*Ashlie, the halflings are delighted to have Shilo, and get him a big, meaty bone to chew on. The meat pie is just as tasty as it smells, and you get some rather solicitous attention from the halflings once they learn you can speak their language. They are quite happy to chat with you inbetween servings.*
*You learn about the road conditions farther on; mostly they've been pretty good, as the local lords tend to keep them in good repair, but with some summer storms some of them have become a bit rutted. The Wagon Maker's Guild here is pretty full up with people needing wagons repaired, so it might be advisable to take it slow in the rough parts. There's also been a couple bandit attacks on some of the individual wagons about two days' ride further westward.*
*Azure can't quite follow all of this conversation, but the food at the Savory Platter is quite nice indeed. At least two of the halfling girls try to serve you personally, and one finally gets up the courage to ask you a question.*
"My pardons ma'am, but me and Keely were just wondering, and we don't mean any disrespect about it, but what kind of genasi are you?" the young girl says, blushing behind the basket of bread she carries.
*Back in camp, a surprised pilgrim takes your apple pie, look at it for a second, before shaking his head sadly and pressing it gently back in your hand.*
"Sorry lass, I would really like it, but we're only supposed to eat certain foods on this trip, and I'm afraid apple pie isn't one of them. Go ahead and share it with the... wizard fellow over there, I don't think he's left that spot all night," he says apologetically.
*Pharos, you watch the Halaran pilgrims as they perform their nightly ceremony during twilight. They arrange themselves in concentric half-circles around Father Parab, and then sit cross-legged on the ground. Father Parab stands and begins his prayers.*
"We come to you Eldon-asha, Stone Tree, Root of the World, we honor you with our sacred journey, the same since time began. You are stablility, a place of refuge, a rock in the stormy sea of life, and we are those who keep your ways. Let us be like the Stone Tree, that which grows straight and true and strong, those who keep the ancient ways, unchanged and unbroken for all time. We keep our hearts pure, we do not seek to bend the True Ways, we seek to remain viligant against the changes that could corrupt us," he prays in his sonorous voice. He begins to repeat his prayers, and the pilgrims chant their responses back.
*Finally he bend and takes a scoop full of loose earth in his cupped hands. He goes around to each pilgrim and sprinkles a little of the earth on their bared heads. Each bows, then all rise in unison.*
"Eldon-asha, Eldon-ash, Stone Tree, Root of the World, we seek you, our hearts remain unchanged," all chant together, and then the service is over. Tonight the pilgrims only eat flat bread and a strong tea, then quickly go to sleep.
*While the pilgrims are eating, Pharos and Saku go to the far end of the field to have their sparring match. Saku pulls out his falchion, while Pharos readies his bastard sword and shield. The sparring match is reasonably evenly matched, but it becomes clear that Saku has more raw power behind his strokes, while Pharos' swordwork shows a bit more restraint and discipline. By the time the bout is over, both have gained some respect for each others' prowess.*
*Also to put a rather happy note on this night, one of the horse-tenders had seen the troubles Saku was having with Viper, and helped him hold the beast still enough so that he could be brushed. Luckily even Viper seemed to like being groomed, and was even fairly calm since the first time you laid eyes on him when you were finished. However, you still tied him up away from the others; no reason to tempt fate. Joss, the pilgrim who helped you, suggested that the way to Viper's heart might be through his stomach, and suggested bribing him with apple pieces to get him to behave.*
*While a few of the younger pilgrims watch this a bit out of the corner of their eyes as they eat, none go over to the sparring match. However, Zafira's stories of the strange and bizarre things she has fought in the Forbidden Lands are welcomed by the pilgrims. The younger ones hang on to every word and look rather awed by the end of the stories.*
*Jabin, the younger boys seems delighted at the cardinal and made expressions of wonder as the little illusion flitted from boy to boy. They were mostly just inquisitive, though you caught one or two of them wrinkling their nose at you from time to time. Ah well, still, that's not too bad.*
*During third watch however, your reading is disrupted when you hear a small scuffle in the grass, not too far from where you are. Your eyes easily pierce the gloom, and you see what appears to be a fox pawing at something in the grass. Whatever it is is making a faint mewling sound, like that of a kitten. Honeybee is looking at the fox, then you, then the fox again, and stamps her feet in impatience.*
*You learn about the road conditions farther on; mostly they've been pretty good, as the local lords tend to keep them in good repair, but with some summer storms some of them have become a bit rutted. The Wagon Maker's Guild here is pretty full up with people needing wagons repaired, so it might be advisable to take it slow in the rough parts. There's also been a couple bandit attacks on some of the individual wagons about two days' ride further westward.*
*Azure can't quite follow all of this conversation, but the food at the Savory Platter is quite nice indeed. At least two of the halfling girls try to serve you personally, and one finally gets up the courage to ask you a question.*
"My pardons ma'am, but me and Keely were just wondering, and we don't mean any disrespect about it, but what kind of genasi are you?" the young girl says, blushing behind the basket of bread she carries.
