Nathaniel doesn’t budge. He clenches and unclenches his fingers unconsciously as his hand hovers at his side, near the axe at his belt, but he doesn’t reach for the weapon.
“This man has probably never heard of your Lord in Iron, and is not subject to the tenants of your religion,” the ranger says, trying to stay calm but with a hint of anger and frustration creeping into his voice. “You don’t have the right to appoint yourself judge, jury and executioner friend.” He takes a deep breath.
“Res, I owe you much for coming with me to face Gilbraith, and I count myself lucky to have had you by my side in the battles we’ve faced together since then. In most matters I’d take your side over someone we just met on the road. But this isn’t justice, it isn’t fair, it’s wrong. If you don’t like this man, if he has offended you, then we’ll send him on his way, but I won’t let you kill him.” The last is said with a grim intensity.
Res is torn by the respect he has for Nathaniel and the goodness instilled by his mother versus the tenets of his god. He sighs heavily and stands down.
Nathaniel stands breathing heavily and shaking for a moment, the adrenalin still coursing through his veins.
*Urdrin looks at Res and Nathaniel*
"Alright ye two, stand down. Res I understand yer feelins about deserters, I fer one never stand down on a just cause, and would ne'er abandon me friends in a fight. But me father once telled me when I was once a lad, that it be the pinnacle of honor to train hard, stand yer ground, fight to protect yer family, land, home, an' honor. But the commander owes to his people justice, wisdom, and benevolence. He must be willin' to lay down his life fer his people, his command and respect must be earned, there be no shame in disobeyin' the orders of corrupt commander."
"What on earth are you doing?"
Angalia snaps irritably at Res and Nath.
"Res - get a grip. Look at this man. If your god says that it's honourable to be forced into atrocity, he's no god for anyone and I know you wouldn't worship someone like that.
Nath, keep your hair on. Res has to speak for his god. You're right, but we need to stick together. This whole land will try to pull us apart if we let it."
"As for you, I don't much care what you've been made to do, but I do care that you care. Now, what is going on here."
The young man is extremely unsettled by the group's argument. "I'm not a soldier, I'm a farmer," he insists (it's not so much a lie as something he needs to affirm for himself). "I was conscripted into service - they don't give you a choice. My neighbor tried to hide his boy when the soldiers came - his boy is two summers younger than me - and when they found them, the commander took both of them - father and son - and set them on a pole along the side of the road. I know what happens if you try to refuse. I went along, but the things that they do - the things that they do to their own people. I can't do that. I'm a farmer."
"I can tell you're not from around here; you say you're headed south, but you're not traveling on the road, either. I know this place - I know my way around. I can show the way through the forest to wherever you're going. Maybe we can help each other. Just keep me away from them."
"You've got my help," says Angalia simply. "Has it always been this way?"
Res recovers from Nathaniel's rebuke. Listening to the young man's story, he senses the truth in his statements. "While my god Gorum cannot abide cowardice in any form, he does understand the strategic value of not fighting. I believe you that you were conscripted against your will so I do not view you as a deserter. And the army of Lord Vlad is anything but honorable. As I said before, things are strange in this land. That is why I allowed you a chance to explain before striking." Res pauses and swallows hard, then continues, "I apologize for spitting at you and accusing you of cowardice. When I saw you with that disguise, I snapped. I accept your help and offer mine in return."
Res turns away avoiding Nathaniel's eyes and fiddles with restowing his gear.
Knowing her own struggles with Erastil's tenets and their current situation, Eliva uses what knowledge and skill with words she has to try to smooth over the situation.
"As you say, Res, he's not really a deserter, becuase he was never a willing soldier. Gorum wants willing, dedicated warriors. We should join causes with them man to help them find a way to let warriors pit skill against skill without forcing those not dedicated to war to slaughter. Even those who wish to be warriors, surely should not be forced by their commanders into harming those not involved in the conflict." Eliva considered. "I think refusing to follow such orders at such risk to himself is a certain kind of bravery, don't you?"
Res looks up at Eliva. "Eliva your counsel is wise. It IS a brave act to refuse an unjust order. Gorum's tenets are simple on the surface, but nuanced. The underlying factor that determines right or wrong in Gorum's eyes is intent. If an act is done out of cowardice, it is wrong and must be punished. If Gorum was here, he would intervene himself by causing rust to form on the offender's weapon or armor. If an act is done as the calculated decision based on the odds at the time, strategic retreat for example, then Gorum will approve. In the case of this young man, I believe him when he says he has left the army because he thinks that the orders it is following are corrupt and that he was drafted against his will, not because he is afraid of dying. Those are reasons I can respect."
