The Chanters

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A man in a grand sitting room sitting in a deep armchair in front of a fireplace where, despite the fine weather and time of day, a fire was roaring.
Sigismund was bored, he hadn't left the house for days and their supply of firewood were running low. He held out a piece of burnt meat to Wolfgang who nibbled on it, at least the rat didn't seem to, as they say, miss the thrill of the hunt. Sigismund wanted to get out of the house, there was nothing for him to do here, he couldn't work in his laboratory until they had rebuilt that wing of the house again. It had burnt pretty good last time but the formula was volatile and it quickly got out of hand, he was going to remember that recipe for later.

Sigismund was disturbed in his thoughts as a tray clattered on the table nearby.
"Your tea is served, m'lord" the servant announced and left the room in a hurry.
Sigismund got out of the chair and walked over to the table, Wolfgang scuttling up his arm to perch on his shoulder. He started to pour himself a cup of the liquid from the teapot when his eyes were drawn to a piece of paper, folded in half, next to the saucer. Sigismund picked it up and unfolded it, reading what had been written on it carefully and then read it again. He turned and, making Wolfgang squeak because of his sudden movement, ran out of the room, down the stairs to the hallway where he donned his hat and cloak and picked up his bag as he yelled to whomever certainly were listening.
"Bring out the horses, ready the cart, rally the men and prepare the wagons to follow behind... we have a chanter to burn!"

Moments later they were on the road, moving at full speed towards this town where
apparently a chanter had done quite a display in broad daylight. Sigismund hadn't been in those parts for some years now so there had certainly been some rebuilding done, Sigismund liked rebuilding and development, it made it feel like a cycle of sorts.

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A ship comes into port after a long journey across the seas and and many shady characters disperse on the docks after many weeks away from shore. Under the surface different creature releases it's clasp around the ships keel and swims to shore.

Crawling up onto the pier Murky Waters, It which clouds their eyes drew a deep breath.
There was a big fish around here somewhere, he could feel it, but he had more important business to tend too. He started crawling along the docks until he came upon a market stall.

The Merchant was unsettled by the way this fin was looking at him, with those big eyes and sharp teeth. Although he decided not to let a business opportunity go to waste so he offered his potential customer a closer look at his wares.

Murky Waters decided that this man of land wanted something from him, he didn't understand the exact words used but he was certain he wanted his fish. Murky Waters lined up a fine pair of of fishes on the market stall and because this man had gotten something that belonged to Murky Waters he took a shiny something from the man and continued crawling along the docks.

All of a sudden there was a commotion behind him and Murky saw a group of men coming at him yelling. Murky waters had already shared his fish and didn't want to give up the rest to these men who surely wanted some of it so he scuttled down an alley and ran deeper into the harbor.
 
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Merhapn was licking his claws clean as the full troop of belief priests and grunts he had at his command on this mission arrived.

"Well then, lets hunt some Chanters." He said breathing in deeply of the scents around him, blowing out the words of a prayer, sharpening his awareness of his surroundings.
His head whipped around to move his eyes across a tree-covered hillside in the distance remotely in the direction they had come from. Someone had been watching them. A wide grin seeped into his face *Trying to track me? Dont mislead yourselves.* Stretching he let out a feline roar that echoed to any and all places within a days travel. Small animals freezing in their tracks out of fear. His subordinates gaining a hexed rise in morals, they were on the monsters side.

The troop took of down the forest-path, moving at a pace that had even the soldiers with them breathing heavier.

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Felwonaed and the others were sitting in a clearing and enjoying a brief meal when the roar was heard over the forest. The others got up and got their stuff together, kicking dirt over the small campfire they had gotten running. Even if they didnt know what it was, it was nonetheless a reason to get going.
Felwonaed was staring in the direction of the frightful sound, a strange expression on his frozen face. He knew of only one person capable of that, the days of the group were numbered. A smile spread across his face.

"So, you have sent him against us huh? I said I would win the next time didnt I." The young man said to none in particular, the others in the group giving him sideways glances, he had been odd since the time they met him, and while they had traveled for weeks together they still didnt know anything but his name.

They left the clearing with a sinking feeling on their minds, something told them they wouldn't arrive at their destination, the only one in high spirits was Felwonaed, he would meet an old friend.

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When the guards turned a corner to catch the woman, she had already been stopped by a minotaur who lift her up by the back of her garments. Startled they came to a stop when the hooves man turned to address them, seemingly having understood their hidden intentions. The one of them closest to the turn then noticed a low voice asking him about payment for something, looking down he saw the short man of intermediate age. He remembered something about a traveling healer that his superiors had mentioned. The healer also froze up when he got around the corner, seeing the situation, taking a step back and being tumbled into by a young woman. Excusing herself hurriedly, the guards were still staring at the minotaur when the woman, upon turning her eyes to the situation started singing with a carrying voice in a strange language.

