Barony of Saraband
==================
Go to the council bureaucracy in Glantri City to fill out paperwork for 
barony. People already living there, it is not howling wilderness. It is a 
borderlands area - a valley with hills and mountains on either side:
- 50 human farmers families
- 300 fowlers and fishers families
- 350 hill people families
(Assume 5 people per family.)
They produce:
- herd animals
- farm produce
- eels (there is no note of a lake or river)

Tess tries to gather some additional information on the area before 
heading there. The place was ruled by Lord Rolph, who was attempting to 
become a baron, but unfortunately died in his bed, seemingly of natural 
causes, quite recently. Lord Rolph had some staff, there is a local mayor, 
several communities within that area. Lord Rolph was living at the manor.

The seat of rule was an old manor house, complete with a wall. There was a 
tower at the site - it was torn down in favor of a keep a century ago, but 
the plans was never filed, so who know's what is there.

The place has become unsteady. Lord Rolph was quite personally popular, 
though a minority objected to his policies. It was expected that he would 
live for a number of years to come. There is some friction between the 
hill folk and the farm folk. There is a swamp in the area. Lord Rolph had 
a plan to rebuild the road through it went through the swamp, but that 
hasn't been done yet. There swamp is where they fish the eels from.

There has been rumors of apparitions and ghosts in the swamp, sightings of 
undead, strange disappears, blighted crops and dead animals.

Tess teleports to Singhabad, the capital of Krondahar, and then heads over 
to Saraband on foot. Tess heads north through Klantyre, 

Tess spots human-sized figures lurking in the trees. Tess at this stage is 
8 miles journey from Saraband. It is about midday. Tess takes a break to
relieve himself, releasing Aldara, and then sets down to have lunch. They 
are Humans armed with missile weapons. They have padded armor. They are 
moving around to fire bows at Tess, there are six of them.

Tess casts Protection from Arrows. Arrows fly all around Tess, and he is 
struck by two arrows. Tess casts Greater Invisibility and then moves to 
the side between the trees to get some soft cover. They retreat. They 
retreat in good order. Tess and Aldara follow them. They have a group of 
horses, which they mount and ride off. 

Tess follows. They move off at a reasonable speed, and then they slow 
down. The ground has loose scree, and Tess has to move fairly fast to 
follow them on foot, but continues sneaking along as he does so. 

They go about half a mile and then stop, and set up camp. They are talking
in a Boldavian local dialect - they are from prince Morphail's 
principality. Our border is 8 miles from their border. They are talking,
wondering if they scared Tess off. They think that they scared Tess back 
to Glantri city. It sounds like they were specifically aiming to scare Tess off.

In the morning, the continue along the edge of the mountains, northwards.
They travel that way for a day. Tess has no idea where he is after 
following them for half a day. At the end of the day, they stop and make
camp. Tess listens in again. The next day dawns, they head off the
mountains and onto the road. They are traveling south.  Tess sees the
occasional merchant passing by, it is Rymskigrad up ahead. The merchant's
guards wave at Tess as he continues on. At the end of the day, they arrive 
at a town and go inside.

The people here seem a bit dark and grim. Tess thinks it might be part of
Boldavia. People give Tess suspicious looks. Rymskigrad is at the 
north-eastern end of the Scotch Breach. Saraband is at the other end of
the breach. This town is about 2,000 people. Tess will memorize a teleport
location here.

Tess spends another day in Rymskigrad to find out local politics and how
they think of Saraband and interactions between the two. There is a new
baron coming into Saraband, who is politically threatening to the nobles
of Boldavia, so the nobles are in a tizzy about it. Tess hears that was a
fight between the new Baron and some local warriors, who managed to scare
him off - they don't want any of his war mongering kind around here. The
warriors appear to have done it on their own bat.

The Baron of Rymskigrad is Alexi Markovich. He really hates Ethangarian.
Tess goes to pay him a visit. Tess mentions the problems with some local
boys. The Baron of Rymskigrad says he will have to have some more 
impalings to maintain order - there have been some dark rumors about 
Boldavia - there is a rumor that all the barons and half the commoners are 
vampires, but that seems unlikely.

Tess approaches his barony. A fog springs up around him. It is not 
magical. Tess continues following the road in the fog. Tess follows the
signpost in that right direction. Tess sees farmers working the fields.
Tess greets them in a friendly manner as he goes by. He grows turnips,
and sells them in town. Lots of local problems - talk to others.

