Etain stands over the corrupted body for a moment, blood and ichor dripping off of her and her weapons before she drops the axe and runs toward Marie's unconscious body "no, no, no no" she says cradling her head in her lap [Language unknown: "onaiou ck n, etinwi iosa an ughte pl, ch korwa ionng ta utwi ad, vorverine Le ameoulthe heore itno, haenc elplpo"]

As she lays they both dogs move to her, whimpering slightly before they start licking the fallen knight or their mistresses tears.

There were moments like this that Cecla had to regret the fact that her mind had never carried her into the curious field of how to fix a body. Just the myriad ways of how to break them as most of the warrior kin were like the stones themselves. It'd at least have made it easy to address the stinging burns she had suffered but her own performance in the fight seems to have made it so that she hadn't suffered the worst of it... That dubious honor went to just about everyone other than her. Broad, hard teeth ground behind a grimace as she returned her weapons for the moment to their hooks and sheaths and knelt down to take a measure of Milly then.

One hand went to her singed hair, which was an affront to her pride, as she turned her ear close and listened for breath while taking a quick look over the wizard's wounds... There wasn't anything she could do to help but breath meant life which meant hope as long as it wasn't a sucking sort of breath.

Focusing on this simple triage anyway kept the horror of the chaos spawn to the edges of the mind as well... and the grudges growing to a secondary concern. Had to look after the now to settle the grudge in the future. That turned an eye to Jareik then who was on his last legs too...

"How far o a road station do ya think we are? I know the only proper towns are too long a ride or march. Only quick fix is doubling back to where they left the lass that helped us an' see if we can piece together a patch for the worst of us..." the Dwarf said quietly, for a Dwarf, to Jareik. It was grim odds as the only other thing she could think of was trying to find that blasted lizard thing if it hadn't made like a lit rocket the minute they got set the first stones of an avalanche in motion with this brawl.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:05, Sat 03 Sept 2022.

Josette watched horse and rider flee. Normally, Marie would have either rode them down, or secured the ground they gain. But Marie was laying all the way back there. Snorting in what sounded like anger, the massive Charger let the horse and rider flee, before trotting back to Marie and nickering in concern, stamping her hooves a few times.

Milly was very much an unmoving battered wreck, only her faint breath betraying the fact that she still lived. However, the wizard was at the present of as much use to them as a sack of rocks. Thankfully, Mimi was a small and light sack of rocks at that but that was the extent of the mercies her current state graced them all with.

Etain looks around the area for something, anything she could use to help carry Marie and Milly, a sturdy door would due, but a wagon would be preferred and a horse to haul them since she doubted Josette would take the load nicely "Does anyone see something we can put them on and an animal to haul them?"

Jareik could only watch Junon get away, any fancy plan or temptation to give chase were cut short by the reality of their comrades needing aid.

Giving the massive horse a wide berth lest it decide it wasn't quite done avenging its rider yet, he could see Marie was down and tended to be Etain, so he checked on the prone form of the wizard, thankfully still breathing.

"Nearest road station's two days away, the question is whether they will last the two days getting there. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead but damn that Sheriff for pointlessly killing that healer lady, don't suppose the village has another?" answered Jareik with a shake of his head to Cecla.

At Etain's prompt, he started looking around in their immediate vicinity for something that could be used to carry the wounded, if not he will shrug and suggest they go ask any villager they can find, though whether they would be more or less cooperative after recent events remains a gamble.

It was a dower look of agreement that the dwarf cast Jareik's way as she considered the probability of anyone in this blasted place wanting to help them again. Examples got made for a reason, ugly ones, but a reason all the same. She sniffed thoughtfully then as she cast a glance back towards the wounded knight and Milly at her own two feet before straightening up and hooking thumbs into her belt.

