"'Docks?'"
"Eventually. No docks just yet. But we'll want ships to be able to load and unload here, eventually. Moving supplies that way will be a lot easier than overland. We are here to stay and make things better for everybody, Akiros. Help us lay a foundation for that. Even if they are just cleaning up rubble, chopping wood, and training against the undead." Alia explains.
The words make sense, but her heart and mind seem pre-occupied with other things, diminishing the credibility of what she says.
Zokon approaches Akiros taking the measure of the man"Alia has the right of it, help lay the foundations by gathering and building up skills that will be useful when time comes to build in ernest."
"Victoria can ride my horse, and I will walk beside her, or we can share the saddle. It won't be comfortable, but it would be quicker," Serena suggests.
"That's very kind of you, Serena. Here, let me see if I can lighten our load a bit." She raises one hand and pronounces a harsh syllable in a strange tongue. A cloud of fog rises off the ground and a white mare steps out of it, nodding its head to Victoria. "I'm sorry I didn't think to prepare more than one of these for today."
The horse bends its knee allowing her to hop up into the saddle.
"Normally I'd just walk, but I would slow ya down but a little bit." She raises an eyebrow as Victoria pulls a horse from thin air. "That's useful."
Her bravado fades a bit as they leave the fort. "That was too close. I thought we were almost dead. When I saw Serena fall..." she shakes her head. "Maybe these nightmares are getting to me again. Let's get to the river crossing."
The party arrives at the shallow ford late that day, but the lack of sleep the night before, and the battle for the fort begins to take it's toll. The going is slow, made slower by the party's burden, and an uncooperative Sneeg.
Erevenywg hums the same tune nearly the whole journey. The melody gets stuck in the ears and heads of those riding nearby.
Mikmek remains quiet for most of the journey, riding behind one of the lighter riders. Often though he looks nervously to the northeast--the direction of the Outpost.
{Old man sneer}
"Where are we going again?" asks Byron.
Durgan is weary, but able to keep up with the pace.
Scarlet continues on to the river. Silent until Byron speaks up.
"Many people want the Stag Lord dead. And they want to see his body. Here's the first one." She yawns.
Posh, though tired manages to find the strength to keep on and not simply fall asleep in the saddle. However he fails to pay much attention, listening to the music of their fey companion.
"Erevenywg, I have to ask. How did you know it was me when I was disguised back at the Manor?" he guessed she must've had some kind of special sight that gazed through illusions.
While she really liked real beds, the skald wasn't completely unaccustomed to rough and cold nights. Or the ancient art of power napping in a saddle. She passes the time by humming along with Erevenywg's song until Posh asks a really good question. Illthir herself had sometimes got the feeling that the fairy knew a lot more then she let on. She'll make sure to remain nearby to well she didn't like to use eavesdropping. Just tuning in.
---After Posh has gotten a chance to talk with the fairy---
"That's a neat tune." Illthir smiles and approaches Erevenywg. "What are you humming?"
---At the shallow fort---
"We're here. Now, what did you say about some walking corpse?" Illthir asks as a matter of fact, trying to not sound too nervous about another encounter with the walking dead.
"We can press on some more, but it's getting late, and both us and the horses will need to rest. Let us start to look for a possible campsite.", Alia suggests to Zokon and the others.
Most of the time, she was actively trying to avoid their Fey guest, trying to help find a way instead.
All the while, she was wondering if the map would surface among the mundane goods in the fort - they had little time to go through those, yet, so there was still hope.
Victoria's time in the dark elf's "care" has left her worn pretty thin. She does her best to keep pace, but the effort shows.
Arris is beat, too. He passes out on Victoria's shoulder.
Zokon will attempt to make things easier by finding the best routes, and using whatever he can think of to make the trip easier
Serena is tired, but she soldiers on.
Scarlet continues on to the river. Silent until Byron speaks up.
"Many people want the Stag Lord dead. And they want to see his body. Here's the first one." She yawns.
