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10:37, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins.

Posted by GlantriFor group 0
Glantri
player, 1498 posts
Thu 3 Nov 2016
at 04:16
  • msg #1

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

This is a placeholder for the continuing thread of "Magnus' Meanderings", GMed by Glantri.  :)
Glantri
player, 1499 posts
Thu 3 Nov 2016
at 10:32
  • msg #2

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

Bogar follows your lead and warning, and follows you in a similar manner. He doesn't move to inspect any of the bodies, electing to put all his attention towards watching for an ambush.

When you get close to Galad and the others, you see they are all breathing by the movement of their chest. They appear by all external observations to be completely unharmed despite being covered in blood.

You then try shaking Galad. He doesn't stir other than shifting slightly afterwards. He appears to still be asleep. I assume you try shaking him harder, which gets him to mumble incoherently before falling back into a deep sleep. At no point does he open his eyes.
Magnus
player, 2248 posts
Thu 3 Nov 2016
at 22:30
  • msg #3

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

I'll shake him as hard as I can without hurting him.

I assume that doesn't work.

I mutter to myself
"Exhaustion? No that would have woke him...sleeping drugs?... no the dosage would be too precise. Magic?...maybe..."

I stand up and look around to try to spot who did this.
Glantri
player, 1501 posts
Sat 5 Nov 2016
at 11:14
  • msg #4

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

You're assumption is correct, he doesn't wake up regardless of how hard you shake him.

Bogar does interject at your mumbling, "there are stories about people being put to sleep using the one power, but I've also seen poultices that would knock a man out for hours. The court herbalist back home would... Well sometimes people had to be detained in non violent manners. It would knock them out so much that they could be relocated to the dungeon. It seldomly lasted more than 6 hours however."

When you stand up and look around you fail to find anybody other than the Galad and the two with him, Bogar and yourself.

You do see apparent trail marks where the white cloaks must have made their way in from the road. Upon further investigation you find one very well concealed set of tracks heading out in the same direction. They're masked to look as if they are all a part of the tracks coming in, and done well enough that you think you were lucky to even spot them.
Magnus
player, 2252 posts
Sun 6 Nov 2016
at 18:37
  • msg #5

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"I wish I knew why someone would leave them here unconscious with all these dead Whitecloaks. My first guess is it's some sort of setup to get the Whitecloaks to think we are some sort of Darkfiends... We would need to move them even if I am wrong. The question is how...I know away each of us can carry one but that leaves one...Do you have any ideas? The best I've came up with is for two of us to carry two of them for a while, then stop to rest while one of up goes back to get the other one. Making our way back to our camp."
Glantri
player, 1504 posts
Sun 6 Nov 2016
at 18:56
  • msg #6

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"A setup seems most likely, though whitecloaks already consider anyone involved in the affairs of the white tower to be a darkfriend. They inherently distrust anything to do with the one power. But I agree, this does reek of a setup.

As to moving the three, we could each carry one as you said, and just walk as far as line of sight before one of us doubles back for the other. It'll take a lot of time to get back to camp that way though... Probably would be after sunrise and we'd both be in terrible condition weariness wise if anything happened that we had to react to. We could always try and find the other two, and have them help us. But that would require making noise to get their attention or hoping to be lucky enough to stumble upon them. Or that they stumble upon this. Those are the only things that come to mind for me."
Magnus
player, 2254 posts
Sun 6 Nov 2016
at 23:28
  • msg #7

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"Looks like we have no choice. We'll go with that plan."

I'll pick Galad up into a fireman carry.(I.E. with his weight distributed evenly over my shoulders while using one of their arms and legs to keep them steady.)

Then we'll go as far as we can while maintaining visual contact with the other one. Then I'll set Galad down and go get the other guy. Repeat until we get to our camp.
Glantri
player, 1506 posts
Sun 6 Nov 2016
at 23:44
  • msg #8

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

The next hour and a half are an excruciatingly tiring process. You and Bogar are taking as few breaks as possible, and are making decent time all things considered, but every muscle is beginning to hurt.

It's at that time that you hear a rustling in the trees behind you, and when you spin around to see you are relieved to see Gawyn and Darien coming out from behind a nearby tree.

Gawyn's face looks solemn when he sees Galad and the others being carried before he realizes they aren't dead. His face lightens then and he simply says "Thank you Eli. I can not ever begin to repay you for tonight, but thank you."

