BEO's FUN FUN INTRO

[Ameena]

Urrffrah perks up somewhat as Growlgra speaks to her about hunting.
"Yes, want hunt." she says. "We go hunt when is good time."
She then listens to the one called Vaathi. She is slightly uncertain, but supposes that if the not-quite-lizar only wants to talk about magic, and not use any on her, then that's okay.
"Talk about magic, maybe yes." she says. "Not want magic cast on me, though."
As Kass then reiterates that she should take her run-fast-hunt-good form and then goes about telling everyone to get a move on, she changes form as requested and looks about, wondering whether she should run alongside the pack, or between the...waggins, was it? Or maybe she should just follow behind...
She decides that maybe it's best to wait and see what everyone else is doing, but without getting in the way, and then find some way to fit in with the movement of the group. In this form she can keep up a steady pace for much of a day, so she doesn't worry that she might fall behind. She wouldn't be much of a hunter if she couldn't chase something until it became so tired it fell over. The neck-gem is a minor distraction, swinging beneath her as she moves and knocking into her chest, but she tries to ignore it as best she can. She supposes that if Sssil wants it back, he'll ask.

[beowuuf]

Are you goin g to explicitly come over to where Sssssil and Growlgra are going in to the wagon, or are you just going to keep up wit hthe wagons outside?

[Ameena]

No-one's specifically told Urrffrah where she should be - everyone's sort of buggered off to get on with their own thing, riding the wagons or whatever. So she doesn't know if there's a specific position she's supposed to occupy. If nothing comes up by the time the caravan has actually started to move, she'll probably just sort of trail alongside.

[beowuuf]

Sssssil's hanging back and looking to her, that;'s why I was wondering if you were going to come across.

[Ameena]

Ah, I thought he was talking to Growlgra and Hissssa and stuff. But I didn't see anything to say he was specifically gesturing to Urrffrah to come over, just that he was looking in her direction at some point - as far as she knows, he might just be watching her to see what she does .

[beowuuf]

Actually Ssssil's talkign to Hissssa is just sharing images, so really he gestured for Growlgra to go to the wagon them seems to be staring at himself - though Urrffrah's probably seen the little armour pockey where Hissssa sleeps and stays and could assume that's who Ssssil is looking to.


Sssssil looks across to Urrffrah, gesturing to himself and then to the wagon. Even though he knows she can talk now, it still seems more natural to gesture as he does with Growlgra and how he used to in the swamp with her.

[Ameena]

Urrffrah puts her head to one side in a questioning manner, then slowly approaches Sssil. Much better to be walking around on all her paws again, she decides. Better than that goblin form. Of course, this one still doesn't feel quite as "right" as her natural form, but still better than the one that walks upright.

[raixel]

Everyone is in the wagons and ready to go, and Kass remounts her grahhssk and goes to her customary place alongside the first wagon. She sees Urrffrah and says "So, you dont want to ride? Thats fine, but you should keep up. We're already burning daylight and I dont want to have to stop for you to climb aboard. Are you sure you can keep up?"

I'll continue when I get a response.

[beowuuf]

"What else can you look like?" asks Sssssil quietly, realising he should probably get on the wagon soon, and that Urrffrah will probably keep walking on foot. "And...does it hurt to change? Are you...squashed?"

[Ameena]

Sorry, was waiting to see if Sssil would specifically say "Hey, come and ride in the wagon" or otherwise show exactly what he wanted Urrffrah to do, since she doesn't exactly know the correct behaviour when travelling with a caravan (or anyone else, for that matter ).

Urrffrah realises that the lizars are suggesting that she ride on one of the waggy-things. She doesn't see any reason to do so, though, when she can lope alongside just fine. She can always leap up into one anyway, if she feels like it.
"Move on paws easy enough." she replies to Kass. "Jump in waggy-thing if need to later."
Then she replies to Sssil.
"Only these shapes." she says. "Only goblin and this one, run-fast-hunt-good, shapes I can take. Or change back to how I am. Barghest. Will remember name - barghest. Change does not hurt. Is just...change. Not know what you mean when you say I squashed. I all change, size and shape. Is not squash."
She pauses a moment, thinking of something.
"You want neck-gem back?" she asks. "Then you still know what I say, yes? But no-one else does. We can talk about...hunting."
She decides not to say any more, in case the Bad One, whomever it is, is listening. The one that Sssil said is trying to cause trouble among the pack. The one she will hopefully catch. But not eat - Sssil said not. Just to stand on and not let move until the rest of the pack comes to deal with it.

[beowuuf]

Ssssil shook his head emphatically. "People say bad things when they hear you talk normal talk. People say bad thigns when they talk too much anyway." Sssssil sighed. "Best you keep it. We talk about hunt before, and I never knew you spoke. Don't use it too much, it only lasts..." Sssssil mimed the small partial arc of the sun that seemed to be a way he kept time. An hour. "Then need to let it rest until next day. Make sure it stay in air when resting."

Sssssil then looked to the wagon as it started to move faster. "Best I get on....I can't walk as fast as you. I'll stay near the edge if you want me. Or if you want to jump on too." Ssssil started to move off. "Glad you came. Sorry people take some time to be nice to you."

[raixel]

S'ok. I just didnt want to put you in the wagon if you didnt want to be there or have you walk if you wanted to be in there! Ad also, whos on first and he's on second!

Kass nods "Alright then. Lets move out!" The drivers all call "Ssshhaa, move on!", and snap the reins on the backs of the grahhssks in harness. The large wheeled wagons creak to life, trundling easy down the muddy pathway. It is easy for Urrffrah to keep up, the wagons are barely moving faster than a fast walk. The lizars glance at her disinterestedly from time to time as she lopes along next to Sssil's wagon. The four lizar on the smaller grahhssk, with the exception of Kass, spread out to points around the wagon, two in front and two behind. Within secinds they are lost in the thick foliage on the sides of the twisting road. Kass stays in her customary position next to the first wagon, occasionally riding her grahhssk up and down the caravan to make sure everything is alright.

