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lady

The bigg'un was quiet for a monent, then two ... her hood moving to her two companions before returning its blank shadowed front to Keiko.

" ... perhaps ... after our market ... we would not dissuade you from following."

Keiko

It was a moment to stand at the crest of a wave, knowing the wave had only one place to flow onto the shore. Here and now, it was only about finding the next current... the next wave.

Keiko nodded to Lady. “I will trust your guidance and that of Renyard to behave as a proper guest in your home.”

The young woman needed to trust her instincts now, instincts honed over a lifetime of communicating with the Cards — first the training Decks, and then her own Deck as she had painstakingly painted each Card. She turned to look at the healer.

“Please, Lady Bekkah... come with me, come with us. If there is anything, even some small thing, that you might do to help my friend, I so humbly ask that you try.”

This was a different feeling than she had when Grandfather had been so ill. He knew, they all knew, that it was his time to make that final journey. The Coverners at least understood that death was an inevitable part of life — every this is so in the World is balanced by its respective this is not. Life, death...

And this wave was different because there was only uncertainty. While a Rhoni understood that this, too, was simply the way of things, Keiko did not know if the followers of Attera knew this Truth as well.

“Please?”

Kadri:

"i need to look into some things, and I would have company, Cesare, of one I trust. Such as you. We have a mystery of a dead imperial on our hands. Your company will always be welcme."

Bekkah

"I would never turn down a request for aid, but would my presence not cause problems? It's been made clear that my station as an Imperial carries more significance than my devotion to my Lady."

Cesare

"A dead imperial? Who?"

This is the first he has heard of this. It might go some way to explaining the earlier tension. He waits for Kadri to enlighten him.

The Heartwood
Waverider’s Watch
The Dirkwood Forest
Marketday, the Fourth Day of Yrick

Kadri, Cesare, Mikal … and an occupation of Forest Folk

It was a time for separations.

At the base of the stairs Kadri and Cesare pulled themselves aside, the Rhoni lad still feeling the hot response from his kinswoman. As their selected path did not intersect with the Market they were left to heir own devices, though the mystery of the Hasturian Eye had been, so far, seen from only one point of view.

That of the Imperial order of Law. And even then from what little they knew there was no clear answer. While killing a Noble was no something common folk were allowed to do, breaking a law brought was also binding when it came to proper consequences.

This left Mikal on his own, to depart from the others and begin his inspection of the three house and one barn hamlet. Certainly in the hamlet proper there was no room for anything but the path and the farmers. The tall rock was far too close to the Forest and while a couple buildings could be snuggled up against the steep cliffs the place would be crowded. It may be the most sheltered location but it was also the most vulnerable. From a tactical point of view it would be far too easy to block the path on the west and east and thus trap whoever was in this place between stone and Forest.

On the other side of the rock, beneath the gaze of the watchtower, the farmer’s fields stretched almost as far as one could see. There were a few scattered collections of trees, small copses no bigger than a couple houses and one knew that somewhere, out there, there were small creeks to provide water. Or well could always be dug. Grain and oats seemed to be the main crops grown here, though there were some places – at the base of Waverider’s Watch itself – where potatoes and other sundry vegetables were being grown. The most eastern fields were where the dairy cows grazed.

The picket fence was an odd thing. It was one of the few things made out of wood and it stood almost two men high. It ran in short zigzags from east to west along the Forest’s border. The wood was grey with age, spanning vertically between cross rails which in turn ran between thick posts driven into the ground. The tall boards were not tightly set, there were many places where there were gaps large enough for a person, beast or thing to fit through. The near side of the fence seemed well maintained. On the other side, however, the Forest was encroaching. There the fence was ivy covered and the low underbrush grew right up to the base. There was only a little gap between it and the woods proper; the trees were close enough to overhang the fence.

As if the Dirkwood was saying that, if it wanted, it could overgrow this man made barrier at its own whim.

But that would be assigning some manner of sentience to a Forest.

Not even a Gardener would go that far.

Though, of course, the least of all beliefs taught that spirits could manifest themselves in anything, from animals to stones and yes, trees. Good spirits as well as very bad spirits.

