Search Posts
"Well, that's a messy blaze all right. We're going to have to mark the way back or risk losing our things." Hope the others aren't having too rough a time of it down there. It's bad enough up here where the wind can blow.
"Well it might not be simple, but we should be up to it. It's not going to be a dragon this close to the border. Still, it's nice to be out of town and able to fly again." Alice grins at coyote, then looks back to be sure that veil and eva are keeping up. "We should slow down a bit and let them get over that trunk. Oh but the breeze is lovely. I'll have to walk all day tomorrow to keep the habit, but today I think I shall enjoy the excuse and thank the salamander or whatever it is that set the fire."
"You'd have to catch me first, and this isn't really the time to discuss the strange thoughts Szo Cuta has about proper care and feeding of her pet dervish. Here's hoping we can get a better view of this fire soon, we don't want to get cut off from the wagons." More importantly, here's hoping it's just a normal fire. Nothing about this venture seems normal so far.
"Smoke?" Alice finishes her tea, tucking the cup back into her pack and looking towards the woods, spotting the smoke. "Coyo, Eva, Veil with me. Kawa and IO figure out the tibbit, then follow."
"Good morning." Alice pulls herself together, then looks for her tea. Finding it, she shrugs into her pack and heads to the remains of the fire to warm a cup.
"Because it's good for her. If she doesn't get some exercise on the boring days yelling at you, why, I worry she'll fade away. Not every day is combat. This way she has an excuse to roust herself to conversation, and you have someone to grouse at about it. Plus it's adorable when you apologize to her. Face it veil, you're half in love with Szo Cuta, and she's oblivious. The least I can do is tease you for it. Romantic comedies are more entertaining than that moody drama you and she were drifting towards." Alice grins in the blade's direction. "He's completely devoted to you, lady blade. I meant no offense. You are of course as lovely as you are deadly."
"Mallard was a knight, not a merchant, it's probably the bandits we were warned about. Still, we'll see what there is to be found in the morning. No use worrying about it on watch. I don't suppose Szo has a sister that wants to be a bow? I've always wondered what Larkwing would say about the trouble we've been in." Daphne pats her bow and talks quietly with veil through their shift about weapons and past adventures.
"Camp or nighttime run through the woods after unknown assailants? Hrm. I think we have to camp, as much fun as a midnight run might be."
"Well then. Mystery in the morning. For now, we burn the body and clean up the blood." Alice sets about pacing off space for a pit to build a pyre. "We can bury the ashes when we move on. It looks like the wagon is functional. So that's one less thing to worry about. Ugh, the mayor wasn't kidding when he said there was a bandit problem. Throat slit like cattle. Strip the unfortunate fellow. No sense burning his dagger, or arming his shade. Was he alone?" She trails off noticing the marks. "Change of plans. Someone tell me these aren't drag marks. Anyone? Time to look for tracks. So much for a restful evening, we have a missing person to find."
Alice begins searching the wagon with veil.
"This looks salvageable, we could hook it up and pull it if we had to. Hopefully someone is still alive in here. Hello the wagon?"
They're real enough, although moon mad. Alice nods at the sky. We still have a little bit of light, best to make use of it and help any survivors. If there aren't any we'll still need to strip whatever is useful from that wreck, and bury the bodies before we can setup camp. Best to start quickly.
Alice calms down, and summons a light to examine the wagon by.
Daphne holds her shot waiting to see if the wolf is hostile. No sense provoking the thing. Veil has this.
"It's just a wolf, but wolves don't always hunt alone. Be wary. We should probably search that wagon and make camp once the wolf decides if it's going to be dinner.
"I see it veil. . "There's another wagon. Looks abandoned. Blood. At least one creature, quadruped. Veil on guard." Alice's summary falls into the silence in clipped frozen bursts. Her mood shifting like the seasons towards winter.
Daphne ties the lines to the post, and stands easily against the rail drawing her bow. Veil, check it out? I'll keep an eye on you and if you see something you can make a light and we'll wake the others. Maybe we'll even camp.
