Garyld listened to the conversation back and forth about where to go with patience. "It'll take the rest of the afternoon at least to dig another grave. I can take care of the burial if you're going to leave, Lady," he told Gala, "but there won't be no priest to send them off. I'm guessing that the Morning Lord would smile more on finding three alive than singing songs over two dead, but then again, I'm not a religious man," he smiled at the young priest of the morning as he said this. "Let me know what you decide to do," he told them as they left to get supplies. He picked up a hammer and began beating on a half-finished chair with some gusto, mumbling or grumbling under his breath.
Jana nodded as Garyld mentioned that finding the living priests might be more important than burying dead ones. She also nodded as he commented that he was not a religious man. As soon as they left Garyld, Jana purchased two apples as quickly as possible, and fed them to her horse. "You're a good horse," she said quietly, as she fed him the treat.
The group moved on to Rastifer's to look for clothes, armor, and whatever else they might need. Two more dogs sat outside the store on the porch, shielded from the day's rain. They barked fiercely at the strangers, but a skinny man with wild gray hair quickly called them off. Rastifer escorted everyone inside and hovered just a little to close as they looked around. The store itself was a wonder; everything from animal traps to feathered boas could be seen in various places. He managed to find a suit of leather armor that would probably fit Kaileer as well as some clothes for the mage.
Aloysius purchased a new brown pair of breeches and a simple blue tunic, which he promptly put on while standing in the middle of Rastifer's store. Although somewhat intrigued in the feather boas, he did not purchase one.
"Brave one," Aloysius said to Kaileer. "Pay the man with the 10 gps I gave thee earlier. Keep the remaining one for thyself. You shall need it to fill thy belly later."
After Rastifer's, they headed over to Nafton's stables to see if he had a horse for sale. Nafton was very pleased to find they had interest in a horse. "I sold one this morning," he told them proudly. "Me and the pooches will eat good for a week if I sell another one." He took the group out to the stables. The pups that they had seen last time they were here were starting to fatten up, and one of them had his eyes open. Nafton only had two horses for sale now, a rather broken down looking nag and a nervous gelding. "This here's Hildy," he patted the old horse on her nose, "and that's Dancer."
Lasiar appeared thoughtful as the other members of the party browse the shop, quietly standing near the door. When they leave for Nafton's stables, Lasiar followed closely behind, stumbling over rocks and other debris as he was still occupied with his thoughts. As Jana and Arachne examined the two horses, Lasiar remained outside, muttering something to the effect of, "The air is fresher over here."
"Arachne," Jana said, "if you can afford it, you ought to think about buying another horse, even with Puddlejumper found. I'm no trainer, but I am a pretty good rider. I might be able to give you a good idea as to whether or not Hildy or Dancer would be good choices."
"Please," Arachne said gratefully. "I don't buy horses very often --" Trying to get out of Nafton's earshot, she whispered, "Actually, I've never bought a horse before. What do they usually cost?" "I think I'd rather have a horse that might die under me than one that's sure to run at the first sign of trouble," she added, eyeing the two available animals. "I don't think I'm terribly much weight to carry..."
Lasiar remarked with a hint of a smile, "I hope that horse doesn't make as much noise as you."
Aloysius' eyes grew wide with interest as he stared at Arachne, awaiting her response to Lasiar.
Arachne glanced at the priest. "I can walk pretty quietly," she said, obviously not getting Lasiar's point. "Pug didn't complain about me sneaking too noisily ... much..."
If the horses did not appear mistreated, Jana asked Nafton his price for spiffing up her horse and gear, as well as purchasing grain for the horses. Jana purchased a half-dozen more apples and hid them away in her pack so her pig of a horse wouldn't see them and try to 'talk' her into giving them to him immediately.
Nafton told Jana on her inquiry, "Hildy's a sweet tempered thing, been well treated her whole life. She's got a few years left in her if she's not mistreated. I'd let her go for seventy gold lions, and I'll throw in the saddle and bridle. Dancer'll be a good horse if he gets some training; I'll sell him for eighty, including the same equipment."
