Rajan takes deep breaths once the group is outside, enjoying the fresh air and feel of the sun on his dark skin. He listens to them others, then chimes in, "Yeah, I suppose we've all got things we'd like to do and other places we'd like to be. I agree about sticking together for now, though. Not gonna make it too far on own. I think our first order of business should getting some real clothes and maybe weapons."
Way Down in the Hole — IC
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"I'm with you," Yldaren says, stretching his arms. "Til I can find my own way. Then I think I might." He shrugs. "But who knows? Been so long in that damned prison that it's difficult to even think of what to do now that I'm free."
Brelnia nods. "Aye. Got someone I want to meet in Razak. If you're headed there, I'll tag along."
"You sure that's safe?" Ramis asks, a worried look lining his face. "We were slaves. Bought and sold, practically."
"So fuck 'em. If raiders, or politicians, or whoever else wants to try and tie me up, I won't go down as easy this time."
"And the rest of you?" Vanthir asks, his face studying your own.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Razak is a ways away, but safety in numbers is good. At least until I've re-equipped myself. I wonder if I can convince any of them to join me in ridding the world of that horrible place? Josie pauses as she thinks, listening as the others speak. At Vanthir's question she responds, "I could come to Razak, for now. But I've people I need to meet up with, so once we are in a safe place I will take my leave."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
It would be foolish to continue back home without protection and provisions, and it would be equally foolish to try and find those in Kelbis, Alerio thinks to himself as some of the party members begin discussing their plans following freedom. Following the Ghian woman, the Talon remarks, "I'll come to Razak as well, at least for some time. I'm sure all of us have lives to get back to once we're capable again."
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"Razak it is, then."
I wonder if I can pinch some decent clothes? Revenge doesn't look good in rags.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
As you are discussing the prospect of heading toward Razak, Bazros lifts a finger ahead. You cast your gaze in the direction of his gesture and see that a dwarven man has crested the hill in front of you.
The man's eyes widen at the sight of you all, and his hand goes for the pommel of the sword at his waist. On his back rests a bow; a quiver of arrows peek out from behind a shoulder. He is suited in light armor, and down his torso sits a formal tabard -- it is emblazoned with the insignia of a hammer and an axe crossed over a crescent moon. The dwarf grits his teeth, taking his hand off his pommel once again. "You from the Hole?"
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Rajan's instincts kick in and he smiles for show. "Got a guard here. Be smooth." he says under his breath, hopefully not loud enough for him to hear. He spreads his hands wide. "Hello!
The Hole? That last village wasn't too bad, I wouldn't call it names. My name is Bazad D'hewd, my friends here and I have come a long way, fleeing the sickness."
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Josie's heart begins to beat faster as the man approaches. She hates the prison system and how the inmates are treated, but she has never seen this man before and has no idea if he is as bad as the others. She neither wants to get caught, nor to let the man simply go free to tell the others of his sighting.
"If he asks why we're here, tell him we needed spider venom to create an antitoxin," she responds quietly to Razan, seeing his charisma at play and figuring him to be a better talker than herself. These others better get rid of their picks or think of a good explanation for them fast.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Alerio's eyes widen as the dwarven guard approaches, widening even further as Rajan explains who the man is. We just got out, so there's no way I'm going back in. Taking a deep breath, the Talon lets Rajan do the talking, knowing the man's quick tongue would be more useful than his own. Worse comes to worst, it's twelve against one.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"The sickness?" asks the dwarf, his eyebrows raising in surprise. He crosses his arms atop his chest and looks the several of you up and down. "Haven't heard any news of plague. Though I'll keep my distance, just in case."
The man nods to Rajan, pointing at the picks they carry. "Though -- what's with the picks? You don't look like any travelers I've ever seen. You mining here without proper permission from the city?"
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Rajan looks shocked at the notion that he or his companions might be criminals, and embarrassed to be found looking so impoverished, the latter not even being an act. "Heavens forfend! We came near what I fear was a giant spider nest, and saw these laying abandoned. I'm not proud to say it, but we weren't in a position to let them go to waste. If we can trade them for a couple coins in the next town we come across, it may save us begging for a night."
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The dwarf's face sours at Rajan's words. "You've got gall to push into the tunnels. Lot of people go missing around there. Seems like you found the remains of some of them."
He sighs, looking at the sun's position in the sky. "Still, I need to report this. You're not in trouble, necessarily, with the circumstances that you're facing. But those tunnels are off-limits and I need to get back to my outpost to make note of what you found in there." The dwarf sighs, shaking his head. "I'm sure there are some families back in Kelbis that were missing their kin. People find themselves into all sorts of problems out here."
