Morpho - The Beginning

Sunday, 9 Planting CY591
Your journey has been a long one, traveling from the hills and low peaks of the Jotens to the north, down the Longspear trail and through the fetid Hool Marshes of the Salinmoor valley. Keoland was a large kingdom, but her armies were known even to you, and though your trek kept you off the main roads, everywhere you saw signs of the kings guard and his armies as they patrolled the lands and tried to keep his people safe.

Most of the time they were successful, but others, such as you had seen in the tiny village of Labalna three days ago, they were not so fortunate. Though you helped fend off a hunting party of lizard men who sought to take the hard-earned crops and hunts of the men there, you barely escaped with your life as a competing group of gnolls attacked as well, razing the village and burning most of it to the ground.

Luckily a patrol of men from Vendare saw the smoke and came rushing to aid, but though they helped run off the brigands, more than half of the town lay in ruin. You had been tracking a small group of the lizard men responsible, but lost them in the misty moors last night, where it appeared that they headed deeper into the marshes- a place you dared not follow.

It is approaching night again, and up ahead you can see a walled town rising out of the mists and marshes. To the north, on a long, low hill sits a keep overlooking the farmlands and waters around the town. The Longspear trail leads to the city gates, which stand open for now. Before the gates, the road also branches, with that leg winding up the hill to the keep.

As the sun begins to dip behind the mountains and hill to the west, you come to the to gates. the guards there lower their spears, and up on the walls you can see a trio of men armed with crossbows pointed in your direction.

"Hold there, lizard!" one of those on the ground calls out loudly. "Marshes is thataway, not thisaway!" he says, pointing toward the Hools and then to the town.

"If'n ye lost yer tribe, I suggest ye go find 'em and not bring yer stinkin' ilk here t' this town! We've run ye's off afore, and we'll do it plenty more! Nine Oaks ain't fer yer kin!" he adds.

Morpho
"Right! Like I'm spose ta be trustin' a scaly skin! Cut from th' same cloth, ya is, now git, afore we ferget ours manners!" the guard replies, obviously nervous even though there is only one of you. You get the sense that the man has seen his fair share of lizard folk and has no liking for them.... at all.

Morpho
The guard takes a step out to meet you, his spear leveled. As he approaches, his face takes on a quizzical look. He stops, returns to the gate and comes back, this time with a leveled spear and a lantern. As the light washes over you, his moth screws up in a grimace as he realizes that you are not, in fact, a lizard man.

"Travel'n alone 'n lookin' like ya do'll get ya kilt faster'n a fly gettin' swat in these parts. Best stick t' travelin' in full day, not after th' sun go down."

Pausing, the guard gives you a quick check before allowing you into the town. "Weapons stay guarded always. Any trouble gets ya the stocks." he comments matter-of-factly as you pass.

Morpho
You step into a small town shrouded in shadow as the sun has begun setting to the west. Light pierces the leaded pane glasses of most buildings, but one in particular spills forth freely as the swinging doors rapids swing in and out as patrons come and go. It is a two-story structure, heavy stone forming its lower floor and wood its upper. Several small chimneys stream blackish-grey smoke and it is obvious the central location of the structure makes it a gathering place for locals.

Other places of business are still lit, though many have their proprietors outside sweeping the porches or wiping down their business fronts. Here and there you can see small patrols of men-at-arms paroling the lazy evening streets. Nine Oaks seems to be a peaceful place, though your experience at the other end of the marsh knows that nothing on the fringe of the Hool Marsh is truly safe.

As you get closer to the apparent inn or tavern, you can see a large board with various scraps of paper, some scrawls and others more official looking. Most appear to be of a general sort of help wanted; help at a store, clearing some farmer’s field, etc. one appears to be an official bounty on lizard men heads, another seeking removal of a ‘dread wyrm’ plaguing the surrounding lands and yet another for a reward for hunting down an albino gator.

All in all, for a small town in the swamps, there is no shortage of work.

I read through them and take note of their locations. I then head to the inn and enter.

I will describe it shortly. I am trying to get all of the separate threads merged.

Morpho
Inside, you find a large, open room with plenty of tables and chairs. A roaring fire blazes along the left wall, and the far side is dominated by the bar itself. Several maids run about serving patrons, and the noise level is sufficient that you would probably have to raise your voice to be heard.

As soon as patrons see you enter, however, the noise level dies down significantly, as most stare at you with mouths agape. A server girl moves past you, her eyes never leaving you as she shrinks away.

Morpho
The bartender silently stares at you for a moment, then shakes his head quickly as if snapping out of a reverie. He pours an ale into a sizable mug, and slides it across the bar to you.

"Two coppers." he says, then adds "And no rooms available."