"I'll take second."
"I think I can help with this fire situation and help keep us a little less obvious to the fey." Cyrus sets about casting the Explorer's Fire ritual.
"I'll take third."
"WHO GOES THERE?" bellows the warrior as he tries to see what the panther is looking at.
Bren brandishes his black axe as his eyes dart through the darkness.
"Come no closer, if you value your lives!"
Catriana wakes up and tries to look around as well.
"Whuuh?"
"What the ?! What's all the yelling about?!"
Elias says nothing but tries to listen and look for what it might be.
"Elias, Bren, what just happened?"
"Nothing," snarls Bren. "They wanted to come laugh at us. They think we're a joke. Even after we've slaughtered them twice over. No matter. We'll just have to keep on winning until they get the message."
Yomi, rather than give voice to his alarm, considers the evidence before him.
"Guys, we need to check the area. We have a thief in our midst."
For Pat
"What are you missing?"
"Looks like you've got a secret admirer Yomi. Who's been giving you flowers?"
Elias smiles engimatically, his eyes glinting in the night, he says in a cool, calm voice"You can't think of their humour in your terms. And Bren, I find it hard to imagine that it is part of a co-ordinated plan to come into conflict with us. You're linking events which have no common cause - be calm, we are all friends and will stand together. Do not fear this land."
He looks at Yomi's pack and adds, "And besides, it is quite funny."
Catriana smiles, and nods at Elias's words. "I agree. They don't seem hostile - they're just playing games. We should treat them like children and don't give them too much attention."
"Looks like you've got a secret admirer Yomi. Who's been giving you flowers?"
"An old man like me with admirers... what is the world coming to?"
"They're pretty. You should wear them."
Eglantine fixes the flowers to the top of Yomi's robe.
"Are we all rested, or does anyone need more sleep?"
Eglantine stretches voluptuously and looks around.
"Did anyone else get flowers in the night?" she asks, hopefully looking at her own pack.
Elias rises, the picture of alertness, "I'm afraid not." he replies.
"So, we continue down river?" asks Bren, still filthy with grime and caked blood from yesterday's battles. He refuses to bathe in the river.
"Lead on then."
Catriana slowly cleans her clothes and herself using multiple Prestidignation spells.
"Anyone else wants cleaning?"
"Could use one here. Thanks." Yomi waves to Catriana to get her attention.
"Me too. Thanks, Cat."
Catriana humms to herself while casting Prestidignation multiple times, cleaning Yomi and Bren's clothes and equipment.
"Just look at us. All clean and pretty for the new day."
Elias smiles warmly, "One has to look one's best when traipsing through the wilderness of course," he says with a wink.
"Although, if we find ourselves in a fey court, such things may have a more serious bearing."
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The well-groomed party travels further along the riverbank. Time seems to move oddly here -- the night passed quickly, but the sun takes long to reach the zenith, even though the foliage and temperatures suggest autumn.
This patch of forest is filled with ancient oaks and little undergrowth; it is too dark on the forest floor for much to grow, though large trunks, stumps, and thick leaves are everywhere. Several times you hear loud snuffling nearby, probably boars rooting around for acorns.
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This time, the snuffling is much deeper and louder. Two enormous razor-tusked boars come into sight, with fey wearing black chasing behind them. They laugh among themselves when they see you, and say “This forest is forbidden to your kind. Surrender your weapons now, and come swear fealty to the Black Fey.”
Eglantine looks to Elias and Catriana for guidance and keeps her mouth shut.
Elias raises an eyebrow, "I should have guessed. Speak of a devil..."
He raises his hands to show he carries no weapons in them, he speaks:
Elven
There is no emotion or humanity in Bren's eyes when he looks upon the Black Fey. He does not yet draw his great black axe.
Catriana listens to the fey's demand calmly. "I'm not sure you're in a position to make such demands," she replies. "We're here for a specific reason - to meet the River King. We're not planning on staying for any longer. You might as well help us find him to get rid of us." Catriana's words sound very convincing.
"Black Fey? Anyone know who or what is a Black Fey?" Yomi mutters under his breath. He then scans the surrounding for the presence of the others.
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Yomi:
One of the fey answers, in Elven: