In reply to GM (msg # 494):

I'm suddenly feeling better and better about not touching that thing... its... disturbing.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 495):

The old man shrugs.

"That aside... have you kin up North?  Nothing up there worth protecting far as I'm concerned.  Let Xerxes have it all, thrice-damned frozen wastes and Ogre shit."
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Wed 02 Dec 2015.

In reply to GM (msg # 496):

Indeed we do. The ancient fastbender holds. Though truly as you said it is out in the frozen waste.

He makes up a tale on the spot of the fastbendersin the north.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 497):

Or I should say.. I have kin there

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 498):

"Fastbender... Fastbender..."  the old man chews on the name like a piece of gristle.

His beady eyes light up.


"Aye, Fastbender... I've heard that name.  Up north you say... wouldn't be up by the great lake would it?  The one Losthelm sits on?  I know I heard tell of a Lord Fastbender there.  Lord of the lake town there."

In reply to GM (msg # 499):

"The very same," Brennan says without missing a beat. "Turns out there's work out there for which we're well-equipped."

He glances at Titus and silently shrugs.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Wed 02 Dec 2015.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 500):

i would hear what you know of them. i have been estranged from them for many years... since i was no more than a lad clutching my mothers skirts. I have little to go on but rumor and snippets

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 501):

"Only rumors.  A man passing through a while ago spoke to us about the north.  Had only high praise to sing of this Fastbender person.  Supposedly he made peace with the Ogres... or slept with their queen.  I don't recall.  The name stuck because it was the refrain of his song, you see.  Don't remember the words."

By this time, everyone else has finished eating.  The children clean up while the brothers and Melg go about securing things for the night.

In reply to GM (msg # 502):

Titus is beaming ear to ear. The proverbial cat hat ate the canary. His feud with Melg temporarily forgotten he helpfully sings the refrain back to he old man.

you mean that?

He leans back cleaning his face with a cloth and allowing a kid to clear his plate

In the story I heard he made peace with the ogres BY sleeping with their queen.

He buys himself time by drinking some water from his glass

I have heard they had terrible problems in the land up there. Have heard tale of either the lord himself or the first son wandering with a small band of men loyal to the house. They are said to be down here and have been acting as the right hand of God himself since they have been displaced.

I know I have already imposed much on your hospitality but if I may ask one favor...  Keep an eye out for his men if you would. They ride under a banner of black white and gray. The sigil is kinda like a circle with a squiggly line down the middle black with a white dot on one side and white with a black dot on t'other. They say it represents the balance of justice or some such.

That being said you see them please let me know their cousin Titus is looking for them. Named after the lord I am.


The part about sleeping with the ogre queen is a good one. Wish I had thought about it.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Thu 03 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 503):

He tells a few more stories while the plates are cleared. Even tells one subtlety about the father as a loyal and brave minor retainer but this father has two lazy and ugly children who are abducted and then returned by ogres for being too ugly and stupid.  This tale has the whole table laughing uproariously
This message was last edited by the player at 05:30, Thu 03 Dec 2015.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 504):

Thus entertained by Titus, your host family makes preparations for the night.

The children pull blankets and skins from where they hang and make beds for themselves around the fire pit, with dogs interspaced randomly therebetween.

"We keep a watch," Melg grunts before ducking out through the door into the rapidly cooling night air.

While the old man curls up in his furs at the far side of the room, the brothers make their beds at the foot of the doorway.  Before settling in they make meaningful glances at Enrei.  If he doesn't get the hint they'll roughly, but not rudely, remind him that his place is in the stables.

The stable is small but well made and warm enough, being as it is full of horses.

/OOC:  Will you set a watch?  Where will you sleep?  They will not object to any of you bedding with Enrei though they WILL strongly object to Enrei sleeping in the main house.  If you remain in the warm house, egress would require getting past whichever two of the siblings are asleep at the time.  They will not object either to your staying up to roam the walls, but if they see you, they will strongly advise you not to leave the keep's walls.

As the preparations for bed are made Enrei needs no encouragement to find his way to the stables, though he does again try to impress upon their hosts that he is nothing to be scared of.  He settles into a spot nearby the horse Brennan has lent him, wishing the animal goodnight before settling in.  If he is expected to keep watch among the party, he is clearly not planning on taking the first round.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 506):

After instructing Deev, Titus, and Bryce to have a good night in a tone that pleads "behave", Brennan heads out to the stables and assumes the first watch by the doors. If he can make arrangements with Enrei about taking the second watch before the man falls asleep, so much the better. If not, he'll still try to wake him at the appropriate time for second watch.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 507):

Titus gives a flippant smile to Brennan indicating that's he has no idea what a have is or how to be one.  He wraps himself in his cloak and deftly tucks a dagger under his pillow he offers to sleep back to back with Deev or he sleeps by a wall as ready as he can be.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 508):

While Titus sleeps lightly, Deev snoring into his back, Enrei cozies up between two horses and Brennan paces around the wall.

