Kulan: Knightfall's Heroes of Carnell Game [IC]

[Knightfall]

OOC: @Knightfall in case you missed it, Maur had shield other up and took half of whatever Galzadar took - I asked if Vile damage applies since it does 'soul' damage more than physical, but either way...Maur is hurt somewhat

OOC: I did miss that. I would assume that shield other would block part of vile damage, but I'll check.

 

[Scotley]

"Maur, your thinking is sound, but I am an Evoker. I have no spells for tracking and locating. My familiar's eyes are keen and he can speak to other hawks who may have seen our quarry, which might be of use." With that he sets the small hawk flying with orders to scout their route and interrogate others of his kind. With that he carefully stows his gear on his own steed and mounts up. He thanks the smith for his work and with that he is ready to ride.

 

[Neurotic]

"Maur, your thinking is sound, but I am an Evoker. I have no spells for tracking and locating. My familiar's eyes are keen and he can speak to other hawks who may have seen our quarry, which might be of use." With that he sets the small hawk flying with orders to scout their route and interrogate others of his kind. With that he carefully stows his gear on his own steed and mounts up. He thanks the smith for his work and with that he is ready to ride.

"That is fine, Phar, prepare spells you think are the best for this situation." Maur replies "Worse case, we track them mundane way."

 

[JustinCase]

Caerth walks up to the horse he is given. He approaches the proud roan directly, locking eyes to show his intent. There is a gentleness in the half-orc, but it is easy to miss beneath the almost menacing assertiveness he uses to pat the creature's nose in greeting.

He whispers a few words in the druidic language; the horse will not understand their meaning but will get the idea. The half-orc is a creature of the wilds, one who will defend animals but expects a similar treatment in return.

The whole encounter takes only a few heartbeats, but already Caerth feels the horse understands him.

"Autumn Storm," he decides upon a name, regardless of whether it has been named before. It neighs in recognition. The druid then mounts and only then realizes the conversation about spells.

"I've got a few tricks," he says without going into detail. Then his owl Screech makes its familiar sound as it flies overhead, and Caerth grins.

"And so does he."

OOC: I'll update my spells soon; haven't done before.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Angus laughs and snorts, in broken Harqualian, "Ha. We bested just we did, an undead horde, and of its evil ghoul prince. Think do I we handle easily can, a sand spider or two."

Angus approaches Maur, and waits for a quiet moment.

Angus whispers, "Trade want I, this big club. In my head, always it is. Uncomfortable feel I. Like better amulet, I would. Know ye help me, anyone who could?"

 

[Knightfall]

Maur claps old smiths shoulder
"Good work, elder. Well, let's hope we don't get into another fight immediately after riding out. Phar and Caerth, when you prepare spells, lets coordinate for some proper combination of locate creatures, locations and similar. I intend to summon a creature that can track Eike so we can focus on the wizard."

"Everyone needs to do their part, lad," Mabon says with a shrug. "It's the least I can do for ye after all ye done for Carnell."

The old smith helps Maur up onto the stout pony and the animal barely reacts to the dwarf's weight. The beast remains calm and waits for Maur to take the reins.

"I think she likes ye," Mabon says to dwarf champion with a wink and a smile.

Caerth walks up to the horse he is given. He approaches the proud roan directly, locking eyes to show his intent. There is a gentleness in the half-orc, but it is easy to miss beneath the almost menacing assertiveness he uses to pat the creature's nose in greeting.

He whispers a few words in the druidic language; the horse will not understand their meaning but will get the idea. The half-orc is a creature of the wilds, one who will defend animals but expects a similar treatment in return.

The whole encounter takes only a few heartbeats, but already Caerth feels the horse understands him.

"Autumn Storm," he decides upon a name, regardless of whether it has been named before. It neighs in recognition. The druid then mounts and only then realizes the conversation about spells.

Aries mounts up on his pinto and turns the animal towards the others. "Fine animals," he says as he brings his horse up next to Caerth's mount. "They may not be warhorses, but they won't have to face undead... hopefully."

