In reply to Hoskar Two-Feather (msg # 33):

She bows her head, "No need to apologize, I'm sure a warrior such as yourself has more important things to do than to help cook food." She gestures towards her cook pot, "Its just a simple stew, but it needs a little something to perk it up." She starts walking slowly towards Hoskar's gear, "May I help myself?"

Amara sighed heavily "How come is it that any time trouble is to be found, Ohanzee is right in the middle of it" Amara picked up her weapons and made sure she'd have everything she'd need for a fight. "Ok, everyone that is going to rescue Ohanzee....again. It is time for us to be off."

Henal stands up on hearing the sounds from the cave and walks towards his fellow rangers.
Think I'll join you Amara, though Ohanzee brings this trouble on himself.

A relieved expression flows out across Hoskar's face, his mouth relaxing to a smile and the creases on his brow flattening. For the first few steps, he walks with Kinamasi.

Thank you, although I apologise anyway. It's the little things like courtesy that matter sometimes, and to a hungry man there's nothing more important than food. Maybe fighters forget that sometimes.

By all means dive in: I suppose I'd best help deal with whatever our Raven's up to. For a stew, I'd go with the pepper and a touch of the chilli myself - the two little bags just by where my lazy cat's snoozing again; the pepper bag's got two stones for grinding in there too he points but the other three bags just behind are herbs too. Feel free to surprise us. Just don't bung anything from the boxes in or we'll all be seeing visions for weeks.

Leaving Kinamasi to help herself, he ambles to follow the now-departed Amara and see what the fuss is about...
This message was last edited by the player at 12:50, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

Amara, Henal, Tarosh, Leaper and Greeshar head off up the gorge, dropping off the ledge at it's most northerly point and then heading west up the ravine which led to Oglod's domain.

Conscious that the cliffs here were filled with rock lizards during the day, the Rangers moved cautiously, torches held high and weapons at the ready.

Parts of the ravine's floor is made up of silt and gravel and Tarosh spots some fresh tracks which Amara makes out to be a large hyena.

Arriving at the box canyon they find it empty of life....

To one side is the cave of Oglod, large enough that a Ranger can walk in without bending.

As she gets near to Hoskar's gear, she calls out softly, "Don't worry little cat, I'm just getting some herbs for dinner." She picks up the bag pepper with its grind stones and the pouch of chilli. She can't help herself and has a quick look in to the box to see what vision inducing food Hoskar has. As she turns to go back to the fire, a glint of bronze in the dull light catches her eye, thinking it maybe another cooking pot she walks over to it and uncovers what looks like a small metal man, she screams loudly.

Investigating the flash of light

Henal peers at the cave mouth.
Not sure about going in without making a sacrifice to Oglod first. Lets see if anything can be seen out here first.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:58, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

...but he gets very few paces indeed before he hears Kinamasi scream and wheels round in amazed horror.

Wha? Surely not the cat?

He pelts back the paces he's travelled so far; calling as he does so What is it? There's nothing bad in my kit then sees what Kinamasi has uncovered from a saddlebag, and the light of understanding dawns.

He kneels between the startled woman and the copper man, making calming noises.

Don't worry. He's not dangerous. Can't move at the moment, poor little thing.

Best keep talking - calm and soothing voice to assuage fears.

It really is okay he adds, reaching out and touching the copper figure to demonstrate its harmlessness. He used to move about and make drinks - some of the best drinks we've ever had - but he's run down somehow. Never harmed anyone ever. Maybe later I'll take another look round the caves we found him in to see if there's anything in there that will bring him back. I think we know the dangers in there now well enough to avoid them, and they're worth seeing if you'd like: nothing like any other cave.

He looks at Kinamasi's face, trying to assess if he's helping.

I'm sorry again. Would have warned you if I'd remembered he was there. Are you alright?

No more watching Hoskar soaring, sleep is grateful by the baggage. Smells of herbs and scented freshness wafting here and wafting there.

Opens one eye, lazily.

Who is this approaching closely - it's the woman Kinamasi looking soothing speaking calming; I can rest myself beside her...

Purrrr

A piercing scream.

Cat jumps swiftly back from danger, fur erect as she looks round her for the sudden foe emerging.
She is startled? What's the problem? All these humans never silent.

Creeps back, head low, winds sinuously round the frightened one's legs. Fear's not here and I will show it, lambent my eyes look up at fearful. Miaow

"Everywhere we go, we are dogged by hyenas. Given the Morokanth...taste for using them, I have to wonder if on our very first outing as braves, it might have been a Morokanth that set hyenas on our path." Amara stated out loud. "Do we have anything to offer Oglod to appease him beyond parts of our soul?"

Suddenly a dripping-wet Salen appears, his armor now back in place and his various belts and weapons strapped or carried all around him.

"What's up? The Water Spirit just warned me that there is danger here - Zowie the Hyena Lord, up to his old dirty tricks. So I came immediately.

What have you found? Seen?"

In reply to Hoskar Two-Feather (msg # 41):


Trembling with shock that is now turning to relief and embarrassment, she lets out a little laugh, "I've never seen anything like it before, I though it was chaos come to kill us all." Just as her breathing is returning to normal, she jumps as Four Paws rubs against her legs, she looks deep in to her eyes, "Not funny!" She fusses with her hair to hide her red face, once she has calmed down again, "I would like to see that cave." she looks closely at Copperman, "You say he normally moves and serves drinks, but now he doesn't? Then he's dead and should be buried."

