[Elliot Springs][Session 1 - Level 1][Part 1]
Deep inside the Endine Forest two men stood near the edge of a trail. Trees and thick foliage surrounded the trail, it was hardly used, and barely big enough for a cart. To the west there were a few small villages and to the east was a large city.
One could hardly see the tracks the two men had left, cutting through the forest, coming to the edge of the trail. These foresters came from Entsprings, their family's land, with only three households hailing from the same ancestor. It wasn’t on any trail or notable enough to be on any map.
The first of the two men was a young adult, on the cusp of manhood, with not a single hair on his chin yet. He had a traveling pack, a bedroll tied to it, on his right hip was a scabbard with the handle of an heirloom blade sticking out of it, and on his left hip was a shortbow and a quiver of arrows.
The second man was aged past his prime; his beard mostly white, his hands calloused, his skin scarred, and his hair long with time tied up in a ponytail. Both of them had dark brown hair, light green eyes, and amulets around their necks. The older man’s amulet was tucking into his shirt, only the silver chain was visible. The boy displayed his amulet on his chest proudly. It was a dark metal maw with real wolf fangs.
“Do you remember how you got here?” The father asked somberly. “Do you remember the way back?”
“No, but I remember you saying that I would forget it. I am not scared, father.” The son replied.
“Oh Elliot, are you certain this is the path for you?” The father’s shoulders sunk.
“I can’t stay in the village my whole life.” Elliot looked at the unfamiliar surroundings with a bright look in his eyes.
“Then that's it then. If you come down this road again. I’ll find you.” The father said.
Wind rushed past Elliot as he turned to look at his father. He was already gone and any amount of time could have passed. The boy’s head was too foggy to tell. Elliot was alone on the trail.
The boy sighed. Turned around as he gripped his amulet and he began his stride East. Following the trail his heart swirled with emotions. There was no chance of turning back. The sun began to set slightly on his left. Elliot made note that the trail was slightly curving.
Elliot headed towards the city of Trier. A minor city in Provencia. The Lord who ruled this region favors those who brought in trade and thus Trier like most cities in this region would be centered around it. Elliot’s father had warned him not to be tempted by the vices of cities.
His father trained him for years in natural magic and proper combat. Elliot was taught how to survive and he was determined to use this knowledge to help others. He wanted to become a soldier and travel the world under a banner that would bring prosperity and order.
As the sun set Elliot came across a camp with tens of wagons. Although the wagons looked more like buildings on wheels than any cart the boy had seen. There was one wagon with tables that folded off the sides of it, bars that came down and suspended benches for the tables.
Elliot's eyes quickly moved to where there were more lights and people. A wagon that's taller, with a few windows, and women in dresses around the entrance. Elliot quickly looked away as he had never seen women showing so much skin before. Everyone in his village was a relative.
The young man stopped at the edge of the camp, sat on a rock, and observed for a few minutes. There were elves, dwarves, and smallfolk. Just like his father had told him about, there were people in this world of other races. There were also tusked people with green tinted skin and fur covered people with faces like cats. A few of the caravan members stood around wearing leather armor and wielding simple arms like clubs and axes.
Elliot pulled a notebook from his pocket with a stick of charcoal. He quickly sketched the face of one of the tusked men his father told him were orcs. He then started to sketch a bust of one of the cat-like people. Elliot observed more of the camp; there was a woman telling fortunes, a man setting up a makeshift forge, and a ring of posts with two men inside boxing.
“What are you doing?” A high pitched voice asked Elliot, much closer than he thought anyone was.
He looked to his side to see a smallfolk with sun baked skin, blonde hair, and deep green eyes.
“Spying on us?” She said looking down at his sketches and notes of the caravan.
“No,” Elliot said as a little bit of heat rushed to his face, “nothing like that. I’ve just never been around other people.”
The woman erupted with laughter. Elliot narrowed his eyes at her. Only when she went to wipe away a tear did she notice the glare from him.
“Are you serious?” She cocked her head to one side and looked down at Elliot’s notebook. “That one’s an Orc, the furry one is a Catfolk, and you can draw me next. I’m a Halfling.”
“Thank you.” Elliot muttered. “I don’t really know how to interact with people. Like, can I just jump in? Is this camp free for me to enter?”
“Have you ever seen any people?” She smiled jokingly.
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“Just my family.” Elliot watched her smile drop. “But, I’ve read a lot about the world and the races of the world. I’ve even read about yours.”
“But you’ve never even met a halfling, or a dwarf, or a troll, or an avian?” She asked in pure shock, receiving only a nod from Elliot. She composed herself and stuck out a hand. “Well you’ve met me. I’m Diana.”
“Elliot.” He shook her hand when she suddenly clasped her other hand around his, pulling him up off the stone and onto his feet.
“Come on!” Diana nodded as she let go and walked towards the wagons.
Elliot followed her into the camp. He felt a couple pairs of eyes watching him as he walked past a few wagons. The two walked around a wagon to where a woman was slowly turning a hunk of flesh on a spit above a roaring flame.
The individual cooking the large roast was a very tall scaled humanoid with a stocky build and surprising muscular definition. Her dark green scales are accented by a red crested head. Her eyes were focused on perfectly cooking the roast.
