# [ic] nameless III: lost and found



## doghead (Jul 28, 2004)

ic nameless II: seventh from seven said:
			
		

> So dawn sees the rump of the Seventh plus two new (new) faces - Nate, Hewik, Craddoc, Fredar, Gwender and Hadarook - passing out of the gates of Trolluc and heading north towards Killingtom.




The journey is long, longer than it would normally be as the Seventh seeks paths that keep them clear of goblins. You see numerous signs of the goblins. Including what look like a battle between two groups of them. But fortunately, you yourself have two only contacts with them. The first is a fairly straight forward engagement. The second is a night raid that leaves Gwender dead and Hewik unaccounted for.

So it is that only four of the Seventh (if you can still be called that) finally arrive at a top of a low ridge from which Killingtom can be seen a couple of miles down the valley. A few people can be seen moving around. Smoke drifts from numerous chimneys. It looks quiet enough. But no one make a move. The surrounding trees give you some welcome cover from prying eyes as you take a moment to consider the town that lies below, lost in your thoughts. For a while there is silence.

_Let us take a moment here to consider our heros. Ordinary people, like you me. Not a week ago they were but blacksmiths and farmers, goat herders and lay-a-bouts. Now a no-small-number of their companions are dead. Others have been consigned to fates perhaps worse than that. And the raggedy arsed band of survivors faces a world that grows more alien and dangerous each day. Where once their days were spent amoung the citizens of the rather un-extraordinary towns of Seven and Trolluc, now death, dark magic and madness become disturbingly familier companions. Is it no wonder they seem reluctant to abandon the protection afforded them by the trees? Is it any wonder that their eyes rove restlessly over the scene that lies before them. Do you, like me, wonder what they are thinking as they crouch atop that lonely ridge so close to their destination but so far from everything that they know?_


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## Maerdwyn (Jul 29, 2004)

_Gods. Why did I do this again?_ Fredar scans the town below, willing himself to look for some signs of the local garrison. He feels a little guilty at having to tell himself not to look for whatever passes for this little town's tavern, especially after what happened to Gwender and Hewik. _It's not like I haven't seen dead men before. _In fact, that was just about all Fredar had seen the day after the quake - and dead women, and dead kids. _But it wasn't a fallen rafter that killed you, was it Gwender? It was a stinking goblin that stuck you in the ribs while you were trying to keep its attention off me_. _Sorry, mate_. _You didn't know me long enough to know I wasn't worth it._ Fredar thoughts turned from the dead man to the missing one. Fredar hoped Hewik had gotten clear of the goblins after the fight, and tried to cut off thoughts of what he was going through now if he hadn't by speaking. "So where do we find Dobbel?" he asked of no one in particular. They hadn't fully established who was in charge. Fredar was just glad it wasn't going to be him. _Why did I do this again?_


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## DrZombie (Jul 29, 2004)

Nate looks at the small town with unblinking eyes. He scans the forest, the road, the sky for signs of the enemy.

_Gods, Hewik, I hope you make it._ He recalls his reluctance at leaving the ambush site, but with none of them able to decently read tracks, there was nothing he could do. _I have failed you all. _The last nights were restless, thinking, wondering, arguing with himself about wath he might have done to save them . Lisa _Gods no_, archer, sadolath, oscar, Cromwell, and now Hewik. _I am the last one remaining. After a week. A single week._But the thing that burns in his mind, that he tries to avoid, but keeps returning to, like a tongue probing an aching tooth, is the battle rage. Every fight it has been building, an anger so profound, so all-enveloping that it scares him. And last night it broke through and nearly swept him away. His mace felt like a twig in his hand, and he vaguely recalls laughing like a madman at the sight of the crumpled skull of a goblin. _Maybe I scared Hewik away..._

With a deep sigh, Nate snaps out of his recollections, and once again scans the area. Looking around, he realises what the group reminds him of. "C'mon guys" he whispers."No use crouching here like rabbits waiting for the hawk to get them. You know the drill. Ranged weapons ready and head for the town. We'll worry about getting to Dobbel when we're safe. Evrything clear? Let's go." With that he gets up and heads towards the village sling at the ready and scanning the countryside. "C'mon, say in line".


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## doghead (Jul 29, 2004)

You set off towards the town. Without anyone saying anything, you fall into the formation which has become standard over the last few days - Hadarook slightly ahead on his dog, the rest in a loose circle, with about 10-15 feet between you each of you, a little behind. After about half a mile you notice Hadarook whispering into his dog's ear. A short time later. he pulls up and pulls out his waterskin. As you pull up around him, he says conversationally, but quietly, "I think we are being followed, or watched. Wolster can smell someone, or something. For about the last 5 minutes maybe. Winds a bit shifty like, so hard to tell from which direction its coming. Try not to gawp."

You have been working your way down a gentle slope and haven't come to any farms yet. You probably only done about half a mile or less. The lands around you is lightly wooded, so you have a fairly clear view for about 40-50 yards in most directions. But there are quite alot of scrubs and bushes providing cover for anything willing to get down low, or anything small.


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## Maerdwyn (Jul 30, 2004)

doghead said:
			
		

> As you pull up around him, he says conversationally, but quietly, "I think we are being followed, or watched. Wolster can smell someone, or something. For about the last 5 minutes maybe. Winds a bit shifty like, so hard to tell from which direction its coming. Try not to gawp."



Fredar says, in the same tone, "If you want me to look around a little, I could stop to...ah...relieve myself... in a minute or so.  Every guy looks around guiltily to make sure nobody's looking when he does that. Shouldn't alarm anyone who might...be watching us."  Fredar trails off.  _Stupid idea.  We should just keep walking._


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## doghead (Jul 30, 2004)

"Not here. Not after we have come so far," Craddoc mutters to himself under his breath. "Not so bloody close to town."


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## DrZombie (Jul 31, 2004)

"Just bloody keep bloody moving towards town, and stay together. Keep your eyes open. If we're within running distance from the gates we'll make a dash for it."


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## Maerdwyn (Jul 31, 2004)

Fredar nods, and falls back into line.


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## doghead (Jul 31, 2004)

"Wait!" 

From behind some trees steps a goblin. He is about 100 feet away, at about 8 o'clock according to your original heading. He is dressed in a dark armour that seems to glisten dully. His bearing is relaxed, but alert. In his left hand he holds a short bow held away from his body. It is strung but he has no arrows in hand. In his belt are a couple of long knives. A hearbeat later a saddled worg appears at his side. 

"Peace. Talk."

A low growl comes from the throat of Hadarook's beast of a hunting dog and its hackles rise.

Craddoc spins around and takes a half step back from the goblin. His hand goes to the mace at his side.

Two more gobins and their worgs emerge form cover about the same distance away as the first goblin. They are dressed as the first, and stand about 20 feet to each side of him in a loose arc. And like him, they carry  un-nocked but strung short bows. Unlike him they carry them loosely at their side. The stare at you suspiciously.

"Peace! Talk only!"


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## doghead (Aug 2, 2004)

The goblins stare at you as you shuffle your feet and glance uncertainly at each other. Suddenly he, the first one, stiffens. His eyes flicker urgently back and forth between you.

He takes a step back and begins speaking quickly in a hushed voice in what, you imagine, must be goblin tongue.

Hadarook, still bent low over his mount in an effort to keep it calm, glances up.

From the trees behind comes the murmer of a reply in the same language. There is a brief exchange. Then a final statement from the shadows. It has the incantation of a command.

The other two goblins shift nervously. Their right hands drift towards the feathered tips of their arrows. Their eyes flicker between you and the one who talks.

The first goblin swings his attention back to you.

"Where is he? The Madgref? Why is he not with you?"


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 2, 2004)

Fredar looks around again, waiting for one of the others to say something - then he sees the goblin reach for the arrow.  Tenatively, he steps out of line three paces, arms loose and held slightly out from his sides, palms open to the goblin who spoke.  Carefully, he says, "We may be able to tell you, but I do not know this word.  You must tell us who you mean."


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## DrZombie (Aug 3, 2004)

Nate tenses up as the goblins approach. "Peace? Talk fast, goblin, very fast". His eyes constantly search the bushes, weary of an ambush. As the voice starts giving commands, Nate looks for the fastest way o get to the owner of that voice, for when things go sour.


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## doghead (Aug 3, 2004)

The first goblin looks somewhat nonplussed by your lack of understanding. You can almost see the cogs and wheels whiring as he attempts to find the words with which to explain to you.

At Nate's barked challenge he stiffens and his eyes narrow in anger. The struggle to leash his anger is played out in the small twitches of his right hand fingers. With some 80 feet of rough ground between you and the nearest goblin, there would be plenty of time for the archers to put an arrow or two into anyone charging them. Whether it would be enough to stop you would be different matter. But then there is also the worg. It stares at you as would a chained dog at a piece of steak placed just out of reach.

But appart from the three that you can see, and one you can't, there is no sign of anymore goblins. A dark shape behind the goblin archer on your left catches Nates eye, then realisation dawns. Another worg. Almost cetainly.

"The Magreft," the goblin hisses through gritted teeth, "they are orc spawn, but terrible bad spirit mojo.

"From the eastern walled city came the Magreft's band. The Magreft, four man born and two halfmen. One an ironwright. A highborn. A female. A death shaman. These things the blood and bone told us of. They were seen and spoken of. We know that the blood and bone spoke truely. These we thought we followed. But you are not them. You are wrong."

Casting a glance over his shoulder the goblin snarls something in his own language. He sounds angry. Confused. Frightened perhaps. But not murderous.

There is a moments silence. Then a quiet response. Then a worg bearing a female goblin pads out from the shadows. The worg pauses beside the first goblin, and the female considers you carefully.

"What do you know of what we speak?"


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 4, 2004)

Fredar keeps talking, hoping to draw the goblins out further.  "The Madgreft no longer commands his band." Fredar says, leaving the question of whether or not he is happy about that fact unanswered. "Who are you that we should tell you the rest of what we know?  Why do you seek the Madgreft?"


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## DrZombie (Aug 4, 2004)

"Ironwright? Do you mean me? Whaddayawant from me, Goblin? No more cursed riddles." Nate snarls, as he feels his anger rising, like a hound straining at its leach."


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## doghead (Aug 4, 2004)

The female's gaze flickers over to Fredar.

"Then you know of whom we speak," she says. "And you are those." The last statement is as much a question as a statement.

At Nates outburst she turns her attention to him. She considers him from a moment. "Yes. You could be an ironwright. You have the build." Her voice is low and clear. She seems to be talking to herself as much as to you. But her words, although accented are well formed and clear. As are her sentences.

"And you could the highborn. Or the death sha .. mage. You call them mages don't you," she adds looking at Fredar. But her doubt is clear. "But the woman? That none of you could be."

Again, she falls silent for a moment, deep in thought. The other goblins shift nervously, uncertainly. They seem to be as ill at ease with this situation as you are.

Suddenly she appears to come to a decision. She heels her worg and it begins to walk across the distance that separates you. The first goblin cries out and throws out a hand and grabs the bridle of her mount, but drops it almost immediately as she give him a sharp look. And the worg snarles menacingly. The females says something quietly to him, then once again begins her approach. The two archers immediately become agitated, shifting their weight and reaching for arrows. But the first goblin gestures angrily and they stand down somewhat. The female rides towards you without a look in their direction.

When she gets to within about 15 feet, she stops.

"I will speak as plainly as I can. There is one amoung my kind that seeks to lead us out of the forests. It would be a mistake, but his power grows. There is one amoung your kind that seeks to help him bring this about. The blood and bone told us that a solution lies through those that traveled with the magreft. We assumed that that ment the magref himself was central. But it is a mistake to assume with readings. Perhaps we were wrong, or perhaps things have changed in some way. Perhaps you are the ones we seek. Or perhaps not. Perhaps that path has been closed. I must now choose. My heart tells me to turn and go. But if you have some sign, something that can convince me of a connection to the magreft, then I tell you what I was sent to tell you, and offer what I was ment to offer."


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 5, 2004)

Fredar looks to the more senior member of the Seventh.  _I could make something up based on what they've told me, but I'd better wait and see what they've got, for real.  I'd rather keep her talking than have her worgs chomping on our throats._

ooc: unless of course we have some sort of badge that identifies us and our company, which Cromwell would have had as well.


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## doghead (Aug 5, 2004)

ooc: you have a uniform of sorts - basically a rust-red jacket or jerkin, something like that. But no badge as such. You have Cromwell's, later Gwendar's, "officer satchel" containing some letters for the towns along the way (a few undelivered) and a few other bits and pieces.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 5, 2004)

(ooc: Presuming that Nate has the satchel: )

 Fredar walks confidently up to Nate, putting his back to the goblins, and putting himself between them and Nate in the process, hopefully blocking the goblin's view of what he's about to do.   "We do have some things of his," Fredar says, just loud enough for the feamle goblin to hear, "But do you think we should show them?" He shifts on his feet, now putting his torso directly in front of the satchel.  As he speaks to Nate close up, he puts a hand on his arm, and with the other, surreptitiously removes the letters from the satchel.  _Can't let them see which towns we haven't warned yet, but the satchel might be all we've got. The other stuff in there is probably fine._

ooc: sleight of hand +4, trying to hide the action not from Nate, but from the goblins


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## DrZombie (Aug 7, 2004)

"We might get some answers about what the hell is going on here. Show it, and we'll see. Just get ready for some treacery".


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## doghead (Aug 8, 2004)

The female goblin catches the satchel and proceeds to rummage through it. She shows little interrest in the contents til she gets to the map that was taken from the goblin warband. "Tell me about this," she demands. As you do so, she occasionally asks questions. Eventually she states, "It is enough." With a growled command, her worg sinks to to the ground, and she steps off.

She approaches to within about 10 feet, then tosses the satchel, less the map, back to Nate. She stands tall and straight and gazes at you calmly. But an unconcious twisting of a ring on her finger suggests that she is not as calm as she would appear on the outside. When Hadarook's dog barks, she flinches and her composure vanishes for a moment. But it is quickly restored, and she glares at you ferociously for a moment, as if daring you to challenge her. If it was meant to intimidate you, it wasn't very successful. But you say nothing. More than anything, that display of naked fear convinced you that to hear her out. Whatever reasons she had for being her, they seem to be compelling ones.

The tales she tells you is a simple one. There is one amoung her kind, the heratic she calls him, who seeks to unite the tribes and bring them out of the forests. He seeks create a goblin kingdom, and he desires all of the land that lies between the two forests, below the mountains and above the river. The lands where you live. Already he has the support of the some of the tribes and some powerful allies, but many of the others are still wary and hold out.

She tells you that one amoung your kind works to help the heratic by bringing him an item, or ally, of great power. If that happpens, she tells you, many more of the tribes will join the heratic, and war will be inevitable. She talks about the idea of a kingdom with disgust. "It is not the goblin way," she spits. "It is not a fit way to live."

What she wants is also simple. She wants your help to deny the heritic what it is he seeks. She wants you find the seeker. She cannot do it herself without being exposed. She does not know who the seeker is, but she shows you a small symbol on the map taken from the goblin warband outside Trolluc. She tells you that is it is the symbol of the heratic, and by it you can confirm the identity of the seeker, for he will have a copy of it on him somewhere. It will be his guarantee of safe passage when he visits the heratic.

She will wait for you for three nights on the other side of town. It is safer for her over there she explains. She shows you where on the map. It is a small hill about 6 miles from Killingtom. She cannot wait for longer for then her absense will be noticed, and questions asked.

Just for three nights she reminds you. Then she hands the map to Nate, returns to her worg and rides back to the others. They slip away quietly.


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## doghead (Aug 8, 2004)

A short time later you arrive at the gates of the village. The village consists of mostly single story buildings of timber construction. A mainstreet runs through the center. Around the village is a low earth wall, and around that a ditch, over grown with brambles. A reasonably effective deternant, except that there is at least one track through the brambles that you can see - somebody's shortcut no doubt.

The guard at the gate eyes you warily, no doubt wondering why you came overland rather than up the road. But he takes you up the mainstreet to one of the few two story buildings. It is the town hall. There he tells you to wait while someone sent to get the reeve. Others also arrive, and by the time the reeve arrives, there is small crowd in the open area of the hall. Some oatcakes are produced, and some water. Finally the reeve ushers you and a few others upstairs to the town chambers. Also there are the guard Sergeant, the Landcarl, a couple of merchants (who sit on the council), a Lady's Handmaiden and his companion, and the Justicar.

The reeve silently reads the letter that Nate gives him.


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## DrZombie (Aug 8, 2004)

Nate stands to a weary attention, mind still mulling over the meeting with the goblin.

_Heretic? A goblin heretic. What does a goblin heretic preach? Peace and love? probably not. A goblin king, with a human traitor. Off-course, whe only have the goblins word that the human is a traitor. Yes mr judge, the goblin-woman who is now nowhere to be found said that anyone wearing thit sign was a traitor so I bashed in his head.... Not that I don't have enough trouble as it is. Maybe that old coot has something to do with it. Don't believe he's dead. Bugger me, why did Cromwell go bananas. He might be able to deal with this. We need a new sarge. Ooh bugger, what did he just say? Better pay attention._


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## Seonaid (Aug 9, 2004)

Garival slips in quietly when no one seems to be looking, hoping his lateness goes unnoticed and unremarked. He nods to those who turn his direction, trying to breathe normally and not look suspicious. While he waits, he pulls at the leather that binds his hair, slipping it off and then retying it. Other than that quick motion, his impatience and restlessness are not evident. His clothing looks a bit worse for wear, but presentable.

When the reeve enters with the group, Garival looks each one up and down, appraising them in a glance. _I don't recognize some of these. Perhaps new to the area, or townsmen. I wouldn't necessarily know everyone. This is too much time here as it is!_ His fingers itch to leave their clasp behind his back, but he holds his stance, ready for anything. _Not that something would happen here,_ he thinks sardonically.


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## doghead (Aug 9, 2004)

The reeve fisnishes reading and looks up.

"Right, this is not a formal meeting of the council, but questions can be asked.

"The gist of the letter is this. There was a goblin raiding party sighted about a mile in from the edge of the western forest. That night two manor farms were raided and burnt down. The Captain Commander advises us to take what precautions we can."

The reeve looks to Nate. "Do you have anything to add to that er, Sergeant? Corporal? Nathan?!? By the Lord. I didn't recognise you in that iron pot. Anyway, do you have anything to add to this?"

Before Nate can say anything, the Sergeant of the Guard butts in.

"I don't think that it is anything worth worrin about. No disrespect intended to the Captain Commander an all. But its probably just a bunch of youngbloods looking to prove themselves. One look at a gob and those city folk get all their silk stocking knotted. If you'll pardon the expression like. 

"If any gobbos do show their snouts around here, we'll just add'em to our collection."


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## DrZombie (Aug 10, 2004)

doghead said:
			
		

> The reeve looks to Nate. "Do you have anything to add to that er, Sergeant? Corporal? Nathan?!? By the Lord. I didn't recognise you in that iron pot. Anyway, do you have anything to add to this?"
> 
> Before Nate can say anything, the Sergeant of the Guard butts in.
> 
> ...



Nate's jaws clench when he's interrupted by the sergeant. When the fat oaf stops speaking Nate adresses him in a perfectly neutral voice, saluting him as if he's the general himself.
"Excuse me sir. I seem to have forgotten my silk stockings, Sir. You'll notice there's a bandage on my foot instead, Sir. A fierce wound from a knotted stocking, remarkably shaped as an arrow wound, Sir. In fact, Sir, Oscar de Reign got his stocking so knotted he was heavily wounded, Sir. As a matter of fact, his wounds reopened, although they were healed magically. The priests were baffled, although I'm quite sure you can reassure them that knotted stocking injuries can be quite fierce, Sir. So fierce, in fact, that from the seven that left Seven, I'm the only one that made it here, Sir. With your permission I'll finish my report to the Reeve and then hurry back to untie the Captain Commanders stockings, Sir."

With a crisp salute he then turns to the Reeve.
"It's fairly bad out there, sir. Our sergeant got killed yesterday, an acute case of knotted stockings " with a disgusted look at the sergeant " and in a nightly ambush we lost one of our men, Hewik. Hes not the type to run away, but we couldn't find him, nor could we find any tracks. There's several bands of goblins around, mounted on worgs. We managed to avoid most of 'em. They attacked and killed armed merchants with guards about an hour from the city. We took some prisoners there. They talk about a goblin king uniting the tribes. It is not their way but apparently he's succeeding. I'd take this very seriously. I've lost six good friends trying to deliver this message. Being prepared never hurt anyone. The least you could do is take off your silk stockings."

"I'm sorry sir, but we're wounded, tired , dirty and hungry. We need a bath, food and if there's some healing someone could offer we'd be more than happy. You'll need to appoint a new sergeant amongst us, and we need new equipment and supplies if there's any to be had. We've got some more communities to warn, and I plan on leaving very early tomorrow."

With that, Nate stops, gives the sergeant another dirty look, and steps back.


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## doghead (Aug 10, 2004)

The sergeant's face flushes red as he listens to Nate. He get as far as opening his mouth to respond before Nate cuts him out by turning to continue his report to the reeve. The sergeant clamps his jaw shut with an audible snap!

There is a ripple of movement through the group gathered as those nearby try to discetely get out of the way of whatever is coming.

By the time Nate has finished, the sergeant's face is beet red. A vein in his temple throbs, the muscles in his neck bulge and his hands clench and unclench. 

"Son," the sergeant bawls as soon as Nate steps back, "you've just booked youself a date with the lash. A half dozen of the best. And if I hear any more lip from you, you will get another half dozen more. 

"You will answer the reeves questions and keep you damnable opinions to yourself. Unless you are a glutton for punishment.

"I don't know what sort of slip shod behaviour is tolerated where you come from but here," and suddenly his voice goes calm and he smiles at you with all the warmth of a glacier, "we do things ... properly.

"And you will address me as Sergeant. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"


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## Stagger_Lee (Aug 10, 2004)

Rhys steps forward without hesitation, though with the presence of mind to look properly abashed as he runs one hand through his blond hair. He places a hand on the Sergeant's shoulder, and smiles up at him before looking at the object of his tirade with concern.

"No disrespect, Sergeant, sir, and forgive me for interfering, but the young man is obviously wounded. Surely we can be slightly forgiving of a sharp tongue when it has recently been in danger of being cut out? And if, as you say, he's a scared boy, then we've little reason to scare him further. And on the off chance that he isn't, he's done the town a great service." He stops and chews his bottom lip, "again, forgive me for interfereing."


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## doghead (Aug 11, 2004)

The sergeant jumps at Rhy's touch and his hand jerks up before his brain registers whats what. He quickly pulls it down.

"Beggin your pardon there cleric. You surprised me."

He listens to what Rhys has to say, but the vein begins to throb again and his face begins to flush red again. He obviously doesn't like what he's hearing.

But before he can respond, the reeve jumps in. His words scuttle out piling up one on the back of another as he tries to hold the advantage and prevent anyone leading the discussion even further astray. "I'm sure that the sergeant will do what is right given the circumstances. I don't think its our business to meddle in how he he handles his business. But I'm sure that consideration will be given where consideration is due, won't it sergeant. And with that done, lets get back to our business here. Are there any more questions for these men?"

The sergeant nods, but the surly look doesn't his face. He flashes a dark look at Rhys, but hold his peace.

Rhys: 



Spoiler



Diplomacy check made. You and the sergeant aren't exactly friends (ie Initial attitude - Indifferent). Sense Motive check - You haven't improved that (he definately didn't like your interference) but you're pretty sure that you haven't made things any worse.


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## Seonaid (Aug 12, 2004)

Garival holds his peace as the others brawl verbally. _Interesting set of relationships, hmm . . ._ he says to himself. When the reeve speaks to the assembled, he steps forward slightly and clears his throat. "You mentioned a goblin king and the tribes banding together?" His voice is not deep, but he speaks with calmness and surety. "What proof do you have?"


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## Stagger_Lee (Aug 13, 2004)

Rhys smiles sweetly at the sergeant's bulging vein, and mumbles an apology, though neither remorse nor concern show on his brow. 

He bows towards the reeve. "I've no doubt the seargent is very capable. But if there's any truth to this story of the goblins assembling, we may not be able to find a place for *all* of their snouts," without a hint of sarcasm, and looking towards the Sergeant, "Not that I'm doubting the efficacy of you or your men, Sergeant."

He then turns and examines Nate, his eyes flicking over the man's wounds, seeming to weigh him. He ends with a friendly, assuring smile, though he doesn't carry enough weight for that assurance to mean much.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 16, 2004)

Fredar keeps the grim smile off his face as Nate speaks, but not easily.  He may not have been with the Seventh long, but he's seen enough in the past week to know what Nate must be feeling in response to Sgt Dobbel's dismissive assessment.  _Still, the bastard decides whether or not we eat tonight, so not much point in showing him up any further. We're not going to get much support from him working with him directly, though. Best to go around him._ 

With Nate having stepped back, Fredar steps forward and addresses the Sergeant, delivering a strictly by the book salute before he speaks  "Sir. Permission to answer the Landcarl?"  Assuming it is granted, he turns to the landcarl and says, "Sir, our main priority was, of course, to fulfill our orders by delivering the letters of warning to Killingtom and the other townships. As far as the evidence for, and the questionable importance of, a gathering horde of goblins that threatening to sweep out of the forests, I leave it to the judgement of those above my rank.  But if I may speak freely, the story makes the most sense if you hear it as part of the whole story of what the Seventh has been through since the goblin raids began."  

He pauses momentarily, letting the Reeve and the Landcarl consider this, and deciding whether or not to go on. _Worth a shot._ "Of course, being the only original member of the company, Nate would be most able to present the information to you in its full context."  _Assuming he's able to after a whipping,_ he adds with his eyes, but not his voice.  Thus finished, Fredar steps back.


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## doghead (Aug 17, 2004)

The Reeve listens to the conversation with a troubled look on his face. _This is all getting so awfully complicated._ As Rhys and Fredar add their piece to it all, the Reeve begins to get agitated.

"I'm not sure I understanding *exactly* what you are driving at Guardsman. But it seems to me the gist of it is that there isn't any proof as such. 

"No don't get me wrong, " he adds hastily. "I'm not doubting your honesty or good intentions. I'm sure that after all that you have been through, it would seem that the goblins are up to something. But as it has been already mentioned, you have come through alot and perhaps right now you are not in the best state of mind to consider these things calmly and rationally. And hasty decisions are dangerous decisions," he concludes in the songsong manner of one quoting a favourite phrase.

"Yes. Yes. Thats it. Look at you. Good gods, you're wounded. And you haven't event been give time to wash up somewhat. Shame on us for our lack of consideration and hospitality."

The reeve turns his attention to the others.

"I think that we have heard all we need right now. I suggest that, um we allow these fine men to retire to the barracks where they can clean up and have their wounds attended to. Master Travaille, would be so kind as to see to that?

"Sergeant, um, please see to it that these men are feed and looked after. And as we may have some more questions for them later, er ... tomorrow, please ensure that they are available.

"And so if there is nothing else? ... No? Then this meeting is dismissed."

The reeve stands and begins to pull his cloak straight around his shoulders. There are a few quiet words spoken betwen the two merchants. The sergeant gives the reeve a sullen salute and mumbled "As you wish, Master Reeve."


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## DrZombie (Aug 18, 2004)

Nate waits for what is coming. Jaw and fists clenched, still angry at the sergeant for ridiculing the deaths of his friends. _Fat stupid inbred piece of horse-manure. You try whipping me and I'll swear you'll regret it. _
When he hears the sergeant ordered to get them some food and some healing he relaxes a fraction. He might be slow to anger, but he's even slower to forgive.
_Gods, what have I gotten myself into. It seemed like such an adventure, and now some fat sweaty pig wants to lash me because he's to dumb to realise what's going on, and all my friends are dead. I don't know who, but someone's gonna pay the price. And he's gonna pay hard._


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## doghead (Aug 19, 2004)

The sergeant turns the members of the Seventh. "Follow me." He leads you out of the room and downstairs. "Wait here." He walks over to where one of the local guardmen stands at the door chatting to the small crowd of half a dozen who remain.

"Get them to the barracks. Have their wounds tended to if need be. But Master Ay'Tennar has booked himself a dance with the lash. Get it ready. I'll be over shortly."

Turning back to the Seventh, he says, "Go with the corporal. And Master Ay'Tennar, there is nowhere to run to. So don't even think about it."

Without another look in you direction he stomps back across the hall and up the stairs you just came down.

The corporal's gaze lingers on you for a moment before he speaks. "Allright then, follow me," he says quietly. He steps outside. Those outside step back to make way.


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## DrZombie (Aug 20, 2004)

_Running away? Not only is he fat and dumb, he's a coward as well._ _This is bloody gonna hurt. But I'll take it like a man, by the Gods. Won't give him the bloody satisfaction._

Nate walks outside, face blank, trying not to show any emotion whatsoever. He winces as he takes off his chain shirt and undershirt. His side is black and blue from stopping a club the hard way, and on his chest a half-healed gash starts bleeding again. Wordless, he hands his shirt to one of the Seven. He rummages in his backpack untill he finds a piece of oakwood. _The handle of Mr.Hoggs' scythe. Never knew I'd use it for this._

_Basterd is making me wait. Sadistic piece of dung._


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 20, 2004)

_Run away?_ Fredar thinks incredulously. _Does the sergeant seriously think a man who's got the stones to stick with a mission that's gotten six of his friends killed or worse is going to be scared off by a lashing? All he's doing is making sure none of us ever pays attention to a word he says, and making a long enemy of the person who's probably best suited to lead the Seventh while we protect his pissant little town. And I'll be damned if I'm going back to get healed, fed, and bathed while the bastard get his jollies at Nate's expense.  _

Fredar takes Nate's shirt, and steps back, but makes no move toward the barracks.  He looks not at Nate, but in the direction from which the sergeant will be returning.


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## doghead (Aug 20, 2004)

An awkward titter runs though the group outside the town hall doors as Nate begins taking off his shirt.

"Whats he doing .. The sergeant said something about the lash ... Looks like he's keen to get started  ... They're not going to do it here are they? ... Lords look at him, he's been mauled ... Goblins I ...

The corporal, alerted to the fact that something is up turns around with a puzzled look on his face. "What in all that is holy are you doing? Get your shirt back on now. And fall in behind!" he yells in surprise when he finally registers whats happening.

What in blazers are they going to whip Nate for? ... Nate? You know him? ... Of course, its the Ay'Tennar boy, the blacksmith. Was up here last year some time remember? ... Aye, I remember did a good job on them brackets ... 

"Hey Hodgiss, whats going on?"

"Yeah, what's up with this whippping?"

The corporal looks around to face the villagers. "Ah, sergeants orders," he begins awkwardly. "Ah ..."

"Ah ...," mimics one of the woman, "think you need your head examined."

"Whats he done? Give him to me. I'll sort him out," barks another fairly formidable looking matron. "Good and proper like!" To which suggestion there is a shout of laughter. Matron Honnis, Nate recalls, has been a widow for a number of years now.

The corporal looks desperately to the door of the hall.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 20, 2004)

ooc:  are we under orders regarding who we can and cannot tell about the goblins?


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## doghead (Aug 20, 2004)

Your orders were to convey letters to the town and villages between Seven and Killingtom, as well as inform the inhabitants any other farms or manors along the way.* At Killingtom you were to support the garrison there until further orders. So actually, it was your job to inform people about the goblins.

* As a result of a long history of hostilities with the goblins (and others), almost all of the population of the region lives within walled towns or villages. However, about 20 years ago the goblins were driven back deep into the forests and there has been little goblin activity since. So there has been a fair bit of building happening outside the walls, as day cabins become cottages, summer camps become farms etc.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 20, 2004)

Fredar keeps his voice neutral, with perhaps a touch of bitterness. "Guardsman Nathan will be whipped for insubordination. We have come here to deliver a warning: The Goblins mass in the East Forest. Worg riders move unfettered through the countryside where they once feared show their snouts! They threaten those who live outside your walls. If allowed to mass, they threaten you within these walls!

[*Nate is working himself up, allowing the speech to guide him, rather than the other way round*] 
"We fought our way here to warn you, to help defend you from this menace!  But were told that it was nothing to be worried about - that the threat was imagined. And then Nate objected - for he knows the threat is real! He objected, for the sake of every one of you standing here!  And so, he will receive six lashes from Sergeant Dobbel's whip."

Fredar now turns, looking at everyone gathered around in turn. "Six Lashes! One for each of his companions who died trying to bring you this warning! Our sergeant fell to goblin spear just yesterday! Think how close we were to Kililngtom when he was cut down, good people! 

[a tiny pause to make them consider this, then, with renewed vigor in his voice: ]
"The goblin threat is not imagined! Look at Nate's wounds! They are real! [*Fredar tears off his shirt.*] His companion's wounds are real! [He gestures towards his other compantions. _Take off your shirts come on. Show them it touches everyone!_ He turns back to the crowd, speaking forcefully: ] 
"The Goblins. Are. Real!"

[Fredar steps over and stands with his naked back beside Natek. He hopes the other two do as well, but realizing: I_t's already too late to back out even if they don't. You've committed yourself now, haven't you. Idiot._ He says, more calmly and a little more quietly: ]

"And now, we have done our duty. If your leaders now ignore us, whipping us, rather than organizing a defense, then so be it!"

Fredar sets his jaw and looks straight forward, grimly, and filled with the same feeling he had ten seconds after signing on with the guard. _You know you just volunteered for a whipping, right? Er... That's brilliant, Fredar. Nicely done. Maybe you can get him to break your nose while he's at it._


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## doghead (Aug 21, 2004)

ooc: The leather armour and other gear might make the "ripping off of the shirt" a little less dramatic, but you have bloody bandages to display.

BTW: Could you let me know what in particular is Fredar trying to do?

The is a stirring amoung the small group of people outside the doors.

"Pa says some of the trappers have been talking about seeing few goblins of late ... The Landcarl put togther a patrol I heard ... There's always been goblins around ... But not like this. Our James said about tracks an'all over northways. Them big wolf tracks ... Oh gracious Lady! Look at that ... Those boys should be away being seen to ... That Cleric of the Lady was around earlier. I saw him go in ... the young'un? ... Aye, he is. But he's got the touch all right."

