At the appointed time a number of officials mount the stand and take their places. Several guards accompany the Baron of Sandas and The Borderlands. Following him are two advisors, one of whom is Ray Jay. Finally, bringing up the rear is Gnarsh. He is sporting an almighty hangover - you know the signs - and his pallour has a distinctive greenish tint. For that matter, so do many people in the crowd around you, for the party last night attracted a large proportion of the local population. However, much to your surprise, Gnarsh has made an effort to make himself presentable this morning. He has apparently had a bath, and he also wears a set of clean clothes...something you never knew he possessed until now. Still, he appears uncomfortable, and stays near the back edge of the stand.
A crier calls out for silence, and the people oblige.
"His great nobility, Norwald, Baron of Sandas and The Borderlands, vassal of Duke Morg II and humble servant of Orwald, King of Nlad, wishes to honour your ears with his wise words!"
Norwald steps forward.
"We are here today," he says in slow, measured words, in a thin voice, "To choose a new castellan, to rule these parts in Our Name. Petras - the traitor Petras - is fled, and by all accounts dead, as are his wife and his son."
This brings a ripple of murmurs from the crowd. Many people smile.
"As you know, while the post of castellan is not a hereditary one, we usually choose a family member to take the post when the previous castellan is unable to carry on. However, to the best of our knowledge, Petras left no immediate family, and even if he did, he has so besmirched his name in our eyes that we would not choose them anyway.
"But there is one who carries the blood of a previous castellan in his veins. He is with us now. That person is Gnarsh, bastard son of Teresa."
This brings cries of surprise from the assembled crowd. The crier cries for silence, and the Baron continues.
"Do we choose him to rule you in our name? He is a bastard, and his father was an orc. But, he has proven himself to be of good heart, for he is one of the leaders of the group who have just destroyed the evil temple which threatened these parts, and with whom the traitor Petras allied himself with so that he could become castellan. I beg you, the people of the Borderlands, to make the choice: Gnarsh, or another capable man whom we shall appoint."
The crowd is silent. Many cast glances at you. People seem to be undecided.
Gnarsh shifts uneasily, then speaks.
"Choose me, an' ever'one'll have free beer fer life!"
"GNARSH! GNARSH! GNARSH!" the crowd cries as one, cheering and surging forward. The guards try to restrain them, but they will not be restrained. They pile up onto the stand, take Gnarsh, and hoist him up high. Then, they carry the grinning half-orc back down with them.
"The choice is made," says the Baron, his old voice almost inaudible above the crowd...and no one is listening anymore, anyway. "You shall have Gnarsh."
With that little matter over, the Baron and his advisors turn to head back to the inner Keep, and the townsfolk get ready for another party.
Kadlian calls out. "Congratulations, Gnarsh!"
Zanax shakes his head in disbelief and chuckles. "Life is sure going to be interesting here! Good thing I'm leaving soon."
"Rage, are we leaving soon? Can we make it an hour or so? I have to take care of one thing here before we leave..."
Zanax then disappears into the crowds.
Rage looks around for Ming, and heads off into the crowds as well. A moment later she returns, laughing.
Kadlian calls. "Baron, a moment of your time, sir!"
The Baron keeps walking as if he did not hear Kadlian.
However, a moment later a page appears at Kadlian's elbow.
"Yes, master?"
"Would you please let the Baron know that more members of my group have arrived? I would like the opportunity to introduce them."
"The Baron is leaving immediately," the page replies. "You can introduce them to him when you receive your honours in December."
Kadlian looks surprised. "Oh, very well. Do you know when in December we should make our appearance? A few of the members of my group will be off on errands and I want to make sure they are there."
"At the Midwinter celebration."
"Thank you. We will be there."
"And can you tell me if the Baron would allow us to accompany them him back to Sandas? We are leaving with our wagons in the next hour."
"He is teleporting back with Ray Jay in a few minutes."
Kadlian smiles. "Of course, I should have realized. What about the Baron's men? Are they riding back or is Ray Jay teleporting everyone?"
"Many are staying here until the new castellan can recruit his own troops. The others will be marching back in a few days."
"Ah. Well, then, I guess we will see them on the roads if we do not get to Sandas first. Thank you, young man."
The page bows and leaves.
An hour later you are all back together again at the stables. There, you gather up your horses and the wagon, and finally depart Borderland Keep. It is late morning.
You travel south down the road to Sandas in thoughtful silence. Gnarsh is gone, now, and your task here is finally done. You wonder when you will again travel this road into the Borderlands.
Late in the afternoon you arrive at the intersection where in the past the people heading for Strabath have parted ways with those going to Sandas. It is a shorter trip for the former to head east here, rather than continuing on to Sandas and hence to Strabath by the Old Dwarvish Road.
Sian and Zanax, then, head east for Strabath, while the rest of you go west.
After parting with Sian and Zanax you head west for another hour before darkness overtakes you.
You make camp...at a place in the forest where you have camped before.