The Wrong Guys IC II

[Strawberries]

Jess

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Audric sighs "I am not in the habit of killing people that are just trying to talk to me." he replies, somewhat unnecessarly, but he hasn't missed the way she has flinched, and that's his way to reassure her further that she doesn't have to walk on eggshells around him. "And were I a 'miracle-maker', as you say, we wouldn't have left a corpse behind us, today." And he wouldn't be awake in the middle of the night, thinking about how things could have gone differently.

He observes the sorceress for a little while, debating with himself if asking, then seems to come to a decision "You... you do worship Aldaran, do you not? That symbol wasn't just to deceive the clergy." There is a certain surprise in his voice, but it's really the only logical conclusion: otherwise, she wouldn't have come to him asking for a confession. "Do you... could I ask..." He shakes his head, and tries again "Forgive me, but it is an unusual choice of faith, for a sorcerer."

[DeafnotDumb]

Audric

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Though her face speaks disagreement with Audric's assessment of his own worthiness, she keeps silent during that bit. Instead, she answers his question. " Forgiven. Yeah, I believe. I just disagree with a point or two that the Church make. I guess you do too, if that gal-" Jess snaps her fingers as she tries to remember the name "-Rana? She's been with you a while."

She looks at the ground, mildly embarrassed by something, and then back up at the paladin. "You don't, uh, happen to have another sun symbol on you? Because I left my only one in town."

[Strawberries]

Jess

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"Rana." Audric confirms Jess' guess almost automatically. He doesn't pursue Jess' line of inquiry about what he does and does not believe: he doesn't feel up to have that conversation as well, tonight...especially because he doesn't feel like he has an answer. "I...no, this is my only one. When I left the temple, I was not...planning on ending up outside Attalin" And it's strange to think how long ago that seems now, while it has been barely more than a week.

Audric looks mildly uncomfortable himself "You...ah, you do not need a sun symbol, to commune with Aldaran. The faith in your heart is enough, if you are a believer". Paladins are different, paladins use it as a focus, a channel to pour divine energy in, but for the average person, a holy symbol is just a reminder "Sandry..." he hesitates, embarassed."Should you want to pray Aldaran with me... I, ah... I wouldn't have any objection." She IS a sorcerer... but Aldaran is a god of mercy, not only justice. At least, that's what Kalan taught him.

[DeafnotDumb]

Audric

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"Thanks, but..." Jess's refusal is overtaken by a packet of curiosity. "Is there an official Church way we'd do that? I just sit and think, maybe say a few words, hold the sun - it was a comfort." She explained, aware of the way her fingers have reflexively started searching for the absent necklace. "But Ma and Pa Sandrey were never big on rituals."

[Strawberries]

Jess

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Audric shakes his head again. "You are already doing it right, Sandry.". Her family worshipped Aldaran - of course it would have been her family. He wonders how they took the news that their daughter was a sorceress... how ANY family takes that news, actually. "It is not a matter of words or rituals... praying is a matter between you and Aldaran.". He smiles at her. A sorcerer who's a believer. He's definitely seen it all, now.

((OOC: I'm fine with wrapping up and start interacting again with the others, if you are as well. ))

[DeafnotDumb]

Audric

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Jess nods her thanks to the paladin and gets up to leave. Midway she stops and turns to look at him. "Choirboy? Aldaran's gonna understand we made a mistake back there, long as we keep on trying to do good, and you did some for me. It's a start, y'know?" She shrugs. "Or something. Goodnight."

With a little wave and a grin, she heads back into the night.

[Ajadea]

The road is long, uneventful, and as the days go by, could even be said to be boring. You pass a single wagon, two tiny villages, and a scattering of lone cottages. No one, anywhere, has seen a traveling woman. So much could be wrong, so much destruction could have been wrought upon the countryside. Seeing it normal is somehow both better and worse. While few would argue that massive arcane destruction is a good thing, one would also generally expect it when tracking a mad witch. The lack of it sparks doubts and worries.

