[Exalted 3rd] Children of Thorns

[AndyE]

Several days North of Thorns

You look back on the many faces that follow you, ragged and weary from exhaustion, there seems to be so little different in their appearance then the dead that follow them. There was little time for rest in your flight from Thorns, for days now you have pushed on with little chance sleep or provisions, save for those few moments spent in hiding and prayers when the servants of The Mask passed by.

The Undead had scoured through lands surrounding the city. Those who they found were dragged of into the night, and herded like cattle towards the city of Thorns. Those who tried to resist were slaughtered. You saved as many as you could, but more often you found only corpses littering the fields and villages. The earth drank in their blood, and withered. And worse, at night, their tormented souls rose from the fields, and would run in packs like ravenous wolves desperate to sate their insatiable thirst.

By the grace of the sun, you had reached the northern border. Just beyond the thicket in which you now camped lie the plains of the Marukan horse lords. In just a days time you would be beyond the borders of Thorns, and hopefully the reach of the Mask of Winters. But, for today, they could go no further.

[Beans]

Neiz's heart aches for these people, but she must stay strong for them. She is blessed by the Sun, and to be the refugees' strength is her duty, so she does not break. Like a willow in the storm, she bends and moves with the wind.
"It won't be too far now, my loves---by tomorrow's dusk, we'll be out of the darkness." Her deft hands lightly touch shoulders and heads as she glides through the masses; here and there she pauses to give a small embrace, a comforting word, a kiss atop a head. Her pink eyes cast about for the others---her childhood friend Lynx and Josah, the owner of the bar they had frequented before the fall. A foraging party would be good to have, but most of the refugees are worn out and it's too dangerous not to have at least one of the sun's chosen along.

[BestMarkovBotNA]

Song Hewn of Earth stands ever-vigilant as his companions and fellow refugees prepare for a night's rest. The events of the past few days weigh heavily on him, and a quiet tension surrounds him. As Neiz passes through the refugees and calls out to them, he barely registers her voice. A fog has taken over his mind as he scans the edge of the thicket around him, with two purposes guiding his actions, in order of priority:

Protect my people.
Destroy the unliving.


Activating Keen Sight Technique, committing 3m Personal

[Entelechy]

Gentle Albatross circles doesn't quite sigh. Her anima flares a little brighter as she touches the last of the corpses. In a surge of divine fire, it evaporates. Another refugee group slaughtered. She hadn't found them in time. Leaving behind barely ashes, and heavy with the emotions of the dead, she heaves off the ground and hauls herself skyward. Without much sunlight to be heated by the plain, she had few thermals to rise on, and depended on the brute force beating of the air with her wings for lift. They were made for gliding over oceans; not this.

She rose higher, until she could see the ant-line of the main refugee column. She fixed her wings into a long glide and streaked towards the column like a comet, anima blazing. This was not her first return to the column, she had been coming and going since the fall. Mostly when she could bare planes of the dead no longer, and needed living company. Four feet from the ground she tilted her wings and cut her momentum with a whoosh that sent up dust devils and nearly dislocated her wings. She dropped the last few feet to the ground, and padded over, barefoot, to the other Zenith woman working through crowd of refugees. Her wings dragged across the ground behind her. Silently, she tugged on Niez's shirt and mimed taking a drink.

[Ifni]

Lynx stalks the perimeter of the camp, studying their surroundings for danger - while keeping one eye surreptitiously on the refugees. Not all danger comes from without.

She is still wearing her guard uniform from the night they fled Thorns - now stained with sweat and dirt from the march - and an open-faced steel helmet deliberately blackened with ash and mud. The fingerless black leather gloves she wears might almost fit in with the rest of her clothing, but the belt that laps her waist stands out sharply; black as night, sewn with dully glistering metal and sea-dark jade, and the whole clearly wrought by a master's hand. The wooden truncheon that hangs from the belt looks even more mundane by comparison.

