Hi,
Miguel explored St Thosos and, on the kind recommendations of Maugis, avoided the Bishop Umrovide who seemed to tend to turn people toward Rokarism when he healed them. Maugis managed to get through to Michaela (sister) with quiet words of Malkioni faith, and judged that faith was what she needed to heal her mind. The father, Danilo, was a tricky problem too- he had a crippled hip, but by no wound- a magical deformity or curse. Was it Rokari? No one would say. Danilo was stubborn about it, and Miguel was not saying much either. But you had welcomed them into the Baronet's people as Miguel Silvestre seemed trustworthy and useful. Now Miguel had to convince Baron Ron.
After a brief questioning by the St Humct guards (who could tell that he was hiding something about his past, but didn't care too much) and then some advice from Sergeant of the Baron's keep (stay near the Baron's lands, etc; standard warnings, some of which might not have been so accurate), Miguel met alone with Baron Ron. They hit it off well, and Ronalio treated Miguel with surprising generosity and evenness despite the gulf between their castes and riches. Miguel had a good feeling about this Big Ron, but then Ron showed his dark side too, as their conversation turned to why Miguel came here, and words about the Inquisition's interest in his family. Ron soon was rubbing his forehead (I forgot to mention that he has a huge scar of a Heretic rune; a black circle; on his forehead!) and then swiftly left after mentioning that he too knew the pains of religious persecution.
Miguel brought his family to meet Ron later, and just missed Ciddar who was freshly attired and waiting to pay an evening visit to Ronalio. Ron arranged for some guards and mounts to take Miguel the manor grounds, and soon you were reunited. Maugis welcomed Miguel and they talked while the peasants' celebration to welcome the Baronet back waned. In the morning, the whole group reconvened and discussed serious matters in due course. While Miguel was settling in, he met the crude pig-raising Mraloti and bonded with them over hunting interests. He also met the local Pithdaran hunter named Dividd, who was an different kind of crude, and not terribly friendly either.
***Note to Colin: at one point, Jett whispers to Fraud in private “Elandra can free you,” as he smiles and then departs the manor grounds.
Where did Ciddar go? No one knows!
The Baronet needed a wife soon, and Cyroosta thought your best chances were in Toadhaven, with the witch Apatune who served as some sort of conduit with the spirit “Quick Sister”. Cyroosta made good points that few mortals would want a wandering warrior with a snake-head to be their husband, and Fraud Shaven had experience with immortal lovers. There were other options, but less ideal: the Giranois Cjed had a daughter named Cjaess, near Fort Mudlark, and she technically was Giranois nobility; also there was Gertrude amongst the Sottogh now but no one took that idea seriously; and there was the daughter of simple Baronet Humbert in Humbertsville (she was said to be lovely), or the mysterious maybe-sister of crazy Baronet Mudlark of the eponymous fort. Ideas of ship captains or mainland/local nobles didn't excite anyone except Maugis, who wanted a person of good faith to be the wife. You decided Toadhaven should be your first priority.
But soon the Baron's messenger arrived– the well-manicured, clever Pithdaran man called Jett. He said that the Baron offered his help to find a suitor for the Baronet, but had no suggestions. Later, in more private company, he told you of a foreign sorcerer that had flown(?) into Giraine, just inside Giranois territory near Fort Mudlark to the northeast, and either found/reconstructed/raised a tower in the swamp. He had brought 9 knights in full armour with him, and no one else, and seemed to remain isolated there, with no evident desire for content. As Baron Ron had never been consulted by this settler/explorer wizard, he wanted information, but as there seemed to be the chance of danger if the wizard was pressed for information, Ron asked for you to investigate– “with utmost discretion”– i.e. don't kill him unless you have no choice (e.g. chaos wizard). Of course, you agreed to investigate.
The plan became to take the Shadow to New Arvoneesse, have the Captain get you in through the reefs there to the port, and then go north to visit Cjed and Mudlark before checking out the sorcerer; the Shadow would return home and you'd go home overland via Humbertsville and then Toadhaven to the south. This worked out OK at first. What happened between the Captain and the sinister, alien Stonefish “Synyncja” was not spoken of, but it let the Shadow through (GM Note: I owe the Captain a “promise” he made it– need to ponder more. Its intelligence is so alien, it is hard to roleplay it on some things). At New Arv, some harbour guards gave you a hard talking-to but were paid off and sent away gruffly. You never saw Captain Gulos, but his main man Sergeant Lesoncurre was in the crowd staring at you as you came ashore and then hastily left town into the swamps.
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