The Travels of a Hairy Hermit

Odran leads Nilsar from the eastern training line toward the road gate. The eight recruits remain behind with their assigned veterans, continuing drills under watch while the captain carries his ledger.

The eastern gate overlooks the road into Anuncagra. Beside its toll post, a tired middle-aged man, his lined face fully visible with a narrow build, graying beard, patched brown coat, and red-rimmed eyes leans over an open ledger.

He turns the ledger toward Nilsar. Dates, wagon counts, cargo descriptions, and distant toll marks fill the page, while the town’s receiving column remains blank beside each shipment.

Beyond the gate, wagon ruts divide around a muddy verge before joining the northern road. The watchmen nearby turn toward Nilsar, awaiting his questions, while Odran remains beside the toll post.

Nilsar takes the green, brown, and gold donkey shield, the Two-Handed Axe, and his longsword. He buckles on the Northern Helmet, while concealed Chainmail Armour lies beneath his clothes and a supply pack settles across his back.

Nilsar leads the small patrol beyond the eastern gate. His Skilled Craftsman’s eye reads the wagon ruts, while the shield balances his guard and the axe and longsword remain ready without slowing his stride.

The patrol follows the northern road toward Anuncagra’s supply stores. Fresh mud hides older tracks, but the shield’s broad rim parts the wet brush as Nilsar checks the verge and drainage ditch.

Behind a collapsed stack of cut timber, they find three cargo wagons concealed beneath stained tarpaulins. Their marked crates match the missing northern shipments, and the storehouse tallies confirm the goods.

Nilsar has found the missing cargo between the town and its stores. The patrol secures the wagons, while his Northern Helmet and Chainmail Armour protect him as he inspects the site without exposing himself recklessly.

The recovered goods remain secured under the patrol’s watch. Nilsar returns to the road gate with the location, wagon count, and cargo marks ready for Odran’s report.

Nilsar draws the Road Watch into the treeline and settles behind the Gilded Round Shield. His Northern Helmet breaks up his outline, while concealed Chainmail Armour guards his torso beneath his clothes.

His keen eye follows the northern road through gaps in the branches. The Two-Handed Axe rests ready against a trunk, and his forged Longsword remains loose in its sheath for a swift, controlled draw.

Near midday, three wagon collectors appear: a broad middle-aged man, with weathered brown skin, a square face, and close-cropped dark hair in a mud-stained green coat, a younger woman with a red scarf, and a narrow older man carrying a hooked staff. They approach cautiously, speaking in low voices.

Nilsar waits until the collectors reach the concealed wagons. Then his shield rises, his longsword bars the leader’s path, and the Road Watch steps from cover on both flanks.

The younger collector reaches toward a belt knife, but Nilsar’s axe shifts into view while his shield covers the watchman beside him. She freezes, and the older man lowers his hooked staff.

The Road Watch disarms all three and binds their wrists without injury. The wagon collectors are prisoners beside the recovered cargo, ready to be taken before Baron Edric Vale for questioning.

Nilsar borrows a coil of patrol rope from the Road Watch and binds the three collectors into a single prisoner chain, leaving enough slack for safe footing. The Gilded Round Shield keeps the captives covered while his Longsword remains ready at his side.

Nilsar keeps the Two-Handed Axe visible across his back and the Northern Helmet secured beneath his chin. Concealed Chainmail Armour protects his torso as he positions the prisoners between himself and the watchmen.

The wait ends when Odran arrives with reinforcements and a supply team. The captain takes custody of the hidden wagons while the Road Watch closes around the prisoner chain, preserving the cargo and the route.

Nilsar leads the bound collectors toward Anuncagra at a measured pace. His shield controls the line, his forged Longsword guards the open side, and his calm authority keeps the younger collector from testing the rope.

The broad collector, younger collector, and older collector reach the road gate alive and secured, while Odran’s men follow with the recovered wagons. The baron’s chamber awaits their testimony.

Nilsar leads the chained Wagon Collectors through Anuncagra’s gate. His Gilded Round Shield covers the prisoners’ line, the Two-Handed Axe rides across his back, and his forged Longsword stays ready at his waist.

