Seeing the rest of the group returning, Alton breaks of from Keildrithe, puffing with exertion. He bows to his sparring partner, gulping in breaths of the clear crisp air.
‘Well I think that will do us for today. Your a quick study, you’ve a natural talent for fighting with two blades. Can’t wait to see you in action against our next set of foes.’
He grins at Keildrithe, which turns into a look of brief confusion as he hears Nicholais message. Casting his friend a worried glance he starts to head over to the others, eyeing the newcomer and her weapons wearily. ‘Maybe i’ll see you in action sooner rather than later.’
"Thanks for the lesson, blade master, I have learned much this day," responds Keildrithe with a beaming smile, sounding just as tired and breathless as the halfling.
Nicolai's message catches the Karand by surprise. "Hmmm... who have we here..." He takes a quick glance at the surrounding woods to make sure that no huntsmen might be preparing to ambush them...
Nicholai also grins as they approach Keildrithe & Alton. But it is his old familiar smirk, now firmly back in place, and it reveals little about his thoughts. The dandy gives a slight bow as he indicates their companions.
"Miss Ana, may I present most of our little group? You have already correctly guessed that this is Master Laithe and Miss Pharris. These fine gentlemen are Masters Keildrithe and Alton, respectively. And Kajetan is around here, somewhere?" He looks at the two sparrers with an eyebrow raised in question.
"Undoubtedly unraveling the mysteries of the universe. Or simply reading. And I am Nicholai, at your service madam." He gives another little flourish of a bow.
"Well. You have questions. And I know WE do as well. Shall we go inside and try to get warm and more comfortable? This might take awhile." He adds wryly.
Keildrithe walks towards the group, weapons still in hand. He claps Laithe on the shoulder as he approaches, sheathing his dagger and thanking him for the goods he has brought back from town.
Then with long sword still in hand, he smiles hesitantly at "Miss Ana," and bows as Nicolai introduces him to her.
Ana has difficulty determining Keildrithe's age. His features partially obscured by the scraggly beard and moustache that have grown out over the past few weeks. He is slender of build and perhaps 5’8 tall, and clad in a perfect-fitting suit of black studded leather. His bright green eyes are penetrating and his expression genuine, yet his gaze also carries a hint of sadness... and perhaps mistrust. Keildrithe’s unruly chestnut hair, presently glistening with perspiration, droops to his shoulders, and a leather band keeps it from falling in his eyes. His skin tone is darker than that of either an Atuscan or Thuringian. In fact, he seems like he might be of the same stock as "Master Laithe."
"We send you on errands and you return with new friends? Why am I not surprised? I guess it was wise of us to fix the door... else we most certainly would have made a poor first impression on our new guest. Kajetan is inside... reading or resting, I would imagine."
Keildrithe follows the group into the cabin.
Ana bows slightly and smiles faintly at Keildrithe, hesitant but seemingly genuine "Master Oldsun, I presume. Its an honor to make your acquaintance at last; I've come far and at not so inconsequential risk to hear your tale."
The young woman remains largely quiet as she follows Nicolai, save for comments or questions directed at her. However, her eyes dart about seemingly trying to take in every detail of her surroundings.
Sorry for my slow posting this last week; things have been a bit hectic.
Nicholai Blinks in surprise at the sight of the door NOT falling off the frame, and grins at Keildrithe.
"And I assure you Lady Ana, It will be well worth the wait. You'll see." He says bowing her and Pharris into the cabin.
"And I assure you Lady Ana, It will be well worth the wait. You'll see." He says bowing her and Pharris into the cabin.
Just in time to hear a loud pop and Kajetan curse in his native tongue as the pile of gravel he was trying to fit into a much smaller purse explodes all over the table. He glares momentarily at Nicolai as if it is his fault but then the look turns to surprise as he spots the stranger and he starts scooping up his spell books and Journal in an attempt to hid them, while erasing some chalk marks on the floor with his sleeve.
Alton nods to Ana, but remains silent, studying her with a neutral expression. He glances around at the clearing and forest, wondering if even now church soldiers are surrounding the hut. With the fun of the sparring session forgotten, the Halfling follows his companions inside to hear the others explanations
Pharris goes in and finds five cups, all that the occupants had left. Then she puts a jug of fresh water down in the centre of the table.
"I guess we need to talk, and now is as good a place as any for you to tell us why the Church sent us such a sympathetic soul. What do you really know, Ana. And what can you do for us?"
