Residue of Sorrow

"If they found his body, they must have sent a messenger, or a homing pigeon. With how much we delayed so far, both will have arrived before we do." She pauses briefly before adding: "But I'll pass by and make sure they received the message when we're in Pyorre."

When Arren asks to enter the tent, the Commandant stops him. "That's enough, Sergeant. Provoke him no further. We do not know what he is capable of, and he remained here of his own choice. I'd prefer you stay out of his sight before we ascertain his intentions." Bryn can hear their voices when they speak, but the Commandant in particular keeps her voice low when she's not speaking to him, making it a little harder to understand. 

"Then I suppose you must be the prisoner we were questioning back then," she resumes, raising her voice so Bryn can hear her clearly over the wind and through the tent's fabric. "Who the guards assumed was buried under the debris. But what I remember of the person who sat there then does not match what I've seen since. Quite an actor you are. May I assume the scared scribe was also an act? It would be hard to believe any name you fabricate at this point, so why not get to the point? You could have fled, joined the bandits, or otherwise parted from us. Yet you chose to stay. What more do you want?"

She pauses, and it seems she might be done, but right when Bryn is about to answer, Commandant Nattensbarn adds one more question: "And what is your relation to Breithe Staidear, whose surname supposedly matches that of the family who hired you, despite being the last of his line?"

Bryn listens in silence, straining to hear their conversation amongst themselves over the wind.

"I was going for nervous rather than scared, but your assumptions are correct, Commandant", he replies regarding the fact that he was the prisoner, and that it was also an act.

"I had no master plan, as the situation was a complete surprise. I was essentially making it up as I went along. It started with getting you three to believe I was Tace Piete and then getting out of Tus, of course. After that I figured I was best to stay with you until we reached a decent size town where I could disappear. Pyorre seemed perfect in truth. We were to have a few days off, which would allow me to get a decent head start before you realised I had gone, and it meant I could maybe go and see Kone Piete to tell her what had happened to her husband. Despite what you think of me, I felt I owed Tace, Kone and Carmelo that much. I had learned about them from the letters I took from Tace's room. And in truth I was quite doubtful she would get the true story from the military. I also planned to give her Tace's belongings before I left. I hadn't worked out all the details yet, because it was obviously a risk she would simply turn me in, and I would lose my head start, but I felt I had time to figure that out. One moment, there is more but I need a quick drink", he explains, and then takes a swig from his waterskin.

"And then we made it to Ersta. What a mystery that was, with Emma. In truth, I almost fled when we were in Ersta, because I was worried Emma was going to give me away. She knew Kone Piete, and clocked I was not Tace. But we came to an understanding, and she told me more about Kone and Carmelo and I promised her I would make sure Kone found out the truth about Tace. I guess you will have to do that now, which is the truth about why I was willing to speak to you here. I will leave his belongings in the tent for you to get to her. I feel truly sorry for Emma, by the way, in the hands of your military. I admit the three of you have surprised me for soldiers, but I am certain wherever she has been taken there will be people who want to weaponise her", he adds and then falls silent for a little while.

"As for Breithe Staidear, that was an unfortunate coincidence. Obviously I lied about Cillian Staidear employing me. I knew the name Staidear and didn't see the harm in using it. I was surprised when you were interested in him, to tell the truth. I was even more surprised when we saw a connection between him and Emma. Something strange happened there, and I will admit it pains me that I might not find out what truly happened now", he says, and then remains silent.

Arren remains silent for the next few moments. He no longer feels any need to see the man inside the tent, since he remembers well enough the prisoner the Commandant is referring to. An Elf—likely Levickan—with black hair and amber eyes. The nervous demeanour had been just another performance, like everything else these past weeks. Quite an actor, indeed.

For a brief moment, the Half-Elf wonders who this man truly is beneath all the lies and borrowed faces. Then he dismisses the thought just as quickly. Who cares, really?

