A Visit to the Underworld Averted

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The morning dawned misty with the warmth of spring in the air.  We woke to the warming smell of spiced chongee from the communal fire pit and helped ourselves to the steaming porridge while we discussed our plans – but it wasn’t long before we were interrupted by one of the young circus children who scurried up to us to tell us that a Guild horseman had arrived with a message for Song and Caelan.  Intrigued as we’d not had much contact with the Guild before, Song and Caelan left the fire pit to see what they wanted. Olvir shifted to dog form to accompany them unobtrusively.

An impeccably dressed, well spoken Guildsman awaited us who introduced himself as Tavi Erinsson, in the employ of Merchant Bay Jonen Hindral.  The Merchant Bay had someone accompanying him in his caravan (which was a little way down the road) who he thought we’d be interested in meeting – an individual named Kanjuchi.  We weren’t sure how the Guild could have got hold of him though Song and Olvir knew the Merchant Bay by reputation as he had significant interests in Crossing’s Point and we pondered if it was through connections there he’d picked up our lost man.

Surprised we agreed – yes, we’d be relieved if it was the lost Moonspire citizen, returned from the Underworld alive and well.  The Guild caravan also gave us opportunity to trade, as the circus often did when encountering a Guild caravan on the road as it meant we could restock supplies between towns.  Song gathered a swift inventory while Caelan saw to Ariorn and Tsukiyo’s tack and before long the two of them set out to meet the caravan. Olvir stayed with the circus, just in case.

As we approached the wagon train Tavi Erinsson came out to meet us and introduced us to Merchant Bay Jonen Hindral, a large and imposing man who evidently liked to display his wealth – though not to such an extent it seemed ugly.  A strange character accompanied his caravan… a woman (we thought) with skin looking as if it had been stitched together from multiple pieces.  She carried a jade powerbow and to Song’s Essence sight, was clearly of a level in excess of her own, though not by a lot [Essence 4].  Song gave her a polite nod of acknowledgement, though no more than that since she evidently was taking no part in the discussions.  She returned the gesture in kind.

The various wagons in the train spoke much of the Guild’s business.  A prayer wagon held shrines to various gods; including to the god of the caravan who Song spotted lounging on the caravan’s roof and she paused to make a small offering, much to his delight.  A military wagon spoke of the Guild’s need to occasionally defend themselves and the trade in weapons that went on even in relatively peaceful communities.  The East wasn’t always a friendly place to live – there were raptorcats and their ilk in the jungle which sometimes needed to be persuaded not to come near settlements or set upon travellers.

As one of the junior caravan attendants saw to the horses, Song and Caelan were shown by Tavi to a relatively opulent wagon where he gestured for us to sit and for refreshments to be brought.  Sitting in the wagon was a rather awkward looking man in ill fitting clothes who we swiftly learned was Kanjuchi.  The Guild caravan, Tavi explained, occasionally travelled through the Underworld for specific purposes.  There were particular trees which grew at locations where (in Creation) suicides had occurred and the fruit from these trees was much in demand in Creation.  It had been while travelling that news of Kanjuchi’s fate had reached them and they’d brought him with them via Crossing’s Point.

The Guild caravan was happy enough to escort Kanjuchi home to Moonspire though Song gave them a little silver for their trouble.  While they may have done it and expected nothing in return, the Guild weren’t known for their humanitarian favours and she preferred he return home without a millstone of debt.

With that matter settled, negotiations for the circus proceeded.  The Guildsman gave us excellent prices and well satisfied, we moved on to look at some of the jade weaponry they carried (though realised it wasn’t quite what we were after) and asked if they’d be able to help us source some of the things we knew we’d need in the Forge.  A heatstone was top of the list but such an artefact would be rare this far from the South; but if they were able to source one we let them know we’d be interested and that word could be left for us in Moonspire.

Their caravan train would cross with the circus in the next day or so where goods and jade would change hands.  Bidding farewell to Kanjuchi and Tavi we preceded them back to the circus to tell them of the successful negotiations.  Neither Olvir or Caelan stayed long with Selene’s Flurry however: we’d all realised there were things we wanted to do independently.  Caelan was keen to recruit able seamen – or possibly airmen – for Moonbeam’s Flight.  Even if we got her flying we’d need a crew.  Olvir had heard of a dojo where he hoped to advance his knowledge of the martial arts, and Song the mysteries of Sorcery on her mind.  Agreeing to meet back in Moonspire in six weeks, we went our separate ways.

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