Day 6a - Lunch with Vinmira

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Road Reconnaissance – Day 6 (cont)
Vinmira leads the party over to another large tent, inside there are a number of trestle tables and benches, you would guess that about 60-80 people could dine in here at one time. Towards the opposite site of there is a large table with foodstuffs laid out on large platters. The majority of the garrison must have already had their lunch since there are only about 20 soldiers in the tent, and they seem to largely have finished their food. Also, as you approach the food, you all realise that many of the platters have largely been cleared.
Still, there are a stack of clean plates, two large pots of stew, fresh bread plus a selection of cheeses and cured meats a tapped barrel of ale is also available. Vinmira shovels a large amount of food onto a plate, grabs a mug of ale and goes to sit down at a nearby table. He nods or waves to the two main groups of soldiers in the room and then waits for you to join him.
Vinmira: “I ‘spect you have some questions, which I might be able to help you with…. But first just take me through what you told the Colonel”
And so for the third time that day, the party has to go through the events of the past week or so, ending with the interception by Gohde and his pathfinders. Vinmira interjects with a few questions but in general seems content to listen – whilst rapidly making headway through his plate of food.
Vinmira: “So this shaman fellah, he left the brooch stuffed hidden away. Strange. Mos’ clerics I know wouldn’t let their holy symbol out of their sight”
As he finished his food, Vinmira gets up to refill his ale, then settles back down on the bench to answer a few of your questions.
Party: Can we ask him what sort of tasks we are likely to be given in the future – and what our ‘career prospects’ are? Some advice on how our party can survive until we get beyond the ‘totally expendable’ category would be useful! 
Vinmira: “Well, I don’ think I can say what your next job will be, altho’ I would ‘spect that Ranlarke will want you to go trottin’ back off to Cagrun with some ‘structions. In theory of course, you are not ‘fficially enlisted or anything – jus’ helping out so to speak. If’n I was you, I’d keep it that way”
Party: For future reference – are body parts (or items) useful intelligence tools for speak-with-dead or other divination purposes – or was it just chance that Ranlarke needed to actually look at the head of the shaman?
Vinmira: “To be honest, I think any piece a flesh can be used for speaking with t’dead, if’n they want to answer of course. You folks had kept t’head so Ranlarke wants to see it, and send it down road for people to look at.”
Party: It was said that trolls and orcs fight using undead. What can we learn about how these are created and controlled? 
Vinmira: “Only those that worship Temple of the Dead, we don’ use his name, have truck with undead. Small groups are fine, but there are tales of huge hordes bein’ pulled out of the old battlefields, an’ that will be a differen’ matter. Wynagh is the bes’ person to ask ‘bout preventing a corpse bein’ animated or the like – him being a Priest of Universal.”
Party: Will we be able to see and speak to the woman and boy that we rescued (assuming they survived)? We still need to know why they left Braerk, who/what attacked them and if anyone else was with them. Also, it will be useful to speak to the medics for advice on dealing with similar wounds in the future (and as mentioned, obtaining supplies to help deal with them.)
Vinmira: “Shouldn’ be a problem, we can head over straight after finishin’ up here.”
Party: Can we get a better picture of the Geography around here?
Vinimra: “Sure, well – the road South of here goes direct to StarPort, though it is a fair distance. Starport sits just South of the Plains of Torgan on the main highway from Hightower to Sabarath. Most of the land between here and Startport is prime agricultural, feeds the kingdom you might say. Torgan is the Giants capital, huge fortifications and generally quite difficult to get to – no road as such. Most people get there by boat from one of the small fishing villages on the Burning Lake….. nah that place isn’t dangerous….. just called that cos of some bright red lily that grows only there.
Hightower is the old Dwarven capital, if anything even more impressively fortified than Torgan. The only easy way in is along the Imperial Highway that was built years back by the Dwarves. The highway runs over to Starport to the West and SE towards the sea, although it kind of runs out before reaching there – some Imperial project that never got finished I guess.
Vinmira: “Anyhow, we ‘pear to be done here, lets mosey on over to the hospital via the quartermasters stores. If I’m not mistaken, Ranlarke will want you heading back afore evening”
The party join Vinmira in stacking their dirty plates etc. on another table, then follow him out of the tent.
At the quartermasters, the party can stock up on pretty much any weapon, shield and armour (up to chainmail) that they want – although there are no “special” items available. Field rations, any additional cooking/maintenance gear is also available.
At the hospital tent, you are met by the Ariel, Wynagh.