Arren shakes his head at the remarks about the military, finding it faintly ironic to be judged by someone who makes deception his craft. Still, the Commandant has told him not to provoke the man further, so he keeps his thoughts to himself. He folds his arms and waits, listening only enough to follow the conversation's course—waiting for the inevitable question of what comes next.

The answer seems obvious enough. The man belongs in prison. But if his words are true, he has likely already struck some sort of understanding with the bandits. Picking a fight over him would serve no one. And truth be told, tying him up and dragging him all the way to Pyorre only to see him locked away again is a hassle Arren has no desire to endure.

All he wants now is for this to be over. To reach Pyorre. To close this chapter of their lives as quickly as possible.

Good riddance, he thinks. Whoever you are.

The mention of Emma, however, strikes deeper than he expects.

Arren turns away from the tent, fixing his gaze on the darkness beyond the camp, as if the night itself might offer some refuge from the thoughts crowding his mind. He hopes the conversation will end soon. He tries—and fails—to push Ersta from his thoughts.

They had clashed there, briefly, but apart from that… they had worked well together. Well enough that Arren had thought he wouldn't miss Lieutenant Tireur quite as much with the new recruit around. Gods above, he'd even thought up a nickname for him. The thought makes his chest tighten now. How ridiculous it feels, in hindsight.

The man in the tent keeps speaking, mentioning how he had planned to leave as soon as they reached Pyorre—when all the while they had spoken of plans together. A visit to the training grounds. Time in the library. Continuing the investigation. Real things, to Arren. Lies, to him.

Arren stays silent, eyes fixed on the empty night ahead, searching it for anything at all that might help him let go of what was never real to begin with.

"That is q-" the Commandant starts to reply, but almost immediately, she is interrupted by Lieutenant Tireur.

"Commandant, may I?" He gestures towards the tent's entrance. Seeing that she's reluctant, but before she can voice her disagreement, he draws his firearm - holding it by the barrel - and hands it to Arren. "Hold it for a moment, will ya?" Turning back to the Commandant, he explains: "This way, he'll be less threatened, and I won't be as dangerous to you, nor to myself. Sands, please watch our Commandant." 

While it seems a peculiar thing to say, it puts the Commandant at ease, it seems, and she quietly nods for approval. If Arren doesn't take the Lieutenant's firearm for whatever reason, she'll hold onto it herself. 

"I'm stepping in, uhm, not-Tace," The Lieutenant announces. "I have left my firearm outside, please don't do anything that would make me regret that." Unless Bryn voices some objection, the Drow slowly walks over to the tent and moves one of the flaps to the side, first looking in to see Bryn, and to let Bryn see that the firearm was truly left outside, before finally stepping into the tent. He makes sure to show Bryn his hands are empty as he finds a spot to sit in front of Bryn. If Bryn does object, he'll still say all of the below, but from outside.

"Why don't we reintroduce ourselves?" He speaks loudly, more than is necessary considering the distance between Bryn and himself, so that those outside can hear as well. Nonetheless, he keeps a neutral, even polite tone, as if greeting a person he just met for the first time. "I am Poule Tireur, a Drow from Mey, working in the service of the Meyen empire as a soldier in the Katton extension. I am soon to retire and return to my homeland, where I hope to start a new chapter in my life. Maybe settle down and start a family, who knows? I know the Commandant is uninterested in your name, but I'd like to know it, fabricated or not."

He gives Bryn a moment to fill in. If Bryn chooses not to, he'll resume all the same. "You spoke of how you reached this situation, and honestly, putting aside the hurt feeling of betrayal, it is rather impressive that you've fooled us for so long. I imagine, in a similar situation, I'd be found out sooner. But you've left out what the Commandant really wants to know, and that is where you're headed. You've been with us for long enough to see that we do not take regular outlaws with us. We don't execute them either; we let them go. Of course, you're no ordinary outlaw. On the one hand, you're potentially too dangerous to leave free. On the other hand, even before the Commandant said you have magical abilities, you were skilled enough that capturing you and taking you with us, or trying to execute you, would be a risk we can't afford to take. Even if she can't trust your word, if you say you'll just leave Katto and go back to where you came from, the Commandant will let you go. You'll be tying her hands if you say otherwise, as she'll be bound by her duty to arrest you, or otherwise make sure you're no longer a threat to Katton citizens. But I believe there's another way."

