Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

Elspa looks down at Jarveena's body, then to Rygnar. "Fine, if you can't fix it I guess I have to. Tell me and my companions how to stop these dead folk from moving again. Despite the satisfaction of killing something twice, it's very annoying."

Ygne, crouched low beside Frick, spins on her heels when she hears Jarveena splash into the water. She reaches out helplessly as the ancestors descend upon her companion. "N-no.." Ygne says, attempting to shout but not managing, in her shock, to say anything above a breathy mutter.

At the grotesque sight of the bodies exploding, Ygne goes wide eyed and blinks repeatedly, as though expecting the sight to change with a second viewing. She can only blame some dark magic of the ancestors, and she feels the weight of Jarveena's loss settle on her chest. For a brief moment, she ponders collecting all of the copper coins - that is why she is here, after all -
but she remains resolute in her priorities. "We need to leave," She says to Frick's unconscious form, preparing to draw him up, across her shoulders.

Jarveena wakes covered in gore, taking huge gulping breaths and moaning incoherently, limbs flailing in a feeble attempt to ward of what she's just seen. It's unclear whether she is aware of Rygnar and Elspa standing over her.

Rygnar opens his resting eyes as Jarveena comes back to consciousness, he doesn't stand or move. He speaks in a voice that only Elspa has heard and only ever when it was just the two of them alone, it is soft and caring; void of any hint of hatred or anger "Relax, warrior, you are safe."

Arriving at the bottom of the ravine, I check Frick's vitals to realise he has been stabilised already. You did well Ygne, now get up the rope. Hurry we don't want to stay here if we don't have to... Localising the worst wound, a large knife stab on the side that pierce his chain shirt. He quickly gets to work while Frick was still unconscious, cutting some dead skin and then filling the wound with a herbal paste that dulls pain and promotes recovery, then bandaging it with a practiced efficiency. Moss then slaps Frick hard, making him wake up with an audible gasp, told you I'd keep you alive, now move your ass up that rope if you want to fight another day !! As soon as Ygne and Frick are up the rope, Moss starts climbing and yells, PULL UP THE ROPE !! not wanting to stay longer then necessary down there with the two remaining Ancestors...

Elspa reaches down to retrieve the scroll, but her hand pauses before she can touch it. "Why do the villagers want this to continue?" she asks, rising back up to address the last floating corpse and leaving the scroll alone.

As Moss works upon Frick, Ygne stands idle to the side. Her mind and body are exhausted, and she finds it hard to concentrate on much now that someone else is here. "Fuck you," Ygne mumbles back to Moss' compliment, signaling the return of her typical charm. She makes no movement toward the rope and instead watches him work upon Frick. Ygne can already feel her bottom lip beginning to swell, and the dull pain in her back and chest only intensifies the longer she stands around. She raises a hand to her mouth and her fingers come away red. She spits a red mess into the water nearby and wipes her bloody nose across her arm.

Once Frick is somewhat patched up, and Ygne sees that he's awake, she wordlessly moves to the rope and ascends to the top.

Frick comes back to consciousness suddenly, once the worst of his wounds are patched up. He gasps and rolls over, throwing up onto the ground next to him. He staggers to his feet and looks around to see what's going on, vision blurry and spinning, "What happened?" he slurs to Ygne, taking a step in her direction.

Once Ygne begins climbing, Frick cracks his neck and slaps himself across the face, using the pain to gain focus as he begins to ascent the rope, taking it as quickly as he can, lest he pass out again from blood loss. Once he's up top, he sits down and smiles up at Ygne, "Told you I wouldn't die here!" he says, as if he wasn't on the verge of death just moments ago.

Ygne looks deathly serious when she gives Frick a firm nod. "You were right," She says in reply, planting her hands on her hips as she tries to take in the current situation. She has to wipe the blood from her nose once more upon her sleeve, by this point.

"And you will, yes?" Elspa asks, temporarily ignoring both the scroll and Jarveena. "Once the pearl is destroyed?"

Elspa slips her axe into her belt loop now that her rage has subsided. She reaches down and picks up the scroll, feeling the eldritch-infused skin with her thumb. "This is my pack," she says, sweeping her hand to include Rygnar and Jarveena. "Whatever freedom or reward I earn for myself extends to them as well."

For now at least, I think its the best idea....
...and Moss follows She Who Has Been Beyond the Reef.

Rygnar stands, as Elspa talks of her pack and sweeps her hand past him, to look more imposing.

Ygne runs a bloody hand through her hair and replies, "I need one of your bows."