Tolik laughs loudly at Plebius' statement. "You have really lived a poor life. Spend a day drunk with a beautiful woman, and its really easy to forget one's self." "You should try it sometime." The elf grins mischievously.
Plebius returns, "Should I ever become bored or unhappy with the life that I live, perhaps I may. But as of yet, I have not had to become intoxicated to enjoy the beauty around me."
Tolik grins evilly. "Neither have I. But plenty of humans I have met have. It seems that losing one's self is much easier than you seem to believe. I even know a few elves and their kin that have lost their grip on reality." He leers at Plebius, then laughs. "Ahhh, some people need to relax. Myself included."
Plebius concedes, "Agreed, the world would probably be a better place if people were more at ease with themselves and each other."
Pietro finishes up with Ullar, using some herbs as well as bandages to help the wounded man. "Anybody need some help with their wounds as well?" Pietro remarks, looking around for a reaction. He stands up, listening to all the comments being given. "I personally will not be forced into anything the church says or does not say. Has anybody thought about the fact what will happen if we split up this group? I remember the words of that Katholik man well enough to know that splitting up this whole group was not exactly the thing the man wants. I also remember that he was offering some serious repercussions if we did not follow his plan. That is why I think that we will find out pretty fast if the enchantment was placed on us or not." After that Pietro smiles one of his small grins." Personally, I will decide when I need to."
The warrior hears the talking of the other group about how they got involved in this whole adventure. However, he abstains himself from commenting on it and continues to listen to their story.
The refined, reddish-haired and bearded young Italian in explorer's clothes, carrying a wooden box by his side, addresses the other group politely in both Italian and Gnomish. He is well spoken and mannerly, his accent Florentine.
"Ladies and Sirs, now that the fair Lady Celest is in recovery, we would do well to share Arkady's fire, and discuss some strange mishaps and our respective adventures."
"Come to the fire, and I'll read more of 'his worships' script, should that entertain you." Caboto bowed. With a flourish, Caboto extracts the scroll with descriptions of the newcomers. "A certain Bishop of Florence described you to us in piercing manner. For example, Rhune, you are said to be very beautiful and very dangerous. You, Ullar, are said to be utterly ruthless and without scruple."
Dakath laughs out loud as he returns "I bet he didn't mention the so-called thief he had imprisoned in a gnomish mine, did he ?" For the rest of the evening Dakath is happy enough to lounge by the fire, enjoying it's warmth and the safety in numbers. He idly plays with the dagger Xania gave him and his thoughts wander to her in the ensuing silence.
Caboto laughs. "But who could believe anything with the seal of that sodomizing bishop of Florence!"
Manus laughs loudly then raises his left eyebrow at Caboto..."Sodomizing eh? I think it best that you do not go into the details of your coercion at the hands...er...yeah hands of the Katoliks." Manus laughs at his own jest loudly and slaps Caboto squarely on the back.
A grin splits across Plebius' face, "Manus, you have put voice to the same question of amusement that had crossed my mind. I had hoped it was said in defamatory style than from personal experience."
Caboto stammers. "Well have you ever heard the story about the three moors, an ass, and their Catallan prisoner? And by the way, you are quite right that the details of my coercion are not open to discussion. Though, ahhh, they did not include physical violence, merely the threat." Caboto cannot believe how roundly embarrassed he's been made by Manus. Grinning despite the heat under his collar he shakes his head.
Plebius sighs relief, "Praise Jerboha that the threats were not carried out."
Ratlin sits near the fire and studies his book, listening to the conversation but not offering opinions.
Tolik, upon seeing everyone getting along so well, smiles lightly to himself. "Maybe they aren't all completely evil, "he says to himself under his breath. Then he steps outside the ring of light cast be Arkady's fire, finding a quiet, comfortable spot to sit and collect his thoughts.
Abruptly, Ratlin looks over at the new group and says, "I believe it would be in my best interests to travel with Rhees' former companions, " He looks over at Ullar, Rhune, and Asif, "That is, if you are willing to have me along."
Looking up at his words, "Ah...that would be okay with me. Asif, Ullar, what do you think?" Rhune asks looking up her finance and friend.
Asif looks up from the repair work he is doing on one of his scabbards and with little emotion nods.
"Well..." Ullar replies. "Since you are so clearly stating that it is in YOUR best interest to travel with us, I'd like to know a little more about those motivations. I have no problem whatsoever in anybody joining us, but we're a group who trust each other with their lives and if you would like to fit in, you'll need to give us a bit more about yourself, don't you agree?"
