A Blustery Day in Skull Crag
Apr 25, 2021 14:59:55 GMT -5
ShadowCatJen, grivel, and 9 more like this
Post by DM Hawk on Apr 25, 2021 14:59:55 GMT -5
The gust blew flurries of snow into Deke's eyes. The Storm Horns were known for their volatile temperament and the higher one got the worse the weather. Spring had come to the kingdom but one might not know it in Skull Crag. He squinted to confirm the movement.
There was something approaching on the road, he was certain. Striking a bit of flint he lit the signal torch to alert the other watch posts to be ready, just in case. Then Deke settled down on the bench to watch.
Slowly the movement down the road took form and the guardsman was able to recognize two wagons making their way ponderously along the incline. They appeared to be overburdened as they struggled to approach. Merchants probably come to peddle wares they couldn't sell in better markets.
Eventually the sound of squeaky wagon wheels reached Deke's ears over the voice of the angry gusts as the wagon neared the gate and guard tower.
Deke squinted again as the riders came into view, two in each wagon. One in each wagon had the look of a sell sword, armored in steel and leather. He looked at the first driver. A scrawny lad wearing something over his eyes. As the wagon drew near he peered down and hailed a greeting.
"Whoa lads, whoa" came a scratchy voice. Not a grown man's voice or a gnome's.
"Welcome to Skull Crag I says" Deke repeated. "Who comes?"
The scrawny figure glanced up and smiled with windburnt lips and replied cheerfully, "Well met!"
"We'll see about that. I done asked you twice. Now, for the third time, who you be?"
A slender hand reached and pulled up oversized, dirty-lensed goggles to rest above blonde eyebrows and pale blue eyes. "Why, I'm Sessily of the East Way Caravan."
"Never heard of it."
"Mister Steddy just opened our lane along the East Way out to Thunder Gap."
"Thunder Gap? That's a long way from here."
"You're telling me?"
"Right, right. So Miss Sessily...*he squinted again to be sure* Whatcha got in them wagons?"
"Dwarves."
Deke peered down from the tower to look over the contents of the two wagons. "I don't see no dwarves, Sessily."
"They're dead. In the caskets."
"Eh, dead dwarves? In caskets. I wasn't told about any dwarven bodies being brought to Skull Crag."
Sessily smiled cheerfully, "Well I've got some thirty odd for ya."
Deke frowned, "Not without a permit you don't."
"A moment."
Before Deke could respond the young woman on the wagon whistled, sharp and shrill. The guardsman winced at the sound coming from below.
A figure stepped down from the second wagon and walked up to stand beside Sessily's seat on the first. "Well met, Guardsman."
"And who might you be? I don't want to ask three times."
"Stedd Dundragon. I'm the owner of the East Way Caravan."
"Well Mister Dundragon, can you tell me about these here thirty dwarven bodies you've got sitting at me gate? Are these Oghrann lads?"
"They're from the Iron Bastion at Thunder Gap. Commander Golde of the Ironsworn hired us to deliver these thirty-two caskets to Clan Oghrann."
"Well we aint heard nothing from Clan Oghrann about the remains of thirty dwarves being brought into town and you can see they aren't here to bring these dead underground. You can wait here while we send someone down into their caves...but it might take a while."
Stedd frowned as the wind blew his hood back to reveal thin hair and a young but care-worn face, "Might I ask your name, Guardsman?"
"Sergeant Deacon."
"Thank you Sergeant Deacon. My people have braved a long journey across the kingdom and times are dangerous. From the road we've seen wolves, worgs, and orcs within a day's ride of this gate. I don't want this train to stay the night out here...with these things prowling the night."
Deke eyed the wagons warily, "True there are wolves and worse out there...but we don't normally let people just haul wagonloads of dead bodies into town."
"I understand. Might we place them in your cemetery for the night? If the Oghrann dwarves won't accept the remains we'll take them with us when we leave."
"We'll have to impound your wagons to make sure you don't ride out in the night and leave the bodies behind."
"That's agreeable Sergeant. If you direct us to the town's undertaker we can unload the caskets in the cemetery."
Deke gestured north by north-east, "you'll find Priest Mall over by Kelemvor's Rock. Can't miss it."
