Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1685152" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #277] Tracking the Tracker 2[/PLAIN]"I think that Thumble will have to wait," Ixin said and Feln snorted."The world will not fall because we stopped in Thumble," the half-orc told them. "Our path is not certain.""I disagree," Ledare interjected. "Again, our path seems clear. We should move quickly in the direction of Greenhill Woods. Perhaps we can still find Plonius. Or more likely, he will find us.""Then let us move!" Grisham growled. "His trail grows cold while we stand here yapping!""Um, shouldn't we think about getting horses?" Vade asked. "I mean he does have a two day lead on us and he's riding a horse.""Proof of two things," Grisham said as he returned to the group. "First that this killer is not The Hound and second that he knows nothing of Greenhill Woods. The undergrowth is too thick for a horse and rider; we'll soon overtake them if we get moving!""Oi, woodsman, lead us to The Hound so we may determine the truth o' the villager's story," Karak said running his thumb along the curve of his waraxe as he spoke. "Me and my axe have a fine way o' determining the truth. If'n he be the one after all that killed the high priest, then justice will be met. If'n he nae be the one, then justice will be met as a man will nae longer be accused of the crime.""He's not a killer of men," Grisham repeated his stance. "But when the time comes to face this imposter, your axe will but follow my own blades toward justice."Karak harrumphed and rested his axe on his shoulder. "We'll see, lad," he told the barbarian as he started down the Eginnion Road. "We'll see.""Wait!" Ixin called, pointing at the small shrine of Flor. "We can't afford not to bury this body or it could come back as an undead.""Undead!?" the smith bellowed fearfully. He backed away from the shrine while making the sign of the evil eye."We must do whatever Karak can do to bless the body and the ground and give it a proper burial," the drakeling urged and Karak stopped in his tracks and turned around."An' jus' what am I supposed to do?" the dwarf grumbled. "Just because me chalak was a cleric do nae mean I know all of 'is tricks.""We can't take the time to bury this dead body, anyway, Ixin," Ledare said. "But perhaps Karak can move it or maybe we could quickly treat it so that the townspeople will not fear for their health and can have some kind of burial.""It be better off where it is until a real priest can see to it," the dwarf told them. "There be nae undead what'll rise on hallowed ground anyhow.""Are there other priests who could see to the burial?" Ledare asked the smith and the man nodded slowly as if in a daze. His eyes were fixed on the door to the small shrine as if he expected a shambling zombie to come barreling out at him any moment."We sent a rider east toward Redwood to fetch someone," he explained. "Simon said that there was a right big temple of Flor thereabouts.""Good," the Janissary told him and reached into her belt pouch. "Your people can assist us in the battle against the great evil responsible for Simon's passing. Not Plonius; I speak of an evil that is beyond even your worst imagining." She pulled out the handful of coins that her pouch contained and scowled at the meager offering. Then she forced the copper and silver and gold into the smith's hands adding, "Do this for the sake of your families and loved ones: reopen this shrine and let its small light shine bright in the blackness that surrounds us."  "Are all rangers irritable and crabby?" Vade asked as they moved off the road at the point where it started to curve away the vast wall of green that marked the edge of Greenhill Woods and head more directly to the south. Somewhere in the distance, it would eventually meet up with an old trade route leading into Olven Vale, the Altan Tepe mountains and eventually via a high mountain pass into, Pellham itself. Grisham was crouched low to the ground surveying the damp soil with a practiced eye."Without looking up at the halfling he grunted, "You obviously never have met The Hound. He was always laughing and offering kind words to those we helped. And look where it got him! Hated and feared by those for whom he so long protected.""Well, I never did meet The Hound," Vade admitted, "But we were with Windstryder for a while and... Well, my mama says if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything... bitch." Grisham shot him a look and Ixin stepped forward, smiling."Windstryder was a little short on people skills," the mage explained and Grisham snorted derisively."People skills are of little use in the wild," the barbarian told her before turning back to the trail he was following. "Stopping to