Looking around you do notice that it is snowing itself but doesn't seem to be snowing too much outside of it.
Aneira walks to where her husband is standing, and gently squeezes his arm, glad that he is alright. She turns on Venja's voice telling her she is unharmed also. "It is good that these White Walkers were slain before they could do any of us harm. Well done, Xan, Gabe and Beck on your quick actions."
Seeing the snow on the inside and not as heavy on the outside, Aneira turns to Venja, gesturing toward the snowing carriage,
"Such a thing as this is unnatural. What kind of magic is this?"
Sorry that should have said snowing in the forest and not outside it not inside the carriage lol. Also I thought I mentioned a snowy trail leading into the forest from the site. Again if not my apologies but it is obvious enough that you don't even need a check.
--Imm, I'd like to try to track the creatures, whatever they are so we can try catch them. Can I also add a set of Wooden armor to my sheet and Don that? Less ACP and no movement penalty, and I can afford it. Haven't had time to tweek gear again...
Actually Xanxan, I saw nothing. It was so fast and quick and over before I could react that I must take your word for it. Clearly what you say is true as the proof is laying there rent from a weapon. Good job my good man. Good job indeed.
"Thank you, kind sir." The gnome is pleased.
”Your stab was fair… but you are not a warrior.”
”You are better skilled elsewhere.”
He stretches his jaw muscles a bit.
”You are able to search better than fight.”
”That carriage held a threat.”
”Next time search for traps before entering… you are good at searching,” he says, trying to be encouraging.
"Actually, I wouldn't call jabbing someone's arm fair at all, bit of a cheat really... but it beat the alternative. And as for searching..." The gnome smiles, "Maybe I did that so fast as well that you didn't see it. Make no mistake, I'll be happy to put my gnomish senses to use, but I'll not be sitting back when the fighting comes."
{ooc]Variel grabs a handful of snow from the ground and sprinkles it in the air inside the carriage. "There you go, now it is smowing inside." That should make everyone happy and correct.[/ooc]
Not seeing much else to do with the carriage since they can't transport it, Variel lets it be for the time being. Instead he puts an arm around Aneira and asks out loud, If there is nothing else to be known here, shall we proceed onward? The Lady may be in distress and we should hurry to help her. I am sure the horse and cart can make it most of the way.
"Actually, I wouldn't call jabbing someone's arm fair at all, bit of a cheat really... but it beat the alternative.
Gabryjel watches Xanxan a bit, saying nothing.
”The "alternative" was death… “ he finally says with a flat tone.
He glances up the trail that he had noticed earlier, and saw that Beck was eager to move up the trail as well.
His eyes flick back to Xanxan.
"Maybe I did that so fast as well that you didn't see it."
He stares hard at Xanxan.
"Maybe you were fast."
"Next time be careful instead."
"Then you might have seen the threat."
He glances back at the carriage.
”The Walkers were not an accident… they were left on purpose… they were a trap.”
He squints up the trail.
”There may be others.”
"Make no mistake, I'll be happy to put my gnomish senses to use, but I'll not be sitting back when the fighting comes."
He nods.
"Good enough," he says, the scar on his face twisting hideously under a grim smile, pleased at Xanxan's bold words.
Gabryjel turns back to Variel.
”You did not recognize the marks?” he asks indicating the heraldry on the signet ring which he had asked Variel to examine.
”Bad luck,” he says flatly.
”It may have been our query’s heraldry – but it may have been another House.”
As Variel did not examine the ring, nor show any interest in it, he shrugs and takes the signet ring back and puts it into his pocket.
The rest of the loot he dumps into their wagon unceremoniously.
He turns and walks back to the front near Xanxan and Beck, watching Sheelah sniff the ground.
”The hunt is up,” he says.
He readies his bow again with another arrow and calmly walks up the path, keeping his eyes open.
Not seeing much else to do with the carriage since they can't transport it, Variel lets it be for the time being. Instead he puts an arm around Aneira and asks out loud, If there is nothing else to be known here, shall we proceed onward? The Lady may be in distress and we should hurry to help her. I am sure the horse and cart can make it most of the way.
Aneira leans into her husband's arm for a moment, reviving her strength through his. She turned and on tiptoes kissed his cheek.
