mine."
"Uh, thanks. I'm a healer in training, but I could use some extra money. Let me think on it a few days," Ean said pocketing the money. With the man finally in front of him, Ean couldn't help but ask about the conversation he had wanted to have with him the first time they met. "Trait, you seemed a bit put off before about the fact that I'm from Rottwealth. Why is that?"
The man looked at him for a few moments, rubbing his hands together faster now. He looked around a few times before putting an arm around Ean's shoulders and drawing him in close. When he spoke, his voice was low.
"Listen lad, I don't know what got you to leave your little village, but out here, things are a lot more dangerous. Especially if you go around telling everyone where you're from. Lots of rumors about Rottwealth, most of them created by the temples, and none of them good. Very few of us know the actual truth, which is far less shocking, but certainly serious since all of the temples are behind it."
"Well," Ean said, letting the frustration show in his voice. "Can you tell me what the big secret is then? I met a few people in Rensen that didn't seem bothered by the fact I came from Rottwealth."
"Sorry, but as a Hawkpurse, I'm sworn to secrecy by my own temple. If I were to break that and anger the deity, Drenks, it could mean the ruin of my entire family. Just listen when I say it's in your best interest not to bring up your village, alright?"
"Fine, thanks, I guess, for the advice."
Not knowing what else to say, Ean started walking him towards the supply wagon. Trait reached out though and caught his arm.
"No need to work today, why don't you just sit and enjoy the view as we make our way down. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do." Trait walked off, shouting orders as he went. With nothing else to do, Ean headed off towards Wil's wagon.
He found Wil and his family just as they were climbing up and securing the oxen.
"Don't have to shovel today?" Wil called down to him. "That's nice. Nothing beats riding to the edge of the city. You get to appreciate how big it is compared to the lake, and at the same time how small of a city it is compared to the Unyielding Wall."
Gesturing towards the impossibly high wall far in the distance, the older man chuckled lightly to himself.
"It might be a foolish thought, but I would love to head out east some day and actually see the Wall up close. Touch it, you know? Actually experience something so great that it's even supposed to keep the gods out of whatever is on the other side. Can you imagine that?"
Phil reached down and helped Ean up onto the wagon. Wil was still considering what mysteries dwelled beyond the wall as the wagons started to move, prompting Phil to take the reins. Once the wagons reached the road, Wil seemed to shake away whatever thoughts had been taking up his attention.
"Now Ean, you remember everything we've been talking about these past couple of days, correct?"
"Yes, everything," Ean said, nodding to Will. "I'll make sure that my sister doesn't do anything stupid as well." It wasn't likely that he could stop her, but hopefully she would behave for however long they were in the city.
"Good, good. Than instead of bothering you any further, I'll let you enjoy the ride." Leaning back, the man placed both hands behind his head. Ean copied the movement and watched as they approached the city.
This close, and framed by the morning sun, Lurthalan seemed even more impressive than it had the evening before. The first thing you saw as you approached was the construction of the city wall. In some places it looked finished and in others only an outline of its foundation or a few stones marked where it would continue. Where the road met the path of the wall there was a completely constructed gate with two small towers off to each side.
Sitting to the left of the tower and outside the wall was a four-story building constructed of pale unpainted wood. The walls appeared to be
"Uh, thanks. I'm a healer in training, but I could use some extra money. Let me think on it a few days," Ean said pocketing the money. With the man finally in front of him, Ean couldn't help but ask about the conversation he had wanted to have with him the first time they met. "Trait, you seemed a bit put off before about the fact that I'm from Rottwealth. Why is that?"
The man looked at him for a few moments, rubbing his hands together faster now. He looked around a few times before putting an arm around Ean's shoulders and drawing him in close. When he spoke, his voice was low.
"Listen lad, I don't know what got you to leave your little village, but out here, things are a lot more dangerous. Especially if you go around telling everyone where you're from. Lots of rumors about Rottwealth, most of them created by the temples, and none of them good. Very few of us know the actual truth, which is far less shocking, but certainly serious since all of the temples are behind it."
"Well," Ean said, letting the frustration show in his voice. "Can you tell me what the big secret is then? I met a few people in Rensen that didn't seem bothered by the fact I came from Rottwealth."
"Sorry, but as a Hawkpurse, I'm sworn to secrecy by my own temple. If I were to break that and anger the deity, Drenks, it could mean the ruin of my entire family. Just listen when I say it's in your best interest not to bring up your village, alright?"
"Fine, thanks, I guess, for the advice."
Not knowing what else to say, Ean started walking him towards the supply wagon. Trait reached out though and caught his arm.
"No need to work today, why don't you just sit and enjoy the view as we make our way down. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do." Trait walked off, shouting orders as he went. With nothing else to do, Ean headed off towards Wil's wagon.
He found Wil and his family just as they were climbing up and securing the oxen.
"Don't have to shovel today?" Wil called down to him. "That's nice. Nothing beats riding to the edge of the city. You get to appreciate how big it is compared to the lake, and at the same time how small of a city it is compared to the Unyielding Wall."
Gesturing towards the impossibly high wall far in the distance, the older man chuckled lightly to himself.
"It might be a foolish thought, but I would love to head out east some day and actually see the Wall up close. Touch it, you know? Actually experience something so great that it's even supposed to keep the gods out of whatever is on the other side. Can you imagine that?"
Phil reached down and helped Ean up onto the wagon. Wil was still considering what mysteries dwelled beyond the wall as the wagons started to move, prompting Phil to take the reins. Once the wagons reached the road, Wil seemed to shake away whatever thoughts had been taking up his attention.
"Now Ean, you remember everything we've been talking about these past couple of days, correct?"
"Yes, everything," Ean said, nodding to Will. "I'll make sure that my sister doesn't do anything stupid as well." It wasn't likely that he could stop her, but hopefully she would behave for however long they were in the city.
"Good, good. Than instead of bothering you any further, I'll let you enjoy the ride." Leaning back, the man placed both hands behind his head. Ean copied the movement and watched as they approached the city.
This close, and framed by the morning sun, Lurthalan seemed even more impressive than it had the evening before. The first thing you saw as you approached was the construction of the city wall. In some places it looked finished and in others only an outline of its foundation or a few stones marked where it would continue. Where the road met the path of the wall there was a completely constructed gate with two small towers off to each side.
Sitting to the left of the tower and outside the wall was a four-story building constructed of pale unpainted wood. The walls appeared to be
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