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"Should we head over towards that mansion Thurrios wants for his headquarters? If I recall, it was completely devoid of any gnoll activity. Maybe there's a reason they don't approach it, and they will be hesitant to follow if our trail leads there. I can't imagine they or their hyena dogs won't be able to track our scent no matter how 'infiltrationing' Narkû is this time around."
Despite his words, Julius does try and move along as silently as possible with only a single concerned glance back towards the demon's corpse. There's no hiding we've been here, he thinks. And if they've already realized they're missing some patrols and a giant boar, too, there's no doubt somebody is going to start getting concerned about us.
Julius chuckles at Thurrios' naiveté.
"....dolls...." There's a distinctly icy tone to her voice as she continues to move on in silence, the hem of her long robe avoids dragging on the uneven terrain. She pads after the group, but a rock causes her to stumble against the sides of one of the buildings.
With a few hasty introductions out of the way, the party hastily abandons Kezurkian's corpse. As you pass the church on your way back down the hill, the sound of your apparent pursuers grows louder, the telltale sound of bestial laughter(?), intermingled with the hoarse shouts of a single gnoll.
Fortunately, the demon's corpse seems to be their point of interest. You are able to make it back down to the lower tier of the village undeterred. By the time you make it to the manor by the wharf, you cannot hear any apparent sounds of pursuit.
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Sarala glances back when she no longer hears the hoard of gnolls and creatures who would like to do them harm. She asks the others in hushed tones, still a bit afraid of being overrun by the enemy army, "Hey, you know, this might sound crazy... but now might be a good time to lie low and look around for those other guys? You know, while these gnolls are on high alert."
"So far things seem to be going as well expected eh?"
"Seems so. Gather our thoughts. Take this new turn of events into consideration and come up with a new strategy. I agree" he nods
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"Hmmm, we hide and sneak around looking for other people? Which people? Brigands who go to gnoll market?" Ruika queries after the warm run in the sun, glad that her lack of nuance doesn't seem to have drawn the attention of the gnolls.
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"Oh, Ruika, you might not know them," says Sarala, now using this opportunity for pause to use the whetstone she is borrowing. "So we had an A team and a B team, and of course we're the A team, but these others guys haven't reported back to base so far. So we might have to pull their butts out of the fire. Or at least figure out what they are getting up to."
She nods in agreement; "Maybe should scout out nearer the market itself, that were slaves probably be. Though uncertain if gnolls put their butts in fires - sounds painful." Ruika deadpans, making the listener uncertain if she's joking or not.
"We could use that...." She points back the way they came; "..as a distraction."
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Julius blinks.
"I totally forgot about 'B-Team,'" he says. He laughs at his own forgetfulness. With a rueful smile, he scratches the back of his head. "That's why I like hanging around you, Sarala. You remind me there are things other people find important that aren't whimsical stories, spells, and magical artifacts."
Looking in the direction of the Battle Market, Julius sighs. "More walking. I really need to learn how to fly or teleport or something. So much wasted time...walking."
Turning to Ruika, Julius gives a simple bow. "Speaking of magic...I'm pretty certain I witnessed you doing some arcanery. But the source of your power is...not the same as mine. Interested in chatting about that a bit? Since we have to do something while we walk." The arcanist rolls his eyes, the B-Team forgotten again already.
Receiving the bow as her due, Ruika replies to the arcanist. "Yes, not surprised you want to talk." She jibs back Softly.
"I shaman of Grumnash tribe, I get power from the spirits of those before and around us. Commune with my friend and she instructs me on the tasks ahead." Ruika states simply as Lyssa nips around her heels.
"What of you? Use big books like most humans do?" She asks.
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"Spirits you say?" Julius' eyes are absolutely gleaming. "Yes, yes! Tell me more about them. How do you they give you your power? Is there a language you have to speak? Do have to make sacrifices? Are there rituals?" The man's mouth might actual be watering.
"Books? Of course! Books, scrolls, engraved tablets, tanned and inked humanoid skin...upon whatever the magic's written is absolutely fine. I'm not really concerned with the medium really." Julius reaches into his pack and pulls out his spellbook.
"This one is mine for now, but it's possible I will eventually need more. They can fill up fast if you're recording every thing you can find." He winks. He finds some jerky his bag and takes a chomp. "I'm here to find out about magic. Figure it out. Why there are different kinds. If they really are different. Why someone can be given power who didn't have it before. Would that person have discovered it on their own? Would the power end if the entity who gave it to them stopped or died?" The arcanist shrugs, his eyes far away.
