What Comes Next (RP)

Continued from The Sacrifice Camp

Only once things have calmed down a bit do the people give you a moment to yourselves. It is the following morning before you find yourselves seated in a quiet corner with the captain.

"You have done well for yourselves." Bimi says. "I don't feel so bad about my decision to leave you. I have to get back to my job, and the caravan needs me, but there are greater things in your future." She says.

She spills some coins on the table. "Do you notice anything?" She asks probingly.

There are a variety of coins, mainly copper and silver, but also some other materials as used in 'foreign parts', some iron and other metals (no gold), and even some stone coins with detailed and intricate images carved —one assumes— upon them. Your eye might be drawn to some of the designs, and someone flips over one of the coins for a closer look. It is old and worn, the image embossed on it, faded by hands and time, just might be: The Horned-Wolf.

"That's from Necusle." Bimi says. "I have never been there, but I have dealt with caravans from that far off land." It is possible one of you have encountered coins from such places —especially at wayside inns— and you may have heard stories of Necusle, strange and scary stories, of magic and worse.

"I knew I recognised the symbol." Bimi says. "Though, what it is doing on a wall all the way over here, I am not sure." She watches you intently to see how you react. "I believe you may have venture there to get answers before you can properly cleanse that temple. I think they tried to do in before. But I am not sure of any of this.

"I have asked the healer to join us." She says. "I think you need to hear what she has to say before you decide anything." You sit in silence for a while, waiting for healer (unless there is something you talk about). When she arrives she looks uncomfortable.

"I don't like this." The healer says belligerently. "This is none of my business."

"Just tell them what you told me. Please." Bimi says.

"Hmph!" The healer mutters, calling for a draft of beer before she will continue. "Your friend is not your friend." She finally declares. "She seems nice enough. Don't get me wrong. But there is a... mismatch between soul and body. I can feel the healing energies getting... lost and confused. But I don't do no magic!" She declares this last part adamantly. "And I probably don't know what I am talking about. Thank you for the drink, and the gold, and her other 'friends' have kept me better fed than I am used to, but I am happy to be rid of the lot of you."

She stands, and leaves if you don't stop her for more questions.

What do you do?

"I know the general direction." Bimi says to Albert. "It might be your best bet is to find and sign on with a caravan going there? But that could just be my personal prejudices speaking." She says with a smile. "I could give you a letter of recommendation, it is just possible that it may have some weight if you are lucky enough to find a caravan that knows me. Else you may be able to find better directions as you get closer."

---

The healer humbly waves away your thanks, she has been well paid, and enjoys her work and appreciates what you have done for the valley.

"I don't know what it means." The healer says defensively. "I am just telling you what I see. I don't claim to understand how such a thing could happen. Maybe retrace your steps and go back to where it happened and see if you can't reverse it?" She shrugs.

"You ain't leaving her with me." The healer says, her tone sounds... scared? disgusted? you can't tell. "My part is done, she has her medicine and she will probably heal up, given time. But she is still weak, and should not travel. Same for you." She says to the captain, who merely shrugs at her. "Other people seem to like her, though. So she may be happy here for a while?"

What do you do?

"Yes." Bimi says, a bit uncertainly. "You should talk to her and ask her what she plans." She hesitates a moment, as though thinking about not saying the next part. "Maybe you will get different answers than I did? ... I get the feeling she mostly tells people what they want to hear.

"When I spoke to her she did not seem at all interested in going back home and was strangely dismissive and evasive concerning the idea of seeing her family. The only conversation that I think was truly true was when I talked about us going back to the temple. She was adamant that she would never go back there. That reaction makes sense given her experience, but I got the feeling that maybe there was more to it. Be careful around that subject." Bimi says.

"I am probably going to go home first." (By this, she means your 'home', where you started). "Then follow the caravan's route. This gives me the best chance of finding them.

"Ultimately you need to go in the opposite direction. But you may stand a better chance of finding a caravan in a big city —and I can help directly if I am there with you. There is always the chance that there is no caravan heading that way, and then you have to trek all the way back over here, or find another way. At least if you go that way," she indicates the opposite direction to 'home', "even if you don't find a caravan, you are a little closer. You would still need to get more specific directions as you go."

---

When you mention getting paid for the caravan work Bimi looks slightly puzzled —you have openly been throwing around massive amounts of money recently. "Technically you are still owed, what is it? Three days of guard pay from me? Anything after the bandit camp can not come out of company coffers. I don't carry a lot of coin with me, and I think Asha knew better than to take up a collection for me —she pretty much bled the village dry of gold, turning down all other coins, for you guys. I am very pleased that you sent that money back into the community, spread it around a bit. This is all I have." She says, indicating the coins scattered on the table. This is probably more than you would have earned for the days you actually worked for the caravan, and the town has done a rummage and resupplied you with the gear you lost (maybe Theo and Phil had a lot to do with this, since they still feel it might have been their fault your packs went missing).

Your replacement gear is old, but mostly better than what you had before.

"Depending on what you find out, you might not get to give her a choice in the matter? I worry about leaving her like this for the time it might take to get answers, but this is beyond me, and answers may be needed before you can know what to do."

The captain does not have much advice on this, but she does mention the option of bringing along some of the locals that proved 'worthy' during you recent adventure. You doubt Phil or Norbert would want to leave at this time, but Theo —who it turns out was travelling in the same direction as the captain, and has offered payment for protection on the road (turns out the mayor did not hire the bodyguards he had when you first met him, he lied to both them and to you to make it seem like his father knew (and approved) of his being out here), if you wanted, you may be able to persuade him to delay his education in favour of some 'travels abroad'. Daryl, and Lady would be thrilled to be invited along, and Limpy —depending on how his belated proposal goes— may be all too keen to get away."Ha. I forget that you were not with us from the beginning." Bimi says to Albert. "Yes, please, take that coin. I don't need it, and it may prove useful as a sample." There is only the one coin with the Horned-Wolf symbol, there are a few, similar looking ones with other symbols, and Bimi indicates you should take them as well. "I have spent the past days scouring this village for these, for you. I think the villagers think I am 'that mad old coin lady' ... and they had better be saying 'old-coin lady' and not 'old, coin lady'." She jokes. "I was sure I had seen the symbol somewhere before, but could not be certain it was on a coin. Still don't know what it means."

