Blood and Wine - RPLOG
Participants
Date
19/5/477
Log
The area behind the Pallisades leading to the Canyon is filled with a few small pack animals, and a large Husky being. The being dressed in a varying amount of thick fur coats, with a thick broadsword strapped to his hip. The pack mules appear to be mainly laden with large kegs and barrels of what one assumes to be some of the finest Sweetwater liquor for the stout Thera'dorian defenders.
The wind itself was rather chilly indeed this day, blowing snow over the pallisades to give a gentle misting of the fluffy white weather... Leaving one's visibility sorely reduced to half of what they'd have on a normal and clear day, leaving much of the canyon out of their sight for the moment.
Cassidy rather liked the wind, all in all. And the snow was always beautiful, and it did wonders for covering her approach as she masked and hooded fennec drops from the sky, landed aside the pack mules to be escorted with the soft crunch of snow under her boots. "Hello, hello. I heard some help was requested. I am here to fulfill." She takes a moment to adjust her thick capelet before looking around the canyon.
Selena makes her way through the bitter mountain cold, smiling a little at the sight of snow. But, she's got a job to do - and so she does.
Approaching the caravans, she takes a brief moment to peer ahead for a few moments before she stretches out and yawns - the cold air partially warmed by her strange elemental. "So you're the being we're meant to be meeting up with?" She greets, rubbing her cheek a little. "I'll tell you what, you could've chose a better day!" Cassidy's arrival is met with a smile. "And here I was beginning to think nobody else was coming."
Johnny tredges upward towards northward keep, his weapons in hand in case he meets any of these dense manebacks or tainted ice creatures. When he reaches the merchant, ignoring everyone else present for a moment, he says "I heard you might have some valueable goods, let's talk business." Clearly he doens't know what the others are here for, although he glances sideways to inspect Selena and Cassidy.
Jera approaches the group with slow steps, his cloak offering him NOTHING against the cold with the holes purposefully cut in it, though that doesn't stop him from huddling up with his shortbow held in two hands and his cloak draped around him. He waves to familiar faces before approaching the caravan. "Always nice to have someone watching the back, hmm?" He smiles, chittering a little.
The Husky flicks an ear for a moment as his right hand tightens around the hilt of his sword when the other's approach, though it does loosen as they speak and he smiles for a moment before turning. "I am afraid I do not know what you mean my Lady, this weather is as lovely as usual for this canyon indeed... Though, let us be thankfull a majority of the shadows are gone from it." He gives a slight nod and adjusts his armaments before looking them all over, raising an eyebrow at Johnny. "Business? Business is simple my friend, aid me in seeing my holds of liquor through the canyon, and to the Thera'dorian fortifications, and be payed well for the hazards. The creatures around here can get rather desperate for food on occassion... But where are my manners? My name is Baldora, merchant of fine liquor."
Cassidy gives a warm, but unseen, smile to Selena. "Hello there. I am glad that someone I know is coming along for the trip. I'm not usually fond of traveling with strangers, but I'm put more at ease with you around, yes. But yes, it is nice to meet you, Baldora. I'm well and ready to handle the hazards."
Selena chuckles. "Well, I suppose it's just me then. The snow isn't doing anyone any favors, is it?" She replies with a slight chuckle - ensuring her elemental stays well away from the carts but close enough to warm her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Baldora. I'm Selena." She replies, the wolfess peering back down the pass again. "I don't suppose doing something about the snow would help, though? It tends not to help the speed of travel."
Johnny says "I'll be using that reward to secure provisions for Shanty Town, so let's get this over with. What do you need protection from huh?" he asks as he streches and looks around. "The maneback probably don't want your liquor, what else is the're?" he asks as he looks over the group once more. Hopefully this goes well, he'd hate to have his credit deminished by deserting a failed mission.
"You're probably wrong. Everyone in the world can appreciate liquor, even the gops." Jera grins, and then eyes the large containers that he'll be guarding, noting down any name in case he needed a new contact to smuggle from. "Seems like an easy enough job. We should move off as soon as we can. Else the later it gets the harder to see ahead, and the more beasts come."
