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Vigny looks over at Flori mouth agape for a second or two before she realizes she's staring and slack-jawed. She snaps her mouth shut and relies "Oh! Really? Huh, small world isn't it?"
She figures the Sandru in question must be the right one. Vigny had given a last name. But, Flori's description is off the mark. Vigny had never known him to be either hilarious or mildly amusing. He's very handsome, as well as dashing and charming.
"Well, I suppose I should drop by and say hello to him then."
Vigny drops the subject. She also hurries to leave when the meeting breaks up, going back to the cathedral and changing into her dress. It's a simple affair, the sort of thing a peasant might wear on holidays or special occasions.
While Vigny was always well taken care of at the orphanage, there wasn't ever much extra to be had. She doesn't have jewelry or anything nice of that sort to add except for her recently acquired hairpin. She judges it to be too fancy for her outfit though. Instead she combs her hair out thoroughly and adds a thin braid at the front on each side. Then, she adds the accessory she does own, a braided leather headband that she ties in the back.
Finally, Vigny splashes some rosewater on the back of her neck, behind her ears, and on her wrists. She has a few basic cosmetics, but decides against applying any of them because it might seem like she's overdoing it.
Now ready, Vigny sets out for the caravan.
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A short walk leads Vigny to the small open area set aside as temporary caravansary. There she finds three sturdy wagons being loaded by a motley crew of workers. They glance up at her and then pay her no mind. All that is, except for a tall, pale-haired Ulfen man who gives her nod before returning to his task of loading barrels with his thick arms.
A woman's gravelly voice comes to her from the other side of a covered wagon. "Jest leave m' be. I got this handled," the voice snaps.
Vigny rounds the corner of the wagon to find a bald dwarf standing in the back of the wagon and conversing with ... Sandru.
"I'm sure you do, Wilda, but this is for Ameiko so I want it to be tight and by the numbers," Sandru replies.
"I got your tight and by the numbers right here, Pretty Boy," the dwarf replies, grabbing her crotch in a vulgar gesture. Sandru laughs. "You know you're much too much woman for me, Wilda."
"That I am," the dwarf replies. "But any time you wanna give it a ride." She winks and then glances up to see Vigny watching. "What do you want, Princess?"
Sandru turns and tilts his head in recognition. "Vigny? Vigny Einarsdottir, right?" he asks with a friendly smile.
Vigny makes the mistake of saying "hæ, góður dagur er það ekki?" to the Ulfen man. The phrase is a simple standard greeting, but between thinking it and saying it, some gears grind. Vigny hasn't spoken in Skald in a very long time and it feels and sounds strange coming out for her.
She walks on quickly so it's apparent to the man she was just being polite rather than expecting a reply from him. The encounter is a hit to her confidence, so Vigny is feeling a little off her game by the time she rounds the wagon and finds herself looking at Sandru and Wilda the dwarf.
Wilda jabs out her question first, and not in a particularly friendly way. Vigny looks at Wilda first, her eyes widen and her mouth opens slightly, but she doesn't know what to say by way of explaining herself.
Fortunately Sandru says her name, which draws her attention away from Wilda and to him. She smiles and answers.
"Um, yes... <ahem> Yes, I'm Vigny. Hello Sandru. I heard you were in town, so I thought I'd come by to say hello."
Vigny's cheeks feel hot, and she starts to become terrified her face might be turning very pink.
The dwarf reaches up and scratches her head. The bare skin is covered with brilliant red spiraling tattoos. She looks from Vigny to Sandru and then back before bursting out in coarse laughter. As the man begins to speak, she holds up her hands in defeat and retreats back into the wagon. Sandru sighs and then turns back to Vigny.
"It's nice to see that you're doing well," he says. Stepping away from the wagon, Sandru places a hand on Vigny's back, ushering her back around to the central open area and away from dwarves prone to crude jokes.
"We'll have to get together some time so you can bring me up to date on how your life's been going. Right now, though, I should really be focused on getting the caravan ready. We're going to be heading out in a couple of days and I need to make sure everything gets done."
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"Tell story?" She asks eventually, just as the bard finishes her plate. "Sandy said you save him once. How? When? Was he stupid?" The last question sounds as though Orchid full expects him to have been. She sits on the floor and looks up at Ameiko, somewhere between intently focused and puppy-eyed begging.