The Road Watch follows close behind, while Nilsar’s Rally Local Defenders authority keeps the route calm. His concealed Chainmail Armour remains beneath his clothes, protecting him without hindering his measured pace.

Nilsar does not break stride or argue. His steady command keeps the younger collector from testing the chain, and his careful escort brings all three prisoners safely into the castle yard.

At the chamber doors, guards admit Nilsar and the prisoners. Baron Edric Vale waits beside his table as the Road Watch halts outside, leaving the evidence and captives under his authority.

Nilsar steps forward and guides the younger collector, a young woman with a slim build, a freckled oval face, braided auburn hair, and a russet wool coat over brown trousers ahead of the other prisoners. His Gilded Round Shield closes the gap behind her, while his forged Longsword keeps the questioning line orderly.

The Road Watch holds the remaining collectors in place. Nilsar’s calm Rally Local Defenders authority settles the chamber before anyone can mistake the escort for a disorderly confrontation.

The name enters the chamber, and Sella’s account identifies a tangible lead: the black-hook token and the station man who issued it. She lowers her eyes toward the baron’s ledger.

Nilsar studies the gathered watch from beneath his Northern Helmet, its familiar brim narrowing glare and shadow. His Rally Local Defenders authority keeps the room orderly as every guard holds still for inspection.

His keen eye moves from belts to ledger satchels and guarded hands, remembering the token’s shape from Sella’s account. Near the table, one road watchman, a young adult man with a sturdy build, ruddy skin, cropped brown hair, and a square clean-shaven face in a dark green wool tunic and leather belt, carries a dark slate token against his belt.

The road watchman removes the slate token and holds it between two fingers. Its black hook matches Sella’s description exactly, while the remaining guards display no similar mark.

The road watchman places the black-hook token in Nilsar’s waiting palm. Nilsar’s Gilded Round Shield steadies his forearm, while his forged Longsword remains secured at his side.

His Skilled Craftsman’s eye checks the slate for cracks, residue, and hidden seams. Strength at his Fair measure closes his fingers firmly without damaging the carved hook.

Nilsar records the token’s shape, weight, black-hook mark, and the time of custody in the evidence ledger. Keeps Reliable Accounts makes the transfer exact and traceable.

A clerk brings a small oak evidence box lined with wool. Nilsar sets the token inside, closes the fitted lid, and checks the clasp against the ledger entry.

Baron Edric Vale presses his seal across the clasp before Nilsar witnesses it. The black-hook token is secured within the tower, protected from removal or alteration.

Nilsar keeps the prisoners together beneath his Gilded Round Shield, while his forged Longsword guards the open side. His Rally Local Defenders authority holds the chamber calm, and his reliable accounts preserve each custody detail.

The baron gestures to the clerk and orders three witnesses summoned. Nilsar’s careful custody report gives the inquiry a clean beginning, while the shield and sword make clear that no prisoner will be allowed to disrupt it.

The baron then assigns Nilsar to remain present for the first questioning, granting him authority to verify the prisoners’ accounts against the ledger and sealed evidence. The path to the station’s sender is opened.

Nilsar raises the Gilded Round Shield, its green and brown face and gold-plated rims hiding his mouth. His Rally Local Defenders authority makes the prisoners treat the arrangement as disciplined procedure, not secret plotting.

The baron separates the collectors under witness and begins with Sella Dorn. Nilsar’s Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes each name, claim, and contradiction in sequence while his shield keeps his counsel private.

Sella answers carefully. When her account links the token to a claim that the baron’s stores released the cargo, Nilsar angles the shield close and whispers the discrepancy into Baron Edric Vale’s ear. The advice sharpens the next question, but the baron makes Nilsar personally answerable for every private recommendation, tying his standing to the inquiry’s outcome.

Nilsar angles the Gilded Round Shield between himself and the prisoners, giving the baron a private line for counsel while keeping his own words from the room. His Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes the request precisely: summon the named storeman and test Sella’s identification.

