| 123 Another camp Admin |
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| You spend the day traveling, with Correllon scouting ahead,
and Edgar flying above, without anything untoward happening. There is one
scare that slows you slightly, when movement is spotted in the bushes to
one side of the track, however it turns out the be a couple of small deer
that start away as you advance towards them. As evening falls you are about a days march from where Rolf spotted the doghead encampment before.. OOC any one want to hunt deer? And another chance to sort out guard duties … |
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| Sure Corellon Amastacia |
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| After camp is set, Corellon grows bored, and heads out.
Before going, he lets Rolf know he will be 'hunting'. Once outside camp
grounds, Corellon half-heartedly attempts to track a deer, or basically
any forest-dweller, and (if) he finds one, he will follow it, watching its
ways, rather than attack, all the while appreciating the 'natural beauty'
of his surroundings. As it grows dark, he will stay out, using his
infravision to its fullest potential, and will return to camp if nothing
interesting is found several hours after dark (as elves need only 4 hours
of sleep, I might as well be doing a little 'scouting').
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| Not I, but another Elsbeth |
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| Elsbeth sees the deer and smiles. She doesn't offer to hunt,
though. She'd rather not hunt. Indeed, the one of the pair that would love
to hunt is Laddie, mayhap will bring back food for his mistress. But she's
not sure he'll obey anyone else. :) "Would ye be wantin' that, Laddie," she asks the wolf, then growls in his own tongue. "Would ye be wantin' to hunt?" The great wolf looks at her, then into the woods, sniffing the air, considering the offer... |
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| The view from up here ... Edgar |
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| A day on the wing has allowed Edgar much time to
contemplate, though when camp is made for the night, the raven is weary,
and after wolfing down whatever is on offer he retires to a branch for a
well earned rest.
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| Edgy Kerim Alakani |
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| Kerim remains edgy, not easily being drawn into conversation
at any time, not that he is anyways. He keeps his bow close to him at all times and his hand closes over the pommel of his cutlass when any small disturbance in the wood occurs. He watches the Elf go off, then the wolf, unsure of how wise such is and how much attention it would attract, but keeps whatever musings he has to himself. To steady his nerves he returns to the mules, ensuring they are secured. GM: How much warning would one get from the Mules? |
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| At last... Meeleek El'Wakhad |
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| As Meeleek is not accustomed for such an exercise, the stop
for camp is welcome. The mage spends the first ten minutes just resting,
in the spot he stopped walking, but then rises to help set camp, offering
his help with the food to Peter.
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| walk .. Peter Gasgano |
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| The exercise and fresh air are clearly agreeing with Peter.
The few days of walking they have done so far has seen him looking happier
and and less pasty than he did before. When Rolf selects a campsite, Peter, starts to unload the mule. "We need some wood for a cooking fire..." he calls across to the group as he starts stacking pots and sacks on the ground. Nodding at Meleek's offer of assistance, he indicates a place to carry the sacks and pots to, preparatory to cooking. |
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| OOC - Admin |
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| Please remember the other mule holds a couple of tents and
basic camp gear. As you party didn't establish a routine for setting up
camp - you need to decided each time .... basically - I need to know who is leaving the camp to collect wood, search for water, set traps ... - just in case there is something lurking out there :) You can make a 'Standard assignment" ie Peter cooks, Kerim looks after mules, Corellon and Ravn collect wood - Elsbeth collects water - Mandrake pitches tents (grins at the thought) Or what ever suits you - but you need to have party agreement on it And don't forget that you get extra XP for in character posts that include the use of your NWPs or other proficiencies. |
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| Well now Corellon Amastacia |
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| OOC- I guess Corellon didn't head out of camp for nothing... BIC- Wandering about, Corellon hears the need for wood, and decides to take it upon himself to find some. Foraging around a bit, he tries to find dry wood, and takes it back to the camp in bundles, as much as he can carry. Before picking up any dry wood, he pokes it with his sword, so as not to be surprised by any serpentine critters. Once enough is collected, he heads out to find a possible source of water or extra food (berries, etc.). OOC- Using survival NWP |
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| Evening tales Ravn Ashengrey |
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| Ravn, having received - or, at least, perceived - no other
orders, repeats his routine from the previous afternoon, only this time
spending remarkably less time making an ass of himself in front of Elsbeth