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When she isn't doing these things however she can be found curled up in any number of odd places, apparently intent on taking up a new hobby. Whittling.
It turns out that she has a knack for it and has one hand in her pocket throughout Ameiko's meeting. She glances at her sister when Flori raises her not-exactly-objections and after the meeting breaks up, tugs her aside for a moment.
"Adventure. Good." She says encouragingly. "You good magic-er. Should come on caravan. We share wagon! Be fun. Get new memory." She slowly pulls her hand from her pocket, revealing an intricately carved figure - a wooden goblin, clutching a firework in his hands. "Memory, for first adventure together." She offers, holding out the carving. "If you like."
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Once Ameiko makes her decision (one Orchid heartily approves of), the young woman is even busier. Aside from her horses, their provisions, tack and other sundries, Orchid is all over the caravansary, performing odd jobs and fixes.
Thus its not unusual to find her under a wagon with a mallet and some nails, which is where she is when she hears Sandy talking to someone familiar. Vigny. Largely incurious, Orchid continues to tap nails in to the loose plank above her, but she can't help but catch some of the conversation.
"I guess you can say that I saved him," she says, grabbing the other chicken leg from the plate and sliding down the wall to sit on the floor next to Orchid. "Now pay close little ones and hear the story of the beautiful bard, the handsome caravan captain, and the jealous gray goose." After taking a bite out of the cooling chicken, she offers it to her companion.
Cailyn spends her next days doing exactly what she loves to do. READING. Sitting at a stool at the Dragon, a stool her skirts are perched on so much it might have molded to her backside.
It seems that the exiled noble girl has reverted right back to the unambitious ways, eating, chatting, and reading her hours away. Goblin ears and ravenous dead forgotten.
Except when Ameiko is around, and the two friends cannot stop talking about the planning for the trip. Logistics is in the young girl's blood, as adventure is in her friend.
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Vigny can feel the heat of Sandru's hand through her dress like the sun on her shoulders in the middle of a hot, cloudless day. At least that's what she imagines. It's such an intimate yet gentlemanly gesture that she's sure her face must be flushed now.
But, knowing some things Sandru doesn't yet brings back some of her confidence.
"Oh, I know. Brinewall is your destination I believe? I'm going with you. I was with your sisters when we found... the letter." Vigny leans in slightly toward Sandru when she says the last part so she can whisper in case it's a confidential piece of information.
"All three of us are going, and a couple more as well."
When they've reached the edge of the caravan's encampment, Vigny bids Sandru goodbye for the time being, and adds "If I can help out with getting ready, anything at all you might need, just let me know. I'm staying at the cathedral presently."
Vigny doesn't delay in leaving. Overstaying would be so much worse than leaving Sandru wanting just a little more.
As she walks back to the cathedral to change into more comfortable clothes, Vigny is delighted at how things went, judging her first meeting with Sandru a great success. She feels like she's the one who delivered all the surprises, and pleasant ones at that. After all, the way he placed his hand on her back, even though they haven't seen each other in quite some time, that means something! she assures herself. The dwarf though, what was her problem? Rude! I don't think I like the dwarf.
As Shunsen decides to keep the Whispering Shrike, Cailyn comes to her with avid curiosity shining in her eyes. "I can see an items past, if you would allow me..." her fingers kind of twitch with desire to handle the lovely blade.
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Wealday, 22th of Desnus, 4711 AR (day 6)
The sun rises with you all at your assigned places as the caravan sets out from Sandpoint.
The caravan is comprised of four wagons in total. Two cargo wagons driven by Witashta (a quiet Shoanti woman) and Vasad Dyal. Vasad is a friendly half-elf with dark styled ringlets surrounding his face. The wagon carrying the food supplies is driven by Wilda - a dwarven woman who shows no reservations when it comes to letting everyone know how she feels about ... anything. The last wagon is Koya's fortune-teller wagon, pulled out of mothballs and ready to take a likely last adventure. It's being driven by Foldo Fairfoot - Sandru's wainwright.
Sandru rides on the wagon with Witashta and Ameiko is riding with Vasad.
Ahead of the caravan ride Shalelu and the Moldovary sisters scouting out any potential troubles. With the caravan also ride Reingurd Wold and Tazio Suranus. Skilled with axe and blade, they provide protection from whatever threats the scouts spy.
The rest of you are placed as needed among the team.