"I would like to leave as soon as possible. Though the healer says the longer I wait the faster I can travel, so leaving later may mean getting there sooner? I have asked, and no one here has horses." She pats her injured leg which is healing up nicely. "I am ready when you are."

What do you do?

Having given away all your new gold you are left with just the few coins you had on your person when you gear was lost. Fortunately all of the locals refuse to charge you for shopping —the local shopkeepers, and such, have benefited from the celebration festivities and the redistribution of that hoarded gold, so they consider it a win anyway.

---

Theo is thrilled you have decided to travel with the captain and himself, though he still claims that he will be leaving you once reaching the big city. He may change his mind when the time of separation comes.

---

Phil is disappointed —but not surprised— that her father has not offered you any reward for rescuing both his kids. "He says that 'you should have negotiated first'." She says, pulling a face and speaking in a silly-sounding deep voice. "And I don't think he it pleased that Theo is going off to live his life.

"Norbert and I have been up in the attic." She says, and tries to hide a blush —you might remember a previous time the two of them were alone in an attic as the start of her (his) expression of feelings for the shepherd— "Daddy does not know what all is up there, and I thought you would get more use out of this. Better than it moldering up there."

---

As you leave the mayor's, you get the feeling you are being followed... again. It comes as no big surprise that it is Daryl, hoping to get to talk to the heroes, but, once again, too shy to just approach them and ask if he can come along.

He is wearing armour again, but this time it is much more practical and actually seems to fit him.

---

What do you do?

"I ... Um... Er..." Daryl stammers when he is caught sneaking. "You were looking for me?" He asks, sounding both nervous that he may be in trouble and eager for why.

"This?" He says, brushing down his armour. "Shiny, isn't it! It is my other grandpa's. The family gave it to me! Said they were proud and I deserved and it and mom's dad was more my size. Look! I can move around in this." Daryl exclaims, doing a cartwheel, but collapsing at the landing and ending up in a heap. He springs up instantly, though. "Apparently the other one was way too big. And they didn't even shout at me for loosing it." He sounds so thrilled by the praise that he looks like he may just burst.

"They don't have another sword, though." He says, sounding crestfallen. And you see that he has a large kitchen knife at his belt.

"My... plans?" He asks, trying to sound casual. "I was hoping to do good." You can tell he is desperate to be allowed to come with you, but does not know how to ask.

What do you do?

- Roald -

"You mean, like, I can come with you!" Daryl exclaims, not quite believing what he is hearing. "... if I had a sword?"

He looks at the money you placed in his hand in wonderment. "Really? For me? Thank you, thank you." He says quickly, before you can change your mind.

Daryl and Albert head off to find a blacksmith, but you are not alone for long. Lady tracks you down with a neatly folded package across her arm. At least, this time, she has found clothes to cover the rest of herself up.

• Is she still wearing your old cloak? Or has she washed and darned it to return to you? If she has a 'new' cloak for you, what does it look like?

- Albert -

Daryl is thrilled by your encouraging words, and has a hard time restraining himself as he eagerly waits at the corner for you to catch up.

"We don't actually have an actual 'blacksmith'." He says. "Not one that makes weapons, you know. And our blacksmith hasn't even made any scythes or plows in a long time. I still hear hammering, so he is making something, What, I don't know."

You arrive outside the blacksmith's forge. It is crammed up against the stupid palisade fence that separates the village from the road. There's no sound of hammering now, and both the doors are closed.

What do you do?

• Once you get inside: Can you tell what the blacksmith has been working in? What does it look like?

- Albert -

You hear a groan from behind a worktable, and if you peer around it you would see the smith laying on the ground, strangely twisted at the waist, his head and shoulders pointing one way, his legs the other.

What do you do?

- Albert -

As you round the bench and come into the smith's eye-line he is startled to see you. With a grunt he straightens up his legs and holds out a hand for you. "Help me up." He says brusquely. "I was doing my stretches. Bending over with hammer does a real job on my bad back."

It is only after you have helped him up and he sees your face in the light of the fire that he really reacts. "Sorry if I startled you. My ears are not what they used to be, all the loud noises, you know. What can my humble forge do for you great heroes?" He looks around for your companions, but does not seem particularly disappointed that you are alone. Daryl has run off to interrupt the healer's day.

- Albert -

"Honoured to meet you, Albert. My names Furlon." He shakes your hand once he is upright

When you mention sending for the healer he rubs the back of his neck in mild consternation. "Ah. I do wish you hadn't gone and done that." But he shrugs as if to say, 'what can you do'.

"Not very busy." He admits when you mention the 'farm equipment'. "Things have been a bit sparse these past years. But, this last week, people have come in with gold, real gold, I tell you, asking about plows and sickles and scythes and axes. It is almost like old times again... Not that I was ever what you would call 'busy', mind you. Gives me lots of time to focus on my other interests."

"Raynor's always welcome in my forge." He says, and looks around as if to indicate an emblem or shrine as is so often found in workmen's places, but does not see one. It has clearly been a long time since he has thought about it. He nods approvingly as the mention of a 'holy quest', such things are good for business.

His look become one of suspicion when your talk of weapons comes to specifics. "Now you say you want to reinforce a 'broom handle'? Metal tips? And a leather wrap? What ever for... no, no, not my business. Let's take a look."

