Nothing registered to Bein, only how the creatures craven emotions and its remorseless belief's brought a rage out of him. His previous regrets were gone, his oaths wavered and he took one dangerous step forward. "Silence! You gutless true-being! Stand Up, quit your begging because I will have none of it." He drew his sword his intents unclear and yet he stood his ground. "Your cries do not twist me, you spoke of how we don't matter, we are not true-people like you. Your big spirit will devour us, it's proof of your savagery and that we kill or be killed." He points the blade at the creatures face. "I had spared you out of mercy and now I realize that was a grave mistake. My oaths were wasted on one who doesn't even know the meaning of the word."
He didn't let up as he lunged forward and drove the blade into the the stump narrowly missing the creatures frail shoulder. "You beg for mercy, you beg to live and how many begged when they were your captives?"
He grabs it by the scruff of its neck, lifting it to the point its bonds pulled its arms towards the earth. Restraining it so that all it could do was look the cavalier in the eyes as its joints cracked from the strain of its bonds. His eyes were cold and unfeeling as he stared the smaller creature in the face and shouted. "So tell me why you should be spared?! GIVE ME A REASON WHEN YOU SHOW NO REMORSE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"
He could only see a future where children were taken by these creatures, sacrificed and murdered for no reason. To some unknown and mythical god and he would have none of it. If they could not find peace with them, then then he would stop them by any means necessary.
Just incoherent wailing
Xarafine was crying, Finnabar standing firm, and Bein was losing his reserve to rage. Jack jumped up, straightened, at the cavalier's reaction.
"Enough. We kill it," he looked at Finn and Bein at saying this, then looked at Xarafine, "or we let it go. But we must choose now, or we just torment it, torture it--and become what we are condemning."
"Bein, let it down. This is my responsibility and only I will have to answer our commandeers and the gods."
Balancing on his good leg, Finnabar reaches for his axe.
"May the gods find a use for this soul.", he murmurs. And in a single blow, beheads the creature.
As the body falls to the ground, Finnabar breathes deeply. "We ride in a hour, everyone get ready to move. I will bury it."
Xarafine wipes away the tears, and flushes with embarrassment at her behavior.
Without a word, she mounts and awaits the order to move out.
Jack's words didn't phase Bein, he knew he'd never mercilessly torture a creature. He'd never find that cruel twisted enjoyment that depraved egocentric creatures had, not like his brother and never like this savage. Finn's command broke through his focused assault and he set the creature down before retrieving his sword. His aim had not been to harm it but to jolt some reason from it and when it had none he knew that hope was lost for it. What a waste. He looked down at it as he sheathed his sword, his voice was flat but respectful as he left the creature to its useless wailing, he'd have no more of its farce. "May you learn mercy, may it bring you peace and understanding."
He turned away from it and looked to Finnabar. "You never face this alone Milord and it was a mistake I brought it here, I won't make the mistake again." He nodded to him, his hand methodically rubbing the ball of his hilt as he kept himself from meting out the judgement himself.
As Finn went to perform his work he stepped up to Xarafine, the look on her face said it all and he had hoped desperately that if anyone could have spoke to the creature it would have been her. His words were sincere. "May you never change Teacher."
He walked towards Arundel who stood rigidly awaiting the command to charge, Bein's mood had affected the destrier in an unexpected way and with a short whistle the destrier straightened. Once more look annoying and impatient as Bein climbed into the saddle, ready to travel on.
Jack moved to help Finnabar bury the birdling, grabbing a shovel from their supplies and starting to dig a shallow grave. If Finnabar tried to stop him, a silent stare informed him he was rather set on his participation.
After they finished, he readied his horse and his gear as quickly as possible--double checking for the cartography tools, as he was learning to do frequently--and mounted his horse.
Finnabar accepts Jack help without aword and once they are all ready to ride, he limps to his horse and clambers onto it.
Looking at his companions, he nods gravely. "This was a tough decision and we will have to make more of the same in the near future. For now, we need to clear the nest of these creatures then move on to the bandit's one."
"We may need to return to Oleg's for supplies. Climbing gear...extra arrows...something to burn or smoke them out would be of great value," Xarafine says softly.
What's the plan - Back to the birdlings or back to Oleg's?
Bein nods at Finnabar's words. Despite knowing full well that they're was no chivalry in wholesale slaughter. The birdlings gave them little choice but to bring their abilities to bear and crush them under the full weight of Restov's authority if they wanted to have any hope at succeeding in taming this lawless land. He checked his gear and shrugged. "I have enough gear to finish this, more then likely they will continue with a ground battle. Close quarters in their warren of tunnels. I will follow whatever you decide is our best course and if needed I can remain here and keep watch until your return."
