Kace has joined the camp fires.

It is a clear winter's night in northern Gray Forest. Above, a vault of stars and the gleaming orb of the moon cast illumination into the blackness of the sky. The warcamp has been made in the open space of field, though some tall trees rise up in its midst, attached to which are lines of rope holding cooking gear and clothing.

On the western side of camp is a makeshift field hospital. White canvas makes up the pavilion, and the moans of the injured and the discourse of the physicians and mercies can be heard within. On the northern side of the camp is a blacksmith's forge, where the ringing of a hammer can be heard at long intervals. In the northeastern side of the camp, a kitchen and foodstore has been created, where large stews and other foods are prepared and then handed out to soldiers or runners.

Lord Rysen finds himself near the blacksmith's forge, watching as the smith, Heitha, runs a whetstone over his rubicund blade. "Looks like you put this sword through the Abyss, m'lord," she says. "I have," he replies. "Thank the gods you left the cooking to Digory." Heitha laughs, and shakes her head. Beads of sweat, in spite of the cold evening, are visible on her forehead. "Wish I coulda left it to someone better." Rysen laughs too, and nods in agreement.

Wash rode all this way in the back of a cart bundled in furs against the cold. He's still in the back of the cart, having seen no reason to get out of that conveyance for any reason short of it being set on fire.

Mikani is at the forge with Rysen. Her blades have already been done but she does find interested in the Blacksmith's work.

Kaldur is making a circuit through the tents, with the camp's favorite, Dumpling. His progress can be tracked by the honor guard and banner standing tall, silver thread glimmering in the moonlight and the gleaming flanks of the palomino horse. He spends this evening, as he spends many, getting to know the men and women under his command.

Lawrence approaches Rysen and puts his hand on his shoulder, "You are damn determined to make me work aren't you nephew?" He says with a grin.

Orelia has joined the camp fires.

Kace Taking a seat by the fire Kace looks into it somberly glancing to those about her now and then.

Ian is a man of endless patience. ENDLESS PATIENCE. He is, somehow, still stoic and reasonably good tempered after having had Wash as a traveling companion for the gods only know how long. He gets out of the wagon, turning up the collar of his coat against the cold and, holding onto said wagon for balance, has a few words with some of the people in their party.

Orelia is by the fire, drinking rum and flipping through a leather journal. "I know I've got those lyrics in here somewhere. It's been a bit since I sang this one, so I need to refresh my memory."

"It'd be a crime against Gloria not to, Uncle," Rysen replies to Lawrence, smiling. A slightly gloomier look soon overtakes his expression and he hears the groans coming from the hospital. "Though it's not too late to pass some more time in Arx, since you hadn't been there long."

"If I'd been in Arx," says Heitha, "You'd have never gotten me to leave. I'd spend all me days in the Grotto, starin' at beautiful Lycene men." She laughs, before continuing her work with the whetstone.

Mirk is near the fire. He has a bowl before him, in which he has gathered offerings from the soldiers and from his own supplies: Herbs, seeds, and fresh leaves, from the appearances of them. His finery might seem somewhat out of place here in the camp, between the steelsilk and the fireweave, but he has his sleeves rolled up to expose the tattoos on his arms, and charms hanging from his beard, in his element here as a shaman.

Mikani looks at Lawrence, "Why should we make it easy? That would make our lives boring." She teases her uncle before kissing Rysen's cheek and heading towards the bonfire. "Lady Orelia ... what song are you singing today?" She asks warmly as she takes a seat beside the woman.

Mikani has joined the camp fires.

A short, bearded man named Grooth approaches Mirk. "Evenin', m'lord," he says, rubbing his thick brown beard. "Some of the soldiers is sayin' you can call the spirits to kill the Ravens. That true? We ain't have to fight?"

Brianna is seated beside Mirk, watching him. She's offered yet another lock of her hair to the proceedings, but this one is a strategically selected curl that won't ruin her wedding portrait. She's a fierce warrior, but still rather vain. "So what are the seeds for?"

It's been a //long// trip from Arx, particularly since Dianna and Ravna are sharing the saddle of her steed - however, the benefit of this is, of course, being able to stay warm from body heat, as well as having an additional pair of eyes to watch out for unwanted things... although. Ravna is very, very likely drunk. The scent of peaches and strong alcohol waft in their wake; but the pair seem well enough, and happy when they saunter up. "Slide off, Ravna?" Dianna purrs. "Only... be careful, since he's not Beautiful; I don't want him to kick you, dear." The priestess is dressed in her leathers under a thick, golden bear fur; Ravna wears Dianna's matching golden fox fur cloak.

Strozza is stalking the grounds, in furs and cloak over his armor and the Lycene styled greatcoat he wears. What's odd is... He has a cat on his shoulder, nestled in a wrinkle of the heavier cloth near his neck.

Don't sailors normally have birds or some nonsense?? He's in full armor as well, leather and diamondplate plates, hands jammed in the pockets of his clothing. No jovial expression or polite tone. Storm cloud eyes are scrutinizing like a circling bird of prey - surveying the troops, studying them and formulating a plan, or just being grumpy. It's -cold-.

Lawrence chuckles at Rysen, "Not a chance. Been far too long since I've got to do this." He inhales deeply. "Should be quite interesting to say the least." He pats Rysen on the shoulder and smiles, "I am going to go visit the wounded." He says to Mikani giving her a hug and slowly clattering his way to the hospital tents.

Lawrence has joined the field hospital.

Ian confers for a time with the foreman of his traveling party, and soon enough has a number of people dressed in Kennex uniforms unloading supplies and hauling them where they're supposed to go. He's the only person in his group who doesn't seem to feel the cold. Most of House Kennex are practically Lycene when it comes to temperature.

Rysen smiles at Mikani when she kisses his cheek. "Oh, you'd get tired of Lycene men eventually, Heitha," replies Rysen to the smith. "Care to place a bet m'lord?" Rysen laughs. "No. Steelsilk isn't going to buy itself." His grey eyes pass over his shoulder to make sure Kaldur hasn't heard him. He nods to Lawrence. "Yes," he says softly, before glancing at Ian and Brianna.

"I've got one in here that's good for inspiring the troops before a big battle," Orelia answers. "Hopefully we've got at least a handful of people here who can keep a beat. The song is better with percussion."


Ravna can be heard humming to anyone they pass, that rubi staff settled across his lap while the woman who leads the horse is completely wrapped in the cloak Ravna indeed wears. Because, cold. Fuck. The hat gives a shake, and Ravna casts off the snow while slowly sipping from a gourd that potent peach elixir. "Mmmmmnnnn...refreshing, yeah? Makes the balls sink right up into the pelvis, yes. Remind you not to stop where there's no fire, yeah? Admittedly, I, yes. Could probably cut glass with my nipples." The Culler at the halt of the horse, with his arms around Dianna gives a shiver, "Horses are - quite the beasts, yes, my love? But." He does as bid, and comes down to his feet with a thud - standing there to turn and offer his arm to the Godsworn Lady above. Why yes, Ravna is quite drunk. Two gourds down.

Wash doesn't move from the cart as the Kennex unload his comfortable nest of furs and supply crates he was using as a windbreak. He stubbornly glares at each of them of his flask of whiskey as his protection from the cold dwindles to simply reasonable.

Rukhnis has joined the field hospital.

"Wash, stop sulking and give me a hand," Ian calls back into the wagon. He's not known for his steady footing or ease of managing icy terrain. "There's a fire here. You'll freeze your balls off where you are."