Gawyn takes Galad and Darian takes one of the other two, leaving you and Bogar swapping off the third. Your time picks up considerably with this, and after another hour manage to get back to the cave where Lod and Rory have kept the fire going, but have built a shield of bark in front of it to keep it less visible from afar.

Once back in the camp, Gawyn asks "What happened? We didn't see anything out the way we went, and were lucky to hear the two of you while heading back to camp."

Lod and Rory are both moving about getting everyone water, having identified the toll the night has put on you all.
Magnus
player, 2255 posts
Mon 7 Nov 2016
at 02:27
  • msg #9

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

I smile when we meet Gawyn. "There is no need for repayment. He's my friend too."

After we carry them back to the camp and Gawyn asks us that question.

"We searched the way Galad and the others went this morning. After two hours of searching we came across a body of a dead Whitecloak scout or crossbowman in a pool of his own blood. There was signs of a struggle around him along with two paths leading away. We examined the body and found this."

I pull out the piece of paper wrapped in cloth, cut open the cloth and read the paper with the Light of the fire.

"We followed the path north but it lead into a clearing and we lost  where it goes. when we returned the body was gone and the other tracks where harder to find. But we found them again and followed them for 45 minutes and found another clearing where a massacre had occurred. Whitecloaks and horses dead. There we found Galad and the others unconscious. We thought this smelled like a setup so we decided to move them to our camp. After An hour and a half of moving them we met you. We still don't know where Dahvin is."
Glantri
player, 1507 posts
Mon 7 Nov 2016
at 11:47
  • msg #10

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

The letter reads:

"You are charged with tracking Eli Bumbalough, a current person of interest. It is currently unknown whether he is a Darkfriend, so tread cautiously. Under no circumstances are you to engage him or his companions, stay silent and at a distance. Report back to me should he undertake any odd travel patterns or three days past the next new moon."

Then there is a charcoal sketch of your resemblance, in far better and more accurate detail than seems reasonable. After which it is signed:
"Forever walk in the light,
Lord Captain Bornholdt"

At the end of everything everyone seems a little shocked.
Gawyn speaks up first, "... I'm not sure I fully understand. These men had specific orders not to engage... and for some reason were tasked with following you? Not to mention they are camping at a border between Andor and the White Tower, neither of which are hospitable to Whitecloaks. Though I suppose they could get an overpriced inn some places of Andor... But if they didn't engage, and I know Galad wouldn't have engaged unprovoked... None of this makes any sense."
Magnus
player, 2258 posts
Mon 7 Nov 2016
at 16:45
  • msg #11

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"I'm curious as to how they got that sketch of me or how they know my name. They shouldn't have been in a position to see me or hear my name...

Maybe a third party provoked a confrontation? We won't know until Galad and the others wake up. I also have quite a few questions for Dahvin."
Glantri
player, 1509 posts
Mon 7 Nov 2016
at 22:53
  • msg #12

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

Gawyn says, "The whitecloaks are rumored to have an extensive spy network. I hope it's that at least. The other option I can think of is they found out through the use of their Inquisitors. They use particularly nasty methods to get people to tell them things... of course they always claim to simply be asking questions, and only use such methods on those who do not walk in the light... There is a reason that nobility tends to dislike them operating in their lands.

As to a third party, that would make sense. How many whitecloaks did you say were left dead? I don't see any wounds on any of our own... and while we're pretty good, we're no warders yet and even if we were... I'd estimate 3 or 4 warders could take on maybe twice their numbers and if they got lucky not have any wounds. It's just bizarre to get through any combat with no cuts to ones body."
Magnus
player, 2260 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 05:22
  • msg #13

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"There was about a dozen Whitecloaks and horses.

...Yeah It is weird to go though a battle without getting hurt.

I have head about their Interrogation Methods...I hope no one suffered because of me..."
Glantri
player, 1511 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 07:43
  • msg #14

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

There is an awkward silence for a moment as no one has anything to add on the topic of torture when it is thankfully broken by Galad beginning to toss and mumble. It's incoherent at first but then becomes
"Huh... Wh... What happened? How did we get back here?"

