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Bruh that's fake news

[Strik3r]

We could talk to them for a bit about the local area and stuff then when they're relaxed around us we could kill them, or we could wait until night and release the prisoner. Might need to find out how many people are in their party before we enact any of these plans though as they might have some other members out gathering supplies.


Also why are there so many lurkers but only the three of us posting on this, this is a high quality story we have going here you'd think it get more people participating.

You know, i like this idea -- take it slow and steady --, Talk to them, look around the area, anything that could give us some leverage in the negotiations, maybe even get them to let us talk to the captive herself.
That way we can also stick around and ensure the prisoner is treated fairly. If she's not, or the men start to get objections to us hanging around, we can safely assume they're up to no good, and move onto more direct solutions. But i still prefer the idea of getting them to release the prisoner by themselves. Less likely to bite us in the ass later, if nothing else.

And i'm not one to speculate on the reasons as to why there's not as many participants in this thread as could be.

[King Zultan]

Then let the diplomacy begin!

[Quaksna]

. . .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Since the captive doesn't look like much of a spy, as odd it is to see an animal person of such an appearance, you'd like to lend a hand. Just from the few exchanges you can tell, it doesn't seem the soldiers are up for reasoning, but still, you want try.

You step forward, next to Flax, so to inform him of your impressions. Now you can see his face, his eyes flickering between the tree and the Joñu. Unfaltering as ever, but no clear mark of what he thinks of the situation.

"This has to be a misunderstanding." you whisper to him. "There's no way that's some sort of an agent. We have to talk them out of this madness..."



"Cap's surely exaggerating here..." Flax mutters. "Hovewer, we don't have much of a case either."

"But you do agree, then?"

"Certainly seems ridiculous. Unfortunately, both can be right."

Sas comes forth to discuss too, but is interrupted by the no less smouldering official.



"What is all this plotting?" he barks. Never had much patience to begin with, but now that you're the target of his harsh words, you can feel the pressure. His companion lifts a shield from the ground, it is clear they don't trust you very much, watching your every move, their hands gripping their weapons tight.

"Your soon-to-be prisoner does not appear to be a spy to us, sir." states Flax, in a stark manner, but calm. While this dynamic is certainly satisfying, you have a bad feeling it has to agitate the soldier tenfold.

"Strange observations you make, foreigners." the Joñu responds, curiously, less loudly. "But know that we have witnessed it performing those very deeds."



"How so, and where exactly? We're in the midst of no man's land!" your guide argues. You are pleased to have him do the talking, the question is, whether it will prove to be of any use.

The official looks around, then snaps his head firm in one direction, and points.



"And that I cannot tell you, for the sake of our mission. But go over the plain, a couple of hours at most, and you shall understand."

"I see." your lead utters, and thinks over what to say next. Clearly, he's rather careful with his approach.

"We should settle them down a bit, before attempting anything." you whisper again, as the soldier grunts with an ill glance. He does it when not overtly angry, as he is now, even then, it reminds you of Uzin keeping you and Elév apart, and never did that man's cries bite you in the ear this much.



"Well, and where would you be off to?" you ask, to get some time, and change the topic a bit. But no answer you get, just a curious look.

"Excuse my friend, he's not well versed in the business of man..." Flax speaks, and the warriors take it. They do appear to have calmed down a bit.

"I was thinking you might know the surrounding lands better." you explain. "We might exchange good knowledge, perhaps travel a while together, if our path's the same."

The soldiers frown when they hear such talk, so you carry on, not to lose the perceived progress.

"We wish no harm upon anyone, to bring no hostility. We're simply afraid that this individual may suffer such, unjustly!"



The official wobbles over his spot, pondering.

"Words, all words!" he mumbles. "Feeble."

While this response isn't much warranted, he has lost much of his bitterness, and both of them show some interest in your character, now that you have drawn the attention.

"I stand by those words." says Flax. "We have heard the screams and seen the state of your captive, and those are worrisome. Perhaps..."



He thinks for a moment, his sight shifting from you and the camp, back and forth.

"What if we spoke to her. Perhaps a different approach will bring us answers." he offers, takes off his sheath, and drops it in the snow.



"Do you have some means of torture unbeknownst to us?" the official asks, rather unconvinced. "I very much doubt it."