Sandru has explained that the caravan will travel north along the Lost Coast Road. It'll pass through the villages of Galduria and Wolf's Ear before cutting through the northeastern reach of the Churlwood, eventually reaching the town of Roderic's Cove. From there, it will take an old track north that will skirt the southern Stony Mountains leading to the Velashu Uplands. They'll then follow the river northwest to a low pass in the mountains. From there it's due north into the Nolands and then to Brinewall.
He predicts the journey will be uneventful as several Varisian caravans take the route yearly, although he does admit that they generally make a wide detour around Brinewall, which is believed by most to be haunted, cursed, or both.
As the sun rises with a mile or two behind you, Ameiko brings out her samisen and begins a travelling song, Vasad joins in with a well-trained voice, providing skilled harmony. After a moment Wilda joins as well. And what her contribution lacks in skill it makes up for in enthusiasm.
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When Shunsen realized the others will let you keep Whispering Strike, tears well up in her eyes, and she give each of her friends a big, almost painful, hug.
Later, she visits her Mother and relates her experiences in the swamp, dejectedly re-living her failures in combat. Her Mother, ever ready with something wise to say , told her "Mistakes and failures are the road to Mastery, each a lesson to learn by". Nodding, Shunsen tried to put her insecurities aside and accept her Mother's advise. Then, Shunsen excitedly revealed the things they found regarding Ameiko and the Kaijustu family. Her Mother nodded thoughtfully at the news, smiling and reminding Shunsen of her previous words about Fate taking her away.
Having morning tea with her Mother, Shunsen revealed Ameiko's decision to travel to Brinewall, and her decision to accompany her. Somehow, her Mother managed not to look too smug, but nodded and said that they would train that afternoon.
Then, her Mother put Shunsen through her paces with a series of increasingly difficult exercises. There was something different in her Mother's instructions this day, however, an urgency that had been missing before.
Leaving Shunsen , sweating and panting on the exercise floor, her Mother left for a few moments, before returning with a oil , leather folio. It was constructed to prevent even the most persistent of moisture from entering. "These will guide your instruction while you are away. I predict it may be some time before you return." her Mother said softly, "I wish we had more time, but....Fate.".
Placing the folio in Shunsen's hands, and laying her own over those of her daughter, Shunsen's Mother said, "You will know when you are ready. At that time, open this and start with the first parchment. Do not continue to the next until you feel in here, she says, holding a hand over Shunsen's heart, "that you are ready. Trust in the training I've already given you...it will guide you. "
Then gathering her daughter into a warm embrace, a single tear descending her cheek, "Go now, prepare with Ameiko and your friends..."
With tears in her own eyes, Shunsen re-embraced her Mother and gather her gear left to help prepare the caravan for the journey to Brinewall.
Vigny is disappointed when the couple of days pass without Sandru calling on her to help with readying the caravan for departure. She does not revisit the caravan though, thinking it might make her look too eager, or bother Sandru if he's terribly busy.
She doesn't spend the days waiting idly though. She has business at Savah's Armory, where she takes the superior maille from the cave she now has in for repair, while trading her old maille in to defray the repair cost.
Vigny also buys a nice looking composite short bow and some arrows. It comes with a soft leather case to hold both bow and arrows neatly together. The kit can be worn from belt or shoulder strap, so it isn't a hindrance when not in use.
A trip to Hanna's nets Vigny's what she needs to assemble a decent healer's kit. She adds a couple of doses of anti-plague and anti-toxin to the kit as well. She also stocks up for her personal needs, getting a 6 month supply of Calistria's kindness and quite a few doses of alchemists kindness.
Vigny waffles some before making her last stop for shopping. It's for a luxury indulgence that she could do without. But, with a quite a few weeks on the road, along with her own industriousness and determination, Vigny feels her odds of having Sandru in her bed before the journey is complete are better than fair. She wants to have a nice setup for something so special. At the General Store she buys a pair of thick, soft cotton sheets, a soft wool blanket, and a nice long feather pillow.
Even with her new purchases, Vigny can pack up everything she owns in a jiffy. She's sure that she arrives as early as she possibly can on the day of departure in case spaces in the caravan are first come first served.
