"Mm." Meneas nods. "I fight better atop Veil, but it might be harder if we're in an actually defensible position..." His fingers flex absently. "Most wolves or dogs wouldn't attack two riders unless they were starving, though. If they do, they're probably pushed to it by some sort of magic."
Signy doesn't question Meneas on wilderness stuff so she suggests something different.
"Speed up then? Leave them behind or force them to tire themselves out?"
"Little pig, little pig." Grumbles a rough and low voice from out of the fog. "Out all alone?" The voice snickers in a tone more akin to a growl than human words.
"Little pig, little pig." The voice calls out again.
"She told us to make sure you never come home!"
-----------------
The posh man refocuses his attention on Brental and Lina as they speak to challenge him and the crowd parts to allow the two parties to face one another as a storm of whispers pass between the gathered common-folk. For his part, the man on the pulpit merely smirks, seemingly glad for the appearance of the two leaders of Limen.
"My charges?" The bearded man laughs heartily causing his stuffed belly to jiggle as he slaps his hands upon it in mirth. "Why Lord Fenson you seem to think far too highly of me and to answer both your charge and the repeated question of Lady Kyrithra, allow me to introduce myself."
The man takes a deep bow removing his feathered cap with a flourish. "I am but a humble bard by the name of Grigori. A pleasure to meet you." He smirks wickedly as he straightens himself and places his large-feathered hat back upon his head. "I have no subjects of my own and yet... I feel compelled to speak for the good people of Limen. To defend them from predatorial 'rulers' who seek only to exploit them and leave them vulnerable to the horrors of this world! Especially when, well, there are certainly other rulers nearby who would provide far greater protection. Protection which has been tested by time."
"Would not all the people of Limen benefit from a transfer of ownership to a more established power? There resources would be far greater and thus better able to provide for the people. Why, the only reason I could see for you to refuse such a well-intentioned offer is out of pure greed. Putting one's own desires above the good of the people. Not a very noble thing to do now is it?" Grigori sneers.
"Rulers who only show their faces when they are being offered due criticism are no true leaders at all now are they?"
"Oh yeah, well exactly who is the "she" holding your leash?" Signy calls back in return.
Signy looks for the best gap in the encirclement she can find, and turns her horse that direction. On the way she gives the wolf to the right side of the gap a good looking over. She guides the horse to pass closer to the wolf on the right side, same as her sword hand. As she approaches the wolf she draws her sword and slashes at it as she passes.
Once she's passed the wolf, she reigns in her horse to turn him around and bring him to a stop. She keeps her blade held low, down across the horse, expecting she'll need to try fending off a counterattack.
EDIT: Signy kicks out of the saddles's stirrups and throws her leg over the back of the horse, rolling off it into a a crouch. She draws her sword and holds, waiting for a wolf to approach.
"Lord Fenson?" Brental says with a raised eyebrow. He looks around at the crowd, his eyes soft as he sees the people whom he has counseled over the last year. "The people of Limen, and all of Helikia, just call me Brental, or Brother Fenson if they insist on formality. I am no Lord, nor do I aspire to be one. And so, Grigori, it is--" not a pleasure "--an auspicious occasion."
Brental takes a step forward. It would be better to let Lina handle this. It would be better still if Meneas or Signy were here. Meneas knew how to cow under braggarts like this, and Signy has the ear of the people. But Brental could help.
It was obvious to Brental, and he hopes to the people of Limen, that Grigori was ignoring the points that he and Lina had made for which he had no counterpoint, focusing in on his odd argument that the founders of Limen were not capable leaders (based on what?). And to transfer ownership? This was an absurd proposition, certainly at odds with the desires of Restov.
But this Grigori was dangerous. He clearly knew the power of pathos, and his rhetoric was practiced. He could bluster and brush aside any point that would not advance his case, and seem no less capable. He had Brental and Lina on the defensive, and they needed to regain their momentum.
"If our people feel exploited, then they can tell us. They ill need someone to speak for them. And if they wish to resettle, they can do so with our blessing."
The druid draws on a gesture he has often seen from Meneas, flexing his fingers intentionally as he shifts his weight from one leg to the other. "Tell me, Grigori, do you wander from village to village throughout the Greenbelt trying to defame every baron and mayor? On whose more established power do you suckle for such an enterprise?"
Lina feels a momentary mental twinge as she realizes what she’s about to get herself into, and part of her is already planning for damage control. She’s grateful she has Brental with her, to be sure, and honestly she worries that she and Alaïs are, if anything, a bit too well-matched to meet the expectations of ordinary folk, but she really wishes her sweetheart was here to hold her hand – and tear this upstart apart. Verbally, for preference, but depending on how badly this goes the witch is prepared to reconsider her options.
"If our people feel exploited, then they can tell us. They ill need someone to speak for them. And if they wish to resettle, they can do so with our blessing."
The druid draws on a gesture he has often seen from Meneas, flexing his fingers intentionally as he shifts his weight from one leg to the other. "Tell me, Grigori, do you wander from village to village throughout the Greenbelt trying to defame every baron and mayor? On whose more established power do you suckle for such an enterprise?"
She inclines her head with a touch of hauteur, but mostly in solemn acknowledgement that this is a conversation they're going to have out right here, it looks like.
“Indeed, let’s hear it,” she says, trying to remember Brental and Signy’s advice about oratory. It helps that it’s a new day, and she’s bright-eyed and her favourite shoes are, of course, fabulous as always. (Paving the streets of Limen properly will have to wait, but it will also have to be done eventually.) “Who are these oh-so-conveniently benevolent neighbours? For such greater and well-intentioned leaders, I can’t help but notice that it is we who are helping to nurture and settle this part of the Shifting Lands, and that our efforts are supported with Rostland's full confidence.”
