Good samaritan... yeah, right...

[Clannad]

Helping Tomas down the road, the 'hero' of our story was increasingly suspecting he'd made the worst possible choice in aiding the battered man. This highly uncharitable thought had been awoken when the farmer remembered the toll at the gates, and implored his rescuer for a gold crown to gain entrance. Grumbling once more at the loss of two more coins from his dwindling stockpile as he fished them forth from his tatty purse at his belt on seeing the walls of the city ahead.

Running out of curses for the man leaning against him for support he began thinking up new and inventive ones for the man he was after. An intelligant and imaginative fellow, or so the ladies of easy virtue from his last city said, he had no problem coming up with a few oaths and curses involving Oscar and a billhook.

It was from this pleasant reverie that his mind resurfaced to the hailing of a burly guardsman waiting at the gate. He hadn't realised how close he'd gotten, too busy imagining inserting knive's into various orifices of his foe. Halting and trying to strike an indifferent pose, difficult when supporting a battered farmer, but managed with a little success. Proud. "Hail fellow. I hear the toll for entrance to the city is two crowns, yes?"

The guardsman however was less impressed by the pose and more curious about the bloody man leaning against our speaker, "yeah. He alright? You run into something on the road?"

Bloody guards, wasted on these people. Jrace shook his head vehemently, whilst handing over the gold, he'd considered this and finally decided on..."no, no trouble. Were three of us, Tomas here tripped and knocked his head fair badly. Another man, Oscar, came on ahead. You might of seen him? Big lad, hard to miss."

[Brad the Inhaler]

The watchman frowned at Tomas.
"Silly bugger."
He then looked at the bounty hunter and replied.
"I might have seen someone by that description, I see so many people though it's hard for me to remember, perhaps if I was better paid I might pay better attention."
The watchmen winked and dropped the 2 crowns into a box in the wall.

[Clannad]

Jrace fumed. Bloody nerve of him! Wretched, thieving, gutter-scooping, half-witted guards!! Polite request about a 'friend' and the thief is trying to extort gold, as if the two crowns already wasnt enough. He looked down at his well worn attire and then back at the guard thinking extremly unpleasant thoughts, and smiled. Mentally calmed he dug a hand into his pouch, sliding another two crowns out and handed them over, "tell me what you've seen and heard then," adding through grated teeth, "please."

[Brad the Inhaler]

The watchman smiled and pocketed the 2 coins gratefully.
"I saw a big guy come through here about..."
The guard looked up at the sun and scratched his head.
"...three or four hours ago, I remember him cause he had blood on his clothes, he said he was merchant and his horse had died on the journey here, which means his story doesn't match with your's. Now why don't you tell me the truth about you and your friend there?"
The watchman smiled nastily and strummed his fingers on the hilt of his sword.

[Clannad]

He cursed his luck, this man had to be the stupidest and greediest soldier in the city... and it just happened the fool had drawn lots to be on watch for this shift. He could almost cry with the hand lady luck had dealt him. Reluctantly and with obvious distaste for the guard he pulled his pack around to his front and unbuckled it, taking out a parchment and unrolling it. The parchment marked with a picture, crude but recognisably of Oscar with a description of his crime. Shrugging, he explained, "I'm here to bring that 'merchant' you so thoughtfully allowed into your city to justice. He's killed four men and a woman now, and you've just let him loose in your city, congratulations. Covered in this good gentleman's blood, your sergeant will be impressed. It's your choice now, private, either you can tell your officer and risk being pulled off this duty where you can grub money to search for a bloody killer! ...or you can stay quiet, let me do my job and forget this happened. What d'ya say?"

[Brad the Inhaler]

The Watchmen frowned darkly.
"You bloody Bounty Hunters, go on ahead if you must, go and steal honest watchmen's pay!"
The watchman strode out of the way of the open and gate and sank into a wooden chair, he folded his arms across his chest and steamed.

[Clannad]

Tomas eyed his helper suspiciously, as a farmer he was naturally suspicious of a man who earnt his daily bread hunting other men. ..but the fellow had helped him, and paid his way into the city, and he was after the man who'd robbed him. Slightly wary but realising he was far from well still, the older man leant against his samaritan once more and having quickly rolled and packed the parchment, Jrace led them onwards into the city. Busily berating himself for having to wave farewell to four crowns he'd never see again.

[Brad the Inhaler]

OOC: 20xp