If the Lieutenant is outside the tent, he'll stop here. If he's inside, he waits until he meets Bryn's eyes, trying to gauge if Bryn is truthful in how he chooses to reply. "Do you resent Meyens? Do you hate us as these bandits do? Do you find the Commandant and the Sergeant insufferable, in how they must uphold duty even when it's uncomfortable? Or can you bridge those differences, and for a greater cause, accept that, sometimes, 'rank beats reason'?" Although it's clear he has more to say, the Lieutenant stops for now, waiting to hear Bryn's response.

Outside, Arren sees that the Commandant is just as confused as everyone, following the Lieutenant's questions, but the fact that she hasn't interrupted the Lieutenant means she still wants to see what he's steering for.

If Bryn answers the Lieutenant, and if you believe what he says does not reflect what he really believes, make a Deception check. If he is answering truthfully, make a Persuasion check.

Sand takes Walnuts' firearm, curious about the Drow's intentions.

As he listens, he gives the Commandant a confused look, but otherwise does not interrupt the conversation unfolding inside the tent, paying in fact close attention to what 'not-Tace' answers.

When the lieutenant asks to come into the tent, Bryn replies, "Those who come in peace are of course welcome, an offer that was extended to the Commandant before".

When he sees the Lieutenant is true to his word and has no firearm, he lights the oil lamp and sets it low to grant a little light.

"It is good to meet you, Poule Tireur. I wish you well in your retirement and trust you will work it out. Let's go back to the first time we met, you can call me Otis. I have told you some of the story of Otis, and as I mentioned at first, at this time I do not believe it wise to delve further back in my life", he says giving the lieutenant a smile. He is so calm and unfazed by everything. He will be a big loss to the Commandant and the sergeant.

"Where do I wish to head next? A good question. Whilst I can't say for certain, I can assure you it will be out of Katto. I have no desire to see the inside of a prison again—or to be executed. A little nugget of my past for you: I never wanted to come to Katto in the first place", he explains, going a little against his previous statement that he wouldn't speak about his past before Tus.

When the Lieutenant speaks of another way, he leans in, intrigued.

"An interesting series of questions. I do not hate Meyens, and I do not hold anything against any of you three personally. I did what I did out of necessity, plain and simple. In fact, you would be surprised how much of our interactions were actually genuine from my part as well. As for 'rank beating reason', I am not programmed to obey orders. I will not blindly follow orders any more. That expectation is what tripped me up on the road through the mountains, and made me think more about self preservation. Well, that and my own curiosity about what they are up to here. There is something not right for certain", he says seemingly deep in thought now. "But I digress. I have no idea where you are going with this, although I would hazard a guess the greater cause relates to the bandits and our situation here. But if you are going to suggest I cede my free will to the whims of you three, that will be a very hard sell. I may not have rank, but I have skills just as noteworthy", he says, his eyes narrowing whilst he waits for the Lieutenant to elaborate.

Persuasion: 15+4=19

"Nothing like that, actually. Nothing like that," the Drow reassures when Bryn speaks of ceding his free will and bandits. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Commandant, but you will want to leave this place with first light." Silence. Outside, Arren sees the Commandant nodding slightly, but she does not answer. "She intended to stay up to two days, and two days have passed. Not only that, but with the passage open, the bandits will no longer insist we stay here. Not to mention, though I'd find the story of the plant-men hard to believe if I didn't see the strangulation marks on that bandit's neck, she wants neither of us to be near them.

