Calain tromps on after the cleric.
Hopefully the queen would somehow look favorably on this excursion but the warrior could not see how. Maybe she would put the ruins to use.
Meantime he wanted a drink and later a tumble with that Varisian woman.
Despite what was said between he and the half drow, he had no intention of laying with her. Drow, it was said mated like some spiders and killed the man during his climax.
Nothing she had done in his presence so far did anything to dipense thag notion.
Silena continued her survey of the underground portion of the Refuge of Nethys. The petite half-elven woman felt and caught the hateful and furtive gaze of the sword wielding Barbarian.
The half-elf woman-child quickened her pace in her consternation. Even in the blackened steel spiked-banded mail she was clad in; her athletic build & shapely womanly curves were revealed in her predatory... but very feminine gait of slightly swaying hips. Her shoulder length soft white hair - lightly streaked with silver danced like a cloud of mist from under the edges of her helm with each stride leaving a dark fragrance of her in the air at her passing.
Silena did not bother to show any notice of the unfriendly gaze, was not surprised at the obvious revulsion. She was well aware what most ascribed to those of her blood heritage. Not that she had any more control over who birthed her than she did the color of the sky!!
One look upon the color of her skin and always .. everyone felt that they immediately knew all they Needed to know about who or what she was... and wanted only to see her dead for it.
Only the ever looked upon her with fair equal reserve... as he did every play-thing of his.
Another... cold empty night... and nightmares. Just like they all were.
Silena held her head high and hardened her heart... eyes narrowing. She focused on her own needs to survive THIS night... one night at a time...
Sonya emerges into the light giving quiet thanks to Sarenrae for her protection in this nightmare of a tomb.
Jengren follows the others to the surface eager to breath air and soak in some of the sunshine. His electrical currents tingle as his tattoos seem to dance along his forearms again. "Fresh air is welcomed."
Upon arrival back on the surface... Silena slows briefly.
Hissing something under her breath... she pulls out of her belt pouch a pair of smoked goggles donning them to protect her sensitive eyes.
Without a word... she moves to search the Refuge of Nethys surface ruins... before making her way back to the fountain where she secured her light stallion .
"Ale, wine and romp sound inviting but we were charged with more than just exploring this deserted shrine. We are to scout the land, find the defenses and report back. We were advised not to perform a direct assault on any main fortification but only to probe." The sorcerer straightens his gear and begins to head toward the river and Kelmarane, "Coming?
Silena mounts up reining in her steed, "...its turning evening... we've been in there for some time. Best to report of this find and start afresh tomorrow... Gnolls see better at night than ANY of you."
"Besides, we need to get something to eat and refresh our spells from the days use. The lands around Kelmarane can wait until tomorrow... you do not want to get caught out her in the evening."
"It won't be the first time, and I doubt the last time, that I've camped outdoors. By spells will be fine wherever I lay my weary head for the night. Go back if you must but I'll stick to the mission." He continues forward then looks back at Calain, "I do believe the gnolls are this way."
I too am fine to keep pushing. I still have many spells my goddess granted me this morning, though once her blessed light sets I would like to make camp. Sonya calmly states while motioning towards the sun, hoping it will serve as a compromise.
"It won't be the first time, and I doubt the last time, that I've camped outdoors. By spells will be fine wherever I lay my weary head for the night. Go back if you must but I'll stick to the mission." He continues forward then looks back at Calain, "I do believe the gnolls are this way."
Nightime shouldn't scare us. We spent the whole damn day in the dark anyway. You'll be at the peak of your power, will you not, elf? Let's earn some pay. You keep the light in my armor, Jengren and I can kill just fine.
Silena shrugs, "If that is the party consensus then I will comply... I merely wanted to get something to eat as we entered in near the morning and now its approaching evening. But I am not opposed to night time search."
Silena removes her smoked glass lenses putting them safely away in their wooden case in her belt pouch.
Directing her horse she falls into line of their travel...
The night winds whip her white hair into a halo of gauzy white mist around her light-less profile...
