[please can everyone give me a couple of 2d10 roles, the purpose of which will become clear as the day wears on.  please make sure your charsheets are up to date as for "hidden" roles like this I will apply relevant modifiers from the sheets].

 Like some of the others, Adonis takes the opportunity to gather such simple rations as opportunity makes available, refreshing his waterskin from the witches well and filling a small pouch with fruit - though he lacks a suitable weapon for hunting, he seems to take the opinion that a day or so on short rations until the group reaches a settlement is a manageable hardship.

 He leaves the faerie knapsack where it lays however, spurning it along with the insulting threats that went with it until such time as the 'forest spirits' learn sufficient manners to present their requests appropriately.

 On the road he tends to linger up near the front of the group in a tirelessly cheerful manner, intermittently humming this tune or that as he strolls along mile after mile, bearing the weight of his armour the way an experienced hiker largely ignores the weight of a pack - and not straining his limited intellectual gifts on conversation unless someone addresses him directly - and besides, from just behind Eldor he can watch the fairy guide the group with the absolute delighted fascination of a man who's only seen his sort in Bestiaries and the illustrations in collections of fanciful tales before now.

 ---

21:58, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 11 using 2d10.
21:58, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 12 using 2d10.

Eldor followed the old woman into the hut and gave her a fond hug and kiss. " thank you for everything, for taking me in and raising me as your own. I will make you proud my mother and I will come back soon I promise." With that he turned and picked up a small object off the table.

As they set off Eldor passed Brakkus a small pouch " the salt you requested" and carried on passed to the front of the group.

Looking over his shoulder he spoke up loud enough for all to hear. " I will keep the pace quite fast for the first few hours then we can rest a little before going on again. I wish to be under roof at the inn by dusk. No need to tempt fate by being out after dark especially in this area." with that he shouldered his bow again and set off through the woods.

Brakkus thanks Eldor for the salt, and it is only later on, when he first opens his pack, that he notices he does not have any rations! Brakkus had meant to buy some food from the inn but must have forgotten in all the excitement.

Cursing his elderly memory and his rumbling stomach, Brakkus keeps his eye open for game or spoor, looking for something to hunt.

Seeing the others gathering up provisions and making ready, Brejgun realises that there is an issue that he has not adressed.

"The events that led me here yesterday involved a run-in with brigands. I was able to get myself away, but my travelling kit was lost. I was able to rescue my purse, though, and I shall pay for any provisions that might be to spare for a traveller around here ...?". Brejguns eyes goes to the old woman and her elven son.

OOC: 08:34, Yesterday: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 6,12 using 2d10,2d10. GM requested 2d10 rolls.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:35, Mon 21 Sept 2009.

Beren thanked the old woman for the food, leaving enough for his companions if they had not brought provisions, and prepared his haversack, before following the party, trying to keep a middle position - neither at the back or front.

[OOC:18:59, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 13 using 2d10.
18:59, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 13 using 2d10

That's regularity for you. Alas I have only one stat above 13...]

19:29, Today: Brakkus the Hermit rolled 15 using 2d10.
19:29, Today: Brakkus the Hermit rolled 9 using 2d10. 

[ooc: still need rolls (not roles, sorry for my earlier spelling) from Brejgun and Eldor]

[Beren: don't worry: in your case I will use the cube root of your rolls - not!]

Can I assume you head northwards on the road, such as it is?

Eldor kept to the path out of the clearing not once turning back to look at his home. With a heavy heart he guided the group on into the depths of the forest keeping an eye out for signs of danger.

[Guys: please read carefully the last post of thread 02.  You have walked through the forest and are now looking down on the main road north to Beltayn.  You are NOT still in the clearing.  Actions please.]

[Right I will assume everyone is heading north on the road, since I got no replies.  South would take you back to the village where you started.  If anyone wants to break out across country, or walk in a particular formation, just RP it.]

After a few minutes you note that the road is silent and there seems to be no-one observing your arrival.  You descend from the trees and start moving northward along the road, into the open country.  Despite the poor state of the track, and the occasional patch of mud, you are all seasoned travellers and soon pick up a decent pace.

A few clouds appear in the sky but not enough to threaten rain.  The land on either side of the road is lumpy and you can often see bogs and the occasional wizened little thorn tree.  You can see for a fair distance in either direction and see no living thing except for the ocasional bird.

By the time the sun has passed its zenith you are all feeling the strain in your legs.

[Anyone want to stop for lunch?]

 Contrary to the opinions of most people who have never worn it, plate armour - even the old-fashioned plate-and-mail that Sir Campbell is wearing - is surprisingly unencumbering. Heavy yes, but better distributed than a pack or other burden. On the other hand between the padding that underlies it and the impenetrable steel that makes it up it's warm - then it's hot, sticky and uncomfortable.

 None of which Sir Campbell comments on as he marches along in reasonably good spirits, having learned from an early age how shameful it is to go paying attention to the bodies complaints when there's work afoot.

 He chatters intermittently about hunting this beast or that (apparently he's particularly fond of boar hunts, which explain his being accustomed to hiking) and generally tries to keep spirits up as the group crosses the bleak moorland - but he for one shows no signs of calling a halt for his own sake.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:00, Sat 09 May 2009.

Eldor holds up his hand from his position at the front of the group.

"May I suggest a short rest to take food and water before heading onwards." As he walks off the track and into a slightly sheltered dip.

As he passes by Sir Adonis he stops for a moment to talk. " Sir Adonis may I speak a moment? I have travelled these roads before and am uncomfortable at not seeing other travellers upon the track."

He looked up and down the road as he spoke " On all my last ventures on this track I passed a number off people before ever reaching this spot. This is a well travelled route for merchants. Do you not think it strange that we have passed none so far."

Beren was not accustomed to long walks yet, his short leg straining to support his weight after hours of walking. Unwanting to appear weak, he was nonetheless tempted to beg for a pause. Eldor spared him the need to.

Resting against a tree, trying not to pant too loudly, he looked around, worried by Eldor's words.

 Just because he's handling the journey fairly well, doesn't mean that Adonis is about to argue if someone else calls a halt (or indeed, feel anything less than a subtle relief which he firmly clamps down upon). Even just stopping is a pleasant rest of itself without the luxury of being seated - but he'll have to forgo completely relaxing for the moment as Eldor calls.

 Strolling up the knight pauses alongside their fae guide and smiles cheerfully, "One or another of you fellows mentions that the boggins and the beasties are unusually busy just at the moment - perhaps the same thing that's stirred them up has caused the loss of traffic, or perhaps they've done it themselves?" - suggestions that seemingly don't worry the good knight in the least.

You sit for half an hour and give your legs a well-earned rest, and take a little water.  You can see that the spot you have to chosen to sit at has been used before.  There are the remains of a couple of campfires, and occasional horse-droppings.  However nothing seems very recent.

A light breeze picks up coming in from the north-east, and on the horizon now you can see some rainclouds in that direction.

Packing up his possessions Eldor looked up at the sky. " I think we should be moving one. There looks to be a storm brewing or at the very least some heavy rain."

Setting his pack over his back he picked up his bow. " Let us keep a look out for somewhere to shelter on the way in case we get caught out on the road."

You shoulder your packs and weapons and head northward again on the path.  Slowly the open terrain gives way to patches of trees and scrubby bushes - though nothing like as dense as the forest where Olga lives.

After about four hours Eldor reckons you are getting close to the inn - a good thing as the sun is now not far above the great chain of mountains, far to the west.  The clouds have come in from the sea and are spitting down on you with hints of rain.

You still haven't come across any other travellers, although you see occasional signs of their passing - ruts left by cartwheels, horseshoe prints, and the occassional mouldering remains of food.

PM
This message was last edited by the player at 11:12, Tue 12 May 2009.

You are rounding a bend when there is a whizzing sound from the right and you hear Eldor cry out.  Moments later there is a series of thunks as sharp stones fly from the trees.
 Brejgun takes a sharp crack on the forehead: -3 HP
 Beren receives a painful cut in his chest: -3 HP
 Brakkus is hit while he is notching an arrow but his armour absorbs the blow.
 Arkenos is hit in the arm and blood spurts: -3 HP
 Several other stones fly by harmlessly, leaving Adonis, Bjorn and Eldor unscathed.

Out of the corner you see Eldor loose an arrow into the trees some 20 yards away and you can just make out several small, hooded figures laughing in delight to see the surprise their ambush has caused.  They are whirling their slings for another shot.

