Above & Below

"As we unfortunately suspected, but thank you for confirming.  It is distressing that they did not make the trip.  Perhaps they were sent 'Above' or somewhere else?"  He mused out loud to himself for a moment before setting it aside for further contemplation later.  "And I will heed you words and do my best to see things for what they truly are."  He added on before giving her a polite bow. 

"Rastel... In Sketevik... Our next destination after here was to this place.  We will seek him out when we arrive."  Then turning to the rest of the party, he waited to see if they had anything else they wanted to add or ask the Sister.

Brask is listening but keeping his mouth shut, wondering if he should ask for anything and figuring that asking for all his money and treasure back is probably not a good idea.

"If there are no other questions, I shall take my leave," she turns, looking out over the plains. As the Sister starts to walk away, she leaves a few small tendrils of smoke behind her, which slowly dissipate. 

Left standing amongst the burned grass, the four of you look around at each other. "Two down!" Pip says, trying to muster some enthusiasm. "So...up the coast?"

Yep, one to go, Brask nods at Pip.  Another miserable old...  He grunts, but doesn't continue that line of thought.  So, he says to Kurama, good to know that worked.  We need to remember for next time, just let Effort rattle off some horseshit and we manage to get by without losing everything we own.  Good one, Effort.  Have you already written what you're gonna say about you?  Is it more about how we've been tested and polluted?  That was smart - her sort always like to hear how filthy the poor folk are. Or you reckon it'll be Pip's turn next?  

"No matter what awaits me down here, I suspect there will be a whole myriad of tests that I shall have to face when we reach the Above, wherever that is," Effort grumbles, not feeling very communicative after that test of wit and willpower.  "A tiefling ascending to the heavens.  That shall be one for Kurama's books," she says wryly.

Yeah, well, I'm sure you'll do great in them, responds Brask who is suddenly feeling uncharacteristically chatty, perhaps because on a subconscious level he hopes this will annoy Effort.  I reckon you can talk your way through anything.  Hey, maybe you can talk these two demons into... I dunno, being good?  Or killing each other?  Heh, that would be fun to watch.  You think 'above' will be better than this crappy place?  Probably, eh?  I'm guessing they have lots of stupid rules against smashing people you don't like.

Pip's eyes go wide for a second at the suggestion that he might have to reckon with one of these Sisters. Then he snorts out a half-laugh. "No, no, not me!" 

You set off back toward the coast, to follow it northward until you reach Sketevik. Dark clouds roll in overhead as the afternoon arrives, and the vast plains become vast expanses of marshland. With every step, the mud attempts to pull you down until your foot is released with a sucking sound. Progress is slow. You break briefly to eat the few rations you have left, but then set back out as a cold drizzle falls onto you, making the mud impossibly worse than it already was. As the afternoon wears on, you suspect you're getting close to the coast, and can see some forest off in the distant northern horizon. Some grass shifts off to your right as a dark green snake slithers between it and back into a deeper pool of water. Other than that, and the ever-present corvids flying overhead, there's little sign of wildlife or civilization.

Brask offers to carry Pip on his shoulders as the drizzle starts to fall.  We should stop.  Rest.  Say hi to the local snakes.  He looks around for somewhere suitable:  Perception 15

"Yes... Let us find a good place to camp.  If the eldest sister truly wishes to find us, being near the coast should be enough to draw her attention.  And if she doesn't... well, then we will know we face a difficult task before us tomorrow morning."  She attempts to help the others look for a place to camp, before belatedly realizing that she still is, despite all these weeks of constant travel, a city slicker at heart and hasn't the foggiest idea of what to look for.

Cadmael... can you spot any reason we shouldn't stop here? she asks instead, letting Cadmael also take a look around, but for danger rather than a campsite.

Perception: 13

(Effort will cast guidance on anyone doing anything useful to set up a camp :P)

Camping in this swampy area doesn't seem particularly restful, but you're guessing that the trees off to the north probably offer a bit of drier land and some cover. You head in that direction with Cadmael surveying overhead. He doesn't see much, although he is buzzed by a crow at one point. It flies off, caw-ing angrily. The muck turns to more solid ground as you approach the forest, and you're at the tree line within an hour. One spot seems as good as the next to set up camp, although there's not a ton of cover. The trees aren't dense, and the lack of understory here won't offer any protection from the elements or hide a fire. 

