The house has a bedroom, the greatroom, and a loft over the bedroom. Typically, the old woman and Nadya would sleep in the bedroom, but it is offered to the guests, of course, You sense that it would be offensive to refuse this honor.
Kashka feeds any scraps to the massive sled dog. At Naajy's question, she pulls a tin down from the mantle and takes down a tin that rattles. She reaches in and draws out some small coins. The words she says translate through your magic into simply gold, silver, and copper. The coins themselves are small, tear shaped, and have an image of a beautiful if severe woman in relief.
"Tea house, drink house, public house all same in Waldsby. Small village. White Throne have beautiful tea houses, bright colors, warm smells."
William looks at the village with a clinical, detached eye, comparing it to the rural areas he visited in India and South Africa. Some part of him wants to sneer at the simple constructions and lifestyle, but... well, children are not forced to work into a factory, do they.
And possibly there will be magic to keep them from dying of diphteria. So my profession is likely useless here. On the other hand, if you can fix your problems with magic, what need do you have to investigate the universe and fight for an ounce of progress? I wonder if there are non-magical scientists, maybe in that White Throne city.
"Ah, simple precious metals. Their value is guaranteed by their material, not a government or a widespread banking system. This world seems to resemble the Middle Ages in Europe, with the addition of actual magic. Maybe we can sell to Nadya some of the stuff in the chest, it would be unpleasant to carry around."
The elder are usually respected in rural societies. She might be a member of a council or such.
"Madam Kashka, I thank you for your hospitality. I have a few questions, if I may. First, you spoke about a city called White Throne, and we have heard of some other place known as the Pale Tower. Where are they? Do you maybe have a map?"
"Also, I noticed that Nadya went on her trip alone, and she seems to be well respected. The place we come from, well, sometimes considers women as less trustworthy and capable than men, I am pleased that this doesn't seem to be the case. Am I wrong?"
"I think your Chinese is rusty White man. You mean the Middle Kingdoms era, and yes, they doo appear to be Taels."
"Doctor Johnson, perhaps we can leave such weighty matters to the morning? I, for one, need some relaxation. Perhaps a night off would be best for ALL of us"
"Do you got whiskey? Beer? I've traveled--well, longer than I ever have. Sure could use something potent."
Kaska: "Doct-or, in Irrisen, hospitality is not an option. If we do not extend hospitality, traveler will die, for most part. We look out for each other, or cold wil/]l kill us all. Respect traveller, for traveller may be White Witch with changed face, and cursed be those who reject a white witch. Nadya have maep. Nadya is Ranger. She travel into foreign land to trade for food. Food not grow in always winter, so must trade or raid for food. No one think women unworthy in Irrisen. All White Witches are women, so men are strong and warriors, but women hold true power.
"As for you, Digger, we do not have Wheesky, but here is jug of jenever. It plenty potent!."
She finds on a shelf a map of Irrisen, beautifully hand painted on some sort of animal hide. .
For digger, she pours a ceramic cup of a clear cup of liquor known as Jenever. It smells and tastes a bit like gin, but it is about 160 proof and considerably rougher than modern distillations.
You roll into furs and heavy comforters. Despite the fire, the cold nips at exposed skin, and if you waken during the night, strange thoughts flit through your head. The roof creaks in the wind, and at some point you might wake thinking something brushed across your face.
Come dawn, you wake to a blast of cold as someone comes through the door. You hear low murmurings between Nadya and the newcomer before boots tread heavily across the wood floor toward you. It is difficult to make out the details of the man with the firelight behind him, but you can tell that he is broad shouldered, dress in peasant garb, and has a well groomed but quite long head of hair and beard in a brownish red color.
"Outlanders, I am Emil. Please to come to the White Weasel, the tea room and tavern my wife and I operate. Katrina has made special cakes and tea for you this morning. Nadya says you wish to leave to go to White Throne, so let us move as quickly as we can in this direction."
At that, he turns and treads again across the floor, closing the door heavily but not angrily behind him.
No one thinks women unworthy in Irrisen. Mary would be happy.
Ignoring Fang and Naajy, William thanks Nadya for her answers before looking through his doctor's bag, taking out a leather-covered notebook and a fountain pen. Before sleeping, he takes his time to copy the map as best as he can, outlining the cities and the natural features.
