The Bold Adventures of Poins--On the Town

[Rhialto]

Once the value of the coins he'd tossed into the box sinks in, Caradoc first removes them from the box and stacks them next to it, so as to avoid accidentally using them to make change. Then, thinking better of just letting them lie about, he scoops them up and makes to go notify his father, and get the coins into safekeeping.

As he does so, he is startled to see five horseman charge into town square. Alan Dale, an acquaintance, is riding with one of them. The horsemen stop and dismount. Their apparent leader glances around the square. "I am calling for all men of courage! Who wants to fight for justice, honor, and liberty?"

 

[Rhialto]

While bouncing along on the back Alan ponders that he has no money, no sword, no armor.

"Sir, how to I acquire weponary and armor? Do I need to rob someone or fight a dragon or even plunder a dead man?"

"Relax," says the scruffily bearded man. "The Army of the True Emperor will do for ya."

 

[Rhialto]

"It may even be as you say, Goodman. All I know is the new taxes be lighter on my back an suren thats a welcome thing."

Goodman seems about to say something cutting when you hear someone talking loudly about justice in the town square. Most of the patrons--and the barkeep for that matter--head out for a look.

 

[jkason]

"He is going to speak to the Hierarch. He is going to protest his decision. He is going to his death." Phandros takes a deep breath. "Lad, I know it seems hard to believe that any could want to harm our Order--but the Valeites do. The Order and the Inquisition of Vale are both hungry for power, and jealous of their position. We Thraunians are--an easy target. Respected, but not necessarily loved. And--we are different than them--more accomodating. This is not something they respect..." He shakes his head. "But I'm getting into an old dispute..." He glances at Weel. "Just be warned--the world is growing more dangerous for us..."

Weel sighs loudly to try to calm himself, though his head begins pounding even as he speaks.

"So, to sum up: the Valeites want to kill us mostly because they don't find much use to us and we're just agreeable enough to maybe not put up much of a fight. My mentor, meanwhile, has decided to show Vale what kind of strength comes from centuries of wrangling teamsters and construction crews. He's putting up a fight--and a very public one, if he's going as high as the Hierarch--turning himself into a target.

"And, if childhood bullies are any template for adult powermongers, probably only succeeding in raising the Valeites' ire toward Thraunians."

Weel puts his head in his hands.

"I knew I should have been a carpenter," he mutters. "Politics makes my brain hurt. And my stomach. I think I'm going to need a lot more drink than you have in that bottle, good Phandros."

As he tops off his glass, Weel adds, "Also, I'm quite ready for advice. This certainly isn't the sort of thing I bargained to run into on my Long Walk."

 

[Rhialto]

Phandros shrugs. "Well, I can always recommend my method--wall yourself up in the most secluded post you can find, and hope they forget about you." He chuckles slightly. "But then, I don't think you'd find that to your fancy. All I can suggest is keep on the road--look out for Inquisitors, Malkists and those damned Khureg slavers--and don't go back to Archea, if you can help it." He walks to the back of the room, and opens another panel in the wall. "Also go armed, if you can." He hands Weel a sturdy looking mace.

Outside the temple, there seemed to be some emotional activity going on in the square...

 

[Bloodcookie]

As he does so, he is startled to see five horseman charge into town square. Alan Dale, an acquaintance, is riding with one of them. The horsemen stop and dismount. Their apparent leader glances around the square. "I am calling for all men of courage! Who wants to fight for justice, honor, and liberty?"

Hearing what sounds like a classic call to popular rebellion, with troops from the Emperor expected before long, Caradoc pockets the coins as he pivots on a heel and jogs back out the front door, so as not to miss any details that might prove useful in choosing sides, and degrees of involvement, during the inevitable political alignments to come.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Alan Hale

As he does so, he is startled to see five horseman charge into town square. Alan Dale, an acquaintance, is riding with one of them. The horsemen stop and dismount. Their apparent leader glances around the square. "I am calling for all men of courage! Who wants to fight for justice, honor, and liberty?"

Seeing Caradoc, Alan calls, "Caradoc, come join us. This is what we have been hoping for, a chance to leave this area and save pretty damsels in distress. I am joining and I could use your melodious verses to keep me company."

 

[jkason]

"All I can suggest is keep on the road--look out for Inquisitors, Malkists and those damned Khureg slavers--and don't go back to Archea, if you can help it." He walks to the back of the room, and opens another panel in the wall. "Also go armed, if you can." He hands Weel a sturdy looking mace.

Outside the temple, there seemed to be some emotional activity going on in the square...

As he hears the ruckus outside, Weel half-turns to the front door of the temple and groans.

"What more could go--?" he starts, then pulls up short.

"I'm going to stop right there, I think, because this would be the day Thraunos takes such a statement as a request. I'd much rather save some divine favor for helping things go right."

Weel hefts his backpack, and takes up his quarterstaff/walking stick/oversized rule, looking toward the front. "Thraunos tasks his journeymen as the contract allows," he declares. "Nothing to it but to start the job."

Before leaving, though, the young cleric takes a moment to accept the offered weapon, bowing to the old temple's keeper as he does.

"But it never hurts to have the best tools you can," Weel says. "Many thanks for your hospitality, Master Phandros. Thraunos shelter you."

With that, Weel lashes the mace to his belt lest he look too threatening wandering around with the heafty weapon bared, and walks out of the temple to see about the newest commotion to arrive today.

 

[Bloodcookie]

Seeing Caradoc, Alan calls, "Caradoc, come join us. This is what we have been hoping for, a chance to leave this area and save pretty damsels in distress. I am joining and I could use your melodious verses to keep me company."

Somewhat taken aback by just how accurate an assessment of his desires Alan has made, Caradoc replies, "well, this certainly appears to be an... intriguing... situation. Just a moment, my friend!" He turns to the riders' spokesman. "Hail, sir! I am Caradoc Nuttall, local merchant... for the time being... May I ask what, exactly, your courageous crusade is directed against, and how it brings you to our humble village?"

 

[Rhialto]

The man glances over the crowd that has gathered "Men and women of Poins! I am Ritter Helm Sadric, a noble of Syra. In our recent struggles, I fought in the train of Prince Guy of Holyhall, the true heir to the Golden Throne. However, our noble endeavor to see justice done was thwarted by the treachery of his cousin, Gereint. I know that you have recently felt his grasping hand! I ask what any man of courage knows in his heart is right--that you join us to help restore the Empire to its rightful monarch!"