Xania continues to the others, "Rhune, I think that some of us have magic in the group and others do not. If that flask is magical, maybe you should let someone that has no magic have it, as you have magical armor already. I have the magic dagger that you gifted me with when I first joined the group, so I do not ask this for myself. Nor do I have a problem with you getting the flask or potion, if that is what it is, but it seems to me that you and Ullar are deciding the fate of the treasure without much input from the rest of us."
Rhune sighs. "I suppose you are right, Xania. If anyone wants the flask that doesn't have any magic they can. Even if it isn't magical someone could use it to hold water," she returns the flask to the group pile and walks away.
Dakath nods his agreement regarding Xania's comments. "I too would like my share of the loot. If some of you wish to donate your hard earned monies to the villagers then that is fine with me. I propose that we split any money evenly amongst us. Any items that we find should be appraised for their value and according to it's worth the group adjust it's distribution of gold amongst the others. If more than one person expresses an interest in one item then we draw straws. If there are enough items for all of us, say we find a dragon treasure horde," Dakath's eyes seem to glitter at the thought, "then we draw lots and take turns in picking the items we wish."
Xania sits and begins to count the money. The total she comes up with is 1132 gold. She also finds a beautiful golden amulet shaped like a woman that Dakath appraises as being worth 300 gps!
Taking her share of the loot, she places it in her pouch and wanders off to see about purchasing grain. "Dakath," she calls, her voice sounding slightly strange, even to herself, "Would you, er, help me bargain?"
Dakath who has been remarkably quiet of late turns to her and grins, "But of course, that is what I'm here for."
Asif smiles upon Dakath's approach. "Ahhh my friend Dakath, I have been looking for you this morning," Asif puts his arm on Dakath's shoulder in a conspiratorial gesture.
"I hope you have not forgotten a deal I made with a mutual friend of ours. Jacobus you remember him? (Asif chuckles sarcastically) As I recall I gifted the fellow with a substantial purse for him to do a small job for me. He has a brother as I recall who promised to visit a certain guesthouse in the city often inhabited by Saracens such as myself. Upon visiting this place with a letter of introduction, he was going to deliver a small chest containing a scroll, a prayer rug and some personal effects to his much loved brother Jacobus. This was nearly six weeks ago. Do you think our mutual friend would have any news on this?"
Dakath frowns, "You're right my friend it has indeed been a long time since my acquaintance made off on his errand," he rubs his chin thoughtfully and then shakes his head. "It would seem I misjudged the man's honesty, tut tut tut, an easy mistake to make." He looks at Asif, sorrow in his eyes. "When we get back I'll have his throat slit for you."
Tag thinks about the works of Dante he wishes to 'save', they will be expensive. "I will take my share of the treasure if I may, perhaps 150 florins (gp) given the value of the gems. My plan to save Dante's works will require some purchasing power. Depending on how much the supplies cost of course. Also I agree with Ullar, we should invest in some armor for the fighters when next we come near a smith, Si."
Asif looks down upon the loot with reserved interest.
"Well my friends. I must say my eyes are upon that amulet. You must be aware of my feelings for another. I think it be a most beautiful gift. But if it be your desire I shall take the coin. What think you Rhees and Augustus? This treasure is as much yours as it is mine."
"You're welcome, Asif. It is a beautiful amulet indeed", says Tag admiring the workmanship. "May I take a brief look? I wonder if it were made in Italia or elsewhere."
Asif nods. "I would be honored. Bards are well respected in my homeland for the knowledge they carry. If you can shed some light on the history of this I would be most obliged."
Taglio can tell that the amulet was made by some primitive hand, though it is quite beautiful, raw. It is impossible to tell anything specific, as the figure is too generalized.
"Such things can sometimes be magical, mio amico, and sometimes cursed. Perhaps Xania should check it out before you wear it, Si," Tag offers.
Asif looks at Tag his face a momentary mirror of fear.
"Yes Efendi, that is true. If any harm came to she who I wish to give the gift I would die. But if I may this shall be my portion, I shall speak to Xania to cast her heka upon it and tell me of its properties. Thank you my friend for your warning. The working of Heka is something not too familiar to me. I have not the intelligence for it," Asif taps his head and laughs.
Dakath manages to hash out a deal with Petr regarding a trade expedition. Some of the more capable men volunteer to ride back into Arezzo with the last of Petr's cash reserves. Petr seems a bit miserable, and before the deal is concluded, he approaches the party, "It seems that the bad attitude of one of the men here has caused your group some internal difficulty. For this I much apologize. The man shall be disciplined appropriately. I shall even throw him out of here, if it is your wish, though even such a one as that should not be given to the goblins. I want you to be certain that my family is eternally grateful for all that you have done. My mother, not the friendliest person in the world, has been more than happy to provide you all the assistance she can muster, without objection. We all feel that way."
