The Scarred Lands (IC)

[HellFencer]

Madrigal

"Civilization seems a good route, but we know nothing of him nor of his people. I would advise being aware of your surroundings, but otherwise I agree to follow," Lucas says, hoping his point gets across. Having no need for rest, he stays at the ready to move.

"One other thing. Lad, do you mind putting that away?" he says, pointing at the bow and arrow.

[Darius]

Graeme MacKelan

"Lead on, Lad. Any enemy o' th' dark elves be a friend o' mine," Graeme says with a wink to Heinrich.

[Torger]

You... You're not gonna resist, right? You'll come quietly into town? The young man looks terrible relieved and immediately stashes the bow. Good... I'm Jess. Jess Furrier, and I'm not really suer how I'm supposed to deal with outsiders, to be honest... You're the first ones I've ever met.

[Toliudar]

Gislana

Ah. Heinrich was right. Kindness will serve much better than a blade here.

Gislana smiles at the boy.

You were brave and darink to come for all of us alone, Jess. I am Gislana. We have people who need rest, perhaps a skilled healer, if you have one.

She gestures down at the pretty elf in her makeshift stretcher.

[HellFencer]

Madrigal

Never met outsiders...? Lucas attempts to furl his brow, and in his internal anger tries to grit his teeth. He finds he does both equally well. Much to his chagrin, Lucas simply nods to the boy, adding only, "We are all reasonable people, so I see no reason to give you resistance, Jess. But do tell, how have you never met outsiders? Are you alone on this island?"

[Torger]

Jess seems rather intimidated by this ridiculously diverse grab-bag of genetic party favours he's stumbled upon, but tries to answer questions as he leads you all along the path. Patience might be able to help your injured. She's good with that kinda stuff, but I'd keep them away from her Dad, though... You can almost hear the idiotic grin on his face when he mentions Patience, and he seemed to be about to continue to profess her virtues when Madrigal questioned him. He seems less comfortable answering these questions. Island...? I don't know what you mean... The Sailors see others, I guess, but the Cap'n picks them. He doesn't like me very much, so I'm probably never gonna be a sailor...

[WakkaWakka]

Sean

Nice lad - and nice lady too, if half he says is true...
As they walk out, the halfling gets closer to him - he reminds of when he was younger, held tightly by the clan's bonds - "Why, you would like to be a sailor? For the little I've seen, it's a bleak life - and short, too..."

[HellFencer]

Madrigal

Lucas nods his helm in response to Jess' obvious nervousness. "Island, peninsula, it matters not; I mean only that it seems odd that your people would be so secluded, so as to never have met someone else." Suspecting something is amiss, Lucas continues his line of questions...

[fendrin]

Heinrich

"Come now, Madrigal, travel is not particularly safe, as we have just experienced. Stuck out on the far end of civilization, it's no real surprise that these people have no experience with outsiders. I bet the only visitors they get are from the next town over. Am I right, Jess? Except for the sailors..."

He gets quiet for a moment.

The sailors are pirates or raiders. That's the only reason that sailors would live in a remote place like this. Otherwise they would be in a port city of some sort, like the one we left from. There's no trade here, sailing here from a city would be a waste of time, money, and resources.

He turns to Graeme and says in mountain dwarven "I think the sailors are pirates or raiders. Make sure everyone knows, but be discrete. Don't panic the boy."

[Torger]

Obviously feeling more comfortable, the lad natters away, being fairly unguarded in his speech. Oh, there's no other town. Only Haven-Fara. And I have no real interest in being a sailor. I prefer the woods. I only want to get away. The Captain is... He stops short, having been walking 10 or so feet ahead of the group, and having turned a corner. His face is white, and his mouth moves with no sound coming out.

[Darius]

Heinrich

He turns to Graeme and says in mountain dwarven "I think the sailors are pirates or raiders. Make sure everyone knows, but be discrete. Don't panic the boy."

Graeme MacKelan

Graeme nods at Heinrich in understanding. He continues to busy himself with the patients. He says, "Gislana, kin ye take a looksee at this wound back here - methinks it be lookin' a bit septic."

When (and if) Gislana comes back, Graeme says quietly to her, "Dinnae let on tae what I be sayin' - act like ye are lookin' at th' injured." He says loudly, "Right thar. I dinnae think tha' be 'ealthy." He then resumes his whisperings, "Heinrich thinks tha' th' Cap'n be part o' a pirate crew. Dinnae let on tae this, but pass th' word when ye kin." He then straightens up and says, "I'll send ye some 'elp, Gislana."

