ooc:
Taylen, I suggest you reread the skill rules at your earliest convenience.

You can't really tell if the glass is hollow or not. As for the protrusion, you can see no markings of any kind. Its surface is smooth. With the exception of a slight bulge near the end of the rod, it is the same width all along its 2' length.

"I do not know you." His words sound as if he is stating the colour of the sky or the fact that birds have wings.

ooc:
This is a dialog between myself and Taylen. Since no one else was in a position to track him down, we have moved ahead with his actions. This puts him about 2 hours ahead of the rest of the group right now. When the rest of you roughly catch up, I will continue with a situation update for Taylen and Aanile. If something interrupts these actions, I will cut them off at the appropriate point.

quote:

---

[23:15] [Taylen] Taylen stands back upright staring at the orb topping the structure. It still strikes him as odd that orcs would have something as sophisticated as a glass orb. He leans close to the orb and strikes it sharply but carefully with the pommel of his dagger, listening carefully to the sounds this makes.
[23:19] [Murdoc] From the sound you hear, the glass seems about as thick as the stained glass of a deity's temple. You can see a slight shudder where the coloring begins to fade.
[23:21] [Taylen] Taylen thinks back to the fluid gushing from the rings before and considers the possibility that the orb holds extra fluid for them. He puts his dagger away and considers the structure again. Reaching down he tries pushing on the knob on the end of one of the protrusions.
[23:22] [Murdoc] Which way do you push?
[23:23] [Taylen] Reaching down he tries pushing the knob inwards.
[23:24] [Murdoc] The rod feels slightly loose, and slides about an inch into the construct. You can push it no further.
[23:25] [Murdoc] You can feel it pushing back against your hand.
[23:26] [Taylen] Taylen thinks on this a moment, then releases the pressure on the rod.
[23:26] [Murdoc] As soon as you release, the rod snaps back into place.
[23:28] [Taylen] Taylen finds this odd and wishes he had three others there to try pushing all the rods in at once. He tries pushing downwards on the rod to see if it moves in any other directions.
[23:29] [Murdoc] The rod doesn't move downwards at all, no matter how hard you push. You might even be able to stand on it.
[23:30] [Taylen] Taylen smiles. Lifting his right foot and placing it on top of the rod he presses down firmly, testing the stability of the rod.
[23:31] [Murdoc] The rod is four feet off the ground. You find it very difficult to get your foot on top of it, and even more difficult to stay standing.
[23:33] [Taylen] Taylen places his hands on top of a piller of the stone and using his right foot as leverage lifts his left foot up so he is standing on the rod.
[23:34] [Taylen] (Ooc: and taylen remembers he had a torch in his hands, wonders what he did with it)
[23:38] [Murdoc] You find yourself in a very awkward position. Hanging by the tips of your fingers, you now have both feet up on the rod. The lowest part of your body is your rear end, which points towards the ground. Your unbent knees begin to strain. The backs of your heels press against the rod. You hold your torch awkwardly by one thumb, and its flame is not far past your other wrist. Not the best position for even one as nimble as yourself.
[23:40] [Taylen] Taylen lowers his left foot back to the ground then gfollows with his right foot. When he is back on the ground he takes a firmer grip on the torch and rethinks this.
[23:42] [Murdoc] You are now firmly balanced on the ground. Your fingers hurt a bit.
[23:44] [Taylen] Taylen flexes his fingers slightly and looks at the structure. Placing the hand holding the the torch firmly on the side of the piller, and placing his other hand firmly on top of the piller, Taylen tests his grip.
[23:44] [Murdoc] You can't really grip much on top of the pillar. The orb is in the way.
[23:45] [Taylen] Taylen shifts his free hand to the other side of the piller and tests his grip again.
[23:47] [Murdoc] This feels a bit more productive. However, the torch makes one of your hand grips rather flimsy, and you might not be able to shift your weight once off the ground.
[23:47] [Taylen] Taylen considers this, if he puts the torch down he won't be able to see while up. He searches the structure for a good spot to wedge the torch in.
[23:49] [Murdoc] There doesn't seem to be a good place. Its construction is fairly even all the way around, and just rough enough for your hands to grip. You could try balancing it on one of the other rods, but that might not work very well either.
[23:50] [Taylen] Taylen sighs and places one hand carefully on either side of the piller again. He places his left foot on the rod.
[23:51] [Murdoc] The rod is four feet off the ground. You find it very difficult to get your foot on top of it, though your hand grips help your balance this time.
[23:52] [Taylen] Bracing with his left foot, Taylen tries to get his right foot on the next rod around the structure to the right of the original rod.