As the travel following Calain's night search, Silena hefts her UW Crossbow and cocking it draws a bolt from her thigh quarrel box to load it. She scans her eyes across the desert terrain looking for any nocturnal animals to shoot for some belated dinner. Silena did not bring much in field rations as she expected the party to do the sensible thing and return to camp for dinner. But these foolish adventurer types who can't see at night insisted in hunting prey who could see at night and were fully rested.
She shrugged, their funeral. In her opinion hunting night hunters at night was all well and good but only when you were prepared to do so. Having dungeon-crawled all day and not eaten nor rested was not a 'wise' time to hunt fresh night hunters but she seemed to be the only one that realized this. No matter, she would at least try to hunt some game while they stumbled around in the dark. Eventually weariness would explain the foolishness of their task.
Silena could see perfectly fine in the darkness or even blinded as it was one of the training regimes of the Midnight Lord's clergy fighting unseen opponents.
Silena scanned the terrain for not only food game... like lizards and desert rodents but also the more dangerous foes who undoubtedly are out here... Gnolls.
Silena does comment softly, "...in any case I will need to pause at Midnight when the moon is high to pray and prepare my spells for the Night. If you decide to continue on alone and not wait at that point then I will return to camp and meet you in the morning."
Jengren continues towards the river using the daylight remaining. He continues to look for any unusual tracks or evidence of gnolls.
Sonya steps up beside Cailin as they march softly speaking in a quiet conversation. "I've not had the chance to properly thank you for saving my life. You exhibited such rage and brutality for one you barely knew. It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
As dusk approaches, "Let's find a suitable location to camp. Be cautious of gnolls and other vermin. The water could attract some undesirables and potential conflict." If he's able to refill his skins with fresh water without being obviously detected he will do so.
Sonya steps up beside Cailin as they march softly speaking in a quiet conversation. "I've not had the chance to properly thank you for saving my life. You exhibited such rage and brutality for one you barely knew. It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Calain looks at the women with sympathy, for she did not yet understand.
That rage you saw was a fury I summon whenever I want something dead. Properly harnessed, that fury lends me a strength and endurance even beyond what would be expected of one my size. It is something that, with practice, I summon at will. You did not bring it on. I would have mourned your passing though if that is what you thought. You have a strength also, for scars like yours would destroy to minds of most of the shallow, petty noblewoman I have bedded. We know that such suffering can teach one strength. I respect that.With that he resumes his stalking the night.
Sitting near the riverbank silently watching the water pass by in the moonlight Sonya rests in quiet contemplation of the days events. A silent prayer going forth to her goddess hoping she can better protect her allies in the coming days.
The sorcerer sits quietly listening to the nighttime noises and party chatter. Replaying the day's events in his mind.
Out here in the night Calain is alot less loud and boastful than before, Almost contemplative. He stares up at the moon listening to it's whispers. He wondered when the end would come.
None of them understood, none of them could concede or believe the truth. EVERYTHING was going to end. Their lives, this world, the heavens, the gods themselves died and time when on. It was a truth he discovered in the Arena.
Was the same day he'd earned his Nodachi, taken from that oh so honorable Samurai he'd had the great honor of killing.
On his way to becoming a champion, Calain had at one point believed the tales that were being told about him. He was the grandson of a Korvosan barbarian warlord. Or the sire of a Viking to a Kelish noble women, raped and ashamed to birth one so ferocious. Whatever lies his owner chose to spin, the crowd roared his name, he was a God of the Arena. His initial fear from that first match where he'd cumbersomely bludgeoned his foe to death with a shield, the young warrior had dreamed of a legend that would endure, a name that would be remembered in the halls and stands of the arena forever. That all changed as the Tian's head hit the ground.
Calain had not been expected to win and rather than exhalt in victory, he saw something else. The crowd who had come to see the spectacle cheering the Tian's name, now spat on the body, no longer worthy of adoration or even respect despite the Hundreds of victories and skill of the man.
