<strong>Eshalu - in the Wilds of Dra Sirdu, recovering from the encounter with the Gorilledators</strong><br/><br/>Eshalu took a moment to contemplate the strange leather collar presented to her by Lazerette. Its make and craftsmanship were strange - stranger, even, than any human artifact she had encountered. Lazerette's proposed explanation at first seemed odd. She struggled to form the concept of the word<em>pet</em>. She'd heard it before and understood to refer to a creature kept by humans for companionship or pleasure. But then a blustering and powerfully-built mariner had told her in port before leaving for Dra Sirdu that she would make a good<em>pet</em>, so perhaps it was synonymous with<em>slave</em>, whatever that actually meant.<br/><br/>"Is it so?" Eshalu cocked her head curiously, her eyes flitting from Lazerette to the collar, "A<em>pet</em>, like your -" she cut herself off, still thinking of Lyra - she knew her lack of understanding of human hierarchy and the subtleties of its language was prone to give offense, "I mean, who would create such unnatural beings and for what purpose? To guard their territory?"<br/><br/>Then turning to Reliyian, "<em>Far-Seer</em>, though my experience is modest, I have never seen such creatures and have only heard of their kind in the stories spun by our loreweavers. In ages past, they said, there were great beasts deformed by sorcery and taken out of the great web of life by acts which the minds of the People cannot even imagine. But no one spoke of great apes."<br/><br/>Eshalu paused and peered through the verdant canopy above her. Slivers of reddening light pierced the green cover and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before the way of the setting sun became a violet haze and night set in. Aeryn was right - she, and they, needed to rest. The forest provided abundant cover and finding a sheltered place would not be too difficult, but they could not afford to take too long. With the night would come a new and unknown set of dangers.<br/><br/>"If we are all in agreement, I will look for a place where we can rest until the Dawn Stars reveal themselves." Traveling by night was a pleasure for Eshalu, with her vision adjusting perfectly to the contours of darkness, creating a world of subtle, layered textures which she personally found preferable to the gaudy colours of day - but human eyesight was sadly lacking. "There may be running water not far from here - a stream, I hope, and enough rocky cover for an encampment. I would wash my hands and spear of the impure blood of those vile apes."<br/><br/>Though the landscape was unfamiliar, she followed her eyes and her nose, seeking to identify a sheltered nearby site.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Roll Result: Eshalu rolled: 4d6<br/>Comment: Notice roll in the Wilds of Dra Sirdu to find a good bivouac site.<br/>Result: 4, 6, 3, 1,<br/>A net result of <strong>+2</strong> (+0 rolls, +2 Notice skill), a <strong>Fair</strong> success.<br/></div></div>