Stedd Dundragon nodded, "And does the town have a warm tavern for weary travelers?"
"Aye, the Wild Wolf."
"That sounds appropriate. Please tell the Oghrann dwarves they can find me there...until my wagons are released."
There was something approaching on the road, he was certain. Striking a bit of flint he lit the signal torch to alert the other watch posts to be ready, just in case. Then Deke settled down on the bench to watch.
Slowly the movement down the road took form and the guardsman was able to recognize two wagons making their way ponderously along the incline. They appeared to be overburdened as they struggled to approach. Merchants probably come to peddle wares they couldn't sell in better markets.
Eventually the sound of squeaky wagon wheels reached Deke's ears over the voice of the angry gusts as the wagon neared the gate and guard tower.
Deke squinted again as the riders came into view, two in each wagon. One in each wagon had the look of a sell sword, armored in steel and leather. He looked at the first driver. A scrawny lad wearing something over his eyes. As the wagon drew near he peered down and hailed a greeting.
"Whoa lads, whoa" came a scratchy voice. Not a grown man's voice or a gnome's.
"Welcome to Skull Crag I says" Deke repeated. "Who comes?"
The scrawny figure glanced up and smiled with windburnt lips and replied cheerfully, "Well met!"
"We'll see about that. I done asked you twice. Now, for the third time, who you be?"
A slender hand reached and pulled up oversized, dirty-lensed goggles to rest above blonde eyebrows and pale blue eyes. "Why, I'm Sessily of the East Way Caravan."
"Never heard of it."
"Mister Steddy just opened our lane along the East Way out to Thunder Gap."
"Thunder Gap? That's a long way from here."
"You're telling me?"
"Right, right. So Miss Sessily...*he squinted again to be sure* Whatcha got in them wagons?"
"Dwarves."
Deke peered down from the tower to look over the contents of the two wagons. "I don't see no dwarves, Sessily."
"They're dead. In the caskets."
"Eh, dead dwarves? In caskets. I wasn't told about any dwarven bodies being brought to Skull Crag."
Sessily smiled cheerfully, "Well I've got some thirty odd for ya."
Deke frowned, "Not without a permit you don't."
"A moment."
Before Deke could respond the young woman on the wagon whistled, sharp and shrill. The guardsman winced at the sound coming from below.
A figure stepped down from the second wagon and walked up to stand beside Sessily's seat on the first. "Well met, Guardsman."
"And who might you be? I don't want to ask three times."
"Stedd Dundragon. I'm the owner of the East Way Caravan."
"Well Mister Dundragon, can you tell me about these here thirty dwarven bodies you've got sitting at me gate? Are these Oghrann lads?"
"They're from the Iron Bastion at Thunder Gap. Commander Golde of the Ironsworn hired us to deliver these thirty-two caskets to Clan Oghrann."
"Well we aint heard nothing from Clan Oghrann about the remains of thirty dwarves being brought into town and you can see they aren't here to bring these dead underground. You can wait here while we send someone down into their caves...but it might take a while."
Stedd frowned as the wind blew his hood back to reveal thin hair and a young but care-worn face, "Might I ask your name, Guardsman?"
"Sergeant Deacon."
"Thank you Sergeant Deacon. My people have braved a long journey across the kingdom and times are dangerous. From the road we've seen wolves, worgs, and orcs within a day's ride of this gate. I don't want this train to stay the night out here...with these things prowling the night."
Deke eyed the wagons warily, "True there are wolves and worse out there...but we don't normally let people just haul wagonloads of dead bodies into town."
"I understand. Might we place them in your cemetery for the night? If the Oghrann dwarves won't accept the remains we'll take them with us when we leave."
"We'll have to impound your wagons to make sure you don't ride out in the night and leave the bodies behind."
"That's agreeable Sergeant. If you direct us to the town's undertaker we can unload the caskets in the cemetery."
Deke gestured north by north-east, "you'll find Priest Mall over by Kelemvor's Rock. Can't miss it."
Stedd Dundragon nodded, "And does the town have a warm tavern for weary travelers?"
"Aye, the Wild Wolf."
"That sounds appropriate. Please tell the Oghrann dwarves they can find me there...until my wagons are released."