Changelings part I: 27 Charity Street

[kintire]

The man looks surprised and slightly affronted at the question, and replies proudly.

"Gardar, as all men of worth know, is the thronehall of the Gardariki, the greatest folk in the middle realm. It lies on the Great Land, though it rules many of the western isles as well. It stretches from the northern ice to the southern wilds, from the eastern plains to the Mirkwood. Since you cannot be here without having travelled through it or its vassals for many weeks, how is you do not know this? Have you..."

He pauses, and his brow darkens.

"Have you risen from the realms of the Hiddenfolk?"

[BigBadQDaddy]

Helfried inwardly flinches at the man's implications regarding so called hidden folk. His eyes dart from Catherine to the man speaking in anticipation of some sort of aggressive action.

[alhoon]

Seradon rises his eyebrows when the savage tries to explain what he can't understand by blaming it on faeries and hidden folk etc. He feels quite strongly the Calliban's presence with them, but avoids turning to look at him and hopes this place is not like Tepest.

[VAN]

Catherine looks at her companions hoping at least one of them know the places the leader mentioned, but judging from their faces they didn't. Having had already one experience with the mists and few with magic teleportation she got to the conclusion they were transported to another land, maybe far away of the Mainland, or maybe one not known island. Or maybe they are indeed from the Hiddenfolk..The pressing need to seek answers and most important not make these people enemies force Catherine to play the card of half truth. Less civilized people are afraid of magic because they don't understand it, so if she makes the leader believe her story he might want to cooperate with them.

Hoping Seradon will follow her lead and doesn't say anything she turns back to the leader says with a sigh.

"Unfortunately we don't know none of the places you mentioned mighty leader and I don't know what you mean by Hiddenfolk."

Trying to make a grimace of disappointment and sadness continues:

"We brought here by magic mighty leader."

Catherine spits at the ground to emphasize her disgust about it.

"It was against our free will of course. Magic isn't like physical strength and ability where more you train and fight you get better, like you for example that is clear you have been through a lot of battles and nobody can question your muscle power! Magic is unpredictable and sneaky. It gets you unprepared with unexpected results. We for example were just walking in a tunnel and we just appeared here. We have no idea how that happened, we are lost with no way to go back. We..."

Catherine's voice breaks a little like trying to not let go a sob.

"Oh mighty leader, can you or one of your trustworthy wise men help us please? We just want to go back to our land. You are so strong and it's clear you have had much experience. Have your keen eyes ever seen lost travellers like us before?"

[BigBadQDaddy]

Completely confused, Helfried whispers to Saradon, "Why is Lady Catherine crying?"

[kintire]

The chieftain seems slightly confused, but seems to respond well to the courtesy in the speech. The atmosphere in the hall eases as he seems to relax.

"You must be from the Southfolk. They complain about magic all the time, but here we believe that any tool that aids is a good tool!"

he shakes his head

"but enough of this. Whoever you are, I will not have you go back to your people and say that the hospitality of Svafrlami son of Sigurlami was mean! Come in! Seat yourselves!"

He turns to the woman seated at his side and cries

"Daughter! Have meat and mead brought in, fine fare for our gallant guests!"

[VAN]

"Oh thank you mighty leader, you are most kind. Be sure that if we manage to find our way back home we will tell everyone about your hospitality. Also if you don't mind I will be glad to hear some of your battle stories. A strong leader like you for sure have won many battles and many ballads will be for sure about your name. I would like to hear them so one day I can tell them to my children and grandchildren."

[alhoon]

Smiling and with a gracious bow to their host, Seradon turns towards the offered seats, and as he does he whispers to Helfried as he passes by him "She tried to evade any questions they had about where we came from and how we reached this place. I don't know why tears should be involved but it worked. Keep in mind that they can understand us for some reason... but we can't understand each other"

[kintire]

The guests are plied with roast meat and strong ale. Svafrlami is not an affable host, but his retainers seem amiable enough, in a rough and rowdy way. From their boasts, it seems that they are of a people who rule the shores of an inland sea to the north west, and you are on a large river which serves as a trade route to the rest of the world. As such your host is a wealthy man by the reckoning of his people, and famous enough that the fact you hadn't heard of him was ridiculous, so was taken as an insult. Seems to be smoothed over now though.

There is a hostess, the King's daughter, a Bard and several Wizards who seem in high esteem

[VAN]

Catherine eats some meat but avoids to drink ale, she wanst to keep her head clear. After the meal with whoever wants to join her she gets a big mug of ale and heads towards the bard. Offering him the mug she says:

"Hello sir, my name is Catherine and if you haven't already heard we aren't from this place. I don't know how we arrived here and we know almost nothing about it except what your mighty leader told us. May you tell me some stories about this land, your battles and about your leader of course. I want to make sure that if we manage to return to our land we can have our bards write ballads and sing about your adventures."

[steveflam]

Gorn definitely orders ale and pulls out a cigar, actually asking one of the patrons if it is permitted to light up in the place. He will try to make small talk with the leader's daughter, very polite in his own way.

[alhoon]

Seradon took just one look to the Caliban before he turned to Helfried and whispered
F
"Excuse me, I have to talk to Gorn for just a bit. I don't think he realizes how humans act very well"
With a smile and friendly nods to the savages around him, hiding his anxiety about what Gorn was trying to do, he moved towards Gorn's table and seated himself next to the Calliban.
M: "Hey there Gorn? Do you have a good time in this nice place? Hospitable people eh?" and lowering his voice he added for Gorn's ears mostly "However, people with this kind of culture, usually don't take very kindly to guests being too friendly with their daughters. Just keep it in mind. "
Then with his regular tone he added "The ale is particularly good in here. Our hosts are blessed to have such good taste!". Then, he took a mug and took a sip of the probably vile beverage these people thought was drinkable.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Helfried eats and drinks sparingly yet enough to not offend. To Saradon he replies in a private tone, "I too had noticed the understanding of our varied languages. What troubles me is the need to converse freely with these spirits. Guard your tongue Darkonian. I have no need to warn you of the treachery of the dead."

[steveflam]

Seradon took just one look to the Caliban before he turned to Helfried and whispered
F
"Excuse me, I have to talk to Gorn for just a bit. I don't think he realizes how humans act very well"
With a smile and friendly nods to the savages around him, hiding his anxiety about what Gorn was trying to do, he moved towards Gorn's table and seated himself next to the Calliban.
M: "Hey there Gorn? Do you have a good time in this nice place? Hospitable people eh?" and lowering his voice he added for Gorn's ears mostly "However, people with this kind of culture, usually don't take very kindly to guests being too friendly with their daughters. Just keep it in mind. "
Then with his regular tone he added "The ale is particularly good in here. Our hosts are blessed to have such good taste!". Then, he took a mug and took a sip of the probably vile beverage these people thought was drinkable.

Gorn looks at Seradon, eye raised. "Hey, I ain't the sharpest tool in the tool box. But I does know well enough how ter act, buddy. Don't worry. I won't get into too much trouble. An if I offend anyone I can always take it outside and settle like real men."

[alhoon]

" Guard your tongue Darkonian. I have no need to warn you of the treachery of the dead."

Seradon stopped for a moment half-standing and looked the Falkovnian, absect fear in his face before shaking his head, as if chasing away bad thoughts "I don't believe they are ... what you said. I believe we are in a different place and time." But he seems less comfortable than before. He also seemed to casually avoid touching any of their savage hosts.