Rhees and Hrothgar set off on their horses. Rhees cannot help but think of the man and horse both twice the size of he and his, and well armed and armored as well, but the fellow seems peaceful enough for the nonce. His gaze seems to reflect a man deep in thought.
If Hrothgar is willing to talk on the road to Threshold, Rhees tries to engage him about his beliefs, his homeland, and the negative effects of the Bishop's rule on the area. He will also take the time to tidy up his appearance a little. He also explains to Hrothgar that he must be present and involved in all negotiations and discussions.
Hrothgar shrugs, "If you wish. I will simply find the guide. You may conduct anything you wish after that." When asked about his background, he grunts, "I am a Northman, as you probably have guessed. My gods are the only real ones, Odin and his children. We have been thus since the time of ancestors beyond recollection. This cult shall fall, as all false religions have, and then we shall remain." He does not seem particularly bothered by the discussion, or the topic.
Rhees smiles at the man's ancestry, and his confidence in his faith, "My grandmother was of Nordic blood - though she was born in a Viking settlement on the coast of Albion. What brings you such a long way from the crisp air of the North Sea? Your gods will survive, surely, but I have seen what the Bishop and his followers do to religious men of other faiths - a full score of my brethren fell to Katolik swords. I am no fool, Hrothgar, I cannot make you act against your own will, but I hope you are true to your word - we could use an ally such as you and the Bishop deserves an enemy of your ilk. Give me your oath by the All-Father that you are dealing with me and my companions truly and honestly and I will let you run affairs in Threshold - we should be done more quickly that way. If things go well here, you and your men have a better chance of finding honest and rewarding work as soldiers as opposed to brigands. You spoke truly when you described your men as mostly peasant lads. If you truly wished to lead brigands, I think you would have had a different group of men following you in those woods. Unless I miss my guess, you would appreciate the chance at honorable soldiering, turning fresh-faced young men into a true unit under your command. Stay with us and you'll get that chance."
Hrothgar shrugs, "Such an oath means little to an Anglo, but I can swear to you by One-Eye that I have spoken no untruth, and that I even now seek a guide in the town. Further I will not bind myself, as I know not the honor of your companions, and would not oath myself and leave you thus unbound." He waves his hand as Rhees protests, "Save your oaths. You lead those men not, and even if you did, you could not make oath for them. Each follows his own path. Their skein is not tied to yours. I will tell you true that I have not decided what destiny I will follow, and you shall have to settle with that." He turns and resumes walking toward the town.
You make decent time, and reach the town in less than two hours. The town is built immediately upon the river, and a bridge has been built over it to settle on a small island in the middle. The entire place is a normal Italian town, built too close together, cramped and filthy. Buffets of black smoke rise up into the early morning sky from shops just starting up their operations.
In town, Rhees tries to keep his head down and his eyes open. The wall around the town is impressive, thick and tall, and the gatehouse is equally impressive, built to withstand a siege, you think. Arriving, you see about a dozen guards at the open gate. One is the largest man you have ever seen, half a foot taller than either Forte or Ullar, heavily muscled, and has a long scar running across his face, ending in a patch over his left eye.
He seems to be the leader of the group. There is no traffic, but as you two ride up, he sizes up Hrothgar, mostly ignoring you. As you come to the gate, he unrolls a parchment scroll. "Threshold is a peaceful 'n' law-abiding place. To make sure it stays that way, yer only allowed to carry daggers, swords, and staffs. What's more, yer can't cast no magic spells in this 'ere town or it'll be up to the clerical court with yer. Any questions? Yer better make 'em quick. I ain't got all day."
Looking about, it does not appear he has much else to do, but you leave that for the moment. A small man next to him nervously asks for your names. Hrothgar answers quickly, "Bulvai Bjornson, here on business. This is my spear-carrier." He looks down at you with a subtle wink.
As Hrothgar (if that is his name) answers, the fellow writes on a massive leather-bound ledger set on a small wooden stand. Beyond, Rhees sees the town, now beginning to bustle, as people move through the crowded streets about their various business. Never a fan of such urbanity, Rhees does not relish the thought of moving through the throng himself.
Following Hrothgar's lead, Rhees assumes deceit to be the norm here. Hoping his fair complexion to be close enough to the northman's from the perception of the swarthy Italians, Rhees gives his name as Martin Hrothgarson, a slight grin replying Hrothgar's wink.
The scribe scribbles down something on the ledger and waves you through, after relieving Rhees of his spears, saying they are outlawed weapons in Threshold. Both of you penetrate the city. Seems some sort of commotion has gone on this morning. Something about a sorcerer flying through town on wings and trying to snatch a baby from a crib, or some such nonsense. The descriptions of the sorcerer, however, sound awfully like Tolik.
Knowing there is other pressing business, Rhees follows Hrothgar, but he keeps his ears alert for more mention of flying sorcerers (or other description of the party) - although Tolik may have passed through, it seems more likely the Bishop is stirring up negative propaganda. Moving close to Hrothgar, and making sure there is no one following too close, he asks (quietly) "Do you know how serious they are about the magic thing? How is it enforced?"