Growlgra motions to Sssil, then to the turtle shell stacked with the other goods in their wagon and his roll of carving equipment. Make shell armor, for you?. It takes Sssil a second, but he realizes Kass intentionally had the shell loaded with the goods in the wagon they are riding in. Looking closer at it, Sssil can see that there are Zaangaardian words written with one of the charcoal sticks the caravan uses to non-permanently mark their goods. He peers at it closer. It says "Here, do something with this. You earned it. If it "disappears" I'll make sure not to notice. -K" It seems this is the pathfinder's way of giving him the shell, since she can't openly acknowledge his help. Growlgra frowns when he sees the small black lines marring the shell and rubs a finger against one of the curves making up the short-form glyph of Kass' name. It disappears, leaving a black smudge on the bika's finger. He holds up the finger to Sssil, and cocks his head curiously. What are these marks for?

Retcon anything you want in here, otherwise the journey continues. Urrffrah can talk to the people in the wagon, or move to another wagon and talk to the lizar there, only she's going to have to speak up, and so does whoever is in the wagon, leaving it likely that everyone around can hear. And the talisman stops working after this point, because id estimate that whole thing took about 30min, leaving 30 min left on it.

The wagons move along uneventfully for a few hours. The RA orb has begun its downward journey and will soon be touching the distance-line where it sleeps at night. Urrffrah isnt even tired. These wagons move so slowly, although they can carry far more than a single barghest or lizar ever could. The road is getting muddy compared to how it was farther in, and her paws sink deep withn the muck. Annoyingly, her legs are slimed in mud up to where they join her torso, and the stuff hangs in clumps off of her chest-fur. Suddenly, the shrill blast of a tri-crested swamp mandrill shrieks through the peaceful day. Westian immediately lifts his head from his chest, where he had been dozing the heat of the afternoon away. "Zhat izz wat?" the half-elf says nervously.

Growlgra also jumps up off of his folded hide, his triangular ears alert and twitching. He looks at Sssil and points ahead and to the left, off into the swamp. Came from there. The caravan immediately stops and begins to circle in the middle of the road. Kass holds a fist in the air and yells "That was one of ours! Places, everyone!" The outriders on their grahhssks come charging back and immediately begin to circle the caravan as all the other guards start climbig down, weapons at the ready. Sssil notices that out of all the outriders, he can only see Lisssak, Dassrak and the female with the bad eye. Thesssan is no-where to be seen. All the lizar start talking to each other, asking who's whistle that was and wondering whats going on.

The sound comes again, tearing through the babble of voices. Kass yells "I need volunteers, NOW!". As soon as she is done speaking, she repeats the double-blast on her own bone whistle.

Against the wagon, Urrffrah is confused. She has heard the noise of that creature in the swamp before, many times. However, this one sounds a lot louder and closer than she is used to, and it doesnt sound quite right to her sensitive ears. And for some reason, all the lizar start running around, thewagons stop, and she can smell strongly the scent of nervousness on everyone nearby. The pack-leader Kass puts something to her snout that smells of bone but looks like an open bird-beak, and makes a puff of air. The same sound shrills out, hurting the barghest's sensitive ears.

She lifts her muzzle to the breeze blowing from the direction the irst sound came from and scents the air. On the wind hse can smell faint traces of red-water, as well as the smell of a creature in pain and fear.

[beowuuf]

For the retcon on the jopurney.

Sssssil tries to explain the black marks, pointing to where Kass is subtly, and then makes a symbol for speech, and points him himself and the shell. Kass. Says shell mine. Ssssil's previous mood is bucked up a little by the mention of the shell again, and he nods to Growlgra, interested in exactly how Growlgra will be able to work with the shell. Sssssil also recalls what else he said to Grolwgra earlier. He is not sure if he regrets giving away the OH talisman, but it seemed right. Instead decides it might be a way to make peace with Westian. "Can you translate for me and Growlgra?" he asks the elf, realising the elf will probably fall asleep soon if he's not distracted. "I want to hear about his home more."

Anyway, leave that as a fill in the time thingie. I guess Sssssil can have a vague idea of the stuff in your bika document, yes?

Top react to the new stuff...


Sssssil had lapsed in to silence with the monotony of the wagon trp. He was shocked by the warning, and it took until Kass announced it to realise what was happening. He realised Thesssan was missing, and felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He scrambled his things together withotu a word to anyone else, and almost fell out of the wagon to join the throng.


Ssssil will sort of loiter near to get an idea of what's going on, and will basically volunteer by default if Kass acknowledges him, or if lizars start moving somewhere.

Spot 21 and listen 15 for anything strange going on. 23 for knowledge(nature) to interpret anything seen/heard.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3537996/
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3538006/

[Ameena]

Urrffrah keeps her senses alert as the waggy-things are pulled slowly forward, and follows alongside. She stays beside the waggy-thing in which Sssil is riding, but keeps her ears, eyes, and nose on her surroundings. While she's quite sure she'd normally be very bored just walking along like this, somehow it isn't so bad because she has these other creatures nearby. Even if most of them don't seem to like her much, at least Sssil and Kass are letting her stay.
Suddenly there is some kind of disturbance, with loud whistlings, the lizars running around, and Kass yelling orders at everyone. When Urrffrah catches the scents on the air, and when everyone seems to be running around without much specific purpose, she decides that she might as well investigate this herself.
Moving away from the lizar a little, Urrffrah heads in the direction of the disturbance, but circles around so that she won't approach it directly from the waggy-things, aiming instead to approach from one side. She moves through the muck slowly, trying to keep quiet whlie she works out what's going on - if a member of the pack is in danger, she should probably help.