[23:53] [Murdoc] Are you facing towards or away from the structure?
[23:54] [Taylen] Towards the structure.
[23:55] [Murdoc] You manage to get your other foot up, but this position is just as awkward as the last. Your legs are spread, with your arms reaching down. While more stable than before, you still need your hand grip to balance, and your face is firmly pressed against the glass orb.
[23:56] [Taylen] Taylen takes advantage of this position to examine the orb more closely while he tries to decide what to do.
[23:58] [Murdoc] You now have a more level perspective with the orb. The dark red coloring only comes about half way up the orb. The first inch of faded color appears only to coat the inside of the glass, but below that it reaches across the orb. The surface of it is perfectly flat.
[23:59] [Murdoc] This position is very uncomfortable on your nose.
[23:59] [Taylen] Taylen makes a small hop to the ground.
[23:59] [Taylen] (ooc ack hit enter too fast)
[00:00] [Taylen] Taylen makes a small hop to the ground, while bracing his hands on the stone.
[00:01] [Murdoc] You land on the ground with a small thud. For a second, your eyes cross, readjusting to having nothing in front of them. After that, you feel fine.
[00:02] [Taylen] Taylen stares at the orb and deciding he can learn nothing more from it at this time, walks across the camp to the eastern tent. He draws the flap of the tent aside, and ducking to keep the torch away from the fabric, enters the tent and looks around at his new suuroundings.
[00:04] [Murdoc] Northeast or Southeast tent?
[00:05] [Murdoc] << see the map. you came out of southwest >>
[00:05] [Taylen] Northeast tent.
[00:06] [Taylen] << sorry I was naming them by the dcardinal directions they were closest to making that east, the one I came out of before west.>>
[00:10] [Murdoc] A pile of assorted swords, axes, daggers, hammers, and spears lie in a pile to the right of the entrance. A battered chair sits against the left wall. On the far side, a tattered mattress leans against the wall.
[00:10] [Murdoc] The foot of the mattress sticks out nearly to the center of the tent.
[00:10] [Taylen] Taylen briefly looks over the weapons to see if any of decent quality
[00:12] [Murdoc] Several of them appear well polished, though none are particularly spectacular in quality. The majority of the weapons are blades, and many of those are bent or scratched.
[00:14] [Taylen] Taylen lifts the flap of the tent and ducks back through to the outside. He then moves to the Northwestern tent and lifting the flap ducks inside this tent and takes a brief look around.
[00:16] [Murdoc] All around this tent are scattered bones, along with a few clubs, and several large axes.
[00:16] [Taylen] Taylen kneels and examines the bones trying to decide what they belonged to.
[00:19] [Murdoc] You find a combination of ribs and long bones. It his hard to tell what they're from. Most bones are longer than your hand, but none are as long as your extended arm.
[00:21] [Taylen] Taylen rises wondering if this was the remain of butchered animals, prisoners, or both. He lifts the tent flap and ducks back outside, crossing to the southeastern tent he pauses a monet to take in what he has seen in the other tents. He then lifts the flap of the tent and ducks inside taking a look around the inside of the tent.
[00:24] [Murdoc] As you lift the flap of the tent, an aweful odor hits your nose. Several human skulls dangle on strings from the center of the tent. You begin to feel slightly nauseous.
[00:25] [Murdoc] Do you exit or continue to look?
[00:25] [Taylen] Taylen discovers what happened to the prisoners, but holds his breath and keeps looking around anyway.
[00:29] [Murdoc] This tent looks more like an alchemy shop than an orc home. A crude shelf on your right is lined with jars of humanoid and animal organs, including hands, hooves, horns, brains, and eyes. A small table, stained with many colors, stands near the far wall. Along the left side of the tent, a pile of straw with a few tattered pillows appears to serve as a bed.
[00:30] [Taylen] Taylen gulps a breath of air through his mouth and crosses to the table checking it for any drawers.
[00:33] [Murdoc] The air in here is thick with the smell of rotting flesh, and you grow slowly more nauseous the longer you stay. The table is an ordinary table. It does not have desk drawers.
[00:34] [Taylen] Taylen crosses to the shelves and checks them briefly for anything that might be of use.
[00:35] [Murdoc] If something is of use on these shelves, you either don't know what it's used for, or don't want to know. The smell is strongest by the shelves.
[00:35] [Taylen] Taylen quickly moves back to the tent flaps and brushing them aside, ducks out.
[00:36] [Murdoc] The fresh air does you good. After a moment, the nausea mostly fades.
[00:36] [Murdoc] In the center of camp, You can barely make out your companion and the two dead orcs. It has grown quite dark.
