Wesh will aid Hack in finding the tracks.
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Thistledown has been around enough campfires to spot the easy mark. He takes the first bits offered and establishes a new watch, on this man and where those meat bits are coming from.
Once camp starts to break, Betony pulls Thistledown away from his new friend. "Don't worry Mister. We will catch these bandits."
As Hack redoubles his efforts to locate the tracks with the aid of his new found friends, he comes to the conclusion that the tracks merge with the traffic heading to Holmstead.
With the injured up and shuffling slowly as they get by with their injuries, one of the men approaches Siral, profusely thanking him for tending over them. With a sad shrug he informs her that he is unable to provide any gifts as his valuables from trade has been thoroughly cleaned out during the raid. Nevertheless, he offers what meager provisions he has, enough for a week's ration.
As the adventurers start to continue their tireless pursuit of the bandit group, the injured men line up and gratefully offers to shake hands before the group begins to part. A smile breaks out as Betony makes her promise.
Silar sits at the back of the wagon, staff in hand as he watches the party saying their goodbyes. Obviously he looks to join the caravan with Bjorn and Rianna.
Hack will take the point.
"All these tracks...most be a town up close." Betony's face lights up at the thought of a tavern and PIE.
Wesh gravitates towards the center of the group.
The pursuit continues on after the party bid their farewells and goodbyes to the departing wagon, each going the opposite direction.
With the Northern barbarian leading the way and the gnome cavalier on point guard, the tracks of the fleeing bandits soon merge, undistinguished from the traffic that comes and goes from the now outskirts of a settlement ahead.
This must be Holmstead, as you approach it from the South West, having walked through forest trails and river banks to get here. You have no mounts to speak of. Your partial rewards lie in Deeptown, still unclaimed, in a gamble to capture or kill the red headed leader for double the reward. The quarry is out there somewhere, licking his wounds after the beat down taken at the mansion.
The party has waned and grown, the newcomers coming along with motives of their own, with secrets yet to share. The settlement ahead currently an unknown quantity. What information from your quarry shall you gain? What of his hideout or motives?
The path from which you came has hedgerows to the sides, with fruit bearing trees of pear and apple occasionally seen interspersed with other shrubbery. Ahead are buildings, emitting tell-tale signs of inhibition from the smoke trail of its chimneys. The largest of which sports a sign to far to make out.
Wesh raises his hand.
The Brambleknight sidles up to Silar, "We are after the bandits of course. We roughed 'em up good at their hideout, but the leader and a few slipped away. They got their horses..." Here she indicates the party members walking ahead of them. "We were tracking them when they came upon that group of travelers, and now they seem to have gone into that town."
Betony takes a moment to scratch at a tangle in her hair, "Say...you might be good to go in that town and poke around as the bandits won't have seen you before....same with Hack. I think the Leader got more than a good look at the rest of us."
I'm not much of a talker, but I can tag along.
Wesh says "Good plan Betony. What do we do so Lucien does not find us outside the town or what if he leaves town when we split up is another problem. Do we still have that signal whistle?"
I heard tell, he has hair of flame, no?
Wesh replies to Hack "Yes"
Then, come Siral, should be easy t'find.
Wesh asks Betony and Skane "What should we do while we wait for them have any ideas."
"We can ask those on the road, coming from town if they had seen this group come in yesterday."
Excuse me, have you seen a rough group led by a red-haired...what, Thistledown?...he's a good wolf...... No, he doesn't do tricks, other than bite bad men...have you seen any?......The red-haired man, that's who..."
Hack secures his Axe on his back, and he nods andheads into town. He has his eyes opened for the red-haired man.
Aye, let's have at it.
Perception:
Wesh with the remaining party memebers asks "I wonder if it will rain some more?"
Since the departure of his shield-brodir and the gypsy, Skane has been quieter, more sullen...
He trudges along at the heart of the group beside Wesh, deep in thought and a scowl upon his scarred face;
"Aye prestur Wesh... rain blot when we find Lucien Red-Hair..."
Noticing someone missing, it soon takes a moment to notice that the young dark haired woman has slipped out and presumably joined the caravan along side Silar, Bjorn and Rianna.
Wesh looks upon the grey overcast of the late morning and deduces perhaps the sun would come out and play soon. But it is more of wild guess rather than an educated one.
