A (harried) stroll to Halyard - LP Log 7/3/23

Ol'random · 2023-07-03 08:13:18 PM

Cpt. Greg & Sgt Terrence, hares

Since the last summer there has been very little trouble for the Long Patrol or the Western Shore; tensions cooling in Halyard many hares have returned, especially now that a full standing army during seasons and seasons of peacetime seems a tad... over kill. And that means for those that remain on duty in the quieter halls of Salamandastron that their work has become mostly that of patrolling with a rare encounter with a toad here or there, or being sent up to the skeleton crew up in the 23rd to keep an eye on the many going ons in Halyard and the strange beasts that now use it often as a port.

But for Terrence this all means a level of boredom that he has rarely felt in seasons past, having become accustomed to his role in the mountain with few if any recruits to train his days are spent in administrations and record keeping, and now he is taking a day off, meandering through the halls for the main gate.

There was nothing so dangerous as an extended period of peace in a military base. Bored hares always found something to do eventually. Greg jaw was already tightened as he stuck his head out of the library, quickly looked around and seeing only Terrence headed his way "Yah have a lot of very important work for me that cannot wait" he said before glancing back behind him. Back to Terrence "And that is an ordah" he said quickly and quietly as the sound of one of the cooks called back out of the room he'd just left "Greeeg? Where'd y'go?" Greg grimaced hard.

"Er, what?" Terrence had been startled out of thought. "Right." He says as comprehension dawns on him. "Riiight, sah." Poking his in in the room the sergeant looks rather apologetic, "I'm terribly sorry, but the captain is needed for..." He falters, searching. "Well, there's some business to attend to!" Slamming the door shut he backs away. "Greg, captain, I did have plans to go up to the village, if you need to escape."

"Yes! Absolutely!" Greg was already heading for the way downstairs as he muttered "Anywhere as fast and as far away from here as possible, right now" he could still hear the sounds of confusion from the library and didn't look back when the door started to open.

"If you don't mind me asking," Says Terrence out of the side of his mouth as he falls in step with Greg down the stairs, "What exactly did you do, sah?"

Gregorian keeps going, walking faster than any quick march they'd ever subject the recruits to "Got divorced" he replied dryly before offering up a better explanation "She's matchmaking" he whispered, his tone one of dread.

"Oh." Understanding dawns again, but quickly sets into confusion. "Er, dare I ask...?" A creeping horror seeps up Terrence's face. "Dare I ask with who?" They're fast approaching the gates. "Please don't say it was with the brigadier."

Fortunately what was clearly some very important looking officer business was enough to keep the doe from giving chase but she would be back with a vengeance later. Greg didn't slow his pace until they were outside and he had to, his pegleg just took more work on soft sand "Lyna, one of the librarians. I believe she saw me with a book last week and it has offahed her some unwanted inspiration"

"Lyna..." Terrence can barely match a face with the name. "Alright then. I suppose the reason I don't know the auxiliary staff all that well and that I've avoid your predicament, sah, is one and the same." He's got a grin on, walking backwards briefly to face Greg. "That or the whole blow up with Rosinbloom during that siege a few summers ago was enough to convince the match makers I'm not worth the trouble."

Gregorian was slowly starting to relax now the danger had passed but he still looked disgruntled "Give it time. She got one couple tahgethah twenty seasons ago and she's nevah stopped tryin' since. No amount of refusal works on that doe. Every meal she's tryin' a few more of her not so subtle hints tah get me tah meet up with them. I was only there tahday tah return somethin' tah the library but there she was, tryin' tah convince the both of us"

"A cook, the library." Terrence nods, "She's real subtle. But I think I'll be free as long as you hold out, sah, as a distraction. Soon as you break I'm doomed." He turns back around, keeping a light pace in the sand.

"Heh. Lyna is a perfectly lovely doe but she's just not my type. This may go on for some time" Greg shook his head "I'm doomed as it is but I'll take every distraction I can get. My only hope is she finds someone else tah focus on"

"Ha! Well, in the mean time.." Terrence shields his eyes from the sun. "I suppose you can guess I wasn't going to Halyard for a pleasure trip, me being me and Halyard being... Halyard," he was a paw. "Anyway, I was bored, and there was another report of travellers heading past the mountain yesterday morning, and I thought I might go see what they have to say, out of curiosity. And," he adds with a glance back over is shoulder, "It can be argued I didn't lie to the cook if there is something to be found up there."

