'Not as nonsensical as I thought it would be. Still he carries a rabbit under his hat? That could feed many starving urchins in Egorian. Another time. A very different place.' "A mutual agreement then where it is win-win for you both. It is noble of you to spare such an innocent creature and save it from the wilds of nature. Does Hadley bring you a bountiful amount of luck? With two instead of one I would believe you would never have anything ill befall you." he asks as René moves ahead falling in behind Cordwin.
Looking at the last member of the group he smiles and nods his head politely in her direction. Trying to pull Snake Eater towards her he almost bumps her horse. "Pardon me. I still cannot get this horse to listen to me. A fine day for hunting is it not? Although truth be told I have never hunted for game at all. What of Lady Sabina? Excuse my forwardness but you do not seem like the hunter type. May I ask where you call home? You do not seem to be a native of these parts."
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Sabina regards Tylur with a quiet, distant suspicion. His armor, in particular, seems to catch her eye, however little of it she can see beneath his cloak. She seems positively startled when he asks his question. After an awkward pause, she begins to answer.
"I'm not from anywhere, really. I'm just a traveler. I've done a little bit of hunting on the road, but I wouldn't consider myself a hunter. I'm mostly here for the fresh air."
Tylur smiles back after Sabina responds, "Well it is a fine day to be out enjoying the fresh air and from the looks of it I'd say we are all travelers here." With that he seems to get lost in a thought and you watch as his horse falls to the back of the line.
'Maybe it is better had I not said anything or even agreed to accompanying Aldern on this hunt. How is any of this going to help me finding a cure for Eraji?'
After a couple of minutes pass by Tylur calls out to Aldern his tone is flat and it almost seems to you he just needs to break the silence, "Sir Aldern are you sure that we will find boars out here?"
René smiles to himself. Hmm, yes, sparing innocent creatures. And yet here I am on a hunting trip. Or at least, that is as it appears. I can't really begrudge Aldern and Cordwin some fresh meat. Just so long as they don't go overboard. Virtue in moderation, blah blah blah and all that.
Out loud he responds, "Me'n Hads do well 'nuff. Already got plenty luck with just the four rabbit's feet though. Don't need no more."
As they travel, he idly fingers a deck of cards tucked in one of his many pockets. He wanted to play, but he didn't want to risk dropping any cards just yet. Perhaps there would be time later in the evening.
"Very sure, my friend!" Aldern responds to Tylur confidently. "I've heard tell that Tickwood Forest is full of them. To tell you the truth, we may be doing the forest's ecology a service by lowering the boars' numbers by one. I say we should be off then. Tickwood Forest is about a half-an-hour's ride across the devil's platter, not at all very far. But first, before I forget, I should distribute these."
Aldern hops down from his jet black steed and retrieves from the side of his saddle five lances. He hands one out to each of you and keeps on for himself. One of the lances is markedly shorter, which he hands to the dwarf. "Of course, you will need these for the hunt."
You all take off at a brisk pace across the plains. "Since, I presume, most of you are new to the sport of hunting boar, I shall explain the general gist of the strategy. Once we have tracked and located a wild boar, we must enrage it so it charges into one of our lances, which has already been braced against the ground. There is little more thrilling to me than standing stalwart in the face of a charging boar only to have it stop a few feet short of me, impaled on my lance." Aldern sighs, perhaps reminiscing on past hunts. "Back in Magnimar, growing up as the heir to a noble house, it was only natural that I was trained in the gently sport of hunting from a young age. I have enjoyed the thrill of the hunt for many years..." He changes subjects abruptly. "But I want to hear more about you, my saviors."
Aldern moves to ride beside Sabrina. "My lady, would you care to recount how it is that you became such a fearsome warrior? Where do you hail from, and what are your aspirations for your future?" He stops, ready to listen intently to her response.
Cordwin examines the lance in his hands. What do we do if the boar decides to not run into the lance and instead tries to run into us?
René glances and the lance he's handed. It would make a rather awkward walking stick.
"The boar'd have ta be pretty dumb ta do a dumb thing like that." Although truth be told, humanoids are just as ignorant. The number of people that head down a self destructive just like a boar is truly astounding. I guess we can't all overcome our base, animal instincts. After all, why else do some hunt if not because they feel themselves to be a predator?
What do we do if the boar decides to not run into the lance and instead tries to run into us?