Aloysius seemed shocked by the prices. "By the gods, Janathell, mayhap 'twould be better to set Arachne 'pon one of yon large mastiffs? She be slight and these canines look most hearty." It was hard to tell from his demeanor if he was serious or not.
Jana checked over the horses carefully. She said quietly to Arachne, "I could probably handle Dancer, but he'd need a lot of work. The other, Hildy, I'm not sure she won't keel over on us. What he's asking is pretty standard, but the horses he's offering are inferior to say the least. I don't think we're quite that desperate."
Jana replied, "I doubt my friend can afford her own horse just yet. I think she was window-shopping more than anything. I am, however, interested in having my own horse looked after." Jana inquired as to the cost for spiffing up her horse and gear, new shoes if needed, as well as purchasing grain for the horse. Grain for PJ as well; she's assuming he will be reacquired.
Arachne and Jana held a whispered consultation, the gist of which was Arachne's reminding Jana why she needed a set of hooves and Jana's recommending against buying either horse. When Jana said that the prices asked were fairly standard and then told Arachne the numbers, Arachne checked her backpack (this took a while). "Not even close," she finally decided, after inspecting a lot of coinage. "And you don't think I should, anyway. I guess I'll have to think of some other way of getting around," she sighed. And made to leave.
As they made their way back to the Baron to clean up, as Azrun had suggested, Garyld met them on the streets, "Well, part of your dilemma is solved." He held up a small note in a close written hand, "Kuiper found your horse. Saw the gnolls trying to find a place to cross the river, and he's got no love for gnolls. He knew it was yours 'cause he found the gnome too. The horse is at his farm. He said he was going to bury your friend," he added. In a lower voice, he added, "Oleanne the druid didn't find out anything with the orc she had with her. Even with a spell on him, she couldn't get him to help her. She thinks that bunch of orcs hails from the north side of the river somewhere, but whether they've moved into the Great Rock Dale or are nesting somewhere else, she can't say," he told them as they walked to the inn together.
"Do we pursue the priests this evening, or in the morning," she asked the group in general.
After running into Garyld, Aloysius listened closely to what the ranger had to say. "Hmm . . .Pug and Puddle Jumper would seem to be in good hands. Agree do I that our first priority should be these priests of the Morning Lord."
"Good hands!" she exclaimed. "Pug's yet dead, Aloysius, and it's still summer. All the good will in the world from Kuiper won't keep him from rotting."
"Aye, small one," Aloysius began, "but at least rot will he in the ground and not in a belly of gnoll. I simply meant that it seemed reasonable to seek those last seen alive and not those last seen dead. Besides," the magic-user pulled out the aforementioned scroll, "know not do I if this scroll be magical or divine. Not time enough have I had to study it closely.
The mage looked up at the rainy sky to gauge the time of day. "As Janathell hath said, we have need of a decision as to whether we venture forth today, and most likely into the night, or perhaps early on the 'morrow. Stargazer suggests that we employ the latter option. If intent were these kidnappers on slaying these priests, than likely be they slain already. If not, then no prejudice shall our wait create. Any trail hath likely been washed away by now anyway. If we left on the 'morrow, we could refresh ourselves, and those of us of an arcane inclination can restore our spells."
"They aren't killing people, Aloysius," Arachne sighed. "Not quickly,
anyway. What's the point of kidnapping someone just to kill them right
away? If you're going to kidnap just to kill, you might as well kill first
and then carry off the body. A corpse is a lot less argumentative than
a live victim. But they left the dead guards, so a corpse is no use. They
wanted them alive at least for a little while.
"There's urgency to both tasks. Pug won't keep and the rain today will
make it harder to find a trail off the road. It's perfectly sensible and
safe to want to stay here the rest of the day in the inn, out of the rain.
