|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Posts
 Recent Posts
"I think we should go to the funhouse - even if the twins are the source, confronting them won't necessarily solve our problem, it may just expose more of us to the curse. I don't have magic ... But would it help for those afflicted to tie cloths around their mouths, to muffle the sounds of laughter?" Sounds like we're all going, a few hours after nightfall maybe?
“Alright. Let’s go back there once it gets late enough; I’m not scared of Nik and his friends, but if it does come to a fight – or burning the whole place down,” Nathaniel adds with a glance at Tif, “I wouldn’t want any innocent visitors to be caught in the crossfire. We’ll all go, unless Angalia or Erfan doesn’t feel up to it, in which case I’ll escort them back to the hospice first. Otherwise – let’s get ready to go.”
“Hold on,” says Nathaniel. “I don’t think it’s wise for a few of us to go back to the carnival during opening hours. That man Nik will have his eyes open for us, and may feel bold enough to try something if he spies just one or two of us. No, we’ll be sneaking back in there tonight after closing anyway, I suggest if Tiff wants to speak to the twins we do that as part of the same trip. “If we don’t all go together, then I agree, we should take Erfan in particular to the convent. But I wonder whether we might be able to find a cure when we investigate tonight? It may be a false hope, but if there is any hope I would say that Angalia and Erfan would want to be part of it, rather than stuck in the convent.”
Nathaniel looks at his friends with real concern. When Angalia mentions the honey rolls he smacks his forehead with the heel of his hand. “Of course! The honey rolls ... we should never have let our guard down like that. The only other thing I can think of is the singing of the twins – did all of us hear that?”
Despite knowing that Res already has a crowbar, Nathaniel figures another can’t hurt. He tries to find a local hardware store, general store or lumber yard or similar to buy a crowbar and a hammer. After that he retires to the inn that Angalia found, washes up and falls onto the bed to catch a few hours sleep, before meeting the others in the inn’s common room for an early dinner and to discuss strategy for tonight’s foray ... assuming events do not conspire against such a relaxed afternoon ...
Nathaniel slips two silver coins from his pouch and approaches the twins, slipping the coins into their hand. It occurs to him that these are people earning a living just like anyone else ... only the possible ways they might earn their living are extremely limited. He doesn’t know how much of the meagre entry fee these people actually receive, but such beautiful music deserves recognition, whether it was produced by a minstrel in a fine tavern or these strange, sad women in this strange, sad tent.
Nathaniel glances about, not really meeting the gazes of any of the ‘displays’ until the conjoined twins stand and begin to sing. He gazes over at them in surprise, taken aback at the haunting beauty of their song. He is dimly aware of Tiff having some sort of a conversation with the tiny woman (which appears to get quite heated) and Res announcing that he is leaving, but despite his initial hesitation and embarrassment, and his disgust at the non-living displays, he makes no move to leave right at this moment, seemingly enchanted by the song.
“Big man,” Nathaniel comments quietly to Res out of the corner of his mouth as his gaze locks with that of the burly fellow across the field. “The bigger they are, the harder they fall as we used to say in the logging business ...” When Angalia and Tiff return, Nath nods. “I think that’s a good idea. Should we get going in the meantime? That strongman seems to be itching for a fight ... I wouldn’t mind taking him down a peg or two, but if it comes to a brawl here and now innocent people might get hurt. It might also be worth telling young Yuri to find somewhere to lie low until tomorrow – for his sake I wouldn’t want those fellows to start asking him about what he told us.”
Nathaniel’s wonder at hearing the bellow of what he thinks could from a near mythical elephant soon gives way to sadness and a growing anger at the cramped and cruel conditions the animals here are kept in. He is torn between wanting to see the animals inside the tent and manifestly not wanting to. Glancing around to find the others, he sees that Tiffana is talking to (well, apparently seducing) the man he at first assumed to be Yuri, with Res and Eliva standing nearby. The man seems to be starting to lead Tiff around towards the side or rear of the tent. “Let’s get some air,” Nathaniel murmurs to Angalia. He starts to move out to a location where he can keep a line of sight with Tiff as she moves away from the front of the tent.
