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Myri finds Buttersnips, giver her a hug and looks towards the Family Wagon a little anxiously, "Um, I'm really not sure what I can do to help. Um...any ideas?"
"I'm not certain what the humanoid customs are," Buttersnips says uncertainly. "Among the fey, it would be traditional to run a tandem mass spectroscopy test after the birth, so I suppose you could volunteer to do that if that is true for humanoids as well. If not, maybe you could just offer to check the infant for PKU and Congenital Hypothyroidism?"
Myri smiles happily, "I was trying to go for as close to the actual as possible," she glances at the wagons, then back to Lio, "but this is your area of expertise, not mine. Whatever you feel would be appropriate and are willing to contribute would be wonderful. I'm really looking forward to seeing them completed. ...& I'd love to watch too, if you don't mind."
"I hear sewing and weaving can be boring to watch, but it's very relaxing to do. You are welcome to come and see what I'm doing and watch me work. I can work in our wagon, so if you get tired of watching, you can do other things, and that way we don't run the risk of ruining the surprise for Sandru, as we might, if I were to work in one of the storage wagons, and am carrying my work back and forth through camp." She looks thoughtful. "If you wanted it to look even more life like, we could look for tiny dolls to use as people. Or is that creepy?"
A baby girl with a fuzz of light green hair is born.
She weighs roughly nine pounds.
Myri finds Buttersnips, giver her a hug and looks towards the Family Wagon a little anxiously, "Um, I'm really not sure what I can do to help. Um...any ideas?""I'm not certain what the humanoid customs are," Buttersnips says uncertainly. "Among the fey, it would be traditional to run a tandem mass spectroscopy test after the birth, so I suppose you could volunteer to do that if that is true for humanoids as well. If not, maybe you could just offer to check the infant for PKU and Congenital Hypothyroidism?"
Lio raises an eyebrow at Buttersnips, shakes her head, slightly amused, but not entirely in favor of this idea.
"We shudde prolley stay outa 'e way unless heal'n spells are need'd fer any reason." Lio suggests. "So 'erhaps we shudde stay nearby in case anyunne asks us fer 'elp." Looks at the wholly rhino. "An' mayhaps we can wotch Rags 'ere, who prolley wonders whot on earth 'es doin tied to 'e wagun. Or 'elp Rhost with dinn'r. Et could be a long day. Mel's labor can last from hours ta days afore 'e baby es born."
She wonders if she should offer what the traditional Orc way of childbirth and introducing the infant to the world was. Probably not something she should say where Mel might accidentally overhear it in the wagon.
Survival to track Jorun and find him while he's out scouting.
Stealth, to get ahead of him unseen, and then wait for him in an easy to spot perch, so he can see he is approaching her.
Lio raises an eyebrow at Buttersnips, shakes her head, slightly amused, but not entirely in favor of this idea.
"We shudde prolley stay outa 'e way unless heal'n spells are need'd fer any reason." Lio suggests. "So 'erhaps we shudde stay nearby in case anyunne asks us fer 'elp." Looks at the wholly rhino. "An' mayhaps we can wotch Rags 'ere, who prolley wonders whot on earth 'es doin tied to 'e wagun. Or 'elp Rhost with dinn'r. Et could be a long day. Mel's labor can last from hours ta days afore 'e baby es born."
She wonders if she should offer what the traditional Orc way of childbirth and introducing the infant to the world was. Probably not something she should say where Mel might accidentally overhear it in the wagon.
"Oh!" Buttersnips says brightly when Lio suggests helping Rhost with dinner. "Surely someone will need to bring him the placenta - perhaps you could do that!"
She has a note of her own in hand, which she hands to you.
Lio.
I’m so sorry.
I ignored your warning and then dismissed your fears. I somehow did not understand that what I was doing was so terribly terribly wrong, so I assumed your words stemmed from dislike of Alaric. I did not believe he would react like that, so I was first careless with your trust and then unjustly angered by your reaction.
I still do not believe this will part you from Melinda and Milena. No matter Melinda’s age, she is a strong woman who knows her own mind, and I do not believe she will blame you for a matter in which only I am to blame. She never said anything to indicate she believes you have a fault in this, even if Alaric is indeed so hurt by my actions that he holds us both culpable as participants in it.
