Ruano Hallif's page

"How long have you been here?" Jessa asks, "Have you seen any signs of goblin activity that might lead us to the ones who attacked?"

"Only a few weeks. Almost a month, I think." He finishes off his soup, leaning back in his chair while munching on the remains of the bread. "On my way to town, I did encounter a farmer whose livestock had been attacked, quite viciously. And others who had heard rumors of goblins, imps, and devils. But nothing I could use to find where the goblins came from."

"I am interested in what brings you to our fair village? Are you planning on settling in this area?"

"Well, I was initiated as a full Druid at the Summer solstice. At that time, I was bid to find a part of Varisia to protect as my own. I wandered for a while, but Sandpoint happens to be part of a rather beautiful bit of countryside. I was in town for the festival. I was going to deliver an equinox blessing." He sighs. "But the goblins put an end to that."

"Thank you. I was just doing my part. And yes, I'm a halfling." He eats the bit of soupy bread. He waves a hand at Spot, who is on the floor happily gnawing at a large bone, oblivious to whatever is going on around her. "And this is Spot."

"Maybe we should see the sheriff?"

"Perhaps we should.", replies Ruano, sopping some soup out of his bowl with a wad of bread. He pauses. "I'm Ruano Hallif, by the way. I don't believe I'd been properly introduced. Though I suppose I could gather your names from that lovely song."

Ruano chuckles. The fox is clever, and the gecko stupid, but neither can truly speak. "You tell a great tale, Shoanti. Did you catch the deceitful fox, or is the lining made from his brothers?"

"Oh, I am so sorry, where are my manners? What can I get you all?"

"Soup, if you have anything simmering, with some crusty bread. Perhaps some fruit." Spot looks up expectantly. "Fine, Spot. You'd better behave. I'm sorry, can I also have something raw for my companion. And the soup bone, if you please."

Mitnal listens intently but is unsure if he understands what he hears. After Ruano is done, he turns to Shantare and says "So, he means we kill goblins, right?"

"Perhaps. We must be wary, here. We would not want our motherbear to wander into a pack of wolves, or leave her den alone for too long. We are thinking beings. I think it would be prudent to find out exactly what happened, before we act."

"Ah...great..." Jessa grumbles, pulling up the hood on her cloak, "A perfectly miserable day to go with a perfectly miserable morning after a perfectly miserable goblin attack..."

She looks around at the others before finally regarding Kinmorn. "Maybe we should get out of the rain?" she suggests, "Any tracks left behind won't last long now. And I for one am still curious about the significance of these events. As a Sandpoint local, you seem to know more about what's going on than the rest of us, Kinmorn. Would you care to discuss things over drinks or an early dinner at the Rusty Dragon? I'd like to know more about Father Tobyn and the late unpleasantness they mentioned. It seems to me as if something more is going on in Sandpoint than a mere goblin raid. And I don't need to be a diviner to pick up on that."

"What do the rest of you think?" she asks everyone else, "We did pretty well together last night. Maybe we can help unravel this mystery, too?"

Ruano's stomach rumbles. He still hasn't gotten his breakfast! "That sounds like a good plan."

Ruano sits quiently for a moment, considering the tracks and the discussion of revenge and prophecy. After a little while, Spot butts him with he head, breaking his reverie.

"Violence, in itself," he says, to no one in particular, "is not unnatural. Animals fight for many things. For food. For mates. For territory. Nor does nature consider the dead sacred. But these things are only natural when done for natural purposes. Goblins, like all thinking beings, are not purely bound to natural desires. However, that does not matter for our purposes. If you attack a bear cub, it is certain that you will be purused by its mother. The reason for this is simple, to teach the lesson, to you and your descendants, that the penalty for attacking a cub is to slain by a bear. This is not anger, or malice. This is nature's justice. It cannot return what was lost, but it maintains the peace."

Ruano tries to lead Spot away from the scent track. Maybe she's just following the strongest trail and there are others? Nope.

