Alannah
"Trystan came and told me you were ill, so I came to check on you. I'm sorry I had to handle you that way, but you had soiled the sheets and your clothes and I didn't think you'd want to wake up like that." She looks a little concerned as she asks the question, wondering whether this warrior woman was going to take offence or not.
As the two women get to talking, Svetlana fills her in on the mapping party that have been travelling the area. Alannah's careful questions quickly draw out the information she seeks. Svetlana and Oleg both think of the group as friends, and in some ways it is obvious that Svetlana thinks they are heros. She tells the young archer how the group saved them from the bandit attack when they first arrived and how they brought the boy Trystan back from the wilds after his parents had been killed by the bandits as well. She fairly gushes with enthusiasm at their eexploits, particularly focusing on the fact that they are mostly women, and are doing a damn site better job of running things than the idiot men that Restov sent to guard the fort.
Realising she was talking to someone she really didn't know, she shuts her mouth suddenly on that last remark and appologises "I'm sorry. I've been running off at the mouth all this time and never once asked after you. Are you feeling better? You kept talking about a man called Mikhael, is he your man back home?"
Anya looked at the burgoning tent city with worry. The settlers were here much too early, and their forced-leisurely pace with exploration and conquest was looking non too favorably. They needed more results with their main mission, and right soon - otherwise that insufferable oaf of commander might get too comfortable and feel too entitled to what she had privatly begun to consider "her" lands.
The latest errant she had been sent to by the hermit would probably take weeks in chasing down fae that did not care to be found - a waste of their time and resources. If they happened to run into them again. Fine. If not, she'd have to handle the hermit in some other fashion.
She took Bergan to the side to discuss this latest injury, and made a point to stroll amoung the new arrivals to get a view on their expectations. The pompous city guard she evaded as best she could - let him bark up Elsbeth's tree for the time being. She'd need a better powerbase to dislodge him - which tied back to Oleg.
Sorry, wife's sick again. Will post somw more tomorrow at work (where I can get some peace and quiet).
Alandra goes with Anya to make sure Bergan is taken care of, then, exhausted, looks for a comfortable place to sleep for the night.
Wrath
"I..it's complicated." Alannah says, trying to cover her disorientation. "Did I say anything else? I'm just curious. The worst of it is gone. Sometimes when I go too long without rest it catches up to me. Thanks for taking care of me, I won't forget it."
She continues chatting with Svetlana for a time, then makes her way across the camp getting a feel for the tent dwellers, and listening for any comments in regard to their protectors.
Gather information
Lev's lips quirk into a little smile at the task that had been bartered in return for the potions to restore Bergan. In his mind it was a very small price to pay for his servant's health.
Lev looks at the quickly growing settlement with distaste. He'd known that expansion was part of the goal but he'd not expected it to occur so quickly. Nor was he pleased at the power that was likely growing for the Captain.
Not particularly wanting to have to deal with anyone else, he accompanies Anya in speaking with Bergan.
"How are you feeling, lad?"
The tent town seemed fairly well ordered, as if a military mind had taken and with its outlay. Some of the group more familiar with such things could tell these people hadn't been here more than a week or so, but they looked set to settle for a while.
All up, the group estimates nearly 30 new people have arrived over this time. As they walk their way towards Oleg's, Alandra notes that Father Kavken has already settled in to his role of overseeing the religion of the group. Erastil's tenets of helping folk in their settlements and guiding the communities development. He was carrying a load of wooden panels towards what was looking suspiciously like a temporary bar, something Oleg was most likely going to be unhappy with.
Elsbeth notes that Captain Garess is not watching at the gate, though one of his men is, the older man who treated her a little rudely last time they were there. He nods at the group as a way of acknowledgement but that is about all they get from the garrulous old soldier. As they move through the gate, Elsbeth catches sight of a women in her mid twenties leaving the Captains tent, and heading towards the tent settlement through the main gate. She looks inquiringly at teh group, but doesn't say anything as they pass.
Bergan walks steadily beside his two employees. Having listened to both Anya's and Lev's words he smiles wanly and winces slightly at a small pain remembered from the battle. "Since the madmans potion, I'm fine thank you. I fear we may have taken on a debt more than my service is worth though. Not that I'm complaingin mind.". As the three of them are discussing this and moving to settle their horses into the place, a young woman dressed in the garb of a warrior and armed with silverwooded bow strides purposefully up and stands before them.