But I've had a perfectly lovely time resting here since late yesterday
afternoon while you all were slaying and slogging. I'm rested; I want to
_do_ something.
"If that scroll of yours, Aloysius, could be read by anyone and work, I'd volunteer to take it and head for Kuiper's. And everyone else could accompany Kaileer to check out the Scornubel road when you're good and ready. I'm guessing it's a lot safer heading for Kuiper's than toward Scornubel. But it seems from what you say that the scroll will only work for a magician. Well, Aloysius, you're the only live wizard we've got left. I'll go with you, if you like and want to go now. But you don't want to go now; I guess you'll go later." The gnome shrugged. "Azrun, I'm not going to go off just anywhere on a reckless solo excursion. I'd try flying to Kuiper's alone because the destination's reasonably safe and I consider the direction comparatively safe. I wouldn't go alone to the Scornubel road because the opposite applies there. If everyone else can stand spending the night under Andren's reproachful watch, then fine... We stay." But she couldn't keep from adding, "Jana, want to check out the Scornubel road?"
"My horse needs to rest," Jana replied. "I also need to have his hooves checked, maybe re-shod. I'd prefer not to risk him."
When they are halted by Garyld, Lasiar appeared relieved with the news that Pug's body had been recovered. "Now, mage, we can see if that scroll of yours will work." At Aloysius' response that "Pug is in good hands" and that the matter of the priests was more urgent, Lasiar furrowed his brows, and as he folded his arms, he replied tensely, "Nay, though I have no loyalties to your friend, Pug, I did promise to safely deliver the body, and now that it has been found, I must insist that you either attempt to use that scroll, or I will proceed with the burial that we had intended. Furthermore, I...." Arachne's ranting interrupted him at this point, and unable to put in a word, Lasiar gave up.
Upon the gnome's conclusion, the Selunite chimed in before anyone else could respond, "Both matters are urgent. I agree. Yet, I see no reason why we cannot see to Pug's body then search for the kidnapped novices. Why, the sun hasn't even set."
The magic-user finally handed the scroll to Lasiar. "Here. Mayhap thee canst interpret this. If so, feel free to take it to Kuiper and attempt to restore Pug. If not, time I will need to study it properly before attempting to encant such magics."
The purple-haired man looked sternly at Lasiar. "Loyalties DO I have to Pug, but reasonable must we be with our resources. Would Pug have wanted life renewed if it meant the deaths of these priests, Jelleneth, Zond, and the ruination of the area around the Mire? I think not. If thou dost feel indentured to thy oath respecting Pug's remains, so be it. Perhpas thee and Arachne can proceed to Kuiper's to see what can be done while the rest of us seek the missing."
Gala looked troubled. "I know we all care about Pug very much. But this is his body we are talking about. There are live people out there whom we could be saving and you feel we should just let them suffer in captivity, hoping that the gnolls want them alive for some purpose so they might likely be alive when we find them. If that is truly how you feel, then I will not stop you. But I will not aid you either. The living must always come before the dead. I will leave at dawn, after my ritual. I will do a burial tonight. We must rest before setting out, and, I'm sorry, I'm not going to go look for Pug's spirit's cage until the living are rescued." She bowed to them all and walked off.
Lasiar raised a hand in refusal. "Nay, mage. I have little experience with enchanted scrolls, and fear that I might misspeak the arcane script. Nay, if you see fit to be cautious, I will heed your wisdom."
Lasiar then sighed in resignation, "You be correct, mage. Please forgive my foolishness. Once again, I let my pride and perception of what's right blind me to the peril of the kidnapped priests. The living must be our priority."
Aloysius tried, but failed, to surpress a grin. "Much do I know of foolishness myself, Lasiar. And for my most recent encounter with folly, I be covered with mud and blood. I am off to get a room, a hot bath, and a place to wash my robe. I will be returning then to eat at the inn. Join me, perhaps we can speak of things less grim. On the 'morrow, we can pursue these kidnappers and make them curse they day they chose to trod a path so dark."
