Searching Around Gully's
Subject: Re: Everyone moving toward GUlly's
"Careful", Farron insists. "Gully's smart and knows there's darkness at work that knows where he lives, too. If I were him, I'd make this place look as abandoned as possible whether I was here or not. I got the impression that his wolves would obey him if he told them to stay hidden. Maybe we should let him know who we are and that we're out here before we go sneaking up on him." He thinks for a minute and adds, "There's another possibility, too. We did send that young halfling back this way. It's possible that Gully has gone to try to reunite him with his people."
(ooc - if I recall correctly, there were several wolves, not just one. right?)
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Everyone moving toward GUlly's
Already a few paces ahead, Sa'id turns to look at the other two men. "I'm going to knock on the door. There won't be any sneaking. Kasen, it's more important that you stay with Farron until he regains his full strength." He pauses. "I don't expect trouble, but I'm prepared for it... and I'm not going very far."
OOC: For now I'll just cast Pro' evil, not Mirror Image. Then, as described, I'll go around to the front door. If I don't see anything notable on my way, I'll knock on the door and identify myself.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Everyone moving toward GUlly's
Pensive has nothing to add-- he'll take the first watch.
From: Dan
Subject: Re: Everyone moving toward GUlly's
Kasen sighs, "pick your battles," he thinks, "there isn't going to be anything there anyway."
Nevertheless, he wasn't going to be completely foolish about this. "Very well, Sayeed, this trader does know you and the sight of a large man in armour might unnerve him a little. But we'll follow you until we can see the door."
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Everyone moving toward GUlly's
Sa'id nods. "That's a good idea. I suspect the place is empty, but better safe than sorry."
OOC: D'oh, I meant to suggest that. Off I go!
From: Ty
Subject: Searching around Gully's
Sa'id mumbles the words of the Protection from Evil spell, and moves across the clearing from the smokehouse to the trading post. He can hear the clank of Kasen moving into position behind him. He also seen Farron looking through his spell book that morning, and it was reassuring to know that his friend probably had a head full of spells to cover his back with.
In the very faint light, the trading post looks dead. The windows are still broken from the skeleton attack, and most are boarded up. No light shines from anywhere. No wolves can be seen. Sa'id suppresses a shiver, and then knocks on the big split log door. Nothing. He turns back around to gesture at Kasen, when he feels the door open behind him. Sa'id feels his back go tense, expecting the sharp pain of a knife or the grasping bony hands of a skeleton. Nothing.
He turns around, and in the dim interior of the trading posts main hall, can see the little Halfling. He is standing in the middle of the room with one of the big winter wolves by his side. Gully is not in sight. The wolf is not growling, but there is something in its stiff legged stance and watchful eyes that makes Sa'id nervous. He thinks back two weeks. Did the boy speak common? No. He only spoke Halfling. Thank goodness Sa'id knows that tongue.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
Two weeks ago. It might as well be a lifetime, but thankfully years of memorizing arcane glamours had left Sa'id's memory fairly robust. Manut, the halfling boy they'd sent to Gully's on a magical mount with a note from Farron explaining the situation. And here he was, at Gully's, but no sign of Gully himself. Sa'id does his best not to think about what that probably means.
Sa'id crouches down slowly and looks at the boy, trying to be as open and reassuring as possible. "Hello, Manut. Do you remember me?" he asks in the Halfling tongue. "I'm glad to see you made it here safely... I'm sorry that Gully wasn't here. We thought he would be."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
"Gully is here," says the voice from the dark doorway to the kitchen. "And I remember you, sir. I remember you fighting to save my home from the skeletons. I hope that you're the same person that left here, but that ain't sure, not by a long sight. Many who've come by lately look human, but ain't on the inside."
Gully moves a little way out of the doorway, and Sa'id can see a large loaded crossbow in his hands. "The redhead came back and took her horse. She killed one of my wolves for fun. Now all the rest've run off, 'ceptin' Cutter, of course."
Sa'id catches a glint out of the corner of his eye, and looks to see Manut pulling a large knife from behind his back. One hand is on Cutter's broad back. Sa'id gets the feeling that if he makes the wrong move, Gully's crossbow bolt, and Cutter's enormous teeth will be launched at him at the same moment.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
OOC: Gully speaks Halfling? O_O That's very lucky for me! :)
"I'm sorry," Sa'id says, this time in Common. "I'm sorry she came back here." He glances at his feet, then looks back up at Gully.
"I have two friends outside. The other wizard who was with me before, and a friend from Nesalin. We were separated from the others but sent them a message to meet us here. I hope they will be here in another day." He pauses, extending his right hand. "If it will help, throw me one of your crossbow bolts and I will cut my hand to show that I bleed."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
I mentioned that when you ran into him the first time, I think. He spoke to Rennik in Halfling, and mentioned that he trades with the wild folk quite often.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
Gully hesitates a moment, then lowers the crossbow.
"No. No need for that. You are welcome to stay here, though I have precious little left to offer." He gestures around the room at the mostly empty shelves. "When those tattooed little folk come through, they help themselves to whatever they want. Cutter and the boy and I wind up hiding in the woods till they leave. I've got a few supplies hidden away that I can share."
He puts the crossbow down, and says to Manut, "Put the knife away, boy. These are friends."
Manut nods. He slips the knife into the sheath on his back and steps over to Sa'id. In Halfling he says, "I remember you. Thank you for sending me here. The fat man is very nice to me." Gully laughs. "I guess he didn't see many fat men in his life in the wilds. He seems amazed by my gut."
Gully walks over to the broken and boarded front window, to peer out through a crack. "I guess you should call your friends in. The soldier is starting to look nervous."
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Searching around Gully's
Sa'id smiles, and switches back to Halfling. "Thank you both. Shuk'ran, as my people say."
Standing, he pokes his head out the door. "You can come in -- Gully's here," he says to his two companions. Turning back to Gully, Manut, and Cutter, he adds, again in Halfling: "Our soldier friend, Kasen, has some provisions from Nesalin. He's a good cook. Maybe we'll be able to help you as much as the other way around."
OOC: That's right, I vaguely remember that Gully spoke Halfling, now that you mention it.