As Verik chastises Taisper and Jemini moves away, Zander looks about the area and sees Tandlara sitting on the ground. He feels ashamed to have ignored her, caught up in his argument with the Lebeda woman. Their eyes meet and he is hit with a pang of emotion as he sees the sadness behind them. Before he can act, Jemini moves over to comfort her and Berrin walks past towards the building.
Not wanting any further conflict with the Lebeda woman, Zander turns to to follow Berrin into the cabin, calling out, "We should be careful. He probably laid traps all over the place. Best to approach slowly and keep our eyes open."
"We're here to bring Order, Verik, not bureaucracy. Ther's a difference. Or are you too busy thinking about rubbing yonis with Jemini to remember that. And you, Jemini, how am I supposed to believe anything you say? What you say in and out of battle are completely different, and neither matches what you do! You don't know he wasn't still a threat or wouldn't have arisen to kill you. Instead of making up motivations for people threatening your life you'd do better to adapt and react to the threat at hand." Taisper puts his weapon away. His face has slid back into it's customary laconic grin. "But it's okay, I understand why you two are doing this. I get it now. You're talkers, that's what you do. You'd rather talk about stuff. It's okay. Master Hunter Zik told me this would happen. It's okay. Just you know, Verik, what you're saying right now? You remember it next time there's a man with a musket in your face. Where's your courthouse then?"
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Verik taps his heart, "There's my courthouse Taisper, and like anyone who presumes to pass judgment on others should the first person I judge is myself. If I were you I would be passing sentence upon myself right now. But it seems that reason is not getting through to you. So let me put this in terms you will understand kill a helpless foe without discussion, pity, or thought again and I will see you join him, or die trying. As a Priest of Abadar chosen, and by your words, sanctified, I declare your judgment flawed, cracked, and wholly inadequate."
Turning away Verik approaches Berrin shaking his head and muttering darkly, "You are hurt? Of course you are, hold still." He says gruffly, chanting until his hand glows with a warm golden light that ripples strangely as if underwater and touching it to the big warrior's shoulder from where it flows forward to gently wash away his wounds.
Seeing a few scrapes remain he sighs, "I will hold off until we finish searching this place if you feel up to it Berrin. We might as Zander says encounter more traps."
The front door was trapped with a crossbow bolt to the inside, but Orlivanch set it off when he exited because of Verik's magic. There are a few other crossbow traps set up under the porch, but they seem to trigger from wires being pulled on the inside of the cabin rather than tripwires on the outside.
Once inside, the very first thing they see is a massive bear looming over them. Startling at first glance, the bear is stuffed and mounted as a testament to Orlivanch's hunting skill. The cabin is fairly spartan, with a bed and desk as the only furniture. The room is dominated by dozens of half-built traps scattered across the floor, each a dangerous killing machine. Many vials of black powder and bullets are likewise scattered with no rhyme or reason.
Taisper laughs. "Verik you're talking nonsense and you know it, or were you too busy counting coin and referencing books to study church organization? You have no authority over me, much less to judge me. The Branch of Inquisition has special Dispensation and Autonomy, as written by the High Council. Or did you not notice the skull-key on my raiments? My judgment comes straight from the gods, and does not get filtered through a morass of mortally crafted justifications and questions. You and Jemini can BELIEVE all you want. I KNOW. I was in the vision, too, or are you conveniently forgetting that? I understood the vision for what it was but you, instead of exulting you cower and question. I see it! The Hunting School is not blind, you know. So save your pathetic threats! Why should I fear you? You can't beat me and you have NO aurhority to try me. Besides, Verik, when it came right down to it, neither you nor Jemini has the stones to kill me, and you both know it. You've both proven that three times over now. So save it." Taisper's voice is cold and flat and precise. His face is a mask. He looks at Verik through shining golden eyes.
"Precisely! There is no special dispensation for killing needlessly, not in my church, and not in yours. We don't have the stones to kill somebody in cold blood because we know the difference between right and wrong; not because we cannot act in cold blood. But don't think that it will keep you safe, Taisper. I'll show you how it is done: the right way. I will send word to the churches, with your and my testimony, in writing. And whoever else wishes to add to it. The appropriate authorities can judge the case - and Taisper, should the force of law speak against you, then you will find that I have plenty of stones to act on it."
Stoping himself in mid-draw of his sword Berrin mutters somthing under his breath about bears, smells and old men before stepping fully into the cabin. Scaning the room he heads over to the desk, seeing whats there.
