From alt.pub.dragons-inn Thu Jan 27 09:26:20 1994
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From: hsexauer@vax.cns.muskingum.edu (Rapunzel)
Subject: [Legacy] The quest begins
Message-ID: <1994Jan26.200132.1@vax.cns.muskingum.edu>
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Organization: Muskingum College
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 1994 01:01:32 GMT



	Aleric spent one more night with the gnarled old warlock.  Tevore really
didn't have much more to tell the Lyorn that would help him on his journey. 
Beside that, Aleric was anxious to complete this new mission and return to his
friends.  It had already been a week since he had disappeared.
	Very early the following morning, Aleric rose to prepare for his
journey.  Tevore also rose to give him last minute advice.  "Remember to be
very careful once you enter Shekiren lands.  They won't be expecting to see
Nilsangehir this soon, but they do keep a watch."
	"I thought we were in their territory now," Aleric said.
	"Don't be mistaken-- we are.  But in the far reaches here I am able to
keep them more or less under control," he amended.  Then he added, "Oh, and
there are villages there still.  Perhaps you can find aid there, but don't
count on it."  Tevore snorted derisively.  He rolled up the old map and offered
it to Aleric who took it from the wrinkled hands.  The tall young man stashed
it in a pocket then picked up his forest green hunting cloak and slung it
around his shoulders.  He went out the door with pack in hand, the ancient
warlock at his heels.  Saddling the mare took only a few minutes.
	"Good luck boy," Tevore said, placing one hand on Aleric's shoulder and
squeezing briefly.  "I know you've little to go on, but that's all there is. 
I'll watch for Chiyasangehir and send him to help when I can.  Be careful."
He shuffled back to give Aleric room to mount.
	"I'll do my best," Aleric promised.  "I just hope it's enough."  He
leaned down from his seat and grasped Tevore's hand in farewell.  With the sun
just coming up in the eastern sky, Aleric rode away headed deeper south into
the Vale.
	He rode slightly westward first intending to get out of the mountains
then ride through the foothills.  The initial leg of his hourney was
uneventful.  It took him three days to descend to the valley where he saw his
first indication of sickness.  Standing on a cliff overlooking the vast tract
of forestland that was the Vale, Aleric saw the marks of disease.  The trees,
though thickly covering the rolling hills, looked scarred by patches of rotting
bark.  Their leaves had lost the vibrant green of health and were now wilted
and discolored.  Listening to the sounds of the wook, Aleric noticed that the
noise from the birds and smaller animals was muted.  Evidently there were fewer
of the small wildlife here.
	The Lyorn turned his mare's head from the cliff's edge and started
picking their way down the slope.  He wanted to be down from the mountains by
nightfall.  The way down was treacherous as the hillside was littered with
rocks and underbrush.  Both horse and rider had to be very alert to prevent a
fall.  In a couple of hours, Aleric found it necessary to halt briefly and give
the mare a chance to rest.  For the rest of the trip down they proceeded
carefully with the Lyorn leading the mare until they reached the valley floor
just as the sun was falling behind the peaks to the west.  
	With the range blocking the sun's failing light, night descended
quickly in the Vale.  The tall Lyorn barely had time to get his small camp set
before full dark closed in.  The surrounding forest was strangely silent that
night.  No samll creatures could be heard rustling in the brush and the ever
present chirping of insects was missing.  The roan seemed edgy, nervously
snorting and stamping at odd moments.  Aleric built only a small fire that
night and let it die when he was through using it.  He felt a crawling
sensation at the back of hid neck, making him take precautions not to be seen. 
Nevertheless, the feeling of being watched persisted.
	He reached into his shirt to take the amulet out.  It felt warm against
his palm, but the lodestone did not show the tiniest glimmer of light.  It gave
the young Lyorn some sense of security knowing there was at least nothing evil
in the immediate vicinity.  That night Aleric slept very lightly, waking each
time his mare pawed the dirt or snorted with uneasiness.
	The next morning Aleric was awake before the sun rose above the
Janariak.  He was riding south again by the time the first rays penetrated the
trees.  From afar the trees had simply looked mottled, now in the light of the
new day and at closer inspection Aleric could see places where the bark was
peeling like a snake shedding its skin.  It gave them a curiously tattered
look, like veterans of some war.  