Silent Move roll for...erm...moving silently(ish) = 20 (12+8). Yaay, hopefully whatever it is won't notice me 'cause they're too busy killing Thessan or something .

[raixel]

Yeah, you get all the basic info in there, as well as knowing Growlgra comes from a pack called DESwalkers Three Star.

Growlgra chuffs happily and unrolls his tool kit. He takes a large strip of flexible cloth about an inch wide with odd marks sewn across one side of it and walks up to Sssil. He mimes holding his arms straight out at the sides, and then motions to Sssil. Do like this. Then he takes the tape and starts putting it in various places on Sssil's torso and arms. After he puts the tape against an area, he brings it close to his face, and notes the mark on the leather his tools are wrapped in. He then takes the shell and lays it flat and starts putting the strip of cloth against it, apparently checking the marks on the leather against the strip of cloth on the shell.

The bika turns tp Sssil and mimes drawing a breastplate on the lizars chest. Could make breastplate Then he draws a bunch of little circles all over Sssil's leather armor, one around the wrist, the shoulders, the chest, thighs, and greaves. Or could sew on leather. He then points to Hissa's pouch and makes a round shape with his fingers Either way, enough for Hissa. He cocks his head as if asking a question. Your choice. Which one?
In game terms, the breastplate has the same AC as scale mail, but only weighs 20lbs and has no movement penalty, and the other one is studded leather, but someone trying to grapple you gets a -3 penalty to their grapple rolls to grab and maintain. When Sssil replies, he smiles and nods and traces out that pattern with a small grease pen in his kit. He looks through his tools and selects a tiny, fine hand saw and begins to saw through the shell, saving as many large chunks as possible.

At the alarm, Sssil nearly tumbles out of the wagon. Growlgra hastily rolls up his tools and quickly wraps the partially sawed shell in leather before climbing down with Westian. Sssil is staring intently in the direction GRowlgra pointed out earlier. He hears a slight scrape, but has no idea if it has anything to do with the disturbance. Looking across the tree-line, far in the distance he can see many flocks of songbirds circling. He knows that hey were obviously disturbed from the sound of the whistle, and over there would be a good place to start searching. Kass looks around at the group. Kalisssa steps forward and says "Thessan is my mate. I will go." Kass opens her mouth as if to tell her it is too dangerous for a mage, but sees the determined fire in Kalissa's eyes and decides the runecaster would go regardless of if Kass told her not to.

Surprisingly, Growlgra steps forward to stand next to Kass and points to himself, and after a minute Westian does too, although with far less certainty than the bika. "Zhezzzahn khud bee ehnjured. Aye ahm a klerikk. Aye khan heel heem." the elf says quietly. Kass looks surprised for a second, but then clicks her jaw in acknowledgement. "Alright. But we need someone who is used to being in the swamps." She looks around, surprised no one else is stepping forward.

"Alright, one of the caravan is potentially hurt, maybe mortally, and you all just stand around? The only volunteers are Thessan's mate and two mammals?" She shakes her head disgustedly. "Sssil, go with them. Try and keep out of trouble, ok?" the pathfinder says, motioning toward the swamp.

"Go, now! We dont have much time!"

Urrffrah is confused at the fact that the lizar are all milling around making mouth-noises instead of running off into the swamp to help their pack-mate. Well, they could stand around making mouth noises all day, she was going to help. After all, it was amember of the pack. She puts her nose to the wind and follows the scent of the fear and blood.

K, Im gonna stop there cuz I need to figure out how to time when the other group leaves

[beowuuf]

The studded leather I think! Would the breastplate have been counted as light armour?

Sssssil had stood behind Westian and Growlgra, not indicating he would go, but not planning on doing anything else. He nods at Kass's words, then taps Westian and Growlgra on the shoulder. He points to the fact that Urrffrah has already gone that way, and makes a motion to indicate they should probably hurry after her. Ssssil draws his sword and axe, and gets ready to follow her trail once Kalissa was ready to go.


Essk, rolled a Survival roll to try and follow Urrffrah quickly, but only rolled a 14 Hopefully it's an easy path, or someone else is better Like Growlgra at spotting her passage.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3540285/

[Ameena]

Well, I've entered Stealth Mode and I'm in wolf form, so presumably I'm gonna be hard to follow - I rather hope so, 'cause otherwise I'm not much good at stealth, am I?

[beowuuf]

Well one of the oinly good things about Ssssil is his ability to track people, or else he most likely wouldn't have attracted your attention, nor been much good to the caravan. Still, even with his bonus, rolling a 3 means you are likely to go undetected. Then again, you are moving dsilently, NOT covering your tracks, so it's different comparisons :p

[Ameena]

Actually, I do have the ability to leave no tracks (or any other signs of passage that can be detected by non-magical means), but not only did I forget that till you mentioned covering tracks just now, I probably wouldn't have used it yet anyway, since being tracked isn't so much a problem as sneaking up on whatever's making the noise so I can maybe attack some bad guy(s) before they know I'm there .

[beowuuf]

Best not to be the point person and stop your back up from knowing where you went

[Ameena]

Well, Urrffrah's not thinking in terms of back-up right now. Not in terms of receiving any herself, anyway. It's more a case of "From the reaction of these lizar, that was some kind of distress call, and I can smell blood. So why are they standing around talking? I'll go and have a look myself...". So she'll go and see what's going on, and hopefully get to eat some bad guys, or at least parts of them, or something .

