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Scales of War: Rescue at Rivenroar: Spizz!
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 5706303" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p><strong>To Rivenroar: Day 2</strong></p><p> </p><p>The second day is, if anything, much harder going, the adventurers are really in the wilds now – this land has never been tamed, or so it seems. Twisted briars and thick scrub at best, the wooded areas are much more dense, at times the sun – what little there is of it – disappears entirely from view.</p><p> </p><p>Worse still the rain, which has continued steadily throughout the night has turned dirt to mud. Runnels and ravines, many initially hidden from sight, dot the land. Those sheltered by the trees are mostly dry, they require the adventurers to scramble down short, but dangerous, scree slopes, and then to tiredly plod back up the other side. Those that have been exposed to the rain have become mud pits – the Goblins progress is easy enough to track however, the creatures have cut down saplings to span some of the more difficult to traverse gaps.</p><p> </p><p>And yet still the rain comes down, soaking everything – it’s not heavy, not a downpour, just a fine drizzle that is ceaseless, which gradually over the hours makes everyone in it quiet, sullen and sulky.</p><p> </p><p>That said, and somewhat chastened by the previous day’s bumbling performance, Freggo, it seems, is determined to make better ground today, and not to be such an eager fool. He no longer wastes time and energy gesturing, posing, and dreaming of castles in the sky. He instead falls in-line, marches with the group – stoic in the weather’s assault.</p><p> </p><p>Every now and then however he cannot help himself, the young Swordmage scurries up a tree or hill to scout the area ahead. Today however he reports back all he has seen – this subdued, perhaps more useful, Freggo is certainly better suited to the task in hand.</p><p> </p><p>Kali broods on the first day’s travel, it had been tough, too tough, something didn’t feel right to the Shifter. Kali has walked the wilderness for years, but yesterday’s little trips, falls, scratches, and general annoyances seemed somewhat out of the norm. He can find no answer however, and puts it down to travelling with neophytes unused to the privations and hardships of the wild lands.</p><p> </p><p>Kali searches en-route for the small beasts that surely surround him, asks of the vole, the lark and the lemming, using his empathetic link to try and ascertain that the travellers are on the right route. His replies alas are terse, the creatures as wild as his surroundings; the animals do not wish to be disturbed. Those he finds to communicate with are recently from hiding, the Shifter is certain that the Goblins came this way. Furthermore he learns that the group they seek struggled also with the terrain. The adventurers are, he estimates, gaining on their quarry.</p><p> </p><p>The Shifter shares this news with his companions, and suddenly clouds lift – the adventurers press on, surer of foot and with a quicker, much lighter, tread.</p><p> </p><p>The first day had taken its toll on Viator – today he decides to relax, to not try so hard – he will not push himself as he did yesterday. He rests his powers, lets his mind wander.</p><p> </p><p>The Eladrin also spends the day keeping an eye out for traces of the missing citizens, and the Goblins of course. He trusts, however, that Kyalia, Kali and Ah-shahran, will show them the way. He even enquires of each of them a moment of their time to explain what they are looking for, the Psion seeks to further his skills less reliant on the power of his mind.</p><p> </p><p>Viator’s headache finally fades, he takes to smiling – not all the time, but… the going is not so tough, his keen eyes help him to find the easy track, and the close proximity of his companions bolsters his once flagging spirits.</p><p> </p><p>Viator’s interest stirs something within Kali, the Shifter is not usually one for idle chatter, and yet Kali senses something different about the strange Viator. The Eladrin he thinks seems to perceive the world much differently to he, his manner and action separate him from the average folk – in short, Viator is odd; Kali quite likes odd. He welcomes the Psion’s desire to learn, perhaps even to be able to see, no, not see, to sense some of the things that Kali’s bestial heritage allows him to be innately and instantly aware of. Kali does his best to teach Viator how to read the land, what to look for, how he uses all of his senses to navigate the way.</p><p> </p><p>As he travels, with the Eladrin at his side, he tries to impart the essence of what he senses around him, from the obvious (to him) signs of the Goblins passing, to the different odours on the breeze – and their possible meanings. He translates the rustles and sounds of the undergrowth – the passage of smaller beasts, minding their own business, and mostly completely hidden from sight. He attempts to give words to the various ‘tastes’ of the world around them, Kali hopes that maybe Viator’s unusual skills will allow him to get a glimpse of the world as Kali senses it.</p><p> </p><p>Kali suddenly, and surprisingly, discovers he has ‘friends’.