Trying to impress Shalelu, he pulls out his knife and gestures wildly with it at the listeners as he speaks. Occasionally he uses it to clean beneath his fingernails, digging out Olam's Moss from under his nails.
Well, I was out at Pitman's Gap. Only just returned to camp, and I find my bags gone open and scattered around the bluff. And I am pissed. I mean angrier than your mother when I turn her around at night and send her back to your father.
I'm telling you, boxes are bashed, my camo nets are all torn, and all bloody Dreloc can give is a shrug. The whole place reeks of a pair of horny teenage bears.
So, I dig out the campfire for my valuable necessities, roast the last little bunny wabbits (Hehe. Nos so cute anymore, but that's how it goes in life. It reminds me of a time when-)
Anyways I put all those furs I had together into a roll and start humping it back to town.
I got a reach and a skip south of the gully when I notice these hooves in the trail. Y'see, Horses - Horses right? Horse's got four-five legs if he's well endowed. This thing- it's got 400 pounds on your average horse, and no ferrier's been at this doggie.
So, I set my furs down to take a better look with a little light. By the dukes of hell, I swear the tracks were bipedal. What I had was a two-leg-walker horse.
The tracks were fresh, and I've seen 'em twice before. That's the sign of the Sandpoint Devil.
I decided at that point to take the scenic route and get off the trail. Lucky thing I did, even if Yui scared me out of my skin.
Half-orc witch 2
CG Medium Humanoid (half-orc)
Init +0; Senses Perception +2
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DEFENSE
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AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 (+ armor, + Dex)
hp (2d6)
Fort +4 (+0+2+2), Ref +0, Will +3 (+1+2)
[/b]--------------------
OFFENSE
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Speed[/b] 30 ft.
Melee Longsword +2 (1d8+1)
Ranged
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SPELLCASTING
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Known: All cantrips, 1st Level (7): beguiling gift, bless (patron), bungle, burning hands, forced quiet, ill-omen, obscuring mist, sleep
Prepared: Cantrips: 4/day daze, detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue
1st: 2/day bless, ill-omen
Hexes: ward, misfortune
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STATISTICS
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Str13, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Keen Scent
Traits Childhood Crush (Sandru), Pragmatic Activator
Trained Skills 10 skill points (8+2 favored class) Heal +8 (2+3+2), Knowledge (history) +6 (1+3+2), Knowledge (nature) +7 (2+3+2), Profession: Tailor +7 (2+3+2), Spellcraft +6 (1+3+2), Use magic device +6 (1+3+2)
Untrained Skills Appraise +4 (+2+2), Knowledge (local) +4 (+2+2), Swim +2 (1+1)
Languages Taldane, Orc, Varisian, and Draconic
Gear
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CLASS ABILITIES
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Patron Ancestors
Cantrips Access to all cantrips.
Hexes Save to resist hex is 13 (10+1/2 level+INT mod)
Witch’s Familiar Rat (+2 Fort save)
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RACIAL TRAITS
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+2 to one Ability score
Medium
Normal Speed 30 feet
Darkvision 60 feet range
Scavenger Replaces Intimidate +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and on Perception checks to find hidden objects (including traps and secret doors), determine whether food is spoiled, or identify a potion by taste.
City-raised Replaces weapon familiarity. Proficient with whips and longswords. +2 bonus on knowledge (local) checks.
Acute Darkvision Replaces orc ferocity. 90 feet range.
Rough Backgorund Zelruza is the only child of escaped slaves. She was born in Sandpoint. Her parents carved out a life there; doing odd jobs, hauling trash, harvesting, porting and guard-duty, but mostly fishing. Zelruza had a fairly happy childhood. Her parents made sure she could use a longsword and defend herself. She played with the other children of Sandpoint. She is a few years younger than Sandru and Ameiko. Secretly, she had a crush on Sandru.
Zelruza was apprenticed to a tailor. While she didn’t show an innate talent with needle work, she could perform math for measurements quickly, understood fabrics, and had a good sense of design.
