Magna shows her impatience in her beautiful face... but refrains of saying anything else...
The bandits will have to wait.
Dregan looks confused looking from one person to the next, "So we are explorin' first? What Magna said sounded good but I can explawer first. We should be able t' finish payin' fer tha stick that'll cure aaahr wounds. Then we can set off dis morning."
Naralesh is pleased by Kestern's counsel. These young ones, especially the dwarf, are so eager for glory and battle. I'm sure that time will come, but why rush to it? He sides with Talia and Kestern in favor of focusing on exploration.
Oleg comes to you all during dinner and presents Talia with a small wooden box. He opens the simple latch and produces a slender wand. "Your order Miss. Just got here this morning." He says with a smile.
Naralesh smiles as Talia receives the wand. "Now that makes me feel much safer out there in the wild. Hopefully we'll have as little need for the wand's power as possible."
Talia takes the wand from the case, smiling as she waves around a bit, getting used to the wand's weight in her hand. "Most excellent, Oleg. Thank you for the quick procurement. I'll be visiting your storefront early morning as well, for a few supplies."
Oleg just smiles, maybe as jovial as you've seen him since you first came here. He leans in to Talia and says in a quiet voice: "Any luck on that ring, Miss Talia?"
"We have a lead, Oleg! It was taken from the bandits by some creatures called "mites" that live in an old Sycamore tree with a cave nearby. If some trappers come through, ask them if they know of the tree. The location we have is a little vague."
"We'll find you your ring, Oleg."
Gavriil's eyes lit up at the sight of the box. "Good, now we have a bit of insurance!
He looks around at the others and says, "Right, then I guess we'll head out in the morning."
Dregan goes to see Svetlana in a quiet moment and hands over a small bag of coins of all there current earnings "Could yew please keep dis wiv me uther coin, an' if I don't return give i' t' Mary. Next time I'm back I'll go visi' 'er myself, but there is still an' all much t' be done." Handing her a note he continues "An' if anyone is 'eadin' toward me farm could they take dis wiv 'em."
Gavriil woke up slightly after the others and slowly got ready for their trek into the wild. He purchased food from Oleg and Svetlana, checked on his equipment, and made sure that Kesten and the guards were okay with watching over the trading post's new "farmers".
Once all was set, he saddled up with the others, ready to head out again. As he cracked the reins of his horse to urge it forward out of the gate alongside the others, a smile graced his face and he began to whistle a tune.
Dregan leads out in a slightly different way on the way back to the bandits camp. "Might as well explawer somewhere new ov tha way."
Day 1 E1
Day 2 D2
Day 3 D3
Talia spends the day keeping Noleski at a trot, pulling items from her belt pouches and putting them in the various pockets of her new explorer's outfit. She's always loved pockets.
Asha will come to you that night as you are gathered discussing your plans. "Friends. All of our thanks for your efforts in dealing with the bandits." She says with a smile. "But we have other matters that need as much attention. Tomorrow, as I'm sure you know, is the start of Planting Week. One of the holy festivals of Erastil. While I don't expect you to help us through the entire week, it would be prudent if you were present for the first day's ceremonies and initial plantings. Sends a good message, if you know what I mean."
The next day, at the beginning Planting Week, Talia wakes early, as is the wont of farmers and hunters, and dressing in her simpler traveler's outfit, makes her way outside. Rubbing her hands together in the chilly air, she is not surprised to see Asha already up. Grabbing some twine, Talia helps the priestess mark off the first garden plot - a rectangular plot of earth that will be turned today after the Asha's blessing, and into which will be put the first seeds of the early spring crops; cabbage, chard, kale, radishes and turnips.
The blessing that Asha gives is much like Asha herself - earnest. Talia then steps forward, and clearing her throat, offers up the Great Brevic Bard's "Soliloquy of the Peasant Farmer", probably the finest Brevic piece ever written about the trials - and honor - of farm life.
"Look Thine oer mine hands,
Gnarled and bent like an Ole Oak Root..."
It has been awhile since Talia read the work, and she has to paraphrase a bit the parts lost to her failed memory, but her movements are both strong and humble, and her voice projects well in the cool morning. Flashing a quick smile to the farmers present, Talia steps back into crowd of assembled onlookers, satisfied enough with her performance, and prepares for the much less enjoyable task of actual farming.
Magna stands and bows.
"Of course! it will be our pleasure!"
She will assist with simple blacksmith clothes, planing to help repair or improve (or even make) any planting implement she can.
"Oh." Dregan looks confused and embarrassed "Is i' already Plantin' Week? I should be 'ome wiv me wife an' parents 'elpin' 'em plant." Dregan looks to the others for help looking confused and conflicted over his obligations.
