Martok's face turned when he realized what he was seeing. Something inside of him told him, A witch's toy. Kill it. No, burn it!
A flame appeared in the shaman's hand as he moved forward. He spoke to his companions, "Nothing but a witch's toy. I'll kill it. No, I'll burn it!"
The torch-sized flame swooshed brighter as the shaman approached the dying bird...
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Maddy stops mid-step and goes stock still. She has been wanting to hear that voice for so long that she worries she's imagined it, especially since it seems to be coming from the bird. It's not like her mind hadn't played tricks on her before. She turns to look at Matty, looking to him to be her compass. As her eyes meet his, for he turns to look at her simultaneously, she knows that he hears it too. That is enough for Maddy.
Seeing the dwarf menacing her family with flame, Maddy feels an overwhelming protective urge which is mixed with feelings of intense anger at the threat. The edges of her vision begin to darken but she resists because bad things happen when the darkness overwhelms her and her sister needs her. "No!" Moving with speed unexpected for someone armored and in the snow, Maddy tackles Martok from behind and makes sure to push his hand into the snow to extinguish the flame.
It had been years since Matthew had heard his sister's voice. For a long moment he stood frozen, disbelieving, doubting his ears. But when Maddy shares the same look of disbelief, he knows it's real. Somehow, the bird is speaking with Maggie's voice.
Knowing that his sister would take care of Martok's threat of fire, Matt dove forward between the dwarf and bird, just in case she was too late. His instinct was to scoop the bird up, but the words Maggie's words? How?! stopped him. She was afraid of being spied on by the "mean lady". Not knowing what that meant or how it was possible, Matt nonetheless made no move to pick her up.
Instead, shielding her from any action from his new companions, he said, "Maggie? Is that you? Can it really be?"
Confused, Evelina nudges Cithembi and mouths to him, "What is going on?" Given that they are standing out in the open and Maddy just shouted out, Evelina assumes the coast must be clear. Cautiously, she inches out and heads towards the others. Seeing that things are tense, she asks somewhat nervously. "W..What's going on?"
Cithembi looks over at Evelina and grins at her words. "You would know more than I, friend," he jokes.
He follows her out into the open, and looks over the scene. The newcomers are gathered around... a fallen raven? He waits for the answer to Evelina's question, as he is asking it himself now.
The dwarf got up from the snow and looked at Maddy in surprise. His rat appeared from within his cowl and hissed at the woman, shivered, and went back inside.
Crazier than a goat, I say. You just heard that these are birds that serve the witches. When have you heard a bird talk?"
Another flame appeared in his hand, That...that... abomination needs to die. It's not natural."
He turned to the wizard, "Maggie? That bird? You came here to rescue a bird? Crazier than a goat I say."
Catching only the end of the conversation, Martok incredulity at a bird speaking, Evelina interjects. "Maybe it ain't a bird, though. We seen stuff like this before..." She looks over to Matt, "That doll I was gonna tell you 'bout before. It seemed like there was a little girl trapped in it or something...an' they were usin' it like some kinda spy. Maybe that's just how this witch lady does things...real messed up if you ask me..." Looking to Maddy and Matt sympathetically she asks, "This Maggie? Someone you know?"
Maddy growls low in her throat, similar to a warning an animal may give to an intruder. She puts herself squarely between Martok and Matty and stares down the dwarf. "You attack my family and we're going to have a problem. We came to rescue our sister. I don't know how it happened but that raven is our younger sister, Maggie."
Matt's mind was a swirl of emotion and thought. He pushed the emotion down, it only served to slow his intellect. Instead, he forced his mind to quickly find, sort, and evaluate options. It was a skill he'd acquired as a child, and had been honed through years at university.
As if flipping through a spellbook, Matt's mind sorted through possible spells that could have caused this. Nothing that he'd heard of quite fit. At Madison's words, he said, "No, the raven speaks with Maggie's voice. We must ascertain if she has been transformed, or if her voice is being projected, or if it is merely copying a voice it heard, or if it is an illusion, or something else. There are many options. Many of them are dangerous to us." He spoke quickly, coldly, trying to keep his emotions at bay. This was an intellectual puzzle that needed solving, for the safety of all involved, not least, the bird itself.