Arriving late to the scene in the haze of snowfall, with the sound of brigandine and plate mail making contact, and hefting a rather large and dangerous looking spear over his left shoulder is a badger dark knight. It's difficult to tell who it is until he steps up and raises his visor, glancing around at the other beings. "Sorry. Bit late, I think... heard something about beast slaying?" he asks, and gives a smile to Selena in particular. "Good to see you again."
Baldora smirks gently to Johnny as he pats his own chest, and that of the nearest pack mule. "They don't, but they'd love to feast on myself of my mules... And if they kill a mule, then that's liquor lost. If they kill me? Well that's payment lost for you all I'm afraid." He gives a short nod to Cedric, before walking slowly to the front mule to grab it's reigns and walk a few feet forward. "No need to worry about the snow miss, it shouldn't impede the beasts too much. They make the journey rather well to be honest, and so our main issue is just making sure -we- don't freeze. To that extent, there's a merchant Alcove most use, that's close to the bridge. We should find some temporary shelter there before finishing the last quarter of the journey." The Husky awaiting the freeswords to follow after him, as he gives a slow walking pace at first.
Cassidy turns to follow after the husky, propping her arm up on the pommel of her sword. "Well, I'll do everything I can to make sure you make it through. I'd rather not see any lives lost here, today." She's quietly thankful for the warmth of the elemental, but she's determined to let nothing show from behind her mask.
Selena nods. "And I suppose we're being paid per cart that's safe?" She suggests, peering off into the distance. "...I really don't like the lack of visibility, but I suppose that can't be helped for now." She comments, moving forwards. "
Selena nods. "And I suppose we're being paid per cart that's safe?" She suggests, peering off into the distance. "...I really don't like the lack of visibility, but I suppose that can't be helped for now." She comments, moving forwards. "
Selena nods. "And I suppose we're being paid per cart that's safe?" She suggests, peering off into the distance. "...I really don't like the lack of visibility, but I suppose that can't be helped for now." She comments, moving forwards with the other beings present. "Wait, Jera - are you implying you've actually given a gop liquor?" She queries - and Cedric is given a fond smile. "I suppose the snow really had been making it hard to see each other."
Johnny snickers. "Ya I guess you got me there." he says to Jera before following the others, moving closer to Selenas elemental to keep warm."
"No, but liquor occurs naturally in the wilds too. Rotten fruit and the like. Gops eat anything anyway!" Jera laughs, continuing to rub his hands together. "Mmh, if you don't mind one more thing to watch, I can focus on making the winds a little calmer...see if I can't clear a bit of the snow ahead."
Cedric follows the others through the snow, crunching the accumulated whiteness under his bootstep as he remains alert and ready for anything. "Sounds like a good idea, yeah." the badger chuckles to Jera.
Baldora shakes his head as he begins to lead the group into the snowy pass, his pack mules huffing and trudging along faithfully behind him as he speaks loudly. "I'd leave the winds be myself, it provides us with cover and keeps are scent blowing away from them. Not to mention some of the weaker and more desperate ones will stay hidden from the wind for fear of their lives!"
The route led by the husky was indeed well traveled, and save for an old run down hut with a few snowy graves outside of it, and the occassional maneback that walked upon the group, to only turn and flee. The creatures appearing to not wish to engage in a fight with the group this time, and the snows aid n keeping them covered. So long as the group doesn't fall behind too much they soon make it to a small Alcove lit by a lantern in the side of the Canyon walls, sporting a small cart parked inside of it... Along side a felled merchant, torn and tattered from the wild beastsfeeding upon him. Though a large amount of jugs and chests are still intact in the cart. "Well, that's unfortunate..." Baldora says, before turning his gaze to his escorts. "That is why I do not like traveling without company."
Cassidy grimaces a little and nods. "Yes, I can see why. When I come up here alone, I like not having cargo to slow me down. Think there is anything we could salvage and carry on the rest of the way with us? If he was a trader, someone wanted those goods, so we should probably see about getting them there, shouldn't we?"
Selena nods back to the husky, looking up to the air for a moment, then looking to the looted cart and fallen mechant, looking somwhere between sorrow and caution. Though given her past actions it's a little difficult to tell. "... Now may be a bad time to mention, but there's something odd about this snow." She finally says, looking over to the rest of the group and shivering a little. "I can't quite put my finger on it, though... Either way, for now we should probably focus on them." She notes, peering at the creatures with a slightly sickened look.
