WOT Adv 68 - Flying Beast

--- The Wheel Turns ---
"What was that?" Keb asks frantically as everyone quickly pulls their mounts up short to carefully watch the beast as it descends out of sight beyond the tree line.

"Quickly!" you shout. "Off the road. Under these trees!" You lead the party off the road and under the relative cover a canopy of trees, still wet from last night's cold rain.

"Burn me! I wish I knew." Thenlir says, his mouth wide open. "What in the Dark One's name was that?"

"Thenlir," Maeslyn cuts him off urgently, scanning the sky nervously herself. "Do you suppose this has anything to do with those rumors of monsters you heard the villagers at Aturo's Orchard discussing?"

"It's possible," He nods somewhat reluctantly. "But those were rumors, those were--"

"Is that," Keb gesticulates incredulously in the direction of the flying beast. "A 'rumor'!?" Her face is pale.

"You have point... for once." Thenlir shrugs, his face still intently gazing at the tree line. "Maybe not."

"Wise One. If I may have a word with you." You dismount and approach her. She raises an eyebrow but nods and dismounts.

You draw her aside, and talk to her in a low whisper. "Wise One, you might want to reconsider your business arrangement with Keb."

"Maer, this is my affair and--"

"I know you made a deal with her." you hold up your hand. "But I would rather have her happy and on our side than unhappy. I will scout ahead if you desire to speak to her. I think she might be worth more pay; after all, she has saved both our lives on many an occasion, and she has certainly gotten more than she bargained for. Perhaps some danger pay would be helpful."

She considers for a moment, and you can see wheels turning in her head. Then she nods and smiles sweetly. "Very well, Maer. I will tell her that until we accomplish our mission she can have an equal share in whatever spoils we happen to obtain."

Maeslyn then turns to the others. "Maer will scout out ahead. Thenlir you keep watch while I speak with Keb about some business matters."

Thenlir nods and you quickly trot up the road, with your bow in hand, your spear on your back. You examine the tree line. Judging from the flight of the beast, he probably descended about a half a mile away. You enter the woods and cautiously make your way through the wet trees.

After a cautious trot through some thin woods for approximately ten minutes, you hear the sounds of voices. You peer through a screen of trees into a large clearing.

The massive flying beast, decked out in a harness and with a large, basketlike saddle on its back, sits in the center of a large clearing. Surrounding it, unloading the supplies and making camp, are half a dozen or so men in strange colorful armor. Their helmets look very much like monstrous insect heads, with thin red plumes dangling like feelers; each man's eyes seem to peer out through crafted mandibles. Both the helmets and armor are painted and gilded in bright colors. One of the soldiers--an officer perhaps, judging by the even more fanciful quality of is armor--stands speaking to another man in dark leather and chain, apparently the rider of the great beast.

The thin woods surround the clearing; a thick mist rests in the shallow hollow along its westerns side.

Their speech is somewhat difficult to make out due to the heavy accent but you can hear some snatches of conversation.

"Any news to report?" the man in leather asks.

"None yet, but we'll find them. Tell Murdoc not to worry." The 'officer' responds.

"Very well." The man in leather nods. "I will inform him."

"Get these supplies unloaded, and then we move!" the man in fanciful armor barks, and the soldiers start to go to work, unloading bundles of goods.