Tucked around the glowing hearth of their favourite inn, the Denizens of The Well of Ashes relaxed in various sized chairs. One remained empty, but all the others, different sized and shaped so that those that sat at them were at an equal height at the table. were full. A new seat had joined those habitually used by the gang. Crouched, like a lion, a low, worn, velvet chaise longe had been salvaged from somewhere. Perched on it, thankful not to bang his head again on the low beams of the bar, sat the newest member, a large badger. Slumped next to him, the unconscious form of a mole cleric.
Bowie the cat raised an eye whisker at this scene, and uttered to the throng "I know I damaged him, but I did not think the Brother was that badly injured. Is he okay, Dach?"
"Ja, he is fine. He just tried to match me in drinks of brandy." The badger grunted, embarrassed, "I zink he forgets I am more massive than him." The mole snorted, and rolled over, snoring gently. "I hardly have to guard him now."
"And that is another reason why you are so suited to this war band!" laughed Batty the bat assassin from the rafters above.
L'Otter put down the fork which she had just taken a bite of the fine trout fillet she was enjoying, and took up her goblet of pale yellow wine, sipping with relish, "Batty, Ouseux, great job scouting out where the Royalists were holding Sneaker. We really got the drop on them and get in position to rescue our mouse friend. It allowed Red and Snappy to get into position with great sight lines."
"I thank you. Why they couldn't hold me in the luxury of the mansion next door was beyond me," the mouse chirped in.
"Because you would have drained their wine cellar!" His friend Snappy the squirrel joked.
"A ruined castle. It was an interesting place to hide out," the one-eyed and hideously scarred sparrow chirped in, "it would look beautiful as a painting. If only I could work out depth again, I would love to have a go at a watercolour of that."
"You are full of hidden talents!" Abi Berry, the shrew, chortled.
"Plenty of places to hide and wait too," Snappy the squirrel continued as she put down the walnut she was enjoying, "Red, you never said you were an expert shot, impressive my friend."
The witch hunter mouse looked up from the tome he was half reading, closed it and steepled his paws, "Oh yes, you never bothered to ask, but I've always been proficient with a bow! Getting up high was good, I got to keep an eye on their loot pile."
"Getting up that tower too, I thought my position hidden on the walls was good, yours was perfect!" The squirrel shook her head in amazement.
"I only did what I thought Sneaker would do."
"What, get myself beaten up and captured." The mouse rogue laughed, flicking a hazelnut shell at the squirrel.
Bowie looked up at the badger landscherneckt, "I, for one, was glad of having another heavy hitter on the team."
Lady Door, the dormouse mage, looked at the two of them. "I think he's lost weight actually."
"Not what I meant," Bowie grinned, showing his fangs, "you joining us for magical cover was a brilliant idea."
"Yeah, I could see their new hedgehog archer, Tennison, was going to be a pain, so I figured I would try to slow him with my 'pain' spell."
"Not happy that he was using all my kit," Sneaker grimaced.
"It's all right, he couldn't hit for toffee!" The dormouse mage grinned.
"I knew Tubbs de weazel was ahead of us, so I thought I scare him by taking down the window he hide behind." The badger grinned.
"You nearly took out the whole wall!" Bowie laughed.
"Ahh, but he scared, my plan worked, he ran!!"
The gang laughed at this, as the badger mimed dusting bricks off his ornate jacket.
"They were really guarding that well, brave of you to go attracting the attention of three warriors, Batty," Snappy the squirrel archer looked up at the bat, who was enjoying a grub.
"Three of us with missile weapons pinning them down," Red the mouse added, "good plan."
"Four, me, you, Snappy and Abi Berry all closing on their position," Batty interjected.
"Batty, you usually can't see the end of your nose, I would hardly describe you as a shooter!" Abi laughed, "but still brave to put yourself in harms way."
"Killed more than you!" The bat grinned, ruffling the shrew's head hair with a wind blast from a wing.
"As soon as we got the nod from L'Otter, I unleashed my first shot at that heavily armed mouse warrior Maynard Whitlow."
"You hit him good too," L'Otter added, "but I got him better!"
"Yeah, lightning will always find a way, especially towards a mouse carrying a sword bigger than himself!" Bowie added.
"Maybe standing on my tower was not the best plan!" Red laughed.
