Magan Aetheling |
Magan smirks at Branok.
"The trip went great if you like wolf"
He slumps the carcass down on the carriage.
"Save me the pelt, I want to make a cape. The meat can be a little tough, and the liver is poisonous, but the muscle meat will keep you alive."
He grins and winks at Isolde.
"Hopefully we can find something better before nightfall though. Gawen, do you still wish to join me?"
Magan Aetheling |
As they ride back out ahead of the group, Magan picks up the conversation from earlier.
"Before the wolves attacked you were telling me about what we are expecting in Kent."
Magan gives a broad smile, knowing he is pushing Gawen on something he doesn't want to talk about, and that Gawen knows he knows he shouldn't be asking about it.
Gawen ap Gelert |
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Keeping a sharp eye out for any more wolves, Gawen responds.
"Was I now? Well, if I was, I wouldn't pay mind to it, because the truth is I don't know much more than yourselves."
He pauses for a second, the silence being filled by the muffled thud of their mounts' hooves on the forest floor, the warm wind in the leaves, and the plaintive caw of a solitary crow in a far off tree.
Seeing that Magan expects more of an answer from him, Gawen continues, choosing his words carefully and approaching the subject from a slight tangent.
"You know, there's a lot of things that make up a druid. Learning, now that's part of it - history, nature, knowing the good berries from the bad. Conducting ceremonies, that's a part of it too, and being able to gather miseltoe without it losing its potency. But you can know all o' that and it won't make you a druid, see? You have to be able to look through things, into the meaning of things - there's more to this land than most people see with just their eyes, and hear with just their ears, if you follow. And those of us who do see more, do hear more - and there aren't as many of us as you might think, not ones who truly get it, mind - well, things are changing, and we can't see the meaning to it, not yet."
Gawen pauses again, struggling to put into words something he understands in his bones but hasn't had to vocalise before now.
The crow caws again.
"Maybe it's nothing, or coincidence, or chance, but this fellow in Kent, important Christian man - from Rome, I heard - well, that's something new too, but it's the kind of new that people like you and I can investigate. So that's what we're going to do."
Gawen looks at Magan, his dark eyes wide and earnest beneath his shaggy red locks. "Does any of that make sense? Or do I just sound a bit mad?"
Magan Aetheling |
Magan sits in silence for a moment, weighing Gawen's words. He had never been a natural at telling when he was being deceived of told partial truths, but had been taught for signs to look out for by his father. He had hated it at the time, but it was one of the few things from his youth that he was now grateful for.
He played through Gawen's words in his head again and again. There were many signs of falsehood in the words. The inexplicable tangent, the unnecessary details in unuseful places. The surprising detail about his nature that could easily be used to deflect attention from the issue. Yet Magan wasn't sure, he had come back to the point again at the end rather than leaving it on the tangent, which didn't fit the pattern. Perhaps it wasn't a lie, perhaps Gawen was not a good liar. His father would urge to punish the lie in the hopes it would reveal itself were it there, but somehow the large man seemed more trustworthy. So different from the deceptive players of the city.
Magan chews on his lip a moment longer. Then he laughs easily as though he suddenly got a joke, lightening the mood.
"Perhaps we are all mad. I certainly feel it at times"
Magans tension eases, the sly pressure gone from his tone as he opens up a little into more honest conversation.
"I know little of the work of the Gods, and only interpret their pleasure as it arrives through victory or as I am told it by a trusted wise man. If I please them enough, and they are done with their plans for me I shall be called home. Until then, I seek only to bring them glory through blood. I know something of the work of men though, so it is with that that I concern myself, and the movements of men at the moment are very concerning."
Magan pauses, thinking a moment longer about his next words.
"But what you say makes sense to me. Your leaders don't know why things are changing, but strangers have bought a new God to our shores. Maybe it is linked, maybe not, but undoing it cannot bring harm. If a Lord notices things are going missing in his lands,and some new performers just arrived from out of town, he would be a fool not to remove them from his lands, and so equally you have been sent to deal with these travelling fools of the deistic variety."
Magan stops talking abruptly, gauging Gawen's reaction very carefully. He was becoming keenly aware that everybody was talking of investigation, and was becoming concerned that the plan may not necessarily be to bring violence upon the Christians.
Kara Olmsdottor |
Kara snorts when she hears talk of the new gods, having seen and felt a presence so familiar and foreign, she knew there was no question she had met her Goddess. She listens in more, feeling more at ease with Gawen now she knew he was not a rival, but merely one of the seers. She does offer to both men when a lull comes up a bit of advice she had.
