Rachel chuckled at Caiths stomach, " I gather that the boss would rather ye all ate here but I'm not the boss of you lot."

" I've speck and cheese and black bread in larder here or theres a few places to grab a bite throughout Dockside."

Caith's words brought a smile back to his face, though it was perhaps less bright then it had been before discovering that a holy True Faith church had been a casualty of arson. A gentle chuckle rumbled in his throat as he replied, "I have seen a single man be both devil and god send in the span of a few moments. It does little good to blame an entire group for the actions of a small part, less still for as large a number as dwell here.", one hand closed to a fist, "Though a devil unashamed of his deeds deserves answer."

To Racheal he said, "I would enjoy getting food from some place in dockside. So long as we do not speak of your boss' business, I see no harm in getting to know the place. As you said, we will have been spotted arriving at the dock. The sight of our mastication can hardly let slip any crucial knowledge." he finished with another low laugh.

In reply to Usopi Venia (msg # 38):

Giles lets Kores guide him up the stairs- with a sense of relief that things had improved and that he had found acceptance. After the slow build up he was excited to be involved in the important discussions to come. He had long since given up correcting Kores that he wasn’t, in fact, Tobias...

The Shop

Colm stopped at the top of the stair, realising he had a tea party on his hands. "Sorry gentlemen, this is a private conversation.  Kores, we will be leaving for the Bracks after the Fesival.  Why don't you help Giles pack the equipment you'll need.  There's going to be lots of Selentines to talk to, I'm sure."

When Colm is sure that he is alne with Brannon, they will begin to discuss the last few months in intricate detail.  Colm has a number of question's for Brannon;

OOC - Can assume that if Colm and Brannon talk for a few hours, that much of the Meta details in various threads can become known.

The Shop

Kores scowled at Colm but put a firm hand on Giles shoulder and turned him around, muttering as he did so.

" Too many secrets....whispers, mutterings...strange talk.", he considered Giles seriously then chuckled.

" Been a long time since they saw each other, lot to catch up on..a lot of built up tension...we should probably find some wax for our ears....wax in the ears...did you ever hear the story of Odyss...Uly...some Emphidian general...didn't like the ladies singing on his boat...no, that doesn't sound right...bah, so hard to remember things these days."

" Both of them are fire worshippers, like them Scorchers that did for whatshisname....but not so quick to burn things...well, you may disagree Tobias seeing as your the one that got burned..", Kores entire face twitched alarmingly.

He composed himself a little, " Off to the Bracks...speak with the dead...visit the trapped...murdúchann, I think Dann called it. No...different word...something like that...climbing through the mountains bowels...ancient and evil.."

"I'm nay in charge of my own stomach, let alone this lot..." Caith dourly protests, but falls silent again as Rachel offers a menu of options.



"That's more than enough with what we've brought with us, but 'twill nay last long." Caith says in reply, then offers "Forgive me a preoccupation with meals, for hunger is apt to to do my thinking for me otherwise, and the speaking for me as well."



"A devil must know themselves to be a devil in order to be ashamed of it. Otherwise they take pride in their deviltry and pronounce it virtuous." the hedgewitch remarks grimly in response.

OOC: OK, who wants to go take a look around? Caith does, even if it's running a risk, for a very good reason besides her growling gut.

The PCs knowing the layout of the area around the safehouse is tactically useful to know. Is there any access to the roof? Is it overseen by any nearby taller buildings?

Knowing where the taverns are is also useful. Deise was the one with the cider. Time to pick up some drinks...

In reply to GM (msg # 41):

Giles is startled by Kores’ wrenching of his shoulder and blurts out “Ulysses? Harpies!”- easing his hand away he in turn puts his hand on Kores’ shoulder and says carefully “the Bracks- yes that is where we must go- Colm said we should make preparations- can I help you bottle up any more potions?”

OOC:
The PCs knowing the layout of the area around the safehouse is tactically useful to know. Is there any access to the roof? Is it overseen by any nearby taller buildings?

There is a ladder up to a small loft with a hatch that leads to the roof. Buildings either side are a similar height and there are streets at front and behind.
.

In reply to Caith Cernach (msg # 42):

Turren spends a good deal of time not noticing being told what to do and getting 'Looks'. He eventually stands near the door, his previous words as good as they were earlier.

'I'll be going to offer prayer and meditation at the ruined church. If others are joining me I''m content to wait, as I said.'

OOC: Turren is literally just waiting for anyone who wants to have a look at the church to finish eating or whatever. When people set out, it is the first place he's intending to go.

Once Giles and Kores have left the room, Brannon turns to Colm, and gives his report.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:20, Tue 31 Dec 2019.

The Warehouse

Rachel went to the larder and placed the food on a bench near the entrance, she looked around at them; Usopi, Uthen, Turren, Leofwyn, Aphail and Caith.

" Do what you will, I'm eating.", she grinned.

OOC Thanks for the info, much appreciated. :)





Caith looks up from eating, swallows her mouthful of cheese and explains the one issue she can see in that plan "I've a mind to go take a look myself, but as we nay know when the Hearth Father will choose to send word?" then lifts both hand upward onto the table as she calmly offers a solution "At least a couple of us should stay here to keep an eye out for that, and an eye on the place in general, aye?"

