Alia simply jumps down from Esmes wagon and start moving straight north, hoping to join up with the group around Scarlet when they keep moving away from the festival, and either cover their retreat with a cloud of mist, or drain the strenght from whoever gives pursuit...
Numalar rides out from behind the wagon. Numalar shouts, in as impressive a voice as he can manage. "There is clearly more going on than meets the eye, and that is no ordinary wolf. If it turns out to be a person in disguise, you won't get your 250 crowns reward for killing a wolf, now will you?"
"Tell you what. We'll split it. Fifty-fifty." He says stepping cautiously around the greasy patch of earth. Looking about as if for a sniper. Finally his gaze falls on Numalar. "Head's or tails? Though to be honest it looks like you owe me a wolf."
He nods his head to the unconscious wolf and smiles. The smile is not a pretty one.
Valorin moves forward bow in hand.
"Fools! Move aside!"
He closes to within 30 feet and fires, deftly and cleanly threading his shot though the assembled crowd.
The big wolf gives a loud cry and looks to be as bad off as he was a moment ago.
"Alright three ways then!" His grin grows to an almost gleeful rictus.
"Cads! This is no mad wolf! But a friend!" Fan's anguish is painful to hear. They emerge as terrible sobs making him sound more wounded than wolf.
Zokon keeps up with his cousin who's full attention is upon his prey.
Celyne moves to within arms length of her big cat.
Alia jumps down from her perch atop Esme's stage.
Renault's men close on the still she-wolf and deliver the coup-de-grace with their spears.
The hunters--both local and Valorin's allies--close in around the surviving wolf waiting for a clear shot.
A hush falls upon the crowd at the scene and the bard's frightful wail.
The wolf drags itself forward 25 feet not really paying any attention to the hunters or even Fan desperately attempting to shield him with his own body. The bard attempts more magic.
Round 6
The bold may act!
_________________
__ Grogan
__ Medvyed retainers (Greyling and Soot)
__ Zokon
__ Poshment
__ Numalar / Sir Didymus
__ Alia
__ Celyne / Luna
__ Scarlet
__ Local hunters (Hendson and Rolf)
__ Renault's men
__ Valorin Medvyed
__ Dappled wolf
__ Bystanders/fair-goers (Hal Benzen, Fan Auric, Samuel Renault)
"You've got to run Rain. You've got to get out of here. Get back to Tamris. Please." Fan implores of the wolf.
The wolf doesn't look like he recognizes anything that Fan says until he mentions 'Tamris.' At which point he cocks his head at the bard as if remembering something.
"What in Erastil's name is going on here?" Renault bellows.
"We've got one of the wolves sir." One of the spearmen says hovering over the patchy corpse.
"One of them?!" Renault says in surprise.
Zokon stays silently and observes not really knowing enugh about what's going on and not really convinced that a werewolf should be going free.. he keeps a silvered arrow in hand
"Cousin I think the Bard is saying that the wolf is his friend, who is a werewolf? As far as I know they are exceptionally dangerous.. aren't they?
Zokon stays silently and observes not really knowing enugh about what's going on and not really convinced that a werewolf should be going free.. he keeps a silvered arrow in hand
"Although it doesn't seem to be needing silver to harm it? Maybe there is something strange going on, it hasn't killed him yet after all.
"It's a wolf!" Valorin spits. "All you need to kill it is skill and fortitude."
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"Although it doesn't seem to be needing silver to harm it? Maybe there is something strange going on, it hasn't killed him yet after all.
Numalar dismounts on the side away from the Axeman. He crouches down, so he can see under the wagon and has a view of Fan and Rain as they flee.
Numalar mutters something under his breath...
"pegh 'ang!"
...and waves his symbol in front of his eyes, which seem to turn gold.
Alia runs up towards Scarlet, Fan and the Dappled Wolf, wielding her Estoc in one hand, touching Dappled with the other.
"Tuulo' elea"
Following that touch, Dappled suddenly disappears.
"Good trick, Alia but..." Scarlet glances around. "Which way did he go? I guess that's the point."
She turns to Fan. "Fan, I think Rain came to see you. Let's get out of this carnival and Rain will follow you, yeah?"
Scarlet guesses where Rain is and tries to push him. "Sorry boy, but we gotta do this quickly."
