Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 4, Pursuit

[Hrothgar]

As the beast dropped, the woman yelled in satisfaction, Ha!, her brown face split by a wide grin. Quickly, her triumph is overcome by her caution. Her eyes fly to the dangerous mix of Heroes that now surround her. She takes one step back...before her gaze returns to Mardo. At the gnome's words, her dark, slender eyebrows furrow slightly, as if surprised by the gnome's words. Could the small one know honor? Striding forward, the smoothed river stone raised above her head, the Sarcosan woman slams the stone down on the beast's head with a sickening crunch. With a spit on the carcass, she curses at the dead creature, Vile Shadow beast!

Regaining her composure, she stands straight and regal, so unlike a peasant. Strikingly beautiful, the woman embodies seductive Sarcosan features, from her raven black hair, her brown, almond shaped eyes, full lips, and supple and lithe form. Dangerous and beautiful as a plains leopard, she looks on in astonishment when Kaela approaches. She does not retreat from Kaela's advance, nor threaten, but accepts Kaela's hug of support stiffly, as if they woman is not used to receiving affection. Stepping back, her strong, brown hand still on Kaela's arm, she speaks with a strong, but sad, voice. My people are gone... I thank you for your help. My fate was sealed. The troll saw me as I was hiding under the overturned wain. A scavanger from the Trollskarl. There. She points to the south, the far horizon tinged by a dark, green band. That haunted forest known as the Trollskarl. More may be coming, having seen the smoke from the village. Let us move quickly and maybe we can come to know one another. And learn to trust each other. Are there any that survive in the village? She looks at the Heroes with pleading eyes.

Lodric, Starhl, and Herger strain to move the beast up the steep slope. The trio realized the potential danger of burning the carcass on the open plains; with miles of dry grass, the blaze could quickly get out of hand and trap the Heroes. Dragging the gory beast to a ruined sod home, most of its wound already knitted closed but still unconscious, the Heroes toss the vile creature into the still glowing coals inside the home. The creature is slowly consumed in flames, its form twitching in unconscious pain. Thick, greasy black smoke rises into the sky, so different than the bluish-white of the burning homes.

Valurel's ears listen to the woman, while his eyes and nose focus on the surrounding land. Near the village he finds a tracks: a wide swath of dry plains grass is crushed flat as if a small force had proceeded up from the south. The tracks do not carry the signature hobnailed boots of the orcs, but something smaller. As well as two sets of bigger tracks. Bigger than orcs, but booted. And, as Valurel's blood chills slightly in the warm air, Warg tracks. Moving throught the village, Valurel finds these tracks scattered about. It is obvious that this force is what ravaged the village. Following the tracks, Valurel can see they proceed southwest, down the steep slope, and towards the river. His eyes scanning the horizon, Valurel can see no sign of the force that so recently pillaged this small community.

 

[Krug]

Starhl shakes his head and says "I won't waste the sword's edge on the neck of that beast."

Sorry. work been hectic

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo cringes a bit as the stone breaks through bone and sprays brackish blood on the ground.

As the others move the body of the beast, Mardo makes a mental note that in the southern tongue she called it a "vileshadowbeast" and tries to remember the name for the creature. Because he's of minimal use to them, he turns his attention back to the stranger and Kaela. Seeing one woman comfort another, he can tell he'd be just as unhelpful there.

"Well, I think I'll go get my cart and search the town for survivors." He jogs back up the hill, taking a route he didn't take through town before, looking about as he goes.

OOC:
Mardo is looking about for any sign of life or anything interesting on his way to the cart, stashed in the grass outside town. Once he picks it up (whenever that is), he's going to take his time and do a serious Search as he moves back to the site of battle. He's especially looking for anyone who is alive, but he is not above salvaging useful items, especially food. He keeps anything he finds separated from his own goods - he's not trying to steal as much as he is keeping the items safe from fire and beasts.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

After helping to get the creature burning, Lodric cleans the gore from his clothing as best he can. He then turns to the woman.

"My name is Lodric. You are the only survivor we have seen so far, but we did not look closely having heard the sounds of this thing feeding. You say it was a scavenger, attracted by the smoke? Then it was not this beast that destroyed the village in the first place? I would be interested in who or what else is about that we should be wary of. Perhaps you can explain more while we go to where your home was here and see if anything remains that you might want to take with you. We can also look to see if any others have survived."

With that he steps alongside the woman and waits for her to lead on.

 

[maddmic]

Herger listens to the woman as they move the giant beast. He is satisfied when the deed is done. The woman spoke true as for the smoke, but there were other things that needed to happen before they departed.

