Sleggar nods We have good hands, legs, arms and brains. This sounds like a simple job Rees and I want to keep it that way.
Nori lets a calculated smile slid across her face. She gently shakes his hand, "A pleasure dear sir. Lets us continue on. I assume you'll be leading our small expedition."
She motioned to Sleggar, "Care to lead? I shall follow up behind."
Nester simply nods and says, "I trust the leading to your gentle company, I am just along for the trip and to do my job."
The first couple of hours are spent walking along the road that leads out of Absalom and into the Cairnlands. These lands are somewhat familiar, as you were here a few days ago. However, the familiarity soon ends as the broken landscape of blood-salted earth and the ruins of countless failed assaults on Absalom’s walls, soon yields to open fields and fertile ground. Ahead, a vast forest covers the foothills of large range of snow-capped mountains. The well-trodden road soon ends at a tall wall of trees, signaling the end of civilization.
It isn't long after you enter the trees that you encounter the forest's denizens. A group of three centaur warriors rides up to you. They are wearing armor made from hide and carrying bone spears. The leader moves ahead slightly and holds his hands out in a gesture of peace.
"Greetings Pathfinders. I am Urdel Thunderhoof, protector of these lands. The trail ahead is dangerous. We would suggest another route, if you can."
Nori wasn't well versed in judging lies from truth, but this Urdel seemed honest in his words. But there was something just a little off, "What dangers lay ahead of us on our current trail?"
The centaur looks down at Nori. Though it appears he is unthreatening to your party, he looks stern as he speaks. "We have been tracking a creature that has been hunting these parts of late. We fear there may be an incident if the creature finds you. "
Sleggar nods Well we are pretty much set on going through here the mission we are on is time sensitive. Perhaps you could have someone accompany us through the forest.
Nori partially agreed with Sleggar, "I agree that we are on a time crunch, but if centaurs are afraid of this creature, then maybe we should take an alternate route."
Nester speaks up from behind you. "While I'm sure you aren't here to just scare us off, we must thank you for your warning and be on our way. We will stick to the path we were given. Right?", he looks at the both of you. The centaur gives a sigh of disappointment and turns to leave.
"As you wish, interlopers, but we will not come to your aid."
Nester urges you to continue. He seems in much more of a hurry this time.
Sleggar nods to Nester We don't have time to walk around I know I am not woodsman able to blaze a trail. We have to proceed
Nester agrees with you and you start moving ahead. The travel though the forest is fairly easy, the map and the trail you follow helping you to keep your bearings. You make camp for the night and spend it talking to Nester and each other. You learn little more about the Garundi man, save that he has worked with the Pathfinders for some time and has been on many such a quest. He does not mention how he got his limp however.
Morning breaks and you continue on your way, breaking for lunch and then a few more hours of walking into the afternoon. The sound of running water echoes ahead, and several muted beams of light pierce the thick forest canopy as the sun begins to set.
Sunday, 21 Lamashan 4707, 5:27pm
Soon the dense forest opens, revealing a river that blocks the way forward. A large felled tree trunk offers a way over the swift moving river. With the exception of the rushing sound of the water, an eerie silence pervades the area, as does the fresh smell of death. A quick glance shows you a freshly killed deer on your side of the river, directly in your path.
Nori draws a shuriken and sucks on the tip for a few seconds, wetting it with her poison. She may need it as she grows tense. Something was watching them. She peers around from the cover of her hood.
Nori knows something is watching them, but just can't pick it out. Each tree seems to hide something, but what, she just can't tell. Nester notices her looking about. "Something wrong?", he says as he points to the carcass. "That looks fresh. I think we should get across that river soon."
Sleggar nods and begins stripping off his armor placing it and his other belongings into sacks " I can swim well enough and once I get across I can drag our belonging across using our lengths of rope. "
Nori ties their ropes together and wraps the end around Sleggar's waist for his trip across. She sucks on the end of her shuriken as she guides the rope out.
Nester watches as the two of you wade across the river. When you reach the other side, dripping with cold water and damp clothes, he shakes his head as he takes the large branch across instead. "I never will understand adventurers. "
Moonday, 22 Lamashan 4707, 7:39pm.
You spend the next day attempting to dry out your clothes and yourselves as you continue on your journey. The forest has gotten thicker and slightly colder. A low mist hangs on the ground and when the sun goes down, real darkness closes in. You decide to setup camp for the night.
Suddenly out of the trees a feline creature emerges, baring its teeth. The loud growl it bellows is enough to send chills down your spine, but the truly frightening thing is when its face splits open to show the skull underneath. Nester crawls towards the nearest tree as the thing bolts towards him.
Sleggar shakes off the frightening visage and looses his mace and, wielding it in both hands, charges at the creature.
As if the beast were naught but a pesky insect, Lore Warden Sleggar calmly meets its fearsome grimace with a solid blow to the visible skull, cracking it. Without so much as a whimper, it slumps to the ground unconscious. It will probably die, considering the blood now starting to pool underneath it.
Nester stands himself with his cane. "We'll done. I do believe those centaurs may have overestimated this creature. What say we find a better campsite on the morrow?"
Sleggar sets his mace down and tries to calm down Let's finish resting and then we'll continue
Nori gives a slow clap for Sleggar, "Well done my friend. You are truly indomitable."
She peers around the darkening area, "I shall take second watch if you wish to wake me Sleggar."
Without much else discussion on the matter, she munches on the remains of her trail ration before sliding into her bag for sleep.
You find the next morning that you must have been really tired as when you awaken, the carcass of the beast is gone and in its place are a pile of furs. Attached to the furs is a dagger holding a note.
Your assistance was appreciated. These will help you on your journey.
You notice a chill in the air as you make breakfast and then pack up and head out on your trek. You are leaving the safety of the forest trail and heading into the mountain pass. While exposed,the trail is quicker and you cover a lot of distance before starting to look for a place to camp for the night. As the sun begins to descend, the chill in the air turns to cold. That's when you spot a wagon ahead of you, half covered in snow. You had seen a bit of snow in patches all day, but there is quite a bit here...
Nori peers over the note during breakfast, curious as to who it came from. She could only guess that the centuars had visited them.
Nori signals for their small band to stop. She draws her blade, "There is something strange here."
Nori creeps a bit closer to the wagon and spots a humanoid hand sticking out from underneath the wagon cloth. It appears to be frozen, with black and blue coloration. Nori realizes that she should smell the dead, but cannot...
Sleggar looks at the wagon and shrugs. Let's just...leave this alone we have a mission
Seeing nothing of potential value, Nori nods and gives the wagon a wide birth.
Moving past the wagon, you find a nice outcropping just off the trail that looks like a decent spot for a camp. It takes you a bit to setup as your fingers start to get number from the chill in the air. Tucking yourselves in for the night, the furs keep you warm, but you start to shiver in the middle of your sleep.
Wealday, 24 Lamashan 4707, 1:24 a.m.
Nori shivered mightly but managed to say well insulated most of the night.
You awaken just before dawn, your fingers frozen together and your whole body shivering. These mountains are far more cold than you realized. You see that Nester has started the morning fire early. "Please, come sit here and get warm, we have made good progress and can spare a few hours."
She pried herself from her nearly frozen bedroll and eased toward the fire to let herself warm up. She pulled out a ration and nibbled on it once she could feel her fingers.
"A short rest wouldn't be too unwelcome...but we should keep moving as soon as the fire is out."
Nester nods in agreement. "Of course," he says as he sits down next to you and warms himself. "We should be out of the mountains soon, according to that map. Hopefully the bog will be warmer."
As the sun rises, the warmth of the fire and the bit of sun peeking through the clouds help you to at least slow your shivering. You can still see your breath on the wind however.
Still, you press on, the pass winding some here and there, but by noon you realize that you are starting to head down the mountain rather than up it. This sigh of relief is punctuated by the sight of sunlight glinting off of something ahead of you. It appears to be coming from an opening in the cliff face, about 50 feet up the side of the icy slope.
"Should we see what that is?," Nester offers.
"I shall scout ahead a bit. Stay with Sleggar." Nori darts ahead. She keeps low, trying not to draw too much attention as she gets in close for a better look.
Nori moves ahead, looking closer at the object. Even though it is about fifty feet up the cliff face, she can see that it appears to be a small statuette of some kind. Without getting closer, it is difficult to tell of what.
thank you for leading the game and the great idea. Be Well!