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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 1477" data-attributes="member: 11">Session #19 (part II)“It’s Josef!” cried Gwar, craning his neck to see the figure that had stumbled in. A figure stepped into the light provided by the fire in the cave. He was tall and lean, but broad, with a weather-worn face and brown hair that was mostly gray poking out of his helm, and wrapped around his face in a beard. He wore studded leather armor and had a long sword at his belt and a spear in his hand. He dropped a small pack on the floor. The party (except Martin) immediately recognized him as the man that had traveled with them wordlessly from Verdun. They knew now that he went by the name, The Glaive. “That one is pretty good at hiding,” The Glaive said. “I had to track him for two days.” The bounty-hunter kicked Josef in the rear-end and sent him towards his bound friends. Ratchis stood and Kazrack quickly followed. “Why do you have these men bound?” Kazrack asked. “My, right to the point,” he cleared his throat. “I’m sure my assistants have told you. These men are deserters, and I have been hired by the Crown of Gothanius to return deserters and contract-breakers to justice - that is all I need say.” “Maybe you can tell us how the dragon-hunt goes,” said Ratchis. “That is not my job,” replied The Glaive, dryly. “What is your job then?” Ratchis asked. “I already told you, to bring deserters to justice.” “I have heard the dragon is very fearsome,” said Ratchis. “And?” “So, doesn’t make sense that some men would run to save themselves when the finally face it?” Ratchis conjectured. “That is not my concern,” said The Glaive. “And I don’t have to justify myself to you.” He walked closer to the fire and squatting down by it leaned his spear against his shoulder in order to warm his hands. He then looked up at Ratchis. “Anyway, I overheard them planning on leaving the country,” the bounty-hunter added. “Finn,” Ratchis said turning to the young Herman-lander. “Were you planning on leaving the country?” “What? No!” Finn said, but not very convincingly. “So, you assignment from the King of Gothanius was to look for deserters?” Martin asked. The Glaive sighed, clearly annoyed at being asked the same question over and over. “Yes, while Crumb was recruiting you boys, he was also recruiting me,” The Glaive said. “I have spent the last two months combing this backwater place, learning the lay of the land and keeping an eye on these ‘dragon-hunter’” He spoke the last word with contempt. “And these five are the first deserters I have caught, and I plan to take them back for the bounty.” “What will happen to them?” Beorth asked. “Not my concern,” The Glaive replied. “How much are you getting for them?” Ratchis asked. “Seventy-five pieces of silver each,” The Glaive replied.  (35)“What if someone else paid you that amount?” Ratchis suggested. The Glaive paused and smiled. “I might be convinced to let them go for a competitive price,” he said. “Or, we could just free them,” Kazrack said. The Glaive’s smile turned into a scowl. “Go ahead. I won’t try and stop you, but you’d be in for a whole world of trouble if you did something like that,” he explained. “Well, I am willing to pay to free Finn,” said Ratchis, untying his money pouch from his belt. “What?!?” Frank and Gwar said at once. “I’d have to sell them as a set,” the Glaive said, his scowl turning back into a smile. “If I am going to save myself the trouble of going all the way back to Twelve Trolls, I don’t want any of them.” “Can we have a minute?” Martin asked. “Take all the time you need,” The Glaive said, grabbing some jerky and leaning against the wall to eat. The party retreated to the back of the cave and began to talk about how much money they could pool together. “I have almost nothing,” said Martin the Green. “Don’t you get a salary as a Watch-Mage?” Jeremy asked. “I sent it to my parents,” Martin replied, and Jana rolled her eyes. “It chafes me to buy their freedom, but it seems to be the only lawful way,” Beorth said. “The little money I have I will donate to this cause.” The party soon determined that they did not have enough coinage to pay for all five of the captives. “I’m not sure the buying them will help anyway,” said Kazrack. “What if he frees them and once we’re gone he just captures them again?” “We will have to bring them somewhere safe,” said Beorth. “Aren’t we in a hurry to get to the elves and get their help?” Martin said. “Can we allow five innocents to die just so we can avenge our friend?” Ratchis said. Jana opened mouth to speak, but stopped herself. “They are not exactly innocent,” whispered Beorth. “I think they probably were going to desert.” “Not innocent compared to what?’ Ratchis replied in a hiss. “We all know they are good kids who are mixed up in something bigger than they are.” “Point well taken,” Beorth replied. “Wouldn’t they be safe with the elves?” Jeremy asked. “Why would they be safe with the elves?” Ratchis said, frustrated with Jeremy as usual. “He doesn’t know what he is saying,” said Kazrack. “he thinks elves will pop up everywhere like they are some kind of magical creature.” Ratchis left the circle and walked over to The Glaive. “What of we give you 40 silver pieces for each?” Ratchis said. “Why would I agree to that?” The Glaive said, chewing on his jerky. “We are saving you the trouble of brining them all the way back to Twelve Trolls,” said Ratchis. “And that includes the trouble and expense of keeping them alive and fed until you get there,” Martin added coming up behind Ratchis. “I still have to split the bounty with my deputies, and 40 each does not leave me with much,” The Glaive said. “Make it 60 silver pieces and you have a deal.” The party huddled up again and pooled their money, Jana paying a particularly large chunk. They paid The Glaive 300 pieces of silver. The Glaive tossed the money to Phillip to count. “Can we share your fire for one more night?” Ratchis asked. “Sure,” The Glaive replied. “But they stay tied up until morning and then you’d better be moving along.” Everyone bedded down for the night, and Jeremy and Kazrack took turns staying up to keep an eye out, but by morning no schemes or ulterior motives became evident, and barely bidding adieu to their hosts, the party marched out of the cave and out across the field of snow back in the direction of the steamy area and general direction of Summit. Osilem, 24th of Nuiet – 564 H.E.When they were a few dozen yards from the ridge the cave was in, Kazrack and Ratchis began to cut the bonds off of the wrists of Finn, Frank, Gwar, Josef and Carlos. “What a waste of rope!” Jeremy cried as the cut strands fell into the snow. “You should have untied them.” Everyone ignored the blonde Neergaardian. “Thanks so much for saving us,” said Finn. They all shook the party’s hands and smiled despite the cold. “We’ll find some way to pay you back every penny and then we’ll still owe you one. Right guys?” The rest nodded enthusiastically, though Frank and Gwar’s faces seemed to be wondering how they were ever going to afford to give up such a large sum. “We can get back to Summit with no problem,” said Finn. “You don’t have to walk us all the way.” “Just so you know, we believe you were planning on deserting,” said Ratchis. “Oh, of course we were,” said Finn. “This is the thing, I wanna go back home. I wanna get back to Herman Land. We used the “patrols” as an excuse to hunt for ways out of Gothanius and back to civilization. We weren’t all going to go, just me and maybe Carlos.” “I met a nice girl in Summit. I don’t need to marry a princess,” said Gwar. “Yeah, and Carlos isn’t very popular with the fathers in Summit, if you know what I mean,” added Frank. Carlos smiled bashfully. “My advice to you is that next time you see the dragon and run away, scream ‘Regroup! Regroup!’ or something in case that bounty-hunter is watching,” said Kazrack. The walked half the day, and east part of the way around the unnaturally steamy area. “It is less than a day to Summit from here,” said Finn Fisher. “I think we can make it from here.” The party discussed it and decided that it would be best to head to Ogre’s Bluff and let the others go the rest of the way to Summit on their own. They only waited long enough for Martin the Green to hastily pen two letters, one for the Alderman of Summit, and one for the Alderman to send to Alexandra the Lavender.  (36)Finally, they were ready to part ways. “Good luck with the dragon,” said Gwar. “I’m sure you’ll be the ones that do it.” “May Nephthys protect you,” said Ratchis, and the party headed back southward, but moving a bit to the west to avoid the Glaive’s cave. They climbed the ridge and made camp in a circle of small trees. On the other side of the ridge a forest went as far as the eyes could see. They looked at their map, and decided their best bet would be to follow the eastern edge of the forest until they came to Ogre’s Bluff. But first they slept. Ratchis and Beorth took the first watch, and then awoke Kazrack to take the second. The dwarf walked in circles ever-vigilant and trying to stay awake for the four hours he had to watch. However, he had barely watched for an hour when movement in the sky caught his eye. He turned and looked to see a large winged form, with a long neck and tail and a large body fly across the sliver of moon that shone that night. He immediately woke Ratchis and Martin. “I think I saw the dragon,” he said. “What do you mean?” Martin asked groggily, and the dwarf described what he had seen. “It looked like a dragon to me,” said Kazrack “And if that’s so our working theory has some holes in it.” “It could have been the gnomes,” said Ratchis. “Using their illusions like Mozek said.” “If we have to take into account that there is really a dragon around here then we have to start worrying about being seen from the air,” Kazrack said. Ratchis sighed, “Well there is nothing we can do about it now.” “And the gnomes could have made an illusion from far away to help lend verisimilitude to their attempts to frighten people,” said Martin, laying back down. Ratchis also went back to sleep and Kazrack finished his watch, waking Jeremy about three hours later as the sun came up. “We didn’t wake you,” Kazrack said as Jeremy stood and stretched. “Yes, you just did,” Jeremy replied. “No, we had an incident earlier, and we didn’t wake you up,” Kazrack explained. “Thanks,” said Jeremy. “I’d rather not get woken up in the middle night for nothing.” Tholem, 25th of Nuiet – 564 H.E. The party ate and discussed the dragon sighting and then began moving down the other side of the ridge into the forest. “Didn’t Mozek say the dragon was fake?” Beorth said. “And you believe him why?” Jeremy said, shaking his head. “Why would he lie about that?” Ratchis asked. “To