Chapter Two: Caerton

[Mint]

The party continues along Southwall road stepping carefully to avoid the upright cobbles. Here and there you can see people trying to avoid the cobbles in a similar way while more and more people come out of doors to see what has happened. In a bit, as you near the foot of Upton, it seems the entire neighborhood is outdoors discussing events and the buzz of their talk fills the air.

You see a couple of members of the watch in their black and brown uniforms talking to purported witnesses.

(OOC: I'll stop the action here so you can decide in the OOC thread if you want to inform the watch about the ruffians.)

[Woe]

Absolutely those ruffians get reported -- names, descriptions, location. Even if Caerton isn't as lawful as Abertawe, travelers should not be accosted in broad daylight! Between guard William and guard Elizabeth, the Caerton guards are going to have everything they need to make a proper arrest.

"William, let's leave this to the local watch for now. I need to get to the tavern of the twin moons, and you need to get sausages. I'll even buy them for you -- you've been so tolerant about this trip so far."

[Mint]

As the party approaches the place where the two guardsmen are talking with a bystander the man looks up and points to the group. "There they be Guardsman! Those're the ones I was a tellin' ye 'bout! They was a walking down the road and Billim an' 'is boys made as ta gain they dues from 'em and next ting we all seen these 'ere cobbles be all tore up and ol' Billim was a scootin' 'way like 'ed seen ol' Outcast 'isself!
The Guard nods to the bystander and looks your way, then he and his partner come up to you.
"Well? What's your story and why did you tear up these cobbles? That's destruction of city property it is."

[Hywaywolf]

Edward looks up from watching the street very carefully as he walked. "I didn't tear up in cobbles. I tripped over them. Look at the tear in me trousers. Some very shoddy workmanship. Your street workers should be ashamed of themselves."

[Woe]

"Really? You think we have something to do with this? Let me tell you, we just got off the Sylvan Sea, been in Caerton for naught more than ten minutes before first some thugs accost us in the road -- in the middle of the day! -- then the cobblestones get all wonky and almost hit us as they go flying around. It's not a great welcome into the Crown of the North (or whatever lofty nickname Caerton has). Do we look like we're sorcerers? William and I are guards from Abertawe, here by Lord Gwyr's request." Elizabeth thinks about challenging the guard for evidence, but decides to stop and see what he has to say about all that.

[artikid]

Kynndelic nods to everything William and Elizabeth say trying to look uncospicuous. He does not hide the fact that he's an elf though.

[Woe]

Mandatory post inbound; I don't have much to say but I don't want to miss my big payoff for posting daily!

Elizabeth continues to wait for the guardmens' response.

[Longman]

William will back Elizabeth's play.

'And another thing, sir. If this Mr Billim and his boys are supposed to be part of your regular law and order around here, then this town has a serious problem. They did not show us any identification, or try to take any kind of toll from us, except requesting that we leave our womenfolk behind in their clutches! Do you want me to be reporting that to your superiors?'

He'll keep silent about the cobbles because he thinks it was Shaha.

[Mint]

The Guard and his partner listen with a deepening frown as Edward speaks and raise an eyebrow at Elizabeth as she expostulates. When William adds his comments he seems to come to a decision and says grimly, "I can't say as I care for your tone none but I will say that you do have the look of the Guard about you so I'll let you be about your business as I've never heard talk of no magic that can do...this. As for Billim and his boys they are no Guards. They are known to us but as no actual harm was done we can't touch them." The Guard looks closely at the group for a long minute as the snow falls about you. "You. With the hood. I would see your face if it please you" he says at last.

Shaha hesitates, then pulls her hood back and the Guard starts to nod again but he pauses, his brows coming down in a frown. "Your cloak. Open it." Shaha looks the Guards in the eye and moves her hands to the throat of her cloak and moves them as though she were opening it. The Guards look at her for a minute, nod, and the leader of the two says, "Thank you. You can all be on your way."

With that the Guards move to the side of the road where the ground is level and continue on down the road toward Southmarket Street.

Shaha slumps to the ground with her legs to one side and her hands in the snow as she leans over them panting in exhaustion.

[Woe]

These are not the elves you are looking for

"Milady? If you're weak, would you care to ride the horse? I'm sure Kay... Ky... the elf would let you." Elizabeth will help Shaha up, either onto the horse or with an arm around her for support. Once Shaha is ready to continue moving, we should continue moving to the tavern. If we don't get there soon, William's stomach may start performing earth-shattering rituals of its own.