Evelina's words helped focus him further. "Tell me more of the doll. Did it speak? Did it's master hear the words? Or see through its eyes? Did you destroy it?" He continued to stare at the bird as he spoke, trying to understand, trying to figure out what to do next. It took all his willpower not to pick it up, to look into its eyes, to try to find Maggie inside.
Listening to all this Frejya lifts the tarp and looks onto the scene. Quick thinking Martok. she praises but then adds Now back of a little and let the twins check out the bird. But keep your flame ready just in case it flees. We cannot let it go to report us. She is still unwilling to come out from under the tarp herself but adds But know that if you attack you will loose your invisibility to animals so do so only as a last resort.
When Matty mentions the fall Freyja interjects We did destroy it, but I have its eyes. quite curious things. One is a mirror and the other a gem. I believe that someone the witches could look out from the mirror somehow, and possibly still can.
Looking a little guilty, Evelina adds to Freyja's explanation, "We did fight it...but only cause it attacked us. It was using some kinda mind control on Astrid and Freyja...an' it tried to knife me. As for talking...I don't think the doll ever spoke, but around the time we found it we saw an apparition or something...of a little girl." Looking sadly at the ground, she says sadly, "She seemed...scared..."
Sca-aaa-red... the raven squawks in echo. Pretty r-awk! Like Momma's necklace... The lad-eeeh! She gave it to m-eeeh...when I was pla-aaee-ing, in the snow... Another choking sob escapes. But then...she said words, a-aaa-nd I fell asle-eee-p...and...when I woke up... For a few moments, her words are lost to crying. You said, Maddi-eeeh...you said to stay close...but I didn't...
It hurts...the r-awk and mi-rrrr-or, they hurt, Matty... Carefully, she pulls away from the snow and tucks a wing forward to cover her chest, leaving only a sliver visible. Peering past the curve of the wing, two faint glimmers are apparent among the feathers of the chest. They appear to come from a smooth-polished cabochon sapphire and a small silver mirror - set directly into wounds in the bird's chest. Though the wounds are closed, the parts of the scars you can see are still angry and red, as if the bird's flesh is growing accustomed to the foreign implants.
Sh-eeeh said...to fly, to keep the mi-rrr-or out, so she could see... But I sa-aaah you, Matty...and aieee...didn't want her to... I...I didn't listen to her... The bird looks up, and behind the eyes' membranes tears are welling up. I still he-eeeh-ar her...inside...but I don't wa-aaah-nt to... I want...I wa-aaah-nt my hands back, and my fe-eeeh-t, Matty...
Cithembi frowns as he watches the scene. He looks over at Evelina and whispers, "The bird is speaking? It does not have lips, so I cannot read its words. What does it say?"
Evelina looks profoundly uncomfortable as the crow speaks, not sure what to do or what to say to comfort the twins. To Cithembi, she speaks quietly, "That...that its scared...Somethin' about a necklace...and a lady...gave it to her while she was playing in the snow...And uh...somethin' bout a mirror..." Evelina struggles slightly as she is both trying to understand the squawks and rely information, "Sounds like this lady is telling 'em what to do...but she fought it cos she saw Matt." Looking deeply troubled, she finishes with, "...but she says she can still hear her...in her head..."
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Martok steps and wills his flame to extinguish.
He raises his bushy eyebrows at the twins, "I guess this is your... little sister?'
He wards off evil witches with an elaborate hand gesture and asks, "Do you want me to try and heal her? You want to rip those thing off her? It seems to be hurting it, er, her."
He sighs, "When a goat gets something stuck in its hoof, it's usually best to just take it out and then heal it back up. It may hurt a little but she'll be back jumping 'round in no time."
Maddy's demeanour instantly changes when Martok causes his flame to vanish. She turns towards the raven and digs her blanket out of her things. She listens to Maggie's words and tears freeze on her cheeks. "I did tell her to stay close, I always told her to stay close." Approaching the raven with the blanket she says, "It's ok Maggie. I should have kept a better eye on you. You know I'll always protect you. I'm here now. You must be freezing." Maddy goes to wrap the raven in the blanket. "It's a miracle we found you."
As Maddy cradles the raven wrapped in the blanket, she looks to Matty to decide what they were supposed to do. After all these years, she didn't need to say anything. She just looks at her brother expectantly, trusting that he'll know what to do. Then she shushes comfortingly at Maggie, "I know, Maggie, I know. Matty will figure out how to get her out of your mind. And how to get your hands and feet back." She hums quietly, a song she often sang to Maggie when she was little, trying to keep her calm while their next move was decided.
