The group had been able to make camp if they wanted to. Whether it was in the circle of trees that let the warmth linger or outside of them where it was a bit colder in the Autumn night. The good thing is that no one is hurt and there doesn't seem to be any sounds of prey animals around for the moment.

It is blissfully quiet.

But for some in this group, quiet is never a good thing. Which honestly given the past few years, months and maybe days for some it is good to be on your toes!


Ian is familiar with the process of building, lighting, and tending a fire, and as firewood is brought in, he begins this process, after the group has chosen a suitable campsite, starting with a spark from his alaricite sword onto tinder, and then slowly adding in kindling as he nurses the fragile blaze.

Eirene has her kit of adventuring supplies, which she kneels and digs through to set up her corner of the camp. She keeps her back to the fire and her eyes to the darkness as so not to dim her vision. "So who wants first watch," she inquires in her raspy voice.

Jan begins to see to chopping fire to keep the fire going throughout the night. An idle Jan is never a good thing so she sets to making sure there's fire enough for the entire night "I can take it if need be."

Cosimo comes late to the party, so to speak, riding up quietly on his black and white horse. Dismounting near the campfire and tying the sleek beast up, he approaches with an ungainly stride under all that steel, one hand raised in greeting. "Good evening. Lord Cosimo Tessere here from the Explorers. Seems like you've got a fire going, anything particularly noteworthy happen yet?" Standing with a crossbow over one shoulder as close as he can to the blaze, his dark, somnolent eyes cast over the rest of the group - some familiar, some not.

Ian looks up from building up the fire; the flickering light casts his harsh feature into even harsher planes of light and shadow. "Well, we found an evil statue and there's a bunch of dried blood over there. But we're pretty sure we're not all going to get murdered during the night." There's probably a joke in there somewhere, but his voice doesn't really carry humor well; everything he says sounds dead serious, including this.

Jan stops from her woodcutting and wipes her brow with her sleeve "WHY did you tell him that? This is the same man I had to carry piggy back across a stream because he saw a fucking watersnake." She points the axe at Ian and squints "You did that on purpose."

Titania is off to the side, she does not know much about setting camp up (Not that she doesn't want to learn.) She sits and watches her cousin set things up and get the fire going. She puts her hands out to warm, looking up when she hears a new voice and then Ian speaking. Her blue eyes fall on Cosimo watching him, for a moment then looks into the flames as her hands are pulled back and she fiddles with the hem of her cape as if nervous air about her, she looks to Jan then back its going to be a long night.

Eirene motions to the stars starting to appear in the sky. "We also found what looks like a burial site with maybe? starmarks." She consults her notes as she stares upward. "All of it is fairly aged so it's not, like, -fresh- blood." Reassuring, isn't she?

The sound of a second mount, Mist Dancer, on which Lucita rides comes along with Cosimo. She has a supply pack with her and once dismounting and seeing to her horse, she grunts and struggles to heave the heavy pack toward the others. In it are food and drinks, various odds and ends that make a rough camp a little easier and some replacement arrows, throwing knives, another lantern. Consuming the food and drinks and sharing of supplies will certainly lighten the load for the morrow. "Anywhere particular you want this stuff?"

"A little murder'll toughen him up," Ian remarks to Jan. His twitch of a smile isn't really a NICE smile, but at least an effort has been made. He looks up when Lucita shows up with food. "Bring anything you want cooked over here and we'll get it started."

Dark eyes gleam within Cosimo's helmet at the mention of an evil statue and dried blood, "What's this? A malevolent piece of sculpture and blood? Have they been examined? If not, I'd be quite happy to assist! Something I can be useful with, in any case. I'd prefer not to be murdered, though. If it's all the same to whomever is out there doing the murdering." Voice turning a bit wry, he chuckles before listening to Eirene with a slow nod. "I see. That would be interesting to examine as well." Smiling grimly at Jan and Titania with a dip of his head, "Oh, snakes and rats are far worse than this!" He extends a hand to Lucita to help her unload the heavy pack.

