As Miya placed her hand on Jolis dark healing went one way, but! Some golden light went the other way, running up her arm. She pulled her had away as if stung.
The raging song pumping in her blood, Grelda moves in on the nearest wolf. Her chant becomes a growl as she lashes out with a single club.
Vitranna's bolas catch the weakened alpha, and before it even really notices, a pulse of electrity shoots through it, stopping its heart. The other beast will make one final attack before Grelda's club comes down over its head, cracking its skull.
With all three down, Kal quickly ushers everyone inside of the gates. Jhena offers to help Jolis to his feet, and if needed, let him lean on her for support.
"Call the healer!" She yells, and one of the villagers goes running as the rest bring in the water.
A few moments later, an old man leaning heavily on an oak staff makes his way to your group. Seeing Jolis is the most injured, he goes to him first and starts to pray, but stops halfway through his incantation. He draws back his hand quickly, looking to Miya then back to him. "He will be fine" the old man says flatly, before moving on.
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It didn't happen.
One minute, Jolis is expecting to see the face of his disappointed father in line for The Boneyard. Then, a sound of persistent heartbeat, maybe the sound of his own heart, began to drum throughout his entire body. Maybe his entire being. His head slowly clearing, Jolis noticed he was being walked back into the village by Jhena. As he sits next to a roaring fire, Jolis barely registers an old man walk over to him, and then walk away. The more Jolis rests, the more his senses returns. Eventually, the absalomian looks around to see himself surrounded by concerned onlookers.
Looking up, Jolis poses his question. "Did everybody make it?"
Eventually, the Absalomian looks around to see himself surrounded by concerned onlookers. Looking up, Jolis poses his question. "Did everybody make it?"
As Jolis looks around to see the worried faces, he sees Valeriya's honest look of concern and worry. After locking eyes with him, Lera shifts this look to a more detached look.
"The gang's all here, nearly minus some dead weight. Pray tell, aren't Demigods supposed to be tough?" Valeriya asks as she inspects her nails casually.
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Jolis straightened up abruptly. "Demigods? Haha..Who said anything about demigods? I don't see any demigods", Jolis said nervously.
Oh S#/+!!
Grelda grunts with satisfaction as the wolf goes down. Her song ends, and the rage subsides. She sees that Jolis is still alive--Miya did something to him, she's not sure what. But it's enough to keep the headstrong warrior from bleeding out.
Once inside the gates, the half-orc asks the nearest villager, "Are wolf attacks common here?"
Jolis straightened up abruptly. "Demigods? Haha..Who said anything about demigods? I don't see any demigods", Jolis said nervously. Oh S#/+!!
"Well you went and said your last name is Cailean. So you must think yourself the Drunken Hero's whelp? Or maybe his great-great-grandnephew thrice-removed? Or maybe some lunkhead with delusions of grandeur because I certainly didn't see the Accidental God swooping in to save us."
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Seeing that no one is truly dying yet, but the fight is over, Vitranna moves to the alpha's corpse.
"A noble animal. It's loss will be our gain."
Setting aside her spear, Vitranna draws her dagger and begins to cut free the hide and skull of the beast.
"Well you went and said your last name is Cailean. So you must think yourself the Drunken Hero's whelp? Or maybe his great-great-grandnephew thrice-removed? Or maybe some lunkhead with delusions of grandeur because I certainly didn't see the Accidental God swooping in to save us."
Looking a bit sullen, Jolis responds, "I am no lunkhead, in the exception that I ran headlong into a battle, when I had means of fighting it from afar." Jolis makes a strained glance at the unused crossbow on his back.
Jolis continued, "Besides, most people know Cayden Cailean littered the inner sea with his offspring before he ascended to godhood. Could I know be one of his descendants who took his honorific name?""Besides", Jolis smiled as he got more comfortable by the fire. "I'm convalescencing here by the fire after that horrific battle, resting here while my health recovers. Should any fair maiden wish to act as my nurse", Jolis added in a slightly louder tone for those around to hear, "I sure my health will recover fully by tomorrow".
Looking up at Leri, Jolis winked, "It stands to reason, the more caregivers I receive, the quicker my road to recovery ends. Care to apply for the..position?"
To Grelda: "Attacks are common. Sometimes wolves, sometimes bears, plants, or some things I can't even describe. But they almost never come right up to the walls like that. I doubt it's a good sign."
To Vitranna: Just before you start to cut, one of the guards interrupts. "Let's get them inside first. We don't want the smell of blood drawing more." It takes several people to drag each wolf in through the gates and off to the corner, while others cover the blood stains with dirt and mud, hiding any trace of the struggle.
