Homoventures Chapter 4, Part 6
| ||||||
Summary
Heading on their way after spending their night with Eosphoros, Justen and Xan travel on their way to Imbros. At the inn they meet Neret, one of the innkeeper's daughters, who tells them that many of the men from the village have been hired by Sleyght as diggers for the expedition. Later they speak to Athos, her brother and a fiddle player, who relates rumours he heard that someone in the party that fist discovered the tom or tombs was attacked by something inside. He also tells them a local legend about an army that lay drowned beneath the local lake, and informs them of the presence of a local wise woman, Karala, who may be able to help them.
Session
- Session date: June 10, 2014
- Diablotin date: Spring 2275
<DiablotinNarrator> You and Justen continue on your trip the following morning. You might be tempted to fly, given horseback riding might be ... uncomfortable >.>
<DiablotinNarrator> The terrain becomes increasingly hilly, never reaching the level of 'mountainous', but some fairly sizeable hills as you wind between them in the valleys
<Xandhil is tempted to fly, but is a little more cautious about it
<DiablotinNarrator> It can be difficult to be certain you're going the right way
<Xandhil> (well flying is good for that at least... and I can fly invis for a bit if we need to)
<DiablotinNarrator> *nod*
<DiablotinNarrator> By mid-afternoon, as you head up for a quick reconnaissance flight, you can see a small village up ahead, at the edge of a lake
<Xandhil flies back down to join justen
<Xandhil> i think we're almost there
<Justen> That's good
<Justen> And then the site's a bit further on from there?
<Xandhil> yeah
<Justen> Do you want to plan to stop for dinner in the village, if there's any sort of inn or tavern or something there?
<Xandhil> if we can, yeah
<Xandhil> may as well have one more night of real beds, and get there early tomorrow
<Justen> Sounds like a good plan
<Xandhil will settle gingerly back on his horse
<Justen smirks just a bit
<Xandhil makes a face
<Xandhil> that whole thing was kind of weird
<Justen> how do you mean?
<Xandhil> Like, I'm not saying we wouldn't have done it anyway
<Xandhil> but that music was enchanted
<Justen> it was?
<Xandhil> yeah
<Justen> I didn't feel like anyone was making me do stuff
<Xandhil> you wouldn't at the time...
<Xandhil gives you a considering look and then shakes his head
<Xandhil> I think he was just being cautious, maybe?
<Xandhil> anyway
<Justen> he didn't seem like he talked to people a lot
<Xandhil> yeah
<Justen> kind of lonely
<Justen> aside from the sex, what did you think about what he said? or even... what he was?
<Xandhil> I'm not sure
<Xandhil> apparently i was being too polite to ask :p
<Xandhil> some kind of local nature guardian
<Justen nods
<Justen> like a nymph or something?
<Justen> except obviously, uh, male
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> something like that
<Xandhil> I can look it up later
<Xandhil> There might have been something in one of the folklore books I brought
<Justen nods
<Xandhil> But I admit i was looking more for stuff on the Genis. Djinn.
<Justen> yeah
<Justen> well, hopefully all that research will be useful too
<Justen> maybe not in quite so intimate a fashion ;)
<Xandhil> heh
<Xandhil> yes
<Xandhil> we'll see I guess :V
<Xandhil> I'm glad we got a little more detail on the Horse-lord
<Xandhil> uh
<Justen glances over
<Xandhil> Orelius
<Justen nods
<Xandhil> I shoudl have asked what he meant by the term, relaly
<Justen> is it a title?
<Xandhil> maybe?
<Xandhil> or a descriptor
<Xandhil> maybe its his house :p
<Justen> oh, yeah, maybe
<Xandhil> there could have been more animal totems than the ones who made it to diablotin
<Justen> I guess it might make sense if the people who settled here had different ... Houses?
<Justen> different gods?
<Justen suggests, uncertain
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> but they were the ones who... stormed heaven?
<Xandhil> who took over from serpent
<Xandhil> So I don't know what would have happened to them
<Xandhil> if they were killed or faded out or what
<Xandhil> the gods werent really gods before that
<Justen> yeah...