I do not know if you wish to continue our friendship after I broke my word to you. I will certainly understand if you do not.
”I shall eat no dessert save for what you feed me, or what you allow me to eat off of you in private,” she acknowledges.
”I shall wear make-up more often, for your pleasure.”
”I will keep my nether region groomed.”
”I will tell you anything I desire that I have not the funds to obtain.”
She pauses a moment, preparing to launch into her list of sins.
COUNTRY: Hongal
SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS:
WEATHER: Calm, cool
DISTANCE TRAVELED: 192 miles
TOTAL DISTANCE SINCE LEAVING SANDPOINT: 6164 miles
TOTAL TIME SINCE LEAVING SANDPOINT: 264 days
You gather 2 units of repair materials.
Morale remains high.
,
You repair 52 points of damage. The Caravan still has 175 hit points worth of damage.
Morale remains high.
Lacking enough supplies to make complete repairs, you are forced to travel on with parts of the Caravan still damaged – broken slats, singed wood, damaged doors. If you are attacked again before you are able to gather enough materials to make further repairs, it might go poorly for you.
You continue Southeast along the road until, as Miyaro stated, you are just able to make out the silvery glint of water to the south. But that is the point when she says the Caravan must take itself east off the road, despite the potential risks of meeting Hongali tribesmen, before heading south once more. If you go any further, masses of Minkaian patrols like the one you recently fought will lie in wait, and the next one might not be so unobservant.
After a few more days of travel, you being to approach the Forest of Spirits, a vast wood of tall evergreen trees that rises out of the grasslands like a living border, marking the end of the country of Hongal.
"I'm not certain what the humanoid customs are," Buttersnips says uncertainly. "Among the fey, it would be traditional to run a tandem mass spectroscopy test after the birth, so I suppose you could volunteer to do that if that is true for humanoids as well. If not, maybe you could just offer to check the infant for PKU and Congenital Hypothyroidism?"
Myri gets the "Oh, there she goes talking about magic" blank look again, accompanied by the traditional smile and nod.
"We shudde prolley stay outa 'e way unless heal'n spells are need'd fer any reason." Lio suggests. "So 'erhaps we shudde stay nearby in case anyunne asks us fer 'elp." Looks at the wholly rhino. "An' mayhaps we can wotch Rags 'ere, who prolley wonders whot on earth 'es doin tied to 'e wagun. Or 'elp Rhost with dinn'r. Et could be a long day. Mel's labor can last from hours ta days afore 'e baby es born."
"Days?" Myri virtually squeaks, getting to her feet, "Um, yes, maybe I should look into seeing if Rhost would like some help."
"Oh!" Buttersnips says brightly when Lio suggests helping Rhost with dinner. "Surely someone will need to bring him the placenta - perhaps you could do that!"
Myri turns just a tinge green as she heads towards the cooks wagon.
"I hear sewing and weaving can be boring to watch, but it's very relaxing to do. You are welcome to come and see what I'm doing and watch me work. I can work in our wagon, so if you get tired of watching, you can do other things, and that way we don't run the risk of ruining the surprise for Sandru, as we might, if I were to work in one of the storage wagons, and am carrying my work back and forth through camp." She looks thoughtful. "If you wanted it to look even more life like, we could look for tiny dolls to use as people. Or is that creepy?"
Myri smiles, "I don't think it's creepy, but...if we decide to, maybe that's something we can add later. Maybe I can make tiny figures and you can make tiny sets of clothes...and maybe the hair or something?"
After which comment Melinda immediately goes into labor.Rhost goes and starts water boiling .
And prepares a late lunch / early dinner for the Caravan.
Myri tries to help Rhost with the food preperation.
Prof: Chef:
...and quite possibly makes him redo whatever it was she happened to be working on. "Sorry, Rhost, I...I'm such a klutaz. I...guess I'm just nervous." She looks up at him apologetically after possibly attempting to lightly season vegetables and having the top of the bottle fall off, spilling over everything.