"That's not what I meant, but perhaps even that, as a colleague over here is a cunning sorcerer, and more informed on the beastmen than any of us. He might provide you with something useful."



The soldiers look at each other, and contemplate such a proposal.

"A witch, you claim. Of foul, wild powers, well, let us hear it then. But I want the rest to put away their weapons as well."

"Do it." Flax orders, determined. And on his command, you do so. He must know what he is doing, and this is the better solution in your eyes, too. Not to mention, you don't exactly need those yourself.



They let you approach the tree, and remove the rug from the hostage's mouth.



She is silent, just breathing heavily. You see a glimpse of hope in her eyes, and therefore suspect, under the weight of this opportunity, she takes good care to spoil it not.



What do you want to do?

[King Zultan]

Lets start with some basic questions then work our way up to bigger stuff, can't try anything right now since those guys are watching us.

[Strik3r]

Lets start with some basic questions then work our way up to bigger stuff, can't try anything right now since those guys are watching us.

+1

Lets not forget to introduce ourselves first as well, though.

[Quaksna]

. . .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You stare at each other, not a single word's been uttered for a while. The distraught hostage looks as if frozen, and your company seems to expect you to do the questioning. After all, that's how Flax sold the party's interrogation skills, all upon your merits.

"Fear not." you say, first in your own tongue, then in the speeches of the wilderness, as roughly as you handle those. Wolf you do not attempt, unsure whether anyone at all would understand your pitiful extent of it. But no response you get, at least the captors look somewhat impressed, beginning to see the value in your proposal, rather than throwing whatever at the wall.

"There's no need to worry." you repeat in human, to see if that does the trick. Some reaction you spot on the captive's face, but it's so slight you're not sure whether you're not imagining it. So you speak further. "Who are you?"



No progress is achieved quite yet, as the questioned is still shivering and dead quiet, perhaps she may not be able to speak at the moment, it occurs to you. The soldiers laugh at the sight, if your ploy here had done anything at all, it sure did put them in a better mood.

"Well that is new!" the official cackles. "It shall be either this or denial, brace yourselves!"



"Alright, let's start the other way around. We are travelers, adventurers of sorts. I am shaman Blackhoof, and this is Sas, a hunter. We come from the northern wilds. This is Flax, our pathfinder, he's from the south. We don't think you're a spy, but we need to know what are you, then."

Still, to no avail is your speech. It looks like the hostage is just about to talk, but she never does. The soldiers' mockery might have something to do with it, but they have calmed down by now.



"You heard the deer, peck, we want to help." Flax adds. "Now tell us who you are."



As he bends over to hear better, you see her eyes go wide, and fur bristle.



She starts screaming and twitching in the ropes, trying to slip away.

"Back off!" you bark at your lead, puzzled and unsuspecting. "You're scaring her, don't you see!"

"Eh?" he utters, lifting his back upright again.

"How did you do that?" the official asks, gawking with his comrade upon your little gathering. "Such wailing we have not heard, and the pest had been going o for some time, I say!"



"Get back there!" you gesture your fellows to leave you alone, before turning to the soldiers. "You too, take a step back, please."

The Joñu return to their spot, without a word. Close enough to oversee and intervene, should it come to it, but they are quite apparently curious about your work here, and provide you with the space needed. Sas and Flax retreat too, the former more perplexed than anything. You are not too glad to have sent them away, but seeing they didn't help the situation much, you'll do what it takes.



"It's alright, he's gone." you comfort the captive, and it seems to have worked, she quiets down. "Now, tell me what happened. Why did these men take you?"

At last, you get her to speak. In a voice trembling and scattered, but you can make something out of it.

"He... He's one of them." she whispers, with a cacatonic stare, unable to look you in the eye.

"Them? Oh no, he's not. They're all fairheads 'round these parts..."



"Not them..." she mutters, garbling the rest of the sentence, but gets the head moving, shaking it a bit.

"Who then?" Flax calls, but your angry glance lets him know not to interrupt. Then, you'd like to carry on, but the hostage seems to be still a little dazed, without a sound, tries to gesticulate, but little she can achieve with bound hands.

"Nevermind. Tell me your story, I am listening. Who are you?" you say.