With no further elaboration Byron remains quiet the rest of the way.
Posh, though tired manages to find the strength to keep on and not simply fall asleep in the saddle. However he fails to pay much attention, listening to the music of their fey companion.
"Erevenywg, I have to ask. How did you know it was me when I was disguised back at the Manor?" he guessed she must've had some kind of special sight that gazed through illusions.
"Hm!? Oh, um, magic."
"That's a neat tune." Illthir smiles and approaches Erevenywg. "What are you humming?"
"Oh, it is something that I learned when I was small."
"We can press on some more, but it's getting late, and both us and the horses will need to rest. Let us start to look for a possible campsite.", Alia suggests to Zokon and the others.
Most of the time, she was actively trying to avoid their Fey guest, trying to help find a way instead.
All the while, she was wondering if the map would surface among the mundane goods in the fort - they had little time to go through those, yet, so there was still hope.
The group rests for the evening within sight of the ford and crosses in the morning after taking their rest.
The crossing is cold in the meter deep spring waters, but uneventful. The day grows overcast as the party makes its way across the rough highlands, which look like petrified waves on a tempestuous sea. The wind picks up ruffling the tall green grasses and hurrying the steely clouds overhead.
Off in the far distance the party can see the sihouette of the lonely old sycamore tree.
Mikmek visibly shutters at the sight of the dying tree, that like a gnarled hand seems to be reaching up out of the fractured earth.
"Meh."
As they make camp, Alia looks at their prisoner:"Probably best to bind him to a tree or something in sight of the campfire? And bind his feet extra? Anybody good with rope?"
Scarlet grabs the rope and dutifully ties up Sneeg. "Reminds me of Kressle, eh Alia? She tied us up good while mocking our companions. Lucky for us Zokon showed up."
"Hey Erevenywg, do you remember more now?"
"Yes tie him up and check his bonds every now and again, he is resourceful and should not be given an opportunity to subtly fashion a tool or weaken his bonds over time." Zokon looks Sneeg over and then sets about helping to set up camp and getting the Benzen boy settled in.
Durgan will take the second watch. Not knowing this creature Mikmek at all, he doesn't trust the kobold to be a reliable sentry.
Serena will offer to take the pre-dawn watch. That will give her ample time to rest and replenish spells, and some "alone" time to pray.
"Oh. I thought we were closer..." Illthir frowns and shrugs. Oh well. Hopefully the world wouldn't combust ... Hopefully.
---
"Pre-dawn alone time hmm? I guess I'll just have sleep instead! Oh woe." Illthir beams like a sun. She liked sleeping. But maybe they'll do more watches then usual instead.
The starless night passes without incident. Clouds crowd the sky above the next morning and the only sight of sun happens in the early day when its light runs along the hills below parallel to the ground. Before noon it has disappeared behind a roil of grey that seems to sandwich the party's world between earth and cloud.
Throughout the day the sky fluctuates between a washed-out joyless grey and a menacing patchwork of bruise and green-colored storm clouds that bring sudden, noisy downpours, and raking winds that disappear just as quickly as they arrive. From afar, other storms and lightning can be seen moving across the broad sweep of the land above a haze of rain.
The rain, heat, and humidity makes the group's clothes stick to them like an elephant's skin. To their south the Shrike River rushes past, swollen with rain to pour itself out into the Tuskwater. It is near dusk when the party looking like newly-washed-up castaways crests a hill high enough to see their destination--the sad burnt remains of a Davik Nettles' toll bridge now just a few fraying ropes, and fire-blackened timbers darkened further by time and rain. A thick mist clings to the place in spite of the weather. The sight of it makes the group grow cold.
The horses grow nervous--too nervous to continue on.
Another night, another nightmare. This time, her brother and Alia at each other's throats. She has to choose her family or her duty. Dreams don't have to make sense and she somehow betrays them both. No one left for her. "Bring me the Stag Lord... Bring me his body..." Only the sounds of Erevenywg's humming keeps Scarlet from falling into despair.