"This can't be good. The goblins who dug up the grave knew exactly what they were looking for. And they had someone with them. Not a prisoner." He indicates the boot tracks. "A prisoner wouldn't have held so still. Someone big." Ooops. He's talking to tallfolk. "Bigger than me, anyway. Goblins have bigkin to boss them around sometimes, right? Bugbears and the like? Or are those just stories for children?"

He pauses. "Was the late Father buried with anything important? Perhaps it wasn't the body they were after. Relics? Money?" Another pause. Goblins don't read, but whoever filled those boots and ordered them around might. "Books?"

Do the boot prints match the bootprints Ruano saw by the cattle?

Ruano walks over to the tracks and examines them. He may not be a tracker, but he has identified footprints before. He encourages Spot to try to get a scent from the soil.

Ruano takes 20 to 'push' Spot into performing the track trick. Since he can handle Spot as a move action, taking 20 takes one minute. Then they both make Survival checks: Ruano to identify the tracks, and Spot to try to track by scent.
Dice
Ruano: 1d20 + 9 = 5 + 9 = 14
Spot: 1d20 + 5 = 18 + 5 = 23

"Thank you, mayor. Sandpoint may not be my home, but it is part of my home." He pats Spot's newly-healed flank. "I'm just glad for Spot, here. Otherwise I might not have made it either."

"I am a..*sigh* nevermind."

It's okay, Mitnal. Spot can't read either, and she's my best friend.

Spot obediently follows Kinmorn, treading carefully to avoid letting Ruano slide off the saddle. After Kinmorn puts the halfling to bed, she'll curl up on the floor next to Kinmorn.
Hours later, Ruano wakes in the large bed, looking a bit disoriented and a lot tired. He looks around, and sees Kinmorn also waking. "Apparently I didn't make it back to the inn last night. Thank you, hunter-priest." Spot gets up from her canine half-sleep at the sound of her master's voice, limping on her wounded leg, since it has stiffened up overnight. Ruano notes she is still in her harness and gear. "Poor girl. I don't know how you slept in those things." He climbs out of bed and helps Spot out of her gear. "I guess you don't have to carry all this stuff today. I'll deal with your leg soon. Hunter-priest...Kinmorn, was it? May I leave my supplies here today?"

I'm going to assume an affirmative for now. Otherwise, rewind to here.

After situating his gear in a corner, the young druid changes into what remains of his clean clothes. He pulls his hide armor on as well. The goblins may not be entirely dealt with, and he'd like to at least look fully dressed, even without a shirt. He gives Spot a large slab of jerked meat and a strip of rawhide to chew on while he joins Kinmorn for prayer and mediation.

I'm assuming that by the time he wakes, it's near or after noon. Ruano prepares two Cure Light Wounds for his first level slots today.

He agrees to breakfast with the clergy. Before eating, however, he tends to his shoulder and Spot's leg. <Natural wounds heal in time. I call of the forces of life and growth to mend these wounds.>

Cure light wounds on Ruano: 1d8 + 1 = 6 + 1 = 7
On Spot: 1d8 + 1 = 6 + 1 = 7

Through the night, Ruano works with the priests to tend the wounded. Spot rests in the open, eyes half open, watching for more goblins. Early on, Ruano destroyed his other shirt for bandages, before the acolytes were able to fetch more. Somehow, Ruano is able to call on nature's own essence to heal the most gravely wounded. Nature itself must be trying to heal the destruction the goblins left in their wake, he thinks, while mixing an herbal poultice for a member of the impromptu fire brigade who was burned by a falling timber.

As dawn breaks, Ruano is visibly leaning on Spot for support. The job done, whatever miracle of will and nature's power had enabled him to work tirelessly through the night leaves him. 'Spot...need...rest...inn...bed? Stag...white...stag...room?', he slurs, mixing Common and Halfling. He attempt to get into the saddle, but ends up slumped over it sideways, passed out. Spot doesn't mind, but she doesn't know where to go. She looks around at the priests, selecting whoever looks like he's in charge, walking up to him and whimpering.

