When Findurel mentions him and his sending spell he will curtly give a polite bow to Oparal before uttering hesitantly "Yes...Findurel seems to be...fond of you..."Fin's face turns the darkest shade of red imaginable, muttering, under his breath, "Erastil's Antlers, Tez! Learn some freakin' tact, why don't you..."
Tezuzu looks slightly annoyed before muttering quietly to Findurel once Oparal is out of ear shot "Appologies if it made you uncomfortable friend, but it was a useful gambit. If she did not reciprocate your affections you could have played me off for a fool. Besides if I have to put up with both of you pointy eared lovebirds dancing delicately around your affections with the usual snail like pace of elven courtship I might literally grow old and die before you both hold hands." he shrugs sarcastically.
"Wait... the demon lord Tchotchke? Should I have heard of him?"
Tezuzu drinks his tea slurping it somewhat poorly as a sizable portion of it ends up dribbling away landing on his robes as he responds "Outside of scholarly curiosity likely not, but it is useful to know." rubbing his head painfully he shudders "That spell is not entirely pleasant. Seeing hundreds of fractions of memories all simultaneously feels like living a lifetime in the span of a moment one that comes with a sizable headache after." as the tea stains his robes a boozy scent lingers on the morphed birdman betraying its nature.
Tezuzu shop for the day leaving the girls to look for dresses as he seeks out strange scripts and baubles returning to camp quite quickly. He keeps to himself mostly working on a bronze and gold medallion of a four-leaf clover with three small ruby at the tip of all but one of the leaves.
Looking up at Quasit and Sakitu as they return he chirps "What? no dress?" before quickly shifting his tone "Oh, Nice headband Sakitu. It looks cute on you."
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Tezuzu looks slightly annoyed before muttering quietly to Findurel once Oparal is out of ear shot "Appologies if it made you uncomfortable friend, but it was a useful gambit. If she did not reciprocate your affections you could have played me off for a fool. Besides if I have to put up with both of you pointy eared lovebirds dancing delicately around your affections with the usual snail like pace of elven courtship I might literally grow old and die before you both hold hands."
Fin nods sadly at Tezuzu. "You are right, my friend...I overreacted. I am the one who should apologize. My relationships have been...an enigma...at least to me...and it makes me guarded..."
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First Watch
And any boy who doesn't like you is blind and probably dead to boot. You need to have a little more confidence in yourself. You're beautiful." She finishes by giving Sakitu a motherly little kiss on the forehead.
Sakitu leans into Quasit. "You're so nice. I'm glad you're my friend."
At the market
Sakitu smiles at her friend's comment. "You like it? Ok. I'll get it." Sakitu pales a little when the shopkeeper tells her the price of 4000 gold pieces but she gladly pays it.
Soon they head back to the camp.
"Oh, Nice headband Sakitu. It looks cute on you."
"Oh good. I'm glad you like it. It was expensive though. And it makes my head tingle a little bit. The shopkeeper said that the tingling should go away in a day or so."
Sakitu finds a place by the fire and sits but only for a moment before she realizes everyone is packing up. "We're leaving? Now? Shouldn't we wait till tomorrow?" She already feels worn out from traipsing all over the market with Quasit.
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"What? no dress?"
Quasit shrugs. "Nobody was selling any. I guess centaurs don't wear them. It's ok, I was more in the mood to shop for one than to actually wear one. But me and Saki did plenty of shopping."
"We're leaving? Now? Shouldn't we wait till tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I think we should. I think we got lucky last night, but I don't want to push it staying in the same place two nights in a row. We should be able to get in about 4 hours of walking before we camp again. And we're going to do the same watches tonight. We literally aren't out of the woods yet."
"Once you get some fresh air you'll get a second wind Sakitu. If you don't I'll give you a piggy back towards the end of the day to rest your legs." Looking towards Quasit he adds "Maybe the crazy magic hut will whisk us to somewhere with dresses in style and fashions both beautiful and exotic... or a big pile of treasure."
With the practiced way of a group that has been on the go more often than not, the party breaks camp - such as it were. Erdija makes it quite clear that a detour south of town to make way across the closest bridge across the river is needed.