He returns to where the others are located and says, "Ty and Sean - your expertise be needed by Gislana." Graeme will then stand between the boy and the information exchange to make sure that he doesn't interrupt.

[Toliudar]

Gislana

Keeping a carefully stoney face - easier for her than most - Gislana bends over the elf with Graeme. She responds to his comments with a similarly elevated tone.

That is exactly what I am thinkink also, Graeme. We should get them to shelter.

She merely nods at his murmured words, and rises, ostensibly to adjust her armour but really to make eye contact with Sean and Ty.

Sean, your fine hands will be better for adjustink this dressink. Ty, you are stronk. I need to to hold him steady when Sean does this.

Once the men are near, she carries on an ongoing chat about sutures. Behind cover of Graeme, she murmurs in between instructions.

Heinrich thinks the sailors may be pirates. Be on guard, and tell the others.

Waiting for their acknowledgements, Gislana rises to noisily adjust her armour again, when she notices the boy's slack-jawed manner, and the futility of their charade. Stepping forward, she tries to see what has him so alarmed.

[fendrin]

Heinrich

Grabbing his bow and drawing an arrow, Heinrich dashes up to Jess and looks around the corner.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Tiresias

Having been silently reading his book since the group encountered the lad, Ty snaps back into reality when he falls silent. Looking in front and seeing him standing there, he wonders why he has stopped, when he sees Heinrich running to him, bow in hand. Unsheathing his sword, Ty runs to the boy and looks around the corner, as he starts concentrating, preparing to manifest his powers if something threatening is nearby.

[WakkaWakka]

Sean
At first the halfling is a bit taken aback - he's just a goodwilled klutz, when it comes to first aid... then, as the "bandagink" goes on, he understands.
What a life for the poor lad - he would have been a good halfling. Maybe when (and if) they get out of all this, he could come with them... if he wants to, of course.

Letting a nod carry to the dwarf his understanding, he then moves almost nonchalantly back into the folds of the group.
Everyone needs to know there's pirates around before arriving in town, but there's no hurry as such...
There's no hurry whatsoever, actually - why has the boy come to such a stop?

[Torger]

As you round the corner, you see, in the near distance, a small, ramshackle town of thatched buildings sitting in a large clearing, completely covered in a thick blanket of webbing. As if dropped from the sky, the giant web drapes over a tall, trident-shaped structure in the town's center, then out and over the town's perimeter buildings before stretching taught to the ground. With a strangled cry, Jess starts to run toward the webbed community.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Tiresias

STOP! STOP, YOU FOOL, UNLESS YOU WANT TO SHARE THE FATE OF YOUR TOWN! Ty says as he starts to run after the boy. as he does, he manifests his power, and enlarges himself. As he runs, he bellows HEINRICH! COVER MY BACK!

Spoiler

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Trying to stop the boy. If necessary, I trip, then grapple, then hit him with nonlethal damage. Anything to stop him form being eaten/attacked/"entertained" by a children show hostess. Also, my PP reserve got refilled, right? if that is the case, I now have 8 PP.

[Toliudar]

Gislana

With a glance backward at her charges, Gislana offered up a prayer for Nemorga's patience in greeting them. She took up her spear and began trundling after Mr. Shouty.

[WakkaWakka]

Sean

Finally the halfling notices the state of the town - and for a moment just thinks of turning around and go away... but that would be useless anyway.
And that nice, arrow-pointing lad is going to get eaten in no time...

Remembering what Gale taught him, he goes through the first ritual invocation he knows, whispering calls to the free spirits of air to help him against the upcoming dangers.
He had forgotten the giddy sensation as the breezes form around him - it's been way, way too long, the forms say - and he knows, he had avoided calling on them since his friend went away...

Spoiler

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Casting Entropic Ward...

Now, with the elementals'blessing, he starts forward, his short legs not helping any in keeping up with the rest of the group, not even with Gislana.

[Darius]

Graeme MacKelan

When Graeme takes stock of the situation, the first thing that comes to mind is, Tha' darkie lied tae me tae make me look foolish warnin' th' others. But then the moment of blame washes over him when he sees Heinrich leap into action. It actually dawns on Graeme that perhaps his initial thoughts may be wrong...at least about Heinrich, that is.