get us killed by a dragon we are not ready for maybe?” said Kazrack. “We aren’t ready for a dragon whether we know it is real or not,” said Jana dryly. “Another possibility,” said Kazrack, the wheels and gears of his mind turning noisily. “Is that a real dragon heard the rumors and came to check them out for itself.” “Well, then it is a friendly dragon because,” Ratchis said this next part emphasizing every word very precisely. “IT HAS NOT EATEN ANYBODY.” “That we know of,” said Kazrack. They dropped the subject as they had to turn to their left to follow the edge of the wood and not walk into it. They crossed a narrow strip of plain and then back into another forest, and skirted the edge of it. Ratchis noticed a low rock wall poking up through the snow. He led the party that way and they walked along the outside of the wall that seemed like some kind of property marker. Jeremy leapt up on to the wall and began to walk atop it. “We should look for a gate?” said Kazrack. “Why should we look for a gate?” asked Ratchis. “This could mark the border of the town, pr it could mark the property of someone who might know where the town is, or where we can find the elves,” explained the dwarf. “I think we should keep the fact that we are looking for the elves as close to our chest as possible,” said Ratchis. “The less people who know what we are really doing the better. We will just claim to be hunting the dragon like everyone else is. Martin, you can ask about the elves as if a curiosity or something.” Martin had been looking at the top of the grassy hill on the other side of the wall, hardly paying attention to what was being said, when he saw two armored figured come over the crest and begin walking quickly in their direction. “Ratchis! Armed men!” The party stopped, and Jeremy hopped off the wall. “Ho! Hold there!” one of the men called. They both looked young. The younger looking one was taller, and looked as if he were trying hard to grow a mustache to go with the brown curly locks that stuck out from under his fur-lined helm. The other had a full mustache, but was half a head shorter then the other. They looked like brothers. They wore studded leather armor and both wielded crossbows. They had long swords at their side and the shorter one had a spear strapped to his back. “How now? What are you doing so close to the Alderman’s estate?” said the shorter one. “We are…” Martin began. “We’re hunting the dragon,” Ratchis said quickly. “…dragon-hunters,” Martin shot Ratchis an annoyed look. ‘We’d like to speak to the Alderman if possible.” “Well, you can’t come onto the property through here,” said the taller guard. “You have to go through the gate.” “Yes, follow the wall around to the gate. I will run up to the manor and speak with the alderman if I can,” said the shorter one. He turned to the other guard. “Bryce, escort them around from this side, I’ll be right back.” The guard named Bryce scowled, but obeyed as the other went jogging back over the hill. The party followed the wall, escorted by the guard who kept his crossbow trained on different members of the group the whole time. The wall turned eastward and went up the hill and the party followed. Ratchis whispered to Martin, “If anyone asks you why you are asking about the elves, tell them we have reason to believe they may be in league with the dragon. That will sound reasonable.” “We certainly don’t want to give the Gothanians any excuse to make war on the elves,” Martin replied. “Then say we want to avoid them then,” said Ratchis. “Ya know,” Bryce said loudly interrupting the whisperings. “The alderman is a busy man, he probably won’t have time to talk to you today. Every Tom, Dick and Harry who claims to be a dragon-hunter has been wanting to talk to him.” “Would it help if we had a Watch-mage with us?” Ratchis asked. “Well, maybe if you had said something before my brother went off to go tell the alderman you were here,” he said with some disgust. They cam to the wrought-iron gate and beyond it they could now see a very large house with three chimneys poking up from the roof. Shrubs and topiary were covered in snow, giving their decorative shapes a melancholy look. This alderman was obviously very rich. Twenty minutes later the other guard returned. “I’m sorry but the alderman is very busy at the moment. He said he might be able to see you in three or fours days and that you should come back and try again,” the guard said. “Oh, could you show him this?” Martin handed the guard his letter of introduction to the guard, who looked at it puzzled. “It is a letter of introduction from His Majesty the King.” “Why didn’t you give this to me before?” the guard said with a sigh. ‘I’ll be back.” As he turned to head back to the manor, Bryce said, “Brochard, you already had the alderman’s answer. You shouldn’t bother him again.” “If I don’t tell him that an emissary of the King is here, we can kiss our jobs good-bye,” replied Brochard. They waited out in the cold for another twenty minutes, and finally Brouchard returned, this time with an older man also armed and armored. He also bore a family resemblance to the young brothers. “I am Morton Oldhall,” the older man said. “I am in charge of the alderman’s security. I am sorry to keep you waiting.” He paused and looked at Ratchis up and down and then shot a glance at Kazrack. He cleared his throat. “Please follow me.” Bryce opened the gate and the party was