"Move?" René shrugs at the suggestion. Although I suspect the point of the technique is to position your lance in such a way that the boar can't charge you without impaling itself. Unless it comes in to flank you from one of your exposed sides, which is probably why Aldern wanted company. He grins to himself as the man in question tries to start up a conversation with Sabina. Or perhaps he simply has a crush and wished to show off how 'manly' and 'brave' he is.
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Sabina laughs nervously.
"Fearsome warrior? Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far. I grew up in a normal town, a bit larger than this place, and I wanted to be a guard when I grew up. I never quite made it, though...but I guess it wasn't all wasted time. I suppose I'll see about settling down in the area. It seems nice here."
If I was a boar, I would just sit there and oink. Stupid boars-no wonder they are used as pork chops! Cordwin's pony's ears flick as if to say I don't think its the boars that are stupid!
In response to Sabina he says, If ye settle here, ye still might become a guard. It seems like they need 'em the way them goblins just waltzed into town!
"Agreed if the goblins are that confident you will be choosing a most needed profession at an equally opportune time."
Looking at the lance he shrugs. "Would be advisable to practice setting it before we try it against an ire boar."
Apologies, folks. I'm out traveling this week, so my not get a post off for a few days.
Tylur has a look at Aldern while the conversation with Sabina continues. He had met people like this before. 'Never show your true face. Just like in the arena the one who shows their intention first is likely the one dies first' The strength of the words weighed on him. He had no idea who these people were. While none seemed to have any connections to Cheliax each of them carried some secret probably.
Aldern seemed especially suspicious almost as if he trying to paint a picture of someone who he wanted to be but was not. He was their host but people like Aldern always wanted something. He might be gracious but once the time came to pay he would remove his mask of kindness.
The others he needed to learn more about. Sabina seemed to be in a similar situation. But where he had run to get here - wherever here was - she had walked here seeking something different.
René he was more than he showed. He was too blunt to be hiding from anything. Still that did not necessarily make him anymore trustworthy.
Cordwin was different. Not like how he had expected a dwarf to be. He had heard all dwarves to be either drunk or dour. Greedy people who would take your last coin if you weren't dwarf as well.
He nudged on Snake Biter lost in thought.
Cordwin's pony suddenly stops and decides to graze much to Cordwin's chagrin. He shakes the reins violently but the pony continues to graze without paying him much mind. Exasperated Cordwin says, If ye don't move I will shove this lance up your... He doesn't get a chance to finish as his pony, with his belly full, trots up to the others.
René smiles at Cordwin's troubles with his pony. It seems he had picked wisely with his mare though. She trotted along quite happily, though perhaps that was due partially to his willingness to let her go at her own pace. He was in no particular hurry to start their hunt. And after the previous day's bloodshed, he found he wasn't in an overly talkative mood.
"Agreed, Tylur. Sabina, if you were interested, I have little doubt that the Sandpoint guard would hesitate to hire you," Aldern says. "Sandpoint so far has treated me well; it's one of the nicer little towns that I have known. I am sad to leave it behind soon, but I do say that I am glad at the same time to return to Magnimar. Have any of you thought about settling in the big city? The countryside is charming, but a place like Magnimar has more grandeur than anywhere else for many leagues."
As you chat and trot along the road, you see that the forest is only a few minutes' ride away.
He remains silent as if pondering Aldern's idea of settling in Magnimar.
"A pleasant idea Sir Aldern. When you return to Magnimar might I ask if you will have me as your guest when I pass through that way. I have yet to see Magnimar and would to see it someday. Why is it called the City of Monuments, Sir Aldern?"
Peering ahead he sees the heavy wooded area ahead, "It seems we have arrived at our destination, Sir Aldern. Shall we dismount? The woods look like they might be a dreaded ride for one as inexperienced as myself should we happen upon a boar."
Cordwin starts daydreaming of visiting Magnimar and doesn't realize that his pony has stopped. Oh! Ye are lucky we are here! Cordwin says to the uncooperative mount. Quyickly forgetting the pony he says, I, for one, plan on visiting Sir Aldern someday. Maybe we all can come for a visit. How many of us can ye accommodate, Sir Aldern?
"I've lived in a big city before...I think a quiet life in the country is more to my liking. I'd be happy to visit you in Magnimar though, if everyone else is going."
Sabina has been mostly quiet during the ride, visibly uncomfortable with having caught the attention of the handsome young noble.
"I ain't mucha one fer settlin'." Although generally it's no like I have much of a choice in the matter.
