Knowing he is unstealthy and liable to get the group in trouble, Arkady stands motionless and silent. Waiting to see what develops.
Waiting until Gactis heads south, the group discusses quietly who he is and what he is about. Not sure whether or not to pursue him, Rhune motions for silence. She listens intently into the dark, hearing several voices talking. After a few minutes, she shakes her head. Unable to hear enough to identify the voices, she was only able to tell that there are perhaps a half-dozen people south with Gactis, one of them female.
There may be more there, but there are that many speaking. They seem to have moved away or quieted, as she cannot hear them any more. From the distance she heard them, if the mist were gone, you would clearly be able to see them. Suddenly a great chorus of howls erupts from the north, perhaps a dozen of them. The unfortunate side-effect is the spooking of several of the horses, who jump and trot a few paces away from the sound. The echo of their hooves is clearly audible.
Grabbing his horse's reigns Arkady curses quietly and tries to swing himself up into the saddle.
"Well the horses may have forced our hands. si. Surely, they cannot fail to hear us now. I say we attack, while the element of surprise may still be with us." Tag replaces his crossbow and draws his two blades. "The archer will not be able to use his talents in this mist, si, now is our best chance to defeat him"
With a whispered curse, Rhees adjusts his shield and spear. He tries to keep his voice as low as possible as he speaks, "If the gnolls come after us, we should move south as quickly as possible and maneuver so as to put the hunting party between us and the gnolls. If we're feeling nasty we can then return and deal with the winning side appropriately."
Cursing lightly under her breath at not having thought of tying the horses, Rhune slips quickly over to get them careful not go to far into the mists. Bringing them back, "I think that we should try and move away from here as quickly as possible. We have gnolls to the north and hunters to the south, before we get surrounded let's go" Rhune whispers to the others.
Tolik sighs. "You all are doubtless right. Another time, perhaps, but it seems this will not today. But his time will come." A fury lies in the elf's eyes that seems uncharacteristic. Whatever he has been in the past, it was never bloodthirsty.
Tolik moves quietly and gathers all his belongings, tossing them back on the horse. "Well, are we going to stand here till we get caught in the middle or are we going?" He mounts with an ease that escaped him even when he had the help of his wings, and points his horse away from all the noises.
Rhune nods her agreement as she mounts her horse and pulls up next to Tolik her sword in her sheath though it is easily drawn.
"Just too bad that we are already detected. This guy isn't a fool and must have heard our horses!" sighs Ullar. Softly he whispers: "Well.. now it's clear that we're here, we can just as well approach this 'hunter' and try to teach him some manners! Anyone objecting?"
"After you, me liege," Forte says softly, gripping his mace tightly, ready for battle.
Sighing, "And so do the gnolls and they may closer, Ullar. I don't think we can take on both groups together in this fog." Rhune says with a heavy sigh.
Now mounted, Daegwyn joins Rhune and Tolik. "I see no gain in putting ourselves in such danger when we are not at full strength. Let us try to avoid a fight if possible. Letting Gactis and the gnolls deal with each other would be of the most benefit to us at the moment."
Pietro mounts as well. "I agree, let's try to get the hell out of here, I'd hate to be in two fights at the same moment, or at least with another enemy in my back."
"Sorry, what Gnolls? Is that howling Gnollish? I didn't realize that, as I've never encountered them before, but if that's the case I agree; let's keep a low profile and let them kill each other..." says Ullar, nodding an apology towards Daegwyn.
"I believe it is gnollish Ullar. And if it is, with them in front and this 'hunter' behind us I don't really want to get caught in the middle. At least not till we can contact the gnolls about the blue tube," Rhune says.
"Fair enough.. let's move out of the way!" says the warrior, this time not so eager to get involved in yet another combat.
Forte looks a bit disappointed, but says, "Yes, let's get out of here." He follows the others.
"Never saw a gnoll, but since I never heard this before and we are entering the land of the gnolls, I assume that it is the gnolls." Pietro looks at the rest. "Are we going?"
"Let's go" agrees Giovanni Caboto.
"Let's retreat, silently. Well.. as silent as we can with our horses!" says Ullar, nodding to Daegwyn to lead the way. "I don't have infravision, nor do I recognize as much sounds as you can. Could you lead the way?"
