Session 4, Brawling, Chickens, and Prison
Paldegora
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Session 4 – 2022-12-30
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I’m back from my walk. Felt good to get the blood flowing again. Let’s see, where were we…
The party entered the constables office, turned in the form that Sam gave them along with the magical items. Sergeant Harris had these items locked up and gave them receipts indicating that he had received them and was holding them. The party exited the office. Eryn glanced over her shoulder to see where the key was placed. Sergeant Harris placed it on a keyring on his belt. The party decided that their next step should be to seek out Elmer Salister, the person who hired them and brought them here. They needed to make sure they were on time and when he wanted to leave. That will let them know how much time they have to try to get word to Dan's sister, Shea. They decided to start at the Dog Butt and headed there.
Once inside, Eryn went to the bar to speak to the individual running the bar, Dogger Butternut himself. She greeted him and ask if he knew Elmer Salister. He did but hadn't seen him today. He shouted for Tommy, a young man that apparently ran most of the errands around here. He asked Tommy if he had seen Elmer and he hadn't. He asked about his wagon still being outside and Tommy indicated it was. He tasked him with finding Elmer and letting him know that theIr were people in the inn asking for him. Eryn asked for some coffee and moved over to the fire to sit in its warmth. Others ordered coffer and soon it arrived and they drank it while waiting for Elmer. Symon had hot tea of course. He was told it’s a special blend of Kyra’s. Francesca asked where she could find it and the server told her where Kyra’s shop was.
While sipping their drinks and waiting on Elmer, or word from Elmer, to arrive, three loud men entered the inn. Gathering from what Dogger said to them, they are the Haazel brothers, one is named Ed. Dogger told them to behave themselves. They went to a table and sat down. On the way there, they looked at the Company and made some sort of comment to each other and laughed. The server came over to their table and they ordered coffee. They kept murmuring to themselves as they looked in the Company's general direction and then laughed again. After a very short time of this, they started openly taunting the Company, Xor to be more precise. They had coffee sent to the party’s table in a fake attempt to befriend them. Then they moved around the Company and openly harassed them some more.
Finally, they took a cup of coffee and poured it over Xor's head. Xor showed great restraint by not killing Ed on the spot. Eryn didn't show the same restraint. She got up and moved around behind Ed and dumped her coffee over his head. He quickly turned and grabbed her and then tried to plant a kiss on her. She blocked him from kissing her by putting her coffee mug between his face and hers. He then smacked her hard and knocked her into a table. She let out a horrifying scream as part of her attempt to present herself as the innocent little girl being beaten up by the big bad man. Xor finally got up, and so did everyone else. Xor traded hits with Ed. Francesca was attacked by Mert. She eventually managed to cloak him, wrapping her cloak around his head and upper body forcing him to the floor. Matt went after Symon and hit him once. Cal-El move a little away from the group and got Matt to attack him, never swinging back. During this time, Symon moved to the front door to call out for guards.
As Symon opened the door, guards started pouring in along with Sergeant Harris. He order the fighting to stop. Eryn, upon seeing the guard, fell away from Ed as if hit again, crying and bloodied. No one threw another punch. Apparently, in this town, even defending yourself from being attacked is against the law. The Company was rounded up with the Haazel’s and all taken to the jail. They were ordered to turn in their armor and valuables and then marched to some cells where they were placed for the rest of the day and night. Francesca and Symon were locked away separately from the rest, it’s assumed, because they are magic users. Eryn, Cal-El, and Xor ended up in a large room and the Haazel’s were locked up in a cage within that room. They told the Company how they planned to give them a good thrashing after they get out of here. Eryn replied, the Company would be happy to fight it out but suggested that they at least leave the town proper so they can fight without being arrested. Ed said, “Hey, that's a good idea! We'll get you later when your leaving!”. Eryn said, “We look forward to that!”. Everyone picked spots to sit and rested for the rest of the time they were there.