Scarlet wakes up and has a good meal. She's still wounded from the Stag Lord's battle, but who cares? One less piece of trash out there. That dark elf will get his some day, too.
"Let's tie up the horses. I'll carry the body to the bridge."
Serena falls into step in the first rank, her scimitar drawn and at the ready.
Not in this case.. Zokon will be 10ft ahead as he does not want to encounter the undead thing without it's appeasement..
Victoria sleeps better than she has in some time, despite the tensions surrounding her. It's so much nicer than sleeping chained to a wall. Thanks to the dwarf's healing, her obvious signs of imprisonment are gone, but the emotional wounds run deep. She finds herself absentmindedly rubbing her wrists as they travel, feeling a phantom pain from time to time.
As they approach the haunted river, she can't help feeling more curious than afraid. Of course the fear is there, but it's mixed with excitement based on what the others have told her.
---
Durgan's watch passes uneventfully. He watches the kobold with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion but the creature does not do anything alarming.
He doesn't mind the weather so much - Durgan has been traveling these lands for years. Not the comforts of home, but this is necessary work.
He casts a healing spell on Scarlet (giving up Bless).
---
Durgan looks at the bridge.
I know it was well-built once. Entrepreneurial, and beneficial to trade and travel. The blessings of Abadar upon Nettles. A shame, but it can be rebuilt. Now we must put Nettles' spirit to rest.
He walks alongside Serena, axe in hand.
"Wait, I'll help.", Alia rushes to Scarlets side and helps her to carry the body.
Strange as that was, she felt at ease here. The Spirit that had cursed her Bodyguard was out for vengeance, and they had done what was necessary to appease it.
More likely than not, Nettle could pass on to Pharasma with the deed done - Alia was quite certain he harbored no ill will towards them - at the same time, his haunting kept the nearby area...empty.
Noting Durgans gaze, she speaks up:"We'll rebuilt it. Even stronger."
"A-ah ahem. I don't suppose we want to wait until tomorrow and do this in the bright sunlight?" Illthir nervously fiddles with her equipment. No, probably not. Sigh.
"You have returned." says a gurgling voice over the noise of the rushing water. There is a vague suggestion of a shadow in the mists--as if some weary traveler were crossing the ghost of where the bridge once spanned.
Mikmek nervously clutches Zokon's leg.
"Yeah, we're back." Scarlet calls out. "The Stag Lord's dead. We got his body right here." She peers at the corpse.
"We're bringing this to the bridge, so you can see it for yourself." Scarlet nods to Alia and they begin hustling it over.
Maybe the nightmares will end soon...
Illthir glances at Mikmek - dammit he had taken the safest leg already. Then out into the mist and water but she couldn't see anything. Other then mist and water of course. Biting her lip she carefully follows behind Alia and Scarlet - she really couldn't pass up an opportunity like this even though she really really didn't want to meet the dead (again).
Victoria also walks forward some, staying well behind the others, but really wanting to see what's going on.
"You who were Nettles. I am Durgan Far-Walker, priest of Abadar. We met some years ago at your crossing. Abadar's blessing upon your soul for your hard work. I will see it rebuilt in your honor.
The Stag Lord is dead. I hope that you can rest now. Are there other tasks you would see attended to? A proper burial and a blessing? Family that we should assist? Any heirs?"
At last--VENGEANCE! Bring him to me that I may see! That I may watch as he slides beneath the rushing waters and and be dashed upon the rocks and gnawed upon by the fish! Let me see him sink into the mud never to rise again! Closer. Closer...." cries the voice.
Wow, that's not creepy or anything.
She moves a little closer, keeping an eye on Durgan, not sure that this is so good an idea after all.
Mikmek visibly shakes while holding on to Zokon's leg.
"Uh better do as he say. Otherwise who knows - he might start haunting us or something!" Illthir encourages Scarlet to hand over the body. You know so she doesn't start having weird nightmares or something ...