'Tace'nods in agreement with the Sergeant. Certainly not enough to maintain a perimeter fire for even a few hours.
When talk shifts to remaining indoors, he looks to the Lieutenant and Commandant for their input, but does add a reminder for them.
"I blocked the back door when I came through earlier. It won't stop them, but it will slow them down and give us warning. Will Choco and Mocha alert us to any danger they face? I am not as familiar with horses yet, but might they get skittish if approached? Or will we still need some way of monitoring them more closely, Ma'am, Sirs?".
I hope I am not talking them out of it, staying inside sounds good to me.
"It depends," Commandant Nattensbarn answers Bryn's question, but she's already back to work and just speaks while trying to read something under the candle's light, without looking in anyone else's direction even once. "They're military-trained animals, and they're used to being handled by different people from time to time. They're still animals, so they might get scared if someone unknown approaches them, but if they know even just half a thing about handling animals," she pauses briefly, "it's enough that they carry an apple with them, and you can consider both of these horses bought. If we're lucky, they might complain, since they're already tired from carrying our carriage day after day. They do like a good rest, lazy as they are." She speaks fondly of the animals, though, almost softly. Nevertheless, it doesn't seem like she objects to the idea of watching from inside the hostelry.
Lieutenant Tireur watches Arren with slight concern, but eventually replies, after seeing how the Commandant didn't object to watching from inside. "Well then, I'll leave you to it, and tomorrow I'll keep a longer watch so you can catch up on those lost hours. If we cycle between the three of us, I'm sure we'll be fine, at least for those few days until we're out of the mountains. And, whoever's on watch, keep an extra eye on the carriage, just in case."
The Lieutenant and Arren then set off to trance and sleep, each hoping to rest as much as they can so that, eventually, they can lower the load on themselves and the others, later. As such, it is soon only the Commandant and Bryn who remain awake inside the hostelry. The Commandant, busy with her work, doesn't offer Bryn any chance for a long conversation, but she doesn't watch him at all either. This gives him plenty of time to see her undeniably slow work in progress, from some distance.
About an hour after Arren and the Lieutenant went to rest, the Commandant raises her head briefly, looks in Bryn's direction, then nods towards Arren. "Wake him up," she whispers, before returning to her work. And truly, her candle looks to have burnt about halfway through.
((Learning from past mistakes, I'll give you a chance to post before pushing onwards. The night isn't through yet, but you can post about anything up to and including the current shared watch, after Bryn is asked to wake Arren up.))
'Tace'takes note of the Commandant's description of how the horses might react, and it does nothing to ease his worry. And here I was expecting military horses to be more discerning, and need a command phrase or something to accept instruction. I guess they accepted mine though.
When the Lieutenant and Sergeant turn in, he remains anxious. He cannot settle properly, nor does he want to the disturb the Commandant as she works. He moves about the main room of the hostelry as quietly as he can, checking each window often, but always from a side on view, never standing flush in the window. He is aware that the light of the candle, although not very bright, would certainly highlight his silhouette were he to do so.
As the broken window is near the horses, he also spends a little time sat beneath it, listening for sounds coming outside.
He does try and discreetly observe the Commandant. Wondering whether her slow progress was to do with the act of scribing or deciding what to scribe.
Time drags for him, and it seems to take an age for the candle to burn down half way. When he is asked to wake the Sergeant, he does so with a gentle nudge and a whisper, "Time for your watch, sir".
His voice remains quiet once the Sergeant is awake. "No sign of trouble as yet. I have taken to checking the windows in turn, staying to one side or the other so as not to appear as a target for anyone watching. I guess we can take a window each now. How is your hearing? Mine is good, so I can stick by the broken window and listen for anything approaching the horses, unless you want to?".
Arrenpictures how Choco and Mocha would behave if anyone were to approach them with apples, and he smiles faintly. "And sugar cubes? They'd follow you anywhere," he says. But as soon as the words leave his mouth, he catches Walnuts's concerned expression, and the hint of a smile fades into something more guarded.
There is an instant of self-doubt as the Half-Elf wonders whether his suggestion to keep watch indoors will prove wise. On one hand, it seems safer, but… will they really be able to see anyone coming? What if they get distracted? What if… No. Stop this, he commands himself. There's no point in letting doubt assault him. There are just as many chances this goes wrong as if they had kept watch outside. The decision is made, and all they must do now is—as always—do their best. As the moment of doubt passes, Arren nods to the Drow when he confirms they'll rotate watches to balance their rest cycles, and inwardly hopes the night passes quickly, savoring the thought of the rest he'll get the following night (hopefully).
Before going to "sleep" for the second time that night, Arren briefly considers going outside to move the caltrops the bandits already found. But since it would take quite a while to gather them all, he finally decides against it. With a bit of luck, if the bandits do return, they might think the traps are only at the back door and still get a nasty surprise if they try the main one. Better still if they leave us alone tonight entirely, though.
He wakes instantly to the Corporal's gentle shake. The Elf can hear a slight groan coming from the Sergeant, who'd swear he'd barely closed his eyes five minutes ago instead of half a candle ago. In any case, he gets quickly to his feet, slaps his face a couple of times and nods to the Corporal's report. "My hearing?" he answers in a hushed tone. "It's decent. Probably not as good as yours. I can take the other window, but I'd suggest swapping places from time to time, even if only for the sake of moving a bit to keep sharp. We should also pass by the doors every now and then, in case we hear anything there."
Before going to their posts, Arren pauses a moment and whispers, "There's this thing Walnuts and I do sometimes when we're on watch. Helps keep the mind busy—to stay awake and alert. We tell each other a riddle, and the other has to solve it when it's time to swap places. Want to try?”
If the Corporal agrees, Arren thinks for a bit, and then says, "In a far realm, there's a beautiful princess whose hair is black as the night and whose skin is fair as the purest snow. She's said to be the fairest of them all, and they call her Snow White. One evening, she decides to prepare a meal for herself and her seven guardians—a group of stout, strong miners, dwarves all of them. How fast can you guess what she serves her guardians next?"
After that, Arren starts his watch at the eastern window. He leans beside it rather than standing directly in front—he knows he'd make an easy target for anyone shooting from outside and doesn't want to give away their vigilance. From time to time, he glances out, careful not to make himself visible, doing so at irregular intervals to avoid establishing any pattern that might betray their rhythm.