Old habits get Dr. Johnson fully awake at the first blast of wintery air. He nods at Emil and puts on the coat, grunting at the feeling of the stiff, sticky clothes. I want to wash, I feel filthy. Semmelweis, watch over me.
"Greetings Emil. Very pleased to meat you. Cakes and tea for breakfast sounds great to me"
"Greetings. Your hospitality would be welcome."
As you rise from your strange rest in this strange land, you find that your clothes are clean, your shoes polished. Anything you weren't carrying or wearing as you tumbled into bed is neatly folded, cleaned, and organized. Each of the items given to you by the Black Rider is now in a hand folded paper envelope. Nothing you wear has been cleaned. It doesn't appear that your person has been violated in any way.
Moving to the tea house and tavern, you find Emil and his wife Katrina moving quickly about the room. A large fire burns in a central fire pit, with smaller braziers scattered through the room. A magnificent brass samovar sits behind a bar that is also stocked with strong liquor and even a small amount of coffee.
Emil directs you to sit at a small table. No one else is yet in the tea house. Whether this is typical or you have been provided a private seating is difficult to determine.
Katrina brings you a variety of flavored biscuits (in the American sense of biscuits, more like scones to the Brits and Brit influenced.) There are also cheeses (goat, sheep, cow, soft and hard), and salted meats and sausages.
She also brings clay cups of tea, about an inch of thick black tea. Nothing that a Brit or an Indian would consider appropriate, and certainly a stronger tea than Fang is likely accustomed to see. She also delivers cream, clotted cream, some sort of dark sugar, salt, and butter to the table. Perhaps she is trying to cover as many options as possible. Neither Emil nor Katrina join you at the table, bustling about the room.
Fang, from his days as a slave, still has the sense the food is a fleeting resource. He begins feeding himself with great gusto, using his hands.
"Thank you very much. Truly, a feast worthy of a Maharaja. I am particularly fond of scones and clotted cream"
"Jesus H! What a spread!" Digger hasn't seen this much food except in pictures.
As you eat scones and drink thick tea, Emil approaches you. You notice that he has been fiddling with a crossbow behind the bar, but that he leaves it there. He lets you eat and drink before he approaches you and takes a seat at your table.
"Listen, fellows, I appreciate that your lives are complicated at the moment, and Nadya is in the habit of bringing into the village broken winged birds and other luckless cases. But your presence will bring the soldiers of the Pale Tower down upon us. Already they were here looking for the Black Rider... at that, he turns his head and spits into the sawdust on the floor, "If they hear that Outlanders have come into the town, they will cause all manner of trouble. It might be best if you head into the snows and find somewhere else to hang your hats."
Sausage in his plate and tea in his cup (if it's appropriate to call it such), William looks at the large man.
"We were planning on leaving soon anyway-" Not like there's much room for discovery in this rural hole. "-but I am curious. Pale Tower is ruled by one of the witches, right? Are they opposed to outlanders? And about this Black Rider, who is him? Or her?"
"The Witches do not like outlanders. Outlanders bring chaos and disruption. The Witch who rules Pale Tower is Nazhena Vasilliovna. She seeks the Black Rider, Baba Yaga's night rider who comes in the darkness and judges the people of Irrisen. He is one of Baba Yaga's Riders. The soldiers of the Pale Tower are searching for the Black Rider. They were here yesterday. And they will be back. And when they find you here, not you only will pay."
Standing, Fang nods and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand before saying "I understand. We would not want to abuse your hospitality." He then collects his belongings: the pair of bearskin rugs, the chest containing a rather large amount of wealth, and then says "Is there perhaps someplace where we can purchase food and drink for our trip?"
"There is goods store down street. Can sell you dried meat, fruit, grains for travelling. I can sell jug of liquor."
Fang looks to the others to see if they want to trade for liquor, then says "Could you show me where the goods store is?"
"We don't want to cause you any trouble, we'll move on. But do you know WHY she is looking for this Black Rider?"
"When Witches quarrel, is best to be elsewhere, na? Who knows the ways of Witches? They want Black Rider, is best not to be anywhere near Black Rider."
