[HQ Ignorance] Scene 57: The Graveyard Shift (and new player, Damien)

[Nic Hughes]

Reinhaart roared with laughter, and slapped Aalmon on
the back so hard it almost knocked the courier over.
"I like you! I tell you what. I'll take your gold and
I'll fulfill every part of the contract. The Western
Flank of Theoblanc's forces will indeed be protected
and I will ensure that every inch of this land is free
from opposition. But to be fair", he said, running the
gold through his fingers, "I'll give you and your
forces an hour's head start to get out of my way.
We'll be going from here - to here - and here" he
said, whilst laying a map out on the table and tracing
lines west along the Deu River, across and north up
the Nidan River, and then east along the Deu until
reaching Seguarane. "Who knows, maybe we won't even
find a single Elf on all our journeys, eh? I pity any
we do find in a way..."

He stared intently at Aalmon with a smile. "I think
you have fifty-nine minutes and thirty seconds now..."

---

Aalmon grinned a wicked grin "Long enough to shake your hand,
after all it seems my horse is lighter and faster for some reason.
Its been a pleasure to meet you and here's hoping we meet again
in finer surroundings and with good wine to hand."

The far rider leapt onto his horse and bowed with a flourish.
Then he seemed to lower his head and pray for a short while,
his eyes closed he reached out to his brother and quickly,
forcefully, conveyed the news of his partial success
and the planned route of the mercenaries. In a hurry he
shouted into his mind some words of advice for his brother
to convey, in the hope that Kalen at least would have the
military sense to understand them.

Then his eyes reopened with the light of the stars in them and
he spurred his horse into life and charged away into the darkness.
He could sense where his brother was but an indirect path
seemed the wisest for now.


---

Following the
Dwarves came forth a number of Elves and Beastmen,
centaurs, manticores, minatours, satyrs and even the
dog-headed sedrali. Behind them, a young man with blue
eyes and long blue-black curls. "Tierre of Caskell,
from the Castle Rhis!", exclaimed Kalen. "What on
earth are you doing here?"

....

"So, Kalen, we're at your leave. Tell us what to do.
After that is, you've given me a swig of your drink.
It was thirsty weather getting here. For some reason
the bloody river wasn't flowing as fast as it should
have been!"

---

Baros seemed to light up with joy at the sight of his
fellow beast men. He began to prance towards them
when a strange fit overcame him. He stiffened and fell
backwards with his eyes rolling. After a few moments
came round and sat up. Holding his head in his hands and
shaking he turned to Kalen and spoke in a strange voice
deeper than his own, like Aalmon's voice heard through
a long cave

"The mercenaries will not fight you, or at at least not
if you get away from the river quickly and
make your way well clear of it for that is where they
will be. I am riding to rejoin you for I expect we
will be needed beneath the city walls to complete
the trap and be an anvil for the hammer to strike
upon.

The undead will be too slow to catch you if you
leave a small force of skirmishers to delay them."

As he finished speaking his eyes turned back to their normal
brown and he fell back almost in a faint.

He stood up again, pale and with the look of joy replaced
by one of fear. He spoke weakly to those who helped him
up "It never hurt before, never."

OOC: That should be a fairly simple use of the Communicate with Twin 
feat given
that the moon is full. In case of nasty dice a HP may have to be spent.

Please note that Aalmon really is ignoring Beast and riding straight 
off. Ba***rd.

Oh and welcome Damien, nice to have you on board.

Nic

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