Cailyn quickly takes her hands away from the blade, like it was on fire. "Oh, um, well, blood and death isn't exactly unexpected when you are looking into the past of a sword now is it" she laughs lightly, clearly trying to dispel the horrors she just saw. "I couldn't see anything else, I'm sorry." she tells her friend before pulling on her vastly overpacked backpack. "Ready to go?" she smiles through the great weight of it.
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On the road, Cailyn picks the seat next to Foldo. "Hello again." she beams at the regular patron of the Dragon "Last time we talked you had some wonderful legends you said you'd be willing to share with me when we have time." her voice holding a negotiating plead, but she also produces a hip flask full of spiced cider and a small wrapped bundle of chocolate to help ease the stories...
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The halfling's eyes widen somewhat at the sight of Cailyn's bundle of chocolate.
"Yes, well ..." he says, shifting the reins to his other hand. His freed hand doesn't reach for anything, but his fingers twitch as if expectation is building. "I could tell you lots of stories, Little Miss. But I must consider and ponder which stories are educational and uplifting and which stories are simply salacious fluff that do nothing but generate prurient interest. Many, many stories to consider." He glances down at the chocolate and then back at the road.
Cailyn's mouth opened on its own, no words, just sudden slackness that did not look ladylike, especially accompanied with the sudden flush of her cheeks. Turning she fumbled into the wagon to her pack, pulling out a small cup, which she poured some of the cider in along with slivers of the chocolate into the warmish liquid.
With the smallest hitch in her voice she said "One of the latter, please" offering him the cup.
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Flori arrives at the caravan early, backpack slung over her shoulder with her very worn travelling clothes. She is carefully carrying a cardboard box of something that appears to be very important to her with the extra care she is taking. She disappears directly inside Koya's caravan for a short while and reappears a little while later with no box to be found.
She starts the journey chatting away with Koya, asking many a question about her life as she is always keen to do; as soon as she hears the singing, she deftly hops out of the caravan and walks along side, singing along with small parts when she occasionally remembers the tune.
Fortunately, Koya was outside doing whatever Koya was doing to prepare for the journey which meant she had some space to herself to sort out what mattered. She places the box on the very small table Koya often sits at, and lifts the lid off carefully, she takes out the small maroon table cloth she had brought along and places it over a small crate in the corner before peering back inside the box with a content smile.
One by one, she takes out her prized possessions and finds places each one with honour atop the table cloth; a delicately painted shell, a rather intricately designed dagger, a piece of twine tied in an elaborate knot, a few different tiny figurines made out of wood, metal,... and is that bone? She tucks her journal behind the crate against the wall so hopefully nobody finds it.
Her most recent acquisition takes pride of place; a wonderfully whittled goblin holding what appears to be a little firework, now with added paint.
Witashta has always been Orchid's favourite person in the caravan so when the caravan gets started and she isn't needed for a while Orchid swings easily up onto the seat beside the shoanti woman.
Once music starts drifting across the caravan Orchid's head shoot up, especially once she hears Ameiko's voice and her head begins to bop up and down to the tune.
This is the life she loves.
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Fireday, 24th of Desnus, 4711 AR (day 8)
Sandru had hoped to make the village of Galduria by today, but it looks as though it'll be tomorrow morning before you reach that waypoint. The caravan has made camp in a small cleared space near the road and the cook is passing out bowls of stew.
"As good as this is, Wilda, ..." Vasad begins before the dwarf cuts him short.
"If you say one more fooking word about cilantro I will make sure to piss in every bowl I give you from here on out!" Wilda snaps back. "Shait tastes like soap. Why people actually eat it I will never know."
The seemingly regular dinner conversation is interrupted by a shout from Shalelu, "Ogres! Incoming!"
Those with weapons immediately ready them with Sandru directing where to make defenses. Eyeing the five of you, he calls out, "You're in charge of defending Koya," he says, pointing at the colorfully painted wagon - the woman having turned in early without dinner.
You move to follow his orders and then you see at the edge of the light cast by lanterns attached to the wagon two hulking figures. Ogres indeed.
Combat Begins!
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Round 1
Vigny casts Bless on the party and readies her longsword.
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"Ogres, oh there was a pleasant legend about them and being rather bonkers about Jam, but it turned out to be completely false, and in fact them just like hitting people so hard and so much they turned into Jam." Cailyn babbled a little at seeing the hulking figure, all while she loads and cranks her new crossbow. She brushes her hand against Orchid and she wishes out loud "if only we had someone just as big that could do the same."