"Hoy corporal," shouts one of the men, "What's going on here. Are there goblins around or what? And what are you doing about it?"

The corporal glances around nervously. "Its guard business. Nothing for you to worry about. Go back to your homes."

"Well from what the young man here has said it sounds like it might be our business. And like he might know a little more than you on the matter," says the man. A few of the others nod in determined agreement.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 21, 2004)

doghead said:
			
		

> ooc: The leather armour and other gear might make the "ripping off of the shirt" a little less dramatic, but you have bloody bandages to display.






			
				doghead said:
			
		

> BTW: Could you let me know what in particular is Fredar trying to do?





ooc: (oh yeah - armor  I had assumed we'd taken that off on entering town, but bandages are fine.  He will unbuckle his armor and step next to Nate - he realizes he's potentially made a whipping more dangerous and won't do so to Nate without going through the same himself.) 

If asked, Fredar would say he's simply completing his duty - warning the people about the goblins. He believes that the local government really is going to take their report too lightly, and that if he convinces the people that the threat is real, they will force their leader's hands.  Hoever, that would actually be a side benefit.  His main motivation is anger at what he sees as unjust punishment about to be delivered by stupid authority.  This is a bit of a reversion to Fredar's earlier days, where his companions (no matter how ong they have been his companions) deserve more loyalty than any established authority.  He has grown up wiouth much respect for authority, and his first inclination when he feels that outlok has been proved right is to work against it any way he can. 

By making the danger of the goblins clear to the crowd, poinitng out what was sacrificed to bring them the news, and how Nate is being punished for his efforts by someone who wants to ignore the danger, Fredar hopes to make it politically impossible/inexpedient for the sgt. to follow through with the lashing.  At the same time, he still expects the lashing to happen,  but hopes to set the Seventh up as the clear good guys in the eyes of the crowd if the whipping does happen.


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## DrZombie (Aug 21, 2004)

Going a bit red around the ears after the remark from matron Honnis, Nate looks up at the compliment about the hinges. "They're still good, I hope, had a difficult job fixing those. You owe me a drink when I'm done with this. Lets go down to the town square. If the sarge thinks this is justice, let it be done in the open, where evryone can see what happens if you deny there's goblins stirring up trouble evrywhere." He then walks to the town square, greeting those he knows.


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## Seonaid (Aug 22, 2004)

Garival follows the others out. When the group stops before the barracks, he lets the crowd surround him as he watches the proceedings. _If these men speak true, this is more of a problem than even the most cautious of us suspected! I'll need to roust up another patrol, or two,_ he thinks grimly as the crowd swells. He wants to add his voice to the crowd's, but more than a few would recognize him. _Much as I dislike it, I have to present a calm face and protect the people--from themselves, if necessary!_ He walks silently behind the others as they move to town square, alert to any danger that might be caused by this spectacle. _Looks like I'll be spending more time here than I'd hoped._


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## doghead (Aug 23, 2004)

The Sergeant and Reeve exit from the doors a little after the Landcarl. The sergeant looks puzzled to see the bulk of the Seventh still milling around the doors of the hall. He looks even more surprised to see Nate step off the steps and turn to walk down the street towards the town square. Something flashes across his face but is quickly gone.

"Whats going on here Corporal?" inquires the sergeant in a neutral tone.

"And we might ask you the same question?" retorts someone from the crowd.

"Afternoon to you Master Hillip. How are the lads?"

"Aye well enough, thank you Sergeant. But what about this news about them goblins. Sounds like they're getting ready for something."

This statement is meet with a loud chorus of agreement form the others in the crowd who have stopped to hear the exchange. The sergeant nods thoughtfully.

"Aye, thats the news that was brought," the sergeant responds slowly. "Seems to me that the council will be giving that some careful consideration over the night." He turns to the reeve who nods in agreement. "Wouldn't want to rush into things all hasty like. Hasty decisions being more oft bad ones."

Which is greetetd with a few quiet nods and muttered "Aye's".

"But I'll be putting two men on the watch tonight. One at each gate.

"Meanwhiles, I was thinking that these lads from the Seventh could do with some looking to, a little food and some time to clean up. If you can spare them for a while. Perhaps they would like to join you all later at the tavern, if they feel up to it. They deserve a night off after what they have been through. You might like to shout them a drink or two."

To which there is another chorus of agreement. Much of the tension has gone out of the crowd. The sergeant it seems, has a fairly deft touch with people when he wants to. 

"And the whipping?" says Matron Honnis quietly, but clearly.

"Ah. Well it seems that young Ay'Tennars bravery outstrips his wisdom. It a hard thing, but good soldier needs to know his place. You can't have a soldier snapping at his commander, no matter how hard his day. But I'll make sure that Lady's cleric will be there to restore him. It won't be pleasant, but it won't do him no harm in the long run.

"So if you will allow me, there are things that need attending to before we can settle back for a drink. You might want to consider checking your own preparations for the morrow. I'm sure the Reeve will want to know where you all stand with food and all. And the Landcarl may have questions of his own."

And with that, if there are no further interjections, the sergeant asks the corporal gather up the Seventh, and Rhys if he is around, and escort them to the barracks.


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## Seonaid (Aug 23, 2004)

Garival stops when the sergeant comes out and speaks with the crowd. He wavers, uncertain as to what to do, but the last comment decides for him. He moves back toward the sergeant and stops, waiting to see how everyone reacts.


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 23, 2004)

Fredar keeps the scowl off his face.  _Slick bastard, isn't he.  In the city, we have proper mobs - they would have shouted him down before he opened his mouth. Feh._ _Time to face the music._  When appropriate, he moves with the others back to the barracks, still (a little childishly) sullen_,_ but brightening a little at the thought of his first drink in days.


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## Temujin (Aug 24, 2004)

Owen follows the group to the barracks.  _ Goblins?  Why did I have to come to, of all places, a town that is under threat of seige by a warband of goblins?_

His mind churning away, he follows Rhys.  Looking up at his friend, he swallows.  _All I have to do, is stay out of trouble...  That's not so hard, is it?_  He thinks to himself.



[ooc: sorry, I was waiting for you to introduce me like you said you would.  Oi, Stagger_Lee!  I was also thinking that Owen and Rhys could have a little problem with 'playful' bets.]


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## DrZombie (Aug 24, 2004)

Stoically, Nate returns to the barracks. _Yeah right you basterd, show another face to the villagers, won't you, you two-faced snivelling coward. Let's get it over with, shall we._


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## doghead (Aug 24, 2004)

ooc: sleepy. Yeah! First time in weeks. Will post asap.


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## doghead (Aug 25, 2004)

The barracks are only a short walk from the hall, a little back the way you came set back behind the buildings on the main street. They are easily identified by the tall (at least three stories!) tower that arises out of them. At the entrance to the barracks, the corporal holds up his hand and tells the small group that have followed you that its time to go back to whatever it is they should be doing. "This is not a carnival. You can see these men later at the tavern if they are up for it." A couple protest, but the corporal just tells them that he has his orders. "The Landcarl is here, and The Lady's cleric will be soon here to see them them. But take it up with the sergeant if you wish."  There are a few mutters, but generally they all disperse quietly, mostly in pairs, talking intently.

You enter them through a large gate, large enough to take two men abreast or one on horseback. The main doors are closed, but a smaller one built into the larger remains open. Inside is a surprising large open area. The barracks were obviously built to house much larger garrison in times of trouble. Around the cental area, on three sides, runs a single story U shaped building. Numerous doors and windows line the interior walls of the enclosing building. But with the exception of the area around the gate, the barracks have a disused feel. Indeed, there are some chickens and a goat wondering around junk piles at the far end of the yard.

The corporal turns right and leads you in through one of the doors. Its a mess or common room of some sort. There are some tables and benchs. Its here that he tells you to dump your stuff. "There is some water in those jugs, and probably some dried fruits and ricecake over there. Help yourself." Another man stumbles into the room through the door behind you. The corporal gives him a pained look, then tells him to get water for washing and have some food sent over from the tavern - some soup and ryebread for now. "That," he says with a shrug, "was Ghest." 

"The sergeant will be here soon," he says. And with that, steps outside.


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## Seonaid (Aug 26, 2004)

Garival, resigned, follows to the barracks. _It feels wrong to dog these men like this, but something tells me it would be for the best . . ._ He watches sternly as the crowd disperses, then quietly goes to the common room with the others. He waits outside, then accosts the corporal as he's exiting. "What is this all about, corporal? Do you believe the reports of the goblin masses threatening our borders?" From his tone, Garival is not sure what to believe.


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## doghead (Aug 27, 2004)

"Well," the corporal begins slowly, "I think that the sergeant's the best man to talk to about this. But there has been talk amoung some folk. But you know that, the tracks and some sightings."

He glances towards the gate. 

"But walk with me, if you like." The corporal first disappears into a door on the other side of the gate, only to emerge a minute later with a canvas bag. He then heads off across the yard to the other side. There, there are two sturdy beams of wood set in the ground in the shape of a X. On the upper reaches of the arms are leather straps. On a nearby peg he hangs the bag and then from it removes a small tub of fat, which he proceeds to rub onto the straps, working the leather as he does. Finally, he tests the buckles.

Garival knows the corporal to some degree. A dour man, not given to imagination. But good with letters and numbers apparently. He's considered a bit soft, but few seem to have bad things to say about him. As the corporal works, he talks.

"As for massing in the forests ... aye well, who knows what really goes on in the deep forests. T'is been quiet for near on twenty years. Most would like to see it stay that way. But if wishes were pigs, we'd all be sick of bacon."

Meanwhile, the sergeant arrives with Rhys and Owen, and heads into the mess where the others are washing up.

The sergeant addresses himself to Nate. "No point in hanging about. It doesn't get any easier. Strip to the waste, son. And someone wash his back."

The sergeant turns to Rhys. "You can start on the others. But keep some mojo in hand for Nate."

ooc: You have the following wounds (reductions to life pips)
Nate (2-Lightly Wounded), Fredar (3-Lightly Wounded), 
Hadarook (3-Lightly Wounded), Craddoc (4-Lightly Wounded).

DrZ, do have a level 2 gng character sheet somewhere? Could you update the rg thread. I need your soak score. At the moment it looks like 2 [Con]


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 27, 2004)

Fredar takes off his armor, but avoids the food, and waves off the healer for now, saying quietly to him, while still looking over at the Sergeant and Nate and scowling slightly. "Thanks, but I'll wait until we're all ready for it."   If Owen doesn't start to, Fredar goes over and quickly washes Nates back in preparation for the whip, then withdraws.


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## Seonaid (Aug 28, 2004)

*Garival, human male 2 (landcarl)*

Garival nods and accompanies the man as asked. He does not offer to help with the corporal's work but does listen respectfully to his words. "I suppose I'll just take out another patrol or two, to see what turns up."

He waits as the men are whipped, watching silently. _Such comrades, to all bear the one's punishment._ It is not quite wistfulness that colors his thoughts, he who spends much of his time alone. When it is over, he motions to the sergeant, intending to ask him the same questions the corporal just answered.


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## doghead (Aug 29, 2004)

"Right then. Lets get it done. Corporal, see to it."

The corporal leads everyone outside. Nate is taken to the X, and his wrists strapped in. Before stepping back, the coporal leans over and says something quietly to Nate

Nate: 



Spoiler



"Feel free to curse up a blue streak. Custom has it that a man is not held to account for his language under the lash. It helps," he concludes with a shrug.



The rest of the seventh, the sergeant, Ghest, Garival, and Rhys and Owen stand about 20 feet back. The sergent nods and the corporal begins. 

The first stroke leaves a bloody line across his back, and the corporal leaps back as if bitten. He fingers the whip butt nervously. 

His next two strokes are tentative. The second and third leave more of an angry whelt than a wound. The corporal glances in the sergeants direction, but the sergeant stands impassively, his face expressionless. The corporal licks his lips nervously before raising his arm again. 

The fourth stroke is firm, and once again leaves a bloody line across Nate's back. Nate slumps forwards, his weight hanging from his arms. The sergeant nods to Ghest, who grabs a pitcher of water he had brought with him, and the two cross the ground between themselves and Nate. Ghest dumps half the contents over Nates head, and Nate comes up spluttering.

"Look at me," the sergeant commands. "Whats your name son?" "Who am I?" "Where are you?" After Nate responds to each of the questions, he nods. "Two more then its done," says the sergeant flatly before walking back to where he started.

The fifth stroke slaps wetly against Nate's back. The corporal flushes bright red.

The sixth stroke leaves a third bloody red line across Nate's back. Nate slumps back into unconsciousness.

ooc: 31 points non lethal damage. 3 points lethal damage. see ooc thread for details. I've fudged the rules a bit (ie: the lethal dam). But feel free to let me know if I have made any mechanical errors.


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## Seonaid (Aug 29, 2004)

[ Whoops . . . Okay: ]

Garival winces as the first blow hits, and turns to the others to gauge their reactions. He then looks back as the punishment is completed. He hadn't expected it to be this brutal and has to restrain himself from shouting for the healer to hurry. _This isn't my affair, no matter how important their news is._ He scowls furiously to avoid having his emotions march plain across his face.


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## DrZombie (Aug 31, 2004)

"Aaaarghl"


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## Maerdwyn (Aug 31, 2004)

Fredar looks to the cleric, an angry frown on his face, waiting for him to go to Nate, but saying nothing.


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## doghead (Aug 31, 2004)

Rhys considers his options. Its not much in the way of healing. Whole bunches of wounded don't usually arrive at once.

He decides to use a minor Cure spell on Craddoc and save one light Cure for Nate. But Craddoc waves him away. So does Hadarook, although less emphatically. Until Rhys suggests that he should, being a smaller in stature than the others. Which Hadarook doesn't take to well. 

Rhys instead concentrates on binding and tending the wounds. He washes out the wounds and replaces the bandages {1}.

ooc: {1} Recovery will be 2 pips per day of rest.

***

The corporal shoves the whip into his belt and steps up alongside Nate. Ghest does likewise. Rhys moves but the sergeant motions for him to wait. The two guards unstrap the unconcious Nate and lay him on the ground. The sergeant nods to Rhys who cross the distance to them quickly. Rhys lays his hand lightly on Nates back and Nate jerks and shudders before lying still. Rhys touches him again, and the wounds on his back close up to angry whelts. {1} With a groan Nate comes around.

The corporal and Ghest gather up Nate and return with Rhys to the mess room so Rhys can tend his other wounds.

ooc: {1} Regain 3 pips. Now 2 lethal pips down. No longer unconscious (a fudge).

***

A short time later a couple of the villagers appear at the gate. Then a couple more. They bring bedding and linen and food. The sergeant nods greetings to them and directs the corporal to deal with it.

Sense Motive DC15 



Spoiler



the sergeant was expecting them



"Get the room sorted and the Seventh quartered, corporal."

"Once you're quartered," the sergeant says to the members of the Seventh, "you're dismissed til tomorrow morning. Assemble here by 7 of the clock. Feel free to look around, but stay within the wall for tonight."

And with that the sergeant turns and leaves, heading back out of the barracks.

There is a flurry of activity as the villagers decide the quarters need cleaning before they can be occupied. But within half an hour it is done, the Seventh is quartered, and a range of smoked and salted meats, pickels, cheeses and breads and wheat biscuits as well as some cider and ale awaits on the large table in the mess room. Enough for everyone there.

ooc: I covered a fair bit here. Feel free to jump in and elaborate anywhere along the way.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 1, 2004)

Fredar watches in horror as they drag Nate's body down from the cross.  _You do things 'proper' around here, do you, Sergeant?  Is it proper to bloody a soldier into unconsciousness when there are goblins about? And this when the only members of your garrison are some chickens and a goat? Feh, he'll get his._  Fredar watches the healer bring Nate around.  He goes over to the beaten man and hands him his waterskin. With the Sergeant out of earshot.  "You took it well, then.  Better than _he_ thought, I'll wager. You want something stronger?" He says, not exactly sure if he can deliver.  But then the first of the food begins to arrive.  _No alcohol yet, though._  Fredar goes over to one of the new arrivals.  He looks first for any young, attractive, and seemingly unattached women - girls of the type that always seemed to make a big deal of it when a new group of soldiers arrived back in the city, ignoring Fredar for a few days while trying to charm the dashing new arrivals.   _We may not look very dashing tonight, but we might still have a few admirers._ 

If he sees one or two, he approaches and says, with concern, "Milady, you've no idea the ordeal my friend has just been through, not to mention what he has suffered on the journey here.  As bad as he looks, well... the pain he's in is worse if you can believe it. And all he's got to comfort him is waterskin we filled from a dirty brook early this morning.  The wonderful food you've brought will help, thank goodness...well, if he can manage eating on his own, with all the pain he's in, that is.   Do you think you could find him a dram of whiskey or two to help him relax, and forget about his pain?"  He gives the girl(s) a few coppers, or whatever will pay for a couple fairly large whiskeys.  

If there are no such women about, Fredar thinks, _Gods, this is a small town, _and goes up to the nearest person who has just dropped off a plate of food, and gives them an apporpriate sum of money, and asks him to get some whiskey for Nate.


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## doghead (Sep 4, 2004)

There are about half a dozen villagers there. 4 women and 3 children helping out. The menfolk are finishing up the days work, or already at the tavern. One of the women fits the bill well enough, although the conversation soon draws in Mistress Honnis and another.

Fredars entreaties are listened to, and the young woman is dispatched to bring some brandy, although Fredar's coin is refused. In the meantime, you are plied with the cider and ale. The former being particularly good - a little raw, but with a strong clean taste.

The brandy soon arrives, enough for a shot of each of the four of the seventh.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 7, 2004)

Fredar accepts the drink with a thanks and a genuine smile.  He's still angry about Nate's whipping, but not at the villagers, and it makes no sense to him wear a sour face when the one who's cause it isn't even in the room.  After a little food, and some cider (which he has always had a weaknes for) he pulls out his pipes and begins to play quietly - as much, or more, to calm hilself down as to entertain the villagers, though he gladly takes requests. Mostly folk melodies with some children's tunes thrown in here and there when they are about.  His mood begins to lift after a while, and it is something of an effort to turn to Nate when he is alone, and ask quietly, "So what should we do about that... woman we met outside of town? She said three days - how should we start?"


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## doghead (Sep 8, 2004)

As the shadows begin to lengthen and the food is finished, someone suggests  moving on to village tavern. The corporal nods. "You're free until 7 of the clock tomorrow morning. Just remember to stay within the walls for tonight." Which is pretty much word for word what the sergeant told you, just in case you had forgotten.

Those who move on to the tavern find it full to overflowing, although the members of the Seventh and others privy to todays meeting* at the village hall find little difficulty finding people willing to shuffle over and make room. And shout you a drink. Most of those there are menfolk, but there are a number of women and some children as well.

ooc: * pretty much the all the PC's basically.

The conversation pretty much resolves around the news that the Seventh have brought, at least for the first hour or so. It seems that pretty much everything that was said in the hall has become common knowledge. But attitudes vary. In summary, 

The goblin raids are nothing to worry about, just goblins acting up.
We should call up the armsmen just in case.
No offense but the goblins are just trying to stir up fears with stories of massing armies.
Someone working for the goblins? Rubbish.
A traitor huh? Well there could be, but I wouldn't know about that.
Ah well, what about that new servant of the Lady, or his friend. A dark one that.
Ah well, What about the scholar?
Ah well, the Landcarl spends alot of time out in the wilds all on his tod.
Ah well, Mistress Honnis has done rather well for herself don't you think. Got herself a copse recently I hear.
Ah well, Old Jaibobi is always turning up with odd bits and pieces. Never says where they come from though, will he?

Fredar's playing greeted warmly. He even comes up with a few tunes not known locally, as well as a simple jig that has the tavern in a hilarious uproar as people dance and stumble around.

The children are insatiable for stories of the goblins. The boys are particularly keen to here about the strange white armour and glistening black armour worn by the goblins. "Its Dargon Scale armour I tell you!" insists on small boy proudly. "Gramps told me 'bout the time he saw some in Harlinnlon." The girls are generally agreed that the goblin was a princess, or a shaman. They seem particularly taken by the idea of a goblin princess.

Unless Fredar wants to pull Nate outside, its not until they are walking back to the barracks that he gets a quiet moment without half the town listening.

ooc: if you want to follow up on anything mentioned here, jump in. Otherwise, I'll pick things up with the morning.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 11, 2004)

Fredar decides to wait until later to speak to Nate and the others.   He's a little disappointed that word of the traitor and the goblin woman have leaked.  _He'll be looking out for us now_, Fredar thinks, _Less likely he'll slip up_. _ Best to just take in what we can for now._

During the course of the evening, he has an ear and a word for just about anyone who will speak or listen. 

The goblin raids are nothing to worry about, just goblins acting up.
We should call up the armsmen just in case.
"Aye, I think it would be good idea - the golins will trouble us only if they are organized and we are not.  If they see the good, stout people of the valley standing together against them, they'll stay well in the forests where they belong.  


No offense but the goblins are just trying to stir up fears with stories of massing armies.
Someone working for the goblins? Rubbish.
A traitor huh? Well there could be, but I wouldn't know about that.
"Ah well, it could be all rubbish, I suppose - goblins telling stories. But even stories worth.  And they acting up - more than I've ever seen.   When was the last time someone came back from a journey to Seven with stories of being attacked by not one but two goblin bands?  You're probably right - there's probably no traitor. But the goblin?  They're real enough, and everyone needs to get ready for them."


Ah well, what about that new servant of the Lady, or his friend. A dark one that.
"Well, the Lady's man took care of us right well this afternoon.  And I am not inclined to think a man so eager to undo so much of the goblins handiwork with one hand would be helping them with his other.  His friend, I don't know.  You may know something that would change my mind of course, but you can often tell a man by the company he keeps, can you not? I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt."


Ah well, What about the scholar?
"Aye? what about him? I've never had much time for books and scrolls myself, but what's he like?  A good fellow?" 


Ah well, the Landcarl spends alot of time out in the wilds all on his tod.
"Well, maybe he's seen some signs of this himself then, eh? Or maybe some things he has seen will fall into place for him when he thinks of in the context of our news.  I'll have a talk him.  Thanks - that's a help.  Anything I should know before I talk to him? Him being nobility, and all."


Ah well, Mistress Honnis has done rather well for herself don't you think. Got herself a copse recently I hear.
"Good for her!  How did she manage that?"


Ah well, Old Jaibobi is always turning up with odd bits and pieces. Never says where they come from though, will he?
"Ah, but the story is what turns odd bits and pieces into beloved treasures and heirlooms, isn't it? Now, what sort of things does this Old Jaibobi collect?  Nothing too alarming, surely?"


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## doghead (Sep 13, 2004)

Fredar quickly realises that the topic of the traitor is a poisoness one. Its impossible to speak to someone alone in the tavern, and for every discussion there are three or four listeners with differing opinions ready to jump in.

ooc: Sense Motive check done.
ooc: Gather Information check done.

However, by remaining non-judgemental, and keeping his questions 'incidental', Fredar manages to get a little more information.

Rhys and Owen: They only arrived a while ago and the locals are not so sure what to make of them really. But they have a great respect for the Lady's cleric, and she won't say a bad word about the two, so most of the people feel that they must be all right. Still ... 

The scholar: He came to the area several weeks ago from the capitol, and has been travelling around the area looking for evidence of an older civilisation that he believes once occupied the area. A nice enough fellow, knows lots of funny stories about the city.

The Landcarl: Nobility!?! That slip gets a bit of laugh. He's from a good enough high-country family - been in the area for nearly as long as the Whoolers and Dodbrys. Good people, if a little full of their own cleverness at times. His uncle was a good man. Knew wots wot. The boy keeps to himself a bit. But he'll grow into his boots well enough, so long as he doesn't get too big for them.

Madame Honnis: She has been doing quite well for herself since her husband died. She recently purchased the rights to a copse (an enclosure of timber). A nice little investment, which should mature in a few years. Worth a bit now as well, what with the fallings an all. Says she came into a bit from an old auntie. Saved a bit. Had a bit of luck. Course, she's a bit sharper than Master Honnis was. 

Old Jaibobi: He's a bit of of hunter, a bit of a scrounger. Over the last 10-15 years he has found a number of unusual items - a inlaid box, an amulet, a ornate daggar and a couple of other things. Some were rumoured to be magical. Old Jaibobi usually went down to Trulloc or beyond to sell them, so no one really knows much more.


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## DrZombie (Sep 14, 2004)

Nate sits at the bar, laughing couragiously at anyone asking how things are, claiming that he got a worse beating when his granny caught him stealing an apple pie.
After dinner he'll have a few light ales, too stubborn to admit it's still hurting. When night falls he'll go to the barracks claiming he's tired after his long journey. 
"Fredar, are you coming along? We'll have a long day ahead of us."

When they have a chance to talk privately:
" We gotta look to see if anyone tries to leave town tonight. We're ordered to stay within the city walls tonight by that fat brainless moron, but he didn't say we couldn't patroll the city walls and look if there's anything suspicious going on. Whoever is talking to the gobbies has a way in and out of the city. Probably knows the rotation of the guards by hart, and I sincerely doubt that streak of piss known as the sergeant has ever considered changing the schedule at random. We'll be the random element tonight, and we'll see if we can catch us a traitor."


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 14, 2004)

"I wouldn't be surprised if there _aren't_ any regular guard patrols, Nate, given the state the barracks were in when we arrived.  And except for the officers, the only soldier I've seen was Ghest, who looked quite happily, and quite diligently, drunk.  Not that I see that as a mortal sin, but our traitor has probably had a pretty easy time of it around here."
"However he gets out, it's got to take him under, over, or through the wall, right?  Do you want to take the top of the wall, looking out for current activity, while I search along the bottom for a tunnel or other way out?"

"After a while, we can get Craddoc and Hadarook to take second watch.  All of us need a _little_ sleep tonight."


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## DrZombie (Sep 15, 2004)

"Good idea. Let's stay together, I'll  try to keep an eye on you from the top. Take your time, we don't wanna miss anything."


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## doghead (Sep 15, 2004)

ooc: *Some notes about the village defences:* The village is based on the idea of the old celtic hill forts, although it doesn't sit on a hill so much as a low mound. Around the village there is a earthen wall about 4ft above street level. On top of that is a stone wall of about 3 feet. There is enough room for a man to stand on top of the earthen wall inside the stone one - this is known as the the 'wallwalk'. On the other side of the wall the ground falls away about into a ditch. Its about 10-12 feet to the bottom of the ditch from the top of the stone wall, and about 6-7 feet back up the other side. The ditch is filled with tough brambles - Bitterlack Brambles they are called locally. They are quite dense and difficult to get through.

It doesn't take long to confirm what you thought that you saw as you entered the village. A short stroll along about a quarter of the 'wallwalk' is enough. The stone wall has collapsed in a few places, and there are even some trials leading through the brambles - you see at least two.

A couple of dogs bark as you pass, and one of the residents pokes his head out of his door at the disturbance. But he returns inside as soon as he learns who you are. Anyone could slip in an out without difficulty, even if the gates (there are two) are guarded regularly.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 17, 2004)

"All right - where do we stand?  We've got an unsecure town.  We've got a small group of people who more or less trust each other.  We've got symbol we think will be found on the traitor, but no real justification for search in anyone."

Fredar relates to Nate what he learned by talking to the townsfolk, if he doesn't already know it. "Not enough to proceed directly against anyone, but, maybe enough to look further at some of them.  This Jaibobi, for example.  He travels back and forth to Trolluc to sell various things he finds.  Trolluc is where you found goblins withthe map, right?  And we are looking for a "seeker" - someone who is going to find and deliver something of use to the goblin leader.  He's worth looking into at least, yes?  What are your ideas?


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## doghead (Sep 18, 2004)

*Come next morning*

If the rooster on the roof doesn't wake you, the corporals bawling at you will. After being tumbled out of bed, you're sent out to wash, and then get some breakfast at the tavern. A few of the locals are milling around in the barrack yard when you return, clustered into small groups, chatting, smoking or trying to grab a few more minutes shuteye. The corporal doesn't give you time to ponder on it. He gathers you up almost as soon as you set foot inside the gate, and sends you off to get kitted up.

The sergeant is waiting for you when you return, along with a significant number of the townsfolk. When all have been collected together, you learn that  it would seem that tavern keeper does know what he is on about. It seems that the council have called arms practice.

It starts with drills. Then you are split up to work in smaller groups. Finally the sergeant calls for each of you to pick a partner.

ooc: The lashing of Nate was a bit of an eye opener. So i thought that this might be a good opportunity to let everyone give the gng system a bit of a dry run. Its a village event, so anyone can join in. Practice weapons only, so just non-lethal damage. You'll be right as rain buy dinner time, unless someone goes for a critical. Regular armour. Sort out your own partners. (Or you can generate and ghost npc's against each other if you wish. Use the 13, 12 11 ... stat profile.) Roll your own dice. Have fun.

I did mention that I was going to be away from the 20th til the 4th of next month, didn't I?


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 25, 2004)

What, no takers?  If you guys really want, I could roll the dice while dogheads away...

To quote Abe Simpson, _We came for blooood!_


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## DrZombie (Sep 26, 2004)

I don't have the foggiest idea of how this grimm 'n gritty combat works. None at all. So if you wanna give a teaching session, be my guest.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 26, 2004)

Sure.  Things have been slow at the office of late...

So, should you pair off against one another, or should I create NPC foes?


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 26, 2004)

As the townspeople begin some semi-organized sparring, Fredar looks over to Nate. "Gods, you look terrible," he says, looking at Nates bruises and cuts. He smiles affably, "I might just be able to hold my own against you in this state." He tosses the other man a practice sword.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 27, 2004)

For weapons, since this is supposed to be a demonstration of the rules, I'm just going to assume that you're using "blunted" versions of your normal weapons- for Fredar, his half-spear (which, incidentally, 3.5 now calls the "shortspear"), and for Nate, his mace.  Nate- if you could update your RG post things would be a bit easier.  You posted it in the OOC thread, just not the RG....

Some of the crowd circles around the two combatants, watching as the battered Nate grips his practice mace- basically a club- and Fredar hefts a length of wood made to simulate a spear.  There are the mutterings of betting going on.  It seems that Nate, with his blacksmith's build, would be more of the crowd favorite if not for his injuries.  As it is, the odds seem even.

"Well," says one of the crowd eventually, "What're ya waitin' fer?"

Intiative: 
1) Fredar (15+7=22)
2) Nate (3+1=4)


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## DrZombie (Sep 27, 2004)

Nate grunts, and spits. He raises his shield and starts circling Fredar.
"C'mon, poke your stick at me. I'm not a little piglet withy an apple in my mouth. Itll be a little more difficult, I fear."


OOC : I'll try to copy it to the RG sometime today.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 27, 2004)

"I'll have you bleating yet, Piggy!" Fredar says, using the taunt Nate so agreeably provided for him.  He thrusts his spear towards Nates midsection, and braces for the return blow.

ooc:melee +3 Shortspear (1d6+2, 10/+5)


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 28, 2004)

Nate catches the jab towards his stomach on his shield, and simultaneously swings out at head level with his club.  Only Fredar's helmet saves him from a serious braining, as the blow turns him sideways with force.  His ears ring.  He's gonna feel that one for a while....

Mechanical breakdown:
Fredar rolled 12+3=15, Nate rolled 16+3=20 (the bonus is +3 rather than +4, because Nate loses his Dex bonus because he is flat-footed, having lost the initiative).  No hit.

Nate rolled 18+5=23, Fredar rolled 6+8=14.  That's a difference of 9 points, and just short of a critical.  That means that Nate's damage is 1d8+3 (strength) +9 (the difference between the defense roll and the attack roll).  Nate rolls a 7, for a total of 19 points of damage.  Ouch.  Fredar's toughness is 4, so that's reduced to 15 points.  

Fredar has now taken 15 points of damage.  That puts him 1 point short of staggered, and in the "jarred" catagory.  He takes a -2 penalty to all actions.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 28, 2004)

"oink."  

Inwardly vowing to leave his spear behind and stick to his sling in a real fight, Fredar figures he might as well go down fighting in this one.  _Tumbling away won't save me in a one-on-one I can't retreat from, it'll just postpone the inevitable.  Just have to hope for a lucky hit._ 

Fredar fights defensively, attacking again with the shortspear, this time at -3 (+3, -2 Jarred, -4 for Defensive fighting.)  Defense roll gets a total of +9 (+8, +3 for defensive fighting, -2 jarred?)


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## DrZombie (Sep 28, 2004)

"Ouch, that must have hurt. Was that hollow sound your helmet or your skull?"
Nate prepares for another strike, circling his opponent, looking for the right time to attack.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 28, 2004)

Fredar attacks feebly, still reeling from the blow, and Nate sidesteps easily.  His own swing is clumsy, however, and Fredar leaps backwards out of the way.

Mechanical breakdown:

Fredar rolled 7-3=4 on the attack roll, Nate 16+4 on the defense.  Miss.

Nate rolled 6+5=11 on the attack, Fredar 19+9=28.  And you're right, the jarred penalty applies to defense rolls as well.


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## DrZombie (Sep 29, 2004)

"C'mon, I thought we were going to fight, not play hide-and-seek." Nate taunts, as he gets ready for another swing.


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## Maerdwyn (Sep 29, 2004)

"Actually, it was hide and seek, didn't they tell you? You go hide - I'll come find you in a bit." Fredar jabs at Nate with his spear, hoping to get in at least one blow before he goes down.

edit: not fighting defensively this round(+1 attack, +6 Def)


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## Thomas Hobbes (Sep 30, 2004)

Fredar jabs, but as he does so his footing shifts in an unexpected way and the jab turns into a clumsy lunge.  Nate blocks easily, and brings his right arm across his body for a powerful return swing, but his shield arm interferes and Fredar ducks easily.

Mechanics: 
6+1=7, 15+4=19.

3+5=8, 19+6=25.


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## DrZombie (Oct 1, 2004)

_Screw subtility, let's give him a run for his money._

With a mighty roar, Nate releases all his anger. The whole world is reduced to a narrow, red corridor with Fredar at it's center.

