The Curse of Calamus

[Firesprite]

"I suggest we proceed peacefully" Kyleen replied to Uwef. Moving to the fore, Kyleen indicated to her companions to lower their weapons.
Moving forward slowly she held her empty hands wide in a gesture to show she was not bearing arms, and so as not to startle them with their sudden appearance.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Grumbling under his breath, Uwef places his heavy axe behind him. Affixing it, he holds his hands out, palm up, and a little to the sides.

If those menacing men are too blind to see the unarmed crew, they deserve battle. In his head, Uwef tries to determine how many of these men he could take, should things prove hostile. Thinking about the knife up his sleeve and the pick axe as resources, he concentrates ahead, wondering if Kyleen will announce their presence or if the men will finally look up.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Tending to Richard

DaSanda carefully removed the arrows, Pennindar leaning over her, letting her know when to be more careful and when to just yank and hope it comes out. Once they've been taken out, she began to heal them, though the spells can only heal his surface wounds with such deep injuries.
Once they'd ceased to bleed, she cradled his head and whispered to him. "Richard, please don't die..."
Bob grinned from atop the bridge, saying, "It appears as though your friend shad better hurry indeed..."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

And the dragon-hunters...

As the small group approached, Telwin glanced over and saw them, a woman, a barbarian, and a dwarf. What an odd group...
"ANd what is this?" He jested. "Have we company, or entertainment. Perhaps the circus has sent us a sideshow for our own amusement."
He chuckled, joined by a few of the others.
"These three are armed...though they appear to be approaching peacefully," another announces, and all fall silent. His seriousness had left him with a poor reputation, but Holgen had always held their utmost respect. He stepped forward, his throwing axe in hand just in case.
"Announce yourselves," Holgen shouts to them, "And remain where you are lest you be run through."

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

He had followed his horde leaders lead, as all good barbarians would do, but he grumbled about putting Gorefiend away. As the man stepped out to challenge them, Jurax noted how stupidly relaxed looking the group by the fire were. "Stupid, mes could kills all with nose problems." he thought somewhat happily if it should come down to a fight.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Acknowledging the man before him, Uwef bows slightly. "I am Uwef, son of Uwag. I am on a quest," not wanting to be too truthful, "for the fountain of life. My company and I seek agelessness."

Wondering if his words are even real, the dwarf hopes that the men believe him and invite the trio--and perhaps the hiding brownie--to a meal.

Sizing up the small gang, he whispers to Jurax, "I can handle four of the men on the left, easy!"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

The Fountain of Youth

"The Fountain of Youth," One said, from behind Holgen, seriousness overtaking his voice. He stood, leaving his companions in silence, and walked over to Uwef, still holding hi liquer bottle in one hand, though absently it seemed.
He stopped before Uwef, eyeing the small thief.
"You say you are seeking the Fountain of Youth? I too once went on this quest," he announced, turning to his companions for their approval. They grunted and yelled thier approval. Clearly, he was another who held high respect. "I wish to help you in any way I can, little man, but I belive I can be of greater help in telling you this..."
He knelt down, looking Uwef in the eye, his voice that of man speaking in wonder.
"I have found the fountain of youth," he said, nodding and smiling. "Yes, I have found it, and drank of it. And I will share with you its location."
He looked to his companions again, who yelled again, confused, but supportive. Holgen stood, waiting for the man to finish.
THe man looked to Uwef, holding the liquer bottle high. "It is in here, beneath the whiskey!" He announced, then broke into laughter and took a long swig from his bottle. He turned to his friends again, wandering leisurely toward them. They laughed as well, intensely so.
"I like the little man, he makes me laugh!" The one shouted. "Come Uwef, son of Uwag, bring your friends and have a drink with me and mine!"
"I believe they are here for other business, Nodell," Holgen replied. "More serious business."
"Seriousness," Nodell shook his head. "Such a waste of celibration time!"
"Speak up, visitors," Holgen said. "What is it you desire here?"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

"Honestly, sir," the dwarf replies cautiosly, "the lady with me has been unhorsed. We followed the tracks and believe that the steed is over there." Pointing across the valley to Kyleen's horse, Uwef smiles at the gang.

