Ikkath listens attentively to the gunslinger’s explanation as they walk to the edge of town. “Interesting. This powder you speak of sounds dangerous, but it looks as though you know what you’re doing.”
The half-orc shrugs, shaking the bow in his hand. “I’d still prefer to trust the wood, string, and fletching, myself.”
As they move through the town, he keeps an eye out for more “holy men” of Gorum, or any other rabble-rousers, this time with his bow and quiver ready.
As Deck walks down the street rambling on about his rifle, he casually reloads it, seemingly oblivious to the strange looks he is drawing from the pedestrians.
I've never had a bad thing to say about the bow. But this is the weapons I've trained with since I was a child, and is as much a part of me as I'm sure your bow is for you.
Deck slings his rifle over his shoulder, lights a cigarette, and looks around.
This is a nice little town. I wish we could stay a bit longer. Make sure those Gorum goons don't do anything stupid after we leave.
"I assume we'll be back into town. This seems like the only place within a sizeable journey. I doubt, though, that they would give us the pl-*ahem* I do not think they will be stupid enough to cause more issues in town. It seems that the one guy was the main bully."
Kyrd chuckles to himself a moment, then shakes his head. "What do you all know of this forest?"
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You reach the outskirts of the forest. The light from earlier today is beginning to fail as it gets closer to night time. The trees are dense, thick, and dangerously close together. Dust and dirt line a barely noticeable path through the forest and cobwebs hang from trees and join them at different sections. A skeleton is clearly visible just outside the forest perimeter, a clear warning to those who would enter that past this point you where on your own.
I suppose wanderin through the dark don't bother the rest of you, but why don't we camp on the edge for the evenin. No good comes from wanderin in haunted woods at night.
Kyrd's form begins to glow darkly, and his voice echos. "Surely, someone such as yourself is not afraid of a little haunting?" He stops glowing and echoing, as the spell ends. "However, perhaps you are right. We have gone this long, a little longer wait should not be a problem."
Aint a question of bein scared friend. Humans don't see so good in the dark. You want everything in the haunted forest to see my lantern and make a bee-line for us? Sounds like askin for trouble to me.
“I can see in the dark, I’ll volunteer for watch,” Ikkath glances at Kryd, not expecting the humans to be able to help, “so long as I get enough sleep after.”
He looks through the dense forest, looking for an ideal place to camp.
Moria wrinkled her nose as Kyrd does what he does. The man had been a villain but there was no dignity in this. As for taking the items Moris shook her head.
“I need none of the dead man’s things.”
She was glad Deck spoke up about the desecration. He was a good man giving the bartender some of the items. It was also good that he took credit for the kill and did not hide like a coward.
Listening to the history of the boom stick made Moris’s head hurt. She was not one for lectures and took to keeping a look out of any other trouble.
As they wander toward the forest Deck’s suggestion at Moria nodding.
“Yes, we should make camp.”
She growls lightly at Kyrd not wanting to argue about this.
“We need rest. We can start fresh in the morning.”
For her part Moria starts to assemble her tent.
"I guess I can take a watch. Perhaps it will let me think of other interesting methods of 'friendly fire'."
Kryd looks around. "So where would be a good place to stop? I admit, I have never slept in the wild."
To Kryd- Well then you're in for a treat. Nothin quite like sleepin in the open air, with all of creation spread out in the sky. Sounds of nature singin you too sleep...
As the others get settled in, the half-orc wordlessly walks a close perimeter around the camp, checking for natural hazards or signs of animal burrows or nests nearby. As the night deepens in earnest, he looks for three hiding places with good visibility around the camp where he can alternate every hour or so during his watch. He holds his bow and quiver ready as he keeps vigilant eyes and ears.
Kyrd will sleep on the ground, where his back is to nobody else. Kyrd twitches and winces often while asleep, locked in memory.
Kyrd will walk a circle around the fire, looking out to see what he can.
Deck packs up his gear and hops down from the tree. He checks over his musket and wipes it down with a cloth.
So Kryd, how'd you like your first night under the stars?
"Was a night, like any other. The stars have never shown me much." Kyrd shrugs slightly, and begins glowing for a couple seconds. "So, what is waiting for us?"
Deck sighs and shakes his head. He shoulders his rifle and thinks, some people have no sense of wonder.
Not sure what's waitin for us, but I'm pretty sure it's that way, and it'd be rude to keep it waitin.
After a few basic calisthenics, Ikkath gathers his things and quietly follows the rest of the group. He watches carefully for any danger that might approach, and keeps his bow ready, should he need it at a moment’s notice.
