Playtesting: IG's 'The Making of Heroes'

[industrygothica]

There is no coin nor good on any of the orcs' bodies, but their dirty and unkempt weapons lay close by their corpses.

There is still a fresh kill on the fire-it appears these orcs didn't plan on going hungry tonight--and the camp is pretty well cleared away and ready for use, should you decide to rest here.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Aramil grabs an orc and drags the body into the brush, emerging a short while later without the body. "I'd rather not smell the bodies as we rest. I have laid that one downwind."

 

[WarShrike]

"Good thinking. I'll help you with the others." Thogrim helps Aramil drag the other corpses over to the first one.

[SBLOCK=Aramil]Once they reach the first corpse, well out of earshot of the camp, Thogrim says in a low voice: "Something is wrong here. The man says there was only 1 wagon in the caravan, the woman says 2. The man seems startlingly unconcerned for anyone else, and for a victim of Orcs, seems quite happy to stay right here. If i were a merchant, i think i'd want to reach Bjorah's Cliff rather than stay here. They seem simple and ordinary folk, but something in their manner disturbs me. I don't trust them."[/SBLOCK]

 

[Legildur]

Likewise, the dwarf drags his spilt-skulled foe into the bush some distance to prevent carrion visiting their camp.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock=Thogrim]"It appears you have something friend. I, and I will tell Irathias to also, sleep in the wilds tonight, away from the main camp. We will hold the watch outside the camp tonight, and will try to help inside it as well. Maintain the guard as you normally would though, I will explain our absence as searching for tracks." Aramil whispers. [/sblock]


------------------------ (when they return)


Aramil looks around the camp, "Perhaps Irathias and I should see what we can find tonight. The other wagons should be around, or should have left tracks in the mud. Perhaps our keen eyes can find such tracks. Shall we spend the night like our relatives? In the trees and under the stars."

 

[Arkhandus]

Irathias is quiet for a while after the pair of victims finally start talking. He has some disturbing thoughts and spends a while sitting on the ground, thinking. Finally he follows Aramil's lead and drags the orc he shot over behind a tree downwind, and leaves it there. The young elf ignores whatever grimy weapons the orcs had.

After Aramil speaks again, Irathias nods and says "Aye, that sounds best. We should search around as long as we can and then rest up in the boughs. It'll smell nicer up there anyway, away from the orc-stink." Glancing at Thogrim, he adds "Present company excluded, of course."

[sblock=Aramil]As he and Aramil begin searching the area for signs of where the other wagon(s), caravaners, or orcs may've gone, he quietly mentions "Something doesn't seem right 'bout this. And I don't think I trust that old fellow. I fear somethin' aweful happened, but I can't place why...." Irathias shrugs and sighs, uncertain what to make of the situation yet.[/sblock]

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock=Irathias]

"Aye. We are not looking for tracks tonight. We are guarding the camp. I have arranged for the others to keep guard as they normally would, although we will be more for the "new" arrivals than for orcs and the like. Tonight will be interesting indeed. Perhaps we should watch both insided and out for as long as we can, or even take our rest now."[/sblock]

 

[Arkhandus]

Irathias, elven rogue, 7/7 HP, AC 14

[sblock=Aramil]Irathias mutters "Aye. Best get our rest before the lazy ones get tired o' guard duty and conk out." He looks around just a bit longer for tracks before climbing up a tree some 30 to 60 feet away from the camp. Then Irathias settles into a position where he is obscured from the camp, but where he should hopefully be able to see it later, when standing or sitting up straight.[/sblock]

[sblock=DM]Irathias' Climb modifier is +5, and for quick reference Listen/Spot are +6.

Irathias can at least spot tracks that have a low DC using Search, though he can't find any difficult ones without Survival. His Search bonus is +8. If he can use 'aid another' for Aramil's Survival checks, that's at +0.[/sblock]

 

[industrygothica]

The elves make their way out of the camp and into a sturdy tree. Once there, they give a cursory glance over the treetops for anything suspicious.

Just beyond the camp, perhaps only another fifty yards or so, is another caravan wagon, broken and splintered beyond repair. A faint trail of crushed underbrush leads away from the area deeper into the forest and back toward the mountains, far off the main trail.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock=Irathias]
"This is not good. The others should not camp there tonight. A traveling caravan is usually armed, those four we encountered would not of been able to do this damage." He glances down at the camp. "What if the others return to their brethern?" He sits on the tree branch easily, not the least bit afraid of falling off. He tests the draw of his bow and counts his arrows; he was worried he might need them all. [/sblock]