Behind her was a male elf in red and yellow clothes stirring a large pot of stew with a wooden ladle that seemed almost the same color as his hair. Like wet oak. The elf is effeminate in appearance to Elliot, but father told him that not everyone was built the same.
“She’s a Lizardfolk and he’s an Elf. Best not to make either one angry.” Diana nudged Elliot.
“Here to buy?” The scaled woman said without looking up.
“Of course!” Diana darted forward handing the saurian a silver coin. The woman held the coin up, pockets it, and then rips off a chunk of meat for Diana.
“And your friend?” The saurian asked as Diana took the piece of meat.
“He’ll buy.” Diana said before moving on and getting a bowl of stew from the elf.
“Do you have change?” Elliot asked, suddenly feeling very small, as he stepped towards the woman.
“Of course.” The lizardfolk said with a rasp and fished out nine silver pieces.
Elliot exchanged a gold coin for the nine silver. She handed him a bowl, tears off a slab of meat, and tossed it into the bowl in his hands. Diana pulled him over to the big pot with the elf man stirring it.
He scooped some stew and served it into Elliot’s bowl. Elliot started to walk away but noticed the chef slip a silver coin back to Diana. He knew gold was going to be hard to use when the average person only had copper, but maybe this group wanted to swindle some money out of him.
Diana joined Elliot and the pair headed over to a few stumps off to the side to eat their food. Elliot watched two men grapple each other in the fighting ring; a tall tattooed gray skinned man and a smaller bearded fellow.
“Oh, that's a Dwarf and a Goliath.” Diana said with a mouthful of food.
“There are so many different people in your caravan. How does it work? How did you all come together?” Elliot asked as Diana slurped down her stew.
“Well, for your notes, we are called the Romeshk. We travel around to places that need a little help. We are good at procuring resources, blessing the land, and raising spirits with our music.” Diana explained with a whimsical sound to her voice.
Elliot looked over to another wagon where a human woman leaned over a table, drawing cards, and reading them in a guttural language. She had chains of gold, silver earrings, a brass nose ring, and loose colorful clothing.
She spoke to a large orc who looked pleased, as she flipped over cards, and explained something to him in a language he understood. He nodded, satisfied, and left. The chair in front of her wagon was now empty.
The orc has a broadsword on his back, a hammer on his hip, and the clothes of a noble on with muted colors of brown and gray. He stepped over to where a human was waiting for him. A human man with long blonde hair and a face hidden behind a mask that looked like it was made of stone.
“It’s just a gold coin. Go talk to her.” Diana pushed Elliot up and he walked over to sit in the seat in front of the stall.
He slid a gold coin across the table as the woman shuffled her deck of cards. She raised an eyebrow at the young Elliot before taking the gold coin. With a flick of her hands she placed the deck of cards down and drew three cards. She placed all three face down in front of Elliot. The cards had brown outlines and an aged appearance.
“Your fate is yours. Which card do you want me to flip over?” The fortune teller asked with a soft aged voice.
Elliot studied the cards; the leftmost card had some wear on it, the rightmost card lifted slightly off the table as if it had some texture to the face of it, but the middle card had the slightest shadow as the setting sunlight hit it. The shadow looked like a spear or a sword. Elliot pointed to the middle card. She flipped the card, the border was still brown, the center was black and white, with a bronze image; a man standing atop a chariot with a spear held aloft.
"Little one, you will be forced to bear witness to awful events, and yet must persevere. Your journey may be stagnant now, but soon, you will roll forward to a new path. No matter where that path may lead, victory will follow, though it may not appear as victorious as you intended. Adapt and overcome your obstacles, and you shall eventually know no fear." The woman finished her reading, nodding.
“Oh,” Elliot focused on thinking about the first sentence, “thank you then.”
Elliot stood, as the last bit of light started to fade. He found himself rethinking the body language of the fortune teller, the interaction with the two cooks, and everything Diana had said to him. The boy couldn’t help but wonder if they were taking him for a fool. Yet, they hadn’t given him any reason to lash out. Oddly, he still liked this camp.
He looked around, seeing Diana, waving him over to a clear area on the edge of camp. She was setting up a tent and had one off to the side of her. Diana was struggling to put up her tent, unable to reach the top of it, to pull the fabric across and prevent the weather from blowing in.
The leaves along the ground shifted and swirled, as the skies began to darken in the distance with clouds. A slight breeze sent a shiver to the back of Elliot’s neck as ash from the campfires around the caravan were kicked up.
Elliot ran over and helped Diana set up her tent, pulling the fabric over the top, and nailing down the sides of it. He used his amulet to nail down the pins. And wiped sweat from his brow as a slight bit of rain started to sprinkle down.
“The storm came in fast.” Elliot looked around.
“Must be bad luck. The caravan will probably wait till the storm dies down to move again. Most of these wagons are top heavy.” She looked around the camp. “You can use the extra tent I got out.”
“Thank you so much.” Elliot responded before he began to set up his own tent.
“If you need anything, you know where I am.” Diana entered her tent.
Elliot climbed into his tent wondering what the hell he would need. He had a tent, he had a bedroll, and he just planned on being asleep until the morning. He sighed, laid down, and fell asleep to the sound of rain growing heavier as it hit the tent.