Then the situation got out of hand as plants and vines rose up from the ground to ensnare the big man. Making him drop the woman the guards had been chasing. However their attention now immediately turned towards the young singing woman as she screamed at the minotaur.

"CHANTER!" One of the guards screamed as she turned and ran, leaving the others standing dumbfounded.

The guards stood there for a second longer before they realized what had just happened. There was a chanter in the city.
Casting a glance behind them to the minotaur and the woman they had been chasing, they ran off in different directions, the chanter could not be allowed to escape.

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It took no more than some mere minutes from the moment of the damned chanters surfacing in the town before the Belief troops living there was on the chase. While every guard was hurrying to close of all ways in and out, the priests were sending messages across the area to anyone who paid allegiance to the church. Every chanter was a risk, a sin that must be burned clear.

The troops followed in the chanter womans wake, being obstructed by vines and trees stopping their way, as well as water attacking them, luckily the chanter didnt seem able to kill them. Coming across a wall of growth having sprung across the path a ways outside the forest, they
hurriedly managed to chop and cut their way through, not wanting to let the chanter escape, but once they got through, the path ahead of them was empty. Apart from an ears woman who stood alone on the path, seemingly searching for something.

"Who are you? Did a woman run past here?" The leader of the Belief soldiers said. His men were growing wary of running after the chanter, but they couldnt knowingly ease up on their hunt. Letting a chanter escape was akin to helping them. The soldiers looked at the ears woman, what she replied them with could well prove to save hers and their lives both.

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Nehlas heard the commotion from his room at the inn,looking out a window he could soon see the Belief soldiers running through town as well as the guards rushing around, telling the townsfolk to get inside.
It was unfortunate, but he would not be able to wait for the chanters to arrive, there was nothing to be gained in staying in a town where a chanter had drawn attention. Hopefully some of those meant to meet him would manage to get out alive. Once again he cursed the time when he agreed to do what the voice in his dreams asked of him. He wasnt sure he believed it to be a god, but if it meant he could get some chanters gathered and possibly taken somewhere safe it would be worth it.

The old man got out of the inn with his blue cloak swept around him, his hood at his back. Revealing the silvery hair he still had left. Taking a look around he started of in a direction that would eventually lead out of the town. Hoping he wouldnt have to deal with any of the Belief.

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A week or so earlier a wagon filled with freshly caught fish was being loaded for the long journey to its owners hometown deep in the forests to the northwest. The man stooped a moment as he heard some racket further down in the harbor, but it had nothing to do with him. He was impatient to begin the long journey home to his wife and children.

When the supplies had been stucked away in the wagon he drove off, not bothering to check if any unaccounted for passengers were among the wares.
 
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Taron gruffed as the plants suddenly erupted from the ground. Dropping Liana he looked up at the girl that turned and ran. A wise choice considering the foolish action right before it.
-"GRRR kids and their blasted impulsiveness" He muttered and effortlessly ripped the plants of him.
Meanwhile Liana stood next to him laughing.
-"well im not surprised you are not exactly looking harmless now do you" She crossed her arms and watched the guards leave. sadly this made matters worse. Now those crazy fanatics would be swarming the place.

They both decided it was better to get moving right away. Staying here people would soon start asking them questions about the event that just took place. That was not needed.

-"Hmm i know a healer when i see one" The big Taurus said making Liana turn around. Looking down the street at the person standing there. "Im going to check if he has some good ointments for sale. Not taking any chances with random plants like that in a city. The big hooves muttered and massaged his arm. And then raised his voice.

-"You look like a healer. Do you have some good salves or ointments for bruices and scratches. The road is not clean and i don't want to take my chances getting sick from the dirt getting into a scratch"
 
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Murky Waters, It which clouds their eyes rounded a corner and came to an intersection. While contemplating his next move he got an tingling sensation and saw something in the corner of his eye, had a fish just gone behind that corner?
Murky Waters ran after it around the corner just in time to see it take the next right. He started running after it, zigging and zagging through the alleyways, always just seeing glimpses of it.
"Here, fishy fishy fishy... here, fishy fishy fishy fishy!" Murky Waters hizzed after his prey.

Murky waters come out into a larger street where people and carts were bustling around, but where had that fish gone? He sniffed the air and could feel a salty fish smell coming from an nearby cart. He crawled carefully towards it patiently like a gig. Pulling himself onto the cart he could feel the smell getting stronger and suddenly there were fish all around him. just like fish to hide in shoals he thought and started digging through the fishes in search of his prey when suddenly the cart jerked forward and started rolling down the street.

Murky Waters felt cheated, he had not managed to catch the mysterious fish from earlier, and now he were ceremonially gutting a few of the fishes in the cart and put their entrails on a large seashell. He couldn't get a good reading of the fish guts only something about meeting a tall dark stranger. Instead Murky Waters decided to take a nap.

