Keeping her head down as they head back and trying not to think about the sounds of battle and the smell of burning flesh. Following habit and taking Nila to the stables. Leaning against Nila's neck and listening to Herger move about, "Priest Herger would you like help with the other horses before we go to eat."
Once done there Regina heads inside to join the rest of the group in a meal. Forcing herself to start eating and seeming startled when Caerwyn breaks the silence.
Accepting Caerwyn hand, "I am Regina Caro. It is nice to meet you Caerwyn."
Caerwyn kneels down and extends his hand for Frostbite to sniff. Satisfied, he raises a silver eyebrow questioningly before scratching the wolf between the ears "Good girl, good girl" he coos.
He greets the others in turn and spends some time exchanging pleasantries with them, and Oleg and Svetlana as well, before saying "Well I must be getting back. Chows going to be served soon and if you're not there early you get... whats left" he turns his nose up slightly at the thought.
As Caerwyn starts to leave, Kesten Garess arrives. The man's hair is no longer shaggy, but now neatly combed. Garess' armor is neatly polished and he is in his dress uniform. Caerwyn knows that Kesten stands his watch at night usually.
"Wait, Caerwyn. I'm reassigning you to support these people as they map and explore the region."
The man straightens himself up and addressed the group as a whole. "I'm Kesten Garess. I have been charged with the defense of this hold. This will allow you to pursue your main task of mapping and exploration, without fear that you operating base will be compromised. I've decided to assign my scout, Caerwyn Callandriil, here to your support. I think you will find him to be skilled and helpful."
Kesten's face takes on a tinge of anger. "I have reason to believe that the skumious twit known as Falgrim Sneeg has fled into the region. If you can bring him to me to face justice, I will reward you well."
Autumn looked from Caerwyn to Kesten before going back to Caerwyn. "If you wish to come with us I doubt any of us will stop you." She told him with a nod before looking back to Kesten. "Who is this Falgrim Sneeg?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"A traitor and a thief. He made off with our war chest, back in my mercenary days. We near starved, before we could get paid again. I swore to bring him to justice."
He thanked Regina for her aid with the horses before he made his way out and he grinned as the man carefully met Frostbite. He watched the commander approach keen to study him. There was something to be said for pomp and circumstance and Herger decided that if the man put that much into his appearance, perhaps he put that much attention to his duties which was a good sign.
"Im am Herger Orickson. Priest of Ol' Deadye once more.That there is my boy Ufgar, no doubt you've met him... He's a good lad."
He added as he mosied off torwards the food as well. When the commander mentioned Falgrim Sneeg his ears perked up a little.
"Interesting oath, its important to keep them. What leads you to believe he is here... and what does he look like so we may help you bring the thief to justice?"
He asked between bites.
"He's a gray haired Varisian with a full beard. He favors the rapier. He's about five and a half feet tall, and built like a barrel." Kesten explains. "I ask about him wherever I go. They remembered seeing him in Fort Serenko. They said he passed through last fall. Said he was headed into the Stolen Lands."
Kesten smiles at the mention of Ulfgar. "Yes, he's a fine young man. Works hard for Oleg. Watches like a hawk when my troops drill, I think he wants to be a soldier, maybe."
Oleg stands by, he seems agitated, like there is something on his mind. Something he wants to bring up, but is not sure he should.
We'll definitely keep our eyes peeled for this Varisian, Mister Garess.
Glancing over at Oleg and then back at her food. He is not going to like that we did not find it.
"Oleg, I'm sorry." Autumn said when she noticed him standing by. "We didn't find it. They must have sent it some place else. But we won't stop looking! We'll be out there for weeks to come, so we'll keep out eyes open." Autumn told him with a soft smile. "So don't lose hope just yet hmm?"
"A soldier? Hmm... well if he ends up anything like his father that wouldn't be a hard life for him." Autumn said as she looked to Herger for a moment, though she soon felt it was too long and quickly turned her head back to Frostbite. Who was enjoying the attention from the newcomer Caerwyn. Autumn sighed as she shook her head. "Some times I doubt the fact you are a wolf." She smirked. Frostbite seemed not to even care that her mistress said anything.
