Shadows over Anuire In Brief:

The party, Devlyn, Fra Gwythyr of Cwlidon, and Vito Shadowmere, along with the Mhors house-guard and

scout Gaelin, is investigating reports that the lord of Dun-Hearken and his family have been taken hostage

in his own hill-fort.

The lands of the Laird of Dun-Hearken lie to the south, near the Hearkenwold, the geographical centre of

Maesilar, his clan's ancestral home. Beyond, near the border with Ghoere and Elinie, is the community of

Albridge, where once a magnificent arched bridge stood, spanning the river, back in the Empire's heyday. If

the reports are to be believed, mercenaries and bandits in the employ of Gavin Tael, the Baron Ghoere,

have overrun the place, sweeping in across the river in a lightning raid a scant six weeks ago. They levy tolls,

confiscate property, and brutally put down those who oppose their "authority".

While few roads are to be found in the valley, there are many trails to follow, indelibly etched into the

landscape by centuries-long traditions of sheep-grazing and raid and counter-raid between rival clans.

After several encounters with foreign bandits and mercenaries, dire battle-field spirits, and outcast

Wildlings, Devlyn and Gwythyr come into contact with the renowned champion and questing knight of the

Militant Order of Cuiraecen, Sir Guy de Conallier, who challenges and defeats an enemy knight in a joust.

Sir Parsifal Bronarre (from Brona, capital of the Ghoerean province of Tornilen) is the defeated vassal of Sir

Faulk Redthorn, charged with escorting a supply wagon carrying provisions and pay. Redthorn is an

ambitious landed knight and noble from the province of Conallier in Ghoere and leads a coalition of nobles

which tries to take advantage of Gavin Taels absence and presumed capture by the Gorgon to extend its

own holdings. Redthorns chief supporter, Sir Parsifal says, is Fra-Marschal Stiele Ghieste, leader of the

Ghoerean affiliate Order of the Spur (Redspurs), the hand guiding the sword of Ghoere against its enemies.

The Fra-Marschal was a long-time supporter of Ghoeres military ambitions, and commands the loyalty of

the largest concentration of brothers in all of Anuire in the fortified temple-complex outside the city of

Bhalaene. The fortress houses a company each of elite infantry and cavalry. This one-time Ghoere loyalist

now brings the ruthless men of the blood-soaked order to Redthorns cause, although to date Parsifal has

been spared any contact with these butchers.

(Sir Guy de Conallier and Fra Gwythyr of Cwlidon feel a sense of shame to be associated with these violent

brothers in battle, whose sole dedication seems to be the glorification of slaughter and conflict irrespective

of the justness or otherwise of a cause. The grandmaster of the Order, the volatile and controversial Fhylie

the Sword (also missing and presumed captured) has been unable to stamp out the corruptive taint

infecting the Military Order of Cuiraecen in Ghoere.)

Sir Parsifal also notes that there are loyalist elements in Ghoere, led by a lieutenant, Jonathan Miechele,

who tries to rally support around Ghoeres bastard, Moerghan Brelliante (Morghan Rook), who is Ghoeres

successor, despite his illegitimacy.

As to why Redthorn has chosen to besiege Dun-Hearken (seat of the province of Maesilar) and Laird Brego,

son of Barni, he cannot say; he would have expected Redthorn to consolidate his hold of the southern port

of Riumache and key villages first, before launching an attack on so important a clan seat as Dun-Hearken.

The threat to Mhorieds northern provinces, particularly Toriens Watch, which has stretched the Mhors

military resources thin, has no doubt played a part.

The Maesil River Valley

Sir Parsifal is afforded every courtesy as a noble captured enemy combatant. Several of the mercenaries

captured with him are offered a battlefield conversion, which is pleasing to the Strom Lord, and who deigns

to heal their injuries in return for their new-found devotion. The party secures and caches some of the

wagons goods and presses on.

En-route, the party encounters what turns out to be a band of brigands. After a swift, bloody battle, they

are defeated, but several escape, while one is captured. The captive reveals plans to launch a co-ordinated

attack on the community of Tors Hold in Tenarien with the aid of an unholy alliance with the Mere-folk, the

swamp-skum of the western marshlands at the Maesils confluence with the River Stonebryn. Meanwhile,

the Cwilidon community of Marl has been razed, he says.

After Devlyns diplomacy and gifts of food and ale secures the confidence of the suspicious community of

Tors Hold (sons and grandsons of the local hero Tor Hammermith, led by the Bann of Tors Hold, Bran

Torskin), the party learns that several attempts have been made to pacify this strategically-important

village. It was inevitable that a more concerted effort would eventually be made. The villagers are aware of

the stories of mere-folk, with whom trade-relations were said to have once existed, but who have since

embraced the Shadow. It is also revealed that the grandson of the Bann, Heron, recently wandered off into

the swamp. To date, efforts to recover the lad have failed.

Tors Hold

The restless Sir Guy inspects the defence of Tors hold, and watches for a night-time surprise attack. He

spots a strange light in the distance, and summons his companions. Devlyn identifies the eerie light as a

will-o-wisp, the vestige of an evil soul which lures the unwary to their doom. Fearing that Heron may have

succumbed to the lure of the malevolent spirit, the party immediately follows. After an hours-long trek

through wild grasslands, the party enters the swamp, finally losing the will-o-wisp at a hidden cave

complex.

Will-o-wisp on the Moors

The mere-folk are quick to mobilise to repel the invaders, but despite the advantage of terrain, are

outclassed by the heroes, who have no appetite for slaughtering these unfortunate mockeries of humanity.