She has a pretty good feeling about her start as she gets going, and as she pauses, thinks she finds an opening to twist the knife. "Of course, one wouldn't expect a man with no experience of leadership to appreciate the nuances, but our patronage is the sort of thing that would be obvious to anyone who had taken the care to inform themselves."
The worg in the mist chuckles in response to Signy's inquiry. "I prefer when my prey uses its lungs to scream rather than ask stupid questions. Now, little pig, shall we practice?"
The worg appears out of the miss in a fearsome flurry of claws, teeth, and animalistic savagery but Signy is ready for it and cuts deep into the creature's side causing it to howl in pain.
"Brothers with me!" he cries.
------------------
As voices of agreement with the adventurers begin to bubble up from the crowd around him Grigori's expression of confidence seems to waver for but a moment before he again plasters on his wicked grin. "Ah yes do forgive me... Brother Fenson it is... Now pardon me if I am wrong but would that Brother title not refer to your status as an envoy of the Green Faith? The very same faith who so boldly laid siege to the trade post of the sweet Levetons just north of here?"
Grigori strokes his beard ponderously, "And I hear that you also keep the company of bandits... one Vlad and an Akiros Ismort I believe... A murderer so I've been told... Also an exiled priest and a tribe of kobolds! Creatures that are known to be evil by their very nature! What strange company you keep. I certainly hope that wouldn't reflect poorly on you in any way."
Turning to Lina Grigori tuts and waves a sausage-fingered hand at her dismissively. "Restov claims you? Ah yes that is true they originally endorsed you but now they seem to be keeping it very quiet with regards to your very existence You have no formal relations with them, so it would appear to me that they are ashamed of you and how you've been so sloppily handling the situation here."
More of this mysterious queen... Meneas growls, kicking Veil forwards at the worg. As he goes, he readies his lance, aiming to skewer the monstrous wolf as swiftly as he can.
“Both your ‘bandits’ were desperate, and had lost his way, each in his own fashion,” Lina concedes, “but they are paying their debts. The Levetons trust Vlad enough to keep him with them, and as for Akiros, well, he’s hardly been a deranged murderer in our company.”
It’s not a ringing endorsement, exactly, but she hopes the implication is clear – better for both these fellows to have an eye on them than be left roaming the woods on their own. As for the rest, it’s mostly rank prejudice. The witch has her share of that, she imagines, but she tries to correct for it. In any case, as much as it pains her to acknowledge it, this fellow’s good. She’s back on the defensive even though, it occurs to her, he hasn’t exactly answered her question, and she tries to buy time as she considers the possibilities.
“Being a small realm yet has its advantages,” Lina continues, alluding to the personal touch of their efforts at rehabilitation, “and we will formalize our relations with Restov in due course. You, though, and your mysterious sponsor… Hmm… The Council in Galt is too busy rolling heads, and Uringen has its own times and tides to sort out.”
She thinks, anyway, and as she tentatively eliminates various possibilities, a sinking feeling sets in that she can guess who’s behind this. “Mivon is cautious around my cousins downriver, and Liberthane is surely too well-bred to send you. The barbarians either side are too far away, really. So … someone just across the Slough then? I admit, there are limits to how much one can enjoy eels and marsh flowers, but I'm bound to say assuming we want new masters is beyond presumptuous.”
If that lunatic in Pitax is behind this, we need to get Alaïs and Annamede out of there as soon as possible!
As the witch starts to work things out at least to her own satisfaction, she regrettably is far, far too pleased with her own cleverness, as she enumerates her eliminations pretentiously. Then, too, as she reaches her conclusion, her worry for her sweetheart and her friend leaves her badly rattled.
This Grigori had done his homework if he knew all this. And he was still deflecting. As Lina goes off on publicly trying to determine the answer to the question that the bard was actively trying to avoid responding to, she unfortunately does little to respond to his points. Brental didn't like being on the defensive, but he had his ways of turning it around.
"Yes, I am a druid of the Green Faith, one of the oldest and most storied faiths known on Golarion. We count among our adherents and allies people of all walks of life. Humans. Elves. Gnomes. Kobolds. Fey. Bandits. Farmers. Murderers. Kings. And we often disagree. Yet we all believe in the interconnectedness of all beings and recognize that harmony is only possible through balance."
Brental gestures his hands to the people of Limen. His people: fellows, not followers. "We strive for such harmony here. Flourishing. That is what Helikia means, you know: maturity, flourishing. All who seek harmony are welcome here, welcome to plant their roots and grow. To till the soil. To sow and to reap. All whom you name and seek to defame have agreed to these terms."
It was a deflection of his own, but one that still answered at least part of Grigori's mean-spirited talk of natural evil.
"Now, Grigori, I have answered your points in turn and yet you refuse to answer any of ours. Who claims you?"
Meneas charges the massive worg and plunges his lance deep within its toned flesh. The muscular beast howls in agony as blood gushes from its wound and then out of the mist come three smaller canine figures each intent on dealing death as they leap at the hooded rider.
One wolf from the mist leaps at the rider, then a second, then a third! Each expertly deflected, batted aside by the cavalier's skill at arms.
--------------------------------
Beads of sweat begin to form on the bard's brow as the crowd begins to speak more loudly in favor of the the adventurers, some even shooting angry glare up at the chubby man on the pulpit. The crowd seems to respond well to Brental's humble, down-to-earth response and well laid arguments and Grigori is clearly getting desperate.
"as for Akiros, well, he’s hardly been a deranged murderer in our company."