Ratlin replies with a pained look on his face, "I think its about time I laid my cards out on the table so to speak. The reason I was coerced into service was because of the death of my mentor. I did not cause his death but the church and my family believes that I did." He pauses for a moment controlling his emotions and continues, "I did not mean to intrude upon your company but I would like to get as far away from Florence as I can, and I was hoping it would be with you."
"Hmm.. how sad." replies Ullar "Well.. I don't see why you can't travel with us. I guess we'll have to see how things evolve."
Not being one for idle chit-chat, Daegwyn moves away from the fire. First he goes to the elves which have been acting as their guides, "It appears that the others will not be ready to travel soon. I would expect that everyone will be ready by morning. I hope that you will stay, so that we may continue our trip to the lake together."
After speaking with the elves, he looks for Antonia, Shadow, and Grey. He spends the rest of the evening away from the main group.
Having remains silent and complacent for so long and beginning to feel an itch of the need to be away Antonia moves from the group speaking. She is sure to school her features so that none can tell what she thinks of the discussion. She moves away from the group out to the field and lets out a small howl, sounding just like a wolf. Shortly after an answering howl comes, and she smiles to herself. She also lets out a whistle to which there seems to be no immediate answer. After a few minutes two dark shapes materialize running in her direction. Both coming form either side of her looking as if they will both collide exactly where she stands, though she moves not at all. A hairs breath before the shapes take her to the ground they both swerve and circle around her eventually coming to her side for the attention they have both missed through the day. The sound of her laughing can be heard so all know she is safe.
Anyone watching her sees a huge black wolf and a large gray stallion who seem almost to be devoted to her. The three of them play for what seems like only a few minutes to them but takes up at least an hour. They run chasing each other, as if the very feel of being alive is enough to sustain them forever. Eventually when they calm the horse moves away to graze near the others of its kind. Antonia nods at him knowing that it is always nice to be with the herd even if only for a while. Finally she turns back towards the camp, thinking that it is time to give in to that itch that cannot seem to go away.
Rhune looks over as Antonia reenters the camp with the wolf...she glances once and the black wolf then at Antonia, "He is nice looking.. What is his name?" she asks as the young woman goes over to Kyo.
Antonia glances at Rhune, "He is called Shadow." she pauses for a bit, "He is beautiful isn't he?" She smiles at Rhune She begins to walk back. The huge wolf stays by her side and enters camp with her. He makes no eye contact on his own but meets the challenge in anyone's eyes who dare meet them on their own. He neither shows signs of submissiveness nor aggression to anyone of the strangers. Antonia and her shadow move with no noise and beeline to the man who was like ice on the horse. Antonia makes a slight gesture to the wolf and it lays at one side of the man. Any careful observer can tell the wolf is not doing as it would wish, but it does so anyway as a slight growl escapes Antonia's throat. Shadow lie there with eyes only for the woman doing his very best to ignore the human cold stench lying beside him. Antonia them lies against the mans other side and pulls a blanket over the three of them. The wolf makes an audible huff as she does so showing how clearly this disgusts him. The two of them do what she wants and that is to try and warm this poor frozen before he dies, to try and save a life that may not need to be lost so soon. She strokes the mans face as she concentrates on trying to heal him.
The effects of Antonia's actions on the frozen primitive are minimal at best. He still seems to live, but is in some kind of shock or suspended state, as he is totally unresponsive. She and her wolf manage to thaw him, but he is totally unresponsive, comatose.
Ullar eyes the woman with great interest. He then looks over at Amibar, remembering how the gnome encountered a lion before he joined up with the group. Not feeling really comfortable himself with this animal present, he eyes it with suspicion. Finally he makes up his mind and addresses her about the wolf: "Don't you think that your wolf feels uncomfortable among all these strangers? I for one have to admit that wolves make me feel uncomfortable. However, I don't know your pet-friend, so perhaps I have nothing to fear... but I can use some reassurance about all this."
Antonia looks up at Ullar. She sits for a long time looking in his eyes trying to see what he is really saying. Finally she gives up on something she has always known was impossible to do with people. As their stance and their words rarely match, "Shadow is my family...not a pet. Where I go he does and the same is in reverse. I doubt that he is anymore uncomfortable around all these strangers than I am. I can understand why he make you uncomfortable. He is an excellent example of his kind, with size and strength to match, But I assure you I am the dominant member of my pack just as the alpha bitch in other packs are... Ullar looks over at Daegwyn, frowning a little. He then returns his gaze to Antonia and peers at her. With a light shake of the head he inquires some more: "You are family? And you are the dominant member of the pack? Whoah!"
Arkady bids all good night and takes his gear to pack up before he sleeps.
