The Forager’s Warning

JP with Alexis, Jiyn, Islana and Gonyaul

The questioning was underway. Alexis had found a way to get the resistant man to talk despite his initial refrains. Even if she may deny it, it was apparent to Gonyaul she was a natural leader, but on top of that she had fine tuned and improved the craft through efforts over time; though, she may downplay it.

That would be IF Gonyaul was there listening in. As it stood, the Vauxian had warmed up a little and was shuffling off to the side having a pleasant conversation with a few of the other farmhands who were sheltering in the barn regarding their jobs. He somehow got them talking and they were doing most of it. No one was paying attention, but it started with “what’s your story?”.

It had nothing to do with the investigation though. The conversation went from farm talk, to work life balance talk, to some complaints, where to find the best nuts, berries, medicinal herbs in the forest, what not to order at the Drunken Hare, etc.

Islana had warmed up enough that she was now closer to the questioning. Not so close to crowd the forager but close enough to hear everything.

Alexis seemed to be able to get the man to talk which was a good thing. Though as Islana listened she doubted the forager would have many answers and, so, Islana started to think about what they should do next. Once the rain cleared.

The forager looked at Jyin. A bit more fear in his eyes. "That glade was cursed with the souls of the departed. No amount of steel or coin was making me stay there. Or go back for that matter." He crossed his hands over his chest. " If you want any answers about the weirdness going on in these forests you should talk to the loggers. Them spend more time out there than anyone else ."

He paused and lowered his voice. "Them say something' out there. Something hunting us..."

Gonyaul gasped audibly in surprise. He looked in shock at the other farmhands he was talking to, which for the record were much more agreeable than ones where he worked, and he couldn’t believe what he had just heard….. about the Drunken Hare.

“You joke?” He paused “They put seedust in soup special?”

They laughed at him, all in good fun for him saying ‘see’dust instead of sawdust. And then the farmers confirmed that whenever resources get low in the week, that indeed sawdust would be supplemented in as a filler for the soup special.

Gonyaul was disgusted and was very glad he never went inside to eat at that establishment.

He once entered that place when he first arrived in Ostiarium; however, he was bombarded with several drunken individuals making animals noises at him and/or pushing foul smelling drink towards him that he quickly left and never went back. The farmhands, puzzled, asked him to demonstrate what sounds they were making. When Gonyaul did, they all burst out laughing, which really was out of place next to the talks of death but ten feet away.

Gonyaul looked clueless to their hilarity. One of them took pity on the young man and tried explaining to him that the drunken slobs were making what is known as cat-calling at Gonyaul; they thought he was a girl and were trying to get him drunk.

“Why they do that? Me not girl?” Gonyaul asked dumbfounded.

The farmhands burst out laughing again, some to the point of tears. Especially after one of them had the brass to tell Gonyaul that from a distance they all thought their investigation party was three women and a man.

Gonyaul was confused by their lack of observation skills, to which the closest farmer to him explained , “that winter cloak hides your form, and you have a pretty exotic face.”

Gonyaul arched a brow, that word was new. “I have exit face?” What did exit face even mean?

There was a sudden pause of silence as all the farmhands around him blinked at what he just said.

Then they erupted in laughter. Gonyaul hesitantly joined in. Well, it seemed they were having a good time at least?