One of the local farmers has a complaint, a lawsuit - Farmer Bramble took
his cow. He has a cow very similar, slightly different looking ears, his
cow produces better milk. He is Farmer Phil. Value at least a few silver a
week. The other farmer thinks it is just because the cow has gotten older.
Tess decides to buy some milk from the farmer who is not getting as much
milk, makes them shake hands, and heads on his way.

One farmer relates that the fen folk have put a curse on the dry lands. 
Bad things have happened - cows disappearing, etc. hasn't happened to 
this farmer personally.

Tess picks up that confidence in the ruler of the barony is unsteady.

A dominion has confidence points that reflect good rulership. That 
represent the confidence of the citizens and your boss in the rulership
of the dominion. About 200 points currently - low at the moment, just
went up by 2 points because of resolving that complaint.

The rumor has spread that Tess was attacked by concerned citizens of
Boldavia. Tess has lost 10 confidence points due to that attack.

Tess arrives at the manor. Looming out of the fog, rises the manor
house. There is a pale grey curtain of slime, two main towers at the
main gate, a rusty portcullis with enough space for a horseman to pass
through. The portcullis is broken and rusted into place. 3 storeys
tall. Bottom storey acts as a stable, with body heat of the animals to
heat the house.

Miall the Guard Captain comes out and introduces himself. Lord Garant
is not here to greet Tess, went out on his ride a couple of hours ago.
He was expected back several hours ago. Miall goes off to fetch some
servants. In the meantime, Tess casts Prestidigitation to clean himself
up. A couple of servants come out to carry some of Tess' baggage. Lord
Garant has perhaps fallen asleep. Miall gives Tess a quick tour, the
manor house is in bad need of repair. The second floor smells of horses,
and it could do with some plumbing. There are only 3 horses. There are
some store rooms with some cats. 
- For horse grooms, there are 6 bunks, only 1 groom
- Two rooms for servants, 4 bunks in each, only 2 servants in each
- Hall of justice where the baron holds court and criminal trials
	- dais of dark oak with dark green cushions. Behind the dais is 
	  the banner of Glantri
- an empty cell
- there is an armory with swords, shields and pot helms for 20 men
- barracks with only 4 men
- dining hall and hearth nearby
- 12 ten foot long tables, one broken
- some tiles missing and cracked
- storeroom with 5 hams and big nets of turnips, a kitchen, and the
  lord's bed chamber - large bed, heavy hangings, wooden chest with
  clothing, scrolls and parchments on a table - tax records
Miall is quite young, only 19. The servants think he is a bit of a joke.
- bed chamber - reception, table, wardrobe, set of empty shelves
- private office - table with a letter, ink pot and quill
	- pen knife on the floor
	- shelves with a couple of hundred treatises on law
	- Lord Rolph was writing a letter to the council
		- letter: approved a new heir, avoid resurrection of Lord 
		  Rolph - Davvy of the Fenfolk came to me to tell me that 
		  ... it ends - some troubling incident
He has been captain for 9 months, since just before Lord Rolph died.
He shows Tess the mustering areas to flee - underground areas to flee out
a bolt hole, if the manor comes under attack. The servants do know where
these are.

He saddles his horse himself. Some servants watch us out the window. We
head off to look for Lord Garant. We spot his horse in the fog. His horse
is injured. We find the body of the old man on the road. The horse has
broken foreleg. It appears that he fell off his horse.

Tess realizes that the horse probably ran somewhere before throwing him.
It probably ran down the road, then threw Garant when it hit the ditch,
that the horse broke its leg on.

We head up the road to see where the horse ran from. We find a charred
patch of ground, like a Fireball went off. There are hoof prints on the
ground here - Lord Garant's horse. Lord Garant was 102 years old.

Tess puts the horse out of its misery, we bundle up Lord Garant's body
and take it back to the manor. The servants mention that the new lord
seems to be a man of action and does what needs doing.

All four servants grudgingly serve Tess. Tess organizes the servants to
do some cleaning, and starts making an inventory of what needs to be 
fixed. Lord Garant was a popular figure. His death was not a good sign. 
Miall organizes his burial.

Miall is the only official left alive currently. Tess has lost 3  
confidence points this session. Started with 225, so 222 now.

XP: 2,000