"If we lose the light mapping will be near impossible." Autumn said.
"If we camp now we can explore the whole of this area tomorrow, give us a chance to have a nice camping night?" She asked. "I could see if the hunt is friendly! But much like you I am fine either way."
”It wouldn’t be bad to take some time to tend to my gear.” Titian muses. ”Or, we can press on. Fine with me either way…”
"Why don't we set up camp now then? No point pushing on until it gets dark, then as Autumn says we'll have a plenty of daylight to explore tomorrow," Larin says, offering his opinion.
"Then lets get started setting up." Autumn said with a nod of agreement. "Larin if you would please, I need Frostbite so that I can get us something for dinner."
"No problems," Larin says, hopping off Frostbite's back. "Find us something nice," he says to the wolf, reaching up to give her a rub behind the ear. "Let's get the tents set up," he says to the others, pulling some of the camping gear off Frostbite to start making camp.
”I’ll go with you Autumn.” Titian says. ”Just in case there’s another of those over-grown boars about in all these brambles.”
Aid another survival
”Let me help as well. The more rabbits in the pot, the happier all of us will be this evening,” she says with a smile, as she ties up her horse.
She think for a second. ”Better gather some extra wood for the fire. Might be cold and windy tonight…”
"If you wish, it is nice to have a pack bigger than a pair." Autumn said with a smile as she gave Frostbite a scratch behind the ear. "Then follow me."
The forest yields a bounty of food to the foragers.
In the evening, Titian remove his heavy armor, and takes his blood-stained undercoat down to the tiny stream to wash it. When he finishes he hangs the garment by the fire to dry.
It doesn’t take long for the knight to fetch a horse blanket to wrap in; the evening has grown windy, and thunderheads begin to form.
”I think it best to set up a watch now. What shift is everyone’s preference? I guess he better question is, who has darkvision or low light vision, so they can handle the middle shift?”
"Oh I just take the whole night." Autumn said as she finished up what dishes they had. "My magic allows me to stand watch all night."
”Yeah, I don’t really like that.” Grumbles Titian. ”Makes me feel like a slugabed.” He gives Torek and Herger each a long, dour look. ”Maybe we should post a double watch from now on.”
"But keeping you all well rested ensures your strength when we need it most." Autumn argued. "And I don't miss sleep... Much... Though I won't lie I do miss dreaming..." She sighed. "But truthfully I am willing to do this for us."
"We've had this chat before," Larin says with a smile as he helps the others prepare dinner. "I tried to change Autumn's mind too. It didn't work," he adds, giving Autumn a knowing grin.
Titian gives a slight smile. ”Not trying to change anyone’s mind. I’m suggesting we keep two people on watch. Doubling security. We’ve been very lucky so far. I doubt we can count on such good luck forever…”
”Not a bad idea. We can keep Autumn company and still get enough sleep in so that we aren’t too sluggish the next day. How does that sound?”
"As I've said before, I'm happy to share a watch to give us more security," Larin says as the group sits down for dinner.
He watched the interplay quietly and added his consent to the others. It wasnt right that she should have to take the burden alone even if she did so willingly. He met Titians dour look with one of his own... though he supposed the man was right.
"Sounds like a fair plan and sound. We are seeking out bandits after all."
He frowned studying the skyline.
"Well, I cannot deny the company would be welcomed. As beautiful as the stars are the light is cold and distant, having someone to speak with as well as to keep watch alongside me couldn't hurt." Autumn agreed, after all she couldn't outright stop them even if she wished they'd rest.
Well, then.” Titian nods. ”I want you on first watch, Amyia. Then you Larin. Then Torek, followed by myself. Herger can take the last watch.”
As the evening wears on the weather worsens, with gusty winds and growing thunderheads. A couple of hours after sunset, the storm breaks. Lightening flashes and thunder rolls as a wind whipped downpour drenches the area.
And then it is over. Fluffy moonlit clouds drift across a starry night sky.
Morning comes, clean, and bright with the promise of warmth.
"Sounds like a plan," Larin says, happy to pull his weight on watch. He settles down for a short sleep before his watch, undisturbed by the worsening weather. By the time he's awoken for his turn he's much less happy about contributing to the watch schedule and he crawls back into his tent wet and windblown and thoroughly miserable.
The next morning is pleasant enough and Larin sets about readying the breakfast. "How was the rest of the night?" he asks the others.
”Painless. I wish every night was as restful as that one was.”
After breakfast, Amyia rose and began adjusting her horse’s saddle bags and looked at the others. ”Are we ready to get to it, then? This hunk of land isn’t going to explore itself.”
Autumn was fine enough with the arrangement, though she did tease Latin in good fun when he ended up with her in the rain. However when it came to an end Autumn smiled as the moonlight once more changed her hair from it's raven black to the silvery white only to turn back when the clouds would block the moon for long enough. "The stars are truly beauty after a storm." She commented.
"It was quiet, and the stars made up for the rains." Autumn answered. "Wish you could have seen them."
"Nor will bandits take care of themselves." Autumn added as she too saddled her own horse. "The plan is still the same as yesterday, so let's see what awaits us."
”More brambles and trees, I’ll wager.” Titian steps up onto his charger. ”I’ll take the point.” He starts Esprit south; the great horse practically prancing with eagerness.
