The Other Baron (RP)

Continued from The wind in her hair.

The land on the far side of the village looks much the same on the other. There is little work being done, and 'farmers' stare at you over their crumbling fences and from their unmaintained fields. Some greet you and ask casual questions, others watch you suspiciously.

As you near the baron's steading, you see signs of more recent work. Trees have been felled, and the road has deep drag-ruts in the rain-soaked surface.

You soon discover where those trees have gone: A large group of men are setting up a palisade fence to bar the way to the baron. This is the third such barricade you have encountered in this valley --they seem to be in fashion-- but this one is not complete and the workers don't seem interested in stopping you from passing. You can walk right up to the baron's home if you so choose.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

It is possible that the others took a different road --likely, even, if they did not go via the village-- but by the end there is only one way to the baron and no one admits to having seen your knight.

An obsequious man --the term 'seneschal' comes to mind of anyone who knows it-- takes your names and purpose for visiting, and then shows you to a richly appointed room to wait for the baron. Apparently the baron is quite busy right now, but will see you 'as soon as he can'.

The hours tick by, and you might suspect that this is some sort of 'power-play' by the baron: 'keep them waiting and meet with them once they are too tired to outwit him'. You can be glad you slept until afternoon, so you are likely to be better off than he is... unless he also slept until late.

• What purpose did you give for being here?
• Do you wait patiently?
• Norbert: Did your dog come in with you, or is she 'guarding the perimeter'?

The guard directs you to the facilities to deal with your 'call of nature', if he relayed your message about refreshments --there is at least water by the toilet-- nothing comes of it.

What do you do?

Eventually --well after dark-- the baron joins you, wiping his mouth in a way the suggests he has just finished eating --and kept you waiting while he did so.

"So," he says as he sits. "Someone burned to Childerbert's place?" He sounds pleased about this. "Soon we will have a wall they can't past." It is not clear which 'they' he is referring to.

He eyes you shrewdly for a moment. "What do you want from me? What can you offer me?"

His eyes flick dismissively to the guard you used to illustrate the quality of his staff --you have seen-- and shrugs in agreement.

"Oh, I have things you will want." The baron replies sitting back expansively, clearly enjoying the encounter. "I can make this worth our while. Tell me what you think happened there."

"What? Revolting peasants?" The baron guffaws. "Not surprising. Childebert doesn't know how to govern his people. Probably ran away like the coward he is."

He looks mildly disappointed that there was no fire and destruction, but you are also not sure he believes that your story covers all the angles. You don't know how much he knows, and he is not sharing his knowledge yet.

Chlodomer leans forward, his eye twinkling at Albert's challenge. "It depends on the value of your information, now doesn't it?" He points out, still not committing to anything, but apparently enjoying himself.

"'Trust'? Yes." Chlodomer nods. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

He studies you all for another moment before putting on a magnanimous smile. "You have travelled far? You are hungry?" He 'asks', calling for a servant to bring you food before you have a chance to answer. This feels more like a power-play than actual generosity --what with him first having you wait while he ate.

Do you humour him, or call him out on this?

- Norbert -

While you are out exploring you notice, more than once, that a young lady seems to be following you, or at least improbably appearing wherever you are. If you look at her she pretends to be doing something else and not noticing you, but maybe she wants to say something to you?

If you spend too much time out here, you might miss the talking with the baron, and 'talking' is apparently what adventuring is all about.

- Roald -

Chlodomer smiles knowingly at the mention of 'rebel attack' but does not say anything. His smile vanishes, though, when you suggest that his people are doing anything less than their best for the 'poor farmers' or that his taxes are unfair.

"I am a good leader." He declares. "Nothing happens here that I am unaware of."

You can tell that you are treading on thin ice. He does not like being criticised, but is still listening.

A servant knocks politely on the door and indicates that food is ready. The baron looks annoyed that it was not brought here, but he did not specify in his instructions so the table has been set. He rallies and pretends it was his intent to show you such hospitality, and is pleased with the clean white cloth and fancy silverware being on show.After Roald has spoken the baron nods in polite agreement with the general idea of what was said, but clearly misses the point of the parable and does not much care if the local butcher and grocer lose their customers --they have to go somewhere, and it is all the same to him.