She stops here and there to break up quarrels, to check in with those who were having trouble keeping up earlier, and to talk to those she knows as good observers. Neiz can do sweet and loving to her heart's content (and grudgingly, Lynx has to admit that it is helping morale), but people under stress have a wide range of reactions that go considerably beyond "cheerful solidarity", and someone has to address the inevitable tensions before they grow out of control. Not to mention, Thorns has always had its criminals and its opportunists, and this camp is full of the vulnerable.

She wades into another small group of refugees to stop a fist-fight over a particular dry spot in the hollow of an old tree; everyone is exhausted and hungry and terrified, and emotions are running high. After resolving the immediate conflict, Lynx asks the group to tell her anything they can remember of the night of the invasion and the actions of the enemy then; as she pitches it, any intelligence they can give the Marukani will be a useful bargaining tool, and aid in future efforts against the Mask. (And even if they can't remember anything meaningful, it'll give them some purpose, and something to talk about besides their losses.)

Her gaze turns briefly skyward, as the blazing figure of the winged woman falls to earth. Strange days, these. Oh, the winged woman is helping - burning the bodies of the fallen before they can spread disease, scouting out the column's path, battling against the undead. But she's still an odd blending of the human and inhuman that lies outside Lynx's - admittedly somewhat limited - experience.

When the refugees have told her what they know, and settled down into an argument over the exact street intersection where a particular clash occurred, Lynx moves noiselessly onward. Without really thinking about it, her feet turn toward Neiz and the burning light that is the foreign... Solar. (Anathema, the priests said, but it's not like the priests ever did much for her. Although it's worth being cautious.)

She'd told her younger siblings to stay near Neiz, and that shouldn't have been a hard command to obey; Lark in particular had always idolized Neiz, tagging after the older girl when they were all just kids. She won't stop patrolling, of course - she's tired too, but in better shape than most of these people - but it shouldn't hurt to check in on her brothers and sisters.

Rightyo. Seasoned Criminal Method is in Receptivity mode; which means that "interested parties perceive the Exalt as a local player. Rather than prey on her directly, she may be identified as a drug buyer or seller, or a person looking to make a bet, hire a prostitute, or take part in other illicit or seedy activities. Such parties will be interested in providing her with information about where to go and who to talk to." So if anyone in the camp is plotting something underhand (e.g. hoarding food, setting up protection deals, spying for the Mask), they may feel that Lynx would be a good person to try to recruit.

Lynx also has Watchman's Infallible Eye, which means she knows reflexively whenever a case scene or profile character action would be useful.

She will be running Harmonious Presence Meditation as well, which brings her basic Charisma+Presence pool up to 12 dice (13 dice if she's being Aggressively Reasonable). She will commit 7m to do so (from Peripheral; she would've used her anima power to damp the initial display).

[Beans]

Neiz watches the shining, mud-caked form of the winged girl land and winces. Someday, she tells herself, she's going to get that poor thing some vague semblance of a proper bath. As the scrawny girl tugs at her buff jacket and silently asks for water, Neiz nods and brings out her waterskin for the girl. If there's one thing about this flight of theirs that hasn't been too hard, it's been water---the power of the clear blue gem in one of her special fighting gloves seems to purify it in their area.

"Thank you for working so hard, dear. Drink up---water's not terribly hard to come by at the moment, so there's that." Motherly instinct would dictate that she wipe smudges of dirt from the girl's face with the spit-dampened corner of a handkerchief or something, but damned if she has any idea where to start. Instead, she brushes at Albatross's hair with a hand.

Noticing Lynx coming closer, she waves to her best friend. "Lynx, darling, how goes it? I'm happy to say your siblings have been a big help." Drifting away from Albatross and Lynx's family, she glides over to the cop and reaches to brush a hand over her cheek. Not that she expects to make contact---this is their little ritual, pursuit and refusal, offer and rejection, flirtation and rebuffing. It's been this way for years, and engaging in it is just another place to find comfort and stability in this chaos and pain.

"Have you tired yourself out, my favorite lawkeeper? If you need a rest, my lap is ever your pillow." Shameless as always, Neiz tosses her flowing hair like a flag whipping in the wind; within earshot, three women, two men, and one none-of-the-above fail to hide a dreamy sigh.

