The Goði nods sagely.
"Shelter you shall have and Branok tells me several of you are wounded? With your permission, I shall send for somebody to change the bandages and see that you get a good night's rest."
"All Æsir are honoured in this hall, young one," he replies to Kara. "You should speak with Gyðja Conwenna, she guides Freya's faithful among us. I believe she walks amongst the people tonight, but she should return some time after midnight." The Goði smirks a little as he makes this statement.
Felix heads into the city with Prasutagus, the pair had a few drinks before Felix bids him good day and left to explore the city for himself.
Felix strolls casually amongst the crowd of people, feeling right at home. He pays particular attention to anyone that looks well off as potential targets to practice his arts on. At same time, Felix is also trying to memorise the layout of the city, in case he needs to make a quick get away.
As Felix makes his towards the higher wards of the city, where the merchants and nobles seek their evening entertainment, he spots a blonde man in fine robes with a conspicuously bulging leather pouch hanging from his hip.
Smiles up at the old priest, happy to hear someone who could help her out. She nods to him and says " Thank you for all the kindness you have shown us. Do you have an area that I may change? It would be nice to not wear armor for a few hours. I will await Gyðja there if it is okay. "
"Many underestimate how their honour is reflected in their hospitality," the Goði replies knowingly. It's always our pleasure to accommodate Woden's children. The door on the left leads to the sleeping chambers. I will have an initiate find you a room."
He gestures to a wooden door just beyond the hearth, inlaid with an ornate carving of Nótt astride her horse.
Felix starts tailing the man, looking for the right moment to liberate him from those over burdening possessions. Felix moves at a swift walking pace, taking care not to get spotted by the mark or appear suspicious to the surrounding crowd.
"Goði, on the moor we were attacked by Cwm Annwn, fierce hounds from the otherworld. Have there been any other reports of travellers attacked in this manner?"
Felix weaves amongst the passersby, drawing closer to his mark without attracting attention, until he is walking almost behind the man.
Meanwhile, the Goði looks at Gawen with concern.
"It is not unusual for travellers to go missing on the moors," he begins, his tone measured. "They are home to dangers both mundane and otherwise - your brethren of the Wistman's Wood know more of that than I. However, the road west merely brushes the moors and those who stick to it are usually safe."
At this he frowns.
"In all my years I have never encountered one who has faced Hel's hounds and lived to tell the tale! Many claim to have spotted such beasts, but usually only those reeking of mead and ale. I do not know who among your number these creatures sought, but I fear one of you has been marked by a greater power if they fell upon you as you say. You are all lucky to be alive! Whatever force drove the Garmr to hunt you, another has clearly granted you their favour."
Not wanting to be left alone outside, Magan gently scoops up Isolde without waking her and carries her inside, just in time to hear the Godi's unwelcome conclusion. He keeps his thoughts to himself though, not wanting to begin any unease between members of the group, especially when they were just starting to trust each other.
Kara was busy changing into more comfortable clothing in the other room to hear any of what the Goði was speaking on, the clanging of her armor coming off very clearly heard. It had been a long time since she had truly taken off all her armoring, and so for a few minutes she would relax in the relative comfort, before looking in her pack for suitable clothing. She would dress herself in a modest dress, nothing overly revealing, but also did not manage to hide she was somewhat well built. Maybe a bit thin, but she had some curves.
After checking that her stuff was all in one corner, she would come back out to where Gawen and the Goði were talking, tying her hair back in a braid. This time it was just one single long ponytail of almost white hair. She would then just sit and listen, until she knew what the conversation was, or the Gyðja returned.
Felix swipes for the bulging leather pouch on the man's behind.
Felix successfully snatches the pouch from the man's belt, but does not evade notice. He turns snatches Felix by the wrist yelling
"Lleidr! Lleidr!"
as loud as he can!
The guards immediately turn, and seeing the situation move towards the pair, their hands grasping their weapons.
Gawen nods in agreement. "The skilled arms of my companions were enough to fend them from us thankfully, though not entirely without cost."
He gestures to his injured arm, which still throbs with a deep ache where the hounds' teeth had rended his flesh.
"Have you heard any news from elsewhere in Prydain?"
The Goði shakes his head.
"Not of that nature, although there is much talk of the men from Rome in the east. Many ask why Æthelberht has not thrown them back into the sea."
He takes a critical look at the bandages wrapped around Gawen's arm.
"I will have our brothers tend to that. It should not fester overnight."
Felix jabs the man in the gut and twists his hand against his thumb to get free. Stuffing the pouch in his bag, Felix darts back towards the nearest ally way that he saw on his way here.
"My thanks. I'd be interested to hear more of the men from Rome - if I wanted to find some merchants or travellers who've come from that way, where would you suggest I go?"
Felix slips through the man's fingers and is running before anyone can get a firmer hold on him. The guards shout for him to stop and chase after him, breaking into a run across the street. The alley grows ever narrower as the buildings run closer together, but their sides present plenty of handholds.
Meanwhile, back at the temple, the Goði strokes his beard thoughtfully.
"Rumours always abound on the market, but you'll have to wait for tomorrow morning when it opens. You could try the inns and taverns in that quarter though. Many merchants spend their coin there."
Seeing a small gap, Felix decides to squeeze through it. But not before leaving a handful of caltrops behind as gifts for his pursuers.
Felix successfully slips through the gap, stumbling out on the far side onto a narrow stone ledge between the building walls and the river. Behind him one guard struggles to push his way through after the thief, but he is a broader man than Felix and has difficulty squeezing his way through. The other appears atop the rooftop, hoping to cut around from above.