The next morning, Sergeant Harris came to escort everyone to the court room. The Company entered and sat, waiting on the second row. The Haazel brothers were brought in next and sat on the front row. Captain Murdock was present and has a scar on his face. Sir Charles was writing, paused and looked at everyone and then returned to his writing. Lieutenant Wright entered the room and gave Sir Charles a report exclaiming that it had happened again. Sir Charles glanced over the report and slammed it down being visibly angry. He said that he was fed up with this. He asked how many many more last night to which the lieutenant answered, at east 10. Several different farms were hit. Sir Charles declared that anyone caught stealing chickens would suffer the ultimate penalty. He ordered the lieutenant to post a 500 gold piece reward for information leading to the capture and arrest of whoever or whatever is stealing all these chickens.
Sir Charles asked for a report on the incident before him today. The lieutenant handed him a report stating that he had talked to Dogger and the report had all of the information. The lieutenant left the room. Sir Charles then read through the report, looked up and said, “You three!”. He continued reading and the door opened again and another man entered the room. Sir Charles looked up and refered to this man by his first name, Benjamin. Warden Benjamin Blackmoore asked if he was interrupting. Sir Charles told him he wasn’t. The warden asked if he needed to get some accommodations ready for some people. “We’ve always got more room, you know that!”. Sir Charles replied, “That remains to be seen!”. The warden said, “I’ve got space, especially for you three that I’ve been holding open for you for a while now.”. The warden was about 30, is handsome, with a twinkle in his eye and a slight smile on his face as he looked around at everyone. He took special notice of the two ladies with a smile, and a raised eyebrow. He said, “If you need me to take them off your hands, I’m always here to do that. “. Sir Charles replied, “I know warden.”. He then asked, “What can I do for you this morning?”. Warden Blackmoore replied, “The reason I came in this morning was, Mott finished the books. I have the budgetary reports for last year and the projections for next year. He got them done early and I wanted to get them to you as quickly as possible cause I know you wanted to see em!”. Sir Charles says, “That’s great! I appreciate that. Just leave ’em here and I’ll go over ’em!”. The warden said, “Very well! I’ll leave you to it then and get back to the prison!”. On his way out, he turned and looked at all of the prisoners and gave them a smile and a wink and then out the door he went.
Finally, Sir Charles turned his attention to the matter at hand. He addressed the Haazels first. He told them he was tired of fooling with them. They tried to claim the Company started it but he had reports that said the opposite. He finally settled on full restitution to Dogger, 200 gold piece fine, and house arrest for 30 days. They were to be escorted back to their mother at the farm. He said, “I know she’ll deal will you three.”. He told them that they aren't to leave their farm for 30 days. If they leave the farm for any reason, they’ll go to prison. While they are there, they are to make use of that time to remake all of the furniture that they damaged and give that to Dogger Butternut. It had better be of the good quality they destroyed or he’ll throw them in prison. They are also banned from Dogger’s tavern for 6 months. The brothers started to protest that but backed down quickly. Sir Char;es said, “If they‘d been drunk this time, they’d have gone to prison.”. Sir Charles added, “Judgement passed!”, as he banged the gavel. He had the guards escort them out with orders to take them home and tell their mother that he apologizes but she needed to do something with them. They were taken out the door. Symon resisted the urge to cluck like a chicken.
Captain Murdock ordered the Company to stand up and move forward. Sir Charles then turned his focus to the Company. He said, ‘I don’t know you!”, and asked what we were doing in his town. Eryn explained, “We were their to assist an Elmer Salister.”. He did a double take with Captain Murdock. He then asked how we got mixed up with that bunch, referring to the Haazels. Francesca explained, “ We were in the tavern, getting coffee, when the big burley one came over and poured a whole cup of coffee on Xor’s head, as she pointed to Xor! “That’s how it started!”, she said, “We didn’t do a thing!”. Charles indicated that he wasn’t surprised. Eryn added her two bits, stating that we were hired and here to help Elmer and that a young man named Tommy had been sent to find Elmer and let him know we were their. Sir Charles told us their were laws in this town against brawling. Sir Charles said that he understood that only a couple of us were throwing punches. Francesca replied, “Only after the first one was thrown at them!”. Sir Charles said, “That’s what the report says!”.
