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-----Kazel starts to clap in awe at Gimplefwick's speech, but at the last moment holds her palms together in a devout praying gesture, nodding slowly. "Yes, honour and loyalty. That is what we are bound, for our lives are owed to our dear friend here... I do hope you understand, noble knight."
-----Seth bows his head in a suitable manner to suit the mood.
-----"By the Righteous Arm of Joren! My Blessed and Noble People, I most certainly understand! Thy words carry much sense and caring for thy afflicted friend!" the paladin replies.
-----"It sounds as if thine hearts are truly set in thy noble cause. However, I implore ye to allow me to escort thee hence to the town of Hearthorn. The guards at the gate will not have the understanding of Slappy’s condition. They will call the elite guard to arrest him and detain ye further."
-----Lotley continues, "I do not wish to place citizens of the Kingdom in danger, however if ye insist in solely taking his burden upon thyselves, allow me to visit his blessed family. Tell me where art they doth dwelt and I shall be their guardian. I shall oversee the family’s welfare until such time as Slappy can happily and wholly return to them."
-----Nylan then turns to Seth and says, "Young Nigel, pray formally introduce me to thy other companions, so that I may have the pleasure of knowing my fellow brethren that follow the Word and seek the Justice of Holy Joren!"
-----Gimplefwick blinks a few times at the paladin's speech and starts rubbing his temples, "Arghh...my head hurts. If you truly wish to accompany us, it might be for the best after all. Who's to say what foul plots those agents of evil might be contriving even now. They might even be so bold as to try to ambush us at one of the gates. Those fiends will try anything."
-----Gimplefwick continues rubbing his head, "I think I'm going to go sit down now." He then totters off and starts snoozing in the back of the wagon.
-----Seth smiles at him and says, "My lord Lotley may I introduce to you my Sister Lubat and our dear friend Farmer Botwak, Turnip Master and perveour of fine dirt. Slappy, of course is already known to you." he looks at the unlucky wagon. "If it is all right with you, My lord, we shall just wait over there, where my dear sister is not upset by the tragedy that has unfolded this day. We shall await your company." Seth points at the spot about fifty metres away, within sight but out of listening range.
-----Kazel gives Jim a resigned look, and nods over in the direction indicating to drive over there.
-----"Splendid!" Lotley exclaims as he flashes a bold smile at the wagon riders. "Fear not, noble Slappy, thy friends and myself have pledged ourselves to the Holy Redeemer that we shall find an answer in curing thy most wretched condition!" he adds as he looks at the orc reclining in the back of the wagon. As the paladin rides off to the scene of the tragedy, the humanoid’s eyes peer over its gagged mouth with a curious combination of annoyance and confusion.
-----Jim, silent until this moment, calls to the horses and drives the wagon to the spot Seth indicated. Once the wagon stops, Jim half turns to the trio and says in a low voice, "Paladins! I never could stand all those paradin’ do-gooders."
-----Looking back at the orc and then at the Dread Pirate, he asks with a small grin, "Slappy? That’s the best ya could come up with?"
-----The instant that Seth calls Gimplefwick a farmer and Turnip master, the diminutive pirate springs to his feet and a low rumbling growl slowly emanates from his chest. Foamy spittle begins to gather at the corners of his mouth and his fingers begin to clench and unclench. His face turns an ugly shade of crimson and several distended veins bulge out of his forehead.
-----He seems to swell up to half again his natural size as heretofore unseen muscles swell and flex. Suddenly, with an enraged shriek, Gimplefwick hurls himself at Seth, attempting to tackle him and bear him to the ground.
-----Seth tries to side step out of Gimplefwick's way. "Hey it's only a disguise Dread Pirate, and behave or the Paladin will think something is wrong!"
-----Kazel stretches and flops back into the canvas wall. "Yea, and Lubat? Which kingdom is that from - hmm?" she glances over as Gimplefwick suddenly does his thing. She looks outside at the paladin and his men, then says in a calm voice, "Okay, you two have five seconds to play, then I say we start worrying about things like how not to get noticed by the assassin spying on us at the market gate..."
-----The Dread Pirate sails across grabbing Seth’s legs. He then locks himself around the half-elf’s knees. Seth begins to falls backwards and manages to catch himself so the impact on the floor of the wagon doesn’t jar the thieves much.
-----Across the way, Lotley and the others seem to be wrapping up their investigation. Having loaded the bodies in the wagon, the rest of the patrol begins to escort the victims’ wagon ahead of them on the trail.
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