Rikael assumes a defensive stance, and places himself between the Lady and the half orc. He levels Kegtap at the half orc and speaks cooly and matter of fact.
Aye, we've slaughtered enough allies of the fey the last few days. Surrender and your life is safe. Attack us, and we'll add one more body to the pile. Come out slowly with your hands in the air.
"What he said." Thorn steps forward, bow and arrow in hand pointed at the skulker. His eyes seeking out other possible suspects.
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So, we have a troll. Interesting. But I wonder why you are locked up here. Odd thing for allies to do. As to letting you out, you will have to give us more than threats. If fact each threat makes it less likely. I wonder if fey eat, if they starve.
Agatha looks at Urga. Do you know much about trolls, Warrior? Tough and dangerous, so the stories say.
Urga shakes his head at Agatha, "Nay, I've never encountered a troll. All I know is what the legends say."
The orcish figure pauses for a while, then comes out slowly, hands away from her sides. When it comes fully out of hiding, you recognize the creature as a half-orc woman. She speaks in clear Taldane, "I mean no harm." Then after a short pause, "I'm part cook, part errand runner, part housekeeper. I do odd jobs around here and the men let me come in from out of the cold. They call me Penny."
You don't think that the woman is lying, but you also don't think she is telling the whole story.
The fey continues to become more agitated as Agatha talks to it. "These are not threats, they are promises! I have powerful allies that you don't want to make angry. You let me out now!"
Sildur lowers his sword, "Penny then, my name is Sildur. How long have you been here? Did you come with Rhokar and his ilk?"
"Well then Penny, care to set your weapons down?" calls out THron from where he is.
Penny replies to Sildur, "I've not been here very long, really less than a fortnight. I was traveling overland and ran into all this weather. I really ran into the camp here with little more than my skin intact. These guys were a bit rough but they left me alone and I got my own room."
Somewhat sheepishly continuing, she points to her array of knives. "I just need these to cook with. There is a stew on. Does anybody want some?"
Overhearing the conversation the Lady Argentea pipes up, "Stew is far better than being hungry. Might you have any bread with it?"
Sildur smiles but remains at a distance from Penny, "I must say a warm meal would do wonders. Though it will have to wait until we finish securing the lodge. Where is it you were heading when the weather hit Penny?"
Penny stammers a bit and answers, "I.. I.. was headed toward Oppara, to see the big city. Coming from the south, I thought the quickest way would be to go overland, but I ended up here. If the cold weather would break, I'd be on my way."
She then asks, "Do you want me to serve the meal? It's really for midday but it should be fine to eat."
Sildur consider for a moment and then simply shrugs, "That would be great, thank you Penny. Just give us a few moments."
Suggesting that either Thorn or Rikael stay with Penny and the Lady Argentea, Sildur goes back to checking the remaining rooms, searching for anything of note.
As soon as he's finished with the other rooms he goes back to H11 and H12, using the key ring to open both of the chests he noted in the rooms.
Thorn elects to watch over Penny as the Lady helps herself to a meal.
"So you're a bandit here or not?"
...taking an interest in food...
Ah...victuals'd be mighty fine...be there good ale ta go along with it?
Sturion strolls liesurely toward the larder.
Rikael nods to Thorn when he elects to watch Penny, and follows Sildur to the chests. He stays alert in case any of them are trapped.
Urga walks balk downstairs to the Kitchen and notes Penny, "You have been working with the Bandits. It appears that you did so willingly. Why should we trust you?"
As the talk of food gets more common, Penny says "Why don't you all sit at the table? I'd be serving food anyway, even if you all did not show up this morning. At least now, I'm doing it for nicer people."
Penny starts to gather up crockery and flatware for a meal.
As Thorn and Urga and ask Penny more directly about the banditry, she gets a bit flustered but answers readily, "It's true, these lot were bandits. The way I see it, I had no real choice. It was freeze in the unexpected winter or hold up here while I could. I never took part in any actual banditry or robbery when they went out on raids. I mostly stayed here and tended to deal with the kitchen."
Meanwhile upstairs in the storeroom...
The fey rattles the cage and shouts at Agatha, "NO, NO! You get back here now and unlock this cage. I will not warn you again about what will happen if you do not!"
As Sildur searches...
