(Casual D&D) A Game of Trust

[doghead]

"The ravast*, the spirit man, says we should bring the travelers. He does not want a mistake. We should hurt or kill them if they will not come, but it is better that they come. He does not know that they should be hurt. He says their scent on the wind is the sickness after death. He can tell them more. If you do not want a mistake, you should bring them."

He has stopped now, and the others have stopped behind him.

"Have I been fully honest now?"

Several responses flicker through Xiao's thoughts, but he has learned better than to banter with this man.

"It is sufficient. I will get them."

Xiao turns without waiting for an answer and heads back to the common room. It takes considerable effort not to hunch his shoulders in anticipation of an arrow.

***

Xiao enters the room and glances around. Fendric is not there. He must be in the bath house! Xiao is momentarily nonplussed.

"There are some men outside who are here to take the travellers to their spirit man. They they asked me to get you. Ah, we are the travellers. They are armed, but they offered to let me get you, ... us. They are somewhat ... inscrutable," Xiao concludes with a frown.

"And persistant."

Xiao struggles to recall the mans words.

"The spirit of the travellers is the scent on, ... no. Their scent on the wind is the smell of the sickness after death."

Xiao looks around hopefully.

"But not particularly patient."


Sorry, missed GP's post somehow. Its the second I've missed recently ...

 

[DrZombie]

"Mmmh, sounds like wild Men from the mountains.. Perhaps I know some of them.... Death and sickness scent hey? Well, I had a bath so it can't be me."

::Better be safe then sorry:: Raven straps on his (now dry, mended and waxed) studded leather armor, buts a fresh string on his bow, and loosens his two-hander in its sheath. :: Death and sickness? Mmmh, don't like the sound of that. Let's see how this plays out then::

"Well?" He looks at the rest of the group. "I sincerely doubt they've come for me... Anyone coming outside with me?"

 

[doghead]

The bath house. If they walk out ...

"I should get the others."

ooc: GP - on which sides of the buildings are the doors? If Fendric and Hiritus leave the bathhouse, will they walk striaght into the wild men?

 

[Guilt Puppy]

(OOC -- sorry about the delay... I've been off-line due to, of all things, a shoddy network cable. Gonna repair it or buy a new one shortly... in any case, I've found a short-term solution -- jiggle it around a bit -- so I should be posting semi-regularly.)

The door to the bathhouse faces to the east, away from the man you talked to. There are four more to the North who come out as you move to get the others; two more bowman, one with a quarterstaff, and one with a pretty hefty axe... Again, all have their weapons at half-ready -- not in position to strike quickly, but still in hand. In any case, they stand at their current distance as you go to greet the others, and the speaker at least appears to relax a little.

Once you've explained the situation, Yattro is clearly... disconcerted, to say the least. His response is to the point, and his tone serious:

"Friends, if it is your choice to go with them, then you should go. But know that you do not have to." He reaches under his bed, and produces an old knotted quarterstaff, to illustrate the point.

"I will speak with them myself, now, if you like... But Raven, perhaps you should go out alone for now. If they haven't come for you, you shouldn't be at risk, and perhaps you can talk them into giving our friends a little more time to discuss this. You might seem less strange to them, and it may help them relax." He pauses. "But give a shout at the first sign of trouble, even if you're not sure. I don't want you to risk yourself... It's not your duty."

He turns to Xiao, his eyes still a bit apologetic -- perhaps only sympathetic -- about the "strange" comment.

"If you don't think it would rouse trouble, I'd go ahead and wake Sethan now. Knock with your staff..." He grins wide, his bemused self returning. "He'll think it's me, and pop right up."

Once you exit, the wildmen split their attention between the two of you, but make no sign of aggression as they reach their destinations: Raven at a distance for address, Xiao at the bathhouse door.

...

Meanwhile, in the bath...

"Brother Fendric?"

It's Hiritus: He repeats himself, loud enough to break the trance. "Brother Fendric?"

Beyond that, the only sound is the tapping of rain against the cobbled roof... He stares over, a bit confused, if anything.

"Is that safe? I mean, I'm sorry to bother you, I just... I don't know how that sleep thing works, exactly, that thing you and Shavah do, I mean, and... You can't drown or anything doing that, can you?"