Glancing nervously at Zander he grins weakly at him, "Let's hope our religeous types don't come to blows, eh? I'd rather not have to split them up if they do."
"So you won't kill a man who tried to take your life -- all of our lives -- but you're ready to kill one who helped save you? You're mad! But it's fine. You send your letter to any authority you wish and you will learn; your noble birth and ignorance of the Inquisition Branch won't make the Branch go away. And you haven't been listening; I don't need to be kept safe. Not from any of you. While you talk about filth and have high-minded arguments, I watch. I learn. I adapt. And I know you can't beat me either. So save your threats."
'I'm okay. I'll be fine,' Tandlara says up to Jemini. Then she starts to get to her feet. How do we get out of this mess? This is going to come to blows if it doesn't get resolved soon. I'm no mediator though. And I hardly think what Taispar did was okay. She looks at the man furtively, wary of his misguided convictions. Straight from the gods. Fanatics. Her side stings as it stretches out and she winces at the reminder of the pain. Bloody hell that hurt.
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"Try me Taisper. Do that again and you or I will die. Your empty bluster means nothing. I admit you are a better warrior than me, but that will not stop me trying to do what is right. If your behavior is any indication of how the Inquisition behaves then I say it is no true part of the church at all, and I am most glad not to be further aquainted with it." Verik hisses, through gritted teeth.
"Abadar may judge as he wishes, but do not try to use his vision as dispensation for your sins. Nowhere in that vision did he permit what you just did. I do not derive my morality wholly from my god in anycase, if Abadar were to endorse that act I would think less of him for it - though I am certain he would not. I am not a sheep to follow as commanded without question, I think for myself and follow Abadar because he shares my values rather than take my values because I follow Abadar. Perhaps you would be more comfortable had you been handed over to the Church of Asmodeus. Your actions would fit in neatly amongst their ranks!"
"Even the vision called for us to bring civilization to this place! Cobblehoof's words. Yet you say we are far from the Courthouse, what is civilization without the law you scoff at? If we are to bring civilization here we must behave like civilized men!"
Stopping for a moment to admire the stuffed bear, Zander continues his search of the building. When Berrin speaks, he responds, "Indeed. It's not like Taisper killed an innocent man in his sleep. This was combat; Just because he delivered an extra blow after the man was already down doesn't make him a murderer. I'm sure you understand. Listen to her... talking about sending letters of complaint? Where does she think we are that anything like that matters."
Taisper laughs warmly, as if Verik just told a funny joke. "'Empty Bluster?' Verik, man, who's morningstar is covered with blood? Not yours, that's for sure. And it is precisely people like you, cousin, who precipitated the formation of the Inquisition Branch. The kind whose 'free will' begins so nobly, but falls so far, so fast, when the chips are down." Taisper smiles at his cousin and begins walking away from the group, back to the horses.
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Verik shakes his head, and turns to the others deflating as Taisper walks away, "I do not know what to do. He is... Delusional, he seems to think he has the divine sanction to do whatever he pleases. I do not wish to have to hurt my cousin, but he is... I do not know if I can continue to work with someone like that."
"Zander, are you saying you would have killed the man if he lay before you unconscious and bleeding? Without trying to take his side of the story with no risk to ourselves, without consulting the allies who risked life and limb alongside you? And that the blood would not stifle your smile one jot? Because I do not believe that. Did you see Taisper? He shows no guilt, no pity, no mercy. That is a monster. He sprayed that old man's gore over me and smiled."
Berrin stops mid-track searching the desk at Zander's words. "He what?" Turning around he looks at Zander in disbelief. "He delivered an extra blow? After Orlivansky had fallen?"
"Tell me Zander, have you ever served in a military of any sort? No? Never been a grunt in other mens schemes? Ever marched to battle? No? Well, the thing is that when your soldiering you know you can die. And many actually expect to die in battle eventually, but most of us, you see, hope to live through it to make it home, if you have a home that is. The rest of us just hope to make it to cold drinks and warm embraces, if you follow my meaning."
"But the thing is, see, putting a blade to a fallen man just isn't done. Falling in battle can be honorable sure, but putting a blade through some helpless sod isn't. Imagine your that guy Zander; Marching through the mud and rain toward some blokes you don't know with the intent of putting a blade through them, and they through you. You just want to get home but some frakker can't controll his bloodlust."
"Sure, this Orlivansky character looks to be cracked in the head. But the thought of someone putting a blade through me after I'm unconsious and bleeding to death doesn't sit right with me. Sorry."