" Just because we disagree on our gods, does not make the new one real. My people have fought and won many times against those men from Rome. Freya will guide us on the proper pathway, we just must pay attention. Much like a lone raven is not always a sign, a pair of ravens means All-Father is watching. First a small bandit group looking for things like this statue, and now a Roman? Two ravens if I ever heard." She shifts a bit uneasy though, not excited to deal with the Roman. They have bad habits of trying to take what isn't theirs, at least according to family lore. And there was only one of her.
Gawen ap Gelert |
Gawen nods. The metaphors were apt.
"Aye, I think that's the measure of it. Sorry if my explanation falls a bit short - as I said before, I don't have all the answers, and it may be because there are few answers to be had."
In the reflective lapse in conversation that followed, a thought occurred to Gawen - there was something he'd been meaning to mention, and the talk of sensing things out of place brought it to mind.
"Speaking of seeing out-of-place things... do you know much about our Felix's background? Only I saw something the other day that makes me think there might be more to him than meets the eye."
Magan Aetheling |
Magan raises an eyebrow.
"How so? He looks a little child-like I suppose, in some parts they may even say pretty, but I have noticed very little out of place. What did you see?
Gawen ap Gelert |
"Well, it's probably not important, and I don't like to gossip, but I get a sense that somewhere in his family tree there's a branch that's not quite human. Not sure what exactly, and it's not a strong sense, so probably a distant ancestor, but there's something in there alright. Just wondered if he'd mentioned anything about it."
Magan Aetheling |
Magan shrugs.
"Nothing I can think of. Is anybody else here normal? Unusual ancestors, moving plants with your mind, coming from distant lands, is there anything else I should know about?"
He grins, truth be told, unusual people made him feel more at ease. The more you have to hide, the less likely you are to be part of a bigger scheme. In his experience, mostly those with pasts they wish to hide just want to remain unnoticed and make a living.
GM Stormchaser |
Magan Survival: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 3 + 2 = 22
Magan's foraging meets with significant success and he together with Gawen he is able to track and fell a doe in the woods.
Gain seven rations and mark off an arrow.
The wagon rolls on down the road over the course of the afternoon and and as the day grows long the fort at Ocmundtune can be soon rising up in the distance. At the current pace it should be no trouble to reach the settlement before dark.
Kara Olmsdottor |
Sighs from her post. Finally, a nice warm bed and cooking that isnt our own. Feels like weeks on the road. As she sits, she thinks more about what was asked about her past, and she makes a small prayer to Freya about it. She didnt know how often normal people were visited by their gods, but she knew she would continue to bring glory to Freya's name.
Magan Aetheling |
Magan looks at the town ahead.
The law and order of a fort may put off our followers, but it is also an obvious place for us to be staying. I don't suppose there will be any persuading the others though. The horses would certainly use a rest and some recovery anyway.
He adjusts his riding position and brings Ealing back in line with the wagon.
"Prasutagus, efallai y dylem ollwng yn ôl a gwirio i unrhyw un yn dilyn tra bod y lleill yn dod o hyd i rywfaint o gysgod ar gyfer y noson?"
Prasutagus Iceni |
"Mae'n debyg mai penderfyniad deallus yw hynny. Efallai ein bod ni'n cysgu ychydig y tu allan i'r dref hefyd i weld a ydynt yn dod yn y nos?" Prasutagus says to Magan.
I wonder who that suggestion will rile up the worst.
Felix Emerson |
Felix jumps off the wagon, stretches out his sore limbs from the lack of moving around.
"Welp, dwi ddim yn gwybod amdanoch chi, ond rwyf wedi edrych ymlaen at fwyd da a gwely cywir am ychydig yn awr. Os ydych chi angen fi, byddaf yn y dafarn gyda diod yn fy llaw. "
"Welp, I don't know about you guys, but I have being looking forward to some good food and a proper bed for a while now. If you need me, I will be in the tavern with a drink in my hand."
Felix turns and heads straight into the town with joyful glee.
Kara Olmsdottor |
Sighed and shakes her head, heading in with Felix. She wasn't sure what they where discussing, but figured it could be said over a nice cup of mead, and a even nicer warm bed. Freya knew they all needed a nice cup of mead
Prasutagus Iceni |
Prasutagus will slow Aurelius along side Ealing as the others go to the tavern and find some wheres that seems like a decent spot to watch the road.
Profession(Soldier): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 Prasutagus is surveying the are to try and find a good hiding spot to watch the road from undetected, basically an ambush site.
