Off to War [IC]

[HolyMan]

As you enter the little campsite Fallon stands and looks behind you as if looking for someone, "You did, did you talk to Bear?" he asks hesitantly.

Then he notices your brooches and his face beams into the greatest of smiles and a hundred new creases form on his face. "Come sit, sit and tell me what he said. Did he go looking for Martomum? Is that why he isn't here? Did he give you those?" he asks pointing to the brooches.

"What is he up to still plucking food out of that beard of his I bet. Heh heh." he chuckles as he sits and looks into the pot stirring it. "All, all will be right again," he murmurs to himself.

[sblock=important] the man you talked to did not have a beard he had thinning black hair piercing small eyes and a clean shaven face with a pointed chin and small nose just thought you should know [/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

Suddenly everything fell in to place, and Lora felt like an idiot for not realizing it earlier. "Dear Gods in the heavens! - the girl's brows thickened, indicating that her mind was occupied. - this wasn't Lord Bairan after all! Fallon the message we were given was that "The old Bear is dead." Now that i remember all the rumors i have heard of court and Lord Bairan's thirst for adventure, i think we have been tricked. The man we spoke to, the one who gave us these - Lora pointed towards the brooches. - i now believe he was none other than Dellex, I am certain of it. I had - Lora coughed to clear her throat. - I had not concentrated on studying the appearance of the nobility, as there are so many members of each house. But now that i thnk about it, it seems i was too distracted to realize the deception on the spot."

Lora sulked, as she hated the feeling of helplessness - some genius she was! "I can draw the man's face for you if you want. But i think even a verbal description is enough. Fallon, i think that Lord Bairan is no longer in command, and that he has either left on his own accord or... something more sinister is afoot."

Lora realized she was babling, but her mind was empowered by a torrent of thoughts, gathering bits and pieces of all the information she had on Lord Bairan and his advisers, covering all the possible moves, motives and agendas. She imagined all the political figures, the power struggle, the war - everything was like a game of stones. And someone was moving the pieces with skill, taking advantage of the turmoil in the Five Kingdoms.

Lora dropped her backpack and put her index fingers on her temples - the girl was completely focused in her thoughts. [sblock] Good that you mentioned it! I had focused on the man's grab and it seems you didn't describe his features in detail. Plus, Lora's Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty of 22 didn't tell her what Lord Bairan looked like, but now with Fallon's description it should make sense for her with her 18 INT score Any other checks necessary? [/sblock]

 

[HolyMan]

[sblock=ooc] From my rereading Lora was studying everything but the man before her and Aidan also seem interested in the contents of the tent. I thought you had it when he said you did Lord Bairan a great service and not you did me a great service, but the colors make it hard to read. I was trying my hardest not to have him out right lie it not in Dellex's nature for falsehood but manipulate is a different story he is a wizard after all. It was great that both you and Theroc's character weren't in camp when Lord Barian gave his little speech or you would have known his appearance everything is going great this end a little mystery/intrgue to add to the fights lol. Theroc will wait for you to post Fallon's reaction to the triad from Lora. [/sblock]

 

[Theroc]

"You did, did you talk to Bear?"

Aidan nodded with a smile, knowing he'd done as asked. After all, he asked for Lord Bairan, was told where to go, and spoke with a man who seemed rather authoritative, so it would be most obvious it was Lord Bairan.

"Come sit, sit and tell me what he said. Did he go looking for Martomum? Is that why he isn't here? Did he give you those?"

Aidan couldn't answer most of the question, but he started to reply. "He didn't say what he was doin', 'sides that he sen' men inta tha wood, jes' sent us back wit' these and a message..."

"What is he up to still plucking food out of that beard of his I bet. Heh heh."

Aidan blinked. Bairan had no beard. The man he met was of thinning hair and robes.

"Bairan 'ad no beard, Fallon... ye sure ye remembered right?"

"Dear Gods in the heavens! this wasn't Lord Bairan after all! Fallon the message we were given was that "The old Bear is dead." Now that i remember all the rumors i have heard of court and Lord Bairan's thirst for adventure, i think we have been tricked. The man we spoke to, the one who gave us these I now believe he was none other than Dellex, I am certain of it. I had - I had not concentrated on studying the appearance of the nobility, as there are so many members of each house. But now that i thnk about it, it seems i was too distracted to realize the deception on the spot."

Aidan looked about nervously. "So, we were tricked? Who is Dellex? Why did 'e lie an' pose as Bairan? Ain't that against some law? Posin' as a noble?" The boy's brows were furrowed, obviously confused, and not pleased at all that the only positive experience he'd encountered with anyone outside the girl he'd placed under his proverbial wing was a total farce. This, naturally, made the farmboy feel betrayed. And young men betrayed usually don't take it in stride too well... though Aidan was better than the usual.

"I can draw the man's face for you if you want. But i think even a verbal description is enough. Fallon, i think that Lord Bairan is no longer in command, and that he has either left on his own accord or... something more sinister is afoot."

Aidan kicked the dirt a bit, before responding himself. "I remember faces... and I won't be fergettin' 'is, that liar."