Over his shoulder, he looks back at Kyleen and Jurax with an exasperated expression on his face. What should I do? his eyes yell at the two of them. Clearly, it would soil the amiable relationship should he tell them about the trolls.

"Now that we have found her horse, we wish only to continue our journey--Unless, of course, you would like to invite us to dine with you." The stone expression on the small dwarf's face stays firm as he tries not to smirk. After all, respect dictates that the men offer them a meal.

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Seeing the dwarf's pleading look spurred Jurax into action. "Mes hungry, and horsie found, we shoulds hold big cel... umm.. par... ummm.. shin... ummm... party, yes, party to be joyful over return of horsie." he said to begin with, then at the men's somewhat surprised looks he spoke again "little man be right, you'se owes us dinner. Is right of guest-friends visiting anothers en... umm... camp? Yes, camp."

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

GRitting his teeth, he waited through the healing. Slowly, he moved from the elf, standing tall. Pain lanced through his body, and some of his muscles felt as if they were on fire. Closing his eyes, he flashed back through his memory. After the arrows had hit, his memory was fading, and he was forgetting. BUt he remembered coclor. PUlling that memory forward, he turned slightly in the same place, memorizing where certain colors were.

"Fifteen on the right, seventeen on the left. Four on the right, ten on the left are hidden in the brush. The others are treebound." He opened his eyes, comparing his memory to what he saw. He nodded, and carefully sat back down on the ground.

Turning slowly, he looked at DaSandra. "I've already died once. I can't die again."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

DaSanda and Richard..oh, and everyone else

DaSanda looked up at Richard with wide eyes, amazed that the man was stanidng.
"I should hope never again," she replied, to his comment about dieing again. SHe stood, went to hug him, then pulled back, afraid she would irritae his wounds. After hwaitating for a moment, she hugged him anyway, squeezing only lightly.
"I am glad to see you well," she whispered to him.
"It is truly a miracle," pennindar commented, looking on, smiling. "And it is nice to have you back, Richard."
"Yes," Bob said, grinning. "I should wonder how long this new life shall last..."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

And the men at the camp

"Less cordial than I would have asked, but I believe they are correct," Holgen says. "Surely we would have invited you anyway, however, once this business of introductions was out of the way."
"Yes, indeed!" Nodell said, cheerily, "So Uwef shall dine and drink with us afterall!"
Holgen nodded. "Yes, come and eat with us!"
He pointed to a large spit over a fire about twenty yards away. Men were gathered too closely around it to see what was cooking.
"The food is already prepared, help yourself."

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen shook herself out of the daze that had come over her. She could feel the blood drip dripping down her arm, and knew she'd lost alot of blood. She nodded to the leader of the camp, and stepping forward almost lost her balance. It seems the last of her reserves were used up. Staggering against Jurax, Kyleen's head spun and she passed out.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

After seeing to Kyleen, the dwarf and his companion sat by the bonfire and ate with the men. Unfortunately, Kyleen understands the mission much better than he. Uwef eats happily and slowly forgets more and more about the mission.

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

He wasn't worried for Kyleen, she was tough, afterall, he only follows tough Horde Leaders so it stands that she must be tough. So he sat and ate happily with Uwef, and not answering questions, because he didn't know nay answers.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Holgen

As the two males ate, Holgen attended to Kyleen's wound. He bandaged it, realizing it to not be too deep, but bloodloss could drain the body of its life just so easily.
Once she was patched up, he lay her down and covered her with a blanket, then joined the two guests as they dined.
"So tell me, gentlemen," he began, sitting down next to Uwef and taking a piece of the pork roasting on the spit for himself. "What is it you are really seeking, since the fountain of youth, or life as you put it, is clearly a tale meant to disuade strangers from prying into your business."