Rage, power attack -2/+2


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 1, 2004)

Fredar sees something in Nates eyes and wonders if the man has been pushed just a little too far in the past couple days. He takes a half hearted swing, keeping his distance just a bit. Then, whether he connects or not, he hears the scream, and knows he's in for it.

ooc: Fighting Defensively. (-3 attack, +9 Def)


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 6, 2004)

Fredar swings tentatively at Nate, but the enraged man easily swats his stick aside.  Nate lets go a mighty howl, and puts all his strength behind a blow aimed at Fredar's head.  The slighter man ducks just in time, but feels the wind of the attack as it passes overhead. 
OOC:
Fredar's attack:  13-3=10 vs Nate's Defense 19+2=21.  Miss
Nates's attack:   7+5 (+2 for Rage, -2 Power attack)=12 vs. Fredar's Defense 6+9=15.  Miss.


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 6, 2004)

Fredar wants no part of this, blunted weapons or no. He moves his weight in one direction, simulating an attack, but then jumps back the other way, attempting to roll away from his crazed opponent, but in his weakened state, he leaves himself completely open to an attack by Nate.


ooc: Feint. Bluff check (21) vs. Sense Motive (9). Nate loses dex bonus to AC for the next round. Tumble: 8 (10 in the dice roller, -2 for jarred, which I forgot to include there). Nate gets an attack of opportunity as he moves away. Fredar is 30 feet from Nate if he survives the attack of opportunity.


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## DrZombie (Oct 6, 2004)

_Someone moves away, get it, hit it, hard. Spitefull, little creature. Insect. It attacks. Hit it. Strike away the weapon. Hurt it._

Mind overcome by rage, Nate acts and reacts without concious thought, his whole world narrowed down to this single opponent. He'll use the AoO, then charge at the enemy if he gets away.


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 6, 2004)

Fredar twists, trying to avoid the onslaught, and scampers away as Nate's weapon carves out a large chunk of the ground right next to where Fredar's hips had been a few seconds before.  Fredar swallows hard as Nate rushes at him, blood on his mind.

With the momentum of the charge, Nate is able to tag Fredar on the side of the head with his weapon, and Fredar lets out a scream of pain, but, stupid from from the pain, stays standing.

ooc:  AoO:  7+5=12 vs 16+6=22. Miss
charge: 6+7=14 vs 8+6=14.  Hit.  4+3=7 Damage, -4 for Fredar's Soak = 3 Points of damage.  Fredar is staggered.


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 6, 2004)

_Can't think - Gotta get him off me! _Fredar swings out in a last attempt to slow Nate's attack. The though of fleeing was literally knocked from head a few seconds ago. The blunted spear slams into Nate's sternum and knocks out the big man's wind. The thought that he should have fled returns to Fredar's mind, somewhat late, he realizes, as he can't seem to will his legs to move.

ooc: Fredar 16+0 attack vs. Nate 8-1=7 defense. Hit. 5+2+9=16 damage, -5 soak = 11 Damage. Nate is Jarred. Fredar, being staggered, has only one standard action or one move action available to him, not both.

Edit:   Scratch that - Nate has a 7 soak now because of raging, so only took 9 damage, and he is therefore Jolted (-1 on all actions) not Jarred (-2)


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## Thomas Hobbes (Oct 8, 2004)

Yeah, sorry I dropped out for a bit there.  Work got busy and the "home" connection stopped working.

Doghead's back, sos you don't need me anymore.  Some comments to go in the OOC section.


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## DrZombie (Oct 9, 2004)

Snorting like a bull, the blacksmith strikes again with all his might.


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## doghead (Oct 9, 2004)

Nate's mace cuts a great arc through the air towards the dazed looking Fredar and there is a collective intake of breath from the onlookers in anticipation of the crunching blow. Fredar manages to move his feet and to get his shield up. The force of the blow slams the shield back into him and sends him sprawling on his back in the dust.

There is a moment of stillness around the yard as Nate stands panting and quivering above the motionless Fredar. The blacksmith's fingers curl tightly around the haft of his weapon, the knuckes white with tension. The head of the mace seems to vibrate with anticipation.

Nate's attack: 19 +5 [AB] +2 [rage] -1 [jolted] = 26 
Fredar's defense: 20 +8 [DB] -3 [staggered] = 25
Damage: 6 +5 [rage str] +1 - 4 [soak] = 8.
Fredar is Unconscious.


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## doghead (Oct 12, 2004)

With a visible effort, Nate wrenches himself away from the fallen Fredar and turns and stalks away. The moment is broken and people rush in to check on Fredar.

The sergeant appears in one of the shadowed doorways. For a moment he takes in the scene in front of him, then he barks at the corporal.

"Corporal! Get the Seventh cleaned up and assembled in the hall in a quarter."

The sergeant glances at Fredar. "And make sure that they are conscious."

The sergeants gaze slides across the yard to Nate who stands, now some 10 yards from where the others cluster around Fredar, with his hands on his knees, his eyes fixed on a point on the ground a few yards from his feet, panting deeply. A slight frown crosses the sergeants brow. Then he turns and steps back inside.


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 13, 2004)

When Fredar comes to, he pulls himself as close to upright he can manage, forces a slight smile, and says to those around him, "Be glad he's on our side, eh?"  He moves, perhaps with a little aid, to the barracks, where he washes up, chews on some wintergreen leaves to help his headache, and gets ready to go see the sergeant.


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## doghead (Oct 13, 2004)

As Fredar and Nate are getting cleaned up a few more people begin arriving at the barracks. Most of them are recognisable from the first meeting in the town hall; the reeve, the two merchants, the landcarl and Rhys. But a couple are not, including an elegant woman of indeterminate years who walks with Rhys. They are all directed to the  into the mess hall of the barracks by the man at the gate.


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## DrZombie (Oct 15, 2004)

_Thump.... Thump....Thump....Thump_... The beating of his hart is all Nate can hear, a roar that washes away any thought. Slowly he can hear other sounds, muffled at first, then sharper, penetrating his mind.
.... _allright?..._
_... help him..._
_..Nate...ight be dangerou..._
_...ill moving...alive.._

The red fog slowly clears away. The limp form lying on the ground takes on more familiar aspects_. Fredar ?_ Then it all slowly comes back to him. _Gods, I could have killed him. If it weren't sparring weapons he'd be dead. What is happening to me?_
He looks around and sees the famliar faces of the villagers, looking at him as if he'd sprouted horns. He turns around and walks away, looking for some privacy, suddenly dead-tired. As he tands there, deep in thought, he feels as if he's being watched. Looking up, he sees the sergeant, and all of the sudden he feels his anger surging, like a dog straining at his leash, trying to break free and attack. Hate fills his brain, and only with a sharp tug can he keep it under control. 
He walks to the barracks, alone, and washes away the dust and grime, deep in thought.

When Fredar walks in; there is silence. Then he asks, tentatively : "Eeuhm, are, are you allright? I, eeuhm, well, kinda lost control there."


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## doghead (Oct 16, 2004)

You have cleaned up a little (the dust patted out of your clothes and some  water splashed on your faces) by the time the corporal gathers you together and leads you to the mess room. There is a moments pause before the call to enter comes from within. 

The room seems much darker than outside and it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. Its a little different from how you remember it. Two of the large mess tables have been pushed together to form a large "boardroom style" table in the center. Seated along one side (the window side) are six people. The reeve. The Cleric of the Lady. Mistress Honnis. One of the merchants from the earlier meeting. Another lady. The landcarl stands a little off to one side. The sergeant stands alongside the wall across the table from the council members. There is an empty bench along the empty length of the table, although it is pushed right up under against the table, almost under it. There are some leather folders, glassses and jugs of water on the table. All the other items of furniture (which is not much really) have been pushed to the walls. The only other door out of the room (it leads through an internal wall into the next room in this 'wing') is closed.

Obviously, everyone who is is expected is already there, for as soon as the door closes behind you, the Reeve stands and waves you to stand before the table. He clears his throat then frowns. After assuring him that you are all all right (which I assume that you do despite the despite the bruises and bangs) he returns to his original begining.

"We won't keep you long. But there are some things that the council would like to clarify or hear you speak of again." The reeve glances briefly at the others before continuing. There are a couple almost imperceptable nods. "Three to be precise. You will answer them fully, to the best of your abilities and without reservations. We need the truth, and we expect it of you. Of course, it may not be pleasant and you may be worried that we don't wish to hear it. But be assured, we will not be shooting the messenger."

Mistress Honnis slides smoothly into the silence left by the reeve's pregnant pause. 

"Well put, I think. So shall we have the first question?"

The reeve shoots her an irritated glance. It was obvious he had only just been warming up. And its is equally obvious that that is why Mistress Honnis interceeded. The reeve, now with no real option, presents the first question.

ooc: The questions would have been dealt with in turn, one after another, but I'm going to present all three questions at once to save time. The council members make few interuptions. They ask questions only when unsure of your meaning, and say little other than to urge you on. You sense that they have decided on this approach earlier and you notice that one or two (the reeve in particular) have to bit their tongues to prevent themselves from jumping in.

"Tell us what you know of the attacks by the goblins so far!"

"Tell us about the goblin who warned you of her people's plans!"

"Tell us what you know of this so called 'traitor'!"


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 16, 2004)

DrZombie said:
			
		

> When Fredar walks in; there is silence. Then he asks, tentatively : "Eeuhm, are, are you allright? I, eeuhm, well, kinda lost control there."



Fredar rubs the lump on the side of his head. "Yeah, well, let's do it again real soon, okay?" (His tone makes it pretty clear that by "real soon" Fredar actually means "never again.") "I mean, what _was_ that Nate? Look, uh, I think I will be allright; just might not be there quite _yet_.  I think the question is are _you_ allright? You're not going to unload like that on the Seergeant if he starts acting like a bastard again are you?  I mean, if you are, that's fine, but just give me a signal so I can back away first, yeah?"  Fredar hols the side of his head again, feeling a sudden stab of pain. "Look, uh, let's  just see what our hosts want.  Hey look," Fredar adds quietly (and with a smile) as Mistress Honnis arrives, "there's your girl, Nate." 

************
When the reeve begins his questions, Fredar speaks truthfully, and pretty much completely, and his voice sounds tired.  He tries to look directly at the Reeve as he speaks.  breaking eye contact from pain, if necessary only. Guile would require concentration, he realizes, and he's not up for it at this point. He stops and lets Nate speak whenever the other man has something to say. 

"After the raid mentioned in the letter we delivered to you, the Seventh was sent to warn outlying farms and villages. Nate can tell you more about that - I hadn't joined up at that point. But they met more goblin parties - and we met two more parties, or goblins and their damned wolves just on the way from Seven to here. That'smore than I ever heard of outside the Forest, and too many for me to think it's just random groups of gobbos working on their own. 

"So on our way into town here, we start to feel like we're being watched. We were pretty beat up then - you saw us, right? Maybe not as bad as we look right now, but still pretty cut up. So all we're thinking at that point is 'Lady, help us get to safety before they cut another of us down.' Then these goblins step out of hiding and hail us. Four or five, I think, plus a couple worgs. If they wanted to kill us, they would have. Nothing we could have done about it, the shape we were in. Could have torn up you town pretty good, too, I'd say. No disrespect intended to your guardsmen, sir," Fredar says to the Sergeant, "But they could have attacked the town before you had the warning, and done a lot of damage just with the advantage of surprise, before the guards could react."

"But they wanted to talk. They weren't armed - no, that's not right - they _were_ armed, but they didn't have their weapons up and ready - They wanted to talk. The leader was a goblin woman - a princess, a witch, whatever, I don't know what she was. But said there was this goblin leader who was uniting all the goblin tribes into an army that would sweep out form a goblin kingdom that would strech from forest to forest. She called him this leader a "heretic", and said he had many allies within the goblins, and had already united some of the tribes under his banner. But others hadn't yet joined him, and she clearly hated the idea. And there must have been some powerful goblins opposing the Heretic, too, as this witch wasn't working alone - she let slip that someone had sent her to deliver this news. 

"The last thing she said was that there was someone here working for this Heretic - someone who was supposed to bring him something, or someone that would give him power. She called him a 'seeker', and said the seeker would have the heretic's symbol somewhere on him, and that the symbol was like the one on a map some goblins the Seventh killed had. She said the symbol would give the seeker free passage when he went to meet with the heretic."

"We don't have proof of her claims, but we're looking to find out if there is any. They could have killed us if that was their aim, and I believed what she said. 

I would like to talk - or have some of you - talk to old Jaibobi about this. His travels take him near Trolluc, where the Seventh first met a goblins war party, and found the map with the Heretic's seal. He finds 'odd bits' and other things, sometimes magical things - something that could conceivably be of value to the goblins, maybe without his knowledge. I'm not saying I suspect him of treachery. This could be nothing, and the traitor could be someone else or no one at all. Just that I just think someone should talk to him."


(ooc: I, too just put everything together to save time. Feel free to cut him off at any point.)


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## DrZombie (Oct 20, 2004)

Nate confirms what Fredar says, and when asked to tell a bit more about the first days, he tells 'em about how he and his friends intervened in the fight between the knight and the goblins. It seems months ago instead of just days. He swallows when he tells how all those who were present at that first meeting are missing now, most of 'em dead. Added with the dead guards and merchants, that would make about seven or eight people killed that he knows of, just in the last few days.
He gives the sergeant a few dirty looks as he once again tells his tale, this time without any overtly sarcastic remarks, but his animosity is clear to anyone in the room.


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## doghead (Oct 24, 2004)

Hadarook is mostly quiet as Fredar and Nate speak. He says nothing about events before they left Trolluc, but adds a little at times to what the others have to say about events after leaving Trolluc. Hadarook speaks quietly and effeciently, like one accustomed to giving reports.

Hadarook tells the council that there were three goblins, on worgs at the meeting. Three that he saw at least; there could have been more watching. They were armed, and easily had the advantage of surprise but didn't use it to attack. Whatever the reasons, it must have been pretty important for a witch and her _heriath khorn_, warriors of the worg, to have left the protection of the tribe. The heriath are the elite soldiers of the tribe, and a sight more dangerous than the ordinary footsolders.

There hadn't been a noticble increase in goblin raids before the Seventh arrived in Killingtom, but there had been a significant increase in goblin comings and goings. Several herdsmen and hunters had commented on it.  In his opinion, he adds, it smacked of scouting. But there was something more, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Craddoc is quiet and withdrawn, as he as been since leaving Trolluc. He maintains a stony silence.

Its a struggle for some of them, but the council asks the minimum of questions and the meeting is over in under a quarter of an hour.

The reeve stands and clears his throat.

"Thank you. Your information has been helpful. We may need to speak to you again shortly, but right now you may go and ... er, well, you are dismissed."

As you leave, the Reeve turns to the Sergeant.

"Sergeant, may we may have a word. As you step outside, the sergeant steps up to the table.

A moment later the sergeant joins you outside. "Get yourself cleaned up and ready for duty. And don't go anywhere, stay inside the barracks. If you need anything, ask the corporal. Thats all."


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## doghead (Oct 24, 2004)

Another quarter of an hour or so later the Sergeant calls you all back in. The room is pretty much as you left it except that some writing materials have appeared on the desk, and there is a spray of sand on the floor.

"You will," the Reeve begins as soon as you are assembled in front of the table, "meet with the goblin witch and bring her here. We want to talk to her, and we offer," he slides a sealed letter across the table, "safe passage. This letter will explain. Take it to her and bring her back."


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## DrZombie (Oct 25, 2004)

Do they want to get us killed or do they just want to get us out of the village? And how do we know that she won't get killed the moment she gets here. This is turning into a big mess.

Trying not to show his misgivings on, his face, Nate just nods.

"And what if she doesn't trust us enough to accompagnie us into a human village where she suspects a traitor is watching, sir? Can we ask for a meeting outside of the village walls, somewhere open where her guards can see what's going on, Sir?" Nate asks as innocently as he can manage.


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## doghead (Oct 25, 2004)

"You have the letter," begins the reeve in a slightly peevish voice.

Mistress Honnis continues.

"The Seventh has shown itself to be most resourceful." She speaks quietly, but with conviction. Her gaze rests on each of the members of the seventh in turn. "We are sure that you will find a way to convince her of need to speak to her directly, and the advantages of doing so away from prying eyes.

"You understand what is at stake as well as anyone. Do what can be done."

"This is madness!" exclaims Craddoc suddenly. "They are goblins. What else could this be but some ploy. Goblins don't know anything else but raiding and pillaging. We should be driving them off with swords and arrows not inviting them in side the walls. The only good reason to bring them inside would be to kill ... " Craddoc slowly trails off. He glances around the room at his companions.

"Ah. What I mean is that it the council would have good reason to be cautious." Craddoc says slowly. "But of course I'm sure that the council is aware of that. I apologise for my outburst. I've had some bad experiences with goblins. But rest assured I will do as the council orders."

"Outstanding. I'm sure that you will - as the good Mistress Honnis kindly pointed out - do excellently," responds the reeve quickly in his best 'speaking' voice.


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## Maerdwyn (Oct 26, 2004)

Fredar just nods, his headache finally abating a little.  "We will bring her here, to this hall.  May we do it at night, to help avoid those 'prying eyes'?"


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## doghead (Oct 30, 2004)

"Good. In that case we are done here and there is no reason to hold you up any more. Its approaching the mid day. We want you away before the afternoon is rung in. Thank you for your assistance and good luck."

To the Sergeant he adds, "See that they get what they need. Lets see if we can keep this as low key as possible. Shall we say that the seventh are going out on patrol?"

The Sergeant nods, and with that the reeve begins gathering his papers, with the exception of the letter which remains inn solitory splendor in the center of the table, and belongings together. A couple of the others echo the Reeves benediction. Mistress Honnis beams you a happy smile, but her eyes are troubled.

"I'll make sure that there is a hot meal waiting for you when you return."

The Sergeant ushers you out. Once outside he gathers you together. "Right, lets get you sorted. Pack only what you need of a couple of days. You should, if all goes smoothly, be back before midnight tonight. But just incase, I'll get two days of rations sorted. That will give you two nights to bring her in. Any questions?"

ooc: If not, you are free to get yourself sorted. Pretty much any standard weapons and armour are available from the armoury. Other stuff upon request. Once you are done.

Once you are all back together, the Sergeant pulls you to one side under the shade of the rather sad tree. He spreads out the map you took from the goblins. 

"Its not great, but it will do. We don't have anything better ourselves as everyone here knows their way around.

"Head northwest from here till you get to a small river. Its the only one you'll see too big to jump. Follow that upriver. It will take you close enough to see your destination - a pretty much bare hill with the remains of an old keep atop it. Its about 4 hours from here, 5 hours tops."


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 1, 2004)

"All right, let's get going,"  Fredar says. "Same formation as before?"  As they more towards the edge of the village, Fredar fingers his sling, and the pouch of bullets next to it on his belt, hoping they won't be necessary on the hike, but fearing otherwise.


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## doghead (Nov 2, 2004)

*Packing.*

ooc: a breakdown of events before the meeting under the tree.

The Seventh scatters around the barracks as each of you set about getting ready. Hadarook heads to the barn where his dog is kenneled. Craddoc glances around, then sets off in the direction of the armoury muttering something about talking to the Corporal about something.

Hadarook is already there, as is Craddoc, as you return to the yard. Hadarook sits quietly on his dog, pulling on a pipe. Craddoc is talking intently to the Sergeant, who shakes his head and looks annoyed. A look of frustration crosses Craddoc's face and then it is gone. With a last look at the Sergeant, he steps back and dumping his bag on the ground, proceeds to quickly check through it.

The Corporal checks over your gear to make sure you have a melee weapon, a ranged weapon, a blanket, two days iron rations, a full waterskin. Craddoc has no ranged weapon, so the Corporal accompanies him to the armoury to get one. Craddoc comes back with a heavy crossbow and dozen bolts.

ooc: if you don't haver everything, please add them.

He also makes sure that someone amoung you has flint and steel and something to cook with.

As he is doing so, the Cleric of the Lady appears and offers you each a small charm. "If you are wounded," she explains, "grasp it in your hand a ask the Lady to bless you with her healing. It will handle light wounds easily enough, and can be used thrice before the power is spent." She wishes you Lady's speed and departs.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 3, 2004)

Fread goes to the armoury and abandons his brass knuckles in favor of a second shortspear. _One big strike from distance.  One to fight with if they close with me.  Screw the knuckles, I never needed them anyway_. He also grabs a small tin frypan from the mess.

When the Lady's servant gives him the charm, Fredar thanks her, and the Lady, and briefly wonders if he should use the charm now.

ooc: we still have our wounds from when we entered town, right?


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## doghead (Nov 4, 2004)

ooc: Humm, I think that you are right. Rhys didn't have enough cure spells to heal everyone last night did he. Lets say that the Lady came by with an ample supply of spells for the task this morning, which she does as she gives each of you her Ladiy's blessing. So you are all fully healed.

The Lady recieves your thanks with a small hug and kiss on the forehead.

The Corporal leads you out of the barracks and through the town to the northern gate and a little beyond. Once clear of the village, he stops.

"All right lads, you're on your own from here." He goes on to point out the route you should take from here, as well as some landmarks useful for navigation.

"Good luck and see you soon."

The first leg of the journey is uneventful enough. Hadarook takes point about 30 feet ahead, his unstrung longbow across his lap. On his dog, he has little difficulty matching your pace. After half an hour or so the tenderness from yesterdays wounds and this morning's battering has gone and you make relatively good time. But a lack of familiarity with the area does mean you are forced to make a couple of detours and at one point, backtrack for about quarter of an hour. You cross some steams that are easily jumped or travered otherwise. 

You've been travelling in the direction indicated for a few hours, easily three you would say, when you come to a waterway that is no larger than the the others and also poses little challenge to cross. But Craddoc and Hadarook believe that this is the river that you are looking for and should follow. Hadarook points out that the broad banks, exposed earth and distance of the plants from the water suggest that this is usually a much larger body of water. Craddoc and Hadarook both believe that this would be too wide to jump for most of the year. But this being the end of the driest season of the year and this season being somewhat dryer than usual, the waterway has been reduced to this trickle.

As a hunter and a scout, Hadarook is obviously used to living off the land. Craddoc, you discovered during the trip north to Killingtom, is also quite proficient at doing so.

Following the water way, up ahead through the trees you eventually spy a low hill about a mile away. Once it was probably completely bare, but now it is now spotted with some light re-growth of bushes and the odd tree. But the outline of an tumbled down roofless structure is clearly visible at the top. From where you are there is little chance that you have been observed and it will be easy enough to get within a quarter of a mile of the structure under cover. But from there, it is fairly exposed up the side of the hill to the top.

There is no sign of life or movement on the hill.


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## DrZombie (Nov 8, 2004)

Nare feels a little out of place, and looks around at the rest , not really knowing what to do. He has his sling at the ready, and his mace within easy reach.

[OOC : I'm still here]


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 8, 2004)

ooc:  Is the structure stone? Is it like a tower that has fallen over, a house with a collapsed wall, or something else?  Is there any face of the hill we could position ourselves on so that our approach would be completly blocked off by a windowless wall?  Does it look like if we got closer (1/4 mile, still within cover_ to the structure we would be able to see into the structure from any particular vantage point?

ooc:  Otherwise, in general, I think someone good at sneaking (probably Fredar, but maybe Hadarook - don't know his skillset) should move on up, covered by readied missile weapons in case a hasty retreat is necessary, and get as much information as possible before the whole group moves up.


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## doghead (Nov 9, 2004)

The structure on the hill looks like an old fortified keep - a stone wall surrounding a courtyard, with some rooms built inside more than likely. There was once a tower probably, but it, like most of the walls, has collapsed. The walls themselves get above head height in only a few sections, most noticably towards the back where there is a large solid mass.

The hill around the ruins looks to have been cleared once. But there is some growth on it now, suggesting that the fort has not been used in many years. It would be possible to approach fairly close keeping under cover most of the way given care. From where you stand, swinging around to the north a bit would seem to give the best cover.

Hadarook's ability to move without being seen or heard is almost pretanatural. More than once he has dissappeared form sight only to reappear some time later from another direction right at you side. You suspect he gets a kick out of giving you a start. He slips off a head, with his dog at his side this time, and his bow strung and an arrow ready. You head north for a bit, then wind round to appraoch the hill from the west. The going is a little slow. Several times you are forced to move at a crouch, once to crawl. But about 30 minutes later you find yourself about 200 feet from the south west corner of the building. A gate is visible in the south wall. There is no movement from inside the ruins. The ground around the ruins is more open than the rest. It was probably more carefully cleared. There is cover here and there. Some blackberry bushes. Some trees. Some schrubs. But it's scattered, with on average about  20-30 feet of open ground between.

Hadarook motions you to come up.

"We would have to break cover from here," he whispers. "We are also being watched. I think. Maybe. Probably the goblins. From over there," he concludes slowly with a shrug off to your right. "I'm pretty sure that they would know we are here, if they are here. We weren't all that quiet."

The hill, however, is. Very quiet.

"And there is something else. The dog is agitated. Something he can smell, which could mean from the ruins. Its not the goblins, the dog knows the smell of goblin."


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 9, 2004)

Fredar keeps his voice quite low now, and he's got his sling and a bullet ready."We can assume the goblins have been here for a little while - they were expecting us any time until three days from now. They wouldn't be hiding from us once they saw us - So, they're hiding from whatever the dog sniffed, right? Maybe we should try finding out form the gobbos what we should be looking out for up there...We could get their attention somehow.  Glint some light off a shield in their direction, but keep the light away from the keep?  Without knowing more, I don't like the idea of any of us - even Hadarook - just waltzing out into the open...but I could be wrong."  

Fredar looks tense, as if he thinks all hell is about to rain down on him and the rest of the Seenth in the next few seconds.

ooc: ideas?


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## doghead (Nov 11, 2004)

*Hadarook, Halfling scout.*

"Aye, we should do something." The emphasis being on the something. He glances at Nate.

"An' I agree, the goblins would have been here well before us if they came directly." He peers around at the surrounding area. "But juss cos we canna see them don' mean that they aren' here. Perhaps they're juss wai'ing for us to show ourselves. "No' sure tha' they trus' us any more than we do them."


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## doghead (Nov 11, 2004)

*Craddoc, Human militian.*

"Stuff all this creeping around for a joke," Craddoc growls. "I say we just get up and march up to the fort and see what all this is about. There is only three of the little blighters."


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 11, 2004)

"There's only three goblins, it's true.  But there's at least one 'something else', something the dog doesn't recognize.  You know anything good that could come of that, Craddoc?"


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## doghead (Nov 11, 2004)

*Craddoc, Human Militian*

"You know that something bad is going to come of it or do you just jump at every shadow," Craddoc snaps back.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 11, 2004)

Fredar looks away from Craddoc casually, and lets his gaze fall upon his own shadow.  He gasps silently, and looks absolutely terrified, as if he's going to bolt.  The he grins at Craddoc.  "Just being careful, mate.  If it's a trap, or if there's something here that even the gobbos weren't expecting, I want to know about it before it knows about us."


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## doghead (Nov 11, 2004)

*Craddoc, Human Militian*

Something hard passes across Craddocs face as Fredar plays out his little pantomime. He's about to say something when Fredar flashes him a grin and jumps in first. By the time Fredar finishes, whatever it was has gone. Craddoc shrugs. "Aye. I plan to," he says in a concillatory manner.

"But we aren't going to find out anything crouching here. Odds are we won't be able to sneak up on anything much. So best we just move on up there, careful as you like, and see what's the story is. At least that what I reckon." 

He turns to Nate and gives him an obvious "Well?" look.


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## doghead (Nov 13, 2004)

There is a gentle cough from off to your right. But you see nothing until the goblin shaman steps from the cover of a tree about 20 feet away. A moment later her worg appears beside her.

"You rather spoiled my plans for a dramatic entrance," she announces calmly. She glances around the group, as if checking each of the faces. She whistles softly. From each side of her her companions emerge mounted on their worgs, although this time between you manage to hear one and see the other before they step completely from cover.

"We are glad that you came. Time is against us, and we must be leaving soon. But first I must show you something."

With that she turns and strides off towards the ruins of the fort above you. Her worg pauses for a moment, watching you. Then at some sound you can't hear, it turns and pads after the shaman. The two other goblins, their spears held lightly at their sides remain where there are until you move. If you tarry they begin gesturing with their spears for you to get moving. Once you are one your way they fall into position, one about 20 feet to your right and the other about 20 feet behind you.

The shaman is waiting for you about 10 yards in front of the opening that once was the gatehouse of the fort.


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## DrZombie (Nov 13, 2004)

As Nate tries to find something witty to say, a tad too slow as allways, he's interrupted by the goblin. He gives a start as she appears.
He follows her nervously, keeping clear of the warg, and nervously fingers his weapons.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 13, 2004)

Fredar follows, relaxing somewhat with the goblins willing to show themselves.  He lets the sling remain in his hand for now, however.


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## doghead (Nov 14, 2004)

The shaman is peering into the interior of the ruins as you approach, but turns to face you as you arrive. She steps to one side a bit and motions towards the opening. Her worg lies a little to one side, its gazed fixed on the opening.

"Interesting don't you think?" She motions in the direction of the interior of the fort. "It gave us a bit of a scare at first, I must say."

The shaman's companions have pulled up about 20 feet back from her and turned to keep watch over the hill.

Beyond the entance there is an empty yard. Some brambles grow within the confines of the wall along the south end, although they do not block the entrance. The remains of a barracks stands against the back wall. The walls stand no higher than four to five ft. and ceilings have mostly collapsed except in the north east corner. The back of the north east room is heavily shadowed and you cannot see the back wall.

Spot DC 10: 



Spoiler



The rooms are mostly bare. In places the ceiling beams cross the rooms where they have fallen in. All the furniture and furnishings appear to have been taken.


Spot DC 15: 



Spoiler



In a shadowed corner of the center room, half concealed behind fallen stone a wolf lies motionless, watching you.


Spot DC 20: 



Spoiler



In the back of the room on the right, deep in the shadows, there is a second wolf, also motionless.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 14, 2004)

Fredar whispers to his companions and the shaman, but doesn't make any other sudden movements, and not making eye contact with the wolf.  "There is a wolf  in the center room near the back wall, by those roof fragments.  Just watching us from the shadows right now.  That what your dog smelled, Hadarook?"


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## doghead (Nov 14, 2004)

*Hadarook, Halfling male scout.*

Hadarook pauses his efforts to see around the others and considers Fredar's question for a moment.

"Aye, that migh' do the job all righ'. But with the worgs around, I wonder how he picked 'em."

"Where did you say they were again," he adds, taking advantage of Fredar's attention to nudge him to one side a bit. "Oh yeah. See I him now. Odd, him jus' lyin' there an' all. Not real natural like. Wonder if they go' cubs in there?"


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## DrZombie (Nov 14, 2004)

"Maybe it's wounded or something?" Nate says. He then turns, adressing the goblins "Why do you want to show us this? Is there anything we can do here?"

[ooc : is the wolf just lying still, or is it absolutely motionless, as in frozen?]


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## doghead (Nov 14, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

ooc: DrZ, the wolf is almost motionless, but its pose gives you the feeling that it is not dead or frozen. It gives you the distinct impression that it is watching you.

The goblin shaman shrugs. 

"Walk inside a little ways. But keep your wits about you. My personal recommendation would be someone fleet of foot." She pauses to think about it. "And not all puffed up with their own prowess like so many of you humans are."

She snickers softly.


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## DrZombie (Nov 15, 2004)

doghead said:
			
		

> "Walk inside a little ways. But keep your wits about you. My personal recommendation would be someone fleet of foot." She pauses to think about it. "And not all puffed up with their own prowess like so many of you humans are."



"Well that rules me out then... on both accounts." Grins Nate, as he makes way for someone a bit more nimble.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 18, 2004)

Fredar looks at them, and the shaman. He mutters something under his breath, shakes his, and hands his shield to Nate. "If I've got to get away from something fast, that thing's only going to trip me up." He takes another long look into the courtyard, and steps cautiously in, alert, and ready to tumble away in a hurry if that wolf pounces out at him.


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## DrZombie (Nov 18, 2004)

Nate gets a firm grip on his mace and shield, and gets ready to shuolder in, should fredar be unable to get clear of the wolf. "Here goes nothing" he mutters under his breath.


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## doghead (Nov 18, 2004)

*At the ruins on the hill*

Fredar takes a deep breath and readys himself to walk forwards. Nate gives him a reassuring nod.

There is a angry bark of surprise from the goblins watching over the hill, followed by a stream of goblin-talk and a readying of weapons..

Hadarook swears. "This dosen' seem good," he mutters.

The goblin shaman steps back from you and her worg surges to its feet with a low rumbling growl, placing itself between you and her.

"What is the meaning of this!" she shouts, pointing in the direction that you came. "Alone I said. Explain this to me!" She takes a couple more steps back as she talks, keeping the worg between you and herself.

ooc: Checks are cumulative. Read all of the ones below your check result.
Spot DC10: 



Spoiler



About a mile back the way you came a rider approaches, moving quickly. Something glints in the sunlight.


Spot DC15: 



Spoiler



The rider is humanoid, large, wears metal armour and is mounted on a horse.


Spot DC20: 



Spoiler



The rider wears the colours of the townguard, although which town is impossible to tell from here. All that distinguishes the uniforms is a small crest painted on the chest and back.



Craddoc mutters to no one in particular. "I don't see anything. What is the witch going on about?"


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 18, 2004)

Fredar, reacting before he can think and cursing himself for it, takes his attention off the wolf for a second to turn around and look. _Did they have us followed? Why?_ "Can't tell who or what that rider is, but we came alone." He looks quickly back to the wolf, and if nothing is going on here within the structure, he withdraws back out, then turns to try for a better look. Fredar says to the shaman, "You and yours should hide. If this is a human coming, and he sees goblins, he may react before he thinks. Besides, you're on a secret mission, right? Stay secret. Let us deal with the rider." He grasps his sling, something deliberately useless if he was planning to attack the shaman or worg standing near to him, and looks down the hill at the approaching rider.


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## DrZombie (Nov 20, 2004)

"Bugger me, I knew that sergeant wasn't to be trusted, backstabbing basterd. Or is he just trying to get us all killed?" Nats swears aloud. Mace and shield still at the ready he slowly backs off, then turns to get a good look at the rider, trying to see if he can recognise him/her.

[spot 12]


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## doghead (Nov 21, 2004)

As Fredar crosses the threshhold the two wolves surge to their feet. But the goblin's shout from outside has Fredar stepping back almost immediately, and the wolves remain in the shadows. A glance back into the yards now and then is enough to see that they don't seem to be coming out. 



