She waits by the gate as Wulf emerges in his uniform. The other deputy is not with her. Instead, he is talking with Olga beside the farmhouse.
"I asked Corin to stay behind and ask them about how you 'saved' them," Daphne explains, her eyes roaming across Wulf's uniform. "Then I asked him to see if they wanted to stay and practice with your old arms or if they need a safe path home. You can trust Corin around them," she adds, noticing the once-and-future soldier's brief, disapproving look. "He's a tough man, but he's got as much guile as a rabbit. I'd be more worried about one of those wayward waifs taking advantage of him."
As the pair walks away from the farm, back towards town, Daphne continues to cast sidelong glances at Wulf in his uniform.
"It still looks good on you," she manages to say, biting her lip and suppressing a bit of embarrassment. She leans her head back, summoning the courage for the next part.
"I've known that you've had interest in me," she sighs. "It was pretty obvious. And yes, it is mutual. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a pang of jealousy when I saw those young things idling around your farm. When you told me their story, how you rescued them, I was gladly reminded that you're not one of those soldiers who retires and becomes a dirty old man."
.....
At Jak'a'Napes, the party reunites and begins packing for the next day's journey.
With a full house to serve tonight, and eager to send off his new favorite customers in the best way possible, Jak Crimmy greases his best iron skillet and breaks out his emergency stash of cinnamon to make his famous flapjacks.
"Twice in one month! Folks'd think we were celebrating old Kreed's passing!" Crimmy roars jovially as he stirs a big bowl full of batter.
"By the gods, I knew it, and here I thought you were bashful cause I was a bit older than you!" he chuckles as she fidgets in his pocket and slightly sticks out his tongue as he then smiles.
"I know it's not what you deserve. You deserve so much more but here" he hands over the ring of elvish make he found and smiles."Thought it would look good on yer finger. that way when you look down at it you can think of me. And maybe just maybe if I make it through this when can talk about it more. Without a lot of these eyes."
"Ah, pancakes--something we don't really have in Qadira," says Kit, beaming. "Not like this. And with that syrup from maple trees--amazing!"
Kit grins at Freyja. "You'd think Vorshin would have noticed that we made new friends, not enemies. Here's to a journey together, asdiqa!"
He toasts with a mug.
Helgrim waves to the former bard turned flapjack chef.
"Aye there Crimmy. Its been a bit since we've been in I wanted to introduce you to a few new good ones. Also I think we need to make a Suryp of Life purchase for ol'Boggel here. Har har har."
He orders a large foaming flagon of suds and takes his spot at the bar. The dwarf looks about and makes sure there aren't any outsiders that can hear him.
"Look. I think you are a good sort so I need to tell you whats actually going on around here in case, well? In case you don't see us anytime soon."
Helgrim goes on to tell Jak what's going on in town.
" . . . So that's a lot to lay on you and a gamble in trust, but I am going to trust my gut on this one. There is a lot being left undone here. Lady Cirthana Gensar means well, but she is green. I don't want her or her followers to get hurt. I was keeping the houses with little ones in protein when I could, not much, but hopefully enough to see them through. What kinda'man keeps water and food from babies? Heh, let alone medicine that we gathered and donated!"
"Sorry Jak, letting things get away from me."
Helgrim lifts the large mug up and hides his face with it for moments taking a couple of drawn out swigs before lowering it.
"So Jak, I want you to know we aren't runnin from any of it here. I pledged to do what I could to see justice done. If I don't come back it wasn't because of my choice."
"Look I know you do a great job feeding some of the kids and I know that Kreed would make it his business if you did it more than once a week, but I'm gonna give you a little extra coin and maybe you can make some eggs for them every now and again."
The dwarf waits to gauge the human's reaction to his revelations.
A fleeting look of seriousness crosses Crimmy's face as he offers Helgrim a knowing wink.
"Aye, it'd be my pleasure," he says with severe sincerity before replanting his normal gregarious attitude, bounding his bulk away back towards the kitchen.
The innkeeper also admires your desire to help the town despite being a recent addition yourself. You read in his words and expression that you can definitely count on Jak as an ally.
She turns her eyes back to the sky to avoid meeting your own eyes, lest she betray her tough demeanor with a girlish blush.
Nevertheless, she accepts the ring with poorly disguised elation.
"Yes, without a lot of eyes," she parrots. "If Tabrik or Corin found out, I'd never hear the end of it. I'm not ready for that just yet...but I will be. I'll have to be. With all the bad going around this town, I'm not about to let the little bit of good get away."
