Coldtree chuckles and replies, "It is fine if you still want to believe that. Your experience is different from mine. I lost everything when I was a child, not because of my own poor decisions, but because they were taken from me, by Hebrians, my own people. That was the past, though. As for today, I can still feel the poison from that spider. I recall the pain of the bite and the terror when I realized I had been attacked by a sneaky arachnid. We are the ones out here doing these jobs, and we are the only ones to determine the worth of our actions. The medic is not going to give me what she thinks this medicine is worth; she is going to give me what I think it is worth. Don't worry if you think I am going to overcharge her. I will give her a fair price."
The above statement is the reason I reacted to the post with laughter. I love the practical way you explain things sometimes.
Taka nods, "You are a man, and a warrior. As your friend, I might offer you advice, but I would never actually interfere with your actions, once you have made a decision. We are all on separate paths; sometimes our paths cross, and sometimes they diverge. Each man must follow his own path, and accept the consequences for his own choices. But beware, anger and bitterness are not merely emotions. They are spirits, and they can lead a man astray. Do not let them cloud your judgment. They will rule your life, if you let them."
Listening to the exchange, Tehn makes an offhand comment in Amiradthan, "eto diya etogo."
He nods to himself, wincing at the pain in his neck. "This for that. I am sure each tribe has its tendencies and its anomalies. Look at us. We are all anomalies, but to digress some, I noticed some similarity between our town Healer and new woman Rozu. There may be something there for later use, but we should probably go for the up front pay right now. I will help you look."
Limping around is the best that the two men can muster. The wounds seem to be healing, but the weakness in Coldtree and Lunnaya is taking even longer. Minutes turn into hours which drags on into two days, and everyone is still hurt. There is a close call the second day, which brings the possibility of an encounter, while still very much less than par. It is for certain that some Deviard are at hand, but they appear to be hunting and returned the way that they had come.
Despite the difficulties, Coldtree collects a basket worth of edible fruits and seeds and a separate basket of herbs. The herbs seem to be medicinal. Tehn locates a basket worth (7 measures) of fire weed and a separate basket of herbs that also seem medicinal.
OOC:
Each character receives 3 DP, improves in Hebrian by 1%, and improves in Amiradthan by 1%.
In 'collectibles' you can remove the Hebrian insignia. We would have given that over to the town people as proof of what happened to the guards.
Coldtree says to T&T, "For this job I think we should use patience and caution. If we try to wipe this group out all at once, I'm sure they will overwhelm us. We know they are sending out hunters in smaller groups. Let us track them and take out this band a bit at a time."
During the time of rest, he will attempt to determine way proclivity of the viper skull.
Taka says, "You guys still look a bit weak to me. Let's camp here for another day before we follow them. If they're hunting, they'll be moving slow anyway."
Taka muses to himself, ~We could find large game, like a deer, and drain it of its life force, I suppose. But I am loathe to suggest it; doing so to stay alive in the heat of combat is one thing, but purposefully seeking out creatures for essence to feed upon feels wrong to me. I will not suggest it as an option.~
A streak of bright light is seen crossing the sky. It is as bright as the sun and traveling rapidly closer. It intersects with the planet and all three men lose consciousness for a split second. The world appears to have changed slightly or perhaps it did not change at all, and the sense of deja vu is from some previous dream for everything is as it is remembered.
Tehn scratches his head and mumbles something about 'gods' in his native language and then promptly quits thinking along those lines.
Realizing that the negation of the spiders' venom neither restored health nor vigor, Coldtree and Lunnaya bend the waylines necessary to accelerate physical recovery, the second night before going to sleep.
"Hey, while you examine that snake skull, again, let me see that bunch of herbs you collected. We already know this fire weed, but I will check the other leaves."
The particular proclivity of the snake skull still proves to be elusive. The item evidently has more power than can yet be analyzed. The herbs, however, are much simpler, one enhances physical healing, the other mental healing.
Both injured men feeling restored by mid morning, the suggestion of another day's rest is overlooked. Taking a wide berth circumnavigation of the locale, it is determined that the mountains cannot readily be climbed. For the Deviard to travel on, whether northward or southward, they will have to come westward first, in the direction the DWAC is camped.
Late in the afternoon of that same day, when learning the information and being as far east as can reasonably be traveled, quiet voices indicate the nearing of other people. From the advantage of slight elevation, it appears that three Deviard are performing the same examination of the area and will close on the party's current location.
OOC:
Each character recieves 3 DP and improves in Amiradthan by 1%. State intentions and provide rolls for any actions and potential interactions.
Coldtree will attempt to determine a good place for an ambush and then will lie in wait, manipulating waylines to help him blend in to his surroundings and increase his ability to hide. When the Deviard are close enough to attack, he will manipulate waylines to Heat one of them without revealing himself first.
Taka will follow Coldtree's lead, hiding opposite to him by several paces, in order to stay spread out, and in turn force the opponents to divide their attention. He will manipulate waylines to dampen sound, and to make his skin the same color as the foilage, as well as to make the area around him more shadowy. He will also attack from a distance, using a sound attack, and relying on one of the slate pieces to augment the attack.
Seeing his two friends move in flanking positions, Tehn thinks about climbing a tree, then rejects the idea as it may give away his position from a distance. Instead, he attempts to hide in his current location, augmenting the attempt as he is able.
soullessness, darken, camouflage, etc. do not stack. I use the rating that is best for each character.
To Coldtree and Taka, their skin does not darken or blend with their environment, but the small creatures, like nominal insects, that populate any given area able to sustain life, seem to be completely ignoring them. The skin of Lunnaya does alter in coloration to make him harder to see. Luck seems to favor both parties, but the Deviard are attentive. They stop moving forward and begin to look around in more earnest, as if sensing danger.
There are two males and one female in this group. They are dressed in simple vests of animal skins with little distinction between the two genders. Each carries a metal buckler, strapped to the left forearm but no visible weapon.
Not specifically having to pinpoint a location to manipulate waylines, the Deviard immediate reciprocate in similar fashion after all having been hurt in such an assault. After effectively heating or thumping an opponent, each man feels as if he has been electrocuted, a horrible sensation. Tehn takes the worst of it, being the least physically fit.
It appears that the Deviard carry the bucklers to physically defend themselves but have no need to engage in melee. Nothing in the area is disturbed by the mystical exchange other than those specifically targeted. The Deviard do not cry out in pain. They take their damage stoically.
OOC:
State next desired action and provide a random roll. All characters receive 6 DP.
