Tucked deep into a dark, dusty shelf in the back of the library, you stumble upon a dusty old tome that seems to have not been disturbed in ages. Cobwebs cover most of the shelf, which you wipe away as you pull it from its now-pristine slot. Turning it over in your hands, you read the title, “The Land of Revi,” and open to the inside cover. It creaks and feels as if it might break if moved too much or too quickly, but you manage to open to the first page and find the following message:
“This is a true history of the once-flourishing land of Revi, as recorded by Pentius of Cydonia.”
You’ve seen this name several times, and the man seems to have been a prolific author in times long past. While you know not of any land by the name of Cydonia, and you have yet to read a tale of his detailing anything resembling a history of real events, you know his stories to be as colorful and entertaining as even the best modern tales of daring and adventure. You turn the page and continue to read...
It has been a multi-day journey since you and the rest of the Cohort have had a job, and coin is beginning to run low. You arrived last night in the small town of Vesarne, tired, hungry, and in desperate need for work. The captain awoke first, so you noticed, as he was already gone from the inn when you shuffled out to meet the day. Imhe left shortly after, intent on finding a new task and more coin.
At around noon, the two of them both return, excited about a new lead. The group of you are hastily gathered together and told to follow to the nearby estate, owned by the local Jenore - Gavo Moltove - and his family. You are told that your new job will be to escort his family all the way to the city of Anfeli for the upcoming Calling of the Heir, and the pay promises to be quite substantial for such an otherwise straightforward escort job. Hope shines across the faces of your companions as you head towards the manor house to meet your new wards.
"We're told the Jenore himself is already in Anfeli, so we will only be escorting his wife and children," Hara says, continuing his previous explanation of the job you've been hired for. "I've spoken with her, she is a lovely woman. Quite devout, and convinced one of her children will be chosen to be the next Jenorim. That's probably why the pay's so good," the man continues, with a large grin.
The group of you have now been walking for several minutes since leaving the inn, and currently find yourselves nearing a large estate in the distance. The road on either side of you is lined with olive orchards, which you assume to be the local crop of choice for Vesarne. You pass the occasional cart of produce or farmhand on foot, finding them polite but generally in a hurry to get to where they are going. The estate in the distance seems more modest than many of the Jenore's estates that you've seen before, especially those of you who've spent time in larger cities, but it looks to be substantial compared to the otherwise meager homes of the villagers and farmers of this agricultural region.
"There are not too many of them, and most of them are young, so we need to be on our best behavior and take this job seriously," Imhe responds, her tone and the smirk on her face seeming to contrast with her words. "We shall be judged harshly by the Moltove children for our actions and attitudes, so we do not want to face their wrath if we are to fail in our duties."
Hara rolls his eyes at Imhe's jest, but responds all the same. "We may only be escorting a mother and her children, but we should still treat this job like any other. After all, the Calling is sure to draw all sorts to the city, not just those of divine lineage. Who knows who, or what, we'll encounter on the roads ahead?"