At the dusk of the thirteenth day, a dark blobby blur is visible on the horizon. Fort Brennam. It isn't much to look at, at this distance. But it is the first tangible proof you've had that you're even going the right way. In one, perhaps two, more days, you will arrive, and be able to apprehend the witch.

On the thirteenth night, Fort Brennam bursts into flame. You can see it burning, a small dot of brilliant orange against the black of night. As always, one member of the group is on watch, keeping an eye out for events out of the ordinary. This... is definitely not in the range of ordinary.

[Strawberries]

For a moment, Audric is sure that he has somehow drifted to sleep during his watch, and that seeing the fort bursting into flames is only the start of another nightmare - not like it would be something that's never happened to him before. Quite the contrary, in these last days.

He turns, almost expecting to see sir Yistin standing at his side, reminding him of how foolish he is being, wondering at the fact that he can feel the slight chill of the wind and hear the sounds of the small nocturnal animals: his dreams usually aren't this detailed... and then he realises that he isn't dreaming at all, and jumps to his feet.

"Aldaran have mercy..." he mutters, still shocked, for a moment, and then, raising his voice in alarm "Rana, Llaars, Antal!" He doesn't think about waking up the two new members of the team, but by the volume of his voice, it's a fair bet that they have heard him all the same.

[Savannah]

Rana, who had been tossing and turning in her own actual nightmares, wakes at the sound of Audric's voice. She freezes for a moment, listening for signs of intruders, but hearing nothing out of the ordinary, opens her eyes.

"What is it, Audr..." she trails off, spotting the spot of fire on the horizon. "Is...is that...Fort Brennam?"

[DeafnotDumb]

There is a yowl as Blackie is dislodged from her comfortable Jess-pillow as her owner gets up, muttering some grumbles about beauty sleep and the hardness of the ground outside and the cold. These fade away as she notices the dot of fire on the horizon, brilliant against a dark background.

"Sun's balls." She whispers. "Is that what we're hunting?"

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

Audrics calls stir Llaars much more slowly than he wold have preferred. Slowly rolling onto his side, the big man clutches the scabbard of his longsword like a boy would his teddy. Finally sitting bolt upright once the flicker of the flames registers in his mind. "Think we can make it down there in time to make a difference?"

[Jallorn]

Not a chance, Antal is last to speak, even though he's not the last awake. You have to admit, though, it's kinda pretty, in a horrendously terrifying sort of way.

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I think it's time for Antal to take the first steps down a stranger path.

[Strawberries]

"It is." Audric answers, in a whisper, he doesn't even know if Rana's or Jess' question. Both, probably. If we had not delayed, if we had just passed through Diamond Lake, would we have been able to prevent this? He asks himself, and another part of his brain, traitorously, interjects And would you have an innocent victim less on your conscience?

"I don't know, Llaars" he answers "We will have to try", and to Antal, with a reproaching glance "Antal. That fort is not abandoned. There are people, there."

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Ajadea, making full haste, what would be our ETA?
Also, if someone of the more nature-oriented guys would whip out the knowledge for a shortcut, I wouldn't complain.

[Jallorn]

I know... Antal's response trails off sadly, but his face still shows a slight degree of awe, as he gazes at the flames.

[Strawberries]

"Antal. Look at me." The tone is a bit worried, this time, trying to snap the halfling out of his semi-trance. "We can arrive there tomorrow, but we have to move now" he says, resolutely. Even if... "She would have moved towards Everdras Ridge already, though." He shuts his eyes, tightly, trying to think about it rationally, trying to ignore the fact that there are people at Fort Brennan who might need his help. "How long would it take if we were to go directly there?"

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((Ball's in your court, Jallorn. Or Rana, if she wants to ))

[Jallorn]

We could shave a day, maybe two, off the trip. Might even get to see some interesting wildlife.

[Strawberries]

"A day." Audric passes an hand through his hair, sighing. "We... might be able to get there before her. Preventing it from happening again." There are people in fort Brennam... but the Order can help them. What the Order can't do is knowing where she's going, unless they have found something in their investigation.. and Audric is convinced that they're way ahead of the Order, on the issue of figuring things out. "We may be the only ones that know where she's going."

