Chapter 7 - Sneaking Back to Brem

[Dom]

You pack your things and head back to Brem. You travel quickly and discreetly, walking a bit off the path to the town. You circle around the town and turn back to arrive from the west. Hilgrim leads you behind the waterfall to his secret path. As you advance in the small cavern behind the water you see a small figure step in front of you weapon at the ready. It is a small human boy with a wooden sword and buckler and a metallic cooking pot as a helmet.

Hilgrim you recognize him as Kevan; one of the local farmer's boy and he's 10 years old. He looks defiantly at you and the group and shouts with his squeaky boyish voice over the rush of the waterfall:
"Hoi Hilgrim! Ye knoow you can't pass here anymore. It's our territory. Since you got that job with Balduin ye ain't one of us anymoore."

((Note: You were working for Balduin for the last two years. But when you stopped coming to play with the kids at the playground they became upset with you.))

[Dom]

((Originally posted by Lexx))

Turghar looks at the boy and says:

Hello captain, we need your help. You see, I've been attacked by a monster. We fought valiantly, but I was hurt. We need to go town and come back here to rest. Can you make sure no other monsters come this way? You have to make sure our captive here named Graveshroud doesn't run away until we get back. Mordecai here will help you guard him.

I like this boy, he has spirit. Reminds me of the kids from my village.

[Dom]

((Originally posted by Xerses))

Graveshoud looks at the boy with a scowl on his face and bears his teeth...

Just let me kill the little bastard and get it over with, you need to get by and this is a huge waste of time.

Graveshoud puts his hand on his mace and starts to pull it from his belt.

[Pat]

Graveshroud! Leave this kid alone!

Looking at the small child:

Kevan! Boy am I happy to see you!

OK, are Timak and Cowin around? You need to get them for a council gathering. You remember when we were preparing for the "ultimate mission"? The time is here... We need to execute operation "Hard Skull"...

Hilgrim looks deeply in Kevan's eyes and hopes that he cooperates...

This is great if we can have those kids help us getting what we need from town...

[Dom]

Kevan first looks terrorized by Graveshroud but he still points his wooden sword shakily at him as the dark cleric approaches. Thankfully, Hilgrim intervenes and puts himself between them. Kevan looks right back at Hilgrim and at the mention of "the ultimate mission" and "operation Hard Skull" his eyes open wide and fill up with lights and stars. He seems overjoyed with excitement and speaks almost too quickly.

"Boyohboy! Yes sir! Right now sir, I'll find Timak and Cowin right away mate." As he leaves toward town you can still hear him say: "Hoi! This is gonna be the greatest day of ma life!"

[Flagdan]

La veille, a l'auberge ...

Ca va les gardes, pas besoin de generer de la violence, y'en a eu deja assez comme ca aujourd'hui. Je vais co-operer, mais je vous dis tout de suite, je connais pas le serial killer. Il s'est joint a notre groupe ce matin meme, mais juste pour venir ici a la ville. On le lui faisait pas confiance, et avec raison. Je crois qu'il nous aurait trahit a la premiere occasion. On aurait fini comme le pauvre Parvay, dieu est son ame, son totem et son mirroir.

La raison pourquoi on la suivi, c'est qu'il nous a dit qu'il cherchait un moulin. Justement, je suis presque mort y'a quelques jours a un moulin, par de gros rats completement anormaux. On voulait comprendre qu'elle etait le motif du grand bonhomme jaune. Y'a t-il un lien entre les rats et sa presence ici ? Je me le demande bien. Qui est-il ? D'ou vient-il, se terrible geant des nouveaux temps?

[torgo]

Looking over to Graveshroud :

The fuck is wrong with you! I dont know what batshit country you're from but we dont kill children around here. If you ever touch a kid i'll kill you... Twice!

[Xerses]

Looking back at Mordecai, his face still as if carved in stone. He then replies in a calm even tone...

There are no children, no old people, no women, nor men... there are only others. Others either help, or hinder you on your path to accomplishing your goals.

He pauses one second and continues in a even calm manner...

We have a goal, to get your man back. Seth has set my goal and it involves you so I am with you, but do not question my methods. Seth tests our courage, other times he boulsters it, other times he sets choices before you. You may find them difficult, I do not. In this case we needed to move forward to our goal and an "other" was hindering our path. The quick solution was my choice, the other solution which you took, cost us 5 minutes and possibly cost us the only opportunity to free your man. Now we will not know until you get to him and it could cost you all.

Do not threaten me because you think differently than Seth. Battle does not scare me. What bothers me is one who cannot take action to get to where he knows he must go.

[Dom]

Fifteen minutes later Kevan comes back with Timak and Cowin. They all look pretty excited and you guess that Kevan told them what this was about.

Kevan talks first and asks: "Hilgrim! I assembled the troops. How do we go about tha plan?"

[Pat]

BEFORE the kids come back, Hilgrim goes through the "todo" list with Turghar, Mordecai and Graveshroud...

We'll have those kids help us getting some information and anything helpful for going back to Akban.

We need something to help Turghar to heal. What would be the best? More clean linen? Healing potion? I think I have a sort of healing poultice back at home... They could go get it. And they could say to mama that I'm OK...

Do we need more rations?

As for Elddyn and Popakee, they could go snoop around the barracks and tell us if they're locked in... We'll then figure out a way to help them.

When the trio arrives, Hilgrim goes to them and while giving them a sort of secret handshake, he tells them how happy he is to see them.

Kevan, Timak, Cowin, we need your help. It's "Hard Skull" time... We've been preparing for many years for this. Your are now ready.

- Cowin, you will do the first task: you need to go to the barracks and figure out who's been arrested lately.

- Timak, the second task is to go to the Inn and ask the Innkeeper ((does he have a name?)) if he needs help with cleaning up the rooms that are empty. This would let you check for our friends.

- Kevan, the last task is to go to my house and try to find a small green bottle in the kitchen. Hilgrim moves in closer and whispers: If you see my mama, tell her everything is OK and that her big boy will come back soon...

He quickly describes the looks of Popakee and Elddyn and sets them off for their mission. As he watches them leave, he shouts: And bring us a couple of bread loafs!