The maiden pushes one cup of water towards Keildrithe and Ana then settles back to examine her new arrows in detail. "You know my father would have told me off for not checking each arrow more. "A warrior is responsible for his weapons.""
Pulling out a stone she begins to sharpen each arrow head carefully taking the odd sip from one of the communal cups.
"Please be honest, we have the blood of several misguided soldiers and killers on our hands already."
Alton nods to Ana, but remains silent, studying her with a neutral expression. He glances around at the clearing and forest, wondering if even now church soldiers are surrounding the hut. With the fun of the sparring session forgotten, the Halfling follows his companions inside to hear the others explanations
Laithe notices the looks by Alton and Keildrithe towards the surrounding forest, still feeling uneasy himself.
"I'll gather some more wood before the storm hits" he mumbles to the others as they head inside. He trots out into the wilderness, transforming into wolf form once he is inside the cover of the trees, and stalks around the camp, searching for any would-be pusuers. Once he is satisfied there is no-one on their trail, he will indeed gather some more wood to keep them warm for the oncoming storm.
Anastasia blinks at Pharris' question. "You must have misheard me when I first introduced myself: I am here with neither the support nor knowledge of the Church. I sought you out under my own volition as part of my own fact-finding mission. I know only the stories the Church has told, and the contradictions to these stories presented by the evidence, hence why I felt driven to seek you out and learn the truth."
Anastasia blinks at Pharris' question. "You must have misheard me when I first introduced myself: I am here with neither the support nor knowledge of the Church. I sought you out under my own volition as part of my own fact-finding mission. I know only the stories the Church has told, and the contradictions to these stories presented by the evidence, hence why I felt driven to seek you out and learn the truth."
Keildrithe is momentarily disappointed that their guest has stolen all the attention away from his handy work in the cottage -- no one has even batted an eye at the sight of the partition he built with pine boughs.
The Karand picks up one of the cups of water that Pharris poured for him, and thanks her for it.
"Were we that easy to track?" he asks Ana. "And what does it matter to you whether the stories told by the Church about us be true or false?"
"I lacked the skills to track you outright; rather I put together the clues regarding your destination and then simply waited in Spindlethorp, which I correctly predicted would be on your path."
As the young woman speaks she straightens slightly, a degree of pride in her accomplishment showing. Continuing, her voice takes on a soft intensity and she levelly meets Keildrithe's eyes.
"My father taught me to always seek out the truth, and that was the duty given to me by the Inquisition as well. I believe that it is my duty, both to myself and to the Church to learn the truth, and so I have come to you, peacefully, to learn the truth of recent events."
"I lacked the skills to track you outright; rather I put together the clues regarding your destination and then simply waited in Spindlethorp, which I correctly predicted would be on your path."
As the young woman speaks she straightens slightly, a degree of pride in her accomplishment showing. Continuing, her voice takes on a soft intensity and she levelly meets Keildrithe's eyes."My father taught me to always seek out the truth, and that was the duty given to me by the Inquisition as well. I believe that it is my duty, both to myself and to the Church to learn the truth, and so I have come to you, peacefully, to learn the truth of recent events."
"The Inquisition, eh? No, they don't seek the truth, they make lies into truth for the followers of the almighty Arton to swallow." Keildrithe practically sneers as he speaks those last words. "Forgive me for being so doubting, m'lady, but why should we expect any different from you? What exactly have you heard about us, and what do you intend to do once you have learned the truth? And is the "truth" not in the eye of the beholder?"
Kajetan attempts to blend into the background and observe the conversation as it flows back and forth.
"To be fair, Keildrithe, while most of the church are hunting us there are one or two who we have sought help from. Stefan? The one in the monastery we are heading for. Ana, may be another who understands that her church is host to something rotten. But I for one want to know what she plans next. After we have told her our tale, what did you intend to do with the facts. She has had plenty of time getting here and now to decide her next move. Because you will soon be just as hunted as us."
Pharris provokes each point with a rasp of her whetstone on the arrowhead.
Nicholai's attention is diverted by the sight of a screen of evergreen boughs that hadn't been there before. He glanced with a quizzical look at Alton, then Kajetan, then Keildrithe. His gaze flicks to Pharris, and a small, knowing smirk flashes across his mouth. So quickly that it could have been imagined. He takes a cup of water and raises it to Pharris in a gesture of gratitude, and sips at it as if it was wine. He drags himself back from his thoughts to the conversation going on pel-mel around him.
