The Exodus, One Night in Nesalin, To the Garret Farm
Subject: ?
Has anyone heard from our fearless leader? Is he still alive?
Mark
From: Ty
Subject: Re: ?
Sorry fellas.
He is in the middle of a giant prototype.
He fears that he may never waste time at work again.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
From: Ty
Subject: The exodus
Garyth waves a sad goodbye to Rennik as the halfling leads Pensive and the three Falcons off to the Garret farm. He still remembers seeing Cadfael walk away on what was only to be a short trip back to his temple. He also remembers the hacked body they found later. There was a time when saying goodbye to a friend was tempered by the certainty of seeing them again. He has lost that. This is what it is to be a soldier. Not walking the palisade with your comrades, sneaking a sip from the ale flask when the sergeant's back is turned. Not late nights in the barracks, playing dice and talking about women. Not even standing with drawn sword between evil and innocence, though there is that as well. No, being a soldier is agreeing to bear the burden of uncertainty. Accepting the uncertainty that he or his companions will be alive the next day, so that these farmers can be certain their wives will return from the market, and their children will return home from school. For the second time, Garyth remembers the vow he took. I will be the wall around my people. It seems that each day he learns a little more about what that actually means.
Melani rushes past, after clasping hands once with Rennik. She jumps up onto her pony, and quickly leads it to the front of the column. Garyth follows her, moving more slowly so that he can shout words of encouragement to the people he recognizes. Up near the front, an old man steps from the column into his path. He looks familiar, though Garyth can not remember his name. "My nephew left with you two weeks ago, captain." The old man stops for a second when he is joined by his wife, her face an agony of worry and fear. "He left with you, and we've heard not a word. Is there no word?"
Garyth is about to speak when the old woman says, "Where is he? Where is my Farron?" Garyth is almost overcome with relief that in this case, the only news he has is good. He can't imagine what effect an ill report would have on this sad old woman.
"Master and Misses Underhill," he gives them a respectful bow from the waist. "Your nephew, Farron, is quite well. He remained behind in Nesalin, to aid the Lords of that city in an important investigation. He asked that I look for you here, and make sure all was well with you. He will be very happy when he hears that you were able to escape the town with us."
The look of relief on their faces is so powerful, Garyth finds himself fighting back a lump in his throat. He slides off his horse to embrace the old woman. Stepping back he grips her husband's hand. "Farron is my good friend. I must look after you both as if you were my own family, so please, if there is anything you need, find me." The old woman bursts into tears and hugs him again.
Later, back on his horse, Garyth spots his brother Philip walking along side one of the large food laden wagons. After greeting, Garyth says to him, "Phil, there is an old couple a few hundred yards back in the column, traveling alone. The Underhills. Can you send someone back for them? Have them brought up here and put on the wagon? I need you to make sure they make it all the way with us. They're family, Phil." Philip just smiles, "Of course we will. I'll send a boy back right now. We'll make sure they're taken care of." Garyth rides off for the front of the column.
At the front, he meets up with Osred. "Where is the scout?" Osred points off south. "She left her pony with me, and took off on foot." He interrupts himself to yell over at Munch, "There's one, boy." He points out to Garyth a bit of cloth tied to a bush, fluttering in the wind. "She's marking the trail with cloth. Can't leave 'em here for the ghouls to follow."
Garyth rides off to the side, to watch the column pass. A thousand soldiers can march thirty or more miles in a day. In a forced march, they can do fifty. Watching the townsfolk walk by, he realizes that they will be lucky to get twenty. To make up for the pace, they'll have to march for twelve, maybe even fifteen hours to make the same ground. That will cost lives. Even a trained soldier will wear out after several days of forced march. But it is either risk losing a few on the road from exhaustion, or risk losing them all when the army catches them from behind. And this is what it means to lead, Garyth thinks. Making decisions about who will live, and who will die. Not for the first time, Garyth wonders if he will want to remain a soldier when this is all over. Giles' life on his farm, with his pretty wife and litter of kids, is looking more and more attractive. Giles' life and death decisions all involve cows, pigs, or chickens.
A quarter of an hour or so goes by, and the last stragglers come out the Overlook gates. The city is empty. Or, as empty as it's going to get. Garyth fights an urge to go back in and search the streets for anyone left behind. Instead, he shouts at the guardsmen in the rear to keep the stragglers moving. He rides up the column, back to the front, and tells Osred to pick up the pace. He does a quick mental calculation. "About 170 miles as the crow flies. Add on 30 for our little jaunt south first. 200 miles, and I'd like to do it in five days if we can."
