Archie for the most part of this interaction has been trying to ignore the back and forth between Virro and everyone else, she thinks on the fact that something keeps taking over her consciousness every so often and could cause damage to the group should it want to, what's the difference really between that and Virro's demonic shield, she thinks.
She concentrates on Reya until Roo starts reciting a ritual and begins mutilating himself. Archie is aghast and immediately jumps from her horse once more, the need to help overtaking any momentary understanding, "STOP! Stop! What the hell are you doing? Roo!" she reaches down to pick him up, unsure if he would let her at this moment but not waiting for his permission. She reactively holds a finger up and traces the seeping wounds where his waddle and comb had previously been, the heat from her body sizzles through her gauntlet instantly cauterizing the wounds and radiating some warmth and health back to his small body. "Why would you do that!?" She asks softer this time, upset warbling her already tinny voice.
"I do like the finger collection," Reed says. "Do you think we could take some off of some bad guys and put them on different bad guys? Could they still use them then?"
He says no more about the shield, but he will keep an eye on his friend.
And then he completely forgets about the shield when he sees Roo cut himself.
"This seems a more pressing problem," Reed says, his usual smile faltering slightly. He looks over at Corlith. "Could that flying farmer devil have possessed him or something?"
"Possibly, but I don't think so. We have seen Roo perform this sort of rite before, although without the self mutilation. There is so much we don't know about his culture, but I get the feeling this might just be his way", he replies sounding pretty unsure.
"I think the devil is unlikely to have an interest in Gallus and Strix, and Roo seems quite intent on taking revenge against devils and cults if anything".
"Alright," he says with his smile back. "I don't really go to church or do the whole ritual thing. Dallah Thaun seems okay with just going out and doing what needs doing. She doesn't get all hung up on special rites. I think she just likes to hear what's going on."
He looks back to Roo.
"Is there any more to this or was that it?" Reed asks good-naturedly. "If there's more, could you wait until we see an inn or tavern? I'd like some lunch."
As the battle finishes, Wilfred urges his... noble?... steed forward. But it then decides to take a detour. "Damnit Bart, that's the wrong direction! You were doing so well!" He ends up in the bushes on the side of the road. He jumps down and starts to pull the donkey along. "Come on now. We just caught up, no reason to get detoured now."
As he turns to regard Wilfred, he says “You’re back! And in the nick of time, saving us as always. Hey, you should check out that thing, I know you have one of those cool long blades, maybe the armor on that thing didn’t get too scorched, maybe you could wear it?” He looks to Wilfred and then point to the downed body of the Cambion.
Wilfred nods to Virro. "Thanks! While I'm not happy you all got injured, I'm happy it slowed you down enough for me to catch up! Little Bartholomew here isn't the fastest thing in the world. But Bertie gave him to me and there can't be anything better than that, I say!" He snaps his fingers, remembering something. "Speaking of which, Bertie gave me some cookies to share with you all! I'll get them out later, once we settle down to rest. Let's take a look at that armor, though!"
He heads over to the downed devil as the others start talking about the shield. Investigation14.
He looks up as he starts to hear a commotion. He sees Roo' cut off his comb. "What the hells? What's happening! ROO'!" He starts rushing towards the others. "What the hell is happening? What happened while I was gone!"
Roo sways on his knees as he brings his ritual to an end, returning the Owl's Talon to its scabbard as he slowly rises to his feet.
"Virro, the shield has a devil in it. Believe Thurstwell or not, but I am absolutely sure. Buck."
He sways again as he rises to his full majestic height of two feet. He straightens up considerably when Corlith sooths the wound and stops the bleeding.
"Yes yes, thank you Corlith, I am finished." He says, ruffling his feathers and cocking his head from side to side, sending little patters of blood flicking as he does so. His gaze lands back on Virro. "Carrot? I don't have a carrot, and definitely not in my comb. Oh! No no, I feel much better now, thank you. Corlith has helped me considerably. I BAGOP!"
The little Gallus thrashes for a second as Archie jerks him up off the ground. His feathers ruffle, then his eyes are wide as she reaches out with her burning finger and cauterizes the wound. He struggles, clucking and bocking and all that, clearly unhappy with his situation, but settles down shortly thereafter, looking around and blinking in a pissed off fashion and seeming to be unsettled by the flaming finger of goodness.
"I am fine!" He shouts, squirming in her Archie's grip as he looks at the others. "No I am not possessed! Well, no, yes, I am possessed, but that's just the price you pay when you bargain with Strix! Buck! I am not possessed by one of your pretenders! This is simply all part of a warriors devotion!"
