Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 4, Pursuit

[Hrothgar]

The figure in the gibbet cage hangs well off the ground, above Starhl's head, but almost even with Herger's. Its features are lost in the wrappings of rotten cloth, but it is obviously man-sized. A slight twist of its head and motion of its hand at the Heroes' approach sends a swarm of flies buzzing in the hot air. "Ssssszzzzz." Its wheezing exhale sends more flies buzzing and an overpowering stench of rot. "Ssssszzzzz. Young...girl? She...was on the voices in the night wind. Mmmmmm." A gurgling rattle sounds in its throat. "Mmmmmm. Crossed this road...this accursed place...when? I can't remember. Elves. Rrrrrsssshhh." The creature growls as it shifts now in its cage, both hands grasping the bars, skin peeling from sunburned, rotting flesh. "Elves. Leave us here to die! Won't share with us the bounty!" The wretch leans back into the cage, its voice meeping and pitiful. "So warm. So soft. So young! So different...human, but not. She could ease our pain! The orc! The tall orc followed. And then the winged demon! They will kill each other! Kill the girl! Aaiee! Please! Please bring her back to us!" The creature grips the cage bars with surprising strength, the cage chains rattling on the silent plains, its voice raising once again in anger. "Bring her to us! She passed south of here! Passed west! We are so hungry!" The rags drop back as the creature presses its face against the bars. White and rotting dead eyes stair at the Heroes as the Fell's cracked face twists in anger and despair. "We are so hungry!" Its screams rise in the air. Nearby, those unlucky humans, spitted on sharp poles, begin to writhe and scream as well, calling for warm flesh. Quickly, the screams spread along the Road of Ruin to the north and south, as Fell cry out in gibbet cages or impaled on poles, aroused by the hungry Fell in front of the Heroes. A dread realization comes over the Heroes. The Road of Ruin is a living thing. A vast, grisly information highway. No one passes along it or over it without beeing seen. The Fell see to that.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

From his position just off the road behind Herger, Valurel spits in disgust. "Enough of this!" he growls. "You've learned what you wanted. Surely you can see that there is nothing else you can do for these unnatural wretches? We must leave...NOW!" Valurel slowly starts to back away from the road. "I sincerely hope that this fool's errand has not brought ruin to us all and with it our chances of saving Aislinn."

The elf glances around at all of his companions. "My path lies south and west. I will do my best to pick up the trail of Aislinn or the orc who hunts her. But I go now!"

 

[Bihlbo]

Quickly, the screams spread along the Road of Ruin to the north and south, as Fell cry out in gibbet cages or impaled on poles, aroused by the hungry Fell in front of the Heroes. A dread realization comes over the Heroes. The Road of Ruin is a living thing. A vast, grisly information highway. No one passes along it or over it without beeing seen. The Fell see to that.

As the screems rise, Mardo drops the cart handles and grabs Kaela, ducking into the grass. "If we hide mabye they won't get us! Stay here!" Mardo starts ripping up clumps of long grass and throws them onto his cart in a panic.

 

[Bobitron]

"Kaela, it is time to get away from here. Something comes from the south, a large group. We should not be here when they arrive," he hisses after reaching her position.

Kaela gulps visibly, her fear showing through. Nodding in reply, she starts moving through the grass away from the road. Her mind races through the enchantments she has available, seeking to develop a plan before trouble starts.

 

[Krug]

"What manner of sick beast is this?" exclaims Starhl. He tries to stab the thing through the cage with his sword.

 

[maddmic]

Herger hangs his head as the foul creature spoke. How could he have thought that there would possibly be somebody alive in the cage? As the creature continues it's explanation though, Herger realizes that this venture was not in vain. The fell had told them that she had passed. This was something that they had expected to hear, as well as the orc. What was surprising is that the fell definitely spoke of those they were indeed tracking. It had mentioned elves, which Herger had not. They were definitely on the correct path to find Aislinn.

They had also learned about the winged demon. This was information that the group did not know earlier and Herger was glad they had found out. For a split second, he recalled the fight in Baden's Bluff and a cloud covered his eyes. Perhaps this was the same winged demon that they had faced there. A small tight grin then began to creep across his lips. He hadn't wasted their time. He had followed what he believed he needed to do and now the group had valuable information. As his thoughts were becoming distant, he was pulled back to the present rather violently with the sound that the road made.

The noise became louder and louder. A chorus of the dead began to sing from the road in a terrible cacophony. Herger looked to his companions and then heard Valural. He looked at the elf and nodded. "I will follow your lead. To the south and west we must go."

 

[Hrothgar]

As the screems rise, Mardo drops the cart handles and grabs Kaela, ducking into the grass. "If we hide mabye they won't get us! Stay here!" Mardo starts ripping up clumps of long grass and throws them onto his cart in a panic.