"Ah, well if not murdering others in your presence is enough for you the leaders of this tiny nation then i is no wonder that the law and order of this land are in such a state of disrepair!" Grigori scoffs, patting at his brow with a small kerchief he has pulled from his pocket.
"we will formalize our relations with Restov in due course."
"Ah the ruling class with their endless promises and yet nothing to back it up. Have you formal relations with any nation? Even your neighbors to the east with such a similar start have no formal relations with you and yet you claim legitimacy? You'll forgive me if I don't take you at your word Your Highness." The bard growls defensively.
"All who seek harmony are welcome here, welcome to plant their roots and grow. To till the soil. To sow and to reap. All whom you name and seek to defame have agreed to these terms."
Here Grigori seems to struggle with a reply seemingly unable to find a proper hole in Brental's logic to poke through. "S-So you'll just allow anyone willing to pick up a hoe and till the fields in your lands? Pah! S-Seems like a good way to bring in all manner of folk of ill-repute." He grumbles.
"And that is only to speak of internal threats! What of external ones? You have no military to speak of, what happens when one of your larger neighbors turns their eye upon this land with malicious intent? Will you be able to keep them safe with steel and faith alone? I doubt it!" Grigori scoffs.
"You continue to hound me about some silly notion that I am paid for to be here. An agent of some foreign throne and yet I am but a humble bard concerned with the obvious failures I have seen in these lands. Now, that being said, if one were to ask me I would say that the great King Castruccio Irovetti of Pitax would make a fine ruler of this land. He has proven himself more than capable of taming the untamable and bringing order and prosperity to a land of thieves and murderers. The king has even formed the country of Pitax into a bastion of culture in the wilds! The man has truly proven himself a worthy ruler. More worthy than any of you, no doubt."
Signy keeps herself low and tight. Too many wolves around now to take big risks gambling on a quick win. Taking advantage of the distraction Meneas's lance strike causes, she delivers a quick thrust cut aimed along the side of the worg's torso.
"I'm getting the feeling that you're aiming the pig comments at me. It's rude and I don't like it at all."
Ha! Nailed it! Lina thinks with grim satisfaction as Grigori namechecks exactly who – after a bit to work it out – she expected him to, but she decides to hold that thought as she notices that her showy deduction isn’t playing anywhere near as well as Brental’s more down-to-earth appeal to the people of Limen. It is very good to have someone to remind her to keep her eyes on the prize (and not be too obnoxious about it).
“In the Nomen, you mean?” the witch asks with a show of surprise about neighbours to the east, narrowly avoiding a relapse into bad form from when she hung around with a Gyronnan coven and snarking that a land with no men does sound rather dreamy, doesn’t it? Not helpful. Especially in a mixed audience, and it’s certainly not fair to Brental. “On the other hand, we’ve heard nothing from them either. There are miles of hills and rivers between us, so perhaps we’re both trying to make sure that our people are safe and have what they need to get started before seeing to the niceties.”
She tries to remember what Signy said about making sure people feel heard and taken seriously, before considering Grigori's remarks about Helikia's citizens and their military preparedness.
"All who seek harmony are welcome here, welcome to plant their roots and grow. To till the soil. To sow and to reap. All whom you name and seek to defame have agreed to these terms."Here Grigori seems to struggle with a reply seemingly unable to find a proper hole in Brental's logic to poke through. "S-So you'll just allow anyone willing to pick up a hoe and till the fields in your lands? Pah! S-Seems like a good way to bring in all manner of folk of ill-repute." He grumbles.
"And that is only to speak of internal threats! What of external ones? You have no military to speak of, what happens when one of your larger neighbors turns their eye upon this land with malicious intent? Will you be able to keep them safe with steel and faith alone? I doubt it!" Grigori scoffs.
“That’s you – us – that he’s talking about! Ill-repute indeed! And as if there’s any shame in anyone picking up a hoe and tilling fields,” Lina objects, her green thumb showing as she turns to address her people directly, briefly, before facing the bard again.
“It might be a question of culture: I would welcome anyone who cares to bend a bow with me in the morning, but I gather that’s less common a habit outside elven lands, and I wouldn’t dream of trying to force everyone to one shape. That said, armies, like diplomacy, take time, but it just so happens that plans for a new barracks are in the offing. It wouldn’t do to raise a new battalion without a place to house them, now, would it?”
She produces the writing-box in which she’s stored the measurements and elevation sketches from her planning walk from under her arm, and tries to wrap things up.
“We are less inclined to meddle in the affairs of others, too, which brings us to – yes, Pitax. His devotion to culture is commendable, though unfortunately the city isn’t really on the circuit yet, is it?” the witch says, just a bit gloatingly, though this time she manages not to show off a list of reputable artistic centres in Kyonin and around the Inner Sea, from Taldor to Varisia. “I’ve heard he has a bit more of an eye for artists than for art, which is not something anyone would have to worry about with me. But all artists are welcome here, and my hall is always open to bards.”
“I hadn’t thought of hiring a court jester, but perhaps I ought to reconsider.”
She manages to rein in her worst impulses, but Lina's having a bit too much fun to regain the momentum of her opening exchange with the catty interloper.
Special: If you have 3 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you gain a +3 dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively instead of the usual +2, and a +6 dodge bonus to AC when taking the total defense action instead of the usual +4.
Brental also lets out a light grin as Pitax is mentioned. There it was, at last. It wasn't a banner reading "I work for Pitax", but it was as good as one as far as Brental was concerned. Whether King Irovetti had hired him personally, or whether someone else in the court had seen to employing Grigori's not-inconsiderable skills, it didn't particularly matter. The cat was out of the bag and Grigori's goose was cooked.