and remarkably more time gathering firewood. Upon his return, he finds a nice seat by the fire. When everyone has a full bowl of Peter's cooking and the hush of chewing falls upon them he wipes his mouth of rich gravy, clears his throat and stands to provide a little entertainment. "Of olde it has been our people’s custom to rightly honour our kings by calling them by the name of Gram, but few remember from whence that name arose. Of that noble sovereign and one of his reputable deeds, at your most kind leisure, I shall now make reckoning and recollection. Bear with my limping speech, for the tale is so ancient as to have been told to me in the Old Tongue and does not easily translate." Ravn takes asip of mead from his horn while the listeners settle comfortably around the fire. "Prince Gram, and a prince indeed he was, was cradled with beauty of both body and mind. He had at his side a henchman named Besse, so valiant a champion for his prince’s cause that it is hard to say who earned the larger share of the honour and praise that became Gram’s due. Now, Gram learned that the neighbouring king, whose name was Sigtryg, intended to wed his daughter Gro to a giant. Gram found that giving a creature of noble blood and fair appearance to a jotun the wickedest of abominable crimes and would not have it. So he decided to save the fair princess before it was too late. Who wouldn't?" |
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| Evening tales, cont. Ravn Ashengrey |
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| Having let the question hang but a few seconds, Ravn
continues the tale. "Now, in order to scare off any opposition he would meet on his way to the giant’s den, he and Besse disguised themselves as trollkin, donning goat horns and beastly pelts before entering the neighbouring realm.” In demonstration, Ravn pulls his cloak over his head and holds his empty water horn to his forehead, bending in the knees and curving his back to mimic a trollish fiend as he hobbles back and forth a few paces around the campfire, all the while continuing his story. ”Passing through a forest, they came upon the fair princess and her maids out for a swim in the nearby lake. Princess Gro, seeing Besse in his horrible disguise, thought him to be the giant come to get her, and she cried out in desperation.” Going into verse recital, Ravn displays the princess and the henchman by changing positure and tone of voice between thin falsettic femalisms and bass-like monstrous masculinity, not quite remebering the changes every time but that only adds to the hilarity: “Comes now there the Jotun with clubbed hand, grim and harsh for Gro to fetch? That my eyes now falter and betray me that this pelt another conceal..." Fairest maid on ganger grey Who art Thou and who is Thine father? Boldly tells you Gro her name Sigtryg the king her father is Tell me now you weathered man from whence you hail and who you are?" Ravn emphazises the story, attempting to boost identification by moving next to the burly Callum and parodizing the warrior's voice and wily expression. "Besse is my name and bold I am called oft I did rally to battle with honour Where Besse goes blood will flood sword and spear I wield with joy Tell me then, Besse, I implore you, speak! Who leads then the army you follow Why came you hither a battle to seek Who shall pale on the blooded field? Gram is my king, strong and fair commands my army, its leader and lord Better warrior I know not to be ever victorious where arrows fly Besse, I council you forthwith to take flight perilous surely your campaign I find Comes Sigtryg he swiftly shall conquer you and king Gram the gallows shall dress First though my drott one battle would test and wield his sword on Sigtryg’s soldiers Your father us well would beware that not his head his neck depart! Home then I haste to Sigtryg’s stead home will I ere the giant comes Gro will not see you bite the grass but glad she shall be when you lay on the field Then hurry Thee home to Sigtryg’s stead Thee neither woe nor wound we will you Ride in peace, for naught we fear a shifting mind is the woman’s way!" The repeated changes seem to have taken their toll on the Runecaster, because he stops for a gulp of mead - or is it just for dramatic effect...? |
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| Evening tales, the end Ravn Ashengrey |
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| Ravn stands behind Rolf and continues the story, mimicking
as much of the Constable's mannerisms into the act of prince Gram as
possible. "By this time, prince Gram had lost his patience with Besse’s ravings. He could no longer be silent and said in a coarse and threatening tongue to fit his disguise: Fear not for me beautiful one! But my brother’s bidding I bear Nay shall with woe your will be wrought but your favor reward with gold and pleasures Much manwant should I suffer ere an ugly giant caresses I would grant Hairy bulk and curléd claw far from tempt a maiden’s favor! Mighty champions fell to my sword booty I gathered where blades did shine Yet my gold and goods I shall give if you, my beautiful, bride will be." Ravn hurls the old cloak into the surrounding darkness and stands tall for the grand finale, his armor and gilded sword hilt gleaming with the flickering flames - a true contrast to the sinister troll impression. "With these words prince Gram removed his disguise, and just as much as the princess had shun him before did she now ignite with desire at the sight of his true and beautiful appearance. They gave themselves to each other in loving caress and he gave her many gifts. Later he returned to vanquish her king father, but that is another tale..” The Runecaster bows his head to signal that the tale has been told. |
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| To hunt Laddie |
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| The wolf looks long at his mistress, knowing she is his
leader, yet confused yet again at her standing in her own pack. Still, her
offer to hunt is clear. In the wolf's head, to hunt for the pack is an
honor, and one he is not willing to let go. He growls at her, happy again
that she now understands him and momentarily wishing she were four-footed
and not of the smoothskin kind. Then, he is off- scenting the deer on the
wind, his tongue out, happy to be on the hunt...
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| Well told! Elsbeth |
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| Elsbeth applauds, happy and amazed at the tale. In her mind,
this explains so much of the rough outlander and his kind- and how he sees
women. "Bravo, tale-master"!" she calls out. "Ye have
the tongue of a bard and the soul of a poet indeed!"