OOC: Ha! Good one!


Starhl's sword, Bjorn's Faith, slides between the gibbet cage bars, cracking bone and sun-dried sinew. The agonized howl of the Fell is cut short by a choke, as maggots spew from its cracked lips. Slumping against the bars of the cage, its movements stop, its passage into the Spirit World of Aryth complete.

Valurel's sharp eyes cannot discern what manner of host approaches from the south, the distance still to great. However, from the way the Fell screams spread north and south, it is a good bet the unknown travelers know something is happening to the north. With a quick backward glance at the Heroes, Valurel bounds into the grass once again, aiming to the soutwest. The others follow quickly, disappearing into the long grass and leaving the haunting Fell screams behind. As Herger strides behind, his mind drifts to the information the Fell gave him. Valuable information, indeed. But as Valurel would say, at what cost?

As the Fell screams fade to nothingness, the sun's rays slowly peak out from the clouds near the horizon, the hot day slowly fading. The dust cloud from the south disappears as the Heroes head southwest, but Valurel's concern is raised as he looks behind him in the tall grass. The dry grass is tramped down by their passage, with two cartwheels following. Even a child could follow such a trail.

Valurel leads the Heroes into small, stony wash-out ravines and shallow streams to hide their tracks. As the sun finally sets, Valurel feels satisified, but still concerned. With the gathering gloom, the heat of the plains slowly fades, giving the Heroes respite from the stifling heat during this hot month of Zimra.

Night passes quickly, before the Heroes move out once again. The words of the Fell still hang on the minds of the Heroes. A winged demon? Could it be the winged, undead beast from Baden's Bluff? Sent by whom? The lone orc could be none other than the Widowmaker. The orc was expected. A winged demon was not.

The days pass by on the hot plains without signs of pursuit. However, the food supply dwindles. Water is easy to find with the myriad small streams that crisscross the region. Small trout are caught in these waters, and are ate raw for fear of signaling their position with a fire. The fish do little other than to ease the gnawing hunger pangs of the Heroes. Herger seems to suffer most, his great bulk requiring the most nourishment. At sunset, the Heroes are greeted by the somber orange glow on the western horizon. Something burns far, far the southwest. Something big.

As dawn breaks under a cloudy, ash-like sky on the fifth day from the River El, the Heroes start their journey once again. No sign have they found of Aislinn's and her captor's spoor. Given the Fell on the Road of Ruin, who knows where she was spotted? Far to the south? The north? The insane Fell along the road that might have called to her would only entice their neighbors to call for her as well. It may be the Fell Herger spoke to never even saw Aislinn. Still, her direction was somewhere west and they could do nothing but follow.

By the afternoon, the heat has risen once again. Dirt runs in muddy rivulets down the Heroes skin, heads hang with sadden spirits, feet drag in the tall, dry grass. As the Heroes crest a small rise, they all see it at once. Smoke rising from a point to the southwest. This is obviously not what the Heroes have seen at sunset, but something else. Something smaller. And it is along their path.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Wiping the dirty sweat from his brow, Valurel turns to his companions. "There is no telling what manner of danger lies ahead of us. That smoke could be from a single campfire but whether those that lit it are friend or foe is uncertain," the elf says, fatigue evident in his voice. "Of course, it could be something much worse. Who lights a campfire in this oppressive heat?" he asks, turning back to gaze into the distance at the smoke.

"I believe that a small group of us should investigate the smoke from as safe a distance as possible," he says, looking at each of his companions to see if they agree or have a better idea.

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo looks as though he just realized something and stands up straight, dusting the remnants of travel off of his jacket. "Valurel, I'm sure it's nothing more than a cooking fire or someone making charcoal, no doubt."

As he speaks, Mardo reaches deep into his cart and pulls out a very small pack. He unfolds it and retrieves a folded piece of black silk. "Many reasons a fire might be smoking in the middle of the day. A kiln or forge, maybe. I could check it out for you though, since you seem to sense danger from some direction." With the black silk tied around his head, and the dark brown jacket, Mardo seems strangely confident, for a cheese trader.

 

[maddmic]

Herger simply sits as the others discuss. He is too tired and hungry to think much on the subject. His thoughts turn to a hog roasting over an open fire pit when the small one says something about a cooking fire. The newcomer shouldn't get their hopes up though as food has been hard to come by recently.

He wipes the sweat from his brow and looks at the elf. "If stealth is necessary, then you should obviously lead Valurel. I cannot go unless you want me to warn those who might be watching. Once we do determine what is out there though, perhaps I can help." With that, the over sized Dorn lays back and places one arm behind his head and the other over his eyes.