They leave the alpha to you while others begin to skin and butcher the other two. It takes some time, but you remove and clean the fur expertly, cutting a piece more than suitable to make into something later.
To Jolis and Lera: There are, in fact, quite a few nearby who would be more than willing to nurse Jolis back to health. But a murmur of gossip has begun to spread through the village about Lera "cursing" the wolf at the gates. That, and the way she's been eyeing Jolis, discourage anyone else from getting too close to him.
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"Besides," Jolis smiled as he got more comfortable by the fire. "I'm convalescencing here by the fire after that horrific battle, resting here while my health recovers. Should any fair maiden wish to act as my nurse," Jolis added in a slightly louder tone for those around to hear, "I sure my health will recover fully by tomorrow." Looking up at Lera, Jolis winked, "It stands to reason, the more caregivers I receive, the quicker my road to recovery ends. Care to apply for the..position?"
Lera rolls her eyes at Jolis' clumsy come-on. "I suppose as an herbalist, it is my duty to help those the sick...But as a merchant I should probably charge a fee. You'll owe me one and I get to choose how you make it up to me." Lera smiles deviously.
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As Jolis starts to show signs of life, Miya manner changes, she shakes her arm again, getting life back into it. The odd feeling still there but fading now. She sees the last two wolves dropped. Once they do, she steps away from Jolis as if he is forgotten and walks over to the wolf forms. while the others where making there way to the gate quickly, she walked form one wolf to the other and with care she places her long thin blade in each wolfs ear. Then with both hands on her blade she makes a single, death thrust deep into the upper part of their brains. The two who still have life, judder a moment and die. It is a systematic kill, a methodical and clean skill makes with procession. As painless and quick as possible, as Stormspeaker comes over to the largest wolf and starts work, and word comes to take dead wolves inside.
"Stormspeaker, the guards right, lets get the carcasses inside the gate and we can finish the butchery in safety."
To the villagers coming out she says,
"Bring rope it will help dragging the wolf bodies in, Ill keep and eye for anything coming."
She went and got her bow where she had dropped it. Then waited until the wolf carcasses are taken inside. Once the mess bloody mess outside the gate was covered with earth. She checked and was the last back into past the gate. Walking backwards in, the whole time scanning the area outside. Her paranoia driving her as always.
Someone planned this, someone out there is watching us and testing us. Well you have seen us fight now, what will you try next?"
She thought to herself,
Once inside she, she went over to where Stormspeaker was working cutting the large wolfs pelt away. Placing her bow down, and pulling our a sharp dagger from her boot. And starts to help with the butchery. Stormspeaker was right to work fast, they had to get the meat cooked or drying before the heat tuned it. She was amazed at how well Stormspeaker did the work, there was a lot of skill in her hands. She did her best to help Stormspeaker get the pelt off in one unbroken skin.
She was arm deep in entrails, dagger arm covered in blood when the healer shows up and looks over Jolis. She stops and watches as the healer looked over Jolis, and then meet his gaze when he looked at her. Standing a moment eyes locked, She was still, covered in wolf blood and holding a chunk of meat. She let it drop into a bucket by her feed eyes, while still locking her eyes on the healer. The healer looked away 1st. Then with out a word Miya went back to the butchery. Once her bucket was full she took it over to the others, standing around Jolis. She was still covered in blood as she placed the bucket down.
"Dinner for tonight"
She said to them, then looking over at Jolis,
"So, big boy, how you feeling now?"
Vitranna moves her work inside the gate without complaint. Silently accepting the small woman's help with a nod also, Vitranna appreciated the extra hands.
"You may call me Vitranna. Stormspeaker is...is a job Miya. A title that I earned among my people, but more than that too really."
Richard's face looked drained of blood as his capillaries restrict flow in response to the adrenaline coursing through his body. His hands shake as he holsters his pistol. He rubs them in an effort to calm the tremors. He looks over at Jolis' bloodied body and stares without blinking. It was Richard's first taste of combat and it left him numb and in shock.
He follows the others and sits down near the fire. He stares into it, and half listens to the conversations around him. The others seemed to take it all in stride. Just another day in the office He mumbles to himself. The sun was starting to set and emblazoned the world in a golden orange. He listens to Lera and Jolis flirt. He looks over and watches Vitranna and Miya butcher. What has happened to my life?
After several minutes, He stops feeling sorry for himself and tries to do something productive. In a calm measured voice he asks, Who exactly is the leader of this enclave?
