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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1165921" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #242] The Latest Buzz![/PLAIN]Feln made his way east and then south rapidly covering the distance around the bottom of village. Years of training had left him preternaturally quick and his legs devoured the distance in great chunks as he passed through fields of peas, oats, barley, vetch, beans, and winter wheat. All the while, he encountered no one, and while he was no farmer it seemed clear even to him that there was work to be done. He could clearly hear the sounds of hammering and sawing coming from town, leaving little doubt where the laborers had gone.As he crept westward through a field of half-cut hay, Windstryder stepped silently from behind a stalk of grass - or so it seemed for all the suddenness of her arrival. Feln had slipped into the Fighting Cobra stance out of habit, but he relaxed and endured her smug grin. Even Anta seemed to mock the half-orc from her perch on Windstryder's shoulder."I found an obvious trail leading to the village from the hills in the southwest and back again," the elf said, pointing off in that direction. "I don't recognize the track type, but they total about twenty in all.""Raiders?" Feln asked and Windstryder nodded once."Likely," she replied as she reached up and coaxed Anta from her shoulder onto her right hand. She pointed the bird southwesterly and tossed her in the air. "Seek!" she commanded and the hawk squawked its reply as it gained altitude."Let's move closer and wait for Vade's signal," Feln suggested and without a word, Windstryder crouched low and hustled off in the direction of the village."Is that a problem, little boy?" Maerwynn asked, bending down to smile at the disguised Vade."No," the halfling said with a shrug. He scratched his ear conspicuously. "It's pretty much what I expected. Have you any news of where these raiders come from?" Maerwynn stood up with a confused look on her face."He's very precocious for a child his age," she said, looking at farmer Ixin. "Is he your son?" Ixin started to open her mouth in response but settled instead on shaking her head no. Ledare quickly changed the subject."Tell us more about the night Ilea appeared," the Janissary pressed. "What made it magical?""Well, it's hard to say. It was in the air. You know... like right before a big storm," the cleric explained. "Only the sky was clear and seemed to have twice as many stars as was normal."Ledare looked at Ixin, but the mage just shrugged her broad farmer's shoulders and gave a slight shake of her head."And what of the girl?" Ledare asked. "She is human?""No!" Maerwynn said quickly before amending herself. "I can't really say for certain what she is. Though she resembled an elf, there was an almost unearthly beauty about her."Again Ledare looked at Ixin and again the mage shook her farmer's head and shrugged her farmer's shoulders."How did she arrive in town, exactly?" Morier asked, a quizzical look on his pale features."It was hard to sleep with that charge in the air that I mentioned, so many of us were up to see her arrival," she explained. "It started with a bright light that appeared in the sky above the village. Those of us who were awake came out to marvel at the new "star" in the sky - a star whose light seemed to bring feelings of peace and well being to all who gazed upon it. It was truly wonderful to behold, and I wish that I could keep that feeling in my heart always.""Fah!" Leoric spit before upending the jug of hard cider into his mouth."Well, right out here in the village common," she went on, ignoring the drunkard completely, "we found a young girl, barely more than a child, lying naked and shivering on the ground. We asked her who she was, but her reply came in a musical tongue that I nor any of the others had never heard before."Just then Ixin pointed behind the Janissary to where Feln and Windstryder were jogging into the village square. For a moment, the Orderbringer looked worried, but Ledare raised a hand and said, "They're with me.""Janissary," Feln began with a slight bow, "Windstryder and I have found tracks of nearly twenty beasts.""That fits with what we've just heard here," Ledare said, gesturing to Orderbringer Maerwynn. "This woman was present when the girl was taken by the raiders.""Taken!" Windstryder growled and took a step toward the cleric. The one-armed woman quickly gave ground to the physically smaller, but none-the-less fierce elf. "Why were you unable to protect the girl?""It happened so quickly..." the cleric began."Were you overpowered?" the ranger pressed, crowding into Maerwynn's personal space. "Did it occur in the night?""Yes! It occurred at night. I was asleep when it started," the priestess sputtered. "And I'm not much of a fighter. At least not anymore." She flapped the stump of her arm for emphasis and Windstryder scowled but backed off."Perhaps you should let her tell what happened again," Ledare suggested and the ranger nodded, her eyes askance. After Maerwynn had brought Feln and Windstryder up to date on the raid, the half orc grunted noncommittally."You are all tired and I see you enjoy your rest," Feln observed, noting the way that Ledare and Morier's armor sagged on their respective frames. "We don't know what they are doing with this girl - the only salvation to the plight of Barnacus. We need to plan and we need to move, quickly."There was murmured agreement from around the small band, until Maerwynn cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but you said 'plight of Barnacus'. What's wrong in Elcaden?" Ledare quickly explained and the Orderbringer's face fell. "Oh dear," she moaned, a stricken look on her face. "Lady Clebrylla and Master Robin left for Barnacus two week's ago to visit her sister in the city. I pray that nothing ill befalls them. Milord Arundel can bare little more tragedy in his life.""I did really want to check out that neat shop," Vade sighed as they trudged southwestward into the night. He still wore his disguise although his blonde wig had come slightly askew as they traveled."It is not the best time to shop," Ixin soothed. She had doffed Feln's had and returned to her natural form. "We really need to move with haste. We don't want the trail to grow cold.""Ixin's right," Ledare huffed. "The valuables and supplies taken in the Junction give no indication where the beasts were headed with the girl. The trail is our only solid clue. We need to follow the trail while it is fresh.""I know," the halfling sulked. " But I bet I could have gotten some information out of her without paying. For most folks, telling wondrous stories about our adventures would be fair trade. People are always telling me all sorts of things if it'll get me to go off and have some more fun adventures." He paused for a moment and thought."But maybe it's a good idea that I didn't go. Merchants do have a habit of accusing me of taking things when I am only just looking," he explained. "Boy! They really are pesky at the fruit stand in Strenchburg Junction. For a while, I thought my name was 'Shoe Boy'! When I told them I was not selling shoes I just was admiring their fruit, they got all mad at me and chased me away with a broom. Wow! That fat guy wields one mean broom." He rubbed his bottom with both hands at the memory."Listen for once, humble warrior," Feln whispered into Vade's ear. "I am going to give you the chance at greatness.""Hey!" Vade hissed back. "I listen plenty!" The monk ignored him and walked quietly up to Ledare."Janissary," Feln began. "Twenty of these transmogrified bugs - if such they are - may be more then we can handle if we raid their lair. Many of Ixin's spells are depleted and both you and Morier are weakened from the medicine Windstryder gave you.""I know," Ledare said with a note of annoyance in her voice. "What's your point?""I think Vade and I should sneak into the lair and rescue the girl," Feln said matter-of-factly and both Ixin and Morier looked at him with surprised expressions. Ledare just looked over at Vade as they walked. The halfling looked back and shrugged."Stealth is obviously on our side with me and Feln," Vade mused. "And I will be sure to be quiet!" the others looked at him dubiously. He hadn't stopped talking since they left the village. "Hey! I can be quiet... when I want to be."Windstryder appeared suddenly out of the darkness, her hand extended, palm down. At the signal, Feln immediately dropped to his haunches. Seeing Feln's reaction, the others did the same. "Just over the rise there's a cave opening. The trail leads inside," Windstryder explained. "There are two flying things buzzing around the entrance. As big as the halfling. Hard shell. Two arms. Two legs. Big stinger in back."Vade swallowed audibly and then whispered. "Monsters around is a good time for being quiet."</blockquote>

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