"But did you ask yourself, at some point, why the Commandant is in such a hurry? You wouldn't know, since this is all you've known, but she usually does everything in her power to stay away from Pyorre. And to keep us safe, even though we're here to keep her safe." He then lowers his voice significantly, such that Bryn can hear but those outside cannot. "She's also a huge coward. She wouldn't admit that, though, so don't tell her I said it." He clears his throat and raises his voice again, so once more everyone can hear. "And yet suddenly, she receives a message in Tus calling her back to Pyorre, and since then she's been rushing us there. She even chose to take the mountain path we're on, despite the dangers of which she knew very well. You, no, we all tried reasoning her away from that choice, but here we are. Why does she suddenly insist on the fast yet dangerous path? I didn't hear the message she received, but I am certain the Commandant wouldn't be here if she had a choice.

"I have plenty more to say about following orders and the Commandant, but you don't really care about the former, and there's only so much I can say about the latter before she takes my firearm from the Sergeant and shoots me. I have served for a long time, and I believe I know at least a little of how this military works. As much as the Commandant hates being in Pyorre, they hate her there too. In so many years in Dite, it's the first time she receives a message like this. What does that mean? I can only guess, but as I said, even if I am not as sharp as the Commandant, strong as the Sergeant or resourceful as you've proven to be, I at least have my many experiences in this long life to rely on. I believe this message was sent either because the military plans something which they don't want the Commandant to see, because of her unique role here, or they have a very urgent and unique mission for her that cannot be delayed. But my best guess? They'll use the latter as an excuse for the former. I know, I know. I'm not talking just for talking's sake; I have a point. Bear with me.

"If my intuition is correct, they need to have the Commandant do something, probably out of Katto, that will take enough time but also seems reasonable. Even better if it might actually benefit them. For example, chase down a man who was last seen in Pohja, or maybe Etanna, elusive to all who seek him and is of interest to all five nations of Dite at the moment? There's no reason she'll be the one to find him, but they don't really care, do they?

"And this is where you come in. Where I hope you'll come in. And that is me speaking here, Poule Tireur, not as the Commandant's subordinate. That is, she might disagree. Please stop me, Commandant, if what I say is unacceptable. The roads are dangerous, even more so for a Meyen, even more so out of Katto. The Sergeant is strong, but I'd feel better knowing I didn't leave them both on a perilous road. You're skilled, we've seen that. Better than most, better than myself. The Commandant is terrified of what you can do with your magic, but I see that as a bonus, even if I don't really know what you can do. Surely it could come for their rescue, or maybe even assist you in finding that man?" He pauses, again trying to gauge Bryn's reaction before continuing, but also to allow any of those outside to voice their complaints, if any.

Regardless of what either of the other three around him says (though the Commandant keeps silent for now), he'll then proceed: "The Sergeant feels betrayed right now, but I believe he'll overcome that eventually, if you open up a little. The Commandant hasn't stopped me yet, so she's at least willing to consider it. And as for you... You're not a soldier. You're not going to be a soldier. You have no reason to stick with them, do you? Other than, of course, the greater cause I mentioned. Emma. Your skills would be indispensable to finding the man responsible, but you won't be able to help her alone, even if you find him somehow.

"I could be wrong, of course. Maybe the Commandant won't be asked to find Breithe Staidear at all. We'll only know when we reach Pyorre. But then, you can just do as you planned before. Hand Kone Tace's belongings and disappear. Or maybe she will receive that task, but will never find him. Then you can leave, at any time." With that, the Lieutenant rises on his legs and steps out of the tent. "Think about it, will you? All three of you. The carriage leaves with first light, I imagine, as always, so you have plenty of time. I'll be at Mydri's tent, if anyone's looking for me."

Bryn listens to the Lieutenant speak, trying to follow the train of thought of the Drow. He certainly is a talker!

He isn't really sure he follows everything regarding the reasons for calling the Commandant to Pyorre, but sort of gets it. They want her out of the country so they can do some stuff she wouldn't approve of. Typical military shenanigans and why I am so worried for Emma.

And then the suggestion comes that he should accompany the Commandant and Sergeant. That they might benefit from his skills. Bryn's. Not just another soldier.

He studies the Lieutenant carefully, wondering if there is any subterfuge here. He really doesn't seem the sort to lie. What you see is what you get, isn't it?