*Back in camp, a surprised pilgrim takes your apple pie, look at it for a second, before shaking his head sadly and pressing it gently back in your hand.*
"Sorry lass, I would really like it, but we're only supposed to eat certain foods on this trip, and I'm afraid apple pie isn't one of them. Go ahead and share it with the... wizard fellow over there, I don't think he's left that spot all night," he says apologetically.
*Pharos, you watch the Halaran pilgrims as they perform their nightly ceremony during twilight. They arrange themselves in concentric half-circles around Father Parab, and then sit cross-legged on the ground. Father Parab stands and begins his prayers.*
"We come to you Eldon-asha, Stone Tree, Root of the World, we honor you with our sacred journey, the same since time began. You are stablility, a place of refuge, a rock in the stormy sea of life, and we are those who keep your ways. Let us be like the Stone Tree, that which grows straight and true and strong, those who keep the ancient ways, unchanged and unbroken for all time. We keep our hearts pure, we do not seek to bend the True Ways, we seek to remain viligant against the changes that could corrupt us," he prays in his sonorous voice. He begins to repeat his prayers, and the pilgrims chant their responses back.
*Finally he bend and takes a scoop full of loose earth in his cupped hands. He goes around to each pilgrim and sprinkles a little of the earth on their bared heads. Each bows, then all rise in unison.*
"Eldon-asha, Eldon-ash, Stone Tree, Root of the World, we seek you, our hearts remain unchanged," all chant together, and then the service is over. Tonight the pilgrims only eat flat bread and a strong tea, then quickly go to sleep.
*While the pilgrims are eating, Pharos and Saku go to the far end of the field to have their sparring match. Saku pulls out his falchion, while Pharos readies his bastard sword and shield. The sparring match is reasonably evenly matched, but it becomes clear that Saku has more raw power behind his strokes, while Pharos' swordwork shows a bit more restraint and discipline. By the time the bout is over, both have gained some respect for each others' prowess.*
*Also to put a rather happy note on this night, one of the horse-tenders had seen the troubles Saku was having with Viper, and helped him hold the beast still enough so that he could be brushed. Luckily even Viper seemed to like being groomed, and was even fairly calm since the first time you laid eyes on him when you were finished. However, you still tied him up away from the others; no reason to tempt fate. Joss, the pilgrim who helped you, suggested that the way to Viper's heart might be through his stomach, and suggested bribing him with apple pieces to get him to behave.*
*While a few of the younger pilgrims watch this a bit out of the corner of their eyes as they eat, none go over to the sparring match. However, Zafira's stories of the strange and bizarre things she has fought in the Forbidden Lands are welcomed by the pilgrims. The younger ones hang on to every word and look rather awed by the end of the stories.*
*Jabin, the younger boys seems delighted at the cardinal and made expressions of wonder as the little illusion flitted from boy to boy. They were mostly just inquisitive, though you caught one or two of them wrinkling their nose at you from time to time. Ah well, still, that's not too bad.*
*During third watch however, your reading is disrupted when you hear a small scuffle in the grass, not too far from where you are. Your eyes easily pierce the gloom, and you see what appears to be a fox pawing at something in the grass. Whatever it is is making a faint mewling sound, like that of a kitten. Honeybee is looking at the fox, then you, then the fox again, and stamps her feet in impatience.*
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