Kadan takes a final glance over his shoulder and then turns to his companions.
"My friends, I see no one waiting in ambush. I think it would be safe to help the old one here to reach the ground safely and be on his way."
To the old man:
"Old one! Did you see where the elvins went?"
The old man seems a bit confused by the question, but eventually shakes his head as he continues scanning the surrounding countryside.
"Would you like some help down, honored father?" asks Kendram, ready to move to assist him should he request it.
Kadan will also move closer, trusting in his swift reflexes to catch the old one should he slip.
Kadan swings himself up onto the lowest branch of the tree and the old man shrieks in alarm. "Oi!" he calls, trying to retreat along the branch. "What d'you want?"
A few branches above him, Kadan notices a buzzing beehive.
Hanging from the tree comes naturally to Kadan. He's made good use of tree branches to flee, hide, and ambush before.
"Old one! You said that you needed help to get down!"
Concluding that the old man is probably quite daft, Kadan decides to speed things up.
"Look out below!", he shouts down, as he flings a branch at the beehive.
Kuhl frowns, but not out of anger or disappointment. More...as an outward expression of bemused confusion.
These Baklands are quite...queer...
Kadan's thrown branch sails past the beehive without disturbing it too much. It is fairly far up the tree (about 17 m), and would be quite difficult to hit from this distance.
The old man, however, shrieks as the branch whizzes by him. "What ye tryin' to do? Knock me out of the tree like a cat? Help me down or go away and leave me to starve t' death!"
Kuhl laughs as the beehive survives Kadan's assault. And continues to watch.
Kadan looks at the still intact beehive. Then laughs.
"Ah, old one, you're too canny for me! But would you let me help you to reach the ground then? I would not leave you to starve if I can avoid it!"
Kadan begins moving further up the branch slowly towards the old man.
"Lady Libra! I see your signs in all!" cries out Kendram suddenly before trying to reach up and bring the man down.
"Oh, all right..." mutters Kuhl good naturedly, and gives the other two a hand.
Kuhl and Kadan carefully help the old man out of the tree, while Brother Kendram stares slack jawed up at the beehive.
"Thanks for 'at," he remarks, brushing himself down and almost knocking himself over in the process. "I was just startin' to get a bit, you know, perturbed. But I'm on the safe now."
He seems remarkably confident, considering that the slightest stumble might break him to bits.
Kadan waves his arm.
"Good luck on your travels, old one!"
The old man nods at Kadan. "Well, I'll keep goin' for Analand, I think," he says. "That's where I set off from, 'while back now. You wouldn't believe the story if I told you. Suffice to say, if I know my eyes from my eyes, you're heading out to Mampang and you'd better be smarter than I was. And 'ere."
He presses a page into Kadan's hand. "This might be o' some use to you. I found this. Just found it, mind, and don't go askin' how. But it's no good to me any more."
"Thank you, old one! Do you need some food for the road?"
The old man shrugs. "Won't say nay to a bit of extra if you have it."
"I am feeling generous, old one, and your stubbornness has given me fresh heart. Have some food with my thanks."
He hands over a day's worth of rations.
Kuhl chuckles, and bids the old man godspeed.
"Brave you are and hardy too uncle - the Baklands are not soft. But your journey is almost over, and ours barely begun, so I'll keep my victuals if it is all the same to you..." Kuhl looks at a Brother Kendram, and then to the golden bounty stored up in the tree.
"Mhm. Honey. That might be nice on some griddlecakes! Should we finish Kadan's heist?"
Kadan suddenly feels foolish, not that he'd say so.
He latches onto Kuhl's suggestion straight away.
"Aye, friends! Help me climb up, and I will snatch it!"
"It is a sign from Libra that helping him was the right thing to do. If you wish to get stung trying to take her honey, then be my guest."
Kadan looks and sounds confused at Kendram's words.
"Wait. How so? It's honey."
Kuhl' stomach wins out over Brother Kendram's sermon. His mind works quickly on a counter argument.
"Libra's sign is the balance, is it not? And the balance is in our favour - we helped the old man. Perhaps honey is a...material reward, beyond our spiritual salvation..." Kuhl finishes lamely, exerting himself as he gives Kadan's a boost toward the honey.
The old man gratefully takes the provisions from Kadan and takes a seat cross-legged on the ground next to the tree. He seems to have been quite hungry judging from the speed with which he tears into the bread and cheese.
The beehive seems to be quite zealously protected by its insect inhabitants. Do you want to take any protective measures before attempting the climb to retrieve it?
Brother Kendram gets the strong premonition that the honey of the hive is to be used for some divine purpose.
"Friends, do either of you have a torch? The fire and smoke might drive these bees away for a spell!"
Brother Kendram will make a prayer to Libra for guidance and then begin climbing up the tree.
Kuhl smiles, happy Kadan has the cunning and wits Kuhl does not possess.
"I do!"
The warrior swaps places with Brother Kendram and begins rifling through his "pack", the small sack he has tied crosswise over one shoulder. Noting the proximity to a world of conflagration, Kuhl carefully prepares a torch with his flint and tinder.
