chapter 5 - In Search of Sausages

[coil23]

The group starts back in the direction you had been heading before your odd encounter. After a few minutes the road takes a turn to the left. You keep traveling for a while and then up ahead you start to see the silhouettes of buildings. You spot some movement that seems to be people between some of the buildings. The trees are thinning as you approach with larger open spaces between them. Looking ahead and up you see the mountains are dominating more and more of the sky that you can see through the trees.

Hennoth speaks softly as if afraid to break the silence of the trees, Aye, this is Drumlin.



Damn! Who knew silhouettes was so hard to spell!

[OGRE MAGE]

Travix is glad to see some civilization again.

"We should all get our stories straight before heading into town. Ok, so........what are we doing here again?"

[hedgeknight]

Graela Windborn

The Dwarf spear-chucker shrugs at Travix. "We could say we are traveling through; heard about the famous sausages and thought we would check 'em out."

[coil23]

As the group approaches, the trees thin out to a clearing around the community. You approach from the southeast and now see there is a partially-constructed palisade around a small village. The fence is intact on other sides that you can see but large gaps remain on the east and southeast sides closest to you. The support posts are all in place on this side, however. You still see a few people moving between the buildings in the village proper. Fields are on either side of the road leading into the village ahead of you. There are four larger fields to the right and four small ones along the left side. An old man is on his knees working in one of the larger fields. Seeing the movement as you emerge he looks up quickly and freezes in place.


Drumlin map also posted in Maps and Campaign Background thread.


Drumlin map

Drumlin.jpg (403.98 KiB) Viewed 316 times

[OGRE MAGE]

Travix finds the old mans behavior strange, so he of course, addresses him.

"Well met, good sir! What, pray tell is the name of this settlement and what do you do here?"

[Mant72]

Tip hails the elderly man and awaits his response to Travix's query.

[coil23]

The man stares intently, squinting his eyes. How's I know you're real? Pinch the one next to you.

[OGRE MAGE]

Travix is not usually speechless, but..........

He looks on as confused as he has ever been, wondering what the others have made of this mans nonsense.

"I'm sorry? Did you just suggest that each of us pinch one other so you could make sure that we are indeed real?"

[coil23]

Ghosts always gotta argue, the man grumbles as he gets to his feet and dusts off his pants. Still keeping an eye on you he begins to carefully make his way toward the gate to the fence around his field. He begins moving more quickly as if afraid you will try to cut off his escape. Raising his voice, Ira, hot pitch for the invaders!

[Pulpatoon]

Salt Peter takes to the man's suggestion with relish, pinching everyone within reach. "A nip fer ye, an' fer ye, an' wi' me apolly-gees, Graeler, and ooooof! it's a long reach ter yer bony ol' butt-ox, there, Travix! Yer all bones an' leather an' no meat!"

Dusting his hands with the satisfaction of a job well done, he addresses the man: "But ther true test o' haints is how as they can't stand salt, and I got me a fine load o' it, right 'ere!" He sprinkles salt on himself and his companions. "Now, tha' should be proof enough fer beggar, soldier, 'r king."

[coil23]

The man hoots with delight as the pinching ensues. His face darkens and he sobers long enough to add, you keep that salt outta the fields, mind. He inspects the group once again, ah, I guess I do know one of you. Who are the rest?

He continues toward the field gate but no longer seems in a hurry.

[OGRE MAGE]

The mage furrows his brow as the oddities commence. Seeing the reaction from the farmer forces him to play along.

"Okay then....... I am called Travix! We come seeking sausage!"

[Pulpatoon]

"I be..." the little man looks at the sack of salt in his hand with a wry grin, "oddly enow, I be known as Salt Peter. But it hain't onna account o' this." He tucks the sack away in his backpack, while trailing along behind the farmer. "More 'cuz Freeman Petteri Kalium-Nitre is whaddayer call, too mucher a mouthful.

"An, aye, speakin' o' mouthfuls, it be sawserges what brung us."

[coil23]

Well, ye found Drumlin but I expect the boy knew the way. The old man nods at Hennoth who respectfully nods back. So Travix and Salt Peter, huh? Do the other two talk? Madame Gelding's sausages are fair famous, I reckon. We can get you a meal in the main house. (6) As you walk through the southeast entrance (1) you see a dead ferret nailed to either side of the stout-looking gate. As he passes, the man makes odd ritual gestures at the dead animals. On your right you see a barn and pen where several goats are milling around. (3) He stops and turns to look at your group skeptically, did you really come all the way up here just fer sausages?



The fence section just south of the SE gate and the two fence sections just north of it are the missing ones. The one just north of it has a rickety makeshift fence just designed to keep the goats in. It looks as if construction is still underway to complete these three missing sections.

[Pulpatoon]

Salt Peter: "Oh, aye. We be pow'rfil gore-mays, what as lurvs ter fin' new tidbits an' morsels fer our reee-fined palettes.

"But... we warn't thinkin' ter find ye in quite sucha state. Looks like ye been under siege—or be 'xpectin' ter be."

Does Salt Peter, a fellow deeply invested in superstition as a manner of navigating the world, recognize the gesture made to the nailed-up ferret?

[Mant72]

Tip rubs his arm after Salty's pinch and introduces himself to the old man, "Tip Briarberry at your service, and who might you be?" He extends his small hand to make niceties.

When he sees the nailed ferrets, he asks, "Be this some type of ward? Quite curious..."

[OGRE MAGE]

Travix doesn't like the look of this place either.

He looks intently all around while the others get acquainted.

[coil23]

Siege? You southerners are used to living in luxury. Up here you just have to be more careful. This is the wilderness, son. What do you city-folk say? Good fences make good neighbors? A nervous laugh punctuates this joke.


The old man turns to Tip at his introduction. He bends over to closely examine the halfling's extended hand and then nods curtly. No worries- your hands are clean enough for eatin'. No need to wash 'em. He then turns and continues to lead the way into the village.

Salt Peter does not recognize anything familiar in the man's ritual gesture though he does notice that the man's eccentricity drains away in the moment he makes them. Your party notices some crude candles, lit, and some gathered wild flowers on the ground to the side of the outside gate.

There are large, mature trees that offer shade, sturdy dwellings- some stone and some wood, chickens mill about as well as a few loose goats, the sun shining down on it all. Walking on the central road through the village the scene would seem serene if it weren't for the odd behavior. A man walking with a young boy and girl pulls them closer to him and walks away more quickly at the sight of you. A woman churning butter in front of a building stops and sits still as she stares intently until you are past her. Near the center of the village you see a large three-story building on your right. This seems to be the "main house". It is fortified, likely built at a time when it stood alone, before the village was built around it. The walls are of stone and the windows have heavy wooden shutters cut with murder holes. though the shutters are currently open.

[Mant72]

Tip retracts his hand, looks at his palm, then turns to the others with an expression of bewilderment.

"Shall we make for the large building?"

[hedgeknight]

Graela Windborn

Graela flinches when pinched, but gives Salty nothing more than a frown. Noting the old man's odd behavior, Graela just goes along with her companions, while keeping the dogs on a short leash.
When the old man is out of earshot, she asks Hennoth, "Are these folks always so on edge? You know about this town. What gives?"