"I can think of a couple of people who will. If we deal with them, it might improve our standing with Delenda's mum." Melock chuckles, "wouldn't that be good."

Sable shaman? muses Hoskar.

Not the guy who helps us with Ohanzee's passenger, I am hoping. Or else one good turn may be deserving a spot of our vengeance.

Temush puts his fingertips together, 'The need to pay back such a score is a throw and come back stick that bites him as throws as hard as him as he aimed at. If it was that man Hoskar spoke of then it may be linked to what he did for Ohanze. Those bows on the roofs seemed to be most fond of death on the quiet.' he says

Bow's on the roof? asks the warrior.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Fri 13 July 2018.

In reply to Govoran the Magnificent (msg # 218):

Hoskar blinks twice, doing his best to focus, before replying It is the day your men first meet us, Lord. We employ them as escort in the afternoon. That evening shortly before curfew we pass through the alleys outside Geo's here on business of a private nature. Being trusty we do not state the business or mention our employer. Being polite, we know you are not asking for details. Your men and the Deadheads will recall. We head through the next court towards the market square...having reasons of a private nature to keep to alleys...and are peppered with arrows from a roof while in the court. We do not know who fires them, but hear Old Pavic being talked. We hail them and they make themselves scarce.

We have no idea who they might be.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:48, Fri 13 July 2018.

"If it was that shaman then he was paid more than sufficiently. That charm was worth a small fortune and he kept the spirit too, a powerful one."

He half drains the mug he's been nursing whilst listening to the others "If he couldn't keep hold of it and couldn't keep hold of his life then what good trying to revenge him?"

"The amount of sheer murdering going on in this town is disconcerting. Let's find who the murderer is and why they did it and then we either drink some khumiss with them, or hand them over to the authorities. Either way works out good for us."

I can't help but agree. I have this uneasy sense about stuff going on around us that we can't see or hear, but know is happening. I don't like not having all the knucklebones or cards in my hand. To win at our game we need to be in possession of all the facts.

"If it was those archers, then they now have that spirit. Take it from someone who not only talked face to face with them but was thrown off a roof by one of them, they are scary enough without that spirit."

Ohanzee snorts, then shakes his head "So in their city you think you can even find them?" he asks looking at those proposing this course of action "Where?"

Then answered or not he adds "So which is it, there is much to do or there is time to spare on another errand?"

"Besides, we'll be gone soon enough."

Amara shrugged "I want to get Delenda back. That's the most important thing of all. After that return the seed to the Aldryami...after those are done, we can see what we need to do afterwards. I think it might be important to find whoever is murdering though."

Thanks sounds like good sense to me - she is central to all that you seem to be about. Hopefully other matters won't impinge on that just yet, although I have a horrible feeling they may yet do so... Personally, I also have to work out a way to sort out that business Goldfang has handed me, but no doubt that can be dealt with as we go.

Having heard no mention of ostrich feathers, Temush drops out of the talk of murders and asks Brvgga Scissortongue something 'O Mayor, I am painting a scene of the God's Square here some days past when I am asked to paint the Square of Pavis by the wall too, which I say I will do for some purse that seems good. I find though, that Lord Pavis is not looking my way when I try to find the lines and the hues to put on the skin, and this sounds as though I am at lack in some way. I may be where I am from, I don't know, but I am thinking that if I will be talking to one of the priests or their aides at the temple they may help me see what a man needs to see of Pavis. But of course I am just one more Dedra and, like you, they must have much work on their hands, so, I hope you may have a thought as to who I might seek out and what time might suit them'.

"Yes getting Delenda back shows we can defend our oaths. All these unseen things happening unsettles me. The hidden world seems full of threats we cannot see." Henal grimaces and looks over to the others.

"If Delenda's family rescue her from the trolls, are we going to have to rescue her from her family?"

"Let's just make sure that we get Delenda back before her family are able to do so.  We needed to get her back anyway.  Her cause is the same as ours.  But given how our meeting with Sables went, getting her back will hopefully make those Sables see us with new eyes.

"If the gods are with us," says Kobal, "the best thing that could happen is that the Sables try to recover Delenda, but cause a distraction which allow us to slip in and free her ourselves, haha."

He pauses a moment.  "I was going to say that saving Delenda is the most pressing matter - we know she'll be sold off soon.  But we'll need help dealing with the trolls.  Do you think if we return the seed to the elves, they might be willing to give some help dealing with the trolls?  Then again, if the trolls see us using some kind of elf magic, they're not going to be happy..."

