Nathaniel doesn’t know what to say to Tiffana. He has been trying to keep his own grief and fears regarding Lenna under wraps ... now someone else that he feels he dragged into this has died in a horrific way. Numbly he goes and collects his discarded weapons and lantern, nodding dully at Eliva’s suggestion. Now that there is nothing immediately to fight, he’s at a loss.
As he watches the spider swarm go up in flames, Res returns to the group. "Is everyone alright? Let me help your wounds." He holds up Gorum's symbol again, murmurs a prayer and then a positive energy flows over the group. Res is careful to channel the positive energy away from the spiders in case they can still be revived.
He examines Tiffana and Angalia. "I'm sorry for your loss Tiffana. I may not be able to heal your heart, but at least allow me to tend to any poison left from the swarm."
Tiffana Heal Check to assist fighting the poison:
Angalia Heal Check to assist fighting the poison:
Res pauses for a moment. "I hope that we can find somewhere to rest soon, I feel Gorum's energy beginning to wane inside of me."
"Greenfellow," the gnome says to Nathaniel after probing the defeated spiders' remains a bit. "These spiders are not from around here... or... here is not where here was before," he adds cryptically.
"Have you seen any like this? Never before have I seen them so big. As big as a jaybird, certainly, but man-sized? Blasphemy!"
Nathaniel blinks and shakes himself out of his depression.
“I was thinking along those lines myself when we first saw the spiders, Treefriend,” the ranger replies in a low voice. “I saw some big spider deep in the woods once – about twelve miles from the village, near Deepwater Crevasse ... but they were, at most, as big as one of those,” he points to the remains of one of the dog-sized spiders, “nothing like that larger one. It’s hard to tell in the dark, and with all this fog, but nothing I’ve seen tonight looks familiar. I don’t know how he did it, but I think Gilbraith’s magic has sent us a long way from home.”
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Eliva looked around for a few moments more, then turned and walked back to the group, huddled around the two injured women and their now dead companion. She looked down sadly for a moment.
"I am no priest, but I would be happy to assist in any honors you wish to do for your friend," she began. "Do you wish use to bury him? Or do you have another ritual you think he would appreciate more? I could say some small blessings of Erastil over him, if you think it appropriate."
Eliva looked back over her shoulder at the misty landscape. "I don't detect any immediate dangers around us. We should probably set up another camp and see if we can't get some rest."
Eliva turned to the newcomer and stuck out her hand, wary of a bad reaction to her half orc visage, but trying to welcome him to this group as everyone else dealt with the grief of losing their friend. "Greetings, neighbor. My name is Eliva Smith. I'm glad we were able to effect a rescue of someone, even if we were too late to save young Kani. What can you tell us of your story?"
As she waited for an answer, Eliva began to deal with some of the more mundane tasks necessary in setting up a new camp, looking for stone to begin lining a new fire pit.
"I must tend to Tiff and Angalia's poison. It will take about 8 hours for my healing to be complete. During that time, neither they, nor I will be available to help watch I am afraid. I will try to catch some rest in between my treatments."
Res begins to tear some of his cloak to make bandages and does his best to draw out the poison with the rudimentary tools at his disposal. As he works on his patients, he listens to the newcomer's story.
Edit:
Nathaniel nods. “We need everyone healthy, that is the important thing. It looks like those of us who aren’t wounded and aren’t spellcasters will need to take the bulk of the watch. That leaves me and ...” he looks questioningly at Eliva and the newcomer.
Eliva smiles, forgetting for a moment that her tusks can be unnerving to those not used to half orcs.
"Erastil grants me some abilities, such as the small blessings he bestowed before we stormed that cursed to-" Eliva's eyes flicked over to the still silent newcomer and back to Nathaniel "-place. But the gods' blessings require only an hour of prayer, not extended rest and meditation like the arcane powers require. I rested some already, and have a good ability to see in the dark. I will take this watch." Eliva looked over at Tiff and Angalia. "I must say, I wish now I'd concentrated more on his healing mercies than battle blessings."
"Rest would be good," Angalia admits, finally allowing herself to relax a tiny bit and feeling the weakness from the poison as a result. "There's something I need to do first though."
She pulls out her tools from her backpack and goes across to what is left of Kani. Holding back her nausea, she clips a small piece of his hair and moves away, hiding what she's doing from the rest.
