Necrophage

Caravan: Resurrection

Kel - Kanna Astorian's Estate

Riches were something that the Astorians generally had in abundance. Kanna was less wealthy than many of her peers such as her cousin Marvis but she had means available to her and enough sense to keep aloof of reckless affairs. Things were about to change though. Plans were coming into motion that would break the foundation of the government. Well, possibly. There was the chance it may have the opposite effect but either way it would eliminate a weakness from Kel's society.

Kanna's chambers weren't so prestigious looking as Marvis'. The most prominent fixtures were a fireplace, a large desk and a wall-sized landscape painting behind her seat. Various equipment and tools were lined along the walls as well as a few book cases. She was practical in her decorations. Knocking came at the door. Kanna cleared her throat and responded. "Come in." An eld with white hair walked in, one of Kanna's orphans before standing sideways at the door in attendance to the real guest. Following him was arguably the ugliest eld around, hood drawn over his head, red eyes bugging out and head bald. "Vetch. Retrieval went well I take it?" Kanna addressed.

Vetch pulled his hood back in respect and bowed deeply. "Of course, m'lady." He answered. Unfurling his jacket with one arm, he retrieved a sack of some of kind of dust from his inner pocket. "Courtesy of Finnick." Approaching Kanna's desk, Vetch placed the tightly bound sack carefully down on the surface.

Kanna beamed at him. "Ever the darling, Vetch. I knew I could count on you." She lifted the sack with a manicured hand to test its weight. Once she was satisfied she set to work on opening it. Pulling a drawer on the desk open she withdrew a small, purple pouch and scooped some of the contents of the sack out. Getting a good whiff of the powder she cringed and turned away. "As I'd only imagined this smells awful." She commented, sealing the little, purple pouch with a small leather cord. She placed it on the desk's edge and motioned Vetch to it. "I'm happy you acquired this for me, dear Vetch. Now I need you to test it."

The ugly eld bowed his head and smiled, only half of his face moving to smirk. It seemed he was happy to find himself even remotely useful. "What task would you have me do to test it?" He asked.

Kanna lifted her hand into the air and examined the top while she explained. "I need to find out if Finnick really delivered what I need. Black market incense isn't easy to get. Especially not Grimkin Bait." She smiled innocently at Vetch. "Take this in a ship south of Kell. You know how, ever so reliable Vetch." She complimented. "Once you're there I want you to test it by throwing the dust into a fire. The alchemists in Marrenfall made this concoction with a variety herbs. Fire causes that to become airborne and drives the Grim and their relatives into a frenzy to get to its source. If this works it will gather the Grim just south of Kell in a frenzied pack and prepare us for the next step." Her smile deepened into a sinister grin. "We'll be able to awaken the citizens to a danger they've nearly forgotten behind these walls."

Vetch graciously picked the pouched from the table corner and put it in his jacket. "At your will, m'lady, the world will better." He turned away and walked toward the door.

"Oh, and Vetch." Kanna asked. "Don't be on the shore when the Grim arrive." She snickered a little. "It would be a travesty to lose my dear Vetch."

Vetch nodded to her and walked out the door. The orphan attendant bowed and followed after, closing the door on the way out.

Leaning into the chair, Kanna tipped her head straight back to stare at the painting. "One step at a time."

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Jillaian Sea - South of Kel

Vetch focused on his job, spelling the already gathered water and mist by turning it into a shroud to obscure the smuggler dingy that carried him out of Kel. The captain remained at the helm as well as several of his crew. It was a small operation but the pay to them was decent. They would be able to come ashore soon if all went well.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - East Crags

The hills down from the pass were rocky and filled with crevices and other places to hide things. If Marilyn were down here it was possible she rolled into one. The search party needed to be careful of the other things that called those crevices home, assuming they weren't scared off by the earlier explosion. "Keep an eye on the cracks below, some of them are several feet deep." Daelin warned. "Any one of these could have caught Marilyn. Let's keep our eyes tight and stay close to the druid." He nodded in Ell's direction.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Centaurus

Daelin went as prompted, leaving the caravan and joining the others outside. He took a spot near the front of the group. "We're going to need to search down there." Daelin pointed down away into the ditch below and hilly terrain weaving below the pass. "The explosion wasn't directly from beneath the caravan. It was a miracle the whole thing didn't topple over and fly off the path to begin with." He reasoned. The explosion was set up closer to the rocky face opposite the trench below. If Marilyn was thrown it would have sent her careening down below somewhere in the hills and crags. If she were still alive she would be in critical condition. Daelin started to move to the edge of the path, pausing briefly to look back at Ell and the rest of the group. "Sooner we get her and get back, the sooner we can get to safety." Daelin explained. He personally didn't want to die but had enough moral fortitude to not want to leave without their comrade either.