Rising from the tarp to get a better look Freyja ponders Its like that doll with the little girl someone in it. The doll had the mirror and gem too and used them to spy for the witches. This bird, its the same I think, except your sister is resisting working for the witches. I fear that the bird itself is not your sister but your sister is somehow trapped withing the bird. Then Freyja remembers the necromantic aura of the gem. No, within the gem. Oh this is terrible. How can we help?
Matt was filled with a terrible rage. That somebody had taken his sister, and subjected her to this....this...mutilation, this torture of body and spirit...it was reprehensible. Evil. Turning away from the others, he faced the storm and forced himself to take some deep breaths. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he bled off some of the tension, until he was relatively certain he could control the rage inside, that he could keep himself from unleashing a maelstrom of magical power that would only cause further harm.
As he slowly got himself under control, he realized that the storm was almost on top of them. Turning to Nadya, his voice strained, he said, "Perhaps now is the time to set up camp. We must decide what to do with our sister. If indeed a witch is spying on her, or through her somehow, then we shouldn't bring her to town."
He reached out a trembling hand and stroked the raven tenderly on the head. "I swear I will make this right, Maggie. Somehow, I'll make this right." Looking up at his twin, he said, "Keep her chest well-covered with that blanket. It may be that somebody is using the mirror on her chest to spy, to see through. We need to keep that dark, covered up. Do you understand?" He knew that with Madison he needed to be very clear and explicit.
To the others, he said, "It may be that we need to remove what has been implanted in her, but we must study it first. If we're not certain, we risk killing her. I'll need to know everything you can remember about the doll you encountered. Even small details might be important." A blast of bitter wind pushed his hood off his head, and he shivered. "But I think we must get under cover first."
Evelina nods, "Sure. We'll answer any questions you have as best we can remember. I'm afraid we couldn't figure out much about the whole thing, though..."
As Freyja goes to join the others over the fallen raven, Nadya joins her, resolutely stomping through the thick snow. If we're to have any chance of making Waldsby tonight - But the concern in everyone's eyes cuts off her words. As the truth of the bird's identity comes forth, her eyes go wide, and she turns as pale as the snow she stands in.
I knew the Jadwiga took children... There were stories of why...and the guardian dolls...magic that could watch through mirrors, all the mirrors... But I never even dreamed... Her expression as she takes in the raven huddled in Maddie's blanket is torn between revulsion, pity - and bone-crushing fear. The longer she looks on, the more worried her countenance grows; finally, she turns away suddenly and collapses into a wracking sob, clutching at her ribs as though afraid of coming apart at the seams.
This is witches' work. And they...they have... Another sob chokes off her words. They have my Thora. Nazhena took her, just over a few heedless words! These supplies...I went to get them to...to try and appeal to Nazhena. To get my little girl back... Like a drowning person clutching at a raft, she reaches for a necklace beneath her coat and shirt. The pendant is made of a clear resin molded into a round disk, with a lock of blonde hair suspended inside. What...what if I'm too late?
Matty's suggestion shakes her back to the present. Yes...tents. We'll rest here...the clouds are too close, and... Trailing off, she goes mostly quiet, speaking only to instruct her cohorts and answer questions. Though she throws herself into the physicality of the labor, it's clear her mind, and her heart, are elsewhere. Soon, two tents of thick felted wool are raised against the storm, and Nadya invites everyone inside as she begins the process of digging a pit in the snow for a small fire.
The whole idea of creepy dolls that spied on you grated on Martok's senses.
But Nadya's plight with her daughter almost made him cry. He knew how he felt when a goat went missing and quickly chastized himself for even making that comparison.
He neared the woman, "Don't worry. I think going to visit this Pale Tower and Nazhena is in our plans for the immediate future so we will find out what happened to your daughter and get her back to you, if possible."
He shook trying to stave off the cold and started to help with setting up the tents.