<Xandhil> maybe they just stayed the same as, like, ancestral totems or something
<Justen> too bad the people we could ask about this are all back in Diablotin
<Xandhil> fft, like they would actually know
<Justen chuckles
<Xandhil> I don't think anyone has really thought about it
<Xandhil> let alone researched it
<Justen> even your father? ;)
<Justen> I thought he knew everything
<Xandhil> I guess alma could commune
<Xandhil> he thinks that too
<Xandhil> well, dad might I guess
<Xandhil> but I don't know
<Justen> I'm never sure how much he knows and doesn't tell anyone.
<Xandhil> I've never talked to him about it much, but from what Father said he wasn't really paying attention then?
<Justen> yeah... I mean, I've talked to him about it some.
<Xandhil> oh?
<Justen> a bit
<Justen seems a little embarrassed
<Xandhil> no, what?
<Justen> because of my father
<Xandhil> ahh...
<Xandhil> what he was like Before?
<Justen> i wanted to know about what things were like back then... before everything changed
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> what did he say?
<Xandhil> ...and when was this - how come you never told me?
<Justen> well, he did say what you said - that he was young, like what we'd think of as a kid, and he didn't know or care about lots of things he probably would have if he'd known it was important
<Justen> well, you know he helped out when I was younger - my folks wanted me and Mercy, but especially me, to have someone to talk to about ... demon stuff :p
<Justen makes a face at that
<Xandhil> fair
<Xandhil> well
<Xandhil> maybe not fair for the 'you especially' part
<Justen> they always were more worried about me
<Xandhil> because of your eyes?
<Justen> yeah
<Xandhil> hmm.
<Justen> but I didn't just want to talk about, you know... times when I felt angry and couldn't control myself, or stuff like that.
<Xandhil nods
<Justen> I think he knew that it was good for me to hear about how it wasn't all bad.
<Justen> how *I* wasn't all bad
<Xandhil nods
<Justen> because I felt that way sometimes, when I was young.
<Xandhil> :/
<Justen> being thirteen, fourteen, pretty much sucks regardless though.
<Justen says with a half smile
<Xandhil> well, you're not - I hope you don't still feel that way now at all?
<Xandhil> and yes :p
<Justen> no
<Xandhil> tell me about it :p
<Justen> I don't feel that way now
<Justen assures you
<Xandhil> good
<Xandhil> being thirteen and fourteen shoudl be outlawed
<Justen> yeah
<Justen> can we plan a trip for when Solange is that age? ;)
<Xandhil> heh
<Xandhil> yes
<Xandhil> anyway
<Xandhil> I still don't think anyone knows
<Xandhil> if there were other tribes or whatever
<Justen> yeah
<Xandhil> or even if there were people outside of Am
<Justen> Your dad never said anything about that
<Xandhil> I think if he knew something Father would have had it out of him by now
<Justen nods
<Xandhil> and you know he'd never have been able to to keep quiet if he did
<Justen> oh, yeah. presentation at the Antiquarian Society here we come.
<Justen> although maybe "things my husband told me because he used to be an angel" isn't a great citation.
<Xandhil> hee
<Xandhil> well
<Xandhil> he would have gone looking
<Xandhil> anyway
<Xandhil> I am super curious
<Xandhil> but I don't know how we would ever prove it
<Justen nods
<Xandhil> oh hey look
<Xandhil> civilization!
<Xandhil> such as it is
<Justen smiles, looking ahead
<DiablotinNarrator> I found a pic that looks like what I was envisioning: 
<Xandhil> (cool)
<DiablotinNarrator> maybe fewer minarets ;)
<Justen> Seems promising.
<Xandhil> well, it seems like they might have more than one inn, anyway
<Justen> yeah
<Justen will ride with you towards the village
<Xandhil> which is more than I was expecting!
<Justen> maybe two, whose owners hate each other :)
<Xandhil> heh
<BalthNote (~balthcat@142.167.184.214) has joined #gnomeland
<DiablotinNarrator> There are indeed two inns in this village, although whether their owners hate one another is not yet clear ;)
<Xandhil> you pick
<Xandhil tells Justen
<DiablotinNarrator> The place seems relatively sparsely populated for the number of buildings, on the whole
<DiablotinNarrator> like it might have a considerable number of its inhabitants who are shepherds out in the hills, or who are engaged in some sort of other activity.
