Chapter I: So Where's the Tavern?

So then, the scene. The sun is high, and filtered light streams through the branches of the ancient pines. The air, chill but smoky, carries the sounds of a thousand woodland creatures, dampened only by the thick layer of pine needles and other detritus covered in a dusting of snow. The acrid metal smell of blood is weak in the air, but strong enough that the horses are difficult to control.
The self-built home of the Adairs is burning out slowly, most of the walls already collapsed inwards, the roof entirely absent. The heavy framing timbers still stand, blacked on the outside and char-red in places, smoke thickly, the occasional flicker of flame apparent along the edges. Down the slope stand Reverend Jacobs, Morgan Saul, and Cormac Connla bringing up the rear. Braeden stands between them and Ariston Adair, and several grotesquely disfigured (and dead) bodies lie around his feet. Nearby, Yordan Adair lies slumped against a tree, breathing steadily but clearly wounded.

Confused as to why these people have, just now, decided to leave the town and visit this area of the forest, Ari tilts his head to the side slightly. He pays them little heed, though, because as he begins to answer a question that Braeden asked him, suddenly his gaze becomes fixated on one of the corpses, which now litter the ground around his desecrated home. "I was going to.. By the Radiance... Braeden, have you seen anything like.." He hops off the young steed and pats him on the nose. "How... that is not..." He trails off and stares at the fallen assailant incredulously. His lower jaw hangs open and his brow is furrowed in disgusted awe. "Father, what in the world are these things?"

Cormac calls up the slope, "Braeden, what's happened?"

Braeden doesn't respond, but kneels down to inspect the body at his foot.
Yordan, in a light sleep, appears not to hear the question.

Cormac glances at the body Ari and Braeden are inspecting, the walks over to Yordan, apparently double checking all the bandages. Morgan, however, begins to inspect another of the bodies a few paces away.

"Something is very wrong about these dead strangers. They look as if they have been dead for weeks, how is it that they managed to..." Ari trails off and stares at the bodies puzzled.

"Oh my goodness! what is going on here!" Reverend Jacobs begins saying a prayer to the Radiance for strength, as he hasn't seen something like this in quite a while.... if not ever!

What has happened to the peaceful village?!?!?!


there were no quotes around the last comment gary, as it was not a thing said.

"So you have no idea what these things are, Reverend Jacobs?" Ari stares at Reverend Jacobs in confusion. "Also, why have you all decided to come here, the very day we get attacked by... whatever these things are?" It is clear that Ari is agitated, but it is more likely the creatures on the ground and less the townsfolk now on his property.

"Unfortunately no, i do not know. Braeden promised to take me out here and help me find some ancient ruins that might help me in my studies of the radiance. It is just coincidence that I am here at this time.... Maybe it was the fate of the radiance that i am here to help console all those in need? Braeden, do you know what these are by chance?"

"I dunna know what these are, but i suspect no good will come of 'em. We should burn the bodies, i think." Braeden says, slowly.

Morgan, silent till now, looks up from crouching over another nearby body. "What countries nearby would have cause to be around Weatheryn?"

Jacobs gives Morgan a strange look. "I....... I have no idea. As we've told you, you've been our first guest since........ since....... only the radiance knows. It has been a while. Ari, you haven't seen any newcomers as of late have you?"

Ari shakes his head. "No. I have seen some strange things recently, though..."

"such as what?"

As he begins to build a small pyre, Braeden looks over at the conversation. "I don't know what you four will want to do next now, but could ye give me a hand with the bodies and this fire?"

"Of course. i should probably say a few words as well...... this is quite a disaster..... ... "

Cormac drops his pack beside Yordan and gives Braeden a hand building the pyre.

"Say, Radiant Man, do you remember that freak windstorm some days ago? Newly-weds house was damaged, or some such?"" Cormac pauses, and gestures towards the Adair's self-built home. "Their roof was gone."

Ari looks agitated. "Oh... I'll explain later. Let's help Braeden out."

Yes..... I do recall that..... interesting. But I agree, we should help out Braeden out for the time being."

Considering all the already-smoldering timber lying about, finding wood for the pyre is not difficult. The scent of burning animal hair is sickening. Fortunately, cool winds blowing up the mountain off Star Lake are keeping the scent mostly away from the west side of the home, where the group of you mostly are.

