Ulfak looks puzzled as the two blows totally confuse him, especially when his best shot with the scythe never stopped the warrior. Mouth open and giving Travigan a puzzled look.
Blood drips off his arms onto the flagstones.
How did that happen?
Then he slumps down on the walkway mumbling to Travigan, "we should go."
Round 4
Sandra Will 5ft Behind and cast another on her but she still drops
Travigan roars a dozen compound curses as Ulfak crumples.
Erethyn watched as both Ulfak and Sandra fell. He had nothing more with which to heal them. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so helpless in a situation. The guardians were sure to kill at least one of them, if not all.
No! I can't let that happen. I won't.
"Travigan, Ratchet! One of you grab Ulfak. I'll get Sandra. We are leaving!"
"Aye, I'll get 'im, lad. You jus' get poor Sandra out o' here an' me an wolfy here'll be right on yer heels!"
When it becomes apparently that you are fleeing the chamber, the pair of warriors disengage and fly back into the pillar, fading from view.
Even after it became apparent that the wind warriors were not going to continue coming after them, Erethyn continued moving. He stopped just long enough to cast a minor spell to ensure that his companions would not succumb to their wounds, and then pressed forward.
He was glad that he was carrying Sandra and not Ulfak. Ulfak was a solid wall of muscle. He traveled in silence until they were well beyond the exit of the chambers.
"Huh... heh... he... Breathing hard, he shifted Sandra gently on his back to redistribute her weight. Erethyn had kept in good physical condition through his travels. Even so, this is still difficult. It was the first time in a very long time he had felt this drained. His magic was his strength and at the moment Erethyn found it difficult to conjure up anything but the weakest of spells.
"When we... get back to town,... there is going to be wo...... words had about moving... into dangerous areas.... at less... than full strength."
Travigan hauls Ulfak along slung over his right shoulder. "Le's jus see if'n we even make it back ta town first, aye? I dinnae think any o' us are experts exactly at this kind o' thing, lad. Jus' be grateful we're bringing our friends here back ta recover rather than ta bury."
Ratchet grumbles incoherent and nods.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The rest of the journey back to the town had become a blur to Erethyn. He was not weak, so he was merely exhausted by its end, rather than ready to fall over. He recalled it taking what felt like ages, not hours. He exercised caution; advising the group taking long easy slopes and ways around what might have even been mild tripping hazards. Sandra and Ulfak, while stable, were still at critical levels of danger at this stage and haste had the true potential for disaster. The night did them no favors and slowed their progress further. But they were determined to reach the safety of town. It was slow, it was taxing and by the end he certainly had the sore muscles to prove it.
The stares they had received arriving that late, with two unconscious people no less, were many but the group paid them little mind. He had Ratchet pay for two rooms before moving the pair of injured to beds. He then bid Travigan and Ratchet to rest for the evening while he promised to watch over the other two.
He set about the task of laying out his healers supplies. Preparing linen bandages and various medicinal salves, a bowl of water, several small cloth towels, a sewing needle and a chair for himself, then began carefully removing his patients gear.
Despite being young for one of his kind, he did not hesitate at the notion of undressing a woman. He had long ago learned set such notions aside. Although Humans were often embarrassed by such things. He supposed it was just a self confidence issue.
To invite such hesitations is to invite ill fortune. He told himself.
He then began to clean and dress their wounds and wash their bodies as best he could. Once he did what he thought was sufficient he sat himself on the chair in the room and let himself finally rest.
Travigan's pack crashes loudly as he drops it on the floor. He bends over backward, stretching his back and shoulders with a loud groan after hauling Ulfak for such a great distance for so long. "Oh, by Desna's bloomin' panties I'll be feelin' tha' in th' mornin'." He washes the broad cuts covering his arms with a few muttered oaths for the sword wielding goblin farts they'd left in the cairn then slumps into bed, entirely spent.
