Looking around The Cup, it doesn't take long to realise that it is unlikely to make a living for its owner. There are no land routes through or past the place, in fact you are trying to open what will be the only one. The occasional ship may dock , but it is unlikely that they have a lot of over night guests.

The night passes sociably and Mandrake's performance earns shrieks and groans of fear followed by peals of laughter, and the story earns him a couple of mugs of ale as it is told and a couple more afterwards. After the story telling the evening progresses and various members of the community come up and pass the time of day with you.

Rami ben Affah approaches Rolf "These monsters, The Gila, you say the speak common? Are they safe? You said they demanded toll, was it a fair toll? And will they leave us alone if we pay it ....

One of the musicians asks Mandrake "I wasn't sure about the dogheads. How many did you say there were? Did they all have clubs like that. Did that female knight" nodding towards Madelyn see them off? ...

A scruffy man wearing western clothes approaches Madelyn, and stands in front of her twisting his cap, " Sorry to intrude Miss, but me and the wife, we was wondering, if you could, erm, baptise our young 'un. You'm the first proper church person we've had in the place since he was birthed ... "

Kerim mingle easily, discussing the wants and needs of the community...

Peter mingles less easily talking mainly to farmers ...

But the evening draws to a close much earlier than you would expect, until you realise they are a poor farming community who need to be up at dawn. Your room is equipped with mattresses, and you provide your own bedding - and the night passes quietly.

In the morning...

FreysDay 22 Mai 593 Sliver Moon (waxing)

Temp Hot

Cloud 0 %

Weather Dry

There is a Light wind from the SW

High tide is at 02:05 and 14:30

You are woken early by the sounds of village life, there are people talking, children squealing and the duck and geese are being driven out to pasture. Fatima is in the kitchen cooking and there is warmed rice wine and a sort of omelette (yesterday's vegetable rice recooked with seabird eggs) for breakfast. A quick check will reveal that none of your equipment etc has been tampered with overnight.

As you walk out into the day you see normal village life going on around you.

As Smilo emerges from the Inn, you hear giggling and you see a couple of Halfling girls looking at Smilo and blushing as they giggle behind their hands - just before they head off with a flock of geese to pasture...

Village time

By Brad
who plays Rolf

Rolf remains quiet, letting Mandrake and Smilo draw the lions share of the patrons attention. Having spent most of his days in solitude, even the attention given him by the occasional villager is a bit uncomfortable. But he puts his best face on and responds to all politely.

When Rami ben Affah appraoches, asking of the Gila, Rolf considers. "Well, they speak the common tongue, but poorly. I was able to make out most of what they meant, but I couldn't figure out many of their words. Mandrake there has a knack for it and did rather well. But the toll is a bit steep, a silver for every person or animal. It was a little unnerving, but I think they'll honor it. I'd still want a few hardy lads about just in case though. They had an old document which seemed in order, although I plan on sharing the tale with the Earl of Galinia upon our return and let him decide the matter."

He continues to chat with Rami ben Affah and others until the crowd begins to break up. Rolf selects the mattress nearest the door and makes himself comfortable. Kerim, Mandrake, you take first watch. Then Callum and Smilo, then Madelyn and Elsbeth and finally myself and Peter."

Taking his turn, Rolf notices the sounds increase as dawn breaks and rouses the others. Then, he leads them outward to face the day, enjoying the breakfast prepared by Fatima.

Village Life

By malc
who plays Callum

As it is such a nice day, Callum will go for a wander around the village, looking for anything interesting.

discussions

By Daren
who plays Mandrake

Mandrake smiles, his mood lightened by the warm feeling in his stomach and the slight heaviness in his limbs that the ale is inducing, not drunk but certainly merry "How many, ah, you got me there. Give me a moment." He then mumbles to himself as he goes through the events once again.

"My reckoning may not be the same as the hardened warriors in the group, it all happened so quick and I’m not really used to such things; I earn my pennies as a go-between and a translator you see.

"Yes, as I was saying, first there were two or three that charged us from our left. I dived for cover so that I could have time to prepare my spells, and made my voice appear to come from the bushes behind one.

"This slowed them long enough for the good lady Elsbeth to cast a spell of nature to entangle him.

"It was Callum that did the worst slaughterin’ worst than an animal he was when the heat of battle was in him, don’t know what I was more scared of them or the thought that he’d turn on us when there were none left. Kept taking their heads off, had a real knack at that.

"Then there was the wolves, they attacked with wolves, three or four I’d say, but Rolf cut them down with arrows, and of course Smilo and his sling helped here and against the dogheads for that matter.

"Yes, then there were another three or four that attacked just after from our right, one of them real nasty, and it was on this side mainly that Madelyn fought from what I remembers of it.

"She fought bravely too, we all did, including our fallen comrade… buried out there are his remains, which reminds me, any where around here I can purchase a set of cutlery?

"Yes at one point it was just Madelyn and me against their leader, almost had him we did, but he was the worst. If I was bigger or slower then I’d have copped a nasty one from him as he made his getaway.

"No, the leader had iron bars and wielded his own barbaric magic, but mostly they had bits ‘n pieces of scavenged armour and their weapons were mostly basic like the clubs.

"They are fierce, and I know from the questioning I managed of the leader before he escaped, they were hunting us for food. Orcish he spoke.

"They had surprise on their side, but they were not that clever or well organised, so anyone travelling through there that knows can go in larger groups and prepared. A few more experiences like we gave them and then they’ll stop trying I expect."

Tipsy as he is, Mandrake is in control enough not to mention anything about the incident with the prisoner in case that gets included in any stories or songs.

Mandrake overhears Rolfs response to Rami ben Affah. "It strikes me that they are honourable enough, just very different to us, though I did get the feeling that there may be a power struggle in the making.

"I should imagine also that if you can find something that they have which is useful to you, and visa versa, then they would be good trading partners and I’d rather travel their swamp than the doghead lands at the moment."