Lio tries very hard now to show how turned on she is by all this. Her breath catches as you speak. She pours a small glass of wine for you and one for herself. Then her hand goes back to your leg. The other hand feeds you some more pastries.
Expectantly she looks at you, waiting for you to continue.
"Oh!" Buttersnips says brightly when Lio suggests helping Rhost with dinner. "Surely someone will need to bring him the placenta - perhaps you could do that!"Myri turns just a tinge green as she heads towards the cooks wagon.
Lio shakes her head. "Human's tend not to do that. Now Orcs..." She sees Myri turn green. "Oh, uhm... nevermind."
Myri smiles, "I don't think it's creepy, but...if we decide to, maybe that's something we can add later. Maybe I can make tiny figures and you can make tiny sets of clothes...and maybe the hair or something?"
Lio nods. "We should ask Buttersnips to help with the hair. Unless you want it out of string, then I can do that." Her voice is thoughtful. She's really very interested in your idea and project.
"If anyone can figure out a way to make it work, it's you." Lio says with confidence. "You could even use some left over scales and make wind chimes. I bet they would sell like crazy!"
Everything she had planned to say forgotten in the moment she sees your condition, Lio immediately pulls you into a hug. She's warm and gentle, and very careful with your wings. "What... what happened? What actions? You ... you didn't do anything terribly wrong Z. I just panicked because I didn't tell you what happened when Alaric ignored me for that week, when all I had done was given him a gift I thought was innocent, but he freaked out about, and I was afraid there would be a repeat, because for some reason he seems to have an issue with anything to do with me and intimacy, even when it's entirely imagined in his head and not real. I just didn't want to end up hurt again. And when I yelled at you, I ended up hurting you. And I'm sorry I didn't touch you when I was angry... I just... I was afraid of being hurt, because when I've been upset in the past, I've always been on the receiving end of a beating. And I know you wouldn't do that, but it's a terrible habit, my stupid fear. And... oh gods, you're molting. What happened? Did someone hurt you?" Lio casts cure light wounds on you, in an effort to help.
In the evening, when Zaiobe comes in from guard, Melinda smiles over at the harpy. On her lap is a her old, now beat-up journal that has been with her since Sandpoint. On the open page in Mel's neat steady handwriting are musical notes, a score.
On the top of the page, in red ink, a little caricature of what could be a young woman in a red cloak.
"Ginger or pepper?" Rhost asks. "Caravan or by sea? Insane or misguided? How many?"
And then he thoughtfully chews a piece of gristle. "Finish this," Rhbost gives another of those general gestures, "In-depth discussions with Kelda," a shrug. "Ħajja huwa iebes biżżejjed jum wieħed kull darba. Naturalment ikollok pjanijiet." A big grin.
Mel shrugs, "Which version of spicy will get Milena moving? Pepper?"
"If we want to fix the system in Urdu-Aganhei and Linnorm, caravan makes sense. Or teleportation, if I'm strong enough by then.... Skipping the 6 months of winter may be nice." Then she smiles, green tinting her skin. "Probably many. Not sure."
"How is Kelda?" She shrugs, "Jum b'jum hija tajba. Imma għandek bżonn biex wieħed jemmen li hemm xi ħaġa tajba fil-futur. Xi ħaġa li jżommu lill meta d-dinja hija skoraġġanti." She smiles, "Do you u Kelda għandhom pjanijiet?"
Do you and Kelda have plans?
Jorun stops as he sees you in your perch, and looks up with a questioning expression.
Lio smiles softly. "Most druids gain 'e ability to wolk wethout leaven a trace. Even Ah kuddna follow em, ef I tried. Bought I'm naught thot kinda druid." She shrugs, gets up. "Be enteresten ta faind out whot kind ye'll be. I'm glad yer still weth us."
She looks at him, her head sideways, "Yer 'e only human I know thot makes sense." She adds. "Naught sure whot thot says about ye. Bought, fer whot ets worth... Ah consider ye moare than just moy form'r apprentice an' student. Ah consider ye a friend."
