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You stand in an area with a few trees and scrub bushes. At the far end of the sparse copse lay the bodies of two dead dog heads. The ravens, crows and other carrion eaters, that were feasting there, have flown or scurried away to the trees or surrounding marshland. Most of you are sitting or standing watching the raven that appears to have spoken to you. Peter and Smilo seem bemused by the thing but Rolf however is ready with his hand hovering over his sword hilt and Mandrake scans the area close to the raven. Callum takes it one step further and starts poking around in the bushes with his sword. Although he doesn't go too far from the pathway as the ground is still fairly soggy and damp. OOC: David's apologies he is away on holiday for the next couple of weeks. Sharon's job had changed on a temporary basis and she has limited Internet access. She will try to make occasional posts but cant promise anything. |
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The raven cocks its head to one side and peers down with interest to where Callum is dueling with the shrubbery. "Unusual," it remarks. Turning its beak towards those on the cart, "And good day to you, kind sir," it says, staring at Mandrake, dipping its beak in greeting. It inclines its head towards Smilo. "Your pet ?" it asks, eyes fixed on the Gnome, its tone deadpan. "Not yet housetrained, I see." |
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Mandrake bursts into laughter, bringing himself under control after a little while. The actions of the bird clinched it for him. It would be too much to control the animal to synchronise it's behaviour with the words and his experiences assured him that it was not an illusion. "Good day to you master raven. Please forgive my colleagues manners, I think that the first order of the day is introductions. "My "Yes, please forgive Smilo's remarks, his wit is greater than his size I'm lead to believe, but a good deal of his repertoire is an acquired taste. "Please don't take this as an insult, but I have never before met a bird such as you. Are there many more with your abilities?" |
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Callum stops prodding the bushes and steps back to look up at the raven. "So it's really you that's talking, then?" he asks in a puzzled voice. "So are you a raven who picked up the way of talking or a man who fair upset a powerful druid. Either way, I'm thinking that there's a fine tale to be told. I'm doubting that one of Morrigan's birds of ill-omen would be so chatty." |
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The raven listens attentively, as Mandrake introduces the rest of the two-legs, regarding each solemnly in turn as his or her name is spoken. "I have noted previously how names are important to your kind," the bird says, at length, self-consciously ruffling its feathers and stretching out its wings. "Well then, in the language of Men, I would be 'Edgar'. Well met to you all." Edgar turns to stare at Smilo, as if considering something, but nevertheless responds to the questions posed by Mandrake and Callum. "I have never met another bird, Raven or no, that spoke the tongue of men, so I am unique in my own experience ... though not vain enough to claim to be the only one of my kind that could possibly do so. It is a large world. Perhaps there are others and we have never met. If the legends speak truly, then indeed there must me." Edgar taps his beak back and forth against the branch upon which he sits, perhaps out of habit, perhaps mirroring Callum's prodding of the bushes, before looking up at the selfsame warrior. "The ability to speak the tongue of Men was something with which I was hatched," he says, "though to this day I am unsure whether it is a gift or curse." |
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Elsbeth laughs at Callum's comments, dismounting from her horse and holding a warning hand back to her wolf. "I'd be thinking that if a druid were vexed, she'd do more than merely make a man into a bird. And he'd be more than vexed as well!" Her eyes sparkle with amusement as she curtseys to the raven. "Well met, Edgar! Whether it be by Morrigan's hand or mayhap Brigantia herself, I'll not question. For myself I'll be saying its lovely to speak with one of your kind in my own tongue for a change! Might I ask, what brings you here?" |
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Herloch looks disappointed when he finds there are no enemies to battle here. He lets the rest of the group do the talking and ignores the raven while approaching the dog head corpses. He gets close to examine them, looking for any sign of what caused their quick end. OOC: John, is there a particular smell about them? Also, how do Dog heads differ from Orcs? |
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Imp |
