Hearing no answer save the strange tongue Rufus speaks, Kari shrugs, flicks her assortment of fangs and talons back, and gestures that she will be moving ahead again. Fey folk were capricious, but not at all silly. Like as not, they would not approach such a large group of warlike men.
Kari jogs ahead a few steps, and eases her bow onto her back. If it were bandits intent on an ambush, the bow would mean so little it would be laughable. Her eyes search out shadows, and the source of any rustling while checking for fresh track.
"Should we mayhap start thinking about finding a place to lay down for the night?"
"That sounds like a reasonable request. I'm fine with taking part of the watch as always."
"Let's, please." Turning to Gizsmith, "Well, good sir entrancing one. How might I persuade you to make good my promise to our 'Kind Neighbors' this morning? I've little coin, but if such would set your tongue to wagging & a tale to telling, what I have is yours & gladly."
Kari slows when she registers that the light is beginning to fail, and rather than keep the trail, begins searching for a location to camp. Running water makes bathing an option, one she considers bringing to the attention of the lads, but provides a great deal of danger as well. She asks whoever is willing to gather firewood while she digs a pit in the earth to build it so the flames will not be so visable, making sure to make the pit wide enough so that lack of air does not choke the flames. A second hole for the latrine is dug twenty feet from the clearing, well within the light source.
"My apologies, gents, but I dinnae believe ye woul' like ta meet the tall lads in the dark while ye do yer business. Hae nae fears fra my chastity. If I thought yon Salvator coul' stomach the shame, I'da dropt trou 'fore ye, passed wind and spat too," she jokes and grins.
She overhears Rufus talking to Gizsmith while she pitches her one woman tent and frowns. No greater insult to a performer, she believes, then to offer coin as though her art was a service. It is true one could earn as though a wage... but that were given freely from folk who appreciated the form.
Kari attempts to cleverly conceal a casting of and hooks a thumb at Rufus.
"Very ill, Idol, very ill. Celebrate the craft, dinnae seek ta purchase. I will spin a tale when the fire has been lit, and ye will nae pay a copper."
Salvator kept his head down as usual.
As the campsite sets up, Lyster will tend to his horse and as soon as that's done, settle in for first watch.
"I would be most honoured to provide this eve's entertainment. No payment necessary."
Gizsmith proceeds to tell the tale of Fufus Ritzroi, a brave, but arrogant knight who travelled the lands seeking honour and glory only to be outwitted by small children and embroiled in various ribald misadventures at every turn. This particular instalment ends with the brave Sir knight in a midden heap wearing only frilly lady's undergarments.
Rufus stumbles clumsily along in his attempts to follow Gizsmith's tale, more often distracting from it than enhancing, though a certain degree of low humor may be gained from his obvious lack of dramatic flair. Collapsing at Gizsmith's feet at the end, "You would leave me so un-armored against the cruelties of this cruel wilderness? The least you might do is salve away a smidge more of yesterday's harshness?"
I recieve such vehemence & disdain for misplaying to his ego and I'm the arogant one?
Aedon quickly and efficiently tends his horse then beds down again for the evening, offering to take third watch again if needed. He otherwise remains quiet for most of the evening.
"Didn't notice you were so wounded friend!"
"There, that should help a bit."
Kari accompanies Rufus's mime with an equally juvenile tune on her pipes, not appearing happy in the least with the product of her pipes. When she has finished her song, she studies them intently for a few moments, wondering how it is she could play several notes so flat when the finger holes have not moved in the least.
"Fer all the gods, it is a wonder I managed to entertain Mikhail in the least," she sighs, throwing her hands up.
"Do be recallin' the tall lads," she says as she rises and hums a spell in Sylvan, creating a spectral light that takes a vaguely humanoid shape beside her. "I will join friend Aedon on his watch. And perhaps the critters will be kinder to our gullets this morn'."
Perhaps her heart wasn't in it?
"As we've first & third watches claimed, I shall belatedly stand second."
"Your critique, while amusing, is not quite productive."
Kari, clad in not but her shirt crouches over her pan pipes and pokes them with a stick, wondering where the little lords found the excrement. She studies the excrement for a time, trying to determine if it is animal or human.
Aedon wanders the camp, looking over the "tricks" played on the group.
Curious that Gizsmith's boots were filled, while nothing happened to Rufus. The story was good, the acting, however...
After everyone has finished their tasks and has prepared to leave, "Once we find the camp, what is our approach? Do we prepare to sneak in and ambush, or walk right in and try to fool them? Also, what's our strategy for dealing with any guards they have in their towers?"
"Mystery poo!" Kari announces, picking up her pan pipes by spearing her stick through one of the holes. She grins and lifts it in front of her. "Now that is a fascinating prank," she coos and smiles brightly, not conscious in the least about her state of undress.
She flings the pan pipes away from the camp, then casts to clear the poo smell from herself, shrouding herself in the scent of lavender, and while she continues to concentrate on the spell, gives herself stripes on her face, and in her hair like a tiger as she dashes back into her tent to dress.
Kari returns, having dressed, and sits with her striped palms resting on her knees.
