Remember the Cavindale! (As his betters, i think we have a duty to help him)

[Avatar_V]

Cale, Halfling Rogue 2/ Transmuter 1

"You speak very wisely, Kelkan. And not a word too much. Us halflings are just a verbose people." Cale smiles. "So, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have someone with me. Jobis has proven to be very stealthy, and probably more useful in a fight then myself. I'd be happy to stand watch with him. And, as you said, there are others, so we could take turns. Also, if anyone speaks gnoll it might be useful have them with us to listen in, although I agree having a captive would be best. If a few of us can learn there movements then we can catch one or two alone and capture them. Then, Solomon or one of the other intimidating types can interrogate him with a interpreter." Cale pauses.

"In the mean time, let's move camp to a safer place." Suddenly the box that Solomon dragged onto the beach catches Cale's eye. "Did someone say something about a lock?" He smiles and gets out his masterwork lockpicks. "May I?" He asks Solomon.

ooc: Assuming the half-orc doesn't make some sort of protest, Cale will proceed to open the lock (+12). If I need to, I'll take 20.

 

[Dakkareth]

Jobis: Male half-elven rogue 3

"Don't stay behind, Loske. I don't doubt you know how to move around a forest silently, but to stay behind alone is to challenge fate."

***

"I agree, we should move to a different place. Keep in mind, though that we need the fresh water from the river - we have to stay within a few miles of it. Regarding scouting parties I've said it before, we should divide into pairs, if we are to explore the area of the Gnoll camp. Back then I've taken some lessons with one of the military translators - I think, I'd be able to follow a dialogue without greater problems."

Although my interest was more in the person doing the lessons ...

Jobis draws his rapier and uses the point to draw a little map into the sand.

"Here we are, here's the river and there's the gnoll camp. If we move one or two miles along the beach, we are probably safe from them and can still send scouting teams over here to spy on the gnolls and fill our waterskins. We do have waterskins, right?"

He cleans the point of his rapier before sheathing it again and erasing the small map with his foot.

"I'm of the opinion, that once we have secured our position and found out, how the gnolls operate, we should ambush a patrol of theirs - on the opposite direction of their camp as to not point them to our location - and equip ourselves."

Nodding to Cale he adds:

"And you're right, we should take a prisoner."

He laughs:

"Now I'm talking as much as a halfling."

Seeing Cale busying himself with the chest Jobis watches him intently. If his first attempt fails he'll offer to give it a try himself. If he fails himself he'll aid Cale in picking the lock.

 

[Badger]

Toskar (Dw Fi3)

As Solomon placed a heavy trunk at their feet, Toskar had just finished wrapping the last of Lizzie's offering to them in a mixture of green leaves and sail cloth.

~ This is like a pint of human ale...not pretty and will taste like piss, but in a pinch it will do...~

Looking up at the expectant look on Solomon's face as he awaited Edward's thoughts, Toskar walked over to the chest and examined it.

The wood was swollen from its time in the water, and the lock which held the trunk was obviously dwarven craftsmenship.

~How else could it have held together in the chaos around them? ~

As the priest voted for waiting for the others to return to open it, Toskar pointed to his mace and spoke simply.

"Waste o' time tryin' t' pick a dwarvish lock. They be made t' laugh at any who would try. An axe and mace t' the top o' the chest is all we need t' use."

Whatever reply Edward would have made was stalled when the others burst from the woods and made their way quickly back towards them, both of the halflings tripping over each other in their effort to speak first. However, when they did speak, the smirk that was on Toskar's face fell away quickly.

~An island full of the dogs we were sent to kill...this has Moradin's hand all over it...I swear I will not let you down Maker...~

"Aye, we'll be needin' t' move away from th' beach all right, but as far as hidin' our tracks, its a bit late fer that. Lizzie here ain't exactly easy t' hide."

Trying to sound more positive, Toskar continued.