Caboto shrugs, dismayed that both Arkady and Rhees seem so disturbed. Awaiting dusk, he retries his Jacobs cross, with intent to take a shot on the north star as it appears, to later fix their location as best he can, for his journal.
As the sun descends into the western mountains, far away, the groups settle down. Caboto fiddles with his instrument, announcing that you all are some fifty to sixty miles east southeast of Florence, perhaps again that far from the eastern coast of Italy.
Taglio lies by the fire content and feeling safe with such a large group around him. Of the evening meal he can eat little, though complaining that his leg hurts too much. "Ullar would you mind finding me a stout stick to use as a walking stick, I think I can hobble on this leg thanks to Pietro's skills, after a little rest.
Once Ullar has complied he uses his new tool and hobbles over to where the well groomed Florentine is. "That instrument you used to find our position. A very useful device. It looks like something the great Copernicus would have been proud of, but I have never seen its like. In Padua where I was schooled we had no such items." As the 'explorer' brings out his 'instrument' Taglio grows more curious. "What manner of instrument do you mean Caboto, does it play music as well?"
Caboto smiled and presented his cross staff, which was a staff about three feet long with two cross-bars, called transoms. It looked both like a crucifix with two beams or a crossbow.
"This is a mostly a nautical instrument, and a refinement of designs and science since the time of the Phoenicians." Caboto pointed to the scales engraved on the sides. "I line up the horizon with the lower transom and line up a star or other celestial object with the second. By taking a shop of the horizon with one cross and a celestial object with the other, one can determine our location by calculation. It is called a Jacob's staff, and I built this one based on the writings of the Jehoban scholar Levi ben Gerson."
At Ullar's comment about Padua, Caboto laughs. "Most navigators consider this instrument unnecessary, as they have no time for calculations when they can navigate using the stars and their lore alone. However, for vast journeys or detailed and accurate cartography, I say it is invaluable." Caboto then produces a hand-held disk, which he called an Astrolab. "This I use for fixing our latitude."
"Though it is mildly heretical, these calculations work best if one assumes the world is shaped like a ball, something that has always been intuitively obvious to anyone who has sailed over the horizon."
Caboto laughed with Taglio. "Clearly it is not a musical instrument. I take it you sir, are a musician?"
Manus lays for a moment wrapped in his great mantle, seemingly unable to find a comfortable position on the hard ground. He rolls to the side and curses quietly..."Damn roots." He then sits up and appears to be deep in thought within a few moments.
Rising he will seek out one of the two elves leading them to the lake and ask..."You speak of a dark presence at the lake...what is it that frightens you so much? Right now I do not have much to live for with a curse hanging over me like the sword of Damocles...if removing the evil from the lake is what it will take to dispel this geas then you can count me in whether any of the others in the party agree or not."
The elf responds, "We do not know it's origins, as we are forbidden from accessing the place we think it lairs. This is why we need the help of outsiders." He seems pleased with Manus' statement, "Your help will be much appreciated."
"Ehm.. " says Ullar, overhearing the conversation "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think the Lake will be, ehm.. 'different' when you return to it. About 3 days ago we had a very unpleasant experience on the isle in the middle, but with the help of our former companion Xania it seemed we were able to drive away the presence of any evil spirits."
"I think your elders can confirm this. If you speak to them, please greet them from us. They have my deepest respect."
The elf clearly does not believe Ullar's statement, and turns away from him.
Ullar's face is once again stern, remembering their 'adventure' on the isle. With the wedding announcement made the memory of Marika makes him feel very, very sad. His chin drops down his chest and he scratches his black hair, trying to shade his eyes from any penetrating view of anyone present. However, as soon as he looks up at Asif and Rhune a smile reappears on his face, quickly subduing the memories.
Everybody is starting to get to sleep, but Pietro just moves into a sitting position, closes his eyes. When you look better at the elf, you can see that he is sitting in a peculiar way, fingers folded together in a strange way. It is obvious that he is in some sort of trance, but it is obvious that it is a totally relaxing one. After an hour or so, Pietro opens an eye, and in a blink he is standing again, looking quite alert. He looks around the campsite where almost everybody is sleeping. He gets his stuff and finds himself a place to sleep. Pietro falls asleep straight away, until woken for his guarding duty.
Setting up a typical watch rotation excepting those too wounded (Taglio, Forte, Kyo, and Celest) two people work on each watch, keeping an eye on the forest to the south and the hills to the north. Trying to gain every advantage, a human is teamed with an elf or gnome to enable them to see at night. Late evening, amongst the hills, Daegwyn, whose watch has coincided with Ullar's, sees some dim lights flashing. As is his wont, he slips off to see what's what.