Jan groans "You are such a fucking shit-you are LUCKY you're family." like Jan could do anything other than annoy family. She pauses to offer Titania's shoulder a gentle squeeze "Never you worry, Titania. I got first watch and Ian is absolutely more ornery than anything out here." That said she resumes chopping wood.

Eirene checks perception at normal. Eirene marginally fails.

Cosimo checks perception at normal. Cosimo is successful.

Ian checks perception at normal. Critical Success! Ian is spectacularly successful.

Jan checks perception at normal. Jan is successful.

Titania checks perception at normal. Titania is successful.

Lucita checks perception at normal. Lucita marginally fails.

Titania does smile listening to Jan and Ian go back and forth, she looks up and smiles at Jan then looks over to Cosimo and Lucita. "Lord Cosimo, Baroness Lucita." she smiles to them both speaking in a soft tone. She moves to pull some parchment out and piece of sharpened coal and starts to write, but then shakes her head crumbles it up and puts it in the fire.

Lucita gives a nod to Ian and a smile of thanks to Cosimo. "Here you are. There should be plenty for tonight and a good breakfast on the morrow and a cold lunch before we wind up on trail rations and whatever we hunt or forage."

Lucita gives Titania, Eirene, and Jan a soft greeting but largely stays quiet as she listens to what has been found already.

Eirene's got her back to the fire and eyes to the stars. She is checking her notes and comparing constellations to the ones found on the burial site.

"Don't volunteer me to stab the evil statue to death," Ian protests to Jan. "I'm pretty sure statues don't work that way." He's sat back at this point, and looks up at the sky thoughtfully. "Huh. I'm not Wash or anything, but I think that statue might be part of a star chart of some kind. I'd probably need a sextant to be sure." He taps the head of his cane on the ground for a moment and then studies the compass set into it.

Even with the helmet on Cosimo seems to hear something, his attention turning from the group to stare into the darkness outside of the range of the fire's light. He drops his crossbow into both hands and whispers loud enough for hopefully the rest to hear, "There's something or somethings skulking about out there." A step back closer to the campfire is taken, elbow nudging Jan.

Jan frowns "I didn't bring an sextant, we're on dry land." she tilts her head "What is that? Deer?" she looks at Cosimo "Relax and go stand by the fire princess." she tells the decidedly not royal or female Cosimo.

Titania looks up as her ears ping in on some kind of sounds, her hand reaches back under her cloak to pull her bow out. Her ocean blue eyes look around them, the flames reflecting in her eyes as she does.

Ian shifts his attention to the change in the demeanor of his companions and sighs. "Jan, give me a hand up."


The night is beautiful and yet it is eerie for those who are used to the well of sounds that come from living in the city. The silence is broken by the howl that breaks the stillness of the night. It is close, but sounds to be done from something that is standing still. Two more howls spring up from other sides of the darkness that surrounds them. It would be a gorgeous sound...if it wasn't surrounding them.

The chorus dies off and seeming to materialize from the darkness is a large black wolf that has two dead rabbits in its jaws. It gives a look around the group, drops them on the edges of the firelight and then simply disappears back into the shadows.

Then the group can hear four distinct howls and the running of paws as they travel in the direction of the mountain paths.


Jan pivots, grabs Ian's hand and yoinks him to his feet with one hand and a soft grunt. "...the blessed fuck...?"

Eirene carefully tucks her notebook away into her belt pouch and draws her blade. Backing in closer to the fire, still keeping her eyes on the darkness in an old soldier's trick to avoid losing night vision. "Did it just... give us fuckin' dinner?"

Lucita has been dealing with supplies near the fire. When others seem to hear or suspect something, she turns her back to the fire, closes her eyes so they adjust to the darkness, then opens them. She prudently steps away from the fire so her figure is not silhouetted against the light. A glance toward Ian and Jan is given but she stays quiet, trying, unsuccessfully, to hear whatever is that first caught attention. Her eyes widen as she hears the howls and watches the wolf approach. "Seems like it did. Nice of them to let know they are around and benevolent.