René seems amused, both my Aldern's interest and Sabina's discomfort. It's true, I've never been much of a ladies' man myself, but I find myself wondering if his continued interest in the light of her discomfort is a boon or a hindrance. Although I suppose he could just be oblivious to her dislike of the attention. Hard to say yet.
Ha! I am the opposite! I've been settled most of me life. Now I want to wander! Cordwin interjects totally missing the romantic overtures of Aldern to Sabina.
Aldern replies to Tylur's question, happy to speak more of his home city. "A good question! To anyone who lives in the city, this is obvious, but I can see why someone who has never travelled there would not know. Magnimar is defined by two colossal landmarks which predate modern civilization by thousands of years or more. The Irespan is an ancient Thassilonian ruin, the easternmost end of a giant bridge which has now crumbled into the sea. This enormous relic stretched from Magnimar's other most noticeable feature, the three-hundred-foot tall cliff which cuts the city in two known as the Seacleft. This is why Maginarimar is known as The City of Monuments; you can walk anywhere without leaving the line of sight of one of these things!." He pauses, then says, [b]"And in response to your other question, I would be glad to have you all sometime in the future! I have a large house, and I would be especially happy to accommodate any of you coming my way." Aldern says this with his gaze mostly focused on Sabina.
You all reach the edge of the forest. The Tickwood Forest is not intimidating. Under the noon sun, you are happy to spend some time in the shade. Aldern rides to the front of the group and addresses you. "Here is where the hunt begins. We can all keep an eye out for tracks or other signs of the recent passing of a wild boar. Try hard not to make too much noise. When we find our prey, remember to follow the procedure I explained previously. Be cautious, keep your heads on you, we should reemerge unscathed and with a fine catch to give to Ameiko to cook up for dinner. Onwards!"
He watched as Aldern's eyes undressed Sabina in that brief instant. He had not really noticed until but she was quite comely. He could not fault his host for being attracted to this lady. Still Aldern's advances were met with disinterest or maybe an ignorance on Sabina's part.
This was an odd cast of characters to be certain. He almost wanted to laugh outloud that Aldern might be the most normal one amongst them all. He held his tongue though watching to see how soon Sabina would catch on to Aldern's obvious advances.
"The city sounds exquisite. I look forward to seeing these two wonders very soon then."
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As they approach the edge of the forest he listens to Aldern warn them about being mindful about the level of noise. Dismounting off of Snake Biter he feels relieved but almost drops to the ground as he tries to maintain enough control in his cramping legs.
"Is it safe to track these boars on foot? As much as this steed has made the trip eventful I doubt I would be afforded the time to dismount and set this spear against any charging boar?"
Tylur stares at the ground hoping to find a trail. The idea of roasted pig had already begun to occupy his mind and fill his stomach with a low rumbling.
René continues to be amused as Aldern seems to miss Sabina's subtle signals of disinterest. Perhaps she's being too subtle. Although given his persistence, perhaps even the correct emphasis would go unheeded.
As they reach the forest, the Varisean sighs and stretches his arms, reaching in to his bag to pull out an apple and carrot. The carrot goes under his hat and the apple gets sliced into pieces by a dagger that René pulls out of one sleeve. Above half the fruit goes into Quinn's eager mouth as he gently strokes her neck. He only dismounts if it becomes obvious that continuing to ride is impossible.
He hangs back a little bit from the rest of the group, not wanting the fact that he has absolutely no intention of being quiet to interfere with their game too much. He isn't unnecessarily loud; he just fails to put forth any effort to sneak around. While the rest of the group is busy staring at the ground for tracks, he keeps his head up and alert, ready to warn them if a boar (or, he supposed, anything else) is about to attack.
Although he seems to be a little too lost in the beauty around him to be of much use as a lookout.
Cordwin bends over to look for tracks and gets nudged in the rear by his pony. Why you little... he starts to say, but then realizes that he might be too loud. Moving some feet away from his playful mount, Cordwin again looks for boar tracks.
It then becomes obvious that Cordwin wouldn't know boar tracks from deer tracks! Sir Aldern, I think ye might have been better served by bringing more outdoorsy types! Cordwin whispers.
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Sabina dismounts from her horse with the careful tentativeness of a city girl and awkwardly pats her horse's mane.
"Good boy. Err..."
She quickly checks under the horse, looking somewhat confused.
"...girl?"
Not wanting to embarrass herself further with the horse, Sabina carefully begins to search for tracks, heading in roughly the same direction as Tylur.
