[ic] nameless III: lost and found

[doghead]

Rhys considers his options. Its not much in the way of healing. Whole bunches of wounded don't usually arrive at once.

He decides to use a minor Cure spell on Craddoc and save one light Cure for Nate. But Craddoc waves him away. So does Hadarook, although less emphatically. Until Rhys suggests that he should, being a smaller in stature than the others. Which Hadarook doesn't take to well.

Rhys instead concentrates on binding and tending the wounds. He washes out the wounds and replaces the bandages {1}.

ooc: {1} Recovery will be 2 pips per day of rest.

***

The corporal shoves the whip into his belt and steps up alongside Nate. Ghest does likewise. Rhys moves but the sergeant motions for him to wait. The two guards unstrap the unconcious Nate and lay him on the ground. The sergeant nods to Rhys who cross the distance to them quickly. Rhys lays his hand lightly on Nates back and Nate jerks and shudders before lying still. Rhys touches him again, and the wounds on his back close up to angry whelts. {1} With a groan Nate comes around.

The corporal and Ghest gather up Nate and return with Rhys to the mess room so Rhys can tend his other wounds.

ooc: {1} Regain 3 pips. Now 2 lethal pips down. No longer unconscious (a fudge).

***

A short time later a couple of the villagers appear at the gate. Then a couple more. They bring bedding and linen and food. The sergeant nods greetings to them and directs the corporal to deal with it.

Sense Motive DC15

Spoiler

the sergeant was expecting them

"Get the room sorted and the Seventh quartered, corporal."

"Once you're quartered," the sergeant says to the members of the Seventh, "you're dismissed til tomorrow morning. Assemble here by 7 of the clock. Feel free to look around, but stay within the wall for tonight."

And with that the sergeant turns and leaves, heading back out of the barracks.

There is a flurry of activity as the villagers decide the quarters need cleaning before they can be occupied. But within half an hour it is done, the Seventh is quartered, and a range of smoked and salted meats, pickels, cheeses and breads and wheat biscuits as well as some cider and ale awaits on the large table in the mess room. Enough for everyone there.

ooc: I covered a fair bit here. Feel free to jump in and elaborate anywhere along the way.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Fredar watches in horror as they drag Nate's body down from the cross. You do things 'proper' around here, do you, Sergeant? Is it proper to bloody a soldier into unconsciousness when there are goblins about? And this when the only members of your garrison are some chickens and a goat? Feh, he'll get his. Fredar watches the healer bring Nate around. He goes over to the beaten man and hands him his waterskin. With the Sergeant out of earshot. "You took it well, then. Better than he thought, I'll wager. You want something stronger?" He says, not exactly sure if he can deliver. But then the first of the food begins to arrive. No alcohol yet, though. Fredar goes over to one of the new arrivals. He looks first for any young, attractive, and seemingly unattached women - girls of the type that always seemed to make a big deal of it when a new group of soldiers arrived back in the city, ignoring Fredar for a few days while trying to charm the dashing new arrivals. We may not look very dashing tonight, but we might still have a few admirers.

If he sees one or two, he approaches and says, with concern, "Milady, you've no idea the ordeal my friend has just been through, not to mention what he has suffered on the journey here. As bad as he looks, well... the pain he's in is worse if you can believe it. And all he's got to comfort him is waterskin we filled from a dirty brook early this morning. The wonderful food you've brought will help, thank goodness...well, if he can manage eating on his own, with all the pain he's in, that is. Do you think you could find him a dram of whiskey or two to help him relax, and forget about his pain?" He gives the girl(s) a few coppers, or whatever will pay for a couple fairly large whiskeys.

If there are no such women about, Fredar thinks, Gods, this is a small town, and goes up to the nearest person who has just dropped off a plate of food, and gives them an apporpriate sum of money, and asks him to get some whiskey for Nate.

 

[doghead]

There are about half a dozen villagers there. 4 women and 3 children helping out. The menfolk are finishing up the days work, or already at the tavern. One of the women fits the bill well enough, although the conversation soon draws in Mistress Honnis and another.

Fredars entreaties are listened to, and the young woman is dispatched to bring some brandy, although Fredar's coin is refused. In the meantime, you are plied with the cider and ale. The former being particularly good - a little raw, but with a strong clean taste.

