When Aramek first arrived in the city of Gradsul, like any country kid finding himself in the big city for the first time, he was nearly overwhelmed by the sights, the sounds, the smells of the city, the exotic foods, and encounters with every race imaginable. All of this having been thrown together in what seemed to him to be “the Greatest City in the Greatest Country in all Keoland.”

 The first thing Aramek needed to do was find a means of livelihood. Needless to say there was little need for farmers, but his knowledge of herbs and plant lore ensured that he would be able to find employment as an apprentice herbalist. It turned out that the first shop he entered was owned by an Arch-Herbalist, a half-elf sorcerer, who had been terribly injured during the Scarlet Brotherhood’s attempted invasion of Gradsul some years back during the so-called Greyhawk Wars and was unable to walk unassisted. As serendipity would have it, the herbalist’s most recent apprentice, who was the ne’r-do-well son of a distant cousin on his mother’s half-sister’s husband’s side, had once again overslept, due to a hangover, and allowed several expensive and difficult-to-prepare tinctures being prepared for a rich and powerful member of the powerful House Rhola to be thoroughly ruined. When Aramek walked in, the sorcerer, an Arch-Herbalist by the name of Daire Estaldir was just about to magically hurl his now “ex” apprentice out of his shop. At this unexpected interruption, which inadvertently saved the unfortunate “about to be” ex-apprentice from painful unemployment, the angry herbalist-sorcerer snapped at Aramek, “What do you want?” And Aramek’s instantaneous reply, “A job” prompted the equally instantaneous response: “You’re hired! Now, what do you know?” And so began Aramek’s life in Gradsul, under the tutelage of one of the best known and respected sorcerer-herbalists in southern Keoland.

 Aramek was given a small but adequate room behind the shop, where he and Snoop could keep an eye on the various herbal concoctions and attend to customers, while still being able to study. Aramek helped the customers. Snoop entertained them, which often made them forget their impatience when something wasn’t ready the moment they walked in the shop. With a great place to live and a fortuitous position as an apprentice to a well-respected herbalist-sorcerer, Aramek was ready to begin his studies.

 One of the first things he did was cut his hair, realizing that he no longer needed to fear that people would see that he was a half-elf. In time, under Master Daire’s tutelage, he learned to control the power of his arcane heritage. After two years, Master Daire set him a final task to test his skill and daring as both a sorcerer and an alchemist – to journey into the Hool Marshes and learn all he can about the abundant herbs and medicinal plants that can be found within. 

Aramek set about his task with great pleasure, since his master had almost taken on the role of a beloved uncle, teaching, mentoring and looking after him. Aramek did not even realize how much of his own youth the herbalist sees in him – the young man he has taken under his wing. Certainly there would be some danger in a young half-elf roaming the countryside, with no more than a light crossbow, a “ferocious” ferret, who at best could make an enemy laugh himself to death, and a willow quarterstaff, given him as a gift by his master. But Aramek does arrive safely enough in Westkeep with a letter of introduction to Master Parwyn, one of Master Daire’s herbalist colleagues, who is happy to put him up with the understanding that he will help gather herbs for him on future forays into the marsh.

 Master Parwyn is a frail old gentleman who walks with a cane. He has thick white hair, including a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, a dark and weathered complexion, and soulful dark brown eyes. Aramek finds that he insists on neatness and care in all he does. He also notes that there are times when he seems very gloomy and preoccupied. Parwyn’s two elderly parents live upstairs and are cared for by his wife Gwen, a mousy and rather morose middle-aged woman. The household is rounded out by two apprentices that have been entrusted to Parwyn’s care, Charl and Latih who are aged 7 and 12 respectively. Of the ten alchemists operating in Westkeep, Parwyn is considered the most skilled and knowledgeable – at least as far as alchemy itself goes. His magical skills are negligible. Parwyn’s shop takes up the first floor of the building he owns. The second floor is where he and his family live. Above that is the loft where Aramek has been given a cot. Part of the loft is locked and warded with spells, for it is where Parwyn’s more magical and expensive potions and elixirs are stored. Parwyn trusts Aramek to leave this alone; and in fact to help guard it when he is there.

