[ooc - taking a few liberties to push things along...]
Pirythanis still has substantial injuries and Pyior needs a bit of rest. In spite of it being just short of midday, you decide to hole up in the Grumblewood for a bit of rest and recuperation.
[ooc - Dayan will spend a short while to prepare lesser transfer wounds and, between that and a couple diminished castings, Pirythanis is fully healed.]
The staff of the Grumblewood is efficient if not exactly the most comfort oriented. They can offer you straw pallets in one of three common rooms for a silver a day. Most of their services revolve around horse care and wagon repair, catering to the caravans that stop here. They can offer food and beverage for a price.
The evening passes uneventfully...dicing, drinking, and sharing stories. At one point Dayan approaches the group (you hadn't even noticed that he was missing). He looks a bit distraught and explains that something has come up and he must depart the group. He wishes you well and suggests that if he can take care of this other issue he may try to catch up. When pressed for more details, he politely refuses and will decline any offer of assistance.
[ooc - if ShadowX ever returns, we'll see about working him back into the story.]
The next morning dawns bright and it promises to be warm day. Osric and Pyior chat idly about their respective fields of expertise, religion and monstrous beasts. After the ambush yesterday, everyone keeps a little bit more attention on the surroundings...particularly bushes, trees, and large rocks.
On the subject of large rocks, about three hours outside the Grumblewood, you start to encounter massive obelisks periodically. Each is made of a single piece of stone standing upwards of 20' tall and sticking up out of the ground like a smooth, stubby finger pointing to the heavens. They are clearly not a natural feature, but there are no markings to indicate their purpose. You've heard rumor of these stones, yet no one seems to know who put them here. Some say they pre-date the arrival of the giants on this continent.
Shortly before noon, as you round a small hillock, a trio of brown-furred humanoids with curled horns come into view. They wear armor and carry spears, axes, and shields. For those who have never seen one, they match the classic description of rhodin.
The rhodin appear to have been walking along the road in your direction and they spot you at about the same moment you notice them. They snarl something to one another and appear to prepare to throw their spears.
[ooc - distance between groups is about 100']
Initiative:
Khajom - 23
Pirythanis - 20
Danwyn - 19
Osric - 14
Ys-Baddaden - 12
Rhodin - 8
Pyior - 4
