You untie the elven girl, and as the members of the camp approach, she races off into the woods. The camp is chaotic as the people prepare to disperse. Many seem morose, as their options for living freely and happily decrease.
You all know the direction east, and as Riishi said, sticking to the river will provide you the best trail. However, you also are most likely to encounter others on your way.
As you set out, the small gnomish woman runs after you. "Wait, I have something for you!"
She comes up to Hibiki, and you recognize that she was the gnome who nursed you back to health, and also the lady who was taking about dragons. She places some woundpatches and an amulet in Hibiki's hand.
"This was my amulet when I was an adventurer. But that was many years ago, when I was your age. I won't need it anymore." She winks at you. "Remember those dragons. Eladrin can be...tricky. They were even trickier than dragons, I think." She walks back to the camp, leaving 5 woundpatches and a +1 Amulet of Resolution in Hibiki's hand.
If you are going towards the river, Riishi will have no problem knowing the way. If you want to find a more hidden path, at least one of you will need to roll some nature checks.
"I'd prefer travelling along the river myself. I've been bluffing my way out of untenable situations for years, so I can talk y way out of any situation that wouldn't serve us by fighting our way out of."
Witch_Hunter_84 on
If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten in your presence.
"There is a side path we can take," Fyden offers. "I scouted this area before joining the camp." Nature r: 1d20+515
streever on
0
BhowSunny day, sweeping the clouds away.On my way to where the air is sweet.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
Riishi’s bright nature is subdued. The past few hours weigh heavily. Her curiosity brought her to a campfire. The Nk’barra forced her to treason.
Criminal. Rebel. Traitor. She recalls a gallows once seen at Dade, the gruesome sway of the displayed criminals as their bodies jigged under the attention of large carrion birds.
She shivers, then her resolve flares as she protests silently, helplessly, I did nothing wrong!
She looked up as Deitrich passed with his gear. When he met her eyes, she asked unprompted, as if already in the midst of a conversation: “Why didn’t they ask any questions, or claim to make arrests? They immediately attacked to kill…?”
…
“Yes,” she responds absently to Fyden, “we have several paths available…”
mightyjongyoSour CrrmEast Bay, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Alise couldn't help but feel a little despair as the camp disbanded. She had come here hoping for a chance to live freely, but here they were, on the run again. But at least they were moving towards a goal now, however far away it was. She frowned when some of the group talked about following the river. It was sure to get them discovered, and not all of them were used to killing their oppressors yet.
"I think we should try to stay off the path if we can. Open spaces tend to make me nervous - there aren't many places to hide along a riverbed."
Dietrich had worn the scowl on his face ever since the other part members had opted to free the captive. Where else did she have to go but back to her masters? He continued to glance behind the party, screwing his eyes up to peer into the dense foliage around them.
And why hadn't Dietrich made good his own escape at this time? The answer walked by his side in the form of Riishi and the memory of his dead sister. In the hours since the attack and the group's decision to move eastwards, the witchhunter had come to accept the responsibility he now felt for the girl's safety.
"We were guilty," he uttered in response to Riishi's question, "The moment that we walked into that camp. As far as they are concerned, anyone even remotely associated with magic users deserves death." He added in a low voice, "That is why, as the only members of this party not corrupted by arcane forces, we must always be aware of our options. And aware of the dangers that we may even now be associating ourselves.
Nkbarros saw Riishi despairing and tried his best to reassure her somewhat while he packed, she needed to be focused on the journey and not losing hope. "This is just the way things are here, run when you can and fight when you must. I have lived this way since I was a child, it's not a good life, but at least we're alive."
ready to head out.
Witch_Hunter_84 on
If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten in your presence.
"You're right, Riishi," Fyden says, surveying a crudely drawn map he made while looking for the encampment. "We'll follow your trail and move out. Gear up, everyone."
!ready. We should choose a standard marching order. I'd like to be 2nd or so. Someone with stealth should scout just 10-20 yards ahead--close enough that we can fall together if we stumble on an enemy, far enough ahead that they'd get to warn us before we stumble into an enemy. Someone with good perception should take the rear, maybe also a good spot for the defender.
Hibiki slipped the amulet around his neck with trepidation, not wanting to appear ungrateful, but knowing all too well his track record with messing with magical items.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He gestured at Fyden's insistence to move. "Don't order me around, Pointy."
