Turn15

A Spanner in the Works

After telling his tale Lochan waits awhile for an answer to his question. He has known the Gambler and his enigmatic ways for sometime and lets the man collect his thoughts before he replies.

Sealvach quickly explains the attack on the village and upon the inn in summary but Valdo sees an opportunity to swiftly rebuke the Elf.
"Well, we cannot stand here discussing it all. I'm needed in Buhr Criocha so we will ride hard for the settlement and you two can talk to your hearts content upon the way." With that he spurs his horse forward and canters off down the forest path towards Buhr Criocha.

Although his voice remains calm, Lochan's expression sharpens as he shrugs to the two Elves. "Obviously something vile has occurred, but perhaps this is not the place to talk of such matters. You came looking for us at a time of need. I think we must return as the guard-captain says with all haste and make a report of our knowledge".

He turns back to the cart, asking over his shoulder as he mounts up onto the running board: "If you could control some of these horses, I would be grateful - we can make quicker time that way."

As the group turns north once more along the forest track, Lochan begins speaking aloud his thoughts:
"I do not know if you're familiar with the track the enemy has taken but there's a point we could use well to our advantage. I think Lord Marhdhricks should be told of it. If we could return in time with enough soldiers, we might be able to ambush them and retrieve the prisoners. What think you Sealvach? And Heladil. Do you know much of the geography of these lands?"

"I have not travelled this far to the east if that is what you are asking. I would be surprised if we could not overtake such a slow mobing group if we could hurry and they had to travel far."

Sealvach responds:
"It is a nice idea Lochan but sadly, I don't think we could possibly mount a retributive strike against the Szreldor without aid from other towns. From what I've seen, Buhr Criocha has been hit hard and may take time to summon a force. The village doesn't have that many men in the standing militia does it?"

"No. Your right. There are only thirty or so men in the standing force. We shall have to see what Raigorn has to say." And with that the men fall silent, focussing their attention on the road ahead and the swiftly retreating figure of Valdo's horse in the distance.

<They make swift progress back to Buhr Criocha and arrive to find the gates closed and two of the villagers with spears atop the surrounding wall. As the group approaches, the guards notice Lochan's attire and swiftly open the gates, waving for them to pull up in the road beyond.>

Lochan shouts to the guard on the nearside:
"Is the guard-captain back yet?"
"Aye. He came in about ten minutes ago and headed straight for the main square. You can find him looking for Raigorn."
"Where is Raigorn?"
"Don't know. I was ordered to keep an eye out for those damn Szreldor bastards! We won't be caught again with our pants down! We'll show 'em if they want to come back for more."
"Right. Stay vigilant," answers and with that the group moves on into the village.

********

Arekhel follows the group outside, still talking to Relg as he takes a spare cloak to cover his likeness to the Szreldor. Hearing the voices raised, she peers to see what's going on.

After the alarm is raised by Meraina, Relg quickly draws his sabre and steps forward. He then seems to recognise the two Hobbits from earlier. His weapon is ready but not raised in a combat stance, he says to them:
"Better you don't move, we might have some questions."
The Gargath then turns to Meraina and the others:
"I have met them outside the village, just before dawn. They were fleeing the Szreldor, not letting them in."

Both Hobbit's back off from Meraina, but don't draw their weapons. They don't seem threatening so Gwalchmai moves forward to stop the vengeful arm of Meraina. "Calm down Meraina!".

Meraina ignores him but relaxes her stance of her own accord and slides her daggers back into their sheaths...
"Look, lets take them to the Lord and he can deal with them. I mean, what do I care anyway?" and she shrugs her shoulders, her hair cascading around her face.

Gwalchmai speaks to the two small people before him:
"Who are you and what is your story? And speak the truth, otherwise I won't be able to contain this woman any longer!"

Billy stands up tall against the frowning looks directed at him and Raddish and fixes Gwalchmai with his strongest look.
"We are not liars, Sir, I resent that! and as he says," <Billy nods in Raddish' direction>, "we are just trying to do what we can to help in this unfortunate situation."

Frightened and speaking quickly, Raddish relates their story.
"We were looking for a way to escape from the village, because of a...errr.... misunderstanding with the Lord. He didn't take jokes well, he's so gruff, I think it would be better if he would lighten up a bit. However, where was I.. we were searching for a way to escape the guards when a man with a hood appeared and told us where a side door was. We opened the door which was unguarded and found that a large Szreldor band was approaching. See, we Hobbits are not warriors, and we were a bit frightened so we fled while the guards attacked the Szreldor. We tried to help them, as I already said to the lady here, but we were forced to flee and flee again out of the village. Milady ... Meraina?.. found us and thought we were traitors but we are not! We even returned to the village to be of some help. As I said, we aren't warriors but we are not cowards. I trust in your judgement, and I add that someone here knows me and can back up my words." With that the Hobbit turns worriedly to Boldor.

"Aye, I know young Raddish, and he's not capable of such a crime, if it's traitors yer looking for I'm afraid yer looking in the wrong place."
Boldor moves between the main group and the Hobbits and turns to face anyone who might advance.
"They're innocent and that's a fact. Yer just looking for scapegoats, well I'll have naught of it! Now if anybody's got a problem with that they'll have to come through me first." He sets his feet ready for a possible confrontation.

Billy follows on as soon as the Dwarf has made his stand:
"I don't like to be threatened, not by warriors, and not by you," he says, pointing in Meraina's direction. "This is the second time you raised a weapon towards me in just a few hours. What my friend has told you is the truth. We are not warriors but we are not cowards. If we are not wanted here then we can leave you, but we did not bargain nor betray this village to those awful warriors."
The Hobbit fixes Meraina with a steady gaze and stands as imposing as he can.