"The seeds I'll plant near the battlefield, as an offering to the spirits, so that new life will balance out the death we'll bring," Mirk explains to Brianna. "The herbs...Most of them will go to the cooks and the physicians, in honesty. But these..." He holds up a yellow flower with a long stem. "I have something in mind for. But that will require some labor." He removes a pot that was over the fire, filled with water, and rips the leaves off the flower's stem. He tears the leaves, shredding them, and then steeps them in the water, allowing them to soak up some of the liquid. "Are you familiar with war paint, cousin?"

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Rukhnis is at the field hospital and probably has been for some time. Tending to patients, offering advice to field medics, inspecting local plants brought back from forest and field, fiddling obsessively with the entire setup -- the Eurusi physician appears to be in her element. When Lawrence makes his clattering entry, she tilts a rather amiable nod his way, then remembers herself and bows too in greeting.

Heitha hands Rysen back his rubicund sword. A passing soldier, a huge Crovane axeman named Hormir, scoffs. "Rubicund, m'lord? Even my piss ant mother-in-law can afford that. Thoughts you'd be carryin' some alaracite into battle." Rysen smirks. "Don't worry. If you don't the capability of steel and rubicund, have a look at Lady Brianna's battle axe."

"Eh?" mutters Hormir. "Battle axe?" he echoes with obvious interest. Rysen runs a hand through his dark hair and makes his way over to Ian and Wash. "Glad you could make it, My Lord," says Rysen to Wash. "And thank you for helping with the provisioning." He chuckles warmly at Ian's remark, and seems to largely agree with his assessment.

Lithe, though she is, Dianna swings her legs around and allows the Culler to /pretent/ to help her from the horse, then kisses Ravna's cheek. "I'll meet you at the fire, Ravna; I'll take the horse to rest, as I'm rather sure he's as exhausted as we." She glances over and notes Orelia and Strozza, lifts a beaming smile at the pair and mentions to Ravna, "There, go say hello to my cousin and Lady Orelia. You should be... mmmn... safe enough with them, I think?" The twinkle in her eyes speaks of something privately amusing, "Just don't go too close to the fire, please? You're sure to catch fire, darling."

"

"Did I make it?" Wash asks Rysen rhetorically. "I was sure I'd die on the way up here." He goes on to mumble to no one in particular. "Probably die on the way back. If no one kills me in my sleep. Maybe I'll freeze to death. Gods it's cold. How does anyone live up here?"

Mikani looks at Orelia. "I can help with the beat." She offers before taking a drink from her flask.

Ian claps Rysen on the shoulder with a gloved hand. "Glad to be here," he says to the other man in the flat tone of someone who might not know what it means to be glad about anything. "Come on, Wash. Fire's this way."

"War paint? Seen it, heard of it, figured it was to make you look scary. My helmet covers most of my face, so I've never worn it. Teach me. Paint me up, Cousin," Brianna declares to Mirk. She hears someone discussing her act and she hands it over. "Waraxe. Take a look."

"Good, I'll need a few more too, and of course I'll expect people to pick up the chorus." Orelia looks for Strozza where he was stalking about. "Lord Strozza! Get yourself over here and warm up."



Ravna wibbles as Dianna comes off the horse, because, she's way stronger than he. Oh yes. But slow is it that, through the snow, Ravna goes. Whistling as he does, rubi staff tossed over his shoulders, "Hurry back, gorgeous creature. Do you think your cousins like dice? Yes?" A pause, "I bet I can win their left shoes." Mostly said to himself and as Ravna has that warning about fire called after him, there is a long, loud, howl - "ARRRROOOOOOOOO--hahahaha." That fades into cackling, standing then near Strozza, offering a drink of - oh gods it must melt paint off wagons, and probably had a peach dissolved in it? "COUSIN!" Shouted loudly, with glazed eyes. Why, would Dianna warn Ravna about fire? Well, because he's /saturated/.

"Yay." Wash says, capping his whiskey flask and rolling toward the edge of the cart. He rolls off of it, making a half-hearted attempt at establishing his footing, and ends up face down in the snow and mud. "It's too far."

Rysen laughs warmly. "We're used to it, My Lord, and I largely feel the same way about southern summers. Fucking miserable." The Crovane swordsman smiles at Ian. "Let's get a drink." When Wash face plants, Rysen laughs. He kneels down beside the Kennex lord and offers a shoulder to help him get to the fire, because gods know Ian's not going to.

Strozza checked charm + manipulation at difficulty 20, rolling 15 higher.

Orelia is calling to him and Strozza turns towards her - only to be confronted by Ravna... And that drink.

THAT. DRINK.

NOT A DRINK. Strozza's eyes widen and his brief frown is full of 'NO!' when he is offered. But then the lord comes out and he takes the offering. Sips it and looks slowly back to the man with the ruby cane.

"This is delicious, Thwack..." It's not. It's horrible. It's like being stroked along the spine with a busted out pine-cone. "Fantastic. I love it." He hates it. "Life changing" That's true at least. "I would not share this with even my most remote enemy." He would kill them with it. "Yum." Shining Lands take him now.

After observing Lawrence with mild misgiving for a moment, Rukhnis says something in response to him and picks up a tray full of steaming hot mugs of tea to hand over to the older man. It's possible that she's giving the Crovane lord some gentle task to keep him out of trouble in her (/she/ thinks it's hers, anyway) hospital.

Ian just stands there, pretty much unmoving, and watches Wash faceplant. There's some twitching around the corners of his mouth, then a slow, spreading grin. Amusement glitters in his eyes. Of course, then HE needs to make it to the fire without following his cousin into the mud, which is easier said than done. There's a reason he's still got a hand on the wagon.

Mikani makes room for Rysen to sit with her if he wants. She drinks more of her rum and watches the people around the campfire. A thoughtful look upon her face. "What about sharing with a soon to be friend?" She asks of the boisterous man, Strozza.

"By all the spirits of Stormwall," says Hormir to Brianna, holding her battle axe in a massive hand. "I've never seen craftsmanship like this. Surely it is an ancient weapon." His hazel eyes pass to Mirk. "You are preparing the war paint, Elder? My grandfather spoke of it. He said it was a commitment to valor, and instilled our people with the spirits of war."

Suddenly there is a commotion from the southern end of the warcamp. "Help!" comes a panicked voice. "Please, help me!" A number of soldiers glance up from their drink at the sound.

"Usually it is," Mirk says with a laugh at Brianna. "But under the circumstances, I think it might be warranted as a symbol of protection. I'll have prayers to make, but first the preparations. You can help, if you'd like," he suggests, offering a few of the same yellow flowers to Brianna. He starts tearing up the leaves of another one, adding it to the pot in front of it, which is starting to acquire a faint tinge from all the plant material added.

Ian looks towards the edge of the camp and wordlessly disappears into the wagon for a moment, coming out with a pack.

The horse managed, Dianna steps over and around the wagon, but... "Oh. No, Wash?" she asks, a pout on her lips. "Gods, what... Are you that exhausted?" She bends down to help him up when a sound startles her; she blinks, looks in the direction of the voice and frowns again. "Wash, stop playing; get up," Dianna insists lowly, reaching to wrap her hands around Wash's bicep.

Wash makes no effort to help himself out of the snow, and surely the cries of help distract Rysen from the need to get him out of the snow. Once left to his lonesome, he rolls over and proceeds to unscrew his flask again. "No. I'm just drunk." He tells Dianna with the honesty of a drunken man.

Dianna checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 10 higher.

Lawrence puts the tray down as he hears a cry for help and holds a finger up to Rukhnis, "A moment Mistress Rukhnis..." He starts wandering in the direction of the cries for help.