Gregorian was definitely looking less on edge about the news than he had done about the attempts to get him to go on a date. He looked pleasantly intrigued "Of course, you bein' you" he repeated with amusement "Sounds worth checkin' out. Particularly given the alternative. What do we know about these travellahs?"

"Woodlanders," Terrence supplies without missing a beat. "Not hares, and if my suspicion is correct not one will be from the lands under the badger Lord. Last winter was the only time a group that sounded like this one stopped and chatted with our hares, though they didn't say much save where they were going - Halyard, or Mossflower maybe - and that they were from south beyond the Mountain. Beyond that, nothing, save they aren't the first to be spotted in the past pawful of seasons."

Gregorian was a little less curious when it was woodlanders. That didn't sound like trouble to him "I assume the last lot tah come through didn't get up tah much worthy of note before they were on their way?"

"No." Terrence shakes his head, "No, they either settled in town or went upriver to the woods, apparently. The only reason I'm looking to chat with this new group is because I had the day free, and, well," his brow is furrowed as he stops to look back, past the mountain. "The thing is not once have I heard of beasts going back south, only coming from up from that way."

Gregorian glanced back at Terrence for his suspicion before he holds back a smirk. It didn't work though and the older hare suddenly started to chuckle before offering an explanation "I'm from the south"

Terrence blinks. "Oh, I'm not sure I knew that, sah." He doesn't return the laugh or even the grin. "I don't suppose you've been back that way to see how it is now, have you?"

Gregorian chuckles again. He'd been a fixture around the mountain for so long he was used to beasts thinking he'd always been there. He shook his head though "Not since comin' tah the mountain years ago. I came from the Southern Cliffs though, tah the south east. My sistah was stayin' in Southsward until more recently"

"Right, right. That was... Serena, right? I think that's the last time we've had word of anything beyond the toad lands." Terrence had read Adrian's and Monty's report when they got back, but that was seasons ago now, he's thinking, less certain now. "But there's some wide lands between here and Southswards, and I'm pretty sure ships haven't stopped going there, but I don't rightly know."

"Sola" Greg automatically corrected before he looked thoughtful, considering anything he might have heard "There are wastelands tah the south which makes travellin' tah Southsward an ordeal on foot. As far as I'm aware ships are still tradin' tah the south but they likely don't make port much between here and Southsward. As far as I'm aware there's not much out there"

"Huh." Terrence halts again, staring up at the sky and the sun. "That would explain why no one goes south of the mountain, and now I'm wondering if it's worth finding these woodlanders. I don't know of any port between Halyard and Southswards, either. Though..." He starts up again, quickening his pace. "I suppose it is odd anyone would cross the wastes, unless they're not from Southswards proper."

Gregorian keeps on walking, passing by Terrence when he stops "Seems like the only tah find out will be tah ask them and if they do just come from Southsward we can celebrate a solved mystery at the tavern"

"Can't say I'll be terribly pleased if that's all that it is, Halyard's not worth the trip." Terrence is half joking, lightening up a tad and hurrying to catch up with Greg. "Perhaps all this was is a convenient excuse to escape the mountain for a bit."

Gregorian snorts "Any excuse was a good one" he says before glancing back at the other hare "Who knows, maybe they'll tell yah of some place we don't even have on our maps and yah can justify the trip that way...while I celebrate yah discovery in the tavern"

"Hah. Won't be much of a discovery." Terrence mutters, shielding his eyes again with a paw as he crests a small ridge. "I may just skip the tavern myself, too many bad fights there... I think," he says, after moment surveying the town still some ways off, "That's another of those merchant vessels in the harbor there, though I'm not quite certain."

Gregorian smirked roughly about the comment on the tavern "That's half the fun of goin' there" he said before turning his attention to the ships "Hmm? None in town that I particularly recognize but we should probably start at the docks if that's the case"

"Sah, you suggesting doing that first because the tavern visit will last all day?" He winks, hoping down the sand. "Come on then, though I'm not certain there'll be many woodlanders from the south on the docks. Maybe some of the hares'll have heard something, though."

