Olamoira marks Beren's discomfort with her worshipful behavior, and nods in response to his request. "I will make every effort, Lord Beren."As much as he is only a man, that is not what I bow to… but he cannot see it. I do not know how to describe it to him.She looks at him, carefully, trying to see what it is that he would rather her see, but she has to squint not just against the pain of the light, but against a sort of double vision---in one moment, she sees the undifferentiated light behind the mask and the armor, and in another, the celestial vision suddenly suffuses the light, wings of holy flame and a crown streaking great rays of heavenly beams, an indescribably sweet odor, like the rarest incense, and a welling up within her of an awe and reverence as of some celestial being who has marked, nay, laid his own hand on this man. And in another moment again, just the strange and unearthly glow behind the armor, blotting out details of hands or face. I must keep them straight, Olamoira thinks soberly to herself, or I will find myself alone here.She swallows to quell the terror that grips her insides at the thought.
As the trio walks along the path, Olamoira watches Jack too, allowing a smile of her own to mirror his light-hearted attention on their surroundings. "A pity to be parted from your companion," she offers, "I hope you will meet him soon again, Jack." The Eladrin's caprice and unusual--to her--bearing reminds her of the most ancient of virtues of elvenkind, but placed like an old heirloom jewel in a strange and new-wrought setting. The novelty draws a spark of curiosity from her to hear his tale, but she is yet too shy to voice it.
As Olamoira begins to come out of the fog in her mind, she hears Jack laughing to her other side, and barely stifled amusement from the dusk elves and the brightly garbed man. The joyous, novel sound catches her attention for a minute, and she stands as if lost in a rapture, forgetting to continue the argument. Nivi's last comment about the glowering dark elf finally breaks over her reverie like a splash of cold water, and she starts laughing too... for a moment the absurdity of her situation is only funny to her. Of course! The Sun is a metaphor! Beren is the Avatar of the Sun, like as not, but only here! Here, where the grip of that Strahd is absolute! The showers of illumination that race through her mind make her dark eyes sparkle and an uncharacteristically broad smile stretch across a face very unused to the expression, while chuckles that sound almost rusty roll from her throat like seagulls over ocean waves. In the temple of Lolth, no one ever laughed... unless it was in ridicule. But Ola's laughter doesn't last long. It's almost as if she's ashamed to make such a sound. The too-young face of the snide high elf twists in her something awful. This place seems in a way like her own private hell--indeed, she forebode it really was, when first she arrived here--a cursed place where she cannot count on the hatred of those around her to provide the penance she craves for her crimes, but must face reflections of the visions and faces within herself. Thank the Light--or should I say, the Sun?--that the divine sign is here too, waiting to set free these people who live in darkness, just like I do.
She returns the curious gaze of the dusk elves, wondering what piece of the story they represent. She keeps an eye on them until they retire, as curious about what they are as she is about the fact that they accepted her so readily. (Insight: 12). If the Eladrin is an old stone in a new setting, rife with timelessness, then perhaps the dusk elf is the grain of wheat that fell into the earth and lies buried in the darkness, waiting for a drop of water to make it sprout. But Luvash and Nivi distract Ola from her thoughts as both soon clamor and suggest that the outsiders go straightaway to look for Arabelle, and Olamoira tries to push the musings and visions from her mind to pay attention. So they have not looked north... what, I wonder, is north? The thought brings a chill with it that sets her teeth on edge.
The smile is long gone from Ola's face as she draws subtly backwards, hiding herself in Beren's shadow... or rather, his light. Blinking in pain as her dull, pale robe catches and reflects all the light, doing the opposite of hiding her. "Everything hidden will be brought to light, now. The Sun will find Arabelle." Just like it found me...
If Jack had to be honest, keeping up with every little interaction left him swaying a bit on the spot. Yet so enamored was he with it all, all the same, the thought never crosses his mind to beg a moment of anyone to stop as. Instead he kept his head on a swivel happily drinking it all in and taking the odd mental note here or there at some things. The slight tilt of amusement in the corner of his lips only falters when brief confusion blooms seeing the gazes of the Dusk Elves where they lingered on either Nivi and Moira. But such an oddity is naught but a fleeting concern for the Eladrin as Luvash finds his moment to interject with further encouragement of the party.
A party of four, instead of three, if he had correctly understood Nivi's 'suggestion' mere moments ago. Jack certainly hoped so, and wasn't afraid to show it in brightening of a smile and tapping of fingers together in anticipation for a bit there. But in a frequently less rare show of genuine consideration for Beren and Moira, and not the usual show of it with the belief things would just work out, the Eladrin looked first to Beren and Ola, gauging their reaction. For better or for worse however, again Ola seemed to have said something amusing to Jack, as there's another snort and half-smile from the Eladrin before he waves a hand in dismissal.
"All in all it seems we do have our point to start with, if nothing else on our missing child. But if its not too much trouble, uhm... Luvash, was it? Might I purchase a map of the lands from you for about... 5 gold pieces? If you have any to spare, that is. Unlikely as it may be that we'll need such in the immediate future, it would be most appreciated." He requests. "And then we can be out of your hair lickity split, and well on our way in a... northerly direction."
Nivi returns the gaze of the Dusk Elves with bold curiosity. She is no stranger to people, mostly males, looking at her and other females with interest. Yet the Dusk Elves seem... melancholy? An emotion utterly foreign to Nivi, except unacknowledged when thinking of her family. Yet often captured, as she remembers, in the ballads her bard sister Tara'ele would sing in her ethereally beautiful voice, putting Nivi's own half-hearted attempts at song to shame.
They said they might disappear without the help of others. Not be killed, specifically, but disappear. As if they are fading away...
"Wonder if they look at the 'dusk elf' ladies the way they looked at us, Prophet," she muses to Olamoira. "Not that I mind. Actually kind of nice after everyone else in Vallaki acting like I'm a troglodyte with a toothache. But I've got to think... Are there any 'dusk elf' ladies around here?"
She shakes herself and nods as Jack speaks. "Bloody right. North it is. Is that towards the lake? Good call with the map, Jack. So, Luvash, you promised a good word, some nice fish, and even a smile when we come back with the lass, yeah? Holding you to that, my man. No one likes a welcher."
So quiet and still had Shiv, the owl Familiar on Nivi's shoulder, been until now, that it is startling when he suddenly takes wing. Spiraling quickly upward well above the tree-line, circling thrice to take in the surroundings, particularly features of the terrain that lie north of Vallaki, then back down to his accustomed shoulder-perch. Preening briefly before his eyes dawn once more to gaze at the group impassively.
(Shiv'sPerception to aerially identify general terrain features north of Vallaki: 13)
At Nivi's comment about disavowed prophesies, Beren lets out a frustrated sigh and raises a hand as if to rub his eyes--but the action is stopped by the mask. Lowering his hand, he gives Olamoira a sideways look when she pipes in again. Hadn't he just clarified that he has nothing to do with the sun or whatever prophecies are surrounding it here? He's had enough of prophecies.
To Nivi he says, "She is not my prophet, I just met her. And the Avatar is not disavowing anything because the Avatar is not here. Just ask the guards back at the gate." He shakes his head, realizing its pointless to keep at this topic. Nothing he says is going to shake Olamoira's belief...whatever that may be. And Nivi was just joking around. At least she wasn't treating him the same way Olamoira is.
He doesn't seem bothered when Nivi switches languages, and actually seems to be listening. He turns his attention to the elf who spoke, and the light flickers slightly. Then he takes a step or two towards the elf who'd spoken, and asks in elvish. His use of the language is not as eloquent as Nivi's, but it is fluent, "My comrade and I" He gestures to Jack "Have glimpsed the dangers of this land, and I do not wish to deprive you of rest. However, I must know...Did you see it happen? Or are these assumptions formed from the fact that no trace of her has been found?"
After whatever response he receives, he thanks the fellow for answering and then turns his attention back to the group. By this time, it seems it was already decided that Nivi would be joining their group. Beren doesn't object. In fact it dawns on him that perhaps the prophecy from Madame Eva was already unraveling. ...she had said nothing about Noel leaving or these two elves joining. Though perhaps things could change in the future too. For all he knows, these two women could go their own ways after all is done here, and Noel could return to their company before they depart this town. Without turning his head, he glanced at Olamoira--with how she's been treating him, it's hard to imagine her leaving. So perhaps they really had stumbled across a path not foretold.
He seems a little withdrawn until he hears Nivi's question about the dusk elf maidens. Remembering what Savid told them, he glances at the surrounding Dusk elves, wondering if they'd overheard, and searching for a reaction. After a moment he steps between the two elf women and says in a low whisper, "There are no Dusk elf women. Strahd saw to that."
Acting as if he hadn't spoken, he says, "North then. And yes, a map would be appreciated."
Moira's mental monologue continues as she seems to observe the world around her with a dark wonder, with omens around every corner, and a single sign that claims not to be one. Even as the rest of those gathered seem to come to a conclusion about what will happen. Moira's attention is drawn all around her though mostly to the flame to her moth. The Dusk elves attentions barely register on Moira despite her curiosity about their place in the world, cant quite read farther into the intent of their hungering gaze on her. Ironically enough, their gaze fell harder on her than it had Nivi - though for what reason was hard to tell.