Arren speaks only as much as necessary during the watch—perhaps if something happens, or to give the answer to the riddle, if they play along. Otherwise, silence reigns over their shift, especially while the Commandant remains awake. He knows that if they talked too much, she'd quickly silence them with one of her looks. The same kind that inspired the nickname he'd given her.
Bryn thinks the slow progress in the Commandant's work is due to several factors, though it seems deciding what to write is what takes the longest. From closely observing her, there's also no doubt she's very tired and often loses concentration as a result. When it comes to actually scribing on paper, she's not slower than any regular literate person, but she's far too slow to be a professional scribe. At least in the act of writing, Bryn is certainly significantly faster.
((I'll assume Arren asks his question, if he does, in a whisper such that the Commandant doesn't hear it.))
No sounds or figures appear in either window, and following Bryn's quiet watch before, one could hope all bandits have given up by now. And yet, about half an hour after Bryn woke Arren up, a sudden noise startles everyone inside the hostelry awake. BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone knocks forcefully on the front door. "Hey! Wake up!" A strong voice shouts from outside in the Common Humans' Tongue. It is an adult male's voice, and it's strong enough to wake the Lieutenant up, not to mention startle the Commandant and alert both Arren and Bryn. From outside, both horses whinny in protest at being awoken so suddenly.
'Tace' shrugs and nods at the suggestion of riddles. Can't hurt to have something to occupy my mind, as long as it doesn't distract from the watch.
He thinks for a moment and then whispers to the Sergeant, "A silent maiden stands so tall, no sword or fire can make her fall. She holds a light to guide the way, but fades when dawn turns night to day. What is she?".
He repeats the Sergeants riddle in his mind, finding it making little sense. A princess decides to make a meal for her seven guardians, who are miners. Why would a princess have miners as guardians? And why would she be the one cooking? An odd story if ever there was one. And then the question at the end doesn't even ask what she served, but how fast I can guess what she serves them next. Does that mean after the food? Or is it the time I take to answer about the food? She would certainly serve them some kind of food, and I would want to guess quite fast. Perhaps the answer is fast food? Whatever that means.
He determines that to be his answer, to be before they meet to swap answer, comes the knocking on the door. Damn! Here we go.
He stays quiet, waiting for the Lieutenant or Sergeant to answer. But carefully looks out of the window to see if he can see themselves being surrounded. Or for anyone approaching the horses.
Arren is glad to see that Tace seems interested in participating in the riddles and listens attentively to his, committing it to memory so he can think about it for a while. He nods and moves along to the left window, watching carefully as described and pondering what his answer might be. After a while, he comes up with two possible solutions and weighs them in his mind. The no sword or fire can make her fall part makes him think that a lighthouse seems more fitting than his initial idea, a candle.
The thought of candles draws the Sergeant's gaze to the one burning upon the table, lighting the Commandant's slow labor. If only they'd run out of candles, so that she might be forced to rest.
The sudden knocking makes him push off the wall where he had been leaning. His gaze darts first to the Corporal, then to the Commandant, and finally to the Lieutenant. He feels worst for the Drow ... weren't they going to allow him to rest at all!?
Like the Corporal, he peers through his window, then takes a few careful steps toward the front door, quietly grumbling that the caltrops hadn't worked this time. Arren then glances back toward the others, silently pointing to the door as if saying I'll answer, but making sure first that Walnuts and the Commandant agree, and that everyone is ready and in position.
If no one objects, he will deliberately delay his response—perhaps the silence will make whoever is outside impatient enough to speak again before he does, or even give away any sound that might reveal how many people are standing in front of the door.
Finally, the Sergeant calls out, "Who are you, and what do you want?"
Bryn doesn't see anyone from the window, but in the few moments of silence between the knocks and the Sergeant's answer, he thinks he can hear shallow breaths from outside. Although he can't see anyone, at least not without sticking his head out, he's almost certain there's someone not far from the window, likely sticking to the wall from its other side.
Arren, after hearing and seeing nothing worth noting outside the other window, and after hearing neither a repeated knock nor another shout, moves towards the door. The Lieutenant, although once again awoken too soon, stands ready with his firearm, nodding in approval towards Arren, signalling to answer the door. However, no noise comes from outside, even following Arren's response.
Following Arren's call, Bryn can hear, but can't see, someone running away from the hostelry.
Arren remains by the door for a while, listening, waiting. When no sound comes—no voice, no movement, no attack—he exhales slowly and steps closer to the others.
"They're trying to wear us down," he whispers. "They know it is difficult they'll beat us in a straight fight, so they'll keep us from resting. If they keep this up every night, all they'll need is patience… we'll grow weaker, and sooner or later, they'll have us."
He falls silent after that, his jaw tightening as he waits to hear what the rest of the crew think.
"I hear breathing on the other side of the wall, and I think I heard the one who knocked run away. They might be trying to draw us out. Or perhaps draw our attention away from the real threat", 'Tace' says in reply to the Sergeant, quickly and quietly so only those in the room can hear.
He looks around the room at how exposed they would be to anyone with a direct line of sight should they open the door. Or even to someone appearing at the window.
"We should perhaps douse the candle, and check the other rooms", he suggests, moving to the internal door.
He listens at the door for a moment. If he doesn't hear anything, and no-one tells him to stand down, he intends to start to quietly open it.
Arren certainly doesn't stop the Corporal from checking the other rooms. Even if the back door is barricaded, those two rooms have windows, and it would be possible to break the glass without making much noise, so it's best to cover that possibility as well.
He stays alert in case the Corporal finds something—or someone—but doesn't leave the main room just yet.
((Perhaps I wasn't clear. Bryn heard breathing before, and then someone running away, and then nothing. No more breathing after the person ran away.))
Bryn thinks they wouldn't be too exposed. As the door opens inwards and its hinges are on the right (from the perspective of someone outside), the Commandant and anyone by the broken window won't be visible from outside unless the door is wide open. Those on the other side of the room will be more exposed, however. As for the windows, anyone from outside looking through either window can see almost the entire room, except perhaps the very corners of the side from which they look. Bryn finds that the other rooms are empty, and the windows are intact. The other external door is as barricaded as it was when Bryn last left it.