Beyond that, his own reaction is not dismissive. He is clearly thinking about it. How else will I get through the mountains safely? Do I really want to be stuck with these bandits?

At the mention of the Sergeant feeling betrayed, he lowers his head briefly, running his fingers through his hair and scratching the back of his neck. A little wince of guilt appears on his face. The silhouette now visible with the low light will likely allow all but the wince to be seen by those outside.

And then the Lieutenant hits home. Emma! The last thing he had said to Emma before she left was - I hope to see you again. That will be virtually impossible without the help of someone high up in the military. Without that, he wouldn't even know where she was, let alone how to get to her.

The mention of Breithe Staidear is also a draw. To be able to speak to him about his theories, as well as what happened to Emma, that is appealing.

But to leave at first light. That isn't much time. And what of the doors the bandits discovered? What is behind them?

"I will think on it, but we need a way for me to be sure this agreement will be honoured if I accept. Also, you said the Commandant wants nothing to do with the bandit's find now it has proved so dangerous. Are you not curious, though? Could it be more dangerous to leave them with it, whatever it is. Think on that as well", he says, loud enough for all to hear.

He sits for a moment unsure what to do. He has nowhere to sleep.

"What about tonight, Commandant? I assume I am free to leave and find somewhere to sleep?".

Insight (to see if the Lieutenant's offer is genuine): 9+5=14

Sergeant al-Nasrid is a bit surprised by Walnuts' insight into the reasons why the Commandant has been summoned to the capital in such a rush. Now that he has heard the Drow's theories, they do make sense, and he applauds the Lieutenant inwardly, even if they will need to reach the capital before knowing whether he is right.

His surprise is far greater when the Lieutenant proposes that the Elf — he refuses to call him by yet another fabricated name — continue travelling with them. At that, Arren's first instinct is to refuse outright. How is he supposed to do that? To resume their working relationship as if nothing had happened? To allow a man to guard their backs when it took only a few discomforts and opposing opinions for him to start bargaining with the bandits?

And yet, he cannot deny that, strategically, it is not a bad idea. They have already worked together; they know each other's skills — magic excluded, of course, which would be an asset, if it can be trusted. There is no chance they will find a replacement quickly enough for whatever task awaits them, and even if they did, they would be starting from nothing. Again.

Still, Arren is nowhere near ready to accept the proposal. He has to draw on every shred of restraint he possesses not to snap when the Elf speaks of honouring an agreement when it is he who shattered their trust. 

"I do not see how this is going to work," he says at last. "But if this is what is decided"—his gaze shifts to the Commandant—"then this is what I will do. As for honouring the agreement, I sincerely doubt any of you need proof that I am a man of my word."

He adds nothing more on the matter, and hands Walnuts his firearm once the Lieutenant steps out of the tent. What Arren wants now is distance — a moment to himself — but there is still unfinished business.

"Nohem and Lann requested to speak with all of us. We shouldn't linger."

When Walnuts heads back toward Mydri’s tent, Arren remains at the Commandant's side. If she moves to meet the bandit leaders, he will follow. Otherwise, he stays where she is, keeping watch.

As far as Bryn can tell, the Lieutenant's offer is genuine. Optimistic? Definitely. Does it have a multitude of problems? Sure. Will everything happen just the way he predicts? Maybe, maybe not. It sounds sensible, but Bryn has no military experience to tell whether urgent summons like that are really that unique. If anything, he might expect everything to always be done as soon as possible, or at least demanded to be so. Why waste time if you can... not? But in either case, he at least believes that the Lieutenant means what he says, and that there is no other ulterior motive here.

The Lieutenant has already left the tent when Bryn mentions honouring the agreement, and pauses briefly to listen to Arren's reply. "You won't have any guarantee. Neither side has. Here, we call this trust." He then walks away, ignoring the rest of Bryn's questions.

"Don't give me that," the Commandant then replies to Arren's shifting gaze. "I won't force you to work with him if you think it is wrong. We don't even know if what the Lieutenant predicts is true. I'll think about it overnight, but if you believe it's impossible, I'll trust your judgement."

