[IC] Monster Hunters

[NeoSeraphi]

Sapphiron nods slowly. "Okay. Thanks for your advice...Penny." She tries out the nickname, again, seeming nervous, but she smiles when she hears Penelope's encouraging words. She walks over and sits next to Aluneth, poking him firmly in the ribs. "That's it. I'm going to hold on to all the money you get for these two jobs."

"What? That's my money!"

"Yes, and if you could actually take care of it, there'd be no issue!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Aluneth nods in response to Adim's statement. "Not bad. You've got a good head on your shoulders. Maybe you'll make it out of this alive, after all."

[Oberon Kenobi]

Penelope shrugs at Adim's proclamation as she follows Saph back to the circle. "Do whatever you think is right, kid, and we'll do the same."

She turns to Aluneth as she sits down. "Reckon you've got a point though, Al. Talkin' to Lugh'd be the simplest thing, and it sounds like somebody ought to talk some sense into him if he's been sittin' on his hinder while the country's gone to pot for the last fifty years. No offense, kid," she adds to Adim.

[hannahbbug3]

Adim hums at the words of the group, before finally getting up. "Well, I should see if Gengi made it back all right. Really, I've probably dallied long enough to make him frustrated already. So unless you all need anything else?" he asks, waiting for a response as he hands Penelope her tankard back.

[NeoSeraphi]

Aluneth shakes his head. "I'm good. Have a good night."

He rolls over and heads to sleep. Sapphiron lays down in her hammock and smiles at Razzine gratefully before drifting off as well.

[Drewski]

"Nah, stay safe, Adim." Talim waves as Adim walks away. "On that note, I think I'm off to bed. Goodnight everyone." Talim walks over to a corner of the temple sets up his cot and bed sheets, and goes to sleep.

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun continues sipping his ale, musing quietly over the discussion. "Lugh does seem to be the only one who could simply end this... but I doubt the priests haven't thought of that. If he won't talk for them, probably won't talk to us either. Still, I doubt it could hurt to try." He bids goodnight to Adim and the rest of the team, and finds himself a comfortable place to sleep for the night. Åska finds a patch of clear flagstone and hoses it down with a controlled gout of flame. Once the stone is nicely warm, he settles down on it and drifts off.

[Oberon Kenobi]

"Yeah, 'spect I'll turn in myself too. Whatever we're doin' tomorrow we're gonna need a good forty winks to do it."

Doffing her hat, she points at the empty and half-empty jars and glasses scattered around the conversation pit and calls them over, rinsing and drying them and returning them to her hat before making her way to bed.

By the time she turns in, Razzine is already snoring, each breath fogging and crystallizing the air above her hammock.

[NeoSeraphi]

Aluneth rises in the morning and starts his day with his typical exercise routine. Seventy sit-ups. Fifty one-handed push ups with the dominant hand. Fifty one-handed push ups with the off hand. Twenty pull ups, and then a mile long jog. He feels a sense of peace and calm rising inside him as he runs around the city. Something about watching the sun rise while burning a sweat brings a smile to his face.

When Aluneth returns to the temple, he finds Sapphiron humming to herself as she cooks over a fire pit. She glances back at him and hands him a plate of steaming hot bacon. "Welcome back. Get something to eat before we have to take off."

Aluneth looks down at the plate and raises an eyebrow. "Where did you get this? Why are you cooking for me?"

"Stop being ungrateful and try it already!" Sapphiron demands, putting her hands on her hips.

"A-Alright, alright!" He takes a bite out of the bacon and his eyes light up in surprise. "Is that...black pepper?" He wolfs down the rest of the plate quickly.

"Yep! I picked up some spices and some supplies while we were in the stables last time. Sunny put it all up for me."

Sapphiron watches Aluneth eat and beams.

"...What are you so happy about?"

"I'm a woman. Taking care of you is part of what makes me happy."

Aluneth blinks and wipes his mouth. "Is that why you saved me from the terastadon?"

Sapphiron looks surprised and she touches the back of her neck. "I...don't want to talk about that."

"Oh. Well, okay then. Thanks for the breakfast."

Sapphiron gives an excited gasp and clasps her hands together. "Of course! I'll do anything if it makes you happy."

Aluneth gives her a weird glance, but shrugs and starts getting things packed. Sapphiron happily continues her humming and follows suit.