Arundel rolled his head, and gave a small jostle before Bein settled the impatient Destrier.
"While resupplying would be wise, I'm afraid they will prey upon others if we are gone too long. If Bein feels we've got what we need, I'd say we should just move out. Burning them out would be good, as long as we don't trap ourselves in the process. I wonder if their cave has only the one entrance, or if they have an escape tunnel?"
Jack shrugged. "On the other hand, our only guide is gone. And that reminds us we have another problem--we do not know what Mikmek is up to. He could be running away... or leading his people into war himself."
Bein grimaces and then shakes his head. "It seems to me that Mikmek is just a lowly footsoldier, no one of import or else we wouldn't have been alone in the initial strike. If his people come we deal with them then. For now we just focus on the Birdling's and I agree with you on that Jack if they are left alone they may harm others." Children...
He thinks for a moment before adding. "I'd expect that they would have another means of exiting their warren. So burning them out may not be as effective as we hope. Besides those tunnels are awefully deep and they may have places where the smoke won't reach. Perhaps I can scout around this area while you get more supplies. I can keep an eye on their movements and Mikmek's people as well, if it gets too interesting I can pull out and return to Oleg's, in the mean time I can also ward people away from here if supplies are a must."
Bein grimaces and then shakes his head. "It seems to me that Mikmek is just a lowly footsoldier, no one of import or else we wouldn't have been alone in the initial strike. If his people come we deal with them then. For now we just focus on the Birdling's and I agree with you on that Jack if they are left alone they may harm others." Children...
He thinks for a moment before adding. "I'd expect that they would have another means of exiting their warren. So burning them out may not be as effective as we hope. Besides those tunnels are awefully deep and they may have places where the smoke won't reach. Perhaps I can scout around this area while you get more supplies. I can keep an eye on their movements and Mikmek's people as well, if it gets too interesting I can pull out and return to Oleg's, in the mean time I can also ward people away from here if supplies are a must."
Finnabar listen to everyone before coming out of his dark mood. "Cousin, the wise thing would be to go back to Oleg's and gather more supplies. But I fear these creatures indeed have a back way out and smoking them out will not work. I think we should go back straight and deal with them right now, before they have too much time to reorganize themselves."
Xarafine nods. "As you say, Captain."
After carefully burying the birdling's small body you pack up the camp and begin traveling back to the cave complex in the hot day. Night comes before you make it back to the tree and you set camp. The darkness passes uneventfully and the next day (The 21st of Pharast) dawns even hotter than the day before, and you break camp early to avoid the heat of the mid-day sun.
Eventually the tree comes into view in the distance and you make your way carefully towards it. As you approach the entrance it is clear that there are a number of tracks around the entrance....
Finnabar drops from his mount and tries to help Jack reading the tracks
Thanks to Finnabar's pointing out a pattern closer to the cave itself, Jack figures out the gait of the creatures and makes a guess as to how many were in the group that left the tracks.
"Seven or so... maybe more. Birdlings, leaving the cave, heading west."
"I am a bit turned around. Is there anything west of here? Which direction is Oleg and Lana's post?"
"Eventually west, but a few days' travel--longer on smaller legs. I would worry less about Oleg and more about the kald camps between here and there."
"Perhaps we should clear and destroy the lair before pursuing the raiding party. They would then have no safe haven; the raiders would be in the open, exposed, and easier to engage."
"The lair could take far too much time, if we allow this warband to roam others could be endangered besides the Kald's. Besides the trail is still warm and we can deal a blow to them in the open field rather then in yonder hole. The last thing we need is this warband returning while we are attempting to rout this lair." Bein remained mounted, lance at the ready, pennant fluttering in the wind, while Arundel looked impatient as always. Whinying slightly and tossing his head before Bein reined him in.
The birdling lair is in Hex 30. The tracks lead west-southwest towards Hex 24. (Jack's awesome map is linked to in the Campaign info tab).
The tracks were made about 18 hours ago - dusk yesterday.
"You've got a point, sir knight. We're faster than them when we are mounted and we'll fight better in the open. Let's make haste." says Finnabar, swinging back on his mount.
"They left almost a day ago--probably not long after we retreated. I don't know what our chances are catching up with them. Are you sure you want to abandon the first plan so quickly?"
Jack holds tight to his reins, ready to follow the party whichever direction they take.
