Timerious bridles another horse
Round 9 initiative rolls
Adrianna places another bridle upon a horse and looks around at the remaining work yet to be done."Mother should we leave?"
Garent continued following the friendly man, he began to wonder if there was something wrong with him.
Adrianna places another bridle upon a horse and looks around and sees no foes."Mother, what do we need to do?" Gertie using the quarterstaff and a side board of a stall the old woman gets atop a bridled horse, "We go daughter!"
These beasts seem calmed and tame with this old woman. I am going to release them and hope they will follow her.
Timerious starts opening all of the stalls.
"Ride then. These animals look like they'll follow."
Timerious rushes to open animal stalls, he manages to get three open and the first horse bolts through the open stall door and out of the stables. The other two animals follow behind him.
Standing in the last unopened stall on Timerious's side of the stable is an unbridled donkey. It cocks its head at you and gives you a mule's approximation of a smile while its nostrils flare open? The meaning behind such a display is lost on you, but you do note that the beast's left front tooth is missing and that it has several boogers lodged within its nose.
<Murlsan move
<respawn Y
Round 10 initiative rolls
"Why do you look so familiar Sir Mule? I've also never seen such a fine equine form! Will you come with me?"
Timerious opens the final stall and reaches a gentle hand toward the handsome beast.
The last remaining horse and the donkey in front of Timerious take off in fright as soon as their stalls are opened and are soon gone in the night.
Gertie and her horse trot out of the stall, the old woman gathers the reigns of the horse and mule that were behind Timerious. Once all of the animals had been turned around the three quickly leave the stables heading for the front gates of the castle.
Adrianna gets upon the horse she had just finished putting a bridle upon and grabs the reigns of the other horse. The woman and beasts stop at the stall containing saddles, packs and additional gear. "Hurry up or you'll be walking home!" Adrianna reached over and pulled a pair of saddles and packs from the pile while waiting and placed them in front of herself on the horse she rode.
<darcy
<gertie
<erik
<brion
<garent
<Latovious
<adrianna
<Louis
<Murlsan
Round 11 initiative rolls
Louis' constitution is 14
<latovius retreats on foot, +1hp
<bk
<brion
move and attack?
<erik
I'm confused here. Are there still animals in the stables or not? If Adrianna is telling Timerious to mount the horse he will mount the horse. If she isn't saying that and there are still animals there Timerious will put on another bridle.
Timerious looks around the stable, his eyes scanning for horses or bears or donkeys that may mmet his uncle's description of Sasafrass. He sees no animals that might fit that description, not four legged nor two legged. Looking to the seated lady the figther knew what he must do. He hurried forward and grabbed the reigns of the remaining horse. The fighter rose up on the horse ready to depart this place.
Timerious looks around the stable, his eyes scanning for horses or bears or donkeys that may mmet his uncle's description of Sasafrass. He sees no animals that might fit that description, not four legged nor two legged. Looking to the seated lady the figther knew what he must do. He hurried forward and grabbed the reigns of the remaining horse. The fighter rose up on the horse ready to depart this place.
[ooc] no more horses or mules left in the stables. [/ooc[
<Murlsan move
<respawn Y
Round 10 initiative rolls
[ooc] Round 11 to be posted next
<Murlsan move
<respawn Y
Round 10 initiative rolls
"Let's depart this forsaken place."
Timerious canters forward and accompanies Adrianna and Gertie.
Timerious sets out from the stables to catch up to the old woman with the extra horses and a mule in tow behind her. He is able to get along side of her for a moment but he quickly loses ground to her and her daughter as the two women urge their group towards the castle's gates.
Round 12 initiative rolls
The two women and the animals accompanying them race for the castle's gates and are soon gone from sight. Timerious is not quite sure but there appears to be people gathering at the gate in the wake of their passing. The dark of night makes it difficult to distinguish at this distance.
Timerious snaps the reins to urge his horse forward.
"Hyah! Let's go boy! Hyah, hyah!!"
Why won't this horse move faster and why am I losing ground to them? I don't want to get left behind here. I want to get out of this place!! Who in the Seven Hells is that by the gate. I'll run them down before I am captured and imprisoned here again!
"Come on boy! Hyaaaahhhhhh!"
