Serpent's Skull: City of Seven Spears [IC]

[BuckGodot]

Book nods but gestures for quiet. Before leaving the camp to surround the new comers, he will quietly wake those sleeping in his way out, telling them something is trying to stealthy approach but failing.

[lostsole31]

Do you wait for the groggy, or begin your flanking maneuver now?

[BuckGodot]

After indicating which direction I’ll be going, I head off immediately.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo quickly and quietly dresses. He pulls his favorite dagger and hides in some foliage around camp.

Spoiler: Fronaldo>>>Collective

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“Psst! Is this thing working? What do you see?”

[lostsole31]

Fronaldo is only just beginning to tumble out of his bedroll, and sends a more garbled telepathic message ... understandable, but only barely just.

Meanwhile, as Book comes from the north and Xhanfaerd from the south, there is a group of four persons wearing the black-and-red livery of Sargava moving along carefully with halberds in hand. They spin quickly to all face a not-at-all stealthy Xhanfaerd.

"Who the hell are you!?" one of the soldiers says to Xhanfaerd in a volume that completely mocks the stealth of the situation.

[silphael]

"I am Xhanfaerd, adventurer and arcanist of the Magaambyan."

For now, he keeps questions for himself.

Spoiler: Collective

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"Sargavan soldiers, aren't we quite far from Sargava ?"

[BuckGodot]

Book remains concealed with his whip at the ready should they turn aggressive.

[lostsole31]

The soldiers talk amongst themselves. "What faction are you with? You don't look like a Free Captain. Are you a Pathfinder ... a Consortium agent? or, are you an independent that doesn't know about the great race?"

[silphael]

He nods.

"I am indeed a Pathfinder, why ?"

[lostsole31]

His gaze looks Xhanfaerd up-and-down and another soldier points out the half-elf's wayfinder, and the soldiers - while still wary - seem less stressed. "Well, we aren't enemies, but we are rivals. My name is Lieutenant Tacius Regilius, Sargavan detachment. I imagine the rest of yours are hiding in the weeds?"

[BuckGodot]

Book purposefully fakes a sneeze.

[lostsole31]

"Why don't you get your people out here so we don't have that nervous feeling of snipers on us, and we can talk."

[BuckGodot]

Book steps out of hiding, coiling his whip.

"What brings you boys this way?" he asks.

[lostsole31]

"That's two....." the lead soldier says expectantly.

[silphael]

Spoiler: Collective

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"The Sargavan detachment is there and wants to talk, can you both come over here ?"

"They weren't that close, they are on the way."

[Blackhawk101]

Spoiler: Fronaldo>>>Collective

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Assuming he cannot hear the conversation from his location, he says:
“Give a verbal signal so we can find you.”

Fronaldo will make his way over to the others but doesn’t break cover.

[lostsole31]

Sersheelda follows.

The sergeant waits.

[silphael]

Once the others are nearby, Xhanfaerd says out loud.

"It's okay folks, you can reveal yourselves."

Spoiler: OOC

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I assume the spots where we were keeping watch were relatively nearby ? Since those sleeping were still in medium range.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo attempts to sneak up to near the Sargavans before revealing himself.
“Hello!”
He gives them a big smile of pointy teeth.

[lostsole31]

Sersheelda pops out as well. "Yellow."

The four soldiers try not to jump out of their skin.

"Where's Ms. Zyanthius?" the lieutenant asks while looking around.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo sneers at the soldiers. “She’s…indisposed. What do you want?”

[lostsole31]

"That's a cute pet you got there, Dr. Booker. But definitely small dog attitude," says another soldier. The soldiers chuckle over that.

"We honestly didn't expect to see any of you. We lost our own vanguard on the race to Saventh-Yhi," says the lieutenant. "Then intel states that the Free Captains and of course Aspis Consortium have it in for you. But here you are. Where is your main camp? We'll tell the general and he'll probably send over a courier to invite your boss and aides-de-camp to a meal while we figure out how best to civilly divide exploration so we are more cooperative than combative."

[BuckGodot]

"Sounds like a plan... But I want to run it past the higher ups first before I just start telling any old person where the main camp is... Give me a minute or two." Book replies.

Spoiler: Book>>>Collective

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"Aron, they want to know where the camp is so they can invite us to dinner... What do you think?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo tests the edge of his blade then begins tossing it into the air and catching it. He eyes the visiting soldiers suspiciously.

[lostsole31]

Aron returns a reply.

Spoiler: Aron >>> Collective

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"Make a counter of asking where their camp is. As a military organization I doubt they are trying to create a hidden redoubt, and this makes them feel in a position of strength while we are 'weaker.' "

[BuckGodot]

"Now that I think about it, it might be better if you just tell us where your main camp is, the time dinner is served and we'll pass on the information." Book replies.

[lostsole31]

"Well, there are still crazy critters about," the lieutenant says, "so we don't blow the bugle like we normally would at chow time. But dinner is usually around sundown."

[BuckGodot]

"Right. Sundown. And where shall we meet?"

[lostsole31]

The lieutenant explains, "I'm sure you followed a waterway down from the west like we did. Where the water plunges under ground - the end of the waterway - go back upstream on the northern side about 200' or so, and our encampment is right on the water."

[BuckGodot]

”Righto. I’ll pass that on. Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day, at dawn look to the east We’ll be by soon. Most likely…” and he nods to them and turns to head back to the encampment.