[FR] Silver Marches IC

[Thanee]

Day 1 of Hammer, 1372 DR (winter)

Welcome to my PbP 3.5 campaign!

The characters are detailed in the ROGUE'S GALLERY.

And here you find the corresponding OOC THREAD.

Any OOC remarks should be written in silver color like this to better seperate them from the IC, but please use the OOC thread for any ongoing OOC talk as much as possible and try to avoid it in here!

It's deep winter in the Silver Marches, even in the valleys the snow cover is deep, many of the mountain trails are impassable at this time. Still the majestic mountain ranges are a beautiful sight to behold, especially at a clear and sunny day like today, a rare occurance during the winter.

People gather within the protective walls of the cities, scattered among the Silver Marches, and only few dare to travel the wilderness that lies beyond. Adventurers find themselves in a good situation, where jobs are plenty and those who apply for them are not. Payment is usually generous to those willing to help out.

At the south-western edge of the Old Delzoun region lies the small town of Auvandell, where the Silverymoon Pass decents out of the Nether Mountains and leads into the Sundabar Vale. Rumors say, that the large watchtower around which the town has grown has been built by the dwarfs upon the hoard of a dragon slain by a hero named Auvan Arlandspyr. The large settlement is well-defended and serves as a stopping place for travelers heading from Silverymoon to Sundabar.

A trade caravan has come to the town earlier this morning, consisting of several pack horses, a couple human and dwarven merchants and only 2 guards, a dwarf and a half-elf. The merchants and few guards were battered and wounded, obviously from some unpleasant encounter while traveling the mountain pass. Brother Thamin, a local cleric of Oghma and member of the town council had healed their wounds and now they are looking to hire someone for protection to continue their journey eastwards.

But other travelers also arrived in Auvandell during the last few days, traveling the region for various reasons. Some of those stand out...

Cade Greythorn is heading to Sundabar on an errand duty, to bring a letter to the current Defender of Justice Lathkiera Morlund in the Hall of Everlasting Justice in Sundabar. The trade caravan seems like the ideal way to get there.

Pendrin Pendrington is traveling the Silver Marches from west to east, even during the harsh winter, in search of excitement and adventure. Heading to Sundabar would suit him well, as that is one of the largest cities in the region.

Korosh is shunned by most of the townsfolk, because of his strange appearance and only few were willing to talk to him. He wants to leave this place as soon as possible. In the larger cities, people are more likely to be without prejudice, as long as you aren't an orc, that is.

Soveliss Nailo is looking for applications for his specialist skills. The smaller villages and towns are not the best place for this, so he is also heading to the large city of Sundabar.

Faedalar Mistmorn had followed the trails of the bugbears that had slaughtered his tribe to the north, but soon lost it when they were headed for the Nether Mountains. His journey led him to Silverymoon, where he found out that bands of Bugbears are most commonly encountered in the eastern mountain ranges of the Silver Marches, the Nether and Rauvin Mountains, and so he set out to the east.

Quinn Elendar traveled to The North, into the Silver Marches, looking for adventure to hone his skills and aquire the means to one day satisfy his thirst for revenge and claim his birthright. Bigger cities are usually a good place to start and since Sundabar is the biggest city in the vincinity, it's an obvious choice.

 

[Serpenteye]

Korosh pulls his cloak tighter together to ward off the cold, though inwardly he's grateful for the excuse to conceal himself further. The extreme chill of the arctic winds are an excellent reason to leave no skin exposed to the elements, and he does not stand out quite as much when others are also covered and cloaked against the cold. It's far worse in the summer, he muses to himself while rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth. The tortured skin of his fingers cry out in protest but he hardly notices it, he's spent his whole life in pain and it has become the natural state for him. Any amount of pain is preferable to losing a hand to frostbite.
In no particular hurry he heads down the street, spotting a caravan in the distance. He'd overheard some caravan was hiring guards for the journey to Sundarbar. Maybe this could be his chance to get out of this quaint little pit of hell, he might even earn a couple of coppers in the process..