The crowd was a mass of weak, pathetic desperate, who cheered at the sight of blood and courage from more worthy men. They cheered and resented what they were not and were to weak to become. He did not resent them for it. But merely accepted that the world only cared for their immediate and temporary glorification. If you were not strong enough to be great, you were worthless and none of the crowd cared for victories long ago and quickly forgotten. So it was with the Gods. Even Aroden, a deity so revered that even the most unfortunate had heard of the patron of humanity knew his name, had proven anything, anyone was not beyond death. And that lead to fickle people losing their 'faith' and turning to other gods and forgetting their 'eternal' promises and worship.
EVERYTHING came to an end. Calain had seen that truth with every life he ever took. It was just a question of WHEN.
He looked at the moon and.....prayed. To whom? To whatever Harbinger would usher in the end of it all.
His allies, even the Torturer's toy would not understand. Almost anyone who had not looked at the life leave a foe's could ever see him as anything other than a Madman. He did not care. He would live and lust and drink and kill and love as much as he could in his time here.
For if it was all going to end, he may as well enjoy himself.
Calain looked at the moon. ..
"I think the gnolls will be out tonight, we better sleep lightly." He look over at Silena, "I'll take the first shift of watch. Your eyes are best in darkness you should take the darkest hours."
Silena rolls her eyes... 'So... finally they see the wisdom of my "suggestion"...foolish soft surface-dwellers... well... maybe not Calian. He's not soft. I'm sure mother would even let him have the honor of being a pit fighter in one of her herds... such as it is. He's much better off never even setting foot in what the Drow call a pit-match!
But she says, "As I expected, yes. I will need some privacy at midnight... its my lord's hour and it is then I... appease/grovel, call it what you will, for my daily divine powers. I'll not be far away certainly within hearing distance. My... devotions only take about an hour."
Then she looks over the area, "...Now since you have come to your senses and realized a camp for the evening is in our best interests, we should not camp right at the side of a water source. Nocturnal predators are drawn to such places, at night... and NO open Fire... it can be seen for miles by Gnolls and just screams 'dinner-time' to them. I'll find us a low bluff below a hill. If you must have a fire.. we will dig a small three foot pit and place our fire there covered by a tent to hide its illumination against the side of the hill/bluff. It is not my ...specialty...but I'll try to find us a suitable campsite."
Doing her best to find a campsite that is concealed and behind a hill away from but not far from the water source Silena will begin setting up camp.
The sorcerer looks over at Silena, Ms. High and Mighty, I've never been without my senses. As I stated earlier water tends to lure gnolls and other vermin, but thank you for repeating the previous words of caution. The mission I was sent out to perform was to scout gnoll positions, defenses and determine their numbers. We are more likely to encounter, ambush and capture gnolls closer to the water then back at the mission." He pauses for a moment then continues, "As far as having a cold camp by a low bluff that is a wise suggestion."
Calain quietly chuckles and when he has a moment leans in and whispers to the Sorcerer, You starting to like her as much as I am? I knew she was cracked when she suggested scouting in her heavy banded mail. She's got some trick for disappearing but you can hear her a mile away
Jengren grins at Calain.
Silena shrugs in reply to Jengren, "Meh! You have a point but there are two schools of thought about hunting nocturnal hunters. Its a balancing of tactics. On to proside if you are hunting the night-hunters at night you know they will be up and about so the chances of finding them are good. The downside is.. they are nocturnal... you are not. You humans do not see well at night... they do. Situationally, they are a larger force than us by far... so any encounter with them will be unbalanced against us. Not tactically sound when they can see us before you see them. Also we are all getting tired have had no time for food or rest and they will be fresh."
"All that considered I thought and STILL believe Calian's and your desire to keep scouting at night was... ill-advised to say the least!"
