She isn't paying much attention to any of you, though she does startle when Rulf steps on a branch not from from her back.

Petronilla is speaking as if she's mumbling a sort of nervous prayer.  Your Gran used to mutter prayers during thunder storms.  She probably wasn't even aware of what she was saying most of the time.  Just reciting prayers as a way to keep her nerves steady.  That's what Petronilla's tone reminds you of right now.

Tristan reaches for his own weapon, then rushes to Conrad's sign. "What is it?" he asks quietly.

He pretends not to pay attention to the woman's mutterings, but in fact, he does.  For now, he's willing to presume her innocence, but this could change fast.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Sun 28 Jan.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 36):

Rulf steps a bit closer to you.  Conrad glances at you, then turns back to watch the darkness.

In a soft voice, he says, "Not sure...doesn't sound like a wolf.  It sounds a bit larger than a wolf any ways.  But it's movin' around pretty quick"

You can hear what he means after a moment.  The sounds come from your left then suddenly are behind you.  Then back to the left again.

But for some reason you don't think they are different animals...monsters...whatever.  You get the impression it's the same...whatever it is.  It's just...jumping from spot to spot?

This is weird.  Ever for the things you've gone through over the past year.

I'll let you ask any questions you want to ask.

"Is it an animal, or something... worse?"  As he asks the question, his eyes stare into the darkness, interrogating it.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:28, Wed 31 Jan.

Conrad shrugs.  "I would not know Young Master.  I was actually hoping you might know somethin'..."

Petronilla slowly stands up.  "I bet it's a wolf.  Maybe a pack."

She doesn't sound like she believes that.

”I think you’re lying,” Tristan says bluntly. ”I can hear the lie in your voice.  Tell us what you know, and tell us fast.”

In reply to Tristan (msg # 40):

Petronilla startles, obviously surprised by the steel in your voice.

More growls erupt from the shadows nearby.

She starts again, this time almost backing into the fire.

Finally she grabs her head and says, "Fine.  There's this...fox.  It...we have a history."

She is shivering, whether from cold or fear you aren't sure.  "It's complicated.  We just need to stay close to the fire.  And keep it burning until morning."  She peers into the darkness.  "Things will be alright," she says in a voice that isn't full of too much conviction.

Tristan’s eyes widen.  Fox?  This is what his master had sent him after?

He asks the woman, “Do you know a way to defeat this foe?”

The reckless old fool!
This message was last edited by the player at 21:42, Sun 04 Feb.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 42):

She gives you a rather plainly disgusted look.  "If I did, do you think I'd be worried right now?"

Conrad glares at her.  "Show some respect for Young Master."

Rulf gives a low short whistle to get all of your attention.  He nods off to the left.  You think you can see something move in the shadows of a tree.

Rulf cuts his eyes in that direction while looking at Conrad.

Conrad glances down at you.  Then Petornilla.  He licks his lips and whispers, "We can't leave the young master alone..."

You guess Rulf is suggesting the two of them head that way to see if they can flank this...fox.

Conrad seems more concerned with your safety.  But if the fox isn't aware, this could be an opportunity...

“There is no need to leave me alone.  I can go with you, and will be very quiet.” He smiles, imagining he was just an ordinary little boy asking his uncle’s permission to go with him on a hunting trip.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 44):

Conrad frowns at that, but Rulf chuckles, then nods his head towards the darkness.  As the three of you set out, Conrad brings up the rear.  Petronilla stands by the fire, watching the three of you, but not saying a word.

You move in the direction of what you saw.  The roaring and grunting continue bouncing all around, echoing in the forest darkness.

The firelight seems distant.  Conrad guides you up to a bush.  From behind suddenly comes a great roar, making you both jump.  But nothing comes rushing out of the bushes, sinking fangs or claws into you.  Soon you can hear the growling and roaring on the other side of the camp fire.

Rulf moves cautiously and silently over the ground in the lead, stopping behind a tree trunk.

He motions for the two of you to hold up.  Conrad touches your shoulder as if to stop you.

The animal sounds continue, coming from all sides at different times.  In fact, they get louder, filling the spaces in the forest darkness hasn't filled up yet with echoes.

Rulf holds up three fingers.  Then two.  Then one.

Conrad whispers to you, "...stay close..."