The crowd mentions something about a large bird, but you cannot tell if it is the same being as the sorcerer or not. It seems mostly like gossip, but it is very active amongst the villagers. Upon being questioned, Hrothgar chuckles, "Warlock, are you? I would advise staying away from that in this town. The priests punish it quite severely, from what I've been told. Saw a magician hanged last time I was here." He seems to draw back from Rhees somewhat as they continue walking.
Although he'd like to deny the accusation more strongly, Rhees keeps his voice down, "I'm no warlock, Hrothgar. But I was apprenticed to a bard in my homeland. Haven't you seen the skjalds of your home make wondrous things happen with song and story. In a town full of fear that can be dangerous enough."
"Never trusted the skjalds. Any man tasting magic is possessed by it. It turns him evil. The source of such power is in the devil. Loki himself was once a good son. His witch blood and use of magic powers turned him to trickster and in the end will spell Armageddon" He spits with distaste, seeming to ignore Rhees protestation of innocence.
Hrothgar waves for you to follow him east, parallel to the southern wall. When Rhees tries to investigate the matter further, Hrothgar waits impatiently.
Once done with that, the large northman leads Rhees, apparently toward a bridge running over to a small island in the river, apparently part of the town. As he nears the wharves close to the bridge, a door opens from a small tavern up ahead. Strange for someone to be leaving a tavern at this hour, but a fellow indeed does come rushing out, certainly drunk, and crashes right into Rhees.
"Wot there? Whoos zat? Oh, sorry, pal..." He then starts patting his pockets, "Ay! You stole my money! Give it back! You thief! I'm calling the guard!" As Rhees protests his innocence, Hrothgar grins, watching without interfering. Looking over, Rhees sees a husky guard sergeant looking this way.
Worried about giving away the location of his gold, Rhees nonetheless makes a quick pat of his own person to make sure he still has his own money. At the same time he moves so that the 'drunk' would have to run towards the guardsman to get away. "An interesting way to cover your own attempt, cutpurse. The guardsman is right there, let us call him over."
The fellow looks blearily at Rhees, "Yes, wildman, we'll do that!" He yells for the guard, who comes over, followed by a couple of lightly armed patrolmen. They eye up the heavily armed northman, but are drawn to the complaining drunk, who yells all sorts of accusations. The portly guard sergeant seems inclined to dismiss the wailing, turning about to see if there are any witnesses.
Turning to Hrothgar, he asks, "Did you see anything?" His fellows seem quite ready to walk away from the whole matter. Unfortunately, Hrothgar nods, "I did indeed, sir." He says, bowing. "This fellow has attempted to bewitch me, and now has magically stolen this worthy man's purse. I saw it vanish in his hand. I tricked him into coming into this town, knowing the punishment for magic here. Bring him before the Clerical Court, and you shall ascertain the answers there."
The guardsmen move forward sternly, "You are under arrest, wild one, for the practice of witchcraft, theft, and whatever else the Clerical Court decides is your due."
As Rhees is being led off, Hrothgar speaks in crude Celtic "Must fulfill contract, apologies." He nods and then slowly strides off into the crowd, heading back toward the gate.
Rhees calls back in Celtic (regretting he never learned the Norse curses his father used on occasion) "Apologies mean nothing from an oathbreaker." Then, hoping it sounds like more Celtic to the guard and with a quick prayer to Math, patron of spellcasters, Rhees tacks on the words needed to place a charm upon the guard sergeant. He turns to the guard sergeant, hoping to see that spark of sympathy, "The big Northman just boasted to me that he fooled the gullible watch! You mustn't let him get away with this."
The guardsman looks at Rhees with a cynical eye, and he can tell that his spell did not take hold. Nonetheless, he seems to take him seriously. "You there, northman! Come back here! You are needed for questioning as well!" With a visible sag of his shoulder, Hrothgar turns back around, allowing the guardsmen to guide him along with Rhees. The sergeant says, "The Clerical Court will find the truth of these matters quickly enough!" He then leads you back toward the center of town.
Hrothgar nods at Rhees, "Smart." He simply says in Celtic. He does not seem particularly disturbed by the arrest. Moving toward the center of town. Rhees sees that he and Hrothgar's horses have been taken along behind them. Up ahead is a large stone building, which stands out among the small wooden ones he has seen so far in town.
There is a large square in front of this building. In the open square, there are several merchants hawking wares, but most interestingly is a large wooden sign stating in bold letters, "Cardia's Flying Carpet Service" It has been removed from the earth along with the stand immediately alongside it and is being put into a cart by a young elfin man. He then picks up the cart and begins pulling it back into town. He stops at a small building, unlocks it, and begins offloading his goods into it.
Rhees is unable to see any more as he is drawn toward the larger stone building. On the western side of the square, alongside the building he is being guided to on the south, there is another large building, certainly a Katolik Church. There are acolytes wandering about the building, and there are crosses and other religious decorations all about. There are several men decorated with white tabards with red crosses on them outside the building Rhees is even now entering. They are armed and armored almost as well as the guards around them.