"Not hopeful odds on that. If anyone's left they're still in shock of the aftermath. You're right that two days is too far for the lot of us honestly. It wouldn't be too much of a trick to get some litters together. Only other thing I can think of is we go sniffing about the village for something that ain't a deal with the damned to give us a shot. Ain't for trusting they've all fled to the hills in full though... and can't leave just one to mind the wounded. Killing machine of a horse or no." Cecla mused as much to the mercenary as to herself. A hand rose to tug at her braid with a deepening of that thoughtful scowl that had grown across her features as she felt the burnt and fried texture of it even through her gloved hands. An oath in her native tongue seeming to hit the ear like a loosed shot from siege engine.

"In the least rough shape of us, I can go poking around ahead of us so we can at least get them both to shelter rather than out in the open."

"We should try and find the glade again, perhaps the creature can heal them and we need to return the blade don't we?" She says from beside Marie "We could tie a litter to Josette but she may take offence it or if something startles her she may charge them dragging them with her"

Taking a final look around she spots a usable cart "Over there" she exclaims, putting down Marie's head she gets up and adds "Jareik, give me a hand" as she heads over and begins to push and pull the cart towards the unconscious bodies of their friends.

As Cecla mentioned it, he looked around the empty streets once more, he did find it peculiar the village became so deserted so abruptly, he figured they were just hiding in their homes but no, it seemed the town was truly lifeless now.
"Call me paranoid but I'd rather no one wander off by themselves, besides I can see your arm got roasted real good. I know dwarves are tough but fending off beastmen might be tricky with a cooked arm. Though I guess none of us are in tip top shape" As he said that he nodded towards the charger. "Except maybe the horse, heh, as much as I loathe that Junon got away, seeing her run for her life from a horse is a tale I'll be spreading over a tankard for years."

He mulled over Etain's suggestion before agreeing.
"Worth a shot if we got no other options, and we have seen first hand there is peculiar magic to be found over there, assuming it wasn't all burnt down." Etain's suggestion might reek of desperation, but gambling on unknown magic might be their best bet so long as said magic wasn't of chaotic origins.

"Coming." He helped pushing the cart along, ignoring the pain from his own wounds during the exertion.

"Ain't wrong on that front. Just low on visible options outside of leaning on the generosity of lizard creatures with other priorities. Granted, not too sure how far the beast folk have, well, hoofed it since setting this whole damned place ablaze... and then where the village folk have cleared out to..." the Dwarf grumbled in her pragmatic way as she glanced over towards Etain's cry and follows after Jareik to help with the act of pushing the cart into place. Her own wounds no less nagging then anyone else's but at least she was enduring as like the stone beneath them.

With the reminder of the beast folk in the forest Etain gathers all of the crossbows and bolts that may have been on the village militiamen and places them on the cart, "Best have something to shot them with this time." she says before looking about spying a draught horse goes and gathers it, lashing it to cart, hoping for a second if she sees one and gets Jareik and Cecla's help to lift Marie up unto the cart before moving the wizard unto it as well and after that exertion takes a minute to breath and leans against the cart. "Should we let people know that have at best days before the witch hunters burn this place to the ground?"

"For that we would have to find them first, where the blazes did everyone run off to? Place seems completely dead."
Granted, vanishing before the witch hunters came to do their work was probably smart.
"Morr take them then, we'll have to find some other way to treat Ms Milly and Marie. What about the..centaur creature we met in the forest? I need to return the sword anyways and way I see it, if we can cured that lass of his then maybe he can return the favor?."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:56, Fri 16 Sept 2022.

"For how quickly they made their way out... I'm thinking they were already onto that particular secret of things." Cecla agreed with a thoughtful grunt and sniff as she looked around and strained her ears for anything but the sound of their own voices. It was uncanny and that was a notion coming from someone who had grown accustomed to the depths at one time in her life. She drew in a quiet breath and let out a sigh at the mention of the creature they had met. She doubted there'd be any favour returned but today had held enough surprises that who knew what the Ancestors had in mind for the lot of them.

"Aye, best not to leave that particular threat dangling over head. Instinct tells me though that the work ain't done yet for the blade."

ONCE THE GROUP DECIDED TO LEAVE TOWN - ZOAT/SACRED GROVE

With the wagon bound, horses tied to it, and with as many blankets, food and water you could find, you set off, briefly to the main road, past the chapel, a ruin of its former self, Walter's house and to the road leading away, filled with dirt and rocks.

