Korgoth/Nagy/Taya
"No!" shouts Seddani and grabs hold again. He starts pulling Korgoth away but its useless, he isn't strong enough.
"You have to come now. He will kill me if you don't!" The boy almost screams into Korgoth's face at close range.
He looks at the three friends and looks again pleading, "please come with me for Asfer's sake."
Korgoth stares hard at the small orphan.
"WHO will kill you, Seddani?" He asks in a level tone.
He glares at the small boy.
"Enough foolishness. What are you doing, and what is really going on at the halfling's inn?"
Korgoth/Nagy/Taya
Its like the little chap is being strangled then his shoulders slump.
"It's Jeridd. He's nabbed Asfer and his gang 'as a trap in the barn for you. I was told to get you or he'd beat me. An- an- if I didun then she be a gonna. HE'S GOT A KNIFE!"
Little Seddani is plain terrified.
In the distance the girl shouts again. "No I see now! I've been a bit silly."
The big boy hurries along after filling it. Soon he and Orick are at Hortin's again.
Orick quickly counts out the five copper and hands them to the bigger lad with his thanks, "there you go, half a day's wages for half a minute's work, but don't thank me. Thank master Hortin for his generosity and thank Norebo for the good fortune. Now you'd best be getting back to the inn before anyone sees you missing,"
"Well done my lad. That's just in time for the display. Stay around it should be good," he beams down at Orick.
"Thank you sir," Orick says smiling up at the man, "I was glad to help, but it sure was lucky I came when I did!"
Orick finds a spot near the stage to watch the demonstration.
The water bucket is placed under a table and then Hortin calls a crowd together. Soon he is deep into his pitch extolling the virtues of his little hand pump. Water gushes and splashes about and he talks on, of pressures and powers and how good the Kron Hills gnomes have made their fields with just such pumps.
People can almost see the rolling hills, their lush woods and fields with thousands of the little chaps busy at work. Tillispey nods in at various points to add weight to the arguments.
"Wow, neat!" Orick says as he watching the water pump in action, "That'd make fetching water so much easier!"
..."It's Jeridd. He's nabbed Asfer and his gang 'as a trap in the barn for you. I was told to get you or he'd beat me. An- an- if I didun then she be a gonna. HE'S GOT A KNIFE!"
Korgoth grimaces at the name of his nemesis. The anger from Vulart's mocking and the crowd's laughter still burn in him. He also remembers Seddani laughing as he first tried to trick him into coming with him.
"It is as well that you came clean Seddani. A lot of people say I'm some sort of evil person, but I don't go around kidnapping girls and setting up ambushes for people."
Korgoth leans close, his anger spilling from his face in an almost-palpable force. He grabs the small boy and shakes him lightly.
"So you tell me, Seddani, who is the evil one in this little scene? And look to the black stain on your own conscience when you think of your role in it. Now tell me true, who is with Jeridd and what are they planning. No tricks now!"
Vladimir is gald to enjoy some free time he heads to the market to see if their is any entertainment going on and to browse the various wares that are offered, who knows maybe he will find something to buy.
Vladimir
Vladimir gets the chance to see the halfling troupe in action as they tumble and build pyramids before the All-Shrine. They move off bustling through the crowd.
Further around he sees various stands selling farming equipment, weapons and all manner of feeds and staples. The bartering among the locals and merchants is getting fierce.
He also sees in one corner a garish blue striped tent and he can recognise the Rhennee playing music outside. They seem to selling wines and bright clothes.
But his ears are drawn to the sound of the little Seddani squealing in the square. He is surrounded now by the two eldest Risper children and the equally diminutive Korgoth. Korgoth has his hands on the coward.
Korgoth/Risper's
Seddani goes white when Korgoth grips him. He tries to pull free but is too weak.
"It's Jerrid and his gang, you know, Ilran, Darnis and Kollar. They are waiting in the Red Barn. Let me go! Let me go! I aint grabbed 'er. I told you he would 'ave beat me up if I didun do this. Let me go!"
Vladimir approaches the Risper's "hello Nagy, hello Taya, what's going on?. Vladimir feels a rush of excitment at seeing Taya.
Korgoth/Risper's
Seddani goes white when Korgoth grips him. He tries to pull free but is too weak.
"It's Jerrid and his gang, you know, Ilran, Darnis and Kollar. They are waiting in the Red Barn. Let me go! Let me go! I aint grabbed 'er. I told you he would 'ave beat me up if I didun do this. Let me go!"