	About midday, Aleric came to a break in the forest.  The trees thinned
out and gave way to a grassy plain with a strange broken terrain.  It extended
for a good distance to the southwest, where in the distance Aleric thought he
could almost see the forest pick up again.  Directly west, he fancied he saw a
group of buildings off in the distance.  Perhaps it was one of the villages
Tevore had mentioned.  He pulled out the parchment to take a quick look at the
map, searching for a notation of such a village.  There was nothing specific
marked on the map, but then again, it was quite old and the village could be
new.  The tall warrior stowed the parchment again and rode for the cluster of
buildings at a brisk canter.
	Several hours later, he found himself in the outskirts of a small
settlement with no more that a hundred people.  The whole village seemed like
it was ready to flee at the slightest provocation.  The people were a nervous
sort who hung back, almost rudely ignoring the visitor.  Even the houses had no
air of permanence about them.  All were haphazardly made with no foundations at
all.  They almost seemed like a strong gust of wind could knock them over. 
Houses were clustered closely with doors facing the central square.  There were
very few windows to give light to the interior.  Despite all this, both windows
and doors all had heavy coverings and bars to close them.  Aleric could see the
staples on the insides of the shutters which were swung wide to catch the
daylight.  
	There were fields planted outside the village limits, but these
contained only sickly plants who bore little in the way of crops.  The men were
just coming in from the fields as Aleric arrived.  Though the sun was still
well above the horizon the workers were bringing in their implements and
quitting for the day.  Their faces showed a hopelessness and despair entirely
unlike any other farmers Aleric had known.  Women performed their chores
without the noisy chatter and gossip that characterized villages everywhere. 
Everyone seemed closed and spole softly, glancing over shoulders frequently as
though someone might hear them.  Only the children were similar to those of
other lands.  They chased about the village shouting and laughing as they
playes.  But should a group stray too far from the protection of the houses
they were sharply recalled and reprimanded.
  	Aleric could hear on the edge of his consciousness the mutterings of
the incoming farmers, and the muted commands to the children from their
mothers.  The normal curiosity of the children overcame the directives of the
parents.  A small gathering followed Aleric's progress at a safe distance and
the street ahead was lined with small observers.  When he reached the center of
town he stopped and looked about, searching for a likely person to approach. 
the citizens had ceased their labors and stood silently, watching.  The tall
Lyorn dismounted and looked from one to another for one who might be willing to
aid him.  One child, braver than his fellows, ran forward to touch his hand. 
His mother gave a muffled cry of despair and darted forward to snatch her son
away.  She clutched him to her breast and retreated quickly, inspecting his
hand.
	"He's warm, Mommy," the piping voice proclaimed.  She shushed him
firmly and stared at the stranger with a closed expression.  
	A large burly man in a blacksmith's apron stepped forward to address
Aleric.  He still carried his massive hammer in his right hand.  "What's your
business, stranger?" he asked cautiously.  The man's eyes darted up and down,
sizing up the young man before him, noting the very large sword he carried.
	"I am new to these parts and seek only information.  I am travelling
south of here," Aleric responded, giving only as much information as necessary. 
He hadn't expected a cordial greeting, but neither had he expected thinly
veiled hostility.
	"If you're going south then you must be tired of life," the smith said. 
"Particularly since you resemble a Lyorn.  They used to live here before the
Dark Ones came.  The dark ones don't like their kind."
	"If I may ask, what can you tell me of the Dark Ones?" Aleric inquired
carefully.  He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that the villagers were
very sensitive to that subject.  The smith gripped his hammer a little tighter.
	"They are the ones who rule this part of the Vale," he answered
evasively.  The man was obviously unwilling to offer any help voluntarily. 
Aleric began to tire of the little game.
	"Alright, if you won't tell me of the Shekiren then tell me about the
Lyorns."  Aleric knew he'd made a mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. 
He'd said the fatal word: Shekiren.  Suddenly the square was empty of women and
children, leaving only the men who closed in a tight circle around Aleric and
his horse, tools or weapons ready.  
The blacksmith, apparently the spokesman, moved forward a few menacing steps. 
"I think you'd better start talking soon or it's likely to be a little
uncomfortable for you."  All eyes around him were flat with hostility and
suspicion.
	"Why are you so afraid of them?" Aleric asked, pretending to be
unconcerned.  In truth, he was definitely nervous.  He was greatly outnumbered
here, and inhibited by the fact he didn't want to hurt the innocent villagers. 
"I'm not allied.  I _am_ a Lyorn."
