[IC] A Stolen Land

[Valdi]

"I shall take the dawn watch. I rise early to beseech teh All-Father with the rising sun anyway, no harm if I am already awake. Of course that also means I am off to retire right after we eat."

He gathers up his bardiche and walks off to teh guesthouse [A2] where he deposits the large axe next to a bed, and doffs his armour.  He returns to the others at the large tables wearing a plain tunic under his cloak, his large warhammer still hanging from a loop on his belt.

"Shall we eat? I think I smell some of that stew Svetlana gave us last night."

As he waits for food to arrive he patiently pulls out his pouch of runes. he pulls out his small rune casting cloth and spreads it out before him on the table, then reaching again into the pouch he pulls out a handful of runes at random and casts them onto the cloth.  



Those runes that land outside the circle embroidered on the cloth he plucks up and returns to thepouch without looking at. He then studies the rest intently, not even speaking for some time., he then turns over all the runes that landed face-down and studies the casting some more.

After a long paus he scoops up the runes again and returns the runes and the cloth to the pouch,without saying a word.

[Vidar the Red]

Andra finally speaks up. "Three. Two on the walls, one below. If the watchers see something interesting, they can signal the one below, who can then wake up everyone else."

Vidar thinks about this, to the point of using his fingers to do the math. There are two plus the five of them plus Happs, and he almost forgot about Scarf.  That makes nine.  A good rest is about eight hours but it's been a long day today.  Two hour shifts, three guards each shift, that makes twelve. Vidar's veins began to pulse on the sides of his temples. Two guards each shift makes eight. His uncle taught him about wizards, how they needed rest. Two wizards, that makes seven now. What would Scarf do without his master? His head began to throb and ache. Valdi wants morning shift.  The wizards should stand guard like the rest of them.  They can take first or last shift.  Happs can't be trusted, I will take shift with him. Vidar rubs his head to ease the pain. I'm done with this.

"Let us hold up in one room.  If there is trouble we will all be together and well rested.  I should have set their heads on spikes at the gate." He laments.

[DM Dougfan]

The night passes without much trouble.  Happs is the consummate professional, taking his turn at the watch and, despite the foreboding presence of Vidar, complains little and applies his keen sight to the wilderness outside.  There is no vengeful rejoinder from the bandits of the Stolen Lands.  Not this night, at least.  Oleg busies himself for a few hours working with some lumber to assemble a post board of sorts.  When he finishes, he attaches three...no, two pieces of paper to it.  The third he shows to the current holder of the watch, saying "Looks like it's already been completed.  I'll just send it along in the morning."  The paper looks like this:

[img][/img]

He then says "This will be our Bounty Board.  Anyone who passes through and has an odd job or two they need handled can feel free to post it here.  Anyone can complete these bounties.  This one here, for the bandits, seems to be by the Swordlords.  They're offering 400 gold pieces per head.  Well now...that IS a sum, isn't it?"  Oleg chuckles and thinks for a few moments before turning to you once more.  "Svetlana and I owe you fine folks our lives.  There is no way we could have resisted the bandit scum like you did and survived and we have not been having much success lately on the trading front.  It would not have been much longer before they decided to start taking payment out on us."  He pales at that thought a little.  "As a result, you are free to stay here as long as you like.  We will provide all the meals you wish.  If you wish to sell anything to the Post, I will gladly purchase what I can afford (Oleg will buy things at full price, if he can afford them, instead of the usual 20%).  The potions (two potions of CLW, one of Shield of Faith +2) in our stockroom are also yours to use.  We clearly won't have as much use for them as you could.  Thanks again."  He then turns in to finally have a peaceful night sleep with his wife for the first time in months.

The morning brings with it a fiery sun and a bright dawn.  Things are starting to look up for the folks at Oleg's Trading Post for several reasons.  The bandits have been cut down to size hard and there is a new group of personalities ready to face them down.  The wilderness yawns out before them, ready to show them why it has been so difficult to tame.

((It is the next morning.  All PCs are considered to have taken a full rest.  The reward for the completed bounty will be available in a week as it takes about that time for the message to reach Restov and then be answered.  I will have a post up about the Bounty Board™ as soon as I can.  For now, assume that there are two other bounties posted.))

[Vidar the Red]

Vidar soaks in the morning of this foreign land, his blood coursing with adventure and mystery, when he turns from one of the guard towers to see Oleg building something. He wanders over to see what he is up to. After reading the bandit bounty post he really does regret not saving the heads... So Happs' head is worth 400gp? He wonders as an eyebrow raises, then he realizes he had been starring at Happs and turns away to look at the other posts.

"Thank you Master Oleg to you and your wife. Do you know which direction these kobolds lair?" He asks in his thick northman accent. "What kind of creature is this worm? Is it a dragon spawn of sorts?"

[Valdi]

"We have horses now to travel further and faster. We should probably make use of them to explore the local wilderness. Perhaps one of those 'Bounties' will give us a direction to start? We will need to build allies in the region as well as get to know these lands, why not accomplish both at once."

He walks up beside his brother to read the bounties.

"We also need to find a carpenter or skilled weaponsmith.  If we are to reinforce the fortifications here we will need to get those ballistae repaired and functional. I cannot afford to pay a carpenter, but perghaps we can barter for the services."

[Valdi]

"So we should ask any farmers or crofters we encounter if they have any ken where the kobolds may lair."

"What by Fafnir's twisted coils is a Tatzlwyrm?!"

[DM Dougfan]

"What by Fafnir's twisted coils is a Tatzlwyrm?!"

Oleg turns to him.  "It's like a smallish dragon without wings.  I've never actually seen one up close.  They're somewhat elusive, but I've heard from a few woodsmen that come through here that they're also highly territorial."

[Valdi]

"And who is this cLEh?  Where can we find them?"

[DM Dougfan]

(( That says "OLEG" )))

[Valdi]

Valdi chuckles.

"Perhaps best not to advertise that you even HAVE 600 crowns for such a reward, Sir Oleg. If the brigands catch word, they may come in larger numbers"