The first day passes quickly, and the group makes good time. The second is much the same. The area around Saor Ghabháltas is peaceful, in spite of the paucity of towns or even small villages. Once you round the southern end of Toil Shaor you are traveling south/southwest. As you enter the Sánspéir Mountains travel becomes considerably more difficult, and you don't make nearly as good a pace as you did through the valley pass. Still, your goal isn't that far into the mountains and Houwlou reckons your total travel time to be about the two weeks you were told to count on.
OOC
You were actually told one week, but I've revised that after looking at my map.
Elevation increases, the temperature gets cooler even though it's still early summer and the air gets just a little more thin. Houwlou supplements your trail rations with local game and Kecil proves to be an excellent cook - he quickly takes over both morning and evening meal preparation after Aodhán tries his hand at the conies the first evening and Houwlou suggests that simply eating the meat raw would be easier (and tastier as well).
Though all of you have heard stories of the dangers of travel in the Sánspéirs - and Houwlou and Aodhán have experienced some of those dangers firsthand - the journey goes remarkably smoothly . . . until you are about two days out from your destination.
In the wee hours of the morning of the 19th day of travel, Houwlou is standing his watch and he catches a very faint scent of musty canine. Stories and experience immediately bring gnolls to mind as he extends his muzzle, sensitive nose sampling the breeze in vain for another whiff to confirm his suspicions.
Houwlou snifs deeply, trying in vain to catch again the scent of his hated enemy. As he does so, he nudges Harnry awake and as soon as Harnry's eyes flutter open, Houwlou lays a finger across his lips to silence him before he can even utter a sound. Then Houwlou leans in close and softly whispers, "I smell gnolls. I'll scout more. You wake the others." With that, Houwlou quietly draws steel and moves to the nearest covered/concealed position where he can observe the greatest portion of the campsite.
As Houwlou moves to the edge of the camp in an effort to spot whatever created the scent he got, he loses that scent in the overwhelming smell of the pine tree he's hiding under.
OOC
Just need to know what Harn's up to. He can wake one companion/round, so I'll need to know who he wakes first and what their actions are in the round he's waking another.
Location: columbia, missouri, u.s. of north america, terra, sol III, Milky way, third demension
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mowgli
re:
OOC
Just need to know what Harn's up to. He can wake one companion/round, so I'll need to know who he wakes first and what their actions are in the round he's waking another.
ooc
sorry, I was unaware that Harn was awake
Harn senseing something amiss with Houwlouoooooooo, he goes to wake up Aodhán Gawain the Dwarf. everybody knows that a dwarf is good at your back. . .
Muffled cursing comes from a small stand of three evergreens on the north side of the camp - apparently Houwlou is having some technical difficulty.
Harnry wakes Aodhán, leaving Keeland and Kecil abed this round.
OOC
I need actions for the three who are awake for round three. Also, my assumption is that Aodhán is not sleeping in his armor - let me know if that is incorrect.
Why don't we go ahead and get initiative rolls for everyone just to have that chore taken care of.
OOC: DeWar, see post #124 for Houwlou waking Harn.
OOC: "Technical Difficulties" hehehehe
IC: Houwlou hunkers down with his sword drawn, when he finally navigates the obstacle course that is their camp at night, and waits to see if the gnolls he scented decide to put in an appearance.
"Snnoorrxxx....Wha... what is wrong with you people, don't you know it ain't right to wake a man up 'fore he's ready" Aodhán grumbles under his breath, or starts to until he sees Harn's finger. At the words gnolls, he immediately prepares for battle. Sleeping without his armour on was the only way to get proper rest, but now he gave the scalemail a kick cursing it, before grabbing his axe and shield.
Satisfied, he turns his attention to seeing any foes within range.
Houwlou skulks around for a while, Aodhán kicks his armor and fumes and Harnry finally gets around to waking Kecil and Keeland - all to no avail. Whatever Houwlou smelled (and he is almost 100% certain it was Gnoll) it does not show itself in the campsite that night.
"Grrrr, I know I smelled the stink of a gnoll! Sorry, felas, maybe I just dreamed it? Guess you'd all better try to get some sleep. I hope my watch ends as peacefully as it began and skips this middle part."
"That's alright my friend. I'd rather lose sleep over nothing once in a while if it means never waking up dead." He yawns and stretches. "Well we are all up. Should we try to get some rest or make a very early start today? Knowing there are gnolls about is gonna make it hard for me to go back to sleep."
"Bah! It ain't nothing but the nerves grating on you Houwlou. I need my rest to be at my best tomorrow, so unless there are anything else you need, I'll be heading back to sleep" the dwarf says,
What's left of the night passes without incident. Houwlou finishes his watch, hyperalert to every sound and smell in his eagerness to engage his hated foe. Harnry wakes Kecil in his turn and the two of them chat amicably - if even quietly than usual - as the horizon begins to brighten with dawn. Aodhán, Keeland and Houwlou wake up to the smell of grilled trout ('tickled' from the mountain stream the night before), warm bread and coffee.
Another hard day of travel should either see you to the CrágRi very late tonight or within a short march tomorrow morning.
"Rise and shine, Puddin'! Another beastly day in the life of a working mule awaits!" After he strikes the tent, Houwlou straps on Puddin's pack saddle, and begins loading her with gear. He will take any help that he is offered, but he asks for none. As a professional guide, he customarily does this for his clients, so it is second nature for him by now.
"Ugghhh... I had this crazy dream last night that someone woke me up saying that gnolls were about and got me all excited, but then there was nothing. Funny." Aodhán says, his eyes blood red, and it took three or four attempts to wake the slumbering dwarf.
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