At the sudden shouting from edge of the camp, Rukhnis too turns her head in the direction, her gaze taking on a guarded look as if she's wondering just what is going to go horribly wrong now.

Lawrence checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 4 higher.

Mikani looks up at the cries and stands. Her dark eyes searching the darkness. "Did anyone else hear that?"

Ian checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 1 higher.

Orelia looks up and to the south. "Yeah, I heard it too."

Ravna's face at the look of Strozza is one of pure, unadulterated, joy.
Like the kid who poured hot sauce into Dad's drink and got to watch him take a gulp. And Ravna's head cocks to the side, staff still strung over a shoulder. The Culler laaaughs, and laaaughs. "Good idnit? Puts HAIR on you! Think of it this way, yeah? Probably - likely - you'll never need to worry about poison again, eh?" Laughter. At the re-offer of Ravna's Elixir, the tattooed hand takes it to swig back deep, guzzling greedily, before giving a spurt of the clear liquid at the flames that - for a moment - roar to life. Ravna then giggles, plugging the gourd and tossing it to Mikani. "Cousin! So, hear me out, now -" A perk then, screams?

"Not ancient. It's... a long story," Brianna half-explains to Hormir. "It was made by Dame Ida, but one day it... changed," she continues. She nods enthusiastically to Mirk. "Let me know what I can do."

"Wash, really, get /up/..!" Dianna insists. "There's a young man there... he's... gods, he's /bleeding/...!" Dianna abandons Wash and darts towards the young man, worried. When she reaches him, if she reaches him, Dianna asks, distressed, "What's happened...??"

Lawrence starts speeding up towards the figure moving towards them holding his arms out to catch the injured young man. "Hey hey hey. Slow down." He waves to Rukhnis. "Mistress Rukhnis I could use your help!"

Wash doesn't get up, and he doesn't follow Dianna. He lays in the snow and carefully tilts his flask to his lips. "I can't help with that. See? I'm useless in lots of ways. I'm the... jack of all trades... of uselessness. The jack of no trades."

Strozza checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 13 higher.

Shouts are one thing. The fact of someone bleeding is another entirely. Rukhnis quickly plucks her battered medical bag up off the table and trots out to where there is, evidently, someone in need of immediate medical attention. She's already halfway there by the time Lawrence calls out to her, and it doesn't take her much time to cover the remaining gap. Her dark eyes are flicking across the wounded man with a quick clinical inspection before she's even reached his side.

Ian begins tugging pieces of armor out of his bag and putting them on, without leaving the vicinity of the cart where he can keep an eye on Wash. If it weren't for the part where he's putting armor on, he'd look unconcerned. "You can drink out of a flask while laying down," he says to the other Kennex. "That's harder to do than it looks."

Rowenova checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 37 higher.

Rysen checked strength + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 100 higher. Rysen rolled a critical!

Mikani catches the goard as her eyes still watch the scene. She hears about a young man bleeding and the call for Rukhnis. Seeing that well in hand Mika turns to look about the camp for any other things that could be out of place. "Think someone is coming? I won't be caught flatfooted again."

More people calling to him - but there's sounds at part of the camp. And the drink. It hates him! It curdles his soul! It seeks to undo him in all respects. Madness lay within that flask. But it's cast away. WONDER OF WONDERS.


Strozza frowns and reaches for his whip. Surprise attack. Uncivilized!

Strozza wields Hydra's Lash - A bullwhip with weighted ends.

Rukhnis checked perception + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 36 higher.

Mikani wields Bedlams Finale Long Dagger.

"I am preparing the war paint, yes," Mirk replies with a nod of his head to Hormir. "You're welcome to add your own offerings, if you like. If it's the right kind, it might even be added to the paint, as a personal touch." He raises an eyebrow at the man. He looks as if he's about to say more, when the cry goes up for help, and a frown creases the lines on his face. "I won't mind if you need to go help, cousin. But otherwise..." He doesn't rush to help, though he does whisper a quiet prayer as he tosses another handful of leaves into the pot of water. "We need to strain these." He reaches into the pot, pulling out a handful of the leaves, soaking with water, and squeezes everything out of them, wringing them dry.

Orelia wields A Siren Song.

Rysen hauls Wash up to his feet with little effort if the Kennex lord will allow him. "Lets at least drink by the fire," he says to Ian and Wash with a grin. The shouting grabs his attention, and at Dianna's words, he almost drops Wash back into the mud. Almost.

Brianna hears the yelling and jumps to her feet. "Stay back, Cousin. I'll be back." She knows where she is needed and she runs to help.

Brianna wields wicked wildfires one-handed waraxe with deer hide wrapped handle.

Other people are drawing weapons. Orelia can guess what that means. She drops her book as she gets up, then draws her rubicund blade.

Kace wields beautiful storm of the Northlands wintertide diamondplate scythe.

Kace Noting the comotion from her stare at the fire Kace pulls out her scythe and stands her ground looking for what has everyone drawing weapons.

As Dianna and Lawrence begin moving to the young man, who races breathlessly for the camp and its guards (who also move toward him), an Abandoned assassin floats swiftly through the moonlit wood and prepares to launch what is a throwing axe into the young man's head from behind. But what seems like it is out of nowhere is an arrow which comes from the side and slips through that throwing hand of the assassin, not only piercing him but knocking away his weapon of choice which flings aside. If one were to see the path from whence such an arrow came, it is from a tree above from which Scout Rowenova now climbs down before swiftly making haste toward the assassin who screams now.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Juliana before departing.

Mirk checked mana + occult at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher.

Ravna wields a rubicund traveling staff with dangling gourds.

Lets face it, Lady Juliana Igniseri hates everything about the cold. When the tempatures drop below sweltering, the Lycene is cold and when the gods feel fit to throw frozen water at the peoples of the world, she seldom leaves the hearth. She has men here however and she is healer, so where else would she be? That said...all of this makes Jules a very unhappy camper now walking through camp deciding there should be something to eat, if not drink around here.

Lawrence checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Lawrence wields unyielding twilight shadowed by thunderstorms elegant steel blade.

Ian lets Rysen tote Wash over to the fire without following right away. He straps a fencer's spaulder over his shoulder and arm. Instead of looking towards the uproar, his attention is elsewhere. He scans the edges of the camp, especially 180 degrees from the trouble.

Wash is little more than a sack of potatoes, aside from the arm holding his flask of whiskey. He makes no attempt to help Rysen maneuver him closer to the fire. "Are we under attack already?" He asks with a resigned tone of voice. "I have a knife... somewhere."

Dianna checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 16 higher.

Brianna spots Ian and nods once, taking watch at another side of the camp. She wants to make sure all sides have eyes on them.

From the shadows of the trees comes Sir Floppington the soulful hound who is making haste after his human charge, the swift scout with the recurve bow.

Lawrence catches the weight of the falling man and sets him down as lightly as he can, but he spots the Assassin so it is likely pretty rough drop, rougher than Lawrence would have liked. But there is a job to do. His sword comes out and his parrying dagger as well. And faster than anyone has likely seen the knight move he closes the distance to the Assassin. Even though he attempts to pull a blade on Lawrence, the older man uses his parrying dagger to knock it away and uses his sword to sweep the assassins feet from underneath him and just shoves the blade against the assassins throat and holds there. "Move and it will be the last time. I do not give second chances."

Strozza checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 32 higher.

Ian pulls out the last item from his bag, a truly, truly hideous scarf, which he wears not like a reasonable person would wear a scarf, but rather coiled at his hip like a profoundly ugly whip. Then he carefully starts picking his way Brianna-ward.