"Give me a bit o' time, and I can make us somethin' t' fight with. Find me some water and a pot, and I can make us some leathers from critters like Lizzie. Give me my mace, and I'll have any gnoll telling us what we need t' know. However, these are things that we can't do on th' beach, nor overnight. We dwarves are used t' the fighting we're gonna have t' do, but ye others may not like it t' much. It's gonna have t' be cold and quick, otherwise, ye'll be like the others on this beach...dead."

Having spoke his mind, Toskar waits to see what the others say.

 

[infax]

Kelkan: Halfling Wizard

As Kelkan sees most of his fellow survivors forming a circle around the box to watch Cale and Jobis try their hands at the box, he steps in with some poise, the nose in the air and a resoning tone to his voice:

"Hold friends! Do not dare to ignore the threat of magic!
"Don't you fear the box to be warded in a such a way as to make us short of one hafling if it opens?

"I am quite capable of examining the dweomer surronding the chest to determine if it is in some way protected, but it takes some time and I would rather see us leaving this beach as soon as possible. Lets take it with us and examine it at our camp."

 

[Dakkareth]

Jobis is surprised at the mentioning of magic.

"Magical traps and locks? Improbable ..."

He's right about disappearing from here, though. Strange to see a halfling being the voice of reason.

Jobis will help the others carry the meat and whatever they need to take with them.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Loske: (Female/Half Elf/Ranger 3)

Loske wrapped a stray tendril of red hair around her fingers as the group of survivors gather around each other on the blacken sand of the beach. Her demeanor betrayed the fast that she was thinking deeply upon Jobis comments...

"Don't stay behind, Loske. I don't doubt you know how to move forest silently, but to stay behind alone is to challenge fate.

She really hadn't give much thought to the fact that she was challenging fate, but was only risking herself for the greater good of the group. As it would better to have the ambushed sprung losing only one person than to the chance of having losing more or all of us. Though her mind was blaze with other thoughts as she was making a list of everything needed for survival she was also listening intently to the comments of the halflings and the others. With everything going on she didn't she Jobis going for the box trying to open the lock, but lucky Kelkan's words of warning sprung her mind from it's thoughts and brought her back to reality.

"I highly recommend listening to the halfling as I would hate to lose anyone to something as mundane as forethought. Though the chest is lost in the middle of nowhere now does not remove the fact that it was on a ship with allot of unsavory types. Unsavory types that a simple lock would not bother to keep them out."

 

[Badger]

Toskar (Dw Fi3)

As everyone begins crowding around the chest, Toskar moved away from the gaggle and left them to their own devices.

~Fooling around with a lock...two good swings and I'd have the chest open...~

While he knew rationally he was being too hard on the others, he was not ready to let go of his frustration just yet. At any moment, the gnoll forces could pour from the woods, and unprepared against those odds, Toskar knew they would all fall.

Looking over at the carcass of Lizzie, Toskar called out to Solomon and Dog.

"A bit o' help if ye don't mind. I'm t' thinkin' that those fishies out there would be more than willin' t' finish what we started with Lizzie here. All we be needin' t' do is entice'm a bit."

As he prepared to begin pushing the dead dinosaur into the water, he whispered quietly under his breath.

<<Dwarven>>"If this fails Moradin, then watch out for those that are bigger fools than I..."

 

[alsih2o]

i need to know if the lock is being opened or the ward being checked

 

[Avatar_V]

Cale, Halfling Rogue 2/ Transmuter 1

Cale is about to set his lock pick in the key hole when he hears Kelkan's warning of magic. He thinks for a moment. "You're right, my friend. Perhaps I'm being hasty. Whatever's in this box will still be there after you've made sure it's safe to open and I doubt it's anything that would be immediately useful. I appreciate the advice. Why don't you check it out for me and Jobis first." Cale steps back from the chest to make room for Kelkan.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Loske: (Female/Half Elf/Ranger 3)

Loske nods her head to Toskar in agreement and moves off from the others to help with the removal of the lizards, even if she can only remove some of the smaller pieces of the remains from the beach.