(009) Return to Ket

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
"This man here seeks stories and adventure. We should not give it to him here, "says Flewellen. "But before we go I need to resupply my foodbag--and find me a wife."

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:

Outside

Even with the first light of grey dawn the day's activity is already underway. Farmers are loosing animals for grazing, and hands are gathering at farm houses for a warming cup of hot broth before commencing work.

Three score yards off at the gates of Ket you spy the night guard (Snorks) preparing to retire in favour of the day guard (Men), as the heavy town gates are laboriously pulled open for the business of the day.

At the farm house, your host is hitching two of the cows you shared the barn with to a two-wheeled cart, while a few of the younger hands load it with sacks of vegetables from the house.

"Git them taters on too," the farmer's wife tells them from the open doorway of their cottage...

Standing a little way off from all the activity Caine quietly reminds you all of the Wolf rider messengers he observed during the night...

(Two empty handed travellers arriving at the gates at dusk is one thing. A party of eight well armed Men, Elves and Dwarfs laden with huge sacks of coin may be another thing entirely. And if the wolf riders had bad news to tell...)

Olaf nods at Caine's words then walks over to the farmer, "Good farmer, for another few silver will you let us add a few sacks under your load of potatoes, for we are going into Ket ourselves and are tired of carrying the heavy load?"

If the farmer agrees, Olaf waves over a couple of the others and tells them that the farmer has agreed to let them help him with his produce in exchange for a few silvers and putting some of our goods and gear in his cart.

Olaf will put his armor and sacks of treasure on the cart and help pile the sacks of potatoes into the cart on top of them, "A couple of my friends here and I will walk along with you into Ket and help you unload your produce at the market."

Olaf chats in a friendly tone with the farmer, "So, tell us what has been happening here a bouts?"

"It looks like the Snorks have gained a lot more power than I'd have thought they could have in a, mostly, human town? How have they been able to gain so much influence and power?" Olaf asks.

Olaf continues to pump the farmer for information, "So, who are the leaders in Ket? The Mayor, the Captain of the Watch? Is there a noble in residence here?"

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Inside

At the common room of the Plow and Furrow, Albert and his staff are putting on a hearty breakfast spread of warm breads, scones, jams, honey, cream, hot tea and coffee and honeyed milk as well has rewarmed stew. All this smells simply sumptuous and is laid out before a crackling hearth, making for an invigorating start to the day, and is included in the three silver shillings you have already paid to overnight.

"Klindik" and "Deardorf" makes themselves known to the charming Gustave as they break their fast among half a dozen other farm folk who stayed the night in town.

"Oi trust ye had a comfertable night, gen'elmen," ambles Albert happily as he clears empty plates and bowls from around the common room.

And you did indeed. A hessian-stuffed mattress with proper sheets and blankets over you is a rare comfort for an adventurer! You even got to wash from a basin of warm soapy water -- although it was not big enough to bathe in. In all you are feeling content and refreshed.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside

"You fellers seem to have no shortage ov weapons I see, nor coin fer that matter," he muses, looking you all over more carefully as he scratches at the stubble on his chin.

"I don't trust 'em farther than I could spit 'em" hollers the farmer's wife from the cottage doorway. But the stocky farmer pays her no need as he eyes the additional silver young Olaf offers.

"I don't want no trouble," he concludes, "But we could use tha silver, and that's no lie. So you fellers do as you will with yer gear, and then we'll be about our business, regular like."

The two young hands -- probably the farmer's sons -- look excited at the proposition of any kind of break from the usual, but the farmer warns them off, "You young fellas git them cows a grazin down the back paddock. I'll handle this meself,"

"Aww pawww," they immediately complain, but he shoos them off.

With them out the way, the farmer warily helps you load and bury your gear beneath his score sacks of vegetables on the cart.

"Roit then, I'm fer the market," he indicates Ket with a general wave of his arm, "who's comin with me?"

(Who is accompanying the farmer and the cart into Ket? And are your arms and armour on your person, or buried under potatoes?)

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:
Olaf is going in with the farmer. He has his bow and quiver of arrows with him and a dagger at this belt, but his armor and sword/shield are in the cart.

"I'll be going in with you." Olaf says, "And I'm just a traveler who over-nighted on your property and am helping you deliver your produce to market."