He takes your broom handle over to a worktable, and spends a few moments fiddling with tools before tuning to you. "Is this a trick?" He asks, not sounding angry. "This looks like wood, but it is so hard I can not get a file to bite. I have seen wood get real hard in a fire, we used to make make 'spears' when we was kids by blackening the end of branches. This looks like it has seen some fire, but it is nothing like anything I have seen before. Got a good spring to it, too, specially for something this hard."

Maybe something in Raynor's fire has treated the wood, or Raynor's blessing has turned this from a mere tool into a real staff.

"If I didn't get to see it, and you handed it to me in this warm forge, I might even have thought it was metal. My first instinct would sell you some oil, so it does not rust. But even wood likes a good coat of oil from time to time. I use this on hammer and axe handles." He hands you jar of what smells like beeswax but is a bit more fluid."I don't have any 'swords', as such. And I would need to see the lad in question to fit him for a scythe, it is all about the ratios of hip and shoulder, else you cut too high and leave too much stalk."

It is around this time that Darryl arrives back, breathless. "The healer kicked me out, laughed in my face." He says. "Says not to waste her time during the smith's 'back time'... whatever that is." The smith is relived that she did not come out for nothing, and he is especially impressed by Daryl's armour.

"Oh, no. A scythe just won't do." He declared. "Not with that gear." He takes some measurements and tells Daryl to come back tomorrow. There is a twinkle in his eye as he says this.

What do you do?

The following morning Daryl can't wait to show off his new sword, made specifically for him him by the backsmith.¶ It is elegant and sharp, with a inward curve towards the single edge. It looks like it may have started life as a scythe blade, but has been adjusted, and has a comfortable wood and leather-wrapped handle of dark burgundy. There is a scabbard at Daryl's hip, but he seems unable to put his new 'toy' away, the thought of him eagerly running through the town with it exposed like that is kinda scary.

The captain has taken the intervening time to prepare for the trip. She says it should only take two days, but you suspect it may be a bit longer as she is still moving slower than she realises. Food should not be a problem, the village has, once more, come together and provided more than you can carry, fortuitously, someone scrounges up a donkey to help carry your gear —they look like they might be pleased to get rid of him— and you have tents to keep the weather off in comfort.

It looks like the whole village has turned out to say farewell. Phil gives you all a hug, and kisses Daryl on the cheek —he seems much less perturbed by this than he would have been just a few days ago, maybe he has gotten some action off his 'celebrity'— and spends a long time saying goodbye to her brother. Barky and Limpy and others are there, but there is no sign of Lady this morning, Olaf and Olga live far from the village, but are on your route, so you can pop in and say goodbye on your way out.

I wonder if anyone will notice. :)

It does indeed take more than two days to get 'home', the captain tried riding the donkey, but someone got kicked and someone got bitten and it seemed easier to just stay away... though the thought of slaughtering the beast possibly crossed everyone's mind at some point.

The road takes you past Albert's burnt-out bar on the outskirts of the city. Such a lot has happened since leaving. How does Albert feel about the old place?

The captain is exhausted by the trip. She promises she will help you tomorrow with looking for a caravan. Theo has gone seeking admission to the college. It is just the three of you, Daryl is excited to see the hustle and bustle of the nightlife of a big city.

---

Describe any noteworthy events that happened on your trip. These could be encounters, conversations, revelations, or anything else.
What do you do tonight? Does anything 'interesting' happen?

---

There are not many caravans leaving right this minute, and Necusle is not a popular destination. The captain warns you to be cautious about saying the name —dubious reputation, and all that— and suggested during your trip that you familiarise yourselves with other locations that could take you in the same direction, as a cover.

All these things conspire such that it is not easy to find exactly what you are looking for.
How do you go about it?

The barmaid looks sad while she directs you to Tina's home, she claims not not to know where the husband is, but you might suspect there is more to that story.

It is not hard to find the place you are looking for, it is a small house with a large yard that could accommodate more than one stage-coach, though it is currently empty.

When Tina answers the door she recognises Albert and immediately becomes defensive. "I'm sorry." She says, not sounding at all 'sorry'. "If Humphrey owes you money it is not my problem. He is not my problem anymore."

Obviously she thinks you are collecting on (old) bar-debts, or something.

What do you do?

- Roald and Albert -

"I had had enough of his funny business. So I kicked him out, didn't I." Tina says, also not wanting to go into detail. "You can find him, drunk, at the establishment on Postern Way." For someone who is 'not her problem' she seems remarkably well informed as to exactly where he is.

You —neither as a bartender, nor an ex-drunk— can not be expected to know every establishment in the city, and most of the bars and inns are known by varied names —many interpretations of the crude, hand-drawn signs— but neither of you knew there even was a drinking hole on Postern Way.

What do you do?

Tina shrugs uncomfortably at the talk about not knowing the place, but does not seem surprised by your ignorance.

"Clothes? You trying to be funny!" Tina exclaims at Roald's suggestion. "I have nothing more to say to him." She says, firmly closing the door.

An old couple in the street eye you suspiciously as you approach the only place that could potentially be what you are looking for. They hurry away, shaking their heads in disapproval.

"Shut that door." Says a scantily clad women lounging nearby. She barely looks up at you as you enter, though a large, intimidating looking, man standing near the back entrance glares at you as though you did something wrong.

While there is some drinking going on, it is clear that is not the main reason these men are here, in this 'house of ill-repute'. You see one man being lead upstairs by a giggling, young women —wearing almost nothing at all— and the other men watch as she leaves, apparently waiting their turn. No one is talking to each other nor making eye contact.

What do you do?

Humphrey starts and then looks embarrassed at being found in such a place, then he bristles as Albert mentions it.

"Private?" He says, sounding interested. He knows that you and Tina are... friends... or at least friendly, and —even though he knows this is wishful thinking— may be hoping you have come from her, on her behest.