Spot's still a dog, so her critera for who is in charge is simple. She'll go up to either Kinmorn or Zantus, whoever is taller.

"Everyone who is able, get on the bucket line." The sheriff puts his hand on your shoulder. "Brother Kinmorn, see what you can do to tend to the wounded. Grab Ruano, and both of you find Father Zantus. Start with those worst wounded that you can save."

'Spot! Come!' Ruano mounts up, following Kinnorm. He looks down at his torn and bloodied shirt. I'm going to need clean bandages. He looks over at the saddlebag containing his clean changes of clothes and sighs. I was going to need to go to the tailor anyway.

The sherrif might be disappointed that Ruano had no healing magic prepared for today.

As the melee winds down, Ruano looks down at his last magic stone. "Do not worry, little earth-spirit. You will be luckier than your brothers." He drops the stone into his bullet pouch, making sure it is on top where he can reach it. Then he pockets his sling and kneels to recover his shield and cudgel.

Spot continues to bite at the last goblin. As far as she's concerned, it hasn't backed down yet.

Spot's dice
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 (bless) = 5 + 4 = 9
Damage and trip are in the roller, but I don't think we'll need them.

Sighing as his first shot goes wide, Ruano drops another magic stone into his sling, loosing the stone toward one of the Goblins threatening Jessa. She was a lot of help with that spell, but she does not appear equipped to deal with the Goblins in such close quarters.

Spot, barking enthusiastically, turns on the Goblin that took a swing at her.

Dice here
Spot's attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 (bless) = 10 + 3 + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 3 = 1 + 3 = 4
Trip: 1d20 + 2 = 17 + 2 = 19
Why do I keep rolling so well for the trip? I need to roll well to hit first!
Ruano's attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 (bless) - 4 (firing into melee) = 9 + 6 + 1 - 4 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 1 = 3 + 1 = 4

Also, those of you firing into melee (I'm looking at you, Gengar and Ruano), do not forget that you are firing into melee. Gengar, are you sure you want to fling that axe, whose final attack result was actually zero, in the direction of your friends?

Even with the fire-into-melee penalty, it's still better than my melee attack. Worst that can happen is I miss.

It's dead. I'll apply the rolls to one of her new attackers instead.

Good. I didn't realize she'd killed it.

Yep.

Yeah, rolling a 3 will do that.

That'll help, Ruano thinks as half the goblins fall over in siezure fits. He drops his club to prepare his sling, hurling one of the enchanted stones toward the charging goblins.

Spot struggles with the overgrown rat she dragged down.

Spot will continue to fight with the canine abomination she attacked last round.
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 3 + 1 (bless) = 7 + 3 + 1 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 3 = 4 + 3 = 7
Trip: 1d20 + 2 = 10 + 2 = 12
I didn't add any prone bonuses/penalties because I don't know if the goblin dog will still be tripped by my turn. If the dog tries to stand while next to her, she'll take her AoO.

Ruano does his damnedest to take down one of the goblins, but he probably missed.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 6 + 1 (bless) = 3 + 7 = 10
Damage: 1d6 + 1 = 1 + 1 = 2

'Spot, sic...', Ruano begins to order spot to chase down the fleeing warchanter, trailing off as the goblin cavalry arrives. Suddenly he has bigger problems. '...him!' he completes, spinning round to point at the mounted goblin who just ran through the hunting dog. Spot rears up, then charges.