[00:37] [Taylen] Taylen moves to the center of the camp and examines the campfire, trying to see if it can be relit or if he will need to gather wood to fuel it.
[00:37] [Murdoc] The torch in your hand is still lit, but its light only reaches so far, and it has begun to dim.
[00:38] [Murdoc] What's left of the fire is mostly ash, though it would be a good place to build a new one with a few good sticks. The orc clubs are also made of wood.
[00:38] [Taylen] Taylen moves to the northwestern tent and considers the flaps. He pulls out his dagger and cuts the flaps away from the tent.
[00:39] [Murdoc] The tent is made from a tough hide. Cutting it would take effort.[00:40] [Taylen] Taylen puts the dagger away and pushign aside the flap ducks inside. Once inside he collects some orc clubs in a small pile.
[00:40] [Murdoc] You find five wooden clubs. The orcs were probably using the rest.
[00:41] [Taylen] Taylen picks up as many clubs as he can carry without dropping the torch.
[00:42] [Murdoc] You can fit three clubs under your arm, and carry a fourth.
[00:42] [Taylen] Taylen tucks three clubs under his arm and ducks back out of the tent, carrying them to the center of the camp.
[00:44] [Murdoc] You now have three clubs and a torch. The campfire is still not lit. You have yet to light a tent on fire. Freya still lies limp on the ground.
[00:44] [Murdoc] The two dead orcs are, well, still dead.
[00:45] [Taylen] Taylen lays the clubs by the campfire and heads to the southwestern tent. Pushing the flap aside he ducks in and grabs a broken crate.
[00:45] [Murdoc] You now have a broken crate. It isn't the same one as you grabbed before.
[00:46] [Taylen] Taylen looks in the broken crate.
[00:47] [Murdoc] This crate has several pages of parchment in it, making it about a quarter full. The crate itself is slightly more than a foot across.
[00:47] [Taylen] Taylen pushes the tent flap aside and carried the crate to the center of camp
[00:48] [Murdoc] You are now in the center of camp. Your left foot rests on one of the torches you dropped a moment ago.
[00:48] [Taylen] Taylen lays the crate down and gathers the parchement out of it.
[00:49] [Murdoc] There are somewhere between 30 and 40 sheets.
[00:49] [Taylen] Tayle removes his pack and sets it on the ground and transfers the parchement from the crate to his pack.
[00:50] [Murdoc] You stuff the parchment in your pack. Most of the pages get folded and crumpled.
[00:50] [Murdoc] A few rip.
[00:51] [Taylen] Taylen sets the pack by the structure and smashes the already broken crate.
[00:51] [Murdoc] Stomping on the crate doesn't seem to do the job.
[00:52] * Taylen goes to the northeastern tent, pushes the flap aside and grabs an axe.
[00:53] [Taylen] Taylen goes to the northeastern tent, pushes the flap aside and grabs an axe.
[00:54] [Murdoc] The pile scatters as you pull an axe free. One of the hammers nearly lands on your foot. The handaxe you picked up has a single small dent in the blade, but appears otherwise fine.
[00:55] [Taylen] Taylen walks back to campfire before remembering he already had a handaxe. He uses the orc's axe to chops the crate up neatly into small pieces of wood.
[00:56] [Murdoc] It doesn't chop terribly neatly, but the job's done. You have several flat pieces of wood. It comes to mind that the handaxe handle is also wood.
[00:57] [Taylen] Taylen takes his torch and heads to the edge of camp to find some small branches and tinder.
[00:58] [Murdoc] You are now at the edge of camp. Which edge of camp are you at?
[00:58] [Taylen] Eastern edge of camp
[00:58] [Murdoc] << adjusting map. please wait. >>
[01:03] [Murdoc] You are now at the eastern edge of camp. There appears to be plenty of small foliage and deadwood.
[01:04] [Taylen] Taylen collects a small armful of sticks and dry foliage, keeping it well away from the torch.
[01:04] [Murdoc] You now have several branches under your arm. It's a good thing you're wearing armor, or this would be quite uncomfortable.
[01:05] [Taylen] Taylen carries the pile back to camp and sets in on the center of the old fire.
[01:07] [Murdoc] You now stand in the center of camp. One foot rests on the side of the handaxe blade. Your torch begins to flicker.
[01:08] [Taylen] Taylen quickly piles some boards and a couple torches in the firepit making a small stable construction. Then standing a short distence off he thrusts the torch into the tinder.
[01:08] [Taylen] (Ooc torches should read clubs)
[01:12] [Murdoc] The tinder quickly lights fire. Fortunately, it's not quite as big a fire as last time. In the new firelight, you can see the camp decently, much like in the twilight as the sun set, and Freya's face is bathed in an orange glow. The construct casts a shadow over her body and legs.
[01:12] [Taylen] Taylen looks in his pack and examines the parchement he pulled from the crate.
[01:14] [Murdoc] The paper appears crumpled, folded, and slightly off white with age. It has no visible writing on it. About an hour has passed since you bound Freya's wounds.
[01:14] [Taylen] Taylen goes to check on Freya's bandage.
[01:14] [Murdoc] Freya's bandage is still there.