"This is a lot harder than it looks..." Scarlet mumbles, embarrassed.
Posh, not liking this situation charges in the direction of Fan and the wolf.
"Fan, let's talk about this later. Right now, get your friend out of here!" Posh shouts, attempting to run as fast as he can towards the pair.
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Following that touch, Dappled suddenly disappears.
Numalar, who is already watching Rain, squints to see what is going on.
"Gods," Numalar exclaims, looking astonished. "Look at the dust! She disintegrated it!"
Numalar creeps forwards towards where he last saw the wolf, hoping it does not move. He continues to scan the area for magic.
Alia rushes to the wolf's side and makes it vanish.
Scarlet tries to give it a shove, but only succeeds in performing the world's best woman walks against wind mime routine (aside from the grunting and talking ans all that is).
Numalar seems to momentarily confuse most of the archers at least temporarily. Some will be experienced trackers of course.
Didymus, a bit confused himself follows along behind.
Posh runs toward the action.
Round 6
The bold may act!
_________________
__ Grogan
__ Medvyed retainers (Greyling and Soot)
__ Zokon
__ Poshment
__ Numalar / Sir Didymus
__ Alia
__ Celyne / Luna
__ Scarlet
__ Local hunters (Hendson and Rolf)
__ Renault's men
__ Valorin Medvyed
__ Dappled wolf
__ Bystanders/fair-goers (Hal Benzen, Fan Auric, Samuel Renault)
"Ahhh that's it, they think that wolf was Tamris's... Fans friend, animal companion and Fan wants to keep it alive so it can help him find his friend Tamris" says Zokon to Valorin in a slightly loud voice so anyone nearby can overhear
Celyne just waits, unsure as to what the group is even doing at this point. She scratches Luna between the ears,while waiting
"Ahhh that's it, they think that wolf was Tamris's... Fans friend, animal companion and Fan wants to keep it alive so it can help him find his friend Tamris" says Zokon to Valorin in a slightly loud voice so anyone nearby can overhear
Without turning his head Valorin snaps: "What does it matter! When your neighbor's dog threatens your children you kill it-- Wait. Where's it gone!?"
Whatever strange force that was holding Scarlet up at a forty-degree angle dissipates.
Meanwhile the hunters and the whole crowd in fact stare about in slack-jawed wonder.
"Um, where'd it go?" Rolf asks.
Round 7
The bold may act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Poshment
__ Numalar / Sir Didymus
__ Alia
__ Celyne / Luna
__ Scarlet
__ Local hunters (Hendson and Rolf)
__ Renault's men
__ Valorin Medvyed
__ Dappled wolf
__ Bystanders/fair-goers (Hal Benzen, Fan Auric, Samuel Renault)
__ Grogan
__ Medvyed retainers (Greyling and Soot)
"GRRR."
** spoiler omitted **
Knowledge Arcana (illusion aura): vanish
Knowledge Arcana (universal aura): The only aura that is still present coming off of Alia's sword -- you can't identify it.
Scarlet knows she could run. She's pretty sure Rain can flee, too. But everyone else...
Scarlet has no problem running, that's what keeps you alive. But without allies, friends, associates, that's always been the problem. Solitude feels good at first, but then it gets worse over time. No one's there to annoy you, but no one's there to help you, either. It just gets worse and worse.
Watching everyone scramble to either protect or hunt a wolf- It just makes her angry.
"Everybody CALM DOWN!"
Scarlet shouts to the sky.
"A wolf wanders into a crowded festival with no one noticing, makes a beeline to Fan here and then disappears? This is no bloodthirsty wolf! Put your weapons down so we can figure this out!."
With help from Esme and her huge bronze gong, Scarlet manages after a minute or so to calm the crowd down.
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Numalar approaches Mister Renault, avoiding the greasy patch.
"Mister Renault. Let me explain."
"The dappled wolf that was here today was a trained animal, and not wild. Its name is 'Rain.' That man there," Numalar indicates Fan, "Is a friend of the owner, one Tamris. Now it may be that this Tamris set the wolf on Farmer Gallows' daughter, but we all know that Mister Gallows is... excitable. It seems more likely that Farmer Gallows' imagination got the better of him when he saw a wolf nearby."
