"Oh it's not that bad." I say, wincing "Okay, it is that bad." and sit down gingerly and trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my side.
Before the woman has a chance to respond, Laithe's attention is drawn back to his companions following Keildrithe's call. At talk of Alton's wounds he looks over with a worried expression.
Glancing back at the female warrior he says "Looks like I'm needed. My companions and I will offer you no harm, and we don't know what other beasts might be still lurking out there. It would be safer for you if you join us; I can also take a look at those wounds." He eyes the still dripping two handed blade held by the woman, thinking on how well she fought with it. "Make that safer for us if you join us as well" he ammends with a wry grin.
With that, he pushes back down to the road and jogs to where Alton, Keildrithe and Kajetan stand waiting. He kneels down next to Alton and begins inspecting the swashbucklers arrow wounds. As he works, he speaks apologetically "I don't have much in the way of healing magic at the moment, so we are going to have to make do with mundane healing at this stage, until I get a chance to rest and commune with Ehlonna this evening".
Still working on extracting the arrow, he adds, "Keildrithe, I believe the imp was here and may still be about, so everyone be on the lookout and don't wonder off alone."
Still working on extracting the arrow, he adds, "Keildrithe, I believe the imp was here and may still be about, so everyone be on the lookout and don't wonder off alone."
"What makes you think the demon is here, Laithe?" asks Keildrithe, cringing as he watches his friend extract the large arrow from the diminutive halfling. Trying to push the painful sight from his mind, he starts to scan the rocky hilltops for signs of the infernal creature that had slain their friend a little over a week ago and caused so much misery around Barg.
His gaze eventually falls upon the battle-scarred elf maiden that has wandered into their midst. "Permit me to introduce myself... I am Keildrithe Oldsun, of Barg," says the bard with a slight bow, "and these are my friends... You've met Laithe Greycoat already... The small man with the arrow sticking out of him is Alton Hilltopple, and the crossbow-wielding scholar is Kajetan Armanno... and who, pray tell my lady, might you be, and how came you to wander this path alone and to become the target of these savage wolf-men?"
I give a pained nod of thanks after Laithe removes the arrow "Thanks. Didn't want that to become a permanant part of my anatomy. The fiend? Wonderful. What makes you say he's here? I think that bands such as this aren't entirely uncommon in these parts. Could be coincidence that they attacked us. Pity for them too."
Looking up at the newcomer I nod in greeting curiously awaiting her answers to Keildrithe's questions and wondering if this woman is friend or foe.
The human woman is tall, slender, and graceful despite her wounds. She has very pale skin and red hair, and wears a green cloak over her chainmail shirt.
Spot 22+
"What makes you think the demon is here, Laithe?" asks Keildrithe, cringing as he watches his friend extract the large arrow from the diminutive halfling. Trying to push the painful sight from his mind, he starts to scan the rocky hilltops for signs of the infernal creature that had slain their friend a little over a week ago and caused so much misery around Barg.
Laithe finishes up with Alton before answering his friend's questions. "Perhaps we may ask the lady" he says, half turning towards her. "It seemed she lay in wait with these creatures while we approached, and even when she revealed herself they did not immediately attack. As I approached her, it looked as though she was swinging her sword at something in the air above her." He pauses for a moment, thinking back.
"It reminded me of the goblin tent, where the imp had clung to the goblin shaman's body, controlling his actions. Once we got it free it circled above, turning invisible at will. It is my assumption that the thing had taken control of this lady and was using her to lead the wolf-men. Fotunately for us she managed to fight free of it as we approached, for having seen her wield that sword, I would not wish to face her in combat!". He looks to the woman for confirmation or denial of his theory.
After a moment Laithe looks around for the horses. "Perhaps we should talk while we move, and try and regather our horses before they come to harm?"
The stunningly beautiful lady pulls back her hood and shakes her auburn hair out.
"By all the gods of night and day, that was fun! They shouldn't be laying an ambush for anyone. They deserved what they got didn't they. Ahhh! My ribs hurt!"