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun rises early. He isn't up when Aluneth leaves, but is there when he gets back, sitting outside the temple and watching the sun rise over the mountains. Åska slept later, but eventually got up and came outside with Hrothrun, nodding at the others as he goes outside. For a while the two sit as the light creeps out over the land stretching below them; the deserts of Earth to one side and the fields of Water on the other. "Feels good to be back in the mountains." Åska raises his snout and sniffs the air. "Good thermals. Fancy a flight?" Hrothrun chuckles, but shakes his head. "I'd better stay with the others, I think. We'll likely be headed out before long." "Suit yourself, then," the dragonkin replies, spreading his wings. He flaps a few times and takes flight, soaring out over the deserts. Hrothrun watches him for a long moment before turning and returning inside. "Mind if I share the fire?" he asks Sapphiron, taking out his own cooking gear. He fixes a simple breakfast--not much more than some salted meat, heated and fried in a bit of oil with some chopped potatoes--and settles in to eat.

[NeoSeraphi]

Sapphiron nods and steps back to let Hrothrun start cooking.

"You mentioned before that you were married, right? What's your wife like?" Sapphiron asks with a polite smile.

[Oberon Kenobi]

Penelope and Razzine wander in as the others are finishing up their breakfasts, a half-dozen skewered rabbits on a sling around her shoulder and a pouch full of wild roots and berries at her side.

"Okay, who's ready to eat... oh." She pauses in her steps, shrugs and continues walking towards the fire. "Oh well, more for me and Raz, then."

Stepping up to the fire once Hrothun is finished, she expertly skins the rabbits and sets about making them into a mouth-watering stew, the savory flavor complemented by her selection of spices and the wild vegetables growing on the mountainside, Sparky emerging from his next and lending his expert nose to the preparations. With a little help from Razzine's webs, she also makes a cocktail of fresh berry juice, sieving it through Razzine's webs to remove the pulp and seeds and keep it nice and light. As she serves up generous helpings for Razzine and herself, there's still plenty left.

Penelope chuckles as Sapphiron asks her question. "Best of luck with that. This one's more tight-lipped about his home life than an oyster with lockjaw, isn't that right Roth?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Taking 10 on Survival lets me feed myself and half a dozen other people, so that should be more than enough to feed Razzine and anyone else who's still feeling hungry.

And taking 10 on Craft (Cooking) hits a DC of 30, so I imagine some people will still be hungry.

[NeoSeraphi]

Aluneth walks past Penelope and snatches a glass of berry juice, throwing his head back and gulping the contents down quickly. He swallows as much as he can fit into his mouth three times in a row before pausing to take a breath, and does not stop drinking until the entire glass is empty. His skin is completely soaked with sweat, and he wipes his brow.

Sapphiron looks at Penelope, before turning her gaze back to Hrothrun inquisitively. "Aw, that's no fun! She's nice, right?"

[Drewski]

"~Talim~ ~Talim~ Time to get up, you've got to start breaking camp if you don't want to hold everyone up again."
Talim rolls over, and throws his pillow at Gela, "I thought we agreed that you were going to let me sleep in?"
"Maybe one day! If you hurray there might still be some of Penelope's leftovers. "
"****, really? I better get up then!"

Talim, still half asleep rolls out of bed breaks down his sleep set, up and wanders over to the fire.

"Good morning crew, ready for another long flight?"

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun chuckles a bit. "Ah, Sigga. Bit of a firebrand, that one. She's never afraid to speak her mind, and won't back down from a fight when she has to... but she can be incredibly gentle, too. She's a jewelsetter, see. I can smith a sword or forge a suit of armor, but she can do the most beautiful inlay work." He sighs appreciatively. "Unbelievably patient, too. She'd have to be, married to a hunter." There's a sad twinge to his voice as he trails off. "Think there's post in this town?"

He looks up as Talim enters. "Morning! Ready as ever, once Åska gets back from his joyride."

[NeoSeraphi]

Sapphiron perks up. "Post? We can't know unless we ask. I bet Sigga would be thrilled to get a letter from you." She smiles happily.

Aluneth snorts and glances at Talim with disdain as the man approaches the group. "Must be nice to not have to work to keep yourself in shape. Better hope you keep a crew around you. If you end up having to fight alone, that weak frame of yours will be your undoing."