"The problem is that this Tamris is missing, and Mister Auric there believes he is in peril. We think that Tamris may have sent Rain here to find Mister Auric and return with him, because Tamris needs help."
"If the wolf is indeed a menace, then this Tamris is responsible for him. We can get to the bottom of any grievance Farmer Gallows has with Tamris later, but only if we find Tamris. Without the wolf, that may prove impossible. And if Tamris is in trouble, we need to find him quickly."
"With your leave we will head now to see of we can find this Tamris. But we can't do that if the locals here are chasing after us looking for dappled wolves to kill."
Numalar turns around and looks at Fan.
"Mister Auric? Perhaps you could join us, and shed some light on the situation."
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"Call off the hunt!" Scarlet pants.
"This wolf..." Scarlet seemingly points at nothing. "Uh...This would be a lot easier if I weren't out of breath from all that yelling, heh."
"Fan, can you explain this?"
Zokon is just standing there watching this semi-cartwreck unfold and just explaining how he sees it happening as it happens.
"True but it seems in this case, that It didn't go after anyone. Quite rightly we attacked it initially as it was hiding under a cart in the middle of the fare. Stupid animal but it didn't attack anyone, either way, one of my companions has helped it get away at the moment and the others are attempting to explain it"
Alia holsters her Estoc...trying to move the quiver slightly so the feathering of the arrows is not prominently visible to people who may or may not have accidently(or not) been hit by one of hers.
While moving forward towards Numalar, she whispers to Fan:"You owe Scarlet for this. Tell _her_ the truth, at least."
While stepping closer to the crowd, she shows her hands to proof she is unarmed:"Certainly, this whole thing was one big misunderstanding. What Numalar says is mostly true. This wolf was here as a messenger, not as a vile beast. Only a rabid wild animal would approach such a large gathering of humanoids, and a rabid animal would have fought, not fled. And neither was it wild. To get to the bottom of this, we need it to lead us to Tamris. But if this wolf is a harmless tame...dog, then it would be very interesting who pushed for the bounty on it's head? Tuskgutter has about the same value of items as bounty placed, and it attacked countless farmers here...who had an interest of placing an equally high bounty on this wolf after one unsuccessful and possibly exaggerated report of an attack? By how many witnesses?"
"I must agree... the bounty on this wolf was placed awfully fast on at best a shaky description of an attack... Let's all just relax and breathe... Consider the implications if you were to kill or maim someone's animal companion! That would be a crime... or should be!" She slips an arm over Luna protectively. "None of you have expressed any real fear of Luna here and she, too, resembles a wild animal. Rain, the dappled wolf, came here as a messenger, not a rabid aggressor, or there would have been attacks and deaths for sure. Let's all stand down and relax... let us do our jobs and find the wolf's master, and we'll get to the bottom of the entire matter, I'm sure."
"Now everyone simmer down!"
Renault looks at each of the assembled group in "Perhaps some introductions are in order first?" The way he says it is more like a command than a question.
"Stupid animal but it didn't attack anyone, either way, one of my companions has helped it get away at the moment and the others are attempting to explain it"
"Oh, and I suppose Grogan just tripped and fell into the thing's jaws then?" He says noting the blood in the center of the northern circle of carts.
"But if this wolf is a harmless tame...dog, then it would be very interesting who pushed for the bounty on it's head?"
"Allow me to allay your curiosity; I was the one who put up the bounty. This fair is important to the people who live in the valley here and we can't afford for vicious wolves--tame or not--to attack locals or scare off folks who journey from afar to take part."
"Now I know Gallows, and while he's been known to to be quite liberal in his descriptions of things anytime a wolf gets this close to civilization it usually means the thing is either mad with rabies or a worg of some type. Neither of which means much good, so you'll forgive me if I err on the side of dangerous. This isn't Oppara or even New Stetven. We ain't so sophisticated that we can have speckled wolf or striped cougar pets. And I swear-" And he puts a bit of steel in his voice. "If that dappled devil returns to cause harm to anyone here I'm holding you people personally responsible for lettin' it go."
"The wolf was Rain." Fan explains. "He's Tamris is friend. Tamris is my friend too though I don't see much of him. He keeps to himself in the Narlmarches."
The revelation draws a few shocked gasps from the crowd.
