The Darkening

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

I object! The little moochers should be left to feed themselves!

Not really, have at.

[John Merino]

I also lead her out of the cave and sit her down on a log nearby. Her father can follow if he wants I guess, but the point is to get her the hell out of there. Now don't worry, my sister's going to check you and your dad over to make sure you're ok while I go get you something to eat.

[Benjiman/Vin/Bhorg]

Bhorg gives a light bop to Usarian's head for his comment,
"They are not the moochers, because of their lack Desire of bestowment, besides, the strength of Thor passes to me to deliver them though this winter. "

((Thanks to babel fish for refluxing my language))

[John Merino]

^^ not realizing when a player is speaking out of character fail

[Ingrid]

Ingrid searches through her cooking supplies. Hmm. sausage, journeybread, sauerkraut, horseradish...and some leftover honeyvomb! I'll make a sauerkraut and sausage stew, and we can have some honey with the bread.
She glances at the girl and her father. I hope you like Borcan sausage; it's the only kind of meat we have, unless someone wants to go hunting.
Of course, she doesn't ask if they like sauerkraut.

[John Merino]

John assuages their fears by adding, Dear Ingrid is a fantastic chef, and even if you don't like Borcan (or indeed anything else) she can cook it in such a way as to make it taste radically different from how it looks. All you have to do is ask!

John then whispers something to Ingrid.

[whalejudge]

"Um, anything would be fine, I guess"

[John Merino]

Man... what I want to say is: "Oh, and no more running into hags. I doubt there are many more John Merino, Infamous Outlaws on the road to help you. Here's my calling card." and hand them one of the wanted posters. Oh well, better not break character

Well Ingrid should take care of you and then my sister Emma can look you over to make sure you're ok. Then Brian should be able to guard you all the way to wherever you're headed. Your cart and horse are still intact, we rescued them for you. With that, John settles down and begins studying the spellbook he lifted from the wizard who tried to arrest him.

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

Later that evening to Emma:
Are things always this dangerous? If so, your mother would not forgive me if I left you out here alone with these... ruffians. Bohrg is lost and looking for his homeland. He was snatched up by The Mists and knows not how to get back. We will travel with you, for the time being at least.

Now then, you said you sought council? What issues ail you child?

[John Merino]

John walks up to Ingrid and takes her crossbow. Thanks, he says as he walks off back to his cart.

[Emma]

OOC: They've been traveling a couple days together now, so I am just assuming that this happened one evening while they made camp

Emma will look around to make sure that John is not within earshot and then take a seat on the ground, motioning for Usurian to do the same. Once they're both seated, she'll lean back against a tree and think for a moment before speaking. Quietly, she'll begin, "When I first found my brother he warned me that he had been charged with treason, for reasons I do not know or understand. Recently he was sent a letter from his headmaster in Hazlan warning him that his fiancee, Indis, seems to be in danger. Her journeyman's contract was purchased by a wizard and they're said to be traveling to Nova Vaasa. This wouldn't normally be a problem, but Indis is a sorceress and arcane users are highly frowned upon there... John is worried that she might be dead." Emma will look away, a concerned expression on her face. "I can't believe that she is dead, but I know so little of the world and what people are capable of."

Returning her gaze to Usurian, Emma's eyes will appear watery. "I'm afraid, Usurian. I want so badly to help John during his time of need, but i'm afraid that I'm not capable enough for this task. I had hoped that you might be able to give me some advice.. anything. You know the world so much better than I and I don't know who else to turn to with my mother..." Emma will look away again, biting onto her lower lip. She tried not to bring up her mother, but since Usurian had arrived, memories from the past came flooding into her mind. "...gone." she finished.

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

Emma will look around to make sure that John is not within earshot and then take a seat on the ground, motioning for Usurian to do the same. Once they're both seated, she'll lean back against a tree and think for a moment before speaking. Quietly, she'll begin, "When I first found my brother he warned me that he had been charged with treason, for reasons I do not know or understand. Recently he was sent a letter from his headmaster in Hazlan warning him that his fiancee, Indis, seems to be in danger. Her journeyman's contract was purchased by a wizard and they're said to be traveling to Nova Vaasa. This wouldn't normally be a problem, but Indis is a sorceress and arcane users are highly frowned upon there... John is worried that she might be dead." Emma will look away, a concerned expression on her face. "I can't believe that she is dead, but I know so little of the world and what people are capable of."

Returning her gaze to Usurian, Emma's eyes will appear watery. "I'm afraid, Usurian. I want so badly to help John during his time of need, but i'm afraid that I'm not capable enough for this task. I had hoped that you might be able to give me some advice.. anything. You know the world so much better than I and I don't know who else to turn to with my mother..." Emma will look away again, biting onto her lower lip. She tried not to bring up her mother, but since Usurian had arrived, memories from the past came flooding into her mind. "...gone." she finished.

I can tell you this, your mother would not want you to be sad. She was a strong willed woman and would want you to be the same. As Beliz stretches, her head in his lap he will idly scratch her chin. So, we are hunting for this girl then? What is the plan when we find her? Abscond to the West, obviously. A few tasks that require our attention. I would be glad to assist you in them, but what is the end goal? The reason I ceased my travels was I found what I sought. Or rather discovered that what I sought could not be found about the world. He Calls to a passing field mouse. Beliz ignores it as it uncertainly approaches. Usurian lifts it up and strokes it a few times before handing it to Emma, with his eyes far away. Peace, can only be found within one's own self. My grove will wait for me. Elune her self watches over that place.

His eyes return to look dirrectly into Emma's Perhaps when we are done here you would come stay with me for a while?

