Garyth Delivers the News, Pensive Prepares for Ambush
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
The relief in the young guardsman's eyes--his name is Teo, Garyth remembers--is obvious. Just a few hours ago, Garyth had the same faith in Nesalin's armies. Now, though, it seems naive.
As soon as the party is through the gates, Garyth dismounts. He notices Pensive break from the group, but there isn't time to deal with that now. "Close the gates," he calls, then turns to his men. "Vincy, you and the men get up on the wall. If you see anything, come running. Osred, you're with me." He turns back to Teo. "I wish I had good tidings, Teo, gods know we could use them. We've little time to spare. My companions and I," he indicates the halflings, "must speak with Captain Bragga and the Alderman immediately."
OOC: Sorry about that, Ty. Been swamped at work lately.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
Teo leads the small group through the center of town to the meeting hall. Crowds of townsfolk gather about, clinging to the clothes of the passing men and asking when the army will arrive to save them. Garyth finds that he can not answer. Something is blocking his throat. Familiar faces pass by, but all he can do is nod to them and move past. Osred moves to the front with the guardsman, and uses his large bulk and ferocious appearance to clear a path.
Inside the town hall, all the city elders and men of rank are gathered. Bragga is wearing his best armor, but his face is weary. Around him, men who will not have to fight are planning the defense of the city. He perks up when Garyth and Osred enter, and moves quickly to grip the arm of his former lieutenant. He smiles when he sees the new rank insignia on Garyth's armor. "This last fortnight has been good for you I see, captain. I hope the next treats you as well. You'll be wanting to take over this meeting then." Garyth blushes uncomfortably, "No, Sir. This is still your city to defend. I only come to offer what help I can."
Something in Garyth's eyes when he says this makes Bragga frown. "They aren't coming, are they? Damn them! They would rather sit in their city behind high walls and watch us burn?" The rest of the room grows silent. They are waiting an answer.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
The cliff drops below him to the rush and roar of the waves. Pensive stands on the edge of the cliff, desperately searching its face.
Nothing. No smuggler's path, no winding trail down. . . nothing but the face of the cliff. Only the able-bodied men in Overlook would be able to drop below.
Pensive swallows, and feels a sick trembling in his gut.
Well. He could spend no more time on despair. Pensive watches carefully as he hustles back through Overlook. No elves, that he could see. He asks a leatherworker if any lived here, but gets only a shrug and a brief reply about an elven spice merchant that hasn't been seen in a while. Pensive thanks him, and heads back to the gate.
Garyth, the halflings, and the cleric are not on the walls-- presumably they went to speak with the town's leadership. Pensive pauses a moment among the people milling around. Milling around like. . .
Sheep waiting for the slaughter.
A bit of grit blows into his eyes at the thought. Wind from the center of the island.
Pensive asks where he can find the Alderman, but finds himself strangely. . . reluctant to join Garyth and the other leaders within. Instead, he walks the walls with the soldiers, quietly keeping watch for the army of undead.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
As Pensive walks the broad main street back to the palisade, he is accosted by a large red faced man. The monk tries to move around him, but the man sidesteps to stay in his way. Pensive frowns at the mass of contradictory feelings that emanate from the man in waves. "Can I help you?"
The man fidgets, as though looking for the right words. "You came in with young Garyth, right? You are one of his men?"
Pensive nods, "I travel with Garyth."
"I've got something I need to give to him, can I give it to you?"
"I suppose-" pensive begins, but as soon as he has spoken the man turns and hurries off toward one of the dense clusters of shops and houses nearby. "It's over here! It will just take a second. Come this way." He calls over his shoulder.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
Pensive draws the stonesash from out of his sleeves, and lets it dangle in a loop from his hands.
He follows the fellow into the crowd of shops.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
Pensive follows the man, the barest hint of a puzzled look on his face. The man dodges into a narrow alley between two shops. Pensive moves into it slowly, beginning to become suspicious. The stonesash in his hand is a comforting weight.
The man moves quickly to the end of the alley, and goes through a door there. It looks like the back door of a house. Pensive moves cautiously up to it and looks inside. The red faced man is inside a large kitchen area rummaging in a wooden chest. "It's right here."
Pensive remains outside the door, unwilling to follow the man inside. Something crawls up the fine hairs on the back of his neck.
The man turns around, and gestures him inside, "Please, come in. It's right here."
Pensive shakes his head. "No, I can wait here."
The man gets a desperate look on his face, and Pensive feels a wash of fear from him. "Please, you must come in. Please." Pensive can sense that the man believes something terrible will happen if he doesn't. The man glances to one side, down a hallway Pensive can't see.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
"They were coming, sir," Garyth says. "Nearly two hundred cavalry, archers, pikemen, and Blood Falcons marched from Nesalin this morning. They met the enemy about fifteen miles outside of town. They would have taken the field, but..." He falters for a moment, remembering the tentacled horror that drove off the Nesalin forces. "The enemy summoned... some sort of demon. The soldiers fled before it." He shudders at the memory, then regains his composure and looks up at Captain Bragga. "The undead army is only a few hours behind us, and Overlook has no hope of standing against it, demon or no. We've no choice but to evacuate." He indicates Melani. "This is Reth'tenn Melani, of the Kalama tribe. She has offered her tribe's protection if we can make it to their lands."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
Garyth's words set off a wave of loud argument and shouts. It sounds like some of the town elders had already been arguing for abandoning the city, while others reject the idea of leaving Overlook undefended. Garyth despairs, because he knows how these things go. These men will argue away all of the time left to the town, refusing to make a decision until the army of Kor Garesh begins battering the walls.
Bragga turns away from them in disgust. "Garyth, how long would the city last if we tried to hold it?" Garyth shakes his head. "Not an hour. They have halfling archers, human mercenaries, hordes of difficult to kill undead to use as shock troops, and worst of all they have magic. A witch travels with them. Her powers alone could break holes in our defenses." The room has slowly grown quiet as Garyth lists out the force that comes to destroy them. He sees his opportunity to speak loudly to the group. "Anyone who stays in this city will die. And if we intend to reach the Kalama lands ahead of that army, we must leave now, or be cut to pieces on the road."
Someone in the back says, "But we would have to make preparations, gather supplies?"
"No." says Osred. His voice filled with flat finality. "If we are not on the road in less than an hour, we might as well not leave."
For the first time, the Alderman speaks up. "Then, Captain. Tell us what we must do."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Race for Overlook
So. The man was afraid of something. That could mean he was coerced to set up this trap. Possibly.
Pensive quickly rules out banditry and base thuggery-- any fool thief could quickly see that Pensive carried nothing but the clothes on his back and his traveling satchel.
Kor Garesh's forces, then? Why arrange a trap when the army lay so close by? Pensive recalls the mutilated body of the priest-- Cadfael, was it? What purpose had that served?
And here, was he about to follow the god-botherer's footsteps?
He catches his breath as he steps into the room. Perhaps there was an enemy here, and perhaps not. Perhaps he would die, or perhaps he would find some key, some hope to the survival of the people on this island.
For that hope then. Blood and stone, but it felt good to have a purpose.
Pensive says quietly to the man, "I am here. Whatever is waiting in that hallway-- tell it to come and meet me. Friend," and his voice is sincere and young as he lays a light, freckled hand on the man's arm, "whatever they threatened you with, be at peace. The Path bends as it will, and today it has brought me here. Not you-- the Path. If you can leave and keep yourself and what you cherish safe, do so. I will meet what you brought me here to meet."
He lets the stonesash uncurl, and prepares to defend himself.