Having had a few dealings with men from Rome, and unfamiliar so far with how it affected the area, asks rather bluntly, " May I ask why men from Rome cause such concern in this area? The only stories I ever heard was they were weak men who could be distracted with a few coins and women, and the women could be from another tribe."
Felix runs along the river-side wall
The granite ledge is slick with damp moss and algae, and Felix's foot slips with a jolt.
The Goði lets out a low chuckle.
"They are not great warriors, that is true. Their words are treacherous though. They bend the mind and turn good men against the gods. The claim to bring peace to our lands, but they would destroy our way of life forever if permitted to."
Felix flails at the wall, but finds only more slippery algae and plummets into the dark waters of the Exe.
Fortunately he manages to steady himself underwater without losing the coin pouch.
On the riverside the city guards peer down into the murky depths, but it is difficult to see where Felix might be.
Underwater a rusty grate in the side of the stone wall can be seen.
Felix swims for the grate.
With a heave, Felix barely manages to break the heavily rusted struts and slips through the hole into the darkness on the other side. Unlike most, he can see here just fine. He is in a stone tunnel of some kind. Presumably below one of the buildings in the district above.
Gawen nods in agreement.
"Part of why we're heading that way is to find out how much of a cause for concern they are. It may be that they are weak, but if they have the ear of the Sacsonaidd King it could cause trouble for us all."
He grimaces in pain as his arm throbs again.
"I think I'll leave the news-gathering for the morning though. Did you say there was somewhere I could clean this wound?"
The Goði sees Gawen through the same door Kara left by, towards the temple's living chambers. He is met by members of the temple's order who show him to his own chambers and redress his wounds.
Felix catches his bre and checks his surroundings for an exit. Once he located the exit, Felix opens the pouch and checks the content within.
The tunnel is comprised of two stone shelves, each running parallel to a central channel of water, from which Felix has emerged. The shelves are lined with various barrels and perpendicular to the tunnel's length a small set of stairs seem to lead up to a door of some kind.
The pouch contains a scrap of parchment with a list of mundane tasks written on it, a clean spotted handkerchief, another scrap of parchment with an unintelligible note scribbled on it, thirty pieces of silver and a large clear gemstone set into an ornately decorated socket of yellow metal.
Felix dries himself off as much as possible, then stuff the silver into his own bag and tucks the jewelry safely inside his shirt, out of sight. He discard the rest of the stuff along with the pouch and slowly approaches the door, checking it for traps.
The thick oaken door is untrapped, but secured by an iron lock.
Felix tries to pick the lock open.
Felix gets to work with his picks and the lock opens with a soft click. On the other side of a door is a narrow shaft of stone bricks, with a ladder leading up to a trap door.
Felix heads towards the trap door, taking care not to make too much noise. He pressed up against the door flap and listens intently, trying to determine what's on the other side.
The other side seems quiet. Felix hears nothing.
Felix opens the trap door a slither and peeks out.
The other side is a the dark interior of a wooden warehouse full of stacked barrels. Felix doesn't see any people.
Felix sneaks across th warehouse, looking for an exit out.
The front of the building bears a large set of double doors that look like they open onto the street. At the side of the warehouse, Felix find a smaller door. Both are locked.
Felix tires to pick open the smaller door to the side.
Felix slips out into an alley between two buildings. To his left is the main road, to his right, the river.
Felix makes his away around the warehouse towards the main street, doing his best to stay hidden. He peaks around the corner of the building into the street.
Felix slips away through the crowd and heads for a poorer quarter of the city, where he rents a cheap room for the night. The next morning he meets the rest of the caravan back at the temple.
Magan's arm flinches as he goes to tangle his fingers as he always does when he feels out of depth in a conversation before he realises he is still carrying the sleeping girl. She feels light in his arms and he can't help but notice how helpless she is. He realises that if she is to remain with them then she is going to need the toughness of the poor children he so often met on the streets worked into her. Whilst Branok's kindness may be lovely, it was not going to prepare her for what lay ahead. She will have to ride the next leg, help with the camp and carry some equipment, and the training will have to step up.
Magan follows quietly through to the Chambers to get some rest for the night and dream of battling Christians rather than hounds of Hel.
Gawen thanks the members of the temple as they dress his wound, then settles down to sleep, well aware that rest is the best medicine for most ills. Pen settles down in his customary position at the end of the bed, and is fast asleep within minutes.
Gawen takes longer to drift off as he reflects on the journey so far. When he does eventually sleep, his dreams are haunted by dark stormclouds and a distant howling.
Retires to her area for the night, awaiting the priestess for further instruction in how to best service Freya, and thinking on her journey so far. She felt there was areas where they had missed, and she thought maybe they should go back, as bandits where to not be tolerated. But she also didnt know the laws well of this land, so she couldnt make that call. Perhaps in time her journey will give a better idea.
Pen has had a great evening. There were lots of new smells to smell and lots of new friends to meet! The fire was warm and a nice man even gave him some MEAT! Gawen is here and it is warm and soft. Today was a good day.
In the early hours of the morning Kara hears the heavy, uneven footfalls of the inebriated come clattering down the wooden passage outside the room where she has been quartered, followed by a thump and a curse. The voice sounds female.
Kara jerks awake, groping around for weapons that where not there, as she had left them all bundled with her armor out of respect for the temple at the foot of her bed. She peers into the darkness, her vision unfettered by the darkness. She secures her hand on her sword before calling out " Who disturbs the peace of the temple at this hour?" She wasn't exactly clothed to fight anyone, as she was just in a night gown, but she would give it her best shot.