Near the last place the group stopped for a drink, Anja picks up the trail of tracks.
"Tracks here." She follows them a while, then announces, "They stop here... but then pick up here again.... and then another break here..." She follows the tracks, not noticing whether the others are following.
Once Anja points out the tracks Valeeran takes a closer look.
Khar follows the others having no real experience with tracking.
"As luck would have it" the elf begins looking up from the tracks, I had been focusing my studies on the various planes before we were all so...unexpectedly....transported here. I believe we're following a creature called an Avoral though I know little more than the name. Sort of a bird-man creature. Should be most interesting to see one. I would guess we lose the trail when it flies off a few steps. We should mind the trees and higher places as well as the ground. It may well use them to hide."
With that said he continues to follow along, keeping an eye out for the creature.
A little bit further, you come to a more densely packed portion of the forest. You notice the light doesn't quite penetrate the canopess as much as before.
In the distance, you can see what Valeeran described: a human body with partly human legs, a pair of wings attached to its arms and the lower legs and feet of a bird. His 'nose' or beak is curved, lending you to believe it's some kind of owl he looks after.
You also notice that he is currently holding a dark piece of cloth in front of him, and pressing it against his face in a feline way.
"Ah there he is now. Hello, you there Avoral...do you speak common?"
His eyes pop open widely, like a deer caught in... a detect evil cone!
"How... You... No, I don't. Go away! Vamos!"
He looks confused, holding the black blankets even closer than before.
"No hablo espagnol!"
The weasel on Valeerans shoulder displays an almost humanoid look on his face that clearly indicates his opinion of the creatures intelligence and potential sanity. Valeeran only shrugs in response and continues, "Yes, well anyway...we thought you might know something about this." The elf turns a full circle to display the cloth shadow that follows him about. "Be a good lad and tell us what you know if you would. I'm quite interested to know how this little trick is done." he finishes with a smile.
As they got a look at the bird-man, this time Anja's common sneer was one of disgust, with a hint of sadness. In her pity for the hideous creature and her confusion with the incident or its motive, she was happy to hold back and let Valeeran and the other casters question it gently.
"No es... Encantare! Olé olé tortilla!"
"Come now no need for that. We're just interested in knowing a bit more about this impressive ability you have. Let's start with something simple, what's your name? I'm Valeeran." he says with a shallow bow.
"It is an interesting ability to say the least. Are you sure you can't tell us more about it?"
Shana steps up beside and slightly behind Valeeran as he bows to the Avoral and inclines her head, the best gesture she can make in her armor.
Khar chimes in "Yes like he said we are very interested in your skills. I'm sure you would love to tell us more about yourself!"
He reluctantly switches back to the common tongue, with a hint of Shoanti: "My name is Embor, Embor Comes-by-night. Why are you here?"
You can notice his eyes shift to the blankets behind your feet, trying to glance if they are still there, but trying not to be ntoiced while he does it.
"Good to meet you Embor. Us? We're a bit new here and are travelling about introducing ourselves to the various people of interest in this land. Currently we're heading to an island near here. Perhaps you know something about it?" the elf gives him a chance to answer and then continues. "So we were merrily on our way to the isle of decay in the middle of a fetid lake when my well muscled companion and I noticed we'd acquired an interesting replacement to our usual shadows. Coincidentally we found your tracks leading off from the point that we seemed to have picked them up and so now we're hoping you might be able to tell us a bit about them Mr. Comes-by-night."
"I don't have them, I swear!" he says while you can very obviously tell he is holding a shadow in one hand, and there are several hanging behind him, amidst the trees.
"No, no of course not they probably just ran off and were hoping we won't notice. You know how shadows can be, always complaining about how we look down at them and how it's us that looks like them, not the other way around. Silly things run off whenever they can. Luckily for us it seems that they've gotten hung up in those trees over there. Would you mind helping us find ours and getting them reattached so we can be on our way?"
"So do you think this is actually going to work or do you just like hearing yourself talk?" Skitter quips. Valeeran only shrugs in response.
"Of course, of course, fine sir. Which ones would be yours? I have no problem reaching them, those shadows are not afraid of me."
He starts flapping and flying, searching for your shadows. When he has both of them in his hands, he says:
"Nobody here would be willing to live without his shadow? I will trade you something for it, it's very nice and must be useful?"
He holds up a thread and a needle, and looks at you with hopeful eyes.
"I won't speak for my companions but I'm afraid that despite our occasional arguments my shadow and I are quite fond of each other and would prefer to continue on together. Out of curiosity, a constant flaw of mine I'm told, what are you offering to trade?"
His eyes glance at the needle and thread, and lift them up so you can see better.
They are shiny, like made from gold or silver.
Valeeran peers as the implements casting Detect Magic to enhance his senses.
"I think I'd rather have my shadow." Anja says cautiously.
"I am rather attached to my shadow as well, I'm afraid."
Shana nods her head to Embor and moves to stand beside Anja, assuming the offer will intrigue the arcane members of the band more than her.
Khar nods going with what the others say "I as well would prefer to keep my shadow to myself." Khar wonders I wonder how that would effect things back home, not having a shadow, or if it would even carry back when we left. he shrugs to himself.
The half-owl nods and attempts to hold back tears, even though you can see a shimmer of a tear blinking in the corner of his eye.
"Only the shadows that were lost then?" he says in a soft, almost childlike voice. It is the same you heard when a kid asked his mom why his dog "ran away".
