The Triumphant Return, The Gingerbread Men, Bedding Down for the Night
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; what, it wasn't a big enough mess alrea dy?
Who are you and why do you keep sending me this stuff ???
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; what, it wasn't a big enough mess alrea dy?
Oh, right. I remember now. Nevermind.
From: Ty
Subject: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
There is a brief moment of stunned silence as the two slippery thieves hurtle out the tower doorway. Garyth is the first move, and shouts "Dammit" as he follows them out the door. Mission is not more than a step behind, with Cadfael bringing up a distant third.
Once outside the tower, Garyth and Mission see the two thieves running like the wind to the surrounding forest. They are in the trees in seconds, and in the darkness they vanish like ghosts. Garyth and Mission stop to listen for sounds of running, but all they hear is the metal clanking of Cadfael rushing up behind them.
Mission turns around and places a finger on his lips. Cadfael stops immediately, and all three remain silent as they listen for sounds of running in the woods. It is totally silent. Cadfael says, "I never heard the one that ambushed me. These men know how to move quietly."
[respond with moves based on this round. You saw where the thieves went into the woods, but they disappeared as soon as they hit the trees. You can hear nothing at this point. Those inside can take moves as well, if they wish.]
PS
I hate my life in December and January in this business. I really do.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Farron, not particularly wanting to go traipsing off into the dark, snake-infested jungle, will start gathering magic items, including (and especially) the mage's spellbook and the pouch of pearls and put them into his own pack. "If we're going to spend the night here, perhaps someone will want to cast an alarm spell or something? Those guys might be back," he says to whoever is listening.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Garyth runs right up to the place where the thieves disappeared into the brush. He pauses for a moment, his brow furrowed, then he wades in and starts searching for them.
[OOC: As I said before, if he finds either of them he will grapple and attempt to pin.]
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
OOC: Ty, did Mission find any weapons or any sundry items when he searched the thieves earlier?
Mission feels his heart sink as the men disappear into the woods.
"Garyth!" he calls. "Come back. We're in no shape to go tearing into these woods after them."
Mission will head back into the tower.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Mission had already taken the thieves short swords after the fight. When he searched them again, he didn't find anything else. Of course, now that he thinks about it, that does seem a little odd...
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Why would the thieves have only weapons? Where were their supplies, provisions. . .?
Mission feels a tightening dread in his stomach.
OOC: Does Mission see any supplies in the tower? Anything to indicate that these men were out on a journey, and not, as Mission suspects, scouts for the Black Pillar?
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Garyth freezes as he hears Mission's words. What is he doing? Only a complete fool would tramp about in a dark forest looking for a pair of escape artists armed with who knows what. The woods all of a sudden seem to press in about him, and he is keenly aware of every sound in the night. Cautiously, he backs toward the clearing, then turns and walks quickly to the tower.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Well, the thieves did leave their packs and bedrolls in the tower. But, it is odd that they would only have the short swords as weapons. Most thieves will have a backup weapon or two, and those were not found.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Were they wearing any armor?
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
OOC: Okay, I know that Ty is trying to give me some type of clue here, but I'm oblivious. Any ideas?
Mission represses the urge to kick Garth's still-prone body. Sand take them, theives and idiots. And wizards. Farron is busily, greedily stuffing his pack with the magery taken off the dead wizard. Mission turns away from the sight, disgusted.
Finlan. Cale had given him a name. Cale and Spurt and Garth and dead Finlan. Were they the names of Anileth's kind? Worshippers of her dark god?
Mission turns to Cadfael, "If those two come back, it won't be alone. I wouldn't be suprised at all to see Leggy Dame in their company-- and I'd prefer to meet her at my hale and hearty best. Best foot forward, and all that. Will you ask Pelor for a bit more aid for me?"
From: Tom
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
> Finlan. Cale had given him a name.
Just to clarify, Cale never DID give Finlan a name. :) As far as I know, the name "Finlan" only started being used because it was listed in the initiative order.
Tom
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
This is true. No one ever said the name Finlan.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Grr. I'll be more careful of my RP'ing next go round. Sorry.
I'm a bit rusty. . .