"Only if I'm lucky" Greg joked dryly back as he limped on after the younger hare "Sailors do tend tah know who owns which ships, it's a startin' point that might point us in the right direction

Willow · 2025-09-07 12:49:09 PM

This is a continuation on the RP above and was from 7/4/23
With: Greg & Terrence

Gulls wailing overhead and the scent of salt encrusted wood assaulting his snout, Terrence seems a bit less willing to step out on to the docks. He does so anyway, gazing up at the second large three masted ship in the harbor, flying a red banner that the beasts of Dartania across the sea seems fond of, doing his best to keep out of the way of the motley collection of creatures unloading goods. Several other smaller vessels fly the same flag, cogs and other merchant craft, though none of the fishing boats carry it.

"I'm not sure what I'm looking for, frankly." Terrence remarks. "In the past most sailor types I've spoken to have tried to gut me by the end of the day, sah."

By contrast Greg seemed very at home with the place but it was the otters on the docks who all seemed to know him. It helped that group of fishers who were unloading were mostly an older lot, they'd crossed paths with the hare plenty of times. Greg returned a friendly greeting on the way past before glancing at Terrence with a raised eyebrow "Wot have yah been doin' tah cause that?"

"Trying to be to cool down searats," Terrence shrugs. "And being in the company of too many hot headed hares." Looking around he whistles. "You know, I'd never have guessed this place nearly burned down once. And there's more woodlanders again." He pauses by one of the jetties, a slight grin cracking. "Near here almost had a doomsday cult attack us once, you know! Not sure if I ever mentioned that one before- and also one of the times I nearly got stabbed here."

Gregorian tilted his head in understanding "There's yah problem, tryin' tah get searats tah undahstand anything but a knock tah the head" his eyes traveled around the place as Terrence reminisced "Taken ovah by armies, burnt down, ghosts, toads and more. Say wot yah like this place has a habit of bouncin' back...Which one was the cult again?"

"Uhh, I think it was before we tried to build the fort here," Terrence squints, looking down a dock with a small dingy tied off at the end. "When we were doing work on the dock..." Blinking he turns back. "Gosh, now that I think of it the rat leading them was right, in a way. The storm and then the whole place being sacked happened afterwards."

Gregorian snorts "If I had a copper for every beast I've heard shoutin' prophesies in this place I could probably buy it. Some of them are bound tah get lucky and get it right eventually" he never had been a believer in the mystical. If he couldn't hit it Greg was skeptical it existed.

"Considering the sorry state the place was in," Terrence shrugs, his face turning not quite into a scowl, "And the Patrol's own troubles at the time..." The moment past and he brightens. "Well, a lucky guess, I think. Though I do wonder what became of that group of mad beasts, in the end, though no doubt I don't wish to know..." He's strolling along the docks now, careful to keep a bit of distance between himself and the few armed and armoured beast standing guard by the merchant ships with scarlet flags.
"Maybe a fisherbeast might be willing to say something to us, hmm?"

"Mm" Greg nodded gravely. No one in the patrol remembered those times fondly but he also tried to move on past it without getting too deep in to the memories "It is odd for the cult tah disappear entirely. Yah have be wonderin' wot happened tah them now" he paid no attention to the guards himself, Greg had been around for so long he walked around Halyard without fear. He glanced back at Terrence when he mentioned fishers before he looked back at the otters again "I know a few I could introduce yah to?"

"Certainly," Terrence nods, noticing the otters. "I think all I really want to know is what they've heard recently." He turns on his heel a bit too sharply for a hare off duty, his head on a swivel taking in the busy work on the dock. "Er, those otters are who you meant, right, sah?"

Gregorian's eyebrow raises as he watches the sharp about turn "Yah know, I think I might see yah problem now. Yah act like yah on duty" he mutters before suddenly raising his voice to bellow at the otters "Bellvis! Where's yah da'? Haven't seen him in seasons" one of the younger ones in the group quickly looked up before flashing a quick grin "Ahoy there Greg. Where d'y'think? We only just got in, he'd catchin' up with Miss Folds at the bakery. Uncle Havlers onboard though" Greg just chuckled before his ears perked at the name "Oh?" he didn't have time to ask further before another big otter appeared on the ship "Wha's all this yellin' about?" he shouted but there was a smile which Greg returned "Been a while...on duty?" Havlers asked with a glance at Terrence. Greg shrugged a shoulder "Unofficially. This here is Terrence. He wants tah know if yah've seen or heard anythin'" Havlers eyed the younger hare "Might have t'be a bit more specific in wha' y'lookin' for mate"

Stiffly, though making an effort to seem less obvious (perhaps making things worse), Terrence relaxes his stance and gives a loud shrug. "Daresay it's not exactly my fault I'm shackled to a desk most days. But as for specifics, I just wanted to hear if there's been any comings or goings not related to that merchant group who are crawling all over the place, especially if they came by land or went up the river."

