Re: 30 Nuzyael 720

[Algared]

The taller man turns his attention to Algared.

"Are you the Dagen's men?" he asks

Algared watches the man, then answers, knowing that in truth his accent has likely already identified him as as not being one of the Dagen's men. "My Companions and I travel with a Priest of Sarajin and Skald," indicating Vidar and Jurri, "we are not the Dagen's men' Algared says hoping he heard the menglanan accent and the speaker is at least not a supporter of the Dagen if the west bank has fallen to the invader's. "What's your name friend?' Algared adds as he tries to remain friendly.

[GM]

The mans face takes on a more serious look he takes several steps towards the stern of the boat to be closer to Algared "The less you know the better, but I am a friend to any that are the enemy of the Dagen, but Skald and Priest will not save you if you are not the Dagen's men" the man squats down on his haunches so that he is closer to Algared.

"Froyaheim has fallen and the Dagen is master of Storzarlund! The Storzar has fled with what is left of his kinsman and the Dagen has given a tenday for all the other clan Valhakar's to gather at Froyaheim and swear loyalty or he will make them plus each and everyone one of his clansmen pay for his disloyalty"

"You will have few allies along the river now!"

[Algared]

"Non the less friend, we still require supplies if they are to be had, tell me does the Dagen have forces on this side of the river for our path is along it. How did Froyahiem fall do you know this? have you heard where the Storzer has withdrawn?" Algared pauses as he speaks to the stranger, "If resupply here is not possible then we must depart. Though when did the Dagen give his summons?"

[Jurri Grebel]

(Assuming this conversation is something he could hear)

Jurri will stand and speak to the man, but keeping his voice low enough to not carry further than needed.

"That is grave news, and I thank you for the warning."

[GM]

"Do I know how Froyaheim fell, I should I was there!" turning to his companion the taller man says "fetch that bag of smoked fish from the clanhouse and be quick about it!" the shorter man turns and heads back towards a building close to the river.

"Well the only defences completed by the time the Ibanvaal army arrived were the posts driven into the river to block their ships and that was only finished the day before they arrived. The men from Froyby lead the first assault against the thranhold, they fought with much courage, obviously the Dagen had taken hostages from them for them to fight so boldly." He pauses and then shouts to his companion "and bring back something to drink too!" he adds.

"Where was I, oh yes, the Storzar new the defences of the thranhold would not stand up to a seige so he sallied his forces out and met the Ibanvaal army on the field. The battle lasted for several hours and I think ended in a draw, the Storzar had given the Ibanvaal army a bloody nose but they still maintained the seige."

"The siege lasted for several days with assaults coming regularly, until one day a large force detached from the Ibanvaal army and turned south." the man pauses for a moment "well we thought we had struck a victory, but the Storzar new something different and took his opportunity to board his boats and took those of his clan still alive west to safety. The remainder of the clans here surrendered to the Dagen and were allowed to return home, provided that our Valhakars would swear loyalty to him"

The man shuffles his position and says "the Dagen now owns Storzarlund or soon will anyway, most thrans have some sort of detachment of Ibanvaal men, but the ones here do not seem interested in the goings on around here and seem content to remain in the thranhold."

"I do not know when the Dagen issued his summons, all I know is that my Valhakar must attend his call and swear his loyalty or the whole clan will be slaughtered"

The shorter man soon returns carrying a aleskin and a shoulder bag. He hands the shoulder bag to the taller man who merely indicates that he hand the bag to Algared. The taller man takes the aleskin and takes a deep draught from it's contents before offering the aleskin to Algared.

[Kugald Daas]

For the first time, Kugald speaks up.

"I am Kugald, weaponcrafter from Daaslund, cousin of our good pilot here. If we wanted to make our way back to Daaslund, do you know what are chances would be? Are there regular Ibanvaalese patrols? How big are their garrisons? Do they patrol at night? I apologize for all the questions, but by the sounds of things, we are right in the middle of Ibanvaalese occupied territory."

TTYL

- Kerry

[Algared]

Algared takes the offered seal skin, and passes it to the others in the boat. 'I hope you dont mind, they were rowing, piloting is a little less taxing."