Taya/Nagy/Korgoth
"Seddani you're not going anywhere without us. You were told to get Korgoth. Well, you've done that. You've got him. You've got us too. So, you're not going to go anywhere unless we all come too. Where we're going to to my father. He's got no time for sneaks, fools and bullies and he's got a really big whip that he knows how to use."
Taya feels her anger rising again. She's fighting back waves of fury as she tries to think of a way to get Jerrild shown up for the brute he is, save Korgoth's feelings, prevent Nagy getting into danger and stop the trouble escalating.
"Vladimir!" Taya's face lights up.
"Listen, the disgusting bully Jerrild is up to something bad. Will you help us?"
Orick Faust
Hortin finishes that and looks around then his smile widens again at Orick. He calls over Tillispey.
"We have half an hour before the next show. If you keep that bucket full and help out Tillispey a little for the day then maybe you could be paid a bit." He holds up a hand, "not much."
"Who's your father? would he want one of these pumps? They are great. No Hmmmm."
No look I have a standard deal with Petunia Wottinbrook for food and drink while I'm at the show. How about you get it for us? and some for your self with the change."
"Then we can talk about you some more..." The big bluff merchant puts an arm around the boy, "Orick, you've got sand and I like that."
Around Seddani
Taya's words hit home. Seddani looks about him for escape and sees only trouble. He looks at Vladimir, at Korgoth, at Taya and then Nagy. But by then his terrified body takes over and the boy collapses. He slumps to the floor eyes flutter and close.
People turn to look at the children with the boy crumpled in the middle. One or two look around for the militia or someone.
While Finwe only has passing acquaintance of the Rispers, she often likes to hang out in the trees or about the hobbits inn-yard, on sunny days. She might just be there observing the doings from a distance or from concealment.
Around Seddani
Korgoth watches as the little weasel Seddani collapses.
"That's just great. Well, nothing for it I guess."
Korgoth looks around at his companions
"Listen folks, this is my problem. I don't want you to get involved, it will just get you hurt or in trouble. I'll go see what's going on at the barn by the Halfling's inn."
Daetha Tain
As Daetha finishes murmuring his count again, Running Fox whispers quietly from the clearing, "Daetha the hochebi have passed."
“Lucksy,” says Daetha inanely, his voice shaking. He tries to get himself back under control, but its not easy … he is quite sure that he just narrowly avoided death or worse.
“What were they?” he asks Running Fox, then suddenly remembers the silver flask. His hand trembling only slightly, he reaches into his shirt to draw it out and hand it back to the elf. “We almost left this,” he says.
Around Seddani
Korgoth watches as the little weasel Seddani collapses.
"That's just great. Well, nothing for it I guess."
Korgoth looks around at his companions
"Listen folks, this is my problem. I don't want you to get involved, it will just get you hurt or in trouble. I'll go see what's going on at the barn by the Halfling's inn."
"Don't be stupid Korgoth. Help us take Seddani to the healer's. Then if you still want to go and see what Jerrild's up to, we'll all come. He can't do much against five of us. Particularly if we tell people where and why we're going."
Taya looks at Korgoth good and hard.
"Listen to me Korgoth. I know you don't think you've got friends and I know you don't think you deserve any help. Well, you're wrong. It's not your problem, its ours."
She swallows hard, knowing that Korgoth is very likely to hate her for saying this, but still feeling she has to do it.
Korgoth looks at Taya. He frowns, and then a ghost of his usual devil-may-care smile comes back.
"You're right Taya. Let's take Seddani to the healers and then we can figure out what to do then. I am letting my anger make descisions for me, and that's just going to get me in more trouble."
Korgoth's smile slips a bit
"I think that we need to hurry though. I don't like the thought of Asfer in Jeridd's clutches. He's a snake, that one."
Orick Faust
Hortin finishes that and looks around then his smile widens again at Orick. He calls over Tillispey.
"We have half an hour before the next show. If you keep that bucket full and help out Tillispey a little for the day then maybe you could be paid a bit." He holds up a hand, "not much."
"Who's your father? would he want one of these pumps? They are great. No Hmmmm."
No look I have a standard deal with Petunia Wottinbrook for food and drink while I'm at the show. How about you get it for us? and some for your self with the change."
"Then we can talk about you some more..." The big bluff merchant puts an arm around the boy, "Orick, you've got sand and I like that."
"Well I'm not very strong but I am kinda smart," Orick says with a smile, "I'll help you as best I can! This is kind of exciting. I never had a job before! Ya, sorry my dad's no farmer, heck he's not even home enough to use the darn thing, but I'll ask him when he gets home. A pump like that could be useful for regular folk as well as farmers!"
