When Koram stepped through the massive gates of Aethelgard, carved from white marble and adorned with gold filigree, he took a deep breath. This was the heart of the 7 Kingdoms, the largest and most glamorous capital in the world. Slender towers reached for the sky, nobles strolled in silk cloaks, and the shouts of merchants from all corners of the earth mingled in the air. Amidst the city's warm, spice-scented atmosphere, Koram's battered armor and old cloak looked utterly feral.
Koram headed straight for the Grand Bazaar in the center of the city, specifically the artisan's guild street. Pure steel gleamed on the stalls. His eyes immediately locked onto what he needed: a long Steel Crosscut Saw with handles on both ends, capable of slicing through thick trunks like cheese, and next to it, a Professional Sewing Kit featuring steel needles capable of piercing thick hides, durable waxed thread, and a sturdy awl.
"The saw is 2 silver, the sewing kit is 1 silver. This is Aethelgard steel; don't even think about haggling," stated the arrogant merchant in a silk shirt.
Koram had exactly 2 silver coins in his pouch. In this flashy city, 1 silver might be a mere tip for a noble, but it was vital for the settlement to survive the winter. Koram struck his staff hard against the cobblestones and picked up the saw. He flicked the steel blade with his finger, listening to the metallic ping.
"The steel is pure, no lie," Koram said, his voice deep enough to crush the merchant's arrogant demeanor. "But the threads in your sewing kit aren't southern silk; they are a cheap linen blend. They'll snap on the first hard pull in the dead of winter." Koram slammed his 2 silver coins onto the counter, right under the merchant's nose. "I am giving you these 2 silver. I am taking the saw and the kit. If you survive until spring, I will bring you deer pelts so flawless, stitched with this very kit, that even the queens in the palaces of Aethelgard will want to wear them."
The merchant looked into Koram's harsh, death-hardened eyes. Realizing this man wasn't bluffing, and seeing the potential of those "flawless pelts" from the deep woods, the merchant slowly pulled the coins away. "Take them. But if you sell those pelts to another stall come spring, I will find you, old man."
Koram got what he wanted. Leaving the magnificent city and the seeds he couldn't afford behind, he set off on the return journey before the winter wind could intensify. As he distanced himself from Aethelgard and delved back into the wild borders of the forest, the freezing cold began to transition into a light snowfall. Just then, a faint, agonizing bleat echoed through the trees.
Gripping his staff, Koram moved toward the sound. Among the snow, huddled against a fallen log, was a shivering figure. It was a young girl with a sweet, innocent beauty, though her cheeks were sunken from starvation and she was utterly exhausted, wearing only a thin cloak. With one hand, she fiercely clutched a massive, worn backpack, and with the other, she held the halter of a heavily pregnant sheep.
Koram approached slowly. "What is a child doing in the woods in this weather with such thin clothes?"
The girl flinched in fear, but she lacked the energy to run. "I-I am Lira," she chattered through shivering teeth. "I am a botanist... I look for plants... rare seeds. When winter comes, everything dies. I was trying to migrate to the warm lands in the south with the nomads, but... I ran out of food." Her eyes were fluttering shut, and the pregnant sheep whined from the cold.
Koram thought of the heated stone floor back at the settlement and the seeds he couldn't buy. He pulled a piece of salted rabbit meat from his own travel rations and handed it to the girl. "The south is too far. You'll both turn to ice before you get there," Koram said, his voice softening for the first time. "But you're in luck. I am heading to a place where you will feel spring beneath your feet. If you have anything useful in that backpack, and if you can take care of your sheep, you can come with me."
As Lira ate the meat ravenously, a spark of hope appeared in her eyes. Koram took her heavy backpack onto his own broad shoulders and took the lead rope of the pregnant sheep. He had gone to Aethelgard alone; but he was returning not just with steel and needles, but with new life, knowledge, and a priceless treasure for the settlement's future.
ESSENCE HAVEN
ECONOMY: 0 Silver
POPULATION: 5 (+Lira, +20 Rabbits, +3 Deer, +1 Pregnant Sheep)