The Sudden Approach of Unexplainable Power: IC

[unleashed]

Raising his hands, Aekalos smiles disarmingly as he says, “No offense meant ladies, I was just curious if there were any dangers travellers should look out for. I take it by that statement, that there is something in the surrounding countryside we should try to avoid...”

 

[Nonlethal Force]

The women, who apparently by their actions have not clearly thought their initial reaction through very well, look to one another and then smile sheepishly. The one who originally spoke offers up the next line. "Um, no. We haven't heard nor seen nothing around these parts that should make a bunch of nice travelers fear the roads. And if especially curious travelors are interested in making sure they see nothing, they'll make sure to be on the road headed west to Bacrothen after sundown." The other woman adds, "Because we don't ever hear anything suspicious about the road west of hear and especially never after dark."

Maris leans a bit over to Aekalos and whispers very softly. "Strange women. You think they're playing with a full deck between 'em?"

 

[unleashed]

“Thank you ladies, I’ll keep that in mind. Good day to you,” Aekalos smiles. Turning towards Maris as he turns to leave, he leans in slightly and whispers, “Oh probably, though they likely think themselves more cunning than they are.”

Collecting Errast as they leave the building, Aekalos shuts the door and leads them some distance away before he adds in hushed tones, “Well, I believe they’ve just confirmed what I’d heard before coming here. You see, I was told I would find the orcs to the south of the road past Janston, or they'd be finding me. I suppose I should have guessed they’d be more active at night. So, if we can find their camp tonight, it might be possible to slip in and get what I came for, while they’re out waiting for travellers along the road. Hmm, if the women were trying to set us up for an ambush, perhaps they’ll send someone out to the orc camp and we can follow them...”

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Erast adds, "Then you suspect as I do that their antics were the poorly devised ploys of the musclebound-feeble-minded?"

 

[unleashed]

“Well, I don’t know if being musclebound is the cause, as many people think they are more cunning than they actually are,” Aekalos chuckles. “So let’s watch the blacksmith’s shop for a while, and see what happens.” Finding somewhere to sit where he can watch the shop surreptitiously, Aekalos decides to mask their watching under the guise of taking a break and eating a little food.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Maris readily joins in with the partaking of food. As she nibbles a little bite, her stomach rumbles quite loudly. "No worries, of course."

Erast allows Maris and Aekalos to enjoy food together and he rests about fifteen feet further away from the shop, enjoying a small grassy spot in the sunlight.

After a bit of time - about an hour, given the track of the sun across the sky - a large being in a thick, heavy cloak steps out of the forest from the south and begins to slowly walk through one of the local farmer's fields. The being is considerably larger than any of the three, and a bit larger than the women in the smithy. He appears to be carrying some type of walking stick in his hand and there is a long bulge under his cloak on his left side. There is an occasional glint that comes from the bottom of the walking stick.

For the first few steps, he seems to be unaware of Aekalos and his friends although they have taken no precaution to hiding.

 

[unleashed]

Aekalos continues to sit and rest, talking with Maris, apparently ignorant of the being emerging from the forest, though he keeps a watch on it from the corner of his eye.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

The figure stops midfield as he first takes note of the trio, but continues to walk after only a pause for a second. As he draws closer to the party his size becomes even more impressive. He snorts in the general direction of the threesome as he approaches the back of the smithy from behind. Assuming nobody stops him, he heads inside without so much of a word to the party. Once inside, there seems to be a startled reaction in the smithy by the two women and the shutters over the two ventilation windows snap shut.

 

[unleashed]

When the being snorts, Aekalos looks up, a surprised look on his face, but does nothing to stop the creature... though he does watch it curiously as it continues to the smithy. Once the creature has gone inside he turns to Maris, “So, that’s an orc? I’ve never seen one in person before. They’re quite big aren’t they...”

 

[Nonlethal Force]

[Sblock=OOC]The figure was completely covered head to foot in the thick cloak, hence why it was not described. Just so you know.[/Sblock]

Erast replies, "Pig-nose, or at least now you understand why I call them that. In truth, that wasn't so much a snort like a pig much but their form of grunting - or even mumbling. But it sure sounds swinish to me!"

From inside the building there is a sloud slam - as if a body was flung so as to crash into the wall of the blacksmith shop. One of the woman shouts in her only pseudo-feminine voice, "No! Not today!"