"Good to see you too, Arbalasti." Scarlet chuckles. "You too,
Erevenywg. I wasn't worried, I just wanted to make sure- er"
"Right, let's go. We need to catch up to the Company."
"Almost ready", Alia comments as she packs up the last of her stuff.
Zokon looks over the farmer folk and waves to some, with a smile on his face.
"Let's get going, it wouldn't do to cause these people undue attention from the watch."
Durgan checks the saddle straps and mounts up on his horse. "I'm ready to go. Do we have a lead on the Company? Were they chased out of Mivon by the Lord-Mayor as well?"
The driver's tiny little arms snap the reigns, and cart begins to roll.
"Nae. They got it afair. Aw we ken is 'at they ur hauld up in wonna th' farms it thes way." says the tall man's belt buckle. A third stubby arm extends from the man's gut pointing vaguely out toward the northeast.
"We're looking for a farm where they are hiding out." Scarlet translates for more people.
Makdoon, and the party, lays on. But to where? There are farms dotted all over this land.
"Illthir, can you ask around at the first farm we find in that direction? You're good at being subtle. Well, better than me."
"We can also look for signs of their passage and track them. A large group passing by recently will leave footprints."
Zokon correlates what he's seen since coming from mivon with possible tracks to try and find a clue
Zokon finds the trail quickly enough. The company was indeed traveling together until they--suddenly--they weren't further down the road the dwarves' trail becomes more difficult to read. The Company of the Sapphire Scarab broke up into about eight units of about a dozen dwarves apiece. A few of the groups backtracked to muddy the trail further. Makdoon affirms that that is standard operating procedure for the Company once the unit discovers they are being followed.
Zokon though follows one of the groups that is accompanying some pack animals and sure enough by the end of the day, Zokon finds the trails converging again on a fortified manor house on a hill overlooking a tiny hamlet.
"I sure could! But ..." she gestures at Zokon who was doing *uh* something. Whatever it was, it seemed to be working. "He seems to have this under control. I think?"
The skald instead went to make sure her horse were in top shape and all.
"Ha I seem to have found them, that manor house seems to be the convergence point. Let's get Makdoon and Scarlet out front to show them we are friends and go up and see them." says Zokon with just a bit of pride in his voice
Scarlet hops off her- wait, she doesn't have a horse. Scarlet simply advances. "Makdoon, let's give em a wave so they don't my shoot friends, here."
"Whose manor house is this?" Numalar asks, looking around for any markings that might indicate where they are and who the local lord might be.
There is a pennant flying over the keep (a golden shield with a rearing green beast on the left, and vertical red stripes on the right).
"Is he an ally of your company, Makdoon? Or do you think your men just 'moved in'?"
Makdoon looks sourly at the Numalar and then up at the keep. "Weel, th' gates ur still intact, naebody has tipped th' burnin' oil it, naethin' seems tae be burned doon, an' there's nae bluid. Mebbe th' company sweit talked their way in."
"Well, the gates are still intact, no one has tipped the burning oil out, nothing seems to be burned down, and there's no blood. Maybe the Company sweet talked their way in."
Arbalasti hops down from the cart, and runs off toward the keep barking. "WOOF! WOOF!"
"A company of many talents then." Illthir notes and then watches the barking Singe rush off. That was one way to say "we're here!". But, to be fair, it wasn't one someone could easily fake - not with that vigour - so it might actually be a pretty good code. She made a mental note to make a note in her journal. Who knew? Maybe it could be an interesting moment in a tale-to-come. "Ahem. Let's see if they are willing to entertain a few more guests then!"
Durgan doesn't recognize the banner.
"Makdoon makes a good point. It seems the Company received a favorable welcome here. Perhaps we can too. If they will put us up for the night, we can be on our way in the morning. I have sometimes in these lands been granted shelter just out of hospitality, but I normally offer my healing services, accounting expertise, or construction labor in payment."
"I can offer a small degree of healing, should it come to such, but let us hope that kind words and friendly faces serve us well." Serena clicks her tongue and her horse moves forward with a tug of the reins.
Arriving at the keep's door (set within a larger set of doors big enough to allow a carriage through) after Arbalasti has been barking at it for more than a minute, a young woman calls down from the parapet above.
"I'm sorry, but you will have to come back later. I am enjoying a play just now. You can leave any pamphlets you have at the door."
"Eh... right... umm..." More blasted nobles...and a play? What is the Company doing?
"Hey Illthir. Maybe we can convince her we're stagehands or something?"
"*Uhum*" Illthir's mind raced. A play? Did a mercenary company pretend to be a theatre troupe? Well she had certainly heard of weirder things. Not experienced them though - yet.
"Ahem. Yes my Lady, I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, but it's urgent! You see the great Arbalasti got sidetracked on the way here; and without the Hound the fourth act won't make any sense! We simply *need* to get him and his props ready to go!"
"Yeah, the rest of the Troupe is waitin' for us. Tell them Scarlet and Makdoon is here."
Scarlet blurts it out. She hates lying but this aloof noblewoman was getting in her way...
"Oh no. He's heading for the rose bushes. Could you please curb your dwarf?"
"What's all this then!?" calls a gruff voice from high above.
"It's Ledda! He's relatively new sae ye dornt ken heem yit, hen," Makdoon says to Scarlet, "But he's a guid laddie tae hae yer back in a barnie."
"Ledda, lit us in!"
"Ledda, let us in!"
Upon seeing the Angus and Arbalasti, Ledda orders someone below to open up.
The gates open upon on a dozen very heavily armed dwarves in arrayed with axes, pikes and crossbows aimed in the party's direction. Ledda arrives to to greet his two lost comrades who (well, one of whom) explains what's going on.