She bends over wheezing briefly.
"Meh, I'm Pharris and I was looking for a bit of sport out here. Thanks for helping me out. But just so you know there was no invisible monster at the start of the fight, just me trying to draw them into battle. Otherwise they may have shot more of you, which wouldn't have been fair would it?"
Quickly the girl walks around, touching or shaking the hand of everyone in turn. Each one gets the benefit of her full charm and beauty.
"Alton, Keildrithe, Laithe and Katejan. The pleasure is all mine." She adds with a husky breath.
Pharris stands full tall again, towering over six feet and unconsciously holds her side.
"Looking for some sport?! I think I like you." Alton says with a chuckle "Well, always glad to meet another traveler, and a warrior at that. Seems like any awfully strange spot to set up vigil and stop ambushers though."
More serious he turns to the others "You're right; we've got to keep moving even if it was the fiend that Pharris was fighting. The sooner we get to Lichford the better. If only we didn't have to use those damned horses. "
"Meh, I'm Pharris and I was looking for a bit of sport out here. Thanks for helping me out. But just so you know there was no invisible monster at the start of the fight, just me trying to draw them into battle. Otherwise they may have shot more of you, which wouldn't have been fair would it?
Laithe is a little taken a-back by Pharris' relaxed and even eager attitude over the fight. He had never known someone to come out of the other side of a battle claiming they'd had great fun, especially not if they were carrying the wounds she had suffered. On the plus side he is relieved she seemed not the slight bit worried about his ability to take on the shape of a wolf.
However, upon hearing that the imp wasn't involved as he had feared, he lets out a silent sigh of relief. Spotting the horses he stands and points that way. "Why don't we retrieve the horses and then I'll take a look at those ribs for you Pharris? It sounded like you may have fractured a couple."
He starts off in the direction of the horses and then leads them back to the group. Assuming Pharris takes him up on his offer, he will bind and tend to her wounds to ease any discomfort.
Once done, he takes a quick wonder around the bodies strewn out on the battlefield, searching them for coin or any other items of interest. Whispering quietly, he casts a detect magic to scan for anything of particular note carried by the creatures. He also stops and takes a closer look at the wolf-creatures, trying to determine what they are.
Keildrithe seems just as surprised as Laithe to hear the woman speak of the battle as sport, and to be laughing as she is despite her wounds. And she's so tall, he thinks to himself. He eventually snaps out of his trance, then starts to head up the rocky hillside, confident that their recently sighted horses will stay put on the trail a while longer. "I wonder if that beast handler wasn't their leader," says the bard over his shoulder by way of explanation. "Perhaps he carries something of value, or some useful clues as to their reason for being in the area... aside from plain old banditry... With some luck, we might even learn where he was attempting to escape to..."
Laithe recognises the dead animals. They are indeed wolves, albeit a fairly rare species; Northern maned wolves. Their colouration gives them some degree of camoflauge in the bleak, rocky terrains often found in the northlands, whilst the manes protect their neck and throat. They also tend to be slightly bigger and stronger than other wolf varieties. They are not known to be particularly aggressive – but like other wolves, can be trained for hunting or combat if raised from young, which is likely what happened here.
After Laithe cleans and binds people’s wounds, horses are collected and wolf-man corpses are searched. You discover the following:
A much notched greatsword
A gnarled greatclub
A functional battleaxe
A heavy flail
2 serrated daggers
3 shortbows
2 dozen arrows
2 suits of roughly made studded leather armour
2 suits of cracked and worn leather armour
a heavy wooden shield crudely painted with a wolf’s head
An intricately carved pewter flagon with jade inlays
A tiny pouch containing 15 small, misshapen pearls
A purse containing 76 silver marks (sp)
A hack-silver bracelet
A golden yellow faceted gemstone
A belt pouch containing 42 gold crowns (gp) and 35 copper pennies (cp)
A wineskin stamped with a symbol of an arrow and containing a smelly, greasy liquid
A goat’s skull on a leather strap
A wolf tooth necklace
A small doll, crudely made of straw
Three banded river pebbles
A half eaten lizard
Two leather dog collars with long chains
A twenty foot length of hemp rope, with a grappling hook on the end
This is garnered from the four wolf-man corpses – there is no sign of the one that Alton and Kajetan shot on the far side of the river (at least not from here). The wounded creature appears to have either hidden or fled.