By the time Mikal had finished his inspection about the Village, having circumnavigated the small place, the Forest Folk market was over. The strange denizens of the wood were drifting back beneath the cursed boughs, returning as silently as they had come. The last to leave was the guardian on the stairs, following her handful of bigg’un companions.

The Rhoni lass and the Atteran were not seen, obviously out and about on their own. The Rhoni had said she now belonged here and Bekkah, well of all of them, Bekkah had the most experience in places like this and thus the chances for something foul to have occurred to her were slight.

With the last of the odd marketday traders gone the atmosphere of the hamlet definitely lightened. From their homes the rest of the families now came out, to both straighten up after this market and prepare for the morrows. From the west came the sound of hooves and the creak of wheels, the merchants who had been holding on the other side of the bridge now entering. They were in a little rush. They obviously wished to be well settled before sunset so they could begin their trading upon dawn’s first light.

Kadri:

There was a conversation with two guardsmen in the tower when we arrived. Some small bit back, a Hasturian arrived - he was informed that Marketday is for Forest Folk - and that the normal market was the following day. He was told of, so I hear, the 'no fighting' One Rule. After a few weeks, so it was said, the Hastur decided that Marketday was Marketday and went down on the 'wrong' day - when the Forest Folk were trading. He, so it was said, interrupted a trade involving strawberries - and got in a fight with the 'lill'uns' as they are called. No details, really, of the fight other than that he apparently lost was killed and the body dragged into the Dirkwood. Now, I think you can see how a killed Imperial might portend future troubles?"

Cesare

He whistles softly through his teeth.

"This is a delicate situation. Mikal wants to make good here. And I would bet there's a lot more to this than meets the eye."

He thinks for a moment, fighting his own instincts not to try to steer the tides.

"What's your plan?"

Mikal

He wanders by the fence-line, examining it closely and making a note to ask who is responsible for maintaining it. Clearly it wouldn't keep out a shy deer so having it is pointless unless it is going to be useful.

Climbing up to the bluff he looks over the farmland and grazing land. That has promise, although they might have to pay some of the farmers for trampling on their land. Put a couple of hundred horsemen here and the land they used would be churned to mud pretty quick.

Of course after they left, it would be the best fertilized land around. Hundreds of horses tend to leave that sort of thing behind them on a regular basis. But while they were here, it wouldn't be usable land.

He'd also have to see if the grazing land would support adding the Troop's horses to the dairy cows already using it.

He turns back and looks at the forest. Of course they could always cut down trees and open up space. They'll need wood for buildings anyway, and the more they use the more space they'll get. But that would take some time and require not just cutting trees but pulling stumps that could break horses legs. Stump pulling was back breaking work, as he knows from experience.

So, before assuming he'll have to pay off a farmer, first thing would be to talk to the farmers. They know the land around here best. Perhaps there's an open fields on the other side of the grazing field.

He heads down to talk.

Kadri:

"Part one of the plan is to find out what actually happened. For that, we need to talk. Find out who might have seen, who knows. Who this man of Hastur even was. I don't even have a name at this point."

Cesare

"Aye and talk to a number of folk as accounts may vary as to what happened.. the truth often lying somewhere between them."

He nods slowly.

"So where do we start? Those that live here, the forest folk or the merchants who may of course know nothing."

The Heartwood
Waverider’s Watch
The Dirkwood Forest
Marketday, the Fourth Day of Yrick

Kadri, Cesare, Mikal … and an incoming of Merchants

Except for the Forest folk, for they were drifting back into the haunted and very very dangerous Dirkwood Forest, there were many opportunities to talk – all that was required was choosing who to talk to. Of course, back on the top of the rock were the three Guardsmen who supposedly looked over this quiet place – Jerris the banished, Thomas the scribe and the lazy Mikkie.

Perhaps there was something to the rumor that Waverider's Watch was where those who did something spectacularly unwise were posted.

That said, Cesare had also determined the nature of this place correctly. That the balance of Waverider’s Watch was extremely delicate and there was definitely a lot more here than met the eye.

Certainly a lot more than a certain Eye of Hastur had chosen to see.

The three farmer families were coming out of their homes, to help clean up after the Forest Folk market and to set up for the regular market on the morrow. Their stalls were in front of their homes, of course.

