Gaz seems comfortable slinking off through the woods, resembling a panther comfortable in his own terrain - Asha less so, but she eventually splits from Alabaster and Malon to search on her own.
Some time passes as you trek through the woods. Alabaster especially manages to find several, muddied-and-bloodied tracks on the forest floor which aren't too old - all seem to be leading back to camp, indicating the tracks of whoever returned to the Outcast camp alive.
After an hour or so of travel, Alabaster spots a small glade clearing next to a riverside stream. The stench of blood seems powerful here - and judging by the several bodies lying on the ground nearby, quite recent as well. The faint sound of something wetly crunching sounds as a large, boar-like creature - most definitely a Razorback - repeatedly stabbing a bloated corpse's abdomen with vaguely insect-like fangs sprouting where tusks should be. The front of its head is matted with blood. Around a half-dozen fallen Outcasts lie, killed in a surprising variety of methods.
More concerning, though, is a humanoid figure kneeling near the river, hands bringing cupped water to its lips. It is dressed in a dappled, dark red cloak - the exact shade brings to mind blood, as if it was used as the dye in the creation of this dirtied cowl. The murmuring of the stream seems to prevent either of the two from noticing Alabaster or Malon.
What do you do?
At the sight of the hulking beast, Alabaster grabs Malon's arm and drags him down, both crouching behind underbrushes. Excited to face the Razorback that Gaz was talking about, Alabaster wets his lips, looks over to Malon and mimes shooting an arrow, asking the ranger wordlessly, Can you shoot it?
Thea responds with a mild smile. "We wouldn't want to steal Herrena's chance to be in the limelight of course. Plus we're still processing our last and rather vivid clash not too long ago." She glances over her companions for a moment, then her eyes wander back to the goliath. "So, does the item in question meet your requests?"
"You fight well," Aster comments towards Herrena."And the rest of you not at all. Why not? I have foreseen your arrival. I presume you obtained what I requested of the red-haired Zavas girl?"
Erbert looks up from his journal, finishing his drawing of the last of the battle, putting captions underneath. "Really not a hand to hand - fisticuff combatant. I like solving problems with a pen or a wand instead." He points to the package. "Here is what you are looking for. What can you tell us? How did your foresee our arrival? I want to know more from you, if that would be acceptable."
"It is unlikely any of us will ever fight against you unless you are enemies. We do not seek to fight." Aster gestures towards the wrinkled Druid and the glaive-wielding Aasimar - each have their full attention on the arena below. A roar of the crowd sounds as the announcer begins his usual ritual of announcing the combatants - Ak'hela, the reigning Torken champion, has been challenged by a warrior named Vlaa'chi. "I recommend we remain on equal footing. The Wilderness does not need any more conflict."
Aster reaches forth and plucks Miko's device from Navarra's hands with the delicacy of one who should be able to see. The goliath frowns as he traces a finger around the device. "I cannot verify its authenticity - I will leave others for it - though Miko has proven trustworthy. To shed light on why we requested this - the Imperials seem intent to dig around our mountains in search of something they called Fluidium. We received word from the Morka that Fluidium posesses some connection to the magic we wield in everyday life. The Torken are not the most magically inclined any more," Aster says with a moment of hesitation, "So we offered to find a sample and obtain the means to study it. You deserve that much knowledge."
"As for how I knew you were arriving? You do not need eyes to see the light shed by the stars. You can learn to read with more than your sight."
Aster frowns. "The majority of the tribe is unfortunately caught up with the semantics behind their champion being challenged. It is...disappointing, when more important matters are at hand. May I ask of you a favor? Before you object on principle - the Torken believe in rewarding favors with materials rather than thanks."
??? Perception: 7
The red-cowled figure pays no mind to Alabaster and Malon - the Razorback seems intent on scavenging off the corpses in the woods nearby, emitting horrid squealing sounds amidst sickening crunches.
