"Behind you."
Lifting her great blade, the young elf took one steady step forward, and then another, quicker, barreling towards her foe. Light glistened behind Vanquisher as it swung forward, swiftly removing her quarry's head, and very nearly the young man he was fighting, who scrambled away in the nick of time. Grateful for the help, the curious young man backed away for the moment, giving Shyrilith an opportunity to observe.
A quick glance about suggested that the rest of her companions were faring well enough, given the circumstances - the halfling woman nimbly weaved through the battle with her hawk close behind, bolstering her allies when they needed it and guiding their blows with her own. The human seemed comfortable enough in the thick of things, grabbing his foes and tossing them about like ragdolls. Even the squire was holding his own, though he seemed to throw a glance every now and then in her direction.
In just a few moments the battle was over, greenish blood soaking the field covered in light snow. The forest of pine betrayed no movement, but all five of them were well aware that the danger was far from over.
Posts
Pausing to grab a handful of snow, he then uses it to wipe down his blood-smeared crowbar.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
As the crew of companions thinks about their options the wind picks up slightly, rustling the branches all about them and dropping the temperature a few more degrees. It's certainly not too late to return to town, should it come to it.
Her heart yearned to pursue their foes and fulfill the dictates of the Elf-father, but they all plainly needed the coin. She hoisted Vanquisher from the snow and let it slide with a slick shunk into its place on her back. Varis had a point; troll warrens, something she was admittedly not familiar enough with, were labyrinthine and treacherous. The petite elf pulled her furs close and began the trek through the frosty wood toward Harling's Cross.
"Might it not be best to at least locate this warren, though? If we head back now, all we have to tell them is that there are trolls out here, and I would wager that this isn't new information for them."
Varis coughs lightly, as the increased air requirements of the march and his speech catch up with him.
"But if we know where it is, our trip will have been less of a waste."
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Cam Ithel's chosen continued forward in the marching line.
The young elf begins to scan the horizon, gauging which direction the trolls they had just slain had come in from.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
The young elf then pulls a torch from his bag and puts a flint to it. Slogging to the body of the fallen troll, he thrusts the brand into the severed neck of the beast, cauterizing it.
"That should do it," he says, holding the still-lit torch. "Perhaps it is best if we elves scout ahead of the party a ways, to get a better understanding of the tactical situation before we all go barging in."
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Hal Waxworth pulled his embroidered cape back over one shoulder and cocked his head to the side, eliciting a series of cracks from his bullish neck. A student of history might have observed that he was the very picture of his line of brick-headed, bull-necked ancestors. He had a certain noble air (despite the fact that he had discarded squirehood - and thus potential knighthood - for militant adventure) even in the middle of a forest thicked steeped in mud, blood, and snow.
He looked about him for a moment as he noticed that nobody was setting fire to the Trolls. The four people whom he'd managed to find in town were just standing there looking at him. It was as though they hadn't expected to find Trolls. Hadn't he told them?
Shy shook her head to indicate quite correctly that no, he had not.
Getting paid in the money you'd earned. This was the logic of human nobility at its best. It's lack of sense was what made it impenetrable. Elven scholars often noted that it was the paradoxical nature of human thought that made them hard to understand, and even more difficult to oppose.
The tracks through the snow are clear enough that they could likely be seen by a blind man; Varis's judgment is that they head off to the north, though it seems they curve off after a short period. At the very least, it's some distance away and could be moved past without incident. The other thing that is called to his attention is the sound of snow crunching under heavy wooden wheels from the east, still faint. If it's a caravan passing through, it certainly seems like a dangerous route to choose.
"Someone approaches from the east. This is an odd place for anyone who isn't a troll or a troll hunter to be about."
Without waiting for confirmation from the group, the young elf moves swiftly toward the new sound to get a better look, doing his best to remain unnoticed by whatever it may be.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
"This was a bad idea." a man says first, the tone of his voice suggesting more than a little worry has set in. "It's not too late to turn back."