"...are there people starving in this town, Helgrim?" Kit looks grim. "Sarenrae provides enough in these forests for all. That is unjust."
Boggel enjoys the inn food and conversation. Like his comrades, he, too, feels amazed at the amount of injustice present in this town.
"Good" he says smiling and then gives a laugh as he holds her hand and then breaks away.
"I need to head back into town to meet the others. Keep an eye on the place, and stay safe and alive for me okay" He says before spinning quickly and giving the woman a kiss.
"That should give me just a bit of courage" He says as he then begins to walk back to town with his gear his uniform still fitting him like it was brand new under his cloak as he knew he would have to represent who he was and what he had done for Andor. He would hate to retell his tale but in the end, it might get the Diamond Knights off there asses and willing to aid him.
Teasel looks at her food in response to Kit's question and says,"Yes... There are so many resources in the forest there is no reason for anyone to starve."
Freyja is quiet for a change, uninterested in singing or being social in this place. She eats lightly and seems ready to go check her gear and turn in.
"Agreed, Teasel. We wouldn't know what to do with all the water here in Qadira.
Er, that is, I'm from the hills, and we do have rivers, trees, even, ha. But much is dependent on careful watching of riverine cycles, and irrigation, in my land." Kit grimaces.
"There is a very quiet rumor that our land is a desert due to a slow disapproval from Sarenrae, blessed by Her light, of our slaving, decadent ways. I wonder about it myself. There's some nasty corruption here in this bit of Andoran, but at least it's eliminated slavery." He sighs. "It seems that neither nation lives up to its ideals, whether on paper or to a goddess."
Kit glances at Boggel. "Aren't you gripplis from the Sodden Lands? It's a long way from the Expanse."
The dwarf had his head down eating his food. Listening to the others talk as he thought about a great many things.
” . . . Greed. The answer is greed Teasel.”
He eats another bite.
”Greed and power.”
He wipes his face with a napkin and sets it down on the bar.
”And a lack of compassion and empathy for others. Above all though greed. Lust for something that gives power. Be it gold or gems delved deep or in this case, Darkwood.”
He reaches into his ample pocket and places a purse impossibly too big for the tab.
”Greed is so powerful it brought down all, but one of our kingdoms. It drives a gods children from him even if they know it is to their eternal ruin.”
He pushes it towards Jak.
”It takes a lot of will to fight it . . .”
He looks at his new friends.
”I am puttin a damper on it in here. I’ll step outside for some air.”
The night air refreshes Helgrim, although it sours slightly as he watches Vorshin's men stumble, limp, and shove their way down the dusty street towards the inn. They march inside, a few casting dirty looks at the dwarf calmly standing outside, then claim tables and chairs like conquerors, and demand dinner.
Paradoxically, their raucous attitude greatly dampens the moods of the others seeking an enjoyable night at the inn. Sighs of relief are shared when the drivers, porters, and guards drag themselves upstairs for the night. Their chorus of snores, however, leave the darkest hours of night less than quiet.
.....
In the morning, Ayda Vorshin uses her words like a hickory switch to get her men moving. She drives them like they drive their carts and animals, pushing down to the riverside to wait at the docks for the ferry.
Freyja is up early and in a brighter mood than the evening before. She loves to travel and is ready to be on the road. She eats a good breakfast and overpays for it and seems to have a smile for everyone. When the others are ready to depart they find her in the front yard packed and ready as well.
Teasel stares at the events going on very anxiously. She hadn't been expecting to leave the town so close to her arrival and despite not being a true dryad she still felt a close affinity to her forest. Staring at Freyja she says,"You seem so calm and happy. I'm starting to panic at the thought of never seeing my family or forest again."
"Which is your forest, Teasel? That grippli remains a mystery," says Kit, chuckling. "Where I'm from--Gurat, and I'll tell you that again, haha--we talk about ourselves. So much brooding mystery here in the North. Everyone seems to be an orphan."
Kit scans the docks, getting a feel for the local flavor of a working morning.
Well I do like to travel Teasel, and I am happy to put distance between us and the corruption here. I am sorry you are worried about getting farther from your home. I'll try my best to make sure we get you back later. Freyja commits.
Wulf managed to get to the tavern and slept in the common room, before he stood up in the morning and follows the men in the morning and begins to load alongside them.
As his companions get closure he breaks off form the men and grabs his shirt."Mornin' Friends"he utters as he puts back on his uniform and smiles.
"Caught up with the crew this morning and thought they could use a hand"
Boggel nods appreciatively at Kit's knowledge of his kind. "Many of my kind are from Garund, but there are other tribes scattered about. I'm..." His voice grows a bit more hesitant. "Originally from the Verduran forest. My travels have brought me here. I'm sure that I will end up wherever Ketephys wills me."
