Open Chronicles I came to make friends, and stew, but I've already made the stew

[TTamark]

The lower mountain of The Spine was damp from recent rainfall, the sky still held some clouds, but the sky was now bright and blue with the sun drying the leafs at a rather quick rate. The woods that looked all the greener from the rain were full of bird song, many different melodies forming a grander symphony. The air also carried an odd odour to be present in the middle of a forest however, the pleasant smell of some kind of stew, good enough to make even a nobles mouth water.

Steve worked carefully on the stew in his massive pot. He kept the fire at a spread out, but slow burn, keeping the stew at a light simmer. He then stuck his wood divider he had made special for the pot into it. He threw two goat's corpses into one side, he had promised it that if they were fine with their meat being eaten he would raise them both swimming in food. Soon the skeletons of the goats burst through the surface of the stew. Steve allowed the pair to swim around in the stew for a bit their bones would add some pleasant flavour to the stew anyways. Though he did caution them to keep their splashing to a minimum because he wanted to keep the other side vegetarian.

The bones of some bunnies still hopped about every now and again looking for any other animals willing to join Steve. They had told him of some yaks in poor shape after a bear attack, Steve immediately told the bunnies to find the bear. He'd head over to the heard after his stew was ready. They also told him of an owl with an injured wing. He had sent Leroy, and Chicken number 3 to carry her over in the mean time. Steve was happy the rabbits were enjoying their undeath, and the perks that came from it. Some had even been willing to stay with him when he headed off. He had only been looking to trade unlife for a dinner besides potato, and directions to the flying horses, but he could not say no to more friends.

Steve looked off at the smoke that was rising in the south. He'd heard of armies of Morthal marching to besiege Belgrath. If the smoke was any indication those were more than rumours. The only flying horse he'd seen so far had headed that direction. He hoped it was just a coincidence and that he would not have to head closer to the battle. Steve suddenly became more aware of how far the aroma of his stew might be reaching. Being near a battle can cause all kind of folk to appear nearby, Steve hoped silently that no one looking for trouble would notice him.

Steve looked over his animals again, "Ok guys the stew is almost ready, so lets get ready to bring it with us to make some new friends!"

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

There came a voice from the trees nearby where the stew was taking place, a shimmering of light on a nearby branch. Demyra didnt spawn there, perhaps more of a high speed movement from the path below. She was resting on the branch with the sole of both booted feet pressed on the middle of the branch. She stood up, rocking back and forth masterfully on her feet. Her balance was near perfection, almost catlike in execution.

"The last time I saw a man in the middle of nowhere cooking whatever it is that you have in that pot it didnt end with me conscious. I did wake up on the roof with my books cover down against the walls, so i dont think that is exactly a bad trip." She gave a shrug and a grin to the male, hopping down and making her way over to him. Her body was cloaked in the dark leather gear that she wore, with her enchanted rings rolling back and forth in place without her interaction.

She peaked with an intrigued look at the pot and the moving skeletons, a finger reaching out to prod the vessel used to cook. She prodded it again and again, judging whether or not it was made of metal or some other thing but not enough to jostle the contents. "What all is even in here? I saw you doing whatever voodoo necromancer ritual made those bones move on their own, but beyond that i have no idea." She was more amused than curious, but it had been a while since she had a decent interaction with another living being that was confined to a book.

 

[TTamark]

Steve was startled by the sudden appearance of this individual. Among many necromancy was either heavily frowned upon, or out right hunted. Steve was not as paranoid as many of his kind though, he had made friends with a number of individuals who could see past his art. Still Steve wasn't a fool either, too many had also immediately tried to stab him in the back. Steve's personality won out, he would show her all the kindness he could muster, friendship is too valuable a thing to not try for, and he would make the world a little kinder one way or another.

Steve reached into his cart, and pulled out a potato which he shoved into the ground, and a wooden bowl. Soon a potato flower sprouted from the potato. Steve then ladled some of the stew into the bowl. Steve plucked the flower and offered both the stew and the flower to the new comer.

"This is a pot of my world famous potato stew. Take it from the goats, it is to die for. HAHA" Steve through his head back in open unrestrained laughter. Once his laughter slowed he continued, "As for you calling this a 'voodoo ritual' I am really just making stew. These two fools," Steve motioned to the goats, "were the ones who wanted to be raised inside the stew. Mind you that does sound like a good way to come to life, swimming in delicious food. I guess the stew is also to live for. HAHA. But more to the point, this stew is basically just that stew besides it's healing property and ability to maintain spells such as undeath.

Anyways I was just packing up, there are some animals that I wish to to help, either healing, or offering undeath to, if I end up being extra lucky they will want to come along with me. I can always use the help, and making a new friend is always worth it. Hey! If you want to come along, even just to watch, I would love the company. Besides I don't find people who aren't actively trying to kill me that often. It will be a nice change of pace."

