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"I agree with Marcus. It's not like we can out-prank them. If we bear their jokes and display some good humor...while also leaving a gift or something in good faith...perhaps they'll come to see us as friends rather than just targets passing through their domain?" She looks to Marcus. "What kind of gift could we leave? Do you know what they like?"
"Wow. Really? That's your appeal to these pranksters?" Arianna scoffs. "If I were a fey, I'd sooner steal your wine and make you a target of my merry jokes than heed that kind of invitation, Lucien."
"Well...at least they brought them back," Arianna says and then thanks Sondergang for his swift repair of the pack. "But it seems we've picked up a fellow traveler if they're still following along. And that means we may be leading them to Oleg's. If they're capable of this, imagine all the trouble they could cause there..."
"We can always mark this place and come back if we need such information..." Arianna adds to the conversation as she mounts her horse. Much like Cale, she's uneasy with being pranked by such unseen creatures. After all, they could just as easily slit their throats in the night. Better to put some distance between them and get back to Oleg's...
Sondergang looks at Ariannas pack. "Are the buckles gone altogether or are they lying on the ground where you slept..if that's the case I can fix that easily enough.Torags power allows me to mend that which is broken." "That's a good question. But, whoever took them could just as easily have hid them," Arianna replies, "It's a right good joke, though. Reminds me of the pranks I used to play on my older brothers to spite their pride and dominance in the family."
"Well, if true, I'll try not to let this sour my attitude," Arianna offers, as she pulls together the spilled contents of her pack. For now, she puts the gear in her horse's saddlebags, but makes plans to cut some short strips of leather to act as ties to replace the missing buckles. "Hopefully, we've not stirred the ire of these fey or quasimeffuts badly enough for them follow. Maybe this is only meant as a warning. And we'd do well to heed it."
"Then exploring we will go..." Arianna smiles as she readies her horse and climbs into the saddle again. "Let's just keep a sharp eye out for those bear traps...and any more tatzlwyrms."
He wrinkles his nose as a thought occurs to him. "Who's carrying that dragon corpse on their horse?" "Perhaps he who struck the killing blow should carry it back," Arianna teases, "You know, as the rightful trophy for a noble lord."
"Well then...I'd say our fortune is starting to improve a bit," Arianna comments at sight of the treasure, "Slaying these monsters of the Stolen Lands is starting to pay off, both in making the realm safe...and now...quite literally." "I am a bit worried about one thing, though," she adds, "This is obviously a nest. And I'm guessing a dragon-snake-thing like that doesn't just spawn all by itself. There must be another around. Maybe off hunting as well? We'd better keep a close watch. That last one snuck up on us very easily. And though we took it down pretty fast, we might not fare as well the next time."
Arianna stifles a giggle at Marcus' pronouncement. When the others look her way, she gestures towards Cale with an amused smile. "It appears our Lord Surtova can now add 'Dragonslayer' to his title. Maybe we should set that rumor rolling downhill? You never know when it might play to our advantage..."
"By the gods...what terrible luck we have..." Arianna exclaims as she cleans her bloodslick blade on the grass, "Or, perhaps I should say good fortune, seeing as how we've all managed to stay alive despite the horrors of this wilderness." She nudges the tatzlwyrm one more time with her foot to make sure it's dead. "What is this thing?"
13 Marcus
Seeing that Cale is already tied up with the beast, Arianna realizes she won't get a clear shot. So, she drops her bow and races forward, drawing her short sword along the way. Once she reaches the tatzlwyrm's flank, she strikes as swiftly as she can.
.
23 Tatzlwyrm
"Look out!" Arianna warns, scrambling to grab her shortbow and quiver from her pack.