[01:15] [Taylen] Taylen checks to see how soaked it is with blood.
[01:16] [Murdoc] It was already soaked with blood around her wound, and continues to be so. The blood has not dried, but does not appear to have spread much.
[01:16] [Taylen] Taylen goes back to the fire and pulls out his torch.
[01:17] [Murdoc] You singe your hand, and pull it back by reflex. That might not have been the best idea.
[01:17] [Taylen] Taylen sighs and pulls a new torch out of his pack, and sticks the head barely in the fire.
[01:18] [Murdoc] The torch flares up quickly, and blinds you for a second. After that, your eyes readjust. You now have a lit torch.
[01:19] [Taylen] Taylen heads for the Southwestern tent and pushing the flap aside, ducks into the tent once more.
[01:20] [Murdoc] You are now once again in the tent. None of the crates have moved as far as you can tell.
[01:21] [Taylen] Taylen randomly chooses an unopened crate and looks over it for labels and other markings hoping to find some clue as to it's contents.
[01:26] [Murdoc] You have now gotten into the habit of not lighting things on fire with your torch. The first crate to catch your eye is a long slender crate, marked with three concentric circles like a practice target. This crate comes from Vista Greater Shipping. There are words on it in a language you don't know.
[01:26] [Taylen] Taylen sighs and pulls out his dagger, using it to pry open the crate.
[01:27] [Murdoc] The crate is not afraid of your dagger.
[01:27] [Taylen] Taylen sticks the dagger blade under a board on the crate.
[01:27] [Murdoc] << It's late. I'm starting to act like Zork. >>
[01:27] [Taylen] << Aye a strange version of zork>>
[01:28] [Taylen] << shall we call it a night then?>>
[01:28] [Murdoc] << No, I can continue. Just remember, I'm enjoying this >>
[01:29] [Taylen] << I noticed>>
[01:29] [Murdoc] Your dagger is now wedged into the crate near one end. The boards begin to separate.
[01:30] [Taylen] Taylen pushes down on the dagger while pushong down on the other end of the crate with his other hand, making sure to keep the torch upright.
[01:32] [Murdoc] One of the long boards bends, then cracks in the middle, leaving a gap 6"x18". Several nails stick up from around the board. Inside you can see several scrolls.
[01:33] [Taylen] Taylen has never seen scrolls transported like this before and puts the dagger away. Carefully taking hold of one piece of the broken board, he moves it enough to be bale to remove a scoll.
[01:34] [Murdoc] The already cracked piece of board breaks free, and moves aside easily. If you're wary of the nails, you can get a scroll out.
[01:35] [Taylen] Taylen carefully removes a scroll, being careful to avoid the nails. He examines to outside of the scroll, checking for mage marks.
[01:36] [Murdoc] There aren't any markings on the outside of the scroll that you can see.
[01:36] [Taylen] Taylen unrolls the scroll and attempts to read it.
[01:38] [Murdoc] You manage to unroll the scroll. It does not explode, burn, attack, evaporate, or otherwise react to being unrolled. The writing inside is in the same language as you saw on the crate.
[01:39] [Taylen] Taylen chuckles, he should have figured the scroll would be unreadable. He rollls it back up and places it carefully in the crate. Looking around he takes a quick count of the number of crates both broken and unbroken.
[01:40] [Murdoc] Including the crate you just broke, there are four opened. You can see between two and three dozen unopened crates.
[01:42] [Taylen] Taylen sighs softly as this is going to take awhile to see if anything is of use. Moving in a circle from the crates closest to the tent flap he moves around the tent to the right checking the labels of the crates for any trading houses he recognizes, and more importently for some clue as to the contents of the individual crates.
[01:44] [Murdoc] There are crates marked with the symbols of more than half a dozen trading companies, including the two you have already noted. Most give no indication of their contents, at least not that you can make out. Most crates are plain, but one small box stands out...
[01:45] [Taylen] Taylen picks up the small box that stands out from the rest and examines it closely.
[01:50] [Murdoc] Roughly four inches by four inches across and a foot long, this box has ornate-looking metalwork at all eight corners. It has no visible seams along its length, as if carved from a single piece of wood, and the wood itself is perfectly smooth. A single elven word adorns its surface: "VIVE", the word for life.
[01:51] [Taylen] Taylen checks for a clasp or other way to open the box.
[01:52] [Murdoc] You see no clasp. The metalwork at the corners appears to hold the endcaps in place.
[01:53] [Taylen] Taylen examines the metalwork closer to see how to open the box.
[01:57] [Murdoc] Aside from splitting the wood, your best bet is the ends. There is no visible latch or hinge.
[01:57] [Taylen] Taylen tries to remove the endcap
[01:58] [Murdoc] it's held in by the metalwork. removing that first might help
[01:59] [Taylen] Taylen tries removing the metalwork