Absently he holds out the jerky for Lyssa. If the fox takes a bite, Julius doesn't really notice, and he takes another himself from whatever's left.
Taking a bite gratefully the little fox is a tad disturbed by the apparent revere Julius has slipped off to. Thus she gets her wet nose and snuffles at his ankles as he move, before prodding him with it to shock him.
Then the little fox slips away avoiding the big lumbering man's feet, whilst licking her lips.
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"Yaaah!" Julius emits a small sound, jumping slightly as the fox's cool nose makes contact with his calf under his loose desert linens. He looks down at Lyssa blinking then looks at the last bit of jerky in his hand uncomprehendingly as if surprised to see it there.
"Oh! Were you wanting this? Sure thing." Julius smiles and holds out the rest to the fox.
Looking back up at the taller Ruika, he says absentmindedly, "What were you saying again?"
Oblivious to Julius strong reactions to her style of magic Ruika continues; "My magic slightly different to mentor, he carved his power on his body. It told the story of the tribe.... now it's lost." There's a hint of regret, that slips away as is the orc way; "Mine involves more meditations and being one with the world around. Learn how it feels and conjure the spirits from it. I can conjure the spirit of the earth to come to life and aid me, or I can control my body. Or create a mystic mirror."
With a glance to the still injured Sarala; "Lastly I can also feel the life essence flowing in people and focus their spirit to allow them to heal themselves."
"The Gaurdian of the Dead allows me to heal the living." he adds briefly to their conversation
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Narkû keeps an eye out for any gnolls approaching their position, ensuring all his weapons are prepared for the next combat.
While he can hear the others speaking, most of it is in one ear and out the other.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
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Julius hefts the large, gory halberd to a better resting place on his shoulder. His positioning of the weapon is terrible which isn't that unexpected given his total lack of martial training. If there was a kerchief tied to the the spike of the halberd, Julius would seem a transient albeit a dangerous looking one.
The spellbook he had tucked under his arm to get the jerky out gets dropped back into his pack as Julius considers Anapa interjection.
"Is anyone else thinking about the irony of that knowledge?" Julius asks with a thoughtful expression. "The god of the dead gives Anapa the power to heal—think "prevent death"—the living. Oddly contradictory if you reflect on it. Yet who would say it's not an amazing thing for him to have been granted such power."
"Anubis is not the god of death. He is a protector. A guardian. He watches over the dead and protects them on the journy where they will be judged. He grants me the power to save them from taking that journy too soon"
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Julius blinks.
"Oh! I guess I sounded a bit insensitive there, eh? Sorry, Sir Anapa. I wasn't trying to degrade who you choose to worship. I'm sure Anubis is a great god. Awesome even." Grinning, Julius looks to the heavens. "After all, that's what it means to be a god, right? You're kind of required to be."
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"I do spells with my fists. They spell pain," Sarala raises her right fist, "And fury." She raises her left fist then mock punches the air, "Kapow!" She pauses and then adds to Julius, "But yeah, of course I'll make sure that you stay a little bit grounded, 'cause if I didn't, then you'd just float away and get stuck in a book somewhere never to escape."
Sarala nods once firmly at that and says, "We can check around where Team B was sent in order to figure out if there was a struggle there or something. East of the river or on the old trade route, that's what the boss-lady said? Maybe they'll know where to find Oxvard, too, if we're lucky."
"I am not offended my friend. Merely a correction. If i were offended, my words would be diffirent. But I have accepted that I do not need to defend him. That is not my purpose." he gives him a friendly smile
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"That good, you work with Gatekeeper. For he protects spirit world and the mortal realm." Ruika agrees; "And gives you the ability to help those in need."
"Lead on, Sarala Fury-Fist." her tone is respectful and at ease, as she continues walking softly through the town.
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With Narku satisfied that there is no present danger, the party quickly vacates the manor and heads east, crossing over the Pale River. The sound of your would-be pursuers gradually fades as you leave the village the very same way you first entered, moving down the steady incline. Out of Kelmarane once more, you now stand in the barren, hilly area on the village's outskirts. Some of the outermost mountains of the Brazen Peaks stand less than a mile ahead.
"Alright, should also investigate near river too. Since everything needs water, including b-team." Ruika agrees with Sarala's idea, but they check out cautiously near the river first.
Narkû also looks for signs and tracks of the other team.