"Maur, your thinking is sound, but I am an Evoker. I have no spells for tracking and locating. My familiar's eyes are keen and he can speak to other hawks who may have seen our quarry, which might be of use." With that he sets the small hawk flying with orders to scout their route and interrogate others of his kind. With that he carefully stows his gear on his own steed and mounts up. He thanks the smith for his work and with that he is ready to ride.

Aureus brings her black filly up next to Phar's horse and nods her longtime friend.

"That is fine, Phar, prepare spells you think are the best for this situation." Maur replies "Worse case, we track them mundane way."

"I have a few cantrips and healing spells as well," Aureus says. "Plus comprehend languages, which could be useful for Angus and i." She nods to the centaur. "It took me a while to master Harqualian, so if we need to converse with someone who speaks some other language we don't know, it will help with introductions or negotiations."

"I've got a few tricks," he says without going into detail. Then his owl Screech makes its familiar sound as it flies overhead, and Caerth grins.

"And so does he."

"While I don't have tracking spells, I have a few magical tricks up my sleeve as well," Aries notes. "Protection spells and spells related to animals and purging magic that hides enemies. I don't know if my prayer will work against the duergar's mind magic, but it won't hurt to try."

"His powers are psychic... that's how you say it here, right?" Aureus asks. "It is usually called mysticism on my home world."

"Some call it that, but more often it's called psionic," Aries replies. "It isn't well understood except by the most learned of sages. It's rare for humans, or so I've heard. Very secretive too. Psionic wielders don't like to talk about their powers." He looks towards Maur. "Is it the same for dwarves, Maur?"

Angus laughs and snorts, in broken Harqualian, "Ha. We bested just we did, an undead horde, and of its evil ghoul prince. Think do I we handle easily can, a sand spider or two."

"Yes, we could handle them fairly easily, but a single quasit might not be so lucky. And if we have to ride far to find Eike and Xander, we might not be close enough to help Eutharic if it gets in trouble."

"You should not be worrying about the demon so much, Soldier of Iron," Cruel Justice says plainly from Quinn's hip. "It isn't the priority now. You must all find the criminals and enact justice. If either chooses to surrender, then justice can be swift and painless. Otherwise..."

"Torture is not an option," Aureus insists. "We are better than that."

"It is not something I suggest lightly, Lady Aureus," the blade intones. "You know me better than that. However, they have defied the land's laws, associated with the undead, killed young Brutus, committed theft of goods and and at least one horse, and committed the vile act of graving robbing. Do not forget these facts when you find them."

"That's a lot of evil done," Aries nods. "It surprises me that they would steal Lord Pendour's body. I didn't think Eike had in him to do something that vile, and it's not really Xander's style. He's evil and twisted but he's not a necromancer."

"Maybe there not the ones who stole the body," Mabon muses. "Bah!" He shakes his head. "Even if they didn't, I'd give 'em a good branding just for stealing Reimas."

Aureus shifts uncomfortably in her saddle and the filly senses her discomfort and snorts and stomps her front hooves. "Easy, Lady," the hutaakan soothes the horse. "We'll be alright." She glances towards Quinn and shakes her head while mouthing the words 'no torture'.

"Anyway, ye best get going before ye lose the light. Those bastards have a head start on ye, and I doubt they will tarry after resting. Assuming they rest at all." He pauses. "Those bastards better not have rode Reimas to his death!"

"We find them and bring your horse back, blacksmith," Aries replies. "And their heads in a bag, if they resist."

"Let's go," Aureus's words are for Lady as much as for the rest of you. The filly breaks into a trot and soon all of you are all heading southwest out of Carnell along the dirt road. The group lets Caerth take the lead on Autumn Storm, as he will have to continue to track the fugitives if they can't be located magically.

Mabon hands Maur a bundle with some of Eike's possessions in it. "If any of you can track 'em with these items, I hold they'll help ye. I wish I still had my old bloodhound to help, but he's been gone for 10 years now."

