Ereworn Under The Shadow

Smiling Jack's smile forms an "O".  Jack just added up some sums.  Gond paid Eldon a year or 2 worth of wages as a dowry.  We were getting paid about 2 plus years of wages to find her.  Where is the money coming from?????

Quote from Character77006 >>

Smiling Jack has been listening intently but is still a bit confused, Jack looks from Gond to Barn to Eldron and back through the cycle not sure if he should escort Gond and leave Barn alone.

Based on Jack's confusion, he tries to concentrate on Eldron's words to see if Barn is safe.

Insight 14

Smiling Jack is confident that Barns words have had the desired effect.

Quote from Kol_Drake >>

Ardwynn tried to 'read the room' however, Clotha was practically climbing her back to see what was happening while jerking and twitching every time someone spoke.   Talk about not being able to be 'insightful'...

Insight Check: 6

 

Things seemed.....tense.....but no one was dead.....so.....

Quote from Tybard>>

Barn's wide hazel eyes regard Eldron and eventually his broad shoulders relax slightly.  As the banked rage in his eyes begins to quell from a roaring bonfire to crackling embers, Barn's habitual stutter (gradually) returns, as if it has been hiding somewhere for the last several minutes.

"I will take you at your word, Eldron.  As long as you hold to it and be the headman this town deserves in dark times, then I am your man.  Once we are recovered, I will do my very b-best to chase the clues we have found during our journey as to how we may lift the curse on this land.  Or die trying maybe, somewhere in Gallows Wood or beyond.  And while I c-cannot speak for them, I think my companions will too."

"We g-gathered what we could carry from Ned's cavern, mostly taken from town, I think?  The first thing you can help with as headman is oversee returning these to whoever they belong to.  I rolled your barrel back too, Gond.  It's outside."  Barn pulls the stolen items he had gathered and carried from Ned's cave and lays them out carefully.  He signals for Smiling Jack or others to do the same for whatever items they brought back.

The big man pauses, thinking through the reeve's other questions.

" With the way this land is suffering you'll have your work cut out for you all....but truth be told I didn't think you'd make it this far so there may be something of the ancient tales about you..."

" I recognize some of these, I think. I will see they make it back to their owners.......or at least someone else who can use them."

Gond looked back at the mention of the barrel briefly then turned back towards the door.

"Let me go see if Clotha wishes to see her father now.  I can also check which of us has the bit of gold we recovered, also mostly from Ned's cave, to make you whole.  Please be honest with us Eldron (and Gond) - how much gold was the bride price?"

Barn heard Ardwynn speak to Clotha at the door and waited on her reply.

Eldron chuckled, " Easy enough. My entire life savings, all the gold I earned as an irregular on the border of Glissom, the gold from selling off most of my land and the other I had scraped together over the decades."

" Half I owe to you for defeating Ned and delivering Clotha back, the other half was paid to Gond....."

"We left Oengus with a good wise woman, Elen the Kind, who also d-died soon after, both slain by risen dead horrors, yet laid to rest in a peaceful glen.  I think that is all the m-monument he needs other than our memories.  When you return here to the Horned Man, after a long day of trying to make things b-better, mind you, then we should always toast to Oengus the Bard and Elen the Kind, r-remembering those who sacrifice all for our land."

" Elen? I know her, one of the Cunning Folk?  She was quite the beauty in her younger days.....but would have none of us she preferred the Green.  I did not know she still lived."

" They will both be honoured here."

Barn's voice becomes very quiet.  "I did become a m-monster, Eldron.  Back at that last f-farmstead.  With the farmer's wife and his d-daughters... a c-coward of a monster who kept quiet while some of other soldiers, the worst of them, they... they..."

He hunches his shoulders.  "They would have b-beat me if I tried to stop them.  And laughed.  Killed me, m-maybe.  But someone has to stand up and d-do something and I... I... ran away.  I will n-never forget my shame until the day I die.  Aye, but there is always t-time to redeem oursevles, no m-matter how far we fall."  Barn gives Eldron a meaningful look.  "To try to do good.  Wynn taught me that, when we talked under the stars, deep in Gallows Wood."

The big man swallows.  He stands up and turns to the door to check if Clotha wishes to see Gond, and to find out who is carrying the gold they had found.

Eldrons eyes went to the door and the young woman who stood there, Clotha at her back, he nodded with consideration.

" Aye, we all did things in war we are not proud of....."

Quote from MagiSage >>

Galaren comments to Eldron "This town needs a defender. This group seems to have adventure on their minds. Will you rise to the occasion? "

He comments to Barn privately (if possible) "Little gold have I, but if you need it to pay off Clotha's bride price, happily will I contribute."

Following this, Galaren will go check on Clotha and see if she is still in need of healing.

Eldron looks at Halaren his eyes narrowed trying to place the face and failing, still he nods regardless.

Quote from Kol_Drake >>

Ardwynn turns and places hands on Clotha's shoulders.   "Are you ready to meet your father?   Do you need me to stay close?  Just say the word."

As Galaren and Barn draw closer Clotha nods to Ardwynn and breaks past her shoulder throwing her arms around the large shaking red mass that is her father.

" Oh, thank the stars!" , says Gond blubbering. " I never thought I'd see you again. I was so scared."

He turns back to regard Eldron for a brief moment, " Is it true what Barn said? You were really that......worried?  I thought.....I don't know....I'm sorry for that. I should have spoken more with you.....rather than assuming....bah, I'm a foolish old man. Can you forgive me?"

Clotha kept hold of her father her face buried in his shoulder, she raised her tear-stained face and looked up at Barns face, her face becoming determined, " Yes. I can forgive you, Father."

She pulled back from Gond and stared him in the face, " But I am not the same Clotha who was carried away.  Would you still have this as your daughter?"

Gond looked confused and flustered, " What do you me.....oh, oh....I see....well, that's alright isn't it? "  

He reached up and softly pinched her tapered ears, " Maybe you'll be able to hear me better when I call you for chores, Hmmmm?", he chortled, obviously shocked but covering it relatively well.

" Your eyes......well, they are very pretty......different.....but differents not a bad thing.....right?", his voice sounded like he was trying to convince himself....to those listening it was unsure whether he succeeded.