"Forgive us Ana." Nicholai smoothly interjects into the conversation, not quite quick enough to prevent the name of his friend from being given freely to this woman that they had just met.
"As you can see, our recent, entanglements, with the authorities have left us somewhat jaded about the ability of the church to control the excesses of many of their more powerful members. I believe that MOST of the church's leaders mean well. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to go to excess in one's zeal when you are certain that you have divine approval for your actions. No matter how obviously mistaken those actions are to everyone else. And no commoner trying to eke an existence out of the ground is going to be willing to stand up to the church when a single word will get them branded a 'darkfriend' and executed!"
Nicholai takes another dainty sip of water, once again enjoying the mouthful as if it were a fine wine.
"I also believe you. Cautiously, I'll admit. But I am a fairly good judge of character. I DO believe you when you say that you are currently here without orders or knowledge of your superiors. And that you want to know the truth. Or at least that you BELIEVE that you do. But, as my companions so, enthusiastically, pointed out, what happens when the truth is not only NOT what the Church has told you, but turns out to be, in your opinion, even worse? For we have been forced to confront things that most good people should never have to know exist."
He takes another sip of water.
"Well, we can discuss this all night, but the truth is, we shall never know what here reaction will be until she has heard the story!" he says lightly, bowing from his chair to Keildrithe.
"Mistress Ana, I present to you Master Keildrithe, trained in the lore of the old ways, and the finest tale-weaver I have ever had the pleasure to hear. I Assure you, no matter your reaction, you will not consider the evening wasted." He promised with a smile. He nods to the bard in encouragement, and settles back to relive the tale himself once more,...
Laithe:
Ana:
Nicolai:
Keildrithe:
Keildrithe fetches his pack and pulls his beldach--his Karandic hand drum--out of it, as well as the small mallet used to beat the drum.
"Inquisitor Vorn has made demons of us," says Keildrithe to Ana. "I assure you, that we are not. If we were, you would be dead already, your soul dragged into hell... Trust me, we took no joy in slaying the soldiers that followed the Inquisitor. And those that would surrender and listen, we allowed to go free. No, we too are real men -- and women -- like your own folk... People who have suffered needlessly at the hands of the Artonites... My story begins as follows, and I swear that every single word is true... And this instrument," he shows the beldach, "is the voice of my ancestors..."
The bard strikes his hand drum, producing a single resonating beat, followed by a pause-ten heartbeat pause, then another beat, then another pause, the pattern repeating continuously. His eyes seem to focus on something in the distance, in the spirit world. At first, he says nothing, allowing the drum to speak for him. Then his eyes return to the captives, and, while maintaining the slow, steady rythm of his beldach, stirring, pain-laced words begin to fall from the Karands lips...
"Every cycle of the sun, the land that my father and his forefathers before him once called home slips away a little bit more into the shadow, like a glacier that recedes up a great mountain, only scorched and bloodied by the people of Arton. And as the land bleeds, so does the spirit of the Karands. As the great woods retreat ever northward, and the angry ants from the south come and take that which no man can give or own, the tongue of the Karands fades, as does the health and happiness of their children. They sing and laugh no more, while their mothers weep poison tears in floods that could drown the furthest reaches of the empire in guilt… if its inhabitants cared to listen with the heart within their hearts.
"My father and his forefathers before him were hedilye —Storytellers. They learned the tales of their ancestors, and the songs of wind, tree and river; they mastered the lore of the beast lords who walked the world before men stood on two legs; and they shared this knowledge with Karands near and far, ensuring that all remembered and honoured the elder times, and passed that knowledge on to their children. The hedilye also watched the world turn, and carried news to the people. Swords and spears would part before the hedilye, enemies would welcome them, and all weighed their words carefully. Indeed, the voice of the hedilye carried Power; their words were Time itself; the beat of their beldachs, Wisdom. They were ambassadors of Peace, and they were gifted entertainers.
"But as the Karand are now made to swallow their tongues, so now is the power of the hedilye swallowed back. There are few today who possess their gifts. My grandfather died of fever, and my father perished beneath the thirsty blades of the south men shortly after I reached manhood. Both were accomplished hedilye. The south men took mother away, while I accompanied father on a journey among the northern clans. My little brothers and sisters, too, were taken away. I have only others like myself now—shamed, beaten, alone, slowly forgetting the ways and words of our people.
