The First Age of Man

[Axel]

The dismissive tone if the Breathless' speaker couldn't have been more obvious if she'd just said "piss off". Their lack of interest in the approaching person was curious though, either they couldn't hear or didn't care...

Deciding he had heard enough from "people" he didn't like about subject she didn't understand, Tekai knocked an arrow and vanished back into the surrounding terrain. Once out of the clearing he circled around, intending to come up behind the approaching individual.

[Sblock]Stealth is +9, or +10 if this counts as a rocky/hilly area. These sort of rolls are normally best not made by players, right? [/Sblock]

 

[Piston Honda]

Sheng manages to get the fire lit quickly, then helps Inguar bring Sialfi onto a bedroll, close enough to feel the warmth of the fire. He steps out to find some extra wood for the fire, finding some particularly good pieces close to the cave, he also finds a particularly ripe berry bush.

---

They seem to ignore Tekai’s leaving. “She shouldn’t need to hide from anyone, but apparently she believes she can insult us by rejecting our offer and come back if she is rejected.” She begins to sound increasingly agitated, the chatter resumes, cutting her off. This time when she speaks back, she turns to them. They carry on for a moment before she turns back.


“However, it appears our offer will stand.” Her invitation sounds insincere, and as though it is not her decision.

---

Tekai vanishes into the trees, he finds symbols carved into some of the trees. Circling around he notices there are six more of them in the area, they appear focused on what is happening in the clearing. As he comes to a pause, he notices another one, looking at him. He approaches almost casually.

“Te-kai...was it? What were you hoping to find?”

His voice is almost warm and soothing, moreso in comparison to the girl's.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Seerah watches them, standing her ground, but not making any threatening moves. She glances at Niraya to see what she will do.

 

[Axel]

Tekai frowned. How does he know my name, and how do six move as one? Unsure what to do he hesitates, taking a step back as the man approached.

"I hoped to find a big fat buck begging to be eaten. I expected to find an orc that wasn't quite dead. Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

 

[Shayuri]

"I don't mean it as an insult," Niraya protests. "And I'm not rejecting you exactly...but..."

She looks at Seerah.

"If Seerah and Tekai can accept me, maybe the others can too. I have to give them that chance."

 

[Piston Honda]

"Niraya, she spoke your name quite clearly, asking you to stop." He calmly takes a couple of steps toward Tekai, what can be seen of his face through his hood and scarf looks unblemished and youthful, livelier than the girl anyway.

"I am Jakob and I believe you have a name for us that shall remain unspoken in our presence if you do not mind. I apologize for our speaker, she's a bit of a malevolent spirit when it comes to the tribes, but she speaks your tongue better than most of us and she wanted to talk to that girl. Can you blame her for her aggression?"

---

She hesitates at Niraya's words. "Those people would have thrown you to the ice. They would have left you to die just like all of us were." Her hands ball into a fist. Chatter starts once more, but dies down with a sudden word from the girl.

There is a pause as she looks at Seerah. "What will you do if the others reject her?"

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Seerah did not hesitate, "I will stay with her. I feel that she and I are kindred spirits. Blessed...and cursed...with magic we do not fully understand."

 

[Axel]

Tekai cocked his head, inwardly berating himself for being so ready to leap to conclusions that he overlooked the obvious. "There are ways to state your case, and to persuade others. It seems to me that your speaker does not often need her words for others to do as she wishes."

He took a few steps back as Jakob approached, warily and deliberately maintaining the distance between them. "I do not blame anyone for their aggression. It is plain to see, and just another indicator to understand her mind." The young man shrugged, though the gesture was barely visible. "What do you want?"

 

[Voda Vosa]

Sheng Shemin

"It seems ye are lucky!" Sheng strides into the cave, hands full of berries and dragging a cloth with some thick timber. "Seems I'd missed these bushes for like months! Look at all the berries, they are good to heal ailments, or at least to stuff the gut." He trows the berries on a basket he' made, and tosses the timber near the fire. Blowing his nose with his hand and then wiping the snout on the back of his leg, Sheng throws his sword and shield aside and nonchalantly sits near the fire and sighs "So, how's he doing?"

 

[Piston Honda]

“He’ll make it, we were quick enough that hopefully there is no infection. It’s a definite setback for us though. He needs to rest to heal fully, it might take some time, hopefully you can forgive our intrusion.” He takes a few of the berries, eating them slowly. "How long have you been out here?"

---

Jakob ceases his approach as he sees Tekai continually stepping backwards. He seems to lack the absolute stillness of the others. “The girl, Niraya.” Despite his straightforwardness, there is no aggression in his tone. “I want what all of us want, to protect ourselves. Witnessing what she is capable of, and her solitude that results from it, she would be welcomed into our fold. The skill all of you showed, you could all be helpful to us, but they would accept her.”

---

Seerah’s answer seems to calm the girl some. “But she is afraid. Will it be enough for you to be the only one standing by her side? How will you handle being demonized, even by those who have the same secrets to hide?” She seems to be growing impatient again. “What of the other one? He stood by your side mere minutes ago, yet he has already walked away. Can she truly depend on you?”