However, business still exists, and she does not shirk it. "Do you think it would be safe to get a foraging party together? It'll be better pickings once we're in Marukani land, but I fear we'll need a bit more to get some of our people through til then."

Great minds think alike, because Neiz also has 7 motes (these being Personal) committed to Harmonious Presence Meditation.

[Ifni]

Lynx's gloved hand springs up, with a speed that still startles her, to clasp Neiz's delicate wrist before she can make contact. She gives the pale-haired woman a lingering look in return - although hers is as level and dry as the desert plains of the South - and replies sardonically, "If I ever need a particularly expensive pillow, I'll keep it in mind."

"As for the foraging party -" She looks around, and grimaces. "It's a good idea; it'd make everyone happier, and might save some of the sick and injured. I'd be happy to provide cover, if we can find some citizens who know which of the plants around here are safe to eat. Although -" The guardswoman pauses, and turns to Albatross.

"Lady." She bows slightly, stiffly, and the word might as well be Stranger for the wariness in her eyes, although her tone is polite. "Did you see any villages when you were flying above? Those might have more resources to sustain us - even if they're ghost-haunted, I could likely get in and out without too much difficulty, and I can carry quite a bit. Even if we don't forage from them, it would be good to know about any likely sources of trouble tonight."

[Entelechy]

Gentle Albatross' hands shook as she accepted the water skin. She took a small sip, and held it in her mouth, letting the water rehydrate her throat and mouth. As Neiz reached out for her, her wings snapped out and propelled her a step back away, and out of the reach of the woman's touch. Hesitantly, she stepped forward to hand the waterskin back.

"Never without permission" she whispered in low realm, and her voice kicked up more wind then her wings just had.

As Lynx approached, Gentle Albatross regarded her from the corner of her eye. She hadn't seen a woman in a military uniform for more than half her life, when she had been a child in the Neck. She wasn't sure how women were regarded in this land... wherever it was. She had known women to dress as men in the Coral Archipelago, pity them who were caught, either to spy, or escape, or just try to live, occasionally. She wasn't sure if Lynx was under cover or not, and didn't want to give anything away if she way. She didn't understand the woman's words; they were in the local tongue. She allowed herself to look confused, and looked to Niez for a translation.

[Beans]

Neiz smiles apologetically at Albatross, taking the waterskin back. "I'll keep it in mind. I'm sorry, I'm naturally very... tactile."

As Lynx asks the girl something and Albatross doesn't understand, Neiz steps in to translate. "She asked if you saw any villages in your flight---though they're likely full of ghosts, she could be able to slip in and out to retrieve resources that might remain."

[Entelechy]

"Dead villages," Gentle Albatross breathed. With her big toe, she sketched the line of the column into the ground, and marked a few little villages around it from a bird's eye view. There was very little to offer scale other than the length of the line of refugees.

[Sith_Happens]

Dai Gren marches on enthusiastically, eager to meet such a large group of fellow escapees. A scouting party had spotted the group mid-afternoon and immediately returned to report on it, and in response Dai had set out immediately to introduce himself and offer his services.

Upon finally being able to see the encampment in the distance, the young commander raises a hand back toward the men and women immediately following him; he'd brought a full scale along for this, partly as a show of prowess and partly because you can't be too careful.

"Alright everyone, spear points down, don't want to spook anyone. Whoever has that flag, get it in the air."

One of Dai's troops promptly unfurls a white sheet, affixes it to the end of his spear, and begins waving it overhead as they continue their approach.

[AndyE]

A murmur of voices drifts through the crowd of refugees as the soldiers approach. At their sight, some withdrew deeper into the thicket, fearful of the sudden appearance of armed men. While others turned and approached the soldier in a haze ,hands outstretched like beggars. Hoping that these men were loyal to the city of Thorns and would take pity on them.