A deep calm is in the air, a faint wind blows and the sun shines sparsely.
Its calm, but hardly warm and inviting.

The road aside, leading into the deep forest, the grove from where you came, is partially cleared and any cinder is gone. Left is charred grass, logs burned to a crisp and a smell of rot. It's a horrid sight, but it exposes the clear path ahead, a short walk in, passing the location of Karl's final resting place and just north east of that.
It is around here you recall the pond. The small hut, barely fitting a person, which provides sustenance and closes wounds on those harmed.(D3 wounds, must remain within for 30 mins).

The large oak tree, which Jareik recalls, remain.
The sword can be put into the same hollow opening as if per magic, it is unchanged from what has occurred.
As the sword is calmly placed, nothing happens. Not a sound.
Moving back, eyeing it a moment more passes.
Suddenly a vibrating hum begins to spread, before an explosion of light appears, blinding all near.
Those far away see the ground start to come alive, small sprouts appearing, growing at a rapid rate, suddenly becoming saplings, bushes, grass and small creeks and ponds funneling from below as if the forest awoke before you.
Jareik and anyone near the sword, notice the end result as the blindness vanishes.
The forest is regrowing itself.

Jareik feels a warmth inside. Like the sun calmly caressing his skin and any wound closing magically in an instant.

Regardless of time spent here, a long road lay before you.


OOC: I imagine that it would make sense that a new thread is made for Altdorf and the next steps, with this being the end of the current scene. Please post up until heading through the gates and with whatever actions you seek to do. Also if you need downtime each, do assume such is handed out. The thread will be made tomorrow most likely.
Also, as part of returning, completing the task, you are all rewarded 400 xp, which is to be used as part of this downtime.

As they arrive in the Grove, Etain gets Cecla and Jareik to help her get Marie down and into the Hut where she rests Marie's head on her lap while she strokes her hands through her hair and sings a lullaby she remembered her mum sang when she a child. It wasn't especially great but it wasn't bad either, the sing-song cadence of the Albion language lending itself to his kind of lullaby.

"Well I'll be a halfling's uncle, that big tree is still standing!" said Jareik at seeing the big Oak somehow unscathed from the fire, as well as its surroundings such as the hutt.
After helping Etain with Marie, he went back to do the same for Milly, the mage looking in a terrible state still, hopefully whatever the hutt does might help her too.

Going to the tree to return the sword he looked it over one last time.
It was a shame to part with such a beauty of a blade but a Greatsword always kept his oaths, even a former one, he should consider himself lucky to have had the opportunity to wield it at all.
Probably what ol' Franz feels when he swings Ghal Maraz around.

So he relinquished the sword, and what happened next could only be described as miraculous.
"By Taal..." he could only mutter as the forest came alive around him before adding with a smile. "..or rather, by Rhya."
Junon might have been ousted as a servant of the dark powers but perhaps the villagers were not entirely mistaken in their belief that they followed an older, more faithful way to the earth goddess. He certainly could not argue with the godly display he just saw and this just made Junon's perversion of their faith all the more tragic.
"Guess Karl was right about the place in the end."

With a tug of his hat he saluted the tree and returned inside the hutt to check on the wounded.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:11, Wed 21 Sept 2022.

Milly awoke. Sheer pain throughout her body. her rips aching, her mouth sore and bloodied and her breathing heavy. She was..alive. But she felt anything but. As if a small part had left her fully and left her slightly empty. The light and dark vanished from her eyes and she could, slowly sit up and move to the wagon, sit against the side, and try to deal with the constant pain and agony. Her head numb and sore, and the blow still very present in her.

However...she would see another day.

MILLY: 1 FP permanently. Please deduct from sheet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:17, Wed 21 Sept 2022.

For her part, the Dwarf took every care she could in handling the wounded especially when it came to the young wizard. The lass just wasn't built for it and there was more than one moment that she had thought the shock of the move might have finally put an end to the fire in her. The Ancestors seemed to have other ideas when Milly came back around but that was one small step on a long road from the looks of it.