Gwalchmai turns to Meraina:
"Well, what do you think of that?"

Tossing her head to clear it, Meraina ignores the Northman and makes to move on in the direction they were going before the Hobbits joined the group, taking no further part in the situation.

As things seem to have calmed down, Boldor says to the Hobbits:
"Right, yer better come with us. We're going to see the Lord although much good that will do us... I'd like you two to be there." and Gwalchmai adds:
"Yes and he will either confirm your story, or... may be kill you, depending on the kind of joke you've made!" And the burly Northman begins to laugh loudly at his own joke.

No-one else does and Boldor and the Hobbits flash him angered looks.

Arekhel smiles at the argument, shakes her head in disbelief, then says to Relg:
"Everybody seems to suspect everybody! After taking you for a
Szreldor, they accuse these little men! I think it is time we go
to see this Lord, for we might otherwise end up killing each other! Men are crazy! This world is crazy!"
<Suddenly, a mask of sadness appears on Arekhel's face. She looks
very weary and old. But soon she shudders, retakes her composure and
follows Froin and the group as they begin to move up the street towards the center of the village. The Hobbits fall into place behind the welcome protection of Boldor.>

A short while later in the central village square...

Here also can be seen the tell tale signs of pitched battle. Two guardsmen pass the group coming up the street, carrying the body of a dead Szreldorn warrior. One more to join the pile forming outside the village walls.

The stone pillars of the council hall lie ahead and through them is a stone vaulted room roughly twenty by thirty metres in size. Torches gutter in wall brackets to compliment the filtered light coming in through the high windows and a door in the side wall. The front doors to the room are starting to become blocked with anxious villagers, but the form of Gwalchmai easily clears a path through them for the others until his way is also blocked by two of the village guardsmen. Behind them at the far end of the room is a raised dias leading to a high backed wooden seat and infront of it at the foot of the steps lies its current owner, Marhdhricks. The figure of the woman Lorrelinde is crouching nearby as is another younger woman, applying some glutinous substance from a wooden bowl to a large crack in his rotund breastplate while he lies prone, wincing at every ministration, sweat trickles down his redened face.

One of his two personal gaurds, clad fully in glittering chainmail, kneels by his side, head bowed, while across the room upon a table is the hastily covered body of another tall man. In all, only four militiamen are present and they are having trouble controlling the crowd who are wanting to surge forward for a closer look.

One of the young militiamen spies Gwalchmai and shouts over to him. "Sir, please help us push back these people to the door. As you can see, our Lord cannot speak to them yet. Please help."
He also looks to Relg, as the other man pushes through to take a closer look himself.

********

After stretching and testing his sores, Coru seems to feel much better so he tries to find Lorrelinde. Suddenly realising that Relg has promised to return within only two hours and it is now apparently early afternoon, Coru becomes worried that something must have happened and rapidly pulls on his leathers. Perhaps his help is needed elsewere and there is no point for him to stay where he is, now that he is healed. Unable to thank the woman Lorrelinde, Coru heads towards the door before realising that he looks just like the enemy Szreldor. He spies a non-descript cloak with a formless hood hanging on a nearby peg and quickly pulls it on before closing the outer door behind him. The young tracker's blade is safely concealed beneath the shapeless garment although he clasps his bow in his fist, ready should he be somehow attacked.
Coru then heads towards the nearest person to ask for directions to the local inn. The man frowns at the other's accent and faltering speech but points the way after a moment. Coru is surprised by the direction the man indicates but nods and thanks him, turning to head towards the inn.

<After a minute of walking, Coru is convinced the man gave him the wrong directions! He is heading through the center of the village and is sure he is heading due east rather than south. The Gargath warrior shakes his head, wondering why a number of things seem confusing to him at present. That draught administered by Lorrelinde must have been more powerful than he at first thought.>

At that moment, a man in the apparel of a militiaman runs across the cobbled square that Coru has entered from one side to the other. Surely this man might now which way is the inn and Coru runs after him. Upon turning into a side street, he stops short as he sees three militiamen clustered around the open door of a large stone building. This must be the home of a rich member of the village for it stands solidly imposing against the smaller houses about. It also has a stone-tiled roof but Coru's gaze slips quickly past these facts as he sees a body carried from the building. It is a Szreldor warrior, obviously dead for his body is badly gashed and soaked with blood. Coru can't help but move closer to see what has happened.

<The first thing apparent is that here too, the swarthy-men have forced entry. A battle has obviously been fought in the hallway of this house as four other bodies lie strewn upon the rush matting. All are Easterlings, all are dead and a great fountain of crimson blood is smeared across one wall. On closer inspection it is possible to determine the causes of their deaths. The first seems to have been the last one standing because his body is facing towards the front door, weaponless but with a deep wound in his back that must have knocked him to the floor, severing his spine. The next has a crushed skull, another has bled to death from a horrific thigh wound while the other has another deep gash through his leather armour. Whatever weapon has been used to slay these men, it was deadly.
The three militiamen drop the body to the ground and turn to retrieve the next but spy the young Gargath standing close by.
"Ah, Lorrelinde. Glad you were given the message."
"Er...I..."
"Good. Your services are needed upstairs. you'll find Raigorn there."

<The soldiers seem urgent that the person before them should enter the building and usher Coru forward, obviously unaware of his true identity. Coru hesitates.>

End of Turn 15.