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Wyld Wanderers, Session Eleven

A Long Red Scar

Emerging from the Spirit Caves, where Fox had located the Orichalcum Blades that had once been his, the cirle found themselves in a location far from where they had begun their travel -- the lands of the East, in the domain of the Red Scar tribe. One of the Ten Tribes, errant brothers to the tribe that Forsath was himself a member, guardians of the sacred songlines. "Come," the Barbarian said, taking the lead and directing his companions on their path for he alone knew the ways in these lands -- though not as well as he pretended. Soon after Forsath began leading the others down the only path he knew to take them, Fox announced that he would part himself from their company once again -- claiming that he needed to commune once again with the Unconquered Sun. With a promise to return again soon, Callandra and Forsath set off alone.

The Spirit Caves had deposited the circle far to the North, along the ancient and forbidden songlines that the Red Scars guarded. There was no alternative but to follow these sacred paths, however, rather the Red Scars appreciated it or not. The inevitable beyond him, but expecting a fight regardless, Forsath followed the sacred paths that his mentor had long ago taught him. The omens around him spoke of death, but he steeled himself. He was chosen of the Sun, and he would not perish so easily.

Yet, the omens did not speak of him.

When the two Solars at first came to a place once guarded by the Red Scars, they found carnage and blood. Someone had been through here days before, killing those gathered with a short blade that cut into skin expertly leaving nothing but death behind...death, and a hint of tainted drained flesh. Angered at this disturbance and filled with a sudden eagerness to hear the words of the spirits again, the two set off, eventually taking camp that night where Forsath prayed to the spirits of his people -- begging them for wisdom, while Callandra slept and dreamed of ages past.

Tiny fire elementals dancing within his fire answered him, telling the Barbarian to seek out the Lunar Dark Eyes and learn of the Steeping Stones. Thus satisfied, Forsath took his own rest -- leaving Callandra to take the second watch. In the dim hours before morning, however, she realized that there was another on their same path.

She saw him in the early dawn mist, a figure -- a rider in black, with perfect glorious armor and long flowing black hair that moved even in dim air. One of the Fair Folk, she suspected, but even as she guessed it's nature the Black Rider spotted her and galloped off. With nothing else to do, she let the large (snoring) barbarian rest and awaited till morning to set off.

Three more guardian posts they found, each signs of butchery and ill-respect to the dead. Bodies hung from trees, heads placed upon the spears that they had once wielded and entrails placed in elaborate but nonsensical patterns upon the ground. With each sight, the fury of the two gathered, and it was with great relief that the two finally arrived at a guard post -- to find it inhabitated by people. That relief was somewhat eroded when those people demanded to know who they were and what they were doing, but trust is easily gained by the Exalted.

So close, so close they were to escaping without a fight -- but the Fair Folk had founded them, and they only narrowly avoided an ambush. Forsath and one of the Noble Blood (though not, Callandra noted earlier, the Black Rider) engaged in fisticuffs while Callandra and the Red Scar Warriors' engaged the Warg-mounted Hobgoblins. Though the Noble of the Fae proved skilled and more than a match for his prowess, Forsath proved more flexible and stronger by far than the Fae had anticipated. Launching a log into the air, the Noble upon it, both receeded far into the distance -- landing with a thump audible even over the distance some long moments later.

The battle ended soon after, the Red Scar Barbarians that had been impressed before were now awed. One of these, a warrior injured during the battle named Tutha, agreed to escort the Solar's down the quickest paths toward the main village of the Red Scars...there to speak with Dark Eyes.

Thus, the two trekked off, leaving the post and moving ever closer to the one who had answers for them.