A Stitch in Souragne: Symbols of a Fallen Loah

[Ail]

Rowing behind Orda, Zumba nods.

"Aye, two rafts."

Zumba looks behind tyring to unveil the fog and check what manner of raft might be following them. He also wishes to move forward, but would first like to know who or what is following the same path as they.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Orda and Zumba are correct," says Lucien softly. "The noise is coming from in front of us as well." He looks at Goren, Zumba, and Vincent ... and manages a wry smile. "My hand may be undergoing some changes, mes amis, but my hearing is acute. It has saved me from furious husbands on several occasions. Let us move forward and meet them. I do not relish waiting and then be trapped between the two rafts like meat on a sandwich."

With that, Lucien begins to push the pole more rapidly.

[Guzrath]

Undead to me evil. I not talk about this anymore.

Listening to Goren's answer Vincent lets out a small sigh, followed by a slight smile as if seeing a joke somewhere in that answer, and shakes his head. Nonetheless, he still pursues the subject. "Why are undead evil to you Goren? And why avoid talking about it?" he asks

No time for a reply though as the others seem to hear something in the waters.
Surprised by the hearing of the others, he slowly grabs his crossbow and calmly loads it. "I'll keep an eye on the back" he says.
"Your hearing might be a savior Lucien, but that hand is still an unknown consequence and should not be taken lightly...." he says in a low voice as not to make too much noise. "However, even you know exactly what it is, I would ask you to enlighten us, to understand it."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien simply looks at Vincent curiously, as though surprised by his apparent insight, and then simply nods. He continues to push the raft forward with more speed.

[A G Thing]

As the others pick up pace Orda joins in moving the raft forward faster, pushing with the pole to catch the sound ahead of them.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The raft advances through the fog. The weepin willow's branches hang low and seem to almost reach for you, tracing strange maps on your fingers and clothes -- but they leave no traces this day.

Ahead, the splashing of the oar stops, and you catch up to the person who was ahead of you.

He is an old man, sitting in an old peroque -- the traditional Souragnien canoo, made from a cypress log.
His clothes are old and ragged, although they look as if they might once have been of excellent quality. The man's body is gnarled and dark like old wood. A black silk patch presumably covers an empty eye-socket; a wide-brimmed hat covers what is probably a balding pate at his age. A single peg-leg taps the side of the peroque as the oldster gives you all an unashamed look-over -- and then spits a wad of tobacco-juice into the swamp.

"Well," the old man says in a harsh wheeze that must be deeply familiar to most of you, after the trip to Chicken Bone's shack. "You boys idlin' out here, in Mama Souragne's skirts? An' you bring yerself a big girl ta idle with, too. Tsk tsk tsk. Idling out in da bayou is bad for da health. Foolish chillens."

[steveflam]

Goren choses not to answer Vincent and concentrates on his rowing now. Upon them catching the elder man, the red haired man smiles. It appears to be the man who first led them into the swamp. He listens to the man speak, not speaking.


"Ah monsiuer. Is good see you vivant. We hurrying to destination our friend here knows." He jerks his thumb as Zumba, not giving away who they are going to see. He feels it fair to tell the older man of the other raft behind them and does so>

"Autre petit raft euh bateau behind. Careful you, s'il vous plait. You being all right by youself tout seul, messieur?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Another old wanderer with a strange sense of humor? says Claude silently to Lucien's mind. Perhaps you should kill him now.

Lucien rejects the suggestion, but he is aware that things are often not as they appear in this land... unless those things are razor-clawed zombies, that is. He prepares to give the pole another push, reluctant to slow down too much and give the other raft an opportunity to catch up. First, though, as Goren attempts to converse in his broken and somewhat-amusing dialect, the brown-haired half-elf concentrates and tries to get a sense of the old man's emotional state.

-------------------------
Lucien is expending 1 pp to manifest empathy.
Power Points remaining: 16.

[A G Thing]

Orda looking at the strange elder man looks at him not sure what to make of him. As the others speak up she pays attention to the other sounds in the swamp keeping track of the sound of rowing behind. So far the elder man has said nothing that has caught her interest though her attention could be more directed toward him.

[Ail]

Zumba is surprised to see Papa Doc, but recognizes this as a possibility. He's been desperately trying to remember the way to the haunts of the Maiden, but the fog left in his mind by the many years since he last was there has remained stubbornly thick.

"Well met, Papa Doc." Practical and without further introductions or explanations, he goes on

"We're looking for the whereabouts of the Maiden of the Swamp. I was there once, but it was long ago, and I don't remember the way. Can you help?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The old man looks up towards the canopy, a suspiciously innocent look in his one eye.

"Eh? Papa Doc? Ne'er heard of the man. He owe you chillens money or something? 'Cause if he does, then I ain't him. Ne'er met you people in my life, 'smatter of fact. But if'n youse looking for the Maiden, weeeellll... I might be able to help you out."

The old man rubs his thumb and index finger together.

"You just gotta make it worth ole Poppa Sweet's time, y'know what I mean?"

[Ail]

Zumba scratches his head at the answer, then he reasons that perhaps these men, Poppa Doc, and Pappa Sweet may be more than just men... may be lower loah even.

But the request for money makes him doubt that possibility.

He tries to understand if the man really intends to take them to the maiden.

OOC: Bluff check - 1d20+0
[dice]0[/dice]

[Guzrath]

While surprised at the encounter in the middle of the swamp, Vincent keeps his eyes fixed on the back.
With half an ear he listens to the conversations, but doesn't meddle.
He is just as surprised as Zumba about Papa's reaction.

[steveflam]

Goren remains quiet, listening. He finds it a little odd that this Papa looks strangely a lot like Papa Doc, however and asks.

"Scusez me.Toi related to Papa Doc, messieur?"

Why does it always come down to money?, he thinks to himself.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"No, he is not related," says Lucien with a sudden weariness. "It either IS him or it's someone else's idea of a bizarre prank." He looks at the old man, manages to smile a bit, and continues, "He's amused by this. He may be the only one who is. So, 'Poppa Sweet,' excuse me if I don't feel like playing along with the idea that you just happen to be wandering through a zombie-infested swamp. You have information, yes? I doubt it's our money that you really want as payment, though."