"It's better to bury him," Arianna finally speaks, clearly not wanting to look at the mangled body. It reminds her too much of the companions they lost. So much death in the Stolen Lands. 'It'll be better once we civilize things a bit,' she tells herself. "It'll help keep the scavengers away. And we don't want any more animals getting a taste for people." She busies herself with examining the sack of traps, hobbling about as best she can on her still mending leg. "At least we've put an end to these dangerous things. I'd hate for anyone else to run across these. But I can't help but wonder if this trapper was actually trying to catch a bear. Maybe there's a dangerous one out here we don't know about? We should keep a sharp eye out for signs of one." "If you guys will bury the body, I'll make camp for us. Then, we can finish mapping this area and press on...or circle back to Oleg's again and ask about the trapper."
Spoiler:
"Careful where you walk." Arianna offered the advice from just behind Cale. She moved very quietly, despite spending most of her time in the city. Although her traveling clothes were starting to look a little threadbare from all the neglect of riding and crawling through untamed wilderness. "You look a little lost in your thoughts, milord," she offers, "Are you already making plans for this land?" She looked around as if sizing up the horizon. "I know I am. This alchemist...Lucien, I mean...might make for an interesting business partner down the road, provide he's any good at making things people might want to buy."
"Arianna Tchovsky...rescuer of those who find themselves trapped and in need," the brunette adds with a self-amused smile.
"Oh my!" Arianna gasps at the sight of the trapped man. Her frustration with the carelessness of whatever trapper laid these jaws-of-death willy-nilly about the wilderness magnifies that much more when she observes it's caught an actual person and not just an animal. She smoothly dismounts and approaches the man, drawing a dagger in case she needs to defend herself...or to use as a tool to pry open the trap. "Let's see if we can't get you out there." She sniffs the air and then looks down at the vials on the ground. "What were these for?" she asks as she starts to work on the trap. "I'm Arianna, by the way...nice to meet you. What might your name be?"
"I suppose it was put here to catch something other than a horse," Arianna adds, while also waiting for the elf's answer.
"I wonder who left this out here?" Arianna asks aloud. She examines the bear trap for any markings that might indicate someone's initials or who might have crafted it. She then sets about collecting the trap and adding it to her saddlebags. "This might come in handy if more wolves come around. Or maybe Oleg might buy it to sell to a trapper who's passing through."
Arianna dismounts as well and hurries forward to help with the trap. She grimaces at the sight of the horse's mangled leg. And, she does her best to work on the trap while Silstaren calms the animal.
"Now that we're all recovered, I'm inclined to agree," Arianna responds, "We really need to get a better lay of the land...and start keeping a map. Marcus? Have you recorded our journey so far? Make sure you add what we've found today. Svetlana might send us back for more...so we might as well mark this patch so we can find it again."
Arianna takes Marcus by the elbow and guides him over to Silstaren, coming along side Cale. "Clearly, this is probably one of those times when we need to use the candy. Silstaren's the best tracker we have. And we need him on his feet again. There's not really much else we can do to nurse him back to health in time to get moving again." She turns to examine the radish patch. "I believe he's also our best bet to identify that plant Svetlana wanted..."
"...I'm so sorry gentlemen - having started the fight I fear I was unable to participate much," he grimaces ruefully. "I'm not a terribly good horseman for all that - while the rest of the lads in the family were off playing polo I was busy studying." "I'm not sure you started anything that wouldn't have happened eventually anyway, Marcus. They didn't seem inclined to put down those spears. And they were certainly menacing that gnome who rode off. We knew we'd encounter plenty of other creatures in these lands. There's more than bandits out here. And most everything is dangerous and hostile, it seems. I won't lose any sleep over their deaths. They certainly desired ours." Arianna then looks over at Sondergang. "How's Silstaren? Seems like everytime we go out someone gets heavily wounded. Can we get him back on his feet?"
Arianna steps along side the burly nobleman and neatly skewers the little dragon on the tip of her sword. Pulling her blade free allows the little kobold to drop to the ground, mortally wounded. "Huh. You know...I think I'm starting to get the hang of this..."
Arianna steps past Silstaren in the hopes that Sondergang can aid their fallen comrade while she and Cale hold off the remaining kobold. Coming alongside the nobleman, she tries to look for an opening to put the creature down.
