- GM’s note: So we’re almost at the next full moon, and the 4th sacrifice. It’s the Festival of Bees – a chance for the Lords of Gossamer to relax? Maybe…. But probably not.
Day 25 - Fireday – 10th Day of Rainmoot (Spring)
- Red’s men leave town quietly before sunset. Red himself plans to return at suppertime on the first day of the festival when the Mill Lady can explain their bargain. He is carrying a written pardon and instructions for his men.
- The festival setup is almost complete when Grant heads to the Good Omen Inn. Inside, the festivities have already begun. Ander Half-Elven (the troubadour) is playing a jaunty tune while the locals cheer and sing along.
* Sourced from Google Images but this is a piece of artwork by the legendary Larry Elmore. I’ve used this picture to represent Ander Half-Elven.
- Grant is about to join them when he sees a group of dwarves arriving in town. It’s late – well after sundown – and they look tired. There are almost thirty of them.
- Their leader, Ingmar Fellowthongs, calls out to Grant and asks where he might find his cousin. Grant helps him to find Thorn Fellowthongs (the smith), who is drinking in the inn, and then to find enough spare land to pitch tents for the entire group. The dwarves seem tired, but relieved to be at their destination. Ingmar is very pleased to see Thorn.
* Sourced from Google Images, this image represents Ingmar Fellowthongs.
- Grant stays at the Good Omen Inn until late, intending on making sure that everyone gets home safely. Salthia pops by, they talk, and she tells him that she’ll wait up for him. Finally when the last merry drunk is safely home, Grant heads to Salthia’s cottage for the night.
Day 26 - Swordsday – 11th Day of Rainmoot (Spring)
- The next morning everyone is up early. The marketplace is filled with stalls and people have come from miles around to join in the festival. The Festival of Bees officially starts when a statue of the Lady of Honey is taken from the church (Brother Horace’s house) to the centre of town. Lady Marian says a few words as the bouquets of flowers are laid at the statue’s feet, and then Old Olo (as Honey Master) declares the beginning of the Honey Search.
- Scores of children (and a few adults) head out in all directions, scurrying here and there, looking for the tiny honey pots that have been carefully hidden by Olo over the last few days. Ander Half-Elven plays merrily in the town square and people start looking over the wares that people have brought to sell.
- The mood is bright and festive. Even Widow Gimilkina, who was not impressed that the dwarves had set up their stalls so close to her own, has been pleased by their polite manners and their enthusiasm for her baked pies. Grant wanders around town and visits the stalls. He buys a brooch from Penny, a nine-year old entrepreneur with her own stall. He meets Bo, the only decent fletcher in these parts and buys a lot of his stock. He talks with Marius who has a stall of medicinal herbs. He buys a handful of sweets from Kadyn, one of the peddlers who has come from Old Oaks.
- The three sisters from the Good Omen Inn have set up a stall selling ale and pies (although Nadia is hardly seen as she is always working in the kitchen). Mayor Prigg has most of his stock on tables in front of his shop. On the barges are a fishmonger named Karia and Alfrin’s general store.
- Browsing here and there, Grant keeps an eye out for those who don’t belong. He is half expecting some of Red’s men to try something as they may not yet realise that there is an agreement in place.
- He spots a tall, strong looking woman who looks like a warrior. Her arms are pure muscle. She samples some of the food, but she is clearly looking for something or someone. Grant decides to keep an eye on her.
* Sourced from Google Images, this represents Freya (more on her in Session 253)
- Grant also meets Sir Vance, a wandering knight who arrived two days earlier. Vance is escorting Lady Marian around.
* Sourced from Google Images, this image represents Vance.
- It is a change of pace for Grant. Everything seems so calm. People are polite and relaxed around him. Sure, there is someone selling a faerie-touched horse and apparently some of the merchants from Stone Bridge aren’t here this year (due to Lord Korab and the Steel Eagles) but it’s nice to have some time to relax and enjoy.
- Grant notes that Ethan and a young peasant woman are talking to Alfrin. When the conversation ends, they come over to talk to him. Grant introduces himself, and the woman says that they’ve met. She refers to him as ‘The royal birdcatcher’ which catches him off guard, as that was what some of the fey called him in the Courts.
(GM’s note – yes, that hasn’t happened yet. But we will go back to that) Thinking fast, he realises that she isn’t human. She’s a fey wearing a glamour to disguise her true form. He guesses correctly that this is Beethania, the Honey Lady – even the statue has a certain likeness.
* Sourced from Google Images, I’m pretty sure that this image is by Gordon Napier (Dashinvaine), the same talented artist who painted Grant and Ethan. this image represents Beethania as she appears under her glamour.
- Beethania seems pleased to be at Tyland Mills, once again the centre of worship (for that is what the Festival of Bees is) and she seems to be very much attached to Ethan. Grant notes that Ethan is still wearing the pendant around his neck that Isabelle made for him. They make small talk, then Grant excuses himself.