"Give me that thing!" Arachne snapped. She attempted to grab the scroll from Aloysius's grasp while it was held out to Lasiar. This was a risky thing to do, since Aloysius could easily raise it above her reach, making her straining for it look foolish. And petulant. Nevertheless...
Instinctively, Aloysius pulled the scroll away just as Arachne reached for it. He looked down at the gnome as she began to speak.
"_Rescuing_ the living may be the priority," she stormed in her ineffectual, weak voice. "But I'll remind you again, Aloysius: Maisar's given up this enterprise and Pug is ne compone viteri just now -- I mean, he's dead. You're the only wizard in the group at the moment. Moreover, Kaileer, when he's healthy, is the only person in our party at all adept at getting into places quietly. When -- if -- we find where all the missing people have disappeared to, we will _need_ to have Pug with us unless your battle plan is going to be simply wading in and killing everything (besides kidnapees) that moves. Even then, it might be useful to have people who can reconnoiter and tell you where to find all the stuff you want to kill."
She paused for a breath, then went on: "If I can read the scroll, then I'll do it. If I can't -- well, Kuiper has that druid friend. Mayhap she can unlock that parchment. I'll go there; you all can rest and head back along the Scornubel road in the morning. Puddlejumper and I -- and Pug as well, Eldath willing -- will catch up with you somehow as soon as we can. Is _that_ a plan?"
Aloysius had listened intently as Arachne voiced her concerns. He then held the scroll out for her to take. "Small one, Stargazer knows naught of this scroll save what Alaina hath told him. Please, look at it if thou would, and see if you can read it. If not, and if thou art intent on having Stargazer try to use it to revive Pug, then perhaps that is what Stargazer should do. If I be the only one among us with the capacity to do so, then mayhap the two of us, and perhaps one other, should journey to Kuiper's and make the attempt."
A look of worry crossed the magic-user's face. "Loath am I to divide our group anew, yet so many deeds call to us for attention. 'Twould be good to see Pug anew . . ."
"I was planning to fly there," Arachne murmured absently while she tried to make sense of the writing on the scroll.
"Raising the dead is priestly magic anyway -- wouldn't you agree?" Arachne remarked, still studying the scroll. "So, unless Alaina told you that this scroll was especially crafted to enable a wizard to read it out, I should think that I would have at least as good a chance of making it work as you. And the druid would be likely better than either of us. What did Alaina tell you about it, by the way?"
"It's not that I don't want anyone else along with me to Kuiper's," Arachne explained, "including you, Aloysius. But I agree that the Scornubel road is where most of us should give our attention. And I expect the expedition there to be dangerous, so that as many of us as can should be mustered on it. On the other hand, if I go alone to Kuiper's, I can get there quickly -- and, I think, more safely than if I traveled on the ground."
"Incidentally," Arachne said softly, "I understand, Aloysius that you were able to make yourself invisible. If you wait to go out the Scornubel road until tomorrow, it _is_ likely that you won't find a trackable trail from where the dead guards were. But, given the example of the Morninglord group, you might try attracting a miscalculating ambush: You could try making some of yourselves invisible -- as many as Aloysius can manage. A couple of others could be dressed as novice priests to whet the kidnappers' appetite. "One complication to trying something like this is that there are likely spies for the kidnappers here in town. I'm sure that part of the reason the Morninglord group was attacked as successfully as it was was that someone in town reported who would be traveling the road and when. So, the best way to proceed, if you wish to be deceptive about the expedition, would be for us also to act the roles of novices and guards here in town before going out.
"We could do it, though it'd take some work. We could all take leave of our senses and head out toward Kuiper's place this afternoon. Then, most of you could assume the guise of novices and guards and return to town, taking the rooms at the Mutton again and promising to be gone in the morning. As many as Aloysius could render invisible can either stay here convalescing or stay outside of town until the morrow. Then, hopefully having persuaded whomever to arrange for a misjudged attempted ambush, you could head out on the road toward Scornubel. "It's a thought."