"I know miss Wottinbrook," Orick says, "I sometimes hang out at their inn. I love halflings, adults are always looking down on you, or treating you bad just cuz your small. Halflings treat you with respect. Sure I'll fetch your food, what did you want to eat?"
"I think that we need to hurry though. I don't like the thought of Asfer in Jeridd's clutches. He's a snake, that one."
Nagy looked ready to go with Korgoth before Taya intervened. "Yeah, we'll take care of Seddani. Then we'll take care of Jerrid. I never did like him."
Vladimir smiles at the group and nods in agreement with Taya, "Plus Korgoth, I sill owe you for the rock, I hate Jerrid, count me in. I am good friend's with Old Movvumn I know the way and she will believe us if I tell her what's going on, we need to stick together to stand up to Jerrid and his bullying ways". Vladimir seems excited to be part of a plan to strike at big old Jerrid
Daetha Tain
The wood elf's almond eyes slightly narrow at the sight of the silver flask. "Take another drink, metheglin will sustain and revive you. Had they found the flask this could have been much worse. Well done Daetha, well done indeed."
Running Fox explains that it was likely to be a small hunting patrol from one of the outlying forts or cashels that surround the hochebi caves of Blackthorn. They lie to the north-east of Tricaster and hold hundreds of the beastmen. Some even say thousands if the jebli and their other smaller cousins are included.
He explains about their cruelty, tribal nature and love of war and destruction. Above all he warns that they are natural warriors that only respect strength.
The elf ends the lesson there and orders Daetha home. He says he must shadow the hochebi just in case.
Finwe Yrinsil
The red barn is on the edge of the village close to the woods. The halflings treat Finwe fairly well, although her sneaking about surprises them from time to time.
On this particular market day, Finwe notices the four boys enter the barn, closes the double doors. She notices it because of the way that they frogmarched a crying girl in with them. The big boy at the front had a dagger in one hand.
From past experience, Finwe knows that market day is the busiest day for the halflings and they have little or no time to spare for listening to her usually.
Orick Faust
Hortin shakes his head. "I would never dare tell a halfling what to feed me, by Olidammara's plateful never! That Petunia would roast me on a spit. Ha ha ha," tears of laughter spring from his eyes.
"Them at the Stag will just give you enough for us and hope for you too. Go on and make sure to be back in half an hour. That bucket must be brimming!"
Around Seddani
The little lad has curled up into a ball, as everyone discusses what to do.
Unfortunately Istus spins unfairly as a fat woman waddles out of the crowd towards everyone. Her beady eyes are fixed on Taya and Seddani.
"What have you done to him?" Darcet accuses, a fat finger with a silver ring stabs into Taya. The fat wife of Master Leeth has a bad temper and her reputation is not good among the locals and their children. But she is big and powerful with it.
Her little black dog, Cutter, yaps around everyones' heels.
"Well!"
Around Seddani
Taya curtseys respectfully.
"Mistress Leeth. I'm so glad to see you. We haven't done anything to Seddani at all. We were taking him to the healer's. He fainted - he was running too fast and got over-heated."
Well, it's sort of true
"Vlad and Korgoth, can you carry him between you? Could you come with us Mistress? I'm sure your advice would be welcome."
Taya's voice is deeply sincere. Mistress Leeth is notorious for believing she knows better than anyone about anything. Flattery may help their cause.
Korgoth stoops to pick up the boneless form of Seddani
"He's always getting overexcited."
With Darcet and Seddani
The little dog starts worrying and grizzling at Seddani's sleeve. Tugging and pulling for all its little life is worth.
"Vlad?" the woman spies him and quick as a flash a hand strikes out, grabbing Vladimir's ear. "What did you do to him? Well?"
"Leave the boy and get some water. He's fainted is all. Now go girl." The woman twists Vladimir's ear up until he is on tiptoe and close to her dirty teeth. "Talk now or its Leeth's lash tonight!"
Taking a breath, Mistress Leeth takes in all the children and her eyes notice Korgoth. Then her face spins back to Vladimir.
"Tell me what you did and I'll protect you from the lash." coos Darcet gently.
"Mistress Leeth, Vlad was helping. He's been the most sensible of us all."
Taya fights to keep herself calm
Such a horrible woman. I wish I could twist her ears. How dare she treat Vlad like that.
"Nagy, could you get some water? Mistress Leeth is right. Then we'll take Seddani to Movomm's."