Ian gets ugly, singed, stained, multicolor scarf from Oiled leather bag.

The Abandoned assassin struggles for a breath, before Lawrence's blade at his throat brings a look of cold fear to his eyes. He drops his weapon and holds up his hands, muttering something in Northlands Shav.

"Gods above, sit, please," Dianna says, reassuringly. "We'll keep you safe." She looks aside - just in case - and, sure enough, there are weapons everywhere being drawn. "This must hurt so much, but we'll take care of you. Breathe..." Dianna lifts her voice and calls loudly, "RAVNA!!! I need your brandy!!" She waits, trying to calm the man, mainly, while she waits for Rukhnis.

Rukhnis checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 55 higher.

Dianna checked charm + empathy at difficulty 15, rolling 42 higher.

Danger, onset attack and while he is no charging hero swinging slabs of metal at people, or he hasn't in years since taking ships command... Strozza is truly excellent at getting people moving. Dropping even into parlance,

"HO! Up and moving! Weapons shouldered and ready to receive! Put eyes for'ard" Pointing with the haft of his whip now. "Be they equal or scores larger you are men and women of the Compact and shall stand against filth and barbaric scum!" his voice carrying, practiced from years of doing this across ship decks that became battlefields. "Quarter to the surrenders for we yet be so base to slay those who put to knee before us! Rally!"

Wash sits wherever Rysen puts him in front of the fire. He mumbles a quiet bit of gratitude as he huddles for warmth there, letting the bustle happen around him.



BUN DUN DUUUUUN!

Ravna's name does a magical thing to the man; he leaves one gourd with Mikani, only to be torn towards Dianna in a tear-assing run. Spin? Stumble. Both? All. When someone gets in the way, Ravna does not stop, but jams the rubi staff into snow and frozen earth to cause a careening twist of the body, rolling with it, to come crashing beside Dianna. Heaving, laughing under his breath, one of those big orange gourds is tugged free from the staff and offered sideways to Dianna, meanwhile, Ravna's gonna lay there for a second. Real quiet. Catch his breath, maybe.

Juliana pauses as she realizes the ruckus going on isn't the normal war camp ruckus but something else entirely. Pulling her cloak tighter around her, spots Ian as he fusses with his scarf... come on, it's a this is Ian Kennex becon after all. "Ian?" calling out with just enough question in her tone that to a normal person would probably portray the question of what is happening. But this is Ian...

Brianna checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

After setting Wash down, Rysen's hand drops to his rubicund blade, though his eyes pace first to Kace's scythe, and then to Lawrence as he trips and subdues the Abandoned assassin. He can't help but grin at the sword skill displayed by his uncle. "Hasn't lost a step," he mutters to Ian, without shifting his gaze from Lawrence.

After seeing Lawrence has taken care of the assassin and that there are those who are taking care of the young man, Nova and Flop veer off their approach, ultimately attempting to regain stealth via shadows amongst the trees.

Rukhnis twitches a little as that sudden arrow comes seemingly out of nowhere, striking a man who likewise surely wasn't here just a moment ago. But she keeps her attention focused very diligently on the injured man, trying to ease him down onto the ground when Lawrence looses his hold rather than simply let the poor man crumple up like a half-empty sack. Once he's settled as comfortably as can be on the cold hard ground (which is to say, not very), Rukhnis begins a closer and more tactile scrutiny, passing deft hands across the man's body, quickly checking his pulse, and then beginning to very carefully snap off the arrow shafts closer to his body. "We need to get him over to the hospital," she says in almost absent grumble as she works. "This is not the place to be doing anything as sensitive as working out arrowheads."

Wash has joined the camp fires.

Brianna seems confident that there are no spies or assassins over here, so she starts a patrol of the perimeter. Spotting Ian, she makes sure their paths meet.

Ian stops walking and looks towards the sound of a voice saying his name, then nods to Julianna. "Lady Julianna. You should probably stay near me. There's something happening south of the camp." And with these unhelpful words of advice complete, he closes the rest of the distance to Brianna. "Nothing to the north. Did you see anything?"

With but a quick glance to Ravna, Dianna murmurs a word of thanks, then takes the gourd of potent brandy from him and returns her full attention to the young man. She looks to Rukhnis and nods,, quietly speaking "Here, let's just get him a little drink." Carefully, Dianna lifts the potent peach brandy to the young man's lips and helps him sip. "Just a little bit," the priestess soothingly speaks, then looks to Rukhnis, and down to Ravna. "Rest, Ravna; thank you." She looks at Rukhnis' eyes and nods again, "On your queue, I'll help him up and to the tent."

Lawrence leans down and grabs the Assassin by the collar and yanks him up. The older Crovane starts speaking to him in Northlands Shav.

Jules lifts a brow but there is a smile the tugs at her lips at Ian's words. Which is probably the first smile since arriving. Wrapping her arms around herself she follows behind however, nodding to Brianna as she steps in behind the Kennex Lord.

"What's going on?" Orelia asks, blade ready despite the fact that the assassin has been captured.

Mikani shakes her head. "I can't tell." She says to Orelia. "Just a lot of commotion."

When Lawrence hauls the assassin to his feet, and questions him, the assassin smirks, and offers a reply in Northlands Shav. After Strozza's commands, many of the Crovane, Kennex and Isles Caines soldiers comb the area. A few Crovane soldiers come to stand at Lawrence's side to clap the assassin in irons.

"Nothing to the west," Brianna confirms to Ian. "I'm walking the perimeter, going to scout out the east. There's no way that's the last we're going to see." She gives Juliana a nod. "Stay close to the fire," she warns her.

"Sit down, my lady," Mirk assures Orelia, still wringing water out of handful of soaking wet leaves. "The matter is under control, or the camp would be under a general call to arms. There was, I gather, an assassination attempt, though more than that I'm afraid I wasn't in a position to see in detail."

Lawrence grunts once at the Assassin and starts dragging him over to Kaldur once the Assassin is Iron. He tosses the would be assassin to Kaldurs feet. "He says we will be sacrificed in due time... Her eyes are everywhere." His sword is still out and quite near the prisoner, just in case.

Rukhnis gives a small nod to Dianna as she finishes her preliminary work, and once she's satisfied with the state of the arrows (aside from the fact of their still being in her patient at all) she positions herself to be ready to brace the man on the opposite side from the godsworn woman. "We are as ready as we will ever be, I think," she says.

A portly cook with a curly black mustache named Digory makes his way into the central part of the camp. "Food up! Eh? What's all this commotion? Bloody Lycene's screamin' about this and that. Spirits of Stormwall! Ye southerners get worked up over everything. Just a bit of snow, eh? Come get yer stew!"

Brianna finishes scouting the perimeter to her satisfaction, then returns to Mirk at the fire. "Just a little excitement," she says, settling in to help him with the woad.

After Brianna emerges from her scouting, so does Sir Floppington for a moment before he moves back into the trees once more.

Once it's clear that Brianna's also found nothing else at the perimeter, Ian nods to Juliana. "Looks like a false alarm," he says. Then he starts picking his way in slow motion to the fire, testing with his cane to make sure he's not about to step on ice.

The priestess nods to Rukhnis and murmurs to the young man, "Alright, brace yourself, now." She looks back to Rukhnis's eyes and, on her call, Dianna lifts the man, helping to move him to the tent.

Dianna has joined the field hospital.

Grumbling as it was not the excitement that perhaps he hoped for, Strozza makes for where Orelia sits, coiling his whip to hang on his belt. "You know... There are much more civil ways to assassinate. This is horrible.

"Darling. I'm frozen and I shouted for nothing." giving Reli the dreaded Pout Face.