[raixel]

Can you guys move this to OOC please? I dont wanna be mean, but any back and forth of more than just a couple posts really really clutter up the story thread, and annoy the DM(which really isnt a good idea because I AM GOD HERE MUAHAHA *cough* sorry...um something in my throat). And Sssil is an amazing tracker, Urrffrah is a sneaky wolf. Its up to the dice to see what happens and the fact you are currently in ankle deep mud. And Ameena, Pass Without Trace is a spell-like ability. You have to narratively(or OOCly state) youre using it, or you just get your bonus.

And dur, thought I posted earlier.

Whoa! Growlgra nat 20'd his track! growlgra track (1d20+6=26)

Urrffrah takes off into the swamp, leaving the lizar and their wood wag-things behind. The scent gets easier to follow as she approaches, a strong smell of redwater and fear and pain. As she gets closer, she smells another thing too, the scent of someone who's life mana has left their flesh. She stops when she realizes the smell is very close, and angles around to the side. She can smell the life-air of someone breathing ahead, but it is tinged with the smell of redwater and very very slow. She cautiously approaches where the scent is strongest.

There is a very-small clear trail here. It is not like the big clear trail of the wag-ins, but a little tiny thing, big enough for just one grahhssk. Laying down on the ground there is a lizar and Urrffrah realizes that parts of it which should be inside are out. Next to it is a grahhssk. Execept for the smell, it is hard to tell which inside-parts-on-the-outside bellong to the lizar, and which to the grahhssk. There is a loud buzzing as many small-black-death-likers fly in the area, disturbed the the approach of the barghest-wolf from where they were resting on the life-gone body.

Sssil, Growlgra, Westian, and Kalisssa all stand at the edge of the road, peering into the swap in the direction the noise came from. Sssil looks around and realizes that Urrffrah is no where to be seen. In fact, he doesnt remember seeing her during the discussion, either. In the deep mud, there is a trail of four-pawed prints heading off into the swamp. The tracker points them out to the others, and the party moves off, quickly losing the alerted caravan behind the deep foliage. The trail continues for a bit, but then Sssil loses it when the area becomes more solid and the mud dries out.

Urrffrah snuffles the still form. It isnt Thessan. She glances up and down the path. Off to the side, there is a tiny version of a waggin. But this one wouldnt even be big enough for the hunter Growlgra to ride in. It is just a flat wood thing, with wood-and-skin pieces sticking out, presumably to attach to the grahhssk, and two odd flat things coming out of the bottom where the round things are on the others.It has sled runners instead of wheels. At least, thats what she imagined it looked like, before something apparently caused the anger to come and hit it. Repeatedly.

The party searches the dry area. Growlgra chuffs over near a tree. The bika is pointing to a scuff mark. It doesnt look like anything to Sssil, but Growlgra reaches down and plucks a few hairs from it, holding them up to the light so everyone can see. Kallissa and Westian both shrug, but Sssil sees that they are definately Urrffrah's. Growlgra takes a few more steps and nudges a clump of mud with his toe-claw. The mud just looks like a small lump of swamp-slime, but as Sssil peers closer to it, he realizes it is ever so slightly different colored than the surrounding loam. The bika picks up a small handful of mud and holds it against his chest, before letting it drop. Stuck on barghest, fell off. The party follows the bika, who is finding the tiniest signs of the barghest's passage.

The barghest smells more pain farther down the path away from the fight-placeAbout 80 feet. A weak moan comes from inside the trees, and a ragged air sound. She approaches, and sees Thessan pinned to a tree. The large jagged metal fang he carries is stuck through his stomach, and his snout is resting against his chest. He hears the barghest and painfully raises his head. "Ss'lik, Kalisssa hss nahhnss Sssil? Hissst! Ssslarr!!" he calls weakly.

Growlgra raises his hand for silence as the party moves behind him. The bika slowly approaches something ahead. Sssil can see a narrow path, most likely a swamp-lizar hunting trail. The scent of blood is nearly overpowering, and there is the drone in the air of many flies. Growlgra pulls a scrap of some kind of cloth out of his loin-drape and ties it arond his face to protect his sensitive nose.

The bika pulls his long green blade and creeps onto the path. Behind him, Sssil can see the source of the smell. There is a lizar. Or what is left of one. Whatever did this evescerated the poor lizar. Off to the side of the trail, a tiny crudely made deep-swamp wagon lies smashed, the grahhssk that pulled it lying with its guts mixing with its masters. There are no goods left on the wagon, although Sssil can see the wooden remains of a crate or barrel nearby.

Kalisssa surveys the area, her nostril slits closed against the reek. "Looks like a self-merchant A merchant not attached to a trading house, self employed and basically travels around from area to area buying and selling goods which he/she carries on a tiny single-grahhssk wagon, or buys passage with a caravan., possibly coming back from trading with swam lizars. But wheres Thessan?"

Growlgra motions to the path, and mimes walking. Barghest go that way, follow? Westian had one of his hands over his mouth, and if possible he is even paler than usual. "Aye zzzink whe chud find Zhezzan. Bhuut eet ez imphorthant two no wat hapind heeer, azz whel. ahnd zzhis lizar niidzz the lothoril ni'teralin." the elf says quietly.

[Ameena]

Urrffrah looks up at Thessan. She has no idea what he just said - maybe the neck-gem is broken, or maybe she wore out its magic by talking too much earlier, or something. either way, she makes out Sssil's name amid the strange hissing noises he is making. She doesn't know what did this to him, or how to help. He's a member of Sssil's pack, and the pack should know.
Lowering herself back onto her haunches, she throws her head back and gives a long, loud howl. Let whoever did this know where she is - she'll find them and sink her teeth into them, remove them from the world so they can't do this to anyone else. They hurt a member of Sssil's pack, which means they've made an enemy of her - whoever it was, she intends to hunt them down. Starting now.
While she waits to see if anyone will approach in response to her howl, she starts to sniff around the area, seeking out any tracks or scents that might indicate the presence of whoever stabbed Thessan. She can't help the lizar herself, so decides to wait and see if the rest of the pack respond to her call.