To Gabe and the others, "Beck suggested we burn all the bodies before we leave so they may not turn into White Walkers. I agree with him. Let us get it done and then be on our way to find the Lady Argentea."
To Gabe directly and quietly, "I am sorry neither of us could aid you with the inquiry regarding the heraldry. I'm afraid it is not my strong suit, Gabe, nor Variel's. Hopefully we will find more answers as we go."
Gabryjel turns back and looks at Aneira.
Beck is not wise to suggest that.”
”Burning so many bodies will need a bonfire… lots of fuel… it will take time…”
”The wood is damp… there will be lot’s of smoke.”
”Smoke from such a bonfire could be seen for miles.”
He pauses, opening and closing his jaw somewhat.
”Whoever did this may be near.”
”They may see the smoke… they would know we are coming.”
”We saw a trap… if enemies know we are coming, there could be others.”
He glances at the corpses for a moment.
”If you worry that they will walk again, take their heads.”
”If we take their heads there will be no smoke.” he says with a shrug.
He wipes his brow with his sleeve.
”Thank you for your courtesy,” he says after a moment, thinking about the signet ring and Aneira’s comment.
He digests that for a moment.
His eyes flick to the frozen man, and the corpses in the snow and the blood.
His mind tacks back and he thinks on the last few minutes.
He thinks of the Whitestorm’s continuing embraces in the middle of this death.
He frowns a minute, pondering something for a moment.
”You should be more cautious… you leave your weaknesses exposed.”
”Exposed weaknesses can be exploited.” he says carefully, offering the suggestion to Aneira without looking at her.
He glances at the corpses for a moment longer.
”Burning the bodies will take time and make smoke.”
”But I will wait if that is the decision.”
Aneira did not balk at Gabe's critical (albeit neutral) assessment of her small intimacies with her husband. Gabryjel was a man of strategy and tactics, afterall. Their passions were simply different.
"I thank you for the suggestion, Gabe. And will be ever mindful." Aneira's voice is soft but in her eyes there is a fierce light to show she is protective and would not put her husband in danger.
"A swift, clean cut to sever the heads from the bodies, if it is possible please, Gabe. The dead deserve respect." Aneira is gentle in her tone and instruction.
No such luck Gabe. I have no knowledge of such heraldry. Perhaps some day I will become more learned and find the time for Auchs tidies, but it has escaped me so far. The perks of a long life I suppose is to take ones time enjoying what I can and wait to study things I do not enjoy now later.
Keeping his arm around Anee, No hard feelings Gabe, but if something were to happen I would rather be here next to my wife in an embrace than apart from her. Thanks for your concern however. If there was other danger about I am sure we would have seen it by now as long as we have been here searching the place.
"I thank you for the suggestion, Gabe. And will be ever mindful." Aneira's voice is soft but in her eyes there is a fierce light to show she is protective and would not put her husband in danger.
Gabryjel looks at Aneira for a moment, gauging her reaction to his advice.
His head cocks slightly, his eyes intent on hers, but he says nothing as he studies her for a moment.
As I feared… A hawk, not a wolf…
His eyes move between Aneira and than Venja, as if considering something for a moment.
Bad luck.
Then he shrugs.
"A swift, clean cut to sever the heads from the bodies, if it is possible please, Gabe. The dead deserve respect." Aneira is gentle in her tone and instruction.
He looks at her for a moment, thinking a bit.
”I honor the living… the dead are dead,” he says slowly.
”But I will do as you ask,” he says, avoiding her gaze.
He takes out his axe and moves from each body, chopping the heads from each corpse.
No such luck Gabe. I have no knowledge of such heraldry. Perhaps some day I will become more learned and find the time for Auchs tidies, but it has escaped me so far. The perks of a long life I suppose is to take ones time enjoying what I can and wait to study things I do not enjoy now later.
No hard feelings Gabe, but if something were to happen I would rather be here next to my wife in an embrace than apart from her. Thanks for your concern however. If there was other danger about I am sure we would have seen it by now as long as we have been here searching the place.
He turns from the bloody business of chopping the heads from corpses.
Leaning back on his haunches, he lowers his axe; the congealed blood on bits of spinal column clinging to the edge of the blade.
He looks at the Whitestorms for a long moment, his expression blank.
His eyes roam over them both; concentrating on something.
He thinks for a long moment, saying nothing.
