NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 932152" data-attributes="member: 6783">Out on the MoorsHowlers Moor got its name some three hundred odd years ago, after a large, cursed wolf-beast that claimed the entire land from the mountains to the north to the Half-Cut hills to the south.  The beast’s size is of some debate, but most stories agree it was the size of small pony and had the madness and bloodlust to match its size.It took the combined efforts of the Imperial Army, Scouts, and Wizards to track the beast down and slay it, but eventually the beast was slain.  Not all stories end with the death of the beast though – or a peaceful death for that matter.  Predictably some storytellers say that the Imperial Army only killed one of the cubs and that the mother of the beasts even now lays in wait in the mountains, raising more cubs before she and her spawn take their revenge on the civilized lands.  Other bards claim the beast was killed, but Ruma, the Beast Lord, twisted this one too well.  Its body dead, the spirit of the wolf-beast now stalks the moor it once laid claim to, helpless except on certain nights…Regardless of the stories little grew on the plains proper except grasses and the odd copse of scrub trees; though in places one could find sweet smelling heather.  Useless for most everything else some of the folk of Haranshire used the moor to let their animals graze.  Fortunately for the city of Corlean, the moor eventually gave way to better farmland closer to her walls.It was into this unfriendly plain that the five companions rode with their newest charge, Lyntern.  Like a minstrel’s story the entire first day was overcast and chill, almost as if to drive home that the group was not wanted on the plain.  Undeterred, the group took their time traveling up the road to Corlean, making sure to make wide swathes back and forth across the road in case there were any clues left behind.By the time the group camped for the night the threat of the clouds turned into a light, cold drizzle, making them all uncomfortable.  Kellron, taking charge, had Lyntern help set up the camp on the assumption that hard work built character.  Ashimar whole-heartedly joined in with suggestion of work that Lyntern could also perform.  The young nobleman bore it with stoic good grace.  For the first time in his life, Lyntern was out on his own without his father’s hired guards or an entourage of any sort.  The young aristocrat wasn’t going to blow it.  Eventually the rain quit with an almost sullen slowness as Kellron cooked the evening meal.Later after the meal was eaten and Lyntern was done cleaning the pot, they made their plans and told Lyntern more of their tales.  Lyntern paid attention to every word, especially those of Kestral.  She was only a year or two older than him, but her quick wit and easy way with words had a greater effect on the noble than being hit with a bale of hay.  Half-remembered stories of nobles taking commoner brides flitted across Lyntern’s mind, but he kept them to himself.  If Kestral was aware of her effect she did not mention it, treating him like a favored younger brother more than anything else.Eventually they decided on watches.  Unexpectedly, Ashimar offered to take the mid-watch with Lyntern, “To give him more experience on adventuring.”  Normally the middle watch was Panther’s as his elven mother had blessed him far better night-sight then humans normally possessed.Fortunately for all the night was uneventful, though off in the distance the howling of wolves could be heard every so often.…Morning came seemingly far earlier then it had any right to.  Fortunately Panther held the last watch and had a small breakfast prepared as his friends woke up.  It was a simple affair of toasted bread and cheese and some dried meat, but it was better than nothing.  Lyntern, sore from yesterday’s exertions was glad to hear that the white-haired half-elven sorceress needed time to study her books before they ventured out.  Muscles ached in the young noble’s body.  Seeing the man’s soreness, Kellron had Lyntern spar with him to help loosen him up.After Jallarzi was done studying and the small camp put away, they started their search anew.  They didn’t have far to travel.Perhaps only an hour on the trail their attention was directed to the north by a faint howling sound, closer than the wolves from the night before.  Grimly the six travelers looked at each other proceeded northward along the road; loosening the straps on their weapons as they did so.Over the next hour of riding they heard the howling twice more and each time the chilling cry was closer than before.  The horses were reluctant to continue after each howl, but the riders pushed them on.  Eventually Ashimar’s keen eyes spotted something strange on the horizon in the morning light, a wagon.  “Over there.”  Indicated Ashimar.  At the same time another howl pierced the air, a much closer howl.  “Get your bows ready.”  Said Kellron and Ashimar virtually at the same time.  Kestral and Lyntern cocked their crossbows while Ashimar, Kellron, and Panther strung their bows.  Jallarzi watched them impassively as she flexed her fingers and loosened her wrists up.  Prepared, they kicked their horses forward.A battle had been fought; they could see that in the wreckage of the wagon as they approached.  One of the wheels of the wagon had been shattered and one of the side panels had been burned all the way through by something big.  Food and clothing lay scattered and trampled about the ground.  Whoever had attacked had no interest in what the pilgrims had been carrying.There was a groan from behind the wagon, so faint that only Ashimar and Panther heard it.  Ashimar, Lyntern, and Kestral went around the left side while Kellron, Jallarzi, and Panther took the right.  Around the far side could be seen two bodies.  One had been savagely hacked apart by some sword blade.  The other had an equal number of wounds, but they were bandaged – sort of.  The man groaned again and coughed weakly.Ashimar was the first to dismount and quickly went to the man’s aid.  The reek of festering wounds filled the air.  