"They all do," said Irgen before the man could answer, "and they're all resentful, too..."

Neide noted that Irgen had not actually released the grip of his hand on the man...

"Well, I can't say I don't sympathize", Neide replied, "In that particular case, at least"

She furrowed her brow, as she spotted that Irgen was still holding the stranger.

"Anyway, I think you can let our friend here, go, Irgen. There's nothing for us to do here - he's free to go"

"...Is he our friend? Maybe we should invite him inside for questioning..."

(What will Neide do now? A new CHR check, perhaps...?)

"Why?", Neide protested, "You heard it, it was all just an argument that got out of hand. Nobody got hurt - and the whole altercation was actually started by the College's guards. This man did nothing wrong. Let him go, Irgen."

Neide's voice grew sterner, as she was speaking...

OOC: 02:07, Today: Neide rolled 5 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 4,2.  CHR check.

(Ooops. Neide marks 1 xp...)

"They were just doing their job as they saw it," argues Irgen. "Maybe they were a little overzealous, maybe not. But he started it, by not taking 'no' for an answer in the first place. I'll grant you that no one got badly hurt-- because there was more than one guard nearby. But who knows what might've happened otherwise? And whose idea was this, anyway? Did someone put 'im up to this-- or at least put the idea in his head, maybe? Perhaps you're right, and it was just a misunderstanding. But I think Lieutenant Aekins would be interested in talking to this fellow for a bit, before we just let him go..."

Irgen looks like he's about to either strongarm the man inside... or else call for assistance... or both...

The man looks like he's just about ready to do something panicky, but first he waits to see what Neide does next...

Neide took a step closer to Irgen and the Westerner.

"Don't be ridiculous", she said, "Arguing about being allowed to take the exam at the College is *not* a crime. As for your suspicions about someone else being behind this - you can't be serious. I know you've had bad experience with Westerners, but you *are* reaching. I won't allow you to bully this man just because he's from the Isles..."

As she was speaking, she gestured at the Westerner in a manner suggesting that he should calm down and not do anything rash.

Irgen gets a particularly steely look in his eye. "Bully? Bully? I'm deadly serious, Neide. No, no terrible crime has been committed... but a thorough investigation may prevent one from happening... And somehow, I didn't think you were so soft." And he raises one eyebrow. "...Or is it that you've fallen for a pretty face...?"

"Nonsense!", Neide barked out angrily, as Irgen accused her of falling for the Westerner's looks.

She took a deep breath, then, trying to compose yourself.

"Listen to what you're saying, Irgen", she spoke up again, trying to sound calm, "A 'thorough investigation'? Because you suspect that this man might've been... inspired by someone to - what, try becoming a College-recognized bard? Again, this is absurd, Irgen. Stop that. What you're doing is... shameful."

(Hmmmmmm. I'm gonna say that this calls for a second CHR check...)

OOC: Here ya go!

22:02, Today: Neide rolled 6 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 1,6.

(Neide gains 1 new xp.)

"I admit it can be surprising what sorts of things can be political acts, but I think I know more about it than you do, Neide. And shameful? I'm just doing my job." Irgen takes a deep breath and raises his voice. "Lieutenant Aekins?! Front gate!"

The unauthorized bard once again gives Neide a panicky look-- even sharper this time than previously...

Neide barely managed to stop herself from cursing, as Irgen called for the Captain. Her fists clenched in anger, she walked over to the Westerner.

"Don't worry, I'll sort this out...", she whispered to him in a comforting manner.

She really hoped the man would get the clue and would not try running. In this situation, running would only cast further unnecessary suspicions on him...

"Really? Because it's not going well so far..." says the man.

The front doors open. Lieutenant Aekins comes out.

Lieutenant Aekins is female, about an inch taller than Neide, about 10 years older.

Lieutenant Aekins is not Neide's favorite person. "Irgen...?" Her eyes light up a bit when she sees the Westerner. "What have we here...?"