The wind was gentle in the pass despite such paths generally having a wind tunnel effect. Rem stood resolute outside the caravan's cabin door. The door still remained open as the people moved and took to their roles. Rem took in the sight by scanning his head around. He drew in a deep breath to settle himself and turned half-way to speak to the cabin's inhabitants. "You will all survive this night." He promised before turning back and maintaining a vigil. It might seem safer to the others inside but Rem was used to being in the open. The caress of the wind always settled his nerves.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Centaurus

Rem nodded in affirmation of the idea. It shouldn't be too difficult to discover the fate of their pilot. He hoped on the inside that it wasn't death but that was a slim chance considering the state of the rest of the caravan. "I suppose I can agree with the sentiment." He stood up and stepped outside. There he stood, waiting, looking into the forest around them. "Ell, you can go ahead and guide them on their search. I'll stay and watch the others." Several broken arrows scattered on the ground from Zay's fight caught his eye. "After all, their enemies could still be out there." He mused.

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Daelin responded enthusiastically. "I'll go! If anyone'll head out there I should." He offered. The tracker was the closest to Marilyn when the explosion happened. By happen-chance he avoided any real injury. Daelin hefted the crossbow in his hands and stood straight. He shot an approving nod to Zay.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Centaurus

Daelin dropped his aim with the crossbow and slumped against the wall. "I could definitely go for a snack." He mentioned. Zay seemed to trust these druids so Daelin would for now but he'd be cautious. There was nothing sane about living alone in the wilds with beasts that eviscerated normal men without batting an eye. There was a certain hushed awe toward them. It would be great if their help was genuine. Time would have to tell.

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"I appreciate the offer but I'll pass." Rem answered as food was offered to them. "It's astounding we didn't hear the explosion from where we were. Ell and I were occupied with something rather nearby. It wasn't until we were close enough to hear your voices that we realized people were out here at this time of night." He explained. The caravan itself was in a dire position without any way to move.

Rem stroked rubbed at his chin as he mulled over what to do. "Is there any way to get the caravan moving or are the wheels completely out? If the caravan can't move we'd have to stay or escort you somewhere to ensure your crew survives." Rem frowned. "There is however not a possibility for me to stay. I have pressing matters elsewhere. If you can repair the caravan I might be able to help, otherwise it's off to the closest village for you until my task is settled." Rem concluded.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Centaurus

"Now, now. No need to hurl insults around. I see now my errors." Rem directed. He turned his head to Ellorei. "And you should too, we do not flaunt power because it is now ours, it is Gaia's." He gently scolded. The crew was indeed haggard by the recent events. It would seem that whatever happened had wrecked the caravan for the most part and left them without means to move. Poor venbu. "I feel for your situation. Being stranded out here without countermeasures is no fun task." Rem opened his stance to appear more negotiable and less aggressive. "We'll listen to what happened if you would be willing. Then we can figure something out." Rem stepped right through the door at Zay's behest.

The room was getting more claustrophobic with the addition of new people. Rem sat down on the floor against the wall, placing his staff against his shoulder. With a wave of his hand he beckoned Ell to come inside. "Myti aren't common around here. The fact that you encountered a hostile group of them is indeed unsettling."

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Centaurus

A crossbow, several men taking up battle positions and two men preparing magic to use. Not a very friendly welcome. Rem huffed a sigh. With a passing glance at the shirtless Zay and then between the garb of Flin and the various array of outfits and uniforms among the others, he wasn't certain whether they were bandits or soldiers. Rem swept a free hand up to scratch the back of his head. "You do realize you are quite the motley crew right?" He commented. Though to be fair he wasn't much of a great example of citizenry himself. The elder druid's own clothes made him look like the love-child of a bear and a tree.