Aldern instructs you all to dismount. You set out in search of boar tracks under his guidance. After about ten minutes of searching Sabrina steps through a patch of dirt right after Tylur. She glances down and sees signs of little hoofprints that he must have just missed. Aldern heartily congratulates her on her find. "A fine huntress in the making!" The lot of you follow the tracks swiftly on your horses for another score of minutes. Suddenly, Aldern declares that you must be close since the tracks are very fresh now. Suddenly, out of the brushes, an oblivious boar emerges.
'
The boar, just thirty feet away, stops and sniffs the air. It oinks and then turns in the party's direction, frozen.
His eyes lock with the boar's eyes. The size of this animal surprised him. He had been expecting a smaller animal this one appeared to be almost half the size of Cordwin's pony.
A loud neigh from Snake Biter was Tylur's only warning as the palfrey reared up and kicked its front legs. More by instinct then anything else Tylur let go of the reins and rolled out of the way of Snake Biter's flailing kicks.
As he looked up he found himself in between the path of Sabina and the boar. The spear Aldern had given him lying out of arm's reach.
René had just taken a bite out of another apple when the boar appeared. He was still leaning against his spear, which he had unceremoniously been using as a walking stick. "Aye heffo miffa boa," he softly hails the creature, more to alert anyone who hadn't yet noticed rather than the boar itself.
He blinks in surprise as Aldern's friend is suddenly on the ground next to his bucking pony. This is followed by a slight frown. I may not like what we're doing out here, but I suppose I don't want any of them to actually die from this encounter. Mournfully, he tosses his delicious apple in the general direction of the boar, making sure to toss it to the side, so if the boar took the bait, he'd be pointed away from the prone, defenseless man.
He then starts digging in his bag to find some bread and cheese to replace his lost food. I suppose if his horse doesn't settle down soon, I might have to see if I can't do something about her before skulls get cracked.
Ohhh! That ain't good! Cordwin thinks as he sees Tylur between the boar and Sabina. Moving about 20 feet from the party, Cordwin will plant his spear like Aldern taught him to and call out Oink! Oink!
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Sabina slowly approaches Tylur's prone form, hesitating for a moment, unsure about leaving her back to him. After a moment of thought, she sighs as her better nature wins out.
"You'd best get behind me, or make a break for that spear. I--" her words trail off, replaced by a brief, gutteral hissing*, and then silence. She bites her bottom lip sharply and awaits the boar's charge.
Aldern fumbles with his saddlebags, trying frantically to release his lance.
The boar grunts and charges rapidly in the direction of Tylur and Sabina. It is only a few yards away, ready to plow into Tylur on the ground.
Aldern releases his lance and hurls it in the direction of Tylur five feet away from him. "Catch!"
His eyes stay with Sabina who has rushed to his aid a sudden consternation draws over her face as he hears the all too common tongue of his homeland.
"I.." whatever he was about to say ends as he hears Aldern call out to him. As the lance flies to him in the air he scrambles to stand up and catch the lance.
"Dawnflower aid us!!"
Cordwin is dismayed that the boar is not rushing towards him instead of Tylur. He would then kick himself if he could. Why didn't I think of that before! he mutters as he starts to recite a sleep spell on the boar .
"Now, why d'ya haffta go'n be so ornery?" René yells at the boar. Then under his breath he grumbles, "That was a mighty good apple, too." Sighing, he finally pulls out a carrot, taking a bite before offering it to the unhappy Snake Biter. "You won't go'n turn up yer nose at good food, right Mr. Horsey?"
Louder, to Tylur, he gives a short laugh, "Ha! I ain't never been called no flower before. But I reckon yous good without me."
Aldern frantically scrambles to pick up that lance that Aldern threw in his direction. He leaps up, grabs it, and braces it against the ground, only to his surprise to see the fearsome boar skidding to a halt, totally asleep.
After two moments of complete silence, Aldern guffaws. "Well if that wasn't a thrilling moment! Now tell me, which one of you magicians is responsible for that little trick? You could have mentioned it before that you could charm the bloody beats asleep. Even though we had a bit of a jump, I'll certainly have a fine story to tell! Tylur, my friend, hope you're doing alright. I'm sure that you would have had him had he continued his charge. Well, someone finish the beast, and we'll bring it on back to the Rusty Dragon for a fine supper!"
"Mphasn't mee." It's always nice when other people make it easy for me to avoid lying.
