Sister Rose stared uncomprehendingly at what Jamie had dropped. Only when it revealed its hidden function did she get an idea of what was going on ... and then, it was, if not the "wrong" idea, at least a decidedly incomplete one. She'd had a fulfilling sex life during her marriage, but she was still a Veracian nun, after all.
"I'm going to bed," she announced, rolling her eyes. "Morning shift will come around soon enough. I suggest everyone who's not standing midnight watch do likewise."
[OOC: Actually, I don't know how to proceed here until morning. If there's more to be done, do it, I guess. The expectation had been that Argus and Lillith would take the midnight watch ... with one encounter to follow at the next changing of the guard, but nothing else that I know of. But a fast-forward would be fine with me, as that encounter can be described retrospectively, rather than played out in real time.]
Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
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Graybeard
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Alberich
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
Time passed. People slept. The morning watch awoke. Tim was on it.
[OOC: I imagine the next event will be Tamina returning with Udo around 3 or 4 in the morning; up to you all.]
[OOC: I imagine the next event will be Tamina returning with Udo around 3 or 4 in the morning; up to you all.]
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
OOC On that note.../OOC
Tamina staggered tiredly back to the camp with Udo holding her up. It was obvious by the tear streaks down the kobold's face that their search hadn't gone well. Fruitless hours of trudging through the nearby countryside had turned up nothing but confirmation that the humanoid's lover had abandoned her, again. And this time the kobold's heart was just about broken.
She slumped by the fire and drew her knees up to her chest, mute while her companion had a quiet word with those still up about staying in the camp for the night. Tamina didn't hear how the conversation went, when Udo returned he found her curled up and, thankfully, asleep.
....
OOC Assuming no-one wanted to add details to that since people are wanting to push forward (I'll retcon if not). It's important to do this part before a fast forward, since decisions will have to be made here./OOC
Some time after Tim took watch he became aware that he himself was under observation. Outwardly, nothing had changed in the countryside, the same faint cry of birds, the same rustle of leaves on the trees, but nevertheless the feeling was strong but impossible to pinpoint.
After a couple of minutes there arose a faint pitter-patter of tiny feet sprinting across the grass. The priest had a moment to recognize the sound for what it was before a flash of brown fur blurred up a rock to his left and the man found himself staring into the beady, black eyes of a silka.
The little creature stared back at Tim for a moment, then turned dropped back to the earth. It scurried few feet towards the east, and the only landmark of significance in that direction (a low hill some two hundred yards away) before stopping to look meaningfully back at the man with an expression that could have almost been taken for impatience.
Tamina staggered tiredly back to the camp with Udo holding her up. It was obvious by the tear streaks down the kobold's face that their search hadn't gone well. Fruitless hours of trudging through the nearby countryside had turned up nothing but confirmation that the humanoid's lover had abandoned her, again. And this time the kobold's heart was just about broken.
She slumped by the fire and drew her knees up to her chest, mute while her companion had a quiet word with those still up about staying in the camp for the night. Tamina didn't hear how the conversation went, when Udo returned he found her curled up and, thankfully, asleep.
....
OOC Assuming no-one wanted to add details to that since people are wanting to push forward (I'll retcon if not). It's important to do this part before a fast forward, since decisions will have to be made here./OOC
Some time after Tim took watch he became aware that he himself was under observation. Outwardly, nothing had changed in the countryside, the same faint cry of birds, the same rustle of leaves on the trees, but nevertheless the feeling was strong but impossible to pinpoint.
After a couple of minutes there arose a faint pitter-patter of tiny feet sprinting across the grass. The priest had a moment to recognize the sound for what it was before a flash of brown fur blurred up a rock to his left and the man found himself staring into the beady, black eyes of a silka.
The little creature stared back at Tim for a moment, then turned dropped back to the earth. It scurried few feet towards the east, and the only landmark of significance in that direction (a low hill some two hundred yards away) before stopping to look meaningfully back at the man with an expression that could have almost been taken for impatience.
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Alberich
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
Desiree and Anfisa were a-bed, clinging close. Therese and Brad slept separate. Argus and Lillith were through with their watch, and the one went to bed alone while the other joined her husband. Udo and Tamina had found safe nooks to sleep in, though neither could really have said why they were back with this group at all. Neither was content; the kobold had been crying and Udo couldn't bear that, nor sleep well, nor think a cheerful thought. Even his pocketful of pictures from the Red Shell would be no comfort tonight.
