"Aye, a good ranger can save us a lot of trouble. Wouldn't want to eat something poisonous..."
THen you have come to the right place boy, at the cost 50 iron bits per day for the services of one guide. But we are not bodyguards, just guides, we let that clear for the beginning. We also don't approach the citadel, too dangerous.
"Fair enough. But I want to be sure my money's going to something worthwhile. How well do you know this place, and the comings and goings of caravans? We need to track one down."
Can you give more details pal?
It seems like a perfect job for us.
"It was supposed to be northbound, on the main road or whatever passes for it out here. But it's gone missing since, so we may need someone who can track it off-road."
We know those, and we are good at tracking.
"It's settled then. Should we leave now?" Brock asks of his companions.
The guide is called Alhu, and he say to you that he would follow the road to look for signs of the caravan. Your journey wills start in what is known as the ashen wasted (the southern part of DEsolation) and you will continue to the north in search of the caravan. If everything goes right you will find it before you get near a location called the chaos rift. The road itself is a bare hardpan sunken at least a foot below the surrounding ground from the centuries if not millennia of travel it has seen
You soon learn that there are good reasons to call this place the "Ashen wasted", A seemingly continuous wind crosses this region carrying with it a perpetual cloud of a fine, powdery dust.
We have to hurry, Tracks do not linger long on this hard surface as windblown dust quickly erases them.
The lonely winds blowing their powdery dust are all the company you have in your journey. Not even a small hill breaks the monotony around you. That changes Two hours or so later as you spy something 60 or so feets away from the road. It looks like it may be a couple of bodies.
Brock takes a moment to stop and hum, the humming eventually moving into such a low register that it can't be heard by anyone else, and the earth begins to thrum slightly beneath Brock's feet.
Brock then gestures at everyone to stay low, and begins creeping closer.
You find two corpses lying on the ground. Both are but a few days dead with the blood on their clothing and armor mostly dry and a light layer of the white ash stuck to the tacky ooze. They are a chainmail-clad dwarf and a leather clad human. Both obviously died in battle from the wounds they bear.
The human bears many thin stab wounds and still clutches a bloody rapier. The dwarf has vicious, deep cuts and gouges and still clutches the broken haft of a battleaxe.
DO you investigate further or leave the bodies?
Rolling the dwarf's body over reveals the blade of the axe sunk deep into the calf of his right leg, seemingly self-inflicted.
THey seems to not have been engaged in a fight against any enemy that leaves tracks on the ground. They just seemed to be fighting themselves...there is a track, somebody escaped into the Ashen wastes
"Should we follow it?"
"Lets. Could have been part of the caravan..." Aedric says as he steps lightly.
WHen you are examining the bodies you hear a howl, and soon a second one from another direction. Soon, from the mist of grey ashes you can perceive a pack of wolves approaching. Not normal wolves though, these ones have matted fur that is torn away from their putrid flesh in patches and stark white eyes look out above broken, yellowed fangs. there are 9 of them.
- Hit
- Hit
- Fail
- Fail
Brock takes 15 damage and needs to make two fort saves.
Anyways, since the first wolf paralyzed brock, he get bitten twice and tripped. Is Aedric's turn.
"Wolves! Watch your legs!" Aedric yells as he swings his fauchard to ward them off of Brock.
Aedric decapitates one undead wolf
Ok, If Brock DR doesn't get shut down when helpless he get another 3 points of damage. Aedric has an AoO, 18 hps and the wolf is dead. Luna get a nasty bite in her belly for 15 damage, Fort DC 12 or get paralyzed .
Meh, whatever. The initial wolves don't bite Brock this turn, but we keep the rolls for the next round unless they get killed. The second seriesof wolves also bite Brock, the ideas is that you have your turn before them but if you can't do something to protect yourself or to kill them you get paralyzed.
Brock alpha strikes the nearest wolf, and steps back 5 feet.
Two dead wolf, brock only takes 3 damage fro one bite but he get paralyzed. It's Lemmy's, I guess we can wait for him although you can roll for him if you want.
We have then 4 dead wolves
-
NOt Brock, Aedric have another AoO.
it dies. Your turn again.
Aedric's fauchard shines in the light as it wreaks havoc among it's wielder's foes.
Though Aedric seems to lose his grip for a moment before bringing it to bear with another strike.
Aidric kill to more undead wolves.
EDIT:oops, it was a natural 1. Aedirc only kills one more wolf, th e other attacks the fighter
Aedric finds the silly wolves' attempt to bite through his thick plate armor amusing.
Brock mentally grumbles about the stupid "Nat 1s fail even when your base Fort save beats the DC by like 4" rule.
Luna's turn.
Luna kill one and injury the other. It becomes clear that the wolves doesn't present a treat...if not for the paralyzing bite. The remaining wolves attack on the helpless Brock
- 2hp of damage
My bad, Aedric and Luna turn.
Aedric continues to fail at stabbing the vicious wolves with his fauchard.