GM Stormchaser |
The fort overlooks the road leading into the town, with its back to the west ocmund river and the forest. As Felix strolls on up past he sees sentries atop the fort's watchtowers keeping a careful watch over this main entrance to the settlement. Branok guides the carriage on after him, also keen to rest amongst the comforts of civilisation. Isolde has already nodded off to sleep and leans gently against the rotund monk, her breathing slow and peaceful.
Huts and hovels spring up left and right around the road as they move deeper into Ocmundtune and about half a mile up the road into town the first inn comes into view at the roadside.
GM Stormchaser |
Meanwhile, Prasutagus takes the lay of the land. Most of the area surrounding the road is heavily wooded, but around the base of the hill fort the trees have been felled leaving any approach bare. Obviously the best place to watch the road is occupied by the fort itself, atop the hill. Most other high ground is in the same area, although the view from the wooded parts of the hillside is obviously more blocked.
Gawen ap Gelert |
Gawen checks to see how much money he has left.
Not a lot, but I should be able to afford a drink and perhaps a bunk in the common room. We'll have to find somewhere for the child to sleep too...
As the wagon draws up to the inn, Gawen dismounts and says quietly to Branok, "If you wait here and keep an eye on the girl and the wagon, I'll go in and ask about beds."
Kara Olmsdottor |
Grins at the sight of the inn, but stays with Branok after Gawen goes in. She leans back and stretches her arms, then states openly, " I swear, it feels like weeks since we have had a proper bed to rest in. Felix, check if they serve good mead or beer!" Kara was obviously excited to have something good to drink. And it was possible they could resupply. She was not missing many things, but it never hurt to check
GM Stormchaser |
Branok nods to Gawen and draws the carriage to a halt before climbing down to see to the horses.
While otherwise surrounded by dirt alleys and half-timbered homes, the Wench and Flagon's neighbours include a large bathhouse and a modest traveller's shrine. The building itself is a two-storey timber affair with a thatched roof. The solid oak door swings loosely on its hinges as the two men step into the dimly lit common room. Eight patrons sit about the place and at the back the young innkeeper smokes a pipe while his feet rest lazily upon the bar.
Prasutagus Iceni |
Sighing at his lack of good options, Prasutagus guides Aurelius into the trees with as good a view of the road as he can find while remaining near the edge.
I want to remain within 250 feet of the gate if possible.
Felix Emerson |
Felix nudges Gawen, gestures for him to grab a table somewhere quiet and then heads straight to the bar, flashes a warm smile at the innkeeper and says:
"Tri o'ch pwysau gorau, os gwelwch yn dda, sir syr."
"Three of your finest mead please, kind sir."
Grabbing his drink Felix turns to join Gawen at the table.
"You sure like to stare at your purse a lot, running low on funds? Guess you can't grow coins like you do them branches hey?"
Felix teases Gawen and hands him a tankard of mead.
Kara Olmsdottor |
After helping Branok with the horses and the sleeping Isolde, she looks around for Pen, making sure he has not ran off and brought more hungry bandits with him. She calls out " Pen, where are you boy?"
GM Stormchaser |
Mead falls within your standard of living. :)
The innkeeper slowly slides his feet down from the rough hewn wooden table, a pair of daggers jingling on his belt as he does so. A grasps a clay jug and carefully decants mead into cups.
"Yma rydych chi'n mynd ... dieithryn."
He isn't unfriendly, but does eye Felix cautiously as he serves him the drinks, as do many of the other patrons scattered about the inn.
Outside, Pen hears his name and comes trotting out from around the side of the stable, with what looks like an old slipper in his mouth. He cocks his head to the side and looks up at Kara, as if asking Yes?
In the meantime Branok has unharnessed the horses seen that they have food and water. The carriage stands neatly around the side of the inn besides the stable.
"Could you carry Isolde for me Kara?" he asks, gesturing to where she rests on the bench inside the carriage. The monk is clearly unused to riding all day and now tired.
"You're a mite stronger than I." he adds with a kindly smile.
Prasutagus Iceni |
Settling in to watch, Prasutagus will get Aurelius to lay down with the saddle on, in case he needs to get into town quickly. He then pulls out some trail rations and begins to watch.
How the whole night goes depends on if Magan is with me or not.
Kara Olmsdottor |
Kara laughs softly as Pen brings a shoe back, telling him " If you took that from an old man give it back to him" and then nods to Branok, gently picking up the young girl. " Father, the trip is a long one. Why do we not rest inside? You and Isolde could use the rest. She has big days ahead." She would then carry the girl inside, her shield and other weapons secured on her back as she procures sleeping quarters for her and the young girl, along with Branok. She does make sure she and Isolde have a private room.