Ruano himself tries to think fast. What to do? There are too many of those goblins to face down one on one. Especially without his armor. Wait a moment. He's under the blessing of Old Deadeye! Time to do what halfings do best. He unbuckles his shield and drops it to the floor. I hate leaving things behind. I'll have to remember all this stuff later. His newly freed shield hand enters the large pouch at his waist, emerging not with a sling bullet, but with three smooth river pebbles. <Spirits of the Earth, Souls of these Stones, I call on you to smite those who would defile the beauty of Nature!>

Spot will attack the goblin dog that the indicated goblin is riding. She knows that if she can drag it down, the goblin will come with it. Also, she won't charge if she doesn't have to (she's wary of that long blade,) but she will if she has to in order to attack this turn.
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 3 + 1 (bless) = 15 + 3 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 3 = 1 + 3 = 4
Trip: 1d20 + 2 = 17 + 2 = 19
Ruano looses his shield as a move action, drops it as a free action, and casts Magic Stone. Next turn he'll go for his sling and start trying to pick off goblins with the stones.

Ruano spins in place, trying to bring his shield between himself and the onrushing Goblin. He's much too slow, and still disoriented from leaping from Spot's back, receiving a bloody gash across his shoulder and upper arm above the shield.
He calls, "Spot!" to get the dog to cover his back. He still needs to help the sheriff. The momentum of his spin carries him back around, and he makes another attempt on the Goblin's back.

Club attack on the Goblin between himself and Hemlock.
Roll: 1d20 + 1 + 2 (flank) + 1 (bless) = 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d4 = 4

Spot, defending as much by instinct as command, turns to face Ruano's new attacker, leaping at the bobble-headed cretin.

Spot's not clever enough to flank here. Her attack:
Roll: 1d20 + 3 + 1 (bless) = 11 + 3 + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 3 and trip = 4 + 3 = 7 damage
Trip attempt: 1d20 + 2 = 14 + 2 = 16

Looks like I'm rolling a bit better today. Also, hooray Bless.

I didn't expect Lone Wolf to be so useful, so soon.

Spot careens around the corner, barking madly. Ruano bellows an Outrider war-cry, directing Spot to the rescue of the outnumbered sheriff.

Spot snaps and snarls, but ultimately grabs nothing but air. Ruano takes a swing at a goblin noggin as he leaps from the saddle.

Charging in to help Hemlock. Spot takes a charge action. Ruano makes an attack (standard action) and dismounts (move action) to the right of Spot.Dice:
Ride check to guide with knees: 1d20 + 3 = 19 + 3 = 22 (DC 5)
Spot's attack: 1d20 + 3 + 2 (charge) = 2 + 3 + 2 = 7
If that hits, 1d6 + 3 = 6 + 3 = 9 damage and a trip attempt at 1d20 + 2 = 17 + 2 = 19
Ride check to fight with Spot: 1d20 + 3 = 16 + 3 = 22 (DC 10)
Ruano's attack roll: 1d20 + 1 + 2(charge) = 10 + 1 + 2 = 13
If that hits, 1d4 = 2 damage.
Flanking bonuses may apply to the above, depending on where exactly the goblins and Hemlock are standing.

I really wish those d20s had rolled in a slightly different order.

In that case, Ruano readies his shield as he catches up with Hemlock. His staff will still be left at the podium.

Ruano finishes tearing one of the stips off his shirt as Father Zathus touches him. He exhales heavily with relief as his skin mends and the bleeding stops. He rapidly ties the bandage around Spot's front leg, holding her gash closed. Gripping his club, he steps into the stirrup and up onto Spot's back, dropping his walking stick to the ground in the process. With any luck, it'll still be there when he comes back.

I'm not sure which turn I'm on or how many actions I have left. Spot took down the goblin. On my next turn, Ruano blessed the fallen priest, and Spot just stood there. Ruano also began making bandages. I don't know what actions those are, but it sounds like at least a turn. On the following turn, after Zathus healed Ruano, he ties off the bandage (a standard action, assuming it's a First Aid action with no result), then mounts (a move action). The rules are silent about what a mount can do on the turn it is mounted, but if Spot is still allowed to move, she'll carry herself and Ruano after Kinmorn and Hemlock.

And a dead acolyte beside them.

"Kinmorn, Ruano, are you harmed," asks Father Zantus. "Mayor Deverin!"

Ruano grimaces, looking down at his chest. "I think I'll survive."