It was then that the door opened an an older man entered the room. Sir Charles referred to him as Elmer and greeted him. Elmer apologized for being late and said that he came to vouch for the party. Sir Charles asked if Elmer knew the party. Elmer said, “No, I don’t know ‘em but they’re here, in town, because of me!”. He told Charles that he’d sent a request that he needed escorts to get his wagons safely north. He said, “You know how bad the roads have become up that way.”. Charles told him that he could have asked him for guards to which Elmer replied that he knew that Charles really didn’t have the men to spare, with everything else that is going on. He appreciated the offer but he felt it was best, and his wife felt it best that he get some help. He said, “I asked Allistar to send ’em!”. Charles didn’t look happy about that. “Allistar?”, he said. Elmer said that he owed him some favors to which Charles replied, “That’s an understatement!”. He finally said that since the Company was here to help Elmer, and since they didn’t really start this thing, he gave them 30 days, suspended sentence. He handed the company over to the custody of Elmer, and he said that he better not hear another peep out of the party while they were in his town. “Is that understood?”, he asked! Francesca and Xor both replied ”Yes”. Charles then said, “If that’ll do it, I have other things to do!”. He reminded the guards to post the order around town. He wanted the chicken thief in by the end of the week. The guards replied, “Yes sir!”. He dismissed the court and left the room and Captain Murdock left with him.
The party went back to Sergeant Harris' office and retrieved our armor and valuables. They left the jail with Elmer and found out that his wagons were loaded and he was ready to go but would wait and give us a night to get some rest before leaving Frosthaven. Symon asked him about the chickens. He told us that all of the farmers are talking about it and that it is cutting into the food supply now. He said that chicken dinners are getting kind of expensive. Symon asked if it was something happening in this town only or if it was happening everywhere in this region. He didn’t know but on further thought, realized that he was missing some chickens on his farm as well. He didn’t know it was way out of the ordinary expected losses though. He is staying at the Dog Butt and asked if we wanted to return there. Francesca asks about Kyra’s shop. Elmer tells her where it’s is. He then returns to the inn.
Francesca and Eryn headed to Kyra’s shop. Symon went to the Rogers Mercantile. Cal-El and Xor went back to the Dog Butt. Symon picked up some rations and noted the wood working shop across the way that might have bows and arrows. Francesca and Eryn entered Kyra’s shop and began talking to her only to have David lose connection. While waiting on him to get back into the game, Francesca walked around the shop, looking at what Kyra had in stock and also for any people other than her in the shop. As she passed by windows, she also looked outside to see if anyone was outside. David did eventually make it back online. Francesca and Eryn spoke with Kyra after verifying that she was alone. Francesca tried to buy some Holly Berries but Kirra was reluctant to sell them. Eryn pulled out the note that Dan had given them with the stamped signet image on the wax seal and showed it to her. Seeing the seal, and finding out that we were recently with Dan made her relax around us. Eryn hid the note again. Francesca was able to buy the berries she needed.
Francesca and Eryn found out that Kyra’s sister is also in jail and she wanted to get a message to her. She still has two more years on her sentence. She did know a hidden way into the prison as it used to be the warehouse her father ran. She told us of an entrance in a small cave down my the river just south of her shop. Inside the cave, there is a natural tunnel that leads to the prison. She asked that if we entered the prison, if we would deliver a message to Fran. She said she had tried but they don’t let anyone in. She had also talked to Father Nathanial and he was unable to get in as well. Eryn told her that if we entered the prison, we would attempt to get word to her sister Fran. She wanted them to tell her that she misses her and that she’s been trying to see her but that they won’t let her.
Eryn asked her about these new rules but Kyra only knows that everything has changed ever since that strange man came through, the Ahn priest. The Ahn priest had a book on him and once Sir Charles got that book, everything changed. She said that everything he is doing is not like him. She said she can tell by looking at him that this stuff is coming from a place of fear. She is not sure what could scare him into acting like this. They tell her that they are leaving very soon and may not have time to try and get in to the prison. She also warned Eryn about Warden Blackmoore. He and his men are no ordinary guards. There is something more going on there. Francesca also bought some of her tea blends.
They left and headed to the Blacksmith's business. As they approaches, they saw a young woman working on swords. She was attractive but also tough looking, dirty, and sweaty. As Eryn and Francesca approached , she took up a rag and wiped sweat off of her face. This is where we stopped for this session.
Don't forget to start the recorder.