[Please note that for the above attacks I already took into account the attackers rolls, armour bypass etc.]

[Right, the surprise has worn off so please everyone give me your actions for the next combat round.  Brakkus I am still waiting for your roll from previous round.  I am keeping track of Health Points on a sheet here, at the end of the fight I will give everyone their updated HP.  Please remember to protect the weaker members of your party as DW combat is fairly brutal]

 The rest was a welcome one, even if Sir Campbell isn't about to admit it out loud and save for some intermittent pauses to glance down at the tracks along the way just in case some of them are indicative of anything that leaps out at his brilliant deductive mind (in other words, if someone's been kind enough to actually lie in the track with an arrow in them gasping about the state of the road ahead).

 The ambush then naturally comes as a complete surprise, but a fortunate combination of position and protection see him through it unharmed, whereupon he leaps into action - or at least staggers vaguely towards it, his light travelling pack sliding off his shoulder to splat down in the dirt where it no longer encumbers him and his shield sliding up into a guard position as he snaps shut the visor of his helmet with his free hand and steps forwards, providing cover to some of the less well armoured folk further back as he reaches for his sword, "Ambush, form up then we'll push through the dastards!"

 ---

 Dropping pack (basically free), drawing shield (kind of takes an action) while I move to provide cover for others. The helmet thing is pure cosmetic I think.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Wed 13 May 2009.

Eldor curses himself for being too quick to react, his mother would be angry at seeing her son react so carelessly.

Taking a deep breath he steadied himself, notched another arrow and let it fly towards the nearest slinger, taking them out first would allow SIr Adonis a chance to get in among the foul monsters and dispatch them with his usual vigour.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:26, Wed 13 May 2009.

Beren howled in pain as the stone ripped through his flesh, drawing a long gash on his chest. "Dammned curs!" he bellows in pain. He immediately focused his power, trying to seal the wound.

OOC: Casting Lesser Healing, regaining 2 HP.

Brakkus has time to fire one arrow, but the shot goes wide. Dropping his bow, the hermit grimly hefts his staff.

06:37, Today: Brakkus the Hermit rolled 14 using 1d20+4. Shoot arrow. 

The ambushers keep their positions and as as you move another flight of sharp pebbles whiz in.

Brejgun growls, hefts his sword and moves swiftly towards the ambushers.  He covers half the distance to the trees but is struck again and receives a nasty gash on the leg.  -3 HP.

Adonis moves forward and thus shields Beren and Bjorn from several shots.  One of these strikes Adonis square in the visor of his helmet (lucky he dropped it) and shatters, giving him a cut above the eye. -1 HP.

Brakkus is hit too but once again the stone glances off his armor causing no serious injury.

Eldor fires another arrow which is closer to the mark this time but still just misses.

Arkenos mutters something as he looses his sword and forms up beside Adonis.  Suddenly a red light glows from his eyes, lighting up one of the attackers perfectly.  You all catch a glimpse of its face.    "Goblins" cries Bjorn, and he hefts his sword in both hands and crouches behind Adonis, ready to move forward.

[Actions for next round please.  Arkenos red eyes will keep at least one of the attackers well illuminated in the dusk.]

 The incoming shard of rock shatters across his visor and sends sharp shards through the gap, narrowly missing his eye - an event which causes him to raise his shield to cover his upper body, risking the occasional glance from behind it as he draws his sword and starts to advance at a steady, patient jog - not so fast as to risk his footing or to expose those comrades sheltering at his back.

 ---

 Drawing my sword and advancing steadily.

Eldor moves off to the right slightly so as to not have the others obstruct his view when they get into hand to hand fighting.

Once again he levels the shaft of another arrow at one of the slingers and let it fly.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:53, Thu 14 May 2009.

Brejgun roars with frustration as he takes another hit. He tears forward, though, intent on cleaving something, preferably in half!

Brakkus takes a deep breath and advances along Sir Adonis, his staff at the ready.

The goblin line appears to follow the bend in the road so that their sling fire can encircle you.   As the main body of you advance, you expose Beren once more to the rightmost goblin.  Beren raises his left hand and murmurs something.  A large stone strikes him full in the chest, -3HP.  But Beren does not falter and a moment later a tongue of flame shoots out from his left finger, consuming the goblin utterly and setting flames on the branches around it.

On the left flank, meanwhile, Eldor fires once more but misses again.

Arkenos, Adonis and Brakkus advance in a solid line, crossing a little over half the distance to the goblins.  The enemy seem to have realised that their slings do little to the metal man, and concentrate their fire on the warlock and the mystic.  Arkenos is struck twice - the first time he takes only a bruise given his chain mail armour, but the second cuts him above the eye and momentarily blinds it, he staggers to a halt in the middle of the road.  -1 HP.

Brakkus is struck too but once again his armour saves him from any great hurt.

Brejgun charges toward a pair of goblins just to the left of the one who engaged Beren.  As he closes each looses off a stone but perhaps his great size unnerves them as both fly wide.  A second later he brings his great sword down on one in a two-handed swing.  One of the goblins desperately parries it with its short sword but is knocked to the ground with the force of the blow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:23, Sat 16 May 2009.

[OK please post your actions for next round - along with accompanying rolls wherever relevant.
NOTES:
 Adonis and Brakkus will attack the enemy lines to the left of Brejgun if they move forward this round.
 There is a risk of being flanked by the others, although Arkenos and Bjorn would make that difficult.
 Eldor has a clear shot still to some of the goblins on the left flank.  Beren would have to move left towards Eldor before he can see past the people in the front rank.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Sat 16 May 2009.

Eldor lines up again on another slinger praying to the woodland gods to make this shot count.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:42, Sun 17 May 2009.

Brakkus moves forward to engage the enemy, trusting that Sir Adonis will do the same. He brings his staff round and catches his goblin with the resounding crack of stout oak.

Attack roll 2, armour bypass 4, damage? 3

Bleeding and whimpering from the pain, Beren tried to find shelter behind the bigger (well, broader-shouldered at least) member of the party.

"You little scum! Be off!", Brejgun hollers as he strikes out again.

 Advancing at a smooth pace, Sir Campbell draws close enough to the goblins to swing his blade in short arcs, meant more to distract and unsettle the pair than to strike down and finish the one, trying to redirect their fire back onto himself rather than his scattered companions - though the blood streaming down across his eye doesn't exactly make the nippy little fellows easy to hit.

 In the meanwhilst the battle-cry of "A Campbell, A Campbell!" rings out in cheerful tones from inside his helm - presumably a habit drawn from battlefields where everyone's wearing plate armour and covered mostly in mud.

 ---

07:26, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 18 using 1d20. Smack.

[Narrating from left-to-right, party's POV]

Eldor fires yet again and this time there is a solid thunk as his arrow takes a goblin square in the shoulder.  It staggers but does not fall.  However its slingshot misses Arkenos who has wiped his face and pressed onwards almost to within striking distance.

Adonis moves jerkily forward but slips slightly in the mud and the closest goblin has little trouble ducking under his sword.

Brakkus takes one more stone, again futile against his chainmail, before he closes with a goblin to the left of Brejgun and gives it a sickening crack to the arm with his staff.

Brejgun roars angrily and swings wildly at the goblin which is still standing, however it ducks and stabs under his guard.  Only his armour saves him from a nasty wound to the belly.  Meanwhile the goblin knocked to the ground has managed to stagger to its feet.

[So: Arkenos, Adonis, Brakkus are each facing a goblin.  Brejgun is facing two.  Bjorn is right behind them but keeping out of the fighting.  Neither Eldor nor Beren have a clear line-of-sight anymore to fire without hitting their fellows.  Actions for next round please.]

"NAAARRRGH!". Roaring on, more in frustration now, Brejgun once again hacks mightily at the creature to the right.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:47, Sun 17 May 2009.

Brakkus swings again with his staff, but is unable to connect with the second blow.

Beren did his best to remain outside of the goblin's view as he applied more curative magic to his wounds.

[OOC: New casting of Lesser Healing. I need some armor :(]

Eldor moved off into the woods slightly to see if he could get a better angle with his bow on the right flank of the goblins. The last thing he wanted to do was to shoot one of his own party.

 Blood in the eye, mud underfoot - it's difficult for an unencumbered man to keep his footing but Sir Adonis swings his sword with wicked strokes, first of all preparing to drive into the Goblins right flank and roll them up, then catching sight of Eldor maneuvering to shoot and instead contenting himself with holding the line rather than engaging in 'tactics', all the while offering up the family name as a battle-cry.