In keeping with Rose's earlier instructions, she and Tim were on morning watch. They weren't talking much, for lack of much to say. There were decisions to make about these "fugitives" but they weren't Tim's to make, and he didn't figure Rose or Argus would fail to find out what they knew when everyone was awake. Keeping them around was a danger. But this group was united in its hatred and contempt for the clans of Goriel (if in nothing else), and he suspected any enemies of these perverse infidels would be treated as friends just to spite them. Which was fine by him.
And then he spotted the silka. He nodded to it and his heartrate went up. So once, just for once, his intuition had proved sound. He slapped the back of his neck - slap! - then looked at his palm as if to check his kill - then slapped again harder, smack!
"Bleeding mosquitoes!" he cursed, so that Rose could not fail to get the signal. Then he spoke to her normally. "Ma'am," he said. "Do you see anything over there?" -- he pointed towards some flat ground in the distance, not in the direction of the hill. She shook her head.
"I've been seeing something. First I thought it was nothing, or some kind of big deer. But whatever it is, it moves a little and goes to ground. Hard to see from here. But if I could get to the top of that hill" -- he pointed to the one the Silka had indicated -- "I think I could get a good look from there, and report back. May I?"
He hoped she'd get the point and say "yes." He also hoped she remembered a lot of things from the earlier conversation (which had all been rehashed when she'd reentered Lord Shashenka's bedchamber) - things like his warning not to discuss his true position on Eli when Eli might be spying. If she "cracked out of turn" or hinted at what she knew - he was as good as dead. He hoped too she'd remember the missal he'd left with Brad that would make him so easy to track magically if he ended up leaving.
Eli's choice of rendezvous was a cautious one, and meant the elf's frontal thug-tactics probably wouldn't work, so this would require some subtlety or some good timing.
In keeping with Rose's earlier instructions, she and Tim were on morning watch. They weren't talking much, for lack of much to say. There were decisions to make about these "fugitives" but they weren't Tim's to make, and he didn't figure Rose or Argus would fail to find out what they knew when everyone was awake. Keeping them around was a danger. But this group was united in its hatred and contempt for the clans of Goriel (if in nothing else), and he suspected any enemies of these perverse infidels would be treated as friends just to spite them. Which was fine by him.
And then he spotted the silka. He nodded to it and his heartrate went up. So once, just for once, his intuition had proved sound. He slapped the back of his neck - slap! - then looked at his palm as if to check his kill - then slapped again harder, smack!
"Bleeding mosquitoes!" he cursed, so that Rose could not fail to get the signal. Then he spoke to her normally. "Ma'am," he said. "Do you see anything over there?" -- he pointed towards some flat ground in the distance, not in the direction of the hill. She shook her head.
"I've been seeing something. First I thought it was nothing, or some kind of big deer. But whatever it is, it moves a little and goes to ground. Hard to see from here. But if I could get to the top of that hill" -- he pointed to the one the Silka had indicated -- "I think I could get a good look from there, and report back. May I?"
He hoped she'd get the point and say "yes." He also hoped she remembered a lot of things from the earlier conversation (which had all been rehashed when she'd reentered Lord Shashenka's bedchamber) - things like his warning not to discuss his true position on Eli when Eli might be spying. If she "cracked out of turn" or hinted at what she knew - he was as good as dead. He hoped too she'd remember the missal he'd left with Brad that would make him so easy to track magically if he ended up leaving.
Eli's choice of rendezvous was a cautious one, and meant the elf's frontal thug-tactics probably wouldn't work, so this would require some subtlety or some good timing.
Last edited by Alberich on July 27th, 2012, 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
The silka had led the Priest to the edge of the landmark several minutes later. It scampered to the top of the low hill before making a squeaking noise and crumbling into dust as it reached the apex. As Tim crested the hill, he looked down at the other side and saw the same sight Drusia had seen in Goriel the day before.
The half-elf had been busy, as the chalk-drawn glyph some eight feet across testified. Although it was currently inactive, the starlight picked out it's shape clearly against the dark landscape, more importantly it silhouetted the figure who stood between it and the new arrival.
"Brother." Eli said, a half-smile on his lips and weariness on his face. "It's good to see you."
The half-elf had been busy, as the chalk-drawn glyph some eight feet across testified. Although it was currently inactive, the starlight picked out it's shape clearly against the dark landscape, more importantly it silhouetted the figure who stood between it and the new arrival.
"Brother." Eli said, a half-smile on his lips and weariness on his face. "It's good to see you."
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Alberich
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
"Likewise," said Tim in a low voice, showing a little weariness himself. "I'm glad you survived. You were right. There was an elf waiting for you in the compound - ambushed me from behind, tried to force me to tell her where you were. But I didn't!" -- true so far as it went, though he was leaving some things out on purpose. Better not to think about that.