It is clear from the rushing water - which at least this far south is mostly thawed - would have provided quite a challenge had the party tried to cross it on their own. And so after making it through the last of the crowds making their way to town, the party heads north. The river provides not only a solid land mark, but a space for a clear view of the surrounding area. At some point as the sun is setting it becomes clear that the group has their pick of spots for camp.
Even though they are only a few hours north, the night seems to be colder than expected. Erdija speaks up, "I don't relish depending to much on the scraggly trees that dot this side of the river, but we'll need some degree of shelter tonight and a way to stay warm."
Tezuzu will shed his human guise once they are an hours march from Vurnirn his nose growing longer and more beak like as his skeletal structure reasserts itself with frightful crackles and pops the skin melting off transforming into piles of mud and leaves giving way to the plumage of his black feathers.
”Ah that’s soooo much better.” he laments cheerfully. ”I realize I am biased by my lifetime spent as a Tengu, but the human form is extraordinarily uncomfortable.”
When Bulvi offers Sakitu a ride Tezuzu will chime in ”The lot of you are still quite young I doubt you have to deal with the pains of old bones, but if your offer is not exclusive to the pretty young ladies in our group I would be delighted to give my old bird bones a break if I could get a turn. My bones would thank you and I am quite a bit lighter than I look.”
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Tezuzu will shed his human guise once they are an hours march from Vurnirn his nose growing longer and more beak like as his skeletal structure reasserts itself with frightful crackles and pops the skin melting off transforming into piles of mud and leaves giving way to the plumage of his black feathers.
Quasit happens to look over as this is happening, and her face devolves quickly into a pastiche of pure horror. By the end she is covering her mouth to keep from hurling up her tarts.
"Cayden's codpiece Feathers!" she exclaims.
*****
When Bulvi offers Sakitu a ride Tezuzu will chime in ”The lot of you are still quite young I doubt you have to deal with the pains of old bones, but if your offer is not exclusive to the pretty young ladies in our group I would be delighted to give my old bird bones a break if I could get a turn. My bones would thank you and I am quite a bit lighter than I look.”
Quasit lifts an eyebrow and looks at Bulvi with an amused smirk to see how he responds to this.
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Sakitu reluctantly agrees to head out before nightfall. When she is reminded of the rumors that someone, or something, has been following them, she is even more convinced. She thanks Bulvi for the offer of a piggyback ride and mentions that she may take him up on it later.
Tezuzu will shed his human guise once they are an hours march from Vurnirn his nose growing longer and more beak like as his skeletal structure reasserts itself with frightful crackles and pops the skin melting off transforming into piles of mud and leaves giving way to the plumage of his black feathers.
Sakitu scrunches her nose up in disgust. "Ew. Tezuzu! That is the worst thing I've ever seen." She skips up to be in front of Tezuzu then starts walking backwards so she can face him. "If that's the only way I could change my shape, I don't think I'd ever want to do it." Reminded of her shape, Sakitu seamlessly slips back to her vulpine form. "Its just something that all of us Kitsune can do. The Tengu don't have that ability? Well, I can't fly and I guess you can. So it's ups and downs."
She spins a couple of times then comes back to Tezuzu. "I've been thinking about the message. You know, to my parents. Do you think we can do that tonight? It is magic, right? Do you think it's a magic that I could learn too?"
Even though they are only a few hours north, the night seems to be colder than expected. Erdija speaks up, "I don't relish depending to much on the scraggly trees that dot this side of the river, but we'll need some degree of shelter tonight and a way to stay warm."
"I'm fine wherever. I don't find this weather to be all that cold. But then I've don't often feel cold. There's a rumor that way back in our family, like five generations ago, there was some tangle with some strange spirits and that made some of us not so bothered by the cold. And it's strange. The longer I'm out here, the less the cold bothers me."
A suitable spot for camp is found just as the last bit of day light dwindles.
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Fin finds an area with some trees near the river, that should provide at least a little cover...he signals to his friends and waves them over...
"This is the best I could find...trees give some cover and the river should provide us some fish...I'll work on gathering some wood so Maka can start the fire..."
The Elf will put his bedroll near the base of a tree, stash most of his gear, and gather some wood...