"You're right," Commandant Nattensbarn remarks on Arren's observation. "Or, even if that's not their goal, that's what they're achieving, and that's bad for us." She pauses for a few moments. Perhaps to think the matter over, or perhaps just waiting for 'Tace' to return. Once he does, she resumes. "Perhaps you were right, we need to take the initiative into our hands. If we let them exhaust us, it'll only be a matter of time before the scales tip in their favour. Or maybe..." She pauses again to think.
"The way I see it," the Commandant finally resumes, "there are two things we can do. Though if you can think of something else, do say so. One option is to remain here and try to remain indifferent to their provocations. Given that they've already fired arrows at us at least once, I believe merely ignoring them will only lead to greater provocations we cannot ignore. Therefore, we'll have three of us rest, as much as we can, while the last one remains awake and drives off these scoundrels whenever they appear. Those inside will prioritise rest and should not respond even if they hear anything from outside. The one outside should keep watch over the carriage and the entrances to the hostlery as best they can, and should only alert us if they're in a desperate spot. And, of course, on the following nights, we'll have to swap those roles so neither of you gets exhausted.
"The second option I can think of is heading out to strike them before they come again. Unfortunately, as things stand right now, we're at a clear disadvantage for such an action. We don't know where they are, how many of them are out there, or what their real goal is. As such, I still cannot authorise solo-action, and therefore, since someone must remain to watch the carriage too, we'll have to split into two pairs." It is evident she's thinking as she speaks, and that with every word, she comes to prefer this course of action less and less. "Which would mean we'll be extra vulnerable if the enemy appears. This also means none of us is resting tonight, which means we'll be worse off if we cannot somehow drive them away for good with this action."
With a long pause, or perhaps, in waiting for someone's response, the Commandant clearly states that she had yet to reach a decision, and gives anyone a chance to offer their perspective. After all, she knows that in either case, it is Arren, 'Tace, and the Lieutenant who'll put their lives on the line, in whichever course of action is chosen.
"I've rested... well, perhaps not as much as I'd like, but at least a little, so far. More than the rest of you. I can watch for the rest of the night, if that's what you prefer." Lieutenant Tireur speaks to both Arren and 'Tace' directly. "Or, if you prefer the other option, by staying here, I'll be able to see anyone approaching before they see me. And if things go wrong, I'm sure you'll be able to hear my shot even from a distance, and that'll alert you to our situation."
'Tace' returns and gives the all clear, and then listens as the Commandant speaks.
"It seems that if we are only going to have one of us on watch at a time, the Lieutenant and I can split the night between us, Ma'am", he responds. Really? I am volunteering to stay outside. What am I thinking?
"I know you have been disturbed a couple of times, Sir. But do you feel like it has been enough of a disturbance that you will need the full time to trance still?", he asks the Lieutenant. "If so, it might be worth you taking first watch to give them something to worry about with your better vision, and I can then take over".
He looks to the Sergeant, who had volunteered to lose sleep already, but it shouldn't need to come to that with only one on watch at a time.
At least if I am out by myself, I can use a few tricks to help get by.
(OOC: Ah ok. It wasn't an exact science anyway, so he might have assumed there was more than one of them)
"I'll be honest,"Arren says after listening to the others. "I liked the second option better at first. As long as the scouts are you two,"he adds, nodding toward Walnuts and Tace, "because I'm no good at sneaking, and no one else can match Lieutenant Tireur's eyes. If you go out just to pinpoint them—instead of engaging—you could learn their numbers, perhaps even overhear their motives, and we could use that information tonight or on subsequent nights. But," he pauses, "the cost is too high if you engage and they overrun you, or if you can't find them. If I were them, I'd break into several small groups to make tracking them more difficult."
Arren rubs his chin for a moment, thinking. "Still, there might be a way to use the first option to our advantage. If we keep ignoring their provocations and do nothing more than the bare minimum to scare them off, they might assume we'll never hunt them. If they aren't that disciplined and get even a little complacent, then tomorrow—or the next night—we could change tactics and strike when they least expect it."
He pauses, looks to the Corporal, and nods to his proposal. Then he exhales deeply ... He's not so sure it'll be that simple to stay put if he hears any kind of ruckus outside.
'Tace' smiles back at the Sergeant and gives a nod.
"I have not done so well with your riddle I think. How fast? Not what she served? And why would a princess be serving food to a group of miners? What happened to her parents?", he asks quietly as he waits for the decision to be made as to what they are to do, focussing entirely too much on the wrong aspects of the riddle.
He clears his throat and falls silent, realising it isn't the time to talk riddles.
(Posting the image again for reference. The table will be gone by the end of this post, and the square adjacent to the back door is occupied by furniture used to barricade the door. No changes other than that.)
"Not the full time, perhaps," the Lieutenant answers, "but I can't say I feel like one who had tranced the entire time undisturbed. After all, it takes time to calm down and let the body properly rest, after each time it's woken to the adrenaline rush of a possible assault. Oh, but don't worry. I can watch now just fine."
The Commandant and the Lieutenant watch with slight annoyance and curiosity, respectively, the exchange regarding the riddles. "This is not the right time." The Commandant states plainly, before resuming as if the previous conversation was never interrupted. "We'll all stay here, then. One will stay outside and watch the carriage, and scare away any hostiles that appear. The rest of us should rest in the other room, the larger of the two, such that the only window is turned in the same direction as the carriage is. Remember, as much as you can, ignore the noises outside and try to rest. And, anyone on the outside only calls us in an emergency." She thinks for a moment, examining each of those around her. "But also don't get overwhelmed out there. If you need help, ask for it. I'd rather lose a night of sleep than your life."
Following that, and after hearing any other comments anyone may have, the Commandant will deviate from her custom and collect her stuff from the small table, extinguishing the candle on the way, carry it all into the carriage and lock it away. Given that her sleep could be interrupted several more times tonight, she recognises that it's best she goes to sleep earlier than usual (if only just about an hour earlier). She then heads to the medium room, where the barricaded door is, and settles into her bedroll, next to the wall between the window and the barricading furniture. Although the space is small, she is short enough to fit, and this position allows the other two watching to share the rest of the space in the room, while also remaining some distance away.