In the morning, Boggel looks much as he did the evening before. He doesn't seem to have much in possessions beyond what he carries with him. "Your shirt is very pleasing, Wulf." He leans over to Helgrim and whispers, "That is the right thing to say, yes?"
He looks quite seriously at Teasel and says, "You will see your forest again. This promise I will make you." I may never see mine again, but I will make sure you get to see yours.
Teasel kind of brightens a bit at everyone's response. She kind of awkwardly blurts out,"Well I'm from the forest that is kind is being cut down. Im know some of my kind are rightfully angry but I'm hoping a happy medium can found like I've heard has happened in Verduran. "
Upon hearing Kit's comment Teasel kind of shrugs. She says plainly,"I'll have you know I have a very happy family. Sure I was orphaned as a kid due to a plague but I was far too young to even remember let alone feel remorse for them. Its why I came to the town in the first place. To protect those that I call family."
Upon reflecting on what she said her face slowly starts to turn beet red from embarrassment due to not being this open with strangers. Trying to break the awkward moment she starts checking her equipment hoping for no more followups.
"Its a uniform Boggel, but its' okay I know you aren't too familiar with various clothing. Which is fine." He says with a smile and laugh as he looks to the others to show his medals and that it was durable.
He turns to the others the sword on his hip the combat quiver on his back holding his bow and arrows as well as his staff. The medals he had rested on his breast showing his valor in combat as well as one denoting wounds in combat. He even had the freedom campaign pin and smiled as he looked down on them.
" Let's help them get the goods set and then we can get on our way. We are more than passengers this time...Yes Crimmy told me of the deal, So I began working as soon as I came here" he says ready to set out, he had a lot more to fight for now.
A morning mist sits upon the river while you wait upon the dock with Vorshin. Her men and wagons wait upon the dusty road sloping down to the dock, lest the cumulative weight collapse the groaning timbers.
As you squint your eyes through the mist, searching for the ferry's approach, Sheriff Baleson walks down to see you off at the dock. He escorts the murderess Jalene Artem, her wrists bound in iron manacles and her feet bare.
"I had Daphne search her," he explains. "I didn't want to trust her with so much as an earring, in case she could use it to escape. We've left her a blouse and her britches, nothing more."
The sheriff looks to Wulf and offers him a nod of approval.
"The uniform still looks good on you, Wulf. Thank you for getting Jalene out of town. Once she's in the Diamond Company's custody, not only will her trial be fair, but they may convince her to share some useful evidence against Kreed."
Kit has barely begun to nod at Boggel's explanation when Teasel's description of her family mortifies him. "Oh, Teasel. Forgive me for my foolish, flippant words. I--" But she is already checking her supplies. I have a lot to learn, clearly. A camel could walk through my giant dumb mouth. Keep it closed occasionally, Qitaba.
"We should keep her below decks, so no one sees her," he says to the assembled group, still mindful of his words to Teasel.
He looks at Wulf's sword. "Are you expecting boarders, or repelling bandits from afar? I am not one for melee, but I do all right in bringing help from the celestial realms, and hitting something from afar with frost is a useful cantrip I know."
Freyja eyes Jalene with suspicion, looking her up and down.
Boggel nods to the sheriff as he drops off the prisoner. "She will be delivered to justice, sheriff. We will see to it."
Teasel hear's Kit's apology and feels guilty. At the dock she approaches him and says,"Im sorry about brushing you off earlier. Im just really nervous right now. Up until recently the town was the farthest I traveled out and even that kind of freaked me out."
The ferry slips across the River Foam, emerging from the morning mist. The pilot is a stooped man with a scruffy, graying beard that poles the flat-bottomed raft across the river's breadth. Two youths, both sharing a familial resemblance to the pilot, stand aboard the ferry. One with very broad shoulders spools out a length of hempen rope as they inch across the water's surface.
Once the raft bumps against the dock and a looped rope is secured to the pier, you are invited to board. Vorshin signals for the first of her wagons to roll down the dock and board the ferry. The other of the pilot's sons, one with many small pock-marks upon his face, climbs atop the dock, bringing the end of the long rope with him.
Once the first half of the caravan is aboard the raft, the broad-shouldered son grips the rope - now spanning the river - and puts his thick muscles into pulling along its length. Like a one-man game of tug-of-war, he helps to drag the raft back to the far side of the river as his father poles along the river bottom.
In two crossings, over the course of almost an hour, the entire caravan is deposited on the far side of the river.