Aloysius thought back for a moment. "Told her did I of our lost companion, and she proferred this scroll as a possible means of restoring him. Howe'er, she also said that she was hesitant to employ such magics herself, which made me believe this was a not a priestly scroll. But again, I have not looked at it closely, although I am unable to read it without resorting to other magics. 'Twas my teaching from Moonspawn that priestly scroll be readable by all, but only employable by priests, and that mage scrolls be unreadable to all save mages employing the proper encantations. If it is unreadable to thee, 'tis likely that it be mage magic."
The magic-user shook his head solemnly after Arachne finished. "Sadly, my invisibility 'twas not my doing, but Alaina's. That reminds me, howe'er of a matter that I had overlooked. Did anyone think to retrieve good Pug's tome of magic? Stargazer would like to see it. I seek not to possess it for mine own selfish ends, but because it seems that all resources available should be employed. With Maisar departed, 'twould appear than no other would have use of it."
Arachne couldn't hide her disappointment. The scroll in her hand dropped to her side as she stared up, crestfallen, at the mage.
"I thought you'd never ask," Arachne said. "I offered it to Maisar. You weren't around, if you recall." She threw the barb lightly. "When Maisar declared his intention to leave, I asked for the book back. It's in my room at the inn. It's awfully heavy to lug around this town."
Azrun had listened quietly to all of the participants in the conversation. Upon hearing Aloysius's last comment about being the only one to make any use of Pug's spellbook, he spoke up, "Actually, I had been wondering if I could look over the contents of Pug's book. If it's possible that I can make use of it, then perhaps I would be a better travelling companion for Arachne. I'm of little use in a fight, besides that of a shield. If I can read Pug's spell book then I could use the scroll and revive Pug hopefully. Aloysius would be better in a fight just because he had more experience witht the arcane."
Aloysius smiled amiably at Azrun. "Very well. If thou wouldst like to employ the book, I don't mind. Moonspawn hath provided me with a good variety of encantations to employ. Are you planning on going with Arachne? I thought she was going to fly. If you and she be travelling on the ground, it would be wise to take one of our more martially inclined comrades as well."
The magic-user turned towards Jana. "Janathell? If Arachne be riding thy horse to Kuiper's mayhap thou would accompany her and Azrun? A plan we need for the 'morrow one way or the other . . . . ."
The magic-user nodded his head slowly. "Aye, small one, I was gone. 'Twas foolish, but shall not be done again. At least my lack of judgment enabled me to help Tersa and her children."
He thought for a moment. "Could thee make any sense of yon scroll? Take it if you believe you can employ it to help Pug.
"And you even survived the learning experience," Arachne smiled, "with only a loss of clothing. That wasn't a side effect of Alaina's invisibility spell, was it?"
"Nay," the magic-user replied. "'Twas the result of . . . ." Aloysius grimmaced and turned slightly pale, " . . .a great deal of spilt blood."
"Not really," Arachne admitted, glancing down at the annoying thing. "But I'd like to get a second holy opinion before consigning it to wizardry. Lasiar -- or Gala?" she called in whatever direction Gala had gone off in. "Could you just take a quick look? If you _can_ read it, I won't require you to intone it over Pug -- I can ask the druid to do that. If you can't, then I either draft Aloysius -- or I could take scroll and Pug and Puddlejumper and go see Mage Tauster in Thurmaster. (I'll bring money...) "As for Pug's spellbook, I'd be happy to leave it with the Stargazer or with Azrun. I was thinking of leaving it here anyway and picking it up when I returned with Pug. And Azrun, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure you're a much better fighter than I am."
