Say it with Flowers - In Character Discussions
As the group is gathered at Orchard House getting ready for their upcoming foray into the swamps, Widow Washburn is busily making food packages for them to put in their backpacks for the trip. Branwyn walks into the house and pats the Widow on the shoulder. “Thank you. Be sure that they get our fine apples and some vegetables in their packs too. They can’t go off with only pies and cakes. No matter what Sir Indigo says to the contrary.”
Smiling, she walked into what used to be her old library and saw that most of the group was already gathered. That was going to make things easier, she thought. “I’m glad that you are all here. I want to come over and wish you success and safe travels on your trip. I am going to be staying at Jistelle and calming Medoro for the next few weeks until the Queen arrives. No matter what Indigo says, I cannot wear the same dress I wore to the coronation for the upcoming visit and after Count Vampire Drake said he liked my blue dress, there was a small cantrip incident and I’m afraid my blue dress was turned to ash. So I simply must go shopping, as well as take care of other Court business.
From what I understand, this shall be a short travel through the swamps near Jistelle and you should all be back before you know it. This is Hoffman’s quest for his mastery and so he shall be leading you through it, along with Ilero’s superior swamp skills. I trust Hoffman completely and know that you are all safe in his hands.
I have taken the liberty of preparing the party pack for you to look at. Make any adjustments you deem necessary. I have given you all of our potions and scrolls to have at your disposal, except for a few arctic ones that I could not imagine would be necessary.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “You may also take the spyglass, as it should be of use to see trouble before it gets too close. All of you should take some of the wonderful food that Widow Washburn is making for you so you don’t have to count on dead frogs and alligators for meals the entire trip. Swamp trips should not require huge amounts of coinage, but you should all have your pocket change of 10 gold, silver and copper on your persons. I have put a few gems and gold into the pack in case more spending is required. Hoffman, if you see a need for more funds for travel in this leg of your journey, just let me know and we will arrange for it.
Ilero shall, no doubt, help you with navigating the swamps. But just as a friendly reminder, please try to stay out of the water as much as possible. Every time someone falls in or gets dragged in, you have to check for leeches and swamp disease and that is never a fun process. Speaking of the water, Indigo can carry the chest and the spyglass for you, but he will not be able to carry all the skiffs as well. I would seriously recommend that you take enough skiffs to transport you across the marshes. Skiffs are light and we have enough strong bodies that you should be able to drag them along with you. It is your decision, but from past swamp forays, it is what I would recommend. Indigo will carry some rope, but you may wish to have others take some as well.”
Walks over to Indigo and gives him a hug and quick kiss on the forehead. “You take care of everyone and come home safe. I will miss you.”
Blushing and wriggling away from Branwyn, he retorted, “I’m more worried about what kind of trouble you’re going to get into. No adventures by yourself. Just stay home and pick out dresses and do girly things,” he paused for a moment and looking at the floor said, “And I’ll miss you too.”
After Branwyn finishes, Hoffman clears his throat. I don't know what to say. I had not thought of myself as a leader. I just was helping you guys out. I certainly hope to do you proud. At least it's not an important mission, the most important thing is to make sure everyone comes back alive. I will have to count on anyone going with us to stay on track. Ileene, I hope you can consider us partners in this endeavor. Indigo, you will keep me in line and help keep the rest safe. We will do right by you Branwyn.
Branwyn turned and looked at Hoffman directly. “Hoffman, this is a very important mission! This is your weapons mastery and not something you can just do without trial. It is only fitting that you shall lead the group and they shall be there for you. Please do not think that I am staying home because I think light of your journey or that I do not wish to help you. That could not be further from the truth. It is because I do think that this is so important that I am doing this. And I do speak truthfully that there is much demanded of me here at Jistelle. When you return, if there is more to do for you to obtain your mastery, than I will gladly join you for anything and everything else this quest brings you.
And secondary to that, do not forget there is Fork as well. There is possible information in the swamps to help her learn who she is. Or at least her real name for a start. You will all do wonderfully and I shall look forward to hearing the stories.”
Branwyn sits down next to Shurkural to talk to her. “You have been very quiet since we’ve been back. I wanted to see if you had taken your grandfather’s sword to be re-forged yet. If you haven’t, it would my pleasure to take care of that while you are away. I know it won’t be exactly the same as it once was, but by using the original steel in the forging process your grandfather’s spirit will always live within it.
We have the equivalent of two magical long swords here at home. I believe Abu has taken one, but you should take the other if you can use it while we fix your sword. One is a magical long sword that Koorin took from the rude knight of the swamps. And the other one is actually a giant’s magical dagger, which for us is like wielding a long sword. I find the second far more amusing as a weapon and would take that one myself if it was my choice, but you may take either that suits you and Abu can take the other.
If you cannot wield a long sword, I shall make sure that you have some sort of weapon for close range fighting. We cannot send a ranger with your skills out with only your bow and a dagger.”