"Yes." He says, and leads you out the back door, greeting the doorman in a familiar way. This door is much better maintained, and leads into an alley off Postern Way. The alley is shaded and clearly makes for a more circumspect way into the ... well let's be honest and call it a 'brothel' —though that is maybe a generous term.

It looks like Humphrey wants to defend his being there, and, if you don't stop him, he will launch into a self-righteous speech.

What do you do?

"Really? You? Raynor?" Humphrey says, sounding surprised. "The god of fire?

"Is that why your bar burned down?" He asks, looking at you 'suspiciously' —though it is probable he is joking. "I liked that place. It was handy, you know, before getting home."

When you mention Necusle Humphrey quickly looks around to make sure no one else is listening before answering in hushed tones. "You really don't want to go there. Bad place that." But, when he sees you are are convinced you have to, he relents.

"I have never been that far." He declares, loud enough that any unseen listener would definitely hear that bit. "Not much regular travel to places like that. I have heard of merchants and trader making the run, but they tend to lie about where they are going and then hope to, somehow, convince, entice, or coerce anyone who signed up to stay with them after they find out the real destination. If you go around asking about that place people will get suspicious."

He thinks for a moment. "But it is possible that a merchant that already plans to trick people into such a trip would welcome some who are 'willing'? I don't really want to be associated with that, you get me? But, maybe I could ask about and find such a group? You would have to do me a favour... of a delicate nature... first though.

"You remember my wife, Tina? She won't talk to me. Maybe you can talk to her, persuade her to see reason? If I can just explain..." He turns to Roald. "She always like you, Roald. Said you were a 'good man'... which seemed a bit hypocritical to me, but you can't expect logic from women, right." He tries to grin in a good-matured way.

"What do you say?"

What do you do?

- Roald -

"Oh, yes! Definitely!" Humphrey says, quickly tossing out the last of the 'beer' he brought with him to the alley. "I would do anything for her.

"Though it is a little unfair her objecting to my drinking, you know she likes a bit of a drink herself, and often comes home blotto." This last sentence is spoken in a sullen undertone and not really directed at you. He completely ignores the nature of the establishment you found him in and that 'drink' may not be what got him thrown out. His promise also came very easily.

- Albert -

Humphrey is a little freaked out by your answer, and dismissive, at first, of you offer of a prayer, until you explain more.

"'Conquest', you say?" Humphrey says, sounding suddenly interested. "'Of the heart'? I could get behind that. What do I do?"

- Roald -

"Here?" Humphrey says with a complicated look of disgust on his face. "I am here because I have nowhere else to stay, and no carriage with which to earn silver for somewhere better. Both of those problems are Tina's fault."

He is trying to skirt around what are are asking, but both of you know the women are the reason for this place, and it is true that Tina liked a bit of a drink of an evening and, unless she has had a sudden change of heart, can not really complain if all he was doing was drink.

What do you do?

"Oh, yes. I agree." Humphrey declares quickly.

Tina is dubious, she knows Roald as a drunk, and Albert as a bar-tender, so all this talk of 'pilgrimages' and 'cleansing evil temples' seems far-fetched. She leans forward at one point, maybe taking a sniff to see you are drunk right now, but clearly detects no hint of booze on your breath.

"If you think this will cure him of his degenerate behaviour, that is good. I have no objections to you taking him away." She says. "We can see when he gets back if he has become a better man."

This is not the most definitive commitment to get back together, but, maybe, an agreement to talk and see him, is the most you can hope for.

What do you do?

'' My friend here already helped many a lost soul see the light, I have no doubt we will succeed and you will be baffled by Humphrey's change.''

'' Let's get back Albert, we have some planning to do''

"Really? She went for that?" Humphrey says, sounding surprised that that worked. "OK, then. Onward... to conquest."

At the mention of his driving you, he looks around to make sure no one is listening before answering. "My big carriage broke. I sent a message to Tina to send spares so I could fix it, but she came up herself, then got angry and stormed off home, so I had to follow her and left both carriages up at Olmsford. (a day or say away)

"How many people are we talking about?" He asks. "And how much stuff. We can take the big carriage after fixing it, or, if it is only us, the small one if we want to be more nimble... but less comfortable.

"I assume you will be paying for the horse feed?" He asks, slyly. "The big carriage is 9... no... 10 silver per week, the small one is 5. Then there is road-side taverns, I have some contacts who give me good rates, you just let me do the talking, yeah.

"We should be able to make it in about two weeks? But I really have never been there, though, so that last part will be a lot of guesswork and asking for directions."

---

You will need to make a plan about money.
Either you could try convince Humphrey to skip the taverns and camp out on the cold ground each night.
Or you will need to hope fortunes smiles upon you and provides some income on the trip.
Or you could, maybe, seek out a patron, maybe someone who wants to go or send something to Necusle and values the carriage and protection, or someone with a vested interest in you going there for some reason.
Or any other plan, the above are merely suggestions off the top of my head.

What do you do?

"The small one has four seats, but then with four people there is not much space for luggage." Humphrey points out. "They are both out at Olmsford, so you can decide when you get there and pick it up. Fixing the big one won't take long, the spares are in the small one."

---

"50!? Silver!?" Daryl exclaims when you tell him about the plan. You remember how excited he was to be gifted 10 silver, so this sounds like a huge sum to him.

- Roald -

The clerk returns moments later and directs you through to the postmasters office then returns to their post, looking on curiously. Once the door closes behind you (and Daryl if you so desire) you have a bit of privacy from the other customer and staff.

- Roald -

The office is filled with packages, piled up against the walls, each one has a cardboard tag tied to it, but they don't have names or addresses, only long strings of numbers.

The postmaster looks up from his desk, his face is dominated by a huge mustache and thick glasses. "What can I do for you? Hmm?" He asks in a tiny voice that you have to lean in close and listen carefully to hear.

- Roald -

The postmaster drops his voice, his eye sparkling with avarice. "Ne' castle, you say? To that capital? That is good news!" His pronunciation is a bit different, but you quickly work out that you all talking about the same place —its reputation makes that clear.