He frowned at Kesten's words just slightly. A frown of worry, of course, but he heard Autumn's words and for some reason his hand started to straighen his beard though it didnt look like it was wildly out of place.
"Bah... I would prefer he find his future with the soil and the land, but It cant hurt a man to know how to defend himself. I dont suppose him watching a drill or two would hurt him. But keep in mind, despite his height he is still a boy."
He said gruffly taking a deep breath.
He glanced torwards his son, who he figured was probably listening in, raising his voice enough to be heard clearly if need be.
"And he certainly better be focused on helping Master Oleg and his wife with any chores first."
He added.
Caerwyn stares in shock as Captain Garess reassigns him to help explore the Stolen Lands. With a barely suppressed grin he salutes his superior officer "Yes, sir." he snaps "I'll need to pack my things but I'll be ready to go in the morning" he looks at the other adventurers gathered in the courtyard "If that's alright by you, I mean"
Autumn laughed as she smiled at their newest member. "Don't rush into things." She told him with a soft tone. "There is plenty of time before us." She said, her tone almost motherly. "Just get your things ready, we won't leave without you. I promise."
If anything, Oleg's face gets even more troubled. "So, that she devil that leads them got away? That's gonna be a problem."
Frowning, "We will find it Master Oleg." That was why I wanted to wait there.
"No, the one in charge of the outpost there is dead." Autumn reassured Oleg. "But we didn't find the ring. They may have sent it back to this, Stag Lord. They seemed to have worked for him and the outpost we took down was just a foreword camp." She explained before she looked to Curley. "Curley, tells us what you know of this Stag Lord, you said he had a base? Or fort? How would we get in? How many men does he normally have? Also, where did the ring you took from them to? Is it there?" She asked.
Pyros stands by, arms crossed, looking expectantly to Curley for an answer.
Curley looks nervous. "He's got a castle, I never been there. They say the Stag Lord has an elk skull for a head." Curley shrugs. "Probly a helmet, but no one ever seen him take it off. The other one I heard em talking about was Ox. A fella big and dumb as his namesake."
The scruffy man pauses, coughs then goes on: "Stag Lord's men come and go. They gave us a password so they know that we's friends."
Curley frowns, then stands and recites: "By the Bloody Bones of Saint Gilmorg."
Then he says: "One of them pesky mites snaked the wedding band away from Kressle. Took it out of her kitbag in the night. She was mighty steamed about that. She talked about gettin it back from the Old Sycamore, but none of us wanted to crawl down that hole. Not even her... Not really."
"Mites? Ah." Autumn sighed as she shrugged. "Well Oleg, you happen to know where the Old Sycamore is?" She asked. "If so we can head that way come morning. With luck, and Erastil's favor, we can hunt it down." She smiled to the forte owner.
"Thank you for helping us Curley. It shows you're willing to get back on the right path." She reassured the man as she rested her hand on his shoulder.
Caerwyn watches the by-play between everyone uncomprehendingly until he realizes that the man called Curly is not one of the original explorers but is a captured bandit instead.
Completely misunderstanding the situation he offers "Captain Garess and I can take this man off your hands and deal with him if you'd like."
"That will not be necessary. Curley is a repentive bandit. Since he is willing to make up for what he has done he does not need to be hung or put to the sword. He use to be a farmer even, when we find a place to settle his knowledge of planting and harvesting will be of great use." Autumn told the young scout. "In the mean time I'm sure he could lend a hand here. His time as a bandit had taught him how to use a blade, so an additional guard could make things smoother. Since you're losing one to our group after all." She pointed out to Kesten with a simple shrug. While her tone seems calm and friendly, her eyes where piercing right through Kesten. She figured a repentive bandit would be hard to accept but she needed them to none the less.
Pyros frowns, unsure that the guard captain would so readily accept a bandit, repentant or not, into his unit. "Redemption is a long road. But surely he knows that anyone attacking the fort would be unlikely to treat him more kindly than the other inhabitants, and fight in its defense accordingly."
Oleg shrugs. "I've heard of the Old Sycamore, but I don't really know where it is."