 ---

 01:27, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 5 using 1d20. Smack #2.
 01:30, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 2 using 1d8+1.
 5 Damage if it hits and somehow penetrates armour.

[Once more, from L to R]

Eldor moves past Beren to the left but even with his elf-sight he cannot make out any more goblins.  They all now seem to be engaged fighting Adonis, Brakkus or Brejgun.

Arkenos comes up on Adonis left and thrusts at the closest goblin but it dodges easily.  However the movement puts it off its stroke and when it attacks sir Adonis he manages to parry.  The second goblin facing sir Adonis is run through with a powerful stroke before it can attack him.  It cries out and collapses to the ground, bleeding heavily.

In front of Brakkus, another goblin takes advantage of his confangled staff play to back away and then run into the woods - almost instantly it is lost to sight.

Brejgun is hit by two goblins but each time his  armour saves him from hurt.  He retaliates with a massive swing that almost cuts one of them in two.

[Actions for next round please: only Adonis and Brejgun appear to be facing foes that are still in the fight].

 The motions are so firmly drilled as to be largely automatic - the first attacker drives in its short sword and a smooth side-stroke of his shield sees the blade deflected away while the broadsword in his other hand licks out in a quick, fluid down-chopping motion that first opens the goblins guard and then proves to be a feint as the uncomitted blow drops outside the sword raised to deflect it and lunges forwards, the tip punching into unprotected flesh.

 A quick withdrawal, a half-step forwards and a turn to the side and his sword swings out once more, coming up horizontally towards the remaining foe with another battle-cry of "A Campbell!" that's frankly far too exultant to be comforting.

 ---

 04:32, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 13 using 1d20. Smack #3.
 If it hits, armour penetration seems to be moot. Huzzah.

His unprotected flesh still hurting much, Beren held his sword and scanned his surroundings, anxious to hear the sound of another sling.

Eldor reaches for his belt and pulls out a short sword. with bow in one hand and sword in the other he moves quietly through the trees stepping out behind the nearest goblin and smites him from behind.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:17, Thu 21 May 2009.

Brejgun slashes at his remaining foe with a wolfish snarl

OOC: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 19,5 using 1d20,1d10. Attack and armour bypass.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:11, Thu 21 May 2009.

[Eldor, actually you are about 15 yards away from the goblins, too far away to get behind them within one round].

Now facing Arkenos and Adonis, the remaining goblin before Adonis parries his first blow then turns and runs.  Adonis second strike gives the goblin a nasty wound to the back but it does not fall, just slows a little and quickly gets several yards away.

Meanwhile to the right the Goblin evades Brejgun's wolfish snarl [and his sword too with a roll like that] and runs.  As it turns, Brakkus manages to land a cracking blow to its leg with his staff but the goblin is surprisingly nimble and dodges into a bush.  In the gathering darkness you can no longer make him out.

[Eldor: from where you now are you could try for a quick bowshot but you'll need a better roll than you have been whipping up so far, hehe!  For everyone else, you cannot immediately see or hear any more active goblins.]

Not wanting to hurt any of his friends he continues to move quietly upon the fight from the flank until he was in range to attack with his sword.

Panting with effort and stinging with the pain of the bruising, Brejgun is about to blow a fuse.

"WHAT MANNER OF PLACE IS THIS WORLD COMING TO!?", he bellows as his eyes dart around the darkness to sense any more immediate threats.

He the looks down upon the goblin he felled ... and then he kicks it. Hard. And once more. Working off frustration and adrenalin for sure.

 Adonis snorts softly as the goblins break and run for their lives, stooping to wipe the blade of his sword on the nearest piece of clothing that their foes no longer need, "Petty little boggins. Barely enough of a foe to work up a sweat for a fighting man, though they're trouble enough for peasants and animals I suppose." - to his very slight credit at least the southern nobleman doesn't say 'other' animals, though he's probably thinking it.

 "But they're petty beasts and it's rare they'll attack armed men without reason..." he adds, demonstrating in the process that combat causes a few more brain cells than he might normally be suspected of possessing to bounce off one another, "Does anyone see anything they might have been protecting or stealing?"

"I will need some armor to protect my poor skin," Beren commented. And my shirt is torn and bloodstained.

[If you are hunting around like Adonis, please give me a perception roll]

Bjorn grunts "well done lads, nasty little beggars they be".  He sheaths his sword with a proud air - not that he actually did any fighting.   He nods at the western horizon where the sun is already beginning to pass below the mountains.  "Dark soon.  Best be on our way, bain't it friend Eldor?  Don't want no-one turnin' their ankle on this sorry excuse for a road".

Brakkus quickly searches the goblin corpses, and looks around to see if any of his arrows can be re-used.

 17:09, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 7,15 using d20,2D10.
 I couldn't remember which one it was... and my books are at home.

Brakkus searches the corpses of the two fallen goblins and finds that each has three copper pennies, very worn so that in the gathering dark you cannot make out any writing.  The third body which was struck by Beren is still smouldering and generally unpleasant - still want to search it Brakkus?

A moment later, Adonis notices a sighing sound - it appears that the goblin he struck is still alive, if barely.

 Mercy is of course a virtue - but on the other hand, so's prudence... The two war back and forth across Adonis' excuse for a mind for a few moments before tripping over the idea of ransom (even if not strictly appropriate in this particular situation) and being swayed very slightly towards mercy.

 Opening his helmet with one hand, the knight takes a moment to wipe the blood from his forehead and eye, then kneels beside his victim, sword sheathed but hand perfectly prepared to draw his finishing knife should it be needful as he reaches out to gently turn the injured goblin over... "You there, boggin! - would you live, or do you wish a merciful end?"

The goblin is bleeding quite heavily.   After about a minute it coughs and half-opens its eyes - more yellow than white, they are.  They roll back in its head and close again.  Adonis is not even sure if it was really conscious.  However it is definitely still breathing, albeit in a hoarse and shallow way.

"Nasty little buggers," Beren cursed. "Do you wish to interrogate him?" he asked Adonis. "I can do one more healing this day. I'd be of a mind to let the fool die here and save it for one of us, but hey, he might know things..."

Brakkus ignores the final charred corpse, and shows his companions the copper coins. "I will hold these in kind for the group" he says as he pockets them.

Brejgun limps over, his leg still smarting from the hit it took.

"Is that one breathing? Does anyone here know it's toungue?", he asks of the others.

Arkenos lays his weapons on the ground and passes his hands over his wound, murmuring.

Then he moves up to Eldor, while staring at Brejgun.  "Elf-man, you say you know this road.  Think you that we shall encounter more danger before we reach the inn?  My magic will strengthen again soon, once night has fallen completely.  Perhaps I might use it to heal the northern man a little?"

 "Save your healing for those of our own who are injured good Magi." replies Adonis, nudging the goblin a little with his foot before turning to cut a few strips of cloth from the clothing of one of the dead and turning back to roughly, if efficiently bandage the injured creature - though not before relieving him of any weapons that may be lying about his person. "If the boggin does not die in the night it should be conscious by morning, mayhap it will answer our questions then. Or we can simply leave it for its companions to find, I care not."

"If we stay here to wait for him to regain consciousness, his friends will likely come to assault us during the night. If we take him with us to safety, there's a chance he'll die during the transport anyway," Beren said.

Bjorn has been poking around the bodies too.   "Aye yer right there - this lot'll be back again.   Right organized these goblin folk have got ever since that bitch Fjonya's time.  Even after we slew here, Jarl Helder took Thorkell's death hard.  Never recovered.

"Time was, many of the common folk would even trade with the tricksy folk - buying pretties and whatnots for their ladies and poultices for their babies when they got sick.  Not that they'd ever admit it, but it happened.

"Now its got so that no traveller is safe unless he moves in numbers.  I'd been a-thinking that what wi' all o' us, armed and strong as we are, they'd have let well alone.  Just a week ago some o' the big farmers sent a delegation to the Jarl..."  he pauses to spit on the ground "...well, he that calls himself Jarl.  They went to ask special like, for summat to be done about this road."

"I guess Siegfried doesn't care 'bout his good tax-paying folks being waylaid when they move too far from their toils, and I bet his collectors have sufficient escort..." Beren mused. He sheathed his sword and sighed. He longed for a good night's sleep.

Brejgun looked once more at the creature.

"I would support getting to the Inn. I too believe that the fellowes of this critter will return, and I am not sure that we are up for that. Let's end him and move along. We will do well to leave this patch of road behind."