"Can you be trusted?" He asks, though his excitement at your mentioning the place suggests he is desperate enough to take a risk no matter what. "I have... Hmmm..." he scans down a list from a locked inside drawer of his desk "...three parcels that need to be transported to the capital, two are delicate, fragile, and all of them are... of a private nature, you understand. I need you word you will protect them, and that you will leave the contents undisturbed. I trust I can trust you? You understand the nature of your undertaking." The last is spoken as a definite statement, like those that don't understand what they getting into (either with the location, but also possibly with the packages) are not expected to last long. Your 'adventurey demeanour' helps to convince him that you are for real.

What do you do?

- Roald -"150? ..." For a moment it looks like the postmaster is about to haggle, then a light dawns behind his eyes. "... for the three packages. Done, and done!" He declares so quickly that you suspect —in your ignorance of the market— that you may have undersold yourself. But it is too late, now, to change the terms.

"They will pay you when you get there. No, I am not giving you valuable merchandise and money-for-nothing. I don't know you. What's to stop you taking the money and tossing the packages in the trash?" He forestalls any objections.

"But I like you, so I will do you a favour. Just take the packages to the post office in Ne' Castle city, they will know where to deliver it once there. No need for you to deal with the end-client." He scribbles an illegible note and attaches it to the packages.

Humphrey will understand about payment on delivery, so what little silver you have should cover your expenses here, and her can cover the trip with expectations of being reimbursed at the end.

What do you do now?

Each of the parcels can be carried by one person. One of the fragile ones is large enough to be awkward, but not very heavy; the other fragile one would fit in a backpack, but is surprisingly heavy, heavy enough that one would, at first, think 'gold' but it sloshes and gurgles when moved. The third package is small enough to fit in a pocket.

Daryl is all too happy to take Roald's excess baggage, his pack is bulging at the seems, but he insists he does not mind.

The box in Roald's pack is awkwardly shaped, and heavy, but, after weeks on the road, Roald is fitter than he expected and this weight barely slows him down (at the start).

Albert's barrel sling makes the large box carriable, but it is not convenient. It is an ungainly size, and rough and chafes, a lot. It may need to be shared around, others taking turns carrying it, and it is not clear if Albert's backpack gets in the way or helps pad and even things out. This may need some fine-tuning as you walk. (Possibly a roll once we set off?)

---

Is there anything you do before you leave?
We can assume you say goodbye to the captain and Theo, do we want to see that scene?
You told Humphrey 'tomorrow evening' [ref]. Is that the plan? Are you setting off in the evening? Or the morning after? Did you mean to say to meet 'tomorrow morning'?
Is it just Albert, Roald, and Daryl joining Humphrey tomorrow? There was implication that there may be more.

Theo looks a little morose. "I thought the college would just accept me, with open arms." He says, looking embarrassed (his father doted upon him and 'spoiled' him, and in his village he was probably the second smarted person —behind his sister—, and may be suffering from no longer being the big fish in a little pond).

"But they first want me to do all sorts of tests.. which are kinda hard, but I can manage them alright, they say. the problem is, they want a 'testimonial' letter, from someone important, and, even if my dad were willing, I don't think he is the sort of person they would consider a good reference."

He leaves the topic hanging, possible waiting/hoping for one of you to step in and offer a testimonial, or suggest someone who could provide such a thing for him.

He is really focused on his current dilemma, and probably views a trip to Olmsford as an unnecessary distraction. If it somehow helped him with is application, or if he were to be convinced that he is not going to get into college right now, he may be persuaded to join you... though his last attempt at adventure did not turn out well for him.

What do you do?

"I spent a week crying in a cage." Theo says to Roald. "I did not think it was something I wanted them to know. Do you really think such a story would sway them?" He is genuinely asking your opinion the matter.

'' You mean that you endured a week of torture after which you escaped and together with your companions rid the world of an evil cult that performed human sacrifices?''

Roald looks at Theo trying to say '' see what I did there?''

It's only when you are afraid that it is possible to be brave.''

"Well, it sounds great when you put it that way." Theo says dubiously. "But is that really what happened? I don't want to start my college career with a lie."

The idea of a heroic essay with his application is definitely something he is now thinking about. If one wanted to persuade him to join them on a quest, the ground lies fertile (just saying:).

What do you do?

"Really? You'll do that for me?" Theo exclaims excitedly. Your recommendation might not mean much here, but back where Theo comes from, you are kind of a big deal.

He nods sagely at your advice to 'not follow blindly', but his eagerness suggests he maybe considers that to apply to other people, of course.

"OK." Theo says. "... where's Olmsford?"

You have another companion.

What do you do next?

You sleep badly the night before you set out, your dreams invaded by images you can not later recall. Around midnight Theo awakes, screaming and clawing at his blankets in a desperate bid to get free of something, he guesses he must have been recalling being in the cage, but did not know he was doing so till one of you told him (or not, of course).

Humphrey needs to be roused from his of bed, and is grumpy until he has had his morning coffee, but perks up once you set off, waving goodbye to the ladies and the bouncer of the place on Postern Way, and also jovially greeting the guards at the city gate by name and confirming with them that he is, finally, off to get his carriages repaired and back to work. He does not mention your destination, and the guards do not ask.

---

Dense fingers of mist roll in off the sea, and have not thinned at all by lunchtime. Humphrey says this is pretty normal as you are following the coast road, but even he appears nervous as you travel.

What do you do?

Albert's carry-sling works well, and he is able to transport the box easily, his lungs barely hindering him, if at all.You have been given the generous gift of travel-food for today (possibly from whomever you bunked with last night?), so you make good time, not needing to look for an inn, and stop for lunch at a high point where you can get some sun and watch the waves and and mist below you in the valleys.