"It was better than my log pile, Freda the ferret with that cavalier and a fireball from our unconscious mole friend here nearly cost me dearly! I spent the next goodly while trying to cure myself." L'Otter looked at one slightly singed hem of her gown, "That was expensive too!"
Batty grinned from above, "Well Abi, I know you got a good hit in on Sir Archibald Hastings with one of your throwing knives, and I appreciate the arrow you buried in him too Snappy, but I am definitely claiming that my two daggers thrown at him really put him down!"
Abi looked up at him, and saluted, "Sir Batty, those two throws of yours were really deadly, I congratulate your aim and take back all I said!"
"I ran round ze tower at full speed, straight into ze waiting paws of zat otter Van Der Vilk" Dach mused, sipping his brandy from a glass that, although tiny in his paws, Lady Door could have slept in! "He hit hard."
Lady Door slapped the badger on the arm, "Good thing you were carrying a healing potion."
"After the last two times we met hers, I knew Freda was a danger, so I had to go for her before she shot you again!" Abi looked at L'Otter and winked.
"My friend, I am very glad you did," the archmage replied, magic rippling across her knuckles, "it was starting to get painful. Anyone need slightly flattened lead?" Two blood stained shot fell onto the table from mid air, causing 'yucks' from the gang.
"Tubbs made it to the base of the tower," Ouseux added, "but I came in from above, closely followed by Batty, as we planned."
"Death from above!" The bat added.
"Only trying to keep up with you! The sparrow replied, "taking out that squirrel archer in the tower felt good after losing an eye last time."
"I could tell you were upset old friend, you took on both Tubbs and the Friar here straight afterwards." L'Otter pointed to the recumbent mole, who was dribbling slightly through his snores.
"I was all alone up my tower, and up comes Maynard Whitlow, looking for a fight with that big sword of his." Red complained, "he's a well trained fighter.".
"I was trying to get to the main tower, when out sprang that psycho squirrel Oakleaf, glad my armour held up against her." Bowie mewed.
"Fights were going on everywhere!" Snappy added. "I was not able to target anyone."
L'Otter grinned at the squirrel, "So, you came off your perch and headed for the loot pile."
"And you wouldn't have done the same?"
"We both moved to support your assault Bowie, but Lady Door got her spell in before me I saw." L'Otter raised an eyebrow at the other mage.
"I just gave him a hand." The dormouse looked on non-apologetically.
"Oakleaf did not last against my charms," Bowie preened himself, "she was put down, and allowed me to move on. An eye for an eye I hear!"
"You were seeing red through your eyes no doubt. Not seen you in such a fury for a while, wonder how that happened!" L'Otter winked at the Dormouse mage, who looked up and whistled innocently
"The Holy Spear of Roma did it's damage though. Up on my ower I floored Maynard Whitlow!" Red boasted, taking a slip from his flaggon, and leaning back, looking pleased with himself. "No one messes with an agent of the mother church blessed with a weapon as holy as that."
L'Otter shot Bowie a look of "Are you ever going to tell him?" While Bowie looked slightly embarrassed at what was once a silly prank that was now coming back to haunt him.
"I reached the treasure pile," Snappy added, "time was getting short. Glad to see you were busy of Sneaker's ropes, Batty."
"See, my daggers aren't just for throwing!"
Steepling her paws over her goblet, L'Otter shot a glance at the Dormouse, "Lady Door, you were taking quite a risk standing in the open with that hedgehog archer targeting you, are you sure that was wise?"
"I was busy casting Sangrim's Portable Projector to protect our newest member."
"I thought a badger in plate armour was tough enough!" Snappy laughed.
"Against ein otter wid ein grosschwert, sorry big sword, it was much appreciated!" The badger smiled kindly
Lady Door, the dormouse mage, looked at the two of them. "I think he's lost weight actually."
"Not what I meant," Bowie grinned, showing his fangs, "you joining us for magical cover was a brilliant idea."
"Yeah, I could see their new hedgehog archer, Tennison, was going to be a pain, so I figured I would try to slow him with my 'pain' spell."
"Not happy that he was using all my kit," Sneaker grimaced.
"It's all right, he couldn't hit for toffee!" The dormouse mage grinned.
"I knew Tubbs de weazel was ahead of us, so I thought I scare him by taking down the window he hide behind." The badger grinned.