"'Sister' you say?" Ledda says with an obvious disapproving glance at Scarlet. "Hrumph. The boss is in war council right now, and won't be out until supper."
The dwarf mercenaries lower their weapons, but still seem wary.
"We can't be too careful. You weren't followed where you?"
"I can have the servants find you some place to clean up, and rest from your journey until then. IGOR!"
"Igor, how many times have I told you not to do that! And stop lisping."
|
"It'th tradithinal, Mithtrith. You know how your father feelth about tradithion." says Igor. He pulls a hanky from his sleeve, and dabs beads of moisture off her with it.
Exasperated, Lady Vsevolod turns and flounces off.
Igor turns to the party and says "Pleathe, walk thith way."
The strange little man turns and slowly hobbles off like a club-footed ape, nearly bent double.
He takes them to a small bath house out back.
Bloody Angus, and Ledda remain behind to extract Arbalasti from the lady's garden.
"Ledda, a newcomer. Okay, sounds good to me." She nods to Makdoon and approaches the heavily armored dwarves with a grin on her face.
"Oi, Ledda. Good to see ya." She reaches her hand out for a shake. "I'm BB's sister, Scarlet."
"Eh, I can tell you're gonna do great here."
Scarlet hesitates as she reaches the bath house. More baths? How do I get out of this one?
"I'll... keep watch outside while you guys clean up."
Zokon follows a little bewildered at all the goings on.. and a little relieved to have found well armed friends?
He goes to the bathhouse and cleans himself up then digs through his clothes for a clean set.
If he has time he cleans his dirty clothing.
"Ledda, a newcomer. Okay, sounds good to me." She nods to Makdoon and approaches the heavily armored dwarves with a grin on her face.
"Oi, Ledda. Good to see ya." She reaches her hand out for a shake. "I'm BB's sister, Scarlet."
"Eh, I can tell you're gonna do great here."
"Hrumph." Ledda shakes Scarlet's hand--grudgingly.
Serena is glad for the opportunity to bathe and takes advantage of it, hardly caring for the presence of others. She sinks into the warm waters, letting the cares of the day fade away.
Eventually Scarlet takes a bath.
"I'm just gonna get dirty again, anyway..."
But once that's over comes the fun part: Meeting her old allies in the Company. Looking for familiar faces, greeting the newcomers, wondering if her allies are around.
Oh yeah, and what's been happening in Mivon? Why did the company have to leave?
Ahhh YES! Illthir follows the paladin of Sarenrae into the hot bath with enough fervour that the two could almost been mistaken for each other. If they hadn't had looked completely different of course ... Ahem where were we - yes - A hot bath!! This wasn't on the list of top ten things she'd expected from a mercenary encampment but obviously this outfit had good taste. Yeah she could really feel how their odds of success soared even as she herself gently sunk beneath the comfy water. "This is surely a travellers' most prized reward!" the skald proclaimed with a grin at Serena and a glance at Scarlet. "Don't you agree?"
---
After that was taken care of Illthir got dressed and roamed around the building, looking for the lady of the house. Or at least the one that had greeted them. Who knew - maybe there actually were a play? She wouldn't want to miss that!
If there is a separate bathhouse for men and for women, or if the custom is that all bathe together, Durgan will take a bath now. If there is only one and co-bathing is not the custom, he will wait for the ladies to finish before taking his turn. Whichever the case, he shows no sign of embarrassment or being flustered, just good-natured politeness.
Even in this lawless realm it is good to mind one's manners and do what is proper. Most elves are not so modest, in my experience, and would not take offense, but a fair number of humans would. Not all. What would a half-elf think? Does it depend on who raised them? What land they are from? What gods they follow? Serena likely 'embraces the Sun' from time to time. Does Illthir follow a deity? So many different truths we have.
He contemplates manners, modesty, and customs as he cleans off the grime of the road.
Zokon was cleaning his clothes, but he quickly retreats once the ladies come in, "I'll just get these drying outside somewhere, you ladies have a relaxing time."
Zokon will find a tree or something to dry his clothes on and then go and check out the mercenaries, inspecting how many there are and what gear and weapons they use
|
Igor turns to the party and says "Pleathe, walk thith way."
Numalar resists the urge to mimic the man's walk. Hardly his fault, now is it? he thinks.
"Wonderful! Yes, a bath would be quite wonderful!"
Eventually Scarlet takes a bath.
"I'm just gonna get dirty again, anyway..."But once that's over comes the fun part: Meeting her old allies in the Company. Looking for familiar faces, greeting the newcomers, wondering if her allies are around.
Oh yeah, and what's been happening in Mivon? Why did the company have to leave?
"Got a job, and you should know what your brother says about jobs; 'A jobs a job. Do the job.'"
Erevenywg jumps in!
Landing with a splash between Numalar, Zokon and Durgan.
She calls out to Scarlet and Alia. "Oh Scar-Lets-Karab! Is it not wonderful! Please join us! You too 'tree-thumpin', leaf-eatin', knife-eared, stick-flinger'! You do not have to clean your self alone with your 'magic fingers', as Blood-ee-Anne-Gus says that you do. I am as happy as as 'a pig in shite!'"
"I think we might have to talk to Erevenywg a bit about language, else she will only be able to talk to sailors ...," Illthir sighs softly. She wasn't sure if she felt responsible enough for this responsibility! With a splash she raised her voice and called out today over the sheet. "We are on this side Erevenywg! Well Scarlet at least."
Scarlet is very hesitant, but with Erevenywg's cajoling she finally joins the bath. She seems less embarrassed about people seeing her than the fact that she has to clean herself.