitans of the lowest castes are powerful magicians by human standards. Their sorcery mostly involves the utterance of short magical formulas or words, in order to create Teitanium out of various materials, or radically modify the shape of the already present Teitanium. Examples include transforming their arm in an extremely sharp blade, making pillars of Teitanium erupt from the ground, or calling a rain of thin Teitanium needles, seemingly out of thin air. Their staves appear to act as catalysts for these spells.
Although their high secrecy, Teitanians enjoy trade with humans: caravans often leave from Argo or The Colony exporting small amounts of wood or cloth and returning full of precious metals and gems, of which their land is abundant."
- scholars of the Imperial Court, Aenciclopedia Novi Mundi
Of Teitanians and their culture
"North of the mountainous region in which Dwarves live, lies the barren, cold land of Teitania, home of the Teitanians or simply Teitans. Although Teitania is located relatively far away from the regions colonized by humans, the trip from New Jahan to this region is made much easier thanks to the so-called Mountain Path, an old road which connects Northpass, near Argo, to the heart of Teitania itself. The region consists of a dry desert of grey, metallic dust, whose most prominent feature is the great number of immense polyhedric pillars littering the landscape, of a dark grey color, which can rival mountains in their size. These columns, often called "monoliths" by scholars, are intricately carved with golden letters in an alphabet and language that are yet to be deciphered.
Teitans themselves are said to be made of stone: this is only partially true. Their body is, in fact, composed by what appears the same strange material of which the monoliths are made,(the so-called Teitanium) complete with complicated carvings on their body. Although their physiognomy is humanoid in shape, it is notably different from that of humans: they possess only two-claw like fingers on their hands and one thumb, their eyes have a black sclera and a small blue iris (seemingly without a pupil), and their facial structure is entirely diverse from the human one, and vaguely more similar to that of avians, and with teeth and jaws resembling those of reptiles. Also, it is unknown whether they are gendered or not. They are usually a little taller then humans: the average Teitan are around six and a half feet tall, but others can easily reach the seven or seven and a half feet.
Studying Teitan anatomy is extremely difficult, because this people notoriously tends to avoid showing his body and face to others, especially members of other species. As many explorers know, the only clothes they wear are robes, capes, hoods, scarves and similar garments of various colors. Rosaries, necklaces, moniles, bracelets and other such trinkets, of wood or precious metals, are also very common. An item every Teitan possesses is the so called "Stone staff", a magical artifact consisting of a teitanium staff. These jagged staves are carved and decorated, with the patterns becoming more intricate and elaborate the higher the caste of the owner.
Teitans are not only secretive about their appearance, but also about their society and customs. Teitanian society is rigidly structured in what could be defined a caste system. Eleven different castes have been identified so far, each symbolized by a color: in fact, the cast of an individual Teitan can be easily determined by looking at the color of his robe. Blue robes, indicating the lowest caste, are the most common, while a Teitan with a crimson robe was seen only once by humans, and appeared to be of a very high caste. The interactions between different Teitans are notably influenced by this caste system: it has been reported that a blue-caste Teitan would not even dare to look at or talk to a orange-caste one, because of the large gap between their two castes.
Teitans appear to not have the need to sustain themselves through eating or drinking. They are incredibly more longevous than humans, perhaps even immortal: it has been calculated that the oldest known Teitan is around one million years old. New borns are extremely rare, especially in higher castes. They possess no cities or villages, and are mostly nomadic. The only "buildings" they have are the so-called monastries, around which small community of Teitans gather, dwelling inside the structure, again made of teitanium. Teitans are free to join or leave these communities at any time, though usually once they become a part of a monastry they remain so for around a decade. Sometimes, the so called "gatherings" are called by one or more monastries: when this happens, many Teitans nearby flock to the monastry, and once a determinate number is reached, the doors of the monastry are sealed shut, to be opened again only when the gathering has completed. This can last for days or decades, but no human knows what happens inside the monastry while its gates are closed.
Teitans are also known for possessing a great propensity for magic. Although their school of magic hasn't been studied yet by the Academy, it is cleat that even Teitans of the lowest castes are powerful magicians by human standards. Their sorcery mostly involves the utterance of short magical formulas or words, in order to create Teitanium out of various materials, or radically modify the shape of the already present Teitanium. Examples include transforming their arm in an extremely sharp blade, making pillars of Teitanium erupt from the ground, or calling a rain of thin Teitanium needles, seemingly out of thin air. Their staves appear to act as catalysts for these spells.
Although their high secrecy, Teitanians enjoy trade with humans: caravans often leave from Argo or The Colony exporting small amounts of wood or cloth and returning full of precious metals and gems, of which their land is abundant."
- scholars of the Imperial Court, Aenciclopedia Novi Mundi
The captain massages his brow, and suddendly gets up from his chair. "We have discussed enough. We have landed in King's Stone: I suggest you to rest for the night, reflect, and come back tomorrow. You will find the Swallow here, at this very dock. Good night, gentlemen." says the captain, opening the door to his cabin, and inviting you outside. He whispers something to Gustav, pointing at the girl: "Take care of her. She doesn't look like the seawolf type."
The day has finally ended, and a full Moon shines in the sky, enthroned among her court of gazing stars. The night is very hot, but refreshed by a chilly northern breeze.
King's Stone and her many lights open before you. A town bustling with people of all kinds: pirate and soldier live shoulder to shoulder her, as do explorer and merchant, wealthy and pauper. Most of the people around are humans, with the occasional elf or dwarf. The vast majority of the buildings are wooden, with few exceptions: the Count Governor's palace, dominating the small island on which the town is built, and King's Fort, the city's fortfication, on the other side of city. The docks themselves are full of people: corsairs, merchants, explorers, soldiers...
A small store nearby sells many useful wares, such as weapons of various kinds, and you notice a map of the Rim, which could be most useful. There is also a small tavern close to it, which could be helpful to rest for the night and obtain some info about the new world.
The day has finally ended, and a full Moon shines in the sky, enthroned among her court of gazing stars. The night is very hot, but refreshed by a chilly northern breeze.
King's Stone and her many lights open before you. A town bustling with people of all kinds: pirate and soldier live shoulder to shoulder her, as do explorer and merchant, wealthy and pauper. Most of the people around are humans, with the occasional elf or dwarf. The vast majority of the buildings are wooden, with few exceptions: the Count Governor's palace, dominating the small island on which the town is built, and King's Fort, the city's fortfication, on the other side of city. The docks themselves are full of people: corsairs, merchants, explorers, soldiers...
A small store nearby sells many useful wares, such as weapons of various kinds, and you notice a map of the Rim, which could be most useful. There is also a small tavern close to it, which could be helpful to rest for the night and obtain some info about the new world.
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