Subject The calm after the storm

Salix stops in mid stride, his scimitar raised and ready to strike the mage when he sees that it has been cut down by Surin and the hippogriff. Anger and vengeance still burning in his eyes, he looks for another target for his wrath, but there is none to be seen. He feels the intoxicating anger turning to frustration when he discovers there is no enemy to serve as outlet. He remembers his training. Like when a river is dammed, Salix must provide an outlet or his anger would find one on its own. In that case, it would probably be one that Salix (and his friends) wouldn't appreciate. So he continues toward the now-dead mage and strikes the corpse with all his force, nearly burying the scimitar in the man's chest with a near-feral howl. There is a pause as the howl echoes off the surrounding trees. Noctis takes wing and circles the group a couple of times before nervously alighting on a nearby branch.

Silently and seemingly unaware of the others, Salix closes his eyes and takes one deep breath and recites a prayer of thanks to Obad-Hai in one long, slow exhale. Because he is speaking in the language of his people, to his friends the sound is a strange mix of unknown syllables. After what seems to the group like much too long a time for a single breath, Salix seems to come back to himself. He opens his eyes removes the weapon from the mage's corpse, wipes the blood on the ground, stands and re-sheathes it. He then begins searching the corpses as if this strange display never happened.

"Help me search them," he says to the group. "There must be some indication of who they are or where they are from. It would be good to know why they attacked us."

(OOC - Salix will search each corpse in turn - unless someone else gets to one first. He will be looking for anything unusual or any sign of the origin or purpose of this group, gathering also any potions, weapons, amulets, or the like he encounters in his search.)

Subject The calm after the storm

Ran coughs, feeling suddenly weak and pained from his wounds. He takes a stumbling step towards the downed man next to him and stops, realizing that the pain might be too much for him to do more than sleep. Ran calls out weakly to Harp and says "Corporal, please take charge of the searching of these bodies. Bind tightly any who yet live that we may question them. Make sure Rochelle is well guarded."

Speaking seems to have taken all of Rans effort and he slumps to the ground in exhaustion. His eyes close and his breathing shallows. He begins to silently meditate, calming his mind and stilling his twitching muscles. His mouth moves slightly as he almost inaudibly speaks a prayer of thanks that neither he or any of his companions were killed in this deadly conflict.

Subject The calm after the storm

Harp, hearing Ran's command, responds "Yes, sir. Bel, Cai - search these two over here. Fal, keep Rochelle where she is until I give the all clear, but check with her to make sure she is OK. Surin, help Salix search that mage for anything of interest. Kal, sit, rest, I will see to your wounds shortly."

With that, Harp kneels down at the two men in plate, checking to see if either of them still breathe. OOC: Mark, if Harp finds that either of them are still alive, he will sacrafice 2 0 level spells for a Cure Minor Wounds on each to stabilize them. If they are both beyond saving, the change the activity below to 4 cure minor wounds on Kal.

IC: Once Harp has stabilized the two enemies, he will go over to Kal to examine his wounds. Seeing their severity, he will get his healing kit from his pack horse, sacrafice his two remaining 0 level spells to cure minor wounds on Kal and uses his healing kit, saying as he does so

"Your wounds are deep, but not life threatening, I think. The grace my lord affords me has been mostly used this day, but I will do what little I can tonight. Tomorrow, I will be able to do more."

When Harp has completed this, and the bodies have been searched, Harp will call Surin and the others over.

" We need to make camp, both to rest ourselves, and to explore what we have found. Salix, would you and Cai go to Fal and Rochelle and bring them over while Bel and I get the horses and bring them in. Surin, when we return, I would appreciate your help in setting up camp. Bel, if you would then take Cai and maybe find us some fresh meat, I am sure that we could all use a hot meal."

Harp will ask diplomatically if either Ran or Kal need assistance in getting to the camp site.

Subject The calm after the storm

Kal, ignoring Harps order to sit, kneels in front of his fallen enemy. He says a short prayer to Corellon Larethian, kisses the hilt of his blade, wipes it clean of blood, and sheathes it.

With that, Kal allows himself to fully return to reality. As he stands, his left leg buckles beneath him. In that moment the pain from the battle washes over him and nearly knocks him unconscious. Struggling to master his pain, Kal forces himself to stand. After two deep breaths, he takes appraisal of the battlefield, and then inspects his enemy, looking for any thing that might reveal who he is or why he attacked us. (Knowledge Religion and Arcana checks)

Harp comes forward and says something to Kal, but Kal can hardly understand the words, he's lost in his thoughts: "He fought well, he bested their leader and another where I could hardly handle one."

Dismissively nodding at whatever Harp is saying to him, Kal returns to his thoughts. "I was overconfident, and it nearly got me killed. I should have prepared more thoroughly before I jumped into combat with him. Just because I'm the better swordsman doesn't mean I'm going to win every fight I get into, battle's are precarious things and I allowed my opponent too much of a chance. "

Kal wanders around the battlefield for a while, seemingly dazed. He occasionly stops to inspect his fallen enemies bodies, looking for something that could hint at their origin. If he finds anything of value he'll bring it to Ran. (Unless it's a Rapier, in which case he'll keep it for himself.)

Kal refuses healing until the rest of the party is completely healed, insisting that the wounds are much worse than they look.

OOC: Jason -- Ragnar Stonehands? Sounds fun.