The Wilds - Ahh! Death!

Ouch, that'll leave a mark. With the fight over except for the cleanup, the party moves to reorganize and find a place they can hole up and recover, hoping their new-found enemies don't return or track them. Unfortunately this plan is interrupted... by death!


Start Date: July 9, year of the Badger, before dawn
Start Status: Going, going,
Start Location: The Wilds

The Turn

With the (visible) enemies down or dead, the group moves quickly to deal with the aftermath. Locky, Durego, Jonquil, Saraubh, and Ohwatoo round up the mules (along with unconscious Gorvil) and head back to the dell to pack up the supplies that were left behind. The battered Ingvild tags along. Raúguey, Grit, and Dagmarten dare the storm and put the last of the enemy down, then search the remains, while Nissa remains on watch, bow ready, just beyond the edge of the clouds. Rawon, Urúvion, and Maro investigate the tree. Though the storm still rumbles overhead, no lightning strikes them down when they approach it. As they suspected, it bears one of the Carved Tree marks [I'll post something up later].

Urúvion spends little time at the tree, instead heading west to the far edge of the storm and whatever the creatures left behind. Maro and Rawon spend a few moments trying to get some response from whatever inhabits the old elm, but there is no response, beyond occasional growls of thunder from the still swirling storm. There is little sign that the beastmen's torches did much damage, a few scorch marks and some burned leaves. Rawon backs away a few yards and squats, flask in hand, eyes on the tree, while Maro trots to catch up with Urúvion.

The two elves reach the spot where the last three creatures stood. Now that they're beyond the storm, they can see the treeline in the growing light, and the trio of creatures, just now vanishing among the trees, angling away to the WNW. Reassured by the disappearing foes, they study the object that was left behind, an ornate spear decorated with strands of beads, strips of fur, and... is that a shrunken head?

"I'll bet we can sell this for a good price back in Auslaug!" says Urúvion, as he tugs the decorative weapon out of the ground.

FWOOM!

A billow of smoke and flame bursts from the spear, enveloping both elves! Both try to dodge the blast, but fail miserably! [7 damage each]. Coughing and blinking from the smoke and heat, Maro grabs the downed Urúvion, and drags him away from the smouldering grass. "Urúvion!" he shouts, as he beats out the flickering flames on the other elf's clothing.

No use. The burst of fire was too much for the already wounded wood elf. With a gasp and a choking wheeze he expires in Maro's arms.

"Nooooo!" Maro's cry notifies the others (those that didn't notice the giant burst of FIRE) that something is very very wrong. There's a general rush to where Maro kneels, clutching Urúvion's still form. Durego and Dagmarten try to bind wounds and revive the elf, but it's no use. There's mostly dead, and then there's dead, and this is dead.

Grit is the first to speak. "Best we get a move on unless we want to join him. Come on."

His words earn him a few glares from the others, but Durego finally nods his agreement. "Grit is right. We can mourn later. We need to get away from this place and find somewhere to rest up and recover. Once we're safe we can figure out what to do. Come on Maro, help me carry Urúvion."

Subdued by the death of their comrade, the others return to their camp, finish packing, and then head west along the old road to the quarry. There the remaining elves fan out to scout and cover the trail while the others establish a camp atop a steep hill, one side bordered by the sheer rock face of the quarry, the others rubble-strewn and open. A small knot of trees and shrubs covers half the hilltop, the other half is open and dotted with large stones. By the time you're finally settled in, it's near noon, and everyone is exhausted, burdened by grief and worn down by the night's battle. You settle in to rest and mourn the fallen.

Wound Status:
Durego: 5 damage
Raúguey: 5 damage
Grit: 8 damage
Urúvion: 9 damage (DEAD)
Maro: 7 damage
Gorvil: 6 damage (UNCONSCIOUS)
Saurabh: 1 damage
Ingvild: 8 damage (OW!)

End Date: July 9, year of the Badger, near noon
End Status: Gone
End Location: The old quarry in the Wilds

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