“Night on the RiverFront” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 26: Granthurg

Granthurg held out his hand to Thisraelle and steadied her as she stepped onto the barge. The afternoon sun had done much to dry the deck of the rains, and most of the cargo had been offloaded and either delivered or sold. He walked back to the stern platform and lit a lantern to chase the fading twilight.

“You don’t use the oculi for light?” She asked as she stepped up onto the platform. “You have those large ones hanging up front.”

“I don’t know how.” He shrugged. “Rinkmorr does. He hasn’t taught me that yet.”

“He’s a bit rude, don’t you think? He was upset that you helped me! He didn’t even want to heal you!” She thought a minute. “And why doesn’t he buy you a room at the inn? That’s not right.”

Granthurg laughed. “Someone has to watch the barge!. Oh, he’s a bit rough, but he’s good to work for. He’s fair, and he pays me well.” His hand massaged the soreness in his shoulder, where the wound was. “The fact that he had to heal the same shoulder last night probably didn’t help his mood much, either.” Granthurg grunted as he turned a large chest on the deck to face him. He hefted it open.

“Here. It’s getting cold.” He handed her a blanket from inside. Then he flipped another blanket over his own shoulders. It was colorful, and large, but it barely covered his bulky shoulders.

By contrast, she was smothered in the one she was now wearing. “Well, I should have healed you, anyway, for helping me. I would have, but I was drained. My will is gone.”

He reached back into the chest and brought out some scrolls. He gently set these on the floor of the platform near where Thissraelle was sitting. Then, he sat down in front of them and began to unroll them.

“That’s something that Rinkmorr says a lot. I don’t get it. I don’t understand how magic and powers works.” One of the scrolls was a map of Twynne Rivers and the surrounding area. He reached up for the lantern, and set it next to the map scroll. He began to study it intently. She found herself drawn to it as well, leaning over it.

His finger traced the line of the Greater Wynne River westward, past the shanties of the OuterWall, and over the rolling farmland to the Umbrawood Forest.

He tapped the paper. “There. That’s about where we were attacked.”  He carried on, thinking out loud, “But there’s no settlements or even a lord’s manor nearby. It’s not too far from the forest... but...”

“What are you studying?”

“We were attacked by a couple of river pirates while travelling yesterday. I was trying to see if there was anything that might tell me where they came from. But I don’t see anything.”

He sat back, pondering, then looked at Thissraelle. She was staring at him, both confused and fascinated.

“What?” He asked.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never met a Giant, but I didn’t think they’d be so...” She stopped herself.

He finished for her. “So Studious? So... Smart?” She dropped her gaze.

“I’m very sorry. I really have a lot to learn.”

Granthurg laughed. “Don’t worry. I really am an odd one.”  He sat back. “As are you. I haven’t been travelling the Wynne for too long, but you’re the first high elf I’ve ever seen. You really looked out of place on the wharf. What brings you to Twynne Rivers?”

“Twynne Rivers is my home! I grew up here. I’m,” She paused and got quiet, “I’m trying to get away from here.”

A cold breeze blew through the silence between them. That got awkward fast! There’s a lot going on there that she’s not talking about.

He rolled up his scrolls and traded them for more blankets from the chest. “You really would be much more comfortable back at your inn. I can walk you back there.”

She hesitated. “I’m fine. If you don’t mind, I feel safer here.”

They each spread out blankets on the hard wood deck, and before long, the gentle rolling of the waves had them each fully relaxed and almost asleep.

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This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing.


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