Keegan finishes devouring the halved wolf heart and moves on to the troll nose.
"Hrmm..." *munch* *munch*
Keegan finishes devouring the halved wolf heart and moves on to the troll nose.
"Hrmm..." *munch* *munch*
Once again Effan catches himself staring in morbid facination. Then shudders and looks away.
Faldor stays awake with Effan during his watch and then stays awake for second watch before waking Hoz for third watch.
** spoiler omitted **
"Aye, Faldor. She's an old woman and none too strong. She's likely to worsen quickly. But, its not just her, half the town is sick. It will take a day or two more to get back. Perhaps the consortium could lend us ponies. "
***
"Also there's the question of all this coin. Hozs is right. It could be put to good use in town. Doesn't seem right somehow for us to keep it all."
... " ***
"Also there's the question of all this coin. Hozs is right. It could be put to good use in town. Doesn't seem right somehow for us to keep it all."
"Uhmmm... We could keep it?" That thought, like so many others, never seemed to occur to Hozs.
"We could, but I think you had a better idea about sharing it. The head of the lumber consortium can prove that wealth does not always hold good fortune. And I'd rather not give them the idea that we had more wealth then they."
"We could, but I think you had a better idea about sharing it. The head of the lumber consortium can prove that wealth does not always hold good fortune. And I'd rather not give them the idea that we had more wealth then they."
"Aye, droogy. Stick et ter th' F~+&IN' man, eh? We's as bein' regular-like Jack Half-a-Prayers! F+@*in' wild, see? No more key ter the streets, bloody bleedin' anarchy! As' what I does likes te see!"
He gestures vehemently with his half-eaten troll nose.
Sounds good. The night passes uneventfully with the exception of an owl silently landing by a roof hole and hooting loudly, nearly causing Rapheal to piss himself, and cause Keegan to jump up brandishing a small fork at the night, menacingly...
The night passes uneventfully with the exception of an owl silently landing by a roof hole and hooting loudly, nearly causing Rapheal to piss himself, and cause Keegan to jump up brandishing a small fork at the night, menacingly...
Caught between desire to get back to town as quickly as possible and curiousity about the secret door, Effan maentions it in passing the next morning, hoping someone else will make the decision ....
[ooc] nice owl stories all around. Don't have one to add myself. SHiny, what was Keegan saying there? Aside from "Go Team Anarchy!"
Caught between desire to get back to town as quickly as possible and curiousity about the secret door, Effan maentions it in passing the next morning, hoping someone else will make the decision ....
Hozs face brightens with a childlike grin. I love a parade.
"Though secrets are always intriguing, I think we should make all haste back to town."
Faldor packs all his equipment up into his small pack and looks to the others.
"So everyone ready to get home?"
"Though secrets are always intriguing, I think we should make all haste back to town."
Faldor packs all his equipment up into his small pack and looks to the others.
"So everyone ready to get home?"
Effan stuffs his gear into his oversize pack and struggles to get it onto his back. "Aye. Let's be off. Keegan, if you'd lead the way ...."
Jaden loads up his pack, keeps his weapons ready, and gets ready to move.
Jaden loads up his pack, keeps his weapons ready, and gets ready to move.
Keegan does likewise.
"Miss Squeeker, time to go." Hozs grabs Miss Stick and the rest of his pack.
The day breaks bright and cheerful. A day that seems full of renewed hope and raised spirits.......
A little after lunch though the clouds roll in and fat drops of rain begin slamming into the forest's canopy. Thunder swiftly rolls in as the sky darkens to an almost night-time shade of grey and is broken by the shocks of light given off when the lightning flashes across the sky. The storm intensifies forcing you to find shelter. There is a tall pine to right a bit that looks to be keeping the ground below it fairly dry or an old dry streambed with a couple of toppled tree trunks straddling it creating a sort of protective roof. The visibility and natural hazards of the storm and forest are forcing you to try to weather the storm. Which do you choose?
DC 20 survival-
"Hmmm... We's best be sticking to the timber. I isn't wanting to drown, see?"
The visibility and natural hazards of the storm and forest are forcing you to try to weather the storm. Which do you choose?
DC 20 survival-** spoiler omitted **
"Hmmm... We's best be sticking to the timber. I isn't wanting to drown, see?"
"Sounds good to me. Do you want to rig my tent as a tarp for a little extra protection from the rain?"