In the clearing:
Daetha takes another draught of metheglin, the smooth liquid warming and refreshing him, then hands the flask back to Running Fox, listening intently to what the elf has to say about the hochebi.
He nods in understanding and prepares to head back home, feeling braver now with the metheglin inside him and the hochebi clearly gone. He’ll have to ask Vesedanroi what hochebi are later too…
At the market:
Daetha hurries through the square, taking in side-long glances at the wagons, stalls and people as he does, but generally keeping his head down and avoiding eye-contact – there are some in town who say that Witchy Tain’s youngest is marked, and he wants to avoid confrontation; he has only an hour or so before he needs to return home, and he wants to make his deliveries quickly so that he can spend the two worn copper coins in his pocket at the market, or at Grossin’s.
The bundle of herbs bouncing against his back, tied to a springy stick, he hurries towards The White Stag.
Bethsemane listens in rapt attention to Raggedy Sorda's lecture, only yawning once when he's not looking. Still, it's all very interesting, and she is secretly pleased that he either doesn't know or doesn't care about her background and the stories it has spawned in the village.
When he finishes explaining the schools, she pauses to think about his question. Which of the Schools interests you and why? I have to give the right answer to this, she thinks. This may be the most important question I've ever been asked.
"I think," Bethsemane begins hesitantly. "I think...Evocation interests me the most, Master. Because it seems like true magic. Calling forth power. Creating something out of nothing. It's not dark, or dirty, or secret. It's magic, and everyone knows it."
Satisfied with her answer, Bethsemane goes to the door. "Thank you, Master Sorda. It was a good day for me too! I'll be back tomorrow! Bye!"
And with that, she heads back into the forest, happier than she can ever remember being in her whole life.
Finwe Yrinsil
The red barn is on the edge of the village close to the woods. The halflings treat Finwe fairly well, although her sneaking about surprises them from time to time.
On this particular market day, Finwe notices the four boys enter the barn, closes the double doors. She notices it because of the way that they frogmarched a crying girl in with them. The big boy at the front had a dagger in one hand.
From past experience, Finwe knows that market day is the busiest day for the halflings and they have little or no time to spare for listening to her usually.
Finwe's interest is definitely perked. She can tell from the crying girl that something is not right. There is no reason four boys need to drag a girl about like that. But when she notices the dagger, Finwe decides it is time to act. The foolish boy weilding the blade has no right to such articles of judgement. She will take it as her own, if he is up to the bad deeds she supposes he is.
Does Finwe know the route barn owls use to enter the barn? She hopes to find a back or hidden entrance in order to find out what the boys are up to, but if there are none, she will move to the main doors and see if there is a way to peek iside without opening them.
"Ouch, that hurts, my ear, I did nothing, Taya told you what happened I promise, The boy fainted, get some water and we'll rouse him, We were going to Old Movummn's to get help" Vladimir fights the urge to kick the lady Leeth in the shins. Somewhat embarrassed but the treatment he is receiving in front of his friends he tries to hide the pain he is in, his face goes red with a mix of anger and embarassment.
Finwe Yrinsil
Finwe does see enough of the dagger to tell its quality.
She can make out there is a hayloft with a half-open shutter about fifteen feet above the ground. It faces the woods and below it is a large pile of lumber (about five foot high) and a couple of crates. Higher above the window a wooden bar sticks out horizontally for lifting things into the loft. Unfortunately there is no rope hoist.
Peeking inside the main doors looks much easier however anyone doing this is out in the open as far as the village is concerned.
Daetha Tain
The White Stag is crowded and busy, market day creates an atmosphere of laughter and drinking that the halflings and their applescratch rough cider helps along.
However the kitchens and the cook, chef Tubtaffer Wottinbrook, are much more frantic. Around him are working five other halflings, chopping cleaning, and cooking furiously. A sixth is busy at a big copper sink filled with suds and pots. He is whistling and scrubbing like mad.
No one has time to notice Daetha open the back door or hear his polite cough.
"Quick, get that pig out now!" shouts Tubtaffer pointing to a low spit. The florid female nods drips of small sweat and grabs some gloves.
"Nagy, could you get some water? Mistress Leeth is right. Then we'll take Seddani to Movomm's."
"Right." Nagy goes to beg a mug of water from the nearest shop stall.
Thanks, Finwe will treat the small throwing knife with reverence, and carry it always, perhaps fashioning a little sheath out of rabbit's fur or mole's skin.
Question: Since the barn backside butts up against the forest ,is it possible to achieve the window by means of a tree branch? Finwe is much more confident leaping for that pole from a branch above than for piling up crates.
