Impetuous girl Paetyr thinks as he runs after his sister with his sword in hand.
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As the group moves back through the small village to the area where the bonfires were left burning, you come across the body of a dead guard...his throat ripped out.
By the bonfires, you notice the flames have somehow leapt to one of the surrounding buildings, even thought it would be some 20 to 30' away. The building is burning merrily, while 2 others seems to be smoldering.
The other obvious sight is that of the bodies...they are both missing.
Brigid swears colorfully in her northern language. Bow out, arrow nocked, she looks around for something to shoot.
If the remaining villagers haven't yet begun a bucket brigade, she shouts to the nearest crowd. "Qvickly! Get that fire out!"
If she spots no obvious threats, she starts moving toward the stables to check on the horses.
Skidding to a halt as the fires came into view, Svetlana scanned the scene before glancing back at her brother, who was working hard to get a head of her. Hey Paetyr, watch this, I've learned a few tricks since I left home. Here's a little one! Taking a deep breath to draw the power of her goddess, the priestess focused on the revenge that comes from thwarting the plans of one's enemies. Her hands raised, suddenly gallons of water drenched the burning buildings in rapid succession.
Brigid hurriedly throws a saddle on Zelter and is soon riding around the village, checking guard posts.
Paetyr watches his sisters performance with admiration and draws his bow as he stands guard over her.
Koren arrives in time to see the others conversing with Inger and looks at the mount of hairy flesh in disgust. He watches the conversation and raises an eyebrow as Brigid mentions the misdirection. Good instincts on this one. I'll have to be careful around her. He watches, impressed, as the group reacts rapidly and efficiently to the crisis.
After the others move off Koren steps up to inspect the dead creature. He mumbles a few words and his eyes glow faintly as the auras of magic in the vicinity become visible to his sight. A decoy for sure, but sometimes the nature of the distraction can give clues about the distractor.
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As she rides about the town, Brigid can hear a commotion coming from a patch of trees just south of the guard hut on the road leading back east to Brevoy. It sounds like some sort of struggle, and as you watch, odd colours and smells start to drift from the bushes. The guards are not visible at their post.
@Koren: You venture towards the huge hairy lump. As you get a better view you recognize this as some huge wolf-like creature. The smell is terrible, like it has been dead for weeks. Many tears can be seen in the body, but you also notice a couple of holes that could have been made only by an arrow or bolt.
A very faint trace of alteration magic can be discerned, but it is not from the corpse, but rather something perhaps that was near the body.
As you continue to examine the body, you hear a low growl coming from the edge of the torchlight. As you watch, a smaller hairy creature steps into the light, then moes from being on 4 feet, to standing as a man. Again this is a wolf-like creature.
@Svetlana: The fires are almost out. The one home is nothing but a burned-out shell, but you did manage to stop the fire from spreading. Both 'Lana and Oleg come and congratulate you on your quick thinking.
Koren rises from his inspection as the creature moves from the shadows. When it rises to stand on it's hind legs, the blood drains from his face and a weak smile chances upon his lips. After a short pause a strangled word emerges from his throat. "...Help?"
The other obvious sight is that of the bodies...they are both missing.
Brigid stands in her saddle and peers into the bushes while nocking an arrow. "You there!" she shouts, trying to decide how upset she will be if it turns out to be an amorous couple.
Sting?
"Vhat creature? Get out of there! Show yourself!" Brigid orders, drawing the bowstring back to her ear. Her nerves are raw and she is ready to do violence.
Paetyr stands watch over his sister as she puts out the fires with her magic. Impressive, Paetyr thinks as he stands alert for danger.
Koren's hand reaches into his vest and pulls out a handful of ground mica. Muttering under his breath he holds his fist up to his mouth and blows hard. A glistening cloud of crystalline powder swooshes out to cover the creature and the tiny shards start to imbed themselves in it's eyes.
Without waiting to see his spell's effects Koren turns and runs to the corner of a nearby house before looking back to make sure anyone else that was around has fled.
Svetlana brushed off the praise from Lana and Oleg, You are both too kind, this is a simple magic. But we must find who did this. The body by the main gate and a fire with it; this is most certainly a planned assault. One that will be answered. The priestess stopped concentrating on the torrent of water, letting the townsfolk who were assisting to put out the last remnant of the fire. As she did so she heard Brigid's voice, sharp and raw. Glancing over at her brother she said, did you hear that? Come, let's see what she has found! Svetlana grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him along as she darted in Brigid's direction.
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@Brigid: The noise stops suddenly and a female voice, sounding like a young girl, whispers loudly.\
"Do you think they are still out there? Maybe we should take our prisoner and show Oleg and 'Lana?"
The male voice begins to say something, then suddenly is silent. The in a much quieter voice you hear.
"Oh bugger! This is a guard....."
A few seconds later a reptilian head with iridescent scales pokes out of the foliage with a distinctly chagrin look on its face.
