"Stop arguing! It's done. Bergan's gonna be a good boy, aren't you?" Alandra looks sharply at the youthful ex-bandit
Mawj sits with a deadpan expression during Lev's tirade. Drumming her fingers for a moment after he leaves, she shrugs and rises from the table. She turns to Anya, "Very well. Lev may have his pet. But know this..." and holds up two fingers, "One, we will hold Lev responsible for anything Bergan does. Make no mistake. And two, his pay comes out of your pocket after we divvy shares of the loot. Charter funds will not be used to compensate him. On that, there is no compromise." She lowers her arm and smiles, "Now, can we stop this pissing contest and get to work? The land will not survey itself."
Bergan looked a little apprehensive as the conversation continued, and his eyes lingered on Arianna as she walked off, a small amount of doubt showing there.
At Alandra's words, he merely nods, though his face whinces a little at her use of the words "Good boy". However, he was in no position to be arguing about the civilities on how folk treated him, given only days before he had been forced to rob people in order to survive.
"Thank you my Lady, my Lord. I shall see to getting teh equipment prepared." He bows low, an act he is obvioulsy not used to but certainly something he has seen others do to the nobility. Within the hour, the group have loaded the horses with more proviions and the gear for mapping. They are now a group of seven, all mounted with the last two draft horses loaded for food and camping gear in case an extended trip is required.
Kesten Garess stands at teh main gate, water streaming from a heavy oilskin he has donned over hisarmour. A smile spreads across his face as the group prepares to leave. "I wish you luck out there, one and all.". He moves to Elsbeth's horse then and holds something up for the beautiful sorceror. "For you milady".
Elsbeth
The rain fell steadily as the group made its way out the gates and into the wilds.
Knowledge (nature)
Knowledge (geography)
Perception
Survival
"I think it would be wise to investigate the household we already know a little about first. If something happened to the people there, it'd be good to know of it in case the danger should spread."
"Yes, let's check that house first"
A half days ride again finds the group just inside the boundaries of the forest, the great old Ash standing before them. The constant patter of rain drizzling through the leaves from the canopy above were the only sounds to be heard in the forest. Even the horses had grown quiet when the pathway had come into view. The winding path beckoned like some portal through the dark overhang of trees. The forest itself seemed heavy with an air of tension, as if it held its breath in anticipation.
Alandra
Mawj will scout ahead of the group then return. When they do go forward en masse, she will stay in the rear for ranged support.
Stealth
Perception
Alandra looks worried. "Be careful Mawj, this is a bad place. I can feel it"
"Now I know why you were afraid last time." she says to Lev.
"If i may ask, i'ld like to be informed too"
Elsbeth was quite worried herself
"I think it would be wise for both of us to scout at once; if something happens to one, the other can return to the group with news. No reason that we need to stick together the entire time, but at least remain within sight of hearing."
Turning to Elsbeth, he says, "It's difficult to explain. From all appearances, the place has been abandoned for some time. Yet there's a presence there, something unnatural. I got the sense that it's lying in wait, yet...restless."
Edit to add:
Again Mawj and Lev melted into the forst on either side of the path, moving towards the log cabin they had seen yesterday afternoon.
As they neared, the sense of unease they had from the previous day grew again. The rain drizzled down through the leaves and pattered heavily against the two rangers. The fat drops of water left trails of cold goosebumps as they soaked through their clothes and ran down the backs of their armour.
Mawj's keen eyes again picked out the details of the woodsmans axe embedded in the tree stump. Even as she watched, the two points of frost appeared on the handle and spread across the axes surface, only to disapear just as quickly. Around the base of the stump, she noted that the grass was still dead, where other patches had started to green with the spring thaw.
Lev's vision was spoiled by the rain, the details he was looking for not showing up this time. He couldn't be sure if the movement in the herb box was the results of the rain or something else.
The two rangers remained stationary at their posts, both of them scanning the house and clearing warily for any further signs of trouble, but even after 5 minutes, nothing else showed.
Mawj creeps silently back towards the party. "It is as before. Some energy or presence is at the cabin. If we proceed forward, then I doubt stealth will be especially useful against supernatural beings. I suggest our resident cleric lead us forward, especially given her worship of the Lady of Death."
"Me!?" Alandra looks surprised and frightened at first, then turns to grin determination. She grabs her holy symbol and holds it out in front of her.
"Let's go."
"if it no trouble to any of you i'ld like to stay in the rear lines."
"Do no fear, Alandra. I will be near you."
Lev readies his greatsword and stays at Alandra's side as they move forward.
"Do you want my protective shield spell on Alandra ?"
Anya remained in the main part of the group as they approached the house. Towards Alandra, she gave a quick, reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we won't be far behind. If anything goes wrong, we'll be there in a wink."
The party edged forwards along the path and just to either side of it, the young priestess of Pharasma leading the way. As the cabin came into view again, a deep feeling of unease settled over everyone. The scene should have been idealic, with the background setting of greenery and the tidy little log cabin, but something about the place just set the teeth on edge and had the hairs on most people standing on end.
DC15
DC18 (due to the weather)
DC25 (due to distance, weather and lowlight. DC 23 for those with low light vision)
If you made those perception checks and you are trained in Knowledge religion, please make a roll also. Alandra, you can make this roll even if you aren't trained in Kn. Religion.
