Lightning in a Bottle (RP)

Albert, emboldened by their success to ward off the enemy, calls out to the figure they saw earlier. "As you can see, your attempts to harm us are useless. The divine presence of Raynor shines through the mist that you cower in!" Perhaps he's going a bit far with this bluff, but it's worth a try. "Now, converse with us peacefully or we have no choice but to take action which will not be in your best interest."

He didn't really have a plan yet. However, that would be the next course of action either way.

Seeing that metal seems to affect the mistling, Gronk is going to take his shortbow off his back, knock an arrow, and let it loose at the creature. Hopefully this will be enough to let us escape.

Heart still pounding with adrenaline, Ezmaray looks around at the receding mists before she sheaths the hunting knife and pulls out a fistful of the sphagnum moss she'd stashed away earlier. She straightens and winces, trying to regain some composure as she shoves the moss into her tunic to staunch the bleeding from her wounds. "Everyone alright? ... No new scratches?" She looks her companions over.

Observing that they seemed unwounded, she turns her eyes back to the fog wall. "Wankle...? ... You okay?"

Ezmaray sighs, her brow furrowing briefly with concern before she turns back to the group. Given her demeanor, you wouldn't have guessed she had any wound at all if it weren't for the blood-stained clothes and the slightly awkward way she was holding the moss compress in place. "I do not know how to attack illusion, if that was going to be our next move...."

"I think we should head back. I'm in no condition to keep going, and we know what this creature needs to be satisfied. Maybe we can get the town to help out...."

As Gronk says that, he starts getting more drowsy than before, as if somehow weaker.

"I think I can make it back, but only just."

Albert nods "Yes. Let's get out of this mist and take some time to think it through."

After a decent walk, Gronk and party finally make it back to town, where Gronk collapses in his bed and sleeps 16 hours straight. That was some ritual- bigger than anything he had performed yet. While it drained him completely, it also enthused him, and Gronk dedicated himself to perfecting his magic, in secret of course. He also continued to perform as a stage magician at the inn, requesting to be paid in buckets of animal scraps which he dumps in the river at night. Hopefully that will help the mist monsters leave us all alone. The request is odd, but easy enough to comply with, and Gronk already has a reputation for being strange. What else he includes in these strange night time animal offerings is kept in secret. If only there was some way to bind the mist creatures to his will, just as he had the weather...

The night of their return, Ezmaray pauses in her tracks as she watches Gronk stumble, exhausted, into his place on the outskirts of town.

What to do? No comfortable home nor warm bed await her here in this civilization, nor did she have enough coin saved to warrant wasting it on a night at an inn. That said, that crone was still out there, and Ezme's wounds were quite severe. She glances down at her blood-stained hand, still clamped over her injuries. Chance of infection increased exponentially the longer it took her to properly wash these lacerations....

The foreign woman turns to Albert and Roald hesitantly, for the first time looking lost and out of her element.

"How much is night at inn?"

Roald walks beside Ezme. Though he might not see the wounds, the blood on her hand indicates that they are not closing up by themselves.

'' You might wanna let Albert help you with those ... I've seen him do miraculous things in Raynor's name, even on me... Just saying... ''

They walk in silence for a while when Ezme asks about the inn.

''Well... I have to check with the others of course, but if you want to join us on our mission delivering some packages... I guess we can use our budget on a bed for you too. Think about it, take your time while I have a chat with Albert ''

"I would be happy to try and help." albert says when Roald mentions the wounds. "But I will respect it if you would rather decline. And I cannot promise that it will be helpful. It seems that Gronk was not helped earlier and I don't know why."

Roald's comment about paying for Ezme's bed makes Albert smirk. He keeps walking as if he hasn't noticed. He too is feeling pretty tired. Just a bit more walking and he can get back his stamina.

He nods to Roald as they end their conversation about Ezme. She would surely be an asset to the group!

Ezme assures Albert that she will be fine — she just needs to clean and tend to the wounds properly.

The uncomfortable feeling that she is being pitied hunches, gargoyle-like on Ezmaray’s shoulders as Roald invites her to join them, but truth be told, she needs this offer. These accursed woods were yielding little in the manner of income, and her situation was starting to get a bit desperate.

Besides, how difficult could it be to deliver a package? Already her survival skills had proven useful to these men, and surely they would again. She clenches a fist and nods quietly to herself. She would prove herself.

These are her quiet thoughts as Albert leads the way to the inn. As they enter the establishment, she turns her body away from prying eyes and toward Roald to avoid drawing attention to her condition. "What is this ‘package,’ and to where is it being taken?" she asks him, attempting to look natural.

Roald takes a deep breath before he starts talking, he knew this question would come, but how much to tell someone they've just met?
Of course Ezme has proven herself useful, strong, smart,... Back in the woods.
maybe I'll leave the part about the horned wolf and the temple out for just now.
Though it might mean she will be mad at me in the future...
Hmmm...
'' Well, we have to deliver 3 packages to the village of Necusle. Or man Humphrey has a coach and will bring us there. We will introduce you tomorrow,.. if you want to join us of course. I don't know if you've heard about Necusle, but it's not the 'nicest' place to go to. That's why we would be happy if you would come with us. ''

Ezmaray frowns. The name Necusle almost rings a bell, but she can't quite place where she'd heard of it... "I am not afraid of trouble," she assures, "assuming you think I would be useful..." She glances at both men, shifting her weight uncomfortably. Hopefully she doesn't sound too desperate... "What is compensation like?"

Roald scratches himself in his hair.
''Well... It's like... You see... We get a fixed fee on delivery of 150 silver. But with 2 of the packages being clumsy or heavy we had to rent a carriage. And so our Profit kinda evaporated. That's one reason why we would be happy if you could join us. We could make the journey on foot and save some coin''