Please briefly describe how your character reacts when they hear those watching outside scare away the bandits, something that will occur roughly once every 1-2 hours. Or, about 4-5 more times tonight. Bryn, please also describe (with as few or as many details as you wish) what Bryn does while watching.
As the Corporal gives his remarks on the riddle, Arren looks at him as if about to say, "But why would a princess cook, or why she is surrounded by miners, is not the p–", but then he notices the Commandant's annoyance, and the words die in his mouth.
He mutters a quiet, "Sorry, Ma'am," and then gives Tace a regretful look that seems to say, "My fault entirely."
He places his bedroll along the southern wall of the room, close to the door, in case he needs to run to assist the Elf keeping watch. It takes him a while to settle; his mind is more attuned to expecting trouble than seeking sleep. But eventually, he drifts off — lightly. Each time noise stirs outside, he wakes, listening intently. When no cry for help or gunshot follows, he forces himself to remain still.
He trusts Walnuts. After so many years working together, Arren knows full well the Drow will know when to ask for help. And though he's known the Corporal for far less time, he has no reason to think he wouldn't know that, as well.
Still, the worry never fully leaves him. He dozes more than he truly sleeps, even jolting awake a couple of times at imagined sounds his mind has made up because of the tension that never really leaves him. If this continues night after night, Arren knows something will have to change — either he'll learn to rest through the tension, or they'll have to put an end to these attacks once and for all.
He can't help but wonder, in those quiet, half-waking moments: just how many bandits are out there? Are there so many of them that they can take enough shifts to keep attacking and get full rests as well?
'Tace' winces as he is told off, but he expected it and can't argue.
He listens to the directions of the Commandant, accepting the plan as the best of a bad situation. How did I even end up in such a situation? This year really has been crazy!
He moves into the medium room along with the Commandant and Sergeant, and takes a place along the western wall, laying out his bedroll but not lying down, simply sinking to his knees. He wears his leather armour, his short sword and dagger sheathed and the crossbow lying to him with the bolt case.
As he trances, focussing is vision on the window, he tries to mentally prepare himself for the sounds of the Lieutenant's firearm going off. Each time is still a shock though. He too finds it hard not to go to help. It will be my turn soon enough.
During his trance, he draws on his innate magical capability, bringing to the forefront of his mind the ability to generate lights at a distance. The last time he used this ability was in his early days at Tus, when the situation there was new and frightening. He had found the desiccated exoskeleton of a glow worm, perfect to be used for casting, and something he kept hidden away. I soon learned it was safer to avoid obvious magic, but outside alone it shouldn't be an issue.
When he does eventually rise and gather up the crossbow and bolts, he moves quietly through the inside of the hostelry to the front door, exiting the building to find the Lieutenant.
"How goes it, Sir? I counted twice that you needed to chase them off. Do you think they have learned the lesson? Did you try and wound or just frighten them?", he asks, wondering what his approach should be. He didn't have the noise of the Lieutenant's firearm, so he might have to be a little more vicious. Not that I want to, but if it is them or us...
Once the Lieutenant has gone inside, he wanders around the building, and when he is at the furthest point away from the window of the room the others are in, he takes hold of the little glow worm exoskeleton and speaks the words of magic as quietly as will work, and four torch-sized lights appear low to the ground, 120 feet away from him, spread out in a row 20 feet apart. As he walks around the build, his eyes scanning the area that lights up, he moves them along a similar path. He recasts the spell as often as needed, making sure to be away from the window each time.
The first time those inside wake to noises outside, it is the Lieutenant calling to someone distant. "I can see you already!" He calls. "I can see you from this distance and have a firearm. You'd be dead before you'll even see me. Turn back if you value your life!" There is no response, but as no shot follows and no further calls from the Lieutenant, it seems the bandits have accepted their fate and retreated.
The second time, he shouts a similar message, but this time, it seems the bandits decided not to follow his advice and kept advancing, since not long after, everyone inside the hostelry is jolted awake from the loud thunderlike sound of the Lieutenant's shot from just across the wall. "That was a warning shot!" He yells soon after. "That's right! You don't want to come here tonight!"
"Ah, well, I don't know." The Lieutenant answers Bryn's question. "You'd think they'd have decided not to approach after the first time, but maybe they decided they don't believe me and wanted to check. Well, I did lie. That is, this firearm isn't really effective at such long ranges. So, it's no surprise that I missed them with my shot. But! They don't know that. I hope they believe they've just been lucky this one time. Well, if we're lucky, that would discourage them tonight. Otherwise..." he sighs, "don't waste time on warning shots. Especially with a crossbow." He indicates slightly towards Bryn's crossbow, which Bryn might notice; nobody raised any objection when he took it from the dead bandit. "It's too silent to act as a warning factor if you miss, and if there are several bandits, they might reach you before you manage to load a second bolt. Your best warning shot is one that hits a target, as unpleasant as it may be."
From the moment he starts watching, Bryn can estimate there should be a little more than two hours left until the first light. Maybe thanks to the Lieutenant's warning shots, or maybe it is Bryn's ghostly lights that scare away the bandits. In any case, Bryn's watch starts with a long pause without any attacks or noises, and even his distant lights reveal no bandits. For a while, it even seems like they may have given up for the night. It is only after more than an hour and a half that Bryn suddenly hears noises.
At the moment, he is on the side of the hostelry opposite the carriage. He had just moved his lights after seeing nobody when he suddenly heard noises from the direction of where the lights had just been. These are the sounds of steps, of people walking. Nay, too fast for walking. They're running straight towards the hostelry! It sounds like more than one person, though it's hard to tell how many. At the moment, he still doesn't see them. Given that his lights didn't reveal them before, they must have been some distance away, but they're approaching fast. (Please act as if in initiative, though all the others are currently resting.)
Arren, please take a moment to describe a dream Arren experiences during Bryn's watch. Should Bryn post anything that should wake Arren up, you can describe Arren waking, but do not connect that to the end of the dream (don't describe Arren waking from the dream; instead, describe the dream, and Arren waking, separately. And only if Bryn's actions result in something that would wake Arren up). You can also post just one half, and if Bryn's actions would lead to Arren waking, post the other part later.
'Tace' nods in agreement with the Sergeant. Certainly not enough to maintain a perimeter fire for even a few hours.
When talk shifts to remaining indoors, he looks to the Lieutenant and Commandant for their input, but does add a reminder for them.