Parwyn’s apothecary does a brisk business among the citizens of Westkeep in herbal remedies and poultices. Filth Fever abounds because of the unseasonable warmth and the unsanitary conditions in the drainage challenged city. Filth Fever leaves its victims dizzy and listless and can kill within days. Red Ache has also begun to break out in the poorer neighborhoods in the downriver parts of the city, and especially in the shantytown outside the Downriver Gate. The Red Ache saps its victims of strength, leaving them helpless within two or three days. Those with no one able or willing to care for them soon die of thirst and starvation. Unfortunately, all too many refugees, orphans, and former slaves die in this way. This keeps the corpse wagons full. Parwyn believes that when the spring comes things will get much worse, and mass funeral pyres will again appear outside the city walls. He would love to provide his medicines for free, but cannot afford to do so without bankrupting himself. He curses the priests of the various gods because they will only provide healing to their own congregations or for a huge pile of gold. “They only use their power for their own or for gold. Far be it from them to use their power simply to save the city from itself!” Parwyn’s wife, however, points out that the priests and paladins of Heironeous and even St. Cuthbert have been doing what they can, but there is only so much they can do, and their sincere worshippers do have priority.

It is painfully obvious to Aramek that Westkeep is not at all like Gradsul, a relatively clean, sanitary, and disease free city with drainage to the sea. Gradsul, a prosperous port city, had not been inundated with refugees and former slaves, and was decidedly not located in the middle of a monster-infested swamp, under the rule of a well-meaning but ill-prepared occupational government. In the aftermath of the Greyhawk Wars things still feel very uneasy and even perilous. However, having Snoop with him to even his chances by providing extra information about his surroundings gives Aramek a bit more confidence. Snoops might be small – but after all, even the smallest spell can have a huge effect, when properly applied! Once Aramek gets settled in Master Parwyn’s loft, he encourages himself with a new poem:

 Let me wait

And I’ll be blest

To find some friends

And have a quest!

 Unfortunately, a few days later, things take a turn for the worse when the Captain of the Guard bursts into the Master Parwyn’s shop and informs Aramek that ferrets are illegal in Westkeep. “Either get rid of it or get out of town!” says Captain Bodwyn. 

“But Captain,” breaks in Master Parwyn, “this man is the apprentice in good standing of my friend and colleague Daire, a sorcerer and alchemist of great renown in Gradsul. Surely you must have heard of him? No? Anyway, this is Aramek, and this animal is his familiar. Surely you won’t try to take a sorcerer’s familiar away – not when he is a productive and law abiding citizen of this fair city? And he’s a Keolander like yourself!”

 “A sorcerer eh?” says the Captain Bodwyn as he looks Aramek over. “I might have a use for you then if Parwyn here can vouch for your ability and character. Tell you what, I’ll overlook this infraction now if you agree to join the Guard. My boys – and girls – need some magical backup and I think you may be it. All you’d have to do is go on patrol at night and be on call. How’s that sound to you?”

 Aramek glances over at Master Parwyn and the look he gives says that it would be most unwise to refuse. Not wanting any more trouble for himself or his master’s friend, Aramek reluctantly agree. The captain chortles and says as he heads out, “See you tomorrow morning bright and early at the Processional Gate to meet your squad and get you up to speed on your duties. After some initial training we’ll put you on the regular rotation.” 

And so it is that Aramek finds himself clad in the red tunic of the Westkeep Guard. His squad leader is Sgt. Apone. As the squad’s magic user, Aramek is not given any armor or weapons other than what he already owns. After a few days of practice and drill, Aramek is put on the regular rotation for the night shift with his new teammates: Vaskez, Frost, Drake, Hadsyn, Hex, Ferro, Kash, Dale, Noch, and Rain.

Sgt. Apone seems to be most comfortable when he is barking orders. He is stern but fair, and makes sure that no one comes to duty drunk or gets drunk while on duty. He also makes sure that those who aren’t on patrol don’t spend all their time playing elvish checkers or three dragon ante. “Patrol time is for patrolling and keeping watch, not gambling and drinking!”

Vaskez is one tough lady. She seems driven to prove that she is no less a warrior than any of the men, and is often exercising or performing weapon drills with the others. 

 Drake is always making some kind of wise cracks about Westkeep or the Hool Marshes. Whenever the topic of the hidden assassins of the Scarlet Brotherhood, the death cultists of the Black Brotherhood, the savage lizardfolk of the marshes, or the outbreak of the Red Ache, he is often heard to quip, “Oh, yeah, it’s just like back home isn’t it?” Drake can sometimes be seen gripping a small statue of the archer god Phaulkon muttering prayers under his breath, esp. before archery practice.

Frost is the rail thin and just as linear in his thinking. He seems devoted to the troop and seems determined to rise in the ranks if he can. “Someday, I’ll be knighted, and then I’ll be calling the shots, you’ll see. Constable Frost!” He says this with a grin, but there is a look in his eyes that tells people he means it.

Hadsyn’s most striking feature is his crooked nose, probably gained in some drunken brawl. He is often boasting of his prowess or the invincibility of the troops as a whole. “Ha, just let those red robes show their faces! We’ll make pincushions out of him!” he might say while pantomiming the knocking and firing of an arrow.

