Roleplay from Hadron Indirik
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Hadron's small cavalry troop rode down the western slopes of Mt. Black Nastrond into the townsland of Nifel. It had been a hard trip over the mountains. One of the horses had thrown a shoe when it slipped on some gravel. Add that to the broken pack straps, a bridle that got caught on a branch and torn away from the bit, a bowstring that snapped while hunting, and the countless other mishaps that inevitably occur on the trail, and the small force was looking a little ragged. The respite in Nifel before traveling on to the city would be welcome indeed.
After passing through the gates, Hadron directed Galbrecht to take the men to the barracks, and arrange for repairs with the local smithies. Hadron himself headed to one of the more prosperous inns to find a good bottle of wine.
Hadron's indulgence wouldn't last long, however. Within a few minutes, Galbrecht was back.
"Lord Hadron, I have some bad news."
"What is it, Galbrecht, I'm busy here."
"m'Lord, there is no smithy in Nifel."
Hadron gave Galbrecht a blank stare. "What?"
"m'Lord, there is no smithy here in Nifel."
"Yes, yes, I heard you, Galbrecht. I'm not deaf. It's just that what you're saying doesn't may any sense. This is the townsland of Nifel, is it not? A rich and prosperous townsland, surrounding the rich and prosperous city of Nifelhold. This is not some backwater farming village. There must be a dozen smithies here."
"m'Lord, please grant that I have at least two wits to rub together. I know where we are, and what that should mean. Indeed, you would think that a place such as this would be completely capable of supplying the needs of the soldiers defending the northern reaches of Morek and Astrum. Yet, inexplicably, it does not. There is not a single smithy in all of Nifel that can repair our armor and weapons. In fact, there are no other workshops or paraphernalia of any kind to be had at all."
"Wait... none at all?"
"No, Lord Hadron. Not a single one."
"So we can't repair our equipment?"
"No m'Lord. we will have to wait until we arrive in in Nifelheim for that."
"What about banners? Can we get those new banners we wanted? You know, the red and green ones with the pointy stars..."
"No, m'Lord. Again, not until we reach Nifelheim."
"And we can't hire healers? Or purchase carts?"
"No and no, m'Lord."
"Is there at least a marketplace where I can post orders to purchase food for my region?"
"No, m'Lord. There is not."
"Then what in all the darkest hells is there in this sorry excuse for a town?!"
"Well, there is one thing. They do have scouts for hire, m'Lord."
"Scouts? Did you say they have scouts? Those skulkers I can hire by the dozen in any farming village in the realm?"
"Yes, m'Lord, those scouts."
"Oh, joy of joys! I can hire scouts here! Too bad I already hired all the scouts I needed before I came here. Let's get out of here, Galbrecht. And remind to never again waste my time in Nifel. Sir Urtagoth will be expecting us to arrive in Nifelheim any time now. In fact, I'd wager he's already there."
"That sounds like an excellent idea, m'Lord. The men are waiting near the gates."
Hadron stomped out of the inn, with Galbrecht following behind. Despite his irritation, he at least had the presence of mind to take the nearly full bottle with him.