"I blocked the back door when I came through earlier. It won't stop them, but it will slow them down and give us warning. Will Choco and Mocha alert us to any danger they face? I am not as familiar with horses yet, but might they get skittish if approached? Or will we still need some way of monitoring them more closely, Ma'am, Sirs?".
I hope I am not talking them out of it, staying inside sounds good to me.
((Sorry for the delay.))
"It depends," Commandant Nattensbarn answers Bryn's question, but she's already back to work and just speaks while trying to read something under the candle's light, without looking in anyone else's direction even once. "They're military-trained animals, and they're used to being handled by different people from time to time. They're still animals, so they might get scared if someone unknown approaches them, but if they know even just half a thing about handling animals," she pauses briefly, "it's enough that they carry an apple with them, and you can consider both of these horses bought. If we're lucky, they might complain, since they're already tired from carrying our carriage day after day. They do like a good rest, lazy as they are." She speaks fondly of the animals, though, almost softly. Nevertheless, it doesn't seem like she objects to the idea of watching from inside the hostelry.
Lieutenant Tireur watches Arren with slight concern, but eventually replies, after seeing how the Commandant didn't object to watching from inside. "Well then, I'll leave you to it, and tomorrow I'll keep a longer watch so you can catch up on those lost hours. If we cycle between the three of us, I'm sure we'll be fine, at least for those few days until we're out of the mountains. And, whoever's on watch, keep an extra eye on the carriage, just in case."
The Lieutenant and Arren then set off to trance and sleep, each hoping to rest as much as they can so that, eventually, they can lower the load on themselves and the others, later. As such, it is soon only the Commandant and Bryn who remain awake inside the hostelry. The Commandant, busy with her work, doesn't offer Bryn any chance for a long conversation, but she doesn't watch him at all either. This gives him plenty of time to see her undeniably slow work in progress, from some distance.
About an hour after Arren and the Lieutenant went to rest, the Commandant raises her head briefly, looks in Bryn's direction, then nods towards Arren. "Wake him up," she whispers, before returning to her work. And truly, her candle looks to have burnt about halfway through.
((Learning from past mistakes, I'll give you a chance to post before pushing onwards. The night isn't through yet, but you can post about anything up to and including the current shared watch, after Bryn is asked to wake Arren up.))
Varielky | Werhann
'Tace' takes note of the Commandant's description of how the horses might react, and it does nothing to ease his worry. And here I was expecting military horses to be more discerning, and need a command phrase or something to accept instruction. I guess they accepted mine though.
When the Lieutenant and Sergeant turn in, he remains anxious. He cannot settle properly, nor does he want to the disturb the Commandant as she works. He moves about the main room of the hostelry as quietly as he can, checking each window often, but always from a side on view, never standing flush in the window. He is aware that the light of the candle, although not very bright, would certainly highlight his silhouette were he to do so.
As the broken window is near the horses, he also spends a little time sat beneath it, listening for sounds coming outside.
He does try and discreetly observe the Commandant. Wondering whether her slow progress was to do with the act of scribing or deciding what to scribe.
Time drags for him, and it seems to take an age for the candle to burn down half way. When he is asked to wake the Sergeant, he does so with a gentle nudge and a whisper, "Time for your watch, sir".
His voice remains quiet once the Sergeant is awake. "No sign of trouble as yet. I have taken to checking the windows in turn, staying to one side or the other so as not to appear as a target for anyone watching. I guess we can take a window each now. How is your hearing? Mine is good, so I can stick by the broken window and listen for anything approaching the horses, unless you want to?".
Arren pictures how Choco and Mocha would behave if anyone were to approach them with apples, and he smiles faintly. "And sugar cubes? They'd follow you anywhere," he says. But as soon as the words leave his mouth, he catches Walnuts's concerned expression, and the hint of a smile fades into something more guarded.
There is an instant of self-doubt as the Half-Elf wonders whether his suggestion to keep watch indoors will prove wise. On one hand, it seems safer, but… will they really be able to see anyone coming? What if they get distracted? What if… No. Stop this, he commands himself. There's no point in letting doubt assault him. There are just as many chances this goes wrong as if they had kept watch outside. The decision is made, and all they must do now is—as always—do their best. As the moment of doubt passes, Arren nods to the Drow when he confirms they'll rotate watches to balance their rest cycles, and inwardly hopes the night passes quickly, savoring the thought of the rest he'll get the following night (hopefully).
Before going to "sleep" for the second time that night, Arren briefly considers going outside to move the caltrops the bandits already found. But since it would take quite a while to gather them all, he finally decides against it. With a bit of luck, if the bandits do return, they might think the traps are only at the back door and still get a nasty surprise if they try the main one. Better still if they leave us alone tonight entirely, though.
He wakes instantly to the Corporal's gentle shake. The Elf can hear a slight groan coming from the Sergeant, who'd swear he'd barely closed his eyes five minutes ago instead of half a candle ago. In any case, he gets quickly to his feet, slaps his face a couple of times and nods to the Corporal's report. "My hearing?" he answers in a hushed tone. "It's decent. Probably not as good as yours. I can take the other window, but I'd suggest swapping places from time to time, even if only for the sake of moving a bit to keep sharp. We should also pass by the doors every now and then, in case we hear anything there."
Before going to their posts, Arren pauses a moment and whispers, "There's this thing Walnuts and I do sometimes when we're on watch. Helps keep the mind busy—to stay awake and alert. We tell each other a riddle, and the other has to solve it when it's time to swap places. Want to try?”
If the Corporal agrees, Arren thinks for a bit, and then says, "In a far realm, there's a beautiful princess whose hair is black as the night and whose skin is fair as the purest snow. She's said to be the fairest of them all, and they call her Snow White. One evening, she decides to prepare a meal for herself and her seven guardians—a group of stout, strong miners, dwarves all of them. How fast can you guess what she serves her guardians next?"
After that, Arren starts his watch at the eastern window. He leans beside it rather than standing directly in front—he knows he'd make an easy target for anyone shooting from outside and doesn't want to give away their vigilance. From time to time, he glances out, careful not to make himself visible, doing so at irregular intervals to avoid establishing any pattern that might betray their rhythm.
