A New Dawn

[Victoria]

Victorirose nodded to Elsa and then Dolimine stated that she wanted to look around. A bath would be nice since my clothes are dirty and I look like a vagabond. She looked over at Garrelous still talking to the guards and Geoffry was saying good bye to a friend. Doc was looking over the wounded still looking very tired. Ahh I am not that great at first aid so I will look for a place where we can clean up and rest tonight. Victorirose surveyed the village it seemed to be abandoned none of the doors were boarded up but they were very old. She happened to find a large enough house that had plenty of places to sleep and a fire pit. Hmm she thought I could clean this place up for us to sleep tonight and also discuss what we are gonna do now that we have lost 2 party members (Doom and Tsevelanth.) She noticed there was a store house and looked inside there of course was nothing in it. So after she cleaned the house up the house and got a fire going she stepped outside to see where everyone was. <Hey you all I have a warm fire in here all I need is help gathering things ya wanna eat> she sent out a the thought along with the image of the house.

[kluane]

Soon enough Kala came back and managed to get the message from Victorirose...

He sees what Geoffrey does for Doom and - regretting the dead of the Viking - wished him farewell. Then he shrugged at the work Doc was doing. He took his dinner and went to the stone building! He crawled into a corner, began to eat and waited for some other of his party to come in. He just thought that nobody would share the mouse meat with coalbeetle marinade and devils cabbage he enjoyed...

He couldn't turn off the invisibility so he just had to wait until it faded away...

[bluesparrowhawk]

Doc sees the dead warrior, and feels horrible. Her pack falls to the ground, and she falls onto her bottom in shock.
"I should have noticed..."
Tears start streaming down her face.
Slowly, as if fighting against a tranquilizer, she says," I think I have met the man who is after us...I spent some time in school with him....The Lord of the House of Emelray...Never liked him much..."
Having said that, she curls up into a ball and starts wailing.
The fit lasts several minutes, then she gets up and begins pulling arrows from Doom's body to help make the funeral pyre. She spreads lavender oil over his brow to bring peace to his spirit, and heads off with Victoria to bathe and atone.

[magicmuffin]

Elsa was startled out of her reverie by Doc's wailing.
"What the...?"
She ran over to Doom's still and broken body, the spirit so obviously gone.
Here was a true friend, one who had sacrificed his life so that others may live. It broke the heart in two but such was the mercenary game...comrades fall to the right and left and you wonder when your turn will be.
With tears in her eyes, she removed a silver necklace with a delicate filigree leaf pendant from her neck and gently wrapped it around his wrist...after a final toast and swallow of liquor she tucked her silver flask into his armor.
"May the Gods speed you to Valhalla, faithful friend," she whispered.
After a moment of prayer to her goddess, she got up and silently, rather awkwardly, patted Geoffrey on the shoulder. She was not much good at comforting others but she hoped the clumsy gesture would carry her meaning.

[Hermione]

Dolmine nodded acknowledgement of VictoriaRose's words and sat down where she was to map the changes of the village. She looked up when she heard the commotion. Without getting to her feet, she slowly crawled over, and sat down next to the growing pyre. She wasn't quite sure what to say, and reached out to pat Doom's limp hand.
"Never seen anyone dree their weird as fierce as you," she eventually remarked to the corpse in a conversational tone. "You probably have a lot of enemies waiting for you. Don't worry, though. You killed them once, you can do it again." She paused, and studied the warrior. "Vikings are scary," she observed, "but you're okay." And with that inadequate remark, she slunk away again.
She finished her upgraded map, making sure to mark "Doom's Pyre", and wandered over to Victoria Rose's camp. She wasn't hungry after seeing the bloodshed, but she hadn't eaten in a while and forced herself to chew and swallow a ration of trailbread. Then she turned to Victoria Rose, said simply, "Wake me if you need me," and cried herself to sleep.

[frizzer]

Garrelous stood over the huge broken body of his friend, how many more he wondered before this quest is over...

[Victoria]

Victorirose wished she could comfort her new friends all she could do was clean and make a place for them to sleep. Dolimine and Doc cried as though they lost a brother. The men just seemed to have such honor in their eyes for the huge Viking. A single tear ran down her face she had not known him but felt that she had lost some one dear. She tried to see if his spirit had thoughts still lingering but to no avail he was gone. No one seemed to be interested in finding food so she stepped off into the woods. She found some wild carrots and onions as well as managed to kill a rabbit. She came back to the house and skinned the rabbit and cut it up. She then cut the carrots and onions up added water to a pot then put all the stew ingredients into it. She placed the pot over the fire she almost forgot to add sage and salt to the stew that would have been nasty. She then went to the store room again because she thought she had seen some deer stomach flasks in there. She found two and then opened one took whiff to her surprise a lovely wine aroma lingered out. She brought the deer stomach flasks to the main room and then set up a table for the men who where still outside.

She went outside and walked up to Garrelous and Geoffry and put her hand on their shoulders. The elven guards that were left were gathering there dead but seemed to have aw for the pyre. She turned to Geoffry "Is it ready for your friend now, would you like my help with him?"