The man, dressed in the garb of a fighter in Latina’s service, woke at his touch.  “…pilgrims…taken…the red-headed man!…his eyes…they were alive, I swear…”.  The burst of energy to speak seemed to drain the man of his life and he fell unconscious.  By the time Kellron could get to him and utter a healing prayer it was too late, the guard was dead.Looking around, Kellron stood up.  “Lets get these bodies back to the Count.  We can give them a proper burial at least.”  Notably there were no bodies of the pilgrims, only the two guards.Solemnly the rest dismounted and they gathered up the two bodies, intending to wrap them in their cloaks.  They were interrupted again by another howl, this time less than a hundred feet away.  Approaching from the north was a pack of two-headed dogs, slavering and snarling and snapping at the air.  The coats of the beasts were a dull black, like coal and they were all the size of large mastiffs.“Damnit!”  Swore Kellron as he snatched for his bow.  The others did likewise.  Except for Jallarzi.  Coolly she measured the distance between her and the beasts and calmly put the wagon between her and the dogs.  Reaching into her component pouch she invoked a spell of sleep, managing to group five of the dogs – more than half the pack.  Four of the beasts fell to her arcane spell as Kellron, Panther, Ashimar, Kestral, and Lyntern shot at the dogs.  Another beast fell and the group reloaded as the remaining three dogs picked up their speed to charge.  Jallarzi fired off another sleep spell dropping two more and Kellron drew his own sword and charged the remaining beast.  He received a nasty bite and a part of his brain noted that the spittle of the beast was foaming.  Undeterred, the champion of Sarath struck home against the beast and killed it.There wasn’t much to do after that but to slay the sleeping beasts and then figure out how to get the slain bodies of the guards back to Parlfray Keep.  Eventually they rigged up a travois for each body that would be dragged by their horses.  Kellron invoked Sarath’s aid to heal his wound and was rewarded with the blessing of health.  They all avoided the bodies of the dogs after making sure each one was dead.On the ride back to the keep they discussed the day’s happenings.  There was some evidence of tracks heading south-west from the wagon across the moor, but none of them were Imperial Scouts.  “They could be part of the bandits that attacked us on the river.”  Note Ashimar.  They headed south too.  “They could be working with the orcs who attacked us there.”Kellron and Jallarzi nodded.  “We could head to the Thornwood then.  But where in the wood?  It’s a large tract of land.”  Noted Kellron.“I might have an idea.”  Said Lyntern a little hesitantly.  He was about to reveal a family secret, something he was sure his father wouldn’t approve of, but the bodies of the slain guards had sobered him quickly to the danger the pilgrims were in.  “My family had a keep in the Thornwood until the time of my great-grandfather.”  Lyntern looked away across the moor.  “Something bad happened there.  My ancestor had been away with his family, visiting relatives.  When they came back they found everyone in the keep dead, strewn about like a bunch of broken dolls.  The Count of the time declared the place cursed and moved everyone to a family lodge in the hills and built the new family keep there.”  He looked back at his new companions.  “Great-Grandfather got tired of hearing all the rumors and eventually made it illegal to ever talk about the keep.”  He shrugged.  “I’m new at this, but if I was taking people into the Thornwood that’s were I would take them.”The others absorbed this new information with glee.  At last they had a lead.  Unfortunately Lyntern had never been to the keep himself.  He had seen maps of where it use to stand though.By the time the party reached Parlfray Keep (a little after nightfall), they had their plan.  Now they just had to convince the Count.“You want to bring my son where?”  Shouted the incredulous old Count.  “There’s bandits and orcs in those woods!  This isn’t a simple scouting trip in open country.”  The group had wasted no time in reporting what they had learned and suspected to Count Parlfray.  They had then offered to set off in the morning and go directly to old keep.  The count had seemed a little put out that Lyntern had given away a family secret so freely, but common sense had prevailed.  What had not prevailed was the suggestion that Lyntern continue to accompany the five friends into the Thornwood itself.  “Absolutely not!  It’s out of the question.”Somehow they did convince the old man though.  Kellron and Ashimar and Panther continued to harp on the duties of the nobility and the value of experience while Kestral wove a net of verbal arguments so tight that a Law Speaker would have had problems unraveling.*In the end after a very late night, Count Parlfray agreed to let his son accompany the five adventurers.  In return they had to extend their oath to protect Lyntern with their lives and to present back at Parlfray Keep in seven days.Wearily they all went to an early bed with some more satisfied than others.  It was going to be an early morning for all of them.*Did you ever notice how players can pull a 20 out of a hat when it comes right down to it. In the first instance of trying to convince the Count of their sincerity and good intentions, Kestral’s player rolled pretty poorly – like a 2 or 3.  Kellron’s player turns around and takes his turn at bat and rolls like a 18 or so – enough to turn old Count friendly and amenable to the idea of his son going into reasonably non-hostile territory.On their second meeting Kestral rolled a flat 20 against the Count who was now indifferent to her.  She’s about 3rd level at this point with a +10 to her diplomacy roll.  Kellron and Panther made their assist checks on that one too.  I still made them work for it though. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />On the other hand Kestral tends to use diplomacy the way others use their weapons.  I guess the 20’s stick out more because of that.</blockquote>

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