			
				Meardwyn said:
			
		

> Fredar says to the shaman, "You and yours should hide. If this is a human coming, and he sees goblins, he may react before he thinks. Besides, you're on a secret mission, right? Stay secret. Let us deal with the rider."




The shaman's look bores into Fredar, as if trying to see the intent behind the words. She doesn't look convinced, nor certain.



			
				DrZombie said:
			
		

> "Bugger me, I knew that sergeant wasn't to be trusted, backstabbing basterd. Or is he just trying to get us all killed?"




The goblin sharman let out a sharp wail. 

"What does he mean? We have been betrayed?"  

She takes a few more steps back. Without taking her eyes off you, he begins speaking rapidly to the other two. A low deep rumble emerges from the belly of the worg, and the fur along its neck and back bristles.

Hadarook goes pale. "No! No! Its not like that. He didn't mean it like that! You must trust us!"

Meanwhile Craddoc snarls under his breath. "This is all going bad." He snatches up his weapons. "Its over witch!" he shouts over her. "Throw down your weapons. You are coming back to Killingtom to answer a few questions!"

ooc: DrZ, the rider hasn't moved close enough for you to see any more than you did before.

ooc: Going to combat rounds here to determin order of actions. Characters with higher initiative may wait to see the intentions of those with lower initiative results.

19 - Fredar: 12+7
16 - Hadarook: 11+5
15 - Nate: 14+1
14 - Craddoc: 14+0
14 - Goblin Warriors: 11+3
09 - Goblin Shaman: 6+3


*Round 1: Intentions*

The goblin sharman will cast a spell.

The goblin warriors will shift into defensive postions, bringing up spears.

Craddoc will attempt to Intimidate the gobin sharman into surrendering.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 21, 2004)

The pain from the drubbing he took at Nate's hands yesterday is still too fresh in Fredar's mind for him to willingly let this spill into bloodshed. He whirls on his companion:"No, Craddoc!" then, calmer, "We can't jump at shadows! This is going to be fine!" 

He turns back to the shaman with quiet urgency in his voice, projecting as much sincerity as he can. He speaks quickly, and watches her face for any sign that he's either getting through or has blown it completely. (He takes a leap on the title he should use to address her and hopes it's not too far off.) "Mistress - You have not been betrayed. This is one rider! If betrayal was intended why send just one? Why not a full patrol? If betrayal was intended, why send our group at all - we whom you have gotten the advantage of twice now, going unseen by us while you watched us at your leisure?"

"You have been sent here on a mission to help stop needless war between our peoples - do not act rashly and help bring that war about! We do not know if that rider is friend or foe to us or to you. Let us find out, before our groups fall to blows over him!  Let us send someone down to meet him - to discover his intentions. One of yours could shadow, if you like!  He could signal you, yay or nay while watching from a safe distance. "

"You are being dealt with fairly and honestly - give us the chance to prove it!"

ooc: not sure how much of Fredar's action that takes up. He will hesitate with whatever is left, guaging the reaction, if any to his speech. He does not have a weapon drawn, and has his hands well away from his weapons.


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## doghead (Nov 21, 2004)

*Hadarook, Halfling Male.*

Hadarook will wheel Dross in front of Craddoc, bringing his spear up.

"Don't. No' here and now. The worgs alone would shred us."


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## doghead (Nov 24, 2004)

"Stop!" the Goblin sharman barks as Fredar gets towards the end of his play. "_You_ I will trust for now," she says pointing to Fredar. "You will wait here and find out who this rider is. But you have some questions to answer after this."

She snarls a command at the other goblins, then whistles to her worg. The giant beast wheels around coming up alongside her. She mounts up in one fluid movement.

"We will be watching you." she adds, probably unnessessarily. And with that she heels the beast and joins up with the other two goblins. A moment later they dissappear from sight down the hill.

Craddoc angrily bats away Hadarook's spear. "Do that again and I will kill you there and then," he mutters.

In the distance the rider disappears from sight behind some trees before reappearing then dissappearing again, still moving quickly. Finally you get a good look at him as he crosses the stream that you followed to the hill and hits some open ground on the other side. Cromwell.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 24, 2004)

ooc: Does Fredar know, or at least recognize, Cromwell personally?  Or by description?


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## doghead (Nov 24, 2004)

ooc: Sorry. Er, ... good question. Fredar joined the seventh in Trolluc, didn't he. So he would have seen Cromwell at some point I think. Craddoc spent some time with Cromwell in the inn after the earthquake, so he definately would recognise him. Nate obviously knows Cromwell well. How about this ...

"Cromwell," Craddoc grunts in surprise as he recognises the rider. "Stone the crows."


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 24, 2004)

_The Madgref, I presume? Or whatever the hell it was they called him.  Great.  I'm sure they won't read _anything_ into this.  What is he doing here? I thought Nate said he'd been arrested.  Questions later, idiot. Get him up here without her launching a fireball at him first.  __"_Cromwell? Is that you, Sir?"  Fredar calls down to him.


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## DrZombie (Nov 24, 2004)

"Cromwell. Thank the Gods. Now at least someone will know what to do." Nate says. 

All of the sudden, evrything comes back to him. The loss of his friends, the trek through the Goblin-infested lands, the disappearance of Hewik, the lashing, the rage It is as if seeing his old comrade opens up all of the old wounds all at once. Nate grunts and sits down heavily, as if punched in the stomach.

"You basterd" he whispers. "You abandoned us"
"No you didn't. You were lost. Just like the rest of us"
He then starts to cry, or laugh, or both at the same time.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Nov 25, 2004)

Cromwell takes one hand off of the reins and raises it in silent greeting, continuing to guide his horse up the hill.  When he gets within fifty feet, he slows down to a trot, and ten feet away he halts the horse and dismounts.  He surveys the group for a moment, giving those he recognizes a nod, his face expressionless.  He sees Nate on the ground, and offers him a hand up.  Assuming it's accepted, he pulls the man up perhaps a little forcefully, and they end up briefly in an embrace.

"It is proper," Cromwell mutters it Nate's ear, "To salute when an officer approaches."  His voice is so entirely expressionless that it is impossible to divine the seriousness of the comment.  Cromwell lets Nate go, and a corner of his mouth twitches.  A smile?  Whatever it was, it's gone now.

The greetings done and the emotional brouhaha out of the way, Cromwell returns to business.  "For those of you who may not know, I am Coporal Cromwell, and I will be assuming command."  His tone is formal.  "Private Ay'tennar, report.  What is the situation?"


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 25, 2004)

Fredar frowns momentarily at Cromwell's first comment, and his impression of the man varies considerably over the next fifteen seconds. _This guy's got a pole up his backside almost as far as the sergeant does...He and Nate seem glad to see each other - that's a point in his favor...Assuming command?! Just like that? Who the hell does he think -- wait a second -- he takes command, and everything goes to hell, it's on him, not you like it might have been if he hadn't shown up. So shut your mouth, and do what he says, idiot._ Fredar stands a little more upright, waiting to hear Nate's summary.


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## DrZombie (Nov 26, 2004)

"Yes, Sir. Well, let's see. After you got sick, things got quite tense. Lisa got murdered in the inn, with Savoleth disappearing. Wich doesn't make sense at all. He left some of his stuff behind, stuff you'd expect him to take along if he'd make a run for it. I tried to confront someone in the village, but he attacked me with magic and then his house caught fire. He might have gotten away. When this is all over I'm gonna find him. Anyway.We continued here, through goblin-infested lands. We lost Hewik on the way here. We've met a goblin-shaman who claims a new king has risen, with the help of a human traitor, and tries to unite all the goblin clans to raze the human lands. We got to town, trying to warn them as we were ordered. The sergeant didn't believe us, and when I got a little sarcastic he had me whipped for speaking up. And now they sent us out to convince the shaman to come to the town and have a discussion with the town leaders. And they expect us to get her to come to town alone and unarmed. Oooh yes, and Craddoc over there just wants to kill every gobbo he sees. That's about it, sir, except for the two wolves in the tower over there. And the fact that the goblins have surrounded us by now. She's kinda waiting to see who you are." Nate summarises the events since last time they met, in his own special way.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Nov 26, 2004)

DrZombie said:
			
		

> "Yes, Sir. Well, let's see. After you got sick, things got quite tense. Lisa got murdered-




"Beyond that, Private," says Cromwell, his voice kept forcefully even as painful memories swirl through his head.  "I was... arrested," he says, the word coming out painfully, "not amnesiac."



> Anyway.We continued here, through goblin-infested lands. We lost Hewik on the way here. We've met a goblin-shaman...."




Cromwell winces at the mention of Hewik, and clears his throat.  "Perhaps I should clarify.  I came here by way of the town, and informed of the mission.  I wondered what stage you have reached."



> That's about it, sir, except for the two wolves in the tower over there. And the fact that the goblins have surrounded us by now. She's kinda waiting to see who you are."




"... I see."  Cromwell is remarkably unphased, and pauses for a moment int thought.  _Kettenek, I ask for your blessing in my coming endeavors.  Guide me that Justice may be done, as is your will.  Amen._  "This... shaman... does she have a name?"  he says quietly looking around.  Once he is informed, he raises his voice.

"Kettenek's blessings be upon you, Priestess," he says.  "I am Corporal Cromwell, of the militia of Seven, and commander of these men.  I was... seperated, and eager to rejoin them.  I hope I did not give offense."

ooc: Nate, hope you don't mind the cutting off/editing.  If you wish to react differently to Cromwell's interruptions, feel free; if you want to add anything else, I'm just assuming you got to say what I've quoted.


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## doghead (Nov 26, 2004)

*by the ruins on the hill*

There is a moment of stillness before the three goblins emerge from the scrub and trees about half way down the hill. The shaman points her worg directly towards the five of you. Her two companions fall into place by her side.

The three of them approach at a slow walk. The shaman studies Cromwell intently. Her eyes seem to bore inter him.

When they get to within about 10 feet of you they pull up to a halt.

"Tell me," the shaman ask Cromwell, "do you take after your mother or your father?"


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## Thomas Hobbes (Nov 26, 2004)

A beat; then, seriously, and meeting the Goblin's stare unflinchingly: "The only parent I have known is Kettenek, with His mortal servants as my stewards.  I can only hope and pray I may follow after Him as well as any mortal can."


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## doghead (Nov 26, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

"AIIIEEEE!" The bones whisper the words of the spirits that walk the ways of the void," she cries and thrusts her spear into the air. "It is as it should be. So the bones spoke of and so the Margref is here."

She heels her worg forwards. The other two goblins make to follow but she gestures for them to stay where they are. They do, but nervously fiddle with their spears.

Right up to Cromwell she guides her mount. So close that Cromwell can feel the heat of the beast on his legs. Close enough to Cromwell that she can reach out and touch him.

She gestures for him to lean forwards.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Nov 27, 2004)

Not understanding, but having an unexplainable faith in the rightness of the moment, Cromwell obeys.


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## doghead (Nov 28, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

The goblin shaman reaches up and runs her fingers lightly over Cromwells face in the manner that blind people will do in order to 'see' what you look like.

Then, with a quiet sigh, she with draws her hand.

Cromwell: [sblock]In a quiet voice, so quiet Cromwell has to strain to hear it she mummers in the goblin tongue, "For a while I doubted the reading, we were not wrong in this, so perhaps the rest will be true. I must be stonger. We all must be."[/sblock]

She heels her worg around in a circle and comes to a halt some 10 feet in front of everyone once more.

"There is a little daylight left. I suggest you use it to look into what lies within the ruins, being that you are somewhat ineffectual in the dark. Well, most of you."


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## Thomas Hobbes (Nov 30, 2004)

Cromwell frowns, shooting a questioning look in Nate's direction.  Suitably briefed on the situation, he looks in himself, unhindered by the shadows, and indicates that they should continue their previous investigation.  As Fredar enters, and Cromwell readies himself to intervene, he addresses himself to the Shamaness.  "Of what signifigance are these ruins?"


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## DrZombie (Nov 30, 2004)

"Here we go again" sighs Nate, as he readies himself to jump between Fredar and the wolf.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 30, 2004)

Fredar sighs, too.  "Well, let's get this done, then."  He sets his shield down by the entrance to the broken keep, fixes his gaze on the wolf (ooc: is it still in the exact same position, even after the last ten minutes?), and steps cautiously into the ruins.


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## doghead (Nov 30, 2004)

*At the ruins on the hill*

ooc: Going to wait on Fredar's call before moving on.

Here is the map again: Hill fort ruins.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 30, 2004)

ooc: yup, Fredar is moving in towards the center opening (second from the left), hand on sling, and ready to flee, screaming like a little girl if necessary. 

If nothing seem to be happening after about 30ft, he'll try to get better looks at the two side chambers.  If he gets all the way to the opening, he'll look quickly back to his companions as if to ask "Should I go closer?"


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## doghead (Nov 30, 2004)

*At the hill fort ruins*

The goblin shaman returns to her companions as Cromwell questions Nate as to what is going on. Occasionally she glances up to see what you are up to before returning to her discussion. Hadarook drifts a little way in their direction trying to see what they have to say, and trying to look as if he is not. 

As before, as soon as Fredar crosses the threshold, the two dark shapes detach themselves from the shadows and hurl themselves across the yard. What remains of their flesh hangs off them like tattered robes over an decomposing body. They have empty pools of blackness where their eyes should be, but still Fredar can feel the malevolence in their gaze. Or perhaps its just hunger. They cross the distance between Fredar and themselves in great stides, in complete silence but for a dull grinding of bone on bone.

ooc: The wolves will cross the yard (80ft)in about 3 seconds, giving you a 'half' round of action. Readied for the wolves action, Nate, Fredar, Cromwell and Craddoc may take one standard (or move action) before the wolves reach the gateway. Fredar may turn and run at any time with ihs move action. 

Initiative order for the first full round:

24 - Fredar
19 - Craddoc
18 - Goblin Riders
17 - Wolves
11 - Nate
10 - Sharman
06 - Hadarook
01 - Cromwell


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 30, 2004)

"Aw, Hell no," Fredar says in a voice that is half-mutter and half-scream.  He wheels and sprints directly for the goblins: _If they're going to chase me it might as well be towards the gobbos and not the Seventh.   What in the Lady's name are these? _Then, when he gets a little ways away, and turns to establish position, _Who cares what they are, idiot, the question is, 'can they be killed?'  _He sets his eyes on the closest one of them and lets fly with his sling.


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## doghead (Nov 30, 2004)

*At the hill fort ruins*

*'Surprise' Round*

Fredar gets about 10 feet in before deciding discretion is the better part of valour. He spins around and dashs straight back the way he came, past his companions and towards the goblins who are gathered about 30 feet beyond the gate.

Nate, bringing up his mace and rushes forwards to protect Fredar only to be passed by him going the other way.

In a burst of clarity, Fredar realises that the plan, while a good one in principle, in practice means running the wolves straight past his companions clustered around the gateway. He skids to a halt and turns around about 20 feet behind his companions.

Craddoc lets out a shout of surprise and brings his staff to the ready position. "Nate, you fool, get out of there!"

On the other side of the gate, his attention on the shaman, Cromwell is caught off guard by the sudden turn events. Only as Fredar sprints past does he realise his mistake.

The Shaman snarls out a surprised curse as she looks up at Cromwell's questions to sees the wolves dashing across the yard toward the gate, and Nate.

A couple of feet away Hadarook turns to look around at Fredar.

"Aye?"

*End 'Surprise' Round.*

*Round 1*

Fredar brings up his sling but realises that three of his companions now stand between him and the wolves. He can't get a clear shot from here!

ooc: You want to take it?

Craddoc hesitates, indescision written across his features.

The goblin riders bring up spears but only turn to their leader.

The wolves slam into Nate. Nate manages to deflect the first but the second wolf manages to take a chunk of flesh out of his arm [1 wound]. Nate snarls at the rotten beast.

ooc: TH, I kinda did the dirty on Cromwell, but the sychronicity between the throw-a-way question to the shaman and the Init of 1 was too hard to resist. 

ooc: Crunchy bits
1st Wolf vs Nate: Attack 13 [9+2+2] vs Def 15 [13+2] --- Miss
2nd Wolf vs Nate: Attack 14 [10+2+2] vs Def 13 [11+2] --- Hit/+1 dam.
* Dam 6 [4+1+1] - Soak 5 = 1 wound to Nate.

Your turn DrZ.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 30, 2004)

dp.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 30, 2004)

Fredar stomach drop out from under him as he realizes what he's done.


ooc: Ah, nuts. His 7 wisdom is really coming through  So Fredar has used his surprise action only, right? Could he move to a different angle to get a clear shot at the wolf attacking Nate? If not, he would probably rush in (again probably not smart, but he's feeling terribly about getting completely out of danger without being able to help his companion), and attack with his spear (drawing it as he moved and dropping the sling on the ground).


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## doghead (Dec 1, 2004)

ooc: Right. You have used your 'surprise' round action, so you still have your round 1 action remaining. Cromwell and Craddoc are standing in the gateway (although this side of the threshhold). You could move up alongside them but Nate still stands kinda in the way. You could slip back past the the two at the gate. The walls of the ruins range from about 10ft to 3ft feet in height.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 1, 2004)

Not exactly clear on the positioning here.  No worries on the surprise round action.

Cromwell shouts "Get out of the tower!" and rushes to provide Nate cover.  His immediate instinct is that if entering the tower awakened... whatever those things were, _leaving_ the tower would cause them to back off.  If not, they were in for a fight....

Run to a good location, ready an attack action.


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## DrZombie (Dec 1, 2004)

Seeing the wolves, or what used to be wolves rushing towards Fredar, Nate tries to save his friend. Once again, he sees the friends that he failed to protect before his eyes. He braces himself for impact, feeling the rotted teeth pierce his leather armor. A growl escapes from his lips. Once again he feels his rage trying to get out, like a caged beast pacing from side to side, looking for a way out. With a mighty roar he unleashes it, laughing out loud as his mace turns into a twig, and the undead wolves turn into puppies. He chortles as he lashes the twig around, barely bothering to keep his shield up against the puppies' claws. Again he roars, a mixture of rage and pleasure, rage at the enemie and pleasure in the fight.


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## doghead (Dec 1, 2004)

*The hill fort ruins - Round 1 cont ...*

The read mist descends and Nate swings his mace with abandon but is unable to connect with the wolves. He doesn't seem in the slightest bit worried. 

The shaman throws up her hand in a 'wait' gesture. The goblins beside her stir uneasily but hold their positions.

Hadarook twists around to see what's going on behind him. "Oh goblin poop!" He hurries off towards along the southern wall to the east of the gateway. As he moves, he pulls his bow off his back and slips it from its leather sleave, dropping it as he goes. Ten feet from the south eastern corner he comes to a section only about 4 feet high. He stops and begins to lean on his bow.

"Oh bugger it Nate. Why can't you stay out of trouble?" Craddoc mutters as he rushes into the fray and catching one of the wolves on its flanks.

ooc: TH, the fight is happening about 20 feet into the ruins. Do you want Cromwell to move in and engage or pull up just before he enters any threated areas?

ooc: DrZ, the character in the [rg] thread is still a L1 NPC. I dug up an L2 character in the 







*OOC:*


 thread, but it doesn't have a shield listed. Could you get the [rg] thread updated. Cheers.

ooc: Crunchy Bits.
Nate vs Wolf 2: Attk 19 [11+7] vs Def 21 [17+4] --- Miss
Craddoc vs Wolf 2: Attk 12 [7+3+2] vs Def 7 [3+4] --- Hit/+5 dam
* Damage 10 [4+3+5] vs Soak 2 [2] = 10 wounds
* * Moderately Wounded (-1 penalty to attk, defense, ability, skill and save rolls)













*OOC:*


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 1, 2004)

Fredar hears Nates screams of blind rage, and swallows hard. _Okay so I'm not going into melee against both two wolf-things and a Nate-thing. Still got to do something._ He moves back into the courtyard, slipping past his two comrades at the gate and then moving right in order not to block their line of sight and to get a decent line of sight himself. When he's moved either as far as he can or into what he thinks is a decent position to attack from, he launches a bullet at whichever of the wolf-things is least obscured by Nate

(ooc: I assume that tha's W1 on the map)


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 2, 2004)

Oh!  I get it now!

Cromwell is shocked by Nate's sudden descent into madness.  _What in the name of Kettenek...?_  His retreat is unlikely and, berserker though he may be, Nate will have trouble with two opponents.  "Attack!" barks Cromwell, and moves in to assault the foe.

Move and attack, or charge if I have to, go after the wounded one.


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## doghead (Dec 2, 2004)

*The hill fort ruins - Round 1 cont...*

Fredar jerks into action, hustling back to the gateway. A moment later, Cromwell roars "Attack!" and lumbers into the fray as well. The wolves twist and turn, teeth snapping and bones clunking as they try and flank Nate. Cromwell's sudden intervention catches them somewhat by surprise.

Fredar slips along the wall about 20 feet. He winds up but Cromwell is in the way. A wolf steps into the clear and Fredar lets loose. The bullet connects with a satisfying thunk!

ooc: I see the fight as rather fluid and a bit chaotic so I've been rolling to see which wolf you hit (3in6 and 3in6 chance). When trying to hit a particular wolf, you get a 4in6 chance. Shooting into the melee carries a 1in6 chance of hitting the PCs. Yeah, I know. Old school.

ooc: Crunchy Bits:
Cromwell vs Wolf 1: Attk 17 [9+6+2] vs Def 15 [11+4] --- hit/+2 dam.
* Dam 13 [8+3+2] vs Soak 2 [2] = 11 wounds.
* * Severly Wounded (-2 penalty to various rolls)
Nate vs Wolf 2: 13 [9+4] vs 12 [8+4] --- hit/+1 dam
* Dam 4 [4+1] vs 2 [2] = 3 Wounds (12 Wounds total)
* * Severly Wounded (-2 penalty to various rolls)

*End of Round 1*


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## DrZombie (Dec 3, 2004)

The world is a vacant haze, clouded in red. Something comes. Enemy? No not enemy. The other thing . Not-enemy. Deal with it later. First these things. Kill.  Kill. Hurt. Kill.


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 3, 2004)

> Shooting into the melee carries a 1in6 chance of hitting the PCs. Yeah, I know. Old school.



  Eek! Looks like Precise Shot at next level.  Sorry in advance to Nate and Cromwell 
Fredar takes careful aim and lets anoth bullet fly at the same wolf he hit before.  Then, he moves over to the entrance to the courtyard and grabs up his shield, trying to stay out of others' line of fire. _ Won't be tumbling away from here - Looks like Nate's in there close for the duration.  Might as well proect myself in case I need to go in too._


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## doghead (Dec 4, 2004)

*The hill fort ruins: Round 2.*

*Round 2*

Fredar winds up and lets loose. Once again the bullet finds its target with a satisfying clunk. Fredar grunts with satisfaction, or relief.

Craddoc shouts obscenities as he swings at the other beast. He manages to bring his staff down across the skull of the creature in a blow that drops it to the ground. It lies twitching on the ground, but doesn't get back up.

The remaining wolf continues to mindlessly attack Nate but Nate is able to fend it off, snarling wordlessly and laughing manically at the beast as he jabs and pokes at it with his mace. He does a little happy dance, then with a quick side step, Nate returns the favour with a fury of his own, his blow crashing down on back of the creature, smashing it into a pile of broken bones and rotting skin and muscle.

Silence falls over the yard, broken only by Nate's ragged panting.

"Hey! Is it all over?" Hadarook stands on the wall, a little behind Fredar. He has his bow in hand and an arrow nocked.

Cromwell feels something dark and malevolance still lurking within the wolf that Craddoc felled. Shadows still seem to twist and writhe within it. He steps up to the creature and brings his boot heel down on once, twice, and then the corpse seems to collapse in on itself. A faint stench arises from the bodies.

*Crunchy Bits*
Fredar vs Wolf 2: Attk 15 [11+4] vs Def 13 [11+4-2] --- hit/+2 dam
* Dam [4+2] vs Soak 2 [2] = 4 Wounds (16 wounds in total)
* * Wolf 2 is Disabled (1 mv or std action, -4 pen to rolls)
Craddoc vs Wolf 1: Attk 17 [14+3] vs Def 10 [8+4-2] --- hit/+7 dam.
* Dam 13 [3+3+7] - Soak 2 [2] = 11 wounds (22 wounds total)
* * Wolf 1 is dying (do undead go unconscious?)
Wolf 2 vs Nate: attk 8 [10+2-4] vs def 11 [10+3-2] --- miss.
Nate vs Wolf 2: attk 20 [13+5+2] vs def 13 [13+4-4] --- hit/+7 dam
* Dam 12 [7+3+2+7] vs Soak 2 [2] = 17 wounds (33 wounds in total)
* * Wolf 2 is dead.
Craddoc vs Wolf 1: A _coup de grace_.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 4, 2004)

In normal D&D, undead are destroyed at 0 hp, although you could change this as you like.

"All over," says Cromwell over his shoulder, watching Nate carefully.  What had come over the man?  "Was anyone wounded?"


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## DrZombie (Dec 5, 2004)

_The enemy falls…. Bones crunch… Something moves…. KILL…._

With bloodshot eyes Nate turns towards Cromwell, a mad grin on his face, his gore-covered mace in his hands. He snarls and and starts to raise his mace.

_Wait… Musn’t… Not Enemy…_

Slowly the insane grin disappears as Nate struggles to get his anger under control.

“Cromwell?” he croaks, his throat sore from roaring like a bull. His mace clatters to the ground  and he sits down, panting and sweating as if he’s run ten miles. Only now does he seem to realise he’s been bitten.

“’s just a scratch; Anyone’s got some water?”


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## doghead (Dec 5, 2004)

*Hadarook, Halfling Male*

Hadarook turns and whistles up Dross.

"I'm all right over here, thanks. But you might want to mind your horse there."


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## doghead (Dec 5, 2004)

*Belladonna and the goblins*

Belladonna remains just beyond the gates where Cromwell left her. But she is agitated, prancing and snorting at the goblins on their worgs. The goblins have tried to move up towards the gate, looking to get a closer look at the wolf creatures. And Belladonna is not having a bar of it. One of the goblins raises himself up in the saddle and begins shouting and waving his spear at the horse. With a whinny she rears up, front legs slashing the air in front of the goblins. The goblin jerks back and almost loses his seat. The shaman barks and order and with a snarl the formost rider jerks his mount back. The shaman trots he beast over to where she can see past Belladonna.

"My riders could take your horse down in a moment, and she knows it.

"But still she stands her ground. That is indeed a fine beast you have there Cromwell. Too good to be eaten," she concludes with a dry smile.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 5, 2004)

Cromwell gives Nate his waterskin, and gestures Craddoc over to take care of the man.  He's still not quite sure what happened.  He goes to the horse and tries to calm her down.  "She does not belong to me," he says, trying his best to steady her, "if she is a fine beast, thank him."  He leads her off so the Goblins can enter the ruins, and leaves her tied very loosely to a tree.  If she tries hard, she can run, but it's a general reminder to stay in one place.  Then he returns to the Goblins.

"Those beasts were made so by one who defied the guardian of the barrier," he says, referring to Kettenek's roll as the keeper of the boundary between life and death.  "Do you know aught about these ruins?"


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## doghead (Dec 6, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

"They were built by your kind. Humans, and those that live with them I mean."

ooc: There were once three hill forts stretched between the two forests. They were built before your grandfathers were boys to protect the nothern flanks. They played a fairly significant role in the last goblin war, but two of the three were distroyed. By stone hurling giants the stories go. The remaining standing fort lies off to the east, although it is essentially abandoned now. Once a year the Captain Commander sends a detachment to check its condition - repair the doors and roof, check the well, stuff like that. Just in case. Cromwell would likely have heard of them during his time in the guard. Most local people would probably recall having heard of them 'here or there' if reminded.

"If they hold any answers, they will lie inside I suspect."


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 6, 2004)

"Did you simply chose this place to meet, and then found these... things here?"  Cromwell frowns.  This must be investigated, and not only because Kettenek has been defied.  Anyone who raises such things is a menace.


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## doghead (Dec 6, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

The Shaman shugs her worg forwards, intercepting Cromwell as he walks back to the gate. She nods in response to Cromwells question.

"I needed a place that your companions would be able to find, but something not to close to the little place of many people. This seemed suitable. And as you said, those things were there when we arrived.

You arrive back at the fallen creatures as she finishes. She considers them for a moment, her nose wrinkled in disgust. The hackles of her worg bristle and it snorts as if trying to get the smell out of its nose.

"Even beasts should not have to endure this."

The Shaman swings down from her worg. She reaches under and with a few deft movements, unbuckles the simple saddle and hauls it off the beast, staggering somewhat under the bulky weight. She whispers something into the worgs ear and with a slap on its neck sends it bounding out of the fort. It pauses outside while the other goblins do the same. Once unsaddled the other two beasts join the first bounding down the hill.

"It has been too long since they last ate. They won't go far, or be long. Hopefully none of your kind are too close by.

"It grows late. We should use what light remains to see what is to be seen. Assuming that there are no more surprises I suggest we camp here for the night and set off first thing in the morning."

"I will rejoin you shortly," and with that she turn and heads back towards the gate, where the other two goblins join her, each carrying their saddles. They dump them just outside the walls, then the two goblins collect their bows and head off down the hill while the shaman walks back to where ever Cromwell is.


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 6, 2004)

Fredar nods. "Well, let's get to it--" He suddenly remembers there is now an officer present. "--if that's what you think we should do, Corporal."


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 6, 2004)

"Aye," says Cromwell.  "We will.  But first, the reason we came here- which one of you has the letter?"


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 6, 2004)

"Nate's got it." Fredar walks, maybe a little cautiously, over to the man standing a few paces away. "You feeling better?" he asks, quietly, if Nate looks relatively normal. "The corporal needs the letter from Killingtom to the goblins, okay?"


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## DrZombie (Dec 7, 2004)

"I'm OK." Nate whispers. "I am. I'm NOT going mad. I'm NOT, you hear." He takes the letter out of his backpack, moving like he's seventy years old, and hands it to Cromwell.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 7, 2004)

Cromwell takes the letter from Nate.  He really, really, _really_ wants to ask him what the hell's going on, why he went berserk why he stayed in when ordered to retreat.  Doing in front of the goblins, however, showed bad discipline.  He accepts the letter and passes it on the the priestess.  "The officials of the local town wish to meet with you.  It's all explained here."


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## doghead (Dec 7, 2004)

*The Goblin Shaman*

The goblin's eyes go wide at Cromwell's words and she opens her mouth to say something before obviously thinking better of it and closing her mouth with a snap. She takes the letter and considers it carefully before rolling it up and thrusting it into her armour.

"We can discuss this later," she says coldly. "Now if you will excuse me, I wish to have a look around this place."

And with that she strides past Cromwell, three and a half feet of silent reproach.

As she passes Nate she stops. "You're right, you're not going mad. But you may  if you do not learn to master the beast inside. We call it Hajadrin."


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## DrZombie (Dec 9, 2004)

"I can master it still. But it fights with me when I get into danger, straining, urging me to give in to my anger." Then he wispers"And when it takes over it feels sooo good. Like it was meant to be."


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 13, 2004)

Fredar looks at the shaman as she walks toward the ruins. He looks to his companions. "Come on. We need to see this, too, right? Unless we're going to trust her word for it...?" He starts to get up, hefting his shield and checking the position of the charm that the Lady's Handmaiden gave him, just to make sure it's there. He looks to se if any of his companions are coming with him or objecting to his going, and cautiously moves after the shaman.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 14, 2004)

"Right," says Cromwell, shaking his head as if to clear it.  The little goblin woman was confusing, at best.  Why was she so irritated that he had done his duty, and forwarded her own mission, by delivering the message?  But he had to focus- there was work to be done.  Nevermind he had little idea as to the final purpose of that work, or that one of his men was of struggling to remain sane.

"Form up," he orders.  "Watch each others backs.  Make sure nothing happens to the Priestess.  Hadrook, you take point.  Craddoc, you watch our backs.  Fredar, you go up with Hadrook, then myself, and then Nate, with the priestess between the two of us.  Let's go."  He'll head into the ruins.


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## doghead (Dec 15, 2004)

*The ruins on the hill.*

It quickly becomes apparent that there is nothing else occupying the ruins, allowing you to work over the area quite quickly. It takes only a few minutes more to check each 'room' and give them an initial once over. 

It doesn't take Hadarook long to find signs of recent visitors to the ruins. There are numerous prints in the ground - human and horse. Hadarook believes that someone, or a couple of people have been here on a number of occasions over the last few weeks, possibly longer.

The building at the back is divided into three sections. Cromwell recognises the layout from the other fort.  From left to right, officers quarters and office, mess hall and kitchen, and barracks. 

At the back of the large central room, on the left, there is hay and grass on the ground and the air smells faintly of dung. There is a litter of old leather tack and other rubbish tossed into the opposite corner. Some of the fallen roof beems have been moved to make a path, and some space. 

Through the door to the west, there is an old campfire nestled up against the north wall under what remains of the roof. The rocks are quite blacked and charred and there is a fair bit of charcoal, suggesting a fire burnt there more than once. Around the ground seems to have been cleared as if for a couple of bedrolls. In the room to the south, there is little except fallen beams and an old rotting trapdoor set into the ground, and hastily covered by a couple of handfulls of brush.

Through the door to the right there is the barracks. There are more signs of habitation here. A space has been cleared at the back and there is a fairly obvious trail worn to it. In the center of the space, there are the cold remains of a campfire, or perhaps several. An old vial is lodged behind two stones and the air reeks slightly of something ... unpleasant. The roof also looks to have been repaired somewhat, making the area reasonably sheltered from rain, and a little dark.


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## DrZombie (Dec 15, 2004)

Nate gets in line, happy to be ordered around once more. It keeps his mind away from.. unpleasant thoughts.
The tiredness seems to have gone away, a vague adrenaline hangover lingering behind his eyes. He tries to look alert, but his expression is of one who's lost in dark thoughts.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 16, 2004)

Cromwell grunts.  "We arn't the only ones using this as a meeting place, it seems.  The traitor?"