"I felt that hunting them in the day would be best... much as I prefer the night. My being the only one who can see well at night would be too much of a disadvantage... for YOUR safety. Day hunting would be best. The day-hunting school of thought has the advantage of... they will likely be resting as our quarry are one - nocturnal, two - furry... heat and furry bodies do no do well in the desert. Making them somewhat easier to surprise once we find them. They will likely be somewhat lethargic in the day's heat and light. Also, in the day we can see them long before we are in engagement range... less a chance of ambush against us. Yes, I know it will be hot in the day for us too.. but heat is not a concern of mine. If you haven't noticed, I don't sweat much, I am very resilient to most heat naturally and I can prepare divine magics to protect you all as well. I still felt our advantages of day-hunting the Gnolls outweighed their advantages of night-hunting. Tactically, a better choice was all I was saying."
She does not hear nor attempt to hear the whispered comments between the two.
Turning away Silena begins to unbuckle her armor and weapons, "None of you seemed willing to listen to the... 'dirty evil half-breed's' advice... of which you are totally wrong! I am neither dirty, NOR evil! I take no pleasure in other's suffering, I am merely well-trained in administering it! Accepting the Midnight Lord was the ONLY route to freedom or a life not devoured by my evil and merciless parents... not that it should matter to any of you or me for that matter - but I want to set the record straight! I am NOT the enemy and I am NOT here with some plot to betray or harm the party! Get off of it!! I only ask you listen honestly to my advice and don't dismiss it out of hand merely because of the shade of my skin, something I have had no control over anymore than I do the color of the sun!"
She unfastens belts and straps securing her blackened spike-Banded armor removing her helm and guantlets placing them in her backpack as she moves methodically.
"Now I must pray to replenish my divine magics... I'll be on the other side of the hill, near the stream. I would like some privacy to bathe quickly as well. If there is trouble .. I won't bother you!"
Not fully undressed but clad in a crimson undershirt and her shapely figure is not mistaken. She is petite, but not... surprisingly criss-crossed with scars or mutilations often ascribed to worshipers of Zon-Kuthon. She is also... obviously very young she can't be more than just be out of her equivalent "teens" as a half-elf... perhaps only 23 to 25 winters old.
Not caring whether she is ignored... in fact hoping she will be ignored she strides away weapons and armor in hand or slung over her slender shoulders... leaving behind the fragrance of a dark and sensuous perfume in her wake now easily scented with her travel grimed armor removed.
Calain smiles.
For one who pretended to not care for the opinions of others she sure explained herself alot. Or maybe she just liked the sound of her own voice.
He waited until she was a bit further away and placed himself halfway between the camp and her spot ready to react either way.
The others were asleep already and after she had prayed Calain would take his rest.
Sonya feels like a lost child listening to their talk of "cold camps" and "watches." They speak as if these things were as natural as knowing how to walk and she dared not face the ridicule of asking what they were.
"If they wish my aid in something, surely they will ask and I will question their expectations then."
As Selina makes her way off for a bath, Sonya approaches Selina's belongings placing her own bedroll close at hand.
"This should be close enough to the other if something were to approach in the night, and close enough to Selina to distract any late night urges Cailin might have."
Finally alone, Silena shrugged out of her underarmor padding shirt of crimson. Even though raised a noblewoman she wore only simple peasants small cloths of a halter top and loin cloth... as she learned the folly some time ago of wearing expensive silken undergarments as a adventurer and traveling warrior priestess.
Then she retrieved her sable priestly ceremonial robes and dressed for her prayers. All gods were different and required many different devotions... but none were so varied as the Midnight Lord's. Each cleric had some levity as to how to 'commune' with the mad god for power. It was very personal and individual... but what was universal was the self infliction of pain. Many cleric chose flogging or ritual scaring or blood letting... Silena avoided such things. She was too vain to mar her features... but she found a unique way to yield to her lord the pain he so craved willingly given.
Silena, checked her wrist sheaths were still loaded with her blades, and she hefted her spiked chain taking deep breaths to steady her heart and resolve. Were someone to come upon her uninvited she would be prepared to fight.