Subsisting on the whims of Atuscan lords, or through the less than honourable use of the skills my father had taught me. Increasingly turning to the drink to forget what screamed within for remembrance, and coming dangerously close to accepting that the old ways were evil, that we must embrace the “good” of the new ways… of Arton’s ways.
"It has been nearly ten years since the Endless Sorrow settled in my belly. During that time, I had almost unlearned what little I had learned from my father of the hedilye traditions. Almost. But one day, in my unintended home of Barg, I witnessed a young Karand from the wild north, Laithe Greycoat, preaching about the harm that was being done to the spirit of the land… to the spirit of our people… and I remembered…
"… and I knew that, for the sake of my forefathers, for the sake of the ancient beast lords, for the sake of the Karand, I must shed the Endless Sorrow. Though far from the hedilye that my father and his father were, I must carry new words of hope to our people, and help them draw on the strength of our ancestors. I must fight back while keeping to the shadows, and must ensure that I am not the last to carry the proud traditions of the hedilye."
Keildrithe pauses, allowing Ana to reflect on what she has heard. The beating of the drum continues uninterrupted...
Keildrithe resumes his story over the slow beat of his hand drum.
“’Twas but a few weeks ago now, when the Artonites accused a woman who lived on the outskirts of Barg—Gosia Troskie—of witchcraft causing the disappearance and deaths of four young girls in the community. Gosia was a gifted healer and mid-wife of Karandic descent, with a touch of fey blood and reputedly the ability to practice simple magic of a benevolent kind. I knew this woman could have committed no crime—she had only ever been kind and helpful to our people. Yet the local priest, Padre Jalun, was prepared to burn her at the stake for alleged crimes against Arton, against the Empire, and against this village. Yet as one respected older confided, she was in fact being hanged because she was a symbol of the old ways… as Laithe (blessed of Ehlonna and the woodland spirits) and I are as well…
“At first, I thought it chance, but now think more that it may have been destiny or the will of the ancients, that brought a group of complete strangers to the square where Gosia was to be hanged… Myself, Laithe, Alton, a young mage named Jirkin Faluen the Tenth, and, very briefly, a warrior by the name of Troy Kamgul.” Keildrithe nods in the direction of each companion as he mentions their names, and chokes back tears at the mention of Jirkin’s name.
“I felt my grandfather’s spirit take hold of me as Padre Jalun pronounced Gosia’s sentence, and stepped forward, beating this very beldach for courage. In the name of the people of Barg, I begged for Arton’s mercy. I pledged to find the evil that stalked the woods to slay the town’s youth, so that Gosia’s life could be spared. I pledged that if I should fail in that task, then I would forfeit my life to Arton, if it be his will that somebody die. The people of Barg wished for peace, not bloodshed and divisiveness… The gauntlet had been dropped…
“At first, the Padre rejected my offer of compromise. Yet a few moments later, as the Padre and I continued to spar with fiery words in the Town Square, while Laithe, Alton, Jirkin and Troy all positioned themselves discretely in the crowd in order to rescue poor Gosia, none other than Inquisitor Vorn himself stepped forward to break the stalemate. Before the crowd, he accepted my challenge, but raised the stakes… He gave me one week to find evidence that could convince him that Gosia had not been responsible for the deaths and disappearances… If I failed, then both Gosia and I would burn at the stake… As I searched for evidence, Gosia would remain in the constabulary’s custody…
“Laithe, Alton and Jirkin offered their selfless aid in support of my suicidal quest. And while Troy chose to follow his own path, we soon gained another unexpected ally – a knight of Arton called Yruch. Although it was difficult for me to believe, he did not approve of the Church’s oppressive tactics. Our search in the nearby Darkenwood eventually led us, over a matter of days, to a goblin village in a distant place called the Valley of the Snails. These goblins had never bothered the folk of Barg, and were in fact unknown to them. We later learned from the woodsman Jarred that aside from occasionally causing mischief and minor harm to the creatures of the wood, the goblins mostly kept to themselves. Yet their behaviour had changed of late, and they became far more malicious and daring. Their witch-doctor had struck Jarred with a poisoned dart, which drove the woodsman completely mad—he believed himself the King of Boars, consort of Ehlonna, goddess of the woodland realms. This was the state in which we first encountered him… but what had made the goblins aggressive, all of a sudden? And were they responsible for the disappearances in Barg?