Archie reflexively grips tighter as Roo squirms, but at his protestation of his own well being she puts him gently on glory of morning, pointing an iron clad finger in his beaky face, "If you start dismembering more bits of yourself and I'll make sure its the last thing you'll do, you scared the sh*t out of me!" With that she stomps off back over to where Reya is staying her horse and mounts it, readying herself to leave.
During Roo's ritual, Reya is a bit stunned, but sits upon her horse and watches, almost like she can't look away. But having no way to help heal the Gallus once he's finished, she's glad to see the others immediately step up. It makes her smile how they all have each other's backs, how crazy they all are or not. She shakes her head a bit at the thought.
As soon as the blood starts pouring from Roo's first cut, Fisk turns away. He thought he could handle a lot, but self-mutilation? He shudders as he leans down against his horses neck, burying his face in the mane. Ok, he reasons with himself, maybe he couldn't handle a lot.
Just as the group is starting to get back on the trail to Candlekeep, a halfling darts out from the trees, wide-eyed and terrified looking. The girl is a mess, dirt from head to foot, her clothing stained and ripped, one of her shoes has a hole so big you can see her toe through it. She stands briefly in the midst of you all, looking around desperately, then appearing supremely relieved, she dashes over to Reed, clinging with all her might to his leg that is hanging on the side of his pony, tears streaming down her face.
She hiccups loudly then in a broken voice, “I almost gave up!! I didn’t think…hic.. I’d find you, Reedy!” She buries her face against the pony and his leg and her shoulders start shaking in the release of tears and relief.
Corlith is pretty startled by the appearance of the halfling, but when she appears to know Reed and he her, he relaxes just a little.
He does however give Roo a meaningful look, just in case he senses something untoward. After all a lone halfling on foot finding them in the middle of nowhere was more than a little suspicious.
"Ah yes, threatening one with destruction if they feel like hurting themselves. You featherless are so very weird."
Roo settles into Morning of Glory's saddle on the back of the horse and then begins to buck and cluck at his two new friends before watching the little Halfling come running out of the woods. He looks very astute for a moment, studying the girl, then the woods, then getting back to his bucking clucking with the two chickens.
Virro is riding along, getting comfy in the saddle and pleased that Wilfred is back and that Roo seems more back to his usual odd self. When the halfling runs out onto the road and accosts Reed (but it seems clear that he knows her), Virro tenses up in the saddle for a moment, then calms down and looks around for a moment, then grips the reins with his right hand, pulling up to slow, then stop his horse. “Reed, who is Nib? Introductions are needed, certainly..”
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A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Nib wipes at her eyes and makes large sniffling sounds as she attempts to get control of herself. She looks up at Reed with big blue eyes and sees that he is looking back towards where she came. Taking a few more breaths to try and settle herself, she begins. "I... I am alone. I was with a group of others from Thornvalley, but they headed back a couple of days ago. But I knew! I knew I could find you!" She takes a few more breaths, "But they weren't letting anyone not from Baldur's Gate in, so I waited out here cause I knew eventually you'd leave to come home or go someplace. I knew the big city wasn't for my big brother." She smiles a bit at this, trying to hold onto it to help control her voice. "But just as I was about to give up hope I saw a flying devil in the sky! Man... what a sight. I just was frozen in my spot until someone actually shot it down! Well... I had to come investigate, and I found you!!" She buries her face against Reed again and starts crying. Her shoulders shake as she does, the relief and fright of her situation overcoming the poor girl.
Eventually, Reeds words register and she looks up at him, "They.... they are back. And they took mum." she falls against him at this point and if Reed doesn't catch her, she'll fall to the ground in a heap.
Corlith takes one look down the road to Candlekeep and then gets down from his horse as the tale goes on, turning to look over the state of Reed's sister.
He digs into his saddlebag and gets his waterskin and some rations, and walks over to Nib.
"You look like you might need some food and drink. Perhaps we should sit off to the side of the road and you can tell us what exactly happened?", he says to her offering the food and drink.
Reed does catch her. Then he waves away with a free hand at the air around her. "Leave her alone."
He then helps settle her to the ground.
"This is Nib, my little sister," Reed says for those who didn't catch on already. He introduces her to the group too before continuing. "Just slow down, Nib. Who's back? And where's mum?"
Reed looks closely at Nib, waiting for her to speak.
