Beathan, sets a fire with some of the drier wood, lighting it with flint & tinder.

"I harken from Thuland, but I journeyed here to Ereworn with my family a season or two ago."
"Deise, are you a local with knowledge of the land?"

This message was last edited by the GM at 06:08, Fri 09 Aug 2019.

Not from here bud, down south in Cornumbria. Left there a long time back as my face didnt exactly fit at my fathers village on account that my ma is not his wife. Been on the road nearly half my life. Findin it hard to believe I'm here servin a King. When I were a kid the King o tis place were in league with devils and all these people pagans - thats what the old women onthe village useda tell us. If we got outta hand they were gonna send us here to be eaten. Now as a man, I'm here with strangers serving a king I know nathing of.
Funny de way life turns out

"My family arms - I come from a little village, Sadley, in the east of Albion - nearest place to it most people have heard of is Breylak. The family trade is beekeeping and mead making, on top of regular farming work, so when my grandfather was elevated to a Knight, he took the beehive as his sigil. Still have cousins doing that sort of work, but I was trained to take up arms.

I am more than happy with you taking first watch if you wish it, and you Beathen can feel free to choose the midwatch or the last and I'll take the other. I know some people need to make use of particular times of night for sleeping to be at their best the following day. For myself it does not matter - I'll take as much rest as I can, but I can take it anytime."

Acknowledging the knight :Been to  Breylak working for a man in Ongus. Didnt stay long, seemed peaceful when I got there.

Deise then takes a ration and heads up into the trees westward for watch. During my watch I will sneak quietly around the makeship camp periodically.

Deise sat watch in the cool spring night, bats flitted through the trees and small animals moved through the brush....badgers and foxes worried at the dead sheep...but nothing untoward was seen.

..........

Sir Uthen was woken and sat his watch, at one point in the moonlight he saw a fight break out among the animals scavenging the sheep carcases but the rest of the night was quiet until he woke Beathen in the early hours.

.......

Beathen watched the sun rise over Gallows Wood to the east and enjoyed the dawn chorus of songbirds. As he kept watch the itch in his mind that wanted to follow the Trail grew stronger.

Woken by the dawn chorus and the sunlight, Sir Uthen breaks his fast with some water from his water skin, and the first part of his days rations. He is eager to depart, to make the most of the day and awaits the others pleasure to move on.

In reply to Sir Uthen of Sadley (msg # 31):

Saw nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever killed them animals aint coming back here. Lets keep moving.

The three men finished their morning ablutions and breakfast and headed off, Beathen pointing the way apparently very confident in his directions.

Mid morning they came up a hill to see a small holding of a few large buildings and encircling partial stone walls with wooden slats to fill the gaps in the stone.

As they approached a high pitched whistle went up and a small boy in a woolen tunic and boots with two grey and white hounds at his side stood on the nearest wall with his hands on his hips watching them.

"Oy! Who ye be? Come closer and Bess and Bliss will have ye!"



Image:
https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/...9/4/images/fig18.jpg

I raise my hands as a show of meaning no harm.

"I greet you. My name is Uthen, and these others are my friends Beathan and Deise. We mean no harm - we've been asked to visit these parts because there have been problems with something worrying the sheep and we might be able to help with that, whatever the cause. Is there somebody we can talk to about that?"

" My name is Caer." As the boy spoke the men could see he was about 10 years of age with sandy-brown close cropped hair and a red wind-chapped face.

" Yeah....theres sommit botherin' the ladies....I dannae what. But its a nasty cruel thing, just cutting them down or ripping them apart and not even taking a bite. Now Da says I cannae sit out in field overnight, so we gots ta keep em penned now and even then there some folk have lost em in the night."

" Ye can talk wit Da or Uncle Brin, nay he's naught back from Hallowhall yet, but ye can speak wit Da I think he's in woolshed.", the boy said pointing at the largest building over his shoulder.

In reply to GM (msg # 35):

"So Caer, did you see these things and could you describe them to us?"

Listening to Caer reply, I'll then ask, "Can you point us to the Woolshed?"

"Thank you lad"

I walk toward the lad with my hands out - "Well kid, is this holdfast Ceann Caorach?"
Before waiting fir the reply I say, " I used to come from a place like this, left when I were  bit older than you, Gods sometimes I miss the smell of the hills and pasture, the rain and animals, get yer da for us, will you please"

OOC: Looking around what do I see? How many buildings, what type, any people around/signs/pennants etc
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:00, Sun 11 Aug 2019.