• What do you talk about while you walk, and what are you talking about as you eat your midday meal?

As long as Albert feels comfortable carrying the box, he will keep carrying it. Maybe after lunch he passes it to Theo for a few hours.

During the walk, Albert will try to talk about Necusle to Humphry, trying to get a better idea of the rumors about it.
While eating he will ponder about the contents of the packages.

Humphrey is reluctant to even talk about Necusle, it is clear he is not completely comfortable with going there. It will take some work, and possibly the building of a little trust, for him to be happy to share what he may know.

For now all he says is "You have heard the stories."

• What stories have you heard? Do you believe any of them?

Roald has a hard time carying the heavy box. It's not as akwardly big as Albert's but the wait and boxy nature of the package make that with every step a corner of the box pushes it's pointy edge in Roald's back.
Roald tries to adjust the straps, slings the pack over just one shoulder, even carries the pack on his belly for a while. All to no avail. After just a half hour of walking it gets the best of him.
"Stop stop STOP!. I'm sorry guys, this is not working. "
He takes of his pack and lifts his shirt for the others to see the havoc done on his back by the damned box.
"If I have to walk like this any further ..."

He crunches down and rests for a moment

- Roald -

"You need armour like me." Daryl declares proudly —he has worn it all the time since leaving his home village, and someone had to have words with him about not sleeping in it while in town... it was starting to smell. He clangs his fist against his kidney-area to show that he would not be defeated by a sharp box.

"Why don't you take back your stuff... and maybe a little of mine..." he adds this last bit sheepishly, as though not wanting to admit that he needs the help. "I can put that box in my pack."

After a bit of adjusting and shuffling things around you are able to set off again, Daryl has handed out almost everything he was carrying and just has the box and his armour.

You maybe have not made it quite as far as expected when you find a good place to stop for lunch, but Humphrey is still confident you can make it to Olmsford before night.

"You are a lifesaver Daryl" Roald hates to admit that he was not up for the task but does his best at not showing it to the rest.
He is quiet the whole trip before lunch, thinking about what could be in the packages. During lunch he brings up the subject.
" I wonder what we are carrying though, it has to be something shady, no? Since it was hard for the postmaster to find someone willing to deliver it. Or is it just the location that is shady? ..."

"Oh, you don't ask questions about the post!" Humphrey declares, but there is that tone in his voice again that suggests to you that this is his official position, and that, when people are not looking, he may not be quite so conscientious and would not stop you if you wanted to.

"I expect the postmaster would jump at any offer going that way. No one goes there."

"How can a whole country 'smell bad'?" Theo asks academically. "That seems implausible."

"No." Humphrey disagrees. "I have heard that too, from people who claim to have been there. Maybe it's the funny food they eat?" He posits.

"'Rats' and 'bad smells' suggest poor hygiene." Theo points out. "Sounds to me like people are just trying to be insulting to foreigners, for the sake of it." This sounds like the sort of thing they talk about at university, with their 'expended minds' and all that. (Or was that supposed to be 'expanded'?)

Humphrey possibly does not know what the word 'hygiene' means, but it looks like he is working up to having an argument anyway —maybe just because it passes the time on the road.

What do you do?

"I wonder where he took the rats?" Daryl says. "Maybe they all went to Necustle, and that's why there are so many rats there?"

Humphrey stands and looks around at the landscape. "Olmsford is still a ways away." He says. "At this rate... I don't want to complain, but we are going slower than I expected... um... we will be hard pressed to make it before dark. If we don't pick up the pace we may have to find somewhere to spend the night. I don't like travelling in the dark."

What do you do?

Theo —pampered by his father, until recently— is not accustomed to work and 'carrying thing around' and struggles at first until Albert corrects his technique. He is young and energetic, but as he gets tired (or bored?) his technique slips from time to time, and overall, it turns out Albert was not the cause of the groups slowness.

---

Your path takes you inland a ways, climbing the hills away from the coast and the mist. There is evidence of a dramatic, vivid, sunset coming into existence when Humphrey declares: "It is still a couple of hours walk to Olmsford. There is an inn around here that boasts great views of the ocean and does 'drinks at sunset' on the veranda. Maybe we should stop there."

• You can push on to Olmsford tonight, or stop now and arrive late morning (depending on how early you leave). There is a chance that Humphrey can get the big carriage fixed soon enough to still leave tomorrow if you are there already. If you arrive partway through the morning it may not be ready until late afternoon or worse, and Humphrey does not like travelling at night. A few hours could end up costing you a day.

What do you do?

"Top of this hill!" Humphrey declares confidently. "Or the next one?"

It turns out to be the one after that, but Humphrey seems aghast the idea of 'camping'. He is a man who spends his life 'on the road', and sleeping on the ground when there is an inn anywhere 'nearby' is anathema to him.

The Inn on the Hill is beautiful: small, quaint, neat, and rustic (though, possibly only every other word in that description would occur to your characters:). There is a veranda all round the three sides away from the road, but the shutters are closed and there is no one outside enjoying the view.

Humphrey hammers happily on the door —after, at first, trying to stride through and finding it locked— and, when a face peers out at him, he proudly announces: "It is I, Humphrey, the coachman. With weary travellers come to partake of your famous hospitality."

"No hospitality here tonight." Mutters the face behind the door.

Then there is a hushed conversation inside, and a woman's face replaces the man's, peering out past you.

"The sun is still up. Let them in." She says in a quite voice that only those close to the door might hear.

He grudgingly steps aside and opens the door. Inside, the inn is mostly empty, there is the innkeeper and his wife, and what appears to be three local men (all this you can easily glean from a little conversation). They all watch suspiciously as you enter.

"Better be off." One says while the door is open, but does not rise to leave. "One more for the road." He says instead, to nods of morose agreement.

What do you do?

If there is a tense atmosphere in the inn, Humphrey appears unaware of it. "It is getting dark." He says. "So we need rooms for the night."

