Save the Princess

[Aard_Rinn]

"But a stable fire leaves the horses trapped - men can run, but horses are caged. Not to mention that our horses being missing will clue them in to our disapearence much faster. A scullery fire, on the other hand, would force Gaston to attend it without causing much alarm... perhaps that would be best. Either way, I think we should head out soon. We can discuss it on the road further."

[thorgrim29]

Aladdin

We could cut the horses loose beforehand, or steal them, I've never stolen horse before, could be fun. Anyway, we should probably get to our rooms. Before we go, I have to ask, Adam, what's with the moving furniture?

[Visturon]

The Beast looks around at the furniture with a sad expression, "It is part of the curse on this place, not only was I made into a beast and trapped here but the staff who worked here became a part of the place as well." He caresses the cup he is holding, "I believe Belle is the only one who can break my curse and free my people."

[thorgrim29]

Aladdin

Really? Even more reason to get her back then, that's terrible. Are the beds beds? Because I'd rather get my bedroll and sleep on the floor then on someone.

[Visturon]

"I honestly couldn't tell you. I haven't used much of the furniture since the curse began."

Spoiler

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You all find acceptable sleeping places, be it a bedroll on the floor or a bed with pillows that periodically refluff themselves. The following morning is foggy, overcast, and chill.

[thorgrim29]

Al is creeped out by the beds, so he sleeps on his bedroll

[Aard_Rinn]

Erika sleeps under the table, on the floor.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Charming finds the thinnest bed and puts the whitest sheets on them: if they were a member of a staff, then hopefully he'd be sleeping on the most slender, graceful maiden.

In the morning he rises keenly, and finds the others. "Are we ready to depart then? I would like to meet this Gaston, and free Belle."

[Visturon]

You depart the castle still in the early morning and find ourselves traveling along a rode of well packed dirt that winds out of the denser forest and into a light forest with farms every hour or two. As the sun starts to set you face the choice of requesting shelter in the next farm or setting up camp along the road somewhere.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

As a prince who is rarely refused anything, Charming has no qualms about requesting (read: demanding) a room from the locals.

He leads their small party towards the farm house and dismounting, knocks on the door.

[thorgrim29]

Before leaving, Aladdin asks Adam for a small message they could give to Belle, something along the line of: These people are here on my behalf, trust them, Adam.

On the road, he stays mostly silent unless spoken to, and practices coin tricks and other minor illusions. As they approach the next farm, he stops the others.

Alright, how do you want to play this? I say we leave titles out of the equation, I'd rather we be wealthy travellers then royalty, you'd be surprised at how fast gossip travels. No need for a great deception, just don't mention your titles, ask for hospitality, offer to pay a few silver, and settle for 3 or 4 gold coins for the night.

[Aard_Rinn]

"Why hide?" Erika asks, urgeing her horse foward a little. "Remember, Ababwa, we cannot be thieves here, come to steal his treasures - we must be his honored noble guests, and so should we appear. To hide our approach is more suspicious than to let word of our coming be known - it is common courtesy, and were we to abandon it, we would bring distrust upon ourselves."

[Visturon]

The farm is moderately sized with four large fields full of fresh sprouts you can't identify and a barn built a ways off from the house.

Upon knocking on the door, a teenage half-elven maiden wearing a simple country style dress answers and seems a bit surprised to see you all standing outside. "Umm... Hello?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"Greetings" Charming adds a wicked grin, "I am Duke Charming, and these are my noble friends, Lord Ali and the Lady Erika." Hopefully that woul serve as a compromise. "We are traversingyour lands in a great deal of haste, and would request your aid in sheltering our small party for this evening."

[Visturon]

"Oh, ok... uh, my lords..." She seems completely at a loss and looks around frantically as though someone will come to her aid. "I better get my Pa." Suddenly she hurries back into the house leaving the door wide open and you hear voices but can't make out what they are saying near the back of the house.

A powerfully built half elf with white streaks at his temples and a noble bearing appears in the doorway wearing a white shirt rolled to the elbows and brown farm pants with heavy boots. "Come in, come in. I don't have any food to offer, me'lords, but ya'll can shelter under me roof and warm yourself by me fire. Can't say as we've ever had visitors such as yourselves around here me'lords."