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In his cart Sigismund were studying maps of the town and area they were heading too, apparently they were a few days away even when moving at full speed and getting fresh horses at every stop, it was going too slow. He took one of the maps and held it over a candle, moving it slowly, making the part of the map depicting the town brown, then black and finally catching fire spreading out in a circle over the drawn landscape.

The ashtray was overflowing with map ashes and the remains of his sulfuric habit. He drew in a deep breath making his cigarette smolder, he put it out on another map leaving a burn mark over the town. Sigismund reached out to grab yet another map but instead his fingers closed around a small note. He read it carefully before throwing it away, apparently there was more to this town then what meets the eye.

Sigismund pulled down his hat over his eyes and drifted off to sleep by the rocking motion of the cart. Wolfgang curled up on Sigismunds lap and joined in his masters rest.
 
White ears flickered forward as yellow eyes darted forth to look at the new intruders. Withholding a growl that could get her in serious trouble. It wasn't good to just run upon a startled animal. It would take her some time before she was able to digest what it was that they were saying to her. After all it wasn't her native tongue.

A deep grumbling growl would come from her thought before she would finally speak short and simple sentences.

"Rrrroann......... Child Guardian." Roan responded as her tail flickered. Bright yellow orbs stared down at the human guards. The truth would come out for fear of them telling her master that she had lied. "No." It was the truth. She hadn't come by here. Heck they probably couldn't see the ball either.
 
Taron started to put some of the salve on his arm. His purse a bit lighter now but his health in a safer position. Nothing could compare to a town bringing disease into untreated wounds. Or so he thought at least. He waved for Liana to follow and turned walking down the street. Better bail this place today now that a chanter had caused a big ruckus calling every belief hunter in a days march to come running for their prey.

"Go get our things from the inn and make sure you pay this time" He said handing the purse to his travelling partner. Despite earlier actions he did trust the woman. Though maybe not her sense of discretion. "I'll meet you at the eastern road out from town"

Liana hummed and nodded of in thoughts. "yeah see ya" She said and the moment they entered the crowd of people further down the street she was gone. humming on a low tune to a song of daily life the chant kept people from putting much notice to her. Just another plain face amongst the rest.
 
Gilbert arrived to the outskirts of the town at night. He had always preferred to enter towns and villages under the cover of night so that he have some control of how many people that se him. So when he Stopped and looked upon the town he spotted some lanterns that probably belonged to some guard or militiamen. He started to plan his rout in to the town calculating all the shades and pattern of the lanterns. Finally when the moon was under a thick cloud and it was as dark as it gets he started to dance “tap tap tipedy tipedy tap” and the sound of his feats hitting the flat road stones echoed thru the night. He ran, as fast as he could and with such a remarkable speed that if someone would see him they would probably report him to the belief right away.

Gilbert found a decent inn in which he decided to rent a room. The next day he woke up well rested and struck out to find some food and perhaps a job. He visited a shop that sold supplies and food. When he entered he immediate become aware of the two big bouncers that stood guard by the back door and the merchant sat behind the counter counting money. Gilbert politely tipped his head in the shopkeeper’s direction and was greeted with a mumble something about don’t waste my time and the rest was sow low that he did not catch it.

After browsing the shop for a while and lessening to the shopkeeper that miserably failed to count the coins in front of him, Gilbert decided to pull a fast one on the not so bright merchant. He took a pair of worn out boots and stepped up to the counter. He asked for the price and the shopkeeper said fifteen coins so when Gilbert was on his way to pull out the money he acted surprised and looked at an old book that was standing on the shelf behind the counter. He asked how much the book could cost and the merchant told him again that the book and the boots were fifteen coins each and non-negotiable. Gilbert who had counted with that probably was the case, said calmly “could I make a trade with this boots and that book?” of course the shopkeeper answered. So Gilbert took the book and was on his way out when the merchant caught up and yelled “stop right there what are you doing!?” to witch Gilbert simply answered “I am Walking away with the book that I traded from you” the merchant was getting angry and said “you have to pay for that book” “But I traded the book for the boots” “yes but you did not pay for the boots!” “But I gave them back” “yes you did but but but…” the merchant started to stumble over his words and Gilbert noticed that it was starting to reach the edge of the merchant’s brain capacity so he pressed on to fulfill his plan “look hear I traded the boots that are worth fifteen coins for the book that also cost fifteen coins right” “yes of course I am no scrub at trading I got that” “and with that I gave the boots back so you still got the boots that I traded you for this book right” “yes yes of course” “so are we finished with this business?” “it would seem so I mean I got the boots back so I guess it is done” The merchant looked fairly confused and Gilbert nod his head just as he did when he entered and with that he left the store one book richer.

When he had walked away a couple of streets he heard a racket and went over to investigate. When he arrived he saw a big minotaur, one woman who was rushing for the forest and another one who were walking towards the inn that he was staying at. The minotaur had just finished talking to a healer and Gilbert slowly approached the minotaur and said “Hello What have happened here?”
 
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