The Forgotten Wish

Breldo on alert: 6

Because he's a halfling: 21

If anyone was watching Oren, they can see he was listening to Pallen but only paying half-attention to his answer to the Elven women, until the man started talking about the afterlife and death.  At that point his gaze shifted directly to the man and he began listening and watching intently.  

After Pallen was done speaking about the wasting and his thoughts on it, Oren now did have a  comment and question or two.

"It's difficult to believe in an afterlife, and gods, when; if they do exist, they don't think enough about us to even show that they care the least about you.  If they hide from us that much, they can't be caring about us, can they?  I prefer to think we are on our own.   Easier that way."  he states this as if he has thought about it more than a few times.

"How long ago did this Wasting begin?  And did it first appear in any area or city, like a disease, and then spread to the rest of the world?"

Perception: 5

Pallen listens to Oren's words, some of the things he says clearly leaving an impression. For a moment, it looks like there's a lot of things he wants to say to it. But eventually, he keeps his response simple.

"...It is nice to believe an afterlife exists."

To the next questions however, his answers can be a bit more academic.

"I'm afraid I don't know the specifics. I'd hazard to guess that even academics debate over the exact where it started, and how fast it spread. I can tell you the date, though. Right now it's the year 8417... So, it'd be 8417 years ago."

"Back in those days, long ago, the kingdom of Ghurna ruled over all these lands as well. They essentially ruled all of the Northern and Southern continents, and then some. When the Wasting started, all those leaders and villagers perished. Far as I know, it led to terrible, dark ages. I don't think there are a lot of details nowadays, because if people are starving, there aren't going to be people writing it down. And a lot of scribes presumably died to the wasting, too." he says, although his tone of voice betrays that most of what he just said are mostly his own educated guesses rather than anything he has backed up in facts. 

"There are stories of it too, of course, how the goddess cursed us elves specifically with the disease over our hubris," he says, glancing at Sylvera to make sure whether or not that sounds familiar, "But I'd believe that is more stories people made up to rationalize it, rather than anything based in fact."

Oren listens to the elder elf with respect, nodding showing he is listening.  He thinks for a bit after the response. 

"That is a long, long time ago...I'm curious if you don't mind.  Which is this goddess that the stories talk of that may have caused this disease or curse?"

(How prevalent are religions in the world? Do most people go to a church or think there truly are gods?)

Sylvera listens with what appears to be mild interest as the old elf speaks. She nods along as if she's heard it all before, but perks up at the mention of a cure..****y to deflate a little when it seems Pallen doesn't have any hope for himself. She lets out a quiet huff, finding herself wondering... if turning to stone was the same as dying, and her soul would not be stuck... would it really be that bad to leave something permanent behind? She shutters, no, it isn't worth the risk. 

"So you are just blindly following tradition." Sylvera states as if the 'honorable death' most of her ancestors faced--and which she would eventually face--was anything different. "I suppose nothing has been proven, but it is not a fate I would wish to risk." She studies the road ahead for a moment, then sighs, hoping that there will be more useful findings at their destination. The story Pallen shared wasn't anything remarkable, and she'd heard her fair share of other abridged tales. It wasn't as if she hadn't learned about the appearance of the wasting as a child. She'd simply hoped to glean some sort of extra knowledge--anything that could lead her closer to her goal. 

"It is nice to believe in an afterlife," she says agreeing with Pallen. "Though if there isn't one, I'm not sure facing eternal slumber is much more appealing than fading out of existence." She believes that there was an afterlife though. Why would souls exist if they would simply fade to nothing once the body perished? 

As they walk, she stays beside the cart and for the most part acts as if the only ones present are her and Pallen. 

Perception: 16

(Thanks for the descriptions! Sylvera is likely just slightly taller than Nuria. She has long silver hair which is currently pulled back in a braid which falls down past her waist, and her eyes are bright blue. She looks to be in her late teens or early twenties, and is wearing cloths that appear fine enough to be acceptable in court, but are clearly cut/made for travel. She is petite, and slim in build--generally appearing unthreatening physically, though she carries herself with a strong sense of what could be confidence but borderlines arrogance...or maybe just is arrogance... as she generally looks down at everyone.) 

Perception: 13 (With disadvantage from exhaustion)

Nuria only half listens to Pallen's explanation and history of the Wasting. It's not that she isn't interested, she's just fighting her lack of sleep and attempting to stay alert.

