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Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus brings his holy symbol out from behind his shirt. "Stand aside and cease your prating," declares Cadmus firmly, "or it shall be you spending the night in the gaol."

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius sits high in the saddle, trying to appear aloof and dignified compared to the lout that accosts them.

Tacitus the Multiloquent

Tacitus rides on by, and has his body-check the man if need be.

17th Springmonth I

The would-be shakedown artist backs off rapidly. "Damn, I was merely jesting!" he cries out, red-faced. "It seems some people can't even take a swiving joke these days!"

As he scuttles off, several local louts cast derision and mockery upon him, and kick mud and offal in his general direction. As the adventurers proceed, they pass by a few disreputable-looking pawnshops, a general store that seems somewhat promising, and an inordinate number of inns and alehouses. Even this early in the morning, the latter establishments seem moderately busy.

Tacitus the Multiloquent

"I think the longer we stay here, the more likely we are to have our purses lifted. We should move on immediately, and try the next town on."

Wyzard wrote:Tacitus the Multiloquent

"I think the longer we stay here, the more likely we are to have our purses lifted. We should move on immediately, and try the next town on."

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus nods on agreement.

17th Springmonth I

The adventurers ride through town and over one of several wooden bridges. The river-traffic here consists mostly of smaller boats and barges, rather than the larger craft seen plying the River Long back at Pontes. From their horseback perches, the adventurers espy a number of other shady or rough sorts, but no one else challenges them directly.

After crossing the river, they ride out and on to the east along the main road. After twenty-five miles, the party reaches another village. This little roadside town is smaller than the last settlement, and seemingly more sedate. At least one of the buildings is obviously an inn, and gauging from the outside, it does not appear to be the sort of establishment that would tolerate brawling and disordered revelry.

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius asks a local how far to the next village.

Local

"You ain't gonna make it to the next village afore sundown no matter how hard you ride them horses. Even if you started from here at daybreak, you'd only make it to the next village if you rode 'em so hard you'd have to rest 'em all the next day."

Cadmus the Confused

"Let us stop here, then," says Cadmus to his companions. "What news," he asks the villager, "we have ridden far and long and are eager for rest indoors in a bed."

Local

"Well, over yonder's the inn. Prices done risen, but if you got the coin, it ain't a bad place all. I ain't reckonin' you're wantin' to hear about crops and local gossip and such."

"You're probably more interested in the fact that there's an army coming from the east. They say the Queen mustered the troops. The Count of the Excubitors is leadin' a goodly force, they say, out west. Yep, west of the River Long, out to Danum or some place like that. Deal with some sort of refugees or rebels or somethin' that live out past of Danum."

"Severians, that's what they're called. Been some through this way. Some didn't seem so bad, just hungry and poor. Others seemed a mite suspicious to me."

"Hmm. That's probably all the news that strangers passin' through would be interested in. Oh, there was some fellow in the common room of the inn a few days ago, talkin' about people dancin' in the woods. He started tellin' some tales that weren't exactly proper, so we run him out of town. We don't need no filthy talk like that around here."

"I don't know exactly where these woods are. Ain't really no big bodies of trees around here. Glad there ain't, if anything he was sayin' is a true account of what some folk get up to where they find a place to hide their filthy ways."

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

"Heard the same news about dancers in the woods when we passed through Pontes. Someone must have an interest in spreading tales. I don't know if I want to stop just yet; seems that we just got onto the road." Alfius eyes the sun on its flight across the sky.

Decimus Numerous

"We do not need to make so much haste I feel and a night in an inn would be comfortable after so many nights under the stars".

Decimus Numerous

Seeing his companion's look and how early in the day it is Decimus continues "very well let us not waste camping as our camping out has been safe so far and ride on".

17th Springmonth I

Although some are tempted by the prospect of a comfortable night in an inn, the party finally reaches the decision to ride in. Passing through town, they continue east for a little over two score miles along the great road. At the end of the day, the adventurers withdraw a little ways off the road and sleep in some haystacks.

18th Springmonth I

The party wakes early, makes a quick breakfast out of the rations they have available, and prepares to set out. The adventurers mount up and ride east. Shortly before noon, they come to another village.
The architecture is not all that different from their own hometown; the place looks like a little farming village that has grown up somewhat by virtue of being located along the main road. Currently, this settlement looks to be all astir, with various men and women marching about at a rapid clip, and a number of horses and wagons present that would seem to be beyond the ordinary for a settlement of this size. Two or three buildings here have the look of inns; all of them have a large number of horses tied up at rails in front of their porches, and nearby barns and stables seem to be buzzing with activity as ostlers and farriers go about their business.

Tacitus the Multiloquent

"Let's get a hot lunch and ask around, then keep riding."

Wyzard wrote:Tacitus the Multiloquent

"Let's get a hot lunch and ask around, then keep riding."

Whilst Tactius waits on a majority decision from the entire party, he approaches one of the inns. A mud-stained traveller is in the process of stepping down from his horse and handing the reins to an ostler. He looks at Tacitus and touches his cap.

"Any news, fellow traveller?" he inquires. "Only thing I've heard of any real interest---other than the news about an army being on the move, that is---is that three country lads and a country priest caused some trouble in Danum. Killed some men, and stole some sort of dagger with sentimental value from an important man. Something like that. The dagger itself isn't supposed to be of any value, but this rich fellow wants it back real bad and has the means to get help doing so. Anyway, there's a ree-ward being offered on them boys and that priest."

Decimus Numerous

"Yes, let us get food here then move onwards".

Decimus overhearing the travellers' remarks as he follows Tacitus looks at his companions before he replies.

"I hadn't heard that rumour, but I had been told that a fellow was going round telling tales that people were going dancing naked in the woods and was spicing it up by saying that young ladies were the main dancers".

Mud-Stained Man

"Hellfire!" spits out the man. "If I were ten years younger, I'd follow up on that one my own self. That's a lot more interesting than dead men and stolen knives in Danum."

Inn of the Prancing Unicorn

The adventurers enter the establishment, finding it to be named the Prancing Unicorn. The town in which they find themselves is apparently Kingshome. The innkeeper approaches them with a harried, angry look.

"Ain't had a chance to rest my aching feet all day," he complains in a sniveling voice. "Well, what do you want? What's that? A bit of nuncheon? That'll be a gold piece a man. Don't like the price? Don't blame me, blame them army fellows."

He indicates a quartet of bow-legged men in red wool coats and riding boots sitting around one table as they smoke pipes and play cards. The rest of the common room is packed almost all the way full with a variety of farmers, tradesmen, traders, travelers, tinkers, and the like. The serving-women and potboys here have to step lively, sweating as they work up a storm.

"Lots of food being bought up, and rooms being reserved in advance in all the inns, like this was some sort of big city. Bah! No call to be workin' this hard this early."