Steve shot her a great, big, friendly smile before he began giving directions to his animals to clean up the campsite, the chickens carrying the massive pot back to his cart of potatoes.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

"Voodoo? who do?" She said in a soft sing tone with a soft giggle at the joke she had made to herself and sort of to him. She made jokes more to herself than she did to anyone else, and she developed quite a sense of humor at her own jokes. She took the flower he had made her, condensing the energy from her hands into the flower to transform it. The petals became a soft blue color, and radiated a bit of a cold temperature.

With a grin at the man she had just met she took the stew as well, fixing the semi cold flower into his hair to give him a bit of a balance incase he got hot. "Cryo Bloom, its one of my earth techniques. It also goes really well with things that need to be chilled to stay good." She conjured a spoon from petrified wood , the wood growing from her pores and developing right infront of his eyes. The petrification came after, replacing living materials with silicon and other minerals.

As she dug into the soup she used her plants to help him pack up, already used to moving around pretty commonly. "Im used to the whole undeath thing, a friend of mine used to find it so fun to scare the hell out of me when i was young. I woke up to a skeleton that he had named steve in my bedroom. Suffice to say i screamed and almost beat him to death with a leather bound tome. Im not gonna try and murder you though, i know people who would try and hurt me for the prowess i have with bending the earth to my will. Perversion of nature and all that."

 

[TTamark]

Steve went wide eyed as he realized the flower was now enchanted. This was new, he had never seen an enchantment quite like this. Steve gestured to one of his chickens to bring him one of his potatoes, and promptly shoved the potato into a tree with his hand on the other side catching a wood vase that fell out. He quickly filled the vase with stew, covered its top with another potato and gave it a shake. He removed the potato and threw it to his animals, the liquid in the vase was now clear. Finally Steve split a third and final potato in half and rubbed the open end on the bottom of the vase as well as his cart. He then stuck the vase onto his cart, where it became a part of it. Steve then wiped the sweat from his brow with the other half of the potato, that had been a fair bit of running around. Steve then stuck the flower into the vase containing what was very likely magic water, which promptly froze. Steve looked over with a massive, goofy grin, "I love it!" he shouted, shooting her a thumbs up.

Steve listened intently to her story while resting his head on the, now frost covered, railing of his cart. "I have to say, saying 'I am not gonna try and murder you' makes me think that murdering me isn't off the table. Usually the best way to make me think you are not going to murder me tends to be not murdering me. Just a little thing to think about.

Your friend has great taste in names I must say though, you see I am also named Steve. I am Steve, Son of Will, Spudmancer Supreme, Founding member of Entryum... or Eternium, you now it is really new, and we only said its name like once, and I was kinda of in the middle of a thing... I also only like met these edge lords once, and it was a while ago."

Steve looked thoughtful before he hoped off his cart, and quickly bent over and began to set up a small sign pointing where he was going, so any animals out and about could find him. "So then if you don't mind my asking, who are you?"

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

Demyra Runeheart, daughter of Altrea and Dralan Runeheart. Im a mage, sort of a mercenary but less edge. My family never really stayed anywhere for too long. My father was one of those intellectual types and my mother was a warrior who never ceased to have blood on her hands. It sometimes worked out for us, and other times we had small towns chasing it because of it." She watched him making good use of the potatoes that had been present. To his treatment of the flower she gave a smile. "They take some elemental focus, so i do have to have access to some of the elements involved."

"My mother taught me that the ones you are gonna murder tend not to be the ones that you make conversation and become friendly with. It may be because she was an actual psychopath or because she didnt like to get attached. Maybe a bit of both. I think you are pretty cool and i think you add something to the world."

"I think id like to learn more about the place you help found, cause ive been looking for another solace to stay in when i am between jobs and somewhere to sorta chill out." She began to hover above the ground, a root moving to make a seat for her. She gave a soft smile, pink and purple flowers growing on the root that she had made. "If you tell me which direction you are going in im sure that i could follow you to your location." She was certainly interested in this person.

 

[Albedo]

Edmund had walked off a ways to get his bearings, trying to make heads or tails of the map he had been left with. It was usually his assistant that dealt with such things, and he had little mind for making sure he was headed on the right path. He rubbed the empty eye socket on his left side, the itch unbearable. He had traveled for sometime now with the "spudmancer" as he so cheerfully called himself, and had continued to drone on about his animals, and making friends.

He had excused himself, preferring to not have words with the man before he was able to have Albedo return to his side in case of a fight.

"Steve, I believe we need to travel a little further south in order to be near-" The elder man spoke as he approached the wagon, finally taking note of the new guest. He stopped short, and watched her for a moment, unsure of how to move forward. "I did not realize we had a guest. Especially one so gifted with elemental magic." He blinked his one good eye at the root that had shaped itself into a seat, very unsure of just who this person was.