---
The morning sees Travigan still mostly the worse for wear, but he smiles at the fact that he's sure he feels better than he looks. With dried blood clumped in his beard and stained on his clothes and armor, he suits back up and heads down to try and find some breakfast. He eats like a hungry bear, packing enough away for 3 smaller men with ease, chatting with the other cairn delvers as to how to approach their next visit. Supplies, strategies, roles, and his own need for medical treatment are discussed, with Travigan expressing his approval or disapproval with loud grunts offered around his breakfast.
Ratchet didn't talk much. He was surly as always, but quiet about it, like his heart wasn't in it.
He drank a beer, ate a meal, said goodnight, and went to his room. He couldn't sleep, so he worked and drank. After a while he wasn't even sure what he'd been brewing up, but it didn't stop him.
At some point he stumbled into their makeshift hospital and rambled incoherently about how they hadn't been prepared, and how he'd make sure they were all properly outfitted for next time. Eventually he fell asleep in a chair next to Ulfak's bed, snoring loudly and mumbling things that sounded like recipes.
The wolf shaman remembers nothing of the journey home. He does have the strangest dream,
A red hawk on the wing blown and flung against the mountain side rocks by fierce winds, dropping like a stone to crash to earth. The ground cushions the fall enough like a cupped hand.
Ulfak wakes from unconsciousness as the oracle tends his wounds, cleansing the rough rents and cuts. But he barely manages a brief thanks before he falls back into slumber.
The shoanti sleeps on into morning, his body healing slowly.
Erethyn woke in the morning still feeling the effects of the previous days trials. He looked over after his charges and saw that they were still sound asleep. They breathed a little easier than they had but they were still in terrible condition.
As he stood up to stretch, he noticed that Ratchet was also laying on the floor next to them.
Now when did he come in?... Oh yes, right as I was dozing off.
Feeling refreshed after having some hours of sleep, he could feel that his power had returned. He breathed out and knew that they often would not be pleased at being woken but would heal them anyway.
With that he opened himself to the healing energies and began to channel them outward.
opening her eyes Sandra looks around her. she didn't expect to wake up in a room . As she feel more of the channeled energy she slowly stands in the bed.
Oh, high Erathyn. Thank you she simply says looking for everyone else.
Erethyn crosses his arms and nods briefly to her, a stern expression on his face. "I must admit, Sandra, while I am glad to see that both you and Ulfak are in fact still alive. There are some important matters we will need to speak about first. I don't care to repeat myself so we'll fetch Travigan. I suggest getting dressed and heading downstairs for food. We'll speak after breakfast."
His tone brooked no argument as he turned to leave the room.
Ratchet woke up to the voices and looked around blearily. He opened his dry mouth and worked his jaw, rubbing throbbing eyes. "Urg."
He put two tablets of something in his mouth, crunched them up, swallowed with a face of disgust and washed it down with a swig from his flask.
He pushed himself to his feet, nodded to Sandra and thumped out the door muttering about buckets.
Ulfak lopes downstairs invigorated by the positive energy washing through his body. Then he goes at the food, shovelling in porridge and then meat to fill his stomach quickly.
His mouth snarls as he rips away at the bread.
Travigan, still looking like he'd gone ten rounds in Greyhawk's fabled arena, nods as Ulfak joins him at the table. "Yer lookin' a good sight better than when last I saw ye, lad. Erethyn was able ta patch ye up, I gather? The other's comin' 'long behind ye or are they still curled up in their beds?"
"Yes. You are right. I do not remember falling just that I hit that man with everything in the reaper and it didn't hurt much."
Ulfak pushes the bread over to Travigan and jug of pale cider. "What happened - who do I owe?"