Hex is often wiping the sweat from his brow and complaining about the muggy heat. He is a proud Keolander. “I don’t understand why these people can’t see we’re here to help them? Haven’t we freed them from slavery and the Scarlet Brotherhood? They just need to be patient and we’ll have this town fixed up, then we can take care of the rest of this land!”

Ferro seems to just go along with everyone else. She is rather calm and quiet for a mercenary, but she does her job and the others treat her like a younger sister.

Kash’s gap toothed grin makes him hard to miss. But more often than not he is complaining and not grinning. He complains about the mud, he complains about the muggy heat, he complains about the dirty money grubbing people of Westkeep, he complains that Keoland hasn’t attacked Monmurg to send the rest of the Scarlet Brotherhood packing, he complains about the pretty prince in his pretty palace, he complains about the creepy lizardfolk in the marsh, he complains about the disease and filth, in short Kash the source of an endless catalogue of whining and complaining.

Dale’s tall glowering presence often makes other feel uneasy around him. He seems to seethe with resentment against his fellow beings. The others try to keep in his good graces, but he is often ready with a sneer or a snarky comment. Aramek notices that when breaking up tavern brawls or pushing back mobs of people he seems to use just a little more force than truly necessary.

Noch’s bad breath is the most noticeable thing about him. Other than that he seems very mild and pleasant, and goes about his business with a cold professionalism.

From time immemorial the study, not to speak of the actual practice, of arcane magic was forbidden in Keoland. Only a handful of nobles and various secret societies in the privacy of their halls and towers or hedge wizards in the hinterlands dared to thwart the ban. The other notable exception was the ancient ascetic order of the Silent Ones who’s Lonely Tower rises up less than a day’s ride south from Niole Dra. They hoarded the magical secrets of the ages, but kept it strictly to themselves, and were (and still are) regarded as untouchable by even the king. Though the laws have been relaxed, little evidence is seen in Keoland by the casual observer of powerful wizards’ magic, even to this day, as the superstitious commoners fear those who practice spellcraft. The mercenaries are a little more tolerant, as wizards and sorcerers have more often been recruited (or all but shanghaied for the “greater good”) along with clerics into serving with the troops of Keoland. Given this history, the members of the Guard are respectful of Aramek, but they keep their distance all the same.

The only exception is the young woman Rain. She is small and slight, but is very agile and has a wiry strength. Like many of the others she is fair skinned. Her dazzling pale blue eyes offset her dark blond and ill-kept hair. She seems like barely a teenager, but is more than willing to get into words or even a fight to prove that she isn’t going to be “the kid” of the squad. When Aramek joins, she makes an extra effort to get to know him and Snoop, never having known a magic user or a half-elf before. She tries to find out what treats his ferret likes and from then on she is sure to always have some on hand whenever possible. It turns out that Snoop particularly likes boiled eggs! In fact, so does Aramek. Aramek, being gregarious, curious and very young himself immediately takes to Rain, since Snoop has accepted her and that’s good enough for Aramek! Rain gets the sense that Aramek even feels a little protective towards her. This may be because he had no sisters of his own growing up as she learns from speaking with him. 

The overall Captain of the Guard is Sir Bodwyn. Aramek learns that Sir Bodwyn is not just the Captain of the Guard, but the commander of the garrison of professional soldiers left behind by Keoland, which they are now supplementing with those locals that they can trust. These troops are divided into three shifts – the day shift that is on duty from 8 am until 4 pm, the evening shift that is from 4 pm until midnight, and the night shift that is from midnight until 8 am. The troops rotate shifts every month. Each shift has a knight commanding it. Sir Gorman commands the company Aramek is assigned to. Each shift is composed of 3 squads and each squad has a sergeant (his squad’s is Sgt Apone) who reports to the shift commander. The sergeants are not knights, but simply commoners who have risen up from among the ranks. Each squad has roughly 10 warriors in addition to its sergeant. They also have one other member who is not a warrior but some type of spellcaster. These are usually hedge wizards or folk healers but some squads are fortunate enough to have a full-fledged cleric, sorcerer, or wizard operating with them. While on shift, 2 or 3 members of the squad stay behind at a guard post. The others split into two groups of 4 or 5 and patrol through their designated areas. All members are equipped with tin whistles. Among them they also have 3 hooded lanterns, 1 bull’s-eye lantern, torches, rope, and 4 medium, 2 small, and 1 large set of manacles, 1 portable ram, and 1 10’ pole. They also have a stewpot full of gumbo at the guardhouse and a keg of weak ale. For real emergencies there is a locked iron chest with 4 healing potions from the priests of Heironeous or St. Cuthbert, and 4 flasks of holy water, also blessed by the aforementioned priests. The sergeant has the keys for this. There are three zones that each shift is responsible for, and each squad takes one of the zones each night. One zone consists of the entrance to the keep and the grounds within that include the palace, barracks, and prison. The second zone consists of the temples, guildhalls, fine shops, and the upriver warehouses and residences as well as the marketplace. The third and final zone consists of the downriver warehouses, the red-light district and the residences, tenements, and slums of the downriver side, as well as giving overlapping patrol coverage to the marketplace. When not on duty, many of the troops stay at the garrison and are able to eat either there or in the lower hall of the palace when meals are being served. The rank and file troops are paid 2 Keoland silver hawks a day. Those hedge wizards/healers attached to the squads get 8 hawks a day. Those with credible arcane or divine power, such as Aramek, earn single Keoland gold lion a day.

