Cyrus pauses in his preparations of his own tent for the night's rest, looking off in the last direction he'd seen Nadya's son leaving in. There is concern in his expression.
"Nadya...everyone...Orm isn't back from gathering firewood yet and the sun is going to be setting soon. As capable as he is for his age, he is still only a boy and this is unfamiliar territory. I'm going to go look for him. Anybody that wants to come along, I'd welcome the company." he states, the concern he feels evident in his voice as he begins looking for signs of where Orm had gone, drawing his blade and keeping it ready. One could never be too careful in the wilds, after all.
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As Droguk stops and turns to the ranger, he drops what he's doing and grabs his greatsword. "I will go with you."
"Tough, find the little one. No, the other little one." she says calmly but with a stern face, blaming herself for sitting down too long and not accompanying Orm immediately.
With the skilled trackers heading out to find the youth, Kobad sees to the camp.
getting the fire going and also keeping an eye out in case the boy shows up from a different direction.
Nadya looks quickly about the camp when Cyrus mentions the boys absence. Concern evident on her face she quickly grabs her gear and joins the search.
With such skilled trackers in the party it takes no time at all to pickup the boys trail which leads off into the trees. The wind and snow does obscure things from time to time but stay to the trail like bloodhounds.
After ten minutes or so of walking you hear the snarls of some kind of dogs. Shortly there after you find Orm, back against a tree and dagger in his hands. Three wolves pace and snarl a respectful distance away, the red cut across ones face no doubt encouraging a bit more caution.
The boy is obviously fearful but seems collected. Regardless you thank what powers you pray to that you were able to come upon him so quickly. When he catches sight of you he calls out to Nadya. The wolves turn to face the new threat.
Warned by the wolves sounds the majority of the party steps into action first.
Natasha sighs "I knew bringing them along would be an issue." as the others head off in search the boy Natasha stays behind.
Staring at the wolves through narrowed eyes, Droguk moves toward them as fast as he can.
"Hang on, Orm! We're comin' for you!" keenly focused on keeping the boy from getting hurt.
Staring at the wolves through narrowed eyes, Droguk charges at one with his sword held high above him.
Droguk charges ahead and comes down hard on the closest wolf. The blade strikes solidly and the wolf barely has time to yelp before death claims it.
Tough charges forwards, but the little gnome holds him back.
"Choose a moment my friend..."
As the others are out, Kobad sees to Mjoli, he gets him some food to eat and such. it is apparent that he definitely lacks "parenting" skills. as he is rather gruff, and seems to have little patience.
Cyrus follows Droguk's lead and charges another of the wolves. Just as quickly he sends this beast to the snow.
Nadya steps forward and takes a shot at the third beast.
Clearly spurred on by the danger to her son he places a perfect shot into the final wolfs eye and it drops without a sound.
Your cheers of triumph are short lived however as the rest of the pack emerges from the wood. Orm does take advantage of the cleared path to retreat to Tough and Natasza.
Kobad is silent for a moment. then he looks to the boy and gives a little smile, though he does his best to hide some inner turmoil.
No, I am not a fire wizard, and no not everyone where I am from use fire magic. as for me, and what i can do? He pauses here looking for the right thing to say, but decides the best answer is probably as close to the truth he can.
i am cursed. A lesson I learned a long time ago, no magic is free, it all come with a price. and mine...its a expensive
Kobad turns to face the boy, i cannot answer that, each person will answer that differently. it is a choice only you can make. I can tell you this, [b]the magic I possess is the same magic that gave me life, and it is the same magic that is destined to consume me.
after a moment he asks, would you like to hear a story? A story that takes place in my home, in the deserts of Qadira.
he lets the boy decide.
and if he agrees Kobad relates the story of his parents and the Efreeti that granted their wish and how it consumed his mother and how it will one day consume him.
He shares about how he looks for a way out, an way to end the payment, but he never has found it.
Droguk quickly moves to the next one, swinging his large sword down toward it.
Cyrus charges his own new opponent, as he does calling out,"Great shot, Nadya!"
Two more wolves fall in rapid succession. Nadya follows up with another arrow.
The arrow sinks deeply into the wolf's flank but it remains up.
Injured and alone it turns and bolts off into the cover of the woods.
Entirely ignoring the retreating wolf, Cyrus turns his attention instead to Orm. Walking up to the boy, he can't help but crack a smile. "Now I know you had that well in hand, but I haven't had a lot of exercise lately and I needed the activity. Hope you don't mind. Still... no more gathering firewood by ourselves. Deal?"
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Orm is clearly a bit shaken but holds onto a brave front, relief evident on his face. At Cyrus's words he smiles and replies, "I was just about to..." his words are cut off when NAdya runs in and crushes him into a hug. She then oscillates between yelling at him and checking that he is ok.
After a minute or so she rises, wiping tears away from her eyes and composes herself. "We should get back to camp."
Cyrus willingly steps back when Nadya dashes forward to reunite with her son, the sight bringing a smile to his face. When she rises and wipes tears from her eyes, he merely nods, though the smile doesn't fade from him.
"Sounds like a good idea. Let's hope the ice queen and the fire mage haven't killed each other while we were gone."
Droguk nods in agreement on returning to camp and begins heading back that way.
Kobad begins his tale...The Deserts of Qadira, a place of mystery, beauty, and danger. This is a the place I once called home. the desert is hot, dry, and sometimes unforgiving. My father, as well as my brother, served in the Qadirian army. they guarded our lands from the ogres in mountains to the north. My older brother was in command of an entire infantry division, over 100 men.