He looks embarrassed to have asked, but he goes on trying to explain.

"I guess you probably wouldn't, but I don't really know is all... I mean, how terrible would it be if you just drifted off and drowned or something just because I thought it was a silly question and it would be rude to... Un-sleep-thing you. I mean..."

Before his apologizing and explanation can stop, Xiao arrives.

 

[DrZombie]

I will speak with them myself, now, if you like... But Raven, perhaps you should go out alone for now. If they haven't come for you, you shouldn't be at risk, and perhaps you can talk them into giving our friends a little more time to discuss this. You might seem less strange to them, and it may help them relax.

::Better show 'em some strength, lest they think of us as weaklings::

"I am Raven, of clan Cwdmyr, in the North. Why do you disturb me at my resting place, with weapons drawn?"

 

[Festy_Dog]

Nurthk had lit his pipe, and was merrily chatting away with the others when Xiao came in, explaining the situation.

"The spirit of the travellers is the scent on, ... no. Their scent on the wind is the smell of the sickness after death."

"Interesting," he says, his brow furrows in thought.

"I sincerely doubt they've come for me... Anyone coming outside with me?"

Nurthk stands, leaving his pipe in his teeth, and rests his double-axe over his shoulder.

"I'll come with," he adds with a firm nod.

"...But Raven, perhaps you should go out alone for now. If they haven't come for you, you shouldn't be at risk, and perhaps you can talk them into giving our friends a little more time to discuss this..."

Nurthk sits back down, trusting in the older cleric's wisdom, and leans the axe against the wall again. It's not long after Raven and Xiao have left that something dawns on Nurthk, and from his relaxed state he sits bolt upright and turns to the old cleric.

"Yattro! They're looking for me. 'Their scent on the wind is the smell of the sickness after death', undeath I'd assume. I contracted my illness off an undead creature we slew in the halfling village, I guess if the disease had claimed me I would have become a creature not unlike it. With any luck, your curing me will quell whatever fears they have. Nonetheless, I think I'll wait till I'm summoned, rather than bursting out there now. People always assume the worst when they see an armed half-orc moving towards them," he says, and laughs heartily.

 

[dpdx]

"Brother Fendric?"

It's Hiritus: He repeats himself, loud enough to break the trance. "Brother Fendric?"

Beyond that, the only sound is the tapping of rain against the cobbled roof... He stares over, a bit confused, if anything.

"Is that safe? I mean, I'm sorry to bother you, I just... I don't know how that sleep thing works, exactly, that thing you and Shavah do, I mean, and... You can't drown or anything doing that, can you?"

He looks embarrassed to have asked, but he goes on trying to explain.

"I guess you probably wouldn't, but I don't really know is all... I mean, how terrible would it be if you just drifted off and drowned or something just because I thought it was a silly question and it would be rude to... Un-sleep-thing you. I mean..."

Fendric breaks from his trance, a little startled and a little embarrassed to have 'drifted off' right there in the tub. "Not at all, Brother Hiritus. It's an elven method of gathering rest in half the time it takes, er, humans. I won't drown, Pelor protect me. But it's so very kind of you to ask. This water's cooling off, anyway. It might be time to dry off... Goodness, how late is it?"

Before his apologizing and explanation can stop, Xiao arrives.

"Good evening, Xiao. I was just getting out, may Pelor forgive my foolishness..."

 

[doghead]

"Fendric. Hiritus. We have visitor - wild forest men of a sorts. And they are looking for us. They must take us to their spirit man, and they are quite insistant."

Xiao' brow furrows as he tries to find better words to convey what he saw and heard. He can't and he falls into silence.

But he keeps a watchful eye on the door.

 

[dpdx]

"Our presence is demanded?? At this hour?? That cannot be good, Pelor protect us. If you wish, you may tell them that I will come out when I am dressed."

Fendric dries off as quickly as possible, before putting on his cleric's vestments, and then his armor. He will not come out before doing so.

 

[doghead]

Xiao doesn't particularly relish the idea of matching wits with the wild man again, but he can hardly hide in here.

He heads out, going clockwise around the bathhouse and coming out between the bath and guest house. He hears Raven's challenge as he approaches and wonders what the responce will be.