	"I think you seem to know a little too much as it is," one man snarled,
"for you to be an ordinary traveller.  And there haven't been any Lyorns in
these parts for centuries.  They all got wiped out."
	"Maybe you're on to something, Brand," another villager called.  "This
man could be an emissary of the dark ones sent to deceive us.  No true Lyorn
would come here even if any still existed."  There was a low rumble of assent
that rippled through the crowd.  Things were definitely getting tight.
	Aleric started to reach over his shoulder to draw Xel'ha but a sudden
burning sensation on his chest stopped him.  Instead his hand hurriedly
searched for the irritant and found the amulet.  The stone was still dull, but
the copper talisman was red hot.  Holding it by the chain, Aleric jerked it out
of its hiding place.  The talisman was already cooling but its effect on the
people was immediate.  They drew back in fear (but did not depart) keeping a
close eye on the Lyorn.  Very slowly, Aleric lowered his hand and allowed the
amulet to hang outside his shirt.  The people relaxed, but only to the point
that they regrouped around Aleric.  One of the older men approached and bent to
examine the amulet.
	"I recognize that!" he exclaimed in surprise.  He turned to his peers
and explained, "That's the symbol of the old Dragon clan, the ruling clan of
the ancient tribe.  How did you come by this?"  He turned to the young warrior
with the last question.  Since he was obviously willing to listen now Aleric
saw little harm in answering.
	"I received it from a family friend."  So it wasn't _exactly_ the
truth, but Tevore _had_ been a friend of one of his ancestors.
	"Does it belong to your family?"
	"I don't think so.  Not mine in particular in any case," Aleric
answered.  If it kept the valemen friendly he was ready to keep talking.
	Now more of the men were becoming interested and crowding close to
inspect the piece.  The women and children began appearing in the doorways of
the houses, looking on curiously.  Aleric was starting to feel like some kind
of freak on display when the man who first recognized the amulet's symbol spole
up again.  "Night will be on us soon together with its hazards.  Let us
continue this tomorrow in the light," he announced.  Then, turning to Aleric,
"Come young stranger.  I invite you to share my hospitality tonight.  It is not
safe to be outdoors after sunset."
	Aleric accepted the offer gratefully and followed the man to one of the
homes at the far edge of the village.  He was shown a barn where he could
stable his mare, then led into the house.  The man closed and barred the door. 
All the windows had already been closed and secured.  The wife and the man's
two children appeared and observed the proceedings.
	"I must apologize for your welcome," he began, "because we see very few
strangers here.  Those who so come are not usually friendly."
	"How did you decide that I meant no harm?"
	"Partly because you wear the sign of one of the great clans of the 
Lyorn, and claim to be one yourself," he replied.  He shrugged.  "I believe you
personally because I believe I would recognize evil intent.  And because my
wife is distantly related to the Raven clan."  He gestured to the woman
standing to one side.  Aleric looked at her, trying to see resemblance to his
own family.  The only thing in which she stood out was her unusual height.  But
it was not great enough to be overly considered.
	"Although I don't understand your reasoning, I am very glad you believe
me.  Things were getting distinctly unfriendly for a while there," Aleric
remarked wryly with a smile.  "My name is Aleric n'hir Lyorn, by the way."
	"Is that not a little dangerous, to so proudly claim your heritage?"
  	"It has never been a problem before now," the warrior returned with a
shrug.  
	The man nodded absently.  "I am called Sumner, and these are my wife
Corin, daughters Nerice and Usua."  He pointed to each in turn, then invited
the young Lyorn to be seated while his wife finished preparing the meal.  The
daughters were shy at first and stayed with their mother in the kitchen. 
Before long however, the natural curiosity and impetuousness of the young
overcame their fear, not to mention the fact that the stranger was very
attractive.  The younger one, hardly more than ten, overcame her reticence
first and boldly came to sit next to Aleric.  Nerice, not to be outdone by her
sister, served the Lyorn a mug of ale directly instead of leaving it on the
table.  The girl hid her furiously blushing face when Aleric smiled indulgently
at her.  He chuckled softly to himself, reminded of his sister when she was
younger and just noticing boys.
