Sess 24, 299 : Beware the Spiders

Beware the Spiders
Summary: A trip into Sky Forest ends up slightly delayed
OOC Date: 10/Mar/2014 (OOC)
Related: None
Players:
Kallishar Nylie 
East-West Road - Sky Forest
See scene set
It is day 24 of the month of Sess, 229 2E

The small group had left the lands of Lakeshire and were now within the borders of Sky Forest, the trees becoming greater in number as the Forest itself was neared. But light was waning and the group was taking to setting up camp a ways off the trail itself and closer to the cover of the trees themselves. The pair of rangers had broken off to scout into the forest, and try their hand at some small game if there were signs of it. The rest, had taken to setting up the camp itself. A thing that was a fair ways completed, a set of simple tents had been put up, the men seemed to be guards, four in total though wore no house colors. One of whom was seeing after the horses. It was Nylie herself that was adding sticks to the fledgling fire, dressed simply as she often was. Easily mistaken more for a merchants daught then a noble, unless one actually knew her. The other, her standard maid, was within one of the tents seeing to the setting up of the simple beds that would serve them for the evening.

There are a few game trails here and there and the rangers should be able to find something, rabbit or squirrel, maybe a deer if they are lucky. There's plenty of things that wander around at night. Everything else seems to be alright though, no signs of danger or anything like that. At least none that can be clearly seen.

The rangers of Sky Forest ilk and do not seek to take more than they would need, a brace of rabbits suiting enough for the small group for a deer would be wasteful for such a small group on the road. The fire is well in order by the time the pair get back, ever watchful as they make their way along. Nylie gives a small strech before going to fetch some of the trail rations, seeking to be prepared should there be no game about to be gotten.

The hunting of rabbits is rather uneventuful, nothing happens, no rabid rabbit attack or anything like that. The night is filled witht he songs of frogs and other woodland creatures as night falls. ZEvent he call of an owl can be heard off in the distance and then another closer one is heard in reply. Well, things seem to be pretty normal at the moment.

A incline of Nylie's head goes to the rangers when they reappear with the rabbits,"The forest has provided this night." The one responding,"And we have given thanks for it's bounty." A light smile comes to that, Nylie offering over the few spices and allowing the rangers to see to the cooking, she had travel experience, but they did better at seeing the meat properly cooked. A check made upon the tents before taking a faint walk upon the edge of the forest herself while waiting for the meal to be cooked.

The rangers manage to spice the rabbit nicely and get it good and seasoned and cook them over the fire. They even manage to server everyone around the fire the rabbit meat, though they don't have to. The sun fully sets as time goes by and of course guards and such are probably talking as they eat and other such things. There seems to be some things attracted to the fire, if someone were to look down they would see small orange spiders crawling along the ground. maybe they want something to eat too?

<FS3> Nylie rolls Perception: Success.

It was no uncommon for them to do so really, the group had long since traveled together, there was a familiarty on some level. But then Nylie needn't have built the fire or aided at all in setting up the came. It was beneathe many a noble, especailly noble woman to aid with such tasks. Thanks is given to the ranger, and for the meal. A slient prayer of thanks given up to the Forest Lord for the bounty this eve. Setting upon a long near the fire as she partakes of the meal, listening more than talking herself. But this was normal for Nylie really. There is a glance down and a blink to see the orange movement, thankfully not one to freak out about inscets, though Nylie does peer at the little organe things as they crawl along, trying to tell if their ir purpose to their direction.

They don't really seem to have a purpose to their direction as they skitter back and forth along the ground, one crawls up one of the guard's legs unseen by the guard. A few moments later he is swatting at his leg! "ow! something just bit me!" he calls out and then he is collapsing to the ground. One of the rangers rushes over to check on the man, something like that shouldn't happen. "He's asleep." the ranger says and then he two gets bitten by a spider he did not see that managed to get on him and bite him. So what's going on? Should spiders really do something like that when you get bitten?

There is a blink from Nylie as the guard collapses, perhaps not seeing the spider crawl up the man's leg for having been watching those skittering upon the ground near her. But then there is the ranger going down as well ans she is pushing up to her feet. It was not something she had seen before, she knew much of that which was in the Forest, especially the dangers, they were always taught to the children. But then…when ever were there orange spiders. Moving towards the fallen men as she notes,"There are strange spiders, have you seen such before," this going to the other ranger, the one more likely to know perhaps," would they cause such?"