“We executed a raid on their village, and found that their shaman leader had fallen under the influence of a demon that took the form of a large spider. The spider-demon whispered its evil plans in the ear of the shaman, who then ordered his people to commit foul deeds… including murdering and abducting innocent young girls… Indeed, they still had a human infant from Barg amongst them…
“We defeated the goblins, and slew their shaman leader… but the demon transformed from spider into its normal form and took flight… towards—we would later learn—Lichford… We found an antidote for the goblin poison, and cured Jarred of his madness…
“As we travelled back through the woods with the child and tokens from its goblin captors, intending to present them as evidence to Inquisitor Vorn, we were attacked near Gosia’s cottage. Vorn had sent a squad to ambush us—no doubt wanting to save face at all cost, and to preserve the perfection of Arton’s judgement… He wanted Karands to burn, and would stop at nothing for this to happen… Atrek, Vorn’s huntsman, led this squad of murderers…”
"But I forget, or perhaps my heart resists retelling the tragedy... but as we fought the goblins, their demon master took our friend Jirkin's life, rending the flesh from his face with its jaws... This was a heart rending loss... and but a day later, we were confronted by treacherous assassins sent by Vorn... The Artonites insisted that more blood be spilled... Atrek and his men ambushed us like cowardly dogs, under cover of darkness...
"Fortunately, we gained another, heretofore unknown ally that night -- our scholarly friend from Lorin, Kajetan Armann, also lurked in the shadows. He had witnessed our intervention which had spared Gosia's life, if only for a few days, and now spied Atrek's ambush. With his assistance, we were able to turn the tables on Atrek. He and some of his men were captured, their lives spared. We easily could have dealt them the fate that had been intended for us, and which had been condoned by the Artonites, but we chose to keep the moral high ground.
"Kajetan informed us that whether we returned with evidence confirming Gosia's innocence or not, Vorn would order that the lady and I burn at the stake. That was consistent with our experience of Artonite "truth", "honesty" and "justice." The Artonites feared that a riot would ensure from the burning of Gosia and I, and were prepared to slaughter every single Karand. Vorn sent Atrek to kill us in order to prevent any evidence of Gosia's innocence from reaching the ears of Barg's citizens. The infant we carried back from the goblin village would be proof enough. The local soldiery was also placed on high alert.
"We infiltrated the town and managed to rescue Gosia, against all odds. We fled Barg, then bid farewell to Gosia, Jarred and Yruch, who went their own way. Laithe, Alton, Kajetan and I travelled to Lichford, hoping to leave Atrek and Vorn far behind... but alas...
"During our travels, we had the pleasure of meeting the warrior-maiden Pharris and fighting at her side against a band of feral hyena-men. She has been a staunch ally ever since.
"Near Lichford, we came across a merchant caravan that had evidently been waylaid by raiders of some sort. One of the merchants, we soon discovered, had survived the assault but was unconscious. Picking among the debris were a pair of small beast-men -- knockers, as we know them. They claimed that one of their tribesfolk had unleashed a pack of devils on the world through the use of an arcane artifact they called the devil box, and that those fiends had conducted the raid on the caravan. We deduced that the imp that had slain our companion, Jirkin, might have been brought to the world via this devil box. The knockers were worried about the hardship that one particular fiend, the chain devil, might bring to them and the broader world if it were not recaptured with the devil box... especially since these evil spirits could become invisible at will, thus spreading their misdeeds undetected. For the sake of all that is good in this flawed world, we agreed to help them recapture these devils...
"Much happened in and around Lichford... We met yet another brave ally, Nicolai auf der Maur… We saw the cathedral burn while we were still outside the town walls... The devils burned it, but the Artonites found it all too convenient to use us as scapegoats, since they had tracked us here... And the bodies that were found slain near the Hogfish? Those were henchmen hired by the chain devil, or perhaps by Atrek himself... I'm not sure which... But they attacked us while we stayed at the inn -- they were slain in self-defence...
"If anything, the Artonites should thank us for having trapped the chain devil and some of the other fiends in the devil box... While some remain at large, we have cleansed the streets of Lichford, unbeknownst to the general populace, of several evil spirits that should exist only in nightmares... But the Artonites shall never grant us credit for this... They would rather perpetuate their lies, keep all non-Atuscans under their thumbs, and hunt for scapegoats...
