18th day of Snowmoot:
It was a cold, frosty morning as the group broke camp, mounted their steads, divided the mule load between them and continued towards Womford and the bridge over the river. The going was slow as the horses were hungry, tetchy and snow had started to fall. Towards the late afternoon they could see the tendrils of smoke rising from the hamlet of Womford.
It had been a long while since Zindra had passed through Womford, she was sure the inn was called The Ironford Inn or tavern or something like that, she thought, well it had been a long time. (Now do I owe money here, Zindra thought to herself?)
Looking down at Womford as the snow was falling the air shimmered, and Bandur mounted on horse appeared beside the group. "That was some journey from Axeholm I can tell you", Bandur was heard to remark. Bandur was quickly brought up to speed.
Womford looked like a tiny settlement, on the banks of the Dessarin River, south of the Ironford Bridge.
The group took a leisurely, if wary route through the hamlet and noticed the tiny village had a small dilapidated dock jutting out into the river, at which three keelboats were tied. A little way down from the dock stood a large grist mill, for grinding the grain shipped presumably to Waterdeep.
Zindra recalled that the village had a farmers market, and aside from the mill, the village consisted of a handful of granaries and a larger handful of cottages, several of which she remembered housed tiny local shops. According to old tales, the village was known as Ironford until a dragon was slain nearby. Passers-by began to call the settlement “Wyrm Ford,” a name subsequently corrupted, thanks to the thick local accent, into “Womford.” They couldn't see the bridge, ironically still called the Ironford Bridge by some, as it was a few miles north from the village.
The group stopped outside the Ironford Inn, only because a sign hung from a crossed pole outside stating such. From the outside the inn looked more like a ruffians den, dirty, dark and not very inviting looking to strangers. They could expect any food, ale and lodgings to be poor at the best.
Fargrim, Hagnulf, Bandur and Aerie entered, the rest staid outside. As they entered initial thoughts were confirmed. This did look like a ruffians den. A few locals sat at one table, two rougher looking characters sat at another. Aerie without waiting sat at an empty table and the others did the same. Looking round they caught the bartenders eye. Beofre they could react he ordered the serving woman, in a rough, gruff and intimidating voice, to get over and see what they wanted, and to be quick about it.
The woman did not make eye contact at all, neither did the local looking people in the corner. eyes were always averted and gaze kept down. Aerie tried to make personal contact with the woman but shy seemed very nervous, frightened almost and hurriedly took the order and rushed back to the bar. The barman grabbed the coins and stuffed them quickly in a pouch on his belt. Drinks were slammed down onto a tray, of sorts, and the woman brought the drinks over.
The two ruffians on the next table, a little worse for drink, tried to get a conversation going with the group and were none to gentle in how they kept pushing Fargrim in the shoulder. Fargrin ignored them and they got up and left. The barman growled a warning at her not to spill a drop, or she'd pay. The woman didn't spill a drop and again kept her gaze averted even as Fargrim addressed her directly. The barman slammed his fist down and demanded what was going on, Dwarfs, little stunties talking to his wife. He demanded they drink up and leave. Fargrim asked of alternative lodgings and was told to head down the street, 2 buildings down and tell the man there that Jim had sent them.
Outside, Bron and the others had witnessed the two ruffians leaving and overheard a loud remark;
"Ha, Ha, they'll find out tomorrow, or soon, on the other side, Ha, Ha."
The group found the building none to easy, down an ally way approximately 15 feet wide. The door they knocked at opened only slightly and no light came out, only a timid male voice asking what they wanted. After telling the 'voice' that Jim had sent them from the Inn, the 'voice' told them to go further down the ally and he would open the door for them. The door was then shut, bolted more than once. The group proceeded and sure enough the door was opened only far enough to let them enter. A man and his wife stood there, looking very worried. As it was getting dark the man, who introduced himself as Tom, told them to get inside quickly. As soon as they were in, what looked like a barn in the gloom, the stable doors were doubled barred and Tom asked the group to help move some barrels against the doors.
The group quickly convinced tom and his wife they meant them no harm and they seemed to relax. Whenever Jim's name was mentioned Tom and his wife looked down and quickly changed the subject.
Tom's wife produced food, a meagre offering but all they had. They refused payment, it would be an insult they told the group. Garet inquired if they would take the wolf pelts he had in payment for their food and lodgings, Tom and his wife agreed. Garet also pressed a gold coin into Toms wife hand. She thanked him.