Havlers tilts his head, looking puzzled by the discomfort and giving Greg a silent but questioning look. Greg just shrugged in response "The perils of officah hood" Hav gives him a look and a smirk "Which y'avoid, Mr Lieutenant?" "It's Captain now" Hav looked pleasantly surprised "Oooh, nice. I never could understand y'badges" he said as he picked at the rank markings on Greg's shoulder to get a better look. It wasn't common to see Greg particularly chatty but the pair were clearly in danger of being easily distracted catching up until Greg glanced at Terrence and seemed to remember their purpose. He cleared his throat to direct Hav's attention back to the other buck "Wha'? Merchant group?...Oh, y'mean those stuck up pompous fillets? They went North, lookin' for the river t'go inland last I heard. Couldn't stick it out with the pirates was m'guess"

"Perils of staying on at the mountain," Terre murmurs, before giving a slow nod. "Thank you; though you hear of anybeast other than those pompous... fillets, up to anything? Like say, have there been any travellers we could find still around?"

Havlers shrugs as he thinks "Some beast's always up t'somethin' around here. There's a gamblin' scam bein' run by the rat twins. Travelers down from the north sellin' shark leather" he started things counting on his fingers before he nodded to the merchant ships on the docks "One merchant from the isle of Greenhelm, the other from Tirr both competin' for trade and gettin' ugly about it. Foxes have set up in the caves t'the north again. Travelers from the south who need t'eat more, skinny as anythin', and the mayor's sittin' on his arse and fightin' with the dock workers again"

"I see." Terrence is regretting not having something to write on, the deluge of information taking a moment to parse out - not all of it surprising - but he latches on to something. "About those travellers, you happen to know where they're staying at? And the foxes, are they causing trouble?"

"Tavern probably. Most visitors end up stayin' there. There's a few houses rentin' out rooms for a few extra coins. If they're really strapped for cash they'll usually end up down the coppers stop. It's really just old Mrs Garcild's place but her son started lettin' it out on the cheap when she died, he stacks as many in as he can but if y'happy t'fit more than six in a room he'll do it for a few copper a head" Hav snorts at the question of the foxes though "When aren't they? Weird buggers. It's always the foxes tha' lurk around sneakin' in t'stuff"

"But the foxes' haven't been out marauding, yes?" The answer of the coppers stop is not one Terrence had heard before, and he notes it for later. "There's not much any one can do about vermin who are just weird and sneaking, of course."

Havlers squints as he tries to think "I don't know, someone said somethin' about them puttin' blood over a shop window but I think it turned out t'be paint. They're stealin' for sure. No one's caught 'em outright but they've got t'be. I don't think they've killed anyone yet tha' I know of. Though, it is hard t'tell with beasts comin' and goin' all the time"

"I feel if every thief in Halyard were to be rounded up we might have a third of the populace..." Terrence smiles. "Well, might have the patrol keep an eye on them, in case they and kill a beast. But thank you, you've been a great help." Stepping back from the boat, he casts a glance at Greg. "If you want to check the tavern for anything, captain," he says over his shoulder, footpads already taking down the dock, "I might just go look up that boarding house mentioned in the meanwhile, see what I can find there, eh?"

Gregorian half nodded "A third is probably bein' generous tah the rest" he muttered before Hav was right on the ball about the suggestion the captain check on the tavern "Well y'can't go alone, y'look odd drinkin' by y'self" he grinned, inviting himself along while Greg looked a little amused "I've drunk alone plenty of times and if yah come nothin' is goin' tah get checked out" Hav quirked an eyebrow back "I don't know about that. Someone's got t'save y'from yourself though" he'd started heading that way regardless even before Greg rolled his eyes but snorted and started to head for the tavern too "Try not tah get in tah any trouble Sergeant" he called after Terrence.

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#1 2023-07-03 08:13:18 PM

A (harried) stroll to Halyard - LP Log 7/3/23

#2 2025-09-07 12:49:09 PM

Re: A (harried) stroll to Halyard - LP Log 7/3/23

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