"Our shadows that were lost, and none of the others to stay behind when we leave," Anja specifies.
The half-owl starts talking to the shadows, and comes closer to your blankets, where he seems to detach the stitches with his needle. He whistles, and the shadow is back where it should be.
"There you go. You be on your way now, before they run away again.." he says with some sorrow in his voice.
Anja leads the way back to the swamp. Just before arriving, she checks around to make sure everyone still has their shadows.
"Good angle with that owlman, Valeeran. Everyone ready to try that bridge? Same plan: Shan-yu covers from this side, and I'll take the lead?"
Terry rubs his temple in thought as he considers the strange offer, as they all walk away. He glances over his shoulder at his shadow. "Maybe I should've accepted the offer...never been TOO particularly attached to my shadow...I'd miss making shadow-puppets," Terry thinks out loud in a quiet voice, smiling in amusement.
When they reach the bridge again, Terry thinks back to his limited schooling to try and think of what this bridge reminds him of...
But his memory has never been too good.
Khar and Valeeran, do you want to do anything before I continu with the bridge?
"Thank you for your help in finding our wayward shadows. We promise to do our best to take care of them so they don't go running off again." Valeeran tells the birdman before the group heads off.
"What? Oh yes thank you Anja. He was a strange little fellow wasn't he? Terry we'll need to do a bit of research on Avorals when next we come to something resembling a library. I know little more than their name. So onward it is then? Hopefully there's no trolls under this particular bridge. I've been told they favor them." He finishes with a wink.
The halfling speaks up after seeing the elf studying the bridge. "I'm fairly light, and the winds favor me even on this strange demiplane...I could go out on the bridge first, test for any obvious weaknesses before you big folk step on them?" he finishes with a grin. If Anja, with her characteristic brusqueness, simply begins crossing the bridge herself, he won't get in her way.
"Stand by and be ready to aid her if anything should go awry, Terry. I will follow Anja across as soon as she reaches the other side so that we have more metal on that side to greet anything ready to meet us."
Shana grins at the Halfling and taps the buckler on one arm against her plate armor, then draws her axe and prepares to cross the bridge after Anja.
"I imagine between the spellcasters, Shan-yu, and yourself, the two of us should have ample coverage should anything large, mean, and hungry decide that we look like dinner."
Terry bows his head in assent and waits to follow the leader.
Black and reeking of mildex, this frigid-looking lake spreads out from the broken terrain of the swamp. Its still surface reflects the distant shore. A single, rocky island rests in the center, capped with sickly grass and tangled growth and glowing with dozens of flickering, colored lights. An ancient, withered suspension bridge runs from the island to the banks. A gorgeous song - part lullaby, part dirge- pierces the otherwise haunting silence before dissolving into sobs.
A sobbing couatl bars access by foot, and it is apparently not visible unless you are standing **on** the bridge. He/she/it seems to be alternating between uncontrollable sobbing and singing dirges. Her slumped wings are hanging at her mangy sides and her tears rolling down her snout and long body, filling a shallow, rainbow-hued pool around her.
Anja stops on the bridge. She turns and looks at the rest of the party on the shore, still looking out for threats from the swamp or the far end of the bridge. She points at Shana, and waves for her to join her. She speaks softly to her when she arrives.
"Do you see that winged snake on the bridge, or am I seeing something? Go back to the others and tell them what we see."
Anja steps a bit further, but keeps her distance from what she sees. She calls out to it: "I've no interest to wallow in sorrow. Is the Barrow King on that island?"
"The hell's she talking to..."
>>"Why would she? I mean, you trust her, and consider her your friend. She is in pain and could really use someone to hold her, make her feel better. Maybe a good talk, a hot beverage, or someone that will just listen.
You don't feel a hint of agression on her, which is probably why you dropped your guard. She is like a kitten on the side of the street, meowing and looking uber-sad!"
Shana follows Anja's instructions and approaches her companion, eying the couatl as she listens and nods in agreement. "You're not seeing things. I see it too."
As she moves back to solid ground and off the bridge, Shana waves to the rest of the party with her free hand to warn the party, "There is a beast on the bridge, a winged serpent. Anja was speaking to it when I left but it is blocking the path and... crying. I can't see it now but it is on the bridge. "
Shana tries to retrieve an item, possibly a wand, but instead removes a card from the deck. She frowns and examines the Winged Serpent card. She examines it, frowning and cursing her 'companion' spirits.
I was going to choose that card as well. :)
There is a chill in the air, as you watch the bridge over the river, covered in mist.
I pass.
"I guess we don't need to rush off just yet." Anja moves her hand from her sword hilt, and walks further on the bridge. She embraces the creature with a tight hug, and gives it a big squeeze before letting go. She pulls out a flask and starts to unscrew the top. "You do whiskey? It's oldlaw stuff. 'Fraid I don't have anything fancier." She takes a swig herself, and leans on the railing. "Do you want to talk about it?"
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Shan-yu’s eyes go wide at Anja’s uncharacteristic friendliness and empathy shown to the invisible friend of her’s. ”Anja, are you alright?” he calls out to her, eyes still scanning for any aggressive foes. Thinking back to their first conversation, he adds, ”Would you like to shake hands now? Perhaps settle down and meet the neighbors?” There, that should hopefully rekindle her spark, not like she can be more upset at me. he thinks.