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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Darklance" data-source="post: 158455" data-attributes="member: 289">PART TWOSESSION TWOThe party rides down the road at a slow trot. The breeze blowing through their hair is refreshing and some of them chat and jest as they go. After a good 15 minutes they round a bend in a low hill and come into view of an old man of perhaps 70 in a field to the right of the road. He’s dressed in old patched work cloths that look as though they’ve seen quite a bit of use. His arms are extended, fingers spread as he creeps through the tall grass toward a pair of grazing horses. They appear to be oblivious to his presence until he is right upon them and about to slip a loop about ones neck. Suddenly they flare their nostrils and give what might be the horse equivalent of a grim before they dance away and canter off 30 feet to start grazing again. The old man throws down the rope and crashes to the ground with an annoyed “ahhhhug!” Seeing him, the group gallops out. “Greetings” Simagi calls out as they approach the old man now rising to his feet.“Need some help?”“As a matter of fact I could” the old man says in a weary voice.“I’d appreciate it if you could help me get those horses. They’ve been giving me the slip like that for the past hour. I was just about to trudge all the way back the farm and grab another horse so I could chase them down.“Tiere takes the rope from the old mans and sets off at a gallop.“Right up my ally.” He calls over his shoulder The rest leave it to him, as they’re all eager to see what this new horse of his can do. Both horses flee at his approach but he soon overbears them. Twisting the rope around over his head and launches it. He misses once, twice (this time almost falling off his horse), and thrice,  before he finally manages to get it over one of the horses necks on the fourth try. By this point even the dwarf and the old man are chuckling. “I think your more entitled to this I, oh’ lord of horses” Coop says, tossing his golden crown to the approaching Tier.“yah, yah” the big man grumbles, snatching the crown out of the air and then throwing it to the ground.He hands off the horse to the old man. “Got any more rope?” A moment later he is flying back over the field toward the last renegade horse. This time he simply relies on the superior speed and maneuverability of Reufar to outride the desperately fleeing horse and slip the rope over his neck.“Nice horse…ever consider breeding him?” The old man says admiringly patting Reugar’s flank until a snap from the horse sends him scampering back.“Sorry…doesn’t take well….to….well…anything”“And I might consider breeding him except for the fact that I’d fear for the poor mare.”“right….” He mutters, giving the horse a weary look “…Names Othic by the way” he says, shaking hands with everyone.“And thanks for the help”“Well…Suppers got to be just about ready by now, you folks hungry?”“We’re always hungry” Simagi says with a smile.“Yes, we could all use a hot meal. Thank you for the offer” Tempest adds with a little tact.“Great, well lets head back then”They tramp through the fields for a few minutes before they come into site of  a simple yet sturdy farm house. Perhaps ten men on horseback are herding a large group of horses into a huge coral.“Wow. How many horses is that? Tempest asks.“ohhh…close to 800 now. Almost half of that is being bought by the duke next month.”“oh….is this regular?” Tier asks“Well he always buys at least a few hundred each year…but we’ve been hearing rumors of war with Sempher being not far off. I’m guessin its that”“Now mind these aren’t exactly the best breeds you understand. I hear there’s some fella up in  Highgarden that sells exclusively to the King’s guard. Some new breed they say. ( Several of the group share smile as they recognize the ranch of  Liargo Benduse who breeds the excellent Nunicar horses. They spent several weeks working there at menial tasks earlier that year)“Well you boys go inside and sit yourselves down. I’m gona put these horses in the barn so they don’t jump the fence again tonight.Inside they find the clean, plain, sturdy house that they expected from Othic. Sounds of a young female voice humming come from the kitchen and they seat themselves and relax before Othic makes his way in. He gives them a nod  before entering the kitchen. A few moments later he comes out with a large pot and an aproned smiling girl of perhaps ten in tow. “This is our great cook Emily. She my granddaughter.” The girl waves shyly before taking a seat next to Othic who begins to scoop out food. They notice that an extra plate has been doled out.“That’s for Tam, he’s a boy I took in a few years back when his parents died. The boys’ probably out with the men putting in the horses for the night. They all live off on their own though so it’ll be just us.The group all savors their simple yet tasty meal of fresh bread and mutton.Eventually a brown haired boy of perhaps 13 enters and takes a seat. Tam immediately starts badgering the group about every detail of far off places they can come up with.“So, what brings you to Bellhold?” Othic inquires“We’re here looking for a young acolyte out of Ankari Talaron named Kemp. See anyone in a wagon heading towards town recently?”“Can’t say I have….but I’m rarely our towards the road like today so I probably wouldn’t have.“What’d your friend come out here for?”“One of those bells this town is supposed to be famous for. He’s a priest of Madriel and his high priest is almost done with a temple in the city. I guess that bell is supposed to be the finishing touch”“Yep…not surprised about the bell…they come from all around for um. All the big ones anyway. We’ve got a long tradition of it here. Know anything about the town?”“Nope, to be honest we hadn’t even heard of it three days ago.”“ahhh…well…quite a story it makes. You see, about 800 years ago, our descendants came to this valley fleeing the great upheaval. Within a generation or two however, some big dragon they called Copperdeath carved out a home up in that big mountain (he gestures out the window where the top of the mountain comes to a steeple point near the top.) Thing decided that we were in its domain so we were its slaves. It used some mind control on us…or so they say. Eventually a group of travelers came to our town and realized something fishy was gong on. Some of um fell under the things magic but eventually they fought it off and slew the dragon. Most of um died but they freed the town. We’ve got a statue of um in the center of town if yah want to see them. In fact, Tokket, the owner of the Bell and Clapper in here in town is the son of one of the adventurers. Elf blood you understand.“You tell it well for something that happened 800 years ago.” Tempest notes with interest(me winging it and recalling some little factoid from the adventure)“Yep…well the tales are all being told again. We have an anniversary celebration every 10 years and the old grey beards like me are called on to tell the stories. We’re having it next month.”We’ve been having some problems lately though.. About two weeks ago everyone stated having horrible nightmares whenever they slept and they’ve got headaches whenever they’re awake. We’re far enough out of town out here so its doesn’t effect us but the rest of the town ain’t doin so well.\“Is that so?” Simagi says, perking up visibly.“Any idea what’s causing it?”“eh…we’ve heard everything from gods to poison in the water. Don’t really know myself. We also got three kids missing. All pretty young…good familys. Some sayin they just run off but I don’t know. There were to young.But all we got out here is a couple of disappearing horses so I count myself lucky”“That’s not the first time its happened?” Tempest asks“No…weird really. About a week ago they just plain vanish from the their breeding pen. Blaze and Broadsword is what their called. Pen was two high to jump and the gate was still closed in the morning. I still don’t know how they got out. So just yesterday I find um back in the big pen with the rest of the herd. I move um back to their pen and then when I walk by this afternoon I see um gone. Finally tracked um down way down by the road. Damndest thing”After a glass of cider and a little more chatting the group departs for the recommended Bell and Clapper inn in the center of town. They accept Othic’s offer to meet them for breakfast at the inn at 10 because he is heading in for supplies in the morning. They mount up for one last ride and set off.</blockquote>

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