"I don't believe you were at the meeting. You must be a late arrival then." Edmund didn't typically assume what people were doing, but considering how Steve was moving about, he could guess that she wasn't being violent at the moment.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

She leaned back over the root so that only the middle of her back was resting on the root, balancing perfectly so that she wouldnt fall over. She gave a smile and a wave, the root moving so that she could climb back onto her feet. The plant was soon gone, back into the ground where it came from. On her feet, she made her way over to the male who had wandered over to them.

As she got closer, the rings on her fingers would activate on their own to spin in place, made to have the concept of a living entity when she was close so that the activation of her spells could be alot quicker. "Im Demyra. I just kinda found Steve in the forest because i wander so much. I didnt even know a group like this was meeting but i am interested in where you are going."

She let the corners of her mouth curl back as she examined him, the points of her teeth rather like a sharks with a glint whenever the light hit them. "I do like an adventure, and your necromancer friend did give me some food and hospitality. I thought id lend my hand to your group."

 

[TTamark]

"My mother taught me that the ones you are gonna murder tend not to be the ones that you make conversation and become friendly with.

"I hope you don't mind, but I have to disagree quite strongly. Those who leap straight into a fight tend to be those who are being led by their emotions, be them: anger, sadness, or fear as I often run into. For the most part though the ones people wish to murder are people they know, and who do people know, but friends. When you get to know someone then you find reasons to want them dead. I rarely kill anyone I don't have a conversation with first. It is how one decides if they want the other person alive or dead, and if I get friendly with them I might offer to bring them back after I kill them. People tend to be less receptive to undeath when you don't get their consent first. I learned this well after one time I-"

Steve noticed Edmund's return when Demyra turned to him. Good they had much to discuss. "I don't mind her if you don't. After seeing her work I think her utility might be quite useful. Besides she has been nothing, but pleasant. To more important things though, from the smoke we can see over the tree tops I suspect the battle is still raging in full swing. We could head that way, but I suspect that that might be a very dangerous preposition. Might be better to wait till the battle is over. Better to dig up the bodies than risk confronting an army already in battle and turning this into a three party war. I have heard from some of my scouts that there are some yaks, and at least one bear that might be willing to join us further up, and an owl will arrive any time now. I came here for mounts, and know that the flying horses have to be up the mountain somewhere nearby anyways. So how do you feel about joining us, while we do this, then I will come with you and keep you topped up for raising the dead soldiers?"

Steve looked to Edmund, Steve respected the man, after all they had spent a good while together traveling to get here, each with a different mission, but Edmund had shown he had a head on his shoulders, so after so much time together Steve wanted to hear Edmund's say on what he wanted to do.

 

[Albedo]

The necromancer took note of the glinting teeth, the brow above his missing eye arching in a quizzical nature. Oh the uses this one could have after they had established the nation. The woman had told him simply that his list would have amendments to who he could and could not have to experiment on. There was no mention of making a list of his own to quietly snatch up later.

"Edmund. I too, am a necromancer. A pleasure to make your pleasant acquaintance in the wilds. I do apologize that you have caught us in the midst of business, otherwise our hospitality might have been more prepared and abundant. As it is, we are to be raising a small army to accompany us to our ultimate goal as Steve has likely informed you of as a gracious host." Edmund's words were kind enough it would seem. His silver tongue was a practiced one, something that had served him well in trying to keep a low profile as such a powerful necromancer.

He listened to Steve speak at length, his patience tested a bit as the fellow seemed to draw out his words. He was informed of the battle still raging as he eyed the tree tops that covered their view of the smoke. A small frown appearing as he thought for a moment, his hand coming to his chin while the other cupped his elbow.

"So long as I can have a steady supply of the rejuvenating stew, I should be easily able to raise the majority of the dead with ease. I'll have to glimpse at the current state of affairs in regards to the siege, as it wouldn't due to have the anyone reclaim their dead and to burn the other bodies. It may be handy to have you there as well, in case there were any animals used in the siege. Attacking parties tend to be desperate and use strange tactics to remove defenders after all." He mused while glancing back to Steve and Demyra. He would likely have to act quickly, and hope the majority of the ghouls didn't come out feral with the sheer number of them he would be raising. It would likely be chaos on a massive scale if he were to work his magic in the midst of the siege. Granted it might add to the body count in the end, it would be a massive waste of resources as Steve had made note of.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

She looked over at the two and as Edmund spoke she had already created a bit of a strategy for the coming battle. She called up a Flare Blossom from her skin, but wrapped it quickly in a hard shell before it could bloom. She put them in her bag, holding them infront of the other two. "Flare Blossoms. If you break the shell on this thing, it will begin to produce a spore. If you introduce that spore to a flame, it will create an explosion and every bit of area that the spores have traveled will result in an fire"

"Its a dangerous weapon to have and even more dangerous if its used properly. You can just chuck one of these over a wall and by the time it hits the ground it will be enough to kill people on the ground. It should help you with your issue, even if it doesnt win you the battle. Ideally you let these things grow for minutes on end before you light them ablaze, but it seems we dont have that time."