She takes a look at Tandlara's side - helping the elf woman bandage herself up. Overhearing Berrin, Jemini mutters to herself, "Thank you, Berrin." Then louder: "Did you find evidence that this is Orlivanch?" She looks at the hopelessly smashed skull of the trapper, a powerless tear rolling down her cheek. As she looks at the pit traps she adds humorlessly, "Well, you'd probably want to rest in one of these."
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Verik nods to Berrin, finding himself very glad the big warrior feels that way, and suddenly very drained. He moves forward to stand over the corpse, tasting bile, and forcing down his growing urge to vomit.
"What did he do with all the earth? Maybe we can cave it in on top of him? I... I don't have the energy to dig another grave. Seem to have dug quite a few lately."
It seems quite likely that the cabin does belong to Orlivanch, as the traps are all emblazoned with his name. There doesn't seem to be much by way of books or journals. Trapmaking seemed to be his life. The traps are well-designed and more than sufficient for simple bear trapping. As Zander examines the cabin, he comes across a hinge on the floor, under on of the several bearkin pelts. Pulling the fur aside, he discovers a trap door leading down into a hidden cellar.
Masterwork Musket (On Orlivanch)
Masterwork Dagger (On Orlivanch)
Masterwork Studded Leather Armor (On Orlivanch)
Masterwork Thief's Tools
Masterwork Trapmaker's Tools
Cloak of Resistance +1 (On Orlivanch)
27x Black Powder (3 On Orlivanch)
27x Firearm Bullet (3 On Orlivanch)
5x Bear Traps
4x Heavy Crossbows
8x Fur Pelts
528 gold
Replying to Verik, Zander says, "If Taisper hadn't finished Orlivanch off, I wouldn't have smashed in skull in, but I wouldn't have healed him either. I would have let him die from the wounds he took while fighting against us and trying to kill us as you all seem to be overlooking. He forfeited his side of the story when he attacked us without provocation and set traps all throughout the wilderness, killing that man back there. Are you forgetting about him? Taisper may be a little overenthusastic, but I've never seen him deal out his brand of justice to anyone who didn't deserve it. I'll admit it wouldn't hurt to give a little more discussion to who deserves what, but in this case I would have sided with Taisper's original finding."
Turning to Berrin, he says, "Sure, I see your point, but what you don't seem to understand is that this man was already dying when Taisper struck him. There was no reason for us to heal him, he was already dead to us. He could have surrendered at any point, but instead he decided to keep fighting and paid the price for it. If it were up to me, we would have called him dead as soon as he fell, thrown him in a pit, and been done with it."
"Hey guys, a trap door!"
The trap door does not appear secured by a lock or otherwise, but the inclusion of so many traps elsewhere means that there is probably a trap guarding it as well.
Zander carefully studies the area around the trap door. 'Stupid traps... Pretty cowardly way to fight if you ask me...' he thinks to himself.
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Verik nods, "But your proposed course would not have stolen the choice from the rest of us. I would have healed him, if only to hear his side of the story. What if like Jemini said his family had been taken and tortured by bandits? What if he was simply crazy? I may well have called for his death, but you do not make such judgments lightly... I'll leave it there, I grow weary of my own voice."
He chants and casts detect magic scanning the house and Orlivanch, "He is wearing a magical cloak... I would love to examine it, I've studied making magical items, but I'm afraid I was never very good." He fingers the cloth longingly, but cannot bring himself to take from this corpse. "I will go and help Zander, we can bury him once we are done, he may have a key or some such we need... So let's wait a moment before burying him."
The young cleric moves into the house and follows Zander cautiously prepared to heal the archer if necessary.
Well, he's dead now. Not much to discuss is there." Berrin shrugs, though clearly not happy about the turn of events. "I'll search the corpse." he says with a sigh.
Going to Orlivansky's corpse Berrin strips him of eveything down to his undergarments and then kicks the corpse down a pit. "We should search the are and clear it of traps. Or at least stake off the area warning about them." He then looks about the area, wondering what the mad trapper did with all the dirt.
Zander examines the door, finding a small bit of twine tied around a nail in the far corner of the trapdoor. He pulls it a little bit and hears a muffled "Thwack!" He opens the trapdoor, finding a crossbow bolt stuck in the wood. The trap from which it sprang points directly at the entrance, apparently designed to open fire upon anyone who opened the door. This Orlivanch seems to have been a very paranoid fellow.
The inside of the cellar is a ghastly sight.
