Hazard looks at Aseve(the serpent) oddly, almost as if he is restraining himself from some unwise action. Tearing himself away, he approaches a horse. Like the others, Hazard is unsure of the beast, and pokes it with a finger to see how it will react. He remarks, "Biological conveyance, how quaint."
Carbrook looks over the available horses. Having examined their teeth and flanks, his keen eye identifies a couple which look like healthy beasts, although he has no idea of their temperament. The one he picks eyes him warily, obviously slightly disconcerted by the whiff of formaldehyde coming from him. He packs away the food he has been given in the saddlebags and gingerly mounts up.
Being unused to riding, he takes the chance to briefly walk the horse to get the feel of being in the saddle. Satisfied he can travel in safety, if not comfort, he waits for the last of the group to arrive. Once everyone has congregated he relays what his questions to the stablehands revealed, then waits for someone else to take the lead out of town.
Noting the arrival of the others, Emrys brings his last 'pony ride' of the day to an end. He pauses to watch the little girl run to a crowd of her friends before vaulting into the saddle himself. He manages to pull the task off smoothly, but his inexperience in the saddle is made apparent as his horse is forced to reposition the placement of its hooves, to compensate for a suddenly unbalanced load on its back.
Looks like we're about ready to head out. Anyone seen the others?
Looks like we're about ready to head out. Anyone seen the others?
"Not me. We don't have all day fer this."
Brayker mounts the horse with a wince, struggling.
"It's okay horse. Take it easy," he says quietly.
He scans to see if anyone is watching.
"I don't wanna hear one word!"
"I'm ready."
Hazard mounts his horse. Complete inexperience betrays him, but he manages to hang on. Holding tight to the horse's neck, Hazard grunts "Ready."
Aseve tries to get the pony to kneel.
Aseve tries to get the pony to kneel.
The pony, so soft and warm before seems to have been transfixed to stone. It's legs are now rigid and it doesn't look as though kneeling is going to be an option.
The pony, so soft and warm before seems to have been transfixed to stone. It's legs are now rigid and it doesn't look as though kneeling is going to be an option.Aseve tries to get the pony to kneel.
Aseve smiles nervously and taps her cane. She looks about. "Does anybody have a stepstool?"
Ellaria chooses a small brown horse named Swift, and packs her few belongings in the saddlebags. Patting Swift's neck, she hands her an apple while leading her out of the stables. As she mounts the horse outside, she smiles to herself, remembering the last horse she had back at home. Looking at the others, she can't help but think to herself that she missed the feeling of riding a horse.
"Does anybody have a stepstool?"
"'fraid not. Suppose you might use that thing over there."
He points to a box or bucket somewhere nearby.Brayker continues to stand ready, comforting his horse (and himself).
"Does anybody have a stepstool?""'fraid not. Suppose you might use that thing over there."
He points to a box or bucket somewhere nearby.Brayker continues to stand ready, comforting his horse (and himself).
Aseve looks irritated as she walks over and picks up the bucket. She places it next to the pony and manages to climb on.
...then waits for someone else to take the lead out of town.
The briefest hint of a smile crosses Carbrook's face when he sees he is not the only one unused to riding. As it appears no-one is confident enough of their skill at horse to lead off, he gingerly touches his heels to the flank of his chosen mount and begins to walk through the town gates.
Turning to his closest companion he states 'I trust for our sakes that our quarry has been sticking to well-travelled routes. If his map is to somewhere off the road, we'll have to hope he let slip his destination to someone, as I fear tracking him blindly through the swamp may be...challenging...'.
He takes one hand off the reins long enough to adjust his wide-brimmed hat as his horse plods sedately onwards.
He follows Carbrook toward the gates.
"Ya'll comin?"
Hazard pokes and prods the beast in an effort to get it to move. A frustrated kick finally gets the horse's attention and Hazard nearly falls off as the horse bolts ahead.
Ellaria follows the others on her horse, patting its neck as it advances.
Let's be on our way, then. Emrys nudges his horse in the direction of the others and, after a bit of prodding, gets it to start forward.
You all head out of the main gate, and once over the bridge and moat, you soon encounter the Blackwood Swamp.
It surrounds the city on all landward sides and is a remnant of the forest that once covered this entire land. The Swamp today is rotting - its smell unpleasant even to the most hardened of noses. To look at, it is a marshland; with tangled trees, dense overgrowth and you've heard tales of quicksand as well as man-eating plants.
The last advice the guards gave you as you travelled out of the city was to, 'keep to the road.'
Local knowledge suggests there is a village or at least a settlement every day's ride along the road as it heads east by north-east out of Cassomir.
You have travelled approximately half a day, and were considering a break for some food when you see a horse come round a bend with a dead man hanging from the saddle. The horse slows when it reaches your own mounts and you can clearly see that the man's body is wearing a chain shirt. A shield and long sword hang from the saddle along with a pouch.