make nice with a lion will earn you a warm spot in its belly - nothing more!"He stood up abruptly and pointed toward the woods. "The trail heads straight off that way!" he said and took off at a trot that was faster than any of the others could keep up with. "I'll scout ahead and meet you at the forest's edge!""Well. He's not much for small talk is he?" Ledare observed and Ixin nodded."It's just as well," she said. "I wanted a chance to caution everyone to be wary and not speak about our mission to Grisham if we can.""Aye!" Karak said with a nod. "I be as friendly as the next dwarf, but I say for security we keep an extra careful eye on the guy during our watches, as well.""I'm not sure he should be trusted quite yet," Morier agreed. "So we should be on guard about him, but I think we do need to follow him." The albino pointed toward Grisham who was a dwindling speck in the distance now."Oh, right!" Ledare said. "Let's hurry up."Grisham was crouched down beside a large spruce tree popping berries into his mouth one after the other. As they approached he stood up and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "We'll never catch up to this imposter if you lot don't hurry up!" he growled. "The wolf spirit teaches us to trust our alpha and follow his lead. You all circle every decision like vultures, worrying over every detail as if it were a bit of carrion.""We value each other's opinions," Ledare defended."Reflecting on different courses of action often helps to reveal the correct one," Ixin added and Grisham snorted again."Time enough for reflection around the evening fire," he asserted and then pointed off into the trees. "The imposter went this way, still mounted. And as I predicted, his pace has slowed considerably. If we press on we might overtake him in a day or two even with the dwarf and the hobbit along.""Then let's go!" Karak grumbled, matching Grisham's surly attitude snarl for snarl. The barbarian grinned and tossed a small leather bag to Vade."Here!" he said. "Those should help supplement our food as we go." Vade opened the bag and his face split with a grin."Dillonberries!" he cheered and stuffed a handful eagerly into his mouth."What cool stuff can you do?" Vade asked the man later as they stopped again for Grisham to study the thick layer of needles and leaves over which they were marching. "I mean besides finding yummy berries."Grisham grunted noncommittally and edged a few feet away along the trail. Vade didn't take the hint."I am good at finding stuff," the halfling said as his gaze moved appraisingly over the barbarian's meager supply of gear. The man seemed to have little of value although his weapons and armor were of high-quality. "Ixin is good at saving people," Vade went on. "She saved my life.  If it weren't for her, I would not be standing here talking to you.""Remind me to thank her later," Grisham said without looking up. The man's tone made it difficult to decide whether he'd meant it as a joke or a threat."Where are you from?" the little rogue went on. "I mean what kind of a name is Grisham, anyway?"The barbarian stood up quickly, one of his hand axes in his left hand. He looked around nervously. "Did you hear that?" he asked in a husky whisper."Hear what?" Vade replied and cupped a hand around his pointed ear."There is is again!" Grisham announced, jerking his head to look the way they had been heading all along. He started off at a jog that was a quick and silent as a panther's. "Wait here!" he advised and vanished into the underbrush.The others stood looking at one another for the space of a few heartbeats and then Karak hefted his axe."Like hells I will!" he growled and shouldered his way through the brush after Grisham with the others following close behind.They heard the sound before too long - a horse in distress. It was an easy thing to follow the sound to its source: a roan mare lying weakly on the ground. Her right foreleg was clearly broken and from the dried feces smeared on her haunches and the way that the underbrush around her was matted and trampled, she'd laid there struggling for a day or more. She still wore a saddle and bridal although they'd gone askew from her throes. Her eyes rolled with fear as the group stepped into the small clearing that she'd made for herself in her thrashing and she let out another pain-filled whinny, gnashing against the bit that was still in her teeth. Her lips were flecked with bloody foam where the metal restraint had cut her lips.Grisham was on the far side of the beast, examining the ground. He looked up at the others and said grimly, "The imposter continued this way on foot. The evil bastard didn't even have the sense to put the beast down. He just got up and continued on his way!"</blockquote>

Verification