However, the sheriff's assessment is accurate: Jalene is not hiding anything on her person. She has no tools, weapons, or even currency that might aid an escape. With her hands bound and her feet bare, trying to flee and fend for herself would be quite difficult. Likewise, nothing about her emits a magical aura.
Boggel thanks the ferry man and his sons. "A most efficient system," he says smiling.
”Keep yer eyes peeled. All of’ye. If there is to be an ambush or a betrayal I’d wager it’ll come here soon enough, or this evenin, or maybe tomorrow after we relax after nothin happens this evenin.”
He thinks a moment and sweeps his eyes over potential threats to his crew and himself.
”Eh. Better to just keep bein suspicious, it keeps you alive and unsurprised.”
”Wouldn’t have to be so damn suspicious if people didn’t keep provin me right all the time.”
Kit smiles at Teasel. "It is a natural thing, to feel uncomfortable in new surroundings. It means that you are alert. As long as your emotions do not control you, you should be fine." He nods to Helgrim. "Speaking of which..."
Kit takes a moment to detect magic, fluttering his hands and speaking in a rolling tongue, then concentrates. He looks almost angry as he casts his spell, scanning the area in front of them.
Wulf nods to Helgrims statement. He reaches down as they begin to go and puts his hand in the fresh earth on the other side of the river and smiles. He then pulls his hand way takes some water to wash it off, as well as a rag and begins to walk using his staff to partially lean on.
"The road is treacherous, I haven't left Falcons' Hallow for a good long while, but I do know many of the world is full of those wanting to get something outta you. However do not close yourself off form everyone. You never know who may be an ally or enemy in disguise" He says as he continues on his way.
”Hummm, good point. One of these newbies might be in disguise.”
The dwarf says seriously and in a low tone to Wulf.
Before breaking into a grin.
”Heh, just kidding. These guys aren’t in disguise, more like costume. Heh, heh, heh, we have a desert guy, a fey gal and one hot singin broad from the lands of ice. Heck. The three of us left from the original group are a pancake lovin’ frogman, a farmer knight and a dwarf engineer turned crusader, albeit with a nice beard.”
The dwarf slaps his knee.
”Heck we are a walk-in joke lookin for a bar to go into. Heh, heh heh.”
The dwarfs spirits seem to be up.
”It’s good to be back on the road and with good friends. Can’t wait for the first numb-nuts that try to mess with us.”
A dark thought passes through the dwarfs mind.
”At the same time though we need to get back before those damn gnomes or someone else steal my vault door.”
Vault door? Freyja asks.
" Why can't you bring it with you it's just a door?
"I don't think they were gnomes" He says as he keeps pace smiling caring little about the dangers and enjoying the freedom of the road again.
"The Vault is locked and in solid stone. It is hidden and of incredible interest to our fair Helgrim with the apparently golden beard. I assume the dwarven lasses love it" he says chuckling, his demeanor completely different.
”...is this some sort of portal? And ‘guy’; I thought that was an effigy?” says Kit, confused by the Taldane colloquial.
"I don't think your door is going anywhere. It is quite large and heavy."
No sooner has the last wagon wheel rolled off the ferry but Vorshin drives her caravan onto the road, spurring her men and animals with harsh words. The road itself is a dirty trail worn into the uneven grass of the Darkmoon Plain by wheels and feet just like these.
The mist clings to the river's edge, and your southward path quickly ventures into wide open, rolling land. Other than the sharp, rough hills on the east, hemming in the river's course as it leaves Falcon's Hollow, the rest of the terrain is lumpy plains dotted by countless old, moss-choked tree stumps.
Two or three miles into the journey, Vorshin interrupts the party's conversation by pointing to the west and offering her own interpretation of being a tour guide.
"See that stack of rocks over there?" she calls, pointing to a rocky outcropping a half mile away, upon the plains. Looking as she directs, you also notice old stone walls huddling around the rocks. "Around that lava plug, that's where you'll find the bones of Northsap, the logging town that came before Falcon's Hollow. They quarried stone from the lava plug to build their walls - walls that outlasted the town itself."
She pauses her own explanation to drop a sardonic laugh before continuing.
"All those roofless hovels? Now they only house squatters, kobolds, or the occasional ghoul pack. The Diamond Regiment only sends troops this far north to escort the darkwood. They leave those dangers to the mercenaries and adventurers they occasionally hire. Of course, I think it's been awhile since they've paid to clear the ruins. Who knows what's lurking over there, watching us right now?"