She started with a series of weapon katas... dances really, as she pirouetted and spun in dance steps more and more complex each meant to stretch her body's flexibleness to the limit! Faster and faster she danced all the while focusing her mind on the divine magics she wanted to open her mind and soul to prepare for the next day's needs. It took more concentration than many would expect for not once did she slow her dancing - in fact she sped up! Each dance and step correlated to a different divine effect she wanted to memorize and prepare... never letting her body relax as the more complex and powerful divine magics took more effort to perform correctly as she focused her mind and will calling out to the Midnight Lord to fill her with his power! Her body ached as her muscles grew sore and her limbs grew weary... but for the entire hour she danced never once stopping or slowing going faster and faster until her mind was nothing but pain and exhaustion. It was shear AGONY! But it was the Midnight Lord's due... and the sick twisted pleasure of the god filled her with a growing bitter-sweet sensation of POWER! She felt the magics fill her with ZON-KUTHON's divine presence and will...
The ebon-skined 'maiden of pain' twirled & spun in complex dances under the moonlight her white hair a cloud of swirling mist about her head. Her delicate and shapely limbs going through her complex and strangely erotic dance of fiery fervor she put into the motions. Her spiked chain weaving a play of deadly arcs and slashing pain-inflicting twirls, sometimes drawing blood from missteps of Silena or sparks from the stones around her. Silena's violet eyes blazing in the darkness filling with the inner fire of building divine magic held within her petite and lovely form.
One day Silena mused silently, she might just dance herself to death...
But Silena endured... as she always did, never once drying out in pain... holding it all inside. Her will to grasp her freedom and the power to protect it always served her well. The alternative... was far more horrible than her being thrall to a twisted torturer god, at least he did not seek to devour her soul and only asked for her suffering... he never demanded it. She was free to walk away... and leave his power anytime she wanted - if she dared.
The devotions done her 'prayers' answered with sweet power.. she collapsed.. spent. She noticed, she had managed to nick herself several times with her spiked-chain as she danced and fatigue set in. It was not much blood but it was also part of the Midnight Lord's due.
Tiredly she dragged herself over to the waters edge forcing herself through pain and exhaustion to stand. Removing her priestly robes she wash them first in the water and just as quickly bathed herself. The cool water refreshing her limbs and cleaning her cuts and nicks from her 'devotions'.
Cleaned and refreshed, mostly, she redressed in her armor and weapons, and sat calmly by the water's edge... her thoughts turning inward.
Was she happy? She was free. She had power. She decided her fate everyday... and she called no mortal master! But was that happy?
She honestly did not know.
Silena checked her stores of magic.. scrolls, potions, wand... she drew and pondered the Magical and wickedly serrated Katar...
She really wanted to go back to the main camp not only to replace her expended scrolls.. and get more but also to have the Katar identified. Magic was useful but magic could also spell doom if one did not understand its function and origin. she knew there was something else about the Katar she could not determine when she examined it... Silena did not like secrets held from her. Especially secrets that were so close to her person. A Drow learned not to trust such 'secrets'...they could be life... or horrible, lingering, screaming death!
She sighed... resheathing the blade... muttering 'What can't be changed... must be endured...'
Standing she dismissed the thoughts as unimportant right now... and strode back to the camp to take her watch.
Tossing and turning in her sleep at the visions before her in her sleep. She watches in horror as each of her new-found allies are caught in the blast of a great fire. Each of them burning in pain and agony and Sonya knows she cannot bring aid to them all in time. She cries out begging her goddess for aid in reaching them all in time no matter the cost. Suddenly, beams of light burst forth from Sonya's chest, illuminating all three of her allies bathing them in radiant light while burning in agony in Sonya's own chest.
Sonya is thrown awake sitting up just in time to see the first light of the sun peeking over and greeting the landscape. Sonya gives a silent prayer of thanks to her goddess for her gift.
In the early morning Jengren disrobes and bathes in the river. His shoulders and arms are a swirling maze of chaotic color as his complex tattoos glisten in the morning sun. Hues of gold, green and red appear to rhythmically dance along his flesh. He redresses then approaches the group to have his morning meal.
We should be able to explore the outskirts of Kelmarane today."he glances at Calain, "You'll get your gnoll blood then."
