Welcome to Cove

Ileana trudged through the muddy path that led out through Skara Brae. She had bought crossing with a small fishing boat that was going to work, but why it would want to work in such weather Ileana could guess. Progress had been slow but the shrine was now in sight. Using her crook to lift herself up and see what lie ahead, Ileana slipped and fell into the mud. Slowly picking herself up, she moved towards the Ankh with her hood pulled close to her head. The rain ran off what grey hair dared venture outside the confines of the robe's hood.

The shrine was much closer now, looming out of the rain. Ileana hesitated suddenly. Was this right? There is no-one here. There always used to be people here - even with the weather as it was. Approaching the shrine carefully, Ileana realised it was indeed the Shrine of Spirituality. As she moved forward to the shrine she placed the crook down by the shrine and knelt, closing her eyes.

Om...

Why is no-one here...?

Om...

I have been away too long.

Om...

Trinsic is nearby. I shall visit and see what has happened.

Finishing her meditation, she rose to her feet and continued down on the path towards Trinsic. The rain was beginning to lighten now and the going became easier. In a short time Ileana was stopped by a young man, clearly surprised to find such an elderly woman travelling on her own. Quickly assuring him that she was fine she continued on her way. I am not defenseless, she thought. It was not long until she arrived in Trinsic though it too was not as she remembered it. Everywhere she saw, dangerous beasts ran amok being rode by even more dangerous looking men who wore colours truly unnatural, or sometimes even nothing at all. Moving away as quickly as possible, Ileana spied a small leaflet. Picking it up, she read the title.

Baronship of Cove... when did Cove become a Baronship? It was a small town when I was here last, little more than a village...

She decided that since Trinsic was no longer of the Virtues, it was best she go elsewhere. And where better than Cove? Clearly it had made something of itself. So picking up her things, she set off to Cove. On the way, she considered what she had seen. The Virtues have gone from this land. There was no-one at the Shrine, save a few shops peddling trinkets... I was assailed by madmen in unnaturally bright colours speaking gibberish, the very priests of Mondain are permitted to walk the land, and Necromancy is not only practiced but accepted.

Arriving at Cove, Ileana quickly saw that perhaps she had been mistaken. She saw the Church - this was the first time that she had seen any building dedicated to the Virtues, bar the Shrine - and saw good men and women moving around the town. She smiled. Maybe there were places that had not forgotten. She did not know what had happened to Britannia since she had left the Lost Lands, but something had gone wrong. Perhaps the desire to spend more time in dungeons rather than in contemplation of the Virtues has led to this. Perhaps in the same way that the dark power of the dungeons had twisted the inhabitants so too had they twisted those who ventured inside them so frequently. Whatever had happened, there was work to be done and safe haven to be had in Cove while that was so.