The Rook

Thomas Raven had just finished his education and has time to explore the world before his apprenticeship. The young mage went down to the local seaport and took up residence at the Gull & Pearl. Many a sailor came to the public house to have their fill of ale and whatever stew was in the pots for the night. It was there that Thomas learned of the Rook. It had once been part of a castle on a mountainside midway between two kingdoms, but the castle had long since fallen into ruin. A dense forest surrounded the remains of the castle, a single rook. A narrow road cut through the forest passing by the rook.

Thomas was intrigued by the mystery of the Host who would put up travelers for the night. There were few who had braved the woods at dusk and fewer still who had accepted the generosity of the host. Of those who had stopped, their accounts of the host's appearance varied considerably. An old man described a comely young maiden who tended to his aching bones and helped him into bed for the evening. A young man described an old woman who reminded him of his recently passed grandmother. The young man spoke of how she fussed over him in much the same manner. A woman with several unruly children spoke of the gruff matron who frightened her rowdy offspring into being quiet and still for the evening by threatening to "feed them to the dragon" if they continued to misbehave. "Whatever your needs, the Host will attend."

In the morning, Thomas secured passage across the Great Sea to a fishing village in the Low Kingdom. There he spent a day in another alehouse, the Mermaid's Tail, where he heard more stories about the Rook and its mysterious host. A small band of travelers intended to leave in the early morning hours with plans to spend the night at the Rook. Before their parents hustled the children off to bed, the innkeeper gathered them by the fireplace to tell them a story.

"Once upon a time," the owner of the Mermaid's Tail Inn began, "there was a grand castle that stood on the hillside halfway between the High Kingdom and the Low Kingdom. It stood for several thousand years as a waystation welcoming travelers and offering them a safe haven for the night. This was a time when terrible beasts roamed the land. One could often hear the howling of a banshee, the screeching of a gryphon, or the roaring of a fierce dragon during the night if one stayed at the castle. 

There are many stories of how the castle fell into ruin. Some tell tales of a terrible war between the High and Low Kingdoms with the castle caught in the middle. This war subjected the castle to constant bombardment until the walls fell. Some tell of a long siege by barbarians which killed off the people who lived there. A few claim that the castle inhabitants merely abandoned it during a harsh drought or a fierce blizzard. Others tell of a mighty dragon seeking vengeance against the lord of the manor. No one knows what the true story is anymore. Little remains of the once mighty fortress, but a few fragments of wall and a single tower looked after by a single caretaker.

A path through the forest passes by the rook and many a traveler has spent the night there. Stories of the generosity of the host have spread far and wide, and many visitors travel the forest just to spend a single night at the rook. Perhaps we have such a traveler among us this night." The old man winked at Thomas who had gathered with the children. "Remember," the old man continued, "it is very important not to break the rules of the Rook or the host will ban you for life, leaving you to the beasts that roam the forest at night."

Other travelers at the inn added their own experiences to the story. "I saw a comely maiden, barely a woman when I passed through there last," an old man muttered. "Nonsense!" a young man replied, "she was a wizened old woman who reminded me of my granny." Thomas, the young mage, listened intently to the various descriptions of the host. Her hair ranged from golden silk to silvery gray. Her eyes from dark pools to bright blue. Her lips as pale as her skin or a ruddy red that more than matched the rosy apples of her cheeks. Eventually the tales dwindled, but Thomas was already set to follow the caravan. The travelers were soon off to bed to prepare for their early morning start on their trek up to the High Kingdom.

On the way up the mountain, the travelers began to sing a Low Kingdom hymn praising the Lord of the Manor. Thomas learned the words well enough to join in. He did not understand the need for the song until they approached the Lord's stronghold. The archers at the top of the castle ramparts lowered their arrows and allowed the group safe passage. After they had safely passed by the walls of the Low Kingdom's castle and gone farther up the hill, they stopped singing. A few hours along, they stopped for a rest. There was more talk of what to expect when they arrived at the rook. A few hours further along, they stopped for lunch and gave the children time to run and play.

The small caravan of travelers stayed quiet once they had entered the forest. As the light of day began to fade, they arrived at the base of the tower and waited. It was not long before their host appeared and introduced herself as Drake. Thomas wondered what the others saw when they looked at her. She appeared as a woman about his age with Thomas hair and green eyes. Although her skin was pale, her lips and cheeks were ruddy. It was an enticingly beautiful veil that he would take the time to pierce later.

A short stout furry man who called himself Bolt, safely tucked the wagons and horses away in a nearby stable. After the travelers left the stable, Bolt barred the thick wooden doors with heavy wooden beams securing the stable for the night. The host led the guests around a short stone wall to the entrance to the tower and waited for all of them to enter before bolting the door with a heavy metal bar. She gestured for them to sit at the table and offered each guest a bowl of stew and a chunk of bread. In spite of demands for seconds, she never seemed to run out of either.

Drake led the travelers up the circular stairs offering the first level to a small family whose mother was with child. They continued the climb until all the guests settled into their rooms. Thomas was the last to receive a room, one near the top of the tower. He settled in, closing the shutters against the night air, and lighting a small fire in the fireplace. He was too excited to sleep and spent the time reading. Once he was certain the everyone in the tower was asleep, he would appease his curiosity.

As midnight approached, Thomas made his way down the spiral stair to find the host. Upon arrival he saw a small dragon curled up asleep in the middle of the room on the large circular table where he had supped earlier. A few moments later, a man came down the stairs. "Shh," Thomas warned, "Let's not wake our host."

"But I need something from her," the man protested.

"What, pray tell?"

"My wife is with child and bothered by the chill air. I came for an extra blanket."

Before Thomas could take a step, the dragon had pointed a claw at a cupboard not far from the bottom of the stairs. Thomas quietly strode to the cupboard and retrieved a blanket. Before he could leave, he noticed that the dragon had two fingers extended and drew out a second blanket. He gave the blankets to the man, who thanked him before heading back upstairs to his quarters. Thomas turned back around to find a young woman standing where the dragon had been. Drake smiled at him before stepping off the table and crossing to the stairs. "I need to secure the tower. There is something unnatural in the air tonight and I must protect my guests." She pointed toward the ceiling, “Lavender will guard the door.” The hovering dragon slowly settled on the floor and put on her most menacing face. Thomas burst out laughing before regaining his composure.

“I’m sorry, I thought you and the dragon were one.” Lavender huffed in response. Drake laughed.

“It’s time to secure the castle. I need to alert the others, although they may have sensed it already.”