"Owe? Did ye hit tha' gigantic noggin o' yours too? Ye dinnae owe any o' us nothin' far as I kin tell. Unless I miss my guess, I'm thinkin' we'd have each of us died to a man if'n it weren't for each an ev'ry one o' the others." Travigan rips a hunk of bread from the loaf and tears it up into smaller, bite-sized pieces on his tin plate. "If there's any debt though, it'd be ta Erethyn. I think th' lad stayed up all night tendin' ta you an' Sandra both. Lad's got a gift, that he does." Travigan idly scratches at his stained beard then pops a bit of bread into his mouth and chews happily.
Sandra smiles Indeed he does. He is Favored by something that is for certain
The sight of a party of bloodied adventurers is too usual an event to slip by unoticed in a community as small as Diamond lake. Master Ironside, the innkeeper, does his best to keep the curious and gawkers out of his establishment, but as long as they buy something, he lets them stay. Any appearance in a common area results in an awkward hush and barely masked side-long glances your way. So far though, the 'clientele's' good manners have won out. Though whether they will continue to do so as the ale continues to flow is anybodies guess.
The door to the inn opens and three people step in. You recognize them as the three adventurers that have come to town. Auric, the current champion of the Greyhawk arean, Tirra, the elven rogue you caught trying to follow you back to the cairn, and Khellek, the mysterious robed man and member of the same organization as all those dead people you found in the cairn.
Khellek steps forward, "Enough is enough. Just tell me where this cairn you've been playing in is. You don't appear to have the skills required to explore it anyhow."
"Obviously," Auric snorts with derision.
Travigan sets his mug down loudly and deliberately, slowly looking up to meet Khellek's gaze. "And wha's tha' say about you sorry lot if ye cannae even find th' place ta begin with, hmm? Now why don' you perfectly nice folk go on and shoo before ye test my patience."
Erethyn ate little and had sat in quiet contemplation as he figured the best way to speak to his group.
He raised an eyebrow at the group in front of them and at his associate. "Travigan. We don't want to create needless animosity here. As for you three, I know you only by reputation and a few brief meetings and already I see where your faults lie." he looked at Tirra "Your aloofness," then at Khellek "your impatience," finally at Auric "and your overconfidence."
"You think because your more seasoned that you'll succeed but mark my words, overconfidence was nearly our downfall. I would advise that you do not make the same mistake. Now why don't you sit down and we can talk about this like reasonable people rather than you demanding answers like a spoiled lordling!"
The shoanti shaman watches them from under his brows, continuing to eat. He listens and makes sure the scythe is within easy reach.
Travigan's face reddens at Erethyn's rebuffing comment, but a smile slowly begins to play at the edge of his lips as the elf's word pick up momentum. When Erethyn finishes, Travigan pops him in the ribs with a quick elbow and jokes, "If yer wantin' ta avoid 'needless animosity', lad, ye might na' want ta call people names like 'spoiled lordling' ta their faces. Ha!" He looks up at their three guests and adds, "Well, ye heard the lad. He's wantin' ta be polite an' civil an' such. You lot interested in such things or are we ta finish our breakfasts amongst ourselves?"
sandra just nods in agreement
Auric's face darkens in anger and he goes to take a step forward, but Khellek puts a restraining hand on his arm.
The robed man nods to you, "If you are going to be difficult, then yes, we will sit and wait."
At his gesture ,Auric and Tirra pull over 3 chairs and the trio all take seats.
"We'll just sit right here. You go ahead and finish your breakfast. We can wait until you're ready to head back to the cairn."
Ratchet chuckles and waves the in keep over to their table. He hands the man a small handful of coins and says "We're gonna need our rooms for a while longer."
He raises a bushy eyebrow at the three uninvited guests and says "Ye ever try'n out-stubborn a dwarf or out-patient an elf? How long ye willing' t' wait, 'cause we ain't on no one's time table but our own, an' there's plenty we could do with some down time."
Ulfak watches the trio heavily and then pushes his plate away. "In my tribe the dogs follow around looking for scraps and licking each other. You wait here for us and then try to take our kills, our treasure. One of you tries to follow us before and is no good. Now this man is the leader, it is good, because he can leash the other dogs and stop them being foolish and yapping too much."
