Camp Bon Fire Rumors and Stories
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At the suggestion of the Druids, Raver posts another squad of men at the other side of the Spider Pass, though they do not as yet have the same orders to shoot if Gaji pass through
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_The four treants now staying in camp occasionally uproot from near the pixie glenn and wander around the camp, staying well away from the fires, their leaves rustling a bit as they walk past them. They stop and talk occasionally to the Gali or Romani, though not for long, still getting looks of amazement before heading back to the entrance of the glenn and rooting back into the ground.
There also seems to a be a pretty Kelemvorite paladin, named Helen in the camp now, who stands guard at the gates to the spider woods to cure any who come through of any disease they might have gotten out there. She seems to be getting along quite well with most of the Romani._
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_Now proudly wearing the colours of a full Warrior, Lycka cautions travellers to Peltarch to be wary, especially at night. The city narrowly avoided being set under martial law, but the unrest appears to be continuing, with further attacks taking place and numerous guards slain.
Lycka also informs the elders that the temple of Kelemvor wishes to send one of their knights to the camp, in order to help protect its residents from the mysterious disease in the forest._
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Tindra recommends to all those in the camp to be careful when traveling to Peltarch. The recent assassination of a senator followed by escaping criminals has gotten the city going a bit crazy, and that she's heard talk of martial law.
"Now, I'll admit my memory of it is a bit fuzzy, but I seem to recall the last time martial law was declared in the city, all hell had broken loose."
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Upon returning from a hunting trip near the ice lake shores together with Aelthas, Ragnhild lets it be known that Ael has now been granted permission to court her eldest daughter Lycka. Judging by the light bruises and the scraped skin on the barbarian woman's knuckles, most people will surmise that such a permission is not won without a certain amount of pain on the part of the suitor.
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Two Squads of Gypsy Warriors have been posted at the wall in the spider pass, with orders to shoot anything coming north, in an attempt to make sure that the disease in the forest does not make it into the Camp
//If you enter the spider pass (Hidden Pass), please RP that the area between the wall in the west pass and slightly south of the bridge to the cat cave, is burned to grey ash and black earth - devoid of life. Also, please exit the pass from the eastern side, as the archers will have orders to shoot those coming from the diseased area. //
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_Romany and Gali alike gossip of four walking trees that stalked north and east through the Camp just before the burning began, escorted by Will, Raver, Mecizq, and a female elf in black.
Some whisper that there were originally five, but one succumbed to disease and madness…_
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*Smoke and flames rise from the western spider pass, as the woods and everything in them burn with a terrible heat. When the flames burn out, the entire area from the wall and gate going south into the spider pass, south to just beyond the cat cave is burned to ash. Nothing remains of the animals, trees, or vegetation but a fine gray ash over scorched black earth.
A charred rope marks the southern extent of the burning, which ends suddenly, giving way to normal vegetation.*
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_After a talk with Mecizq and Kara inside Jonni's tent, Aelthas is seen packing for a trip.. he gathers his men and tells them that Mira is now in charge, he isn't sure when he will be back, just telling them he needs to leave for a bit, to guarantee the safety of the camp.
With that he walks off to find Lycka and Raver before heading north to the city._
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Even though Lycka was recently spotted at the heart fires kicking Aelthas in first one and then the other shin, quite forcefully too, a quiet talk between the two seems to have successfully smoothed out whatever burr caused such a cruel treatment. The young woman continues to spend her evenings at Ael's fire, regardless of whether he is there or not, sometimes falling asleep inside the tent with her arms around the scruffy, smelly dog. With the recent outburst of mysterious disease in the forest, Lycka also appears to keep a watchful eye out for the dog, even to the point of spoiling it with fresh water and meat taken from inside the camp proper.
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_For several days now, it seems like the dogs of the camp are gathering near the spider pass, howling out into the pass, their tails between their legs as if there is something out in the spider pass they don't like.
A few small animals have appeared in the pass, sometimes even a stray one wandering into camp, their fur or feathers almost completely gone, skin blackened as if diseased, parts of their bodies literally rotting away.
Small black spots of grass are seen throughout the pass, where the grass has withered away. Even healthy appearing animals avoid those spots, even running into the camp to meet the arrows of the Warriors.
