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[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"Aha," exclaimed Dras, picking up the grisly trophies. "Indigenous wolven trinkets. How curious."

Casting: Detect Magic.
"Spellcraft": (11)+16 = 27.

((DM: Dim transmutation.))
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[ilovefire]

Valerie

Valerie moved forward with Dras. When he holds up the trinkets, she examines them for the presence of malevolence.

((DM: Zey are not evil.))

[Reiver]

Haldiel, after determining that Dras is not about to become terrifyingly ambushed, turns his attention to Valerie. His severely unimpressed attention.

"And what, might I ask, do you think you were attempting to achieve by charging off blindly even after I warned of the danger? Lucky as we may be on this occasion, I would much prefer to have faith in my comrades abilities than in Lady Luck! That could very well have been some sort of trap!"

[Erik Mesoy]

"Can you discuss that as we ride?" asked Cassie plaintively. "I'd rather get a move on before more of them arrive."
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[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"Quite - the road gentlepersons," Dras gestured towards the road, hoping to diffuse some antagonism between Haldiel and Valerie.
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[Reiver]

Haldiel grunts, but doesn't argue for now, and moves the horse back to point position on the road.

[EvilDarkLord]

Happily, Vord was in hearing range by the time Haldiel asked about his power reserves, having come to inspect the dead wolves with the others. As they went back to the horses to hit the road... "I could deal with another three packs or so and have some power left over, I guess. But the limit keeps increasing, I don't think I'll top out any time soon. In a few days or weeks, who knows what I'll be able to do?"

Vord adopted his comfortable spot on the wagon again, and soon forgot about the encounter as he bent his mind inward.
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We rode on the winds of the rising storm,
we ran to the sound of the thunder.
We danced among the lightning bolts,
and tore the world asunder.

[ilovefire]

Valerie

Valerie manuevered back to the road before answering Haldiel. "Simple, really. By presenting a heavily armored, heavily armed target within closer distance than a horde of not-so-well-equiped targets, I made myself be the largest threat to the Wolves. Should they have managed to escape the circle without dieing, they would have attacked me, leaving the rest of you safe to retaliate."

[Reiver]

"On the contrary, snarled Haldiel, "It forced us to break any semblance of defensive position near enough to the full casters to protect them in the event of ambush, and allow them the opportunity to attack with less time to slow them down.

Consider - what would have happened should the wolves had forces hidden on the other side of the road? You would not have been able to return in time to render aid, and having the melee forces chasing after you to give support would have meant we could not grant assistance either." Haldiel settles, and sighs heavily.

He then turns his attentions to Vord. "And Vord, that is ... well, extremely impressive. I myself get only half a dozen valences to employ per day..." A thought strikes. "Forces like yourself would become popular in militaries if they knew your capabilities."

The statement is left as a fact - whether a compliment or a warning is unclear, though.

[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"I'm with Haldiel on this, Valerie," said Dras, alternating his gaze between the two. "While you, Haldiel, might bear in mind what Valerie's natural inclination to do is. Issuing orders that won't be followed is a waste of breath."
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[EvilDarkLord]

"Valerie already let the twins die because she had to be in the frontline. If that's not enough to teach her, nothing is." Vord spat into the discussion, as close to anger as he'd ever been seen. "I'm not sure whether this is a natural inability to learn from mistakes or whether all her talk about doing the right thing is just an ego booster. Which one, eh, Valerie?" he went on, addressing that last to the hidiot herself.
_________________
We rode on the winds of the rising storm,
we ran to the sound of the thunder.
We danced among the lightning bolts,
and tore the world asunder.

[Reiver]

"...While I accept that orders must be relevant to the situation and tempraments, I had honestly not expected the instructions given to be unfair..." Haldiel grumbled in Dras's general direction, not wanting to break the flow of conversation for a minor nitpick.

Vords own comment caught Haldiel by surprise - the man was not known for much emotion at all. "...Twins?", Haldiel asked.

[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"Penelope and Peregin," supplied Dras, with a sour face, clearly also angry that they were killed. "They were with us in the tunnel."
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[Reiver]

"...There, ah, there was a funeral in attendance when I first arrived at the abbey..." Haldiel says this very cautiously and tentatively, and leaves the not-quite-a-question hanging in the air.