After double scouting, Rowenova eventually emerges with Sir Floppington who must have found her in those trees before they return to camp together. Then, there is a stop over by a couple guards to whom she momentarily talks before motioning in a couple directions as if to tell them where they should post to take over for her to get a break now that the excitement is wearing down.

"Well come sit by the fire then and thaw out," Orelia tells Strozza, taking her seat again and tugging the sleeve of his coat to get him to join her.

Rysen glances at Strozza impressed. He makes his way towards the part of the camp designated as the kitchen to get acquire two bowls of stew. "It's one per soldier, m'lord," says Digory. Rysen stares at him. "I mean, you wants yer soldiers to eat, don't cha?"

"One's for Rukhnis."

"The bloody Eurusi?" asks Digory. "Ain't she busy enslaving northerners and makin' whirlpools or some such." Rysen's grey eyes remain locked coldly on the cook. "I's just playin', m'lord," replies Digory. "Suppose even she can have some o' the stew if you sees fit t' give 'er."

"You are very close to going on the next scouting mission, Digory," replies Rysen.

"You's always had a great sense o' humor, m'lord," says Digory smiling. Rysen's gaze lingers on him for a moment before he walks towards the hospital with the bowls of stew.

Mikani takes out her small lute and starts fingering a song. She hums to it softly.

Mikani checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

Juliana falls into step with Ian, as no one has called for a healer. Her steps keeping in time with the Kennex Lord and not trying to rush him as she keeps her cloak tight around her. "Sebastian has new puppies, if he has one left when we get back. Would you and Zoey be interested in one for Uriel?"

Rukhnis checked willpower + medicine at difficulty 30, rolling 33 higher.

Rukhnis is definitely not the strongest person in the world, but what she lacks in strength she makes up for in mulish determination. This being the case, she somehow she manages to stubborn out her half of the wounded man's weight to get him back over to the hospital with as much care and as little jostling as she can possibly manage. Once there it's a little less difficult to get him laid out upon a cot, arranging him there so that his arrow wounds are readily accessible for treatment.

After debriefing the guards who go to take watch, Rowenova turns to head to where the food is being served as Sir Floppington pads along beside her. Showing up at the lunch line, she -- too -- picks up dual bowls like Rysen.

"Zoey might like that," Ian says to Juliana in a distracted tone of voice. "She was talking about getting Uriel a dog. You should ask."

Ian has joined the camp fires.

Strozza checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

The young man, Emry, has lost a bit of blood, but the calming words of Dianna and the skilled efficiency of Rukhnis's medicine seem to have put the soldier out of immediate danger of losing his life. His hand passes to clasp Rukhnis's for a moment. He closes his eyes, and swallows. "Thank you," he says softly.

Mirk, still seated right where he was before the excitement, continues his work in peace. The water he has is slowly darkening with whatever is being wrung out of the leaves. "So, Cousin," he says to Brianna. "Have you healed up fully? I haven't seen you enough to ask how you were doing, I'm afraid."

Wash huddles by the fire, finishing his flask of whiskey and bundled as best he can in whatever furs were left to him.

Juliana has joined the camp fires.

"Ey there, Scout Nova," says Diggory. "You's not givin' that stew to that ol' dog of yers, are ye? I admit he ain't a yowler, but he don't need to take food from good soldiers. My stew's the best there is. Ask them southerners. They'll tell ya."

Settling next to Orelia at the fire, leaning against her - His aid of all people appears at his side. Kuhlai D'Mahn. Mighty, sweet, tall and rotund Kuhlai D'Mahn! Strozza's hand is up and a glass of brandy is placed in it without the Mazetti even looking. He just knows.

"You're my favorite, Kuhlai."
"Second favorite, sir?"
"Reli is in a class all her own."
"As I would say, my lord. Very good."
"Also I don't want to get stabbed."
"Prudently worded then sir!"
"Don't give up the game."
"As you wish!" Kuhlai beams as he presents a glass for Orelia again, while Strozza sips and begins humming low in his chest in accompaniment to Mikani's playing. Singin' now! Sort of.

Ok he's vocalizing. But still. Surprise ending! He can sing AND yell!

Mikani stars her song about love and the ocean.

"My love, My love
My fearless love
I will not say goodbye.
Sea may rise
Sky may fall
My love will never die.

Go on, Go on
Go bravely on
Into the blackest night.

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh ....

My heart, My heart
My drowning heart
Oh all the tears I've cried
Oh I may weep forevermore
My love will never die.

My love, My love
My fearless love
I will not say goodbye.
Sea may rise
Sky may fall
My love will never die.

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh ...."

While Dianna isn't the strongest, either, she's strong enough, at least, to shoulder the burden of an injured man with Rukhnis' help. "I know little, Messere Rukhnis," Dianna quietly admits, aside to Rukhnis, having helped the young man to the medic tent and gotten him situated. "Not nearly as much as you and Juliana. Shall I bring her in to help you?"

"I've healed enough," comes Brianna's non-answer to Mirk. "It will be some time until I heal fully, and we can't afford to have me out of the fight until then. I'm sure there will be circumstances that take me out of the fight for a while soon enough, so I'm trying to minimize the time."

Orelia takes the drink and sips it before burying her nose in the journal again, quickly memorizing her lyrics.

With two bowls, one in each hand, Rowenova momentarily regards Digory before glancing down to Sir Floppington and those soulful eyes that he has as he adorably gazes while simultaneously wagging to the camp cook. Turning back, Rowenova points out, "Not only is he the best boy but he is a good soldier, too. A great soldier, even."

As Rysen passes through the center of the camp, he pauses a moment to hear the voices of Strozza and Mikani. His wife's song brings a smile to his face. Reaching the medical tent, Rysen frowns as he takes hin the bloody scene of Emry, and all the other wounded being tended to in the hospital. "There's stew here for you, Rukhnis," says the Crovane lord. "Eat it as soon as you get a chance. Even physicians must eat."

Before heading back to the fires to hear the music, he places a hand on Dianna's shoulder. He says no words, but his gratitude for the priestess's presence could not be more evident.

Having gotten the injured man stretched out nicely, and all obstructing bits of inconvenient clothing neatly remove or trimmed away, Rukhnis shakes her head slightly at Dianna. "There is no great need, so long as I have someone else to hold him still, just a little." The implication evidently being that the lucky Dianna can serve this function herself, if she so wishes! "Although," she adds, "if Juliana wishes to help instead, I surely will not turn her assistance down." When the young man reaches out to clasp her hand briefly, she squeezes it back with gentle reassurance that seems to speak more clearly than words. The offer of stew she only makes a vague noise in response to.

Juliana leaves the Kennex Lords at the fire and crosses to find food for the three of them. Wrapped in her cloak she simply waits her turn so that she can procure the bowls and carry them back.

Wash just groans audibly. "Graaa...aa...ah." He remains crouched clutching to his furs.

"Want to borrow my scarf?" Ian offers to Wash. "It's wool."

After watching Mirk for sometime, Hormir takes a braid of human hair from a pouch at his hip. His large, calloused fingers move over it with a far away look resting in his eyes. "This was my a lock of my daughter's hair," he says. "She gave it me 'fore she died. Take it, Elder. Offer it to the spirits. It is my most prized posession, but she wanted more than anything to become a Spirit Walker, and she'd want this."

Lawrence lifts his prisoner back up and speaks to the Assassin in that Northlands Shav again, and grins a little bit. He looks out to the camp, "Anyone want to help me get some information from this quite terrible at his job Assassin?"

