Battle Of The Spellcasters

Winnacer addresses the party with a whisper, trying not to draw attention to their conversations:

"I'll not be having our hard work help the Slovenes get a foothold in our Bohavia. Sometimes one must work with his enemies to achieve a common goal, but this is not one of those times. The Slovenes also must learn that Bohavia is there for the taking. Let us make an example of this small band of spies."

"An example?" Yaz responds. "And who's here to witness? I don't understand. Why not find out all we can about them first?"

Yaz thinks for a second:

"Oh. Hold them captive then torture them for information. Lovely. I guess that would work. But there ARE better ways. I say we ignore the fact that we know who they are -- get on their good side. Maybe even join them, claim to be Slovene sympathizers: we believe Slovenes are coming to rescue Bohavia from Nyemetz oppression or some other believable nonsense. Find out some stuff. Maybe charm them or their horses. If we fight, we lose knowledge that could help us more than message-sending."

Yaz continues in a whisper:

"Besides, I'm not convinced this is their fight, yet. So far, they're on our side. Down the road, they might not be... but for now, they are. Let's not rock the boat! We start killing Slovenes... and what happens if they unite with the Nyemetz? Then we're all fucked."

Winnacer looks at the kid-Yaz and says simply:

"If you think the Nyemetz are forest defilers, wait till you get a load of the Slovenes. They make the Nyemetz look wholesome from the stories my father tells of his campaigning days. To start dealing with such types is to deal with demons, the price one pays is always greater than anticipated. Consorting with evil cannot be justified nor can we allow them to get a foothold within our beloved land. Evil of that sort has such ambition that it could never unite, only undermine what has been established. Bohavia must look within itself to gain its freedom, it will not be gained by making ill-wishing foreign allies. If you wish to gather information from them, ask them while we have them in chains."

Xavier gives his views at this stage, saying that it is obvious that they are spies and that they should be dealt with as quickly as possible.

"You are correct again, my friend" continues the young lord. "This man is obviously a spy for the Slovenes. While we may think to elicit their aid in ridding the Nyemetz from Bohavia, these folk are twice as wicked as the Nyemetz. For the safety of Bohavia, we cannot allow them to infiltrate any of our cities. While they might succeed in undermining Nyemetz rule for us, they certainly will not be looking to leave afterwards. The only help I will accept from the Slovenes is the distraction they are by threatening Bohavia's borders. Like the Nyemetz, the Slovenes must too be destroyed, their evil wiped clean from Bohavia and the other honorable lands that have fallen to their evil. We must not allow these spies to travel any further."

Winnacer's hand falls to 'Old Bohavia' and he looks at Xavier knowingly.

"Yar Yar my lord so many enemies on the borders of Bohavia" agrees Xavier. "Nyemetz, Slovenes, and the Rus. Non-humans all .desiring man's destruction. Just two human kingdoms on your border and one is a Nyemetz puppet."

Xavier shakes his head:

"Rodengast save us from the ways of mankind!"

Xavier lays his hand on his sword, and returns the knowing smile of warriors about to act.

"There is no time like the present, my Lord. I have as much time for Slovenes as an elf does for Saxon steel"

Will interjects at this point:

"Caution, my friends. It is possible that all is not as it appears. We may not be the only group capable of illusion."

Faewen'il had been sitting silently in the background, knowing that there was little she could say to keep the others from going forward in their plans to kill the bugbear and quite possibly the man as well; her mind wondered at the magic this bugbear wielded, for he certainly was not dressed as a warrior from the descriptions of Yaz and Jihan. Other than their description of it being a bugbear, she had only read of them in one of the books Luud had had....what had been the name he had given their mages..... mages that were more priests than mages....A moment or so later Faewen'il speaks somewhat dully to the group.

"An what ye plan ta do to tha Shayman? His magics be unknown ta me."

"An what o tha man an boy?"