And as Moira makes yet another proclamation, Luvash looks ready to respond in a similar fashion that he had with Nivi but after a few moments of air in his throat he seems to deflate, sighing in resignation, waiving Moira off as if to shoo her away, rolling his eyes running his fingers through his hair - stressed. Atleast the smirking elf over there doesn't talk much Luvash mumbles under his breath, in reference to Jack. Though how wrong he was, he wouldn't know at this moment.It was just then that Jack proved him wrong, and he turned about, teeth bare like one dealing with frustrating children for the entire day after his patience had ran into the negatives. Once Jack had finished speaking, Luvash looked thoughtful but shook his head in the end.
We have a map of the area, but it's not like we keep a copy of it just lying around anywhere. Get about your task, and we'll have it for you either as a reward for your success, or at cost if nothing turns up. We don't have one nearby. So go, and we'll have it when you return.
Nivi's gaze falls on the ashen-skinned elven males, and their eyes don't shy away from her returned gaze. In it, Nivi can sense the usual lust of most males that is ever-present, but like a candle in the sea, it's surrounded by shadows and darkness greater even than the land they are currently in. Hope, simultaneously there, and buried in their glances. A deep longing, though that longing is broad, rather than focused. Like a bard trying to win the heart of every maiden in attendance because it didn't matter who, rather than a lover seeking the warmth of his woman. She could see that there was something they wanted from her, but their expression gave way to the heavy doubt that the people their eyes fell on would find it an attractive proposal. But in the deeper parts of it all, she saw defeat in their eyes. Thy clung to life out of fear of something, rather than the ambition that likely once filled their hearts like a kiln. Though all of this only really settles into Nivi's mind after Beren confirms the worst.
Luvash watches the owl go up into the fog, eventually disappearing into it. From Shiv's perspective, the world is like a snowglobe under a cloth. A sphere of vision that goes out at most, a mile. Beyond that, the fog is currently too dense to see beyond, leaving to half the city simply... disappearing. His vision just barely allows him to make out the beginning of the lake and a few boats near the shore with fishermen - All of them wearing the duller robes, but this also meant that if he were closer, he'd likely be able to see the lake properly to be used as a forward scout. Aside from this, the moon is only just barely visible through the fog, like seeing it through a deep cloth with only the faintest of sheer. What he is able to make out, aside from the town itself is that tree's dot this land like a forest that hasn't been touched by the hands of man, the trees creep in to swallow the roads in their hunger only giving way near the towns walls, and the lake's edge.
Just as the door is about to shut, Beren spoke to one of the other Dusk elves. Only his head turning to hear what Beren had to say, and only a single eye watching the man on fire. To your first question, outsider... No. We did not.
To your second, yes. She often came here, and ran through the tents and around the hovels. She was a common sight. She would often run off to one side of the hill or the other so ... it was not unfamiliar to have her dissappear for a short time, as she was off greeting others elsewhere, or playing. he said in common. With a sigh, he adds...
We no longer speak that language. It's memory haunts us, as it is only a reminder of what we lost before, and what we lost after. So please, speak to us in the common tongue... he lets his gaze linger for a few moments. His was not one of malice, or anger, but resignation. Even Savid had seemed resigned but perhaps his recent second chance had given him a bit more hope than these elves. If by some chance, you are not welcome within the town, you may rest here. You may be outsiders. But in a way, so are we.
And with that, the door was shut.
Ultimately, with things more or less decided here, and most conversations over... the quartet of you decide to head towards the lake itself. Opting to follow along the tree line near the wall to expedite the process. The fog is an ever oppressive sphere around you. A mile out you see the bases of trunks that lead to larger trees meanwhile tree's behind you disappear into the fog - consumed in much the same manner as a certain hill of silence. The walls eventually curve in as they go to complete the obtuse triangle shape of the town itself but a path leads north, and this are the tree's have been cut and harvested to create a large, treeless area leading to the lake itself. From here, you can see a few fisherman near the shore, testing their luck, all of them wearing dull looking robes and clothing, slouched over.
What do you do from here?
(Roughly an hour and ten minutes have passed. I apologize for pushing the movement but I didn't want to delay this by another day just to have you confirm that you were going to do what you all seemed ready to do anyway! And as always, you may post any 'past' conversations still at the camp above a line break!)
"No dusk elf women, no dusk elf children," Nivi trails off in a whisper once Beren informs her of the Dusk Elves' plight, no sarcastic quip for once. "They are fading away. This Strahd bastard has taken their future."
Her face becomes blank and expressionless for a long while. A look which perhaps only her family and former closest 'associates' would recognize as frustrated, seething anger. She does not relax until her owl, Shiv, returns to her shoulder with his scouting report on the mists and the lake.
"Shiv says the mist is a wall, even above. Sound right to you all? Like being indoors or underground even when we're bloody well not. Lake is to the north. Way I see it, we got two areas to cover first. Scout the lake perimeter, scout the water in the lake interior. Eyes open for a kidnapper or other sign of the girl. Either way, need a boat. Might be these jolly anglers will lend us one. Could start with them and ask if they've seen anyone skulking by or going out on the water. Or if they won't part with a boat... we 'requisition' an unattended one. Five-fingered discount."
Nivi's voice is conversational once more. Back to business. "Any other ideas?"
Ola looks thoughtfully at Nivi as she ponders casually to her about dusk elf ladies. She has nothing to say in reply at first, but hearing of the situation from Beren, she is silent for a moment before replying, quietly, to Nivi's melancholy comment. "Always the life in the body among one's fellows is one of unrest, strife, and suffering," she murmurs. "At least the dusk elves are spared the pain of the Bergomaster and a lost child. Oh, but their lot is not a happy one. They wait for what they know not, seeing only death and despair in what they have now. Like all the others here, they need the Sun... fortune for them that it is coming to them now." Olamoira thinks soberly on her duty to live up to the name Nivi gave her in sarcasm. Prophet. There is little use in my being anything else. I can be no light to these people here, but I can help make the way for it.
As the group traverses the fog-shrouded woods winding their way around the town towards the lake, Olamoira falls into place somewhat to the left of Beren, just outside of the brightest aura of his glow. She is silent as they walk and discuss their strategy, finding herself still dwelling on the strangeness of this realm. The fear and suspicion of the townsfolk. The sorrowful plight of the dusk elves. She too has noted the underground-like quality of the place. For all that the underground feels familiar to her, it is a familiarity tinged with blood and shame, and it makes her like this realm no more. This fog is not natural. Any more than the life of bloodshed against kith and kin and stranger that my people live is natural, or right.
She looks at Beren. "Who is this Strahd? A fell lord he must be, for all that the folk live in fear and oppression here in his realm. This is why you have come here, to put an end to his Evil ways, haven't you?" Despite the fact that she phrased it as a question, Ola looks at Beren with absolute conviction that this is his inviolable purpose here.
(Just a small addendum, I intended to include this with the other post but it got lost in translation.)
Beren however does have a flickering thought after his comment on prophecies and how it seems to already be unraveling, when he said similar to Madam Eva. Her words breifly echo through his mind:
Your feelings about prophecy are understandable, considering. But trust me, my dear...prophecies are vague for a reason. As you pierce the veil of eternity, your vision is limited. Much the same as you can only see so far down a path before your vision fails you. The farther you look, the more unclear it is. And yet just because the sun dissappears upon the horizon, does that mean that the sun has ceased to exist? or simply that it has gone beyond your sight?
And he now found himself in a sunless land, with his vision obscured every moment....
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Beren nods to the elf, "Forgive me, I did not know. Thank you for your help... and hospitality." Perhaps it would be more pleasant to spend there time here instead of in the town.
He does his best to push aside the memory of Eva's words--though part of him can't ignore them. He knows that discrediting her foretelling completely would be foolish, but he still wants to do everything in his power to avoid fulfilling it in its entirety. Part of him is willing to grasp onto anything that could prove just a fraction of the prophecy wrong--anything to prove that he isn't set on a singular path into the future.
He has to stop himself from asking Olamoira to stop bringing up the Sun, as he finds himself rather sick of the word. Though he realizes that she's probably not really talking about him at this point...is she? He can't really tell.
When she asks about Strahd, his mood darkens. "He is a vampire. A wicked creature that wants nothing but bloodshed and suffering for his own entertainment." He pauses, flickering gaze locked on the path ahead of them. No, he hadn't come here with the intention of fighting anyone or anything in particular. He hadn't had a choice in coming here, just as assuredly as Olamoira and Nivi also had no choice. Yet... he has to admit that he hadn't known exactly why he was with the Vistani caravan in the first place. He'd simply been going where the power drew him, knowing that there was some sort of evil he needed to vanquish. Now he found a great evil to destroy, but he also knew that he was no match for Strahd's power... not yet at least. I am but an arrow pointed towards evil, I have no control over what target I strike. Once set on course, there is no turning back. The thought brings only bitterness.
With a sigh, he says finally, "None of us came of our own accord. ...but I do intend to rid this place of the evil controlling it. It is my duty to purge the earth, no matter what evil I must face."
He realizes then that Nivi said something along the lines of "requisitioning" an unattended boat... it was the sort of thing he supposed he should discourage, but seems how these people wanted their help but were willing to give very little help in return, then he doesn't really care if they take something. Besides, it isn't as if they'd be able to keep the boat. If they took one it would be temporarily. "First, we'll ask. If no one will lend us one, we can think of other options. Though perhaps it would be wise to search the shores first. If the girl simply got lost, I doubt she would have taken a boat." He scans the area though he has little hope of seeing any telltale signs from here.
