"It isn't cannibalism if we aren't of the same species. And don't you try to take the high road about murder. I can see the blood dripping from your holier than thou mouth."

Tarravan touches his lacerated face.  "I believe that's from your assault on me," he says mildly.  "Do you consider us not the same species because you're Eladrin, or because you're dead?"

"I beg your pardon, Mr Hypocrite, you attacked us first. You don't get to decide what is a fair fight. You bloody idealistic dick. 'Ooh, he scratched me with his nails, the ungentlemanly brute!' Meanwhile he's throwing radiant spells all over the place with no thought as to the scars they can leave.

"You decided that I'm not the same species as you, you overblown, pretentious douche, when you referred to me as it. And then you're shocked when I act like an animal.

"I am an Eladrin. I was born one a few hundred years ago. I also happen to be a vampire. I had as much choice over that as I did being born Eladrin. And yes, I do drink blood, but I answer to myself over that, not some primped Paladin.

"So if you think you can sit in judgement of me, you can get fucked. Royally. And totally. You have no idea who I am. And I don't answer to half assed courts.

"Now if you want something from us, we can talk. But you want to play Fist of Justice, you can put her dick," a gesture towards Atrelioth, " in your fist and play with that instead."

"Wait, what?  Eladrin?" I exclaim.  "He's an elf!"

"You Karrns have a thing about Eladrin, don't you?" he observes.  "I was never clear on what they were supposed to have done.  Yes, they're heathen savages from a wicked realm, but so are most people.  As a people they're not unredeemable."

"Uh, they kidnap and murder people?" I say incredulously.  "You don't... someone gets taken by eladrin, they're just gone."  I look over to the vampire and say disgustedly, "How the fuck did you ever get sent along with us.  Does anyone even know what you really are, or did they just decide it don't much matter if you got hungry along the way with nobody else around and didn't bother telling no one, neither?" 

Did you know? I don't ask, glancing at Olegov.

"Oh, do shut up Astra. You sound more and more like a peasant every time you open your mouth.

"It's amazing how often Eladrin get blamed when someone goes missing. Farmer Joe gone missing? It must be those evil fey folk, not that Farmer Joe is sick of his wife and seven kids and has a mistress three villages over.

"I know who I am. Other people know who I am. I would let you read my service notes when we get back so you can see how many of my compatriots I have saved, but quite frankly, I don't owe you that."

I lean back wearily.

"This is getting boring. Get to the point please."

"I find missing people," I snarl.  "And work with other folks who do the same.  We're good at our godsdamned jobs and we don't need to make false accusations; someone's just run off, I find 'em just fine.  But someone goes really missing, not in my area but in the northwest... king's said to've called out the fucking army over eladrin bands stealing and killing good people, and you're pretending it aint even happened?"  I shake my head disbelievingly and sit back.  "But no, you're right.  Don't know what the fuck I was thinking, talking to an undead at all.  No good ever comes of that.  I'm done."

"Interesting," Tarravan says, watching the exchange.  "Tell me more about these Eladrin bands."

"Interesting," Tarravan says, watching the exchange.  "Tell me more about these Eladrin bands."

"Uh... no offense, but how do you not know already?" I ask.  "Everyone knows about 'em.  They been attacking villages and stealing people from outta their big tower thing, and they kill or chase off anyone that gets near.  Some says they turned all the countryside around 'em to winter, even in Yeargrowth, but either way they come more when it's cold, for sure."

"Interesting," Tarravan says, watching the exchange.  "Tell me more about these Eladrin bands."

"Uh... no offense, but how do you not know already?" I ask.  "Everyone knows about 'em.  They been attacking villages and stealing people from outta their big tower thing, and they kill or chase off anyone that gets near.  Some says they turned all the countryside around 'em to winter, even in Yeargrowth, but either way they come more when it's cold, for sure."

He nods.  "Are you from that spire, or one of the friendlier ones?" he asks Valenae.  "I expect the undead are more welcome among Karrns, with their peculiar beliefs, than among your living kin."

"I'm clearly not from a Spire, genius," I snort, "otherwise I wouldn't have been swanning around with the bloody army for the last hundred years, would I?

"But this is something I am suddenly very interested in. I need to get back to the Fort. When are you planning on releasing us?"

I look over in disbelief.  He really just told 'em who we are straight out, didn't he?

I catch her glance.

Shit. Shit shit. Bloody hell. Umpteen years old and still an idiot.

"Yeah, undead can control themselves just fine," I mutter with a snort.

The bolt punctures right below my right rib and I drop down to one knee, trying to catch my breath as I spit blood.  Then a rock hits me in the side of the head.  My vision blurs and my ears ring.  For a moment I ponder the double-image of the war horses striding the bridge.  Such fine animals.  So much better than people.

Trying to stand to line up another shot I double over with pain and nausea.  I convulse with heaving coughs, expectorating more of my blood on the snow covered grown, staining it.  Steam rises up from the pools and blots of blood.