In fact, you quickly discover that one of the elves is a member in high standing of a merchant guild, as the elves are heavily involved with the mithral trade in Tian Xia. Your newfound friends quickly arrange an introduction with her, a woman named Pyonna.
Lio thanks the elves who arrange the introduction. She inquires as to any local customs she might be asked to observe, that as a foreigner she knows nothing about. And then she goes to meet her appointment.
”Perhaps something protective? I would like to think that the ring I gave you was helping to keep you safe,” she says. ”There is nothing I need, but I would like something that speaks to us, who we are, what we dream of.”
"Perhaps we should browse?" Lio asks you. Not sure how to describe what might speak to her, when she hasn't seen it yet.
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"I gave him some ideas for some new poetry. I've been looking forward to reading what he comes up with." He scratches the large, eloquent wolf behind the ears.
Reading the elf's body language, Kalimac asks, "Something on your mind, Lio?"
"A lot of things." She replies almost mysteriously, with a small sad smile. The expression is fleeting however, as she goes on to speak, "Would like to learn to ride. But would prefer no audience." She says softly. "Makes me...nervous. ...To be watched."
"What kind of poetry? Do you do commissions, Attatoq?" She asks the wolf.
Perhaps a week after you have left Ordu-Aganhei, a baby shower is thrown. All are invited.
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"A lot of things." She replies almost mysteriously, with a small sad smile. The expression is fleeting however, as she goes on to speak, "Would like to learn to ride. But would prefer no audience." She says softly. "Makes me...nervous. ...To be watched."
"What kind of poetry? Do you do commissions, Attatoq?" She asks the wolf.
"I'm happy to teach you, if you'd like."
Kalimac looks into the distance as he ponders the issue of audiences. "I don't know that I could guarantee total privacy," he says at last, "since this caravan is getting so large. But if we do riding sessions first thing in the morning, and go a ways off from the wagons, we should be able to avoid most rubberneckers."
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"I'd say after," says Kalimac. "I'll check out the horses we've been given and select the one with the best temperament for you, and have him saddled for you while you do your rituals. When would you like to start? Tomorrow morning?"
While Kalimac isn't particularly a morning person, he was raised on a farm. So rising with the chickens is a habit for him now.
A creek trickles from the grasslands into the forest at the spot where Miyaro takes you, the bank of the stream creating a trail through the evergreen woods just wide enough for the Caravan to travel along.
The forest is dark, the tall trees blocking the sun. An almost preternatural silence reigns over the area.
Ahead, at the very spot where the creek enters the forest, a small stone pillar engraved with strange symbols has fallen across the path, although it would be easy enough to go around it.
|It is a waymarker,| Miyaro says. |And a warning to those who would enter the Forest naively. Such markers often have guardian kami who watch over them - setting it upright and leaving an offering might gain us a blessing.|
In the evening, when Zaiobe comes in from guard, Melinda smiles over at the harpy. On her lap is a her old, now beat-up journal that has been with her since Sandpoint. On the open page in Mel's neat steady handwriting are musical notes, a score.
On the top of the page, in red ink, a little caricature of what could be a young woman in a red cloak.
Zaiobe smiles back and moves around to look over Melinda's shoulder at the notes. Her eyes scan the music, and Melinda gets the sense that she would be humming if she were able to.
Getting out some paper of her own, she begins making sketches, using the figure Melinda has drawn and adding a few of her own - a mother and father, a wolf, and elderly woman. The beginnings of a storyboard, timed to Melinda's music.
”Hail and well me, Seeker,” she says in Elvish. ”How might I offer you my services?”
Lio smiles softly. "Most druids gain 'e ability to wolk wethout leaven a trace. Even Ah kuddna follow em, ef I tried. Bought I'm naught thot kinda druid." She shrugs, gets up. "Be enteresten ta faind out whot kind ye'll be. I'm glad yer still weth us." She looks at him, her head sideways, "Yer 'e only human I know thot makes sense." She adds. "Naught sure whot thot says about ye. Bought, fer whot ets worth... Ah consider ye moare than just moy form'r apprentice an' student. Ah consider ye a friend."
Jorun smiles back at you. ”Thanks,” he says. ”Likewise.”
