The old man sat under a shade tree as the children looked at him expectantly. He took a long draw from his bottle, smiled a big grin with his few sharp teeth and began:
So… was the end of a hot day when Rurik Emaraça stepped off the boat onto those riverbanks right over there. There was no courthouse then, no tavern, no buildings of any kind, it was just the high hills of the jungle as far as a Yoru could see! Rurik had plied the waters past this spot on his To’resk family’s scow since before he had his teeth. The area of the new hamlet was primed for trade, production, and defense, but his vision was to use the lot of those toward a higher aim: quality of life! There was lots of work ahead for those original settlers, but first it was time to fry up the fish, give thanks to the river and Qindred, and fill the night with food, drink, stories, and music in celebration.
The griot took another drink and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Rurik grew that small hamlet, always understanding that all the work in the world was nothin’ if it didn’t lead to happiness! Yes, he was a wise one and always knew just how to help folks settle their differences. After fixin’ a conflict between a local and a traveling merchant, that peddler spread the word of Rurik’s wisdom and fairness. People came from all around for him to decide how much was owed for an animal or where to set a boundary. He never charged folks, no Siree! Though people who could would leave a small gift for the village.
Finally, Rurik got a lick of sense and retired to the docks to spend his days and nights fishing, drinking, telling stories, and singing. His descendants ran the village and continued to smooth disagreements, trained at home in the To’reshian tradition. The town welcomed Dras refugees as first the Janoa and then we To’resk treated them just shameful! But the Emaraça family was happy to bring them into our home!
He took a drink as the Dras children smiled and some of the To’resk and Janoa kids shifted uncomfortably.
Harrek was mayor here when I was a boy. He navigated the town to '"Happiness and prosperity, always in that order!", he liked to say. After an uprising rejiggered the nobility, the Duke of Moonhaven himself asked for Harrek’s help to draw new county lines! Imagine Harrek’s face when the Duke offered him a count title as a reward for his service, and then the Duke’s when he turned him down! Harrek knew it was his time to retire to the bliss of angling, imbibing, tall tales, and music.
A passer-by complimented the old man for keeping up the traditions of imbibing and tall tales, eliciting guffaws and another long drink.
Instead Harrek’s eldest child Chalana, trained to carry on after him, became the first Countess Emaraça. Hers was a time of war that stretched her skills far beyond boundaries and ownership of cows! People came far and wide for help, and she saw enough war and death to know that while nobles may enjoy battle, the happiness of the people is rooted in peace. She settled many treaties, boundaries, reparations, and ransoms!
Now most gifts the town receives from the grateful are small, but nobles can’t resist showin’ off! After one treaty, a duke built our beautiful bridge, symbolizing how the Emaraça family had helped people cross obstacles and come together in peace. That there Issaries Bridge is named after the legend of the traveling merchant whose slick tongue brought together many long enemies.
The storyteller paused, hoping for an offer of another bottle to tell that story, then continued when none came.
In time Chalana retired and turned over leadership to her son, Argrath. But not everyone is a fan of peace! A faction what favored war sent that thrice-damned Waerd assassin that was the end of him! This left our young count Anatol. He inherited the wisdom of his ancestors, no doubt about that! But now he must prove himself in this world of fractured and fracturing kingdoms.
But thank the Qindred that some things don’t change! Each night in the City of Rurik’s Landing, in Issaries Bridge County, folks celebrate the reason for their long day of work by frying fish, drinking, telling stories, making music, and toasting the vision of Rurik.