The other two are not stirring yet, and Galad seems confused but coming to his senses.
Magnus
player, 2262 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 14:56
  • msg #15

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"You didn't come back to camp, so we looked for you. We found you in a field with a dozen slaughtered Whitecloaks. What can you remember from when you headed out to hunt this morning? "
Glantri
player, 1513 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 17:56
  • msg #16

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"We were out tracking boar marks, when we stopped to drink some water. Dahvin had thought ahead and brought one of the water skins and we all drank and rested for a few... I then vaguely remember trying to stand and then my vision went black. Next thing I knew, I was asleep and unable to open my eyelids when I heard the distant murmurings and finally was able to rouse myself."
Magnus
player, 2265 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 18:27
  • msg #17

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"... That's not good. Not good at all..."

I rub my forehead in concentration.

"I thought it was odd that Dahvin was so good at making stone tools. I suspended something when we found you three whith him nowhere to be found.

So he gave you three drugs that made you sleep, then he killed a dozen Whitecloaks and set it up to make it look like you three killed them.

The question is 'Why' now. Why did he do this?"
Glantri
player, 1515 posts
Tue 8 Nov 2016
at 23:31
  • msg #18

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

Galad looks confused for a moment,
"Dahvin... Dahvin killed twelve whitecloaks? He's not a bad fighter, but I don't see any way he could pull off such a feat. I couldn't manage that, and he's never bested me in a fight.

As to why, I can see a few possible reasons. Whoever is orchestrating this may want the White Tower and the Whitecloaks to be at each others throat more than normal, perhaps trying to push for a formal war. Or trying to angle to wrest political control of Andor away from Tar Valon, claiming war crimes...

Then it could also be more individually targetted. Perhaps one of us being framed to mark us on the whitecloaks lists? Such a mark would certainly make traveling certain parts of the world more difficult.

Figuring out why is going to be mostly a guessing game though. What I don't understand is how. Whitecloaks are military men, they have training. And warfare is largely determined by the numbers. Perhaps a rare blademaster would be able to confidently take out a dozen men, but nothing short of that."
Magnus
player, 2269 posts
Wed 9 Nov 2016
at 07:16
  • msg #19

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"I don't know. Maybe he had help. Maybe he only took out a few at a time and dragged them to that field.

What you said is likely though. Some Whitecloak Scouts where order to observe me. Here is a letter I got off one of them."

I'll show Galad the Letter.
Glantri
player, 1517 posts
Wed 9 Nov 2016
at 10:18
  • msg #20

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

He takes the letter and reads it a few times.
"This is quite an oddity Eli. I question whether it's accurate or was placed for you to find... but that may just be suspicion that is heightened from Dahvins apparent betrayal.

Should we assume it is real, it makes a fight with them even stranger. If these were a scouting patrol tasked with shadowing they would never have attacked us, and finding them when they didn't want to be found would be a task in and of itself. I wonder how long you have been followed by a member of this scouting party however. If they only just arrived their death will take longer to detect inside the whitecloaks organization. If they had been sending back regular reports though they will know soon.

But that's not the point I was getting to. Dahvin would have needed to know where these men were well enough to drug us at the right time, find a group of scouts who specifically are trying to stay unseen and unconfrontational, kill twelve men, and extricate himself before anyone arrived.

I'm sorry Eli, but this seems like a puzzle to me and one that I don't have a great idea on solving yet. I will continue to think on it."
Magnus
player, 2271 posts
Wed 9 Nov 2016
at 14:43
  • msg #21

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"You are correct. We just need to get the Answers out of Dehvin instead of speculating uselessly. I have my speculations but I don't have any evidence to back it up.

What shall we do now? Dahvin isn't likely to show himself now."
Glantri
player, 1519 posts
Wed 9 Nov 2016
at 17:26
  • msg #22

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"We have to juggle it with our task. We still are in training, and leaving early violates that. But the tower should know immediately. Further, the authorities should be alerted to Dahvins suspected crimes if possible.

So there is the dilemma. We are tasked to both stay here and return to the tower. We can not do both. Perhaps splitting us up and sending some back to return, though that risks ambush on the way if the path is being watched."
Magnus
player, 2273 posts
Wed 9 Nov 2016
at 18:08
  • msg #23

Magnus'a Meanderings: The Hunt Begins

"I guess I should be the one to report back to the White Tower so that I am the only one that fails. Although I don't like the idea of leaving you alone against Dahvin or other Whitecloaks.

He is still a better woodsman than us. Be careful and watch out for traps."
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