"Umm..we surrender? Oh wait, don't I know you? Hey Tyg, is that not one of the humans from the spring? Sorry..do not remember your name."
@ Koren:
The creature lets out a soul-rending howl, and scrapes and rubs at its eyes. It disappears off into the darkness once again, but you can hear it struggling through the undergrowth.
ALL- Everyone hears a terrifying howl coming from back where the big furry corpse is located.
Brigid sits back down in her saddle and relaxes her bow one more time, a bewildered look on her face. But it soon changes to a look of relief.
"Vell met, friend ævintýri. Vhat have you caught?"
Her head snaps up at the sound of the howl and she looks at them urgently. "I must go; danger is still about this night. I vill return soon."
Unless the fae show they need further help, she spurs Zelter to ride quickly to the sound of the howl.
Paetyr heads off hand in hand with his sister when a terrifying howl is heard in the other direction. Holding onto his sisters hand tighter he pulls her in that direction, "This way, quickly."
Huh, I wasn't sure that would actually work. As the beast turns to flee Koren steps out from around the corner and attempts to keep the creature in sight. His pallid smile grows more sure and his back straightens as he strides forward in pursuit.
His hand darts into his pants pocket and pulls out a small tuft of wool which he places under his tongue. He then raises his voice in a confident shout which, impossibly, rings out in a sound louder than a score of men could produce together, HARK! I'VE CORNERED ANOTHER BEAST BUT IT FLEES BEFORE MY MIGHTY MAGICS. HASTEN, WORTHY HEROES AND HELP ME CHASE IT DOWN!
Owww! Hey! Don't pull! Svetlana's whine to her brother fully ignored the fact that she had pulled him along more than once since he appeared in Olegston. The priestess didn't resist though, and as she ran along with Paetyr towards the booming shout she caught a glimpse of Brigid riding by in the same direction. Well, at least we seem to be focused on the same concerns
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As the group come together at the edge of the village, by the hairy bulk, in the distance they can see a glowing figure that alternated between running on all fours to running on two legs. It tops a rise and gives out a howl.
As you ready yourselves to give chase, a second figure slinks from the darkness beside the glowing beast, and suddenly the light is extinguished. The only light now comes from the torches set in the village wall behind you..
Looking to his sister Paetyr asks, "Is that what you've been fighting?"
Brigid draws her arrow back to her ear and accounting for wind, she lets it fly.
Still on Zelter, she guides her horse with her knees to keep moving, and looses another arrow and then another.
Svetlana skidded to a halt with Paetyr next to Brigid, just as the archer released two arrows into one of the beasts. Apparently realizing there was little she could do to affect the situation at this range, the priestess stood watching, her fists balled and her face glowering. Yes, yes it is. She said softly, and coldly, in response to her brother's question. Still glaring at where the creatures disappeared she shouted in angry, mocking tones, WHY LEAVE SO SOON, NORTH WIND?! RUNNING WILL NOT HELP, HIDING WILL NOT HELP. YOU WILL DIE BY OUR HANDS. WHY NOT TURN AND FIGHT SO YOUR MISERABLE EXISTANCE CAN END NOW?!
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On the wind, but strangely clear enough to hear, a voice calls back.
"The North Wind lies there at your feet stupid whore. But still the South, East and West Winds have yet to be released. You killed my son and carry his trophy with you yet. But I shall have my revenge and your deaths will only be the start!"
The last portion of the message drifts away with the evening breeze and soon the only sounds are those of the villagers. The wind even seems to die down, leaving the party in silence and darkness.
Brigid hisses through her teeth as her last arrow fails to strike, and then the light goes out. She slowly replaces a fourth arrow she had drawn and sits back down in the saddle.
Grabbing ahold of the reigns again, she turns Zelter back to the group. She gives a nod of greeting to the unfamiliar man who had called for them. "This is a night of strangeness. Svetlana, Damen, I need you vith me. Our friends from the forest have caught something."
To Paetyr and the others around, she speaks, "Stay alert. This night may yet have threats." She urges Zelter at an easy pace to allow her companions to follow.
As they return to the spot where she met the fae, she tells them, "Our friends, the ævintýri from the voods. You called them... faerie? They are here."
Svetlana's jaw drops as the voice responded with information the priestess had never considered. The epitaph included in the verbiage barely registered; it was the death of her target of vengeance, the thought of three others like it, a master who controls them all and a trophy, what IS it??, that might hold a clue that stung her mind.
Eyes still wide as Brigid spoke, the appearance of the fey only brought a dull nod from the priestess as her mind churned on the new facts. She walked with the group towards where the archer had found the strange interlocutors, glancing back periodically at where the voice had come from, looking as puzzled as most in the group had ever seen her.
As they made it back to the location of the fey, Svetlana attempted to get a hold of herself. Good friends, of, of, the woodlands! Come forth so that we may share knowledge and speak of our common enemy!
