Lurel successfully completes the earthwork. The members of the Held swarm up and begin building the lattice fence at the top.

Your friend says "We can certainly build an area in which kids can play but who is going to look after it? We are all busy as you surely noticed as you came through the village."

Lurel smiles. "Does Indril like children? I'd bet that none would dare misbehave when she is around - and I'm sure she could teach them a lot while they're in her care."

"Indril - look after children!!!!" He pauses and says. "Then again - but why don't you ask her. If you say we wouldn't like to bother her with something so mundane..." He waves cheerily and clambers up the new earthwork to join his colleagues.

Lurel makes his way back to Indril.

'Maybe that is it.. we had to find a new purpose for her - I only hope that she won't consider it an insult, and take it to mean that all she is fit for now is looking after the children...'

"I helped with the earth wall," he announces to Indril. "And I got talking to the fence builders... they mentioned that there isn't a lot of room, and that it would be good if the children had somewhere to play."

He pauses and uses his empathy skill to gauge Indril's reaction.

"I suggested that this place would be great for kids - you know, build them a treehouse and things to climb and swing on... it would certainly help let them run off some energy, and let the adults get on with their tasks. I imagine there's more than enough to do, so shortly after you've moved."

Again he pauses.

"The fencebuilders didn't want to bother you with such a mundane problem, but I got the impression that having somewhere for the kids to play is something that would be good for everyone's morale... and I imagine a lot more would get done if the kids aren't underfoot all the time. But the problem is, they said, that nice as it would be to have a play area, someone needs to watch it, and supervise the kids so they don't get into mischief. So I wondered..." His voice trails off, as he waits for Indril to respond.

Ford nods to Varna and then looks down at the girl.

"Er, oh... really... that's nice."

He just barely manages to give her a slight smile, starting to feel thoroughly depressed by the situation. He then moves on with Moppitt. He glares at Moppitt after his comment.

"That's an awful thing to say, whether you meant it or not! Life is life, and we should do our best to preserve it... even if it is... like this..."

He looks sadly to the children.

"After all, there may yet be some sort of medicine or spell or something to counteract this. Until then we need to defend these kids from harm... although I didn't quite realise I was signing up for undertaking duties."

Lurel

Indril's reaction is hostile but Lurel's empathy tells him to leave a bit of time for her to think of the idea.

Ford

Moppitt stares at you angrily. "Who are you to act so superior? Why should I care about kids when even the citizens of Heidal couldn't be bothered with them?"

Again Ford can hear behind the words. Moppitt is close to tears. But boys don't cry - do they?

*Ari Finishes/ takes a break from the Pots and goes in search of others*

*Atracting the attention of a friend in the held*
"Hi have you seen The strangers i lead in, Ford or Lurel? Any idea where they are?"

"I'll go and see what Ford and Midge are doing," Lurel suggests. "Maybe there's something else I could help with."

He leaves, to give Indril some time to get used to the idea, hoping that she will come to like the idea.

'Of course she needs time.... I don't think it's something that occurred to her before, and I suppose it's rather different to being the best hunter... but hopefully if she gets a chance to think it over she'll come to like the idea.'

He goes in search of Ford and wanders over to where the children from Heidal are.

Lisette and Siffli

You move slowly towards the square certain that some of the buildings on either side of you are inhabited. The inhabited square is one block east of the central square. Here the buildings are four storey. The square itself contains a dry fountain and a number of brightly coloured tents. Some are opened to show them to be shops selling food, basic items of clothing and household use. Four women are chatting by the dry fountain while other mixed groups sit or simply idle time away in the vicinity.

Ari and Midge

Midge continues to paint the plates with the exotic birds he has seen on his travels elsewhere. Ari is directed towards the area where the children from Heidal are looked after. As he is indistinguishable from the guards he is assumed to be one.

Lurel

Lurel is approached by Vreli. "You are not the one." She seems to read something in his face. "His name is Zekic. If you meet him, tell him he is the one."

The child, Wrenn, has just died. Varna is sadly lifting the pathetic corpse. Vreli touches it. She says: "He has peace, at last."

Varna stares at the girl. "For once you make sense, Vreli. I wish I knew what is helping you. Nothing helps the others!"

