WHO: derrica, matthias, nell WHAT: dragging a demon out of a pond WHEN: cloudreach WHERE: some backwoods marcher village NOTES: no warnings, this is a wholesome adventure.
The village in question is small, but bustling. There's people spilling into the main roads, children chasing after goats, sheep bleating incessantly as elders chat back and forth at increasing volume about what might be the creature in the woods but also about the flock and Nell's hair and whether or not Matthias is too skinny. No one's shy.
There's a room set aside for the three of them (two beds, one extra pillow) and a tavernkeeper who offers them a free meal but implies they'll pay for their own drinks until they figure out what's been stealing sheep and possibly people. (That part had been clearer in the letter to Riftwatch, but seems in doubt now.)
Who wants to mingle and/or play darts with the locals?
Tavern mingling is one of Nell's strong suits, believe it or not. She's left her staff upstairs, both to avoid drawing unnecessary attention and more importantly because it leaves her hands free to raise a tankard and aim a dart at the same time.
She hits the outer ring and jeers at the result with a lift of her mug, but she's laughing anyway despite that she's being solidly beaten by her opponent. A glance over her shoulder takes in her companion(s) and she lifts her chin and calls, "Either of you any better at this?"
Derrica's staff is absent as well, tucked beneath the bed upstairs. She's split her attention between Nell and Matthias, a little wary of the crowd they're mingling with. It's harder for her to predict people in hilly, remote areas. No one seems agitated, and the competition Nell's started seems friendly enough.
"I'm better at cards," Derrica answers, twisting around on her stool to flash a grin at Nell. "But I wouldn't want to clean out our hosts' pockets."
Cards sounds like a better thing to excel at than knives, right?
"But Matthias, I've heard he's talented with darts."
Nell lifts a brow at talk of cleaning out their hosts, part impressed, a little challenging. "That so? I'm not used to traveling with someone who actually wins at cards," she jokes, before turning back to toss another dart, better than her last shot but still not good enough to trouble her opponent. She follows it up with a gulp of ale and then leans around to look for Matthias.
"Is he? He doesn't seem like a darts sort to me. More of a...what's that Fereldan game where they run around in the mud with sticks?"
Almost all the stories lead back to the forest, and after combing the forest, it seems the lake is the most likely landmark to investigate. (Or they can take another look at the twisted up old tree that looks like it has a face, it certainly seems just as shifty.) The water ripples ominously as they approach, and a low vibration shakes the earth beneath their feet.
There's a moment of ambiguity, where it's unclear exactly what is causing the disruption. The forest has gone deadly quiet around them.
"Nell," Derrica says softly, taking a step back. She can see Matthias out of the corner of her eye, but they all need to be ready before they provoke whatever is lurking in this place.
"Do you see anything?" Nell asks at roughly the same volume.
She remains still except for a subtle shift of her grip on her staff, lifting the tip of the bottom blade up out of the dirt where she had been leaning on it. She confirms Matthias and Derrica's positions with a glance, then returns to searching the forest around them for the source of that rumbling they can feel if not hear.
"It's either beneath us or it's far off and huge." Neither is great.
Matthias had crouched down lakeside to scoop up a handful of water to drink. He lets the handful go now, as a second vibration sets off another series of ripples across the surface of the lake. Hand still wet, he grabs for his staff, but remains crouched, looking around them. There's nothing yet to be seen except Derrica and Nell, and the stillness of the forest around them.
Shit. But not a miserable shit, more like an under-the-breath shit that you mutter as you get ready for a fight.
"If it's huge, we get higher, we'll be able to see it."
If it's beneath them--and he thinks of the caves beneath the lake, back in the Frostbacks, demons in the coves and crannies--that one will be harder.
"You should go up the tree," Derrica tells him. She's less familiar with Nell's magic, but she knows Matthias is likely to be throwing fire from a distance anyway.
With a second quick look to Nell, Derrica continues her cautious move forward. The ground is soft beneath her feet. At a glance, she can't see any sign of life, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. She makes it all the way to the edge of the lake, crouching to watching the ripples send water lapping at the toes of her boots, when there's a sharp crack of energy that blows a shower of chilly droplets over her and sends her scrambling gracelessly backwards.
She doesn't get a good look at it. Whatever comes through the surface registers as a large, dark, distinctly inhuman shape.
It's not as big as it could be. That's the bright side here, apparently.
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VILLAGE SHENANIGANS
There's a room set aside for the three of them (two beds, one extra pillow) and a tavernkeeper who offers them a free meal but implies they'll pay for their own drinks until they figure out what's been stealing sheep and possibly people. (That part had been clearer in the letter to Riftwatch, but seems in doubt now.)
Who wants to mingle and/or play darts with the locals?
no subject
She hits the outer ring and jeers at the result with a lift of her mug, but she's laughing anyway despite that she's being solidly beaten by her opponent. A glance over her shoulder takes in her companion(s) and she lifts her chin and calls, "Either of you any better at this?"
no subject
"I'm better at cards," Derrica answers, twisting around on her stool to flash a grin at Nell. "But I wouldn't want to clean out our hosts' pockets."
Cards sounds like a better thing to excel at than knives, right?
"But Matthias, I've heard he's talented with darts."
no subject
"Is he? He doesn't seem like a darts sort to me. More of a...what's that Fereldan game where they run around in the mud with sticks?"
SNEAKY DEMON
There's a moment of ambiguity, where it's unclear exactly what is causing the disruption. The forest has gone deadly quiet around them.
"Nell," Derrica says softly, taking a step back. She can see Matthias out of the corner of her eye, but they all need to be ready before they provoke whatever is lurking in this place.
no subject
She remains still except for a subtle shift of her grip on her staff, lifting the tip of the bottom blade up out of the dirt where she had been leaning on it. She confirms Matthias and Derrica's positions with a glance, then returns to searching the forest around them for the source of that rumbling they can feel if not hear.
"It's either beneath us or it's far off and huge." Neither is great.
no subject
Shit. But not a miserable shit, more like an under-the-breath shit that you mutter as you get ready for a fight.
"If it's huge, we get higher, we'll be able to see it."
If it's beneath them--and he thinks of the caves beneath the lake, back in the Frostbacks, demons in the coves and crannies--that one will be harder.
no subject
With a second quick look to Nell, Derrica continues her cautious move forward. The ground is soft beneath her feet. At a glance, she can't see any sign of life, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. She makes it all the way to the edge of the lake, crouching to watching the ripples send water lapping at the toes of her boots, when there's a sharp crack of energy that blows a shower of chilly droplets over her and sends her scrambling gracelessly backwards.
She doesn't get a good look at it. Whatever comes through the surface registers as a large, dark, distinctly inhuman shape.
It's not as big as it could be. That's the bright side here, apparently.
no subject
She spins her staff gamely, habit rather than flourish, re-setting her grip and rolling her neck until it cracks before she squares up.
"I know Matthias is fire, any chance you're good with ice, Derrica? Could slow it down, give me something to smack it with while it's out there."
AFTERMATH
Whatever miscellaneous hijinks that come after defeating a water-logged demon definitely belong under this header.