She let another root grow under her, one that would begin moving around as if preparing for some long distance movement. When they were ready it would take off at a high speed towards whatever direction the three beings would be moving towards.

 

[TTamark]

Edmund seemed to be around the same page on the matter, and having a glimpse at the battle would be good, it can be extremely important to know what is going on, lest you end up paying for what you didn't know. Still it would take time Steve didn't want to spend for them to physically go there, especially if his thoughts were correct and they'd be too early. They'd have to waste time returning here again, in that case.

While Steve mulled over this Demyra spoke up. Steve was a touch disconcerted from her words. "While I, and I'm sure Eddy boy, appreciate your enthusiasm and willingness to help, I have to say that we are not going to charge in throwing explosives. It could be a useful tool to cause confusion while we escape, but I am not about to turn this into a three pronged battle. We did not come here to fight a battle, we came here to recruit dead for our armies. Getting tied up in a war would be counter productive. I am thankful though, you would be willing to offer us your help in a battle, even though you just met us. I hope you will be fine with simply accompanying, and helping us as we travel and raise the dead in this region.

Now Edmund as for checking on the state of the siege, I do not know if you have any forms of long distance surveillance, but if not I would be more than willing to allow you to use one of mine to investigate. I just don't think it would be a good use of time to go there to simply see the battle ourselves."

Steve allowed Edmund to come up with a response while he turned to the owl with the broken wing. It was being carried by two of Steve's undead chickens. They had arrived while Steve was talking. Steve got down on one knee and had a few words with the owl before skinning a potato with a small knife, and lying the skin over the wing, Steve then fed it some of his stew.

"Whether you're using mine or yours for surveillance, I want to head off sooner than later, there are some animals that I want to put out of their misery."

 

[Albedo]

The elder man watched quietly as she explained the creation she made. The nod of appreciation at the simplistic, yet devastating little item, was well earned it seemed.

"A flame is the only way of ignition?" He asked inquisitively. A fuse fashioned to the little bloom would be a sound addition for ease of use. Especially for those less inclined with magic, or unable to procure a source to ignite it. Her continued explanation was not lost on him as he watched her sit atop another root. His brow shot up in question at the magic, but thought it less than pressing to ask about the study she had done to procure it as Steve spoke.

His attention focused solely on the man as he explained to their guest the best course of action for the moment. He shook his head in answer to the question of surveillance. Albedo had gone north, as he would have sent her and kept Rigor the skeletal cat with him had he thought better of it.

"My eyes went north, so I will have to ask of you to spare a set. If possible something that can run or perhaps fly quickly and achieve a perch. A squirrel or bird perhaps. Some form of wildlife that is inconspicuous should anyone take notice of it." A frown appeared at the last parts of his words, his gaze directed to Steve.

"Perhaps we should be hopeful and come across either with more flesh than bone. Would be ill suited should either side of the engagement spot something reeking of undeath watching them. You are correct though, we should be off and starting our task." He seemed to drone on, listing most of his thoughts instead of internalizing them. He spared a glance to Demyra as he spoke again.

"Your company would be most welcome and pleasant for the journey, my dear. I am most curious about the nature of your magic if you wouldn't mind divulging your field of study." The words were more statement than question.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

"Im sure heavy friction or heat would be enough to set it off, but for my uses i always carry some way to set them ablaze." She looked over at Steve, waving a hand at him softly. "I get it, i just like blowing stuff up. Its become a penchant of mine. Another gift my lovely mother gave to me before she went. I could probably help move the earth for you to raise the dead. These plants have such a way with travel." She touched the ground, feeling the earth pulse like mycelium beneath its surface.

"Im perfectly alright with going with both of you. I assume that whatever is ahead of us will be a fun time and i have nothing else. I do like working towards a cause, especially if combat may be involved." At Edmund's comment, she looked over to him with that same smile. "Ill show you a few things. Its quite unique when it comes to most earth users, and i think its much simpler than most methods."

"I cant provide any animals at this time, i havent yet learned the aspect of my magic that would allow me to fashion golems and i dont have any mounts of normal flesh. Perhaps itll come with time." She inferred that someone she knew could make this earth into animals that could potentially support flight.