"Daegwyn," says Rhees, "Can you pick a line of retreat that will put Gactis
between us and the gnolls? It may increase the chance of conflict between those two group, give us a better chance to get away, and if we do get in a
fight, we're more likely to face only one group."
"I will do my best," Daegwyn replies, "but this mist is going to complicate matters." Daegwyn attempts to lead the group south, hopefully putting Gactis and friends between us and the howling.
After some debate, the group decides to attempt to circle around the hunting party to the south in order that hopefully the two enemies go after each other instead of you all. Not knowing how far the hunters are, but knowing that they are to the south, more to the west than east, the group travels east to sweep around in a circle. The hooves of the horses clack loudly amongst the rocks as you ride, and you realize that you will surely draw even further attention. Unfortunately, there is little else you can do lest you leave the horses behind, which does not sound appealing to any here.
The unsettling wail erupts once again, this time from the northwest, but disturbingly close. Either you have not gotten as far as you thought, or you are not traveling in the proper direction. Even Daegwyn's talent for guidance is foiled by the wet and clingy mist, and the only thought you have is to travel to the east until you reach the canyon wall and then turn south, making sure to avoid the hunting party.
The stench that accompanied the mist grows heavier. Either you are getting closer to it's source or the smell has just gotten worse. This gives you pause, which is added to when you see up ahead three spindly creatures with gory heads looming at you out of the mist! They are not moving, and do not appear to have seen you yet, though they should have.
Rhune pulls up short as the figures come into view and very quietly draws her sword. Leaning over to the nearest person. "I have a feeling that we are not exactly where we wanted to be at this moment." she whispers as she waits with every fiber of being alert.
"I myself, feel almost at home in this mist, mio amico. The mist rolls often through Venezia, the only thing missing is the lapping of waves against the canals and the low singing of the gondolieri. I would give you a demonstration, but I fear this is not the time." Tag grins and then looks melancholy, "Sometimes, I wish I could return to my home. Lets just stick together shall we." Tag tightens his grip on his own weapons and stays close to Rhune.
Tolik stares ahead into the mist. "I don't think..." he begins, but his voice trails off. He rides slowly towards the forms, his eyes focused ahead
Seeing Tolik heading up, Rhune nudges her horse in behind his. Her sword ready, lavender eyes twirling, darting here and there, alert for anything.
Caboto shakes his head, astonished that Tolik does not even stop. "Blessed mother, is he beguiled?" he curses, no seeing how any creature in this stench-rich night could be beguiling.
Antonia's hackles would have risen had she had any and Shadow's hackles do rise. The two of them both growl at exactly the same time and both go deadly still. Shadow stops in his tracks and Antonia reigns in Grey, in a very hushed voice she speaks to the group, "I have heard stories from the elders of the dead that walk and this feels all wrong to me. I could be wrong but I think we should not approach them at all and we should move away slowly so not to bring attention to ourselves. I feel we are in grave danger." With that she stays still and waits for the others to sink in what she has said.
"Undead?" inquires Ullar, not feeling comfortable at all in this situation; with barely any sight and howling noises way to close. "I agree with you Antonia, let's not approach them. I have no clue if those are undead, but if that's what your instincts tell you I'll go for that. Daegwyn, let's move out of here, if possible."
In frustration Ullar listens to the noise the hooves make on the rocky ground. "Can't cover that noise, will cost way to much time to tear up some cloth and cover the hooves with it..." he says to himself. Just to calm himself, Ullar start's patting Zephyr on the neck.
Rhune, following Tolik forward, just barely hears her words so intent on everything else. She moves maybe three more paces before they set in and pulls up once more stopping and just watching.
As soon as Daegwyn spots the creatures he stops, holding up one hand to indicate that the others should stop as well. He examines the creatures for a moment before hearing the sound of hoofs approaching from behind. He turns to see Tolik still advancing upon the creatures. Appearing quite out of character for Tolik, Daegwyn attempts to move his horse next to Tolik's and grab its reigns as he passes by. Once he has the reigns he turns his horse, and Tolik's, 90" to the left from our previous course. He slowly moves off into the mist, paying close attention to the creatures and hoping the others are still following him.