"Rain is no one's pet but would never attack anyone who didn't attack him first."
"I don't think Rain would come out of the forest this far unless something was terribly wrong with Tamris. And I don't think we'll find out what that is without finding him again and getting him to lead us to Tamris."
He looks sheepishly about. "I never learned how to speak wolf."
"Erring on the side of dangerous is fine, but you saw yourself that it was neither rabid nor a worg. I implore you to withdraw the bounty. If it turns out we were wrong, and you were right, I'll cover half the bounty from my personal effects."
Tensing up and standing tall, Alia continues:"My name is Alia. Alia Langwen. I'm in these lands on a mission from fair Kyonin. Due to the lawless and dangerous state of these lands, I found it necessary to throw my lot in with a local group that shares a similar goal, so that we could mutually help each other. Heck, we even helped you out without your knowledge, half a day away, our camp was attacked by a worg and his wolf pack, and we slew several of those before they fled. And today, I helped one of the performers entertain the kids. My intentions are pure, with blade in hand or without, and I mean neither danger nor harm to your land or it's people."
Zokon the scholar just happens to know Elvish and he looks at Alia quizzically as she explains her name and such
But he doesn't figure Fan's misgivings.
"Now everyone simmer down!"
Renault looks at each of the assembled group in "Perhaps some introductions are in order first?" The way he says it is more like a command than a question.
"Scarlet. I'm called the Scarlet Scarab. Long story. I'm a mercenary by trade, and I'm here to help Alia."
"Stupid animal but it didn't attack anyone, either way, one of my companions has helped it get away at the moment and the others are attempting to explain it""Oh, and I suppose Grogan just tripped and fell into the thing's jaws then?" He says noting the blood in the center of the northern circle of carts.
"Hey. If someone tried to drop an axe on your head you might bite them first, too. That's self defense. Fan knows Rain, and he knows Rain's companion, Tamris. Tamris has gone missing. Rain must have come here to seek out Fan. You've never seen a wounded master's dog visit a neighbor or friend for help?" Scarlet shakes her head.
"That's right Fan! Rain's just defending himself."
And he puts a bit of steel in his voice. "If that dappled devil returns to cause harm to anyone here I'm holding you people personally responsible for lettin' it go."
"Do it. I'll pay the bounty myself. We drove the wolf off, it won't bother anyone here again. But it does mean Fan's friend may need out help, and that's where I'm going."
"Fan, something tells me we need to head to the Narlmarches, and soon. Where to?"
With a start Zokon realises that he's supposed to introduce himself as well
"Zokon Santyev, cousin to Valorin Medvyed, No i'm not as noble as he is or as good an archer, but I shall see this investigation through with my companions and find the truth of it."
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"Of course, Introductions."
Numalar doffs his hat and makes a deep bow.
"I am Numalar Auritonius of Valdralee, once a retainer of House Garess, recently chartered along with my companions here, as an explorer here in the Stolen Lands by the Swordlords of Restov."
"Master Renault, we know full well you put up the bounty; we were at your meeting, though we did not get the chance to talk then. But you did so at the behest of another man, and you were not a witness to the incident that brought the complaint."
"As my friend says, we have encountered Worgs recently. I have a wonderful scar from one such encounter. So I can assure you that this was not a worg. I imagine your more experienced hunters, having now seen this wolf, will agree."
"The point is that this animal was trained. And when there is a complaint about a trained animal, that complaint falls on the master. A master whom we intend to find. If the complaint is legitimate then it is up to this Tamris to make it right."
"You may find it strange for a man to keep a wolf, but there are some who have a special 'gift' with animals. My friend Celyne here is one such person, and you will note this tiger of hers has behaved perfectly."
"Tamris is not the only one who keeps wolves. Your friend Grogan here-" Numalar turns and stares daggers at Grogan for a moment. "-saw fit to release his wolf into the crowd here at the fair. Perhaps he thought that the bedlam this would cause might flush out the other wolf. I don't know Grogan's mind; what I do know is that this wolf very nearly got to young Hal Benzen; who knows what would have happened. But your men have put Grogan's wolf down."
"We intend to find this Tamris and get to the bottom of what is going on. We will be happy to share our findings with you one we have them. But we need to be about our business now - best to strike while the iron is hot."