Once Kuhl had readied the torch and passed it up, Kadan will continue on his quest for honey. He waves the torch to and fro as he ascends with one hand and both legs, trying to drive off the bees.
The bees seem to be afraid of the torch or the smoke and quite a few of them clear off. Those few who remain behind, however, sting the thief with a vengeance. Despite their defenses, he manages to pilfer the honeycomb and reach the base of the tree covered in bee stings. By this point, the bees seem to have given up following him, but still buzz menacingly around the top of the tree searching for their lost home.
Glancing at the honeycomb indeed reveals what appears to be a symbol of Libra. It seems to be quite natural and not have been applied by any human hand. Brother Kendram feels strangely drawn to it, suspecting it of holding something of great importance.
The old man, still sitting cross-legged beneath the tree chuckles and smiles at Kendram. "You sense it too, eh? That's Libra mark on it. It means the hive or the honey inside is a holy component and can do great magic for those who are in her favor."
"Ouch! They stung! At least the torch worked, or I'd have been in trouble for sure!"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Kadan nods:
"Let's pack this away for a special occasion eh?"
"Agreed. It would not do to waste the lady's gift."
Turning to the old man, Kendram will also give him a day's meal and say "There is a village not far from here. I would avoid it and make your way straight to Analand."
The old man thanks you again then drifts off for a second in thought before snapping back to attention.
"Oh! I nearly fergot, I did. I learned a riddle from the Elvins, thought it might be of use somewhere. Here it goes:
See him though he sees you not;
A stinging beast in a box not left
To guard a key it is his lot
To goal a witch of luck bereft."
He tells you that he's not exactly sure what the rhyme signifies, but he knows that the Elvins are particularly keen on finding the key in question. He thinks for a moment to see if he can remember anything else, then shrugs his shoulders and gives up. Without another word, he turns around and heads back on the path toward Analand.
You still stand at a fork in the path. Do you wish to take the high way up into the hills, or the low way along the valley?
"Let's find that key first! Safe travels, old one!"
At the fork:
"There's cover in the hills. I say up!"
Kuhl is disappointed there will be no honey in tea, or mead or on griddlecakes or...
Looking up the path, then down, Kuhl shrugs...
"Clearer air up there, as the old saying goes..." he agrees with Kadan.
"Very well. Let us proceed into the hills."
The high route seems the most secure: in a valley you can easily be observed from above and led astray, but out in the hills you can go whichever way you choose. Of course, when night falls it may be cold and exposed up on the slopes ... But no matter. This journey was never destined to be easy.
The path winds upwards into the hills and you enter a wood. The afternoon sun glints through the trees and plays tricks on your eyes. Every so often you catch a glimpse of some strange-shaped animal or other watching you, only to find that it is the silhouetted branches and leaves caught at the odd angle.
After an hour's walk you are starting to feel hungry. Do you wish to stop to eat or would you rather press on?
Kadan is actually enjoying the walk. It's very different from the cramped streets of Arkleton!
"Let's stop and have a bite to eat, I'm getting peckish!"
You clamber to the top of a low stone dolmen, then sit and pull out the various foods you have set aside for this meal. While eating, you admire the view down the hillside through a break in the trees.
You feel better for your rest.
While you are eating, both Kadan and Brother Kendram notice several green squirrel-like creatures have climbed down out of the trees and are stealthily heading toward your packs, most likely intent on stealing the rest of your provisions. Kuhl seems blissfully unaware.
Kadan devours his ration with gusto, used to having to eat quickly on the streets of his childhood. He is also used to others trying to steal what food he has.
He picks up a pebble and tosses it near the closest squirrel, saying "Scat, you squirrels!"
The pebble hits the squirrel-like creature square in the head causing it to fall over in an almost comical manner. Momentarily stunned, it quickly recovers and rights itself, chirping angrily at you while it makes a quick retreat to the trees. The two other creatures follow the first one's example and scurry for cover in the nearby bushes.
Kadan laughs at the sight.
"Did you see that!? Little squirrels legged it!"
"What? Where!?! Can we cook them?" blusters Kuhl.
After Kadan throws the rock and stuns the squirrel with it, Kendram secures his pack and says "We should probably get moving. I want us to get to a good camping location before evening falls."
Time to move on. You stand and put on your packs, then return to the path.
The climb into the hills continues for two to three hours as the path twists this way and that up the hillside. Soon the air gets cold and the sun sets, making it difficult for you to see. However, the moon is full and will be able to light the way as it gets darker.
"Let's camp here. There's no sense in stumbling over a rock during the night!"
Kuhl agrees - besides he has the Baklands flu and needs his rest.
Tiring yourself out on the first day would be inauspicious. You settle down to make camp for the night in a natural shelter provided by the roots of three gigantic, intertwined trees. Your backpacks can serve as pillows, and your cloak for a blanket.
"Friends, let us keep a watch! I can take the first one."