<DiablotinNarrator> Most of the people you see are old, or young children, some women of middle years but relatively few men
<Justen considers the options, as people stare at you from their windows or porches
<Justen> This one
<Xandhil doesn't like being stared at, and grumps
<Justen says, pointing to the one that looks perhaps more run-down, but has better music playing
<Xandhil> sure
<Xandhil says, a little dubiously, perhaps regretting his decision to leave it to Mr. Social >.>
<Xandhil> (although if they both have music and one is just better that is probably still preferable ;)
<DiablotinNarrator> Even this, the more 'active' of the two, is not exactly busy. There's a stout, middle-aged woman at the counter, a cluster of old men nursing drinks, a trio of musicians (two young women, one young man playing a fiddle) and a dancing girl
<NPC is now known as Innkeeper
<Innkeeper seems a bit surprised to have actual guests arrive, but she smiles and greets you
<Innkeeper> Good evening, what can I get for you?
<Xandhil> (what time of dy is it>
<Innkeeper> (probably about 5 or 6pm?)
<Xandhil looks to Justen
<Justen> Do you have a room free for the night?
<Innkeeper> We do, certainly. Just one room?
<Justen> That'll be fine, we don't mind sharing :)
<Innkeeper nods
<Innkeeper> Some food, drinks?
<Justen> please, whatever you have ready would be great
<Xandhil> thanks
<Innkeeper> Neret, show them up to the big room. I'll have dinner ready for you by the time you've put your things away.
<DiablotinNarrator> The girl who was dancing stops and comes over with a smile. She has a certain resemblance to the innkeeper - a daughter or niece maybe.
<Innkeeper is now known as Neret
<Neret looks about fifteen or so
<Neret> Follow me, please :)
<Xandhil nods and picks his stuff back up
<Justen as well
<Xandhil> (I am guessing we already dropped off the horses?)
<Justen> (yeah I assume there was a kid to take them for a small fee :)
<Neret leads you up the stairs, her wrists and ankles jingling with small bells as she walks
<Neret> What brings you to Imbros?
<Xandhil> we're on our way out to help with the site they found when digging the railroad
<Neret> oh! My father went to help with the digging there.
<Neret> and two of my brothers
<Xandhil> oh?
<Xandhil> did they hire a lot of men from town?
<Neret nods
<Neret> About twenty or so.
<Xandhil> that's a good crew
<Neret> is it?
<Xandhil> I think?
<Xandhil> I don't actually know how big the site, but it seems pretty good
<Neret> Some people don't think so...
<Neret> that it's good, I mean
<Xandhil> how do you mean?
<Xandhil be's confused because he was talkign about the number :V
<Neret> well, I don't quite know, sir.
<Neret seems worried that maybe she's speaking out of turn
<Justen> It's all right.
<Justen assures her.
<Justen gives a charming smile for good measure ;)
<Neret blushes and smiles back
<Neret> Well, partly because it's summer, and they take the flocks up the hills for cooler weather... but there aren't as many men to take care of the flocks now.
<Xandhil> ahh
<Neret> This digging paid well, though, so some of the men thought it was worth it.
<Neret> And partly... just old stories.
<Neret says with a shrug
<Xandhil> what kind of stories?
<Neret> Some folks think they shouldn't be digging out there because it's cursed.
<Neret seems to think this is foolish, by her tone
<Xandhil> cursed?
<Xandhil> cursed how?
<Neret> Oh, that some old king and his whole army are buried there, and if they're disturbed it'll unleash evil spirits.
<Xandhil> ahh, right
<Neret> Sister Helena says that's foolish talk, though.
<Xandhil> we should be able to detect it if there are any curses on it
<Xandhil> I'm not too worried
<Neret> She said that those were only old legends, and there was nothing to worry about, so I'm not either.
<Xandhil> right
<Neret> Well... whenever you're ready, come back down for dinner, and my mother will have it ready.
<Xandhil> thanks
<Justen> we'll be there soon
<Neret heads off back downstairs, leaving you to settle into your room
<DiablotinNarrator> The room is decently large, and cooled by a breeze from the window so it's not too stifling
<Xandhil sets his stuff down and looks out the window
<Justen> it's not bad :)
<Justen sits on the bed
<Justen> seems free of vermin
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> better than no bed
<Xandhil sits with you
<Xandhil> man
<Xandhil lies down for a bit
<Justen smiles down at you
<Xandhil> everytime someone says that something is 'just' legends it makes me want to shake them
<Justen> that's fair
<Justen> I guess she'd have reason to want to think that, since her father and brothers are working there.
