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-----Seth looks up from his work on the chest. "Oh Kazel, I have not checked the dead one in the grease for any coins yet. Maybe you could have a look while you fix up the living one," he scrambles around the wagon looking for something..
-----"It's already done," Kazel says as she dumps the stuff from the first dead creature into the wagon. From somewhere in her clothes, she pulls out a needle and waves it at Seth. "Maybe this will help?"
-----Gimplefwick peers at the bound humanoid from the top of the wagon, "Hrmm, maybe we can domesticate that one and teach it to do tricks. Let's take it with us anyway, until we know whether it's going to live or die."
-----Kazel lifts the bound humanoid and starts dragging it towards the wagon, then holds it up for the others to see. "Looks like it's lost a lot of blood, and it's still bleeding." She goes back over to the dead humanoid and rips out a piece of cloth to bound the wounds of the live one as best she can, all the while muttering, "Gazhak... what a mess... at least we only have four hours left to Lut..."
-----When she's done, she dumps the humanoid into the wagon with the rest of the loot, then drags the dead humanoid off into the bushes before finally hopping onto the wagon herself. "Say, Jim, you have a clean piece of cloth I can wipe my hands with?" She asks as she holds up her hands, now dripping all over with dark humanoid blood.
-----Seth looks up with a look of triumph on his face as he hears the click!! He slowly opens the lid and begins to count the coins. "Well what did we decide back there, Gimplefwick, about sharing the treasure that is. There is twenty two gold pieces here, and I got five gold plus an old worn ring from that wounded chap there."
-----"There's more from that dead one I searched, too." Kazel flicks two gold coins into the chest as she speaks. "Did you find anything on the one in the house, Dread Pirate?"
-----Gimplefwick flicks four pieces of gold into the coffer, "That be what I got off the one in the house. Let's divvy it up, that'll be eleven gold apiece, I think. A fine days haul, for a few moments work."
-----Gimplefwick glares at the humanoid prisoner, "Arrr, and we have ourselves a prisoner." Gimplefwick sets to checking the humanoid, to make sure it will live for a while longer. The humanoid weakly snarls back at the Dread Pirate, but is otherwise subdued.
-----With wide eyes and a look that makes an odd combination of amazement and sickness, Jim finds an old rag for Kazel to wipe her hands on. He then urges the horses on and they leave the scene of the village ruins. Soon the road begins to curve to the right and head in a southwestern direction. The wagon passes between two wooded areas and then before them are flat plains for at least three miles.
-----The rest of the trip passes smoothly except for the ripe odor beginning to invade the wagon from the bleeding prisoner. The cloudiness of the sky seems to deepen and gives the impression the weather could turn ugly. Finally, up ahead, a few farmhouses come into view.
-----As they ride into the small village of Lut during the late afternoon, the trio can see that it is mainly a community of farmers. As they approach the center of the village, the road forks off to the west and to the south. Close to the intersection, is a well with a few people standing around it. To their right, the thieves see the business of a cartwright and next to it is a store with its own stables. Across the road, a small building makes up a tavern for the village and to their left, they see a small home. A sign near the door identifies it as belonging to a weaponsmith.
-----Seth throws the five gold coins into the box to make up the number thirty three. He then takes one gold coin from the box and hands it to Jim. "Young Jim, you have been an outstanding companion, whilst the mighty Gimplefwick and the steady Kazel vanquished our attackers, thou were steadfast in your job of keeping our wagon safe, our paramount task in this venture. Please accept this token, in addition to whatever Calron gives you as my appreciation of your steadfastness and loyalty."
-----Jim accepts the coin with a slight smile. "Thank you, sir!" he politely adds.
-----Seth then addresses Kazel and Gimplefwick. "Do you want me to divide up the coins now or leave them in the box? If we leave them in the box, we should secret it somewhat."
-----Seth finds an apple and chops up some more and hands it to the crow. The bird eyes the tied up humanoid and cocks its head. It then lets out a loud shrill caw and returns its attention to the apple.
-----"Na, let's not leave any box around." Kazel starts to count and take her share. "Next thing I want to get rid of is our green friend in the back." She looks at the others. "That, or these crates of fruit and trinkets first. What do you say?"
-----The trio hears Jim ask someone by the well for the farm of Jogler as he stops the wagon. A raspy voice tells him to follow the road south and the fourth house on the left off the road is what he seeks. After thanking him, Jim turns the horses down the south fork and the wagon plods along.
-----"I s'pose we're going to Jogler's first, then." Kazel looks up as the wagon starts to move again. She eyes the crow warily for a bit, then digs into the crates to set aside a handful of fruits for the return trip. Sitting back, she idly looks at the passing buildings and people as they move down the road.
-----Seth puts his ten coins in his pouch and hands Gimplefwick his eleven coins. "Well, Kazel what exactly did you have in mind for our green skinned friend? There may be a bounty on them here in the village." He allows the crow to hop onto his hand.
-----The wagon passes by a few more buildings housing some businesses. In the distance, farmhouses and fields surround the area. Quite a few of the villagers are out working and hurrying about as they continue the spring planting.
-----Soon Jim turns to the left pulling the wagon off the road. They ride across a grassy field making for a small house behind which stands a modest barn. As Jim pulls the wagon up beside the house, a strong-looking man in a straw hat comes around the side of the house carrying a couple of buckets. The man has sandy hair and a short beard on his chin. Although he appears to be a farmer, somehow his clothes look a little too clean. He sets the buckets down and puts his hands on his hips as he watches them approach.
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