Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

In Zuudaria
"Thank you for meeting here, Charles, Faith said, aware that there was a lot happening right at this moment for the man. "I think, if you'd be so kind, I'm going to go back with you." Charles looked at her and nodded his head, once. "You think it's significant?" His deep and gravelly voice was just the sort of voice which really intimidated her, but Faith had come to realise that the man (although very gruff) was fundamentally good. In many ways, he reminded her of Cyrus, Padraig's grandfather. In many others, of course, he did not.

"I do. Uthaldria, Sirothelle, they are both places which I think are likely to be important. I just hope that I'm not leading us on a wild duck hunt." The Sev'ryn man looked at her and Faith thought she recognised just the slightest twinkle of humour in his eyes. "So, give me the intelligence we have then." Faith asked and he nodded. They sat then, together, and worked through all the information. When she was sure she had it all, Faith nodded. "So," she said, and took hold of his hand as they stepped out of the door together. "Tell me about this place?"

In Uthaldria
"Mostly," Charles said, glancing at her. "It's filled with people who want to hunt monsters, be heroes, make a name for themselves. These lot, they were different." Faith nodded as he spoke, thinking about the situation he had reported. "We're going to go into the mountains after them, yes?" He nodded to her, and Faith sighed. "I hate the wilderness. I'd much rather a cosy sofa." He turned and looked at her in what seemed to be - and was - absolute amazement. "Too harsh for your delicate constitution?"

Faith considered it and nodded. "Yes," she said, quietly. "I'm a spoiled and pampered soul and I live in fear of breaking a nail." It was a very rare thing, but Charles chuckled at those words. "I don't think you're going to enjoy it here, then."

With a glance at him, Faith's expression turned more serious. "I have zero sense of direction. I get lost in my living room. I hope that's something you can take into account. I have no idea where anything is in relation to anything else, or where I am in relation to them." He nodded. "That must be difficult," Charles considered. "Only when up mountains. Or in jungles. Or forests. Or when in the armpit of a slumbering Immortal." He quirked an eyebrow at the last and she nodded, seriously. "Oscillus. Now there, it was cold." Faith smiled and nodded. Breathing in, she looked around. "Righteo. Let's get started."

She was never going to find her way around here, she knew. But, she had to try.

"How long will it take to get there?" Faith asked, and Charles looked at her with an expression of genuine appraisal on his face. "How much am I going to have to coddle you?" His question wasn't cruel, or thoughtless, it was just honest and needed to be asked. Faith smiled. "I have grown softer than I used to be, it is true and I would rather not be uncomfortable, but I slept on a floor for eighteen arcs, and my last owner taught me how to use cutlery. I won't slow you down." He raised an eyebrow at her and nodded.

"So, what they say about you is true? You used to be a slave?" Faith nodded her head. "In Athart?" Another head nod and she looked at him with a smile. He returned her gaze with an expression she knew well. He was appraising her, deciding if he believed it. She simply stood and let him come to his own conclusion. "I suppose then," he said, and in those three words Faith knew that they were fine, "you're tougher than you look?" With a mirthful grin, she nodded her head one more time. "Thankfully, yes." If she was any judge of character, Faith believed that this was the only time that she and Charles would discuss this. But, it needed to be spoken of.

"What experience do you have of wilderness survival? If any." It was an important question. Faith considered. "I was once kidnapped and taken to a Lich's secret mountain lair in the middle of the Scalvoris Mountains. I escaped, we fought him, we climbed down. My husband and I were once lost overnight in the woodlands outside Andaris, after jumping in a fast-flowing river to escape bandits who wanted to kill him and were drawing lots for who got first go at me. We also went to Oscillus and survived inside Treid, and Scaltoth Jungles, too. So yes, a little. Oh, and campfire slaving, too, a few times." He nodded and asked.

"So. Who is going up the mountain? Us, but who else and what do you want?"

Faith considered it and then spoke. "Us, Varlum, and ten others. Small enough that we can move quickly, not so few that we can't do anything. I want you to pick people from your cell who can survive, and fight. Preferably, able to be stealthy too." He chuckled at that, but nodded. Faith knew full well that she was being demanding. "And we go equipped for bear. Range, short distance, anti magic, everything we can think of."

Charles nodded. "That's going to take time to organise," he said and Faith considered the point he was making. "I agree," she replied. "So we won't leave until tomorrow."

He looked at her and sighed. The question, "you're joking aren't you?" dying on his lips because, quite obviously, she wasn't.

"I have to give it to you," Charles said with a smile. "You can organise yourself and others quite effectively." Faith looked at him and smiled. "You mean, I'm bossy?" He gave a slight almost-helpless shrugging gesture. Faith shot him a grin, well aware that there was no honest answer to that question which wasn't going to end with him in trouble. "Tell me about the weather?" Faith asked. It was more for Varlum and the others which she asked that question - cold and heat were equally of no concern to her. Charles nodded in thought. "It gets bloody hot, here. If we were in the Fields, we'd need protection, but as we go up, things will get more bearable." That was good. Lacing up her boots, Faith looked at him and nodded.

Unwilling to take a risk, of any kind, they moved once more to Zuudaria, where they could speak freely. Faith had her sword at her side, her bow slung across her back. The Domain Bag with all her supplies was draped across her shoulders. Magic items, too, but Faith knew better than to rely on any of these things. She glanced around at the ten people who Charles had gathered. "Thank you," she said, softly, "all of you. We have two of you who are scouting, yes?" The two in question raised their hands and Faith smiled. "Nothing is too small to report back. Nothing. If any have gone up before us, I want to know numbers, how they're travelling - and everything about their behaviour that you can tell me. It speaks a lot to what they are as people." Tracks, trails and the other basics of tracking were good, but she wanted to know everything. Numbers and equipment were just the beginning, although they told a lot.

The plan was, Faith said, that they would have the two scouts, two people also behind, covering tracks as well as they could without slowing up too much and behind them a half day behind the group, three people who were there with the aim of checking that the main lot weren't being followed and covering tracks more carefully. The main group of seven would make their way up. Faith had also considered that the best thing they could do was to have some air-support and information gathering so PB, her death diri, Shule, her diri of the Lake and a small hummingbird made from her blood (which was also a spirit in her blood) fanned out and flew high. They were all spirits, and they would be her eyes in the air. She suggested that those with companions did the same, but warned that there were many dangerous creatures here.

After that basic layout of the plan, she spoke softly. "The three of you who are a half day behind - I need to know if we're being followed - if there are more of them or... anything. Everything. Scouts use Echo Scrolls and report back on the hour. Are there any questions?"

There were a few, mostly about what the two who were just a little behind would do, and Faith explained their role as being seen to bring up the rear, to try and hide tracks, that sort of thing. Then there was the question of what they should do if they should encounter anyone. "Do not engage, but report. The information is what we need and we don't need any heroics. I'll let you know when it's crunch time," she said with a smile. That said, there were no more questions and they all headed back, then stopped to meet Varlum and began their treck.

Because they had to know what these people were planning on doing up this mountain where the Fracture was.

!

Message from: Aegis

In Zuudaria, Charles gives you the following information: There were somewhere between 30 and 50 people, all foreign. All intelligence points to them heading to the Ati’el Grand Fracture. They purchased equipment which suggests large numbers, and they are skilled in expeditions into wildernesses. Wells were detected, but the number, quality, and types were unable to be gathered. Feel free to self moderate as much as you feel is needed, however, contact me after each “round” of posts for any involved in these threads, so I can read and modnote/bomb if needed.