The figures that moved about the open courtyard between the gate and Timerious turned and moved toward him as he rode forward. It would be impossible to avoid them all, trying his best he urged the strange animal to the right which was away from the majority of the shadowed figures he saw approaching. Timerious and animal approached the downed form of the black knight and the bodies that had fallen around it. Unexpectedly, the horse beneath Timerious leapt! Perhaps to clear the bodies on the ground or to make it past the encroaching group? For whatever reason it chose to leap, while the pair were briefly in the air two of the nearest figures lashed out with their weapons. The horse stumbles and crashes beneath Timerious as both weapons hit the animal.
Round 13 initiative rolls
Round 13 upcoming
What are all of these beings?
"Hey you, get out of the way there! What the....?"
I'm going dooooowwwwnnnn. This damned horse! It's not half the animal the legendary Sassafrass was! I've got to make sure I can spring free from this beast and not have it roll onto my legs.
[dice = Dexterity Check] 1d20 [/dice = Dexterity Check]
A person wearing brown robes and bloodied bandages about their head that have been partially torn apart turns to look at him after striking a killing blow on the horse that he had been riding. The clothing is unfamiliar to Timerious but the busted up face and head underneath the bandages chill him to the bone. He looks upon his own uncle's damaged face! The horse's life's blood drips from the sword his frail elderly uncle holds unnaturally steady as the man regards him.
"Halav save us" says Timerious in a quavering voice.
Timerious tries to keep a grip on reality.
I've got to get out of here. I-I don't understand what is happening here. Torture.....pain.....fear.....endless agony. Got to get out. Got to get away. Got to...got to..got to-o-o run. Run. RUN!!
Timerious scrambles to his feet and runs. Only Halav knows if it is the correct way.
Timerious begins scrambling on his hands and knees in the dirt away from his uncle while his mind tried to come to terms with what he had just seen. Blood flowed from where he had bit into his lip upon crashing into the ground, the feeling of tiny rocks grinding into the fresh wounds on his hands, and the pain radiating from his left knee all served to snap the fighter's mind from it's blank state. Timerious pushed himself up off of the ground and he simply began to run. He was not consciously aware of where he was running to, the fighter's mind was simply focused on a prayer to the only god he had faith in. "Halav save us!". Timerious risked a look over his shoulder when his eyes focused and viewed the ruined castle gates ahead of him. Uncle Timonius and the others had noticed him and they were following!
Get me out of here! Is that the gates! I'm running toward the gates and not stopping for anyone or anything!
With no thought other than escape Timerious flees to the gate of the castle.
Where did everyone go? Where is the old woman? How did I lose them? I think they went this way! Didn't she say leave by the gate? I don't remember!
Timerious sees the gates in front of him and continues running in that direction. He looks fearfully over his shoulder at his pursuers.
I recognize dear old Timonius. What happened to him? What is happening here? Run. Run! Are they gaining on me? Run!!
Questions are whether Timerious can identify the beings outside the gate?
Can he yet see them?
The answers will change his current actions. Timerious will surge based upon what he deciphers of the situation. If he recognizes no friends ahead and only enemies he will immediately change course and keep running. That course change would be immediate to what his addled thought process feels the most safe. If he sees what he thinks are his new companions he will move in that direction.
Timerious ran through the ruined gates and out of the castle proper yet his mind barely registered the fact so wrapped up with fright that he was moving on pure instinct alone. There were only more bodies of foul dead orcs outside of the castle. Thankfully none were standing again to reach out for him and drag him back to the Black Knight's castle! Timerious's left foot splashed into cold water in the ditch that was alongside the road, the cold snapped him back to his senses just a little and he risked a brief frantic look around. There was swamp in front and behind him surrounding the castle and the road leading to the castle was to his right. There was no sign of anyone who had fled the castle and that worried him even more.
There is no one here......they left me behind. They left me. Left me....
Timerious' senses are on high alert in his fear stricken state. He lessens his pace slightly and turns toward the road. Upon the realization he is safe for a few precious seconds he plans to keep it that way. Timerious moves in a crouch away from the castle at the best pace his battered body can muster peering into the night and jumping at the sounds of the night.