Ian doesn't stand up so much as let Jan haul him to his feet; he stumbles once he's standing, steadying himself by putting an arm on her shoulder. He's eyeing the rabbits that have been deposited at the edge of their camp.

Neither a soldier nor a woodsperson, Cosimo stands in front of the fire and is likely nicely silhouetted against the radiant flames. When the howling begins on both sides, the crossbow is gripped with tension in his hands. The delivery of dinner instead sees the Tessere lord relax with a quiet exhale. "I didn't expect that. I don't think that's common behavior for wolves, is it? Nothing I've read about in any case, nor seen on previous trips in the wild. Still, I think I'll skip the offering."

Titania blinks holding her bow in her hands, she stands up and moves over to where the rabbits where dropped. Her head tilting to the side as her gloved fingers trace over the rabbits, then look out into the woods as the howls go up again and then they run off.

Jan stands still as long as Ian hand his hand on her shoulder for support, scanning the dark woods around the fire, silent as she strains to listen "No. Usually they eat their kill then regurgitate it for their pups."

"Pretty sure that's birds," Ian comments to Jan.

Eirene echoes Ian, "Yeah, that

Titania checks perception and empathy at hard. Titania is successful.

Eirene echoes Ian, "Yeah, that's how a bird works... but still. No, wolves do not bring fresh game to campers in the wild."

"Countess Fireviper, do those hares seem freshly killed? Or are they all cold and stiff?" Musing, Cosimo murmurs to Ian and Eirene, "I wonder if they'd take it poorly if we didn't eat them. Rather curious behavior though, offering us food instead of just bringing it home for their pups. Odd wolves, indeed."

Lucita lowers her voice and murmurs gently. "Allies? Friends of 'Sen'?"

Jan says, "Who's Sen and why would their friends be four-legged?"

"No sense in them going to waste," Ian decides. "I don't mind cleaning them, but I don't want to get back on the ground until we're sure nothing's coming back. And I learned to cook on a ship."

Titania breaths deeply as she was crouched down with her eyes closed then open again, when Cosimo called her Countess Fireviper then is a slight wince to her. She wets her lips as she speaks softly. "They are fresh kills, I believe they are a offering. They were not aggressive, if they were going to attack they would have. We not be standing still talking at the moment if they were going too." she moves to collect them and move back to the camp, "I think we should cook them, accept their gifts of a meal."

Eirene glances at Jan. "Long story, but it could indeed be 'friends'." She nods back at Titania. "Yeah, soldiers - and sailors - know to eat when you get food. I can check and see if there's any kind of disease or poison if you want..."

Eirene checks perception and survival at normal. Eirene is successful.

Hesitating for a moment after noticing Titania's wince, "Thank you Titania. Your expertise is appreciated." Dipping his chin towards Eirene, "If they seem free of parasites and such, then I think partaking of the rabbits would be wise, yes."

Lucita says, "Sen is Prima Sen'azala. She has been one of our protectors as long as I have known her. Helped Lord Ian keep me alive in 1008, and other times. She is a remarkable woman, a leader of her people." She provides some of the information that Eirene did not. "Lord Ian can tell you more should you wish to know."

Once he's fairly sure that there's no more danger on the horizon, Ian lowers himself carefully to the ground, making it most of the way before his knees give out and he drops with an irritated curse. He motions for Titania to bring over the rabbits while he draws his rubicund knife. "Eirene, you should have a look at the stars. I think it's no accident where the statue was placed. It might be some kind of map." He doesn't seem terribly inclined to talk about Sen.

Jan stands where she is but offers a hand and draws a knife, "I'll ..." She spies Ian and then shrugs and sheaths her knife, "Want me to come with you, Lady Eirene?"

Eirene takes the rabbits from Titania long enough to inspect them. Checking the fur, the scent, the ears. "Nope, normal rabbits. No fleas, no ticks, just wolf-teeth prints in 'em. We can clean and dress them for a meal." She hands them back so she can dust her slightly bloody hands on her coat before going to look over at the sky. "Yeah," she replies to Ian, "That was my first thought. I've seen enough of Mihaly's star charts to recognize constellations and stuff." She nods to Jan and glances back towards the statue. "Let's take a look and see how it all lines up. Sometimes star maps only line up at certain times of year, so it may be off-season."

