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="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 3227501" data-attributes="member: 11574">Ambush!The party races south from the troll, paralleling its track through the woods. Kessen scouts ahead of the party, pointing out various points along the way that could be used as ambush places for orcs. Avoiding the clearings and river crossings, Kessen leads the party to the edge of the woods where it meets the Troll Fens.“I think you did too well of a job, you’ve managed to avoid the orcs completely.” Turgar says“They’re in there; I didn’t want to face an ambush. The orcs aren’t stupid; they’re going to fight from a tactically sound position.” Kessen replies“It’s a good thing you got us permission to kill something we can’t find Xanthos, good work. Maybe tomorrow you can get permission for us to find food we can’t eat? We can smell it and hold it, but not eat it.” Menthos verbally spars with the centaur“This isn’t my fault, Kessen admits to intentionally skirting around the orcs.” Xanthos responds“Don’t blame me, It’s not my fault Menthos can’t handle combat, and I have to go looking for an elderly, limping, one-eyed orc with hearing problems for us to hunt down and mercy kill.” Kessen retorts“Why don’t we head back to the Mermist then?” Haimish proposes“Sounds like a good plan, I hate forests anyway. Feels like you’re being watched constantly.” Turgar answers“That’s because you are.” Xanthos replies“Fine, I’ll take us all back there then!” Kessen shouts and heads out into the fensThe tall grasses and insect populations of the fens would have been called a marsh if there was any standing water at all, while the land got regular rainfall, it drained well enough into the Dearthwood to keep standing water at a minimum and it never stayed long enough to provide a regular source of water. Kessen waded through the waist high grasses that swayed on the breeze. To Menthos it looked like an ocean waves crashing against the interloper Kessen. The party followed Kessen into the grass and tried to stay within his tracks as they trekked away from the forest. “Wait!” Xanthos yelled sniffing the air around him, “I smell orc.”“Impossible, I would have noticed them by now.” Kessen argued as three arrows penetrate the scout’s leather armor and lodge in his back.“Looks like you found the ambush anyway.” Haimish calls outXanthos advances and spots a group of eight orcs ahead of the party firing from nearly complete cover within the tall grasses. The centaur points out their location to the rest of the party as Turgar yanks the arrow shafts from Kessen’s back.“Shh… Doopa going to circle round and surprise orcs from the back.” The ogre announces“Did you get clearance first? I mean we’re not in the Dearthwood anymore, shouldn’t we be finding the local druid union to check on infringement rights or something?” Menthos inquires, as Doopa ignores him and heads off anyway“There is no druidic presence for the Troll Fens.” Xanthos answers“Well there ought to be, obviously the orcs are leaving the Dearthwood to ambush the lands surrounding the woods. Sounds like a job for Super Druid!” Menthos replies as four arrows shoot forth from the tree line behind the party two of which hit Xanthos in the rear flank.“Ambush!” Kessen shouts as he wheels around to look for the archers behind the party“Oh goodie, more guests at the party. Looks like the scout was looking for a good place for all of us to die.” Menthos Kessen moves back towards the tree line and fires up at the general location where he thinks the shots were fired at, as he gets within a few feet of the trees, a group of orcs plow their way out of the woods and race by Kessen, heading straight for the center of the party.“Behind you!” Kessen shouts as he turns and fires off an arrow at a passing orc. Kessen’s shouting draws the orcs hidden in the trees attention and the scout is felled with six arrows to his chest.A guttural war cry erupts from the grasses behind the party as four orcs with broadswords slash their way through the cover. Expecting the assault due to Kessen’s alerting, Menthos raises his ring at the charging orcs and dazzles all four of them. Xanthos and Turgar move to flank them and begin to mow them down one by one. Six more arrows fly through the air and puncture Xanthos who is bleeding heavily now at the strength begins to drain away from him. Seeing his distress, Turgar turns on his vigor aura staunching the blood flow and unknowingly saving Kessen from death as well.Doopa reaches the forward archers and quickly disrupts their ranks as his tree trunk of a club scatters the orcs; he manages to take down four of them as the other two escape through the grass. Under fire from the orcs in the trees, Haimish locates the fallen Kessen and drags him back to the rest of the party, Haimish tosses Kessen on the back of Xanthos and the party hastily makes their way west on a intercept course with the High Road. “We should probably go back and bury our kills; I think the druids would want it that way. You know balance of life and that sort of thing.” Menthos says sarcastically“We’d be killed, we got lucky there.” Xanthos answers“Wouldn’t want any bad karma with the