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

The bitter winds blowing down out of the Nether Mountains and the Spine of the World to the north toss stray flakes of snow through the air. But the cold never bothered Faedalar, who was always taught that the cold was but another aspect of Rillifane. With Nightwind perched on his shoulder, he walked through the streets of Auvandell. He had heard that there was a band of traders in town who had arrived looking a little worse for wear. I'll have to join up with whoever else volunteers to guard the merchants, the elf thinks. "We'll try to find those bugbears and make them pay, old friend," he says to the owl on his shoulder. "So that the Tree Ghosts may rest in peace." He rubs his fingers on the holy symbol of Rillifane he wears around his neck.

 

[WhatKu]

Seemingly the only person on the street without a cloak, Cade thought about the merchant caravan that arrived earlier. I suppose I can guard them, at least for a short time. Tyr as my witness, I will get this message to the church.

 

[Yellow Sign]

Soveliss was looking through the meager selection of winter clothing that the shopkeeper had. It looked like all the good stuff was already taken. Glancing down at his treadbare cloak, Soveliss gave out a long sigh. His small reserve of gold was dwindling fast and most of the citizens of this small village knew better than to trust him. Expecially after that incident with the tavernkeeper's daughter. "Well Soveliss old boy" he mumbled under his breath "Its time to find greener pastures." He purchased a wool blanket and some winter clothing and headed out into the street. The cold wind did not cut through him as much with the warmer cloths. The caravan master that recently came into town caught his eye. "Humm that's a idea!" he thought. "Just what I need. I can pay may way as a caravan guard to some big city!" Pulling his cloak around him Soveliss hurried after the caravan master.

 

[mackenson]

Quinn Elendar steps outside through the front door of the inn. He tugs his cloak around himself to ward off the chill, bows slightly to a passing woman, and marches down the street toward the caravan. His clothes and leather armor are threadbare, dirty and discolored, but he moves with the purposeful self-conscious grace of a noble. He rests a gloved hand on a rapier which hangs at his belt, and raises his other hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he studies the caravan.

He heard from others at the inn that this caravan was in need of guards, but these merchants look like a motley lot. Will they pay enough for him to bother? He sighs, considering his circumstances. He hasn't done much work of late, and he shouldn't pass up an opportunity. Besides, the trip might offer some adventure, and an opportunity for swordplay. He is also eager to see what Sundabar offers. He misses the excitment and energy of a city.

He looks at the distant mountains, and sighs. So far from home....

 

[Thanee]

The caravan has taken cover from the harsh weather in a stable-like building, where they are currently tending the horses and obviously talking about how to proceed now. They all look pretty desperate and do their work quite uninspired, when you arrive one after the other. The merchants are wearing simple and practical brown or grey winter clothing, the dwarf and half-elf both wearing leather and seemingly being the only ones armed there as well, with waraxe and scimitar respectively. Some backpacks and other containers are lying around and on a heap at one side you notice a worn chainmail and a large wooden shield as well as a smaller handaxe beneath another backpack.

One of the humans turns towards you and his face brightens up a bit, as he tries to cover his current feelings with a wary smile.

“Welcome, strangers. My name is Zacharias Flynn, I'm the master of this caravan here. I guess you heard about our incident in the mountains and hope you come to apply for a job?”

While he looks around between you waiting for an answer, the other merchants and the two remaining guards also look up now and muster you with a strange mix of hope and suspicion in their eyes.

 

[Serpenteye]

A hint of white reveals itself from under Korosh's deep cowl as he answers the merchant cordially.
"Greetings master Flynn, my name is Korosh. I understand you are heading to Sundarbar? I would gladly join you on your journey there and work as your guard along the way. I have some skill as a Sorcerer and know how to handle a crossbow."

 

[WhatKu]

"Hello Master Flynn. I am Cade, preist of Tyr. I need to go to Sundarbar, and it appears that your caravan is the best way to do it. I willlll gladly exchange guard duties for the trip."

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

"Greetings," Faedalar says, inclining his head. "I am Faedalar Mistmorn, and this is Nightwind", he says, gesturing to the snow-white owl perched on his shoulder. "A wandering priest of Rillifane Ralathil, a druid as you humans would say. I offer my assistance. Tell me, what manner of beast attacked you in yon mountains?"