Castle Amber IV: Arriving in Averoigne
The four adventurers step through the silver gate into Averoigne, the original homeland of the Amber family. Not knowing how the locals will respond to her, Destiny uses the magical disguise conjured by a Demon of Desire to make her features appear more human. Sir Blanque is fine so long as he keeps his gills hidden, while Marion just looks like someone with really dark skin. Alexia should be fine.
The little band moves from a forested area onto what looks like a reasonably well kept highway, at least by their standards. Taking their bearings from the sun, they decide that the direction of travel to their left is roughly northwards; it definitely looks like a main road, presumably between two major population centres. The time seems like it is getting towards evening, and it would be a good idea to find somewhere to make camp.
The characters hear sounds of carousing from a clearing nearby, and head off to investigate. They come across a large and, by the looks of it, reasonably well-stocked inn. If this world is anything like their own, this place is probably the midway stopping point on the road. Strangely enough, they have no problems understanding the words emanating from inside, although the accent is somewhat unusual. The Runestaff must still be doing its bit, then.
The staff greet the characters merrily, and the sounds of jollity don't die down too much, which is reassuring given that their personal appearance isn't exactly normal for the area, especially their armour and other equipment. At least the people here aren't going to take immediate offence at somewhat unusual looking people coming from the road. Money changes hands, probably at a bit of a higher rate than normal; then again, their coinage may be a bit weird, but it's still silver. To smooth the way, Marion hands over one of the gold coins they won in the boxing match at the Chateau. She doesn't spell out its origin, because the Amber family was cursed, but even though it's old money, the fact that it is legal tender helps - as does the fact that it's gold. Everyone settles in for the evening's food and entertainment, partially in the hopes of understanding the local topography, as well as hopefully picking up some rumours.
The folks in the inn seem to think the new arrivals are interesting foreigners and, with the help of some judicious buying of rounds, everyone has a good time. The group is accepted; Sir Blanque and Destiny as nobles from another part of the country (a barbaric sounding place by the name of "France"), while Marion must be a "Moor" from "Espagne", and Alexia is assumed to be "Irish" or "Celtic" or something - maybe from "Bretagne". The only one who gets a bit of a wide berth is Marion, and she isn't sure if that is because of her different skin colour or the half dozen or so throwing knives that are clearly visible on her person - which implies (correctly) that more are hidden in her clothing and accoutrements. In any case, some alcohol soon gets the conversation flowing, especially since the players are such good company, and the fact that they are all very charismatic and personable helps.
Between them, the travellers work out the geography of the province in conversation with their compatriots for the evening. The initial impression was correct; they are currently sitting in the Inn of Bonne Jouissance on the main province road running roughly northwards (actually NNW) from Ximes to Vyones and beyond into central France. They find out about the various places of interest quite easily, and occasionally slip in a question about local legends and rumours to help decipher the clues on the scroll given them by the seeress in the garden of the Amber family mansion.
The three major population centres are Vyones (the capital); Perigon and Ximes. Large villages are also dotted about the place: Les Hiboux in the marshes south of Ximes; Touraine roughly eastward from Ximes; Sainte Zenobie north of Perigon; Cordeliers SW from Ximes; and Moulins and La Frenaie, both of which are north of Vyones. A secondary road (actually just a well-trodden track) runs in an arc westwards from Ximes, curving around to Vyones. The province is heavily forested, with water provided by the River Isoile and its main tributary. Some ruined locations are also mentioned: Ylourgne and Malinbois at the far north of the province, and Sylaire to the east or southeast of their current location; the customers shudder at the mention of the second, making signs to ward off the evil eye.
Various rumours indicate that Sylaire is a ruined chateau about 30 miles roughly eastwards of the inn, somewhere on the other side of the river. The woods thereabouts are supposedly infested with werewolves. The only personal name from the seeress' scroll that is recognised by the patrons of the inn is Azedarc, who turns out to be the Bishop of Ximes; opinion seems divided on whether he is a saint or a black-hearted magician.