druids, maybe they can reincarnate Kessen as a hot serving wench?” Menthos replies“He’s not dead, he’s resting.” Haimish explains“Yeah right, the only reason he hasn’t fallen off Xanthos’ back is because you nailed him to it.” Menthos argues“Doopa said he did not collect any orc skulls to add to belt of kills.” The ogre interjects remorsely“Well, there’ll be a fallen log up here you can relieve yourself on. I’d rather not smell rotting orc head and ogre urine while down wind from you; your flatulence is bad enough.” Turgar answers“Doopa urinate on skull so that no one else takes it.” Doopa explains“Who would want an orc head with your urine on it?” Turgar questions  “I would, right next to the bleeding heart of Xanthos and the spineless form of Kessen.” Menthos answers“No, devil-man can not have Doopa’s fetishes.” Doopa counters“Don’t need them either; I’ve got enough of my own.” Menthos winks“That’s not what he meant.” Haimish advises Menthos“Well, how do I know what he does with them when no one is looking or everyone else is asleep?” Menthos respondsThe party marches on and soon the towers of Highcastle are seen ahead on the road, the party goes on high alert as the near death experience from the bandit attack is fresh on their minds. They breathe a sigh of relief as they pass through the west gate and re-enter the city.The dragon shaman and druid heal up Kessen as best they can, bringing the scout back to consciousness. Haimish decides to head back to the Scholar’s Inn to work on his information gathering techniques. Worried about being left to slowly die, Menthos visits the Temple of Kador to inquire about some liquid healing, while Turgar and Doopa go their separate ways in search of like minded conversationalists.“How does traipsing through the countryside suit you?” Helle asked“I quite fancy our abbreviated jaunts through the druid protected orcish wildlife preserve.” Menthos answers“Really? Set anything on fire?” Helle inquires“No, but I did light a fire under the centaur’s rear. Maybe now he’ll stop standing on tip toes on his pedestal.” Menthos answers“Did you secure the vial?” Helle asks“I told you, I’m not going to steal it from him, I’m not that kind of handsomely roguish teifling. Besides, I’d much rather watch him destroy himself with the item, than have it break in my hands. I have a small resistance to fire, not a resistance to incinerating pyre of volcanism.” Menthos explainsMenthos purchases a couple of cure wounds potions and returns to the Scholar’s Inn where he avoids purchasing more lottery tickets, but still attempts to order the candy ale. A couple of jugglers are performing on stage as Menthos finds a seat next to Xanthos and Kessen.“Finally decide to grace us with your presence?” Kessen asks“You weren’t out killing babies were you?” Xanthos inquires“No, but I did get permission to fry some horse meat.” Menthos answers“I hear your buddies at the Temple of Kador are in tight with the Overlord, makes you wonder why they don’t have the grandest temple in the city, or aren’t supplementing the local militia with priests.” Kessen ponders aloud“Whose saying they don’t?” Menthos challenges“Oh come now, you can’t tell me the Kador temple is outshines the Thellos temple. Thos people know how to spend a coin, maybe you should switch allegiances. Obviously the Kadors aren’t putting it back into their faith.” Kessen replies“I wouldn’t want to ruin my rock hard abs.” Menthos answers***The jugglers end their act and Haimish is introduced on stage.“Evening, thanks for everyone that came. Tonight I thought I do some poetry.”In the scheme of thingsThe bending of kneesOnly matters When you are with treesI was shot with an arrowTo the priest I flew like a sparrowAnd when he was doneGold, I had noneSo I killed him and took his stuffThe orc hid in the grassHe offered to playI had to passFor orc was far too crassWhen he was done he had earned three silver for his efforts.“Aw crud, looks like I need to work on those.” Haimish states“Maybe you should work blue?” Menthos offers“I think maybe you should stick to singing.” Kessen says“Or I hear motivation speaking is doing really well with fanatics. Maybe you could stir up a little business there?” Menthos offers“No, I think there’s just too much on my mind right now, with the party coming up and the whole killing an ancient vampire that could put my head through a wall with his snot, just makes for a stressful time. I feel like the kernel of truth under the heel of imagination.” Haimish responds“Maybe you should cut out the fancy talk, I don’t speak abyssal.” Menthos replies“Eventually I will be able to shift to form of a virus and then you and I could communicate better.”  Xanthos advises“No, viruses are so needy and clingy, I’d feel uncomfortable. I’m still waiting for that hot serving wench.” Menthos replies“I wonder what the ogres are doing.” Haimish asks“Doopa’s seeing someone about taxidermy and Turgar was going to look into getting us some healing potions.” Kessen replies“Great, Doopa’s making hand puppets and Turgar’s gone clubbing.” Menthos responds*** The priests of Thellos are overly obese individuals, as beffitting their god.</blockquote>

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