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Freyja swallows hard but refuses to not share the details she knows. There are songs that talk of these dolls. They are constructs infused with fragments of soul energy, taken from a living being that dies or is slain during the doll's creation. The soul energy is channeled into a high-quality gem incorporated somewhere into the doll or its apparel, like the one we found when we killed the doll on our side of the portal. She goes on. The often retain at least some sentience. parts of the soul's personality remain, but the process largely strips the soul of its individuality. And the singular purpose they are charged with helps them to resist effects that target the mind, though they do not have immunity to these effects as most constructs do. It is at least good that the process of gathering these soul fragments doesn't damage the soul of the departed irreparably - they are able to pass to the Boneyard for judgement as all other souls do, and even able to be reunited with the body given the appropriate magic.
After her short lecture she pitches in and tries to help with the camp's construction but seems distracted by all that she recalled.
Evelina tries to follow as best she can, "...But then that can't be the same thing, right? How would she recognize her brother an' sister if she ain't got her personality?" Trying to reassure both Nadya and the twins, she says, "There's gotta still be something in there than make's 'em them. There's gotta be..."
Freyja's words sparked a memory in Matt. Closing his eyes to help concentrate, he struggled to remember a lesson from his second year of study. "Guardian dolls...yes...I remember a bit about that. But...that spell is meant for an inanimate object. A doll, or a golem. To put one soul into the body of another..." he opened his eyes and stared at his transformed sister. "You may well be unique. Perhaps that is why you remember us, why you were able to fight Nazhena's will. Assuming, of course, that she's responsible for that."
As for what that means for your soul, or the state of your body... Matt clenched his fists again, and again had to breathe the rage down. Somebody will pay for this, Maggie. I swear it."
Matt was little help raising the tents; he had neither the strength, knowledge, or focus to help. He was too busy trying to figure out what to do next. As he and his sisters hunkered down in one of the tents, he said, "The most pressing question is what to do about the mirror. We dare not touch the gem, not if that is the link between soul and body. But if the witch is spying through the mirror, that must be stopped. There are two options as I see it. Find a way to cover the mirror - either with paint, or cloth, or some other way. Or remove it altogether. The first option is dangerous, because it isn't permanent. If the covering slips, then we are revealed. The second way is dangerous to Maggie - we don't know what removing the mirror will do to her."
Turning to Madison and the raven she held, he asked, "Maggie, what do you want? Should we try to cover it, or take it out? Our new friends have healing magic, they'll help fix you up after. But it's a risk."
Cithembi hovers around the new members of their group, struggling to follow the conversation, feeling he should do something but having no idea what. At Matthew's last words, however, he nods.
"Yes, should you need any healing magic, Desna has so blessed me, friends," he states, looking anxiously at the little bird.
Maddy is loathe to part in any way from her carefully swaddled sister; however, she knows she can help the group set up camp much better than her brother. Pulling Matty aside she carefully transfers Maggie into his arms, "This is only until we make camp. Then I get her back, ok?" She then dutifully helps in any way she can to make camp.
As soon as they're more or less settled, Maddy takes Maggie back and makes sure the blanket is snugly fitted around the raven. When talk turns to Nazhena and what she's most likely done to Nadya's daughter as well as Maggie, Maddy gets a dangerous glint in her eye. "This Nazhena needs to pay for what she's doing." She waits patiently for Maggie to answer Matty's question. But she does ask, "Maggie can't stay covered all the time, can she?"
Maddy smiles at Cithembi, "Thanks! It's good to know you're willing to help our sister."
The thick felt tents prove a surprisingly comfortable fortress against the driving snow. Outside, the wind howls, but inside, body heat and warmth from a small fire combine to make the space snug, if a bit cramped. Rations and tea are shared around, and everyone settles in for conversation. Nadya's companions say little, stealing glances at the strange bird nestled in Maddie's blankets, but one glare from Maddie quickly dissuades too much comment. Nadya, for her part, manages to push through the oddness and maintain a stream of conversation, though distraction and worry still tug at her.
At the question of the mirror, Maggie lets out a small, bewildered chirp. Taking it out...won't that hurt, Matty? The mean lady's magic didn't make it stop hurting before... The conversation continues for a while; even Nadya weighs in, assessing Maggie's situation critically. What if we used a bandage, crossed across her chest and tied in back? That might stay better than a blanket, and it'd let her...fly... The strangeness of the statement catches her up for a moment, but surprisingly, Petr takes the chance to chime in. Some kind of small vest, even - although it might look a bit odd, I admit.
