We open on a small tower in the middle of an open field.
A few small trees surround the structure.
A small set of standing stones sits about fifty yards off to the North.
The beginnings of wooden structure sit a few hundred yards to the South.
A small dirt road lead to and from the tower. Along said road, a lone rider approaches.
A robed figure sits murmuring a series of ancient words as he sits upon the ground on a cool summer morning. He doesn’t seem to notice the approaching warhorse with a heavily armored warrior atop it.
As the rider slows his mount the sitting figure addresses him without opening his eyes.
“Do not mistake temptation for opportunity!” The sitting figure says as the armored warrior approaches. “August, you have brought news and the usual missives? “
August Moon, paladin of Helm, dismounts and approaches the sitting figure. He pulls a small stack of parchment from his pack.
“Yes I have. We have the standard weekly request to meet with a member of Lord Faruth’s staff. I imagine that will go unanswered. There is a second appeal from the ship yards that probably ties in with Lord Faruth’s request. The council is asking when the guild hall will officially open. They want to use the space if and are willing to purchase the property if we are not going to use the building.”
The sitting figure continues his chanting as the armored warrior flips through several pieces of paper.
“Varis has sent word from his travel to Wychlight. He made it safely to the town and is doing well. It seems he has even found a semi-lucrative job as a minstrel for a local tavern.”
“The Bastion has sent word that the Fey kin to the North have not been seen for several weeks. It has been even longer since they have lead a raid against the troops posted there. The rest…well is just local gossip and rumors from the realm. August folds the remaining documents and returns them to his pack. “Ren, is he still in a mood?”
The sitting figure stops his chant and looks up at paladin.
“Do not mistake temptation for opportunity.” The monk replies as he stands, stretches and begins a series of open fist attacks and kicks.
August shakes his head and walks toward the Druidic stones, a magical gift to the group after a certain incident a few months back. As he approaches he sees his half-orc barbarian friend running through a series of attacks within and on the stones themselves. Chunks of stone are being sliced off as they are struck time and time again by the barbarian’s attack routine.
“He has been at this every morning and evening for a month.” Ren says as he walks up to stand next to August. “He practices twice a day. Just like that. The rest of the time he sleeps, grumbles about revenge or even worse sits quietly atop the tower and stares off to the grasslands to the North. I fear the half his lineage is calling to him.”
“You think that would happen!?” August gasps.
“Unknown. Yet he is a creature of two worlds. Each world dislikes what half of him represents. At times he is half of a whole. Even more so than you. Only in time will he choose and become the greater of the two. Then he will truly be one with himself and then world that surrounds.”
August stifles a chuckle at the monk’s statement. “What about the mage? Has he tried talking to him?”
“Morgan has been too busy with his experiments and studies to be bothered. I fear in Reginald’s current state of agitation he would lash out at our resident wizard.” Ren replies as he looks up to see a puff of multicolored smoke arising from Morgan’s room in the tower.
“Well give the big guy my best and give him these letters. I know he probably won’t respond, but one never knows.” August hands Ren a pile of papers. “I am headed back to Stoneskeep for my daily affirmations at the temple and then I said I would check in with the new captain of the guard. It seems the town is actually forming quite a standing army. There is even talk of the dwarves garrisoning some troops as well.”
“Plus we need to probably retrieve Geoffrey before the local constabulary finds him. It seems that pick pocketing has become quite an issue in town the last few weeks. “
As August mounts his steed he looks to the stones and then to Ren. “ The council has become stronger. They now sit at nine members. Lord Faruth’s shipping interests, the Masons and the Agriculture Co-Op; are in fear of being pushed out by the various merchant families ,their interests and the two new puppet seats they created. I know he won’t care, but there are good people still in the city. The lands around Stoneskeep are stronger more than ever. You all helped make that happen. There are people and vested interests in need. We can help them. Maybe Reginald will see that?”
Ren returns to where he was sitting just minutes before and closes his eyes.
“August, because of your melodic nature, the moonlight never misses an appointment.” Ren says before he returns to his chanting. This time it is along with the ringing of metal on stone.
The paladin rolls his eyes, shakes his head and spurs his horse off down the small dirt road.
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