When the older children went off adventuring, she wanted to go along, but her parents wouldn’t let her. Determined anyway, she snuck out of the house in the middle of the night. After about three hours of walking, her conscience got the better of her. She knew that her parents had worked so hard for her to have an apprenticeship with a tailor. She knew she was missing a chance to win Sandru’s heart, but she felt like going back home would be better.
When she returned home, she discovered a crowd outside and what sounded like a fight coming from the house in the pre-dawn morning. The crowd parted with murmurs of sorrow and sympathy. The Sheriff was outside her front door. He told her that her mother’s body was discovered not an hour ago, evidently a victim of the Chopper.
Her father told her that her mother had gone after her, convinced Zelruza was going off adventuring. Zelruza’s spirits were crushed by this. She blamed herself for her mother’s death.
One year later, on her mother’s death anniversary, Zelruza dreamed a rat was speaking to her. It had her mother’s voice, combined with other female voices, mostly sounding old. It promised to teach her things to protect herself and others.
At work, she was moving bolts of fabric in one of the storage rooms, when she saw a rat. It stood on its hind legs and spoke. She swallowed hard. It didn’t sound like her mother’s voice, but it was so similar to the dream. Over the months that followed she listened and learned. Spells and hexes.
When she became an adult, she set up a small tailor shop. Mostly she does mending. She makes costumes for the local actors. She also supports herself with harrowing and fortune telling. When the goblins attacked Sandpoint, she proudly defended the town with her magic and longsword, fighting alongside her father.
Eventually Sandru returned to the city. She had the knack of turning up at the same tavern now and again. He’d leave with his caravan before she could work up the courage to confess her feelings.
On the big wall behind Valia, using the candle light as a light source, the shadows come to life and you see Yui do all sorts of weird maneuvers in front of the candle with some beautiful shadow stencils that she drew from her bag. The shadows twist and move, and you can see a shape resembling Valia walking around. He comes across small bears running round with little stinky marks hanging over them and Valia pinches his nose. Later he is digging and catches some little bunnies for roasting. After a short sleep he continues to walk and you see this little thinky cloud appears on Valia imagining big horses with 4, no 5 legs.
A five legged horse? Is that possible? Yui turns to Valia with the question written all over her face, pausing her performance.
As he continues to talk she once again manipulates the shadows for the rest of the story. The five legged horse changed into a bipedal one with hooves for hands. The sign of the Sandpoint Devil comes past as a great scary fiery horse and you see the shadow Valia run like a little girl away from it. And ho there he finds the most beautiful girl ever, she is like a princess and you see Valia swoon for her with little hearts floating out of his chest towards the adorable princess.
Sandru nods at you. "Sure. Why not?"
Piper nods and writes: 'I could teach you more, if you want.' When you offer to make a scarf for him, Piper sighs in relief and nods in thanks. Hearing the story of your father only having seven toes due to frostbite, Piper cringes and writes: 'Ouch. Must not have felt good.'
Piper is in shock as you tightly hug his neck. He looks at you before realizing who you are. He hugs you back. To your questions, he writes: 'In order, this is my uniform from the White Grotto Bard's College in Absalom. I was there studying for the past five years. Yes, what I was doing is Sign Language and I'll be more than happy to teach you.' He smiles at the energetic young girl who tells them what she's been up to since they last saw each other.
While listening to Valia's story, Piper sees Yui crafting shadows and using them to help with Valia's story. Piper laughs his raspy chuckles at the sight.
Sandru gives you a small sad smile. "Alder still would have protected us, regardless of his feelings for Ameiko. He was always like that."
Seeing a butterfly come out of your tattoo, Piper leans in interest, staring at the familiar.
Piper listens to the story in interest. However, when you mention coming across a sign of the Sandpoint Devil, the bard's eyes go wide and his jaw drops. He writes: 'Not so different than how we started out, right guys? I mean, we came across a footprint of the Soggy River Monster.'
Duty realizes that giving Dreloc an example might work better instead heads over and pulls out an already eaten apple and show it to Dreloc. Then Duty will again point at the apple tree.
"Neigh, neigh, neigh."
Apple. Apple place. Apple good.
Masamune chuckles at the story of the 'five legged horse' at first, but he seems very interested in the talk about the Sandpoint Devil.
