There is nothing casual about this conversation, and Ara knows it well. Still, Serra's warning is well heeded and he lowers his voice.
"That is hard to say. If it is demon's blood, and the addiction laid upon them in earnest, at least once a day. It has some benefit, making one's spells more effective against demon kind. But the benefit does not last long, and the nausea and sickness does. Some build up a tolerance, needing more, and with greater illness when they are missing it. They will seem ill, out of sorts, perhaps vomiting, or with tremors."
Serra nods and continues to probe and think.
"So..usually they might require dosage once a day? What is the effect of the interaction between the blood and divine protection? Would a circle of divine interdiction drive the blood from one so affected?"
"It can help, but it is no sure fire cure. The addict must truly wish to give it up, and even then... the call is strong. Once it has its hooks into someone..." He leaves the thought unspoken, but surely clear to all.
"You can't be sure of what you speak."
Jurin skips on his way back to the mess tents, for all the world appearing to care not one wit for what goes on around him. His nose is twitching, however, casting about him for odd scents.
Cole gives himself a moment once everyone departs to ponder.
So we're already besieged, and we have yet to cross over to the tough ground.
He thinks a while before venturing back out. He does a tour of the camp, making sure to end up with Jothinra.
He pulls him a little to the side and briefly describes what happened in his tent a short while ago.
"So pass the word to your men - the enemy knows we're here and they are beginning to act against us. Be vigilant, and don't let the little stuff, like shorn ropes, or broken wheels, or a little lameness in one's horse - bother you. Resolve it and move on. Rise above it and we'll take the fight to the cowards soon enough."
"Oh, and we'll be meeting every evening from here on in and I want you there speaking your mind as an equal. We'll be in the thick of it before long and we should have good communications for problems that arise before they're crises."
"Is there any way to detect it? To know if someone is under it's sway? It is said Paladins can identify those most bent on ill-will, but would that include any who... well... have consumed such a vile vial?"
He thinks for a moment. "Or to even find the vials themselves? If it has to be drunk everyday, and it's someone here, there must be more. Otherwise, something is shadowing the camp and making their entrance among our vigilant eyes. Is the vial magical? Or evil?" And then his eyes widen. "Or do you think the damned one is drinking directly from..."
Serra continues his questioning.
"What, besides from a supply of demon's blood, is necessary to produce the intoxicant. I hear it was distilled...surely, that process takes more than what could carry or do on an expedition like this?"
"You can't be sure of what you speak."
"I can be sure, if we are speaking of the vile substance demon's blood, and it's more soul shearing sibling Shadows blood. But you are right, Elyanias, until I have seen it myself, I cannot be certain. Do you have such a sample?" He continues, though he has yet to see anything just yet.
"Finding it tends to be extremely difficult, unless you can find an user and follow them to their source. The cultists often use special vials to block it from magical detection."
"Sir Beagan, The users tend to be somewhat distracted while under its effects... and as it begins to weigh on them, it can sap them of energy, make them listless, and affect their stomach to the point of weight loss. And of course, he is cut off from spells that would protect him from demons that might pray upon him."
"Do you have such a sample?"
"Yes. Serra is hiding it from you." As he is from me...
"Find a user and follow it to the source?" Serra leans back, repeating what the elf said.
Serra arranges his thoughts and presses more.
"We've been on the road...if someone had a 'source', it would be a limited supply and upon their person OR there are demons bringing it in while invisible, Ara. Not many of us have had chance to book to our secret lair and back again. And since the vials will negate magical auras, those methods of detection are going to be difficult," Serra opines.
Serra taps his lips with his finger, pondering.
"Ara, discussion with you has been enlightening. I have much to think upon."
]"Serra, Ara, this is demon blood we are discussing, right? So would something that particularly hurts demons, well, would it maybe react to that? The Lord has charged me with his energy to hinder such unnatural, foreign evil."
Beagan pulls out his silver amulet with the flaming sword and holds the symbol of his Lord aloft. He lowers his head and invokes Ragathiel's assistance, calling forth a burst of holy energy.