"I agree, those goblins can buy us a meal tonight" says Brakkus hungrily "and I need to purchase some more arrows in any event"

 Adonis harrumph's in apparent disapproval when it's mentioned that folk have been trading with such boggins as these in the past, but since he himself has been known at times to leave milk out overnight for the fairies, he goes no further than to cast a slightly guilty glance about before briefly making the sign of the cross like a good, pious knight before his chest and rising, "Then 'twould be naught but a needless cruelty to carry this fellow to question. Let his own collect him in due course." he declares, "I too am for the road, if all our friends are well enough to travel? - Though while there's light I could do with someone to glance over the scratch I got, to be sure it's no worse than it seems."

Bjorn has picked up his stuff and is shifting restlessly from foot to foot.

"Lads, we're all agreed then - lets be off - this isn't a sight to be hanging around.  Sir Metal a big lunk like you can surely manage to the inn with only a scratch - when we get there might be as we can buy a candle off the innkeeper".

Brejgun makes ready, although his leg still seems to be causing him discomfort, and the cut on his brow is developing brownish blueness around it, now he has wiped away most of the bleeding.

"Mayhap I do need a spot of healing before moving on, if power is still available ... ?". That comment does not seem to do his pride any good.

Beren looked at Brejgun, seemed to weigh his decision, and gestured at the most grievous of his wounds.

"That was the last magic I had for today... I can't do anymore for the moment," he said. "I'd be of a mind to get to the inn and bolt ourselves in for a couple of days. I can greatly speed our healing once we are safe, but I would prefer to face any further encounter with all of my arcane power at my disposal."

Eldor comes back out of the woods to the group relieved that the goblin threat has passed.

" We are about half hour hard walk from the inn if we set off now we should be there long before dark."

He looked with concern at the wounded and older members of the group " A little longer and we should be able to rest up in some safety." With that he waited for the rest to get ready then sets a fast pace off down the road keeping an eye out for further ambushes as he went.

[Assuming everyone puts their feet where their mouths are ;-) and gets a move on]

You gather your belongings and weapons and tread on through the gloaming.  Eldor, who knows the road and can see better than you in the faint light, sets a punishing pace.  After the ambush site the road rises rather steeply than before for about a mile.  All of you are feeling a burning in your legs when Eldor holds up his hand just before you crest a rise.

Just a few hundred yards on, the road winds down over a stream and passes an old two-storey building with a faint light flickering from its windows and some smoke trickling up from a rudimentary chimney.

[Please each give me a d20 roll].

[OOC:23:55, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 13 using 1d20.]

OOC: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 9 using 1d20.

 "Don't speak to your betters that way old fool, even a small wound may turn pustulant if not tended." snaps Adonis firmly when Bjorn presumes rather too much and questions the knight with foolish mockery - and then offers up the contents of his waterskin to rinse out the scratch over his eye before sacrificing a 'kerchief and some leather thonging from his belt pouch to bind up the niggling injury and prevent it bleeding further (scalp wounds being known for their tendency to piss blood at the least excuse), doing so rather more awkwardly than another might do it for him, but with a stoic lack of complaint.

 And then it's off on the road, following Eldor and doing his best to keep up with the punishing pace being set, leaving the bandaged goblin behind to survive or die at the discretion of his companions.

 ---

 00:43, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 11 using 1d20.

OOC: 09:53, Today: Brakkus the Hermit rolled 16 using 1d20.

Bjorn sighs and looks down at the old building "that be the inn, b'aint it young Eldor? And not afore time, this damned curse takes all the wind out of the man.  Time was I'd walk all day and night and still be ready to fight i' the mornin'."

"Well, shall we tarry here all night?  I don't believe as the goblins would attack us here, too open".

He gestures to the road and indeed you see that that for this last stretch heading down to the inn, the road has been cleared of foliage for about a hundred yards on either side.  You cannot see any living creatures.

"Let us proceed. I cannot wait to get my feet up around a fire.", Brejgun grumbles.

"It's quiet..." mutters Brakkus. "Too quiet? Let's keep our wits about us comrades" he says, his third eye alive for any vibrations in the mystic force.

At Brakkus words, Brejgun stops dead in his tracks. He takes in the image of the inn very thoroughy, looking for signs that something is amiss.

OOC: Brejgun will looks for lack of lights, no smoke from the chimney, lack of yard animals etc. - or the opposite, of course, to set him at ease.

As you move down the road slowly, eyes and ears peeled, you do not notice anything amiss.  The light from the windows of the inn is faint but nothing out of the ordinary as rural Thuland is far from rich and candles are rare - most villages use primitive lamps and torches - or perhaps only the hearth-fire itself - for light.

There are some wooden outbuildings behind the inn and from one of them you hear the occasional whinny of a horse, carried over the night air.

As you are walking, Brakkus suddenly twists his foot on a rock in the dark and bites back a curse.  The road really is not the best highway every constructed by man.

17:36, Today: Eldor Leaf-fall rolled 15 using 1d20. d20 roll.

"Nothing seems immediately amiss ... we'll see when we get there ...", Brejgun comments to Brakkus.

You walk cautiously down the rest of the road and some minutes later are at the door of the inn.  It really does look rather run-down, but the walls and the front-door seem solid enough.  You can faintly hear someone moving about inside.

 Like the others, Adonis spends a few moments studying the settlment with warriors eyes, but unlike them he seems perfectly willing to take his chances and heads on down a little way in the lead of the group - only to fall back when Brakkus twists his ankle in order to offer the old man an arm to steady himself, declaring "Have a care there fellow, the road is treacherous in this half-light." before heading on at a slower pace, which gives people time to decide what to do about making their presence known.

 Well, assuming that the good knights stentorian bellow of "Well open the damn' door then!" doesn't stir people all by itself that is - though there's enough windpower behind it to do a good job of shaking said door on its leather hinges.

Brakkus limps painfully onward, thinking of hubris and all its may forms...

Eldor carried on the pace for a while then looking back quickly to make sure the others were keeping up he noticed Barkkus limping and realized perhaps he was pushing them a little too hard.

Allowing the others to pass him Eldor waited for the older man to pull level " Please accept my apologies for setting such a blistering pace I sometimes forget you humans get old quicker than us elves. Please take my arm to lean on till we enter the town proper." in so say he offered the older man his arm to lean on.

Brakkus smiles in gratitude and accepts the elf's aid, leaning in to his companion to relieve the weight on his sprained ankle.

You are now at the door of the inn.

At Adonis' shout, the rustling inside stops for a moment, then you hear footsteps shuffling towards the door.  A spying-panel is drawn back for a moment, and then with a screeching and scrabbling the bolt is drawn back and the door opens.

From behind it peers a tallish, portly man wrapped up warmly in skins and furs, with a hat that has seen better days.  Wrapped around the whole is an apron which has seen better days, perhaps before any of you were born.

"Ahem, welcome sirs.  You wish lodging, I presume?  I have not had much business these past times.  You will pay in good coin, I hope?"  His eyes glint rather.

"There is the risk of that, for sure, Master Innkeep!", says Brejgun as he enters, then stops and takes in the room ...

OOC: What's it like inside?

The innkeeper steps back to let Brejgun pass.  He has rather an awkward gate.

Inside a fire burns low in the grate and spills a dim light across a large room, which contains a few rough-hewn trestle tables.   You cannot see any other guests.

There is a doorway beside the fire, hung with a raggedy curtain, from which the faint sweet scent of food that is past its best comes to your nostrils.

Another doorway leads from the far side of the room.

"Come in, come in now sirs" pleads the man in what must be his best attempt at an ingratiating tone "round here at night it does not do to leave the door open for more than a moment."

While still in the shadows outside Eldor pulls up his hood to cover his features before helping Brakkus into the building and sits him down on a stool.

Keeping his head slightly bent so as the shadow of the hood covers his face "Inn keep may I have some warm water so I can tend to my friends leg."

Before the inn keeper could ask any questions Eldor continued " he stumbled along the road a ways back in the growing dark and, though not broken is in some discomfort."

With that he turned back to Brakkus and started to take herbs out of his belt pouch.

Brakkus gives Eldor a strained smile. "Thank you sir elf, I cannot believe I was so clumsy. Perhaps it is time to find a place to grow old in peace and contemplate the universe. Still, it looks like we are having one more grand adventure before I descend into my dotage" he quips.

The innkeeper looks concerned at Brakkus state "sit, yes, sit sir".  He rushes to dust off the table with a tattered rag.