"You nearly took out the whole wall!" Bowie laughed.
"Ahh, but he scared, my plan worked, he ran!!"
The gang laughed at this, as the badger mimed dusting bricks off his ornate jacket.
"They were really guarding that well, brave of you to go attracting the attention of three warriors, Batty," Snappy the squirrel archer looked up at the bat, who was enjoying a grub.
"Three of us with missile weapons pinning them down," Red the mouse added, "good plan."
"Four, me, you, Snappy and Abi Berry all closing on their position," Batty interjected.
"Batty, you usually can't see the end of your nose, I would hardly describe you as a shooter!" Abi laughed, "but still brave to put yourself in harms way."
"Killed more than you!" The bat grinned, ruffling the shrew's head hair with a wind blast from a wing.
"As soon as we got the nod from L'Otter, I unleashed my first shot at that heavily armed mouse warrior Maynard Whitlow."
"You hit him good too," L'Otter added, "but I got him better!"
"Yeah, lightning will always find a way, especially towards a mouse carrying a sword bigger than himself!" Bowie added.
"Maybe standing on my tower was not the best plan!" Red laughed.
"It was better than my log pile, Freda the ferret with that cavalier and a fireball from our unconscious mole friend here nearly cost me dearly! I spent the next goodly while trying to cure myself." L'Otter looked at one slightly singed hem of her gown, "That was expensive too!"
Batty grinned from above, "Well Abi, I know you got a good hit in on Sir Archibald Hastings with one of your throwing knives, and I appreciate the arrow you buried in him too Snappy, but I am definitely claiming that my two daggers thrown at him really put him down!"
Abi looked up at him, and saluted, "Sir Batty, those two throws of yours were really deadly, I congratulate your aim and take back all I said!"
"I ran round ze tower at full speed, straight into ze waiting paws of zat otter Van Der Vilk" Dach mused, sipping his brandy from a glass that, although tiny in his paws, Lady Door could have slept in! "He hit hard."
Lady Door slapped the badger on the arm, "Good thing you were carrying a healing potion."
"After the last two times we met hers, I knew Freda was a danger, so I had to go for her before she shot you again!" Abi looked at L'Otter and winked.
"My friend, I am very glad you did," the archmage replied, magic rippling across her knuckles, "it was starting to get painful. Anyone need slightly flattened lead?" Two blood stained shot fell onto the table from mid air, causing 'yucks' from the gang.
"Tubbs made it to the base of the tower," Ouseux added, "but I came in from above, closely followed by Batty, as we planned."
"Death from above!" The bat added.
"Only trying to keep up with you! The sparrow replied, "taking out that squirrel archer in the tower felt good after losing an eye last time."
"I could tell you were upset old friend, you took on both Tubbs and the Friar here straight afterwards." L'Otter pointed to the recumbent mole, who was dribbling slightly through his snores.
"I was all alone up my tower, and up comes Maynard Whitlow, looking for a fight with that big sword of his." Red complained, "he's a well trained fighter.".
"I was trying to get to the main tower, when out sprang that psycho squirrel Oakleaf, glad my armour held up against her." Bowie mewed.
"Fights were going on everywhere!" Snappy added. "I was not able to target anyone."
L'Otter grinned at the squirrel, "So, you came off your perch and headed for the loot pile."
"And you wouldn't have done the same?"
"We both moved to support your assault Bowie, but Lady Door got her spell in before me I saw." L'Otter raised an eyebrow at the other mage.
"I just gave him a hand." The dormouse looked on non-apologetically.
"Oakleaf did not last against my charms," Bowie preened himself, "she was put down, and allowed me to move on. An eye for an eye I hear!"
"You were seeing red through your eyes no doubt. Not seen you in such a fury for a while, wonder how that happened!" L'Otter winked at the Dormouse mage, who looked up and whistled innocently
"The Holy Spear of Roma did it's damage though. Up on my ower I floored Maynard Whitlow!" Red boasted, taking a slip from his flaggon, and leaning back, looking pleased with himself. "No one messes with an agent of the mother church blessed with a weapon as holy as that."
L'Otter shot Bowie a look of "Are you ever going to tell him?" While Bowie looked slightly embarrassed at what was once a silly prank that was now coming back to haunt him.
"I reached the treasure pile," Snappy added, "time was getting short. Glad to see you were busy of Sneaker's ropes, Batty."