Approaching the source of the light, he sees some strange insects with glowing abdomens. He recognizes them from tales as fire beetles, though he has never seen one before. They appear to be scavenging about, but are rather large and mean-looking. He leaves them for the moment and departs back to the campsite.
"What was it?" inquires Ullar
After hearing the explanation Ullar smiles. "If we could capture some of them in a jar, we would have continuous light! What do you say, should we try it?"
"I think it best to leave them alone, "Daegwyn replies. "I wouldn't imprison them to use their light when we have other means of providing that light."
Ullar shrugs. "Fine with me." and the ex-gladiator continues their watch.
Tolik lies on the ground, slightly apart from the others, engaged in what appears to be a very unrestful sleep. He tosses and turns, as if sleeping on the ground is an unusual occurrence for him. Despite this, Tolik stays asleep, cloaked even now. Nearby presences, such as the changing of the watch, have previously awakened him, but for the most part he has stayed asleep.
Arkady sleeps peacefully. He dreams of his home and of warm bliny* covered in melted butter and sour cream. *ooc --- Bliny are buckwheat pancakes
Zifnab sleeps peacefully until morning...
Later, in the hours after midnight, Asif and Rhune have taken up their watch, as usual a team, Asif is distracted from snuggling by the sound of hooves tapping lightly on rock. Looking quickly over at the party's steeds, he sees that they are all accounted for, and could not have made the sound, somewhere off to the north.
Straining her elven eyes, Rhune can make out nothing in the darkness.
Squinting into the darkness, Rhune can make nothing out. Whispering in Asif's ear, "I just can't see anything. Perhaps you should wake one of the others, perhaps Ullar and Dakath and maybe one of our new friends...I will slip to the edge a bit to see if I can make it out." she utters in a low tone taking out her bow and knocking an arrow in it and loosening her sword for a quick change is necessary. Slipping from Asif's side and slipping quietly to the edge of camp so that she can attempt to see what is making the noise.
Asif moves quietly over to Ullar and shakes him awake. "Awake Efendi, Rhune and I think we may have trouble"
After some minutes, Rhune does not return, worrying Asif quite a bit. Suddenly he hears her yell loudly from some distance off to the north, "YES I WILL DROP IT."
Once he hears Rhune's shout, Dakath moves quickly and quietly out of the camp and disappears.
Rhees awakens with a start, a wordless cry escapes unbidden as he sits up.
Then he hears some light footsteps and she comes rushing into the camp. She has an arrow sticking out of her chain mail loosely. Before she can speak, Asif, and several of the others hear a shout coming from the woods around them, "You all make nice targets by the firelight. Move away from your weapons and armor slowly."
"Wha..." says Forte groggily, not sure if he is dreaming or not.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Amibar rises to his feet, looking about in confusion. " Wha.. What's going on?" he asks blearily.
The voice quiets down some, and you all can hear rustling coming from all sides, though their source is hidden in the trees, "You are completely surrounded. If you wish to live, I suggest surrender. My master has plenty of questions for you."
Running as fast as she can back to camp Rhune calls out when she gets there, "Asif...archers...not sure how...many...right...behind me." she gasps, as she draws her sword..."had...to...drop...my bow..."
Ullar rolls over and keeps his hand on his sword. Cursing that he has removed his armor to sleep, he tries to focus on what to do. Since the sounds is coming from all around them, the warrior tries not to move, but slowly rises. He plants his two handed in the ground against the tree he was sleeping under and unsheathes one of his daggers. Keeping the dagger behind his wrist he remains standing, listening very carefully where the sounds are coming from.
Daegwyn is roused by the voices. Having spent the night away from the main group, he quickly scans the area around him to see if he can make out anyone around him.
While the whole group is not far away from each other, Daegwyn, like Tolik, is not very close to anyone, being a solitary fellow.
Realizing his uncomfortable sleep is at an end and it is no dream, and that he is still unable to protect himself, Forte shuts his eyes and pretends to sleep. But he keeps his ears open, straining to hear everything he can.
By making eye-contact with Dakath and Asif, he hopes to get a bit more information. Ullar rolls his eyes to the position where he hears the noise and concentrates on watching Dakath and Asif their faces.
Unfortunately, Dakath is nowhere in sight.
Tolik had been sleeping away from the group, but had remained in the clearing. Rhune's shout woke the elf, but he was slightly confused as to the happenings until the voice calls out. Quietly he mutters, "I knew no good would come of sleeping on the ground. Shoulda found a tree." Tolik puts his hood up over his head and lets the sleeves of his cloak dangle past his hands.
The elf stands up and looks around to be sure everyone was awakened by the noises. He stands silently where he was sleeping until further called upon.