Taking a position near the front of the march, the young man squared his shoulders and started off.
mightyjongyoSour CrrmEast Bay, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Since it seemed like everyone was in agreement, Alise darted ahead to scout the path. The others would catch up soon enough. She wasn't new to this sort of thing, making sure she wasn't going to run into patrols was part of her life. Even so, she didn't get out very often, and she jumped every time a leaf blew by. She still did her best to make sure she didn't miss anything though.
Riishi quickly picks out a small trail through the underbrush and hills to the east of the enclave. Dietrich peers constantly behind him, as if expecting to see someone round the top of the last hill, crossbows blazing. Alise runs ahead, expecting to help Riishi pick out the path, but she quickly becomes disoriented and Riishi helps her re-orient herself.
The going is slow, as you find yourself on dense scrub hills rolling down towards the river. You are picking through the underbrush still while the afternoon whiles away. The sun is rolling down behind the hills when you find yourself in a small clearing...
"See anything?" Fyden asks Dietrich, as he helps scout for movement. Dietrich can gain a +4 bonus to his next skill check (presumably perception) via Fyden's Encounter Power, Knack for Success
The clearing is green and covered with spring grass. The trees around you provide a protective screen and there looks to be enough dry wood a ways off to make a comfortable fire.
Dietrich:
There is nothing out of the ordinary about this clearing. You spot the occasional animal footprint, indicating that animals at least find it to be a safe place to walk through.
"There's no sign of any humanoids passing through here recently," the witchhunter growls, "although we might want to keep an eye out for wild animals. I'll take first watch." He neglects to mention that this is because he doesn't trust anyone else in the party, save for the girl Riishi.
"Don't be so hasty, friend," Fyden says, clasping Dietrich on the shoulder. "First we'll eat and share some stories, then we'll rest. Where is everyone from?" Fyden says, as he starts to gather fire wood.
Nkbarros began unpacking his bedroll for the night and decided to indulge in the idle chat. "Heh, I wish I could answer that, I really do. Unfortunately I don't remember much after the torture I recieved at the hands of the Nk'bara. If my powers hadn't revealed themselves to me I wouldn't be standing in your good company right now. I've been waging a sort of guerilla war against them ever since." Throughout the explanaition Nkbarros maintains a happy smile on his face, as if he were recalling some past youthful whimsy.
"There is a servant of the Nk'bara whose been after me ever since that night. I took the bastard's eye and he seems to have cultivated some sort of grudge against me. He must be very frusterated that I've evaded him for so long, but I guess that goes for most of the Nk'bara that know of me. HA!"
Witch_Hunter_84 on
If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten in your presence.
0
mightyjongyoSour CrrmEast Bay, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
She didn't know why it was important, but Alise was game. It couldn't do any harm, they were all in the same boat after all.
"I'm from the city. I was abandoned as soon as I could cast a minor cantrip, and have been hiding out since then. There are a few others like me, and we help each other out. Otherwise, none of us would last a week."
Suddenly wary that there might still be something listening in the woods despite the others' scouting, Alise stopped there. They didn't need to know any more than that.
Fyden listens actively to his comrades. "They must have done horrible things to you if you can't even recall your own childhood. You, abandoned by your own family?" Fyden says, shaking his head.
"I'm from a small elven community. I grew up somewhere east of here. We were nomads, travelling around more for security from wild beasts and monsters than the Nk'Baras. I ended up working as a mercenary, covering up my elven heritage and mostly doing escort missions for merchants. Not a bad life, but I want to see a future where people don't need to hide from murderers."
As he speaks, Fyden gets a fire built up and roaring to life.
"I don't have much, but I have some drink I can share with you all," he says, proffering a bottle of some inexpensive grain alcohol. "Hunted a dangerous boar for a farmer and got this in exchange. Doesn't compare to the stuff they serve at the Gilded Coach, but it does the trick..."
streever on
0
BhowSunny day, sweeping the clouds away.On my way to where the air is sweet.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
“I’ve always run through this forest,” Riishi says with a bright lilt, reaching bravely for Fyden’s bottle. With her arm only half bent towards her, she suddenly squints her feline eyes, her crinkling nose and lips revealing surprising canines, and continues her arm’s motion to move the bottle past her to the next person.