Arren speaks only as much as necessary during the watch—perhaps if something happens, or to give the answer to the riddle, if they play along. Otherwise, silence reigns over their shift, especially while the Commandant remains awake. He knows that if they talked too much, she'd quickly silence them with one of her looks. The same kind that inspired the nickname he'd given her.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Bryn thinks the slow progress in the Commandant's work is due to several factors, though it seems deciding what to write is what takes the longest. From closely observing her, there's also no doubt she's very tired and often loses concentration as a result. When it comes to actually scribing on paper, she's not slower than any regular literate person, but she's far too slow to be a professional scribe. At least in the act of writing, Bryn is certainly significantly faster.
((I'll assume Arren asks his question, if he does, in a whisper such that the Commandant doesn't hear it.))
No sounds or figures appear in either window, and following Bryn's quiet watch before, one could hope all bandits have given up by now. And yet, about half an hour after Bryn woke Arren up, a sudden noise startles everyone inside the hostelry awake. BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone knocks forcefully on the front door. "Hey! Wake up!" A strong voice shouts from outside in the Common Humans' Tongue. It is an adult male's voice, and it's strong enough to wake the Lieutenant up, not to mention startle the Commandant and alert both Arren and Bryn. From outside, both horses whinny in protest at being awoken so suddenly.
Varielky | Werhann
'Tace' shrugs and nods at the suggestion of riddles. Can't hurt to have something to occupy my mind, as long as it doesn't distract from the watch.
He thinks for a moment and then whispers to the Sergeant, "A silent maiden stands so tall, no sword or fire can make her fall. She holds a light to guide the way, but fades when dawn turns night to day. What is she?".
He repeats the Sergeants riddle in his mind, finding it making little sense. A princess decides to make a meal for her seven guardians, who are miners. Why would a princess have miners as guardians? And why would she be the one cooking? An odd story if ever there was one. And then the question at the end doesn't even ask what she served, but how fast I can guess what she serves them next. Does that mean after the food? Or is it the time I take to answer about the food? She would certainly serve them some kind of food, and I would want to guess quite fast. Perhaps the answer is fast food? Whatever that means.
He determines that to be his answer, to be before they meet to swap answer, comes the knocking on the door. Damn! Here we go.
He stays quiet, waiting for the Lieutenant or Sergeant to answer. But carefully looks out of the window to see if he can see themselves being surrounded. Or for anyone approaching the horses.
Perception: 9+5=14
Arren is glad to see that Tace seems interested in participating in the riddles and listens attentively to his, committing it to memory so he can think about it for a while. He nods and moves along to the left window, watching carefully as described and pondering what his answer might be. After a while, he comes up with two possible solutions and weighs them in his mind. The no sword or fire can make her fall part makes him think that a lighthouse seems more fitting than his initial idea, a candle.
The thought of candles draws the Sergeant's gaze to the one burning upon the table, lighting the Commandant's slow labor. If only they'd run out of candles, so that she might be forced to rest.
The sudden knocking makes him push off the wall where he had been leaning. His gaze darts first to the Corporal, then to the Commandant, and finally to the Lieutenant. He feels worst for the Drow ... weren't they going to allow him to rest at all!?
Like the Corporal, he peers through his window, then takes a few careful steps toward the front door, quietly grumbling that the caltrops hadn't worked this time. Arren then glances back toward the others, silently pointing to the door as if saying I'll answer, but making sure first that Walnuts and the Commandant agree, and that everyone is ready and in position.
If no one objects, he will deliberately delay his response—perhaps the silence will make whoever is outside impatient enough to speak again before he does, or even give away any sound that might reveal how many people are standing in front of the door.
Finally, the Sergeant calls out, "Who are you, and what do you want?"
(Perception: ..... nat 1 .... :/ )
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Bryn doesn't see anyone from the window, but in the few moments of silence between the knocks and the Sergeant's answer, he thinks he can hear shallow breaths from outside. Although he can't see anyone, at least not without sticking his head out, he's almost certain there's someone not far from the window, likely sticking to the wall from its other side.
Arren, after hearing and seeing nothing worth noting outside the other window, and after hearing neither a repeated knock nor another shout, moves towards the door. The Lieutenant, although once again awoken too soon, stands ready with his firearm, nodding in approval towards Arren, signalling to answer the door. However, no noise comes from outside, even following Arren's response.
Following Arren's call, Bryn can hear, but can't see, someone running away from the hostelry.
Varielky | Werhann
Arren remains by the door for a while, listening, waiting. When no sound comes—no voice, no movement, no attack—he exhales slowly and steps closer to the others.
"They're trying to wear us down," he whispers. "They know it is difficult they'll beat us in a straight fight, so they'll keep us from resting. If they keep this up every night, all they'll need is patience… we'll grow weaker, and sooner or later, they'll have us."
He falls silent after that, his jaw tightening as he waits to hear what the rest of the crew think.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"I hear breathing on the other side of the wall, and I think I heard the one who knocked run away. They might be trying to draw us out. Or perhaps draw our attention away from the real threat", 'Tace' says in reply to the Sergeant, quickly and quietly so only those in the room can hear.
He looks around the room at how exposed they would be to anyone with a direct line of sight should they open the door. Or even to someone appearing at the window.
"We should perhaps douse the candle, and check the other rooms", he suggests, moving to the internal door.
He listens at the door for a moment. If he doesn't hear anything, and no-one tells him to stand down, he intends to start to quietly open it.
Perception: 14+5=19
Arren certainly doesn't stop the Corporal from checking the other rooms. Even if the back door is barricaded, those two rooms have windows, and it would be possible to break the glass without making much noise, so it's best to cover that possibility as well.
He stays alert in case the Corporal finds something—or someone—but doesn't leave the main room just yet.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
((Perhaps I wasn't clear. Bryn heard breathing before, and then someone running away, and then nothing. No more breathing after the person ran away.))
Bryn thinks they wouldn't be too exposed. As the door opens inwards and its hinges are on the right (from the perspective of someone outside), the Commandant and anyone by the broken window won't be visible from outside unless the door is wide open. Those on the other side of the room will be more exposed, however. As for the windows, anyone from outside looking through either window can see almost the entire room, except perhaps the very corners of the side from which they look. Bryn finds that the other rooms are empty, and the windows are intact. The other external door is as barricaded as it was when Bryn last left it.
