Outpost Assistance [Complete]

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Mepple's lively spirit was caught off-guard, and he relented a momentary frown before regaining composure once more. By the goddesses, that man was persistent. Recomposed to the pure image of calm and good-spirits, though, the alchemist replied cheerily, "Of course, of course. No time to wait." And with that, a quick meal passed and the older man prepared himself to leave once more, wrapping up the rest of his belongings and changing his previous day's, sweat-dampened shirt for a new one. He worked quickly, and, after a handful of minutes from his awakening, he gave Dragonheart a satisfactory nod, "I'm ready if you are, Rua."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Rua reached into his pack to help himself to another bottled meal, drinking it quickly before he began tearing down what little there was of the camp. He was done even before Mepple had gathered his belongings to depart.

Rua knew that his actions and orders might start getting grating on his employer, but he knew he couldn't feel too bad about it--this was the job that Mepple was paying him for. And out here in the lawless wilderness where Ganon's forces roamed, it paid to be cautious and alert. He just hoped nothing got in the way of their travel to the outpost. "We shouldn't be too much farther from the outpost from here," he said to the alchemist as he sheathed his sword again, ready to leave. "We should be able to make it before midday, if we don't encounter any obstacles."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Mepple almost wished that something would happen out of the ordinary on the way to the outpost, just to break the norm that was quickly cementing itself between Rua and him. On the other hand, though, that might be just what his bodyguard would need to finally snap. The alchemist shook that thought from his head; Dragonheart was, for all intents and purposes, a professional in his field. Not only was the man used to a fight, but the tenseness might even just be because he was expecting one.

Orup had spent plenty of time in the plains of Southern Hyrule by now to know how to survive if necessary, but the dangers were still very real. Strictly speaking the bodyguard was not completely necessary, but Orup was still more than happy to pay a bit of money and social comfort to be rid of the trouble of constant watch. Rua's exhaustion after the night in the wilderness was more than enough to convince.

Just like the day before, though, they traveled without incident or event. No need to wonder how long it would be, though, because after an hour and a half or so the ground began to slope upwards, signaling they grew nearer. The outpost in question had been built at the top of a sizable hill, the slope gradual approaching the front and quite sharp in the rear. It had been deemed at the time to be one of the most defensible locations in the area, and it had lived through many of Ganon's assaults, but Orup was reminded just how insufferably long the hill actually was. Two full hours passed before the outpost even came into sight over a slightly steeper section of the hill, and it was another half hour before they reached the gates.

Waves of comfort passed over the older man as he enjoyed more conversation in a few brief minutes than had taken place over the last day and a half. It didn't take long before the alchemist learned the majority of what he needed to know, and finally they led him to the possessions of their late-grocer who had been in charge before. When all was clear, those in charge left Mepple to begin working.

Before he started, though, he spoke once more to Rua, whom he had not yet dismissed, "Things here aren't as bad as I thought they might be, thankfully. Only a dozen or so are injured, and the previous grocer has enough herbs to take care of all the injured and then some. Since I won't be needing to leave the outpost to collect any herbs, you're free to do whatever you wish until I'm finished here. As per our original agreement, though, you'll still be paid for the days we spend here. I don't think it will be longer than three or four nights, though."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Quite unlike his companion and employer, Rua remained unmindful of the lack of dialogue between the two, instead focusing on his task to get Mepple to the outpost unharmed. But they encountered no trouble since, regardless the creature sightings he made--he made no comment on the little life he saw in the wasteland that Southern Hyrule was becoming, not wanting to worry Mepple any more than he already was.

The mercenary had less trouble scaling the hill where the outpost was located, being far more fit than the alchemist. Rua still did what he could to aid the older man on the trek, and before long, they had arrived. He noted the sorry state the place was in, with fewer guards on duty than usual--understandable, given the recent attack. When they entered the premises, Rua contented himself to lean against the wall while Mepple confirmed the situation.

He looked back up when he returned, looking delighted, but Rua frowned when he heard that his services weren't really needed--at least, until his payment was confirmed to still be coming, and he gave a simple nod at that. After a moment of contemplation, he looked back up at Mepple, his eyebrow arched. "Only a dozen wounded?" he remarked. "That's a bit unusual for moblin or darknut raids on an outpost."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

The alchemist frowned at the words, reluctantly adding in response, "Forty-seven dead. Most of the wounded died of poison the day after the fighting stopped; they never really had a chance without the proper medicines, poor lads. The surviving wounded are mostly the ones who were treated with the remaining amount of antidote their last herbalist had in stock. I'm really just here to ease the pain and boost their recovery; I think the Western Caves will likely send some reinforcements soon as well. No use waiting around though!"

And with that, Orup heaved a tremendous sigh and bustled off into one of the other tents, ready to begin working. He certainly enjoyed his work, much more than most other aspects of his life, and it served as a convenient distraction from the discomforts of the journey. Men would be helped, he would be paid, and perhaps he could even glean some information from the previous alchemist. No one of the trade ever claimed to hold back anything that could be useful in these desolate days, but more often than not lied some family secret within an alchemist's notes. Orup had every intent of searching the deceased man's belongings in the next couple of days that would come to pass.

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Rua's frown returned as the alchemist gave him a clearer picture of the situation at the outpost. He looked down for a moment and slowly nodded. "That... that sounds more like what happens when they make a raid," he remarked, crossing his arms where he leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure if he was replying to his employer, or remarking to himself.

As he saw Mepple leaving, though, he raised his voice. "You going to need any assistance from me, sir?" he asked.

