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Grand Duchy: Forested Cathedral Is the Traveler’s Sanctuary (Part 2)

Grand Duchy: Forested Cathedral Is the Traveler’s Sanctuary (Part 2)

Caspar David FriedrichVisitors to the abbey may experience any or all of the following; roll a d20 if you wish for the result to be random.

  1. Stantannis, a centaur cellarer. He is always eager to share the message that accurate accounting leads to good stewardship of the bounty the green gods provide.
  2. Festugal Rime, a gnome master of the crypts, nervously fingers the keys to the deep vaults. Persuasive characters might get him to reveal that powerful—and dark—magic items are kept in the vault for safekeeping.
  3. Sister Violet Good, an elf secretary, approaches the characters and informs them the abbess has requested a private meeting in the garden.
  4. Astonio, a demonmarked bard originally from Tintager, is reclining beneath a shade tree, plucking on a lute. Astonia visits the abbey annually, finding the peace and tranquility necessary to compose a new song for the autumn festival.
  5. Two elfmarked monks, Carowind and Destiri, are walking along a path and engaged in a vigorous debate about a finer point of theology. Their debate has all the finality as the question about the chicken and the egg.
  6. A wagon arrives from the village. The farmhands are met by a bevy of monks, offering blessings and cheerfully helping unload.
  7. A walk in the woods results in meeting a company of sprites and other tiny forest fey, armed with tiny arrows and quarterstaffs. The green-clad creatures are led by Rodger Goodfellow and Maribell Pip. They extend greetings, good cheer, and an invitation to follow them deep into the forest.
  8. Presbyter Timilain, an elf, invites you into the bell tower for the ringing at noon. The sound from the chimes is surprisingly soft, a lilting melody, but even so it can be plainly heard anywhere in the abbey or the village below.
  9. Layman Bascombe Edge, a human who does minor blacksmith work and tool repair, is sharpening blades for the harvest. He has a crooked face whose smile looks like a snarl. He’s often heard mumbling to himself, “Can’t cheat Master Mavros, no sir, can’t cheat him, no.”
  10. Sir Flavia Rowanmantle, an elfmarked paladin and cousin to the saintmistress, has come to the abbey to reflect and seek redemption. He won’t speak of his sin, but there is an untrue rumor he took a vow to follow the White Goddess while held captive by orcs. In truth, he wants to know why he was the sole survivor of a failed expedition into goblin territory.
  11. Gebrace, a human short-frocked friar, is an expert at staffs and fighting with sword and shield. He provides instruction to anyone wishing a lesson. He believes in a vigorous defense. He respects the abbess, but wishes she thought as he does.
  12. Narfend, a visitor from the Southlands, says he believes he worships Yarila and Porevit behind another mask, a god he had taken a vow not to name. The abbess is suspicious, but while he keeps the peace, he is welcome to pray and meditate.
  13. A true wolf in the fold is Opal Friend, a human priestess who instructs monks in Enochian and the ancient tongue of Ankeshelian. She is a devout worshiper of Loki, but has come to abbey to make mischief. To date, no one suspects her.
  14. A handful of villagers and novice monks are gathered around an elf frolic circle. In a frolic circle, two enter on opposite sides, then see where they meet. Similar to a meditation labyrinth, the path in the circle is more complex. Elf frolic circles have connections to ancient rites.
  15. Nanaressa, a human, was formerly a tavern keeper before becoming a monk. Already a skilled brewer, she also serves as an assistant chef. She is also a born gossip.
  16. The monks Udal, a human, and Cophedes, a satyr, can always be found inspecting the vines or wine vats. Udal is next in line to be the cellarer. Cophedes is an oracle for the Goat of the Woods, who says his task is “supervision” of the winemaking. His presence is tolerated because of the role he plays during the feast days.
  17. Among the visitors are a dozen halfling pilgrims in black frocks. They are quiet, mostly scholars, who seem to focus their attention on holy texts within the mainstream of Porevit’s worship.
  18. Weston, an elf, serves as cantor. He directs the choir. He often requires practice deep in the woods, where singers are instructed to mimic birdsong. He truly loves music in all its forms, especially the local folk songs.
  19. Last rites are being administered to an old man, Brandforth, in the hospice, who claims to have been a treasure-seeker in younger days. On his death bed he says there is a ruin in the White Mountain Marches where he had to leave a portion of the treasure behind.
  20. A displaced family is being allowed to stay in the abbey until they can rebuild their home, which was destroyed by fire. Their daughter has an inclination to start fires, which the father suspects.

2 thoughts on “Grand Duchy: Forested Cathedral Is the Traveler’s Sanctuary (Part 2)”

  1. It is gorgeous. I was enchanted the minute I was reading the 20 precious little stories!
    Keep it up!

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