Amazingly, Bennett sides with Yaz (sort of). He adds his whisper to the discussion:

"I think we need to get as much information from these spies as possible, and then kill them. Hell, they may have contacts, weapon supplies, all kinds of things that could prove helpful. Plus, I am not sure that this Miklosh is the guy we want to interrogate anyway. Seems to me that a bugbear shaman is pretty damn important and anything that he is involved with is worthy of us knowing about. Miklosh seems kind of stupid, if you ask me, and I am betting he doesn't have enough information to make him a useful interrogee. Plus we can't very well kill the kid, or we're as bad as our enemies. I think there may be some weight in what Yaz is talking about, getting some information from them first."

"Personally, I think we can take them even if we arouse suspicion. However, if the vote of the group is to take them when asleep, I vote we do not kill the bugbear. In fact, I think the only one we can safely kill is the bodyguard. I think if we slide a sword up to the bugbear's throat, he ain't gonna be much in the shape to cast any spells. Added to it is if they are spies, which I believe they are, then there is no way they are not going to notice the slits in the tent and think paranoid, as such is their job. Then we have to deal with them plotting to do away with us, as opposed to the alternative, and that I am absolutely not comfortable with."

"I don't think that us killing a few spies will join the Slovenes and the Nyemetz. Shit, spies get killed, that's part of life. I don't think we could do anything to this small a group to create such a unity. I agree we need to get information from them, and torture may not be the best option, but no way do we make friends with them. No Way."

Bennett slides Regret from its sheath quietly:

"If we are going to do this, it needs to be now."

Bennett is not equipped to sneak into the tent and put a sword to the shaman's throat, and Jihan doesn't look be in the mood to do it properly, so Bennett suggests they take out the guard with some spellcraft or a quick and quiet assault, then have all surround the wagon and rip the tent flaps open.

Will takes a look around at the assembled party:

"I do not wish to be guilty of a mistake made by hasty decisions and premature use of force. It appears that the balance of power may be in our favor. A wise man makes his play from a position of strength. Perhaps it would be prudent to approach this situation in openness, confronting the merchant, Miklosh, with our suspicions and intents, and allow them to state their case."

Jihan was in the process of drawing out his shortswords before Yaz virtually dragged him back to the fire. The elf/dwarf plops down, sheathing his two swords and then dropping his arms down at his side. He stares into the leaping flames while Winnacer and Yaz continue with their debate. Eventually he sighs, the first semblance of a sound that the others have heard out of him for two whole days, and then draws his bow off of his back. Taking an arrow, he stands up and starts making his way towards the wagon. About half-way there, he stops, then drops to the ground on his stomach, Weitbeissen held parallel to the ground in front of him. He takes a bead on the guard sitting outside, and waits.

Winnacer listens to the group hurriedly whisper plans and comes to a decision:

"We've often talked about doing our business without spilling much blood. Let's give it a try, an ambush with a minimum of violence. Faewen'il has often talked of her non-violent spells, perhaps she can quietly and quickly immobilize the guard, allowing us to get close and take the three of them prisoner. They can easily be questioned in one of Faewen'il's cocoons, perhaps even easier than holding our swords to their throats. So let's go, quickly and quietly...and perhaps bloodlessly."

Xavier nods his head in agreement, his mind on similar lines to Winnacer's.

"If you think we can get more information out of them with threats and torture than by acting like friends, then I guess I have no argument. Although I don't agree with you," adds Yaz.

Winnacer replies:

"It is not about amounts of information, it is about culpability. If we leave them be at this juncture and they go on to cause sorrow and woe amongst the people of Bohavia, our complicity makes us as guilty as these spies. If one makes a pet of a wolf and it bites an innocent bystander, where does the fault lie, with the wolf or with the owner?"

"And just why do we need to ambush anyone?" asks Yaz. "Surely a party of four would surrender to a well-equipped group twice the size? I can call Viirin back if you want, and we'll demand their surrender in the open, like Will suggested. There's no need to risk a fight with ambush tactics. Plus they might be more cooperative if we don't degrade them first. It should be pretty obvious that they have no chance of escaping us, what with the horses and all."