The magic-user looked in the direction Gala had gone earlier. "Methinks Galaret hath departed. She intends on searching for her fellow worshippers on the 'morrow. Lasiar? Mayhap thou could provide a second opinion? Tauster is an excellent suggestion, small one. He be much more powerful that I, I suspect, and that way I could accompany Galaret and the others in the morning."
Gala sighed, "Aloysius, let me look at the scroll." She frowned at Arachne when she mentioned Eldath, started to speak, then decided against it.
Gala, grabbing a quick glance said, "No need. It is a wizard scroll. Which means that it won't raise Pug from the dead. At least not in the traditional sense."
Aloysius looked pensive for a moment. "Strange as this may sound, I can't ascertain with definity the nature of a mage scroll without having time to properly arcanely analyze it. Since I could not read it, I assumed it was a mage scroll, since I can read, but not use, priest scrolls. Since the two of you (meaning Arachne and Gala) can't read it either, then it must be a mage scroll since we all could read it if it were a druid scroll." Aloysius stopped for a moment, as if he had momentarily confused even himself. "At least that be what the great Moonspawn did teach me."
"Arachne, if you still wish to take the scroll to Tauster and try to revive Pug, that is fine with me. Howe'er, if this scroll be what I suspect, Pug may return as a gnome . . . . .or a goblin, or an elf, or a groundhog . . . . ."
Aloysius sighed. "I'll do whatever everyone else decides. Please, let's make a decision. I'm starting to draw flies."
Aloysius hesitantly put his hand on Azrun's shoulder. "Darkwalker, knew not did I that thou had an interest in the arts. Please, hold good Pug's spellbook until his hopeful return. 'Tis the least I can do for causing you the inconvenience of retrieving me from the Mire."
The mage addressed everyone who was still present. "Now, what be our plan? Galaret is resolved to go after the priests. Arachne seems intent on seeing Kuiper. Since she can't fly back with Puddle Jumper, 'twould seem wise for at least one other to accompany her. These roads seem to be increasingly dangerous. I would suggest that Arachne, Azrun and Torro go to Kuiper's, while myself, Galaret, Janathell, Kaileer, and Lasiar attend to these missing priests. That would seem to be a good balance of might given the relative tasks. What thinkest the rest?"
"You don't know any other spells that might disguise the party's appearance, I suppose," Arachne said to Aloysius regretfully. "Pug might've -- there might be something in his spellbook. But I suppose it would take a while to learn anything from it."
"I still think you should take as close to everyone as you can to search the Scornubel road," Arachne said, considering Aloysius's division of labor. "You're suggesting a party of five, but four were nearly wiped out by a wandering group of gnolls and flind. I think I'd be quite safe getting to Kuiper's alone. Also quick. A trip alone from Kuiper's to Thurmaster would be more risky, I admit it. There'd be just me, Puddlejumper and Pug's body. But that trip is more risky than my flight to Kuiper's not more risky than your search on the Scornubel road. It seems to me that you are going into the middle of the trouble. I'll be riding away -- or flying. If I go with company on the ground, I'll be slowing them up." She sighed.
"And Azrun -- and Torro -- I'm not declining your company because I'm a glory hound or like going off by myself. Certes, there's far more glory to be had on the Scornubel road than where I'm going. _I'm_ going to have to be telling people that I've had no success with our glorious mission and I'm just trying to do a favor for a dead friend. You're the ones rescuing the captives. And it'll be lonely going off by myself. I just think that Galaret can use everyone she can get to help hunt for the novices. As for raising Pug, I think I can get the help we need from outside this group."
"But if the group believes that we're all better off if I go with escort, then I'll go with escort. I like you all. I don't want you distracted from what you're about worrying about me."
Aloysius now had a broad grin on his face, although nowhere near the PSF. "Small one, my concern be not with thy trip TO Kuiper and Thurmaster, but the trip BACK. E'en if good Pug be restored, 'twould be the two of thee alone with Puddle Jumper. There be orcs in that area, as we be already too aware. And if Pug can't be restored, well . . . .the odds would be worse. I know not, mayhap Kuiper could accompany thee back. 'Tis a problem most difficult."