led up to the house, where the butler, Dornast led them into a parlor. “Sir, Martin the Green, and…” The butler cleared his throat. “…friends. This is Alderman Silvestri” The alderman stood from a divan. He looked to be in his mid-forties, but still head full head of golden blonde hair. There was a young girl of about 15 years, with the same wispy corn silk hair sitting on a wingback chair. She looked at the party and then turned her sad face back towards the fireplace. “Welcome, welcome,” said the alderman with a broad and obviously fake smile. His lips curled a bit as he approached the party, looking at their wet and muddy and bloody clothing, and noticing the smell of days and days spent in the wilderness wafting off of them. “And these are your…guards?” “They are my associates,” said Martin and introduced the party. Despite his ever-present smile, the alderman seemed none to pleased to have them in his house. “You’ll be wanting to talk about the dragon then?” the alderman asked. “Yes, and other creatures and races that we have heard rumors of,” Martin said. The others shifted awkwardly where they stood. “What, you mean the elves?” Silvestri said. “Yes, among other things,” Martin said. “Well, there is not much to say about them,” Silvestri said. “They keep to themselves in their enclave out in the woods, and we keep to ourselves. But, why don’t you go into town and get yourselves rooms at the Golden Plough and clean yourselves up and rest and then come back for dinner and we can talk about this at length.” “That sounds fine,” Martin said, and then continued delicately. “I ‘m sure you’d be willing to help us in anyway you can to fulfill the King’s business.” The alderman’s mask of good cheer was flawed for nearly a second, but then the smile came back, “Of course! Let me right you a note so that the inn-keeper will put your room on my tab. It is the least I can do for the King’s servant.” The party was escorted out after being told to return in three hours time and Dornast gave them directions into town and the Golden Plough. The marches on a dirt track up ah hill and through what appeared to be groves for growing apples and pears in warmer months. “I don’t think gold would make a very good plough,” commented Kazrack as the marched, more to himself than to anyone else. “It’s very soft.” They noted buildings in the distance and increased their pace with thoughts of a warm inn and real food. “My people aren’t great farmers, but I’m sure gold wouldn’t make a good plough,” Kazrack continued. ------- The Golden Plough was full of loud and raucous people. A bard could barely be heard chanting a tune in a corner, and over the hearth was a mural of huge golden ram pulling a gold plough across a field, while a farmer and his family watch from the foreground. The common room was cozy, and the inn-keep led them to a table and took their food orders and asked them if they’d need rooms for the night. Martin handed him the alderman’s letter. “This here says only one room and three meals a day on the alderman and only for Martin the Green. Is that you?” Wilson the inn-keep said. ‘Yes,” replied Martin. “Got a special room for you,” replied the innkeep. “The rest of you need rooms too?” The party nodded. “I don’t like inns,” said Thomas to Martin from his safe perch in the Watch-Mage’s robes. “But at least it is warm.” “Yes, it is,” replied Martin. “I’ll try to get you some fresh nuts.” “Thanks,” said Thomas happily. “Or cheese!” “Are we going to find the elves tomorrow?” Beorth asked the group quietly. “Well, are we in a hurry?” asked Kazrack. “Somewhat,” replied Ratchis. “But we need to balance our need to hurry with our need to be prepared. For example, my armor is nearly falling off, and I need to get it repaired.” “Well, there is one last ritual I need to perform, before my place in the priesthood of the dwarven gods is officially granted. I need to enchant my runestones,” said Kazrack. “And once I do that I can use them to ask the gods for some glimpse into the fruitfulness or futility of our choices. But I will need a full day for this.” The party contemplated it. “Beorth? What do you think?” Ratchis asked. “I think that Kazrack’s devotion to his god should come first,” the ghost-hunter replied. “Then it is agreed. I will spend tomorrow enchanting my runestones and the rest of you can do whatever errands you need to run,” Kazrack said. The party fell to diving up tasks for the next day. Jana would be going to the general store. Martin and Ratchis would go to the pawn shop and the armorer. Jeremy would be going to the town constable and asking about sightings of the dragon. The quiet bard had finished his song and some cried out, “Let us hear the tale of those who faced the dragon again!” The was a round of resounding cheers, and the party noticed that most everyone in the common room was now paying attention to a table occupied by five young men. Four of them were unknown to the party, but Kazrack, Ratchis, Jana, Beorth and Jeremy knew one of them. It was Guisel.  (37)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes:(35) Aquerra uses a silver standard. Seventy-five pieces of silver is quite a lot of money to most folks.(36) The party met Alexandra the Lavender in session #7 (part I). Martin the Green also met her during his journey to Gothanius.(37) Guisel was one of Crumb’s Boys.</blockquote>

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