"I do not want to give them the option of resisting" answers Winnacer. "We know nothing of their powers, and I do not want to give them a chance to demonstrate."

The decision to make the attack, to try and subdue them rather than kill them is made. They think some more about how to achieve their goal. The area around has little cover and so a stealthy approach is difficult to achieve with the guard in place. However, providing that the guard is taken out quickly, the warriors should be able to advance towards the wagon without attracting too much attention.

The plan is finalized. Faewen'il will first use her sleep ensorcellment in order to put the guard to sleep and then everyone will get into position. Will, Jihan, Yaz and Faewen'il will get into a position to provide covering fire or spells while Winnacer, Xavier and Bennett will try to close to the wagon, before bursting in and overpowering the other occupants.

The party is currently hidden behind the row of tents, out of both sight and earshot of the guard. All those planning to give covering fire casually walk towards the tents, one by one. They each yawn a little and then get into their tents. The guard observes them as they go inside, but has no reaction. As each of them gets inside the tent, they open the tent flaps a little and then ready their bows, spell components or holy cannabis as appropriate. The three warriors draw their weapons and crouch behind the tents where they can see the events unfold.

Inside her tent, Faewen'il takes a pinch of sand and begins saying the familiar words of the sleep spell while gesticulating. Upon completion of the spell, she tosses the sand in the direction of the guard.

They all look up to see the guard's reaction. They see his lids begin to close, but then, they look on in alarm as he slumps forwards, falling off the front of the wagon and landing on the ground with a very loud 'THUD' made by the chainmail that he was wearing.

Realizing that the chances for a quick and stealthy approach on the occupants may not be possible, but seeing no other alternative, the three warriors start to rush towards the wagon.

There is a fluttering at the flaps to the wagon and Miklosh's head pokes out. He sees the warriors rushing towards him and shouts out in a foreign tongue.

As soon as Yaz sees Miklosh, he starts uttering and pointing towards the Pannon. Miklosh stops all of a sudden and then simply looks towards Yaz with a smile on his face. Yaz sees Jihan and Yaz about to fire at Miklosh and quick shouts to them:

'Hold your fire, he's mine'

The large hairy head of the bugbear then appears at the tent flap along with that of the young lad. As soon as she sees the two of them appear, Faewen'il immediately produces some skunk cabbage leaves and begins casting again. As she finishes her chant, a purple cloud of vapor starts to come from inside the wagon.

Immediately that the vapors fill the inside of the wagon, its three occupants start to cough before leaping out of the wagon onto the ground in front of them. Miklosh falls to the ground, coughing hard, but the bugbear and the lad seem to be unaffected by its effects.

'Nice one, Fae' says Yaz, with a note of sarcasm in his voice. 'Take out my guy and ignore the others.'

The warriors continue running towards the wagon, getting close to getting into melee with them. Jihan and Will continue to cover the bugbear, not wanting to shoot him yet so that he can be taken alive.

Just before the warriors get to the bugbear, it starts casting. As it clutches its staff, it starts to gesticulate and utter evil sounding words in its guttural sounding voice and points towards the campfire in front of the tents.

Instantly, everything goes bright as the campfire erupts in a fiery burst of glowing, colored aerial fireworks. Protected by their helmets to a certain extent and having their backs to the fire, all three warriors manage to avoid the spell's effects. However, Yaz, Faewen'il, Will and Jihan were all looking straight over it and so they all drop to the floor, rubbing their eyes as they are blinded by its effects.

The warriors charge into the bugbear. All thoughts of trying to pacify the bugbear are now gone after seeing the devastating potential of the beast's magick and so they try to bring the shaman down as quickly as possible.

In their haste to reach the bugbear, the warriors do not have time to get accurate blows in on the bugbear, and so hack wildly at the bugbear. Winnacer and Bennett both fail to hit the beast, but Xavier gets a good blow on the shaman, cutting through its brigandine armor, sending it bellowing in pain. The shaman retaliates by producing an iron nail from his pouch and casting at the three warriors, clutching at its staff and casting again.