Peering ahead, Caboto sees Tolik's horse near Daegwyn's. He hopes that Daegwyn can divert the fellow.
Seeing Daegwyn grab Tolik's reigns Rhune starts to follow as well.
Rhees responds quietly, "The horses have already got attention and I fear that the more we wander the less we know where we are. If those are undead, though, I'd agree with Antonia and caution be damned. If or when we do stop moving, Tag, do you think you could arrange for the sound of horses moving along to continue away from us?" As he finishes his question, Rhees notices Tolik and Daegwyn. "They may be able to resolve our doubts" Rhees urges his mount to follow Daegwyn's lead.
Caboto is disturbed now. "I know very little of necromantic magics. Still, yours and Antonia's words resonate with truth. We would do well to keep moving. " Caboto cranes ahead, hoping that Daegwyn is able to redirect Tolik's horse. He readies himself to sprint ahead and pull Tolik or his horse's reins if either resist Daegwyn's nudgings. He reckons he could pass his reins to Antonia or another, or with luck, his horse would not bolt as he sprints ahead.
Tag nods at Rhees and quickly and as silently as he can removes his chainmail, ready for spell casting. He then begins to chant and weaves his hands, like the minstrel that he is. Power emanates from him, musical and sweet. Softly at first and then with more volume, noises appear about 100 foot from the bard behind the hunter, or where Tag imagines him to lie.
Whickers and the gentle clank of iron on leather. The clop and chip, chip, chipping of hooves on stone and soft whispering voices, their conversation too hard to discern. Tag continues the illusion as long as is practical, his dancing hands, never far from his sword hilt.
As the others motion to avoid the silent spindly figures, Tolik wanders, somewhat awestruck, right up to them! The last minute attempts to grasp his horse prove unable to do so, as the mist has made the bridle slick with moisture.
Rhune shivers uncontrollably as they ride closer to the figures.
Sighing, the group follows Tolik to make sure he does not endanger himself unnecessarily. Most prevalent among the worries are the three still sentries looming large ahead....
However, that fear proves groundless, though you do get a shock at what the things really are. Not tall and spindly creatures at all, but rather three human heads stuck on long pikes driven into the ground. All three looks Slavic ethnically, and have been hacked brutally from their owner's bodies.
Arkady rides slowly past, struggling to keep from cackling madly at the sight. His face contorts between a joyful grin and a look of horror.
As Tolik wanders past dreamily, the mist begins to clear slightly, allowing for a more clear field of vision. Beyond the three grim spectres are hundreds more of the same. The others, though, are not heads on stakes, but rather full bodies, and not human, but a strange tallish humanoid with a definitely canine head. Rhune and Ullar recognize the bodies as much like the tall humanoid at the Forum.
Forte gives a couple of silent dry heaves, but is able to contain his stomach to internal flip-flops only.
Tolik's head clears, and he grits his teeth and looks around with disgust. "I knew they weren't, I just had to make sure..." he says, not making any more sense than he did before. He shakes his head violently, clearing the thought. "Oh well. Are we ready to politely ask to get the tube opened?" He asks, to no one in particular. "Guess I didn't expect them to be overly receptive to strangers, though I coulda done without this.
Two of the bodies closest to you look very recently dead, with what look like injuries inflicted by short blades. The others are in varying stages of decay, from weeks to years dead. Many have fallen into pieces and most the skin has withered away on, leaving only skeletons.
Coming across the sight, Rhune can no longer tolerate the grisly sight. Her stomach rebels and leans over the side of her horse and promptly loses her lunch. Wiping her mouth off, she straightens up and tries to focus on her surroundings, her stomach still feeling like she could lose what she ate the day before.
Antonia audibly sighs when she sees that there are no walking undead, more than glad to have her gut be wrong in this instance, but wondering if there will still be something of the sort from whatever has been eating the dead.
Close examination reveals a most disturbing sight. All but the two very recent bodies look to have bite marks on them, with hunks torn off, and even the skeletons have signs of rather persistent gnawing. Do these creatures eat their own dead, off stakes, shish-kebab style? Most disturbing.
