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At least you know where you are with Krenlaw, Oheha thinks. A strong man. Not nice, no, but you don't want "nice" in a leader. He'll do... and standard Lunar election tactics sound fine to her and her blowpipe.
She steps forward, salutes him with slightly more respect and military precision than is normal for the Mud Walkers. The Dara Happan twits should at least recognise that it was a salute.
"Permission to scout out a suitable campsite, sir? The dry-landers seem to be getting foot-rot already here. The rise half a mile ahead looked promising, and should give us a good view if the Poss decide to visit."
Not that it matters to the Mud Walkers where they camp, but we may as well make it publically obvious who's in charge, and who knows what they're doing.
Krenlaw looks at her quizically and then replies as if exasperated, "Oheha since when have you needed to ask to do your job? If I was you I'd just get on with it and report back when your done. One thing though, remember some of these folk will whine if their feet get too wet."
She grins back, completely unfazed. "Only since some Dara Happan twit or other decided to pull us all back from our jobs to tell us we're here, boss. I'll get back to it, then. Nice place, isn't it?"
(We're looking for somewhere high and dry. When we find it, we're checking it out for plants that poison grazing cattle and sheep, and local spirits who might help or hinder. And some of the others may well have better skills for that than Oheha.)
Varonil has been unusually quiet during the long voyage to the marsh. His normally charming, outgoing demeanour has been replaced by a much more sombre and introspective one. After being ejected from his former post in Sartar, he had hoped to redeem his honour by volunteering for the expedition to the Redlands. When that outing also turned out disastrously, his faith in himself and even the Lunar Empire was even further shaken. During the trying journey to the grantland, Varonil spent most of the time astride his Wyvern Abraxis, ostensibly scouting for the force, but in reality spending most of his time in deep contemplation.
Even with his faithful squire Carlov, Varonil has been distant and uncommunicative. When members of the force such as Ash have tried to engage him in conversation, he has answered with a single word, or with a nod or shake of his head.
Arriving at the site on the map, Varonil is pulled aside by Salurina, the Deezola Priestess from Varonil's homeland who has followed him from Sartar to the Redlands, and now into further exile in the uplands.
"Varonil, don't you think it's about time you stopped this pouting? It is unbecoming of a Devotee of Yanafal Tarnils to spend so much time moping about. I know you have suffered setbacks in the last while, but so have all of the others around you. It is time you started helping out with this expedition, for unless everyone works together, we are doomed to failure."
Varonil gazes at Salurina for a long time before bowing his head in partial assent. Calling to Carlov to look after his horse and goods, and to look out for a suitable campsite, Varonil mounts Abraxis and together the two of them soar of into the sky, determined to do a proper job of scouting the surrounding terrain.
Although stationed as a shock trooper, and not well trained in the ways of a scout the advantage of height from Abraxis' back lets Varonil have an excellent view of the landscape below. While in the air, Varonil takes careful note of the edge of the marsh, and looks for any places that would offer a natural defence both from creatures rising out of the marsh, and from rampaging barbarians striking from overland. If there is a hillock or other raised area near the mash edge that would serve as a command post or shelter during time of attack, he will swoop down and take a closer look. In addition Varonil keeps an eye out for any flat land in the land grant, looking for any terrain that might be suitable both for grazing the livestock they have acquired, and for grazing and exercising the few remaining cavalry horses the force has managed to keep.
Abraxis on the other hand keeps his eye out for food- it has been too long since he has last eaten well.
As she leaves to check out the rise ahead of them, Oheha sees the wyvern take to the air. She waves, glad to see that the young Rinliddi has come out of his depression, and reassured by his presence in the air. He may not be a trained scout, but he'll see any approaching danger long before she does. And if she's going to be concentrating on the spirit world, she can use all the eyes guarding her back she can get.
And, quite apart from the practical aspects, she's simply glad that he's recovered. That bleak unresponsive depression had been so unlike his usual charisma, she'd almost considered trying to do something about it. Only the thought of Salurina's cold, knowing stare had stopped her. What he needed was having his mind taken off things, and her mother had taught her some interesting ways of doing that. At least, Exast seemed to appreciate them... still, there's no need now. She vaguely regrets the missed opportunity, then pulls her mind firmly off visions of red-gold hair, so unlike the dark hair of her countrymen or the washed-out pale blonde of Dara Happans, and back on the job.
Oheha is scouting the rise ahead (located almost at the centre of our 1 mile*1 mile grant). There are 2 other scouts with her.
She uses Opener-of-the-Way's "show spirits" ability to see if there's anything of interest on the spirit plane.
He tells you that there are about 15 small and relatively weak spirits and 1 large and powerful one all bound to the rise you are currently sat on. The small spirits are harmless on their own but with the large one can be quite formidable, they appear friendly or at least apathetic.
