"Oh no, you're not wrong, I couldn't care less about these psychos. But Thia's a good kid and I don't want anything to happen to her."

“A good kid that’s considering sneaking around a military camp after being told not to ... to save peoples lives ... peoples lives that you despise.” Gyselle says trying to follow the mans logic (insight check 21 how sincere is brandt in his statement?)

(Brandt's not lying, he could not care less if all these people die, but he does care about Thia)

He only responds to Gyselle by giving her a shrug.

Feeling that’s about all she was going to get from the man in response to her question, says to Thia, “I don’t really think I can stop the two of you by myself from investigating things ... plus I want to stop these people from continuing to be harmed,” Gyselle gestures to the wounded in the tent.

With a determined look and a hint of excitement says, “I suppose I’ll just have to accompany you. I can always say you obstinately ignored me and I’ve been tailing after you to come with me back ... or something I suppose.” Adding with a gesture towards Brandt, “Especially since he seems willing to help ... you at least” On the word ‘you’ Gyselle points towards Thia. 

Thia had not heard Brandt enter the tent, so she too was a bit surprised from his approach. Ninja. She needs to learn to be that stealthy, ASAP. Though, she was relieved to hear he would keep an eye on the guards for her and a smile would tug at her cheek.

It was Thia’s turn to stand there quietly while Gyselle questioned Brandt. Both her eyes darting between them. The medic would lift a finger, her mouth opening slightly wanting to retort, but she’d bite her tongue this time. Again with the ‘kid’?! Gyselle now too!? Thia’s nose would scrunch a little as she’d try to keep a straight face and her cheeks from going red, trying not to give them the satisfaction of seeing her a little flustered. She was the second oldest after all. A student doesn’t make me a kid. Her arms would fold. It just means I’m eager to learn and master my studies. She’d cock a brow.

Her attention would move to Gyselle as she spoke her final piece. The medics eyes would follow her gesture out to the sick. Thia appreciated that Gyselle shared the same desire to stop the harm. A slow poisoning like this was such a cruel and cowardly way to fight a battle... Thia couldn’t imagine prolonging it further than necessary. 

Thia’s head would tilt a little to the side when she’d see a change in Gyselle’s eyes. Gyselle couldn’t have been that worried about them getting her in trouble. “Because he knows how much I’d need it.” The artificer would smirk slightly before a soft chuckle would leave her lips. Her eyes would find Brandt’s. “Any tips?”

Gyselle looks expectantly at Brandt wondering what helpful tips he has to offer. 

Tarian, are you hoping to investigate things outside of Othmar's tent, or are you planning to catch up with Thia?

Corti and Arc, what are your plans?

Thia, Brandt and Gyselle, when do you want to start carrying out your plan?

Gyselle is going along with whatever Thia and Brandt decide. 

In Brandt's silence, Thia would look him over before looking Gyselle and herself over. She'd then glance around the medic tent. "Gyselle... Are there any spare soldier coats you and I could use to try to disguise ourselves? Or blend in the dark a little better?"

Gyselle quickly takes you out of the tent and into an adjoining tent about fifteen feet away. The smell of various bodily fluids is barely covered by the heavy scent of soap, and the space here is filled with three large wooden tubs with washing boards in them. Along the walls of the tent are wooden shelves with washed uniforms, sorted by battalions. A sergeant major wearing the patch of the logistics battalion is overseeing three privates stripped down to their breeches and sweating over the tubs in which they clean the worst out of the uniforms. 

The sergeant major looks at you, Gyselle, and recognising you says: "Whichever uniforms you pick, I need the confirmation slip for the patient from Leech."

Tarian had been moving toward the field medic tent when she heard the soldiers following behind her. Look, I’m just heading to the medic tent, alright? She fought one urge to turn around and another to hasten her steps. Walking with purpose usually worked in Duskrock, and when it didn’t, brandishing her sword usually fixed what problems remained.

This wasn’t Duskrock, and an outsider drawing a weapon would not be looked well upon here.

Tarian chuffed. Her steps halted when a hand was placed on her shoulder. “You don’t look like any of ours.”

She spun around to look the pair of soldiers in the face. “Probably because I’m not. But Marshal Arceneaux’s given her permission for me and my crew to be here, so if there’s a problem, take it up with your commander.”

The pair of soldiers passed a glance too brief for Tarian to read. She hated that level of communication. Not only did it usually follow with a brawl, but she had no one that she shared that deep a connection with, so she couldn’t use it to her own advantage.

“So, that’s your cart over there, eh?” the one began.

“And you’re one of the ones we’re to keep an eye out for, eh?” the other continued.

Tarian glanced at the cart. They didn’t do anything to the cart, did they? She nodded slowly. “I suppose I am.”

They both edged closer, straightened their postures and looked down their noses at her. “So you’d best keep to the places you’re allowed to go.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Tarian didn’t move, she just looked back and forth between the two soldiers, similarly dressed. I wonder what company these two were in? I’ll have to ask Brandt how to tell them apart.

The trio stood there amid the deepening shadows for a long moment. Tarian didn’t say anything and neither did the two soldiers. When the pair finally left, and seemed to continue some previous conversation about sheep, Tarian quickly changed direction to the cart. She looked it over carefully, but in the dimming light couldn’t recognize much out of order. Since she hadn’t any light of her own at hand she gave up. Whatever they went through, it won’t be less ransacked in the morning. I’ll have to check then. Back to the medic tent. I hope they’re still there.

