The Kalarian Precipice - Chapter Six

Jeovanna

First Post
Having watched the process, Jeovanna is still filled with a bit of skepticism- odd for someone that had recently witnessed demons and walking skeletons, maybe. Or maybe this struck a different sort of measure.

"Good," she muttered- a conversation they could all understand. Not that she was particularly chatty with anyone, pack included.
 

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97mg

Explorer
The priest’s consideration of bandits was a valid one. Crime was a rarely reported activity near Kalair and upon its most-travelled roads, but times were changing. Fear was blowing in on a Sandsborn wind, bringing with it the anxiety and unstability that criminals might feast upon. Surrounding a stranger and awakening him, wasn’t going to breed much trust. Praise Suru though, Dain and Otiroth were treating the situation gently.

Magaw was silent and still too. He’d pretend to be little more than a macabre staff ornament and watch the interaction unfold. The skull wasn’t watching as closely as his mount however, Metea’s inquisitiveness drawn to the ranger’s unusual ability. Beast magic. Communication with nature’s simpler creatures. How heart-warming and… potentially devious!

The old hound chewed on the offered slice of salty dried goat flesh, waddling back to his master’s side. The man was already stirring, a strange dream fading from memory, as a woman reached out to touch his hand and declare that she’d return later, but for now his company was required by some strangers.

“Oh,” he muttered, opening his eyes and then leaning upwards, Masto giving Master’s face a slobbery awakening lick. The stranger patted and ruffled the shaggy tuft of fur upon the dog’s head, and then turned to take in the surroundings.

Where had they come from? It was quite a sight. Five people, of many race and taste in traveling garb too. They looked young and fit, armed and well-supplied. These weren’t riffraff he decided. It was all quite unusual.

He raised a hand and nervously greeted the visitors.

“Hello! It appears I've slumbered a little... These hot days sap a man's strength.”
 

daindarkspring

First Post
Dain had kept his distance from the man, having gone no further than where he had interacted with the hound. When the man awakened and addressed them nervously, Dain simply nodded. There was a hint of pride in the ranger's face, borne of youthful arrogance and the strength of traveling in numbers. Had Dain been alone, his interaction with the man would have been very different.

Otiroth, or Carthum perhaps, were better suited to converse with the man. Dain looked over at Jeovanna, as if ensuring that she was at ease. Or perhaps to show her that he was at ease.

I cannot blame the man his nerves. We are a fearsome company, right out of a bard's tale. Essithea...Essithea...do you see me?!
 

Metea

First Post
"Hello!" Metea called back. "Your dog is a fine beast!"

She was clearly greatly enjoying appearing like a scary demon mage, with Magaw perched proudly on the top of her walking stick. Metea was not even trying to hide that fact. And maybe in a dark tavern or spooky cave she would've turned up the theatrics even more... but it seemed silly to try while the sun was shining. Of course, there was such a thing as going too far the other way...
 

"Good day, sir," Carthum greeted the man with a formal-looking nod. "Blessings of Suru upon you on this sun-blistered day."

The man did not rush for weapons, or look furtively around for back-up. He seemed an honest man, or at least, honest enough to share a slice of meat and bread with. If their own group could be the same, little more could be asked of two groups of strangers meeting upon the road.
 

Otiroth

First Post
Otiroth greeted the man cheerfully enough. So that their group seemed confident, but not psychotically so. There was something to be said about those that wandered the wastes with too much joy.

"You are the first traveler we've met recently," Otiroth continued, "we're currently heading north, and it appears you are trailing the path we were taking? Perhaps we could share some stories of what lies ahead and a campfire for roasting a meal to contemplate it over."

They were not exactly starving of course, but the hot overland travel was hungry work. Rock-hard rations were a sufferance for leaner days.

Whisper's spell had worked a treat! Indeed, she was something amazing. A fine addition to their team.
 

Jeovanna

First Post
Jeovanna glanced back at Dain and... a nod, if a terse one. Sometimes she thought Dain was the only one with any sense, talking to dogs or no. Carthum too most of the time, but he kept quiet enough for the most part she couldn't tell.

Otiroth and Metea? Well... they were good at talking to people, at least.

Otiroth at least seemed eager to cook up some snake meat... so she had to admit, that did fill her with a bit of pride that she'd thought to bring some along...
 

