At the hedged edge of St. Michael’s Mount, Arus hears the Baron’s fury carry through the rain. The missing package was intercepted, not stolen. The courier’s talk of paid silence was a lie to hide a seizure.
Behind the laurels, a subordinate bows under the storm of Billings’ anger. The Baron slams the truth home, those papers were meant to vanish before they ever touched honest hands.
Arus Gandon
So Carter was right. This is not merchant trouble, it is a clean-up.
John Carter’s earlier price suddenly makes sense. His favors are not charity, they are judgment, he keeps the dangerous facts moving, and he chooses who is allowed to know.
John Carter
You see it now, Arus. A favor is never just a favor. It is a door, opened for the right man at the right time.
Inside the chamber above the alehouse, the papers lie spread and flattened, names shining in lantern light. Arus and Elizabeth prepare the route to the Viscount, while the sealed lie of the missing package turns into a plain, ugly fact.
“I will ask my companions if they think we should not split up and perhaps in stead let the three decoy riders create the diversion themselves while we all three take the skiff to the shores bellow Lord Falmouth's castle? "I can ride a horse as well as the next man, but my preferred steed is indeed a craft of sail on the water. If we do take the skiff, we should sail in disguise as much as possible."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Reasoning, rolled -1)
Arus Gandon
I think we stay together. Let the three riders make the noise, while we take the skiff. If we go by water, we should look the part as much as we can.
John Carter
A sound caution. Men divide when they grow proud of their own speed, and then one mistake costs them all.
Elizabeth Billings
Then I would rather trust a single boat and three steady hands than scatter into three lies. We have already seen what happens when we leave things to chance.
John Carter
The skiff will carry more than papers if it must. Better one clean stroke than three confused ones.
Elizabeth Billings
And if we are seen, we are seen together. That is at least honest in its own way.
John Carter
Honesty is useful when it is chosen. I will see to the boat, and you two see to the disguise.
+ New Item Acquired
Heavy wool cloak
“Can I find any free clothing garments and heavy sailor's cloaks to disguise Elizabeth and I and make us less identifiable in the skiff with John Carter?”
YES (Likely, rolled 52)
John Carter gestures toward a heavy, moth-eaten trunk tucked into the corner of the chamber, its lid slightly ajar to reveal a collection of coarse woolens and salt-stained oilskins.
Arus Gandon
These heavy cloaks and rough tunics will serve well enough to hide our finery from any prying eyes on the water.
John Carter
Take what you need, for the sea air bites harder than any magistrate's decree.
“Once we are fully prepared, I will ask if my adventuring companions are ready to depart for Lord Falmouth's castle in the skiff.”
SUCCESS (Superb Agility, rolled -1)