The ranger blinks and looks down at the spiders, "Orange? Mmm, some healers use them to have their patients fall asleep. I've heard of them and seen them used once or twice. I don't know why they are out here though." The rest of the guards fall over as they are bitten as well and then the other ranger. One manages to crawl up the maid's leg and bite her as well. Then the ones close to Nylie seem to be going for her.

"They seem to be out in force really, so many of them," comments Nylie, now trying to take some care in avoiding them. Upon hearing the news, in seeing the other guards starting to go down as well. A look of uncertainty coming as her maid tumbles over as well. There was no comment about how long it put people to sleep, and she couldn't avoid the spiders forever, a thing that soon proves to be true enough, for even if she manage to dance away from a few, one even flicked along where it had managed to get to on her arm, there is a "Ow! No!" when she feels the pinch of a bite at the top of her boot and is soon stumbling and falling over into whatever slumber the spiders have induced.

As Nylie and the others sleep the spiders soon crawl off and after they are gone, well there really weren't too many of them it just seemed like there were. There were maybe only ten or so, but they managed to find people to bite. They were just doing what insects do. As everyone sleeps some men slip intot he camp and untie the horses and lead them off, they also take anything shiny and valuble looking from the sleeping forms of the maid and Nylie and then once done they vanish back into the night from whence they came. Those who are sleeping do not dream any that evening and the next thing they know the sun is a little above the horizon. One of the guards waking first, the first one bit and he groggily goes to check on the maid and Nylie.

In a moment of crisis, even if it was just two…the story retold later is there were swarms and swarms of them. Though alas, the men are left wanting, for Nylie wears a decided and utter lack of shinies, those seem to only get worn when required….though they might get a ring or two off her maid. In seeing day light as he wakes, even if groggy it instills a bit of panic in the guard, more so when he takes in the fact that the entire party is asleep. Surely the maid, Alyxia, and Nylie are fine if even yet asleep..Well Nylie might have scraped her arm a little in the fall but no worse for the wear really. And likely to be the last of them to wake by a minute or two, having been the last to get bit and go down.

As the guards is sure Nylie and the maid are alright, he looks around the camp and frowns, the rangers and other guards waking up. "Where are the horses?" The rangers blink and once they are awake enough the leave the camp to go look for tracks, though the men who took them did their best to make sure they wiped any traces out. The rangers come back soon and look at each other and then the guards, "No sign of where the horses went. It looks like we're going to have to walk from here."

There is a groggy Nylie sitting up at last, no doubt causing Alyxia some anxiety on that point. They did all answer directly to the King, not Caedmon…which…just…yeah. She rubbed at her eyes a little, memory faintly coming as she woke. "Spiders…" is murmured. Then she is hearing about horses being gone…and no sign of them. A sigh slips. "What in the world happened," shaking her head as she gets up, slowly at that. Not that she expects answers. "We can manage the packs, though the tents aren't worth it, we can get them on the return trip. Or allow some other needful folk to them." Her hand is faintly worked, testing the small scrap there before seeing that esentials are settled to the packs, thankfully she travels simply and light. She was not going to court so had not needed to pack half a wardrobe, and SKy Forest was some from of home. Taking up a pack as well, even if a fair bit lighter then the men did.

The guards all take packs, as do the rangers of course, "I think someone came in and stole the horses while we were sleeping." one of the guards says and another nods, "I don't know why I slept so heavily though, we should have heard them. Maybe something spooked them? No, because then there would bet racks. You think it was ghosts?" one of the rangers snorts, "No such thing as ghosts, but we probably wont find the horses anyway. He looks to Nylie, "Do you want one of us to go and look anyway?" he raises an eyebrow.

"I think we all ended up bit by those orange spiders," comments Nylie on the matter of sleeping heavy. As they all seemed to have slept so, and in the end they had all been bitten. Nylie gives a shake of her head,"Not likely ghosts. I doubt they would have untied them or seen off with Alyxia's rings," a thing that had causes the maid some fretting. But in the grand scheme, they were just shiney trinkets. "Nay, if you were seeing anything to start with, likely not worth spending the added time to hunt after. " Giving glance towards her rangers, she had faith in them,"Unless you do think it worthwhile," and trusted their judgement on such matters. Not that this was entirely a normal….situation. "I think it was only a few miles on to the next village. We should be able to make an early lunch, late breakfast." The group having seen to dry rations with the situation they woke to that morning. Thusly setting on out, an easy enough pace kept.