Standing back up Res, continues, "Eliva, you know as well as I, that even in this god foresaken land, our faith in our gods must remain strong. I respect your faith in Erastil, and I still believe that together, our combined faith can help heal this plane. Thank you for respecting my god and trying to understand the difficulty in balancing his beliefs."
The young man responds quickly to Angalia. "It's been like this for nearly as long as anyone can remember. Lord Vlad has always... It's unsafe to talk about Lord Vlad. I will say only that he has ruled this land in much the same way since long before I was born. The conscriptions are harsher lately, though. They scour the countryside, pressing anyone who can wield a blade into service - even those who know more about tilling fields than fighting wars. Perhaps they are preparing for another invasion of a neighboring land, although none have ever been successful. It's a dangerous time to be in this land."
"Where are you going? I can show you how to avoid the roads."
"We're going south. There's a man we need to find. Are you sure you want to lead us, he's with a regiment and it won't be a safe place for you."
Nathaniel nods silently at Urdrin, Eliva and Angalia’s words and steps back. He is quiet as the others talk to the young man, looking around ostensibly for any signs of danger.
At Angalia’s words to the man, Nathaniel nods again, taking a half step forward. “We could use a guide, but Angalia is right; we’re headed into danger. Still, we’re both headed to the border – this country you mentioned you are heading towards, does it lie south? Perhaps we can help each other for a way, part ways before we get too close to the regiment.”
"Yes. My cousin said that if I can get south into Borca, I can follow the river west into Richemulot. I don't want to get too close to that regiment, but there's some safety in numbers. You look like you can defend yourselves."
Nathaniel nods again. “Got a pack, any gear? Right then, let’s get moving.”
Res picks up his gear and joins the group heading south.
You head off, following the directions of Andrei, your young guide (for, as you converse, you come to learn that is his name). Your path leads eastward at first, through the forest. You are moving parallel to the road, and curve to the south after the road does so as well. As afternoon turns to evening, you reach a rushing river.
"There aren't many places to cross the river, besides the stone bridge in Aerie. I know a spot, though, where the river runs shallow. We should cross it before nightfall."
True to his word, Andrei leads you to a suitable fording spot. While the water is treacherous, you are able to make it safely across.
The night's camp is uneventful, and he leads you onward in the morning. As you progress, the experienced woodsmen (and women) among you start to see signs of human passage. Andrei stops suddenly when he sees, off in the distance, a clearing dotted with several ominous shapes that have become all too familiar - impaled victims of Lord Vlad.
Nathaniel follows along with the others, taking careful note of their way and surroundings.
Angalia follows along, doing her best to avert her eyes from the victims and failing miserably. She feels very sick.
Nathaniel places a steadying hand on Angalia's shoulder.
How could any man do that to another? he asks himself.
Unconsciously echoing Nath's unspoken thought, Angalia looks at him.
"Is he even human that he can do that?"
"Lord Vlad is a plaque on this land, and he has an eager apprentice in Gilbreath. We must find them soon."
Unconsciously echoing Nath's unspoken thought, Angalia looks at him.
"Is he even human that he can do that?"
"In this land nothing would surprise me," answers Nathaniel in a low voice. "Although perhaps the most monstrous thing we've met was human," he adds, thinking of the Surgeon.
Erfan remains quietly aloof during most of the journey, only occasionally speaking his mind in cryptic turns of phrase and cursing loudly during the river fording (after all, knee-high water to a human was water enough to submerge the tiny gnome).
"This land is ill. Very, very ill. The creatures live in fear as much as the people do..." he looks upon the impaled humans and, while seemingly not as revolted by it as his companions, he nonetheless frowns. "And the monsters cannot be discerned from the gentry."
Unconsciously echoing Nath's unspoken thought, Angalia looks at him.
"Is he even human that he can do that?"
A bittersweet voice, tinted by the sound of tragic relief comes from your left, "One can wear the skin of a man and still not be called so, just as one can be thought lost and yet be found." Doing her best to remain calm the weary girl steps into view, a half a smile on her face, and her bloodshot eyes open wide. "Hello my friends.... I dreamed of you."
Shock crosses Res's face as he hear's Tiffana's voice and sees her step into view. "Tiffana, is that, is that you?" he asks in disbelief. "What happened to you, and where is Belanos?"
"Tiffana! Are you alright?"
Eliva was eager to be distracted from the grisly sight before her by Tiffana's reappearance, and she stepped forward with an unguarded smile, unconciously displaying the tusks she usually tried to minimize. "It's good to see you, Tiffana." She rummaged through her pack for some of the nuts and berries she had saved from her foraging as they walked. "Are you hungry? Are you well?"
