Alvar Thorne & Associates, Part 1 - orsal judging

[Boddynock]

Tensions ease and people relax after the magically enhanced meal. Jendral goes to give the horses some further attention, whistling while he works. Allistra takes up the tune, humming it softly. Her voice is soft and low. Milak settles into his customary position, leaning back against a wagon wheel, and occasionally drinking from a small flask he pulls out of his hip pocket.

After a while the caravan marshall retrieves a small, wooden recorder from a pocket in her sleeve and starts to play. She begins with the simple tune Jendral was whistling, then teases out a lovely melody which goes beyond the merely popular, shaping phrases to perfection as her fingers move deftly upon the holes. From there she moves on to a sad and soulful ballad, before finishing off with a quick medley of dance tunes which literally have her audience’s toes tapping.

She looks up, smiles at the group and says, “Can’t have my guards falling asleep, now can I?” Then she stands, sliding her instrument back up her sleeve, and continues, “Right, Milak, my turn to wash the dishes. And you lot - you’d better work out who’s taking which watch! We make an early start again in the morning.”

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

"Since you are all casters of some description and need your beauty sleep, I should probably take the midnight watch - though I lack the low light or darkvision that many of you possess, so it may be wise for Ossa to accompany me. Whichever way is fine with me."

 

[Trouvere]

"As you are most probably aware, elves do not sleep as other races must. I need only enter a state of meditation for a few hours, though as a wizard, I must sit quietly for as long again in order to clear my mind for spell preparation in the morning. I can remain somewhat alert during your watch, Valdaris. But do not attempt to engage me in conversation. It will be too distracting."

OOC: Ossa does indeed have darkvision, but I hope Valdaris was just suggesting that two parblind humans are better than one.

 

[Trouvere]

OOC: I'd suggest, I suppose, Taelythenihel, Ossa, Valdaris, Ciprinus, Ruud, two hour watches each, with T trancing during C and R's watches and sitting quietly for O and V's. Only T and R need 8 hours uninterrupted rest to replenish spells in the morning (Ruud didn't cast any today, so for tonight, he's set, unless he wants to change his selection). Ossa of course will be watching continuously all night, but the rest of the group, other than Ruud, need not know that. Will Allistra, Jendral and Milak watch at all?

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

[sblock=OOC]Looks like you have everything in hand, Trouvere. I'll be happy to run with whatever watch assignment you decide.[/sblock]

 

[Drerek]

Ruud is more than happy to take last watch.

 

[Trouvere]

When the others settle for the night, Taelythenihel moves a short distance away, so the fire does not spoil her night vision. Ossa, apparently not tired, joins her, and the pair sit back to back, resting against one another. Taelythenihel murmurs softly for ten minutes, but only those with good ears can make out some of what she says.[sblock=Listen DC 18]She is praying. She offers simple words to Russna and Mongrel, asking for wisdom and guidance. But her prayer to Gliran is anguished. "If it was your gift, I did not want it," she says, repeatedly. At last, she offers words to Ulura, speaking of her role not as goddess of love, but of secrets and the night, begging for understanding. These prayers are the most fervent.[/sblock][sblock=DM]Taelythenihel Listen/Spot +3; Ossa Listen/Spot +0. Taelythenihel's instruction to Ossa is to stand up if it perceives anything approaching. During Ossa's own period on watch in 2 hours time, Taelythenihel will instruct it to walk in a circle around the campsite, and beat its scimitar on its shield to wake everyone if anything approaches. I'm not sure if Ossa can be given more complex instructions - to ignore any small animals it sees, for example. Probably not. Taelythenihel will have Ossa shake Valdaris awake and the pair will then sit against a wagon wheel and rest. When Ciprinus comes on watch, Taelythenihel will enter trance. I suppose this will be standard procedure for each night on watch.[/sblock]

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Valdaris is not interested in Taelythenihel's private discussion. If he hears anything, he probably ignores it.

[sblock=OOC]Valdaris will take the watch after Taelythenihel (with Ossa to accompany him, or at least be awake at the same time). Since there is no penalty, he sleeps in his armor and will keep his bastard sword close at hand.

In order to expedite things, here's his spot/listen.

Spot 7
Listen 9[/sblock]

 

[Trouvere]

"La'deth kiathlas. Long is the night in the silence of the wild," murmurs Taelythenihel.

 

[Boddynock]

[sblock=Taelythenihel]The first watch passes without incident. Taelythenihel sits back to back with Ossa, away from the fire, which gives her a clear view of the surrounding country. The breeze plays in the long grasses alongside the campsite but nothing else stirs.

The moon is near full, and the night is clear, so she has no trouble seeing all approaches to the camp. Ossa sits beside her, motionless in the moonlight.

At the end of her watch, Taelythenihel moves over to sit beside a wagon wheel, and enters that state of deep meditative calm which takes the place of sleep for the fair folk. Ossa stands and walks around the camp.There are no incidents during the servant’s watch.[/sblock][sblock=Taelythenihel & Valdaris]Ossa nudges Valdaris’ leg. He rolls to his feet, sword in hand, even before his eyes are fully open. Without a word she turns and goes to sit beside Taelythenihel, leaning against the wagon wheel. [/sblock][sblock=Valdaris]Nothing much happens for the first hour. The night is fine, and it’s no hardship to sit in the balmy air, listening to the sounds of the night. There’s a continual rustle of the grasses around the campsite but it appears that nothing more sinister than the breeze is making its way through them.

The breeze - and the multitude of small animals which live their lives in the nighttime hours. The furtive scurryings of these tiny creatures, along with the night sounds of crickets and other insects, make a soothing end to a frustrating day.

Then, without warning, the creatures of the night fall silent. The grasses continue to rustle in the breeze but now the sound is disquieting, threatening. Valdaris leaps to his feet, a vague, ill-formed fear clutching at his heart. Looking around wildly to see what may be coming, he spies nothing, until his gaze tilts up to the night sky. There, high above them, silhouetted against the near-full moon, is a shape he has never seen before, yet which is quite unmistakeable: a dragon is flying overhead.

It’s a long way off, and travelling at right angles to the route they follow. Without interruption its mighty wings beat slowly, majestically, drawing it across the sky with an awful, silent power. Long moments pass before it disappears into the distance.

Valdaris remembers to breath again. When the hammering of his heart quietens somewhat, he looks around. The night is resuming its patterns. Hesitantly, tentatively, the little ones of the night go on with their lives. Eventually, it is as if death had not flown overhead.[/sblock]