The place seems busy, and all of them recognise the travelling wagons of Milos and his daughter. It would prove to be an interesting night.
The youngg woman stands before them with purpose, her posture that of one finally accomplishing a goal, her grey eyes tires yet relieved.
"I can only assume that you would be Anya Medyved and Lev Feybane, am I right?"
Alandra bristles when she sees the Father Kavken doing his thing.
What is he doing here? I need to set up a shrine to my Lady tomorrow. She decides to talk to Oleg in the morning about getting something set up for the worship of Pharasma at the camp.
Lev pauses beside his sister and briefly looks over the young woman who had approached them.
"We are. And who would you be?"
"I am Alannah...Alannah Silverbow. Could we speak somewhere more private?"
At the moment Elsbeth is only interested in recovering a decent look.
She salutes the newcomer with a slight nod, then heads for the restrooms.
Anya nodded towards the young woman in a friendly if noncommital fashion, and moved towards the sides of the horse stable, where they would be out of easy eyeshot and maybe a little harder to overhear with the sounds of horses and stablehands. "Well, then - Alannah. What is it you would speak to us about?"
She seemed genuinely curious, since the armed newcomer had a look among her that placed her above the rank and file of the guards - if she even was affiliated with them at all.
Alannah walks with the others, glancing around at the surroundings she nods to herself. She looks at the two warriors before her appraisingly.
"I've been sent to find you, Ulrich, tge chancellor's bodyguard thought you could use a little extra help. There's been word of someone playing politics and planning to get in your way. He felt you could use some backup. I have a charter as well, but I kept that quiet to get to you."
Alannah once again gives the two an appraising look, eyes focused, seraching for....something.
" It seems you two are considered the leaders of your group."
Lev looks at the woman thoughtfully for a moment before responding.
"Someone planning to get into our way? And in what way are you able to help? You give every appearance of being skilled with that bow you carry, but if the game is a political one then that requires a very different skill set."
"Perhaps you could show us that charter as well?"
While Lev, Anya and Alannah make thier way off to the side of the stables, Elsbeth wanders off to find Svetlana and see about organising a bath. As she moves aross the now very worn central square of the outpost, a very familiar voice calls from near the gate.
"Elsbeth, you have returned!". Turning briefly, the young Chelaxian woman sees Captain Garress moving purposefully towards her. For the first time she can remember, he is not dressed in his armour, but rather wears a formal military uniform of some type. The effect is impressive on him, and she realises just how well built this man is. As he gets close, he seems to hesitate, before moving forwards and embracing her gently. "Gods above I'm glad to see you're alive. An old trapper came throuh three days ago and said he'd found a few bodies out in the hills region. He couldn't identify them since they'd been chewed up by scavengers and tossed about by strom waters. We've all been worried here"
Sense motive DC13
Alandra meanwhile was stalking through the encampment towards the makeshift bar when Father Kavken looked up at her. He smiled at the young woman, missireading the look on her face completely. The smile creased his face in broad wrinkles, and turned his rough features into something much more kindly. "What news from the wildlands Alandra? Any sign of the shrine I seek?". Nearby, a young man and woman look up from their work constructing the bar under a large tarpaulin to watch the exchange curiously.
Arianna seems almost aimless in her wanderings, with not much to see or do. As she moves amongst the place though she notes a mark on one of the crates. A family crest of some minor noble family out of Restov. For some reason it seems familiar but she can't quite place it. The feeling puts her on edge though, and that is something the young rogue learnt to recognise as a danger sign many years ago.
Elsbeth will pretend she didn't smell the perfume on Garess persona.
She greets him and let him hug her, after all she needs some pet now.
"Every day out there is so hard captain,and as you can see for yourself, i'm in no shape for chatting now.We'll talk this evening in your tent, unless you have....some better things to do ? Hmmmm?"
Anya put a nice, uncomplicated smile on her lips as Alannah flattered her and her brother - but she wasn't taken in by it entirely. Her brother... a leader? In battle, maybe, but he hadn't been ambitious beyond that. Or had he? Had she placed the changeling below his worth, and his potential?