The darkened road to the keep has a few twists and turns to it as it makes its way through the bogs and swamps of the surrounding lands. The dryer ground around the road affords some scrubby brush and the occasional twisted tree to grow along the course the road takes. Timerious occasionally can smell the flowering spring time foliage from the nearby bushes and trees, signaling to him that quite some time has passed in the world outside of his cell(at least two seasons). He is able to stay on the path easily enough without stepping into any more ditches and after an eternity he can see in the distance a small amount of light and the movement of figures around it. From where he stands Timerious is unsure of the source of the light, the distance to it, and exactly how many figures there are near it. He has some amount of confidence that it is on the road, or close to its path, and that there are at least two or more figures moving in front of the meager amount of light.
Timerious will creep toward the light.
I have no food, water nor shelter but I do have my freedom. I must move a little closer to see what that light is and who the people are.
Timerious moves forward slowly and with more caution, his hand on the heavy long sword at his waist. After a long of moving and observing he is fairly certain that up ahead two figures remain prone in the dirt of the road while two or three people move about them frantically. He's heard a discussion off to the left of the road as well, between very loud figure and one other voice. The light appears to be cast directly onto the figures in the road, most likely from a bulls-eye lantern.
[b]"This is puzzling to me," Timerious' addled mind whispers aloud to his tortured body. "I don't know who these people are so I will....oh....I'm speaking out loud to myself again....be quiet you imbecile. Oh, okay. I will."[b/]
With an actual sharp shake of his head and several blinks of his eyes Timerious seems to come to his senses.
I've got to be quiet or I'll be taken captive again and that cannot happen. Now I'm so close I'm afraid to move away or these beings may discover me. I will creep a little closer but I will be very, very quiet.
Timerious moves gingerly toward the loud voice.
There are too many for me to come out of hiding unless I'm sure. I won't be taken back. I wont!
The old woman, her daughter and occasionally the archer speak in muted whispers while they huddle around a bulls eye lantern on the ground in the middle of the road `near two bodies. The archer seems to be busying themselves with readying makeshift travois behind one of the horses nearby, but occasionally approaches the women to discuss something or to measure something. The three appear to be attempting to tend to the seriously wounded on the ground. Timerious recognizes the two forms in the little amount of light that they dare to use. It is Markas and Louis who lie on the ground motionless! Markas's face is horribly burned and blistered while the side of Louis's head has been split open and a horrible slash from there all of the way to the fighter's shoulder and arm appears to still bleed. The two fighters from the keep's entrance room that wore heavy plate mail armor struggle to keep two horses and a mule under control and prevent them from escaping. Timerious has no idea why the animals are so unsettled, he then hears the loud harsh voice from earlier followed by a different muffled voice exclaim "Finally got it! Blast that was tough! Murlsan, can you see better now?". The voice is that of the stranger who held a dagger to his neck and had disarmed him a short while ago. Everyone that had escaped the keep was accounted for except for .... Suddenly Timerious felt himself being shoved downward violently. He was just as quickly pinned to the ground by something much larger, stronger, and heavier then he was. "Grrraaaaaammmmmmmppppphhhhhh!" some deep voiced being above him cried out towards the camp alerting the others to what it had just caught. Timerious could feel a hot damp breath against the back of his exposed neck.
"Let me go you ape! I'm trying to reach the rest of the group!"
I hate these filthy non-humans but this one is too big for me to tangle with. I'll have to be smart to talk my way past those other ones but this simple beast should be no problem.
"Who the hell are you and why are you touching me? Get off so I can get back to the group!"
A very warm and thick liquid landed on the back of Timerious's head and hair just behind his left ear. It slowly slid downward and to the side as he tried to struggle against whatever it was that was more than twice his body weight and kept him pinned to the ground. The warm hot breath continued and as Timerious continued to struggle against the attempt to keep him down seven or eight dagger points pierced the simple leather armor that he wore and dug into the flesh of his shoulder blades and back! The fighter stopped struggling and trying to speaking, instead he rested his head on the ground and realized just how difficult it was now to breathe!