Immediately, the warriors are frozen in place. They try and move but find that they are unable to. They look up in horror to see the bugbear barking an order to the lad, who rushes over to the sleeping guard and shakes him awake. While he does so, the shaman reaches into his backpack and produces a length of rope. He takes the warriors' weapons off them and tosses them into the wagon. The guard, now quite awake, and the lad both hold their weapons at the warriors' throats while the bugbear binds the three warriors together firmly.

Slowly, Will, Faewen'il, Jihan and Yaz all get their sight back. When they do so, however, they can hardly believe the sight before their eyes. The warriors are bound and the bugbear and company are in control of the situation.

Seeing that the others are able to see again, the bugbear grunts to the lad and the lad translates for him:

'Shaman Hrust, he say very stupid you are. Throw weapons you down, now, or friends you he will kill. He ask why attack you us when harm you not. Harm you we not did.'

Miklosh stops coughing his guts out at this point and gets up. Slowly, the warriors get their movement back, although the bugbear has done a good job of tying them together and so they are not going to be getting free of the bonds without outside assistance.

Faewen'il rubs at her eyes and blinks to get her sight back; having thought the entire thing a mistake... now she was very sure of it. She listened intently to the response from the bugbear as she feverishly thought about how to get them all out of this mess.

Will drops his bow to his side as he stands and takes a few steps closer to the bugbear and company. He speaks to the bugbear in a gentle, entreating tone:

"Forgive our rash and violent methods, but no harm was meant to come to you. We knew of your presence, despite Miklosh' attempts to deceive us. Our intent was to disarm you for questioning. Forgive our foolish mistake."

Winnacer sees Will drop his bow around the same time as his mouth and arms loosen up from the magic that gripped him:

"We meant you no permanent harm, Shaman Hrust. We meant to disarm the group of you to see what being could make our animals so skittish. We are local crusaders which work outside Nyemetz authority, protecting the citizens of Bohavia. Local villages in the area have had some troubles with the living dead. We, in truth, have been charged to travel to the infamous Tower of Boscobelous, the legendary necromancer. His tower is within a day or two from here, and we sought to cleanse such evil from Bohavia. We typically use dogs to sniff out the stench of undeath and it seems our dog was made upset by your species' odor. We could not risk allowing such a possible threat to Bohavia go unchecked, hence our behavior."

"If you do not believe us, perhaps you can examine our equipment. Upon my horse is a specially commissioned silver longsword needed to combat the evils of the undying and my companions carry similar weapons. Vials of blessed waters sit in our packs as well. If you wish to see the Tower itself, we can lead you to it."

"Needless to say, this is not what we exactly expected. From the look of you Shaman Hrust, you must be a Slovene. And from the questions Miklosh had asked I guess you must be spies. We also have no love of the Nyemetz and have no particular argument with you. Our intentions were meant to capture you without shedding any blood, not to rob you nor slay you, but to access the situation fully and take the proper actions it required. Hopefully we can reach some sort of agreement, for we have sent many Nyemetz to an early death and plan on increasing that number in the future. From this position, all I can give you is my word that bodily harm and theft were not our intentions, and I hope that it is one you can accept."

Winnacer looks on with earnest as he says his words, his words coming out easily, as none of them are a lie, but just a twisting of tenses and motivations to shed a new light on their purpose. His eyes meet with the Shaman's while he speaks and never falter during his speech.

As Winnacer is speaking, he looks slightly worried as he sees the shaman about to cast again. Then, to everyone's relief, he sees that the shaman is only casting a healing spell upon himself.

Miklosh has now recovered from his coughing fit and is summoned by the shaman to act as translator again. Yaz nods to Miklosh that it is OK for the merchant to do so. He tells him that the merchant should act as normal, so as not to arouse any suspicion in the shaman.