Varna glances at Lurel. "More guards?"

Ford sighs sadly.

"Listen, I can tell you don't mean what you say. Calm down. You're only upsetting yourself. N-now let's get this... grave... dug."

He swallows awkwardly and continues on to the stream.

Lurel nods towards the girl. "I will tell Zekic, the next time I see him."

He turns to Varna. "No, I'm not a guard. Thail sent me and my friends here to find the Held. We need information from them, but Indril told us we'd have to earn her trust first." He shrugs. "So we're trying to make ourselves useful."

He looks around, and his distress at seeing the children of Heidal is showing openly on his face.

"Is there anything I could do to help them?"

Ford

Moppitt suddenly turns away. "Yeah - grave. Huh! Poor little wretch."

His shoulders are shaking.

After a moment he continues to trudge down to the river. It will not need a very large grave. As you are finishing it you see Varna bringing the body. Vreli follows her.

Varna says "We will say a few words to wish Wrenn on his way. You need not wait if you prefer not to but please fill in the grave when we have gone."

Moppitt looks to see what you will do.

Lurel

Indril is distracted by needing to deal with Wrenn. She waves Lurel towards the the children. "I find nothing to do but ease their pain. You are a stranger, perhaps you can see something I have missed."

She carries Wrenn towards the site where the grave is being dug. Vreli goes with her.

Ford nods.

"I-I'll wait... it's probably best to cover the body as soon as possible from what you said..."

He's looking increasingly depressed.

Lisette approaches the women, and says, "Do any of you ladies know where one might buy arrows?"

Lurel sits down next to one of the children and uses his empathy skill, wondering what this will tell him.

'How can their parents have let this happen?' he asks himself unhappily. 'It's almost like what Anromainyus was trying to do... they're not really living, and they're not dead either.. there's something here that reminds me of him. I wish Anima could see this - she might know what to do.'

This leads to another thought. 'If only I knew more about healing magic, and had more power! But even with Anima's potions I doubt that I could heal even one of them.'

He sighs.

Lisette and Siffli

The women are not interested in talking to you and point towards the tent selling household objects. The merchant gives you a sour look.

"I suppose you're expecting this information free are you? It's hard enough eking a living here as it is. But since what I know isn't worth much you might as well have it. A while ago three odd looking women came through with a variety of wares for sale. They had spiky hennaed hair and dark purple finger nails and lip colouring. Seemed to go in for a lot of black and purple in the costumes too. The weird sisters we called 'em because they looked a bit like each other. Anyhow they had bows and arrows for sale. I remember thinking that they'd not do very well selling them in a city but apparently they sold them all. One told me that there had been three buyers but I have no idea who they were. I think one was in the other part of the town and one was here. Can't help you any more than that. If you see Smudge he might know because he often runs errands for people. But he's not one easy to find. Is there anything you need from my pitiful selection?"

He is selling soap, rope, torches, that kind of thing.

Ford

Varna smiles at you and squeezes your shoulder. "It's a nice change to find one who cares. It's a shame there's nothing you can do."

Moppitt very close to breaking down shouts "Well I care. I do care! But it's useless! Useless!"

Varna looks at him and then back to you. She says "On the far side of the stream is a small stagnant pond. You'll find a plant, a kind of yellow daisy growing around the edge. It is called 'golden frolic'. Collect as many petals as you can. We will make some toys for the children. They do not see well but if I dye them bright yellow it should help."

Moppitt blushing and ashamed of his outburst sets off at once.

Lurel

Empathy helps little as the poor children have few emotions, merely sensations of pain or no pain. For parents to kill themselves and their offspring for a drug it must have extraordinary effects. If so it has to be highly prized and highly priced.

Ford nods.

"Okay then... at least that's something..."

He follows Moppitt to the golden frolic and starts picking as many petals as he can.

OOC> First night tonight! Let's hope I get ALL the lines right for once!

On topic, last post tonight as I have to dash.

Ford

As you are picking the petals you have a nasty shock. Moppitt is on the other side of the pond and does not see but face down in the reeds near where you are a body is lying face down in the mud. It has been run through with a sword and has been there about three days. Much of it is below the surface of the pond.

Lisette asks the shopkeeper, "How much for soap on a rope?"