Eager to ingratiate himself, Curley speaks up: "I know where it is: On a hill about two days walk southwest of here. You can see it for miles around, it's kind of a landmark."
Kesten appraises Curley with a shrewd eye. "I reckon we can find some sort of work for him around here."
"Two days southwest? That doesn't sound too problematic." Autumn said with a shrug. She looked from Pyros, to Regina, to Caerwyn, and finally Herger. "Shall we head out with the dawn tomorrow?" She asked them.
"Aye, Tommorrow at Dawn, sounds fine, Any extra things about the place you could use a hand with Oleg?"
The large Ulfen cleric began, running a hand through is hair for a moment then both hands taking a hold of his bread and pulling downwards 'straightening' it.
With that Caerwyn bids everyone good night and returns to his barracks. Sleep comes fitfully as his mind races over the possibilities of what might come next. As sleep finally does overtake him it is cut all too short as a horn blares, calling everyone to the morning meal. "I swear one of these days I'm going to jam that bugle up his ass" he thinks to himself as he groggily gets to his feet.
Getting in the chow line with the other soldiers he grabs his breakfast and hungrily wolfs it down before donning his armor and grabbing his gear to head over to the trading post.
Once inside it's gates his mood brightens "Good morning, everyone." he says cheerily.
Nodding to Autumn, "It is what we are here for, so certainly." Not feeling particularly social at this exact moment and dawn is a rather early time to be up before, "I will see you all before the sun rises then."
Wondering off to bed and habitually digging her journal out of her bag. Instead of spending time writing out the events that have transpired the smell of burning flesh fills her nose. Flinching and quickly tossing the book back into her bag before curling up on the bed and staring at the wall. What feels like a small eternity later exhaustion pulls her eye lids shut and fitful sleep claims Regina.
Jolting out of bed at the vile sound of some heathen wasting their breath on a horn. "I hate whoever that is!' Glaring around in the general direction of the monster with the horn. Collecting her things and pulling out her extracts book to read before rushing off to collect her breakfast in the inn.
Autumn helped Svetlana with the dishes before heading to bed herself. Tomrrow they'd be back in the field and with luck would find the missing ring.
Thanks to a certain canine, Autumn was up before dawn, however this was nothing new to the hunter. When the horn was blown however, Frostbite howled with it and kept howl for a few more minutes.
Everyone is sure to be up now...
While she ate her breakfast Autumn inspected her arrows one at a time. She had learned how to make all forms of archery equipment from her mother years ago and the main thing she looked for was the condition of the feathers. If they go too old or too messed up it could change the flight of the arrow itself. Thought when Caerwyn came up greeting everyone, Autumn set the arrow down and have him a nod. "Good morning to you as well. I hope sleep didn't avoid you for long."
"Regina, will you help me braid my hair? I'm terrible with it, and I can't braid hair unless I'm doing someone else's hair. But this is the longest I've ever had it, and since we'll be in the plains for a bit I'd rather not have it in my face the whole time." She asked with a slight embarrassed smile. "Oh and if someone could remind me to ask Oleg to order arrow heads before we leave please I'd much appreciate it. I'd like to make a few new arrows to replace ones I'll lose or break, and a few specific kinds as well."
Pyros nods his assent to leaving the next morning.
----
Waking with a start at the horn blast, Pyros dresses and repacks his things, then heads to breakfast. "If that horn is a regular morning occurrence, I'll be pleased to get away from this fort for a while." he says to the others, with a shake of his head.
Smiling at Autumn though clearly caught off guard by the request, "Certainly."
Moving to help Autumn with her hair. Nodding enthusiastically in agreement with Pyros, "The horn is definitely a vile thing."
Autumn couldn't help but give a small laugh at the comments between Pyros and Regina. "That horn is nothing, when my father was teaching me to be a hunter he'd wake me up every morning by dumping a pail of water on me while I was still in bed." She told them as she recalled the memories. "After the first time he did that when it was winter, I was always up before him." She remembered with a sad sigh. "Mother hated it though..." She said, her voice breaking slightly. "She always had to dry my sheets and my sleep clothes... made me more clothes than my sisters so that I'd always have something dry to wear...." She took a long shaken breath as she tilted her head to look up to the sky.
