On to Bergen

Continued from The Lodge

About 3 p.m. on the 6th of August, Sven is keeping watch from the roof when he calls out, "VISITOR COMING!" He relays that a lone man on a donkey has approached to some 600 yards and has stopped. While Sven watched, the stranger lifted his arm and made a slow waving gesture. He hasn't attempted to move any closer.

Lexent: I look at Sven and Pandred, "Do you think we should go out and see what he has to say?"

Sven: "We hold someone back here to protect Hamish. He's far from recovery. I suggest a parley, to find out what he wants. If he intends to threaten us, he must have an army waiting somewhere beyond our sight."

Lexent: "I'll go. Pandred, Be ready for trouble." I head outside.

Pandred: "Always am." I'll make sure to don my armor, etc. Arduin will assist if need be.

The DM: how close do you wish to get? Comfortable speaking distance is six combat hexes.

Lexent: I move up half the distance between us, so 300 yards and wave back.

Stranger: “Identify yourself!”

Lexent: "I am Lexent. Who are you? And what business brings you here?"

Stranger: “You may call me Tacitus.”

The DM: It’s plain that the stranger is Norwegian, and that the name is likely an alias.

Lexent: "And your business here?"

Tacitus: “You have removed Hamish Ross from Bergen, have you not? That is what brings me here.”

Lexent: "I have removed no one from anywhere. If you'd like though, you are welcome to come up and talk."

Tacitus: “Not until I know who you are and your motives.”

The DM: He grins.

Tacitus: “You could be a collection of true villains, couldn’t you?”

Lexent: "I'm no more of a collection than you are, and as for villainy I assure you I only seek to assist those around me. I see, however, that we are both wary of one another's motives, so how shall we solve this impasse?"

Lexent: Does he carry any visible weaponry?

The DM: No. He’s not very tall, either; perhaps 5 ft. 3 for a human. And rather unpossessing sitting on his donkey.

The DM: Okay, I'm pretty sure at this point that people are waiting to see what happens with Vafrandir. I did intend to run both pages at the same time, but I'm kind of glad I don't have to.

Lexent: I was waiting to see Tacitus' response to my question.

The DM: Somehow, I utterly missed your first line; I tagged onto your question about visible weaponry and failed to see that you had spoken. I was waiting for you to answer Tacitus' question. Ah, well. Apologies. I'll return your question: are you wearing any visible weaponry?

Lexent: I am not.

Intermission

The DM: We'll pick this up tomorrow, then.

The DM: Sorry all. I've got a contract job today. I won't be in. Problems of the real world.

Lexent: Bummer. Heads up, I'm not sure what my availability for Friday will be. I'm travelling to a family reunion at some point, but I'm not sure when I'll be in the car and whether or not I'll be able to play from my cell phone.

The DM: Okay, well let us know when you know, and we'll be fine. I have to take these contracts when they arise; steady work only occurs when they occur.

Lexent: In. I should be good for an hour at the very least, we'll see what happens after that.

The DM: In. Yay, I have time.

Continuing On

Tacitus: "Perhaps I should trust you then. Lead on to your domicile."

Lexent: I head back up.

The DM: heading back at the lodge, Tacitus will inquire whether or not he can see Hamish Ross in the flesh.

Lexent: As we reach the door I respond, "Yes, assuming he is willing to see you."

The DM: Entering, Lexent, you see Sven and Pandred, but no sign of Hamish.

Lexent: "Sven, Pandred, this is Tacitus. He is enquiring after the welfare of Hamish Ross."

Tacitus: "If I might ensure his well-being ..."

Sven: "How do you know that he's here?"

The DM: Tacitus merely shrugs.

Lexent: "The last I saw him he was alive and well enough, all things considered."

Pandred: "Who's this? What's he want?" Unlike Lexent, I am definitely armed.

Tacitus: (spreading his arms and showing empty hands) "I am Tacitus. And I am concerned about Hamish Ross's welfare."

Pandred: "The fuck you are. Who sent you?"

Tacitus: "Good. Let us speak frankly. Hamish Ross is the deserved reciever of a large fortune and title, that he never received from the King of Denmark. His sudden disappearance from Bergen suggests he has received this fortune. In which case, his life is in danger. You are strangers. Sven here, who doesn't know me, is a guard in Bergen, so he may be honest; he may not be."

Sven: "I am honest!"

Tacitus: "Understood. Then, the questions remain: is Hamish Ross well and do you have the fortune intact?"

Pandred: "You haven't answered my question." I will draw the smaller axe. "Nothing you have said isn't obvious. Either prove your intentions or I will prove mine."

Tacitus: “I was led to believe that I had come here under a flag of truce. I have made no ill motions, I’ve offered no threats. Why do you speak this way?”

Pandred: "I don't know who you are. I don't know who sent you or why you're here. This is the last time I'm going to ask. Speak plainly or speak with God."

Tacitus: “Is God here? If he is, I’d very much like the latter choice.”

Lexent: "You also have not stated that your interest is in keeping Hamish Ross alive. The name Tacitus, is that Latin?"

Lexent: "Peace a moment, Pandred. He does not seem so great a threat that we cannot listen to his full and honest explanation with grace and dignity."

Tacitus: (to Lexent) “It is not Genoan, if that’s your concern.” (to Pandred) “That is your concern, is it not?”

Vafrandir: In.

