The Two Barons (RP)

"What!? Why!?" Phil exclaims, his voice going very high and he actually hugs himself out of nervousness at being picked on.

"It's OK." Theo says, trying to sound reassuring. "He didn't mean anything. Just that you might be able to help. Go on, you'll be fine if Albert says so." Phil reluctantly shrugs --or just hunches his shoulders, it is hard to tell with his arms wrapped around his torsos so-- but follows quietly with the departing group.

Theo seems very surprised by Albert's suggestion that this father has anything to do with anything out here. "I doubt it." He says hesitantly. "He has never paid any attention to anything outside the village, and it's even worse since he put the stupid wall up." He considers things for a long while before saying. "Though he has been talking about the lack of provisions coming in... But the first I heard about a 'plan' was last night when he hired you. I suppose he could have had dealings with 'the resistance', but I never heard of it till today, and I don't actually think he knows about it.

"Are you saying you did not set this up? What are we doing here? What is going on? Who is 'the girl'? I don't want anything to do with any kidnapping, and I won't threaten a girl." He declares stubbornly.

"Oh, good. I hoped so." Theo sounds a lot happier with the idea of rescuing a kidnapped girl than the other way round. You can see his mind wander off, thinking about the many rewards and if the girl is cute, and he has to be nudged back to the topic at hand. "No... I haven't heard about anyone going missing." He concedes still pondering who it could be.

The two guards were hanging about out of earshot to give you some privacy. They look startled by Albert's question and not sure how to answer. "We was hired this morning. The young master comes to us, says we will get paid if we keep him and his friend safe on a day trip. Times are hard, you understand, there is no work since we was put off our land." He indicates the unmaintained fields out there to prove his point. "We did not know we was coming to 'The Resistance' or that they was here, but we are mighty proud to be serving the young master if he is our 'man in the mayors camp' Chris keeps talking about. That's all I can say about that."

- Roald -

It takes but a moment for the farmers to reach the top floor, you can hear them clomping up the stairs over the sound of Olaf's shouting from the front room of the ground floor, it does not seem like Olaf is getting the answers he wants and he keeps shouting "where is she?!"

You can see your 'strike force' struggling to open the balcony doors to tell you it is safe to come up.

What do you do?

"Let's split up into two teams to search the house. Daryl and Norbert can come with me to search the ground floor. The others can join our two allies and search the upper levels. We will meet up in the room where Olaf is now."
Roald doesn't wait for approval and starts walking towards the house at a high pace.
He doesn't look back to see if they follow, of course he does hear Daryl.

This leadership thing is new to him and he's not sure if he's doing it the right way.

You got this Roald, believe in yourself!

With Daryl's clinking and clanking behind him as a reminder of his clumsyness with the armour, he starts doubting his decision of taking him inside the house.

I hope he learned something along the road, This is not a good time to have another back to watch. Norbert seems able enough though...

- Norbert -

As instructed, Phil has been following close to you. He looks a lot more comfortable once inside the house, and also looks quite accustomed to such finery. It takes him a few moments to realise what you are doing, then he exclaims excitedly.

"Oh! I get it! I have read about this sort of thing." He then drags you all through the house, pulling and twisting on candle-holders knobs, and looking for bookshelves --absent on the ground floor-- in an attempt to find a secret door.

Eventually you find yourselves back at the entry to the cellar. "That's disappointing." Phil says at the failure to find another way down.

If you stuck with Phil during his search you will have gained some trust and would look a lot happier than when he was ordered to leave Theo's company. Either way he follows you down into the wine cellar (which also contains cheese).

You can see from the stairs that this area is as large as the house, so if there is any secret underground area it would need to be outside the buildings perimeter. The earth and stone walls sport no doors leading anywhere out from here, the only way up is the stairs back to the pantry and kitchen.

What do you do?

- Roald -

Eventually your search leads you to the front room where Olaf has stormed out and is now shouting at the gate. The front gate seems more sturdy than the one you came through and he is trying to make himself be heard over the continued noise of farmers trying to tear it down. "Stop it. Go around the back. It is done. Stop it." He yells to no avail. The three guards have stopped attacking and are hurling catcalls down at the mob outside, ignoring Olaf and his bluster.

What do you do?

- Albert -

"Well, ya." The farmer replies. "We are Resistance. Right smart of the young master to hire us." He adds, though the pride in his voice is slightly blunted by a possible internal-accusation that Theo knew they were members, and did not mention they were coming here.

"Spoke with Olaf... day before yesterday?" He postulates. "None of this was planned at that time, so I don't know." He says, shrugging dismissively as though unconcerned about not knowing such plans.

Theo says nothing, but shares an increasingly desperate look with you at the continued insistence that he knew about all this. His attention seems to have shifted to the events in the house, and when not actively engaged, he bites his lip anxiously.

The baron's servants are standing around watching you, trying to seem like they are giving you privacy, but also doing their best to learn what is going on with these people who have invaded their home.

What do you do?

- Albert -

"Helga, over there is married to my wife's brother." The talkative guard admits. "But we don't talk to that side of the family, so I wouldn't say 'friend'."

- Albert -

"I'll do my best, but no promises." The bodyguard-farmer grumbles as he slouches off to talk to the estranged in-law's in-law.