Beginnings, Part 5

The day, if it can be called that, grinds on. Swing after swing, punctuated on occasion by breaks for water. Crockus does not return.

After some hours, a guard calls down the tunnels where you are working. "Ho! Break time." At her voice, the other guards move into action. The guard sergeant calls out instructions: "Tools down. Line up!" and the other slaves begin to move. The lash is applied readily to those who lag.

The owner of the female voice appears with a partner bearing a large trough. The two are followed by another pair of guards carrying similar. By the sour smell that wafts toward you, you recognize the same gruel you were fed earlier.

The quartet sets down the troughs in front of the first slave in line and empties four clay jugs into the water barrel. The nearby guards stand at the ready around the line; others remain overseeing the group of slaves still working. One at a time, you advance, eat, and drink--not enough to satiate, but enough to keep you alive. Those who take too long are lashed.

You return to your task, dismantling the rock around you and shoveling it into carts that are brought and removed by a pair of slaves driven by another guard. Time wears on.

After a time, water break is called and you each take your turn at the barrel. Then more labor, and as you tire, more lashes. Work continues. Muscles fatigue and cramp. The task of chipping at the stone becomes all--the percussion of iron on stone, the rhythmic work songs of the veteran slaves, the ache and twinge of muscled unused to such toil.

At last, the guard sergeant calls break and you are again lined up for gruel and marched back to the cell. On the way back, you notice that yours is one of quite a few cells in a single hallway, and that there appear to be other such halls nearby, down branching corridors.

As for Crockus and the invalid, they are left more or less alone during the day, save for interruptions for more water and food. The mystery man's raving doesn't diminish, but Crockus treats his wounds with a rough poultice and feeds him rice and helpful herbs, and keeps him as warm as he can. After a time, the man's face appears slightly less flushed, his breathing somewhat less ragged. [For the following day, Matt's Stamina + Resistance rolls for his character to resist/overcome his infection are at -3 instead of -4. Crockus can continue to make Intelligence + Medicine rolls to help deal with the infection.]

[While Crockus cares for the invalid, he has the time to explore his cell, converse with the guard, etc., if he likes.]

Later, food is brought--a hunk of hard bread and similar cheese, plus gruel, and a bowl of broth for the invalid, plus water in a wooden bucket with a ladle.

[If anyone would like to act or comment before the night and next day continue, now's the time. Wednesday deadline.]


[As always, if you wish to interrupt any of the above with comments or actions, please do so.]