He thinks about what you’ve said. ”Don’t think it’s because they’re human. Think it’s because they’re ...” He hesitates.
”Sometimes I envy them. Sometimes I think they don’t know anything. Both at once, even.”
Myriana Bayden wrote:
Myri smiles, "I don't think it's creepy, but...if we decide to, maybe that's something we can add later. Maybe I can make tiny figures and you can make tiny sets of clothes...and maybe the hair or something?"
Lio nods. "We should ask Buttersnips to help with the hair. Unless you want it out of string, then I can do that." Her voice is thoughtful. She's really very interested in your idea and project.
"I was thinkin' string, but..." Myri gets a thoughtful expression. "I wonder if we could actually get little bits of everyone's hair and fur? That might be kinda cool. Except, um, I heard that could be bad...in a kinda bad, juju magic kinda way." she pauses before looking back at the elf, "I'dna know. What do you think?"
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Perhaps a week after you have left Ordu-Aganhei, a baby shower is thrown. All are invited.
Myri attends. She looks around, shrugs and puts down a couple of parcels. Then goes to hug Mel and whispers in her ear.
A creek trickles from the grasslands into the forest at the spot where Miyaro takes you, the bank of the stream creating a trail through the evergreen woods just wide enough for the Caravan to travel along.
The forest is dark, the tall trees blocking the sun. An almost preternatural silence reigns over the area.
Ahead, at the very spot where the creek enters the forest, a small stone pillar engraved with strange symbols has fallen across the path, although it would be easy enough to go around it.
|It is a waymarker,| Miyaro says. |And a warning to those who would enter the Forest naively. Such markers often have guardian kami who watch over them - setting it upright and leaving an offering might gain us a blessing.|
|What kind of offering?| Myri asks as she moves do put the marker back up and leaves her bag of trailmix behind. She looks around at Miyaro before leaving in case her offering would somehow offend the spirit.
Ahead, at the very spot where the creek enters the forest, a small stone pillar engraved with strange symbols has fallen across the path, although it would be easy enough to go around it.
|It is a waymarker,| Miyaro says. |And a warning to those who would enter the Forest naively. Such markers often have guardian kami who watch over them - setting it upright and leaving an offering might gain us a blessing.|
Melinda looks away from the cool blue of the creek at Miyaro's words. She moves, again with her normal ease and grace, pausing to listen at the door checking that Milena is still asleep. Smiling at the kami's child, |If it is a guidepost, I think putting it to right and getting it out of our path is reward enough.| She looks over at the muscled mass of Hrunndalf and Rhost. |Should we to this the hard way or pull out rope and pully it into place?|
Everything she had planned to say forgotten in the moment she sees your condition, Lio immediately pulls you into a hug. She's warm and gentle, and very careful with your wings. "What... what happened? What actions? You ... you didn't do anything terribly wrong Z. I just panicked because I didn't tell you what happened when Alaric ignored me for that week, when all I had done was given him a gift I thought was innocent, but he freaked out about, and I was afraid there would be a repeat, because for some reason he seems to have an issue with anything to do with me and intimacy, even when it's entirely imagined in his head and not real. I just didn't want to end up hurt again. And when I yelled at you, I ended up hurting you. And I'm sorry I didn't touch you when I was angry... I just... I was afraid of being hurt, because when I've been upset in the past, I've always been on the receiving end of a beating. And I know you wouldn't do that, but it's a terrible habit, my stupid fear. And... oh gods, you're molting. What happened? Did someone hurt you?" Lio casts cure light wounds on you, in an effort to help.
Zaiobe looks bewildered. She starts crying.
<But it must have been wrong. Musn’t it? You were so angry and they were both so upset and he was so hurt ... so hurt, Lio, I couldn’t bear that I had hurt him that much. No one hurt me, I hurt everyone. I tried and tried to convince him that I didn’t know, that I hadn’t known I was doing anything wrong, and he finally believed me, oh gods, finally. And before when you yelled at me and wouldn’t even touch me I thought you had gone mad but you were right, I don’t know why you’re apologizing to me, you were absolutely right, he’s angry at you and I don’t even understand why, I hurt him so terribly, I broke my word to you, and I didn’t even know it was important, I’m so stupid, I thought no one would care, I thought no one would care, you told me it would happen and I didn’t listen, I’m so stupid, I’m ...>
"If anyone can figure out a way to make it work, it's you." Lio says with confidence. "You could even use some left over scales and make wind chimes. I bet they would sell like crazy!"
