Lio speaks very quietly, some distance away from the others, with Kalimac.
Lio sighs. "Ah ken 'er 'ntens'on's ahr goode, baught, sh' dunna use 'er bra'n ne'rly 'nough an' 'er akt'ons kould 'ave put ott'rs aht r'sk. 'at sh' dunna sea 'at, baffl's meh." Lio is trying to give Myri the benefit of the doubt, since the caravan wasn't attacked while Myri was up most nights, working on her projects, but it doesn't change the way she feels. That Myri's actions led to ill people working, while someone who wasn't ill could have worked, really seems to bother Lio.
Kalimac takes a moment before replying. "I don't know what Myri's story is, but the sort of single-mindedness she's shown in this makes me think she's running from something. Or chasing something. Something she needs, maybe?" Kalimac looks hopefully at Lio, since Lio has obviously known Myriana for longer.
Alaric looks indecisive. A glance to the fire, a look to the girl...
Finally: "I'll be over there, but if you need me," pause, smile, "just play our song."
He gives her one last wistful look, and tromps back to the fire.
He chuckles. "Not quite what I meant, but thank you for saying it. And before you say anything else, I know you mean it." His eyes are clear, lingering more on the parts of Mel still covered. The poor man is pinioned to the spot.
** spoiler omitted **
Lio is still standing next to Kalimac, some distance from the rest of the party. They are speaking quietly.
"You're evil," are the only words he gets out before picking her up and crushing her to his lips.
Sandru, in response to Rhost, says, ”Going back made her … collapse, and she still gets worse even when we stand still. I’d say that whatever is going on with her has its source in Brinewall, and the quicker we get there and deal with it, the better.”
Rhost nods, once. "I will be ready."
"This is for the one I am absolutely sure I will miss regardless of how we part ways. I am glad I was raised first in the wilds and then came upon what you produce…and not the other way around." Rhost: Emblem: Salt and pepper shakers
Rhost takes the medallion, cupping it in one hand so it nearly disappears, and runs his fingers back and forth over the carved surface. He opens his mouth, and closes it again.
Alaric pursues, never losing contact with either mouth or hands. There's something in his touch, an insistence, a passion that was not absent before, but has certainly been inflamed. "Don't think about your family right now." He seems quite set on making any sort of thinking nearly impossible.
Rhost takes the medallion, cupping it in one hand so it nearly disappears, and runs his fingers back and forth over the carved surface. He opens his mouth, and closes it again.
perception:
sense motive:Myriana smiles at him nicely before continuing on with her program.
Kalimac is still standing next to Lio, some distance from the rest of the party. They are speaking quietly.
Lio considers Kalimac's question carefully. Because he and Attatoq are pack, she decides she can tell him her thoughts. "Ah've meht 'er adopt'v fameleh, an' theie ahr 'e kainde of wond'rful peaple ye r'ds abo't en books. I knou 'er bearth parn't daied w'en shei wuz bot ah 'nfant... So may'aps s'e ken 'at s'es got som'ing ta prov' ...bot ah kan t'll ye 'at dinna us'd ta akte laike 'is. O'er 'e lahst monthe she'as chang'd. Ah'v bean tolde teanag'd humahns go thru th's." She looks at Kalimac, wondering if he knows more about what this curious emotional affliction that affects teenaged humans could be. And most importantly, what could be done about it.
"Wait, how old is she?" He looks over at Myri, trying to judge her age, keeping in mind Lio just called her a teenager. "Sixteen or so?"
Kalimac sighs. He never expected to be having this discussion with an elf at any time in his life. This was never covered in the Advanced Tactics curriculum. "Yes. This kind of emotional tumult is normal for humans of her age. Halflings go through it too. Not much to do but wait it out. She'll out-grow it."
He soberly takes another look at Myri, as exhausted as she is. "If she doesn't get herself killed first, that is."
Rhost stretches his legs, and heads off into the woods. He is looking specifically for Myriana, although given his typical degree of Stealth, he would be easy enough to avoid.
After tramping around for a bitin the wilderness, Rhost remembers that not everyone can see in the dark.
He heads back to the caravan. Perhaps tomorrow night.
** spoiler omitted **
Red-rimmed eyes and a sallow complexion say this man is ill. In his better days, he might cut a more imposing figure, wrapped as he is in chainmail and carrying a morningstar. An experienced warrior would note that neither sits too easily on him. He has the bronze skin, brown hair and green eyes of Galt, matched with a demeanor that friends would call confident and enemies arrogant. He nods to the newcomer, offering a smile made queasy with recent sickness. "Alaric Graff. Well met."
After giving Alaric a once over Tollin extends his hand, Tollin Elere, are you alright?
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Almost as if they were waiting for the cue of "wolf," a halfling appears from one of the wagons. Like Alaric, he appears to be fighting off some illness. Unlike Alaric, he bears himself as a warrior, and his scale mail armor seems to fit him like comfortable, familiar clothes.