"Speaking terms would be good." The baron agrees, but you hear the undertone of 'but I am still building both a wall and an army, which can also solve the problem'. "Get the workers back to working and the village back to trading. Yes." He does not mention speaking with the other baron, in his mind that would be too crazy an idea to even think about. His father and his father's father 'fought' the Childeberts. That is just the way it has always been.

- Norbert -

The girls looks nervously at the large, hungry-looking dog and backs away into an open doorway. You get the feeling from how your dog is sitting that she is still just on the other side, though.

If you are going to talk to her, it appears you will have to make the next move.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

"Can I?" The girl asks, crouching down to reach out a hesitant hand to the dog, but becoming more comfortable as she sees it is safe. "What's his name?" She asks, though that might be out of not knowing if it will be polite to ask you what your name is. "My name is Marisella."

"Are you visiting my... baron?" She asks with only a brief hesitation as she thinks who. "There is food left over in the kitchen." Says, sounding like the idea of inviting you in is a little scandalous and loving it.

If you follow her into the kitchen the cook harrumphs and looks disproving, but Marisella shoos her away. "It's OK, cookie." She says, introducing you and saying you are guests of the baron according to whatever you told her.

The cook turns her back on you two, but does not leave. Marisella stands awkwardly near the food, apparently not sure how or what to serve you and the dog. You can help yourself or give instruction.

What do you do?

- Roald -

The baron sits back, not reaching for food nor telling you to help yourselves. The servants hover at the back of the room, unsure and waiting for orders from someone.

The baron showed no reaction at all to the news of his apparent kidnapping actions. No sign of surprise, outrage, or denial.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

Marisella holds her hand far away from the scraps. "Oh, no. I couldn't." She claims. She has joined you outside, but hovers in the doorway looking around nervously before taking a deep breath and speaking quickly, in a conspiratorial whisper.

"You --or your friends-- are 'adventuring heroes', right?" She asks to confirm. "You rescue 'damsels in distress', right?"

There is a creak from inside the nearby kitchen, and you can see the cook through the window. she is not so close as to definitely be able to hear what you are saying if you keep your voice low, but she is keeping a watch on the conversation, possibly just to make sure strange men are not behaving untowardly to the local women.

What do you do? How do you answer?

- Albert -

The baron gives every appearance of not noticing what you are eating, but you get the impression that he is taking note of the sorts of things you take so as to judge you on what you are worth.

"Yes. Childish Bert would be blind to the advantages of bringing the valley under one rule. I am glad you have recognised the value in that." This seems to be the first thing that has actually gotten his attention. "And that's your job? Bringing about such a peace?

"You say you were hired by...?"

If he thinks you were hired by the other baron he will suspect your motives, but if he things you were hired by the mayor --or some 'interested third party'-- he might embrace any ideas you bring in the hope they further his power.

- Roald -

"Three days!?" The baron demands, sitting up straight and suddenly suspicious. "Why 'three days'? What are you up to? You're working with Childebert, aren't you?"

- Norbert -

"I am not supposed to talk about it." Marisella says very quietly. "Though, really, I am not supposed to know about it. They say I am 'too young'." She pouts moodily at this last bit.

"But people overlook me --they don't take me seriously-- but I hear things." She sounds angry at the way she is treated, like she is wanting to stick it to them. "They have got a girl, and are planning on sacrifice her so the gods will 'bless the crops' or something silly." She says all in one breath, then her defiance wanes a bit and she looks down, embarrassed, and mutters --mainly to herself. "I don't know what's so special about her anyone can be virgin, I'm a virgin..."

"Marisella. What are you gossiping about out there?" The cook demands, looming over the washing up and looking out the window at you two. "It is time for bed, young lady."

Marisella glares over her shoulder at the cook, opens her mouth to say something, but then closes it and does not talk back. She gives you an apologetic shrug and starts to turn to go inside.

What do you do?

'' We don't work for Childebert, sir. Three days is approximately the time we will be needing to set up the meeting and talk to the other parties. We thought it respectful to come to you first, you see. But that means we have to go all the way back to inform the other baron and the mayor.''

Roald wants to add something about the lost time waiting in the waiting room, but wisely keeps that to himself.

"Childebert doesn't matter. He would have nothing to say that is worth hearing. He is too stubborn to listen to reason." Chlodomer declares, he does not come out and say it, but you get the impression --from all you have heard-- that his lifelong rivalry with the other baron means he would not be willing to go to a meeting if he knew his enemy were to be there.