Moving up the steps, Rhees and his big companion are guided away from the double doors immediately in front, pushed to the left, where there is a huge and sturdy oak door. The guard sergeant pulls a key out, unlocks the massive lock, and then pushes you in. A smaller man moves forward and searches him, removing his dagger and shield, though leaving him his studded leather. Rhees is thankful that much of his goods are on his horse. Hrothgar is stripped of his armor and his sword, which leaves him with little else. Rhees does notice that under his armor Hrothgar wears a jeweled necklace, which he must have concealed when Forte removed his armor before. Apparently he is not quite as poor as he led you all to believe.
Hrothgar looks at Rhees quizzically, "So what now, skjald? Do you practice magic upon me? Wreak vengeance? Or do we fight? Or sit and wait for the priests to judge us?" He sits on the floor, as there are no furnishings. He continues to be unfazed by the affair, or at least seems to be.
Hoping he looks as calm as the large man, Rhees replies, "It seems you make wrong assumptions as readily as I do. I assumed I could trust you to be true to your oath, including when you told us you had no obligations to your former contract - I was wrong. I told you I had been apprenticed to a bard - you assume that means I can master mystical powers. I never finished my apprenticeship. The one time you were right was when you thought you were lying. You called me your spear bearer, in truth I am little more than that. I saw you fight Ullar - if you wish to fight, I doubt I could stop you. It doesn't really matter. A couple of 'barbarians' in a trial such as this have little chance. I will make my peace with this earth and see how the Katoliks conduct their show trial. Having forsworn yourself, I doubt peace will come that easily - I certainly hope it doesn't."
The northman shrugs, "I have committed no crime, and I have done nothing that the Church will be bothered with. They are more worried about magicians than mercenaries. They will see the truth of my contract easily enough, and I will be freed. This is not the first time I have seen the inside of these walls." He chuckles a bit, but then frowns, "As I said, a statement to one such as your leader, made under duress, holds my honor in it's grasp not at all. I never made any untrue oath, so I have no worry about contentment." He shrugs again.
Disappointed at having lost his composure with the Norseman, Rhees leans back against the wall and takes some time to compose himself. Given the time, he meditates on the past day's events. How could he have read the Norseman better? How could the charm on the guard been made more effective?
He'd noticed that he was able to draw on more poser in recent days (OOC: cast more spells) and had been reasonably effective in combat earlier. Perhaps he was learning despite the absence of his mentor, Grae.
Although it is more difficult in this man made cave, Rhees extends his meditation to embrace his surroundings. The walls are still stone and the floor still dirt. In the quiet of the cell he can still hear the activities of man around him. Unlike Antonia, his practice had always been more inclined toward the activities of man anyway.
Calmed by his meditations, Rhees realizes he has not slept in some time. Unsure of how successful the attempt will be, he nonetheless moves to a corner where he can be supported by two walls and tries to fall asleep.
Hrothgar has closed his eyes already, though Rhees suspects he is still aware of his surroundings. He does not appear violent, though, and does not interfere with Rhees' sleep.
Awakening to the subdued sounds of the jail, Rhees stands slowly and works the multiple kinks out his neck, back and butt. Even natural rock has its own curve and flow, this flat floor was unforgiving in the worst way. After limbering up a little, Rhees sits back down to meditate on his next move and prepare his spells (OOC: Change Self, Detect Magic, Nystul's Magic Aura, Sanctuary).
Seeing Hrothgar's apparently slumbering form, Rhees smiles to himself, "Time to find out a bit more about you my large friend," he thinks to himself. As quietly as possible while still guaranteeing effect, Rhees summons the spell that will allow him to detect magics and examines Hrothgar in detail, making sure he ascertains if the necklace he wears is magical.
As he begins the incantation, the northman looks up with a menacing stare, "If you close your mouth right now, then you live." He holds a very large flat rock next to his right hand, and from his actions, Rhees thinks it very likely he could hurl it at him before he could complete the spell. And so he ceases the incantation, losing the ability to cast the spell.
Rhees then sits down again and hopes to get some sort of opportunity soon.
The night passes quickly enough, though the surroundings and the company are not the best one could hope for. In the morning, Rhees hears much fanfare outside the high barred window of the cell, but cannot ascertain it's source or purpose. He only can tell it is getting closer.
After nearly an hour of such, finally growing loud enough that it echoes through the chamber, it stops. Almost immediately afterward, a burly guard approaches and motions for you to come with him. Behind him you see two more guards along with a fellow in a resplendent white tabard. You note that the guards themselves are dressed very well, much better than they were on the way in. The burly fellow motions for you to follow him, while the other trio watch both of you closely.
You come to the steps heading upward and out of the area, back into the Council hall. You see scores of well-dressed guards and dozens of the Katolik priests in their white tabards. The fellow guides you around the main doors once again and down a small passageway, apparently a side entrance to the hall. There, in a small confined room, you both are left. "Stay here until I summon you. I warn that trying to escape would be a very clear indication of your guilt in these matters." He then goes back down the short hallway. There does not appear to be any other way out of the small room, and Hrothgar sits unflappable on the floor.