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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 1174988" data-attributes="member: 11574">The next four hours are uneventful as the party trudges through the soaked forrest, deciding that the best way to get back to the Hamlet would be to find the river and follow it downstream. Hoping that they are north of the Hamlet and will be able to walk right into the Hamlet. Alriand has paid little attention to the path in front of her, instead paying more attention to her surroundings and any signs of movement. Hoping to catch up to the halfling before he makes it to the Hamlet. The sun has made it's way high in the sky, and begins to burn off the chill of the morning. The party stops for a breather and can hear the rushing water of a nearby river. However they also smell smoke, light, like that of a campfire. Playing it safe, Alriand heads off to make a cursory examination of the riverbank ahead, to see who, what, how many, and where the camp is located. Rebrey and Tharhack decide to sit down and rest for a bit, having not slept much in two days they are starting to feel the effects of that grow heavy on their shoulders. They are about to doze off when Alriand returns."Bad news, there's about eight human men about 300 yards up stream. I also don't think they're out here for fur." Alriand reports."What gives you that impression?" Rebrey asks her. "No fur, heavily armed, and they were whipping a halfling in the middle of the camp." Alriand replies"Could you recognize the halfling as someone from the Hamlet?" Tharhack asks her. "No, but it was definitely a halfling." Alriand answers"Maybe they caught Drogy?" Rebrey asks"Possible." Tharhack states "He could've been caught trying to steal something from their camp, and is paying the price.""I say we go in for a closer look, just to be sure." Alriand says"I don't know if that would be prudent, eight against three is very bad odds." Rebrey tells her. "Besides we'd have to leave the child, and kobold behind somewhere. It's just not going to be feasible. We should double time it back to the Hamlet and let Opee decide what he wants to do.""I almost agree except that I could take out the Hamlet single handily. If there's eight well armed mercenaries or whatever, this close to the Hamlet then they aren't going to be able to put up an adequate defense." Tharhack argues"We'll just have to hope they come to the Hamlet when we're there then, at least the Hamlet has defensible positions." Rebrey counters."No, I think it's in our best interests to find out what these guys want. Plus I've got an itchy finger." Tharhack repliesAlriand upon hearing Tharhack agree with her position, heads back out into the forrest leading Rebrey and Tharhack to the campsite."Itchy trigger finger my arse." Rebrey says jogging alongside of Tharhack "This is reckless, why are we even bothering with this?""I have my reasons, torture is for the weak, if they want something to beat on, I will give them a bigger target. One that hits back." Tharhack answers him.Alriand stops just short of the last tree before a clearing starts, Tharhack and Rebrey stop next to her. They see seven men gathered around in a circle cheering on an eighth man who is whipping the flesh off the back of an older probably middle-aged halfling, but definitely not Drogy. "Now what do we do?" Rebrey inquired"Now we rise to the occasion." Tharhack answered, handing the tether to the kobold over to Rebrey, and boldly striding out from the tree line and into the clearing. No one paid any attention to him as he made his way closer and closer to the humans. Alriand, ticked that Tharhack was going to start some fun before her, left Rebrey and walked through the trees and bush right to the river's edge. Rebrey stunned at the impulsiveness of his comrades, ties the kobold to a tree, and then hides the halfling child out of sight from the kobold, and also out of reach. Then he follows Tharhack's trail to the camp."Good morning gentlemen." Tharhack calls out once he's gotten to within fifteen feet of the closest human. The humans go quiet as they all turn to face Tharhack. Tharhack watches as their face go from surprise to hatred as they all reach for their weapons."Kill the orc!" The man with the whip shouts. "I want it's head adorning my wall."The posse gives a shout, and move in for the kill.</blockquote>

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