He seems quite content to broker a peace where the valley comes under one rule, just so long as Childebert is not involved. In his mind everything you have said so far leads to him ruling, which he agrees would be better. None of this seems to come as a surprise to him either, the way he is listening --and not listening to bits the don't fit his worldview-- suggests he may have known such plans were in action even before you came up with them.

The only thing the seemed to penetrate his armour-of-self-assurance was the mention of 'three days from now'. That is definitely a sore-point for some reason.

What do you do?

- Albert -

"You are not wrong." The baron agrees with your assessment of his rival's dimness. "But who cares if he 'accepts', we can make him accept." He sounds delighted by the prospect and seems to have included you in the 'we' that would do the making.

"Tell me all you plans." Chlodomer says suddenly leaning forward and sounding 'reasonable but forceful' in a way that suggests he is trying one of those 'negotiation techniques' you have heard bar patrons boasting about learning.

You don't get the feeling you will get too much out of him if you continue on the same track, he was visibly spooked by something about the date you guys proposed, but also has his own vision of how things are going and that does not quite fit with what you have presented so far. You get the feeling he came into this negotiation 'knowing what was going to be said' and is not actually listening to what is being said. He seems to know about most of your points, but his responses don't quite align with what you think is going on.

What do you do?

- Roald -

Chlodomer eyes you very suspiciously when you suggest that you have a schedule and that it aligns with his 'three day panic'.

"My wife..." He starts to say before changing his mind. "I need to talk to... my people." He settles on, though you don't get the impression he is one to listen to the people he surrounds himself with.

---

You have recently found your --previously unknown-- leadership skills being put to the test, and have been noticing human behaviour quirks. If you keep pushing on the baron with your own facts there is a fair chance he will break and this cooperative persona might vanish.

Something also nags at you about the timeline, but you can not put your finger on exactly what. Perhaps, if you can have a private word with both of your companions, you can decipher that quandary.

What do you do?

- Roald and Albert

"There is no inn around here." The baron says, making it sound like a boast. "I will have rooms made up... in the servants quarters." He adds this last almost as an afterthought, but his beady eyes watch for any reaction to this possible slight.

- Norbert -

"Anywhere out there is fine." Marisella says waving in the general direction of the stables or fields. But you get the feeling she does not care much about a mess in the courtyard either and is following your excuse to get some distance.

"What? How am I supposed to know?" She demands petulantly in reply to your first three questions. "They don't tell me anything." She sounds sulky about this fact.

"Oh, I am perfectly safe." She says, exaggerating her words. "No one would ever even consider that I could be a perfectly good sacrifice if it wasn't ..." She honestly sounds upset about this, probably (hopefully) she is after the adventure of being rescued.

"MARISELLA! I said it is time for bed!" She cook repeats as she fills the doorway, interrupting. Marisella, who was about to try to sneak off with you squeaks in panic, turns and runs back inside without another word.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

'Three days?' Being out last night and watching it set, and seeing it rise (slightly less) early again tonight reminds you that it will be full moon three nights from now.It is not much celebrated in this valley, but you have been reminded of stories the old people used to tell of 'Summer Solstice Festivals'... it is possible that that is in three days time as well.

'' Best to split up, we cover more ground and are less intimidating. I see you all back here in a short time.''
And with that Roald opened the door and slips out. He listens carefully if he hears some people talking,... Drinking maybe?
He walks the hallway casually, not at all sneaky, as if he belongs.

- Roald -

A floorboard creaks and one of the men drinking at the table turns and sees you. "Hey." He greets happily, holding out a pint. "Come join us."

What do you do?

- Roald -

"You you turn into a a 'warrior'?" The articulate drunk asks sloshing something into a cup and pushing it in front of you. "I would like to shee that. You can punch Gar," he indicates the man on the floor. "He is used to it, that's why he why he drinks."

"What'sh 'feshtivities'?" He asks, not paying as much attention to your words as to the fact that you are being rude.

What do you do?

- Roald -

Maybe it is just your own thoughts, but the slant of the dog's eyebrow and tone of her curious whine suggests that "beer would be great if it were offered".

What do you do?

- Norbert -

"Oh, yeah. I am here all the time." The main speaker replies to your first (listed) question. "But many of these blokes are new, working on the stupid 'wall' or 'playing at soldier-guards'. I don't know how we will feed everyone later. But at least it means the beer-accounting is lax and we can splurge out without them noticing." He grins and pours you another mug.