"Alright for some," Larin replies to Amyia, happy for her good fortune and glad that's finally managed to dry out. He makes sure the fire is out before climbing aboard Frostbite and setting off after Titian and Esprit.
It was aThe rains had just passed and the only thought that kept coming to his mind was where could she have been ten...twenty years ago? He chuckled to himself. She wouldnt have lasted long in his homelands. Too much drive and desire to do good. Not a healthy trait to have when living in Irrisen.
He chatted quietly with her about the stars as the darkness faded to low light. He took the opportunity to refill everyones water skin with a casting of create water, since it was already wet everywhere before he preparred for the day.
Once they were mounted and moving he kept to the rear of the party watching their backtrail as much as the fore but overall enjoying the lands for what they were.
While Titian took point, Autumn still remained the main scout. She kept her eyes open and watched the trails for anything they should be worried about.
As the morning progresses, you come across a narrow valley. Forested hills hem the low land in on two sides, while the valley floor is mainly clear of trees. There is plenty of ground cover though. Strange white colored brambles.
A closer look reveals that it is not the brambles that are white; rather, it is heavy spiderweb, and that the brambles bear a rich crop of red berries. The berries are guarded by long, exceptionally sharp looking thorns.
The berries look edible to Autumn.
"Look at that, a berry bush." Autumn pointed out, "However it is heavy with spiderwebs... as well as berries. They do look edible however." She added.
"Do we want to take a moment and see if we could get a few?"
”That’s a lot of spiderweb.” Titian comments, slightly impressed. ”Lot of berries too.” He shakes his head. ”Wicked looking thorns though.”
"Spiders don't break down their webs." Autumn explained. "I doubt there is a spider for every web. As for the thorns, slow and steady.... and maybe gloves..."
Not keen to spike himself on the thorns or encounter a mass of spiders Larin stays atop Frostbite. "Those berries do look good. I'll stay here and keep a watch out for anything else that might be after them," he says, trying to keep his reticence out of his voice.
”Do we have a volunteer to harvest the things? Ey doems as they’d be a nice company whatever stew we end up cooking this evening….”
Titian steps down off his magnificent steed, Esprit. He turns to Larin and Amyia. ”You two weren’t with us, but we met an alchemist named Bokken. He was wanting some Fangberries.” Titian turns to look at the berry patch. ”He didn’t really describe what the berries look like, though..”
"He did, I had wanted to find it to help the radish patch but... Well we still owe Bokken his berries. Though I'd not pick them now with our aim being the Stag Lord, assuming of course these are the berries he spoke of." Autumn said as she dismounted Solstice.
"Let me have a look at these then" She stated going up to the bush and giving it a look over to try and get a berry so she could tell for sure what kind they where.
Initiative
When Autumn approaches the berry patch a swarm of spiders comes boiling out from the foliage and surround her.
The spiders attack with their poison stings while their creepy-crawlyness is very distracting.
Autumn gave a cry of surprise then pain as the spiders swarmed all over her biting all over. Taking the handaxe from her belt she began to try an smash as many as she could.
”If we don’t have tools to kill this swarm, let’s get out of here! Those things will kill all of us before they are done,” Amyia calls out to the group. If there wa no one stepping up to burn the swarm, she begins to retreat.
Larin nearly jumps out of his skin as the swarm of spiders boils out of the bush. He takes an involuntary step back as they swarm over Autumn. "I've got one bottle of fire, but not much more than that," he says in response to Amyia. "Let's get out of here and come back better equipped."
The sight of the spiders climbing up Autumn awakened something inside the large Ulfen man. With a sudden roar of anger he moved charging torwards the woman and pushing her out of the swarm...taking her place in it by proxy.
"Use the damned fire!"
He called out doing some weird stomping motion and preparring to go to the ground and roll about if the fire caught him.
Autumn quickly discovers that a handaxe is not a good tool for spider killing. She manages to squash a couple of the things, but there seems to be millions of them.
Herger crashes into Autumn, but she instinctively braces herself and the big cleric fails to budge her.
”We stand or fall together!” Roars Titian. He begins digging in his saddle bag for a torch.
The spiders continue to sting Autumn.
Larin leaps into action at Herger's shout, moving quickly around the group as he fumbles in the pouch at his side for his one vial of fire. He pulls it out and throws it towards the swarm of spiders. "Incoming!" he calls, hoping that his aim is good and that the spiders will take the brunt of the burning liquid.
"Move out of the swarm woman!"
He called out in a bit of clear frustration. Ignoring the fact he would probably get stung he uh... got a little handsy his hands quickly running down the rangers body trying to brush off the nasty biting creatures hoping she would move. He stomped his feet as well trying to kill any he could. Every little bit would help he was sure.
Autumn screams as the spiders continue their bite into her.
"Too much... Too much!!" She cries as Herger tried to push her out of the swarm. However he had brought her back to her rational mind long enough that Autumn knew he was right and she had to get out.
She stumbled back next her Herger still trying to get the spiders off her with his help before she looked to Frostbite. Autumn's eyes glowed a vibrant green as she said "May they feel you bite!
"Impetum" Autumn commanded.
Frostbite, who was unsure what to do, had remained next to her mistress before she felt the magical connection between them strength. Her fangs glowed the green that Autumn's eyes had and it emboldened her to begin to chew the spiders by the mouthful.