[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"Yes," Dras said.
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[Reiver]

Haldiel visibly winced.

((And not saying much more till Valerie gets a chance to reply. Fairs fair, and all... I figure the amount of conversation that's happened can easily enough have been a side-distraction to the main one without difficulty.))

[ilovefire]

Valerie

"So it is MY fault that Penelope and Peregrin died? Because I merely wished to be where my abilities would render the most help? I am a combatant--yes, I'm a healer as well, but my training is largely for offensive purposes. Had I held back, yes, perhaps they would have lived--but they may have died anyway! My fault?! It isn't any more my fault than it is the rest of ours, for not protecting those under our charge! It's ALL of our faults! Except Haldiel's, but he wasn't there. And as for if the wolves had reinforcements waiting in ambush, I fully believe in the abilities of the rest of you to protect those who need it. Should I have reason to doubt your skills?" Valerie replied to the rest of the group with a vitriol and anger that was uncharacteristic of the woman.

[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

Dras sighed, rubbing his temple. "Vord, it is not her fault the twins died," he said to the psion. "The persons responsible have been sent to whatever cruel afterlife they've earned." He turned to Valerie. "Valerie, a little temperance can go a long way to earn you not only a longer lifespan, but also some more respect from all of us."
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[Erik Mesoy]

"Yes." said Cassie. "Now let's stop arguing and keep a look out; the snow's thickening."

And the snow was indeed falling faster and thicker. Vord's walls of energy winked out, leaving scorchmarks, soot and a great deal of smoke. But everywhere else in sight, visibility was dropping as a layer of white laid itself over the land.

Valerie. Joshua was speaking to Valerie telepathically, which was odd, as the weapon had been quiet so far. I sense your frustration. You are operating under different rules of engagement. Is that generally correct?
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[ilovefire]

Valerie

Yes. I was taught to enter combat honorably and directly--to present yourself as the largest target so that others do not get harmed, Valerie replied to Joshua. Hanging back--doing NOTHING--is not something I am familiar with. My teacher allways told me the best defense was a quick, powerful offense.

[Erik Mesoy]

The snow fell for eight or ten minutes and then stopped as though the sky had suddenly become empty. The party brushed snow off themselves and rode on.

Half an hour later, there was a heartfelt "Awoooooooooo." off to the right, and the party saw a winter wolf standing on a knoll three hundred feet away and staring in their direction.

"How intelligent are they, really?" asked Cassie nervously. "I've got a bad feeling."
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[EvilDarkLord]

"Smart enough, I'd guess, that we'll be dogmeat if they manage to separate us." Vord told her with a meaningful glance toward Valerie. "Do you think that one is the only one watching us right now?" he asked the others.
_________________
We rode on the winds of the rising storm,
we ran to the sound of the thunder.
We danced among the lightning bolts,
and tore the world asunder.

[AbuDhabi]

DRAS

"Keep very, very alert, people," cautioned Dras. "I think it just summoned reinforcements. Those things are tool users. To me, that indicates that they have intellects more or less comparable to humanoids."
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[Reiver]

"From what I understand... even smarter, in some cases. It's almost certain they speak our language, at least..." Saying this led to a thought striking him.

Haldiel considered his options, and decided to go for broke while the enemy was still well out of earshot. Out of an instinctive paranoia, uttered a spell for a few moments, and opened up a Message spell to the companions around him.
"Just so you all are aware - I have a spell that may prove useful in the event of an attack by wolves charging us from range. I am able to modify damaging spells such as a simple force missile spell, such that the energies involved become a little... " he hesitates, clearly not used to having to explain it in simple terms "... sticky, I suppose is the best term. Either way, it can slow up to three opponents down for a few seconds - and when used well, putting a charge into disarray long enough for us to press an advantage. I had been holding it in reserve in the last fight mostly because they never actually had the chance to charge us..."

As an afterthought to his (possibly now familiar) monologue, "...Oh, and this spell should last about an hour. I suggest we keep our voices down for the time being, lest keen ears end up hiding nearby."

[Erik Mesoy]

There was an answering cry somewhere ahead of the party, and another further away to the right. The visible winter wolf continued to stare malevolently at the party as it howled to the winds.
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