No answer you get immediately, but the hostage settles down in the quiet, and is able to speak afterwards.

"I am a traveler... Just like you are." she replies, her words becoming clearer each instance. "I was there, on a battlefield... Looting... I was lost, I..."



Despite the speech pattern sounding quite in order, you can identify an unfamiliar accent.

"You're not from here, is that right?"

She nods, eagerly. It seems you are having some success with the approach.

"Where from?" you continue, but upon this, the captive hesitates. Doesn't look like she does not want to tell, or is indecisive, rather, she is thinking. In the meantime, you look around at your fellows, the soldiers waiting, frowning a bit more again, and Flax shrugging at your glance. It's clear he doesn't recognize the accent either.



"From afar..." the hostage interrupts your scouting. "Leafy trees, brooks all over, blue mountains... It's been a long time..."



You focus on the captors again, seeing this topic won't probably go anywhere. Her origin might be a clue, then again, a local might be a spy just as likely. What a precarious position, investigating something this vague!

"What do you say to that?" you turn back to your captors.



"Stealing from our fallen she was for sure!" the official barks, and seems to get worked up again, but keeps it down for your sake. "That was how we came to find her. She was looking for something, too!"

You hear Flax and Sas mutter something, presumably some kind of a scoff by the sound of it, but it doesn't vex you, nor anyone else, of they noticed.

"I think that's been established already..." you say, and face the supposed spy again. "Is that it?" you ask her. "All what happened?"



It appears the soldier's talk disconcerted her again, as she simply nods, and cannot bear to look upon anyone, quivering.



What do you want to do?

[King Zultan]

Continue the questions and also try to find out what she was looking for on the corpses.


Also what is the little white critter anyway?

[Strik3r]

Continue the questions and also try to find out what she was looking for on the corpses.


Also what is the little white critter anyway?

Yeah i noticed too, that nobody present has told us what she is yet. Probably because they don't know themselves.
I think a case could be made, that since no one apparently can place her accent or tell us what she even is, she's from a place so foreign that would have no interest in spying on whatever kingdom we're in, due to it's distance. Besides, considering how wimpy she appears to be, she doesn't exactly strike me as a trained spy, especially seeing how she got caught, apparently by a bunch of rank-and-file soldiers.

[King Zultan]

Continue the questions and also try to find out what she was looking for on the corpses.


Also what is the little white critter anyway?

Yeah i noticed too, that nobody present has told us what she is yet. Probably because they don't know themselves.
I think a case could be made, that since no one apparently can place her accent or tell us what she even is, she's from a place so foreign that would have no interest in spying on whatever kingdom we're in, due to it's distance. Besides, considering how wimpy she appears to be, she doesn't exactly strike me as a trained spy, especially seeing how she got caught, apparently by a bunch of rank-and-file soldiers.

Sounds good to me let's go with this.

[Quaksna]

Sorry for the bit of a delay, got wild with the script again, and was out on a vacation on top. Couldn't halve this in any sensible way, so here you have a bigger update for two weeks instead.

Aside from that, there are more pressing matters. As you're surely aware, Yellow Pixel has let us know that his days are numbered. I didn't want to discuss this much publicly, as I would much more like to PM him, and frankly, I didn't have anything to say. So I did message him. He answered back with a message quite cryptic, as he had written he would, I have an idea what he could have meant, still rather elusive. The part that was clear, I asked him if he had a wish, and he wanted me to make a song, with certain words in it. I did so, and the day I've sent it to him, was the last day he was active on the forums, a couple days before the date he had given us. I can only hope he liked it. I don't think I have more to say, it quite got to me.

I cannot put this more eloquently than Superdorf did: Pixel, friend, thanks for being with us, and see you in the next bit. Whenever and wherever that may be.

. . .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"What were you searching for?" you ask, as that seems to be the main concern of the soldiers. It takes a moment to get her to speak again, but you've made apparent progress in that regard.



"Anything, really..." she stutters, looking down. "Anything of use. Something to eat, a knife, perhaps, some silver... Scavenging."



"What did I say, denying once more!" the official lashes out.

"She doesn't appear to be lying though." you tell him. "What I see is a mere vagabond, at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or is there anything in particular she would be looking for there?"

"Of course! Do you think we would make such accusations unfounded?"