EDIT: Keildrithe, you are able to draw back the shortbows. They are functional, although not particularly well made or maintained.
The greasy liquid in the wineskin radiates a faint magical aura.
Laithe:
"So there is a fiend after you all? what's that all about?" Pharris grins at Alton and the others while they rifle the belongings.
"If you want to be techinical, we're after the fiend. The little bastard killed one of our companions so we're hoping to eventually catch up with him. Its a longshot, but hey, worth a try eh?" Alton says, examining the pearls. "Ah, wine. Maybe. Kajatan, will this do for your spell? I would like to know what this dagger does."
Alton, the pearls are small and misshapen – they appear extremely similar to the ones that you found at various locales within the Valley of Snails.
Laithe casts his eye over the items collected from the wolf-men. He points at the wineskin marked with an arrow. "This one radiates faint magic. I might guess they apply it to their arrow-heads for some effect?"
"Why not divide the coins now and then take the other items of value to be appraised and sold in town? I'll take the rope and grapple if no one else wishes for it?"
Laithe then moves over to Alton, and points to the curved dagger at his belt. "Alton, the dagger you carry there seems to be magical. Bare in mind it may give you an advantage in battle if you use it."
He then turns to the group "If all agreed we should be off?" Turning to Pharris he says "We are headed towards Lichford. If you would like to travel with us, I think I speak for the group in saying that if you would like to travel with us, we'd be happy to have you along?"
"Seems fair enough to me." Alton says and takes a share of the coins "I guess if the wine is magical it wouldn't be suitable for Kajatan's spell. See he already told me the dagger was enchanted but he doesn't have the wine he needs to cast the spell that would tell me what it does." shrugging he adds "Guess I'll see what it does next time we see battle."
"Aye, always good to have another capable sword around. Besides, a having a new friend around is never bad. I'd be honored if you joined us."
Knowledge, local or nature DC 20+
Pharris:
In dividing up the coins and spoils, Laithe stops to look once more at the misshappen pearls. "These pearls seem to be native to the Valley of the Snails. They've travelled a long way from there..." He trails off for a moment, and then begins making his way up the slope, towards the cliff face, scanning for tracks.
While he searches he once more takes up his line of thought "Either these wolf-men have come from the valley, or perhaps more likely they have recently waylaid travellers on the road from the valley, taking their goods. It might be worth searching around for tracks and see if they have a lair somewhere nearby. It's possible they may have taken prisoners." As he continues to search the rocky slope, He makes a quick entreaty to Ehlonna for guidance. "Lady, if there be people in need, help me find the way to reach them"
"You don't think they might have taken the others do you? Yruch and Gosia?" Alton says worridley, scanning the desolate hillsides "If they followed us back from the Valley that brings up a whole different problem. It possibly brings our little friend back into the picture. Did you find anything Laithe? We should help anyone the creatures have captured."
"Curious indeed," mutters Keildrithe as his companions discuss the misshapen pearls. "Um, Pharris... if we hadn't come along... where would you be off to now? And please forgive my poor manners... I've forgotten to bid you welcome... You are evidently a most talented, and... uh... unusual swordswoman!"
"Curious indeed," mutters Keildrithe as his companions discuss the misshapen pearls. "Um, Pharris... if we hadn't come along... where would you be off to now? And please forgive my poor manners... I've forgotten to bid you welcome... You are evidently a most talented, and... uh... unusual swordswoman!"
"You don't think they might have taken the others do you? Yruch and Gosia?" Alton says worridley, scanning the desolate hillsides "If they followed us back from the Valley that brings up a whole different problem. It possibly brings our little friend back into the picture. Did you find anything Laithe? We should help anyone the creatures have captured."