René slowly pulls out a piece of dried meat and takes a deliberate bite out of it, making no move towards the sleeping boar. Ha! Aldern talks about the 'thrill' of having a boar charge you. But then he's just as happy when all danger is gone and the hunt is no more than shooting fish in a barrel.
Cordwin sheeplishly says, I'm guessin' twas me that put the piggy to sleep. To save Tylur and all. Then realizing how that sounded, Cordwin adds, Not that I thought Tylur needed savin' mind ye, but me figured a little help wouldn't hurt!
When Aldern mentions finishing off the beast, Cordwin makes no move. His enthusiasm sapped at seeing the boar sleeping peacefully. Ye think we should wake him again to make it a tad more sportin'? He asks.
Tylur turns and looks at the others. He feels uncomfortable as he stares at the resting boar and strides over to Aldern. Handing the spear back, "I think we call this a draw Sir Aldern. It was a fine contest though. I had thought myself dead if not for your quick actions Sir Aldern. No doubt our companions share my sentiments. Let us head back to the Rusty Dragon and revel in the joy this day has brought."
René hid a smile, amused at the sudden change in attitude of his companions. He supposed it was rather different: killing something in the heat of battle vs when it posed no threat to you. It didn't really matter much in the heat of the moment if you had gone out looking for the fight in the first place. The mind was interesting in that way with what it could justify.
"I commend you on your quick thinking, dwarf." Aldern says. "Let's call our hunt complete." He butchers the boar while it sleeps and the lays the carcass behind his horse and straps it down. You all head back the way you came, chatting amongst yourselves and with Aldern. You make it back to the Rusty Dragon in the afternoon, weary from your adventure, but excited to settle down for a fine, well-earned supper.
Aldern presents your catch to Ameiko who seems suitably impressed. She vows to smoke it up for a fine feast of a dinner. Pretty soon, the Rusty Dragon is awaft with the smell of smoked boar, being prepared in the back. The tavern is full of patrons. While Ameiko is cooking in the back, Bethana, the elderly halfling women takes orders and serves drinks. "Hold your horses, my lord! Food won't be ready for another 20 minutes at least," she exclaims to Aldern in a squeaky and frightened voice as he enthusiastically calls for more ale and some of their pork whenever it's "damn near ready."
Tylur feels his stomach grumble at the smell of the roasting boar. He looks at his companions seated around the table, while the conversation on the trip back had been active it seemed more one sided.
The slaughtering of the boar had left an empty feeling that the others didn't want to bring up in the presence of Aldern. Bad feeling or not Tylur was fully prepared to eat the boar when it came out it would be more of a crime to not eat it.
"Dwarf"? René took a moment to try to remember if he had ever heard Aldern actually use Cordwin's name. He couldn't remember. Which either meant that he had or they had just never been in a position where it would be awkward not to use it. Shaking his head, he just shrugged to himself, handing Tylur the reins to his now calm mount. People can be funny some times.
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René was not as hungry as he should have been. He had been snacking pretty all day after all. It was a bad habit he had picked up after leaving his mother's watchful gaze. While he personally had been shielded from any fears about going hungry by his protective guardian, he had befriended a few people when he was older who hadn't been quite as fortunate and knew the value of eating whenever you could less it be taken away from you by someone stronger later.
He spends part of his time at dinner idly shuffling some cards and doing a few fancy showmanship tricks. He takes advantage of the free drinks enough to get lightly buzzed while appearing more drunk than he actually was (which mostly meant his accent was even less understandable than normal). He wanted to make sure he was at least sober enough to step in if Aldern's drunken revelry got a little too out of hand. Nobles and alcohol were always a bit of a crap shoot; sometimes it was great and made them careless. Other times it made them even more full of themselves and eager to throw their "power" around.
Sitting at the table, Cordwin stomach starts to rumble. His conscious is ebbing as the hunger pains increase. Who cares how the meat comes to the table as long as it comes! He thinks to himself as he empties the last of the latest tankard of ale. Why don’t we pass the time until the guest of honor, formally known as Piggy, arrives? Let's tell tall tales. I'll start!
Cordwin then starts to relate how a dwarf named Clangiron once slew several trolls singlehandedly, found the greatest mineral vein ever and got married all on the same day. Cordwin is oblivious to the fact that as the story drags on, people are ordering more and more ale. He is about to tell what Clangiron did the next day, when a frazzled Bethana appears with a platter of hot, steaming boar!