“And so we moved on yet again, hoping to find this wise man of the Artonites, one Stephan of the Order of Truth, somewhere in these hills. Yet Inquisitor Vorn, his henchman Atrek, and a company of men tracked us and sought to kill us some distance outside of Lichford, at the site of a ruined hill-top tower. We drove them back yet again, this time taking the life of the huntsman Atrek, and that of a few other soldiers. Some surrendered, and we released them once we told them this very story... the story called Truth...
“Following Vorn’s retreat, we explored the barrow beneath the tower, purging the earth of the taint of the restless dead that dwelled within, and who nearly claimed the souls of some of my companions...
“And now you find us here, trying to enjoy a little peace and quiet away from prying eyes, before we resume the search for Stefan... I swear to you that every word I have spoken is true...
“Thank you for listening, Ana… What you do with this knowledge is entirely up to you…”
With that last word, Keildrithe falls silent and hangs his head low, sounding his hand drum for the last time…
Nicholai sits and listens as Keildrithe weaves his tale. The dandy's head bobs lightly in time with the bard's slow drumbeats, almost as if mesmerized himself. But his eyes stay slitted open, his veiled gaze upon Ana, watching her reactions. He becomes very still towards the end, as Keildrithe mentions his friend Stephan and the Order of Truth. He almost seems to become a statue he sits so still,...
Anastasia leans forward as Keildrithe begins telling their story, and she sits in enraptured silence as he tells the story of the events she's investigated.
As the heartbeat of his beldach fades to silence, she remains quiet for a long moment bearing a pensive, somewhat masked expression. At long last, she breaks herself from her reverie and speaks softly, barely above a whisper and not quite meeting Keildrithe's eyes.
"I see that the stories of your skill...don't come close to reality; you present a moving account of the trials of you and your companions."
Still speaking barely above a whisper, she continues "I was sent to Barg to aid Padre Jalun and Inquisitor Vorn, but I brought with me the perspective of an investigator. I looked at clues, I listened to accounts of what happened, and I questioned the conclusions of those around me.
As I followed your trail to Lichford and beyond, the questions and contradictions continued to mount, and so I sought you out, ignoring the orders of my superiors, which brings me to you and your incredible tale."
Once again Ana draws the Inquisitor's armband from beneath her cloak. "It is my duty to find the light of truth and bring it to the darkest of places, and if those dark places are in the hearts and halls of the priests of Arton, then so be it."
She meets Keildrithe's gaze, handing the black fabric to him as a quiet intensity fills her voice "I believe your story Keildrithe Oldsun, and I humbly offer my services as an observer and investigator of the Church of Arton. Please, allow me to travel with you a while."
Alton lets out a deep breath as Keildrithe finishes speaking, not realising he had been holding one in. He wipes a tear from his cheek, shed in memory of companions lost or left behind.
When the halfling speaks, he talks in an almost reverent tone, not wanting to disturb the almost mesmerising effect of the tale.
‘You ask us to take a great leap of faith, so to speak, in accepting your company on our journey. But even if we can believe your tale, and your motives, can you bear the burden that joining our band will entail? If you are seen to be consorting, protecting or helping us you too will be branded a traitor, and hunted. You will not be able to return to your former life. Are you prepared for that possibility? That may be the price you pay for the truth.’
Alton lapses into silence, studying Ana with an intensity rarely seen in the man’s usually cheeky demeanour.
At the telling of the tale, Kajetan starts ploughing through his journal, turning back to the record of the last telling of this story. He quickly starts scratching corrections and improvements on the written version he has. He is still scribbling away long after the story is finished.
"I, for one, am grateful for your fervor, if cautiously optimistic." Nicholai says with a grin, raising his cup of water to Ana.
"You keep saying that you are a 'Seeker of the Truth'. Are you? Or should I say, what do you know of that noble, if unofficial, body of the Church?" he asks pleasantly over the soft scratching of Kaj's pen. But his charming smile doesn't, quite, reach his eyes.
"Keildrithe, you have the heart of an elven minstrel. That was even better than last time." She raises a cup and salutes his downcast face.
At Ana's words Pharris frowns, "we had to slay a church warrior, or more that served the wishes of Vorn and Atrek blindly. They were unwitting deaths. How will you help us for the greater good when more of these servants stand in our way with sword and bow, magic and faith? Will you turn against us, Karands?"
"My actions have already ensured that I will be an outcast at best in the eyes of the Church. It is the price that must be paid, and I hope that through it, I will be able to bring the truth to those in the Church who have fallen away from the true teachings."