"Ah, Dregan," Talia says, sadness shining in her eyes. "I miss my family too. But, you are doing good work here. And, if we find that wedding ring, you'll be able to hire ten hands to work your farm."
Looking out over the rolling plains outside of Oleg's, Talia for a second thinks of the garden to be planted at Asha's ceremony, and then her eyes travel south, down towards the large old-growth forest. "And we need your help here too. We head south again soon, but without you around, I don't think the rest of us could find our way out of Restov's city park, let along the wild landscapes we must go through. Your wife will be proud of the things you do when you retire, fat and rich, while your hands work your farm."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Now this brings back memories. Naralesh thinks back to the times he spent with Rebeccah on their farm together.
"Our first Planting Week, Nari." The young woman smiled at him, leaning on a rake. Their marriage was barely a month old, and Naralesh was still in awe of her beauty and vivacity. Never had any of the slow-moving elf maidens he'd met matched her human spirit and enthusiasm. He wasn't sure yet that he was cut out for the hard life of a farmer, but he would do it for her. An aged, snow-white fox trotted at his side, calmly observing the unbroken plot of land that would be the first garden the couple grew.
That was nearly eighty years ago, chimes an unwelcome thought in his mind. Rebeccah is gone. He grits his teeth and banishes the memory, not wishing to dwell on what is lost. He grabs a hoe and joins in with the first day's planting alongside the others - the hard work keeping thoughts of the past firmly out of his mind all day.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The memories return that evening however, as the hard labor of the day urges tired muscles to crave the release of sleep.
"Come on, Nari!" The woman giggles as Naralesh playfully chases her up a hill. She is not as young now. They have only been married a scant decade, and already his human bride is showing her age. It is strange to him, but his passion for her has never subsided. Even now, she seems more alive to him than any elf. He follows her up the hill, and they tumble into each others' arms under the small sapling they planted there on their wedding night, now stretching its arms just enough to cast swaying shadows in the evening light.
The days activities are both hard and joyful in measure, as new plots are plowed and the initial crops planted. Not much mind you, the population of the trading post is still very small, but it is the thought that counts. The first steps are taken, from a frontier post to an actual community.
Nat performs as quite the lead farmer. Directing the new 'recruits' in their tasks and overseeing their performance. He spends a lot of time talking to each as they work side by side, but of what, you cannot tell. Just before dinner, he spends a good deal of time with Asha, deep in discussion.
"He's a solid one," Kesten says, noticing your attention on Nat. "with a penchant for hard work. I haven't had a guard watching him for a week. Spends a lot of time with Asha to boot."
Talia thinks of making her way over to Asha and Nat, but forces herself to let it go. He's not your responsibility, girl. Still, she can't help but mention her concern to Kesten. "Do you think it is wise to not watch him? He did a lot of wrong. Asha will be a good influence, though..."
Dregan smiles at Talia "Thee are right I've got t' get me savin' t' Mary, I'll be back befawer yew leave. " With that he races to get his stuff together and rides out in a gallop.
Having been gone for the whole day he rides in about dawn the next day, looking tired but also happier.
Gavriil cringed when Asha mentioned Planting Week. Living in the city, Gavriil never really had to deal with Erastil's holiday. Out in the sticks, though, with one of the god's faithful helping them out, he had no way of avoiding it. Especially considering their actress was quick to agree to it.
Always politicking.
He nods silently in agreement with the others.
He wakes up last the next morning, arriving just in time to hear Asha's blessing and Talia's rendition of another play he'd never heard of, nor wanted to hear ever again. As the others broke apart to start the day of work, Gavriil grabbed a hoe begrudgingly and joined the bandit farmers as they worked the fields. Never having done a day's work in the field his entire life, he stumbled with a foreign tool, which made him disdain the work even more.
A few times throughout the day he would "disappear" to "go get some more seeds" or "to grab a spare tool". In reality, he was slipping off to take a break.
Gods this is a dumb holiday. he thought.
Asha is pleased with your efforts, although she gives Gavriil disapproving looks throughout the day. She clearly isn't happy with Dregan, but she says nothing.
The day dawns clear and bright, A warm southern breeze bringing the first decent temperatures to the region. The ride is fair and swift as you head south to explore.
Dregan leads out in a slightly different way on the way back to the bandits camp. "Might as well explawer somewhere new ov tha way."