(Do I have money?)

(OOC: Ooh, good luck! Try not to throw up.)

Ford jumps back from the pond in shock, dropping a few of the petals he was holding.

"WHOA!"

He pants.

"There's... there's a corpse in the pond... god I don't need this."

He sighs in exasperation.

"It... it looks like it's been run through with a sword..."

He looks a bit closer despite his stomach turning slightly.

"Looks like it's been there about three days..."

OOC> You have money for staples, for something more exotic PM me.

Lisette and Siffli

The man gives you a sarcastic sneer. "Well now I've got soap and rope and a chisel so I can sell you the three for 3 silver pieces. Or I can put the soap on the rope for you which will cost you five silver pieces. My time is precious, don't you know?"

Ford

Moppitt, busy collecting petals, does not hear you.

The corpse is not a member of the Held. If you want to know more you are going to have to move it.

Siffli looks confused, and talkes to the shopkeeper:
"Why whould we want soap on the rope?"

Lisette and Siffli

The merchant glares at Siffli.

"Your friend just asked for it. How in the name of the Shadow Slayers am I supposed to know what she wants it for?"

Ford ponders for a moment. He then raises his voice to Moppitt.

"Moppitt! I need a little help here."

When Moppitt arrives he points to the corpse lying in the water.

"He or she wasn't from the Held... looks like the corpse has been here about three days... can you help me move it?"

Siffli turnes to Lisette and whisper: "Yes, why in the name of the... what did he call them? Shadow Slayers?... do we want soap on a rope?"

Ford

Moppitt is shocked and hastens to help. He carefully pockets the petals he has. There are several less than pleasant developments when you pull the corpse from the water - you become very aware that it has started to rot. Much of the face has been nibbled away but you can tell it was a man. You search the sodden clothes and find a leather document portfolio. Its contents have largely been ruined but there is one letter inside, part of which is readable, if with difficulty.

... of the Yar are present in Witten but I do not know about the Slayers. Even if they are I see no reason why they should be aware of our plan. I appreciate that you are in a very dangerous situation but I don't see why that fool should benefit from the 'you know what' and not those of us who have that role throughout Levdia...

You cannot read more but the signature begins 'Porc'

Lisette and Siffli

"If you are not going to buy then please go away. All that armour you are wearing is putting off other customers!"

*Finds lurel and the children*
"Hi, i'm done doing pottery for the day, you guys need any help?"

*looks at the children with a look of horror on his face*

"My god! what happened to them!, are these the ones from witten?"

Ford pockets his petals as well and turns a nice shade of green as they pull the corpse out. He rummages for the portfolio.

"Urgh... here's something..."

He reads out the letter to Moppitt.

"The signature starts with 'Porc'... recognise it?"

He coughs.

"This stink is unbearable... let's move over there..."

He moves about 10 metres from the corpse out of the range of the stench. He takes a deep breath of the fresh air and sighs as he tries to dispel any feelings of vomit movement.

"Would 2 silvers and 5 coppers be sufficient for the three items? I'm also looking for arrows, where could I find them?"

"Also, what are these 'shadow slayers'?"

P.S. It was a pun...

Ford

Moppitt knows nothing about the names in the letter but he says. "I don't think this man can come from around here. Those who live in the forest use local materials for clothes and tend to blend into the trees. He looks like a stranger to me. I wonder where he came from and what he expects to find here. We have no hidden treasures. We'd better go and fill in the grave. Then I suppose we must tell grumpy-guts."

Lisette and Siffli

OOC> I know what soap on a rope is. Your Witten trader has never heard of anything so hedonistic!

The trader takes your money and passes over the three items. The rope is about twice Lisette's height. You'd probably have got more if you hadn't haggled. The soap is an offcut from a huge block. The chisel is fairly rudimentary.

He says. "I've told you all I know about arrows. Try to find Smudge. If anyone knows about the things he will. Small boy, about eight years old, scruffy and none too clean. Spends too much time in the sewers."

He pauses and then adds: "The Shadow Slayers - if they exist - are a band of assassins. They always mark their kill in a special way. They leave a broken arrow on the corpse. But personally I think they are a myth designed to frighten children. If kids are being naughty you tell them you'll send for the Shadow Slayers!"