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen allowed the men to tend her arm, and lay back under the blanket.
Hearing their question she sat up, wrapping the blanket around herself and prepared to answer. Sure that these men were good, after having treated the injuries of both her and her horse, she decided to tell them the truth.

"We are on a quest" she replied, immediatly gaining their attention "We seek a man called Gallion who has a special stone, without it, our friends will be dead by sundown tomorrow. Will you help or hinder us?"

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Oh yeah! Uwef remembers the stone and Gallion when Kyleen tells the men about it. He also hopes that telling this gang will not cause a fight. Looking at Jurax for an opinion, he spies the barbarian chomping his teeth into the meat with no worries--or perhaps no comprehension--of the words spoken. Uwef looks at the men and acknowledges the truth.

 

[Firesprite]

Kyleen turned to Uwef as he started in surprise, recognition dawning over his face. She frowned in consternation at how quickly he'd forgotten their mission. Jurax seemed unconcerned about anything except the food. Taking a breath to speak to them, she noticed a strange odor.

Sniffing cautiously, she realized that the men in their ignorance were burning the outer bark and wood of the Greyhan tree. They were even cooking over it.
Jumping up she knocked over their stewpot onto the fire, dousing it.
"You Idiots!" she raged. "Greyhan smoke makes you relax and forget everything! people have been known to sit for weeks beside a Greyhan fire, and some have died of starvation from the smoke. And here you are, supposed to be Hunters! Woodsmen! and you are burning it and cooking over it? If I hadn't been lying on the ground, I'd be no better than you, lost in the smoke thrall!"

Stalking over to her horse, she looked at the sky, hoping they hadn't lost too much time. She slung the bag with Talbot inside over the front of her saddle, tightened the girth and mounted.

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

"I'm with her!" The dwarf gets to his feet. Rushing over to the mounted woman, he yells back to the barbarian, "Come Jurax, your horde master woman thing needs you!"

 

[The GrandMage]

Richard

He angled his head down, pulling stray arrows from his cloak and inspecting the damage with a few 'Hmms'. Nothing really serious, except the rips from pulling the arrows back out of their holes. He sighed, wondering whether it would be better to get a whole new cloak, of to repair this one.

"Longer than yours, troll. Perhaps you'd like to bet on it? I'll put down a copper for you dying. Two for your death before sunrise tomorrow."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Holgen and Kyleen

"Wait," Holgen yelled after her. He waved his hands, hurrying after her.
"Miss, wait," he said. "The Greyhan has been diluted, there's only enough to calm us, to affect us in small doses...it's an old trickof Dragon-hunting, we've used it for years. These creatures are fierce, and calming the neves...it is necessary for survival, here."
He explained. Then, something seemed to dawn in his face.
"Wait...Gallion?" He frowned. "Let me see to this matter myself, please wait here for now...don't further your injuries any more than needed."

 

[bobo_daclown]

Uwef:

Not sure whom to believe, the dwarf stops some distance from the fire and shouts out to Kyleen. "Perhaps we should wait here, away from the fire!"

 

[Firesprite]

"Yes Uwef, I think that would be wise. If he knows anything of this Gallion, I want to know of it also."

Holding her breath and walking quickly back to Jurax who still hadn't moved. She nudged his side with her boot to get his attention. When he looked up blankly, she gestured him away from the fire, towards Uwef. Mumbling to herself as she returned to where Uwef waited "Greyhan - Idiots! probably been using it for so long they don't notice the effects anymore. If thats what they call diluted I'd hate to see strong!"

 

[Darklord]

Jurax

Things had been going along so nicely, everything was so.. so... so... nice. He liked it, the smoke smelled good, the fire burned merrily, then Kyleen began to knock everything over. Startled, he looked up at her when she kicked at him and gestured over to the dwarf, blinking he shrugged and moved over to stand by Uwef.