Living in Ravenwood has never been for the faint of heart. Even the hardiest, toughest adventurers see difficult times living in the ‘wood. That is why so few come to Ravenwood’s little settlement, and why even fewer stay. Making a home is difficult anywhere, let alone a place as inhospitable as Ravenwood.
With summer well on its way, it seemed that making homes was on the minds of many folk in Ravenwood. Two goblins found their way through the woods to town, and struggled upon encountering the wards that prevent monsters from entering the settlement. They claimed to be reformed, and Meldryn put them through a series of strenuous tests before permitting them to take up residence in town.
Old faces in town faced similar challenges. With Thokk on sabbatical and the Hut having succumbed to its structural unsoundness, Ivan and Ada found themselves taking shelter where they could find it and peddling their skills for any shillings they could get. Some good samaritans took to buying Ada’s hobbit heirlooms to give her the money to make herself comfortable.
To the surprise of many, the afternoon’s activities were interrupted by the arrival of King Rupert of East Anglia and his personal guard, Mac. He was again on holiday, and interested in finding a site on which to build a chateau for summering in Ravenwood with his beloved subjects. Infighting at home among his family had made Ravenwood a more appealing prospect than his castle. The site he ultimately settled upon, to the surprise of many, was none other than the wreckage of the dilapidated Hut!
The day seemed relatively peaceful until the arrival of a band of West Anglian soldiers. Initially, the town succeeded in shaking them off, but became concerned for the welfare of the King. The townsfolk contrived a plan to hide Rupert deep in the wood with a carefully selected guard – Mac, Imira, and Dolvalir.
When the West Anglians returned, it was in greater force, but the town was ready for them. After fierce battle, they were beaten back and began their retreat. It was only at this time that the town heard Imira coming in from the woods, screaming that Rupert ad been taken and that Mac was grievously injured. A few members of the town raced to find him, but only came upon Mac’s bloodied body. He was brought back to town only in time to beg that the King be saved, and then died.
Distraught, the townsfolk barely had the time to carry his body away before the cadre of West Anglians returned. Their Captain asserted that they had captured Rupert, and would kill him if his men did not return to their camp in two days’ time. With this leverage, they took over the town, making it their temporary base of operations from which they intended to ransom Rupert to the East Anglians.
The citizens of Ravenwood did not take kindly to this. Some refused the soldiers service, while others contrived means of slipping them laxative potions. When the time came for a tournament, the West Anglians regularly came out on top by means of cheating and subterfuge. Still reeling from Mac’s death, Imira took comeuppance into her own hands, berating the soldiers. One soldier subsequently struck her to the ground, and when Ada lunged at him, it was an all-out scuffle with dust flying and people shouting. Once broken up, both ladies were dirtied and bruised. The soldiers involved were less then inclined to apologize, rather relying on cultural nuance that had been lost in translation.
It was late in the day when a response at last came from the East Anglians in regard to their King’s ransom. It was the Lord General himself. Lord General Palimore parleyed with the Captain of the West Anglian cohort. They made demands of hundreds of thousands of shillings, and the Lord General appeared hesitant. Unfortunately, he was reluctant to inform us that, due to recent budgetary concerns including the construction of a new opera house, the kingdom was unable to pay the ransom. Still more, the vacancy left by King Rupert would likely be filled by himself!
The West Anglians were less than amenable to this, and a battle broke out. The folks of Ravenwood, while horrified at Lord General Palimore’s assertions, joined in to send the West Anglians on their way. The men fled, cowards to the last, and Ravenwood was left with a bitter conundrum. Rupert’s life was in imminent danger, and there was no East Anglia to help him now.
This is the beginning of Ravenwood’s new danger, a threat that we have decided to face together. King Rupert must be rescued, and we must be the ones to do it!