[IC] Halfling Quest - Rooting Around

[Evilhalfling]

Well, Im not sure that we should be chasing off after erm whatever it is. Well at least we should'nt, this sounds like something that the elders should take care of... Eddie glances at Mero, Fathe Alton and Wesly.

"We can't wait too long or the trail will get hard to follow."

but if it needs to be tracked now, Kiylea Doesnt Go Alone. Eddie says fiercely.
Adding in a more normal (less confident) tone of voice: What if we just went for a looksee, but not actually fight anything... and marked the trail to follow later, would that be okay?

 

[Boddynock]

"Whoah. . . now hold on a minute. Just some by-product of this creature was very nearly too much for us. . . and now you want to go and kill the source? Are you nuts? I didn't sign on for this. . . I was asked to run a small errand, not get killed. And I really don't want to see any of you get yourselves killed either."

Alton grins at Jerran. "It's all right, Jerran - we haven't suddenly turned suicidal. But for some of us, this soiling of the forest is intolerable, and we won't stand by while it happens."

Turning to Bubbles, he says, "As to 'willy nilly' - far from it! I say again, we need to be far better prepared. That means we learn to work together as a team. Things like acting in concert to overwhelm an enemy in a hand to hand fight ... and knowing what manner of spells our allies can cast."

Glancing at Mero, a fierceness quickens his gaze. "We are already involved. And if Kiylea says we need to follow the tracks now, then we do. With Coyo and Clara away, she's the best tracker in the village."

He then looks at Eddie and grins. "But she's not going alone - oh no! Not after all the trouble we went to last night to get her patched up!"

"First we find out where this thing came from. Then we plan what to do about it."

Once again, Alton's zeal falters a little. Once again, he finds himself embarassed at speaking out so boldly in front of his friends, and the elders of the village. Somehow, though, it's not as bad as last time. He recognizes this task to be part of the Lady's calling - and he's not about to apologize for it.

 

[Slippshade]

"Well, if we are going to hunt whatever is doing this down, then I had better go get changed. Be right back." Bubbles runs back into the house and returns about 15 minutes later, dressed as she was last night in her armor, with her two short swords strapped to her waist.

 

[ender_wiggin]

"I'm sorry," says Ringly. "I don't remember as much as I should. But I do know that demons don't appear from nowhere. And they are very powerful. Jerran is right; driving off a annoying boar is one thing. Fighting demons calls for organized, relentless combat -- the decision for action belongs to the elders."

 

[Ferrix]

Before Bubbles makes for her home, Father Alton gestures for her to stop, shaking his head slowly he nods back towards Wellsly, speaking quietly to her, "patience my child."

With the Father's acknowledgement Wellsly smiles and pats Ringly on the back, "indeed my boy, however you missed a few important details," he gestures towards the boar, "this creature was birthed just like any other natural boar from what I can tell, and it is definately a native of this plane, despite the fiendish markings it bears. All that aside, such talk of a true devil scheming in the western woods is farfetched at the least. What seems most plausible, at least in reference to Aevarius Str'en's works and what I've seen with this one specimen, is that some natural source, most commonly a small body of water, has been infected by some infernal source and natural creatures exposed to it for a sufficient length of time are likewise infected." He pushes his glasses back up his nose pausing in his monologue for a moment, "the way you handled this, was quite extraordinary."

As he concludes, Father Alton is nodding slowly, "yes, Wellsly is correct. You did well coping with what turned out to be something much more than you expected. Wellsly has already told me what you just learned and I believe with a little more preparation you should be capable enough to handle at the very least seeking out the source of this poor creatures taint." He gestures towards Mero with his free hand, "Mero will see to it that you are more adequately equipped with what he can offer from the militia's stores. Now, I'm can't force you to go, but as young Alton has said, Clara and Coyo are out of town and there are none of us here without daily responsibilities to the town. It is your choice." He sinks his weight back onto the staff and turns away, "tomorrow, I hope that you will all be here ready in the morning. I am weary, Mero..." The last few words seem to convey the shift in responsibility as the old priest makes his way back towards the house.

Turning your attention to Mero, he looks expectantly at the six of you, waiting for a barrage of questions.

 

[Tarlonniel]

"Tomorrow....," Kiylea whispers in disappointment as she watches Father Alton leave. "There mightn't be anything left I can follow by then. I'm not really very good, you know." She directs this last at young Alton, along with a rueful smile. Then she glances to Mero. "And I don't suppose there's anything in the militia stores that could help."

 

[ender_wiggin]

"Please, Kiylea," there's a tone of fatigue in the wizard's voice. "We are all very tired, and you were badly hurt last night. We must consider our health and safety first, to ensure our very survival in this matter."

He turns to Mero, "As far as taking up your request, I am not opposed to it at all. I realize taking off after it contradicts what you may normally think of my habits, but what happened last night ... angered me.

"Initially, it was directed toward you, toward your compatriots," he motions towards the other elders, "but I quickly realized that you had no fault in the matter. There was no factor that anyone had overseen to place us in such danger. Even the boar is innocent. The demonic forces here are to blame. I feel obliged to act upon my feelings."

 

[Boddynock]

"Uh, tomorrow ... I suppose there's no way Kiylea and I could just ... check out the tracks today? No, I suppose you're right. We are still all exhausted."

"I guess we should all rest for a few hours - but I think it's really important that we train together as well. Bubbles, you, Kiylea and I should work on our tactics in hand to hand combat - Eddie and Jerran too, if they want. If we'd been able to attack that boar from both sides at once, we might have taken it down even more quickly. How about meeting back here at, say, four o'clock so that we can practise together - just for an hour? And Ringly, if you were to observe, you could advise us on how we could work in with your spellcasting. What do you think?"

Moving close to Bubbles, Alton says quietly to her, "Bubbles, would you talk to Jerran? I know he doesn't want to get in over his head - none of us do - but it's apparently not as bad as we thought it might be - no demons, at any rate - and we need him. I don't think we could have gotten through last night without him. He's unlikely to listen to me - but he'll certainly listen to you, even if he pretends not to."

Smiling shyly, he adds, "You were fantastic last night. I'll never forget the sight of you charging that boar - so quick ... and so fearsome! Wow!"

 

[Tarlonniel]

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you all wanted to rest some more." Kiylea touches Ringly's shoulder in apology (but only briefly, she knows the mage is sensitive to such things). "I'll go home 'n get the rest of my things, then come back to train. I'm not much good at fighting up close so I could use some practice." She waves and starts off, unless Mero has an objection.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Erm . How do we fight water? would'nt we need magic to fix it? or a healing potion to pour in it?, um Mero can I get new armor? He waits a bit for the elders to be distracted then slides over to Jerran he whispers Are you coming back to train a little with us? I want you to show me something ... from last night...
Flying Bacon Death Attack!
Eddie allows the bacon to slide smoothly out of his sleave and he hurtles it at Alton!
[Ooc: Ranged +6, 0 dmg] He then tries to look disapointed at the result. Then grinning he adds I could really use your help, after all you killed a bore like that. mines still alive. . Eddie glances around to see his friends reactions, then heads back into the house for his dad's armor. Its entirely possible that something falls out of his bag, and is left behind as he packs up his gear and heads home, nearly bouncing.