"I cannae let tha' elf get all th' glory, Haggis...move...move...MOVE!" Graeme chases after Heinrich as best he can, drawing his huge sword and readying his shield as he goes.

[HellFencer]

Madrigal

Seeing the state of the town isn't alarming in the least to Lucas, as he has seen similar things in the past. However, the cry from the boy tends to make him think this is a trap. He merely shakes his helm when all the shouting occurs. There goes any sense of surprise we might have had.

Keeping stride with Gislana, Lucas pulls his shield onto his left arm, and clenches his flail. Keeping a hushed tone, he says to her, "Stay on your toes."

[fendrin]

Heinrich

We've got to get a gag for that boy...

Heinrich knocks and draws an arrow, and proceeds cautiously towards the town, ready to fire at the first sign of an attack.

Spoiler

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move 30', ready an action to fire on an enemy.

[Toliudar]

Gislana

The rock-thick dwarf in splint armour glances up at Madrigal, expecting that his comment was a joke. Of course, his helmet gives her no further clue as to his intent. She manages to quietly wheeze.

You are tellink...a dwarf...in full armour...running...to stay on her toes?...Not...bloody...likely.

Nevertheless, she is somewhat comforted by his proximity, and by the glances she catches of her other new companions, also running forward.

[Torger]

Despite Tiersias's High-Handed, showy, and ultimately ineffectual attempts to stop, maim, disable, or otherwise impede Jess, the boy runs the full distance to the town, skidding to a halt at the base of the web, staring upward in horror.

As you approach, you can see outlandishly large spiders, with sooty red markings on the legs and thorax, crawling over the web. From within the shrouded township, the sounds of children crying and dogs barking is punctuated only by the occasional slamming of a door.

The boy's brain seems to have shorted out, and he stands there moving his mouth without sound for several minutes before shaking his head and resuming his near-frenzied approach. He starts pacing back and forth in front of the wall, talking to himself.

I have to get inside... I have to see if Mother is alright and Patience... She'll be ok, though... Her father knows spiders... How do I get in? He continues to mutter to himself for the next several minutes, seemingly trying to think through the situation in the face of his recent shock and panic.

[HellFencer]

Madrigal

Lucas wishes to say something about how his suit of armor doesn't slow him down any, but knows that this is not the time nor place for it. Instead, he focuses he attention towards the boy and the massive shroud of webbing across his town. Should nothing stop him, Lucas walks up behind the boy and begins looking all around.

[Azerian Kelimon]

JUST. GREAT. Someone on the village BETTER be in control of this spiders, or a lot of repairs will have to be made by the time I'm done with them, Ty mutters. He isn't really angry, but mostly annoyed at thinking of facing off with big spiders. Running towards the web, he looks around for some kind of stick, to test the stickiness of the web. As he does, he walks towards Jess, and taps his shoulder to draw his attention. Is there anyone who had some kind of interest in spiders or was trying some kind of enlargement method? We're probably going to have to clean the town of spiders, and any information we can get about what could be awaiting us inside will be nice, he says as he checks the stickiness of the web. By the way, forgive me for attempting to stop you, but running right into possible danger is not a bright idea.

[Darius]

Graeme MacKelan

Panting as he continues his pursuit, Graeme joins the others near the boy. "I wonder if'n they'll taste good...th' spiders I mean. Any o' ye 'ave a bright idea? I bin told tha' webs be flammable. Methinks tha'll most likely burn down th' town. But, if'n ye be caught b'twix a rock an' a 'ard place..."

[Toliudar]

Gislana

Chugging in behind, Gislana stops at the edge of town. She slides her crossbow off of her shoulder, and loads it as quietly as possible.

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Torger, any chance of getting a sense of how big "outlandishly" means? I immediately think of those fifty foot cockroaches from old creature flicks. And, of course, how many of them we can see - which probably translates into a small portion of the total present.

[fendrin]

Heinrich

"Ty, no! Don't tou-" He cuts himself off and swears in his native tongue.

He once again draws back the arrow he has nocked, ready to fire on the first spider to attack either his companions or the townsfolk.

[Darius]

Graeme MacKelan

Graeme positions himself in a position to guard the boy and Heinrich from approach of a spider. He readies his shield and has his sword in hand.

ooc: Just editing here to say that Graeme is using this time to ready an action to attack or take a 5' step and attack a spider that comes within attacking range.