TMM - Intro Trick or Meat

Months have passed since the first piece of the Soreil’s armour appeared thanks to an old pirate map, but even so, Adrienne's interest in it has not been reduced. After a lot of investigation in some grotty taverns and after visiting ports full of pirates or sailors of all sorts, she found out there were a mount of legends, most of them ridiculous, the tales talking of the famed “Blackteeth’s armour”. However, most of them have something in common, and that was the curse that was said to follow all the pieces of armour.

Adrienne was a sceptic of these stories, because she knew well her family didn’t have dealings with sorcerers, but even more so when after months with her gauntlet nothing had happened to her. She wanted to make things clear and find something true in all those legends, for instance the exact location of the pieces that were missing. So, dismissing the rumours, Adrienne came to that bard that was always with the dwarfette with the coloured hair, the one who had helped Tegnar with the maps of the Deep Roads, because she considered him reliable after that job. The aforementioned Ben Cumberland admitted that even he had heard of the armour in the port of Amaranthine, but he didn’t ever think they were more than legends. For the price Adrienne paid him, Ben did everything he could and confirmed that, in fact, all the owners of the armour were dead, killed by the hands of other sailors who wanted the precious treasure. To consider that a curse is something typical of the superstitious.

“Planasene Forest. It seems that a pirate called…” Ben checked his notes, “James Pegleg Smith won the piece playing cards…” Ben lifted his eyes to the well-built woman to check if she was still listening and then he turned back to his notes, pointing at the names. “They warned him of the curse and he decided to go see a witch to remove it, but he never come back. People say the piece remained there with him.”

“In Planasene Forest?” Adrienne asked taking the map Ben had near his notes, with not much delicacy. Ben seethed slowly. “The witch that transformed herself into a hedge?” she said looking at Ben with a raised brow.

“I don’t think so,” Ben answered shrugging. “There are a lot of witches, I don’t know. But I know the sailors believe she can remove any curse, that she is expert of the evil eye, voodoo, and that sort of… magic or whatever it is. I can’t say I know much of it.”

“Neither do I,” Adrienne confessed leaving the map where it was, “Do you know where to find her?”

“Well…” Ben consulted more notes. “The sailor’s rumours speak of her lair’s location, but...” he paused for a second, a hint of a frown on his brow.

“But what?” Adrienne was starting to get impatient. Why couldn’t he just get to the point?

“In fact, it seems no one has ever come back from this place…” Ben confessed lifting his gaze until it reached Adrienne’s eyes. “That’s why I don’t know if the location is correct, even when everyone agrees on it.”

“Well, it will have to do for now,” Adrienne commented taking the notes and the maps before that let his mouth run away with him again.

Ben noticed how the woman grabbed everything so quickly, pursing his lips until she finished. He rushed to stop her, grabbing her wrist, but then quickly letting go.

“Look… Miss Soreil…” Ben started as he lifted a hand to rub the nape of his neck.

“Adrienne. Call me Adrienne,” she responded with a sigh.

“Well… ahh…” Ben shifted his look for a second before turning back to look her in the eyes. “I would like to warn you, even when these stories seem nothing more than fairy tales and superstitions… One should be cautious. I know your friend Mister Gromril is going to accompany you… as is Miss Blackmore and… other friends of yours. Be careful for them, and for yourself. I really don’t know what you might find there, in these deserted and remote lands,” he expressed, holding her gaze.

Adrienne, a bit surprised by Ben’s sudden seriousness, nodded her head slowly.

“You have my thanks. For everything, Be- Mister Cumberland,” she said with a wide smile before exiting the room, leaving Ben unsure about he just did.

Despite this, Adrienne set everything for the journey. She put an announcement on the tavern’s job board and waited for some mercenaries to join. They were going to need all the help they could get. She promised substantial compensation for the job, because her family relic required it so, and arranged that the mercenaries meet in Highever to take a ship that will transport them to Kirkwall. The rains of autumn weren’t very merciful with the group nor the ship that transported them, but lucky all, they arrived safe and sound to their port.

Once in Kirkwall no one seemed willing to serve them as guide to that forest of the witches of the wild, but Adrienne, determined, took her map and resigned herself to find that damn lair with or without help. Her friends and mercenaries didn’t stay behind, but as they went into the trees, the more disturbing the forest seemed. After a day walking, the forest turned into a swamp, making the trip slower and increasing the worry in some travellers. But Adrienne wasn’t leaving without an answer from that desolate place. If they reached the other side of the forest without any clue about the lair of the witch, Adrienne and her group would take a ship in Cumberland and travel back to Highever. For better or worse, when the night fell on the second day they saw the house of the witch between a thicket of trees, and then they knew why no one else but a witch could live in a place like this. Adrienne didn’t want to wait until the morning, so she approached the dilapidated house with her group, hoping that inside would be something that would worth investigating.