Vorshin laughs again, and most of her men join her. However, a few slide their hands nervously to their weapons, unnerved by their boss' stories.
"Seems reasonable, I mean why if you are a kobold or bandit or even one of the hard up to make your home in such a place, it is secure and well merchants and travelers come by for easy marks. I would assume n ambush is imminent, what say you Helgrim Bandits, kobolds or undead?" Wulf says with mirth but was firmly set in reality. The road he had ventured before was plagued with such things, and unlike war, these battles were trying to hit quickly and then leave, it would be fast and hard. Unlike the others he was still oddly calm, his hand not changing on his staff. his sword still rested on his side, despite its' fine features he would probably not draw it.
Freyja eyes the stones critically. If a threat is there they have a long way to run to get to us. Our best defense is to put distance between us and that place before we rest. She then adds This land was once wooded. It is quite short sighted of the logging company not to replant. A shame. It saddens me.
Boggel whispers to Helgrim. "Why does she attempt to scare her own men? Is that common behavior?" He does like how she points out landmarks, however. It is nice to know some of the history of this place. Though, I wonder about her accuracy?
Teasel just silently stares at the clear cut forest and kind of sighs in response to Freyja's comments..... She just mutters to herself,"Its not hard... Why..."
"Its more about profit than for respect for the land. They take no pride in what they do nor care if they hurt others in doing it. I mean they ran my parents off their land for less than what it was worth and me I bought land others scoffed at for less and turned it around to be one of the more successful farmers in Falcons' Hallow. Heck, I even make sure to still give an offering to the fey. I mean I know its not nessecarily the best practice to do so, but I hope they appreciate it. I mean they do watch the woods, and we are the invaders. Besides who doesn't want a few loafs of bread and some fresh jam and butter right. Also a nip of brandy never hurts either" He says laughing enjoying the walks.
"Boggel I think its more for our sake than theirs. I mean to her we are green, er inexperienced" He said correcting himself at the end unsure if Boggel would get the reference.
Teasel smiles at Wulf's comments. Its nice having someone treat people with respect. She says," You know we are kind of irrational in places. I know of fey who prefer old shoes as opposed to fresh jam and butter. Not myself though. I do prefer some strawberry jam."
Kit seems satisfied with his scans of the surroundings. "Just magic tidbits on Vorshin," he says, out of earshot of their fearsome caravan leader. "...ah, the clear cutting. You know, parts of Qadira that are desert now, were once forest, and marshland, even. We're trying to reforest in parts, once we realized that the wetlands we had remaining were full of qlippoth and the like."
He perks up at the mention of jam. "Strawberries! Yes, they grow up there, do they not? A rare treat for me. Where can we get some?" He peers out of the wagon. "They might grow around here untouched, since I doubt ghoul nor kobold eats them. Well, perhaps a kobold would..."
"True, Things would go missing for a few years in the beginning. I just shrugged it off and got new. I always believed the good fey around the woods was happy that I tried to take only what I needed and also gave back. It's hard though as a lot of the other farmers cut more wood than needed. However it's not how I was raised my father respected the wood, He knew of the faerie folk could even speak with 'em. I learned that from him, but been told my accent is atrocious" he chuckles as he pulls out his pipe and then places it in his mouth as he pulls out a bit of pipeweed, and place it in the bowl.
"Qui..erm...Quitaba, um sorry if I butchered your name"He says pausing to pull out a tindertwig and lighting it off his staff and then lighting the bowl.what in the Gods name is a qlippoth"
Freyja smiles up at Sir Wulf and responds in Sylvan. Bidh e math gu bheil cuideigin ann gus a ’chainnt-teanntachd a chleachdadh.
It will be good to have someone to practice the fey tongue with.
Teasel stands by idly listening to the conversation. "I wouldn't worry about your accent too much. I've been to the first world often enough to know that accents are pretty varied and changing. It's a fools errand to try and perfect such a thing. ," she says rather plainly.
"Kit is fine, Wulf,"[/b] says Qitaba with a grin. "What is a qlippoth? I've done the smallest bit of study on the subject. Some sort of original inhabitant of the Abyss, supposedly there when the proteans first opened up the Maelstrom to the Abyss, or vice versa. Terribly distracting to the proteans, and led to outright war, which then led to an increase in order to the spheres. They seek to kill, in no particular order, evil people, good people, demons, and anyone who trucks with demons. However, I'm afraid, my grasp of knowledge on qlippoth is somewhat limited," he explains apologetically.
He arches his eyebrow at the exchange in Sylvan.
tá sé seo suimiúil
"Well now, you've been to the First World? Fascinating!"