Seeing that the opposing side might get rather excited again, you think before giving the next response.

"I suppose you cannot tell me the nature of what it was."



The Joñu shakes his head, and it seems your foresight did well, he is starting to cool down.

"Did you know anything about the battle?" you interrogate further.

"N... No... Not at all." her teeth clatter. "I didn't expect to be people there at all... I jumped at the opportunity, I... I know I shouldn't have..."



"That's actually a good question." you turn back at the soldiers. "How'd she know about the fight? The location you've described, it is still in the middle of nowhere."

" 'Tis true, she could not have found it without knowing prior." the official replies. "If she were a spy, she would have."

This still doesn't seem to get to the captors in any way, so you decide to attempt arguing on the base of her origin after all.

"There are no animal tribes in the land I could ascribe her to. None that look, speak, or dress this way. That dress at all, in fact, all such I know are flayer wolves donning their ancestors into battle... But those reek of pine, and would've most likely eaten her anyway. Which means..."



"That she was brought up by men!" the captain grins.

"And perhaps she even was, but which? The speech is alien, and I am not sure what kind of a beast this folk bears the shape of..."



"Some kind of a marten or weasel, most likely..." Flax joins in, but keeps the distance. "Such we have near Ulsakeng, but I don't think I've seen animal people like this, nor heard the accent. Not here, not at home, not on the Blood Isle."

"You can import cheese from overseas, sure you can bring a creature this puny over as well..." the soldier grumbles, but unknowingly gave you a chance to raise another point that occured to you.

"Well, if she's that puny, isn't it a little odd for her to go off on such a mission? And to fail miserably, this supposed resourceful spy?" you ask. "How did you capture her exactly?"



A long time it has been, going back and forth, but you finally see the Joñu hesitate. After a brief thought, he replies.

"She tried to run off, but severely underestimated my troops' graceful leap. After that, it was remarkably simple, just topping her over."

"Would you say someone sent to seek out anything in such dangerous circumstances would perform this way?"

"In a fight, no." he responds, his eyes set on her. "But she never stood a chance to begin with. And I feel it is a part of the ploy, there is something so odd about it all..."



"Can't rely on a gut." Flax speaks again, from the back. "None of us still has an idea of what is she really."

"She had this on herself..." says the official, and bends over to pick up something from their pile, leaving only his comrade to oversee. His tone has changed considerably, from solely trying to refute you, to genuinely curious, how it all really is. Or, at the very least, so it seems.



He faces you again, holding a necklace in his hands. A flower of five petals, like yours, but made of metal, upon a chain, a green gemstone set in the center. All small, like a human eye, but that is understandable given its bearer. Your companions go on to examine this object with you, which you let them do, just make sure that there's enough space between them and the captive.

As Flax knows probably knows a thing or two about jewelry depicting fivefold blooms, you let him have the first look, but he cannot identify it, just remarks that no cheap trinket this is, some proper craftsman had to shape it. You all agree it is some kind of a deliberate symbol, perhaps a ward, like the one you bear, the significance you aren't able to clearly define. If it's bewitched, you can't tell either out of this assessment. As you can't ascribe anything to it yourselves, what can one do, but inquire further.

"Where'd you get this?" you ask the hostage, watching the display silently. "What is it?"



"It is... A reminder." she utters. "Of someone I used to know, from... Back there..."

"Well, and who would this be? Could you describe them somehow?"

"He... He was one of them... With the blades, and... The eyes..." she answers, ending in an incoherent, quiet mumble. Enough to win Flax's attention. His face doesn't tell it much, but you can see his awareness rising. The Joñu don't, not following him that closely.

"This is all very nice, but we know it's a thief!" the official says, retracing the item from your view. "She could have just as well stolen it from somewhere!"



 "It's true..." Flax is eager to speak, despite having not much time to think he pronounces the words with hard confidence. "It's true, and that's the only thing we know. Say then, how can we treat her as a spy, this doubtful? A thief's punishment she deserves, and I'd wager she got one already."



He gazes in the opposing eye, with such fortitude, few could withstand. The soldier does, maintaining his bold outlook, still, his response marks your triumph.

"Aye, that is reasonable. You have her."



With a gesture, he ordains the other to untie the looter.



