Night on the Stonelands

[Tom Cashel]

“Let me explain! No, it is too long. Let me sum up.” -Innigo Montoya

The night is broken with the jagged sobs of women and Runold Rolf’s hoarse call to arms. It went wrong so fast, you hardly know what to do.

With a chilly Tarsakh wind blowing down from the Storm Horns, Our Heroes set out toward Tilverton escorting the dozen caravans of the Rolf-Lenumbrar Expedition. The trek into the hills and through the low eastern verges of the Horns was fraught with peril; Our Heroes tracked down a slithering noise in the dawn mist and Lenet cor Tarak ended up petrified, and a few days later they learned that the Yrthak was indeed hungry. But they arrived at the Black Crater of Tilverton five days later, missing only a single heifer, and Lord Hawklin of the Purple Dragons greeted them. Before long, and with the aid of a War Wizard, Lenet was restored. They set out across the Stonelands and traveled for two days.

In the night Darabrac prevented a petty theft, but orcs were skulking about in the darkness. Their attack was repulsed with relative ease, but they managed to slip through the ring of wagons and abduct three children, ranging from ages 12-15. The Rolf son, the Lenumbrar son, and the Seveniss son are missing--the mothers are inconsolable and the entire caravan is up in arms.


[This is right in the midst of the action...feel free to discuss but if you take any serious action we'll have to wait until the 14th]

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

Artemus Thornwind here

From now on let's pass out the signalling whistles from the supply wagon to the people on watch, when trouble approaches the people on watch will blow the whistles to alert others. Let's prepare the people in the caravan to take more defensive positions in general and especially if they hear the whistles. As far as defending the wagon train, we are always going to need to take the fight to the approaching monsters and away from the caravan but we are going to need a system to make sure the fighters that leave the wagon have backup and that someone stays with the caravan. I guess our system doesn't have to be more complicated than that so if you are on watch or pulled away from the caravan, make sure you have a whistle and that someone knows where you are. If you see everyone leave to hunt a foe and you are one of the last, stay with the caravan and tell everyone to get in their wagons and batten down the hatches.

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

OOC: I don't know if they have whistles in the Realms ...

The question I guess we have to deal with is do we fly around in the dark trying to find them (bearing in mind that only some of us can see in the dark and some of us can fly). Or do we wait a couple of hours till daybreak where our Ranger can track the Orcs and we lead an organize assault on their lair.

Either one is fine with me. But just so we know where we stand, here's our situation .. let me know what I have incorrect:

Lucius -- Polymorphed as a dragon. Flying. Can see in the dark. Can also carry one person if you hang on tight enough.

Artemus -- Can shapechange into a bat which can fly and can see in the dark.

Derebrak -- Can fly (wings). Can't see in the dark.

Lenet -- Can't fly or see in the dark.

Van -- Can't fly, but can see in the dark? (goggles?)

Kaemris -- Flying, can't see in the dark.


So the way I see it, only two or three of the six of us can see in the dark. I can carry one person, but that still leaves half of us behind. Perhaps it's a good idea for three of us to go scouting to try and find their lair, the rest follow at first light (one of us will head back to report). Then we lead an organized assault.

 

[Lenet Cor Tarak]

I can see in the dark.

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

Artemus Thornwind here

I suggest that those of us that can fly chase after them. Those that can't, help the caravan people hunker down into a stronger defensive position. I don't think they will want to keep going with the situation as it is. This may take a few days (or more) and the caravan/camp will be our home base. The flying group can give chase and send animal messengers back to the camp to update them. If we need them, Van can use his Ranger abilities to speak to the animal messengers we send, follow the trail and lead the group to us to help recapture the children. Those that can fly but can't see in the dark should decide if their abilities are more useful with the chase group or the caravan/camp group. Now who wants to sit on Lucius' back?

 

[Van Dyksun]

Orcs. I hate Orcs.

I have nightvision goggles.

But wait, before we run off after these thieving, murderous scum, I believe I recognize these markings....

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

What can you tell us, Master Dyksun? It seems like you're waiting for someone to do something before telling us everything ... someone to roll something or perhaps to type something. Hmmm. Why would this person make you wait so long?

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

Artemus here

Yes. Please tell us. What do you see? You have been looking at these markings for hours and you haven't finished your sentence.

 

[Tom Cashel]

All right, dammit, I'm back from the airport

The orc corpses (there are 11 of them) bear the symbol of a crudely-painted red eye over crossed lightning bolts--Van, you know that this is the Blackbones Tribe, a particularly vicious clan of orcs that participated in the siege of Arabel [Kaemris bristles with anger] and is named for their chieftain. They are known for kidnapping young humans to act as slaves...and young elves for sacrifice to Gruumsh. Here's the strange part: after the Ghazneth War they were known to have fled east, through Hullack Forest into the foothills of the Thunder Peaks. You are far, far north of their last known territory.

The Rolf, Lenumbrar and Seveniss families are each missing a son. The Sevenisses are quite worried, as their son is half-elven...

Runold Rolf musters a band of willing defenders to keep safe the caravan: himself, his two sons, Torg and Einil Gallowglar (the dwarves), Gerbo Aruvor (the gnome adept of Baervan Wildwanderer), and even Quario Seveniss the elf (with tears of rage upon his cheeks), along with four other strong men and women.

"I'll remain here with the caravan," says Kaemris, glancing out into the darkness and suppressing a shudder.

 

[Van Dyksun]

Deciding on a plan

To the caravan, I say, "Do not worry--your children are safe, at least for awhile. These," I spit, "trash simply want them for their labor, not for their sacrifice. Do guard yourselves under the lucky eyes of Kaemris Tencoin until we return, which will not be long."

To the party, I say "The tracks are fresh and these creatures are stupid. I can follow them on the ground, I believe. If Lucius is flying above, he can warn those of us on the ground if we get near an ambush."