He pauses, "Perhaps my efforts to enlist your aid have been too aggressive, and for that I apologize. We only wish to return my brother home so that we can begin the process of rebuilding. Even if he is dead, it would be better to know than to think he might be enslaved, tortured, what have you." Getting back to the subject at hand, Petr continues, "We shall make do with what cash reserves I have here. There is no need for you to purchase food for us here. I shall also be happy to provide whatever supplies we have here that you may need, without any charge of course. Sadly, I cannot provide you food, as we are running especially low of that. I can, however, give you two sacks of horse-grain so that your steeds do not go without on your voyage. Will this suffice to keep you together and on your path?" He seems most disturbed by the conflict in the group and appears willing to do just about anything to keep you all united.
Asif looks up at Petr's words.
"Worry not Efendi, you are indeed a most honorable man Petr. For one who has suffered so much, your hospitality is a credit to the honor of your clan. More well off people that I have met, blessed with much coin have shown less wealth of good spirit. Hell and I mean no disrespect, you an infidel could teach some of my countrymen a thing or too about hospitality."
In the morning Tag mounts up with the others, after grooming Beatrice.
The group decides to head out east to renew the search. Though there are various preferred targets, looking at the map the group decides Segenyev should be it's first stop, as it is on the way to any of the others. And so they set out, following much the same order as they did on the way here for the time being, as Asif and Rhune make excellent scouts. Having no injured or heavy weights, things go much better.
During the ride, Ullar starts talking, softly, to Zephyr, his warhorse, patting his neck. "Seems we are new companions, my friend. I hope that our relationship will last longer than with your former rider Leslie."
Heading due east until they hit the edge of the forest, at which point they are instructed to follow that edge until they hit Segenyev, the group comes upon it almost immediately. It dips south and then reemerges to the north just a couple of miles from here, so the group takes their chance on the open plain for an hour or so. The same weather as the previous day breaks, and travel is quite pleasant, almost letting you forget the miserable weather of the last week. However, the clouds continue to lurk about, growing darker as the day progresses, and you realize that the break will not last long. For the moment, however, you enjoy the calm ride. Coming back upon the northern edge of the forest, the group begins to parallel it. Dipping back down south for a mile or so, it then begins a fairly constant slow rise to the north. About noon, you can see some smoke rising up into the air from the east. Assuming this is your destination, you pick up the pace a little bit for the next few miles.
Arriving quickly, you see that Segenyev appears to be the smallest and crudest settlement you have yet seen. Or at least it was. Similar to the others, it has been burned completely to the ground, with only the brief outlines of four small wooden buildings as a memory.
Forte looks around for the source of the smoke they sighted earlier. Finding no fires, he just assumes (quite correctly) it was the building remnants smoldering in the damp air.
Searching about for traces, it appears that extra thoroughness was taken to avoid leaving any such. There are some tracks, but they do not appear to be headed in any specific direction, and the destination of any prisoners has been well-concealed. Unlike some of the others, there are no traces of humans being moved, or any tracks which leave the encampment at all. The rain was most likely the largest culprit, but you know that it has not rained in the last two days, and the attack only took place four days ago, so there should be some traces. However, there are none that anyone in the group can make heads or tails of. It is obvious that several people were killed here, mostly children it looks like from the skeletons, and that some canine creatures walked through along with the ubiquitous goblin tracks, but beyond that, nothing helpful.
A hard ride could possibly get you to either the Lake or the Tombs before nightfall, but the terrain is rough, and you would have to push your horses pretty hard to make it, something many of the group are hesitant to do.
Ullar sighs. "Again we seem to have wandered off to a place where not much information can be gathered. Perhaps we should reconsider if we indeed are dealing with the Goblin wolf-riders clan here, or if the attack was made from the sky?!"
Ullar just watches the nearby trees intensely, checking, as good as he can, if there are any tracks in the trees. He gets off his horse and uses his sword to probe the remaining ashes in the former camp.
He sees that the trees here have been disturbed, just as those in several of the settlements had. However, all signs (including testimony from the survivors) indicate that this place was taken by goblin raiders.
When nobody finds any clue, Ullar suggests to ride towards the Tombs. "We can always hold as soon as the weather really gets annoying and find some shelter in the woods or something."
"Anybody with other ideas?"
"If we go toward the tombs, let us camp a fair distance from them. I for one would not appreciate a nasty walking undead to visit me in my sleep," Xania responds.
"The dead walk the night? Surely you jest efendi. Myth, legends and children's tales speak of such things. It is nothing I have seen or expect too. This is the land of the living, not that of the dead."
Asif looks at you his face totally innocent.
Xania looks at him. "Surely you are beginning to know that there is more to the world than what you thought."
She turns to Augustus.
"Augustus, does your god give you any power over the dark forces of nature?"
Augustus, stirred from someplace seep in thought, says, "Huh? Oh...I am not certain as to the answer to that question, but somehow I doubt that something walking about that should be in the grave has much to do with nature." Seeming to ponder Xania's question, the priest says, "I cannot, from what I know of Jebohah, imagine Him to allow such things to walk the earth, if indeed such things exist."