 

[HolyMan]

Looking shocked by the traid of news Fallon says quietly, "Sit, sit and tell me everything."

The old man never says a thing as the two tell their story together, he just listens and nods while stirring the contents in the pot. As the two come towards the end he ladles a fine smelling stew into bowls for them and then passes over a waterskin and hunk of bread for them to share.

"Yes you, you spoke to Dellex of that there is no doubt. But you didn't introduce yourselves so he didn't either Dellex would not lie, even to an orc. Trust me I have seen that!", he almost smiles but sighs and continues. "He, he believes lying brings about more and more to cover the past lies and Dellex hates... disorder let's say. And nothing is more chaotic then getting caught in a circle of lies. You saw the tents, the fires and everything else in that camp they are all Dellex's doing I'm sure. Bear doesn't care enough to make sure all the tents are neat but a mess like here in the irregulars part of camp would drive him mad everytime he turned his head."

He looks about the cluttered area and smiles at the donkey. "And this, this will stay a mess just to be a burr in his foot," he says seriously. Then picks up a towel near his foot and tosses it about to add to the mess.

"Now you, you believe Bear to be dead," he says looking at the two eating. "He is not dead like you believe but 'The old Bear is dead.' is worse," he sys sadly shaking his head and staring at the bowl in his hands. "Worse for us, all of us. The old Bear would have listened to advice from all sides and not givin an order till the argument was played through. But Dellex seems to have as much influences as Bear and it is only a matter of time before Bear is just a figurehead and the real power is in Dellex's hands," the old man shudders.

"Now, now Dellex is a good man just a little to obsessed with postion and everyone fitting in their place," he continues. "And he hates Martomum and m... dear Otehaer!! You said he sent men into the woods?"

 

[Theroc]

Aidan nodded. "Aye. I heard a few horses ride off after we delivered our message, Dellex tol' us to wait in 'is tent while he dispatched them... then sent us back here. So, his men likely already found Martomum and comp'ny..."

He said simply, not realizing the deadly game that nobles play, assuming that it meant their plead for aid was heard and responded to, as aid... like it was supposed to be... Woefully ignorant of any foul play.

 

[Myth and Legend]

Lora connected the tips of her fingers in a subconscious attempt to focus harder. The girl's ponytail shone in the light of the campfire, as she turned her head abruptly at Fallon's words. She then grabbed the wooden spoon but used it as a scepter instead, waving it around and pointing at Fallon to illustrate her words.

"No i had not suggested that Lord Bairan is dead, but the thought of one or more sides scheming for power did cross my mind. He seems like the kind that prefers the simple life of an adventurer to the complexity of being a noble with many duties, so I thought someone could have taken advantage of that. - Lora turned towards Aidan when he spoke and nodded. - yes they are on horseback, but riding quickly at night will give you a horse with a broken leg sooner rather than later, so they must not be that far off. Fallon, do you think that these men might have been dispatched with orders to slay Mart and his men and make it look like someone else is responsible?"

Lora's brain was running at full speed, she was considering all the moves and possible outcomes of the situtation, and the best countermeasure to the enemy's move. Right now a large scale distraction that would bring attention to where Mart's mene were would be best, as the deed cannot stay hidden when more of the irregulars swarm the woods. That is, provided Lora's worst assumptions were true.

 

[HolyMan]

Fallon sets his bowl down while staring at the dark woods that run off to the west. His face takes on as serious an experssion as the wrinkles will allow. "It would, would not be the first time Dellex tried to remove Martomum from this world." he says eyes ever on the woods as if he can see Martomum and his company.


"When, when the war started Dellex became ocuppied with other duties and almost forgot about us. But Martomum tried to talk to Bear to tell him that we were needed and not to let Dellex have his wa...What is that?" he asks standing.

Putting his back to the fire to see better Fallon points off into the woods. "There, there!" he exclaims. "You see, see it!"

Looking at the woods is like looking at a black wall. It is darker even than the sky it reaches towards for the sky has at least the moon and stars to lighten it. But in that darkness you notic a small flicker of light, maybe a torch and heading towards the camp. "Come , come on it may be Martomum."

 

[Myth and Legend]

Lora shook her head and gazed in to the night. "Hold on, you are too impatient, especially for one your age. We don't know who or what is there, caution must be used." The girl tried to see what lied beyond the lightened area of the camp, but the shadows seemed a blur to her. "Can you see anything?" she asked Aidan with a low tone.

[sblock] Spot: 10-1=9 [/sblock]

 

[Theroc]

Aidan himself was ready to 'charge' into the forest to investigate, but Lora warned against such, and not wanted to look like a wool-headed farmboy, he stayed back. Watching her strain his eyes, he blinked, wondering why she didn't just magick the thing to make it easier to see.

"Ya can't use yer magic ta make ya see better?" He whispered the ignorant question, unaware of the limitations of magic, before straining his senses for any information.

[sblock=OOC Checks]
1d20+3=23, 1d20+3=7 Spot/Listen check[/sblock]