At the court jester line, Brental's light grin turns full, and he laughs heartily. Lina had done well, really pulling out the stops this time. Brental was no bard, but he would make sure that Meneas and Signy knew just how well she had handled herself in their absence.
It seems good--appropriate even--to let Lina have the last word. So Brental lets his laughter and presence bolster her argument.
Whether it had been Grigori's intention or not, his locution had provided several points worth considering. And with how Lina and Brental had deflected his arguments while getting the people on their side, perhaps some of them would be even more willing to work with them to address some of these potential shortcomings. Putting a pompous outsider in his place might do much to inspire a bit of Helikian pride.
"Alright, time for you to die." Meneas growls. He knocks the wolves away with his shield as he drops his lance in favor of his sword. Urging Veil to circle around the worg if he can, he lunges at the worg once more, slashing with the blade, before pulling back in the saddle to allow Veil her kicks.
Meneas and Signy act simultaneously skewering the worg from both sides. The beast howls and snaps its mighty jaws in Signy's face before exhaling one last hot breath, "Little pig..." He growls and falls limp, his thick fog dispersing with his soul.
The other wolves begin yipping and whimpering in a panic and take off at full tilt back into the woodlands with their alpha now slain and their 'prey' uninjured.
Around the worg's neck you find a diamond studded collar denoting him as "Howl of the North Wind".
The collar is worth 2000 gold in raw diamonds.
-------------------------------
The crowd has now fully turned on Grigori who stutters and stammers about on stage attempting to rebut your points but the crowd jeer him to such an extent he can't seem to get a word in edgewise, "Oh you would say that but I-"
"A-And what about-"
"Oh come now! What about the one who wears a cloak all the time! That's scary right?!"
"A-And the one called Signy she's always drinking! What kind of example does that set? Won't someone think of the children?!"
Grigori opens his mouth again to make another desperate argument when a rotten tomato is flung from the crowd knocking the man's absurdly large feathered hat from his head followed by a volley of other fruits and veggies passed their prime that people just seemed to be carrying about for some reason.
The pudgy man cries out in shock and outrage as he is driven from his pulpit and out of the town square as the crowd begin to gather around Lina and Brental and cheer for their leaders!
When it's clear the wolves really are running off, Signy relaxes and stands up straight. She takes the tankard on her belt off its clip and pours it full of beer from the stash in her horse's saddlebag.
Walking over to Meneas she hands it up to him.
"The Lucky Drunk deserves thanks for making that way easier than it could have been. What was up with his pig fixation? Do you think I've gained some weight recently? Not that you're dying to know, but let me tell you, his breath was rank."
Meneas cleans off his sword carefully before sheathing it, and dismounts before doing the same with his lance. He turns to Signy. "A good question... maybe he was used to hunting pigs?" A brief giggle emerges from beneath his hood. He takes the beer, drinking a gulp before returning it to the priestess. "Unlikely, I know, but maybe."
The humor is gone from his voice as he continues. "This one wasn't a normal worg, anyways." He leans down to examine it more closely. "It had some sort of... enchantment to cause the fog we saw. And apparently, it's name was Howl of the North Wind..."
"We could probably sell or use its hide and other materials, if you're willing to let me try to butcher it."
Taking cheap shots at the two not present does not do any more to endear Grigori further to Lina, though fortunately it’s a sign of how much he’s lost his nerve and his audience. As far as bad influences go, she realizes that introducing Alaïs to Signy ought to be a delight: different tastes in alcohol, she thinks, but they could get on with shared connoisseurship, and probably organize a truly extravagant party. Yes, she is that spiteful. ‘Think of the children,’ indeed!
In any case, she holds her head high and joins in the laughter as the troublemaker flees.
When things start to quiet down again, before anyone gets back to what they were about before they were so rudely interrupted, Lina tries to get their attention for a minute longer. “While that snake may be happy to lie, I am not. As I said, it will take time, and there will often be business that takes us from Limen – we have a tentative lead on something that might help us defend against more attacks like the one that infected Kundal – but like Brental put it, Helikia is a place for everyone’s flourishing, and what we do is to make sure it is fertile ground for that.”
“The thorns for our roses are still growing, but in the meantime, if anyone wants to see some practice shooting to try to get to grips with bows, I’m sure you can all find the range, and I have no objection to company at the times I’m there. Lady Signy is the better archer – but I would be honoured to help our citizens learn how to bend a bow. Good morning, Limenals!”
As she takes her leave, the witch murmurs to Brental,
This was the soundtrack to the battle in my head.
Brental pats Vodnykel on his shaggy shoulder and joins in the laughter as the Limenals drive Grigori away. He meant what he had said earlier: visitors were welcome here, but that was no free pass to say whatever you wanted and expect no consequences. Helikia had few formal laws so far. Brental would have stopped the crowd if they had gotten overly violent with Grigori, but some lightly fermented produce seemed like a measured response.
"See? Harmony!" he quips as the bard flees covered in smelly juices. He smiles at the gathered crowd and listens to Lina's proclamation with a good bit more levity than what he had come to the town square with. Ultimately, he lets her words (and their earlier statements) stand. The people knew where to find them, or else their close representatives should they not be actively present.
Brental begins walking away with Lina, and responds to her in kind.
It doesn't escape Signy's notice when Meneas ducks her question about her weight.
She also decides she really doesn't like it when Meneas laughs. It cuts wildly against his usual demeanor in a very creepy way; like he's actually completely unhinged but manages to hold it in with stoicism except when he very occasionally lets his mask slip.
I guess I'll need to ask Lina. She'll probably have the guts to tell me the truth. Maybe I should buy a mirror.
Signy take a healthy pull on her tankard.
"You know, I think you should teach me to ride Meneas. Would have been nice to not have to jump off my horse in the middle of all that."