He essentially took a 5' diagonal step between Silstaren and Sondergang which would not provoke an AoO.
Suddenly surrounded kobold #6 steps between Sondergang and Silstaren, escaping the jaws of the sudden trap, and thrusts his spear at his would-be attacker, sinking his spear deep into the dwarf's exposed side.
Arianna strikes once at the kobold attempting to slip between Sondergang and Silstaren. Then, letting him go so the elf and dwarf can deal with him, she circles around to flank Silstaren's other attacker.
She then strikes at the unprotected back of the next kobold .
"C'mon, we have to help Cale and Silstaren!" Arianna urges as she strikes once more at Sondergang's kobold.
Her heart pounding, her success barely registers as she pulls away from the dying kobold to aid her friends.
End of Round 2
Seeing Cale charge into the rather imposing wall of fog, Arianna goes to help her other companions...particularly Marcus, who seems rather hard-pressed. She ducks past his nervous horse and behind the attacking kobold.
Then, she strikes again with her blade.
Cale jumps off his mount ready to strike the kobold who dared to attack him, only to find the creature slowly falling to the ground... Arianna gives Cale a smile as his attacker falls to her blade. She then gestures to the rest of the fray. "After you, my lord..."
Even as Cale is held up by the kobold and the cloud of fog, Arianna circles the fight, moving through just the edge of the mist and then behind Cale's attacker.
"Here we go again..." Arianna mutters as she slides from her saddle and hits the ground running. She lets Cale move ahead and then looks for a way to take advantage of his intimidation...or distraction...to hopefully flank whichever kobold attacks him.
Arianna mounts her horse and brings it alongside Silstaren. "Moon radishes, you say? I hope you've got a better eye for that than I do. I feel a little helpless out here in the wild. Just a city-girl able to spot trouble when she sees it. But I'm terrible at knowing what's what in the wilderness. Have you seen this plant before? How will we recognize it?"
Silstaren scowls. He whispers to Arianna, "His god is lord of the hunt. How can he fear the wild?" "Have you taken stock of our surroundings?" she whispers back, "Despite this trading post, we aren't exactly in Absalom. So, he is in the wild. Just like we are. And even though he doesn't want to traipse off into bandit territory with us, doesn't make him bad. In fact, he may be a lot more stable and sane than the rest of us..." Before turning in for the night, Arianna makes sure he has all her 'adventuring things' packed and ready to go. Then, she stays up for awhile reading some of Marcus' more entertaining books.
Jhod visibly pales at the suggestion of travelling with the group. "Thank you, my lord. But I'm afraid I would be of little use to you in the wild. If it please you, I will stay here and tend to any wounds you might suffer when you return." "You know...I like him," Arianna announces, "Having a healer stay here at Oleg's for us to return might allow for us to keep one around a bit longer. We seem to lose them in the wild as fast as we pick them up."
"You know I've been thinking..." Arianna offers once the group is settled once more, "Aside from that candy we found, we're really at a disadvantage without a healer. And, even when one is among us...like Feraven was...if they get injured too badly, the rest of us are in greater danger. Perhaps we should use some of this money to invest in a wand or some potions or scrolls that can mend our wounds. That way, at least we'll have alternatives. I'd be happy to contribute towards that to make sure we survive out here."
"Arianna Tchovsky of Brevoy." 'I hope this priest of Torag is a little less dour than the last one,' she thinks to herself.
"Let's not forget this bauble," Marcus produces the fox pendent. "That's quite nice, actually. I might want to keep it." "As for the money from our other comrades, I'm okay with us sharing that," Arianna states, "After all, Cale and Silstaren helped us avenge our fallen comrades and bury them. And, as long as we put the money to good use as a group, I think it will more adequately honor their memory." She takes a seat and stretches out by putting her feet on the table. "So we've got a lot of money. Enough that any bandit would love to get his hands on it. Speaking of such, I think we need to keep scouring the countryside for any more of their encampments. Though the monsters of the wilds have proven dangerous indeed, I'm still more worried about the lawless who might prey on settlers in the Greenbelt and beyond. And, as long as the Swordlords want to reward us for bringing order to the Stolen Lands, we might as well keep doing what we're doing..."