Standing beside him is a large, grey wolf.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kalimac, and this is Attatoq." Kalimac steps forward to offer his hand in greeting.
On seeing a wolf moving toward him Tollin's hands move toward his coat but then pause as he notices that those around him aren't reacting to the wolfs presence. The wolf does seem to continue distracting him as he studies the halfling in front of him. Eventualy he holds out his hand, Good to meet you. Ummmmmm that is a wolf isn't it?
"Hey Tollin! Long time no-see." Myriana, whom Tollin has seen with Shalelu on several occasions and knows her as Shalelu's little-sister
"What brings you up here? I thought Shae was expecting someone from Crying Leaf, not... ...but look at you, you look really good."
Myri, who had stopped short for an instant to admire Tollin takes a step into him and gives him a big hug (if he allows it). Then steps back and admires him (fairly openly).
Turning towards Myriana yet still distracted by the wolf Tollin has a look of slight confusion on his face, I'm sorry, I don't think we've actually met, I'm guessing your Myriana, Shalelu's little sister. I've heard a lot about you though. Nice to put a face to the name and stories.
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As the large man extends his hand the smile vanishes from Tollin's face and it goes blank and his eyes harden slightly. He seems to stare into Rhost's face as if he is trying to mach it up with a list in his head. After the span of a few heartbeats Tollin shakes Rhost's hand with a firm grip and a nod of his head. Tollin Elere.After some time, perhaps while on a tour of the Caravan with Myriana, Tollin will see a dark-complected man with raven black hair approaching from the direction the Caravan has already been.
Clad in black-and-brown leather armor but no headgear, and wearing a black cestus with brass spines on his left hand but no other apparent weaponry, the lithe but modestly built man is carrying a small, fragrant sack in his right hand as he approaches the moving wagons. He has clearly been moving through the surrounding woods and plains, with odd plant stains and dirt patches on his armor.
Seeing a newcomer being trusted by Shalelu and Myriana, the man approaches confidently. He has a trim goatee, a necklace of pearls and assorted larger orbs, and as he draws closer, his dark skin is more clearly identifiable as being of Vudrani descent rather than Garundi. Coming closer, he moves his hands together in a gesture of respect, nods politely, and smiles.
His smile is like a series of blinding white stars coming out from behind nighttime clouds. The contrast with his dark skin is stark. His upper left canine is a gold tooth, but all the others are spotlessly clean, radiantly white, and polished to a liquid glow.
"Shahid Hrithik Ranbhir. Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir."
After examining Hrithik as he approaches Tollin duplicates the bow, Knowledge local . Tollin Elere, greetings to you and your house.
On seeing a wolf moving toward him Tollin's hands move toward his coat but then pause as he notices that those around him aren't reacting to the wolfs presence. The wolf does seem to continue distracting him as he studies the halfling in front of him. Eventualy he holds out his hand, Good to meet you. Ummmmmm that is a wolf isn't it?
Although apparently ill, the halfling breaks into a wide smile at Tollin's reaction to the wolf. "Indeed. That is a wolf. Attatoq, this is Tollin. Tollin, this is Attatoq, my mount."
Turning towards Myriana yet still distracted by the wolf Tollin has a look of slight confusion on his face, I'm sorry, I don't think we've actually met, I'm guessing your Myriana, Shalelu's little sister. I've heard a lot about you though. Nice to put a face to the name and stories.
Myriana releases Tollin and backs away a couple steps, in obvious confusion "Oh...I...I'm s..sorry, I th..thought. I...", she catches herself, stops looks squarely into his face though the happy beaming light seems to have dimmed considerably. "I'm sorry. It was my mistake. I...it is good to meet you as well." She blushes and looks down at her feet while taking another step back, then shoots a look at Shalelu as if to say, "Am I going crazy? I really thought I knew him."
After giving Alaric a once over Tollin extends his hand, Tollin Elere, are you alright?
"Why does everyone keep *hack koff* asking me that?" The question appears rhetorical, because after the introduction, Alaric wanders off, presumably to be totally fine elsewhere.
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"We can always add the gold in at a later time."
"It has been some time since I last wove [...] I was taught to weave by a blind woman named Lora, around 30 years ago. In the Oriat district of Kaer Maga. I had been bought by a money lender, for whom I transcribed debts into ledgers, because he was addicted to opiates, and could not be bothered to do such work himself. He was an alright sort, since he was out of his mind most of the time. But then he got into heavier drugs [...] Luckily he didn't live long [...] You have clever hands." She mentions, after she shows him how to use the shuttle, and he doesn't seem to need any further clarification.
Hrithik nods at the compliment, but does not interrupt Liothonae's focus.
She threads it (with black thread attached to it) over and under and over and under the strings, until she gets halfway down the length of the frame, after which she hands it to him to complete, and loop back around. If anything needs adjusting, she very gently, and without ever touching Hrithik, corrects the flaw, no matter how minor.
Hrithik makes every "smart student" mistake there is to make, extrapolating what he knows to new circumstance, but often doing something sub-optimal, as he does not have any insights or tricks that come from hard-won experience. He accepts correction easily. He never repeats the same error.