After Kugald has spoken Algared says "and I am Algared.. How many men does the Dagen have here, would we be able to liberate the thrans of their guards here or does the Dagen hold hosteges also in Froyahiem. You know that the Storzer didn't stand alone, and the Daas marched to his aid. We were seeking the Storzer and hoped to find him still holding Froyaheim."

[Barak Daas]

Barak finishes sharpening his knife, and he'll coil the fishing line. Did Barak catch any fish? If so he'll gut them. Once finished he'll put his knife away and pick up a pole ready to shove off back in to the main current.

[GM]

If we wanted to make our way back to Daaslund, do you know what are chances would be?

"I would not wager on you, that is for certain!" the man answers

Are there regular Ibanvaalese patrols? How big are their garrisons? Do they patrol at night?

"There is a garrison here of no more than ten Ibanvaal warriors, but there are numerous mounted patrols that pass through during the day, travelling by road would be hazardous. As for night, they set a watch a watch in the watchtower or roam the thran, there is rhyme or reason to their patrols at night"

but by the sounds of things, we are right in the middle of Ibanvaalese occupied territory."

"Indeed you are!"

Algared says "and I am Algared.. How many men does the Dagen have here, would we be able to liberate the thrans of their guards here or does the Dagen hold hosteges also in Froyahiem.

The man almost stands and says in a loud voice "Are you mad!!!!" before he realises where he is and who he is talking to before lowering his voice again "even if you were able to free this thran the Dagen would march here with three thousand men and destroy all those who stood against him!" "best you keep those ideas to yourself" he adds.

You know that the Storzer didn't stand alone, and the Daas marched to his aid. We were seeking the Storzer and hoped to find him still holding Froyaheim."

"Well the Storzar realised his position was untenable and took the opportunity to flee and he bid anyone else who could to do likewise" the tall man says...

Meanwhile the aleskin has done the rounds of the boat with each of you taking a draught if you so wanted, the aleskin is then handed back to the tall man on the dock.

He takes a look over his shoulder and says "Best you cast off, if you are here much longer you may draw some unwanted attention" he turns and nods to his shorter companion who begins to untie your line from the bollard "May the Grey Slayer watch over you" the smaller man finally speaks when he stammers "GGGGood LLLLuck"

[Algared]

"May the Slayer bless you friend, You may well need his blessings more than we living under the yoke of the tyrant." Algared raises his rand in fairwell as the Pinda pushes off and is rowed out into the channel. he looks to the others, so do we raise the sail and make haste or let the current take us and spend the watch fishing.'

Algared looks inside the bag of smoked fish and to gauge the number of meals available to them. 'We should keep this for use when we dont have any fresh meat I suppose."

[Kugald Daas]

"Thank you for the ale and the fish my friend."

"It is ill news you bring of the fall of Froyaheim. By the sounds of things, you fought well against heavy odds."

"I appreciate your honesty about our chances. The truth be told, we have little choice. We are in the mountain lion's den now. Going back is not really an option, so forward it is. The information you have given us about the Ibanvaalese forces is much appreciated."

The man almost stands and says in a loud voice "Are you mad!!!!" before he realises where he is and who he is talking to before lowering his voice again "even if you were able to free this thran the Dagen would march here with three thousand men and destroy all those who stood against him!" "best you keep those ideas to yourself" he adds.

Kugald raises his hand in a calming gesture. "Mad," he looks at Algared with a bit of a grin, "no, just bold beyond words. We understand the situation. We will leave without a fuss. We don't want to bring anymore hardship to your thran."

He takes a look over his shoulder and says "Best you cast off, if you are here much longer you may draw some unwanted attention" he turns and nods to his shorter companion who begins to untie your line from the bollard "May the Grey Slayer watch over you" the smaller man finally speaks when he stammers "GGGGood LLLLuck"

"Thank you again by friends, you have been most helpful. I hope the next time we meet, we will be with a Menglanan army liberating these lands from the Dagen. The Grey Slayer keep you and your thran safe."

Kugald grabs the rope the man throws him.

"We best get rowing if we want to avoid attracting attention." Once the boat is out of earshot, he says "No sail, we don't want to get going too fast, or we will be at Froyaheim before we know it. Let's drift with the current, fish and look for somewhere along the west bank to lie up and wait for dark."