Perception: 12
He moves to approach the fishermen, then hesitates for a moment as if something just occurred to him. Shaking his head, he forces himself to proceed, and walks up to the men at the shore. "Hello, forgive me for intruding, but my companions and I are searching for Arabelle--the burgomaster's missing daughter. Doubtless you've already heard of her disappearance. From what we've gathered, this is the only area that hasn't been searched yet, so we've come to do so. Have any of you seen anything suspicious?"
Disappointed but unsurprised, Jack continued to wear the face of the thankful jester where it came to Luvash, and offered a small bow of thanks. But not wanting to further antagonize the understandably grumpy Vistani, he took the cue to leave seeing Shiv suddenly flutter off into the night... with others of course well in tow by then. At some point during the journey, Nivi's words to Olamoira finally sunk in enough for Jack to belatedly do a bit of a double take to her, and then glance back down the path in the rough direction of the Dusk Elven domiciles. "No starving tiger among the three, but too early to be sure of that tale." He uttered offhandedly, before carrying on once more.
At Present...
At some point in the journey, Jack started to become a little less animated than his usual self. Occasionally he'd tilt his head as if listening for something, only to dismiss any concern with a shake of his head. But at Nivi's eventual questioning, Jack lets out a yawn and thumbs Beren's general direction, before ultimately saying, "Sir Beren has the right of it. But if you are want to do more, then a division of labor wouldn't be so bad. So send off your Shiv to scout the surface on the lake from on high as it were. But do keep them from the wall as you put it. For once one leaves the stage, there's no telling how that'll turn out." He mentions mysteriously before following Beren closer to the shore. He kept back, however, having half-hoped the fishermen might be a bit more inclined to speak with a mysterious light knight over a dreaded elf. But seeing that almost immediately become pointless with Beren drawing attention to Jack and the rest, he chuckles softly and approaches as well to listen while absentmindedly scanning the general area and making note of any oddities.
The wind blows softly over the surface of the water as Nivi begins to think aloud, offering some suggestions, solutions and the like. The moon itself reflects off the surface of the opaque water, softly rippling from the gusts. Though this all was muted by the fog, making what would otherwise be a serene, and beautiful scene, seem off, and send the spine to tingling - though none of the fishers likely on the ends of their shifts - seemed to mind nor care about. If anything they looked something worse than bored, or in tedium. The town behind you is only just visible at the tip, as if the town had been consumed in whole except for some corner of it. The tree's and the water also disappear after a while in all directions.
Miora, for the first time since coming here, having a moment of relative peace seems to feel something distant. Something that was new yet familiar. Moira felt she could cast her powers, but her chosen patron felt... far away? In a sense that was different from the usual. If she truly felt like it, she could feel what all believers feel but it was harder. Like there was a wall. A line of led blocking out the radio waves as it were, though this moment passes as things begin to set in motion again. Fleeting though it was, what did it mean?
In a sense of Irony, Beren's reflection shines against the water like a beacon - likely much to his chagrin, though he is likely not perceptive enough to notice. The dull looking man looks up at Beren with disinterest, though not disgust or fear like most did. His lips were a line, though one could say it was ever-so-slightly frowning. His brow was heavy, not with stupidity but tedium. His clothes were mottled brown rags at best, a stark contrast to the colorful Vistani or the guards who may or may not be Vistani, so far, aside from the Dusk Elves, everyone has been human, of one race or another.
He's pulling a small net filled with what could barely be called a catch. But he didn't seem to care. As Beren brought up the missing child, his visage fails to change, if anything he sighs. Who cares? Everyone dies here. Everyone is up in a fuss about her but she's probably dead. And everything is suspicious, and dangerous here. Not my fault no one's looked here. Stop bothering me. he says flatly, though no anger is found in his tone. You want to look around, go ahead. No ones stopping you. With that he makes landfall, pulling onto the shore, and hefting his few fish over his shoulder, still squirming. The man, unless stopped, trudges past you with the weight of a man who's done with it all. Though notably, despite seeing the elves, unlike the others, he neither makes comment, nor seems to care.
(Allright, I'll need some affirmative actions, such as 'i do x' or "I go Y" etc. You may also continue to pursue this man, or any of the other who all seems to be slowly making their way to shore at the end of their long shifts. If there are any questions, feel free to let me know.)
"Not just fear and oppression everyone here lives under. Everyone but the Vistani, anyway. Townsfolk have bloody well given up." Nivi shakes her head as she mutters, not liking the thought of ending up with her spirit crushed like the fisherman who had (barely) responded to Beren.
"Sure, girl might not ship out onto the lake by herself. Or she might. But you ask me, I'd lay odds she was taken. From what the dusk elves said, girl actually sounded inquisitive, perish the thought. Happy even. Doesn't strike me as the lone runaway type."
Aye, not the lone runaway type. Unlike me.
With a warning not to enter the mists above or to the sides, Nivi sends Shiv flying, at an altitude of perhaps twenty feet above the surface. Quick circles along the shore in both directions and a bit out into the water looking for any people or boats on the water or lake's edge, or signs of disturbance or a body being dragged near the shore. Never venturing too far for fear of birds of prey or hunters who might prove lethal for the owl.
ShivPerception with owls' Keen Hearing and Sight: 23 (Nat. 20)
Nivi herself quietly begins to search the boat landing area. Both for signs of a body being dragged and, more sneakily, for a boat to "borrow" without attracting notice. Perhaps the vessel that the departing, taciturn fisherman himself is leaving behind as he hauls his catch away?
Olamoira smiles with great confidence at Beren's words, that he would extinguish the evil of this place. She sees the vision again--the crown, the winged rays, the sweet heavenly odor. In response she suddenly is speaking a different tongue, a light-filled tongue of the music of the spheres. In Celestial,
"Yours is the hand of the Divine, though you see not all its work, still you do not waver."
The fog closes in oppressively, and fleetingly she feels what she imagines the people of this place must feel, locked in their despair, never seeing the sun. It's an unsettling feeling, like the sun having gone behind a cloud, and would be frightening if she had no surety that it would come back out. But the surety of the Sun is there before her, glowing behind a mask of armor. While my lord stands here amidst the fog I know that the Celestial voice has not left me. His purpose will be mine too, for it is one with the Divine purpose in this accursed place.
And, keeping well in mind that he had told Nivi that they would ask for a boat, not take one, she follows behind and watches Beren address the fisherman. The lack of reaction from the man in his brown rags is startling, making her double take, and squint her eyes into the darkness to make sure he's really a man. But, he seems so. And, he does have a boat. So must we stand by the ways of truth and justice given to us by the gods, for only by these can we come to the end of the sighs of this life and the fulfillment of our heavenly refuge. As the man in his doldrums passes them without reaction, she reaches out a hand gently as if to stay him, barely stopping short of touching his shoulder thrown all over with wriggling fish in the net. "Sir... may we use your boat to make a good search?"
Jack appeared at once surprised, and then a bit hopeful in the fisherman's seeming indifference to everyone. Seeing Olamoira share similar sentiments, he nods to her in approval, before then promptly tacking on before the man can voice any frustration or incredulousness at the request, "Indeedy. Mind allowing us to rent it for... an hour or so, my goodman? Though I will confess to not having much at the moment save ten gold pieces to spare, no doubt there'll be some reward in seeing her returned to her family. And if that reward turns out to be of the monetary variety, I will be more than happy to return here to, uhh, share in the prosperity with... I-I'm sorry, it seems I didn't quite catch your name first -- But you may call me Jack, for what it's worth." He assured the man. "Not to of course deny any preferences you might have for your, uhm... current lifestyle as is. But, even you can't deny that with things being as grim as they seem to be all the time that having a bit of throw away coin to use at the local tavern back in town is nice, no?"
If following his efforts the man still appeared less than inclined to agree, Jack gives an understanding, if not apologetic bow, before leaving the man to carry on his way. And should it be needed as well, he'd even go so far as to place a gentle hand on his compatriot's shoulders to keep them from making further insistence. But if otherwise allowed to rent the boat, Jack let's his more curious nature take hold in spending the next few minutes trying his best to inspect the boat as if checking its quality, only to reality be seeking clues that might suggest some connection to foul play. But before losing himself in the examination, he would suggest the others carry on elsewhere to try and speak to other fishermen.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Beren shakes his head at Olamoira's response, but doesn't say anything. Instead he just pretends that he doesn't understand her words. He doesn't waver? Though he likes to pretend that he has any choice in the matter, he knows he doesn't. The power drives him towards its own goals--destroying evil. If he really had a choice...well he isn't sure what he would do. If he never received the power, well he likely would never have left the town where he was born--but he could hardly imagine what a simple life would be like at this point. Why bother anyways.
He is completely unbothered by the fisherman's lack of reaction, and though he doesn't show it, he is actually relieved. Though he does grow a little irritated at the man's response, and his is about to say something rather harsh before Olamoira and Jack speak up. When they start talking, he crosses his arms and turns his attention to the boat and the lake--light flaring behind the mask--completely oblivious to his reflection on the water.
To Nivi he says,"Yes, if she was taken then it is possible that she could have ended up in a boat, and I must agree that she was likely taken by something. However, searching the shore first would be best. If there is evidence to be found, whether she was taken or not, then there should be something on the shore. Unless magic was involved, in which case..." He shakes his head, dismissing his thought.
Whether or not the others manage to convince the fisherman to lend them the boat, Beren pointedly ignores the fisherman and begins walking along the shoreline (in the opposite direction of Nivi's owl so as to avoid covering the same ground twice). He's looking for anything that could indicate a struggle, or even just footprints that could be small enough for a child.
