OOC: I've returned from the dead. Sorry for the delay over the holidays. Let's begin again in earnest!
Your party makes a quick stop at the inn to grab your equipment and supplies. On the way out, Ostler offers each of you some biscuits for the road, saying, It looks like the lot of you are headed for some adventure. Might I suggest if you are intending to loot and plunder some monster's lair, you might be well served by a mule and some saddlebags. I imagine if you head up to the Trading Post 'fores you leave they could fix you right up. Good luck then!
[sblock=If any of you decide to visit the Trading Post...]You stop by the trading post and procure a mule and saddlebags to haul any ill-gotten gains you might stumble upon for the so-called "bargain of a life-time" price of 13 gp. While you are there, Rannos the shopkeeper recommends you take along their hire-out groom, Bryman, to watch over the mule and their trained man-at-arms, Thoms, for extra protection. Of course, upon hearing you will be taking the gentlemen into the wilderness (such a dangerous place, what with monsters rumored to be lurking about!), they insist that you outfit them properly by purchasing chainmail for both their use or renting suits. If you purchase two sets of chainmail, they offer you the discounted price of 165 gp each, otherwise it is 175 gp for one suit. Rental price is 15 gp per week, paid in advance. (The groom and man-at-arms are otherwise armored in leather chaps only.)[/sblock]
A scrub of thorns, thistles, weeds, and shrubs grows thickly along the edge of the track which leads to the ruins. Even the track is mostly overgrown and cluttered with fallen branches and trees. Here and there it is washed out, in other places a mire.
Some game evidently still follows the pathway, however, for after a mile or so faint traces can seen. But even considering this, going is slow, and it takes over four hours to reach the place trudging along on foot. Considerable hacking and clearing is necessary to make the way passable, otherwise it probably would have taken you half the time. After two miles, the track turns more northerly, the begins to sink and become boggy. Tall marsh plants grow thickly where cattails and tamaracks do not. Off to the left can be seen the jagged silhouette of the moathouse.
A side path, banked high to cross over the wetland to either side, leads just north to the entrance of the ruin. The track here is only about 15 feet wide or so, with crumbling embankments making travel near the edge dangerous. The bogs stink. The vegetation appears dense and prolific, but somehow sickly and unhealthy, creepers and vines throwing their strangling loops over the skeletons of dead saplings and living bushes alike. The rushes and cattails rustle and bend even to a slight zephyr, and weird birdcalls, croakings, and other unwholesome sounds come faintly across the fen.
As you approach the moathouse along the main path, you are startled by the emergence of six giant frogs from the reeds of a small pond near the drawbridge. Some of them look large enough to devour an entire halfling! They croak and extend their tongues, apparently viewing your group as a tasty treat.
OOC: Surprise round. Mulnock, Dryneth, and Aredal are surprised. Dolan, Vicroar, and Daonol may each take a standard action. You may each be holding one weapon (and shield if you own one) of your choice.
Map scale is 1 Square = 10 feet. Traveling off the road counts as double movement.
I designated a marching order since you hadn't set one yet. Facing the frogs from front to back:
Front Left: Dolan - Front Right: Vicroar
Middle Left: Daonil - Middle Right: Mulnock
Back Left: Dryneth - Back Right: Aredal
Combat Primer: Everyone (who gets to act that round) declares their actions (in this case OnlytheStrong, Redclaw, and Bihlbo). I will determine the actions of the monsters ahead of time. After all actions for that round have been posted, I will resolve the round in initiative order and post the results.
REMEMBER SCALE IS 1 SQUARE = 10 FEET! (sorry, but I'm too lazy to draw extra lines on the map)