Chapter 1: Willowdark, a Village Repressed

Welcome to the village of Willowdark. You sit two days, as the crow flies, from the border of Markindale, on the southern coast of Lake Goldstone. You are each a member of the organized rebellious group called The Harem of Hathcocke. Your organization is led by a Brevian elven ranger by the name of Bethene Hathcocke, though her common name among the troops is The Bow in the Dark. Your reasons for joining The Harem are your own, but you are in Willowdark at the behest of Bethene. You were not told initially why you six needed to be here, nor why you were to come alone. However, come you did.

The sun sits low in the sky, turning the horizon into a swath of crimson and purple. The dying light of the day pours through an open window as a warm summer breeze carries into the small house. You six sit, cramped, around a table with Genevieve D'allarae and her family. Genevieve, as you know, is a former Haremite. She served a short time before discovering she was pregnant. The babe is now five months old and sits bouncing on her knee as her husband, Frederick, brings bowls of soup and a boule of fresh hot bread over from the stone oven.

I wish we had more information for you. We were just told to expect you and that a rider would be along shortly. It's been several days, and we've not seen the rider. If you've not received more word by tomorrow, you'll have to move along. Notter, the Collector for this area, is due through for collection. You cannot be here when he gets here. Genevieve says in a low voice, eager to not let it carry out of their hovel.

Suddenly, outside, a clatter of horse hooves clambers to a stop. Frederick darts to the door, flipping open the small viewing port and looking through. A hushed conversation and the door swings open. A hooded figure ducks in, rich black cloak tattered along the bottom and covered with the dust of the road. Two pale hands reach out, pulling the hood up and over a set of curled horns. His blood red eyes survey the group.

Farwalker Unity, reporting. I've a message for the Band. Rumor has it Notter Strugh stations members of his former street gang from Faerdringplace as lieutenants in the villages he is responsible for. Willowdark in particular has seen several deaths because of this. You few are our best plan to return control of Willowdark to the citizens. It's nicely remote, and if they can be broken free of this Collector, it's likely they'll be able to fortify from there. Please, do what you can, but don't cross Notter. He's far too dangerous for operatives with your limited experience as a group. If you are successful, make your way south to Stonewatch. A Haremite will meet you there. He looks about the group. Look. You are all relatively new to the Harem. The Bow sends along a few token gifts for all of you, nothing much. Simply a thing to show her appreciation. From his belt, he removes a small leather pouch. Tugging it open, he dumps the contents on the table in front of you. Simple silver shields, only a few inches across, etched with the faint symbol of an arrow with a tip of emerald. Use these to identify yourselves to other Haremites. Now, I need to depart quickly. Notter should be in town soon and I should be absent when he is. Best of luck and may the flames of liberty singe the flesh of the Tyrant!

With nothing else but a nod to the D'allaraes, Unity's hood is back over his head and the door closes. In moment, the horse whinnies and they are gone, leaving you in as quick a whirlwind as he arrived.

Below is a map of the village of Willowdark. It's a bit of a larger village, with a population of about 700. You are all currently in the house in the bottom row, second column from the left, of the grid of orange boxes at the bottom of the map. The largest orange box is the town hall. The red and orange section above the housing is their small market, lined with red cobblestones. The blue squares there are fountains. The gray box near the top is the jail, with a guard house and Sheriff's quarters in purple on either side. The yellow specks are a tent city where some of the villagers live. They are mostly poor, and unable to afford proper housing, so they've taken to sleeping in pitched tents where they can. Mayor Gunnardark has so far prevented Notter from removing those people from the village, but the power structure is very tenuous at the moment.

The green field at the top is simply a park, and the tan circle at the bottom is a foot-worn circle with a newly erected gallows in the middle. It used to be a common gathering area for warm weather enjoyment, but is now a desolate place where debtors pay Baron Wessex with a long drop at the end of a short rope.

With the departure of Unity, Genevieve looks to all of you. I wasn't aware we were trying to liberate Willowdark already. But perhaps Bethene is right. She's currently working closer towards Faerdringplace, she needs to build new trusted cells that can operate independently. Will you all help? She says, her eyes pleading.