The shaman grunts at the lad and he runs off in the direction of their horses. A few minutes later, the lad returns with Winnacer's silver longsword which he hands to Hrust. The shaman considers it for a moment and then grunts to Miklosh.

Miklosh turns to Winnacer and starts to translate:

'Shaman Hurst he ask you leader is?'

'We are all our own leaders, but I speak on behalf of everyone here' replies Winnacer.

Miklosh translates Winnacer's reply to Hrust and the shaman grunts back to the merchant with his reply:

'Give you can word of honor that no you no they fight more if free you we?'

Winnacer looks around at all of the others before replying. He stares Bennett in the eye with a look that tells him not to mess things up. He then puts his hand upon the symbol of Spravedelna etched into his breastplate and replies:

'As Spravedelna is my witness, I give you my word that neither I, nor my colleagues will harm you in any way, providing that you give us no reason to have to defend ourselves.'

Miklosh once again translates to Hrust and the shaman barks more orders to his team. Once he has finished, the bodyguard cuts the bonds that are securing the three warriors. Within seconds, they are free once more. At the same time, the lad is sent to climb into the wagon. He returns with the warriors' swords in his hands and deposits them at the warriors' feet.

Under the watchful eye of Shaman Hrust and the bodyguard, the three warriors pick up their swords and refill their scabbards. The bodyguard continues to observe the three of them carefully.

'Your swords will you need for to kill Nyemetz scum' explains Miklosh. 'Shaman Hrust say go we all to fire for more to talk. No more to fight.'

The shaman and Miklosh walk towards the fireplace with the three warriors plus the lad and bodyguard following them. Miklosh re-lights the fire, as it was extinguished by Hrust's spell. Winnacer beckons the rest of the party to come and join them. All sit round the fire in order to hear what the shaman has to say. The shaman starts to grunt and Miklosh provides a simultaneous translation:

'True to say you that Slovene we. True you to say that spies are we. Tell you we plan when sure to be we that no friend to Nyemetz be. Nyemetz bad be for to take Bohavia from free. Slovene want Bohavia to be free. Send Nyemetz back to Nyemetzko want we. Shaman Hrust has job important for to do. Need he to find Bohavians to help Slovene to make their country free. Not do all alone can Slovenes.'

Apparently listening to the words exchanged between Hrust and the warriors, Jihan relaxes his tense muscles and re-sheaths the daggers he was palming. With the crisis passed, his eyes seem to cloud over again, and his face falls back to its languid state, though looking a bit more thoughtful than before.

He stands by the tent with his eyes now downcast, and continues to do so until Will leads him towards the fire. He slumps to the ground with crossed legs and stares into the fire, apparently oblivious to the continuing conversation.

Bennett considers Jihan with a look that appears to be far from sympathetic.

The shaman continues with his questioning, with Miklosh acting as translator:

'Would be you from Wuurster Schweinhof Movement?'

Bennett looks towards Xavier, assuming the foreign words mean something to him, but Xavier simply replies with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Never heard of it. Perhaps you could tell us a bit about this organization" responds Winnacer. Will nods, interested in finding out more about the group.

'Wuurster Schweinhof Movement we know little of' replies Miklosh. 'We hear that resist Nyemetz do they. Attack supply columns do they. Many problems make them for Nyemetz. We hear in many parts of Bohavia are they. Small groups they do fight in but have problems made for Nyemetz in many places. More than that, we not know. Want we to meet with them for to offer them help. Much help for Slovenes they be, but think we they not know. Support them we want.'

'What of you? You say strike Nyemetz do you. Where strike you they?'

Winnacer brings out his tally of the victories. He tells of the combat in the clearing close to Merarril's village, tells them of freeing a village, but gives the name and location of a different village so as not to put Holitze in danger. He goes on to talk of the combat at Heimlin's village, their capture and subsequent break out of the jail in Dvur, the destruction of the Witchfinder Building, taking out a company of goblins in Hradetz and finally the drunken Nyemetz ambush.

