The covenants teamsters assemble outside the covenants walls to gather equipment and travellers to Kolberg. The teamsters are busy loading the caravan of ox charts with surplus from the covenants mundane production and some silver. The caravan master looks at those assembled near it and asks. Who will follow on the journey?
Unless objected, Alberich could join.
Yannick will join. I guess it's a good idea to have someone with gentle gift around...
[color=blue]Mad Max: We didn't talk about my blackmail-flaw yet.
Maybe we could get this running in Kolberg?
Mariella will give a letter to be delivered to the Monastery at Kolberg to Yannick for him to have delivered.
The band of wagons rolled of from the covenant and into the deep green of the Pomeranian forest. As the forest closed about the caravan the depressing and brooding mood of the Pomeranian forest begun to creep into the men and woman travelling together long the road. In the party there where seven teamsters, Alberich, Yannic and Yannic’s shield grog. The teamsters where armed with bows and arrows, each of them looking into the dark forest next to them for signs of any imminent danger.
Further down the road at a narrow place there are five men standing at the road awaiting something and armed with bows. Neither of them shows any sing of any imminent aggression.
Alberich look out if there are more mens hidden, although this is doubtfull
Then, he advances quietly to the men, apparently cool yet ready to seize his mace and shield. The goal is to get close enough both to talk and engage the men in armed combat if nescessary (while they'll have trouble with their bows).
[color=red]Hello, good men. What's happening around here?
[color=red]Hello travels, we are men form the household of chieftain Aldrick of the Claw. We stand here to gather toll and guard the roads. And as you are travellers we need to charge you with a toll. One schilling per cart, thus you must pay five schillings. ([color=blue]this is a rather large fee). The man looks at the travellers with a stern expression.
Still closing... Checking their armament, and trying to find both the weakest and the strongest opponent. Waiting for an order from the magus, too.
[color=red]Hum, well, this seems a little high. Are these roads so dangerous?
Yannick turns to his shield grog:
[color=red]Weiland! What is that on your shirt...
Yannick bows down from his horse Ludwig and pretends wiping something away.
[color=red]What shall these people think of us?
Weiland knows Yannick long enough to know what this means Yannick is putting some protective spell on him. [color=blue](Impenetrable Doublet on Weiland and Yannick himself)
[color=red]What do you think? Is that a band of disguised robbers?
Or just the official robbers?
[color=green](take over Weiland here if you want...)
[color=red]Don’t know master, Wieland replies, pauses and then continues. [color=red]If they where sneaky bandits they would have surrounded us and perhaps shot one of us so that we know that they meant businesses. I cant see anyone hiding in the wood and I don’t have an arrow in my chest so I guess they are tax collectors.
[color=red]Just the official robbers then 
Let's see what Alberich will tell us when he comes back here.
If their patrons house is somewhere near, we should have a shelter for the night.
[color=green]
BTW: Seems like Alberich and Yannick are the only PCs involved here?
Feel free to take over Weiland at any time, all of you. Take turns if you like
Charakter sheet will follow...
Well, alberich is just frozen in mid-air, awaiting an answer to his question 
[color=blue]Sorry for the late reply… 
The leader of the men simply states. [color=red]I have my orders and frankly I am a bit confused but as a loyal servant of my liege I do as I am commanded. Now give us the money. The men seem to raise their weapons given the increasing threatening behaviour of their leader.
[color=blue]The combat capabilities of the opposing party is lesser then yours but if the fighting breaks out someone probably would be hurt as some men are bound to get of shots with their bows.
Alberich forces his body to take a relaxed stance and smiles, hoping to lull the men into a false sense of safety, but is nonetheless ready to act should yannick give the signal. Gloups.
[color=red]Yup, this mustn't be easy for you, I sympathetise. I just hope my master will have enough money to pay you, as he is only a scholar. I wouldn't want to turn back and take the long way.
The leader of the bandits/tax collectors grins as he speaks. [color=red]If you don’t have money we can always take something of your well loaded charts. [color=blue]Remember that there is bars of pure silver stashed on the charts.
Yannick advances to side with Alberich.
[color=red]What takes so long Alberich? Is the road barred?
[...]
Five shillings? Well, we do not have much choices, do we?
I'll better find a very generous employer...
Hands over the money (casting [color=blue]shiver of the lycantrophe in the process, "of the claw" sounds just too suspicious)
[color=red]Say, is it far to chieftain Aldricks hold? The cooking skills of my men are, well, mens cooking skills
If we could find shelter there for the night, that would be really kind. I would really enjoy some food that doesn't taste like a piece of coal, you know?
While still chatting with the tax collectors, Yannick silently prepares for a spontaneous MuAn spell to turn bowstrings (which are made of cats intestines AFAIK) into cat excrement. Just in case they show any signs of hostility...
The leader of the men accepts the coins and puts them in a purse. The leader signals to his men to let the caravan by. The leader of the tax collectors turns towards Yannic, [color=red]my liege has his hold a bit further down the road. In the next crossroad turn right to get to my lord or left if you want to turn your wagons toward Kolberg. [color=blue]The Shivers of the lycanthrope gives away warnings… but there seems not to be an immediate threat.
OOC: Oh, there are? 
OOC: They do not have their jaws around your throats... 
[color=red]Thank you.
We'll make a little detour on our way to Kolberg then.
By the way, my name is Yannick. We're almost neighbours, so we'll surely drop in now and then. What's your name?
[...]
See you on our way back then (insert name here). Have a nice day!
And on we go...
A little further down the road, Yannick will tell Alberich and Weiland that at least one of the men was a moonbeast.
[color=red]
Keep silent about this for now. Maybe the man doesn't know himself. I'll have to talk with him some of these days...