He tries to help navigate through the forest, to keep from getting lost, but falls silent again when his contribution doesn’t prove to be that helpful.
Moria gathers up her things and listens to the exchange between Deck and Kryd. It seems like this might be an interesting journey. Taking a deep breath she follows the others into the wood. She tried to get a feeling for the place they were entering.
Knowledge Nature
Perception
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Who are we meeting anyway?
Do we know how far along the construction is?
Was there a previous security team that we are replacing or are we the first guards they hired?
If there was a previous team, what happened to them?
If we're the first team, why did they decide to hire us now?
Should I make knowledge rolls for any of those?
Will Batman and the Boy Wonder be able to escape the clutches of Mr. Freeze?
Is it still funny to end a long list of questions with a Soap reference?
How long can I keep this up before someone tries to punch me through the internet?
You'll be meeting one of the officials at the building site when you get there. The construction is about two thirds complete, which means that most of the outsides of the buildings are complete. There was no previous team, and you're the first guards being hired. You don't know why they decided to hire you so late. You need not make knowledge rolls for anything. I think the dynamic duo was caught and frozen, and I wish I could punch you through the internet for thinking they could make it without Alfred.
Sorry I took so long to respond, but i'm not as active on the computer over the weekend, and I've not had the time for it after the weekend. Hope this doesn't present a problem in the speed the campaign is traveling at. Your a fairly good ways through it, being the straight-forward, no optional objective/detour route you're on. 'Tis a short adventure anyways.
Ikkath’s gaze wanders to the surrounding trees, looking for anything dangerous, or out of the ordinary. His stride slows somewhat as they approach the site as he counts the number of workers, looking for the one in charge of the others.
Walking to his best guess at one of the officials, he simply states, “We come from Dublin. You are having some kind of trouble, yes?”
Deck follows Ikkath to the presumed authority figure.
Moria follows behind the half-orc. He seems to know what he is doing and who to talk to.
We were hired to protect this place my good man. A job like that typically comes with some trouble. Would you be so kind as to point us in the direction of the person in charge?
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"Your lookin' at 'em!", the old man replies in his frail voice (however he doesn't appear to be sick or anything).
He has a thin and tight white beard, blue eyes, is bald, short, and has a slight stoop when he stands. It looks like it would be extremely uncomfortable to look up at everyone with his hunchbacked pose, but the man moves easily, if slowly. He uses a short cane ending in a sharp point, looking more for and poking logs in fires than walking.
"Ye can start by patrolling the area ta' keep wild men away.", he continues.
He takes a rolled up sack off of his shoulder and unrolls it on the ground. It holds two crude wooden spears for each party member. (fragile, range 20 feet when thrown, Piercing, 1d6 damage - str mod doesn't apply to damage when using weapon unless a confirmed crit is applied - crit 18-20/X 3
Ikkath finds room in his pack for two wood spears, and meets the old man’s eyes. “Wild men. Will do. Make sure your workers are not mistaken as intruders.”
The most dangerous game. At last, a true test. He tugs the tension of the bowstring and adjusts the quiver of arrows that hangs at his belt, and scans the perimeter. When the rest of the group is ready, he walks the edge of the site to find any high defendable locations, any natural hazards to be aware of, and any places within the nearby forest where these wild men might use to hide.
Deck walks the perimeter with Ikkath
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Deck can see numerous tracks with different size footprints going this way and that, but none are fresh. Neither are able to spot anyone lurking on the perimeter, but both probably guess some of these tracks have been made to look old.
This place is in no immediate danger, it seems. So why then, have you really been called out?
Maybe we should talk to the laborers. If that doesn't help, there's the tried and true method of hanging around after dark. The trouble always comes with the dark.
"Well, my friend. That depends on the trouble."
As the man and Deck spoke Moria just listened. Why would they have been hired if there wasn’t any trouble? Things just didn’t add up. When the old man indicated he is in charge Moris is even more confused. If he is in charge shouldn’t he know about the hiring of guards?
Pushing such thoughts from her mind she looks over the spears. She would do much better with her own weapons so when Ikkath takes two spears she puts up no fuss. Less for her to carry anyway.
Following the other she keeps an eye out for trouble.
Knowledge Nature:
”The man in charge did seem to know we were coming. Does anyone else find that odd?”
When Deck speaks of staying out after dark Moria shakes her head in the negative.
”We were not hired to go looking for trouble. I doubt it would be wise to stay outside the wall after dark. I think the idea to speak to the workers is a better one.”