Leaning back against Cherka’s flank, “My village is two day’s north, well away from any primary roads. We don’t see many people beyond the tinker and resupplying Nk’barra. Though I’ve often visited the city,” she hastily added, careful not to sound provincial around these worldly travelers.
Hibiki remained tight-lipped as he listened, keeping himself a ways away from the rest of the group. When it seemed like everyone else had spoken, though, and attention was going to turn to him, he forced a shrug. "Just a village, nowhere special," he mumbled, averting his eyes.
Dietrich raised an eyebrow at the boy's sparse reply but did not question the lad's response.
"My past is my own and I plan on keeping it that way. I am Dietrich Uberwauld and I am a servant of Kord. I've taken leave from the Brotherhood as I have ... questions that need answers. They have brought me to this group, although this is the last place I would have expected to find myself." He takes a swig from the bottle and passes it back to Fyden. "Do not ask me to look too deep into my motivations to be taking this journey else I expect I will convince myself that I have no business being here."
Fyden watches each person speak, appraising them silently and thinking about the battle they just survived.
"Not for any of us to say who belongs here and who doesn't Dietrich," Fyden says, taking back the bottle. "Whatever you're looking for, I hope you find it, and I hope we can help you in your search."
"Hibiki, none of us are from anywhere special, but I have a strong sense that we're going to end up somewhere beyond our wildest imaginings."
Addressing the entire group, Fyden holds out his hands, gesturing to each member. "You all stayed strong when that patrol attacked us. I'm impressed, and grateful to be in your company. If we didn't come together like that, I don't think any of us would be alive now. I think we have a real chance here to build something stronger than the sum of its parts, and I look forward to travelling beside you all.
I'm off for bed, but lets plan to rise early tomorrow and keep moving. No telling when the Nk'Barra will come after us. Thank you for taking the first watch, Dietrich. Wake me when you need a break."
Nkbarros could sense that Kibiki and Dietrich were holding back, Hibiki obviously so, but everyone had their reasons. No one had enquired how Nkbarros had obtained such mastery over his magical gift without any formal or informal training, and he sure as hell wasn't about to disclose that his patron was in fact a creature of the Abyss. As long as their personal business didn't endanger him he resolved he wouldn't try and murder them in their sleep.
Oh that's very gracious of you boy.
Nkbarros perked at the compliment and resolved to turn in for the night. "Wake me for second watch if no one wishes to take it, I don't like getting too much sleep anyhow."
Witch_Hunter_84 on
If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten in your presence.
0
BhowSunny day, sweeping the clouds away.On my way to where the air is sweet.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
Seeing others bedding down Riishi leans conspiratorially towards the redhead.
“Oh come ON” she chides. “Your sword turns into FIRE! How cool is that?”
The look he returns makes clear that he doesn't think it is very "cool" at all, so she quickly adds, "You must--at least--have a story?"
Cherka snorts, unimpressed by either Riishi’s outburst or the callow swordsman’s flaming toy, stretches, and stalks—as only a self-confident apex predator can—to sniff around the edge of the clearing.
"Rishii, I'll be waking you in a few hours for the second shift - make sure you get some shut-eye." Dietrich knew the only way he would get any sleep tonight would be if he wasn't trusting a magic user to look out for him.
Ready to move on when everyone else is
Finkle on
0
mightyjongyoSour CrrmEast Bay, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Alise was tired. After all the stabbing and fighting and running, all she wanted to do was sink into a nice, fluffy bed...but her bedroll would have to do for a while.
"It's not really much of a story," Hibiki muttered, leaning slightly away from the Shifter. Geez, he hadn't managed to go even a single day without someone taking an interest. What was the big deal about a sword exploding into fire, anyway?!
... Okay, that sounded stupid, even in his head.
"If you really wanna' know, I'm just trying to figure out a way to get rid of this thing." He tapped his sheathed sword against the ground, then sank onto his bedroll. He stretched his legs out in front of him, then brought one knee up. "It has a bad habit of following me around."
You all sleep through the night. Dietrich wakes Riishi halfway through, and she takes over. She wakes in the morning with to find that she has fallen asleep sitting up. As she scouts around the camp, she notices a peculiar pattern made in the grass that she doesn't remember from the day before.
Nkbarros wakes with the unfamiliar feeling of having slept through an entire night without worrying about an ambush. He wasn't complaining, but he was beginning to warm to the idea of travelling with a group.