Hopefully much of it. We need to make up for yesterday's jaunt. I am all for killing monsters, but pay is preffered when offered.
Silena readies her gear for the day hearing the conversation she sets down a large sack and begins laying out its contents commenting...
"Oh I wouldn't say we did not get 'paid'... unless you want no share of all this loot..."
Sorting out the coins into , with a left over of 1 gold coin she shrugs and hands to Sonya with a smile, "A donation in gratitude for the Dawnflower's divine healing. The piles are each of our shares, collect if you want."
Then pulling from her own pack a healers kit she fumbles with several empty vils looking for one the appropriate size. Then she fills it halfway with water from her now full waterskin. Then she pours the vial in with the four recovered vials of dried potions. Carefully she mixes them in their individual vials. A simple supplication to the midnight lord and a detect magic spell later - Silena smiles.
"And we have four magical potions."
Handing one to Calain, "...this is a spell.. you may find it useful if imbibed before battle. Its worth 150 gold. We are getting 'paid'."
"The other three are a , a and a . I'd like to carry the clairvoyance... I would suggest Jengren carry the See Invisible, always useful to be able to target unerringly with is magical missiles targets no one else can see and the bless to Sonya as .. I don't believe she knows that miracle?"
"The rest of the loot seems of little liquid value... "
She gazes somewhat wryly at the remaining pile consisting of... Bronze Mask-Nethys; Golden Pectoral; Set of battered ceramic idols; torn and bloodstained silk veil; and ragged clothing... and a magical chain shirt set of armor {+1 chain shirt }...
"The rest will need to return to the Princess' camp to get any value in trade out of... but that is for a later time."
The day is clear but likely to be a real scortcher... but Silena is seemingly unbothered not even lightly perspiring and yet clad in her blackened spiked Banded Plate armor. Her soft silver streaked white hair stirring gently in the morning breeze. The dawn still young she is not wearing her smoked goggles as yet and her pretty violet eyes sparkle with a eerie inner fir in the soft dawn lights.
Silena pulls out her area maps... looking over the terrain.
"I might suggest we stay on this side of the river and use the low lying hills at the base of these mountains as cover of our approach to Kelmarane. We can also use the height advantage the hills will afford us to see more of the basin outside the city proper. The river will also cover our scent from the sensitive noses of the Gnolls. They should be mostly lethargic in the day... but they will have patrols out... even across the river likely in the hills, but the cover from sight and detection is still worth the effort I believe."
"Much appreciated," as Jengren turns the stoppered vial in his hand inspecting the color and consistency. "Very useful indeed."with that he slips in inside a small belt pouch.
Jengren packs up his items, "Sounds good Silena." He looks over at Calain, "With a bit of good fortune we should be able to locate a few gnolls for you today. It's important to get an assessment of the enemy's numbers and fortifications."
Then let's get after it by Groetus.
Calain said the words without really thinking about it and had missed his own reference. Had he heard that name before?
Silena carefully folds up her Area Maps and puts them away striding over to her black stallion and gracefully mounts into the saddle, feeding the steed a handful of oats from her bag as she affectionately pats his muzzle.
She raises an eyebrow with a perplexed expression on her face at Calain's comment, "..what an odd phrase to suddenly make! If you would mean by Groetus' evil philosophy... such as it is... why bother doing anything 'By Groetus'... since all is doom in his ethos? How odd!"
She smirks taking the comment as if in jest...
"No thanks. I prefer my gods with less doom to all, and destruction of the world. I'm not through with the world YET! At least the Midnight Lord has no such desire to destroy the world or herald, nor speed its ending as Groetus has rumor of want to do. I'll do it.. By My Own Will cause I'm getting paid and growing my power in the bargain."
It is clear she is not trying to be insulting but has taken Calian's remark to be some ironic jest.
She chuckles... clearly amused as she takes the lead with her horse spurring the stallion gently toward the rolling hills that march away to the north following and skirting the base of the mountains to the east...
As the day brightens she pulls out her smoked goggle/glasses to protect her light sensitive eyes.