[thorgrim29]

In answer to Erika

Fair points, but still I don't think you realize just how intimidating nobles, especially royals, are to common folk... Besides, deceptions have gotten me out of more trouble then my swords over the years...

At the farmhouse proper he greets the farmers jovially.

Salam aleykun, peace be unto you and yours

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"You needn't fear my friend," Charming speaks calmly, "We were not expecting comfort on these roads, anything you can offer will be appreciated." (Though not overly...)

Charming calmly strides through the peasants' house and finds a seat in the living room where he crashes down, idly scratching his beard.

[Visturon]

The main room of the house contains a large hearth with a small fire burning, two solidly crafted wooden armchairs sit at each side of it. Along the walls there are two benches, on one sits the teenage girl trying very hard to focus on a book rather than ogle the strangers.

The farmer follows you all in to the main room, "I can have Ilyena make you some tea or I can fetch a barrel of cider from the cellar if you like. I have some good tobacco in that jar by the mantel."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"The cider would be much appreciated, and I haven't had any good tobacco in a while," Charming accepts bluffly, ensconced in one of the arm chairs.

"Would you happen to have heard of a man named Gaston? We are planning on stopping with him soon, but I would like to gauge him first, if you know what I mean, sound him out, so to speak."

[Visturon]

"Aye, Gaston is a name I know, me'lords. He is the lord of the town about a day up the road. Mountain of a man and a great hunter, there is a festival for the harvest every year and he always wins nearly every event." He turns to his daughter. "Fetch some mugs Ilyena, I'm going to grab some cider for our guests." The man and his daughter both leave the room out the back door.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"Well size is rarely everything," Charming says bluffly once the man has left. "Have any of you got anything you want to know or shall we chat like simple folk to pass the time?"

[thorgrim29]

Aladdin

I doubt they know much, but information about the layout of his manor, number of guards, that sort of thing would be nice

[Visturon]

The farmer returns with a decent sized cask over his should and plants himself in the open chair where he starts hammering a tap into the keg. Ilyena returns with 4 mugs and places them on the side table near her father and sits back down to continue reading.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Charming happily takes a mug and toasts their host's generosity, though that is before he samples the stuff. After taking a hearty swig, he turns to the man and asks: "You wouldn't have been to Gaston's castle? Or heard any more rumours of him?"

[thorgrim29]

Aladdin

Yes, the man has quite the reputation, we're trying to separate the facts and the fiction. Very good cider by the way

[Visturon]

The cider is quite delicious but has a fairly low level of alcohol, especially compared to dwarven drinks.

The farmer takes a drink and then answers, "Well it be more of a large manor house than a castle. I've seen it plenty times but I've never been inside." He takes another drink and stretches his legs to lounge back casually. "As for the man, he is a bit of a legend in these parts and lives up to nearly all the tales. Some folks even claim that he is descended from giants 'cause he stands over 7 feet and is muscled to boot but there ain't been a giant in these parts in hundreds of years. A few years back a massive bear did kill Old Man Tarfon and his two eldest sons, Lord Gaston took it upon himself to hunt it down and left the village with just a knife and a hatchet and three days later came back with the fur."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Charming applauded quietly, saying "A remarkable feat, we shall have to congratulate this lord when we see him."

Spoiler

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I don't have anything else I want to ask this man, fast forward to the morning? Unless he tries to poison/kill us

[Visturon]

You all sleep in the farm's main room with the fire keeping you warm. The morning comes without incident.

Its a dreary day with a heavy cloud cover and looks like it will rain before midday.

[thorgrim29]

Aladdin

Al wakes up from a comfortable night, he always slept better on hard beds. He almost offers to help with the morning preparations, but realizes that's not something peasants expect of nobles and so he instead asks politely for what he needs. When all 3 seem ready to move

Well then, let's make the best of an ugly day and get moving before it rains, I never got used to that stuff... Thank you for your hospitality "farmer's name". Tell me honestly, how much do room and board at an inn go for in these parts?

(I'm assuming the guy mentioned his name at some point in the evening)

[Visturon]

The farmer, named Thad, answers "The town has two inns, the rooms I get when I take the harvest to town cost 2 silver, me'lords. I do believe they have better rooms that cost more but I couldn't say as to those prices, me'lords."