"Dragons?" Arkan replies to Colwyn, his interest piqued by mention of the legendary creature. "Not that I have met one, I doubt I would still be alive if that were the case, but I have heard they live for centuries, longer even than elves."

Peering ahead at the curve in the road from his position in the cart Arkan sighs, leaning back and looking forward to a hot campfire at the nights camp, wherever they chose to stop for the night.

"Only, I were thinkin', like... " Colwyn explains seriously, "A couple of folks 'as been tellin' us as 'ow this 'ere dragon, What's Its Face, was ruinin' the old kingdom what were 'ereabouts.  But there ain't been none what's been tellin' us as where the bugger went after he was done doin' it."

"I's meanin' as 'ow it might still be 'round."

The oxen, meanwhile, seem totally unconcerned by the idea of impending death by dragon fire...

A few moments later a rumble of thunder sounds from above the forest canopy, distant, but definitely noticeable.

"Bugger!"

Sitting up in the back of the wagon, Erista stretches a little.  "I doubt it," she reassures Colwyn.  "All these little kingdoms have popped up now, so that sounds like the area was left open.  I had the feeling it more sort of came in, burned the place down, and then skipped off."

She frowns a little as she finishes that sentence, realizing that sort of behavior sounds uncomfortably familiar.

Aarnr is concerned. "She has the right of it," he informs Colwyn.  "Even if the beast is still around, the forest is huge ... the spleeny, fly-bitten flax-wing might never find us."

"Do ye think perhaps we might track the full-gorged horn-beast ?  Or somehow get it's froggin' attention ?"

The priest realises not everyone might be as keen as he, having been down this path before, and so tries to get in his winning argument before anyone raises the inevitable objections.

"We might save the unwash'd, tickle-brained, puttocks that dwell here !" He notes, slyly.

Eilieen, as always, ponders.

Granted, it's more about the thunder.  Thunder usually means lightning (usually!).  Lightning often means rain (but not always!).  Rain...means getting wet.  The priestess sighs, fingering her cloak.  Repeated prayers to her goddess have kept it sturdy and fresh, but it would be nice not to depend upon it to keep her hair dry....

Dragons, however, seem the prevailing topic of conversation.

"Aarnr...has a point," she concedes.  "The counterpoint being that I am unsure we are capable of defeating a dragon that devastated a kingdom.  We lost Fergus to a wyvaart, and poor Oswald to arrows!  Were we to attack a dragon, now, I suspect we would fail."

That might be a tough nut for Aarnr, but she hopes the examples made the point.

"And if we want to save the people, we must succeed, not fail gloriously," she adds, just in case.

"If we caught the beast napping, that would be a different story," she continues.  "But if not...well, I suspect we need time."  Time to find better equipment.  Time to grow in power.

"As it stands," she hazards, "I would guess this forest will have all manner of lesser things to throw upon us...."  Hopefully that will keep Aarnr happy.

Erista nods, toying with one of the small rocks she carries as her primary weapon and trying to envision it taking down even a sleeping dragon.  The vision quickly turns to one of staying safely hidden while all her friends die, and she shivers, glad that `prophecy' isn't a part of her inborn magic.

"Better to save the dragon for after, on our way back from Rappan Athuk, if it is still around," she suggests, shooting Colwyn a quick, `had-to-put-ideas-in-his-head-didn't-you Look.  "It'll be easier to get its attention when we're famous, with all the parades and cheering and everything."

As he is casting his gaze around the cart, looking for something to use as a drum, Aarnr misses a lot of the fine technical detail as to why it might not be a good idea to go looking for dragons today, though does catch her last remark ... and even he can see that the priestess has cleverly used the same argument that he'd been relying on to win the day.

"Ye think the weedy puttocks are as like to fall prey to even the least of the froggin' huggermuggers ?"

The priest nods sadly, conceding the point, much as he'd like to wrestle it to the ground and best it.

Erista too makes a fair stab at it ... certainly it'd be good to have an audience when they slay the dragon ...

"Ye may have to hold thy water," Aarnr commiserates with Colwyn, knowing how keen the yeasty rogue was to go dragon-hunting.

Colwyn clears his throat nervously, then, "Aye.  I's supposin' yer's bein' right.  Sides, when we's comin' back, it might be bein' bigger an' stronger."  The fact that Aarnr no longer wants to go hunting for a dragon brings a smile to Colwyn's lips, where it sits looking uncomfortable.