"We will be walking very near an established base," Kari hums, her expression mottled by tiger stripes across her face. "Might be best to assume that the lads would have trapped it, first. As for folk in towers... I would say blinding them would be best, else intimidate them with some form of magic..."
Looking at his boots in disgust, Gizsmith begins to clean them with methods both magical and mundane. "Feces, very droll. Hopefully, our watchers amuse themselves with something juvenile next time."
RE:The fort: "Might it not be best to let them come to us? One would think that they will shortly send others to determine the fate of their companions. If we ambush them out of sight of the main fortification, we may be able to do so more than once. It would allow us to thin their ranks considerably before we need to contemplate a more direct assault."
"On the other hand, one cannot trap one's home longterm without fear of a mishap, lest the trap be most clever. The sooner we stand amid them, the less time they have to plot some stratagem to turn the odds in their favor. If we surmise we have the greater straightforward strength, I think we should try and get inside the base and mix it up with them, by whatever means are most expedient and reliable. I fear two men who know their foe more than four men with no knowledge but a moment's glance." Salvator offered his gut instinct on the subject.
Kari wets her lips as she weighs Gizsmith's and Salvator's arguments. Gods above knew it were true that bandits were the laziest piles of filth imaginable when it came to routine, and her lads would only expend what effort necessary to fill their role to the letter, well... most, there were those that lived for blood - Kari colors and coughs.
"What are we ta say, lads?" she inquires. "Ye war-like men, save fer yerself, my chromatic foil," she nods to Gizsmith, "are like only ta arouse suspicions, as it were."
Kari traces the line of her lips with a fingertip. "Shall I stroll into the camp and claim the magnanimous, lordly and lusty Happs spanked mine bottom fair and pointed me in yon direction to enlist aide against an unknown foe?" she tries. "Say the gettin' at Oleg's be prolonged on account of seige, having met a superior force with dragons," Kari's eyes were alight. "Else some horribly cruel sorcerer," she nods to Rufus and giggles. "What might ye expect woul' cause a number of cowardly, ignant wretches to abandon their comfort?"
"I'm just glad it's excrement. That stuff washes off over time. Now if it were blood, we'd have hungry beasts on our tails. I prefer faerie tricks over bloody beasts any day"
Responding to Kari's suggestion, "I don't like their history in dealings with defenseless women & don't start in on how you are hardly defenseless. One against many is not acceptable odds." Looking at Gizsmith, "If they do decide to investigate, who is to say they will follow the same trail? This is a big forest, they have a contingency for just such an event." Pondering a moment. "We know that of our number, Kari is skilled in both woodscraft and stealth. It seems to me best if she were to attempt to learn more of their camp, preferably without learning of her with a partner, someone similarly skilled in stealth at least, to aid her withdrawal if the bandits give chase. they are as incompetent & lazy as the crew we dealt with at Oleg's, there should be little difficulty, but I doubt our fortune will hold so long. are now in territory. They know this terrain better than we do." Turning back to address her directly, "Kari, you said last night we should be only a half hour's travel from their camp. Think you that you could get us closer still before they were likely to notice?"
"Half a day's travel," Kari corrects gently. "As for how close I can get, that depends on ye seein' ta Pan for the first. And if need be, I can make myself invisible for a time and run through the camp if I like."
Kari purses her lips, which would be adorable if her tiger mask had whiskers. "For only a short time, mind," she says. "If I can set mahself where I will nae be spotted, I might spend a while there, learnin' the folk. May like we can take 'em better come nightfall. If this Kressle is the kind ta take her menfolk down when the mood strikes 'er, all the better," she suggests and shrugs.
"While I agree with Gizsmith that laying an ambush for the bandits would be a great way to deal with them, I think Rufus is right. We don't know enough about their tendencies to assume they'll take this same trail. At least, I'm not keen on taking a chance that another group of bandits might pass us and visit Oleg while we're out here."
"I can hide fairly well given the right situation, but I cannot turn myself invisible. That's a handy trick to have... I like the idea of scouting the base, but I'm not sure we should wait until nightfall to attack; I think that leaves too many of our group at a disadvantage, and we don't know if they have any who have no problems with darkness."
"My instincts tell me that Salvator has the right of it... we should find out what we can as quickly as possible and get in there without much delay. Depending on the camp layout, Gizsmith might be able to create a diversion allowing us to hit them when they're distracted?"
"Another thought... We have a description of this Kressle person, so she should be a priority target when she shows her face. We all saw how fast the bandits at Oleg's surrendered when Happs went down, maybe these will act just as cowardly?"
"Oh, I can assure you, Kressle will be receiving my undivided attention." Rufus responds.
In answer to Kari's correction Rufus smacks his forehead in self-derision, "... makes more sense actually. Making camp only half an hour from base camp seems awfully arrogant on our part, what if they had patrols? I think the momentary invisibility trick might be best saved for if you need to get away from them in a hurry. As to one of us attending Pan, if that wasn't implicit in the request, I apologize. Of course a scout need to travel light."
"Keeping in mind we still have at least half the day before engagement," nodding in acknowledgment of Kari's words, "and our shared interest in hastening these individuals appointed meeting with 'her Ladyship'," at which mention Rufus glances toward both Lyster & Salvator, "I also believe a night, or at least dusk, attack may be in our best interests."