[02:00] [Murdoc] You can't grip it very well with your fingers.
[02:01] [Taylen] Taylen sighs, doesn't want to break the box. Tayle tries intoning, "Vivi."
[02:02] [Murdoc] Nothing happens.
[02:02] [Taylen] Taylen gets out his dagger and considers using it to pry the metal work off.
[02:02] [Murdoc] The dagger looks sharp. It might work.
[02:03] [Taylen] << I'm resisting the urge to ask the sharp dagger's opinion.>>
[02:03] [Murdoc] << *snicker* >>
[02:03] [Taylen] Taylen slides the dagger point under the metalwork and prys it gently off.
[02:05] [Murdoc] You pry off one metalwork corner. It provides only a little resistance, and pops off. One down, three to go, at least on this end.
[02:05] [Taylen] Taylen does the same to the other three corners on this end of the box
[02:06] [Murdoc] You successfully pry the corner seals off the box. The endcap falls out, along with a few strands of straw. You may now look inside the box.
[02:07] [Taylen] Taylen looks inside the box
[02:07] [Murdoc] The box is packed tightly with straw, possibly padding for something fragile.
[02:07] [Taylen] Taylen gently removes some of the straw
[02:08] [Murdoc] You see a small cork.
[02:08] [Taylen] Taylen reaches in the box and feels just under the cork.
[02:08] [Murdoc] You feel a glass vial.
[02:09] [Taylen] Taylen carefully removes the glass vial
[02:09] [Murdoc] The vial appears to have a dark red liquid in it, the exact same color as the fluid in the glass orb outside.
[02:10] [Taylen] Taylen uncorks the vial
[02:10] [Murdoc] How is the vial oriented?
[02:10] [Taylen] Since I pulled it out by the neck, it is oriented upright
[02:11] [Murdoc] You uncork the vial. It does not explode, burn, etc. The fluid inside has a very faint sweet smell to it.
[02:12] [Taylen] Taylen recorks the vial
[02:12] [Murdoc] The vial is now sealed.
[02:13] [Taylen] Taylen holds the vial carefully, and pushing the flap aside exits the tent.
[02:14] [Murdoc] The campfire is still burning. Nothing has really changed.
[02:15] [Taylen] Taylen walks over to where Freya lays and kneels beside her laying the torch in a dry patch of ground.
[02:18] [Murdoc] Freya does not react to your presence. She lies on her side facing the fire, with her wound turned upward. Her limbs lie limply on the ground.
[02:19] [Taylen] Taylen uncorks the vial and gently turns Freya's face upwards supporting her head with his free hand.
[02:20] [Murdoc] Her head is now turned sideways, facing up. Her mouth is open slightly, just enough for breathing.
[02:20] [Taylen] Taylen pours a small aount of fluid from the vial into her mouth.
[02:22] [Murdoc] The fluid burbles in her throat for a second, then stops. She doesn't swallow, but a slow wheezing tells you she has started breathing through her nose.
[02:22] [Taylen] Taylen gently pinches the nape of her neck and rubs,
[02:23] [Murdoc] Freya reflexively swallows. Nothing happens.
[02:23] [Taylen] Taylen sighs and lays her gently back down/
[02:23] [Murdoc] The vial is three quarters full.
[02:24] [Taylen] Taylen thinks he should have checked for instructions in the box.
[02:24] [Murdoc] You could go back if you wanted.
[02:25] [Taylen] Taylen picks the torch up
[02:25] [Murdoc] There is a torch in your hand. It is still burning.
[02:26] [Taylen] Taylen walks to the southwestern tent, and pushing the flap aside enters the tent. He picks up the small box the vial came in and checks it for instructions.
[02:27] [Murdoc] There is only one word written on the box.
[02:27] [Taylen] Taylen pushes the flap aside and exits the tent. He walks back to Freya's side and kneels by her laying the torch back in the dry area.
[02:28] [Murdoc] Freya's head has slumped back down to face the fire again.
[02:28] [Taylen] Taylen lifts her head gently again and turns it upwards
[02:29] [Murdoc] The moon begins to crest over the horizon. Freya's eyes are closed. Her mouth is still slightly ajar.
[02:30] [Taylen] Taylen pours some more liquid into Freya's mouth.
[02:30] [Murdoc] How much?
[02:30] [Taylen] The same amount as last time.
[02:31] [Murdoc] Once again, there is a slight burbling in the back of her throat, and she begins breathing through her nose.
[02:31] [Taylen] Taylen once more pinches the nape of her next and rubs
[02:31] [Taylen] next=neck
[02:32] [Murdoc] She swallows. It still has no noticeable effect.
[02:32] [Taylen] Taylen wonders if he can pour the remained of the bottle in her mouth.
[02:33] [Murdoc] No one is holding your hand back except you.
[02:34] [Taylen] Taylen pours the same amount in her mouth this time as the previous two times, then pinches the nape of her neck and rubs.
[02:34] [Murdoc] You get the same reaction as before. Her eyelids flutter slightly, but she doesn't awaken.
[02:35] [Taylen] Taylen pours the same amount in again, repeating the motion of pinching the nape of her neck and rubbing
[02:36] [Murdoc] You empty the last of the vial down Freya's throat. After she swallows, her eyes flutter, then slowly open.
[02:36] [Murdoc] << we should stop here >>
[02:36] [Taylen] << yes we should>>