Angry barghest is angry. Well, not yet. But, you know, she's now formed a hit list . I'm guessing that searching for any sign of the stabby bastard(s) is a Spot check, so Spot = 10 (3+7). Bleh. I'll make a Listen, too, for...well, listening. Listening for anyone who might be approaching, or any other odd noises. Listen = 9 (2+7). Yay for crappy rolls, lol. Ah well, maybe my Scent ability thing will be able to pick stuff up. Or maybe Sssil and friends will get here quickly and can check out the area themselves.

[beowuuf]

Ssssil feels his stomach churn for the dead merchant, and he worries even more for Thessan. He nervously looks around to try and spot anything unusual, and then hears the howl.

"Sound like Urrffrah!" he says to the rest, and urges everyone to come, thinking the howl and the sighns pointed in the same direction.


Spot/listen for the immediate area (15 / 23 (nat 20)), and then spot/listen while rushing forwards to Urrffrah (21 / 6)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3542403/

Knowledge (nature) to guess at what might have done that (24). And knowing what's going to be seen, Heal check (sadly only 13 to check, or 17 for trying to heal with bloodmoss).
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3542408/

[raixel]

Thessan jerks a bit at Urrffrah's howl and raises his head again. He squints his eyes and coughs weakly. "Ness ghassa, dalasssk sssh'iir. Kaa-osssii sssrak!", he mumbles to the barghest as his eyes grow feverish. Urrffrah isn't sure if he even can see her, and theres no way she could pull his metal fang free, for the huge jagged steel goes through him into the wood behind it. Her two leg form is much too small, and her hunting and running forms dont have the moveable paws needed to grasp the holding-part.

After howling, she sniffs around the area. Something else definately was here, there is at least one scent that isnt either Thessans or the life-gone things back there. But due to the overwhelming scent of hurting and redwater, she cant get any other information.

The party stares in horror at the carnage. Growlgra strides purposefully but cautiously into the clearing and begins to examine the body. He nudges an organ flung a few feet from the body with his foot. The reddish purple thing flops wetly over onto its side with a *schlup*. Westian suddenly grips his mouth with his hand and rushes behind a tree, followed by the sound of retching. Hisssa sticks his head out of his pouch to see what's going on. Even the irrepressible snake is silent as he sees the grisly scene, head weaving slowly back and forth.

Sssil surveys the area, breathing slowly through his mouth and trying not to look at the body beyond what he has to. He notices that when Westian appears from around the tree, the cleric has one hand pinching his nostrils shut. Hisssa sends a mental image of his own nostrils, which are moblie like a lizars, and a feeling of gratefulness. The death of the merchant doesnt bother the snake so much as the brutality with which he was killed. A feeling of confusion and sadness washes over Sssil as his companion tries to understand why something would do an act like this. In the snakes world, death is part of life. Things die so other things can eat. But to kill with extreme violence is far beyond anything Hisssa can comprehend.

The tracker notices that the intestines of the lizar and grahhssk form a pattern. Steeling himself, he glances at the pattern, willing himself to see only that and nothing else, not that it was made of gore, not the swarming flies, or the horrified look on what remains of the lizar's face. It appears to be an eight pointed star underneath a circle with two points coming out of its top. That clinched his already-forming suspicions. No wild animal did this. And whatever, or whoever, did it, it was recent. He notices the lizar's severed arm appears to be pointing towards the wagon, and he walks over there. On its far side, written in blood he sees the Zaangardian word for "death", "chaos", and "rise". The words are written oddly, as if the being that wrote the glyphs was writing in an unfamiliar language. Also, there is no other words, nothing to join the three words together to make a coherent sentence. He pokes around the wagon, and finds a circular burn mark about a foot across on its floor, with a deeper charred mark of about 4 inches in the center. There are tracks in the area, from at least one lizar, two wearing boots and at least one barefoot. There are also grahhssk tracks, two sets.

Suddenly, a howl rings through the clearing. Growlgra jumps up and looks at Sssil. Although he can't understand the words, he catches Urrffrah's name and nods. The tracker finds the barghest's trail easy to follow, and within seconds they stumble upon her in wolf form, and Thessan.

At first glance Thessan appears to be leaning backwards against a tree. But as Sssil's eyes travel down the burly fighter's form, he sees that the huge serrated blade has been punched through Thessan's armor, through his stomach and deep into the tree he is against. Kalisssa hisses in fear when she sees what has happened to her mate.

"Thessan!" she cries as she rushes towards him, heedless of any danger. (in Zaangaardian, from this point foreword every NPC is speaking Zaangaardian) "By Sssslarhatha's grace! Who did this to you? Thessan, oh my mate. Hang on! We'll get you free."

The fighter's eyes open, and he weakly lifts his head to look at Kalissa. "Kalissa, my mate. I knew....I knew you'd come. His eyes...they burned me. Burning. He will come for us all. Take our...minds. We are slaves to him. I couldn't fight him. His will controls them, his slaves. My hands are stained." he mutters feverishly.

"Shh, dont talk." Kalisssa says as she brushes her claw-tips gently along Thessan's snout. "Be still. Nothing can harm you here."