Fuck.  Otto.  Fuck. 

I sling my weapon and stand up, raising my hands over my head in the universal sign of capitulation.

"I surrender," I rasp.

"Drop your weapons - all your weapons - and kick them away from you," Atrelioth's voice rings out through the sudden stillness.  "Hands on your head."

I stand there for a moment disoriented, my head spinning.

"Sure. Hold on," I stammer, spitting out blood. 

One by one I unbuckle my sword and daggers. Then I drop my bolt clips. If that fat-assed chair jockey had just given me my gear this wouldnt be happening, I ruse.

When I reach to unharness my gun the bolt in my side shifts and pain shoots through me like lightning.

Oh fuck this I think as I pass out and topple over.

Zoder hands Andri's crossbow to Atrelioth.  "Cover me.  I'll retrieve her."

"Stomp on her head," Atrelioth grumbles, and Tarravan gives her a quelling look.

A few moments later he returns with a manacled and trussed unconscious Pepper over his shoulder.  He dumps her uncermoniously on the table behind Astra and Oleg.  "Not dead," he says, sounding less than thrilled about this, then he heads off to round up the animals and retrieve Pepper's weapons.

"I'm clearly not from a Spire, genius," I snort, "otherwise I wouldn't have been swanning around with the bloody army for the last hundred years, would I?

"But this is something I am suddenly very interested in. I need to get back to the Fort. When are you planning on releasing us?"

Tarravan looks over at Oleg.  "Are you still sticking to your cover story, then?" he asks, with a gesture toward Val.  Then he replies, "Certainly, release is not on the table until I have the information I need. "  He looks at the group as a whole.  "Tell me everything you know about this artifact, and which faction you're attempting to bring it to."

"You're implying there are different factions within the Karrnathi leadership," I observe. "You think a bunch of soldiers is going to be up on all the latest political intrigue? Really?"

"You're implying there are different factions within the Karrnathi leadership," I observe. "You think a bunch of soldiers is going to be up on all the latest political intrigue? Really?"

He answers Mari's question without actually replying to her, instead addressing the entire group.  "Surely you at least know for whom you're working?"

"Don't recall you saying who you are yet," I note, glancing back with minimal concern as the sarge is dumped on the table.  Don't got a lot of worry to spare for something that's her own damn fault, all in all.

"Don't recall you saying who you are yet," I note, glancing back with minimal concern as the sarge is dumped on the table.  Don't got a lot of worry to spare for something that's her own damn fault, all in all.

"Yes, well," he replies.  "We won and we let you live."

"I'm clearly not from a Spire, genius," I snort, "otherwise I wouldn't have been swanning around with the bloody army for the last hundred years, would I?

"But this is something I am suddenly very interested in. I need to get back to the Fort. When are you planning on releasing us?"

Tarravan looks over at Oleg.  "Are you still sticking to your cover story, then?" he asks, with a gesture toward Val.  Then he replies, "Certainly, release is not on the table until I have the information I need. "  He looks at the group as a whole.  "Tell me everything you know about this artifact, and which faction you're attempting to bring it to."

I look down at Val on the table. Badly injured, but she will recover. In need of a reprimand, though, when she comes to.

Well, there goes our cover. I'd rather we not end up like her, or worse.

"The story is true, at least in part. I am Chaplain Olegov; I am an unordained priest of Kol Korran. And captain, in the Karrnathi army. Many soldiers have gone missing in search of this artifact, and in addition to retrieving it for military purposes, we were to attempt to rescue any soldiers who had gone missing in search of it."

"The artifact is necromantic in nature, beyond that, I know no specifics. Typical 'need to know'. Why do you ask about a faction? We're Karrnathi army, if that's what you mean."

[Astra will spend 2 surges to get back up to full health during this short rest, btw]

I look down at Val on the table. Badly injured, but she will recover. In need of a reprimand, though, when she comes to.

Well, there goes our cover. I'd rather we not end up like her, or worse.

"The story is true, at least in part. I am Chaplain Olegov; I am an unordained priest of Kol Korran. And captain, in the Karrnathi army. Many soldiers have gone missing in search of this artifact, and in addition to retrieving it for military purposes, we were to attempt to rescue any soldiers who had gone missing in search of it."

"The artifact is necromantic in nature, beyond that, I know no specifics. Typical 'need to know'. Why do you ask about a faction? We're Karrnathi army, if that's what you mean."

Tarravan taps his fingers thoughtfully on the hilt of his sword.  "Who in the army are you working for?  And who's in on the plan?"

"We aint traitors," I snap.  "And our orders aint your business.  We're army, and that's all you gotta know."

Tarravan looks unoffended.  "Now, that's an interesting moral dilemma you bring up, Astra.  If you're working for traitors unaware, does that make you traitors too?"

"My job's to do as I'm told," I reply.  "And keep my mouth shut when I'm told.  They was real clear on that, so sorry, but I aint playing whatever your game is."