You travel a few hours, the rain has let up a bit and is now a mere sprinkle. The trees begin to thin, revealing a field of short, green grass that leads to the shores of a wide, calm lake reflecting the overcast sky above. A dense fog hangs over the center of the lake, obscuring the far side. Near the shore of the lake, a dark form lies next to the water.
Whatever Dart slips into her pack, Maidie doesn't notice.
Mossri tries to see what the dark form is!
Maidie also peers at the dark form, reluctant to move further until it is identified.
[occ]Hp 12/14[/ooc]
Khadon takes off his heavy pack and draws his bastard sword. Be on guard. After that dire wolf last night I don't want to take any chances.
Khadon approaches the dark form lying on the lake shore. Peering at it intently through the fog to see what it is.
Dart notices the shape as khadon speaks.
"That's strange. I wonder who that could be, and why they are alone."
You all move carefully closer to the shore of the lake, and the mysterious form. A decayed body of a human male with noticeable bite marks in several places, lies slumped over a large stone.
Seeing that it is just a dead body. Khadon sticks his sword into the sand and begins searching the dead bodies clothing for anything that might help them identify who the man was.
Dart will do the same but take 10.
Maidie hangs back as the others investigate the body, instead looking around nervously for signs of danger.
"Let me know if you guys find anything interesting. I think I'm going to go walk around the lake, see what's out there. Anyone want to come with me? I don't really want to be alone if I encounter whatever made all of those bite marks."
I shall join you. I could probably use a bath anyway.
Maidie looks concerned.
"I think it would be best if we stay together. If there is something dangerous out there, it will be safer to deal with it as a group."
"I suppose."
Searching the body you find a masterwork short sword near the body and a coin pouch with 127 gp inside. The coins look newly minted from the capital city of Tamran; they bear the likeness of Forest Marshal Gavirk, nominal leader of Nirmathas.
"He couldn't have come here all alone from far. Do you guys know if there's a town nearby? Maybe he was staying there."
Local
Khadon picks up the shortsword and looks at it closely. This is good work. He says inspecting the blade. Braggar could probably do better but the forging is solid, and the detail work is excelent. A weaponsmith would probably charge between 200 and 300 gold for a sword like this. You probably couldn't get more than half that if you sold it though. Khadon retreives the scabbard and sword belth from the body and sheaths the sword. I didn't recognize the makers mark but it is a good sword. Do one of you want it? he asks holding the hilt out to the other members of the group.
"Well, he certainly didn't die of old age, and whatever killed him left that shiny sword and a full coin purse intact, so I guess we can rule out robbery," Maidie says, a bit more calmly now that she has some logical deduction to occupy her mind.
"I know I don't gots the size to use the sword. If someone else wants it, they can have it." Mossri grabs one of the coins. She states at it for a while, hoping one of the stories she heard at the Seven Silvers will come to her head, telling her more about the person or the place.
Could have been the dire wolf
"Khadon, don't you think we should try to find out who this man is first? If I died in the middle of the forest, I don't think it would be very kind of somebody to steal from me as soon as they find me. Maybe he has a family who needs the money."
"Hmm. I don't know much about wolves, but that sure seemed like a long walk from where we were. Do you really think it would have gone that far?"
"That's true, Rig! Lemme see if I can remember how far wolves usually range..."
I can carry it for now, I was trained in the use of short swords a bit, would match my rapier well I feel. If the time comes to return it, then we can cross that bridge when its here.
if allowed dart will take the blade and swing it about a bit, nodding in satisfaction he will strap it opposite of his rapier.
hmmm... cloest village nearby... dart will ponder as he looks down at one of the coins from the pouch.
The only thing you know about the man is that he wasn't from Kassen and the bite marks were not made my the sure wolf.
What you discern about the man is that he wasn't from Kassen. His clothing is in poor condition, but look like they were purchased in a large city. The bite marks were not made my the dire wolf, because you find it strange that the body, as decomposed as it is, hasn't been eaten by scavengers.
Rig if you can tell me his name and where his family is we will go and return his money and sword as soon as we get the flame back to Kassen. There is nothing on him that can identify him, so our only other option would be to drag his rotting corpse around until someone recognizes him. Khadon lets Dart take the sword and digs out his portion of the map. When we get back to Kassen we can show the sword to Braggar and Master Renet. Maybe one of them will recognize the makers mark and then we can go ask the maker who he sold it to if it isn't too far to travel. Looking down at the map in his hands he realizes he can't see where they are at. Give me a hand with this map. I think we are lost. He growls at the others.
"Yeah, I guess there's not much we can do to help him." He looks down at the man sadly.
"Here, let's see if I can help with that map."
With Dart and Rig's assistance you are able to keep the group on track. The trail leads ever deeper into the Fangwood, through a twisting maze of trees and confusing ravines. As it tops a small rise, a broad valley spreads out before it, the opposite side of which looks like a writhing serpent. Yet between the two lies a steep hill sloping down into the valley. A cold rain starts to fall again, making the ground slick and treacherous.
Not quite the bath I wanted, but it will do.
"I think maybe we should stop under a tree or something and wait for this rain to pass, or else try to find a way around. I'm not sure if I trust my feet to carry me safely to the other side of the valley."
Dart looks around for a natural cave or outcropping to shelter from the rain.
This is as far as my portion of the map takes us. Dart you had the last part. Where do we go from here? Khadon asks as looks down the valley squinting against the falling rain. Maybe we don't even need to cross.
Searching the area, the only way to get where you need to go is to decend the cliffside. You all manage to find a small cave to shelter yourselves from the rain storm.
Well lets get a fire going. I will try to find some dry wood. khadon duck out of the small cave back into the rain to search for firewood.
When he has found a fair amount he returns to the cave. Who is cooking tonight? he asks the others.
Derick pulls out his map.
why would they give us each a small piece.. jeez.
He will look it over in the torch light after hanging his thick cloak up to dry.
well guys, looks like we will have to be crossing that valley, The map is easy enough to make out, seems we are here, on this side of the mountains, Maidie, Tig, do either of you know anything about the area around here? By the way, looks like we will be camping here tonight due to the rain storm, so lets set up camp.
dart will glance around the cave, checking to make sure there aren't any hard to see entrances for unwelcome guests to sneak in, and to make sure there weren't any inhabitants of the cave before them.
after that, when Khadon come back, he shrugs, I dunno, what do we have to cook? I didn't get any game today, all I have is a lot of dried meat, bread, and a little bit of cheese left.
The cave seems to be secure enough.
Like the night before, Maidie sets up her portable alchemy lab and begins working. This time, she mixes water and different powders into a thick paste, which she sets to render. The result is a small jar of slick grease.
If no one wants to cook tonight that is fine. Khadon says and shruggs his shoulders. I will take the middle watch again tonight. I am going to get some rest. Khadon rolls up in his blankets and goes to sleep. He wakes after a few hours and goes out to gather more wood.
He makes sure to gather a enough to keep the fire burning through the night. When he gets back to the cave he drags some brush in front of the cave entrance to conceal it from sight. If no one has cooked anything he eats some of his own dried meat and cheese and goes back to sleep until it is time for his watch. During his watch he sits near the mouth of the cave looking out into the night, his drawn bastard sword near at hand.
Mossri sits back in the cave and relaxes for a moment before curiosity draws her to Maidie's alchemy. "What's that you're workin' on? Could you show me what you're doing?"