Her tone is somewhat sharper as she pragmatically observes "It is difficult to give full attention to the task of tracking down a foe that hides in the shadows of the city's walls on an empty stomach."

OOC Caith's ready to go when everyone else is, even if she has to invent the cheese and bacon sandwich to-go to leave now.

Usopi chuckled as Racheal made the decision for them, sitting himself down to join the others who'd already set about feeding themselves. He chewed on a mouth full of food, supposing there was no need to go out to eat at the moment, though once the meal was finished he did want to accompany Turren to the chapel.

Uthen speaks "I am ready to go with you to pray at this Church as soon as you wish." He scoffs down his food as fast as he can when he can - he's used to eating fast. "It grieves me to hear of such a place being deliberately destroyed, and I will, when I can, do what I can to help deal with any who did that... but I would have a better understanding of their reasons first... if justice is required, it can happen in its own good time, and is more likely to be justice if care is taken." He grimaces. "So I've been taught anyway - I still feel like going straight after whoever did this. But I've been told that's one of the differences between somebody just out of squiredom, and a Knight who hopes to lead others - patience and considered judgement, before you start chopping bits off people."

The Warehouse

The three knights and two ladies and the hunter shared a simple repast with Rachael who passed around a flask of elderberry wine to finish off the meal.

Brannon and Deise had not yet returned so the group headed out following Racheal direction towards the ruined church.

The burned out ruins of the tiny chapel nestled incongruously beside a warehouse heavy with the reek of salted cod and pickled herring. Even here crowds of festive folk moved through the streets in readiness for the upcoming celebration.

Across the open square sat a group of dockworkers eating black bread and brown cheese, a rather depressed looking skald plied his trade for a few pennies outside the harbourmasters office occasionally invoking a sympathetic coin but more often a hard crust or less wholesome missile was pitched his way.

Mangy dogs and rats almost as big sifted through the piles of refuse from the pickling houses; a busy smithy resounded with clang of metal on metal; outside the smith a small shrine to Brigantia was liberally decorated with gold and silver coins and garlands of red flowers.

Someone was working on the ruined building and scorch-marked and broken benches were piled outside beside a ramshackle looking altar and a large iron cross.

A rough looking man dressed in plaid and leather looked up as the group approached....

Usopi had to smile as they approached the site of the ruins. Looking at the surrounding area and people, he found himself humored by the fact that it seemed the perfect place for a church to be. The surroundings were humble but respectable, and the small but wealthy shrine to Brigantia illustrated the possible co-existence with the local faith.

Usopi raised an eyebrow at the sound of someone working inside the building, gladdened at the thought that someone was perhaps working to repair the damage. He made his way merrily toward the chapel to introduce himself to the laborer.

Kores Shop


Colm listens carefully to Brannon's briefing, absorbing the information.

In reply to Usopi Venia (msg # 52):

Sir Turren nods to Sir Usopi, raising brows back as he mirrors the big knight's inflections.

On approach Sir Turren politely calls out to whoever is making the noise in the ruin. He gives a sign and lowers his head in reverence as he passes the iron cross.

"Hello and well met?' He steps in.

Aphail will stay in the Warehouse, to keep it safe and wait for Brannon.

Rachael keeps Aphail entertained with a few games of dice while waiting.

The big man in plaid and leather watched Sir Turren enter without a word though he had obviously taken note of the three knights.

An older man emerged from within covered in dust almost running into Turren as he called out, " Good day to ye, sassenach."

" How can I be o' service?"

After preparing to sidestep, then relaxing as the old fellow stops short, Sir Turren bows.

'We'd heard yon holy house had met with an ill fate.' Sir Turren introduces himself as Sir Turren of Uvedale.

He pauses to allow anyone else to also introduce themselves if they wish, then he proceeds:

'I'd not keep you long, but we're interested to learn anything you might know about what specifically happened here, and how the church fared prior to,' he opens hands to either side as both a gesture to the rubble and that he means no harm, 'well, prior to this. I'd also have your name, sir, if you'd indulge my curiosity but a pinch further?'

As Turren went inside, Usopi approached the man in the plaid. He raised his hand with a smile and then extended it to shake with the fellow.

"Hail friend, Good to see the house of the lord is undergoing repairs." he said, "My name is Usopi Venia, of Lakstead. It pained me to hear of the chapel's ruin, but I felt the site might still function as a place of prayer, even if it's walls no longer stand."

" Yep, it burned down."

" Cael Lywuch."

" This was a temple of the Hanged God, old Albish fella used to run it...got run out of town by the Scorchers."




" No lords house this one.  Used to be some old mans but he left when it burned down. Cael is going to build a pie shop."

Caith whispers to her companions "A skald with such a long face in this crowd? But these festive folk in such a hurry nay stop and listen..."

She goes to pull a coin from a wolf's ear, then recalls she has a different hood on today, and slightly red faced in embarrassment, finds a silver coin elsewhere about her person to offer the doleful bard as she says quietly to them "Silver to bring a smile to your face while ye perform. Mayhap that will bring ye more silver to keep the first one company?"