Rowanfury

A traveler going west to Pueto Verde came across a centaur, hobbled and shackled on a farmstead belonging to a half orc. Intrigued he asked for more information.
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The horse? Why would you want to know anything about the horse? Its stubborn as a mule and unfortunately able to voice his opinions. What's that? Its price? Well why didn't you say earlier, I'll tell you all I know then, and we can settle on a price after. Why don't you come inside and we'll have a glass of wine while I fetch the paperwork. No, no I'll get one of the lads to fetch the wine, don't you worry. Ah now, here's the stuff, the bill of sale and all the other bits.

I bought the horse from an old elf scholar, Elahir or something like that he was called. He'd bought it off a carter a few months back. If you inspect the bill of sale you'll find its been traded around a fair bit. Very good for physical labour though, just wait till you see the size of it. Originally? I'm not sure but from the bill and what I managed to find out its been in service for almost its whole life. Yeah, probably taken from the northlands, used to happen a fair bit back then. Parents? No, never mentioned them, don't think the beast remembers to be honest. It's probably better that way; don't want it getting ideas.

Oh that, no, no. The beast is mine perfectly legally, but I see why that might look confusing on the bill. I suppose I'd better tell you how it happened, but first let me pour you a drink. Yes, the things been working for years, and somehow it managed to get its hands on quite a lot of money. Stole it probably, that's what I think, but the law doesn't ask where the money comes from, just that you have it. No, it didn't have enough to buy itself out, if that's what you're thinking. Turns out the beast was more valuable than it ever though, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

See, that elf, Elahir, only had the horse for a few months. He knew he wasn't going to be around long, I mean, he was an old elf in my grandfathers time, but when he was getting on a bit he bought himself this horse. Before then the thing was quite a good worker, even tempered, very strong and able to follow commands, all you could want from a horse really. But this elf, he didn't want it for labour, he must have bought it as a curiosity piece. I never held with any of that myself. A slave's worth the work they do, no point buying one just to look pretty, is there? And this ones not even pretty!

So the elf buys it, and then lets the thing walk around the place without hobble or even a bit, just like it was a real person. Seems the beast got used to this, and the elf went so far as to give it a name. Damn silly thing to do. The elf even went so far as to let the beast in on a holy day, and then the horse has the gall to ask what all the fuss was about. Now the elf, rather than whipping the beast like he should, indulged the poor brute and filled his head with all sorts of rubbish about honour, nature and silly stuff like that. Try as a might I can't get the idea out of its head, no matter how much I whip it.

Well, old Elahir passed on last month, didn't he? We all knew it was coming of course, seen the age showing a while back. He went peacefully, and happily so I heard, in the arms of his young wife. Problem was his wife, Elidia, was very young if you take my meaning. Didn't want to be settling down in a big old house with servants and politics and things like that, so she sells the house as quick as she can, and for a fraction of it's worth I might add. I nearly put a bid in myself, but I think I ended up with a better deal in the long run with the horse.

So most of the slaves she sold on to whoever wanted them, but no-one would give the asking price for the horse. If you take a look at the thing you'll see why; worth a small fortune it is. So the horse takes it upon itself to try and wheedle his way out of service. It claimed to have been saving up any money he ever had, in order to buy itself one day. Well, for a normal slave that might be possible but a packhorse buying itself, it's unheard of. Elidia didn't want the hassle of trying to find a new owner, seems the horse didn't want to either as I heard it caused a right fuss over at Grem's place when he tried to buy it.

So the horse offers her all it has, stolen money I'm sure. Nowhere else it could have got its hands on so much. Probably took it from old Elahir, he was always too kind to his slaves. To think the thing was stealing from him the whole time just makes it all the worse. But Elidia was too smart to get suckered like that, I mean, it hardly had half its own value, but she didn't want to fuss around with a horse following her when she went back to her family. So, she asks around and they work out a deal. The horse borrows money from anywhere it can. I know, a horse borrowing money, just laughable if you ask me.

Well, none of the farmers around here would take it seriously either, so the brute goes and asks the church. I mean, the gall of it, begging money from the church! Well, they fell for it, but not completely. They put up a bunch, but not enough for the whole price and that's where I come in. See, it was still a few hundred short, so I got a friend of mine to draw up a contract of loan, all nice and legal like, so it looked like I was just footing the rest of the bill. Made it look all pretty, but I didn't think it needed to be, I mean, how much does it take to fool a horse?

So it reads the contract, yes it can read too, another thing that elf taught it. Can't exactly make it un-learn it's letters can I. But yeah, it reads the contract and signs it, thinking it's going to be free, and then Elidia rides off into the sunset as soon as the whole things sorted. Well, not an hour later I send the boys round to collect on my loan. Bet the horse didn't expect that. No, it came quietly in the end, probably didn't know what was going on. See, I'd put in the contract that I could call in the debt whenever I liked, and so I did just that.

Of course, it couldn't pay, just as I planned and the only thing left was for it to work off the debt.
Well, I spent the next day arguing with the church, but managed to convince them to hand over their debt to me as well, so in the end the poor beast is actually worse off than if I'd just plain bought it, and I've paid about half the asking price. Of course, it'll work it off eventually, but the way I worked it out that'll take upwards of a decade, and I'm sure I'll find a way of keeping it for longer if I have to.

Yes, it's just outside in the stable, just you finish that drink and we'll go have a look. Yes, chained, hobbled, the works. Don't want it escaping now do I? I'll just get one of the lads and the whip and we'll get right along. No, I've only had him a few days in all. Clipped him this morning though, just to prove he's mine.

A Cuerno? No, it's not got one, that's why it was such a bargain, so I just clipped the beast's ear.

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Yes, I've got a couple of other horses too. No, no, they're just normal ones. Here's Dran with the beast. Hold it tight there! Now you rear up like that again and you'll be tasting more than just my whip! Hold still so we can have a proper look at you or you'll be far worse for it. Sorry about that, haven't really had time to break it in properly. No, no, it won't be any trouble so long as you keep it tied. Now stand up and show the man what you can do, horse. See? Kicked right through that log without even trying. It's just as strong in the arm too.

I had it tied to the wagon the other day, managed to get it pulling over a ton all told. Yeah, I'm sure it's good with a blade and bow, so Elahir says. Not a chance, I wouldn't give it so much as a stick. Good teeth too, none rotten or missing. The name? Someone told me the other day, some silly elven nickname.
Rowanfury, that was it. So, like I said, it can pull over a ton, strong as an ox and smart enough to do what it's told. Shall we go back inside and talk over some more wine?

In the end the traveler decided Rowanfury was too expensive for him, and left the surly half orc's dwelling soon after. The very next day a group of young and enthusiastic Cuerno's arrived, traveling east.

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