97mg

Explorer
The polite introductions of two young men and a pretty-faced tiefling’s compliments on the good nature of the hound, begin to set the stranger at ease. His tenseness fades, probably coming to a conclusion that robbers and bandits aren’t well known for respectfulness or manners. Nor would they speak of Suru with such reverence. The skull carried on the head of a staff catches his attention for a moment of course, but it does not trouble him.

Perhaps an ancestor being brought to a true resting-place, or just a fashion of the day.

“Masto is a good soul,” he comments, giving the old dog a final pat on the head, “saved me more than once.”

“Blessings upon you too,” is said with a nod in the half-orc’s direction.

So unusual, and varied, this pack of hikers. Interesting indeed!

It is then that a bright young fellow speaks of lunch and news from the north. To this, the man stands and waves a hand towards the dwindling fire.

“Please! You are most welcome to camp with us a while, I have fresh bread and hard cheese should you desire some? Viro grains, stone-ground, and mixed with a little milk I managed to procure from small farm on the outskirts. It is no Kalair-bakery loaf, but warm and soft nonetheless.”

As he unwraps some provisions and tidies up the camp a little, “apologies, I never expected company in these parts, well not such fine company anyway,” he makes space under the shaded cloth for a few of you to rest, and moves some small branches and stones out of the way such that the remainder of you might sit easy upon the forest floor.

“So what takes you to the northlands, are you headed to Viro? I’m from Eyne River way.”

The man’s tale is a sad one. For many years he has lived alone on a small plot nestled between the branches of Viro’s main riverway, a veritable lifeforce for the surrounding ways of agriculture. The land though small, lay at the river’s edge and allowed him to survive an almost self-sufficient lifestyle. Nothing fancy. Just the basics. He admits that his home was inherited, and being an adopted son of two cattle merchants, his brother of course claimed the greater stake. A large working farm somewhere out to Viro’s west. But he was happy enough. You sense that there is much more to this story though. An air of loss and pain seems to emanate from his face as he speaks.

“It became terribly dangerous there. Can you imagine? The quietest and prettiest little parcel of earth, ruined. Horrible creatures were seen from time to time, and quickly I found myself even more alone. Distant neighbours packed their carts and left. Several families mourned losses of the young and weak, and prized stock as well. I was probably the last to go. There were too many, on the way, as hill-dwarves sent us word of what was coming. They were our friends in trade. Our timbers and plentiful fresh nourishment, in exchange for stone-chipped building materials and a good deal of labor too.”

“I headed south along the road with no great aspirations. Folk would let me ride in the back of their carts for a time, or other days I simply walked. Then, when met with the choice of Kalair or an old dusty track to the coast, I chose the latter, thinking that a man such as I might have more value to tree-adoring elves, than to city folk. So a half-circle I have come, and for now, with the little stream nearby and the cool of leaves and shade, I rest here until the next decision is made. Soon, the roads will be filled with armed men, and should the rest of Viro fall into The Sand’s fate, then they will have to march through an army of refugees, bless their souls. Thankfully, I have learned to survive on little, and hope to stay distant from what downfalls may come. Perhaps you think me… a coward?”

He smiles then, draws a small knife, and begins to slice everyone off some cheese.

<Feel free to use Insight to glean more, or do whatever else you’d like to do :) >
 

daindarkspring

First Post
Dain listened to the man, slowly walking forward towards him.

So it begins. The frontier is the first to feel the effects of this...invasion. Will we be the only ones heading towards it and not from it? Are we mad, or are we possessed by the words of the underworld queen?

The man was obviously hiding something, though whether it was because of a hidden agenda or because of trauma, it was hard to say. Was it fear or deception?

<Insight check: 18>

Looking to his comrades first, Dain replied for himself: "I do not think you a coward. You run from a coming fire...for you have no way to stop it. That is just good sense." Would Dain have run? He liked to think he would not. Good sense was no substitute for courage in the face of Essithea's gaze.
 

Metea

First Post
"There might be a fine line between cowardice and discretion, but it's even finer between bravery and idiocy," Metea seemed to be distracted as the others gathered around the fire- she was looking for- ah!

A nice place to prop up Magaw's staff, so that he could see the proceedings. She certainly didn't want him falling skull-first in the dirt because a branch shifted!

Once that was settled, she'd approach and settle in across the fire, curling her tail around herself.
 

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