Tree Lords I

[HorizonsDream]

Imani lets out a sigh once Ulster sits up. She smiles slightly, then stands herself. "I'm Imani," she says to the new elf with a bow of her head. "Thank you for the help."

[JadedDM]

Lareth looks incredibly insulted when Jerrard runs off. His face reddens and his brows crease. "Humans!" he hisses. "Like damned kender, running around like their heads were missing."

He is so put-off by the wizard's behavior, he almost doesn't realize Babushka is talking to him. "Hmm?" He turns toward her. "Aleaha? Oh, yes. She was the one who asked me to come speak with your group. Her duties have called her elsewhere for the moment, so she wasn't able to accompany me back." He outright ignores Locky and her extended hand and simply acknowledges Imani with an almost imperceptible nod.

Meanwhile, Jerrard and Jeremy head back to where Malika and the animals were left behind. They find both still there, waiting. Malika looks quite angry. "There you are? What the Abyss was that all about?" she demands.

Jeremy finds the rope on his donkey easily enough.

[HorizonsDream]

"I must apologize for Jerrard," Imani says as she approaches the elf. "He is a bit infatuated with another member of our group, and he doesn't seem to have control over himself when it comes to her," she explains respectfully.

[agamotto]

Jeremy returns with the rope and ties the baaz as securely as he can. While he does this, he speaks to the elf, "Thank you for the timely assistance, I doubt I would have made through this without help. My name is Jeremy.

[Breila]

Babushka is relieved when Lareth tells them of Aleaha's well-being. Despite his distant and not-too-friendly attitude, she continues.

"Yes, Jeremy is right, without your help, we might not have been able to fight off the baaz. So they do not usually live in this forest?"

[Jenara]

Not put off Locky kneels back to check on Ulster.

"I'll make it alright when I've rested." She says to the warrior, "Isn't he grumpy? All these elves seem to be." She whispers to the man.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard checks the horses are ok and gives Malika a frown. "We were attacked by draconians, we could have done with dome aid. Ulster is hurt." Shaking his head, "I came back here to tell you that, and probably upset the Elf we were trying to impress."

"Stay here, or come with me, it's up to you." With that he goes back to the others.

"My apologies." He says with a bow. "One of our group remained with the camp, I was checking it was not overrun."

"Thank you again, you truly are as powerful as Aleaha suggested."

[JadedDM]

"Ha!" Lareth says, shaking his head, to Imani's explanation. "Love! That's why I'll never mess with it. All it does is make you forget yourself and act foolish."

Jeremy finds that, despite the Baaz being frozen in place, his limbs are still movable. So the woodsman puts the creature's arms and legs together and easily ties him up without any resistance.

Turning back to Babushka, Lareth says, "No. That was the one good outcome of King Lorac's Niightmare--it drove away the draconians and the dragonarmies."

"I haven't met very many elves," Ulster admits to Locky, still rather loopy. But yeah, so far, I guess."

"Don't talk to me like that!" Malika demands, fuming. "I'm not one of your mercenaries! You're the one who left me all alone. What if something attacked me? Some 'honorable protector' you turned out to be!" She gives the wizard a light shove, although it barely even has any effect on him, then she storms off toward the others. Jerrard follows, leaving the animals completely unattended.

Unfortunately, Lareth does not accept Jerrard's apology with any grace. "You could not have sent one of your subordinates to check on your woman instead?" he snaps at the wizard. "I am a noble of the house Thlorendil, not some meager human commoner, and I will be shown some proper respect. Understand, I am only here in the first place as a favor to Aleaha. She said you sought to purchase spells and needed guidance through the forest."

[Jerrard]

"Of course, you will be given the respect you deserve." Jerrard curses inwardly, "Guidance would be more than appreciated, I assure you." Keeping his voice level despite his concern for Malika, he should never have spoken like that.

[Jenara]

"Thuskar, Imani can you help Ulster to the camp, I will try to help you." Realising that the camp was unguarded Locky returns to the horses, what a mean elf. Pausing she strokes Malika's side, "Don't be mad at him, he's doing his best."

[agamotto]

Jeremy grabs a hammer out of his saddle pack a starts to chip away at the statue currently holding his sword. Looking around he says," I might need this later" and chuckles quietly.

[Breila]

Babushka is puzzled at the elf's behaviour, shouldn't someone who cares for the forest care for people as well, as she did? But then she remembered that her mentor had been of the grumpy and secluded kind, too. Though not nearly as arrogant as Lareth.

But what really troubled her was Malika's behaviour. That woman's demands could get them all killed one day.

She pulls herself together and asks Lareth: "Sir, do you know a language the draconian may speak? So we can interrogate him? And I think we should try to track back where they came. I don't want to go alone, though, I'm not very good at defending myself." She looks down at herself and realises she needs some healing attention as well."Who else is hurt?" she asks almost playfully, "Please stand in line, Locky and I will patch you up."

How much daylight is left?

[agamotto]

"Well, I could certainly use some help, but I really want to get my sword out of this chunk of rock first." Jeremy grunts as he continues to hammer away at the baaz.

[HorizonsDream]

Imani shakes her head at Jerrard. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid most of my group isn't use to treating nobles with the proper respect," she says to the elf. "Once again, I apologize for the behavior of our group," she adds with a bow of her head with respect. "If you will excuse me, I need to speak to Jerrard privately," she adds before she grabs the mage's arm and drags him off to the side. "The plan was to let me talk to him," she says softly, but firmly.

[JadedDM]

"Hmph," Malika says to Locky softly, crossing her arms. "We'll see."

While Jeremy chips away at the stone statue of what was once a Baaz, the entire thing suddenly crumbles to dust, dropping his sword at his feet.

To Babushka, Lareth says, "Unless one of you can speak Draconic, we'll have to interrogate him in Common, I'm afraid."

The gnome ranger looks at her fellow party members. Her own wounds, as well as Thuskar's and Imani's, are fairly minor. Jerrard, and especially Jeremy, are pretty beat up, though. Looking up in the sky, she notes there is very little sunlight left today. Maybe half an hour, tops. Night will be upon them very soon.