He has some company in the form of first Melg, then one of the hairy brothers, but they don't say much.


At some point, Brennan finds Enrei and kicks him awake, then joins Titus on the floor of the main chamber where he promptly passes out.

Enrei then has a similar time pacing and not talking to ugly people.

Finally, dawn breaks over the woods, signaling the start of a new day.

It is the 10th day of the Queen's Month.

/OOC all may remove half shock from each limb and regain 1 Echo up to your max.

The children rise with the sun, going about the business of getting the fire hot for breakfast, feeding the animals, etc. and the keep is soon very busy.

If you stay, you are offered a simple breakfast of thick porridge eaten from simple clay bowls.

Once again the strange chalice is passed around.

In reply to GM (msg # 509):

Brennan once again mimes drinking without actually drinking.

"Thank you for your hospitality. What business do we have left to attend before we depart?"

Enrei's watch is spent with half-lidded eyes, and though he is wide awake by morning he seems distracted.  He eats the meal dutifully and when the chalice is passed to him he takes a sip, but pauses and looks at it before passing it on.  "I had dream about you," he says looking up at their host, "Well, them," he waves to his hairy progeny, "And about a cage.  And a even more nice cup.  They were not very nice in my dream.  Is strange.  I think you are nice, you make good food," he explains to the sons.  "Where did you family get this cup?" The question is much louder than the rest of Enrei's idle speech, and he holds the chalice up in front of him, wiggling it slightly in his grasp to be sure the old man heading the table understands the question.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 511):

For once the old man acknowledges the presence of the Chal'i.

"As I said, family heirloom.  Some things just get passed down.  Don't got time to write up the history of my family in a fucking book," he growls.

His hairy children exchange glances and become visibly more tense.

"As for you," he says to Brennan in a softer tone, "I'll allow your company as long as you're willing to pay or work, makes no matter to me unless you're loafers."

"Why to pass down if you do not know this thing?" Enrei seems to say to himself, then  thunks the chalice down in front of him and returns to his speaking to an old man volume, "I would like to buy your cup!" He reaches into a pocket and slaps two coins down on the table next to the Chalice "I will give you two sun."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:11, Fri 04 Dec 2015.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 513):



The hairy children rise to their feet, fists clenched.

The old man remains seated, but he speaks through a tight jaw.

"It's not to be bought.  Fine thing to stay in a man's home, eat his bread, and make feeble offerings for his heirlooms."

The old man is very much acknowledging Enrei now...

In reply to GM (msg # 514):

Brennan looks carefully at the chalice, then turns to Enrei.

"Some things just aren't for sale," he says, then uses the Cha'lian word for "heirloom" while pointing at the cup to try to explain it further. "Unless our host is willing to name a price, I'm afraid the cup must stay here."

He glances at the host to see whether or not the host would, in fact, name a price.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 20:16, Fri 04 Dec 2015.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 515):

Brennan attempts to pick up the chalice. If he is unhindered, he will swirl its contents slightly and make a show of admiring it.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:20, Fri 04 Dec 2015.

"But you do not know what this is," Enrei waves at the chalice, "Why is not to be bought?  Why is this important?"

When Brennan interjects Enrei waves him off, "No, no, this is thing that comes from important place." He pulls one of his braids forward, a polished stone in a setting woven into it, "This is" he reuses the Chal'i word, "From my mother, from her father, from his mother, this he wins when he is young, from," Enrei names a Chal'i pole-jumping contest, "This means," an heirloom in Chal'i.  Suddenly he claps his hands together, "I will make deal.  You give me cup, I will find out why cup is important, then I will bring cup back to you.  This is not to be bought, yes?"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 13:43, Mon 07 Dec 2015.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 517):


The old man climbs to his feet and his kin follow suit.

The children in the room take cover or slip out the door.  It's possible they've seen this sort of thing before.

The old man growls, "You will leave my home immediately, or you will do it in a pine box."

"Give me the cup," Melg grunts, extending a meaty hand.

Enrei stands as their hosts do.  He looks to the old man, then to Brennan, then to Melg with her expectant hand, before finally his eyes settle on the chalice.  He takes a deep breath, "I am very sorry!" he declares before snatching the chalice from Brennan's hand, turning on his heel and bolting for the door and if he makes it that far, his horse.