A Dusty Return

[Wildfire]

The road back to town seems as if it's a tunnel with the trees branching over to greet each other. Kossuth shines down in full glory giving warmth to the ground that has begged for it through all of Venric. The leaves grow larger and greener with every day and the grass is coming back from it's  brown of the cold season.

While you're traveling the road, a wagon with a few farm workers strolls by and stops up ahead. The driver stands up and shouts to you, "Do you need a ride into town? We're headed that way..."

[Blackspear]

Dale suggests to Maal,"Let Sayer report to Julius.  You need to get some help.  You are looking awfully queezy.   Why don't we go straight to Ashe's house.   He should be able to fix you up.  We can talk with Julius later in case Sayer forgets anything.  I'm sure he won't though.   He had a great view of the battle."   Dale hopes that Sayer didn't notice him casting that Sleep spell back there.  The last thing I need right now is for anybody to know that I'm a wizard.   Especially the Duke.   If the Duke finds out about me it will be a double whammy....


In case anyone misconstrues my slants towards Sayer, I'm simply role playing Dale.   He is very prejudiced towards nobility and he despises people who sit in the back and don't roll up their sleeves.   He probably won't pick a fight or publicly comment on his disposition, but he will think about them.  He is also very worried that Sayer will include him in the report to the Duke, which could bring trouble from his past down on his head.  
I THINK PHIN IS A GREAT GUY AND MEAN NO DISRESPECT :wink:

[Johan]

As his companions departed in a more-or-less staggered progression, Maccabeus took his bedroll, opened it, and dunked it repeatedly in the cool water, rinsing the ash sediment from the thick, heavy wool. He then spread the blanket out on the grass to dry in the mid-day sun while he and wolf lay back, resting from the morning's ordeal.

The sun translated by a hand or more as the two friends languished in the field. "An odd day." Maccabeus remarked to wolf. "I've never heard nor seen such unusual creatures." Wolf yawned widely, apparently disinterested in Mac's conversation; it was a dynamic that had played itself out countless times in the couple of years that the two had been friends. Ultimately it didn't matter, however. Maccabeus was more using the wolf to hear and digest his own thoughts.

"I think we should stay out here tonight and see if anything emerges from in there." The little man continued. "In the morning, we'll try to help the plant. What say we roam upstream to find some dinner?" He rolled his now-dry blanket, and started following the vernal stream into the forest. They should easily be able to find some early-season berries, and perhaps a rabbit, he thought. They'll be back here with the moons and keep watch together through the night.

[Phineas]

Sayer would have washed up briefly at the stream.

If Sayer is the first to respond, then he would assure Jared that the bandits have been dealt with decidedly, omitting any details.  If Jared presses for details, Sayer would politely and diplomatically remind Jared that Julius should be the first to hear the full report.

Sayer's intentions for the day: back in Threshold, Sayer wants to *write* the report in his beautiful, flowing handwriting.   One copy will go to Julius, the other will go to the Archduke.  Once this task is done, then Sayer will take his time bathing.

[Wildfire]

Jared looks to Dale, Maal, and Sayer (OCC:i'm assumingthat Sayer would also be informing Jared...safe to say Phin?) and then further beyond to the Gnome and the wolf. His eyes quickly follow the the tall, grey sheen skinned Maenad marching towrds the bridge to the road. "What happened back there?! You're all dusty and she looks sick! What happened to the bandits? Are they dead?" Jared asks with dire concern.

[fraz]

Maal Brengain will stand by silently (as is her way) while Dale explains things to Jared MacDougal.

Once the business there is complete, she will walk back to the town (slowly rather than briskly, I would think).

Since Ragnar's departure was rather abrupt, I don't believe Maal is aware that he intends to report immediately to Julius.

Therefore: If Maal is aware that Dale will be reporting immediately to Julius, then she will instead make her way to Ashe's home (where she hopes to find some treatment for her mysterious "evil magic" illness [lowered CON ability]).

If she is, for some reason, not aware of Dale's intent, then she will report to Julius first upon arrival in the town before making her way to Ashe's home.

[Blackspear]

Dale also stops at the stream to scrub his face and wash his hands.   Before he leaves the babbling stream, he takes a long drink of the chilling water.   Feeling refreshed, Dale trots through the farmer's wheat fields to catch up with Maal.   He accompanies her to the barn, where he tells Farmer MacDougal "There's no need to worry, the bandits are gone. If you should see any other suspicious activities let Julius Hawkhaven know about it.    I will come visit the thorn hedge in the next few days just to make sure that everything is still quiet."


****PLEASE NOTE***
THE FOLLOWING TEXT ARE DALE'S THOUGHTS.
Dale is a very active thinker.  He is constantly mulling things over in his mind.