Dumbfounded she stands still, only her head snapping all around. After a brief moment of this, she dares speak.

"Can I... Can I have my things back? The nights are cold..."



"Yours, please! The property of the army I am keeping. And the few coins too, for the expense. As for the jewel..."

The creature looks upon him worried. If what she told you is true, you can only imagine how much that must mean to her...

"I'd be interested." you make yourself heard. "I have a suspicion, that the talisman might be enchanted." You subtly rub your own, for good measure, and it seems the captain got the message, as it promptly lands in your hands.



"Curses and witchery, take it, warlock! Copper I have more than enough." the officer sighs.

"Justly you have decided." Flax proclaims. "I wish I could repay the good will somehow..."

Somewhat sceptic you are, of how earnest he is saying those words, but understand you're trying to end on good terms.



In the meantime, the now freed hostage has picked up her bits and pieces, consisting of more dusty garments. She hops around lively, as if in rush, but you can't tell whether she's still scared.

"You heard the boss, peck." your lead adresses her. "You're coming with us."

"You vagabonds have to stick together, eh?" the officer remarks, while not exactly smiling he doesn't seem too upset. "Make sure you teach her not to steal."

"That we will, hey? And be sure, should she betray this grace, I'll give out a proper sentence. And, I think I might have something for you."



He gestures you two to pack up and approach the thief, while he gets closer to the Joñu. As you carry out his orders, they whisper to each other, so you can't hear anything. It is quite lengthy, too, so you wait aside for a while, but at the end of it, the soldier shakes your fellow's infirm hand, smiling widely, and bids you farewell with his associate, waving.



"What did you tell him?" asks Sas, as the forest fades in the distance, dissipating in its white surroundings. Flax chuckles, and is soon to answer.

"Well, gave him what he wanted the whole time! Some military information."

"Could've swayed him with that a bit earlier." you mutter, reflecting on the whole ordeal.

"I might've, but I didn't think it would work without convicing them first. Not to mention, it wasn't exactly very sublime. The state of affairs we've experienced on our travels, in fact, any of you could've told him the same thing. More of a parting gift, than a trade. That being said, you've handled the interrogation remarkably well."

"I had my time with more frantic folk..."



You lift your eyes up, to look upon the one you've just freed. She skims some distance ahead, stopping and scouting, not too far from you, but Flax doesn't like that very much.

"Hey there, little, I was being serious." he calls at her. "Come back 'ere."

The thief turns towards you, and skips back obediently.



"I lead the way." Flax continues. "We've got you released, but are keeping you until further notice, don't even think about running away."

"I wouldn't." she replies, in a tone much more relaxed. Oddly so, given how difficult it was to speak for her just a moment before. Flax is not very convinced, it seems, but she elaborates.

"I've owed a lot of people. Some still to this day, all crooks, robbers, dishonest sort! You are different."



"Is that it, aye? Don't make me laugh." he retorts, and halts where he's standing. "Protection you seek. Doesn't come cheap, you'll have to collaborate."



You haven't experienced Flax this cold for some time, how he treated Sas at the very beginning comes to mind. But given this individual's presumed history, you can understand it more in this case.

"I mean it." she says, now looking directly in his eyes, shivering again. "I have nowhere to go. Whatever you need me for, I'll happily provide!"

"We'll see about that. I hope it'll be worth it, considering we just got another mouth to fill..."



"I can take care of myself!" she voices, to Flax's laughter. It is clear he doesn't take anything she says seriously.

"We'll find out quite soon, won't we? Now. Tell us something about yourself, would you?"

"Like what?"




What do you want to do?

[King Zultan]

I hope Yellow Pixel is still alive and kicking.


Lets ask her about her home lands and what brought her here, maybe she'll tell us stuff now that she isn't tied to a tree.

[Strik3r]

I too hope that Yellow Pixel is okay. I tried to coax anything out of him that might let me better understand what he was going through. But alas i got nothing of the sort. Although, the one message i did get from him leaves me with some hope. I would forward it to both of you, but Pixels asked me to keep the message's contents a secret and i shall obey his wishes.

Lets ask her about her home lands and what brought her here, maybe she'll tell us stuff now that she isn't tied to a tree.

+1, this.