Spot, her hair settling in the absence of immediate foes, pokes her nose at Ruano's wounds and whimpers. "Shh. Shh, girl. I'll be alright. Did they get you?", Ruano asks her. He quickly searches for any injuries she may have sustained, and quickly finds the cut on her shoulder. "They got Spot as well, Father. Poor girl."

Spot, reassured by Ruano, begins trying to rouse the deceased acolyte, prodding him with her head. Ruano notices, and sighs. "Leave him alone, Spot. He's gone." Ruano kneels, and closes the priest's eyes. <Peace be with you in the eternal summer.>

He also starts tearing strips off of his ruined shirt to bind his wounds and Spot's.

"I'm fine. This fight's not over yet." She looks down at the dead boy beside her. "Damn. Belor, get out there and find the rest of those things and kill them."

The sheriff looks over at the two of you. "You two, get over here. I need you out there, and I need you ready to fight. I..."

He trails off as something else catches his attention.

And then you smell it too.

Smoke.

Spot begins sniffing and looking around while the mayor is speaking. Ruano notices this catches the scent himself. He says something very obscene in Halfling.

Ouch! Damn dice.

The goblin in front of you, still angry over his badly damage face, stabs at you ferociously, driving his dagger into your chest.

He's a goblin. He'd be angry anyway.

Ruano screams as the goblin knife sinks into his flesh, thinking to himself I hope that doesn't hit anything important, in one of those moments of slowed-down clarity that precede pain. He flails back with his club, left with few other options, but the pain leaves him off-balance and stunned.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5. I'm not going to bother to roll damage.

Spot, however, is angry, and hears her master in pain. She bounds back toward him, tackling Ruano's assailant from behind.

Charge back to Ruano, behind the goblin for some flanking action.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 3 + 2 (flank) + 2 (charge) = 20 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 27.
Natural twenty. I knew she shouldn't have charged, but I wanted the +2 bonus.
Roll to confirm the crit: 1d20 + 3 + 2 (flank) + 2 (charge) = 2 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 9.
Ok, so she whiffed the confirm. But hitting is still good.
Damage is 1d6 + 3 = 2 + 3 = 5 damage, plus a trip attempt vs. 1d20 + 2 = 7 + 2 = 9.

Spot's jaws clamp shut around the goblins neck and she gives it a vicious shake, turning the goblin into a limp ragdoll in an instant.

Spot throws the limp body violently to the ground, teeth bared and looking for another target. Where moments ago she was an ideal of the gentle giant, Spot now resembles a vengeful killing machine, hair on end, teeth bare, and with blood dripping from both her wound and her maw.

Completing the trip on the unconcious goblin, not that it matters much.

I fear all three of you have may have been hit for damage (please confirm):

Goblin attack rolls:
1st roll v Ruano, 2nd v Kinmorn, 3rd v. Spot (1d20 3=15, 1d20 3=19, 1d20 3=13)

Yep. Both are hits, thanks to the charge penalty to Spot's AC.

Spot howls with pain as the goblin's blade digs into her shoulder.
Ruano calls out, "Spot!", just before another goblin's filthy dogslicer leaves a shallow gash across his chest. "Arrgh."
He reaches back with one hand to pull a short, heavy ended bit of wood from its place on his pack. A proper braining-stick, its end lightly bloodstained from various rabbits and squirrels that have made Ruano's dinners. He's bloodied the goblin's nose already, time to split its skull.

Drawing his club as a move action that doesn't provoke and attack of opportunity. Then attacking with the club as a standard action. Attack roll is 1d20 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13. If it hits, it's 1d4 = 4 damage. Ruano is still holding his staff one-handed in his left hand, but doesn't gain any benefit from it.

Spot's howl turns into an angry snarl as rage overtakes her pain. She lunges at the goblin that made the mistake of hurting her, jaws snapping at its neck.

