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Steampunk high-jinks
for a better sort
of adventurer, what?
Continues later in 2010.
| Episode 78 |
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Flames leap out of the front of The Boar's Rest. Fingling does his best to comfort a hysterical Mina, and then he and Maude decide to see if they can get round the back of the building, and maybe find a way in there. Before they can, Looselips appears from an alleyway beyond the fire, carrying Tilly in his arms. Maude rushes over. Tilly, coughing and spluttering, is still in shock, as is the Halfling. Looselips explains that his mother, Podella, was trapped behind him in the building by a falling beam. Upon hearing this, Mina collapses to the ground, wailing. A tearful Maude tells Looselips that the people responsible for the fire will be punished.
Listen - Podella is dead...
Looselips regains his composure. He comforts Mina, and sends her and Tilly off to seek shelter with Johanna Shildakröte's mother. He is distant with Maude, and asks her to leave, so he can talk with Fingling. Maude watches from a distance, as Fingling and Looselips have a long discussion. Fingling says nothing about it when he joins Maude again, and they then head back to The Ripe Berry. Orpheus and Iago await in the cellar at the tavern, and the four then cross back under The River Talabec, through a damp tunnel, and back to the safe house. Max meets them here, and escorts them back outside, through various tiny alleys to the bank of the river. Here, a rowing boat waits. Clouds pass across the moons, and banks of mist drift on the water of the Talabec. Iago and Orpheus take the oars, and slowly take the boat up the wide river and past the city walls. Fingling has taken watch at the back of the boat, and he spies another small boat following behind. Behind it, a larger barge with a sail. Orpheus and Iago rapidly row to the right bank, lined with overhanging trees. They find shelter amongst tangled branches of an angled tree. Orpheus scrambles out, secures the boat, and then he and Fingling find a spot where they can watch a section of the river. Two men in a rowing boat, pulling their oars furiously move into and out of view, quickly followed by a much faster sail boat. A crash of splintering wood is heard, followed by a couple of splashes. 'Come on you scum, swim!', shouts a voice. Eventually, the sail boat passes again, heading for Altdorf. It was most likely River Wardens, chasing down smugglers. When it's safe, the boat is pushed back into the water. Orpheus and Iago take turns to row for another six hours or so, before a sheltered spot is found for rest. At first light, Maude decides to return back down the river and check for pursuit. She weaves magic, swirling the early morning mist around until it forms into a translucent horse. Maude leaps on, and rides off at speed. At a vantage point a good distance back down the river, Maude stops and watches. A river barge, headed for Talabheim sails past, a man at the tiller. Fast horsemen, bound for Altdorf speed down the road near the far bank. Then another boat, sailing east. A thuggish looking man is at the tiller, whilst a gaudily dressed pale man stands with him on deck. Pale face is holding a small wooden box. He opens the lid, peers down into it, and moves it slightly from side to side. Maude is shocked. The size of the box, and the actions of the man, suggest a Daemon's Compass. Maude rides back east at once, and rouses her companions. Iago gets the Daemon's Compass out. The expectation, based on what Hans said of the planned hiding place for Gregor, is that it will point to the north. It doesn't. It points east, up the river, toward Talabheim. A discussion follows, and its quickly decided to try and catch a lift on the first boat that Maude saw, which should be coming past fairly soon. Iago rows everyone over to the north bank, and the row boat is hidden. After a bit of a wait, a flat-bottomed barge with a couple of sails up comes round the bend in the river. Orpheus flags the boat down, pleading with the boatman that he and his companions need help, having just been attacked on the nearby road. The boatman is naturally extremely suspicious, despite Orpheus turning down the Morrian doom, and instead laying on the charm. A Halfling appears and lowers the sails. The boatman throws an anchor in. A cautious parley ensues – weapons and equipment are shown, and the boatman makes it quite clear that if there's any funny business, he'll kill first and drop the bodies in the river later. Eventually, The Midden Star nudges toward the bank. Felix, the boatman pats everyone down as they board. He's keen to confiscate weapons. Orpheus translates the discussion for Iago, who tires of this boatman, and his cramped boat that smells of fish. Iago pulls an ostentatious piece of jewellery from his ear, and flips it into Felix's hand. Problem solved. The rest of that day is both sunny and warm, which all present agree is something that doesn't seem to have happened for several years. That night the boat ties up in Ravenstein, a small town on the south bank. Maude arranges for a meal from the inn, The Black Cat, to be delivered to the boat, along with a cheap little wine that offends Iago greatly. Just after the meal, a boat can be heard coming in behind the Midden Star. Maude peers out the window. Two thick-set types and another man walk past, heading for The Black Cat. The fourth man is pale and slight, wearing garish and expensive clothes. The same man Maude saw holding a compass.
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