Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 2.2 Myre
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 2.2
Myre Left, By the Wayside
The party is going to do a complete search of Byrn's Reach. The current modifiers for the chapter are as follows: + Favor, + Luck, + Treasure if successful or -- Luck, - Favor if they fail, but these modifiers are still subject to change based on the events of this chapter. Let's take a look!
In the end, Cornelius' plea made up our minds. Despite the objections still voiced (loudly) by Bahrla as well as my own misgivings, we all agreed to take the time to see what we could discover about Byrn's Reach. Despite anything I could say about Cornelius Cymbeline, he is an incredibly organized individual. Before we even entered through the city walls he had the entire location sectioned off by city blocks and had created a search grid in his head.
We started off on the closest side of the city and walked as far left as we could. Once we reached the end of the houses we went from building to building. Keeland divided the group up, having each of us inspect a different aspect of each building; my job was to search bedrooms and sleeping areas. Bahrla took it upon herself to inspect the outsides of buildings and look for any kind of cellar or basement entrances. Lady Marion and Josh used what clues they could get from divine inspiration (or maybe a little Divination, I still don't know), while Liam inspected food supplies and cooking areas. Keeland investigated living areas while Cornelius went to studies, dens, and reading rooms.
We moved quickly thanks to the organization, but it was still just a drop in a bucket. Considering the enormous size of the Wayside city there was no doubt that we had one long task ahead of us; it only became that much more obvious when we were only three blocks into the city (scarcely a third of its entire size) after a half a day. We did a few more on the fourth block but, considering how many blocks we had left to go, something had to be done. Lady Marion gathered everyone up after the 30th-or-so building to discuss just that.
"Captain Cymbeline," she spoke neutrally, "I'm at something of a loss as to the size of this project."
"I certainly understand, Lady Marion." he bowed his head, "All the more reason I am thankful that you have all agreed to assist me."
"We didn't find anything yet." Josh commented, ears drooping, "and we already spent most of the day looking!" his voice held a hint of a whine in it; he sounded like a bored teenager... not too surprising considering the situation.
"To the contrary, young master Josh... we have already discovered much." Cornelius corrected.
"Perchance you would favor to enlighten the rest of us as to what we've discovered." Bahrla offered eloquently, doing a very good job of imitating the white shepherd's courtly bearing and accent.
"Nothing significant was missing from the homes." Keeland spoke up, "Lots of valuables were sitting out in the open that brigands, bandits, or attacking soldiers could have looted... so we know the town wasn't attacked."
"Personally I would have just pointed to the fact that the walls were still standing to determine that." Liam commented, crossing his arms over his chest, "Oh... and the lack of bodies or blood in the street... that's a pretty good indicator too."
"The gates were open... they wouldn't need to break through the walls." Josh offered.
"That's not the point." I said to the cub, "The people inside the city wouldn't have opened the gates... the gates would have been smashed if an army attacked."
"Focus please." Lady Marion halted the discussion, "While I appreciate the talk of what and how, conjecture isn't helping us." and she turned to Cornelius, "We've spent a half a day here and I cannot reason more hours without knowing that we're making progress. Please explain what we have to show for it."
"We have searched a third of the city, Lady Marion." Cornelius motioned to the buildings we reviewed, "We have that in and of itself to show for it."
"Isn't not finding anything usually a BAD thing?" Josh asked, cocking his head to the side.
"It suggests that we only have two thirds of a city left to investigate." the white shepherd pointed out, "We have made progress, and that is a good thing."
"And we don't know what we're looking for." Liam reaffirmed flatly.
"Correct..." the Captain acknowledged, "but we have still learned much already."
"Again, I'm waiting to hear what that is." Bahrla added with a snort.
Cornelius motioned to Bahrla, "You found no open cellars."
"True, but--" the minotaur woman didn't get a chance to finish.
"You, Mr Mail," he looked to Liam, "Didn't see any left-out food... no meals left to burn over unattended hearths."
"Your point?" the fox questioned.
"Keeland... you and I found nothing out of place... no blood, signs of a struggle, no bodies." Cornelius looked to the other shepherd.
"Right." the sergeant acknowledged, "nothing."
"Ms Telone..." he looked right at me, his appraising eyes gazing my direction... and he didn't bother asking any questions.