TTYL

- Kerry

[Barak Daas]

Once they are steadily going down river again, Barak gets his kit out and starts fishing once more.

"We need to look for somewhere sheltered mid way between Thrans where we can pull in, abandon the boat, find a hidey-hole for the day, look for some food and sleep to twilight. We then head west to the lower slopes of the mountains before heading north up the valley."

"If we capcise the boat in the river, the might believe we've drowned. I am sure there are plenty of bodies floating down stream."

[GM]

Time: To the end of the 3rd watch

With Jurri and Vidar once again on the oars and Borygg and Barak wetting a fishing line the boat heads out towards the middle of the river once again leaving the thran behind. The shoulder bag contains about eight or nine pounds of dried fish.

The two men watch you head downstream for a short while before heading back to whatever task they were performing before you arrived.

So far along the journey Barak has only been able to catch a single perch weighing in about six pounds while Borygg has not as yet caught a single fish. With the fish gutted while you were tied off at the dock.

The boat continues to steer downstream towards the centre of the river. Neither Barak or Borygg are able to catch another fish to this point. While fishing Barak looks to the sky and says "I think rain tonight" with that Kugald looks skyward and nods his head in agreement with Barak.

Now with the thran some distance behind you the countryside returns to the cultivated lands you have become used to, the hills have faded back towards the west while the mountains to the east have lost their details and have become a blue grey contrast to the blue of the sky.

It has been a long time since any of the characters have been down this section of the river, if at all, and knowing where the thrans are located is not going to be achievable

[Algared]

"Well i'm not sure how far towards Froyahiem we are, but travel by land will certainly be hazardous with numerous mounted patrols. Kugald is right though as the lords are forced to accept the bastard Dagen as overlord, their people will become more hostile to us, if only to protect their own. The proof of that is in the tale of the men from Froyby, guess we know where their women folk were were likely now taken by the Dagen's pissant bastards since he had Menglanan men slaughter teach other in the first assault. I do not care how long it takes I swaer I will kill that arse and make him and his suffer for every act, every atrocity he has done.'
With effort Algared controls his seething rage, he then continues. "We would be best to travel as far as we can by river. Given the river seems to be running at about two knots we're likely to travel a fair way before dusk. yet since we must travel overland at some point and must therefore travel by night we will also need to ensure we can get some rest and a warm meal, its high Sun at present (OOC: End of the third watch), So how much longer do you want to remain on the river, Mid fourth watch or later before we look for a suitable place to disembark?"

[Barak Daas]

"Soon" says Barak "We need rest and a chance to search for food."

[GM]

Time: Beginning of the 4th watch

The weather seems to have improved a little as the day gets a bit warmer. With not quite a league travelled Kugald spots a thran sitting high atop a rigdeline. The thran is perhaps a kilometre or so away when you first sight it. From this distance there are few details that can discerned. The thran is probably around a dozen visible building including the thranhold (and gatehouse).

[Kugald Daas]

"Right boys, another thran. I say we give this one a miss and pass right on by. Once we are past this one, I say we stop at the first decent place with a little cover, trees if possible, but scrub or brush if we can't find anything else. I think the best idea is to unload our equipment, dismount the mast, put a hole in the bottom of the boat and set it adrift down the river to slowly fill with water and sink. If anyone does see it, they will probably assume it has drifted all the way down from the fighting upstream. I would guess a few bodies have come down in that fashion. Then, we follow Barak's advice, lay low until dusk, and then make our way to the foot of the mountains and the cover of the tree line. There, we can hunt and make our way through the forest, around the end of the ridge line and back to Daaslund."

TTYL

- Kerry

[GM]

Time: Beginning 4th watch

The boat has not sailed more than several hundred metres when a thran on the western bank comes into view. This thran does not appear to be as large as the one on the eastern bank though. Further to the north past the thrans several boats can be seen, it would appear from your current position that they are net fishing.

A larger boat is heading towards you making the most of the slight winds gusting in from the north. With it's sail unfurled and from this distance all you are able to tell is that it looks to be a warboat. There is perhaps a kilometre or so between you and the approaching warboat with the distance slowly closing.