As Laithe continue's to search he answers some of Alton's questions. "It seems very unlikely that they might have taken Yruch or Gosia - the wolf-men would have had to attacked them back in or close to the Valley and then passed us at some point to beat us here. No, I think it more likely that perhaps they have set up a lair nearby and have preyed on other travellers making the trip from the Valley or beyond. Certainly if they have taken any captives we should do all we can to help them. If there are more of the creatures, it would not weigh well on my conscience to leave them to prey on the next innocent group that might travel this road."
Laithe turn's back to his search, looking for the tracks he feels should be reasonably easy to find on the loose rock.
"Of course I would love to hunt this imp with you. I really don't have anything better to do with my time and you people seem to live in adventurous times."
She twirls her slim greatsword then uses the grass and ragged clothes of a dead wolfman to clean the blade properly.
"As for the equipment and the like, I will take a share of the coins but the rest is not really my glass of wine. Oh, Keildrithe you say I am unusual, what do you mean? I was trained by my father and he is meant to be one of the best in our family? Or is it the way I attracted the enemies to me?"
Pharris links arms with the lovely man, "look, I am a bit air headed at times so perhaps you could help keep me safe from harm?"
She smiles down. Up close, Pharris has the deepest green eyes and they can only be enhanced by those perfect cheekbones.
"As for the equipment and the like, I will take a share of the coins but the rest is not really my glass of wine. Oh, Keildrithe you say I am unusual, what do you mean? I was trained by my father and he is meant to be one of the best in our family? Or is it the way I attracted the enemies to me?"Pharris links arms with the lovely man, "look, I am a bit air headed at times so perhaps you could help keep me safe from harm?"
She smiles down. Up close, Pharris has the deepest green eyes and they can only be enhanced by those perfect cheekbones.
"Uh... I meant... of course I could help to..." The usually serious-minded and eloquent Karand blushes and seems to lose his composure as the tall goddess links arms with him. "Are you sure you're alright, m'lady... your wounds, I mean... they seem quite serious..." The remainder of Keildrithe's words, uttered in a mumbling stammer, are indecipherable.
After a moment, he seems to regain partial control of himself. "And who, may I ask, is your father? Do you hail from somewhere nearby?"
Alton chuckles as Keildrithe loses his composure around the human woman. Turning to Laithe with a grin he says "Well, which way? Should we wait for prince charming to come back to the real world or make haste?"
"I think I'm going to like it here!" she smiles at Alton and Laithe. "You men are wonderful. Aren't I the luckiest girl?"
She hums and helps the others get ready to move on.
"Well, looks like Fortune's favored us all today doesn't it? Welcome to our merry band of misfits." Alton says with a grin, extending his hand to the tall woman and wondering slightly at the trustworthiness of this new companion "Could be happy coincidence, could be a trap. Nothing to do but watch and wait.".
After a moment's thought he says "Maybe it would be better to make camp now. I don't fancy the idea of tracking these things to their lair while wounded. Seems like most of us were wounded so perhaps it would be better to wait until Laithe can pray to his godess before setting out. Even if we were to make a straight shot from here to Lichford, we could run into more of these bandits or worse and this could take some time to heal without the aid of Laithe's magics."
Laithe’s preliminary search for tracks and spoor indicates to him that the wolf-men had been lying in wait to spring their ambush for some time – several hours at least – and that they came from the north, through one of the narrow ravines between the crags in that direction. The hard, rocky ground makes tracking their exact movements and numbers difficult, although he thinks he has a fair chance of following their trail further north if that’s what the group wants to do now.
It is late morning, closing in on noon. You are not entirely sure whether or not you would reach Lichford this day if you press onwards.
Laithe’s preliminary search for tracks and spoor indicates to him that the wolf-men had been lying in wait to spring their ambush for some time – several hours at least – and that they came from the north, through one of the narrow ravines between the crags in that direction. The hard, rocky ground makes tracking their exact movements and numbers difficult, although he thinks he has a fair chance of following their trail further north if that’s what the group wants to do now.
