Travels amongst the Border Princes II (WFRP 2e) IC

[Haval]

Gabriele will watch Bert's face after the mention of the attack on the Duke's son and will try not to look too amused. 'Could have been anyone. Best not to worry about it then.' After Severin speaks, 'Probably better if someone deals with them anyway. Just don't assume they're going to run away at the first sign of trouble.'

[dojango]

Barnaby makes a sign with his hand and says, "Dark gods? Like the old masters? They had strange powers in the stories... did you see anything of that when you fought them? I don't plan on doing any fighting, mind you... someone's got to make sure the wagons keep getting filled with supplies and delivered."

[Haval]

Gabriele had heard similar stories, 'Not like that. Nothing weird anyway. Just someone who really liked fighting. Like more then anyone sane should. He didn't look like one of the Northmen, but maybe that's what happens when you really get into worshipping the same gods.'

[rax]

"Really loved fighting and taking heads. Back home, they say that once a body's started down that path, it just gets worse and worse, until they don't care if they live or die, as long as the blood flows. And you really, really don't want to fall into their hands. Neither the bloodthirsty ones nor the...other ones...will treat you civilized if they catch you. You're just their plaything...for as long as you live," Severin added.

"Look, just don't underestimate this lot, alright? If Otto's got more men like the ones he sent against Stralwald, then they'll fight harder than they ought to and they won't be fighting according to His Nibs' rules..."

[dojango]

Barnaby is a little shaken by your warning and promises to take it seriously; after all he knows enough about how bandits fight from, er, 'prior experience' to know that they don't fight fair and often target the supply lines which he will be dealing with. Afterwards, he and Bert collect the booze and bring it back into the camp, and Bert waves you farewell. He slips you each a silver coin for thanks, and heads back towards Stralwald. Gabriele and Severn then spend the next four days on the road back to Castle Bremcote. It's just after noon when you arrive at the eastern gates of the city. A few soldiers are at the gate controlling the line to get into the city and charging a toll. The guard looks at the two of you and says, "Welcome to Castle Bremcote, home of the great Duke, defender of the west! Two coppers a leg to get in, my friends."

[Haval]

Gabriele is tired from the journey but is able to respond amiably enough. 'If the Duke pays us at what point do we stop having to pay to get in anyway? Seems like a waste of everyone's time just to pass the money back and forth.'

[rax]

"If we bring it up, I think he's most likely to dock it from our pay as an administrative short cut," Severin chuckles. Digging into his purse, he drops the requisite coins into the guard's hands.

"Where to first? Check up on Lorenzo and collect the rest of our pay, or report back to Le Houet?" he asks Gabriele.

[Haval]

Gabriele will also begrudgingly pay the money. She felt there was an obvious bias here against people with horses.

To Severin, 'Lorenzo first, just in case he has to be off somewhere else.'

[rax]

"Then lead the way, m'lady! Maybe he'll be happier to see the scout who didn't fall off her horse first!" Severin jokes.

[dojango]

After Severin and Gabriele grudgingly pay over their 10p each to get in, they head through the halfling district, over the southern bridge past the docks and to where Lorenzo's warehouse is. A few familiar faces spot them as they approach and wave. Lorenzo comes out a moment later and waits until they get close and he goes up to Severin. "You look so much better, thank Shallya that you've recovered. We were worried..." He pauses. "But you're a tough bravo, there's no keeping you down. I don't think we'll be going back to that place for a while, it just isn't worth it. But that's not your business, I suppose." He has one of his clerks bring you your wages while he talks out a litany of complaints about business and trade. When you count it out, you notice that although he paid you for the days that Severin was unconscious, he's only paying up until you left the caravan a few days ago. "... at least the river's clear to Stralwald but everyone's too afeared to head all the way down to Appledel. Probably be good money for the first merchant to make it down there, but they'd need a crack team of guards..."

[Haval]

"Then lead the way, m'lady! Maybe he'll be happier to see the scout who didn't fall off her horse first!" Severin jokes.

Gabriele grins, 'Well I haven't had a horse for as long as you. It's bound to happen to me too at some point.'

She'll let the issue of their pay go. Under the circumstances it was only fair. 'No point in getting paid if someone robs you on the way back. Has anyone even heard how Appledel's doing? Whose to say someone didn't go for them like at Stralwald.'

[rax]

"We heard rumours that the Duke is looking to teach Otto a lesson while I was laid up in Stralwald. Appeldel is in Otto's territory, isn't it? If the Duke goes through with a punitive expedition, perhaps the river will be safe again?" Severin suggests. He too decides not to make a fuss about the pay - he could hardly claim to have been doing the job he was hired for while recuperating in Stralwald.

[Haval]

'Dangerous or not, maybe it's better if someone deals with Otto sooner rather than later.'