He looks for any reaction from Serra or anything the knight carries. "If that holy fire specifically hurts demons, would there be any kind of reaction from the blood? Or one who has it running through their own veins?"
"Is this true, Sir Serra? Do you have such a sample?"
Aravashnyel ponders Sir Beagan's questions, then answers. "That I do not know. Perhaps, if Sir Serra *does*have such a sample, we could test it." He raises a brow to sturdy Sir Serra, waiting for his answer.
"Is this true, Sir Serra? Do you have such a sample?"
Serra goes back to his tent to the vial, returning quickly.
"Here you go," Serra hands over the vial wrapped in a cloth.
After Serra returns with the vial, Beagan will offer to invoke Ragathiel's energy again just to see if it has any effect on the tainted contents.
"So pass the word to your men - the enemy knows we're here and they are beginning to act against us. Be vigilant, and don't let the little stuff, like shorn ropes, or broken wheels, or a little lameness in one's horse - bother you. Resolve it and move on. Rise above it and we'll take the fight to the cowards soon enough."
"Sir? Uh, of course."
"Oh, and we'll be meeting every evening from here on in and I want you there speaking your mind as an equal. We'll be in the thick of it before long and we should have good communications for problems that arise before they're crises."
"Yes. Yes, of course," he replies hesitantly. He eyes the Commander for a moment, begins to speak, but thinks better of it and marches off to speak to the men.
"Thank you sir."
Cole heads back to his tent and ponders on the days activities. He's still unsure about this whole leadership thing, and wonders how the will turn out. He is sure about one thing though - he doesn't like it...
After Serra returns with the vial, Beagan will offer to invoke Ragathiel's energy again just to see if it has any effect on the tainted contents.
Beagan's channel does not appear to affect the blood within the bottle.
Aravashnyel hands the bottle back to Serra, transferring it as carefully as if it were poison or acid that might spill at any moment.
"Yes, that is one of the demonic drugs. See how it moves in defiance of the laws of our plane? It should be destroyed."
Laina reports back to Cole once he is in his tent.
"There were several that approached your tent. Sosiel came by, but a bottle of wine. He said he hoped to talk to you about troop morale. Aron came by, said he had hoped to talk siege tactics with you. Nurah stopped by, about tomorrow's route. One of the cavalry people came by the name of Gerymi came by, but seemed flustered when I asked what she wanted. She seemed nice, by the way." she adds with an impish grin.
"I guess we'll have to be extra vigilant for anyone acting suspicious. If they need to drink it every day or they start acting strange, it would be useful to find out just how they are getting more, or where it is stored."
Beagan makes a note to discuss this with Xanthos and to keep his eyes sharp for anyone acting particularly distracted or weak. When he makes his way through camp and takes his watch, he'll keep his eyes open for people going through "demon-blood" use/withdrawal symptoms that Ara described - weak, listless, weightloss.
Laina reports back to Cole once he is in his tent.
"There were several that approached your tent. Sosiel came by, but a bottle of wine. He said he hoped to talk to you about troop morale. Aron came by, said he had hoped to talk siege tactics with you. Nurah stopped by, about tomorrow's route. One of the cavalry people came by the name of Gerymi came by, but seemed flustered when I asked what she wanted. She seemed nice, by the way." she adds with an impish grin.
He looks at Laina a moment... a long moment. "OK. I'll stop by and see each of them on my rounds tonight. In the future, uh, hrm. OK."
He wanders off and does another round of the camp, as is his want, and takes a moment to look everyone up. When it comes to Nurah, he tries to find her when she's not on duty.
Eli turns from Ara to Serra, making sure the vial makes it safely. He then turns back to Ara. "What testing? I saw no testing of it. If you call for its destruction, why do you hand it back to Serra? Don't you have the means of destroying it here and now?"
"Thank you for your help, Ara. I shall remove this from concern."
Serra takes the vial back into his tent and secrets the vial away.
Jurin begins crawling around his tent on all fours, sniffing the grass.