"Did you actually see the creature or just tracks of it?"
Masamune seems very engrossed in the Sandpoint Devil question, but even he is chuckling at the sights of shadows doing small hearts and swooning.
Masamune seems curious about the story of Alder.
"Rawnie it might be difficult, but would you mind telling me about the tale of Alder? If it isn't too much trouble of course."
She is so focused with forming the story, she adds in the Soggy River Monster thinking it part of the story (assuming someone repeats it or says it out loud). Yui forms a shadowy picture of a big cat which gets a bucket of water on its head, drenching it completely and looks evilly at everyone. It seems more miserable than scary though.
Rawnie looks at Masamune solemnly. "What do you want to know about him? If you're asking about how he died, I wasn't there, Sandru and Ameiko were though."
Valia continues to swing his knife around in each listener's face as he speaks. There seems to be a hunk of moss still clinging to life on the blade.
–No Masamune, I can’t say I’ve ever seen the thing. Nor have I met anyone living who has. This lands speaks of the Devil with reverence. If not nature’s ally, then the devil is her cousin. It is a part of the balance here and to the north. Shalelu, Haru, yourself and I know – few can go flippant about the woods at night alone.-
Perhaps that’s why I was so off guard when the sound of a little child’s tongue came wafting on the midnight breeze.
At first I was afraid of the Fey, but when I first detected the sound of distress in her perspective, I had an inkling that I was in the presence of a misfortuned ally.
I made my way as best I could to the poor thing's position, merely a pale smudge at the base of a venerated Grammbark tree. I'd made it into the grove when the leaves rose and flowed unnaturally. Before me there was of a sudden a set of black spirits, the foulest of the foul. They'd taken a small girl who clung to the base of the tree, afraid.
One tall shadow spread its wings, and I unleashed a torrent of fire. I readied missiles to fly, and then the shapes dissolved before me.
I heard the little girl's voice calling "Leave him alone!"
The spirits were happy to oblige thanks to our Yui here.
But I will say, getting back took a while, so far into the wood. I was dreading all the gab floatin about. We could have been caught by any predator for a mile at that point.
Piper listens on in continued interest at Valia's tale. When he describes meeting Yui, Piper chuckles a little in his raspy laugh.
Valia flips his dagger up, catches it, and puts it away to punctuate the end of the story. "But all this talking dries me out."
He waves to the familiar little barmaid and holds up a finger.
The look on his face says, 1 Beer Please
Yui plays out the short story (showing her self as a beautiful normal sized human and Valia as a scaredy man who tripped over every stump and bump). You can see that the spirits whack Valia left and right (think Hulk and Loki) and then brave Yui comes protect him with her shadowy powers. Again poor Valia is mad over heels in love with the woman, little hearts shooting all over. After Valia finished the story when the two came back to town, she turns around to the others and bows for her performance.
"And that is how we got back into town! I asked around and heard you were back here and went rushing after you Amie!"
Yui climbs on the table, sits besides the map everyone was peering over and studies it.
"So what is this route you are drawing on the map? *gasp* You are not thinking of leaving again right?!" She stands up and her pitch changes to a combination of anxiety and command. "You're not getting away from me again Amie and Pipie! I traveled across the country to find you again and will not loose you! No! I have made up my mind and I am joining you on your journey! And that's that! I will cling to you as if I were your own shadows!" She points an accusing finger at the two individuals.
Her voice once again changes to the happy excited one you are used of her when she continues "Now that we have settled that, where are you going, and why?"
|
"Craw Caw-Caw" Dreloc enthusiastically flaps his wings as he floats into the stall with Duty. He has his talons sunk deep into a juicy crimson apple.
"Here is your ap-ple. I saw a snake on the way there. I find it again. You sure you not want snake?"
He gets the apple of his claws and sets it on the gate to the stall.
Then he perches to watch Duty inquisitively. How does horse eat apple?
”That’s wonderful Sandru,” Zelrzau says when he agrees to a fitting for a coat. ”Come by anytime. Oh do you know where my shop is? Prickleback Lane. ” She grins and then looks around. ”I better be quiet. Looks like someone is going to tell a story.”