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## DrZombie (Dec 22, 2004)

"Could be anyone, sir. I wonder what's under that trapdoor, sir. Shal we go and have a look?"


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 22, 2004)

"Aye.  Get torches ready."  Cromwell, mace looped at his belt and shield on his arm, opens the trapdoor.  Peering in with orc's eyes, he sees what there is to see.


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 22, 2004)

DrZombie said:
			
		

> "Could be anyone, sir. "



"Well, not _anyone_, Nate, " amends Fredar quietly, indicating the fetid wolf corpses. "Someone who works with those things." He grips his spear a little tighter as the door is opened.


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## doghead (Dec 22, 2004)

*The hill fort ruins*

Its not yet dark, but the sun is too low to provide any real illumination in the space beneath the trap door. But Cromwell has little difficulty in seeing what lies below. There is a space about 15 feet by 10 feet dug out of the ground beneath the rooms you are in. The walls and floor are rough hewn. The floor of the space below is some 7 or 8 feet beneath you. Bones and skulls, although mostly skulls, lie scattered across the floor as if just dumped there from above. Miscellaneous and mostly rusted pieces of armour and weaponary lie scattered among the bones. Off to one side there is the rotten remains of a wooden ladder, now busted almost in two. There is no other way down as far as Cromwell can see. Along the walls are the decaying remains of barrels and other means of storage. The space was once, it seems, used as storage for the fort's food supplies.

There appears to be an exit from the room at the south end, but its hard to tell. It could just be a shadow effect.


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## Thomas Hobbes (Dec 23, 2004)

Cromwell has Darkvision.  He should be able to tell if there's a door. 

"Looks like this is where they dump the cast-offs," says Cromwell  "Bones and arms, but the arms might be left over from when it was a fort.".  He takes his backpack off one shoulder and takes out a coil of rope.  "There might be a door down there, too."  He ties one end of the rope around something* and drops the rest down the trapdoor.  "I'll go first.  Then Hedewan- I want to see if there are any tracks or suchlike."  Once he gets down, he'll simply stand slightly aside with weapon and shield ready while Hedewan comes down.  Once Hedewan finishes searching, and if there's a door, he'll call down the others.

*Anybody got use rope?


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## doghead (Dec 24, 2004)

*beneath the hill fort ruins*

*ooc:* Humm. I think you're right. Darkvision allows you to see in complete darkness. So there would be no shadows, if there is no light. But if there is some light ... to confusion for this little brain. Lets just say you _can_ see an opening in the southern wall. Its partially obscured from the point of view of the hatchway but ...

Its easy enough to find something to tie the rope off on, and between you you manage a knot that _seems_ secure enough. It holds when you give it a few tugs.

Cromwell clambers down the rope and takes up position to on side. Getting over the edge is the hardest part, and Cromwell manages to bump himself a couple of times before getting clear of the hatch. From the bottom he can see that the opening, a narrow crack in the wall really, goes some way back before winding around to the left. It also appears to drop away. 

Hadarook appears at the edge of the hatch with a burning torch.

"See anything? No? Well alright then I'm coming if you are sure. Can you take this for me, Cromwell? I don't have your eyes."

If Cromwell agrees, Hadarook drops the burning brand to him and begins to clamber down the rope.


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## DrZombie (Dec 24, 2004)

Nate nervously fastens his shield to his back as he prepares to climb down. He keeps a weary eye out for the skeletons, afraid they might crawl back to life, as did the wolves.


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## doghead (Dec 25, 2004)

*beneath the hill fort ruins*

Hadarook clambers down the rope. At the bottom he takes the torch from Cromwell and swings it through a slow arc around the room. Nate reaches the bottom as he comes to the end of his sweep.

The floor is covered not so much with skeletons as skulls, although there are a number of other bones lying around as well. As Nate pulls his shield off his back, Hadarook bends down for a closer look. He reaches out and picks one up. 

"This one wasn't human," he says holding it up. It has the distinctive jawline and canines of an orc. "Looks like a fair number of them weren't human."


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 27, 2004)

Fredar climbs down too, and examines the bones.  "So was it just that the skulls and a few bones were thrown down here, or were there once whole bodies since eaten or otherwise destroyed?"  He looks around in the dirt, for anything besides the bones - tracks, bits of clothing or other belongings, etc.


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## doghead (Dec 29, 2004)

*under the hill fort ruins*

Fredar does a bit of a tally of the bones lying around. Most of the bones are skulls. There are other bones but not enough to make more than a couple of full skeletons. The are some odd scratches in the dust, but no sign of human or animal footprints.

Nate notices an odd looking clasp and picks it up. Its not, he decides after some careful inspection, locally made. Odds are its not even human made. He give it a rub and a bit of a shine appears through the grim. Its remarkably light. He scans the room again, noticing other pieces that look ... unusual. 

The room seems quiet enough, and none of the bones appear inclinded to get up and get medieval on you.


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## DrZombie (Dec 30, 2004)

_Mmmh, Nice. Wish I was good enough to make one of these. Look, another one._ Nate stoops over and starts picking up the shiny thinghies.
_Huh, look at me, more pagpie than human. Oooh Noooo, Its Nate the terible were-magpie._ Nate chockles quitly to himself.


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 3, 2005)

Fredar notces what nate has found, and looks for other uch peices too, until Nate seems satisfied that he's found all he can.  If the shaman is down here as well, he asks her, somewhat hesitantly, "How do we address you, er, Madam? I am Fredar."  Too late he thinks it might no be such a good idea for a goblin witch to know his name.  _Oh well_.


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## doghead (Jan 5, 2005)

*Hadarook, male halfling Scout*

Slowly the flickering light in the room dims. Looking up, you discover Hadarook has wondered over to the crack in the wall and has thrust the torch into it.

"Humph. I was right. There is a slight draft coming out of here. And looks like a bit of rough path has been made. Bit narrow though."

He squats down for a closer look. "Hasn't been used in a while I would say. But hard to be sure. The ground is fairly hard."


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## doghead (Jan 5, 2005)

*under the hill fort ruins*

ooc: DrZ - you are mad.

Nate has a flash of insight. _Mithril?_ At least some of could be. A couple of taps confirm its nothing else he has seen before, and its harder than it should be for its weight.

But the other pieces? There is some mundane iron and silver definately. But a few of the pieces ring with a hardness that is like nothing he has ever seen before. _Dwarf Iron? Mountain Iron?*_ Never having seen either before, its hard to say for sure without a bit more investigation, and a forge.

ooc: * common names for Adamantine and Cold iron.

From the othe side of the room Hadarook hisses, "Shhhuush!"

He couches motionless for a moment, then suddenly staightens up and begins backing off, switching the torch to his off hand and pulling his daggar. 

"Something is coming. Sounds scratchy like."

Around the room the shadows jump and twist in the flickering torch light. The chamber suddenly seems fillled with movement everywhere and all the shadows filled with menace. Of course, its all just in your imagination ...


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 5, 2005)

Fredar hikes up his shield, an readies his spear for whatever comes out of that crack. _So I'm jumping at shadows again...I was right last time...._ "Should we flank the opening?" he asks Cromwell.


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## DrZombie (Jan 6, 2005)

(OOC : yep, totally bonkers)

Nate scrambles up, and thightly grips his mace. He is very nervous at the shifting shadows, as they remind him of the old man's cottage, and the fire, and, Lisa...


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## doghead (Jan 8, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Before Cromwell has an opportunity to respond to Fredar's question, 5 feet of glistening shadow with hundreds of legs scuttles around the out of the dark gash in the southern wall. It hugs the wall about two feet above the ground heading east. It disappears into shadow.

"To you left Nate!" roars Cromwell giving Nate just a moment to shift his weight to meet the creature as it slides back into the light heading straight for him. It jinks to one side for a moment, as if startled by the noise, or perhaps the light. It enough to give Nate the jump on the creature.

ooc: Fredar is to the north (top), Cromwell in the center, Nate in the south eastern corner. Hadarook is the short one with the torch. The room is roughly 15 feet east-west and 20 feet north-south. The circles are the remains of old barrels, mostly rotted away.

*Initiative:*
Nate 18 (17+1)
Hadarook 13 (8+5)
Fredar 12 (5+7)
Cromwell 8 (8+0)
Creature 3 (1+2)


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## DrZombie (Jan 9, 2005)

With a big smash, Nate attacks the creature, moving to it's side if possible.
_By the GOds, what on earth is that._
He tries once again to rekindle his anger, but fails.


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## doghead (Jan 9, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

The creature twists and turns, and Nate is unable to get around it. His swing is a little wild, but he manages to strike the creature, knocking it's front end to one side before it twists and wriggles back onto all of its feet. It twists back and forth for  moment, as if scenting the room.

ooc: Crunch:
Nate's Attack: 10 (5+5) vs 10 (8+2) => Wounds: 6 (+0+5+3-2)
* Creature has lost 6 pips and is Moderately wounded (-1 to rolls).


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 10, 2005)

If Fredar can move in and strike at the creature while still leaving enough room for Cromwell to attack it from a different spot, he will stab at it with his spear.


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## doghead (Jan 11, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

A couple of steps are all that it takes to bring Fredar up alongside Nate. Fredars spear jabs forwards and sinks deep between the hard glistening plates of the creature. The creature twists and writhes itself of the point of the spear.

"Watch yourself there," Cromwell warns.

The creature turns towards the new threat, Fredar. Its dashes forwards, but Fredar kicks a skull at it. The skull bounces off the creature, distracting it and its attack never really materialises. Black oily fluid seeps from the split in the creatures side.

ooc: Crunch:
Fredar vs Creature: 23 (18+3+2) vs 15 (14+2-1) -> Dam +8+3+2-2 = 11 wounds
* The Creature has lost 17 pips and is Disabled (-4 to rolls).

Creature vs Fredar: * 1 *

*Round Two*

Nate steps up and swipes again at the creature. Slowed by its wounds, the creature is unable to evade the blow which crushes its back just behind the head. White sticky gunk spurts out all over Nate's boots and mace. The tailend flicks for a moment then goes still.

Hadarook lets out a started cry, then a cry of pain. The room is plunged into near darkness for a moment as he thrusts the torch at the creature attached to his leg. A faint burning smell fills the air and the torch flares back into life.

New Initiative Sequence:

18 Nate
16 C2
13 Hadarook
<done to here - Fredar and Cromwell are up.>
12 Fredar
08 Cromwell
03 C1 (dead)

Crunch:
Nate vs Creature: 27 (20+5+2) vs 18 (20+2-4) -> Dam +9+1+3-2 = 11 wounds.
* The creature has lost 28 pips and is dead.

C2 vs Hadarook: 20 (18+2) vs 16 (13+3) = +4+3-1-1 = 7 wounds.
* Hadarook has lost 7 pips and is Moderately wounded (-1 to rolls).
DM note: 



Spoiler



Hadarook's Fort save 18 (14+4-1)



Hadarook vs C2: 18 (18+1-1) vs 5 (2+3) = +13+1-2 = 12 wounds/Crit threated.
Critical Attempt - Daze: 18 (19+1-2) vs 20 (17+3) - not confirmed.
* C2 has lost 12 pips and is Severly wounded (-2 to rolls).

ooc: Which reminds me, the default Critical Effect is Bypass XXXX Armour. Let me know if you want something different when announcing your intentions.


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## DrZombie (Jan 12, 2005)

Nate looks around, trying to see if there are more of whatever it is those thing are. If not he'll attack the thing that's eating Haderook.


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 12, 2005)

Fredar spins around at Hadarook's yelp - "Where'd that one come from?!"  He takes a couple steps back towards where it's attacking the scout, and stabs the thing with his spear.

ooc: standard crit, if any.


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## doghead (Jan 14, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

*doghead casts _Lessor Post Count Buff_, new Post Count equals previous Post Count +1*


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## doghead (Jan 14, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Fredar steps around Nate as he finsishes the first creature. Fredars stabs at the second one. His spear sinks deeps into the side of the creature and it spasms and writhes for a moment. As Fredar jerks his spear free the same dark fluid seeps from the the creatures wound as before.

Cromwell steps forwards and jerks Hadarook up off the ground before backing off a couple of paces. Without taking his eyes off the creature, Cromwell places the halfling behind him. The creature snaps weakly at Cromwell but doesn't make any real attempt to strike him.

Crunch: 
Nate Vs C2: 22 (17+3+2) vs 7 (5+2) = Wounds 18 (+15+3+2-2).
* Critical Threatened - Bypass Nat Armour:10 (13+3+2-8) vs 14 (12+2) Not Confirmed.
* C2 has lost 18 pips and is Hurting (-4 to rolls).

*Round 3*

Nate scans the room as Cromwell gets Hadarook to safety and Fredar keeps the second creature busy. He spots a third creature (C3) slink into the room through the crack in the wall. It pauses for a moment as if scencing the air. 

"Got it," grunts Cromwell. "And another there, on the wall." 

Nate can't see the other one at all. And Fredar, busy with the one at his feet, doesn't have time to look for any more (ie failed spot checks).

"There! There!" shouts Hadarook. "About two feet up." But Nate doesn't really have time to turn around and see where Hadarook is pointing and Nate still can't spot it.

ooc: New Initiative Order
<Nate is up>
18 Nate
16 C2 (Disabled)
13 Hadarook (Moderately Wounded)
12 Fredar 
09 C3
07 C4
08 Cromwell
03 C1 (Dead)


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## DrZombie (Jan 15, 2005)

_Can't kill what I can't see._ Nate moves towards the third creature and tries to bury his mace in it's skull.


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## doghead (Jan 18, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Nate steps to one side and swipes at the oily shadow scuttling across the floor. He connects with it, his mace crunching down on its rear section. Sensing an opening, an opportunity, the wounded one lashes out at Nate. It manages to find its mark, its jaws cruching down on Nate's ankle.

Hadarook shouts wordless encouragement. Suddenely he realises that he has a dagger in hand. He hastily pitches it at the forth creature as it tries to circle around Nate. Not a great throw, but the dagger finds its mark - carving a gash across the creatures side.

*Crunch:*
Nate vs C3: 18 (13+5) vs 15 (13+2) = Dam +3+2+3-2 = 5 wounds
* C3 has lost 5 pips and is lightly wounded (no penalty to rolls)

C2 vs Nate: 18 (*20*+2-4) vs 13 (9+3) = Dam +6+6-1-5 = 6 wounds.
* Nate has lost 6 pips and is moderately wounded (-1 to rolls)
* DM note: 



Spoiler



Nate fort save 23 (20+3) vs DC 10.



Spoiler



* C2 has lost 19 pips and is Hurting (-4 to rolls).

Hadarook vs C4: 13 (7+7-1) vs 10 (8+2) = dam +3+3-1-2 = 3 wounds.
* C4 has lost 3 pips and is lightly wounded.

*Round Progression*
18 Nate (moderately wounded)
16 C2 (hurting)
13 Hadarook (moderately wounded)
--done to here--
12 Fredar
09 C3 (lightly wounded)
07 C4 (lightly wounded)
08 Cromwell
03 C1 (dead)


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 18, 2005)

Fredar watches as the creature bites onto Nate, and thinks:_ Damn. Thought that one was done for._ He stabs it again with the spear and then looks for one of the other ones.

ooc: Assuming Fredar is still nearest to C2 (otherwise, whichever one he's nearest). If he crits and it's still alive, he try to daze. (also, your spoiler is visible. Edit - Fixed.)


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## doghead (Jan 18, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Fredar steps in an slashes at the creature still attached to Nate's ankle. His blow parts it in two, and the head falls off Nate's leg. The rest of the body twiches spastically a bit then goes still.

The third creature, sensing an opportunity lashes out at Nate. Nate manages to fend off the creature with his mace. The fourth creature lashes out at Nate from its perch on the wall. But Nate ducks that attack as well. 

With a rumbling roar, Cromwell steps up and slams his mace into the wall. Bits of rock splinters fly but the creature twists away missing a bunch of legs. It ain't pretty, but with the strength behind it, it does well enough.

*Crunch:*
Fredar vs C2: 25 (*20*+3+2) vs 15 (17+2-4) = dam +10+3+2-2 = 13 wounds.
* Crit threatened (daze): *1* - not confirmed.
* C2 has lost 32 pips and is dead (no more rolls).

C3 vs Nate: 9 (7+2) vs 14 (11+3) = miss.

C4 vs Nate: 5 (3+2) vs 15 (12+3) = miss.

Cromwell vs C4: 14 (7+7) vs 14 (12+2) = dam +0+6+3-2 = 7 wounds.
* C4 has lost 10 pips and is moderately wounded (-1 to rolls) 

*End Round 3*

*Round 4*

*Initiative Sequence*
18 Nate (moderately wounded)
16 C2 (dead)
13 Hadarook (moderately wounded)
12 Fredar
09 C3 (lightly wounded)
07 C4 (moderately wounded)
08 Cromwell
03 C1 (dead)


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## DrZombie (Jan 19, 2005)

Nate twists and turns, fending off attacks from all directions._ Hey, what did I do? Go pick on someone else._ He tries to step aside so that he isn't in the center of attention anymore, then attacks the nearest creature with his mace.


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## doghead (Jan 19, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Nate can step away from one of the creatures, but not so far as to prevent it from closing again. However, he can open up the fight a bit, giving the others a bit more room to engage. So he does, before attempting to brain one of the creatures.

Hadarook fumbles around and pulls another dagger. But with his companions milling around everywhere, he doesn't want to risk a shot. Dancing back and forth in frustration, he waits for a shot to present itself.

Fredar switches his attention to one of the creatures harrasing Nate*. Its seems slowed by Nate's blow and is unable to avoid Fredar's stabbing spear. It hisses and spits and slinks backwards into the shadows of the gash in the cave wall.

The other creature however, continues to lash out, this time at Cromwell. 

OOC: * Maerdwyn - unless you want to do something different.

CRUNCH:Nate vs C3: 10 (8+3-1) vs 7 (5+2) Dam +3+3+3-2 = 7 wounds.
* C3 has lost 12 pips and is severly wounded (-2 to rolls).

Fredar vs C3: 17 (14+3) vs 15 (15+2-2) = Dam +2+6+2-2 = 8 wounds.
* C3 has lost 20 pips and is hurting (-4 to rolls)

C3 withdraws (move action only).

C4 vs Cromwell: 4 (3+2-1) vs 8 (4+4) - miss.

Cromwell vs C4: 14 (7+7) vs 11 (10+2-1) = Dam +3+2+2-2 = 5 wounds.
* C4 has lost 15 wounds and is severly wounded (-2 to rolls)

*End Round 4*

*Round 5*

*Initiative Sequence*
18 Nate (moderately wounded)
16 C2 (dead)
13 Hadarook (moderately wounded)
12 Fredar
09 C3 (hurting - withdrawn)
07 C4 (severly wounded)
08 Cromwell
03 C1 (dead)


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## DrZombie (Jan 24, 2005)

"let's get it, fredar" Nate yells as he prepares another heavy overhand blow at the creature, after taking a 5' step or a move action to close the distance.


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 24, 2005)

"Right with you!" Fredar answers at once, as he lunges at the creature for what he hopes is a killing blow. Afterwards, he looks around to see if any other of the buggers have shown up.


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## doghead (Jan 25, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins*

Nate steps in and smashes his mace down on the creature. Gore spatters his mace and legs again. In an odd corner of his mind, he notices that it smells faintly. The creature twists and a writhes for a bit before going still.

Panting, Fredar drives his spear through the 'head' area of the still creature. It doesn't move. Fredar glances around. There doesn't appear to be any more of the creatures in the room, and the gash in the wall is quiet and still. Well, as still as it can be with the flickering shadows cast by the torch.

"I can't see any more," Cromwell grunts. He swings around, scanning the room. "But there are only three bodies. Where is the forth one? I lost track of it."

Crunch
Nate vs C3: 14 (13+3-2) vs 12 (12+2-2) = Dam +2+5+3-2 = 8 wounds
* C3 has lost 21 wounds and is dying (-5 to rolls, unconscious)

Fredar kills C3.


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## DrZombie (Jan 25, 2005)

Nate carefully scans the room. If he sees nothing, he sits down and takes off his boot, checking to see if his ankle is just bruised or if the creature has pierced his skin. He clumsily tries to wash out the wound, using his hankerchief as a makeshift bandage, unless someone more proficient tries to stop him.
_Whoa, there goes my hankerchief. Better put the green bogers on the outside, I guess._

[what on earth were we fighting? Any pictures available, or a bigger description?]


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## Maerdwyn (Jan 25, 2005)

doghead said:
			
		

> "I can't see any more," Cromwell grunts. He swings around, scanning the room. "But there are only three bodies. Where is the forth one? I lost track of it."




"Back down the crack.  Sorry - couldn't get to it before it left."


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## doghead (Jan 29, 2005)

*Under the hill fort ruins.*

Fredar watches the dark gash in the wall for a moment, but nothing emerges.

Nate glaces around, but like Fredar can see no more of the creatures. He nudges on of the dead ones with the toe of his boot. It looks just like a centipede*, only he has never see one 5 foot long and thickness of his arm. Nate steps over to a spot clear of gore. Pulling off his boot, Nate finds his ankle badly bruised and bloodied.

From behind him, Hadarook whispers, "I don't like this. I think we should get out of here now. I can have a look at your ankle when we get out of here. It can't be too bad, or you wouldn't be walking around on it."

Cromwell rumbles his agreement. "Lets get out of here. Hadarook, you first. Stop fooling around Nate. Get your boot on and get up top too. Fredar and I will cover you."

When Nate and Hadarook are up, he orders Fredar up. Last of all Cromwell hauls himself up the rope.

"Right, pull that rope up and get the hatch down. Then lets get a camp set up."

ooc: * Sorry, I somehow managed to edit out the original desription I had, which would have made it fairly obvious. It wasn't ment to be mysterious - your characters have  all see a centipede before I would assume.


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## DrZombie (Jan 31, 2005)

_ Fool around? Fool around? It wasn't you who got his leg almost bitten off now was it?_
"*Sure sir, sorry 'bout that"* Nate says as he gingerly reboots himself. He picks up a few more gleaming little metal thinghies, then scrambles up the ladder. Later at night he tries to see what exactly they are, if possible without his usual tools.


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## Maerdwyn (Feb 1, 2005)

Fredar watches the crack in the wall, spear readied as everyone gets out.  When everyone is out, he asks Cromwell, "So we've still got those questions about these ruins.  Do we take _her_ back to town and come back here later, or make another run at the path in the wall tomorrow?"


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## doghead (Feb 2, 2005)

*In the hill fort ruins*

The last person climbs out of the darkness below into the falling darkness of above. The hatch closes over the entrance with a thud.

Cromwell considers Fredar's question for a moment as you all stand watching the hatch for any sign of movement from below. But all is still. Except for the goblins, who seem quite excited by what happened down below and badger you with questions. They are, however, rather coy about why they are so interested.

"Stay here and keep an eye on the hatch for a moment," Cromwell says to Nate and Hadarook. "Yell if anything moves. And find out whats going on Hadarook, why they are so excited."

But it is not Hadarook that gets the story, its Nate who puts it together. {1} Its the armour. Their armour has the same glistening black quality as that of the creatures below. Its not metal or leather at all. Its obvious once you look properly. Now that he does, he realises that some of the pieces, the breast shell in particular, came from bigger creatures than the ones you just fought.

{1} Craft (armour) check: 20+9 vs DC 20.

Cromwell indicates for Fredar to follow and he walks off towards the horse he rode in on.

"We don't know that there is a connection between the ruins and the traitor the shaman talks of," he says quietly. "We don't even know that there is a traitor. We get her back to town first thing tomorrow. I can't see any reason to do otherwise."

***

Camp is made quickly. Two camps really, as the two groups settle down under different sections of the roof. Two watchs are set as well. Neither party is willing to rely completely on the other. However, the night is peaceful and dawn arrives without incident.


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## DrZombie (Feb 7, 2005)

"*It's their armour, sir. It's made from the shell of giant centipedes like the one we squashed down below."* Nate tells CCromwell when all has quieted down. "*Maybe we aught to tell 'em they can have it if they want?"*

Nate uses the evening to have another look at the metal objects he collected from the pile of bones. Is tehre enough to make a dagger from, or just some arrowheads maybe? Or some slingshots?


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## Maerdwyn (Feb 7, 2005)

Fredar asks walks over to the two men. "So has she agreed to go back with us, or do we still need to convince her.  When he hears Nate's proposal, he says, "Sounds good - maybe she'll go if we give her the shells."


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## doghead (Feb 7, 2005)

*In the hill fort*

*before night fall*

Cromwell frowns at Fredar's question. The half orc is silent for a moment.

*"She didn't say that she wasn't going to,"* he finally says. But its fairly obvious that he is realising that this is not the same thing as saying that she would.

He nods in response to Nate's observation and Fredar's suggestion. *"Perhaps."* But he doesn't sound reassured.

*Get camp ready. We will keep a watch going through the night. I don't want them slipping away."*

ooc: DrZ, can't remember how much there was. Its somewhere back in the earlier pages. I have a look tomorrow and get back to you. But it was somewhere in the vicinity of half a pound or so, IIRC.


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## DrZombie (Feb 11, 2005)

"*I'll take first watch. Can't sleep anyway, I'm too wound up from the fight."* Nate says. "*Do you mind if I go and have a talk with the Gobbo's for a sec? She said something to me earlier I want to discuss. I'll be back in a minute."*

Nate cautiously approaches the goblins, carefull to keep his hands away from his weapons.
"*Eeuuhrm, Lady? Could I have a word with you? You said something about controlling the Beast inside me.... What exactly did you mean?"*


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## DrZombie (Feb 11, 2005)

OOC: hmm, I wondered why this post didn't appear in "casual dnd". Sorry for the confusion.


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## doghead (Feb 18, 2005)

ooc: DrZ, Think you got some cross post thingy happening. But nice to see Nurthk is still breathing. I thought I had posted the amounts you found. I get back to you on it.

I'll get an big update up tomorrow.


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## doghead (Feb 21, 2005)

*in the hill fort ruins.*

The goblins visibly tense as Nate approaches and he can hear the soft scrape of blades been drawn. But he manages to get to their campsite without any blood been spilt and the sharman waves him to sit down. She listens to his question, then turns and says something to her companions. There is a brief discussion. On of them seems set against what the sharman is asking, another is cautiously for it. The sharman waves them into silence, and sits without speaking for a while.

*"Amoung our kind it is called the beast that sings. What your kind called it is unknown to me. But I know that it was once quite common in the mankind who lived on these plains. But with those that came from the south, the bloodline weakened and died out. Well, all but died out so it would seem."*

She gives you a studied look for a moment.

*"Amoung the minkind who live to the north, the Bremen I think you call them, it still runs strong so I hear. But I have never seen it myself.

"The beast loves battle, killing, war. It gives you stength and stamina. Initially only for a little while, and once each day. But as it grows in strength, you will be able to call on it  more often. As you get tougher, you will be able to endur its presence for longer. But the beast is a selfish master, it does not allow for thoughts or actions much beyond fighting and killing.

"And it does not like to be dismissed. Like a willful worg, it must be broken before you can call yourself its rider. Otherwise, once it gets the scent of blood in its nose ... "*

She tails off, finishing the sentence with a shrug.

*"Amoung our kind, their are ceremonies and trials for the young goblinkin with the blood which prepare them for when the beast awakes within. But those would be of no help to you. The beast has already awoken. You must find your own way to break it. But until you do, do not call upon it when there is a chance you will find yourself still in its embrace when the last of your opponents falls. And if you do find yourself in that situation, throw away your weapons. It is much harder to butcher your companions with your bare hands.

"You might want to warn your companions as well. My kind would know what they are dealing with, and simply beat the bestial senseless with the haft of their spears. Then we strip them naked, bind them up, and suspend them from a branch for a while. A reminder to keep a tighter leash on themselves. 

"But I don't think that your companions would understand if you turned on them.*


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## DrZombie (Mar 8, 2005)

"I see," Nate says. "Thank you for your time." He slowly and carefully gets up and rejoins the rest


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## DrZombie (Mar 24, 2005)

_Huh? What did I do? Arent't I supposed to talk to the Gobbo's?_ Nate gets ready to sleep, a bit hurt by the silence of his friends after he talked to the goblins._  Maybe they'll feel better after a good night sleep._


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## doghead (Apr 6, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

The goblins are moving even before the first light of dawn appears in the sky. They gather up their things and clear away the remains of their campsite in almost complete silence. Their movements are quick and efficient suggesting that they have done this together on more than one occassion.

By the time the sky has brightened enough for those without the benefit of darkseeing to start being able to work by more than touch, the goblins have finished and are gathered in the center of the open courtyard of the ruins. They seem tense and watchful. They cluster together and talk in hissed whispers. The worgs eyes also follow you as you crawl form blankets, pull on gear and pack away what little you have with you. Can they sense their rider's feelings? Or are they just trying to decide how you would go down as breakfast?

As you finish and begin to emerge from the meger shelter of the ruins, the two goblin warriors mount up. The shaman remains standing beside her worg, her two companions flanking her.

"I have been away from my tribe for too long. If I am gone any longer, it will be noticed, and questions would be asked. I can't allow that to happen.

"I came to find you, to tell you of the readings, and to urge you to go to the place that the traitor looks for and to stop him from obtaining what it is that he seeks. All that remains is to pass on the last part. There is no reason for me to go back to your town. And I doubt that you would be able to convince me to do so even if there were good reasons. For most of your kind," and here she slows, as if taking care to get the expression correct, "the only good goblin is a dead one."

The sharman falls silent. The worg at her feet is perfectly still, but thrums with tension. The two riders shift nervously and their fingers curl and uncurl around the haft of the spears that lie across their laps.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 6, 2005)

Fredar, by any measure a junior member of the Seventh, looks uneasily to the half-orc and his other companions for guidance.  The look on his face is plain - he's ready to say something, and from the nervousnes in his face, probably something a little rash, but he's holding his tongue in case people who would be more appropriate to speak for the group open their mouths...


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 7, 2005)

...and since they do not, Fredar, sensing the imminent departure of the goblins, says "What if... I... stayed with your men, until your safe return to them.   They could camp, hidden within sight of the town, and when everything goes well, both you and I return to our peoples...safely...." Fredar finishes, uncertainly.


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## doghead (Apr 11, 2005)

*the hill top ruins.*

"You can't be ..." begins Craddoc, but Cromwell holds up a hand for silence.

"By Ketternek, you have my word that I will allow no harm to come to you," snaps Cromwell angrily. 

He steps forwards and there is a sudden surge of movement amoung the goblin riders. Spears flick up and snarls rumble from the worgs. The shaman, in an echo of Cromwells motion a moment ago, throws up her hand to still he companions. They obey without a word. But the riders dislike of the situation is clearly written in the lines of their posture, and the worgs pant and paws the ground restlessly.

Cromwell puts up his hands in a placating gesture and takes a step back, his eyes never leaving the shaman.

"I have my orders. Bring you safely to Killingtom for the council to hear your words."

This time Cromwell is careful to keep his voice more even.


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## DrZombie (Apr 11, 2005)

_Bugger, bugger bugger._

Nate takes a step back and to the side, trying to protect Cromwell's flank in case something goes amiss. He carefully keeps his hand away from his weapon, but is ready to grab it.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 11, 2005)

Fredar knows when he's said enough, and backs up to Cromwell's other flank, his hand also as far from his weapon as will still allow a quick grab.


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## doghead (Apr 12, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

Seonaid: [sblock]The departure of Cromwell, and the horse he rode in on, causes no small stir in Killingtom. The council seizes on the opportunity to call another meeting to discuss the mattter. All blown up with their own self importance they talk and talk. They fill the hall with grandious statements like: "Now is the time for a firm hand on the reins", and "The town of Killingtom is looking to us for leadership". Eventually, Garival realises that the town council, desperate to believe that nothing out of the ordinary is happening, is determined to to act that way.

But Garival is not so sure. Of course there have been goblin raids before. But the Captain-Commander is a solid soldier. Garival has met him a few times personally, and heard many more stories. Garival doubts that the Captain Commander would be easily panicked into sending a garrison forces to Killingtom if he did not have reason to think this was something maore than a few goblin raids.

And then there is the Shaman. Never before have the goblins sought contact before.

And then Garival makes a mistake. He realises it almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth: "Let me go after Cromwell. I can leave immediately." This the council will have nothing of. Doing something, Garival realises, would mean admitting something needed to be done. And the council want nothing more than to believe that everything is "under control". They demand that Garival promise not to follow after Cromwell, and he does so.

Back at his room, Garvial prepares his gear. _It has been too long since I checked the western reaches for wolf and bear signs. Winter is approaching and they will be looking to fatten up before they cold. And the enclosure fences need checking before the snows fall. While I'm at it I should check on the cutting in the western reaches. I'm sure Hadson has been overcutting again. Goblins or no goblins, work needs tending to._ Garival doesn't really need to get much ready, but somehow it seems to take just long enough for darkness to have fallen by the time he slips out of the door.

"Evenin' Master Garival."

Fenix emerges from the shadows under an old oak tree. He glances casually at Garival's bag and gear. Fenix was, Garival recalls, at the meeting. Although why Garicval is not sure, he's not on the council. He's not even a resident. Fenix, Garial realises, has a habit of being around.

"Mighty nice night for a little trip I would say."

_ooc: OK. You are up. You know what to do. Get yourself out of the town, I'll pick it up from there. Please "sblock" your posts for the moment._[/sblock]

khavren: [sblock]Fenix returns after a few days out in the woods and hills around the village to find the place abuzz. The arrival of the Seventh has definately livened things up a bit. A brawl, a whipping, goblin raids and a shaman. And its not over yet, Fenix hears a little later. Cromwell has bolted and the council has called another meeting. Might be worth a look Fenix decides. Of course, he's not a member of the council and not invited. But that has never been a reason to miss something interesting Fenix has found in the past. A word here, a little misdirection there, a bit confidence and voila, Fenix is tucked discretely into a corner of the hall.

Killingtom has been good to Fenix. He came up north originally to take advantage of the local's willingness to enter the western forest and the local laws willingness to be convinced to look the other way. But there was more money in Killingtom than Fenix had suspected. Others had also seen the entrepeneurial possibilities of the region and its ameniable law enforcement. Matron Honnis has done rather well out of the lord's enclosures and has become rather partial to Fenix's calming elixia for her "hysteria". Joshua, the village's biggest hauler of goods pays a tidy sum for his "easy weed", which he shares with his friends. And the Reeve pays more than a tidy sum for his elixia of well ... vigor. Of course he has spent more than he should have but  ... well, there is always more to made.

