119 - “Rolling on the River” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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Part 10: Cityscape

In the previous part: Tonklyn and his guards traveled overland from the burned out manor house to the city. Tonklyn remembered how, two years before, he had journeyed to the Western Mountains to find the lost palace of the Dragon Kings. While there he had encountered the dragon Kirraxal. After dodging firey spit and angry teeth, Tonklyn had convinced the dragon not to kill him, but that they could work together instead.

At the monastery, Thissraelle had some troubles with her friends. Nobody seemed to want to go where Thissraelle did, and she was upset at Karendle for leaving. She had a dream visitation from St Ivarr, a great champion of the Creator, who told her she must gather her friends and take a message to Heathrax, even though she didn't want to. Then her friends all rallied around her, and she, Eddiwarth, and Granthurg set out on the barge to find Karendle in Twynne Rivers. Maybe, just maybe, they might be able to figure out who this Heathrax is!



119 - “Rolling on the River” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

The trip down the Wynne River from Dirae had been uneventful for Karendle. She’d immediately booked passage on a barge, and had spent a long and cold night sleeping on the hardwood cargo deck as it bobbed about in the riverwater at the pier. She knew that she could have gotten a room at an inn, but she didn’t have many silver pieces, and she knew she’d have to have a safe place to stay once she’d gotten to Twynne Rivers.

The riverman driving the barge had nudged her awake with his foot that morning. “We’re heading out!” he had announced in a gruff voice. She had frowned, and gotten up. The boat had lurched away from the dock and soon they were floating with the current toward the city.

They had been floating for most of the morning in silence when she finally got too hungry to wait any longer, and had asked the giant if he had any food for lunch. He’d grunted and told her to look in a storage trunk at the bow. She had gone and found some stale hardbread and a dry crackly cheese. She had become way too accustomed to Granthurg’s generous and helpful disposition, and had forgotten just how ornery most of the riverrunners could be.

Still, something made her bring some of the food back to him as well. He took it and made a grunting sound in his throat. I guess I’ll take that as “Thanks”. 

After the day faded to night, she tried to sleep again, but wasn’t able to. The gentle motion of the barge rocking her back and forth should have relaxed her, but it just made her more tense. She lay on her back and looked up at the stars as they floated along.

She shifted uncomfortably on the flat, hard wood. Lying on her side was even worse. Granthurg would have at least made sure that I had a pillow and a blanket. He didn’t charge me as much as this guy did, either.

Her thoughts drifted back to Granthurg, then to DeFrantis. I already miss her. I should have talked to her before I left. She hadn’t thought anything through once she’d decided to leave. She wouldn’t have even talked to Thissraelle if the elf hadn’t interrupted her packing.

Thissraelle.

Karendle shook her head and closed her eyes. I don’t want to think about her.

Once she had the thought in her mind, however, she couldn’t move away from it. She just doesn’t get me! She’s never had to struggle. Life has always been handed to her. 

Too bad it’s not so easy for me.

She sighed and opened her eyes again. As she thought those words, she could hear them ringing hollow in her mind. She really didn’t know Thissraelle. How could she say what kind of struggles the elf had in her own story?

Her eyes flitted from one star to another, thoughtlessly mesmerized by the tiny glowing spots. There were no clouds tonight, just a vast panorama of points of light.

She caught a motion in her vision and glanced to her right. What was that? She shifted her head and focused on that part of the sky, but saw only a black and white speckled void. She rolled her head back.

There it was again! A shadow moving quickly across the sky, interrupting the starlight as it passed, moving east. What is that? When she looked again, it was gone.

Now fully alert, she sat up and scanned the skies. She wanted to tell the lapping water and the endless chirping of the crickets to be quiet so she could focus her attention. There it was again! No, wait. That came from the same direction. That’s a second one. That one was bigger! Or maybe just lower.

“Hey!” she called out to the riverman. “Did you see that?”

“Huhn?” he growled, “See what?”

She sighed, “Never mind.”

She began scanning the sky again. East, west, and then to the north and south, but she saw nothing. Finally, she lay back, and rested her eyes.

“We’ll be docking in Twynne Rivers soon.”

“Thanks.” she replied, without really caring.

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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. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

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