Heatherson’s was popular as they had been selling dairy goods like cheese and such. The Barley family sold grain of course, in large sacks, which the bigg’uns had bought and then hauled up to the mill to be ground. They also ran the village kiln and had a lot of crockery for sale. Family Blackhair had sold their vegetables – in fact they had had some very large baskets already set up and waiting to be bought.

And of course someone could walk back up the stairs to speak with the Millers. Though that meant talking to a grumpy wife and a husband whose entire vocabulary seemed to be two words:

“Yes dear.”

Obviously it was a very successful marriage.

Then there were the merchants and the local farmers. Their apprentices and middle children worked by their barrows while their masters, brother and fathers now crossed the wooden bridge.

Their names were not known but what they came to barter was fairly easy to tell. There was a tinker, a seller of baked goods, a woman who sold assorted fruits, a woodcarver and wheelwright, a seller of cloths who took leather in trade, a seller of soaps and candles and last a large wagon that pulled up to the base of the stairs, to deliver goods to the Korie watchtower.

It wasn’t a matter of finding someone to talk to, there were plenty of opportunities. The true issue was not only selecting who, but deciding what you were going to ask. Both were needed in order to further understand Waverider’s Watch.

(OOC - So the farmers are ignoring Mikal?)

See PM.

Mikal

**Well, farmer Heatherson owns the cows grazing in the field**, he recalls, so Mikal heads to the Heatherson farm to ask about other grazing lands in the area.

As he walks a small bird flies across the field carrying a stick to build it's nest and he stops still as a random thought comes to him. **Yes. That could work. It would be a tremendous advantage and do what the Wild Horde Captain recommended too. But who would train them? And which them would be best? <sigh> Celi would have been helpful right now.**

With thoughts of birds circling in his head he continues to the farmer's house. Upon reaching it he knocks on the door and waits politely for it to be answered.

KAdri:

"I think, perhaps, we might try to find the merchant where the dispute happened?"

Cesare

He casts a glance towards the traders. It would seem like the forest folk have left now so it would not cause any friction if they go in that direction.

"Do you have any idea who that is or what kind of merchant? And do you want us to stick together or start at opposite ends and work towards each other?"

[OOC Not quite sure how many there are or if they are lined up?]

[[notes that the argument was over strawberries and one of the merchants listed sells ...]]

Kadri:

"The answer, Cesare, lies in strawberries - and right there - I see a vendor that sells fruit. A place to start, yes? Let us, perhaps, buy some strawberries."

And if there is no objection, heads that way - walking, for the moment, as Kadri of no name in particular rather than with the mean of Kadri of the Korie or Kadri of the Terilanquel.

Cesare

"I like strawberries."

His grin signals his agreement and he moves alongside Kadri. He starts up a conversation also, not so usual for the taciturn Rhoni.

"Earlier I was exploring, looking at what options the waters have around here. I came across some strange creatures. They were like fish but had spiked fore-fins. They kept pace with me but didn't seem to be able to climb the bank. They didn't look too friendly. Any idea what they are?"

Kadri:

"I am afraid that my experiences with the open waters is limited. Out in Amber, we mainly dealt with open plains; I have never lived near the open waters, and their creatures are as much a mystery to me as any - they sound fascinating, however. As long as they are not sharks. I think I got my fill of sharks back there."

Cesare

"That encounter with the sharks may well explain my reluctance to engage with these creatures."

He chuckles. He is starting to come out of his upset and confusion caused by the Rhoni girl's reaction to him earlier. He suspects that Kadri asked him along for that reason, he is always better when he has something to do. It is good to have friends.

"I'll ask the locals when the opportunity arises."

But not the Rhoni girl he thinks to himself.

The Heartwood
Waverider’s Watch
The Dirkwood Forest
Marketday, the Fourth Day of Yrick

Kadri, Cesare, Mikal, and an incoming of Merchants

The fruit seller was carefully collecting her wares — her basket of apples, smaller ones of peaches and cherries. There weren’t many strawberries left over; she did have a little basket with cherries. Raspberries, however... she had plenty of those. It seemed that the Forest Folk had brought them out of the brambles as part of their trade.