Aramek’s company is currently on the night shift, and his squad is responsible for patrolling zone 2. In some ways this is a good shift to be on – because no one but no one is out and about during the night shift. The city is quiet and still, except for the stirring and squeaking of rats and other vermin. Even the taverns, inns, gambling dens, and brothels have all shut their doors for the night (though most of these are not in the second zone anyway). Many of the streets in the second zone have smoky oil lamps set on posts, but most of these have burned out or soon will. Some of the wealthier residents, guilds, and temples have actually installed lanterns on their buildings and streets – but these too have begun to burn down by the time the night shift comes on duty. These lights do little to dispel the inky blackness that engulfs Westkeep at night anyway. Even when it is not cloudy or raining, the high buildings and tenements crowd out the light of the pale great moon Luna, the lesser blue moon Celene, and the starry constellations set by the gods. In addition, as evening falls great banks of fog roll in from the Javan River and Lake Peledor to enshroud the city. In such impenetrable darkness, neither prey nor predator dare travel – at least not the human sort. Then again, this is also the time when other things may creep into the city under the cover of night and fog, and if that should happen then the night shift could prove the deadliest of all.

Fortunately for Aramek, his first week of duty goes by without any major incidents. After he comes off the night shift he heads for “home” and eats dinner (as the midmorning main meal of the day is called) back at Parwyn’s with his family and apprentices. Aramek then helps around the shop, spends some time on his studies and turns in after a light meal in the late afternoon. As a member of the Guard, Aramek is entitled to sleep in the barracks, but Master Parwyn allows him to sleep in the loft out of the way while the daily work is conducted (though this is noisy and awkward). Because he was an only child and not very used to being around other people, Aramek deeply treasures the fact that Master Parwyn has seemingly brought him into the family. Thus he chooses to stay and work with his “adoptive” family and sleep “at home,” rather than be around a bunch of rough and tumble guards by sleeping in barracks. Why should I put up with their snoring and lack of privacy? Ugh! Aramek rises for his night shift about 11:30 pm and heads immediately to the muster point. Fortunately, being a young man he functions rather well with only 6-7 hours sleep.

One day, Master Parwyn asks Aramek, “So how do you like the Guard?” Then he chuckles and adds, “It certainly helps me sleep better at night knowing that good lads like you are out there looking after us.”

 Aramek, blushing a bit at the compliment, responds, “Oh, you’re welcome. I’m trying my best. I really want to help here in my new home. And make sure Snoop will be welcome too!” If there was any irony or jesting in Master Parwyn’s remark, it is lost on the naïve Aramek who takes Parwyn’s comments as nothing more than a sincere compliment. It makes him feel good that someone he admires and respects feels safer because of something he is doing. Seeing that Aramek is really quite a kid after all, Master Parwyn smiles.

While working in the shop, Aramek is able to get a better sense of the mood of the city than he does during the graveyard shift with the Guard when everyone is asleep or at least bolted indoors. What he senses is that the city is restive, a pot about to boil over. In addition to the desperate customers who try to beg, borrow, or even steal medicine from Parwyn (these last are foiled by Parwyn’s Unseen Servant – an invisible presence that snatches away pilfered items and rings a bell to alert Parwyn), out in the streets you occasionally hear the whistles of the day watch as they chase down cutpurses and other criminals, and on a couple of occasions riots have broken out over food. From Parwyn’s customers you hear about food shortages and gang wars among the refugees in the shantytown between dispossessed Holders and their former Olman slaves. More disturbing than all this is the constant feeling of melancholy and resignation that seems to hang over Master Parwyn and his family, but what the cause of it may be they never speak of.