Chronicles of Barowia II

A decade passes of an uneasy truce. At Scetpremass only the riders of Szalai send a delegation to pledge their allegiance - but the King is too weak to punish both houses that stay absent. Finally the King devices a plan to change the power balance in his favour. He grants the Knights of the Brotherhood their own holding in the Southeast between the rebellious houses where the Cult of the Mother has almost vanished but resistance to the rule of house Barow remains strong.

Farkash Citadel

From a winding path across the hills, or from a boat exiting the river delta, you can spot a milky stone tower glimmering in the morning light. All around it rises a large citadel on a terraced hill, featuring the same light stone and white marble, embraced by stout walls and tall towers. Gated docks overlook the quiet lake. From up close the former splendour vanishes, crumbling walls, some towers toppled and the marble of the citadel cracked. Only the keep stands as tall as before and guards over the empty stalls in the overgrown courtyard.

The Citadel before extensive renovations

In the spring of next year a delegation from Oakfell, a small dwelling to the North, arrives on timber rafts. At the docks they are greeted in her typically reserved fashion by Jitka of Urban, the newly appointed Steward. After short negotiations they agree to sell their timber on Farkash's market in exchange for protection. The woodcutters haven't forgotten the Gilded Knight who adjudicated justice in Oakfell some years ago and keep asking about the bright young lad who had accompanied him then. As a gesture of goodwill Eliska, a skilled carpenter, stays behind to fix the stalls in the bailey and the roofs of the dock. Later that year Timea visits the keep and establishes the trade of timber and fish through the Guild. The first steps of the brotherhood's rule over the domain begins promising. As the year ends the storerooms of the citadel are full of salted fish and produce from fields all over the domain. At Kindlemass everyone meets at the Grand Hall where Zofia of Barow has taken care of the reliquaries house Altenburg had left. A wondrous place even on normal days with numerous niches and alcoves holding the bones of long deceased Seers and illuminated by hundreds of candles. Today though the Hall is filled not only with light but polyphonic chorals giving praise to warmth and friendship.

Kindlemass in the Great Hall

Thanks to Timea and the Merchant Guild, the river route is restored and news of the new holding spread fast. Masons and carpenters start working on the repairs of the old abandoned citadel, as an improvised market is set up and starts drawing commerce from the region around the lake. Heldris follows the works eagerly, although he always passes Winter time in Karpat Fortress, in order to spend as much time as he can with Hedwig and little Annegrit, who is growing into a healthy and curious kid. Jitka of Urban takes on the role of Steward, and attentively overlooks the works on the citadel and the docks. She haggles skillfully on supplies, organises intelligently the work week, and overall manages to run a tight ship. A young Waldochian, Vojtech, joins the court, and spends Spring and Harvest riding through the region to spread word of a new castle and a promising market. The Dove Knight sets himself up in a modest chamber, with a large window overlooking the gentle lake, but slightly away from the teeming docks. He enjoys the stillness of the natural landscape outside, joined by the faint echoes from the market below. He has a wooden library built beside his bed, to hold a little collection of music scrolls. When Hedwig visits, they often spend their time playing some of this music together. With little Annegrit, they visit the aviary on the white marble tower, where the homing pigeons nest. The kid feeds them and learns their names, as she sees them setting off for distant regions, then always coming back home

Lady Inga sheds tears over the troubles of Kranach and the adopted home she grew to love over her time there. Despite the deep wounds of conflict, few in Kranach can hold a grudge against this daughter of Svenrik - and fewer yet would dare voice such a thing where those who cherish her might hear. Notably absent is their travelling companion, the Pigeon Knight, who once called Kranach his home. When Perilake asks Inga to accompany him to Farkash Citadel, yet more tears are shed but so too is the weight of regret. The servants and the court of Kranach pay their respects as Perilake and Inga depart for Farkash.

As Kranach watches their figures from the battlements, they spy a figure clad in a tattered cloak, who joins the couple as they disappear over the horizon towards their new home.

In Farkash, they find joy unburdened by sorrow. They send word to Kranach, asking for the assistance of two rather different courtiers; Sorina, once of Szolok, whose eye and ear for people and their lives will serve her well as Sheriff, the troubles of the region never far from her attention. It is testament to her nature that Istvan of Kranach comes; even the man's fierce distrust of Svenrik cannot hold against her care, and he answers the call for his martial prowess to serve Farkash as Marshal, as it once served Zigmund and Ulrich. His hopes to serve their heir are plain for all to see, but the Pigeon Knight spends scant seasons in Farkash before flying onwards. Sir Perilake and Inga privately believe the admiration of Oakfell and the bitter pride of Istvan to have driven Zoltan onwards as much as his oaths.

A humble marketplace

Lady Inga dedicates herself to the restoration of the marketplace, more often found within its humble grounds than the bright citadel above. With the aid of Jakub the smith, she restores the bas relief of the merchant guild, and the docks are reopened to trade with Timea and beyond. When the woodcutters of Oakfell hear word of the Gilded Knight's holding and send their delegation, she prepares a feast of fish to celebrate their new pact. With each season, Inga nurtures the simple yard of the marketplace in to a hub of commerce and trade, bustling with merchants and produce.

The visits of little Annegrit are beloved by more than her father, though the Gilded Knight often comments on the Dove Knight's newly soaring spirits. Sir Perilake is often seen carrying her atop his shoulders as Lady Inga dotes on her with treats from the sellers of the marketplace. As Farkash stands renewed, the Gilded Knight and his wife welcome their own child; little Avert is often passed from stallholder to traveller to tradesman as Lady Inga works, the quiet bright gaze of his blue eyes bringing peace to all manner of quarrel and dispute.

The Salt Knight rarely enters the marketplace, preferring to spend his time in the keep. He tends to diplomacy with the Crown and its loyalists in House Szalai. Free from the responsibilities of fatherhood, he spends much of his time discussing minutiae of ruling with the Council, or reading Istvan and Jitka's histories of the Realm.

Never unkind, but often solemn, he allows himself the occasional show of pride when Zoltan or Gundhilde visit the citadel. Otherwise, he can often be found in the great hall, lighting candles for the futures that never came to pass.

The Myths awake again

It seemed as if the Myths lay dormant for an Age as the citadel was restored and trade routes were established and the domain prospered … But sometimes a low rumble can be heard deep underground or a lone wanderer finds dire warnings cut into the rock to the life of all Knights. And with every year the Brothers of the Black Fleece become more restless and during the day they have visions of strange spires in the clouds and at night wild dreams of The City as if a burning god passed through them in their sleep leaving ambers behind within their minds and in its glow they see a city like a nexus of a thousand roots that drink in silence.

And so the wheel of time grinds forward once more ...