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> I guess
<Justen> and if the local priest is telling her not to worry about it
<Xandhil> but like - if you consider things a serious possibility you can pay attention and not blunder into things like magical traps and curses or whatever
<DiablotinNarrator> (ww)
<Justen> and if the local priest is telling her not to worry about it
<Xandhil> when you caould probably just have them dispelled and be done with it
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> the local priest is dumb :p
<Justen> probably so
<Xandhil> unless they already do have someone out there checking these things
<Xandhil> and that's why she's not concerned
<Justen> did these people already know about the site? if there's a story about a burial out there.
<Xandhil> but being dismissive - especially with something like this were we really don't know what ut is or why it is there - is dumb
<Xandhil> that seems likely
<Xandhil sighs
<Xandhil> maybe we can ask around at dinner and see what people were already saying
<Xandhil> hell who knows
<Xandhil> maybe it is like a local custom for teenagers to go and dig something up :p
<Justen chuckles
<Xandhil> I wouldn't be surprised if 'we discovered this' meant 'no one bothered to ask anyone who lives here'
<Justen> yeah...
<Justen> well, it seems like mostly old people are left here, so maybe they'll have some good stories.
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> you can be in charge of getting them to open up :p
<Xandhil> you;re good at that
<Xandhil smiles up at him
<Justen> well you would know ;)
<Justen> the boy with the fiddle was kind of cute ^-^
<Justen adds, possibly unrelatedly
<Xandhil rolls his eyes
<Xandhil> I need a night off :p
<Justen> heh, fair enough
<Xandhil> you wanna bang the fiddle player, you can get a different room ;p
<Justen> he probably has a room that he shares with his twelve sisters or whatever.
<Justen> I'd rather stay here with you :)
<Justen leans over to give you a kiss
<Xandhil> mm :)
<Xandhil> glad you think I am better than a cute boy *and* his twelve sisters ^-^
<Justen> definitely
<Xandhil> even if I need a night off?
<Xandhil teases and then kisses you again
<Justen> even then
<Justen> I didn't sign up for 'just the nights Xan wants to fuck' ;)
<Justen> I'm just lucky that that's plenty of nights ^-^
<Justen teases
<Xandhil> mmhmmm
<Xandhil> good
<Justen gives you a few more snuggles and kisses before his stomach growls and reminds him that it's time for food ;)
<Xandhil> mmph
<Xandhil lets you pull him up out of bed
<Xandhil> backrub later?
<Justen> sure
<Justen> if you're offering ;)
<Justen teases
<Xandhil> ;p
<Xandhil> were you flying around all day? No.
<Xandhil> If you like, I can rub your butt ^-^
<Justen> mm, okay
<Justen> are your flying muscles sore?
<Xandhil> yeh
<Justen> maybe you need more chances to exercise them
<Xandhil> but dinner now?
<Xandhil> and yeah
<Xandhil> I do
<Justen> yes, dinner sounds wonderful, I'm starving
<Justen opens the door to head downstairs
<Xandhil follows along
<DiablotinNarrator> As soon as you arrive back downstairs, the innkeeper produces a large plate of olives, bread, goat's cheese, and some cold sliced sausage
<Neret is now known as Innkeeper
<Xandhil> oh, that loks great
<Xandhil> I could eat Psyrene olives forever @_@
<Innkeeper smiles at that
<Innkeeper> For the hot meal, I have meatballs with onions and red lentils - I'll bring that out when you're ready.
<Xandhil> thank you
<Xandhil smiles gratefully
<Innkeeper> Do you want tea to drink?
<Xandhil> do you have any... yes please!