"Most Exalted Lords," shouts a small plump man, as he stumbles into where Niez, Lynx and Albatross have been speaking. Though long since faded and torn he is dressed in the silk robes of a man of great wealth, his few remaining loyal retainers gather closely about him. His name is Whirring Pestle, a high ranking member of the physicians and Alchemists guild in Thorn before its fall. Despite his high rank, the bumbling man has gained a reputation for both his kindness and his crude tongue since the flight from the city. He has spent a great deal of time in the past few days setting broken bones, cleaning scrapes, and teaching the refugees what herbs to burn to keep away the spirits of disease and pestilence. "A group soldiers approaches, and some of the refugees have gone out to meet them." Raising himself from his deep bow, he begins to twist at his fraying mustache as he speaks."They fly the white flag of peace, but I worry. In my time as a merchant there were many slavers and bandits who would fly such flags in guile hoping to take advantage as people such as these." He says sweeping his arm out wide and gesturing to the throng of travelers.

[Sith_Happens]

Dai grabs the nearest hand and shakes it enthusiastically.

"Hey there, nice to meet'cha. The name's Dai Gren and the men and women behind me are a few of the Indomitable Thorns. I'm guessing you all got out just recently? Not sure if that's good or bad news but you can save that for later. In the meantime you mind taking us to whoever's in charge around here?"

The whole time the man speaks it's with a beaming smile on his face that one can't help but see as a sign of good intentions.

Instilling trust, hopefully exploiting any Ties they have towards Thorns via Dai's own implied sympathy for the place. Taking the -3 for group influence makes 9 dice post-stunt:

[roll0]
Also waiving my Guile if it's relevant.

[BestMarkovBotNA]

Whirring Pestle's warning of the approaching group of "soldiers" are all but lost on Oak as muffled voices in the background. As the Bronze Tiger sees the approaching white banner, he moves cautiously to greet the soldiers, ever vigilant of a passive threat. He strides forward to stand before the individual who appears most like a leader, a mountain of a man parting the crowds of gleeful refugees like a redwood in a flood. While outwardly his expression is stern, his edge is dulled ever-so-slightly by the man's friendly demeanor.

"As far as I'm aware no one has taken official charge of our group, but I will speak on their behalf if none else wish me to cede that duty. Hail, soldier - I am Song Hewn of Earth," he addresses the man, extending a hand that could palm a calf's head. "Who are you, and what is your business in these troubled lands?"

[Entelechy]

Gentle Albatross leaps up in a blaze of rekindled light. She soars overhead and slams down in front of the newcomer. She turns her back on him and raises her voice to the people wandering towards the soldiers.

"Get back! They might be dangerous!" She says, her voice rattling the thicket, causing a rain of dead leaves and a flock of birds to take flight. She spins back around to face the man. He's smiling. She can't think of one good reason for someone to be smiling in the graveyard of a nation, amongst so many who have lost everything.

"Stop. Smiling." She says, almost more a growl than a whisper. She stands with her fists balled at her sides, staring up at him with dissecting eyes.


Activating Harmonious Presence Meditation for 7 motes.

Try to order the refugees back.
Presence 5 +Charisma 5 + HPM 3 - Group 3= 10 Dice.
[roll0]
Thee successes.


Try to intimidate Dai to instill a fear of me. Tiger's Dread Symmetry lets me reroll three unsuccessful dice, and gives me a bonus dice.
Presence 5 +Charisma 5 + HPM 3 + TDS 1 = 14 Dice.
[roll1]
Rerolls
[roll2]
Ten Successes to intimidate Dai.

[Ifni]

"I see you're still working on the art of non-threatening introductions, Dai," Lynx drawls as she jogs up and draws to a halt beside the winged woman - although she's breathing hard, evidence that she was running rather faster a moment earlier.

"Excuse me, ma'am -" She steps between the two - and ye gods the winged woman has a penetrating glare - and raises a hand in what she sincerely hopes is a universal gesture of polite negation. She reaches out to touch Dai's arm with her other hand, smiling reassuringly all the while. "I don't think you can understand me, but for the benefit of all of you listening, Dai's not a traitor or a servant of the Mask. Don't you remember him, Song? I'm pretty sure he spent at least a few evenings ogling the dancers in the Cherry-Faced Bard."

