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Message: <blockquote data-quote="monboesen" data-source="post: 919412" data-attributes="member: 4647">A little further down the road, in a clearing among the tall trees the caravan had halted. Gabriel studied the merchants and guards that had gathered in a small group. It was his impression that they had been arguing but had stopped when they heard the horses. Now they just stood there, watching him and his companion suspiciously. Behind them the wagons were spread out but there was no sign of oxes or horses. Among the wagons various goods, boxes and barrels were scattered on the ground. No wonder they looked vary, they had been robbed.He smiled and shook his head slightly in the shadows of his hooded cloak. This was ironic, had he been in Dorne it would have been his duty to help them. If possible track down the criminals and deliver them to justice. But Dorne were three days behind him and in these lands he was under no such obligation. After crossing the border into the Broken lands his only duty was to protect his companion from danger. Even that was ironic, the lady he accompagned was no stranger to battle, she had likely seen as much as himself. A witchhunters life had to be fraught with danger. But contrary to Dorne where her safety would be assured by her very nature, the same nature could mean trouble here. That was why he accompigned her, Knights of the Son commanded respect even outside of Dorne. Not that these men, Dornesian merchants and sellswords, presented any real threat. They would likely show her the respect usually reserved for noblemen. But if whom, or what, she hunted hid among them there could be great danger indeed. With that thought in mind he urged his horse a few steps in front of hers as they closed the distance and spoke.“Hello good merchants, what has passed here”Ran gazed intently at the men, looking for her quarry. She had been on the hunt for nearly a month, her first hunt without the comfort of Jannt by her side, teaching and protecting her. She had been proud when given the assignment, now she was mostly travel weary. Her compagnion, the young Knight that Jannt had arranged to travel with her, adressed the men, questioning them about what had happened. Whether it was by habit or to give her time to study the men she did not know, nor did she care. There was the rotten stench of taint in the air. Magic had been wrought at this place, though some hours ago. She slowly rode around the men. Several of them shifted uneasily under her silent inspection, but none of them carried the stench of taint. But there, hidden behind a large rough man. A young man, and he fitted the describtion, the students and teachers in Falston had given. Large,fatty and redhaired. “What’s your name”.The young man stared up at her, stark naked terror on his face “Ehh. I, ehh”. Before he got anyfurther a large hand landed on his shoulder.“This is my second cousin Colill, why do you ask witch…..hunter”. The roughlooking man drew out that pause long enough for it to be an insult. Ran ignored it “Im looking for a man, and your cousin fits the describtion”. “What’s this man done to get hunters after him” “He is suspected of being member of a cult, practicing black magic. One of his fellow cultmembers killed twentythree students at Falston university”. She looked for a reaction in either of the men, and was rewarded with a flinch from the young redheaded one. “Well that couldn’t have been my cousin, he’s never been to Falston in his life. Why this is his first time more than a few miles from Abbesborough. Right Colill”. The young man nodded vigourously. “But if youre looking for black magicians there was one among the men who robbed us” The big man continued. “I’ll even help you kill him. There were a lot of them, more than you and that fellow can handle I reckon”.Ran was confused, clearly these men were lying at least about Colill, if that was his name, but none of them smelled tainted and the other merchants confirmed the large mans story. They had been fooled by magic,  an evil charm robbing them of willpower, and robbed. “I’ll take you offer for now stranger, show me which way they went” She finally said, thinking she could use a bit more time to sort things out. At least they could not get away while being right under her nose.</blockquote>

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