[snip]

The elderly woman looked over those assembled, her aged eyes still alight with wisdom and experience despite her advanced years. “..You have all traveled far I sense, farther then even my piercing eyes can gaze. A surprising though not unexpected event this night given recent events that shake these dark land’s grounds. Your companions are a varied bunch, full of life and hope. Dreams and visions, many are others who have held such desires and skills for better or worse, many now are those who lay 6ft below the ground too.” She said returning her gaze to Taggert, “..you and your companions are welcome to our camp until the morning. You may earn your keep by collectively keeping watch with my sons inside the fire lights glow of reach. To travel beyond it would be foolish, no matter what you may hear, see, or experience.” She said.

Chris bowed to her. “Thank you very much madam.”

At last one of the young men, spoke up, given his response likely one of the sons mentioned by the elderly woman. It was curious though how this woman was in her 90s yet the son looked barely out of his late 20s. “..Mother, perhaps we should tighten ring of the fire’s light if there are wild untamed werewolves are about?” He said.

Turning to regard her son as she had begun to climb back into her large wagon, she smiled in an odd way that did not seem to reach the bottom of her eyes. “..A wise precaution, I would expect no less of my dear Petre who guards us night to night. I will entrust you as I have always to this camp’s safety.” Then without another word entered the wagon and shut and locked the heavy door on it.

The ‘son’ known as Petre turned to regard Taggert and the group. “..Forgive my Mother. Normally we Vistani do not welcome outsiders into our camps, it is just not normally our way. But events as of late as she had said have shaken much of the land in what we have long held to believe and know. But I ramble more then I should. Come into the fire’s light and safety. If you desire food or drink take from the pots, food this night is a smoked sausage with root vegetables and fresh baked bread from this morning. Drinks are either a raspberry flavored wine we traded for about two days ago from the southern Hearthstone village south of this spot or water from the nearby stream..” He said.

“Thank you ver......” he was cut off by the young woman.

Another woman this time near the fire who had been dancing before regarded Petre, putting both hands on her hips in a judgmental and distrusting manner to the group. “..Surely you don’t expect my sisters and I to serve these.....outsiders?” She stated looking non-pleased at the idea if it was proposed. “..Already from here I can smell their lies. Their clothes and equipment alone speak of peasantry commoner stock yet their words speak of titles of the upper class and those who would assume nobility. I don’t trust them, nor should you Petre Donovich!” She spat.

”..Come now wife, they are our guests, and while you make a point. I am sure like us they have their reasons for traveling as they do and with what they have on them..” He said.

”..Humph....well they still will not get service from me nor my sisters! They can get their own food and drink!” She said turning away without another word.

GM CockRoach

Blaze I looked around “ If I’m not mistaken I heard you said earlier. It was a nice tone how about I play a tone from my hometown” he said pulling a small ocarina from his back.

Dr. Alexander Blaze (Engineer)

Petre’s wife turned back to Blaze, eyeing the ocarina a moment. “..No outsider could truely appreciate the beauty of a Vistani’s tune. But you may enlighten us if you wish. The fire’s light knows my sisters and I could use the break! I just shall hope your tune does not draw in danger it should instead ward off!” She stated.

Petre looked to Blaze as if translating his wife’s words. “..What she means is be careful of what sort of tune you make. Certain tunes in these dark lands lure in danger while others ward them off. Choose carefully..” He stated

“It’s fine Petre is it? We can take care of the food and water ourselves. I and we thank you for what you have done so far. Yes indeed ma’am we look different from others but that does not mean we are lying. I trust that you Vistani are a psychic people? Able to see or sense auras? We are here because of what is happening of late. Can you give us information about what is going on and what it was like before this started?”

Petre regarded Taggert. “..Psychic? No we Vistani do not posses such supernatural abilities. The Seer of ones camp often can foretell great things, such as a future or past event. Or see the truth of ones mind or body or soul, but is it not a psychic ability as you might understand. A surprising declaration though and question though. One I would not expect of such an outsider.” Petre said bowling out a dish of stew and a glass of wine before taking a seat within the fire’s light on a large log. For the moment he did not go on answering Taggert’s question of ‘odd happenings’.

Chris pointed to Mwezi. “This werewolf is one of the good ones. You heard the old lady and her son men. I want Mwezi and William the Grey to take first watch, then myself and Ranger Blaze the second, Kane and the Elf (Vulcan whose name I can’t remember right now, sorry) third watch. Rotate every two hours. Help yourselves to food and water only and stay in the fires light. Especially you Mwezi unless you need to use the restroom. Do not, I repeat. Do not go outside the fires light no matter what you hear, smell or see. The old lady warned us. Dismissed.”

Captain Chris Taggart CO

“My Lord. With your permission, I’ll oversee every change of the watch. Position our guards.” David did his best to play a role he hadn’t seen since reading about King Arthur.

-Lt Cmdr David Malkin, XO

Chris nodded. “Very well Commander. Take charge of your forces. I may be of high noble stature but that doesn’t preclude me from the rotation.”

Lord Taggart, CO of the Fellowship of the Warp.

Petre watched the going ons, finishing his small bowl of stew by this point. “You ask of odd happenings, as my Mother had mentioned. In truth I am probably the last person you would wish to ask of such things. The men of our tribe are rarely informed in depth of the going ons in this land. Your question would be better directed to my wife or one of her sisters. They are the ones at my Mother’s behest who have been investigating odd sightings and events as we have traveled North in the past weeks directed by a ‘feeling’ of my Mothers.” He said.

As if on cue Petre’s wife silently took a seat next to Petre carrying her own bowl and wine glass, she looked calmer then before though no less friendly to open up talks. Two of the three sisters also were present a bit further away quietly talking to each other while they were exchanging some kind of game using worn marked cards of some sort.

For those on patrol at the fire’s edge nothing seemed amiss for now. For those without anything else to do they could relax or investigate as their hearts desired.

GM CockRoach