Nagy
The nearest stalls prove fruitless but after a few minutes, Nagy gets his hands on the cup of water.
Finwe
There is a large branch that has grown out towards the shuttered loft and its horizontal bar.
Orick Faust
Hortin shakes his head. "I would never dare tell a halfling what to feed me, by Olidammara's plateful never! That Petunia would roast me on a spit. Ha ha ha," tears of laughter spring from his eyes.
"Them at the Stag will just give you enough for us and hope for you too. Go on and make sure to be back in half an hour. That bucket must be brimming!"
Orick decides to dash back to the store first before heading over to the Stag, he wave to the store clerk as he enters, then he quickly dashes about the store looking for a waterskin. Orick waits till he's out of sight of both the shop keeper and any other customers before digging at the loose seem of his belt. Tucked inside Orick has four gold coins hidden away, he carefully pulls one out before tucking it into his threadbare coin purse. Orick loved his gold coins, rather the idea of owning a secret treasure more then the actual allure of gold. More then once he wondered what his friends might think if they knew he had fifty gold coins tucked away! Times had been tough on the town, few could claim such a hoard these days, and Orick knew that he and his family were very lucky indeed! Orick didn't dare carry that much gold around with him, he only kept four coins hidden on his person . . . most of the others were hidden under the loose floorboard in his room, but a handful more were buried under a rock near the dryad's tree. Orick didn't know why he hadn't seen his forest friend in a while but he trusted her to keep his secrets . . . besides what would she do with gold? Buy some wind chimes?
When he'd produced his coin and found a proper waterskin he quickly made his way to the counter.
"How much for this?" Orick asked as he placed the waterskin on the counter.
Daetha Tain
The White Stag is crowded and busy, market day creates an atmosphere of laughter and drinking that the halflings and their applescratch rough cider helps along.
However the kitchens and the cook, chef Tubtaffer Wottinbrook, are much more frantic. Around him are working five other halflings, chopping cleaning, and cooking furiously. A sixth is busy at a big copper sink filled with suds and pots. He is whistling and scrubbing like mad.
No one has time to notice Daetha open the back door or hear his polite cough.
"Quick, get that pig out now!" shouts Tubtaffer pointing to a low spit. The florid female nods drips of small sweat and grabs some gloves.
"Excuse me, Mister Wottinbrook?" Daetha calls out a bit louder than his earlier cough. "I have the herbs here from my mother." He holds up the bundle.
In the Marketplace
As Nagy returns with the cup of water, Darcet snatches it and dashes the lot over Seddani. Coughing and spluttering, the little boy comes round but he is still witless while the little dog tugs at his sleeve.
A fat hand reaches down and grabs him under the arm, pulling him away.
"You people are lucky I didn't see what you did. Vladimir the Master will see you later!"
Darcet Leeth drags the boy away with yapping going on around her ankles. Everyone splits clearing a path for the dangerous woman.
Orick Faust
"A gold please," she answers blushing a little.
At the Wottinbrook kitchen
Sharp-eared, Tubtaffer spins holding a greasy ladle. The nearest halfling ducks reflexively as soup flies off the end.
"I'm sorry," wails the chef. He comes over, dropping the ladle carelessly. "Tis damnerous dangerous 'ere. You be fine?"
Market place crew
"Nagy, you should go home." Taya makes this suggestion without much hope.
"Korgoth, Vlad and I should go and see what we can do to help Asfer, but it might be dangerous if he has a knife."
Orick Faust
"A gold please," she answers blushing a little.
"There you go Miss," Orick says pulling out the gold coin from his coin pouch, "Very busy today," he says before slapping the coin down on the counter and dashing for the door, "I hate to buy and dash again, but . . ."
Orick then runs over to the Stag to see the halfling mistress about the merchant's lunch.
"Excuse me Miss Wottinbrook?" Orick says when he spots Petunia, "Master Hortin said that I should come to you to fetch his lunch for himself and his assistant Tillispey. I'm running earns for him today! Also, could I get this water skin filled with water while I wait? I got to keep his bucket filled."
Vladmir picks up a thick branch and slaps it into his other hand, "We can use these" Vladimir is a bit scared but tries to look tough
At the market
Korgoth nods to Taya and Vladimir.
"I thank you for your help. I promised Asfer I would protect her, and I mean to keep that vow."
Korgoth looks for a stout branch to bring with him.
"No [i]way![/o] I can help!"Market place crew
"Nagy, you should go home." Taya makes this suggestion without much hope.
Nagy plans to rely on his fists.