DC 12
DC15
Perception
The windowsill to the side of the cabin has an overgrown herb garden on the outside. For just a brief moment, the sounds of a lady humming a folk song can be heard through the patter of rain and gentle rustle of trees in the wind. The herbs seem to move of their own accord, as if something were rustling through them in search of specific leaves and buds.
Deeper in the house, just at the edge of your vision, you catch sight of mevement within the cabin. Almost like a pale face staring out from a deeper room. A great sense of despair and anguish grips you when you see the image, but it vanishes almost as quickly, leaving you with a high pulse rate and goosebumps that have nothing to do with the weather.
"This is not the sort of thing I'm familiar with. Alandra? Do you have any idea what we're facing?" He speaks in a whisper, looking around slowly with his hand on his sword.
"It might be some kind of lost soul, prevented from reaching Pharasma because of a violent or tragic death perhaps."
Alandra proceeds slowly forward, clutching her holy symbol.
Time to play catch up.
After speaking with the young soldier Arianna will help Svetlana clean up the dishes, hoping for some time alone with the woman. When the time comes Ari will explain her situation to her. "Before I left Restov I made a powerful enemy in one of the noble houses there. A young lord there believes I am a threat to his family's honor and his position within his family. I came out here to make a fresh start for myself, much as I believe you and Oleg did, but this young lordling is not satisfied with that and has sent a troop of men out to find me and kill me. I do not wish to bring my troubles down on anyone else so I would appreciate it that, if these men show up, you and Oleg would tell them that you've never seen anyone matching my description. If you cannot do this then please tell me now so I can leave before these men arrive and I will trouble you no more."
Arianna wil wait until the compound quiets down and will then ask to speak with Captain Garess. After being admitted to his tent Arianna will sit down on the camp stool, univited, and place her feet up on the table. While staring up at the man she begins " Let's be frank Captain, shall we? I have heard that you and your men crossed paths with another group of men looking for someone who matches my description. I AM the one they are looking for. You see, my very existance is an embarassement to a particular noble family in Restov and the young son wants to eliminate that threat. I could appeal to your nature to help a young damsel in distress, but I don't think your men would be as noble as you. so, bottom line, how much would it cost me to buy you and your men's silence should this group of "soldiers" come knocking on the outpost's gate, hmmm?" As she finishes speaking, she glares up at the Captain over steepled fingers.
Perception check:
Not noticing anything herself, but after hearing the others descriptions Arianna asks the others "You suppose it's too late to go back and get their stuff from Oleg's?"
Arianna
[/b]In the Captains tent.[/b]
The mercenary captain looked at the woman sitting so brazenly in his tent and smiled broadly. "Ah, I was wondering if you had found out about our little encounter with the bounty hunters. Not that they would call themselves that." he states with a frown. [b]"I'm sure you've managed to annoy someone rather important for them to send so many men for you. Tell you what I'll do for you my lady. If you hand over 20 gold, I'll make sure my men don't say anything about you here. However, as a gesture to you, if the money doesn't become necessary within the month, I'll hand it back and we can discuss things from there shall we. What say you? [b]
As Captain Garess steps back from Elsbeth and the group rides out of the trading post into the morning light, Arianna silently tosses a small pouch to the Captain and, with a curt nod, spurs her horse on after the rest of her party.
Alandra walks slowly down the path toward the front door of the cabin. If she reaches it without incident she listens at the door and waits for the rest to come forward and take positions.
DM Wrath:
You know you can use the direct link to the left of the mage on the Photobucket page to get a direct link to it:
Map
"If it is this lost soul you speak of, Alandra, what must be done? Do we fight it or them? Can you guide them to where they belong?"
Lev stays near her as she moves forward, looking increasingly uncertain with every step.
"Ya, Sending the soul to Pharasma would be best. How we do that depends on what it is and why it's staying on this plane I think."
"My concern is more practical ; if it turns out to be hostile to us, will our skill be enough to take it down ? Or at least give us time to find a peaceful solution ?"
Anya pulled her weapons, just slightly scraping her scabart, and smiled. Despite the prospect of facing the long dead, this was better than compounding their problems with the Fair Folk. These could be fought, and the battle won afterwards. With the kindly ones, you never quite won.
"All of us combined should be able to hold off an a risen body. If its a spirit, well... this is where you come in."
Alandra and Lev move cautiously forwards to the very threshold of the house, looking around nervously as they do so. AS they reach the entrance, within a few short feet of the herb garden, the two of them stiffen suddenly, though for those hanging back no visible reason can be seen as to why.
Alandra and Lev
A noise grabbed your attention, and you turned to see what it was. Your husband had stopped cutting the timber and was staring down at his chest. Why was his shirt changing colour? Oh gods it was blood! He turned and then you saw the arrow in his back. A meaty sound from across the clearing and another shaft appeared as if by magic in his side. Three men were coming from out of the woods, their faces leering in grins of mirth as the man you loved desperately pulled the axe from the timber and lurched towards them. The man in front was Happs, but how would you know that.
Then a noise that chilleed your blood came to you, your son playing with his music box. It broke the spell that held you watching the tablieu before you and the terror welled in your heart. Oh gods, I must protect my son".
edit - Well that worked a charm, thank you very much Rimrock.
Mawj hangs back, not quite knowing what to make of her companion's sudden halt.
Initiative