[Emma]

Usurian's words brightened Emma's mood ever so slightly. She took a moment to wipe a tear from her eye and then smiled as best she could. She had found most of her company and comfort in John during their travels, but Usurian's presense filled a different place in her heart. Here she was with someone who knew all the silly details of her past and had been close with her mother. His advice, at least to Emma, seemed to come from Ailsa's mouth herself. It was honest and true and she was sure her mother would agree.

As Usurian recapped their plans, Emma nodded and thought it over. His questions were difficult and she wasn't sure she knew the answers, but didn't want to leave him without anything. As he handed her the small field mouse, she gratefully accepted and her smile widened. Another memory from her past. Usurian had always been so eager to make Emma smile and laugh when she was younger. Emma offered a small piece of bread to the mouse before finally answering, "John has been closed off these past few days. In truth he did not even share the news of Indis with me. I found the note tucked into my bag one morning and... read it over. I wasn't sure who had put it there, but I can imagine that Squeakers, his rat, might have something to do with it."

Emma watches the rest of the party prepare dinner and wonders what would become of them once they found Indis. Emma had become so caught up in making her brother happy and repaying him for all he'd done, that she hadn't considered the possibility of him leaving once he found what he had lost. Looking back towards Usurian, her brows furrow, "I suppose John would run away with Indis to protect her. He cannot return to Hazlan and once they have each other... they'll both be happy. No matter where they are."

Usurian's comment about finding what he sought sparked Emma's curiosity, but she felt it wasn't her place to ask. And before she had an opportunity, he made her an offer that surprised her. "You'd want me to stay with you? I couldn't impose on you like that..."

[John Merino]

Dammit. John calmed himself a bit and whirled the axe again. DAMMIT. This thrice-damned armor! How the hell could anyone move in it? I must have seen the bastard do it a thousand times. Shaking his head, he spent the next few minutes clambering out of the armor, still trying to get used to the bulk.

He took a sidelong glance at the new sorcerer in her red robes, worried for a bit. The possibility of other planes was something he at least hoped for, that the stories of there being more in the world to explore were true. John supposed the newcomer could simply be mad... but that would be two madmen (well, a madman and a madwoman) they had come across in such a short amount of time, which didn't seem particularly likely to John.

Noting without even the smallest iota of pleasure that Emma was talking to Usurian, he thought about a life to live after this was all over. What would he and Indis do? He couldn't go back to the academy. It seemed to John that his best option was to return and live in Ingrid's land and maybe teach them the ways of magic... if magic even worked there.

No, John mused, it isn't a time for self-pity or for anything other than preparing sweet revenge. It was wrong of Maedhros to try and win Indis by removing him from the picture. It was very wrong of whomever was in charge to endanger Master Arathan, Indis, or even his father. Frankly, there was now a small list of people whom John would extract payment from or die trying. That list; however, was not something he needed to share quite yet. Nor his desire.

Still the sorcerer bothered him. There were sorcerers in Hazlik's service, pretending to be wizards and sometimes even killing to gain the spellbooks with which to fool people into believing they were wizards, and as red was the color of evocation... he wasn't entirely sure he trusted this newcomer. Like Lucas, but without the same sense of style.

Then there was the paladin, giving him strange looks every few minutes as if the paladin loathed everything John stood for. It was no matter; however, the Paladin was your typical sword-jockey (well, lance) and John was not afraid; after all, once a meatshield always nothing more than meat.

As for Usurian? Usurian was quite a capable fellow, obviously a Druid slightly past his prime. He had taken John's position with Emma over admirably, something John did not dislike. The recent debates about nature; however, were beginning to run thin on John. He was tired of trying to explain magical theories to people who didn't understand or care, he was tired of fighting the ignorance of the entire group, tired of stepping up to the front to do what needed to be done.

And here he was, about to risk his life just so he could see his dear Indis again. Didn't that prove that Onyx was wrong? That John was caring and selfless, out for others?

... or worse.

Did it prove that Onyx was right? What if seeing Indis again would ruin her? What if she didn't want to see him ever again? What if she believed the rumors, thought him a heretic and a traitor, and wanted nothing more than to never see him again? Or what if she underwent some unspeakable evil and never forgave him for leaving her? Or what if she found someone else? Wouldn't it be him forcing himself on her? Wouldn't it be better to leave her be, and go back to where he came from?

Crushed with the weight of these thoughts, he declined any sauerkraut and took nothing more than a bit of trail ration, heading off away from the group crying gently to himself, trying in vain to appear composed and in control.

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

Impose? Don't be silly. There's no reason you should have to answer now, just know the invitation is always open. Leaning heavily on his gnarled walking stick, Usurian takes his feet and stumbles only a little. Oof. These old bones don't take to the road like they used to, and all this fighting has taken all the energy right out of me.

Belize raises her head to glare at hm reproachfully for removing her pillow.

I'm certain John and... Indis was it? Will find their place sooner than later, and there will be a space for you in their lives as well. I don't know this woman, but if John has earned your trust, I am sure he's a decent kind of man. Speaking of, where did that Arcanist get off to? It is dangerous to be alone at night.

Looking dead into the big cat's eyes and speaking slowly and clearly: Beliz: Go. Find. John.

Beliz walks slowly to the edge of the camp, and sends a look over her shoulder that reads clearly: You owe me.

Shaking his head, She is easily the most surly creature to ever share my company. Here, extending his hand to Emma, Let's go see what I've got in my cart, I think there are some blackberries from earlier today as long as the blasted Paladin didn't eat them all again.