"Um, perhaps we could do this inside." says Tamris nodding toward the shimmering oval in the corner.
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"No, we haven't. At least not yet. You haven't heard anything about him have you? We've been wandering the Narlmarches for a couple of weeks now and have had little news."
Tamris takes the Sage of Dweomervale's gruffness in stride and explains to the space immediately to the left of the party that he and his companions have been on the hunt for the lich, Szam Tass, again, at Eldiocesan's urging, and have been scouring the lands between here and Mivon, but have yet to find an further clues. They returned here a few days ago to look for anything they might have missed on their last visit, but found the dungeon overtaken by new monsters. They saw most of them off, with only the minor nuisance of the dust mephit cultists left to clear out. Determined to deal with them on the marrow, they made this chamber their base camp, and had gone out to hunt and forage when Eldiocesan's alarm spell went off forcing them to hurry back. They had expected to find a bunch of piles of dust thanks to the wizard's magic "but instead, we found you."
Tamris lowers his bow.
Tamris looks all broody and quizzical, and then says, "Um, we live here."
"Uh, No thanks necessary. I mean, um, you're welcome." He smiles. Sense motive DC 15: Tamris seems a bit more broody than usual when Celyne turns her attention to Ed. Then he seems to grow anxious and tongue-tied when she gives him thinks. He even smiles for like the first time ever.
"He's right. Aside from a few really bad patches along the edge of the Slough, and the banks near Candlemere, this is one of the worst places to roam in all the Narlmarches." Tamris says.
"Grrr."
"Scarlet! Pull back when you get a chance! Let me take your place!"
At Scarlet's suggestion Tamris looks about.
"What does it look like!?"
"I see it! By your elbow Eld-err, I mean Ed."
"She's safe. Rain's minding her."
"Rain, guard Alia."
Tamris backs off and Rain follows his lead. Then he takes aim and fires.
"Rain! Alia get back!" Tamris rushes forward down the tunnel. Rain moves out of the way.
He nails the gelatinous thing as if it were the side of a barn.
"Tamris? You here? And Rain, too? I am happy to see the two of you...everybody else is in danger, down with that...skeleton king. We believed this place to be some ancient temple to Erastil, but I feel there's more to it, is it not?", Alia converses with Tamris, forgetting that he was not very talkative, but wanting to keep herself occupied without interrupting Ed's weaving of magic. Tamris' expression grows grave at the mention of the 'skeleton king'. He draws his longsword and looks to Ed, but Ed's too busy with his magic to notice. Rain meanwhile keeps a wary eye on Alia. "What Magic ARE you weaving, Ed?" Ed doesn't reply instead he concentrates on weaving the words of magic together though the tone of his words abruptly rise in annoyance at the interruption. "Don't mind him. He's taciturn, but good to have with you in fight. We'll get your friends out. It is the least I can do for you all."
Tamris and Rain emerge from the edge of the forest. "We'll come with you. There enough of us here and if your friends are any thing like the way they were at the Flower Festival, well, it's probably chaos in there. As good a time as any to strike. Wouldn't you agree 'Ed'?"
Tamris stops and turns with great effort. He is dirty, exhausted, poisoned and near collapse. "Firstly, I have been down in that hole for the last four days, so I wouldn't know. Perhaps you should speak to the girl." With that said he adds to all present. "What do your hearts tell you?"
"Had they killed me the wolves would still have been safe. The Narlmarches are large and ancient forest. With the right skills an army could hide beneath her boughs. We will not abandon it." Tamris stands and turns to Fan. "It seems I cannot go with you to the fair this year." "You won't be very socialized, you know." Fan says. "I know. But for now we should all be away. There are perhaps a dozen or more Leafcutter mercenaries in the area hunting for Rain. A would guess Grogan was selected to follow him into the farmlands as the most palatable to the people who live there. By the way what happened to his wolf? She was a poor stricken beast. I would take her with us." "The wolf didn't survive the battle at the fair." Fan says. "I see. This is goodbye then." Tamris turns to limp off.
Tamris looks to Rain and then back again. "For the wolves this is home. They are as much a part of this forest, as the trees and streams. I agree that this consortium poses a danger but, the forest itself provides protection, and I in turn, guard the forest. If war where to come for them they would make it a costly war."
The muscles in Tamris's jaw clenches. He stares ahead looking at nothing.
Once he is untied and out of the pit, Rain nearly bowls Tamris over again with boisterous affection. By the light of the campfire it becomes apparent that the half-elf has been poisoned and sleep deprived. Underneath the strain and the mud (which only adds to his brooding bad boy good looks) there is (as Scarlet now knows from helping him up) a very athletic man. "Thank you all. You were all very brave. Especially you Rain." Tamris says in a weary voice that nonetheless leaves bards green with envy. He scratches the smiling Rain behind the ears. "I take it these are your's and Fan's friends?"
"No!"
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