"How generous of them. Does this money truly come as a reward? Or are there strings attached?"
"Well what I want is simple. I just want to see this land, to appreciate it for what it is, before you make it something else." "I daresay it'll take me a long, long time to make this land completely into something else," she laughs, "In fact, I doubt I'll live long enough to see it truly changed all that much from what it is...so you'll have plenty of land to appreciate for as long as you're here, I suspect." "As for me, I do envision a city someday...bustling with trade...improving the lives of those who choose to make their homes here. I don't see anything wrong or ignoble in that pursuit. It doesn't mean I intend on razing every forest or mining every hill, though. In my experience, civilization provides for far kinder people than bandits and barbarians. That doesn't mean cities and their rulers can't become...corrupted...as well. But as long as there are right-minded people trying to build a better life for themselves, hopefully they can safeguard against that, too." "So..." She changes the subject. "Do you imagine Cale enjoys his dinner with the captain of the guards?" She nods towards the soldier's tent. "I wonder what they're discussing..." While Silstaren is distracted, she takes another shot at the targets for her own satisfaction.
She smiles with satisfaction when it hits home. The elf already suspected she'd let him win. So, might as well show some skill just once.
"That's completely understandable," Arianna muses, "I'd imagine many people are sometimes at odds with those within their own families. I've had my share of disagreements with my father...and a few rivalries with my brothers." "This land is big as well as harsh. The bandits are well south of here. You did not travel far enough to encounter them. It is well that we have joined forces. I think they will be bitter foes." "Bitter is the right word," she agrees, "I'm not the best fighter in the world, but I'll have plenty of reason to fight those who prey on others out here." "The guardsmen, I trust not except to eat Oleg's bread and drink his wine. They are likely here more to keep an eye on us than for anyone's real benefit." "That doesn't mean we can't turn their presence to our advantage, though." She offers the elf a smile and a wink. "You can leave that to me." "If I may, you're an oddity. You walk well in the wild, but were clearly not born to it. You shoot well at need, but have let me take three of four this afternoon. You come to this land, but love it not and seek to change it. Will you share the key to the conundrum you pose?" "I came here to make a new life for myself, Silstaren," she tells him, "I'm not that skilled in the wilds. Just eager to press ahead and find the best land so I can make the most of it. And I'm perceptive enough to keep my wits about me if I do happen upon something dangerous. Hopefully, I lead my friends away from danger, rather than directly into it." "But I do seek to change...or tame...these wilds. I'll make no secret of it. Unlike the bandits and other ne'er-do-well's in the Stolen Lands, I intend to do it honestly, though. Not by taking what others have. Or by terrorizing or extorting them. I'm a builder. Good with people. Strong on ideas. And I'm smart. Smart enough to read people and know what will motivate them. Thus, I've kept my eye on you and Cale...as well as Marcus and Virgil...and now Faraven. I want to understand what all of you are out here for...and how that might help me accomplish what I've set out to make of my life."
A little archery practice with whoever else wants a go. Being somewhat nimble with a bow, Arianna shows up to take a few shots as well.
As they practice, she clearly has her mind more on making conversation than trying to improve her marksmanship. She consistently plies Silstaren with conversation regarding Cale when the nobleman isn't around. And it's clear she's trying to get a sense for the young man's dedication to the cause of settling the Greenbelt and the Stolen Lands.
"What's driving him to come here?" she asks, "Surely it would be far more interesting and comfortable in Brevoy for Lord Surtova. Doesn't he have family there?" Later, as she takes another shot, Arianna changes subjects a little. "I've been wondering about the bandits in the region," she explains, "Our party never encountered any. We saw plenty of normal monsters, of course. Seems like this is a harsh land. I'm glad we joined forces with you. Maybe with the presence of these guardsmen from Restov, we be a little more free to explore."
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