Then he shrugs.
"You are welcome," he says eventually.
Then he goes back to work.
Aneira noted Gabe's observance at first and then his avoidance, and she pondered on it with no answers as to why.
She felt Variel's secure grip on her waist (assuming that's where he put his arm earlier; if it were around her shoulders, then no worries) as she watched Gabe move from body to body and methodically cut the heads clean off with his axe. At each strike, Aneira sent silent prayer to the gods for the souls of the slain and frozen. She did not turn her eyes away from the beheading -- honouring the dead until the last as best as she could.
Once the work was completed, Aneira gave a quiet "Thank you, Gabe."
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You manage to dispose of the bodies as best you can. None of them rise up again to attack you at least. Once that is done, looking around you don't see much else in the way of interest. The only thing you have not yet explored is the snowy trail which heads into the woods. You can see from here that there is no way to get the wagon through. There is about six inches of snow on the ground inside the forest and the weather drops even more. The weather once you step foot inside the forest plunges to hover at around 30 degrees during the day and 10 degrees during the night . You can tell that this much snow is going to double the amount of time it takes for you to get anywhere.
Venja looks at the narrow trail and shudders slightly, realizing that they will be quite vulnerable traveling in single file. Still, the cold has no affect on her and she straightens her thin shawl, worn more for show than affect. She turns to her companions once the bodies are dealt with and says softly, "Shall we move on then?"
Once the work was completed, Aneira gave a quiet "Thank you, Gabe."
Gabryjel pauses again and nods at the Whitestorms, trying to offer a smile.
He finishes the work and cleans the axe in the snow and puts it in his pack.
The thick falling snow is coming harder from the trail; it looks fairly ominous.
"Shall we move on then?"
Gabryjel looks at the trail for a moment, then he looks back at Venja, thinking a moment.
”Not yet.”
He notices that the relative trail is too narrow for the wagon.
He glances at the wagon for a moment and the horses which drew it into the forest. He sees that more snow is falling.
There is about six inches of snow on the ground inside the forest and the weather drops even more. The weather once you step foot inside the forest plunges to hover at around 30 degrees during the day...
He walks to the horses and deftly unhitches them from the wagon’s bindings.
He pauses and begins to unload the bulky gear and take it down and begin to take the bundles and drape them over the horses.
He gauges there are several hundred pounds of miscellaneous gear between the six of them. This would include food and furs and other gear.
When it is done his eyes flick over the company for a moment, settling on Xanxan.
He looks at the gnome for a moment.
”You move slower than us… and there may be snow drifts.”
”You should sit on a horse.”
”We will move faster this way.”
With the horses carrying the bulk of the gear, he is ready to lead the horses into the woods.
He pauses a moment, thinking.
Turning back, he takes the loot that he had tossed in the wagon.
Others may come back - there is no point in leaving the gold in the wagon.
We may need it later...
With the final piece of the gear collected and packed, he turns back to Venja.
"Now I am ready," he says.
"Who is going first?"
Venja waits patiently, seeing the wisdom in Gabe's action. Having no skill with handling tack, she doesn't offer to assist, letting the stronger and more competent gentleman deal with the horses.
"Having Xan ride is a good idea, Gabe," she says softly. "We will be able to move with more speed."
Variel spies the snow and gives a shrug, it wasn't going to be easy but it and to be done. Lead on then and lets get this over with and back to where the weather is normal. Variel wears his winter gear and puts his pack on the horse behind Xanxan. Ready when you are.
Aneira moves to the wagon at the same time as Gabe and removes the snowshoes she had included with their other (heavier) stowed gear.
She returns to her husband and hands him the snowshoes. "For you, when the snow is deeper, my husband."
She moves to the line closer to Beck and his feline. She was an adequate tracker and knew her way around a forest, so she offered her services to the druid, if he required them.
Her light blue eyes watched Venja who like her did not seem to feel or mind the icy cold.
"Having Xan ride is a good idea, Gabe," she says softly. "We will be able to move with more speed."
"Thank you, lady," he says, nodding his head in her direction.
He glances at the others, knowing that his opinion is not worth much when weighed against that of other, normal people.
Still, the situation was so dire and barbaric it made him forget about his own shortcomings.