<Xandhil> tea would be fantastic
<Innkeeper will bring you a pot of tea and two cups, then
<Xandhil will pour some for each of us
<Justen already has his mouth full with bread and sausage
<Xandhil> mm, tea and olives
<Justen> mmm, sausage and cheese
<Xandhil> heh
<Xandhil eats some of that too ^-^
<Justen> your father really would love it here
<Xandhil> yup
<Justen> he could eat most of the meals without any meat at all if he wanted
<Xandhil> yeah
<Justen> maybe once you tell him how good the food is, he can talk your mom and dad into a vacation ;)
<Xandhil> maybe he and mom and dad can come here for vacation sometime
<Xandhil> hah
<Justen laughs
<Xandhil grins
<Xandhil> and least mom - dad might still be worried about getting kicked out by the locals :p
<Justen> hm, true. we'll have to see about that, I guess.
<Justen> I mean, if they weren't fans of him, they might not like us much either.
<Justen> although I guess we don't know what he was doing, precisely, that they might not have liked ... :p
<Xandhil> well...
<Xandhil> I dunno
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> also
<Xandhil> uh
<Xandhil> we aren't evil :p
<Justen> true
<Justen> neither's he now, though
<Xandhil> just a little wicked >:D
<Xandhil> yeah
<Xandhil> well
<Xandhil> I think it depends whether they might remember or recognize him... and again what he was doing :p
<Xandhil> if it is just that they're territorial.. we'll see I guess
<Justen nods, grabbing more of the warm bread to wrap some pieces of cheese and sausage in
<Xandhil> but Eosphoros thought we *were* Djinn, oir at least related...
<Xandhil> so, I dunno
<Justen> yeah
<Innkeeper brings out the bowls of hot lentils and onions, each with three lamb meatballs on the top, and some chopped cucumbers and mint and yogurt on the side
<Xandhil> oooh
<Xandhil> someone needs to open a good psyrene restaurant in Diablotin
<Innkeeper> in case it's too spicy
<Innkeeper tells you, gesturing to the yogurt etc.
<Xandhil> thanks
<Xandhil> I thknk we'll be okay though :)
<Innkeeper nods and leaves you to it, then
<Xandhil digs in :3
<Justen as well
<Innkeeper> (it is indeed pretty spicy, but not unbearably so :)
<Justen made sure to sit where he could see the musicians, including cute fiddler ;)
<Justen> Ah.. I guess I know why he didn't go with every other man under fifty in the village.
<Justen says under his breath
<Xandhil> hmm?
<Xandhil> to get all the ladies? :p
<Justen chuckles
<Justen> maybe that
<Justen> but also, he's missing one of his legs from the knee down.
<Xandhil glances
<Xandhil> huh
<Justen> still cute ;)
<Xandhil shrugs
<Xandhil> not bad
<Justen smirks
<Justen> hey at least I'm not ogling the 15 year old dancing girl ;)
<Xandhil> there is that
<Xandhil says dryly
<Xandhil> (how old does fiddler look?)
<DiablotinNarrator> (maybe about 20ish)
<DiablotinNarrator> (somewhere between 20-25?)
<Xandhil> (okay then ^-^)
<Justen> probably her mother keeps an eye on the patrons anyway ;)
<Justen> if anyone gets frisky
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> she doesn't look like a lady you'd want to cross...
<Justen> no, definitely not. probably wields a mean frying pan.
<Justen eats some more of the tasty foods
<Justen> well, who do you think we should start with? If the guy's a bard he might know plenty of stories. or there's the old folks.
<Justen def. seems more enthused about chatting with the young man ;)
<Xandhil> oh fine, we can try the guy first...
<Justen grins
<Xandhil> maybe he can at least tell us who among the older folks would be worth talking to
<Justen> yeah
<Justen waits until a break in the music, when the musicians and dancer take a rest, then stands and goes over to the bar to get some more ... talkative beverages.
<Xandhil finishes his tea then
<Justen buys a round for all the musicians, thanking them for their entertainment
<Justen> (musicians + dancer, I should say ;)
<Xandhil> (fair)
<Justen strikes up a conversation with the young man, and after a little chatting you can't quite make out, invites him over to your table
<Justen> Xan, this is Athos. He's Neret's brother, or one of them, I guess.
<Innkeeper is now known as Athos
<Xandhil> hey
<Athos> Hi, nice to meet you.
<Xandhil> you too
<Athos has a crutch he walks with, which he leans against the wall as he sits down
<Xandhil smiles in a neutrally friendly way and waves for them both to sit
<Justen carried his drink for him, and sets it down on the table in front of him before sitting down himself
<Xandhil> nice playing
<Athos> Thanks.