A look of almost ghoulish delight flashes over Carbrook's face at the sight of the corpse. Dismounting quickly, he moves to the other horse, puts on a pair of wire-framed spectacles, and starts to examine the body without touching it. He looks at the angle it sits in the saddle, the colour of its skin, checks for obvious signs of blood or wounds, and wanders round the horse to look from several different angles and vantage points. He notes down all his findings in a small leather bound notebook.
After he is satisfied that he has learned all he can from this position, he gently lowers the body to the ground, lays it down and, unless he is interrupted by an outside agency, starts to examine it again, this time adding measurements taken with a small tape to observations made from a careful and thorough search of the body using his magnifying lens. Again, all is meticulously noted in his journal.
Once he is satisfied he has gleaned all the facts he can, he removes his glasses, and stows them and the notebook securely inside his coat. He turns to the others to relay his findings, then says 'I must ensure the deceased is properly attended to. I propose taking the horse and body with us, and when we reach a settlement I will make the appropriate arrangements'.
Earnest does a thorough examination of the corpse.
You would estimate he died less than one hour ago, but you cannot tell how far he travelled with the bolts in his back before dying. You would, however, guess not more than an hour or so.
For those without Earnest's keen eye and professional training, you would say the six crossbow bolts sticking out of his back are the likely cause of death.
That's all well and good, Carbrook, but tell us, what killed him!? Emrys' voice is thick with sarcasm.
In all seriousness, what have you learned? I can't imagine his morning went as planned. At least not as he planned.
Attempting to save face, Carbrook informs Emrys that he estimates the unfortunate fellow has been dead no more than an hour.
'Therefore' he intoned, 'we might best prepare for the possibility that whoever did that to him' he nods again at the corpse, 'might try and do it to us as well'.
During most of the ride, Ellaria remains quiet and doesn't speak to her groupmates, but is obviously busy as she dismounts a few times so she can examine strange plants, rocks or even small animals, while writing notes for herself and gathering samples. She doesn't give any explanation for it unless someone asks her directly.
When the group encounters the corpse on the horse, she turns pale while releasing a sound of horror. Staring at the corpse, her eyes widen in astonishment as Earnest dismounts and examines it. The adventure suddenly became very real for her. Being unable to control herself any longer, she turns her horse backwards and retches. After a few moments, she returns to the group, looking a bit better but still shaky.
He has a pouch hanging from his belt; anything inside? It's odd for bandits to replace a purse after emptying it of its contents. If he's still carrying coin, his death may have been more than simple thievery.
After several unwieldy attempts to approach the body, he finally corrals his horse adjacent, and begins to poke and prod the body. He seems quite excited to be able to examine the recently dead. As he does so, he searches the body for any more clues or possesions, as per Emry's suggestion.
Aseve watches, seeming concerned but uninterested in dismounting again.
The corpse carries no familiar markings of any house or royal family, but a signet ring displays the 'winged eye' of Aroden.
The next fact that is obvious to all is that the dead person is a half-elf.
And finally, the pouch contains a rolled up piece of parchment that bears the following:
"To whomsoever find this
If you are reading this, then my life has been lost in the service of the last true son of Azlant.
It is imperative that my brethren hear of my news. Please deliver this note to The Holy Five of Aroden."
The letter then continues.
"My brothers,
Firstly, I can confirm that the young mage Emile does indeed intend to travel to Tharn and no doubt intends to tackle the caves there.
Before I could catch him up, I followed a rumour to the small farming village of Greendale. I have encountered Rovagug and I cannot manage to defeat them by myself.
I press home to bring you this news and trust that my lips, not your eyes share this information with you."
Reading the note, Hazard remarks, "Anyone hear of a 'Holy Five of Aroden'? It seems our young quarry is of interest to them... And ho! we have a destination!" He passes the note on to the others. "Some caves near Tharn."
Desna blesses travelers, and she seems to have taken a particular liking to us. We should travel to Tharn immediately, and bypass Greendale. He looks at the others for their reactions, a smile on his face. I would personally enjoy tangling with followers of the Rough Beast, but they would probably delay our search for the apprentice.
Aseve raises an eyebrow. "Odd. Emile seems to be of importance to these people. I say we go to Greendale. Or, if you like, we could split up. There's more to this job than meets the eye, I think."
Carbrook, still somewhat chastened by his earlier lapse, says 'if we decide to split our forces, then it is my wish to accompany this body so that his brothers may carry out whatever funeral rites are in order'.
I have doubts about bringing the body with us, though, if we continue on our current course. The fact that the fellow remains astride his horse indicates we're the first to encounter him. Which in turn would indicate that Greendale is the first settlement we'll be coming to. Emrys peers down the road as he talks, as if to catch site of a town in the distance.
If cultists in Greendale were the ones to kill him, as the letter suggests, I doubt they would be too appreciative of travelers bringing their dirty laundry back home and airing it for all to see.
"I think Aseve 'as a point, but sumthin' to consider is that our job only concerns the mage."
