"I think Gloomblade is correct." Henry turned and looked up the rough trail towards the mountains. "There will very soon come a time when it will be nearly impossible to take the horse any further. Do you then intend to leave it injured, and at the mercy of any predators?"
"I think that would be too cruel. We should let it go now or put it out of its misery."
As the group circles around the poor animal, Wendigo kneels down and begins examining the horse. Its breathing is labored, its hair is dirty, but there is no indication of anything broken. Dorn hovers over the monk's shoulder, but it's soon obvious to him that this is beyond the scope of whatever medical training he might have had. (Dorn Aid Another Heal DC 10: [3] + 2 = 5 *failure*) He stands back up and looks a bit forlorn as there's nothing he himself can do.
Gala yips and bounds down the rocks, coming in by the horse's head. Although the presence of a normal jackal would spook an animal such as this, Gala's connection with the natural world allows her to yip and yelp quietly in the beast's ear, licking it alongside its head, and there is a noticeable slowing down of the horse's breathing. Whatever she's doing, its calming the creature down. (Gala Nature DC 15: [7] + 12 = 19 *success*)
Tregar, Gloomblade and Henry all move around the steed and begin relieving it of its burden. The waterskins (although not terribly heavy all things considered), are heavy enough that it could cause additional discomfort, and each of them discover that shouldering the extra water themselves is not as much of a problem as they thought. And he lightened load relaxes the horse even further. (Tregar Endurance DC 5: [6] + 15 = 21 *success*) (Gloomblade Endurance DC 5: [18] + 5 = 23 *success*) (Henry Endurance DC 5: [11] + 8 = 19 *success*)
After another ten minutes of getting the horse calm, clearing much of the debris from around its legs and hooves, and trying his best to massage the leg that got twisted slightly underneath when the horse fell, Wendigo gently takes the reins and tries to bring it back to its feet. The horse whinneys loudly as it puts weight upon its twisted leg, (Wendigo Heal DC 10: [2] + 5 = 7 *failure*) but fortunately, it is able to take a few steps on it anyways and seems to walk the injury off. Although moving now with a noticeable slowness, the horse appears to be all right, all things considered. It's not something that the group would want to push, but for now the steed is able to continue.
The creature's survival is of course a good thing, Gala thinks, and it won't be necessary for her to physically lead the horse if they continue to bring it with them. Nevertheless, she is cautious, now, and rather than push ahead silently, the four-footed beast starts off much fore carefully.
At the first lip of a ridge, she easily climbs up, and puts her right forepaw on a root that won't give way, that the others can use as a handhold. Once it is seen, she continues, until the next potential obstacle. Here, this rock. Here, this path. Going is slower, but she hopes that an hour or so of this will help her fellow travellers navigate the slippery shale easier.
The jackal leads the party further into the mountains, and though the pace is slower... it's more surefooted. The elf druid certainly knows her stuff in the wilderness.
The five men behind her watch with interest as the animal picks her way up the rocks and boulders, but all stop short when Gala above them suddenly freezes upon a small ridge. They see her ears flatten against the sides of her head, and she then turns to face everyone... letting out a small growl. The other five and the horse all go silent.
A few of the group pick their way up through the rocks, then peak though and look down into a small valley beneath them. There they see sitting around a small fire, a band of ten orcs... chomping away on some roasted bird that one of them must have caught. They all are dressed in leathers, and each has a rusted sword or axe on his belt. Their skin is dark green, their hair is matted and dirty, and their raggedy clothes look as though they haven't been touched in years. A good guess would be that this is a small scouting party that has journeyed out further from the tunnels, probably scouting a path for the rest of the ones that are coming up and through. Especialy if they intend on getting to Overlook or Bordrin's Watch from behind.
The six of you climb back down beneath the lip of the ridge and discuss your options on getting around or going through this band.
Skill Check Three: Diplomacy, Perception, Stealth
(Just as an fyi... although Diplomacy is a skill on the list, it doesn't mean it has to be used for a direct conversation with the orcs, if the group would prefer to avoid confrontation altogether. You can find a different use for the skill while still maintaining secrecy if you'd prefer. However, if you want to get further information out of them by speaking, the skill could be used for that. Just check your known languages. LOL. )
Wendigo sees the orcs and is almost overcome by rage at the sight of the creatures; he knows what they did to his comrades at the monastery. After a few calming breaths and whispered words from Dorn, the shifter regains his composure. Knowing this is a scouting party, the shifter realized the wisdom is getting past them without conflict. He points to himself and then sneaks into the shadows away from the orcs, intent on getting around them.