Things she'd probably ponder in the dead of night - but not now. "Yes, I received similar warnings before" She admitted towards Lev. "I am not sure who it is yet. Would you share your thoughts?" She looked Alannah up and down - the next words would probably decide in no small bit where Anya placed her in the unfolding conspiracy and probable counter-conspiracy. She felt a little uneasy, her stomach quivering with memory on her brother's power-plays for her father's attention - and the conspiracy against her mentor. A horrible, messy game it was, in ways as deadly as the battles she fought with steel. But one she'd need to master herself.
She had no doubt the girl would produce the charter - after all why even mention it unless it was waterproof.
"What news from the wildlands Alandra? Any sign of the shrine I seek?"
Alandra starts when the priests speaks to her, having completely forgotten about the shrine to Erastil she was supposed to look for.
"Im sorry Father, we didn't get very far. Some wolves attacked us and killed most of our horses, and Mawj took off with the rest. But we will be going back out in a day or two, and if we come across it I will be sure to let you know."
Now, since he is setting up a shrine here in camp, Alandra will definitely keep a lookout for the one in the wilderness, hoping Father Kavken will move there. Not that she dislikes the guy, she just isn't keen on the competition for worshipers.
Alannah looked at the two people before her, their skepticism palpable.
If everything that's happened so far makes them this paranoid, no wonder they need help.
She reaches into her pack and draws out her charter, holding it up to clearly display the seal.
"It's obvious you don't necessarily believe me. Diplomacy is well and good but when talk fails things tend to explode into violence much quicker than anyone expects. My skills and my eye would help defend against anything that may try to cause problems. Besides, there are all kinds of diplomacy."
She looks at Anya.
"I have no idea who, or even why? But if Ulrich want's me to watch your backs, I guarantee you I will. I owe him."
Anya nodded, despite having reservations about now getting a bodyguard out of seemingly nowhere. "It's good to have you with us. I'm not certain enough to move against my prime suspect in the issue yet - so I had hoped you might have some news regarding that."
Her face lit up in more sincere joy as a thought crossed her mind. Maybe... yes. Probably she had been here a few days, and could explain the situation a little better. "Have you waited for us long? You might be able to tell us a little bit about life here. Are Oleg and Svetlana still in charge of their own home, or have the guardsmen been treating them poorly. Who are these other people, and when did they arive? Anything like this might come in very handy."
Elsbeth
Svetlana is happy to see her as always, and the two women spend some time talking about dresses and men in general. The young merchants wife specifically drags the topic of conversation around to matters of the bedroom and bearing children, feeling that Elsbeth's connections with Callistia may help her in this area. All over, it is a happy reuinion and a conversation filled with laughter.
Alandra
Edit
Anya, Lev and Alannah
General answers to Anya's questiosn since Alannah hasn't been told specifically.
Oleg and Svetlana are still running their outpost, but Captain Garess is taking more and more of a hand on who enters without being hassled by his guards. The arrival of the new folk seem to have bolstered his confidence and he seems to have quite some authority in teh small camp.
Most of the folk in the campsite come from mid western Brevoy. Anya's knowledge of politcal relationships means she knows this puts them squarely in the area of House Garess control. It would seem her suspicions are becoming more and more concrete.
Arianna
Wrath DM:
Alandra takes the flour offering and leads the woman to a quiet corner of the camp to say a prayer. The she tells her:
[b}"I am going to set up a shrine to Pharasma here in the camp soon, so you will be able to pray there yourself. When I am in camp I will be able to attend to the needs of you and any other worshippers of my Lady who are staying here."
Anya moved towards the old trading post swiftly and put on her best-practiced smile. Oleg would be an important ally, and she needed to be her best if she wanted to get him squarely and securely on her side. "Oleg. Good to be back. How have times been treating you" She greeted the man, opening the encounter with a bit of cordial smalltalk.
Her objective was clear - find out how the second most influential man thought of their new protector now, several days later. Maybe he was already chafing under his rules - that would be perfect. Otherwise, some incitement might be needed. Later she would make a point to meet some residents to find points of contention.
Lev glances at the girl and nods. "A moment, please."