There was no end of surprises though with the fact the Oak was still standing and seemingly had managed to avoid the hunger of the flames.

"Built like the stone it seems and just as blessed." the Apprentice Runesmith offered with a curious once over of the tree and it's surroundings to see if any bark had even been shaken lose in the mess of it all. Her mind fussing, for an instant, at the sort of medium a bit of the wood might make for the setting of a proper rune. It was only when she spared a glance back to the Greatsword and his comments that she found herself at something of a loss before shaking her head and letting out a laugh despite the circumstances.

"Coming out of this looking better than the mess of a man ya were going into it. Karl was right, indeed." the Dwarf woman concluded as she continued to fuss around the tree with a hand working gingerly at one of her thick braids in thought before returning to the hut to keep an eye on their surroundings and not wander too far from the rest of her companions.

"Aw cheers Miss Cecla. Don't know what you're up to after all this is wrapped up but if you're up to for more.. "odd jobs" like these, always work to be had in Altdorf." Jareik tugged his hat towards Cecla too.

It seemed the hutt did its trick and Milly was awake.
"Welcome back to the world of the living! Woah there easy, not every day one gets slashed by a monster of the dark gods you know."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:56, Sat 24 Sept 2022.

Very much looking and sounding spent, Milly weakly cleared her throat, out of genuine necessity rather than to trying to grab anyone's attention. "I... Take it that we won? Or at least survived. Don't think I can take another blow like that again." While she hadn't moved before, she didn't seem to keen on doing much of that now either, although to be honest she didn't look much in shape to be doing anything at all.

"Everyone's breathing so that's always a win in my book. Junon manage to leg it though, and the villagers have scampered off to who knows where... But that'll be the witch hunters problem, now take it easy, roads long 'till Altdorf."

After their time in the hut, Etain gets help taking Marie out and into the cart to rest and takes a short walk around the grove. She eyes long, straight branches that had shed from the tree, long enough that it might be useful to turn into a spear shaft or axe handle and she picks them up and takes them to the cart and lays down four useful branches besides the cart until they are almost ready to leave to not disturb their injured.

"Still leaves us with a grudge to look after but let's hope the Hunters'll help us strike that one from the book." Cecla offered towards Jareik with a nod of her own head in recognition of his thanks for the prior compliment. Her attention turned swiftly back to the foot of the tree though as she began collecting a few pieces of bark that had been shed from it over the years... Picking the ones that seemed thick or large enough for one purpose or another that the Dwarf had in mind as she wrapped them in clothe and tucked them away into her satchel.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:17, Mon 26 Sept 2022.

-RETCONNED intro, everything in town remains the same, location is now Barak Varr instead-

Barak Varr, which means the Gate to the Sea in Khazalid, is unique amongst the Dwarf strongholds for being the only Hold built to be a massive harbor.
Approaching from the land there is no indication at all of the busy port that lies ahead.
In fact, even standing on the cliff edge it seems to the unsuspecting eye that the ships are destined to smash themselves into the cliff face. However, the powerful tides of the Black Gulf have carved out a deep cave system into the tall white rock, and here in these vast sea caverns the Dwarfs harbour their trading fleet.

When traders of every realm, from Araby to Lustria, gather together at Barak Varr, they know that they can expect the legendary hospitality of the Dwarfs to refresh them on their arrival. Within the Hold there are many highly regarded establishments providing fare as diverse and impressive as any city in the Old World.
It is a major trading centre, where bargains are made between merchants from many lands.
This is reflected in the market area of the Hold where a visitor can buy anything, from fine Araby silks to exotic Lustrian statues, and from Halfling-mixed spices to fertility charms from the Southlands.

Having arrived, you find a calm inn, gather food and provisions and fill your empty bellies while determine, as per the documentation from your employer, a dedicated and safe caravan to head north towards Zenres, the capital where the Employer per the document is residing and to offer you further work and the rest of your travelling hire sum.

You saw, at least two locations where you could hire caravans with and without guards heading both west and north. Speaking of Eastern locations, most just shrug and the notion of going to those damned lands.