The keys on the keyring fit into the chest in room H11. Inside the chest and in that room you find:
- a gold ingot engraved with the Taldan royal seal (Appraise (dc 10) 50 gp)
- a spyglass like one that would be used on a ship
- a silver lady’s ring (Appraise (dc 10) 25 gp)
- three shards of tiger’s eye gemstones (Appraise (dc 10) worth 10 gp each)
- a fine pair of leather riding boots of elven make (Appraise (dc 12) 15 gp)
- a silver dagger with a hidden compartment in the hilt containing 1 dose of small poison (Alchemy (DC15) Centipede poison)
- a leather portfolio containing several pieces of parchment and 4 scrolls tied with twine
Sildur checks the lot over with detect magic first and foremost.
Finished, Sildur brings his finds out to the main room and sets them on the table. He holds up the silver ring and gestures to the boots, "I'd hazard a guess that some of these things are yours Argentea?"
He nods to the spyglass, "Scouts best friend, eh Thorn?"
Sniffing the poison hidden in the dagger, Sildur frowns but replaces it back into the hilt and tucks the dagger into his belt all the same.
Once Penny returns from a trip to the kitchen, Sildur points to H12, "Who's room was that Penny?
Lastly he hands the key ring to Sturion, "I imagine the last one is the one you're looking for."
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Agatha smiles to herself as says You know, for someone who thinks his powerful friends are coming to assist him, you really want to get out of that cage. No I think you can stay there for a while. I have to find a shovel. Unless someone is more forthcoming. Mmm, I smell cooking.
And with that, Agatha leaves the room.
On arriving downstairs she says, the fey caged upstairs is a servent of our foes. In the cage he is harmless, but he should NOT be released. Very big with the threats.
Agatha looks at the cook and says, And who is this?
When that is explained Agatha tells the party about Izore and Keb. Izore is a fey, and leader of fey as well, so could be most dangerous in magic. Keb seems to be a troll.
In league wit' trolls?
Sturion's face gets ruddier than usual.
Me sire kilt one o' those, once. Said they fight like a damned demon. Let that little feller stew a bit. He ain't no ally o' ours.
Thorn accepts the spyglass from Sildur.
"Indeed this will come in useful."
Then a face at Agatha's words.
"Trolls? Need to get some anti troll qeapons against it then. Also we should silence the fey. No need for it to go out and tell its friends about us."
Sildur frowns, at the talk of trolls, "Facing the fury of Irrisen it was only a matter of time before the ice trolls were unleashed. This will not be so easy an enemy as these few bandits."
He hands the leather portfolio to Agatha, "See what you make of these?"
"They have a fey locked upstairs? Let it rot if it has nothing more of use to tell you. Did you happen to find any other keys upstairs?"
Penny moves back and forth from the kitchen to the table, piling flatware and crockery in front of each place on the table. Soon, the stew follows in hot bowls.
Sniffing the bowl when it is placed before her, Lady Argentea says "Thank you, Goody Penny" with a smile. "It has been too many days without a warm meal."
When asked about the room to the north, Penny answers quckly. "That is my room. As far as I know, there are only my things in there. Is something amiss?"
Sildur looks at Penny oddly, "They gave you your own room then? So the chest within is yours? Somewhere to keep your belongings?"
Urga will step to the outer door to watch the perimeter the lodge area for any returning bandits. "Are we resting here for the day?"
Sildur nods to the half-orc, "It is warm and defensible, I think it would be wise to stay put."
As the stew is ladled out, Dru edges closer to the large table, clearly enticed by the smell.
Sturion idly scratches Dru behind the ears and takes a seat..
Now...about the ale, then...
Thorn returns after securing the doors, windows and helps himself to a bowl of stew.
Penny confirms Sildur's assertion, "Yes, those are my belongings. It's mostly personal items, really There isn't much in the way of valuables."
When Sturion brings up ale, Penny shakes her head and frowns. "They didn't keep much ale or spirits handy. Rhokar said that it lead to too many fights between the men. There is plenty of clean water, though."
Aye. Some of ye look ill-prepared fer the wickedness o' winter.
Sturion tastes the stew gingerly, at first, but digs in if it's good.
Any grain fer Tom, here?
Sildur looks up from his soup bowl, "Agreed. It is not far and we should get you back to safety Argentea. You will of course come with us Penny. Heldren is a far safer place for you."