With camp set, the group settles in for the night.
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Same watch as last night, except with Erdija subbing in for the elf lady.
Watch 1: Quasit & Sakitu
Watch 2: Findurel & Erdija
Watch 3: Maka & Tezuzu
Watch 4: Bulvi & Selena
If Findurel wants to pull extra duty, I'm sure no one will stop him. And yes, definitely a fire. Then if the ringwraiths appear, we can wave flaming brands at them. Tchotchke can put fire to his evil uses, as he can all things, but his creatures do not love it, and fear those who wield it.
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Fin will try to catch some more fish for supper and any extra for curing into travel fare...
...feeling somber, after supper, he'll quietly drink some of the mead from his wineskin...but not too much since he'll pull watch duty from the second shift on...
When Quasit and Saki wake him up for his shift, he'll cast Blend, draw his bow, and find a concealed spot among the trees, as best he can, from which to stand his watch...and keep alert for any signs of danger approaching...
"I don't relish depending to much on the scraggly trees that dot this side of the river, but we'll need some degree of shelter tonight and a way to stay warm."
"Don't worry Fin is great at making shelters and I can keep us plenty warm." Maka replied to Erdija as the fire monk unpacked her tent. "Besides Saki is right, most of us aren't bothered by the cold." With her tent set up, Maka helped Fin gather firewood before starting a large fire in the center of camp. Once her chores were complete, Maka pulled Bulvi inside her tent.
"Cayden's codpiece Feathers!"
Sakitu scrunches her nose up in disgust. "Ew. Tezuzu! That is the worst thing I've ever seen."
Looking a little self conscious as his beak droops towards the ground he shrugs Apologies, Apologies. Maintaining that form is a lot like holding in a sneeze, but instead of just your nose it is your entire body....if that is the worst thing you have ever seen...well I truly envy you. I could tell you stories of...trolls.. nevermind."
She skips up to be in front of Tezuzu then starts walking backwards so she can face him. "If that's the only way I could change my shape, I don't think I'd ever want to do it." Reminded of her shape, Sakitu seamlessly slips back to her vulpine form. "Its just something that all of us Kitsune can do. The Tengu don't have that ability? Well, I can't fly and I guess you can. So it's ups and downs."
Tezuzu looks surprised and chirps "Oh? It is not the worst, but your method of transformation does seem quite less..difficult. Some Tengu do have the ability to shift between two forms like yourself, although we are universally never good with noses. My grandfather could. It is not so rare, but is uncommon." he chuckles briefly "Next time you see a man with a funny looking nose offer him some seed or a few crushed bugs."
Ruffling a bit of his feathers he adds "Tengu can not naturally fly. When I do so I am merely transferring my weight to the surrounding spiritual firmament...temporarily...it is hard to explain, but the feathers have little to do with it."
She spins a couple of times then comes back to Tezuzu. "I've been thinking about the message. You know, to my parents. Do you think we can do that tonight? It is magic, right? Do you think it's a magic that I could learn too?"
In a warm tone Tezuzu responds pleased "Oh? Of course. You would need to tell me more about the parent you wish to send a message to. Details are important, but stories work well. Something so I can visualize who your parent is in my minds eye so that the wind spirits might find them with your words."
As the Kitsune spins around in circles Tezuzu lets slip a laugh "I am sorry, just for a moment you reminded me a friend I once had.....you know I like this chiper twirly mood thats struck you, I heard it is going to be cold tonight and your cheer has warmed my heart a bit so thank you. I would be happy to help teach it to you, but it is quite tricky..."
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Tezuzu quietly recites an incantation to himself touching his chest when Erdija mentions the weather. Looking around aloofly he draws some spider silk from his pouch and buries it in the dirt and waves a hand whispering as a hemisphere weaves itself into existence of thick sticky spider silk that hardens bone white into an insulated hut complete with a little hatch door.
He happily begins to unload his things into his upgraded living arrangement and gathers leaves and soft underbrush to use a basis for a makeshift bed that upon closer inspection resembles a nest.
He will split his time between crafting and aiding Sakitu with sending her message turning in for the night early to get sleep needed for his odd watch.