The half-orc listens politely, impressed by the shadows accompanying Valia’s tale. When it is over she claps to show her appreciation. When the girl proclaimed she wouldn’t be left behind, Zelruza chuckled. She has so much energy. The only reason to leave her behind would be if she talks to much and they need to sneak around. Not likely that. You can’t really sneak with a caravan. I’d like to just say, “I’m going too.” If only life were as simple as that.
Once Masamune and Rawnie finish talking, she goes over to Masamune, ”Would you like a scarf too? Since I’m making one for Piper, why not the rest of the group, I thought.”
Alara listens quietly, enthralled by Valia's story and Yui's theatrics. She takes Piper's hand in hers.
It's when Yui asks where they're going that she finally turns her attention to the young wayang. "Oh? We're headed to a place called 'Brinewall'--it's going to be a long trip." She points it out on the map on the table.
"Up by the Linnorm Kings' Lands?"
He interjects to Alara, then pauses for a moment.
"Sandru's M.O. is to trade. My nose senses a delve. What do you know that I don't?"
"Brinewall...hmmm...I think I have heard about it during my travels. It's supposed to be some castle. And 20 years ago everyone there dissapeared. But why..." Yui ponders for a moment and continues in Tien with a quieter voice. "Why would you wish to go to a deserted fortress? Does it have something to do with the goblin attack? Did a dragon in Brinewall order the attack to get a mighty artifact? Or a lich requiring blood for a large ritual? Or...Or..." Yui thinks of multiple doom scenario's unless someone intervenes.
The barmaid nods and runs to bring you a beer. Soon, she comes back with it.
Piper squeezes Alara's hand as they watch the theatrics.
As the show ends, Piper applauds with a smile on his face. When Yui makes her declaration, Piper and Ameiko stare at her before looking at each other. Before either of them say anything, Sandru says, "Well, can't say for sure if you can come. But we might have room for one more. From what I was told, William and Sharrd have decided to stick around here and Aelbourne has declined our offer."
At your questions about the expedition, Piper writes on his board with: 'Well, we found something in the marsh that's leading us to Brinewall. A... treasure hunt of sorts.'
Yui squints her eyes at Piper's signing. She knows him long enough to know there is something he isn't telling her about it, but she doesn't know what. But Pipie is my onii-chan, he wouldn't lie to me if he didn't have a good reason, would he?
She pouts her lip trying to figure out what to do. When Piper is looking her way she points two fingers at her own eyes and then turns her hand around to point them at Piper so he knows she knows.
She addresses Ameiko and Piper when she says "私はあなたが私からあなたの動機を隠すために、あなたの理由があると思いますが、あなたは私の親愛なる姉と弟を信頼することができます。私は、時には幼稚な行 動することができます知っているが、私はまた育ち、私は離れていたので、多くのことを学びました。私はあなたに参加させて頂きます。"
She then focuses her attention at Sandru instead. Him suggesting he won't take her along angers her greatly. He will not be the reason she traveled so far only to see her childhood friends get away from her again.
Yui steps across the table to the man so that she is eye-level with him and pokes him in the chest with a thin finger. While she is speaking her trio of shadowy spirits rise up from her shoulder and will eye, laugh and snore at Sandru from behind Yui. The shadow she creates on the wall increases in size and becomes more fearsome adding to her intimidation. "I will be joining on this journey whether you like it or not you slimy crook! The last caravan I was on had a driver just like you on it. Apparently he was associated with some stupid group called Sczarni and you probably do too! Now you will let me on this caravan or I will call down the powers of my shadow spirits to haunt your soul for all eternity!" The scene might look funny for onlookers, but Sandru should have no doubt that the little lady means business.
Piper sighs as Yui is able to see right through him. He stands and clears his throat, getting everyone's attention. He writes on his chalkboard: 'The truth is that while we were in the marsh, we found something that belonged to the Kaijitsu family. A letter we also found mentioned something else that belongs to the family in Brinewall. So, we're going north with Sandru's caravan to investigate.'
Sandru sweats a little at the witch and her abilities. However, at the mention of the Sczarni, he frowns. "Don't throw me into their lot. I'm not Sczarni. As for joining the expedition, it seems we're in need of an arcane user. But, we haven't made a choice yet and it should take some time."
