Chapter 1: Nightstone

"I could use some help master dwarf?" Maru will say to Iolgur

Maru will carefully and with great care move the remains to an area in the forest outside the caves where she sees any pretty flowers, then she will start digging a grave and finding a suitable headstone.

Iolgur, still deep in thought after the battle, says "Huh? Oh, yes, sure!"

After digging a grave with Iolgur, Maru will find a large rock and drag it to the grave side. Then from her bag she will take out a small paint set and say to the rest of the party "I am not very good at makin pictures but I can try. What do you think would be best?"

"Smiley face?"

Maru seems to consider that for a moment then shakes her head and says "Perhaps something more respectful like?"

Chanler looks up to Qavez from his seated position by the river bank. "I just-" He says, turning his head away and looking down. His eyes focus on the crimson leaking off the blade into the water and swirling down the current. "I could've saved him." He says in nearly a whisper, as his grip tightens on the hilt and the blade sinks deeper into the riverbed. The words spill out of his mouth as water through a broken dam, "He was a good man. A grandfather. I made a promise to a little girl last night that her grandfather would be back before she woke. And before that I left a man respected by everyone I know to die on a dirt path, when I could've snapped my fingers and healed his wounds. Why didn't I?" His eyes now unfocused, as a ripple spreads through the stream just below his face.

Qavez nods. He suspected as much. "Those are fine questions, but there aren't any answers. And frankly, what you could have done doesn't matter anymore. What matters is what you did, and what you choose to do with the hard-fought knowledge you've gained today. Learn from what we accomplished, and grow.

"I'll say it again, you done good. Don't let the doubts of what might have been shadow over the value of what was. And you saved those kids."

"What did i do but stand there as everyone else did the work? The only blood on this blade is my own." Chanler mutters, still avoiding eye contact.

Xed wanders over and gives Chanler a hug. "It's ok to be sad. Maybe you couldn't save those people before, but with us you can save a whole lot more to make up for it."

"Come on," says Qavez. "I'm sure the others are eager to get back, and the innkeeper's probably eager to hear from you."

Xed's embrace seems to comfort him a little, as he slumps forward and reluctantly nods to Qavez's request. After a moment he manages to pry the now mostly clean blade from the riverbed and slips it fully into the water, running his fingers over it to loosen the blood that still remains. Letting the water from the stream fill the scabbard as well to wash out what had rubbed off the blade. Chanler soon stands with water dripping from the cleaned blade and scabbard, and follows wherever he's led.

Maru is ready to head back.

Qavez gravitates closer to Chanler. He said little during the return trip, understanding the other's need for space and reflection, but as the group draws near to town, he becomes a bolstering presence.

Xalvador trails along at the rear of the others. As they come back into sight of the town he blinks in surprise before weakly smiling "I don't know about the rest of you all but I could do with a drink" he then starts moving in the direction of the inn before waiting to see if anyone else is following or not.

"You know, he may be too quick on his feet for his own good, but he is surely right about drinking part."

"Well said on both accounts Master dwarf." Maru says as she smiles a toothy grin and hastens after Xalvador, but she is feeling more then a little tired from the active day of adventuring and cant match the pep.

"Some hot tea would be great! And cookies."