Arc 1: Leaving the Nest

[Bjorn]

The final stragglers of the caravan finally clear the bridge, and you set off down the road.  It's about noon by now, and the sun beats brightly on the Indigna, the swift current making flickering jewellery of the light.

Apparently, it's your turn to block the narrow bridge, as there's a man standing at the foot of it just as you come to the end.

[Anastasia]

The man in question peers ahead, a gauntleted hand shielding his eyes from the sun. He takes the time to turn to the party, his heavy, full body plate armor gleaming.  Sweaty black hair sticks close to his head, the upper blade of a large ax peeking out from over it, strapped to his back. "Good day, good day," he calls, his tones kept friendly. "Aaah, the Free Company?"

[Brian]

"We are indeed," Gwythyr says with a tight nod.  "You don't look a messenger.  How can we be of service?"

[Ebiris]

His tone may be friendly, and there may only be one of him, but Rudi is still wary.

Only one of him that they can see, anyway.

Remaining unobtrusive near the rear of the group, the Kobold scratches a few faint runes onto the scales of the back of his hand, sonorously whispering words of power into the air.

OOC: Casting False Life for 1d10+4 temporary hit points that will last for 4 hours or until beaten out of me.

[Anastasia]

"I know your boss." He shifts his shoulders, the ax on his back bobbing. "He gave me descriptions of the group of you." He pauses, taking a sack from his waist. He opens it, fishing out a letter. A bit worse for the wear, perhaps, but still intact. "It's St Gregor's own fortune I ran into you here."

[Dracos]

"Fortune indeed," Mesina took the letter, opening it and reading it.  "When did this get to you?" She wondered slightly at one who to all appearances hadn't heard head nor tail of the unfortunate end of their former employer.

[Bjorn]

It would seem to actually be two letters.  One of them is a straightforward letter addressed to Bergholm, naming its bearer as Enrico D'Amata.  Not much else in it, and it was obviously written by a scribe: while the text is in a fluid, beautiful hand (and in Berevian), the name "Piotr" is written in the same hand but signed only with a heavy, crude cross.

The second, older message is written in the slow, careful writing of Bergholm, giving Piotr a summary of the current complement of the Free Company and inviting him to send D'Amata along.  Your descriptions are succinct, accurate, and perhaps a little cringe-worthy.  About what you'd expect from the Captain.

[Dracos]

"You must be...Enrico D'Amata?  Here to join up with our company?" She finished perusing the letters and summarized the important elements in her questions as to his identity.

[Merc]

Marcelo quietly examines the potential new member of their company, looking him up and down. Finally he simply shrugs.

"Well, if he is, we do admittedly have an opening now that our former boss is no longer amongst us," he drawls out, waiting to gauge the reaction of this Enrico fellow to the news. Perhaps he's already heard the rumors regarding the state of the Free Company? If not, it'd be interesting to see his reaction.

"Poor, poor ol' Bergie."

[Anastasia]

"Yes." A single word is all Enrico's smiling face has all the time to get out, before he turns his gaze to Marcelo. "Did something happen to Bergholm?"

[Merc]

"Yeah, the ol' man got sloppy," Marcelo replies drily, as he lifts up his left hand, starting to make a fist, but leaving his index and middle finger pointing straight, and then making a jabbing motion towards his eye, stopping right before it as he makes a whistling noise in imitation of an arrow. "If he'd been lucky, he'd have just lost an eye. Ol' Bergie? Didn't get to be lucky that day."

He gives a barking laugh.

"You see, what you've got right here, my good friend....Enrico was it?"

He doesn't even wait for an answer as he now makes a grand sweeping gesture with his hand, encompassing the entire group. "What you've got here is what's left of the great Free Company right here in front of you," he says.

Clasping his other hand on the man's shoulder, the hexblade warrior giving his most charming and welcoming smile. "But don't you worry. Even without Bergie, we're still the best. And while I have no damn clue what what you can do for us yet... hey, we'll find a use, I'm sure. Welcome aboard!"

Mentally, he starts making a countdown in his head for an explosion from either his companions for his blunt approach, or a flustered or indignant reaction from Enrico. '3....2....'

[Anastasia]

"Oh...ugh!" Enrico listens and settles into a grimace of distaste, "AN ARROW?" He holds a hand up to his eye as Marcelo 'shoots', palm out to block. "How horribly, horribly pedestrian! There's no skill behind one of those, only accursed luck to land a good shot. It's a weeping tragedy."

Despite these words, his smile regenerates as he thinks. "Yes, quite a tragedy. But yes, you're short an axeman now?" His eyes shift to the side, as if trying to glance at the axehead poking out from it's place on his back. "At least that can be filled, thank St. Gregor. It's essential." He seems to linger on this, clicking his tongue. "How have you managed without one?"

[Dracos]

"Poorly, I'm sure," Mesina quipped.  He seemed an odd sort to be sure, and far too hung up on rather eccentric notions at a glance, but having someone who drew attention like that and was willing to get into the thick of it had its uses...particularly when hunting things.  And the man had come seeking them, good enough chance to see if he might be a long term contributor to their new business company.

A small bluish cat sniffed and scurried around the man's feet.

"If you're ready, why not join us now, Enrico.  We're on a contract and at this point we really shouldn't dally, or else we might have an even harder time finding our target.  You'll find we're a fairly democratic bunch."

[Ebiris]

While having someone else to share their commissions with does rankle somewhat, Rudi is well enough aware how understaffed the Free Company is. Besides which, if Bergholm requested this man, then he probably has something going for him.

"Yes, even if you might be the newest member of our little band, you needn't worry about us using you as bait or something like that," a sidelong look from the kobold to the halfling, "That position has already been filled."

[Anastasia]

Enrico bowed his head, eyeing the feline at his feet. He suppresses a sniffle, stepping well back. "Excellent. Smaller people make better bait." An idle look to the halfing as well to that, "Well then, Marcelo, isn't it?" Approaching and falling in step, "The more reason to stay close to you. Anything we need to bait will also likely need a good axing." AFter that, "Oh yes, that reminds me. You're hunting something right now?"