D1: Ashin's Commission (El Jefe judging)

(OOC: Erekose--looks like we can't all keep it in light anyways, so we'll be going 40 speed--feel free to bring everything in that case. Also Zaeryl will buy a Light Horse instead of Light Warhorse and keep it in Medium too, saving some cash since he's kinda poor too But the military saddle is a bargain, so he'll get one anyways. Total expenditure 77.5, which isn't too bad)

Everyone: [sblock]ooc: Gotta dash soon. I'll wrap this up and get you out of town tonight hopefully.

Haven't heard from Jennileerose in a while. At some point I am just going to have to assume that Ros didn't going the group.

Its still early morning. The characters should bbe able to get 8 hours of travelling in this day.

I'm thinking about letting you increase one of the horses stats by two, and decrease one stat by two (er, you can't decrease their Int, btw ), as well as swap one feat. If you want to.

Cheers

thotd[/sblock]

(OOC: Sweet! If we can increase Strength by 2, that would let us fit on our horses with a Light Load better )

We're off!

Michael leans forward onto his horses neck and locks eyes with the animal.
"Horse, I'm going to play it with you straight. We're on a mission here. You work with me as part of a team, good things happen, like pats and apples.
You don't work as part of the team, I've got two words for you. Steak. Tartare."

Unimpressed, the horse follows after Ashin at a bouncy canter.
The rattle of armor drifts back to serenade the party, along with the occasional "Ow!...Ow!...Ow!..."

OOC: Jennilee can be a little busy at times. Regrettably, I think that's not likely to change. And of course, I've not quite been where I ought to be either.

Leaving Orussus

In Summary: [sblock]Payments and Purchases.
Just so we are on the same page. Please let me know if there are any problems, and ensure that your character sheets are up to date.

Thanks for the heads up on jennileerose. If she posts up before the first encounter, we'll assume that she missed the meeting with Hanasisar but made it to the horse yards in time to get a horse.

Remember, if you want to increase the horse's Str, you will need to decrease another stat. And also put a stat block in your character sheet so we know what was changed.

-- Payments --

240 gold pieces (to whole party - who has the purse at the moment?)

-- Purchases --

B4cchus as Hulgyr
* Potion of CLW (free)
* 4 potions of CLW (200 gold pieces)
* Light warhorse (135 gold pieces)
* Military saddle (10 gold pieces)
* Bit and bridle, saddlebags (free)

Erekose13 as Eternity
* Potion of CLW (free)
* Light riding horse (68 gold pieces, 5 silver pieces)
* Riding saddle, bit and bridle, saddle bags (free)

Jennileerose as Rosalynn Siannodel

ajanders as Michael Grannion
* Potion of CLW (free)
* Light Warhorse (135 gold pieces)
* Bit and bridle, saddlebags (free)
* military saddle (10 gold pieces)

Patlin as Ironwolf Kinkaid
* Potion of CLW (free)
* Light warhorse (135 gold pieces)
* Military saddle (10 gold pieces)
* Bit and Bridle, saddlebags (free)

Rystil Arden as Zaeryl Alant
* Potion of CLW (free)
* Light riding horse (68 gold pieces, 5 silver pieces)
* Riding saddle, bit and bridle, saddlebags (free)

Xael as Almayce
* Potion of CLW[/sblock]

From the horse yards, it is just a short distance back the the main road that will eventually become the Fallon Road. The area immediately around the city gates is crowded with ramshackle buildings of all descriptions. They crowd in on the road, and there appears to be little in the way of any organisation to the streets and alleys that run off the main road.

Armed equipped, and mounted, the party draws a fair bit of attention from the the people they pass. Perhaps around the Red Dragon Inn such things are relatively commonplace, but not so much here. Little children run along beside you dodging their parents and asking impertinent questions like; "Are you a real elf?" Have you ever killed anyone?" "Can you fly?" and "Is that a magic sword?" "Show us some magic!" always gets enthusiastic support whenever it is called out.

Shop owners and street trades loudly extoll the virtues of their wares to the party as they pass, working on the assumption that anyone wealthy enough to afford weapons and horses must have a bit to spare. But it only takes a passing glance to see that the stuff on sale is of dubious quality. The people who live outside the gates are the poorest of all Orussus's people. Their clothes are ragged and dirty, as are they. There is a distinctly unpleasant miasma in the air - the smell of cooking, rotting and solid bodily waste figure prominently in the cocktail.

Eventually the buildings fall away and the party leaves the city, and its smells, behind. Stretching ahead for as far as the eye can see there are farms and fields. Every few miles or so the road passes through a small cluster of houses with the odd shop. Some have a place where you can buy food and drink, but few have places to stay this close to the city.

Some way off to the right of the road winds the River Roars. This close to the sea, the river does little to earn its name. It is wide and flat and sluggish, ideal for the boats that work their way up and down it. But as the miles fall away, the river slowly drifts further and further from the road until it is out of sight. Assuming that all goes to plan, it will not be until you get onto the Lathim road that you will see it again.

The weather is fine, but a bank of cloud of to the west seems to constantly threaten rain. After about 4 hours in the saddle, a larger cluster of building comes into view up ahead. There are almost enough buildings here to qualify as a village. The place actually has a small square in the centre and a tavern. The muscles of those not used to riding are demanding a stop, and everyone's stomaches are telling them that it is time for lunch.

ooc: On the road at last. Can I have items in hand and/or readied, and the characters' preferred place in the riding order.

As they ride through town, Ironwolf tries to smile at a the pressing crowds in a friendly manner, although he has little success in that regard. He keeps towards the front of the group, and has both hands on the reins. His falchion is strapped to his back, and while he could draw it with little notice he prefers to use both hands to control the horse, as he has little experience riding.

He's pleased that the horse is a good strong animal, able to carry 300 lbs as a light load. It doesn't seem bothered by his equipment at all, even though he wears full plate.

(OOC: Per above DM comment, Ironwolf's horse dream has +2 Str/-2 Cha from base stats.)

(OOC: You miscalculated the Light Horse costs by 1 GP 75 - 7.5 = 67.5. Also, Zaeryl got a Military Saddle, so he actually spent 77.5. Zaeryl's unnamed horse has +2 Str and -2 Cha as well. I guess missing a name has scarred it for life and decreased its confidence

By the way, interesting tidbit: I happen to know that the characters in my A Teacher for Laynie are using the Fallon road to go to Medibaria and they are also leaving right now and I think may be travelling at the same speed as we are. Not sure if that matters, of course)