Laura Bennett

Start-class article · First seen: s20 · Last seen: s21
Laura Bennett
Laura · Laura the caravaner
Portrait of Laura Bennett.
Character
StatusAlive
First seens20
Last seens21

Laura Bennett is the human travelling merchant who hired the party as caravan guards at the Eldwythe bridge in session 20, for fifty gold to see her three covered wagons to Umbrafall; she is explicitly not from Aurelia [12][19]. She put the party’s names on her manifest to get them through the Aurelian checkpoint, docked five gold from their pay after a theft on Terry’s watch, and taught Caelumn to drive her horses [36][15][17]. In session 21, halted at Greysmere, she agreed to wait until about midday while the party searched for the innkeeper’s kidnapped son [23]. She does not appear in session 23, where only the players’ talk of a deadline refers to her [37].

Overview

Laura Bennett is an independent travelling merchant who runs three covered freight wagons and hires armed escorts for the robbery-prone road between Eldwythe and Umbrafall. The party met her in the freight lane at the Eldwythe bridge checkpoint, where a board on her lead wagon advertised for guards [11]. She is a civilian, not a fighter, and when Caelumn asked whether she was from Aurelia she answered “No” [12]. She matters as the party’s employer from session 20 and as the deadline that hangs over session 21 and session 23.

Appearance and demeanour

A woman in a heavy travel coat who moves between her wagons checking straps [11]. She sized Caelumn up as “a little bit scrawny” [13]. Businesslike and fair rather than warm: she keeps a written ledger of what each wagon carries, docked five gold for a theft but was baffled when Terry handed over ten to “buy out” his share, and priced his request for protection at twenty gold; she showed Caelumn how to steer the team [14][15][16][17]. She is unsentimental about other people’s troubles, “What is this to do with us?”, yet she bent her schedule for the missing boy [18].

Relationships

  • The party: her hired guards. Caelumn struck the deal and learned to drive for her; Terry was charged for the theft on his watch [19][15][17].
  • Fritz and Ritz: her pair of draught horses [20].
  • Orrin Sol: the Greysmere innkeeper, with whom she said she would settle the party’s room and board [21].

Disposition towards the party

Fair to them and firm. She promised to pay room and board at Greysmere, but would only wait until midday for them before looking for other guards [22][23].

Notable quotes

“Yes, I am looking for guards. As you may know, if you travel towards Umbrafall, you have a tendency of getting robbed.” — Laura Bennett (Nick, DM), [13]

“The last time I went through Eldwythe to Umbrafall, I lost my entire shipment. As you can see, what I’m bringing is quite valuable.” — Laura Bennett (Nick, DM), [24]

“Well, they live right next to a lot of necromancers, so you’re going to have a lot of undead attacks. What is this to do with us?” — Laura Bennett (Nick, DM), [25]

“If you don’t show up, then I’ll start looking for other road guards. And, of course, if you come back before I find any, then you are welcome to continue. My fee will remain the same, 50 total.” — Laura Bennett (Nick, DM), [26]

History in the campaign

Session 20: The Man Who Was Always Here

Main article: Session 20

At the Eldwythe bridge Laura wanted guards because the Umbrafall road is robbery-prone and she had already lost a whole shipment on it [13][24]. On Caelumn’s Persuasion of 22 she hired the party for 25 gold up front and 25 on arrival, split between them, and put their names on her manifest to explain their weapons at the checkpoint [27][28]. On the road she taught Caelumn to steer Fritz and Ritz, docked five gold after a small creature rummaged a wagon on Terry’s watch, and dodged a ghoul’s first bite when the night ambush came [29][15][17][30].

Session 21: The Hand That Points North

Main article: Session 21

The DM’s recap settled her fee at fifty gold [31]. A day short of Umbrafall she halted her wagons beside the inn at Greysmere, stabled the horses and said she would leave in the morning [32][33][34]. Told of the kidnapped boy, she was unmoved, but on Caelumn’s Persuasion of 20 she agreed to wait until midday, after which she would look for other guards; her fee would stay “50 total” [35]. The party’s room and board went on her bill [21].

Session 23: The Changeling in Manacles

Main article: Session 23

She is not on screen or named. The players’ own talk gives her deadline: in the recap Terry said the party had to be back in the morning to go and do escort duty, and Caelumn corrected him, “Well, midday. Midday, we’ve got to be back.” [8]. Father Thomas then ruled out a long rest because people were expecting them back in five or six hours, while Hugo reckoned a long rest would be a tight squeeze but possible, since she would wait until midday [9][10]. The DM confirmed neither estimate.

Status

As of session 23. Alive, and by her own terms waiting at Greysmere with her wagons until about midday; after that she will look for other guards, though the party may rejoin her if they are back before she finds any [23]. She has not been seen since session 21, and session 23 paused with the party still in the ridge temple. Whether “50 total” replaced the five-gold dock and Terry’s ten-gold buy-out is an open question for the DM [26].

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 20, line 417-470: First appearance at the Eldwythe bridge freight lane; three covered wagons; hires guards; not from Aurelia.
  2. ^ Session 20, line 478-487: Puts the party's names on the manifest to vouch them through the checkpoint; terms of the escort deal, 25 up front and 25 on arrival.
  3. ^ Session 20, line 514-516: Lost her entire shipment on this road last run; cargo of preserved food, lamp oil, farming tools and empty containers.
  4. ^ Session 20, line 901-1120: Her written ledger; docks five gold after the wagon theft; Terry's ten-gold buy-out; her horses Fritz and Ritz; teaches Caelumn to steer.
  5. ^ Session 20, line 1507-1509: Dodges a ghoul's lunge in the road ambush.
  6. ^ Session 21, line 34-63: The DM's notes settle the fee at 50; she halts at Greysmere, a day's ride short of Umbrafall.
  7. ^ Session 21, line 374-389: At the stabling lean-to; will wait until midday; fee "50 total"; room and board on her bill.
  8. ^ Session 23, line 164-165: The players' recap, out of character: "Midday, we've got to be back." (she is not named).
  9. ^ Session 23, line 1232: Father Thomas: people are expecting them back in town in five or six hours.
  10. ^ Session 23, line 1812: Hugo: "She said she'd wait until midday" (the players' reckoning; the DM confirms no time).
  11. ^ Session 20, line 417: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 20, line 470: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 20, line 468: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 20, line 901: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 20, line 1069: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 20, line 1076-1089: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 20, line 1120: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 21, line 378-385: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 20, line 487: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 20, line 1105: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 21, line 389: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 21, line 143: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 21, line 383-385: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 20, line 514: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 21, line 378: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 21, line 385: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 20, line 472-487: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 20, line 539-551: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 20, line 1024: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 20, line 1509: Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 21, line 34-44: Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 21, line 56: Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 21, line 63: Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 21, line 115: Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 21, line 374-385: Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 20, line 478: Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 23, line 165: Inline citation.