“One of the soldiers at the camp had heard a rumour that Gilbraith had contracted the plague – or the curse as it were,” says Nathaniel. “But perhaps it was one of his followers, likely the man this sister Cecile told you of. The wanted poster we saw in Falkovnia indicated that two men had deserted with Gilbraith, but the men at the camp said there was only one other with him. “I agree, let’s visit the carnival first, and try to talk to this Yuri fellow – did you actually meet him, or just hear of him? After we’ve learnt what we can we’ll travel on to Tillich and see if we can get rooms – and baths,” he adds the last with a smile and a nod to Tiff and Angalia.
Campsite: Spoiler:
"Thankyou for your help," says Nathaniel. "Leaving Gilbraith's service was a brave decision, but I know that starting again in a new place can be hard." He takes out his purse and counts out ten gold coins, handing them over to the leader of the soldiers. "I hope these coins can go some way towards getting you all set up here. Good luck."
He puts his purse away then adds. "We may be around this area for the next few days. Should you hear any further word of Gilbraith we'd appreciate it if you could seek us out and pass it on." With that he gives a brief nod and turns to leave. Once a little distance away he turns to his companions. "We should find the others, and then seek out these Sisters of Charity. I won't hold my breath that Gilbraith has really come down with this plague, but it's the only lead we have so far."
Spoiler:
Nathaniel's brow furrows. He had not considered that someone might describe his sister as a 'flunky' - rather he had assumed that the deserters were talking about one of the other men mentioned along with Gilbraith on the poster they had seen. But he holds his tongue and listens on the chance that the 'flunky' might indeed be Lenna.
Spoiler:
Nathaniel stands to the side of and behind Erfan, his weapons evident but stowed, his hands open and empty. When the leader addresses the gnome he too steps forward.
“We’re not Falkovnian as you can see,” Nathaniel says, letting his accent and his lack of a forehead brand speak for him. “We’d not have any dealings with that monster Vlad, nor are we bounty hunters. My name is Nathaniel Greenfellow. We’ve tracked this man we seek, Gilbraith, since before he came to Falkovnia and joined the army – our business with him is personal, and we’ve no quarrel with anyone else who’s seen fit to leave the service of that nation. In fact I’d commend such a choice.”
Nathaniel nods in what he hopes is a friendly fashion in the direction of the Falkovnian deserters, but does not immediately approach them, waiting for one of the more personable members of the group to open the conversation. However, if no one else seems inclined to do so after a minute or so, Nathaniel decides he will take the lead and head over towards the soldiers.
"Hopefully we'll find Gilbraith and get home soon," mutters Nathaniel, picking up on Erfan's distress. The ranger looks about the camp, trying to determine if there is anyone in a leadership position, or any concentrations of people in Falkovnian uniforms, in particular fairly 'new' looking uniforms.
When they are away from Pyotr, Nathaniel says to Res and Eliva, “I’ve noticed little sign of devoutness or the worship of the gods since we’ve been in these strange lands. Perhaps they do not have many clerics here, so even a small amount of divine healing might do some good ... from what I can see, given the sheriff and his peasant militia, this country will have little chance of repelling Vlad’s army should he choose to invade – unless they can find a way to deal with this plague.”
“Sheriff Pyotr, we don’t know many people in this land, but there is a man who may have crossed the border a few days or even a couple of weeks before us. His name is Gilbraith.” Nathaniel gives a brief description of Gilbraith as they last saw him, and adds that he might have been wearing a Falkovnian uniform, and was perhaps in the company of two other deserters and / or a woman. “I don’t suppose you have seen him? If not I suppose we will look for him in Round Oak or Tillich.”
“I think so-called-Lord Vlad would be quite offended by our deeds,” says Nathaniel. “Thanks for your welcome Sheriff Pyotr – we’ve made it across the border in Borca then? I’m afraid we’re not familiar with these lands ... Tillich is a town? In Falkovnia they say there is a plague in this country, have you heard of such a thing?”
“Gilbraith has deserted!” Nathaniel exclaims, ripping the note from the post once Res has pointed it out. “This changes things ... given the location, it seems entirely likely that he fled across the border. Given that, I wonder if it is worth us risking trying to get closer to the regiment, or should we cross the border ourselves and try to pick up his trail in this other land – Borca?”
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
