"Alas, no." Brannon smiles, a little whistfully. "A true priest of Brigantia - a Hearthfather - wields her flame. Brigantia is the mother of flame, hence the significance of the Hearth. But I have no aptitude for magic at all, so I can never truly be a Hearthfather. As a lowly Hearthwarden, I am more a scholar, though I have some standing in law, and can officiate in some rituals absent a Hearthfather himself. Such as burials, as you have seen. And advice I can offer in spades."

OOC: Sorry - missed this when it first came up. Retconning in Brannon's response!

Uthen looks at the Priest.

"Father. I have been a warrior for close to five years now, ever since I earned my spurs. I try to fight the good fight - I don't claim to be a Crusader and I won't say all my fights have been for God, but I've tried to do the right thing and haven't taken on any fights that I think would displease Him.

"But only a few days ago... I broke in battle. I had companions depending on me and I turned and ran. They tell me it may have been some dark madness placed upon me by evil magic... I hope if that is the case, that praying may lift such a curse from me.

"And if I broke simply because my courage failed, I pray that God will give me strength in future.

"I haven't necessarily been the best Son my Father in Heaven might want. And I can't make any promises - I'm not putting on sackcloth and ashes and embracing a life of celibacy or anything like that.

"But I'm seeking God's help - because if I break in battle, I put the lives of others at risk. My own life - I'd like to keep that too, but if I fall I could... I almost said live with that..." a slight chuckle. "Honestly, I worry about failing others.

"And... I'm also worried that... we found treasures, Father, and it's my duty to see them handed over to the King for his disposition, and I will do my duty. But it may anger some good people who, with some justification, feel they earned that treasure. And frankly, I want my own share of it as well. I've got a crippled father, a loving mother, and too many sisters to support back home."

Bathal blinked, " And the founder Goddess of Glissom. Aye I know of her. Though I follow a darker one myself. So I take it you aren't from Glissom then...Lann?"

" Bind wounds? Aye, I've some bandages and poultices."

" I don't have much in the way of fresh herbs, mostly dried but if you've the knowledge of advanced makings it should get you by."

"My apologies friend. I am quite ignorant when it comes to the deities," Lann says sheepishly to Brannon.
Turning to the wisewomam, he asks if he could buy some healing balms.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:37, Tue 08 Oct 2019.

Father KIlroy nodded along as Uthen spoke and then put a hand on his forearm as he finished.

" Well....I am not a man of war myself but I am sure that you have always tried your best to live up to the examples set for us in the scriptures....and to surpass them in some cases for even those beloved by God are not perfect."

" I will pray for you day and night, and I will ask the Lord to lend you strength when your own is wanting."

His voice then took on a less devout tone ashe continued, " Treasures? Were you acting in the service of a Lord of Nobility? It is their right to demand such.  If we were further south in the service of some Barons you'd likely see none of it...and then needs pay your tenth tithe to the Mother Church on top of it..."

" I'm not sure how things work here in the wild north, but I would wager Lords do not have as tight a grip or miserly nature as those in Albion."

" And I will demand no tithe of you or others, all that does is line the wardrobes of bishops with finerys.  If it settles you at all, the small folk here speak very well of Corbin. What did you make of him?"

Bathal grimaced, " I am sorry. I have the makings of such but my skills lie in the curing of ailments and fighting infections....to heal wounds I recommend stout thread, bandages and alcohol.  I am not as skilled as some others in the more esoteric matters."

"This last week I have faced ghosts and shade-hounds, that wound beast & man. So I'll happily trade a fair price in coin for what you can spare and thank you for it. And I suspect that my companions will do the same."

Bethan pays the coin for the dried herbs, wrapping and storing them safely in his pack.

"There has been a darkness terrorizing and slaughtering sheep, and we have tracked it for a few days. I was wondering if you have heard anything about an evil shadow of the like?"

Bathal flinched, " Nay...I've seen nought of that. Theres always danger under the boughs but nought of that sort."

" That'll be two silver.", she said as she piled Beathans hands high with  packages of dried herbs." ( OOC: About 1 kg.)

In reply to GM (msg # 843):

Beathan hands over 3 silver, "I hope that you don't have to see these things. And my thanks again, as I'd rather be prepared for the storm than be wanting in need. Now if you'll excuse us, we'll head back to the inn for a meal."

"Thank you, Father. Your prayers are appreciated. Anything that can help keep this from me. Me from this."



"From what I've seen of him and know of him, he seems a good King. One who is trying to do his best for his people, not just for himself - one who cares about his Kingdom. I haven't had a lot of contact with such high folk - not many do, I suppose - so not much to compare him to, but you hear of bad rulers, I think that gets around."

"He sent me out with others to help those who needed help. That seems like what a good King does."

