Age of Ice and Blood: A Pathfinder System Heroic Fantasy Quest

Twenty First Day of Elnu-Hamba (Elnu Descendent), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)

To say Swift Pebble takes to her new training at war with disturbing enthusiasm would be perhaps unkind, it is not however inaccurate. She has seem battle, not just against men, but monsters and she is not cowed, not in the least, instead taking to the craft of trickery and war with the good cheer that makes some wonder if she is in earnest, that is until they contemplate the prospect of a small otter able to climb the limbs of a man just as easily as the branches of a tree. Though she was not alone in her interest she also proves by far the most skilled, enough so that Zaia brings up the notion of paying her at more than the usual rate for the crew.

"We have gone down quite a few... er, holes of late." The pause acknowledges the obvious less than saintly jest but then moves on through the guffaws from Antonio and the smile from you. "I for one recall the flooded hole up north where the dragon laired and as wondrous as sorcery may be I would rather trust one who is naturally at home in the water."

"So how much are you thinking I should pay her then?" Antonio asks. "Maybe do it by weight..."

Though Zaia is by his own measure too old and respectable to roll his eyes at the jape it is clear by the sound of his sigh that he is thinking of it. "I don't think you need her as much to be lookout for the ship, Runs in Rain is almost as well respected and for now not half as keen on battle." He turns to you. "I think it would be best to simply make her the same offer as all the other soldiers of the Fellowship of Saint Nicholas. The saint himself is as much a patron of travelers as sailors, I think he would find the company of those met along the way, swearing oaths of fellowship, pleasing."

Though not so long ago you might have been befuddled by the notion now you are on surer ground. So Swift Pebble is no kin of Adam or Eve, what matter is that beside all the good she had already done and as Zaia puts it all the uses she could serve in stranger battles? That she is a women... girl, it is hard to measure age still even in your own mind for ones whose lines burn so swift, matters even less when you consider that Inge is part of the Fellowship also for all she has sworn no oaths upon its banners. As for the men, if you know them and you do well enough, then they will welcome her with a cheer. Yet...

"If we are going to ask her to jump into dragons' lairs that is not quite the same as bearing a spear into battle," you muse aloud. Who would have thought being in command of a free company would see you fret over the particulars of pay and pledges so much. Then again, it was not like you had given much thought to the position until you had stumbled into it.

How do you treat Swift Pebble from now on?

[] A formal pledge as part of the soldiers of the Fellowship of Saint Nicholas (she is added to soldiers of the company like Wanderer and paid to match)

[] An informal arrangement (She is added as a companion; more flexible pay and work, but less likely to command her kin into battle should there be need)

OOC: This is also a bit of a character moment about how Roland feels about Swift Pebble personally, if you guys had rolled higher than a 1 things would have stayed in limbo a bit longer and you would have gotten this choice down the line when you would have seen them distinguish each other, but since she is alone I went with it here.

Twenty Third Day of Elnu-Hamba (Elnu Descendent), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)

There is nothing to mark the evening out after the choice is made. Swift Pebble of of course happy to help as ever and so you eat a hearty but unremarkable meal that is more bread than fish and more fish than you would like and then you seek your bed amid the sounds of the crashing waves, amid creaking of the Marcella's planks at once familiar and strange.

The dream starts out sensibly enough, you are taking care of Silver's saddle and bridle, a task that had been drilled into you since boyhood, the man who does not look after his stirrups will end up in a ditch sure as the one who finds himself skewered on a lance. Tis all the more important now since you cannot easily find a leather worker who knows horses and their needs

Where had that thought come from, you wonder. Who in Veley would not know what a horse is?

Yet the light that falls though the window is not the hazy gleam of springtime in Normandy, it looks harsh and bright, like the sun on far southern sands drenched in blood. Rushing to the door of your chambers you take the steps two at a time, calling out to your mother and the servants, but you see no one, hear no one. As you make it out of the outer door you find yourself not in the midst of the bleak lands of Egypt which you had not only just recalled nor even in the green fields dotted with sheep that practically flow to the moat of Verley keep. Instead you seem to me on a narrow island, a spit of sand and dirt in the midst of the sea turned a blue so deep it is near to black.

In the distance you can see a familiar ship, a Genoan Galley flying a familiar flag.... you cannot recall her name, but you know she is important. She was the ship that took you home perhaps... but this wasn't home was it?

Just as the questions had started circling like hungry buzzards over a carcass something odd happens to the sea as well. In its murky depths blue-green flames kindle, like marsh-lights said to lead travelers to their grave like.... something else, something important.

Roland!

Did someone call your name, a woman's voice, urgent, shouting almost, but so very far away. For lack of a better idea of what to do you start walking towards the shore , thinking that you may get some answers or at the very least get a better look at what's in the water.

Roland!

Again the name comes, this time louder, and following after it a familiar neigh. Silver?

The moment shatters like glass and all at once you can recall all that you had in this place forgotten, the passage and all the days that come after it, the founding of the Fellowship and taking in Inge, finding new friends and by new foes being found. The woman who has been shouting at you is Esha.

"Fortune shining bright finally," you hear her sigh inwardly along the paths of your mind. "You are in a waking dream, things around you, things you can see and touch, they are more real than your own fancy, though not of common substance made. I think someone is trying to talk to you, someone who can get into your head at least this much which is worrisome."

"And what if I do not want to talk to them?" you ask perturbed. Having been summarily stripped of more than a year of memories even for an instant you are not certain you are inclined to linger for a chat.

"Can you see anything that looks like Wayfarer's Respite or the Marcella?" Esha asks. When you explain that you can see the ship in the distance she continues. "Then swim there and you will wake... though if you want to play along my best guess would be to follow what seems to be the most obvious sign, fire or bright lights..."

You look down at the sea. "When you say this is real... real enough to drown in the sea."

"No, you have no lungs to fill with water, though it's up to you if you wish to meet whatever may be down there."

What do you do?

[] Swim for the dream-form of the Marcella, this is not a realm you are skilled in walking

[] Follow the lights, better to find out now what this is about

[] Go back in the tower, you first appeared there, perhaps there are clues

[] Write in

OOC: Not going to tell you what roll lead to this since it would be a spoiler.