"Why do we want you? I smell thieves and treasure jackals here. Give me a reason for trusting such." the shaman wipes his greasy fingers on his armour and grins wolfishly.
Erethyn sighs quietly and looks around at the group around him and the three more experienced adventurers before them. He lets several minutes pass before speaking again.
"My words earlier, were meant to convey a lesson. Though harsh, I believe that those willing to learn of their faults may then begin to correct them, once they have been brought to light." He looked around at them all and then over at the three.
"My associates concerns are valid but I believe them to be tinged with dislike. I hope we can all see past those... misconceptions. You are all obviously eager to travel to this cairn, which I hope and am almost sure is for more than simply your reputation."
He clears his throat. "Now before we begin discussing proper tactics to deal with the foes we know of. We will begin with speaking of our decision making. As I said before we were overconfident in our abilities, we continued moving on while we were drained of a good deal of our magical resources. This can't happen again. When it becomes apparent that any of us are not able to continue, caution would be advisable over heroics. Do you all understand?"
"Ye dinnae need ta speak ta us as if we're wee children, Erethyn. We've a better idea o' what ta expect now an' we'll do jus' fine." He looks at the three table-crashers, "Did ye three hear me? We're gonna be jus' fine. Ye can scurry off now, if ye like."
"I live because you saved me. My life would be gone. Erethryn you are right. We will rest next time. A foolish and curious cat has nine lives, I don't." Ulfak gives the oracle a considered stare and a slight drooping wink at her smoothing his attempt to ruffle the trio.
Khellek looks blandly at Travigan, "I honestly have nowhere else to be. You've found the cairn where the Seeker team disappeared all those years ago. As a member of the order myself, I would be remiss not investigate. Besides, considering your battered state, there are obviously areas you have yet to reach, so there is still treasure for the claiming."
"Aye, an' it's our blood splashin' on th' stones tha's bought us th' right ta' lay eyes on it first. I'll tell ye what though, how about this. You," he points gruffly at Auric, "an' me take a turn in tha' ring over there tomorrow mornin'. If'n ye beat me, we'll show ye ta the entrance o' the cairn. If'n ye lose ta an old blacksmith like meself, ye wait yer turn an' fer us ta tell ye we're done wi' th' place. Sound agreeable?"
Erethyn thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Hmm, that sounds agreeable."
indeed it does
Ulfak nods at Travigan then his eyes fix on the bristling warrior and his colder boss.
"Well?" Travigan leans forward toward the three table-crashers. "Cat got yer tongues? Surely ye're more than confident ye can best me, lad."
Auric puffs up at the challenge, "Oh I'll be there little man, but why wait? Let's go dance."
Khellek sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Fine, be difficult then. Say we agree to your little challenge and we show up tomorrow and lo, you've snuck off in the night. Now of course, you are all honourable individuals who would never think of besmirching your good names, but I'm not much of a trusting sort."
"If I were to agree to this folly, I would require you to leave something as collateral with a neutral third party, say the innkeep, and in the event of your failure to appear, it would be give over to us. Is this agreeable?"
"Bah! As if you slippery devils would recommend someone who was'na already in yer pocket. If'n the grey in th' beard did'na tip ye off, I was'na born yesterday. Better ye leave collateral wi' us an' us likewise wi' ye lot. But unless I miss my guess, ye'll not agree ta that." He turns his attention back to Auric. "As fer you, big-britches, I still feel beat half ta th' hells, but if'n yer so eager I kin muster up th' strength ta slap ye silly once I've finished me breakfast. Or if'n yer nervous bout enterin' the ring wi' a middle-aged an' bloodied smith, then I'll settle fer beatin' yer rude arse at arm wrestlin' right now. I'll even wait ta finish my breakfast if'n yer tha' impatient."
Ratchet sighs and goes back to his morning beer.