The Hooded Knight looks at Signy. "I'd be happy to teach you. For what it's worth, though, I don't think your horse would've handled a fight well anyways." He looks over the other horse. "Veil's been trained since very young to be willing to bear me in combat - and to fight herself. Most horses aren't quite so willing." He pats Veil's neck with a gauntleted hand, before turning to rub her down.
Meneas and Signy continue on their way to the Leveton's Trading Post after their surprising encounter, none the worse for wear.
Soon enough the pair find their way to the old fort and are greeted by the familiar sight of Svetlana waving off a merchant as they finish thier dealings. The woman seems to take notice of the adventurers' approach and comes running with a worried expression on her face until she comes face to face with the pair. "Meneas and Signy my dears! I had thought you two might be injured! Why, you're absolutely soaked in blood and the last merchant through said there may be wolves on the road!" She huffs glancing them over with her hands on her hip. "But I can see that clearly isn't your blood now is it? Oh how you do know just how to be my hackles up! Well come then let's get you washed up and I'll put dinner on. Mushroom and onion soup sound good?"
The charming woman seems to go on as she turns and directs the adventurers to some buckets outside the post to wash up. "It is lovely to see you again. How are the others? Will they be coming along to join us?"
She switches back to Common to muse, “If we’re going to be away for a few days again once Meneas and Signy come back, it would probably be an idea to see if we can organize the ground-breaking for a barracks so that things can get on without us. It will be a while before we need to worry about finishing touches.”
There are certain commonalities to most military installations, she’s fairly sure, and while her first instinct is to put a distinctly elven flourish on things where she can, that’s probably not going to involve a gently arched spire or anything for this building. Still, she busies herself with seeing what sorts of work crews and builders might be available, and how soon a foundation might be laid.
With Lina's orders in mind--no, she would not call them orders, nor is Brental keen to take them as such--Brental takes Lina's recommendations to heart and nods. "Agreed. I'll get to Kesten then."
The druid goes off to meet with the person who would most likely be responsible for daily oversight of their newest planned structure and begins considering what sorts of spells that he could prepare to clear the plot for the work.
"I'm afraid it's just us this time, Svetlana." Meneas says wryly. "And we can confirm there were, in fact, wolves on the road." I'm not sure it can really be called that yet, though...
He lowers himself off of Veil, tending to her carefully as he continues. "They shouldn't attack anyone else, though." He sighs. "Your offer's most kind. I'd appreciate some food other than rations myself."
"Yeah, and the pack was led by a worg. He's dead now" Signy gestures to the pelt on Meneas's horse. "and the others took off. Hopefully they'll decide to keep running for a long while."
"I came up to talk to Vlad."
Suddenly she's dreading the thought of doing it.
Svetlana blinks in disbelief at the report of the worg, so casually dismissed by Signy and breaks out into a laugh soon thereafter. "You speak so plainly of slaying terrible monsters and not a scratch on you! Aye, it's going to take a while for me to get used to such heroics in my midst but here we are, and we're glad to have you for it! Thank you for clearing out the road, you've made it far safer for the travelers between here and Limen." She smiles warmly.
"As for Vlad..." Here her expression sours somewhat as she leads the pair into the old fort. "He's been taking the loss of Marion quite harshly, it must be said, the poor thing." She tuts.
"The boy hardly touched his food for a time but he's slowly improving. Marion's younger sister Lilith has been with him and they've been comforting one another in this trying time... well more she's been comforting him. Seems to dote on the boy hand and foot, she does." Svetlana leans in to whisper. "Personally, I think Lilith has a bit of a crush on our Vlad, that's plain enough to see but we'll just have to see how things transpire, I'm not certain Vlad is ready to move on yet you know? He was quite smitten with Marion, the news nearly broke him."
She hakes her head sadly, "Anyways, the two are in the supply room now doing inventory if you'd like to chat. I'll get dinner on, you two must be famished."
Meneas pulls off his gauntlets for the first time in a while. "To lose those you care about..." The Hooded Knight is silent for a time. She keeps saying 'road.' He notes with amusement.
"I also wanted to come see if you had any goods that we might find helpful on our next quest." Meneas says as he goes to prepare himself for dinner. The last term comes to his lips barely on the serious side of irony.
Brental knocks on the door of Kesten's residence . "Good morning, Warden Garess. I hoped to speak with you if you have a few minutes."
Svetlana nods and points Meneas in the direction of her husband who is tending to Claptrap in the stable. "Oh Oleg should be able to help you with any purchases you need, we have a much larger stock now that trade has once again blossomed in the Greenbelt, thanks to you of course."
When Signy decides to venture back to the storeroom there she finds young Vlad slumped over whilst seated on a chest counting various supplies on the shelf with a distant, almost dead-to-the-world expression on his face as he mindlessly does about his task. A moment later a mousey girl with a messy brown bun and a large pair of glasses, which seem to enhance her green eyes to cartoonish proportions, steps out from behind some of the shelving with a few knickknacks in her hands and a smile on her face. "Oh Vlad look what I found back here! Don't you think these would look just-" She is cut off in surprise as she catches sight of Signy for the first time. "Oh- U-Ummm, I'm sorry this is the storeroom if you are looking to do business you-"
"Signy." Vlad cuts in here with a weak smile looking up at the woman who had rescued him from a life of banditry and given him a second chance. "It's good to see you again... What are you doing here? I assumed you would be busy in Limen what with... everything that has happened." There is a faint warmth in the boy's voice but overall his cadence is toneless, empty, he does not speak with the usual enthusiasm he always carried with him before.
"Oh you know her?" The girl asks a little pointedly looking somewhat uncomfortable and defensive around the beautiful servant of Cayden Cailean. "Who is she?"