Magan Aetheling |
Magan follows Prasutagus into the trees. The two are used to each others' quiet company and habits and it is easy for Magan to predict the choices Prasutagus will make. He smiles to himself as he pulls out some dried meat of his own to chew on.
After a few moments of comfortable quiet he breaks the routine.
"Eisiau dal i ddysgu Saxon? Mae hyn yn ymddangos yn amser da i ddechrau."
GM Stormchaser |
Branok nods in response to Kara's suggestion and follows her into the inn. The voices murmuring in low conversation about the common room fall away as the locals turn to look at the enormous northern woman with her shockingly stark head of blonde hair. Kara strides up to the innkeeper, her armour clanking with each step. He looks up at her, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
"Beth ydych chi eisiau, ferch?"
Leaning around the tall woman, Branok quickly steps in.
"Dyn ifanc da gyda'r nos! Rwy'n ofni nad yw fy nghympanwyr yn siarad Cernyw. A allaf eich trafferthu am bris ystafell ar gyfer y noson?"
The man turns his head to the side for a moment and spits on the ground.
"Wyth arian. Rydych chi'n cael arian?"
"Wyth?" Branok replies, with a low whistle. "Wel, mae'n braf gwybod bod y bobl i lawr yn Ocmundtune yn gwneud cystal iddyn nhw eu hunain. Ar y gost, fodd bynnag ... mae amserau ychydig yn anoddach. Sut mae pum swn arian? Ar gyfer gweision y deml wrth gwrs."
The little old monk fishes his holy symbol out from the around his neck and the innkeeper sighs.
"Ydw offeiriad. Pum arian ydyw."
Branok fishes a handful of rough silver coins out of his pouch and turn to Kara.
"We've agreed on five silver for the night. You have it, yes?"
Gawen ap Gelert |
Gawen takes a seat opposite Felix, his long legs just barely fitting awkwardly under the table, and grins widely at Felix's jibe.
"To the farmers back home, growing plants and growing gold are the same thing - but you're right, I've been on the road a while and my wallet's a mite dustier than it was when I started. Still, it's all gone to good uses!"
He takes a large swig of mead, and sighs contentedly.
"So then Felix, what would you suggest I do to remedy that - perhaps scale an inn or two, looking for wealth?"
He raises his eyebrows pointedly.
Prasutagus Iceni |
Chewing on his meal, Prasutagus sighs a bit at Magan's suggestion.
I need to learn this new language. If only book learning weren't so painful. Weapons training would be much better...
"Yn anffodus, do, hoffwn ddysgu Saxon." Prasutagus says, "Gobeithio nad yw'n rhy anodd"
Magan Aetheling |
Magan smirks.
"Gadewch i ni ddechrau'n hawdd wedyn. Os ydych chi'n ofni her."
He scratches his beard thinking of a useful place to start.
"Byddai'n dda ichi wybod gorchmynion arferol y frwydr. Os ydym am ymladd ochr yn ochr â Kara, mae angen i chi wybod a yw hi'n galw rhybudd, neu leoedd yn cael eu tynnu arfau, neu rydym yn penderfynu gwanwyn ymosodiad.
He draws a selection of weapons lining them up on the floor between them. He points to the appropriate parts as he says each word, thinking it better to leave Cornish behind as much as possible as they learn.
"Axe,
Blade
Haft
Knife
Blade
Hilt
Bow
Arrow
Shaft
Head"
He picks up the bow and talks through the motions
"Ready
Draw
Loose"
He points at Prasutagus
"Now you"
He waits on Prasutagus, waiting for the first mistake
Let's start easy then. If you are afraid of a challenge.
...
It would be good for you to know normal battle commands. If we are to fight alongside Kara, you need to know if she calls a warning, or spots a weapon being drawn, or we decide to spring an attack.
Felix Emerson |
Felix couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh, there are nothing he enjoys more than friendly banter and casual insults. Seeing Gawen is up for some fun, he digs in a little harder.
"Aye, you could certainly try that, looks like your massive gorilla arms will come in handy after all. Maybe you can try grow some vegetables instead of just dead branches next time, I hear they for a pretty penny.
Felix takes a long sip of his mead and takes on a more somber tone.
"Don't worry too much over your funds friend, If you are a bit strapped for silvers, then I will cover your stay... For today at the very least. In all seriousness though, the sooner we finish Bletius's job, the better it is for all of us. that man sends more shivers down my spine than the howling wind in December."