"Hmmm... We's best be sticking to the timber. I isn't wanting to drown, see?"
"Uhmm... Ok Keegan." Hozs does not see one difference one way over the other.
The visibility and natural hazards of the storm and forest are forcing you to try to weather the storm. Which do you choose?
DC 20 survival-** spoiler omitted **
"Hmmm... We's best be sticking to the timber. I isn't wanting to drown, see?""Sounds good to me. Do you want to rig my tent as a tarp for a little extra protection from the rain?"
"F-f-F~@# n-NO! I, e, uh... hmm... no."
"Sounds good to me. Do you want to rig my tent as a tarp for a little extra protection from the rain?"
"F-f-f!## n-NO! I, e, uh... hmm... no."
Not to be deterred, Effan casts animate rope to help rig the tent into a flat tarp-like shelter in the lee of the tree. He crouches under it, looking out at the rain and waves anyone else who would like to to join him.
Keegan sits out in the rain, mumbling to himself. Mostly about how he needs to go back to "that there place" and "dig up me swag".
The night passes in miserable, driving rain, whipping winds, and a nearly constant barrage of lightning and thunder. Surprisingly the party stays fairly dry, even Keegan who spends most of the evening using the tree's trunk and his cloak to prevent much from getting at him.
Dawn shows up as a slight lightening of the sky and the storm continues to rage. Around 10ish in the morning the storm lulls enough for you to continue your travels, with the lightning settling into a more moderate tempo and the wind dying down a bit. The rain is still coming down pretty hard and seems determined to soak the group as they leave the shelter of the Old Pine.
The day drags on interminably. Water has soaked most of the party to the bone and is giving everyone a chill.
By evening the lightning and thunder has all but ceased but the wind starts to pick up again. You see another old pine at the edge of your vision that look to provide a semi-dry haven or a cluster of boulders that form a shallow depression you could hold up in, although the earth is muddy all around and within it.
Which do you choose?
The night passes in miserable, driving rain, whipping winds, and a nearly constant barrage of lightning and thunder. Surprisingly the party stays fairly dry, even Keegan who spends most of the evening using the tree's trunk and his cloak to prevent much from getting at him.
Dawn shows up as a slight lightening of the sky and the storm continues to rage. Around 10ish in the morning the storm lulls enough for you to continue your travels, with the lightning settling into a more moderate tempo and the wind dying down a bit. The rain is still coming down pretty hard and seems determined to soak the group as they leave the shelter of the Old Pine.
The day drags on interminably. Water has soaked most of the party to the bone and is giving everyone a chill.
By evening the lightning and thunder has all but ceased but the wind starts to pick up again. You see another old pine at the edge of your vision that look to provide a semi-dry haven or a cluster of boulders that form a shallow depression you could hold up in, although the earth is muddy all around and within it.
Which do you choose?
"Sticks again, droogies."
"Sticks again, droogies."The night passes in miserable, driving rain, whipping winds, and a nearly constant barrage of lightning and thunder. ....The day drags on interminably. Water has soaked most of the party to the bone and is giving everyone a chill.
By evening the lightning and thunder has all but ceased but the wind starts to pick up again. You see another old pine at the edge of your vision that look to provide a semi-dry haven or a cluster of boulders that form a shallow depression you could hold up in, although the earth is muddy all around and within it.
Which do you choose?
Effan sniffles and trudges on with the others. A thoroughly bedraggled Catharine follows behind, meowing piteously. Effan straightens and looks back over his shoulder. "Well I didn't tell you to come along. I wanted you to stay home."
....
When Keegan suggests a halt in his elliptical manner, Effan is quick to get the hint. And grateful too. Once again he rigs the tent like a tarp. "I've got a couple tindertwigs left. If we could find some dry wood, maybe we could have a fire. Warm up some."
Effan sniffles and trudges on with the others. A thoroughly bedraggled Catharine follows behind, meowing piteously. Effan straightens and looks back over his shoulder. "Well I didn't tell you to come along. I wanted you to stay home."
....
When Keegan suggests a halt in his elliptical manner, Effan is quick to get the hint. And grateful too. Once again he rigs the tent like a tarp. "I've got a couple tindertwigs left. If we could find some dry wood, maybe we could have a fire. Warm up some."
Keegan has eaten most of his jerky, and would kill for something to eat. Literally.
"Hmmm... Wouldn't be supposing I could nibble your familiar, eh? Just the tail, maybe?"