Questions were asked about Jim and the Inn and any strange goings on in Womford. It all started 6 months ago. The weather changed, autumn and winter came earlier, the harvest was poor. The Ironford Bridge had collapsed and all travellers had to use the bargemen to cross over the river to Bargewright Inn, the hamlet on the other side of the river. 3 local lads had gone off on a boat in search of better jobs. Probably down to Waterdeep. The 3 lads, Gorm, Herek, and Shadnil had sailed off a month ago. He also told them that Womforders lock and bar their doors and shutter their windows at night, for fear of the “Womford Bat,” a nocturnal predator that snatches folk it can catch outside after dark. One villager named Darreth vanished only steps from his own front door a tenday ago.
The group stopped in a small raised floor section at the rear of the barn. A double watch would be kept that night. The group talked over their meeting with Jim. The opinion was he was up to no good and in the think of whatever was going on in Womford. Possible theories centred on him being a member of the cultists, possible spy for the cultists, running a blackmarket/slave trade from the Inn. Possibly linked to the bridge falling down and the 'bargemen' controlling the river. They asked Tom if he recognised the design (drawn in the dirt of the barn) of the symbol of the Black Earth Cultists, he didn't, but could remember a similar design:
2 hours before dawn, as Garet and Hagnulf were on watch, they heard an unnatural noise as though the wind was wooshing. Garet and Hagnulf listened, as they listened the doors to the barn rattle once, then again, then stopped. Garet cast a minor illusion of a Dwarf, outside the barn, unlocking the doors and walking into the barn. They heard nothing more.
The group were all awake and were told of what had transpired. The doors of the barn were opened as the group prepared for action. Nothing. It had stopped snowing sometime during the night. as the doors were pulled inwards, all they could see were two large, clawed footprints and what Aerie said got their thought processes racing. The footprints had wings, and at a rough guess, Aerie estimated the 'winged creature' had a wingspan in excess of 25 to 30 feet.
Grog stated 'Dragon', Garet stated 'Wyvern'. Tom who had come into the barn stated 'Womford Bat'! He then rushed back to his wife. Aerie looked around outside, no one was around villager wise. Shaking out her wings she soared high into the sky and flew around the village. It was a clear day, she could see for miles. No clouds and no flying creatures to be seen, be they Dragon, Wyvern or 'Bat'.
Passing over the eastern side of the village Aerie saw two villagers pointing up towards her, then running back into the village. Aerie quickly descended, rejoined the group and told them what she saw. Some 15 minutes later a bell started tolling somewhere in the village.
Tom and his wife explained the bell was a call for all villagers to go to the village hall. Fargrim, Bandur and Garet went with them. The others hastily packed up the groups gear. Tom had agreed to sell a riding horse for Aerie to use and a mule, plus all the equipment required and 3 days of grain for the groups horses.
A the town hall meeting 2 villagers were explaining excitedly and at times with horrified expressions that they had seen the Womford Bat flying over the east fields. It was black, huge, bigger than huge, with claws and teeth and an evil eye. Black wings keeping it in the air they ran when it looked their way. They didn't see if it followed or where it went. Garet offered suggestions but was shouted down. A group surrounding Jim the barman kept shouting out that it was the strangers who had brought the bat down on the village and they should leave, and take it with them. Not making any head way the group were asked to leave the meeting when they took a vote. Jim just smiled as they left.
Tom came out and told them they had to leave the village. If they wanted to cross the river they would have to hire a barge. They rejoined the group and went straight to the docks. There they met a halfling called Pike and a Genasi, blue in colour, who they learned was called Shoalar, when they heard Pike call to him. Shoalar joked with them, made fun of the Dwarves but laughed it off continually throughout the bartering.
He wanted too much to convey the group over the river so they went to look at the two smaller barges. They were locked up tight. The group then travelled to see if the bridge was a viable option, it wasn't. They had to go back and barter with Shoalar and agreed an over the odds price to transport the 8 in the group plus their mounts and the mule.
It took some time to load the animals in the forward hold. It looked like the rear hold was already full. Pushing off they travelled north in a gentle swell, passing close to where the bridge once stood before turning into the faster central river current and using that speed to cross over to the gentler waters on the other side. Some 4 hours after shoving off from Womford the groups were walking their mounts up the hill towards the double walls of Bargewright Inn. After gaining access they were directed to the stables and then to the Bargewright Inn where they took lodgings, food and ale for the night. The Bargewright Inn was a very up market establishment compared to the Ironbridge Inn in Womford.
As it was still early some of the group decided to head for the market, Aerie went for a walk and Hagnulf had taken his leave earlier. The group purchased some odds and ends at the market, mainly winter cloaks, spare arrows and bolts.
Aerie had caught sight of Hagnulf heading for the inner gate but she quickly lost sight of him and when she looked he was nowhere to be seen.
Later Hagnulf returned to the inn and informed the group he had learned that the caravan from Red Larch was going to be ambushed some 10 miles outside of Bargewright. The caravan was due to arrive in the next 2 days.
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