Silent Slough

[Drathiranon]

Slog need no help from weak armored lady.

His red eyes gleaming under narrow green eyelids as he shares his opinion of seeing the strange weakness of character (in his opinion, that, ) Daleah previously displayed. It makes him angry to think at any given moment her emotions might jeopardize others and their mission.

Harness mended, you can go away now.

He turns away from her, his red eyes remain glaring as he passes.

Bludgeon grunts in agreement with Slog. Her green eyes look off to her surroundings for more carrion birds. The orc woman spreads out among the trees looking for traps and to collect more bodies.

Llelanni, from a distance, observes the interactions between the orcs and human woman. The dark elf then pats Cervid on the side on the neck, encouraging him to move closer to the scene. She stops, allowing Slog and Bludgeon to move on. Llelanni, still riding the moose, then also addresses Daleah once the orcs have left the scene.

I understand you want to salvage souls. Though, you also must understand there is a need for preferential consideration concerning other members of the group who may be endangered by such behavior. We have to work together as with one mind in order to survive our perilous journey. If you wish to remain with us, you must consider carefully the consequences for your actions.

[Ssin'urn Streea]

The trail is still clear, save for the goblin bodies now completely visible in the rapidly melting snow.
The orcs find a few more goblin carcasses among the muddied grass and a few other pit traps.
All of the clothed goblins have a dagger or two and a chunk of salt in their possession.
Tarvis' goblin has a few small trinkets. A little brass jingle bell, a crust of dried bread, a chunk of salt, a tiny marble sphere, and pocket knife in his belt sack.
Upon close inspection the picket knife has a light blue aura of magic around it.

For the Paladin:
When the goblins accepted her words, they meekly requested cremation so that they might be cleansed of evil influence and find grace among the departed.

[Bhaern Quel]

Tarvis collects the little brass jingle bell, a chunk of salt, a tiny marble sphere, and pocket knife. Leaving the crust of dried bread and belt pouch. As he carries over the body speaks to faithful.

Lady Llelanni, Lady Daleah if I recall correct the Goddess burns the evil foes. Should we burn these least they be raised as undead?

Drops the body into the pit. Then steps toward Elron.

Elron maybe you can detect the power of this?

Passing the pocket knife to him.

Elron takes the knife and plays a quick tune of identity.

[Lianaila of the Wood]

Daleah, instead of appearing hurt by the orc man's words, seem to reflect compassion in her eyes. She understands his contempt for what he perceives as weakness but he is also of decent character, even to consider desposing properly of the dead.

She looks to the dark elf then to Tarvis, questioning in her mind what kind of trouble with the undead the group has endured and seek to vanquish.

Yes, of course. The Dark Maiden believes in promoting peace, positive change, and understanding. A pyre is an excellent choice, especially considering the circumstances.

She looks again to Llelanni.

Thank you for your kindly admonishment, Llelanni. Sometimes engaing in combat and destruction are necessary as part of the struggle against evil, but it is not a divine mandate, at least in a place under Eilistraee's protection.

[Drathiranon]

Bludgeon and Slog search the goblins' remains, drop the bodies into the hole, and pair up to gathering kindling.

Llelanni contemplates the meaning behind the paladins words. Where did this woman come from? Daleah must be referring to having respect for The Dark Maiden's alignment with chaotic good that grants mercy and infuses hope without inflicting destruction for the cause of vengeance. But somehow all this does not sit right with the dark elven woman. Nevertheless, she would set her thoughts aside and not challenge further, for the betterment of the situation and all involved.
She simply nods and pats Cervid's neck, signaling him to move back to the trail.

We need to be back on the trail while the day is still young.

[Ssin'urn Streea]

Tarvis collects the little brass jingle bell, a chunk of salt, a tiny marble sphere, and pocket knife. Leaving the crust of dried bread and belt pouch. As he carries over the body speaks to faithful.

Lady Llelanni, Lady Daleah if I recall correct the Goddess burns the evil foes. Should we burn these least they be raised as undead?

Drops the body into the pit. Then steps toward Elron.

Elron maybe you can detect the power of this?

Passing the pocket knife to him.

Elron takes the knife and sings a quick tune of identity.

