Swamped Chapter 74 Page 5

“We keep meeting places and signals secret for a reason,” you say. “Can’t talk about those freely. We even have to be careful what we share with other members… wait, hang on. Are you looking for a way in? Bounties not paying off regularly enough?”

“Or maybe I think your story sounds fishy,” they snap back.

“Yeah? Well, what’s the alternative? What’s a real Marshguard going to be doing all the way out here, so far from the swamp?”

“Been thinking about that. Been thinking about how every so often, I hear a story about the Rider of the Swamp showing up somewhere strange. And here I see you and I’m thinking, people in bars tend to exaggerate, even before they get a few good drinks in. So maybe instead of a huge man on a swamp beast, this Rider is just a regular old Marshguard sent out on a mission, for Hool knows what reason, who happens to be sitting on an animal. Like that desert horse of yours. If it’s dark enough, who’d know the difference?”

“It’s not very dark right now,” you say.

“Just means I caught you by surprise. Mind, I doubt I can claim the Rider’s bounty even if my theory’s right, but somebody’s bound to have an interest in you.”

They don’t seem sold on your bluff. On the other hand, they can’t be as confident as they sound, considering they haven’t made a move against you yet. Even if they still have that crossbow pointed at you.

They also let slip a little bit about what god they worship. Too bad you know barely anything about religion, or you might be able to make use of that somehow.

So. Where do you take things from here?

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Suggestions:

Well, knowing that the Rider has a big bounty on his head around here might be a good tidbit to keep in your back pocket in case you need to convince this ne’er-do-well to help you track him down, but for now it seems safer to keep up the act.

Be dismissive of their threats. Intimate that fighting, capturing, and transporting you to redeem a bounty that doesn’t exist would just be a waste of both your time. The notion that a marshguard would have the funding to travel out here but not bring a less conspicuous outfit is laughable.

All that said, you could use their help. Ask how familiar they are with the area and the surrounding oases.

 

Ask them where they were thinking of taking you anyway, this place is pretty far away from any major settlements isnt it?