He turns back to Alannah. "Welcome to the team. I'll be interested in speaking with you more about any thoughts you might have about improving our situation in this camp at a later time. Anya, I'll speak with you later. Good evening to you both."
Inclining his head slightly to Alannah and Anya, he turns and extends his arm to the young woman and walks off in her company.
Elsbeth
Kesten had been a minor scion of house Garess in the mid reaches, when he fell on the wrong side of a scandal involving he and a scullery maid. When she fell pregnant, he was forced to leave his lands in disgrace while his father "cleaned up the mess". He had been sent to manage one of the family's mercenary companies operating out of Restov and had been there for the past three years, awaiting his fathers invitation to return to his proper station.
While the invitation hadn't come so far, he recently received heartening word from his father about his current posting.
"I could well be a powerful man once these lands are settled Elsbeth. With you and I together, we could really make something of these lands."
She had been forced to lie a little during the exchange, making some promises she had no real intention of following through with, but it was ncessary to get more from him.
"My uncle organised these folk down from the midreach when he heard the swordlords were making a play for this land. If we can scatter enough folk through here that are loyal to house Garess, then when a settlement is established it should not take much for me to take the rule."[b] He had looked troubled for a moment, before continuing. [b]"Since you are not from Brevoy, I feel you can be trusted in this. The politics of my homeland are messy, and it is good to have someone from the outside that I can discuss these things with"
Interesting information indeed
Alandra
At the news that Alandra is planning to create a shrine for worship, she nods encouragingly and promises to let her friends know. All up, quite an encouraging start to things, though how the priest of Erastil would respond was anyone’s guess.
Alandra and Alannah
He takes a heavy pouch from behind the counter and passes it to the young noble woman. Inside is a large sum of gold, and a note congratulating the group on silencing the bandit activity along the old Restov Road.
Having completed his task he then sets to talking earnestly with the woman he has come to trust and think of as the leader of the group. His concept of Captain Garess and his men has dropped significantly since the new folk arrived. Apparently the man now struts around thinking he can rule the place. While Oleg has complete authority in his own trading post, the captain has taken to stationing men outside the gates and questioning all who come in. There was an altercation between the guards and three of Oleg’s regular customers. They were trappers who worked the greenbelt and they took exception to the “kingdom” taking over the lands. The captain drove them off and so Oleg had lost good business. ”It’s been getting worse every day. The people living outside these gates just accept his word as law and follow everything he says. The old Priest of Erastil has taken it on himself to set up a small town here it would seem, something else I’m not overly keen on. If things get more permanent out there, someone may well set up a competing trade post. Traffic through here has picked up a lot since you and the others took care of the bandits. Lots of talk about folk coming in and settling the land. Has me worried if this Garess is the type they look to send here and run things.”
Lev
The two young lovers returned late afternoon, strolling hand in hand and sharing small private jokes. No one seemed to think anything of it all as they passed through the encampment, though Lev wondered what Milos was going to say when he found out.
The young hunter needn’t have worried though. Milos smiled broadly to see his daughter looking happy. A worldly family indeed.
Kesten had been a minor scion of house Garess in the mid reaches, when he fell on the wrong side of a scandal involving he and a scullery maid. When she fell pregnant, he was forced to leave his lands in disgrace while his father "cleaned up the mess". He had been sent to manage one of the family's mercenary companies operating out of Restov and had been there for the past three years, awaiting his fathers invitation to return to his proper station.
While the invitation hadn't come so far, he recently received heartening word from his father about his current posting.
"I could well be a powerful man once these lands are settled Elsbeth. With you and I together, we could really make something of these lands."
Elsbeth pauses:
"OK, here i had to make some fake promises, so keep in mind i'm endangering myself"
Then she keeps the report of Garess's tale:
"My uncle organised these folk down from the midreach when he heard the swordlords were making a play for this land. If we can scatter enough folk through here that are loyal to house Garess, then when a settlement is established it should not take much for me to take the rule." He had looked troubled for a moment, before continuing. "Since you are not from Brevoy, I feel you can be trusted in this. The politics of my homeland are messy, and it is good to have someone from the outside that I can discuss these things with"
Interesting information indeed
Oleg:
She took a moment to ponder the situation. It wasn't at all easy, even with Oleg potentially backing her up. But it was getting better, sinc her counterpart was making mistakes. "I'm not sure how to handle this man yet - we can't just send him and the guards away. Not with all the people already here. But I won't let you be disowned on your own property, nor your business destroyed for his benefit. I'll see that I get a chance to speak to this priest tomorrow - maybe we can convince him that you're good, hard working people who deserve the protection of Old Deadeye much more than he does."