"No bodies... clean rooms. Beds were made and orderly." I admitted.
"Ideal Myrenese households." Lady Marion spoke, "You're suggesting that whatever happened here did not create any great disturbance."
"Indeed." Cornelius turned to face the priestess, "It either happened so quickly that there was no chance for panic, or happened in such a way that people had no reason to believe there was reason to worry."
"Maybe they evacuated." Keeland proposed.
"Possibly..." Cornelius nodded slowly, stroking his muzzle in thought, "But, as you can see, we HAVE found information, my friends."
"Except most of this information only creates more questions." Bahrla objected.
"Indeed it does." the white shepherd nodded, "And the best way to get the solution is to use the right question. Every time we are made to ask more questions it brings us closer to the result we seek."
"What result is that, sir?" Josh asked, looking up at the captain.
"The answer." Cornelius smiled.
"This is taking too long." Liam objected, "We need to get moving."
The captain looked to the fox, "We are one third of the way through this project, Mr Mail... it would be a shame to quit so far into it."
"And it'd be more of a shame to finish looking around and still not find anything." Liam countered.
"Do you truly believe that we will find nothing, or is the expense of time your larger concern?" Cornelius asked with a smug grin.
"These arguments are only costing us more time." Lady Marion announced. She looked to Liam, "Your impatience is acknowledged--" the priestess then looked to Bahrla, "as is yours." and her attention went to Cornelius, "Captain Cymbeline, I understand your interest in discovering the cause for the town's current state of affairs, but we cannot spend the rest of today and the first part of tomorrow searching for clues that may or may not help find out what became of this Wayside."
"Priestess--" Keeland interjected, but he was hushed by her raised hand.
"HOWEVER," she reasserted her tone, "I also realize that understanding why a Wayside has failed is important to the whole of Myre, and this particular Wayside has a special significance for you."
"Indeed... thank you, Priestess." Cornelius nodded simply.
"So... I understand we don't have time to search the whole of the city but, at the same time, it is still too early to call off the investigation."
"How... temperate of you." Bahrla stated flatly.
"As such, we will do what we can with the time provided." the priestess explained.
I couldn't fault her for her decision, Miri. Lady Marion was trying to lead a group that has vastly differing personalities. Aside from the fact that I wouldn't mind wiping that confident, smug expression off of Cornelius' muzzle, I still couldn't say that I get along with everyone else. Not only does Lady Marion have to keep her personal feelings in check but she has to keep ours in check too. Goddess, I'm glad I'm not the one in charge.
In the end, Lady Marion settled on the plan. She divided us up into two groups. The party spent almost an hour debating the most likely places to search for clues, but I think we've finally settled on the best course of action. Lady Marion and Josh are going with Keeland and Cornelius while Bahrla, Liam and I are going to make up the second group. I feel good knowing that Lady Marion will be there to make sure Cornelius isn't up to something, and I have to admit that I like the thought of having Bahrla and Liam watching my back.
The new plan was to have each group inspect a series of specific buildings, the ones most likely to provide any insight into the wayside's decline. Based on how long it took eight of us to search a single residence, Cornelius and Lady Marion estimated that it would take a little more than twice that time for a group of four to search a business and up to four times as long for the larger buildings in town. As we counted off the last stretch of time in our day, the groups each went their separate ways, promising to meet up at the inn (the largest building in town) at night fall, search it together, and then use it for the night.
I was not very optimistic that the plan would uncover something, but I was wrong... I was very wrong... though, in retrospect, I wish I had been right.
* * * * * *
Chapter 2 for Myre continues onward with the tedius job of searching the empty city of Byrn's Reach. Having spent a lot of time without results, a decision is made and the party is forced to make a choice.
There is pertient information at each investigation site, so no matter what the party chooses some piece of the puzzle will remain missing. What that missing piece is depends on which of location is not investigated. Contributing Readers will have to decide which ONE of the following will NOT be explored and this will have bearing on the rest of this chapter. Here are the options:
1) The Library (information about the history of Byrn's Reach will go unlearned). 2) City Hall (Josh will not make an important revelation). 3) The Marketplace (the direct cause of the empty Wayside will go unlearned). 4) The Catacombs (what became of Byrn will go unlearned)
These votes, of course, were tallied for last week (this post having been made after the voting period has expired).