The Red Hand of Doom!!

[EvolutionKB]

"All righty, I'm yer man! I want 5 gold a day, or 10 if'n ya got a mind to be doin' somethin' dangerous."

"Deal, this shouldn't take long as long as you can pull your weight in combat. Is your specialty at ranged combat or melee combat?"

"I know some humans can be afraid of the dark," She says teasingly as she looks at Sir Jonathan.

"Now if I remember correctly," Sir Jonathan begins with a sly grin, "it is you that didn't want to join me for a talk away from the fire the other evening..." he then finishes with a wink.

"We rest. They have an advantage in the dark that we do not have. We wait until the sun is high overhead and then strike when they rest," Kirrg states frowning. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, "As much as I am want to meet these foes face to face in battle, we do not have the numbers to do that."

"Kirrg is right. If they have worgs on their side, they will be able to sniff us out while we...I stumble around in the dark. Virashil, do you have enough spells to render us all invisible on the morrow? Kirrg will you have a silence spell readied as well? You guys know the drill, that time in the kobold warren turned out worse than we thought. Lucky Heironeous was there to guide us through it." At the mention of Heironeous, Sir Jonathan abscentmindedly rubs his sternum, where he had imagined the holy symbol was earlier.

 

[ethandrew]

Nodding to Sir Jonathan, Kirrg states softly, "I can pray to the honor of my father and my people to quiet our way."

 

[s@squ@tch]

Virashil - Sorcerer 5, Hp: 21/21

"I am thinking that these hobgoblins appear to be attuned to using hell hounds instead of worgs -- after all, the raiding party we ran into used 3 of them against us. I'd much rather fight them than worgs -- since they are afraid of ice." She grins and blows out a small puff of ice from her lips.

"Now if I remember correctly," Sir Jonathan begins with a sly grin, "it is you that didn't want to join me for a talk away from the fire the other evening..." he then finishes with a wink.

"Jonathan, I feared for your virtue in the dark." She says with a sly grin.


"And don't worry about not being seen -- I have plenty of magicks available to do that."



"Jorr - do you have enough room in that cabin for all of us tonight?"

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OOC:

OK, so we spend the night at Jorr's cabin, then head out in the morning towards Vraath Keep - once we are within a mile of the keep (according to Jorr), Virashil will cast Mage Armor upon herself.

 

[Rhun]

Duroin tugs at his mustache as he listens to his companions, and then aims his own questions to the weathered ranger. "Have you seen the keep yourself, Jorr? What state is it in? Is it easily defended, or are their holes in its defense?"

 

[hero4hire]

"Deal, this shouldn't take long as long as you can pull your weight in combat. Is your specialty at ranged combat or melee combat?"

.

<intentional mispelling>
"My speshoolality?" Jorr replies waggling one eyebrow. He smirks and continues.
"Killin' goblins I reckon...Don't matter if'n they're up close or far away, just as long as they get dead."

 

[hero4hire]

Duroin tugs at his mustache as he listens to his companions, and then aims his own questions to the weathered ranger. "Have you seen the keep yourself, Jorr? What state is it in? Is it easily defended, or are their holes in its defense?"

"Do holes in the walls count?? Keep was abandoned during a seige I think. Long ago..Been rottin there ever since. But yeah I has seen it. Not much call to go u p that way lately though. Not til now.."

 

[hero4hire]

The party stays the night at Jorr's and partake of some sort of stew for dinner that consists of two kinds of mystery meat, wild onions, tubers and other wild vegetables in a greasy gravy. While it is a far cry from the fare at the Old Bridge Inn, it is warm and filling. The floor in Jorr's Cabin is less then comforting however. Threadbare and smelling like dog combined with Jorr's grizzly like snores give little in the way of rest to the companions.

You all awake to Jorr banging against a pot. It is still dark out and all are a bit stiff from the floor.
Jorr flashes a toothy grin. "Porridge is hot on the stove then we should be off." he announces obviously eager to get a move on.

 

[ethandrew]

Kirrg rolls over and sits up, a little annoyed from his uncomfortable sleep, but he's had worse. He sits motionless on the floor for a few moments, clutching his remembrance to his father, focused in silent prayer.

Standing up, he situates his sleeping materials and heads over to the porridge. "I thank you for your hospitality. I hope everything today goes as smoothly as this last evening."

 

[hero4hire]

The porridge was fairly tasteless with only salt available for seasoning.
Afterward breakfast even the Dogs do not lap up the leftovers.

Then the Group is off!

Though Jorr's age may be suspect, his vitality is not, and the group finds he often 'scouts ahead' as the heavily armored warriors and the stout dwarven legs are hard pressed to keep up with the brisk pace the old hunter sets.

The Group comes to a wide expanse of dark water that has flooded the woodland in a low valley. Trees still protrude from the calm, dark waters here and there, but many large reaches seem to be little more then open pools od algae choked water. The trill of frogs and the whine of insects fill the air. The forest road leads right down to the edge of the flooded section, up to a rickety looking causeway made of thick planks of wood lashed together with mossy rope. The wooded causeway runs for several hundred feet through the boggy patch, only a foot or so above the water.

Up ahead you can make out the wreckage of a wagon, lying on its side and half sunk in the flooded forest, about thirty feet from the causeway.

 

[Rhun]

Duroin climbs from his bedroll, bright-eyed and ready to be on the move. He helps himself to a heaping bowl of porridge and quickly wolfs it down. He then goes through a series of stretches and excercises, designed to both strength muscle and improve agility. After finishing these, he repacks his gear, and is ready for the road.


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As they come upon the bog and the scene of the destroyed wagon, Duroin boldly (but slowly!) steps out onto the wooden causeway, teasting its strength, and ensuring that the ropes and wood are strong enough to support the companions.