Wynagh: “The boy and the woman are fine, unfortunately the woman is still in shock and uncommunicative. You can talk to the boy if you want, but don’t spend too long with him, his name is Terfel. Once you are done, head back to the command tent, Ranlarke has some orders that he wants you to courier up to Braerk”
Vinmira: “These guys here were looking for some advice on preventing undead being created and also about the possibility of wound treatment”
Wynagh: “From what we know, the only certain way is through burning the corpse completely, and even then more powerful Priests of the Temple are able to pull the spirits of the dead to serve them. Thankfully most minor undead are relatively easy to deal with, but I suggest that at this stage if you come across any group of more than say 10 skeletons or zombies – you run – there will probably be a Temple priest or necromancer nearby. None have been seen in the region for years though.”
Wynagh: “Ask in the hospital for some basic wound cleansing and dressing kits. They will help a little if used properly (DM: I.e. have basic first aid).
Wynagh then heads off in the direction of the food tent, whilst Vinmira takes you in to the hospital.
The field hospital is largely empty, a couple of soldiers are lying on cots whilst the woman and the boy Terfel are in small separate screened off areas at the back. Both are being attended by orderlies, Quercius and Wun enter Terfel’s cubicle, the others listed outside or gather up some of the wound dressing kits (DM: 2 per character with First Aid).
The boy looks much better, indeed is sitting up in his cot eating some bread and broth from a tray. When he sees Quercius and Wun enter, he smiles.
Terfel: “Hey, I kind of recognise you folks, I am sure I recollect seeing you back in Braerk.”
Terfel, has already been quizzed by Wynagh, but seems more than happy to repeat his story to you. His family and some others had decided to try and cut South from Braerk rather than hang around to be Elf fodder. Terfels father had been a woodsman and so had some experience living off the land and knowing what clothing etc. would be required. The group had opted to stay off the road, deciding to keep it to their right in order to reach the river and then move downstream to the bridge.
Travel was slow, and at least once they saw what they believe was an Elven patrol in the distance (DM: Remember these guys left Braerk well before it got organised). So rather than keep travelling the group opted to lay low in a small shepherds hut that Terfel’s father knew of. Terfel can’t remember how long they stayed there, it felt like forever, but eventually the group decided to return to moving South.
It was once they reached the river that they began to feel that something was watching them, and that feeling continued through the days travel. In the evening, just as they were making camp, the group was attacked. Darts began hitting people, obviously thrown by someone or something hiding in the bushes and undergrowth. Basically, everyone panicked and the group scattered, Terfel found himself with the woman, whose name in Shanni and her daughter – trying to head back for the road. Even as they blundered through the undergrowth there were still sporadic dart attacks on the three of them, and in the dark they lost their sense of direction. The three of them huddled in some undergrowth and prayed to be left alone.
Morning arrived, and it was obvious that things weren’t good, Shanni’s daughter was badly wounded and as soon as she moved – started bleeding. All three of them felt feverish, and so the last lucid memory Terfel has is of them taking bearings from the sun and deciding to try and find the river again – to get some water.
As regards what attacked them, Terfel thinks he saw things in the faint light, small creatures about 4 foot tall, and he distinctly remembers something like the yipping noise a fox makes. But really that is about it.
Terfel now seems pretty worn out, and the orderly gently pushes Quercius and Wun out of the cubicle. Vinmira then escorts you all back to see Ranlarke. On the way there he has one last piece of advice..
Vinmira: “Well I need to be heading off soon, who knows I might bump into you folks elsewhere. If’n you take my advice I would say listen to Gohde and Cagrun, both of them know what is what and have a decent regard for keeping folk alive. Ranlarke is a great soldier, and you won’t hear many under his command complainin’ about him, but he is a bit unimaginative.”
With that, he ushers you into the command tent and then leaves. Ranlarke is again accompanied by Wynagh, and also with two of Gohde’s pathfinders.
Ranlarke: “Ah! There you are, well we have retrieved the skull from that creature you killed and it will be on the way to Starport with the headdress and brooch within the hour.”
Ranlarke goes to his desk and picks up a small leather bag, closed by a buckle – which is fastened.
Ranlarke: “I would like you to deliver these messages to Cagrun as quickly as possible, if you are ready to leave immediately then these two soldiers.” Ranlarke indicates the two pathfinders, “will accompany you partway up the road”.
CLOCK WILL START TICKING ON MONDAY 3rd
OPTIONS ARE:
* Leave with the Pathfinders;
* Wait and see what further	info/equipment you can find;
* Decide to simply jump ship and do	your own thing;
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