renau1g's Red Hand of Doom

[stonegod]

Sascha keeps to himself in the morning, continuing to read a few of the books in the desk. If he had any morning ritual, he did not indicate it.

As they get to the top, he looks over the horses and the cart. Th'rest of ya be a'travel'n afoot? Depending if their be a good road, we'd make a little faster travel a'carted. If no, we'll need t'swing back 'ere for these two.

 

[s@squ@tch]

"Oh Sascha dear, I would love to travel upon your cart." She says with a smirk, batting her eyelashes at the man.

She scampers up the hole and walks out into the courtyard. All the while calling out,"Lets get a move on people!"

Once she reaches the cart, she takes a look at the warforged -- nonplussed to see the various acoutrements with bones and the look of death on them.

She wasn't too unhappy that the thing wasn't functioning.

 

[Voadam]

Sir Conrad will trot alongside the cart, his inhumanly swift pace easily matching the conveyance despite his armor. Turning to Virashil the swarthy knight says "Milady, what can you tell us of the hobgoblins? We encountered a military band of them in the forest and I was able to wring a little information out of the prisoner we took after defeating them. It was enough to lead us here to your aid but I would gladly hear what you or the others have learned of them."

 

[s@squ@tch]

"Well, the hobgoblins attacked us near what would have been a recently ransacked and burned farmhouse."

"No survivors of that affair, I'm afraid, so we didn't get a chance to get much information out of them."

"You ran into a warband of them? Do tell. Perhaps they might have been associated with one another?"

 

[Rhun]

OOC: Hey Voadam, might you post your PC in our combined rogue's gallery? We couldn't figure out what items Sir Conrad could really use since we don't know much about him.


Zazz watches as Vira and Sascha climb into the cart and prepare to move out. Seeing them ready to go, the graceful elf leads the way out of the keep, and on the path toward Skull Gorge. He moves out ahead of the rest of the party, but stay close enough that they can see him and identify any hand gestures he might make.

Move out say 100' in front of the cart...assuming a road, they should still be able to see him, I would think.

Listen +11
Spot +9

 

[renau1g]

As the spellcasters climb into wagon, Virashil notices dried blood on the floor and that the semi-covered sides have suffered from extensive damage. With Sir Conrad & Jorr flanking the wagon, Sascha clucks the mule forward and the caravan moves along the Dawn Way.

The forest begins to grow more dense as you continue along the well travelled road deeper into the woods, forcing Hurrow to strain to see the caravan through the quickly thickening canopy.

Zazz is the first to spot a massive effigy standing at a fork in the road, the path continuing north, but a wide track leads away from the road, heading west. The effigy stands watch here, a fifteen feet tall humanoid shape made from a sagging, moss-covered frame. The thing looks like a grude giant-sized skeleton. Birds nest in the massive barrel that serve the effigy as a head.

 

[Voadam]

"You ran into a warband of them? Do tell. Perhaps they might have been associated with one another?"

"Oh aye, milady, they were part of the warband based here. It is why we came here to hunt down the rest and learn more. The unit we fought was part of a hobgoblin warband in full military kit, including archers, infantry, a warpriest, and their unit commander. They were confident and professional, I do not believe they were mere raiders or bandits. It was quite a clash when we fought them. Their warpriest boasted they served the Red Hand. Seeing how he held two hellhounds at his command I believe an infernal connection is likely. We learned from our prisoner that the warband was based here and served the Wyrmlord Koth, a mighty sorcerer. That slim reference leads me to conjecture the Red Hand is some sort of cult to the dragon queen, as she is known as the guard dog of Hell. In addition we learned that the minotaur was lodged here with them and that they were one of numerous bands scouring the land currently. From their actions I believe there is a full army's worth of them and they are invading the land. It is truly a pity that none survived our battle here to provide further information."

 

[EvolutionKB]

Hurrow aloft on the warm air above soars lazily, looking for threats for the group. The shifter turned bird doesn't follow stay too close, to avoid looking suspicious.

 

[Rhun]

Zazz pauses at the effigy and cocks his head, listening for anything out of the ordinary as he waits for the cart to catch up to him.

 

[s@squ@tch]

The blood spattered sides of the wagon pique the elf's interest.

"Oh Sascha, dear," coos Virashil,"What exactly have you been doing with this wagon?"

As she waits for the man to answer, she listens to the tale spun by Sir Conrad.

"So the bugbear's name was Wyrm-lord Koth?" she said, with extra emphasis on the wyrm portion.

She shakes her head and furrows her brow.

"There will be evil dragonkind involved in this in some way if bugbears are calling themselves wyrm-lords."

The silver flecks in her skin almost glow with anger.

At the sight of the effigy, she pauses and just looks at it.

"Zazz, how old do you think that thing is?"

To the others,"Do we have any idea how old the skeletons of the giants at Vraath Keep were?"