The villagers have no qualms about letting Miya claim the other two pelts. After that, they get to work prepping the rest of the meat. Some of it is set to cook with the rest of the food for the night, but most of it has to be dried or preserved. They work with a quick efficiency, using as much as they can. They didn't need to be told not to waste anything.
In response to Richard's question, everyone nearby turns to look at Kal, but he seems reluctant to speak up. After an awkward silence he clears his throat. "I've been acting in the role since Mayor...passed. But only until we can choose the best person to take over long term."
"You are the best person, idiot," Jhena grumbles, shoving him lightly as she rejoins the group, freshly bandaged. She nearly sends him to the ground without even trying. "Now when is this feast everyone has been telling me about?"
Kal smirks. "Should be ready soon."
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"You may call me Vitranna. Stormspeaker is...is a job Miya. A title that I earned among my people, but more than that too really."
Nods when Vitranna gives her true name.
"Vitranna, I like that name, Vitranna, yes its really nice."
She says with a smile, before heading to the others by the fire.
Seeing the small blonde woman move away, Vitranna gets the odd feeling there is much more there than meets the eye. Something hidden? Vitranna shakes her head.
No Vitranna. This place makes you worry like a sickly grandmother for her grandchildren!
"So, big boy, how you feeling now?"
Looking up at the happy blonde girl, Jolis smiles back, "Better now that my second nurse is here". Frowning slightly at Miya's bloody arms from butching the dire wolves, Jolis asks "Hey, Miya. Do you know if anyone claimed the alpha's pelt yet. I want it! I earned that pelt! Figure it might cut a heroic cloak."
He follows the others and sits down near the fire. He stares into it, and half listens to the conversations around him. The others seemed to take it all in stride. Just another day in the office He mumbles to himself. The sun was starting to set and emblazoned the world in a golden orange. He listens to Lera and Jolis flirt. He looks over and watches Vitranna and Miya butcher. What has happened to my life?
In between flirtation, Jolis notices the worried and tired look of Richard, and tries to ease his mind.
"Hey, Richard. I'm alright. I've been in worse bar fights that that", Jolis said, nodding to the front gate."We're both alive. We're in an island paradise! Surrounded by beautiful women", as Jolis looks to Keri and Miya, "and not to many people can say they survived a shipwreck through a whirlpool..or something. This is a time to celebrate life and all the pleasures it provides!"
Things were starting to make sense. Richard knew the lack of leadership and the disorganization would eventually cause deaths. He even understood Kals reluctance to assume such a awesome responsibility and felt sympathy for him. But the man needed a reality check. And it was best to do so in private.
However, their group needed the villagers' help. He knew the moral course, but it risked offending the very man he would be trying to help. Richard knew he needed the buffer that Jolis and the others provided. Maybe there was a way to help themselves and do what is right and needed to avoid the village trending into eventual disaster.
A leader whose not afraid to get his hands dirty...I can respect that. Perhaps my friends and I can discus our future with you and your towns leading citizens in the morning. He smiles perfunctorily and shakes Kal's hand.
Richard goes back to the log and sits and looks at the fire. He glances over to Jolis and Lera. Don't get excited. I meant friends in the broadest possible term.
"If getting used as a chew toy earns you a creature's pelt, then your people have a seriously skewed system of merit," Grelda says as she sits across from Jolis. "Vitranna got the kill shot. It's her trophy to claim."
Noticing Richard's faraway look, she gently elbows him in the ribs. "You okay?"
Richard goes back to the log and sits and looks at the fire. He glances over to Jolis and Lera. "Don't get excited. I meant friends in the broadest possible term."
Uncharacteristically serious, Lera responds "We need to stick together. One of us nearly died not a few hours after we survived a whirlpool and shipwreck. Our luck may not hold forever. We can't quibble and be distant with those we are trusting with our lives."
Richard gives Grelda a warm smile. That was the first time I've had to fight for my life. Something as little as blowing a horn to warn the water detail... Richard shakes his head. He does his best to get into a celebratory mood. How about a beat to dance to Grelda?
Richard goes back to the log and sits and looks at the fire. He glances over to Jolis and Lera. "Don't get excited. I meant friends in the broadest possible term."Uncharacteristically serious, Lera responds "We need to stick together. One of us nearly died not a few hours after we survived a whirlpool and shipwreck. Our luck may not hold forever. We can't quibble and be distant with those we are trusting with our lives."
Obviously those wolves bit your sense of humor right in the ass. Dance with me.