Shurkural smiles gamely. "Thanks, hon.. Marquessa Branwyn. It means a lot to me and my kin, this sword. It's been in the family a long time. I don't think there's anything we can do with it that'll make it back again. Unless there's a miracle worker out there, I'll want to take it home again. And I can probably make do with a long sword, but I'm better with the hand-and-a-halfers like this one."
Looking up from the chair where he was lounging and looking over a map of the area, Ilero listens to Branwyn's talk. "Yah, swamp not look too bad here. Skiffs good, need missile weapons defend wit'out getting off to fight. Take extra ammo, we leave on skiffs or stash wit' other baggage when going overland. Rope for tying up skiffs and pull in people fell overboard. Water easy finding. Clean water scarcer. Take plenty canteens and good pot we use and boil more water
At the campfire the fist night into the swamps, Hoffman tries to get everyone's attention without attracting any unwanted. "thanks for today. I may not have been at my best, maybe the tree did not need to be threatened by fire and maybe I could have handled the bullywogs better if I had been more awake. But I was certainly wrong to worry about Brawynn not being here. This is a fine group with it's own unique powers. Once we learn a little more about each other, I am sure there is nothing we can't handle. I especially want to thank all of you involved in saving Brother Foto. For a moment I thought we had lost him. I had seen Indigo survive similar attacks but I know how much tougher he is. Here is to a good day and a hopefully, quiet night."
conversations on the travels through civilized lands
Hoffman turns to Shur So are you saying you can't track a carisge? Don't want to even try?
Shurkural smiles, "Oh, I can try, sugar. But roads don't keep sign too well, and they've got tons of existing marks already on them, so it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack."
Hoffman starts talking to the hunchback before the spell wears off. "I understand you can hear me" looks to Brawynn for confirmation "Anyway, what you might have seen is we can take care of ourselves. We simply came to get back three special tulip bulbs, I am sure you know which ones, that do not belong here. We did not think we would have to kill to get them back, but we do what we have to. You give us what we came for and we will leave, it's that simple. Like some of your group, we are not from around here and just want to set things straight and leave the rest to the locals to handle. The easier on us, the easier for you."
After stepping away from the Hunchback, Hoffman speaks quietly with Brawynn. "I hope you are in agreement with me that we are not here to rob this place. While this is not mercenary work, I want to treat it as business and keep focused on the goal. It makes us look better in the eyes of the local. I just want to give the blubs back, tell the owner what happened and hope he offers a bulb as a reward. Anyone but you have an issue with that, you can have them talk with me. I'd appreciate some company to take the blub back for my training but understand if you or anyone else has other things to do."
Walks back over to Hunchback. "What do you can? Can you blink once for yes?"
After waiting a couple of moments with no response Hoffman checks the ground until the spell expires. There is a large planting bed with a marble border. That is where the mage that left indicated they put the stolen bulbs.
Finally the spell holding the hunchback in place wears off. He blinks and stretches a bit. Holding his hands up he says "I don't want any trouble from you. I just wanted to get something for a girl." Hoffman watches impassively and Branwyn snorts. "It is true, I am in love with a girl but she won't even look at me. I figure if I can create something special for her then she will notice me. Then I heard Johan had something he was working on so I thought rather than waiting, maybe I should just take it. Say it with flowers and impress her you know?"
Shakes head "I do not know this girl, but do you think she will like the fact that you stole something for her? I do not think so. Maybe we can help you if you help us out of here. Let's start by taking care of these blubs and taking them back to their proper home.
"Look at me, do you think I can get a beautiful young girl looking like this? She will never look at me if I do not have something substantial. Besides we did not hurt anyone in what we did. We came in the middle of the night and took what we wanted. It was only because that groundsman woke up too early that the fire even started. Everything was just fine."
"Then you come in here and look at what you did!" Points to the pile that used to be the mage in the red cloak. "You disintegrated him! And what did you do with my guards? What did you do with Pounce and Dram?"
Looks around worriedly, "And now you say you want me to just hand over these bulbs and what? It looks to me that as long as I have them then you have to keep me alive."
Ilero listens to the conversation with one ear, clicking his tongue in amusement at the man's delusions of safety. While the discussion goes on, he moves from planter to planter, looking inside any boxes or containers that might be there, and checking the planters for hidden drawers or containers attached to the undersides. Shurkural keeps watch over the entryway to make sure nobody tries to sneak up or ambush them.
Branwyn listens to the story hardly believing what she is hearing. She looks around at the group for signs that they see how ridiculous this story is. Hoping that Hoffman will not be too angry with her for saying what she feels so desperately needs to be said, she begins.
“Not only are you a poor thief, but a poor liar as well. Do you think you can just tell us a sad story about unrequited love and all will be forgiven? What you are saying is so absurd I almost don’t even know where to begin. But I will try.