Patrols have been sent out, but except for a few rotted trees, or the pile of black mush that remains of diseased animals, there seems to be no sign of what may be causing it.
Whatever is doing this, it sure has all the animals of the forest spooked, even the trees seem to stand still in the wind, as if afraid to make a rustling sound._
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_Whispers circulate around the Camp of dead trees, foul spiders, and dead and rotting animals in the southern spider pass.
A large circle of blight is said to surround a large, seemingly healthy tree…_
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_Over the past couple of weeks, William and Z have brought a number of bodies, and sacks with contents that turned out to be human heads, to Jeni.
Word is they were found in the Cold Caves, and there are whispers of sacrifices and portals…_
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In more unimportant news, Ael seems to have kicked Asha from the Gypsy Warriors. Asha herself seems unbothered, almost even as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders.
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Sam is seen walking swiftly through the camp smoothing his mustache down as he goes straight back to his cave. Moments later his waitress is seen gathering as much help as she can and soon wagons are being loaded with wine barrels, all with different labels marked on them, and each personally overlooked by Sam himself, making sure that each is properly stored, sorted, and safely secured. A small detachment of the Camp's Guard have been asked to be ready to help the caravan pass out to the road when Sam is ready. Over an over he is heard to mutter.
You can't just have one bottle of Frost Wine for something that big.
Rumors spread that Selene had much to do with Sam's agitation and sudden packing.
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That following night while everyone retires to the fires, Kara joins them and then speaks up after a few moments of quiet thought. With the flickers of the fire, the bruises she gained two nights previous are still quite clear, although they've lost some of their swelling. After a few moments, she gathers the attention of whoever will listen and speaks.
I would like to thank everyone who came to the rescue of our little group….without the timely intervention of everyone that did show up, a journey that turned out badly may well have gone worse.
I believe I speak for all of us that were a part of that group when I say thank you for your aid.
With that said, she returns to her seat by the fire for a few hours.
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_After a night of rest by Aelthas's tent and then bathing in privacy in one of the forest's shaded little alcoves, the red headed knight has once again returned to keeping guard dutifully over the camp entrance, although the telltale signs of battle still dog her in the form of deep bruises.
Throughout the day, she engages hobgoblins when they stray too close to the hills, however for the most part, she remains in contemplative silence as she appears to be considering the last few days._
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_Driders in the pass! That is what was heard throughout the camp one night, apparently Aelthas and Kara defeating a few of them, later heading into the woods to find the rest.
Then word begins to spread of drow.. the next day, Kara was seen entering camp. Aelthas and Juster's bodies being brought to Cera's tree. Several burns and slashes covering them.
Aelthas hasn't been seen in camp for a few days now, his men report he is at the Sisterhood if anyone asks for him._
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_Lycka can be overheard repeating the tale in a sing-song manner, the spider growing larger with each retelling and her gestures ever wider and more dramatic. The story ends in a spectacular manner, Lycka thrusting a branch into the ground with full force, simulating Asha's final spearing of the monsterous spider.
Ragnhild appears mightily proud of her daughters latest exploits, and Asha's use of the spears in particular brings a wide grin to her face. She'll often spar playfully with her youngest, showing her a few of the tricks she's picked up over the years.
Whether due to this current mood of good-will or for some other reason, the blonde warrioress makes no move to stop Lycka from spending her nights in Aelthas' tent, just as long as he remains outside it. One cold, early morning before the first grey light of dawn creeps across the sky, the commander even wakes to find himself covered by a warm polar bear fur._
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Around the fire a story is told of the Daring Gypsy Girls and their exploits in the spider woods. Asha claims that she went with Rhistin and Lycka into the deep woods, apparently looking for ways to try out a new set of spears. They were swarmed by legions of spiders, or so the story goes, and when they did return Rhistin and the otherwise healthy if plump Asha looked deathly pale and barely alive. They claim they met like a giant spider deep in the woods, that tossed a web over them and froze Rhistin in place. It almost killed Asha with poison and could only be cut down by the combined effort of Lycka and the other two young women. In the end, the dashing trio overcame even that horrifying threat and returned victorious to the warming fires.