 

[TTamark]

Edmund made a good point Steve's skeletal animals did not leave any doubts about what they were. Luckily there was a potential scout who just got their wing fixed and owed them right here. Steve spent only a moment to be slightly concerned about the new member of their parties apparent love of pyrotechnics, before conversing with the owl once more, while the other two discussed magic. after a moment Steve stood and turned to Edmund once more

"Ok, so here is the deal, this is Owlivia, she injured her wing fighting of a racoon who murdered her children: Owlbert, Owlfred, Owlbama, and Cornowlius. Given her kids were murdered in front of her less than an hour ago, she doesn't feel like she has a lot to live for. Because of that she is willing to become undead, and help us. The only issue is that she also doesn't feel comfortable serving me as I have a lot of skeletal birds, and they kind of remind her of her dead children's half eaten bodies. She is still willing to help however as long as it is beneath the handsome gentleman. If you ask me I think she just thinks you're a stud muffin, and wants to get beneath our dear Eddy boi."

Steve took on a very serious expression, "Now Edmund she is going through a very tough time in her life. I will ask that you do not take advantage of her, it just wouldn't be the right thing to do! I don't want her looking back on today a hundred years from now, and regretting her actions."

Steve shoved potato after potato into the owl until Owlivia fell over dead, Steve spun one last potato over her head absorbing part of her soul before finally shoving the last potato into her. Owlivia's eyes opened, now glowing their yellow colour. Steve picked up Owlivia, and reached into her mouth and seemingly pulled out a potato that should have been too large to have fit. He then offered both Owlivia, and the potato which upon closer inspection felt like a rock. "Here it is a simple medium. Just focus on what sense you wish to share, and there you go. You don't have to, but I like to hold it up to that part of my body, you know? I want to see: hold it up to my eye, hear: my ear, talk to her: lips I'm sure you get it, it just helps me focus." Steve let out a light chuckle, "I know it can look a touch silly, but hey, if it helps what the hay?"

Steve turned to his animals who'd finished packing up again, and now stood in formation, "Ok, we are going that away!" Steve yelled as he hopped on his cart, and thrusted his finger out pointing up the mountain more, "Let's save those yaks before they suffer a cardi-yak arrest! HAHAHAHA!!!" With that pun the cart began moving once more, huge bell chiming on beat, accompanied by the light ringing of the cows' bells.

 

[Albedo]

Edmund gave Demyra an appreciative nod at her explanation, pleased that barring a torch or open flame that her creation was still useful. Items with limited ways to activate them tended to backfire, and without Albedo's assistance, he did not feel confident leaving things to chance. The possibility of the earth being peeled back made the man reassess their new companion once more. Perhaps this one would be far more useful than his current assistant if he was able to maneuver events to his benefit.

The trouble with acting on that notion currently was that Rigor had been sent to safety with Albedo. He would have to bide his time since it seemed they were willing to travel with them. She informed him that she would show him a few things, as it was unique to earth users and he could not contain the smile that formed.

"It will be an educational experience for sure." He assured her as Steve addressed him. The story he was fed made him blink a few times, and furrow his brow. He wondered just how much of the tale he was telling was true, and how much of it he had made up to possibly embarrass him perhaps? Not being entirely sure about the possible attempt at humor, he watched with a strange mix of exasperation and amusement as Steve began to feed the owl potatoes.

"I assure you, I would do nothing to make such trouble for....Owlivia." Edmund attempted to assure the man, having to take a moment on the owls supposed name. He was now addressing animals...with human-esque names.

After quite literally falling over dead, the owl was revived? No, reanimated. His brow knit together as he tried to make sense of the magic that Steve used, entirely befuddled with the application and process he was using. Taking both the owl and rock-tato, he listened to the man once more.

This all was far too farcical to have actually happened, certainly.

The solid weight of the owl and the medium silently assured him that it was indeed not. Steve packed up, and made a show of his exit as the animals all lurched onward. A small sigh escaped him as he examined the owl and medium. His single eye narrowed as he focused on the connection to the item, feeling his perspective shift as he examined his own face for a brief moment. Breaking the connection, he caught up to the cart and did his best to remain seated as he began to focus once more.

"Come along friend, we have work to do!" Edmund called to the elf before slipping back into the connection with the owl, sending her off towards the siege while the cart moved away.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

Dont gotta tell me twice! -She felt the ground rumble in recognition, the root she was riding on moving up more so that she was sitting on three roots all pressed together. They shot out of the ground, moving through the ground at such a speed that she was below the owl as they took flight, and she waved to Steve as she rode by. The roots moved liked water, her power causing the length of the tree root to constantly extend.

Her power was linked to the earth itself, her life force seeding out through the ground like she was the top of a mushroom and she called the power around her to summon plant life to her will. With a touch, the ringing in her fingertips would cast out through the ground and she could feel where life existed. With duress, she could bring life to an environment for atleast a temporary time. It took alot of effort to pull it off, and she didnt exactly plan on such a thing.