She briefly almost considered announcing her intentions to Oleg right there and then, as a show of good faith - but putting her cards on the table was never a good strategy. So she kept it as a non-commited " I think anyone trying to rule should have walked these lands, not merely started bossing around honest, hard-working folks."
Elsbeth and Lev:
She looked towards Lev to give him a chance for his input before continuing.
Lev frowns. "So he thinks he can take the rule while the rest of us do all the work? You're right, Anya, we can't expect to send people back after they've come here. But if they're going to stay, we need to find some way to win their loyalty. At the moment, we're too far out of the loop."
He begins to pace, his arms clasped behind his back. "I think we're going to need to be a bit more public about our conquests out there. When we take out bandits, we need to make sure that the people here know it. Bringing back more prisoners and seeing them properly hung might be one way to go about that. Failing prisoners, we might need to start bringing back bodies. We should also take advantage of our relationship with Oleg and Milos. If we have stronger connections to the trade going in and out of here, we'll have our fingers on the economy as well."
He looks to the women. "Those are the ideas that come more readily to mind. The both of you have more skill at negotiating the hidden currents of politics than I. Have you any other ideas? And perhaps this new woman, Alannah, can be of help as well."
Elsbeth and Lev:
She looked toward the proper trading post. "I spoke with Oleg about this topic already, and he is worried. Worried a rival trader might turn up any day, one beholden to Garess. That mustn't happen. If we lose Oleg, we lose our shot." She looked worried, her lips pressed tightly. "We have a few ways to go. Some I'd rather not consider unless as a very last resort. For one thing, a priest of Erestil backs Garess. I'm not sure how he'll react to me, but I kind of doubt he will like Garess leaving behind a pregnant paramour too much. So this erodes his base a little. That will only slow him, though. We need to attack his credibility and his perceived competence. As it is, he profits from our battles - the less the trade post is in danger, the more competent he appears without lifting a finger."
With a mischievous grin, she added "Now, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't put all these people in any real danger. But some embarrassing false alarms make him seem like a joke - especially if he attends to them in his smallclothes. He seems like the kind of person our Fae tricksters might have a field day with."
"I am not sure how to handle the stream of refugees, though. Do you have any ideas how to stem them? If the family wants to really push the issue, we can't do much against them openly on an explorer's charter. We'd need to push for Swordlord backing."
Wrath DM:
”Thank you your worshipness” she states with a smile ”It is me first you see. Would you be around when he is born? I would like for one such as you to be close in case it is a difficult birthing.”
"You're welcome. I will certainly try my best to be here. Go with Pharasma's blessing until then." Alandra answers the young woman.
In the meantime Alandra talks to Oleg about purchasing a tent of her own that she can set up in the camp.
Lev and Elsbeth
She put the possible confrontation behind herself as swiftly as possible. "There is one thing we could do. It's a bit risky, since it makes for a confrontation between Oleg and Garess, but we could construe someone impeding his trade as against our charter - that would make sure Oleg's customers get here, and bloody his nose somewhat."
Lev, Elsbeth & Anya
Alannah observes quietly as the others plot, silently studying their reactions and motivations, her eyes keenly following body language and posture.
She looked at Lev when he spoke of her as if she were not in the room, a focused, not quite glare that brought to mind an archery target.
"You'll face resistance, and it might get ugly. The guards around here might be idiots, but they seem pretty capable."
Elsbeth turns to the newcomer:
"I don't think we have been properly introduced, but you speak as you were traveling with us all these days.Nor do i want to make new enemies out of a potential friend. I'm Elsbeth Volarius of House Volarius from Westcrown, pleased to meet you."
Alandra's small shrine is soon set up. A small tent at the outskirts of town, near the plot where they buried the bodies of the bandits. Having made obeisance to her goddess and completed the rights for teh dedication of the shrine, the young priestess went off to find her friends.