Then she turns on Dai. "Although I haven't seen you since the siege began. Elm was convinced you were dead." She puts her hands on her hips and gives him a stern look. "I understand you probably had to stay with your comrades, but you should go talk to him sooner rather than later."

She surveys the troops behind him. "You acting as messenger or something? Who's in command?"

I figured I had to give Dai an opportunity to get one up on his surrogate bossy-older-sister :smallwink:

Sorry if I'm preempting you, Sith_Happens, but I have to go to sleep and likely won't get a chance to post tomorrow.

[Sith_Happens]

"As far as I'm aware no one has taken official charge of our group, but I will speak on their behalf if none else wish me to cede that duty. Hail, soldier - I am Song Hewn of Earth," he addresses the man, extending a hand that could palm a calf's head. "Who are you, and what is your business in these troubled lands?"

"Wait, Song Hewn of Earth as in from the Cherry-Faced Bard? Nice place, Breeze and Sohen used to drag me there all the time. How's it doing? Er, wait, if you're here then that's a stupid question."

Dai coughs into his fist before opening it and taking Song's hand.

"Anyways, as I was just saying, my name's Dai Gren and I've spent the past few months not far from here with a few hundred other people who all decided to get the hell out of dodge as soon as the siege set in. When I heard that an even bigger group of Thornites was nearby I came right away to check it out. To get right to brass tacks I'm wondering where you're planning on going and if your people and mine should band together. There's strength in numbers after all, especially when a lot more of my people than just the ones here can fight."

...Before Song can reply, though, a very angry-looking birdwoman bursts onto the scene.


"Stop. Smiling." She says, almost more a growl than a whisper. She stands with her fists balled at her sides, staring up at him with dissecting eyes.

Though startled quite severely at first by the glowing, winged Solar suddenly dropping out of the sky and growling an order at him, Dai quickly composes himself; there's no chance in hell he's going to let his own men see him quake in his boots. Instead, he lifts his hands to just above his shoulders and looks at Gentle Albatross with a combination of confusion and indignation.

"Well excuuuuuse me, am I not allowed to be happy that hundreds of people from my hometown haven't been eaten by ghosts? These are the first new survivors I've met in months, try putting yourself in my shoes and see if your heart doesn't lift just a little bit."

As he speaks, his own anima comes to life, the mark of the Forsaken appearing on his brow. It's a risk, but these people probably aren't too picky about Anathema if they already have this other one around, and maybe showing her their kinship will encourage her to change her tune.

Taking +4 Resolve from Dai's Tie to the Indomitable Thorns on the grounds that, as described, he'd much prefer not to show fear in front of them. That plus stunt bonus makes Resolve 10, which...

*checks roll*

...Manages to not cut it. Well then.

Spending Willpower to resist the Instill anyways, then Inspiring Albatross to lighten up a little because turnabout is fair play (:smalltongue:):

[roll0]

[BestMarkovBotNA]

Song's hand meets Dai's as the former man considers the latter's introductions and Lynx's clarifications. As he begins to form a response, the winged woman drops from the skies, forcing his hand away from Dai's. Her warning of danger is cute, and flattering, but Song is unmoved by the notion of this tiny woman offering more protection to the refugees than he or Lynx already might. He might have viewed her attempts to intimidate Dai with a similar light if she wasn't suddenly so damn unnerving...

Without a second thought, he gently interposes himself in between Dai and the woman, with meaty hands guiding them apart. He glances back at the winged woman with a look of gentle disapproval, as a parent might look at a child to say No, that's not how we do things. Meeting Dai's hand, with a nod towards Lynx, he continues.

"Without Lynx, I might not have remembered you. Sorry, too many people passed through that place for me to remember all but the regulars and a select few. Well met, brother of Thorns. We might once have had more fight in us, but our group is worn from hurried travel and a lack of provisions. I thank you for your offers of congregation, but before I decide I must give all of our fellow refugees a say."

Song turns and finds a couple of small children in the crowd, those who look healthiest and most fleet of foot. He asks them to relay a message to the body of refugees and return with their response.

My brothers and sisters, able-bodied mercenaries of Thorns have met us on the edge of the thicket. They wish to join us and merge our strengths - will you have them?

