The bandits shiver and scream. When the cart prepares to leave, the say «you have to untie us. We can stay till sunset, promise, but we have to be able to leave when night falls.»
The wolf only makes them shake more and scream more.
Your little caravan resumes its journey to the West. The raven watches, but darts off ahead of you when you have got the cart into a steady speed.
After a while, Thomas looks over at Luciu.
"How are you holding up? We need to make some distance while it's light but you need to rest too."
Thomas hands Luciu some weak wine to drink (or whatever is the safe drinking fluid of the day).
Luciu accepts the drink gratefully. His face is drawn with pain. "As long as your spell keeps my wounds from getting worse, I prefer to keep moving. Recall that raven? It was from a covenant, I think, and it returned there when I announced myself as a quaesitor. Hopefully we'll receive assistance, not an attack. Either way, we should make our way to the covenant we're nearest, and avoid any more mundanes."
Thomas agrees with Luciu and turns to Edwin.
"Let's make as much haste as we can. I should be able to keep Luciu stable but he needs rest and a healer if we can find one. We need to get to that covenant and seek aid."
The young magus checks on the goats and the nisse before returning to walk near Luciu.
It was only midday, so you have time to put some distance between you and the brigands' woods before nightfall. You pass through one or two small villages, no more than a dozen cottages, where people flock to watch the little caravan and bid for a goat ...
Before the group reaches the first village, Thom casts Aura of Ennobled Presence on himself.
Thom encourages the group to pass quickly through the small villages, accepting no bids for goats.
The young Merinita continues to stay near Luciu as they move, making sure the magus has enough to drink and is as comfortable as possible.
The villagers are a lot less cocky than the larger town crowds, and they are too few to block the way in any convincing way. Thus Thomas and Edwin can politely smile and decline, and carry on.
They find a suitable site to make camp for the night, away from any farms or villages. Do you need to talk anything through? Or should I just proceed?
Jack helps set up and secure camp, working with Iago to get a watch set before returning to check on Luciu's needs.
Thom makes sure he goats and nisse are settled down before finding Edwin.
"We should just press on as quickly as we can to Ungulus, I'm thinking. Luciu won't be healing well on the road. I can keep him from getting worse, I think, but we need to find a refuge for a time."
(OOC: Nothing from Thom to really talk through. I think we're likely all in sync on getting Luciu healthy.)
Luciu is happy to finally be still, and let the pain subside enough to sleep. He doesn't have much to say, other than thanking Thomas again for taking care of him.
[Same, good to carry on to Ungulus.]
You are enough people to share the watch, and the night passes without incident. The raven arrives at first light to watch your breaking camp from a distant, but it does not interfer.
When you pass the first village of the day, you notice a difference. Villagers no longer flock around you, but back away and hide in fear.
You also realise that your food supplies will not last until Ungulus. You will have to either forage, shop, or start hard rationing.
Thom invites Edwin over to chat with himself and Luciu.
"I'm not sure how far we still have to go but it looks like we're not going to have enough food to get us there. The villages aren't getting more friendly, and they look worse and worse. Maybe what we do is have you," gesturing at Edwin, "try to buy us some supplies in the villages along our route. At the same time, maybe we adjust when we break and set up camp to give us time each day to forage and hunt."
The young magus looks off toward where the herd nibbles at grass and leaves. "If we get desperate, we could slaughter a goat or two… I'd rather not but that might be needed."
Luciu says, "I think hunting and goats' milk is a good idea, and hopefully that will be enough to go on. I'm good with Intellego, if you need me to find things like water, or game, or vegetables, I can try. Though with my wound I may not be as successful as I'd like."
Who does the hunting? It appears that Jack is not skilled as hunter, although he knows survival and thus can forage. Iago was not designed; I suppose he has one or the other. Anyway, does anybody else venture off the road?
Edwin refuses to forage, knowing that one mistake with mushrooms could kill them, and instead offers to enter any villages well separated from the others and offer to buy food....if any is for sale.
Thom offers to hunt with Iago or another of the grogs.
"If I can see it, I'll hit it. So if you can find a deer or rabbit, we have a pretty good chance."
Able to move a lot faster than the cart. Thomas and the grogs are able to take some time to forage every day without slowing the caravan. Having to think also about the protection of the cart and the wounded magus, there is little opportunity for longer excursions. You pass large areas of wilderness which must guard some interesting secrets, but there is not enough time to explore. Edwin has little luck in the villages; there is a shortage of food everywhere.
You find just enough to stay healthy, and when you approach Ungulus you are both hungry and fatigued (unless you indulged yourselves with a goat).
Curiously the area around Ungulus seems richer than the lands you have travelled through. A large flock of sheep graze in the area, and the shepherds look healthier and happier than the other peasants you have met. The raven has been tailing you from where you left the main road, but when you meet the shepherds, it turns back. In the distance you see the characteristic tower; few people build towers like that without ritual magic.
Jack rarely strays far from Luciu, always keeping the magus in sight. Even when relieving himself, the big shield grog keeps the magus in sight. Security over modesty appears to be his motto. Jack also makes sure that Luciu has enough to eat and drink.
Thom has daily maintained the Binding of Wounds on Luciu as needed to keep him stable, casting his own personal spells, before foraging and heading out with the grogs. The Merinita has been reluctant to sacrifice a goat to the food stores, as tempting as that has been along the way.
As the tower starts to come into view, Thomas pays more careful attention to the surrounds, elevating the priority of Second Sight as he looks among the flocks and shepherds and the tower itself.
"Think that might be Ungulus there?" Thom gestures at the tower.
Luciu nods. "It certainly matches the description. And the land seems cared for and protected by magi. Let's go on and make our introductions."
The shepherds wave and cheer as you approach the tower. You are met on the stairs by a young woman with long dark hair and a bright blue robe, of the style that is worn by certain self-conscious and self-righteous wizards, and the Tremere at least at formal occasions. She looks to young for gauntlet, though, barely twenty.
Welcome. Reinforcements! Excellent. We have been waiting for you. I am Caela filia Tacitus and constable of Ungulus. Has your journey been alright?
Around the tower there are several outbuildings, 50-100 paces away. One of the shepherds offer to feed and water the draught animals and goats for you. A couple of others offer to carry your luggage inside and park the cart.
When the shepherds take the goats, Thom checks on the nisse, giving him a nod of confidence watching the approach of the blue-robed constable.
Thom's brow furrows slightly at the word "reinforcements," though only slightly. He nods in greeting to the dark-haired woman.
"Thomas Myddleton ex Merinita." The handsome young man smiles though he remains silent, deferring to Luciu.