"Not witchcraft, just craft-craft. A rememberance," she says finally, before standing up and offering what she's made to Tiffa. In her hand she holds a piece of copper wire, twisted and shaped into the likeness of a man holding a drum. Wound into the wire is Kani's hair and the pendant is strung on a strip of leather. "Because you know he'll never really leave you," she says simply.
Not waiting for any response, good or bad, she unpacks her bedroll and falls into a deep sleep.
As the naseau and dizziness slowly pass, the filthy dark haired man, looks around. Nothing he sees is familiar except the mist- a sight he has come to dread. Though the dead body in silk reminds him he's the lucky one.
"How did we come to this place? The last thing I remember before the spiders in the mist was being locked up by the Baron. Who are you?"
As he looks around the group, one in particular catches his eye.
"Pardon me, why is that gnome naked?"
"Erfan and clothing had a messy separation I think," mutters Angalia dozily.
Erfan merely smirks at the query. "Wolves and bears have no need for clothing. It is merely a trapping of society that I choose to do without. If it makes you uncomfortable, then I am sorry for the environment you were raised in."
"The environment I was raised in was often cold or wet or had hard, sharp stones underfoot. I congradulate your good fortune if that was not the case for you. But manners still reguire you cover yourself in the presence of Ladies." slight bow towards ladies
removes filthy coat, breastplate, and shirt
hands fine linen shirt to gnome
"Here."
Eliva watches the exchange with interest. "So, you were a prisoner of Gilbraith? What did you see happen? We were near the Baron as well, and somehow he summoned some mists and we were...here. No sign of the tower, or Gilbraith."
Eliva is predisposed to believe Belanos, but tries to keep her guard up nonetheless. "What were you imprisoned for? What did you see?"
The gnome raises a curious eyebrow towards the stranger, eying the offered shirt.
"While your offer is appreciated, a shirt to you might as well be a ball gown to me. Nudity has suited me well enough for probably twice as many years as you've been alive. We have more important things to worry about here than the ladies' sensibilities and my modesty."
"I certainly wouldn't want to send you to a ball."
accepts return of shirt gingerly, turns around, puts back on, leaving off breastplate, but doning armored coat
"I was sent to summon the baron Galbraith to Court to answer the King's questions, but he imprisoned me instead, saying I would soon see his side of events. I think he expected to gain in power somehow, but his men claimed I was to sacrificed next."
"When the room filled with mist, I do not believe it was what they were expecting."
"You say you saw the baron as the mists arrived? What was he doing?"
Nathaniel actually smiles at the exchange between Erfan and the newcomer – the first time he’s done that in the last 24 hours. After several years of sporadic association he’s become used to the strange little man’s penchant for nudity – personally he just makes sure to look him in the eyes at all times.
At the man’s question though Nathaniel’s mirth is shunted aside. “We were in battle with him,” the ranger answers grimly. “He had kidnapped my sister and … injured her. We engaged him in combat in order to stop the ritual he was undertaking with Lenna’s blood, and he called up these mists to make good his escape. Or at least that is what I thought, now I’m not so sure.”
Nate looks around again at the unfamiliar landscape half seen through the mist. “I am Nathaniel Greenfellow,” he says, turning back to the stranger. “What is your name? I suggest that we have a common purpose – will you work with us to find Gilbraith and get back to civilization?”
Knowing that the man is an agent of the Crown makes Nathaniel a little wary – he’s learnt not to trust the nobility. But it seems wise to work together.
As the others talk, Tiff sits quietly off to the side, a small bittersweet smile upon her lips as she gently holds Angalia's gift. She does look up briefly when mention of "the crown" is made, after the exchange she says in barely more than a whisper, "We'll find her Nathanial, we'll find her, and we'll punish him.... for everything. We'll make him, we'll make him BURN for it all."
Res pauses between treatments to meet the newcomer. "I am Res Thannq." He holds out his hand in welcome. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name. What is it? And what was the King's interest in Gilbraith?"
"I am Visconte Belanos Grandi, I act as one of the King's Voices. It is our duty to relay his words to whomever he sends to see. I was sent to summon the Baron Gilbraith to Court to answer to the rumors of his illegal behavior."
"I am Visconte Belanos Grandi, I act as one of the King's Voices. It is our duty to relay his words to whomever he sends to see. I was sent to summon the Baron Gilbraith to Court to answer to the rumors of his illegal behavior."