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

The alchemist turned once more at the man's voice, somewhat surprised he hadn't been desperately waiting to take some time off at the outpost. With a quick, appreciative smile, he shook his head once and responded, "No, I'll be just fine on my own, since I'll have no need to gather any herbs. Go take a look around and have a drink; this place is full of soldiers, I'm sure you'll find someone interesting to talk to."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

The mercenary's lips tightened for a moment, and then he nodded, pushing himself up off of the wall. Mepple was right, there were other things he could do--he had a few days to kill now, and he might as well use them effectively.

Time to make the usual rounds, he thought to himself as he went to locate the mess hall. With the attack fresh in everyone's minds, they'd surely remember some particulars of the incident, and every damn clue helped.

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

The next couple of days passed in a blur to Orup Mepple, who enjoyed flexing his ability at bed-side manners alongside his alchemy. It always proved nice to see men and women in pain get better, but the moments were fleeting alongside other thoughts of his. Best to simply think about the rewards at the end; those were always much simpler. Better alchemists than he walked the lands of Southern Hyrule, but since the profession already stood in low supply, most of the men he treated found themselves surprised at their steady increase in health.

Crossings with Rua proved as stoic as ever, containing little more than a few polite words and perhaps a status update on Orup's project. The alchemist wasn't particularly interested in whatever his hired hand kept himself occupied with, be it adventuring or simply a wench and a drink. He didn't suspect Rua to be the type to intentionally make trouble, but it wasn't out of the question either.

Finally, at the end of three days in the camp of brewing potions and applying poultices, the men under Mepple's care seemed to be doing quite well, despite their slings and bandages. He had made a fair amount of reserve antidotes for any immediate, future incursions on the fort, but it would be up to the outpost to hire a new alchemist as soon as they could. Orup was offered the job, but he claimed he was too old.

Before he went to sleep, though, he scribbled a note and had it sent to Rua: "The men are taken care of. We leave at first light tomorrow."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Rua found the note tacked to his door upon awakening before daybreak. He gave it a once-over and nodded to himself, crumpling it in his hand and tossing it away as he gathered his belongings. Upon picking up his sword from where it rested against the simple bed, he drew it and inspected the blade once more--he had gone on some patrols to pass the time over the few days, and the few hazardous creatures it had slain, plus the inappropriate wood-hacking he had put it through on the trek had necessitated he take it to the local blacksmith to get the nicks in it taken care of.

He'd decided it'd be best to pick up the craft again--he couldn't always rely on local help when his travels took him away from the Western Caves. As usual, his inquisition here at the outpost had turned up no leads--those few who were in the know said that the big Darknut that usually leads the attacks hadn't been seen in some time, and had thought to have headed north, towards Death Mountain and perhaps beyond.

It mattered little. Soon he'd have enough money and supplies to make the trek northward, and then he'd find out for himself.

But for now, it was time to meet up with his employer and return to the Western Caves.

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

For Orup, the real reward of the outpost venture wasn't aiding the sick or even the satchel of money he received on the last night. No, the real reward lied within his pack now, neatly transcribed into his own journal. Over the course of the days, the old alchemist had had plenty of time to spend pouring over the previous herbalist's journals and notes, and they had been far from disappointing. With the new secrets and shortcuts for the trade that he had picked up, Orup felt confident that his skills and knowledge banks would prove themselves more potent than before. Of course everyone with a profession carried their own secrets, but it was not often that so many appeared in one place. It was a noteworthy event in a sea of the ordinary, to say the least.

As Mepple left his temporary living space, all materials and secrets came with him as he set out toward the gate of the outpost. The journey back to the Western Caves would likely prove even less eventful than the trip away from them, but with more of the journey being downhill and a somewhat earlier start, Orup held hopes that they could make the trip by day's end. Rua, likely still holding the same lofty standards for travel, appeared ready at the gate, even as the sun made its first impressions on the horizon. While he found Rua's silence discomforting at best, good mercenaries always exhibited a different factor of quality that made them desirable. Rua might be lacking in some areas, but his ability to complete a job seemed to be everything that was paid for, and Orup was thankful for that. Uncomfortable walking and poor dialogue were not the steepest prices that could be paid to avoid being ambushed along a path or marauded during the night.

"I see you're all ready to go, then," Orup remarked cheerfully to Rua, half hoping he might get a hint of a positive response. "We'll get going right away provided there's no reason you'd like to stay longer."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

The mercenary glanced up as he heard someone approach, relaxing when he saw it was his employer, and he nodded to him in greeting, standing up from the post he was leaning on and brushing off his clothing. "I don't," Rua replied to the alchemist's statement, giving a light shake of his head. "The men here didn't know anything that I could make any use of. I think they're glad to be rid of me, after the first couple of questions I asked."

Re: Outpost Assistance [Closed]

Orup had no desire to know the kinds of questions Rua would ask that could bother even other soldiers. With a jovial smile, the alchemist only cared to nod graciously to his mercenary, "Of course. Well, no time to waste then!" And with that, they were off again. The journey had been a dry one indeed, but Orup found himself not bothered in the slightest. A nice, simple journey with easy rewards and a clean conscience on the way home were always preferred. Rua might be aching for adventure, or whatever he had been bothering the people of outpost over, but all had worked out in the end.

Even more-so than the rest of the trip, the journey home proved completely uneventful. Orup managed to make it in one day, though barely, with aching feet awaiting him for the next several days. Not the most exciting of all things, but still worthwhile in the end.