After hesitating for a moment, the Commandant replies to Bryn: "Yes. You may leave." She then immediately turns away and starts walking. "Let us be done with this nuisance then, quickly," she calls to Arren, ignoring Bryn's other questions in the process. "Before we freeze here to death."

Arren takes a moment to reply to the Commandant. Of course, she wouldn't take that for an answer, and he shouldn't have left the decision entirely on her shoulders. He takes a deep breath, rubbing his forehead, and then speaks.

"No, it’s not impossible," he finally admits. "And it is strategically wiser, taking into consideration that getting a new recruit ready on time would be impossible." He pauses. "And, as the Lieutenant said, if it doesn't work out, then we will go our separate ways."

That latter outcome is the one Arren is mostly envisioning now, but he keeps that to himself. If only out of respect for Lieutenant Tireur, he will try to do what is in his power, at least.

With that, he follows the Commandant toward Nohem's tent, not bothering to check whether the Elf follows.

"Easy for you to say, you won't end up in prison if that trust is broken", Bryn says under his breath, inaudible to those outside with the wind.

I guess I am the only one curious about what they uncovered here.

He is actually very surprised when the Sergeant suggests that he might be open to the Lieutenant's plan. I suppose with the Lieutenant here for a little while yet, it isn't totally doomed to failure.

When everyone heads off to speak to Nohem and Lann, he pauses for a bit. Perhaps they are just going to give soldiers leave to...well...leave. Or discuss the Sergeant's plan for payment for the other captives. But perhaps they are going to speak about something more interesting...

He gets up, leaving the Corporal's personal effects behind along with the helmet, and exits the tent with his backpack. He follows along a little distance behind the Sergeant and Commandant, the hood of his coat up to protect him from the wind which happens to conceal his features a little for now.

Once he gets within 120ft of Nohem, he will whisper to him, "It seems matters are more amicable than I expected. The Commandant is on her way to you, would you like me to come as well?".

Although Bryn hasn't been around Arren the entire time, he would at least consider the option that Arren still refers to the original call, which Bryn discovered was fake. (OOC: Reminding in case you forgot.) Either way, since he doesn't raise his voice about the matter, Arren and the Commandant have no reason to suspect anything and continue walking towards the tent.

When Bryn whispers to Nohem, it is only a mere moment before Nohem's response returns. "Thank you. Do as you wish."

After asking a bandit by the fire for directions, the Commandant heads straight to Nohem's tent. When she arrives, she immediately enters the tent, without warning and without announcing or asking for permission. "You called for us. We're here. Please be quick about it."

The tent isn't too large, but five people can fit if they sit close to each other. Lann and Nohem don't seem to have moved much since Bryn's last visit. "Of course, of course. I'll get to the point, then," Nohem replies. "We wanted to discuss the matter of splitting what we found in those ruins. We didn't count anything yet, but Lanny told me there's a great pile of gold and gems, and that's only what was found so far. We think a fair split would be something like this: Half goes to us, as we found the thing in the first place. Of the other half, three-quarters go to the workers - they are significantly more people than you are, and have worked for longer - split evenly between them. I counted twice, and that totals three-eighths of the total sum. That is, of every eight coins there, the workers get three. The rest of it goes to your crew. I said this is a generous offer, but Lanny feels like he owes you for saving his life."

"And anything whose worth cannot be measured in coin, how would you split that?" The Commandant asks impatiently. "Texts, artefacts... anything unique. A cave filled with magical plants must contain something. These don't belong in the hands of merchants or the common folk, and definitely not in the hands of bandits." She turns to Arren. "We haven't had the time to discuss that, but if you saw anything like it, this would be a good time to say so."

Bryn slips quietly into the tent, closing the flap but not moving further in, standing just inside and listening to what is said for now. He lowers his hood, revealing the deep black hair that has grown longer since his time in Tus. He has tried to ruffle it a bit, but all that time wearing a helmet makes it look a little comical, not that he has had a chance to see his reflection yet.