"Rooms." The innkeeper repeats. "Yes. We can do that." He seems to be trying to put on a brave face so as to not put off the paying customers. The inn has a reputation to uphold.

"And scenic drinks!" Humphrey declares.

"Drinks we can do." The innkeeper nods. "But inside. The scenic... er... the veranda is broken. Yes, broken. You can't go out there."

"Good. Good." Humphrey says, looking in the direction of the bar to start with the drinking. He nods in greeting to the other patrons. If he is disappointing by any of this, he does not show it.

---

• Do you stay and speak to the locals, here, first? Or do you go straight to your rooms to stow your gear? Or do you keep your packs in the main room while you eat and drink (for those of you who do drink)?
• How many rooms do you (OOC) want between, the 5 of you? Separate rooms cost a bit more, of course, but Humphrey is taking care of those details.

"Wild? Yes, definitely wildlife." They agree. "So keep your windows closed at night."

Humphrey has arranged two rooms, with enough beds. Neither he nor the staff react to your where you dump your packs, there will be time to view the rooms once you have supped.

The stew-pot is almost empty, but you don't get the impression that is due lack of provisions, but instead that they were not expecting guests tonight and were making ready to clean up. The innkeeper brings out bread —backed earlier today— and cheese, and some fruit, and there is the promise of sweet-cake and berries after. This seems like a more 'up-market' place than you have become accustomed to recently.

The visiting-locals seem torn between their plans to get home and curiosity about your group.

"What's your story, then?" One asks your group in a friendly way, scooching over to join you at your table. They don't seem to 'know' Humphrey, not more than to recall 'he drives a coach past here sometimes', but did note that he did not ask to stable any horses this time. Humphrey is busy with his drink, and assumes they are asking you and don't care about his broken axle and wife troubles.

What do you do?

"You're Wayne, right?" The man asks, smiling. "I'm Wayne, too." It is possible he has waited all his life to make that joke. "I always wanted to learn to fix wagons. See them passing through all the time. Good reliable work?"

"The inn is nice." Wayne agrees. "Gives us a place to come and relax of an evening. There is nothing else around here. I live over there. On the plantation. Bob too." He points inland, then at the other man at who was sitting with him. Bob holds up his mug in greeting and gives you a big smile completely devoid of teeth, but does not come over or speak to you.

Bob does try to catch Wayne's eye and gesture, with a tilt of his head, that they should be getting home, but Wayne is more interested in continuing the conversation.

"You look familiar." He says Albert. "How long you been in the wagon fixing business?"

"Never heard of it." Wayne shrugs. "Was it near here?" Albert's old place is sufficiently far from here that most of the locals would not have been there.

"No its the tree farm, just before ... or after.. the big wheat farm." Wayne says, pointing his two hands in opposite directions to indicate 'before/after'. "You can't see it from the road... what with all the trees." He grins.

Bob stands and walks over, nudging Wayne in the arm and indicating the door.

"Yeah, yeah." Wayne waves him away distractedly, not getting up.

"Of course, dear." The innkeeper's wife beams at Roald after his complement. "Sleep well."

"Oh, and keep the windows closed. OK?"

- Roald -

It might have been minutes, but also might have been hours, at first you can't tell if you are dreaming when you hear Waynes voice and a tapping coming from outside your upstairs window.

"Erm... excuse me." He hear Wayne say. "I seem to be locked out. It was too late for me to go home so I took a room. But I went out for a smoke and seem to be locked on the balcony. Could you let me in."

- Albert -

Seeing that the conversation is to go on for while, Bob shrugs and departs on his own into the evening.

"Not a forest anymore." Wayne says with a grin, and you can't tell if he is being clever or stupid.

"No, we have not had any trouble up there." He drops his voice as he adds this last bit: "All the trouble was here, at the inn. Guests brutally murdered. Ripped apart, I hear. But they are trying to keep it quite."

What do you do?

- Roald -

Mist flows in as Wayne flops through the window accompanied by a sickeningly sweet, fruity smell that might be alcohol on his breath. He looks around, confused, before wordlessly gliding out the door you are holding for him.

As you head back to bed, something worries at your mind. Something about the balcony, maybe?
• Do you bother to check? Or head back to your grape-feeding-women?

What do you do?

- Albert -

Wayne looks disturbed by your mention of buried bodies, or by your tone. "Yeah. Good night." He says when you finish drinking and head up to you room. "Don't let the bed bugger bite."

He stands with you and peers nervously out the front door at the last remnants of evening light.

A while later...

- Roald -

What's wrong with the balcony is that this building has no balcony upstairs... What could 'Wayne' possibly have been standing on?

Your contemplation of the question is interrupted by a soft shout, quickly cut off, from somewhere else in the room. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and it is not from the cold of the mist pouring in through the open window.

What do you do?

- Roald -

You see a thrashing in Daryl's bed, as though he is having a nightmare... or fighting with something in his sleep. The inflowing mist is thick around the base of his bed and tendrils creep up to probe at the blankets top and bottom.

What do you do?

- Roald -

At the force with which you slammed the window closed a windowpane rattles loose and slips, forming a small, unnoticed gap in one corner, but there are other problems to deal with right now.

Daryl wakes with a start, kicking at the hand groping at his foot and flailing at the thing in his face, the wind of his actions cause the mist-tendrils to retreat.

You are pretty sure you caught the critter in the blanket, but a moment later the bulge deflates and the beast, seeming to have passed through the blanket, slashes at your face. Where its claws strike skin you feel cold, this comes as a surprise compared to the hot flash of blood and pain you expected.

What do you do?

- Albert -

This does not feel like the undead you have faced before, that part of your power slips off from the creature.

Your belt, wielded as a weapon in Raynor's name, ignites with radiant light and splits the thing in twain.

The mist on the floor glows pearly white as the light of your belt-whip fades. Does it appear to flow out the door faster than before?