"You're right," Commandant Nattensbarn remarks on Arren's observation. "Or, even if that's not their goal, that's what they're achieving, and that's bad for us." She pauses for a few moments. Perhaps to think the matter over, or perhaps just waiting for 'Tace' to return. Once he does, she resumes. "Perhaps you were right, we need to take the initiative into our hands. If we let them exhaust us, it'll only be a matter of time before the scales tip in their favour. Or maybe..." She pauses again to think.
"The way I see it," the Commandant finally resumes, "there are two things we can do. Though if you can think of something else, do say so. One option is to remain here and try to remain indifferent to their provocations. Given that they've already fired arrows at us at least once, I believe merely ignoring them will only lead to greater provocations we cannot ignore. Therefore, we'll have three of us rest, as much as we can, while the last one remains awake and drives off these scoundrels whenever they appear. Those inside will prioritise rest and should not respond even if they hear anything from outside. The one outside should keep watch over the carriage and the entrances to the hostlery as best they can, and should only alert us if they're in a desperate spot. And, of course, on the following nights, we'll have to swap those roles so neither of you gets exhausted.
"The second option I can think of is heading out to strike them before they come again. Unfortunately, as things stand right now, we're at a clear disadvantage for such an action. We don't know where they are, how many of them are out there, or what their real goal is. As such, I still cannot authorise solo-action, and therefore, since someone must remain to watch the carriage too, we'll have to split into two pairs." It is evident she's thinking as she speaks, and that with every word, she comes to prefer this course of action less and less. "Which would mean we'll be extra vulnerable if the enemy appears. This also means none of us is resting tonight, which means we'll be worse off if we cannot somehow drive them away for good with this action."
With a long pause, or perhaps, in waiting for someone's response, the Commandant clearly states that she had yet to reach a decision, and gives anyone a chance to offer their perspective. After all, she knows that in either case, it is Arren, 'Tace, and the Lieutenant who'll put their lives on the line, in whichever course of action is chosen.
"I've rested... well, perhaps not as much as I'd like, but at least a little, so far. More than the rest of you. I can watch for the rest of the night, if that's what you prefer." Lieutenant Tireur speaks to both Arren and 'Tace' directly. "Or, if you prefer the other option, by staying here, I'll be able to see anyone approaching before they see me. And if things go wrong, I'm sure you'll be able to hear my shot even from a distance, and that'll alert you to our situation."
Varielky | Werhann
'Tace' returns and gives the all clear, and then listens as the Commandant speaks.
"It seems that if we are only going to have one of us on watch at a time, the Lieutenant and I can split the night between us, Ma'am", he responds. Really? I am volunteering to stay outside. What am I thinking?
"I know you have been disturbed a couple of times, Sir. But do you feel like it has been enough of a disturbance that you will need the full time to trance still?", he asks the Lieutenant. "If so, it might be worth you taking first watch to give them something to worry about with your better vision, and I can then take over".
He looks to the Sergeant, who had volunteered to lose sleep already, but it shouldn't need to come to that with only one on watch at a time.
At least if I am out by myself, I can use a few tricks to help get by.
(OOC: Ah ok. It wasn't an exact science anyway, so he might have assumed there was more than one of them)
"I'll be honest," Arren says after listening to the others. "I liked the second option better at first. As long as the scouts are you two," he adds, nodding toward Walnuts and Tace, "because I'm no good at sneaking, and no one else can match Lieutenant Tireur's eyes. If you go out just to pinpoint them—instead of engaging—you could learn their numbers, perhaps even overhear their motives, and we could use that information tonight or on subsequent nights. But," he pauses, "the cost is too high if you engage and they overrun you, or if you can't find them. If I were them, I'd break into several small groups to make tracking them more difficult."
Arren rubs his chin for a moment, thinking. "Still, there might be a way to use the first option to our advantage. If we keep ignoring their provocations and do nothing more than the bare minimum to scare them off, they might assume we'll never hunt them. If they aren't that disciplined and get even a little complacent, then tomorrow—or the next night—we could change tactics and strike when they least expect it."
He pauses, looks to the Corporal, and nods to his proposal. Then he exhales deeply ... He's not so sure it'll be that simple to stay put if he hears any kind of ruckus outside.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"Oh, by the way," Arren suddenly remembers something, and turns to the Corporal. "A lighthouse, perhaps?"
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
'Tace' smiles back at the Sergeant and gives a nod.
"I have not done so well with your riddle I think. How fast? Not what she served? And why would a princess be serving food to a group of miners? What happened to her parents?", he asks quietly as he waits for the decision to be made as to what they are to do, focussing entirely too much on the wrong aspects of the riddle.
He clears his throat and falls silent, realising it isn't the time to talk riddles.
(Posting the image again for reference. The table will be gone by the end of this post, and the square adjacent to the back door is occupied by furniture used to barricade the door. No changes other than that.)
"Not the full time, perhaps," the Lieutenant answers, "but I can't say I feel like one who had tranced the entire time undisturbed. After all, it takes time to calm down and let the body properly rest, after each time it's woken to the adrenaline rush of a possible assault. Oh, but don't worry. I can watch now just fine."
The Commandant and the Lieutenant watch with slight annoyance and curiosity, respectively, the exchange regarding the riddles. "This is not the right time." The Commandant states plainly, before resuming as if the previous conversation was never interrupted. "We'll all stay here, then. One will stay outside and watch the carriage, and scare away any hostiles that appear. The rest of us should rest in the other room, the larger of the two, such that the only window is turned in the same direction as the carriage is. Remember, as much as you can, ignore the noises outside and try to rest. And, anyone on the outside only calls us in an emergency." She thinks for a moment, examining each of those around her. "But also don't get overwhelmed out there. If you need help, ask for it. I'd rather lose a night of sleep than your life."
Following that, and after hearing any other comments anyone may have, the Commandant will deviate from her custom and collect her stuff from the small table, extinguishing the candle on the way, carry it all into the carriage and lock it away. Given that her sleep could be interrupted several more times tonight, she recognises that it's best she goes to sleep earlier than usual (if only just about an hour earlier). She then heads to the medium room, where the barricaded door is, and settles into her bedroll, next to the wall between the window and the barricading furniture. Although the space is small, she is short enough to fit, and this position allows the other two watching to share the rest of the space in the room, while also remaining some distance away.