"Rumors?, well as you can see they're more than just rumors." Tiff gives Belanos a sardonic smile before getting up and moving closer to the group, "We need to find a village or a settlement of some kind, it's the best way to get our bearings."
Eliva nodded as she listened to the conversation. The fire was large enough she could take her attention off tending it to speak. "Well, Sir Grandi, I don't hold much truck with nobles and the like, but it's good to hear the king is at least acting to protect the people. And I'm sorry your part in trying to protect the community led you to suffer Gilbraith's 'hospitality'. Hopefully we can find out how to get back to Gilbraith and help you see that he experiences the king's."
Eliva stood and looked out around the camp again. Losing Kani while he had been on watch made her very nervous. This was a dangerous place to forget to pay attention, it seemed. "I agree with Tiffa. Finding people will tell us more about where we've ended up, and maybe give us clues as to how we got here. And it's likely to be safer than camping. We know so little about what's here...one directions likely to be as good as another, I suppose. Maybe we'll have a better idea of a path to follow when the sun's out." Eliva glowered at the misty landscape around them. "If it ever does come out in this cursed place," she growled under her breath.
This time around, at any rate, the party's rest is not disturbed. You awake when it feels like some 8 hours or so has passed. The mist is still present, but the sky is marginally lighter. Everything remains as still and featureless as it ever was.
"I'm sorry to drop out of the introductions last night. I'm Angalia. You're on the same kind of quest as the rest of us it seems."
She looks around.
"Is there anyone even alive here? Apart from us and the wildlife?"
In the morning, Nathaniel looks about. “Gah! I was hoping the sunlight would burn off this damnable mist. Well … once we’ve buried poor ‘Kani and broken fast, we do as Tiffana and Eliva suggested last night – try to find civilization. If we can find a road, we follow it. If not, a stream or river. As we are low on supplies I can forage for food as we go.”
dagger 2gp (1lb)
backpack 2gp (lbs)
bedroll 1sp (5lbs)
blanket, winter 5sp (5lbs)
spellbook, blank 15gp (3lbs)- notes of travels, drawings of terrain, Tiffa, stories collected by 'Kanismall pouch around neck- contains a small black rock carved into a bean, a silver ring, and a locket engraved with a dancing girl
As her dear friend is laid to rest, and what he carried of use is distributed among those still walking among the living, Tiff changes into her dancing outfit. When everyone is done with any wishes they want to give, she quietly and tearfully dances a slow sad dance in memory of the man. It is only after she is done, falling to her knees before the fresh grave that she again cries, whispering to the ground "I never told him that I loved him."
As 'Kani's body is laid into the shallow grave, Res tries his best to comfort the small group.
"The events of the past day have shown how harsh the world we live in can be. Before us lies 'Kani, he died trying to protect us from the dangers of this forsaken land we have found ourselves in. Yet many of us did not know him, nor did he know us. Still, this did not deter him in offering his service to us, nor paying the ultimate price. Thank you 'Kani."
Res bows his head for a moment and says a quiet prayer to Gorum and then continues.
"Nathaniel is also grieving. For now, he must carry the burden of not knowing whether his dear sister is alive or dead. For now, I still believe that Lenna is alive, and I urge all of you to not give up hope.
Two days ago, I did not know any of you. Now, here we are, thrown together by fate in a land we do not recognize. Let us follow 'Kani's example, come together as one group, and serve each other as we continue our search for Lenna and a way home."
After the brief burial ceremony, Erfan again wanders off from the group, seeking wildlife.
"Every place has a soul... and through the eyes of animals is that soul laid bare... if this place lives... it must have life..." he babbles to himself.
Eliva looked on as Tiffa went through Kani's belongings, choose what to keep and what not. As the woman's eye fell on the bow, Eliva crouched down next to her.
"If...you don't think it is disrespectful, would you grant me the use of Kani's bow? It is exceptionally well made, and while it has less of a reach than my longbow, up close I should be able to do more damage on a glancing blow, and at best about the same."
Eliva looked down, ashamed to ask, but the needs of the small community they struggled to keep together here would be best served if she were better able to protect them when trouble found them.
"I would only ask the use of it while we are here. When we find our way back home, or I can find another weapon of equal value, I will gladly hand it back over to you, or his family, whatever you think best."
"I would value the pen, the ink, the string and the sand. I could probably use them to help us and it seems like the kind of thing Kani would approve of. The dagger would be good too. But it's as Eliva says, I won't take anything if you'd rather we didn't."