A gentle smile lifts on Dianna's lips as she glances back and looks at Rysen's eyes; but her attention quickly returns to help Rukhnis, holding the young man down and murmuring reassuringly, calmly, while holding her attention directly on his eyes. Briefly, she looks back to Rysen. "Will you ask Lady Juliana to come in? If she can help... " She leaves the rest unsaid, then turns back to help attend the young man.

"No one wants your scarf Ian. The Abyss would spit it out if you jammed it in there." Wash leans away from Ian's threat.

After taking one last look at her lyrics, Orelia sets her leather journal aside. "I need a beat for this one, so if you have any sense of rhythm, you're officially part of my band now," she tells the assembled audience with a grin. "It goes like this." She demonstrates by clapping her hands: one-two, one-two, one. One-two, one-two, one. Once enough of the audience has joined in, she hums a few bars and begins to sing. It's clear from her tone that she is a trained soprano, but she sings with an edge that could cut.

"Axes flash, broadsword swing
Shining armour's piercing ring
Horses run with polished shield
Fight Those Bastards till They Yield
Midnight mare and blood red roan
Fight to Keep this Land Your Own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How Many of Them Can We Make Die!

Follow orders as you're told
Make Their Yellow Blood Run Cold
Fight until you die or drop
A Force Like Ours is Hard to Stop
Close your mind to stress and pain
Fight till You're No Longer Sane
Let not one damn cur pass by
How Many of Them Can We Make Die!

Guard your lovers and children well
Send These Bastards Back to Hell
We'll teach them the ways of war
They Won't Come Here Any More
Use your shield and use your head
Fight till Every One is Dead
Raise the flag up to the sky
How Many of Them Can We Make Die!"

Orelia's voice gets softer now, and she spreads her hands out on either side of the fire as though to quiet the audience.

"Dawn has broke, the time has come
Move Your Feet to a Marching Drum
We'll win the war and pay the toll
We'll Fight as One in Heart and Soul
Midnight mare and blood red roan
Fight to Keep this Land Your Own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How Many of Them Can We Make Die!"

As the second to last verse goes, Orelia's intensity grows. Finally comes the last verse:

Axes flash, broadsword swing
Shining armour's piercing ring
Horses run with polished shield
Fight Those Bastards till They Yield
Midnight mare and blood red roan
Fight to Keep this Land Your Own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How Many of Them Can We Make Die!"

Ian laughs and claps Wash on the back. "Good to know you're not freezing to death. Some hot food'll do you good."

Kace has left the camp fires.

Orelia checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Mikani plays a beat with the song on her lute with the flat of her hand. When she gets to know the song she sings harmony to Orelia.

Mikani checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

"Fair enough," Mirk says with a low chuckle at Brianna. "Has Khanne said anything about Arik and Frostfang?" He keeps the details vague, though he glances up once Hormir offers the braid. He nods his head once and promises, "It will be offered to the spirits in the manner that it was received: With sincerity and devotion. Spirits guide you, and I hope they keep you safe in the battles that come."

Rowenova warmly smiles to Juliana before turning back to the camp cook with a curious gaze and hearing out what his potential judgment might be. Meanwhile, Sir Floppington keeps up the soulful eyes and soft swishes of wagging tail.

Strozza checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 16 higher.

Still no singing of the lyrics, but Strozza does catch the melody to provide a bass tone with it, beating out the rhythm on one of the armored plates strapped to his leg, giving Reli a grin as he does.

"Arik and I have been having discussions about the role. I'm beginning to wonder if a married Sword with children might be a bad idea," Brianna admits to Mirk.

Arrow wounds are not fun to treat, and still less to be treated for. Rukhnis seems to think things could be worse, though, as she explains things in a calmly matter-of-face tone. "None of them have struck the bone, which is very good. Two of them, I believe, can simply be pushed through, which is the easiest thing of all. One I will need to use the loop on, but I believe I will be able to extract it readily enough even so." Pitching her voice softly low, she tells Emrys, "It will hurt, of course, but once they are out there is no reason you will not heal straight up and be good as new." Then she's ready to begin her painstaking task.

Rysen nods to Dianna, before venturing from the tent. He takes a bit of his stew as he makes his way towards Juliana and the Kennexes (Kennexi?), though the song of Orelia stops him in his tracks for a moment. "Gods and spirits," he mutters with his mouth full of stew.

Most of the warcamp turns their attention to Orelia. "Aye, that's a fine voice. Don't know how Lord Rysen brings these talented folk up to this dreary pit o' the abyss to sing such nice songs, but I ain't complainin'" says Digory from the camp's kitchen.

Rysne finally makes his way to Juliana, and kneels down beside her. "I'm sorry, My Lady, but Sister Dianna and Rukhnis have requested your help, if you can spare it."

Rowenova checked luck + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 48 higher. Rowenova rolled a critical!

Orelia grins while she catches her breath, takes a bow, then looks around. "Where is this stew coming from? I'm starving!"

When Digory seems distracted by Orelia's song, Nova turns away with those double bowls and slinks out from the serving line before she can be contested!

Rukhnis checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 45, rolling 1 lower.

Juliana now with three bowls of stew... and heading back to the Kennex, pauses as Rysne stops her. Brows arch a little. "What are they needing help for?" asked nodding Rysne to follow her as she closes back on the fire, nodding to Rysen and passing a bowl to Ian first. The second steaming bowl is held out for Wash. "Don't make me sit on you, Wash Kennex." stated incase he was going to object then turning her attention back to Rysne with a slight arch to her brow as she waits an answer.

"I'm a terrible cushion." Wash promises Juliana. "Just like everything else." He takes the bowl of stew and lets the warmth seep into his gloves. "Thank you though."

Mikani just continues to play her music in the background as she listens to conversations around her. She starts to sing a haunting song in Marin'alfar. Though if no one knows the language it sounds like water depths and the moon on the waves.

Mikani checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 22 higher.

Ian takes the bowl from Juliana. "I'll make sure he eats," he promises her. "You're probably wanted for the bloody guy I saw earlier."

"Arik's always thought so," Mirk says with a nod of his head in understanding. "Though his philosophy doesn't apply to every Sword, or to every approach. What do you think yours will be?" He nods his head to Orelia. "A lovely song, my lady. Where did you learn that one?"

"Either that or Lady Mikani is choking on something," Ian adds after a moment, eyeing the gurgling Mikani.

Jules starts to answer Wash but it's Ian she stares at. "There was a body guy?" looking to Rysne for confirmation that this was the issue.

Eventually approaching Mirk, Rowenova sits down with Sir Floppington by her and pops out a hidden spoon from the arm guards which she apparently rigged with her old silverware shooters, too, much like her old leather bracers had. Catching up said spoon, she carefully stirs each bowl (of 2) of the lovely stew. "Yes, quite lovely." says she to both Orelia and Mikani.

Dianna checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

Dianna checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Mikani says in Marin'alfar, "I hear your voice on the wind
And I here you call out my name
"Listen my child, " you say to me
"I am the voice of your history

Be not afraid, come follow me
Answer my call and I'll set you free"
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice, I will remain

I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone
The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow
Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long
I am the force that in springtime will grow
I am the voice of the past that will always be
Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields
I am the voice of the future

Bring me your peace
Bring me your peace and my wounds, they will heal
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice

I am the voice in the past that will always be
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice of the future

I am the voice
I am the voice
I am the voice
I am the voice
"

"Where I pick up most songs," Orelia replies to Mirk. "On the road. I have a number of them written down in my journal there." She pecks Strozza on the cheek and goes to retrieve her own dinner.