All seemed good except for one thing. In my home, your family and your name are important. and land is passed from father to son by blood relation. and my older brother, he was not of my father's blood.
My mother could not have any children and my father wanted a true heir. he made a deal with a powerful Efreeti, a being of the plane of fire. a type of Genie that can grant wishes.
my father's wish was to have a son. and that wish was granted. and here I am. born of the magic of an Efreeti. but I said magic has a price. Well this magic had two costs. first the Efreeti took my mother. ad second. because I was born of his fire, I belong to him. One day he will come to claim me, and I will be forced to live in the lands of fire as the son of an Efreeti.
but it is said, that the price to be paid for such magic can be paid by other means. I hope to one day find that way, and pay the Efreeti back with losing everything else.
Tough hoots as the last of the wolves leaves and tries to catch up to it.
A sharp whistle comes from the small gnome and the big beast turns around, like a dog coming for a treat.
"Good boy, you have done well." she says while providing a berry for him in the palm of her hand.
"We going back? I assume the little one has learned his lesson that he should not go into the woods alone?"
The boy sits in rapt attention as Kobad relates his tale. As it reaches it's end he sits for a few moments pondering the Sorcerers words. Just as he seems to be about to speak his gaze lifts and he calls, "Ma!" and takes off at a run to greet his mother and brother. Nadya embraces both boys calling her thanks to Kobad and Natasha for keeping an eye on Mjoli.
She herds the boys into their tent before returning to the fire where the rest of you are gathered to warm yourselves with what heat it can provide.
"Thank you all for your efforts I don't know what I'd of done if.... Well, thank you." With that she turns in for the night.
Cyrus smiles at the family's reunion, and when Nadya offers her thanks again, he gives only a quiet nod in reply. He spends a few moments staring at the fire, then comes back to the present, glancing at the others. "Keeping the same watch order, I assume?"
Looking within the fire, Droguk turns his attention to the ranger. "Yes," he simply responds as his attention returns back to it.
The night passes without further incident as does the following day and the day after that. The travel is difficult but steady in it's pace and near the end of the fourth day you come upon the small village of Ellsprin. Nadya tells you that once she's seen to the boys safety there she will guide you the rest of the way to Whitethrone. Looking at Natasha she adds, "It may be best for you to remain outside of town or at the least to change into more...common..travelers cloths."
Natasha sighs "Well does anyone have something more common? Otherwise I suppose I will be waiting here."
"I fear my format will not aid you much, wi... Aelena." she says, while brushing off the worst of the travel smudge.
"Perhaps Tough should stay here as well?" she hesitantly asks.
"I don't think the stuff I brought with me would fit you very well."
Natasha shurgs "Fine I'll wait here. Come get me when you are finished."
Kobad sits next to Natasha, I'll keep you company, if that is alright. Just be sure to pick me up some pastries, I like pastries
The town of Ellsprin stands much as Waldsby with similar architecture and sights. Nadya leads you through town as one familiar with the place and soon you are invited into the home of a friend of hers. She speaks with them for a bit and is soon giving her children long hugs. Finally she returns to the group, "We should get moving but if there's anything you need of the town let me know. We will not see another before Whitethrone."
"I do not know of this Whitethrone; but if it is anything like this town, it may be wise to gather common clothing for the Witch Queen."
"Yeah, I think that's good idea. We should buy her an outfit that'll help her blend in a little better. And Kobad did ask us to pick him up some grub."
Nadya nods and guides you to what you assume fills the role of a general store in town. You find them well stocked with cold weather gear but much more sparsely so when it comes to baked goods or any kind of food. You recall that when you met Nadya she was on her way back from a trading expedition to aquire grain. It occurs to you that in a land with no growing season what is common fare in other lands is instead scarce. Regardless you are able to purchase some hard baked unrisen bread. It certainly won't be mistaken for a pastry but it's the closest you can come.
During your walk to the store and back to camp Nadya speaks to you about Whitethrone.
"Whitethrone is capital of Irrisen and the heart of the Jadwiga's power. I have never been there myself but I am told that it rivals most southern cities in size and prominence. The witches have taken much care to ensure the flow of trade and merchants from around the world come to trade there. Do not be mistaken though, it is a place of monsters ruled by monsters. Frost Giants, trolls and even winter wolves are honored citizens while we common folk are third class citizens at best. It is even rumored the Baba Yaga gave the wolves leave to walk as men within the city though I don't know the truth of that. Regardless we will need to be wary when we reach the city."
Reuniting with the rest of your group you set out to make use of the remaining hours of the day. As the sun sets Nadya again calls for a stop. Those who pay attention to such things note a more sullen, quiet tone to the journey and camp now that the boys are gone. Nadya can be seen looking thoughtfully back the way you came on occasion.
Your string of luck continues though and the night passes without incident leaving you to set out early in the morning.
"I'm hoping that, at the very least, we'll be able to find someone who can get that cursed ring off of Natasza. It hasn't proven a terrible nuisance yet, but it's certain to become a lot more than that if we don't get rid of it soon. A city as large as Whitethrone should make it relatively easy to get rid of the thing. The hard part is going to be making sure that whoever we get to remove it keeps their mouth shut about it, else someone's going to come sniffing for the people who had a cursed ring of regeneration in their pack."
As they march with the rising of the next day's sun, Cyrus looks over to Nadya. "Y'know, with everything that's happened in and since we raided the Pale Tower, I'm not sure if I ever properly thanked you for standing over me when those guards brought me down. I'd have been easy pickings for a sword in the back if you hadn't protected me. So...thank you."