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Messages - borealis
1
Thanks. I have so much catch up, here and elsewhere.
2
Sorry guys - internet problems, hope it's fixed for good now. It was the line to our house.
3
Our circuit complete, Creon and I link up and quietly rejoin the waiting group.
"Recce successful. No detection," I report to Leatherleaf, "Four humanoids were observed at the farmstead. It is new. There is shelter and provision."
"We could disengage now, undetected and they would be none the wiser," I suggest with perhaps an inflection of hopefulness in my voice. "Or," I continue reluctantly," we could approach with little concern for opposition. They do appear to be ordinary farmers."
"Thanks Pepper. Excellent work once again. I'm a little concerned with the newness of the operation. OTOH, they've seen us, so if thy were encouraged to settle in this spot in order to spy on travellers, we've little to lose in approaching them. Are there children?"
4
Ha! I played an awful teenage boy in a mafia game once, so much fun.
6
I shut my eyes, exasperated by the girl's resentful pride. "Suit yourself, then. And try to not mutter dark predictions about our 'sacred object' until we're well away tomorrow." I slap the reins on Chickadee's left side, wheel around and ride back to Oleg's side.
7
Might even find her a dress.
I'd think a quarter elf might look as human as Astra.
Besides, the calling Pepper 'mom' thing is funny.
You could be the dwarf's personal squire perhaps.
I'd think a quarter elf might look as human as Astra.
Besides, the calling Pepper 'mom' thing is funny.
You could be the dwarf's personal squire perhaps.
8
"Truth hardly matters under the circumstances. I have great faith in you as a valuable asset, but I'm not entirely sure it would fly with a rural farmer, used to seeing girls like you only in the milk barn and the scullery."
9
"Pepper! A fast recon around the farm, if you would."
10
"Let's see. Korunda Gate lies in the general direction we are traveling. As a sizable dwarven city with a large Kundarak enclave, there are bound to be multiple temples to Kol Korran there. That could be our destination, if anybody asks."
I put my hand up to halt the group and twist around in my saddle. "Plausible enough? By this story Yourself, Valenae, Pepper and me are explained. Why are we hauling along a girl too young to have enlisted? Someone's daughter? Pepper's, or mine, brought along for the cultural experience?" I may sound mildly sarcastic, but a few shared details matter if you're going to offer a group-supported subterfuge.
11
"Don't push your luck Mari. I don't want to wake up with the youngling picking my pocket on her way to execute a clever plan involving bottomless lakes or some such."
12
Although given that my mental image of Karrnath now looks a lot like Alaska, and I routinely run into people I know even when I'm literally a thousand miles from home... lol
An American from Philadelphia, on hearing I, a Nova Scotian, was going to be in Amsterdam, asked me to say hello to two men if I encountered them. One American, one Dutch, both gay artists, and some basic physical description. And their first names.
Several months after I settled in Haarlem, I went to Amsterdam for Friday evening and stopped for a drink in my favourite bar on Leidseplein. I suddenly remembered my promise, and relayed the scanty info to the bartender who was pouring my drink. "Oh yes" he said. "They are in here every Thursday night." (Later I met them and passed on the message.)
Even the real world is small in some ways.
13
"Hm. Oleg? Could we pull that sort of ruse off easily? I do speak Dwarven, as do others among us, so there's that as some degree of confirmation."
14
I nod at the mercenaries suggestion as well. "Mercenaries are gonna look after their own stuff, you know," I comment as we start heading for the farmstead. "Cept the leader, maybe. But it'd look weird if I was seeing to the lizards and laying beds and all that for all of us. Speaking of looking weird, is the ghost coming up to the house with us?"
It takes real effort to mask my amusement. "Indeed, young comrade. I'm sure all with us are quite able and willing to see to our mounts and bedrolls and other personal business for the duration of the mission. Even..." I can't quite suppress a smile... "myself. Concern yourself with keeping us safe and secure, that is all that's required of you. As for Mari, that is up to her."
15
"Good points." I raise my voice slightly to include the others. "Well? Anyone? Why would a bunch of well-armed people on clawfoots be travelling out here? I've a feeling we look to be exactly what we are, despite our mm lack of special jewelry. Mercenaries maybe?"
17
"Yes." I must look slightly baffled. It's hard to get used to being expected to just give orders again. I think it isn't what I should do. "What do you think?"
18
Let me know what you want to do re: the farmstead
I want to go to the farm. B, order Pepper to go to the farm.
Calm down, maybe we can all go to the farm, just not like that dog your family had when you were a kid that your mom said went to a farm.
19
[I know I have to do the travel checks, don't quite know how they work, but keeping going...]
I hear Astra speak and glance behind me. "It may be our best chance for a warm night, and perhaps learn if the inhabitants have seen our predecessors. Could we pose as buyers of iron for our lord or some such fancy?"
I hear Astra speak and glance behind me. "It may be our best chance for a warm night, and perhaps learn if the inhabitants have seen our predecessors. Could we pose as buyers of iron for our lord or some such fancy?"
21
Sorry guys, busy day. Join you all in a couple hours I hope.
22
My preference would be Pepper up front, then me, and I suggest for the sake of a diagram to move on from, Valenae left, Astra right, after me, then Oleg and Mari. Okay now change as makes sense, soldiers!
24
Easily, clucking softly to the clawfoot, I retighten the girth band and mount, then sit waiting for the others to join me. I tell myself it was a necessary delay; we could not afford to ignore the possibility of further intel.
25
Lol.
Okay guys, I have set our merry band up for riding away from the outpost.
Okay guys, I have set our merry band up for riding away from the outpost.