Gran March Adventure

[Trollbabe]

-- Inside the Inn --

"She travels with a small party, two other halflings and an elf. Please if your paths cross tell her that I miss her and that she needs to come home." The halfling stands from the table looking at Verran and Rowan. "Good journey ladies... I now return to my home with the hope that you will find Leeza and send her back to me."

 

[Zoycitenega]

Verran eyes the man idly while playing with her belt knife, taking in his measure. After a moment, she shrugs, and says in a fairly kind tone, "We'll be sure to, Gaffer, and I hope to Yollanda we find her in health. How 'ere, should we find her corpse, be there any rites she might need?"

 

[industrygothica]

Verran's comments take the breath out of Rowan for a moment, but she tries her best to hide it.

"I'll pass yer message if we cross paths, you have my word." She too gets up to take her leave.

 

[Trollbabe]

-- Inside the Inn --

Verran's words cut deep against the stressed halfling. All colour drains from his skin and if it were possible to see the hair on his neck rises. Unable to speak he walks past the two halfling women and into the night.

-- Outside the Inn --

The caravan's camp is lively and it is not long before a banjo begins a light tune. The ale is good and the stew is warm, all is well beneath the star filled sky of Greyhawk...

-- The Following Morning --

The caravan camp has disassembled and you find yourselves walking westward again. The country side of the Gran March is dotted with farms and rolling hills. The weather is good and considering this is suppose to be work its quite enjoyable. The taskmaster, Karl Hathlyn, continues to bark out orders while the oxen trudge along. Another night passes this time at the road side. There is no inn and only rationed ale and a sparse amount of chicken is served. However, the night is peaceful and the weather remains calm and comfortable.

-- The Third Day --

You wake to the sounds of distant thunder. The sun should be out by now but heavy clouds block its rays. The caravan disassembles and returns to the road and within the first hour of travel you can see a tree line on the horizon... The Dim Forest! "Alright guardsmen! Stay alert once we are inside the forest! We don't need the green skins catching us off guard." calls taskmaster Hathlyn. As the taskmaster moves his horse to the head of the column a light rain begins to fall and a great fork of lightning splits the sky ahead striking an unseen tree in the dense forest.

[sblock=OOC] Listen checks DC14 = Verran 15 (8+7=15), Narayan 13 (12+1=13), Rowan 21 (12+9=21), Thrang 9 (9+0=9), Laravier 11 (11+0=11) - For those that succeed you hear something moving about inside the wagon closest to you.

Survival Check = Rowan 20 (11+9=20) The storm approaching will last for the majority of the day. However, it is common for storms like this during the current season.[/sblock]

 

[industrygothica]

Rowan quickly loads her sling and withdraws to an adequate distance (about 20 feet from the wagon). To the others she nods toward the wagon. "Somethin's movin' about in there," she says cautiously.

 

[Zoycitenega]

Verran begins looking for the cause of the sound, and pulls out her sling, in case of an attack. She wispers to whoever's right by her, "Ye hear tha'?".

[sblock=OOC] Verran's now on full defense.[/sblock]

 

[s@squ@tch]

Laravier McDonnell, Fighter 1, Hp: 12/12

"Nay, lass, I didn't 'ear a thing. But I dina' think we were carrying live cargo.."

Laravier sees the two halfling women draw their slings and instinctively grabs his longbow.

He calls out to Taskmaster Karl,"There's something moving around in our wagon!"

 

[Trollbabe]

He calls out to Taskmaster Karl,"There's something moving around in our wagon!"

The taskmaster turn his horse and moves down the column. Teamsters gather reigns and slow the caravan till it stops. The taskmaster keeps his distance with the halflings. He points to Laravier, "You pull back the tarp... Lets see what we are dealing with!"

 

[s@squ@tch]

Laravier McDonnell, Fighter 1, Hp: 12/12

"Why did I have to open me' mouth?" He thinks to himself as he cautiously approaches the wagon.

Quickly, he unhooks the front right corner of tarp, then runs to the back, unhooks the rear right corner, and then flips the tarp open across the wagon.

 

[Trollbabe]

More guardsmen move to the suspicious wagon and everyone is on edge as the tarp flies back. "Come out of there!" Cries the taskmaster...

Slowly a small form rises from the wagon. Its a girl... Her hair hangs about her face but it does not hide her quivering lip. Laravier and Narayan recognize her as Mallie, the stew girl. She looks pathetic standing in the back of the wagon in the rain amongst boxes of supplies.

"Please don't be mad..." she says sheepishly.