A coach is coming your way.
“Hello!” the driver greets you and halts his vehicle.
“If I may introduce myself…” he jumps down. “My name is Treborn Kolberg, and I trade in everything you might want.”
You introduce yourselves.
You look at him in astonishment.
“What? You never saw a travelling salesman before? Forget it, just take a look at my wares, will you?”
“Pleased to meet you! Would you like to take a look at what’s on display?”
“No, thanks, we’re in a hurry.”
“Yes, let’s see something.”
“That’s a pity, because I really have some excellent wares! But, if you’re in a hurry, I won’t keep you. Have a nice journey!”
“And you!” you continue on your way.
“We do have a bit of time…”
“It was a pleasure meeting you.” he takes his leave with a polite bow, climbs up and drives on. You continue on your way.
“Now, I do have something special to offer you. A treasure map. Mind you, it’s 60 ducats!”
“We’ll take it!”
“We haven’t got that much!”
“60! You have paid 5 at most yourself!”
“A wise decision! When you dig out the treasure, you will surely find twenty times as much. I’m surprised that Algrid Trondesdotter in Hjalsingor ever sold the map to me, but I guess she doesn’t have the time to go treasure hunting. Well, for that matter neither do I, or I’d keep it for myself.” after you pay him, he gives you a yellowed scrap of parchment.
“Hey! There’s a piece missing!”
“A really good deal, have a nice journey!”
“Ah yes, did I forget to mention that? This is only half of the map — the other half is in the hands of a guy by the name of Jurge Torfinsson in Skjal, a simple and somewhat naïve chap. He’ll give it to you. And if not…”
After you’ve studied the map intensively, you look back up to the man.
“How would you know about that? I paid more than enough for it! Anyway — I’m not going to let you bargain for it.”
“So you’ll have to sell something, until you have the asking price!”
“We need all our gear!”
“All right, how much would you pay?”
“Well, I can’t help you then. Should you find some money… you may find me at home in Clanegh… if you’re lucky. Have a nice journey!”
“We’ll be there!”
“We’ll see!” he jumps up onto his coach and drives off.
“That’s what I thought…”
“What you sold won’t be enough to pay for the map!”
“Now, do you want the map?”
“Forget it, the map is too expensive for us.”
“Still, it was fun doing business with you! Should you change your mind after all…you can find me at my home in Clanegh… if you’re lucky, that is. Have a nice journey!”
He clambers up onto his coach and drives off. You march on.
A foreign-looking fellow opens the door and you recognize him as Treborn kolberg.
“What do you want?” he looks you over and it takes a minute before recognition appears in his eyes.
“Ah yes, I remember you — you’re here for the map. You are lucky I’m at home for a change, and that I haven’t sold the map yet.
Come on in.”
Inside, he offers you a good wine.
“Now, if you have the 75 [N] ducats, we can get down to business…”
“75! The price was 60?!”
“We’ll take it!”
“We’re not here for the map.”
“Now you are surprising me! What did you come for?”
“Nothing much…”
“Just for a courtesy visit.”
“How nice,” the merchant says.
Despite his disappointment, he remains calm and courteous, a true sign of a good merchant. Still, after one hour his patience comes to an end and he finds a pretense to be rid of you.
“Still, it’s nice of you to come by!” the merchant notes with a hint of irony.
After one hour, he finds a pretense to be rid of you.
“Unfortunately, inflation waits for no man. Do you want the map or don’t you?”
“No, that’s too pricy for us!”
“That price is an offer of pure friendship. If I may take my leave now — I’m expecting an important visitor.”
He accompanies you to the door.
“A wise decision! When you dig out the treasure, you will surely find twenty times as much. I’m surprised that Algrid Trondesdotter in Hjalsingor ever sold the map to me, but I guess she doesn’t have the time to go treasure hunting. Well for that matter, neither do I.” after you pay him, he gives you a yellowed scrap of parchment.
“Hey! There’s a piece missing!”
“Well, we really have to be going!”
“Ah yes, did I forget to mention that? This is only half the map — the other half is in the hands of one Jurge Torfinsson in Skjal, a simple and somewhat naïve chap. He’ll give it to you, I’m sure. Now if I may take my leave?…I’m expecting a very important visitor.” he accompanies you to the door.