The brandy soon arrives, enough for a shot of each of the four of the seventh.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Fredar accepts the drink with a thanks and a genuine smile. He's still angry about Nate's whipping, but not at the villagers, and it makes no sense to him wear a sour face when the one who's cause it isn't even in the room. After a little food, and some cider (which he has always had a weaknes for) he pulls out his pipes and begins to play quietly - as much, or more, to calm hilself down as to entertain the villagers, though he gladly takes requests. Mostly folk melodies with some children's tunes thrown in here and there when they are about. His mood begins to lift after a while, and it is something of an effort to turn to Nate when he is alone, and ask quietly, "So what should we do about that... woman we met outside of town? She said three days - how should we start?"

 

[doghead]

As the shadows begin to lengthen and the food is finished, someone suggests moving on to village tavern. The corporal nods. "You're free until 7 of the clock tomorrow morning. Just remember to stay within the walls for tonight." Which is pretty much word for word what the sergeant told you, just in case you had forgotten.

Those who move on to the tavern find it full to overflowing, although the members of the Seventh and others privy to todays meeting* at the village hall find little difficulty finding people willing to shuffle over and make room. And shout you a drink. Most of those there are menfolk, but there are a number of women and some children as well.

ooc: * pretty much the all the PC's basically.

The conversation pretty much resolves around the news that the Seventh have brought, at least for the first hour or so. It seems that pretty much everything that was said in the hall has become common knowledge. But attitudes vary. In summary,

• The goblin raids are nothing to worry about, just goblins acting up.
• We should call up the armsmen just in case.
• No offense but the goblins are just trying to stir up fears with stories of massing armies.
• Someone working for the goblins? Rubbish.
• A traitor huh? Well there could be, but I wouldn't know about that.
• Ah well, what about that new servant of the Lady, or his friend. A dark one that.
• Ah well, What about the scholar?
• Ah well, the Landcarl spends alot of time out in the wilds all on his tod.
• Ah well, Mistress Honnis has done rather well for herself don't you think. Got herself a copse recently I hear.
• Ah well, Old Jaibobi is always turning up with odd bits and pieces. Never says where they come from though, will he?

Fredar's playing greeted warmly. He even comes up with a few tunes not known locally, as well as a simple jig that has the tavern in a hilarious uproar as people dance and stumble around.

The children are insatiable for stories of the goblins. The boys are particularly keen to here about the strange white armour and glistening black armour worn by the goblins. "Its Dargon Scale armour I tell you!" insists on small boy proudly. "Gramps told me 'bout the time he saw some in Harlinnlon." The girls are generally agreed that the goblin was a princess, or a shaman. They seem particularly taken by the idea of a goblin princess.

Unless Fredar wants to pull Nate outside, its not until they are walking back to the barracks that he gets a quiet moment without half the town listening.

ooc: if you want to follow up on anything mentioned here, jump in. Otherwise, I'll pick things up with the morning.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Fredar decides to wait until later to speak to Nate and the others. He's a little disappointed that word of the traitor and the goblin woman have leaked. He'll be looking out for us now, Fredar thinks, Less likely he'll slip up. Best to just take in what we can for now.

During the course of the evening, he has an ear and a word for just about anyone who will speak or listen.

• The goblin raids are nothing to worry about, just goblins acting up.
• We should call up the armsmen just in case.

"Aye, I think it would be good idea - the golins will trouble us only if they are organized and we are not. If they see the good, stout people of the valley standing together against them, they'll stay well in the forests where they belong.

• No offense but the goblins are just trying to stir up fears with stories of massing armies.
• Someone working for the goblins? Rubbish.
• A traitor huh? Well there could be, but I wouldn't know about that.

"Ah well, it could be all rubbish, I suppose - goblins telling stories. But even stories worth. And they acting up - more than I've ever seen. When was the last time someone came back from a journey to Seven with stories of being attacked by not one but two goblin bands? You're probably right - there's probably no traitor. But the goblin? They're real enough, and everyone needs to get ready for them."

• Ah well, what about that new servant of the Lady, or his friend. A dark one that.

"Well, the Lady's man took care of us right well this afternoon. And I am not inclined to think a man so eager to undo so much of the goblins handiwork with one hand would be helping them with his other. His friend, I don't know. You may know something that would change my mind of course, but you can often tell a man by the company he keeps, can you not? I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt."