"We are more than halfway to the garrison and Tasen is getting worse. We press on - end of discussion." a woman says, rather curt with the first man. "With luck we avoid any other t-"
There is a very sudden pause in the conversation, perhaps as they listen for movement. When the moment passes they continue their argument, though in more hushed tones.
"They appear to be travelers, also headed to the garrison. They seem to be in bad shape. Perhaps they could use an escort."
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
"I suppose that settles the matter of warning the garrison. They should be sending reinforcements as soon as they get the news. We should scout the area in preparation for the larger force."
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
The human grunted; it was not an unusual reply. The smaller elf looked to her companion to lead the way.
The young lord scratched the rough stubble at his neck and took a deep breath of the cold air. Though the company of adventurers was tricky, he'd always known Elves to be a dependable lot. He hoped that Varis was no exception.
Varis hoped he'd phrased that in a way that was compelling to the human, but who could tell, really?
"Shy, as you are the hunter of Cam Ithel's enemies, I defer to you on the hunt. But I would wish to accompany you to offer some degree of protection, as is my duty."
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
The caravan which seems to be approaching presses forward, as the three suddenly hear a very loud swearing from the man leading it along. "Blasted wheels!" he mutters as he hops down, having not yet noticed the burning corpses and three standing aboout. Evidently he's not the most perceptive sort.
Two other figures duck out the rear of the wagon, Varis very much doubting that they were the voices he heard from his earlier trip. A rather large dwarf (at least, wide around, if not particularly tall) jumps outside alongside an elderly man who truly looks ill-suited to the weather about them. The three surrounding the wagon seem to be conferring about how exactly to get it moving again, because this is not the best place to get stuck...
"How far is it from here? Walking might be ill-advised, but if you're hearing things and with snow imminent, it might be easier to walk, or at the very least camp out here."
The thought of a warm campfire filled Erik's mind. Crackling fire, roasted meats, burning wood...he could practically smell it now! Although, for some reason, the meat smelled rather gamy...
Turning to the teamster, "Tell me, goodman Dorrick, is there anything we might do to assist? Heaven's favor shines on the just and unjust alike, but it's been my experience that it shines with particular favor on those that don't tarry overlong in strange woods."
He frowns and peers nervously into the surrounding woods.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Erik shrugged his slight shoulders as the Father seemed to be listening intently.
"Did you even BRING a second axle, Dorrick?"
The caravan driver mumbled and swore about strange sounds as he rifled through the back.
"Oh come on...bloody..."
The wizards brow arched, "Go on...'bloody' usually precedes a long string of cursing."
"Bloody axles broken!" Dorrick barely leaned his head out.
"Yes. That is our problem. The bloody axle broke. Because you drive like a tarrasque."
Dorrick lifted a broken mass of wood and metal, "No. THIS bloody axle broke."
He buried his hand in his brow and let out a few arcane curses.
"Is there ANYTHING else that wants to go wrong? Maybe some wolves would like to have a snack of us?"
From your mouth to the gods' ears, old man. There were eyes watching them from the trees nearby. First this unseasonable snow, then the axle, and now they were to be set upon by brigands or savages or worse. And he hadn't even reached the frontier yet! Why his great and merciful Lord chose to test his most humble and faithful servant so..
He trundled over to where the mage was berating their driver. Speaking quietly in what he hoped was a casual tone, he said, "Ready thy selves, my sons. We are not alone.", and in a louder voice, "Yes, yes. I agree this will take some time to repair." He loosened his hammer in its belt loop and grasped his crook under his snow-white woolen robe.
There is an almost deafening silence interrupted only by the sound of the wind rustling the trees for a moment before the ground shakes. And then again, far too close. The sound of branches cracking is startling - how did that thing get so near without being heard? "You had better fix that fast!" Alinn shouts as she lets an arrow fly without luck.
Varis, Shy and Hal are all well close enough to see the danger approaching; it looks as though a stray troll has stumbled upon a boxed snack.