Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

[Alberich]

[OOC: You described her as a "semi" PC when you introduced her here. (Which implies "semi" NPC.) But I'll treat her as a "full" PC from now on then.]

[Graybeard]

Dutiful Brad was faithfully standing sentry duty (and getting a little wobbly) when the group got back to the campsite. "Is everyone all right?" he inquired anxiously. "I heard what sounded like thunder up there. You don't really want to get caught in the high mountains when there's a thunderstorm starting. None of you got hit by lightning or anything, did you?

"... Oh."

[Alberich]

Tim didn't elect to join in any discussion of the Rite of Repose and "what it does" with a Reformist and a heathen. In fact, he wasn't quite sure himself. His formal training suggested that it had real meaning only for the Faithful or the Just Dead, who in any case would be judged by their sins and repentance in life. Folklore suggested that it kept the dead from coming back as ghosts. But he wasn't going to talk folklore-as-theology with these two. Or anyone else that he could think of.

He'd been a little surprised at Rose's persistent insistence on performing the rite over nearly every dead person they ran acros. He'd thought those Reformists were down on excess ritual, and sometimes he suspected she used it to kill time while trying to make her mind up about something. But on the scale of "things that disturbed him since leaving Umbertiel," that registered near zero. (Even the little thrill he got when that female cat-creature touched him registered higher...)

He had no interest in the laws of this disgusting heathen country, no more than the lawlessness of Port Lorrel, and was no more disturbed by Drusia's improptu execution than he had been by Eli's of the slavers in the other place. His only concern was that this deprived them of their only guide to the outlaws' camp and Blaise's body. But no doubt that problem could be overcome.

* * *

Brad's turn on watch had been uneventful as regards outsiders. Judging by the sounds coming from the tent Desiree shared with Anfisa, it had not been entirely uneventful on the inside.

[Jack Rothwell]

"I heard what sounded like thunder up there. You don't really want to get caught in the high mountains when there's a thunderstorm starting. None of you got hit by lightning or anything, did you? ... Oh."

"Got hit by force bolt!" Tamina replied, pointing to a patch of charcoal black fur on her forearm. "Well, skim-im-im-ed anyway. Bandits and magic tentacle man! Scared to get close to him!" She said informatively.

[Graybeard]

Brad didn't say anything in response to Tamina; he just looked wide-eyed at the charred spot on her fur, and decided there were things he didn't want to know.

------------

Dinner, blessedly prepared by the noncombatants (Sister Rose felt she owed Brad, Lillith, Desiree and Anfisa a big favor for that), was particularly welcome tonight, and the party was well tucked into it by the time Rose mustered up the nerve to ask a question of the whole group that had been bothering her ever since the end of the battle with the bandits.

"What do people think," she said, "about making one more outing tomorrow, and finding out just what was going on with this idol that that man was talking about? Let's talk this one through."

[Alberich]

"Absolutely vital," said Tim. "We haven't found Blaise's body yet. Whatever that monster did to come back from the dead, we need to make sure Blaise didn't do it too. Or have one of those monster things in his belly either. And fix it so no one else can do the same. Only question is, how do we find them?"

[Graybeard]

"I agree," Therese said. "The threat from the power behind that -- thing is not over. We must finish the job."

Sister Rose started to nod agreement, but dissent came from a not totally unexpected quarter. Lillith stood up, her arms crossed and determination on her face. "I will not put my unborn baby at risk," she said. "No discussion, period." She sat down, and Brad's body language left no doubt of his opinion on the matter.

I was sure that was going to be her position, thought Rose. And she's right, just as Therese and Tim are right. Which puts the grandfather-to-be in a ... sticky position. And he may not even have known he's going to be a grandfather. Let me see if I can buy him a minute or two to respond. "Drusia? Your perspective here would be particularly valuable." Since not only are you the only one here who may have seen this possible enemy close up ... you're also the only one who's been a mother-to-be like Lillith.

Damn.

[Drusia]

"Drusia? Your perspective here would be particularly valuable."

"I agree with Lillith," I reply promptly. "We have non-combatants with us who could not even begin to defend themselves against another monster like that. While I agree we must make sure that Blaize's corpse isn't turning into another one of those things, I also agree that taking Lillith or Desiree -" I'm not going to lie about where my priorities lie - "anywhere near there is a terrible idea. Lillith might possibly be able to do something to block a directed attack from one of those creatures. Desiree can't. I'm unwilling to put either at risk."

Desiree, sitting between Therese and Anfisa sighed. "I'd be more likely to attract it than stop it," she grumbled softly.

"That said," I continue, "We've proven the effectiveness of an advanced scouting party, not to mention certain combat techniques. Harker and Tamina to lead the way, Argus and Rose to provide the necessary magical offense, and Udo for pressure. Perhaps Therese or myself as well, but not both. The rest of us then move the camp onward, away from Goriel, and away from anyone who might be looking for Anfisa." I didn't think we'd be staying this close to Goriel for this long - I could have waited a few days and THEN brought her here. I could have even set up a rune here at the camp to make my gating easier. Oh well, hindsight.

"I'm sure Therese knows somewhere safe we could go," Desiree pipes up.

I repress a smile. My daughter has good taste. I wonder if she realizes consciously that she's falling for a woman who rather resembles my lover from the Errant War. She's heard enough stories about her. Or perhaps she's just associated that type - a red-headed warrior woman - with my fond stories of youthful romance in the face of war. I wonder, too, if she remembers that those stories eventually ended in tragedy.

Or perhaps I'm reading too much into things? It's not as if Desiree doesn't like keeping several lovers at a time. The girl has a big heart - it takes a lot to fill it.

-- Drusia

[Jack Rothwell]

"We've proven the effectiveness of an advanced scouting party, not to mention certain combat techniques. Harker and Tamina to lead the way."

Tamina looked up briefly from the meal she was tearing into at Drusia's words.

"K!" She said. The kobold tipped a salute with the rib bone in her hand and returned to her dinner.

[Drannin]

"We need to investigate this," Argus said simply. "However, we need to consider that there are noncombatants who will find it difficult to continue on in this investigation, given the opposition we've been encountering."