Daryl gasps in relief. "What was that?" He says, rubbing at his face where it was 'scratched'.

- Roald -

Where the creature 'scratched' your face it feels numb, and cold, and wet.

"I don't know. I was sleeping." Daryl says. "I think I had a bad dream?" He looks around and finds no sign of anything that could have attacked him, the 'badger' having melted at Albert's blow.

"Am I bleeding?" He asks, patting at his face.

In the ghostly light of the most-full moon you can not see any signs of harm to his or Roald's faces. But Roald still feels like he is bleeding coldly.

What do you do?

The mist-flow slows and appears to stop after Roald stuffs the crack with blanket. The floor is still covered with the faintly glowing substance.

Outside the room, away from the moonlight coming in through the window, it is hard to see the mist in the dark.In Albert's room, Theo and Humphrey are still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the mist floating around the legs of their beds at ankle height. It appears you stopped the inflow of mist before it reached a level, heavy as it is, to climb their beds.

What do you do?

- Albert -

The mist does seem to be draining away, it is now just a thin covering over the carpet.

"Is it bad?!" Daryl asks desperately touching his face. "Am I going to die?!"

You can not see anything wrong with his face. He appears completely uninjured from what you can tell. He is probably at more danger of hurting himself with his probing.

What do you do?

"You... you sure?" Daryl asks Albert nervously. He wants to believe and is trying not to scratch his face.

On the upstairs landing you can see that are not enough rooms up here for Wayne to have one, so the story of his getting locked out on the upper floor is becoming even more tenuous.

The owners sleep downstairs, somewhere, you are not sure exactly where. Looking that way, the light of your flickering candle reveals that the heavy mist has poured away... downwards, filling the ground floor to nearly head height.

All is deathly quiet.

What do you do?

Theo wakes with a shout, lashing out at Roald, but missing. You know from your trip back to town that he has not been sleeping well since his captivity, and has suffered from nightmares. He is quick to join you, still wearing his night-clothes (as are you all).

Humphrey waves you off drunkenly and falls right back into snoring. It will be an effort to get him up in his condition, and he does not appear to be in immediate danger up here.

The mists has sunk downwards. Those below are probably at greater risk.

What do you do? Do you dare descend into the mist downstairs?

"Um... I don't want to go down there, not without my armour." Daryl says, and you think he may be reclaiming his right to sleep in his armour... even indoors from now on.

Theo has lit a candle and peers down at the roiling sheet of mist in the stairwell. You can't see anything past where the light reflects off it. "We can't leave the innkeeper and his wife in that." He whispers. "Not if there are really things in that mist."

It is possible the mist level has gone down a bit, but you can't be sure without taking some time to measure it.

Below the stairs all is quite, not a sound comes up to meet your ears.

What do you do?

Daryl is among the last to tie himself to the group, after Albert made his plan clear the boy ran to his room and came back with his bare sword in his hand. It looks like he would rather have his armour, but there as not time for that.

Albert, as your foot descends into the mist you feel... nothing, it is not cold or wet or anything. If you closed your eyes you would have no idea there was anything there at all bar the rough grain of the wood beneath your foot.

What do you do?

"My face feels funny." Daryl says, and his speech sounds a little slurred. You all notice that your lips feel tingly.

Is there a hint of mint?

The main room where you ate is silent, the door that leads out presumably goes to the kitchen and also presumably the owner's room.

What do you do?

There is no sound from inside the kitchen.

You can not see the far walls, you can barely see the person tied in front of you or the counters of cooking implements. Presumably the door to the living quarters is to the left, you will need to skirt around to get there.

What do you do?

"Are you alright?" Theo asks with some concern over Roald's slurred speech. He sounds OK and has not noticed the effects nearly as badly as Roald and Daryl.

Aside from the minty tingle, Albert has no obvious symptoms either.

From a long why off —or that is how it sounds, though it is only from the next room— you hear a muttered complaint and an exasperated "I'm coming." from the innkeeper's wife and the striking of a match. Then, and much louder, a scream of fear and a swearword. "Jame! Wake up! There is mist in the house!"

You hear a scrambling and the sound of people standing on the bed, followed by more swearing. "That's a lot!" The innkeeper says, sounding panicked.

What do you do?

"Upstairs? It's safe upstairs?" The innkeeper demands, shushing his wife as she starts to complain that they told you not to open the windows. "Let's get up there and fix it. We might be OK till dawn."

The two of them latch onto Albert's hand and prepare to follow.

"err... 'K..." Daryl mumbles, but he is sounding worse than before and sways in place. Theo, the next from last in line, has to take him by the arm and make him walk.

What do you do?

With a lot of careful shuffling and much swearing and some stubbed toes you make it up the stairs and out of the mist. The innkeeper needed a bit of help up the stairs —after being badgered by his wife to "stop being so proud and ask"— and now sits on a chair in the hall massaging his lame leg.

Now that you are out of the mist the tingle fades, and Daryl and Roald find they can feel their faces and speak clearly once again.

The innkeepers confirm that once the sun is up it is safe to go out again.

'Magical mystical mist effects' reminds you of someone, someone who may be able to help?

It is hours until dawn.

What do you do?

Humphrey awakes just after the dawn and, having slept through the events of last night, is oblivious to any concern and merely puzzled as to why everyone is upstairs and where the breakfast is.

As promised the morning sun has burned off the mist and it seems safe to go out. At least there is no minty-tingle and Daryl and Roald don't feel anything strange in the face-area.

The innkeepers are glad to see you leave. They provide a sit-down breakfast but nothing for the journey. That's alright since Olmsford it only a few hours away.

Once in Olmsford, Humphrey leads you directly to the quaint, little, two-story house where the carriages reside. From the outside it looks neat and polite. He is intent on getting to work getting his gear repaired.

Continues in Lightning in a Bottle.