On the Outside

[Rezantis]

"Any pointers would help," Rez grins, "Sorta leaves me wishing or a bow, though.  Anyway."

[Dracos]

Dracos nods and ponders, "Hey Parthipan, what's in that book?"

Dracos

[Huitzil]

Paul mumbles something indistinct but angry under his breath and walks off to take a leak.

[Ginrai]

"Has a bunch of spells, most of which I don't understand.  Oh, and Drac, maybe you should try a bit of that wine before throwing it away since it could have some sort of special effect."

Ginrai shrugs.  "Then again, it could just have the ability to get you really drunk."

[Brian]

The rest of the morning before the lady wakes up (and Liandril returns) is spent showing Rez how to draw a sword and sheathe it without losing any fingers.

After that, it's on the road back to the south, towards the outpost that Liandril mentioned before going on to the keep.

[Dracos]

Dracos remains pretty silent on the trip back, keeping his eyes open and watching for ambushes.

Dracos

[Brian]

You are not ambushed, and manage to reach your target after a day (you guess, the sun doesn't really set) aftet setting out.

The outpost is a largish building, but only one building, made entirely of a pale, somewhat orange-colored stone.  There are no visible windows, only arrow slits, and the massive double-doors which allow entry are on the southern side of the building.

Liandral leads you around to this entrance, and you're confronted with about a dozen armed men, nodding at you, and checking the conditions of their weapons.  Once you're inside you see that the outer wall is not connected to the rest of the structure.  The interior is a single block-shaped building that's the same height as the wall, with a wooden scaffolding erected atop it.  A lone man clings to the top of this scaffolding, looking around to watch for enemies, one supposes.

A man emerges from another set of double doors in the main building, and approaches you quickly.  "Ah, you've come early, and well it is that you have!" he calls out.  "Will you rest here the night?  We'll have you drawn to the keep directly by wagon come morning."

[Dracos]

Dracos glances out of the of his eye at the 'leader-type folks', seeing they are about to answer, scans the area slightly with his eyes, looking for anything that catches it as particularly weird, as well as getting an idea of the status of the general people there (How fit they are, how well fed, how well armed/armored), as well as any more info on the general layout.  He tries not to be too obvious about looking around though.

Dracos

[Brian]

These people look well fed, and well armed, though their armor isn't as stylized as Phil and Nathan's, or as well crafted (at a glance) as Bjorn's.  Their weapons look reasonably deadly, though.

Most of them are sizing the party up, the attention evenly divided between Paul, Ginrai, Liandral, and the lady.  Whatever group of warriors Nathan and Phil hail from, it doesn't seem very special to them.  But wizards and bards, elves and, well, probably any woman at all, actually, seem to get their attention.

"We will rest here tonight," the lady says, inclining her head graciously.  "We thank you for your hospitality, master warden.  Do you have separate quarters, or is the fort too small to afford such?" she asks, stealing a nearly apologetic glance at the assembled warriors.

"Yes, yes," the warden says, bobbing his head.  "You may take my quarters -- I'll spend the night with my men.  The only other room is my office, which your retainers may have."

"Thank you," the lady says, frowning.  "I'm afraid I shall retire immediately. B--," here she coughs, clearing her throat and begining anew: "My guard will stand in my room throughout the night, so that your own men need not worry about the burden of protection I undoubtedly place upon you."

Several of the warriors look a bit dissapointed at this.  "Come, Bjorn," she says more quietly.  "Which way are your chambers?"

"The door on the right," the warden says, gesturing into the hall.  "Please, be at comfort within our walls, even if this is a place of war."

Nodding a final time, the lady strides into the hall.

"For the rest of you," the warden says, nodding, "my office is large, and spare furs will be brought for you to rest upon through the night.  But before then, please, enter -- partake of the meager hospitality we have.  Our larders are stocked for a week, but we'll only stay half that before moving to the Keep."  He chuckles, then.  "I apologize," he adds.  "I am as longwinded as a bard," he says, trailing off, and pointing an expectant glance at Paul.

[Bjorn]

The last words catch Bjorn's ears as he walks away after the Lady, and he carefully suppresses a smirk.

[Huitzil]

"No complaint from me. After as many days travel with such company," Paul nods in the direction of the other yoinks, "it's refreshing to have someone willing to speak in words longer than two syllables."

[Dracos]

"There's a lot to be said for saying no more than is necessary."  Dracos shrugged, glancing at Rez and ginrai and huitz and sort of indicating with his eyes as best as possible that they should get over to the room and not hang around.

Dracos

[Rezantis]

Rez rolled his eyes theatrically at Huitzil's comment, then shakes his head minutely to Drac's glance, but remains silent.

[Huitzil]

"I think there's more to be said that isn't necessary at all, if you get my meaning."

Paul nods at the warden. "May I?"

[Brian]

"By all means," the man says, gesturing everyone into the hall.

Once you enter, the area's got a high cieling, but the interior is a bit smoky.  The fireplace is warm, and when you get near it you realize that you're cold.  Apparently after dealing with it for so long, you somehow just forgot ... the table is lined with wide, flat tables, and benches along them, but only on the side away from the fire.  Behind the fire are some open doors leading into a kitchen.  Light is provided by torches hanging in the corners of the room.

Most of the soldiers troop in behind, and take up spaces at the tables -- they leave the foremost table clear and gesture for you (assembled) to make yourselves comfortable there.  Next to the fire is a stool, which is currently empty.  The warden stands next to it and waits for Paul to join him.

Bjorn:

You and the lady go into this hall, and then turn right, into the warden's private quarters.  They're small, basically not much more than a glorified closet.  But there is a bed with a matress (it looks a bit lumpy, but has to be better than a cloak), with fur blankets over it, and a small pot of glowing coals warming the room up.  There's room, if you curl up, at the foot of the bed for you, though the bed is large enough for probably you and your three slain friends, if you were willing to get really close to them.

The only items of real interest in this room are a small writing table with a stool (currently stowed under the desk), and a chest on one side of the table that you'd guess houses the warden's personal possesions.

The lady sits on the edge of the bed and looks harried, until someone (you think it's the cook, unless this place is large enough to actually accomodate servants as well) brings you a large wooden tray.  On the tray are two flat, rounded loaves of bread, their insides scooped out and filled with what looks and smells like stew.  There's bits of potato and carrot floating in it, and they also included two small metal cups of something that smells like a weak beer.