Lacking Natural Simplicity

Drinking before the festival

It was the night before the spring festival, and the four friends began the night at the local tavern, the Broken Stone, chattering about the festival and what competitions they wanted to enter. A long time rival of Onchu, Halrig (sp?) Hillfield came over and began chaffing Onchu about the wrestling competition the next day, which lead to Eirnin wagering 2 c.p. on Onchu vs. Halrig and Bartha treating Halrig to a couple of drinks to continue him on his way to a hangover. After that the friends moved outside to the pre-festival celebrations.

Out-of-town ruffians

One or more of the friends noticed three out-of-town ruffians forcing young Lochlan a'Niall down a street and behind a building, and when shouting for Niall gave no result, the friends hurried after the youngster and ruffians. By the time the ruffians were in sight again they hand young Lochlan up against the building side and were beating his precious coins out of him. Eirnin ran forward and got between the wee lad and his attacker, the leader of the thugs, and got him to run and find Sheriff Artair, while the others moved up and engaged the hoodlums, one of whom brandished a club and attacked them. Droston, in a rage, began beating the leader with a stick of firewood, while the others looked to his followers. By the time Niall and Sheriff Artair arrived the leader was bleeding on the ground, one thug had run off in fright and the other had surrendered. After interrogating everyone involved the Sheriff told the friends that they had done well and carted the leader and the thug off to a root cellar for the rest of the festival where they were joined the next day by the other thug, found shivering on the doorstep of the Broken Stone after being frightened out of the woods. (It turns out that Droston had really done a number on the leader, broken bones and smashed his face enough he was possibly looking at losing an eye. Nobody cared.)

The Festival

The next day the wrestling competition was first in line. Onchu made it through the necessary eliminations to fight Halrig Hillfield and after a tense match won handily. Halrig, after recovering, declared it was a good match and that he'd win next year, and paid Eirnin his 2 c.p. winnings without complaint. Continuing on the competition Onchu was matched in the final bout with Coll, the reigning village champion, and while he lost that bout Coll opined that Onchu had been one of the best challenges he'd had for a while and with a few more years under his belt would be a very interesting match.

After that Bartha won the sprint contest, and poor Onchu, barely recovered from his bout with Coll, came in last. (Droston was impressed that he was able to run at all after matching up with Coll!)

Eirnin won the distance run!

Droston was the runner-up in the Archery meet.

Eirnin came in third on the log chop.

Droston won the axe throw!

Bartha was the runner-up in the sling competition.

After that the friends just enjoyed the rest of the festival.

Back to work on Monday

The Monday after the festival, everybody went back to work. Droston and Bartha were off hunting separately while Eirnan and Onchu were setting out for work. Along the way, Bran McVoy of the Clan McVoy came up to Eirnin and offered him a job running two of the McVoy wagons into town, eventually offering Eirnin and Onchu 8 silver a piece, take it or leave it, no damn bargaining because he'd just go and find the next guy. Eirnin and Onchu accepted, Onchu cleared his day off with his shift boss, promising 5 copper under the table, and they set off to gather their gear and meet at the McVoy's stable.

Droston and Bartha, coming back into town loaded with game, met the two and hearing of their adventure, decided to accompany them, no payment besides the adventure needed. Bartha had everything she needed, so she told her dad where they were off to and brought her brace of rabbits for lunch. Droston ran back and dropped off his deer and gathered his stuff, and then on the way back met his dad Seamus in the street. His dad wasn't overjoyed at Droston's plans, but couldn't deny Droston had already finished his day's work. He did tell Droston that his cousin Brocc (who disliked crowds and therefore avoided the village during festival), was due back in this morning from the alpine pastures with his goat herd, but had not been seen yet, and although it wasn't an immediate worry, somebody had to check up on him soon. Droston promised to check the high pastures as soon as he was back from town.

On the way to Riverton

Once Droston caught up with the group they headed for town with Eirnin driving the first wagon, Onchu the second, and Bartha riding a wagon and Droston ranging alongside, scouting ahead and behind on occasion.

At lunchtime they stopped and cooked Bartha's rabbits and Droston freely admitted she'd done the right thing bringing them along. After that they continued along. Eventually they met one of the sheriff's deputies, Deputy Han, returning from escorting the three thugs to town. He told them of bad character from town, Roy, who'd killed somebody over a card game and fled justice and was feared to have taken to banditry and murder in the area. The friends promised to be careful and not go looking for trouble, and continued on their way.

They reached the halfway camp that evening, but because they had the wagons and horses they couldn't use the normal campsite, which was reached by a narrow rope bridge across the river, and could only draw the wagons up on the side of a wide area in the road and make camp behind them. Unfortunately, a starving wolf attacked the horses during Bartha's watch and before Bartha, Onchu, and Eirnin killed it, Bartha was severly bitten. (Droston, tired out by his day of walking and running beside the wagons, only woke up in time to see the aftermath of the fight.) The wolf didn't seem to be rabid, just starving, but Bartha needs some serious healing.

And that's where we left them.