“Good luck on the treasure hunt!” he accompanies you to the door.
After you have studied the map intensively, you look back up at the man.
Unicorn
In the distance you see a magnificent white horse galloping across the countryside. It seems to have stopped in a meadow just ahead to graze.
Do you
- Go on?
- Approach?
The horse doesn’t pay any attention to you and soon it is off and galloping away, quickly disappearing from view.
You notice a spiraling black horn on the white horse’s forehead. Are your eyes must be deceiving you! It really is a unicorn!
You stop some distance away.
You keep moving towards the unicorn.
Suddenly, the unicorn notices you. With one giant leap that stops you in your tracks, it tears away and is gone from view.
You continue on your way.
You wait.
One whole hour passes. The unicorn doesn’t come back.
You wait another hour.
While you were staring in the direction it disappeared, the unicorn must have approached you very quietly. Suddenly it snorts loudly right behind you! Startled, you turn around. Its head lowered, the mighty horn threatening [NAME], it is pawing the ground — ready to attack!
You draw your weapons.
You wait.
The unicorn seems to ignore you. For a quarter of an hour, it stays in the meadow. When it notices you, it stops for a moment and looks straight at you.
Suddenly it gallops right at you and stops maybe 5 [N] paces away. Loudly snorting, it lowers its head and turns the mighty horn right towards [NAME]. It is pawing the ground — ready to attack!
With one jump the unicorn attacks [NAME]. [NAME] can just about dodge, but already the mighty animal is attacking again.
With one powerful jump, the unicorn lunges at [NAME], and before [NAME] has a chance to dodge the attack, the mighty horn pierces [NAME] chest.
With a powerful movement of its head, the animal frees its horn tossing [NAME] several feet through the air. [NAME] falls in a heap to the ground. Neighing loudly, as if in victory, the unicorn gallops away. You cannot even react as you stand there stricken with horror at the sight of your companion lying on the ground. You finally rouse from your stupor to turn to take care of [NAME].
[NAME] just manages to dodge the attack, but the powerful animal is already set for another leap.
[NAME] has no chance to escape. Before [NAME] can react, the mighty horn pierces [NAME] chest.
[NAME] is dead. Stunned, you stand before the lifeless body. It takes some time to you comprehend what just happened here.
At last, with grim practicality, one of you takes the initiative.
“We have to make a grave…”
[NAME] is seriously hurt. It is difficult to tell, whether the spark of life is still around. The blood is literally pulsing out from the wound, and [NAME] Breath is very shallow. [NAME] face has taken on the color and sheen of one who is mere inches away from death. It looks like you will have to settle down here for some time if you hope to save [NAME]’s life.
Two hours later, after a silent and mournful prayer at the gravesite, you slowly shamble off with a sense of despair for your fallen friend.
The next seconds seem to pass like hours. You can hear your heartbeats like thunder, so absolute is the silence that has fallen. The unicorn is standing in front of [NAME], its head lowered menacingly.
Slowly, very slowly, the unicorn lifts its head and looks at [NAME] with eyes as black as the night. Its glance is piercing, fascinating and at the same time unsettling.
[NAME] takes a few steps forward and stops in front of the unicorn. [NAME] seems to be oblivious to the rest of you standing by like statues. [NAME] eyes remain locked with those of the animal, completely ignoring your faint murmurs of concern.
For what seems like a long time, the two stand in front of each other without moving a muscle. Then, the animal slowly lowers its head again and puts its horn on [NAME]’s chest.
With a sudden, violent movement, the unicorn turns its head and gallops away. You run to [NAME], who remains standing there as if turned to stone. You notice a fine trail of blood on [NAME] chest.
Suddenly, [NAME] jumps as if returning to awareness.
“Oh, it’s you!” [NAME] slowly begins to move as if testing to make sure all the pieces are still there. You look on with concern.
[NAME] suddenly begins to speak in a rush so that you can barely catch hold of the words.
“It talked to me! It’ll help us. It has gone to get a map, then it will be back!!”
It takes a while, until [NAME] gets back to normal and begins trying to explain:
“It can read minds and talk inside your head.” [NAME] looks at your doubting faces and pauses a moment before continuing in an almost superior tone.
“Never mind, you won’t be able to understand…come! Let’s move on.”