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

"We shouldn't even be considerin' goin' to the fort at this point. Whoever we could help is either dead or safe now... we need to catch that witch." With that, he retrieves this morning's ration and begins readying himself for travel.

[DeafnotDumb]

Jess is still looking at the distant fire, expression helpless in the light of the blaze. "I think..." She swallows. "...I think maybe you shouldn't have stopped to help me."

[Strawberries]

Audric shakes his head at Jess' statement. She had needed help, or at least she thought she did. "I do not regret it, Sandry." Despite how everything had turned out with sir Yistin. The paladin squeezes her shoulder briefly, in reassurance, if she lets him, then turns towards Llaars."You... you are right, Llaars. Of course." It's evident he's making an effort to control his first instinct, which would have been making haste towards Fort Brennam to help anyone he could.

[Ajadea]

Though Fort Brennam is endangered now, you assume that by the time you arrived there, all crises would have either been averted or over with. Instead, you opt to continue on directly to Everdras Ridge, going off the beaten path and cutting through the wilderness, in hopes of catching the witch before she finds whatever it is she seeks. Though the darkness impedes your sight and there is no clear path at the best of times, Antal seems to have a good idea of which way to go. The fire burns on, a lonely pinprick in the distance that does not seem to fade. Dawn comes, and the sunlight drowns out the fire, but a faint curl of smoke that lingers on the edge of the horizon suggests that relief has not come quite as fast as it should have.

Evening comes.

You look over the horizon, and cannot spot a hint of flame, though whether that is due to a true lack of fire, or simple distance and rough terrain blocking your view, is impossible to judge. Rolling hills, a little green but mostly yellow and brown, dusted with a scattering of bracken form a dull view. Time is of the essence, but it is debatable if pushing on is the best course, when you are already so weary.

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Rest, or don't rest? Who takes watch, if you are resting? Roll a new Survival and Knowledge (geography) check if you aren't. You haven't reached the road yet. You have no idea where the witch is.

[Strawberries]

Audric marches in silence, a worried expression on his face. He keeps throwing looks at the burning fort in the distance, and his frown seems to deepen a bit with each hour that passes in which the fire fails to be extinguished.

When evening comes, he slows down almost by reflex, waiting for someone more at ease than him in the wilderness to indicate a good place for stopping and making camp, even if he doesn't think he'd be able to get much sleep, if any. A look to his companions' expression, however, convinces him that he probably wouldn't be the only one. "Shall we keep going?" he asks.

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((setting up things for the survival checks/forced march thing. You all can blame the paladin, if you want. ))

[Savannah]

Rana shakes her head, "No, we need to rest. Losing a little time is better than losing the fight because we're unrested and unprepared."

[Strawberries]

For a couple of seconds, it seems like Audric is debating something with himself, but at the end he answers, softly "Rana...we were already too late to help the people in the fort. I do not want other people to die because we are late again. We can press forward, just another little bit."

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((The tragedy is, OOC I actually agree with Rana. Stupid paladin. ))

[Savannah]

"So you'd rather risk getting there, being too tired to do anything, and die with whoever's next. That's smart," Rana snaps.

[DeafnotDumb]

"If we get there and we're all worn, we can just back away." Jess says, with the air of one to who hiding is the answer to everything. "But if doing the whole harsh marching thing could instead work out for us, why not play those odds? Even if we gotta cower, we might at least see what's happening and mop up the remainders, yeah?"

[Savannah]

"You haven't seen this witch. I don't want to be anywhere near her unless we're at our best."

[Strawberries]

Audric shakes his head. "Rana, we cannot afford to lose another night. Who knows what advantages she has on us, now." Then another thought hits him. There are arcane casters in the group, and he doesn't know what effect exhaustion and lack of sleep may have on spellcasters. He bites his lips, considering, before adding "We can't spare more than a couple of hours. We lost too much time, already."

[Savannah]

"Advantages I don't want to face as anything less than rested! Don't let one tragedy blind you so that you walk into another!"

[Jallorn]

The compromise is the fastest way to a decision. Also, it is wise in this case. We rest.