Full attack action. Bite attack roll is 1d20 + 3 = 16 + 3 = 19. If it hits, it's 1d6 + 3 = 3 + 3 = 6 damage and a trip attempt vs. 1d20 + 2 = 7 + 2 = 9.

Given that there is Goblin within immediate reach, Ruano will try to crack the blighter in the face with his staff, then he'll take a 5-foot step away.

Ruano's quarterstaff: 1d20 + 1 = 14 + 1 = 15. If it hits, it's 1d4 = 3 damage.

Spot will charge at the goblin that seems to be afraid of her.

Spot's bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 (charge) = 5 + 3 + 2 = 10. On the off chance it hits, it's 1d6 + 3 = 2 + 3 = 5 damage, and a trip attempt against 1d20 + 2 = 10 + 2 = 12.

Also, Spot has a lower Init bonus(+2) than Ruano(+3). And can't seem to roll worth squat.

Now Ruano and Gengar (and Spot) are the only ones who can act in the surprise round, everyone else will have to wait for the next round.

Everyone has to work. We understand.

Since it's a surprise round, Ruano only gets one action, so he'll have his sling and a bullet in his right hand, but his left is still holding the staff.
Spot has no specific action unless ordered, but dogs hate goblins nearly as much as goblins hate dogs. If Spot has a clear charge path to a goblin (unlikely with the crowd), she'll charge on her initiative. She can move 40ft. in a partial charge.

Ruano looks confused for a moment. What's going on? Then he sees the dark shapes on the outskirts of the crowd. The farmers' rumors were right. Goblins!

"Get the children inside!" he yells, reaching for his sling, while sliding his walking stick into the prepared loops on the outside of his pack. "Goblins!" This community is supposed to be under his protection. Time to protect it. Ruano inwardly curses, and thinks of the armor sitting in Spot's saddlebags. He should have dressed the part, like that Priest of the Hunter God. His linen shirt won't be doing him much good.

Spot seems to notive something amiss as well. She sniffs the air and begins to growl.

Ruano's Init: 1d20 + 3 = 15 + 3 = 18
Spot's Init: 1d20 + 2 = 4 + 2 = 6
Ruano's action on his first turn is going to be to put away his staff and ready his sling. Since that is two move actions, that's his turn. He yells his warning as a free action.

Everybody make spot checks, please.

And I had my speech all written out, too!

Ruano smiles. "I'm Ruano Hallif, Initiate of the Order of the Grove." He helps a young girl down from Spot's saddle as the dog returns. "And this fine lady is Spot, my travelling companion."

"I'm sure they would be delighted, Ruano."

"Thank you, Father. Would you like me to bring you anything from the festival when I return this evening? It seems like you may not have time get away after the beginning of the festival."

Ruano slips his foot into the stirrup, and lifts himself into Spot's saddle. After bidding goodbye to Father Zanthus, he plans to head for the festival grounds and indulge his Halfling's appetite on the refreshments being offered. If one must wake up early, at least one can get a good breakfast.

Once he and Spot have full bellies, the speeches begin. Ruano boosts himself back into the saddle for the extra height he needs to see the stage. The speeches bore him somewhat, but the release of the butterflies is spectacular. "I'm sorry you can't see this, Spot. Thank you for the boost, though. Come on, now the festivities should be in full swing. Let's entertain the kids."

Ruano dismounts, and they begin making their way around the square, offering the smaller children rides. After helping a child saddle up, Ruano has Spot travel out a certain distance and return. To avoid scaring anyone, the distance, and the speed, Spot travels are proportional the the apparent bravery of the rider. That is, timid children get a slow walk with Ruano leading Spot by the reins. Excited children, however, get a run through the crowd at break-neck speed. Halfling children (if any are present) get to ride in Ruano's lap, since the saddle is otherwise too small for them.

Eventually, this process leads Ruano around to Kinnorm's archery range, as he follows the children congregating there.

Yes, indeed. It takes a minute for you to catch his attention as Father Zantus is quite busy with preparations, but a little assistance from Spot gets him to notice you.

