Country for Old Men

To say that Caileann sneaks his way into the Grizzly would be a bit of an overstatement - a man of his size and demeanor generally finds it hard to sneak *anywhere*. When the door opens, it groans loudly against itself and the wind outside, and the man slams it shut with seemingly little regard, moving only just out of the way to glance around a bit.

It takes a moment to pick out the old Fian Maulduin - perhaps Cailean was looking for the mob rather than the man himself. Clearing his throat, the Ranich man will make his way over, calling out \"Fian Maulduin, good evening to you! Gave your heirs the slip, did you?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] A large tankard in hand Ruaidhri Maulduin turns towards the greeting and lifts tankard in a salute of greeting. \"Ha!\" he barks in amusement. \"If only I could be so lucky,\" he says with a smirk, and gestures towards the table behind his own where three copperheaded men of various age sit with their own tankards. \"Always a few of the vultures about. Though the flock has thinned some, since they new are begging for scraps from Gregoir\'s table as well as my own.\"

He nods towards one of the empty chairs at his table. \"What are you drinking?\" he asks using his cane to push the chair out.

Grateful for the seat, Cailean will give a slight bow before dropping into it with a slight grunt. \"I hadn\'t given it much thought. Whatever you\'re having, Fian - seems to me to be good.\" Nodding to the three men, who seem more focused on their elder than on their drinks, he will relax slightly.

\"I\'m sure you\'re happy for the break, though I feel for the Ceann. Hopefully he will take to your example in dealing with them. I assume you have warned him about his new position and all the... Packages that come with it?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin leans back in his chair with his bad leg stretched out before him. \"Another ale,\" he says to a passing barmaid.

He then fixes his gaze upon Caileann. \"It\'s a bit pleasant to be able to move without hearing all their babbling behind me,\" he agrees. \"Gregoir\'s liking the attention at the moment, I think, but he\'ll tire of it soon enough.\" He barks another laugh. \"Maybe they\'ll upset him enough that he\'ll shorten a few of \'em by a head.\"

He lifts his tankard and drinks then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. \"And how are things with the Ranich\'s?\" he asks.

Caileann offers a low, almost mirthless laugh at the thought, giving a shrug to the question aimed at him. \"Ciaran is obviously quite pleased that Gregoir is our Ceann, but the news of the army at Redvyrne being destroyed - true or not - has made him as an old man with his worrying.\"

Glancing around, he\'ll lean over a bit more towards Ruadhri and lower his voice a bit. \"So young, and yet worrying about so many things - first the harvest was not as good as hoped, now the Wulf are possibly on the warpath.\" He\'ll lean back and a small smile will form at the corners of his mouth. \"And this last bit comes even after your ghost stories at the meetings... Enemies to the north, wasn\'t it?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Ruadhri waits as the barmaid sets a tankard on the table before Caileann. Once she\'s departed he gives a slight snort. \"The Wulf have more sense than to try and sink their teeth into Caerdh,\" he replies. \"Any attack on Caerdh would have to go through Kavanagh\'s or my own land. They\'ll find that meat a bit too tough to chew.\"

He chuckles a bit then. \"Ghost stories is it?\" he asks. \"Kierkgard\'s burning is no ghost story, and it was the son of I\'racil who led that rebellion. Do I need remind you that I\'racil nearly brought Caerdh to its knees? There are many who remember him and the Hawk, and rumors to the north say there\'s been activity near their old hold of Mathain. I tell you this Carac is coming after us for revenge.\"

\"You are probably right about the Wulf attacking, but Ciaran worries... I cannot blame him, either. If the army was destroyed, it means that many good men were killed by the Wulf. If, for some reason they were not destroyed by the Wulf...\" Cailean trails off, looking around the room for a moment before shrugging and lifting his mug for a drink. \"I should not speak much more about that, it is unfitting.\"

To his credit, Cailean bears the informal history lesson rather well, and when he speaks, there is little acid in his voice, but a cocked eyebrow may give away his mood. \"You are correct, I\'racil is no story. I am merely concerned that your rumours are only rumours and that my nephew worries because of it. If you believe it, of course, there must be something to it - where do you hear these things?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin raises a brow slightly. \"You doubt Raconil\'s news?\" he asks seeming quite surprised. \"I\'ve not known one of the Guardians to lie before. They may skirt the truth, but never lie outright.\" He gives a slight shrug. \"If he says the Wulf destroyed the army, then I\'ll believe they were destroyed.\"

