Hope Never Dies - Part 1 : On the threshold of dawn

[Kalanyr]

George gets up from the kneeling position he took to pat Grey
"Yes, they do, George says he was asleep a lot and then ended up here. I think someone moved them here, the odd gathering of our equipment seems to indicate we had help getting of the island too, I wonder if the food isn't this person's doing, if it is I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting, it would be most rude."

 

[Lichtenhart]

You hear a faint screech from above, and when you look up you see the distant shape of an hawk circling briefly over you and then slowly flying inland.

 

[Voadam]

"Think Alsindee's a human kingdom. Good orc and elfy clothes might be tough to get. For barter we could join or form a merc band. We'd do well together. Call us the Mongrel Pack. George is strong, Grin is quick, and Sax can do Shaman Majiks. A good pack. Proved that on Hopeless." Kur sniffs again and fingers his shiv. "Don't smell rabbits or deer, will keep an eye out for 'em though."

Kur eyes his comrades' builds in case they come across any clotheslines.

 

[hafrogman]

Peregrine's eyes lance upwards and follow the hawk through the sky as it moves inland. He gathers up what little gear he has and subconciously brushes his hand through his hair to check on Laerad. Then he turns to face the direction in which Kur indicated bread.

"I guess we're going then. We should at least agree what we're going to tell people if they ask us where we're from. I suggest we keep it simple and honest. We're a group of friends just landing from a sea voyage, looking for work."

He takes a few steps forwards and then waits for the others to join him.

 

[Kalanyr]

George nods
"The story works for me"
and follows Peregrine in the direction Kruk indicated.

 

[Voadam]

Kur flips his shiv into the air and deftly catches it, almost unconsciously. "A moment Grin." Kur says to the elf then approaches and crouches down next to the albino wolf and sniffs, marking the scent of Saxon's companion and letting him catch Kur's scent in return as an introduction. He then lopes ahead to do the same with Gray before leading the way to the fine aroma of warm food, his eyes scanning back and forth for any game or fowl to catch as they go.

 

[Voadam]

Saxon stands up and brushes himself off.

"Excellant news, but if we have no means of getting ourselves a share of it the land will always provide," Saxon says reassuringly, wondering what they could possibly barter in exchange for some food.

Kur chuckles at the druid's joke, "no means" indeed, as if Kur didn't have two hands for grabbing stuff while sneaking around at night even if they didn't get a merc job.

It was great to be free, no more manacles, no more walls, Kur could really stretch his legs again.

 

[Festy_Dog]

"I guess we're going then. We should at least agree what we're going to tell people if they ask us where we're from. I suggest we keep it simple and honest. We're a group of friends just landing from a sea voyage, looking for work."

Saxon nods in agreement.

"That would work well," he replies.

Saxon looks puzzled for a moment as Kur starts smelling Mzarem, then realises what's happening.

"Ah, sorry about that, I forgot introductions. Kur, Peregrin, meet Mzarem and Grey," he says with a smile, and readies himself for more travel soon to come.

 

[Voadam]

As he ranges ahead, the orcish scout reminisces about how he got his makeshift stabbing knife.

Back on Hopeless Island one of the small packs of prisoner gangs thought the lone orc would be an easy mark and decided to make a move on him. The three were quick but not quite able to catch the manacled orc flat-footed. Despite being stabbed and slashed multiple times Kur was able to fight off the humans and knock out one of them, at which point the other two took off and left their companion. Kur contented himself with a last kick on the downed prisoner and palmed his attacker's shiv.

Perhaps we'll come across some bandits here, the orc thought to himself with a smile. Without armor and weapons they looked vulnerable but that was a deceptive appearance, the humans didn't need weapons to perform their majicks and He and grin could hold their own with what they had. We can gain even more prizes if any bandits are foolish enough to underestimate us.

 

[Lichtenhart]

Mzarem stares at Kur suspiciously for a moment with his steely eyes, but then seems to aknowledge him as an ally. Grey is friendlier and sniffs at him with abandon.

You walk inland crossing a luscious pinewood, scaring several sparrows as you approach, until the humans and the elf can feel the smells of a breakfast being fixed, resinous wood burning, fried eggs, smoked meat. They come from a little farm just outside the boundaries of the pinewood, and from its style you can tell it's meant for small sized inhabitants, and the small cowshed seems larger than the house. The house looks well kept, except for its paint. From some scraps here and there you think it used to be brightly colored in the past, but the wind from the sea didn't spare much of it. You also see the hawk you noticed before circling over it and then settling on the chimney.
The smoke comes from the other side of the house though, where you think the oven must be.

As you step out of the pinewood, the hawk lets out a screech and an elderly voice answers from behind the house: "Wayfarers? Oh then we must invite them for breakfast. Please come forth, strangers, bless this old man with some company, there is surely food for all of you."