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
OOC: See what happens? Strike while the iron's hot, Rennik always says. Or when it's heating up. Or when you first see it. Or when you catch word that there might be an iron in the near vicinity. Or when you hear a word beginning with the letter "i"...
From: Dan
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
OOC -- I hadn't really thought of this before, but with the loss of my computer I don't have things like my spell list or, well, my character sheet. I'm sure I have a backup somewhere but I haven't finished unpacking since moving to T.O. I'm casting what spells I remember having, Ty, if I've done gone and made a mistake let me know.
Cadfael watches coldly as the men vanish into the trees and heads back within the tower before Mission has time to call Garyth back.
He stiffly goes over Garth, making sure he is still stable and has not taken a turn for the worse during the past conversation. Satisfied that all is well with him he gathers the remains of the rope that once held him and proceeds to do his best to tightly bind Garth's wrists and ankles (Untrained).
He offers Mission his best attempt at a smile and says, somewhat awkwardly, "Yes, Mission. I had thought to do it sooner but I suppose things came up, didn't they? I'd warn you that this may hurt, but I suppose you're well aware of that, aren't you? (casts cure serious wounds at the expense of prayer) And Mission, I have not forgotten my promise to you, in the morning I will pray and ask for Pelor's guidance with respect to your dreams. I'm sure an answer will come to me soon."
Cadfael's eyes drift toward the tower's door and once again he seems to be looking at nothing but stands idly scratching one hand while lost in thought. He quickly returns to the present as Garyth crosses his vision and enters the tower. Setting his shoulders he goes to meet him in the doorway.
"Garyth, you're still holding your side." Without waiting for an answer he lays his palm on Garyth's wound and casts another cure serious wounds (at the expense of magic circle against evil). Considering the conversation closed Cadfael walks toward the center of the group.
"Cast whatever spell you have for the night, Farron. But get some rest as soon as you can, it will be morning before you know it. I don't know how much danger we can expect from two naked men in the dark, although, perhaps it isn't them that we should fear so much as it is their friends. Mission, when you went through their gear did you notice something small such as a pin; something that they could have used to introduce a poison without drawing much blood? If not they must still be carrying them."
"No matter, I doubt they'll be back soon. Garyth, take the first watch. I doubt you'd sleep now if you could, what with just happened. Take some time to sort it out now, but be finished with it by morning. We won't have the luxury of fighting over what happened then, when Garth wakes up. We can't have him playing us against each other in the same manner Cale just did. Mission, you take the second watch and wake me in time for the third. I'll wake Farron and Sa'id before the sun rises and they can watch the entrance while I'm in prayer. We'll wake the two of you when I'm done to give a few more moments rest. We'll all need every minute of sleep we can get; there may be more long nights to come. Once we're all awake I'll cast my spell of truth and talk to Garth. Hopefully then we'll figure this mess out once and for all."
If nobody has anything to say otherwise, Cadfael will begin stripping off his armour, each piece clanging to the stone floor and echoing through the night.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Mission nods, grateful for Cadfael's assistance. "They didn't have anything but their short swords. I didn't even find the poison they used on you, Cadfael. Odd that such men had nothing but their swords on them, don't you think? Not even a dagger."
He sucks in a breath, and winces. "Sand take them. Or Rennick, if he's still hanging about. I'm not particular, at this point."
After Cadfael heals him, Mission will spend some time sorting carefully through the remaining packs, bedrolls, and the interior of the tower. He'll bed down until his watch.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Hearing the commotion outside, Sa'id halts his incantation of Light. Other than moving aside to allow Mission back into the tower, he takes no action and no words pass his lips. Sa'id's anger ebbs, and he draws in a deep breath before sighing. He feels somehow empty, as though his soul has lost its mooring in his body and is drifting away.
Wordlessly he moves to one side of the tower and beds down for the night.
[OOC: I too am currently computerless. However, I should hopefully have purchased a brand spankin' new computer by the end of next week. Then I'll extract the hard drive from my defunct machine and pop it in the new one, at which time I'll have all of my data back. At least, that's the theory.]
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Cleaning up the mess; the gingerbread men
Garyth accepts the first watch without a word. He takes up a position near the door and waits, reflecting on the encounter.