Narred's Landing could scarcely be considered a town, and is barely a port as well. There are but a few buildings in town, and all either in support of or patronized by the fisherman and sailors that dwell here. Soon their travels will slow as winter sets in. The air is crisp, the ground getting frosty and staying that way longer each day.
Old Aggie and his motley band of Scottish Highlanders are not allowed to stay in the town proper, though to be honest, it would be hard for the town and its small garrison to stop them should they decide to be less than hospitable. The McArdy clan are thick as thieves. To be sure they bicker and squabble as much as any large family might, but they pull together in the face of all strangers. A variety of people, in different walks of life, make up the cantankerous clan.
One morning the activity in the makeshift camp picks up more than usual, a ship has returned from its months long sojourn, and it is this ship that you have been waiting for. Once it has emptied its contents it will be making a short sojourn across the channel to spend its winter in dry dock and affect repairs. The ship would surely take on passengers in order to make a few more pennies after its year of service.
Old Aggie has gathered the able bodied men and women of the clan to meet the inspection of a much younger Magus who will bring the ideal crew with him on his important journey into Devon. Aggie's usually gray cheeks look rosy, and his long hooked nose drips in the cold morning air.
"Well lad!" he claps Acacius on the back. "Here they are! The cream of Clan McArdy."he says gesturing to them all. "God help you." he mumbles quietly at the motley group assembled before you.
Acacius looks at the crowd assembled before him. He has the confraternity robe put on and a liberty cap and holds a staff in his right hand, Acacius tries to look as wizardly as possible. As he draws for breath he measures the group before him trying to determine who is who and who amongst them is their leader. With a firm voice he speaks in Saxon.
[color=red]I am Acacius Ex Miscellanea, Pharmacopoeians and member of the Mystic fraternity. I will be the leader of this expedition and I am looking for those who wish to follow me there. It will be a hard journey but I am confident that you will be able to help me in my endeavours. Now who is the leader of this group? Acacius turns to whoever present himself. [color=red]I wish that you take out a small group of people that could be helpful on this journey. I need a few good swordsmen and someone who can help me interact with people who are sensitive to my gift. Everyone should be familiar with surviving out in the wilderness. Now any questions?
As one the group looks at you with gaping mouths. More than one scratches their head or rubs a runny nose in contemplation. They look back and forth to each other and also Agitatus in confusion. Finally one speaks up.
"Uh...Aggie, whut the hell did he just say?" he says in English with a thick Scottish accent.
Agitatus was concealing a sneer and laugh in the sleeve of his tunic at the response and then gives Acacius a wink. "Ach! Worthless all of ye!" he shouts at the group. "Who's the leader of this group! Step forward and bring some able bodied men with ye, ye brainless dolts!"
A small woman with long brown hair and the McArtry eyes comes walking up behind Aggie while Acacius is making his introductions. She's wiping her hands on an apron and frowning at the back of Aggie's head. She rolls her eyes as the men of the clan look back and forth at each other.
"A brainless dolt yelling at dolts about being brainless. Aggie, you're an idiot. You would yell at a pot for not boiling water even though you haven't been to the well yet." She walks around Aggie and stands in front of Acacius, looking up at him. Her frown deepens.
"You're like him, aren't you," she waves a hand at Aggie. "A grugrach, right?" She stares at Acacius' uncomprehending face and then says, in some of the most atrocius latin imaginable, "You want what them?" indicating the men behind her.
Acacius shines up as he understands the Latin coming from the woman. Acacius gestures towards him. [color=red]I am Acacius, then gestures towards the men. I need men for a journey, men used to travelling in the wild. But perhaps we should start with spending some time where I teach you better Latin so that we can understand each other. I will cast a spell on you now, Acacius gestures on clarify his attention, [color=red]you will understand me clearer.
Acacius begins casting a spell to send a thought to the small woman standing in front of him. The thought express his intentions with the travelling party. And his wish to cast more spell so that she can understand Acacius.