"Bigger dragon'll be givin' more glory."

The cart continues to lurch along the road, as the gloom beneath the forest roof deepens.  Thunder still growls in the distance, but the lightning (if there is any) is concealed from sight by the dense foliage.

Eventually, with the light faded to the point that Colwyn is about to suggest just stopping in the middle of the road and lighting some torches, the rogue shuts his mouth, listens for a moment, then says, "'ere!  I's 'earin' water splashin'.  Over that way."

He points to the south east.

Aarnr too had been on the point of ordering torches lit, though he was quite prepared to push on through the night to Rappan Athuk following the torchbearer.

The discovery of running water is of far less interest to the priest than a sighting of a dragon.  All he can suppose is that Colwyn, and perhaps others in the group are feeling the need to bathe, unclean habit that it is.  On the other hand, if all his torchbearers rush off, then he's going to be a bit stuck in the fading light.   Besides there was something Fergus said ...

"We need to feed and water the beef-witted oxen !" Aarnr proclaims in triumph, turning the cart south east.

Eilieen peers in the direction Colwyn indicates.  It's getting dark, but perhaps she'll catch sight of something?  Aarnr, however, is already 'on it', and their cart shifts toward where Colwyn indicates.

"I hope it's an actual stream," she murmurs, "and not a dank pool with a sharp-toothed beast frolicking about."  Dank pools, ugh.  Shuddering, the priestess roots around in her pack in search of something.

"You should smile more often, Colwyn," she absently states.  "It's a good look."  A pause.  "When we can see you, of course," Elieen qualifies.

OOC - sorry, need clarification from GM before continuing.  :D

The cart moves off the road, and into the forest, crashing through the undergrowth with some difficulty.  The sound of water becomes clearer, until all are certain that it is flowing, rather than simply splashing.

In a small clearing the party find a stream, which at this point forms a graceful curve no more than forty feet from the road.  Here, on the outer edge of the water course's bend, the ground is level, and the grass cropped relatively short.

On the other side the grass is longer, and there are numerous shrubs and small bushes, black beneath the darkening sky.  And looming above them a giant form, some nine feet tall, motionless and silent...

Grinning broadly as the cart bucks and bounces on the uneven ground, Aarnr hauls back on the reins to bring the oxen to a halt at the edge of the clearing.  Oxen eat grass, he remembers, his gaze tracing a speculative path along the ground.  Not much for the beasts here ... but on the other side of the stream it seems a lot long ...

Aha !  He'd been hoping for another giant so he could replace the head that was accidentally left behind in ... whatever the name of that sinkhole of toad-knockin', malmsy-nosed foot-likers was.

Tossing the reins to whoever is nearest, the priest jumps down from the cart, unhurriedly grabbing his blade from the back, before taking a few steps forwards and assuming an offensive pose, holding Gonder's sword out before him.

[Language unknown: "Ro evev oul te k ame ivatni arewerect res illyinwas !"] he challenges the giant, choosing to favour it with one of his own people's battle cries.

The giant, if giant it be, stands still, and utters no sound in response to Aarnr's incomprehensible challenge.  It does, in fact, give the impression of ignoring the man... and everybody else in the party.

Colwyn, meanwhile, is rummaging through his pack, searching for something, and muttering angrily...

With an eek and a squeak Bilfro does peek
Upon yonder form - and - a dormant giant
In a whisper so hoarse it could feed a horse
Instructions are passed to the owl, who is arsed
To investigate a bit just to watch Bilfro's wit
Flail in the dark; it is such a lark.

On wings like death, not unlike Aarnr's breath,
The owl so does soar to the shape afore
Supposedly to gleam if it is but a dream
Or if it is what it seem (oh, will Bilfro scream)
In truth the owl rather drop a bowl
Of worms into beds upon sleeping heads.

Eilieen studies the 'giant' suspiciously.  "Aarnr, hold a moment.  It may simply be a statue."  If only she had finished her 'torches' - something to do in the future.

Humming quietly to herself, she hops off the cart and slowly moves forward, eyeing the 'giant' with some trepidation.  "Of course, some statues have been known to come to life," the priestess notes.

Eilieen moves closer to the running water.