As you are contemplating this, the wail starts up again, this time very close to your left and very loud. All about the stakes, the mist sits like a forbidding wall, and you have no idea which way is which or even whence you came.
Arkady snaps to attention on the back of his steed. He prepares for combat and the voices begin to swirl and jabber with ever greater vigor in his skull.
Wishing mightily that Asif were here to hold, Rhune nudges her horse up just behind Ullar and Forte, taking comfort in their presence. Forcing her stomach to settle down, she draws her sword and glances warily looks around, ready for what ever happens.
Glancing this way and that, Antonia wishes that she had an idea of what kind of creature the wail is from.
As Rhune approaches, Forte turns to look at her and turns silently back to the front.
Tolik's voice comes out as barely more than a whisper. "We'd better move if we are going to try and get away." He bites his lip, and tries to quickly get his bearings while directing his horse away from the sounds and staying with everyone.
With a grimace, Rhees swallows the bile he feels rising. His features expressionless (more from an effort to control his reactions rather than from a lack of reaction, no doubt). "Well, this would take care of any doubts about where we are. It may be risky, but I think we have a chance of getting some information if we find the source of the wailing. Death's Head country still has secret beyond our ken. Unless I miss my guess, that
wailing is somebody who's been put on one of these poles recently. I've been told that a good impaler can leave his victim alive for days, but I don't expect the victim to be happy about it. If we help them, they might be thankful. As an added bonus, these bodies might spook the hunters and keep them from following us. What do you think?" Whatever confidence was building through that monologue disappears with the question at the end.
"What do I think, what do I think?! There is NO way that I'm going to touch those bodies! Don't take this personal Rhees, for I value your words highly, but it's a mighty big IF you're suggesting here. I'm not getting any closer to those impaled bodies than necessary!" says Ullar, with determination in his voice.
As Rhees explains that an impaled victim can stay alive for days, Forte blanches and clamps his hand over his mouth to help suppress another dry heave.
Taking his hand away from his mount, Forte answers Rhees. "I don't think the wailing is from impaled victims, but we might as well make sure." Forte turns his horse toward the left, the last location of the wailing, and slowly moves in that direction.
Caboto says nothing, at a loss for what to do in this strange land. "Let's do that. We seem to be getting disoriented in this mist and stench. At least the wailing gives us something to move towards. But by god I'm scared already of what we may find". Caboto gags as he concludes, briefly overpowered by the stench.
Looking at the impaled creatures. a look of disgust in seen on Pietro's face, sarcastically, he adds. "Subtle warning to turn back here. This will
be the border between the human and lizard countries. We do not really have
choice, do we? We have to go on. We need to do a few things when in this country I reckon. Do not attack the strangers on sight, we need to cooperate. I fear that if we fight, we will lose all of our lives pretty fast. Maybe we could show the blue tube after trying to talk, considering the importance of the thing it probably is an artifact. If that does not help, maybe we could show Forte's mace as well but I am not too keen on that. "Dryly he adds. "If all of that fails, we will have a small situation
on our hands."
Ullar doesn't feel comfortable at all and watches the scene in utter disgust. After hearing Tolik's words regarding departure, Ullar is eager to leave.
What is curious is that the warrior doesn't say much. He tries to get eye-contact with Forte and Rhune, but the mist doesn't make it an easy job to establish an eye-to-eye link. It's clear that the warrior is agitated somehow, which could be caused by the spooky environment, but who's to say?
The group elects with some hesitation to follow the wailing, which as Caboto says at least gives you a direction in the mind-numbing mist. Heading off to your left you pass through more and more of the impaled skeletons, which grow more decayed and dilapidated as you keep going. You also note that the skeletons are getting larger? Some of the ones you see now must have been eight feet in height when alive, as their feet hang down onto the ground, bodies covering the entire spear.
Arkady rides along contentedly. The atmosphere of death and slaughter has assuaged the voices in his head. They sigh and giggle happily as his eyes drink of the rotten and mangled flesh.
You also note that some of these bigger skeletons bear the tattered remains of some feathers, bone necklaces, and other crude decorations that the others further out lacked. Perhaps indications of some status? Religious decorations?