[dojango]

"Oh, Appledel was a nice enough village. Apple orchards in the hills. Nice market and an overland trade route to Vayonne. They were paying off the bandits of the hills for years, but I guess Otto didn't think it was enough? I don't know what changed, but things have gotten worse over the last year or two. If the Duke is planning something..." Lorenzo thinks for a moment. "It would be good to know. Good for business. But I reckon Otto will just slip back into the hills instead of fighting like the Duke wants. It's what happened back in Stralwald after all."

[rax]

"I reckon we'll all find out soon enough," Severin answers.

"Nice doing business with you, Master Lorenzo. If you're planning any other caravans you'll likely find us around here somewhere if you'd be interested in hiring us again. Now we've got some other people waiting for us to bring news from our trip. You ready to go, Gabriele?"

OOC: There's Le Houet to report to and Severin also needs to let Alders know that Waleran Riverhopper is likely a slave in the mines.

[Haval]

'Guess it depends on how many people Otto has to fight for him. Or if he's crazy enough to think he can take the Duke in a fight anyway. Does Otto have anyone backing him up?'

[dojango]

Lorenzo shrugs and says, "He's got a fewer than he did a while ago, thanks to you..." He thinks for a moment and then says, "The lands to the south are wild and uncivilized. Inhabited by beastmen and mutants. It is death to travel into the broken lands to the south of the river. And yet somehow, Otto survives. It's not that I don't think the Duke is capable... but Otto has been ranging there for many years and knows the land far better than any of the Duke's scouts will."

[rax]

"Given what we saw at Stralwald and what we heard about Otto's proclivities, I'd hazard a guess that he can call on both beastmen and mutants to back him up," Severin says.

[Haval]

'If that's true and we were back home maybe one of the churches could deal with Otto for us. I know the witchhunters might want to have a word with him. As it is, maybe the Duke could do with some allies.'

[dojango]

Lorenzo quickly knocks on a wooden post near him. One of the guards makes the warding sign. "Speak no evil," he mutters. That puts a damper on things and after a few moments of awkward silence, Lorenzo excuses himself to get back to work. The two of you wander up the riverside docks until you arrive at a central square. You could keep going north towards the castle or cross the river again to head to the Singing Pike to talk to Destiny and old Alders.

[Haval]

'You want to pass on the bad news about Riverhopper? You probably have to tell them at some point but it doesn't seem like you're doing them a favour.'

[rax]

"It's probably best to get it over with," Severin answers Gabriele with a weak smile.

[dojango]

You head over to the inn and settle down for a drink. When you ask about Alders, the young halfling behind the bar says he usually shows up around supper time, so within an hour or two. After a moment, you can then hear Destiny's voice coming out from the kitchens. "Whaddya mean they're out of eggs? There's still chickens in this town, aren't there? Go out and don't come back until you've found some..." she emerges from the kitchen with a harried-looking halfling in tow. She stops short when she sees Severin and Gabriele and ducks back into the kitchen. A few minutes later she emerges again with her hair under a scarf and wearing a shawl. She sits down besides Severin and says, "I didn't I'd see you again. That merchant said you were dying of your wounds... and here you are. You look... you look better than ever. Are you alright? Do you need to rest here for a while?"

[rax]

"I'll be glad to, once Gabriele an' I have finished some business up at the castle," Severin accepts Destiny's offer with a warm smile.

"Lorenzo wasn't far wrong. If Gabriele hadn't gotten my sorry carcass to Stralwald, I'd be pushing up daisies right now," he admits. "I don't rightly know how they fixed me up, but...I think there may have been magic involved," he whispers. "I was having the strangest dreams - an old woman talking to me an' asking about things she had no business knowing. I...I think it may have been the Green Witch herself, or maybe her ghost," he trails off.

[Haval]

'It worked didn't it.' Gabriele added. 'Maybe ghosts and wizards aren't all bad.'

[dojango]

"You talked to the Green Witch herself? And what else happened? There's a song in this, I'm sure. The ballad of Severin the strong. You should tell me everything... did you... did you find out if he is keeping the halfling slaves?"

[rax]

"I don't know if speaking to someone in your head qualifies as talking, and it's more like Severin the Lucky, if anything..." Severin answers with an embarrassed look.

"But yes, Solomon's got plenty of Halflings slaving away in his mine, and they're not there by choice, that's for sure. That's where we saw the fellow I'm guessing is Waleran Riverhopper," he adds.

[Haval]

'I can't say I saw it but I'm happy to take Severin's word for it.' Gabriele added.

On the mines, 'I don't know what we can do about it at the moment but maybe spread the word. If you have to go down there for anything. Have a really good reason if you need to go at all.'

[dojango]

She nods. "I'll tell Alders when he comes in for the night. As far as the bigger question... I have some thoughts. It might be worth trying to smuggle some weapons in or break them out... I need to talk to some people around town. We can talk more about it tomorrow or the day after, so we know what we're up against."

[rax]

"Revolts and prison breaks now, is it? I'm beginning to think you're a dangerous woman to know, Miss Destiny," Severin chuckles. "And here I was thinking I'd settle down and take up gambling for a living..."