"We should search the village quickly for food as well. We have run low and anything left behind by whatever destroyed this place would help us in our journey." He then turned to the woman. "We are searching for a group of people. They could've come by herenot too long ago. There would've been an old man and a young girl in the group. They were being tracked by an Orc as well as a winged beast that hails from the north. Have you seen anything like this?"

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

After surveying the tracks, Valurel returns to the group. "Wargs have been here, as well as smaller creatures, maybe goblins. Their tracks lead southwest but I can see no sign of them on the horizon. Those are what destroyed this village. Whether the troll was with them or just here by coincidence, I cannot say."

 

[Hrothgar]

The Sarcosan woman listens to Lodric, Valurel, and Herger before nodding. "Yes. The troll most likely came from the Trollskarl south of our village. They generally don't travel this far north, but the smoke must have attracted the beast. Her dark brows furrow as her beautiful face contorts with anger, her fists ball up and her limbs shake with rage. It was not this beast that decimated our village. It was goblin slavers. Just this morning. Their Warg riders made short work of our weak defenses before taking the strong: men, healthy women, and teenage children, maybe 10 or more healthy slaves for the slavers. The rest they drowned for sport, there. She points to the River Ohr. Tied to rocks and sunk into the deep pools. The river is now cursed and danger now lurks under its fast moving water. I fled and hid under the overturned wagon. I should have died fighting rather than feel the shame I do now. She shivers despite the day's fading heat. My name is Cyz. I now longer carry an honored family name among my people. Here, we were all escaped slaves, just looking to make a simple life, nothing more. Even in this vast sea of grass, the Shadow snatches freedom from those to weak to grasp it. A single tear runs down her cheek, but she still stands proud, defiant. She turns to Herger. Yes, the slavers had young girls. Teenage girls, yes, but none younger. Old man? I cannot say. I saw only glimpses of them before I was forced to flee when the wargs came. I was down by the river gathering water when the slavers hit.

The conversation continues as the Heroes start to explore the village. We did not have much, but maybe something you will find useful. Cyz assists the Heroes in tracking down a meager amount of food - enough for a few days journey across the plains. Mardo's searching proves mainly fruitless until he uncovers a another collection of four smooth river stones, hidden in a dirt pocket in one of the ruined sod houses. Despite the heat, the stones feel cool to the touch. Cyz looks over at Mardo. Charms. From an elderly halfling. He gathered them from the deepest parts of the River Ohr. He said to rub them in dire need, to gain protection from fire.

OOC: Mardo has found two collections of stone charms. The first, 10 stones that seem "natural" missile weapons, was found when he rushed through the village before attacking the troll. The stone that hit the troll does not have the same "feel" anymore, like the 10 unused stones. He also just found 4 stones that supposedly "protect from fire". Please mark these on Mardo's character sheet.

Cyz rummages in one of the ruined sod homes and finds two small bags tied tightly with rope: a waterskin and a bag with a holed blanket and dress. She loops the rope over her shoulder so both bags rest on her back. She carries no weapon. Little else can be found in the village. Slavers make use of most things. Food. Iron. Weapons. Leather. Most of what we once had is now with them...and perhaps your friends as well. I have nothing left here. You have the look of warriors. I would carry the battle to Shadow with you, if you would have me. Cyz stands, awaiting the Heroes decision.

What do the Heroes do? Pursue the slavers, hoping that Aislinn might be with them? Or strike southwest on their previous course, risking leaving behind Aislinn if she is indeed with the slavers? Or another dire course of action for a dire situation?

 

[Krug]

"I vote that we pursue slavers. And cut their throats." says Starhl.

 

[Bihlbo]

As the Sarcosan talks of the slavers, Mardo comments, "Yes, I can tell that the slavers really cleaned this place over. I couldn't even find a decent doorknob or crafting tools left in town." As she gives the offer to help the others, Mardo seems nervous and strangely silent.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric looks at Cyz, then Starhl, then to the southeast horizon. The agony of indecision is plain upon his face. "I would like to do as Starhl suggests. Those who take away even the tiny bit of freedom and dignity we can salvage in these times makes me burn with rage. But at the same time, I doubt Aislinn is with them, and she is the reason we are all here.

We know that those who took Aislinn are no friends to the Shadow, so I do not think they would fall in with goblin slavers willingly. We know they are pursued by agents of the Shadow, so if her captors had come across these slavers and fallen to them, it is not likely that she would still be with the slavers, or would not be for much longer before those sent to capture her for the Shadow took her away.

If the rest of you feel I am wrong, and that we should find these slavers, I will go along willingly, but I fear that it might make it even more difficult to pick up on the trail of Fallax and his cohorts."