Muttering almost as an after though, she says "Besides, there isn't a lot to return to." before looking quizzically to Nicolai. "What do you refer to? I'm a member of the Inquisition, but beyond that I hold no allegiances, official or otherwise."
Laithe had returned half way through the telling of the story, bundle of sticks and wood in his arms. Rather than interrupt, he gently laid down the wood and listened quietly from outside, losing himself in the skillful rythme of Keildrithe's voice.
Once the story is told, and the last beat of the beldach has faded from hearing, he quietly slips into the cottage. Looking around, he takes in the modifications that have been made and eventually settles his gaze on Ana, listening to each of his companions voice their thoughts.
"The truth of the tale you have just told gives us indication on how we should proceed, Keildrithe. The story is proof enough that each must be judged on the merits of their character, and that alone. Just as we Karands frequently suffer at the hands of Artonites due to our heritage and beliefs, so to are Artonites perhaps unfairly judged due to the actions of those like Vorn and Atrek, and those who slew my kin.
He nods in Nicolai's direction, "Nicolai is a follower or Arton, and Yruch was a paladin of that god, and both have proven themselves to be worthy of trust, friendship and loyalty. I believe we should, nay must, afford the same consideration to Ana. Her actions thus far have been honorable, and it would be a folly to not give her the opportunity to prove herself, or to turn away a potential ally when we are beset by so many enemies."
He turns to Ana. "Heed Alton's warning though. Keildrithe has sheltered you from much of the horror of what we have seen over the past few weeks, and perhaps has understated the number of times we have stared death in the face, and only narrowly walked free. While I have no doubt you are capable of facing such dangers, I feel I cannot let you walk with us without first forewarning you of the dangers involved."
Having said his piece, he falls silent and awaits her reply.
Kajetan's stomach growls like an angry dog in the silence between question and reply, he looks up sheepishly from his penmanship. His page has SEEKER OF THE TRUTH? Underlined across the top of the page in bold letters next to the rest of his cramped scribblings.
Pharris breaks into one of her best smiles when Ana finishes, "good! I'm glad. I think you will be a great help and I trust you already like a new found sister."
She puts the arrows away, sharp and bright then notices the partition. "Who did that?"
"My actions have already ensured that I will be an outcast at best in the eyes of the Church. It is the price that must be paid, and I hope that through it, I will be able to bring the truth to those in the Church who have fallen away from the true teachings."
Muttering almost as an after though, she says "Besides, there isn't a lot to return to." before looking quizzically to Nicolai. "What do you refer to? I'm a member of the Inquisition, but beyond that I hold no allegiances, official or otherwise."
Nicholai nods thoughtfully as the others chime in and warn Ana of the dangers, while expressing their acceptance of her offer of assistance. He gives a swift half-grin.
"Oh, nothing in particular. It's just that, the man we are looking for that Keildrithe mentioned, Stephan, he's a friend of mine. And he has been unusually difficult to track down. I was hoping that perhaps you might have known him, or at least known of him." Nicholai says, dismissing it lightly as if it were of no importance. But his eyes flash briefly with dark thoughts over his cup of water. Those who have traveled with him realize that he is probably worried. But the moment passes, and his usual annoyingly cheerful smirk is back in place.
Keildrithe seems lost in thought as Ana voices her appreciation and desire to join the group, staring intently into her eyes. As the others voice their acceptance, the bard bard also shrugs and nods.
"You are all too kind, my friends," he says softly, looking into some unseen distance and acting as though he were actually speaking to a ghost. "My storytelling pales in comparison to that of my grandfather."
Pharris breaks into one of her best smiles when Ana finishes, "good! I'm glad. I think you will be a great help and I trust you already like a new found sister."
She puts the arrows away, sharp and bright then notices the partition. "Who did that?"
Keildrithe snaps out of his monetary reverie and follows Pharris's gaze, then looks back at his toes. "Ummm... Alton, Kajetan... and me..." he says shyly.
Hopefully the atmosphere breaks as Pharris jumps up and goes round to each of the builders in turn, giving them a big hug and a kiss on the head if they are sat down. She finishes with Keildrithe.
"You boys out-do yourselves sometimes..and this is one of those times. Thank you so much for listening!" She claps her hands together and goes to check out the workmanship. A little.
Keildrithe snaps out of his monetary reverie and follows Pharris's gaze, then looks back at his toes. "Ummm... Alton, Kajetan... and me..." he says shyly.
