Perils on the Borderlands, Day 42

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Perils on the Borderlands

This being the continuing journal of Arden and Company as they explore the Keep on the Borderlands. I’m using the Pits & Perils RPG and adapting it to a solo gameplay style. You can read more about this here.

Arden and Company spend the next day (Day 42) at the Keep, attending to business.

Goals for each of them…

Arden will consider the guild master’s offer. He wanted to hire Arden to open a trade route north on the Old Trade Road. From his discussion with his companions, Arden knows that this road winds up along the southern border of Falmead and skirts the Geist Wald Forest. As a boy his father would tell Arden stories of the Geist Wald. Trolls and fairies inhabited the dark forest and all who entered there were captured and taken to Maub, the witch-queen.

Arden was frightened by the tales, but still longed to see what secrets lay within. His sense of adventure was undeterred by common sense. Most boys grew up to be farmers, following their fathers into the fields. Arden knew he was meant for more. The danger of this profession was often spoke of by his father, but when orc raiders swept down out of the hills, even farmers were put to the sword.

For the immediate future, Arden wants to root out the evil in the Caves of Chaos and then maybe work on securing the Old Trade Road once again. Who knows? Maybe he will someday plumb the depths of the Geist Wald.

Martin arose earlier from his rest. He was feeling better than ever. Rescuing the captives in the Caves of Chaos was part of it. He said his morning prayers and then rode out alone to check on the progress of the church. Coot’s Mill was only a short ride south of the Keep. As he approached he could see the frame of the building coming into shape. The weather was good and the workers had been busy. With a church here, perhaps it will encourage more workers to bring their families. The duke may decide to offer land for homesteading. All of this would mean growth of the village and strengthening the church. Martin was faithful but also pragmatic. More than anything, he wanted to protect the faithful and follow the path his god has shown. Martin knew that his own path did not lead him to stay in Coot’s Mill as the pastor. That was for others. The overgrown paths in the wilderness would be his calling. He would continue to work with Arden and the Company.

Martin is invited to the chapel of the curate to receive a blessing and strengthen his holy orders. He is now a cleric of the 4th degree. The curate will petition the church to grant Martin a commision and advancement. This will take time, but patience has always been a companion of Martin.

Thane spend the day hammering out some dents in the Company’s armor and repairing rents in the chainmail. If he finishes with time to spare, he’ll attend to the blades. He knows the value of a sharp axe and no self respecting dwarf would associate himself with humans that carry dull weapons.

Thane has family up in the Five Kings in the Irendall mountain. Trade with the humans would be a boost to his clan. Dwarves are metalsmiths of unsurpassed skill, but farming is not their strong suit. The humans have rich and fertile lands in the south and wagons filled with grain make Thane’s mouth water for crusty bread and dwarven beer. Thane reckons that more exploration of the Caves will be needed to earn enough gold to retire from all this fighting.

Corwin wants to get farther into the Caves. He is certain that there are other arcane treasures to be found. He hopes than any powerful items are wielded by unskilled spellcasters. He is curious about the orc’s tale and what may lie in the western end of the Caves. Time will tell.