After a few days of resting and working on mundane tasks Ethelred turn to Gustav…
“Gustav, would you be willing to head into the woods and help me sources some materials? I have a keen need some some natural resources and you are the best at locating and hunting things of this nature.”
Over the course of two weeks, Ezrin rarely leaves his cot. He is engrossed in two books and several scrolls. He occasionally finds a moment to speak with Alexis and to a lesser degree Ethelred about arcane weaves, auras, runes, gestures and invocations.
At some point, Ezrin retrieves an empty vial from his haversack, and removes a thin pair of gloves no one had noticed before, makes the gestures and invocations related to auguration of magical auras, and focuses on these items at length. When he is done he puts the gloves back on, they are barely noticeable, and he writes for a bit in one of his notebooks.
On another day, he raises the topic somnabulatory effects of certain enchantments, incantations and gestures, the impact of sand, crickets, and rose petals upon such.
A conversation regarding the use of transmutative and arcane imbuatative properties powdered silver, or “argentum,” as well as select transmutive incantations and gestures, with Ethelred continues off and on throughout the fortnight.
Ezrin makes frequent use of his crystals, several scrolls, incantations and gestures related to divination, aurgury and literacy of the arcane, and an adjustment of some sort to arcano-aura-auguracity incantations and gestures that seem to make it last longer then usual.
He is heard to mutter about atmospheric transmutations at length and practice several gestures and incantations that seem to related.
He makes frequent notes in one book, and regularly references another. Often mumbling about enchantments, mentalism, and somnabulation, or transmutation, aerotonomy, atmospherics, teleoration and anemonologistics. After ten days or so, he carefully writes three new pages into his “reference” book.
An hour or so after breakfast, a day or two after writing the new pages into the “Reference Book,” he performs incantations that seem to be related to teleoratory atmospheric transmutations, and then speaks “The stargazer climbed to the highest peak of the mountain, eager to gaze upon the night sky. She dreamed of one day traveling to the stars, of exploring new worlds and meeting strange and wonderful creatures.”
About two hours later, right on schedule, squire Perez enters the tent with lunch, looking even more confused than usual, and asks, “Did one of you say something about a stargazer who want to travel to the stars? It sounded like you were right next to me.” Perez looks over his shoulder to just outside the tent.
Ezrin smiles.
Telosh helps Gustav forage, trap and hunt, and spends a bit of time talking with him about trap craft. He aids Ethelred with the ballista, tumbles and spars with all of his companions. He is clumsy with his off hand, and while is eyes are little empty, his feints are not less convincing.
He feeds the crow whenever it comes around camp, but doesn’t talk to it in front of Gus, or at least when he knows Gus is nearby.
One afternoon, when Telosh thinks he is alone with the crow, he tosses it a morsel, closer than when they are near the others. As it eats, Telosh speaks slowly,
“You only ever tried to help and protect me.
“Gus says your feathers were protected by an agent of M- the Corrupter of Animals, and he thinks you are an agent of Theirs…
“I’ve never understood why he didn’t like you…
“If you are in the beast lords thrall, I hope I can free you, crow friend.”
About a week after Barra has defeated Utiog, Gus has chanced on something close to a feast for the group. The group is at one of the tables in the Inn. Alexis is in good spirits. He turns to Telosh.
“We’ve never taken the time for you to tell us about your upbringing. About your father. Care to tell us the ‘Tale of Telosh’?”