Nivi gives Shiv some fairly specific commands, the oblongly triangular lake. First, Shiv goes West, going just far enough to see the river that heads south where the woods break. An area that Jack, Noel, Beren, and Even Moira are familiar with, for different reasons. Most of the things Shiv see's are the water itself, only slightly rippling from the boats gliding along the surface, Vallaki itself disappearing not long after leaving the owl with only tree's, water, and land. The fishermen themselves are not far from the path leading to Vallaki, and after going out a ways, seeing no one, or nothing else beyond a hundred feet from the path, despite going nearly a thousand feet himself - turns around.
He skims out farther over the wayer on the return journey, and by this point, most of the fisherman have made land, or were within moments. The lake itself now barren of visible life. Flying north compared to Nivi's position the lake continues its lonely homage to the night sky. Finally, heading east where the shore and treeline were just barely visible even to the owls keen eyes - he repeats this heading east, once more, seeing little aside from what has already been mentioned. But at the very end of his easterly flight, a single boat far from the shore, and far-farther away from the other fisherman was just barely perceivable. He has a fishing pole in hand, and a large wriggling sack at the prow of the boat, small noises can be heard.
Shiv flies back to inform Nivi in whatever way they communicate.
Nivi herself begins to search the landing area, but aside from the tree's the rocks, the few sparse plants that can survive in low sunlight and the lake itself, she finds only the fisherman who are making landfall, seeming not to care about the outsiders nearby so long as they're not being 'bothered' - only making passing notice of the party, each of them wearing slightly different expressions despite the commonality among them. Some seemed more depressed, others more apathetic, like they're simply going though the motions of life as they make their way towards town, this also leaves plenty of boats to aquire. The color variety amongst them is dull, tattered shades of grey, browns, and mottled green, a few in black. Though as for signs of dragging or bodies not even the smallest clue could be seen.
If Nivi was still seeking one that would draw the least attention, a single boat had landed far (in comparison to the others) to the west where Shiv had just flown moments before, and had made landfall a few minutes after the man Moira and Beren were speaking to. And if Nivi chose, she could likely get to it without even the party noticing.
Moira approaches the man who had just started walking away, stopping him once more, his sigh audible as if this were the most awful thing that could have happened to him, and before he can full respond - though he had taken several long breaths - he is interrupted by jack, and his face sours a little. Not at the elfs race, but at his 'chipper' tone though it shifts once more at the prospect of financial benefit - not that he seems greedy but..- his eyes shifted as he considered it. he shifted his weight once more and finally said. Five gold per person who plans to use the boat, and i want it now. You'll probably drown, and I don't feel like searching the lake for your body to get it when you sink it. And then I don't have to be bothered finding you again either. But you won't find anyone he says to Moira, They have been searching for days, you're wasting your time as much as everyone else is. he says, stating his return offer. Even despite this, his tone is one of hollow acceptance and sloth. He holds out a hand, waiting to see if his demand would be met, but he does not wait overly long. If his offer is accepted, or a more stealthy boat is aquired for 'inspection' or if Jack simply inspects the mans boat anyway, he will ultimately find nothing of note. Fishing supplies left in the boat itself, the structural integrity can be deemed... 'good enough' but in the same way when crossing a bridge over a large gorge, you may have second thoughts.
Regardless, no obvious leak-holes are visible, and the interior only has splashes of dark water pooled in the center.
Beren ultimately ignores the man who refused to give his name to Jack, deciding it time to actually start doing something, heading east along the shore, where the tree's allow for only a small beachhead, and with the recent rain, the dirt is wet, loose, and muddy but not so much as to prevent walking. As the beacon of light presses to the east, he makes it quite far before finally spotting something. Though he is as perceptive as ever, and can't see or hear much beyond a few feet that wasn't just the tree's themselves, he did find some footprints that were deeper than his own, but humanoid, as if they had been carrying a weight and the telltale sign of a boat landing against the shore being drug back out to the water, that was several days old. It was about this time, he could hear the flapping of a bird going by him, only to, a minute later head back the other way, hooing as if it had found something of note and in urgency.
(Beren is 3/4ths of a mile to the east, Nivi is either with the party proper or a few hundred feet west, the rest of the party is at what could be called the 'center')
(Roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes have passed. Based on travel time, and various checks/conversation)
Nivi straightens up as Shiv returns and elf and owl lock eyes and minds telepathically for a moment. She nods in grim satisfaction.
Nice work. I owe you, partner. You found her. She makes a mental note to share her entire next ration with the bird. For a moment, Nivi hesitates.
Could just take the far western boat and go. No one would be the wiser. No fanatical prophecies or fine moral stances. But west is the wrong direction. Lone boatman target with the wriggling sack is to the east. Need backup anyway if there is trouble or a hostage situation. Remember what happened with your last crew when you followed your heart? Leave Waterdeep girl. Do not return or you will be dead in days.Blade without a hilt is no good to anyone...
She dashes back to the others that she can see (Olamoira and Jack?) (Bonus Action dash through Cunning Action so she should be able to cover 90' a round if she also uses her action for movement). She skids to a halt before them, voice low but urgent.
"No more talk. We take a boat, NOW. Buy one, cajole one, borrow one. Don't care. Lone fisherman on a boat out in the lake far to the east. Shiv saw him. He's got a large sack with something wriggling and making noises inside. Could be the girl. Arabelle. Likely is, if I had to lay odds."
Nivi begins moving towards the boats before she even finishes speaking, Shiv still on her shoulder.
For a moment, Ola feels a spike of alarm when it seems like Beren does not understand her words. How could he radiate the Divine Light and be deaf to its tongue? Frightened, she almost reaches out to him as he turns away. But then it occurs to her that he might just be ignoring her, not liking her constant references to his holy state, and she checks her reaction. I must try to be more circumspect. It is not her wish to annoy her fated companions, whom she knows that she owes her life to in this strange place. But it is difficult---difficult when on the one side, overwhelming celestial visions constantly bombard her mind, and on the other is a vast, yawning chasm of despair and the blackness of her sins, jeering at her. Constantly, she feels as though she is teetering on the precipice, and it seems a matter of life and death to fling herself at every opportunity to acknowledge and beg the only Light that can save her from it.
Ola waits to see if Jack wishes to pay the fisherman as he asks. Olamoira has no money, herself. She waits, at least, until Nivi comes running up with her urgent message. Ola's dark eyes widen, and she turns to look at the boat. I childishly thought that to take anything that is not yours is always wrong, but the Ilmatari taught me that private property cannot be withheld against the public good. Thus I knew that if the sacrifices and slaves we captured stole food from us---when we were starving them--they committed no moral wrong. And I knew that our crimes against the truly had no justification. Now, a girl's life is in danger, again. Ola's head swims in terror and her hands begin to shake. Just the mental image that comes into her mind with Nivi's description of the wriggling sack brings a rush of fury and nausea.
Ola looks at the young high elf, the distress beginning to be evident on her face. "He has gone down the beach, to the east. We can pick him up on the way." She takes a step to follow Nivi to the boat, and then turns over her shoulder to look at the fisherman. "Someone is in grave peril. We must take your boat to help her. We will return it soon and then we can talk about compensation. Jack... Jack! Come with us!" Then she runs with Nivi to the boat, leaping in and starting to unmoor it almost in the same motion.
Beren frowns at the footprints, recognizing that it's likely as clear a sign as they'll get out here. As he turns to look back at his companions, he miraculously hears the flapping of hurried wings above him...when did the owl fly this direction anyways? Well, they are quiet birds, so it really wasn't that much of a surprise that he hadn't heard it fly by the first time... He waves a glowing hand, hoping that the others can see him. Judging by Shiv's hasty flight, he's guessing the owl found something promising as well.
After some consideration of whether or not to continue along the shore in hopes of finding whatever the owl had seen, Beren turns and starts walking briskly back towards the company. He would run, but is finding that his wound from the other day--half healed as it is--is still enough to bother him. He growls slightly at the pain, pressing a hand to his middle briefly before forcing himself to ignore it again. He's been dealing with it for this long, so why bother thinking about it again. Once they find the girl they will be able to rest, and that will be that. ...he'll exchange one pain for another.
Hopefully he'll meet up with the rest of the group before they set off, but if not then he'll be close enough to the shore that they can easily pick him up. However, if he gets to where they are about to shove off before they leave and they fill him in on what's going on he'll say, "Go, I'll find another boat. We don't want him spotting us and making a run for it. Perhaps... if he sees me and tries to flee, then I can drive him towards your vessel. Either way, it will be better not to have me on board with you."
If they meet him on the way, he'll reluctantly get into the boat, realizing that trying to get all the way back to where the other boats are docked would be a waste of time. Unfortunately if he's left on shore, he won't be of any help.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Olamoira marks Beren's discomfort with her worshipful behavior, and nods in response to his request. "I will make every effort, Lord Beren." As much as he is only a man, that is not what I bow to… but he cannot see it. I do not know how to describe it to him. She looks at him, carefully, trying to see what it is that he would rather her see, but she has to squint not just against the pain of the light, but against a sort of double vision---in one moment, she sees the undifferentiated light behind the mask and the armor, and in another, the celestial vision suddenly suffuses the light, wings of holy flame and a crown streaking great rays of heavenly beams, an indescribably sweet odor, like the rarest incense, and a welling up within her of an awe and reverence as of some celestial being who has marked, nay, laid his own hand on this man. And in another moment again, just the strange and unearthly glow behind the armor, blotting out details of hands or face. I must keep them straight, Olamoira thinks soberly to herself, or I will find myself alone here. She swallows to quell the terror that grips her insides at the thought.