Day 1 E1
[dice=Percetion] 1d20 + 8
[dice=Survival] 1d20 + 7
[dice=Aid other knowledge nature] 1d20 + 4Day 2 D2
[dice=Percetion] 1d20 + 8
[dice=Survival] 1d20 + 7
[dice=Aid other knowledge nature] 1d20 + 4Day 3 D3
[dice=Percetion] 1d20 + 8
[dice=Survival] 1d20 + 7
[dice=Aid other knowledge nature] 1d20 + 4
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Naralesh rises in the morning, his trance that night hardly restful. He is quiet throughout the group's early breakfast, and despondent as he saddles Susan up for the ride. Even as the day moves on, the elf is distracted with his thoughts.
Day 1:
Day 2:
The second night, dreams of his wife come once again.
"Perhaps it's not meant to be," she says. Naralesh stands with her at the threshold to an empty room in their home. They look inward, together. "Not everyone is blessed by the gods in that way." They've tried so many times, but with no success, and Naralesh is angry. He is so rarely angry here, among the humans, beside his wife, but he is angry now - but there is no one to be angry at. Rebeccah turns as she leaves, and Naralesh can see a tear on her cheek as it rolls past a forced smile. He turns back to the empty room and closes the door.
Perhaps we will have a child next year, he thinks.
Day 3:
Naralesh has little attention for the road as they ride the next day. He lets Susan lag behind the others, lost in a fugue of memories.
Magna seems happy at how things have pan out, and rides merrily while exploring the next few days.
22 Pharast 4707
The plains northwest of Oleg's roll with the long grasses and sparse stands of trees you have grown used to. Other than a few small deer herds, you see nothing of note this day.
23 Pharast 4707
The area is heavily wooded, beech and elm on the fringes of the forest giving way to towering spruce and pine deeper within. Here and again, you come upon openings: a stream bed, a small glade, etc. The sun is shining, but you don't see much of her unless it through the clearings.
Dismounted to cross one such stream, Dregan begins to lead his horse across...
The sound of a metal trap springing shut...intense pain...and Dregan finds himself in the jaws of a vicious bear trap set along the banks.
"Be careful! There could be more traps!"
Magna quickly dismounts and go to Dregan, she kneels and try to open the bear trap.
Talia dismounts as she sees Dregan do so ahead and is preparing to ford the stream when she see Dregan scream and go down in a heap. The playwright draws her longsword and runs forward, crouching by Dregan to see what has befallen him, scanning the treeline on either side of the stream for signs of bandits. Arrow? Axe?
Seeing the trap clamped around the scout's leg, Talia takes another quick look around and kneels, taking a bit of butter from her vest pouch and muttering some arcane syllables, slippery-sounding words, spoken softly. Moving her hands along Dregan's leg, the spell coats the scout's leg in a slippery, viscous fluid. Talia grabs the jaws of the trap and starts to pry it open, saying, "Alright, I'm going to pull the trap apart, try and slip your leg through."
With difficulty you manage to free Dregan's leg, but the trap has done it's work. Magna's healing has stopped any bleeding, but the leg is broken near the ankle.
Standing and dropping the trap, Talia grabs a branch and walks into the bushes at the treeline. Pressing down on the trap plate, she springs it, jumping a little as the trap's teeth take the end of the branch clean off. Then she heads over to the stream, and pokes a little in the sandy bed, springing another trap. And so she continues, springing all of them that she can find.
Magna starts bandaging the leg, with a branch, so he don't move it.
Gavriil rode along with the others, slowly watching the countryside roll on by. He was really starting to miss the city life. The others were good company to have, even with their little quirks, and the job itself wasn't too difficult, but he had to admit to himself that he was a bit homesick. He missed the ability to just stroll down the street and have something, anything, to do.
And don't get me started on the lack of women... he groaned inwardly.
They had just come to another ford when Dregan cried out and collapsed. Gavriil's eyes darted from place to place, looking out for the threat, while Talia and Magna rushed to help their wounded scout.
Gavriil walked slowly up to the others to take a look at Dregan. He saw Magna splinting up the leg and, with his eyebrows raised, turned to Talia and said, "Shoulda brought the wagon..."
"I know little of hunting. Is this a... normal amount of traps to set? It seems like an excessive number." He surveys the stream. "Perhaps we could set up camp here for the moment. Dregan can rest and we can attempt to find the rest of these traps. Their bite looks vicious."
The elf looks over at Talia, already starting the process of dismantling the traps. She's a quick one, he thinks. Never a wasted moment.
Talia springs the last trap, and heads back to check on Dregan. Satisfied that Magna knows what she's doing, the playwright considers Naralesh for a moment. "I think that's wise, Naralesh. I don't know much about hunting either. Perhaps the hunter was setting an ambush for a particular creature or creatures? Regardless, we shouldn't bear him or her any ill-will. Its most likely just an unfortunate accident."