The actual root that she had started on was actually a distance away from where they began, not the tree she had been resting in. The root was different than others like it, because it had more mobility than most plants ever could have. She channeled her energy through its life and gave it an existence it normally couldnt have.

 

[TTamark]

Steve, and the party moved on at a consistent pace, being pulled by the undead cattle. The pace was kept slow enough for the animals to graze while they moved on, the food would grow more scarce further up the mountain. The trees, and other plants had already begun to thin, and the temperature had begun to take on a cooler feel. So the animals ate while they could, the goats stopped every once in a while to eat small shrubs, the bunnies would snack on leafy plants while hopping in and out of view, but never went too far from the cart. Steves famous chickens would peck at worms or other insects from time to time, but would quickly run up to the cart again where Steve would bend down to give their necks scratches, or scritches as he called them. One chicken stayed on Steve lap though, Leroy, Steve gently petted him along his spine as they rode, whispering comforting words in his ear,

"I know you are upset about what happened to Owlivia's owlets, but there was nothing you could have done... It is not your fault for not arriving sooner, there was no way you could have known... Hey man, you will always be a hero to me!" Steve snuggled the small bird, "Now, I don't know how much longer the confusion from killing the walking body of a goat with no innards will keep that mountain lion just watching us so could you please take care of it before it kills anymore of your brothers and sisters."

Steve handed Leroy a pitch black potato, after which Leroy hopped off the cart and wandered off into the surrounding woods. After a minute the large form of a cat fell from a tree twenty maybe thirty feet away. Steve motioned the skeletal goats to go where the animal fell, and they soon returned with a mountain lion on their backs as well as the upper half of the zombie goat. Steve turned to his companions, "Don't worry it's not dead just unconscious." Steve with some help tied the cat on to the poles on the front of the cart. "There now we can talk face to face when he wakes up. Tsk. Alright so we should be around the yaks soon, they were in a valley drinking from a river near the edge of the forest when the bears attacked, they bear-ly survived, and a young mother is in unbearable pain. So we need to find that river as soon as possible." Steve paused for a moment, and looked at the lion then at the top half of the goat, "If anyone also finds a snake let me know, I just thought of something." Steve's face broke out into a cruel smile something Edmund had not seen on Steve before.

 

[Albedo]

Had he been able to pay attention to the magic Demyra used, he would have likely marveled at the spectacle. However, his attention was focused on guiding Owlivia to his goal. The tree tops swiftly passing below his gaze was almost entrancing, his experiences having been from the perspective of the ground. He enjoyed the sensation for a brief moment before pointing her towards the smoke that had rolled in the distant before coming back to the cart. Edmund left her with instructions to remain out of sight, but would check up on her in a bit.

After all, as the crow flies was still the quickest path the world knew of by conventional means. In this case the owl, rather.

He heard mention of a goat being killed, and the perpetrator being a mountain lion. He spun in time to see the item being handed off and the chicken begin to head away into the woods. Edmund's perplexed look was pointed to Steve until he heard the crash of a body on the floor of the forest. A touch of concern shifted the expression to apprehensive curiosity as he watched the procession of goats carry a mountain lion back.

The predator was tethered to the front poles of the cart and Steve explained his actions. He wished to speak to the beast upon it's awakening, and with how the fellow handled his own animals along with the small bounty of wild ones, he did not doubt the man could accomplish the task. The puns began to roll out of his mouth though, and the faintest sigh could be heard from Edmund.

The exasperation shifted quickly though to a curious smile as he saw Steve's expression. Not quite following, he looked over the remains of the goat and back to the cat.

"Just what do you have planned? That's a rather uncharacteristic smile you bear." Edmund took only a moment to realize his mistake in wording as he pinched the bridge of his nose. It seemed the other man was wearing off on him.

 

[Demyra Runeheart also Vi]

"Coming from where i did, some of the things i see around here make me wide eyed in wonder still." She smiles at the two, before closing her eyes and casting her mind into the earth around them. She would slump onto the ground while she did, her body limp. Her sudden collapse would be concerning, though anyone who got close would be prevented from touching her by a sphere of thorns moving to protect her.

The thorns were part of the spell itself, made to immediately raise when her mind would leave her body and go into the earth. She was like this for a few minutes, before her eyes would shoot open from where she had been laying. She pointed to a direction that was near where they were at, the color in her eyes changing for a few moments to a strange bark color. As the color drained, she would shudder as she began to move, the short time already making her sore. Her breath was heavy, just going that distance was enough to make her break into a cold sweat.

"Shes over there." She smiled weakly, hauling herself off her feet and brushing herself off. Her transfer had many animals appear at the corners of the greenery around them, just watching. A movement like that was unnatural, and all earthen beings would immediately come to see what she was doing. She had some bad encounters because of her manipulation of the living world. If they had looked, she was sure shed find a snake somewhere.

