Six From Gate Pass - A War of the Burning Sky Campaign (3.5)

[Gregor]

It takes Torrent a few minutes, but she strikes up a small flame and then layers on a few cold logs from the pile. In ten or so minutes, the fire is crackling nicely and she hands the flint and steel back to Arnir with a smile.

After rolling out her bedroll, removing her breastplate and wrapping a winter blanket around her, she takes out a dark bottle and removes the cork with her teeth. She takes a swig and then hands it to Arnir: "Have a drink and pass it around. Nobody stops till we're done the bottle. It'll keep us warm."

She holds her hands over the fire and relaxes before turning over to Lars: "Nice moves back at the gate Lars. By the way, you've got some interesting talents. But why all the secrecy? Are you a mage or something?"

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio feels elated to be on the road again... he most often prefers large crowds, particularly for the ready audience they provide to his craft, but the quiet of the open road has alwasy been refreshing to him.

Alric breaks out a tent and a bedroll. "Room for another. As long as they don't snore."

"I will gladly take you up ont that generous offer Alric, fear not, I do not snore and almost never play the flute as I sleep. I'll will take the second watch".

"Nice moves back at the gate Lars. By the way, you've got some interesting talents. But why all the secrecy? Are you a mage or something?"

Kirio smiles in agreement and winks at Lars as he takes the bottle from Torrent and takes a generous swig "you should have been a bard, quite convincing"

 

[fromage67]

She holds her hands over the fire and relaxes before turning over to Lars: "Nice moves back at the gate Lars. By the way, you've got some interesting talents. But why all the secrecy? Are you a mage or something?"

Lars shrugs his shoulders, and takes a long pull from the whiskey bottle. He suppresses a shudder and says, "I don't think I'm a mage. But when the Inquisitors appeared, I started to think that, to them, it wouldn't make a difference. That's the main reason why I'm with you folks. Too much people knows about it, I had to leave Gatepass."

"It's only the second time I ever come outside the walls. The first time I come south." He unpacks his winter clothing, and wedges his bedroll and blanket close to the fire, with his back to the wall.

I'll take a watch in the middle. It'll be easier to stay warm if I move a little. So, can anybody fill me in on where we are headed? What is this about a Fire Forest?"

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr readies his blanket and bedroll for the evening's rest. He gladly accepts a gulp of the whiskey. He then arranges his winter clothes.

He decides to have a good look around the camp to make sure no one, man or beast is watching the party.

 

[Gregor]

Hrimr, you scan the surroundings but see nothing of interest.

The fire is now crackling nicely, you're all warm and content and the whiskey makes you more and more content with each swig from the bottle.

"Well Lars, I'm glad you asked that question because now is a good time to lay out the next phase of the mission. Its also important that I take you all through this in case something happens to me on the road." She pulls over her pack and removes a vial filled with a dark liquid and a large map which she rolls out so it catches the fire light.

"Lets start with the map. As you can see, we're on the main southern trade route for Gate Pass. In about 22 miles or so we're going to come upon Innenotdar Forest where this road becomes the old Elf Road which runs down into the nation of Dassen and on to Lyceum to the far south. About 40 years ago, according to lore, some catastrophe struck the forest and it was consumed in a forest fire that has not stopped burning to this day. We know that the road through the forest is still accessible, but obviously intensely hot. Thus," she holds up the vial, "my church helped to make us about two days worth of vials each that we cleverly call 'stand the heat.' By drinking these, we will be able to withstand the heat of the flames, but not the flames themselves. So, if we stay on the road, we'll be through in about a day and a half and no Ragesians will be able to follow. If we run out of vials for some reason, I can dedicate my entire spell casting ability to replicate the spell and I should teach Hrimr the spell as well."

She takes a swig of whiskey and passes the bottle on again: "Once we're through the forest, we're heading further South. Despite the direction we'll be heading in, you'll want to hold on to your cold weather clothes as it will still be winter along the coast. We're in for a very long trek after the forest - I figure 30 or so days of travel on foot. Hopefully we'll be able to get some horses in a village. When we make it to Lyceum, we'll check in with the masters of the academy and share the intelligence. After that, I suppose we'll figure out what to do next."

Torrent lays down and puts her hands behind her head. "I want to thank you all for coming on this mission. I know we're a diverse bunch and I know we're not currently all best friends, but I'm hoping we'll learn more about eachother and try to work together as best we can."

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric nods his head to everything Torrent says. As she speaks he takes his turn to drink deeply from her whisky bottle and passes around his own flask, which contains a robust grape spirit he spent much coin to import from Ragesia. He smiles inwardly wondering if any of them realize the significance of a Ragesian soldier sharing his hard earned liquor with his comrades at camp.