</p><p> </p><p>Ah-shahran’s attention also has a different focus today. Trusting his companions to keep the path, he instead keeps his eye on his companions. He tells rambling stories, anecdotes mixed in with worldly wisdom – all peppered with humour. His tales are timed to lift his colleagues’ spirits whenever he notices them begin to flag, to re-tune concentration when it too starts to slip. Gorm aids the Deva’s efforts, making many more appearances, acting at times like a playful puppy, and at others like a hunting hound.</p><p> </p><p>Velani is encouraged, she makes a second attempt to break the ice. </p><p></p><p><em>Ungh… retirement’s caught up on me faster than I thought! Five years ago, I could have taken to this trail without a missed step, and never short of breath, and now I find myself huffing and puffing like a crone. I’m going to have to dig a little deeper and find a younger version of myself today! Not that I’m old mind you!</em></p><p> </p><p>Velani smiles and laughs, joking at her own diminished capabilities. She tries and, more often than not, succeeds in lightening the mood, through the clouds and downpours.</p><p> </p><p><em>Let not this foul weather deaden our hearts or feet, friends. Nay, let it wash away the grime of our travel, and renew our faith in the cycle of all things. Trust in Lady Dol Arrah, and let her Light shine even though the clouds darken our sky.</em></p><p> </p><p>And the adventurers’ moods are lifted further, higher – the going, against the odds, seems much, much easier today.</p><p> </p><p>Towards the end of the second day’s travel Viator heads over to enquire of Kyalia whether she will explain some of the techniques she is using to guide their steps – </p><p></p><p><em>I can certainly do that, Viator.</em></p><p> </p><p>Kyalia states with enthusiasm.</p><p> </p><p>The elven huntress, like Kali previously, spends most of her time searching for signs of the Goblins’ passage, tracking their movement and comparing it with Morrick’s map.</p><p> </p><p>Where possible, she explains carefully, but in great detail, to Viator, what she is doing and why, and exactly what information she is reading from the myriad tracks she continues to find.</p><p> </p><p>Viator is delighted. Several of the other adventurers less skilled in the art of tracking also gather to hear Kyalia explain – she soon has an audience which, when no-one is looking, makes her smile.</p><p> </p><p>And the second day is glorious, well… rainy and glorious, muddy and glorious, however there are no slips, spills or falls. The adventurers work together to counter the weather and the generally miserable conditions and, seemingly without trying too hard, learn to get along – to work as a team.</p><p> </p><p>Kali learns a little more from his chatterings with the woodland creatures, although communication is limited, most of the creatures of the wild are cunning but not clever, he précises his findings – </p><p></p><p><em>Bad pass this way.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>Big bad!</em></p><p> </p><p><em>Many bad.</em></p><p> </p><p>The most intriguing thing, repeated by a number of his woodland and wild friends, is the sense that something ‘big’ passed this way, something ‘big’ accompanied the Goblins – a big creature, not a Goblin, he explains?</p><p> </p><p>Kyalia has more to add, her tracking skills have shown her that there were in excess of thirty creatures passing this way. By their tread a mixture of Goblins and Hobgoblins, and… some others, maybe half-a-dozen folk with booted feet smaller than the Goblins, and with a much lighter tread. There are no other clues, nor can she guess what manner of creatures these unknown folk are.</p><p> </p><p>But the ‘big bad’ she knows all about – a four footed Drake, a large creature with a heavy tread that did not go around the natural barriers of briars and thorns, but instead went through. Clearly something that is used to travelling between points A and B in a straight line – a blundering brute of a Drake.</p><p> </p><p>A little later she is forced to break the bad news, although in truth it does little to dampen the adventurers’ spirits – the tracks show the passing of two large Drakes, not one.</p><p> </p><p>And the good news; one of the Goblins’ prisoners has been doing their best to ensure that the trail is still warm, between them Kali, Kyalia and Ah-shahran pick up three buttons, a cork (from a bottle of “South Paw”, a Fallcrest brew), and half-a-dozen small torn-off pieces of cloth. Ah-shahran makes sense of it all – Kartenix, the Guard Captain, the buttons and the cloth are from the uniform of an Officer of the Watch…</p><p> </p><p>The adventurers’ confidence begins to grow, yesterday’s frowns turn to thin smiles, which grow wider – regardless of the miserable weather and conditions – as the day progresses and the clues gather.</p><p> </p><p>And so it is, early on the evening of the second day of travel, with the sun sinking beneath the horizon that Kyalia spies less than two-hundred yards ahead the ruins of some once great structure.</p><p> </p><p><em>Rivenroar Castle.</em></p><p> </p><p>The Elf declares and points the way.</p><p> </p><p>The adventurers have not made good time today – they have made great time, surpassing all of their expectations.</p><p> </p><p>Kyalia, with help from Kali, and Viator – a little, further confirms that they have certainly made up considerable time on the Goblins. The adventurers started the hunt 6-8 hours behind the creatures, the trail ahead, which leads directly to the ruins – is probably less than two hours old.