Grelda nods in understanding. "I see. You are soft. Well, this island will either toughen you up or it will kill you." From her light tone, it's clear this is meant to cheer Richard up.
The half-orc twirls her bone clubs a few times, listening to the rhythm in her heart. Then she begins to beat a lively tattoo on her drums, one with a decidedly martial bent but easy enough to dance to.
"Obviously those wolves bit your sense of humor right in the ass. Dance with me."
Lera puts her hand to her mouth in mock indignation. "Why Dr. Queasy, I am not that kind of harlot who will dance with any knave who offers. Besides, I am attempting to aid in Jolis' convalescence." She holds her head away from Richard, high and proud like a cat. Viska mirrors to the motion to add to its effect.
At least we've established you're a harlot of some kind. Good luck Jolis, you'll need it. Richard heads off to request a dance from the bloody Miya.
"I bet he doesn't even know how to dance anyway," She says dressing Jolis' remaining wounds. "So do you want a scar or no? Because I can handle scarring."
Whispering into Lera's ear, Jolis smiles "He's from another planet. Don't hold anything against him. And I do not think you are a harlot", cooed the absalomian.
Carefully taking off his backpack, Jolis produces a jug of wine, and fills his tankard with the contents, deliberately spilling a small amount on the ground.
"First one's for Cayden Cailean, the rest is ours", as Jolis shouts to those around the campfire!
""So do you want a scar or no? Because I can handle scarring."
"Scarring to a bare minimum, please", smiled Jolis.
Lera laughs. "Don't be so quick to assume anything, Jolis," She says with a wink.
"This oil will help but it's very expensive so we're not going to go crazy with it. Also chew some of this with your wine. It'll help any leftover aches." Lera hands him some raw Willow Bark.
Kal returns Richard's handshake firmly and agrees. "I'll make sure everyone important attends."
Villagers begin join in on the dancing, glad for a reason to celebrate. A couple join Grelda with their instruments, one with a pipe and one with a lyre, playing along to her beat. Trays and bowls of food are placed on the tables - fruit, mushrooms, and vegetables provided by the locals, bread and cheese from the ship, and stew that cooked through most of the afternoon. Later in the night, the wolf meat is added to the feast. Wine is poured from clay jars - nothing fine, but it gets the job done.
When the party winds down, bedrolls and blankets are provided. There are plenty to go around, but few extra beds, so most of you will have to take the floor, spread out across whichever homes have a bit of space to spare.
Jolis chews on his willow bark. It's bitterness actually adds to the wine, which the absalomian enjoys. The warrior claps his hand together to the music as the bards play. Richard is doing a strange dance called 'The Cabbage Patch, which the children of the village seem to enjoy. The food is delicious, better than it has a right to be. Soon Jolis's worries fade away as he loses himself to the celebration.
After cycling through some dances like The Dougie and The Robot. Richard calls out "Do the Vitranna." He hold an imaginary spear in his right hand and plants it on the ground. He shouts "Hey!" He holds his head up to look at the imaginary storm and plants his left fist on his hip. He thrusts the spear into the sky and shouts "Ho!" He steps foreword to the beat and repeats the action until others join in.
Lera giggles at the strange dancing display of Richard. "Maybe he is from another planet; no sane man on Golarion would dance this way."
"Hey, Miya. Do you know if anyone claimed the alpha's pelt yet. I want it! I earned that pelt! Figure it might cut a heroic cloak."
"Vitranna has it, best ask her, I have the other two trying over there, if you want one take it, but you will have to scrape it, ask Vitranna to show you, she really knows what she is doing"
She then goes and starts to place meat in sticks by the fire to cook slowly.
Richard heads off to request a dance from the bloody Miya.
As Richard comes over she stops for a dance, a big smile on her face. As they spin about she whispers to him.
"Fighting and dying is the way of the world Rich-ard, you fought when needed and that is what matters, that is all bravery really is"
She then stip-toes up and gives him a kiss on the cheek,
"a reward for being brave."
She says and then brakes off to finish her cook task.
Jolis looks over to see Richard get a kiss on the cheek. "Aww!"
The warrior looks deep into Valeriya's eyes. "Do I get a kiss for being brave?"
The warrior looks deep into Valeriya's eyes. "Do I get a kiss for being brave?"
"More like foolhardy. But I suppose I should appreciate my meatshields." Lera kisses Jolis on the cheek. "If you want more, you'll have to do more than ask politely..."
