(021) Vegetable Soup

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

Ulric heads out into the rain to inspect the presumably lowered portcullis.

Ulric, followed by Desmond, enters the mess hall, and then steps out into the dark, wet courtyard, where he immediately starts getting wet in the rain. However, it is only half a dozen quick paces across the yard and into the gate arch.

Here, even in the dark, Ulric can see the damage. The portcullis is indeed down, along with a rough pile of a dozen of so great blocks of ancient stone which have tumbled out of the arch itself.

The pair frown at this for a moment, before hopping back into the warmth and light of the mess hall, eager to be out of the wet.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Wibert disappears into the kitchen and begins work on another soup, this time with the very end of the brigand's supplies.

Four fifths of the pumpkin, onions and potatoes he bought up are so bad he wouldn't feed them to a dog. Of the little else that might be edible, he cuts out only the marginally poor parts for consumption, and gets to work in the semi-gloom...

...perhaps he might be able to get another half meal out of these old veggies after all.

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
Awaiting the next hobbit-made meal, Pelenwin assist Koch in the construction of smakeshift caltrops.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Before too long there is something smelling good in the kitchen, and the company is beginning to warm up somewhat, despite the continuing drizzle outside, and leaks inside.

Once out of (most of) his wet gear, Victor begins picking through the half wet rations that were bought in on the cart...

"Some o' this'll have ta go," he grumbles, sorting the good from the bad.

Meanwhile busy hands finish working through the bucket of old nail, producing a respectable score or so mean looking caltrops.

The evening is an hour old before Wibert's next batch of soup is done to his satisfaction... thou in truth there is only half as much as there was last time. It isn't as fair to taste either -- this time there is a murky bitterness underlying it. But it is hot, and that's something...


Night is come. What is the plan for the night watches?

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

Once out of (most of) his wet gear, Victor begins picking through the half wet rations that were bought in on the cart...

"Some o' this'll have ta go," he grumbles, sorting the good from the bad.

Wibert will try to make some ration soup with the wet rations, so they do not go to waste.

Wibert speaks his mind, "This place is not safe, we know there is someone here who wants us dead. I am sure they will attack tonight. I suggest we put 3 people on guard at all times during the night, and no one go any where alone. I will take the first watch."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Wibert puts his veggies soup aside and begins on the experiemental "ration soup".

There are roughly two weeks worth of water-logged trail rations which the enthusiastic cook puts into a great black pot and boils down to a
watery, grey gruel. Even Wibert has to admit that it tastes pretty awful.

The only thing his "ration soup" has going for it is that there is tons of it.

[waysoftheearth]

Professor P wrote:
KOCH

"I'll take my rest now to heal this wound and I'll take the last shift."

With that, KOCH removes his helmet, finds a dry place to lay down and keeps his helmet, shield, spear, and pack close at hand.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough turns up his nose at the foul stew and eats a few crumbs from his dwindling supply of Elf-bread.

Is it time to deploy caltrops, trammel the doors, and seal us in for the night?

Highbough will wake with the 3rd watch to study his arcane formulae (he plans to re-memorize The Trammel).

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"I'll take the middle watch," Dieter says, yawning and stretching. "Since our lerned brethen here must have their beauty sleep..."

And he curls up in his now much drier cloak and goes to sleep. He's close to the fire, but not so close he'd interfere with further cooking or anything.

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
Desmond says, "I'll help out with the third shift, if that works for everyone else..."

He then lays down near the fire, as well, and goes to sleep.