From the rigor of the rest of the captain's dealings, you expect that the caves within the 'searched' area are also thoroughly searched.
Cel knows the natural caves near the bottom of the mountain are fairly shallow, and from what he knows of the icy mountain face at this time of year he expects it may cost the party a lot of time to climb to them from the trail.
"I'm not sure it would be worth checking on the natural caves in the lower portion of the mountain. If I remember right from my studies those don't go very far in, so I'm sure they would have been cleared a long time ago. Plus, this mountain is super slippery right now, and getting to them would be taking some steeper terrain. I'm sure we could do it, but the risk may not be worth the reward so to speak."
"I'll be outside in just a moment." Dulae stomps off to the quartermaster and is outside again in remarkably good time.
She nods along with the explanation of the map. "I agree with Fireball and Ms. Steele that taking the path would be prudent today. I doubt that there is anything of interest left at the disappearance site - its probably pretty well combed over. I vote to head straight to the red dot for now, and perhaps check out the lower caves on our way back if we don't turn anything up. And of course, as Mr. Shadelock points out, the sooner we leave the better."
Henri nods. "Sounds fine to me, path it is."
Nodding his head, Xizoh double checks his satchel.
Upholstering her shield, Alaina put a hand on her hip and gave a look of 'let's go already'.
As the group sets off down the road, the late morning is bright and clear. The sky is a deep blue and the only visible mist is the fog of their breath in the bitter cold. As they pass the bright fields of snow on either side of the road, the wind picks up. Strong gusts whip fine particles of snow across the road and into their eyes until the shelter of the evergreen trees.
After walking about twenty minutes, the group passes another civilian search party of unfamiliar faces on their way back to town. This group of seven has five well-armed and well-built fighters and two others, all looking tired and very cold. Two men have ice in their beards. One traveler has a scarf wound around their head so only their eyes are showing. Another woman’s teeth are chattering and her lips look a bit blue. All look relatively experienced and well prepared.
As they pass on the road, one woman fighter calls to the party, “Altien be with you.”
Her companion scoffs, “Yeah, you’ll need her fire, it’s f*cking freezing up there.”
-
Where the trail diverges from the road, there are more than a hundred sets of footprints in the snow headed toward the trail.
As the party breaks from the road and takes the snowy trail, it is peaceful. The packed snow crunches under their feet, the wind rustles in the trees, and every so often a branch drops snow to the ground with a soft thump. There is no sign of birds or other animals that usually live in the lower mountains in winter.
Gradually, they begin to hear echoes of shouted orders through the trees. As they get closer, they can hear a call and response from least three different groups.
After about forty minutes on the trail, one set of calls rings loud and clear above the rest and the party sees the associated search team cross the trail. Eight soldiers in green uniforms spaced ten feet apart in a straight line take a few steps across the trail, then stop. All eight call, “Clear,” and another voice shouts, “Advance.” They climb a few paces up the mountain face on the other side of the road, and call, “Clear.” An officer behind them keeps pace. Their progress is still visible from the trail after the party passes.
The trail becomes noticeably steeper as the party approaches the area on the map where the archeology party was reported missing. Standing next to where the blue X should be is a woman in a silver officer’s uniform, heavy hooded cloak, and very thick fur mittens. She is staring intently at a clipboard, pacing slightly. The snow she walks on has been matted down by many pairs of feet.
It’s hard to tell her strength or skill when her build and movements are masked by her heavy winter gear.
When she spots the party she calls, “Ho there! You lot headed up? The last group that came down from the top of the trail said they saw some strange tracks. Be careful!”
Directly in front of the party, the trail narrows until it’s only possible for one to pass at a time.
Tightening the grip on her shield, Alaina strode forward in front of the group. "I'll take point."
Closing his eyes and humming a little tune, Xizoh loosens his chain. "I'll follow.
Henri pulls her dragon pistol from its holster on her hip, and loads in a warm flare cartridge, and replaces the weapon into its holder, before retrieving her shotgun and loading it with a standard scatter cartridge. "I think I'll take up position..." Henri glances at her compatriots for a moment. "Behind Retired Sergeant Sunshine!" She steps back with a sly grin and a slight, sarcastic bow, extending a hand in front of her. "After you, ma'am."
Cel has a look of nervousness about his face when she mentions strange tracks, but doesn't falter in his movement.
Xizoh feels no opposition or interference from the environment.
As the healer hummed his forehead slowly began to glow a vibrant green. The mark brightened until it revealed the image of a snake consuming itself, with a tree inside of the snake circle.
Next to him, a puddle of inky liquids formed. Slowly, droplets of the puddle began to flow upwards, casually disregarding the laws of nature. Slowly, a monster of a snake slithered up from the liquid, the black fluid dissipating as the snake reached it's full size.
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Holding himself straight, Anathema stood larger than most orcs, and heavier built as well. The same mark was present on him as well, blending well with the dark verdant scales he sported.
