Turn3

Freedom?...

No sooner have Billy and Raddish sunk into the shadows beneath the stairwell, two Szreldor with torches head down the outer street towards them. Moving further back amongst the refuse, Raddish accidentally steps on an animal bone which splinters with an audible "scrunch!" One of the warriors looks in their direction, holding up his torch towards the sound ... but the flame fails to light the area sufficiently for them to be spotted.
"Probably rats," says the other Szreldor, gesturing for them to move on."Come on, we've got work to do."

After a long pause, the other man shrugs and moves on. The street is soon empty once more.

*************

As the mention of setting fire to the Tavern sinks in, the Innkeeper - Balneg shouts:
"What? My tavern? On fire? Where? What did the woman say? I must see. Quick, somebody help. I can't have the Inn burning down - what would the poor people do ?" He sounds panicked. Running for the stairs to the second floor he shouts, "My livelihood - up in flames. Galgwen! Galgwen my love, wake up! The Inns on fire. We must put it out!!"

Saelvach watches the Northwoman gallop through the billowing smoke and disappear into the night. A soft curse leaves his lips - "she may have been a woman, but judging by the weapons at her side - one who is skilled in the arts of war, a potentially usefull ally at such a moment as this." He shrugs and turns to Heladil, also watching the woman's retreating form.

"Well my friend, these odds are less to my liking. A great deal of luck will be required to emerge unscathed from this....".

"That is if we choose to fight, Saelvach," replies the other, staring out into the tavern yard, ready to leave now and yet, something holds him back. He turns back to regard the Innkeeper.

Saelvach gives the elf a brief smile and hurries to where Balneg stands shouting up the stairs. Shaking the man until he responds, the gambler says: "Perhaps one of the many hapless souls to lose his life savings to me has decided to seek retribution? A most regrettable occurrence - I will, of course, pay in full for any damages sustained to your establishment"; and gives a wicked grin.

"In the meanwhile it might be prudent to try an escape - the pair of us lying in our graves isn't quite what I have in mind just yet! Does this building have a secure cellar? If the place starts to fall around our ears it may be the safest place for you and your family."

"Ah, yes. Yes. It's true. The Dwarven builders of this fine place made a proper cellar to store their foodstuffs. It is of stone and should be well protected. But my Tavern? I can't let it burn. It would take ... Oh, its too shocking to imagine. Galgwen? Galgwen! Ah where is that woman? Sirs please, you must help us try to put out the fire. It may not have spread too far yet?"

Saelvach, sword in hand, shrugs to the man in appology before striding to the backdoor. Taking one look to right and left he rolls through the doorway into the yard, rising smoothly to his feet and running for the cover of the nearby stable. He disappears into the dark interior.

Balneg meanwhile is distraught: "I can't leave. I can't hide. What about my livelihood? Ahh... my Ales! Help someone, where is the fire?" Balneg runs up the stairs.

The assembled crowd begins to react to the situation. A local steps forward to have a closer look at the body on the floor by the entrance but one or two others run past Gwalchmai and out through the front door into the street. One is shouting, "My family. I must help my family." They disappear into the semi-dark.

Froin, peering through the crowd is finally able to see the elven body lying on the floor. He steps forward also and kneels beside the elf. Bowing his head the Dwarf is silent, in honour of the dead. After a moment Froin slowly rises to his feet again and walks to the entrance to peer outside to see what is going on.

Tewo shouts, "What do you see Froin?."

"Yeah," says the merchant from by the Kitchen door, "What's going on out there? Somebody tell me. Ranal! Go and find out what is going on!"

The merchant's man-at-arms steps over to join the Dwarf by the door. Taking a long look he turns, saying, "It's a Szreldor warband. They're torching the village. I can see four warriors, one mounted. They are probably going to attack this Inn. There must be good plunder in here. We better leave from the back."

"Get me out of here then!" shouts the Merchant, beginning to get demanding. "I don't want to be mixed up in this! My wares... we must get the cart. Quick, Ranal. Secure the horses. We're leaving now!"

Gwalchmai tries to see through a window if the roof is actually burning however it is impossible to see from here. The building is one of the sturdiest structures in Buhr Criocha - a legacy of the ancient Dwarf settlement that was here before. The roof has arched wooden beams with thick straw thatch over wood planking. It will take quite a while for the roof to burn to the ground although the straw will catch fast. So far there is no noise indicating where the fire is.

Leaving his scrutiny for a moment, the huge mercenary searches the body of the dead woman.
The local man mutters, "What do you do?"

"I am trying to find something that could help us to know who she is."

"I know her. She is Raldi, wife of Caldran, a farmer. She lives across the road from here. Poor woman."

He then adds: "Look, do you have a weapon? I am not a fighter but I have no family and would wish to help drive these evil men from our village. Please help us!"

