Expedition: Anforthas/Hunting the Wolfwere - 01 Oct 2021

[Stirling]

In the camp of the Wolf Nomads

Casper offers a propitiation and the sacrificial offering of the young goat, slitting it's throat and repeating a prayer as it kicks and bucks in his hands. Eventually the life blood drips way, staining the feet of the statue in steaming streaks of crimson which pools at his feet. Cruyff stands by, his normally impassive face etched with the emotion of the service and leaving his petrified brother behind. He takes the carcass in his hand and bows his head over it and passes it to one of the couples to take with them. They receive it, place it on the sledge with the swaddled baby and then whip their reined dire wolf to pull the sledge. It howls in excitement and pulls off, the couple howl also in unison and then turn running by its side, almost as quick as a horse galloping over the grassy plain. Several other sledges, yurts packed begin to exit in a noisy throng, the warriors making mock wolf noises and grabbing bows, run in lopping steps behind the packs. Only a few stragglers remain.

While Lug and Baxtaw stand aside watching, scanning the camp for dangers or things of interest in the people, Anforthas comes forward with some questions. His patience and respect to wait until an opportune moment is rewarded.

"A 'wolfwere'? I have never heard of such but there are similar names in our culture for those struck by a dreadful blood curse. It is difficult to exorcise and truly when one is freed he may still lose more than he gains. We survive here on these plains because we gather together, a lone wolf is a misnomer. They soon wither and fade away. I have only seen your horsemen from afar. It is an auspicious day when you now venture in our camp. Men living where once only death stalked and now your stretch your limbs to range further. We had traversed around the chasm a moon ago and heard a howling in the wind, as one delights in the thrill of the chase. A bestial sound. One night after, a person, a creature tried to infiltrate our camp. Red of eyes like a furnace and swaggering in his demeanour. We had to manifest all our anger and rage to drive him away. I felt he wanted to usurp me and tear my family apart. This fall season has become the portent of a sad winter for us. The great bull on the plains bore down upon Harlaan, this fiend of yours took to claim us and yesterday we slew the elf-kin who attacked us from the granary we keep in the chasm."

Cruyff seems to speak with a knowledge of lycanthropy but doesn't openly admit to knowing anything about werewolves. He then makes a statement about the Baudh knights restoring dwellings in the north-west. He shares an incident which sounds like the 'wolfwere' turned up, and mentions without elaboration, other specific accounts of interest.

next actions and verbals please.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Uneasy he asks. Elf- kin in the chasm? Was it a dark skinned cousin?

[Zhym]

Lug finds this all very strange. He thought they were going out to hunt a big man-wolf, or wolf-man, and instead...well, he's not sure what's going on, really.

"So...you don't know where the big bad wolfwere is?" he asks, bluntly.

[Karaunios]

Anforthas crosses his arms: "Well, I'm relieved that you aren't in league with this Werewolf. That would've made things harder on all us. We're looking to slay this beast and I like the perspective of both avenging my companions and helping your tribe." He thinks for two or three seconds. "I've yet three more questions. The first one is about these elves you mentioned... what are they and what's your problem with them? The second one, do you know what's on the opposite extreme of the chasm? And, lastly, like my companion here just said: so, you don't know where's the wolfwere?"

[hedgeknight]

Casper listens intently, trying to decipher Cryuff's statements. After his companions chime in, Casper says, "So...are you saying you slew this wolf-were person? The one who tried to take your place?"

[Stirling]

In the camp of the Wolf Nomads

Cruyff smiles enigmatically, it is unclear how he perceives your questions, wether he expected them or having a prior knowledge of your intent.

"Your dark-skinned cousin, if you call him that. He is no problem now. We left him at the top of the rock stairs about an hours run west. I have not seen their like for many decades. The Chasm as you call it runs maybe four leagues or more (12 miles+), to the south and ends in an entrance to some dwarven mines. They have a temple façade carved in the rock face. Wild boar roam the chasm floor, among other threats. We take one or two as we need. Our granary stores winter goods." as he speaks this, his woman brings some parcels, wrapped in large thick leaves and tied with root ribbons. They are four tiles of thick honey, about a foot square and a couple of inches thick. She offers them to you as a parting gift but whispers to Cruyff as she gives them out. Anforthas can almost translate her saying, "The giant should feed his horse with it, it needs the energy from carrying him!"