In that moment of forgetfulness his mind tacked back to when he served in the Taldan military as a scout in the wild and in that brief moment, he is able to share his thoughts without his usual self-loathing to halt his speech.
"I would see Beck first with Sheelah, then Whitestorm behind him," he says after a moment, his throat raspy.
He turns to look at the others.
"I will go behind them with the bow."
"If Xanxan sits on one horse that would be good."
He glances at Venja.
"I would see you come next and Miss Whitestorm leads the other horse with the rest of the baggage."
"Then our casters are safe behind the warriors; and our gear is equally safe."
Fort save for the first hour in woods
Perhaps Gabe I could suggest a change. My wife is very capable outdoors and would be an asset to Beck if he needs it. I would then be behind her to protect her and have you behind me. If that is alright by you?
Aneira looked up at Variel and was relieved that her husband spoke up for her in regard to Gabe's marching orders. She was not without skill and thought she would be better suited closer to the front than in the back leading the horse.
"For you, when the snow is deeper, my husband."
Gabryjel's eyes flick back to Aneira and they narrow somewhat.
His face mirrors an expression he had before, but he pushes it away.
He starts to say something, but the energy that had motivated him before has suddenly dropped.
He rolls his head a bit and readies his bow and is prepared to follow Beck into the wilderness.
"I'd just as like prefer to be a bit further back rather than near the front. I'm no warrior after all. If There's something I can do to help, I can always move forward."
Perhaps Gabe I could suggest a change. My wife is very capable outdoors and would be an asset to Beck if he needs it. I would then be behind her to protect her and have you behind me. If that is alright by you?
Gabryjel turns his gaze from Aneira to Variel.
"I am at least as good a tracker as she is."
"But none of us are as good as Beck."
"All anyone can do is offer him help... any with training can at least aid him."
He looks ahead for a moment, then back at Aneira.
"Her true talents are healing."
"I would not have our healer in the front."
"If there is another trap, she may be injured."
His eyes move between Variel and Aneira, narrowing a bit as if thinking about something. He starts to say something, then stops, changing his mind.
"You are a melee fighter... your wife has a bow."
"Putting you behind her on a single file trail is not wise."
"I would see healers in the back... safe behind steel."
"When we fall, they can heal us."
"Putting them up front is not wise."
Then he glances over at Venja, curious to know what the angel-blood will say on the matter.
He considers something else and starts to speak - but then he closes his mouth and says nothing.
Aneira walked over to her friend. To Venja, she had a quiet word, "If you need use of the snowshoes, please let me know. Variel is carrying them for now. I will share them with you or any who has a need of them. I brought a pair along in case we needed to move better across the snow."
As he makes a quick changa and synches down his Winter Furs, Beck says, "I can keep Missus Whitestorm, out o' harms way just fine, if yer at home in the cold and knows yer way round wood and tracks? and I could use her eyes up front, if ya don't mind that is," Beck says, considering, and flicking Gabe a glance as he corrects him on Aniera's title, faiing at being subtle.
"Looks ike this ain't gonna be another one of our summer strolls threogh the wood, eh Venja," Beck chuckles to the witch, drawing at some levety as the mood is likely to be dark soon.
Seeing an impasse occurring, Aneira looks to Variel and then the others, "I will remain behind you then, husband. Closer to Venja." Aneira keeps her voice steady and her face neutral, having learned ways to remain calm in a situation. To Venja she adds quietly, "Would you go before me or after, Venja?"
"Thank you, Anee, dear. If I need them, I'll speak up for sure, but I think they'd be better used on the feet of a warrior who needs his maneuverability. Perhaps we should have all bought some, but I didn't think we'd really run into this much snow and ice to be honest."
She looks over at Gabe and gives him a half smile, curious as to why he wanted her in the front when now he says healers should be in the back. Still she merely nods to him. "I think warriors to the fore is a good idea, but we should have at least one person good at fighting near the back as well. In truth though, Xanxan could fit that bill as well as Variel. Still, everyone should be where they are most comfortable if possible."
"I can keep Missus Whitestorm, out o' harms way just fine, if yer at home in the cold and knows yer way round wood and tracks? and I could use her eyes up front, if ya don't mind that is," Beck says, considering, and flicking Gabe a glance as he corrects him on Aniera's title, faiing at being subtle.