"Need more dogs. Plenty of horses, not enough dogs."
Eli watches as Ara fails to bring forth any means of destroying the substance, and looks questioningly at the elf as Serra walks off with it, again. Without more discussion, Eli excuses himself and returns to inform Marcus and Saul of all that occurred, before turning in for the night.
His dreams are restless, and he wakes uncomfortably the next morning, should nothing else interrupt the passage of night.
*****
With their suspicions to keep them company, the knights head to bed, though their sleep is troubled by thoughts that meld to dreams that give way to concerns in the light of day.
The weather seems to mock them, dawning bright and clear, and the camp wakes, and eats without incident. They are able to be on their way quickly, though there is little talk amongst the men.
Still, with the good weather, their spirits lighten, and a cheer goes up as someone reports a faint trail of smoke in the distance. Vala's gift cannot be far away!
What joy comes from the sighting though, disappears as the pasture lands of the Vala's goat herds spreads before them as they crest a small rise. Once nicely delineated with fences for the various families, the pastures a wreck torn fields and decaying corpses of goats and men alike.
Cole commands the caravan to stop on the rise. He notifies Jothinra that he, and any other of the lords who wish to, are going below to take a closer, but brief, look before the entire group passes through the pastures and to protect the caravan.
He gives the others a moment to assemble, and rides down to view the bodies. He tries to discover how and when they died, and to track what killed them (or at least get a sense of number and direction of travel if he can).
(tracking)
The bodies have been dead for days; the fencing has been demolished. Half eaten carcasses of goats are strewn about. Closer now, what is left of the town of Valas' Gift can be seen, though it isn't much. Stinking burnt ruins of homes and a few stores can been seen. While most have quit smoking, the faint trail of smoke still comes from what is left of the chapel. It appears they left it for last.
Tracks of bipedal creatures are mingled amongst the devastation and the tracks of the dead, but it is a crazy, chaotic mess.
Riding forth on Xanthos, Beagan accompanies his commander. Unfamiliar with this terrain and habitation, he focuses his attention on anything that might approach, lance and mount at the ready.
He speaks softly. "Bring 'em on." Unfortunately, I bet they're not likely to reveal themselves until they're ready.
Eli looks over the bodies, taking in the condition of the corpses. "There's a gore by horn there... a rake with claws on this one..." He understands well enough, considering their proximity to the Wound.
He spurs his horse to return to the central part of the entourage, informing Saul to be on the lookout. This is it, then. We are on the verge of conflict. And with demons, no less. This is why we march.
"Eli, tell Jothinra to move the troops along, we'll pass through this safely enough I think, but yeah, we're in it now."
Cole looks around a little longer and returns to the main force, wishing he was out in front rather than stuck in the middle. He itches to use his bow again against the perpetrators of this atrocity.
Serra steps away from Dinner (his horse, not 2nd or 3rd) and looks at the carnage, be-saddened that Kastor will have to see it.
No. He needs to know. He needs to know what we fight for.
With a heavy sigh, he takes his ranseur withhim as he walks through the bodies, using it to prod at uncertain masses and turn over the dead as if there might be survivors.
He says nothing, but boards Dinner and is ready to move on.
Eli nods to Cole, and proceeds to locate Jothindra carefully, working his way through the contingent. Finding the captain, Eli provides him Cole's instruction.
"Captain, Commander Cole would like the horses moved forward. We're to be at the ready for engagement with demons, now that it's obvious we've made it into their territory."
Sosiel catches up with the others, swallowing a gasp at the ruin of the town. "Should we look at all for survivors?"
"Perhaps a ride-through is warranted, but it appears obvious that anyone once living is no longer. This seems to be thorough." Eli listens as best he can above the sounds of the contingent, but doesn't linger, as the smell starts to get to him.
Serra will keep his eyes open for survivors...or sounds of them as he rides.
"Man...so many dead. And the goats. So many dead goats. Why are they made to suffer?"
Serra presses on.