<Athos> I hear you're here to join the scholars who went off to dig up ancient treasures :)
<Justen> That's the idea.
<Justen> Well, maybe not treasures, but ancient... stuff.
<Justen> I'm not the expert, he is :)
<Justen says with a nod to you
<Xandhil> treasure is a matter of perspective, I think
<Xandhil> I just find the past really interesting
<Athos nods, sipping his drink
<Xandhil> so I'm interested in anything that can tell us more about what happened, what things were like...
<Athos> About what happened when they found it?
<Xandhil> when they found what?
<Athos> The tomb.
<Athos> or tombs.
<Xandhil> wait - I'm confused
<Xandhil> who are you talking about?
<Athos> well, the workers who were building the railroad.
<Athos> they're the ones who uncovered it
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> did something happen when they found it?
<Athos> I guess so. Some of them passed through here and I heard them talk about it.
<Xandhil> what did they say?
<Xandhil hasn't heard about this (I don't think)!
<Athos> (no, nothing specific/noteworthy about the discovery I don't think.)
<Athos> So, they were blasting away at the hillside, to make a clear path for the tracks to be laid down. And when the smoke cleared, the first thing they saw was a big stone horse's head, lying in the rubble.
<Xandhil> cool
<Athos> They found the statue it had come off of too, and then another one, and a doorway between them, and it was leading into the hill.
<Xandhil nods, listening
<Athos> Some of them wanted to just keep going, blow up the rest of it too and finish their job, but their overseer or someone said no, that they needed to stop.
<Xandhil> someone was right!
<Athos> And they drew straws to see who was going to go in that door. Because no one really wanted to, they had an eerie feeling about the place.
<Xandhil nods
<Athos> The fellow who got the short straw went in with a lantern
<Athos> They could see the light from it for a little way, and then nothing.
<Athos> And then they heard screaming.
<Xandhil> :|
<Athos gets into the story, leaning forward
<Justen> Was he dead?
<Athos> No, he made it out again, running like a dragon was after him.
<Xandhil> what happened to him, then? What did he see?
<Athos> He was bruised and cut up, probably from tripping over things as he ran out
<Athos> once he'd calmed down, they managed to get out of him that it was a tomb, but that something in there wasn't dead.
<Athos> or not as dead as it ought to be.
<Athos> So they sealed up the door again and sent for instructions from Diablotin, to see what they ought to do about it.
<Xandhil> huh
<Athos> 'Leave it be, until experts can look at it' - so that's what they did, and happy enough to see the back of that place, I gather.
<Xandhil> 9I can't remember if we were told there were undead or just surmised that there might be?)
<DiablotinNarrator> (you had surmised it, there was nothing in what Sleyght told you about confirmed undead)
<Xandhil> we
<Xandhil> weren't told anything about that
<Xandhil frowns
<Athos> No?
<Xandhil> I wonder if Sleyght was, or if thgat got lost somewhere along the way..
<Athos> Well, I can't be sure what they told the folks in Diablotin.
<Xandhil> dismissed as superstition or something :p
<Xandhil> that's fair
<Xandhil> well
<Xandhil> they should know for sure by now, I would think :p
<Xandhil> How long ago were they here to hire diggers?
<Athos> (I double-checked, all Sleyght told you was "Apparently the workers feel it is most uncanny, and that as well seems to discourage them from investigating it further.")
<DiablotinNarrator> ("However, I haven't heard anything about specific threats - aside from bandits, that is.")
<Athos> (I've lost track of time a bit... probably a couple weeks?)
<Xandhil> (That's what I thought...)
<Athos> A couple of weeks ago.
<Xandhil> but people still went with him?
<Xandhil> He must have been paying pretty well...
<Athos> Sure... the money was good.
<Xandhil> there's good money and then there is 'mioght get eaten by zombies' money...
<Athos> Not everyone believes the old stories. And honestly, I don't know if I believe what the workers said either. Maybe the guy got scared by a fox or something moving in the dark, that had burrowed in there.
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> what are the old stories?
<Xandhil> like, what did people already know about the place?