Some time into the work, Hrithik says, [b]"Thank you for the compliment, earlier. Mistress always praised us, sincerely, for quick work. "Quick hands mean quick minds," she would say."
As the work continues, and the skill of the final project is slowly coming into view, Hrithik will say, "When Master Sandru can spare the time, you should find a day and do this for yourself. You are very skilled at the Craft." After a pause, he adds, "If you would like, I know a formula, crafter's fortune, that I should be able to share with you one way or another, that helps with insight during the Craft process."
After examining Hrithik as he approaches Tollin duplicates the bow, Knowledge local 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20. Tollin Elere, greetings to you and your house.
Hrithik smiles at the polite response. "My old house is no longer mine. This house is not mine yet. But thank you for the greeting. I look forward to traveling with you."
Mel perception ; *note DC 9
Whilst engaged in activities that should be done behind locked doors for a reason, Alaric hears the heavy tread of someone moving towards the pair.
Rhost hears something odd on his way back to the caravan, and stops to listen. Is it something that he needs to worry about?
"Somebody's coming!" Alaric hisses. "No, I mean someone's approaching," he clarifies.
This is followed by the sounds of... disengagement, buckles and cloth.
the sounds of... disengagement, buckles and cloth.
Rhost recognizes those noises, and suddenly realizes what the noise was that he heard before. He starts to circle around toward the caravan, away from the ... otherwise occupied.
Myriana releases Tollin and backs away a couple steps, in obvious confusion "Oh...I...I'm s..sorry, I th..thought. I...", she catches herself, stops looks squarely into his face though the happy beaming light seems to have dimmed considerably. "I'm sorry. It was my mistake. I...it is good to meet you as well." She blushes and looks down at her feet while taking another step back, then shoots a look at Shalelu as if to say, "Am I going crazy? I really thought I knew him."
Shalelu is, as she often is, inscrutable.
Alaric keeps a hand on Mel, head cocked, hand on his pants. "He's leaving, oh thank goodness." Alaric turns back to his paramour. "Please tell me you're still in the mood."
"I would like the three of us to have a talk," she says.
At the door she pauses, I do really like him. And, I am going to try my hardest to not hurt him. And she ducks through the exit.
Alaric looks surprised. "You honestly think I would do anything that would cause you to get dressed unless it was absolutely necessary?"
Thirteen days after the start of your journey, and hundreds of miles away from your point of origin, the end of your journey may finally be in reach. The track grows more and more overgrown as you pass into areas shunned by most people.
There are no settlements, as the area is close to the dangerous Nolands, an area inhabited mostly by the descendants of Ulfen raiders banished from the Land of the Linnorn Kings for terrible crimes. Brinewall once stood protectively at the river border between the Nolands and the rest of Varisia – a function now served only by wilderness.
Sandru says the Caravan is likely to arrive at Brinewall sometime this day – or at least, get as close to Brinewall as it can. The spur road to Brinewall is probably even more overgrown than this little-used trading track, and it is possible that it will be passable only on foot.
Ameiko’s condition continues to decline.
At some point in the early hours of the morning, as Melinda is just returning from her scouting rounds, Reta walks up to her and kicks her in the shin.
To hit:
Nonlethal damage if it hits:
At some point in the early hours of the morning, as Melinda is just returning from her scouting rounds, Reta walks up to her and kicks her in the shin.
Owww. Looking at Reta, Għodwa t-tajba li inti wisq. Liema kienet li għall? sounding confused.
Alaric lifts Mel back up, speaking into her neck. "I heard Rhost. I also heard Rhost leave as soon as he realized what he was hearing."
As Reta kicks Mel, Alaric rushes forward, concerned rather than mad. "Reta! What are you doing? And you don't speak Taldane... right."
Over the last few days Tollin has stayed rather quite. He spends his days helping out with the caravan, driving a cart, mending (the non-magical way) any damage done, and watching all the people he just met interact. During the meeting he stayed toward the back of the group listen to comments but not making his own. He's never rude to anyone he just seems to keep his distance. The only person that he appears to be comfortable around is Shalelu. with her he makes talks openly, smiles, and even jokes around. As the days pass he does seem to be growing more comfortable with everyone, except Attatoq, he still seems a bit weirded out by the fact that there is a wolf just...well around.
Everyone would have noticed that once a day he takes two strange devices out of his coat and carefully performs maintenance on them. The items look similar to a hand crossbow without the bow.
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"Missier tiegħi kien jinjora lili," Reta says to Melinda, sounding miffed. "Nista 'biss wieħed jassumi li dan huwa minħabba li hu kien wisq li jagħmlu atti sesswali miegħek li tingħata attenzjoni għall lili issa li inti għandek lilu ma tiegħek, kif xieraq ħażen kważi."
"I know!" He laughs. "Of course, if this was the only chance of seeing you naked, I might do the same thing. I'm just a little luckier than he is."