He watches Lann and Nohem closely, knowing that they were covering something last time he was in the tent. At the time he was a little too distracted to dig further, but he hadn't forgotten.

He is pleased when the Commandant questions the find. So she is interested in what they found. Just not interested in talking to me about it. Fair enough. Perhaps if she is interested enough, she will delay leaving a little.

Insight: 18+5=23

Arren takes a quick look as his former companion enters the tent, more out of curiosity than anything else, as it's the first time he's seen his face since Tus. He then quickly turns back to the matter at hand.

The Half-Elf is pleased to hear about the splitting of the gold and gems. He hadn't even considered that they might get anything out of it, as he'd been more preoccupied with ensuring the workers received their share and had no reason to revolt anymore. He's glad he insisted on them being paid.

"I think the workers will be pleased, and this should prevent any further unrest," he says, giving a slight nod toward Nohem and Lann. "There's still the matter of the sick men. I'm not sure they'll be in good shape to simply leave and traverse the mountains on foot. They may need to remain here until they're strong enough."

As he says this, Arren suddenly remembers that he hasn't asked Walnuts about the people in the tent. He hopes they're feeling better now, and that the precautions the others took — however small — didn't increase the number of patients. He makes a point to check this out later.

When the Commandant asks about what else they found inside, he replies, "We found a sarcophagus. Empty, with no inscriptions of any kind. That's were the gems and coins where scattered. There was also a room with a couple of ancient bottles containing a bluish liquid — again, no labels. Some of them were broken; we found crystal shards scattered on the ground. We left the bottles there."

He pauses. "There was also a bone. An ancient one, larger than anything I've ever seen. (ooc: I don't remember how long it was, but Arren says it) The place seemed to have been a sanctuary of Graitha, full of nature-themed murals, but there were others — more recent, made by different hands — and they all depicted dragons. So… a dragon bone?" He shrugs, aware that what he's saying sounds like legend.

"There was at least one more room left to investigate, but the path was flooded, and the water was full of strange creatures — half fish, half plant. That's where we stopped, as we intended to find a way to cross safely." He looks at Nohem and Lann. "Perhaps your two envoys — the Levickan Elf woman and the brown-haired Human man — are already investigating this? We should check that they're all right, or see if they've found something else of interest."

Bryn already knows they never called the group. But having spoken to Bryn about the matter before, and after receiving his alert about the upcoming group, they're far more convincing in their lie now. It doesn't seem like Commandant Nattensbarn or Arren notice anything at the moment. Aside from that, regardless of where he stands, Bryn doesn't meet the Commandant's eyes even once. If he stands behind her, it might seem reasonable, but otherwise, she's intentionally avoiding looking at him.

"Dragon bones! Oh my, it seems we've really scored on this one," Nohem says, truly excited. "But you're right. We don't have anything to do with bones, and convincing anyone that they belonged to a dragon - if they really did - would take more effort than it's worth. How about you take the bone, and we take the bottles? We could sell those, and they're unlikely to be a threat to you. How about that, sounds fair?"

"The chamber." The Commandant states simply, ignoring all that Nohem said. Perhaps the terms are acceptable, but it is more likely she is interested in neither bones nor bottles. At least, compared to what she believes could lie farther inside. "We get everything that is found before the first light. Then, we'll be gone, and you can keep all that remains."

"Now, now. That's not right. Pools of tree fish or not, searching one room, even ten, cannot take that long," Nohem protests. "But, as your subordinate mentioned, our people are already there. How about we agree on the simplest rule? Finders keepers. Four of ours are inside, and there are four of you." He pauses. "Well, three here, but I know you have another with you. I think that would be fair. Then... if you're unhappy with the results, we can discuss trade while you're still around." All while he talks, he cannot seem to erase a sly* smile from his face. Subtle, perhaps, but it doesn't escape Bryn's sharp eye.