The meeting proves most interesting. Garvil leaves shortly after he is refused permission to go out after Cromwell. Fenix needs only a glance to see the mans intentions writ plainly on his face. Fenix is astounded that the council cannot see it. It takes only a moment for Fenix to come to decision. A goblin sharman and magical devices of power. The goblins are legendary brewers and the chance alone to meet a shaman would be worth it. Fenix slips out of the hall and hurries back to his rooms to gather his gear. Fenix has been wanting to head out west ways a bit anyway. There are supposed to be some rather rare herbs and ... whatevers out that way. Now would be as good a time as any, right. It doesn't take Fenix long to gather his stuff and be out again.

The lights and noises from within Garival's home tell Fenix that the Landcarl is still within when Fenix arrives outside the Garival's house. Fenix finds a suitably discrete place to sit and watch the door. Garival slips out shortly after nighfall.

"Evening Master Garival."

Fenix steps out of the shadows. A bag hangs on Garvil's shoulder and his leather armour gleems dully under his cloak.

""Mighty nice night for a little trip I would say."

_ooc: OK. You are up. You know what to do. Get yourself out of the town, I'll pick it up from there. Plese "sblock" your posts for the moment._[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 12, 2005)

ooc: Two hours of typing and all I get is 2 inches added to the thread ... ! I also lost the sharman's reply etc but its 2am and ... bedtime. Sorry.


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## Seonaid (Apr 13, 2005)

*Garival, human male landcarl*

[sblock]Garival checks his packs once more, patting them softly as if in reassurance. "Aye," he replies after a moment. "It is a nice night. Good for getting out while the getting out is good." He frowns slightly. "I am going to check our borders. Winter soon. Wolves and bears, you know." He takes a few steps before turning back. "You're not following me on council's orders, are you? I wouldn't go against their word, and they know it."[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 13, 2005)

*In the hill for ruins*

"You have your _orders?_ hisses the shaman. "From some village chief? From a sergeant at the arms? While something evil crouches in the swamps waiting to be found and unleased upon all of us you want to sit down and talk more?"

The goblin's voice begins to rise as she responds, and for the first time it looks like her icy self control is about to crack. She goes silent for a moment. She works to regain her control.

"Did you hear something?" you hear Hadarook mutter to Craddoc. Craddoc shakes his head. Neither of you heard anything either.

"Just the riders probably. Or you imagined it. Nerves."

"Maybe ..." Hadarook acknowledges reluctantly. He grips his spear more tightly and rubs the ears of his hound.

The goblin sharman has obviously got herself back under control. She frowns at Hadarook and Craddoc, but probably is too far away to have heard. Anyway, she doesn't comment on it.

"There _is_ no time anyway. I have only the time I have taken so far, and that which I need to get back. Barely. Going to your village is not an option.

"You must decide here and now what it is you wish to do. Find the temple and keep what lies within from the hands of the one who works for the warmonger. Or go home to your beds."

Cromwell, to your surprise, nods.

He steps back. He turns and looks at you.

ooc: not a decision I want to make for you.


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## DrZombie (Apr 13, 2005)

"Well, I Don't really fancy going back to that sadistic streak of piss that calls himself sergeant without some result. I'd say we go to the temple. Or whatever."


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 13, 2005)

Fredar says, "It won't do any good to try to drag her back against her will - there's no way she would give the council useful information at that point.  So the only other choice besides looking for this temple is going back with _nothing_ to show for it.  _That_ will go over well, I'm sure.  Let's find the temple.  Though I don't like the idea that what we're lookin for is 'crouching' very much."


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## doghead (Apr 13, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

Cromwell smiles at Fredar's closing observation, but it doesn't really reach his eyes.

"If we do this, we may have more than the sergeant to worry about if ever we get back."

Cromwell turns to Hadarook who shrugs.

"I don't like it much, Corporal. But I just follow orders. Its your call. Its your neck that will be on the block. Or is the noose for desertion in the face?"

Cromwell doesn't respond. But any lingering trace of the smile disappears. He turns to Craddoc.

"Hells bells and Godspit! This is madness and you know it. If we can't," and his voice drops a little, "drag the goblin witch back, then so be it. We go back and tell them that. I don't want to be traipsing around the countryside if the gobs are on the warpath.

"But I think we can, if we catch 'em buy surprise," Craddoc hisses.

Cromwell nods slowly, but is still silent.


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## khavren (Apr 13, 2005)

Seonaid said:
			
		

> [sblock]Garival checks his packs once more, patting them softly as if in reassurance. "Aye," he replies after a moment. "It is a nice night. Good for getting out while the getting out is good." He frowns slightly. "I am going to check our borders. Winter soon. Wolves and bears, you know." He takes a few steps before turning back. "You're not following me on council's orders, are you? I wouldn't go against their word, and they know it."[/sblock]




[sblock] Fenix smiles and replies "Nah, nah, I'm just going out to collect some more samples. I hear tell there are some very interesting things growing out that direction. Tha council wouldn'a order anyone to actually do anything, twould take time out of talking about how important they are. So would you mind if I tag along? I can be helpful in unexpected situations." Fenix is wearing a travelors outfit and his pockets bulge with the shape of vials and other less obvious items. A heavy mace is tucked into his belt and a light crossbow with a quarrel of bolts is slung over one shoulder.[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 13, 2005)

doghead said:
			
		

> "I don't want to be traipsing around the countryside if the gobs are on the warpath."



"Then you believe her, too, Craddoc."  Fredar says, more to Cromwell than Craddoc, then lets Craddoc finish.


> But I think we can, if we catch 'em buy surprise," Craddoc hisses.
> 
> Cromwell nods slowly, but is still silent.



Hearing Craddoc suggest taking them by force, Fredar tries again: "But what good would it do? We think she's telling the truth, right? Or that there's a chance she is?  That's the only reason we bothered talking to her and bringing her story to the council, right?  If she is, there's no point in pissing her off, and ruining what may be a good contact for us if war does happen.   No point in killing her before we know if she's an ally or not, just because she doesn't want a Goblin Overlord knowing she's consorted with the enemy.

" Finding this thing the warmonger wants verifies her story, anyway, right?  Cromwell - all right we can't just abandon the council's orders - If you've got to go back and tell them the shaman wouldn't come, then so be it - But you could order some of us to go [_what?  what this you;re saying now Fredar?  Idiot_.]check out the temple a the same time.  Then, not only are you not deserting, you're showing initiative.  Making the best of a bad situation.  Keeping the Council up to date, while still acting on the information you got on your mision before it was too late."


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## doghead (Apr 14, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

Seonaid and kharven: [sblock]Garival considers Fenix's answer for a moment, then nods in  unspoken understanding. Fenix reaches down into the shadows and hefts a bag onto his shoulder.

It doesn't take much to slip out of the town unseen. Its not necessary to do so, but its easier that way. Once clear of the village, Garival sets off cross-country straight as an arrow, and at a good pace. There is no need to track Cromwell's journey, Garvil knows where he is going. Garival notes that Fenix seems able to move without sounding like he is carrying around a whole kitchen with him. They make good time.

By the cold light of dawn, Garival and Fenix cross the last stream and approach the base of the hill upon which the ruins sit. The top of the hill is bare, but all around the base and up the sides most of the way is lightly wooded.

Garival comes to a dead halt, his heart pounding loudly (it seems to him) in the silence. He slowly lowers himself into a crouch, concealing himself behind the undergrowth. Fenix does the same, although it takes him a moment longer to see the reason for it. Ahead less than 60 feet away up the hill are the squat shapes of three, maybe four large humanoids. They crouch in among the trees between you and the ruins at the top of the hill. Everything is kinda grey in the early dawn light, and the view obscured, but the rough spikey outlines are those of warriors.

Another figure arrives from the direction of the ruins. A short conversation ensues. Their voices are pitched low, but the sound carries enough for you to recognise its not the common tongue. It sounds like the goblin tongue, but the creatures up ahead are bigger than any goblins. One of them begins to gesture. You've seen the sergeant make the like when working with the guard. Two of the figures slip away, skirting around the hill. They move through the woods with easy familiarity, almost soundlessly. You suspect that they would be unseen by anyone watching from the ruins up ahead. But they are not aware that they are being watched from behind. You get a clear look.

Orcs.

ooc: Over to you. Please keep it sblocked for the moment. The ruins are probably about 100 to 150 feet ahead of you. Lightly wooded. Slopes up towards the ruins. Have fun.[/sblock]


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## DrZombie (Apr 14, 2005)

_Shut up Nate. Shut up._

"Yeah, good idea, Fredar. I'll join you. We need to know what's going on"

_I told you to shut up, Nate. Bugger._


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## khavren (Apr 14, 2005)

[sblock] Fenix gets ready to move fast and loosens his weapons, but watchs the Landcarl for his queue. [/sblock]


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## Seonaid (Apr 14, 2005)

[sblock]Garival studies Fenix out of the corner of his eye. He eases a bullet from his pouch and readies the sling. _Are these with the goblins?_ His eyes narrow. _This could be bad . . ._ Without moving, he shifts his gaze to the ruins, squinting in the dawn light. [Spot on ruins: +7]
OOC: Which way did the orcs go? Toward/away from us/the ruins?[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 14, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins.*



			
				Maerdwyn said:
			
		

> "Then you believe her, too, Craddoc. .... No point in killing her before we know if she's an ally or not, just because she doesn't want a Goblin Overlord knowing she's consorted with the enemy.




"All right Fredar," Craddoc mutters. "Keep your shirt on. I don't know why you're getting all het up. She's just a goblin for Ke ... goodness sake." But he leaves it at that, leaving Fredar to finish what he has to say to Cromwell.



			
				Maerdwyn said:
			
		

> <To Cromwell> .... Keeping the Council up to date, while still acting on the information you got on your mision before it was too late."




Cromwell smiles a little, but there is no joy in it.

"I'm not going back to Killingtom."

Cromwell glances in Hadarook's direction, but says nothing. He returns his attention to the group.

"Those who wish to may return. But I am going to go on."

Cromwell turns on his heel and stalks back to the Shaman.

"I will find this place you speak of. I will do what I can to stop it from being plundered."


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## doghead (Apr 14, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

Seonaid and khavren: [sblock]ooc: if the ruins are at 12 o'clock, the two head off in the direction 10 o'clock and half past one respectively. Currently they are about 60 feet ahead of you.

As Garival and Fenix loosen weapons, the group ahead rises smoothly to their feet and begin heading directly up the slope. They disappear smoothly, and in almost complete silence, in among the trees up ahead.[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 14, 2005)

ooc: I may be just confused and/or forgetful - do we have the information we need to sek out this temple (where i gernerally is, what it looks like) or know anything about what the object we're looking for is? Or do we still need to ask for that information from the Shaman?


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## doghead (Apr 14, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

The Shaman releases a long slow breath. She smiles at Cromwell, and nods.

"It is good. From here you must travel northwest to the swamp that lies between the forest we call home and the mountains to the north. There you will find ..."

Behind the shaman one of the riders straightens in his saddle. He turns his head to one side, then to other. His worg moves uneasily beneath him.

Behind Nate and Fredar, Hadarook mutters, "He's heard something. I _thought_ I heard something a couple of minutes ago."

The shaman's worg, which has til now remainded still at her feet, now surges to its feet, its hackles up and it's teeth barred. The shaman mutters something to the animal, then throws a questioning glance at Cromwell. Cromwell shakes his head.

The shaman says something to the animal, and it pads off in the direction of the western wall, sniffing the air.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 14, 2005)

Fredar looks around to see if he is able to spot anything out of the ordinary (other than the goblins, worgs, and ruins all around him, that is.).


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## khavren (Apr 14, 2005)

[sblock] Fenix looks at the figures spreading out in front of them and when he notices the Landcarl looking at him mouths "Ambush formation" He carefully fits a bolt into his crossbow, trying to keep quiet. [/sblock]


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## Seonaid (Apr 15, 2005)

[sblock]Garival nods grimly. _Could be._ After a few heartbeats watching the landscape, he motions slowly to Fenix. He then moves as silently as possible forward. He tries to make his movements erratic, no constant pace or heading. _Be an animal, be the wind,_ he thinks silently. If there seems to be any movement from the orcs, or anyone else, he will freeze in his tracks.

OOC: Spot +7; Move Silently +6[/sblock]


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## khavren (Apr 15, 2005)

[sblock] Fenix pats his spell component pouch in an absent gesture, nods to Garival, waits for him to move out ahead, then will slowly start trying to follow about 15 feet back his crossbow cradled in both hands.

OOC Move silent +3

[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 15, 2005)

*in the hill top ruins*

The worg gets to within about 15 feet of the wall when it stops and stiffens.

At the south end of the clearing, three figures step out from behind the walls and into the space of the gate. Over 6 foot tall and broad in the shoulder, they are not goblins. They look more like Cromwell on a bad morning after a good night. The center figure roars something in a harsh tongue, and flings out his arm. _A spell!_ The two figures with him sweep into position around the first one, their shields up and spears in hand. The shaman utters a single word. "Orcs." The grasses and plants around your feet begin to stir and writhe. It reaches up like something hungry, malicious, wrapping itself around your legs. The stunted bushes in the south eastern corner of the yard begin to lean in towards the center, their branches reaching out for those nearby. The two orcs launch their spears at goblin riders in the center. One is thrown in haste and flys high and wide. The other buries itself deep in one of the worgs. The beast screams in pain. From behind the western wall an orc appears, as does one from behind the eastern wall. Two more spears are hurled into the yard. The shaman's worg easily ducks the attack on it. The other spear from the east cuts a great gash across the flank of the wounded worg. The creature staggers and collapses, dumping its rider into the clutching grass. The diminuative warrior thrashes and kickes but the grasses tangle themselves around him and his mount, lovingly, greedily.

ooc: Fredar, Hadarook and his dog, the Shaman, and all the worgs made their reflex saves for the first round and may move at half speed. A reflex save is need every round you remain in the area of effect of the spell to avaoid being entangled fully. Those entangled will need to make a full action strength test to break free. The field of the spell is 40 feet centered roughly around Cromwell (the pink circle).

New round. Initiative has been determined. Where possible, note your character's intentions beyond their next action. This may help speed things up. 

Garival and Fenix: I will get to you in the next post.

*Round 1*


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## doghead (Apr 15, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

ooc: Whoops, forgot to mention - The orcs are wearing light armour and carry a light shield and two shortspears. Their gear is all of dull and muted color. They have a hvy mace at their belts.

Seonaid and Khavren: [sblock]You push forwards through the trees, eyes and ears straining. Through the trees you catch a glimpse of the figures ahead. Then another. They seem to be a little further away each time. They seem to be completely unaware of you.

Eventually you reach the spot where they were when you saw them. Up ahead, sections of the ruins of the old hill fort are just visible through the trees that extend another 40 feet or so up the hill. Beyond that there appears to be about 50 feet of mostly open ground leading to the edge of the ruins. For a moment you can't see the those you have been following.

Another 10 feet further on, you catch sight of the figures again, crouched alongside the wall beside the entrance. As you watch, they rise to their feet and step out into the space of the entrance to the ruins. There are three of them. They are tall and muscular. Two carry spears and shields, the last one only a spear. It is this one who shouts something incomprehesible and throws out his arm. His two companions lauch their spears into the ruins, although at what you cannot say. You cannot see anyone else from here.

*Round 1*

_ooc: You are about 30 feet from the edge of the trees, and about 80 feet from the orcs at the gate. I'm going to keep this side of things sblocked until the others in the ruins can see you. When necessary, I will translate the effects of your actions into the "open" ic thread. Obviously, you know whats going on with the others in the ruins, but I trust you to keep in mind what your characters *don't* know when posting. Cheers._[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 15, 2005)

"Bugger!" _Ambushed!_ _Goblin magic, Orc magic, how about some freakin'_ human _magic_? Fredar charges towards the cluster of trees on the southwest of the clearing. His first priority is to get out of the vines and brambles and into cover, but if he can, he'll fire off bullets from his sling along the way, at the orc shaman if he can get a clear shot, one of the other orcs nearby if not.


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## khavren (Apr 15, 2005)

[sblock] Fenix looks at the three large figures standing 110 feet in front of him, and thier 2 equally large friends; glances at Garival and then kneels down, laying his crossbow gently on the ground within easy reach, then pulling a couple of small items from his pouch. *I don't like the looks of this, if he decides to start swinging, we'll need some more help on our side* Fenix starts incanting, concentrating on the items in his hands and trusting to distance and thier own shouts to cover his actions from the Orcs. 

OOC Summon monster 1
[/sblock]


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## DrZombie (Apr 15, 2005)

A low throaty growl escapes Nate's lips. His vision dims, and everything seems to take on a red hue. With a fierce mental wrench he manages to leash the beast. He pulls himself free, and starts to head towards the nearest orc, only his helmeted face visible behind his shield.
(ooc : full defense, trying to get free and head towards nearest orc, with the full intention of frenzying when he gets near enough to kick some orcish butt)


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## doghead (Apr 17, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

*Round 1*

Fredar moves across the open yard, high stepping and dodging the clutching plants. Its slow going, at every step he has to change directions or leap particularly aggressive weeds and clumps of grass. He hurls his spear at the spellcaster but it flys wide. Fredar pushes forwards, pulling his sling from his belt and bullet from his pouch to load it with.

Behind him, Hadarook bounds off in the other direction, heading for the northwest corner and the cover of the ruins of the barracks where you spent the night. He whistles for his dog to follow. He reaches the tumble down section and scrambles over the walls and fallen beams until he finds himself beyond the reach of the spell. He colapses against a wall for a moment to steady his breathing, then pulls an arrow from his quiver and begins working his way around the fringe of the spell to where he can get a clear shot.

The goblin shaman's worg pushes outwards towards the orc at the western wall. A moment later, it is free from the clutching plants. It surges forwards and up and over the wall and straight at the orc on the other side. The worg plows through the orcs defenses and the two crash to the ground and out of sight.

Nate lowers his weight a little, and jecks one leg free. He tries again with the second, but this one is more tightly held. The plants wrap themselves around his free leg again. Nate curses, and squats down, grabbing a handful of plant with each hand. The plants wraps themselves around his hands and arms. _This had better work._ With a roar, Nate straightens his legs and jerks back his shoulders. The plants that clutch at his legs and arms are ripped out of the ground by the roots with a shower of dirt and dust. Nate tosses them away in disgust.

The goblin rider still mounted kicks his beast forwards. He wheels it around the shaman, putting himself between the sharman and three orcs in to the south. With a shout, he hurls his spear at the orcs near the gate. It gashes the leg of the one on the shaman's right, but the orc warrior barely seems to notice.

Cromwell roars something unintelligable and surges towards the three orcs.

With a whine, Hadarook's dogs makes one last snap at the writhing plants and begins leaping and bounding towards Hadarook.

Cromwell gets to about 15 feet of the orcs. They trade curses in the same language, but Cromwell keeps coming. One of the orcs hurls his spear at the oncoming half orc, but it flys wide. 10 feet away and the other orc throws too. His spear flies true, carving a bloody gash across the arm Cromwell threw up to protect himself.

Fire erupts around the Orc spellcasters hands. With a cry, he hurls it at Cromwell. The flames explode across Crowells chest and despite himself, the half-orc howls in pain.

The goblin shaman begins to chant. A spear flashes across the yard from the easter wall and knocks her to one side. She keeps her footing. Blood stains her cloak.

With a soft _smack_, a wolf appears behind the three orcs. But dazed by its sudden relocation from where ever it was just moments ago, it stumbles into, rather than attacks, the shaman.

Craddoc struggles unsuccessfully to wrench himself free of the plants that bind him.

ooc: Maerdwyn - Fredar has a shortspear listed on his character sheet. I figured you would throw that first rather than just dump it. Moved 30 feet. Makes reflex save for Round 2.

DrZ - Nate is now free. Makes reflex save for Round 2.

*Round 2*


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## doghead (Apr 17, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

Seonaid and khavren: [sblock]*Round 1*

Fenix and Garival push on up the hill. Shouts and screams in different languages drift down from the ruins. The orcs seem well occupied and you are able to increase your speed without much danger of being heard. You arrive at the last of the trees, some 50 feet behind the orcs.

Fenix mutters an incantation and a moment later, smiles with satisfaction. Then he frowns.

Garival winds up and lauches a bullet at the orcs up ahead. It flashes past them. They don't seem to notice, and Garival doesn't see where it falls. Garival hears the rumbling familier voice of his father speaking from just behind Garival, like his father used to do when they were learning something. _Take a deep breath son. Focus on the target, not the space around it. You done this shot a hundred times before. You can do it now._ 

ooc: khavren - Thats Fenix's wolf "attacking" (sorry, rolled a 3) the orcs. OK, I added a few feet to the range of the spell. And actually its a celestial dog, but who would notice? Could you do me a favour, add to your character sheet the stats for any creatures you are likely to summon. Just the basic statblock stuff. It would really help.

*Round 2*[/sblock]


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## DrZombie (Apr 17, 2005)

Fighting both the agressive plants and the beast within, Nate rushes forward trying to get as close to Cromwell as possible. He grips his mace tightly in one hand and charges the orcs, releasing a savage howl as his beast is finally unleashed.
(ooc : move towards cromwell and the orcs, or charge an orc if within range .If it seems that either Nate or the orcs can attack this round or the next he'll razge)


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## khavren (Apr 17, 2005)

[sblock] Fenix smiles at the success of his summoning, and start incanting again.

OOC Summon monster 1 again, celestial dog is perfect. Copied likely monster stats from SRD into thier own post. Included the celestial template.

[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 17, 2005)

ooc: sounds good.  (actually forgot I had one of the spears listed as "in-hand")

Fredar continues slogging his way out of the vines.  He hears Nate's howl and is suddenly (although not for this first time) glad he's not an orc.  He still heads for the trees, taking shots at the orc shaman as they present themselves unless it looks like any of the orcs is closing to engage him in melee, in which what he will do depends on what the situation is (how much time he has, whether he is still in the vines at the time, etc.)


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## Seonaid (Apr 17, 2005)

[sblock]OOC: Oops, sorry for the delay.  And I actually haven't been reading the regular posts, in an effort to avoid meta knowledge. Let me know if I should.
Garival closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, before opening them and launching another bullet. Under cover of all the noise, he whispers to Fenix at what seems a likely break in his casting. "What are you doing? Can you tell what's going on?"[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 17, 2005)

*In the hill fort ruins*

*Round 2*

Fredar continues to move forwards. The shaman and the warriors are too busy with the wolf that has appeared in their midst, and with Cromwell who continues to surge forwards to pay Fredar any mind. But shot is constantly obstructed by the by the warriors and Fredar cannot stand around waiting for a clear shot.

In the shadows of the ruined barracks at the north end, Hadarook finds a sheltered place and brings up his bow. He realises that like Fredar, he isn't going to be able to get a clear shot on the shaman. He switches target and releases. The arrow cuts a bloody gash across the orcs neck, but the warrior barely seems to register it.

The shaman's worg leaps back into the yard and plows back into the area of the spell heading directly for the shaman. Its head and shoulders are soaked with blood. It covers the distance effortlessly.

Nate bounds across the open space towards Cromwell and the orcs at full speed. As he approach he slows in order to get out his weapon. He releases his grip on the beast inside and he feels it begining to surge up from where it lurks within.

The remaining rider pulls his bow from it place on the saddle and in a easy motion strings it while his mount moves beneath him, keeping itself from the clutches of the weeds and grasses. The rider pulls an arrow from the quiver. The shaman shouts something. The rider shakes his head and shouts something back. The shaman glances over to see her worg returning to her side.

Cromwell surges out of the field of the spell and into the group of orcs. One of the warriors steps up to meet his charge. Cromwell's double handed blow would have staggered a normal man, but the orc remains standing. Perhaps if Cromwell had had his shield to hand, perhaps if he had not been wounded so badly he would have been able to avoid the return blow. As it is, the orc's mace smashes into Cromwells unprotected leg and the sickening splintering of bone is audible across the yard. Cromwell collapses to the ground.

Meanwhile, alerted by his shaman's curses, the second warriors turns on the wolf in their midst, slamming his mace into the animal. The shaman raises his spear and finishes the job.

The goblin shaman bounds up onto her mount. From there she begins the gestures of summoning. The bullet catches her only a glancing blow. With a grimace, she completes the spell.

Craddoc stuggles vainly to free himself.

A shadow passes over the ground.

Another dog appears a little way behind the three orcs and bounds into their midst. It launches itself at one of the warriors, but the orc knocks it away with his shield.

The hippogriff sweeps down and over the cluster of orcs. It pulls up and, with powerfull strokes of its great wings, away. Blood fountains from one of the warriors, his head and face schredded. His jaw appears to be missing. He collapses.

ooc: Nate is about 10 feet away from the orcs. He makes his reflex save and may move at half speed. He is in charge range.

Fredar covered 30 feet. He made his reflex save and may move at half speed.


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## doghead (Apr 17, 2005)

*Meanwhile ...*

Seonaid and khavren: [sblock]*Round 2*

Fenix casts again and is rewarded by the appearance of another celestial hound. It seems more together than the last one, but the orc brushes aside its attack.

Garival winds up and hurls again, but with as much luck as last time. Once more he has little idea of where it lands.[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 17, 2005)

ooc: has Fredar freed himself from the spell's range yet, or if not, how much farther has he to go? Also, which orc did Hadarook hit?  If it was the one on the west, or one of the ones near the shaman, Fradar will focus on that one if he can't attack the orc caster.


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## doghead (Apr 17, 2005)

ooc: Good call. Fredar should have just exited the spell's area of effect. I'll edit the post to reflect that. Hadarook shot at the orc at the eastern wall. The orc to the west has not reappeared since the shaman's worg re-entered the yard, all covered in blood.


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## Seonaid (Apr 17, 2005)

[sblock]Garival drops prone and mutters a curse without thinking. _Maybe if I get closer, I'll be able to hit something,_ he thinks to himself, faintly disgusted at his misses. He twitches Fenix's sleeve and motions toward the ruins before starting forward at a wiggle. He moves close to the ground so he is not seen, but he is no longer concerned about noise. He will stop when he's gone about 15 feet, or when something causes him to stop.[/sblock]


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## DrZombie (Apr 17, 2005)

At the sight of his friend going down amidst the orcs Nates beast howls, and the leash snaps. The now familiar bubbling laughter escapes his lips, and his mace is now but a twig in his hands.
With blood-red eyes he charges the nearest orc, trying to hit mim with all his might, while the hideous laughter continues.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 17, 2005)

Fredar turns at the sound of Cromwell's leg, but stifles any sound he might have made in reaction. _Get in position, then let them know you're here with your sling, not your voice_. He moves in behind a tree, and then lets fly at the most attractive target based on his line of sight.

ooc: target priority: orc shaman, other orcs from most wounded to least, with orcs already engaged in melee combat less attractive than others.  If any orcs begin to close with him, he will drop his sling, and pull his remaining spear.


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## khavren (Apr 18, 2005)

[sblock]
Fenix hisses back to Garival "I don't know who those bruisers are, but they swatted one of my spirit hounds without problems, and batted the second one away. We've definitly wandered into a fight out here!  I can try and screen us with more hounds, but I hope you've got friends nearby." Fenix scoops up his crossbow and starts trying to angle up the hill, following Garival about 10 feet back.

OOC will stop at 40 ft distance or when I have a clear view of the the combats.

[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 18, 2005)

khavren and Seonaid: [sblock]ooc: sorry, I should have mentioned, you could see Cromwell when he engaged the orcs, and can now see Nate. You can also see the hippogriff.[/sblock]

ooc: Round 3 tomorrow hopefully.


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## Seonaid (Apr 18, 2005)

[sblock]Garival smiles humorlessly at Fenix. "I'm sure those men can be considered 'friends,'" he says, "and I'm sure your hounds are a welcome distraction, even if it only takes a moment to get rid of them. That _moment_ might save a man's life." He continues to move toward the ruins, now taking speed over caution, as he can see the other side of the fight. After a moment, he hisses to Fenix, "Let me know when you are out of hounds." He will stop after about 15 feet, as mentioned, and fire at the most likely target.[/sblock]


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## khavren (Apr 18, 2005)

[sblock]

Fenix raises his eyebrows at Garival's description of the other big fellow and the hippogrif but makes no comment as he goes back incanting another spell.


OOC Same thing again. I'm a 2nd level caster, so if they aren't killed, they last 2 rounds. Maybe we'll get some flanking

[/sblock]


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## doghead (Apr 19, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

Fredar finds himself free of the clutching plants and in amoung the stunted bushes and brambles in the south east corner. He's not so sure its a great exchange. He scrambles through, getting a few scratchs and tears for his troubles, until he comes to a small open space. On the other side of the last bush, about 20 feet away, are the orcs. There is just enough room to swing a sling, and a clear line of sight. He winds up and lets loose moment before Nate plows into the fray. The bullet strikes the shaman a crunching blow to the torso. The Shaman grunts in pain despite the armour.

Hadarook takes a steading breath and draws his bow. The arrow cuts another bloody mark onto the orc. This time he draws a grunt in recognition of his efforts, but little more.

Nate needs only a couple of strides and he is upon the orcs. His blow is brutal and crude. But the sheer force of it nearly knocks the orc warrior to his knees.

The warrior, ignoring the dog at his feet, turns hammers the blacksmith straight back {1}

The orc shaman screams something and stabs at the dog at his feet. He sounds decidely unimpressed. Even more so when the animal ducks his attack.

The orc warrior to the east hurls again, but it goes wide, or high, or something and is not seen again. The warrior turns and begins running south along the wall.

The dog snaps at the shaman, catching his arm and tearing bloody gashes in it.

The shaman glances up, turns and runs. The dog takes the opportunity to take another bite out of the shaman. He latches onto the orcs leg and the shaman stumbles and the two of them crash to the ground a tangle of bloody legs and arms.

The hippogriff swoops low over Nate and the last remaining orc warrior. Nate feels the heavy rush of wind as the creature passes overhead, its claws inches above their heads. Nate's too far gone to even flinch, but the orc does.

Craddoc rips himself free of the plants that had been holding him for so long. His roar of triumph is cut short as he notices that the plants are reaching out for him once more.

The goblin shaman barks something at the rider beside her and lightly vaults off her worg and begins bounding in the in the direction of Cromwell's body. Meanwhile, her beast surges forwards and plows through the orc taking out its throat and leaving a bloody body sprawled in the dirt.

The goblin rider and his worg bound past Nate. The beast tears great tracks in the ground as they cut out of the gate and around the corner, heading for the fleeing orc to the east.

*End of Combat* ... but not quite the end of the story.

Nate howls a curse at the creature which had stolen his opponent. Nate mace swings up and stops quivering slightly. The worg turns and looks at Nate knowingly. There is no fear there. Its more like ... anticipation.

Nate flings his mace down. He stands motionless for a while, panting and shuddering occasionally. {2}

A little way down the hill, Garival and another man who you haven't seen before emerge cautiously from the trees. Garival carries his sling, and the other man a crossbow, loaded.

The goblin shaman reaches Cromwell. She places her hands at his thoat, then removes them with a slow shake of her head. She looks over to her worg, Nate, and back to her worg. She motions with her head, and the worg sets off after the other rider.

The dog extracts himself from the body of the orc shaman. The animal barks a few times, then dissapears.

{1} Nate has lost 4 wounds and is lightly wounded (no penalties to rolls)
{2} Nate makes his willpower save and successfully surpresses the beast within.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 19, 2005)

Fredar watches briefly as the fleeing orcs are hunted down, and then comes out of the bushes, moving over to Cromwell and the shaman.  He looks down at the man he never really got to know.  "There is nothing to be done for him?" he asks the shaman quietly.


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## DrZombie (Apr 19, 2005)

Through the red mist a shape jumps at the puny orc. _That is my kill. MINE. MY blood to spill. MY enemy to crush. I'll kill YOU now._ With a mighty effort of will, ne leashes the beast once again.He looks around, and sees the worg he almost attacked. And Cromwell, dead.

_I am the last now. Evryone is dead. All of them. I failed._

With that, he drops his mace and violently throws up.


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## Seonaid (Apr 19, 2005)

Garival approaches the ruins cautiously, trying to look all about him all at once. _The last thing we need is another round of orcs,_ he thinks to himself. He keeps his sling ready and he fingers a bullet in his pouch as he walks. "Ho!" he calls the group. "What can I do for you?"


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 20, 2005)

ooc:IIRC we met or at least saw Garival when we gave our report to the council - is that right?"

Fredar whispers to Nate, "isn't that the landcarl from Killingtom?  What's he doing out here?"


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## doghead (Apr 20, 2005)

ooc: Yes, the members of the seventh would have been introduced to the Landcarl in Killingtom.


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## khavren (Apr 20, 2005)

Fenix follows the landcarl up and puts down his crossbow, still loaded, to examine the bodies of the slain. He glances at the blood splattered, vomiting figure of Nate and at the Goblins, but makes no overt move towards either of them.


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 20, 2005)

Fredar says simply to the goblin shaman, "This man is from the town." He makes no futher promises of peace yet, as he's not sure what the Landcarl intends, being currently unaware of any role the two men may have played in th previous battle. He does not identify or attempt to speak for the other, unrecognized man.  He calls out, without much warmth, but without any hostility either:  "Landcarl, welcome."  He looks at Feniz with a little confusion as the man moves up an in between the bodies, and suddenly feels a little more possessive of Cromwell than he did a moment ago when he was the human around who knew the half-orc least well.  "What brings you out so far from town?  I thought the council wanted to wait for until we brought them more information...and who is your companion?"


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## Seonaid (Apr 21, 2005)

Garival nods. "The council did want to wait. I left to check our borders." The hesitation is almost imperceptible. "Wolves have been sighted this way. Fenix and I, we followed the orcs to these ruins." He turns a wry glance toward the man studying the scene. "Fenix was much more effective than I, I'm afraid. The dogs were his." He glances at the ruins and the men assembled there before turning back to Fredar. "I offer my services to you. I know this land well." _Well, _that_ was less than subtle,_ he sighs to himself.