”Ah, well,” she waves dismissively, her eyes still fixed on empty space. ”The sales aren’t important, the work is important, the sales are simply recognition.”
|What kind of offering?| Myri asks as she moves do put the marker back up and leaves her bag of trailmix behind. She looks around at Miyaro before leaving in case her offering would somehow offend the spirit.
Miyaro shrugs. |Perhaps food? Coins?|
Lio tries very hard now to show how turned on she is by all this. Her breath catches as you speak. She pours a small glass of wine for you and one for herself. Then her hand goes back to your leg. The other hand feeds you some more pastries.
Expectantly she looks at you, waiting for you to continue.
"My most recent sin is Gluttony," Shalelu says in elven. "I will never get my fill of eating pastries from your hand. I crave them with a desire that is unseemly. Were you not feeding them to me at a measured pace, I would be ruining the figure which I must keep fit and lovely for your pleasure."
While shopping, Lio also mentions getting baby clothes, or some other presents for Milena. She asks your opinion and mentions the rattle she asked Buttersnips to make.
|If it is a guidepost, I think putting it to right and getting it out of our path is reward enough.| She looks over at the muscled mass of Hrunndalf and Rhost. |Should we to this the hard way or pull out rope and pully it into place?|
Rhost ponders this. |Hard way first,| he says. Rhost will attempt to right the fallen waymarker.
|If it is a guidepost, I think putting it to right and getting it out of our path is reward enough.| She looks over at the muscled mass of Hrunndalf and Rhost. |Should we to this the hard way or pull out rope and pully it into place?|Rhost ponders this. |Hard way first,| he says. Rhost will attempt to right the fallen waymarker.
With a smile, Melinda makes sure she is close enough to help the chef should he need it. (Starting with a quick casting of bull's strength.)
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The waymarker weighs about 100 pounds, and with the aid of Melinda's spell, it is not astonishingly difficult for Rhost to set it back into place.
A sense of satisfaction and well-being settles over all of you.
A wizened, two-foot tall man in rough homespun robes steps out of the waymarker. He sniffs at the trailmix Myriana left, and then bows to all of you.
|To you thanks be for the doing,| he says.
And when Alaric finally, reluctantly, does put the little one in her arms she freezes for long moments, enthralled by the small life entrusted to them. Then she moves to be in Alaric's arms, to let him support her tired body. She glances at him, love and wonder glowing from her, "She's so tiny..." Her voice low and raspy, tired.
He kisses Mel's head. "You two should sleep. I should make the announcement to the group. They'll want to see you both, but that has to be on a one at a time basis. And only when you're feeling well enough."
Perhaps a week after you have left Ordu-Aganhei, a baby shower is thrown. All are invited.Myri attends. She looks around, shrugs and puts down a couple of parcels. Then goes to hug Mel and whispers in her ear.
Mel returns the hug, a quiet "Thank you."
Later, Myri's gifts are revealed to be a baby blanket embroidered with frogs and a hobgoblin plushie. Melinda grins over at Myri, holding the stuffed toy, fingers tracing over the frog. "So adorable..." her voice delighted, "Thank you, Myri. He'll be a good guardian for her."
Mel returns the hug, a quiet "Thank you."
Later, Myri's gifts are revealed to be a baby blanket embroidered with frogs and a hobgoblin plushie. Melinda grins over at Myri, holding the stuffed toy, fingers tracing over the frog. "So adorable..." her voice delighted, "Thank you, Myri. He'll be a good guardian for her."
When Alaric sees the gifts, he lets out a very pleased laugh. "Thank you, Myri. Those are perfect. Just perfect."
She smiles at her mate, "Then you can let everyone else know." She stays in his arms, "But just our family for a little bit..."