He waits a moment for you to exchange pleasantries with his woman as she dishes them out, then carries on, "This creature, large and lupine, it walked through our camp as though one of us. Our dire wolves just gave a sniff and accepted his presence. He manifested rage and anger, strength and seemed to exult in his prowess and glories. I had a hard time to contest him, as your own knights have shown, outmatched in their metal armours and edged blades. We survived because we fought together and so we remain, under my authority. We drove him away and he howled in his bitterness, it echoed along the chasm floor. I will lose one day when a strong son rises to challenge and overwhelm me and then my days running will be lost in the wilderness plains. One such son runs far past the Chasm, in the foothills of the peaks to feast on the shore of the great lake. I fear for him, for they are small in number and weak. It would not take much for the creature to usurp them. If he is wolverine, he has no lair, wherever the moonlight shines he can lay his head and call it home."

You can see by the swiftly diminishing camp that his own yurt has been loaded and he looks to depart.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- We should check out this dead cousin of mine. Cryuf are you saying your son could fall victim to this werewolf. We should also check on them.

[hedgeknight]

Casper gently takes the honey from the woman and bows his head. "Many thanks for this sweet treasure > may your journey be safe and swift." He sniffs the bundle and tucks it away in his pack, making sure Ted is not able to get to it.

He listens to Cruyff and after Baxtaw speaks, he says, "I would save your son and the villagers by the sea the same fate as befell the knights. Before you depart, can you give us one final gift and tell us where your son has gone?"

[Karaunios]

Anforthas nods in recognition at the gift they just gave them and also at Casper's words. He chuckles when he heards Cruyff's wife comment. He then speaks in his native Khalorrim: "It's strange. Your language is similar to the one I got from my ancestors. Where do yours come from?"

"I see you're eager to depart. But maybe there's a chance we can work together and eliminate the danger this creature represents in this parts."

He then glances at his companions. "We also have to make haste, as we have some of our own scouting the other arm of the chasm." He looks at Cruyff sideways as he sees the last part of his sentence.

[Zhym]

Lug fidgets impatiently at all the talky talk. He's ready to ride on.

*bump?*

[Stirling]

In the camp of the Wolf Nomads.

Pleasantries are exchanged as well as glances and questions. It seems Cruyff shrugs nonchalantly when you decide to check out 'the dark skinned' elf cousin but does acknowledge your expression of concern for his son. "Thijsen acted before his time. Like so many youths, their balls grow bigger than their brains. We smacked heads like stags but he didn't take my crown. He did take some of the younger boys and one or two women. They forge their own way in the foothills of the mountain. Ocassionally we meet to wrestle and drink as the mood takes us, but last time was in spring. I would hope to see him at our Conclave by the raging waters of the far plains east but if he has been usurped ... such is the way of running on the plains."

Cruyff indicates the looming mountain backdrop of the southern range and points in the direction of the great lake and river. "He marks his territory that side of the Chasm." The Wolf nomad leader looks in deep thought regarding your other patrols as you can see by his frown that new settlements or restoring the Keep and Tower do seem a cause of concern for him. Armed patrols are likely to inhibit his trespass upon areas you both stake a claim on.

The women responds to Anforthas. "We speak from our ancestors also. Though we have survived on these plains. We ate you ancestors horses and thus, they did not thrive," she says in a matter-of-fact way before she straps the last frameworks onto the sled. A slavering dire wolf trots up, baring teeth and growling at your mounts but under a sharp crack of a cane it gets reined in ready to pull the cargo.

Cruyff, "We will extend a warm welcome when or if you can make it into our camp. This creature you chase is no common danger but is more threat to you. If you want to help, chase the great bull with us across the plains. A true champion only could take his horns."