The small head of the spirit-jackal rises above the crest of the hill, and Gala sees the orcs. Direct engagement is not an option: Gala scouts out a path that circumvents the glimmer of the orcish patrols; the bonfire. Maintaining a dkscrete distance in the cool half-light, Gala forges a trail just outside of what should be a respectable distance, and leads those of her party who wish to bypass the patrol to do so.
EDIT: Perception +13
Last edited by Kobold Stew; 17th June 2009 at 07:39 PM..
Reason: forgot skill
Dorn smiles wide as the horse stands again, and seems more protective of it now. He continues his whistling until they get near the orcish mob. He sees Wendigo bristle for the attack. Calm, my friend. No battle is won by turning your hand too early. These are but distraction. Let us focus on the greater task at hand. He hoped his words would suit, but he had some tricks to make it so.
OOC: Diplomacy +18 w/ Words of Friendship.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
Tregar follows closely behind the others, he was at home in the mountains and kept his eyes open for some way past these scouts without warning the main body.
He turned back and whispered "Pssstt...Henry, get up here and help an ol' dwarf for a second", hoping the human's eyes were better then his aging ones.
OOC - Perception +5
Last edited by renau1g; 19th June 2009 at 03:46 PM..
Gloomblade smirks at the sight of these orcs. "No sense talkin' to 'em," he points out. "They're half me kin, but I don't reckon they'd even talk to me. Better to get 'round 'em."
The Half-Orc looks down at the gathered Orcs, then to the Bard. "If you wanna get their attention, though, I could move into their backside and give 'em a nasty surprise."
OOC: Stealth +11
__________________ He knows the score... he gets the women... and he kills the bad guy. If you hire him to kill the bad guy... better make damn sure the bad guy isn't you! EN World Community Supporter
Currently running "In the Shadow of Giants" [OOC] | [IC] | [RG]
Last edited by Insight; 18th June 2009 at 03:20 PM..
Henry is slightly taken aback by the actions and intentions of his companions. He has neither the build nor the skill nor the equipment to be stealthy and neither is he the most perceptive of people.
Moving as slowly and quietly as he can he tried to see and point out any feasible paths for the dwarf Invoker. But even though he is lacking in some skills he had others to fall back on.
"Over there" he whispered "to the right. That scree of rock would be too noisy but I reckon we could scramble up the rockface next to it. See! There is a tree stump we could use to aid us in climbing."
Aid Another Perception (+2) Athletics (perception?) +9
The jackal is frozen, with only her ears moving. They shift each second, moving independently, as she listens for any other orcish movement. there, the garrulous conversation of the campfire. Remove that. There, the crackling of the fire itself. Remove that. the breathing of her companions. Remove that. What is left?
The orcs down in the small ravine are rip-roaring drunk, having for the first time in quite a while being able to be off by themselves with no stronger one lording over them. As they yell and laugh and break wind... the party goes about finding the best route to move on past and continue into the mountains.
Tregar and Henry try looking around for the best path up and around the camp, but with their armor being what it is... they fear getting too close until they actually have to move on. Henry's eyes help the dwarf spot the occasional trouble-spot, but Tregar just can't get a good enough view to guarantee a silent path. (Henry Aid Another Perception DC 10: [10] + 3 = 13 *success* / +2 to Tregar's Perception check) (Tregar Perception DC 15: [6] + 5 + 2 = 13 *failure*)
However, in her animal form, Gala has absolutely no problem picking her way around the camp, and to the orcs in the midst of a meal, is no distraction whatsoever. She finds the potential problem spots in the earth and digs around them... dropping sinkholes, moving stray rocks, helping out with anything that might cause an accident when the group moves on. (Gala Perception DC 15: [6] + 13 = 19 *success*)
Once the path is made, Dorn brings everyone together and gives a speech that not only calms the rising anger in Wendigo, but also focuses everybody on the job they have ahead. It is a monumental piece of oration that few would have heard before and less will hear again. (Dorn Diplomacy DC 15: [20] + 18 = 38 *success*)
Thus, as much as Wendigo might want to have gone down there to punish the fiends who attacked his bretheren, he easily heeds Dorn's words and leads the group forward on their sneaking around the band. (Wendigo Stealth DC 10: [13] + 12 = 25 *success*)
Gloomblade chuckles to himself, as the knowledge of the golden tongue of "The Speaker" is common to him... as it was Tirae whose followers got the halfork put away in the first place. Gloomblade learned quickly while in the prison not to cross "The Speaker" and his disciples... and he sure isn't going to do that now. He throws Dorn a 'thumbs up', then moves off after Wendigo. (Gloomblade Stealth DC 10: [10] + 11 = 21 *success*)
One by one, the rest of the party follows suit... and they get past the orc encampment with a minimum of fuss. It was a close call, but they six militiamen have a job to do, and do it they shall.