Some time later, sitting under the tree's branches with Alphail, Caith finally clears her mind of the seething confusion, and thinks of nothing at all, a more difficult task than one might think.

She sighs quietly and looks to the patient hunter beside her, and says "Why do folk have to make things more complicated than they are? Gods are gods, wherever ye go there's another one about the place, nay just the one god everywhere..."

The hedgewitch scratches her head at the oddity of such a notion, then adds "...Maybe that's why they nay keep an image of their everywhere god? There are so many gods ye could never fit them all in one little granary, even if they were the size of ants."

She leans back against the tree and mutters "Ye know where ye are with the trees. No fancy faceless gods, but living beings as stately as any lord in his castle, the wind in the leaves carrying the whispers of the forest beyond to the ears of those who have a mind to listen to them."

There is a hand on Alphail's shoulder as she leans closer and says softly, but in great seriousness as she looks him in the eyes "If ever ye were to marry, Alphail, it should be in the forest, nay a stone box."

Aphail was just beginning to relax.  He has had a few ales and all was well, when Caith brought the conversation around to marriage.  Instinctively he froze, like prey being stalked, then he loosened once more and grinned mischievously.
"Like an old hand fasting?  The wedding guests wear nothing but woad and the celebrations last all night around a burning pyre?", he laughs!

The sun rose the next morning bringing birdsong drifting through the windows of the tavern, all had slept moderately well.

Garfas stood outside holding Marys reins, the old horse had been brushed and was contentedly munching on a feedbag of oats.

The sounds of the town began to drift in as the residents emerged from their rest and put wares out on display.

In reply to GM (msg # 848):

Having drank deeply and rested well all night, Deise is up early and after completing morning ablutions is restlessly awaiting his companions to set on the road to Castle Erewon. If any are up he will say, "I am minded to scout on ahead for trouble. This land still has problems with bandits and other terrors. We have a long march through forest and hill before we reach the King."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:13, Wed 09 Oct 2019.

"I fancy ye'd look fine in naught but blue and antlers..." Caith replies with a wicked grin on her own face.

Lann wakes up and gets ready to leave. He will offer to accompany Deise on his scouting trip.

Usopi set about loading the groups loot in to the cart and greeting Mary with his usual cheer, nodding as Deise and Lann planned to scout ahead. It was an understandable precaution to take, though he doubted there would be any bandit group too powerful so close to the residence of the king himself.

”Garfas, does Mary here prefer any particular food above others, apples perhaps, or carrots?” he asked the older man.

" Her? Nay, she'll eat anything you put close enough to her chompers...fingers included."

In the morning...

Caith regards the chirping birds with the slit eyed glower of a hunting cat, and mutters "Willow bark..." to herself.

She says to Alphail "I'd best be quick to market, if I want to find anything. Ye still in need of boarhide and arrows?" before she sets off for a quick look for herbs, hide, waxed thread, lamp oil and rations.

The hedgewitch turns aside at Deise's question as another offers their aid in morning patrol, reasoning that one set of arcane eyes is enough for that task.

She does stop on the way to ask Usopi for silver coins in exchange for gold. The expression on her face as she overhears the conversation about Mary's taste for fingers is a wry one, but she makes no comment on it otherwise.

Caith does ask Usopi in addition to her request for change "Ye need anything from market?" then looks to the happily munching horse as she adds "Already looking for apples and oats."

Brannon starts his day, as always, with prayers to Brigantia, and readies himself for the journey - between bouts of scribbling notes about his observations of Ereworn.

Usopi dug in to his coin pouch and withdrew 6 florins as he turned away from Mary, ”I’ve only 6 silver, but you can have them without exchange. Money, while useful, is better spent generously.” he said as he held them out for her to take, then he bit his lip in thought, “I suppose I could use a new lantern since mine was broken in the war temple. I believe I am fine otherwise, thank you.”

"I can make arrows from raw materials, anywhere.  They're bound to have a workshop at the castle, which just makes it easier.  Can't make armour though.  Maybe we will be gifted some useful items for our service the the crown?  Seing as we see more combat than most, I though I would upgrade to a Brigandine Coat?  It is much heavier and noisier than a jack, but give more protection too."

OOC:

No problems with finding any of that equipment. If you can't find prices just ask. :)

In reply to GM (msg # 858):

Deise and Lann moved ahead of the others as they readied the cart, Deise sliding unseen through the trees scouting out either side of the trail as the dark boughs of Gallows Wood stretched on toward the foot of the Pagans.

They found no signs of danger in their first forays...

In reply to GM (msg # 859):

Deise will look fo stay about 1/2km ahead of the party and will head about 500 m into the forest before arcing back to the road.
Maintain position low to ground and close to foliage, just watching and listening.