"Hey Chye, I'm a foreigner in all this. Can you find out who that guy is?"
Iskander says to the knight-errant.

Chye nods, and his eyes pass from the stranger with the dog to Ming-Sa.
Approaching Ming-Sa, Chye asks:
"Excuse me, you know that guy?"
Chye says, glancing in the newcomers direction, to underscore whom he meant to the woman, without pointing.

In reply to Chye Isuel (msg # 52):

"That is Saishi Jin, a wandering priest. We have not seen him in weeks."

"By my count, there may be nearly twenty, though I think most simply kept running."

In reply to Chou-Zhen Mou (msg # 54):

"It is not I who is the newcomer here...I come past many of the local vollages. But since you are helping defend these folk, I can assist you. Are any injured?"

"Some of the prisoners are badly injured, but they will need to be well secured. I don't know that you care to expend energy and effort on them, but if it's your nature to help, Senyor..." Iskander gestured to the men they brought in.

"Chye'll speak with the elder, about where they may be held."
Chye goes and does just that.

In reply to Iskander (msg # 56):

"I will not expend energy to help evil folk. My god would not approve. Are these folk evil, or simply misguided? Unless we can convince them not to act in an evil way, better to leave them recover naturally, and slowly. It would restrict the evil they can do..."

Iskander nods. "If any of the ones we caught are recognized by the villagers, they'll have to explain themselves and face justice. I won't press that matter myself, but I'm sure others may make it their business, Senyor."
Iskander says nodding to Chye, as he seeks the elder.

"If these are like most soldiers and city guards, they are not genuinely evil, they are merely weak enough to follow evil leaders without question.  It may well be that they felt they had no choice."

"Some of them may be alright, and some, more than likely have stake in Veroigne. We're not taking them too far away from home. Those who wish to return, may do so..,If they're not guilty of any crimes on these people."

In reply to Iskander (msg # 61):

"Yes, either way, let speak their actions have a chance first."

He will dismiss his friends if he has not done so already...

In reply to Saishi Jin (msg # 62):

"If they percieve themselves to be men of honor, they will feel obligated to serve their lord. If they have acted dishonorably, then it is also likely that they cannot be trusted to keep their word.
The rarity would be found in those that have ho or, but find their lord dishonorable. Such a man might be trusted, but as to these others, there may be none worth saving. I say we let the villagers judge them for their crimes, and find what worth there is among those innocent of both outrages against these people, and unsullied by permissiveness to those who of their brethren who acted in such amanner."

In reply to Tanaka Kojimaru (msg # 63):

"Agreed. Leave them to the mercy of those they wronged. Now, what are your plans to protect the rest?"

"While others were hunting those who fled, Ming-Sa and I erected the wall you see.  It will not stop single men, or much slow them, but it will greatly inconvenience mounts and provide good shelter for those who would await an enemy or greet them with missiles.

"I had planned to continue this work; it will take some days to completely surround the village thus.  Each segment takes the two of us two thirds of an hour -- moments to cast, but the time is to rest."

The wall, at present, is a dozen sections, eight feet long and six high, two feet thick (same as the one originally made to block the road), faced with stone on both sides and with a stone footing to keep it stable.  Sections have a half yard space between, so as not to block access to the paddies.

In reply to Chou-Zhen Mou (msg # 65):

"I can assist in keeping your strength up if there are not more pressing matters. How are the villagers holding up?"

"With your assistance and that of Ales added to Ming-Sa's efforts and my own, we could roughly double the rate of wall building -- and the sooner done, the better.  Who knows when the Baron's lackeys will return in greater force."

"We need to get our shipment back to Lord Sakemoko, collect our meteoric sky-rock, and inform him of the situation, and hurry back with reinforcements. We must also inform the Baronet in Northport, that he has men loyal to his cause, which by extension is our own, Senyors."

In reply to Iskander (msg # 68):

"Why would I desert these good folk while there is the threat of a counter-attack? Perhaps some of you can go back for reinforcements..."

"Precisely my proposal, Senyor. It is imperative to our cause."

"Bringing the rice back to the city seems less urgent than preparing for the return of Pequenaud's men.  A few days will not see anyone in Northport starve, but might make the difference in making this village a less attractive target for the Baron."

In reply to Iskander (msg # 70):

"So who is staying to deal with the counter-attack, and who is making the quick trip there and back? Perhaps those not so skilled in fighting of helping others recover can be sneaky enough to get quickly to the city to get word back. Why is taking the rice back to sell important?"

"Though the shipment was our original task, now we have the matter of informing him, finding the baronet, and contacting monsieur hood possibly, for even more men on our side. The rice is just conveniently with us, in this matter of urgency. though I suspect an immediate response, and reinforcements, the Omo when notified of this situation, in relation to the Baronet in particular, may prefer to do something no one had expected..."

In reply to Iskander (msg # 73):

"Oh? Like what?" The priest looks quizzically, with some concern...

In reply to Saishi Jin (msg # 74):

"He might sent some more of his men to protect the village, such as he has done with this one."


Sending 2 would be most effective. Monsieur Hood would likely respond to Ales better than others, likewise the Baronet.