"Of course, friend halfling. We would greatly appreciate the addition of a druid's blessing to our dedication tonight. We've asked Madam Mvashti, mostly out of courtesy, but she doesn't venture outside very often. The dedication is at sundown. I'll draw everyone's attention by dropping a thunderstone, but it might be best if you try to make it over here just before then. Trying to work your way through the crowd might be a little challenging. We have plenty of halflings living in town, but we taller folk can be a self absorbed lot, especially at a festival."

"Thank you, Father. Please, call me Ruano, or Initiate Hallif if you must be formal. I shouldn't have any trouble. Spot can be quite helpful in that regard, can't you, girl?" Ruano grins. "I will arrive at the Catherdral before sundown. I suppose the best thing would be for you to introduce me, and then I'll come up? I must admit this will be my first equinox blessing."

Ruano pauses a moment. "I'd like to speak the blessing in the Druid's Tongue. Do you think the people would mind?"

Did I get an opportunity to speak with Father Zanthus before the ceremony?

7 sp for the skinning knife (call it 1d3 damage, should it come up).

4 sp for the bread, cheese and sausage.

Deducted. What's it weigh? Same as a dagger?

What does that skinning knife run me? I also figured on getting a loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, and perhaps some kind of dried sausage at the general store for Ruano and Spot's meals yesterday.

Ruano wakes in his big (to him) bed at the White Deer. Spot notices he's awake and shambles over to lick his face. "Good morning, girl. What time is it?" He looks out the slatted window: the sun is still low in the sky. "A bit early, I see. Well, it's festival day. We should get out with the people."

Ruano slides out of bed and gets dressed: Trousers, his nice white shirt, sandals. He pulls on his pack and takes up his walking stick. He looks over at Spot's saddle and tack sitting on the floor. "Come on, Spot. Let's get you dressed, too. I know it's heavy, but you know I hate to leave things behind. And besides, we can give the human children rides. It'll be fun." Spot seems less than excited about this possibility, but she lets Ruano saddle her without a fuss. "Next time we come into a bit of gold, we need to see if I can get you a lighter saddle. This one isn't easy on either of us."

Ruano takes a last look around to be certain he isn't leaving anything behind. "First thing we need to do is get up to the cathedral and talk to the priest about the festival. See if he'll let us say a blessing. Yes, I know I should have done it yesterday. I didn't see you complaining when I took you to be groomed, did I?" He gives the dog a affectionate pat on the head, which she replies to with something of a sad look. "Sorry. I almost forgot you've been cooped up inside all night. The First thing we need to do is find you a bit of grass for a moment. The second thing will be to go to the cathedral. Better?" Spot looks much more pleased with that plan, and heads for the door. Ruano follows.

In case it matters, Ruano is talking to Spot in Halfling, which he tends to do when they're alone.

As Mitnal exits the general store, his shiny new gold piece in hand on his way up the Rusty Dragon a 3 foot tall figure brushes past him in the doorway. 'I've seen that kid somewhere before,' thinks Mitnal. 'this morning? On the Lost Coast Road? Perhaps he lives on one of the farms down there.'

Don't forget the giganitic dog, in saddle and harness, following him around. :-)

Ruano nods to the Shoanti in passing. He likes Shoanti; are are truly children of the land. Ruano ties Spot's reins to a horsepost in front of the store. "Be patient, Spot. It's your own fault. You just couldn't leave that barrel of fish alone the last time we were here."

Ruano looks out onto the street and grins. This is going to be a good day (even if it is afternoon already.) He's gotten a hot bath. He's wearing a clean white shirt. Even Spot looks all shiny and happy after being groomed. "Come on, girl. We have errands to attend to."

First stop is the general store: Ruano needs a new skinning knife, and it'll be cheaper to get lunch there than keep dropping silver at taverns.

Oh, and I marked another 2 silver and 2 copper off my char sheet: 1 silver for a cake of soap and the bath, another silver for Spot's grooming, and a two copper tip for the stablehand.