Sounds good. Veil and I can spend the time thinking up ways to tease Szo Cute. She's adorable when she blushes. For now, what do we think of this Stag Lord? I couldn't scare too much up about him in town, but I can't imagine any of my people or coyote's leaving enough left to spread rumors about their banditry, so he's probably some mortal child pretending to be other. Did anyone else hear something?
The Greenbelt PG Hooks: The Greenbelt: Dominated by the woodland known as the Narlmarches and the rolling hills of the Kamelands, this region is the one your group has been chartered to explore. Bandits are particularly rife in this area, and the rumors that they’ve organized under the banner of a bandit warlord who calls himself the Stag Lord are particularly troubling. You are to explore as much of the northern half of the Greenbelt as you can and, if possible, to find out more about this “Stag Lord” and remove the bandit threat from the region. Other rumored problems in the region include a tribe of mites, a tribe of kobolds, mischievous fey, and numerous dangerous monsters and wildlife.
Eva don't be ridiculous, you're a minotaur a brave and insightful companion, and a friend. Cows are food, they're nothing like you. I'm closer to a fox than you are to a cow, and I'm so far beyond most foxes that you couldn't find a pelt to match me, could you? Of course not. She grins fiercely and continues. Mallord was a knight. They called him the Duck Knight, although what he had in common with a duck I couldn't say. I've never heard of a duck shifter? She pauses to look around at the others. He was the mayor's nephew or niece or some such, and Torag's servant. I bet he's why the mayor chose us for this expedition, he already lost one duckling and didn't want to risk more family, er flock? Tough fellow, if he's gone missing already it says something about the land. Ah well, nothing we can't handle I'm sure. Alice broods a moment trying to remember if she's ever heard of a duck fey, then laughs it off. Still, ducks or no ducks, Veil is right. A new home for all of us is just what we need. Let's work out shifts. My vision is suited to the dusk or the early morning, but I need at least 8 hours of restfulness if I'm to tackle memorizing anything. The wagon helps with that, but we'll want a midnight watch as well.
Alice laughs, tilting her head back to the sky as the land grows rougher around the wagon. "Cows are simple creatures, and they don't see just the veil. It's good to be out of the city, yes? If we're going to name landmarks something sly, we should choose something more intimate than vulgar. Where's the fun in a joke if all understand it"
I know I remember that name from somewhere. Jeremy Mallor, Jeremy Mallor. Alice's happy mein slowly fades as she mutters quietly to herself, and she eventually climbs up on the back of the wagon. Got it! She exclaims a while later and explains the history of the man to the group.
Thank you, sir. Your advice is timely and will of course heed it. Do you have a rough map or just a description... She trails off reading the charter. Ah, it's all here then. Excellent Now, let us be off. There is still much of the day remaining. Alice is cordial as the group departs, walking casually beside the wagon. Once they exit town, she climbs aboard. You outdid yourself as always IO. Are you sure you're not the spirit of a great quartermaster reborn? Or perhaps it was you Szo. In either case I thank you.
Now where did he say he'd meet us? Ah, yes. Just through here. Hello Eva! Kawa! Alice spots the half-giant and the tiefling and moves towards them with an easy grace, then looks around curiously for the guard. Doesn't look like our guide is here yet but I'm all set. Can't wait to be under open skies again. Well as long as it doesn't rain.
An easy night, and an easier day to come. Still, shopping is a reasonable choice before we leave for the wild. Alice smiles somewhat fiercely, it's unclear if the thought of shopping or the wilderness makes her so happy, then stands. Finding a shop, she completes her purchase. At the last moment tucking some coffee and tea into her pack.
"You're just in love with the coffee. We'll be sure to take some beans with us Kawa, don't worry. I promised it won't all be tea this time. Your precious is safe." Alice laughs a moment at the tiefling's grin. A good day, and adventure ahead of us.
The young woman collects the paper casually and inspects her signature with a smile, waving her hand over it casually so her mark is clearly visible. "Indeed officer, and I thank you for your courtesy. Do you have time to take a drink?? She gestures at the pitcher of cold water and the extra glasses on the table, then takes one of the glasses and pours before setting it within reach of him. "The day is hot, and long, and we are not ungrateful for your effort on our behalf. If water is not to your liking, I'm sure the barkeep has alternatives"
((Alias update in progress.)) |