Baron Edric Vale orders the storeman, a middle-aged man with a lean build, weathered skin, short brown hair, and a dark wool tunic beneath a plain brown cloak, summoned under witness. Reads Legal Records guides Nilsar’s wording toward identification rather than accusation, while the written request places Nilsar’s credibility behind the test.

Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield angled between himself and the prisoners, making his acceptance private and deliberate. His Keeps Reliable Accounts discipline fixes the exact condition, while Reads Legal Records keeps responsibility tied to the identification procedure.

The baron writes Nilsar’s undertaking into the questioning record and sets his seal beside it. The shield remains raised, its broad face keeping the exchange orderly while Nilsar’s craftsman’s eye checks that no hand disturbs the ledger.

The summoned storeman, a middle-aged man with a narrow, weathered face and a small notch in one eyebrow, enters under witness and stops before Sella Dorn. Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield raised, its broad face separating the witness from the officials and preventing suggestive gestures.

Nilsar watches Sella’s face, posture, and hesitation with Superb Perception. Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes the exact question and response, while Reads Legal Records keeps the identification separate from any accusation.

Her identification is immediate and unprompted. Nilsar records her certainty, the matching voice, and the storeman’s presence in the ledger, with the shield still holding the room’s attention orderly.

Osric Pell stands beneath the baron’s scrutiny, hands visible beside the ledger. Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield raised, its broad face blocking distracting gestures while he studies every answer.

Nilsar’s Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes the dates, wagon marks, wording, and order of custody in the ledger. His Reads Legal Records keeps Osric’s claimed authorization distinct from proof that the stores released anything.

The account gives Nilsar a complete record of Osric’s role: he received the token, copied its instructions, and altered the station entries without verifying the goods. No uncertainty remains about what Osric claims to have done.

Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield raised, its broad face screening Osric from suggestive gestures while his eye tracks each testimony. Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes every claim in order, and Reads Legal Records separates observation from accusation.

Nilsar records the broad collector’s words beside Osric’s admission, noting that the witness saw the storeman give instructions but did not see him load or release the cargo. Osric remains in the chamber under guard.

The testimonies agree on Osric’s presence and the token’s passage, but none places him at the hidden wagons. Nilsar completes the comparison before checking the cargo, and the baron orders Osric kept available for further identification.

Nilsar descends the tower with the Road Watch and reaches the recovered wagons. His Northern Helmet keeps his vision clear beneath the gate’s glare, while the Gilded Round Shield protects his side as he works.

He checks the wagon boards, crate edges, axle braces, and undersides in order. His Skilled Craftsman’s eye distinguishes fresh tool cuts from old wear and finds a small black hook carved beneath the lead wagon’s rear rail.

Nilsar crouches beside the rail and compares the carving with the black-hook token sealed in the baron’s tower. The shape, angle, and cut depth match, and a smear of dark sealing wax clings inside the groove.

Inside the nearest crate, he finds the same hook scratched onto a short inventory board beside the wagon’s collection marks. The evidence identifies the wagons as the ones Osric’s token authorized.

The Road Watch preserves the wagons while Nilsar records the hook’s position, matching token, carved board, and wax residue. His report is complete, and the mark is ready to be shown under the baron’s seal.

Nilsar borrows the marked inventory board from the Road Watch, wrapping it in spare cloth. His Skilled Craftsman’s eye checks the carved hook and wax without disturbing either.

He records the board’s position, markings, and condition in his report before leaving the wagons. Keeps Reliable Accounts preserves the evidence’s custody as he climbs toward the tower.

The Gilded Round Shield rests against his arm while he ascends, protecting the board and keeping his hands balanced. His Northern Helmet clears the low gate lintel and shields his eyes from the glare.

Nilsar reaches Baron Edric Vale’s chamber without dropping or scraping the board. He crosses to the table and extends the marked evidence for inspection beneath the baron’s seal.

The baron examines the board beside the evidence record. The hidden hook, matching token, and residue now rest together under his authority, ready for a formal comparison.

Baron Edric Vale unlocks the sealed evidence box and passes the black-hook token to Nilsar under the clerk’s witness. Nilsar carries it to the table, his Gilded Round Shield guarding the marked board at his side.