Shunsen gathers her gear and meets up where the caravan was being put together. She greets all of the caravaneers warmly with a smile and a hug...with the exception of grumpy Wilda, who just receives a wary wave.
After a short, joking conversation with Sandru, finishing up with Shunsen declaring, "I never said I'd never travel with you again!" in mock indignation, punching the smiling man in the shoulder.
Then, she runs off to join up with Shalelu and the sisters, showing off her new 'named' weapon and telling them the tale of the Swamp!
Shunsen was in the middle of cleaning the last bit of stew out of her bowl with a long, green finger....when Shalelu's warning rang out!
Shunsen acknowledges Sandru's command with a curt nod, taking up position in front of Koya's wagon. She pull out her bow , knocks an arrow and fires at the nearest ogre....
Heart racing, Flori drops her bowl, and jumps to her feet, running towards Koya's caravan.
Orchid isn't wearing her armor, because why would she for a nice day on the road? It's been itching a lot more than it used to anyway and the thought of wearing it for hours doesn't appeal to the impulse driven young woman.
That does make the shift from Cailyn's magic less awkward though and, with increased strength pumping through her, Orchid takes off like a (less wayward than Shunsen's) arrow - charging towards the ogres as her face morphs into that of an angry wolf!
Shunsen's arrow flies wide while the others make magical preparations. Orchid's charging bite is easily avoided and the ogre puts a hand to its mouth. "Koya! Wake up! Koya! Wake up!" it calls out with mocking laughter. "Time to eat! Har, har, haar!"
Almost dismissively it swings a club made from a broken tree branch at the shifter, stunning her with a powerful strike. The other ogre advances upon the rest of the group.
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Vigny sees Orchid's charge toward the ogres go badly, and decides a somewhat more measured set of tactics is needed. She waits for the ogres, shifting position if she needs to so that the ogre closer to her is always exactly between the more distant ogre and her. Vigny doesn't want to find herself surrounded.
She asks Cailyn and Shunsen to focus their shots on the same ogre she's engaging so they can take him out of the fight fast as possible. When the ogre gets to her she attacks while trying to build some animus against herself in particular so her ogre will stay focused specifically on her.
"Won't find anything here to eat you won't choke on you greasy lump of shit. You know, where I'm from they say every ogre's mother is also his sister. Now that I see you up close, I know why."
It seems Orchid doesn't understand the concept of risk because, despite a massive blow, she simply throws herself at the ogre again and this time latches on rather hard!
"Won't find anything here to eat you won't choke on you greasy lump of s!@%. You know, where I'm from they say every ogre's mother is also his sister. Now that I see you up close, I know why."
"Is that because it is very Very ugly, and smells like weeks old cheese trapped between sweaty bottom cheeks?" Cailyn asks the war priest as she concentrates on her pretty bird again. The old owl burst into existence behind the ogre. At least she thinks Cleo is back there. The greasy lump as Vigny calls it is blocking much of anything other than the Hoot and occasional blue wing.
Shunsen tries to center herself, focusing her attention on the ogre Vigny had attacked...
...she curses as another arrow flies off without effect.
Flori ignores the very Very ugly Ogre's jibe and focusses on summoning her magical pony to help her foolhardy sister.
Round 2
Vigny's blade draws blood as does her verbal jab. "Your mother's a sister too!" the ogre counters in a scathing example of ogre wit.
Orchid's teeth take a foul chunk out of the other ogre and the shifter reconsiders the wisdom of this after one taste.
Cailyn's owl flutters and hoots to little effect, as does Shunsen arrow. Flori begins a summoning spell.
The ogre now wearing a set of Orchid bite marks growls in annoyance and backhands the shifter, sending her rolling across the ground. She comes to a stop and doesn't move. The other ogre swings its improvised club at Vigny, catching the warpriest in the chest and knocking the wind out of her.
The appearance of Flori's pony causes the ogre that was fighting Orchid to smack its chops. "Yum, yum, yummy meat!" it calls out.
Vigny teeters for a moment from the ogre's blow before recovering her guard. She uses a quick second to make an appeal to the Lucky Drunk and quickly attacks again before it looks like she's ready to, catching the ogre still trying and failing to banter.
The most Vigny can manage as a reply to the ogre is "Cayden's balls you're f~~%ing stupid."