He laughs

Lurel gets up and walks away, distressed by what his empathy skill has told him. He decides to ask Varna about the drug which reduced the children to this state, and heads off in the direction he saw her take the dead child.

Ford nods. He heads back over to the grave with Moppitt and, provided the proceedings have ended, starts to fill in the grave with the nearby shovel (provided there is one... if not I suppose he goes and looks for one).

Lurel and Ari

You meet Varna on her way back from the burial site. Vreli is with her. When you ask about the drug she avoids telling you about her own supply.

"It is made from a plant that grows in three or four unusual sites in the Bergen. The hills are largely barren but four have small concave dents on the top in which water collects. The plant grows there. It is impossible to cultivate nor has anyone matched the environment in which it grows. So the stocks are slow to build up. In the Lakelands they have been manufacturing it for hundreds of years so the stocks were high until a boy called Tiemmo destroyed them. No one knows where it got it's name. 'Weed' is fair enough as it is a wild flower but C, H and E? Someone told me the word had fallen into Levdia from an alien world but that sounds a bit fanciful to me. What else would you know?"

Ford

The shovels you had used to dig the grave are still there. You cover Wrenn. You see Lurel talking to Varna. Moppitt wants to talk about the unexplained corpse to Indril.

"We should try and find Smear, I think. Probably best to ask a child or teen."

Lisette looks around for anyone of those age groups.

Ford nods to Moppitt and gives him the portfolio.

"If you want to go and tell Indril about this, go ahead... here, take this with you... I'm going to go and talk to Lurel and Varna. Don't forget to drop off your petals."

He wanders off towards Lurel. He looks to Varna.

"Varna, we've covered the grave... and I got some of the petals you wanted."

He gets the petals from his pockets and hands them to her. He then turns to Lurel and Varna.

"A-and... we found a corpse in the pond."

He then describes the corpse and what they found to them both.

The only children you can see in the square are toddlers with parents.

(Asking for 'Smear', earns a clip round the ear and if you forget it, you'll live to regret it, he'll hire a hit man an you'll be in - danger)

Asking the women about children and Smudge in particular earns you the following info:-

The square you are in is used by traders and families who moved from other towns in Levdia. Few have children of the age you are seeking because as yet there are no schools in Witten. The women think you might find some in the other inhabited area of the city. Smudge gets laughed about. One woman says archly.

"You need him, leave word at the tavern that you are seeking something 'unusual'. He acquires items and knows where you can get personal services if you know what I mean." She whispers to Lisette: "I think you'll find Yukor will give excellent satisfaction. He has a room over the tavern."

They point at a building on the far side of the square. The upper rooms have lamps with red shades in the windows.

Ford, Lurel and Ari

Moppitt is unwilling to go to see Indril without Ford and hovers beside you.

Varna thanks you for covering Wrenn but knows nothing about the corpse. She has heard of the slayers.

"A myth. They 'slay' those who fall foul of the guilds in Levdian cities and leave a broken arrow on the corpse. But nobody has ever seen one and I think it's different killers copying the idea for effect. Such deaths are no more than one or two a year. We never had any trouble like that in Heidal."

Assuming Lisette follow, Siffli walks over to the tavern.

Siffli and Lisette

Siffli entering the tavern discovers how different it is from anything she has seen before. The place is dingy and dirty and smells of stale beer, unwashed bodies and urine. Some fifteen people are sitting alone or in pairs huddled into their clothes and hunched over pints of ale. The barkeep is a huge mountain of a man with a scar on his face and on glass eye that stares fixedly to the left. His other eye is fixed on Siffli.

"You want the Prancing Pony - it's five door down on the left."

He is wiping glasses with a greasy towel.

"Or maybe you need to go upstairs? Ha!"

Other customers turn and snigger at you.

Siffli tries to not show how discusting she think all this is, and say: "In fact, I'm looking for something... unusual"

Ford ponders.

"Hmm. They certainly don't sound like the sort of people you want hanging around near your village..."

He turns to Lurel.

"We should probably go and tell Indril about this, since Moppitt doesn't seem to want to go alone."

He grins slightly at Moppitt's comical behaviour. The first grin he's had since he arrived in this dismal spot.