Perception: 12

Khond chuckles slightly, "Not much good of a punishment on the elves when other races are pulled into it.  Still, old stories like these are good to hear, and make for good inspiration for plays."

(Slick Rick is a drab furred taxabi that comes in about 7' tall if he stood straight, which he doesn't really every do. He is middle aged, lanky and missing patches of fur as well as a fair piece of one ear, but most importantly he is well oiled so what fur he has glistens. He has a permanent oily smell around him, the type of oily smell depending on what is available. Now he is mostly rocking a bit off cooking oil. He clothes look like what you would expect from clothes constantly in contact with oil.)

Rick nods along like he already knew about everything that has been said and he reapplies some arm oil. He offers some to Khond, to be polite.

((Breldo did purchase a bunch of lantern oil, if Rick's ever feeling dry.))

Pallen nods.

"The goddess in question was Sehanine," he answers at first, having seemed content to leave it at that barring Oren seemed interested in learning more. That is, at least, until Khond remarks that it isn't good of a punishment if it affected everyone else as well. A brief hearty cry escapes the elf's lips in response. 

"That's honestly what I always thought myself, when I heard that particular story. An abbreviated version goes like this. Humans, gnomes, monsters, whatever, clashing among each other, they came pleading to the elves for help. To which they responded:"

"'And why should we throw ourselves on the fields of battle? When a single elf is worth a thousand of your kind, should we throw ourselves away?'"

"To which the goddess responded saying if we thought so highly of ourselves, that we would be brought down to their level."

"So, to me, it sounds like it is supposed to be a cautionary tale against arrogance... But by making it all about us when so many were afflicted, just makes it all the more arrogant."

In his words he almost seemed to forget Sylvera was there for a moment, almost cautiously glancing back to make sure he hadn't somehow offended when telling his own opinion on that story. Hesitating for a moment as she gives her own response, as if he's going to retort with how she can be sure about those things herself... But eventually just seems to nod in apparent agreement.

Ahead of the group, the road remains looking mostly clear. The cobbled road beneath them is well-traveled, and while all of them see at least one other caravan share the road with them, the most perceptive ones might see multiple. The heavy usage of the road is sometimes reflected in the cobbles beneath their feet, although it remains perfectly serviceable. 

Up ahead everyone except Oren, who has become too enraptured by conversation, notices that a distance up ahead, the farms slowly begin to decline, replaced first with some more hilly grasslands, before there is a patch of forest through which the road runs. The trees closest to the road have been chopped down, allowing for clear passage, although it seems something might have happened to give the cart up ahead of them a reason for pause. Breldo with his keen halfling eyes notices the reason might be that a tree has fallen over the road in the forest.

(Religions still very much exist, and remain prevalent in most parts of the world. Far less than you'd have in a normal setting of course, and many people who don't even consider themselves religious at all. Most races also usually stick with a few specific patron gods specific to them rather than the vast array one might usually worship. Many of them are now also "state controlled".)

"Might be a tree down ahead, I'll move up and see what's up with that other cart."

Breldo slips ahead, scurrying quietly closer.

The stopped cart is still a fair distance, but none the less Breldo decides to go take an early look.

(Stealth check?)

Stealth: 13

((Welp, that's about as bad as he can do...))

Rick leans over to Khond and says,

"Rick is very skilled at seeing things but Rick is sure that the little man is just running up the road? Rick would have tried to sneak!"

Khond blinks at Rick, leaning away slightly, "Why would you sneak?  It's a public road, going ahead to check a potential block is perfectly reasonable, sneaking would be the more suspicious thing."

Rick leans in more to make up for the lost leaning and says very pedagogically and loudly,

"Ponyman is teasing Rick! Rick knows that ponyman knows that trees on roads when there have been no storms," He points up at the clear skies to emphasize his point then down at the dry ground, "means trees have been placed on roads. Rick has d-" Rick coughs and continues, "Rick has heard of this being done many times!"

Rick straightens and smiles at Pallen,

"Boss Pallen is luck to have Rick here to help point things like this out!"

Before Breldo's bad sneaking catches his eyes again and he wrinkles his nose as if he is smelling some too rancid oil.

Nuria quickly follows after Breldo, through she tries to be quiet. Not because she fears any kind of trouble, but because she doesn't want to be noticed by whoever is in the other cart. Unlike Rick, she is not aware that trees in the road are common tools used by roadside thieves.

(with disadvantage)

Stealth: 21

Perception: 9

Unless she makes it clear to him, Breldo probably doesn't notice she's following along.