Memories and Portents Chapter#1: A Dark and Stormy Knight

SecondTime · Dec 30, 2006

The wheels of the caravan and the feet of its constituent horses and peoples creak and groan to a halt almost simulaneously.

The sky has been slowly darkening all day, and the smell of rain has been thick in the air. Now it has finally begun to fall, accompanied by loud peals of thunder that seem to roll across the landscape. The sun is hidden behind massive stormclouds, and a cold wind blows from the north. As bolts of lightening begin to slam from cloud to ground and pieces of hail begin to strike the earth, the need for shelter becomes obvious. No member of the caravan company, refugee or no, has ever prayed for their arrival at a destination more than they currently are for New Cyre.

Ahead in the distance, visible about a mile of the trade road where it curves to the east, a large tower rises from the ground, its form illuminated by the occassional lightning bolt. It seems rocky and solid, and through climbing it in this weather would be folly, it might have some outcropping that would provide safety from the storm. The only alternative is to endure the weather.

The caravan master, Dondel Bresh, a short, squat, blonde man with pale skin but hard facial features consistent with his northern Brelish accent, appears along the side of the caravan, walking from the front wagon to the rear and back, gripping his curled horse lash in his right hand. His voice, loud so as to be heard by the company over the oncoming storm, carries the command one would expect from the master of a House Orien caravan, rather than the leader of the cheapest group of wagons that could be found in Starilaskur...

"Listen to me, passengers and employees alike!!! Neither you or my wagons can last in this storm...we need shelter! I need some tough people to scout that tower and warn of any brigands! It is considered ill luck to seek shelter in the local ruins, but we have no choice. Do we have any volunteers!?"

OOC: Time to introduce yourselves in game.

OOC Thread:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=183129

Character Stat Thread:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=183128

Nightbreeze · Dec 30, 2006

As soon as the caravan wagons stops, the cat looks around, then jumps down and runs somewhere. After half a minute, an old man raises his head from behind the next wagon and looks in the direction the feline went.
"Dammit...you think you managed to fool me with that innocent-looking lazyness? No, not me, not anymore"

"...ruins, but we have no choice. Do we have any volunteers!?" - the caravan master finishes his short speech.

"Hmm??? Ruins?
Hrm...
Ruins=Treasure=Funds for my experiments...
Plus I'm sure theese stalkers have a plan...it's better to not stay with the caravan for the next hours"

An old man with a long white hair heads for the gathered travelers, often looking in all directions as if he fears an ambush from nowhere. His nervous grip on a incredibly old-looking crossbow tightens as he heards a low "meou". He spins around with a savage visage, with glaring green eyes.

He doesn't seem to notice that some merchants look at him and he walks in front of Dondel Bresh.

<I will go, my dear guide...I'm sure you will be able to defend the caravan agains any possible attacker> "Even from the inside, hrmh...unless you are their slave, too..." <By the way, my name is Gregorius Enimorde, artificer.>

Enforcer · Dec 30, 2006

A tall, slender man with the hood of his simple cloak pulled over his head, concealing his eyes, steps forward. He wears no armor and the only weapon he carries is a simple dagger that seems more suited for dining than combat.

"I will scout the tower, Master Bresh."

Argent Silvermage · Dec 31, 2006

Trys: Soto Grabapples

The halfling merchant climbs down from wagon slipping the last few inches and landing with a thud and splash into a puddle. "I..I'll come. Anything to get out of the wet." 'Soto' brushes his salt and pepper hair back from his weathered face and grabs his cudgle.

chod · Dec 31, 2006

Jumping down from the wagon, not caring that some mud splash onto his dark green cloak. Tipping his wide-brimmed hat up, revealing a youths face with short dark hair and green eyes, Ardan puts on a big grin and says:
"I will search the tower aswell, and I am sure my skills will be very helpfull"

Paper_Bard · Dec 31, 2006

One of the wagons gives a lurch as a large form jumps down from the top. The ground crunches loudly as the figure’s feet slams into the ground, unsettling stones and earth. Two glowing yellow eyes shine out of a black metallic body as what is obviously a warforged walks toward the caravan master. They dozen or so crystals embedded in the thing's hide glow radiantly as the metal man speaks in a surprisingly human voice.
“Xerxes shall go. It would be good to test thy metal against thine foe in yonder tower.”
Drawing a greatsword from his back, the warforged turns and looks at the tower. Everyone can see no less than five other weapons strapped to his back.
“Yes… Xerexes shall go.”

Asmor · Dec 31, 2006

Not normally one to risk his neck for nothing, surveying the sad faces around him Antonus feels a twinge of guilt. "Why'd I have to sit in the wagon with all the little kids and old geezers?" he thinks to himself. "Bah. Fine. I guess I'll go help out. At least it'll get me away from them."

Hopping out into the mud, he approaches the motley crew that's been assembled. "The name's Antonus, and my skills are at your disposal." Antonus feels a little rumble in his stomach. "Uhh... I don't suppose anyone could spare an apple or something? Adventuring's hungry work!"

Nightbreeze · Jan 1, 2007

"Hmm...and what if...no...it would be too obvious...but maybe they would think that I think that it would be too obvious and so they would do it anyway...but what if they know that I think that they would think that I think that it's too obvious and they don't do it? ....anyway, it would be better to stay alert"

hero4hire · Jan 1, 2007

"I too will go." said a cloaked figure. He strode forth and drew back his hood to reveal lupine features that marked him a shifter. "I do have some.....experience in scouting." behind him a large dog...no thats a wolf! shook himself from the rain that matted his fur. The stench of wet dog was prominent in the air, but whether it exuded from pet or master, one could not be sure.

Asmor · Jan 1, 2007

Antonus startles as the wolf appears, but quickly tries to regain his composure.

"Oh, that's... that's a, uh, nice dog." He laughs nervously and takes a step back.