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## doghead (Apr 21, 2005)

*At the hill top ruins*

The shaman makes a gesture. There is nothing else that can be done for Cromwell. The shaman draws herself to her feet and leaps lightly back to where the remaining worg and rider lie entangled by the plants. She comes to a stop beside them, dropping to her knees. In moments, the plants have wrapped themselves up and around her legs and waist. But she keeps her arms free, and casts a spell on the wounded worg. It spasms against the tight grip of the plants, then lies still. The shaman and the rider exchange quiet words. The shaman strokes the wounded worg, taking care to keep her hands free.

About a minute or two later, the other rider and the two worgs return. They shepherd a rather raggedy looking orc before them. He baulks when he catches sight of the humans up ahead, but a sharp snap at his heels makes him hastily jump forward. His shield is gone, as is his mace. His armour is bloody, and his legs are bleeding heavily from a number of gashes. He is covered with bits of dirt, grass and twigs. An alarmed shout from the rider is met with a shout from the goblin shaman still caught in the center of the yard.

ooc: just filling in the background stuff as you talk.


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## khavren (Apr 21, 2005)

"So were the orcs here to attack the goblins or did someone know where you all were going to be? They moved like it was a planned ambush." Fenix stands up from examing the bodies and hands Nate a waterskin and a rag. "Here, rinse your mouth out a couple of times, there is a weak wine mixed into the water, it will help."


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## DrZombie (Apr 21, 2005)

"Sorry, sir. I, eehm. Well. I... felt a bit sick for a moment there." Nate says, stumblinbg over his words.

_ What the hell is he doing here? Ond who does he thinks he's offering his services to? I'm the only bloody survivor from the original group._


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## khavren (Apr 22, 2005)

Fenix glances from Nate to the other two human warriors to the dead to the goblins as Garival makes his offer. _ Friends out here indeed, looks like he'll need some more of them. _


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## Seonaid (Apr 22, 2005)

Garival frowns mightily and after a moment, steps toward the goblin shaman. (If the plants are still doing their thing, he moves as close as he can without being entangled.) He bows stiffly to her and then asks, "Do you know why these orcs came to these ruins?"


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 22, 2005)

Fredar has surreptitiously moved himself back so that Nate is between him and the new arrivals. _Service? er..better let Nate deal with this. _Fredar is trying to figure out what to do with Cromewll's body. _What does Ketternak do with his dead_? he wonders. Still, when Garival approaches the shaman, he looks up and listens. _That's right, guy, she's only one 'round here who knows what's going on_.

While he's listening, Fredar looks Garival and Fenix up and down, trying to figure out what to think of all this. Looking at Garival's sling, and mentally picturing an extra bullet or two flying through the combat beyond the ones he fired off, it dawns on Fredar that these guys probably actually helped out in the combat. The whole experience in Killingtom was a bit maddening, from Nate's whipping to the council's inaction, and now the shock of his corporal's death. His mood is foul, and it's colored his reception of these two. His forces his body to relax just a little and he moves over to Fenix while waiting for the shama's reply to Garival. "Thanks for the aid a few minutes ago. We're all tense right now, as you can see, or you'd get a better greeting," he says quietly.


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## doghead (Apr 22, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins.*



			
				Seonaid said:
			
		

> "Do you know why these orcs came to these ruins?"




""Stay out of the circle. The spell will run its course soon enough.

"I would say they were looking for me. They are the warmonger's allies. These ones are skirmishers. Not much in a stand up fight, but fast and slippery. They would make good goblins.

"The real question is did they know where to find me, or did they just get lucky?"


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## Seonaid (Apr 22, 2005)

Garival shrugs at Fredar's comment. He is not unfriendly, just hesitant at stepping into a delicate situation. _Though it's too late for that, since my foot's already in the cow dung,_ he thinks to himself.

He obeys the shaman's injunction to keep back but frowns at the rest of her words. "Did you recognize them, or are you guessing?" he asks her quietly. He keeps the others at the corner of his vision.


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## khavren (Apr 24, 2005)

"Heh, you were just involved in a fight to the death and I'm guessing at least one of yours is lying among the slain from your friends reactions. If you weren't tense I'd be astonished and probably frightened. I'm just glad the fights over and nobody thought I was on the wrong side."


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## doghead (Apr 24, 2005)

Seonaid said:
			
		

> "Did you recognize them, or are you guessing?"




"Unfortuately I know them. They have been in the service of the warmonger for the last few years."

As she talks, the life seems to leech from the plants. They cease their gasping motion. They wither and shrink back to their former size.

The shaman climbs to her feet with a groan of tiredness. She helps the rider to his feet. With a growl the worg lurches to his feet. It staggers a little, and a little fresh blood flows from it's wounds. The shaman says something to the rider, who nods. 

From outside the ruins there is a worried hail in the tongue of the goblins. The shaman responds in kind.

Those at the gate see the other rider and the two worgs making there way across the open area around the ruins. They shepherd a rather battered looking orc before them. He baulks when he catches sight of the humans up ahead, but a wicked snap at his heels makes him hastily jump forward. His shield is gone, as is his mace. His armour is bloody, and his legs are bleeding heavily from a number of gashes. He is covered with bits of dirt, grass and twigs.


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## Seonaid (Apr 24, 2005)

Garival frowns again. "What would you do, ma'am?" he asks the shaman.


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## doghead (Apr 24, 2005)

*In the ruins on the hill.*



			
				Seonaid said:
			
		

> "What would you do, ma'am?"




"Ma'am!" the shaman snorts and rolls her eyes. "I am," she pauses for a moment, brows furrowed in thought, "The Hot Breath of the Worg who Hunts You on the Back of Your Neck!"

Then she shrugs.

"It doesn't translate so well into the common tongue."


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## DrZombie (Apr 24, 2005)

Nate looks a little confused from the shaman to the newcomer. _What in Balors' Breath are they talking about?_

 He then looks up at the orc that was taken captive. _What is next? Torture of the Orc to see where his friends are? I don't have the stomach for this._


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## Seonaid (Apr 24, 2005)

Garival smiles despite the situation. "What are your plans now?"


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## doghead (Apr 25, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

The shaman considers the bedraggled orc.

"I suggest we begin by talking to it. Then we take what we want from what they had, and go."


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## khavren (Apr 25, 2005)

Fenix nods at the shamans suggestion and starts searching the slain orc shaman and the warriors. He looks at Nate and Fredar, "What would you like to do with your friend? We can try en get his body back to town or try an bury him here."


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## doghead (Apr 25, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

Craddoc stalks around the goblins in the center of the yard and over to where Cromwell lies.

"We take him back to the village. We take that," he indicates the orc with his head as well, "unless our goblin friend objects to that as well."

He glares at Nate and Fredar.

"Or were you thinking of just leaving him here for the birds to pick over his bones while you go chasing off after some phantom menace."


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## Maerdwyn (Apr 25, 2005)

> "Or were you thinking of just leaving him here for the birds to pick over his bones while you go chasing off after some phantom menace."




Fredar watches sharply for Nates reaction, and puts a restraining hand on his shoulder if he starts to react the same way Fredar thinks he himself would if someone suggested he'd be so callous about a friend's death.

ooc: what would be appropriate for a follower of Ketternak? burial, cremation, sent down the river on a raft, something else?


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## doghead (Apr 25, 2005)

ooc: Good question. I will get back to you on it.


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## DrZombie (May 3, 2005)

"Why you litlle piece of " 
Nate surges forward, only to be held back by Fredar.

"Yes, Craddoc, run back towards the village. I'm sure the sarge would love to hear your stories. As for Cromwell. We'll bury him here and I'll dig the grave myself. I'd rather spend the afternoon digging a grave for him then living with the thought of you taking his body with you as a kind of trophy. As for the orc : do with him as you wish, I care not. Knowing the sarge and you, he'll pay for what he did."

Nate spits on the ground between Craddoc's feet and deliberately turns his back on him, going to his pack to find a short shovel, and starts digging.


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## doghead (May 3, 2005)

ooc: Sorry all, some friends have dropped in for a few days. I might be a bit more erratic than normal.


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## Seonaid (May 4, 2005)

Garival stands off slightly, watching the proceedings. He is content to let things play out for now and he waits to see what the others do.


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## Maerdwyn (May 5, 2005)

Fredar makes solemn eye contact with Nate, as if to say "Do you want help?"  If he doesn't, or before Fredar starts digging if Nate does want his help, he addresses the shaman.  "He [*indicating Craddoc*] is right.  He should bring the orc back to the Council.  They won't care as much that you didn't come back with us if they've got him to question.  Nate and I are still going to find the temple."  He turns to the halfling. "Hadarook?"  Whatever answer he give, Fredar nods, and turns to the newcomers.  "What about you two?   Two ways to help your town: go tell the council what happened here so they can discuss it more, or come with us try to get something done about it without getting killed."


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## Seonaid (May 6, 2005)

Garival barely glances at Fenix before responding. "I have been called a young hot-head before," he says steadily and quietly. "In this, perhaps they are right: I am not willing to wait for the council to debate any longer." He pauses and looks Fredar in the eyes. "I will go with you."


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## khavren (May 7, 2005)

Fenix smiles and stands up from stripping the orc bodies of usefal items. "Hmmm so ya think tha listenen to the council talk for a few days is would actually help? I'll leave that for your companion to report back as that's what he feels is right. I'm fa fa more interested in this temple you mention. If your up for more company, my dogs and I will come along. M'thinking I might want to put on some this armor tho, even if it didn't save these."


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## doghead (May 8, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins.*

Craddoc backs off a couple of steps as Nate turns upon him. Craddoc flushes slightly at Nates tirade, but says nothing until Nate is finished. Craddoc stiffens as Nate hawks a gob of spit between Craddoc's feet. But with a visible effort he restrains himself.

"You are mad Nate. All of you," he says with a sweep of his hand to encompass those who have signified they will take up the search, "are crazy. And you two," he looks at Nate and Fredar, "will be marked as deserters. If you ever come back.

"Hadarook, you are coming with me, right."

Hadarook looks towards Nate, then Craddoc, then Fredar. 

"I have family in Trolluc. I will return with Craddoc to Killingtom. And anyway, it will be harder for them to dismiss the word of two people."

***

Nate digs a grave. The body of Cromwell is washed and prepared as best you can. No one feels particularly comfortable giving the last rites, but you manage something that seems reasonably appropriate.

***

Craddoc and Hadarook prepare to leave. Under the watchful eye of the two worgs, Craddoc and Hadarook bind the orc's hands behind its back and lash a length of rope around its neck. Craddoc collects Oscar's horse and he and Hadarook mount up and head out of the gate and down the hill.

***

The gear is stripped from the fallen orcs. They carry very little, a short spears, heavy maces, slings, shields and some other odds and ends. Each is dressed in a form of leather armour, but of slightly heavier construction. Probably Hide armour, thats what the orcs always wear, right? The armour of the shaman is marked with some small symbols, embossed into the material itself. The shaman's spear is marked with similar symbols.

Nate hasn't had much experience with armour of this sort. But he has enough experience of armour to have a fair idea of how it would work. It would provide about the same protection as leather armour. The clasps and fittings are well made, minimising the restrictions to movement, and the extra coverage would make it harder to bypass than leather armour.

ooc: Burial is the most common form of funeral rite (One of Ketteneks domains is Earth). Although, in a world without the 'parish priest', I'm not sure how this works. Would any cleric be suitable? Would a trip to the nearest temple be called for? If you have any ideas, let me know.

Are you burying Cromwell with his gear? Nate would know that his mace and armour are of fine quality. And the armour is reputed to be blessed by Kettenek.

ORCS: Each of the Orc warriors has the following items. That would mean three sets. Nate (Craft (Armour and Weapons) is able to tell you that the Hide armour is of unusually good construction.
* mw Hide Armour (15 lbs.)
* Light Steel Shield (6 lbs.)
* Shortspear x2 (6 lbs.)
* Heavy Mace (8 lbs.)
* Sling +10 bullets (5 lbs.)
* Misc travelling gear (flint and steel, small knives, etc. if there is anything you want, ask.)

The Shaman has the following items. The armour is similar to the warriors' armour, but marked with some runes and symbols.
* mw Hide Armour (15 lbs.)
* mw Shortspear (3 lbs.)
* Heavy Mace (8 lbs.)
* Spell ingredients


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## DrZombie (May 9, 2005)

doghead said:
			
		

> "You are mad Nate. All of you," he says with a sweep of his hand to encompass those who have signified they will take up the search, "are crazy. And you two," he looks at Nate and Fredar, "will be marked as deserters. If you ever come back.




"Deserters? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I was the most senior member of this outfit. With the death of Cromwell _and all the rest, Gods, they're all dead_ that means that I am in charge, private. Wich means that unless you want to be marked as a deserter you better do as I say. Private Craddoc. So I order you to return to the village with the prisoner. If he is delivered safely you will report to your commanding officer and do as he says, while I continue with the mission as I was ordered; You are free to go. If  I hear anything about desertion when I return they better kill me the moment I set foot in the village, or by the Gods I will quieten your tongue permanently. Now get your ugly face out of my sight before I do something I will not regret."
His voice, while calm and silent at the start, rises in anger and he ends up shouting the last words at full voice, one hand reaching for his mace.

OOC : Cromwell will be buried with the gear of one of the orcs he defeated. Nate will don his armour and take the mace (if the armour fits and if he's proficient). If the armour doesn't fit Nate will still try to take it along.


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## doghead (May 9, 2005)

*Hadarook, male hafling scout.*

Hadarook steps in between the two men who tower over him.

"Easy now boys. This would be just what they want. Us fightin each other an all."

Hadarook pauses for a moment, brow furrowed in thought. Finally he nods.

"Nate's got the right of it I think. Splittin up is the best way. We need to get this one," he shrugs in the direction of the orc, "back to town. But we can't afford to ignore what the goblin witch has to say. If she had wanted us dead, she could have found an easier way to do it I recon. Them worgs alone could have taken us to pieces."

"So are you two going to wise up, or am I going to have to give you both a whuppin?"

He raises his hand like one about to smack a naughty child.

"I will if I have to you know. Don't think I won't."


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## doghead (May 9, 2005)

*In the hill top ruins*

The armour more than fits, it seems to wrap itself around Nate as if custom made for him. Nate has never experienced it before, but he has heard about it. _Enchanted armour. So it is true. Cromwell was blessed by Kettenek. Or at least by those who servered Kettenek._

ooc: Nate, as far as I am aware, does not have AP (medium), which would mean a -3 ACP to attack rolls and any Str or Dex based ability or skill checks. On the other hand, you get +6 soak and its harder to bypass medium than light armour with a critical.

ooc: Here is Cromwell's equipment. Let me know who's taking what, if anything of this and the orc equipment. 
* Worn/Carried: explorer's outfit, dagger, wooden holy symbol of Kettenek, 5 javelins, masterwork heavy mace, manacles, sap, +1 breastplate, heavy steel shield, waterskin, sling
* In Backpack: bedroll, winter blanket, 50 feet of hemp rope, 3 torches.
* In Pouch: flint and steel, whetstone, 7 gold pieces, 3 silver pieces, 4 copper pieces, 10 sling bullets.

Also please update your character sheets if necessary. Hadarook is going to take the manacles for the orc. BTW, I forgot to note before. The orcs had 26 gp in various coins between them. The shaman had a pair of gold rings on a thong around his neck.

thotd


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## Maerdwyn (May 9, 2005)

Fredar picks up the orc shaman's spear, liking it's feel, and takes a share of the gold.  He casts a look over the rest of the gear, but _the_ p_ack is too damned heavy as it is_, he thinks with a scowl "Nate, are we set with torches and such, I'm think this temple won't be deicate to a sun god."


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## Seonaid (May 9, 2005)

Garival looks back and forth between the others, growing confused as to what is going on. _The death of a comrade, that can't be easy,_ he thinks, and decides not to stick his nose--or neck--where it's not wanted.

When the gear is laid out, he hangs back to let the others have first pick. When things seem to settle, he says quietly, "I would take a shield and the bullets from the orcs, if none object." He pauses for a moment and says to Nate even more quietly, "If you had not planned, I would like that as well." He points to the symbol of Kettenek.

If no one objects, he will also rifle through the orcs' belongings, taking things like flint & steel, valuables (gold & jewels) and anything that looks like trail rations that would be edible by the humans.


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## doghead (May 9, 2005)

ooc: four of the orcs and Cromwell had bullets. Some were thrown, but that would leave at least 40. There are 3 light steel shields, and Cromwell's heavy steel shield. There are enough 'edible' rations to make up four days worth. The rest you would be loathed it eat unless you were an orc. Valuables are limited to the coins and the rings. Unlike adventurers, the orcs leave their valuables at home when they go to work - like most of us. There is flint and steel. Other minor items may be 'available upon request'.


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## khavren (May 9, 2005)

"Before ya'll lay too many hands about, you might want to give me a second to look at this with better eyes." Fenix incants briefly and gives all the gear, the orcs and the goblins a once over.


OOC: Detect Magic, if anything comes up magic on the once over, I'll spend a couple rounds concentrating on it.


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## DrZombie (May 10, 2005)

doghead said:
			
		

> ooc: Nate, as far as I am aware, does not have AP (medium), which would mean a -3 ACP to attack rolls and any Str or Dex based ability or skill checks. On the other hand, you get +6 soak and its harder to bypass medium than light armour with a critical.




OOC : well, we'll have to gain a level then, no? .


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## doghead (May 10, 2005)

ooc: DrZ - Yeap, you would need to level. I would also say it would be an idea to wear the armour if you want access to the feat. "Hey, I can suddenly wear medium armour/use a sword/whatever" seems to lack something I think. In ordinary circumstances, training could provide you with access to a feat you have no background in, but you don't have to that option.

ooc: khavren - the following radiate faint enchantment* auras; Cromwell's breastplate and the shaman's spear. The shaman's armour radiates a faint aura of something, but Fenix is unable to determin what.

* This is correct for the average +n weapon/armour, right?


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## khavren (May 11, 2005)

Fenix

"Looks like the spear and the breastplate are both magic'd. The orc spellmixer's armor too, but can't tell what's on it. If there ar na objections I'll try that one on for size. I expect that the spear is safe to use, as is the breastplate." Fenix takes the shamans armor and shield, as well as the spell component pouch. He also divides up the loose coin among the humans and halflings, trying for as even a distribution as possible. Fenix picks up the rings from the Orc Shaman and starts examing them more closely. "Now what storie have you two to tell, hmmmm?"

OOC Any spells on the goblin shaman or was she out of range?


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## doghead (May 12, 2005)

ooc: The goblin shaman's short spear and armour have similar magical aura's (ordinary enchanted items)


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## DrZombie (May 12, 2005)

With a sigh, Nate drops the last stone in place, finishing the small cairn. He takes one of the steel shields and rummages in his backpack, looking for the right tools. Half an hour later, in a neat hand, he finished the inscription.

HERE LIES CROMWELL
LEADER, WARRIOR, FRIEND.
MAY HIS SOUL FIND PEACE.


He secures the shield with a few rocks, stands for a moment, lost in thought.
_Just me left, Cromwell. Say hello to the rest, will ya. When I get back to the village, I won't know how to explain. I don't know if I'll ever get back to the village. Perhaps I'll join you in a few days. Take care of Lisa untill I get there, and don't be too hard on yourself. _

"Allright, let's go while we still have some light left."

Without much further fuss he packs his things and is read y to set off, without much ideas of where they're going or how he's gonna get there.


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## khavren (May 14, 2005)

While Nate works, Fenix tries putting on, moving around and takin goff the orc shamans armor, obviously not used to wearing something like this and trying to get a feel for moving in it and how to put it on and take it off. 


OOC I'm going to be keeping the orc shaman armor and shield, how much do they weigh and what will my penalties be for casting and armor check. I'll aslo try to appraise the rings and look for any markings on them.


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## doghead (May 16, 2005)

*the hill top ruins*

Craddoc squats down beside Garival and consider the collection of gear in front of the two of them. [sblock]"I recon that you know what you're doing with those knives, but something with a bit more clout might not go amiss." He pulls a mace from the pile. "Now these are always good value," he says hefting the weapon easily. "And a spear gives you a bit of range."

"On the other hand," he says after a moment pause, "this might be more your style." He lifts his staff from where it lay beside him. "Its heartstone. I found this in a very deep cave. The stone that is. Made the staff myself. It packs a little more clout than normal oak, and if you can find someone to bless it, well my old man used to say that there was nothing to compare with a blessed heartstone staff.

"I want it back when this is all over," he adds gruffly, "But for now I can make do without it."

* mw Heartstone staff (+1 to hit, +1 damage)

Heartstone: This is stone found in the very heart of tall mountains, often found in very deep caves. It provides a +1 bonus to damage which stacks with magic (so a +1 heartstone staff would have +1 to hit and +2 to damage). In total darkness heartstone glows. (small items illuminate 1 square, medium a 5 ft radius, large a 10 ft radius).
* Never heard of it myself, but seems kinda cool. The mw bonus would not stack. Probably.[/sblock]

As Nate digs, Craddoc begins collecting stone blocks. He places them carefully nearby as if according to some criteria only he can see. He doesn't say anything unless asked. If so he simply says that he knows stonework. The purpose of the order becomes apparent as Nate beings the cairn. Craddoc begins slotting the stones carefully into place, starting with the nearest ones from his collection. By the time he is finished, the cairn is as solid a construction as anything Nate could imagin building with no tools and morter. There is even a space for the shield to be wedged into place.

When Nate finishes the inscription, Craddoc turns to the blacksmith. [sblock]Craddoc hands Nate two of the charms given to the group by the cleric of the Lady in Killingtom. 

"I think you need these more than Hadarook and I. Especially if you want to live long enough to realise how young and foolish you are." The words are spoken without the heat that has characterised the pervious interation between nate and Craddoc. He also hands Nate a small stone carving that Nate had commented on while they were travelling up from Trolluc. "This, on the other hand, has no special powers, but I'd like you to have it anyway."[/sblock]

Fenix tries on the orc shaman's armour. He lets out a shout of surprise as it seems to wrap itself around him like some living thing. The armour smells ... odd. Its a little restrictive, but not nearly as bad as Fenix had imagined. He feels a damn sight safer with it than without. [sblock]Soak +4, Max Dex +4, ACP -2, ASF 15%, Weight 20 lbs. The rings appear to be a matching pair; there is an inscription on the inside of each. The lettering is worn, but just recognisable being in common. The rings are probably worth around 100 gp each.[/sblock]

Hadarook pulls the rations from his and Craddoc's bag. He keeps aside enough for the two of them for one more meal, but the rest he hands to Fredar. "There is enough here to last the four of you a day. With what you have yourselves, and from the orcs, thats enough to last you about 4 more days. More if you eat sparingly. But mind your strength." [sblock]Reaching into his pouch he pulls out a couple of small vials and adds them to the collection.

"These will help keep the swords and arrows of outrageous misfortune from falling on you. For a couple of minutes anyways. You need a little faith, but ...". Hadarook shrugs. "I think they will work for anyone of good heart."[/sblock]

When you are all done, the goblin shaman runs through all that she has told you one last time. The temple lies about 4-5 days from where you are now. Garival is reasonably familier with the area to be covered in the first few days, and feels confident enough of being able to get the party the rest of the way to the swamp in which the temple now lies. The swamp he has never been to, but heard of from time to time. Of the swamp the shaman can tell you little. No self respecting goblin would go there. Centuries ago, a tribe of goblins was banished from the forests, and it is held that they made their home in the swamp. But as no _self respecting_ goblin would go near such a place (too much water, and not enough solid ground to dig a cave to huddle in, let alone a proper warren!), she cannot say whether thay are still there. Of the one who seeks the item of power, she can tell you little other than he reeks of death. The shaman, needlessly perhaps, reminds everyone that time is pressing, and that they cannot afford to dawdle.

The sun is approaching its peak as the various groups prepare to depart.

ooc: Ok, I think that that is it from my end. Let me know if there is anything I missed. Not sure why I went sblock happy, but it will give your characters something to talk about I suppose.

thotd


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## Seonaid (May 16, 2005)

OOC: Oops! I thought I had posted here. I'll get my character sheet updated tomorrow night.

Garival looks at Craddoc appraisingly. "Thank you," he says simply. "I will treat it with care and be sure to return it to you."

When the group seems to have gathered, he nods once. "Let's go." He sets off in the direction of the swamp.


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## khavren (May 17, 2005)

[sblock]

What's the inscription on the ring? And is it possible to remove the armor? Assuming it is, how many rounds does it generally take? I'm worried about needing to cast without penalty in a hurry.

[/sblock]


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## doghead (May 24, 2005)

*From the hill top ruins.*

The sun is approaching its zenith as the three groups gather up their gear, stap on weapons and say their last goodbyes.

Hadarook and his dog, Craddoc and Belladonna, and their orc 'guest' set off back the way they came and towards Killingtom.

The goblins and thier worgs head out of the gate and turn right. The shaman whells around for one last look back at the four remaining figures, before following her companions out of sight.

With little more ceremony than a backwards glance at the the cairn that is now the resting place of Cromwell, the four of you set off as well. The journey takes you down the other side of the hill and off in a north westerly direction. At first, being reasonably familier with the terrain, Garival is able to chose a route that is fairly easy. In the remaining hours before the sun touches the horizon you make quite good time. Although you don't get in a 'full' day's worth of travelling, you all find yourselves looking forward to putting down your stuff and taking a weight off. Without exception, you have been up since dawn. And battles really take it out of you. Even ones over that take barely a couple of minutes. Nate in particular is suffering. The beast is a demanding companion.

The weather is mild enough, but the chill on the breeze, and the shortening of the days, is a clear reminder that you are heading into winter. You don't have long, a couple more weeks perhaps, a month at the outside, before winter arrives in earnest. And nobody needs to be reminded that travelling in winter is a dangerous business.

ooc: Working on sundown at about 5, dark by about 6 o'clock. You got about 6 hours travelling in, but any more will require Con checks if you wish to continue today. Can I get a travelling formation, and watch details please?


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## Seonaid (May 24, 2005)

"Let us rest," Garival says after a while. "There is a good, sheltered spot ahead." He leads the way through the wilderness and stops in a secluded dip surrounded by trees. The terrain is such that a small fire would not be seen easily from more than 60 feet away and in fact there are the remains of an old campfire. A bit of clear water trickles along one edge of the basin, squeezed from the earth by two ancient stones. "I will take last watch, if none object."

Heh, I hope that it's okay, dh... if not, feel free to change the terrain however you wish.


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## DrZombie (May 24, 2005)

*Nate*

"I'll take first, if noone minds. I've got a lot to think about. I don't reckon sleep will come easy anyway." Nate responds. "This is a nice site. Have you been here before?"


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## Maerdwyn (May 24, 2005)

"Get me up in a few hours, then, Nate."  He doles out four smallish portions of the food Hadarook gave him. "We don't have a lot," he says apologeticly, "We'll need to keep an eye out for gamefowl." 

ooc: What do you think for travelling?  Outdoors, Garival on point, Nate and Fredar in the second rank, Fenix in the rear (maybe switch Fenix and Fredar? dunno.)


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## Seonaid (May 25, 2005)

Garival nods. "There's a lot of these types of places. Hunters sometimes use them between routes. They're useful for my scouting as well." He accepts and eats the food, not wanting to offend Fredar. _I'll have to keep my sling ready,_ he notes to himself, _and somehow offer my rations at the next meal._

OOC: Sounds okay to me.


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## khavren (May 25, 2005)

Fenix skins out of the armor and stretchs. "I'm not used to wearing that sort of thing, usually any problems I had could be taken care of with crossbow and a coupla hounds. Here, add this to the food mix, I'm guessen ya didin come prepared for the long trip." He digs two more large square packages of rations out his sack. "wake me when I need to do somethin, calling my dogs takes alot out of a fella." With that, he piles the orcan armor for a pillow and settles down for the evening.

ooc: two more days of rations, and the marching order is fine with me.


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## Maerdwyn (May 25, 2005)

"Thanks, Fenix.  We were only think it would be abbout a day out here and a day back.  We'll probably need to take on some more food before we reach the swamp, right Garival?" Fredar asks the landcarl, figuring he knows the most about the land around here.


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## Seonaid (May 26, 2005)

Garival nods. "The more we have that's portable and ready the better. Keep your eyes out, men, and I'll do the same."


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## doghead (Jun 6, 2005)

*D+1, on the move again.*

Night passes uneventfully.

After getting some foood, and little hot tea, the fire is covered and the campsite is cleared. The weather is overcast but grey. Garival thinks its going to be much the same tomorrow. But he gets the feeling that a change of some sort is coming.

Garival's small offering to the local animal spirits finds favour it would seem. Shortly after setting off he flushes a young deer and brings it down with his sling. It should provide enough food for everyone for to eat well today as well as provide an solid start to tomorrow*. After that he is able to concentrate on setting a better speed. Garival has little difficulty keeping course. The area, although he has not spent much time here himself, is familer enough from second hand sources. Anyway, at this point it is mostly a matter of keeping the same bearing. The land is slightly hilly, and ligthly wooded. Visibility is about 200 yards generally, sometimes much more, sometimes much less.

The afternoon is livened up somewhat by the appearance of a wild boar snuffling through some undergrowth. But Garival spots it before it hears Garival, and the Landcarl is able to detour around the creature without too much difficulty.**

As the day begins to wan, Garival estimates that the group has put about 16 miles between themselves and their last campsite. A decent day's travel. Any further is going to be pushing it.

ooc: * 8 days rations equivilent, or enough for 4 for two days.
ooc: * unless of course he wants to attack it. _Come to pappa my little bundle of XP!_

DM notes: [sblock]Weather (temperate climate/spring): today (normal), tomorrow (normal), the day after (abnormal - heat wave).
Garival's weather check: 13+8=21 (tomorrow and day after.)
Garival's navigation check*: OK for early/late morning and early/late afternoon.
Garival's early morning foraging check*: 17+8=25 (+7 rations)
* divided days into quarters for convinience.
Encounters: early/late morning (-), early afternoon (6 - boar), late afternoon (-)
Garival Spot 11+8=19, Mv Silently 12+8=20
Boar Hide 8+0=8, Listen 9+7=16.
Average Spot distance 640 feet.[/sblock]


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## Maerdwyn (Jun 6, 2005)

Fredar relishes the venison at camp that night. "Thanks, Garival, this is great.  With full bellies tonight, should we try to push a little more tomorrow?"  He was complaining a bit over the last couple hours of today's march, but a good meal changes everything, and now he's in a much better mood.  Shifting a bit on the rock that's serving as his seat for the evening meal, Fredar notices the dice in his hip pouch clinking together agains the pipes within.  He leaves the pipes, figuring it's not the best idea to broadcast their presence with music right now, but with a smile, he withdraws the dice and ask the others, "Anyone up for a game of bones?"

If he gets any takers, Fredar will gamble low stakes for as long as his opponent wants.  His wagers get bigger if he has a winning streak (hoping to ride it out to the streak's end), and also get bigger if he has a losing streak (hoping to win it all back in one hand).  He remains reasonable (and in a better mood) winning some and losing some.


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## Seonaid (Jun 7, 2005)

Garival flushes with pleasure and the hunt as he fells the deer. _Thank you, Alirria,_ he prays as he prepares the meat for travel.

At Fredar's comment, he nods. "The weather is changing. We should push as we can so we do not lose too much time to the storm." He glances at the sky briefly before turning back to the group. "Let's keep the same watch rotation. I will wake you all at dawn so we can continue."

He smiles at the offer to gamble. "I have no coin with me, but I will watch a few rounds if none object." As he speaks, he begins to set up camp swiftly and surely, a man with a purpose and the familiarity of habit.


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## khavren (Jun 9, 2005)

Fenix will take up the offer to gamble for small stakes. He gets more relaxed as the game progresses, such a familiar activity seems to settle him down. "I'm not used ta dealin with warbands personally. The worst I usually see is having to overawe some bandits or fight off some wolves.  You fellas talked with the goblin shaman, think I'd be able to get her to help me make some interesting potions?"


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## doghead (Jun 13, 2005)

*D+2, an unusual visitor and friends*

The night passes uneventfully. Dawn brings with it a visitor.

Out of the corner of his eye Garvial sees a movement. Turning he sees a dog, standing in the open space some 140 feet away. There was nothing there a moment ago, Garival is pretty sure of that. The dog seems to be considering Garival.

Before Garival can do anything, the dog flickers out of existance, only to reappear barely 50 feet from where Garival sits, and off to the right this time. Garival tenses despite himself. The animal sniffs the air for a moment, barks twice, growls and yaps, then disappears again.

Garival: [sblock]K/nature check: A blink dog. Garival has heard stories of them, but never seen one himself. Usually they travel in small groups. They are reputed to be intelligent, and generally not hostile. But they are dangerous if provoked, able to disappear and reappear at will.[/sblock]


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## Seonaid (Jun 13, 2005)

[sblock]Garival shifts slighty to get a better view of the area around the camp, waiting to see if the dog comes back. He strains his eyes in the dawn light to make out if the dog left tracks, or bent the grass where it had stood. [Spot +8] _How do you speak to an intelligent dog?_ he thinks to himself.[/sblock]


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## doghead (Jun 13, 2005)

*D+2, morning*

Garival watches the area around the camp for a while, but there is no sign of a return of the dog(s). At this distance he can see no evidence of the dog's passing, but to be sure he would have to move closer.

The rest of the party sleep on blissfully unawares.


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## Seonaid (Jun 13, 2005)

Garival wakes the others, keeping an eye out for more dogs and for any tracks, but not going out of his way to be obvious about his search.


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## doghead (Jun 13, 2005)

*D+2, morning.*

Garival has just managed to wake the nearest sleeper (Nate) when a glance over his shoulder reveals three dogs standing about 150 feet away. They watch the campers intently, heads cocked to one side.

Nate's morning groan also awakens Fenix, who sits up and over to Garival groggily.

Nate sits up with a jerk (nearly clonking Garival one with his head) and shakes the fog out of his brain in a hurry at the sight of the dogs.

ooc: Nate and Fenix are prone. Nate has spotted the dogs, Fenix has not. Only Garival is wearing armour at this point. Weapons are close to hand.


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## Seonaid (Jun 13, 2005)

"Shush, shush!" Garival hisses. "If we don't threaten them, they should leave us alone. Does anyone know how to talk to an intelligent dog?" He looks out of his depth but trying hard not to show it.