Tarian lightly jogged back to the field medic tent and poked her head inside. They’re… not here. Thia wouldn’t have… Would she? And Gyselle let her? Tarian urgently scanned the campsite, and tried to guess which tent was the arcanist’s.

No idea, and I don’t see them. Well, if they are sneaking off somewhere, the least I can do is act as some sort of distraction. Let’s see, what can I do that won’t end with my head on the chopping block?

Tarian found herself a clear space in the middle of camp, within sight of the medic’s personal tent and the field hospital, and faced toward the camp entrance. There she pulled out her sword and began her sword form practice.

It’s been a while. I’ve missed it.

Nothing to do now but wait, and hope that everything works out.

It takes only a couple of minutes, before a sergeant appears before Tarian: "Who are you with? Why aren't you wearing your uniform, and what the hell are you doing out here?"

Inwardly, Tarian sighed. Someone’s already here, hm? I haven’t even started to sweat yet.

Outwardly, Tarian sighed. She spoke in cut sentences between swings. “Corphyrean Rail. Out of Duskrock. Never issued a uniform. Ask your marshal. Getting training in. Told not to mix with you lot.” She punctuated the last statement with an especially hard, fast swing which hissed through the air as the blade swept through. “I was trying to give you space.”

She raises an eyebrow at hearing your Brelish accent and hearing you mention Duskrock. "So you're the delegation the Marshal was waiting for? Thank the heavens,some of the boys were getting real antsy already..."

Watching you a couple moments, she adds: "You got decent form for a civvie. Direct and to the point, no unnecessary fuss. Now, I ain't heard nothing about your delegation, so as far as I'm concerned, I was never issued any orders to stay away from you lot. The name's Tess." She was going to shake her hand, before deciding against it since you're still training.

"Heck, if all the civvies here are trained like that, we never would've stood a chance..."

Tarian scowled. “No orders about us?” Tarian’s sword whooshed.

“Bad form,” Tarian could hear her father say. “Do it again.” She cut through the air again more cleanly.

“Only one sided, then. Marshal said she’d have us flogged… if we go to your tents. Trying to avoid you altogether.” Tarian continued her sword practice. “If you come to me, though…” Tarian let that thought hang for a couple of parry stances. I wonder if I could use this…?

“Not much a former town guard trainee can do. If you wanted to test your skills with a ‘civvy,’” Tarian sheathed her sword. “There’s not much a former town guard trainee could do, either. A bit of fair warning: your Marshal seems the type to have orders for my death signed and within arms reach at all times, so your chance to show off may be limited.”

"Nah, that's a'right, I'm with the support battalion, part of the engineer's company. Fighting up close isn't my specialty, to put it bluntly... Well, I don't want to get in trouble with the Marshal then, but don't worry too much. From what our officers said, she'd been hoping for a delegation for weeks." With that, Tess turns and leaves Tarian to continue her training.

Gyselle stands for a moment after entering the tent, seemingly dazed by the nearly overwhelming smells in the tent.

‘No matter how many times I come in here ... I never get use to this smell’

Realizing she’s been addressed by the sergeant major, “It was one time I forgot about that, in two years ... honestly you don’t need to keep ribbing me about it.”

“Well since I’ve kept reminding you about it you haven’t forgotten”

“Fair enough. I don’t know how you stand this smell all the time”.

Gyselle continues as she makes her way to the shelves of washed uniforms where she spends a few minutes picking out Legio III Auxilio Comitatu uniform that seems closest to Thia’s size, pretending to look it over while secretly comparing the size to Thia. Then spends a few more minutes finding one reasonably close to Tarian’s and Corti’s sizes.

Having acquired the desired uniforms, Gyselle exits the tent with Thia in tow back to the medic tent. As she leaves, “Good to see you again. Hopefully I don’t see you in the medic tent anytime soon.”

(Not sure where Tarian is in relation to the ... laundry tent? ... but should Gyselle see her she would wave her over)

“Is that so?” Tarian started as Tess turned to leave. “Well, she’s—”

She saw motion from one of the tents and turned her head a bit to see Gyselle emerge from a tent that was not the field hospital and start to wave. “Looks like my handler has come to get me. I’d say ‘let’s talk later,’ but I don’t know if I’d be beaten for that.”

Tarian swiftly strode toward the halfling at a near jog. Her expression darkened as her eyes flit from the tent to the area around it. She stopped abruptly in front of Gyselle. Tarian looked as though she was ready to pick her up by the shoulders and shake out the answers she wanted from Gyselle like dust from an old rug. Tarian regained her composure with a forced smile and two tightly clenched fists at her sides. “And where might Thia be, Miss Gyselle? Did you not follow her out? Might there be some… further issues that your Marshal Arceneaux wanted to discuss?”

I knew it. I knew that if that Durnn trusted someone, then we shouldn’t. Any subordinate of this Marshal…

Corti said her goodbyes to Othmar, promising to talk with Thia about potential water tests, and then heads to the medical tent, not knowing where else Thia would have gone. She comes in a little after Brandt, in time to hear Thia request coats. If Thia went to pick up the uniforms with Gyselle, Corti'll tag along, otherwise she'll wait in the tent. She stays quiet either way, sensing that she missed a discussion of plans and deciding to get filled in later.

A little concerned by Tarian’s posturing Gyselle says in as carefree a manner as she can manage “She was right behind me...” Turning to look for Thia and not seeing her says quickly, “She must still be inside the tent with Corti”