 

[TTamark]

All maliciousness drained from Steve's smile when he heard Edmund actually make a pun. Steve was practically glowing with joy. "Picasso we must save this moment!" A chicken with a smoke in its mouth began making chicken scratches on a potato skin, the proportions of the drawing were way off, and was too sharp, and square. The only indication it might have been Edmund, was a square eye patch. Steve gave Picasso an appreciative nod, the chicken may have made horrible, ugly art that would no one would ever want, but Picasso always looked so proud, and Steve wouldn't take away his passion. "There is a magical creature I heard about from the college, that was part lion, goat, and snake. I believe they said something about it not being ethical to create one, but well... look at us. Anyway it was called a chimera."

Steve quickly became preoccupied with Demyra when she appeared to suddenly collapse. Steve lunged to catch her without thinking, he hadn't even noticed the thorns that sprang up around her. He did notice them when instead of his hands reaching under her, his fingers got impaled. His instinct to pull his hands back was soon met with regret when blood began to cover his hands. In the ensuing panic he followed the first thought that struck him which was to stick his hands into his potato stew famous for its healing properties, the vegetarian side of course. The problem with this idea became apparent when he realized that the stew was at a boil not long ago, and a pot this large held the heat quite efficiently. Normally this would be great for serving hot stew to people, unfortunately this made sticking one's hands into it a less than enjoyable experience. He quickly removed his hands from the stew, and held them before his face staring at them as they shook while his nerves yelled for relief.

Steve turned to return a weak smile in return to Demyra as she spoke up. Suddenly the words she said hit him. She'd found the mother yak? Steve forgot his pain, the soup had healed his injuries from the burn, and thorns. He hopped off the cart once more, and threw himself in the direction she pointed towards breaking into a sprint.

It might have become apparent, but Steve has issues with stress, and he dealt with his stress through his humour. "Saying this will receive pullback, but I have to get there to help at the site of the black yak attack, before I hit the sack. She might have a crack on her rack! I fear questioning if a back is what she might lack!" When he saw her though, all he could utter was, "Wack!" Steve leaned over to question a duck, but it just responded with, "Quack" The duck flew away from the weird man, "I am taken aback, if I am on the right track, and I am open to feedback, the bear attack happened in a pack. I know this is from the tack, but this hack would require many a smack, from a stack to secure this 'snack'. Plus the only drawback that might hijack this plan was my almanac recorded rain. I this plan may receive flack, or a wisecrack, but if we follow the ransack upon the lilac, we my be led to the kodiak. If you know how to ride bareback, and can track, before it gets pitch-black, one of you could bushwhack cow-back to ensure payback. Ok I have gone offtrack, and will pullback to the ransack I have caused to this knapsack... And I am done with the repack... OH, SHIT are those diamondback!" Steve had mostly been spewing nonsense to take his mind away from the task at hand, and relieve stress while he healed the yaks, but there were a pit of diamondbacks in the grass next to the river attracted by all of Steve's small animals. "F*ck!" Steve looked over to his living traveling companions, "I know I was joking about cardi-yak arrest earlier, but if one of them bites you, you will go into actual cardiac arrest. so don't be a maniac... just be careful..." Steve cut off, and went wide eyed as one neared him, he began to try desperately to communicate with his animals with just his eyes as more began nearing the others as well.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna walked down the path slowly as the whispers guided her feet. Letting her master guide her body while she meditated helped the time roll by, however the whispers soon pulled her from her almost trance like state. "three ahead...two reek of death, the other is of the earth..." they said as they drifted by her ears slowly. She stopped on the road and saw a wagon up ahead with three individuals around it apparently in the middle of leaving or at least getting ready to. Her left hand glowed slightly under her hand wraps as she felt spirits being manipulated.

Necromancers. Luna had met a few necromancers in her time, and most hadnt ended pleasantly. Not to say she thought they were all bad but she adjusted the sword, bow, and quiver she had under her cloak just in case. She was a healer and a priestess, that coupled with her aura of fear given off by the tome she carried between her hands that left any living thing around her with a feeling of dread as she passed. Even if the feeling was short lived leaving as quickly as it came it was often just enough to convince many to leave her be, not wanting to come down with a curse for interfering with the work of whatever deity she served, however she could be quiet the aggressive handful when attacked first or cornered.

Luna decided to resume her walk and if they required anything of her she would serve them as was her duty, and if they left her be she would continue on silently. The whispers reminded her there was work to be done. She nodded as she continued down the path. She needed to find Milo Narcissus. A ranger that roamed these woods many years ago, or more accurately HAD roamed these woods. he had died some fifty years ago. meaning Luna was looking for his grave. His spirit still dwelled in his body unable to move on,and guarding the artifact she needed. Well the artifact her master needed.