This seems to be more spirits than one would expect of the average mound.
If looked at from certain angles it could be described as a burial mound not something Darjiini are too familiar with I expect
Oheha will tell the other scouts what she's seen, and adds, "This needs looking into. We don't want to camp on top of unfriendly ghosts."
The others are a bit nervous but assume Oheha has everything under control
It's day 6, full moon! Opener of the Ways is at the height of his powers. Oheha releases him to help her open the way to the spirit world so she can converse with these spirits. With his skill addded to hers, the full moon, the burial mound, and a ritual carried out with a silver dagger, she manages to open the spirit world and see through.
You now see a glowing red figure of a Durulz, whizzing round its head like midges are the other smaller spirits. It bows to you and waits for you to speak Glowing red? Same shade as the Moon? sort of "Greetings to you. I am new to this land, and come in friendship." (I'm assuming we all speak Spirit. Or something...)
because its now free of the impediment of a beak etc. it doesn't have the ducks normal lisp
"Greetings I am Yugor, welcome here"
"I am Oheha, formerly of Darjiin, and this is my friend Opener-of-the-Ways"
"I am formerly of Duckpoint but now guard this place from my burial mound, upon which you sit. How may I help you?"
"My friends and I are looking for, first, a place to camp tonight, and then, a place to make our home. We wold not wish to disturb those to whom this land rightfully belongs, but might aid in guarding it against the evil I have heard lurks here."
"Help against the evil that dwells in the swamp is always needed, you would be welcome for that."
"Many of our number are warriors, and one at least is sworn to slay undead wherever he finds it. I think we can aid each other in this. Are there other things we should know, before we settle here?"
"Life is harsh here, the mound on which you sit and is now home to
myself and my companions atests to that. We lived her before the
Necromancer came to the swamp and remember well his arrival, how the
dancers expanded his lands to the detriment of ours, how we asked Humakt
help us fight him. Then one day I led an expedition against him but we
were caught unawares and killed, the survivors buried us here and bound
us to the land to protect it, now with Humakt's help we can stop the
dancers performing their magic on any land within 2 miles of this spot,
what is dry land now will never become swamp will we remain here
undisturbed.
"If you and your companions swear never to aid Delecti or his minions
and do all in your power to defeat him we will allow you to live here
and offer you as much protection as we are able to give."
That is powerful protection indeed," she says, obviously awed by it. "I would certainly swear such an oath, and I cannot imagine any of my companions refusing to do so."
(with various augments and stuff your land has a permenant Resist Dancers of Darkness at 15W3 on it)
"Would you wish to meet them all yourself, and take their oaths? Or perhaps send one of your smaller friends with me, to meet them and report back to you?"
"There is a white stone at the top of this mound have all swear an oath on this stone and then we shall know you are true."
"I will do so. And where would you wish us to make our home? Here, close to you, or elsewhere?"
"If you prove yourselves true you may make your home where you will, even on this mound. For though we can stop the dancers we cannot stop the rain and in sea season the river is liable to flood."
(the small spirits patrol the land watching out for the approach of dancers if you bind one the effective area protected by the spirits will be lessened)
"That was my thought, also - and many of my friends are not used to swamps. They wish to keep their feet dry. I will fetch them here, then, and tell them of the oath they must swear. We will camp around your mound."
"We will be pleased to have you. Now I must go one of my companions tells me there are zombies to the south."
"Would you wish some of our fighters to aid against these zombies, now?"
"Thank you but it is not necessary, there are only a small number and they will be destroyed before you could come to them."
"Then I wish you luck against them, and will go and summon my friends."
With that he rapidly recedes until he disappears.
And Oheha closes the Way, and tells her companions what she has seen, as they return to the main party. When she gets there, she will report to Krenlaw in full, and no doubt other will overhear as they wish.
Back at the POV of the main group...
Oheha and two other scouts head off to the rise half a mile ahead of the group. While their distant figures can be seen, it is not obvious what they are doing, but clearly something of interest has been found, as they spend over an hour near the top of the rise.
They return with no signs of fleeing danger, so any watchers will no doubt feel hopeful about the answer they bring: and indeed, as they reach the fringes of the group, their comments in passing are positive.
"Yep, looks good." Oheha says cheerfully. "Very good. But don't go over there just yet, there's things we've got to do first to make it safe, if our glorious leaders agree."
And she moves on to the centre of the crowd to report to Krenlaw and the other self-styled leaders.
"Good job we checked, boss," she says. "There's spirits there all right, and they could be very useful. Or not. Ash is going to love this. That rise is a burial mound. A Humakti burial mound. And it's got a really powerful ancient dead Humakti, name of Yugor, bound to it, sworn to protect this whole area against this Necromancer we've been hearing about. He's happy for us to move in, he'll help defend us, but only if we'll all swear an oath on a white stone at the top of the mound. 'Never to aid Delecti or his minions and do all in your power to defeat him', he says."