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The bushes before you rustle, and from one end you see the scaly rump of what might be a tiny dragon, while popping out of the other end is the delicate and weirdly alien top half of a young woman with small antenna. You recognize her immediately as the grig Tyg-Titter-Tut.
"Ummm HI! There is most definitely not a guardsman behind this bush that Perlivash stung a bunch of times in the dark!"
Brigid runs a hand over her face and stays silent.
Paetyr is a little miffed at being left behind begins to examine the area when he notices the tall and lean man (Koren) with hair of brown curls and a neatly trimmed beard standing around. He asks the man, "Are you the one who raised the alarm?"
Svetlana's poleaxed look regarding the revelations of North Wind's death and the rest subsided as the grig's face appeared. The priestess began giggling and then looked at the fey with a sympathetic expression. Greetings again Tyg-Titter-Tut, could I perhaps have a look at the guardsman who is not behind the bush? Just to make sure he is not in need of healing from when Perlivash did not sting him. I'm quite certain you were both here to help, and that even if the guardsman had been stung it would have been an accident. Svetlana kept smiling the whole time, to convey an utter lack of ill will.
Svetlana then moves around to examine the guardsman and heal any wounds she can.
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The guardsman is indeed out cold, and for some unknown reason, Prelivash is trying to make him look like some sort of animal using grass and leaves. Weirdly enough it does give the unfortunate fellow a bestial visage...almost wolf-like.
"Oh bother! Tut! You were suppose to be keeping them away until I had finished! Umm..Oh, HI! Umm..we found him like this!"
Koren smiles in friendly greeting at the tall man, "Why yes, fine warrior. A terrible beast matching the dead one here was foolish enough to challenge me."
Turning slightly to address everyone present he removes his cap and bows with a flourish, "Koren the Luminous at your service. Master of mysteries, seeker of secrets and adept of the arcane."
Rising he raises an eyebrow at Paetyr, [b]"And what brave heroes have answered my call?"
Paetyr smiles awkwardly in return, "Koren, well met! I am Paetyr. The others who were here are my sister, Svetlana and her friends. They are in the midst of trying to eradicate these foul creatures from the land." Nodding is head and inspecting the area he asks, "So you chased the creature away with magic?" That may be useful, I don't think any of my sisters friends are well versed in the arcane arts.
Svetlana included Prelivash in her warm smile and then giggled again upon seeing the guardsman. An honest mistake, my dear friend. Come, let's help the poor man up and back on his feet. Svetlana will attempt to wake the man and assist him however she can. If he remains unconscious she will simply clean the leaves and grass off of him.
Brigid sighs, then turns her attention to the village listening for further signs of disturbance. If nothing calls her away, she looks back to the fae and touches her bow to her forehead. "It is good to see you again, and that you vish to defend these people. Did you come for Kent's revel? He died in battle, and ve vere going to sing of him this night. You are velcome to join us, if the attacks have not soured our spirits tonight."
Turning to Svetlana and Damen, she says, "I vill get your brother and the one who raised the alarm. Ve vill meet you at the fire."
She then rides back to the gates. She nods at Paetyr and looks at the other man. "Did you summon the glowving dust? That is useful magics. I am Brigid, of Vhitehelm, daughter of Oigrun. Meeting in battle is alvays vell met."
She dismounts and extends her hand in greeting.
Koren nods at the man's greeting and as Brigid approaches he accepts her hand and bows over it in a courtly fashion, "Well met, indeed. Bold Paetyr you look as if you can handle that massive blade quite well. And fair Brigid. Lovely and deadly as nightshade in bloom. Those bowshots were incredible, and from horseback no less. "
Turning to face the direction the beast fled Koren frowns, "In answer to both your questions, yes. 'Twas my spell which blinded the beast and set him aglow. Something out there undid my magic before it would have naturally expired. It seems likely the enemy has a caster amongst them as well."
Brigid looks slightly uncomfortable at the compliment to her beauty, realizes that her hair is loose and flowing, so she hastily pulls it back and ties it behind her.
At Koren's statement about the enemy caster, her face grows tight and her eyes hard. "Did you hear the voice as vell? Ve must discuss tonight's attack, and your counsel vould be velcome."
Taking Zelter's reigns in hand, she walks her horse toward the remains of the night's bonfire. Once there, she has someone lead the horse to the stables while she stands, back to the fire, watching, while they wait for Svetlana, Damen and the fey to arrive.
Paetyr nods at Brigid's comments and heads over to the bonfire waving for Koren to follow him.
After the two turn Koren gives himself a quick once over and magics away any wrinkles or dirt that may have mussed his attire during the excitement before following.
Once the guardsman is taken care of, Svetlana turns her attention back to the fey. Tell me friends, why are you here? Of course your company is more than welcome, but your timing cannot simply be coincidence. What do you know of the wolf-beasts we fight? The one called the North Wind appears to be dead, but others, and perhaps their master, remain. Please do share all you know!