Rulf starts to rush forward from his hiding place.

All noise stops.

Something silvery and gray hurtles out from behind a tree and crashes into Rulf's leg.

He's suddenly gone.

"Hell's Balls!  Run Young Master!  Back to the fire!"

Conrad turns, pushing you back the way you came.

Is Rulf gone, or has the silvery gray thing disappeared?

If you want to figure out where Rulf is, I'll need an Awareness/Per check.

As far as where the Silver Thing is...

You swear you see glimpses of the silvery gray out of the corner of your eye.  Much like the animal sounds from before, it seems to come out of everywhere and then move to another spot right away.

It occurs to you that everything is quiet.  You can't hear the animal sounds.  But you can't hear Rulf.  Or Conrad.  Or even the breeze or sounds of the forest.  You can see the campfire now.  Petronilla is nowhere to be seen.

Are you running towards the campfire?

Not yet.


17:15, Today: Tristan rolled 6 using 1d10-2 ((8)).

This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Thu 08 Feb.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 48):

Good roll.  You know. For Tristan's age group

No sign of Rulf.

You make out the silvery blur.  It's rushing this way from the direction of the campfire.  You think it might be a fox.  But it's moving awfully fast.

Conrad sees it as well.  He pivots to get between you and it.

"Run Young Master!"

Then he's gone.  Just...not there any longer.

The fox lands on it's legs about five feet to your right.  It's spinning around, apparently intent on charging at you.

For a split second Tristan considers trying to fight it, but wisdom soon prevails and he rushes back to the campfire.

You rush towards the campfire.  There's no sign of any of the others now.

As you just enter the circle of the flickering light, you feel something land against your back.  It's warm and soft but solid enough it causes you to stumble, pitching forward onto your hands and knees.

Then the weight is gone.

Something feels off.  You look up and notice how dark everything is.  The campfire seems to have gone out.  The only light seems to be the moonlight filtering through the trees.

You blink and notice you are kneeling at the foot of a large oak.  You don't recall seeing it before.  The oak seems to stand out.  The other trees seem to be too lost in shadow to be distinct.  This oak seems to lean forward from the darkness.  It's bark even seems an ashy gray as opposed to the blacks and dark browns of the rest of the forest.

No sign of the others.  Or that fox.

Tristan searches around for any equipment left at the campsite that he could still use.  This is assuming there even is a campsite.  Already, he suspects that he’s the one who has disappeared and that his companions are still back where they belong.  But his main goal is still to build a fire again.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Wed 14 Feb.

No campsite.  You only seem to have what is on you.

You do find some prints.  Footprints.  There are all sorts, but they seem to be recent...even you can tell that much...but they are all going away from the tree in different directions.

Do any of them look as though they might belong to my comrades?  If so, I’ll follow them.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 54):

You aren't a very skilled tracker.  So I'm going to say you can't tell if they belong to anyone you know.

But...

As you peer into the wet earth, you are able to make out a few details about the prints.

First, there seem to be four different sets of them.

Second, they are all larger than your own.  If size is an indication, three of the sets belong to men and one to a woman.

Lastly, the sets go off in mostly different direction.

The woman's prints head to the west.

One of the men's set goes around to the other side of the tree.

Two of the men's sets head to the north.

Being the aspiring playboy that he is, Tristan decides to follow the woman’s tracks.

The tracks skirt the clearing and then plunge into the forest.  The woman seemed intent on diving into every thorn bush and bramble she came across.  Because her trail tends to go that way.

Soon, you can hear soft weeping.

You come from around the tree into an opening in the forest.  A small brook winds through it.  Above, a moon that seems too silver shines down on the water.  The brook, which is only about five paces wide, doesn't seem deep.  Even in the pale moonlight, you can count the stones lining the bottom.

On the other side, kneeling by the bank, is Petronilla.  She's on her knees, face buried in her hands, weeping.

Not far from her, a small cross made of sticks lashed together with leather is sticking up out of the ground.

Tristan watches quietly, deciding it would be wiser to wait until he is spoken to.

There's a rustle among the bushes on her side of the brook.  Petronilla bolts upright, staring around her in wide eyed fright.  She seems to miss seeing you though.

After a moment, she dashes back into the trees, heading away from you.

The forest goes still.