Beyond the palisade, Luther and the hooded claimant follow the field’s drainage ditch through wet grass. Behind them, his mother and the villagers remain at the passage, holding the searchers back.
A man in mud-stained riding clothes rises unsteadily among the reeds and raises one hand. His face is pale, and one sleeve is dark with blood.
Sir Oren Vale
Wait. I am Sir Oren Vale, courier of the old court. I carry proof meant for the claimant.
He takes one stumbling step toward them, then collapses against the reeds. A leather packet remains clenched beneath his coat, sealed with a stamped family mark.
the hooded claimant
That seal is ours. Luther, do not let him open the letter. My father trusted the seal, not the words inside.
Sir Oren Vale
The boy survived, then. If the letter reaches him unopened, the old court may still answer.
The ditch water trickles beneath the reeds. Sir Oren remains conscious but weak, while the claimant watches Luther and the sealed packet without touching either.
✓ Quest Accepted
Establish a defensible escape route for the claimant
✓ Quest Accepted
Obtain the courier's proof for the claimant
“You really grew up kid I forgot how long that was”
FAILURE (Good Reasoning, rolled -2)
Luther
You really grew up, kid. I forgot how long it had been.
The claimant stiffens beneath the hood. Luther’s familiar tone reaches for an old memory, but the muddy ditch, the sealed packet, and fear keep warmth from finding it.
the hooded claimant
You remember a child. I have not been that child for years. Do not speak of those days where he can hear.
Sir Oren Vale
Then you are Luther, the blacksmith’s son. Your father named you in his instructions, though not as heir.
The remark fails to draw the claimant closer, but it changes the balance. Sir Oren’s certainty gives Luther a recognized place beside the claimant, and the packet remains sealed.
the hooded claimant
He wrote that you could carry me when roads failed, and stand between me and danger. That is the place open to you now.
Sir Oren Vale
Help me reach the hedges, and I will tell you what your father put in the letter without breaking its seal.
“What is next to push your claim for that we need men armies if you wish to put your claim”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +0)
Luther
What comes next to press your claim? You will need men and an army if you mean to take the throne.
The claimant studies Luther across the reeds. Sir Oren braces himself against the ditch bank, while the sealed packet rests between them in the mud.
the hooded claimant
First, proof must reach three lords who still remember the old court. Then coin, horses, and men follow whoever can make them believe victory is possible.
Sir Oren Vale
Your father named Lord Halric of Dunmere, Lady Ysabet of the western marches, and the abbot at Saint Vey. Their banners could become an army.
Sir Oren loosens his grip on the packet and gives Luther the names and route. In doing so, his bloodied sleeve brushes the wet bank, leaving a dark smear.
the hooded claimant
We need shelter before banners. Take us to the charcoal burners beyond the hedges, then carry the seal and these names to Dunmere. Do that, and men can gather.
A distant horn sounds from the village road. The noise has exposed their direction, but the needed plan is now clear, and Sir Oren places the sealed packet in Luther’s keeping.
Quest Complete
Obtain the courier's proof for the claimant
Attribute Upgrade: Reasoning Good→Great
+ New Item Acquired
Sealed courier packet
“Will I ever become king”
NO (Unlikely, rolled 56)
The horn fades toward the village road. Between the reeds, the plan offers escape, allies, and danger, but no path places Luther upon the throne.
the hooded claimant
You asked what comes next for my claim. I will need your strength, but the crown cannot become yours through service.
Sir Oren Vale
The old court recognizes blood, not borrowed force. Lords may honor the claimant, yet none will raise you as king.
The sealed packet lies in Luther’s keeping, its stamped mark promising recognition for another. Beyond the hedges, the road to Dunmere waits under a whitening sky.
the hooded claimant
He may carry me to the throne, but the throne will never carry his name.
Sir Oren lowers his eyes, conserving what strength remains. The claimant turns toward the hedges, and the three names of support remain fixed ahead, while Luther’s royal ambition finds no place among them.
“Am I the finest sword of my generation”
YES (VeryLikely, rolled 58)
The claimants' doubts cannot erase what the forge yard witnessed. Luther's blade broke trained soldiers in moments, and none who saw it can call his boast empty.
the hooded claimant
Then your strength is not merely useful. It is the finest sword-arm this generation has seen, and every lord will learn it before long.
Sir Oren Vale
I have served beside knights of three courts. None moved as you did today. If you wield that gift wisely, armies may follow your banner.
Sir Oren reaches for the hedge but pauses, studying Luther with new caution. The sealed packet still promises another man's crown, yet Luther's reputation can become a power beside it.
the hooded claimant
He cannot inherit my blood, but no lord can ignore the man who wins every fight placed before him.
Beyond the hedges, the road to Dunmere pales beneath the morning sky. The claimant needs Luther's sword, and the court may need it more than either of them admits.