It was not long before very heavy footfalls pounded against the ground preceding the approach of something large. Timerious risked cocking his head to the side and tried looking upward to get a better view of what was coming his way. His eyes took in part of a creature with thick muscular tree like legs, he could only see part way up its body from where he was but even so that made the thing much larger than a man! Next to it walked the man with black armor and daggers, who was moving silently and fluidly compared to the big figure. The man was on full alert looking about with a dagger drawn and at the ready. The pair stopped a good distance away from the pinned Timerious and his captor. Timerious heard the man speak up after the duo had sized up what was going on. "Good catch bear! I believe you caught the dim witted lackey that Louis and Markas spared from an untimely end in the Black Knight's castle. The slow minded fool managed the killing blow on the Black Knight himself! After he and I had been locked in a life and death struggle this pile of orc dung stole my kill! I jest; the f&@*ing Knight would have killed me if it wasn't for this oaf! So, let him up bear! If he eventually decides to raise a blade against us he will meet the same fate as all the orcs and the Black Knight's men. Otherwise he is welcome to travel with us for a spell. We need to go as soon as Louis and Markas can be moved to put as much distance between us and the Knight's allies among these lands." The man turned and walked back to those tending the wounded and horses, the thing atop Timerious eventually moved off of his back and followed behind the man. Timerious remained still on the road; breathing was much easier without that weight bearing him to the ground. When he did not immediately rise up he heard that booming voice above him. None too gently did a massive hand grasp Timerious's left bicep and almost effortlessly pulled him to his feet as if he was a small child. The wounds in his back and shoulders as well as the other wounds screamed in agony for many moments as he stared upward through teary eyes at the massive frame of an extraordinarily large ogre! There were a few small nicks and cuts visible on the humanoid but none seemed life threatening to the massive wall of muscle. It wore a dirty leather smiths apron on top of simple clothing and had heavy bruising about its neck, dirty matted blonde hair hung in its eyes as it smiled at him. The foul thing pointed a massive paw at the folks in the road and it started walking towards them, as it went it comfortably shouldered the massive war maul that Markas had been carrying.
That smart-ass little runt is really pissing me off! I've only just met him and I'd like to crack him one.....I'm just not sure if I could hit him before he got away and then I'd be in trouble. Now I've been spit on by a foul bear and picked up by this big, ugly non-human. I wonder why he's wearing a smiths apron and if he really knows anything about the ancient and proud art of smithing? Regardless I'm out of shackles and away from Perin and the castle. These people seem the most likely way to stay safe and get home.
"Let's go."
Timerious walks towards the group content that he has made the correct decision.
Round 0 remaining
Round 1 initiative
"Let's go." Timerious said out loud to himself for no one was around and those who had been were almost back to those who had been tending the horses and wounded. 'This group has yet to and apparently will not wait up for me. ME! Yet they care enough for Louis and Markas to try and keep them alive. Why am I not afforded the same luxury and care? It was I who slew the Black Knight! That heroic feat should demand the respect of these people and beasts!' Timerious lost himself in thoughts and visions of self-importance and vengeance as he walked in the shadow of the ogre towards the group.
It took another twenty tense minutes to prepare the wounded for travel, during that time Timerious saw the ring that mended his wounds passed among the group of survivors. The ring is offered to Timerious as the last of the standing wounded, while the treated and unconscious men are moved from the ground to their prepared modes of transport. A short time later all of Timerious's wounds were healed, the newly mended muscles, skin, and bones had a dull ache to them. That was the only thing that remained behind as he returned to the old woman her ring. Without a word and with no apparent thought given to placing the mending ring on either Louis or Markas the old woman placed the ring on her finger and shuffled to the horses. Along with her daughter, the pair rode the saddled horses pulling the wounded behind them in makeshift travois. One of the armored men held the reigns of the unburdened donkey while the other walked just behind the wounded men near to Timerious. At the head of the group the archer, a woman named Darcy, and the black leather clad man took turns at leading the group forward. A short distance behind Timerious the rear guard of the ogre and the bear followed the group.