Cosimo snaps his gaze up with curiosity at the mention of checking out a star map, looking from Ian to Eirene. "Mind if I come with, Eirene? I'd really like to take a look at that statue and where it aligns with the stars." Slinging his crossbow over his shoulder again, he takes a step forward to join, if invited.

Titania looks to Cosimo, "Lady Titania Kennex." she says to him with a smile, when Eirene takes them she waits as she looks them over then once given the okay she moves over to Ian and gives them to him. She sits down near to him so she can watch, she is always willing to to learn new things. She looks up to those who might be moving off to check the stars.

Jan smiles at titania "Damn strait you're ours." She grabs her satchel and slings it over her shoulder, moving to follow Eirene.

Ian doesn't show any interest in checking out the statue again, after a quick look to make sure that someone capable of defending everyone else is going along. With Jan already heading that way, he seems satisfied, and settles in to clean and dress the rabbits. Ever the reflexive teacher, he makes the occasional comment to Titania to explain to her exactly what he's doing and why.

Eirene gives Lucita a thumbs up as she murmurs to the Saik and then nods to Cosimo and Jan. "Okay, let's check this out... either of you ever star-gaze? The stars form little pictures in the sky which come out pretty close to the same night after night. Sometimes we get new stars, some stars fade." Ian seems to have the camp well in hand so she sheaths her sword and goes back towards the statue.

Jan nods "I have but usually it's what a sextant and a star-chart. We have neither so...what are we looking for exactly?"

Lucita remains back at camp after a quiet exchange with Eirene. She helps work with the rabbits, preparing rinse water to get any stray hairs off the meat, preparing spits on which the meat can be roasted and such 'cook's assistant' duties.

Cosimo takes his error in stride and flashes a smile in return at Titania with his response, "Lady Titania Kennex. I will remember from now on." Afterwards, he nods quickly at Eirene with a gesture towards the darkened sky. "Often have I gazed at the stars and watched their positions, trying to pick out shapes and where they might be from day to day. I imagine those who are on the sea often do so even more."

Titania nods her head to Cosimo but then her attention is bac on Ian as he explains how and why he is skinning and treating the rabbits like he is, this stuff can be life saving! And who else better to learn it from your cousin, Jan's words did hit her ears and a smile comes to her lips but her eyes stay on Ian and his hands.


Besides the arrival of an unexpected dinner, there is no other weirdness that accosts the group as their rabbits cook and they share each others company. The area around them is quiet and there are no sounds of aggressive growls or anything. There is the occassional sound of a deer or other things, but nothing big and scary.

They can choose to sleep in shifts or as a whole, but in the end the night passes into the Autumn sun starting to peek over the mountains and warming the world again.

Ready for them to continue on with their journey.


Jan checks wits and occult at normal. Jan is successful.

Cosimo checks intellect and occult at normal. Cosimo marginally fails.

Eirene flips through her book as she kneels near the statue. "How fuckin' odd. Like a goose wearing fishnets and garters." Make sense out of that. "They LOOK like they line up with the stars. But it's not one I'm very familiar with." She reaches out a gloved hand and starts as if she's going to press in the markings, like buttons. "May want to back up," she cautions Cosimo and Jan. "In case this is a trap."

"A goose wearing what?" Cosimo asks, looking puzzled and distracted. However he takes a couple steps back and stumbles over a rock, breaking his concentration while consumed by the idea of some kind of evil statue map trap. "Right. I think I'm far enough back now."


Eirene's fingers brush over the markings and when she presses on them they do in fact move a little. But it's the gentle rumble in the distance up the path that lets them know that this might be some sort of...mechanism? Who knows. But the statues base shivers a little as something has been triggered and opened.

They'd have plenty of time to discover what they opened when the sun came up!


Lucita settles in with the others for the night after a good meal and exchanging stories around the campfire. She offers to stand one of the watches. "Don't feel comfortable with us all asleep the same time. Too easy for someone or something to sneak up on us."