Miklosh smiles as he hears the tally and, after translating to the bugbear, the shaman starts to growl a little while shaking, laughing presumably. Then a large furry paw hits Winnacer on the back, startling the young lord.

'Shaman Hrust say you much good for Slovene for to harm Nyemetz so much' explains Miklosh.'

'Know you any town or city that not Nyemetz control?' he then asks.

Winnacer shakes his head:

'None to my knowledge' he says, not wanting to compromise the location of the Twin Villages.

'Shame that is' replies Miklosh sadly. 'Need town or city one from rebellion to start. If not have, then only nuisance can Bohavians be.'

The bugbear starts grunting again. Miklosh listens to him and then translates:

'Slovensko to help you is wanting, so more problem to Nyemetz can you be. Shaman Hrust, he ask how help you he can?'

"Got any beer?" quips Bennett, hoping that the joke was not out of line. Miklosh simply ignores his comment.

"Funds never hurt any, nor does equipment donations" replies Winnacer, giving a frosty look in Bennett's direction. "But perhaps the best thing for the revolution would be for the Slovenes to apply steady pressure at the borders to displace Nyemetz garrison troops to the borders, making it easier for us to finish them. And if the Slovenes could keep from slaying the impressed Bohavians forced into battle, they too can be mobilized into a liberating force."

'Weapons we can to provide' explains Miklosh after consulting with the bugbear. 'Funds Shaman Hrust he want not to give. Say he can coins be spent not to help revolution. Already Slovenes fight hard with Nyemetz on border and win do we. Nyemetz no can they fight like Slovene. But fight is long and slow. Want we to hurry. If Bohavia fight for Bohavia, then more quick will Nyemetz go from land. Not want we kill Bohavians in fight on east. But if Bohavians to attack Slovenes then defend must we. Better it be for Bohavians to surrender to Slovenes. Help Slovenes fight Nyemetz.'

Winnacer's curiosity has been aroused by the Slovenes' questions and he responds with some of his own:

"What brings you to this part of Bohavia?"

'Several groups of us there be to find out what is situation in Bohavia' replies Miklosh. 'Some they go Shumava to see how think elves. Some to Sudeten to see how think dwarves. We speak with humans in area this. Little find out we here. You only interesting ones that find we here. We go now through Brunn and see if interest there will be.'

"What sorts of plans and actions have you undertaken since crossing into Bohavia?" asks Winnacer.

'We plan no action now' explains Miklosh, a little disappointed. 'Not met with any who want to see Bohavia free. Most Bohavians they not have heart to fight. We go to Koleen, Hradetz Kralovye, Dvur Kralovye and Pardubitze. We try go to Kutna Hora but too many Nyemetz there were. Now we go back by Trebova and Brunn.'

"Why are the Nyemetz and Slovenes at war?" Winnacer asks next.

'Slovenes not want war' Miklosh translates from Hrust's angry roar. 'War is fault of Nyemetz. Nyemetz and Slovenes, much power they have. Nyemetz King Wittelbax and Slovene Tzar Satlin, they sign treaty that will not fight together. But Nyemetz much greed they have. Want they Polavstesol, port on Black Sea, which have Slovenes, so invade Slovensko did they. Many Slovene die they by Nyemetz, but Slovene are many and all will die for country theirs. Slowly they drive Nyemetz back from Slovene soil. But if here we stop, then Nyemetz again attack they will. Must we to drive Nyemetz back to their capital Munken to stop Nyemetz for all time. Must drive Nyemetz scum from Bohavia to get to Munken.'

"How well have Slovene spies infiltrated Bohavia's cities and is there anywhere where Slovenes have established a strong influence?" continues Winnacer.

Bennett interjects again, explaining how the Nyemetz could help them in more detail:

"We need any information you have about contacts that might assist us in various Nymetz controlled towns. If you have penetrated this deep into Bohavia, you must have an extensive network in the country and we frequently need shelter from the Nyemetz in our campaign to free Bohavia. Such contacts as you have that might provide us food, shelter, and healing in our continuous quest would certainly be appreciated."

