Karthan will mount his horse with a pained grunt. "I suggest we get to a better spot of rest. No fire. With plenty of cover and on high ground. Chardak thinks we can take on 6 more as we are when we couldn't do it at full strength. We might think that Pharasma and Gorum were on our side today. But I'm willing to believe that it was by Desna's grace we still live. Which is something that I sincerely wish Symas had. Come, let's get as far away as possible before nightfall."
"I will go get Symas' body. He was not strong but still brave. We should bury him, not leave him to the orcs."
Agreed. Why not return to the village for the night? We... I... could certainly do with a warm bed.
"It will take too long to go back and forth and the orcs may move when they find their dead. We should post someone to watch the cave."
The female orc seems to tune out of the conversatoin now in common and stare into the trees. A crow flies by and that brings a smile to her face.
Jondar frowns when he notices the female orc smile at the sight of the crow. He walks over and says, "Why are you smiling at seeing that crow?" He looks over to Anna and says, "Could it be possible that their is an orc shaman in there and that is it's familiar? I don't know much about arcane magic but I have heard that shaman and the like have magical familiars."
The female orc responds "errr.... Luck" looking as if she barely understood the question. The orc looks confused at the second question.
After about 30 seconds of akward silence and trying to say that the orc says "No witch doctor.... normal crow."
"Do we have any one left who can stay hidden? I was never good at stealth."
"Sorry, I was never good at moving around unseen."
C
N
you know what the orc says about crows being lucky is true and that orcs rarely attacks crows or other black birds like ravens
"Crows are lucky. I will get Symas."
Given no objections, Chardak will go up to the cave and bring back Symas, his gear, and Chardak's spear.
chardak leaves to go back to the cave entrance The walk to the cave entrance passes uneventfully but Chardak but as Chardak enters to get Symas he noticies most of teh bodies displayed of the orcs still remain near near the entrance but remained but Symas head looks like it was steped on by a bare foot and a bare large footprint headed back into the cave with a small bit of blood seems to head deeper into the cave. Symas' bow and the spear still remain but you only count four falchions as if two were missing.
P
S
st
Chardak frowns. This' not good. He considers just leaving the scene as it lies so that whoever stepped on Symas would not notice that he's gone. The half-orc's frown deepens. That might be construed as cowardice. And Symas deserves, if not a warrior's burial, at least something cleaner than a stewpot. Besides, he said he would bring Symas back. If he didn't his new companions might think him an oathbreaker.
The half-orc stoops to scoop up his spear and props it against the wall near Symas. He slings Symas' bow and quiver over his right shoulder, then hauls the half-elf's body over his left shoulder, clasping Symus' hand in his right hand to hold the elf. He grabs his spear in his left hand and begins shuffling out of the cave. His ears strain to hear the sound of footsteps behind him.
p
Chardak does not hear any footsteps or anything behind him in a nervous silence as if nothing there too quiet this uneasy quietness caries on for some time as he travels back and then it is followed by a crow cawing and then more silence and the air is dead still. Despite this however Chardak finally makes it back to the makeshift "campsite" carrynig Symas.
Chardak lays the body on the ground at the edge of the camp. "Someone or something has been in the cave. Big feet. Took some orc's weapons. It will know we are here when it sees Symas gone and could come hunting. We should be prepared."
After Chardak returns the sun is close to setting for the day and it is fading through the trees. The air is still but the sun is setting. The shadows grow longer for a few minutes but there does not seem to be any orcs pursuing you yet.
Walking up teh hill the party noticies the same stream it looks like they cross meanadors back a little to their left. The trees are queit but mostly barren as they climb up to the hill. This hill is gentle and rolling but not very steep at teh top but on a trinagle of rocks with lichen and moss growing on them stand at the mostly flat top. Up here the party feels a gentle breeze as it gets darker and darker.
Chardak leaves Symas and helps carry the party's goods up the hill.
"Good spot. The rocks will hide a fire's light. You stay here. I'll go back and bury Symas unless someone wants to come."
and you get late watch and Karthan also gets middle watch with NEsteruk.
The sun fully sets and the lasts bits of light in the sky through the leaveless trees mostly falls down. Stars come out in between the barren branches in the night and the now clear sky. A crescent moon rises late at night and after a long uneventful night dawn comes from the sky.
Still shaken by the events of yesterday, Nesteruk isn't entirely sure whats going on.
Whats the plan? he asks the others.
"Go back to the cave. Win glory in battle. Rescue the woman and child. "
speakers=Lastwall scouts
A voice comes out of the woods supsringly close "why did we have to take this halfing with us we might end up late for our noon report to Southwatch. And of course travel through this forest to find the missing people tihs is stupid."
Another voice comes out "Shush you might give away our posistion. Looks like we might have found some adventurers."
You are traveling with these Lastwall scouts
Announce yourself! Nesteruk shouts, a little confused.
I thought they had no men to spare?
An Taldan man about 30 years old walks up in a chain shirt and says" Allow me to introduce myself as Sargent Solow. I am an expirenced scout. I am under the command of castle everstand to do the rainy season patrol of fangwood. and report to twons along the edge. I am under the command of castle everstand. As such they are probably not Soutwach's men to spare. Would you mind taking this halfling back to Southwatch. He is slowing us down."
Sargent Solow looks at a halfling with disgust and says "I hate delays." His soldiers seem to be unhappy and look like they want to groan but hold back to avoid his punishment.
Chardak eyes the Sargeant warily and tries to discreetly draw up his hood to shadow his features. He feels this man might be trouble.
"We would." Karthan says as he strains against his wounds to stand up to the seargeant respectfully. "But our lot has already been savaged by a nearby Orc encampment." KArthan nods to the orc female who is still presumably at our mercy.
"One of our number is gone to meet the judgment of Pharasma while the rest of us are just lucky to be alive. Trouble is we still have to go back and retrieve a girl they've got down there. If we had a bit of help we can all do Lastwall and the High Marshall a service by rooting them out."
"The halfling," says Lyle in disgust, "can speak for himself. Lyle Shortwick, if it please you. I've had about all I can of these." He points over his shoulder at the scouts. "Have room for one more? Doesn't matter where to."
The halfling has a friendly face outlined by well-groomed black hair and a small sharp beard at his chin. He wears a worn brown tunic and brown britches with soiled leather boots.
Jondar walks up to stand next to Karthan and whispers, "We could use another to aid us in recovering the mayor's wife." Jondar looks to Lyle and says, "My name is Brother Millner a servant of Pharasma. Well, Mr. Shortwick we are in the middle of a rescue mission so if you come with us you'll have to assist us at least until we return to Southwatch. I hope are not opposed to taking orders from strangers."
Pharasma always provides for her faithful. Hopefully Mr. Shortwick will bring us luck.
As Jondar watches the halfling's reaction he reaches down and pull the flask of brandy from his belt and takes a swig before returning it to his belt.
Won't matter much if you are. We don't exactly have a chain of command here. Nesteruk mutters.
"I'll do what you ask. I have no purpose or agenda," Lyle admits. "Just looking for some company. I'll aid you in your rescue." The halfling turns to the men he came with. "Goodness me, my companions," he says with a sarcastic edge. "It seems I'm needed elsewhere. Thanks for naught." He falls in beside the others. "Shall we?"
Our last assault was... well... disastrous. I almost lost my life along with the others and one of our number actually perished. By Vigil's honor I swear that this time around I shall fell at least one of Lastwall's foes. My name is Nesteruk, little one. It will be our pleasure to fight alongside you.
Jondar smiles at Nesteruk and says, "Pharasma is with us and has provided us with aid in the form of a companion. We will succeed this time as it is Pharasma's will."