Flaring his hood and coiling so he could properly present himself, he spoke in an oddly sophisticated accent. "Well, good to see you're all well and good, even if you're wearing the false skin. Even got yourself a little group. Hello, little ones. I am Anathema. He finished his words with a grin that revealed the rows and rows of unnatural teeth that coated his maw.
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Dulae rolls her eyes at Henri. "I'll take the upslope flank." She attempts but fails to conceal a small grin. "If you're going to be behind me, at least use the correct name."
Dulae glances at Xizoh before tensing up at the decidedly sinister looking ritual. After a moment she closes her mouth with a sharp click. That... is a big snake. It seems polite. Lets go with that.
"Good day, Anathema. May I ask what, if anything, your name applies to?"
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Henri raised a hand, undoubtedly about to say something sarcastic back to Dulae, when the appearance of the snake interrupted her. "Yes, my flank- Holy s&+*!" She whirls around and immediately spins her pistol out of its holster, holding it in her left hand pointed at the rising snake. After it speaks, though, she lets out the breath she was holding. "Oh, uh..." She lets her gun fall, and gingerly replaces it in its holster. "Uh, hi, Mr... Snake." She sheepishly looks at Xizoh. "By the gods, Doc, let me know if you're gonna pull out a huge snake like that."
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Cel freezes as the snake materializes, but with the polite speaking he realizes this is probably what Xizoh was referring to earlier. After stifling a childish giggle at what Henri said, he leaves his position of the back of the group to come close to the snake. He reaches out to touch it, but then remembers...Think damnit!
He pulls his hand back and says, "Wow...you're so...pretty! I like the colors you make as you move! Can I..." he pauses as his eyes shift briefly, "Can I pet you?" The last bit coming out with far more excitement than he intended to display.
Anyone paying attention to the officer notices her eyebrows shoot up at the sight of the giant snake, and she makes some notes on her clipboard.
Turning to Dulae "Nice to see etiquette is still alive. My name? Well it simply describes me and the good doctor's differences. "
As he slithers next to Henri, it almost seems as if he was throwing an arm around the half elf. "Mr. Snake is my father. Please, call me Sam, Sam the snake." Before he can even finish talking he starts laughing, a sound between a hiss and a bark.
Turning his head to Cel, the snake extended his tail towards the boy. "For the compliment, I suppose you may."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Xizoh let his breath out with a shudder as he watched his companion's antics. This was why the snake didn't get out more. He just loves to manipulate and mess with people.
Xizoh gave Henri a shrug. "I'd have thought the bright glow and dark evil looking goop would have given it away." Draping his chain over his shoulder, he deadpans, "How about we save questioning the smug snake for on the road?"
Cel runs a few fingers over the scales with a look of wonder on his face as a small smile sprouts. Barely under his breath his whispers, "So smooth..."
"Thank you, um, Sam!" For once Cel doesn't have a plethora of questions that want to come out as he's never seen a larger-than-normal beast, and certainly didn't expect to see one that didn't immediately want to eat him. He makes his way to the back of the group again, and starts to keep watch as they move along.
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"כדורי אבות!" Alaina exclaimed as she turned around to see this metaphysical being coalesced in front of her. Instinctively, she dropped her stance to allow most of her body to be protected by the shield. After taking a moment to calm herself, the Wolf looked at the Half-Elf, "By all that's holy Xizoh, warn a girl next time."
Keeping a slight distance, Alaina said to the snake, "Sorry, you just startled me. I'm Alaina."
"Uh, S-sam. The snake. Cool. Cool." Henri, still somewhat shaky, attempts to calm her nerves. She wasn't one to surprise easily, but she didn't really notice the black sludge being summoned from the ground, and it took her a moment, but eventually she calmed herself and began trekking forward, pulling her hat down low, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. This wasn't like her. Still, she hoped that the cold would be a good excuse for her red face. "बेवकूफ सांप, मुझ पर हँस । मैं चौंक गया था , मैं ऊंचा हो गया छिपकली के सिर उड़ा सकता है।"
Dulae raised an eyebrow at the snake and shot a glance at Xizoh. Considering that Shadelock seems to care about helping people, I'm not sure thats such a good thing...
She cracks a slanted smile. "Well, now that Xizoh has finished shocking all us ladies with his snake, we should head out. I want to see those tracks."
Anathema stares at the human and her shield before snarking, "I'm afraid I only speak common and draconic." he glances at Henri before looking back to the brawler. "Don't worry, Alaina, I apologize for ripping the fabric of reality to meet you. I'm rather harmless. Or, at least the doctor makes me so." At this Anathema glares at Xizoh, anger burning in it's eyes.
Alaina noticed the look the snake's look at Xizoh. Hmm, it may not be as friendly as he seems.
Henri's red face grew an even deeper shade of crimson as she heard the Draconic part of Anathema's statement, and she turned her head away from the party and let out a fit of quiet coughs.