Elizabeths’s Story

As told to the Heroes of Cleenseau, in Cleenseau, February 7th, 1720, in response to questions about how Gareth of Tollen came to be illegally collecting taxes in Cleenseau. The events take place between January 7th and February 5th

She is from Cassen, a small sheepherding village between Dallet and Champimont, where for many years she was a member of the Lord’s Guard. Then the zombies came… Many of her village died (Viepuck and Celyn actually passed through Cassen when theywere hunting Lord Valbert).

She tells you how the zombies came in the night, and overwhelmed the guard, and how she was fighting one, and stabbed it time and time and time again and nothing she did would stop it. Each time she stabbed it, it would sway and seem to fall, but then arise again and scratch at her She took several wounds, and stumbled off, escaping somehow. She thinks she might have blacked out from the pain of her wounds, she isn’t sure. 

Her next memory was of standing by the Enst riverbank, a few miles from Cassen (which isn’t directly on the river), desperately drinking the water to quench her thirst, despite the winter chill.  Even now, thinking back on the zombies she shudders and gasps a little. “How you fight those things, I cannot imagine” she mutters.

Her story continues:

I ended up in Rinburg a few days later, and I wanted to help, I truely did, but the thought of facing that corpse, rising from its wounds again and again.. I just couldn’t. I made myself scarce when the Lord Mayor’s recruiters came around to find people to join the city watch. I just couldn’t face… those creatures. I ended up in Newtown scared, worried, a little lost, not sure what to do.

About a week ago, I was drinking too early in the morning, trying to avoid thinking about those teeth, when I overheard a man - Gareth - talking to the barkeep. He said he was looking for anyone who could swing a sword, who was looking to earn some coin, and who could follow orders and keep their mouth shut - and who wanted to stay away from the undead. Well, I thought to myself, I need some coin and I want to stay away from undead. Of course, I wasn’t sure what he was after, and there was something about him that made me a little uncomfortable, but I followed him… He stopped at a few other taverns, making the same request, spending coin and drinking. By the fourth tavern, I thought, he seemed quite drunk and I guess I let my guard down, because he spun around in the street and dragged me into an alley, putting a dagger to my throat.

Why are you following me, he said.

I kept my cool, and said, I’m looking for a job. I was waiting for the right moment to approach you.

This seemed to amuse him, and after a bit of back and forth, I ended up hired.

He seemed quite concerned about the Night Queen, he asked me several times to be sure I wasn’t working for those cursed elders who brought these walking dead down on us. And he wanted to be sure I knew King Robert and the Baroness d’Aslain were fighting for us, and things might be done a little unusual, but it was necessary, what with these times.

He showed me his letters and authorizations, and said to meet by just outside Chantefleur, near the bridge over the Auberonne, in two days. I didn’t dare ask around much about Gareth, as, well, no one knew I’d fled Casson, and in the night I still dread what I did? Could I have saved some of my kinsman and friends if I had stayed to fight?”

So we set out from Rinburg, riding for Cleenseau - Beury was to be our first stop. I kept to myself mostly. Gareth seemed to enjoy throwing his weight around. When we got to Champimont he demanded the best rooms and kept calling for ale and wine and spilling it on the barkeeps, and blaming them. I tried to talk to him, but he pulled me aside, and said: We are passing through Cassen soon. Do you want everyone there to know you ran away rather than fight for them? If so, keep talking. Otherwise shut up and stay out of my way.”

I don’t know how he knew that story. I shut up and kept my head down, until I saw you on the road standing up to him. It was inspiring. 

I don’t know what his game was but I’m worried, if as you believe, he wasn’t really collecting taxes. What did I get myself mixed up in?