Frostbite whined as she tried to get her muzzle under her mistress's hand. Autumn raised her hand and allowed the wolf to come closer to her, nestled under her arm. Autumn slowly pet Frostbite as Regina worked on her hair. This really had been the longest she'd ever had it, almost to the middle of her back. Before it never got far past her shoulders.
Caerwyn smiles as everyone around him goes through their morning rituals although the eagerness to be underway is plain for all to see. In an effort to clam himself he draws his curveblade and begins to hone it's already sharp edge. He sits down at the common table and smiles at Autumn as Regina fusses with her hair "Sleep finally did come but it was cut too short by Private Dobbs rather...enthusiastic rendition of reveille. Hannibal's a good sort but he does love his horn."
Herger had been up before the horn, though he did startle at its sound and scowled torwards the direction of it.
Soldiers...
He muttered to himself as he stuck his head into the tent he shared with his boy.
"Isnt that a sign you should get up? If you think you want to be a soldier at least."
He huffed from his tone it was clear what he thought of that idea. He was mending a pair of pants when he saw the others start to rise and get ready. He could only smile watching Autumn and Regina do hair. It made sense of course, to keep the hair from an archers eyes, but it seemed... so normal a thing.
It is chilly before the sunrises, though it looks to shape into a pleasant, clear spring day.
It seems the Levetons have adapted to the soldier's day. Both Oleg, and Svetlana are stirring from their slumber. Oleg quickly heads to the wood pile, and soon the delicious smell of bacon and eggs comes wafting out of the great hall.
Autumn thanks Regina for the help before asking Oleg if he could get a hold of some arrow heads for her as she wanted to make more arrows.
After that she saddled up her horse and made ready to leave with the rest of the group.
Traveling quickly through the open area around the trading post, you reach the edge of the forest known as the Narlmarches. This is the area where you spent your first night out of Oleg's, on the bandit trail. The campsite remains nestled amid the tall pine, oak, and maple trees.
Further to the south is unknown country, the forest is a maze of groves, meadows and meandering game trails; a test of your navigational skills.
Up ahead to the south, is a wide meadow, surrounded by tall elm and alder trees. The meadow is filled with thick leafy plants and several small creatures are working at harvesting the plants. The small reptilian creatures are kobolds it would seem.
One of the kobolds lays on it's back, clutching a large pearly white radish, almost as big as itself. The kobold gnaws at the root seemingly in ecstasy.
The other two seem to be pulling up and collecting more of the radishes.
Farther away across the meadow, in the shadow of the trees, three more of the kobolds are busily sacking up yet more of the pearly root bulbs.
It is late in the day, the sun casts long shadows across the meadow.
Caerwyn holds up his hand to stop the others. He turns his horse to face the party "There are some kobolds up ahead. They seem to be collecting some type of fruit, I guess. They appear entirely too focused on the patch to have noticed us yet, we can tie the horses up here and proceed on foot to see what they're up to. Any suggestions?"
Do I know anything about Kobolds?
Frowning and peering ahead before looking back at the group, "Are you wanting to go kill foragers?"
Autumn laughed when she noticed what the plants actually where. "Those aren't fruits Caerwyn, those are moon radishes, rather tasty vegetables and highly prized even. I'd love to make up a spiced skillet of them. Or a stew, they go really well in deer strew." She told them, though she was still giggling slightly before she added "Funny thing though, it's Kobalds that are eating them! Those things act like ale does for use to them. They're likely drunk on them." She shook her head as she looked to Regina. "At most we should just let them leave or come back through after we deal with the mites if we want some good food later. Kobalds are often a nuisance and we'll have to deal with that at some point but right now, knowing they are likely drunk on those radishes, it just doesn't seem fair."
Autumn turned and looked at Herger."Do you think Curley can do anything with them? He grew turnips right? I wouldn't think there is much difference between the two."
Are they well approachable? Im sure Curley could indeed do somethign with them, and if they are as tasty as you say then im liable to want to put a crop of them down anyway.
He began watching the creatures with a thoughtful frown.