Lamentation of Lolth - Chapter VIII

[Velmont]

As usual, Sielwoodan woke up early and start his day by visiting Felmir and Rex in the stable. He takes care of his mule and take some time to do the same with Rex, fearing the lose of Drogo will kill the animals. The time he spend in the Stable, he simply ignore Laurent who sleep there. Once he has finish, he walk inside the common room where he will join his companion, that must be all awake since he had spent more time in the stable than usual for Rex.

 

[hippocrachus]

Calenthang makes sure to sleep as much as the humans, trying to get as much rest as possible, not knowing when he'd have a chance to do so again. He also eats his breakfast like its the last meal he'll ever have. With people being sucked into books and giant walking fungi making up the better part of his travels, Calenthang has no delusions about his mortality.
Your time will come. Until then... He looks at each of his companions around the table eating their meals in silence.
"Everyone slept well, I hope?" he asks, trying to force conversation. His troubled brow belies the unusually soft tone of his voice.

 

[kirinke]

Teleri wakes, cleans herself up and dresses as normal, before heading out to the stables to see to her animals and nodded to Laurete as he stumbled out of the strawbed. With a final pat and a bit of carrot for each of the two equines, she walked back to the inn and ordered breakfast. "As well as can be friend Calenthang," Teleri said with a small smile as she sipped her tea.

"We are no closer to solving Chasity's murder or Andreas' disappearance. Something tells me that whatever has happened to them lies somewhere within this town. Those White whatsis people brought them here. Or at least that is as far as we can tell. In anycase, something is dreadfully wrong here. And I don't think that priestess is telling all that she knows." Teleri said, after carefully going over the past week or so worth of adventures in her mind, trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

 

[hippocrachus]

"We should not hesitate to punish this White Brotherhood for their crimes. We should find the ones responsible for leading us into a dead-end in the swamp and do likewise. It is about time we started getting some answers!" he says, slamming his fist on the table. He cracks his knuckles and steeples his hands in front of him, glaring over them at anyone outside of their group. This town was full of liars and murderers and it was past time the sinners be eradicated.
"What are your suggestions, friend Teleri?" he asks in a milder tone and with a half-pleasant smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

 

[kirinke]

Teleri smiled, but it was grim, without humour as she looked at Brodie. "Remember the bandit camp my friend and all those narsty lil pranks we pulled?"

She then looked at Calenthang. "We stalked those bandits for days, learning their habits, their weaknesses, before playing our pranks, wittling down the numbers one by one. Here is not the place for brave charges, but for sneakery and patience. The church is possibly the first place to stake out, to look for answers as is questioning the priestess more carefully and listening to the townsfolk. If we come on hostile, then they will come back as hostile. If we come on spoiling for a fight, then they will be as defensive and we will find or learn nothing." she said calmly.

She tapped her finger on the table, thinking. "This sort of thing properly falls into Dunstand's and SielWooden's cadre and perhaps Laurete as well," she said, looking at the newest member of their 'happy' but disfunctional family. "In this, we must follow their lead."

She smiled again and it was even more humourless than before. You get the strongest sense that the elf-girl has hidden depths under her cheery, devil-may-care facade. "I want vengeance as much as you do Calenthang. But in this case, justice must win out. Neither Chasity or Ayden would wish us to become wonton murderers ourselves."

 

[hippocrachus]

As Teleri outlines her plans, she both catches Calenthang's attention at the prospect of stalking their prey and loses his affection at the mention of "sneakery" and letting the speaker join their numbers. He glances at Laurent with no love for the man, surprised he had the gall to join them at breakfast.
"We don't even know him. How convenient that he show up just as we were turning back from the swamps. He would probably have us trudge back in without our boots on," he nods his head at Laurent sharply for effect, "just so he can take them when our backs are turned. He's one of them. Trained with a silvered tongue to lure us into a trap."

 

[kirinke]

Teleri nods. "Maybe so, Maybe no. We test him with this. If he proves true, he can join us. If he proves false," she shrugged and looked speculatively at the bard. "Then the gaol will be the least of his problems." she sighed as she knew Calenthang was skeptical of her plans. "I know, you would prefer to hunt down the murderers, but we do not know their names, what they look like, what powers or skills they may posess or even what their plans are. If we go in will-he nill-he, we will not only not bring them to justice but fall to their blades. We are few and they most likely outnumber us. That is why we must use stealth and guile, rather than pure steel alone."

She looked at Calenthang implacably and calmly as if she had given this long thought, which indeed she had. "And while both of us may have stealth, we are perhaps too blunt and far too angry right now to qualify for the guile part." she said wryly, including herself into the equation. The elf-girl knew she put her foot into her mouth far too often to be the party diplomat. But this time, she knew without a doubt she was right.

 

[Velmont]

"For that, I agree with Teleri. See that roganization like a Troll. Cut an hand, it will regrow. Cut the head, he is dead." adds the archer. "Laurent, Calenthang is right on you. We have more reason to suspect you than to trust you. What do you want. Prove yourself or just continue your road?"

 

[hippocrachus]

"Test him with what, friend Teleri?" Calenthang asks bluntly, not altogether ignoring Teleri's and Sielwoodan's take on the situation, but not seeing how leashing a scorpion was going to protect them from its poisonous sting.

 

[Dhes]

Dunstand quietly listens to the forging of Teleri’s plan, but is surprised by the party’s suspicions towards the Bard. ”Aren’t you judging Laurent a bit harshly, we don’t even know if he has any intention of joining our party. I admit that the chance meeting had really bad timing, but I don’t think our lost companions would have wanted us to judge him this badly. Maybe we should just ask him, and maybe he has some better insight. He is not part of the group so he can probably get better cooperation from the town folk.”