At first opportunity, Hanalee pulls herself away from the ritual and rejoins Almost Everyone (Caden, Alric, and Bright Feather).

"Where did Karnath go?" she asks wearily.

"Karnath" Alric looks around. "Bar I think"

"What can we do to help him Sir" Alric says to the acolyte.

Hanalee grunts, and walks off towards Geraldine's looking for Karnath...

Hanalee finally reaches the bar, and stands next to Karnath. She gives her ally a silent nod of greeting, then calls to the dwarf. "Iodar!" she says with forced enthusiasm. "Get me something to drink...anything. I need to go numb for a while..."

She sighs and sits down. "Helluva day, huh?" she says to Karnath.

Karni nods, rather glassy eyed, and wondering why she is here.

Uptown

still within quarter past noon. (between 12:00 and 12:15 pm)

Almost Everyone

The ritual continues by the Elder's Place. Bright Feather can be seen by the entrance, but only barely through the participating crowd of community. She seems to be having some questions answered and possibly will return shortly.

(Bright Feather, if you want, we can abstract a minor Q&A session. Anything particularly big will likely be roleplayed in a future meeting. However basic reporting and simple revelations can be handled OOC directly here.)
-----------------------

Alric & Caden

The seriousness continues, "Which new graveyard...?," looking back and forth between the two of you. "Please tell me you did not go there." His eyes go very big and he gestures unconsciously a sign of what must be assumed to be forbiddance.

"Are you not the group with the priestess of the People of the Sun and the traveling First Water? Have they not relayed to you the absolute danger of the place that shall not be named outside the sacred smoke circle? The one past the new graveyard nearest the less well made saloons, down mountain towards the forbidden terrace? Whatever more accursed items have you brought from there?"

A look of recognition that he has completely confused and frightened you both will cross his face. "I am sorry. I let myself be swayed to passion to keep the community safe. Say no more.

"I shall remain with you until we are ready to convene with the elders about this. Wherever you go today, I go, even if to adventure. And keep those such objects from there covered and hidden and away from your moist cavities and dead meat in general."
----------------

Hanalee & Karnath

Iodar turns to set up a shot for Hanalee, "Rough day. Usual two fingers of rye? Or a double shot for you and your friend here?"

Alric nods agreement and wraps the bone tighter in the canvas. "We will wait for the Elders."

He turns to Caden. "I appreciate you staying but go get some rest and a drink or two. We earned it today."

Alric pulls out his nice whiskey flask and takes a hit off of it sitting with Mal quietly while the town rumbles nearby.

That's fine she only wants to know if they know if it was a particular tribe's fetish and it's possible purpose. And any info on ghosts related to the graveyard.

Caden nods to Alric "I suppose it is time get off my feet. I'll be about if you need me".

Caden will find his way to one of the inns for a drink and a bite to eat.

Uptown

still within quarter past noon. (12:00 - 12:15 am)

Bright Feather

As you try to comment about the bone fetish the grandmother gets very concerned, and will move to prevent you from revealing it so close to the ritual if necessary.

"No! She must not lose focus before Brother Snake's questioning," nodding back to the snakebite victim. She leads you out and away from the building and the ritual and then listens to your description, not letting you take out the fetish again.

"You say she was found by That New Graveyard, but the tracks led further down to a terrace? And that is where you found this fetish? May Her Web Hold the Children, this is grave news! The ritual might not be strong enough, or... worse.

"Return to your friends. We will need to speak to you all back at the Elder's Place later tonight. I shall have a young weaver stay by you just in case you have other places to visit. I must inform those inside to adjust the ritual, excuse me."

She passes by a young woman in the outside song ring and speaks rapidly. The young woman gasps and covers her mouth, then nods quickly, looks about, spots you then hurries to your side. The grandma then hurries inside and audible bustling goes on underneath the consistent ritual song.

"First Water? I shall be by you until tonight. Go freely and know that I watch for the community's safety. And yours as well." She pulls out exquisite, miniature baskets set inside each other, adjusts them knowingly, then re-pockets them under her wrap.
----------------

Alric

"He seems like he was, is, a loyal friend," the acolyte looks at Mal, then switches to Caden's back as he leaves you, and finally calmly straight ahead across the street to the continuing ritual.

Well that was deliberately ambiguous. Reminds you how treacherous conversation could be, especially with those trained in religion. You feel a tug towards the outdoors' simpler truths, now that you seem embroiled into more civilization than you anticipated.
----------------

Caden

(going to Geraldine's or another Uptown inn or tavern?)
----------------

Hanalee & Karnath

/two double shots of rye whiskey lined up for each of you.

Iodar walks off and tends to another customer. Doesn't even wait for the money. Probably because he knows Hanalee, and knows that she, and at least her family, is good for it.

"Hey girl! Looks like destiny booted you in the patookas. Need an ear, or you're good?" Georgette swings on by with a smile, cleaning off a glass. She's also not asking about the money, but you think you might be paying for it already.

Fontaine ends his jovial rag and switches to the treble tinkles and bass 'whomps' of a comical song. "Cow & Billy Goat Romp," if you remember correctly. Absolutely no coincidence at all, of course.

Ahh, your friends are supportive in that razzing, lovable way that makes you want to throttle them... lovingly, of course.

However, Karnath looks like if she starts throttling people in town now she may not stop so lovingly... You might be the only other person who could commiserate with her.

Bright Feather gives an impassive look...putting the fetish back....."Thank you for listening to a young traveler like myself and trusting I will not speak of the danger my friends and I have found, a question for you... where is my friend the priestess of Spider?"....

Uptown

Bright Feather

The grandmother would give you a confused look as you ask about your friend, excuse herself due to the time sensitive nature of this information, and go back inside.

If and when you mention it to the young weaver maiden she too would look confused, but will look about in an eager attempt to help. She will ask for descriptions, as it seems like she may not have witnessed Karnath as of yet.

You will likely spot Alric with Mal first, on the porch of Geraldine's across the way on the other side of Main Street. He seems to be joined by a Shoshone youth acolyte of the type you've already seen inside the Elder's Place. Why isn't someone like that inside the building, or at the very least at the outer ring singing? Hmm...

"Thanks," Hanalee tells Iodar, and throws back the first of the shots.

When Georgette passes, Hanalee forces a small grin. "I'm not okay, but...I will be," she says, raising her empty shot glass. "As long as Io keeps these coming...I'll forget my problems in no time at all."

She turns on her barstool to face Karnath. "So...the thing today. I wasn't myself, so anything I said or did I didn't mean. Something controlled us." Hanalee shudders suddenly. "Left a heck of an aftertaste though..."

"Was, IS?" A note of panic to his voice.

"He'll be alright won't he?"

Bright Feather will go to Geraldine's in hopes that everyone else is there.