Brask looks for suitable wood for a fire.  Not gonna find anywhere better, he says.  If something tries to eat us, we'll deal with it, just like every other day in this stupid place.  

Survival 19

As he finishes and sits by the fire, he pipes up again.  So, Kurama.  What's this reckoning you've got coming then?

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

Yep, one to go, Brask nods at Pip.  Another miserable old...  He grunts, but doesn't continue that line of thought.  So, he says to Kurama, good to know that worked.  We need to remember for next time, just let Effort rattle off some horseshit and we manage to get by without losing everything we own.  Good one, Effort.  Have you already written what you're gonna say about you?  Is it more about how we've been tested and polluted?  That was smart - her sort always like to hear how filthy the poor folk are. Or you reckon it'll be Pip's turn next?  

Quote from Enkida >>

"No matter what awaits me down here, I suspect there will be a whole myriad of tests that I shall have to face when we reach the Above, wherever that is," Effort grumbles, not feeling very communicative after that test of wit and willpower.  "A tiefling ascending to the heavens.  That shall be one for Kurama's books," she says wryly.

"Yes... you're right." Kurama replied half-heartedly, clearly not listening to what the others were saying.  He had much to ruminate on as his mind began to swirl with varying thoughts and emotions in the immediate aftermath of his encounter with the Sister; finding that at the moment, he had neither energy nor interest in engaging socially with the party.  

As they eventually left the caravan for the shore, Kurama took a look back at the body of the man the Sister had callously cut down in front of them.  By now with the Sister gone, a few had ventured forward to check on the man though he already knew they would find no good news there.  His feelings becoming more conflicted, he turned back forward and slowly trudged away from the scene.  As he did, he felt a low rumble from the power inside of him.  He didn't know what it meant but it felt ominous.

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

As he finishes and sits by the fire, he pipes up again.  So, Kurama.  What's this reckoning you've got coming then?

"I do not know..." Kurama replied after a long pause, as if he were just returning from some far away place.  "...Though I'll admit that it has me more than a bit concerned.  If it is anything remotely similar to events in the past..." he added as he instinctively reached for the tattoos/ brands that appeared on him the day his world fell apart, "...it will be trouble for us all.  I... I am sorry that I have put you all in this position.  It seems to be a habit of mine."  

Heh, Brask says.  I like trouble.  Always happy to beat it down. When you find whoever... or whatever... destroyed your home, just point me at it, you know?  He pats his maul, in case the meaning is unclear.

Haha, Brask is turning into a real mush!

Brask enlists Pip's help in gathering kindling and builds a pretty spectacular fire. You even find a stony outcropping not too far into the forest and gather some stones to build a proper pit for the fire. Positioning it as best you can between some of the larger trees, you hope it'll limit how easily your camp is seen. The fire is a welcome warmth to you all, though, as the day has been long and cold. 

It's still early evening, so you all gather around the flames to warm up. Pip tells a short story of how he once "accidentally" tripped one of his mean-spirited boatmates with a rope and he tumbled into murky waters of the dock.

Give me a stealth roll for your very well-built fire. 

That's a stealth roll from Brask?  4 and 20.  He might be at disadvantage from his armour, or advantage from Pip's help, I don't know.

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

Heh, Brask says.  I like trouble.  Always happy to beat it down. When you find whoever... or whatever... destroyed your home, just point me at it, you know?  He pats his maul, in case the meaning is unclear.

"I am sure if and when that happens, it'll be quite easy to spot." Kurama replied .

Kurama would help the others set-up the camp as best as he could but his heart wasn't truly in it as his mind was elsewhere.  Pip's entertaining story did seem to draw him back a bit by the end of the night though he was not fully "back" just yet.

It gets quite dark as night falls, and Pip volunteers to take first watch. "At least get a few hours of sleep," he insists. "Cadmael can help me if he agrees."

Brask nods in approval and beds down for the night; he'll take second watch after Pip if needed:  Perception 4, or  4 if with birdvantage.)

Cadmael gives birdvantage, though without the mental link he shares with Effort, Pip has a harder time understanding the bird‘s whimsey.

Effort also takes a warch with Cadmael, though she knows better and lets the bird do his thing.

Cadmael Perception: 15
effort Perception: 18 +  3guidance 

Kurama, who had a rather stressful day, accepted the other's offers to keep watch and feel asleep rather quickly that night, sleeping through the night (unless otherwise awoken by danger or one of the others).