Return of the Slavelords, Part 2 - "Bright City, Dark Hearts"

[Karl Green]

Greyhawk Mark, night (raining)

[occ] it is not really clear which way the sounds are coming from... it seems to be coming from the west, moving towards the Granely Forest but you can't be sure [/occ]


Gathering their gear and cloaking themselves against the weather, the party heads out and makes their way towards where the drums are coming from. Slowly they get louder and then they can make out large shapes moving in the dark. A flash of lightning allows the party to get a short glimpse of what's out there... a group of 20 or 30 large human-sized humanoids with an equal number of smaller or child sized humanoids marching in a chaotic group along with another 10 or so giant sized creatures. The drums are coming from within the group and they seem to be talking but the noise from the rain is distorting it. They are making their way towards the Gnarely Forest, and on their present course they will hit it in a two hours, a few hours yet before sunrise… they are leaving a pretty good trail, but the forest could easily obscure it…

 

[johnsemlak]

Philo -- Human Paladin

Yes, we should investigate; those sounds clearly indicate some kind of trouble

OOC: Is it possible to tell what direction the drums are coming from? EDIT, sorry, I hadn't seen the above post

 

[Someone]

"Orcs, goblins and giants, I say" grunts Norbac. "And a lot of them! The rangers in the forest famous. Should we look for and warn them?"

 

[Scotley]

Verrick Human Rogue/Wizard

"With all those drums its clear these guys don't fear the Rangers. Why don't we follow them and see where they are headed before we call for reinforcements?"

OOC: Is is possible that they are heading toward the same place as the trail we have been following?

 

[Karl Green]

[occ] They are moving in the same general direction but it is not easy to tell. NOTE also that they passed fairly close to the burnt out house which is why you heard the drums... the rain means it is really only traveling partway out on the plains [/occ]

 

[Someone]

Norbac scratches his armpit. "No, you right." concedes the cleric. "Raiding parties don´t play drums; armies do. They´re going to gather with more of them, and I sure they on a major attack. Maybe a city? Or they coming back?."

Norbac shifts and moves again, as he does when he´s uncomfortable with his thoughts. "Then we have to warn whoever is in danger, we can´t defeat so many of them. But where they going? We can do anything ´nless we know more. We have to continue watching."

 

[Karl Green]

Greyhawk Mark, night (raining)

The marching humanoids make they way towards the Gnarely Forest. After about 3 hours of marching and drum beating, the creatures enter the forest. At that point, they do stop beating their drums. The march for another hour or so, until it starts to get light. They set up a crude camp and start to bed down. A few Orcs and Goblins (who can now be made out in the growing light) set up watches, while the rest start eating, laughing and acting up. The light of the coming day is muted by the thick morning but the rain tames off to a light mist.

Lorien thinks that the closes settlement is Tree Oaks about a day or more ride from here, and you are five or six miles north of the road that cuts through the forest to there. You are not sure what trail these raiders are following, they seem to be just wandering into the wood and following some direction that the rest of you can't understand.

 

[Scotley]

Verrick Human Rogue/Wizard

Speaking softly and keeping a nervous eye out, Verrick confers with the others, "As I see it we have warned all the nearby small farmsteads and sent working back to Bright Tower. We have a couple of options, we can continue to follow this troop and see what happens, perhaps being too weak to prevent it. Also, I could try and put an Orc or Goblin to sleep and we could spirit him away for some questions. Finally, we could gamble that tree oaks is the destination and try and get ahead of them and possibly help set up a defense or at least an evacuation." He rubs his chin thoughtfully, "have I left anything out?" Looking quickly at his companions and then back to the woods, "what do you think my friends."

OOC: I am willing to take which ever option will allow you to add our new companions into the action.

 

[johnsemlak]

Philo -- Human Paladin

Philo whispers back

Well, I like the thrid option. We should be able to easily overtake this large band (OOC-correct?), and I think we'll be able to keep track of where they go in any case. Plus, warning and protecting future victems of these raiders should be the highest priority.

 

[Karl Green]

[occ] Yes their trail should not be to hard to find again... unless it rains really hard. But Lorien is pretty confident he could find it again. IF you wish to head for Tree Oaks that is where I post your actions next... just want to be sure [/occ]