His Skilled Craftsman’s eye checks the token’s edges and carved hook before he sets it beside the inventory board. The shield’s green and brown face, partial gold rim, and painted donkey remain steady as he places the evidence without disturbing the wax.

Nilsar steps back once the token rests on the table. The board, matching hook, and residue lie together beneath the baron’s seal, while the clerk readies a fresh line in the custody ledger.

The clerk records the matching hook, token placement, residue, and witnesses. Baron Edric Vale studies the entries in silence, weighing the evidence before questioning the prisoners again.

Nilsar raises the Gilded Round Shield, its green and brown face, partial gold rim, and painted donkey guarding the table’s evidence. His Keeps Reliable Accounts steadies the sequence of testimony.

Nilsar’s eye fixes each detail: the station, the interval, the claimed authority, and the ledger entry. The shield keeps the questioning orderly while the baron compares Osric’s account with Sella’s earlier identification.

Nilsar summons Aritik to the chamber with the sealed records and asks Sister Maelin to attend. His forged shield rests between him and the evidence, its green and brown face, partial gold rim, and painted donkey concealing his hands.

Using Reads Legal Records, Nilsar studies the evidence box’s seal and crest while drafting a brief note. The wording is precise, leaving no accusation in the request.

When Sister Maelin crosses near the table, Nilsar passes the folded note beneath the shield’s broad rim. Its painted donkey and gold-edged boss block the exchange from the prisoners and clerks.

Sister Maelin receives it without changing her expression and slips it into her gray cloak. The note reads: “We need to find out what the crest on the evidence box is.”

Aritik arrives carrying fresh paper and joins the table. Nilsar keeps the shield angled as a quiet screen while she takes the sealed records into her careful custody.

The request is secured: Aritik has the records, Sister Maelin has the note, and both understand the crest must be identified without breaking Baron Edric Vale’s seal.

Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield angled between the prisoners and the table, its green and brown face, partial gold rim, and heart-shaped boss concealing his hands. Reads Legal Records gives his request exact legal limits, while Keeps Reliable Accounts names the custody transfer and witnesses.

The baron unlocks the evidence cabinet and lifts out the oak box, leaving its seal untouched. Nilsar takes it only long enough to place it before Aritik, whose fresh custody line records the time, seal, and witnesses.

Aritik takes the box with both hands. Sister Maelin supports the underside while Nilsar watches the clasp and seal, his craftsman’s eye checking that no pressure shifts the wax or damages the crest.

Nilsar keeps the Gilded Round Shield raised as a quiet screen, its green and brown face, partial gold rim, and heart-shaped boss concealing his hands. His Reliable Accounts discipline fixes each number and order in sequence, while Reads Legal Records keeps the request tied to lawful custody.

Aritik opens the custody ledger beside the sealed box, recording each number without breaking the wax. Sister Maelin compares the crest and trade marks against the shipment report, while the baron places the station orders within their review.

The inquiry proceeds with the baron’s authority, but Nilsar’s standing is now tied to its method. Aritik and Maelin begin the trace, preserving every figure and handoff while the sealed crest remains untouched.

Nilsar keeps the green-and-brown shield raised, its partial gold rim and heart-shaped boss screening his hands. Reads Legal Records frames the request lawfully, while Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes each question and answer in order.

The name enters the record. Baron Edric Vale has Osric repeat Halric Venn’s title, signature, and words, while Nilsar’s shield keeps the evidence table and questioning orderly.

Aritik brings the sealed box beside the Storehouse Issue Books and copies the crest without touching the wax. She compares its three-point crown, broken outer ring, and small northern star against the station entries and trade marks.

Her Records Research matches the crest’s broken ring to the station mark printed beside Halric Venn’s office in the Storehouse Issue Books. The comparison identifies the office, not yet the hand that authorized its use.

The identification costs the inquiry the remaining daylight. Aritik must finish a careful register search before the next questioning, but the crest’s office origin is now entered in the record.

Aritik reopens the custody ledger beside the Storehouse Issue Books. Records Research aligns each dated transfer, while Keeps Reliable Accounts separates the box's ownership from every later handoff.