"Arrow?" Lurel asks. "Ford, was there an arrow near the corpse?"

He turns to Varna by way of an explanation. "We've come here to find a 'missing' arrow that has some significance which may not be immediately obvious to anyone.."
He sighs. "I'm not making much sense, am I? If you come with us to Indril, we'll explain."

Ford ponders.

"I don't think so. I certainly didn't see one. Maybe we should check before we head to Indril..."

Lurel, Ari and Ford

Varna knows nothing of arrows and is unwilling to leave the children longer than she already has.

"Come back to me if you think I can help", she says.

A more detailed search of the area in which the corpse was found reveals nothing new. You collect a few more petals.

Indril gives you all a slightly jaundiced look. "Well all I hear is good reports of you I suppose I'd better help."

She can throw no light on the corpse and has not even heard of the Slayers.

To Moppitt she says "Varna believes these children do get some pleasure by being talked to and having people speak kind words to them. Why don't you help her with that task. If you can find out what she means it might make you feel less helpless. Now run along."

Moppitt takes the extra petals to Varna.

To Ari she says "I think you may have to guide these people to Witten. Go and make as many pots and plates as you can for the village while I try to see what I can do for the others. They'll tell you what you need to know."

Ari returns to Midge as requested.

Indril turns to Lurel and Ford. "What exactly do you want to know?"

Siffli and Lisette

The barkeep fixes you with his good eye. "All right, you want Smudge. He'll find you when he's ready. Where are you staying?"

Lurel takes a deep breath, and begins:
"Somewhere in Levdia an arrow is missing, and it's causing all kinds of problems. In a way, the arrow is symbolic - and it's absence allows some alien magic to influence things. So, we need to find out where this arrow is missing from, and replace it, to stop the alien magic and allow things to return to normal in Levdia."

He pauses briefly.
"Where we've just been, a grave had been desecrated and a small item taken. We had to replace this item to help the other place. I expect it will be similar here. Can you think of anything unusual at all that happened recently? Even incidents that don't involve arrows as such... anything out of the ordinary could be a clue. Those Slayers and the broken arrows - that might be one such clue. Or it might have nothing to do with out quest at all."

He gives Ford a quick glance.
"And there's more. We found something in your abandoned village."

Lurel tells Indril about the piece of paper Ford found.

Indril laughs.

"This is between us alone. The Held has never been able to produce everything we need and so it has been essential to trade. Only three people ever know of it - four if you include the leader. They are older women. Periodically they go 'hunting' but put on disguises and take our saleable goods to different towns. You will have found their account of what happened to the arrows."

She speaks more quietly. "As you know we keep everything in a communal store. That way no one knows what is put in or by whom or what is taken out. Last time they went they visited Witten as it had recently re-opened. They sold the arrows there."

She puts her head outside and yells for someone to come. The usual sixteen year old boy - a woman of 64 called Malya - gives you more information.

"We sold the arrows in three batches. In the main square a woman bought several and a bow. She was a professional I would say as she tried out the bows and was difficult to please. In the other inhabited area we sold to a wealthy merchant who wanted it for guards for a shipment of furs from Olden. While we walked between them a scruffy little boy bought 10 arrows. I would guess that this was on behalf of someone else."

The two women wait to see if you have further questions.

"Where are we staying...Where is there to stay around here?"

"Is there anything special about your arrows, which marks them out as Held arrows?" Lurel asks.

Lurel and Ford

The two women look at each other. "We have no knowledge of other arrows so I am not sure if they differ. You can talk to one of our fletchers if you wish but they can only tell you of the different types of arrowhead, shaft and flight. We prefer cedar for the shafts but use what is available. We took ordinary arrows I believe. The shafts are lacquered so it is hard to tell what the woods used were. They have iron heads and wood pigeon feather flights."

Siffli and Lisette

The gross barkeep comes over to Lisette and runs his hand along her face. "You can sleep in my room, darling. But perhaps you'd be better off in the Prancing Pony if you're stopping around here. Most just occupy one of the empty buildings."

Siffli turnes to Lisette and say, "can you follow me outside a minuite?"

"Sorry, but I don't plan on being the first woman to take you up on that. We'll stay at the Pony, I think. Tell Smudge he can find us there."