It is late morning, closing in on noon. You are not entirely sure whether or not you would reach Lichford this day if you press onwards.
Laithe returns, scratching his head and responds to Alton's question. "It seems these wolf-men were lying in wait here for some time..." He looks up and down the stretch of road "I wonder how many come this way?"
Turning back to the others he shrugs. "I think I can follow their tracks up through the gorge and possibly find their lair. We have taken some injuries though...and the longer we delay, the greater the chance of being caught up by Vorn and his Artonites."
"Boys, you really do have some fun don't you? Imp ahead and now "Vorn and his allies" behind. My my my. Are we staying to rest here? At the ambush site or going after some wolf men. I don't mind either way, just interested."
Pharris goes over beside the halfling swordsman and rests a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Who's Vorn?" she murmurs to the warrior. Close to her fine legs seem to stretch ever upwards before they disappear under her sleek chain shirt.
Keildrithe seems a little flustered that Pharris has ignored his questions concerning her wounds, her place of origin, and her father, and that she is now clearly flirting with Alton. This girl could be trouble... "Do you often hunt for sport in these parts, Pharris?" The bard's voice has gone from charming and well-mannered (if slightly nervous) to icy cold and authoritative in the space of a few seconds. "These wolf-men seem to have been waiting for us for quite some time... How long have you been here, and why did you decide to come to this specific place? Did you also know that we would come? Please be honest with us, no more games... I beg you..."
Pharris stops playing with the halfling. She turns to Keildrithe and looks him squarely in the eye.
"Your tone is very serious and I thought you liked me? Don't beg me. You don't have to. The answers to your questions are... a short while and for hunting, for sport."
Her bottom lip trembles...and she finds it hard to keep talking, "An..an....and I never...heard of you be..fore today. I wuu...wuuu..wanted to help you!"
She turns away, and runs over beside the river to wash her face. As she does, everyone can see her shoulders heaving.
DM Spoiler
Alton looks up at the tall warrior woman and hesitantly says "Well, uh, Vorn's a rather powerful man of whom we ran afoul about a week back.", wondering how much to tell the Pharris, indeed how much to trust her.
Keildrithe's change in tone heartens him, he's gald to know that even in the face of Pharris' charms their remaining cautious. "It would be a shame if after all we've been through we got caught now."
Pharris stops playing with the halfling. She turns to Keildrithe and looks him squarely in the eye.
"Your tone is very serious and I thought you liked me? Don't beg me. You don't have to. The answers to your questions are... a short while and for hunting, for sport."
Her bottom lip trembles...and she finds it hard to keep talking, "An..an....and I never...heard of you be..fore today. I wuu...wuuu..wanted to help you!"
She turns away, and runs over beside the river to wash her face. As she does, everyone can see her shoulders heaving.
As Pharris turns and runs towards the river, Keildrithe begins to stammer again. "But... I... of course... and... sorry?" He sighs heavily and turns towards Alton, Laithe and Kajetan, holding his shoulders up in an extended shrug, a confused expression on his face... "Was I so hard on her? Is she serious?" whispers the bard to his friends in exasperation. "It's just that... Oh, I don't know... what should we do? About her??? I mean, she's great with a sword and all, but..." Keildrithe can't help but blush at the unintended potential double meaning of his last remark...
As Pharris turns and runs towards the river, Keildrithe begins to stammer again. "But... I... of course... and... sorry?" He sighs heavily and turns towards Alton, Laithe and Kajetan, holding his shoulders up in an extended shrug, a confused expression on his face... "Was I so hard on her? Is she serious?" whispers the bard to his friends in exasperation. "It's just that... Oh, I don't know... what should we do? About her??? I mean, she's great with a sword and all, but..." Keildrithe can't help but blush at the unintended potential double meaning of his last remark...