Maur and Quinn are the last to ride down the road, which quickly turns in a worn trail after a mile outside the village. The trail leads to a stone pillar and camp roughly forty-four miles away where it forks into two different trails. The second trail leads up into the high hills and dry mountains where Fort Symas sits. It is where Aeron took Lorien Mornyano and Raius Bellath after the bard was magically cursed/poisoned (somehow) and the young guard was poisoned by Odilos' spear.

"We should find out how Lorien is doing," Aureus suggests. "I hope he's okay."

"The bard is tougher than he looks," Cruel Justice replies. "He will be fine under Aeron's care, but, yes, once the criminals are dealt with it might be a good idea to check on those who have gone to the mountain fort. The people who left yesterday in the wagons must be told that it is safe to return to Carnell."

Aureus reins in Lady, "Damn! I completely forgot about them." She stands up in the stirrups and tries to look down the trail to see if she can see any sign of them. "I hope those bastards didn't hurt any of them."

"There were several guards who went with them," the blade replies calmly. "More likely the criminals would have tried to avoid them."

After an hour, the trail begins to wind directly south. Soon it will be the afternoon.

Aureus's stomach growls. "Rosemergy packed us some food," she suggests. "Nothing fancy, just some bread and hard cheese."

Caerth gets off his horse and goes over the trail. The wagons and horses from the villagers heading to Fort Symas have tore up the dirt and grass along the trail it's hard to tell one set of tracks from another. Tracking the prisoners might not be as easy as they'd hoped.

"Is something wrong?" Aries asks.

OOC: @JustinCase, remember that Caerth is quite certain that Eike and Xander are not together. One of them is riding the stolen horse and the other is on foot. Track checks will be helpful to figure out if either of them has left the trail. However, Caerth can clearly see the wagon tracks on the trail and lots of foots prints in the dust and grass. The sheer number of prints will make it tougher to track the escapees. Note that the PCs will easily overtake the wagon train on the trail before the end of the day, but the wagons are not visible yet. The PCs can try to see signs of them using Spot checks but the wagons are likely still over 12 miles away at this point. Maur's pony moves at a rate of 40 feet while horses move at either 50 feet or 60 feet depending on whether they are considered heavy or light horses. Caerth and Quinn's horses are considered heavy horses (50 ft.) while all the others are considered light horses (60 ft.). Sticking with the pony's movement rate, the PCs can walk the horses 4 miles in a hour and 32 miles in one day. The PCs can get to within 12 miles of the stone pillar and the camp around it. (While the mounts can be hustled for 8 miles in one hour without an issue, any longer than that will cause nonlethal damage to them. My written reply assumes 4 miles in one hour.) Reminder! Odilos was the wererat assassin who killed Sir Ghal's father, Lord Gar Ebal. This was before Angus and Maur's time with the group began.

 

[Neurotic]

"While I don't have tracking spells, I have a few magical tricks up my sleeve as well," Aries notes. "Protection spells and spells related to animals and purging magic that hides enemies. I don't know if my prayer will work against the duergar's mind magic, but it won't hurt to try."

"His powers are psychic... that's how you say it here, right?" Aureus asks. "It is usually called mysticism on my home world."

"Some call it that, but more often it's called psionic," Aries replies. "It isn't well understood except by the most learned of sages. It's rare for humans, or so I've heard. Very secretive too. Psionic wielders don't like to talk about their powers." He looks towards Maur. "Is it the same for dwarves, Maur?"

"Duergar are dwarves only by shared ancestry. They are foul creatures of demonic influence, not proper dwarves. I do not know."

"You should not be worrying about the demon so much, Soldier of Iron," Cruel Justice says plainly from Quinn's hip. "It isn't the priority now. You must all find the criminals and enact justice. If either chooses to surrender, then justice can be swift and painless. Otherwise..."

"Torture is not an option," Aureus insists. "We are better than that."