Thea perks up at the nebulous mentioning of reading the stars light. It was something she'd heard of before, but she'd never had the opportunity to talk to an authentic practitioner of the sort. "We would be demonstrating poor manners to object on principle. What is it that you ask us to do", a curious smile playing on her lips, "...and do the Torken prefer such payments to be of physical nature, or would you consider rewarding such favors with knowledge too?"
Iver nods as Aster speaks. Indeed, eyes are not needed for one to see, although... it was clear the Goliath is much better trained than he is. When asked for a favour... one which sounded more like a job, at least to Iver, he's not certain. Just travelling away now, to deliver a letter, is a bit disappointing. After years of forced action, doing nothing for such extended periods of time makes him crave some action. However, he couldn't be sure the favour would be any more interesting. Moreover, sooner or later, they'll need to deliver those letters. "I'm not promising anything, but what favour do you want us to carry? We can decide whether or not to accept it after we know the details."
Herrena deflated a bit when Aster all but shut down the possibility of a match in the future with him or any of the other champions on the platform. She didn't see why a friendly duel would make them enemies but didn't push the topic further. She did look down towards the roaring arena though as the fight between champion and challenger was about to begin. She was incredibly curious to see what kind of skills made one a Torken champion but did her best to focus on the man they were here to meet.
When Aster asked a favor of the group, Herrena added, "I have no issue with helping out - assuming its not something that's going to lead us to certain death or ban me from competing in the arena again of course." She almost added a quick wink at the end before remembering the goliath's lack of normal eyesight.
“Great job Herrena, most impressive!” Erbert turns to the Goliath, says “We would hear more about what you would have us carry, perhaps we could go to a different, more quiet location to discuss this?”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Although not as used as he is training to be to forest environment, Malon did a pretty decent job of keeping the pace. Alabaster however seemed to be doing the best part of the job here, and the young man decided to trust him with it and follow his lead. Eventually, as Asha and Gaz splitted from the party, Malon kept his eyes wide open for anything suspicious.$
With Malon shadowing Alabaster, the two men find a glade, and in it make a gruesome discovery. As he is taking the sight of the slaughtered, Malon's heart starts pumping with terror, and more so as he notices the grotesque version of a boar nearby. He breaks from his stupor by a familiar hand pushing him down to crouch. Responding to Alabaster's silent question, his fingers shakingly move to his quiver.
Suddenly however, he notices the robed man seeming at ease in this yet horrifying surrounding. Malon locks his eye on him, trying to see what he is doing exactly, and he shows him with a movement of the chin to Alabaster as he reaches telepathically to him.
"Do you know what that man is doing ? He doesn't look like an Imperium soldier to me. What if he's the bigger threat ?"
At the sight of the hulking beast, Alabaster grabs Malon's arm and drags him down, both crouching behind underbrushes. Excited to face the Razorback that Gaz was talking about, Alabaster wets his lips, looks over to Malon and mimes shooting an arrow, asking the ranger wordlessly, Can you shoot it?
Stealth: 12
Thea responds with a mild smile. "We wouldn't want to steal Herrena's chance to be in the limelight of course. Plus we're still processing our last and rather vivid clash not too long ago." She glances over her companions for a moment, then her eyes wander back to the goliath. "So, does the item in question meet your requests?"
Erbert looks up from his journal, finishing his drawing of the last of the battle, putting captions underneath. "Really not a hand to hand - fisticuff combatant. I like solving problems with a pen or a wand instead." He points to the package. "Here is what you are looking for. What can you tell us? How did your foresee our arrival? I want to know more from you, if that would be acceptable."
"It is unlikely any of us will ever fight against you unless you are enemies. We do not seek to fight." Aster gestures towards the wrinkled Druid and the glaive-wielding Aasimar - each have their full attention on the arena below. A roar of the crowd sounds as the announcer begins his usual ritual of announcing the combatants - Ak'hela, the reigning Torken champion, has been challenged by a warrior named Vlaa'chi. "I recommend we remain on equal footing. The Wilderness does not need any more conflict."