Orchid moans but doesn't return to consciousness.
Cleo rips and tears into the ogre's back drawing blood for the first time. Cailyn raises her crossbow, ready to help but the thud of a limp body distracted her enough the bolt went wide. "Orchids down!" she informed unnecessarily.
Shunsen curses as the ogre knocks savage Orchid to the ground, pulling another arrow and firing!
Flori tries to ignore the rising panic as her sister collapses to the floor. Trying to salvage the situation somewhat she tries to knock the other Ogre to the ground.
The pony lets out a high pitched whinny and tries to stomp on the Ogre that downed Orchid.
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Round 3
Vigny strikes true again, opening up another gash on the beast's thigh. "Not stupid! You are!" the ogre counters to the envy of any pre-schooler. Cleo harries the ogre from the rear. It staggers from its injuries and once Flori covers the ground beneath it with a magical grease, it loses the battle against gravity and common sense and falls to the ground with an immense Crash!. Flori's summoned pony then finishes it off with a hoof stomp filled with nothing but friendship.
The ogre that had dealt with Orchid turns to see its companion's head perform a perfect impression of a watermelon and roars in rage. Charging the sparkling pony, it encounters Flori's patch of grease with predictable results, slamming to the ground. It flails at the summoned equine from its prone position with its thick tree branch, managing to catch the pony with a brutal blow to the legs. With a neigh of protest, the pony vanishes back to wherever it was summoned from.
Seeing the remaning ogre fall to Flori's magical grease, Shunsen drops her bow and rushes to help finish it off, making sure she's flanking with Vigny
Flori lobs a glob of acid into the mix but somehow just mixes it with the grease leaving a greasy, luminous substance on the ground.
Orchid continues to breathe shallowly.
It hurts Vigny when she inhales or exhales. She's fairly sure she has a cracked rib or three. Considering that, as well as the ogre she'd been taunting now being dead, Vigny doesn't bother saying anything to the second one. Instead...
she lifts her sword hight over her head with both hands and brings it down on the ogre as hard as she can.
she activates her sword, causing it to begin glowing yellow, and quickly heals up her ribs some. Then she waits for the ogre to attempt to rise.
The hoot that comes from Cleo is VICTORY. An old bird's version of it, with a gravelly oot at the end like some ogre flesh is stuck in there. "The other one!" Cailyn gestures frantically as the pretty pretty pony crumbles then Poofs. Cleo gives her summoner a look but then obeys.
With a squish and a rip, Cleo finds an eyeball.
"That's a girl!" Cailyn cheers, as her crossbow bolt wizzes past by a mile.
And almost as quickly as it began, the battle is finished. Shunsen and Vigny's blades along with Cleo's slashing beak bring the brutal life of the second ogre to an ignominious close.
Combat Ends!
In only moments other members of the caravan come rushing to your aid. Sandru orders the precious supply of healing potions to be opened and sees to it that some are given to both Orchid and Vigny. Once Witashta takes charge of the cleanup, Sandru pulls Shalelu away from the others. You can't make out the conversation, but the tone of his voice carries and it's clear that he's not happy with his head scout.
Meanwhile, Reingurd and Tazio - sporting a blackened eye and growing bruises on the side of his face - begin dragging the corpses of the two ogres away from the camped caravan.
Orchid comes to in Koya's wagon with the elderly woman and Witashta watching over her with concern on their faces.
Cleo swallows the eyes a split second before her time back in this realm comes to an end, then the bird is gone. "Do you ever wonder why the contents of their stomachs don't stay when they go?" the occultist starts to ask the wizard, but loses her attention quickly as she rushes to her sister, which makes sense. Cailyn goes to see if there is anything Keep-worthy on the ogres, but the smell of them makes anything vastly uninteresting.
Since it would be hard to get a potion into the unconscious Orchid, Vigny uses some healing magic to try bringing her back to consciousness.
Flori doesn't register that Cailyn speaks to her, but stares at Orchid for a moment as everybody helps the girl to consciousness.
The first moment she gets, Flori is next to her sister, fussing and checking her over.
"Why-did-you-ever-think-that-was-a-sensible-idea-Orchid?" She says so fast its almost dificult to make out, eyebrows scrunched in either frustration or concern.