At the mention of 'wives' and 'festivities' his brow furrows, like he is trying to decide if he should take offence or not. You have clearly hit upon a touchy subject. If you don't defuse or distract, you get the feeling there may be a fight, and Roald has not even had the beer he needs to fuel him up for bar-fights.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

"What have you heard?!" Your conversation partner demands. "None of the men are allowed to go. It is not just my wife... Even the baron isn't...! I did not want to go anyway..." His spluttered protests die down into a sulk as he wallows back into another sip of his beer.

You have accidentally besmirched his manliness and possibly implied his wife is bossing him around and telling him he can't go to the celebration.

Even though they have not been a big thing for most of your life, you have not heard of such traditional festivities being gendered... But there was that 'women's group' that you heard about in the queue back in the village... And there was that weird tension with Olaf's wife and her friend...

Maybe, with your 'local knowledge' and your friends' experience, you can make something of this conundrum?

- Albert -

You find a quiet moment for contemplation, but you are not the only person looking for solitude. Exiting by a --mostly unguarded-- back gate you spot a figure that looks remarkably like the baron himself sneaking off into the dark. The guard on duty does not acknowledge the man and studiously looks the other way, whistling to himself and making it clear he 'saw nothing and nobody'.

What do you do?

- Albert -

The baron quickly ends up on the main road, heading the opposite direction you came in on. There is not much cover to hide you, but you can also be fairly certain that you can follow at a distance, or even gather your companions and catch up.

- Norbert and Roald -

"'The Witch of the Woods'?... Yeah... it is all her fault." Your companion agrees with Norbert's grandmother. "Else my wife would never behave this way." You are not sure he has ever heard of this before, but it offers an excuse for his situation.

Still angry, though, he looks over at Roald with a scowl. "Oh? Now you're suddenly good enough to drink our beer?" He asks --getting it wrong in his indignation. "I don't think so." He tries to take the keg away.

What do you do?

- Albert -

Not far down the road at all you see a light, it turns out to be the inn the baron told you was nowhere near here and you hear a brief snatch of voices which drop to silence as he enters. After he has closed the door the voices resume, but a little more restrained-sounding.

The windows in the front are greasy and smudged on the inside, but it might be possible to find one to see through.

What do you do?

The dog jumps up ar sound of the crashing keg. With disgust Norbert thinks about the smell of beer he wil need to get out of her fur.

"That is a real shame." The others might think he talks about the beer.

"Albert would have liked a taste of that. Do you think he will come?" Norbert asks with a hint of concern in his voice.

- Albert -

You have the bright moon behind you --illuminating your head-- and the dim-but-cheery lights inside, so, unless you are prepared to expose yourself, you can not see much through the grimy window.

The other patrons appear to be trying to ignore the fact that the baron has come into their drinking-hole --in minimal-and-bad disguise-- but they don't seem surprised, indicating that this is not an unusual occurrence.

You can't see clearly, but the you think you spot the baron at a table near the back. You can't see who he is meeting with, all that is visible is a large stomach intruding out of the shadows covering their face.

What do you do?

"A good night sleep will make our decisions better, I believe." Norbert adds in a sleepy voice. "Maybe visiting the inn when there is no crowd will make the innkeeper more talkative."

He mumbles while resting his head on a pillow. Beds are great he thinks. This pillow is soft,....

He sleeps with a slight smile and looks his young age.

You awake to a crashing noise --half of you with headaches and other drink-related side-effects...

"Shhh...!" You hear from outside your door.

"Do you think they heard us?"

"I don't know. They are supposed to be asleep, we should be fine."

"These are dangerous men, they kidnapped the mayors daughter, and now they have been seen trying to lure the baron's away. We need to put a stop to them."

"I heard they were 'heroes'. :("

---

What do you do?

From outside you hear hushed voices:

"Open the door. I've got your back."

"You open the door. I've got your back."

A quiet footfall, and then the latch rattles. The door will be open in moments if you want to do anything first?

What do you do?

- Albert -

The door bursts open into the lead assailant, knocking him backwards into his companions before slamming shut on you again as it rebounds off his face.

"What happened?! How did they do that?!" Come the startled exclamations from the other side. They know you are awake, but none of them seem confident enough to approach the door again.