The others make their way into the room after Eldor.  Even in the light from the fire it is not hard to see that they have been in a fight.   The innkeeper shuts and bars the door as soon as you are all in.

"Sirs, I see your journey here has not been easy.  I was not expecting anyone now that night is falling, so only one room is clear.  But I shall put new rushes on the floor of the other room, that the injured among you may rest properly.  And, if it please you to be seated, I will heat up the potage again, for I myself had already dined."

Brakkus cloes his eyes, and sighs. "I'm getting too old for this..." he mutters and concentrates on his sprained ankle, calling on his mystic powers to knit flesh and muscle...

The innkeeper looks around for another moment as if expecting an objection, then scurries through the doorway beside the fire.  Moments later you hear the clanking of what sounds like a heavy iron pot.

Brejgun plops down upon a bench at a table.

"That potage seems mighty alluring right now, Innkeep. I, Brejgun Kregnasson ...". Brejgun makes a formal greeting gesture towards the Innkeeper, "... shall certainly want to parttake a bowl or two. Potage and even semi-fresh bread I wish for right now. What have you in the ways of brew? Ale, perhaps? Or would we be so lucky as to find mead under you roof here?

The roads around here seem strange these days. We sall also be eager to hear what you can tell os of the way things are going on around here in these times.", Brejgun finishes.

After a few minutes the innkeeper comes back, awkwardly hefting a large, battered wooden tub in both hands.  As he passes the doorway his hat touches the ceiling and he jerks his head down, spilling some of the contents down the sides.


He finally deposits it on the table between you, where it steams.  In appearance it is rather a thin gruel with more bones than meat, but it smells good.

"What say you, sir?" he looks at Brejgun "yes, these are hard times I can tell you.  But let me first bring some platters for ye all, and ale."  He turns and hurries back to the kitchen.

The innkeeper comes back with some crude wooden spoons tucked under one arm and two flagons in each hand.   He dumps everything down on the table and says "Be served, gentlemen.  I am afraid after all all the bowls are dirty so it were best you take the soup straight from the tub while it's still hot".

The flagons are full of dark beer.

He stands back and puts his hands on his hips. "Now sirs, while you dine, ask me your questions.   For I too will need my night's rest before too long."

Eldor moved over to the shuttered window, leaning his bow against the wall within easy reach he slid the bolt back and opened it a crack to look out.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:50, Sat 06 June 2009.

The innkeeper glances over at Eldor's hooded figure with unease.  "Quiet one, your friend".

Beren looked at the innkeepers hands. "You must have good self control, not even flinching from the contact with hot spilled soup! I guess years of experience hardened you to such discomforts..."

Yet, hardened to pain as one may be, one could not control the physical reaction to burning. Their last adventure having made Beren a bit paranoid, he studied the innkeepers' hands and reaction to his comment before eating the gruel, famished though he may be.

[OOC: do I need to make a roll to see if his skin reacts normally? Is the soup even hot enough to cause that? Are there diseases that could cause insensivity in limbs that someone learned like Beren could realistically know?]

The innkeeper looks at his hands for a moment, the backs of which are indeed rather red, then grins apologetically "as you say, sir, I have been burned many times afore - out here I do not have many servants to help me like those in the the kitchen of a great lord.

And, well, ever since the dark times which have fallen on these lands, even the lad who used to help me is no longer."

Beren squinted his eyes, still not touching the broth, and asked the innkeeper: "How so? What happened to him?"

[OOC: If any of you touches to food, Beren will try to stop you by stepping on your foot or elbowing you, or staring at you.
Also, will likely not post again till wednesday.
]

The innkeeper looks rather crestfallen and says "I don't rightly know, is the truth.  One morning he gets up to fetch water and doesn't come back.  Oh, I looked for him and all but never saw nothin'.    They say there be beasties around these parts but him being a young lad an all, like as not he just run off with some fool idea in his head.".

He moves towards the other door.  "Well sirs, while you dine I shall be preparin' your rooms.  Now they are the first ye shall see upon coming up the stairs.   Bein' as I am tired I am like to lay myself straight down to sleep.    But I pray you, do not be openin' the door" - he nods at Eldor.

Brakkus was about to slurp down his gruel when he is stopped by a kick from Beren. He puts down the bowl and waits for the inkeeper to leave before raising his eyebrows. "You believe this food is poisoned?" he asks sotto voce. "I suggest I try it first, after all the things I've put here over the years poison is the least of my worries" he exclaims, patting his belly.

"Here goes nothing" he says with a smile, and quickly finishes off his soup and ale, then sits up and burps mightily. "Give me a minute or two and if I haven't keeled over tuck in" he says, leaning back and closing his tired eyes.

Brakkus seems none the worse for wear and the soup does smell good, at least to your empty stomachs.   The innkeeper does not return to the room and the fire in the grate is beginning to burn a little low.

Once the innkeeper had left the main room " I think I will go for a quick scout round I heard something I wish to check out. If I'm not back soon be prepared you may need to fight your way out of here."

With that he slipped out the inn door and into the shadows. Making his way over to the outhouse he draws an arrow to his bow and edged into the darkened building, his elven sight allowing him to scan the interior.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:58, Mon 08 June 2009.

Brejgun watches as Brakkus plays the role of taster, then decides that if it's god enough for the old man it's good enough for him. He helps himself to some sustenance, with perhaps a slight prayer Loki's way, not to have prepared anything vile.

At Eldors words, however, he perks up.

"You heard something? What was it? What irks you about it?"

Brejgun is not particularly inclined to let Eldor go out alone.

"Are you sure you want to examine such things by yourself, as the state of the area has turned out to be?"

Just before closing the door behind him he whispers " No disrepect but I can move very quietly on my own. Come find me if I'm out too long"

Bjorn too follows Brakkus' example, and looks up from his slurping momentarily to call softly to Brejgun at the door "he's right lad - that 'un'll see his way around i' the dark a sight better that you.   All the same, best keep us weapons 'andy.  No tellin' what he might stir up out there - round these parts b'ain't only goblins on the prowl."

Arkenos nods his agreement and takes care to place his sword in easy reach along the bench before helping himself to soup and a little ale.

Eldor sends a silent cures to his wood land gods before darting into the shadows and waiting to see who or what comes to investigate the noise.

Beren crosses his arms although most would agree that a faintly longing look has come over his face as he stares at the pot.  There is a fair bit left as Adonis also has not partaken, however it is begin to cool down.

You hear a faint rattle from the courtyard.

Eldor moves on.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:14, Wed 10 June 2009.

Beren, his hand halfway towards the spoon, cocks his head at the sound.

You do not hear any more sounds, nor any cries or shouts.  In fact you do not hear much at all, things are very quiet.

Eldor opens the door to the inn again and closes it quietly behind him.

Making sure the innkeeper is not in the bar " There are two outhouses behind the inn. One houses some horses saddled and ready to ride from the look of it. Or they have just been ridden here. The other is securely locked and chained from the outside."

He sat and started cleaning the roadside dirt off his bow " I was unable to get a look inside but I think we should be on our guard while here."

Arkenos stands and stretches.  "I agree", he says as he collects his equipment.  "I will sleep with my sword by my hand and I recommend that one person in each rooms stays awake on watch.  For myself I am greatly tired - but in four hours time wake me and I will do my share."

He walks through the entrance where the innkeeper went and you hear him slowly climbing the stairs.

Meanwhile Bjorn has dozed off with his head on his arms and remnants of soup still on his chin.

Brakkus stirs himself. He is tired, but not yet sleepy. "Seems to me we are being too cautious here. I say we break into that outhouse and find ot what's there, rather than waiting for something to come out for us"

"That would not be very polite, though I agree that I have a weird feeling about this..." Beren commented, before giving in to his stomach's demandes and helping himself to some food.

Bjorn stirs himself, scratches his belly, belches and then rubs his eyes. "Well lads, I too shall off to bed - rushes on the floor or nae bleddy rushes - I shall sleep well tonight.  And it were best we start tomorrow as close to sun-up as possible."

He gathers his equipment and sword and makes his way through the back door.  The fire is now guttering out in the grate.

[ooc: guys what is the plan?  You can sleep or explore the outhouse - I am not trying to force anyone.  But the new players are now on their convergence course so we should move ahead somehow.  Currently I am using some artifices to hold them up.]

After making sure the door is securely barred the rest of you troop through the door and up some rickety wooden steps.  At the top, there is a short corridor, then a door to the right which must be the innkeeper's.