Instinctively Gabryjel’s hand flashes to his bow and the knocked arrow is raised, pointing to Becks head.
Only a supreme effort of will allows him to push the sudden feeling from feeling outright Hostility toward’s Beck’s words back to at least a casual sense of Indifference at Beck's normal lack of tact.
”I spoke my piece. I am done,” he says, his weapon still in his hand looking at Beck.
He shakes his head than lowers his weapon.
”Do what you want,” he says eventually with a shrug.
Venja takes whatever place is decided for her in the order as long as it's not TOO close to the front and then moves along with the others as they proceed. The cold doesn't seem to have any affect on her at all, though she does notice any changes to the terrain as a result of the snow and ice, and chooses her footing carefully.
Walking close to Aneira, she speaks to her very softly as they walk for a bit - quiet girl-talk, not meant for outside ears.
Keeping her voice to a bare minimum and whispering to her beloved friend, Aneira is still observant as they walk, gracefully moving through the snow, hoping her husband and the others who could not handle such icy conditions for long periods would not succumb to illness or worse along the narrow track.
In discreet, low voice, Anee whispers to Venja, "In case the cold and ice overwhelm our male companions, we must be ever-vigilant, dear Venja. This unseasonable, unnatural weather is just as treacherous as the fey we are tracking. I hope Lady Argentea still lives."
Xanxan, who was going to get on the horse anyway, just sighs at something . He seems perfectly okay with not being led
"Good thinking, Anee. I wish I'd brought one too. Still one is better than none. The menfolk all have cold weather gear, I think, but sometimes it's not enough alone. I guess I should have learned an endure elements spell, but who would have thought such a thing would be necessary in Taldor, eh?" Venja replies to Aneira softly, still whispering with her in the back of the party.
"Hopefully if the Lady still lives, they are keeping her warm. If they intend for her to be ransomed or some such, they have to keep her alive and mostly unharmed, I would think."
"We can but hope," the gnome agrees with that
As the group seems to have figured out how to proceed with who where, Variel settles in for a trek through the snow. Trying to lighten the mood, Variel casts prestidigitation every so often creating a slight stir on the branches overheard. The resulting effect is a nice peaceful snow fall on the travelers. Variel isn't trying to be nuisance but rather passing the time as those with skills in these matters of tracking do their work.
If it seems like some are not liking his antics, Variel will switch from causing it to snow to drying them off with prestidigitation instead.
Venja holds out one hand, catching bits of snow as they fall, her laughter trilling very softly at the touch of winter around her. She smiles and nods at Variel, thankful for the break in the monotony of slow movement while Beck carefully follows the trail through the woods. Once she catches a handful of snow, she compacts it in her small fist and hefts it as if planning on throwing it, but then smashing it and letting the bits fall to the ground. Though she doesn't seem to be feeling the cold much, she does don a pair of light gloves after handling the snow for a bit...
Seeing Venja smile at his antics, Variel takes the opportunity to ask her a question as they walk along. What was up with your hair earlier? I have been around you for a while what with you and Anee working together, and I have never seen it move like that before. Not only that but it looked like it grew an extra 7 feet in an instant and then shrunk back down.
The light snow display created by her husband was a gentle, innocent distraction from the walk/work and the concern. She hears Venja's sweet laughter from behind and turns and smiles at her friend, nodding at Xan as he ably manoeuvres horse and gear on the trail.
From her position toward the back, Aneira scans the woods, the snow drifts, trees and trail (surroundings), looking for threat or anything of note.
Gabryjel proceeds forward somewhat stoically.
He ignores the snowfall and the voices.
He merely walks forward, his eyes ahead and his weapons ready.
Venja gives Variel a little wider smile and a playful wink. "A handy ability I rarely use in town. It tends to frighten folk who are not used to a lot of magic around them. I usually only used it in private, like an extra pair or two of hands in the infirmary. It is a shame some folk are easily scared by what they don't understand. I'm glad, you, my friends, are not such as most of the townsfolk."
She gets distracted for a moment by Snow, frolicking a bit in his favorite weather, smiling at his antics. Then she turns back to Variel, the smile not fading a bit. "Somehow I think that several of us have abilities beyond the ken of the folk of Heldren. Wisdom kept most of those unique qualities hidden from sight, I think. But here, among only friends and in time of need, what was hidden can now be revealed."