"Morning everyone, I trust I didn't sleep through anything interesting." Nkbarros took a quick glance around the campsite out of habit.
Dietrich wakes suddenly and grabs his sword when he sees Nkbarros standing in front of him, momentarily forgetting the company that he was now keeping.
He gives a grunt of apology as he stands and then joins the others in surveying the campsite.
Riishi guides Dietrich's eyes to the patch of ground that she is surveying.
He immediately recognizes it as a nk'barra symbol for the arcane burned into the ground. It is meant to be viewed from above by a druid in flight form.
Dietrich lets out a curse as he recognises the nk'barra symbol. "They've found us - this is how they signal to the air. Quick - rub this out and grab your gear. We need to move. Now."
Dietrich scans the foliage around the clearing for signs of anyone observing them. "Probably that damned elf," he mutters under his breath.
"But why on earth would they trust her? She lost an entire squadron of their soldiers." Fyden asks no one in particular. "Any one with a brain would think that she was a traitor, leading the men to their deaths... If it comes to it, we'll massacre them," he says, grimly, his jaw tight.
Posts
You all know the direction east, and as Riishi said, sticking to the river will provide you the best trail. However, you also are most likely to encounter others on your way.
As you set out, the small gnomish woman runs after you. "Wait, I have something for you!"
She comes up to Hibiki, and you recognize that she was the gnome who nursed you back to health, and also the lady who was taking about dragons. She places some woundpatches and an amulet in Hibiki's hand.
"This was my amulet when I was an adventurer. But that was many years ago, when I was your age. I won't need it anymore." She winks at you. "Remember those dragons. Eladrin can be...tricky. They were even trickier than dragons, I think." She walks back to the camp, leaving 5 woundpatches and a +1 Amulet of Resolution in Hibiki's hand.
If you are going towards the river, Riishi will have no problem knowing the way. If you want to find a more hidden path, at least one of you will need to roll some nature checks.
Zithra Melitch in Star Wars: An Empire's End
Jellica in In the Shadow of Zeus
Nature r: 1d20+5 15
Criminal. Rebel. Traitor. She recalls a gallows once seen at Dade, the gruesome sway of the displayed criminals as their bodies jigged under the attention of large carrion birds.
She shivers, then her resolve flares as she protests silently, helplessly, I did nothing wrong!
She looked up as Deitrich passed with his gear. When he met her eyes, she asked unprompted, as if already in the midst of a conversation: “Why didn’t they ask any questions, or claim to make arrests? They immediately attacked to kill…?”
…
“Yes,” she responds absently to Fyden, “we have several paths available…”
"I think we should try to stay off the path if we can. Open spaces tend to make me nervous - there aren't many places to hide along a riverbed."
And why hadn't Dietrich made good his own escape at this time? The answer walked by his side in the form of Riishi and the memory of his dead sister. In the hours since the attack and the group's decision to move eastwards, the witchhunter had come to accept the responsibility he now felt for the girl's safety.
"We were guilty," he uttered in response to Riishi's question, "The moment that we walked into that camp. As far as they are concerned, anyone even remotely associated with magic users deserves death." He added in a low voice, "That is why, as the only members of this party not corrupted by arcane forces, we must always be aware of our options. And aware of the dangers that we may even now be associating ourselves.
ACTION
"I ate soup..."
!ready. We should choose a standard marching order. I'd like to be 2nd or so. Someone with stealth should scout just 10-20 yards ahead--close enough that we can fall together if we stumble on an enemy, far enough ahead that they'd get to warn us before we stumble into an enemy. Someone with good perception should take the rear, maybe also a good spot for the defender.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He gestured at Fyden's insistence to move. "Don't order me around, Pointy."
Taking a position near the front of the march, the young man squared his shoulders and started off.
!ready
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
Perception: 1d20+4 = 6
I am trained in stealth! Not so much perception though.
!ready
The going is slow, as you find yourself on dense scrub hills rolling down towards the river. You are picking through the underbrush still while the afternoon whiles away. The sun is rolling down behind the hills when you find yourself in a small clearing...