He looks into his tankard and then lifts it to drain the remnants. \"As for what happens in the north? Well it was this Carac who sent the man who killed Ceann Kedhern. Itterik of Ymesdyn brought news that there has been much traffic near Mathain and others from the north have reported much the same. Those lands are plagued by orcs only those wishing to hide something travel there.\"

Caileann sighs and shrugs as he takes another drink. \"I know, I should not doubt a Guardian, but it all seems rather... Convenient. An army under the man who wanted to be Ceann disappears a short while after another is chosen for the title? They would have been back here soon, and under Gregoir\'s command no doubt had they not fallen. Perhaps I am becoming paranoid as I get older.\"

Caileann appears to listen with great interest to Maulduin\'s talk of Carac and Mathain, if his fixed gaze is any clue, and he will nod once the man is done speaking. \"You think that Carac waits there now, preparing some offensive on Caerdh? I am sure you have warned the Ceann, have you not?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin nods. \"Oh, I\'ll agree that seems convenient,\" he replies. \"Diarmad would be a fool to try such an act though, that army would have to return to Caerdh through lands that are not overly friendly to the Kedherns. When Diarmad\'s brother attacked the Wulf, being on the border of Redvyrne Kavanagh and myself suffered the brunt of Wulf\'s reprisal. Add Diarmad\'s throwing his daughter into the dungeon and trying to send his heir as a hostage to Redvyrne and they\'d be lucky if Gabharn himself didn\'t slaughter the lot of them. Being close as I am to Kavanagh I would be obliged to assist, I think.\"

He scratches at his chin and then motions towards the barmaid for a refill of his tankard. \"I\'ve told Gregoir that he needs to look into these rumors from the north, but he\'s more concerned with ridding the Bear of the rot the Kedherns have brought into the clan. When he isn\'t speaking of that he\'s worrying himself over the Stag army in Forthunn.\" He rolls his eyes at the last. \"As if the Stag could ever be a threat to us, an upjumped minor clan is all they are.\"

\"I\'ll agree with him that we need to prune some dying branches, aye...\" Caileann will raise his hand for a refill as well, setting some coin on the table idly as he appears to think. Finally, he\'ll shake his head and murmur \"Forthunn...\" Glancing up at Ruadhri, he\'ll continue on a bit louder. \"Close enough to Ranich lands as birds fly- but then, so\'s Mathain. I wonder if my Fian knows of your relative\'s worry about the Stag. Has the Ceann set upon a plan of action there yet, or are you counselling otherwise?\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin glances at the coins on the table and then pushes them back towards Caileann. \"Let me pay,\" he says. \"Will be just a bit more that the vultures won\'t get once I\'m gone.\" He scratches at his beard and purses his lips in thought then.

\"Gregoir is wanting to move a force of Bear to the border near Forthunn, just to be prepared in case the Stag do attempt something. Which in and of itself is a wise move, as a new Ceann he should be strengthen his border defenses. Wouldn\'t be the first time a new Ceann was tested by the other clans. Still I do not think the Stag are a threat to the Bear, not at the moment.\"

He waits again as the barmaid shows to deposit their tankards upon the table. \"After Kierkgard was burned Carac and his rebels headed north into Stag lands. There were rumors of some trouble afterwards, but now that winter has set in the snow makes travel that way nearly impossible, so none of them have been confirmed. Personally, I believe this Stag army was raised in response to the rebels, not because of any evil intent towards Bear.\"

Caileann nods, taking a long gulp from his mug before pounding it back on the table and wiping the foam away. \"Aye, quite possible. Could be that the army was raised to work *with* the rebels as well... Though I don\'t think they\'ve much reason to do that. Gregoir seems to be fairly wise in his actions thus far - you must be quite proud that one of yours has a good head on his shoulders.\" Turning to the other three at the table, he\'ll remark with another dry laugh, \"You should learn from that, lads.\"

After a moment, he\'ll turn back to the older man and clear his throat. \"It\'s probably best to move an army there anyhow - as you said, it\'s difficult to get to Mathain in the winter anyhow, and we can\'t be sure of anything yet... But with a force close by, if the rebels do decide come spring to head our way, that same force may be able to engage.\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin chuckles softly. \"Gregoir is a rare one,\" he says proudly. \"The lad was born to be Ceann and I think he\'ll prove to be on of the best we\'ve had in some time.\" He takes a drink from his own tankard as he turns to look back at the three grandsons behind him and then shakes his head. \"Grandsons,\" he replies. \"All from different daughters and all named Ruadhri, as if that would please me in some way. What would please me is if they\'d find themselves jobs.\"

As he turns back towards Caileann he gives an agreeing nod. \"What you say is not without merit, and what I\'d suggest myself if more were known of the Stag\'s intent. As you say they may be there to work with these rebels if that\'s the case our forces would be trapped between the two of them when spring arrived.