[Drewski]

"I didn't see a trading post last night when I went to the tavern. I don't think its a large enough town for one. Penelope, would you mind sharing that stew, I've got enough trail rations to last half a year, but I'd rather not dip into reserves!"

Talim turns to Aluneth, "Aluneth there are more kinds of strength then just physical strength. When was the last time you went to the library at a guildhouse?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Aluneth rolls his eyes. "Stop evading the point. We hunt monsters for a living. Giant monsters. Do you think you could keep the peryton from killing you with your book smarts? I'm surprised you can even lift a book with those arms."

[hannahbbug3]

"Didn't realize the esteemed riders were so down to earth when it came to keeping one another in check," comes a voice from the door. It's Adim, back again to check on the group and to see them off. He's carrying a bag over his shoulder again, but it doesn't seem to be for you all - at the foot of the mountain there is a horse waiting. It looks like he's planning on leaving the village today.

[Drewski]

"Aluneth I one hundred percent believe that I could keep a Peryton from killing me purely from book knowledge. More importantly, I also know that my "book knowledge" is going to prevent you from dying when you charge into a monster too big for you to handle without it."

Edit:"Good morning Adim. I didn't know you'd be coming back to talk with us." Talim starts going through his back pack and grabs one of his extra mess kits, a healer's kit, and 20 gold.

[hannahbbug3]

"Gengi sent me to check on you. See if you needed anything else," Adim said. "So?"

[Drewski]

"I believe Hrothrun was wondering if there was a trading post in the village, and we wanted to give you a small thank you for allowing us to use the temple for the night." Talim holds out the healer's kit, mess kit, and the 20 gold.

OoC: I'm assuming that 20 gold is over the top generous for something like this. If not, I can fiddle with the numbers.

[NeoSeraphi]

"Idranel, Hrothrun and I are esteemed because we slay monsters," Aluneth replies gruffly, standing up. "Penelope and Talim are 'esteemed' because they haven't died yet. Mostly because we've been slaying monsters before they kill them."

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun shakes his head at Aluneth. "Penelope and Talim both have proven their worth on this team, you know that. Not every hunter has to be the one right in the thick of the fighting. Knowing what you're getting into--and having proper support when you get there--is what keeps a team alive and kicking." He turns to Alim. "I was looking for the other kind of post, actually. Somewhere I can send a letter."

[Oberon Kenobi]

Penelope rolls her eyes. "You're wastin' your breath, Roth. If Al thought for one second that people who do things for him instead of like him had any worth, his tender little ego would shatter like that mirror he spends half his time posing in front of."

She turns to Talim. "Help yourself to the stew. Same goes for anyone else, I hate to see good food go to waste. Whaddaya say Adim, want some breakfast before you go runnin' off to save the world?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"Keep talking, Penelope. You think I do this because of ego? I work twice as hard to keep myself in shape because I know that I have to carry so much dead weight."

He shakes his head disapprovingly at Talim. "Whatever. We need to decide, now. Are we going to Ice, or are we turning around to Lightning?"

[hannahbbug3]

"Oh- I don't know what to say," Adim says, accepting the items from Talim with a stunned look on his face. "You're very welcome. If you're ever coming back through - though, don't know why you would be - I'm sure Gengi would put you up again," he says. He takes a knee to open up his pack and tuck away the items inside among his other sparse things. "There's not a post in town," he says. "But there is the next town over. I'm headed that way, if you wanted me to drop a letter off there," he says to Hrothrun. "As for trading post, there's a tiny market in the middle of town. Not much to look at."

[Oberon Kenobi]

"Tell you what, billy badass, if you think you're the only one on this team worth anything, why don't you just run off and handle the Peryton by yourself? The rest of us can go talk to Lugh and take care of that haunted house, and when we're done we can come pick up the corpse. Whichever corpse happens to be there."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Gladly!" Aluneth replies. He grabs his bag. "Let's go, Sapphiron."

"I-...I don't think she's being seri-"

"I don't give a damn! If this slacker thinks I really need her help then I'll just have to prove she's wrong."

Sapphiron nods and walks outside. Aluneth fits the saddle and gets ready to depart.

[hannahbbug3]

Adim is in the midst of packing away the items Talim has given him when Aluneth rushes off out of the temple. He glances back to the others, the question Is this normal? in his eyes, but he doesn't say anything aloud.