The possums appear impressed by Cas' tale. Whether they believe all of it is anyone's guess. They are certainly awed with the general look of the company.
"Whoo now!" says Rafe, his feet digging through the mud, "Never met no one who went lookin' fer banditers! Y'all be right iron-mongerin' folk sure as night'n'day. Careful Mister Fox, your up to yer... tail-root in water. You might want to move to the lee-side here."
Jebbe sits back against a tree and cackles, "Right purty tail he's got there sonny; don't go a teasin' him ferit. If'n I had a purty tail like thet, I'd wrap it up too. Maybe put a fancy bow onnit. A'hehehe!" He winks and slaps his knee.
Rafe gives Faliol the look of the long-suffering son.
While the boat is slowly shifting and sliding, Byula is preparing the catfish, with the help of Handle. About the time the houseboat finally slides into deep enough water to float her, the Whiff has dissipated and been replaced by the welcome odor of fish stew. (Welcome being a relative term, seasoned to taste).
Eventually, it is mid morning and the company has sat down to a hearty breakfast.

Lum turns to Cas, who is sitting next to Beka and Rath. "So what happened at the fort? Was they folks kil't? Didja see any o' the twisty-folk?"

Byula raps his noggin smartly with the serving spoon. "Mind your manners and your place. You got mo' impotant thangs to be a'worryin' over. Y'only done got four days t'go. And sit up straight. Bogsagoshen, folk'd think you was an animal all hunkered like that."

Jebbe says in his dry voice, "What are the lot o' ye bringin to Adala-way? I's powerful curious why a pack o' beast folk'd turn they eyes on that city. I been there and I wouldn't go back if'n ye paid me a dollar a day. I'm a'guessin' you lot is from Tallon-yonder. Heared y'all get better business thereabouts."

Rafe continues a thread of conversation from earlier. Y'all done asked me 'bout Demon King Temples. I s'posed ever'one knew 'bout the Ice Palace o' the Wendigo. Ain't never see'd it nor met no one who had, but I heared it was somewhere beyond Blacklake."

Feel free to respond to any of the possums' statements as you will.

I chuckle when Rafe and Jebbe tease me about my tail. I have heard it often enough.

.oO(Glad we met these good folk. Always good to make new friends...)

When the subject changes to reavers and the slain, I stop eating.

"I better check on the animals. Miss Byula, the food was excellent, thank you for your kind hospitality."

I keep the smile plastered on my face until I am well away from the others.

Checking on the oxen, wagon and cart.

Riccoco watches narrow-eyed as Faliol retreats from this wondrous repast.

.oO(What be up with the Kit?)

Sighing, the 'coon eyes the remainder of his fish stew. As he starts to rise, he sits back down quickly and finishes off his portion.

Standing a few moments later he tosses out a quick, "Ol Riccoco be thankin' you kindly!" and heads out to see what is wrong with his young friend, now.

I walk briskly to the animals, wanting some task to take my mind off the bad times in Fort Lizard... I look to make sure the cargoes of silk and weed are secure/untampered with.

Perception roll, 12 or less.
3d6: 11 Fri April 4, 2003 @2:19 PM (CST)

I pat Kent's horse on the head, then I scratch behind its ears. This horse likes me better than those two animals of Beka's. Why? I am not sure.

Hearing someone approach from the direction of the possum's boat, I am glad to see it is Ricco.

"I thought you would still be eating catfish and tubers, Bandit. Has Handle given you any food since Fort Lizard? You put away the chow like you are starving to death..."

.oO(Maybe he won't notice... Nah, knows me too well.)

[EDITED on Sat April 5, 2003 @7:04 AM (CST)]

Ricco shakes his head settling to wait out the fox-kit, "No, no, nothing o' the sort. Ol' Riccoco found the makin' o' the meal remindin' him of 'Coon Lake. You don't be eatin' fish?"

"Fish n Tubers tasted great till I lost my appetite. I think it is unfair to gleefully volunteer those lies about what happened at the Lizard. If someone asks us what happened, we should tell the lie for our own protection, but we do a disservice to people like Able every time we voice that fabrication. But Cas seems to enjoy telling the version that didn't happen.

There was this cool Master there who helped us win but died because of it. What a load of crap! Able gets forgotten, Ash gets to become a hero. That ain't right."

My arms have begun to wave around, indicating an extremely upset kit. I finally slump down on the back of Kent's cart.