[Beans]

"Dai!"
Neiz comes bounding over, hair flying out like a streamer behind her as she slips between refugees and vaults over Albatross. Leaping up, she throws her arms around Dai's neck in a hug that might have knocked a mortal man over. "I was afraid I'd never see you again! And here you are, coming to help us..." She plants a peck on his cheek, then turns to look at Albatross.

"Darling," she says to the winged girl, "Dai is safe. He's a friend and he's going to help us. I know you're just trying to protect the group, but Dai is here to make that job easier, not harder."

Turning back to the Dawn, she grins. "I'm tempted to stand around all day telling stories about bygone days at the Bard and how you blushed every time I flicked my fans at your lady sergeant or Lynx... but we don't yet have the time for me to extensively embarrass you."

[Entelechy]

Gentle Albatross holds Dai's gaze until the Neiz breaks it for them. By the time Dai catches sight of Gentle Albatross again, she seems to lose interest in him.

"Safe soldier," she breaths the contradiction. The whole point of a soldier was for him to not be safe. She let her eyes wander among the soldiers, keeping an eye open for anyone braking discipline, or looking threatening.

I think I can count my Defining Tie of compassion for the displaced against an action to inspire Levity (closest emotion I can think of up "lightening up" in the face of so many who are suffering, but not my specialty. So then I'll spend 2 motes to raise my Resolve to 10 with my Integrity Excellency, and that should negate your successes.

I don't actually expect to see any soldiers causing ****, but Gentle Albatross is more cynical.

[Sith_Happens]

For coherency's sake I'm going to pretend that Ifni and I posted in the opposite order.

[Snip]

She surveys the troops behind him. "You acting as messenger or something? Who's in command?"

Dai lifts his nose the tiniest bit and gives Lynx a satisfied smirk.

"Yours truly is in command, thank you very much, of a talon that would give the Legions a run for their money. I told you I was going places, though I'll admit this isn't quite what I thought those places would look like."

His face then changes to one of excitement.

"...Anyways, did you just say Elm's still alive? What about Lark? And the others? You got them all out didn't you, you're the best."

Dai gives Lynx a brief hug before noticing another familiar face running straight for them.


"Dai!"
Neiz comes bounding over, hair flying out like a streamer behind her as she slips between refugees and vaults over Albatross. Leaping up, she throws her arms around Dai's neck in a hug that might have knocked a mortal man over. "I was afraid I'd never see you again! And here you are, coming to help us..." She plants a peck on his cheek, then turns to look at Albatross.

"Darling," she says to the winged girl, "Dai is safe. He's a friend and he's going to help us. I know you're just trying to protect the group, but Dai is here to make that job easier, not harder."

Several of Dai's troops holler approval at Neiz's kiss, and the commander blushes and looks plenty embarrassed already as she vouches for him.


Turning back to the Dawn, she grins. "I'm tempted to stand around all day telling stories about bygone days at the Bard and how you blushed every time I flicked my fans at your lady sergeant or Lynx... but we don't yet have the time for me to extensively embarrass you."

"Uh, yeah, good idea, let's... not do that."

A thought suddenly occurs to him.

"Oh, by the way, don't mind the... Uh... Solar-ness. As far as I can tell so far I'm still the same person I've always been, just with some neat new powers that any monks still alive back home would happen to disapprove of. Ask any of these guys, they'll vouch for me."

Dai motions toward his entourage.


I think I can count my Defining Tie of compassion for the displaced against an action to inspire Levity (closest emotion I can think of up "lightening up" in the face of so many who are suffering, but not my specialty. So then I'll spend 2 motes to raise my Resolve to 10 with my Integrity Excellency, and that should negate your successes.

I don't actually expect to see any soldiers causing ****, but Gentle Albatross is more cynical.

Actually I rolled ten successes so you're a point short.

[Ifni]

"Yeah, we all made it," Lynx says, a little gruffly, as she extricates herself from Dai's hug. "They'll be glad to see you."

"... Solar-ness." She regards the young soldier's brow with more than a hint of incredulity. "I... see."

