In the hush after the seal, The Lord Commander turns the inert charm in his palm. The wax and bone look plain now, almost harmless, against his gauntlet.
The Lord Commander
There. It was never a lock. It is a beacon, set to anchor the thing in this tavern's foundations.
The Proprietor
No... not my house. Not by my hand.
He lifts the charm toward the floorboards. The old sigil answers at once, a dead place in the wood waking to a faint, hungry pulse.
The Lord Commander
Your sealing work did not drive it off, Valornor. It tuned the link. Cleanly. Precisely.
The Proprietor
You knew. All this time, you knew!
The Commander does not look at him. The frost in the cracks holds steady, and the tavern feels suddenly smaller, as if the walls have leaned in to listen.
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure employment as a scout
“Is the Lord Commander helping the thing beneath the tavern?”
YES (Likely, rolled 27)
Valornor Gladewarder
The Commander is not sealing the rift. He is feeding it.
The Lord Commander
You have a sharp eye, Ranger. My name is Harlen, and I find that some things in this world are better kept hungry and tethered than allowed to roam free.
The Lord Commander
This tavern is the perfect anchor for the void, and I have no intention of letting it go.
“"Lord Commander Harlen, I trust that you have good reasons for doing what you are doing concerning this matter. For the well-being of all who live here at the Keep."”
SUCCESS (Fair Willpower, rolled +1)
Valornor Gladewarder
Lord Commander Harlen, I trust you have your reasons for this, for the good of everyone in the Keep.
Harlen
Good? No. Necessary, perhaps. The Keep survives because someone chooses what may be fed and what may be spared.
The Proprietor
Fed? He knew. By the saints, he knew all along.
Harlen
This beacon keeps the dark leashed to one place. Left alone, it wanders, hungering for walls, beds, names.
Harlen
I meant to use your judgment, ranger, not your trust. There is a difference.
The Proprietor
You brought that thing under my roof to cage it? You liar, you cold-blooded liar.
Harlen
I warned you to keep the charm away from stone for a reason. You heard the warning, and now you know why.
Harlen
If you want the full truth, ask it plainly. If you want me gone, say that too.
“"Lord Commander Harlen, as this matter seems to be neutralized for now. I have to admit that such Arcane matters are not really within my area of expertise. I was wondering if you might have need someone with the skills and experience of a Ranger. Which is where my expertise actually lies. Someone who could scout the nearby areas of the Dread Marches, looking for any sign of Foul Folk forces gathering to attack the Keep. As well as other matters and the like!"”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +1)
Valornor Gladewarder
Lord Commander Harlen, if the magic is settled for the moment, I have to admit arcane matters are not my field. But I know the Dread Marches. If you need a ranger to scout for Foul Folk signs near the Keep, that is where my skill lies.
Harlen
A ranger, then. Not a court scribe, not a priest, a ranger. That is useful honesty.
Harlen
I do have need. Tracks, smoke, broken camps, anything that says the Marches are stirring before they reach our walls.
The Proprietor
You would hire him after all this? After you seeded that thing under my floor?
Harlen
I would rather hire a man who sees clearly than keep a fool who sleeps through the dark. Your tavern is still standing.
Harlen lowers the charm at last, but does not pocket it. The violet light under the boards holds, watchful and cold.
Harlen
If you take the road for me, ranger, you report to the Keep before sundown on the third day. Ask for me at the wall.
Quest Complete
Secure employment as a scout
Attribute Upgrade: Willpower Fair→Good