Throughout the night the group plodded along the road, at one moment a few hours after midnight the slight evening breeze brought to the group's ears a very muted sound of a horn. Beyond that moment the evening travel was uneventful and an hour and a half before dawn the marsh land around the roadway had all but changed to the rolling grasslands of the southern Thunder Rift. At the breaking of the new day the weary group heard the noises of the occasional wolf or dog in the distance. The archer hurried from the front of the group to the side of the ogre."Please, lift me up so that I may see farther." She asked nicely of the ogre who was all too happy to comply. While more than thirteen feet off of the ground Darcy pulled a large spyglass from a small satchel at her waist and scoured the way the group had traveled over the night. Timerious glanced about the group upon hearing the news. He saw these exhausted warriors begin the preparations for yet another fight. Timerious smiled at learning the braggart in the front's name finally, and at the prospect of extracting more revenge on the Black Knight's sub-human allies.
The old woman turned her horse slowly around as everyone began moving forward. The old woman rode past Timerious and up to Darcy's side with Louis in tow. "Your spyglass please child. I have regained some of my powers as we rode and can confuse those who follow us." Timerious stepped to the side and stopped to watch this spectacle of the arcane as the old woman scanned the lands behind them. The viewing glass in her hand paused twice for several heartbeats each before continuing once again to scan the countryside. The old woman lowered the glass from her eye and rubbed her forehead with her other gnarled hand. Her eyes opened a few moments later and she handed the item back to its owner, "It is done." was all she said as she urged her horse gently forward past Timerious. 'That is it?!? The old horse whisperer must be mad! She could not have done a damn thing for I saw no flashes of light nor puffs of smoke. She is just an old prankster, a traveling side show act who has conned these fools with a few small tricks. The strength and cunning of Halav will be what truly breaks these sub-human filth and sends them fleeing from his faithful. They will soon be upon us and I shall be ready! I shall be the first to strike them down in the name of Halav, the one true god!' Timerious drew the black knight's blade from his waist and looked across the lands behind them. He saw nothing for many long moments so he turned and began to follow the group, frequently he peered over his shoulder for the orcs who he was sure were right on their heels each time seeing no signs of the orcs. Two hours passed like this, the heavy sword fatigued his arm to the point where he was forced to put the weapon away. Unexpectedly some time later the bear behind Timerious began to growl, he turned his head around to see from the side of the road two orcs and a filthy grey dog charge the ogre and bear with weapons drawn.
Round 1 remaining
Round 2 initiative
"I'll slay every orc that comes within reach of this blade! Aaarrrgh!"
Timerious runs to the nearest orc ready to do battle.
The orcs manage to land minor blows on the un-suspecting bear and ogre as soon as the emerge from cover. The hound they were using to track the party snaps at the bear but is leery of the large animal and does no damage. From over the steep hill next to the road orcs pour down at the main part of the party. Darcy fires off two arrows, only one finds a target. It severely wounds the orc who drops the sword it was carrying to grasp at the arrow's shaft in its side. Latovius dashes forward and drives his black dagger into the distracted orc ending its threat. Brion draws his sword and runs to Murlsan's side in an effort to add to the rear guard, his swing is true and he guts one of the orcs who had surprised the group. Murlsan without the restrictive helm upon his head turns and sees an orc behind him, he brings his enchanted maul downward onto the smaller humanoid as if he was driving a nail into a piece of wood. The poor orc is destroyed by the power behind the blow. As more orcs swarmed at the party Erik stepped forward and beheaded an orc who had drew blood on Latovius.
Timerious seethes as this new threat shows itself. This is the kind of action he wants and needs. Unfortunately the sub-human orcs aren't within easy reach but the mangy cur that came with them has the unfortunate luck to be the closest enemy.
So sorry to end your time in this world mutt. But not really.
"I'll send you back to your hole with your filthy masters!"
Round 2 start
Latovius is heavily wounded by two successful nasty swings by the orcs pressing him hard. Another orc steps in at the rear of the group and slips his blade past Brion's guard and skewers the fighter in the upper arm and shoulder. The fighter's sword arm is rendered useless and his fine blade falls from his grasp. Murlsan hammers the hound into the ground that Timerious horribly missed just moments ago.
Timerious sprints 50' to the closest orc and deals death with his blade.
Round 2 remainder
Round 3 Initiative
Timerious says not a word while his mind is a rush of disjointed thoughts on various topics. He instinctively picks his way across the scattered lose stones at the side of the road and closes on one of the foul orcs. The fighter does manage a strong slicing blow on the orc yet it remains standing and capable of continuing the fight. Blood trickles forth from the gash in the orc's armor as it rasps unintelligible nonsense at Timeirous which serves to only fuel the man's hatred for the filthy inhumans.