But when she speaks again, her voice is crisp. "Do you have provisions? We were about to send out a foraging party, but if we can feed those who are wounded or weak, and then secure the camp before nightfall, that would probably be wise. We've had trouble on previous nights."

[Entelechy]

"Dead villages are full of supplies, but full of unquiet dead. Villages people fled have less supplies, but less dead, too," Gentle Albatross whispers.

[Beans]

Neiz lets Dai go and quietly revels in his embarrassment. It is sublime, and she gives a wave to the approving troops.
But business is a thing too, and she turns her attention to the discussion at hand.
"Having some troops along for the foraging party wouldn't be a bad idea, and I can help the rest get settled in. With them here, I think it'll help to raise everybody's spirits."

[Sith_Happens]

But when she speaks again, her voice is crisp. [COLOR="#696969"]"Do you have provisions? We were about to send out a foraging party, but if we can feed those who are wounded or weak, and then secure the camp before nightfall, that would probably be wise. We've had trouble on previous nights."

"Provisions? Err... Not that we brought here with us.

...I take full responsibility for that."

Dai suddenly has the look of someone caught having made an embarrassing mistake.


Neiz lets Dai go and quietly revels in his embarrassment. It is sublime, and she gives a wave to the approving troops.
But business is a thing too, and she turns her attention to the discussion at hand.
"Having some troops along for the foraging party wouldn't be a bad idea, and I can help the rest get settled in. With them here, I think it'll help to raise everybody's spirits."

"Uh, are you talking about splitting up? Because I only came here with one scale, I'd rather not subdivide any further."

Dai turns around and enthusiastically poses the question to his men.

"Alright, you heard the ladies, which would you rather do? Get to know the people we might be defending from now on or help find them some supplies?"

And now the part where it's the ST's job to control these people except in as much as they generally do what Dai says.

[Entelechy]

As the one who knows the layout of the land, its obvious that Gentle Albatross would be going with the foraging party. She waits for the others to decide who is coming with her.

[Ifni]

"No provisions? Hm." Lynx studies the troops. "... right, the priority of the resupply mission just got quite a bit higher."

"Dai, I think you and your troops should remain here. Most of these people won't die tonight even if our foraging is a dismal failure, and protecting them has to be our first priority. We're going to have at least one big obvious target no matter what we do - we can't really conceal a camp this size - and we may as well keep it to a single well-defended one, rather than splitting into two groups both too large to hide."

She turns to eye the winged woman. "You and I could do the foraging mission... except you can't understand a word I say, and vice versa. So we need at least one other person, who speaks both Riverspeak and... whatever language she speaks. Which is...?" She looks inquiringly at Neiz.

[Beans]

"That'd be Low Realm, darling---which I'm fluent in, though I don't know if I'm the best choice for this particular outing. Still, if nobody else speaks Low Realm, I'll come along." She shrugs, looking from Albatross to Lynx.

[BestMarkovBotNA]

Song Hewn of Earth grumbled a bit at the discussion of a foraging party. Having friends leave the relative safety of the camp was the last thing he wanted to do. He couldn't be in two places at once and the people here needed him more. They were dangerously low on supplies, though, and the path to safety would be even more treacherous if they couldn't feed their fellow refugees.

"I don't speak any Low Realm, but even if I did, I would not leave these people. I'll keep watch with the newcomers."

He audibly exhaled and as his voice softened, an obvious move towards making peace with his inner conflict about allowing three women to go off in the middle of the night while he stood around playing guard dog. At least he could count on Lynx to keep Neiz safe.

"Stay safe out there. Your lives are more important than a little food."

[Entelechy]

Gentle Albatross ***** her head at the babble of the unfamiliar language. It seemed like decisions were being made.

[Ifni]

Lynx nods acknowledgement to Song. "Sounds good to me. Although if we can find someone else who speaks Low Realm, Neiz might be able to stay here as well - no offense, Neiz, but not being seen is not really an area where you have much experience."

She glances back toward the center of the grove. "Whirring Pestle might be able to recommend someone."