"Anyways, I can escort you to the city proper afterwards, maybe see about getting you put up for the night."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Rajan suppresses a frown and tries to shift the direction of the conversation.
"While I thank you for your offer, some of my companions are in ill health, and we really should be getting to a healer as fast as we may, not cooling our heels in an outpost." He says, gesturing casually toward Brelnia. "We have lost much already, and none us could bear to lose more."
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The dwarven scout turns to Brelnia when Rajan gestures toward her. His eyes narrow as he scans her face. "Wait a moment. I think I've seen you before. Aren't you some kind of mercenary? Round here and Razak?"
Brelnia shakes her head. "No. I'm a smith. And what sort of sellsword would throw in their lot with refugees?"
The scout frowns, his eyes shifting between her and Rajan. "What village did you say you were from?"
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"Sir I do not know village name," Josie says, using the thickest accent she can muster, which she'd put in years to suppress since coming to the mainland. "But it that direction. Not big," she adds, pointing to the north-northeast.
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The scout eyes Josie with suspicious eyes, nodding to her. "Probably Kimiril. Or Vyridis. That where the plague is?"
With a deep breath, the dwarf shakes his head. "You know what?" He mumbles something under his breath with an irritated tone. "Look, I'm going to head back to the outpost. Need to check in and make sure I've got those missing people from the tunnels documented. Don't get into any trouble in that cave."
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Josie sighs as it becomes clear to her that their deceptions are not working, at least not well enough to avoid suspicion. She watches with cold eyes for the man to turn and, once his back faces her, she bursts forth in a sprint towards the man. Mid-sprint she invokes the Hound and takes his most savage form, that of a large wolf, and pounces at the man with a vicious assault. If I can pin him down I can make short work of him.
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A chorus of confusion, shouting, and whooping erupts from the various survivors as Josie's form twists mid-air into that of a wolf and bears down on the dwarf. Taking him in the upper back, her bestial frame slams the man to the ground.
The dwarf coughs out a surprised curse, somehow finding the strength to break free from the tangle of limbs and teeth. Sword drawn, but wearing a face filled with worry, he looks down at Josie's wolf eyes. "Please, please... Listen! Okay? I won't say a thing. I never saw any of you." He is bleeding from a gash on his face from where he fell, and his tabard is now stained red near his neck and upper back.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Rajan's eyes widen a bit at seeing Josie transform, but she is far from the first surprise he has had today. He holds back, poker-faced, watching the wolf intently and waiting to see what she will do next.
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Josie backs away as the man manages to push her off and draw his weapon. She prepares to attack again, but his pleads for his life leave her feeling some amount of remorse. She can hear the terror and his voice, and doesn't believe that he is lying, so she takes a small step back and watches him, hoping he will flee without further incident. He did not fight back, odd. Let's see if he is a man of his word.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Alerio's eyes jolt open as the Ghian woman turns into a beast and lunges upon the militiaman. By the gods, what just happened? He remains silent, though, not eager to get on a wolf's bad side. Though glad that the man seems sincere in his pleas, he nevertheless wishes that a less violent alternative could have been used.
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The dwarven sentry makes a break for it while Josie hesitates. Cresting the small hill he approached from, he disappears from sight, looking back with a shocked look.
"Damn," Brelnia mutters, eyeing the wolf-form of the Amkharan. "Didn't think she had that in her."
Yldaren chuckles, apparently unphased. "Probably a good time to get the fuck out of here. Unless you trust the word of some dip-shit guard."
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Rajan starts walking, turning to make sure the others are coming. "I'm ready to get the fuck out of here. Standing around in the wilderness was never my idea of a good time. He can give them my fake name if he wants."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"If he has enough sense in him, he probably will," Alerio replies to the elf, still glaring at the girl-turned-wolf in front of them. "But you're probably right. The longer we stick around here, the more likely we'll get thrown back in the hole. He begins following Rajan, hoping the others get a move on as well.
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Josie waits for the man to fade from view before she turns back to the others. She returns to her human form and stands up, her arms now partially covered in the man's blood after her attack, her face now painted with slight remorse.
"I believe he was telling the truth, but leaving is still wise," the woman says, following after the others as they begin to move. Noticing the Serranborn's glare, she looks down towards the ground a bit, the judgmental nature of the look only adding to her remorse. Could that have been handled differently?
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Durnom tosses his pick aside, slapping the waterskin at his waist to judge its fullness. "Suppose I'll be getting gone. Kelbis is the only place for me, and I've got enough connections to stay hidden in the city even despite my sentence."