Vlad slowly turns his head to the mousey girl and nods, "Yeah... This is Signy she's the one who gave me my second chance... Oh and Signy this is Lilith, Marion's little sister, she's been here since soon after... everything happened. Anyways... is there anything I can do for you Signy? Do you need gear?"
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After a few moments Kesten's door opens a crack, just enough for Brental to see that the rugged man stands there shirtless, once again. The man's usually well kempt hair is messy and he appears a little out of breath. "Ah, yes, yes of course. Sorry you've caught me at a bit of an awkward time Brental- I mean... Anyways. What would you wish to discuss?"
Signy walks over to Vlad and takes him into a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry Vlad."
She steps back after a minute and then looks over at Lilith, giving her a nod.
"And you too Lilith. I'm sorry about your sister."
She takes another step back so she can look at both of them at the same time.
"I came up from Limen with news for you Vlad, but it's for both of you actually. We've caught the person who killed Marion. He has the curse of lycanthropy. He's a werewolf."
At least, Lina mostly busies herself about barracks questions. Over the past several months, it has become apparent just how complicated a job she’s managed to talk her way into, and the past few days have made it even more abundantly clear how often it’s expected that when the last copper is down it will be in front of her.
Trading in herblore up and down the rivers of the Shifting Lands was much easier, but. There’s also so much potential here, opportunities it would be beyond foolish to throw away.
And being one of the people in charge, one way or another, has its perks, she thinks bemusedly, as the tasks she’s set herself for the rest of the day see her to-ing and fro-ing about Limen and various meetings but at a whimsical order and pace that one might expect from an elf.
In the back of her mind, she replays the confrontation with Grigori with an eye to ways she could improve her performance next time she has to bandy words, and she makes sure – as she floats from the various test plots she’s planted to see where the best spot for a larger formal garden in Limen might be – to clear enough time that she can catch up on her correspondence in a comfortable setting. Still, she does her best to be as accessible as she can be throughout the day.
Brental realizes that coming to greet someone when they were not officially on-duty brought with it the risk that they would not be in their best position, and so he is unbothered by Kesten's shirtlessness. But declaring this an awkward time leads Brental to consider...well, other possibilities. "I can come back when it's a less awkward time, or else you can come find me in my grove. It's about town defense. Should I come back later, or--" he trails off.
Meneas nods briefly at Svetlana, hesitating as Signy goes off on her own. With a mental shrug, however, he moves onwards. She can handle Vlad better than me. There's a slight tinge of bitterness to the thought. Vlad had been a bandit, no matter how far he'd come.
The Hooded Knight goes to visit Oleg in the hopes of making purchases.
Lilith seems to grimace at the hug exchanged between Vlad and Signy. "It... has been quite a challenge for both of us... we are grieving but here we can find solace with each other... When left in peace." The last words are spoken somewhat pointedly as Signy releases Vald's body which has started to shake.
"A-A werewolf you say? So it was a random attack... she wasn't targeted..." Vlad concludes as tears begin streaming down his cheeks. ">t's all my fault, Marion wouldn't even have been on the path here if I hadn't invited her to the ceremony." He sobs covering his face with his hands.
"It's not fair, she was so good, smart, and beautiful, way too good for me, a-and she just died? Why? Why couldn't it have been me?" He weeps as Lilith runs to his side and wraps her arms around him.
"Oh, now look what you've done!" She scowls at Signy before wispering sweetly to Vlad. "There, there Vlad. It's alright we have each other. And I know you'll find love again." She coos.
---------
"If it's a matter of town defense I'll make time." The warden states emphatically before glancing back inside his home. "Just give me a moment and I'll be right with you."
With tha, the door shuts and Brental can hear some rustling around inside along with a pair of voices, one belonging to Warden Garess and the other a sultry effeminate voice the dtuid has never heard before. It seems thebtwo are arguing over something, not too heatedly but more in a manner of annoyance particularly on the woman's part.
A moment later Kesten steps outside garbed in a simple tunic and shuts the door behind him quickly. "Terribly sorry about that. Personal matters... anyways what was it you wished to speak about?"
It seems to Signy that whatever is going on between Vlad and Lilith is kind of weird and messy and something she doesn't want to get mixed up in. It's none of her business anyway. How they need to work through their grief is something only they can decide.
Signy certainly isn't going to be baited into anything by Lilith. She ignores the woman's barbed comments and winds down the conversation.
"No, Marion wasn't specifically targeted. There were two other killings around Limen as well. After he was captured the werewolf was questioned and he was not aware of what he was doing when he changed, didn't even know he was a werewolf. Lina and Brental used magic to ensure he wasn't lying."
"I thought you should know the news. I'll be going back to Limen tomorrow. There's always stuff keeping me busy there. Again, to both of you, I'm sorry for your loss."
Signy leaves the pair and goes inside to chat with Svetlana and lend a hand with getting dinner ready if she needs it. While she doesn't lead with it so it doesn't seem like a big thing, when the chance comes along Signy asks Svetlana about Lilith.
"I see what you mean about Vlad and Lilith. Leaving Vlad aside, what's your impression of her?"
Signy's snap impression of Lilith is a simple one. She's the younger sister who's always lived in Marion's shadow. Probably Lilith has always been envious. Now with Marion's shadow removed, she might stretch out and shine in her own right. Past that it's hard to say much for sure given the circumstances. Maybe Lilith was envious enough to not care Marion is gone. More likely Signy thinks, she's feeling both loss and freedom. It's understandable, losing her sister also lets her be seen. Of course she would want Vlad, as tangible evidence she's no longer lesser than.