"See, my daggers aren't just for throwing!"
Steepling her paws over her goblet, L'Otter shot a glance at the Dormouse, "Lady Door, you were taking quite a risk standing in the open with that hedgehog archer targeting you, are you sure that was wise?"
"I was busy casting Sangrim's Portable Projector to protect our newest member."
"I thought a badger in plate armour was tough enough!" Snappy laughed.
"Against ein otter wid ein grosschwert, sorry big sword, it was much appreciated!" The badger smiled kindly
"Thank you for your haste spell L'Otter. Allowed me to sprint in to the tower and took down that dear Friar with the flat of my blade. He definitely was not immune to unique charms" Bowie smiled proudly.
"If that's what you call screaming 'Forgive me, I need to confess' as you burst through the doorway,..." Sneaker added, as the rest of the gang giggles and splurted drinks.
"Ja, I do not understand why zee detectives chose to hold ein ruined tower, I could walk up to zem. I would have used zat grand house." Dach the badger mused.
"Most importantly, my friend, it allowed us to keep Van Der Vilk from attacking the rest of us, and that allowed us in to free Sneaker." Bowie grinned, "and help ourselves to their loot pile! Ouseux, good work taking Tubbs down too."
"Was it four or five of their warriors we hurt?" Abi counted, "I was still busy missing and blocking all Freda's attacks."
"Six out of their nine." Sneaker replied, "I had a grandstand view of it all!"
"So, we lost no-one, broke them, rescued our mouse, and looted their haul." L'Otter counted off on her paws. "I call that a good day!"
"Twenty pennies worth of a good day," Batty added
"You know they will come for their mole?" Bowie asked.
"No healing mage, no supporting fireballs, should be a good scrap!" Sneaker grinned.
"If that's what you call screaming 'Forgive me, I need to confess' as you burst through the doorway,..." Sneaker added, as the rest of the gang giggles and splurted drinks.
"Ja, I do not understand why zee detectives chose to hold ein ruined tower, I could walk up to zem. I would have used zat grand house." Dach the badger mused.
"Most importantly, my friend, it allowed us to keep Van Der Vilk from attacking the rest of us, and that allowed us in to free Sneaker." Bowie grinned, "and help ourselves to their loot pile! Ouseux, good work taking Tubbs down too."
"Was it four or five of their warriors we hurt?" Abi counted, "I was still busy missing and blocking all Freda's attacks."
"Six out of their nine." Sneaker replied, "I had a grandstand view of it all!"
"So, we lost no-one, broke them, rescued our mouse, and looted their haul." L'Otter counted off on her paws. "I call that a good day!"
"Twenty pennies worth of a good day," Batty added
"You know they will come for their mole?" Bowie asked.
"No healing mage, no supporting fireballs, should be a good scrap!" Sneaker grinned.
"We need to find somewhere to hold up and wait." Sneaker added, "Guess we're the bad guys now!"
The gang dispersed the next day, Lady Door and L'Otter went to talk to the local postmistress and collect L'Otter's new spell scroll. Dach had a close encounter with a slaver, who was made to see reason, and freed his wares, before he choked. Batty hung round the well, and made 5p for the gang. Abi found the local alchemist, who kindly provided many healing potions. Ouseux helped out a money lender, gaining 10p for the gang. Bowie snuck off to a chapel to properly confess, and charmed the priest into blessing all his next actions. Abi scouted out where to hole up with the friar, while Red popped over to Shrewsbury Town to keep up good relationships in case of losses. Sneaker spent his time back at base, re-equipping himself.
The real Bowie, escorting me to wargames. It was an omen!
The gang dispersed the next day, Lady Door and L'Otter went to talk to the local postmistress and collect L'Otter's new spell scroll. Dach had a close encounter with a slaver, who was made to see reason, and freed his wares, before he choked. Batty hung round the well, and made 5p for the gang. Abi found the local alchemist, who kindly provided many healing potions. Ouseux helped out a money lender, gaining 10p for the gang. Bowie snuck off to a chapel to properly confess, and charmed the priest into blessing all his next actions. Abi scouted out where to hole up with the friar, while Red popped over to Shrewsbury Town to keep up good relationships in case of losses. Sneaker spent his time back at base, re-equipping himself.
The real Bowie, escorting me to wargames. It was an omen!
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