Of the two arrows that fly from Darcy's bow one skewers an orc through the eye with enough force to send it spinning into the ground never to get up again. Once again Gertie reaches to the sun and gathers a bit of glowing light into her hand. She immediately sends it at an orc who briefly recoils as the beam finds it. The light splashes on its chest which suddenly turns a sickly greenish grey before turning to ash, the orc crumples to the ground dead.
The orc on the far side of Brion swings a sword near to Brion but does not connect. The bear who did not seem fond of Timerious bounds toward the orc the fighter had wounded. With two strong swipes the bear knocks the life from the orc but hardly seems to notice as it drags the dead body in close for a vicious thrashing hug. Timerious and those around him heard gruesome snapping of bone as the bear thrashed with the orc in its grasp. Latovious staggers towards the remaining orc and tries to throw a dagger but in his weakened state the fighter's blade merely tumbles from his grasp to fly a few feet ahead into the dirt.
Round 3 start
The big ogre strode forward with anger and purpose, it growled as the enchanted hammer flashed downward. The orc was suddenly gone and those near to where it had stood are bathed in gore. Looking around no more orcs emerged from the woods and no other sound could be heard.
"Foul creatures. Good job Bear. I had that orc easily but way to go."
I don't know how much farther some of these people can go, myself included.
"Do you think we've gone far enough to safely camp? Are we heading to Melinir?"
Having grown tired of the toy it had been playing with the bear dropped the body; the orc fell limply to the ground. The beast snorted in Timerious's direction before moving to stand alongside the ogre. Murlsan responded to Timerious's questions as he wiped his maul off with his apron. No one else bothered to answer Timerious's questions and concerns. "A quick search of the bodies and then we move on. I know of a more defensible spot several hours away. Follow the road and I shall catch up to you." Darcy ordered as she moved off of the road and into the wilds. Gertie bent down and handed Latovius her enchanted ring while still mounted on her horse. The rogue took the ring and retrieved his poorly thrown dagger from the ground. Erik, Brion, and Murlsan made quick work of tossing the bodies off of the trail and behind some bushes. Timerious did not dirty his hands by touching such filth, instead his eyes focused on the fine blade that had fallen from Brion's hand during the fight. The fighter picked up the perfectly balanced blade, it felt much lighter and deadlier in his hands then the Black Knight's sword. 'A blade this fine surely contains some sort of enchantment.' Timerious thought to himself as he looked closer at the sword, just above the weapon's golden cross guard he noted a dwarven smith's mark on the blade. As Timerious was lost in his examination of the grip and pommel Brion walked up and took his sword back without saying a word. Timerious was left to offer a sheepish smile of apology to the back of the retreating plate mail clad fighter. Six swords, three daggers, and a hand axe were the weapons recovered from the orcs. The dog's corpse and two days of what Timerious and the other humans considered rations were reclaimed and pooled together for everyone's use while many more days of 'food' were set aside for Murlsan and Garent. Murlsan said as he rubbed the bear between the ears.
The group set out within ten minutes of the fight being over, they followed the road with Latovius in the lead. Before long Latovius's wounds were mended and the ring was passed amongst the group to mend other wounds sustained in the fight as they traveled along. An hour passed, and then another, and finally almost an entire third hour had passed before Darcy returned. She was waiting for them to arrive on the side of the road up ahead. "You have slowed. It will probably be three hours at this pace before we make the Ranger's Grove. Come, there is still one group of orc raiders in the area I believe." She said at the group's approach. At hearing this Timerious looked upward and saw it was nearing noon, the fatigue and exhaustion he was feeling was apparent on everyone's faces now. The road he was standing on appeared to be a bit more traveled and the countryside was covered in early spring time grasses and budding low trees. In Timerious's expert tactical opinion they hadn't passed anything large enough to hide two f#%~ing pheasants in over an hour yet alone something that could be used by a group this size. The fighter's stomach had been letting him know it was angry at him for at least the last hour. Pinches of hunger and many long growls accompanied his every tired step now and he was not alone with this suffering. The prospect of slaughtering more in-humans in Halav's name was the only redeeming thought he could come up with, and even that did not seem so appealing at this point in time.