On the other hand, maybe Lilith buries her feelings under taking care others. If she stays busy enough with Vlad's sorrow, she'll not have to think about her own.
Maybe all these things are true at the same time.
It really is none of her business, but Signy is curious enough to solicit an opinion from someone who knows her better.
Brental raises one eyebrow. "If you need to finish," the eyebrow waggles up and down once, "Or more importantly if she does, then I assure you that I can come back later."
But Kesten seems adamant, and Brental decides not to press him on it. Privacy was privacy, and he and Kesten weren't yet sufficiently close to discuss the details of their sex lives. But good for him, especially after that confusing business with Signy last year where it was unclear whether they had...well, regardless.
"Lady Kyrithra and I have been speaking about defense following our recent incident with the werewolf. And as it happens, we had another visitor this morning." The druid holds up his hand and shakes his head to allay any fears that Kesten might have. "Not like that. One of those bardic types: a rabblerouser by the name of Grigori. A snake and a liar, but one with more knowledge of our fledgling state's inner workings than I would have liked. I hadn't ever seen him before, but he not only knew details of the werewolf attacks and where we had been, but also the attack last year on the Levetons' estate. He knew about the state of our diplomatic relations and defenses. And he also knew about the previous lives led by Vlad, Akiros, and Jhod. So he did his homework."
Brental purses his lips and sighs. "It's not impossible information to find, of course. But the collection of it seems to indicate that someone has an interest in what we're doing here and wants to undermine us. I don't know why, but it's clear to me that we need to think more defensively than we have been. None of this is my strength. You and Lady Kyrithra both have much more experience than I do. But I agree with her on at least two items: we can start to build a barracks to better organize our defenses, and we can offer our citizenry an opportunity to practice their self-defense skills. Beyond that, maybe we need to find a way to monitor the traffic of information in Helikia, and possibly its neighbors. Riftun might have some ideas about that. Or perhaps Chief Sootscale. I don't know. I'm just discomfited this morning."
With all that off his chest, Brental leans against the siding of Kesten's home and stretches his arms up above his head in a reclining pose. "That's probably a lot to lay on you this early in the morning, but what do you think?" There was an innuendo to be made somewhere in there, but that wasn't Brental's style.
Svetlana is more than happy to have Signy working with her in the kitchen and the woman is soon gossiping like a schoolgirl.
When the topic of Vlad and Lilith is brought up Svetlana hesitates, "Lilith... she's a sweet girl to take care of our Vlad like this when I'm certain she must be grieving too, loosing your only sister to a fate like that? I can't even imagine... But..." Svetlana seems suck on her words for a moment here trying to find the best way to phrase her thoughts. "She seems like she has ulterior motives... she dotes on Vlad and is very jealous of his attention, she hardly even lets me speak to him anymore... but oh my! What am I saying? She's been through so much, this is surely some sort of coping mechanism to deal with this tragedy in her own way..."
"I just wish she didn't have to be such a b++*% about it." She says under her breath punctuating the sentence with the chop of her knife through a fresh onion.
---------------------------
"It's fine really. Perfectly casual, she knows how to see herself out." Kesten affirms before the two get down to business.
Throughout Brental's spiel Kesten nods patiently whilst rubbing his grizzled chin, deep in thought. At the close the warden takes a deep breath and nods. "You're absolutely correct in that it is most troubling that this bard was so very well informed of matters of state as well as the private lives and history of some of our most influential citizenry. To me, this implies that there is a spy in our midst, an enemy agent of sorts... I will speak to Chief Sootscale about this at once, he may have some ideas of his own on how to handle this. My recommendations would be that we conduct a survey of our current citizenry, get an idea of who people generally are and post militia at every entrance into town. We'll have them question incoming travelers to find out who they are and what their business is here as well as an inspection of any goods they are bringing into town."
The man nods, A barracks is vital for the continued survival of this growing land, I must agree. A militia will only get us so far and I have the personal goal of elevating our militia into a more formalized town guard within the coming year. A barracks would also help establish legitimacy in the eyes of the people."
When Riftun is brought up Kesten raises his brow, [b]"Ah yes, speaking of our young red-headed friend. I believe Riftun would like to speak with all of you. Sounded like he had a few things come up with Lady Jamandi as well as a personal request, I believe."
The orders placed, Meneas approaches Svetlana and Signy, hearing the tail end of their conversation. "If you're suspicious, perhaps we should investigate." He muses aloud. "I'm not usually in the business of poking my nose into others' romantic affairs, but... there've been strange incidents of late, and I wonder whether our mystery queen is involved somehow." He turns to look at Signy, spreading his bare hands inquiringly.
Meddling with Vlad and Lilith is distasteful to Signy. She pulls a sour lemon face and shrugs helplessly.
"Neither of us have the magic to do it on the down low, which means we'd have to ask a bunch of questions. It's a delicate situation and we'd come off as weird and rude. Vlad would almost certainly be offended on her behalf. If he does have some doubts about where things are headed between them, he'd be more likely to ignore them."
"The best way to push two people together is to try to pull them apart. We'd best leave it alone."
Svetlana waves off Meneas' concern. "I don't think some foul sorcery is afoot. I just believe that Lilith's intentions with Vald aren't entirely selfless. She does seem smitten with the boy but I'm not sure she's his 'type' if you will... Maybe if she let her hair down, gussied herself up a bit, and lost those gods awful glasses... But anyways I feel it's best to just leave the two to their own devices for now and let this play out how it will."
"Anyways, dinner's ready get yourselves a bowl and enjoy I'll just go grab my hubby and let Vlad and Lilith know soup's on."
Meneas shrugs. "As you say, then." It hardly matters to him. "I just hope it doesn't end in more blood." His voice is grave. With that out of the way, he continues to make preparations for the meal.
