[Pathfinder] The Fog of War

[Mark Chance]

The meal is simple and there is hardly enough for a single serving all around. Nevertheless, the company is pleasant. Young Miriam is delighted by Chitters and by Mellisande's tricks. Anya watches nervously, but soon relaxes her guard, at least by a degree, but she soon reminds Miriam about fetching Mrs. Zygmuntowicz.

An old woman arrives. Three lads follow her, each toting two sacks full of clothes.

"What do we have here?" she asks, looking at the party. "Don't stand there gawking, boys. Put those sacks down. You lads --" She points to the male members of the party. "--stay here. Young lady, you come with me. Can't have you changing out here."

The old lady leads Mellisande to a smaller cave further into the hillside, dragging one of the sacks along. Anya follows.

"I'm Chaya," the old lady says. "Don't you worry. We'll soon have you in some warmer clothes."

In the forecave, Sam, Piedra, and Jon are left alone with the other five sacks. About that time, Joseph returns.

"I see Chaya's been here," he says. "Find warm clothes. Rav Tevye wants to meet you as soon as possible."

 

[Andor]

Sam sorts through the cloths in the bag diplomatically ignoring the occasional suspicious hole or blood stain. Selecting a wool shirt and a grey jacket he quickly puts them on over his chain shirt and rewraps his cloak around himself. He shivers as he warms up a bit in the chill air. "Thank you very much. It is much chillier here than I'm used to."

 

[Mark Chance]

Joseph smiles, but there's little humor in it. "This has indeed been a cold winter for all of us."

 

[ghostcat]

Piedra rummages through the sacks of clothes looking for something that will fit a dwarf. However, most of the clothes are either for a full sized human, which means they are too long, or for a child, which means that they would be way too tight. Finally he finds a fleece jacket that would make him a nice coat. Although, even then it was a very tight across his chest, especially as he would be wearing it over his armor.

Watching him struggle with his new coat, Joseph says "If you like that jacket, I'll have one of the women let out the seams while we go talk to Rav Tevye." Piedra responds "Thanks, I'd like that." After handing the coat to Joseph, Piedra goes back to rummaging through the sacks. Just as he was about to give up he comes across a fur cloak. Although it is not clear who or what it was for, it was an almost perfect fit.

Sporting his new cloak, Piedra comments "Ready"

OOC: Hope you don't mind me hijacking your NPC.

 

[Shayuri]

"Warm clothes would be great!" Mellisande enthuses, throwing off her garb with abandon and in the process revealing a couple of things. One, that her clothes are of rather 'archaic' make. No zippers, elastic, or other modern conveniences. Two, that despite her size and demeanor, she's not a child and she's not a midget. Her body is fully developed, if in miniature, and her proportions are all exactly like a normal human being...just smaller. Like a large living doll.

She doesn't wait for the women to help, instead opening the bag herself and starting to try garment after garment on.

 

[kinem]

Jon digs through the pile and finds a large coat. He removes his scabbard strap and puts on the coat, then attempts to put the sword belt over that. "In case we need to defend ourselves again. I trust my sword, though I do want to learn about this strange crossbow."

 

[Mark Chance]

"Crossbow?" Joseph says, and then realizes about what Jon speaks. He chuckles. "You are indeed unusual people. Those aren't crossbows. They are rifles and pistols."

Joseph unholsters his pistol. He pulls part of it and a small bit of shaped metal pops out. He presses another part, and a long narrow box slides out of the handle. He shows the box to Jon, who can see more bits of shaped metal stacked inside it.

He then explains that the shaped metal bits are "bullets" and that the pistol's trigger causes a small explosion which propels the "bullet" at great speed and with great force.

"If necessary, we can teach you the basics of how to shoot," Joseph says. "It takes time and practice to get good, however, especially in the chaos of a firefight."

A younger man, large and brutish with thick black hair, enters the cave.

"Joseph," he says. "Rav Tevye wants to see the strangers. He says to bring them at once."

Joseph nods, and the large man departs. "That was Alexei," he says. "Used to be a soldier in the Red Army." He pauses, as if there's more he wants to say. "Well, we'd best go."

Joseph leads the four adventurers, newly outfitted in alien but warmer clothing, back out of the caves into the forest proper. Deeper into the camp the group walks. Drawn faces, most frightened and curious, watch from shelters made from fallen trees and cut branches. Most of those in the camp are women and children, but none of the very young or the very old can be seen.

In what seems to be the center of the camp is a stoutly built hut. A thin trail of smoke curls from its roof. Joseph walks up to the door and knocks sharply.

"Let them in, Joseph," a voice says. "You may return to your wife."

Joseph frowns and nods. "You heard him. Go on in."

 

[Shayuri]

(OOC - Is Mellisande with them? Last I saw she was changing clothes with some woman.)

 

[Mark Chance]

(OOC - Is Mellisande with them? Last I saw she was changing clothes with some woman.)

OOC: D'oh! Mea culpa for not being clear. Yes, Mellisande is with the group. I'd never leave Mellisande out.

 

[Andor]

Sam looks at the wan and drawn faces as they approach the hut and wishes he was powerful enough to conjure food. Not that it would do any good. There were far too many people for any but a cleric out of legend to feed. This thought shows in his open face as he tentatively opens the door and enters the hut.