In reply to Evzen (msg # 33):

The riders seem to care little for your cries of warning Evzen.  They simply stream into the area, pulling their mounts up short.  One even gallops up right at you and then stops, making his horse rear just paces from the both of you.

The fool laughs at you from his horse top and then pulls it around.  You catch sight of the symbols on his robe.  Not only Fengheld's nine coins symbol but also the dirk of the Ash Gild.  The feckin' Ash Gild.  Some of the magi belong to it. And all the men that serve them wear the patch.  And they're wankers.  Every.  Last. One of 'em.

Wankers.

As you make the wall, another horse trots up.  Though this one's approach is slower, it's more like creeping-up-to-kill-you slow.  Not just-here-to-bid-you-good-day slow.

Atop the horse is a woman.  Slightly older.  Not pretty.  Big wart on the side of her nose.  Hair cut short like a man's.  And she's a maga.  You can just tell cos of...you know.  How they all are.

She stops her horse not far from you and stares at the both of you with a hard look.  She then nods at the crate.

"You said that's a magi's crate.  Whose?"

Though you've never seen her, you both think this might be Gertrude.  She's one of those magi who likes to throw fire around.

The rain is starting to fall more heavily now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:35, Thu 30 Mar 2023.

Leonard shifts the weight of the crate to relieve Evzen a little so he can answer the maga.

Wulfgang grabs the one marked with the red flower inside the green circle, not the one with a green circle at the base.  He struggles mightily to carry it on his own.

He has the sudden feeling that time is short…

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 36):

Wulfgang, the box isn't much of a struggle weight wise.  In fact, it's quite light.  Almost like it might be empty.

As you turn to go down the row, you hear something behind you.  A soft voice, somewhat like a child's.

...that's not it...

Evzen's definitely not happy that these horsemen seem to think he's a plaything.  He determined to redouble his efforts to find his way out of Fengheld.

The best way to do that isn't to cause an altercation...but somethings cannot stand

"Whose?  If it didn't matter before your horsemen almost rode us down, would it matter in arrears, great Maga?  If my mistress wanted you to know, I am certain you would.  Or perhaps we are on loan?  Regardless, you or you men may follow us; we head there now, unless of course we are prevented...though I cannot see how that would avail any of us.  We simply seek to cross the courtyard; futher information is not ours to give, which I am certain that you understand.  No doubt you would not have any other maga demanding answers from your retinue?"

He pauses only a moment for an answer, and then [If none immediately]

"Kurt, Klaus - Follow us.  Leonard - we go, heave-up, forward!"

[If there is more from the Maga, then of course he waits; she is a Maga, after all.]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Fri 31 Mar 2023.

Leonard let out a hoarse cough but otherwise kept a stoic façade.  He was not clever of tongue like the little Czech but internally he wished he was anywhere else right now, even back to that terrible day in Magdeburg.

Wulfgang puts down the box quickly and turns around.  “Who said that?”

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 40):

"Your "Mistress"?  And someone who lets her servants get away with an attitude?  Margildt then I wager?"

She laughs.  "You at least have balls.  I give you that."

And, as if she lost interest in you, she wheels her horse around and starts barking orders to her horsemen.

Evzen and Leonard, you scurry off across the courtyard, followed by your fellows.  You begin the back breaking work of lugging the crates up the stairs and laying them where the maid told you to.

Time to go back and retrieve those last two crates...and maybe the fifth one.  Assuming Wulfgang found it.

Going back across the courtyard or interior route?

---

...who said what?..

...maybe I said it...

...or maybe me!..

...well it wasn't me!..

There's a tiny sound of lots of what sounds like tiny children giggling Wulfgang

...if you want us to help you, we can...

...but if you don't...

...we can't be liable for the consequences...

"Inside and make sure the way is clear?' the big man asks Evzen.

"Yes, Leonard" agrees Evzen - He was thrilled that he escaped being roasted alive by the maga - but had no wish to try his luck again... "I think the halls are a better path right now." 

Stone faced, Leonard nods.

Confused, Wulfgang puts down the apparently empty box and tries picking up the other one.

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 45):

...thatonethatonethatone!  definitely that one!...

...dunno.  i kinda liked the other one better...

...can you hold them both up?  let us see which one goes better with your outfit?..

The three little voices burst out into laughter.

The new box feels...empty.  Like there's nothing inside.  The other one wasn't heavy per se.  But there had been a feeling of something in it.  This one feels just...well...empty Wulfgang

---

The four of you trek through the halls of Fengheld, marching up the servant's corridor like a gang of ruffians on the hunt for good beer.

Which, in a way, you are.

But work first.

You get to the northwest tower...

And there's an issue.

The riders who almost waylaid you in the courtyard are now filling the tower hall.  But they seem to be facing off against a pack of men dressed in browns and grays, all of whom have the smile of a wolf.  Gundren's Gargoyles.