As the trio walks along the path, Olamoira watches Jack too, allowing a smile of her own to mirror his light-hearted attention on their surroundings. "A pity to be parted from your companion," she offers, "I hope you will meet him soon again, Jack." The Eladrin's caprice and unusual--to her--bearing reminds her of the most ancient of virtues of elvenkind, but placed like an old heirloom jewel in a strange and new-wrought setting. The novelty draws a spark of curiosity from her to hear his tale, but she is yet too shy to voice it.
As Olamoira begins to come out of the fog in her mind, she hears Jack laughing to her other side, and barely stifled amusement from the dusk elves and the brightly garbed man. The joyous, novel sound catches her attention for a minute, and she stands as if lost in a rapture, forgetting to continue the argument. Nivi's last comment about the glowering dark elf finally breaks over her reverie like a splash of cold water, and she starts laughing too... for a moment the absurdity of her situation is only funny to her. Of course! The Sun is a metaphor! Beren is the Avatar of the Sun, like as not, but only here! Here, where the grip of that Strahd is absolute! The showers of illumination that race through her mind make her dark eyes sparkle and an uncharacteristically broad smile stretch across a face very unused to the expression, while chuckles that sound almost rusty roll from her throat like seagulls over ocean waves. In the temple of Lolth, no one ever laughed... unless it was in ridicule. But Ola's laughter doesn't last long. It's almost as if she's ashamed to make such a sound. The too-young face of the snide high elf twists in her something awful. This place seems in a way like her own private hell--indeed, she forebode it really was, when first she arrived here--a cursed place where she cannot count on the hatred of those around her to provide the penance she craves for her crimes, but must face reflections of the visions and faces within herself. Thank the Light--or should I say, the Sun?--that the divine sign is here too, waiting to set free these people who live in darkness, just like I do.
She returns the curious gaze of the dusk elves, wondering what piece of the story they represent. She keeps an eye on them until they retire, as curious about what they are as she is about the fact that they accepted her so readily. (Insight: 12). If the Eladrin is an old stone in a new setting, rife with timelessness, then perhaps the dusk elf is the grain of wheat that fell into the earth and lies buried in the darkness, waiting for a drop of water to make it sprout. But Luvash and Nivi distract Ola from her thoughts as both soon clamor and suggest that the outsiders go straightaway to look for Arabelle, and Olamoira tries to push the musings and visions from her mind to pay attention. So they have not looked north... what, I wonder, is north? The thought brings a chill with it that sets her teeth on edge.
The smile is long gone from Ola's face as she draws subtly backwards, hiding herself in Beren's shadow... or rather, his light. Blinking in pain as her dull, pale robe catches and reflects all the light, doing the opposite of hiding her. "Everything hidden will be brought to light, now. The Sun will find Arabelle." Just like it found me...
If Jack had to be honest, keeping up with every little interaction left him swaying a bit on the spot. Yet so enamored was he with it all, all the same, the thought never crosses his mind to beg a moment of anyone to stop as. Instead he kept his head on a swivel happily drinking it all in and taking the odd mental note here or there at some things. The slight tilt of amusement in the corner of his lips only falters when brief confusion blooms seeing the gazes of the Dusk Elves where they lingered on either Nivi and Moira. But such an oddity is naught but a fleeting concern for the Eladrin as Luvash finds his moment to interject with further encouragement of the party.
A party of four, instead of three, if he had correctly understood Nivi's 'suggestion' mere moments ago. Jack certainly hoped so, and wasn't afraid to show it in brightening of a smile and tapping of fingers together in anticipation for a bit there. But in a frequently less rare show of genuine consideration for Beren and Moira, and not the usual show of it with the belief things would just work out, the Eladrin looked first to Beren and Ola, gauging their reaction. For better or for worse however, again Ola seemed to have said something amusing to Jack, as there's another snort and half-smile from the Eladrin before he waves a hand in dismissal.
"All in all it seems we do have our point to start with, if nothing else on our missing child. But if its not too much trouble, uhm... Luvash, was it? Might I purchase a map of the lands from you for about... 5 gold pieces? If you have any to spare, that is. Unlikely as it may be that we'll need such in the immediate future, it would be most appreciated." He requests. "And then we can be out of your hair lickity split, and well on our way in a... northerly direction."
Goyo - [Tortle]Druid/Warlock - Circle of Sea/Celestial (Libretalia)
Vogan - [Goliath-Hill]Bard - ???(A Dungeon-Delving Campaign Group C)
Jack Vicvan - [Eladrin]Warlock - Archfey
Nivi returns the gaze of the Dusk Elves with bold curiosity. She is no stranger to people, mostly males, looking at her and other females with interest. Yet the Dusk Elves seem... melancholy? An emotion utterly foreign to Nivi, except unacknowledged when thinking of her family. Yet often captured, as she remembers, in the ballads her bard sister Tara'ele would sing in her ethereally beautiful voice, putting Nivi's own half-hearted attempts at song to shame.
(Nivi's Insight on the Dusk Elves: 21)
They said they might disappear without the help of others. Not be killed, specifically, but disappear. As if they are fading away...
"Wonder if they look at the 'dusk elf' ladies the way they looked at us, Prophet," she muses to Olamoira. "Not that I mind. Actually kind of nice after everyone else in Vallaki acting like I'm a troglodyte with a toothache. But I've got to think... Are there any 'dusk elf' ladies around here?"
She shakes herself and nods as Jack speaks. "Bloody right. North it is. Is that towards the lake? Good call with the map, Jack. So, Luvash, you promised a good word, some nice fish, and even a smile when we come back with the lass, yeah? Holding you to that, my man. No one likes a welcher."
So quiet and still had Shiv, the owl Familiar on Nivi's shoulder, been until now, that it is startling when he suddenly takes wing. Spiraling quickly upward well above the tree-line, circling thrice to take in the surroundings, particularly features of the terrain that lie north of Vallaki, then back down to his accustomed shoulder-perch. Preening briefly before his eyes dawn once more to gaze at the group impassively.
(Shiv's Perception to aerially identify general terrain features north of Vallaki: 13)
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
(putting a temporary pause to allow Berens player to post)
Occassional Dungeon Master.
At Nivi's comment about disavowed prophesies, Beren lets out a frustrated sigh and raises a hand as if to rub his eyes--but the action is stopped by the mask. Lowering his hand, he gives Olamoira a sideways look when she pipes in again. Hadn't he just clarified that he has nothing to do with the sun or whatever prophecies are surrounding it here? He's had enough of prophecies.
To Nivi he says, "She is not my prophet, I just met her. And the Avatar is not disavowing anything because the Avatar is not here. Just ask the guards back at the gate." He shakes his head, realizing its pointless to keep at this topic. Nothing he says is going to shake Olamoira's belief...whatever that may be. And Nivi was just joking around. At least she wasn't treating him the same way Olamoira is.
He doesn't seem bothered when Nivi switches languages, and actually seems to be listening. He turns his attention to the elf who spoke, and the light flickers slightly. Then he takes a step or two towards the elf who'd spoken, and asks in elvish. His use of the language is not as eloquent as Nivi's, but it is fluent, "My comrade and I" He gestures to Jack "Have glimpsed the dangers of this land, and I do not wish to deprive you of rest. However, I must know...Did you see it happen? Or are these assumptions formed from the fact that no trace of her has been found?"
After whatever response he receives, he thanks the fellow for answering and then turns his attention back to the group. By this time, it seems it was already decided that Nivi would be joining their group. Beren doesn't object. In fact it dawns on him that perhaps the prophecy from Madame Eva was already unraveling. ...she had said nothing about Noel leaving or these two elves joining. Though perhaps things could change in the future too. For all he knows, these two women could go their own ways after all is done here, and Noel could return to their company before they depart this town. Without turning his head, he glanced at Olamoira--with how she's been treating him, it's hard to imagine her leaving. So perhaps they really had stumbled across a path not foretold.
He seems a little withdrawn until he hears Nivi's question about the dusk elf maidens. Remembering what Savid told them, he glances at the surrounding Dusk elves, wondering if they'd overheard, and searching for a reaction. After a moment he steps between the two elf women and says in a low whisper, "There are no Dusk elf women. Strahd saw to that."
Acting as if he hadn't spoken, he says, "North then. And yes, a map would be appreciated."
Moira's mental monologue continues as she seems to observe the world around her with a dark wonder, with omens around every corner, and a single sign that claims not to be one. Even as the rest of those gathered seem to come to a conclusion about what will happen. Moira's attention is drawn all around her though mostly to the flame to her moth. The Dusk elves attentions barely register on Moira despite her curiosity about their place in the world, cant quite read farther into the intent of their hungering gaze on her. Ironically enough, their gaze fell harder on her than it had Nivi - though for what reason was hard to tell.
And as Moira makes yet another proclamation, Luvash looks ready to respond in a similar fashion that he had with Nivi but after a few moments of air in his throat he seems to deflate, sighing in resignation, waiving Moira off as if to shoo her away, rolling his eyes running his fingers through his hair - stressed. Atleast the smirking elf over there doesn't talk much Luvash mumbles under his breath, in reference to Jack. Though how wrong he was, he wouldn't know at this moment.It was just then that Jack proved him wrong, and he turned about, teeth bare like one dealing with frustrating children for the entire day after his patience had ran into the negatives. Once Jack had finished speaking, Luvash looked thoughtful but shook his head in the end.