At Jack remark, Finnabar stops in his tracks. "What you say makes sense but Bein has also a point. If the whole tribe is gone, our stop here will be quick. If there are split and come back, it's better if they do not catch us unaware. Maybe we could use the bear traps we recovered from the dead hunter and place them at the entrance of the lair so that they catch anyone trying to sneak up on us will be caught. What do you think?"
Bein grimaces, thinking of their horses and mules for once.
Xarafine considers the various suggestions, including her own, trying to weigh all the available information. After a long moment, she says, "After reconsideration, I believe the more efficient course would be to pursue those heading west and deal with them quickly, then return to the lair and clear it out. This would preclude the possibility of the band returning to strike us from behind, when we may be weakened from fighting. Also, it would allow us to picket our mounts with relative assurance that the creatures won't return and slaughter them while we are below."
She turns to look at her cousin. "What are your orders, Captain?"
Bein nods at the Teacher's refined counsel, he hadn't mean't to speak out of turn but they had survived one pincer and he didn't relish another brush with superior numbers. He remained quiet then, waiting calmly as they're leaders discussed their next move forward.
"As often, when all is said, I find your council wise, Teacher. I've listened to all of your arguments"[b], he adds, nodding in turn to Jack and Bein. [b]"We'll go west first then come back here to finish the work. We'll ride two by two with Bein and Jack up front."
"Aye, Milord." With a nod to Finnabar he falls in line with Jack. "If anyone can find them its you Jack. I place my trust and lance in your hands." Bein places his lance in its cradle and sits astride Arundel ready to ride out and find this warband and put them down if they needed to.
"We will have to move quickly, so I will trust you, Bein, to make sure we do not stress our mounts. While they may be on foot and we a-horse, they likely know the terrain better than we."
Jack reins his horse and sets off west, in the directions the tracks go.
bump
You follow the tracks to the west, occasionally having to stop to check that you're following the right route. As you head west, the land slopes gradually downwards and you enter a region of strange artificial-seeming rounded mounds. As night falls you find a small stream which runs quick and clean in the lee of a strange black-stone obelisk which towers over 30 ft above the ground, sitting in the center of the stream itself which winds southward between the strange mounds.
Bein eyed the tall black stone obelisk. "Shall we investigate milord or make camp?" He was uneasy of the structure but a fresh stream was what their mounts and themselves would need to make a decent camp and hydrate themselves. Dehydration would weaken all of them and so he was willing to risk whatever lie within the tower...
Finnabar stretches, weary for the long journey.
"First we stop and water the horses. Then we have a look at this structure. If it looks safe, we'll camp here."
Turning to Jack he adds. [b]"Tell me, Jack, do you think we've gained on them?"[b]
Jack examines the tracks, to determine their freshness.
"I wonder where the birdlings themselves camped. They were on foot and had to have stopped at some point." His gaze follows the direction in which they lead.
Bein dismounts and moves to do as Finnabar commanded, watering the horses would be a simple task and after their long ride they wouldn't need much coaxing either. He didn't interrupt the discussion between their expert scout and his lordship, he had a mixed feeling about the tower but he was ready to do what was asked of him. Duty demanded it.
Xarafine dismounts and moves towards the obelisk.
She calls upon the power of the Nine (), and looks for any unusual auras
The obelisk has no entrance and seems to merely be a single, solid piece of black rock. The birdlings' tracks continue onwards in between the mounds - they don't seem to have stopped moving at any point, but you do seem to be catching up. They are approximately 10 hours old.
"We need to rest and I don't really want to catch them during the night. They will need rest as well, so we should not loose too much time on them. So my proposition is to find a place to stop around here and start at first light. What do you think?"
"As you say, Captain. We cannot fight them if we are too exhausted to swing our weapons."
"The tracks are about 10 hours old or so. They have not stopped at all and show no sign of stopping. I'd assume that means they are determined to get somewhere."
Jack looks up at the obelisk looming over them. "If we must stop, I'd prefer a place a little less... eye-catching. Further along the stream at least."
"Even if they don't want to stop, they'll have to at some point or they'll drop from exhaustion. But you are right about camping here, I was not suggesting right here. Let's move along the trail untill we find somewhere easier to defend."
You continue further on between the mounds, following the birdlings' tracks as best you can in the half-light. Fortunately, Jack's keen eyes are able to locate the signs of their passing even as the sun passes below the ridge of the mound above you. After only a few hundred yards the tracks veer towards one of the mounds, climbing up its edge.
The tracks seem to lead to a small entrance half way up the mound.
Perception:
"Jack, is that a cave mouth where the tracks end?" Xarafine whispers to the scout.