'Only three months ago did we expel Nyemetz scum from Slovene motherland' replies Miklosh. 'Only now we do take fight to Bohavia. We now only start to look for Bohavians to help fight for own liberty. So now we have no influence. We just come to see what looks like situation. We go back report what have we found. After us will come more to start live in Bohavia cities, to help Bohavia to be free. One contact only have found we. He be Padre Lubosh Kochi at Temple of Radegast in Pardubitze. He good man is. Want see Bohavia free. Help him will we.'

"So what are the Slovenes plans once the Nyemetz have been expelled from Bohavia?" finishes the young lord.

Miklosh gives a little shrug as he responds:

'No is question for Shaman Hrust, is question for Tzar Satlin. Hrust think that Bohavia will need help to protect her liberty so Nyemetz no more can harm people. Bohavia will be free but will need Slovene help to be sure to be free in future.'

The entire time that the group speaks with the Slovene spies, Faewen'il cowers as far away from the fire and the Slovenes as she can get without physically running away. The dwarf's eyes hold an actual terror in them as Faewen'il tries not to tremble in front of everyone.

Although Winnacer falls silent at this point, Bennett is very curious about the Wuurster Schweinhof Movement:

"What parts of Bohavia have you heard them striking in? Do they attack supply columns headed for the Slovene front, or act more in the interior of Bohavia? Anything else you know could be of use, and if we meet up with this group in our efforts, perhaps we can put your group together with them."

'Little about they know we' responds Miklosh, after consulting with Hrust. 'Perhaps only rumor are they. We hear their name four time. One attack to south of Pardubitze, one close to Olmutz, one east of Karlovy Vary and one north of Zliyn. We know humans they are, but no pattern we can see in attack theirs. No contacts have we.'

"Theoretically, what would happen if we were to free one city from Nyemetz control?" Bennett adds. "Such is one of our goals, most certainly, and I believe there is a decent chance that we might accomplish such in the future. What support could the Slovenes offer this newly independent town in their efforts to stay free?"

'Slovene troops no possible to give you' responds Hrust via Miklosh. 'Only what can we smuggle past Nyemetz patrol can we to give. Coin have we to spend to help Bohavians. Buy swords and firearms could we for they. Could send mercenaries who know fight well for to train Bohavians. But Bohavians must shed blood for free Bohavia. Not just Slovene should to shed blood for this.'

"How bad was Kutna Hora?" Bennett asks urgently, "Did you get any information about the situation there at all?"

'Enter Kutna Hora could we not' Miklosh responds without having to check with Hrust. 'Check all that come to town with much care. Find us would they if try to enter would we. We see thick walls, many Nyemetz. Kutna Hora most hard town to take in Bohavia think I from what see we.'

"If we were to contact this fellow, Padre Lubosh Kochi, is there anything you have that might identify us to him as friends?" continues Bennett. "We can use all the Bohavian freedom fighter contacts we can get."

'Good would be if meet with Kochi would you' smiles Miklosh. 'Name of Shaman Hrust know none in Bohavia but you and he. Name of Shaman Hrust all that need you to tell he that spoke with he did you.'

Both the party and the Slovenes run out of questions and many of you are having trouble stifling your yawns. It is currently 1.30a.m. and none of you have had any sleep.

You decide to all it a night and Winnacer asks that you be allowed to get some rest. Miklosh, as usual translates and waits for the shaman's reply.

'Shaman Hrust say sleep can you. But warn you he that watch carefully you will we. So try more trouble foolish for you will be. Shaman Hrust say watch us can you. No is problem. We tired.'

With this amicable agreement being arranged, each party moves to their respective accommodation. They see that both Miklosh and the lad have been assigned to keep watch on their tents from the front of the wagon. Feeling tired, they decide to do the same, matching the Slovenes' actions by keeping two on watch throughout the night. The Slovenes are true to their word, however, and they do not stir from their wagon throughout the night.