Looking around at the place, "As much as I would like to leave this place we can't make the other spots tonight. Why don't we move a ways away and then set up camp," Rhune says in a soft voice.
"If we decide to camp here for the night, I will try to put something together that we can eat," the young priest offers.
The choice seems reasonable enough, and the group settles down for the night inside the forest, alert to any danger. Watch rotations are settled on and the group tries to get some sleep. Everything goes peacefully, until Rhees hears a brief whisper in the night sky. It is close to midnight, and the half-full moon can be seen amidst the growing clouds. Then for a brief second, a shadow passes between him and the moon. He could not get a good glimpse, but it appeared to be a winged black creature. Alerting some of the others, you all realize that the bat-scouts have located you again.
Other than that, rest is good. Augustus manages to make some fairly decent chow out of your dried rations, and you make out for the tombs in the morning, hoping to find more information there. You find that the ground to the north is rough, scrubby, and hilly. Added to that, the rain, expected for a while, finally comes. Dismounting, you are forced to lead your horses or endanger them. Knowing that somewhere a horseman is still keeping tabs on you, you take extra care of the steeds. Heading north for some miles at an agonizingly slow pace, you see that the map drawn for you must have been somewhat incorrect, for you see no such tombs anywhere near where they were supposed to be. Hoping for the best, you continue on northward. In the late afternoon, you finally see them, rising up on a flat ridge some miles to the east.
Just then Ullar is surprised and alarmed to see a rather large gray snake slithering through the rocks. It does not appear to be terribly interested in him or the others, though with the rain and the harsh terrain, it would be impossible to see such a creature if it came up and felt like giving one of you some love. He reports his findings to the others, who begin walking even more cautiously.
Getting closer, you see that they are three equal sized mounds piled up next to each other on top of another flattened out hill of some size. Each is a right hill in it's own respect. All three have scorched areas of barren earth surrounding them and marble pillars on both sides of the prominent entryways.
"Well, which one first?" Forte asks no one in particular.
Rhune chuckles. "How about the middle one?" she replies.
Xania looks up from where she has been gazing at the mounds intently. "There are very strong magics here. Dark magics. I hope we are not biting off more than we can chew."
Augustus shudders visibly and crosses himself, saying nothing.
"Great," says Forte, exhaling and arching his eyebrows while rolling his eyes.
With an uneasy glance toward Rhune, Xania says, "Perhaps one of the outer ones? Then if there is something really nasty, we don't run the risk of having things come at us from both sides?"
She is clearly uncomfortable offering her differing opinion and backs Noir slightly away from the area.
"Strategy is not my strong point, but that makes sense," agrees Forte.
A frown of concentration on her face, "Hmm perhaps you are right, Xania. taking one of the outer ones probably would be best," Rhune replies, smiling at her friend.
Asif nods his head in agreement.
"Yes my friends let us follow that path. Come!"
Asif spurs his horse forward and rides towards the Leftmost mound.
Tag shudders. "This place looks like barrows, Si. These tombs should not be disturbed, I think," He crosses himself and mumbles a silent prayer. "They may be protected with powerful magic, Xania can your talents tell us if this is so?"
"I think my talents here are at their limit," Xania replies patiently.
Forte calls to her as she starts to move away, "Do you have any clue as to the nature of the magic? I mean, more specific than dark magic? I don't know much about magic. What does that mean? It doesn't sound encouraging."
"I would say that it is what some call, evil. More than that I cannot tell. I am, alas, not as experienced as I would like to be in the ways of magic. And, it is much more an art than a science," Xania replies. "Only that we should be on our guard here more so than even with the goblins. As magic can hurt us in ways the goblins cannot."
Ullar watches the whole scene with interest. "When I was a guard at the temple of Mercury, the stories of merchants who were buried with most of their possessions circled around and reached even us. As most of those wealthy families are well aware of the fact that there are enough grave-diggers around many of those 'larger' burial sites were well protected."
"It seems to me that we are dealing with something alike here. If our magick-people detect those strong magicks here, we better reconsider if we want to enter this place or not."
"Personally I'd like to enter. With all respect, I don't see why someone who has died would still benefit from earthly possessions..."
"Next to that, I'd like some armor, and I've got the feeling I might find something inside," Ullar says, raising his right-eyebrow.
Tag becomes alert and listens intently as the party approaches the mounds. "This place is very spooky, Si. The dead should be left to rest."
He dismounts and pulls his crossbow out and loads it, remaining ready for action, should it be required.
"Senior Dakath, perhaps it would be wise to scout around this hill as you did with the stirges' cave and make sure these are the only entrances."
Dakath does not respond, continuing his spell of silence, and Tag realizes that other avenues must be tried if scouting is desired.
He follows Asif to the central mound.