“Well it is ‘Former’ High Councilor now Sir Flinel Linfil, Silver Ranger of House Linfil of the Woodelves, Master Ranger and Trainer of the Woods.” Arbao giving a curt nod in acknowledging the rank of the other man.

“I take it that these are some of your students currently? Well aside from you young lady. Hmm. An Erun traveling with elves.” the dominating presence of the Golden Auroch turned lighter and more inquisitive.

“It seems that the High Councilor turned to village chief knowsy of my own… more modest reputation.” Flinel almost chiding gained a chuckle out of Arbao. “Yes and no to your question, sir. These three are sisters of the of the Quiver and not by blood but they treat one another closer than such.”

As Flinel had said things about the three they all nodded with straightened and readied expressions that replaced their previous awed ones.

Heran proceeded to speak as Flinel gestured to her. “Yes, sir. I apologize for my lacking in courtesy.” she bowed low in her seat

“Raise your head child. You are not at fault for this old ox’s want for anonymity.” Arbao said amused with the near reverence that the guests had shown him.

It was true that he held such a position before and was more of a combatant than an administrator, though many of his constituents did admire, respect and fear him for his skills in both the field and the office.

Heran did as she was told before continuing to speak which now with a bit more ease. “Heran Fairhand of Gravitas, an adventurer, or to the Signab Allaince, Quester, by trade and skilled in many odd jobs. I had joined Sir Flinel’s group by means of a Wanderer’s board posting and am traveling with then since Scaleshard into the first town in Signab Alliance territory.”

“May I ask where this ‘next town’ may be?”

“Honestly, I'm not sure as I am simply passing by as my true objective is ultimately to reach the Free City of Trask, sir.” Heran answered the interjection with no hesitation.

“I take it all the rest of your group know of this?” Arbao looking at the group responding with nods of affirmation.

“Simply put, you are still some time away from there. I would say here is about half way towards there, if you could fly over the rest of the forests northwest of this village. But I'd rather advise against that even if you are able to and rather take the roads town to town for near two months at the quickest and three and a half on a more reasonable pace and those are both counting that you ride a carriage.”

“I will take that to mind sir, and thank you for the information.” Heran mulled over her future travel plans as she had considered taking the town to town route for gathering more info and chances for employment.

“Now, let's get back to more relevant topics. I take it you are all passing through to the next town?” The village chief now returned to addressing Flinel

“Yes we are and it was a wonderful surprise to have met a man of your repute and even to have graced the elusive “Shadow” you had for the administrative half of your career.” Flinel facing Ara and giving the soldier's salute of standing straight at attention with one's right fist on their left chest as the arm lies horizontally across their torso and the left hand tucked unto the pit of the back.

Then the elegant and soft nature that Ara had while attending to the whole party of people strikingly changed into one of refined and precision with no waste of motion in mirroring the salute.

“Seems like nothing escapes you Sir Linfil.” a genuine smile replacing the courteous on she had. “There is no need to worry of addressing me anymore than the host's help. It was my pleasure to have served under part of the General and fully of the High Councilor’s time in action.”

Ara was never truly named or gained fame in her service to Arbao, a service which had started shortly after he became a general. At the time she had lived through a dozen winters and he had lived just short of two dozen. She was the daughter of Arbao’s much older second in command and an average trainee in terms of skills in combat but excelled in subterfuge and logistics. The fact was discovered when she was brought by her father as an assistant, which all officers had rights to do, on a campaign in subduing hidden tribes of feral beastmen.

Their force of two hundred strong were about to assail a village which had been turned encampment by the mix of feral canine tribes when Ara had strongly objected in the pre-battle council where slimmer frame and small voice defying preconceptions as she gained the attention of the officers before her. Others fumed with the outrage of a paige speaking out of line while her father stood resolute and gazing with a battle hardened resolve as all the others quited at the call of the general for her to proceed. She simply ask for an audience and called for a guard to bring into the command tent her a pair of canines, a fox and a wolf from the village. They were dirty with matted fur, their clothes were loosely fitting but clean as they were given extras from some of the soldiers’ surplus supplies. Both then slowly brought up an account of how their tribes where forcibly coerced and turned to a feral state by means of concoctions by a third party in order to sow discord between the alliance.

They had seen the so called perpetrators but they were not able to identify any of them as they were introduced, half a dozen of them, as guests. The guests were introduced as traders that brought a wealth of materials for barter though curiously, no matter how much the two witnesses tried, they could not remember the faces of the people that came even the race they belonged to. Their own chiefs had asked them all to a feast of sorts to welcome good relations and drinks were generously provided by the traders.

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Afterwards many of their respective tribesmen fell limp but were fully aware as they saw strange people in cloaks take some of their youths away, those around eight to fourteen, and any of the younger children were brought in front of their own families and were slaughtered and gutted. The scene was turned more horrific as these children were also affected by the the loss of mobility only slightly as they were methodically skinned alive and were only able to yelp and scream as the furs and skin was removed from extremities to torso in a fashion where blood hardly flowed more than a mere trickle. Any of the hides that were able to move, received a swift and precise severing of tendons that brought made them less troublesome.