Zithra Melitch in Star Wars: An Empire's End
Jellica in In the Shadow of Zeus
Dietrich can gain a +4 bonus to his next skill check (presumably perception) via Fyden's Encounter Power, Knack for Success
Dietrich:
Zithra Melitch in Star Wars: An Empire's End
Jellica in In the Shadow of Zeus
"There is a servant of the Nk'bara whose been after me ever since that night. I took the bastard's eye and he seems to have cultivated some sort of grudge against me. He must be very frusterated that I've evaded him for so long, but I guess that goes for most of the Nk'bara that know of me. HA!"
"I'm from the city. I was abandoned as soon as I could cast a minor cantrip, and have been hiding out since then. There are a few others like me, and we help each other out. Otherwise, none of us would last a week."
Suddenly wary that there might still be something listening in the woods despite the others' scouting, Alise stopped there. They didn't need to know any more than that.
"I'm from a small elven community. I grew up somewhere east of here. We were nomads, travelling around more for security from wild beasts and monsters than the Nk'Baras. I ended up working as a mercenary, covering up my elven heritage and mostly doing escort missions for merchants. Not a bad life, but I want to see a future where people don't need to hide from murderers."
As he speaks, Fyden gets a fire built up and roaring to life.
"I don't have much, but I have some drink I can share with you all," he says, proffering a bottle of some inexpensive grain alcohol. "Hunted a dangerous boar for a farmer and got this in exchange. Doesn't compare to the stuff they serve at the Gilded Coach, but it does the trick..."
Leaning back against Cherka’s flank, “My village is two day’s north, well away from any primary roads. We don’t see many people beyond the tinker and resupplying Nk’barra. Though I’ve often visited the city,” she hastily added, careful not to sound provincial around these worldly travelers.
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
"My past is my own and I plan on keeping it that way. I am Dietrich Uberwauld and I am a servant of Kord. I've taken leave from the Brotherhood as I have ... questions that need answers. They have brought me to this group, although this is the last place I would have expected to find myself." He takes a swig from the bottle and passes it back to Fyden. "Do not ask me to look too deep into my motivations to be taking this journey else I expect I will convince myself that I have no business being here."
"Not for any of us to say who belongs here and who doesn't Dietrich," Fyden says, taking back the bottle. "Whatever you're looking for, I hope you find it, and I hope we can help you in your search."
"Hibiki, none of us are from anywhere special, but I have a strong sense that we're going to end up somewhere beyond our wildest imaginings."
Addressing the entire group, Fyden holds out his hands, gesturing to each member. "You all stayed strong when that patrol attacked us. I'm impressed, and grateful to be in your company. If we didn't come together like that, I don't think any of us would be alive now. I think we have a real chance here to build something stronger than the sum of its parts, and I look forward to travelling beside you all.
I'm off for bed, but lets plan to rise early tomorrow and keep moving. No telling when the Nk'Barra will come after us. Thank you for taking the first watch, Dietrich. Wake me when you need a break."
Fyden will turn in and get some shut-eye.
Oh that's very gracious of you boy.
Nkbarros perked at the compliment and resolved to turn in for the night. "Wake me for second watch if no one wishes to take it, I don't like getting too much sleep anyhow."
“Oh come ON” she chides. “Your sword turns into FIRE! How cool is that?”
The look he returns makes clear that he doesn't think it is very "cool" at all, so she quickly adds, "You must--at least--have a story?"
Cherka snorts, unimpressed by either Riishi’s outburst or the callow swordsman’s flaming toy, stretches, and stalks—as only a self-confident apex predator can—to sniff around the edge of the clearing.
... Okay, that sounded stupid, even in his head.
"If you really wanna' know, I'm just trying to figure out a way to get rid of this thing." He tapped his sheathed sword against the ground, then sank onto his bedroll. He stretched his legs out in front of him, then brought one knee up. "It has a bad habit of following me around."
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
Zithra Melitch in Star Wars: An Empire's End
Jellica in In the Shadow of Zeus
"Morning everyone, I trust I didn't sleep through anything interesting." Nkbarros took a quick glance around the campsite out of habit.
He gives a grunt of apology as he stands and then joins the others in surveying the campsite.
He immediately recognizes it as a nk'barra symbol for the arcane burned into the ground. It is meant to be viewed from above by a druid in flight form.
Zithra Melitch in Star Wars: An Empire's End
Jellica in In the Shadow of Zeus
Dietrich scans the foliage around the clearing for signs of anyone observing them. "Probably that damned elf," he mutters under his breath.