Thessan's words draw Sssil's eyes to the old warriors hands. He notices something odd, that the fighter's arms are caked in blood and bits of gore nearly to the elbow. Westian says "Whee muzzt ghet zzhat zzword owt uhv heem." The elf looks around, as if something just occurred to him. "Ahnd wheer izz hees jhrazzzk? Eet zzhud bee ahround heer? Aye dohnt zee eet." He nods to Sssil "Heelp Aye ghet zzhizz zzword owt uhv heem."

Kalisssa seems terrified at the thought, but realizes that if they even have a chance of saving Thessan's life, the sword has to come out. "He may bleed severely when the sword comes out." She seems like she wants to say more, but just steps back, her teeth bared in fear.

Westian sighs and pulls a small glass flask out of his pouch. It is filled with an iridescent blue liquid. "Zhizz izz zhee zhtrongezzt heeling pohtin Aye haav. Aye khanot mayke zzheez zhizz zztrhong. Eet khame frum my teekcha. Aye dohnt noe eev eet wil bee enuf. Eet izz uhv zee rhoon uhv EE." the half-elf says.

Growlgra, once he sees that Sssil and Westian are working on Thessan, takes a few steps away and stands near the wolf. "What did you see?" he says to her quietly in Common. "We should look around while they work. Whatever did this, it might still be around."

Sssil is ready to pull the sword out. He packs some bloodmoss around the wound, hopefully it will help with the bleeding. Kalissa stands nearby, praying nervously to Sssslarhatha, Makanassht's mate and the patron of sick and injured lizar, especially those injured in battle. Westian nods at the tracker, and Sssil grips the blade's handle. Oddly it is slick with blood and his hands slip a few times before Westian hands him a strip of cloth to wrap around the handle. I used your roll for spot when you ran towards Urrffrah as a strength check, cuz she was close enough that it wasnt needed..

Sssil thinks of everything he learned in field-training about removing things from an injury. Maybe all those stupid scholars his father got to tutor him were useful after all. He remembers the words of Blademaster Dharisss, a large guard-captian hired to teach Sssil about basic swordplay, the "proper" swordplay every noble should know. Fortunately, for the budding tracker, the blademaster saw the hunger in Sssil's eyes for real weapons work, and the desire to learn about the swamps. He remembers the gruff, but fair, lizar explaining to him the safest way to pull a sword or other blade out of a wound and other aspects of swamp-life, something Sssil is sure his father would have an egg over if the noble ever found out what his scion was learning.

With the blademaster's voice in his mind, and sadly alos Thessan's when the scarred warrior taught him about healing just a few hours ago, Sssil attempts to pull the blade free. It is wedged deeply in the bark of the tree, and Sssil has to put his weight against the blade. Slowly, inch by bloody inch, the tracker works the blade free of the bark it is in. Thessan lets out a hissing scream of agony as the serrated blade scrapes through his body, his chest heaving as he inhales, only to scream on every exhalation. Sssil works the sword free, focused on his task and nothing else, trying to block his ears to the sound of Thessan's agonized hisses. Finally, after what seem slike an eternity of torture, the tip slides out of the mortally wounded warrior's chest and he slides down the tree to slump at its base, leaving a long streak of blood. Westian rushes forward, gently splashing the potion on the bloodmoss, where it bubbles into a blood-tinged foam. The warrior screams again as the healing processes of his body are sped up. Kalissa also rushes foreward to cradle her mate's head. "Here, drink" she says to Thessan as Westian brings the potion foreward and pours it slowly into the warrior's mouth.

Thessan's eyes close after he drinks the potion, and Westian stands up. "Aye dohnt noe eef hee whil mayke eet. Wee zzhall zee. how doo whee ghet heem bakk? Whee doent knoe wat haypend two hees jhrazzzk?"

Oh boy. That sucked to write. I like Thessan. I dont like impaling my favorite NPCs. Well, its up to you guys what you do here.

[beowuuf]

Sssssil was impressed with Growlgra's ability to track, but the horrific sight of the corpses drew him instead. Seeing the pattern, he moved to find Westian. "Chaos!" he said, drawing the symbol repeatedly and pointing the pale faced elf to the ewntails. Seeing the wagon writing, Ssssil shook his head. "Not written by lizar." Seeing the tracks out, Ssssil tries to get Growlgra's attention. He points to the tracks, and lifts up a rough number of fingers, Counting then off, he points to the grahhnssk corpse twice, himself once, and then shrugs and gestures to them all twice. He then starts lifting more fingers while shrugging. He then goes back to his first and second finger finger, and then points to the boots on Westian's feet, flicking then to show boots not legs, then the tracks. He then points to Growlgra and his own feet, and flips his third finger, and then the tracks. At least five. Two grahhssk, one lizar, two whatever. Two wear boots, one barefoot.

Sssssil is just pointing to the burned area when the howl erupts, and his heart beat painfully and oddly when he saw the sight of Thessan impaled. There were too emotions in him he realised he'd never really had before. Despite how much he'd chided at his parents wishing him to be the scion, and how much he hated being so slow in having his coming of age ritual, he had never really been angry before. Now his hands shook on his weapons. And no matter how bad things had got when he had hunted, or when he had been lost, he had never really felt true fear before. He dropped his weapons and rushed to help Kalisssa and Westian. Thessan's words about being forced t odo things and the gore terrified Ssssil even more. Thessan was strong, and something had beaten him. And worse, made him do things he didn't want to do. His rage was turning to a black hatred for these swamp lizars and their friends, but it was impotent if they could do what they want. Maybe Ssssil shouldn't be here. Maybe he should admit defeat, and go home, and not leave Makan again where it was safe...

Sssssil planted himself down by Thessan. At least Growlgra had been poisoned, which was something you couldn't see and so pretend that it couldn't really harm anything. This was very bad wounds, and it was impossible to belief that Westian's water and some bloodmoss would make it better.