Suddenly, the conversation is interrupted by a noise from outside - a greeting in a clear, high voice. Hail, friends! I come seeking shelter - and I have my songs to trade, to warm your hearts as your fire warms my hands! Katalin twitches aside the tent flap to reveal a curious sight: a tall woman with pale blue skin, long hair flowing around a pair of gracefully curved horns, and backward-jointed legs like a goat's. At the sight of her, Katalin's face twists for an instant into a knot of suspicion, and Petr and Ivan begin to whisper near the tent's rear. Hush! you can just hear Nadya hiss. You know we can't turn her away! It'd draw too much suspicion, if she is one of the Queen's... With a sigh, she arises and pulls the tent flap aside, twisting her expression into a kind smile. Be welcome, nature's blessed - come, share our bread and wine. Gratefully, the fey woman ducks and enters, sitting near the tent's opening.
Martok was taken back by the beautiful woman that just entered. He got up and greeted her warmly making a space for her near the fire, "Fire's good for lots of things and sharing is one of them."
He then added, "And we need songs to warm our hearts. Can you weave local folktales into your songs. I would be very interested."
Responding to Nadya's collapse earlier Freyja asks Nadya, the way all this has effected you, I wonder if you know someone who was taken by these witches?
After the work of setting up camp is done and food and drink is passed Freyja offers up a song to brighten the mood. So perhaps the newcomer would have heard the singing as she approached.
Picking up on the apprehension Freyja eyes the newcomer suspiciously. She immediately picks up on her ice blue coloring and wonders and about the similar colored fey with shards of ice in their hearts.
Matt was fully enjoying Freyja's song; the beautiful woman had an absolutely angelic voice, and Matt was spellbound by her song. A rude elbow to the ribs broke the trance, and he turned to see Maddy making fun of him, imitating his starry-eyed smile. "Hush!" Then they heard the sound of a new voice.
Matt and Maddy shared a look. Maddy nodded and whispered softly to the raven, and tucked her further into the blanket, out of sight. Matt shifted position to ensure that a casual glance over would not reveal the bird. He hoped that Maggie understood enough to keep quiet and out of sight.
As the camp settled Evelina quietly worked on tidying up her hair and clothes from the long road, all the while listening to Freyja's song. While she had a lot of questions for her new companions, she could tell that the mood in the tent was somber and they probably needed some space to figure things out. However, when she hears that another is coming she quickly throws her yeti cloak back on, remembering the warning about their foreign clothes.
When the woman finally arrives, she gives her the most unforced, relaxed smile she can muster. "Hi there. What brings you out in this storm we got here..."
Cithembi watches quietly, eyes focused on the strange woman. He little trusts her, especially with Nadya's reaction, but is content to wait and see her response to his companions.
Maddy relaxes in the warmth of the tent. She finds herself very content having her brother by her side and Maggie in her arms. Talk of a vest for Maggie seems very promising, although they'd have to find someone to sew it because it sure wouldn't be her. She's even able to have a little fun at her brother's expense as Freya blesses them with a song. Everything changes in an instant when another voice penetrates from outside.
As the woman is asked inside, Maddy covers Maggie's head with the blanket as she shushes her. She rocks her back and forth, hoping that the woman assumes a baby and nothing more. Although if she was one of the Queen's as Nadya suggested and the Queen liked taking children, that may not be better. Maddy's nerves are on edge as she watches the blue woman and tries to determine if she's a threat.
Forlarren usually have coloring much more like you'd expect of the progeny of a fiend - rich reds, dark blacks and browns, or the color of heavily-tanned flesh. This fey's pale blue skin does elicit intense reminders of the atomies and sprites you've encountered before, the ones that had accepted the Winter Witches' ice into their hearts and become winter-touched.
With a mercurial smile, the newcomer enters, taking a seat near the tent's entrance as if subconsciously keeping an escape route for herself...or blocking the way out for others. Well met! I am Mierul Ardelain, a wandering singer. My travels take me all over the Jadwiga's lands - and I have picked up a fair few tales, should Sir Dwarf wish to hear them, she finishes with a smile. Waving her hand through the smoke of the fire, she murmurs a few soft words in Sylvan; the curls and wisps of smoke draw to her dancing fingers, taking the shape of an ethereal harp.