---

"Ah, you are correct, my oh-so-fine friend. You do not know me. Allow me to introduce myself."

Jean removes his beret, and makes a sweeping bow.

"I am Jean-Olivier D'Underhill, friend of iguanas, comrade of komodos, and guarder of geckos."

Jean pauses, and scratches his chin.

"But you would know nothing of those, as they are silly halfling fairytales."

Jean looks up at the lizardman.

"And you are?"

"I am Drakkenclaw Steeltalon."

Then, after a slight pause, he continues.

"You have a very long name."

Most of your equipment is still with you. Because Ara had been hanging from your arm, you hadn't taken out your spellbook, so it is still in your pack. The quarterstaff, however, remains by the riverside where it fell a while ago. It seems that the ones who gave you your headache had more pressing concerns than pilfering your supplies.

Jean grins.

"It seems that there are orcs about. Be wary, Drakkenclaw Steeltalon. The dwarf over there seems to have already had a meeting with them, and I think a mutual understanding was reached. It seems that they hate us, and he hates them. Works out quite nicely, yes?"

He then bends his legs slightly, before softly sitting in a cross-legged rest. He looks about the area, before speaking in a series of short-clipped sentences.

"Predators will be lured to this area by the scent of blood. A fire will deter them, but you should try to also find the others. They will not be safe so far away."

Jean looks around lazily.

"Hmm. I think two of our party is still at large."

Jean scratches his chin in thought.

"Ah well."

Jean shrugs.

"Perhaps the best course of action would be to leave this area, so we are away from this attractor of oh-so-large beasts who like to feast on little winged girls?"

Jean flashes a smile at Ssaessira.

"She is not in danger. A fire would keep away all but the most desperate of creatures. Save your worry for those outside the light of a flame."

[Silvan]

"Let him do as he pleases," Silvan responds, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's not like much else can go wrong. The dwarf will be fine. Right now, it might be more prudent to find shelter for the night. Once the others return, we can set up shifts for a night watch." Giving the area a quick glance over, he announces loud enough for the lizardman and the two smaller folk to hear, "We should camp on the other side of the water. The orcs came from this side, and if there are more of them, it will give us a bit of warning."

[/Silvan]

The dwarf's chest is red with blood, with a makeshift bandage slung over it. The strap of cloth is too short to tie around the dwarf's body, and does little good as it is now. You cannot see the injuries themselves through Khazmon's armor.