"One of the scouts returned with some wounds," says Rysen to Juliana. "Apparently the arrows are pretty deep." He takes a seat beside Ian. "It's Marin'alfar," says Rysen to Ian, grinning. "Sounds strange, but my son loves it when she sings in that language. Calms him down everytime."

It takes a while to extract arrows. Rukhnis manages to maneuver one trimmed shaft with a firm but delicate hand in order to push the first arrowhead out, leaving torn flesh in its wake that is nevertheless as good a condition as can be hoped. The second one seems to prove more of a challenge than expected, and as the Eurusi woman gives it a quick final push through, the newly opened wound suddenly begins to bleed heavily. Rukhnis takes a soft indrawn breath, saying to Dianna in a still-calm voice, "Could you please hold a sponge or cloth to the opening, and staunch the flow of blood?"

"I'm not sure. I need to think about that a lot more. I'm glad there is time," Brianna admits. "I just would feel irresponsible having children shortly after becoming Sword. I need to figure out how to reconcile the two sets of responsibilities."

Emeris SCREAMS and bucks as Dianna holds him down, and whatever it is Rukhnis was trying to do seems to cause him an inordinate amount of pain. His hand flies up and punches the priestess' jaw hard enough that it's definitely going to bruise. "Mmmn...." Dianna bites back the pain, murmuring, "Be still, try, Emeris." She hurries, grabbing clean bandages nearby and pushes pressure on the bleeding wounds, managing to hold them long enough - and firmly enough - to stop the bleeding.

Sighing at the bowl in her hands, hands it to Rysne. "Eat that while it's warm." states then nods and heads towards the tent. "Someone please have them save me something not frozen for sometime later tonight." is the only comment as she heads towards the hospital tent.

Kuhlai doesn't bring Strozza stew. But the Lycene has a cheese platter set before him, and two additional glasses - white and red wine. Even here in the north. The Mazetti leans against Orelia once she finishes singing, smiling and quiet as he looks about, screams of the injured? Old hat... so he lifts a cube for Orelia to bite of his fingers should she choose.

Rysen grins at Juliana, and makes no protest.

Ian looks like he's about to say something to Rysen, then there's screaming coming from the tent. He watches Juliana take off in that direction, then starts eating his stew. "You should eat some," he says to Wash. "It's pretty good."

Screaming starts, Juliana's walk turns into a run, busting into the tent to look to see what is happening now.

Juliana has left the camp fires.

Juliana has joined the field hospital.

Rukhnis jerks a little herself when poor Emrys begins flailing so hard -- this definitely can't help the state of his wound any -- but once he's been settled down again Rukhnis leaves Arrow No. 3 alone for the moment to pull out needle and sinew instead, and call for a basin of water and some more sponge. With Dianna working on suppressing the bleeding, the Eurusi physician manages to get the wound quickly washed before working on stitching the exit wound shut.

Orelia takes the bite of cheese the Mazetti lord feeds her before getting her stew. When she returns with her bowls she cuddles next to him and starts eating.

After stirring off some steam, Rowenova sets down 1 bowl for Sir Floppington, and then she makes quick work of eating down tasty stew from her own bowl. Quiet talk is briefly shared amongst herself and her Halfshavs.

"On the road, hm? Are you a traveling sort, my lady?" Mirk asks Orelia, raising an eyebrow at her. "You have time," he assures Brianna. "But there's ways to reconcile different responsibilities. I sympathize. I've had some reconciling of apparent contradictions to do, recently, myself."

As Lawrence asks for help with interrogation, a middle aged woman with blonde hair and brown eyes named Gelda, sweeps from the crowd. "I'll handle this, m'lord," she says, pulling her war mallet from her belt. "If ye 'ear screamin' don't come in. Works better if they just scream and scream without gettin' a reaction." A slightly crazed light glimmers in her eye, as she pulls the chained assassin into the prison tent. "Get ready to talk, boy, and you many have enough of your genitals left to pass as a man," she tells him in Northlands Shav.

Lawrence nods once to Gelda, "Let me know what you find out... I am going to find a map..." And then the old knight is back to his slow pace wandering the camp, looking for a local map. Seems he isn't too interested in the revelry anymore.

Juliana checked intellect + alchemy at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

After Gelda takes off for the torturous interrogation, Rowenova points out to the whole group, "If someone goes to 'save' him, they might get more than whatever she can." She basically suggests the good cop go help out there. Except, she is currently eating, so she just hangs here.

Brianna raises an eyebrow at Mirk. "You can't lead with that and not elaborate." She wraps a sisterly arm around Rowenova. "How's the puppy?"

Juliana pases only a moment to assess the situation, then her cloak is dropped near the door, as she closes on the table and the surgeries. Grabbing her bag where it has been left, pulls free a bottle with a cloudy liquid which is poured onto a cloth before she steps to the table and smooths the scout's hair. "I know, I am going to help you sleep so we can get them out." her voice soft and low before wetting his lips with the cloth and watching as he falls unconscious and his body relaxes. "There now you can work quickly." said to the other too as she moves to look at the arrow they can't seem to remove.

Rysen's gaze passes to Orelia. "You truly have an amazing voice, My Lady - and have chosen the perfect song to uplift the spirits of our soldiers. And you, My Lord," Rysen says to Strozza, "have a very commanding presence, not unlike Lord Ian." He smiles and says, "My father always wished me to command troops, but I'm afraid I'm good for little more than swinging a sword. I am Lord Rysen. I don't believe we've met, but I am glad you made the trip."

From one of the random tents, one might hear Lawrence shouting, "Who has a damn MAP!"

To someone who hasn't seen anything of Ian but Ian sitting like a lump in front of the fire eating stew and ignoring the singing, Rysen's praise of Strozza might sound a lot like an insult.

Her hands still occupied and covered with blood while Rukhnis works, Dianna looks aside to Juliana and nods. "I'm glad you're here, my lady," the priestess quietly acknowledges. "And grateful for your expertise. Direct me as to what you need; I'll do it." Clearly not concerned with being merely an assistant, Dianna waits for orders from Rukhnis or Juliana.

Rowenova sets down her own bowl beside her. She apparently trusts that the Goodest of Boys (Sir Floppington) will not eat her remaining stew because he already has his own. She also loops Brianna in one arm as her opposing hand pops off the sealed top of her map case with wolf motifs upon its front side. "Lord Lawrence Crovane!" calls out the wolf scout, via Northern volume, then quietly tells Brianna, "Doing well. Sir Flop sure likes his new squire."

Strozza looks up to Rysen as he addresses, commenting on the first "Her singing voice is perhaps my favorite of things." looking to Reli and then back to Rysen, "Years of training and a loud voice for me... I am a poor instructor - but I can show by example how to yell at soldiers." offering his hand, "Lord Strozza Mazetti, Admiral of Ostria's First Fleet."

Lawrence emereges when he hears his name and heads that way, "Can I borrow this?" He asks holding out his hand for the map.

"Glad I could be of help," Orelia tells Rysen. "A song for the journey and a sword for the destination, as I like to say."

Mikani packs up her lute and heads towards her tent.

Rukhnis doesn't pause in her work when Juliana comes over, but she does give her fellow physician a brief look of sincere gratitude as she alchemizes Emrys into unconsciousness. "Thank you," she says, finishing up her neat stitching, and then setting those materials aside to eyeball the last arrow. To Dianna she says, "I think if you do just as you did before -- keep something pressed to the wound to ease the bleeding -- that will be the best thing to be done." She pauses then, looking up to Juliana. "Do you wish to remove the last arrow, or shall I continue on?"

Mikani has left the camp fires.

