Eldor watched them before glancing over at his friends, seeing they were under cover he stepped out into the light of the fire bow held loosely in his hand.

He realized that if they thought it was just him they may stop and not look too closely into the shadows and locate the others.

raising one hand in the sign of peace he waited to see what the crafties would do.

Rael sinks deeper into the shadows, while the others watch the crafties he quickly try to find an escape rout for the group if things go bad.

Eldor's tactic seems to work and the armed crafties surround him warily, and then begin speaking to him in a halting tongue.


[As Adonis says, your hiding place is rather precarious.  So if anyone except Eldor makes a significant movement then they also need to give a 2d10 stealth roll to see if they manage not to draw attention]

Eldor looks pleasently surprised before he starts speaking back to the crafties in a strange language.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Sun 13 Mar 2011.

 Since Adonis at least doesn't really consider himself to be hiding so much as sitting down out of the way, he's devoid of the sort of nerves that would require him to twitch and peek... So for the time being, he just remains quietly where he is.

Silence seem the wisest course of action and so Rael keep quite watching and waiting.

Thomas remains still and quiet. There was no need for vilence at this moment.

Karl too remained silent as Eldor seemed to be handling things well.

It is clear that the crafties are impressed by Eldor's words, yet do not fully understand them.  Their posture relaxes somewhat and they think for a moment before gesticulating somewhat, laboriously pronouncing a few words of the Elder tongue.

Eldor continues to talk to the crafties in the strange language.

With that the Elf turns and waves the rest of the group forward. "Come out slowly and with your weapons sheathed. Do not come out with a naked blade in your hand unless you intend to fight your way out of here through these creatures as well as the children."

 Sir Campbell, who's not drawn a weapon since he turned up and stood back with the group only to avoid a confrontation that was nothing to do with the travellers nods to the others and then rises, brushing himself off with his good arm and pacing out of the dark in a whispery slither of steel on steel, empty-handed but nonetheless downright imposingly solid from the perspective of a childlike boggin, "There was no intention to do war on these folks - nor upon their kin at the cliff either, scant choice though they gave us master Fairy. But you may speak to them where we may not - what do these folk want, beyond simply knowing the faces of those they guest?"

The knight slung the great weapon and came out into the knight alongside Sir Adonis. He again kept his peace and kept watch over the folk in the area wary for any betrayal.

Karl slowly pushed himself up with his staff and hobbled over to join the knights.

Rael made sure all his weapons were secured and sheathed before limping back into the light in a slow pace. If the elf had betrayed them they were dead weapon drawn or not so better try to do as he said.

The crafties are clearly alarmed by the appearance of the rest of the party and raise their spears again - but hold off from attacking.  Up close you realise that they are somehow more formidable than the folk you confronted at the fort this very morning.   They seem a little larger and stronger, and their movements are confident and almost feral.
[Kjaelos mutters softly that he feels the crafties themselves are somehow enchanted, just like the ones at the fort - though this time there is none of the sickly sweet scent]

After a jabbered conference they speak once again to Eldor, and he seems to understand better.

 The raising of spears puts a hand on Sir Campbells hilt, but he refrains from drawing a blade, instead merely locking his eyes with those of the largest or most aggressive of the fae-folk and rumbling "An' you begin bloodshed here sir you shall not live to see its end if it cost me my life. Otherwise we shall have peace." in his sternest, calmest tones - just in case there's any question about the courage or determination of the small, bloodied band of wanderers.

Eldor stepped between the crafties and the knight "Sir Adonis I would take it as a personal favour that you raine in your feelings. I gave my word that were would not cause a situation here. As a knight I would hope you would respect my word given."

Turning back the the crafties Eldor once again addressed the creatures in the strange language.

Turning back to his friends "I believe we have outstayed our welcome here. The crafties wish us to leave and have indcated a safe area about a mile away that will serve well as a camp site for us for the night. As I see no reason to stay any longer here we should be on our way."

As he turned back towards the crafties he spoke over his shoulder " Oh and one more thing we must also swear never to mention what we witnessed here this night or we will forfeit our souls."

[Assuming no-one objects to Eldor's plan]

It appears that Adonis' speech is understood in tone if not in words, and only Eldor's swift action keeps the crafties from attacking.  After a moment they calm and part ranks to let the party pass.

You file out of the village under suspicious glares and reach the eastward trail unharmed, passing through the herd of calmly lowing cattle.  Walking carefully in the moonlight, you make your way down and round the next hill until you reach a stream as promised.  The night is quiet and you find a flat space around the stream where you could camp comfortably enough.

[Post any actions for the camp or watch here]

Rael shook his head as they left "Rotten luck... " he mumbles then look back at the village "Can we trust them? what would stop them to come at late at night and murder us all in our sleep?"

Thomas's hand had also snapped to his sword and he listened to the plan from Eldor and he said nothing but kept a hard eye on the crafties. If they were going to die here, he would do it with sword in hand.

Once they arrived at the camp site as promised, then the knight relaxed his guard. "I would think they will keep their word as they have to this point. I would not trust my continued breathing in blind faith though. We should set a watch."

You pitch camp and eat well enough.  During the first watch you see the old fort where you were this morning light up to the west, its craggy form silhouetted against flames.  You cannot say whether it is on fire or merely surrounded by them.  after a wjile the light dies down and the night continues quietly.

The next day dawns clear and rather cool, you are glad to get up and shake off the morning chill.  To the east the path descends slowly until a large, conical hill which must surely command a view of the whole glen.  According to Adelbert's group, some miles beyond this hill there is a gentle valley leading up to the eastern edge of the downs.

 Traditionally Sir Campbell has been amongst the earliest risers and the most depressingly enthusiastic for the off, but while he's up and mobile in good time the rigours of the journey are finally starting to tell upon his hithertofor heroic constitution, and by the time he's finally strapped into his battered and slashed armour and ready to move his palour is downright grey - nonetheless it's to the hill he motions with his good left arm, stating "We'll want to avoid highlighting ourselves as a group, but someone with good eyes should veer and take in the lands around. Have we a volunteer?"

Eldor gave Adonis a gentle slap on the back "I think my good sir that it would be a job for me. I will travel up the face there keeping myself in the shadow of the hill I will view our surroundings and meet you again at the base on the other side."

He shouldered his bow and quiver, making sure his pouches were in place and hia ahort sword to hand if needed.

With a friendly wave he set off at a steady jog towards the hill surveying his surroundings as he went.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Tue 05 Apr 2011.

Eldor leaves most of his equipment and springs off towards the conical hill.  The rest of you, mindful of the need to warn the Jarl of Ettryck's impending treacherous attack, move east along the path at a steady pace, not without caution, in skirmish formation.

As the morning sun rises higher, you notice that the hills which ring the downs really do seem to make valley along which you travel, a place apart from the rest of the world.  Karl however, the only southlands native among you, points out that the vegetation is much like that of the poorer areas around Bryndle - good for hardy cattle and the ubiquitous goat,  but not enough to raise crops or fatten sheep.

It is not yet noon when you see Eldor reach the summit of the central hill.

 Sir Campbell - traditionally a solid wall of muscle, steel and ignorance sways slightly when Eldor slaps him on the back and then nods his approval, rumbling "It would be for the best sir fairy, our thanks." before the beginning of the days march, each step weighing heavily on the seriously injured and obviously tiring Albish knight who nonetheless pushes on without complaint, though the way he turns his head towards the slowly warming of the morning sun speaks of bone-deep gratitude.