Keegan has eaten most of his jerky, and would kill for something to eat. Literally."Hmmm... Wouldn't be supposing I could nibble your familiar, eh? Just the tail, maybe?"
"What?! No!!!" Effan scoops up Catharine in both arms. And twists his body away from Keegan. [/smaller] "It's all right, Catharine. He was just joking," he soothes the cat. But because he's not sure, he keeps looking back over his shoulder.
"Keegan, we're all hungry. Can't you or Jaden hunt up something for us all? I'd be willing to help."
As you head toward the protective covering of the pine you see a tail of some sort twitch from behind the tree. 1d20=2 initiative. The creature hasn't caught wind of you yet but you feel the breeze shifting towards it. You have no idea what it is but you only have a second to do something before it notices you.
Ignoring his grumbling stomach as much as he can Faldor grudgingly walks through the mud with the rest of the group. On seeing the tail and not wanting some giant wolf to eat them he begins a low chant. No real words can be heard but through his voice the the ancient lullabies of the first fey can be felt. Again energy can nearly be seen around him but before it becomes fully visible the gnome releases it towards the creature
Effan sees Jaden whip out the axe, hears Faldor start his chant, and knows something is up. He pulls out his wand and stares through the rain, looking for the threat.
Hozs calmy walks toward the animal hoping to get a better view of the thing. Hoping to share the comfort of its den he says, "chirpy squawk, Squeek yip n yap?"
Keegan sneaks, sneakily, up to whatever it is behind the tree.
The creature pitches over onto it's side, snoring quietly. Faldor has put the beast to sleep. It appears to be a boar, as you get closer to it, lying helpless and sleeping beside the tree's trunk.
The creature pitches over onto it's side, snoring quietly. Faldor has put the beast to sleep. It appears to be a boar, as you get closer to it, lying helpless and sleeping beside the tree's trunk.
Keegan looks right. Then left. Then right again.
He draws his knife, licking the blade.
"YESSS!"
The creature pitches over onto it's side, snoring quietly. Faldor has put the beast to sleep. It appears to be a boar, as you get closer to it, lying helpless and sleeping beside the tree's trunk.
Hozs scratches his head in puzzlement. Never having seen this type of hunting before puts his brain in pause. Boars are dangerous animals and he is a little amazed at Faldor's hunting skills. "Uhmmm... yummm."
Spot checks please.
DC15-
Uhmmm and we can cook it too! Hozs points to the dry wood underneath the branches.
Spot checks please.
DC15- ** spoiler omitted **
Seeing the dead branches that Hoz pointed out he sends his mage hand out to pluck some of the smaller branches for kindling to start the fire. "I'm unable to get the larger branches and I'm a terrible climber... Can any of you get them?"
"I'm unable to get the larger branches and I'm a terrible climber... Can any of you get them?"
"Here, we can use my rope." Effan ties one end of his longest rope around a rock and heaves it up over a branch. But instead of pulling the branch down, he only pulls himself up. "Maybe Hozs or Jaden could help?"
Keegan slips the dagger into the gap between the boar's neck vertebrae, severing its spinal cord.
In a surprisingly short time, he has the boar cleaned, dressed, and skinned. Keegan also beheads the animal, planning on carving the tusks and doing... something with the skull. Carrying the massive animal on his back, he walks the short distance to where the group is setting camp.
"Here ye goes."
Dripping with blood, he pops one of the boar's eyeballs into his mouth, chewing with apparent relish.
Keegan slips the dagger into the gap between the boar's neck vertebrae, severing its spinal cord.....
Dripping with blood, he pops one of the boar's eyeballs into his mouth, chewing with apparent relish.
Effan watches the scout approach with the boar. His mouths waters. When Keegan snacks on the eye, Effan's appetite is undiminished. "Well, that could have been a lot worse," he thinks.
He pulls out a tindertwig to help start the fire.
Effan watches the scout approach with the boar. His mouths waters. When Keegan snacks on the eye, Effan's appetite is undiminished. "Well, that could have been a lot worse," he thinks.
After dropping the boar near the fire ring (and the head next to his pack), he meanders back to the gut pile.
Disturbing sounds begin to emanate from behind the tree.
Hozs virtually [jumps (19) into the tree. "Miss Squeeker, give us a hand?" The two drag as many of the branches from the tree as they can. Before long a pile twice the size of Miss Squeeker lays near the Effan's ring.