Angalia looks at her companions and absorbs Res's words.
"It seems we must be family to each other now. I don't know where we are, but we need to find Gilbraith and Lenna before we can even think of looking for a way home."
Then she smiles. "Of course, I've never known a family that didn't quarrel over almost everything, but they do tend to stick together when things get bad."
"Take what you need, I think 'Kani would rather it be of use to us. I only ask that his coins be left, I would have him be able to pay the Ferryman on his way.", Tiff tells the other ladies. "These are mere things, I ask only that bravest 'Kani be carried with you in your hearts. And that we find dear Nate's sister. 'Kani died for her, that makes her worth our never giving up on."
Nathaniel digs a shallow grave in the wet earth, using the edge of his shield to scrape away a hollow to lay down what is left of the bard. He searches for stones to lay over the grave to protect the body from scavenging animals.
He stands quietly during the ceremony, saying only, “He was brave and true.” When Tiffana laments that she did not tell him how she felt he murmurs, “I think probably he knew.”
He does not take anything from the dead bard. Once the simple ceremony is finished he is ready to move on.
Eliva, after a moment of silence for their companion, searched through the camp one last time to make sure they were missing none of their items. She also stoppe and looked for the two arrows she'd shot before that had missed the queen spider. Who knew when she would next be able to purchase ammunition.
Res helps Nathaniel place the rocks on 'Kani's body. He collects the tanglefoot bag and acid flask from 'Kani's belongings, packs up his other things and is ready to begin looking for some sort of civilization.
"Are we ready to be off?" With the mist still swirling about them, it is difficult to account for everyone. "Errr - has anyone seen the gnome?"
Nathaniel sighs. “He does things like this ...” He’s not really upset with the gnome – it’s good to get his mind off the sadness of ‘Kani’s demise and this whole situation. He’ll look about for Erfan, and if he can’t see him, look for his tracks.
Angalia looks around and decides she won't be sorry to leave this place. Whether anywhere else is an improvement remains to be seen, but the memories here are not good.
Eliva looked around at everyone after they left Kani's small cairn behind. "Well, since we don't really know anything about this place, I guess one direction is as good as another. I suggest everyone keep their eyes open. We'll want to watch for danger, food, and signs of civilization. About all we know is the way we came wasn't too promising." Eliva stabbed her hand in a random direction. "This looks like easy walking, at least what I can see of it," She smiled and added ruefully, "but if anyone has an informed idea of which direction to head, that will be fine with me!"
The small band of adventurers makes its way through the mists. The terrain rolls up and down, but never very steeply, and with little variation. Isolated trees and shrubs come into view only rarely, drooping with fungus and disease.
Of fauna, the group does not spy so much as a field mouse. All is eerily still. Still, but not quiet. In the mists, you can hear the occasional sound - a scurrying, a rustling, an insectile clicking - but when any of these sounds are investigated, the land is bare, and you spot no movement.
This continues for what feels like an interminably long time. While it is difficult to track any heavenly bodies through the shroud of mist, you feel like you have walked all day and well into the afternoon with no change in scenery. (Presumably you took a moment to rest and eat at some point.)
At long last, however, the sharpest ears among you detect a new sound - faint, but growing. The sound comes from off to your left and seems to grow even when you do not move toward it. Unless you are deceived, it sounds like the sea washing upon some shoreline.
Eliva listened to the rush of water with a cocked head. "I'm getting quite worried about food. What I have on me will make me ill soon enough if we don't find something to supplement it with. Maybe we'll find something by the ocean. If there are people in this place at all...cities often like to be near the shore. We can try to follow it one direction or the other and hope to run across people. What do you think?"
The gnome nods in agreement with Eliva. "Perhaps we'll be so lucky as to chance upon a fisherman or spy a vessel at sea. If nothing else, surely we can spear a few fish for supper!"
“I think it is as good a plan as any, though I’m not sure we will find people anywhere nearby this strange barren place. Still, the sea usually means food of some type, and if move along the shore-line we should hopefully come across a fresh water stream or river at some point. Let’s move forward.”
We are a long way from home indeed if this is the ocean ahead ...
Belanos stands quietly while the others say their respects. Then he helps cover the body.
That could have been me. That should have been me.
He looks over at the gypsy girl and the others.
I owe him to look after her and them, even the nudist. And I will.