Reads Legal Records distinguishes the baron's custody from the station's issuing authority. The original register describes the box as an official container, while a later station receipt records the northern crest before the baron's seal was added.

Aritik copies the matching dates, receipt language, and seal sequence into a fresh report. The Storehouse Issue Books confirm the box's station origin, while the custody record rules out the crest as proof of the baron's collusion.

Nilsar raises the green-and-brown shield with its partial gold rim and heart-shaped boss, keeping the evidence box and the baron in one guarded line of sight. His Records Research places the receipt before the cabinet entry, while Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes each handoff and date.

Aritik turns the Storehouse Issue Books beside the custody ledger. Her legal reading separates the station’s submission from the baron’s later custody, while the forged shield remains braced between the prisoners and the table.

Aritik places Halric Venn’s signaturethe signature of Halric Venn, a middle-aged man with a lean build, weathered skin, short dark hair, and a narrow face beside older town notices and the Storehouse Issue Books. Nilsar keeps the custody ledger open, preserving each date, seal, and transfer.

Records Research aligns the letterforms, while Keeps Reliable Accounts checks dates and witnesses. Reads Legal Records separates Halric’s registered office authority from the later collection order.

Aritik compares the Storehouse Issue Books against town records from Halric’s earlier submissions. The hooked capital, shortened final stroke, and pressure on the downstrokes match consistently.

The comparison succeeds beyond the immediate question. Aritik finds Halric’s registered routing mark on older notices, giving the baron a precise identifier for tracing where the altered order entered the station records.

Nilsar raises the Gilded Round Shield between the prisoners and the table, its heart-shaped boss screening his hands while the baron considers the precise request. Records Research, reliable accounts, and legal reading have narrowed the summons to Halric’s office and authenticated hand.

Baron Edric Vale draws a fresh sheet toward him. Aritik copies the authenticated signature, the missing routing form, and the exact questions concerning the token, collection order, and station ledger.

The baron seals the summons and orders its immediate delivery. Aritik enters the routing details in the ledger, while Nilsar’s shield remains raised beside the evidence, guarding the orderly inquiry.

Baron Edric Vale adds the permission to the hearing record. Reads Legal Records keeps the order within his authority, while Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes Nilsar’s departure and the condition for his return.

Aritik enters the permission, destination, and expected return in the custody ledger. The sealed summons remains with the baron, while the evidence box stays under witnessed protection.

Nilsar leaves the chamber and descends through the tower with his weapons secured and his healed shoulder moving freely. He is permitted to return home until the northern station deputy is brought to Anuncagra.

Nilsar reaches his small cottage beyond Anuncagra as evening settles over the trees. The familiar path, quiet walls, and undisturbed doorway welcome him back from the town’s demands.

Inside, he gathers dry kindling and lays it in the fireplace. A struck spark catches, and the flames rise steadily, warming the room with the scent of smoke and split wood.

Nilsar checks the fire until the logs burn evenly, then leaves the hearth to settle. His weapons remain secured nearby, while his healed shoulder moves freely without support.

He sits at the dining chair and rests his hands on the rough table. Firelight moves across the empty room, and the cottage’s familiar silence replaces the castle’s ledgers and questioning.

Outside, the road beyond the trees grows dim. Within the cottage, the fire holds steady as Nilsar remains seated, finally home and undisturbed.

Nilsar banks the fire, checks the cottage door, and sets his weapons within easy reach. The small room feels secure beneath the steady glow of the hearth.

He changes from his travel clothes into a loose linen shirt and soft wool trousers, folding the worn garments over the chair before washing the road dust from his face and hands.

Nilsar checks the simple bedstead and pulls back the clean blanket. The mattress gives softly beneath his weight, more welcoming than any borrowed chamber in Anuncagra.

He places a cup of water beside the bed, lowers the lamp, and lies beneath the blanket. His healed shoulder rests freely, without sling, bandage, or support.

The cottage settles around him: timber cooling, fire murmuring, trees shifting beyond the walls. Nilsar closes his eyes and sleeps in his own home for the first time.

Nilsar sleeps lightly, keeping his forged Longsword within reach. Beneath his loose shirt, Gravam’s concealed Chainmail Armour protects against any sudden piercing or slicing blow without disturbing his rest.