Pandred: (OOC) I want you to know I fully typed out the sentence where this guy is defenestrated.

The DM: You’d have to win initiative first.

Pandred: I say nothing.

Lexent: I look back at Tacitus. "Well?"

Tacitus: “Friend, you expect me to be forthcoming, but you have told me nothing. I know Ross is here. His welfare is my concern. Is he safe? It is the question of a concerned citizen of Bergen, for a would-be Baron of the Realm. Do you resist a simple answer to a simple question because the man is dead?”

Lexent: "True enough. You say you are not with the Genoans, neither are we. We also seek to help Baron Ross establish his rightful claim. As I said earlier, to the best of my knowledge, he is alive."

Tacitus: “Then I will say to you, I am the leader of the free people of Bergen.”

Sven: “Hah!” (grumbling) “He’s part of the thieves’ guild.”

Lexent: "Then what is your particular interest in the Baron's welfare?"

Lexent: (To Sven) "Does that mean you trust him less?...or more?"

Continued from Vafrandir’s Journey

The DM: At this point, Vafrandir walks through the door, followed by Denar, Caleb, Alan and Bergthora. Pandred immediately recognizes this last; it is the same Bergthora he last saw about three months ago.

Lexent: I position myself about 20 feet away from the newcomers if possible.

Pandred: "What now?" I'll look at the wounded here with momentary concern before returning my attention to Tacitus.

Tacitus: (looks Vafrandir and Arvid over, somewhat surprised) “Hm.”

Bergthora: “Pandred? What are you doing here?”

Pandred: My eyes do not leave Tacitus. " Oh, the usual. Cracking heads. You?"

Tacitus: (looks to Bergthora) “You know her?”

Bergthora: “Yeah. She’s straight up. We don’t have to worry about her.”

Tacitus: “She seems a trifle stiff.”

Bergthora: “That’s just her way.”

P: OOC (So if the alphabetical naming convention keeps up, there's at least sixteen thieves hiding in the bushes outside before we get to Tacitus)

The DM: OOC: overthinking this much?

The DM: Vafrandir can attest that these are the only ones, and he was pretty much able to handle all four himself.

Alan: “Sorry, boss. We tried to get the manacles on him.”

Tacitus: “Don’t concern yourself.” (to the party) “Shall we put our cards on the table? I’ll go first.”

Tacitus: “I am the guildmaster of the domestic Thieves’ guild in Bergen; I am no friend of the Genoans who maintain the fief that Hamish Ross is entitled to collect. We have been a friend to him since his downfall; and at times, have kept him safe from himself. We know his haunts; we know where he sleeps ... and we keep an eye on him to assure his welfare. Days ago, he disappeared from Bergen. Investigation turned up eye-witnesses at the Quay, who described a group of outsiders speaking with a head guard named Espen Rosted. We know Rosted; he’s honest and forgiving; we’ve tried many times to win him over to our side. He’s gone missing too. Investigations into his disappearance revealed that he has a stake in this property we stand on now. For a day I watched this longhouse and late last evening, I saw Hamish Ross emerge. I saw this man -” (points at Vafrandir) “- and a servant leave for Bergen and I had him waylaid. I do not dare let anyone appear in Bergen that associated with Ross at this time; I do not know what the Genoans know.

Lexent: "Hamish has been under my care as we attempt to help him prepare to claim his title."

Tacitus: “What does that mean, ‘under your care’?”

Lexent: "I have been working with him to help overcome the deliterious effects that alcohol have had on him since the beginning of his misfortune."

Tacitus: (to Vafrandir) “And why were you going back to town?”

Vafrandir: "To obtain medicines that could help with his recovery."

Tacitus: (to Lexent): “Can you write a list of what you need? We’ll get it for you.”

Lexent: (OOC) In looking over the Bergen Apothecary list, I did not see anything jump out at me as particularly suited to this task. Is there somewhere on the wiki I could look for information that Lexent would know?

The DM: We can just assume you give him a list of things which he’ll get. The details don’t matter at this time. Does anyone have any questions they’d like to ask? If no, please say so, and I’ll wrap up the scene.

Pandred: I'm set.

Vafrandir: Same

Lexent: I provide the list. I'm OK as well.

The DM: Tacitus will explain that he’ll post a guard on the lodge to ensure it’s safety. Since you know her, he’d like it if you’d allow Bergthora to reside inside the lodge with you. Agreed?

Pandred: So be it.

The DM: Then he will depart and you’re on your own. What do you wish to do now?

Vafrandir: Arvid held his own well but had a rough go of it. Does he need any additional care besides rest? I'll ask particularly if he was agreeable with the decision I made to stand our ground, seeing as the odds were seemingly stacked.

The DM: He agreed to that when he made his morale check and stayed in it. Occurs to me, I haven’t given experience for that yet. I calculate it out over the weekend; I’m multi-tasking at the moment. He only needs rest.

Lexent: I can provide healing. How much do each of you need?

Lexent: I use the staff to heal Vafrandir for 3+4+1=8 HP.

Lexent: I cast cure light wounds for 2+4=6 HP to Arvid.

Talk

The DM: Got kind of a feel that the insertion of Tacitus was getting on the player’s nerves. It’s because I cannot read your faces, you understand.

Lexent:(OOC) I thought it was great. It was difficult to play the situation without being able to get any non-verbal cues

The DM: Always. Part of the drawback here.