Johnny looks the cart over and shakes his head. "Only if you want their wares. We don't need to deal with them otherwise. It's a shame to leave their chests and goods alone, although I betcha they won't spoil up here, but it's just more to deal with if ya ask me." He still brings out his weapons in case they come for live meat, but that seems unlikely with easy food already around.
"I think we should chase away the beasts if we can. No merchant is insane enough to travel here without at least a few good escorts. We......might get a lead on what's ahead if we can examine the bodies." Jera draws his bowstring during the pause, though holding the shot while he waits for Baldora to decide. After all, she's hired the escort. "There's enough there too to pay our keep, if you'd like."
Cedric steps into the cave, hesitant to take his eyes off the feeding beasts to even look at the cart for a moment. Keeping his voice lowered and not looking away from the beasts still, he gets his spear readied in front of him just in case. "There's not too many of them to deal with. We could leave them be or dispatch them, it doesn't seem to make much difference to me." he says indifferently. "Just need everyone in agreement as to what we're doing."
The manebacks didn't seem to mind the Freeswords, content to chew at the body before the snorting of one of the mules causes them to freeze. Instead of attempting to combat them though, the first one makes a dash for the exit by itself as the second drags the small folks' body with it as well in it's mad dash for safety!
Baldora shakes his head as he waves his hand and looks over the group. Not attempting to bar the creatures as they made their attempt at escape with the body. "It's unfortunate, but it is nature. Many young ones try this route without escorts, and soon end up feeding the manebacks... There isn't enough food here for them to pass by easy prey." The husky giving a gentle nod at the cart however before speaking slowly. "You can have whatever you desire from the wares though, we cannot ensure it reaches it's destination after all..."
Cassidy folds her arms under her capelet and approaches the cart, humming. "Well. It couldn't hurt to see if there was anything important here..." She slowly reaches out to check in the chests to see just what the merchant was carrying that he would do so alone.
Selena shakes her head a little as the being is dragged off into the pass, plainly clenching her teeth as she watches. "... It's a shame to see, though." She replies quietly, standing firmly in the snow - though she doesn't attempt to loot the remains of the merchant's cart or persue the manebacks. "It's probably not a good idea to stay still for too long though. If the manebacks organize themselves then we'll be in trouble too."
Johnny stays by Selenas elemental and watches. "If you need help ask but I'll just hang back and watch our surroundings for now." He says with a shake of his head. "We should get moving soon however, this is a bad place to be if they live inside."
"Yeah, we should move ahead." Jera invades the fallen trader's wares and pockets a large jug of spiced wine before scooting back to the group and clearing his throat. "Before what got them gets us too." He presents his unconvincing case to Baldora, popping the jug's seal and then smelling to check. "Mmh. Spiced wine. Helps keep people warm?" He sips, and chuckles.
And offers it around, once he is done.
"Unfortunate..." Cedric says, as he watches the manebacks make off with the small folk's body, shaking his head. He finally turns to take a look at the cart. With his clouded silvery plate armor keeping his warmth in, he appears rather indifferent to the cold. He doesn't make any movements to loot the wares until he watches the fox take a judg of wine, and with a shrug, he searches for another bottle to uncork it and take a drink. "Might as well... anyway, if we're done here, I'd agree; we should get moving." he says, after a sip of his plundered beverage, glancing to Selena. "You mentioned something odd about the snow before... how so? I haven't seen enough of it to know when it's odd..."
Baldora shrugs gently and moves to the cart, grabbing the extra boxes to sling onto his mules quickly as he speaks. "The Alcove is a merchant haven. I've spent many nights here myself... The only issue comes from a lone wanderer, like the poor lad we just saw. If the manebacks feel they have easy prey, they strike. But if you desire so, very well we can move onto the bridge quickly then... It'll be a little slow for the mules to cross it, but we're almost to our destination anyways."
Cassidy's curiousity is well rewarded as she finds a almost expertly crafted hand crossbow inside of a wooden box lined with velvet cushioning. The bolts do appear poisoned, and meant to help give that extra advantage!
Cedric's rummaging turns up a master crafted zweihander, perfect for massacring his foes while bearing a Snowmark emblem upon the blade! Surely lucky finds between him and Cassidy, that help to explain -why- this merchant appeared to be traveling alone.
