Re: Chapter 2
In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 699):
Brennan nods, waiting until the man is out of earshot to speak or even move with much speed.
"Salzar comes from the west, and heads east toward Thorngate and then to the Long Plain. I wish you had not given him a name for the locals in Thorngate to fixate on. Or those at the Mill, where he is likely to stay. Or the bandits we just escaped from, who know that a certain Lord Fastbender and his men just stole their precious cup."
He gives Titus a severe look.
"I know you want your tale to take hold, but you have to be more careful about where you lay out your hooks. If we tell people you're Fastbender, we must ensure that our actions equate to those appropriate for a man of such a lordly caliber. Else, what will people say about Lord Fastbender? A man displaced, roaming the countryside with his rabble the sew mischief? Have a care, is all I'm saying."
Brennan lowers his voice to Titus.
"I suspect in the future we can EITHER be Brennan's mercenaries OR Lord Fastbender's troupe. We should stick with one or the other until we move to the next town, choosing accordingly. Unless you can find a way for us to convincingly be both at all times. Though... truth be told, I'm not sure either is as much of a deception as it once was."
He beckons Bryce, Enrei, and Deev toward him.
"Salzar warned me that the upcoming towns are not to be trusted. We should set a watch carefully at night, in town or outside of one, and to approach the towns carefully in the first place."
"When we exit these woods, we'll find a small hamlet to the northeast. He advised that we avoid it, for something terrible has befallen it. He wouldn't elaborate, but instead said we should stay on the road east or go southward."
Brennan takes a breath.
"He then said that east in general is fraught with perils -- robbers, raiders, and more. Some towns have been put to the torch. And we can't go back to the west any time soon. Thus, southward is the only safe option."
Brennan looks at Bryce.
"But the northeast is where the witch's hut lies, correct? We'll have little choice if that's the case. And even if it's not, the answers we seek lie far to the north."
He clears his throat softly.
"I would ask your opinions on this matter, because it concerns us all. We should discuss whether we want to explore that hamlet anyway. We are mercenaries, after all, and misfortune for others means coin for us. I would see what has befallen this hamlet. We are uniquely suited to help... and to profit from it. Thoughts?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Fri 15 Jan 2016.