Neverwinter Woods - Spring 1358 DR

[Alethan]

Greystone looks awkwardly down at his enlarged body and silently wonders how long the effects of the potion will last. He immediately kneels on the ground to lower his profile. While doing this, he might as well search the young giant for anything of value...

"Thank you for the healing," he adds, as he does this."You are full of tricks these days."

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin shrugged. "Part and parcel with being a wild mage. I just wish I could track down an extra spellbook or two. I could use some more spells." He looked around. "Now where is Darkstar, and why didn't he support us?"

[hedgeknight]

Checking over Bork's burned and battered body, Greystone finds a few interesting trinkets (a sparkly fake jewel necklace, a fist-sized piece of onyx roughly carved to resemble an obese woman with huge breasts, a wooden whistle, and a flask of "grog"). Also, in a filthy pouch on Bork's belt, the scout finds 18 silver pieces, and two coppers. Of course, there half of a dead deer strapped to Bork's back and his spiked club. (XP/Loot thread updated)
Crows are already arriving, perched on a dead limb of a lone tree or some rocks around the tops of hills. Their caws echo through the hills...

Actions?

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin glanced up at the crows. "We should get moving again. Your people will no doubt want to know that there are giants about, and I don't particularly want to meet those who would come to feast on the corpse."

[Alethan]

Tarrin shrugged. "Part and parcel with being a wild mage. I just wish I could track down an extra spellbook or two. I could use some more spells." He looked around. "Now where is Darkstar, and why didn't he support us?"

"Because you put us in danger of not fulfilling our mission when there was no need to do so,"comes the blunt reply from the Elven scout. "But for your brash actions, we could have easily skirted around the giant and been on our way without conflict."

Without waiting for any reply, he adds, "You are not of the woodfolk, so I do not expect you to understand. But realize, if I didn't think you had information that was useful to our tribe, I might have done the same..."

Greystone takes the onyx idol and coins from the giant and puts them in his horse's saddle bags. Then he picks up the reins and leads his horse in the direction of Neverwinter Woods, resigned to walking until the effects of the potion wear off.

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin frowned, and cut in front of Darkstar before he could leave. "You may have forgotten your history, but I certainly haven't. Hill giants kill people. For sport, and for food, and just because they feel like it. They destroy villages and burn cities, and are often used by orc hordes as muscle. As shock troops to break the toughest defenses.

"How many lives do you think we just saved? How many buildings will now be unburned, fields untrampled, because the one that would destroy them is dead? Gods, and I thought elves were supposed to take the long view of things."

[Computer +1]

Darkstar looks hard at Tarrin for a long time before replying. I do not expect one who would go seeking to kill to understand.
He kicks his horse and moves around Tarrin, keeping a hold of the reigns of Greystone's mount until he is able to ride.

[Hoondatha]

"And I wouldn't have thought you would stand by and do nothing while someone who saved your life fought for his," Tarrin shot back. "If this is the gratitude of the western elves, the sooner I get back east, the better."

[Alethan]

OOC: wait, you try to block the way of the currently 12' tall elf? With what?

[Hoondatha]

((ooc: Me and my horse. Unless you want to step on me. And even at 12 feet, that would be difficult. Not impossible, of course, but it all depends on how much of a jerk you want to be.))

[Computer +1]

If I did not consider you a friend, Friend Tarrin, I would have aided the giant. He did not seek the engagement, you did.
Who is fit to judge who should live and who shall die? The Gods perhaps, but not you and not I. Darkstar says as he rides down the trail.

[Hoondatha]

"Friends help each other out. They don't stand by and do nothing," Tarrin said. "If our positions had been reversed, I would have backed you up. Now? I am not sure."

[Computer +1]

Then it is fortunate I don't go looking to kill without reason Darkstar says with a shrug.

[Alethan]

Having said his peace, Greystone continues on the path to Neverwinter Woods in silence.

[hedgeknight]

The rest of the day takes you farther and farther into the Crags, bearing slightly southwest and by nightfall, you begin to find yourselves riding through more and more tree-covered hills. Greystone continues to lead and Darkstar watches your backtrail as you travel deeper into the wooded hills, looking for a place to camp. Your way leads you along the top of a low ridge and in a vale below, the rising moon glimmers off the surface of a small pond surrounded by cedars and low vegetation. A stream trickles from the pond southward. Night birds are singing and so are crickets and other creatures, while frogs croak around the pond's edge.

Actions?

[Alethan]

Greystone starts to feel a bit more at ease in somewhat familiar surroundings.

He dismounts near the edge of the pond and lets his horse drink from it. He dips his hand in the water.

"The water is ice cold. Spring-fed, then..." he says. His eyes follow the stream leaving the pond as it snakes its way south. "This stream most likely meets up with the south branch of the river*, so that gives us a good idea where we are."

He does a quick check of the trails leading to the pond to see if anything dangerous uses the pond as a water source. Then, to confirm what he's found, either way, he will approach the tallest reeds and rushes nearest the pond, gently push his hands through the leafy blades, and attempt to commune with them.

Greetings, stout friends who drink from cool waters. What kinds of creatures visit you when the light is gone?

If no dangers are revealed by the plants or by the tracks on the trails, he suggests making camp near the pond for the night.



*The elven name for the river being too complex for human ears, the river cutting through Neverwinter Woods is often just referred to as "the river" in mixed company.

[Computer +1]

Darkstar is glad when the group is moving again. Staying focused on the trail and making sure they are not followed takes his mind off of the discord within the group. The arrival at the pond area brings forth mixed feelings, he is happy to rest but wary of more disagreements.

He decides to keep busy and works at rubbing down the horses and cleaning his gear.

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin nods briefly. He drinks his fill at the pond, makes sure his horse is similarly watered, and refills his waterskins. Otherwise, he keeps to himself.

[hedgeknight]

Upon your approach, the frogs stop croaking and several small splashes indicate they have sought safety in the pond. The crickets stop chirping for a few seconds, but then start up again, as do the nightbirds.

He does a quick check of the trails leading to the pond to see if anything dangerous uses the pond as a water source. Then, to confirm what he's found, either way, he will approach the tallest reeds and rushes nearest the pond, gently push his hands through the leafy blades, and attempt to commune with them.

Greetings, stout friends who drink from cool waters. What kinds of creatures visit you when the light is gone?

Greystone finds some old tracks of a rather large feline and some smaller tracks too, likely those of a opossum or raccoon. The pond is nestled up against the side of the hill and he figures that might be where the underground spring is located that feeds it.
@ Greystone:

Furry beasts, four-legged, sure of foot. Mama cat...but not for awhile...

As Tarrin quenches his thirst, he feels something swim by his hand in the pond...something quite large.

[Alethan]

Greystone thanks the reeds and rushes for the information and relays it to the others.

"There are some old prints of a big cat over there, but she hasn't been back in some time." He pauses, looking around at their environs. "Maybe we could camp closer to the hill there and use it to shield us from the winds. I'd suggest forgoing a fire again, though, until we're within the Lynx territories."