Osred just looks at him. "We'll lose a few."
"More than a few, but our goal is to not lose them all. Tomorrow, we'll need you moving through the column and giving wait aid and prayers you can to keep the weak or sick moving."
Osred nods, and points out another strip of cloth for Munch. The column marches for the rest of the first day.
[RP or special requests for the first night of camping, plus plans for the next day. Gracias]
From: Ty
Subject: One night in Nesalin
Farron and Sa'id leave the Sunmaster, and walk through the city back to Farron's apartments. Along the way, Sa'id pauses at a merchant's stall, and buys two large bottles of a good imported red wine. "To fortify us," he says to Farron with a grin.
There is another quick stop to pick up food for dinner, and then the two wizards find themselves sitting in Farron's comfortable main room next to a crackling fire, drinking wine and eating cheese. Farron says, "This doesn't seem real." Sa'id nods, "I know that our friends are not so comfortable. I hope they are well. Pelor grant them safe passage." He says this last, looking up at the ceiling. Farron thinks back on the conversations his friend and Cadfael had been having, following Sa'id's brush with death. He thinks of all they have seen over the last two weeks, and leaning forward, touches his glass to Sa'id's. "Pelor grant them safe passage." They both drink.
Later, they drink to Cadfael. They do not stop till the wine is gone.
[stopping for any RP you guys want to do. Next morning is back to Fellus?]
From: Ty
Subject: To the Garret farm
Rennik grips arms with Garyth and Melani, then leads Pensive and the three Falcons overland to the Garret farm. He glances down at the hastily sketched map he was given. Pensive rides along side and peeks over his shoulder at it. Rennik says, "It shouldn't take long to ride there. Less than ten minutes." Pointing at the landscape on the map, he says, "We should plan our approach. If they have men on watch, then blundering up on them will just net us a house full of murdered citizens."
Pensive nods. "I agree. Garyth says that you are a capable scout and tactician. Do you have suggestions? I will follow your lead, and the soldiers have been ordered to do so as well."
[the map drawn by a guardsman for rennik
A -- house
B -- barn
C -- cattle pen, about a dozen cows
D -- corn field
E -- remembered locations of trees
There are windows on all four sides of the house, but they are stretched hide, not glass. So unless someone has poked holes in them, there are no good lookout points inside the house. The structure on the front of the house is a covered porch.]
From: Mark
Subject: Re: The exodus
Even on foot, Melani thinks she can keep ahead of the crowd from the human city. She hopes she can convince Nukaru to let the humans stay. It would strain the resources of her village, but it would not be for long. Hopefully. Maybe this would also show the humans that the forest people were not monsters. At least in the forest the witch would have a harder time staying above the fray. She would have to get down with the rest of people. Maybe the Belneth could rouse the forest itself against her.
Raising her eyes to the sky, she keeps look out for the witch or anything else that should not be there. She then continues to try and find the easiest, fastest path for the humans.
OOC: I do not know what skills or feats would be used for this, but what ever she can do to make the passage as safe and quick as possible, she will do. She will also keep an eye out for anything else. She basically knows that most of the good people are behind her and most of the bad are out "There"
Mark
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The exodus
I am rolling wilderness skill rolls, using her Knowledge: Geography of Huss skill as a synergy bonus. The distance the group travels each day is directly related to the outcome of these rolls. I will be giving you an update each morning with Melani's estimate on how far they've come.
I'll update the map with a path for you, Mark.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The exodus
I'm out of the office tomorrow and Monday. I have been having trouble with my email from home, so I don't know if I'll be able to add anything until Tuesday. I will try to, but I can't guarantee anything.
Karl
From: Mark
Subject: Re: The exodus
I am also out of the office on Monday(Taking the youngest to spend the weekend at Mamoth Cave and going to the Corvette plant to take a tour and go through the museum.
I will be around tomorrow.
Mark
From: Matt
Subject: Re: To the Garret farm
Looking at the map to the farm, Rennik is set at ease by the proximity of the corn field to the house. They wouldn't be approaching over flat, empty fields, like he had feared.
"We'll loop south to come at the house from the southeast, on the opposite side of the corn field, and then cut through the tall stalks. I'll sneak to the edge of the field and scout the house from there, so we have a better idea what we're dealing with."
"After we know more details, we can decide what to do from there. At least we know this time, the cowards won't be able to sneak off down an alleyway."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: To the Garret farm
Pensive nods at Rennick. He would have proposed much the same.
"I will watch and listen for the enemy's army. Let us hurry and be cautious, Rennick."