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 43):

Investigating the flash of light

As he looks at the track, he hears Kinamasi's scream, he's about to run back to the camp when he remembers Hisser, "What's happening back at camp, that sounded like Kinamasi?"

"It was," comes back the reply, "Something of Hoskar's made her scream, I can't see what as there's too much grass in the way, but she seems unhurt."

"Thanks, good hunting."

"It might have been until she screamed" Hisser sounds a bit peeved.

He turns to the others, "Don't worry about the scream, apparently Hoskar showed Kinamasi something that made her scream," he thinks briefly, "If its that book of his, I'm going to punch him." He scratches his head, "If this hyena isn't one of the Morokanth's then I'm sure it would make a good sacrifice."

As Kobal sits by the fire, nursing a kumiss skin and reflecting on the last few days he feels something in his hair. Moving.

Salen finds the braves searching about the box canyon. looking for clues, narrowly avoiding getting stabbed by a startled Greeshar.

At Kinamasi's scream, he stirs, rising to one knee and grabbing his sword and a couple of javelins.  But soon Hoskar returns and alarm is over.



"'Dead'?"  Kobal calls out to the Hoskar and Kinamasi.  "Ha, I wonder if it was truly alive in the first place.  Maybe some sorcerous construct of those Mostali.  Maybe it should be buried - who knows what magicks are in it?  But it would be a waste of a lot of metal..."  He sits back down.

Gently, he combs through his hair, feeling out the creatures, letting them crawl onto his fingers, then placing his hand on the ground so they can crawl off.  Grandmother Spider, Wise One, we honour your great power.  Long are the threads you weave, long is your reach.  We mean no harm to you or kin here.  He slowly exhales, only now noticing that he'd been holding his breath.  Hopefully that will appease the spirit...

After searching for a while the Rangers find nothing amiss in the canyon, no more tracks due to the hard rock floor and nothing moving in the scores of small cracks, crevices and caves that line the stony walls.

Nothing.

Though Familiars all back away from Oglod's cave.

"Lets get back to the camp, I don't want to disturb the spirits in Oglod's cave and darkness is none of us element." Henal says looking around them for signs of movement.

Flicks away, somewhat disgruntled. There's the pay for good intentions. Rolls once over, soft fur showing for a moment then stands upright; walks away like nothing happened save for one small backwards looking, eyes like slits, stern-disapproving.

Still keen to distract the oasis woman, and to assuage her embrarrassment, Hoskar pauses nodding as Kobal explains, then speaks further. He's right, you know. That's why I want another look in the caves. Don't think it's dead - maybe just lacking something it used to get here. Maybe he'll come back if we find it.

Can't blame you flinching - it's a strange little thing. Most of us have done something similar at one time or another, though the fighters wouldn't thank me for saying it. Runnings-off, the occasional fear-related...um...accident and so on.

Oh. She and Tarosh have something, don't they? Best be clear.

That was before we knew Tarosh, of course. Never seen him flinch from anything. Good man, that; and a braver man than me I reckon.

Think that's saved it. Hope so.

Anyway, can't do anything about that cave stuff till the others get back. Would it disturb your cooking if I sing to the camp spirit while you use the fire? Probably no better time to give thanks than when the place is being used to such good effect.

At Kobal's words she starts looking back and forth between him and Hoskar, "What is Mostali? So these caves might have food for him? odd." When Hoskar mentions Tarosh, she preens herself, "Yes he is a brave man, I would choose no other." She turns and heads back to the fire, once he is behind her, she rolls her eyes, Children, not one of them is worthy of the name brave! Crouching next to the glowing fire, she looks over her shoulder, "It would be good to hear a lively song, not only would it honour the spirit," she jabs at the fire, "it might help get the fire burning better so I can cook."

Something is very wrong. It is quiet - too quiet. Not a flicker from Oglod's cave, when Salen at the very least would have expected some sign from the old one.

"Mordy, is Oglod in there? And if not, who is? What can you sense?"

*Woof da fucking woof*

In reply to Kinamasi (msg # 54):

Ahh. I'm glad. It's good to render thanks where due. I might not be much of a fighter, but words are my thing.

He sits cross-legged beside the fire, having taken pinches from the herb bags in advance.

Hearthkeeper-Mahome, Hevren-mother and helpflame, our thanks. For clean places and grateful fire, our thanks.
You give to us, it is right we give to you.

He casts both a portion of his spirit and pinches of the herbs as a symbol of help received to the flame-spirit, and begins a song he heard as the caravan women camped many a year ago.

Let the fire crackle
Let the fire sing
Cookfire and home fire
Seeing everything.

Passing from the fire folk
To the middle air
Laugh with a good joke
Well away from care.

Everything that passes
Coming through your light
Food out of grasses
Driving off the night.

Hope and home that we live
Warm the firepot
Blessings that you give
Keeping cold nights hot.

Work and war for us now
But you still are here
From hunt and from plough
Food away from fear.

Graceful friend Mahome
Food for all to share
Light for the lonely
Spreading everywhere.

His eyes twinkle as he sings; recalling easier times and youthful irresponsibility when food came unheeded and family meant everything.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:51, Thu 14 Jan 2016.

After a long look at his dog Salen looked back into the inky blackness of the cave, though he spoke aloud to the others.

"Oglod is in there, with his kin. And some sort of Hyena-Human thing, which must be Zowie. We must wait out here, and be ready for trouble."