"I don't think Cruel Justice suggests torture. It sounds more like a choice between quick execution and potentially painful fight. Not torture. Right, blade?"

"That's a lot of evil done," Aries nods. "It surprises me that they would steal Lord Pendour's body. I didn't think Eike had in him to do something that vile, and it's not really Xander's style. He's evil and twisted but he's not a necromancer."

"Maybe there not the ones who stole the body," Mabon muses. "Bah!" He shakes his head. "Even if they didn't, I'd give 'em a good branding just for stealing Reimas."

"I agree, he didn't strike me as someone who would raise the dead. But he is evil and desperate. Moradin knows those vile degenerates will do anything when cornered."

Mabon hands Maur a bundle with some of Eike's possessions in it. "If any of you can track 'em with these items, I hold they'll help ye. I wish I still had my old bloodhound to help, but he's been gone for 10 years now."

"It will help very much. Thank you."

Aureus reins in Lady, "Damn! I completely forgot about them." She stands up in the stirrups and tries to look down the trail to see if she can see any sign of them. "I hope those bastards didn't hurt any of them."

"Would it be impossible for Eike to infiltrate them? We will overtake them at some point we should mention it. And Xander can go invisible and follow them easily feeding himself and keeping safe in their vicinity."

Caerth gets off his horse and goes over the trail. The wagons and horses from the villagers heading to Fort Symas have tore up the dirt and grass along the trail it's hard to tell one set of tracks from another. Tracking the prisoners might not be as easy as they'd hoped.

"Is something wrong?" Aries asks.

"We can make way faster in general direction they are traveling and in the morning cast spells of tracking. I can expend my healing to keep the pony going faster if it becomes important."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Angus will join Caerth at the front, to help him track.

OOC: Angus' tracking: 1d20+15. He cannot fail his Aid Another vheck of DC 10. Thus, he gives Caerth a +2 bonus to his Tracking check.

 

[JustinCase]

Caerth moves his horse around to give each mount a pat on the nose, both as a greeting and to magically enhance their speed for the rest of the day.

"Can you keep up with these horses?" he asks Angus teasingly, before turning his attention back to the trails before them.

"So many tracks," he mutters, more to himself than to answer Aries' question. Then his eyes seem to find just what he's looking for amidst the many footprints, horse tracks and wagon trails.

OOC: Casting traveller's mount on each of the five (?) horses, giving them +20 feet speed for 11 hours. Tracking (aided by Angus): 1D20+19+2 = [10]+19+2 = 31 Updated spells: Level 0 (6): create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, purify food and drink Level 1 (6): entangle, traveller's mount, traveller's mount, traveller's mount, traveller's mount, traveller's mount Level 2 (5): bear's endurance, lesser restoration, mass snake's swiftness, master air, share husk Level 3 (5): blindsight, cure moderate wounds, giant’s wrath, plant growth, spirit jaws Level 4 (3): dispel magic, lay of the land, scrying Level 5 (2): atonement, commune with nature Level 6 (1): greater dispell magic

 

[Knightfall]

"Duergar are dwarves only by shared ancestry. They are foul creatures of demonic influence, not proper dwarves. I do not know."

Aries simply shrugs.

"I don't think Cruel Justice suggests torture. It sounds more like a choice between quick execution and potentially painful fight. Not torture. Right, blade?"

"Torture is an effective tool," Cruel Justice replies. "I have witnessed it break many over the centuries, but there is little honor in such a choice. You all must make sure you do not use such a tool without the rule of law. I believe the people frown upon torture in the Strandlands. I do not believe it is considered lawful by the senate, so it must be avoided. A painful death in combat is another matter. If they resist, then they have given up their right to a quick death."

The blade pauses. "But, if they surrender, executing them without a trial could be murky in the eyes of the senate. Yes, they fled but that in itself isn't enough of a reason for a death sentence. Killing Brutus, the son of a lord, and stealing Lord Pendour's body is more than enough of justification for their deaths... if both were involved in the boy's death, and they are the ones who stole the body. If one of them is more guilty than the other, then there could be grounds for an appeal and a possible resurrection ordered by the senate."