A total of seven bodies are finally dragged to the pyre -- all dessicated and crumbling bodies like the first you saw, although each lay above a pool of fresh blood. Four were slain by arrow, the three by the home presumably by blade. The fire blazes merrily, but as the bodies burn there comes from the fire an quiet yet insistent whistling screech. The smoke rises in thick gray clouds but dissipates into the treetops in several distinct vortices.

Yordan, silently napping a short ways away, speaks up. "Rider. Up the road. Alone." He says, sounding considerably stronger than he did before. He somehow acquired one of the mercenary's crossbows, and the distinctive click sounds as he loads the bolt.

Only seconds later a horse and rider thunder around the corner at a full gallop. The face is familiar, though, and the collective sigh of relief is audible. Tychus, co-owner of the Nine Sages House, reins up his mare, dirt throwing forwards under his horse's hooves. "By the Radiance, what happened here?" He exclaims breathlessly. "I rode as fast as i could when i saw the smoke, but...blessed Watcher, are those BODIES?!"

"Aye," responds Braeden coolly. "We might'n have much time to lose, so here's the short story. Yordan's been poisn'd, but he'll be fine fer a time. Why dun you take him back to town 'n take care a him 'til we get back?"
There's a shocked moment of silence as the young rider absorbs the situation, then both he and Braeden speak at once.
"Yes, sir." "Just do it, boy."

Braeden grunts his approval and begins to tack up his horse, eager to get moving again. Tychus dismounts and strides over to Yordan, looking more the chivalrous knight despite his discomfort a moment ago than the Baron on festival days.

From atop his horse, Braeden looks over the unlikely companions -- woodsman, fisherman, priest and vagabond. "Guess yer all comin' with me, 'less you've better plans in the city."

*shakes head and rubs temples...* Excuse me, I think all the violence and chaos of the last few hours... days... has given me a headache. Excuse me for just one moment. *closes eyes and wipes his face and drinks some water.* Ok, Braeden, let's go.

"Friar Dougal can handle the village just fine while i'm gone. And I'm still looking forward to finding the Radiance pilgrimage location. Let us be off!"

Jacobs says all this with a smile, even though he was a bit disturbed with the happenings as of late. Either way, he was happy to continue the quest.

The crisp frosty air of the high woods is a pleasant change from the odor of the burning corpses, and heading in this new direction is a noticeable relief for all involved. Despite the misfortunes of the morning, adventure is in the air -- only Braeden seems unphased. As you trek up, always up, he barks back comments and warnings about the local flora and fauna.

The travel is made easier by the four horses carrying the supplies. Braeden on his mare makes the beast look more like a pony than her true 16 hands, but for the moment he is forging ahead on foot, allowing Cormac to ride. Reverend Jacobs likewise travels mounted, although several times during the day he has be forced to dismount to squeeze under heavy foliage. Alezan, too young yet to handle a rider and the climb, is tethered to Déchaîné, who follows obediently behind Ari.

"Déchaîné," Ari explains to Morgan, "is too set in his ways to accept new riders. I apologize, stranger, but you must walk."
Morgan's rat scurries out of one sleeve and squeaks at Ariston. "Yes!" Morgan agrees, "I have my own steed!" The rat squeaks again and scurries down Morgan's arm into an open saddlebag on Alezan's rump.

The long, single file climb up the wild animal paths along the mountains allows ample time for chatter, but the conversations inevitably end with either a grunt from Braeden -- or occasionally, when he's feeling particularly verbose, a grisly tale of some wild animal he fought in the high mountains. The stories are so matter of fact and anticlimactic that it's difficult to decide if the fantastical creatures are of his imagination or real. Lunchtime arrives at the edge of the treeline, where you rather luckily find a charming little mountain spring feeding a grassy glade. Two distinct pixie rings are growing the grass, and Braeden takes the opportunity to pick a number of mushrooms and place them in his pouch. The grass here takes an unusual reddish hue.

(No particular event requires your attention at this time, but real life concerns dictate that i end the post here for the time being. Feel free to roleplay as you desire in the interim, or not.)

"So what brings all of you away from town?"

As you settle in to take your meal, you notice the reddish hue of the foliage growing more luminous. No, a cloud must have just passed in front of the sun, making the natural color more noticeable. From the timber there comes the timbre of a dozen hunting horns. The gloom grows deeper, and Braeden glances upwards, recalling the crisp, clear sky of a moment ago. Clear, that is, cloudless -- yet darker it becomes.

Only the saturated red glow of the plants around you lights your faces; all of you stare upwards.

(Ok that's all i had to add, sorry for the long delay)

"How the...?"