Echoes of the Past

25th of Felmont, Moldain

The air in the Silver Dragon Inn is thick with the savory aroma of sizzling sausages and charred cuts of roasted pork, all grilled over open flames. As usual, the place is packed, its long wooden tables stretching from one end of the room to the other, with patrons sitting shoulder to shoulder. It’s been a week since you returned from Mistamere, and the rumors of your exploits, and the treasure you found, have been the talk of Threshold ever since.

Tonight, however, one person seems particularly intent on finding you. His sharp blue eyes scan the room as he looks for you. He’s in his thirties, with neatly tousled blonde hair and a well-groomed mustache that gives him a roguish charm. He moves with confidence, and his clean, yet worn, travel clothes suggest a man who’s seen his share of adventure. When his gaze lands on your table, his expression shifts to one of recognition, and he makes his way over.

"Good evening, adventurers" he opens with a warm, but calculated smile "I hope you don’t mind if I join you?"

Miyana looks up and nods her agreement, but says nothing yet.

Boudica waves for him to join them and says, "Greetings, sire. I am Boudica, of the old faith. What business do you want with us, if I may be so direct?"

"Well met, Boudica!" Darius squeezes in between her and Will, oblivious to any discomfort he might be causing by literally rubbing shoulders with them. "My name is Darius. Darius Guillroy! I am with the Karameikos Archeological Society" he looks at your faces for any signs of recognition before continuing "We heard of your exploits at Mistamere, and I've been asked to check if we could enlist your help with a similar endeavor"

Boudica tilts her head and says, "Well, possibly? Tell us more."

She looks to her companions.

Our fightery fellow returns clerical gaze, and winks. ;)
’Twas a harrowing experience. But yes, we are looking for more work. What did you have in mind?

Miyna makes no audible reply, but her interest is clearly piqued.

"As you may already know" he begins "the final battle of Halav against the Beastmen was said to have taken place somewhere near Threshold. The legend has survived the centuries, though its exact location has been lost to time. But, after much research, I believe I’ve found it." he quickly looks between all of you before he continues: "It took many many months of poring over ancient texts, a few local legends, and matching the details against the recent topographical maps but I'm now confident that this site, hidden deep within the wilderness, is where the battle was fought"

The man's eyes spark with excitement:

"The Karameikos Archeological Society is willing to fund an expedition to uncover the site. We believe this could be one of the most significant discoveries in our time, something that will shed light on the events that shaped Taladaran's history and give us insight into what truly happened here in the distant past"

Sounds like something we’re well suited for. Where is this site, exactly?

"Not more than three days' travel" he answered Will "It's not that far away, but we will have to walk through the dense forest, so I expect our progress will be slower"

"Digging up the past, definitely something I am interested in" Anton said while he drank from his cup. "How long would we have to prepare for this journey, and what would our pay be?"

Boudica listens to the proposal from Darius. With a concerned look on her face, she asks, "If I find any items of special importance to the Faith of Traladara, may I ensure they are delivered to a Shrine? I'd hate for foreign grave robbers to come into our land and take our cultural artifacts off to some museum back in their home country, far away..."

"Forests can be very dangerous. I like them. I'm in."

Darius didn't appreciate being called a 'foreign grave robber'. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat as he thought best on how to answer her "Umm..ummm....see, the Archaeological Society employs some of the most learned and experienced scholars on the history of Karameikos. There’s much we can learn from these relics - assuming we find any. But if it would help put your mind at ease, we can certainly make an agreement. If there are specific items that are of particular importance to you, we can ensure they are returned to the Faith of Traladara once our studies are complete. In fact, we can allow you to keep one or two of them in your care, provided we are granted access to study it"

He hoped that answer would satisfy her

"We can leave tomorrow morning, if you're ready. But I'm willing to wait a few more days too if you need to make some preparations"

Boudica smiles and sits back, satisfied. She says, "Thank you, sir. This could end up being a great gift to the Faith! I'm happy to accept."

Yes, your offer is acceptable Darius. We’re just trying to button up a few loose ends, on a previous project, but we should be ready hopefully soon.

**********


3rd of Fyrmont, Tserdain

"We’re almost there" Darius tries to reassure you, but there is a hint of uncertainty in his voice. It has been five days since you left Threshold, and it wasn’t the first time he promised you that you’re ‘nearly there’.
As you walk deeper and deeper into the woods, you venture into true virgin landscape. Towering trees, with thick green leaves that allow the sunlight to filter though in soft beams. The air smells fresh; a blend of pine, moss, and wildflowers, and the gentle breeze of late summer mingles with the hum of the nearby trees.

It is a beautiful place, serene in its own way, but after five days of walking through it, it is beginning to feel endless. The rustle of the leaves and chirping of the birds is just a reminder of how far away from civilization you’ve ventured.

Darius, ever the self assured, stops to consult his tattered map again, casting increasingly erratic glances at the land, before folding it back into his pocket and smiling thinly at you "we’re almost there. It should be just over the next hill. I’m sure of it!"

"You've been sure of it the last three times," Miyana grumbles. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the woodsy stroll, but she was wary about things that lay unseen within the foliage.

Yes, we seem to be off the mark, yes? We should be ready, silence in the forest isn’t always golden!

Despite the inconveniences of travel and the annoyances of Darius's uncertainty, Boudica enjoys traveling the wilderness and communing with nature. She breathe deeply and whispers a prayer to the land and the great heroes that came before, thanking them for their gifts and asking them for guidance.