"But I like being reminded of the three pinks I killed even less. I have trouble enough pushing their faces out of my mind."

[EDITED on Sat April 5, 2003 @7:26 AM (CST)]

Ricco nods twirling his whiskers, "This 'coon ain't been thinkin' overmuch o' The Lizard since it be left behind. Red, you'd be doin' aright to do the same. We be knowin' the truth o' what went down an' need to keep the deeds o' the Dead there in our hearts. Ain't none other that know the facts best."

"Those Pinkies should o' been knowin' the right o' it when they drew bead on the likes o' us, Faliol. No good comes o' killin'. Even less o' bein' on the losin' end."

"Ricco, I bet you won't guess the smartest thing I have done in recent history? Stumped? It was visiting the Singing Turtle in Tallon on the day of our departure. I didn't know it then, but going inside that bar, at that time, put me in a prime position to make the acquaintance of a wise and loyal raccoon."

I get off the back of the wagon and stretch. "You might know him? Chunky thighs, goofy little trident, backpack full of weeds...?"

I smile at my wise friend. "Thanks for listening and offering good advice, my friend."

:worship:

Ricco clears his throat and adjusts his new leather vest from Fort Lizard, "The Lizard folks don't be quite makin' these like they used too..."

Clearing his throat again, he hesitantly pats one of the oxen on the flank, "Any thought o' gettin' word a things where the Possum be comin' from? This 'coon wonders why they be gatherin'..."

"Are the possums gathering? I must have missed that part of the conversation. I just thought they were a smaller possum version of a Fox caravan."

"Mayhap, Ol 'Riccoco be hearin' something else then he be thinkin', eh?"

"I have been so muddle-headed lately I probably missed the part about the possum gathering."

Starting to walk back to the possum's table, I stop abruptly.

"Ricco, you were planning to sell that dreamleaf in Adala, correct? You are aware that they look down upon us beasts? Just a suggestion, but Trader Kent has a cargo of dreamleaf. If you asked him, I am pretty sure that he would be willing to sell your 'leaf when he sells his 'leaf. You might get a better price that way..."

I watch the 'coon to make sure that I haven't offended him in any way.

Looking thoughtfull, Riccoco responds, "Mayhap, you have the right o' that, Faliol." Breaking into a grin, the 'coon continues, "Ol Riccoco can't help but be thinkin' the other Beastly folk must be havin' a place o' their own. it be likin' the Shambles o' Tallon, this 'coon be wagerin'."

"You been there afore, Red! Be that the way o' it?"

Keith, does Adala have a place where the beasts are predominant?

There is a small Beast area inside the city walls, but this is mostly high-density housing for service workers (i.e. slums). Beasts cannot own property within the city, unlike Tallon.
Outside of the walls but within the farmlands (mostly to the north of the road, away from the games) there are any number of Beast communities.

Nevertheless, within the city, on the edge of Beast housing, there are a number of inns that will service both beasts and humans. Beasts may of course walk abroad in the outer city without restriction, save places which are marked, "Humans Only".

OOC: Welcome to Georgia ca. 1880, without the lynchings.

I appreciate the info.

"Ricco, inside Adala there is a small Beast area but it is crowded with service workers. When too many men or beasts get jammed too close together, bad things happen. Beasts are not allowed to own property within the city. There are several Beast communities outside the walls. Later I could take you to one if you wish.

Please remember to obey the "Humans Only" signs, Ricco. A good way for a beast to get hurt in Adala is to go where he isn't wanted. I think Miss Beka intends for all of us to stay at one of the inns on the fringe of the Beast quarter that takes both beast and human."

Wordlessly, the 'coon grunts his acknowledgement, seemingly thoughtful of coming to Adala with the night.

"I pat Kent's ox on the head, then I scratch behind its ears. This ox likes me better than those two of Beka's. Why? I am not sure."

Possiby because it is a horse.

I meant to simulate Faliol's failed TF roll. Yeah.

Oops!

"Where's Blacklake from here? And where's this Ice Palace supposed to be in relation to it? Is this all far off the path?"

Cas likes this idea a whole lot, it is easy to read as much from her body language. "That sounds like an amazing story to tell. Nine adventurers head to an ICE PALACE! Oh, maybe there are frozen statue guards with long ice swords! I can see Faliol dancing around one trying to keep his tail from being cut off. That sounds like FUN!"

OOC: What do any of us know about ice?

