Post
by mushgnome » Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:31 am
The ox cart rumbles down the pike on the last leg of the journey. The late-morning sun is strong, and the air is pleasantly warm. Soon our heroes enter Hornpipe from the southwest and roll past the guard tower. Dougal looks up and notices a pair of human crossbowmen glaring down at him from the parapets.
"Fasten your hoods and cloaks, try not to attract attention, and if there's any trouble, let me do the talking," warns the farmer. He guides the team along the southern road, approaching Hornpipe Hill. Farmer Skip makes a sweeping gesture with his hand. "The miller is the biggest landowner in town. He owns Hornpipe Hill and the windmill on top. That small building next to the windmill is the House of Pancakes. The miller also owns the parcel of land directly across the street from the Hill. There is a triangle-shaped grain field, a barn, a warehouse, and a public house called the Miller's Tavern. He is one of the few honest men in Hornpipe. Look, there are two of his sons. They can show us where to unload. If you help me unpack these turnips and load up for my round trip, I'd be grateful and buy you each a stack of pancakes."
Two teenage human boys are hard at work on their chores. When they recognize Farmer Skip, they greet him with kindness. The younger boy leads the oxen Burr and Dock to the barn, while the elder draws a key from a string around his neck and unlocks the warehouse door. The Hobbets observe that the miller's property is well-maintained and prosperous. The warehouse is neatly organized and well stocked. The miller's son points out where to stack the turnips, and indicates the sacks of flour that will be the farmer's return cargo back to the Hobbet lands.
The boy explains, "We grew this crop for the first time. It is an ancient grain from across the sea." The sacks are labeled Miller Hornpipe's All-Purpose Keen-Wah Flour
What do our heroes choose? Do they help the farmer, or do they wander off on some other adventure?
[f=59]
Stern (
Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]