renau1g's Red Hand of Doom

[renau1g]

With the untimely departure of Brodi, the tracker Jorr walks up to the trio and asks "Ready to get moving? This commotion could draw any hobbos that're in the area."

Assuming that you're ready to keep moving:

As you continue to move down the path, the sun has past its zenith and begins its lazy descent towards the horizon. It's late afternoon when Jorr stops the group and gestures off the main path.

"We're nearly there, just past that bend in the road and you'll be able to see it" the tracker whispers, "It's up on a small hill with an overgrown path leading up to it. I'll wait here for your return." Jorr continues.

[sblock=OOC]
Sorry for the heavy-handed departure of Brodi, but I didn't want to be NPC'ing the character, and didn't want to kill him off, in the event that Graf can return. On an aside, excellent RP'ing that scene, some of the best I've seen in my time here on Enworld.

P.S. (Even further Side-Note) I was just looking at the banner ads, and 90% of them are for WoW gold/leveling... I can't imagine why someone would pay real $'s for fake items...maybe that's just me
[/sblock]

 

[Rhun]

"Normally I would offer to scout out our target," says Zazz, turning his jet black eyes to the druid. "But since Hurrow has the unique ability to turn into a bird, or a coney, or whatever...it seems to me he might be better suited in this particular instance." He smiles at his companion. "All he has to worry about are peckish hunters."

 

[EvolutionKB]

Hurrow lands on a fallen tree, transforming himself back into shifter form. He groans at Zazz's joke, "I'll have a look around. I'll be back in a few minutes."

The shifter intones words of nature magic, and almost instantly the effect is apparent to Hurrow. Everything is more clear to his senses, the chirp of tree frogs, the rustle of a mouse in the brush. Confident that nothing can hide from him, he transforms into his eagle form again and heads off towards the keep.

[sblock=ooc]Cast Wild Instincts. Races of Eberron 191. Hurrow retains dex to AC, loses mindset bonus from the spell(+2, returning spot/listen to +15), and gains +10 bonus to spot/listen. Total spot listen +25. Hurrow then flies off in the direction of the keep. His senses should be high enough that he can be a decent distance away and still see things. A pass by some windows should be significant to determine the threats[/sblock]

 

[s@squ@tch]

As Hurrow transformed into a bird once more, Virashil sat down at the feet of a tree, a few yards off of the trail and sopped up some of the thick beads of sweat upon her brow with part of her tunic.

The sun had been particularly hot that day, and the mugginess of the swamp only exacerbated the problem. Now, out of the direct sun, she was finally able to cool off somewhat, as she threw off her outer tunic, leaving only a thin cotton undershirt below.

All afternoon, her thoughts kept tracing back to Brodi and his sudden disappearance. She had hoped that the mindless trudging through the swamp would ease some of the sting, but as of yet, it had not.

She kept her eyes and ears open, looking for signs of others approaching, or Hurrow's return.












[sblock=ooc]
Not sure how much time passed since Hydra, but Mage Armor had 5 hr duration, might or might not be still active.


Spells left: 6/6/5
[/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

As Hurrow flies above the treetops he manages to see the ruined keep looming out of the shadowy woods ahead. The old castle sits upon a small rocky hillock, and you can catch glimpses of a tower. A moss-covered foot path leads up to the front of the keep.

It's in very poor repair. The gatehouse is partially collapsed as is a section of the wall to the south. A small wooden building sits next to a the remains of a long-abandoned garden in front of the structure. The walls surrounding the keep are about fifteen feet high, with a two-storey tower looming in the southwest corner of the courtyard. Large boulders lie strewn amid the ruins of the two watch towers, and a massive humanoid skeleton slumps amid the ruins of the northern one. This skeleton lies in the tatters of animal hide armour and a large club lies next to one of its bony arms.

The courtyard is empty, save for a few large boulders and another massive skeleton. The roof of the tower is partially collapsed and you see a stairway leading down from the rubble-strewn area. You also notice what appears to be a human standing at one of the windows, his skin pale and he stands unmoving.

[sblock=OOC]
s@s - the distance was about 2 miles, so really only about .5-1 hour have passed depending on your speed/caution so Mage Armour is still active.

Evo - there are no windows to the interior of the buildings, but you think you hear the baying of wolves from inside the northern room and some loud crunching from the southeastern room.
[/sblock]

 

[EvolutionKB]

Hurrow circles the area twice more, hoping to get a better look at the human in the window. Then he flies low over the areas of the ruin that have collapsed, trying to get a better view of the interior. Satisfied, the shifter/eagle returns to the others.

 

[Rhun]

Zazz stands watch as Vira rests against a tree, his eyes darting about, and his head tilted as if listening for something. He tosses a dagger into the air as he waits, causing it to spin several times, and catching it dextrously before sending it spinning up into the air again.


[sblock=Maneuvers and Stances]
Stances Known: 2
- Child of Shadows, Island of Blades
Maneuvers Readied: 5
- 1st Level Maneuvers: Burning Blade
- 2nd Level Maneuvers: Mountain Hammer, Shadow Jaunt
- 3rd Level Maneuvers: Soaring Raptor Strike, Death Mark[/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

Hurrow circles the area twice more, hoping to get a better look at the human in the window. Then he flies low over the areas of the ruin that have collapsed, trying to get a better view of the interior. Satisfied, the shifter/eagle returns to the others.

Hurrow notices that the human hasn't moved a muscle, not even a blink, since your aerial observations began. You also see down the stairs a curtain hung up, blocking your sight as to what's beyond. There's a hole in the roof of the south-eastern ruin, but you can't quite make out what is making the noises in the darkness.

 

[Rhun]

Zazz searches the sky in the direction of the keep, anxious for Hurrow's return.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Virashil

As she was oft to do on sweltering days, the sorceress was lightly breathing her unnaturally cold breath upon her forearms, quickly turning the sweat into small beads of ice.

Looking up from her work of flicking the frozen beads off, she spotted the flying form of Hurrow making his way back to them.

"Hurrow's nearing, battle will soon follow, I would imagine."

"With Brodi and Short-toe gone, perhaps we should embark upon a more stealthy tactic on not being seen by those who would intend to surprise us."