by Jak Snide » Wed Sep 24, 2003 2:34 am
Half an hour later, Saen walked out of one of the rooms at the inn where they'd all been sleeping mere hours ago, done with her little interrogation. While the drow who'd managed to drink the healing potion back during the little skirmish proved tight lipped no matter what she did, his injured companion proved to be far more persuadable, with the torturess managed to get him to speak in common after a mere minute. After that, she managed to extract a few useful bits of information.
The group that'd attacked Malmuth was composed of about thirty or so drow; less, now that some of them had been killed off. Their leader, who's name went unmentioned, had seen fit to have them stay on the surface for more than they'd originally planned, and conduct extended slave harvesting. They originally came from a drow city North of the area, which would place it in Southern Riva, if Saen was right. As for their base camp, all that Saen got was "North East."
For those that'd watched, it'd been quite the unique experience.
The group found Briggins downstairs, waiting for them. After he extracted a report, he told all present to get some sleep, but be outside the barracks at 11 o'clock in the morning.
-----
The hours passed, and the time for the gathering came. The dead of both sides had been buried, the clergy of the temple of Ishtar being insistent that everyone received a proper burial, much to the resent of the remaining townsfolk. A sombre atmosphere hung over the entire town, the regulated watches that'd once provided a sense of security now disbanded, the vast majority of the people still coming to terms with what had happened. Not that there weren't a few of the commoners inside the town hall, shouting at the elders and demanding to be told what was going to be done. While the coffers were inevitably going to be drained a fair deal once the remaining mercenaries claimed their danger pay, they couldn't just forget about those captured, especially with the irate representatives of the commoners present.
They wouldn't have needed to even consider employing the mercs for this task, had it not been for the runner that'd arrived from Doma city early that morning. A detachment of a mere 20 soldiers was on their way to safeguard the town; not nearly enough to protect and track at the same time. Apparently, rumors of a potential invasion had sapped the number of troops available for dispatch.
Thus, at 11 o'clock, Captain Briggins addressed the two dozen or so mercenaries that remained who'd gathered there, gathered in no particular formation before the tired and irritated looking man.
"As you may know, last night we were raided by a thirty something strong group of drow, with the intent of capturing slaves to take back to their blasted city. As you should know, many of our citizens were abducted for this reason, despite your best efforts."
From the tone of his voice, all but the most airheaded mercs could tell that the captain clearly didn't believe that they'd done as well as they could have.
"The town elders have decided to end your term of service as hired guards, pending the arrival of the Doman Guard. However," he paused for a moment, letting the word sink in, "they have authorized a reward of twenty five thousand gil to those who track down and rescue our townsfolk, as well as doing as much damage that can possibly be done to these raiders."
Again, he paused, looking over the assembled men and women.
"For those that are interested, I do not recommend working alone. There are some twenty or so drow left, by my estimate, which is far more than any one man could handle. Dismissed."
And with that, he turned around and walked right into the barracks, leaving the hired help to decide what to do.