"Captain, Commander Cole would like the horses moved forward. We're to be at the ready for engagement with demons, now that it's obvious we've made it into their territory."
"Thank you Sir Elyanias. I'll make sure the van proceeds with open ears and eyes and for us to be at the ready with arms presented on march."
Added as a whisper to Sir Elyanias, "Sir, this is the breadbasket of Kenabres - Vala's Gift - this is on side of the Sellen River. To suggest such that this is "their" territory... well... that might not be..."
The Captain looks around at the other soldiers present and tries to speak in an even quieter tone, "...even if the 'wound has expanded since you destroyed the Wardstones... It's just best not to speak of such things amongst open ears. Morale, sir. Morale. Maybe as we pass you might give the soldiers a talking up - inspire them."
Iomedae knows Sir Cole won't.
He hoists the unit banner high for all to see.
When Cole returns to the middle of the Van, Beagan stays with the front of the column. relying on Xanthos' sure footing and adequate speed, he tries to position to protect any who would menace the forward edge of the caravan.
"Thank you Sir Elyanias. I'll make sure the van proceeds with open ears and eyes and for us to be at the ready with arms presented on march."
"Sir, this is the breadbasket of Kenabres - Vala's Gift - this is on our side of the Sellen River. To suggest such that this is "their" territory... well... that might not be..."
"...even if the 'wound has expanded since the Wardstones... It's just best not to speak of such things amongst open ears. Morale, sir. Morale. Maybe as we pass you might give the soldiers a talking up - inspire them."
Eli finds himself leaning closer and closer still, as Jothindra adjusts his level of volume. The quieter he becomes, the more Eli understands the weight of his words.
"I was... unaware of the lay of the land, and what Vala's Gift representeds. My apologies, Captain. 'Learning in the saddle', as they say." Eli sits straighter in his saddle, allowing his clouded eyes a brief pan right and left to understand the proximity of troops.
"Captain, I would be interested... well, that will have to wait..." Eli nods to Jothindra, and spurs his horse, seeking to make himself useful in returning to the center of the herd.
"This!! This is why we ride, noble paladins!! The demons grow bold, and we are left to witness the suffering left in their wake!! And yet, they hide in shadows, while we ride in the light!! Take heart!! You are the Queen's retribution, a swift strike back at the foul creatures who foolishly wander from their 'wound!! The citizens of Vala's Gift call to you, and in your strength, so shall you answer!!"
Jurin will get off of the food wagon and ride a horse to the village.
"Don't wait for me."
With that he begins going through the houses, looking for survivors.
Serra looks around, wondering what, if anything, is going to happen.
Serra yawns.
Serra double takes at Kastor's touch.
"Are you sure?" Serra asks reflexively all the while knowing that the lad wouldn't be wrong about this. No, not about this.
Serra shouts, dismounting Dinner and grabbing his ranseur.
Serra moves to the well cautiously walking in his soldier's stance, his ranseur out in front of him.
"Kastor, get behind me!"
Eli observes Serra bellow, and allows his vision to tether to the advancing man, while remaining on horseback. He heard it too.
He only hopes the well contains a wily villager.
Cole, unhappily, stays in his position with the caravan. He trusts his allies to examine the well and discern what, if anything, needs to be done there. He does however have his bow out and he makes sure he has a clear shot into the area at least - if a long shot.
Not noticing much himself, Beagan eyes the well warily.
"Well?"
He looks off in the distance, spotting Jurin entering houses. "Think anybody could have made it, hiding in a house?" I hope so. When demons go wild, they aren't necessarily thorough, right? "Or is the well more likely? Of course, I bet a quasit would fit down there just fine, too, so..."
Serra summons light, casting it upon a stone and tossing it into the depths.
He listens and looks, hoping to confirm life.
Perception
He makes a motion with his left hand for others nearby to keep it down so that he might hear better.
Serra turns to the others.
"I think there is a boy down there...alive. Do one of you have rope?" Serra looks again at the boy. "He's about 15ft down."
Serra looks down again at the boy.
"Or can one of you climb down?"