"Ice is somethin I heared about. Ain't never seen none. Heared you can find it on some mountain tops though. S'posed to look like crystal or diamonds.
"An' y'all done passed Blacklake if'n you took the roadaways here from the fort. [you did. You could see it from where you found the bodies]. Wouldn't head there if'n I was y'all. Gatorboys be thick as trees t'other side o' the lake.
"'Sides, that's just a legend, a story. I'm a thinkin' the gators spread it so's they can get greedy folk to wander their way. No, y'all'd be much happier stickin' t'the road."

You four have close enough ties to Tallon to know.
The Ice Palace is most likely real. It is the Demon King court where the symbol of your city was found. The Demon-King blade Annihilator is said to have been found there, hundreds of years ago.
This story is as common and accepted in Tallon as Paul Revere's ride is to modern Americans. For more detail, see here. The feat is immortalized in the play, Orion, Paladin of Skerrit (shown in the grey box).

Riccoco, I have included you here because although you don't live in Tallon, your people are closely enough involved with the city to be aware of their culture. Much like an American Indian would know who George Washington was.

.oO(Very interesting, perhaps a detour on the return trip may be in order. If I can find something there that can help deal with my situation in Tallon...)

OOC: Much obliged!

Celeste listens to Cas' version of the story with mild interest. Occasionally she will make eye contact with Rath or Faliol, and even though eye contact with Vagrant is not possible, she will look at him. She is curious to see how they respond to the changes in the tale.

OOC: I have an unabridged version of the modified story in my email that I wrote at work one overnight. Once I've had a chance to fix all the grammatical problems, I get it posted up for people.

Vagrant, who looked as if he was returning to his bed is easily discovered peeking out from behind the wagon. Something seems to have peaked his curiousity. Was it the rendition of Cas' story, the legends of that most mysterious thing called 'ice' or does it have to do with the fact that when Celeste looks to him he rapidly turns away. Hard to say from a fellow trying to hide his humanity or lack of it.

Ricco wolfs down his portion, rellishing over the fish above all, "This be remindin' me o' home, for certain. Ol Riccoco, be thankin' your Beastly hospitality!"

OOC: I'm endlessly reminded of the hillbilly animals from the original, Disney's Rescuers!

At some point, Cas answers Lum's questions, "Well, you see the fort had lots of lives lost. I saw my share of reavers but I spent most of my time held prisoner. I heard one outside nearby for a while at one point."

Once back underway, Nuyok will approach Handle in a discrete manner, and say "Planning to return to Tallon after the trip Adala?"

I look at Nuyok, still not sure what to make of the slumming Adept, or perhaps master,

" Yeah, I guess I always planned to return after the Adala trip. I just had to get out for a time. Can I ask you something? This is about 'depts so I understand if you won't answer to keep your secrets or whatever..."

I watch to see Nuyok's expression before continuing,

"How much can you know about a person from say a minute or two looking at them with your witch sight, Uh, I mean adept senses? Can you read their minds or kow who they are, their name and such?"

"Spirit Sight reveals many things about individuals, but it does not probe the psyche itself. For that, an Adept must have that particular training, and it is difficult, requiring physical contact. Are you concerned that I may have done this to you, or do have some other concern?"

Pausing, Nuyok continues "I too needed a bit of time away from Tallon, there were some...unfortunate developments. What do you know of Harker?," Nuyok says grimly.

"you, no, well not really, no. I was thinking of another 'dept that sort of, uh sensed me, uh, in a rather, well he caught me where I shouldn't have been. I just wanted to know if he knew who I was just by seeing me in the dark. He didn't touch me or anything. I think I ran scared. thought he knew who I was and would be telling the Guard to go and find me, so I took the quickest means I found to get away. Not sure but maybe would ahve ben better off trying to hide formt he guards in Talon. This outwall is not for me. I guess I should be able to go back after this trip in Adala. Things should have quieted down for me by then."

I look at Nuyok trying to size up his interest in this Harker,

"Harker, well let me see..."

OOC: Will have to wait till Keith can let me know what I know, you know, before I can let you know what I know about Harker.

OOC: Cool about Harker, we can pick up the discussion in a new thread then too.

Cas makes sure to extend a long thanks to the beasts, "Well this certainly was great for breaking the everyday pace of driving the wagons. It does get quite boring and lonely when all you do is push the wagon forward all day. This was certainly fun, thanks."

Last chance to ask anything of the possums. I'm moving the caravan on to Adala tomorrow (assuming you aren't devoured by gators...)