Plucking at the strings, she closes her eyes, listening carefully for the harp's tuning and finding it flawless. I shall begin as all stories do here - after all, the Witch Queen Baba Yaga changed many a thing around here, yes? But this is a tale of far away and long ago, of a girl who trusted to Dear Grandmother for her gifts... A graceful arpeggio rings through the tent, and her clear, high soprano joins with it, weaving together into the story of a clever young woman called Vasilisa the Beautiful. As she recites, she pauses every so often to conjure another instrument from the smoke. As the doll works away at its favors, the harp capers around its movements; as Vasilisa questions the old crone, an unusual triangle-headed guitar echoes her questions. And as the horsemen gallop through the bleak woods, a haunting cello rumbles through the tent, the bass tones cutting deep to evoke the most uplifting of sunrises and the most haunting of sunsets.
As the tale finishes, Mierul takes a deep breath, her face alight with the effort of the storytelling. Ah - I've always loved that one! Canny Vasilisa, keeping her mind in the great Baba Yaga's presence, working with her and gaining the skull when no one thought it possible. And the Riders - the Riders! It is said they are both wondrous and terrible to behold...and if the tales are true, they will ride our world again soon! There are few who have had the fortune to see them...I wonder where their travels will take them this time... Her wistful expression lingers for several moments. But, silly me! Perhaps where you are from, they do not tell such stories. Where have you come from? What stories do they tell there?
Oh, they aren't too strange of stories. She's a childhood friend of mine, visiting from Riba, Nadya chimes in from the tent's rear, nodding toward Freyja. The others are traveling with her - they're on their way to Whitethrone for business. I stopped by Riba on my trade run, and it just made the best sense for them to join us on our way. Her voice is tense; though she does her best to keep her tone level, you can tell she's trying to fend off any suspicion the presence of outsiders might bring.
Martok sat mesmerized, both by the tale and the fire dancing inside the tent.
He cleared his throat, "I am not as skilled a storyteller as you are but I have had audiences clinging to my every word. Mind you, these audiences were wee ones. The kids always liked my stories."
The dwarf then added his own version of why they are here, "Yes, Whitethrone is our destination. Hoping to buy some pelts and continue traveling."
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Evelina sits crosslegged in the tent, her cloak forming a little pool of white fur all around her. She listens to the song and its accompanying story with childlike wonder and for even her longest running companion, this was almost certainly the longest they had ever seen the girl sit still and pay attention to one thing. She smiled every time the little doll comforted the girl and gripped her hands in concern when the beautiful young woman was sent to face the witch. When the story finally ends happily, she is grinning ear to ear and almost forgets that they are supposed to be keeping up appearances.
"Uh...yeah. Whitethrone...an' in this crazy weather too..." she murmers trying to assist Nadya.
The help she offers is quick and lazy, as she is still very much in a post story haze. However, luckily some of Evelina's natural charm and inoffensiveness keeps her from getting everyone in too much trouble.
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Freyja claps at the conclusion of the song. You are a wonderful harpist. I think I'd like to learn that one so I could sing it back in Riba.
Freyja is torn. She longs to try to befriend this strange creature and kindred bard but thinks she knows too well what the blue tint of her skin means.
Matt listened to the story with a growing sense of dread. While the little wooden doll in the story was helpful and kind, it was too similar to guardian dolls of his comfort. He felt very afraid that Maggie would give herself away, or that one of the others would say something about her.
As he listened, he tried to determine what her purpose was. He had heard of forlarren before - nothing good. Had she really just happened across them in the storm? Or had Maggie's witch, noticing that she was blinded, sent somebody to discover what had happened to the bird? He daren't open his mouth and say the wrong thing, but he listened keenly, and watched her face, and tried to understand her intentions.
Cithembi watches the strange woman's words carefully, but without his hearing he misses the music. He is very suspicious of this strange woman, with her magic and fine words.
His smile at her question, however, is genuine. "Oh, I know many stories. They are the best part of travel! Tell me, have you heard of Old-Mage Jatembe?"
In his excitement he does not stop for a response. "They tell many tales of him in the Mwangi. He and his Magic Warriors saved Golarion, you see! In fact, as the story goes..."
He launches into a story of Old-Mage Jatembe and his Magic Warriors, and how they faced a great darkness in the times when the skies first cleared. So caught up in his story is he that he seems to have forgotten his wariness.