William finishes drinking his tea. "Well, we wouldn't want to put you in jeopardy. We'll just shop and be on our way with Nadya."
"Yeah, we're gonna need local coin somethin fast."
Emil lets you finish your break fast and tea before leading you to the store. The store doesn't have a name, because it is simply the only store, but it is housed in a low log building with colorful wood trim around the roof on the outside. It is brightly colored on the inside, with turquoise walls and red shelves that are said to bring good luck.
Despite the small size of the town, the store is well stocked with provisions and winter travel supplies.
Fang will get two sets of cold weather gear, two weeks worth of rations, a pair of waterskins, a backpack, and a bedroll.
Naajy will pretty much get exactly what Fang did. Except prettier :-). Oh, and extra animal feed for Haamid.
Is it possible to get tiger barding here (obviously, it would be somewhat makeshift) ?
"If we're going to be outside, other than clothes, we'll need tents, bedrolls, several tools, and rope. Fire is vital, so spare kindling, flint and steel to start it. Waterproof canvas, a canteen and some road meals, heavy shoes..."
The kindly face of Colonel Baden-Powell surfaces to William's memory, the days at Mafeking and the birth of the Scouts.
"A light source, such as a lantern. A compass, of courses. Whistles, I'll teach you some signals."
No cartridges.
"Low-tech weapons, like bows, as fallback and for hunting. A grappling hook and other climbing tools, just in case."
As you complete your purchases and preparations, you hear a disturbance from the cold streets. Unfamiliar voices call out orders, and there are the sounds of steel on steel outside.
"Uh oh. Do we go help or run and hide? Do we want to get involved in local politics?"
Fendir asks Misha if there is a back door, then says "We were asked not to be found here. Let's honor that request."
William packs together the newly-bought equipment, but as the sound of battle starts coming, he freezes. A grievous knife-fight while he was in India comes back to his mind, when the stationed Gurkha, the Nepalese corps, had tried to stop a bar fight, first with words, then with their wicked curved kukri. The smell of blood had never truly faded.
"This sounds like it's bloody well gone beyond politics already." he says, peeking out of the window, rifle at the ready.
"I don't disagree, but how? Youze guys are soldiers. I'm ...just me."
"William, what is happening? Do we help these nice people more by running or fighting?"
William looks into the street to see seven men in heavy clothing over some sort of chain mail. They have dragged Nadya and her boys into the street. Two of the men hold old fashioned crossbows. All of them wear long swords at their hip and crossbows and cases slung across their back along with shields.
"We know that you brought a group of Outlanders to the village! Where are they!" One of the men kicks Nadya in the gut, causing her to crumple to the snowy road. Two more hold daggers to the throats of the boys, their threat clear.
"You all should find a spot to hide from and then use your guns. I do not allow someone who has offered me kindness in the face of death to be treated as such. I will give you until the count of 120 to get into position."
As he speaks, Fang begins removing his restrictive winter clothing, making sure that he can move freely. He also starts counting.
"My sentiments exactly. If they focus us, they should release the boys."
William swallows bad memories, creeping to a firing position and reading the rifle to one of the knife-holding men.
"Agreed. We help them. Not sure we can wait 2 minutes though. Fang, lets go at 30"
Naajy is using intuition on himself and faith on Haamid
Maybe +4 if cover also applies
Once the group is in position, Fang opens the door and steps outside, then turns and says "Thank you for directions. I should hopefully make good time." back into the store. He then starts to shoulder his new pack, but stops as if seeing the soldiers for the first time.
"Taking care of some criminals, huh?" he says aloud to the guards.
William readies his rifle, pointing the enemy on the left to Naajy and Digger, while pointing the gun at the rightmost one.
This won't go down like Bijapur. We'll save them.
Fang steps into the street. Three of the guards who are not engaged with the boys or Nadya break away from the group to move toward Fang. The two who hold the boys hostage, and the one who is focused on Nadya, maintain their focus. All glance briefly at the one who doesn't move, as though looking for direction.
"Can I help you with something?" asks Fang, his tone polite but with just a hint of danger in it.
Naajy waits to see what happens. Shooting and/or sending Haamid in would likely precipitate things :-)