He turns to Sturion, "I don't know about grain but there is surely something he'd enjoy in the cellar. I believe I saw some turnips while I was down there."
...somewhat muffled due to the bowl in his mouth...Aye...turnips. 'E's ner turt em doon.
There are indeed turnips, carrots, and other food that a mule would eat in the cellar.
Once mention of going back to Heldren is brought up, the Lady Argentea's eyes brighten and her mood improves. "I'd very much like to get back to civilization, " she says. "I do hope we have good transportation. My carriage was comfortable but it did not deal well with the bandit attack."
Penny likewise agrees, "Getting out of this forest would be nice. Do you know how far it is from town to Opparra?"
You can probably find enough winter clothing for Lady Argentea to make the trip in comfort as long as fashion is not a consideration.
You are going to take the fey in the cage or leave it here? Are there any last things you want to do before moving on?
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Agatha grins toothily. I'm afraid my dear that our method of transportation is mare's shank. We walked here, we walk back. But soonest started, soonest finished as my mother always said.
At that Agatha went upstairs to the fey. Well feyling, are you ready to hear your doom. We are taking you to the town of helden, for the good folk there to see and judge. I thinkit likely you will never leave that cage. But who knows. They might be nicer than me.
Agatha carries the cage downstairs and annouces This fey is our prisoner, Do not trust it.
She moves over to Dru and Sildur. Silder, you still have that cold iron dagger. Could you guard this...creature. And Dru, if he causes problems, eat him.
With that she hands the cage to Sildur.
"Direct isn't she." Thorn remarks as he prepares for travel. Finding a cloth to cover the cage, he drapes it over the cage.
"Just in case, so this doesn't find its way to the village and lead them here."
Sildur takes the cage gingerly, grateful when Thorn throws a cloth over it, "Can't say I'm much pleased by the notion but I'll not force the duty on anyone else. Just know that if the thing bites me it may not make it to Heldren..."
Setting the cage down for a moment, Sildur collects the heavy bear pelt and brings it to Argentea, "It smells a little musty my Lady but it should keep you warm for the journey."
Thinking for a moment he considers the location of Opparra
"Collect your things quickly Penny.", Sildur follows the half-orc girl to her room to watch over her while she grabs her possessions.
Before we go, Sturion does make sure that Tom gets his fill of the vegetables...and packs a largish sack for the road.
He does his best to stay away from the fey cage...not that he feels a duty to free it, as its words have proven it no ally...being a basic admission of guilt in his eyes...
...but he's trying to avoid the impulse to simply slam his longhammer into the cage with all the might he can muster, and end the frustration for good.
Rikael helps load up the cart, maintaining his usual jovial attitude. He appears extremely happy to be heading back to town after successfully saving the lady.
After the group finishes the meal, preparations for travel go quickly. The Lady Argentea accepts the bear pelt awkwardly but with a thanks. "I'll definitely need to keep warm, " she says.
As Sildur follows Penny into her room, he thinks about the local area.
As Penny gets ready to move, she opens the chest in her room with a key that she has in her possession. That explains where the key to that chest was. As she packs, she asks "Anything I should know about Heldren? Do they treat half-orcs well."
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The cage will be covered with a blanket, tied securely with a rope. One person will guard it at all times.
before leaving we will check for tracks away, to see if there are any well traveled trails, to follow up on later. Any papers or documents will be taken.
Unless anyone objects marching order as follows
thorn trail blazes, followed by agatha. Then sturion leading his mule (?) Which is pulling the cart. Then sildur and dru. Last is Rikael, securing the rear. Both the ladies walk beside the cart. Preferably on one side.
Answering Penny, Thorn seeks to assure her.
"No. In Heldren, everyone is treated based on their own merits and not because of their race. There would be some who would judge you on your past and who you are but there are others that don't. Just like all towns. Do not fear, I'm sure they will listen to us as we explain your situation. You may even grow to like it there and end up living there."
Sildur shrugs at Penny's question and nods at Thorn's answer, "They seemed to treat Agatha well enough. Not being a witch I imagine you'll do even better."
Urga continues to regard Penny suspiciously, "Heldren accepts half orcs, but is less tolerant of bandits whom align with evil fey and witches. Especially those who seek to plunge the land into supernatural winter. But, perhaps you can redeem yourself."
Urga will bring up the rear in the marching order.