Suprised that Natalya is here, Miyuki keeps a careful distance.
Yet again Lorald draws his crossbow in preparation of an attack. Remaining silent but alert once he sees who it is.
Anton dismounts from Berego and slowly approaches the group.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion. We were searching Natalya after the last events."
For a moment, Gareth appears about to speak but he decides against it. Instead, he decides to wait for the involved parties to speak their respective pieces. The fact that Miyuki remains at a remove does not escape his notice.
when he sees Anton's hesitancy he feels that it would be best to relax the mood, if possible.
"Welcome, Lady Miyuki, Anton. Have you traveled far?"
Anton smiles to Gareth thanking him and his manners.
"Actually, yesterday's morning we were in this forest where we discovered an ancient temple of Erastil, not so far from here.
But we made a long circular journey chasing our friend Natalya in the last two days.
We left Oleg in yesterday's afternoon, shared the fire with the local and not so sane alchemist last night, and finally meet her and you here in this evening.
After a moment of silence he adds:
"Our last encounter wasn't the best encounter ever. But I think that now that the Unicorn's Antlers is no more a team, some of our incomprehension have to be clear up."
"Thank you Sir Gareth. I still am not used to horses. But the result justifies the discomfort. We were searching for Natalya, because of a dream, a portent, a vision.
Natalya steps forward a pace, arms crossed and looking stern. She nods briefly to Anton and Miyuki
You'll forgive me I'm sure for any misunderstanding, but I did think I was rather clear several times about leaving the Antlers group, and that I had my own reasons beyond the immediacy of Hunter's continuing endangerment of the group as a whole.
She indicates those present
I was fortunate enough to share some time with these good folk after we assisted the Sootscales, and made the decision then that I would like to travel with them, this has not been a decision made in haste
She cocks her head, sighs and her tone softens slightly
You speak of the dream from the Temple then? I take it the vision of the barrow mound to the north-west in need of cleansing was a shared one for those slumbering under Erastil's roof?
She shakes her head.
Look, I am interested in seeking it out, but at the moment it's important to me to spend time here, to get to know these good people properly. Nothing to say that I won't join you both in the future if you have not already visited the place, but my present lies here
, I'm sorry I can't help right now
She looks saddened but resolute.
Anton listens silently Natalya then he serenely says to her:
"So you too had the same dream. This was something I wanted to know from you, but you left the temple in the early morning, and I hadn't the opportunity to talk with you until now.
It seems to me that our 3 got the same dream for obvious reasons. Miyuki and I followed you all this way to ask about joining our holy quest.
We don't wanted the aid of Hunter Deadeye, his pretending to be an erastilian cleric teased me. And Chief White Eagle went for his own way, we left in peace, but he got his agenda, that is not mine.
If you say that you can't help us now, I'm perfectly fine with it.
You are free to do as you wish. We will try to accomplish the dream mission without you. Because there is nothing more urgent for me that to follow the dream Erastil directly sent us.
After saying so he turns to the rest of the people.
"In any case, our horses are tired of the long journey. We will need to rest too. We can camp away from you if you don't want us here. I can understand it. Tomorrow morning we will be on our way.
Lorald listened to both sides. He still thought it was strange that they chased a so called friend for two days simply to ask a question, he wondered how things would have gone had Natalya been found alone. Regardless he did not measure Anton to be a bad man, if a zealous one. Miyuki on the other hand he had not forgotten her words or actions, he trusted her not at all.
"I leave it up to Natalya concerning the camping arrangements. But I will say to keep her away from me and my dogs. I do not forget and forgiveness is earned not granted. That is all I have to say on the matter."
His gaze on Miyuki made it clear who he meant. With a quick whistle his dogs are by his side and moving with him as he trots the horse over to a good spot to camp. He would make sure Mith, Sai, and Roak would be near one another and alert should another wolf attack occur. If so he would endeavor to have a new pelt for the second offense at that.
Miyuki smiles and makes arangements at the other side.No worries neither do I
[spoiler=Anton]"What now? She doesn´t want to join us. Maybe we should go to Olegs and try to find someone else to join us?"