"You should never have charged the Ogre like that. Just look at you and what mess you are in. You needed to wait for everyone else and rely on everyone. You cannot solve these problems by yourself otherwise you are going to get very, very hurt." Flori realises she is taking her worry out on her sister and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily.
"You have us, your family, your friends, your....pack. You need to be careful."
"She speaks from her heart, Little One," Witashta says, speaking up from where she sits next to the recovering shifter. "You are trying to be wolf with spirit of girl." She shakes her head and smiles. "That is something you will never be and still be you. You must be girl with spirit of wolf." She places her hand on Orchid's chest. "You have pack inside. Pack of two; Girl and Wolf. But girl must be in charge of pack. She can listen to wolf and use wolf's cunning, teeth, and claws, but she must stay on top." The woman smiles at Flori. "And girl would not go amiss by listening to those outside her inside pack."
"Shunsen! Midi! Fidi!" Shalelu calls out once she finishes with her 'chat' with Sandru. The sisters join Shunsen and the elf as Shalelu leads them away from Koya's wagon and towards the central camp fire.
"From now on no more solo scouting," she declares. "We .... I ... missed those ogres ... somehow. And that's not something we can afford. This could have been much much worse. People could have ..." She shakes her head. "We scout in rotating pairs. There's less chance that something can be missed that way. Midi and I. Midi and Fidi. Fidi and Shunsen. Shunsen and myself."
"Ég sé að þú barðist vel," Reingurd says to Vigny once he and Tazio return from disposing of the carcasses. I can see you fought well. He laughs and gestures at the other man. "Þessi hálfviti lét hina þuss flanka sér." This idiot let the other ogre flank him.
"If you're going to insult me then at least have the courtesy to do it in a language I understand," Tazio grumbles. He nods at Vigny. "I hear that you held your own. Two ogres. You have my respect."
"You mean that you hope to get into her pants," Reingurd adds with a laugh.
Tazio shakes his head. "Not everything is about battle or sex, you thick-headed dolt."
"Ah, but it is all about battle or sex," the blond man counters. "What else is there in this world that is worth anything - except, perhaps for drink. Drink is a good pastime between the two." He laughs again.
"Psstt!" Cailyn hears from under one of the wagons - someone trying to get her attention. Looking closer, she spies Foldo hiding behind one of the wheels. He takes a large swallow from the flask in his hand. "Is it over? Are they gone? Are we safe?"
Orchid can be stubborn, the gods only know that. Some people (including Sandru) might well call it her defining feature. So when she lies still for a long, long pause after Witashta speaks its hard to tell exactly what her reaction is going to be.
Then she surges up from the wagon floor and pulls Flori into a powerful hug.
"Next time. Give me magic too?" She asks with a grin. "Safe magic. Like that." She pokes Flori's shoulder and her finger stops an inch from her sister's collarbone. "That would help too!"
She pulls back to address all of the other women in the small wagon, the smile fading from her face. "Understand. Wise words. May..." The pause is awkward and Orchid is clearly wrestling with something before she says"May need help. Wolf is strong. Safe. Girl is... hard. Not nature, have to think, not be. Hard. May need help. Sometimes."
She isn't asking but all three women have known Orchid long enough to realise that she is asking. In her own uniquely Orchid way.
"Best pack." She mumbles, pulling Flori into another hug.
The young lady kneels down to look under the wagon, giving her wagon companion a smile "Yes, sir. All the evil and Big brigands are dead and gone. Is that... brandy?" she sniffs.
The relief on the halfling's face is vivid.
"Not quite," explains, handing the young woman the flask. A quick sip confirms that it's someone's ... attempt ... at brandy.
With an awkward shuffle, Foldo extricates himself from under the wagon. "Thank the gods," he mutters. "I can't believe that it's my destiny, my fate to go out dying under a wagon to a bunch of ogres, beasts. There are too many stories still to hear. Legends to experience."
He shakes his head.
"Thank you. You have my gratitude."
Cailyn's face scrunches something awful at the sip, shaking her head in an attempt to forget that taste, while coughing as the liquid burns at just a sip. "Oh, <coughcoughcough>, I don't think I managed to hit a single one of them...' she sighed looking into the woods, knowing she needed to go looking for her bolts. It seemed like a lot of effort, so instead she sat "Wagons of woe, a great bard lost under the slats to greasy blubber and rotting teeth... that would be an ignoble end. I am glad it was not your fate, Foldo." she smiled.