Well stop impaling cool NPCs then! Will write more about the mechanics of getting him back - if Ssssil can think of any - later. Maybe Urrffrah has some items or weird powers! Maybe she cna just eat him whole and spit him out later, that won't be harmful

[Ameena]

Urrffrah looks around as Sssil and some others arrive, but then gets back to examining the area while they work to help Thessan. If he's in that much pain and will die anyway, maybe she should just eat him. But Sssil might not want that - she isn't sure what other creatures do when their pack members die. From what she was told by those small creatures who found her so interesting and liked to talk, many upright creatures like this seem to put their dead ones in a special building, or bury them in the ground. Something of a waste, Urrffrah thinks - why not just eat them, and become stronger?
Still, Thessan isn't dead yet, so there's no need to think about it. As Growlgra comes over and speaks to her, she takes a few moments to work out what he said, slowing his words down in her mind so that she can work them out. Fortunately, there's nothing that's too difficult.
"Trying to smell." she says, forgetting that since the neck-gem is no longer working, this means that no-one will be able to understand her any more. "Want to find. Want to hunt."
She gives a faint growl to express her displeasure that someone has harmed one of Sssil's pack members, then gets back to searching the area, sniffing around and attempting to find and follow the trail of whatever attacked Thessan.

Hehe sorry, Urrffrah's powers all really focus around hiding/disguising herself, or on moving around faster/effectively. Nothing that's really focused on helping others, I'm afraid . Also, she was speaking Infernal there, though I hope that's obvious since she wasn't having any trouble thinking of what words to use . She also forgot to bring her raggedy "clothing" with her when the caravan left - I did remember about it myself, but kept forgetting to have her pick it up until right after I posted. So I'll just say she forgot about it and left it behind, so now she doesn't have to lag a tattered bit of crappy cloth around with her, and can be a nudey goblin whenever she changes back .

[beowuuf]

Sssssil sadly pulls out the contents of his backpack, revealing only a bedraggled bedroll that he nevre actually uses, and a decent coil of rope thta has been frayed at one end. He also realises he still hs his small whistle, and could use the owl sound to summon more people. The kill sound seems...disrespectful...but would at least bring people ready to carryu Thessan back.

"Is...is it safe?" Sssssil whispers to Growlgra and tries to say to the patrolling Urrffrah, looking around worriedly to the surroundings as much as to Thesssan. He does't really know what to say to Kalisssa, and does his best to stay out of her way unless directly called upon.


At worst, use some rope and the bedroll to make a very makeshift stretcher and have Sssssil and WEstian carry it. And signal for help. Unless, of course, Urrffrah or Growlgra find something in the area...

[Ameena]

Since Urrffrah has no idea how to help someone directly, nor any obvious ways of doing so or inclination to want to, she's settling for hunting down whatever caused the damage and doing some back. Don't worry, barghests don't get indigestion .

[raixel]

Growlgra frowns at the dark-sounding echoing and snarling language that comes out of the barghest's mouth in response to his question. It seems to roll through the swamp, hollowly echoing amongst the trees. Nearby, Westian stiffens and looks up from his task at the words, gripping his holy symbol as if warding something away from the greviously wounded lizar.

In common "Do not speak that dark language here." he says sternly. "It can bring darkness, especially when one's life hangs in the balance. There are many things you must learn about this plane. But right now, I do not have the time to teach you."

The elf bends his head back to the task at hand, ignoring everything but the wounded lizar in front of him.

Urrffrah runs in a tight circle around the area, nose to the ground. She smells something that could be a lizar in the area, but one different than Sssil and the others. It smells like the swamp, as if it desnt live in the giant pack-place of sone where Sssil came from. Growlgra walks over and brushes the dead plants covering the mud with one of his walking-paws. He barks at something he sees, and bends his legs until his head is almost level with Urrfrahs. He appears to be intently staring at something. He notices Urrfrah's interest and taps the ground with one of his short, blunt claws on his upper paws. There is a dent there, pressing the leaf litter into the mud. The barghest sticks her nose in it and inhales deeply. That is where the strange lizar smell is coming from. And something about the smell makes her feel bad. Something strange, she cant understand. IT was the same feeling she got when she first walked into the area where the life-gone one was and sniffed around his inside-parts. Growlgra stands up and walks slowly while staring at the ground. He does this for a while until he is almost out of sight then comes back to the area.

"The enemy has moved that way." he says quietly to the barghest, while pointing into the swamp "And have taken the riding-creature of the lizar Thessan with it. The track of its passing is older, enough that this one could not hunt it down easily. This one thinks it is one shadow-change away."

Sssil and Hisssa watch Westian as he feverishly works on the mortally wounded Thessan. The half-elf grabs the empty flask and holds in cupped in his hands. "Ilo'ehn, Lareth'ian trehalli ne falos nali'tre wara-jhalor aliina'ii Thessan'ilni" he says, closing his eyes and appearing to pray over the flask. His silver crescent holy symbol starts to glimmer with a slight blue radiance. For a second Sssil thinks it is a trick of the light, but as the glow grows more intense, it is obvious that the metal itself is causing the radiance. "LO VI" the cleric murmurs as he makes mystical rune-signs with his hands and holds his symbol over the mouth of the flask. The radiance begins to flow off of the metal as if it is a liquid, pouring into the mouth of the flask and swirling in the bottom. When the flask is a quarter full, the light of the symbol dims, then winks out.