She found them crowded together with a newcomer, another women who seemed to be a capable looking warrior. Her companions looked up when she arrived and stepped away from each other slightly, welcoming her to the group but obviously ending their conversation.
The newcomer was introduced as Alannah Silverbow, a warrior sent by the swordlords to provide more support for their mission here in the southlands. She seemed pleasent enough, and had certainly appeared to have fit in with her travelling companions already.
Having reformed, the group settle for an evening meal with Milos and his daughter, plus Svetlana and Oleg. For a change, Captain Garess doesn't dine with the party, spending time out in the tent encampment where sounds of revelry also appear to be coming. Oleg's face seems a little tight and Svetlana certainly rests a reassuring hand on his arm at one point, but for the most part the meal is jovial and reafirms the friendships starting to form between these groups. At one stage, Father Kavken joins them from the settlement outside, obviously trying to help forge a bond between the two groups by being a common friend to all. The mans is kindly, but seems to vague at times, as though his mind is elsewhere.
Alandra smiles at the newcomer, then says bluntly "Who're you?"
Anya motioned towards Alannah briefly, and put on a nice smile. "Friends, this is Alannah. She's been sent here to support us on our mission by Ulrich. Also, she's here to make sure some... problems do not grow over our heads." When she spoke the word problem, she conspicously towards the window where the tent quarter could now be seen.
Anya observed the absent-minded priest for a moment, before deciding to strike out. The man seemed absent-minded and troubled somehow. "Father, you seem troubled. Is something the matter?" She pushed forward. Priests of Old Deadeye were difficult business. On the one hand, the faith made so much sense that she'd have converted to it if other faiths didn't also make so much sense - but on the other hand, it grated a little on her that some of its priests would probably rather speak to her brother, regardless of relative merit.
Alannah nodded at the intoduction with a smile and stepped forward to greet both Elsbeth and Alandra.
"I'm sure we'll get to know each other well over time."
The older man turned to look at Anya when she asked her question. His face relaxed at the young womans concern, and the smile he gave dropped 5 years from his face. "I am troubled by the vision Erastil has sent me, my dear. Everynight I see the shrine and the bear that guards it, knowing I need to reconsecrate it, but also knowing I will die If I take the bear on myself. Once you fine folk can locate it for me, I will do what Erastil has ordained, but the burdeb rests heavy"
He looks out from the main gate, to where the tent encampments lights burn dimly in the night air. "And now it seems more folk have come who could use my guidance, to tell you the truth, I am somewhat torn."
At the other end of the table, Milos had engaged Oleg and Svetlana in a conversation about the number of refugees that Restov now held.
"The troubles with the Northern nobles has people running scared. The succession to the dragon throne has caused the political snakes to come from their holes, and as usual, it is the common folk who suffer my old friend." Milos was as serious as any of them had seen them.
"The sooner these fine folk can open these southern lands for settlement, the better for many of those trapped in the city. I have heard that the swordlords have sent other groups East and west of here as well. It is a bold move, but they would do well to keep things low key or those Northern Jackles will take a bite at them as well."
Oleg nodded along with the conversation, his face growing more grim as the conversation continued. He spoke quietly to Milos, but his mind seemed far from focused on the conversation at hand. "Aye Milos, the last thing we need here are the poisonous politics of the old houses. The swordlords are trying for something fresh here. I am sure their motives are far from innocent, but the chance for something other than old Brevoy is too great to let slip."
He looked briefly across at the tents of the mercenary guards before flitting his eyes at Anyaa and Lev. The man had been drinking steadily all night, and he was well into his cups, but his words were clear.
The table had gone quiet for a moment, until Milos thumped Oleg heartily on the back. "Bah, enough talk of lands far from here. Time for music and dance yes?"
With that he and his daughter took up their instruments and entertained those folk within the old Trade post.
Elsbeth will enjoy the evening,she is always in for some fun
For the second time is two days Alandra wonders what is he doing here when Father Kaven joins them at the table, then wonders what he means by "I am somewhat torn."
However, he does seem like a kind man, and after the dinner she tries to talk to him, to get more of an ides of what brought him to the camp.