Also, it seems we might have some questions for Flax as well. During the negotiation, he let slip about some place called the Blood Isle. Lets ask him about that.

By the way, Q, this one was particularly excellent! the only thing i don't like... Is that there'll be a whole week until the next one!  But please, absolutely do not rush anything!

And i particularly liked

Spoiler: this picture (click to show/hide)

[Quaksna]

. . .

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Tell us about your homeland." you suggest. "How did you end up here, how is it you have nowhere to go?"

"I've said about what I could." she replies. "What I remember."

"Oh please, surely not!" Flax rolls his eyes. "If you're not sure where exactly it lies that's fine, but be a little more descriptive this time, alright? No one's to pummel you..."



The thief looks around at each one of you, seeing that you'd very much like her to elaborate indeed. And you do, perhaps not sharing Flax's exact attitude, but aligning with his wishes.

"It was an elvish land." she says. "But all kinds of people around. Not many though, quite a rural area it was."

"See, even just now I have a much better picture." Flax mumbles, thinking.

"Our stories tell of elves, far at the mountain ridges." you share. "But you apparently don't have the coat to save your life, not from the north, then?"



"Don't need to remind me." she frowns, in a tone, once again, clashing with the previous events. "I'm not fond of it either... We had a half a year cold, half not."

"Then that has to be quite far away, realms I have only so much as heard of." Flax concludes. "Say, were there dwarves in the land?"

"I don't know."

"Well, have you at least seen any?" he inquires on relentlessly.

"I remember some coming to visit from the hills once..." the thief responds. "Promptly deported for disturbing the civil order."



"What did they do?" asks Sas, so that he doesn't just stand in the back.

"Sell carrots. In all forms, shapes and... Substances. The elves didn't appreciate it much. Never showed up after. Seemed to have travelled from afar..."



"Right... In terms of geography, I have a certain idea, then, but I'll need someone else to talk to you." Flax mutters, still contemplating. Seems he is busy thinking this alone over, so next he just tries to get a basic conversation going, to keep you occupied. "Anyway, why'd you move there?"

"I wouldn't know." she shrugs. "Many a beastman served in the militia, and the rest were craftsmen. Somewhat hampered options we had with the latter, a lot of regulations going on."



"Sounds like 'ol pointy ears alright!" Flax chuckles. "Have an elven friend myself, but of a different sort, born in silk and steel, he laughs at the other. Yes, he could know more about those lands. The question is, are we to meet him anytime soon, he is quite hard to come by."

"Oh, these were fine. The fair ones, at least, old and wise, but they did not control the settlement. Every now and then, these painted ones would come, to check on everything, and those imposed all the nonsense. For some time already, it was said, of stronger magic, so that the trees obeyed them. Luckily, they did not bother us often."

"Well, look at you!" your guide hands out some praise. "Quite fascinating. Now that we got that, let's go further. How came it you're amidst this wasteland, looting corpses?"



"There was a war... I... I think." she proceeds, starting to shiver again. "Men came, and destroyed everything, killed all I knew, and myself took away. I then served them for many years."

"How was it there like?" you ask.

"Tough, but not all that bad. They were decent to me, did not have ill intentions as far as I was aware."

"And the land?" Flax asks again.

"Far from the mountains, that I'd see them only if the day was clear. The fields were flat, and where no houses stood, woods grew wild. I remember it a bit better... The homestead I was taken in was quite the size, a reasonable wealth in it."



"Splendid, splendid!" Flax mutters, before laying out the next question, stressing it especially. "Who were these people?"

The thief is about to respond, but pauses. Only after some thought she does speak.

"They were like you, dreadful and fell-eyed... When they did the onslaught." she utters, as her voice begins to throb.

"Only then?"

"Well... I... I haven't seen much..." she falters. "The one who took... Me, he... He was so. Master was."

"Did he have a beard?"



Oddly specific these questions, you find. Despite the elusive reason why this matters exactly, you do suspect what it concerns, and are to ask him, but Flax doesn't let you, until he gets his own answer.

"Sometimes. Well groomed, he was." the thief talks back, now without difficulty.

"I see. What did you want, Black?"

"This is about your people, correct?" you speak. And how different are the mannerisms of your leader, once so hesitant to speak of this, now doing just that so mundanely. He looks up to the sky and back, exhales with his mouth closed, and begins.



