Road to Southspire
Something has spooked the animals, it is a set of meteorites, flying down. They will impact the plains a hundred miles north. The meteor hits the ground, and a shockwave rips through the countryside.
We recover but the caravan is a disaster. One of the mammoths is dead, many injured. Codex and Simon heal who they can.
The Dwarves tend to their injured and continue to move. Codex uses his Arcane Eye to see the impact site. It is in the ice, and left a massive crater. Something is within, whatever landed, be it star metal or something else. Something to explore later on.
Reach the Trading post, a small set of buildings just outside of Southspire. It is maintained, but empty. It used to be a place where humans lived when there was more permanent trade, but no longer. The trading post is the size of a small village, but with a designed feel to it.
Find out that there is an Orcish holiday called Romchuck, happens the day after Ale day. When you throw out all the dwarves and there are competitions on distance. Disguised gnomes are bad form. We also find out about the holiday known as Wall of Melons, a Dwarven and Gnomish holiday. In the Ancient siege of Copperbreach, invaders climbed the walls, and citizens used rocks to drive them off. Now they choose youths to be invaders, another defenders. Invaders climb, defenders throw melons, veggies, rotten fruit. They are caught then they fall. If an invader can get to the top, they can ask for any suitor’s hand in marriage, no matter the divide in station (but the suitor can refuse). This is a famous way for those of High and Low clans that are in love to marry.
Southspire
Reach the Gates of SouthSpire. One of the guards recognizes Berdyn, happy and surprised, as he was reported dead by Ferin Goldbringer.
The guard tells Berdyn that during the Wall of Melons, a dwarven teen woman made it up, asked for the Thane’s Son in marriage, and he accepted. Which means they were most likely secret lovers. The woman was one of the Rockbreakers, dwarves that do labor such as excavation mining.
We are allowed into Southspire. They take our names and we head within the city proper. We stay at the Silver Lodge Inn. The proprietor of the Inn is Derzyk and his son is Grundil Snowborn. Bevry is the housekeeper, we pay for 14 days stay.
We enjoy a fantastic dinner, and enjoy the food choices. This city is enormous!
Berdyn meets with his family and has an emotional reunion. His family come out to meet us, and we learn about them, and they about us.
His mother is Helja Silverchaser, and his father is Toradin Silverchaser. His grandfather is Brottar and his grandmother is Vonanna Silverchaser. His great Grandmother is Delre Silverchaser. His cousin is Uraim Silverchaser. Codex quickly begins to draw up a family tree, because he may be slightly autistic.
Family Tree
As the discussions continue, Codex asks the dwarves about his mother Epiphany, who came through Southspire 10 years ago with a retinue of adventurers. Ovina seems to react, but no one remembers or claims to remember. Does she know more about my mother? Codex tries to enter her mind with his powers, but fails.