"As you heard, Rose thinks I'm scouting - so I won't be missed for a little while. So what's up with you, and with this?" - he gestured at the giant glyph.
"As you heard, Rose thinks I'm scouting - so I won't be missed for a little while. So what's up with you, and with this?" - he gestured at the giant glyph.
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Graybeard
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
Sister Rose's ritual prayers as the light of dawn began to reach the campsite were a bit more fervent than usual this morning.
The watch had passed peacefully enough. When she and Tim relieved Argus and Lillith, the father had looked so tired that Rose had barely spoken to him as he staggered off to their blanket. The daughter, by contrast, hadn't looked tired as much as ... well, uncomfortable. In response to Rose's gentle "are you feeling all right?" Lillith had nodded and grunted, then staggered off to join Brad. The nod and grunt may have been affirmative, but she wasn't fooling anybody.
She had been just about to start the prayers when she'd fielded Tim's odd request. Again, there was something going on that he wasn't saying, and later on, she'd have to find out what. For now, she simply let the young man go, and added him to a prayer list that seemed to be getting longer by the minute ...
... And speaking of which, here came Lillith, moving with greater haste and urgency than she should have been at this hour of the morning. Rose knew that the half elf's own religious practices also called for morning meditation, but the goal was serenity, not vigor. What could be on her mind? The prayers abandoned for the moment, Rose followed her a short distance into the thin forest surrounding the campsite ...
... Where she found the girl emptying what little remained of her stomach, to the point of the dry heaves.
And many things fell into place.
"Does he know?" Rose asked gently, well aware that the mother-to-be would know what she meant, and that she would be talking about Brad.
The watch had passed peacefully enough. When she and Tim relieved Argus and Lillith, the father had looked so tired that Rose had barely spoken to him as he staggered off to their blanket. The daughter, by contrast, hadn't looked tired as much as ... well, uncomfortable. In response to Rose's gentle "are you feeling all right?" Lillith had nodded and grunted, then staggered off to join Brad. The nod and grunt may have been affirmative, but she wasn't fooling anybody.
She had been just about to start the prayers when she'd fielded Tim's odd request. Again, there was something going on that he wasn't saying, and later on, she'd have to find out what. For now, she simply let the young man go, and added him to a prayer list that seemed to be getting longer by the minute ...
... And speaking of which, here came Lillith, moving with greater haste and urgency than she should have been at this hour of the morning. Rose knew that the half elf's own religious practices also called for morning meditation, but the goal was serenity, not vigor. What could be on her mind? The prayers abandoned for the moment, Rose followed her a short distance into the thin forest surrounding the campsite ...
... Where she found the girl emptying what little remained of her stomach, to the point of the dry heaves.
And many things fell into place.
"Does he know?" Rose asked gently, well aware that the mother-to-be would know what she meant, and that she would be talking about Brad.
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
"As you heard, Rose thinks I'm scouting - so I won't be missed for a little while. So what's up with you, and with this?"
"An escape hatch." He said. "As for what's up with me, I don't know what you've heard Brother, but I guarantee it's lies. Although, truth be told, I haven't been entirely honest with you either."
He paused briefly and looked over at the brightening horizon, wishing for a bed. He sighed.
"I was contacted by someone during our travels. A man named Aleron. He gave me the amulet, the book, and it was to his sanctuary I fled when the Peregin's tried to murder me, the fucking hypocrites..." He muttered, and, at the questioning look in Tim's eyes. "Summoning magic is elven in origin, Tim. They weren't trying to stop me because they thought I was an errant, they were trying to stop me because I was using their stuff and they didn't want me to. But, then again, if you've spoken to them you know what a bunch of arrogant, controlling, intolerant bastards they are."
He had no doubt that the elves would cling to their explanations for their unprovoked attack until someone put a stop to them, but that was an issue for another time.
"The Ralkin want to make the world a better place Tim, for my people and for yours, but because their methods are... different than others they must operate in secrecy, especially when looking for new recruits..." He stopped a moment to let the implication sink in.
"An escape hatch." He said. "As for what's up with me, I don't know what you've heard Brother, but I guarantee it's lies. Although, truth be told, I haven't been entirely honest with you either."
He paused briefly and looked over at the brightening horizon, wishing for a bed. He sighed.
"I was contacted by someone during our travels. A man named Aleron. He gave me the amulet, the book, and it was to his sanctuary I fled when the Peregin's tried to murder me, the fucking hypocrites..." He muttered, and, at the questioning look in Tim's eyes. "Summoning magic is elven in origin, Tim. They weren't trying to stop me because they thought I was an errant, they were trying to stop me because I was using their stuff and they didn't want me to. But, then again, if you've spoken to them you know what a bunch of arrogant, controlling, intolerant bastards they are."