"hey there! Sorry to see you in such a state Nib, do you need anything, I've got food, water... alcohol? There's apparently demonic farmers in the area do you need a weapon?" Archie is kind of confused and generally unable to tell the age of halflings which she admits quietly to Reya, but tries to be as helpful as possible nonetheless. "Tell us what's going on, we can help"
Reya smiles and shrugs at Archie's admission, "You never know. If halflings are anything like dwarves, I swear they come out their momma drinking ale." As she hears the dip in Archie's voice she looks a bit concerned, "Hey, are you ok?" But she leaves the conversation with Nib to the others.
With shaking hands Nib takes the food and drink, but lays the food in her lap then takes a very long drink. She seems a bit more under control now sitting with the rest at the side of the road. Fisk isn't sure what to do, so he helps by gathering the horses off to the side so the others can chat.
"The miners. They are back and worse than before. You know how good a cook mum is? Well, they found that out as well and took her, along with Susie Barleywillow, Verna Coppershine and Alba Longglade to their camp. Pops and the others are now working for them again and well... you know how it was.." and Nib bursts back into tears, the control gone again.
Reed squeezes Nib's shoulders and stares off for a moment, his usually smiling mouth flat and emotionless.
He finally nods.
"They shouldn't have come back," Reed says. "Now I have to kill all of them, not just the leaders."
He pats Nib on the back, and his smile comes back.
"Don't worry. We'll get mum and dad back and all the others," Reed says. "And the miners will never be back again."
Reed turns from Nib and looks at the others.
"I can't continue to Candlekeep with you. I have to go home," he says. "These miners are no better than slavers. I thought I'd driven them off before but I guess they don't learn lessons very well."
He starts to cinch up the saddle on his pony, and arrange the bags to make room for Nib to ride with him.
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Archie for the most part of this interaction has been trying to ignore the back and forth between Virro and everyone else, she thinks on the fact that something keeps taking over her consciousness every so often and could cause damage to the group should it want to, what's the difference really between that and Virro's demonic shield, she thinks.
She concentrates on Reya until Roo starts reciting a ritual and begins mutilating himself. Archie is aghast and immediately jumps from her horse once more, the need to help overtaking any momentary understanding, "STOP! Stop! What the hell are you doing? Roo!" she reaches down to pick him up, unsure if he would let her at this moment but not waiting for his permission. She reactively holds a finger up and traces the seeping wounds where his waddle and comb had previously been, the heat from her body sizzles through her gauntlet instantly cauterizing the wounds and radiating some warmth and health back to his small body. "Why would you do that!?" She asks softer this time, upset warbling her already tinny voice.
A burning Cure wounds for 10hp to Roo.
Reed nods as Virro speaks.
"I do like the finger collection," Reed says. "Do you think we could take some off of some bad guys and put them on different bad guys? Could they still use them then?"
He says no more about the shield, but he will keep an eye on his friend.
And then he completely forgets about the shield when he sees Roo cut himself.
"This seems a more pressing problem," Reed says, his usual smile faltering slightly. He looks over at Corlith. "Could that flying farmer devil have possessed him or something?"
He trots his pony over to here Roo sits.
"Is that still you Roo?"
Corlith looks to Reed, worry evident on his face.
"Possibly, but I don't think so. We have seen Roo perform this sort of rite before, although without the self mutilation. There is so much we don't know about his culture, but I get the feeling this might just be his way", he replies sounding pretty unsure.
"I think the devil is unlikely to have an interest in Gallus and Strix, and Roo seems quite intent on taking revenge against devils and cults if anything".
Reed seems satisfied with Corlith's explanation.
"Alright," he says with his smile back. "I don't really go to church or do the whole ritual thing. Dallah Thaun seems okay with just going out and doing what needs doing. She doesn't get all hung up on special rites. I think she just likes to hear what's going on."
He looks back to Roo.
"Is there any more to this or was that it?" Reed asks good-naturedly. "If there's more, could you wait until we see an inn or tavern? I'd like some lunch."
As the battle finishes, Wilfred urges his... noble?... steed forward. But it then decides to take a detour. "Damnit Bart, that's the wrong direction! You were doing so well!" He ends up in the bushes on the side of the road. He jumps down and starts to pull the donkey along. "Come on now. We just caught up, no reason to get detoured now."
As he turns to regard Wilfred, he says “You’re back! And in the nick of time, saving us as always. Hey, you should check out that thing, I know you have one of those cool long blades, maybe the armor on that thing didn’t get too scorched, maybe you could wear it?” He looks to Wilfred and then point to the downed body of the Cambion.