Lyssa snuffles in agreement with Sarala as she moves to the waters edge, being careful with the rocky ground the fox lightly pads to where the river flows. Dipping her snout into the water, for a quick drink in the warmth of the morning she then stumbles back with an exasperated Yip.
Taking a sniff around the area, the cream fox bumps into Sarala's legs to try and point out various 'clues' that she's found.
With a rather large area to cover, Narku and Sarala keep their eyes open for any sign of the other group of mercenaries, with Lyssa's nose to aid them in their search. With little else but vague directions to work off of, it is an exhaustive effort. It takes well over an hour, but after poring through a slew of animal tracks on the hills, you finally find a trace of humanoid footsteps, apparently originating from across the river. The trail is at least a day old, making it difficult to tell exactly how many footsteps there are, or if they are indeed those of your allies at all. Either way, the steps lead north and east, closer to the mountains.
"North or East. I suggest north." he voices his choice
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Ruika breathes heavily in the burning sun, keeping near to the back of the group. With a hint of grumpy attitude about her utter failure to find any tracks and the fact they're moving further away from town and the local gnolls. "Hmmm steps, tough on legs. Wonder how far they lead? All way to Carrion King?"
"North sounds fine to Narkû. They lead until we find feet that made tracks or we loose trail," he says as he begins to follow the tracks north.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
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After Julius had used prestidigitation on the newest weapon to grace the party's collection, the halberd's edge gleamed sharply proving that it had no need to be whetted, so Julius hefted the weapon onto his shoulder again and continued walking along. The sun beating down as they moved certainly made the thing feel heavier.
"I just don't know how you three do it. Carrying all that stuff, walking around with all that armor." He shakes his head, bumping his ear into the shaft of the halberd. He gives it an annoyed look since it is clearly the weapon's fault.
Wiping sweat from his brow, he scans the area as best he can. He is infinitely grateful for the keffiyeh he wears to cover his fair head, but he's sure he's going to have a sunburn on his nose and cheeks.
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Sarala shrugs at the others and says, while coming up alongside Julius, "Well, they're footsteps at least. That's a better lead than loose sand, right? I'm sure Colonel Biteyface could tell us if they belonged to B-team if she could talk. And if they had met before." Her tail jabs at her fellow Pathfinder's opposite shoulder. "Yeah. I can't imagine hauling around all that heavy armour. How would you jump up and down? It just doesn't make any sense to me."
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Being a rather smart fellow, Julius knows to what the tail poke is alluding. Rolling his eyes, he fishes around in his belt pouch and produces something round. Reaching up to his shoulder, he plops the ring of jumping right on the Vanara's tail. Then he says something in a hooting language with a few shriek type sounds thrown in.
Julius sticks his tongue out at his friend.
The walking goes on and on, exacerbated by the hot Katapeshi sun. The trail grows weaker as time goes on, but your group's skilled eyes are able keep track of its faint vestiges. As your trek among the hills continues, you catch onto an odd sight not far ahead. A humanoid figure wanders around aimlessly, looking down from atop a rise. If he sees your group, he does not appear to betray the fact.
Ruika leans towards Sarala whispering quietly; "He man from other team? Or he a Oxvard."
After trying to get a better look at him, Ruika moves to the leeward side of some rocks to try and be less conspicuous.
"Training. One does not battle gnolls and the like, especially in the desert, without training. Though i do suspect my heritage helps in this matter" he chuckles
As he eyes the figure he prepares himself in case this is a trap
"I suggest we use caution if we do approach. This could be a trap. One does not just wander this heat alone. If one does so... death soon follows. If that is the case, that person will need our help. Urgently"
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Speaking in a more eloquent dialect, Sarala replies to Julius in her native tongue. "आप अपने लहजे पर काम करना चाहते करने के लिए जा रहे हैं! उसके बाद, मैं कैसे कूद करने के लिए आपको सिखा सकते हैं ।"
She squints through the sun at the figure before them, trying to make out any details about the man? Woman? "Uh," she answers Ruika, "Let me just try and get a better look and I'll try to field that question properly." Sarala nods to Anapa, takes a few steps closer, then makes circles to look through with her hands, mostly to block out some sun, but also mimicking a strange device she once saw showcased back in Absalom.
You catch a sudden flicker of movement not far from the man's location. Appearing to have noticed it, the man gives chase, disappearing over the rise.
Appearing to be in a sudden hurry, the figure races away from your direction and over the hill, out of your line of sight.