Please briefly describe how your character reacts when they hear those watching outside scare away the bandits, something that will occur roughly once every 1-2 hours. Or, about 4-5 more times tonight. Bryn, please also describe (with as few or as many details as you wish) what Bryn does while watching.
Do not describe any morning activities yet.
Varielky | Werhann
As the Corporal gives his remarks on the riddle, Arren looks at him as if about to say, "But why would a princess cook, or why she is surrounded by miners, is not the p–", but then he notices the Commandant's annoyance, and the words die in his mouth.
He mutters a quiet, "Sorry, Ma'am," and then gives Tace a regretful look that seems to say, "My fault entirely."
He places his bedroll along the southern wall of the room, close to the door, in case he needs to run to assist the Elf keeping watch. It takes him a while to settle; his mind is more attuned to expecting trouble than seeking sleep. But eventually, he drifts off — lightly. Each time noise stirs outside, he wakes, listening intently. When no cry for help or gunshot follows, he forces himself to remain still.
He trusts Walnuts. After so many years working together, Arren knows full well the Drow will know when to ask for help. And though he's known the Corporal for far less time, he has no reason to think he wouldn't know that, as well.
Still, the worry never fully leaves him. He dozes more than he truly sleeps, even jolting awake a couple of times at imagined sounds his mind has made up because of the tension that never really leaves him. If this continues night after night, Arren knows something will have to change — either he'll learn to rest through the tension, or they'll have to put an end to these attacks once and for all.
He can't help but wonder, in those quiet, half-waking moments: just how many bandits are out there? Are there so many of them that they can take enough shifts to keep attacking and get full rests as well?
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
'Tace' winces as he is told off, but he expected it and can't argue.
He listens to the directions of the Commandant, accepting the plan as the best of a bad situation. How did I even end up in such a situation? This year really has been crazy!
He moves into the medium room along with the Commandant and Sergeant, and takes a place along the western wall, laying out his bedroll but not lying down, simply sinking to his knees. He wears his leather armour, his short sword and dagger sheathed and the crossbow lying to him with the bolt case.
As he trances, focussing is vision on the window, he tries to mentally prepare himself for the sounds of the Lieutenant's firearm going off. Each time is still a shock though. He too finds it hard not to go to help. It will be my turn soon enough.
During his trance, he draws on his innate magical capability, bringing to the forefront of his mind the ability to generate lights at a distance. The last time he used this ability was in his early days at Tus, when the situation there was new and frightening. He had found the desiccated exoskeleton of a glow worm, perfect to be used for casting, and something he kept hidden away. I soon learned it was safer to avoid obvious magic, but outside alone it shouldn't be an issue.
When he does eventually rise and gather up the crossbow and bolts, he moves quietly through the inside of the hostelry to the front door, exiting the building to find the Lieutenant.
"How goes it, Sir? I counted twice that you needed to chase them off. Do you think they have learned the lesson? Did you try and wound or just frighten them?", he asks, wondering what his approach should be. He didn't have the noise of the Lieutenant's firearm, so he might have to be a little more vicious. Not that I want to, but if it is them or us...
Once the Lieutenant has gone inside, he wanders around the building, and when he is at the furthest point away from the window of the room the others are in, he takes hold of the little glow worm exoskeleton and speaks the words of magic as quietly as will work, and four torch-sized lights appear low to the ground, 120 feet away from him, spread out in a row 20 feet apart. As he walks around the build, his eyes scanning the area that lights up, he moves them along a similar path. He recasts the spell as often as needed, making sure to be away from the window each time.
The first time those inside wake to noises outside, it is the Lieutenant calling to someone distant. "I can see you already!" He calls. "I can see you from this distance and have a firearm. You'd be dead before you'll even see me. Turn back if you value your life!" There is no response, but as no shot follows and no further calls from the Lieutenant, it seems the bandits have accepted their fate and retreated.
The second time, he shouts a similar message, but this time, it seems the bandits decided not to follow his advice and kept advancing, since not long after, everyone inside the hostelry is jolted awake from the loud thunderlike sound of the Lieutenant's shot from just across the wall. "That was a warning shot!" He yells soon after. "That's right! You don't want to come here tonight!"
"Ah, well, I don't know." The Lieutenant answers Bryn's question. "You'd think they'd have decided not to approach after the first time, but maybe they decided they don't believe me and wanted to check. Well, I did lie. That is, this firearm isn't really effective at such long ranges. So, it's no surprise that I missed them with my shot. But! They don't know that. I hope they believe they've just been lucky this one time. Well, if we're lucky, that would discourage them tonight. Otherwise..." he sighs, "don't waste time on warning shots. Especially with a crossbow." He indicates slightly towards Bryn's crossbow, which Bryn might notice; nobody raised any objection when he took it from the dead bandit. "It's too silent to act as a warning factor if you miss, and if there are several bandits, they might reach you before you manage to load a second bolt. Your best warning shot is one that hits a target, as unpleasant as it may be."
From the moment he starts watching, Bryn can estimate there should be a little more than two hours left until the first light. Maybe thanks to the Lieutenant's warning shots, or maybe it is Bryn's ghostly lights that scare away the bandits. In any case, Bryn's watch starts with a long pause without any attacks or noises, and even his distant lights reveal no bandits. For a while, it even seems like they may have given up for the night. It is only after more than an hour and a half that Bryn suddenly hears noises.
At the moment, he is on the side of the hostelry opposite the carriage. He had just moved his lights after seeing nobody when he suddenly heard noises from the direction of where the lights had just been. These are the sounds of steps, of people walking. Nay, too fast for walking. They're running straight towards the hostelry! It sounds like more than one person, though it's hard to tell how many. At the moment, he still doesn't see them. Given that his lights didn't reveal them before, they must have been some distance away, but they're approaching fast. (Please act as if in initiative, though all the others are currently resting.)
Arren, please take a moment to describe a dream Arren experiences during Bryn's watch. Should Bryn post anything that should wake Arren up, you can describe Arren waking, but do not connect that to the end of the dream (don't describe Arren waking from the dream; instead, describe the dream, and Arren waking, separately. And only if Bryn's actions result in something that would wake Arren up). You can also post just one half, and if Bryn's actions would lead to Arren waking, post the other part later.
Varielky | Werhann