We have a map of the area, but it's not like we keep a copy of it just lying around anywhere. Get about your task, and we'll have it for you either as a reward for your success, or at cost if nothing turns up. We don't have one nearby. So go, and we'll have it when you return.
Nivi's gaze falls on the ashen-skinned elven males, and their eyes don't shy away from her returned gaze. In it, Nivi can sense the usual lust of most males that is ever-present, but like a candle in the sea, it's surrounded by shadows and darkness greater even than the land they are currently in. Hope, simultaneously there, and buried in their glances. A deep longing, though that longing is broad, rather than focused. Like a bard trying to win the heart of every maiden in attendance because it didn't matter who, rather than a lover seeking the warmth of his woman. She could see that there was something they wanted from her, but their expression gave way to the heavy doubt that the people their eyes fell on would find it an attractive proposal. But in the deeper parts of it all, she saw defeat in their eyes. Thy clung to life out of fear of something, rather than the ambition that likely once filled their hearts like a kiln. Though all of this only really settles into Nivi's mind after Beren confirms the worst.
Luvash watches the owl go up into the fog, eventually disappearing into it. From Shiv's perspective, the world is like a snowglobe under a cloth. A sphere of vision that goes out at most, a mile. Beyond that, the fog is currently too dense to see beyond, leaving to half the city simply... disappearing. His vision just barely allows him to make out the beginning of the lake and a few boats near the shore with fishermen - All of them wearing the duller robes, but this also meant that if he were closer, he'd likely be able to see the lake properly to be used as a forward scout. Aside from this, the moon is only just barely visible through the fog, like seeing it through a deep cloth with only the faintest of sheer. What he is able to make out, aside from the town itself is that tree's dot this land like a forest that hasn't been touched by the hands of man, the trees creep in to swallow the roads in their hunger only giving way near the towns walls, and the lake's edge.
Just as the door is about to shut, Beren spoke to one of the other Dusk elves. Only his head turning to hear what Beren had to say, and only a single eye watching the man on fire. To your first question, outsider... No. We did not.
To your second, yes. She often came here, and ran through the tents and around the hovels. She was a common sight. She would often run off to one side of the hill or the other so ... it was not unfamiliar to have her dissappear for a short time, as she was off greeting others elsewhere, or playing. he said in common. With a sigh, he adds...
We no longer speak that language. It's memory haunts us, as it is only a reminder of what we lost before, and what we lost after. So please, speak to us in the common tongue... he lets his gaze linger for a few moments. His was not one of malice, or anger, but resignation. Even Savid had seemed resigned but perhaps his recent second chance had given him a bit more hope than these elves. If by some chance, you are not welcome within the town, you may rest here. You may be outsiders. But in a way, so are we.
And with that, the door was shut.
Ultimately, with things more or less decided here, and most conversations over... the quartet of you decide to head towards the lake itself. Opting to follow along the tree line near the wall to expedite the process. The fog is an ever oppressive sphere around you. A mile out you see the bases of trunks that lead to larger trees meanwhile tree's behind you disappear into the fog - consumed in much the same manner as a certain hill of silence. The walls eventually curve in as they go to complete the obtuse triangle shape of the town itself but a path leads north, and this are the tree's have been cut and harvested to create a large, treeless area leading to the lake itself. From here, you can see a few fisherman near the shore, testing their luck, all of them wearing dull looking robes and clothing, slouched over.
What do you do from here?
(Roughly an hour and ten minutes have passed. I apologize for pushing the movement but I didn't want to delay this by another day just to have you confirm that you were going to do what you all seemed ready to do anyway! And as always, you may post any 'past' conversations still at the camp above a line break!)
Occassional Dungeon Master.
"No dusk elf women, no dusk elf children," Nivi trails off in a whisper once Beren informs her of the Dusk Elves' plight, no sarcastic quip for once. "They are fading away. This Strahd bastard has taken their future."
Her face becomes blank and expressionless for a long while. A look which perhaps only her family and former closest 'associates' would recognize as frustrated, seething anger. She does not relax until her owl, Shiv, returns to her shoulder with his scouting report on the mists and the lake.
"Shiv says the mist is a wall, even above. Sound right to you all? Like being indoors or underground even when we're bloody well not. Lake is to the north. Way I see it, we got two areas to cover first. Scout the lake perimeter, scout the water in the lake interior. Eyes open for a kidnapper or other sign of the girl. Either way, need a boat. Might be these jolly anglers will lend us one. Could start with them and ask if they've seen anyone skulking by or going out on the water. Or if they won't part with a boat... we 'requisition' an unattended one. Five-fingered discount."
Nivi's voice is conversational once more. Back to business. "Any other ideas?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Ola looks thoughtfully at Nivi as she ponders casually to her about dusk elf ladies. She has nothing to say in reply at first, but hearing of the situation from Beren, she is silent for a moment before replying, quietly, to Nivi's melancholy comment. "Always the life in the body among one's fellows is one of unrest, strife, and suffering," she murmurs. "At least the dusk elves are spared the pain of the Bergomaster and a lost child. Oh, but their lot is not a happy one. They wait for what they know not, seeing only death and despair in what they have now. Like all the others here, they need the Sun... fortune for them that it is coming to them now." Olamoira thinks soberly on her duty to live up to the name Nivi gave her in sarcasm. Prophet. There is little use in my being anything else. I can be no light to these people here, but I can help make the way for it.
As the group traverses the fog-shrouded woods winding their way around the town towards the lake, Olamoira falls into place somewhat to the left of Beren, just outside of the brightest aura of his glow. She is silent as they walk and discuss their strategy, finding herself still dwelling on the strangeness of this realm. The fear and suspicion of the townsfolk. The sorrowful plight of the dusk elves. She too has noted the underground-like quality of the place. For all that the underground feels familiar to her, it is a familiarity tinged with blood and shame, and it makes her like this realm no more. This fog is not natural. Any more than the life of bloodshed against kith and kin and stranger that my people live is natural, or right.
She looks at Beren. "Who is this Strahd? A fell lord he must be, for all that the folk live in fear and oppression here in his realm. This is why you have come here, to put an end to his Evil ways, haven't you?" Despite the fact that she phrased it as a question, Ola looks at Beren with absolute conviction that this is his inviolable purpose here.
(Just a small addendum, I intended to include this with the other post but it got lost in translation.)
Beren however does have a flickering thought after his comment on prophecies and how it seems to already be unraveling, when he said similar to Madam Eva. Her words breifly echo through his mind:
Your feelings about prophecy are understandable, considering. But trust me, my dear...prophecies are vague for a reason. As you pierce the veil of eternity, your vision is limited. Much the same as you can only see so far down a path before your vision fails you. The farther you look, the more unclear it is. And yet just because the sun dissappears upon the horizon, does that mean that the sun has ceased to exist? or simply that it has gone beyond your sight?
And he now found himself in a sunless land, with his vision obscured every moment....
Occassional Dungeon Master.
Beren nods to the elf, "Forgive me, I did not know. Thank you for your help... and hospitality." Perhaps it would be more pleasant to spend there time here instead of in the town.
He does his best to push aside the memory of Eva's words--though part of him can't ignore them. He knows that discrediting her foretelling completely would be foolish, but he still wants to do everything in his power to avoid fulfilling it in its entirety. Part of him is willing to grasp onto anything that could prove just a fraction of the prophecy wrong--anything to prove that he isn't set on a singular path into the future.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
He has to stop himself from asking Olamoira to stop bringing up the Sun, as he finds himself rather sick of the word. Though he realizes that she's probably not really talking about him at this point...is she? He can't really tell.
When she asks about Strahd, his mood darkens. "He is a vampire. A wicked creature that wants nothing but bloodshed and suffering for his own entertainment." He pauses, flickering gaze locked on the path ahead of them. No, he hadn't come here with the intention of fighting anyone or anything in particular. He hadn't had a choice in coming here, just as assuredly as Olamoira and Nivi also had no choice. Yet... he has to admit that he hadn't known exactly why he was with the Vistani caravan in the first place. He'd simply been going where the power drew him, knowing that there was some sort of evil he needed to vanquish. Now he found a great evil to destroy, but he also knew that he was no match for Strahd's power... not yet at least. I am but an arrow pointed towards evil, I have no control over what target I strike. Once set on course, there is no turning back. The thought brings only bitterness.
With a sigh, he says finally, "None of us came of our own accord. ...but I do intend to rid this place of the evil controlling it. It is my duty to purge the earth, no matter what evil I must face."
He realizes then that Nivi said something along the lines of "requisitioning" an unattended boat... it was the sort of thing he supposed he should discourage, but seems how these people wanted their help but were willing to give very little help in return, then he doesn't really care if they take something. Besides, it isn't as if they'd be able to keep the boat. If they took one it would be temporarily. "First, we'll ask. If no one will lend us one, we can think of other options. Though perhaps it would be wise to search the shores first. If the girl simply got lost, I doubt she would have taken a boat." He scans the area though he has little hope of seeing any telltale signs from here.
Perception: 12
He moves to approach the fishermen, then hesitates for a moment as if something just occurred to him. Shaking his head, he forces himself to proceed, and walks up to the men at the shore. "Hello, forgive me for intruding, but my companions and I are searching for Arabelle--the burgomaster's missing daughter. Doubtless you've already heard of her disappearance. From what we've gathered, this is the only area that hasn't been searched yet, so we've come to do so. Have any of you seen anything suspicious?"