<Xandhil> or what did they say, I guesss
<Xandhil> maybe 'know' is too strong a word :V
<Athos> Well, the shepherds didn't like to graze sheep around there - said it was unhealthy for them, they'd lose too many if they went there.
<Xandhil> lose them to what?
<Athos> Disease, I guess, or predators.
<Athos> That's just what they said, but because they didn't graze them there, I don't know if it's true or not. They had stories about 'my grandfather always said, don't do that because they'll get sick, or because there are wolves around there' but none of them went there themselves.
<Athos> There are stories that there was a battle here once, long long ago, and the soldiers who died are buried up there.
<Xandhil nods
<Athos> Sometimes you'll find things, washed up from the lake, old pieces of green metal - once, when I was young, a sword blade.
<Xandhil> there's a lake?
<Athos> (I did say that... 'small village at the edge of a lake' - it was even in the picture :)
<Xandhil> (oh nm duh)
<Athos> I heard a story that there wasn't a lake there once.
<Xandhil> oh?
<Athos> It was just a field, and that's where the battle took place.
<Xandhil> hmmm
<Athos> And one of the sides had a magic-user who cast some great spell and water flooded the whole valley.
<Athos> that if you swim down to the bottom, you'll see the drowned soldiers still in their armor. But I don't know if both of those things could be true - because weren't they buried up in the hills?
<Athos> Stories, you know.
<Xandhil> yeah...
<Athos> They cross over each other and get mixed up.
<Athos> There's something true in each of them, maybe.
<Xandhil> maybe one side got buried and the other side got drowned ;)
<Athos> That could be :)
<Xandhil> Now I want to see what's at the bottom of the lake!
<Justen> Do you have any magic that would let us do that?
<Justen> because it does sound pretty cool.
<Xandhil> I don't have anything that would let us breathe underwater, no :/
<Justen> Ah well... maybe we can find something that would let us, and come back sometime :)
<Xandhil> well
<Xandhil> we could see if the locl priest could cast it
<Athos makes a little face at 'local priest'
<Xandhil> if she's a powerful enough cleric she could
<Xandhil> ...
<Athos covers it by taking a drink
<Xandhil> what?
<Xandhil> your sister mentioned her earlier...
<Athos> Oh... Sister Helena is a busybody and a moralistic prude.
<Xandhil> oh, bleh
<Xandhil> are there no other priests around?
<Athos> well... no. not exactly.
<Xandhil> oh?
<Justen> That sounds sort of like a 'yes' ;)
<Xandhil grins
<Athos> There's a ... wise woman. She's not a priestess, or at least not of the Wheel. Maybe just of nature, if that's possible.
<Athos> She doesn't live in the village, but has a hut off on her own.
<Xandhil> huh
<Xandhil> she seems liek she might be interesting to talk to though
<Xandhil says, eying Justen
<Justen nods
<Justen> What's her name?
<Athos> Karala.
<Xandhil> I wonder if we could justify taking the extra day... or if we shoudl go make sure they haven't all been eaten by zombies :p
<Justen> It's up to you, I guess. If they have been eaten, one more day won't make a difference ;)
<Justen> Or we could go check in on them, then come back. It's not that far from here to the site, right?
<Xandhil> I don't know
<Athos> About another day.
<Xandhil> maybe we could make a little detour, anyway, if she's not too hard to find?
<Athos> If she wants to hide, she can be... but she's friendly enough. just ... eccentric?
<Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> we can probably handle that
<Xandhil> ...
<Xandhil> you know
<Xandhil> we could maybe manage a lake investigation on our own...
<Justen> oh?
<Xandhil> I'll talk to you about it later
<Justen> okay
<Athos> You have to promise to let me know what you find
<Xandhil> but it might be interesting to talk to Karala if we can find her
<Athos> If there really are dead soldiers still in their armor down there, I want to add it to the story ;)
<Xandhil> of course!
<Xandhil> where's the fun in finding things if you can't tell anyone about it?
<Xandhil grins
<Athos smiles back
<Xandhil> so, where would we try and find Karala?
<Athos can give you approximate directions to her hut
<Xandhil> thanks!
<Athos> You're welcome, and thanks for the drink,
<Athos> I hope you find what you're looking for.
<Xandhil> thanks - we'l let you know either way
<Athos will bid you good night and go back to his fiddle, then