Before dawn, hoofbeats halt outside the cottage. Nilsar wakes at once, his craftsman’s eye finding the safest way to dress and secure his gear without fumbling in the dark.

He has barely fastened his belt when a firm knock follows. His intended rest has ended before it properly begins, and the waiting summons has become an immediate meeting.

Nilsar opens the door, revealing a middle-aged man with a lean build, weathered skin, short dark hair, a narrow face, and a dark wool station tunic beneath a brown cloak wearing his hidden Chainmail Armour beneath his clothes, with the Longsword secured at his side. The armor’s weight confirms his protection, while the sword keeps the encounter orderly.

Nilsar Yarb leaves Nilsar's cottage behind and arrives at Anuncagra.

Nilsar dresses swiftly in sturdy travel clothes, secures his concealed chainmail, fastens his longsword, and checks every buckle with practiced precision. He leaves the cottage ready without delaying Halric.

They reach Anuncagra as morning light strikes the palisade. Damp earth, horse sweat, and chimney smoke mingle around the busy gate, where townsfolk make room for the deputy and his escort.

The guard unbars the inner gate. Beyond it, Aritik stands beneath the tower arch with a ledger tucked under one arm, her professional dress neat despite the early hour. Halric’s arrival has been anticipated.

Aritik leads them beneath the tower arch to a side table. Halric places his ledger and routing papers beside the Storehouse Issue Books, while Nilsar keeps the custody records open.

Records Research places each paper beside its matching entry. Aritik’s Legal Records knowledge distinguishes a lawful routing order from a collection instruction, while Reliable Accounts fixes every date and handoff.

The Storehouse Issue Books confirm Halric’s registered signature and deputy office, but the routing form attached to his papers uses an unauthorized collection wording. Its dates match the hidden wagons.

Aritik records the comparison in a signed memorandum, attaching the matching dates, marks, and custody entries. Halric’s papers now stand against the existing evidence as a single documented chain.

Aritik gathers the signed memorandum, Halric’s ledger, and the routing papers into one orderly bundle. Nilsar enters the tower beside them, with the custody records secured under his arm.

They pass beneath the inner arch and climb the narrow stone stair. Morning light fades behind them, replaced by cool lamplight and the muted sounds of clerks preparing the baron’s chamber.

At the upper landing, Aritik presents the sealed memorandum to the waiting clerk. The clerk checks its signature, then opens the chamber doors and announces the visitors.

Nilsar enters with Aritik and Halric. The baron’s broad table waits beneath the windows, ready for the ledger, routing papers, memorandum, and custody records to be examined together.

Aritik opens Halric’s ledger beside the Storehouse Issue Books and the custody records. Nilsar keeps the pages aligned while she separates personal names, office names, and copied signatures.

Records Research lets Nilsar follow each name through the dated entries. Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes the spelling and sequence, while the Storehouse Issue Books confirm the same office beside each legitimate routing mark.

Aritik writes the result into her memorandum and attaches the matched entries. The records now distinguish Halric’s authentic identity from the unauthorized order presented under his authority.

Nilsar’s request is measured and direct. His defender’s standing and Rally Local Defenders authority give the appeal the weight of a trusted advocate speaking for a necessary witness.

Baron Edric Vale signals the clerk, who hurries to deliver the summons. Aritik adds Maelin’s name and testimony to the chamber memorandum without disturbing the evidence chain.

Before the clerk returns, Sister Maelin is brought into the chamber beneath escort. She stands ready beside the table, and the summoned witness is now present for questioning.

Nilsar lays the Storehouse Issue Books beside Maelin’s shipment letter and Halric’s routing papers. Records Research aligns dates, cargo marks, signatures, and the black-hook token’s recorded custody.

Keeps Reliable Accounts fixes each wagon, date, route, and altered entry in sequence. The Storehouse Issue Books show Halric Venn’s office received the order and marked the cargo for collection.

Nilsar’s comparison separates the authentic hand from the false authority claimed in the order. The route records, token, and wagon marks converge on Halric Venn as the person who ordered the shipments collected.