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"Your pet ?" it asks, eyes fixed on the Gnome, its tone deadpan. "Not yet housetrained, I see." "That's it," sputtered the hobbit, "imp or no, let's see ow it takes to bulletes." Grumbling, he tumbles off the donkey, rolls to his feet--hairy, and struggles with his pouch to pluck a bullete out... |
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Rolf watches on bemused while Mandrake speaks with the talking raven. As the raven gives his name and Mandrake introduces the ranger, Rolf sketches a brief bow though he can't quite shake the feeling of foolishness. "Greetings my feathered friend, may the wind always reside under your wings." He shakes his head slightly in amused irony. If only old Arkell could see him now. His musings are disturbed as Smilo seeks to ready his sling. "Hold off, Smilo. Leave the bird be." Something about the turn of phrase tugs at his sense of amusement, but he sternly holds it in check. Turning his attention back to the raven, Edgar, he says, "Might you know what has befallen here?" |
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Elsbeth's smile dims as she sees the halfling tumble and scramble for a weapon. For the first time that anyone has seen outside of combat, Elsbeth draws Skarlana, her scimitar, rushing forward. She places herself between the bird and Smilo, the blade poised to do harm. "No you don't, wee one," she calls out in all seriousness. "You'll not be shooting at one as that, insulting as he might be. If you be thinking to do so, you go through me!" |
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The dog heads are slighly taller than a tall man and are covered with greyish fur and longer grey brown fur hanging from their head and down the back of their neck. their heads and faces are very canine. :) The bodies are fresh - no more than a day or so old, but there is an extra smell of damp dog fur and sweaty dog, hanging in the normal damp miasma of the swampy ground .... One of the bodies has had its skull smashed in with a large blunt weapon - although other marks indicate a morning star or a club with spikes ... The other body show similar marks but also has the remains of a broken javelin sticking out of it. Both bodies have bits of chain and leather armour strapped to them. |
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OK |
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Smilo pulls himself together. "Yah, I guess yer right. It's oviously going through the molt. That would put anyone in a bad mood." |
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At Elspeth's question, Edgar's eyes stay guilitly to the bodies of the two dead dog heads and the birdlife feasting thereon. However, he turns back again to meet her gaze, acknowledging her greeting with a nod, and tries to brazen it out. "Oh, just passing through ..." he lies. As Smilo seeks a sling stone, the Raven gives an angry "Caaark !" and scuttles along his branch, his wings twitching, black feathers ruffled as he prepares to flee. Peeking out from behind the cover of the leaves, eyeing the hobbit (but wisely forbearing to offer further insult) he responds to Rolf, warily at first, but with increasing confidence as the norseman and Elsbeth both take his part, even going so far as to sidle out a bit further to look him in the eye. "And may the sun shine ever favourably upon you ... at least more favourably than it shone on them !" His beak points towards the two bodies. "though what specific ill-luck befell that pair, I cannot say." As the halfling backs down from his threat, Edgar opens his mouth to respond in kind, but that shuts his beak firmly with a click, the better to play the role of the injured party. He spares Smilo an indignant glare. |
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Rolf still has some trouble with the whole situation, especially as the bird moves over to meet his glance. He bows slightly with an ironic grin and replies, "My thanks, Edgar." Rolf considers. The bird is obviously intelligent and it would make a far better scout than most. But a talking bird, might that be a sign of evil as some of the others fear? Should it be invited to travel along with them? |
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Flea around quickly at the first sound of a voice replying to Smilo's raven joke, seeing everyone looking around for what has spoken. A look of incredulousness crosses her face as she realises is the raven talking and then smiles as she takes in what it has said back to Smilo, even though it’s a comment about hobbits. She is not too worried about a talking Raven, strange as it is, as there are worse things in the world to worry about. She listens to the bird's tale and to everyone's comments, and nods at the Raven when she is introduced. When Smilo reaches to attack the bird, she gasps and reaches for her own sling, ready to stop Smilo if necessary, but he is stopped by Rolf and Elsbeth's words. |
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