He turns back to you all, with a devilish grin and bows his head. "Once again, I must thank you for our business dealings. If you manage to make it back to Kelbis any time, let me know. I might have some work for you." The dwarf turns and begins to walk west, toward the walls of the city.
"Anyone else?" Yldaren asks, looking over the others. "We can split up once in Razak. Or before then. But let's get on our way."
Vanthar grunts, pulling your attention. "Roads there are safer, but no promise what sort of people we'd run into. We could take a direct route through the wilds, but we're almost guaranteed to find trouble." He sniffs the air. "Make a choice."
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"The roads are only safer if you don't know what you're doing," Josie says, looking off towards the wooded areas in the distance. "I know these woods, I've spent a lot of time in them since arriving here. I vote we travel under their cover, rather than out in the open."
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"Works for me." Rajan says. "I'm no forester, but I think we can handle more beasts better than organized guards."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"A hyena is weaker than a bandit," Alerio remarks as the group discusses their travel plans. "I would vote for traveling in the wilderness as well. Though let us hope we don't run into much trouble. We are still without arms and armor." Though he'd rather take his chances with animals, Alerio nevertheless realizes their cloth prison garb does little to protect against fangs and claws, let alone weapons.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
With only the picks in your hands and the water canteens at your waists, the group of you make your way in a general north, north-western fashion for the day.
Steering clear of a few of the guard outposts in the area, distinguishable by their towers, you push through farmland and dirt roads. You encounter few people, and those that you do seem to regard you with the same apathy one might give a group of tired looking "miners."
You make it a few hours into the walk before your canteens are running low and the sun has begun to sink deeply into the sky.
"It'll be night soon," Vanthar notes. "Under an hour."
You've kept relatively close to the road that follows the river -- only about a mile off. At some point you will need to cross it in order to get on the side that Razak lies.
"We should be thinking about watch shifts, where to sleep." Yldaren stretches his arms. "Hmnh. No bedroll. No pillows. This is going to be a shitty night."
"Better than being in a fucking prison." Brelnia smiles, clearly happy to be in the open again.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
As the group marches forward, Alerio once again feels free, no longer confined by narrow cave walls and tunnels. Praise El-unod for freeing us from that infernal place. May he protect us on our journey. As the sun sinks lower and his companions begin discussion of stopping for the night, the Talon keeps his eyes open for a suitable place to rest for the night. "If we are to stop, we should find someplace hidden and defensible. I'd rather not wake up to certain death."
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"We also need to eat," Josie says, having been watching the path as they walked, gathering whatever edibles they'd have passed by in their march forward.
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
Noticing the hill surrounded by dense brush, the Talon points towards it. "There. We can keep watch and scout from on top of the hill. And the trees will give us some cover and protection overnight." Sure beats sleeping out in the open in my mind.
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Rajan gives a shrug. "That's fine to me. I'll take a middle watch shift. I see well in the dark, and I don't expect to sleep well out here anyway."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"I can take the first shift," Josie says, looking towards the hill mentioned by her colleague. One of those trees will make a nice perch to watch our surroundings. It is certainly a good vantage point. "Perhaps we will get lucky and some of the brush will have some food."
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Re: Way Down in the Hole IC
"I will take the last shift. I prefer to get an earlier start to the morning anyways," Alerio remarks as the group begins to discuss night watch positions. The eagle that rises first shall get its prey before the others, after all.
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Dawn breaks. You slept poorly -- the matted grasses and dirt under you offered little for comfort. But you were not found.
Within a few minutes, the others are up around you. Brelnia stretches, Ramis prays. Yldaren shoves a lazy Shakumon who is still laying.
"What? He's not waking up." The elf prods his side with a boot. "Get up, you lazy bastard." The orc doesn't move.
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"He was acting odd and turned in early," Josie says to the others, looking down towards the large man with a small semblance of worry. "Perhaps he was more injured than he gave off." She bends down to check the man's pulse, though tries to do so carefully lest the man wake and be prone to punching upon waking.
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Rajan takes a step away from Skakumon. "Watch out. There's no telling what that crazy Wolden did to him."
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"Acting odd how?" Alerio asks the Ghian woman, the orc's condition causing him to worry. "It must be something pretty serious for him to be like this."
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Josie steps back from the man, alarmed both by her recent findings and Rajan's exclamation. "Sweating heavily, looking visibly in pain. He turned in early to sleep it off, I assume, but perhaps there was another reason. He's alive, for now. His heart rate is much too high to be normal, though." What could they have done to him? Is this even due to that interrogation?