Four human bodies line the room, apparently stuffed after a grisly death. Two of them, both male, have the silver amulet of the Stag Lord pinned on their clothes. One of the bandit corpses is in a sitting position, his leg horribly mangled and his face still in the full rigor of unbearable pain. The other bandit, while standing, looks to have been crushed by falling logs or rocks, if the strange depressions in his bodies are any indication. The other two bodies look like some of the Taldan settlers who lived in the area a generation prior. One is male, while the other is female. The male cadaver has a crossbow bolt embedded in his chest, his hand still wrapped around it as if trying to pull it out. The female body has no apparent damage, but she appears malnourished as if she slowly starved to death.
A chair sits in the middle of the room, its legs wearing deep grooves into the wooden floor. Orlivanch apparently spent quite a bit of time down here with his grisly trophies.
Zander coughs and covers his face, disgusted by the stench. Turning away from the grisly cellar he motions for Jemini and Verik to see, "Have a look at what your model citizen out there has been up to."
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Verik wretches splattering the floor with thin watery vomit, and staggers down into the cellar staring about in mute horror.
How could anyone, who would... Why, what possible... But Taisper did not know any of this, if he had waited we might found out why a man would do this... Do I want to know why?
"I hope you're happy Taisper. You've robbed this man of a trial to see his actions brought to light and made to acquit for them. Now he's simply dead and his soul is likely torn to the abyss."
"Zander, for somebody that dislikes nobility, you do seem to think that the end justifies the means a bit too much." Unlike for the trapper, Jemini begins finding a patch of soft earth to dig graves for the four victims. They wouldn't rest easy inside a trap. Poor creatures.
"This is insane." Berrin mutters as he looks down the trap door at the griztly scene beneath.
"Come now. Let's stop bickering. We need to intern the bodies, get rid of the traps and make the area safe. I'd suggest torching the place with everything in the cellar, but I'm sure you all are going to disagree with me so I'll just gather his 'equipment' in the pit with him."
Berrin starts gathering the traps, finished or not, in a pile outside to drop in the pit with the trappers corpse.
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"Its not the tools fault, no point burying them." Verik says gathering up the tools and studying each in pedantic detail before putting them in his backpack - in an effort to distract himself. "I will put these to good use, they can help make things better. We might even be able to use some of the traps to help in the defense of Oleg's should it come under assault again - not the bear traps, but the crossbows and arrow traps..."
After a few minutes of this, gathering himself, he exits and helps Jemini dig the graves in grim silence.
Tandlara watches the whole scene unravel with a sad expression on her face. She decides not to enter the house, and instead leans against the wall near the door, staying silent lost in her thoughts. Over a hundred years of peace and queit. I never needed to ask myself these kinds of questions then. But? Would I trade it? Despite all the fighting, I'm not alone. All of these people, my new little family will grow old and die before I even notice. We need to get back to Oleg's. We need to sort everything out.
Sighing she stands, as Verik vomits within the house. Guess he was a monster after all. The boy didn't know that though. You don't help the rapid wolf by letting him wander the country side. You tie him down so he can't bite anyone. She travels down the hillside, occasionally clutching her side, she heads towards the horses and young Taispar.
As she approaches, she first walks to her horse, patting Avansatra on the nose. 'They found some horrible things in the house Taispar. So I guess we would have had to kill that man after all.' She looks at the boy with sad eyes.
'Tell me. What is Abadar's first desire? Cities and law isn't it? I thought the first few cities I ever saw, so long ago now, where places of chaos incarnate. So many people, so many voices. But then I saw the underlying order, the bureacracy, the cooperation. We do not share the same beleifs, but I think myself and the faithful of Abadar share one idea. Teamwork, family, cooperation. The best way to bring justice is to have less people violate it, isn't it? That kind of prevention takes society, and society takes all sorts, your views, and your cousins. This may seem a strange idea to you, but things tend to work out. If you have patience. Abadar is the great maker, he is patience. If you emulated your god up on the hill, you still would have got to bring justice to that man with the same conviction. And never fallen out with your cousin, with our friends. We're all family now Taispar. In future maybe wait, let Verik have his moment, we were never going to let that man go back wandering the countryside. Trust me, if you have patience, your will, Abadar's will will be seen through. Maybe think about it?'
As Jemini and Verik prepare the graves, Jemini quietly speaks with Verik. "Something isn't right here. There is something there, isn't it? Verik. I'm asking you politely. What is it about Taisper, is there something you know that the rest of us aren't privy to? Please, I must know."