“If’n ye be lookin’ for melons, ye ‘ave to be waitin’ till the morrow. They’s all been bartered off.”

When Cesare spoke, she cast a foreboding look towards the bridge and the river.

“Ye ain’t from these parts are ye?

“That’s tha Blackwater over there, right. Flows outa tha Dirkwood. It ain’t named tha Blackwater for vanity’s sake; the water comes out of tha wood dark as night — we donnae drink it, cause it tastes horrible an’ will make thee sick enough to ‘ave ye be askin’ to be dancin’ with Krysta. But like everythin’ else in tha Forest there...

“It corrupts.

“Tha Dirkwood corrupts tha fish just like it does everythin’ else. Makes them into those lil’ abominations... and raht dangerous they are. A bunch of them catch ye, and they will eat thee. If’n ye get bit ye, better be findin’ fresh water an’ poultices — their bite festers and if’n ye donnae get killed outright that’ll certainly get ye in tha end.

“Now, unless ye be askin’ anything else or be wantin’ some very fresh raspberries... I need to be makin’ ready for the real market on the morrow.”

As the sun was very low in the sky, it was not Missus Heatherson that answered Mikal’s questions; it was the husband, having come in from the fields. Their children were working their little table and foods, getting ready for tomorrow while the goodwife was inside making sure dinner would be ready before it got too dark to eat.

“Well first, all these lands be Korie lands, belonging to tha youngest of them, and he’s tha one who be giving us leave to set herds and plows to them.

“They end this side of tha path they do — the other side belongs to the Forest and unless you are those damned little creatures, ye go in and ye are not going to be comin’ out.

“That’s why the Watchtower Folks keep the fence in good order; nothing can stop the Forest from doin’ what it wants. It keeps the cows and swine from wandering in where they are not supposed to be n’ reminds us not to do anything stupid like tryin’ to collect firewood or picking the Dirkwood’s herbs an’ wildflowers.

“It’s why we was tole to put up with them, I suspect. There’s right valuable things in tha Forest, and they’s the only way of gettin’ them out.

“Now lookin’ the other way...”

Master Heatherson pointed to the south.

“The fields I graze prolly go out as far as ye can be seein’. Then there’s the ones under Barley’s care — most folk let him be because he sells to Rory in tha Village and no one wants to do anythin’ to upset Rory’s beer makin’. Blackhair’s fields follow the path back o’ tha village. His corn should be comin’ in soon; good eatin’ and then good for sellin’ back to the Keep.

“Get a good half day’s walk an’ ye be in open country like. McKormak ‘as his farm out there, Fergus’ fish pond is down that-a-ways as well as Old Man Ginger’s place.”

That was a fair description of lands typical this side of the Silk Creek. Most farms were decentralized, a legacy of the Witches rule from the Second Age. There were small hamlets like Waverider’s Watch that served as the market place for the farms scattered between them. Sometimes the distances were such that a farmer would only come to market once a month or even less. Waverider’s Watch, it appeared, had two things that set it apart from other hamlets. It had a Mill, and it had a source of goods not found anywhere else.

Thus, if Master Heatherson was correct, there should be open fields a half day’s to a day’s travel away that would not disturb the farms here. On one hand, such a place would be one where he could build what he wished and yet still be close enough to come to Market... on the other hand, it would not have the watchtower, the rock itself and the mill as immediate resources. Co-opting Waverider’s Watch itself would provide a tactically superior location but would also require much more aggressive means.

Mikal

"My thanks, Master Heatherson", he says. "For the warnings about the wood as well as the information about the lands hereabouts. It is not my intent to interfere with anyone's livelihood. I am a farmer's son myself. However I do expect to have a medium size herd of horses around the area in the near future and they'll need grazing lands. Perhaps I'll take a ride and see what the lands look like a half-day or so out?"

He pauses a moment. "Might you tell me what sort of valuable things those forest folk bring? I didn't think it wise to approach too closely earlier when they were here so I didn't get a good look."

"Oh, and I don't suppose the fertilizer a herd of horses brings with it would be useful for you or the others?"

(OOC - Wolf - do they know about three field farming and field rotation and such here?)