As the bard steps forward and presented the crudely crafted pocket knife a shining gemstone on the handle catches his attention. With the commencement of the tune, Elron's flute produces, it's voice weaves through the air with lilting melody of Identify, a faint shimmer surrounds the pocket knife. Its crystal-encrusted handle glows with a gentle, pulsating blue radiance.
Within moments, the bard's eyes may widen slightly as the magic begins to reveal its secrets.

For Elron:
A crudely made pocket knife, enchanted with a radiant crystal and an enchantment. The crystal handle is imbued with magic that allows it to attune to whomever holds it forv24 hours, the knife will recognize as its owner. Its soft blue aura reveals a connection to divine or radiant energies. It bears the innate ability to turn undead. Perhaps, in part, forged by a divine, dwarven, or fey craft. The blade's magic responds to the presence of undead creatures, Its wielder has the means to dispel or destroy them with a word. It is recharged by 3 good deeds great or small. It can be used 4 times a day.

The shimmering glow dims slightly as the spell concludes, leaving the bard with his newfound knowledge of the enchanted item.

[Bhaern Quel]

Tarvis adds some wood to the pit.

There is no time to build a pyre and there would be risk of forest fire. A pit fire will serve well. Lady Llelanni perhaps you might magic fire them? That with the wood already added should take care of their rest.

Slog, Buldgeon good work. Once the donkeys are harnessed we will continue our trip.

Looks to the jenny that has followed him

Come my lady, I am afraid you have some work to do.

Pets her and leads her to the cart harness.

Elron considers what he has learned and not learned. Speaks to Tarvis.

It takes a day for its power to be used that is how long it takes for the knife to accept an owner. After that time it can scare, they call it turn, undead a few times a day. The power though can get used up, unless the owner does enough good deeds to recharge it, it will stop working. I do not know if it has any charges in it or if a new owner must charge it before it can be used.
Setting aside that, being a magical weapon it can harm some as a weapon that non magical weapons can not harm, Who do you want to have it. Is there any that want it.

[Lianaila of the Wood]

Daleah realizes at this point that working with the group is going to be a journey of personal challenges. She smiles.

Yes, as you wish, Sir Tarvis.

Daleah offers a simple prayer and blessing over the bodies in the pit.
Seeing the jack waiting to be fit with his harness, she walks back to prepare the cart.

[Drathiranon]

At once, Llelanni slips off Cervid's back, removes a smal vial from her belt pack of holding, and turns back toward the pit. The dark elf woman pours some of the combustible liquid into the dry branches covering the goblins and slips the vial back into her belt pack. Llelanni, then forms a steeple with her fingers, touching her thumbs together to form a complete triangle. This time she simplly speaks the word, Bonfire through the triangle of her hands.

A tall flame surges up through the pit, burning everything inside the hole instantly and completely. A large dark cloud of smoke billows out of the hole to drift into the skies over the forest.

The dark elf takes notice, though slightly concerned she might have given away the group's whereabouts to their adversary, turns around and quickly heads back to the moose.

Slog helps Bludgeon back up onto the Puca then returns to help harness the donkeys.
His red eyes glare at the paladin then look to Tarvis.

Slog follow Leader Tarvis, what formation group travel?

The orc seems to want to know where everyone's place will be in the line up.

[Ssin'urn Streea]

Their adversary is indeed aware of the travelers whereabouts, all the while preparing and awaiting their arrival.

[Bhaern Quel]

Tarvis looks over the group then answers Slog. The fire not a concern about revealing location as it already appeared likely they were being watched since they left the city last tme. Those dark clouds.

I will lead with Slog and Bludgeon.

The cart will follow driven by Lady Daleah

Elron and Lady Llelanni will bring up the rear..

Onward

Steps out on to the trail ready to continue South.

Elron mounts up on Bess and they stand ready to follow the cart.

[Ssin'urn Streea]

As the travelers emerge from the bitter clutches of the cold winter forest, the scene continues to transform with each step they take. The stark, white landscape of snow covered birch and frost laden branches gradually fades into the space behind them. The sharp, icy breath of winter retreats, being replaced by the more invigorating feel of autumn.