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Verik stares at his shovel, "I don't know Jemini. We don't really know each other all that well, we lived a long way apart, I met him once as a child, but the majority of my experience of him has been in the last few months. He helped with my martial training a bit, and then we came here. I always thought he was just easy going, you know, happy go lucky... I've certainly never seen him kill anyone before, and when we discussed theology he just nodded and smiled... I don't know if he has been corrupted by this Inquisition, we don't have any such institution in Absalom - thank goodness. Though I suspect it is more him than the institution he belongs to."
By the time Verik and Jemini finish the graves for the poor souls turned into Orlivanch's macabre playthings, it is beginning to darken. As no one seems to want to spend more time in the cabin, the expedition camps outtside. Still tense from such ferocious arguments, the group is splintered and fractured. Verik and Jemini sit together by the fire, having a conversation free of their usual bickering. Tandlara is deep in conversation with Taisper, her alien mindset matching his. Zander and Berrin sit together near a tree, commiserating about the state of their band.
The temperature begins to dip as the sun retreats, into the cool night air of early spring. A slight wind blows eastwardly.
"A man should not fear his fellow man, Verik. But I'm very uncomfortable now with Taisper. I don't know what his life at the inquisition was like - but I think I'm thankful that he's now out here. Who knows what madness he'd get up to in a city of thousands? His mind is addled in some way; he thinks strangely - as if he cannot feel in his heart what he can think in his head." Jemini looks to the early stars as they eek into view in the dusk. "I know you feel some form of familial responsibility towards Taisper, but if the time comes you may find your hand insecure even when your heart tries to embrace its duty. Know that I will act too - and I won't wait in deference to your family ties. Let's hope it won't come to that."
She silent for a while, then adds, "I don't think the others put as much stock into the meaning and power of the written word. But I will pursue a trial at distance, as I told Taisper. I hope you will add your weight to the text."
"You think were gona be alright?" Berrin asks Zander quietly, looking to the group from putting a whetstone to his blades. "Our arguments of late are getting pretty intence." he says worried about the current mood of the party.
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Verik pokes at the fire with a stick gloomily, "That he is family makes crimes worse, it will hurt me to do so, but I will not stay my hand, and I will not hesitate. I fear a letter would be of little use, I don't dismiss the written word far from it, but we are in lawless lands, and Orlivanch did turn out to be a crazed torturer. And the Church of Abadar is not a contiguous body, each city has its own hierarchy, so my superiors have no real authority over Taisper, and his own might either trust in familiarity, or worse be of similar mind - though I cannot believe the later."
He sighs heavily, "I feel our best course is to establish laws for these lands as swiftly as possible. I am loathe to continue with him at the moment, but at least we can keep an eye on him."
"Maybe if those responsible, Taisper's superiors, hear of this - they might consider recalling him to a more controlled environment. If we do succeed in taming these lands then trouble will brew when word gets out that a death-dealing fanatic is in our midst."
Jemini sighs. "For the time being, at least, I will be willing to observe and practice patience. Can I ask you, as his cousin, to reason with him; to lecture him in patience. Even if it is his god-given duty to slay a man, he should be able to hold back long enough for the worldly affairs to get settled."
"Sarenrae preaches forgiveness, to see the light of redemption in even the most maddened creature. Right now I worry that Taisper will suddenly come to his senses and repent - but only after an irrevocable act that will seal his doom. I will pray that my blade can then act swiftly and with mercy."
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"I will certainly lecture him, but patience will be hard to come by - though I will try. But if he commits another crime in the name of my god... Well, perhaps we can appeal to his reason? Afterall he would have got what he had wanted had he but waited, and without endangering the group." He rises and lays his bed roll down near the fire.
"Anyway, I am for sleep. Goodnight Jemini." The young priest removes his breastplate and puts on his chain shirt, then lies in his blankets eyes clamped shut mind racing as sleep refuses to come for what seems like hours.
"Night..."
Jemini goes to bed in her usual shirt; though it takes a while for her to fall asleep. Irori, you teach self-perfection - which requires a fair degree of self-reliance. But in this situation I feel like I could really use some help...
Seeing Verik and Jemini get ready for bed Berrin puts away his weapons and gets ready for watch duty. Setting up his bedroll by the fire he places his pack by it and goes to check on the horses before finding a spot to put his back to the fire and settles down.
The cool night gives way to early morning. The cabin stands as a grisly reminder as to the dangers they face here in the wilderness. Their tension stays as a reminder that things are always in a shade of gray. Birds chirp to greet the day, calmly waking the group.