It had been such a long time since Maddy had been treated to such beautiful music, first by Freya and then by the blue woman. She listens to the melodies more that she does to the words but she picks up enough to wonder if the raven she held in her arms was going to be like their wooden doll.
Maddy can feel some tension in the tent but still doesn't fully understand. Nadya seems to have been truthful with them and Maddy definitely could sympathize with the loss of a family member and was inclined to side with her. However, their new visitor seems friendly enough and hadn't done anything, yet. She keeps watchful and quiet, ready to defend her family if needed.
Maddy understood that Nadya was trying to cover for them, and that he should say something, add veracity to her story. Unfortunately, he knew very little of the area, of anything that could be convincing. Hoping for the best, he said, "This is my first time in this part of the Jadwiga's lands - I am looking forward to seeing Whitethrone. It is fortunate that our business brings us here."
Whitethrone - I've had the good fortune to make my way there, once upon a time, Mierul responds with a smile. The Merchant's Quarter is what you'll want; that's where most of the traders end up. Of course, you'll know that already, I'm sure - and it's not exactly hard to guess, eh? I do hope you've gotten your plans in order, though. I came across a trade caravan returning from there a couple of weeks ago...they said they were two days waiting at the gate, only to be turned away because their papers had the date written wrong!
The rest of the evening passes in a whirl of conversation. Mierul trades more stories with Freyja, Martok, and Cithembi. Her stories are typical Northern fare, dark and spooky compared to the airy stories popular in Taldor. She seems pleased with all the tales shared, however, lavishing praise even on the dwarf's simple bedtime stories. Pulling a packet of dried meat and vegetables, she mixes it with water in her tin cup and settles it near the coals of the fire, creating a chunky soup. After eating, she even produces a skin of a spicy liquor and offers drinks all around; the spirit is potent and warming, especially contrasted against the wind howling outside.
Several hours pass, and the forlarren glances out the tent door at the storm raging without. You've all been terribly kind...but I've intruded enough already. There's so little space in here, and you'll need it for yourselves. The worst of the storm seems to have broken - and it may have actually done me a favor! I've been in Irrisen all my life...digging a shelter into one of these drifts won't take any time at all for me. With a wave of her hand, a few globes of firelight dart toward her and out the tent door; rising to her hooves, she moves to follow them.
Matt refrains from breathing a sigh of relief as the strange woman prepares to leave. It had been difficult to keep the Maggie-raven still for so long. He had seen Madison struggling to keep the bird from poking her head out; he supposed she wanted to see and listen too. The wizard didn't like the way the forlarren was looking at them, as if trying to memorize their faces. He would be happy to see her go.
Martok was mesmerized by the woman. He would never look at a goat the same way ever again.
He saw no harm in her staying and one look outside at the still raging storm helped to make up his mind, "Nonsense. You stay here with us. It wouldn't feel right if you kicked me out into a storm if I was in your tent."
He smiled warmly, "Do unto others as you would have them unto yourself and all that."
He concluded, "Please stay the night or until the storm really has abated."
Evelina looks torn, as she glances somewhat awkwardly from Martok to Nadya. On the one hand, she was enjoying all the songs and stories and the woman actually seemed quite nice. Also, as Martok said, would it really be right to throw her out into the storm. On the other hand, Nadya seemed so uncomfortable the whole time. She opens her mouth to point out to Martok that it isn't really their tent to offer up, but thinks better of it, realizing that it would put Nadya in an awkward position now that the offer was out there. Instead she just smiles and re-iterates, "Those were some really great stories, the pleasure was ours."
Maddy's head snaps up and she looks at Matty with concern as Martok invites the stranger to stay. There's no way that they can keep Maggie quiet and her head covered all night long and she can tell that he's thinking the same thing. She then glances over at Nadya to see if she'll counter Martok's invitation. Although how does one diplomatically turn someone, even a forlarren, out into the cold?
Freyja claps at the conclusion of the song. You are a wonderful harpist. I think I'd like to learn that one so I could sing it back in Riba.
[dice=Bluff]1d20+3
Freyja is torn. She longs to try to befriend this strange creature and kindred bard but thinks she knows too well what the blue tint of her skin means.
[dice=Sense Motive on Nadya]1d20+3
Cithembi looks surprised. "Martok... is it right to offer another's shelter as if it were your own? That is different than I had heard..."