\"What I have reccomended to Gregoir is that we split our forces, most near the Stag border and a quarter near your own lands just south of Mathain. When spring comes the rebels will be up to their arses in orcs and with Mathain in ruins, they\'ll have no place to hide. They\'ll be forced to move and that\'s when we make our own move and push them right back into the mountains and let the orcs take care of them for us.\"

\"How unfortunate for them... If what you say is true - and it certainly seems to be looking that way - they\'ll have much to do to live up to his example. Perhaps the young men will find some luck on the battlefield, or at least some use.\" Ranich will shrug, not seeming to mind the occasional glare from one of the Ruadhris as he talks to their grandfather.

\"It is an interesting plan, though I must say it will have to be a large force if a quarter is to press the rebels back. An enemy never seems to fight as hard as when certain death is a few steps to his rear, and they will most likely favour trying their luck against us than the goblins. Of course, if the Stag turn out not to mean us harm, we will be in a much better position to the north...\"

Caileann will murmur something to himself after this, eying the older man as if to say more. After a moment or two he will apparently be convinced, as he nods and continues on. \"Yes, that may set us in the north, but what of the south? Do you believe our hostages and the Kavanagh and Maulduin men will be enough of a deterrent to keep the Wulf at bay? If they catch wind of our movements, they may think us weak, especially after shattering an army of Bears already. It would be rather like a wolf to attack a larger foe when he is beset on other sides.\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin gives a sly smile. \"Well, I would not fear the Wulf overmuch,\" he says. \"At my advice Gregoir is sending messages south. Messages that tell of his grief over the renegade Kedhern\'s attack upon their home, of how had he been Ceann at the time such an attack will not come to pass, he will inform them that the Bear clan will gladly provide supplies to help in the rebuilding of their Keep, and that the Bear holds no animosity towards them for the deaths of those traitors who held Redvyrne.\"

He takes a long drink from his tankard, but continues to watch Caileann as he does. \"Was a Kedhern who initiated the attack, was Kedhern men that took part in the attack, and was Kedhern men who held Redvyrne Keep. Was not Bear who harmed them, but one man, and that man will be given over to the Wulf to answer for his crimes. There will be no other hostages.\"

He settles his mug on the table. \"As for the rest? Well I think it is the wisest course, considering the Stag\'s motives are still unknown. If I could find one willing to brave the winter storms, I\'d send a messenger to Forthunn to try and make an alliance with them.\"

\"Let us hope the Wulf see the wisdom in that, Fian - it strikes me as a good plan, though. Gregoir benefits from your guidance.\" Pausing only to drain his mug, which the Ranich man then slides off towards the centre of the table, Cailean will lean back slightly in his chair, tossing an arm over the back.

\"I think that at this time, the foul winter weather is to our benefit. While our enemies, whoever and wherever they are strain against themselves in boredom waiting for battle, we have time to prepare a proper Bear Clan welcome for them. If Carac thinks he will have an easy march into our lands, he will quickly learn otherwise.\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Maulduin lifts his tankard in salute. \"I can drink to that,\" he says with a smile, that for once touches his eyes. \"There\'s a new day dawning for clan Bear,\" he says. \"The Wulf will be busy with rebuilding. The Stag are still recovering from the orc invasion of two years ago. What remains of the Hawk will be dealt with soon enough, that leaves the Bear poised to reclaim their spot as the most powerful of the clans.\"

He laughs a bit. \"Once these rebels are dealt with it may be time to raise another Bear as Ard-Righ. Dunland has not had a King in sometime, but King Gregoir has a bit of a nice ring to it.\"

Caileann will reach and take up his empty mug again for the salute, a full grin cracking his typically grim face. \"Angling for kin as Ard-Righ, Fian? Who knows, you may yet live to see it - we have already seen a bloodless election, so there is little doubt in our clan that things are changing. Take Carac\'s head, and the other clans will have to recognize it as well.\"

Raising the mug once more, he will offer \"May the new Ceann lead us well and long.\"

[Olmys(#32384)] Ruadhri laughs. \"I\'m as bad as them aren\'t I?\" he asks with a nod towards the grandsons behind. \"Ah well, would be nice to see my kin on the throne I admit it. Though Gregoir is the only one fit for the task I think, I\'d break out my own sword once more give a good drubbing to any of the others if they attempted it.\"

He lifts his mug and drains it in response to Caileann\'s toast. \"If you\'ll excuse me, I need to be off to the privvy.\"