CrMe Base 4 + 1 eye, total level 5, Cr+Me 4, Sta 0, Cyclic magic -3 + dice +aura ? + voice and gestures 2; (total 3 + aura + dice)/2
Agitatus bristles and stiffens and turns to face her, then seems strangely chastened once he realizes it is Tessa. He scowls and steps aside as she confronts Acacius. When Acacius starts casting a spell, his eyes widen in surprise and he holds up a finger.
"I wouldn't do that..." he begins to mumble and then falls silent, a mischievous glint in his eye.
[color=red]Oh, then I did not intend to offend anyone. I just want to be understood and make my orders understood. Now I forgot that you speak Latin. Acacius cancels his spell. [color=red]Now could you help me get my Orders through? It is my understanding that this woman is some sort of leader for these men. So if I may I would like to try to cast a spell upon her so that she understands my words more easily. Now we have a mission to conduct but otherwise I would prefer to spend a season teaching Latin so that we could communicate. Now who could help me with communications as I assume that you will not be following on this journey?
Acacius draws for breath. [color=red]Once again I am sorry if I have offended you in someway. Perhaps you could introduce me in some manner to these gentlemen and this lady. I am a magus of the Order of Hermes and healing magic is my speciality.
Tessa cocks an eyebrow as Acacius and Aggie exchange words.
Tessa gets the gist that Acacius is apologizing to Aggie about something and hits him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey you," she says in Gaelic before switching to Latin. She says each word distinctly, hoping that Acacius follows her. "Use. Little. Words. Please."
She swings between the two magi, slipping one of her arms through the crock of Acacius' elbow until she is arm and arm with him. She flips her hair and glances at Aggie. "Aggie, you never told me that some of you magic lot were actually easy on the eye."
She looks back up at Acacius. In faltering Latin, she says, "Now. Sword. Man. Hunter." She points at the crowd of clansmen. "That's what you want?" She looks over the crowd and points at one. In Gaelic. "Bran's a smart one. Joined the clan, so he's got taste. " She points again until she's sure Acacius sees him. In Latin, "Bran. Sword."
She looks around some more, frowns and then smiles. Again she points. In her poor Latin again. "Merry. Sword. Bad." She makes a comic grimace, showing all her teeth. "Merry. Bran. Sword."
Aine speaks up softly as she heads towards Tessa. [color=red]"If you are going somewhere I could join you. I am not the most woodwise in wilderness but I know my way around a dagger." Aine is perhaps the clan's expert in carpentry, stonemason and she has enough healing skill that tend light wounds.
When Tessa grabs Acacius arm he becomes startled and blushes slightly, not used to a woman’s touch. Acacius looks at Tessa not being able to look her straight in the eyes. I[color=red] need hunters, swordsmen, brains and gardeners. We are going to find a new place to live.
Agitatus holds up a finger. "And don't forget a Grog to bear a shield for ye! While you have a mind on your spells he'll have a mind to savin' yer arse. See to it a brawny lad is there to take a blow for him...Lady (he coughs at that) Tessa."
One of the rugged Scottsmen finally steps forward. He is shorter than most of the men here, (though he still tops Tessa by over a foot), but the width of his shoulders makes him seem larger. The brown hair on his head and face is kept short, though by the uneveness of it all, it looks like he fed up with it all and just took an axe to it. There is a longsword strapped to one hip, and a throwing axe on the other with a wicked looking dagger in between.
Merry looks Acacius up and down with a scowl on his face, sizing him up, and then focuses on Tessa, his eyes hard and penetrating. He finally speaks to her in his native Scottish tongue. "Ya really need ta find a real man fer once ta grab onta, woman. Look at this one. Ain't nothing but bones and robes. Does the bugger even know what a sword is?" He snorts rudely. "What kind o' trouble is he good fer? I be tired o' just sitting around 'ere, letting me sword rust." Merry leans towards Acacius to scrutinize him closer, and Acacius gets a good wiff of Merry's bad breath. "He sure don't look like much."
Tessa steps between Acacius and Merry. She has a cold smile on her face and her eyes have a gleam in them. "He can look like the Queen o' London town if he wants ta. You need to remember Merry: he and his lot are what we're about now. You and your sword are welcome. Your uppity mouth is not. Don't piss about with me Merry."