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"Cayden's codpiece Feathers!"Sakitu scrunches her nose up in disgust. "Ew. Tezuzu! That is the worst thing I've ever seen."Looking a little self conscious as his beak droops towards the ground he shrugs Apologies, Apologies. Maintaining that form is a lot like holding in a sneeze, but instead of just your nose it is your entire body....if that is the worst thing you have ever seen...well I truly envy you. I could tell you stories of...trolls.. nevermind."
"Yeah, I've seen worse too, but..." Quasit stops herself, seeing that perhaps she's hurt Tezuzu's feelings and had spoken unfairly. She grimaces and softens her tone.
"I appreciate the effort you made to blend in and the effort at maintaining your... disguise? Just... I don't know, maybe warn us first next time?"
She shakes her head, and then actually grins.
"Because that was completely disgusting!" she says, breaking into a full cathartic laugh. She steps over and wipes some nose off Tezuzu's front.
Maka and Tez notice Findurel stop to apparently look at something in the distance that is not visible to them. He then moves further north, out of sight. A half an hour passes and the elf has yet to return.
After hearing the loud noise Tezuzu nods towards Findurel and scratches Yang's ears as the fox's head pops up and it's eyes dart around. As Findurel begins to leave he will whisper back "I shall listen to the spirits of fortune to determine my course of action my friend, stay safe."
Tezuzu will then meditate for 15 minuets and draw out his new bone Augury stick and balance two small cones of incense on either side chanting an incantation as he does so. He will close his eyes and whisper "What is fated to come of meddling in these strange sounds in the night?"
After about a three quarters of an hour Findurel returns Maka and Tez notice Findurel come back into view, making his way back to the camp.
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Fin comes back into camp and shrugs to Maka and Tez. "Thought it might be a ship that hit the ice...traveled a while and only saw a light, perhaps a lantern, but never saw the ship...and I never heard anyone cry out for help. Conditions got worse...and I began to think maybe whatever is tracking us might have illusory magic to create a ruse and lure one of us out...or attempt to separate us and attack the camp...so I came back..."
He looks back north towards the river, pondering. "I hope that was the right choice..."
"Well it's good to play it safe, but what if people need help?" Maka swayed back and forth as she indecisively weighed the options. Eventually the fire monk ran to Quasit and began to shake the young woman awake. "Quasit wake up! A boat crashed but it might be an illusion!"
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Fin shrugs again. "Maka, there was a light moving in the distance...perhaps it was a lantern but, as far as I traveled, I never saw a ship...and then I recalled the Centaur Chief's warning that will-o-wisps inhabited the area around Artrosa, so I began to think that light might not be a lantern after all...
"If there was a shipwreck and people were in distress, they never cried out for help; and since we heard a crash from here, I would easily have heard any yells for help from where I was at...
"The conditions along the river are treacherous, especially for those less agile...which means a detour and more time. Dawn is almost upon us...I think it might be more prudent to pack up camp and go along the river ...the ice shouldn't be as treacherous near the river then...
"But...if you're hellbound to do this, I'll leave and go back now..."
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Eventually the fire monk ran to Quasit and began to shake the young woman awake. "Quasit wake up! A boat crashed but it might be an illusion!"
Quasit snaps awake at the rough shaking with a grunting snort and grabs Maka's arm reflexively.
"Maka?! What is... a boat crashed? What?" She blinks off toward the darkness and rubs her eyes and then flops back down into her back.
"No riverboats would be traveling at night. That's a super way to lose your cargo." she says blearily. "Did anyone hear someone call for help?"
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"No riverboats would be traveling at night. That's a super way to lose your cargo." she says blearily. "Did anyone hear someone call for help?"
Fin shakes his head. "Heard a crashing sound...I traveled about 20 minutes or so north, Q...saw a light but no ship. No cry for help...conditions were treacherous near the river...so I came back. I'll return there though, if you wish..."
I'll return there though, if you wish..."
"What!? No stop going off alone it might me a trap!" Maka nearly shouted as she grabbed his hand to make sure he didn't pull one of his disappearing acts.