As you near it seems that the thran on the eastern bank does not venture near the river but sits on a plateau, it is several hundred metres away from the river, with the ground sloping down towards the riverbank.

The thrans on both banks appear to be carrying on with there normals days activities, thin wisps of smoke come from a few of the buildings.

[Barak Daas]

"Now that" says Barak "is why we should have turned back after the thran we visited. Vidar now is the time to start praying."

Barak looks over to the east bank thran. Is there anywhere to land a boat. He also looks over the west bank, is there any creeks or similar big enough for a fishing boat?

Barak continues: "I see our options as being:

one, continuing to coast along and hope the warboat ignores us;
two, head for the cluster of fishing boats and hope to merge in and be passed by;
three, head staight to the nearest thran and hope our luck holds like earlier today;
four, head straight for the bank and try to escape cross country;
or, five, take advantage of our windward position, set sail and try to out run the to the south."

"The last two options mark us out as suspicious to put it mildly. With the slightest error the fifth will see us dead meat. My initial preference is to slowly head towards the other fishing boats and hope to appear regular locals going about our business. Though the third option has it's merits."

[GM]

Looking around the western bank seems the easier to land a boat, the shoreline along the eastern bank is not as flat. There are no other creeks running into the river large enough to accomodate the boat.

You are still several hundred metres from the western most thran and it is the smaller of the two.

[Jurri Grebel]

Does Jurri know any Ibanvaaler songs?

Post by GM If he does know any Ibanvaaler song, he would probably only know the Menglana version and he would be singing it with a Menglanan accent (of course he could attempt to change his accent)

I'm not expecting to pass for an Ibanvaaler; just want to have some options if things go south. As long as I know a song or two they would recognize, that works well enough.

Post by GM As stated you would know several songs that are common to Ivinia as a whole but may have certain geographical/cultural differences between Menglana and Ibanvaal.

[Barak Daas]

"Kugald, does Algarad steer towards the western thran or the fishing boats? The eastern bank dosn't seem like a safe place to land. Or would you prefer to hold course and hope we appear honest folk to the warship? We need to act fast if we are to appear to be natural."

Barak starts to (calmly) pull in and stow his fishing line.

[Algared]

"It could be that is an exchange of the Inbanvaal garrison, though I have a feeling they maybe making for us, I doubt we would easily be lost amongst the fishing fleet we are pretty well at capactiy and turning towards the fleet would surely draw the attention of the warboat." Algared scans the western bank hoping to see a treeline close enough that they could disembark and head into the wooded areas. "As I see it the Thran we visited had a garrison of ten or so, this one looks to be smaller, hopefully that means a smaller garrison. If we turn as though heading to that thran, and go about the task of disembarking as though we belong then mayhap the warboat will turn aside. What do you think? Or if opportunity presents itself take to the river once more though I feel that way may be closed to closed to us now."

[Barak Daas]

"I would turn gently in to the western thran - as if we're in no hurry." replies Barak "There is no reason to think the warboat is heading towards us and even if we were Ibanvaal fishermen we'd be giving way to them and allowing them room to pass; so moving out of the main channel is the correct thing to do."

Barak has finished with his fishing line, so he moves to start to sort out the painter ready for when they land.

[OoC: What sort of "facilities" does the thran have? Is there a wooden jetty to tie up against, or is it simply a case of landing on the beach and pulling the boat up behind?]

Post by GM The thran has a small rocky beach where you can land the boat with little difficulty.

[GM]

Time: Beginning of 4th watch

Algared begins to steer the boat towards the thran leaving the centre of the river to the warboat. The warboat continues to advance on your boat.

The warboat does not seem to bother the small fishing vessels as it passes.

The warboat nears your boat before you are able to gain the vantage of the shoreline. Nearing the thran the warboat passes you by but you notice that two of the crew of the warboat seem to pay your vessel some extra attention. Aboard the warboat you are able to count between twelve and fifteen crew.

Several of the warboats crew are adjusting the trim of the sail as you pass while others seem to be paying close attention to the river ahead.

The warboat has not changed its course to try to intercept you at this stage. Your boat is about ten yards or so from the pebbly beach when the warboat is about level with your craft.

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