The path leading up to the settlement broadens up and soon you could make out the sign of the large building you saw from a distance which sports a illustration of a smiling ear to ear jester with the caption "The Jovial Jester".
A well kept farmhouse and barn stands to the left of the road with some hens clucking about the front door. A plump set woman is occupied tossing grain as the hens greedily pecks them down. A dog starts barking as Siral and Hack start to pass by. The barn looks stocked with mounds of hay.
An armed man with longspear and maroon studded leather walks with purpose not far ahead, approaching, noticing Hack and Siral, he stops and raises his hand in greeting.
Wesh mutters out loud "It looks like the sun may come out but I am not sure" Wesh turns to look down back the road to see if anyone is approaching then takes a swig of water from his waterskin.
Hail! Wonderin' if there is a good inn or tavern in town? Would that be the "jovial Jester?
As the man comes closer you notice his tenseness loosening as he gives a polite smile and holds the longspear in a more casual manner.
Indeed it is. He points to the obvious large sign whilst nodding his head.
I would presume you are from out of town? The inn's a good place to stay if not the only place. The innkeeper Karlan has a large stock of Holmstead's finest beer on tap.
A small badge at the center of the man's jacket indicates he's a member of the Red Watch.
Skane adds mirthlessly;
"Perfect. I could do with a drink or three..."
The vikingr trudges towards the garishly signed tavern...
Wesh imagines what people in town would think of Siral and Hack.
Red hair you say? Can't say I have. Then again, anybody trying to run away from debt is going to make themselves hard to find. Maybe you'd have better luck inside. *points to the inn*
The guard looks curiously at Ralyip, somewhat amused at a tame fox.
Thanks, have a good one, friend.
Hack heads off to the Inn.
Skane eyes the guard grimly, adding in a mirthless tone;
"I need a drink or three... Let us hope Lucian of the Blod Hair has come through this skat-heap and left his markku..."
The interior of the Jovial Joker is large, well lit and cheerful. Several rough hewn tables stand about with its accompanied benches and chairs. The barkeep, a bearded, balding man is seen talking animatedly with a couple of his patrons. You could count around seven patrons within the inn, not including the innkeep, a wench and potboy. Nobody much takes much attention to your entrance, as most are engrossed watching a dice game going on.
Hack approaches the bar.
A couple of stout meads for me and my friend, eh?
Wesh states "Every time we split the party I am away from the action."
The innkeeper looks up a the Northman barbarian before flashing an apologetic smile.
Sorry to say that mead is currently not on the menu, though we do have beer, cider and perry if you would have some. Go on, pick your treat.
He turns on to Siral's request, saying,
That meat for your pet then? Now, I would not easily turn down requests from my customers, no matter where they come from, but if you're about to start enjoying extra raw meat here inside then I would have to kindly ask for it to be eaten outside.
Looking at both the two newcomers, the innkeeper continues.
A Shoanti and one from the far North, I would guess it is for business the reasons of your current whereabouts now?
Beer's fine, and yeah, we're here on business. I'm lookin' for a flame-haired man called Luke or Lucia, or somethin' akin.
Oh, for your pet fox then, here I'll get my wife to pack in some offal which is on the house if that's fine with you.
He thinks for a while and adds.
A flamed-haired man called Lucien? Well, I haven't come across such a man in these parts, perhaps I could suggest you ask some of my patrons. I seldom leave the inn, there's too much to do. Maybe someone would know what's the word out there with regards to the person you're looking for.
The dice game is still going on strong, eyes on the rolling bones and occasional cheers on the winning gambler.
Thanks, let us know, would ya? Is there another Inn in town?
With regards to that, I'm afraid this is the only establishment which offers bed and board around these parts. With the quality and comfort of stay here I doubt anybody else would want to set up shop and compete.
He wipes a glass cup clean and looks across the room at the small group engrossed in the game.
Tell me more about this Lucien, because if this business of your is important I could give him a heads up that someone is looking for him.
Important yes, that he knows, no. I'd prefer he not ken we are lookin'. if ya get my meanin'.
Hack casually slips the Barkeep 2 GP. He turns to Siral.
What say we finish our beers and food, and head around town for alittle stroll?