	That night he enjoyed a well-cooked meal in the pleasant company of
Sumner and his family.  He listened with an attentive ear to the tales of "the
dark ones" and began sorting the truth from the superstition.  There were many
stories about the minions of the Shekiren.  Most frequently seen were the
leathery winged creatures called watchers.  About the size of a medium dog,
these vicious little monstrosities bore needle sharp clawa on both forepaws and
hindpaws, plus a talon on each of the wing elbows.  Their bat-like faces were
dominated by the bright red eyes and gleaming fangs.  The watchers were the
eyes and ears of the Shekiren, stalking the dark forests and the night, keeping
the masters informed of all occurrances.  
	Once in a while, there would be evidence of a ghoul.  These were small
childsized monsters, again with a mouthful of teeth for shredding flesh.  These
were more dangerous because they were more intelligent.  They would never
attack someone unless they were alone, or the ghouls had the advantage of
numbers.  One was never aware of their presence until too late.  Their black
hides blended perfectly with the darkness, only the gleam from their eyes or
claws would betray their presence.
	Sumner had ceased his descriptions when he realized he was frightening
his daughters.  Usua was huddled against her mother whimpering, while her
sister was sitting by her father's feet with her hands clenched and face pale,
determined not to show fear before the guest.  Nevertheless, it gave Aleric
enough of an idea of his adversaries that he knew he'd be very careful of
forced to remain in the forests at night.
	"If I may suggest," Sumner offered, "you may wish to change your route. 
That is if you insist on going south."
	"I have no choice," Aleric said.  "There is something very important I
must do there."  He shrugged.  Sumner shook his head sadly.
	"More important than your life?  I am sorry for your sake.  You seem to
be a very promising lad.  However, most of the land between here and Ironwood
is woodland.  The amount and diversity of the nighthaunts increases with
proximity to Highspire."
	Aleric frowned.  "Highspire?"
	"The old Lyorn fortress west of Ironwood.  Rumor has it that's where
the dark ones gather," the other explained.
	"Is there anything between here and the fortress?"
	"Not much actually.  There were a few towns, but I'm not sure if anyone
lives there anymore.  Your best bet would be to go northwest and cross the
Range through Cedarcliff.  Then you could circle the Vale on the other side of
the mountains.  That pass is in safe territory and some traders still come and
go from the west."
	"Are there many settlements in the western foothills?"
	"More than in the valley," Sumner replied.  "The valley is too close to
the dark ones' lands.  There are always a few incidents so they find it safer
to stay away."
	Aleric pulled at his lower lip thoughtfully.  If he had to dodge
monsters the whole way the journey would take forever.  And if he tried to be
indoors at night he couldn't go the direction he needed.  "Do you happen to
have a map of the Vale?"  Sumner looked at Corin who nodded.
	"I think I still have the one my father made," Corin mused.  She gently
pushed Usua away and rose to rumage through a trunk near the fireplace.  In a
few minutes she pulled out a parchment and handed it to Aleric.
	Corin's map was much more detailed than Tevore's, showing a number of
towns in the northwest and a few in the Lyorn territory.  Aleric found his
present location and measured distances.  As the arrow flies, he was still a
good two weeks' ride from the keep, whereas the informal demarcation between
conquered land and free was only four days away at its nearest point.  He could
make for the unoccupied lands and reach the river without much loss of time. 
He could get to the river in a little over two weeks if he hurried, then sail
down to within two leagues of Highspire before the river submerged.  That would
not take much longer, and he could reach the keep safely in a month, avoiding
the most perilous regions.
	"I think I may take your advice, Sumner," Aleric ventured.  "I could
probably do just as well to head for this village here."  He pointed out the
nearest one in the free land.  
	"Good.  I'm glad you decided not to risk the other pass," Sumner said. 
Aleric deliberately did not correct his assumption that his business was below
the Vale of Janariak.  "If you like, I can arrange for someone to guide you,"
he offered.
	"That would be appreciated," Aleric thanked the man.
	"I can ask my nephew to show you the way.  I think my sister can do
without his help for a period."
	Pleased with the solution, Sumner turned the conversation to other
topics.  Aleric responded as truthfully as he could to any questions without
revealing his true purpose or why he was on the continent.  He felt no qualms
about telling them about his family south of Generica who he hadn't even seen
for two years.  When the hour grew late, the family retired, offering Aleric
several cushions to use which he gracefully declined, electing to sleep by the
fire.
	
	
-- 
Heather Sexauer
Muskingum College
hsexauer@muskingum.edu
	
	"If you can't ignore an insult, top it;
	 if you can't top it, laugh it off;
	 if you can't laugh it off, you probably deserve it."
					-- Russell Lynes