Chapter 5: The Village of Proat!
-----The rest of the day passes by quietly. The weather remains fairly warm with the sun shining out from the occasional cloud. The air seems to hang around them in the absence of the wind. The going is slow as the prisoners plod along behind the riders.
-----Finally with about two hours of sunlight left, the party passes a series of bare hills interspersed with flat wooded areas. A few moments later, they climb out of a forested valley and start seeing the small buildings of a large forest village. The settlement seems active with people out and about.
-----As the adventurers enter the village, they pass by a small shop run by a cobbler. A grain mill stands over to one side. Soon they also see a tavern, a trader’s post and a blacksmith’s shop.
-----As they pause by what appears to be the center of the village, there looks to be the beginning of a dirt trail leaving to the southeast out of the village. Where the trail begins is a small well. Close by is a good-sized building that could be a temple of some sort. Surprisingly, there appears to be no inn in sight.
-----Sol examines the village with interest. After a short while, he nudges Thunder in the direction of the blacksmith's. "I'll find out if there's anywhere we can dump the prisoners," he offers.
-----Seth eyes the tavern and then the trading post. "I think I might make some inquires at the trading post. Shall we meet up at the tavern in a short while?"
-----He nudges the El Binko over near the trading post, dismounts, and walks inside the post.
-----Sarah says, "I'm going to look for a sage or a loremaster of some sort. Maybe she can help me out with this gem."
-----Kazel heads off in another direction. "Trader's post for me," she says simply.
-----As the others head off, Rinda stays on her horse by Raven. She looks over at the Dread Pirate still mounted on his sturdy pony. "Are you off to explore the village also or will you help us guard the prisoners?" she asks.
-----The Dread Pirate glances at Rinda, then at the prisoners, "Aye, I might as well guard the prisoners. I don't think I needs anything at the tradin post. Nor do I needs to get drunk right now." The Dread Pirate glares at the prisoners, apparently angered at the slow rate of travel that they are causing the party.
-----Soon Sol emerges from the blacksmith’s and makes his way over to them. He begins herding the prisoners toward the temple telling the others that the temple is devoted to Joren.
-----As Sol remounts and orders the prisoners to get moving, he says, "We should finally be able t'rid ourselves of these laggers at the temple. Any o' ye want to come with? 'Parently there's been some..." Sol looks at the villagers nearby and changes what he was going to say, "...trouble in the evenings. The kinda stuff we'd be interested in."
-----The Dread Pirate grimaces at the thought of what might be the undead and replies, "Aye, let’s go check out the temple. Hurry it up, ye scurvy landlubbers." The Dread Pirate urges the prisoners to the temple.
-----The four riders lead their prisoners across the center of the village to a long building sided with planks of dark wood. Over the door is a banner displaying a dark blue shield with a white lance posed in front of it.
-----Opening the doors, Sol leads the others within to a small simple sanctuary illuminated by the light filtering through the windows. At the opposite end of the room, a man’s form bows down in prayer at the altar. Slowly the man rises with his arms out stretched. He turns toward the people entering the temple with his eyes tightly closed. He wears chain mail armor covered with a dark blue surcoat. His well kept blond beard juts out from his strong chin and moves quickly as he intones a prayer.
-----"Joren, Most Holy of Guardians, I beseech ye now! Look over us now in thy faithful’s hour of need! Help me to bring your most righteous justice to our people so that even the most lowly can know all that is Just and Holy."
-----The man then opens his eyes and slightly jumps at the sight of the adventurers in the temple. "Quite right!" he utters, staring at them.
-----Sol bows when the man realizes the group. Upon rising, Sol respectfully says, "Yer eminence. My name is Sol Herron, and these are my friends and companions, Raven, Rinda and Gimplefwick Wispybeard. Sorry fer interruptin' yer prayers, but we have three captured bandits..." Sol indicates the tied men before continuing, "...that need to be handed over to the proper authorities. Which would be yerself, I'm hoping. Is yer name Zan, by chance?"
-----"Ah, that it would be! I am Zan, righteous shield arm of the Holy Guardian!" the man exclaims, his light blue eyes stare out from underneath his chain coif. As the one named Zan questions Sol about the bandits, Sol shows him the Writ from Hearthorn. Nodding somewhat excitedly, Zan escorts the adventurers down a small flight of stairs where the prisoners are locked away in a small cell.
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