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| Thank you Ravn Ashengrey |
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| Ravn bows even deeper at Elsbeth's applause, smiling
blushingly. "You're too kind..." |
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| Updates ..... Admin |
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| Corellon manages to find a couple of Ramson bulbs as he
collects wood, which he knows will add flavour to Peter's cooking. He even
spots a couple of the small deer, but by the time he gets his bow to hand
they have leapt away and are already out of range. However, Laddie soon startles one of the small Rufus deer and it bolts out of the undergrowth, zigzagging away ... |
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| Food Peter Gasgano |
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| Peter, with Meleek's help, has a stew on to cook as soon as
there is enough wood to light a small fire. He uses some of the fresh pork that he bought from Failtey, flavoured with Rosemary he collected on the march and Corellon's Ramson bulbs, to make a light but rich stew. The garlic and rosemary flavoured pork is served with bread (fresh from Failtey that morning) and apples (from one of the sacks on the mule) to complete the meal. Rather than cleaning the pots imediately after the meal, as he normally does, Peter leaves them til later, and settles down to listen to Ravn's story. He cklearlyknows the bones of the story and nods along with it - smiling as Ravn messes up his 'parts' voices and then again when he imitates Callum and Rolf. Although that sudedenly makes him frown when he remembers that Callum still hasn't managed to catch up with them. As the story ends he smiles across at Ravn and nods, then heads off to finally do the dishes. Again he will only clean the cooking pot and his own crockery and cutlery. Cook he maye be - skivvy he certainly isn't. |
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| Latecomer Corellon Amastacia |
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| Coming back with his supplies at the very end of the
storytelling, Corellon seems to have missed something, as Elsbeth is
cheering. Shrugging his shoulders, he gives Peter the supplies, and
watches him cook, somewhat fascinated by the blend of food mixed together
so well. Eating his own helping, Corellon cleans his dishes before
alerting Rolf that he is going to rest for several hours, and telling him
he will be back in about 4 hours. Then, finding a quiet spot, he drifts
off into reverie. OOC- I am assuming if he goes to 'sleep' now, he will wake up in 4 hours. Then, he will be fully rested, and can perform watch if needed. |
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| Shrek rules OK ! :> Edgar |
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| Ravn's antics and funny voices which so amuse the others of
the party fall upon unappreciative ears, as does the humour which passes
swiftly by one unused to the ways of men, and tired to boot, from a day on
the wing. Opening one eye, Edgar stirs crossly, and from his perch in the tree calls down a thinly veiled criticism in the form of a question to the runecaster: "So the princesses of your people are famed for judging creatures by their appearance alone and prefer to be wooed by men that needs stoop to deception to press their own suite ? This tale of yours, I take it, is meant as a warning against such folly ?" |
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Rolf
At Peter's request, Rolf looks to Elsbeth. "Let's get some firewood." Before setting out, he addresses Selina and Kerim, "You two keep an eye out here, we'll not be going far."
OOC: Rolf will usually feel the need to collect water and/or firewood. Who else wants to volunteer for a re-occuring duty?
OOC2: It took a bit for me to get caught up after my trip. It went okay, even if I've still got a few aches and pains to contend with.
Elsbeth
Laddie
He waits until the right moment, then leaps from the underbrush, his sharp fangs fastening on the hapless creature't soft throat...
Peter Gasgano
[OOC cooking for Peter, please }
Ravn Ashengrey
“This tale of mine, as you put it, is meant in its entirity to tell of how a prince should act to win both the contests of men and the hearts of women and, ultimately, a seat at Odin’s table in Valhalla. Well, with mortal contest we shall soon enough be occupied and the Einherjar’s ranks will no doubt swell even without our immediate attendance - so let us instead this fair evening dwell upon the winning of maiden’s hearts.”
The Runecaster takes a seat a little away from the fire and huddles himself in his thick blanket.
“Tell me, anyone - for however wise this raven may be I expect him little versed in the ways of men, let alone those of women - which man, indeed which manly creature does not resort to deception and guise to win his mate? Does a man bear gifts of gold and silk on his daily chore? Nay, he bears his tools - of war or peace as circumstance and times allow! And, in Gram’s and Besse’s case, a troll disguise, for they are not on a careless charmer’s quest but out to save a fair maiden from a grisly and undeserved fate wrought on her by a loveless father, and such undertakings require more than mere swordsmanship. Also, I ask you, is there any woman worthy of her gender who does not so prefer a man in a shape so groomed that no man was born to it? And does not every woman sort the men, like the soaring hawk its prey, first by sight? Well, in the end, princess Gro must praise herself fortunate for it is unquestionably more common and undeniably worse to find a troll in a prince’s robe than it is to find a prince in a troll’s pelt.”
As he speaks, Ravn scratches a few runes in the dirt before him, then looks up to share an ancient word.
“We are told: ‘Who will win a maiden’s heart must promise fair and fairly promise keep’. I shall let you ponder that for yourselves - for these words wield more than just one wisdom.”
He lies back against his luggage and closes his eyes, leaving the others to debate the topic while he dozes after dinner.
OOC: Ravn will settle for firewood collection and, possibly, firestarting. And, of course, after dinner dozing.