The castle is open once more

[MageNathaniel1]

The castle is back open and bustling with activity once again. The cargo ships have resumed their routine deliveris and the merchants are open for business. The military stand ready to protect the castle and village or to assist anyone who may need it.

[MageNathaniel1]

all has been quiet in the realm thus far. the hunters have stayed away from the caves and the creatures have left us alone. though someone thought they saw one of the creatures by the city gates but it turned out to be old man mcginty without his shirt. sir hawk has been placed in charge of the city guard. the shops are doing well and the ships are coming and going as they should.

[MageNathaniel1]

mcginty really needs to learn to keep his shirt on, he keeps causing alarm on the east side of the realm people think it is one of the creatures, that or he seriously needs a body shave to avoid the confusion. new people have started arriving by ship to settle in the village, some seeking a new start, some running from their past, and some just starting out, either way they are a welcome sight here as long as they come in peace and respect the laws of the land. I have been busy helping to over see the business of the realm and upgrading my spell knowledge jist in case it should be needed.  sir hawk has the guards well trained and keeps them sharper than they have ever been. things are going well but then one should always be cautious in saying such as anything could happen.

[MageNathaniel1]

all if the shops and storehouses are fully stocked, mcginty has agreed to keep his shirt on in public at least, hawk has the guard on their toes with new training methods, my magic skills and potion making has improved greatly of late. each day something new to learn, all seems well and in order at least for now.

[MageNathaniel1]

hawk has been sending patrols out with the hunters to see that they avoid the caves and are abiding by the laws. it seems to be annoying the hunters a bit but they are coping well with it. I think a few wish hawk, hinself were going out with them as he has a way with animals, seems to be able to communicate with them, and has had the hinters avoid certsin areas where he seems to be friends with the animals. I have been busying myself with a couple new potions and spells when not overseeing the business of the castle. a new merchant ship showed up today from a company I have not heard of before. I have tasked hawk with investigating it to learn what he can about them, it us odd to get new ships up this far as few know we are even here and those that do business with us like to keep it that way to make more profit for themselves. I will await the report from hawk before meeting with this new company.

[MageNathaniel1]

hawk is keeping the hunters away from the creatures area and where his animal friends live but allowing them into other areas which does not seem to be affecting their hunts so they are satisfied with it. the investigation into the new merchant company is under way. a search of the ship has been ordered to check it for weapons or items that could pose a threat to the city. messengers on swifts have been sent to other towns they claim to have visited to inquire about them we await their reaponses.

[MageNathaniel1]

the search of the ship found some people hiding in the hold, the captain claimed they must have been stowaways but they say he knew they were there. they, and the captain have been brought into the keep for further interrogation as suspected criminals seekink to sack the town. in the mean time all on the ship have been restricted to the vessel and guards posted.

[MageNathaniel1]

two people from the ship tried to leave and enter the city during the night watch. the guards intercepted them and placed them in the dungeon. I have placed a spell on the ship preventing anyone else from leaving it unless I allow it. this has increased concern that this is nothing but a spy ship but I am willing to await the final report and the response the swifts bring back.

[MageNathaniel1]

the captain of the ship is complaining about being stuck on his ship with the crew and that wr have arrested some of the crew. hawk told him they had violated the order to stay on the ship until we have interrogated what he called stowaways and hear back from the swifts. the news of the swifts seemed to alarm him a little but he regained his compsure quickly and said well if you do not trust us or want our business send back my crew members and let us leave.  hawk said you remain here until I am told you can go, now stay put. the captain protested bit had little say in the matter with the shield in place on his ship.

[MageNathaniel1]

the first swift has returned from the closest harbour town with news that they had never heard of the ship, company, or the captain. hawk sent word to have all of the prisoners interrogated as to their intentions. I am planning to call the captain in for my own interrogation tomorrow but I want to let him stew a bit longer besides, by then we may have news from one of the other swits.

[MageNathaniel1]

the other swifts have returned each neighbouring town says they have never heard of the ship or the company they claim to represent. Hawk has asked me to lower the shield so he and the guards can do a more thorough search of the ship. I agree and set it up so the guard is on hand to begin the search and hold the crew at bay until it is concluded before I lower the shield. once all is in place, hawk boards the ship, the guards round up the captain and crew then send others to begin searching the hold, going through each box. many of the boxes are empty, the rest have rocks or other various worthless items in them.  as the report comes back, I tell hawk to take captsin amd crew i lm custody and interrogate them one by one until we know what this is about and place the shield back over the ship.

[MageNathaniel1]

Hawk started the interrogations with the deckhands and the ones listed as stowaways hoping they would be a bit weaker and more willing to talk then worked his way up to the captain though each had the same story about working for a merchant and coming to sell goods though they had no answer to why the boxes were empty or only had rocks or the number of weapons found on the ship. My suspicion is they are mercenaries here to attack the city or oerhaps kidnap one of our citizens.  I told hawk to keep them in tje dungeon a few more days perhaps one of them will soften up and in the meantime to keep guards posted around the city and a close eye on all in bound ships.  I have started working on a truth spell to see if I cannot get one of them to talk.

[MageNathaniel1]

the captsin and crew seem resolute in not talking about their true reasons for being here and insisting they are a merchant ship. I arranged another search of the ship, this time including the crew and captains quarters. a wanted poster is found in esch of their quarters showing pictures of some of the most recent arrivals to the town with rewards offered in large sums.  hawk brings the postrrs to me each of the crew and the captain had a different ooster and different person's picture on it. so that is it, bounty hunters who thought they could kidnap some of our newest citizens for the rewards. well then, we shall need to send them off and make sure they know not to return.  I have hawk round them all up from the dungeon into the courtyard under the supervision of the soldiers. I then tirm to them and present the posters to them and say so you thought to kidnap some of our citizens for a reward. you are lucky I am in a good mood and simply sending you back to where you came from empty handed and not keeping you here in the dungeon for this.  this village is a place for second chances I make the rules here, your oosters mean nothing to me. now you will be sent off but, should any of you ever be seen nesr this town agaim, you will not return home period. now the soldiers will escort you to your ship, and our navy will follow you as you lwave our territory never to return, now go before I change my mind.

[MageNathaniel1]

the naval vessels sent to escort the mercenary ship out of our territory have returned and resport they left without any difficulty. I order increased naval patrols and have hawk double the guard as I am sure they will be back given they do not want to lose the money spent to get here to collect the bounties offered for the ones they came for. I have no intention of turning over any citizen of the town to mercenaries, particularly if they have not brolen any laws here. I suspect they will try to land elsewhere and come in by land as we know what their ship looks like.

[MageNathaniel1]

True to my suspicions, the mercenary ship did make an attempt at returning further away from the ports nit was spotted by the naval vessels and escorted back out to sea. I do not think this will be their last attempt so I have asked hawk to have troops and signaling fires set up along the coast and southern border in case they should try to apprach via the wastelands. the navy will continue to shadow the ship and deter it from trying to land along our coasts.