Tessa talks a step back and turns to the crowd of men. "Come on. Boys Is that all you Boys got the stomach for? Surely Merry is not the best man among you?"
Acacius tries to hold back a nauseous grin when Merry’s face comes close but he bends backwards slightly as the foul smelling breath draws closer. He thinks to himself, What a brute. Now how will I put up with such filth? With time and some education such character flaws can be cured. Time and patience that is what is needed. Acacius looks worried but tries to hide it.
The hard glare in Merry's eyes doesn't fade as he listens to Tessa talk. He works the muscles in his jaw as he folds his arms across his chest, fighting down the anger he is well known for within the clan. "I be willin' ta do this, cause Dermot says this be what we be doing now. But that donna mean I have ta like it. Dinna ken if these buggers be worth it." He glances over to Acacius once more, looking down his nose at him. "They sure rub me ta wrong way."
Regardless, Merry moves to stand behind and to the side of Tessa to show he is part of the group. As Tessa calls again for volunteers, he snorts and goads the men still standing around. "Ye ken I'm ta best, woman. They too yello' to follow me, is all."
Aine shakes her head, [color=red]"they are scared of Merry's breath to move close and volunteer." She smiles as she looks around. She is one of the better unmarried lasses of the clan. [color=red]"Something about this guy turns my stomach to but this is to scout the land to be home for the clan. Do you trust some strange creature to properly judge what will be our home? That is why I am going since I am best to judge the material availability to build with." She hopes the mage doesn't speak gaelic but if he does, she doesn't care.
Two brothers, dressed in filthy homespun step up. "Me an' bruther Boisil will join ye'. Tired of waitin' for the sheriff to come and kick us outta here again." They both carry a wooden round shield and axe.
A finely dressed young man steps up and speaks to Acacius in Latin.
"I'm Dermot. Ye are goin' with some best warriors in me Clan." his Latin is somewhat halting, but also formalized, church learned perhaps. "The land ye scout is mine, the only reason I'm not going is that I'm supposed to meet the Reeve at Christmas. I hope ye're not as Aggie. Few men come back that go with him abroad. Bring me family back." he turns to the rest that are going and addresses them in Scottish.
"Alright ye sorry lot! I'll not have ye armed with not but yer stink and bad breath, or armored by yer skirts and pride! Arm up!" he gestures to the carts that he keeps under guard near his elaborate tent.
[color=blue]In the carts, should you want to equip yourself there are any standard price weapons and armor with some exceptions. The only Great Weapons are Long Spears and Staffs. The shields are Round Shields, the armor has any suit of Half up to Metal Scale, and any suit of Full up to Leather Scale. There are Shortbows also, and several score of arrows.
As soon as Acacius hear Dermot he shines up thinking finally someone that I can understand what he says. [color=red]I am most happy to hear a voice I can understand. I am Acacius Ex Miscellanea as I have tries to explain I am a magus with a speciality in healing magic’s. Now are you following us on this expedition? I could use someone who can understand me a help me communicate with the men and women of the clan. Please tell me a bit more about yourself. Are you a man of the cloth? Your Latin seems like that of someone who attended at least a cathedral school.
Acacius glances at the weapon pile and is most happy with his staff that he is holding in his hand.
Tessa cocks an eyebrow and tries listening to the exchange between Acacius and Dermot. She finally shakes her head. There are things to be done.
She looks back at Merry. "Get the brothers and get whatever ya need from the carts. Pick your stuff with a mind that we may be out there for a few moons with no smith about.
"Ask Aine too. She can probably pick out a good knife, but if she wants some leather or such to wear, she might need a hand with that. I'll swing by the carts later and see to my own needs."
She stares at Merry a second. "I'm assuming you'll be bossing the brothers around. I got no argument with that. You might be a lot of things, but a good fighter is sure one of them. Lissen though: our main job is keeping his arse," and she reaches out and touches Acacius on the shoulder, "safe. I want you or one of the brothers always with him. Always. Keep him covered and safe, and my mouth won't flap so much."
She waits for Merry's response and then hops away from Acacius and marches towards. Dermot. She waits for an opening in his talk with Acacius, and then says, with a big smile. "How much of your silver are we taking with us? We will need coin for the road you know."