Laithe watches the exchange between Keildrithe, Pharris and Alton with some bewilderment and a little dissapproval at the woman's flirting. Perhaps it is a defence mechanism he wonders to himself. She has taken some nasty damage and is now here with 4 strange men she has never met before I guess.
Laithe return's Keildrithe's shrug, but can't quite supress a grin at the man's confusion. Tuning serious once more and speaking quietly he says "Look, she is more wounded than she let's on. And she is very good with a blade despite her somewhat unorthodox approach. I think we should try and keep her with us at least until we make Lichford and then we can see. We would both gain by travelling together and I do not think she means us harm. She risked much in fighting those wolf-men, and possibly saved us in the process."
"In the meantime we have to decide what do do now? I think it might be worth taking a bit of time out to see if we can track down the camp of the wolf-men. But I do worry that we might be followed by the church too, and perhaps it is unwise to delay. Either way, we should not camp here, near the dead bodies as they are likely to attract scavangers at the least. What do you think?"
Keildrithe:
Laithe return's Keildrithe's shrug, but can't quite supress a grin at the man's confusion. Tuning serious once more and speaking quietly he says "Look, she is more wounded than she let's on. And she is very good with a blade despite her somewhat unorthodox approach. I think we should try and keep her with us at least until we make Lichford and then we can see. We would both gain by travelling together and I do not think she means us harm. She risked much in fighting those wolf-men, and possibly saved us in the process."
"In the meantime we have to decide what do do now? I think it might be worth taking a bit of time out to see if we can track down the camp of the wolf-men. But I do worry that we might be followed by the church too, and perhaps it is unwise to delay. Either way, we should not camp here, near the dead bodies as they are likely to attract scavangers at the least. What do you think?"
Keildrithe sighs again. "You speak wisely, as always, Laithe. And though this woman confuses me, what woman does not? You are right, she did risk much for us, and would have good reason not to trust us herself... and who knows, perhaps she is also running from someone? Regardless, I say she can come along... but please, gentlemen, let's keep her at arm's length... no flirting or succumbing to her charms, alright? Else that could result in trouble for us all... I agree with Laithe, that we should track down these wolf-men to their lair... I would prefer that we camp on higher ground, so that we may see others approaching... perhaps we may find a small pond somewhere on the ridge where the beast-handler was fleeing, which would provide us with both higher ground and a water source... and a vantage point over both the trail as well as the lands that lay beyond the ridge?"
The beautiful lady slowly returns to the group. Her face is composed and she keeps back any more tears. But her eyes are now pools of glistening green.
She gathers up her gear silently.
"Well, I wish you all well, with your enemies. I wish I could help but it is not meant to be that much is obvious to me."
"Before I go, I want to tell you that I never meant anyone any harm. It's just my way. This isn't fair but then you guys have so many enemies, you don't see anyone as a friend."
"I'll go."
The beautiful lady slowly returns to the group. Her face is composed and she keeps back any more tears. But her eyes are now pools of glistening green.
She gathers up her gear silently.
"Well, I wish you all well, with your enemies. I wish I could help but it is not meant to be that much is obvious to me."
"Before I go, I want to tell you that I never meant anyone any harm. It's just my way. This isn't fair but then you guys have so many enemies, you don't see anyone as a friend."
"I'll go."
After a moment's hesitation, Laithe says "Wait. You are right - being surrounded by enemies of late has made us suspicious of those who mean us no harm, and who would even help us. We apologise."
Laithe pauses and looks back at the others before continuing. "We were just discussing our next course of action and feel it would be worth while seeking out the lair of these Wolf-men. We could certainly use an extra sword along, as there may be more trouble. Besides, I promised that I would take a closer look at some of the wounds this evening, so I insist you remain with us until then at least."
Kajetan has been very quiet since the battle ended – staring at the woman for the most part. He speaks now though, clearing his throat loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“These creatures we fought here I believe are gnolls. They are exceedingly savage and hate humans with a passion – I do not think there is any way that this woman – Pharris – could have been allied with them … and as she said, she risked much in springing the ambush early and helping us.”
