Towards Neverwinter

Dante decided to head to Neverwinter. As he recalled the folk of Neverwinter have a great deal of respect for what makes other people happy and would not interfere with how he choose to live his life. "Following one's weird," is a saying often heard in Neverwinter to describe the tendency for odd behavior or strange looking folk, all of which are commonplace. Adventurous Harpers, skilled dwarven craftsman, and powerful wizards all call Neverwinter home. Overall, the people of Neverwinter tended to be courteous, intelligent, and diligent workers. Just the kind of People that Dante could take advantage of.

He walked through most of the day towards the city and by nightfall found himself far from any town. He had almost reconciled himself to spending a night outdoors, which he detested, when a small homestead appeared on the horizon. He increased the pace of his walking and within half an hour; just as the dark was falling he was approaching the small house. It was a typical farmhouse, maybe a little larger than normal, made of timbers and sod. Smoke curled from the sod chimney, and Dante’s stomach growled at the smell of stew cooking. He could see a cow, a load of chickens, and a plow horse in the small coral next to the barn.

Suddenly two large dogs of indeterminate and nasty disposition were upon him, barking and growling. Dante drew his sword and prepared to defend himself when the booming voice of a man called out, “who are you? and what is your business here?!”

Dante squinted at the hulking shape of the man who called out to him. He was a man of some years, and the square, squat shape of his body told Dante he was physically powerful. Dante was comfortable dealing with people, and he was certain to be glad of a situation to use his powerful charm. Dante had always been a master at dealing with people and he liked gruff tough characters like this man best as you always knew where you stood with them. Dante said back to him, “Call off your dogs I am but a lonely traveler on my way to Neverwinter to seek my fortune. I mean no harm. I was just hoping for a bowl of whatever is cooking on your fire, and perhaps a dry bed in your barn.”

The dogs stood growling and barking just beyond the tip of Dante’s rapier and he was not sure if the man had heard him as the silence stretched on but finally he said, “Well we have no need of your like here. There are some potatoes in the garden down the road a bit and you can take your bed in the forest. The weather is clear tonight and it will not hurt a young fellow like you.”

Dante was readying his response when he heard, “But Poppa surely it cannot hurt to invite him to supper, and let him spend the night. I am sure the good gentleman means no harm, and he is surely capable of bringing us some news of the world.”

“Jenna, silence yourself,” he heard the growling voice of the man reply.

Dante looked to the shadowed form of the woman who spoke and he like what he saw. He could see the slender hips and full bosom and knew right away that this little farm had more to offer than he had first imagined. “Good sire your daughter speaks true, I can bring you news of the outside, and I have a few coppers that I could offer as payment for a good meal and some company.”