Off the Beaten Track

- Albert -

You are pretty sure you have seen the captain at your bar from time to time. While not a regular, you seem to remember that she traveled a lot and you were conveniently situated outside town.

Asha gives you a shy wave from behind Meht you can not be sure, but she might be one of a bunch of kids that used to hang around trying to score drinks off grownups, but that was a while ago.

- All -

The captain eyes Cook and Albert suspiciously. As though she might recognise them.

From one of the tents there is a small, pained and fearful cry, followed by a shuddering moan.

At the mention of empty mugs, Cook turns and flicks two fingers in Albert's direction. Nothing happens other than Cook getting a confused look on his face. Used to do...something.

Jondar's moan ends his contemplation. "Got your stuff too," he says, motioning at the tent, " better than mugs."

Seeing the rest of the group he mutters, "not enough rabbit."

- Albert -

"You are quick to turn on your fellows." The captain says suspiciously, clearly thinking you to be a bandit given that you are here in their camp helping with food, and not having heard your whole 'explanation'.

"And who said anything about wounded?" She asks even more suspiciously, wanting to know what you know about the ambush plans. During the fight she overheard mention of such 'dire need' as you, coincidentally, allude to now.

Her attention is more on the sound of wounded from the tent, wondering how they are being 'taken care of'.

- Albert -

The captain squints at the mugs and then at your face, she nods as recognition dawns. "Sad business." She agrees. "I saw the ruins, but have not heard anything about it. I assumed it was just an accident... Sorry." She breaks off, not wanting to belittle your grief or dismiss your concerns with talk of mere accidents. "I have been busy in town.

"We might be able to use your skills." She admits, Rook's friendliness probably helping her decision.

She does not appear to know what these 'things' that you talk of are, but then is distracted by Meht's investigation of the tent.

- Meht -

As you peek into the tent you see a man (Jondar, in case any of you know him) sweating and writhing in pain --from what you might recognise as bear claws, and possibly teeth. He does not look well --definitely infected-- there is grey-looking puss oozing from behind his dirty dressings.

An open wooden crate filled with straw sits in the corner of the tent. Looking closer, you can see about a dozen indents in the straw - about liquor bottle size - but no actual contents. The fog from the trees hangs a little deeper here in the tent.

"It's time," you hear Cook faintly say. The wounded man gives a soft, gurgling gasp and goes quiet. You look over at his gray scab-encrusted back. Wait - wasn't that a wet pus just a moment ago? You see no movement of breath.

Cook turns and hands a bowl of rabbit stew to Rook. It's a strange gray-ish red with some unappetizing chunks of gristle and sinew floating in it. In the background, a long tendril of fog floats away from the wounded man's tent though no one feels any breeze.

- Meht (and anyone else checking) -

This looks bad.
What do you do?

Meht, shaken, returns to the others. "I.. am not sure what just happened. One second the man was alive, though clearly very sick; the next he was dead. My trapper's instincts tell me there is a threat here. But I see nothing except that fog, and that is not like any threat I understand from the forest."

To Cook he says, suspiciously, "What did you mean when you said it was time?"

Cook turns to Meht. "Time?" The old man seems confused and pauses for a few seconds before realizing he has a bowl of stew in his hand. "Time to eat," he says and passes a bowl of the gruel to Meht.

As Albert heads off to the tent, Cook mutters, "soul's long gone at this point."

At Albert's question, Cook thinks a bit, "three days back? Fog was thick that morning. That's when Pool and Baywater had the fist fight over which direction the temple is in. Yes, yes, three days ago." Cook stares meaningfully off to the east where you can see a small game trail, lost in thought, then coming back with a start. He ladles out another bowl of soup. "It's time," he says offering it to whoever will take it.

- Meht -

You are sure this man appeared alive moments ago, but now it really does look like he has been dead for a while. "soul's long gone at this point" rings true.

What do you do?

- Albert -

Raynor knows a bit about wounds --though more about their immediate infliction than their later treatment. (Maybe if one can not return in time to rejoin the conquest their care falls to other gods? Does anybody really know? Do you?)

This man did not --so far as you know-- fall in battle, so you are not sure how much you can interest Raynor in his 'soul'. Anyway, as a 'god of fire' you are pretty sure that Raynor would expect a funeral pyre, but those always take a lot of time to prepare and all the wood around here is damp... and the others are on a mission, the captain probably would not be happy about taking a day to build a pyre --for a stranger-- one that might not even burn.

Anointing with oil and a blessing might be all you can do.

---

What do you do?

- Albert -

You feel the attention of Raynor turn to you and your situation. Oh yes! It will be revealed. Seems to be the 'answer'. In due time.

Regarding the attention of Raynor:
‣ How does feel to have it focused on you?
‣ Is there judgement for taking so long to come back to the fold?
‣ Is there more behind the above 'promise'?

- Cook -

Asha wrinkles her nose distastefully, but the captain is eating the stew, seemingly unconcerned about the strange color and texture.

"And..." The captain prompts. "Where did they decide the temple was?" Her eye takes in the game trail. She is clearly ready to move once she gets answers.