Their mounts, once shrouded in the chill of winter, exhale clouds of steam into the incoming warmer breeze. The sound of crunching snow underhoof gives way to the rustle of dry leaves. The ground becomes a tapestry of gold, amber, and russet hues. The travelers, bundled in thick cloaks, may feel free to shake off the remnants of winter, their breaths becoming visible puffs in the refreshing air.

As they venture further, the trees transform from the stark silhouettes of winter's grasp to the vibrant palette of autumn. Leaves, tinged with varying shades of orange and brown, flutter gracefully to the ground, creating a soft carpet beneath their horse's hooves. The smell of damp earth and decaying foliage replaces the harsh, biting scent of frost, rejuvenating their senses.

Birdsong fills the air, a joyful symphony that cuts through the last remnants of winter's silence. The animals exchange relieved glances, the weight of the cold forest slowly lifting from their shoulders. In the distance, dappled sunlight pierces through the branches, illuminating their path and inviting them to explore the newfound beauty of the cool autumn forest.

With each passing moment, they feel the transition—no longer encased in winter's harsh embrace, but rather embraced by the mellow comfort of autumn. Their spirits may feel free to rise, buoyed by the promise of change, adventure awaiting in the vibrant depths of the darkening forest ahead.

[Drathiranon]

Slog and Bludgeon, seated atop the Puca', are clearly enjoying the change of weather and scenery. They stay near Tarvis, keeping watchful eyes over the trail and vista ahead. The darkening forest not much of a concern just yet since it is further away but with it now noonday, there is a quiet concern amongst the two orcs as to whether they group will arrive in good time.

Cervid's antlers have fully grown back, a bit larger by this time. Llelanni and Cervid are line up with Bess and Elron in the rear if the group, following Daleah in the apple cart. They listen for background noises and along the sides of the trail.

The dark elf ponders the information Elron gleaned from the magical weapon. Llelanni looks to Elron.

Elron, will the picket knife attune to you while you are simply carrying it around and how can it harm some as a weapon that non magical weapons can not harm?

[Lianaila of the Wood]

The midday sun weighs down on Daleah's shoulders, a familiar warmth she usually welcomes. Yet, today, it feels like a wet blanket of emotion. The rhythmic clip-clop of the donkeys' hooves is a small comfort, the only consistent, familiar sound in the simmering silence of the others that surround her.

She glances back at the apple cart, filled with crimson and green spheres piled beside several bags of baking goods. This cart, a simple, practical thing, just like her faith, her duty. However, lately, these simple things seem more complicated.

Her eyes drift to the donkeys. The grizzled jack with the perpetually easy going expression, and the smaller jenny, more skittish that had taken a liking at first sight of Tarvis.
Though Daleah has only known them for a few miles of her travels, they were good creatures, loyal companions, and uncomplicated. Unlike…

Daleah holds back a sigh, her eyes sweep over her sight line, beyond the figures ahead. The caravan she has joined seems a motley crew, as most might be. A pair of orc warriors with a permanent scowls etched onto their faces while riding a giant, black horse-like creature that oozes mischievous energy, a charismatic bard on his noble steed, a moose carrying a mage who barely speaks and looks as if she is hiding within a veil of secrets, and a leader with kind eyes but a guarded heart. They are formidable and capable, she won't deny it. But their capabilities, their pragmatism, feels so… one-sided and sharp.

Her vague memory of the initial attack still lingers in her mind, not for the danger presented, but for the sheer, desperate ferocity of the goblin creatures. They were driven by hunger, greed, and fear. But why didn't they raid her cart? She had seen the same expressions again in the yellow eyes of the second attack goblins, mere moments before the light had gone out of them.

In conclusion of both attacks and the aftermath there was the cold, calculated efficiency with which the others had dealt with the corpses. The casual dismissal of their lives. Just goblins, the orc warriors seem to have grunted, wiping blood from their weapons and chucking dried branches down into the pit. The coldness of the mage's firey disposal and eager dismissal, the silent indication among the party, that there will be less pests to worry about.

Daleah is a paladin. She had stood there, the words catching in her throat as she watched. Her oath is to protect the innocent, to stand against evil. But where is the thin red line? Are all goblins truly evil or simply lost souls driven to desperation by circumstances some might not comprehend?
Even after being attacked and left for dead by the first wave of goblins, she herself hadn't questioned any of the second wave of goblin participants. The expressions on her new companions faces, of impatience, radiating like a mirage over hot desert sand, nearly all but held her peace.