What do you do?

"'Twenty'?" A querulous voice on the other side says. "How much is 'twenty'? How long do we have? Oh, bugger it, I am out of here."

You hear a scrabbling of many feet as everyone seems to be leaving in a hurry.

What do you do?

The door flies open again. Moderated by experience, it does not bounce closed again this time.

Norbert: As you fly out you see the slowest of these men who were set to ambush you running away. If you wanted --or if you were too set in your plan to change it-- you could deliver an axe to the knee and prevent him from getting away.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

There is a loud crunch and the man falls to the ground screaming in pain and clutching his knee. He pleads for help from his friends but they look back in fear and run even faster.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

Your prisoner's mouth snaps shut and he watches you, eyes wide with fear. There is no one else around to see what happened or what happens next.

What do you do?

Your prisoner seems indignant at your objection to his ambush, and offended by Albert's calm tone, but he starts to relax... until he sees the dog.

"Oh, gods!" He exclaim in fear. "It's the monster! My cousin warned me! It ate his whole arm right off!"

What do you do?

"OK! OK! Just keep it away from me!" He begs, trying to scramble as far away from the dog as he can while obeying all orders.

He is well and truly cowed. His fear and loathing of you all is clearly written on his every expression.

What do you do?

Your prisoner looks at you, agog at your questions.

"We can't let scum like you wander around our valley! Attacking barons, maiming guards, kidnapping daughters, breaking knees!" The last one he is taking personally.

Nothing you have done so far has convinced him you are not sociopaths.

What do you do?

"You're lying!" Your prisoner shouts back at you with full conviction. "And no one 'sent' us. We are here to stop you, we are just doing what is right."

Aside from the kidnapping, you actually did do what he is accusing you of. [ref] Though his facts seem a bit distorted. Convincing him of your 'innocence' in what you did may be harder than outright lying and denying everything.

Something extreme will be needed to get this guy on your side. Maybe that is out of the question for now? He is scared enough that he in unlikely to resist interrogation.

What do you do?

Your prisoner does not look at all like he believes you --and why should he? But he almost reacts defensively to Norbert's implication that he might be 'in league' (though he does not know what 'league' means, isn't that something to do with boats?).

You can see the wheels turning in his mind: What harm can it do to tell them what I know? he is thinking.

"I know," He declares defiantly. "That you where amongst the last people to see the girl. That you dined with the mayor and his daughter just before she vanished." He looks proud at himself that he was so clear and concise.

Something nags at some of you about his specific wording.

What do you do?

'' where you there? At the mayor's?''

"What? Me? With the mayor? Of course not!" Your prisoner exclaims at Roald's question/accusation. "I have not been near the village in ... at least two years!" Which in his mind establishes his alibi and innocence.

He does not comment on how he then 'knows' you were there.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

"That's not what I heard." The man whose knee you broke, and who does not know you nor trust you calls after you as you leave.

- Albert -

There is no one in view right outside the door. It is shameful of them to have abandoned their friend, but you don't get the impression they are coming back. But you also doubt the rest of them will have gone too far

You did not get the impression that they needed to force their way into the baron's home, it seemed like they were welcomed and among friends. Norbert may end up facing whoever remains on his own if you let him go out there alone.

What do you do?

- Roald -

While you know you are not guilty... or at least that you meant no harm, it might be becoming apparent to you that your actions have left a trail of suspicion that could all add up to your looking very guilty in the eyes of the locals. Something in the precise words used rings a bell and if you could just decipher it and follow through on it, you and your party may be able to get your feet under you for the first time since arriving in this valley.

- Albert -

Your prisoner flinches away as the dog passes, then shuffles backwards, trying to move away from you as you approach. He seems genuinely scared of you guys and your reputation.

"M m my name? Le..." He cuts himself off. "Why do you want to know my name?" He demands suspiciously... or is it superstitiously? There are all sorts of superstitions about names.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

The yard outside is full of men, they all eye you warily as you make your way to the kitchen. They are not obviously following you, but you feel surrounded.

The cook, who was none too friendly last night... (and is the one who saw you 'trying to lure a girl away'... could Marisella be the baron's daughter your prisoner was talking about?)... picks up a large ladle and glares at you. "You are not welcome here." She says.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

The angry men in yard are clustered around your route. They have not taken overt action, but you can not be confident they will just let you return.

