drb1004 wrote:
Chiemeka picks up his staff and takes his usual place at Kuublu's shoulder. Addressing Oker, he asks, "Do you know why we have been summoned?"
" I do not but it must be important. Perhaps he heard Prince Kuublu was here?"The trio and Oker made their way up the dusty trail towards the crest of the hill where the stone and daub fort stood bound and reinforced with acias and a palisade. The two soldiers posted outside in their red dyed leather kilts and iron rings about their wrists and neck raised their spears and shields as the four approached but recognising Oker simply waved them through.
A small troop of men drilled in the square inside the walls and Kuublu was impressed with their prowess and formation.
Oker ushered the companions into the long hall of the central fort.
The Governor, Buzwe, waited there impatiently, pacing before the desk he customarily sat at; he appears to take you all in at a glance but neither introduces himself or address you. He is a broad-shouldered man with a fierce stern face and a number of old battle scars, Kuublu sees from his scarifications and iron rings that he had served in wartime for the Empire, and he wastes no time on pleasantries.
“Up in hills by the stand of forest there is a valley that the locals call Hilis Bonde. They believe it to be a magic place, and won’t go near it. I need some people who aren’t afraid of villagers fireside tales.” He hurls a bag of small gold ingots down onto the table. “Fifteen. You get five now, and the rest after you’ve done the job. There may be other treasure or what not along the way, and you can keep one tenth of any that you find. Interested?”