Rem passed the staff along his front, holding it firmly against the ground with both hands before him. "You aren't highwaymen are you?" The druid made a particular nodding gesture toward Zay. "He certainly looks like one." He grumbled.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Caravan Ambush Site

Rem moved at Ellorei's pace, arriving right behind her as she discovered the caravan. It was indeed a wreck. The smell of blood and meat was heavy in the air from the literally blown apart venbu. The older druid brought his wrist up to his nose and kept his voice low. "When it comes to the fair races there is always a reason." He answered in response to Ell. "I don't see any movement around us yet." He paused, lifting an enchanted rein left in several pieces with the tip of his staff. He dropped it quickly as he heard more muffled talking from further beyond. The caravan itself looked to be mostly intact. A marvel that this kind of mess happened and yet that metal can was still whole. "Either bandits are still looting the cabin or we have survivors." Rem verbally noted. He hadn't seen any humanoid remains yet, of course he wasn't able to look at every angle of the scene either. He moved toward the cabin, his staff clacking against the ground every few steps.

The spell was readied in Rem's mind as he approached the door. There was no subtlety to his movements, no intention to hide. He moved straight to the door and clamored his staff against it three times.

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Baeshri Pass - Caravan Interior

Daelin nearly jumped... nearly. More of a small hop, really. Taking a good step away from the door, he raised his crossbow in preparation for the worst. "I really hope that's Marilyn." He prayed. Whatever was out there didn't seem like a beast, what the hell kind of beast would knock courteously? Daelin turned his head to the gathered crew. "Captain?" He addressed.

Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Pass - Crossing to Baeshri Forest

The dusty, beaten trail of Baeshri Pass narrowed as it became less hilly before running through Baeshri Forest and reaching the trade route. Ellorei and Rem were crossing this highway on the path to his cottage in Eastern Baeshri Forest. Night here was dark and generally quiet except the shuffling of animals and the breeze blowing through the trees. The noise coming from a little further up the path was out of the ordinary. Men shouting in the middle of the night were almost never heard unless it was some drunkard dancing around Lalifell as Rem passed.

Rem paused at the side of the pass, looking down the road and magically enhancing his vision to meet the low light. Rem spoke up with a hint of worry in his voice. "You hear that, Ell? There shouldn't be anyone out here. It's too dangerous." He rubbed at his brow with his forearm, pondering whether they should go and investigate. From here they could see the spire of stone just over the tree line like a single fang. Perhaps it was just a caravan crew turning in for the night. "What do you think? Should we see what this is? My friend can wait just a little longer without worry. My home is protected so she is safe for the time being." He asked Ell.

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Caravan: Resurrection

Baeshri Hills

As the purple dragonflies fluttered in Ell relaxed. She seemed no longer to be alert of the dangers as she probed her questions which was understandable. She was young and didn't realize that these dragonflies weren't acidic. The larvae on the mushroom wasn't there's. Rem huffed out a relieved sigh.

Rem planted his staff firmly against the ground and faced Ell to answer her question. "A friend? Sure. Anyone that means no ill will may be a friend of mine." Friendship came easily. Trust did not, even if it appeared he did. Ell was out here pursuing many of the same ideals that Rem did but their true goals didn't necessarily line up. Rem lived in the cities and pursued the secrets of sorcery for a majority of his life. His reasons for becoming a druid were not the same as Ell's and one day he would tell her why, but that was not today. He couldn't help but feel an admiration for her pure love of nature. Here she was looking up to him for his veterancy in the craft, one she aspired to and was practically born for. She was the ideal druid, someone worthy of the mantle and worthy of teaching and protecting.

Ell's second question was more complicated, one worth pondering and so Rem didn't answer for a few moments. It was clear he was thinking about the true answer to it when he finally shrugged. "Life is complicated and Gaia's answers are not always as cut and dry as we would like them to be. The cities are deserving of growth and nurture just as much as the wilds. Men, eldi, lok'sha, it does not matter who so long as their ideals are admirable and deserving then they deserve a chance to grow, to prove and to overcome. Your point with Marrenfall is well founded. I would deem them unfit of continuing their growth until they have learned how to maintain cleanliness and preserve what is around them. In this regard we become nurturers, teachers. We show them the way they should take." Rem turned his head to stare off into the night. "If only it were so easy. These days druids don't agree on much of anything with each other. The last time a gathering of druids agreed on something it led to a war." He shook his head at the thought of the event. "It didn't end well for anyone."

Rem outstretched a hand to the south. "Come. I have a friend to help and we still have a pass to cross before we get home." He directed.