Piper rests his hand on Yui's shoulder. He holds up his chalkboard, which says in Tien: '唯、落ち着いてください。私は一緒にあなたをもたらすについて後でSandruに話しましょう。さてさて？'
The shadow spirits disappear once again and the shadows against the wall return to normal.
Yui looks up at Piper and smiles broadly. She hugs him fiercely.
In your ear Yui whispers
"どうもありがとうございます" (Thank you very much)
As she pulls away she looks at the Sandru and bows her head deeply.
"I apologize for making you pee your pants from fright and mistaking you for a Sczarni. I guess you are just an ordinary crook, Sandru kitanai rōjin-san. Please consider me for the position of an arcane user."
Yui just used a honorific which means dirty old man.
"She called you a crook." Rawnie said with a slight chuckle, glancing at her brother. "You're not entirely wrong about the Sczarni part though, at least you wouldn't have been under different circumstances."
The half-orc’s face darkens as she eyes Yui. Sandru is not a crook! I’ll — She takes a breath and relaxes. Looking at Sandru she realizes he doesn’t seem to offended. Rawnie’s joking about it. Don’t over-react.
”You said you needed help with the arcane? I have some familiarity with that,” the half-orc says. ”If this is about keeping Sandpoint safe, I’d like to help.”
Masamune nods to Zelrzau.
"A scarf would be nice for the travels ahead. Do you need any materials for it?"
Masamune shakes his head at the child's antics.
"Threatening the man who gets to decide whether or not he wants you to join his caravan is a foolish idea."
Duty shakes his head at the mention of snakes.
"Neigh, Neigh, Neigh."
I don't like snakes, but feel free to eat that snake.
Duty then begins to attack the apple and within a few seconds will have devoured the whole thing at which point he will neigh contentedly.
@Masamune ”Oh, I have enough spare fabric at my shop. Wool and linen in various colors. I do have some silk with a lovely flower petal pattern, if that interests you. Of course if you have a specific fabric you want me to use, I’m happy to work with anything you provide.”
Piper hugs Yui back, patting her on the back.
Sandru sighs, as Piper and Ameiko shake their heads at Yui's newfound nickname for him. "It's okay. It's just... something I like to put behind me. Just... don't call me a crook." He simply rolls his eyes at Rawnie's jokes, a good natured smile still on his face. He looks to Yui being clingy with Piper and Ameiko. He asks, "So, Yui, is it? How do you know Ameiko and Piper? You seem rather... close to them."
At the mention of scarves and the like in various fabrics and colors, Piper leans back in his seat and thinks about what he could use. Looking to Alara and Zelruza, he writes: 'I should ask the tailor and my girlfriend. What would be best for me? I'm thinking some kind of fur and for it to be simple and warm.'
Valia pulls around a chair and sits down to watch the others talk.
He stays quiet and arches his eyebrows when Piper manages to fit all of that on his chalkboard.
...interesting
"I've been all over these forests. Brother, it's always better to assume the other fellow is more Sczarni than not. At the Academy they had a theorem for it. Magisters called it the Kaizer Soze Postulate. They have their shadows to linger behind, even among the arcanists."
He accepts the beer from the maid.
"Thank you, lass."
"Brother, I'd take it as a compliment-"
He shifts his attention to Yui, "But m'lady I'd watch what you'd say about the fellows. Even in our dearest Dragon." He looks over Yui to where Aspex was sitting in the corner.
"A man may have a forked tongue, but it doesn't mean you should tell him."
He tilts his head severely to the side and considers his mug of ale for a moment.
"I read that in an old Tien book once."
@Masamune & Valia
Yui turns to the both of you and says
"I apologized. That makes it okay right? At least that is what Amie taught me. Human customs in the west can be strange at times."
@Sandru
"Of course I am close with Amie and Pipie silly! I have known them for years! But since you asked I will tell the great story of how Amie and Pipies once sad and lonely lives were enriched by my presence!"
She picks up her shadow stencils and uses the wall once again to tell the story.
"10 years ago Pipie and Amie were bored and lonely. They didn't have anything fun to do in the dreary town of Sandpoint."