"Well, let's keep moving then. If we get lucky we'll meet up with the orcs and kill some more of them."
Timerious sidles over towards Brion. "That is quite a fine blade young sir. My skills as a smith are well known in Melinir but I've never seen that make. Where is it from?"
I wonder if he will trade or sell me that blade?
"If you are a smith of note I have never heard of you. Erik, have you ever heard of this fella? Says he's a smith in Melinir, a well known one at that." Brion asked with a snort at hearing Timerious's claim of being a famous smith. Erik, with the mule in tow, looked Timerious up and down as they went “I’ve never seen him before. Where was your shop famous smith?" The young man asked with a smirk on his face and a chuckle to his voice. Over the next hour of travel Timerious is grilled by the pair of upper middle class Melinites whose privileged lives and family businesses in lumber and mining goods afforded them influence and knowledge over most of the spectrum of Melinir society. Timerious is forced to concede that he exaggerated his standing as a smith of any sort of note and that in all actuality he was the third or fourth best apprentice to Shar Thunderhand. Both Erik and Brion are familiar with Shar, her fiery temper, service to Halav Redhair, and the location of the smithy where Timerious had toiled for years but neither remember him. The attempt at trading or purchasing the dwarven long sword by Timerious is initially met with resistance but when he offers the Black Knight's sword in the deal there is some interest from Brion. While Brion is examining the weapon Murlsan laughs loudly and interjects himself into the haggling, With that knowledge the blade loses its luster in Brion's eyes and the sword is handed back to Timerious, the deal off. Timerious does eventually manage to learn that Latovius had given similar swords to Erik and Louis. Erik's was shattered when he struck the shackles that had bound Gertie. Timerious picks up his pace and visually examines Louis's body as it is carried up ahead of him. An exquisite scabbard is missing a sword and a regular looking long sword hilt are the two weapons lashed to the remnants of the man's backpack at the head of the travois.
The group travels for three and a half hours before a few hundred feet tall bluff comes into view, it towers above the low rolling countryside. The bluff is not directly on the road and it has steep sides to over half of its perimeter. A dried up riverbed is crossed by the group as they approach. The exhausted group makes the trek up to the top where a thirty foot wide clearing is found amongst the pine trees that grow there. A small fresh water stream is located a quarter mile from the base of the bluff according to Darcy, it used to be more of a river and has changed its course over time. A rough two person lean-to with a roof and a backside to it is nestled among the pines, it is apparent that it sees occasional use. "It is rumored that this forest among the plains is sometimes visited by a unicorn, a servant of Djaea and protector of the Brichtwood. I do not expect a visit by such a noble beast nor do I expect anyone but ourselves to watch over us while we are here. Let us eat meagerly and get some rest." Darcy advises. At learning this history Murlsan drops to his knees in quiet prayer, the bear has a seat silently next to the ogre and one could guess that it might be praying as well. While that is going on the dog's corpse is butchered and roasted over a very small fire adding to the rationed portions of the food that were either taken from the keep, had been recovered in the ambush, or had been amongst the adventuring folk's supplies. It was evident that food would need to be further rationed and hunted as travel plans are discussed. Everyone looks upon a very detailed map of Darcy's own making and discusses their opinions from their own points of view.
Directions on the map:
Murlsan's tribe or brothers are two or so days away from their current position to the west and slightly north.
The small hamlet of Hawk's Hill is two or three days beyond that general Murlsan family area to the north west.
Another hamlet, Overton, is also about two or three days from the area of Murlsan's family but to the north east along the edge of the Marshwood swamps.
Melinir lies a two or three day journey beyond either of those hamlets and probably six or seven days from where they currently were or four or five days from where Murlsan's family might be.
Options and opinions stated by NPCs:
Darcy will not travel with you beyond the hamlets on the map and may not even travel with you at the dawning of the next day.
Murlsan will not travel anywhere with you unless it is to his tribe.
Gertie and the lovely Adrianna will not travel to Melinir and are bound for either of the hamlets. Gertie lived in Hawk's Hill (Latovius informs her and everyone else that her home was destroyed by the raiders that took her and her daughter). Her daughter Adrianna now lives in Overton.