She stops, looks around. "Now, what I've been hearing about this Delecti, that sounds fair enough to me. But maybe some people reckon we haven't heard the whole story yet, and this is a bit early to be choosing sides? Thing is, a Humakti that powerful isn't someone we want to argue with. He and his friends are right in the middle of our grant, on the highest spot, so we don't have much of a choice about having to get on with him. And the protection he's offering sounds good. He reckons he can keep off these Dancers, stop any land within 2 miles turning into swamp. That's got to be worth having. And as we were leaving, he said there's zombies to the south and he was off to deal with them - sounds like he can see them coming, somehow. Protection, and warning of enemies coming in - that's got to be worth having."
"What does everyone else reckon? I think it's worth swearing that oath, myself. But we need to decide before we even camp there, much less set up permanently."
Porta listens to Oheha's report about the ghostly duck and the oath to stand against Delecti.
"Thank you, Oheha, for finding allies so quickly. I have heard stories about this Necromancer and have no objection against the oath - if your incorporeal friend will trust the word of a Vanchite, that is... " (Porta grins). "But others might not be so eager to swear allegiance so soon. Do not forget the words of Sedenya: "We Are All Us!" Every angle must be explored, She says also. I have already overheard a few of the lads discussing sending a delegation to Delecti to establish trade and friendship."
Ash looks on, paying particular attention to who Oheha says boss to. Seemingly this is Krenlaw whom Ash is watching carefully, apparently subjecting the man to some kind of test of leadership stare.
The mention that the ridge is a Humakti burial mound gets a reaction from him right enough. He looks up at the ridge, but says nothing. Zenobia glides over and rubs Ash's neck muscles, perhaps she can read him better than anyone else.
Ash, very quiet now, seems to be waiting for something, at least for the moment.
Varonil's scouting takes him as far north as Tenspear and down to the woods west of Poss village. The land between both is flat and featureless apart from Yugor's mound which rises like a boil in the middle of the grant. Near to Tenspear the land to the east has been worked with farmers in the fields as he flies over, shepherds and cow hands go into panic as the wyvern flies over. Turning southwest and flying to the woods at the end of the marsh Varnil sees from his vantage point high in the sky that the marsh is teeming with (un)life, large groups of armed human shaped beings move through the swamp at all points. As you reach the southern most point of the grant you can see 6 or 7 man sized zombies clamber ashore but as each comes onto dry land it is surrounded by a bright orange light and then they fall to the ground motionless. After an hour's flight you get back to the group just after Oheha has made her report about Yugor to Krenlaw.
She leaves Krenlaw to control the discussion about whether to swear or not - she intends to do so, at any rate. Slipping away from the main group, she approaches where the wyvern has landed. Poisonous reptiles hold no fear for her, even when this big, and with limbs and wings.
"Varonil!" she calls. "Good flight?"
Varonil pauses to feed Abraxis a small strip of dried meat before answering.
"There was much to see from the air, even though the terrain leaves much to be desired. There was one odd hill in the middle of the grant that bears further investigation."
She nods "Same one I've been looking at, I expect."
"I don't know if you heard, Yugor said he was off to deal with some zombies he'd just spotted, to the south. Did you see them? Any idea how far off they were when he detected them?"
"I saw many Zombies moving throughout the swamp- we may well be in constant danger of attack and harassment from Delecti's minions. I did see a septoi of Zombies attempt to leave the swamp, but as they touched dry land they were overcome by some kind of a magical force, and fell to the ground motionless.
Who is this Yugor you mention- I know of know one by that name in our company?"
"Oh, sorry, I thought you'd heard. I've just been investigating that rise ahead of us - is that the hill you meant? It's a Humakti burial mound, complete with bound Humakti spirits protecting the area from the Undead. Yugor's their leader. He's said we can stay, and he'll help protect our lands, as long as we swear an oath to oppose Delecti. It sounds as if it was him who defeated those zombies. How far away from the mound were they? He said he could protect a range out to two miles."
After Varonil gets back from his scouting trip, Porta ambles over and listens to what he has seen (keeping a healthy distance to the wyvern). His eyes light up at the description of the Tenspear farms to the north. He turns to Aix who has waddled along.
"Hey Aix, what do you know about these farmers to the north? They seem to have been able to make things bearable for themselves. Would they be interested in trade maybe?"
Porta adds as an afterthought..... "Or maybe they would be willing to give up their land for the glory of the Goddess? How many of them are there?"
"The humans to the north are the Lonendi's, I know little of them but that they follow Orlanth. As to the glory of the Goddess, they will give you your answer on a spear point. The empire is currently subduing these people and their lands, I doubt they'll give you any just by asking. They are not all in one place at the same time usually but there are probably at least two thousand of them."
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