At this moment, Kara bursts into the inn followed closely by Branok and Isolde. Felix gives a little chuckle at the reactions of the folks around him and beacons for Kara to join them at the table.
Kara Olmsdottor |
Counts out her coins as best she can as she carries the girl. After making sure her math was right, she nods to Branok. " I have enough. I take that covers food as well? They must be well off here." But after settling her account with the surly man, and ensuring that Isolde and Branok where taken care of, Kara would join Felix and Gawen. She would quietly listen to them talk, happy to not be moving.
Prasutagus Iceni |
"Nid yw'n ofni her, ei ddryswch eithafol" Prasutagus mutters before starting to practive.
Prasutagus stumbles through the words, accepting Magan's corrections where they arise.
Gawen ap Gelert |
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not quite destitute yet, I should be alright for now. You're not wrong about Bletius though - the way he disappeared like that, I've not seen anyone do that before. And to do it so casually... aye, he's one to be wary of."
Gawen takes another sip of his drink as Kara sits down.
"Still," he continues, "strange times make for strange allies, as they say. So what about yourself, young Felix, how did you come into Bletius' sight?"
Kara Olmsdottor |
Snorts as she sips her mead daintily, the contrasting actions sharp against each other. " Bletius could be Loki for all we know. He is not always a bad fellow, but he is a trickster. I for one would not ever say me and Gawen would make an alliance, and yet here we are. Maybe Freya has a plan for us in all this."
Felix Emerson |
"Ok, whatever you wish my friend. I also have not seen anyone doing that before... Guess he didn't get to where he is by being nice. Oh well..."
Felix takes a large swig from his mug and wipes his face clean on his sleeves.
"Me... I am a free spirit, I go where the wind carries me and it just so happens I ended up finding employment under Bletius. The job sounded interesting enough to pass the time, so I took it."
GM Stormchaser |
As the night draws in the inn's patrons slowly drift off home, leaving the traveller's to find their rooms. The accommodations are a number of small, simple rooms with wooden cots. Branok gestures quietly to Kara to carry the already sleeping Isolde with her to her room, while Pen dutifully follows Gawen to bed.
Outside the town Prasutagus and Magan rest beneath the trees and the night passes peacefully, but for the soft whistling of the wind in the branches. The two men wake again at first light.
Magan Aetheling |
Magan wakes a little stiff, he stretches out his muscles and frowns. He looks over at Prasutagus.
"Onid yw hyn yn ymddangos yn rhy hawdd? Mae pob defaid wybod yn cael ei gamarwain gan rywfaint o ddefaid? Mae'n debyg i gam-drin cig oen"
He pulls himself to his feet, checks his weapons are all in place and leads the way towards the town.
Prasutagus Iceni |
"Eh, rwy'n iawn gyda hawdd." Prasutagus says.
No point in worrying, nothing we can do about it now. Just gonna have to fix our problems as they appear...
Once his gear is together and Magan and Prasutagus are on the way to town, "Rydych chi'n iawn ar ôl y busnes gyda'r bandiau? Mae arnaf angen i chi, yma ddim annedd ar hynny." Prasutagus says.
Magan Aetheling |
Magan grins and gives Prasutagus a friendly punch on the arm.
"Rydych chi'n fy adnabod i, rwyf bob amser yn iawn. Gan geisio cadw cam ar y blaen, gwell y defaid rydych chi'n ei wybod, gallai defaid rhyfedd gael clefydau dyn arall."
He whistles a little as they ride, a song the group used to sing before the business in France.
It's a habit he has picked up when he is trying to prove a point about not being stressed, but now it has reached the point where doing so actually relaxes him. Besides, there is a nice nostalgic feeling to the situation now, with just familiar people sleeping rough and talking of trouble, that singing the tune again feels right.
Gawen ap Gelert |
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Gawen wakes at sunrise, the sun's rays tracing a path through the dusty air from gaps in the timber wall across onto the bed.
Gawen yawns and stretches - like most beds, this one was far too short and his feet had been sticking off the end the entire night. Despite this, Pen had apparently decided that there was room for him on the bed too, and was currently still asleep - legs splayed akimbo and head drooping off the side of the cot. It didn't look comfortable to Gawen, but he supposed that dogs must have different ideas as to what was comfortable or not.
As he moves to get up, Pen jerks awake and rolls over, almost falling off the bed in the process. Gawen laughs and ruffles the dog's fur affectionately, before heading downstairs to see whether there was anything available for breakfast.