[Play-by-Post] Tales from Fourtower Bridge

[Catacombs]

Spoiler

I'd like to check if we are being followed, by beast or by man, before we take a call. Putting ears to the ground, maybe climb a tree to see if I spot anything. Also check if wherever we are halting is part of some normal animals hunting grounds.

Checking if you're being followed

Yeah. Roll Survival.

 

[Nortar]

Kilur was not used to sleeping without a roof above his head.
Perhaps a human would feel something similar going to sleep on the very edge of a bottomless chasm.

Spoiler

If it's a big deal I suppose I can turn the cart upside down for you to sleep under. Hopefully that shouldn't be too much work.

Spoiler

Good idea, as long as in a case of combat Kilur would be able to crawl from under the cart before the battle ends.
Maybe can yank him out by boots in that case, haha.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

 

[Catacombs]

The caravan stopped. Brytter hopped off his horse. He put a finger to his mouth, signalling to everyone else to keep quiet. He entered the forest and climbed a tree a few feet off the ground. He surveyed the area, closing his eyes and listened. The wind was calm, and he ignored his breath and the creaking from the trees. He heard something. The sound was faint and far off. Laughter? Crying? He couldn't tell, but he was sure the source was up ahead. He climbed down and walked to the back of the caravan. He concentrated and didn't hear anything. He entered the woods again and didn't see signs of anyone, or anything, on their trail.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

The caravan stopped. Brytter hopped off his horse. He put a finger to his mouth, signalling to everyone else to keep quiet. He entered the forest and climbed a tree a few feet off the ground. He surveyed the area, closing his eyes and listened. The wind was calm, and he ignored his breath and the creaking from the trees. He heard something. The sound was faint and far off. Laughter? Crying? He couldn't tell, but he was sure the source was up ahead. He climbed down and walked to the back of the caravan. He concentrated and didn't hear anything. He entered the woods again and didn't see signs of anyone, or anything, on their trail.

"There is someone or something up ahead, but I cannot make out what. We might as well go ahead and see what it is. Might be company. Might be trouble. Can't hurt to look."

 

[vazha]

Spoiler

How close are we to the monastery? how much more travel on teh global map? can we haz some randoom encounters?

 

[Nortar]

Spoiler

How close are we to the monastery? how much more travel on teh global map? can we haz some randoom encounters?

Spoiler

About a day or so to Brookhaven and some time from there to the monastery.

 

[Scroo]

Mardrey seemed far more relaxed out in the wilds. She eyed her surroundings closely as she rode by, looking for the little details nature had to offer, like a mouse wiggling it's nose out of a wooden stump, or a butterfly resting on a dry leaf.

When Brytter called for attention she looked up, plucked a little root from behind her ear and said "If there's something ahead awaiting us the animals of this forest might know. I could ask a bird if it has seen anything on it's flight."

Spoiler

If everyone agrees and we find a bird or anything, I would cast Speak with Animals. I want to ask the animal if it's seen anything ahead (or behind us, depending on where the sounds were coming from). On your discretion, catacombs, I would also ask a bird to scout whatever Brytter has seen for us.

 

[Catacombs]

"There is someone or something up ahead, but I cannot make out what," Brytter said. "We might as well go ahead and see what it is. Might be company. Might be trouble. Can't hurt to look."

The party agreed and pressed forward.

"If there's something ahead awaiting us, the animals of this forest might know," she said. "I could ask a bird if it has seen anything on its flight."

There have been birds chirping and flying around since they left the village. Mardrey concentrated on those hidden among the trees. She whispered an incantation and requested to speak with one of the birds.

A few moments later, one flew toward Mardrey and landed on her horse's mane. It was a sparrow, Mardrey knew, with dark brown feathers and a slightly white head.

What sounded like angry screeching to the rest of the party came out perfect Common to Mardrey.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" the bird squawked. "What do you want?!"

***

ETA to Brookhaven

It's another day's ride to Brookhaven. It's getting dark now, and if you press on at the current speed, you should get there by morning. Otherwise, if you wait until morning to depart, you'll get there by later afternoon. From Brookhaven, it's about a half day's climb to the monastery, according to the initial conversation with Desmond.

 

[Scroo]

Mardrey smiled at the little sparrow sitting on her horse's mane. She asked the bird if it has seen other two legged humanoids close by, in the general direction Brytter mentioned. And if it hasn't been there, if it could quickly fly and report back.

 

[Nortar]

Kilur fished out some kind of monocle-looking thing from one of his poaches, breathed onto it, and wiped clean with a tablecloth-sized handkerchief.
"Just in case" - explained the dorf with a shrug and screwed the thingamajig onto Fouruner stock.

//Kilur's locked and loaded, and keeps his eyes open (for perception if it would be necessary).

 

[Catacombs]

The bird cocked its head at Mardrey.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" it said. "I've seen Two-Legs! Many of them!"

Mardrey asked the bird if it would fly ahead of them and report back what it found. The bird agreed and took off. Mardrey watched it until it became a speck in the dark sky.

About 15 minutes later, the bird returned, landing on the same spot it departed.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Many Two-Legs. Many Four-Legs. A big flame. Much iron! Be wary!"


***

Kilur

//Kilur's locked and loaded, and keeps his eyes open (for perception if it would be necessary).

No need for perception. You are on high alert currently.

 

[Scroo]

Mardrey reported this to the party. "This sounds like they are having a campfire or something? Or m-maybe carry a magic flame? I-I think we should use the element of s-surprise to our advantage."

 

[Nortar]

Mardrey reported this to the party. "This sounds like they are having a campfire or something? Or m-maybe carry a magic flame? I-I think we should use the element of s-surprise to our advantage."

"A campfire, eh? Maybe they're travellers, like us?"

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Mardrey reported this to the party. "This sounds like they are having a campfire or something? Or m-maybe carry a magic flame? I-I think we should use the element of s-surprise to our advantage."

"A campfire, eh? Maybe they're travellers, like us?"

"Maybe. Still, if we must meet them, let us not tip our hand." He looks to the dwarf, "I will go speak with them if you would cover my hide against untoward surprises. The rest of you can wait for me and the dwarf to check if all is well before we mingle with them. If any of you would act different, I would follow your lead."

 

[Nortar]

Mardrey reported this to the party. "This sounds like they are having a campfire or something? Or m-maybe carry a magic flame? I-I think we should use the element of s-surprise to our advantage."

"A campfire, eh? Maybe they're travellers, like us?"

"Maybe. Still, if we must meet them, let us not tip our hand." He looks to the dwarf, "I will go speak with them if you would cover my hide against untoward surprises. The rest of you can wait for me and the dwarf to check if all is well before we mingle with them. If any of you would act different, I would follow your lead."

"Can do, lad. I've been practicing shooting pumpkins from thirty steps away." - the dwarf patted his crossbow affectionately. - "Half the time I never miss!"

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Mardrey reported this to the party. "This sounds like they are having a campfire or something? Or m-maybe carry a magic flame? I-I think we should use the element of s-surprise to our advantage."

"A campfire, eh? Maybe they're travellers, like us?"

"Maybe. Still, if we must meet them, let us not tip our hand." He looks to the dwarf, "I will go speak with them if you would cover my hide against untoward surprises. The rest of you can wait for me and the dwarf to check if all is well before we mingle with them. If any of you would act different, I would follow your lead."

"Can do, lad. I've been practicing shooting pumpkins from thirty steps away." - the dwarf patted his crossbow affectionately. - "Half the time I never miss!"

Spoiler

All you got to do is fire only half the time and we are set.

 

[Catacombs]

Talking to the group

With some of you talking about splitting up and investigating, I want to remind everyone that one of my few rules is to not split the party. So, if you want to check out the group, you all go or none.

 

[Scroo]

Spoiler

Woops, I forgot about that. I vote for us all checking it out then.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Talking to the group

With some of you talking about splitting up and investigating, I want to remind everyone that one of my few rules is to not split the party. So, if you want to check out the group, you all go or none.

Spoiler

Eh they can hang back a bit in obscurity. Didn't mean to split the party, guess I ought to have been clear about it.

 

[Nortar]

Talking to the group

With some of you talking about splitting up and investigating, I want to remind everyone that one of my few rules is to not split the party. So, if you want to check out the group, you all go or none.

Spoiler

Eh they can hang back a bit in obscurity. Didn't mean to split the party, guess I ought to have been clear about it.

Spoiler

That's how I imagined it too.
We leave the horses with Graf (if he does not object); somewhere within, say, 150 feet of the camp.
From there Brytter goes in openly by road.
Kilur (or everyone who wants) follows in 20-40 feet, maybe hiding in vegetations (if any) along the wayside.

Alternatively Brytter and Mumbles can go in together.
With Mardrey and Kilur being the ambush squad.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

Spoiler

I WANNA KILL THINGS

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

I WANNA KILL THINGS

Spoiler

In good time, jack.

 

[Catacombs]

Nortar's plan

I like that. As long as everyone is within shouting distance, that's fine with me. Is what Nortar proposed the next move? Respond with YES, if so, and I'll write the post around that.

 

[Catacombs]

Mardrey understood the bird's warning and relayed it to the rest of the party. They decided to investigate the group.

The Colonel agreed to wait near the horses and to plow into the forest at the first sound of trouble. Mumbles and Brytter walked into the trees near the road and followed the path, while Kilur and Mardrey entered the forest directly, moving as silenty as they can and trying to keep an eye on the other two through the thick vegetation.

After a few minutes, the four of them started to hear low talking and stone grinding against steel. Kilur and Madrey, through some bushes, found a campground; a small one, with an extinguished fire and about three armored men sitting around it. Mardrey could see a pair of legs sticking out of one tent; either the person was asleep... or worse.

Brytter and Mumbles made a turn near on the road and also found the campground. They saw three men sitting by a dead fire and two more behind a tent, smoking a pipe.

Mardrey could hear the voices around the fire.

"It's bloody cold," said a man with a long sword strapped to his back. "Why again can't we get some warmth here?"

"The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves," said another man, this time with a black, fur cape. "We only require one more score before we can head back to Brookhaven. I got wind from Torik that a caravan is headed this way."

"Do you have any bloody idea how long we've been waiting here for that caravan?" the third man said. "If they haven't shown up now, then they're not showing up at all."

"We sit and wait," Black Fur said.

Kilur looked around for Mumbles and Brytter through the forest. He saw Brytter a couple of dozen feet away and waved at him. Brytter noticed movement to his left and saw a hand waving at him through the trees. He caught Kilur's eye and nodded, acknowledging he saw the dwarf.