What is this - we have as much people as a Calistrian gathering in mid-winter? - being clearly distraught by the events transpiring, Aran tries to escape into his comfort zone. Purposefully avoiding the communication with the newcomers, aside from a curt greeting to Anton whom he knew from before, the ranger tries to understand the story behind the tracks and dead bandits. He tries to read the tracks, as well as to check the site in details for any missed clues.
Seeing that the newcomers are staying (at least a bit), he simply asks: "So, since we're not moving right away, will someone help me bury the bodies. Bandits or not, we should send them to Pharasma's embrace proper way"
If the team agrees with having Anton & Miyuki camp here for the night, Anton will gladly help Aran to bury the bodies.
Although his every inclination is against such distasteful labors, Gareth remembers some of the lessons he was taught as a youth regarding necessity. 'When dead litter the field they attract scavengers, in the best of cases. Left unburied, they can indicate your presence to enemies. And some might even rise again to confront you, in the worst of cases.' Old Gibbs, his instructor, might well have been a dusty goat of a man but there was no denying his wisdom and knowledge. And with his lessons in mind, Gareth compels himself to lend a hand to Aran and Anton as they inter the dead in shallow graves.
As he sweats, Gareth finds himself nostalgic for the servants at the family estate.
Natalya grabs a spade and sets to work alongside Aran, Gareth and Anton. She shows no emotion or distaste for the task at hand, it seems to be simply a case of moving things from one location to another, she could be stacking firewood or barrels of ale for all anyone else would know.
Natalya bids goodbye to Miyuki and Anton warmly, and wishes them all the best in their next steps along the path they are taking.
Natalya scouts out a short distance from the group as they explore, careful to help out where possible but not get in the way of their lead tracker.
She keeps a lookout for anything unusual as she rides.
Marlani will help prepare the camp, with both wine and drink. She tries to make it hospitable, beyond what typical explorers might do.
Anton nods her
Yes, we must go back to Oleg, and then find someone else to join our quest.
After the burials, staying around the campfire Anton asks the others if they want to share exploration maps.
"Since we are all exploring the same land, it will be a waste of time to cover the same areas. I can copy you a map of the progression made by the former team Antlers"
Anton bids farewell to Natalya
"May the Old Deadeye bless you. May our paths meet again, mine friend. If was an honor to fight at your side. I wish you all the luck with your new companions."
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You dispose of the dead, and after looking over this camp you determine that the attackers in this battle came form the northeast, and then departed to the southeast.
I assume you plan on following the forest to the southwest? The other option would be to go back out into the hills to the southeast.
Valkus gladly accepts Anton's offer to share maps. "There's hardly any reason to keep it all to ourselves, is there?" In sharing their own map, he leaves off any mention of the gold mine, but otherwise reproduces it as faithfully as he is able.
[OOC]Not sure we ever decided who the IC cartographer was.[/I]
As they ride, Valkus tries to pump Natalya for information. "You didn't mention there would be others coming after you. Should we expect any more encounters like that? What happened between you all that fractured you so thoroughly?"
While speaking of the Temple he also adds that a priest of Erastil is on route and probably already there to make it operative again.
He will also answer to any question about the other markers if asked.
Natalya greets you warmly, happily raising a glass in toast of kindred spirits reunited. She only drinks the one though as she has things to do in the morning, tracking and hangovers not going especially well together!
Well now Mr Lebeda, I didn't mention it because I did not know, nor even suspect that they would follow my trail. I thought I had made it clear that I was seeking my own path, they sought me for their own reasons, not any I gave them aside from being friend and defender
Her eyes stare in to the distance as she recalls the events of the last few days.
As for the reason for my departure, the fault lines were there from the beginning, the fracturing itself happened with a series of hammerblows from one individual in particular though.
She looks Valkus in the eyes, deciding something then continuing her tale
Let me put it to you this way, if you have a situation where there is a chance of a fight, would you make sure your companions were both of the same mind to fight and also as best prepared as possible? Or would you just charge in with no thoughts of other's desire and safety? The undine seemed to believe that consideration for other's safety was of secondary importance to his own desire to resolve nigh all situations with violence.