</p><p> </p><p>It seems for all their troubles en-route, the Goblins were having a much, much tougher time of it. The adventurers find places to hide, to watch, to rest a while, they whisper thanks to their gods and each other, they cannot hide their smiles.</p><p> </p><p>They have found the ruins of Rivenroar.</p><p> </p><p><u><strong>End of Encounter #5</strong></u></p><p> </p><p>Eight successes (One+ each) & one group failure (Multiple failures in Day 1 Group Endurance check).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 5706303, member: 16069"] [B]To Rivenroar: Day 2[/B] The second day is, if anything, much harder going, the adventurers are really in the wilds now – this land has never been tamed, or so it seems. Twisted briars and thick scrub at best, the wooded areas are much more dense, at times the sun – what little there is of it – disappears entirely from view. Worse still the rain, which has continued steadily throughout the night has turned dirt to mud. Runnels and ravines, many initially hidden from sight, dot the land. Those sheltered by the trees are mostly dry, they require the adventurers to scramble down short, but dangerous, scree slopes, and then to tiredly plod back up the other side. Those that have been exposed to the rain have become mud pits – the Goblins progress is easy enough to track however, the creatures have cut down saplings to span some of the more difficult to traverse gaps. And yet still the rain comes down, soaking everything – it’s not heavy, not a downpour, just a fine drizzle that is ceaseless, which gradually over the hours makes everyone in it quiet, sullen and sulky. That said, and somewhat chastened by the previous day’s bumbling performance, Freggo, it seems, is determined to make better ground today, and not to be such an eager fool. He no longer wastes time and energy gesturing, posing, and dreaming of castles in the sky. He instead falls in-line, marches with the group – stoic in the weather’s assault. Every now and then however he cannot help himself, the young Swordmage scurries up a tree or hill to scout the area ahead. Today however he reports back all he has seen – this subdued, perhaps more useful, Freggo is certainly better suited to the task in hand. Kali broods on the first day’s travel, it had been tough, too tough, something didn’t feel right to the Shifter. Kali has walked the wilderness for years, but yesterday’s little trips, falls, scratches, and general annoyances seemed somewhat out of the norm. He can find no answer however, and puts it down to travelling with neophytes unused to the privations and hardships of the wild lands. Kali searches en-route for the small beasts that surely surround him, asks of the vole, the lark and the lemming, using his empathetic link to try and ascertain that the travellers are on the right route. His replies alas are terse, the creatures as wild as his surroundings; the animals do not wish to be disturbed. Those he finds to communicate with are recently from hiding, the Shifter is certain that the Goblins came this way. Furthermore he learns that the group they seek struggled also with the terrain. The adventurers are, he estimates, gaining on their quarry. The Shifter shares this news with his companions, and suddenly clouds lift – the adventurers press on, surer of foot and with a quicker, much lighter, tread. The first day had taken its toll on Viator – today he decides to relax, to not try so hard – he will not push himself as he did yesterday. He rests his powers, lets his mind wander. The Eladrin also spends the day keeping an eye out for traces of the missing citizens, and the Goblins of course. He trusts, however, that Kyalia, Kali and Ah-shahran, will show them the way. He even enquires of each of them a moment of their time to explain what they are looking for, the Psion seeks to further his skills less reliant on the power of his mind. Viator’s headache finally fades, he takes to smiling – not all the time, but… the going is not so tough, his keen eyes help him to find the easy track, and the close proximity of his companions bolsters his once flagging spirits. Viator’s interest stirs something within Kali, the Shifter is not usually one for idle chatter, and yet Kali senses something different about the strange Viator. The Eladrin he thinks seems to perceive the world much differently to he, his manner and action separate him from the average folk – in short, Viator is odd; Kali quite likes odd. He welcomes the Psion’s desire to learn, perhaps even to be able to see, no, not see, to sense some of the things that Kali’s bestial heritage allows him to be innately and instantly aware of. Kali does his best to teach Viator how to read the land, what to look for, how he uses all of his senses to navigate the way. As he travels, with the Eladrin at his side, he tries to impart the essence of what he senses around him, from the obvious (to him) signs of the Goblins passing, to the different odours on the breeze – and their possible meanings. He translates the rustles and sounds of the undergrowth – the passage of smaller beasts, minding their own business, and mostly completely hidden from sight. He attempts to give words to the various ‘tastes’ of the world around them, Kali hopes that maybe Viator’s unusual skills will allow him to get a glimpse of the world as Kali senses it. Kali suddenly, and surprisingly, discovers he has ‘friends’. Ah-shahran’s attention also has a different focus today. Trusting his companions to keep the path, he instead keeps his eye on his companions. He tells