You knock. An attractive, middle aged woman opens and formally asks.
“Whom am I addressing?”
You introduce yourselves.
“We are here on the hetman’s orders!”
“Well - please do me the honor of introducing yourselves anyway?”
You pretend not to hear.
“Well, maybe you’ll come back after you’ve learned some manners.” she shuts the door.
You knock again.
You go look somewhere else.
“All right…” you introduce yourselves.
“Pleased to meet you. My name is Eliane Windenbek, what brings you here?”
You thank her.
“I’ll have to excuse myself now, I’m expecting a student.” she accompanies you to the door and says good bye.
“We are looking for Hyggelik’s sword.”
“And on what business did the hetman send you?”
“An interesting subject - do come in.” she offers you seats in a comfortably furnished lounge and serves an excellent vintage.
“Why are you interested in the sword?” you tell her about your meeting with the hetman, and what came out of it, as succinctly as possible.
The woman lets you finish your tale, and sits quietly for a moment before saying:
“I’ve done some research on Hyggelik myself. There is a certain Asgrimm Thurboldsson in Breida. As far as I know, his great-great-grandfather was the only survivor of the expedition to the orcish lands. I saw him once, and he gave me the names of quite a few people who may know something. Hmmm… I can hardly remember them because he told me so much.”
“While I was in Thorwal I learned that there are some direct descendants of Hyggelik’s still around. His great-great-granddaughter Swafnild Egilsdotter is a sailor-girl. She’s from Skjal, but I haven’t met her as she is constantly at sea aboard her ship, the “Pride of Hjalland”.”
“Then there is Yasma Thinmarsdotter in Clanegh. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time to go see her yet - but I have been told that she is somehow connected with Hyggelik’s story as well.”
“My biggest success was in Phexcaer, where I even bought a map from one of his descendants, a man by the name of Alrik Derondan. Mind you, it is no more than a yellowed scrap of parchment. Hmm, that’s all there is, but it is quite a lot compared with what most thorwalians know about the history of their great hetman.”
“Yes, you are truly educated.”
“This map, might we have it?”
“That’s my job,” she notes with a smile at the attempted flattery.
“But right now I am dealing with more pressing problems than old Hyggelik!”
“The god without a name is trying to get a foothold in the north. Somewhere on Hjalland there is a temple that has been fouled with worship to this abomination. This unholy defiler should be stopped but alone I am powerless to do anything.”
“Maybe you could help me, even though you are working on something much bigger?”
“But certainly, we’re glad to help!”
“No, the hetman’s orders must take precedence…”
“I could even let you have Hyggelik’s map in return for your help.”
“Well, I suppose I can understand your decision, but should you find it in you to do something about this horror, I would be very grateful. I hope, my information was a help to you.
now if you’ll excuse me, I am expecting a student.” she accompanies you to the door and says good bye.
“Of course, I’m not too keen on parting with it, but I might consider doing so, if you were prepared to do me a favor in return.”
“The temple is gone!”
You show her the figurine as proof. The scholar looks at you in awe.
“You took care of it?! You have no idea how important this is to me!” she leaves the room for a moment and returns with a yellowed scrap of parchment.
“Here is the map I bought in Phexcaer - as a sign of my gratitude, it’s yours.”
You knock, but nobody appears to be in.
You knock. After a while, Eliane Windenbek comes to the door.
“Ah, it’s you!” she greets you with a beaming smile.
“I’ve already heard about your wonderful deeds!” she blushes and adds, somewhat softer:
“Please forgive me for not asking you in, but I have a very important visitor. Wait out here for a second, I’ll be right back.”
“Here, as a sign of my gratitude!” she gives you a yellowed scrap of parchment.
“If you ever come back to Varnhome, do come and visit. You are always welcome at my house.” with a deep blush she adds, whispering:
“Except right now…good bye and au revoir.” she smiles pleasantly and, somewhat self-consciously, closes the door.