She sighs deeply
That it happened once was warning enough, and I raised my displeasure at the time, but for it then to become a recurring event, time after time... My patience was eclipsed by self-preservation instinct. Sooner or later he would bite off more than we could chew as a group.
Mood turning now she's actually spoken about the dark cloud following her, she flashes razor sharp canines in a half-smile
Besides, the company is prettier in your group, if I travel with you long enough I hope to wrest from you the secret Taldan bardic knowledge of how you keep your hair looking so wavy and dashing all these miles away from civilisation
she winks and trots off up the trail.
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You head southeast, continuing in the forest. As you begin to explore the area you start to hear music. Moving closer to investigate you suddenly find two tiny creatures bouncing around and among you.
These tiny creatures have the lower bodies of crickets, and the upper bodies of beautiful elven women. As they bounce about they are making the sounds of lively fiddle playing. It is catchy and rather pleasant.
Everyone go ahead and make a Will save vs a supernatural, sonic, mind-affecting effect.
Fairy folk! By Desna's sacred garments, I... - Aran tries to resist the effects of fairy music.
At Natalya's last comment, Valkus immediately looks at Gareth with an I-told-you-so gleam in his eye. "And you said that spell was useless frivolity."
Can I use my Bardic countersong to help the others?
Gareth is about to reply to Valkus with a witty retort when the elfinsects appear.
Will save
Marlani begins performing a countersong;
If your roll is under this roll, you can use this instead as your saving throw
Natalya's focus crumbles as her mind is filled with the sound of fiddles, thankfully Marlani's voice drives out the fey music.
Marlani's clear and powerful voice drives the fey music from Gareth's mind and holds his attention so that his senses clear to his surroundings.
Whatever fey magic was going to work on him was washed away by his cousins own musical talents.
Marlani's tale is about two powerful beings that attempt to enchant travellers with their music, but after careful consideration they befriend the travellers and decide to have a feast with them and enjoy their company. She sustains her countersong until the enchantment ceases.
The tale tries to compliment the creatures, and Marlani also works in some of her diplomatic skills;
The enchantment immediately canceled, Valkus nonetheless enjoys both songs, praising the creatures afterward in what he hopes is their language. "Good show, good show!"
Gareth nearly has his rapier drawn before he realizes what Marlani and Valkus intend. Warily, he stays his hand and waits for the outcome of their efforts.
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Marlani's masterfully told story distracts everyone from the music, even the creatures stop to listen.
After a while they hop away, calling back "That was a nice story, next time though, dance with us."
And at that they are gone.
You continue to explore the area.
This area of forest is pretty quiet, but you do find a hollow under a large fallen pine tree, the branches of which have created a natural
shelter. Bones litter this den.
Curious... notes Natalya as the creatures disappear off again, she shrugs her shoulders and with an appreciative nod at Marlani for a well told and timed story, she moves on.
Natalya will dismount and check the area for tracks and other indications of what lairs here, and how long ago it slept at this location.
Natalya muses on what might live here
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Natalya strongly suspects this is the lair of a large boar, shared with couple of sows. Such creatures are among the most aggressive and dangerous natural creatures to be found in these woods. They often head out form their lairs for several hours to hunt and forage, but usually return sometime nearing midday to rest and avoid the worst of the afternoon heat.
Natalya will advise the others that this is the lair of a wild boar and his sows, and they are likely due back soon. She muses then adds
This might even be Tuskgutter's den, he's mentioned on one of the posters at Oleg's, put up by a hunter called Vekkel Benson. Could be some money and weapons in it for us for bringing back the boar's head, should we lay an ambush?
Lorald dismounts and draws his crossbow.
"I don't see why we would pass up this chance. I will take a vantage point and prepare to fire once it has returned."
"It would also add prestige to our band if we bring back his head. That would be useful for our future endeavors to found a settlement here."
Gareth also dismounts and loads his not-so-trusty crossbow.
"Yes, this day the fearsome Tuskgutter will surely meet his end! Nevermore to terrorize the forest with implacable rage, the mad king's reign shall be cut short by the sword of his own injustice!" Valkus draws his sword and waves it in the air, caught up in his own speech.