She creates two shadows which look very similar to Piper and Amie. Both are kicking stones in a town that looks like Sandpoint where tumbleweeds roll through streets.
"Then on one joyous day, a group of traveling Tien merchants arrived in Sandpoint to study western craftsmanships and learn the language and customs to improve their own trade. Among that group was a family of Wayangs, two parents and the most adorably little girl any had ever seen. Me!"
She creates the bored folk of Sandpoint looking on at the horizon where a caravan of Tien merchants arrive in the city bringing much joy to the town. And when she draws her parents and herself there the town is partying even more! There is quite some embellishment of her own persona, as she looks like a little princess.
"I found Pipie-kun and Amie-chan when they were bored and I brought joy and happiness in their lives. Together we went on many brave adventures fighting dragons, giants and even that nasty old cat Mister Fluffy from oba-chan Niska."
You see Piper, Ameiko and Yui hunting lizards, stealing food from markets where adults yell after them and the most fearsome cat you ever saw chasing the trio down the streets.
"But alas, it would not last. After 5 years, my parents and the other Tien merchants missed their own country and wanted to return there. Yui pleaded and begged but they would not allow her to stay with her friends. And so they dragged me back to Tien where I would wait until I was of age before allowed to make my own choices."
Many sunrises pass and you see the merchants packing up. Little Yui is on her knees pleading to her parents, but they will have nothing of it. They dragged her into a wagon and locked it. You see her behind the window screaming and crying at Ameiko and Piper while they do the same. As the wagons disappear of the stage the scene zooms in on Yui on one side and Ameiko and Piper on the other side. All of them very, very sad. The light darkens and it becomes very dark to indicate the story at an end.
Yui puts down her stencils and the light returns to normal. She turns around to Sandru and says
"That is the story of how we met and lost each other five years ago. Now you know why I cannot be left behind once again after finding them after so long. That is why I got so angry at you, for it seemed like you would take them away from me."
Piper and Ameiko smile at the memories as Sandru nods. He says, "Very well. I'll take you into consideration."
Valia, now on his second beer, nods emphatically in support of his new friend.
In his head he's already adding up a finder's fee for the Sandpoint Devil in his head. Weighing it against the prospect of Brinewall. Five-thousand to Twenty-thousand, maybe. Twenty thousand and Huntress Andosana is going. They wouldn't be so eager to leave here otherwise. Not for Brinewall at any rate. Maybe I should go. I would learn much. Shalelu is still a mere aquaintances, but she would be a great mentor. Her bearing is balanced, wise.
He reaches his free right hand up to his head, his heart, his neck, then holds it out flat and empty before him in a gesture of elven greeting. [I speak of honest interest.]
He says in (mostly) elven to Shalelu and Alara both, "Shalelu Andosana, yā 'sarva āpalyā uddēśa kāyaāhē? Āpaṇatē... Samāvēśa karaṇyāta ēkanāhī'āhōta. Yāśivāya, Sandpoint'nāhī, ithēapaṇa āvaśyaka? Where will we find hope when you both leave?"
”Rabbit fur is simple and warm,” she suggests. ”Red fox I think would contrast your hair exceptionally well.” She waits for Alana’s reaction.
The half-orc listens as the group discusses their plans more. While waiting to see if someone will offer a translation of Valia’s words she orders a beer from the barmaid.
Alara, having been quiet this whole time, is quite surprised by Valia's dialect of Elven. "Um... Sandpoint seems like its people can take care of themselves..."
Yui's story makes Alara look down, a bit saddened.
When Piper brings up scarves to Zelruza, Alara brightens up. "Sure! Red fox sounds nice."
"He sure does look like a crook though, doesn't he? That face of his is so rough and often he looks like someone who is trying to hard to earn your trust." Rawnie says with a grin. "But at least this brother of mine is no crook, I cannot say as much for another older brother of mine."
"Good hunting Haru. May the lands see that you are well.
Valia shakes his head and turns back to Alara.
"Oh they are indeed adroit at getting lost in the woods. These are not Shalelu's guards. They are the sheriff's, and they are afraid of their own shadows, apparently."