Ahiko taps Vermunder again with the wand, hoping to do a little more healing than she'd done for Kali.
Then again, she moves to Kali and heals her as well
and finally to Takeshi for more healing...
"Who else could use some healing before we move on?"
Vermundr gives a nod of thanks but still looks shaky on his feet.
I could
Ahiko taps Kelda twice with the wand as well
Collapsing with exhaustion after her rage subsides, Kalistrine becomes almost insensate for a minute. Ahiko's healing brings her around somewhat. She drags herself to her feet, shoving away any offers of help, and picks up her Ranseur before strapping her shield to her arm and beginning to walk towards camp.
Your group marches back through the forest into camp and Kelda does a bang up job trying to cover the trail back to the caravan. As you march in you see Sandru and Shalelu playing cards on two canvas chairs and an old wagon wheel covered with an old shield as a playing surface.
Omar has got a wild boar chugging on a spit over some smokey charcoal with some hickory wood giving it a very appealing smell.
Omar is first to see you come in and says, "Aaaayoooooo Ahikoooooooo, how you doin'?"
Ahiko smiles and waves as they come into the caravan camp. She doesn't yell back to OMar, but does go to him and speaks softly. "We are all alive, though many of us are walking wounded at present. It is so good to be back. Someone had a good day hunting I see. Looks like you have a fine meal cooking today."
She glances over at Sandru and Shalelu playing cards and chuckles to herself. "It seems things are relatively quiet here, if those two have taken to playing cards to pass the time. THat is good to see. Perhaps we will get some much needed rest before we brave the castle again."
Vermundr limps into camp rubbing the sore spot where the wasp stung him. He shoots Kelda a glance and grunts.
”Come on Kelda, let me get you a drink. I’m pretty sure it’s my turn.”
Omar responds to Ahiko and says, "Well, Shalelu went into the Nolands with horse and bagged the boar which is enough to feed the group for today, I be also making some Souljanka as well for tommorrow, ummm"
Kelda shrugs and says, "A nice malted Rye would hit the spot..."
"Let's see what we can get off the supply wagon", the young Ulfen suggests.
Vermundr grabs a cask/jug and hunts down Kelda.
"Didn't think we'd end up like this did you?" he asks as he takes a swig and offers the container to the Ulfen woman. "Battling bird-men and makin' deals with harpies."
Kalistrine staggers into camp and makes her way to her wagon and her own belongings. She is caked in gore and goes to clean herself as last time. She can't do a thorough job out here in the wilderness, but she looks much better when she is done. She retrieves her own whiskey bottle and sits herself by the fire pit, waiting for a chance to carve a large chunk off the boar with her knife.
I knew we'd have to battle dem birdies to get out but yeah the harpy was a bit of a twist... says Kelda as she throws back some of that complex malted rye whiskey.
Vermundr takes another swig before offering the jug to Kelda again.
"What do ya think of the possessed girl - Ameiko? You think there's any helping her?"
Kelda looks at Vermundr and says, "To be honest, I am more interested in getting a new ship and back to our clan...If we help her fine if not, the gods do not want it to be"
Koya finds Takeshi and says, "Young man, your sister, I think is improving a bit, she is now speaking in Varisian albeit in macabre riddles. How was your trip to Brinewall?"
Vermundr nods in understanding, "But do you think they'll be able to help us get a new ship? They don't seem to have much..."
"i know one thing caravans trade, which means they'll travel to a settemen eventuallytmy guess is Jol or Riddleport, most likely the latter
"Riddleport would be good. We might be able to get work there too."
Takeshi relaxes a bit with a sigh. "Our visit was short, but I think we have defeated their leadership there. I can only hope that Ameiko's cure will be found in our next foray. Do you recall her words, now that she is speaking Varisian?"
Koya turns to Takeshi and says, "She said 'One treasure beyond two seals in the third vault...' or some such thing, maybe that can help you in the castle..."
Kelda says to Vermundr, We can definitely get a lift from their to Kalsgad where I should be able to get a ship.
Kalistrine seeks out Koya during a quiet moment during the evening, apart from the others.
"Mistress Koya. I... I am wounded. Have you any healing you will to give me?" she asks, her tone gruff, but her manner is hesitant.
Koya smiles and says, "No problem chile, all of you come over here who need a little health..."
She then waits for the group to come over and channels positive energy and then again and a third time
Ahiko joins the others for the healing, but still shudders slightly when it is over... "I hate to bother you, as I should be able to heal such things myself. Can you remove the taint of poison as well?"
Koya looks at Ahiko and says, "Well young lady, I can do that for you tomorrow morning, just make sure you remind me before you leave for the castle."
"Thank you, Koya, I will be truly in your debt." Ahiko bows and departs to relax a bit, still feeling weak and shaky.
Vermundr leaves Kelda to finish the malted rye and leaves to wander the camp.
Spotting the elf Shalelu alone, the young Ulfen moves in.
”I don’t think we’ve met”, he says with a bit of swagger. ”Shalelu? I’m Vermundr.”
Shalelu sits sharpening her arrowheads with a whetstone and looks up at the Ulfen man. Nods, and says, "How may I help you?"
"Just getting to know everyone here", Vermundr offers. "And it's always nice to meet someone that appreciates a good bow", he says with a nod at her handiwork.
"Fair enough, I am mostly responsible for ranging, scouting and hunting game. Ameiko, I have known since she was a girl and she is a very nice girl. Where do you hail from young man?
Vermundr laughs, unaccustomed to be called a 'young man' but compared to the long-lived elf, it made sense.
"I'm from the Land of the Linnorm Kings, from a tiny village near Karlsgard. But that was when I was just a pup. I've been with Kelda ever since."
"Ranging and scouting you say? I do those same things for Kelda, or at least I did when we were a full company. It's just the two of us now... I could come with you, if you wouldn't mind the company", the brawny young Ulfen says with a smirk.
"Well, I don't see why not. But if I do, you need to be extra quiet you'll scare away the game..." says Shalelu.
[ooc[ Anything else or can I move it forward?[/ooc]
That evening you eat a hearty meal of boar and a few glasses of the water of life and everyone wakes up the next morning.
Koya first thing makes her way to Ahiko and casts cure poison on Ahiko.
Mornin' chile, says she as she presses her fingers to her temples and says a brief prayer to Desna while touching Ahiko on the shoulder.
....Poison cured....
"Thank you so much, Ma'am. You are too kind. Is there anything I can do for you to thank you for your aid?"
"Just figure out what's with Ameiko...I hate to see her like this." says Koya.
Your group makes your way back towards the castle as you step over the dead bodies on your approach. You come in through the basement as before and you climb up the stairs to the throne room.
You are standing at the top of the stairs and in the throne room. There are doors not visited to the southeast, north, southwest and east.
Vermundr checks his bow string and gestures to the north.
”That way. There’s areas we haven’t explored that direction.”
Old tapestries depicting a seaside castle hang askew on the walls
of this circular room and a thick layer of dust cakes the floor. The
air is musty and weirdly cold. Old bloodstains splatter the walls,
along with numerous brutal gashes and slashes to the stone
itself. Two doors hang askew on hinges in a passageway to the
south, while to the north, a third door lies in fragments on the
floor, opening onto a flight of stairs leading down into darkness.
A second staircase leads upward against the north wall.