Wilfred nods to Virro. "Thanks! While I'm not happy you all got injured, I'm happy it slowed you down enough for me to catch up! Little Bartholomew here isn't the fastest thing in the world. But Bertie gave him to me and there can't be anything better than that, I say!" He snaps his fingers, remembering something. "Speaking of which, Bertie gave me some cookies to share with you all! I'll get them out later, once we settle down to rest. Let's take a look at that armor, though!"
He heads over to the downed devil as the others start talking about the shield. Investigation 14.
He looks up as he starts to hear a commotion. He sees Roo' cut off his comb. "What the hells? What's happening! ROO'!" He starts rushing towards the others. "What the hell is happening? What happened while I was gone!"
Roo sways on his knees as he brings his ritual to an end, returning the Owl's Talon to its scabbard as he slowly rises to his feet.
"Virro, the shield has a devil in it. Believe Thurstwell or not, but I am absolutely sure. Buck."
He sways again as he rises to his full majestic height of two feet. He straightens up considerably when Corlith sooths the wound and stops the bleeding.
"Yes yes, thank you Corlith, I am finished." He says, ruffling his feathers and cocking his head from side to side, sending little patters of blood flicking as he does so. His gaze lands back on Virro. "Carrot? I don't have a carrot, and definitely not in my comb. Oh! No no, I feel much better now, thank you. Corlith has helped me considerably. I BAGOP!"
The little Gallus thrashes for a second as Archie jerks him up off the ground. His feathers ruffle, then his eyes are wide as she reaches out with her burning finger and cauterizes the wound. He struggles, clucking and bocking and all that, clearly unhappy with his situation, but settles down shortly thereafter, looking around and blinking in a pissed off fashion and seeming to be unsettled by the flaming finger of goodness.
"I am fine!" He shouts, squirming in her Archie's grip as he looks at the others. "No I am not possessed! Well, no, yes, I am possessed, but that's just the price you pay when you bargain with Strix! Buck! I am not possessed by one of your pretenders! This is simply all part of a warriors devotion!"
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Satisfied that Roo has finished and is feeling ok, Corlith climbs back up into the saddle of his horse.
"Good to have you back with us Wilfred", he says giving Wilfred a nod.
He then waits for the others to mount up so they can continue their journey.
Archie reflexively grips tighter as Roo squirms, but at his protestation of his own well being she puts him gently on glory of morning, pointing an iron clad finger in his beaky face, "If you start dismembering more bits of yourself and I'll make sure its the last thing you'll do, you scared the sh*t out of me!" With that she stomps off back over to where Reya is staying her horse and mounts it, readying herself to leave.
Reed finds a few bits of food he'd pocketed from breakfast and shares them with Slobberchops as the group continues on their way.
He keeps his eyes out for more trouble, especially farmers. They seem to be the worst.
During Roo's ritual, Reya is a bit stunned, but sits upon her horse and watches, almost like she can't look away. But having no way to help heal the Gallus once he's finished, she's glad to see the others immediately step up. It makes her smile how they all have each other's backs, how crazy they all are or not. She shakes her head a bit at the thought.
As soon as the blood starts pouring from Roo's first cut, Fisk turns away. He thought he could handle a lot, but self-mutilation? He shudders as he leans down against his horses neck, burying his face in the mane. Ok, he reasons with himself, maybe he couldn't handle a lot.
Just as the group is starting to get back on the trail to Candlekeep, a halfling darts out from the trees, wide-eyed and terrified looking. The girl is a mess, dirt from head to foot, her clothing stained and ripped, one of her shoes has a hole so big you can see her toe through it. She stands briefly in the midst of you all, looking around desperately, then appearing supremely relieved, she dashes over to Reed, clinging with all her might to his leg that is hanging on the side of his pony, tears streaming down her face.
She hiccups loudly then in a broken voice, “I almost gave up!! I didn’t think…hic.. I’d find you, Reedy!” She buries her face against the pony and his leg and her shoulders start shaking in the release of tears and relief.
Reed slips off the pony immediately and hugs the halfling.
"Nib," Reed says with some surprise in his voice. "What are you doing way out here so far from home? What happened?"
Reed looks past Nib into the woods, expecting trouble to come charging out.
Corlith is pretty startled by the appearance of the halfling, but when she appears to know Reed and he her, he relaxes just a little.