What do you do?

- Albert -

"I knew it." The dude-guy exclaims. "You want my name so you can work MAGIC against me!"

He pulls away but can not get very far.

What do you do?

- Albert -

"Help!?" Your prisoner exclaims, clutching his knee. "You guys have helped quite enough, thank you! I will just walk it off" You doubt he will walk any time soon, but he does not trust you enough to allow you do anything for him. (Why would he?)

What do you do?

- Roald -

Everything in the valley seems to have been set up to keep you and your party on the backfoot. Something has been messing with these people for a while and your presence here seems to have escalated things somehow.

The mayor seemed caught up in his petty politics and power-plays in the village, from what Theo (the mayor's son) said he has never left the village, nor shown any interest in seeing the surroundings for himself.

How did 'the resistance' know about the kidnap? Why did they assume you were there to help them? OK, on that last on it may be your fault for leading them to believe that, but they seemed primed to accept you as ringleaders. Theo seemed very surprised that his father would have anything to do with any of that or those people.

You did not get to meet the far-away baron, but have heard rumours that there are some sort of family relations between him and this one. People who are not dealing directly with them tend to get them confused with each other and their behaviour and attitude is pretty similar.

Theo also let slip that there was a feud of some sort between his own father and his father's brother. And there was definite tension with Olaf and Christian, but that may have been mostly Olga? Olaf implied that he was not welcome over this side of the valley, and that may have had a 'family' feel to it, but you can't know for sure.

There are patterns and symmetries here. But you don't have all the facts.

The words your prisoner used ring a bell, you are sure you have heard them before... Yes, it was tense and stressful, and rainy and thundery, and you were trying to hide, but those might be the exact same words Nixon said to Olaf at that lone oak tree in the ring of mushrooms in the middle of the night. [ref] And how on earth did he arrange that meeting?

Albert's (or is it Raynor's) miracle turned the tide there, but you get the feeling that, had things not gone that way, Olaf would have suspected you of the kidnap. Maybe it is good you got out of town before the mayor got hold of you, his ear may have similarly poisoned against you.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

With an angry muttering the men in the yard par and make way for you to pass through. Not one of them is willing to be the first to attack you and your dog, but you get the strong feeling that any of them would be the second. You are atop a powder-keg.

- Albert -

"Talk, talk, talk, old man. We are not going to fall for your tricks like those fools over yonder did." He looks defiant, but still scared of you. "My friends will come get me." He sounds a little worried that they have not done so yet. "We outnumber you." This last part is true, but he sounds more like he is trying to convince himself, or hoping to convince/remind any of them who may be overhearing this.

- Norbert -

They did not follow you into the building, but you can hear the sounds of them out there. Someone seems to be talking, trying to convince them to act. You don't know how long they will wait.

Between leaving and coming back you are sure their numbers have increased. More people are streaming in from the surrounding area.

- Roald -

You get the impression no amount of talking will solve this. You will need to find and present convincing evidence of your 'innocence' before they change their minds.

It may be a challenge to find evidence adequate to convince all of them. These simple --but angry and scared-- farmers may want different things than the mayor of the village or the baron on the other side of the valley.

What do you do?

- Norbert -

Your (soon-to-be-ex-)prisoner glares at you, taking your words as confirmation that you wanted to lure Marisella away from here.

Roald is sneaking through the halls carefully avoiding places with armed people. He doubts there are servants willing to attack them, but if he can, he will avoid them too.
Luckily with everyone gathering outside it is easier than expected. A sudden feeling of responsibility for his two companions comes over him. Maybe he is also guilty about his slip up last night.

Stay focused now, don't let your guard down, there can be a foe around every corner.

Your prisoner shows Norbert a rude sign with the hand not clutching his injured leg. It will take more than whispered words to heal the hurt there.

The commotion in the courtyard and the men coming into the property has left the servants nervous. As your party makes its way down the halls you hear quiet rustling of clothes and closing doors as they barricade themselves away from you, but you don't catch more than the merest glimpse of anyone. Only the cook stands her ground as you leave via the back way, again slapping her palm with a large ladle and glaring, but she does not try to stop you or call out for help.

All the men seem to be collected round the front, the guards are with them and the postern gate is abandoned and open (not that 'open' matters much with the palisade only half built).

You can make you way into the surrounding forest.

What do you do?

Continues in The First Sacrifice.