*Not game-related, but I had to share: As I am not a native English speaker, I had to search for the right word here. Good thing I did, because I mistakenly thought 'coy' was a synonym of 'sly', and now I know better. If I hadn't done so, I imagine it would be a bit confusing. In any case, as I was looking at proper synonyms of the word, I encountered 'wily'. Not a word I knew before, but I liked how it sounds, so I was curious. It turns out using it instead of 'sly' in this context ("...a wily smile...") isn't the proper way to use the word, so I ended up using sly anyway.

All this is nice and all, but that's just the background. What I really wanted to say is that as I was thinking about it, I realised 'wily' does sound familiar. I don't believe I heard the word before, and yet... wily... wile E... Wile E. Coyote! Perfectly fits the description of the character, and Wikipedia didn't disappoint. The name is indeed a pun based on that word. I was today years old, and felt like this knowledge must be shared, whether or not you two already know it or not.

Sorry for wasting a minute or two of your time with this revelation.

Bryn listens, his mind racing. Nohem is hiding something. If I call it out, it shows good faith to the Commandant and Sergeant, but will possibly ruin my backup plan. Then again, he had that expression when I was here alone. There is something there I need to know regardless of my allegiance.

"What are you not telling us, Nohem?", he interjects, his decision made. "This is two meetings we have had in the last hour where you have an expression on your face akin to a cat who got the cream. The two who told us you wanted to see us lied. Why? Who are they and what are they doing up there? They certainly didn't want the Sergeant and I there".

I am starting to see why the Sergeant is so mad, being lied to is certainly frustrating.

"I find I am a newfound advocate of honesty, so please enlighten us, Nohem". 

Arren turns in surprise to look at the black-haired Elf. Partly because he's been very perceptive — Arren had noticed nothing wrong in Nohem's expression or speech — but mostly because exposing him, and thus helping them, is something the Half-Elf hadn't expected.

He then turns to look directly at Nohem, his expression hard as steel.

"So this is what we get for saving Lann's life and stopping the workers from revolting? I am most definitely unhappy with the results."

He pauses.

"If those two are picking the place clean as we speak, I hope for their sake they don't run into anything they can't handle. Again."

"Originally, you were not intended to receive anything. Neither were they," Lann answers. "Out of gratitude for your help, I convinced Nohem that we should reconsider the matter. But as I told you before, we don't have any kind of special authority here over the rest. I believe they'd be satisfied, considering how much gold we've found there. As for anything else, that would be a much harder bargain. Even if yo-"

Commandant Nattensbarn doesn't wait for more. She stands around and storms out of the tent. "Come, Sergeant, we're wasting our time here." Outside, she waits until Arren follows her, then heads in the direction of Mydri's tent. "Just how dangerous is it in there?" She inquires. "I won't send you to die there, but if you think the Lieutenant and you could protect us against what's inside, maybe we could..." Although she starts with confidence, possibly fueled by anger at being deceived, with every word she cools down (literally), and perhaps imagining vines strangling her or her subordinates, she loses confidence and quickly sounds hesitant, even reluctant to continue. She also slows gradually, reaching a halt, not far from Mydri's tent. "Maybe we could salvage something. Or prevent the bandits from getting their hands on magical artefacts that could cause trouble."

If anyone lingers after the Commandant leaves, Lann will resume: "Ehm. As I was saying, even if you wanted to buy them from us, it is not something we could do without consulting first. They're not all so understanding when it comes to dealing with your group. But we don't plan on just letting go of our find either. You're right. We have a head start, but we've also been here much longer and worked harder. We also find the damned place. This is the best offer I can give you."

Bryn steps out of the way so he is not blocking the Commandant and the Sergeant from leaving the tent, but remains inside himself.

"Is that all it is?", he says to Lann once he has finished explaining. "I thought there was something far more sinister than you making promises you couldn't keep. My imagination had run away with me. You were right earlier, knowing someone is lying is totally different from knowing the truth. That was a good lesson for me".

At least I now have more insight into how the Commandant, Lieutenant and particularly the Sergeant feel.

"Talking of buying things, I understand you have a lodestone or two in your supply tent. How much do you want for one?", he asks, planning on doing a deal if possible and then leaving to head back to the excavation site.