Oracle Quest: Fact Check
The starting point for this quest is the Blue Boar tavern in Britain. It can be completed any time before Monday, June 8th, at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
Commander Kincade told the Royal Guard, "I would like you to fact check Batlin's autobiographical claims. Batlin wrote that he spent a lot of time at Britain’s Blue Boar tavern. I've spoken to the staff here and several of them remember Batlin. You should also consult the Fellowship excerpt and the book of Investigation Questions."
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OOC (Out of Character)
• When speaking to most oracles, start with their name.
• When speaking to the Blue Boar oracles, say: their name, Batlin's name, or mention a town.
You may submit the results of your investigation in book form by dropping it off at the Award Hall mailbox, or you can email the report to me at EMElizabella@gmail.com. If you use the Enhanced Client, please email. For all of the questions, the answers can be very short. There may be more than one right answer.
This is a training. You can receive up to three training credits for this task. One credit for turning in a report, two if you get five of ten questions right, and three credits if you get all ten questions right.
Commander Kincade told the Royal Guard, "I would like you to fact check Batlin's autobiographical claims. Batlin wrote that he spent a lot of time at Britain’s Blue Boar tavern. I've spoken to the staff here and several of them remember Batlin. You should also consult the Fellowship excerpt and the book of Investigation Questions."
*****
OOC (Out of Character)
• When speaking to most oracles, start with their name.
• When speaking to the Blue Boar oracles, say: their name, Batlin's name, or mention a town.
You may submit the results of your investigation in book form by dropping it off at the Award Hall mailbox, or you can email the report to me at EMElizabella@gmail.com. If you use the Enhanced Client, please email. For all of the questions, the answers can be very short. There may be more than one right answer.
This is a training. You can receive up to three training credits for this task. One credit for turning in a report, two if you get five of ten questions right, and three credits if you get all ten questions right.
Comments
2. Batlin writes that he was educated in Yew by the druids. What do they remember of him as a student?
3. Batlin writes of his time as a fighter in Yew. How many battles did he fight in?
4. Batlin describes himself as a bard and says he honed his skill at the Blue Boar. Which of the songs he wrote is the favorite of the staff there?
5. Batlin was apprenticed to a mage in Moonglow. What did you learn of his time there?
6. Batlin writes that he was "most impressed" by the paladins of Trinsic. What did they do to have such a lasting place in his memory?
7. What was Batlin's best work as a tinker in Minoc?
8. What did Batlin take away from his experience with the Rangers of Skara Brae?
9. True or false: If you owned a sheep, Batlin would be a good shepherd with whom to leave it.
10. In Batlin's parable, "The Two Brothers and the Trickster", what is the most likely identity of the trickster?
Bonus Question: Do you think Batlin tipped the staff of the Blue Boar well?
There is much that I have set out to tell thee in this book. Some small part of it involves my own personal story. As that is the least important part of this book, I shall quickly relate my tale first, gentle friend and traveller. In that way we shall soon have it over with and then be free to pass on more important concerns!
I was born in the forests surrounding the city of Yew and educated in the traditions of the Druids. Having been raised in the city of Justice, I was taught to always strive for fairness in dealing with others, and these teachings left a lasting impression upon me. But while I found trees, birds and moons to be very beautiful, I determined to dedicate my life to the service of people. So it was I left to seek my fortune in the world.
This was a time when, over the king’s objections, unruly lords waged war against each other, so there was little else to do but become a fighter in the city of Jhelom. I regret killing, although much of what I did helped bring peace to our land once more. I learned well how to defend myself and to find the courage one must have to survive in battle. I also learned respect for those of valor who earn their wage by combat. Eventually those little wars ended, and I found myself penniless and without a trade in the capital city of Britain.
I became a Bard simply because a Bard was needed at the Blue Boar. There were none about, and I had the loudest voice. Never had I considered myself to be musically inclined, but it was a fair alternative to starvation. My voice was painful. My mandolin strings would break rather than let me stroke them. After much heckling and many a thrown bottle, my talents did slowly develop. As the years passed I began to feel the deep compassion that bards known when singing of heroic deeds. I discovered that sharing a spiritual rapport with my audience was very moving. Several of my ballads are still sung today (although by tradition, the player will no doubt take credit for composing them himself).
While in Britain, I met two remarkable individuals. They were twins, Elizabeth and Abraham. They were also well versed students of philosophy, and many were the hours we spent in discussion and debate. We did raise our voices on occasion,
Gentle friend and traveller, but that did not prevent us from becoming fast friends. Although I would never presume to intrude upon their privacy by revealing the many fascinating details I learned about them and their lives, I will say that they play a truly significant role in the part this book that is my story.
A mage from Moonglow who had heard me perform came to offer me employment as his assistant. Magic has always fascinated me, and so I became his apprentice. I will always remember his teaching that if I was to successfully commune with the visible world without lapsing into madness, I must ever retain my honesty – if one is to live outside the laws of reality, one must first be honest. He taught me well. It was with great sadness that I ended my studies in the magical arts when my master, who was most elderly, passed away.
While drinking at the Blue Boar soon after his passing, Elizabeth, Abraham, and I each decided that we needed something to which to dedicate our lives. On a youthful whim, we made a pact that we would go our separate ways and spend the next decade travelling throughout the land to find adventure, and to find ourselves as well. We agreed to reunite at the Blue Boar in exactly ten years. Our departure was exciting yet melancholy, as my life began a new chapter.