He does however give Roo a meaningful look, just in case he senses something untoward. After all a lone halfling on foot finding them in the middle of nowhere was more than a little suspicious.
"Ah yes, threatening one with destruction if they feel like hurting themselves. You featherless are so very weird."
Roo settles into Morning of Glory's saddle on the back of the horse and then begins to buck and cluck at his two new friends before watching the little Halfling come running out of the woods. He looks very astute for a moment, studying the girl, then the woods, then getting back to his bucking clucking with the two chickens.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Virro is riding along, getting comfy in the saddle and pleased that Wilfred is back and that Roo seems more back to his usual odd self. When the halfling runs out onto the road and accosts Reed (but it seems clear that he knows her), Virro tenses up in the saddle for a moment, then calms down and looks around for a moment, then grips the reins with his right hand, pulling up to slow, then stop his horse. “Reed, who is Nib? Introductions are needed, certainly..”
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Nib wipes at her eyes and makes large sniffling sounds as she attempts to get control of herself. She looks up at Reed with big blue eyes and sees that he is looking back towards where she came. Taking a few more breaths to try and settle herself, she begins. "I... I am alone. I was with a group of others from Thornvalley, but they headed back a couple of days ago. But I knew! I knew I could find you!" She takes a few more breaths, "But they weren't letting anyone not from Baldur's Gate in, so I waited out here cause I knew eventually you'd leave to come home or go someplace. I knew the big city wasn't for my big brother." She smiles a bit at this, trying to hold onto it to help control her voice. "But just as I was about to give up hope I saw a flying devil in the sky! Man... what a sight. I just was frozen in my spot until someone actually shot it down! Well... I had to come investigate, and I found you!!" She buries her face against Reed again and starts crying. Her shoulders shake as she does, the relief and fright of her situation overcoming the poor girl.
Eventually, Reeds words register and she looks up at him, "They.... they are back. And they took mum." she falls against him at this point and if Reed doesn't catch her, she'll fall to the ground in a heap.
Corlith takes one look down the road to Candlekeep and then gets down from his horse as the tale goes on, turning to look over the state of Reed's sister.
He digs into his saddlebag and gets his waterskin and some rations, and walks over to Nib.
"You look like you might need some food and drink. Perhaps we should sit off to the side of the road and you can tell us what exactly happened?", he says to her offering the food and drink.
(OOC: Assuming Reed will catch her :-) )
Reed does catch her. Then he waves away with a free hand at the air around her. "Leave her alone."
He then helps settle her to the ground.
"This is Nib, my little sister," Reed says for those who didn't catch on already. He introduces her to the group too before continuing. "Just slow down, Nib. Who's back? And where's mum?"
Reed looks closely at Nib, waiting for her to speak.
"hey there! Sorry to see you in such a state Nib, do you need anything, I've got food, water... alcohol? There's apparently demonic farmers in the area do you need a weapon?" Archie is kind of confused and generally unable to tell the age of halflings which she admits quietly to Reya, but tries to be as helpful as possible nonetheless. "Tell us what's going on, we can help"
Reya smiles and shrugs at Archie's admission, "You never know. If halflings are anything like dwarves, I swear they come out their momma drinking ale." As she hears the dip in Archie's voice she looks a bit concerned, "Hey, are you ok?" But she leaves the conversation with Nib to the others.
With shaking hands Nib takes the food and drink, but lays the food in her lap then takes a very long drink. She seems a bit more under control now sitting with the rest at the side of the road. Fisk isn't sure what to do, so he helps by gathering the horses off to the side so the others can chat.
"The miners. They are back and worse than before. You know how good a cook mum is? Well, they found that out as well and took her, along with Susie Barleywillow, Verna Coppershine and Alba Longglade to their camp. Pops and the others are now working for them again and well... you know how it was.." and Nib bursts back into tears, the control gone again.
Reed squeezes Nib's shoulders and stares off for a moment, his usually smiling mouth flat and emotionless.
He finally nods.
"They shouldn't have come back," Reed says. "Now I have to kill all of them, not just the leaders."
He pats Nib on the back, and his smile comes back.
"Don't worry. We'll get mum and dad back and all the others," Reed says. "And the miners will never be back again."
Reed turns from Nib and looks at the others.
"I can't continue to Candlekeep with you. I have to go home," he says. "These miners are no better than slavers. I thought I'd driven them off before but I guess they don't learn lessons very well."
He starts to cinch up the saddle on his pony, and arrange the bags to make room for Nib to ride with him.