5 sp each, for a total of 1 gp. Also, if you mention something to your serving girl, she says they would be delighted to let you take a hot bath here at the inn. They have a communal bathing room, and are happy to let you bathe inclusive with the price of your meal. In fact, now is a good time, as most of the guests will be down in the common room for dinner.

Ruano passes on the bath for that night: not much point if he's going to go sleep out in the woods again. However, when he returns to town in the morning, it's the first thing he does, even splurging on a cake of soap to wash off two weeks of trail dust and grime. Then he'll take Spot down to a stable that works with riding dogs and have her groomed.

I marked the gold piece off my char sheet. I also changed him out of Explorer's Clothes and armor into his clean Traveler's clothes. After bathing and preparing spells I should be just about caught up on the timeline to everyone else.

Ruano gets his evening meal at the White Stag, ordering two human sized portions: One for himself and one for Spot. Spot also gets his leftovers, since he cannot finish so large a meal. She seems please with the arrangement.

After eating, they head back out of town, perhaps a mile into the woods, where they camp down for the night.

In the morning, they return, this time more ready for civilization.

What do the two meals cost so that I might mark it off my char sheet? Also, where in Sandpoint do I find a hot bath?

"I appreciate the offer, Sherrif, but I was planning on sleeping in the wilderness tonight, and I figure I might as well do it still. Just a bit closer to town than I had planned. I haven't had an opportunity to eat, however, so should take care of that before camping down for the night. Enjoy the festival, Sherrif."

In the interest of not collapsing the waveform, Ruano will seek out his evening meal at the White Deer instead of the Rusty Dragon. Hopefully, they won't mind Spot too much.

Err. Hey, boss, did that farmer give me his name when I caught up with him after running the wolverine off?

Ruano idly scratches Spot's ear while he speaks to Hemlock. It helps keep her calm, and something about the gesture seems to make others more accepting of such a large dog indoors.

"Indeed, sir. I was coming into town for the festival, and I was passing a farm, about day's march from town. The farmer was raving about something attacking his cattle. He showed me three dead cows. I did have to drive off a wolverine from the bodies, but that was not what killed them."

Ruano takes a deep breath.

"I do not know what attacked there, but whatever it was, they had weapons. Bladed weapons. Those wounds were not the work of teeth. And they managed to kill three fully grown cows in a matter of moments. I found footprints left by something wearing shoes, but I am not a tracker, sheriff. I know not where they went. I also found tracks of something with claws, but it appeared to walk on only two feet. This is clearly not a natural event, and so falls under your expertise, not mine."

Alright then. The first thing Ruano will do on reaching town is try to speak to Sherrif Hemlock about the cattle rustlers/attackers.

It takes a few hours, Ruano, but you arrive in Sandpoint just before nightfall the night before.

(Is this the first time Ruano has been to Sandpoint?)

Hrmm. *checks backstory* I was promoted to full druid at the solstice, so allowing some time to tramp around and find a bit a land to protect...Call it arriving in the general Sandpoint area a month ago. Figure on me having been to town once or twice to sell hides to the tanner and buy supplies. Perhaps I've also been aiding various farmers with their livestock, if I happened by at the right time.
I also think that I won't be arriving until the night before the festival, so I'll stay mum for now.

You enter Sandpoint from the southern end, across a bridge over the Turandarok, and the town rises before you. A jumble of building lies at the foot of a cliff dividing the town, and a handful of buildings, including the new cathedral, sits atop. Above that juts a weathered pinnacle of stone known locally as the Old Light.

You know the mayor is a woman named Kendra Deverin, and the Sheriff is a man named Belor Hemlock. You also know there's an old Varisian woman in town who is a druid and a sorceress, though she has a reputation as a scary old hag among the druids you trained with.

By 'the night before', do you mean the evening that everyone else spent swapping stories in the tavern? Just want to make sure I'm on the right page.