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## DrZombie (Jun 14, 2005)

_If I screw this one up I'll lose a hand._ Carefully nate gets up to a crouch and very gently extends his open left hand to the dogs, so they can approach and sniff it. He says in a gentle, soothing voice:"Hello there. I'm Nate. We mean you no harm."


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## doghead (Jun 14, 2005)

The dogs watch Nate hold out his hand. They growl and yap and bark a few times amoung themselves. But they make no move to close the 150 feet between themselves and the party.

After about a minute, they dissappear from sight.


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## Maerdwyn (Jun 14, 2005)

Fredar, unaware, unconsciously presses his eyes closer together, fighting the intrusion of the morning sun, trying to get just five more minutes of sleep.


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## Seonaid (Jun 15, 2005)

Garival turns to Nate. "I think they're called blink dogs," he says quietly. "Do you think we should follow them?" He bends down to rouse the others.


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## DrZombie (Jun 15, 2005)

Seonaid said:
			
		

> "Do you think we should follow them?" .




"I don't know.They say they're intelligent. I don't know if they try to warn us, want our help, or want us to bugger off because they have a litter nearby... We'd best continue on our way. They'll let us know if they need something."


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## Seonaid (Jun 15, 2005)

Garival nods slowly. "All right." He will wake the others and continue preparations for the day's journey.


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## Maerdwyn (Jun 16, 2005)

Fredar wakes up groggily and reaches for his waterskin.  When he hears about the blink dogs, he feels quite disappointed at not having been able to see them.  As the day's hike goes on, he finds himself looking about, hoping they'll return.


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## DrZombie (Jun 21, 2005)

Nate walks at the head of the group, his armor chafing parts of his body that the Gods never ment to be chafed. Every mile he tries to rearrange his armour, only to find that it wraps itself around him in the most uncomfortable way possible.
_My God. No wonder Cromwell was allways in a foul mood. If this doesn't ease I'll never have to worry about finding a girl to have children with._


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## doghead (Jun 27, 2005)

*D+2, on the move.*

The party grabs some breakfast and packs up camp without further interruption.

You set off in the same direction as you traveled the day before. Once or twice in the hour that follows, you spot the dogs. But they keep their distance, and show no sign of wishing to establish contact. After the third sighting, you see them no more.

The rest of the morning passes uneventfully. The weather is unsettled but remains dry. The winter's chill is on the air, but the steady pace Garival sets keeps you warm enough.

A little after lunch, Garival comes to a halt at the top of a ridge. Catching up, you find him looking over a broad shallow valley, the floor of which is covered with dense forest. In the distance you can see the other side of the valley about 5-6 miles away.

Garival: [sblock]This is the Tancho Forest - a dire place which ever story you listen to. 12 years ago, one of the merchants in Trolluc put together a well armed and equipped group to investigate the forest for cutting and other commercial activities. Of the 12 who set out, only 3 returned. Two left Killingtom immediately after recovering, the last stayed in the village for the 8 remaining years of his life. But he was never really right again. None of the survivours would speak of their time in the forest except in the most general terms. But what they did say only confirmed what the people of Killingtom already knew. It was a dark place full of creatures that would hunt men for sport, or steal their minds and souls.

You had hoped to pass south of it, but it extends further south than you realised. Its about 3-4 hours travel from one side to the other, and about 6-8 hours if you go around. No one in Killigtom would dream of going through the forest.[/sblock]


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## Seonaid (Jun 27, 2005)

Garival keeps an eye out for the dogs, a bit disappointed they never approached the group again. He was quite hoping for a chance to learn more about and from them. _Maybe they were just watching over their land, scouting,_ he muses.

At the valley, he waits for the others to catch up and then heads south along the ridge. "We won't quite make it around by nightfall unless we push, but we'll be on the other side early tomorrow," he calls over his shoulder in encouragement. As he moves, he watches the land around the group, trying to spot any danger before it arrives. His glance casts over the forest as many times as it does the other directions combined.


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## Maerdwyn (Jun 28, 2005)

Fredar looks down over the valley. "What do you mean? Around the valley? Shouldn't we just go down and through the forest?" 


(ooc: we have been travelling through forested terrain so far, haven't we?


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## Seonaid (Jun 28, 2005)

Garival tosses a startled look over his shoulder at Fredar. "Of course not." His brow creases and then he laughs a little. "I guess you wouldn't know. That is the Tancho Forest. No one in his right mind would travel there willingly. Those who do, almost invariably die. Those who survive are never the same when they come out. Whatever it is, it must be horrible, because they refuse to talk about it," he finishes darkly.


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## DrZombie (Jun 29, 2005)

"I've seen enough darkness for a lifetime. Let's go aroond." Nate says.
_There you have it, Nate. The dark forests you dreamed about as a child. And now you won't even think of entering...._


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## Maerdwyn (Jun 29, 2005)

Fredar listens to Garival and considers for a scant second.  "Well.  All right, then.  Around it is."  Later, as they walk at their closest point to the forest, he starts humming to himself, and the others, if they happen to hear him, recognize the tune from their childhoods.*



ooc:*This world's version of "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?" or some similar song from a story about characters scoffing at danger and then getting eaten by it.


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## doghead (Jun 29, 2005)

ooc: Will give khavren a chance to post up. He was here recently.

the area you have been passing through is technically plains, but there are trees, even small copses here and there that can restrict visibilty or provide hiding places.


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## DrZombie (Jul 5, 2005)

Nate keeps a nervous eye on the woods as they skirt past it, trying to see, well, whatever it is that hides in the woods.
After his left arm got tired he saw the wisdom of keeping his new, shiny shield on his back, hoping to have some time to strap it on before hostilities begin.


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## khavren (Jul 5, 2005)

_ Hmmm, wonder what kind of useful plants grow in those depths..._ Fenix eyes the woods frequently as they walk alongside "How much is skirting around these woods adding to our time? And have you considered that the best place to hide a villan is in the middle of the woods everyone fears?"


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## Seonaid (Jul 5, 2005)

Garival casts a glance at the forest and then Fenix. "It'll take twice the time to go around, but it's worth it. Any 'villains' who might think to hide out there are certainly long dead or crazy." _Or too powerful for us to handle,_ he thinks grimly.


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## doghead (Jul 6, 2005)

*D+2. Skirting the Tancho forest.*

Turning to your left, the party begins to head slightly south of due west. For a while the way is easy going and you make good time as the sun sinks towards the horizon ahead. About an hour or so after altering course, you are visited once more by the dogs.

They appear first quite some way to the north of you. From there they begin to trot in your direction. Occasionally you lose sight of them, only for them to reappear a little later closer than before until they come to a halt about about 100 feet ahead of you. All in all, they cover the distance rapidly.

One of the dog deposits something on the ground, barks and steps back. It looks like a short thick stick. The three dogs disappear and reappear about 50 - 60 feet behind (relative to you) where they left the object.


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## khavren (Jul 6, 2005)

Fenix stops and raises his eyebrows, "They want to play fetch? I know a little bit about dealing with animals, but it's not what I'm best at. Any of you have dogs growing up?"


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## Seonaid (Jul 6, 2005)

Garival watches the dogs somewhat anxiously. "Those aren't just dogs. They're supposedly as intelligent as we are. And given the fact that they haven't attacked yet, and the fact that we've been able to see them, I doubt they're hostile to us." He jogs over to the object, slowing as he approaches. If it seems non-threatening, he'll pick it up and examine it more closely. He keeps looking up at the dogs as he does so, trying to gauge their reactions.


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## doghead (Jul 10, 2005)

*An invitation*

Garival finds a, rather damp, scroll case lying on the grass. The dogs make no move to prevent him approach or pick it up, so he does so. Inside is a piece of parchment.

"Good fellows. 

My friends, the four-legged ones who were so kind as to deliver this message to you, have informed me that you are passing through. It has been too long since I heard any news from outside the forest, and I would be delighted if you would join me for dinner.

Should you choose to accept, and I do hope that you do, please clap loudly three times in quick succession, and the aforementioned messengers will bring you to me.

Sincerely

JG


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## DrZombie (Jul 10, 2005)

_Bugger me. What on earth is this._
"Dinner? With JG? The Jolly Giant? Hmm. These dogs are supposed to be good, right?"


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## Seonaid (Jul 11, 2005)

Garival shakes his head. "I don't know. I don't like the sound of this. I've never heard of anyone _living_ in there. Not anyone human, that is." He looks at the others for guidance.


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## khavren (Jul 12, 2005)

Fenix frowns and shrugs, "Anyone ever heard of any local legends that would be covered by JG?"


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## Maerdwyn (Jul 12, 2005)

Fredar takes a look at the parchment. He examines the writing to see if it looks like other handwriting or ink he's seen* or if anything else looks "odd" about the parchment.  He asks Fenix, "Anything you can do to find out what they're thinking," indicating the dogs, "Some way to talk to them?"  To everyone, he says, "Don't think I'd go in there, based on what Garival says about the forest - least not just because of this note.  It kind of smells like '"Come into my parlour," said the Spider to the Fy.'"


*All this assuming Fredar is literate...


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## DrZombie (Jul 13, 2005)

"Hmm. Maybe we can invite him to our campfire out here? It would be nice to know what is going on in the forests, maybe he has seen what we are looking for?? We can always write an invitation on the back, and see what happens. If he wants to find us, his dogs will lead him to us anyhow, and he might decide to pay us a visit when we sllep if he gets upset because we don't answer."


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## Maerdwyn (Jul 13, 2005)

Fredar nods. "I like that better--"  He has a sour thought.  "So he wants us to clap three times and the dogs will take us to him - probably with that thing they do. It's not like we were supposed to climb on them or anything, right?  You think they could take us to 'JG' whether we consented to go or not?"


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## Seonaid (Jul 14, 2005)

Garival listens to the others and is about to agree with the plan to invite the mysterious "JG" to their camp, when Fredar continues. He shudders in response. "I don't know enough about these dogs to risk it. I don't think we should assume anything about them. For all we know, the clapping will cause us to _blink_ like they do." He shudders again.


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## khavren (Jul 14, 2005)

Fenix ponders for a bit, then replies "I don't think any of my little tricks would let me know what they were thinking. My spirit hounds are just good for fighting. I like the idea of inviting him out to us instead tho. It's still polite and possibly usefal, and no matter what should get us more information. Without information we're just fumbling blind in the dark hoping it's not a cliff next to us."


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## DrZombie (Jul 19, 2005)

With a bit of charcoal nate scribbles on the back of the note.

"Dear JG.
Please feel free to join us tonight at our campfire. There are many stories told about the deep woods, and few of them pleasant. While we do not doubt your good intent, we are very hesitant to enter such a dangerous place."

He walks towards the dogs and puts it down.


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## Seonaid (Jul 20, 2005)

Garival watches the dogs and the woods as best he can.


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## doghead (Oct 22, 2005)

*A parting and a change.*

The dogs seem to recognise your intentions. When the note is slipped back into the scroll case, one of the animals approaches, but it doesn't comes close enough for you to pass the scroll case back to him. He stares at the scroll holder for a moment, and barks until the scroll case is deposited on the ground and whoever bore it steps back. 

The dog moves in to collect it. But the wary look doesn't leave his eyes until he has it in his mouth, and is away. In the blink of an eye. The dog with the scroll case reappears about 40 feet way. It watches you for a minute while the other animals gather around it. Then together they dissappear from sight.

They don't return, and aren't seen again.

The four of you turn back in the direction you were heading and continue walking.

The rest of the day is fairly uneventful. Garival can't shake the feeling that the weather is threatening ... something. But he can't work out what. Perhaps the weather itself doesn't know yet, he concludes.

No one appears that night. It seems JG didn't want, or wasn't able, to accept your invitation.

The storm arrrives in the small hours of the morning a few hours before dawn. It begins with a charged stillness in the air. Its not long, however, before the stars begin the disappear and the air stirs again. A short lime later it is starting to tug at your hair and loose clothing. Rain follows shortly. Its not yet a downpore, but the drops of water are fat and heavy.

A bolt of lightning rends the night sky.


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## DrZombie (Oct 23, 2005)

"Bugger"

Nate says dryly. He takes of his metal armour quickly, wraps it in oiled leather, and stows it away. He wraps his cloak around him, and tries to keep as dry as possible.


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## Seonaid (Oct 24, 2005)

Garival shrugs and studies the sky. [Does the storm look natural?] "Looks like we'll be getting wet, gentlemen." He'll make appropriate rain preparations before returning to sleep or watch.


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## doghead (Oct 27, 2005)

*A good day to be home in front of a roaring fire*

Garival glances at the others to see if they are OK. Fenix has moved out into the open, and Garival suggests that he get under shelter. Nate and fredar seem sorted enough.

The temperature drops rapidly and the storm picks up in sound and fury over the next hour. The wind begins to tug and pull at your blankets and cloaks. The rain thumps down, blown sideways by the strength of the wind. The trees that you have camped under are ineffective as shelter against such weather. It blows under the shelter of the canopy. It drips down through it. Your clothes and blankets are soon soaked by the downpour, and you can feel it beginning to sap the heat from your body. Soon , Fenix and Fredar are beginning to shiver.

Its less than an hour from dawn and there is no sign of an lightening of the sky. Indeed, you can see less now than you could at midnight as the rain steadily closes down the horizon as it worsens. Except for when the occasional bolts of lightly briefly illuminate everything in a momentary harsh white parody of daylight.

ooc: The wind is blowing in from the north. You are camped in among a small copse of trees. Fenix and Fredar lose 2 two non-lethal life pips.


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## DrZombie (Oct 27, 2005)

Nate looks at the two shivering lads. 

"huddle up, guys. Lets try and keep warm."

He tries to make a bit of a shelter with the backpacks and a few blankets, and insists that everyonr lies close together , to keep each other warm.
(did we have pack animals?, if so I'll let them lay down and let fenix and fredar ly next to them)


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## Seonaid (Oct 27, 2005)

Garival frowns at the sky. He helps Nate gather things to make a better shelter.


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## doghead (Oct 28, 2005)

*The storm*

The wind howls and rages through the trees, hurling rain and sticks and leaves before it. Its difficult to move against the power of the storm, and those attempting to do so have to be careful or be knocked to the ground. Making a shelter proves to be impossible, the wind jerks and yanks at any branches or canvas in your hands and tears down anything you try to put up against it. The best you can manage is to huddle up in the lee of one of the larger trees.

ooc: Survival roll made.

The storm continues into the morning, although there is little sign of the break of day. A slight lessening of the darkness. A small increase in visibilty.

Above the party, the trees creak and groan ominously. But more worring is the wrenching "snap" that heralds another branch beening ripped from the canopy around you. One falls to the ground just yards away from where you are huddled.

After three hours the storm shows little sign of abating. Fenix, Fredar and Garival are all beginning to shiver as the wind and the wet sucks the heat from their bodies.

ooc: Fenix suffers 4 non-lethal damage in total (includes previus damage), Fredar suffers 6, Garival suffers 4.


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## Seonaid (Oct 28, 2005)

Garival looks around the group fretfully, trying to find better shelter. "This isn't going to do," he mutters.


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## khavren (Oct 28, 2005)

Fenix shivers and wraps his arms around himself, shouting to be heard over the storm he says "Maybe we should have accepted 'JG's invitation, this is positivly miserable. Think there are any caves around we could shelter in? If we must, I have a flask of alchemists fire we can use. I'd hoped to save it in case we ran into more of those orcs or some other danger. I also have a couple tindertwigs, but I we'd still need to shelter them from the wind and rain to get a fire going with them."


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## Seonaid (Oct 28, 2005)

"I doubt we'd get a fire of any sort in this weather. I wonder if 'JG' is responsible for this storm," Garival shouts in reply.


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## doghead (Oct 29, 2005)

*Waiting it out.*

The storm continues to rage for another couple of hours before it begins to show any sign of abating. You huddle close together, shiver and wait. Garival does what he can to help the others keep warm. Without his efforts things could have been much worse. But as they are, both he and Fredar are struggling to control their shivering. Even the stout Nate is beginning to feel the effects of the prolonged exposure towards the end. 

An hour after that the winds have dropped somewhat and the rain have eased off enough that travelling is again possible. But the weather is still foul. The sky remains dull and grey and hangs low overhead. The rain continues to fall. Visibility is limited to a mile or so at the best. You can just make out through the gloom the edge of the dark forest to your north. The wind continues to tug at your clothes. No matter how tightly you pull your cloaks around you, it still seems to find ways to slip its cold fingers through to your skin. Its not enough to cause you any more harm, but you are not going to be able to shake off the effects of the storm until you can get dry and warm again.

There is no sign of the sun, but it is about mid-morning by your reaconing. Another day, a day and a half perhaps, until you reach the swamp.

ooc: Non-lethal damage: Fenix (4 total), Fredar (10 total; -1 to rolls), Gar (7 total, -1 to rolls), Nate (2 total).


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## Seonaid (Oct 29, 2005)

Garival stands and wraps his clothing around him tightly. "We may as well continue moving. At least we'll keep warm if we move, and perhaps we can walk out of the storm." _Though I doubt it,_ he adds to himself, looking at the sky. If the others agree, he'll start to break camp.


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## khavren (Oct 31, 2005)

Fenix looks at the sky as well and says,  "We should defnitly keep moving. If nothing else, we might find a better shelter than this one. If anyone thinks they have the strength to spare, we should probably take a couple of these pieces of wood, we might find someplace dry where we can have a lasting fire."


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## doghead (Nov 1, 2005)

*Through the rain*

You break camp and set off.

You trudge on just south of west through the rain. Water drips from everything. It drips off your nose, your coat, your weapons. The ground squelches beneath your feet. The clouds show no sign of breaking up. The horizon remains fixed at about a mile or so away. The ground slopes gently upwards.

Occasionally shapes slowly emerge from the grey murk as you trudge on. Mostly they are trees. Sometimes solitary ones, sometimes in small copses like the one you sheltered in last night. Occasionally the shapes become rocks, or bushes.

After about two hours, a shape larger than the rest slowly emerges. Its a rocky outcrop, the size of several large buildings. As you get closer, you can see that tucked away at the base of the outcrop is a fairly sizable overhang. You pick your way through the boulders that litter the ground around the outcrop. 

From a hundred feet away from the overhang you can see that the ground underneath is dry. Dusty even. There is no dripping water. There is enough space for half a dozen people. And in the centre of the floor there is the remains of a campfire.


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## DrZombie (Nov 1, 2005)

"Allright. Let's get a fire started."

Nate drops the logs he's been carrying for the last couple of hours, and starts chopping. Quickly he splits a log into small, and above all, dry pieces, and patiently builds a fire.


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## Seonaid (Nov 1, 2005)

Garival nods to Nate but then goes to search the dry area, looking for signs of recent or incipient occupation.


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## doghead (Nov 2, 2005)

*Out of the rain*

Nate strides forwards and dumps his wood beside the fire. He has managed to collect some suitable wood along the way, and there is a little bit left under the overhang by the previous occupants. As Nate sets the fire, he notices that the previous fire, although out, is still warm.

Meanwhile, Garival does a quick search of the area. The area smells of something he has smelt recently and he finds scraps of foodstuff of the kind he has also seen recently. There are footprints in the dust, about human sized. Orks were here, and recently. In the back corner of the overhang, Garival finds a number of lines and swirls scratched out in the dust.

Fredar dumps his pack and gear and slumps down beside them as soon as he is out of the rain. He is looking, if anything, worse.

ooc: I know Fenix suggested collecting wood, but please post up to say that your charcters are actually doing so. It doesn't make much difference here, but it might at other times.


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## Seonaid (Nov 2, 2005)

"Gentlemen, we may have a problem. This place has been recently occupied by something other than humans." He peers at the lines and swirls, trying to make something of them.


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## khavren (Nov 2, 2005)

Fenix goes over to look, being careful not to scuff any tracks or marks. "How many and what type of creature?"


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## doghead (Nov 2, 2005)

ooc: Garival, hard to tell on the number of creatures that have been here from the footprints. But there are at least 4 distinct bedroll marks in the dust, but you suspect that there were more. The heat in the embers suggests that they left about 2 hours ago.

After some consideration, it is finally agreed that the marks in the dirt are a map of the area; the long wavy line is the forest to the north, the X marks the shelter you are in now, the shorter line with bird claw marks behind it the swamp to the north west. Two lines radiate out from the X. One goes to the south west corner of the forest, the point which you would need to go around before turning onto a north west heading to reach the swamp. The other goes eastward a short way before making a small curl at the end. The southwestern point of the forest has been repeatedly jabbed with whatever was used to make the marks, a knife perhaps.


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## doghead (Nov 9, 2005)

*A fire is started*

Its not long before a fire is going and steam is rising from sodden clothes. But it will take a while before everyone is dry and warm again unless they have spare dry clothes in their bag*.

ooc: Survival DC 10 - the items in your pack are still dry.
ooc: Recovery - you regain 5 pips in the first five minutes and 5 pips over the rest of the first hour if you have dry clothes. It takes an hour to regain the first 5 pips, and one hour per pip after that if you do not have dry clothes.


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## doghead (Nov 9, 2005)

*Ghosted: Fredar, human Ner-do-well*

Fredar rumages around in his bag. He does indeed have spare clothes. But none of them are dry. They are however, a little less sodden than the clothes he is wearing now, and so he changes into them.

Its a small differene, but it is an improvment. After about an hour in front of the fire he stops shivering quite so much, and a little colour returns to his features.

ooc: Survival 9 - no dry clothes.
ooc: 5 pips recovered. Fredar is now at -5 pips (no dice penalty)


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## Seonaid (Nov 9, 2005)

Garival does his best to dry out and get warm, having no spare clothing in his pack. _Wasn't really expecting this kind of a mess,_ he thinks to himself. After a little bit, he gets up and stares silently out of the cave. _What are they up to? Who could stand travelling in this kind of weather?_

If he doesn't see anything changing or strange, he turns back to the others. "I would assume that the creatures here before us are not going to come back any time soon. Should we rest here until the weather clears?"


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## doghead (Nov 10, 2005)

*Ghosted: Fredar, male human*

Fredar looks up at Garival, but is silent for a moment.

"That goblin shaman said we had to hurry but ..."

He shivers and rubs his upper arms. His face is haggard and drawn, and he hasn't been his cheerful self for a long time. Not since Cromwell was cut down in the old hill top ruins.

_Gods its misterable out here. I must have been out of my mind to get involved in all this.If they can get Cromwell, what hope do the rest of us have of surviving._

"We won't do anyone any good if we die of cold."


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## Seonaid (Nov 10, 2005)

Garival looks at Fredar and nods. "We should wait at least until we're dry. No sense in dying of chills, as you say."


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## khavren (Nov 10, 2005)

Fenix looks up from the marks in the dirt to look around at the others and at the water still pounding down. "I agree that we should dry off, but it might be to our benefit to try and catch one of these little groups before they all get together. If we rig up something to hold them in place we should be able to dry our clothes off or at least warm em up from the fire. If we are careful, we can heat some rocks to carry along as well."


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## Seonaid (Nov 11, 2005)

Garival smiles wryly. "If you can do it, my friend, by all means. I don't have the ability." He gets as close to the fire as possible, without burning himself.


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## doghead (Nov 16, 2005)

*Unwelcome visitors.*

The day passes slowly. The only distractions are the hissing of the rain hitting the ground, the burbling of a small cascade of water tumbling off the overhang above you, and the crackle and hiss of the fire. On occasion the rain shows signs of letting up. But it never delivers on that promise.

The day is well into the afternoon when the orks arrive. They appear from behind the rocks barely 50 feet away, three solidly built humanoids dressed in battered leathers and filthy furs that blend into the background. With harsh cries they hurl their spears.

A new sound, a discordant note is the only warning Nate and Garival get before the orks launch their attack. Its a soft clunk, the sound of leather wrapped steel bumping against rock.

ooc: Surprise round - Nate and Garival have one std action before the orks can throw. All characters are sitting or squatting.


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 16, 2005)

Fredar is still in a bit of a fog from his fever, and can't react to the orks as fast as the others. He looks frantically about, trying to get his sling ready, with middling success.

(ooc: partially back - I'm good for a couple or few posts a week, if that's okay, doghead)


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## doghead (Nov 28, 2005)

*Encounter at the overhang*

*Surprise Round*

Nate and Garival grab weapons and scramble to their feet.

With savage cries, the orcs hurl their spears. Nate side steps one spear and slaps another aside with his mace. Garival is not so lucky, the spear gashes him slightly across his leg (1).

ooc: Notes
(1) Garival suffers 2 wounds.

ooc: So is anyone still here, or shall I have the orcs tie up the loose ends for me?

*End of Surprise Round*


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## Maerdwyn (Nov 28, 2005)

Finally fully aware, Fredar lets a bullet fly at the closest of the orcs, then ducks behind any available cover


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## doghead (Dec 2, 2005)

*Unwelcome Guests*

*Round 1*

Fredar winds up and hurls a bullet at the approaching orcs. It flies true, but the orc seems to just shrug it off. Fredar grabs what cover he can, but he doubts it will help much.

Garival sets himself ready to receive the orcs assault, staff held at the ready.

Fenix raises his hand a barks something unintelligable. A bolt of energy flies from his hand across the intervening space and strikes another one of the orcs. But this orc too seems to just shrug off the attack. Fenix backs off as much as he can, but it is only 15-20 feet at most.

Nate howls a long wavering cry and, heavy mace in hand, charges into the midst of the orcs. The heavy mace crashes down on the first orc Nate come to. The orc defends furiously, but Nate's attack just crashes through the orc's defences. The orc grunts with pain.

With a their own howl the orcs grab their own heavy maces and fall on Nate. Nate manages to avoid the blow from the orc he had just hammered. But blinded by his rage, the blacksmith is unable to avoid the other two blows. One seems to bother him not at all. The other is enough to make the mighty blacksmith stagger slightly.

"No!" Howls Garival.

ooc: Nate suffers 5 wounds, -1 to rolls

*End of Round 1*


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## khavren (Dec 6, 2005)

Seeing the lack of response from his bolt, Fenix begins the longer chant that calls forth his spirit hounds to fight for him.


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## doghead (Dec 6, 2005)

ooc: welcome back khavren.


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 6, 2005)

Fredar despairs a little at his friend's charge, wishing he'd had a little more time to fire at the orcs without the posibility f hitting Nate, and knowing that even Nate might have trouble with three orcs at once without help.  He forces himself to make a decision out of that knowledge, rather than the small picture in the back of his head of what likely is going to happen to him, and drops the sling.  He transfers the orc shaman's spear from his shield hand, and moves toward nate and the orcs, trying to flank at least one of them before he strikes.

ooc: if that's possible in one round that is.  +3 Halfspear (1d6+2, 10/+5), not countinfg magic or flanking bonuses, if any.


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## doghead (Dec 6, 2005)

ooc: Fredar can drop the sling as a free action and grab his spear as a move action, which would allow him to attack this round. Grabing the shield and pulling it on would be another action, so doing all three would take a whole round. Attack this round with just the spear, or grab the shield as well and attack next round?

BTW. The half spear is a +1. Just thought I would let you know in case I forget. Of course, Fredar doesn't know.

Post #3800!


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 6, 2005)

doghead said:
			
		

> ooc: Fredar can drop the sling as a free action and grab his spear as a move action, which would allow him to attack this round. Grabing the shield and pulling it on would be another action, so doing all three would take a whole round. Attack this round with just the spear, or grab the shield as well and attack next round?
> 
> Post #3800!




ooc: attack this round, with two hands on the spear, if possible, for the extra strength bonus.  If not, just the one hand.  Also, depeding on logistics, he'll attack, in order of preference:
The orc Nate just hit, while flanking it
The orc Nate just hit, not flanking it
A different orc, while flanking it
A different orc, not flanking it.


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## doghead (Dec 7, 2005)

*Enncounter at the overhang*

*Round 2*

Dropping his sling and grabbing his halfspear, Fredar rushes to attack, spear clasped in both hands. He catches the wounded orc off guard. Its not a great attack, but the orc's defense is clumsy and Fredar manages to cut a blody gash across the creatures arm.

Garival curses softly under his breath and pushes forwards also. Unable to close on the wounded orc, he takes another target. The attack is competent, but the orc deflects the blow.

Fenix chants something and gestures. With a pop and a flash of amber light, a small dog appears nearby and rushes into the melee. It snaps and growls at the orcs, but is unable to sink its teeth into anything.

Nate swings his heavy mace double handed. The blow drops the wounded orc like a stone.

The orcs snarl and curse. But their actions remain coordinated and precise. With renewed vigour they continue to trade blows with Nate. Again Nate manages to avoid the first blow, but the second orc catches the warrior blacksmith a ringing blow to the side. Nate staggers a bit and grunts with pain, but he doesn't fall!

ooc: Soak 10 will do that. 
Nate suffers 2 wounds, is now at moderately wounded, -1 to rolls

*End of Round 2*


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## khavren (Dec 7, 2005)

Fenix wipes the sweat from his brow and begins his chant again. _ Even if it can't get through thier armor, it might trip em up. _


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 8, 2005)

_That's one - but Nate could be dead on his feet in that crazed state and not even know it - need to stay by him_, Fredar thinks, with resignation, as he tries to impale another orc.


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## doghead (Dec 11, 2005)

*Encounter at the overhang*

*Round 3*

Fredar presses again, stabbing at the orc with his spear. But the orc deflects the blow again. 

Garival launches a flurry of blows against the orc. Both attacks find their mark, the orc grunting under the battering.

Fenix repeats the arcane phase and gesture, and another dog appears. The two animals throw themselves at the orcs. One manages to get a hold of its target, but the orc barely seems to notice.

Nate once again lays in with his mace, again sending one of the orcs staggering under the weight of blows.

One of the orcs grunts something to which the other agrees. The former pushes in front of Nate, while the latter switches his attention to Fredar.  Fredar easily side steps the orc's double handed swing. Fortunately for Fredar. The orc snarls with frustration.

*End of Round 3*


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 12, 2005)

[ooc:  just getting things straight in my head - two orcs left, one is staggered and facing Nate.  The other is fine and facing Fredar, and Garival is attacking this orc, successfully so far. There are two dogs around in melee range somewhere.  if so:  ]


Fredar sees his friends' blows connect heavily and lets out a whooping cry.  If only he had as much confidence in his own skill as he had in theirs.  The last thrust by the orc was a  little too close, and a had a little too much force behind it besides.  As Nate and Garival seem to have this well in hand, Fredar decides to re-assume his more natural position alongside Fenix.  He feints as if to strike, but instead of following through with the attack, tumbles backwards and off to the side, towards the cave, his shield, and his sling, (if possible), but away from the orcs in any case.  


ooc: Tumble away as move action [DC 15 tumble check, rolling at +7 (there's only a -1 Armor penalty, because he's not using the shield right now), to avoid AoO]; pickup shield as other action.


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## khavren (Dec 12, 2005)

Having done what he can to throw some more targets into the mix, Fenix begins to chant again, seeking to land another arcane bolt on the wounded orc.


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## doghead (Dec 18, 2005)

*Encounter at the overhang*

*Round 4*

The first celestial dog barks once more and disappears.

Fredar attempts to feint, but the orc is not mislead. The stikes Fredar a crashing blow that nearly sends him sprawling. Scrambling to his feet, Fredar gathers up his shield.

Garival presses his attack again. His leading strike is wild, but, despite the orcs furious defence, the follow up catches the the creature a nasty clout across the head.

Fenix chants and with a flick of the wrist releases a bolt of energy that arcs around the melee to strike the orc facing off with Nate. The orc grunts at the impact, but again seems to shrug it off.

Nate follows up with another two handed swing that again crashes through the orc's defences. The orc staggers back a step or two, pauses, then flees the field.

The remaining orc, seeing himself now alone and outnumbered, snarls something in orcish and does likewise. The remaining celestial dog gives chase, yapping and snapping at the creatures heels for a little way before it too snaps out of existence.

ooc: Notes
Fredar suffers 3 wounds.
Fenix has one 1st level spell remaining.
The orcs have withdrawn, putting them about 80 feet away by the end of next round.

*End of Round 4*


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## Maerdwyn (Dec 21, 2005)

Fredar's brief bout of relief at having survived is quickly replaced by fear of what might happen if the orcs reach wherever they plan on fleeing to.  He grabs is sling from where he'd dropped it and tries to launch a bullet at whichever of the orcs looks worse off.   Meanwhile, he shouts, "Garival, your sling! Don't let them go!"  He hopes Nate doesn't charge off after them, but doesn't see much way to prevent it unless his madness ends.


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## khavren (Dec 22, 2005)

Fenix rips his pack from his back and frantically pulls out a handfull of bolts, scattering a few on the ground as he detachs his crossbow from the frame and slots a bolt in place. _ I've got to stop relying on my little tricks so much. I should have had this ready to hand. _


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## doghead (Dec 23, 2005)

*Encounter at the overhang*

*Round 5*

Fredar drops his shield and spear and scoops his sling up from the ground with one hand while he pulls a couple of bullets from his pouch with the other. Fredar whirls the sling around his head. The orcs are, by now, a good fifty or sixty feet way. But they are beginning to slow down.

Fredar's shot flies true, catching one of the orcs off guard, and a solid crack across the head. The orc stumbles but manages to catch himself. He shouts something in orcish.

Fenix scrambles over to his backpack* and pulls his quiver of bolts. Grabbing his crossbow, he hauls back the string until it latches into place.

Garival starts after the orcs before he realises what the others are up to.  Caught in a moment of indecision, he takes a couple of awkward half steps.

Nate charges after the orcs, but they can cover a lot more ground than the more heavily armoured blacksmith.

Garival follows Nate, sticking by his shoulder.

One of the orcs begins to come to a stop but the other orc gestures for it to continue. After a moments hesitation, former follows its companion into cover behind some rocks.

Notes

kharven: * as the party was at a campsite, Fenix wasn't wearing his backpack.

Nate and Garival have advance about 60 feet (double move) from where the melee took place. Fredar and Fenix are at the campfire, back about 20 feet from where the melee was. The orcs are about 30 to 40 feet beyond Nate and Garival when they dive into cover.

Nate's rage will last another 2 rounds.

Its proving harder than I expected to kill you off.

*End round 5*


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