With a grin he adds, "And all completely true."

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"And me," Dieter says, coming along with the farmer and Olaf.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside

The party agree to both Caine's and Olaf's suggestions, burying helms, shields, and weapons larger than daggers and hand-axes beneath the farmer's produce in the cart, and then approaching the town gates in dribs and drabs.

Olaf hands over the promised two silver shillings (the last such coin of his own, and one from Roddrick's purse), before he and Dieter accompany the farmer and his cow-drawn cart up along the muddy path toward the town gates.

Several other carts and a good many more folk with loads upon their backs are queuing to pass the gates ahead.

"Gottfried is tha rightful Lord o' these parts, as oi recall it," muses the farmer in answer to Olaf's questions as they approach, "though it's bin a good long while since ee's bin about. Off fightin' an' rescuin' in far orf lands ee is. An' in tha meantime, the Traders' Council is runnin' tha place,"

He flicks at his cows with the sting whip in his hand to keep them heading in the right direction. Olaf and Dieter have to help the farmer push his heavy cart along several times when it nearly gets bogged in the mud, but soon enough the gates loom high before them.

"It's bin said that some Snork or otha is big among tha Traders," continues the farmer as he puts his cart next in line to pass under the gate, seemingly oblivious of any possible danger. "Ee's got fat bags 'o gold an' silva they say, but ee's up ta no good if ye ask me," he concludes, but by then you are almost ready to go through the gates...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside

As the cluster of half a dozen watchmen finish up with the previous cart and turn their attention toward the three or four farmers in the queue ahead of him, Olaf notices several fresh looking sheets of paper nailed to the open gates. They appear to be numerous copies of the same large print which reads;

REWARD
10 silver shillings
Each for the Capture of
Simon the Humble
& One Eyed Jack
& Company
Wanted For
Murder and Thievery


"We're up," mutters the farmer as the guards finish with the three fellows ahead and move their eyes over the farmer, his cart, Olaf and Dieter.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside


"Well, well, Master Hubert, got yerself some fresh 'ands have ye?" asks the first of the guards sourly -- a hunched, olive skinned fellow with a cruel look about him "'an ones that carry bows 'an all," he continues, eying Olaf suspiciously.

Olaf wouldn't be surprised in the least if the guard had some Goblin blood in him.

"Those'll come in right 'andy at the grocery market," comments a second guard -- a more upright but equally queasy chap -- as he approaches the cart and moves a few sacks of potatoes around indifferently.

"Ye can't be too careful nowadays," replies the farmer shortly, nodding his head meaningfully toward the wanted notices on the gates.

"Right you is," replies the first guard acidly, giving Dieter a long hard stare. "I don't suppose you fellers would know this Simon would you?"

Olaf and Dieter stutter something in the negative.

"I didn't think so," snorts the guard dismissively, "Stupid bumpkins like ye," he growls and watches Dieter carefully for any reaction. When Dieter manages to keep his trap shut, the ugly guard soon loses interest and waves the cart through.

"Next," calls another of the guards as they shift their attention to the next group in line.

Just as Olaf and Dieter are about to breath a sigh of relief, the first of the guards calls back over his shoulder;

"Oi, Hubert! You watch yourself!" he warns, "I've got an eye on you...".

The farmer simply shrugs and urges his cows to lurch forward once more.

"Never did like that fella," he comments to Dieter and Olaf as the cart is dragged beneath the great gate arch, and into Ket at last.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Outside

The remainder of you pass through the gates in small groups at discrete intervals, receiving a cursory inspection accompanied by thinly veiled antagonism from the unsavoury guards.

Taines, Anwyn and Padrig in particular suffer an unfair degree of questioning, but by mid morning the whole of the party is within Ket's walls and gathered in the town square, where the gallows that stood here before have been replaced by an open market with several dozen local farmers hawking their produce. On either side of the market stand the familiar two taverns The Jolly Noose and The Executioner's Axe, though neither is as busy as it was upon your last visit.

The square itself is busy with rural folk and commerce in spite of the grey weather. And you have all made good on collecting your gear and sacks from farmer Hubert, though you are beginning to feel slightly conspicuous among the crowd of farm folk and merchants trading for livestock and vegetables...