• Ah well, What about the scholar?

"Aye? what about him? I've never had much time for books and scrolls myself, but what's he like? A good fellow?"

• Ah well, the Landcarl spends alot of time out in the wilds all on his tod.

"Well, maybe he's seen some signs of this himself then, eh? Or maybe some things he has seen will fall into place for him when he thinks of in the context of our news. I'll have a talk him. Thanks - that's a help. Anything I should know before I talk to him? Him being nobility, and all."

• Ah well, Mistress Honnis has done rather well for herself don't you think. Got herself a copse recently I hear.

"Good for her! How did she manage that?"

• Ah well, Old Jaibobi is always turning up with odd bits and pieces. Never says where they come from though, will he?

"Ah, but the story is what turns odd bits and pieces into beloved treasures and heirlooms, isn't it? Now, what sort of things does this Old Jaibobi collect? Nothing too alarming, surely?"

 

[doghead]

Fredar quickly realises that the topic of the traitor is a poisoness one. Its impossible to speak to someone alone in the tavern, and for every discussion there are three or four listeners with differing opinions ready to jump in.

ooc: Sense Motive check done.
ooc: Gather Information check done.

However, by remaining non-judgemental, and keeping his questions 'incidental', Fredar manages to get a little more information.

Rhys and Owen: They only arrived a while ago and the locals are not so sure what to make of them really. But they have a great respect for the Lady's cleric, and she won't say a bad word about the two, so most of the people feel that they must be all right. Still ...

The scholar: He came to the area several weeks ago from the capitol, and has been travelling around the area looking for evidence of an older civilisation that he believes once occupied the area. A nice enough fellow, knows lots of funny stories about the city.

The Landcarl: Nobility!?! That slip gets a bit of laugh. He's from a good enough high-country family - been in the area for nearly as long as the Whoolers and Dodbrys. Good people, if a little full of their own cleverness at times. His uncle was a good man. Knew wots wot. The boy keeps to himself a bit. But he'll grow into his boots well enough, so long as he doesn't get too big for them.

Madame Honnis: She has been doing quite well for herself since her husband died. She recently purchased the rights to a copse (an enclosure of timber). A nice little investment, which should mature in a few years. Worth a bit now as well, what with the fallings an all. Says she came into a bit from an old auntie. Saved a bit. Had a bit of luck. Course, she's a bit sharper than Master Honnis was.

Old Jaibobi: He's a bit of of hunter, a bit of a scrounger. Over the last 10-15 years he has found a number of unusual items - a inlaid box, an amulet, a ornate daggar and a couple of other things. Some were rumoured to be magical. Old Jaibobi usually went down to Trulloc or beyond to sell them, so no one really knows much more.

 

[DrZombie]

Nate sits at the bar, laughing couragiously at anyone asking how things are, claiming that he got a worse beating when his granny caught him stealing an apple pie.
After dinner he'll have a few light ales, too stubborn to admit it's still hurting. When night falls he'll go to the barracks claiming he's tired after his long journey.
"Fredar, are you coming along? We'll have a long day ahead of us."

When they have a chance to talk privately:
" We gotta look to see if anyone tries to leave town tonight. We're ordered to stay within the city walls tonight by that fat brainless moron, but he didn't say we couldn't patroll the city walls and look if there's anything suspicious going on. Whoever is talking to the gobbies has a way in and out of the city. Probably knows the rotation of the guards by hart, and I sincerely doubt that streak of piss known as the sergeant has ever considered changing the schedule at random. We'll be the random element tonight, and we'll see if we can catch us a traitor."

 

[Maerdwyn]

"I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't any regular guard patrols, Nate, given the state the barracks were in when we arrived. And except for the officers, the only soldier I've seen was Ghest, who looked quite happily, and quite diligently, drunk. Not that I see that as a mortal sin, but our traitor has probably had a pretty easy time of it around here."
"However he gets out, it's got to take him under, over, or through the wall, right? Do you want to take the top of the wall, looking out for current activity, while I search along the bottom for a tunnel or other way out?"

"After a while, we can get Craddoc and Hadarook to take second watch. All of us need a little sleep tonight."

 

[DrZombie]

"Good idea. Let's stay together, I'll try to keep an eye on you from the top. Take your time, we don't wanna miss anything."