During Camp Departure...
Disappointed but unsurprised, Jack continued to wear the face of the thankful jester where it came to Luvash, and offered a small bow of thanks. But not wanting to further antagonize the understandably grumpy Vistani, he took the cue to leave seeing Shiv suddenly flutter off into the night... with others of course well in tow by then. At some point during the journey, Nivi's words to Olamoira finally sunk in enough for Jack to belatedly do a bit of a double take to her, and then glance back down the path in the rough direction of the Dusk Elven domiciles. "No starving tiger among the three, but too early to be sure of that tale." He uttered offhandedly, before carrying on once more.
At Present...
At some point in the journey, Jack started to become a little less animated than his usual self. Occasionally he'd tilt his head as if listening for something, only to dismiss any concern with a shake of his head. But at Nivi's eventual questioning, Jack lets out a yawn and thumbs Beren's general direction, before ultimately saying, "Sir Beren has the right of it. But if you are want to do more, then a division of labor wouldn't be so bad. So send off your Shiv to scout the surface on the lake from on high as it were. But do keep them from the wall as you put it. For once one leaves the stage, there's no telling how that'll turn out." He mentions mysteriously before following Beren closer to the shore. He kept back, however, having half-hoped the fishermen might be a bit more inclined to speak with a mysterious light knight over a dreaded elf. But seeing that almost immediately become pointless with Beren drawing attention to Jack and the rest, he chuckles softly and approaches as well to listen while absentmindedly scanning the general area and making note of any oddities.
Goyo - [Tortle]Druid/Warlock - Circle of Sea/Celestial (Libretalia)
Vogan - [Goliath-Hill]Bard - ???(A Dungeon-Delving Campaign Group C)
Jack Vicvan - [Eladrin]Warlock - Archfey
The wind blows softly over the surface of the water as Nivi begins to think aloud, offering some suggestions, solutions and the like. The moon itself reflects off the surface of the opaque water, softly rippling from the gusts. Though this all was muted by the fog, making what would otherwise be a serene, and beautiful scene, seem off, and send the spine to tingling - though none of the fishers likely on the ends of their shifts - seemed to mind nor care about. If anything they looked something worse than bored, or in tedium. The town behind you is only just visible at the tip, as if the town had been consumed in whole except for some corner of it. The tree's and the water also disappear after a while in all directions.
Miora, for the first time since coming here, having a moment of relative peace seems to feel something distant. Something that was new yet familiar. Moira felt she could cast her powers, but her chosen patron felt... far away? In a sense that was different from the usual. If she truly felt like it, she could feel what all believers feel but it was harder. Like there was a wall. A line of led blocking out the radio waves as it were, though this moment passes as things begin to set in motion again. Fleeting though it was, what did it mean?
In a sense of Irony, Beren's reflection shines against the water like a beacon - likely much to his chagrin, though he is likely not perceptive enough to notice. The dull looking man looks up at Beren with disinterest, though not disgust or fear like most did. His lips were a line, though one could say it was ever-so-slightly frowning. His brow was heavy, not with stupidity but tedium. His clothes were mottled brown rags at best, a stark contrast to the colorful Vistani or the guards who may or may not be Vistani, so far, aside from the Dusk Elves, everyone has been human, of one race or another.
He's pulling a small net filled with what could barely be called a catch. But he didn't seem to care. As Beren brought up the missing child, his visage fails to change, if anything he sighs. Who cares? Everyone dies here. Everyone is up in a fuss about her but she's probably dead. And everything is suspicious, and dangerous here. Not my fault no one's looked here. Stop bothering me. he says flatly, though no anger is found in his tone. You want to look around, go ahead. No ones stopping you. With that he makes landfall, pulling onto the shore, and hefting his few fish over his shoulder, still squirming. The man, unless stopped, trudges past you with the weight of a man who's done with it all. Though notably, despite seeing the elves, unlike the others, he neither makes comment, nor seems to care.
(Allright, I'll need some affirmative actions, such as 'i do x' or "I go Y" etc. You may also continue to pursue this man, or any of the other who all seems to be slowly making their way to shore at the end of their long shifts. If there are any questions, feel free to let me know.)
Occassional Dungeon Master.
"Not just fear and oppression everyone here lives under. Everyone but the Vistani, anyway. Townsfolk have bloody well given up." Nivi shakes her head as she mutters, not liking the thought of ending up with her spirit crushed like the fisherman who had (barely) responded to Beren.
"Sure, girl might not ship out onto the lake by herself. Or she might. But you ask me, I'd lay odds she was taken. From what the dusk elves said, girl actually sounded inquisitive, perish the thought. Happy even. Doesn't strike me as the lone runaway type."
Aye, not the lone runaway type. Unlike me.
With a warning not to enter the mists above or to the sides, Nivi sends Shiv flying, at an altitude of perhaps twenty feet above the surface. Quick circles along the shore in both directions and a bit out into the water looking for any people or boats on the water or lake's edge, or signs of disturbance or a body being dragged near the shore. Never venturing too far for fear of birds of prey or hunters who might prove lethal for the owl.
Shiv Perception with owls' Keen Hearing and Sight: 23 (Nat. 20)
Nivi herself quietly begins to search the boat landing area. Both for signs of a body being dragged and, more sneakily, for a boat to "borrow" without attracting notice. Perhaps the vessel that the departing, taciturn fisherman himself is leaving behind as he hauls his catch away?
Nivi Perception: 14
Nivi Stealth: 19
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Olamoira smiles with great confidence at Beren's words, that he would extinguish the evil of this place. She sees the vision again--the crown, the winged rays, the sweet heavenly odor. In response she suddenly is speaking a different tongue, a light-filled tongue of the music of the spheres. In Celestial,
"Yours is the hand of the Divine, though you see not all its work, still you do not waver."
The fog closes in oppressively, and fleetingly she feels what she imagines the people of this place must feel, locked in their despair, never seeing the sun. It's an unsettling feeling, like the sun having gone behind a cloud, and would be frightening if she had no surety that it would come back out. But the surety of the Sun is there before her, glowing behind a mask of armor. While my lord stands here amidst the fog I know that the Celestial voice has not left me. His purpose will be mine too, for it is one with the Divine purpose in this accursed place.
And, keeping well in mind that he had told Nivi that they would ask for a boat, not take one, she follows behind and watches Beren address the fisherman. The lack of reaction from the man in his brown rags is startling, making her double take, and squint her eyes into the darkness to make sure he's really a man. But, he seems so. And, he does have a boat. So must we stand by the ways of truth and justice given to us by the gods, for only by these can we come to the end of the sighs of this life and the fulfillment of our heavenly refuge. As the man in his doldrums passes them without reaction, she reaches out a hand gently as if to stay him, barely stopping short of touching his shoulder thrown all over with wriggling fish in the net. "Sir... may we use your boat to make a good search?"
Jack appeared at once surprised, and then a bit hopeful in the fisherman's seeming indifference to everyone. Seeing Olamoira share similar sentiments, he nods to her in approval, before then promptly tacking on before the man can voice any frustration or incredulousness at the request, "Indeedy. Mind allowing us to rent it for... an hour or so, my goodman? Though I will confess to not having much at the moment save ten gold pieces to spare, no doubt there'll be some reward in seeing her returned to her family. And if that reward turns out to be of the monetary variety, I will be more than happy to return here to, uhh, share in the prosperity with... I-I'm sorry, it seems I didn't quite catch your name first -- But you may call me Jack, for what it's worth." He assured the man. "Not to of course deny any preferences you might have for your, uhm... current lifestyle as is. But, even you can't deny that with things being as grim as they seem to be all the time that having a bit of throw away coin to use at the local tavern back in town is nice, no?"
-->If Persuasion is needed: 6.
If following his efforts the man still appeared less than inclined to agree, Jack gives an understanding, if not apologetic bow, before leaving the man to carry on his way. And should it be needed as well, he'd even go so far as to place a gentle hand on his compatriot's shoulders to keep them from making further insistence. But if otherwise allowed to rent the boat, Jack let's his more curious nature take hold in spending the next few minutes trying his best to inspect the boat as if checking its quality, only to reality be seeking clues that might suggest some connection to foul play. But before losing himself in the examination, he would suggest the others carry on elsewhere to try and speak to other fishermen.
--> If able to inspect the boat: 8.
Goyo - [Tortle]Druid/Warlock - Circle of Sea/Celestial (Libretalia)
Vogan - [Goliath-Hill]Bard - ???(A Dungeon-Delving Campaign Group C)
Jack Vicvan - [Eladrin]Warlock - Archfey
Beren shakes his head at Olamoira's response, but doesn't say anything. Instead he just pretends that he doesn't understand her words. He doesn't waver? Though he likes to pretend that he has any choice in the matter, he knows he doesn't. The power drives him towards its own goals--destroying evil. If he really had a choice...well he isn't sure what he would do. If he never received the power, well he likely would never have left the town where he was born--but he could hardly imagine what a simple life would be like at this point. Why bother anyways.
He is completely unbothered by the fisherman's lack of reaction, and though he doesn't show it, he is actually relieved. Though he does grow a little irritated at the man's response, and his is about to say something rather harsh before Olamoira and Jack speak up. When they start talking, he crosses his arms and turns his attention to the boat and the lake--light flaring behind the mask--completely oblivious to his reflection on the water.