As they sneak past the orcs, Wendigo looks back. His gaze lingers on the light of their fires, but with no more hestitation he turns back to the path at hand, moving onward toward the monastery.
Having gotten past the scout band of greenskins, the group moves quickly further up into the rocky landscape. As everyone turns and looks back to where they came from... the view is beautiful... especially as the sun is beginning its descent in the sky. Wendigo mentions that they are getting closer and it shouldn't be long now... so the choice is made to doubletime it in hopes of arriving before dark.
A short while later, Gloomblade is out in front of the group and his eyes spy something he wasn't expecting. The rock formations several hundred feet ahead do not appear natural... but rather worked. It has the first glance of a cave... but upon a second look, certainly isn't. A doorway built into the mountain perhaps? Some sort of shrine? Did the orcs they just passed come out of this opening? Is this connected to the Sundered Chain in some way? At this distance it is hard to make a determination... but as the halfork shouts back to the group of what he thinks he has found... everyone moves up to try and figure out what exactly they are looking at.
but as the halfork shouts back to the group of what he thinks he has found... everyone moves up to try and figure out what exactly they are looking at.
Skill Check Four: Nature, Perception, History
OOC: Gloomblade has a +0 in all three...
Gloomblade peers ahead, trying to get a sense of what it is...
OOC: Perception +0... I guess
__________________ He knows the score... he gets the women... and he kills the bad guy. If you hire him to kill the bad guy... better make damn sure the bad guy isn't you! EN World Community Supporter
Currently running "In the Shadow of Giants" [OOC] | [IC] | [RG]
The striations in the volcanic rock of these hills betray the deformations of its ancient history. Think streaks of quartz reveal the elements once disgorged from the depths of the earth, streaks that when warped into these long curves reveal that a dragon, likely a red dragon, had once made its abode in a subsurface opening. They can mold the rock itself, thinks Gala, pushing it out, and that produces these marks--stretch marks of the earth as it nurtures its creature within itself.
Gala knows these rocks, and she knows their shapes. Perturbations can arise from all sources, and, while her experience is limited, as she looks at the opening Gloomblade has found, she feels confident that she knows for certain whether or not this is a natural feature.
Henry stares keenly at the cave but nothing comes to mind. He is too new to the region to have heard anything (History -1) but he keeps trying to see what he can make out. With any luck he might spot something of use.
OOC
Perception and Nature are both +2. So Henry can only try to AId Another
Henry stares keenly at the cave but nothing comes to mind. He is too new to the region to have heard anything (History -1) but he keeps trying to see what he can make out. With any luck he might spot something of use.
OOC
Perception and Nature are both +2. So Henry can only try to AId Another.
PS Congrats to Defcon (and the rest) this is so well crafted it deserves a round of applause
Wendigo pauses, calming his mind from the encounter of the orcs. A few deep breaths and the shifter is in a perfect state of awareness. His sight is clear, sounds are crisp, and smells are magnified.
Dorn looked up at this odd shapes of the hills, almost seeing the ghosts of the place as a tangible presence. He placed his hands on the stone walls, trying to recall anything... a song, a dramatic piece, and snippet of a story... anything that might identify this lost and lonely ruins in a place few dared tread. History was not his strong suit, he cared more for the concerns of the present than the past, but... something seemed familiar...
OOC: History +4.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
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