He had no doubt that the elves would cling to their explanations for their unprovoked attack until someone put a stop to them, but that was an issue for another time.
"The Ralkin want to make the world a better place Tim, for my people and for yours, but because their methods are... different than others they must operate in secrecy, especially when looking for new recruits..." He stopped a moment to let the implication sink in.
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Alberich
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
So, thought Tim, If they're making a tactical approach - I hope Argus or Therese is smart enough to disrupt the glyph with their earth magic. Drusia, he felt sure, would just attack, relying on her awesome unstoppable elfiness to save the day. The thing to do was not to rush the conversation. No doubt, as soon as he'd left, Rose had immediately roused the others and told them about his signal, and surely they were rushing pell-mell to scout out the situation and make a quick plan to capture Eli alive. The thought that Elite Battle Angel Rose might be giving higher priority to talking about Lillith's morning sickness -- this did not enter into his mind.
He couldn't stall on purpose for the sake of it - Eli would pick up on that - but he could keep the conversation going a reasonable amount of time. It's not as if even someone as angry and frustrated as himself would abandon his post and run off with these "Ralkin" without a little question-and-answer time.
"The elf didn't care to tell me much of anything about what happened when she went after you," he said truthfully. "But the inn burned down, which I guess was in the crossfire. She's everything you say. I walk in the door, and bam! her weapon's right in my back. No time to see anything except that I'm a human. If I'd been a half-elf, she'd probably just have killed me. If I'd been an elf, who knows? Maybe she'd treat me like a human being. Or whatever elves treat each other like. Then she's shoving and tripping and giving orders - I'm supposed to be so weak, or just a natural slave to elves. But I wouldn't obey. She claims to know you and all the half-elves with us. Who is she really?
"And who are these 'Ralkin' and what are they all about? And does the elf know?" Because she sure wasn't telling.
He couldn't stall on purpose for the sake of it - Eli would pick up on that - but he could keep the conversation going a reasonable amount of time. It's not as if even someone as angry and frustrated as himself would abandon his post and run off with these "Ralkin" without a little question-and-answer time.
"The elf didn't care to tell me much of anything about what happened when she went after you," he said truthfully. "But the inn burned down, which I guess was in the crossfire. She's everything you say. I walk in the door, and bam! her weapon's right in my back. No time to see anything except that I'm a human. If I'd been a half-elf, she'd probably just have killed me. If I'd been an elf, who knows? Maybe she'd treat me like a human being. Or whatever elves treat each other like. Then she's shoving and tripping and giving orders - I'm supposed to be so weak, or just a natural slave to elves. But I wouldn't obey. She claims to know you and all the half-elves with us. Who is she really?
"And who are these 'Ralkin' and what are they all about? And does the elf know?" Because she sure wasn't telling.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5
"Ralkin is a word from a dead dialect of people who used to use the magic we know. It simply means 'chosen'." Eli replied. "I can't tell you the details here, Tim, but they're planning something, a revolution, and I'd like you to be a part of it."
Eli saw and understood the reluctance in the other man's face, hadn't he been the same way?
"It not just the elves, Brother, think on the things you saw in Goriel; the slavery, women treated as semi-conscious furniture, the pompous lords and their petty power struggles, fucking each other over for the sake of adding glory to their names. What if you could march into a city like that and change their values? Make them believers in your church, adopt its moral values, and look to you as the guiding light in their community? That's what we can offer you, on my oath I swear it."
The half-elf pulled the amulet free of his shirt and looked back to the glyph he'd drawn, rolling the object between his fingers.
"We're not butchers, Brother. There will be causalities, but there won't be blood running in the gutters when we're done. That's exactly why we need a man like you in our group." He stepped forward and placed a hand on the man's shoulders.
"Come with me, and you'll do wonders."
Eli saw and understood the reluctance in the other man's face, hadn't he been the same way?
"It not just the elves, Brother, think on the things you saw in Goriel; the slavery, women treated as semi-conscious furniture, the pompous lords and their petty power struggles, fucking each other over for the sake of adding glory to their names. What if you could march into a city like that and change their values? Make them believers in your church, adopt its moral values, and look to you as the guiding light in their community? That's what we can offer you, on my oath I swear it."
The half-elf pulled the amulet free of his shirt and looked back to the glyph he'd drawn, rolling the object between his fingers.
"We're not butchers, Brother. There will be causalities, but there won't be blood running in the gutters when we're done. That's exactly why we need a man like you in our group." He stepped forward and placed a hand on the man's shoulders.
"Come with me, and you'll do wonders."