Context
In 300 YR, the ballads of Tarsonis in the Wilderness were very popular among bards in central Emergo. Depending on one's allegiance to the rulers of Sirastir, the tales of Tarsonis can be received as a rousing call to morality, a series of vignettes on life in the frontiers, or a vile set of propaganda aimed at causing sedition or dissuading allies in
Principality of Argyle or Marothell from joining the brewing battles.
Across the Desert
In 296 YR, a group of no-name sell-swords were hired by the priests in Sirastir to escort the Goliath cleric Tarsonis, from the small village of
Gastow to popular pilgrimage destination of
Lethorp, where he was to bless the new Forge of the Maker and demonstrate the great unity of faith between Sirastir and the goliath clans who lived in the western mountains.
Among these mercenaries were the warriors Fengrin, Orion, and Wren. History has failed to record how they came together, but their actions on the march have been well-documented and retold many times on both sides of the simmering conflict.
The Haboob, Goats & Kobolds
A day after they set out from Gastow, the high deserts were swept by a massive, mile-high dust storm, causing the party to double
back and seek shelter. After the dust rolled through, a long rainstorm moved in, slowing progress as the horses trudged through the mud for two days. In this rain, they spotted a Goliath goatherd searching for his lost son and an errant goat.
With the help of the muddy ground, the party was able to pick up the trail and quickly noticed other tracks merging with the boy and the goat. After an hour’s travel they came upon a cave serving as the filthy lair of a pack of kobolds. The kobolds had not harmed the boy or the goat, as they debated delivering one of them to their "boss". The mighty sell-swords made short work of these sizable foes, ultimately returning the boy and keeping the goat.
As they made camp that night, Korhal revealed to his travelling companions that he was a political prisoner, and while he expected to be held captive by priests upon his delivery, he knew that refusing would bring action against his tribe. The party was privately in disbelief that the cleric did not attempt to flee in the night. Later that night, the party spotted activity on the nearby ridge. A weary aerial examination discovered earth elementals terraforming the area, but neither group disrupted the other as an uneasy peace won the night.
Old Man Haggle
Carrying on the next day, the terrain began to transition from the desert into brush lands and light forests. In this area, the party spotted two old men sitting at a small table next to a cart in the middle of a field. Speaking with the men, Haggle Shortstance and Grumble Grabbins, Fengrin learned that these were retired adventurers who were trying their lot as hunters/trappers.
Furthermore, the pair still had a few possessions from their fighting days that they were happy to part with for a price. After some investigation by Orion and a fair bit of negotiations mixed with paranoia, Fengrin became the owner of the mighty
vorpal sword, which would come up with tragic frequency in bards' retelling of his adventures.
The Broken Cart & The Knights of Paladine
Just past the mid-way point in their trek, our heroes came upon on overturned cart, a pair of survivors and some less fortunate souls. Speaking to the traumatized merchants, it was learned that they had been transporting a beast to deliver to one of the priests attending Honeyfest in
Beaford before they were beset by bandits. The party was able to right their cart and Korhal spent time mending their wagon wheel (which the party broke in righting the cart).
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the party made camp on the road with the merchants. During their meal, a group of knights approached on horseback and rested around their fire for a few hours. One of Sirastir’s most prestigious orders, the Knights of Palatine were in the area investigating reports of dragon activity.
As they rested, the Knights implored Wren, Orion and Fengrin to share their own tales of adventure before departing to seek out the red wyrm in the desert. As the sell-swords struggled to impress the knights with potentially true stories of their might, their captain offered to alter their course and take Tarsonis anywhere he wanted, but the goliath cleric did not hestitate in declining.
In the morning, the party confirmed their commitment to being no-name sell-swords and declined the merchant’s request for help in tracking down the beast and the bandits who took it.
Many Arrows hold a grudge
Riding into the denser woods that protect Lethorp and the nearby lands from the violent desert storms, the party encountered a patrol from the orc
Kingdom of Many Arrows . Clad in shaggy goat furs, the peace-loving orcs were willing to let the sell-swords pass as long as the goliath did not enter their woods. Rather than negotiate or ride around, the party entered combat and slew the orcs, but not before one of them rode off.
Continuing on their trek, the party did not spot any more orcs, but did find themselves cornered by a hungry wyvern. Working together, the party used Orion’s magic and Fengrin’s new sword to slay the foe.
Leaving the wyvern’s hunting grounds, the countryside began to clear out and cart paths turned into country roads and eventually the party found the gates of Lethorp. Without further incident, they delivered the forge cleric Korhal to his fate at the hands of the priests and collected their rewards, 1,000g each.
Aftermath
As the summer of 296 wore on, it was evident that Tarsonis's suspicions were correct, and he was not allowed to return to his homeland. Hidden from public view, he was transferred from Lethorp to the priests of Thoth, and eventually became a prisoner of the Knights of the Rose under the command of
Calum Best
While Wren seems to have faded from legend, the following years were not kind to Fengrin Shatterhand, as told in _______. Fengrin and Orion would return in "Tarsonis' Flight".
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