She helped with the burial, though her movements stiff, all the while her heart aching. The quiet prayer she had offered for the goblin's souls a small, private defiance of the prevailing sentiment, her only source of reassurance all that could be done was finished.

Now, the strangeness exuding from everyone feels thick with unspoken judgment. She can feel invisible eyes on her, notice subtle shifts in postures, the way their conversations dwindle when her cart draws near. They see her as soft, perhaps naive. Her compassion for creatures deemed vermin as an anomaly, a weakness.
Perhaps it is, in the eyes of others. But in hers, it is simply doing what is right, even if it appears to be contrary to popular opinion. Her faith isn't about judging creatures based on their appearance or their tribe. It is about the divine spark of life, the potential for something greater, even amidst the darkest of recesses of the varied planes.

Daleah's knuckles turn white as she tightens her grip on the reins while she considers it indeed is a lonely spiritual walk, taking the path of a paladin. Especially when she sees the nuances, the complexities, the shades of gray that exist even in a world that often paints itself in stark black and white.

Looking at the jack and Jenny once again, they are just donkeys, carrying apples. Simple, useful, like tools. But they are also living beings, deserving of care and kindness. Just like those goblins had been.

A knot of frustration tightens in her stomach. She wasn't asking to hold vigils or build memorials. She was simply asking for an ounce of understanding, recognition that even in death, there is a certain dignity for a life extinguished.
Did anyone else see it? Or, had they only seen the threat, the inconvenience, the creatures that had dared to attack and disrupt the journey.

Returning her focus on the road ahead, dust rising in small clouds from the autumn leaves around the donkeys' hooves. She is now part of this caravan. Her strength will be needed, her healing touch, her unwavering faith in the face of true evil. And she needs their protection, their skills, their knowledge of the treacherous road ahead.

Though the unspoken disapproval, is a constant reminder of the chasm between them, Daleah draws courage from her choice to continue to drive her apple cart, continue to offer her help and her faith, even if it feels like she was doing it alone. Because her path isn't for the faint hearted. And her heart, however bruised by lack of understanding, will continue to beat with the rhythm of compassion that feels both right and, in this moment, profoundly solitary.

The apples in the cart, so simple and whole, a stark contrast to the fragmented understanding which lay between her and her companions. She is a paladin, yes. And she carries the weight of her faith, and the weight of sorrows for the lost, the misguided, the abused, and the fallen.

For awhile, she too will remain silent.

[Bhaern Quel]

Much as Tarvis suspected they were already under attack by that snow storm that targeted them. Glad he decided to continue the attack rather then wait out the storm was the correct decision. Odds are if they stayed, they would have got more snow and of course a longer wait. Of course that means the force awaiting them has access to great powers that are used indirectly to stop them. He hopes his other guess that to attack now is the best, to prevent the foe from gather of greater danger later. As they near the city tells Slog

Slog you take the lead and look for a good camp site near the city entrance for the animals to camp while we are in it I need to talk with Lady Daleah some to tell her more of our mission

Slows his walk a little until he is next to the cart and Daleah.

Lady Daleah, We will be setting up soon and you have a choice to make. We are going into the city of our foe. We know little about our foe, however we are sure that the foes include some undead and has some weather control. That snow storm was caused by our foe. We intend to go into the city to put right the city, which means facing the foe's grasp and control. The animals left here were to be the only guards for what spare equipment we have. You could be a better guard for both. or you might enter with we to help remove the evil of the city.


Elron answers Lielanni.

Lady Lielanni it is a pocket knife in appearance so likely should be treated as one in normal use. My best giess in it thus will attune by being in control of a person. In pocket or pouch only required. It might be the magic that charged it only counts time held in hand though that is unlikely. As for the blade itself doing magical damade or able to harm magical protected creatures, that is a common property of any weapon that has other magical abilities like thia one has. It might not do greater power and it is possible it is a never heard of weapon that can not harm foes only hamed by magic weapons. Some times I can know how many charges an item has, I did not detect that either. Maybe after I become atuned I will under stand it better,