From her wolf themed map case, the wolf scout pulls out a pristine map which has been well preserved and is a scribed copy on the off chance that this one might be somehow destroyed and/or unfortuitously lost. With good labels to point out where enemy forces of White Raven worshipping blood cultists are, those evil doers apparently seem to be in a southwest direction from here, around the infamous Shadowtop.

Rowenova says, "Certainly."

"Ah, the trip to the Isle of Storms," Mirk explains, glancing around at the others. He continues with his voice slightly lower.

Rysen laughs warmly and shakes Strozza's hand. "You are a warrior as well, My Lady?" he asks Orelia, as he takes notice of her longsword.

Juliana checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.

Lawrence smiles at Rowenova, "I will be right back with a job." He says taking the map. He heads back to the Prisoners tent and enters. He kneels down and unfurls the map on the ground. Stopping Gelda he takes the assassins hand and pricks his finger with his parrying dagger. "Look here boy. You are going to point out every trap, ambush you and your friends have set up. I am going to send out scouts to check out your information. If you lie about one thing." He points to Gelda, "I am going to let her go to town." And then he repeats it in Northlands Shav juuuust in case.

"You could say that," Orelia answers between bites. "I'm pretty good with a blade. A bit better than the last time I faced off with Lord Ian over there, even."

Juliana sets the bottle aside after carefully caping it and looking to Dianne. "Can I trust you to go see this cloth is burned and that you wash your hands after? Do not put it or them near your mouth. When you are done then any work to help get the wounds closed." don't you just love a Pravus with alchemy? Nodding to Rukhnis as she moves to wash her own hands. "You seem to be doing well. I'll see if Ic an get that last one for you. While you finish what you are doing."

Being about to extract the arrow /was/ what Rukhnis had been about to do, but she simply nods to Juliana and offers her the use of her arrow probe to fish the last pesky thing out. With that handed off, she begins to work on meticulously cleaning, dressing, and stitching the first arrow wound to ensure that after all this trouble Emrys isn't going to just die of blood poisoning instead.

Rowenova curiously regards Mirk a brief moment then closes up her map case. Then, she ultimately reclaims her unbothered bowl (because Sir Floppington is the Goodest of Boys, you know!) and chats up Brianna who she still side hugs, "How are you feeling these days?"

"You're probably a match for me by now," Ian comments to Oriella. Then, without any change in tone: "Wash if you don't start eating, I'm going to hold you down and start feeding you that stew."

Wash does eventually start eating the stew Juliana brought him. If only because he's out of whiskey. "Waste of fine stew." He mutters.

Rysen's eyes shift to Ian when Orelia mentions him. "Few can stand against the Sword of Stormward in a fight." There is a touch of sadness in Rysen's tone, but a hard veracity to it too. He rises from his seat and says, "I'm going to raid the duke's tent for the good whiskey. Lord Wash clearly needs more to drink."

"Wouldn't mind a rematch to see if that's the case," Orelia tells Ian with a grin. She finishes her stew and sets the bowl aside.

Wash checked charm + war at difficulty 60, rolling 37 lower.

Shifting from her work to hold the wounds closed, Dianna cedes to Juliana and Rukhnis with a nod. "Of course you can trust me," Dianna replies, taking the cloth from Juliana's hand, then moving to leave. "I'll be back shortly." She exits the tent and makes her way to the fire; and when she gets near, her hands are sticky, covered in tacky, crimson blood.

She doesn't look to anyone yet, finding a spot where the fire is burning hot, but far enough away from the others, then flicks her hand and tosses the soaked cloth into the fire. It flares suddenly; she watches as it burns, then looks around to the others, a meagre smile lifted before she returns to the tent, washes her hands and helps Rukhnis and Juliana again with staunching the blood.

Strozza checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 14 lower.

Rowenova checked charm + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Strozza checked command + war at difficulty 20, rolling 39 higher.

Mirk checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Juliana nods, taking the probe and settling in the work the arrow free carefully. Her gaze moving towards the scout more than once not that she thinks they are going to wake up but well keeping an eye on him then turning her attention back to slowly draw out the arrow head and set it aside. "I would say you no doubt saved his life. Good work." to Rukhnis as she packs the wound. Then stepping away to let Dianna take over the bandaging.

Ian nods to Orelia. "If I'm not dead after all this mess is over," he agrees. "It'd be good to spar with someone other than Aethan or Porter."

"Men. You are on a ship. You aren't. But it might be. It's a big ship. And there's people over there. They want to knock you off your ship. KNOCK THEM OFF FIRST!" Wash announces when the speeches start and it gets to his turn, regardless of whether that's a good idea. "Drown em! Let the sharks have them. Or... not. I don't care. Where's is the pisspot?"

After they have cleaned their bowls, Rowenova stacks up said bowls before then repeatedly asking Sir Floppington who the good boy is?! Then, "We are gonna kick their ass, yeah?!" She hops up to her booted feet, as Sir Flop lets out a mournful baying about all this hype!

Rukhnis finishes up her work on the first wound, and moves on to cleaning up the third and final wound now that the arrow has been drawn free by Juliana. To the other woman's words she inclined her head slightly, agreeing, "Most likely," and begins to sew the torn flesh closed with deft, neat stitches. "I thank you for your assistance as well."

There is a yell or two from the Kennex soldiers at Wash's speech, and Digory points to a latrine dug in the icy ground far away from the hospital (at Rukhnis's insistence) well lit by torches. "Just don't piss on your hands, eh? Feels nice and warm for a moment, but it freezes, and you'll regret it."

Putting the bottle back where it belongs and washing her hands again. "I was happy to. I will leave you to your patient." nodding to Dianna before picking up her cloak and headng back out towards the fire.

Lawrence has left the field hospital.

"Don't die then," Orelia tells Ian before leaning against Strozza.

"Spoken like a man who's pissed on his hands," Ian calls to Diggory with a quick flash of a grin.

"I'm not even going to take off my gloves." Wash mutters.

Dianna has left the field hospital.

Digory laughs heartily, brushing his mustache with hands. "Keep it down, Lord Ian, eh? The nobles ain't like hearin' o' me piss since I works with the food." His grin, however, speaks volumes about just how right Ian was.

Mirk joins in addressing the crowd, rising from his seat and addressing the crowd. "Soon, you be be sent into war against these Shavs. The battle will be hard, but it is one worth fighting. We all know what the Blood Ravens have done. Kidnapping. Murder. Human sacrifice. It is anathema to us in the Compact, it spits in the face of our gods, it violates the most sacred taboos of our spirits. We must rid ourselves of them in order to make our little corner of the Compact safer. And when that time comes, I promise you this: You will have the wisdom of your leaders and the blessings of the spirits to guide you."

Rowenova backs up Mirk's words, doing so with well timed leading cheers during the pep rally of motivational speaking. "Thank you, My Lord!" After that, Rowenova puts away the stacked bowls where they should go then slinks away, doing so with Sir Floppington to take back their post dinner scouting duties.

Rysen is overheard praising Mirk: The words of the Elder of the Spirit Walkers are inspiration to us all!

Strozza is overheard praising Orelia: My dearest

Swords, spears and axes rise into the air, gleaming in the firelight, from many warriors of Houses Halfshav and Crovane. Shouts rise to the starry heavens at Mirk's words. The warriors clash their weapons upon their shields. "Victory for the gods!" they call. "Victory for the spirits!"

Strozza is overheard praising Mikani.

Juliana makes it back to the fire and sits down next to Wash and Ian. With her teeth chattering as she pulls a flask from her boot to try and open. "How to people live like this?"

Rukhnis has left the field hospital.

Strozza is overheard praising Rysen.