Aleph whispers; "yeah...I heard them...how are we playing this?" as he palms his athame.
Forage
Firewood
Percep
"Yes, I hear what you are talking about"
"Yes, I heard it as well. Shall we introduce ourselves politely? Or, not?" He asks with a grin, slowing drawing his long dagger.
"If by polite you mean silent,.....sneaky,.....then yessss."
"Please whoever you are come into the firelight, and you can bring your two friends with you. We wish you no ill, unless you wish ill on us."
A young woman emerges from the dark to stand just beyond the camp. Her hair is wild and dark and even in the half-light it is clear that she is naked. Her body is lean and long-limbed, the shadows etching the definition of her muscular arms and legs and flat belly. Her face is pointed and strong, her eyes challenging. She stands unafraid and unfazed by her nakedness in front of the strangers. At her side slink two wolves that look decidedly untamed. She doesn't speak and simply stares.
Marc grins.
"I knew I was going to like the wilderness!" He whispers to Aleph.
"Greetings!" The dandy says aloud with a flourishing bow. "And welcome to our humble campsite! I hight Marcus Wyvernspur, but you can call me Marc! And who might you be oh most fair flower of the forest?"
It is through an unusual and supreme act of willpower that Marc manages to keep his eyes above the neckline.
"Errrr"
Nature check
The woman raises an eyebrow at Marc. "What are you doing here on Clan lands?" she asks, her voice hoarse as if she speaks rarely.
"Exploring, fighting monsters, that sort of thing." Heimoth pays more attention to the wolves than the naked barbarian. "What clan would that be, by the way?"
"Miss,..." Aleph speaks up, "we don't know who this Clan is."
She looks at Heimoth and Aleph as if they are idiots. "The Clan. This is our territory, our hunting grounds."
"Oh.
My name is Aleph. These are my friends.
We're explorers."
She doesn't bother to grace Aleph's effort with a reply.
"What does your clan hunt?"
She smirks. "Whatever we want."
Marc's grin gets even bigger. (You weren't certain that was possible.)
"Of course you do! I have no doubt your friends and you are excellent hunters!" He says, sketching a small bow towards the wolves.
"As my companions have stated, we are exploring the area. Merely passing through. Although you could say we are hunters as well. After all, we ARE hunting brigands." Marc states, still smiling his most charming smile at the woman.
She scowls. "No one hunts these grounds but the Clan." One of the wolves growls softly.
"Well, we seem to be at an impasse."
"We're not here to hunt anything your, or any other, clan would be interested in. So relax."
"Well, we seem to be at an impasse."
"Not entirely. If only the clan can hunt these lands, and we need to hunt on these lands, is there a way we might become part of the Clan?" asks Hasren.
"I'm not saying that we necessarily want or need to join, I'd merely like to know if it's an option. If so, what would be needed if we decide it is something we'd like or need to pursue. As my companions have indicated, we are here, exploring. We are here to learn the lay of the land & to find out about the people who inhabit it. Can we join forces? Be good neighbors? Or will there be trouble between us? That is what we are here to find out."
"Well... that and figuring out how to get about without getting lost or starve to death!" he quips.
"Indeed! Well said! Speaking of which, If we are going to continue this chat, would you like to join us at our fire? The ladies make a mean stew!" Marc asks their visitor,...
"You wish to join the Clan?" she asks, looking Hasren critically up and down and looking unimpressed.
"I'm not so sure those 3 will enjoy our moon radish stew...They look carnivorous to me"
To Sefra and Aleph as quitely as possible "This is going south quickly, they are hostile, something is amiss... and it isn't just her clothes"
"You wish to join the Clan?" she asks, looking Hasren critically up and down and looking unimpressed.
Mindful of the woman's critical eye, Hasren answers:
"Maybe. If it seems warranted."Looking back with his own critical eye, he adds:
"If your clan is worthy of joining. It could be your clan might be better off joining up with us. And so I offer you a seat at our campfire & a portion of our meal so that we may speak and find out."
Marc glances at Hasren, and nods slightly in appreciation of his tactics.
She sneers at Hasren. "You are a fool. The Clan does not bargain, we take what we want from those that are weaker. To talk of peace is to be weak."
The wolves growl at her tone.
"That right there, screams bandit to me. Taking from the weak because you want it. There is only one penalty for bandits. Would you like to rethink your last statement?"
"Bandits? Like the fools who cower in their tower, too drunk to think? The Clan are not bandits. We are much more!"
She gives a ululating cry and crouches down awkwardly on all fours. Her skin squirms as it bursts with grey fur. With an agonising wet grinding noise her limbs and back change shape and her face elongates into a fanged muzzle. Her shout turns into a howl and three wolves leap to attack.
"Why do they always choose the hard way?" Hasren sighs as he casually takes up his shield & sword while the young woman's form shifts.
Terra glances at Marc and snickers..."You were drooling over a mangy mutt..."
init
Marc stares.
"That,... is so wrong." But he is grinning.
Init:
"Too bad. She was kinda cute.
Why do all the beautiful ones turn into something gnarly?"
p22 for the rear echelon pogue warlock.
IDK; do we gots our daily power back does anybody know?