"But mostly Keildrithe," Kajetan mumbles as he gets embraced by the Amazonian.
"I am sure that your grandfather would be proud." Ana says quietly, seeming somewhat uncomfortable and eager to get back to the discussion at hand.
Replying to Laithe, she says "Your concern is appreciated, but I have already seen my share of...horrors in the service of the Church, and my investigations into your case has familiarized me with some of the choices and actions which you have faced. I am determined to go forward with this, regardless of the risks."
Outside, the afternoon darkens as heavy clouds begin to gather. Soon, the first flakes of new snow begin drifting towards the ground.
Ana:
Hopefully the atmosphere breaks as Pharris jumps up and goes round to each of the builders in turn, giving them a big hug and a kiss on the head if they are sat down. She finishes with Keildrithe.
"You boys out-do yourselves sometimes..and this is one of those times. Thank you so much for listening!" She claps her hands together and goes to check out the workmanship. A little.
The normally eloquent bard stammers something incomprehensible when Pharris hugs him. He blushes a little, then beams at her with un-conceilable pride as she inspects the partition. He seems fidgety, uncertain what to do with himself.
Then, noticing the darkness quickly falling and the chill creeping into the cabin, he proposes that a fire be lit and soup warmed up.
"How was the journey into town, anyway? Would I attract a great deal of attention if I went down there in the next few days to purchase some warm pelts, boots, and gloves?"
"But mostly Keildrithe," Kajetan mumbles as he gets embraced by the Amazonian.
NIcholai shakes his head, He makes his way over to the bookworm as Pharris hugs her way towards Keildrithe.
"I can see that I need to explain to you the proper way to accept a ladies' gratitude." He says softly with a raised eyebrow. He pulls a small bundle tied with paper and string from under his new coat and hands it to Kajetan.
"Your 'writing supplies', master scribe." He says with a wry grin.
The dandy looks out as the snow begins to fall, and shudders.
"As much as I loved snow as a boy, I for one am most pleased to be watching it from inside!" he declares, moving over to the cook pot to add a bit of summoned seasonings to the soup.
"How was the journey into town, anyway? Would I attract a great deal of attention if I went down there in the next few days to purchase some warm pelts, boots, and gloves?"
"I don't think it would be too much too risk. I did leave the shopkeeper with the impression that there more than just us, and that we were woefully underprepared for our journey. I don't think it would stretch the bounds of credibility for another 1 or 2 of 'Lady Cinna's' party to show up looking for warmer clothes. But perhaps our new friend might be better prepared to answer that. "What do you think Ana? Is it safe to stay here for a couple of more days, or does the fact that you found us mean we need to disappear?" He asks, refilling her water cup
and then his own. He waits for her to answer, then tries to strike up a conversation with her."So, Ana. Where are you from? Originally?" He asks brightly.
Kajetan almost snatches the bundle from Nicolai in his excitemnet, "thank you," he exclaims with out looking up from the bundle which he opens with trembling hands. He scurries over towards the fire as it is lit so he can inspect the writing supplies in detail, a large grin on his face.
"I love it!" Pharris hops around happy and pleased. Then she hears Kajetan's mumbled words and clasps Keildrithe again. "For me, so kind!"
Pharris goes inside and closes the door to change back into her warrior clothes and armour.
Ana shakes her head "Its unlikely that he will be able to mobilize more forces and track you down within the next few days. He took heavy losses at Lichford and was himself injured, so even if he is able to pursue immediately it won't be with overwhelming force. I found you through guesswork rather than outright tracking and was waiting for you here. Even if puts together the same information that I did he's likely to remain at least a few days behind you."
At Nicolai's question regarding her past, the young woman's voice loses some of its authoritative confidence and she looks down. "I'm afraid that my life has been rather normal up until my assignment to deliver a message to Vorn. My father disappeared when I was only a child, and I became a ward of the Church, living in the Southdowns Abbey until I was recruited by the Inquisition."
As she looks down, the hair that falls across her face and the shadows in the cabin's interior make it difficult to tell, but it seems as though she's blushing slightly.
Kajetan:
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From the partitioned area, the warrior listens to Ana and her last words.
"So what do you suggest we should do? Vorn probably answers to someone. Should we take him on, that he would not expect? Or try to spread the word of the cancer in the Church? Rally support? If you found us then the church will eventually catch us."
DM: