Careful, Xor, I think Diarmal was related to that smarmy bastard.
Careful, Xor, I think Diarmal was related to that smarmy bastard.
Bah they all look the same to meh
With half of a shrug, Diarmal can't help but chuckle. "It's a shame, really. I think you and Gideon would have gotten along splendidly, Xor."
Noticing that Ribat seems to have found something, Diarmal moves a little closer, ready to cover the little froggy fellow if what he'd found didn't particularly enjoy being found.
As Fonidea and Ribat walk along beside each other, Ribat grabs Fonidea's shoulder and pulls her close enough for him to whisper into her ear as fills her in on what has happened. After all, if she's facing the danger with us, she deserves to know what she's getting herself into...and if the fact that the situation calls for stealth gives me an excuse to lean in close to her so I can whisper, that's all to the good. When they spot the tracks, Ribat leans back over to whisper again: Fonidea, would you please go and tell everybody that we've found something? I'm going to stay here and watch."
Smiling at Ribat, and tipping her head to better hear his whispers, or so it seems, she listens, and then nods.
She hurries off, back up the hill to a higher place where she can see Diarmal, Sasithorn, Xor, Tessrimea, Paulina, and Marvin, she calls out, not too loudly, but loud enough to get everyone's attention
Ribat has found something over here
@Diarmal:No offense laddie, but he just kinda rubbed me the wrong way
@Fonidea: Watt ya got lass Xor will head over and investigate
Over there, the small green woman points toward Ribat. He's found something, but I don't know what it is
Marvin nods and then follows after Ribat. They make sure their musket is ready to fire. "Follow the trail?"
"Sounds good, Marvin." Once the rest of the party catches up, Ribat follows the trail.
Day 1, Friday, turn 112, the dry hill in the marsh (approximate time of day, 6:20 pm)
Ribat shows Marvin and the others the trail that leads away from the hill toward the north. Falling into a line silently, the group begins following Ribat.
At times the ground becomes dense with choked grasses growing in water that is a few inches deep, and Ribat can easily follow a trail trough them where they have been trampled underfoot. Other times the water becomes a foot or more deep and the party looses the trail, but only for a moment, as Ribat is quick to scout around in a semi circle until the way is found again. On, and on, the group marches through the moor until the sun has almost completely set and the darkness of the oncoming night is creeping across the land.
When the sun finally dips below the horizon the sky in the west suddenly becomes a palette of oranges, reds, and golden yellows for the briefest of moments before it is dark all around. The ground has become soft, there is little standing water, and the grasses have become thick, mingled now with bushes, flowers, and small trees. It is here, just in the last of the day’s light, that Ribat finally finds a set of tracks and he knows now that he is following something large, something that walks on two huge flat feet, and it, whatever it is, it is still moving northward.
"Should we continue?" Marvin queries. "It is getting dark."
"It may be in our best interest," Diarmal replies. "It would not be wise to hunt a dangerous beast in the dark of night. Though I fear this is a less than ideal place to make camp."
Are we lost? Did anyone bring a tent? I don’t know how we could find our way back to town, or even those ruins, in the dark, so we are just going to camp here, in the marsh
That looks like our only option Paulina says moving to stand close to Tess, and putting a reassuring hand on the clerics armWe’ll keep a watch through the night, build a fire, if we can find anything dry, and in the morning we’ll try to pick up the trail Ribat is following again.
Fonidea hovers close to Ribat, at times so close that her elbow touches his, she smiles, when there is a moment of unintentional contact, and then hearing what Paulina says, she tries to seem positive as she says, We should be alright, here, hmm, let me see, we’ve come north I think. But I don’t know how far. My people, I mean the bullywugs, have villages to the west of the ruin, and some to the south, and um, wait. I think there was a human village to the north of the ruin, far to the north. But I don’t think we’ve come close to it. It is a small village, a few families of humans live there and hunt for large boars that often come down out of the mountains into the moor.
Day 1, Friday, turn 113, the Shadow Moor (approximate time of day, 6:30 pm)
The sun has set, but there are still a few minutes of twilight left before it becomes dark.
Oh, that will be uncomfortable for sure
Diarmal frowns. "Any number of those villages may be in danger. But we're not going to get anywhere by bumbling about in the dark - we'll need to make camp in the driest spot we can find, and handle anything more in the morning. I trust Lady Aisling to see us through the night to the morrow's light."
The Drasbian quickly sets out to find a spot that should stay relatively dry (and therefore at least modesty suitable for a campsite) through the night. As dark overtakes them, he lets the light of Lady Aisling light his way.
Marvin follows the group's consensus.
Ribat tries to help Diarmal find a suitable campsite.
Day 1, Friday, turn 120, the Shadow Moor (approximate time of day, 7:40 pm)
With the light summoned by Diarmal the group finds a dry, slightly raised patch of ground in the moor. It is thick with bushes, and a single small tree grows here. It seems like the best, if it is not the only place to make a camp.
Those who have them begin to unroll their bed rolls, and set out kits for making a fire and perhaps cooking up a meal. Ribat manages to catch a few catfish, they are quite large, and in just a short time Xor, Tessrimea, and Paulina have gathered enough dry wood, sticks, and debris, to make a small camp fire. Sasithorn sits under the tree, in the deepest shadows, and makes notes in what appears to be a small book, possibly he is keeping track of the mysteries you have uncovered. All the while Marvin remains vigilant, pacing in a regular circle around the camp and keeping a watch for any approaching danger.
Just about the time the fish is cooked, and ready to eat, it begins to rain. It is a light rain, a sort of mist that has trouble falling out of the sky, and in time everyone is soaked to the bone, but with care and diligence the fire is kept burning, even if it is small. And the night grows deeper, darker, and colder.
Ugh, Nothin lahk a night in a filthy bog, to make ya miss the comfort of home
"Xor, my home is a filthy bog!"
Marvin continues to be a dutiful sentinel. When the rain starts, they take a moment to check that the volatile substances they use remain dry, strictly heading off any compromise in their precautions.
That aside, the android pays the weather little mind save for adjusting their patrol plans in accordance with the environment. They sleep without comfort, on the ground and weapon held close, covered to protect from the rain but ready to be wielded at a moment's notice.
Diarmal can't help but smile in regards to Xor's typical dwarvishness. In his many travels, Diarmal had only met a handful of their kind... but all of them seemed to reinforce the stories he'd heard. Gruff and direct, honest perhaps to a fault. The Drasbian admired their kind of their straightforward nature. There was apparently much ado in the world - it was nice to have someone who was exactly what he seemed.
As the rain starts, Diarmal focuses on his nightly prayers. He sat in the driest patch he could find, enjoying the company of his fellows and the adventurous road before them. "May Lady Aisling continue to warm us through this troubled night. For on the morrow many challenges await us. May she grant us the strength to endure these hardships and emerge into her light." Even as he prayed, he kept a hand near his bow. Aisling's graces were powerful, but not even they could stave off the dangers of the wilderness at all times. A man had to first defend himself before he could defend Aisling's name.
"Xor, my home is a filthy bog!"
Wahl now, why dontcha move Xor says as if he has hit upon a brilliant solution. Ya know we have some bogs, down in the lowlands we just don't live there
Wahl now, why dontcha move
"Because I like filthy bogs. They're nice and homey."
Ribat: The next time I am invited to some wedding gala aboard a Basconde noble caravel, remind me to bring you as my honor guard rather than him.
"Duly noted, and I'd be happy to serve."
Day 1, Friday, turn 138, the Shadow Moor (approximate time of day, 10:50 pm)
The night is cold, damp, and dreary. Diarmal’s light goes out when he finally goes to sleep and only the small camp fire is left to challenge the cloudy night sky.
The rain comes and goes, but never becomes a downpour. Always it is either a misty fog, or a slight drizzle. It never stops long enough for anything to dry, but never pours hard enough to soak the ground and turn it into mud.
Ribat and Fonidea take the first watch, and they walk a slow circle around the camp, over and over again, until Fonidea is about to fall asleep on her feet and then Ribat wakes Xor, who wakes Tessrimea.
Another hour or so passes, as the Dwarf and Gymnaga become more acquainted with each other, sharing whispered stories about their lives.
A soft sound is heard in the distance, to the east, like a splash.
Xor, please make a Perception Skill Check! All the characters are sleeping except Xor and Tessrimea, you have not been able to rest long enough to recover spells, but each of you heals 1 hp if you are wounded.
Day 1, Friday, turn 138, the Shadow Moor (approximate time of day, 10:50 pm)
Tessrimea wanders away from Xor, and stares up into the cloudy night sky. The shadow of the one small tree in the camp, made by light of the small camp fire, flickers and dances across the still water of the marshes nearby.
Suddenly a huge dark cat like animal springs out of the water and leaps toward Tessrimea
Some instinct in Tessrimea saves her from an almost certain death, and she screams. She avoids being caught in the jaws of the great cat, but one of the claws rakes her side.
Her Scream, wakes everyone in the camp, but the cat is after a meal, and doesn't hesitate to turn and search for a new target
Roll initiative, round one starts now! The conditions are misty, and low light from a small camp fire
Diarmal hears the scream. In an instant, his eyes shoot open and he sees the cold, dismal darkness of the swamp. He rolls to his side and grabs for his bow, laying at his side where he'd left it. Without even taking the time to stand up, he knows that the biggest enemy of the night was the darkness itself.
Closing his eyes, he pressed his hand to his chest and prayed for Lady Aisling's graces to light his way.
Day 1, Friday, turn 138, the Shadow Moor (approximate time of day, 10:50 pm)
Diarmal – 21
Lion – 19
Ribat – 18
Paulina – 16
Tessrimea – 12
Xor – 11
Sasithorn – 7
Marvin – 5
Fonidea – 1
Round 1…
Diarmal wakes with a start, and immediately summons more light on the scene
The black night sky swirls with mist and a light drizzling rain.
Across the small hill Diarmal sees a huge cat like creature, dark in color, with small ears closing in on Xor, and then turning his head to look to the other side he sees Marvin, the strange copper skinned humanoid, staring off toward the south, and wonders, ”Did he hear the scream?”
Around him, the others are also waking, some quickly, Ribat is already getting to his feet, but others like Fonidea, seem disoriented and groggy .
The cat growls a low rumble, and leaps toward Xor
The cat’s large head comes near Xor, and clamps down with a *snap* a few inches away from his arm. Snarling and rearing up on its back legs and then falling forward with a lunge the cat slashes at Xor with both front claws. The first claw catches the Dwarf on the right shoulder, perilously close to his neck
The claws bite deep into Xor’s flesh and a gout of blood shoots into the air from the wound. Weakened Xor is unable to defend himself from the second swiping claw that rakes his left arm
The huge cat drives Xor into the ground, and the dwarf lies still, and lifeless
Paulina gasps and charges the cat with her Flail swinging
Catching the cat by surprise the dwarven girl slams the weapon down on the animal's back
No!, Xor Tess screams again, and eying the cat's position carefully she lowers her upper body down till it is almost touching the ground and in the fashion of her kind when speed is necessary, she darts into the water near the hill and swims like mad to circle past the cat, and then she emerges on the other side of the battling dwarven woman, near where xor lies on the ground.
Ribat, Sasithorn, and Marvin are all up, and Xor should make a Constitution Check to stabilize
Tears streaming down her face, Tessrimea cradles the Dwarf in her arms, and places her soft cheek against his forehead
don't you die on me, don't leave me when we've only just begun to know each other
Tessrimea's soothing words flow into Xor and his bleeding seems to stop
Xor Stabilizes! at -7 hp
Sorry, no map yet, but I will try to get one up soon. You can assume you are 30 feet from the cat, and need to stand up from prone before you can do anything else
Ribat immediately jumps up in the direction that will best allow him to protect Fonidea. He stands with his net ready.