"But would they punish us?" Aries asks.

"No, you have been ordered by Lady Pendour to bring them to justice. If the senate determines any fault in the fugitive's execution, which I doubt they will, then Lady Pendour might have to pay a fine and the fee for whatever spell needs to be cast to bring the executed person back to life."

"That could be expensive," Aureus notes. "If its a true resurrection spell."

"I'm sure she can afford it, but if a priest of Hades has to get involved, she might have to do some sort of penance," Aries adds. "She is a follower of the North Gods."

"I agree, he didn't strike me as someone who would raise the dead. But he is evil and desperate. Moradin knows those vile degenerates will do anything when cornered."

"At this point, I think to early to know for sure," Aries scans the horizon. "If one of them was carrying a dead body, we should have caught up with them by now."

"Hmm, maybe that's why they took the horse," Aureus muses as she pats Lady and feeds her another apple.

"Would it be impossible for Eike to infiltrate them? We will overtake them at some point we should mention it. And Xander can go invisible and follow them easily feeding himself and keeping safe in their vicinity."

"I don't think Eike would be able to blend in with them. When you brought us back from the island as your prisoners, the villagers would have seen his face. Could he blend in using magic? Maybe, if he a symbol of Malotoch or fashions a crude one, then he might have access to his divine spells." Aries shakes his head. "No, it's more likely that Eike would want to avoid them. Xander, however, has more than just his psionic skills. While he doesn't have his spellbook, he is a capable thief too." Aries looks at Maur. "That's how he almost snuck by you in the temple. He has a knack for stealth even without his magic, although I don't know how much it will help him out here in the wilderness."

"But if he surprises us?" Aureus muses.

"Yes, he could do some damage," Aries agrees. "He won't be able to take us all down, but he could easily kill one of us if he gets very lucky." He shakes his head again. "No, he's more likely to try to stay hidden and steal what he needs from those on the road."

"We can make way faster in general direction they are traveling and in the morning cast spells of tracking. I can expend my healing to keep the pony going faster if it becomes important."

"A good plan," Aries says.

"And you said you can summon a creature that can find them, what did you call it again?" Aureus asks.

Angus will join Caerth at the front, to help him track.

OOC: Angus' tracking: 1d20+15. He cannot fail his Aid Another vheck of DC 10. Thus, he gives Caerth a +2 bonus to his Tracking check.

OOC: Remember that I use a variant/house rule for skill checks that a Natural 20 is considered a 30 and a Natural 1 is considered to be at -10. So, while a roll of 1 isn't an automatic failure, Angus's roll would only be +5 if you rolled a one. That rule is only for skill checks. Angus - Aid Another on Tracking check: 1D20+15 = [17]+15 = 32 No worries.

Caerth moves his horse around to give each mount a pat on the nose, both as a greeting and to magically enhance their speed for the rest of the day.

"Can you keep up with these horses?" he asks Angus teasingly, before turning his attention back to the trails before them.

"So many tracks," he mutters, more to himself than to answer Aries' question. Then his eyes seem to find just what he's looking for amidst the many footprints, horse tracks and wagon trails.

OOC: Casting traveller's mount on each of the five (?) horses, giving them +20 feet speed for 11 hours. Tracking (aided by Angus): 1D20+19+2 = [10]+19+2 = 31

OOC: That is one hell of a roll.

While the others chat on their horses, Caerth quickly relocates the tracks he's been following for hours. The half-orc druid is certain that it is Xander who is on foot. He remembers seeing the duergar's boots and there is one set of tracks that is skirting the edge of the trail. It is as Aries says, the duergar is trying to be stealthy, but Xander's not moving slowly enough to remain completely hidden.

Finding the tracks of Mabon's horse is easier to find. Eike was riding the horse flat out for at least and hour and the horses hoofprints have left deep impressions in the dirt of the trail. The tracks are obviously newer than the tracks made by the wagons and horses carrying the villagers. Eike is on his own on the horse. The horse doesn't seem to be carrying a dead body too. The impressions in the trail are not deep enough.