The riders are glowering at the Gargoyles, who are glowering right back.  You seem to have walked into a pissing contest of some type.

For those of you who have gamed with me before...I'm pretty bad at maps.  Inkarnate makes it a bit better.  But...

See below.  "R" is a rider.  "G" is a Gargoyle.  The thugs not the D&D monster.  "LG" and "LR" are Loud Gargoyle and Loud Rider respectively.



One of the Gargoyles and one of the Riders stand in the middle of the two groups, hands on hips, sneering at each other.

"Maybe if you're mother hadn't had a thing for pigs, you wouldn't smell like that Ansel."

The Loud Gargoyle barks a laugh and responds to the Loud Rider's taunt.  "She had more taste than to fuck your wife, Harold."

Both sides are chortling.  And also cracking their knuckles.

(lol youse guys)

Evzen puts out his left arm like a coach driver steadying his passengers - whoa there, men.  Leonard, you ever meet a bear in the forest?" He whispers.  "You stay calm, you back away quietly, and you only fight if you can't run.  Back away my boys, baaaaaaack aaaaaaway..."

Leonard half growls as he looks at the two gangs squaring up to dare a punch.  He rasps to Evren, "You have a witty tongue, maybe convince them to 'Let's you and him fight? They'll be at it until lunchtime otherwise."

Wulfgang changes his mind and once again grabs the box he originally chose.  Then he heads out and tries catching up to the others.

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 49):

...wait...that's the right box...stop it...

...hey!  there's beer over here!  come have some!..

...he he he he...you guys are so lame...

Wulfgang, as you move towards the front, the grumpy guy is throwing knives again.  He turns to stare at you, and then garumphs.

"Ya better not have gotten them damn goblins all riled up."

---

Evzen and Leo...I'll give you a shot.  You can try to "back away" without attracting attention.  One of you give me a stress Stealth/Pre roll please.

Leonard looks for an opportunity to move across the room.


16:42, Today: Leonard rolled 2 with the Ars Magica stress die.  botch.

16:41, Today: Leonard rolled 0 (possible botch) with the Ars Magica stress die.  stealth.

In reply to Leonard (msg # 51):

Yeah. That dog's not gonna hunt.

Perhaps it's just bad luck.  Or perhaps it's just the fact that Leonard moves like a dancing bear tip toeing across a chicken coop.  But the eyes of every Gargoyle and every Rider swivel towards your little group.

There's a moment of awkward silence.

Then the Rider points your way Leonard.  Or maybe at you Evzen.  It's hard to tell.

"See?  Lots of people come through this hall.  It's common ground for all of us."

He smirks at the Gargoyle.  "So stop with your foolishness, will you?"

The Gargoyle glowers then then turns and sets himself firmly in the middle of the hall.

"This hall's for the masters.  What's the likes a' you lot comin' through here for?"

Wulfang somewhat disingenuously looks at Grumpy like he’s crazy, then continues out with the box in order to try to catch up with the others.

"Does it look like we're on a fucking stroll?" Leonard rasps at the Gargoyle leader, "We've got work to do.  You gonna keep wasting our time or clear out?"

01:38, Today: Leonard rolled 7 using 1d10.  Leadership (intimidation) 5.

In reply to Leonard (msg # 54):

Lead Gargoyle scowls harder at you Leonard.  But Lead Rider throws back his head and laughs.  A guffaw so hearty it echoes around the ceiling.

"Well said Man!  You can cross through on our side if you want.  I have no quarrel with you."

Gargoyle studies you both.  "Oh.  Yeah.  You're those wankers who work for Mistress Margildt.  I thought I smelled something useless.  Don't try to impress me boy.  At least not until your balls drop."

"I always heard you were interested in other men's sacks Wilhelm.  Nice to know it was true."

All the riders, and even a couple of gargoyles, kind of chuckle on that one.

You guys taking the rider up on his offer to cross around on the other side of his people?

Leonard nods and leads the way crossing behind the rider leader.  He does however keep an eye on the Gargoyles, expecting a fight.

Evzen plays it all off, passing behind the riders with Leonard, as though nothing is happening...

In reply to Evzen (msg # 57):

You can hear the Lead Gargoyle mutter, "Margildt's Mules.  We'll talk later..."

Gonna wrap this up for now.  We'll pick this up later in the game...maybe

Wulfgang has found the mysterious fifth crate.  The rain abates and while it's a slog, you manage to get all the crates up to Margildt's tower...and then spend the rest of the afternoon having to clean up all the mud you tracked in.

If there trombones had been invented yet, you'd be hearing them go wah-wah

If you have anything you want to add here as your Grog self, go ahead.  If not, I will remove the characters from you tomorrow.

Thanks.