Hamish looks over the map and the instructions and then simply nods.
"I think so. What is this Chief Quesitor's name? And what do we look for at the Wall? A village? One of the watch towers?"
Cath'rinne's spell gives a quick glimpse Finn searching for something in the woods. You see a couple of trees, but they have no identifiable marks and could be anywhere.
Hamish finds the little village close to the main road leading North. People are wokring the fields, but when he approaches, many run away to hide, and the men grab their pitchforks and axes, watching the approaching group warily.
(I am not sure if Cath'rinne knows the quaesitoris' name or not. Benedict did. If she did, it should be somewhere in the narrative history ...)
She explains that the Chief Quaesitor was called Pontius Arbiter. She also explains the directions to Castrum Antiquum. (OOC: We were following Benedict, really. The player's dropped from the game, and it's not clear to me whether he went with me or Betula. If he's here, he can guide you there, and Betula would have been told where to go, if he went with Betula, I could pass on the info to you. I don't think we've detailed where it was in this thread - but I do know we've had a conversation on our travel itinerary).
(OOC. In my mind. Benedict went ahead on his own, to find remaining covenants without delay. That makes as much sense with the backstory as lingering with Cath'rinne. Inspecting the battle field would be sound excuse to linger though, while meeting a nymph would not. Never mind though, we are not making a story out of getting lost en route to Angus' village. When you do look for trouble, he will have more important things to do though. )
Hamish holds up his empty hands to the folks in the fields, a neutral, non-aggressive expression on his face.
"We come in peace." He genuflects roughly, perhaps out of practice.
"Looks like there was a nasty big battle back that way." The tall soldier gestures back toward where the battlefield lay. "Pray none of that made it's way here to your village. Terrible business, war."
"But we're just passin' through. I see you have a little kirk there. Do you have a priest? Would like to pay my respects if I could."
The villagers watch you with distrust. «Seen enough war.» «Armies plundering. Four months ago; they all that was left from Winter.» You notice how scrawny they look. «The priest is in York, but the kirk is open,» says an elder and sage-looking villager. «If you just want to pray and move on,» he adds.
Hamish nods grimly to the village elder. "I understand. We ain't here for trouble. Just passin'."
He takes a step and then looks back.
"Did they bring anybody here to your village from that battle, maybe to bury them at the kirk? Anybody important? My liege lord asked me to keep my ears out for any tell of a high muckety muck named somethin' like Pontius Arbiter. He might've been in that battle back there."
«Yeah, you are right. Must'ave been two weeks after the battle. Two ...» he pauses to gauge Hamish's appearance, «knights I suppose. Real posh. One of'em canons came to do the rites, not our regular vicar.»
Another villager pipes in, «they say they were the escorts of that Witch Hunter, but they met with a mighty fire warlock on the morning after the battle.»
Cath'rinne, after having seen Hamish and the specialists off and collected an arcane connection to Hamish, crushes one of the remaining three figurines, and disappears into thin air. It is a nauseating experience, but somewhat better prepared than Finn, there is less risk of actually being sick. (To be continued in Chapter 3tri.)
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"Sounds like you lot been through it," comments Hamish as he listens to the villagers. "I'll pay my respects at the kirk and be on our way. I'll say a prayer that you and yours get a big harvest come the time or reaping."
The big man walks over to the village elder and presses a couple of the silver coins gathered from the killing field.
"Thank you, honored elder. Blessings to you and your village."
Hamish then moves over to the little chapel and surrounding graveyard to see if he can spot a freshly dug grave and any possible marker that might identify who was interred.
The elder is baffled, and stutters his thanks as he studies the coin. Now the villagers have a lot to talk about, and nobody bothers Hamish as he goes to the chapel.
The chapel is small, wooden, and modest. It can just about fit the forty-odd people you reckon live in the village. There is a simple altar and crucifix in carved wood, and that's it.
The graveyard is also small and modest. You can find the half dozen fresh graves that Cath'rinne saw from the air. Two of them have fancy headstones, befitting the lesser gentry even if the locattion might be beneath them. The other four resemble the older graves, with humble wooden crosses.
Hamish makes note of the common Saxon names on the gravestones before shrugging to the two specialists.
"Let's get going. No need to stay in these parts askin' for trouble."
Hamis leads the laden horse and the two specialists off toward the location of Castrum Antiquum as directed by Cath'rinne.
Hamish trying to move with as much speed as possible, staying largely to main (Roman?) roads as they head north unless the roads are too crowded or it appears to be too much trouble. He's trying to avoid large towns (Leeds for example) as they head north.
Hamish is also avoiding too much contact with others. "Takin' these two north to Newcastle…" is largely what he replies if asked, though he leans in to a taciturn demeanor. All business and caution as they go.
If food supplies run low, he'll see what he can buy, trying to keep them on their pace.
(OOC: I think we're starting from point D on the map: Hermetic Battlefield? Is that right?)
From York, Hamish has three options, as outlined by Benedict. There are Roman roads to Wallsend, where Newcastle will at some point be built, and to Corbridge, which is inland. Castrum Antiquum is between Wallsend and Corbridge, a little closer to the Corbridge. From either Corbridge or Wallsend, one would have to follow Hadrian's Wall. Although there once was a road along the wall, this is not much used and its condition is uncertain.
The third option is to go more directly North, using local bridleways and trods. Benedict had few details, and finding the way may be difficult. He knew that the destination was known as Greyvale, though. An isolated village in a shadowy valley is the closest neighbour to the covenant.
Hamish heads to Corbridge and then turns to follow the Wall to see if he can spot any sign of the Castrum Antiquum. With sparse knowledge and no arcane gifts that would help, Hamish only spends a few days in the area. He's largely looking for signs of Cath'rinne or Finn. He'll ask a few questions in Corbridge to see If something turns up to give him a clue.
If nothing turns up in three or four days, Hamish will start heading west toward Ungulus. He continues to keep a low profile on their journey.
Hamish will hear that the bard, with a reclusive lady companion, passed through a week earlier, heading East. If he follows, he ends up in Chapter 3tri.
Hamish heads east after the rumors of the Bard and the Reclusive Lady, picking up his pace a bit to see if he can catch them.