Chapter Twelve

## **No Rime or Reason**

###### **Latrardag 19th Biriskjur 1770 to Sjikraltdag 20th Biriskjur 1770**

The survivors of Russet made good time on the final leg of their journey to Rime, the hours passing uneventfully as Booker, Nixe and Plymouth dawdled at the rear, engaging in conversation about recent events and what came next.

Brandyr moved forward through the crowd, passing Fitz as he engaged in idle chatter with other survivors, and joined his old friend Gart at the head of the procession. Together, the two Dwarves discussed what to do should the people of Rime refuse them entry.

Unbeknownst to them, the group at the rear had also been ruminating on this and Booker and Fitz emerged from the crowd behind with a plan. Rather than heading straight to Rime with a caravan of over five hundred refugees, they would set-up camp nearby for the night and send a small contingent to Rime to negotiate their imminent arrival.

Gart, Brandyr, Plymouth and Booker bundled into Easy Delg’s Taxi Wagon at first light, whilst Nixe and Fitz stayed behind to ensure the survivors were ready to leave when given the signal to. As they travelled, Booker watched Wilf closely and sketched a picture of a Warforged, leaving it on the driver's seat for him to find.

As the taxi circumnavigated a jutting crag, the town of Rime slid into view to the West. The gate the party had exited through just 12 days earlier lay before them, but this time it was firmly closed, with two armed sentries standing watch on the walkway above.

As the taxi slowed to a stop and the party approached the gate, one of the guards, a human woman clad in white fur, shouted down to them *“Rime isn’t open for visitors at this time, by order of the Mayor”.*

Together, Brandyr and Plymouth convinced Hilga, the Captain of the Guard, to fetch the Mayor and, although reluctant at first, he acquiesced to let the sick and injured stay at the House of Morndinsamman, for those who could afford it to stay at the Inns, and for everyone else to camp outside the walls by the tracks.

Gart managed to negotiate some supplies but was told that they would have to limit who entered the town and that they would be imposing a curfew at night. Agreeing to the terms, a firebolt was fired into the sky as a signal and the rest of the survivors, led by Fitz and Nixe, made their way to Rime.

As the survivors set up camp, the party split up to undertake their personal affairs. Brandyr and Booker headed to the House of the Morndinsamman, the Dwarven priest giving aid to the injured whilst the young Gnome prayed to Dugmaren Brightmantle.

Fitz headed into town to procure a shield from Lorne Campbell at Block and Finish, and Brandyr, Booker, Fitz and Plymouth each penned and posted letters to various friends and relatives, entreating them to send aid.

As the sun began to set, the group made their way back to camp before the curfew began. Joining Gart beside his campfire, the bureaucrat asked of the group one more favour. He asked the group to travel to Bezmadanbaor with a letter for parliament, a task he deemed too important for the local postal service.

Although the party were reluctant to leave the burden of responsibility for the people of Russet to Gart alone, he explained that he trusted no one else to get the job done. Once they had agreed, he requested their old archaeology permit and tossed it into the fire, bestowing upon them a new document; the Freedom of The Empire. Lastly, Gart told the party that Easy Delg had volunteered to take them wherever they needed to go.

Deciding to head out at first light, Nixe decided to bid farewell to Combine before bed, the two sharing a smoke and Combine gifting his hand-made pipe to Nixe as a parting gift. Nixe then turned to Lance, the sabretooth tiger cub, asking him if he wished to remain in the north. The cub responded that he would prefer to stay with Nixe, and the matter was settled.

Just as the gates were due to close, James Grappenhall arrived with some supplies that Brandyr had requested earlier at The Succulent Spiggot, including a selection of old copies of The Bezmadanboar Billet. The newspapers were filled with the usual assortment of articles about funding cuts and parliamentary debates, but on the front page of the most recent edition, they were met with a headline that caught their attention.

**ARGYLE ARRESTED!**

‘Acclaimed’ scholar Sutherlanda Argyle was accompanied from her mansion late last night by Veforgjaerjaal officers. Speculation about her detainment has been rife, but The Bezmadanboar Billet can exclusively reveal that she has been arrested for associating with members of the terrorist organisation, the Ungermoth Reparation Army and has been charged with conspiracy to commit treason. Argyle is expected to be held indefinitely pending trial, a date for which has yet to be set, and has been said to be “actively assisting in the Veforgejaerjaal’s investigations”.

Next: Chapter Thirteen. A Long Expected Party Man