Tezuzu will politely interject himself into the conversation hesitantly "...Apologies for the rude awakening...I communed with the fates while Findurel scouted. The portents seem to point towards meddling in these matters brings both fortune and danger, but such readings are fickle and fortune changed partway though reading to that of neither danger nor fortune. I suspect Findurel's decision to leave things be altered them."
Nodding with resolve "I believe I stand with Maka on this one we should investigate someone as could be in danger and fortune often favors the bold. Although, the presence of danger makes me wary I do not wish Findurel to travel alone I suggest we all go and resolve to sleep-in extra this morning some to compensate for our interrupted sleep."
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Fin smiles at Maka as he shakes his head. "I won't go alone again...but I wouldn't recommend all of us going...just those who are fleet of foot. Traveling along the river is the quickest way, but the ice and rocks on the shore are treacherous...and a detour inland will likely take too much time...
"As I said, I'll go back...but for the others, only the most agile should attempt it...I'd say Q and Maka...maybe Tez. That would leave half of us here to guard the camp and the other half to check on the 'ship'..."
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Quasit sits up to listen, then crawls over to the fire to continue the conversation, still wrapped in her blanket, talking quietly so as not to rouse the others.
"Ok... so you heard an alarming sound, went to investigate and saw some lights on the river, and as you went to investigate the ground was getting treacherous? I've never seen a will'o wisp but that sounds like classic behavior for them, and we were warned that they were around this area. I think we leave this one alone."
"And I stand by what I said earlier. No river boatman who knows his business is going to be traveling at night. It just isn't worth the risk. So if it *was* actually a boat, it's likely a pirate or a fugitive of some sort who won't welcome our appearance."
"In the morning we'll walk along the river. If we run into someone who needs a hand at that point, we'll lend it. But we are not splitting up and wandering off into the dark."
"In the morning we'll walk along the river. If we run into someone who needs a hand at that point, we'll lend it. But we are not splitting up and wandering off into the dark."
"Okay that sounds smart, I knew getting you to come up with a plan was the best plan." Maka said as she gave Quasit an unnaturally warm hug. "Go back to sleep, we'll finish our watch." Maka finished her hug with a kiss on the top of Quasit's head before kipping up.
Taking a long stick, Maka took a deep breath and spit a glob of fire at the end. Taking the make shift torch out some distance, Maka planted it in the ground before walking back to the camp and taking a defensive, watchful position. "Now it will be harder to sneak up on us."
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"Okay that sounds smart, I knew getting you to come up with a plan was the best plan." Maka said as she gave Quasit an unnaturally warm hug. "Go back to sleep, we'll finish our watch." Maka finished her hug with a kiss on the top of Quasit's head before kipping up.
Being still in a drowsy frame of hand makes Quasit more susceptible to the voodoo of warm hugs, so Maka's embrace - instead of eliciting her usual squirmy forbearance - causes her to melt a little into the strong arms and smile contentedly. "Knock it off." she says cheerfully, not meaning it at all. She yawns and stands.
"Oh, and don't be surprised if whatever that was tries again. It probably feels like it almost got Fin, and might be tempted to come back. Good night."
And she returns to her sleeping spot, curls up snugly in her blanket and returns to dreamland.
The remainder of the night is interrupted only by overfull bladders in need of emptying.
By first light it is clear, even from a distance that what Findurel saw is indeed present. Or at least looks to be present. To the northwest after the bend in the river there appears to be a boat of modest fashion burdened with some kind of load.
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Fin shakes his head. "No, Q, I always docked or laid up at dusk...fool's game traveling a river by night, especially one this icy..."
Fin ponders silently. Well, I did travel by night on the river, once...but that was to set an ambush for the bastard that killed Kezhia...not relevant here as I didn't care if I lived or died then...
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Waking up, Sakitu stretches a few times before getting out of her bedroll. She rolls everything up and stows away her gear while keeping an ear on the conversation that Fin and Quasit are having.
Finished packing, she joins them.
"Sounds like I missed some excitement last night. I slept like a rock and didn't hear a thing. But you guys said there was a boat on the river? And it crashed?"
Her stomach growls and she's suddenly aware of her hunger. "Oh. Do you guys have anything to eat?"