To the left the corridor is longer and there are two rooms.  Arkenos and Bjorn are snoring in the first and Beren and Brejgun join them.

Adonis, Brakkus and Eldor bed down in the second.  [ooc: Adonis I assume you are taking off your armour or you have a pretty bad sleep].

Each room has a chamber pot which at least is empty!

You take turns to set a watch in each room through the night.

Beren took the first turn, and when at midnight his magic returned, he woke Brejgun so that the man could take his turn, and applied another healing magic to the man's wounds.

[OOC: Lesser Healing gives you back 2 HP, assuming you're still wounded - if not, ignore that part of the post.]

Brejgun made sure to thank Beren for his help, then proceeded with his nightly vigil.

In Brejgun's room:
 Brejgun is now well in the fight and manages to catch the flying beast a nasty gash on the side of its head.
 Beren awakes and clutching his sword fights his way to stand beside the grievously wounded Arkenos - but just at that moment the beast stabs Arkenos a third time and he collapses to the floor.
 Eldor is in the doorway of the room and leaps to attack with his knife but the beast is quick and he just misses it.
 Adonis is in the next room and has his sword in hand and has seen the fight through the hole he made in the adjoining wall.
 Brakkus was the last to wake, he is in the room with Adonis - what will he do?

[actions and rolls for next round please].

"AAARH! DIE, FOULSPAWN!", Brejgun hollers as he reverses his strike in an effort to put and end to the vile thing's exisitence.

OOC: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 9,6 using 1d20,1d10. Attack and Armour Bypass.

"Godsdamnit you abomination!" Beren said, freeing his left hand and pointing a finger at the silhouette.

'Potentas draconis incende afflatus!' he incanted.

[OOC: casting Dragonsbreath on the monster.]
This message was last edited by the player at 10:53, Thu 18 June 2009.

 There's no time for armour or even more in the way of clothing than his shift - Adonis spins where he stands and snatches up his shield then backs away from the wall dividing one room from the next, gathers himself... and charges, putting his weight behind one beefy, steel-shielded shoulder in an effort to engage in a little impromptu interior remodelling...

 Which, if the truth be known, could probably do with a bit more of a run-up.

 ---

 11:49, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 6 using 1d20. Some sort of strength related thing.

 Bollocks. Maybe next round, if I'm not hung up half-in, half-out of the wall...

Brakkus wakes up slowly, his old bones complaining. Unlike Sir Adonis, he has slept in his armour, as he has for the last forty years or so. And it smells like it.

Grasping his quarterstaff for support he staggers over to the knight, his twisted ankle healed but still tender.

"What's happening" he whispers hoarsely.

But seconds later Sir Adonis smashes into the wall and Brakkus decides not to repeat his question... instead he girds his old loins for whatever comes next.

Realising the creature is fast moving Eldor steps back slightly and grabs one of the discarded blankets from the floor, that moments before had covered one of his companions in their sleep.

With a quick flick of  his rist he tries to cast it over the creature in the hopes of bringing it to the ground.


18:48, Today: Eldor Leaf-fall rolled 2 using 1d20. blanket throw.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Thu 18 June 2009.

As Adonis' burly form comes crashing through the dividing wall and slams against the other side of the room, the flying beast appears to take fright.  It darts towards the corridor, away from Brejgun whose sword slashes down into the air right behind it - however Eldor's blanket catches it's wing and it twists down and slashes him as it goes.


A moment later a jet of flame shoots out from Beren's left hand - it seems to catch the monster and it gives a cry and appears to drop from sight.  The blanket catches fire and falls to the floor.

[actions for next round please].

 A couple of hundred pounds of muscular southerner slamming through a wattle wall is enough to upset just about anyone - particularly when they're entering your bedroom. On the other hand the sudden hasty retreat of the winged whatever-the-hell-that-was in response to the whoosh of flame and the crash of shattering furniture probably slants things back the other way again.

 Turning swiftly, sword held up in a guard position while he tries to shake straw and plaster fragments from his eyes and hair, Sir Campbell scans the room, seeking a target as he spits a twig from his mouth and asks loudly, "What was it?"

Cursing, Beren tried to smother the fire, all the while trying to get a sense of what was occuring in the room. "What the hells is going on here?" he said out loud.

Eldor, breathing hard ran for the corridor the wound to his chest hurting like made.

"It's heady for the stairs" he shouted and with knife in hand he followed the foul thing as fast as he could trying to catch it up and dispatch it.

"What the! ...", Brejgun exclaims as the creature seems to be slipping away - then he hears Eldors call, and gives chase, striking further at the grim little creature when opportunity presents itself ...

OOC: This may of course take more than 1 combat round!
Today: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 17,4 using 1d20,1d10. Attack & Armour bypass.

Brakkus steps through the hole in the wall created by Sir Adonis, then opens his mind to the mystic force, trying to detect any disturbances caused by magic in the room.

None of you can see what's going on with the flying beast but you can see Eldor leaping out the room and down the corridor with his knife in hand.  Brejgun follows close on his heels.

Meanwhile the flaming blanket has set fire to the rushes on the floor of the room - there might still be time to put it out if you act quickly.  Arkenos and Bjorn are both lying on the floor, not looking very healthy.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:48, Sun 21 June 2009.

Brakkus rushes to the blanket and tries to pull it away from the reeds before they catch alight...
This message was last edited by the player at 11:01, Sun 21 June 2009.

Beren helped Brakkus, pulling the reeds away from the blankets and trying to smother the fire with any jug of water or bedpan at hand.

 Flying beasts that have run away are one thing - but fire is quite another, and Adonis promptly lends a hand trying to extinguish the flames, laying down his sword and taking his shield in both hands before using it in great enthusiastic sweeps to beat down the fire as best he can, interleaving his efforts with sweeping kicks to make an impromptu firebreak between the rushes that have caught and those still unignited...

ELdor chases the monster as quiuckly as he could.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Sun 21 June 2009.

Eldor reaches the head of the stairs but the flying creature evades his slashing dagger and starts to flap erratically down them.  Brejgun is close behind but in the confined space cannot manage to wield his huge sword well.

The fire is almost out - if one person stays to finish it off next round, the other two can do something else.

[actions for next round please - anyone who is going down the stairs should give me a 2d10 roll for keeping their feet, as well as any normal combat rolls].

"DRAT! That ... GET DOWN THERE!". Brejgun is nothing but frustration as he tries to barrel down the staris to get at the demonic critter, his swinging sword almost as much a danger to his friends as the foe. Greatswords are not made for indoor fighting!

OOC: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 19,5 using d20,d10. Attack & Armour bypass.

[COMMENT ABOUT THE NATURE AND USEABILITY OF THE DIE ROLLER AND IT'S CREATOR HAS BEEN REMOVED AS NOT TO CAUSE COSTERNATION IN THE POPULACE.]
 
This message was last edited by the player at 19:04, Tue 23 June 2009.

Eldor just avoids Brejgun's sweeping sword as he leaps down the first couple of steps.

As he gets nearer to the creature he uses his higher position to launch himself at it, arms outstretched in an effort to bring it to the ground.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:56, Mon 22 June 2009.

"Go ahead Brakkus! I will manage the fire and see to Arkenos!" Beren shouted.

 With Beren's cry, Sir Adonis too rises from his work and takes up his sword once more, moving smoothly towards the stairwell and - unlike those who went down it before - actually taking his time to do so properly, arms outstretched to the narrow walls for balance - not least because in the confusion of battle downstairs, just charging in is a good way to get yourself a nasty case of friendly stab.

Eldor leaps at the flying beast as he nears the bottom of the stairs, however it is surprisingly quick and darts down out of his grasp.  Eldor manages to hit the ground rolling and comes to his feet standing in the dining hall at the foot of the stairs.  The monster appears to be heading for the fireplace, which contains only a few faintly glowing embers now.

Brejgun is now at the foot of the stairs, cursing at his clumsiness.

Adonis is close behind, his eyes beginning to get used to the dark.

Beren manages to stamp out the last remnants of the fire.


[actions/rolls please]

Finding a bit of room now he's downstars, Brejgun once more charges forward and tries to make halves of of the vile thing! Another northern battle roar sounds within the inn.

"RAAAAAAH!"

OOC: Brejgun Kregnason rolled 20,7 using d20,d10. Attack & Armour bypass.

Eldor realizes the thing was trying to escape up the chimney and that he'd not be able to get to it before it reached the fire did the only thing left to him.

feeling the tingle start in the pit of his belly he imagined his hands rapping round a glowing stone. The stone started to get larger and brighter and when it got to the point that he felt he could not contain it any longer Eldor throw out both his arms in front of him towards the monster.