Falaanla

The lizardman, who you now know as Drakkenclaw, has carried you over the bridge to the two dead orcs on the edge of the stream whose fingers you pulled rings from earlier this evening. Half hidden in the dim light of the yet-moonless night stands the halfling, whose presence is mainly given away by his flirtatious conversation.

Jean cracks a smile.

"Merely in jest, my oh-so-fine friend. Say, you would not have any inkling of where the other two members of our oh-so-motley band have gone?"

"My ho... my monas... the monastary was far from any others. And we never spoke in such a confusing manner as you."

The lizardman then sniffs the air tentatively, before lowering his head in a sort of light daze.

"It is very late for a hunt, and your land is strange to me. Their scent, if is here with these bloodied forms, is lost in them. I could try to stalk them, but no creature naturally keeps the pace you do. Going without rest or prey is not the way of the wild."

Jean jogs over to the other group briskly.

"We must be hasty. The blood around will draw animals, you see, animals who would so not mind taking little bitesies out of us."

Jean scratches his chin.

"Or perhaps not so little bitesies. No matter. We must find our two missing compatriots. I do believe that my oh-so-fine newfound friend, the lizardman over there, may be able to track them, but any sort of lead would be good to start on. Do we know the last direction in which the pair headed off?"

"Don't worry yourself about those two," Silvan responds to the halfling's suggestion. "They're used to fending for themselves, from what I've seen so far. Taylen is obviously an elf of the wood, as he's managed to navigate this area quite well without so much as a compass. As for the fellin girl, she's more likely to be predator than prey."

[/Silvan]

Ara looks over at Silvan for a moment. "But what about us?" she asks. "I for one don't know a thing about the woods, aside from the fireside tales I heard as a child. There are all sorts of dangerous things out here, like wolves and bears and orcs and goblins and... and wisps, and... I want to go home!" Wrapping her arms around Aust, she lays her head against his shoulder, and closes her eyes, shivering slightly.

"You just aren't listening. A fire will keep the creatures away. It is not common in the natural world."

ooc:
Willias, you need to pay more attention to the differences between what you know and what Aust knows. Aust was either asleep or unconscious during Ara's "transformation". He hasn't asked how long he was out, or who the elven woman is who now shows such concern for him. She also seems to know his name.

Craning your neck proves very uncomfortable, and you cannot hold the position for long without seeing stars in front of your eyes. You can feel the dwarf's breathing as you pass your hand over his nose and mouth. Khazmon's breaths are shallow and erratic, and his chest does not appear to move. The elven woman's arms reaching around you from behind make the examination a bit more difficult. Fortunately, her grip does not apply too much pressure nor weight, leaving you a limited range of free movement.

IC: Aust pulls his arm back, and pushes himself, up with his staff, into a standing position, and pulling himself away from the elven girl. He turns around and says loud enough for the halfling, the lizardman, and Silvan to hear, "Khazmon is worse off than you say he is Silvan, he's pretty sliced up, and I dunno if he'll pull through his current wounds. We need to get to where-ever we are going, and the sooner the better."

[ 06-17-2002: Message edited by: Willias ]

"Come now, Aust, you can't be so gullible as that," Silvan chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest. He cocks his head slightly upward, but no so much as to look foolish. "He isn't bleeding you know; the blood on his chest came off an orc. Probably managed to get in a few good swipes before they battered him silly, that's how I'd wager it. Besides, the orcs all had clubs, so if the dwarf is 'sliced up', as you put it, then we have more pressing concerns. I'd hate to think there was a backstabber among our little band." With his last statement, Silvan looks down his nose slightly, sighting the halfling with a brief glare.

[/Silvan]

Ara cuts in as quickly as she can after Silvan's statement, trying to draw attention away from the elven man's subtler hints. "Let's get that fire started. I'm sure we don't have to worry about any orcs. They would have done something by now if they were still around. I mean, orcs aren't the smartest creatures, after all. We should build a fire. Where do you want to build a fire?" Her speech is hasty, with a slightly nervous undertone, but she still preserves as much of the Elven accent as she can manage.

"I do not know who you are, but you seem oddly concerned over a simple fire."

He then turns, gazing across the visible surroundings for a suitable spot to try building a fire.

"It must be near this giant water trough, but not too close. We do not wish to waste tinder by losing it the rain's generous gift. The air must be wet, however. I shall not have the lives of all these creations on my head because of a fire gone wrong."

"I would've expected you to have heard me before... no matter."

He turns stiffly towards her, and repeats his bow quickly.

"I am Drakkenclaw Steeltalon."