"Ahh... the sleepwalker dreams herself to unity once more," the gnome states cryptically, smiling at Tiffana's approach.
"We've not yet woken up from this nightmare, so it is good to have you at our side again."
Tif seems to sag a little at the recognition and relief on her friends faces and in their words. "I had wondered. Wondered if I was real or not, wondered if I was instead my own nightmare. But to see you here, you're real... and therefore I must be as well." She steps up to Eliva and places a small hand on the stronger woman's cheek, a true smile lighting her features for a flicker of time. "I am as well as I have ever been, in body and spirit by any means. Bel.... he..." She chokes on her words, her lip trembling, as tears stream from her golden eyes.
Angalia doesn't even speak. She simply runs to Tiffana and hugs her.
"We're real," confirms Nath. "But Belanos, what happened to him?" His eyes flick unconsciously towards the staked bodies.
"We're real," confirms Nath. "But Belanos, what happened to him?" His eyes flick unconsciously towards the staked bodies.
Accepting, and gladly sinking into Angalia's hug, Tif follows Nathaniel's gaze to the impaled figures for a moment before burying her face into her friend's embrace. "They killed him, they did THAT to him." she says, her voice muffled from the joint hug she shares.
“Oh gods ... how, why?” Nathaniel speaks through a strangled voice and gritted teeth. Blinking away tears, he forces himself to search the skyline, the stakes for his one-time companion’s body.
Res girds himself for the gruesome task of searching for Belanos's body among the impaled corpses. "Nathaniel, I will help you look," Res says grimly. "A horrible way for such a noble soldier to die."
*Urdrin looks at the impaled bodies in disgust, shaking his head*
"What kind of monster puts a body on display like a common beast trophy."
*He looks at the companions and the reunion which he knows he has no part in*
"Someone point out the lads body, and I'll take care of things, I call ye once we be ready to say a few words. Fer now you lot take care of the lass, she seems like she's been through some tough times."
*Urdrin waits for his body to be pointed out to him.*
Among the giant stakes, Belanos' body is easily spotted. He is planted unceremoniously among several other victims.
Your guide Andrei seems unfazed by the impaled victims. It has become a familiar sight to him since childhood. Seeing how distraught his newfound allies are at the sight, he offers to assist Urdrin.
Feeling like an awkward third wheel standing next to the embracing women, Nathaniel strides grimly across the fields towards the stakes, along with Urdin, Res and Andrei, preferring to keep busy, even at such a horrific task.
“Tiffana and Belanos travelled with us, but we lost them before the prison,” Nathaniel says quietly to Urdrin. “We didn’t know Belanos very well, but he seemed like a good and brave man.”
"Thank you, Urdin."
She turns Tiffana away explains briefly what has happened since they parted.
"So now we have even more reason to find Gilbraith and Lord Vlad. This land is so sick. How does it survive under the weight of this kind of evil?"
Eliva stared over the other womens' heads at the other bodies on the stakes as Belanos' body was pulled down off the stake. She looked at the others, and asked softly, "May we take the time to give the others here a decent burial? I don't want to leave them exposed like this to the empty sky."
Res shares Eliva's concern for the dead. "Let's take care of all of these bodies and give them the proper burial they deserve. I think we have already made our presence known in these parts. Disturbing Lord Vlad's horrific display can't make things much worse."
"The question is, what is the best way to get them down? I think we need to chop off the stakes and pull the bodies off that way. Even an unadorned stake leaves too grim of a message. Do we have anything to chop these stakes down?"
Nathaniel nods curtly and pulls out his axe.
“We’ll need to be quick about it. Andrei, is it common for soldiers to watch these sites to ensure the bodies are not disturbed?”
"They do," Andrei says with concern. "Showing too much care for the condemned is itself a crime, so it's not unusual for the soldiers to come back around. We will have to act quickly."
"Well let's make haste. Nathaniel you and Urdrin can start cutting the stakes down while the rest of us remove the bodies and begin digging the grave. If no one has a shovel, we can at least use sticks to move the soil. Who can keep watch while we work?"
"I am more than happy to help laying these poor people to rest, but if I would better serve by keeping a watch, I will do that instead," Eliva offered.
Tif nods at Eliva's words and turns her attentions to the surrounding area, watching for anything or anyone who would come upon them.
"I am probably too small and weak to be of much use in retrieving the dead, but my eyes are as good as any. I will stand vigil," the gnome nods to the others, standing his spear up.