As his hands came together a transparent rock hand as big as the elf flew from his outstretched fingers towards the creature as it got close the fingers started to close.

 There's just not a hell of a lot of room in a confined space to push through and join the battle, not when you're at the back of a fast-moving struggle in a confined space. Veering to one side, Sir Campbell tries to make his way along the wall rather than plunging straight forwards, looking to avoid the backswing of weapons and cut off the creatures return (since stopping it from escaping, whatever it is, seems unlikely).

Beren knelt down, checking Arkenos' pulse.

[OOC: I've got the feeling that's one dead NPC, but it doesn't hurt to check... Does it?]

Brakkus continues trying to put out the fire, stomping on the remaining embers.

In the main room, a stream of stone flies from Eldor's joined hands and hits the creature just as it reaches the chimney.  You hear a squawking cry which sounds almost human as the stone hits it, generating a cloud of dust which even Eldor cannot see through.


Moments later, Adonis and Brejgun come up short at either side of the fireplace, weapons ready - they cannot immediately make out any sign of the monster in the faint glow of moonlight coming down the chimney.

Upstairs, Brakkus succeeds in stamping out the remnants of the fire while Beren tends to the wounded.

Brejgun swipes his hand at the swirling dust to clear it (though he may actually be exasperating the problem).

"Where did it go? Adonis, did you see it? Eldor?". Brejgun does not seem to be of a mind to let anything go that can be caught or, preferably, killed!

Beren incanted a spell of healing to stop Arkenos' bleeding and stabilize him.

 "I don't see a blasted thing!" cries Adonis, though he doesn't find that a reason not to act to prevent a reappearance of the creature, dropping to one knee and setting his sword down to reach for a firepit poker, looking to stir up the embers and get them glowing so that fresh wood can be added, "What was the beast?"

Eldor was a bit surprised by what had happened as he'd never used such raw energy in one go before.

" I'm not sure to be truthful. I think I may have killed it. As to what it was I could not tell you."

[ooc: the immediate danger seems to have passed so from now on you can post with a longer perspective than combat rounds].

The dust settles but there is no sign of the flying beast.  Adonis manages to coax a glow back into the embers but there is only a little firewood in this main room.

Upstairs, Beren feels that his magic has succeeded in helping Arkenos, however the man does not come back to consciousness.

From his body clock Eldor feels that it is about 2-3am - really the wee small hours of the morning.

 About half of whatever wood is to be found is put upon the coals to give the room something of a dull illumination - enough light to allow elven eyes to see and human ones to make out shapes, if nothing else... "Well how did it get into the house, was the window not shuttered?" demands Adonis, before two of those random neurons bouncing around the inside of his skull happen to collide once more and his mutters softly "Prophet's blood." and surges to his feet, sword in hand - heading for the innkeep's room.

 Like the dog that didn't bark, there's been no sign of the man whose livelihood this place is - despite an armed warrior crashing through walls and a storm of battle-cries and screams.

Adonis takes the stairs two at a time, turns right and barges through the poorly-made door of the innkeeper's room.   The rest of you hear his gasp of surprise.

 Well, less a gasp and rather more a stentorian bellow of "Here, I'll bet crowns to pennies it was a bloody Penhaligan!" roars the knight as he lunges into the vile-smelling chamber he's kicked open the door to, advancing on the blanket-wrapped bundle with his sword held low, aiming to flick back the corner of the cloth with its tip.

Satisfied that Arkenos was not in danger of expiring soon, but worried nonetheless that his fellow arcanist would be too far gone to be completely healed by his spell, Beren rose to his feet and, sword in hand, followed Adonis in the innkeeper's room.

"Wh ... what?". Brejgun is taken a bit aback at the decisive action of the Knight, and ends up standing in the common room looking from the fireplace to Eldor and then hearing Adonis and Beren entering the quarters of the innkeeper.

"WHAT! What is in there!?", he shouts up at them, a bit impotently, still looking around the room a bit, not entirely satisfied that the winged creature is gone.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:32, Sat 04 July 2009.

Brakkus calls out from the bedroom.  "Fellows, I think we should be sure that the danger has passed.  If I could stand by the last place we saw the beast, mayhap I could sense its presence once more.  But before that, someone should come and tend to Bjorn and Arkenos, give them water at least and wrap them up warm.  They are both sore wounded".

 "I bloody knew it, didn't I bloody know it? - It was a Penhaligan!" states Adonis as the knight prods something dimly seen in the corner of the room and reveals a headless cadaver laying on the floor, his voice a mixture of exultation at having encountered a creature of boyhood horror-stories and disgust at the gruesome reality of the thing.

 Using the tip of his sword he draws the blanket back further, on alert for the possibility of treachery as he does so...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:23, Sat 04 July 2009.

Still with his knife in hand Eldor stands by the grate and thinks back to the fight trying to figure out if his hasty action of releasing his raw elemental power had actually killed the thing.

Adonis manages to pull back the blanket fully without touching what is beneath.   Beren moves closer from the door but in the dark neither of you can make out much.


Eldor inspects the fireplace with Brakkus standing guard. 

Now that the heat of the fight has begun to pass, you can hear that while you slept the wind got up outside and is now fairly howling.  Neither storey of the inn is particularly well made and fingers of cold creep into all of the rooms.

Beren tried to determine what had happened - had the innkeeper been killed recently by the same creature which had assaulted them, or was the corpse older - which would mean they'd have been beset by a kind of shapeshifter?

OOC: 23:17, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 10 using 2d10. Intelligence.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:28, Mon 06 July 2009.

 "Yup, no question of it..." states Adonis with the happy certainty of someone who's solved a riddle and be damned if he's going to allow his mind to be changed by any inconvenient evidence, before the knight starts to sheathe his sword... and realises that he's wearing his smallclothes minus a belt, whereupon there's a brief excursion into grim muttering and he starts out of the foul-smelling chamber and towards the steps once more, "Well, if the excitement is done and the thing dispatched, I'm for my blankets once more!" he declares with great enthusiasm.

Brakkus hears Adonis' declaration and pipes up - he is now back in the middle room tending to the injured. "Did anyone SEE the creature breath its last?" he asks. "In any case, these men are in too bad a state to move until we can get some light on them.  But they will soon get cold - perhaps you might bring a few blankets from the other room, Adonis."

Downstairs the embers which Adonis' had managed to bring to life are dying down again as the wood runs out.

"That's a chilling thought," Beren said. "Visibly we have been greeted and served by an evil creature. Fortunately it did not see fit to poison or drug us." He got back to the side of his friends, tending to the wounded.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:51, Mon 06 July 2009.

" No " replied Eldor " I hit it with every ounce of my energy but I think it fled up the chimney." He headed back up the stairs to collect his fallen bow and came back down.

" I think it is time we saw what is being kept in that locked barn" Not waiting for the others he headed for the taven door and out into the night.

 "Alright, if they're wounded I imagine I can do some fetching and carrying... I'll pick up what's left of the wall while I'm at it, we could do with some more firewood!" states the Knight cheerfully, adding "Everyone stay together until we're ready to decide what to do next!" as he vanishes up the steps, at roughly the same time as Eldor vanishes off into the darkness by himself.

 Once upstairs it's a simple matter to fetch a couple of straw pallettes, blankets - and start pitching them down the steps into a heap at the bottom, then setting about collecting firewood (though not before putting on the padded underclothes meant to be worn with armour.

"Time indeed.", says Brejgun and follows the Elf.

Brejgun shuts the inn door behind him and the sounds of his and Eldor's footsteps soon recede into the night.
[ooc: you two please continue posting in this thread: link to a message in this game]

Adonis passes the blankets to Brakkus who wraps up the comatose Arkenos and Bjorn as best he can.  Regarding firewood, in the main room the only option would be to break up the trestle tables.  The doorway to the kitchen is to the right of the fireplace.

 Pitching the blankets and straw mattresses downstairs is a deliberate action the reason for which becomes clear a few moments later as one of the light wooden doors to the upstairs rooms is wrenched off (with a few persuasive kicks) and offered up as an improvised stretcher "Shall we get these fellows down by the fire and build it up some, then once they're settled we can finish ch..."

 A couple of moments of Adonis looking puzzled follow the broken-off sentence, then he looks at the two downed men, at Brakkus, and lightly taps himself, lips moving through the numbers one to four... and obviously coming up short "Where are the others?"