Pelts were collected afterwards in full view of their parents, relatives and fellow tribesmen. It did not end with that though as the cloaks proceeded to collect fangs and claws that brought on more pain reflected in the eyes of the pups. Some of the more exceptional even had their eyesight taken from them as samples were washed and collected in jars before ultimately being left in a heap in front of the witnesses, breaths barely being taken as tears and resistance were all lost.

The violent and utterly abhorent acts set off a mix of dispair, rage and bloodlust to those who where powerless to stop them. An insanity settling in the minds of these beastmen as the sight had triggered the want for vengeance for their kin and young. A haze of red and gray fell over their minds as another kind of liquid was splashed into their partly foaming and gaping maws. Then they stood and could not recall any more until the sensations of coughing up water and heaving it out of their lungs brought their consciousness back and the sight of an oxen beast man in armor loomed over them made the aware of their bound paws and then the horror that had occurred before the hole in their memories bore its weight on them.

The operation’s focus had changed as a hope of saving rather than slaying their fellow beast men was possible.

The wood elves were partly aware of these activities as these happened near one of their settlements on the border to the Signab Allaince. The settlement itself was one for trade and commerce and was informed of the dangers of feral beastkin and even had a sizable presence of beastmen traders, warriors and residents. One of the elven defenders was Flinel and the elves cooperated with the beastmen in ensuring the safety of the people and the solidarity of their ties.

Flinel worked as part of the logistics and recon for the relief and supplies the elves gave the beastmen as the General of the beastmen force had stated ‘I would rather not let allies be hurt the bane of beastmen, the ferals. Better that our own be the ones to put down their comrades and tribesmen that fell to their base and savage nature.’ He was also shocked in the sudden change of orders and was amazed at the resolution that the beastkin were able to achieve as the they had managed to save over half of those that went feral with minimal loss on their forces though it was also quite unfortunate that many had to be put down for falling to far and their minds and sanity could not be recovered.

There were a few more times that these induced feral had occured years later but never of the same scale or degree. These “induced ferals” were identifiable by marks similar to substance abuse that manifest in dark or colored circles around the eyes and the presence of occasional shedding of tears along with the foaming at the mouth.

Investigations were made of the true identities of these perpetrators but there were no leads to be had. The most recent of the “induced ferals” or “drowning ferals, ” as they were called for the method to stop the and attempt to recover the person's sanity along with tinctures against toxins and poisons, occurred just over a decade ago and it was within elven territory. The operation to stop the dozens or so feral individuals was successful but a few of the elven rangers had paid the ultimate price as these ferals were unexpectedly more powerful than previously encountered and there has been an unfortunate strain on the friendly ties of the Woodelves and Signab Alliance ever since.

The conversation of the group then moved towards directions to the nearest towns as the retired Sir and Lady Clovenhoof assisted them in whatever they can. Arbao had even bought the lynx pelt from the group at a reasonable price while denying the offer of Flinel that it was a gift and making a point that one should earn what they get and that gifts were best given between close friends and family or as charity to strangers.

They had accepted the invition to stay the night and was welcomed to a dinner of a bowl of spiced pickled cabbage, a small loaf hard bread, a creamy wedge of crumbling cheese and a tankard of mead each. Breakfast was a salad of blanched string beans and carrots,sliced fresh tomatoes and lettuce and brew of local tea which was from some strange sweet pine needles added with some mint leaves.

Ara Clovenhoof was the one to talk to the group as the chief had to attend to matters on some of the farm plots neer the forest edge of the border and was confident that any more questions the group had could be answered by Ara.

“The next town to here in the direction you are headed to miss Fairhand would be the Fort City of Crackedhorn. To get there would take half a day on foot up the northwards road and then at the fork, turning east for another full day passing one more village before reaching the fortified city. Another city is to the westwards turn in the fork of the road and that would lead to the small yet known woodworking of Liloch after half a day's march.”

“Thank you for your hospitality Lady Ara Clovenhoof. I hope we may might again someday.” Heran began as the rest of the groups also expressed their thanks.

“Here. Bring this to Trask and present it to the Enchanter there named Dasha. This will help with your introduction into the guild. ” Ara handing over a small sealed box. The size of it was just a foot long, half as wide and a quarter foot thick. A white cloth ribbon which looks almost fused flush to the rough unlacquered wood bore the striking etchings of enchanting runes though these were something Heran had never seen in combination. “You need not worry of losing this and if you are ever assailed by thieves and this may be taken, just break the seal. If fortune does not turn on you, simply tell Dasha ‘A favor left by your parents bears fruit and there are still those that wish to thank them.’”

Heran accepted the item and wrapped it in a scarf she took from her pack and placing it securely inside. “Do not worry Lady Clovenhoof, this will reach its destination. And thanks again for trusting me with such a thing.” she curtsied instead of saluting and Ara mirrored the gesture.

The group set off for Crackhorn midmorning and Heran wasn't the only one to receive an item to deliver as each of the elves were given a fist-sized gourd which were quite durable, water resistant and air tight, each of these contained contained dried, pollen-laden flowers of different kinds of plants. Two contained a local variety of medicinal plants and could be crossed with their related varieties of flowers which were native to the Woodelves territory and the two others were for fruit trees that improved the flavor and health of the following saplings and their fruit born from the mixing. In the previously constrained tension between the Woodelves and Signab Alliance the trade of such cross pollination was forgotten and recently rediscovered by the “Former High Councilor”.