[kluane]

As he saw that the Pyre was ready, Kala chose to join the group. He knew Doom's soul senses his presence and his true mournings. He also knew that Doom's soul could enter his Valhalla without any problems having so many souls he had slaughtered to serve him...

Then he chooses to take a glance at the dead guards and the living ones who tried to take them away. There must be a hint on how they knew where to wait.

[justthisguy]

With the help of the others, Goeffry hoists the giant to the top of the pyre.
He had found some lamp oil and poured over the wood and lit a torch. Turning to his gathered companions he spoke.
"Our friend, Doom, goes now to Vahalla. He shall abide there with the Valkyries and dine with Odin and dice with Thor until Ragnorok, then ride forth to defend the Bifrost bridge.
Good bye friend, save some mjod for us when we arrive."
That said he spun and threw the flaming brand to the pyre and stood back as the flames grew.

The heat from the fire grew fierce, and Geoffry imagined he saw the Valkyries gamboling in the flames, taking Doom away.
Geoffry turned and walked to the hut where he smelled something cooking. He knew he needed food for strength to avenge he comrade.

[Victoria]

Victorirose stood by the pyre with admiration. In all her few travels from home she had not witnessed a funeral as this one. She blew a single kiss to wards the pyre then followed Geoffry to wards the house. The stew was filling the night are with something good to look forward to.

[bluesparrowhawk]

When they reached the house they were using as temporary shelter, they found Doc sitting at a dusty table with quill and ink.
"If Tsevelanth is indeed taken prisoner, and we are indeed being pursued by my suspect, then we're in a whole lot of trouble and need to start acting NOW if we're going to avoid being killed in nasty, and probably slow ways."
She steepled her fingers and continued. "The man who is after us is ruthless. I believe that Tsevelanth is his brother. The man is the lord of the house of Emelray, a wizard, and a snob to boot. I've met him and trained in alchemy alongside him.
"Let's hope that we currently have nothing he wants, because he will then either leave us alone or kill us as the only witnesses to his crimes.
"And what is his crime? I can't say for certain, only suspect, but I think that he has usurped Tsevelanth's rightful place as Lord of Emelray.
"I don't think I need to stress the fact that Tsevelanth is the less mad and cruel of the two."
She looked around the circle of travelers. "So, what do you want to do?"

[Victoria]

Victorirose listened to Doc about the possiblity of Tsevelanth's brother being the evil pressance earlier when they were trapped in the bubbles. Is that why Tsevelanth left so easily because he had figured the same thing out. This was also the first time she had learned that he was a noble. She only been with the group a short time so felt that it was not her place to decide where the next steps should be taken. So she went to the fire pit and stirred the stew it was definitly done and her belly was ready for it.

[kluane]

Kala all of a sudden grew visible again. He was astonished that it happened so fast, but considered it to be alright.

<Ok> Kala thought <that's an explanation for the sudden give-up of Tsevelanth, but how could they know where the group invaded the village? Maybe Dolmine was a spy for the Lord of Emelray?>

With a quick glance he looked at Dolmines face. But he decided that he would not confront her by this suspicions. But he would take an eye on her...

But if that guy was as ruthless and as dangerous as Doc said there was a good chance he had a wand Kala wanted the most... And he knew that all others of the group would be of great help for him. And then - why not help Tsevelanth to regain the leadership of the house of Emelray by the way?

So he told to the others:

"Let's go t' Elneth 'nd find the b'stard... I mean w' can't let Ts'velanth down r'ght now - whaddaya think?"

[justthisguy]

Geoffry had listened as he ate the tasty stew.
"So we know the "who" most likely and that gives us the where. Which gives us the edge if we are not hasty. Let us stay here tonight and recover. Dolime, do have any maps or knowledge of House Emelray?
Garrelous, you have some knowledge of this region too, what can you add. I have not been here before so I know nothing that will helps us. If anybody knows some thing SPEAK!"
Geoffry noticed Kala materialize into view suddenly.
"Kala! what did see when you followed?"

[Victoria]

Victorirose grabbed a bowl from the shelf and poured her some stew. She caught Kala's thoughts noted what he was thinking then decided that the wine definitly needed to be passed around. Wine had away of opening up people more to telling things people shouldn't tell. So if Kala was wondering about Dolimine the might be able to get her tipsy just enough for her to spill information out of her. Victorirose shoved the bowl of stew at Dolimine and said "You really look like you could use some food and a good drink, might help you think better while you are looking for what Geoffry is asking you." Then she turned to the gang and said "We have all had a very rough day, we need to eat and drink this will make it easier for all of us to plan out where we are to go. Even warriors to eat to give their big muscles strength." She grabbed two more bowls of stew shoved one at Garrelous and Geoffry, but with a smile. She then took along swig from a wine bag. " AHHHH that was Da_mn good! Hey Kala you eat rabbit, Doc eat something," Victorirose just started shoving bowls of food at everyone and passing the wine bag.

[Hermione]

(Okay, I'm just going to assume Victoria Rose woke Dolmine up first, if that's all right, guys. Also, I'm adding detail to my character sheet so if Victoria can pick some of it out of Dolmine's mind.)

