Chapter 8 - Orc Recon

[enn.in.me]

"And the undead."

[onlyme]

Dandelion

nods with a bit of fear... "Yes, and if they are dead, they probably dont have any good use for us. I say we steer around it.

[AleBelly]

More inspection of the bodies reveals little. They certainly have experienced trauma, but it's difficult to tell if their deaths were the result of attacks or suffered after the fact by scavengers. Chew marks and torn fur and skin can be seen on the animals that have not been dead for long, but the source of the wounds could really be anything that is hungry...

[Zorroroaster]

"Also, just for the record...my Sleep spell doesn't work on anyone who's already taken s dirt nap. Just sayin'."

[Marullus]

Hellebore places a hand on Redfang, warning him away from the bodies. She offers him a piece of jerky instead.

"I think our suspicions of undead might be the more plausible," she proffers, then looks to Yenny. "You're our expert in those trapped beyond life. What do you recommend? We are not in the wilderness to show fear or avoid risk. Neither are we foolhardy. How do we best move as a group?"

She considers, looking over Angus. "We still know too little, and a closer look can give us what is needed. Either Angus or I, with stealth on our side and, alone and made invisible, have the best chance of being undetected. Should it go awry, though... Angus is more hearty, better armored, and faster should he flee. I could try to entangle pursuers and try to use tangled brush to my advantage, signaling the eagle for aid. Angus? Thoughts?"

[enn.in.me]

If we believe there are undead, I will go in the lead. We should call them out and destroy them, not slink through the woods around them. Get your flaming oil and your hammers." Yenny cleans the snow off her shield and pulls her necklace out from under armor.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf goggles at Yenny. He leans in and whispers to Angus, although everyone can clearly hear him. "She's tiny, but she's got bigger stones than me. That's for damn sure."

[Zhym]

Angus reflexively puts a hand over his face at the mention of plague, then lowers his hand as he realizes that it's not all that clean either.

"The Sambords ain't been harassed by undead," he answers Hellebore. "I reckon we ought to be helping them, not gettin' mixed up with dead what seem to be mostly causing trouble in their own neck of the woods. Hell, if the orcs call it Town No Go, the undead might be helping keep the orcs from moving through here. Up to me? I'd go on to Sambord and leave this be for now."

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf tries to hide his shock.

"He makes a good point!"

[onlyme]

Dandelion

"I agree. We aint got a fight with them, so why start it. Plenty of area to bypass it and get to a friendlier town.

[Marullus]

"We... ain't got a fight? With undead?" Hellebore falls silent, her face a confused mix of emotions. "I never thought I'd say it, but I miss Ilfirien."

[Zhym]

"We gotta help them what need helped," answers Angus. "Right now, that's the Sambords. The undead ain't getting any undeader. They'll still be here after the Sambords are safer."

[media_junkie]

"Aye, plague could be one reason.", Lorilee says,"another could be a critter marking it's territory. Doesn't need the meat to eat, but doesn't want things disturbing it so it just kills for the sake of killing."

"I am of the mind that at this point in time no good will come of going to this Town No Go. I agree that we would be better off helping those we know need help."

[Zorroroaster]

"We... ain't got a fight? With undead?" Hellebore falls silent, her face a confused mix of emotions. "I never thought I'd say it, but I miss Ilfirien."

Arnulf tries to hide his amusement.

"She makes a good point!"

[enn.in.me]

"Angus, you are right. I should not let my concern with the dead interfere with helping the living. The undead will not, as you say, get any undeader. I hope. It is an interesting question, perhaps. I wonder if anybody has studied that at length...mutter...mumble... Yenny's head pop's up and her eyes focus again: Hellebore, we WILL come back and we WILL remove this stain from the earth.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf tries to hide his confusion.

"Now she makes a good point?

[Zhym]

"We'd better haul outta here before Arnulf's head spins off its axis," says Angus.

[Marullus]

"More points here than a family of hedgehogs," remarks Hellebore. "No matter, as I am sure all will get their way soon enough. Yenny, lead the group South, veer off the trail to go past the town. You are likely to find undead in the woods in any case. Tempus and Lorelei, watch their forward to prevent surprise if you can. Arnulf, if you don't mind, could you make me invisible? I will skirt closer and see what we learn as we pass..."

Once Arnulf responds and the group is ready, she gives a chirping whistle, at which the eagle launches back into the air with massive wingbeats. Hellebore then slips into the forest, little more than a whisper of leaves as they watch her go, the branches themselves conspiring and moving to hide her trace even from Angus' eyes.

[enn.in.me]

Yenny does so.

[Zorroroaster]

Why does Hellebore get to be so cool?

Arnulf bows his head and gets to work. He rummages in his satchel for the things he needs, and focusses all of his attention on Hellebore. "This will feel...a little weird." Arnulf completes the incantation and as the others watch, Hellebore fades from view although nobody would later say they saw her "disappear." More like, they gradually couldn't see what they knew was there, as if their brain refused to cooperate with their eyes and ultimately just gave up on the whole idea altogether.

Satisfied, Arnulf pats his hands and looks at the others. He holds up a hand, displaying a palm that ended in the stubby beginnings of fingers that gradually faded from the knuckles into thin air where the fingertips should be.

"Neat, eh? Magic isn't exact, there are no hard edges to the things we do. It's messy as hell, and everything...bleeds into everything else. It's all a matter of what perspective you choose for your personal set of experiences."