CH. 09 - A New Beginning

[HorizonsDream]

"A spell of forgetfulness?" Ladonna asks after studying the scroll. She looks up to Sern after saying her answer.

[GravityEmblem]

“Ah, yes, thank you,” Lillian responds. “We’ve not been introduced, have we?”

[Daos]

Ladonna
"Good, good," Sern says with a smile.  "Then you seem to be at the second circle, roughly the same as my current apprentices.  That makes things easier then."  He gestures to the scroll.  "Go on and keep it.  See if you can add it to your spellbook.  Consider that your first assignment."

Lillian
"No, ma'am," the halfling says.  "I'm Amarantha Haywise, at yer service.  But everyone just calls me 'Mara.'"  She curtsies low to the both of them.  "Welcome to Hart.  If you need anything, ya'll just let me know.  New bedsheets, fresh chamberpot, just say the word."

[HorizonsDream]

"Um, thank you," Ladonna says as she tucks the scroll away from later. She bows her head again to Sern, and the takes her leave. She decides to check out the barracks, at least for her father's sake.

[GravityEmblem]

"Of course," Lillian bows in return and heads off into town.

[Daos]

Ladonna
Ladonna descends into the chapel, then back out the door into the courtyard, and makes her way to the garrison.  The entrance to the place is a thick, steel door that is currently hanging open.  Inside, she finds herself in a ten foot wide hallway that seems to bend and turn multiple times, with doors on either side.  It's not clear to her where anything in the garrison is.  As she wanders the halls, a man notices her and approaches.

From his physique, he was probably quite a sight at one time, but old age has caused him to start to sag in several places. His features are craggy and rough.  He is only an inch taller than Ladonna, but is thick in the shoulders, torso and hips. His head is mostly bald, leaving a fringe of graying brown hair. He sports a thick, droopy mustache. He dresses unimaginatively in simple garb.

"Well met, little lady," he says.  "You look a bit lost.  Not thinking of joining the guard, are you?"

Lillian
Lillian leaves the entire castle abruptly, and heads back into town where she is quickly overwhelmed by the crowded streets.  She asks for directions and finds out that while Buho only had two taverns--one for humans and one for non-humans, Hart is so large that it is home to thirty taverns.  Twenty-one of them are human only.  Of the remaining nine, four are for elves, one is for dwarves, one is for half-elves, one is for halflings, one is for gnomes, and the final one is for a mix of both human and demi-human and seems to cater mostly to adventuring types.

This at least narrows it down to five possibilities for Lillian.  The four elven taverns are in the elven part of town, and are known as The Last Tree, The Dreamland, The Babbling Creek, and The Sundew.  The tavern open to all races is called The Dusty Road, and can be found in the center of town.

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna looks up to the man, and laughs at the mention of joining the guard. "I don't think I would fit in well," she says. "But I do know someone that might be interested."

[Daos]

Ladonna
The man waits patiently for Ladonna to finish that thought.  Several awkward moments pass, and then he finally clears his throat and asks her who she means.  When she says she is referring to her father, the man says, "Ah, I see.  Well, then he should speak with the garrison commander.  His name is Ser William Rolan."

[HorizonsDream]

"He is a little out of shape," Ladonna says. "Will that be okay?"

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian decides on the Dusty Road, since it seemed like the place with the most diverse viewpoints and patrons.

[Daos]

Ladonna
"That will require more training than normal, which will cost a little more," the man answers.  "But as long as he can pay for it, as well as for his equipment, then it shouldn't be a problem."

Lillian
The Dusty Road is more or less what one might expect.  It's a crowded, rowdy establishment where nearly every patron is wearing either armor or robes, and is carrying some kind of weapon or weapons on their belts or backs.  All sorts of races mingle here, including some of the less common ones, like half-orcs, genasi, and such.

Most of the patrons are eating, drinking, and talking about their various adventures, like protecting caravans from bandits, clearing out goblin caves, or hunting dire wolves for their pelts.  A few people are playing darts with a dartboard, and some are playing card games.  A halfling minstrel passionately plays the fiddle to provide drinking music for them all.

[HorizonsDream]

"Ah, thank you. What was your name?" Ladonna asks.

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian looks around for an empty seat.

[Daos]

Ladonna
"Eric Talbot, the count's marshal," the man says with a polite bow.  "And who might you be?"



Lillian
The tables all seem fairly crowded, but Lillian does spot an empty stool over by the bar.  She takes a seat there.  The bartender, a gruff looking human woman, nods to Lillian in greeting and lets her know if she wants a drink, to just ask.

[HorizonsDream]

"I am Ser Ladonna Marche. I just arrived with Lady Escott, and I am having a look around," she explains. "It is a pleasure to meet you."