"Nothing of the sort," Arachne replied with equal cheer. "By then, you all will have routed our foes and put those nasty, trespassing orcs to flight. No," she got more serious. "You are correct that Puddlejumper would be in serious trouble with only Pug and me to protect him. Because Pug's style, like mine, is to avoid a fight if it's at all possible. (I still don't know what came over him in that goblin cave.) We (or I) would run -- fly, or do something disconcerting. I would be perfectly willing to get the heck out of there and only hope that I can persuade Pug to be similarly wise. Puddlejumper -- he's a survivor, you know. He'd probably do the smart thing and readily switch sides, join up with whoever was holding the reins."
As he tended to do, Aloysius switched directions quickly. "As far as concealing the party, nay. No magicks have I. Howe'er, mayhap I could make thee a bit taller, at least for a while?" The mage held his hands up and shrugged his puny shoulders.
I don't think so, thanks," Arachne said, with a great lack of enthusiasm. "I wouldn't be me then. And I suspect I'd be even clumsier enlarged than I am now."
Aloysius seemed surprised by that comment. "Thou art clumsy?" he asked. "Hmmm . . .Well, in sooth we have resolved our dilemma. Arachne and the scroll shall proceed to Pug and Puddle Jumper, and then to Tauster if need be. the remainder of us shall pursue the abducted priests. Then, we all shall meet here to celebrate Pug's return. Now, I have need of a bath and a good meal. Lasiar and I are thinking of discussing things celestial over dinner if anyone be interested?" With that, the mage turned to head off and hopefully find the ever-elusive bath and dinner.
Gala sighed. "If we keep splitting the group, we may as well disband." She then walked off to see to the burials.
"Oh, for gods' sake, he's friggin' dead!" Jana threw up her hands. "There's no profit in chasing his ghost. Those priest, though, they might still be alive." She glared at everyone in turn, then muttered, "I'm tired. I'm going to find a meal and a room." She prepared to stalk off toward the inn she'd stayed at her last time through town.
"There was a saying around University," Arachne replied, "especially popular with folks that everyone suspected of being necromancers. (They wore black a lot and liked to whiten their complexion with flour. They were _very_ strange.) Anyway, the saying was, 'Death just isn't what it used to be.' Cute and clever but for what it's worth, the fact is that death isn't final." Arachne shrugged. "And in Pug's case, I'd dearly love to take it back."
"That's rich," Arachne muttered. She scurried around Gala until she was in best position to block the Dawnsinger's departure. "You talk --" she began angrily, then stopped and threw her hands in the air. Taking a breath, she tried again more calmly: "You tell us what a bad thing it is to go splitting the group up in order to do your own thing and then -- immediately; not stopping for any answer -- you go splitting off from the group to do your own thing. Is it the pot or the kettle that's black?"
She shrugged and went past Gala back to where the center of conversation was. "Seems to me that we don't have to go off in different directions to split the group -- if it is a group. We can split up just as completely by all staying in the same room -- or cave. It isn't where we choose to go but whether our going is coordinated. In all honesty, my perception is that we're more coordinated when we split up than we are all together. We were all together at the cave and that was a fiasco. We made a coordinated plan to get some necessary tasks accomplished on the way back to town to accomplish a necessary burial. There were some obstacles and a few things went wrong, but the plan held up mostly. We're all here --" She looked around. "Somewhere."
"It's not enough to demand that everyone stick together all the time. That's not even a good idea. What's needed is to make plans, to coordinate, so that everyone has an idea what the others' intentions are. It'd be nice if there were also someone here that everyone else trusted enough to let give orders when we need to react _quickly_ and in coordination. We don't have that yet -- but that is NOT a telling argument for all of us arbitrarily sticking together. Rather, it's an argument for splitting into smaller groups, because coordinating a small group of 4 is _easier_ than trying to coordinate a group of 8. There may be safety in numbers, but not if the numbers can't agree what to do. Ask Pug." She fell silent, kicking the floor a few times.