There is a reason Notter is the Collector for nearly the entire western third of Telluria. The man is brutal. The Forest Lords slaughtered his family in their beds, and he still managed to make it out. The assassins were found hanging from his gate in Faerdringsplace, by their ankles, with acorns in their eyesockets. He razed an entire Hamlet by himself because someone dared question their tax rate. If Bethene cautions against direct action against him, she has reason. Also, he only makes his rounds here once a month or so. If he fails to report in person, to his lieutenants at any town, Wessex will send a battalion here to find out why. Genevieve offers, sipping at a spoonful of soup. Disrupting things and setting up the town to defend itself would be wise. His lieutenants are rarely that skilled. Violent? Sure. But they are a stupid lot. At least Harrald and Eldaran are. You've only a day or two to make whatever preparations you'll need. Then you should be hidden, lest he take an interest.

Not a proper forest, a few small sections of woods scattered about a few hours outside the village, to the east, nearer to the mountains. She offers.

There's only two of his men proper here. Harrald and Eldaran. Both relatively low level thugs in his gang, from what we've been able to figure. But, in town, the only person they won't cross is the Mayor. They killed the Bluebottle lad a fortnight ago. Said he was filchin' coin from the Collector's box. Not that he was a perfectly innocent gnome, to be sure, but nothing worth killing him over! If you could somehow get rid of them, after Notter comes through - that just may buy enough time. Give us a month to prepare. The other point of concern is the guard. There's only eight of them in town, but they are all loyal to The Court. They don't care who sits atop the throne, just THAT they sit atop it. Genevieve said quietly. As if caught in a reverie, she shakes her head, coming back to the present. Meeting place wise, I appreciate your concern, I do. In town, there's not many places you could meet and attract less attention. We've told the neighbors that you're extended family of Frederick's, coming in to see a limb of family that you'd lost touch with. Notter doesn't ever venture toward the mountains though. If you made your way a few hours out that way, you could probably set up a quick camp and not be bothered by anything other than beasts.

As for the how, not like most collectors. The old collector, before Anvilard ran off on his fool's errand to fight that Demon Queen to the west, he was an alright sort. Presented you with a proper accounting, notified you of your debt, and gave you a proper time period to collect. They'd only collect once every three moons. However, since Wessex took over, it's every month they collect. Same value. Collector Tunter would always come to your home, and made the process simple. A quick tea, a simple meeting. Notter, he's cruel. He hauls everyone to the gallows area. Demands payment immediately. Uses the guard to keep everyone there while his lieutenants search the properties looking for hidden away coin. Takes more'n a day, most times. We either stand, sit, or sleep in the dirt. All huddled together. Until he's done. Then you pay. If they found hidden coin, he punishes you. If it was the second time, you hang. Then and there. Genevieve says as she quiets the baby that started to squawk. Frederick moves around the room, collecting the dishes and dumping them in the basin in the kitchen.

It sounds as if you're all decided. You have a day, not much more, to gather some information and set yourselves up wherever you are going to go. With any luck, we'll see you in a few days when Notter's visit is gone. Genevieve says as she carries Helene over to her small crib in the corner, lying her down on a soft wolf pelt.

"I'll work with you, Xaar," Thorolf says.

I can provide you with some simpler clothes, and we have some spare light cloaks. If that makes things easier for you to decide. Frederick offers.

Do you really think that a fiend like Notter would believe anyone in the town if they said they didn't know about you? He laughed when that gnome lad was hung. He made sure the boys fingers were nailed to their front door afterwards, as a reminder. If you see fit to go alone, that's fine, but it's likely unwise. Everyone in town, including Harrald and Eldarand, is already aware that you are all here and that you're 'distant relatives' of Frederick. Genevieve says, voice a bit raspy.

Some stuff has occurred! Three of our heroes wallow in jail cells while three others have just arrived to the jail house where they received a strange welcome. Hopefully we can move together now and not get timelines all borked.

For the most part, I'm just having you guys play out your planning. Let me know when you're set to start interacting with NPCs again. :)

At this point, Geran has been asleep, let's call it 2 hours. So if he wanted to roll hit die, he could as a short rest.

I'll jump back in to posting once you guys post where you are all headed.

Kaio taps his shield token against the bars of Geran's cell. "Geran," he says, "wake up - time to move."

The map shows a tick mark over Willowdark, and a dotted line some 15 miles outside of the village.

Kaio and Rixon head out into the night, leaving the rest of you in the jailhouse, assuming you'll be heading for the mountains to the southeast of the village.

So you aren't taking the Dodge action, just trying to get double movement once you are (hopefully) past them?