Given that Sylaire is the closest of the locations they want to visit, the players spend a bit of time subtly piecing together the information they need from seemingly random questions about the province. Their scroll says that one of the four items they need to perform the ritual to break back Stephen Amber's tomb is the enchanted Sword of Sylaire, so it looks as though the ruins will indeed be the first place they explore. They will set out on the morrow.
The little band moves from a forested area onto what looks like a reasonably well kept highway, at least by their standards. Taking their bearings from the sun, they decide that the direction of travel to their left is roughly northwards; it definitely looks like a main road, presumably between two major population centres. The time seems like it is getting towards evening, and it would be a good idea to find somewhere to make camp.
The characters hear sounds of carousing from a clearing nearby, and head off to investigate. They come across a large and, by the looks of it, reasonably well-stocked inn. If this world is anything like their own, this place is probably the midway stopping point on the road. Strangely enough, they have no problems understanding the words emanating from inside, although the accent is somewhat unusual. The Runestaff must still be doing its bit, then.
The staff greet the characters merrily, and the sounds of jollity don't die down too much, which is reassuring given that their personal appearance isn't exactly normal for the area, especially their armour and other equipment. At least the people here aren't going to take immediate offence at somewhat unusual looking people coming from the road. Money changes hands, probably at a bit of a higher rate than normal; then again, their coinage may be a bit weird, but it's still silver. To smooth the way, Marion hands over one of the gold coins they won in the boxing match at the Chateau. She doesn't spell out its origin, because the Amber family was cursed, but even though it's old money, the fact that it is legal tender helps - as does the fact that it's gold. Everyone settles in for the evening's food and entertainment, partially in the hopes of understanding the local topography, as well as hopefully picking up some rumours.
The folks in the inn seem to think the new arrivals are interesting foreigners and, with the help of some judicious buying of rounds, everyone has a good time. The group is accepted; Sir Blanque and Destiny as nobles from another part of the country (a barbaric sounding place by the name of "France"), while Marion must be a "Moor" from "Espagne", and Alexia is assumed to be "Irish" or "Celtic" or something - maybe from "Bretagne". The only one who gets a bit of a wide berth is Marion, and she isn't sure if that is because of her different skin colour or the half dozen or so throwing knives that are clearly visible on her person - which implies (correctly) that more are hidden in her clothing and accoutrements. In any case, some alcohol soon gets the conversation flowing, especially since the players are such good company, and the fact that they are all very charismatic and personable helps.
Map of Averoigne province. This is a colourised version of the one in the module; source is https://www.blackgate.com/the-fantasy-cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith-part-i-the-averoigne-chronicles/
The three major population centres are Vyones (the capital); Perigon and Ximes. Large villages are also dotted about the place: Les Hiboux in the marshes south of Ximes; Touraine roughly eastward from Ximes; Sainte Zenobie north of Perigon; Cordeliers SW from Ximes; and Moulins and La Frenaie, both of which are north of Vyones. A secondary road (actually just a well-trodden track) runs in an arc westwards from Ximes, curving around to Vyones. The province is heavily forested, with water provided by the River Isoile and its main tributary. Some ruined locations are also mentioned: Ylourgne and Malinbois at the far north of the province, and Sylaire to the east or southeast of their current location; the customers shudder at the mention of the second, making signs to ward off the evil eye.
Various rumours indicate that Sylaire is a ruined chateau about 30 miles roughly eastwards of the inn, somewhere on the other side of the river. The woods thereabouts are supposedly infested with werewolves. The only personal name from the seeress' scroll that is recognised by the patrons of the inn is Azedarc, who turns out to be the Bishop of Ximes; opinion seems divided on whether he is a saint or a black-hearted magician.
Given that Sylaire is the closest of the locations they want to visit, the players spend a bit of time subtly piecing together the information they need from seemingly random questions about the province. Their scroll says that one of the four items they need to perform the ritual to break back Stephen Amber's tomb is the enchanted Sword of Sylaire, so it looks as though the ruins will indeed be the first place they explore. They will set out on the morrow.
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