Brental shrugs as Kesten is dismissive. Even casual didn't have to mean...ah, whatever.
Referencing Chief Sootscale gets Brental nodding in agreement, as does the census, but the idea of posting militia at every entrance causes the druid to purse his lips. "That seems like a lot," he says. "I still want Limen to feel welcome, not overly militaristic. I trust your judgment in these things, but I wonder if there might be a more moderate position between complete free-flow and total lock-down. At the least, I do not want every visitor to feel like they are proceeding through an inquisition just to get to our tavern and market."
And then Kesten responds curiously about Riftun. "Oh? I'll go see him then, and perhaps bring Lady Kyrithra with me. Did you want to join, or--" Brental waves back at the door, his business nearing completion.
Signy finds a place to eat that keeps her at a distance from Vlad and Lilith. She steals a few glances their way to try getting a better feel for their dynamic though.
There’s a fair bit of official business that Lina needs to take a look at, even with Limen and Helikia the size they are, and even if most of it is just trying to keep abreast of things and show that she’s so doing. She wonders if she should try to speed developments along a bit faster, but she’s a bit terrified of living beyond her means and causing a disaster. Maybe after she gets a better sense of how much gold is moving around town and the outlying homesteads.
Apart from that, she works on a next letter home – mostly downplaying what she’s up to. Not because she doesn’t want to see her family or because everything needs to be absolutely perfect to welcome them, but the thought of having to corral another werewolf or something is not exactly the evidence of running a tight ship that she might like, let alone the risk that her parents or siblings might be targeted. Which also brings her to the letter she’s started to Alaïs, in the wake of Grigori’s meddling. Her sweetheart, she’s sure, would be more than amenable to a bit of espionage: as a lady of Kyonin, a certain amount of skullduggery, or subterfuge, or whatever they call that sort of politicking in polite society is like mother’s milk to her. The catch is, if she and her teacher are already trying to fend off the wrong sort of attention … well, the sorts of magic that Lina thinks would be nice to have on hand for a very quick exit is quite challenging, and she’s not sure the treasury would bear the sort of scroll it would take to soothe her paranoia.
Still, at least the dittany is doing well, as is the snakeroot or fairy candle, she thinks, as she lets her glance rest on the nearest flowerbed. Some harvesting is probably in order soon, and … but is that Riftun headed her way?
The dynamic between Lilith and Vlad is fairly easy to read. Vlad is heartbroken and dealing with survivor's guilt and Lilith is taking the opportunity to get herself as close as possible to the boy. She seems jealous of his affection or even attention... She seems to want to be the only person important to him.
Soon enough, the dinner winds to a close and the adventurers are given their old rooms to rest in before they begin their journey home.
_________
Kesten frowns and shrugs, "Very well, as you wish I just worry that the next time our defenses are circumvented... Well the consequences could be far more dire." He then waves off the druid's offer. "I think it would be better if I get started with drafting the census questionnaire so we may implement it right away. Send Riftun my thanks for the tea though. Abigail and I found it most satisfactory."
With that, Kesten bows formally before Brental and makes his way back to his home.
Meanwhile Riftun perks up as he notices Lina in the distance and picks up his pace to a jog to run up to her. "Oh! G-Good day Lina! Are you trying a new herbal hair wash? Your hair just seems more lusterous than usual an- Wait, I'm getting off point."
The bard clutches her hands in his own and gives her a pleading look that would put most puppy dogs to shame. "P-Please you must help! One of Zuki's customers, a-a child named Jeffery! He's been missing for days!" Riftun pleads.
Lina rises from her seat as Riftun grips her hands, a violent Elven oath on her lips before she remembers she should probably be trying to be more queenly now, rather than cursing to make a sailor blush. Even if it is one thing after another – though it’s perhaps less surprising that someone might be unaccounted for but also unnoticed with a werewolf on the prowl – her heart is, she hopes, in the right place.
“Of course! What happened? Where did he go missing from? Tell me everything while we find Brental,” she says, looking down what are gradually turning into the first two streets of Limen to see where her druid friend’s got to as well. He has, after all, a much better eye for tracking than she does, and a companion who - maybe? - can pick up a scent.
For reasons she's not exactly sure of, Signy finds herself thinking quite a bit about Steven Rivas that evening. Perhaps it's because she's spent a good portion of the day concerned with Vlad and Lilith, or maybe because there just isn't much to do at the trading post otherwise.
But, she is in the right place to put a letter in the post so she writes one to him. She asks after him to see how he is lately, and fills him in on what's been happening since she's been back. Signy concedes that Limen isn't much to look at, but it's been getting bigger to her surprise. It's also, again for it's size, a weirdly action-packed place.
She recounts how she somehow became a town representative, which she's fairly sure makes her an official there of some kind. Whether it's exactly true that she is or not, she has to chime in on about what gets done and how, which has been pretty trippy. There's a been a real, actual werewolf they've caught and are now trying to cure, even though he killed some people. And there's also some kind of faerie 'dark queen' out in the forest or whatever who seems to have it in for them for some reason. Signy also mention the wolf ambush led by the worg, but leaves out his "pig" comments because it could maybe imply she's put on weight, which she is sure she hasn't so why potentially accuse oneself?
Signy ends the letter by telling Steven he should come around for a visit if he finds himself with not much to do otherwise for a space of time. Or, if he happens to be traveling up in her direction, maybe making a detour to stop by for a bit. Who knows what crazy things might happen while he's there?
In the morning Signy is quite ready to be on her way back to Limen. She posts the letter, says her goodbyes to everyone, and mounts up hoping for a quick journey back.