“I’m pleased that you want to help. Once you have dealt with the servants of the god without a name come back and I’ll give you Hyggelik’s map as a reward.
but now you’ll have to excuse me, I expect a student shortly.” she accompanies you to the door and you take your leave.
“Anyone can say that. You’ll have to bring proof. There is a figurine there. I’ll give you the map once you bring me that figurine!”
“You shall have it!”
“Yes, well, we’ll see!
now you must excuse me, as I’m expecting a student shortly.” she accompanies you to the door and you leave.
Tiomar Swafnildsson
There is a sign with the words “Tiomar Swafnildsson” beside the door. Just as you are about to knock, a man of approximately 35 [N] years opens the door.
“Did you want to see me?”
There is a sign with the words “Tiomar Swafnildsson” beside the door. You knock, but there seems to be nobody home.
“Yes, if you are Tiomar.”
“No, we were just passing.”
“Oh, I thought…” the man disappears behind the house and goes back inside through the front door a short time later.
“That I am, and what do you want?”
“We are here on the hetman’s orders!”
“You are a relative of Hyggelik’s, aren’t you?”
“We have a letter for you here.”
“Let’s see,” he says with a grim expression on his face. He takes the parchment Umbrik Sevenstones gave you and opens it. As his eyes scan the lines, his face brightens.
“Well, well, old Umbrik’s still alive, is he? And he even gave you a letter of introduction. Do come in!”
“We just wanted to give you the letter.”
“Oh, thanks for the invitation.”
“You’re joking! Come in!”
He offers you seats, gets a jug with premian brandy and sits down next to you.
“So… Umbrik tells me in his letter that you’re looking for Hyggelik’s missing sword. Well, I hope I can be of help.”
Before you can answer, he stands up and disappears to another room. When he returns, he is carrying a piece of parchment.
“It’s an old heirloom from Hyggelik’s time - supposed to be a treasure map or something of the sort.”
You look it over.
“You can have it. It’s no use without the other fragments, anyway.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Thank you, do you know some more?”
“That’s not all! I know a few people who should know something about Hyggelik’s story.”
“But of course! Old Tiomar wasn’t born yesterday! I know of a number of people who should be able to tell you about Hyggelik!”
“So much for that! Now for some fun. Will you join me?”
“No, thank you, we really are in a hurry.”
“Certainly, you only live once.”
“What a pity! I don’t get many visitors, but if it’s that urgent, I won’t stop you.” he accompanies you as far as the door and bids you farewell.
“One more for the road”, Tiomar says an hour later.
The premian brandy is working its magic on [NAME]. [NAME] is starting to blab on uncontrollably.
“No, I’m not a relative of Hyggelik’s, just of Trutzke’s, who was Hyggelik’s best friend - why do you ask?”
“We are looking for his sword.”
“We are here on the hetman’s orders!”
“Ah, I bet you’re supposed to find Hyggelik’s sword - a lot of people have tried, but nobody ever succeeded!”
“You want to find Hyggelik’s sword? A lot of people have tried to do that already, but no one ever did succeed!”
“All right, I’ll help you as well as I can. I just happen to know some people who may have information about Hyggelik.”
“Or you could ask Umbrik Sevenstones in Orvil. The old man’s a friend of mine, and he knows a lot of people…”
“Thank you for your help.”
“Thank you, is that all you know?”
“Don’t mention it - and good luck. You’ll need it.” he says good bye and shuts the door.
He hesitates. “Yes, maybe. I’ve got this heirloom of Hyggelik’s, but I won’t give it to you unless you can show me a recommendation by someone I trust.”
“Thank you, anyway. You were a great help.”
“We’ll get one, believe it.”
“Good luck, you’ll need it.” he says good bye and shuts the door.
You knock loudly. It takes quite a while until Tiomar opens up.
“Oh, it’s you,” he yawns, obviously not expecting too much.
“Have you got a letter of recommendation?”
“Sure!”
“What else?”
You are still looking at the map.
When you reach his house, he hesitates.
“Now, what exactly do you want from me?”