Arekhel, seeing Gwalchmai rummaging in the woman's cloths, whispers to him, with quite a sarcastic tone:
"I see that you don't mind having some blood on your hands...mind you, it is the same with the Crebain, they don't care if they've get blood-stains on their beaks while searching for carrion..."
She stands up quickly (to avoid the reaction of the Northman) and walks over to the stairs to fetch her stuff from her room.

After a moment, the bulky Northman chooses to quickly follow the woman and goes upstairs to knock on all the doors yelling "Fire! Get out".

The Innkeeper is rushing around on the first floor too, shouting. His plump wife is standing in the hall ringing her hands with worry, muttering. Even down the length of the hall you hear her cursing Heladil's name. Opening one of the smaller rooms Gwalchmai immediately notices smoke slowly filling in from one corner by the roof. It is dark grey and thick. Arekhel appears in the hallway nearby and the mercenary points out the fact to her:
"That elf is right, they are burning the inn out. You'd better follow me if you want to live..."
Both grab their packs and prepare to go to the backdoor but Balneg gets in the way.
"You can't leave. We need to put the fire out. I don't know what is happening outside but we must save the Inn. It is the focus of the peoples lives. Anyway, you haven't paid for your lodgings and I'm not a charity. The least you can do is help in this hour of need." He looks determined to argue.

***********

Meanwhile on the road to Dail...

Valdo takes one quick glance behind him in case of surprise attacks, but oddly the two Goblins left from the first melee are more interested to investigate the cart and ignore the soldier. The Gaurd-captain comes to a swift decision and runs at a tangent from his enemies towards Lochan's horse, there to engage the three enemy facing the Ranger. He calls out:

"Stand Fast Men.... Don't forget our mounted patrol will be back any second.. And the battle WILL be ours".

The advancing Goblins falter at these words and two hunch up looking around in fear but the others just grin and move forward to attack. Lochan looks around at the other horses but the animals are fearful of the greenskins and are scattering as their tethers come loose from the tree. The remaining militia-man is defending himself on one knee from a Goblin who seems determined to skewer the poor man. The Ranger shouts fiercely in full battle cry and both men charge to meet the advancing enemy.

************

Spurring her horse in the flanks and gritting her teeth, Meraina rides through the streets scattering enemy warriors hither and yon. She rides hard for the outer wall stopping for nothing and nobody. The Szreldor seem to be raiding houses randomly but butchering the citizens anyway. "How many will die before this day comes?" she wonders but does not slow until she reaches the outer village wall. There she begins to systematically search for a doorway out of the burning settlement.

************

Securing the Szreldor ponies in the copse of trees away from the village, Relg orders Maleg to stay with them in case the wildcats of the land come to bother them. He looks up into the eastern sky at the light of dawn beginning to touch the line of mountain peaks. "Not long... the Szreldor will begin to retreat before the light is fully come. OK, time to set to the task," he thinks, turning to motion his remaining tracker, Coru forward towards the village. Hunching up, the two hunters jog for the abandoned doorway.

************

"Look old crusty," the Szreldorn warrior snears. "Put down that thing before you hurt yourself. It's too heavy for you anyway. Wouldn't you like a feather bed instead? I'm sure we could get you back to sleep in no time."

Boldor doesn't react directly, swaying to his feet and squinting at his opponent, but eventually grunts and makes a vague swing at the blurred man across the table:
"Leve me...y'alone, yer... oh!" He misses and stumbles, dropping the mattock which thuds to the floor.

"OK, that's enough fooling around old man. I've got orders and we're not taking any prisoners the likes of you," and the man moves forward, wielding a club of some kind at the Dwarfs head.

Amazingly, considering his assumed condition, Boldor ducks in time and the mans swipe swings too far. Boldor, staggers out of the way retrieving his weapon but misses his opponent. The Szreldorn warrior recovers for a moment in surprise before swinging again and this time connects although Boldor manages to side-step most of the blow and brings his own weapon two handed into the mans side knocking him hard against the stone wall. The Szreldor staggers back clearly dazed and the Dwarven soldier grins wolfishly as he focusses finally on his enemy, bringing the mattock up to crack soundly against the side of the man's head.

"Ya cocky young bastard," shouts the Dwarf, as the invader slides to the floor. "Thought ya could teech me ah thing o two did ye, aye?" says Boldor, gleefully waving his weapon at the downed man, then slumping into his chair as the room spins crazily around him.

After a few minutes the Dwarf recovers suitably to remember that there was someone else in the room. He gets to his feet and crosses the room to the limp body on the steps. It's one of the village militia, a man named Waldren. He has a wound in his shoulder and appears unconscious. More important, however is the body of Morgral in the next room. The man appears to be kneeling in prayer but Boldor sees quickly by the spear shaft jutting out of the mans belly, that his friend is dead.
"Reight ye bastards. Someone's gonna paye." With this, he is up the steps and away.

End of Turn 3.