Hisssa seems confused at the actions of the half-elf. Sssil has been getting constant feeling of worry from the viper. Suddenly, an image of the grey-scaled snake person, and the picture-book-Hissssa-mixed-with Thessan pops in the lizar's mind. The two are standing near an Thessan laying on the ground with a giant snake fang sticking up out of his chest. The image is strangely distorted, seeming much too high and then starts lurching to the left and right. The view swoops downwards and Ssssil sees a huge version of his own scale patterned legs covered in his leather armor taking steps, as if he was a tiny passenger on his own shoulder peering down. The image moves to the right, and over a dark emerald green and bright yellow arm with scales the size of coins, Ssil can see an odd moving mass of reddish brown hair with two giant triangles sticking up, and a round shiny black lump on the end of a point beneath them. The sense of movement stops and the giant green and yellow scaled arm swings out and points to the lump of hair, then to Thessan. The grey snake man nods and bends down and touches Thessan. Thessan's eyes open, he reaches up and pulls the snake fang out of his chest, and stands up without a mark on him. Sssil sees Thessan's giant hand reaching out for him, and a the view bobs up and down and there is a feeling of happiness as the giant hand makes tickling motions. The image fades, to be replaced by a sense of worry and concern.

Westian drops his medallion back on his chest and sighs, holding the flask up to examine the liquid inside. Sssil notices that even though the stuff in this flask appears to be the same type of thing as the first potion, the color is nowhere near as intense nor the bottle as full. In fact compared to the first potion, or even the one Hassta procured from the Makanasshtite priest, this one seems very weak and lifeless.

"Aye ahm zzorree. Aye ahm jezzt ahn eenizhiate. Aye khant mayke zzhee rhoonzz zzhat ahre zztrawng yhet. Zzhiz izz zzhee zztrawngezzt Aye khan mayke." the young half-elf says apologetically as he gently pours some of the potion on the still-gaping wound and the rest in the pained warrior's mouth. Thessan hisses and thrashes around as the mana in the potion forces his body to heal at a much faster than natural rate, although the hiss is nowhere near as intense as the first potion.

Kalissa's nictating membranes slide across her eyes in sadness When a lizar is sad, their nictating membrane (inner eyelid that most creatures besides primates have) flick across their eyes. This is analogous to a huamn crying as she lets out a low keen. She cradles Thessan's head as the elf feverishly works to keep the scarred warrior alive.

Growlgra approaches the tracker and places his clawed hand companionably on Sssils back. The small hunter even slowly reaches for Hisssa with an extended finger. When the snake doesnt react, the bika gently tickles the viper under the chin with the tip of one of his claws. Sssil sees the little snake seems to perk up, and respectfully scents the bika's fingers.

Growlgra blinks at Sssil's words. The bika seems to understand that in Sssil's sadness, he reverted to speaking his native language. Tugging on the tracker's arm, Growlgra leads Sssil to where Urrffrah is sniffing around. He points to the barghest, then to his nose, then to what Sssil realizes is a barefoot lizar's footprint. A few feet away is the large splayed track of a male grahhssk Barghest smelled. Found tracks. The bika mimes walking, then points at the sky, moving his hand as if to represent the sun moving, then put his fingers near each other as if to say small. They left. Not near now. He points to the wounded Thessan, then the grahhssk. track Took Thessan's grahhssk.

Urrffrah watches what is going on, a bit confused. THe scent of whatever water the elf is making makes her nose tingle strangely, like the time she got into the magic-callers working-place taht he didnt let her in and sniffed a powder in the bottom of a bottle. And whatever mouth-noises he makes when he holds the silver thing, the ones that aren't like the mouth-sounds of the lizar, makes her fur stand on end. There is a strange gathering of energy when he makes those sounds. And whatever that energy is, it is something so foreign to her very being that it almost hurts, and she has a strange feeling that if she was still in the born-place, instead of just uncomfortably tingling, it *would* actually hurt. She notices the way Growlgra and Sssil motion to each other. Suddenly it dawns on her that they are using gestures to talk with each other. This was something she copuld understand! Simple pack-concepts, but if she cound make the same kind of motions, maybe Sssil could understand her too.

Westian nods "Zzzheel, khan yoo help mee ztitkch heem oop? Whee ahr ghoing two haav two moov heem, ahnd Aye ahm ahfrayd two doo sow eef wee doo naht khlozze zee wuund fhirzzt. Perhapzz zee bharghezzt wud bee whilling two help uzz kharry heem. Wee need two mayke zzum khind uv leeter. Ohr wee cud chall othurzz weeth zee wizzle." the elf says.

Kalisssa frowns. "But, if whoever did this is close enough, they could hear the whistle, too." the mage says.

Kalissa and Westian both look at Sssil. "Yoo ahr zee trakhur. Wee whill fholow yeer leed." the cleric says. Growlgra points at the barghest, then at Thessan and shrugs. Maybe get barghest to help.

So, Westian and Growlgra will aid you at stitching him up and everyone will happily aid in making something. Talk amongst yourselves, decide what you want to do here. I'm not gonna let you guys hang around in the background while the NPCs do all the work

And Urrffrah can try communicating basic concepts to Sssil. Beo, you need to pass a DC 12 sense motive to get them, otherwise you misinterpret. It works the same way as Growlgra and Sssil. Basically (for Ameena's benefit, since she doesnt like to read the old threads) you narratively describe the pantomime, like Growlgra and Sssil do. And then after, you can OOCly state 5 words that is the meaning. 5 words only, no more. And the pantomime has to at least loosely fit the 5 words. Have fun with this, I want to see some back and forth as you guys try and figure out how to get Thessan back.

Beo, I"m going to need a heal, and then 2 d20s. Ameena I need 3 d20s. Westian andd Growlgra will aid on the heal. As usual, bonuses will be given for good RP and creative ideas. I'm not gonna tell you what skills are in the d20s, because I dont know yet, its all based on what you guyes end up doing. I'll plug em in as needed.

What you guys do here can basically determine Thessan's fate.

No pressure!