A few words too many?

Courtyard -- Creatrach Keep

Creatrach Dun, the greatest fortress in Caerdh, flies the red banners of Clan Bear proudly from its high reinforced bulwarks. The tops of dark evergreen trees are just visible over the tall, manned walls of this keep which protect the inhabitants against the evils abroad in the forest below. Inside, the earthen ground of the courtyard is laid with gravel for drainage, and is well-trodden as the Bears move about their daily business. The keep proper takes up part of the west wall and the whole northern section of the courtyard. A short flight of steps leads up to the keep doors into the foyer. A small shelter, beside the wooden gates, serves as the guard post.

A row of small stone buildings line the southern wall where thick smoke rising almost continually from the chimneys of Mederon the Smith and his rival Smithy proclaim their trade. The shingle of a grinning bear holding a mug swings over the door into a squat structure. This is obviously the Grinning_Grizzly. Behind the tavern is an outhouse. Clan Bear appears to be building a small city within the confines of the keep\'s walls.

The appearance of the courtyard morphs throughout the day, dawn to dark to dawn again. Past twilight, the south side of the courtyard quiets as the keep gates are closed. The militia patrols the walls while two Bears guard the Great Doors to the inner keep.

Obvious exits:

Grinning Grizzly leads to Grinning Grizzly Alehouse.

Great Doors leads to Main Foyer -- Creatrach Keep.

Wooden Gate leads to Southern Misty Mountains - Dunland <>.

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Dunland Time and Weather Forecast

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Real Time is: Tue Jan 13 14:36:37 2009

IC weather is: Wind: - Clouds: moderate - Rain: drizzle

IC Moon is: Waxing gibbous

IC time is: Evening

IC date is: Hevensday, Day 8 of December in the year 3045.

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Another day is drawing to an end. Creatrach\'s courtyard lies quiet, with little sign of the disturbances that plagued it the previous morn. A light, unseasonal drizzle has begun to fall, cleansing the steps of their unpleasant stain. Few men other than the Ceann\'s own are to be seen about the place.

One, though, sits on an upturned barrel in the meagre shelter of a tattered awning (for some reason, none of the merchants have set their stalls up today), a wrapped bundle of leather on his knee and a whetstone in one hand, carefully sharpening a chisel. Breveg\'s dark head is bent over his work, damp curls falling over his face and hiding his features.

[Finnian(#23897)] Ciaran does try to remember to check in with all of his men, despite the fact that there\'s still a great deal of tension in the air. The meeting had not gone favorably for the farmer, but neither had it been disastrous either. A small comfort, at least.

He\'s walking through the courtyard when he spots Barseg\'s son, and changes direction to approach him. \"Breveg..?\" He asks, to be certain that the figure is who he think it is.

At the query Breveg lifts his head, using an elbow to push back a few curls. There is a bruise spreading at his right temple. \"Aye, Fian,\" he answers dutifully. \"Was there something you wanted?\" As he awaits the answer he slides the chisel back into the bundle of leather, which he busies himself in rewrapping, and the whetstone into the pouch at his belt.

[Finnian(#23897)] Ciaran steps under the awning to stay out of the rain. His brows draw together when he sees the bruising on Brev\'s head. \"You\'re okay?\" He asks with concern, gesturing towards the injury. \"It\'s unfortunate that a fight broke out, but there was little to be done to stop it any sooner than we did.\" The Fian explains, his eyes narrowing as he thinks back on the meeting.

Breveg notes the direction of Ciaran\'s glance, and irritably shakes his head so that his hair once more hides the bruise. \"It\'s nothing,\" he responds. \"Roof tile, wasn\'t quick enough to duck. I tried to stay out of the way, I thought you would prefer that, Fian, given Ranich\'s men do not fight. Though I trust they would if one of the other Fianni came calling.\" He tries to make light of that last comment, lips curling in a rather half-hearted looking smile. \"Creatrach still seems a little ... tense. Men know not who to trust.\" He offers this last in a neutral tone.

[Finnian(#23897)] \"Do not fight?..\" Ciaran asks in a sudden defensive tone. His face grows more angry than it already was. \"Is that how people see Ranich? Nothing but farmers that do not know how to wield a weapon?\" He demands of Breveg, but clearly the issue runs deeper. \"Remember that in the spring when the goblins grow restless and the snows have melted. Mathain is not the only hold nestled against the mountains. We will have more than enough use for your fighting skills, Breveg.\"

The Fian looks around the courtyard, exhibiting the very tension that has gripped the keep. \"The men should trust in the Fianni. The matter that everyone was fighting over yesterday has been settled.\"

\"Mathain is no hold at all,\" Breveg answers calmly to that first. \"The lands south of Mathain, where my father\'s folk once lived, are no hold at all - unless one of Maulduin\'s pups has staked a a claim.\" He scowls at that. \"Yes, I imagine that other lands see more of the goblins now.\" He tucks his bundle of tools under his arm and rises. \"Did you wish to sit, Fian?\"

Once he\'s standing, he turns to the other matter. \"So the Fianni trust Maulduin now?\" he queries. \"I can see you\'ve pushed Laoghaire out of his vacillating, at least.\"