Anya listened in on the other table's conversation with one ear, but focussed her attention on the matter at hand. "Yes, the shrine. We've been looking for it, but as you well know, it can't be our only concern - else banditry would soon overtake this stretch of land again." She tried to probe a little, unsure still how the priest would react to her. "So, how has the outpost fared under Garess' protection? It would seem a lot of refugees have stranded here. A lot of temptations arise in such makeshift circumstances for men of a kind."
Anya gathered her friends and new allies after the small festivities were concluded. "We have a problem. Garess is taking the spoils of our work, and he's not shy about his intention to take these lands for himself. Now, some of you may be fine with that, but I for one think these people deserve better than him, and we in turn deserve better than some bandits pilfered goods. We'll need to tackle him, and soon. He's becoming more entrenched by the day." She motioned towards Bergan, the ex-bandit she had retained as a servant. "Bergan, I'd like you to stay here for the time being. Take your time to get to know these people, what their troubles are and who among them chafes under Garess."
She swallowed, and braced herself for the hard part. "We'll also need to do something I know none of us really likes. Spend money. While Garess is the only protection the settlers and Oleg have, his word is law by default. I would like to allocate our latest stipend to hiring mercenaries. Even if it is just boys with clubs, they would prevent Oleg from being browbeaten, protect his regular customers from worse mistreatment than they already suffered - and maybe most importantly, give Garess something to do with his time. He's probably not equipt with much money - buying our people off or shoring up his own troops would be hard to do."
"We aren't precisely rich ourselves"
Anya nodded at Elsbeth's objection. She had expected it, either from her or from Arianna. "We are not, but we have an income of a sort. Loot recovered from bandits, valuables we find along the way. He has only very limited possibilities short of taxing the squat - which he won't do, because even attempting to raise taxes without a proper fief is by definition banditry."
She couldn't help but grin. "So if we outspend him, he can either cripple himself by spending with no way to gain it back - or call for help with his family. I'd be much surprised if they were to become involved beyond what they already do. Too much risk for a wastrel like him."
Alandra
Kavken seems reluctant to speak of his past, though he does open up somewhat to a fellow priest. He talks fondly of his old village back in Eastern Brevoy where he had helped the community form a tight bond when a group of highwaymen had tried to muscle the town. That little venture had cemented his place in the village and he had felt satisfied doing Erastil's bidding at that point. However, his god had other plans and now he chased this vision.
The young priestess of Pharasma can tell there is more to the story, particularly in the part between beating the highwaymen and going n this sojourn. Unfortunately Kavken is very good at working around the topic.
Answering Anya's Question to Kavken
Kavken seems to animate at the question of the refugees. "Aye my dear, things got tense for a dy or two there I will admit. When folk sit idle for too long then things go bad. However, I have given them some direction in building more permanent structures while we wait for you fine folk to open the southern boundaries more. The work keeps them busy and focused."
He smiles at Anya's question about Captain Garess, possibly getting an inkling for the groups feelings on the man as he sat there for dinner. "Kesten Garess has ambitions, it is true. However, he also has skills which could be of great value to a community if he could learn to control some of his more "Noble born behaviours", so to speak." His eyes flickered towards Elsbeth for a brief moment before returning to Anya. Given time and some guidance, I believe he would make a good leader. However, he seems comfortable commanding in a manner that rubs some folk to wrong way. I will try to keep Erastils concepts of community strong here, but the next few weeks may be difficult." He smiles in a fatherly kind of way at that thought, like a man considering the difficulties of correcting a cilds behaviour. Typical of a priest of his faith really.
At the group meeting
Bergan shifts a little uncomfortably when Anya makes her plan clear, but his face seems resolved. I owe you people my life in all honesty. Twice in fact." The man seems far more comfortable with the group since Mawj's departure, like a tension has left his shoulders, though he still keeps clear of Arianna as much as possible. He smiles ruefully before continuing "I am no spymaster nor politician, but I do know people. I can use my skills at woodcraft to work with these folk and get a feel for things. Certainly I shall tell them of your exploits so far and see if we can curry some favour in your direction. However, I think perhaps you should be checking with Oleg before asking him to put me up here. Svetlana would take a knife to me before allowing me to stay near her without you and Lev around. You may have forgiven me for my past, but she has not."
His eyes flickered towards Elsbeth for a brief moment
Elsbeth points her right index finger on her chest, posing her best expression meaning "Who? Me?"