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She sighs as the celebrants inebriate and eat themselves into an orgy of excitement. Feeling a little left out after eating her fill, Vitranna nearly pulls out her pipes and joins in to the swirling and wild impromptu music group...until she sees Richard gyrating disgustingly to the music and suddenly invents a ridiculous dance in her name.
Lip pulled back in sneer, Vitranna stands and leaves the firelight easily. She passes their 'leader,' Jolis, on the way as he attempts to chat up the merchant-witch. She taps him none-too gently with the butt of the weapon in a sensitive area.
"Please forgive me 'leader' but I feel the wall needs to be examined for any damage from today's fight. If you will excuse me from the festivities, I will attend to it."
She then leaves unhurriedly, ignoring any verbal protest.
Okay. Closing time!
Jolis gently pulling the witch close to his sitting form, having her rest on his lap, Jolis leans in close to Valeriya, brushing some stray hair out of her face, asking in a whisper, "Leri, would you like to come with me, and have the music of the jungle takes us to places of wild carnality and sensual bliss?
At that, Jolis pulls Leri into a kiss, but not forcefully, allowing her to pull away if desired.
Grelda grunts and shakes her head when she sees Richard's silly dances. When the current song comes to an end, she stands up. "Let me show you how the orcs do it," she says as she unfastens the buckles on her breastplate.
She lets the armor fall to the floor, followed by her breeches, leaving her clad in an outfit similar to what she threw to Lera earlier. The firelight gleams off the intricate tattoos crisscrossing her greenish skin. She flexes her muscles, then begins to stomp and chant.
She pounds her knees and her chest, growling and snarling out harsh Orc words. She makes short leaps and turns, sticking her tongue out, bulging her eyes, and pointing at people in the crowd. All in all, it is a very intimidating display, a combination war challenge and dance, though her movements are oddly graceful and pleasing to the eye.
Miya goes over to a secluded spot, where the large pots are and strips off her blooded clothing, where she should be nude she has a large fox in a color field tattoo covering her lower body. As she strips it moves to cover her modesty so that she is not truly nude. Anyone looking at her sees the fox looking back at them. Once stripped Miya, moves her hands in a spell forming patten and water comes into being above her head. water comes down and splashing over her so she can wash of the blood and clean her clothing. The magical fox tattoo shakes as if it had got wet. The water dose not last long and soon evaporates away.
She places her clothing to dry. Putting on new undergarments and slipping back on her simple belt back on. She then runs her hands over her wrist tattoos, a long silk like dress comes into being around her, she spins once checking it, then she walks back to the Dancing. Joining in the Dancing and having fun.
Lera doesn't resist the kiss but pulls away early.
"Gods above, that was cheesy. I should leave out of principle. But I don't have anything better to do and I've always wanted to try it out in nature. Let's find some bushes," Lera says with a girlish giggle.
Being pulled away from the campfire by Valeriya, Jolis responds, "Hey! I was taking my prose from the surrounding environment. That wasn't too bad considering."
She grins as Valeriya and Jolis slip away from the group, to have fun alone. She seems to not be ready yet for that kind of thing and keeps dancing and flirting with the lads and lasses of the village, She seems to be an equal opportunity flirt.
Soon she is back with Richard, dancing and enjoying the night.
"I once heard a wise man say, Enjoy today for tomorrow we die come on Rich-hard, your lived past your first battle. So enjoy the night and live a little"
She spun him around and into the arms of a village girl, then she was off again, with another partner, dancing and having for all to see the time of her life.
She was having so much fun she spin a little to hard and tripping over backwards with a hard bump, she landed hard on her butt, mouthing ouch. But on trying to get up found she had twisted her ankle. She Hobbled over to the side of the dance area, and found a seat in which to sit and rub her foot. Smiling but wincing now and then.
I think it was Lieutenant Worf. He says before being pawned off. He was sure she meant sex. Unfortunately, Richard needed an emotional connection. He was uncomfortable with physical contact with strangers and trust was needed to lower that barrier.
He saw the party winding down. The scientist rarely slept more than a few hours a night. He usually occupied his down time with reading, or writing. Concentrating on a task always relaxed him. He wandered with a light to the shop where he saw the dismantled clock. He spent the majority of the night trying to put it together.
Viska, with his master distracted, goes to the injured ninja with a pouch of ginger root in his mouth. He drops the pouch at her feet and pushes it towards her with his nose.
Grelda puts her clothes and armor back on before joining the feast, partaking liberally of the meat and spirits. Her belly full and her head buzzing pleasantly, she finds an empty bedroll and crawls inside.
A good fight and a good meal. It was a good day.
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