Bastellen was not an easy deity to serve... A fact she was realizing more and more. She sighed as she placed her book between her hands in a gesture of prayer feeling the leather cold as ice in her hands, it never warmed up no matter how long she held it, but she still clutched it close as she allowed her master to move her feet as she began to pray in the old tongue using words whispered to her, so old even she didnt even fully understand more than half of them, again Luna let her mind drift. She was hoping these travelers would not be problematic and that the location of the grave would be shown to her soon enough.. She missed her shrine...She missed her home.. "soon.." the whispers said. Luna hoped so..

 

[Albedo]

Edmund had only enough time to shake his head before Steve had a chicken make a carving. It was plainly within the poultry's ability to make it, but if the potato came up missing, he certainly wouldn't have missed it. The explanation of what Steve had in mind however made Edmund smile and begin to reply before seeing Demyra fall into what he initially believed to be a fit of spasms. The thought was quickly remedied however when the other man attempted to grab her and was warded off by thorns.

His good eye focused on watching the whole show, which ended with Steve dunking his hands into the stew, and made a mental note to wait for another pot to be made. He was not dead, and had no plans on being reanimated or invigorated with the blood of another. His gaze traced the landscape for the time that Steve made his rhyme, not wholesale paying attention after the halfway point in the man's words.

Until the word diamondback was said at least. He spun and saw the little blighted things drawing near, entirely unsure of how to handle the little death wrigglers. Raising the dead was one thing, snake charming was another entirely.

"Steve! I thought animals were your thing! Or are reptiles not included in the animal category!?" Edmund hollered, keeping himself well above the ground as he clamored up the pile of potatoes.

Movement elsewhere caught his eye as someone glided along a path from where they had been.

"Miss, stay away from here! Diamondback snakes are slithering about!" Edmund hollered to the passerby, and for once in his life, genuine concern for another's well being on his mind. Usually keen on finding another possible body for postmortem study, slowly passing because of a snake bite wasn't fair to anyone. Never mind what those blasted things did to the heart and blood vessels of a specimens body.

He'd had the great fortune early in his travels to have a ghoul stumble into a viper nest. The great fortune being the ability to examine the venom while it worked since the ghoul was still fairly fresh, and most bodily functions were still operable without his direct assistance. It had been fascinatingly horrifying to watch, and a well learned lesson to not the little devils get a snap at you.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna was snapped from her traveling trance yet again as a commotion from the travelers up ahead began yelling.

"Steve! I thought animals were your thing! Or are reptiles not included in the animal category!?" She raised an eyebrow. reptiles? her question was answered quickly as the man berating "Steve" turned to her as well.
"Miss, stay away from here! Diamondback snakes are slithering about!" Luna shrugged and continued forward.

Her Tome"s aura of fear and decay seemed to push the snakes back as they simply turned and fled for a moment before seemingly shaking it off and turning back to her as one bit her leg, and as she reached to pull it off another went for her arm.
She caught the bugger and yanked the other off her leg with a wince. This wasnt her first snake bite. She held them both by the head in her left hand and muttered something under her breath placing her right on her chest. her brands began to glow a bright blue on her right and a deep blood red on her left.
A lump seemed to form under the bite and it pushed up her leg and up into her left hand causing the snakes to writhe for a moment before both went limp and she dropped them to the ground dead. "If they bite you i can take care of it.." She muttered to the group at large as she fell back from the other snakes as they advanced slightly, feeling a little light headed.

 

[TTamark]

"Steve! I thought animals were your thing! Or are reptiles not included in the animal category!?"

"Animals are my thing, but I don't bloody charm them! I talk things out, maybe bargain!" Steve threw a potato kind of near the snakes, and held another up near his ear, "These snakes are upset that we have interrupted their 'sexy time' as well as how close we got... and one of us might have pecked them."

"Miss, stay away from here! Diamondback snakes are slithering about!"

Steve spun around at Edmunds warning in time to see the "Miss" get bit. His shock became less sour as he saw the woman heal herself. On the other hand Steve found himself wondering what type of masochist would willingly walk threw a pit of vipers, even if you could heal yourself it just seemed... dumb.

Steve, now that the vipers seemed more interested in the insane woman walking threw them, ordered his animals into a defensive position around the yaks. He used his chickens to begin corralling the snakes away from the party. Steve really wanted to introduce himself, it was what he did when he met knew people, but he had a more important question on his mind:

"Why not just... Not get bitten by all those snakes??? Sorry, sorry, Hello traveler I am Steve Son of Will, Spudmancer Supreme," he snapped and made a wide gesture with his arm, and offered a potato flower that hadn't been in his hand a moment before, "please have some of my stew it is to die for, though after seeing you walking through all these snakes I have to question what really is worth dying for anymore."

Steve sat down contemplating life, only making a small gesture with his hand, when a chicken ran up with a bowl of his potato stew in its wings.