"Oh, thank you," Dolmine told Victoria rose, and stared miserably at the stew, stirring it around and around (she wasn't hungry at all, remember, but made herself eat journey bread before sleeping, so while she wants to be polite she's really having trouble choking anything more down. This is only her second battle, remember, and the first that she was conscious through, and the first time she's ever really had to confront death. She's a mess at the moment. Don't worry about her not drinking anything -she's in sufficient turmoil to let a few things slip!).

Eventually she set the bowl down, almost untouched, and pulled out her map case.

"Geoffrey, I know this village and two others similarly close to the border, because they've only been part of Elneth -the kingdom Elneth, not the city, of course- for less than a century, and the older ties still exist. So we have SOME sources. Of course, the last update was almost... but I told you that. Anyway, once we get into the heart of Elneth, well, that's where the information barrier crops up. It's why I came -to finally get a map of it out of the country! I'm afraid I've never even heard of the Emelrays before."
Dolmine thought privately to herself, <Well, and to see if they've any unusual inks or mordants, of course.>

[magicmuffin]

Elsa sat silently eating her stew and taking in the information being shared.
She didn't have anything new to add. She was just bone-weary and a little bruised from the fight and ensuing occurences.
She set down the empty stew bowl and began preparing her weapons. That elf will pay she thought with a frown. This was a debt to be paid in blood.
As she methodically dipped each dart into the poison, her scowl grew deeper.

[kluane]

"Okay - I've seen th' foll'wing: F'rst most of th' guards had th' same embl'm on th're arm: A sn'ke round'g a gl'ss o' wine I th'nk. Maybe th't w'll help. They f'rther w'tched th' stuff of Tsevelanth closer th'n hims'lf, so he m'st h've possessed kinda sign."

After a while he continued a little slower, so his accent was more tolerable:

"Then I've seen the path they took - I thought it would lead to the town, but it may not be true... Maybe it will lead us to the house of Emelray" <If it is just a house> he added in thoughts

First he glanced at Dolmine again, then he chose to get close to her:

"Ok - just show me a map from here and the surroundings and I'll mark the path!"

He thought that Dolmine would give a pen to his clumsy hand so he could mark the way on the map...

"Oh and - if he's the true leader of Emelray - there must be somebody out there who likes him back. So we're not alone I think. Victorirose just has to read the minds of the people we meet to find us some allies...!" He grinned at Victorirose - rather looking like a hyaena.

[Hermione]

Dolmine looked over at Victoria Rose before answering Kala's request. "Won't that be dangerous for you? If you can read minds, surely others can. What if one of them catches you? Can you hide what you're doing?"
Then she quickly looked down. She had the updated map of the village she'd made earlier with all the landmarks she could see along Tsevelanth's route, but she wasn't sure she wanted to trust ink to anyone not trained in distances and, for that matter, maps. She didn't even know if Kala was literate!
Still... well, she had plenty of extra parchment.
She copied what knowledge she possessed onto a blank sheet, keeping the scale larger to fit the surroundings and Kala's information.
It was a rough sketch, her hands moving swiftly, tacking the edge of the parchment onto the wooden backboard of her pack so it wouldn't slide. One hand held the quill, the other followed behind with sand to dry it quickly. She finished sooner than the uninitiated would have thought possible, and untacked the map to tap the sand back into the goatskin pouch. The "tacks" were curled scraps of copper, results of pawing through a blacksmith's melt-down culvert. She kept them stuck in a heavy strip of hide, normally.
Then Dolmine beckoned Kala over to it, handing him a different quill (one already pared and trimmed down considerably, and almost ready to throw out), and an ink bottle from a different pouch (water-soluble, this, so that if his marks were good she could go over them in more permanent ink, but able to be erased if need be). Then she carefully explained the scale to him, measuring the smallest of his nails against the distances involved, so that the concept was more personal. The distance from the start of the tunnel to their present camp could be covered by his palm.
"There," she said finally, as satisfied as she could make herself. "Now you can add what you saw."

[kluane]

"Let's see" Kala told and looked in astonishment at the quill. Then he put the nail of his index finger into the ink, looked at the nail and began to draw at the map...

"Here we went out of this village" And he marked the place on the map with a blot.

"It's straight behind a big stump - so it must be that place, when a little path began. We took it." Another blop... But this time Kala draws it out a little longer wiggling a line that seemed to go to the city of Elneth.

"That's the path we took - we paused shortly after about a quarter hour - then went on."

"There was a large field just after the rest, so I think it'll be here" This time a fingerprint was the result... "on the opposite of the field there was reed and then a mountain. A little further down the path there went through a very light forest - good for any kind of ambush. It's here"

This time a circle marks the place on the map. Then Kala puts his finger again in the ink.

"Hmm - the last thing I saw is that the path broke away to where the sun sets - right here; no here it must have been" He crosses the line off and paints another line a little farther away from the village. "I thought it will come back after a short break to the direction Elneth is, but didn't see any further"

He handed the map back at Dolmine - smiling. "It doesn't look as nice as your maps, but anyways..."