[Finnian(#23897)] Ciaran ignores Brev\'s distinction about Mathain and shakes his head at the offer of a seat. \"I am fine.. I\'m not an old man that needs to rest on his ass at every available opportunity.\" He waves the man to sit back down. It\'s obviously that the Fian is still prickly about something after the meeting, though. His mild manner is very absent today. \"Kavanagh and Mailduin worked out their differences with the Ceann. Things are stable, for now. That is good enough. Everyone needs to be thinking about the troubles that threaten us from outside the clan.\"

\"Did you get the supplies you needed? I suspect we\'ll be departing soon.\"

\"Neither am I. For just a moment, Breveg grins, though it does not last. At Ciaran\'s statement he tilts a brow. \"What troubles are those, Fian? Maulduin would appear to have dealt very effectively with both the Wulf and his opponents.\" He pauses to draw breath. \"And aye, I have the supplies.\"

[Finnian(#23897)] \"The Stag to the north, mustering their army.. That is a big one. The rebels of Hawk that are running rampant. Caileann said that he heard that they are rumored to be mustering up near Mathain. That is not welcome news for Ranich given that they were so happy to burn Kierkgard to the ground.\" Ciaran glances around, then speaks in a low voice. \"We will need to move more quickly with the plan than I expected. Be certain you have everything you need. If you need more money, that is not a problem.\"

Breveg frowns at that - and bypasses the offer of more money, shaking his head. \"I have everything you asked me to get, Fian,\" he reassures Ciaran. \"As to your concerns - I doubt any force would wish to burn the lands that can supply them with grain. Hold, maybe.\" He shrugs. \"More probably the Stag army is moving to seize Iolair - or Kierkgard even. Holding it would give them an edge.\"

[Finnian(#23897)] Ciaran nods quietly at Breveg\'s reassuring assessment, but doesn\'t seem entirely convinced. \"All the same, I wish to be prepared. I would rather work twice as hard to be ready in the event of an attack, then be caught with nothing but my own foolishness to comfort me when I had the foresight and ignored it. Perhaps I can send a scout or two to the north.. It will give some of the restless folk something to do for the winter.\"

Breveg listens quietly to the Fian\'s words and the late afternoon rain drumming on the awning where the two men shelter. \"Of course, Fian. Though given Bear is now united, I am sure the full might of the clan will shield Ranich from any attack.\" He hesitates, then offers, \"I could go north, if you wish. I know the terrain. It depends where you want me ...\" and he trails off with a shrug.

[Finnian(#23897)] \"I\'m as worried about the Bear as I am about these rebels, Breveg..\" Ciaran says in a softer voice. \"They talk of sending a group of men up to our border to keep an eye on things. I like it better when there is little to no interest in Ranich. It\'s safer. I don\'t want any of the others to have a reason to take an interest, certainly not Mailduin\'s ilk. He admitted that he wasn\'t afraid to sacrifice good men to serve a cause.\"

Ranich purses his lips, weighing Brev\'s offer carefully. \"You know the lands, aye. As it stands right now, though, I think your skills and knowledge of things is more helpful.\"

\"I thought you said you were all united now.\" Breveg cannot quite keep the acid from his voice. \"And aye, Maulduin is devious. I heard the same tale as Laoghaire gave from the lips of one of the men out there,\" he jerks his head toward the courtyard. \"Setting the Wulf on the Bear in Redvyrne, planning to take some other Fian\'s lands ... As if any but a Ceann has the right to make such decisions.\" He snorts, then seems to recall the concerns of the man before him. \"Ranich stands at no border. There is Odharn to the west, Ymesden to the north,\" he points out carefully.

Ciaran\'s decision on the scouting is met with a docile nod.

[Finnian(#23897)] \"Aye, united. The squabbling had to end. That does not mean that I will not be cautious, Breveg. If there are soldiers from Laoghaire or Mailduin on our northern border between us and Mathain, I want to take precautions.\" Ciaran gives Brev a long, hard gaze. \"I do what I believe is best for Ranich, and the clan. You don\'t have to like it, but I expect you to respect the decisions I make.\" He says in a low, irritated tone.

Breveg frowns at that. \"Have I disputed your decisions, Fian?\" he asks quietly.

[Finnian(#23897)] \"No, but your sarcasm isn\'t always welcome. If you don\'t like something, share your opinion but spare me the attitude. I don\'t speak to you in such a fashion.\" Ciaran counters, his bad mood working past his usual good nature.

Breveg blinks at that, then asks levelly, \"Was there anything else you wished, Fian? May I return to the Keep yet, or is it still needed for meetings?\" Opinions, it seems, or ideas for that matter, will not be shared further at present.

[Finnian(#23897)] The Fian gives the retainer another hard look, then waves a hand in the direction of the keep. \"There are no meetings.\" Ciaran says in a short manner, his gaze turning away from Brev now. After a moment of thought, he adds in a more resigned tone. \"Get something hot to drink, this cold is horrid to spend any length of time in.\"

Breveg stands rigid under the scrutiny. At the final words he tilts a brow but seemingly bites back his initial response, for he simply dips his head in a nod. \"Very well, Fian. I will disturb you no further with where my thoughts are leading.\" That said, he turns and walks slowly away, his features pensive.