To Nivi he says, "Yes, if she was taken then it is possible that she could have ended up in a boat, and I must agree that she was likely taken by something. However, searching the shore first would be best. If there is evidence to be found, whether she was taken or not, then there should be something on the shore. Unless magic was involved, in which case..." He shakes his head, dismissing his thought.
Whether or not the others manage to convince the fisherman to lend them the boat, Beren pointedly ignores the fisherman and begins walking along the shoreline (in the opposite direction of Nivi's owl so as to avoid covering the same ground twice). He's looking for anything that could indicate a struggle, or even just footprints that could be small enough for a child.
Perception: 9
Investigation: 5
Nivi gives Shiv some fairly specific commands, the oblongly triangular lake. First, Shiv goes West, going just far enough to see the river that heads south where the woods break. An area that Jack, Noel, Beren, and Even Moira are familiar with, for different reasons. Most of the things Shiv see's are the water itself, only slightly rippling from the boats gliding along the surface, Vallaki itself disappearing not long after leaving the owl with only tree's, water, and land. The fishermen themselves are not far from the path leading to Vallaki, and after going out a ways, seeing no one, or nothing else beyond a hundred feet from the path, despite going nearly a thousand feet himself - turns around.
He skims out farther over the wayer on the return journey, and by this point, most of the fisherman have made land, or were within moments. The lake itself now barren of visible life. Flying north compared to Nivi's position the lake continues its lonely homage to the night sky. Finally, heading east where the shore and treeline were just barely visible even to the owls keen eyes - he repeats this heading east, once more, seeing little aside from what has already been mentioned. But at the very end of his easterly flight, a single boat far from the shore, and far-farther away from the other fisherman was just barely perceivable. He has a fishing pole in hand, and a large wriggling sack at the prow of the boat, small noises can be heard.
Shiv flies back to inform Nivi in whatever way they communicate.
Nivi herself begins to search the landing area, but aside from the tree's the rocks, the few sparse plants that can survive in low sunlight and the lake itself, she finds only the fisherman who are making landfall, seeming not to care about the outsiders nearby so long as they're not being 'bothered' - only making passing notice of the party, each of them wearing slightly different expressions despite the commonality among them. Some seemed more depressed, others more apathetic, like they're simply going though the motions of life as they make their way towards town, this also leaves plenty of boats to aquire. The color variety amongst them is dull, tattered shades of grey, browns, and mottled green, a few in black. Though as for signs of dragging or bodies not even the smallest clue could be seen.
If Nivi was still seeking one that would draw the least attention, a single boat had landed far (in comparison to the others) to the west where Shiv had just flown moments before, and had made landfall a few minutes after the man Moira and Beren were speaking to. And if Nivi chose, she could likely get to it without even the party noticing.
Moira approaches the man who had just started walking away, stopping him once more, his sigh audible as if this were the most awful thing that could have happened to him, and before he can full respond - though he had taken several long breaths - he is interrupted by jack, and his face sours a little. Not at the elfs race, but at his 'chipper' tone though it shifts once more at the prospect of financial benefit - not that he seems greedy but..- his eyes shifted as he considered it. he shifted his weight once more and finally said. Five gold per person who plans to use the boat, and i want it now. You'll probably drown, and I don't feel like searching the lake for your body to get it when you sink it. And then I don't have to be bothered finding you again either. But you won't find anyone he says to Moira, They have been searching for days, you're wasting your time as much as everyone else is. he says, stating his return offer. Even despite this, his tone is one of hollow acceptance and sloth. He holds out a hand, waiting to see if his demand would be met, but he does not wait overly long. If his offer is accepted, or a more stealthy boat is aquired for 'inspection' or if Jack simply inspects the mans boat anyway, he will ultimately find nothing of note. Fishing supplies left in the boat itself, the structural integrity can be deemed... 'good enough' but in the same way when crossing a bridge over a large gorge, you may have second thoughts.
Regardless, no obvious leak-holes are visible, and the interior only has splashes of dark water pooled in the center.
Beren ultimately ignores the man who refused to give his name to Jack, deciding it time to actually start doing something, heading east along the shore, where the tree's allow for only a small beachhead, and with the recent rain, the dirt is wet, loose, and muddy but not so much as to prevent walking. As the beacon of light presses to the east, he makes it quite far before finally spotting something. Though he is as perceptive as ever, and can't see or hear much beyond a few feet that wasn't just the tree's themselves, he did find some footprints that were deeper than his own, but humanoid, as if they had been carrying a weight and the telltale sign of a boat landing against the shore being drug back out to the water, that was several days old. It was about this time, he could hear the flapping of a bird going by him, only to, a minute later head back the other way, hooing as if it had found something of note and in urgency.
(Beren is 3/4ths of a mile to the east, Nivi is either with the party proper or a few hundred feet west, the rest of the party is at what could be called the 'center')
(Roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes have passed. Based on travel time, and various checks/conversation)
Occassional Dungeon Master.
Nivi straightens up as Shiv returns and elf and owl lock eyes and minds telepathically for a moment. She nods in grim satisfaction.
Nice work. I owe you, partner. You found her. She makes a mental note to share her entire next ration with the bird. For a moment, Nivi hesitates.
Could just take the far western boat and go. No one would be the wiser. No fanatical prophecies or fine moral stances. But west is the wrong direction. Lone boatman target with the wriggling sack is to the east. Need backup anyway if there is trouble or a hostage situation. Remember what happened with your last crew when you followed your heart? Leave Waterdeep girl. Do not return or you will be dead in days. Blade without a hilt is no good to anyone...
She dashes back to the others that she can see (Olamoira and Jack?) (Bonus Action dash through Cunning Action so she should be able to cover 90' a round if she also uses her action for movement). She skids to a halt before them, voice low but urgent.
"No more talk. We take a boat, NOW. Buy one, cajole one, borrow one. Don't care. Lone fisherman on a boat out in the lake far to the east. Shiv saw him. He's got a large sack with something wriggling and making noises inside. Could be the girl. Arabelle. Likely is, if I had to lay odds."
Nivi begins moving towards the boats before she even finishes speaking, Shiv still on her shoulder.
"Where'd the glow-knight go?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
For a moment, Ola feels a spike of alarm when it seems like Beren does not understand her words. How could he radiate the Divine Light and be deaf to its tongue? Frightened, she almost reaches out to him as he turns away. But then it occurs to her that he might just be ignoring her, not liking her constant references to his holy state, and she checks her reaction. I must try to be more circumspect. It is not her wish to annoy her fated companions, whom she knows that she owes her life to in this strange place. But it is difficult---difficult when on the one side, overwhelming celestial visions constantly bombard her mind, and on the other is a vast, yawning chasm of despair and the blackness of her sins, jeering at her. Constantly, she feels as though she is teetering on the precipice, and it seems a matter of life and death to fling herself at every opportunity to acknowledge and beg the only Light that can save her from it.
Ola waits to see if Jack wishes to pay the fisherman as he asks. Olamoira has no money, herself. She waits, at least, until Nivi comes running up with her urgent message. Ola's dark eyes widen, and she turns to look at the boat. I childishly thought that to take anything that is not yours is always wrong, but the Ilmatari taught me that private property cannot be withheld against the public good. Thus I knew that if the sacrifices and slaves we captured stole food from us---when we were starving them--they committed no moral wrong. And I knew that our crimes against the truly had no justification. Now, a girl's life is in danger, again. Ola's head swims in terror and her hands begin to shake. Just the mental image that comes into her mind with Nivi's description of the wriggling sack brings a rush of fury and nausea.
Ola looks at the young high elf, the distress beginning to be evident on her face. "He has gone down the beach, to the east. We can pick him up on the way." She takes a step to follow Nivi to the boat, and then turns over her shoulder to look at the fisherman. "Someone is in grave peril. We must take your boat to help her. We will return it soon and then we can talk about compensation. Jack... Jack! Come with us!" Then she runs with Nivi to the boat, leaping in and starting to unmoor it almost in the same motion.
Beren frowns at the footprints, recognizing that it's likely as clear a sign as they'll get out here. As he turns to look back at his companions, he miraculously hears the flapping of hurried wings above him...when did the owl fly this direction anyways? Well, they are quiet birds, so it really wasn't that much of a surprise that he hadn't heard it fly by the first time... He waves a glowing hand, hoping that the others can see him. Judging by Shiv's hasty flight, he's guessing the owl found something promising as well.
After some consideration of whether or not to continue along the shore in hopes of finding whatever the owl had seen, Beren turns and starts walking briskly back towards the company. He would run, but is finding that his wound from the other day--half healed as it is--is still enough to bother him. He growls slightly at the pain, pressing a hand to his middle briefly before forcing himself to ignore it again. He's been dealing with it for this long, so why bother thinking about it again. Once they find the girl they will be able to rest, and that will be that. ...he'll exchange one pain for another.
Hopefully he'll meet up with the rest of the group before they set off, but if not then he'll be close enough to the shore that they can easily pick him up. However, if he gets to where they are about to shove off before they leave and they fill him in on what's going on he'll say, "Go, I'll find another boat. We don't want him spotting us and making a run for it. Perhaps... if he sees me and tries to flee, then I can drive him towards your vessel. Either way, it will be better not to have me on board with you."
If they meet him on the way, he'll reluctantly get into the boat, realizing that trying to get all the way back to where the other boats are docked would be a waste of time. Unfortunately if he's left on shore, he won't be of any help.