- Meanwhile, wherever Ethan goes, Beethania goes. She walks closely with him, practically clinging to Ethan’s arm, not that anyone else notices. (GM’s note – Ethan and Beethania have met from the Court.) Ethan is very polite and careful not to anger her. Beethania herself oozes charm, and she flirts a little with Ethan. When they last met, she had competition. In Tyland Mills, she does not. She knows that Ethan can see her through her glamour.
- Grant has a late lunch and he picks a quiet place by the docks to sit down and have a pastie. He notes a dark-haired dwarf sitting by the riverbank, eating quietly. Again, this is someone who doesn’t quite fit in with the festive atmosphere.
* Sourced from Google Images
- At dusk, Old Olo declares the end of the Honey Search and a young boy named Efrem Rishavel wins the prize. He is crowned with golden flowers and named King of the Bees for the duration of the festival.
- With the end of the Honey Search a series of long tables are set up and a variety of foods are placed for a communal supper. Nadia brings out plate after plate after plate (she’s been cooking all day), as do many of the other women of the village. Lady Marian, the Mill Lady, speaks first, welcoming everyone and thanking them (especially those who have made the feast possible). She also rewards Efrem with a gold piece and a kiss. At this point, she also acknowledges her half-brother Red, and explains the bargain that has been struck which will mean that he will receive title but also vow to enforce the King’s law. Red’s bandits are no more. Red is offered an opportunity to speak, and he speaks well. The murmurs of the crowd are quickly silenced and people believe that this time, he really might have changed. Grant is then invited to speak as Sheriff, followed by Ingmar Fellowthongs. Ingmar thanks the people of Tyland Mills for their welcome and announces his intention to reclaim the Hexenhoof Mines to the west.
- After dinner, there is the Best Pie Competition, in which the Widow Gimilkina (with her famous rhubarb pie) is pitted against Viera of the Steads (with her All Honey Marvel). A jury of six decides the outcome and Viera is judged the winner. To Grant’s surprise, Gimilkina accepts this with good grace but promises to win next year.
- Grant notes that Ethan is present at the dinner but he no longer seems to be wearing Isabelle’s pendant. That is shocking to him as it was one of the things that the fey most wanted when they spent time in the Courts. Why would he take it off with Beethania present? If he removed it, what did Beethania offer him in return?
- When the communal supper is finished, the tables are cleared away and Ander Half-Elven starts playing music that the people can dance to. While Marian and Vance talk politely, friends and couples dance. Grant keeps watch, occasionally talking to people, but he decides not to join in the dancing. After a while, Grant notes Ethan dancing with Beethania and he seems to be enjoying himself. It seems most unusual.
- Grant decides to go check on the Sheriff’s Tower (and the fishman still in the dungeon). When he leaves, tragedy strikes. A concealed assassin fires at Lady Marian and she is caught in the breast by a crossbow bolt. The impact throws her off her chair. The crowd doesn’t seem to notice at first and the music keeps playing. Sitting beside her, Sir Vance doesn’t seem to realise what happened, assuming that she has merely slipped off her chair, but Ethan realises at once. Pushing people aside, he dashes to Marian’s side and sees her eyes glazing over as the blood is soaking into her dress. Instinctively, he uses Eidolon and prevents her death. He draws out the bolt and starts healing the wound. (GM’s note – the use of Eidolon triggers another tremor in Gossamer Reality)
- Vance is astonished. He watches open mouthed and says nothing. Some of the crowd have realised that the Mill Lady has been attacked and they begin shouting. The music stops abruptly and the crowd is quickly hunting for her assailant. Grant dashes back from the Tower and races after the mystery assassin.
- Marian’s eyes refocus and with Ethan’s assistance she is able to get back to her chair. At this point, Vance snaps out of this and begins organising a search. He assures the worried onlookers that Lady Marian is unhurt. Marian stares at Ethan as she realises that he is a gifted healer but she quickly recovers her wits and stands to her feet (with a bit of help) to reassure the people of Tyland Mills.
- Meanwhile, Grant hunts the assassin in the dark. But Grant can see in the dark. He finds the discarded crossbow and heads out into the fields. He spots a dwarf-sized figure fleeing and chasing him. The assassin is cunning, more cunning than Grant expects. Grant has to avoid caltrops and even a bear-trap but he manages to catch up with the dwarf. It is the same dour dwarf that he saw on the riverbank. A running battle ensues with the dwarf hurling poisoned darts at him. Grant finally brings the dwarf down with a blow to one of his legs, but still the dwarf manages to stick him with poisoned blades. Subduing the assassin, Grant feels a number of different poisons working their way into him and he decides to use Umbra to nullify them. (GM’s note – the internal use of Umbra would cause minimal disturbance to Gossamer Reality)
- Dragging his quarry back to town, Ingmar Fellowthongs confirms that he isn’t one of the Fellowthongs dwarves that came with him. This dwarf is an outsider.
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