Caled shrugs.

"My men are fast riders. We shall simply ride back up this road and cut them off before they reach Calarn."

Calvorn shakes his head.

"You there," he addresses one of the more seasoned looking men-at-arms whose name he has clearly not bothered to learn, "You will escort these prisoners and wounded back to the Vordren Estate at once."

"Araldan," Caled emphasises the man's name, without taking his even gaze off Calvorn, "Leave four of the men to escort Calvorn and the wagons back to the estate. The most able bodied men ride with me."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:43, Sun 07 Apr 2019.

"And people wonder why the Carendils never get anything done?" mutters Valdan to the man-at-arms beside him.

Calvorn scowls as Tyronius' men set about Caled's orders, ignoring his own. However after a moment he shrugs.

"Very well," he says with indifference, "I shall escort the wounded and prisoners back with four of your men on the condition that Falnis stays with me."

Falnis looks like he is deriving more enjoyment than he should from all this.

Despite their adventures so far, Caled clearly does not seem to feel Falnis is an invaluable resource, as he shrugs and nods.

"Fine. He goes with you. We shall meet you at the Vordren Estate after we have rescued Their Highnesses."

"Just as long as when you do, you tell Tyronius that I kept my end of the deal and deserve my possessions back. I will want your word on that if we are parting ways on your orders-- assuming all of that unpleasantness will still be necessary once you've rescued him. I know he does not trust varim, but even the most prejudiced Thanian must surely admit now that I am not the most likely reason why a human in these parts was murdered and left in a ditch. In truth, given all I have seen these past two days, my only wonder is that His Highness only found one such body on his journey."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Sun 07 Apr 2019.

Caled seems to feel this is a reasonable comment, as he gives Falnis a curt nod.

"You have fulfilled your end of the arrangement you made with His Highness, and I shall see to it that is informed of such. You have my word."

"Wonderful. I knew there was a reason I liked you," Falnis smiles approvingly. "My letters, Calvorn?" he stretches out a hand for them. "And the duplicates of them that I am sure you are also carrying as well."

"Your agreement is with Prince Tyronius, not myself," the agent replies briskly, "I am sure he will see to it that your possessions are returned once you report back to him."

With his hands he subtly signs to Falnis.

We will not be riding to the Vordren Estate. As soon as we pass the road leading to Calarn we shall ride after the princes and catch them up before Caled and his men get themselves and the princes killed. Tyronius will, after all, have difficulty keeping his word if he is dead.

"That is an interesting interpretation of, 'I will make no promises of what Calvorn will or will not do,'" Falnis observes, with a credible imitation of the royal Thanian accent. "Come now, stop being obstinate. I will let you keep your duplicates, but I want the originals back. We both know it was only ever His Highness stopping you from complying with the terms of the Concordat in the first place."

Falnis, also capable of carrying on two conversations at once, replies:

I'm aware. I am counting on you knowing a shortcut or two through the forests or farmland that may save some time. I do not know what your riding skills are like, but if they all ride like our good friend Caled, I will not be able to catch up. My horse was bred for speed, not endurance, and he has had neither food nor a proper rest these past twenty hours.

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 31 using 1d20+16.  Slight of Hand (To conceal reply from the knights).
This message was last edited by the player at 01:40, Mon 08 Apr 2019.

Calvorn sighs, reaching into his tunic and withdrawing a handful of letters.

"Prince Tyronius has the rest," he says unhelpfully as he passes them over. Falnis notes that these are all originals. He sees no signs of where any duplicates may be hidden, if indeed they exist. He continues to sign as the men about them prepare the injured and prisoners.

Caled will be taking the long way to Calarn anyway. The northern road is faster and we will be able to follow Galnor's tracks that way, so as to make sure he doesn't veer off to another direction.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:48, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Falnis makes a point of checking them anyway, before sketching an elegant gesture with one hand. A moment later, his eyes glow an electric blue, and a globe of flame appears in one palm. Falnis proceeds to burn the letters, before closing his hand to dismiss the flames.

That sounds doable.

"Well, I suppose if we are going to be escorting the wounded and prisoners, I had best see that the latter are properly secured. I would so hate it if they did to us what we did to them just before," Falnis says aloud once he is done burning the letters. Approaching the prisoners, he proceeds to check their restraints and tighten them, clearly feeling the Thanians have done a less than perfect job with this.

OOC: Dalmar has cast 'Flames'. (MP2.)
Dalmar Argant rolled 24 using 1d20+20.  Use Rope Check (To Tie Up Prisoners).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:30, Mon 08 Apr 2019.

Only Calvorn seems unperturbed by Falnis' spell. The rest of the men about him stare with either suspicion, awe or fear as the letters are engulfed before him.

"Have you quite finished your magic show?" he asks dryly as the flames disappear, making no offer to assist Falnis in securing the prisoners.

Valdan's poor men eye Falnis fearfully as he approaches, looking as if they half expect to burst into flames any moment.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

"You really should consider looking for a replacement Court Battle-mage if Thanians these days are this awed by the magical equivalent of lighting a candle," Falnis says, taking in these unsubtle reactions. "Not that I imagine many mages would be jumping to apply, given what Thane did to its last one."

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 13 using 1d20+3.  Knowledge (Thane).
Dalmar Argant rolled 6 using 1d20.  Sense Motive.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Tue 09 Apr 2019.

Caled sends him a look which makes it clear he feels the 'last one' got exactly what he deserved, and serves as a good warning to any would-be replacements. The last of the wounded and prisoners being loaded, he turns his horse, and, accompanied by six of his men (and Caln Deran, who clearly has no intention of being left behind), gallops off in the direction of Calvar.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:02, Sat 13 Apr 2019.

The four remaining man-at-arms, accompanied by Calvorn and Falnis, trot their horses at a gentler pace back in the direction of Lastorn, the prisoner wagons trundling along beside them.

Calvorn trots his mount along in silence for a quarter of an hour or so, long after Caled has disappeared out of sight and earshot. It is as they turn the final bend to see Lastorn come into view, a couple of miles down the winding road ahead of them, that he seems satisfied, turning to the man-at-arms leading the party.

"Take these injured back to the Vordren Estate. Falnis and I will scout to the north to make sure no more of Galnor's men are on their way down from Calarn."

OOC: Calvorn Areldan rolled 9 using 1d20+5. Bluff.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

The grim man-at-arms may not possess Aglorn Vard's skills of discernment, but even he is not fooled by Calvorn's story.

"Caled instructed us all to return to the Vordren Estate," he says sternly.

OOC: Thanian Man-At-Arms rolled 13 using 1d20. Sense Motive.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:02, Tue 09 Apr 2019.

Calvorn scowls at him, before shrugging.

"Well, I do not answer to Caled," he says briskly as he begins to canter off ahead of the procession, abandoning his pretence, "Good luck stopping me."

"Vard's standards have fallen low indeed if your skills at diplomacy and deception are those of his average graduate," Falnis observes, turning his own horse to follow Calvorn. "I'm beginning to feel as if I may be overqualified for my job, if you represent the average agent I am up against... or would be were I do do anything illegal in Northern Thane, which of course I would never dream of doing with the Concordat in place."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:28, Tue 09 Apr 2019.

"Calvorn!" the man-at-arms calls angrily after the pair, unwilling to abandon the prisoners and injured to chase after them, "Calvorn! You will return at once!"

Calvorn shows no sign of hearing either Falnis or the man-at-arms, remaining obstinately silent as he accelerates his horse to a gallop.