Realizing Lars' sorcerous abilities sends a tinge of apprehension through him. Even after years of living in Gate Pass it takes him a while to accept magic users. But he recognizes a strong and kindly spirit in Lars and Alric shows his efforts of acceptance by passing Lars his Ragesian grape spirit before any others.

"We've all committed to seeing this intelligence to Lyceum, and I see no reason to doubt any of our dedication or resolve. And we've shed blood together side by side, and such a bond, no matter how small, is not easily broken." Alric completes his statement of confidence in Torrent with a fist to his chest and a bowing of his head to all in company.

"I would suggest we keep a strong rearguard as we travel. I expect that once the Ragesians realize that mages flee south from Gate Pass, Helm forbid they realize we have their intelligence, they may send mounted hunters to track us down." Alric pauses for a moment then asks of Torrent, "Now, what lies ahead? What foes do you expect might bar our pass through the ever-burning forest? Such a fire cannot be natural. Could it be demonic in origin?"

 

[digimattic]

Arnir is momentarily stunned as Bannock pulls out the second bedroll and blanket. He furrows his brow for a moment and begins to say "wh.." but cuts himself off and says "Thank you." with a slight bow of the head. You can tell that this was hard for him to say.

He sets up the bedroll in Bannock's tent, collects his flint and steel, and pulls out his spellbook and a couple of the scrolls he has collected. His bow, as always, is over his shoulder though the quiver is back at the tent. Sitting around the fire, he listens to the talk of the road ahead while begins the careful work of scribing the scroll into his book- making it his own, and taking a small sip of the whiskey when the bottle comes around so that he can still perform his task well enough.

OOC: based on the assumption of 4 hours of free time in the night before needing to travel again, Arnir is able to scribe his scrolls of colour spray, unseen servant and detect secret door. The process takes 3hrs 36min, costs him 75gp and 6xp.

 

[Gregor]

Torrent pulls her blanket over her and stares into the fires. "I'm not sure what lies ahead Alric. The fires are definitely not natural and quite frankly they are an affront to me as a worshiper of Istishia. I suppose things could be demonic, but I would wager it has something to do with the elemental plane of fire. Thankfully my worship gives me some power to turn creatures of flames ... demons on the other hand are something I would like to avoid. Anyway, we'll have a few more days to think things through. I'm heading to sleep. See you all at dawn."

After a while, when all the whiskey has been consumed and a pleasant glow fills your bodies, you turn in or prepare for your watch. Night falls quickly and the wind thankfully dies down. The crackling of firewood and the scratching of Arnir's quill on paper lulls most of you to sleep.

Watches go ahead without any trouble and dawn breaks without incident and. You all prepare to set out for another day of travel. Fast is broken, blankets stowed and armor strapped on. Torrent prays to her god for a while and then douses the fire.

The wind is almost non-existent today and the temperature seems to have risen a bit. However, a steady snow has begun and the dark gray clouds signal that there will be no relief from the frozen precipitation. You break camp and head back onto the road, the hills rising and falling and the blowing snow and loose gravel makes for another tiring march.

After 3 or 4 miles of walking, you crest a small hill and look down upon a long and winding stretch of road flanked by sloping cliffs covered with snowy brush which lead up to sheer stone cliffs. The brush covered slope rises maybe 20 ft up from the road and the sheer cliffs crest at about 40 ft above you. Despite the blowing snow, Hrimr, Arnir, Lars and Bannock are sure that two humanoids are attempting to hide among the brush. They are in studded leather armor and clutch crossbows aimed at the road.

GM: Its a new morning. On your first post, please provide your saving throw for fatigue if you have not already done so.

 

[Bannock]

Bannock slows his pace and stares at the slopes ahead.

"Whoa there boys and lady. I'd say that road ahead is a perfect spot for an ambush, and it looks like there are a couple of sharp blokes down there who would agree with me. Two men with crossbows, and maybe more hidden."

He keeps a strong grip on his glaive, which he has been using as a walking stick.

"If, say, we had a sneaky type of fellow in the group who might draw off their attention or get behind them from those higher bluffs, it might make this happy occasion easier!"

He gives Lars a glare as he says this.

OOC: F.u.c.k.

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr spends the first hour of the morning meditating on the nature around him. Though he does not mind the city he feels so much better outside of the high walls of gate pass.

He packs up his things and adjusts his winter clothes for the day. But he can't seem to block the cold out well enough and is feeling quite drained because of it.

Hrimr notices the men that Bannock mentions but his fatigue is making him slow in his reaction.

"Bannock is right, Lars maybe you should move up a head. Be careful there maybe more hiding about."

OOC: Checking for any other people hiding or any wild life nearby (like crows)