I have doubts about bringing the body with us, though, if we continue on our current course. The fact that the fellow remains astride his horse indicates we're the first to encounter him. Which in turn would indicate that Greendale is the first settlement we'll be coming to. Emrys peers down the road as he talks, as if to catch site of a town in the distance.
If cultists in Greendale were the ones to kill him, as the letter suggests, I doubt they would be too appreciative of travelers bringing their dirty laundry back home and airing it for all to see.
Aseve frowns. "Emrys, given that he requests to be returned there in spite of this fact, I assume he knows best. Or do you think that we should leave his body for the next traveler to find and loot?
"This seems to concern the boy somehow, and I worry that we may have been somehow deceived."
I don't believe the note indicates that he wanted his body returned to Greendale. Rather it would seem to indicate we should take him to the Holy Five of Aroden, if anywhere. Wherever they might be found.
It sounds as if the Holy Five know something of the apprentice, but it also sounds as if he needs assistance. I recommend interring the body here and noting its location. Once we retrieve Emile we can take him and the note to the Holy Five, and inform them where they can locate the remains. Emrys smiles. At that point I'd be up to confronting the cult presence in Greendale, should any here desire it.
Aseve frowns but seems to be out of arguments.
I don't believe the note indicates that he wanted his body returned to Greendale. Rather it would seem to indicate we should take him to the Holy Five of Aroden, if anywhere. Wherever they might be found.
It sounds as if the Holy Five know something of the apprentice, but it also sounds as if he needs assistance. I recommend interring the body here and noting its location. Once we retrieve Emile we can take him and the note to the Holy Five, and inform them where they can locate the remains. Emrys smiles. At that point I'd be up to confronting the cult presence in Greendale, should any here desire it.
Ellaria nods her head in agreement. "There's no point in walking around with this poor person's corpse. Better we continue on our quest and inquire about these Holy Five at the close village".
It sounds as if the Holy Five know something of the apprentice, but it also sounds as if he needs assistance. I recommend interring the body here and noting its location. Once we retrieve Emile we can take him and the note to the Holy Five, and inform them where they can locate the remains. Emrys smiles. At that point I'd be up to confronting the cult presence in Greendale, should any here desire it.
"I agree with Emrys here... our priority is the young apprentice. However, I think that this Holy Five should see him only after he has seen his master, and we given the reward we were promised. If we find ourselves sufficiently bored later on, then we may return to this Greendale."
It sounds as if the Holy Five know something of the apprentice, but it also sounds as if he needs assistance. I recommend interring the body here and noting its location. Once we retrieve Emile we can take him and the note to the Holy Five, and inform them where they can locate the remains. Emrys smiles. At that point I'd be up to confronting the cult presence in Greendale, should any here desire it."I agree with Emrys here... our priority is the young apprentice. However, I think that this Holy Five should see him only after he has seen his master, and we given the reward we were promised. If we find ourselves sufficiently bored later on, then we may return to this Greendale."
Aseve nods. "I'm good at wheeling information out of people. How about we stop after collecting the apprentice at a town, and I see who these Holy Five are? If we can meet them, we will, and tell them what has happened. If not, we continue our journey back to the city."
"Sounds like we've got a plan."
Carbrook listens to the arguments put forward by Emrys and the others about what to do with the corpse. After a minute or two's thought he says 'your point about transport of the body is well made; if we encountered trouble then something may happen to it and he may be denied his path to the next realm. I shall return it to Cassomir and see that it is secured until such time as it can be returned to his fellows. Valendrian, will you accompany me?'
'We will make our own way to these caves at Tharn and rendezvous with you there - perhaps we can find out a little more abou the area while we are in Cassomir. Emrys may also be correct that Greendale, and thus the likely source of his assailaints, is the next settlement. If we are to root out these cultists after locating Emile, then best watch your tongues as you pass through lest you draw attention to your purpose'
You make a good point; take the note with you, and ask about the Five while you're in the city as well. I'd rather not be stalled in Greendale, and asking too many questions might result in just that.
Emrys coaxes his horse forward once again. Don't be too long, Carbrook. We'll see you in Tharn.
Carbrook listens to the arguments put forward by Emrys and the others about what to do with the corpse. After a minute or two's thought he says 'your point about transport of the body is well made; if we encountered trouble then something may happen to it and he may be denied his path to the next realm. I shall return it to Cassomir and see that it is secured until such time as it can be returned to his fellows. Valendrian, will you accompany me?'
'We will make our own way to these caves at Tharn and rendezvous with you there - perhaps we can find out a little more abou the area while we are in Cassomir. Emrys may also be correct that Greendale, and thus the likely source of his assailaints, is the next settlement. If we are to root out these cultists after locating Emile, then best watch your tongues as you pass through lest you draw attention to your purpose'
Aseve holds up a hand. "Hang on. I should go with you. I may not know anything about these Five, but I can find out. I've a lot of practice in that area."
Brayker looks each party up and down. Settling on Aseve, Carbrook, and Val.
"You three better not find too much excitement without me. I might just get a bit jealous."