And still the hulking figure refuses to respond to Aarnr's challenge...
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:24, Mon 19 Feb 2018.

Ever more concerned, Eilieen raises her free hand before her.  "In Zadastha's name," she intones.  "In love lies true clarity; grant sight into the secrets of the world."  And for an instant, brilliant fuschia energies play about her fingertips.

OOC - Casting Detect Magic.

With a hoot and toot the owl turns to scoot
Back to the arm that it sometimes may harm
With it talons so sharp as they dig and warp

Before it can settle and test Bilfro's mettle
The wizard gives word to Death quite Unheard
'It is made of stone, not out of flesh and bone!'

And then with a shriek followed by an eek
The big bird does land right next to the hand
And the wizard does whimper, shudder and simper
This message was last edited by the player at 04:32, Tue 20 Feb 2018.

Erista peeks cautiously over the edge of the wagon.  "Is it?" she asks.  "There'll be a story behind that, I bet."

"Bleedin' got yer!" Colwyn exclaims triumphantly, and after a moment's fumbling in the dark, there is a spark which ignites some kindling, and that, shortly afterwards ignites a torch.  The rogue advances, holding the torch aloft, but is careful not to pass Eilieen.

"It's bein' a statue." he declares, as light washes over the stationary figure.  This declaration doesn't seem to be a surprise to Bilfro.

"Blimey!  I's not knowin' who 'e were, but 'e were bein' a bloody 'ideous bugger!"

The rogue's assessment is quite accurate.  Whoever the subject was, he was not a very prepossessing figure.  In fact numerous years of erosion, bird droppings, and the accumulation of general forest detritus in various nooks and crannies of the statue may have improve its appearance.

"Froggin' big puttock," Aarnr appends to Colwyn's assessment, taking it as given that if one were to carve likenesses of another in stone, one would naturally take care to get the size roughly right.

The priest is rather disappointed that it's not an actual giant, but somewhat heartened by Eilieen's claim that the statue might well come to life, which is something he did not know, not that he'd ever admit it.  Indeed, Aarnr is considering hacking the thing's head off anyway, which given the general consensus (of the rogue, at least) can only improve its appearance.

In fact if statues in general are known for suddenly rousing themselves, it might not be a bad idea to behead any he comes across in future ...

As he jumps nimbly down from the cart Arkan's gaze is, like everyone else's, taken up by the large statue towering over the clearing. He is relieved it is not an actual giant of flesh and blood, as the last time they fought a similar creature they incurred a heavy loss.

"As the statue is not a threat, I suppose this is as good a place as any to rest for the night," he announces to the others. "I volunteer for the first watch, if no one else wants it, and if someone else handles the cooking."

The clearing does, indeed, seem like a good place to make camp.  There is running water, pasture for the beasts, and the surrounding trees provide sufficient shelter from the weather.

The statue, though, might make sleep difficult.  In the light of Colwyn's torch the face does not appear entirely human, even taking into account the general decrepitude of the effigy, and the general sourness of the creature's expression.

The body, too, seems inhuman, with oddly proportioned limbs, and a torso which seems a little short in comparison to them.  The clothing that the subject had apparently worn when the likeness was carved is also peculiar (though, it must be admitted, that could be a result of changing fashions in the time since the statue was erected.

Still gazing at the statue thoughtfully, Arkan walks closer while unstrapping his sheathed Fullblade in preparation of making camp, balancing it in the crook of an arm as he gazes at the large sculpture in the light of Colwyn's torch, wondering if he has seen pictures of such a thing in any of the many tomes he has studied over the years.

"An early ancestor perhaps of the men who dwelt here in ages long past, or some other creature akin to orcs that made this land their domain long ago?" he muses out loud, placing the tip of his sheathed sword on the ground and resting his weight upon it as he looks up.

---

Trying to determine if he can figure anything out about the statue:Knowledge (History): 05; Knowledge (Arcana): 15

Erista shrugs.  "Beats me.  Seems like a funny place to leave a statue anyway," she admits.

Then she takes a step back, looking at it warily.  "Are there creatures that turn to stone in the sunlight, and turn back when it gets dark?" she asks.  "I heard a story like that once."  Coming up cautiously a little behind Arkan, she adds, "偵查 魔法," tilting her head as she studies the statue with him.  And a little bit behind.