Fifth Adventure 02: The Long Day

Zeiss takes a papyrus, writes on it and goes give it to the Lieutenant.

Spoiler:

*Moves up to the Lieutenant and whispers.*

"Do you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

Hanuel moves back slightly, shifting with Dara to a spot in the group with the most people around, before having Dara attempt to slip out unnoticed, and try and spot whoever was watching them from behind the group.

Spoiler:

The Lieutenant took the parchment deftly and glanced at it only a moment before casually folding it into his pocket. He gives a stretched yawn and several of the guards fan out a few inches. You get the impression they're searching somehow.

Zeiss gets off casually of his horse and gives the reins to Z, without telling her anything. He then goes into the wagon, takes a strawberry concoction from the fridge and goes to give it to Z. After he does this, he walks with her a moment and tries to disappear into the group and sleep away so he can scout out ahead.

Spoiler:

Snarg hops up on to empty saddle and winks at Z.

*Slowly, starts lagging behind and outward, trying to slip out of the group in order to scout out.*

Spoiler:

Several tense minutes pass in almost palpable silence. Dara behind, Zeiss in front, and the soldiers on full alert. Even those who were unaware of the hunches of the others can feel the tension in the air. A full half-hour passes with nothing before, finally, the town of Karath is in sight. The Lieutenant frowns the moment he sees it as a thought occurs to him.

Decided to end the tension and inspired by the stars in the sky , Ashakel started humming a song he heard a long time ago: "I dream of a maiden, who walks with the wind, deep in the mountains, when the stars are so clear..."

With the guard and a few of his companions on edge, Rory decides to forgo the nap he intended to take, remaining awake until either everyone calms down or they reach an inn.

Karath itself is a fairly small affair, all things considered. It looks squat, built half into the mountainside up a cliff, with stairs leading along its edges. The town is actively taller then it is wide, and at the moment has almost no activity in it at all. There are soldiers at the gates standing active watch, no surprise during wartime, but your group with the soldiers are let in with no hassle thanks to the Lieutenant's hassle. It hits you for the first time that one of the reasons the Distributor insisted on the military escort wasn't just to get you out of Al-Jalima, but so you could get in to Karath.

The Lieutenant turns to the group and gives a perfunctory bow. "Our mission ends here, but if it is your wish we will stay on standby while you accomplish the Distributor's errand, assuming you will only be a few days, to escort you out of town and to your next destination." He has expertly handed the piece of papyrus back to Zeiss, which has scrawled on it in Orcish, "Willing to help with spy".

"It is really helpful of you Lieutenant and I think me and my colleagues will take on your offer. After all, our business here is of significant importance to Naverre."

Zeiss turns to the others gives them a look that says not to object about this matter.

Spoiler:

The Lieutenant nods professionally and takes his men off to find shelter.

"Enugh, ya wantin' to be gettin' real shut-eye, yeah?" Snarg mutters, his right eyelid drooping slightly.

Spoiler:

"Yeah... like Snarg says."

Zeiss yawns a little. He goes to Z and ask her :

"Did you drink my strawberry concoction?"

There is no Inn as you've come to know them in town. Rather there are several bars serving various, strong liquors, and then there's an extended-stay hotel of sorts which lets you check in for a period equal to weeks. Similarly, there is the miner's barracks where you can bribe a miner for his bunk for the night which will be cheap, uncomfortable, and smell bad.

"I'm more than ready for bed." Hanuel yawns, eyeing Dara's location outside of the city for a brief moment.

"I say we get an extended stay at that one building. No way am I taking a miner's smelly cot."

"Awlright..." Snarg trudges in to the extended-stay hotel.

Spoiler:

Z looks at Zeiss and seems mostly expressionless but in their tone you catch the slighest bit of a smile. "Thanks. I rather enjoyed it."

The Hotel offers one week's stay for 10g per room.

Snarg roots around in his coin pouch and pulls out a handful of gold. "Iszh good." he slurs, planting the coin on the desk of the hotel and heading to a room.

Spoiler:

"Well, I'm gonna turn in early..." Hanuel rents themselves a room, and slips into it quietly, blocking the door before sitting by the window, waiting to see if Dara spotted anyone sneaking into the city.

Snarg of Wildpaw wrote:Snarg roots around in his coin pouch and pulls out a handful of gold. "Iszh good." he slurs, planting the coin on the desk of the hotel and heading to a room.

Spoiler:

Rory follows the Gnoll and pays after him. He heads to his own room and enjoys a bottle of pumpkin mead while sharpening his axe, then falls asleep on his bed.

Zeiss looks surprised by Z's reaction. It is obvious he didn't expect to hear that. But he responds :

"You are welcome."

He follows the others to the hotel for a room. The price makes him cringe.

"Here..."

He pays the room and goes to sleep, while making sure the door is blocked with a chair.

"(Could be worse.)"

*Forks over the 10g for a room.*