A rotating watch shift is kept through the late afternoon and evening with folks quickly falling into exhausted rest while not on watch. In the early morning hours Markas rouses from his catatonic state and begins to cry out in pain. Darcy and Adrianna awaken and tend to him; with the aid of Gertie's ring his life threatening wounds are mended.
Markas suddenly feels pain! His shoulder and face radiate waves of excruciating pain which awaken the cleric. He opens his eyes and sees out of both of them a partly cloudy sky, stars, and pine trees. It takes a few moments for him to realize that he is loudly crying out in pain as feeling returns to his body. The scarred female archer, or ranger, or scout for Melinir, or whatever she was is quickly over top of him tending to him. "Take the damned pain!" The woman harshly whispers in Markas's ear as she forcefully covers his mouth in an attempt to quiet the man's cries of pain. The lovely Adrianna from the Black Knight's castle is soon beside her offering gentler forms of aid as well to soothe his suffering. Gertie's ring is placed upon Markas's finger and over the next ten minutes the excruciating pain subsides as his wounds mend and the pain subsides to a much more tolerable ache and fatigue.
"Well, I'm for heading back to Melinir. I'll accompany you all in that direction."
"So your silence means no one wants to come with me?"
Brion and Erik nod their heads in agreement with Timerious that moving on to Melinir should be the very next step the group takes. The two fighters have been at the Black Knight's tournament and away from family for too long. Timerious smiles at the support he has received and is glad that in just six short days he will be back among the familiar streets of Melinir. Perhaps he can beg for his old job back with Shar or maybe find work as a guard either for the city or a merchant caravan?
"You have six days of travel at best, but probably closer to ten as your bodies weaken with starvation. I too would like to return to Melinir but taking this journey in stages makes more sense and might allow us to slow the use of the meager supplies that we have. Murlsan's brothers provided us with a meal last time; perhaps they will be so generous again? From there Hawk's Hill is a moderate journey and those farmers should have foodstuffs for purchase if it is not freely given to us. My stomach and I vote for taking the trip home in steps." Latovius says with a chuckle while rubbing his stomach. Brion, Erik, and Timerious rub their stomachs and begin to re-think their planned travel route.
"I will go as far as Murlsan's family; I would speak with you and your brothers about the protector ship of these plains." Darcy stands while rolling up her map. She places the item into the small purse at her waist length wise, the rolled map should not have fit within the small satchel but yet in it goes. As the archer walks away to take up first watch Timerious sees that her quiver is still full of the deadly black and yellow fletched hunting arrows. Among those arrows in the quiver is a golden arrow and at the fighter's waist is a sheathed an ivory handled short sword. The scrimshaw work on the pommel resembles a unicorn's head with clear stones of some sort that twinkle for eyes. Just the craftsmanship he has noticed on the handle and scabbard makes the sword worth a considerable amount. The burn scarred woman's amazing prowess with the dark walnut and red streaked bow she carried as well as the trappings of a well-seasoned adventurer intimidated the hell out of Timerious. The opposite could be said for Latovius who had spent considerable time traveling alongside Darcy, perhaps a friendship or a romance has started there? Timerious watches out of the side of his eye as the rogue follows after Darcy and takes up the other half of the first watch.
"I would go with mother to Hawk's Hill and discover what is left of her home there. A visit with friendly ogres would be a rare opportunity that I simply cannot pass up. They are friendly Murlsan are they not?" Adrianna says as she looks up from some sort of small book she was reading. Upon the book's cover is stamped the Black Knight's family crest. Murlsan confirms that for ogres they are a friendly lot and his tribe is different from all other ogre-kind.
After Markas's wounds have been mended the ring is returned to Gertie who rolls back over and goes to sleep next to the remains of what was probably a very small fire in a dug fire pit near a small two sided lean to in this clearing. Adrianna hands Markas a water skin as the other woman who had tried to keep him from making too much noise went back to sleep as well. "We have plenty of water but little food, so drink until you are full and then sparingly eat some of this. Get your rest; we have days of travel yet." A small bit of bread and dried sausage are handed to the cleric by the magic-user as she returns to her studying of a small wooden cube. The pretty woman places a small log onto the fire for a bit of additional light and a scant amount of heat against the chill spring time air.