[Silvan]

Silvan rolls his eyes at Ara's performance, but otherwise does not interrupt. He watches patiently, evaluating her performance in his mind. Once she draws the conversation back to starting a fire, he speaks up, "Well, enough milling about then, unless the lot of you take greater comfort in discussing a fire than actually having one. We'll need tinder, dry wood, and I have a flint in my pack. Drakkenclaw, would you be so kind as to gather some wood. Ariana, you and the halfling gather some small twigs and dry grass for kindling while I determine a suitable site."

[/Silvan]

ooc:
Pokey pokey, Falaanla.

Also, recapping for Reyolen, since he's due back from his trip.

"Hi!" The voice comes from Ithar, who has found his way to a perch on top of Drakkenclaw's head. "Bath done. I hungry. You hungry? Big uglies smell funny." The little bird chirps.

Willias

It seems you have been excluded from the assignment of tasks for firebuilding. With your current condition in mind, this seems to make sense. Ruvyen is still lying in the same awkward position, wearing the same armor. Your other companions seem a bit reluctant to begin their respective firebuilding tasks.

Drakkenmaw

You can feel a slight touch on the top of your head, and hear a small, high-pitched chirp. The winged girl still rests on your shoulder. It seems you're starting to become rather popular as a perch.

Reyolen

At this point, the only members of your group unaccounted for are Taylen and his fellin companion. After a lengthy bit of debating over such matters as Khazmon's condition, and whether to start a fire, you've decided to get things a bit better organized. It's hard to tell if the others are listening though, as they have yet to respond or react to your organizational efforts. Ara (or Ariana, as she has chosen to call herself) is proving to be a decent actor, even if her accent does prove slightly lacking to your discerning ears.

Bridge Group

It has grown late into the evening. The sun has long since set, and the light chill of the night air has returned. Nothing stirs in the woods around you, save for an occasional bird or other small animal.

"Nice perch there, Ithar! And yes, I am hungry too, I haven't eaten all day. What did you have in mind?"

ooc:
You there, Artty?

Ithar remains quiet for a moment, perched on the lizardman's head. He looks around at the trees and bushes, and at your companions close by. "Dark," Ithar notes, then blurts out a few seconds later, "Yay, berries!" Your companion leaves his perch, and ducks into a nearby bush. "Hello berry, are you blue? If you blue then I eat you!" Ithar says in rythmic verse. "Hello berry, are you red? Maybe I eat you instead!"

Drakkenmaw

You feel the little bird leave your head, as it darts past the corner of your vision into the nearby foliage. The night is very dark, as the leafy roof overhead blocks out what stars you might otherwise see.

Arttemis

It seems your companions have found a fair complement of topics for debate. First they debated whether or not the dwarf is bleeding to death. Next they debated whether to make a fire or not. They seem to mostly agree about making a fire, but the only one making an effort towards it is the haughty elf... and his only effort so far has been giving orders to you and the others.

The winged girl up on the lizardman's shoulder has been fairly quiet through the conversation. She seems a bit preoccupied with something or other, though you can't really tell what from this vantage.

"Oh, aye, milord. Do not worry about inconveniencing yourself! I, Jean-Olivier D'Underhill, am at your every beck and call."

Jean scoffs.

"Silly noble-sorts. Almost as bad as kingly-sorts and priestly-types, and guardsmen, and..."

Jean rattles off a list of other "types" and "sorts" as he begins to search around for kindling.

He then turns to the others and gives them an impatient look and sighs.

"You have very strange companions, friend. They waste time on common sense advice, and then send me to carry it out when I cannot see and am very sore from being active so long after being struck by their defenses last evening."

He then sighs.

"Do you carry light with you, friend? I will need one."

The spot where you're standing doesn't appear to have much in the way of deadwood, and the grass beneath your feet seems quite healthy in its own right. Perhaps you would have fairer luck further from the stream, though it would mean giving up on what paltry light comes through the gap between the trees on opposite sides of the stream.

"I don't suppose one of you oh-so-fine gentlemen would happen to have a torch? It is a bit dark, you know."

Silvan pulls off his backpack and looks for his flint and steel and his torch. Once he finds them, he takes them with him as he looks for a proper spot to make a fire, far enough away from trees and flammable objects.

From where you're standing, there's only one place far away from flammable objects. It has been right in front of you (or behind you) this whole time, but generally been overlooked. With night having already set in, it's unlikely that anyone will be travelling along the road before daybreak. Everywhere else appears to have grass or other foliage growing, except for along the very edge of the stream itself. Without further knowledge of the terrain, you can't really tell yet if a more thorough search would reveal anything else.