He pauses, and gazes at Pharris. “I think you are right miss, we have many enemies, and we see them at every turn … and we could use your help against them, if you are willing to travel with us, at least for a short distance. You are most skilled! We are headed towards Lichford – are you from there? I never realised that Thuringian women were so beautiful…”
His face flushes slightly and he trails off.
Alton is about to ask another question when the girl goes to the river to cry "Are all human women like this? Or all women in general?" he wonders, bewildered and wander closer to Keildrithe "Not too harsh by my judgement, merely practical. And aye, she's a talented warrior, someone like her would be most useful in a fight. She seems honest enough. I say we ask her to stay but watch her until we can assess her truthfulness." Alton says, adding with a grin "And don't worry about me, she's a tad tall."
When she returns and begins gathering up her gear with a puzzled expression "We didn't mean to drive you away." he says, sighing and looking like the exhaustion of their recent escapades and the truth of the woman's words set in "Aye. Please forgive our suspicion but the last week's been hard on us. We fought a good fight but we took...losses and have made a powerful foe. We can't help but be suspicious of strangers we meet on the road, no matter how skilled and helpful they appear. While I don't believe you're one of Vorn's hunters or mercenaries, I can't help but be cautious. It'd be an honor to have you join us, at least till Lichford. And I do hope we can come to all trust one another." he says, staring thoughtfully into the grey sky 'Can it really be that less than a fortnight ago I was just another happy go lucky traveler looking to make my way in the world. Now I'm a suspicious soldier fighting for a cause I didn't know existed a week ago, on the run from the Church. Dear gods what have I gotten myself into? What am I becoming?'
"I hope that you can accept my sincere apology, as well, Pharris. I truly did not mean to hurt you, and yes, I... uh, we... do like you... as much as we can like any stranger that we have encountered on the road, anyway. And as my friends have just stated, we would be happy to have the company of one so skilled in arms -- and so kind in nature -- as yourself, over the next few days... if you will allow us to mend the bridge that we -- no, that I -- damaged so quickly with a few thoughtless words... The events of the last few weeks have indeed made me harder and more suspicious than I would care to admit..."
"You insist, you are a dear, cuddly wolfman." Pharris sweeps him up in a big hug murmuring in his ear briefly, "thanks for letting me stay." She feels impossibly thin and angular in the hold - like you could snap her in two if you squeezed.
--
"Thuringian me? No. Not me. I'm just a gnoll hunter. Tomorrow I could be a dancer in this Lichford. Would you like that? Can you dance? It helps to fight - dancing. They are very similar and the one makes you better at the other. I love dancers!" Pharris twirls out of Laithe's embrace.
--
"Yes, friendly Alton, you are so right, trust is earnt. And all I can say is that I'll look after you like my own - until the day we part."
--
With Keildrithe, the amazon simply waves away his apology.
--
Then she smiles at him. Her grinning white teeth are perfect. The sun comes out from behind a cloud and shines on the bard. Her eyes green and deep and wondrous to behold.
So what is the plan?
"You insist, you are a dear, cuddly wolfman." Pharris sweeps him up in a big hug murmuring in his ear briefly, "thanks for letting me stay." She feels impossibly thin and angular in the hold - like you could snap her in two if you squeezed.
Laithe is caught unawares and swept up in the woman's hug before he realises what has happened. As she spins away he looks to Keildrithe and gives a small shake of his head, mouthing the words Cuddly Wolfman??
A small silence follows Pharris' acceptance of the party's apologies. After a moment, Laithe steps forward and breaks it. "Come, let us see if we can track the trail of these wolfmen. If they were simple highway robbers then chances are they will lair nearby. I say we take an hour out to track them, assuming I can follow their trail. If we find nothing within the hour, we continue on to Lichford?"
Laithe motions to Keildrithe to join him and makes his way back up the slope to take up the trail he had previously picked out. "Together we can hopefully we will not lose their trail."