" No, Sir. I seen naught, though I did hear em out in the rain and hail laughing like ninnies."

" Woolshed? Its the biggun! Right there.", he finished pointing over his shoulder, the two hounds at his side regarding you somewhat more dubiously.

" Aye, Sirruh, Ceann Caorach indeed."

" From a place like this? Done well for yerself then."

The entire holding is surrounded by three circular stone walls interspaced with wooden slats and staggered in places to allow a somewhat circuitous entrance and exit if one doesn't climb the walls.  Most of the buildings are of the blackhouse type with stacked stone walls and thatched/turf roofs...there are some smaller angular buildings constructed of wood as well. The lad is the only person visible but there is smoke spiralling up from a number of the buildings from, you assume, hearths and the like.

There are no markers, decorations or signs to be seen and the only other things of note are a hundred or so sheep milling about between the second and third wall.

Thank you Caer.

Deise walks slowly toward the woolshed, waving at the young lad

In reply to Deise (msg # 39):

The two sheep dogs eye Deise dubiously as he walks forward, but stay at the lads side. The holding is clean and well cared for with a vegetable garden within.

As he approaches the buildings a woman suddenly appeared from around the corner carrying some fleece, she stared at him in shock for a moment, then called loudly over her shoulder.

" Garam! Holt!Caer, where are ye?"

In reply to GM (msg # 40):



Fall in step behind Deise and head down to the woolshed.

I also walk behind trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.

I come slowly to a halt with hands out.

Hello ma'am, my friends and I have been sent by the King of Ereworn to help with the trouble you've been having with the sheep killings. Young lad met us at the wall and sent us to the woolshed. I am Deise, and these are Sir Uthen and Beathan, a healer.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:12, Mon 12 Aug 2019.

" Ma! Its alright. They're down from castle.", Caer said quickly as he barrelled across the grass towards them all.

A tall rangy man stripped to the waist with long shaggy hair and beard streaked with grey threw open the door of the building they believed to be the woolshed. He held a great wooden oar of sorts in his left hand which he levelled towards the three men.

" Whats this then? Too well dressed for banditry."

The woman turned towards him, " Caer says their down from castle."

I nod to the man.

"Good man, we have been sent from the Castle, yes. We have been told there is something here that is harming your animals and whatever it is, we're here to try and help you deal with it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Mon 12 Aug 2019.

In reply to Sir Uthen of Sadley (msg # 45):

The man nodded carefully to the three.

" Aye, we've had trouble. Didnae know the bigjobs knew about it. Only told me bror....though he's got a gob on him to be sure."

" If'n ye think ye can help, we've room fer ye ta stay. It ain't rooing season for a nother month near so no worries about floorspace."

" Whatever tis seems to roam about hitting this place then that, no pattern I can see. Best ye wait here for it, we've the most left."

" Garam Druim, at yer service. Me wifes bror Holt is still in shed. You've already met Caer and the missus, Kell. Me other chillun have gone way, some to the light and others to familys o' there own."

In reply to GM (msg # 46):


"Thank you for your hospitality, Garam."
"And in return, I offer my services as a healer for those who need it."


To Deise & Sir Uthen of Sadley, "Should try to find the source of this blight later today, or at first light tomorrow?"



OCC: I'm happy to provide an hour to help those in need while talking with them about the local goings-on.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:13, Tue 13 Aug 2019.

" We're right for healing I think.  I won't say no to some help with the thatching though."

I am content to stay for the day and night before heading out tomorrow. Eagre to find out more, I offer to
thatch.

"Right you are so. Never thatched before, but always a first time and am a good up a height, though not very strong."

" We'll have ye bundle then. Me and and Holt will do the casting and laying...unless yer friends want to help wit that."

" Kell! Take Healer inside and show him yer cupboard, mayhap he kens summit yer ma didnae."

Kell looked at Garam with a raised eyebrow, " Ye wouldnae be saying that if she still breathed."

Garam laughed outloud " Nae, I bloody well would not. That woman'd put the fears in anyone, I'm honestly amazed the Almighty hasn't sent her back on account of all the scoldin'."

Kell made a faux-angry face then smiled.

" C'mon, Healer. It can't hurt to have a look."