Teresa's intermezzo
Teresa's Intermezzo
the NPCs, who just live their lives, and the PCs, who generally ruin their lives.
These are their stories....
Well, it's the story of one of them. Following the 'success' at the roadhouse, Teresa could not go on a treasure hunting adventure. She decided to repence and help out in the Silverwick Ward instead. The following snippets are a look in her adventures when the rest of the party was hunting booty on an island.
1 - The Book
After waving the party off on the ship Teresa head back to the Silver Ward to help out. She spend a part of the day doing small chores and talking to some patients, then she had a long conversation with the head of the ward, an old Dwarf named Thigrolum Greymane. He picks her mind and senses there are better things she can do. Paying penance here isn't doing her any good.
There is an old bookshop in the city, The Booknook, she should inquire about the old faith and tell the owner he send her.
That same day she rushed to the bookstore. She remembered the books of Aldust she lost in The Dig, and how she hadn't been able to get a hold of something similar.
The Booknook seemed to be squeezed between buildings, barely a little more than a door wide Teresa had little hope to find something of use here. A small bell rang as she opened the door and she peered into a 60 ft long corridor with a bookshelf on the right. The books all neatly lined and perfectly clean on the shelves.
Walking the corridor she ran her finger across the books looking for something of interest to her.
A cough pulled her from her search as she was halfway through the corridor. "Please don't touch the books. I take great care in keeping them clean."
A neatly dressed man stood beside her, completely blocking the way with his large posture. His clothes would have fit at some point, but now the seams struggle to keep the fabric together.
"If you know what you are looking for I can help you, I don't like people browsing. Follow me" he says as he wrenches himself through the corridor. Teresa gingerly follows him.
The corridor ends in a large room, filled with shelved and neatly sorted books. A spiral staircase is in the far left corner, a desk on the far right. The man sits behind the desk and gestures widely "Welcome, to the Booknook. How may I help you today?"
At the mention of Greymanes name he jumps up, nearly lifting the desk with his belly.
"Ah yes, Thigrolum send word. I know what you are looking for, follow me. And please keep your hands to yourself..." He murmurs joyfully and Teresa picks up his name, they call him the Shy Baron apparently. She wants to ask why, but it's hard to interject the waterfall of speech. She follows him and they take the staircase down two levels. The lower levels get a bit smaller each time.
The air get's noticeably colder and a bit damp. Shelves are now lined with small boxes and chests. He pulls out a small stool and steps on it to reach up high on a shelve. Teresa wonders the stool must hold some structural magic to hold the weight of the Baron. He collects the chest and moves to a small table.
"There was a world before the world of today. Some things got lost and some new entered the world." The box opens with a click and he pulls out a small tome.
"And some things never change, perhaps only get a new name".
He hands Teresa the book, it looks to be in pristine condition. Roots line the cover, in the place of the title is an empty space.
"We're not sure about the age of this book, and it will probably not give you the answers you are looking for. But it will help you on your way."
As they head back up the stairs the Baron talks on end and Teresa wonders why he's called shy. When she finally get's a word in and asks about payment he slaps her on the shoulder. "Thigrolum says you've paid a fair price already. However, we do take donations" and he presents a jar shaped like a pig on the counter. Teresa pulls some gold coins from her pouch and puts them in.
Talking freely the Shy Baron follows Teresa out, he hands her a Booknook bookmark just before she leaves. "Do tell your friends about us when they need something special".