rambling stories, anecdotes mixed in with worldly wisdom – all peppered with humour. His tales are timed to lift his colleagues’ spirits whenever he notices them begin to flag, to re-tune concentration when it too starts to slip. Gorm aids the Deva’s efforts, making many more appearances, acting at times like a playful puppy, and at others like a hunting hound. Velani is encouraged, she makes a second attempt to break the ice. [I]Ungh… retirement’s caught up on me faster than I thought! Five years ago, I could have taken to this trail without a missed step, and never short of breath, and now I find myself huffing and puffing like a crone. I’m going to have to dig a little deeper and find a younger version of myself today! Not that I’m old mind you![/I] Velani smiles and laughs, joking at her own diminished capabilities. She tries and, more often than not, succeeds in lightening the mood, through the clouds and downpours. [I]Let not this foul weather deaden our hearts or feet, friends. Nay, let it wash away the grime of our travel, and renew our faith in the cycle of all things. Trust in Lady Dol Arrah, and let her Light shine even though the clouds darken our sky.[/I] And the adventurers’ moods are lifted further, higher – the going, against the odds, seems much, much easier today. Towards the end of the second day’s travel Viator heads over to enquire of Kyalia whether she will explain some of the techniques she is using to guide their steps – [I]I can certainly do that, Viator.[/I] Kyalia states with enthusiasm. The elven huntress, like Kali previously, spends most of her time searching for signs of the Goblins’ passage, tracking their movement and comparing it with Morrick’s map. Where possible, she explains carefully, but in great detail, to Viator, what she is doing and why, and exactly what information she is reading from the myriad tracks she continues to find. Viator is delighted. Several of the other adventurers less skilled in the art of tracking also gather to hear Kyalia explain – she soon has an audience which, when no-one is looking, makes her smile. And the second day is glorious, well… rainy and glorious, muddy and glorious, however there are no slips, spills or falls. The adventurers work together to counter the weather and the generally miserable conditions and, seemingly without trying too hard, learn to get along – to work as a team. Kali learns a little more from his chatterings with the woodland creatures, although communication is limited, most of the creatures of the wild are cunning but not clever, he précises his findings – [I]Bad pass this way.[/I] [I]Big bad![/I] [I]Many bad.[/I] The most intriguing thing, repeated by a number of his woodland and wild friends, is the sense that something ‘big’ passed this way, something ‘big’ accompanied the Goblins – a big creature, not a Goblin, he explains? Kyalia has more to add, her tracking skills have shown her that there were in excess of thirty creatures passing this way. By their tread a mixture of Goblins and Hobgoblins, and… some others, maybe half-a-dozen folk with booted feet smaller than the Goblins, and with a much lighter tread. There are no other clues, nor can she guess what manner of creatures these unknown folk are. But the ‘big bad’ she knows all about – a four footed Drake, a large creature with a heavy tread that did not go around the natural barriers of briars and thorns, but instead went through. Clearly something that is used to travelling between points A and B in a straight line – a blundering brute of a Drake. A little later she is forced to break the bad news, although in truth it does little to dampen the adventurers’ spirits – the tracks show the passing of two large Drakes, not one. And the good news; one of the Goblins’ prisoners has been doing their best to ensure that the trail is still warm, between them Kali, Kyalia and Ah-shahran pick up three buttons, a cork (from a bottle of “South Paw”, a Fallcrest brew), and half-a-dozen small torn-off pieces of cloth. Ah-shahran makes sense of it all – Kartenix, the Guard Captain, the buttons and the cloth are from the uniform of an Officer of the Watch… The adventurers’ confidence begins to grow, yesterday’s frowns turn to thin smiles, which grow wider – regardless of the miserable weather and conditions – as the day progresses and the clues gather. And so it is, early on the evening of the second day of travel, with the sun sinking beneath the horizon that Kyalia spies less than two-hundred yards ahead the ruins of some once great structure. [I]Rivenroar Castle.[/I] The Elf declares and points the way. The adventurers have not made good time today – they have made great time, surpassing all of their expectations. Kyalia, with help from Kali, and Viator – a little, further confirms that they have certainly made up considerable time on the Goblins. The adventurers started the hunt 6-8 hours behind the creatures, the trail ahead, which leads directly to the ruins – is probably less than two hours old. It seems for all their troubles en-route, the Goblins were having a much, much tougher time of it. The adventurers find places to hide, to watch, to rest a while, they whisper thanks to their gods and each other, they cannot hide their smiles. They have found the ruins of Rivenroar. [U][B]End of Encounter #5[/B][/U] Eight successes (One+ each) & one group failure (Multiple failures in Day 1 Group Endurance check). [/QUOTE]
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