"We could just bid for her when she's sold, that way we don't upset the trolls." Melock grins, "but the idea of sneaking in there and freeing her without the trolls seeing us, is tempting. With three Ravens to do the sneaking, while the rest of you cause a distraction" he rubs his hands together, "that would be more satisfying."

"How much is she likely to sell for?  And would we have enough to win the bid?  We're leaving too much to Luck to hope that we'll be able to win the bid.  We need at least a back-up plan."  Kobal looks to Melock.  "And you Ravens are very... distracting (to put it nicely, haha).  The three of you should occupy the trolls, while the rest of us save Delenda."

Melock returns Kobal's look, "You're saying little old me is more distracting than big old you?" he chuckles, "Waha rescued enough tribes from the Darkness, maybe we can follow one of his paths to free Delenda."

"Forget the elves for this season. I may have a lead on getting help, but no one is going to do so this season." Ohanzee says.

"Isn't there an Issaries path to get a good value deal?"

"Otherwise there's my Storm Bull friends. Might be able to persuade some to come along for a fight." He half laughs "Or we could follow Little Brother's path to the Sky Bulls field, win one and come back able to tell them what to do!"

"But without time the options are reduced."

"We need Delenda to chose her own path. For that, we cannot allow her to be auctioned. If it gets to that point, the Sables will outbid us. They are wealthy and looked upon with favour by the Moon Worshippers. In addition, Delenda's mother is queen and has the wealth of her clan to back her. Think on the ransom we were going to be paid. We have nothing of its equal here. If it is at all possible, we need to return her before her mother even has the opportunity to try to bid for her."

Eyota's spirit voice, normally silent or hidden in talk for Ohanzee's ears only suddenly booms out to the Wandering Rangers and their various spirits.

"There is a story, an old one, older than memories but then my spirit has been away from the people for longer than I can know so it lies still in my memories."

"Perhaps it is no more than a story, but perhaps there is a thread of legend that runs through it or the seed of a legend waiting to germinate."

"In the Great Darkness many were lost and many lost their way, then there were those who were both lost and who had lost their way."

"Waha did not find all of the people, there were a wretched few who survived in the Darkness thought they were both lost, for they knew not what where their path lay, and they had lost their way for they had lost or eaten their beasts."

"These people were destined to be the seed of a new tribe, the Tribe of the Walking Square. Walking for they had no mounts and Square for the act of forming the tribe would transform the founders, bind them together yes, but bind them each to a Rival too. Four Rivals, four sides and four angles. Square too perhaps because they had gone into the Earth during the Great Darkness."

"The lost ones did not know it, but The Rivals knew it though and in a rare act they sought to work together to see this vision through."

"The Rivals themselves took to their wings and flew into the Great Darkness, Raven bringing his abilities in Darkness and trickery to confound those who would stand against them, Sun Hawk bringing his Light to reveal the hidden and his Truth to bind together the new tribe, Thunderbird bringing his strength and his courage to defeat those who would stand against them and Condor bringing his abilities to find the path."

"So long ago though was this, the Rivals were younger then and the Rivalry strong, stronger perhaps than ever before or ever since. The tale goes that they found those lost in the Darkness, found them and brought them together."

"Then the old rivalries took hold the Four argued between themselves. They argued over who had contributed the most to the venture and thus who should take to himself the most followers, even though it had take all Four and they had agreed at the start to take an even split of followers."

"And as they argued between themselves the Darkness crept back again and stole away those who would be the beginnings of the new tribe, The Walking Square."

"As I say it is perhaps no more than an ancient tale. Perhaps though it has a threat of legend running through it, a copper thread perhaps."

"And if legend it is then perhaps those who follow the Rivals and so are a step removed from the Rivalry, those who have worked together already, they can stay together to see the legend through to the foretold end."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:26, Mon 23 July 2018.

Ohanzee is silent for a while considering as he looks about at the others before putting his ale mug down and speaking "Well, what do you all think? A quest of the Four Feathered Rivals to free the founders of a new tribe from the Darkness?"

"Other than Delenda the trolls must hold a number of slaves and hostages, enough to fulfil such a quest."

Amara nodded, it wasn't as if she would pass over any opportunity to rescue Delenda, and she still felt somehow unworthy due to the fact she wasn't able to rescue Delenda as Vinga. "I think we have to try"

Melock nods, "Yes, that sounds like a great way to rescue Delenda, and found our own tribe"