You figure his invitation to find his camp is done at your peril and that his interest in you has been provoked since you are obviously not pilgrims or travellers yourselves.

With a formal head bow, he gives a wolf like howl which the nomad animals echo and then they all set off running at pace across the grassland to the east. The sled makes a long line of parallel tracks in the wet mud, so tracking them would be easy for the ranger of Beith.

The camp now deserted, you have a decision on your next move. The 'hour's run west' to some stairs on this south side of the Chasm and the body of the elf cousin or return for Father Clauson. With time and light on your side you spur your mounts to trot the few miles, wary of lurking spiders but close enough to the edge to spot a body or point of descent.

[Stirling]

The southern Chasm steps.

Following Baxtaw's desire to seek out his dark skinned cousin, the quartet spur their mounts westwards following the Chasm cliffs. A few miles pass of thick grassland, termites mounds and ancient copses of Ash and Oak.

You arrive at a set of cut stone steps. Very similar to the ones on the opposite side, hewn rock in steep blocks with worn foot and hand holds. They descend a steep buttress and curve around the cliff contours, hugging the rock under an overhang before dropping by a granite stack and opening onto the gravel floor.

Impaled upon a stake, the shaft spearing the silver haired corpse from crutch to nape. The drow hangs limply, an open grimace frozen upon his face, his blood matted and pooled by his feet. Feasting crows flee as you cantor close by.

next actions everyone.

[hedgeknight]

Casper White

"Don't see that every day," Casper softly says, as he leaves Ted several yards away from the corpse. "We must be cautious, my friends. The impalers may be watching."
Casper makes a sign to ward off evil with his hand (a pentagram in a circle) as he approaches slowly, his other hand resting on the mace at his belt.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Slides off his horse. Lets stay cautious here. There may be more Drow about or more of them spiders. One hand on his sword. He checks the Drow over for any thing that may give a reason why he left the underdark.

[Karaunios]

Anforthas stays wary of their surroundings. He puts his hand on his sword hilt and looks around. "Before anything, we have to get back to Father Clauson and hear their report. Lest a big party fall upon us if we stay here too long... Once you can deduce what happened to this poor wretch, we should get our group together before coming back to investgate further..."

[Stirling]

The Chasm Steps, south side.

Your dark-skinned cousin, if you call him that. He is no problem now. We left him at the top of the rock stairs, about an hours run west.

It is clear now what Cruyff meant by the Drow elf being 'no problem' now.

You make a routine search of the body, frisking for items of interest. The drow wears a ripped light chain vest, punctured in places with stab wounds and a claw mark is savagely torn across his shoulders. His hair is tied back in a braided pony tail with a silver filigree headband, now matted with blood. He has an empty scabbard, it suits a long curved blade though no weapon is nearby. He has some tattoos on his arms and wrists. One spider web tattoo is particularly inked with a devotional motto to Lloth woven in the threads. It seems though, the 'Queen of the Demonweb' paid little attention to his final prayers for deliverance.

A cursory check of his boots show gravel and grit in the sole treads, which might indicate he ascended the steps. The only blood though is at the top of the steps. Looking down them, the Chasm floor is quiet, tumbleweed blows by but little else us seen from the height.

Looking across the chasm you can almost recognise the area opposite as the place of encounter with the large crab spiders.

next actions please. Return to site of knights battle or anything else.

[Karaunios]

Anforthas stays put. Waiting for the others to finish their investigation, before going back to Father Clauson, as long as his fine companions are ok with it.

[Zhym]

Lug looks around for something that needs attacking.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Shall we return to father Clauson.There is nothing here. But we should report this to the Archduke when we return.

[Zhym]

Lug looks for wolfwere tracks. He doesn't expect to find any, but he'd feel silly if there were some to follow and he didn't even bother looking.

"Yeah," he says. "Maybe we're missing something, or maybe we're supposed to wander around some more until the man-wolf finds us, but this has kind of been a bust. It's either go down into the chasm or go home. I guess I'm okay going home."