Aster reaches forth and plucks Miko's device from Navarra's hands with the delicacy of one who should be able to see. The goliath frowns as he traces a finger around the device. "I cannot verify its authenticity - I will leave others for it - though Miko has proven trustworthy. To shed light on why we requested this - the Imperials seem intent to dig around our mountains in search of something they called Fluidium. We received word from the Morka that Fluidium posesses some connection to the magic we wield in everyday life. The Torken are not the most magically inclined any more," Aster says with a moment of hesitation, "So we offered to find a sample and obtain the means to study it. You deserve that much knowledge."
"As for how I knew you were arriving? You do not need eyes to see the light shed by the stars. You can learn to read with more than your sight."
Aster frowns. "The majority of the tribe is unfortunately caught up with the semantics behind their champion being challenged. It is...disappointing, when more important matters are at hand. May I ask of you a favor? Before you object on principle - the Torken believe in rewarding favors with materials rather than thanks."
??? Perception: 7
The red-cowled figure pays no mind to Alabaster and Malon - the Razorback seems intent on scavenging off the corpses in the woods nearby, emitting horrid squealing sounds amidst sickening crunches.
Thea perks up at the nebulous mentioning of reading the stars light. It was something she'd heard of before, but she'd never had the opportunity to talk to an authentic practitioner of the sort. "We would be demonstrating poor manners to object on principle. What is it that you ask us to do", a curious smile playing on her lips, "...and do the Torken prefer such payments to be of physical nature, or would you consider rewarding such favors with knowledge too?"
Iver nods as Aster speaks. Indeed, eyes are not needed for one to see, although... it was clear the Goliath is much better trained than he is. When asked for a favour... one which sounded more like a job, at least to Iver, he's not certain. Just travelling away now, to deliver a letter, is a bit disappointing. After years of forced action, doing nothing for such extended periods of time makes him crave some action. However, he couldn't be sure the favour would be any more interesting. Moreover, sooner or later, they'll need to deliver those letters. "I'm not promising anything, but what favour do you want us to carry? We can decide whether or not to accept it after we know the details."
Varielky | Emma
Herrena deflated a bit when Aster all but shut down the possibility of a match in the future with him or any of the other champions on the platform. She didn't see why a friendly duel would make them enemies but didn't push the topic further. She did look down towards the roaring arena though as the fight between champion and challenger was about to begin. She was incredibly curious to see what kind of skills made one a Torken champion but did her best to focus on the man they were here to meet.
When Aster asked a favor of the group, Herrena added, "I have no issue with helping out - assuming its not something that's going to lead us to certain death or ban me from competing in the arena again of course." She almost added a quick wink at the end before remembering the goliath's lack of normal eyesight.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
“Great job Herrena, most impressive!” Erbert turns to the Goliath, says “We would hear more about what you would have us carry, perhaps we could go to a different, more quiet location to discuss this?”
Although not as used as he is training to be to forest environment, Malon did a pretty decent job of keeping the pace. Alabaster however seemed to be doing the best part of the job here, and the young man decided to trust him with it and follow his lead. Eventually, as Asha and Gaz splitted from the party, Malon kept his eyes wide open for anything suspicious.$
With Malon shadowing Alabaster, the two men find a glade, and in it make a gruesome discovery. As he is taking the sight of the slaughtered, Malon's heart starts pumping with terror, and more so as he notices the grotesque version of a boar nearby. He breaks from his stupor by a familiar hand pushing him down to crouch. Responding to Alabaster's silent question, his fingers shakingly move to his quiver.
Suddenly however, he notices the robed man seeming at ease in this yet horrifying surrounding. Malon locks his eye on him, trying to see what he is doing exactly, and he shows him with a movement of the chin to Alabaster as he reaches telepathically to him.
"Do you know what that man is doing ? He doesn't look like an Imperium soldier to me. What if he's the bigger threat ?"
Stealth : 13
Perception : 26
Malon : Kalashtar Ranger
Goramar : Half-Orc Ranger
Erbert prods the quiet Goliath, “Or do you want to discuss this here? I thought that we could discuss this after the matches are through…”