"I suspect very much so." he whispers, then looks at the critter, silent. Then he carries on crisp and clear.



"Brothers, this individual might be of upmost importance! It is therefore crucial to escort her free of harm, or, at the very least, with the tongue still on. Have that on mind."

He walks back and forth, very much like Joñu official did back at the forest. Scarcely do you witness acting him so, the more it underlines the words just spoken.

"Should my estimations prove true, we must secure a triumph! Ah, I cannot believe we have came across such an opportunity still!"

"Told you, I am a terrible diviner." you smirk, and Flax, aroused to no end, is eager to talk back.

"Nonsense, quite the contrary! We are on a verge of great discovery!"



The looter, you see, is rather puzzled about all this, likely questioning what she's gotten herself into. Uncertain too, as every time Flax gets close, you can glimpse her arms twitch, when she holds them in place otherwise.

"Well, to finish the business of the day!" Flax halts on spot. "Tell us, how did you end up here?"

It takes a moment before she gets going again, staring blankly forth, visibly unfocused.



"Oh, I... I had to leave... A lot... A lot has changed... Greenskins and... I had to leave..." she mumbles, then regains full awareness, and looks upon Flax's face. "I've been wandering ever since. Tried not to get involved in local affairs, but... You know..."

"So were you a spy?"

"No... Not this time."

"Alright, let's leave it there today." Flax concludes. "I need some room to think... Yes... Come on, all! The sooner we cross the border the better."



And he is to put the party in motion again, but stops and turn around for the last time.

"One more thing, what's your name?" he asks. "I'd rather not call you peck for all times."

"I don't have a name." she voices, plainly. "A vagrant does not need one."



Such an answer brings Flax to make a face again, suggesting he has none of it, no time nor grasp for such notion.

"Peck is it until further notice, too, then! I don't care much at the moment anyway."

He speeds up ahead, maintaining some distance, and minds his own. Still, he sets quite the tempo, driving you forward like a mother quail, but all of you keep up, the littlest included.



"So you are, a sorcerer?" she asks you, visibly more comfortable and lively with Flax out of reach.

"Oh I'll say, and what a specimen, too!" Sas proclaims, silent for much of the talk beforehand. "You wait until you bear witness to the wonders at hand!"

"I've bore witness before, and found not much wonder in it." the thief sighs. "Those fortunate enough to dominate others, pulling the strings until they themselves tower on top..."



"Eh, I'd wish." you tell her. "But you've seen the power play here, not here nor with my own had I enjoyed such things."

The vagrant doesn't appear too convinced, which you do not mind very much. Little she can know of the life of a deer priest, taken when weaned, raised far from home, and sent somewhere else entirely, treated like a stranger everywhere... Losing the only one of a similar fate. But you know better than to take offense. It's more a pity she has these remarks, given you've just saved her. Then again, Flax might've foiled the sense of gratefulness... What can you know.

Pondering over the warrior, there was something you wanted to ask him, something brought up at the wood's edge. You'd rather not disturb him, but think that you can manage such an interaction.



"Hey, Flax." you approach him. "Got a moment?"

He does not lift his head up, but adresses you right away.

"Sure, go ahead." he mutters. You can't tell if he's actually paying attention, but you've come this far, no point giving up now.

"You've spoken about this Blood Isle. What is it?"

He stops humming briefly, then gives out a blunt response.

"Remember those sunburned folk I've talked about? That'd be their homeland. Dry and rocky for the most part, but has it's nice side, too. It's a one they say no foreign power managed to take over to date."



"Oh, I see." you nod, seeing that he's pretty much finished, and back to his contemplation.

On the other end, the nameless wanderer's begun to chat with Sas, and seem to be doing just fine at it.



What do you want to do?

[Superdorf]

Hey guys - don't post here much, but I like to keep an eye on things anyhow

Spoiler: I really love the expressions and body language going on here! (click to show/hide)

Help the nice ermine (?) lady pick out a name for herself. Names are important!
Besides, she's not a vagrant anymore, she's part of our herd. It's a weird herd, but it's ours all the same.

[King Zultan]

Sounds like we need to get the wee one a name, I'm sure our guys can come up with something good.