"No, we are not powerful enough to handle multiple tasks. Not even if we have a good coordinator we all trust. Speaking of trust, why do you not share your real worship with us. I know a bit of Eldath, and I know also that you do not practice her faith. Why do you not share your read story. Trust is important, Arachne. And with your general practice of deceit, whether intentional or not, I'm afraid I am having trouble trusting you." Gala spoke solemnly, something she had been thinking on for a long time finally raising its head.
"I think the best thing I can do," Arachne said finally, "given what I'm good at and what I'm not good at, is to take the scroll, get Pug and take both to Mage Tauster. I'm good at getting places relatively quickly. Without Puddlejumper, I'm not good at traveling at the same pace as all the rest of you. I'm pretty hopeless at fighting. I'm OK at healing, but there's Lasiar and Gala who're both better at that than me. You'll be fine if I'm not travelling with you. I'll be -- well, my measure of the risks of another sally to Thurmaster is that it's acceptable and that we owe it to Pug to make the attempt. "If the attempt is successful, then Pug and I will do our best to catch up with you. If it isn't successful, then I, travelling alone, have an even better chance of managing to catch up with you. See? Coordination, as much planning as we can reasonably manage right now, knowing what we know. The group that does go exploring on the Scornubel road should try to do the same. But clumping is not coordinating."
"No, clumping just ensures all the maximum chance of survival, no matter how you try to twist it to an 'organization' problem. Organization is great, but when you are surrounded by gnolls or goblins or whatever, it doesn't beat an extra sword or an extra healer, no matter what faith they actually practice. Arachne, I'll never claim to being a saint, but the fact that you would rather carry a dead body around, which you wouldn't have lost by the way if you had come with us after Aloysius, rather than aid a living companion, makes me very sad. You can accuse me of splitting us up if you like. But if you can't see that I was really trying to bring us back together, then I cannot reason nor talk with you. You must do as you will. And I suppose nothing I say will help. So I give up. Do what you like. I have people to bury. And, following your example, I'll go after the others of my faith after services in the morning. Any who choose to go with me are welcome. Those who chose to go after a dead body, Lathander's blessings on you too." Gala turned and walked away, sadness evident in every step she took.
Arachne seemed about to speak a few times during Gala's speech, then decided to let it and Gala go.
Azrun watched and shook his head, "Arachne, you go on and get Pug and do what you have to. The rest will go after Gala's people. Be careful and watch yourself. Tell Pug that I have his spellbook and will take good care of it." He knelt down and gave Arachne a small hug, "Good journeys."
He stood up and watched Jana storm off, then looked to Aloysius, "We better go make sure no trees get in her way or she'll hack them down.....that can't be good on a blade. We'll make sure she doesn't commit arborcide and then go help Gala."
She hugged him back, whispering in his ear, "Make me happy; make us all happy: Make plans."
Aloysius watched as Jana left to do some possible tree pruning, and then as Azrun and Arachne exchanged farewells. Being uncertain (for various reasons) about how to bid adieu to Arachne, he simply muttered, "Good luck. Don't get killed."
Jana bristled noticeably at the comments by Azrun and Dagger Boy, but did not respond. She moved toward the inn to secure a room. After she'd made those arrangements, she sought out Garyld or Gala, to ask when the funerals would be held.
He then turned and placed his hand on Azrun's shoulder. "Stargazer be off to arrange a room and a bath at long last. Lasiar and I shall be here for dinner and plan to discuss various elements of astrology. Feel free to join us if you wish. If not, I'll join you outside the inn at dawn. I plan on attending Galaret's ceremony." He became very serious. "Evil hath struck many a blow these past weeks. On the 'morrow, let the forces of Light turn this dark tide once and for all." Aloysius then headed off in the direction of the Baron.