Somehow Devlyn manages to engage in rudimentary diplomacy with the creatures, which seem to be

under an evil influence. The heroes are shown to a ritual chamber where an enormous dire toad languidly

awaits to receive as sacrifice an unconscious boy matching Herons description.

Mere-folk

The demon toad is engaged and harried by the spirits of warriors summoned from Cuiraecens Feasthall,

and thanks to a concerted effort and a devastating blow resulting in an impossible decapitation, the

monster is defeated at last to the joyous croaking of the mere-folk Before the heroes can revel in their

victory, however, the will-o-wisp descends upon the crude altars sacrifice. Finding their weapons

ineffective against the incorporeal foe, Gwythyr casts a blessing of protection over the boy, buying some

precious time, while Sir Guy and Devlyn harry the malevolent spirit before blasting it into nothingness. A

cackling remnant of what was once the will-o-wisp speeds out of the caverns, and Devlyn recalls the

wildlings dire warnings of the involvement of a Scinnlaeca, a Shining One in the recent goings on.

Sidebar_________________________________________________________________

Cuiraecen, the Stormlord, God of Battle, Haelyns Champion

The son of Haelyn and Nesirie, Cuiraecen is Haelyns chosen champion

and herald. Warriors preparing for battle may ask of Haelyn that they

conduct themselves with honour, but it is Cuiraecens name they must

invoke for victory. The god of battle is the patron of young warriors, for he is the

representation of reckless courage and victory through strength.

Born in the third century after Deismaar, he has since inspired the formation of orders of

knighthood within the church of Haelyn. A tense rivalry exists between elements of both

orders to this day, with the more conservative and learned adherents of Haelyns faith

seeing the orders of Cuiraecen as a refuge for black-guards and violent criminals, hiding

behind the aegis faith for their acts violent acts of aggression and expediency. Since the

fall of Michaele Roele and the dissolution of the Empire, the church of Haelyn has

splintered along geo-political lines, and the rift has deepened, but fundamentally, the

two faiths, along with the worship of Nesirie the Mother, are part of a greater,

indivisible whole. In theory

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies are Haelyns Festival (day and night of the Summer

Solstice) and Godsday (22nd of Deismir), Day of Rebirth (first day of spring and start of

the storm season), and six-weeks later (16th Talienir), the start of the campaigning

season.

The principal ceremony each day is in the early afternoon, immediately before spring

and summer storms typically begin. Adherents also conduct a service before any battle,

regardless of whether or not a priest is present. It is particularly auspicious (albeit

extremely dangerous) to conduct such services on the battlefield while a storm is in

full force, as they believe enemies become particularly unnerved by the sight of metal-

clad zealots raising weapons to the heavens during the height of an electrical storm.

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Heron is safely returned to his kin, earning the party the gratitude of the Tors-holders, who pledge their

support in the partys efforts to repel Redthorns advances. But first there is the matter of the anticipated

attack on the community and the road it controls. Vito and Devlyn, meanwhile plan to head for Riumache

while Sir Guy and Fra Gwythyr drill the able-bodied men and youths of Tors Hold. Before his departure,

Devlyn regales everyone with tales of an historical battle, a triumph of stout-hearted pastoralists over the

mighty, but unjustly assembled horde arrayed against them, lifting the spirits of the men of Tors Hold on

the eve of the battle.

Travelling through the night, Devlyn and Vito make the uneventful journey to Riumache, arriving just as the

night soil porters carry their cargo to the outlying fields. A queue of farmers bringing their produce into the

town has already started to form, while disreputable-looking guards demand extortionate tolls at the

towns main gate.

Sidebar_________________________________________________________________

Sowing Rumours

Swaying public opinion can be an effective way to bring down a villain or elevate a

friend. Spreading rumours is an efficient, if underhanded, way to accomplish that goal.

Well-placed rumours can increase a subjects standing in a community or embroil

someone in scandal. A rumour needs to be simple, concrete, and hard to disprove. An

effective rumour also has to be believable, playing off what people want to believe

about the person in question.

Sowing a rumour about an individual or an organisation requires a number of

consecutive days depending on the size of the community, as shown in the Sowing

Rumours table below:

SOWING RUMOURS

Settlement Size Time Required

Village 2d6 days Town 4d6 days City 6d6 days

The character must spend 1 gp per day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances,

and the like. At the end of the time spent sowing the rumour, the character must make a

DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the

communitys prevailing attitude towards the subject shifts one step toward friendly or

hostile according to the intent of the rumour. If the check fails the rumour gains no

traction, and further attempts to propagate it fail.

Shifting a communitys general attitude toward a person or organisation doesnt affect

everyone in the community. Individuals might hold to their own opinion, particularly if

they have personal experience in dealing with the subject of the rumour.

Riumache is considered a Town for the purpose of sowing rumours. Tenarien is a 3/2

Holding. The Mhor has a level 2 Law holding (down from 3), with his influence eroded in

recent weeks by Ghoeran elements (level 1 Law holding). The Militant Order of

Cuiraecen has a level 3 Temple holding, while Haelyns Aegis has made some inroads

(level 0 Temple holding). Highland Overland Traders controls, for want of a better word,

most of the trade (level 3 Guild holding) and seems to be playing both sides of the

conflict. The Maesil Shippers guild has also seized upon the current tension to get a

share of the profits (level 0 Guild holding).

The current Starting Attitude of Riumache is Indifferent. A Friendly result will result in

military and logistical support for any assault on Redthorns besieging forces.

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