Firstly, are you really trying to say that it is the groundskeeper’s fault one of your mages for hire set fire to Lord Johann’s farm?” she tosses her hand up to her forehead in a dramatic gesture and cries, “Oh, if the man we shot with a dart of sleeping poison hadn’t woken up, we wouldn’t have had to try to burn the entire farm to the ground. It was all his fault. I swear to it!”
Branwyn’s eyes narrow and she looks pointedly at the hunchback. “You say you hurt no one in what you did? You are lucky you did not kill anyone and you have hurt a number of people. You didn’t ‘just’ take what you wanted. If you wanted to impress a girl, why not just take the special bulbs? You took 400 of the regular bulbs as well, stealing all of Lord Johann’s income. Including the damage you did to his farm, he would have been ruined.
Then, you planted an exploding trap on his shed. If someone had simply rushed inside, they would be dead. But because we are a little more careful than that, you only ended up injuring three people with that little trick.
But were you finished with your little love quest? Oh no. There was more damage you needed to inflict. You placed 100 of the stolen tulip bulbs in the shed of Lord Johann’s neighbor and stole his boots to make tracks. You wanted him to be blamed for your theft, knowing full well what the punishment for tulip theft is here in Lyon. You tried to frame him that would ensure his death and you say you have done no harm?”
Pausing, she looked back at what was left of the red cloaked mage. “As far as your hireling over there? He was not disintegrated. He was simply chewed up and not swallowed. When a mage does the damage that yours had done, both endangering the lives of Lord Johann and his staff and us here just now, I need to do what has to be done to protect myself and my friends. Hoffman Miranda and Indigo were incapacitated at the door and targets for death. I needed to make sure that did not happen.
Some of your guards did not fare so well, others are just fine. It is a true testament to your virtue and character that they are not coming to your rescue. Furthermore, I have not seen any cats since we arrived and so I have no idea where Pounce and Dram are or where they may be hiding.
But you are really worried about us keeping you alive. Keep you alive? I would not touch a hair on your head. No, no. You need not fear death at my hands. If I were you, I would be more worried what will happen to your life when Lord Johann and the Baron find out about your thievery. Hand Hoffman the tulips now and we can say that you felt remorse and returned them. Refuse? Perhaps most of us just stay here continuing this nice chat, while one goes back to Lord Johann and tells him where he can find his tulips. But I only speak for myself. Perhaps Hoffman has other plans for you.”
Hoffman sighs "After all this time, you think I have a plan. I have learned to have goals and to pursue them, I follow the guidance of a few like yourself Brawynn, but I do not have plans. We will take the tulip bulbs back to their proper owner. This gentleman, if you are, will determine how that happens. it can be with his help or despite his resistance. I have offered him help and council and await his choice. But we shall not wait long.
The hunchback looks at Branwyn and Hoffman. He looks at his garden and results from the battle. With a deep sigh he says "Ok I will give you the bulbs we took from Johan as long as you leave with them and do not do any more damage." He indicates the long bed with the freshly overturned dirt that has the marble border around it.
{Branwyn and Ilero talking as they walk down a corridor in the Keep, when Branwyn spies Hoffman at the end of the hallway.}
Branwyn laughs. “Those are excuses women use to make men go away. You can’t use them on women!”
Coughs and says in a deep voice, “Sorry Majesty, Hye canst save kingdom from ruins just now. Gots go wash hairs. Mebbe next time we do mission, eh?” Branwyn grins. “How was that? We’ll see how that goes over. Look, there's Hoffman. Come on, let's see what the plan is.”
Waves at Hoffman at the end of the corridor and hurries down to meet him before he can get away. “There you are! I was going to start packing for the next swamp trip and wanted to see what you had planned for us. From what Indigo said, it seemed like quite the eventful journey. Did you want us to bring you there and leave and come back to escort the new Master of Axes home? Or did you want us to camp out in the swamps for a couple weeks or months and wait? Do you think your Master would mind that?” as a sudden realization hit her, she paused for a moment and then started again.
“Oh … well, I was thinking of going this time. If you don’t mind of course. I was just thinking that since I have a water protection spell and you have a precious delivery, that I might come in handy this time around.”
"oh I am afraid I was counting on you going. Someone needs to lead the troops back, and I would not expect or even want anyone to wait for me. The swamps are not fun, certainly not a place any of us want to stay. Who knows how long or what I will have to do next. I just look forward to be done with this goal, one way or another. Then we will see where life takes us." Hoffman keeps wandering.
Qui Fon starts to talk as the group walks away from the Air Ship. "it's hard to call it a vision when we all saw it, but I think I have seen our future. I know this group is founded as mercenaries but some of us are unofficial and just travelers running in the same circle. We all do travel a bit and with the added connection and responsibility to the Queen, we should be thinking bigger. maybe it is just my destiny, but I see us with our own DragonSlayer AirShip
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