Neide didn't reply to the Westerner's comment. Instead, she stepped forward toward the Captain.

"A simple misundersting, Captain", she said quickly, "This man was trying to convince the people at the Bardic College to allow him to take the exam. There was an argument - and the guards attacked this man and chased him across town. We intervened and an understaning was reached. Irgen says we should retain this man for questioning, but I think it's absolutely excessive. The matter is solved, the man should be free to go. No reason to treat him with suspicion just because he's a Westerner..."

Lieutenant Aekins raises one eyebrow slightly, glances at Irgen, but says nothing.




The eyebrow raises higher, but still Lieutenant Aekins is quiet, just letting Neide continue.




Both eyebrows raise. Under other circumstances, Lieutenant Aekins'd be asking more questions at this point, but for now she's content to hear Neide out...




Lieutenant Aekins gets a bit of a look on her face. A bit more, anyway. Oh was it, it says. Another very fast glance at Irgen.


 

A very slight tilt of Lieutenant Aekins' head. He does, does he... it suggests she's thinking...




The eyebrows lower. The brow almost furrows. This is the first obviously negative sign on Lieutenant Aekins' expression.

...You would, it says.




"...And there, Neide, your logic fails you. I do not agree..." says Lieutenant Aekins...

"Why, Captain?", Neyde shook her head, "I don't understand. As I said, the man didn't do anything wrong - aside from getting into a fight with the guards at the College. Which, as far as I can tell, happened because the guards from the College overreacted..."

"I'll be the judge of whether there's been any wrongdoing or no," says Lieutenant Aekins. "There may be more to this than first appears. Good job, Irgen." She turns back to Neide. "Now, are you ready to stand down and go back to your duty, Neide? Or will this have to be difficult?" It's clear she means difficult for Neide, specifically...

Neide gave out a small, helpless sigh.

"I do not want to usurp your authority, Captain", she said, "It's just that I really don't think this man poses any kind of threat. Holding him for questioning... it just doesn't seem *just*, Captain..."

"Alara will decide what is just, Neide," Lieutenant Aekins says coldly.

Lieutenant Aekins is about to move the Westerner inside.

Neide senses, more than sees, a certain tension of body language... the Westerner is about to attempt something drastic.

What does Neide do?

At loss as to what she should do, Neide just turned to the Westerner. She gave him small, discrete headshake that said "Don't do it"...

He does it.

(GM rolls dice)

The Westerner's expression shows that he's convinced that he's quite likely to come back out of the front in nothing like the condition in which he'd be entering. Like lightning, Irgen gets an elbow to his head, hard and fast. He's not knocked out, but the Westerner is free, and he starts running down the dirt road to the south.

Lieutenant Aekins draws her sword, clearly about to give pursuit--and (since Irgen is still a bit stunned and trying to get his bearings for the next few seconds) she orders Neide to do the same: "--Neide! After him!"

Neide hesitated for a second... then, she sprinted after the Westerner.

She didn't know what she'd do if she caught him, though...

Neide and Lieutenant Aekins hurry after the Westerner.

He runs south for a short while, neither outpacing his pursuers nor allowing them to catch up... then there comes a moment where he has a choice-- to go right (west) into the woods (Alara's barracks are somewhat on the southwestern edge of Trevisi), or to go left (east), back into town.

He chooses left (east, toward the center of town).

Neide isn't sure if that'll make things harder or easier than if he'd gone the other way...

(STR check, please (because Dungeon World's definition of STR includes not only muscular strength but the general phrase "physical power"...))

20:13, Today: Neide rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,1.

(Neide gains 1 xp)

As Neide and Lieutenant Aekins are running up a street in the commercial district increasingly narrow with crates and boxes, Neide misses a step and falls. Her legs just couldn't keep up the pace.

(Neide takes 1 point of damage.)

Lieutenant Aekins looks over her shoulder and glares at Neide as if Neide had done it on purpose, but runs on.

In seconds, neither of them is in sight.