Dire Raccoon
H04: Tornmawr River and Ferry
It's Gilday, Bernfleur 24 19:25:04 1021. The full moon isn't up. The tide is low and rising.
Fair weather clouds sail across the blue sky, propelled by light breezes from the west. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry.
This is still the ferry crossing, but... darker in a way that has nothing to do with the oncoming sunset. The river smells bad, like a mixture of decomposing biomatter and rampant mildew. There is a disturbing lack of birdsong or the usual chirping of crickets and cicadas, and there is a creepy sense of being watched.
Ga'Elian is walking along the riverbank with his griffon, the pair moving silently, until the elf jumps forward and grapples a large animal that retaliates in vicious snarles and ominous chittering.
The Half-oruch woman is just stepping from the ferry when the ominous chittering can be heard, and she moves towards Ga'Elian with her hand on her great axe's handle. "What have you got cornered there, sir?", she wonders of the Elf. "Badger?"
Ga'Elian is on the ground wrestling with the brute, trying with successful, if great effort to avoid getting bitten. Once he pins the beast, he takes a deep breath and says, "Dire raccoon, I believe." The animal's eyes occasionally flash a mild bluish glow and thin, faelike wings flutter frantically at its shoulders. The elf says, "Would you be so kind as to smack it in the head so that it will fall unconscious? That'll be faster and easier than me trying to choke it into unconsciousness."
The flat of the axe whacks the top of the racoon's head with a heavy thump, and the critter goes still. "Dire raccoon?", she wonders. "With wings? I can't say that I've seen such a beast before, and I have seen a few." Kravia crouches down on one knee to peer at the beastie. "Why did you just not slay it?"
Ga'Elian releases the limp animal and stands up, brushing his clothes. He says, "Thanks. I didn't kill it, because I'm taking it to the witch Alba for study. It and a few other specimens of this corrupted wilderness. It is near here where she was abducted by an elder vampire from her adventuring party. They were following the pollution to its source, or one of it's sources, anyway." He takes a length of rope out of his shoulderbag and proceeds to bind up the senseless raccoon.
"Witch?", the Half-Oruch wonders. "Vampires? Interesting company you keep. So what sort of uhm... corruption is being caused by these critters? I've not heard of such a thing happening." Kravia watches as the raccoon is firmly bound.
Ga'Elian looks at the green warrior. He says, "I am Ga'Elian. It appears that this vampire is at least partly behind the foul black waters that are corrupting this wilderness and causing such a rampant plague in the City, although for what purpose, I could not venture a guess, but it is like the whole landscape around here has become part of the Felwood."
"Kravia.", she offers in return, as well as a hand for shaking. "I had noticed that the waters had been fouled, but I thought perhaps something to do with spring and the uh... outflow from the city. Ah, the plague, that I have heard of, and I've been avoiding the city of late. Do you require any more assistance with this?"
Ga'Elian smiles, and says, "I appreciate the offer, but your welcome assistance with the flat of your axe was more than I expected. The rest of my task should be easy enough. Anyway. I should be heading out now to take this specimen to the witch. Thanks."
The Oruch woman nods, and hefts her axe. "It was my honour to help. My arm is yours if you do need help in future. Good luck!"
Ga’Elian nods his acknowledgment, the. Mounts up on the griffon and takes to the air.