Tandlara rises early again, preparing breakfast and trying her hardest to smooth tensions. She is almost aggressively companionable, which is as obvious as her usual detachment. Riddleskin is clearly agitated and sits atop Tandlara's gear watching the party with mistrustful eyes.
'How many more days before we return to Oleg's Zander? Should we cut our exploration short to resupply? Oh and Verik. Could you use some magic on me, I'm not quite recovered from- I'm still a bit sore.'
An uneasy night slowly rolls on to dawn; and with the bright new morning Jemini wakes up feeling calmer than before. As she prepares for the day she is filled with the hope that the gods are on the side of good and justice - that the group as a whole can grow to learn from past mistakes and move on to a brighter future.
"Oh! I didn't realize Tandlara, here, let me help you." A blue shimmering light halos around Jemini's hand as she brings the healing magic to bear.
Waking up to the smell of food is a habit Berrin can easely become accustomed to. Smiling and smattering his lips even before he opens his eyes he sighs contently as he rises and heads straight for the fire to eat.
"What's the rush Tandlara? We still have at least a week before having to worrie about supplies." he says between mouthfulls.
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Verik rises and with a few grunts of sleepy greeting carries his bedroll away from the fire setting it down and sitting cross legged upon it.
Dear Abadar,
I fear I am mistaken in my cousin, or in my apprehension of you my Lord. Everything I am tells me that his actions were wrong, and that you would not support them, yet you give him his power do you not? And you selected him for this task. I question your judgment in that my Lord, am I to guide him from this delusional path of infallibility he seems set upon, am I to check him, even hurt him if needs must? Or is he right and I wrong, in which case I want not more part of you or the Church. I cannot believe that Lord, but I do not understand... I do not understand.
And if we further things here and bring forth civilization to tend and nurture, what then? I will start a Church, I will build it and strengthen it. But I will have no part in an Inquisition, nothing should be beyond the law, the law cannot be followed blindly but it cannot be ignored because it is inconvenient, else we are little better than anarchists. That way lies chaos and oblivion... I do not understand how you can sanction such a body. But then perhaps Taisper is not the most reliable source of their doctrine...
I shall do my best to live up to the faith you have shown in choosing me, and I shall endeavor to forgive Taisper and move past this. The man did deserve to die. But I cannot stand by and be stained by his actions again - I will not.
Grant me the wisdom to guide my cousin from this arrogant path he has descended onto...
Once he has finished praying he rises, and returns to strap on his breastplate and feed Virtue a few dried apricots from his trail rations as he tacks up. Once he is done he approaches his cousin, takes a deep breath and says calmly.
"Taisper, I do not need you to agree with me - though I wish you to. But I do need you to promise me that if their is a helpless foe before you, you will stay your hand until we as a group have made a decision upon their fate. You are free to believe it foolish, you are free to argue the case, but if you cannot agree to that I cannot continue to work with you. Look at it this way in we have come across it would have meant only a minor delay in death, but it would have avoided argument and strife amongst our group. It would have, I believe, made little difference to you, but a great deal to myself, Jemini, and berrin to i think."
'Thank you Jemini,' Tandlara smiles at the woman. 'That helps alot!'
Then she turns to Berrin, pleased to see him eating so heartily. One picks up some tricks in a long life, but few are as useful as making a good breakfast out of what you have at hand.
'I was just wondering if we needed to recover from our ordeals. I don't know if any of us where planning to encounter so much voilence and drama out here. Though if we have that much food left perhaps it would be best to push on for another day or two. How far are we from the outpost?
Berrin looks up from the edge of his plate at the holy triad in the group, glancing at Tandlara he gives a non-chalant shrug. "We best get ready for the road anyways."
Getting up he gathers his gear and dons his armor, strapping on his weapons he goes over them one by one making sure everything is in it's place and well sharp after the whetstone last night. Satisfied by every edge he thumbs he goes to saddle Bessie, all the time keeping a wary eye on the rest of the party as much as his surroundings.
"So whats it gona be? Are we staking out the area or are we going to un-earth every trapp the frakker layed?" he calls out to the group in general as he fits his gear on Bessie.
Jemini shouts back, "I vote for finding traps - we have a fair idea how he works, and how far from his cabin he's likely to act." She gets ready her own gear, puts on her armor and packs up Wildflower. Then she stands in stunned silence... "Wildflower?! You're a boy!? Stop smelling up Bessie! It's not the season. Shoo!"