"Consider, They will be expecting no more than a meal & rest, possibly a bit of 'light entertainment' depending on whether Celeste or any other captives remain among them." Rufus blanches slightly upon contemplating the possible 'activities' the captives might be subjected to. "We will already that violence is about to ensue."
"Their camp has a likelihood of fires, we will be attacking from the darker surrounding forest."
"Finally, they should have no idea of our numbers, while we have a fair idea of theirs."
"Obviously, all of that information is subject to change, depending upon Kari's scouting, or, in the unlikely event, capture. It was to that possible event I asked how close you might get the rest of us & suggested you take along a partner. If we are close enough & something goes wrong, one can hopefully escape & bring the rest of us."
"Any discussion is hypothetical until we see the lay of the land. Let us scout out the enemy and reassess our options later."
Aedon looks as if he has something else to say, but he settles on agreement with Gizsmith's comments, "Fair enough. Who knows, they may all be dead when we arrive."
"Kari, I'll head in with you if you want some backup. Your decision."
"I agree, a lay of the land seems to be the right course of action. I don't want us caught in a fight we cannot win."
"Mmm, carrion," Kari purrs, presses against an elongated canine with the tip of her tongue and gives a feral grin. She nods in Aedon's direction.
"Will be pleased ta have ye. We'll pause two hours out, rid ourselves of the horses, yeah?"
Kari speaks to Aedon in Giant, then rises, pulling her striped hair back behind her ears. "We all of us should not underestimate what the wee folk feel be pranks. Maylike... we can hope they will not believe announcing our presence to our foe woul' be entertainin'," she growls and twitches her tiger nose. "In any case... we'll nae be useful sittin' here, gainin' fungus on our asses."
"So it seems we all agree that scouting the camp is our priority at the moment."
Nodding at Kari, "Sure, sounds good."
Aedon thinks for a minutes, "Let's say once we locate the camp and begin looking around, we get twenty minutes. If we haven't returned by then, then we've got a problem and everybody else comes in fast and hard. Does that seem like enough time?"
"For clarity's sake. Kari guides the company to within a hard charge of the camp, she & you then dismount and scout more thoroughly. you don't return in twenty minutes time, we come running to save your arses?"
is exactly the reason I recommended we bring Rejin along. So that we need not either leave one of number behind to watch the mounts, or risk them being lost or stolen should we miss some of the bandits. Of course given the fear Kari raised regarding our 'Good Friends', there is also the possibility might decide to steal our mounts...
Aedon grins, "Come running to save our arses? More like 'come running to clean up after Kari and I take care of the bandits for you'!"
Rufus examines everyone prior to breaking camp. Everything that can be secured to a mount rather than one of the company is, unless someone objects, strenuously, with reasonable arguments in their favor. By the time he is done, no one should be wearing or carrying anything but their clothes, their armor, their weapons & ammunition. Even their backpacks & coin purses get stowed on mounts.
And now we all go quiet... quite a difference... wonder if the gnome can take it.
(add a +1 to this if we are considered in hill terrain)
Oh, I'll 'clean up' after the two of you all right. 'Clean up' your mess most likely...
Aedon watches as Rufus begins his inspections. Grabbing his reins, he leads his horse past Rufus and toward the trail, "I got my gear, thanks though."
"No thanks, I'll keep my gear on hand. I trust it more fallen at my feet than on the horses back." Salvator nods no as Rufus attempts to handle his gear.
Kari submits to the examination with mischief in her amber eyes. "Coul' nae wait till we was alone together, eh?" she comments loud enough for all to hear. "I can hardly blame ye," she jests and giggles. She does, however, keep her arms above her head and makes no attempt to touch Rufus at all, and moves only when he directs her to.
She has no problem with someone with better sense arranging the pile of tools, tent and other essentials she has on Pan. "Jus' dinnae put mah ammunition where I cannae reach," she purrs. "Our reach not bein' equal," she says and smiles, glancing up the foot Rufus has on her own height.
Rufus blushes slightly at Kari's flirtation, "In the field, before battle, yes I can & will." He muttered in response, clearly attempting, and failing, to keep the dialogue between the two of them. His only response to the ammunition comment is to check her range-of-motion on her off-hand arm & cinch her quiver strap slightly tighter.
It is obvious he has a response to both Aedon & Salvator's rejection of his suggestion, it is equally obvious he is refraining from voicing it.
Once the company begins to move, Rufus checks his weapons to make certain they are readily accessible in case of an attack.
"Be at peace, young idol. I have watched a larger band melt for dallying where I ought not have. Be assured that if I possess any interest in sating that appetite with you, I would not be so vocal... But you might," she teases at the last.
Kari winks at Rufus as he completes his examination, and begins speaking the words for , creating a crystaline looking object in the shape of a thin tuning fork which she uses to pin her plaits of trophies up with the remainder of her braids and knots so they do not obscure her vision or, jumping a few times, jangle when she moves.
"My thanks," she says to Rufus, then scrambles atop Pan for the riding portion of their trip.