He rechecks Xander's footprints. No, he's not carrying any dead weight either. They don't have Lord Pendour's body. If they did steal the body, they might have taken the grave goods and left the body alongside the road. Caerth doubles back and looks for any signs. Nothing.

"Did either one of them have a magical bag large enough to carry Lord Pendour's body?" Caerth asks Aries. "Something secret?"

"No." Aries shakes his head. "I think Xander's magical war axe might be able hold magic in it, but I don't think it can hold a dead body."

"Then they do not have the dead lord's body. Someone else has stolen it. The horse isn't burdened enough and Xander is on foot and moving too fast to be carrying a dead body."

"Hmm, or they have another horse?" Aureus ponders.

"No. There is no sign of another horse riding alongside the horse Eike stole. Unless... if he has his spells, he might have summoned a phantasmal horse. No, that can't be it. There would still be some sort of sign."

"Well, let's find them and ask them," Aureus says.

Caerth nods and remounts. He leads the way down the trail and soon the sun is on its downward trajectory. Enhanced by Caerth's spells, the horses make good time. Still, there is no visible sign of the two fugitives on the horizon. You now know they are not together. Eike is riding his stolen horse and Xander is on foot.

then, Caerth forces you all to stop again just as the plains are about to give way to hilly scrubland. "Eike's gone off the trail here. It looks like he's going south." The half-orc druid gets off his horse again and doublechecks the tracks. "Yes, Eike's gone off the trail. Xander looks like he's still on the trail. He's headed up to the camp in the hills."

As you look towards the southwest, you can see the hills rise slowly. The day has grown hotter but it is still a good day for travel. The sky is clear and there is a cool breeze rising up from the coast. To the west are the low mountains where Fort Symas sits. Caerth knows it is about another 40 miles away if you all stick to the trail. The trail marker and camp is only 12 miles away.

"There, smoke!" Aureus exclaims. She points up the trail and you can clearly see smoke rising into the sky, but you can't tell if it is from burning wagons or campfires. "It could be the villagers! They might be in trouble!"

"Bandits?" Aries asks.

"It not unheard of the Strandlands," Cruel Justice replies.

Caerth remounts his horse and looks towards the south where Eike has fled. "It makes no sense to go that way," the half-orc druid mumbles. "It turns into coastal desert for miles."

"Let's worry about that later," Aureus insists.

She puts Lady into a run and is soon leading the way up the trail. Everyone falls in line behind her as the trail twists through the scrub and low hills. Angus quickly outpaces the horses and leads the way up the trail. Tensions rise and the light of the day begins to fade. You slow the pace for the horses sake, as they make good time under Caerth's spells. Soon , you crest over one last hill and the caravan comes into view. The wagons are not on fire, and there are no sign of bandits. Instead, you see campfires and the villagers. They do look a bit ragged and you see no sign of the horses used to pull the wagons.

Then, they see you. Some of them gasp in fear. They don't recognize you from a distance. The guards sent with the villagers ready their weapons and shields. There are only a handful of them.

Then, you hear someone shout out Caerth's name. "IT'S THEM! THEY DIDN"T DIE!"

Cheers ring out among the villagers and they begin hugging each other. The guards relax and wave you down towards the camp.

Aureus sighs. "They're okay."

You ride into the camp next to trail marker. It is a massive stone pillar standing upright. It is nearly 80 feet tall. The citizens of Carnell greet you all warmly. They had feared the worst when they left for Fort Symas.

"It is good to see you," one of the guards says. "We weren't sure how we were continue on without the horses. He points to the wagons. "Something spooked them and they ran off in the middle of the night. We barely got the wagons here by pulling and pushing them by hand. We're all exhausted."

"We tied them up properly," an exhausted villager decries. "We don't know how they got free or why they ran away."

"That's suspicious," Aureus says. "Xander?"