The rangers shake their heads, "I don't think we would find them, whoever took them were good at hiding their tracks, we'd need more to do a proper search of the area they could have gone off in any direction." the rangers shrug, "We will just have to take it as a loss I suppose." once they are on the road again, about three quarters of an hour into their hike the sound of horses can be heard and the steady rolling of wheels. It looks like a small merchant caravan is coming up behind the group. The ranger wwalking at the back calls for Nylie and the others to hault, while he goes to talk to the lead wagon.

Nylie gives a nod to the rangers,"It is likely not worth the time either, horses can be replaced." Surely Callem could afford it. Though trying to explain just what happened to them might make for an interesting time. A bit of small chatter occuring in little spurts as they go, though the group was fairly quiet over all. Drawing up as the ranger calls for them to do so, the guards taking up defensive positions about the women out of habbit as the ranger saw to greeting and talking with those at the lead of the party.

The other ranger goes and scouts some in the woods as the group stops and the ranger at the rear speaks with the driver of the first carriage for a little bit of time. He then approaches the guards and Nylie and the maid, "The caravan leader says that he has room in his carriage for the two ladies, if they wish to ride and maybe one guard. They are headed to the nearest village and he said he'd be willing to take us there." the ranger tells Nylie.

A glance is given towards Alyxia at the news, that maid was older than Nylie and suffering more for the walk then the Lady herself was. "We would be greatful for it, and it would see us there faster to see about fresh horses," new horses really. The party moving towards the group. Nylie offering a bow of her head and a,"Thank you, for the aid," to the caravan leader. Before taking what aid was offered, she likely settling within the carriage. Hopefully room for packs upon one of the supply wagons.

The lead driver nods to Nylie, "No problem, we're heading the same way and your man here told me what happened. It's a shame, but I've heard of such things happening around here lately. I hope they didn't take anything else." he tells her and some of the caravan guards take the packs and put them in a supply wagon. One of Nylie's guards in the carriage with her and Alyxia and the others falling in line as the caravan gets moving again. The rangers fall alongside the carriage, still scanning and scouting.

There is a slight blink at that,"Even with them orange spiders?" That does seem puzzling to Nylie, how does one control spiders to help steal things along like that? "It seemed they only went for what was easy enough, but still a bit unsettling." Especially since they did it when everyone was asleep, much worse could have happened to them. "Thank you again though, we do apprecaite it." Settling well enough into the carriage, giving a faint look out at the window. Though of course also giving a smile and polite,"Hello," to whomever else might have already been in the carriage.

The older woman in the carriage smiles at Nylie, her maid and the guard once they are settled, "Good day." she tells them, "I'm Jaina and the little one sleeping here in my arms is Alyxander, my grandson. Spiders you say? No we haven't heard anything about spiders." she frowns and then shrugs. "It's the first time we've been through here in a while though."

"A pleasure, Jaina," Nylie giving a quick introduction as well, a lack of titles,"I'm Nylie, this is Alyxia and Byron there. " She gives a nod,"Aye, there were these orange spiders that came along and bit all of us. Keric said he'd heard of them being used by healers before to get people to sleep. And sleep we all seemed to do as each of us seem to end up bit. It'd been a bit since I've been through myself."

Jaina nods to Nylie and frowns as she listens to the story, "That does not sound like a good thing, well, I am glad that you all are alright. You were robbed after you fell asleep then? I am glad they didnt hurt anyone though. That would have been a shame, but to take your horses and leave you without any." she sighs, "Well, we're glad to help some down on their luck travellers." she smiles.

"Aye, we were robbed after we all ended up asleep. And I am glad of that as well, as a lot worse could have been done." Death, kidnapping….amongst other things. Nylie gives a nod,"I do not imagine they gave that much thought truly." Nylie gives a smile,"And I am quite glad that you came along and were willing to help us out. Just hopefully they have some horses at the next village we might see about." Falling quiet as the group continues on towards that town, lost to her thoughts of what had befallen them that night, trying to puzzle through it as well as keeping herself in check in going over all the things that could have happened to them. But didn't.

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