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III. The Old Man and the Bandits
On the road leading out of Britain, I met a man bent with age, but still possessed of keen wit. As we walked he shared with me his tale, and I in turn shall share it with thee.
During a stroll through the woods one day, this man was kidnapped by a group of vicious bandits. The poor man had just left his nephew’s family and had no one else in the world. Woe to them who have been kidnapped when they have no one to pay their ransom! The bandits soon began to loathe their captive and did make plans to kill him.
One wanted to hang him, while another wanted to stab him. Still another wanted to burn him at the stake while yet a fourth wanted to tie rocks about his waist and throw him in the river. So angry did they wax in their disagreement over what manner of violence to use, that they did break into an awful, bloody row.
And so it was that this old man did escape from the bandits, who were distracted with their brawling. Upon noticing their victim was gone, they continued to fight, this time over whose fault it had been, until all of them lay dead, murdered by each others’ hand.
This old man was later reunited with his nephew’s family and all were joyous of it. For as he had learned, Unity is essential for survival, and unlike those reckless bandits, he still wished to live for a good many years yet.
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My travels took me to Trinsic, and there I encountered a group of men at arms with whom I became most impressed. Many fighters I have known were men of valorous heart on the battle field, but off it little more than thugs. These men were not mere fighters, but Paladins. They were all skilled swordsmen and expert horsemen, as well as learned scholars and perfectly mannered gentlemen. Above all, they were devoted to the preservation of honor. It was with eager gratitude that I accepted their invitation to join them. The following years were filled with excitement, as we journeyed through the land, righting wrongs and helping those in need!
During one of our adventures I was injured and forced to remain in Minoc while my companions rode on. A healer there told me that without the proper treatment (for which he charged outrageous prices) I would most probably die! I angrily sent him away. After a time I did mend. I had learned that the healing process takes place mostly in one’s mind and have since placed no trust in healers who greedily prey upon the afflicted.
At that time, the town of Minoc was in need of a Tinker. As I heard, I supported myself by fixing, building and inventing things. I had never before realized how much a town is reliant upon its Tinker, nor how appreciative the local townspeople are to those who sacrifice themselves to continuously solving the problems of others. So welcome did they make me feel that I stayed for several years.
Then, filled with the urge to roam and longing for the outdoors once more, I joined a band of Rangers in Spiritwood. Rangers are a deeply spiritual people. Living with them reminded me very much of my druid childhood in Yew – with one big difference. These Rangers drank the most wonderful wine I have ever tasted! The bottles came from the old winery at Skara Brae, having survived the terrible fires which ravaged that island. Later I made a pilgrimage to the desolate ruins of Skara Brae and there I had a spiritual experience so profound that I have vowed never to relate it to anyone.
Leaving their band, I gave away all of my possessions and for months I wandered aimlessly. Eventually, I arrived at New Magincia where I sought employment as a Shepherd. Most of the following two years was spent in perfect solitude, living in complete humility. It was an experience that left me significantly changed. When I noticed that ten years had almost passed, I began the journey back to Britain.
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V. The Two Brothers and the Trickster
On the road back to Britain I noticed a small mine being worked by two brothers. They greeted me suspiciously but eventually shared with me their tale, and I shall share it with thee.
Their father died and left them a map to some unclaimed land that contained valuable minerals. By law a claim can only be made in one name, and this led the brothers into conflict. One brother was the eldest, the other was more worldly— both wanted the claim. They became so fearful that the other would make the claim that each spent all his time spying on the other. No work was done.
One day, they met a stranger who said he was a mining engineer. They did not trust him at first, but he assured them that their claim was too small to be of interest. He was on the way to stake a much larger claim. The stranger turned their heads with tales of the riches they could have, replacing their distrust with avarice.
The brothers asked the stranger to make their claim for them, and went back to working their mine. They worked without stopping for months, and afterward travelled to the mint to sell their ore.
At the mint they learned the stranger had staked their claim in his own name and then sold it outright for a fortune. As the brothers had taken ore from land they did not own, they were sent to prison in Yew for many years.
Their sad fate taught them to be more trusting of each other, for a man who does not trust his brother is always vulnerable. After hearing their tale, I went to the mint, for I was curious which of the two brothers held the claim to their new mine. I had tried to guess and was quite surprised when I saw the answer. It was in the name of their father.
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VI. The Creation of The Fellowship
I was overjoyed when Elizabeth and Abraham both arrived at the Blue Boar safe and sound. It was a splendid reunion. The tales they told me were truly astounding, gentle friend and traveller. But as I have mentioned, I do not wish this tome to be and intrusion upon their privacy.
Not all of our memories were pleasant ones. Most of the people of Britannia, it seemed, were more interested in helping themselves than in helping their fellow person. As travellers – strangers wherever we went – we had become used to the cold eye of suspicion upon us. Everywhere there were people who expected something for nothing, as if owed a debt by the world. Most of all, each of us had met many people who were fundamentally unhappy. Everywhere there were people who knew that they needed something in their lives, gentle friend and traveller, but that they had not a hope of finding it.
The three of us had learned much of history. There was once a time when life was infinitely more fragile, but was cherished much more dearly. We yearned to recapture that aspect of Britannia’s former glory. After much discussion, we decided to found a society called The Fellowship. At this time I was also conceiving what would become its philosophy, but that will be discussed further in another chapter. It was Abraham who suggested that I propose The Fellowship to the king. I agreed, little realizing the task I was undertaking.