(In real life, Blackspear is very forgetful.   Therefore, I am writing down everything I would like Dale to do over the next few days.)


Dale wonders to himself whether it might be more wise to clear the brambles now that they are weak and thereby keeping the standing stones easily accessible. Or would it be better to let the brambles reclaim the stones. He will consult Julius when he arrives in town. He will also consult Ashe about this last adventure with the "bandits" who were defiling the elemental standing stones. He will show both Ashe and Julius the "steer" symbol that he took from the first bandit that Maal killed. If neither Ashe nor Julius knows anything about the steer symbol, Dale will conduct some research upon the symbol. He will start with casting an Identify Magic spell. After that he will document in his journal everything he can remember about the symbol and the circumstances surrounding it. He will inquire of both Julius and Ashe if they knew of the standing stones and if they have any idea as to why or how the "bandits" knew it was there. Is there any place in or near Threshold that might help me research these stones? Is there a library or a historian nearby?
Dale will also inform Ashe that he is interested in a long dead resident of Threshold named Valekai. Does Ashe know anything about him? Does he know of anyone who might know more?
On the following day, unless something more pressing presents itself Dale would like to ask Ragnar and Maccabeus (he won't ask Maal or the Duke's lackey, because he doesn't want to reveal to them that he is a spellcaster.   Not to mention that the Duke's boy is just plain worthless in a fight.) to accompany him back to the stones so that he can do more research on them. Dale will map them and write down the symbology on all the stones. Dale will then ask his friends to help him search for secret doors. If they don't find any he will also cast Detect Secret Doors on the center standing stone and again on the inner circle.
He continues to think to himself that he would like to get into the habit of scribing some scrolls as circumstances allow. He would like to build a small reserve of scrolls for when he gets into trouble. Dale comes to the conclusion that he can scribe scrolls at night on the days after he has not spent his prepared spells. He does the math and realizes that he can currently scribe as many as three scrolls. He intends to start in a couple of days. After he reiinvestigates the standing stones.
He also remembers that he needs to buy a baldric for his quarterstaff, since his last one broke on the journey to Threshold.

[fraz]

I saw it.  That was a great job of cutting and pasting, Himo.  Yet, as you can see, we are starting from scratch here, so I recommend you repost your responses one at a time here (if you have time to do so) as we progress forward.  Let's take it slow and not jump too far ahead this time.[/color]

Maal Brengain walks sluggishly across the fields.  She ignores the gawking farm tenders and heads straight for the barn where they had talked with Jared MacDougal earlier.

Ragnar thinks to himself "what to should I do?" while surrfering enough from his desprate need for water also belives he must consult Hawkhaven on this matter and quickly decides to consult Hakhaven first and heads of down the road to do so.

[Johan]

The mid-day sun burned in Maccabeus's pale eyes. He looked to the ground and squinted, placing a hand on Wolf's shoulder and caughing again on the cloud of ash thus produced.

His mouth was dry and foul; he was equally sure that Wolf's was too. Having passed this area only yesterday, he knew that countless vernal streams ran down from the mountains and through these foothills to feed the noisey river that ran along side the road into the city. That would be his first priority, personally. He realized that the tall folk would doubtless need to report back to their boss in the city, but they did not need him for that.

Raising his slowly-adjusting eyes to the fields around him, shading his brow with his hand, he cast about the fields. There, behind them and to the south, just south of the sorrowed bramble patch, he espied a break in the flora at the edge of the field. That would be where one of the vernal streams fed this field with a natural irrigation waterway - and this time of year it would be flowing high.

"I'm going to get cleaned." He croaked to his companions. "Hayi," he added, coughing, "water." Wolf perked up and strode along with him.

It was but a short distance to where Maccabeus had spotted the stream, and it gurggled happily as it flowed into the fields. Maccabeus removed his hide armor as he approached its banks. His bedroll, spear, and dagger he cast upon the bank and splashed full into the invigorating, chill waters.

Shallow though it was, it was plenty deep to attend Maccabeus's needs; standing in the middle of the stream the waters ran about him up to his armpits. He dunked full under the water, rubbing his head vigorously to dislodge the ashe that had settled upon him. Wolf pounced on his friend happily and the two splashed for a time, field-workers glancing nervously as they were not accustomed to seeing such a large wolf, and so close to their flocks.

Emerging from the water, much refreshed, the pair moved stone's throw upstream and drank deeply of the clean near-freezing waters. Maccabeus took some care to rinse his water skin and refill it with fresher water.

um.. i waould like every one to know i fixed the last in character disscusion if any one will take a look at that i'd gladly apreate it :