Brakkus looks up at Adonis' words.

"Well, I heard Eldor say he was going to search outside.  But perhaps if Beren and I take one end of the stretcher and you the other, we will manage to carry them down the stairs one at a time.  I cannot imagine that Bjorn weighs much but Arkenos is a big fellow".

Beren looked at Bjorn and Arkenos, then at his own hands. "I'm not especially muscular, and that's an understatement," the sorcerer commented. "Even Bjorn would be too much for me, I'd wager."

[OOC: 5 in strength ain't much, really.]

 "Did he now the silly bugger?" replies Adonis, harumph'ing softly at the news, "Well, fairies are like that I suppose - flighty and unreliable. Once we've seen to the injured perhaps we'll investigate ourselves." - as ever, it doesn't seem to occur to Adonis that people might not defer to his judgement on the rare occasions when he puts it forth, he's a knight after all.

 Smoothly he starts working on putting the first of the injured men onto the door, a little rough-handed but surprisingly careful, as you'd expect from someone who's seen more than one broken bone come out of a tournament - and as a slight triumph of experience over intelligence he draws off both his belt and those of the wounded men, quickly splicing them into a 'you're not falling off the door' restraining strap before looking up at Bereb, "Well that's alright - one of you fellows take the top side and I'll take the weight - we don't really need to lift 'em, just slide them down the steps carefully so's we can get them to the fire - which whoever's not helping can see to getting going 'till we can find the woodpile."

 ---

 14:01, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 10,3 using 2D10,2D10. Strength, Agility.

Adonis manages to put Bjorn on the door and binds him tightly to it.  He takes one end of the door and Brakkus lifts another corner.  Then Beren limbers up...

[OOC:19:03, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 9 using 2d10. Agility.
19:03, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 1 using 1d10. Strength.]

You all stagger and slip a little but manage to get Bjorn down the stairs and wrapped up warmly beside what is left of the fire.  He mutters a little and seems to be almost coming round.

[ooc: whoever is going back upstairs to get Arkenos, give me another set of the same rolls please everyone.]

 Returning upstairs with the straps in-hand, a second door is duly procured with the short, sharp application of a firm boot to a fragile frame and Arkenos is carefully slid across onto it, then fastened in place before - as with Bjorn - the door is more or less slid across the floor and down the stairs with Adonis going ahead of it, taking the weight as it slides out over the steps.

 ---

 01:07, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 7,20 using 2D10,2D10. And again...

Adonis slides the heavier body of Arkenos down the stairs, with Beren and Brakkus guiding the improvised stretcher from above.  When Adonis is on the last step he stumbles and falls backwards.  Adonis himself is only bruise, but the unconscious Arkenos takes a nasty bang to the head as he tumbles onto the floor of the main hall.  He appears to still have a pulse but it is very faint.

About twenty minutes have passed since Eldor and Brejgun left to check outside and you have not yet heard anything.

 Of course, that's why Adonis was on the bottom - so that if there was slippage he'd take the bulk of any bump, but on the other hand, he's currently far more able to take a bump - either way he finishes manhandling Arkenos down to sit on the other side of the firepit from their other wounded soul and then returns upstairs to bring down first the debris from the shattered wall (such of it as was wooden and can be used as fuel) then the remainder of their baggage.

 Actually collecting his armour and putting in on preparatory to searching the remainder of the property - that's the last thing he currently has on his to-do list... A knight is a knight after all, even in shift and trews, but wounded men need care in the here-and-now.

Beren and Brakkus come down the stairs too and soon have the two injured comrades wrapped up in blankets alongside the fireplace.


Adonis smashes up the doors and an old chair he found in the innkeeper's room.

Brakkus bars the front door again, then stands and touches the stonework beside the fireplace, just by the curtain which apparently leads through to the kitchen.  He nods to Adonis "I cannot sense any danger through there but my senses are far from infallible - perhaps we should look around the kitchen while Beren tends to the injured?"

 The knight nods once as he pulls on a pauldron, locking it carefully in place and rolling his shoulder joint a few times in order to assure himself that the fit is good, momentarily regretting the lack of a good, trained squire to see to these things, "I agree - we'll search the Inn proper whilst the good magus watches our fallen, then depending upon what we find we may see if the fairy and his friend have encountered." he states, taking up the next plate and hastily completing his preparations.

Wary of expending the last remnants of his magic, Beren tried to tend to the wounded using only natural healing, binding wounds and checking for internal bleeding, pulse, broken ribs, irrelgular breathing, signs of nausea and concussion...

[OOC: I'm going on the assumption that Beren is a learned person, and so described in some details, though if you deem that he shouldn't know such things, feel free to delete everything after 'natural healing'

02:02, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 10 using 2d10. Healing. ]

Beren manages to find the wounds and stop all bleeding on both Bjorn and Arkenos.  Bjorn seems to have been merely knocked unconscious, he is murmuring and should eventually come round.   Whereas Arkenos has lost a lot of blood.  Until you can find some water, you will not be able to clean the wounds.

Once Adonis has put his armour on as best he can without help, he and Brakkus gingerly edge aside the curtain leading to the kitchen and advance through the doorway, weapons at the ready.

[ooc: Adonis, Brakkus please give me a 2d10 roll against Perception each of you]

 10:55, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 8 using 2d10.

 ---

 Gingerly.

 That's funny... ill-informed, but funny.

 Rather Adonis stands tall, bounding once or twice on the spot at some slight risk to the ceiling as he makes sure that his plate armour is settled about his person properly, stretches a few times to be on the safe side - and then takes up shield and sword once more and quite unceremoniously says "Right then!" and storms towards the kitchen door like a small, contained, steel-plated natural disaster looking for a place to happen.

 After a 'one, two, three' for Brakkus' benefit, he more or less thrusts the curtain back with a steel-plated shoulder put behind his shield and advances into the room with his sword high.

 Hey... it'll have surprise value, right?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:10, Mon 13 July 2009.

Adonis charges through the curtain with Brakkus following rather more sedately behind.

The first thing that hits you is the smell.  There is rotting food everywhere, in various stages of antiquity.  Some of it appears to have once been fresh vegetables, while the pots contain things that even Adonis has not the stomach to investigate closely.  It seems the kitchen has not been tended in a while.

As your eyes get accustomed to the moonlight seeping through the boarded-up windows, you can see that the soup tureen you ate from earlier sits on a primitive iron tripod, above an extinct brazier.  It seems to be the only food that is not completely off.  Scattered around are various rusty old knives covered in stains.  In the dark you are not able to ascertain whether this is gore or just food.

You cannot see anyone in the kitchen and there is nowhere they could really hide.  You do notice a small, solid-looking wooden door in the far corner of the kitchen, which would appear to lead outside.  It is so low that Adonis would have no hope of fitting through and Brakkus only with great difficulty.

Beren, left alone with the wounded, pondered the wisdom of leaving the two men alone, even for a moment. But he needed to clean Arkenos' wounds. So he set off to find a clean container to boil some water. He would also look for vinegar, or any plant that usually applied to wounds - like rhubarb, almond, camomil, pepper...

[OOC: I found a very interesting site on medieval wound treatment, though it's in French, if you can read it: http://anthropologie-et-paleop...le%20médiévale.htm ]
This message was last edited by the player at 12:21, Wed 15 July 2009.

Brakkus carefully clears away some of the gubbins with the tip of his staff and uncovers a couple of small wooden tables which you could break up for firewood.

Then he looks at the small door. "I can't sense any danger there but you can never be sure.  My suggestion, good night, would be that we jam it shut with something and wait until the morning when the sun is up and we are all better rested."

[ooc: thanks for that link - this episode had set me to wondering about just what they did and didn't know in those days - will definitely read through it]

With that Brakkus casts around for something solid to jam shut the door, perhaps a heavy item of furnitude or failing that a sturdy plank to ram under the handle.

 "Faaaugh, it smells like a serf died in here." complains the tall, blonde and improbably handsome (but, let us not forget, rather dim) knight, stepping back and nodding in concurrence with the suggestion from his companion, "Aye - though I'm concerned for the fairy and his friend. Fools they might have been, but they're our fools." he confides, while 'requisitioning' the most convenient piece of heavy furniture as a barrier to seal up the small door and retreating back to the other room.

 "We'll stand watches I think - I had some sleep so will remain awake for a few hours, then I'll stir one of you two - they'll stand for a few hours, then wake the third of us... Whoever's up had best move around and keep the fire going mind you."

With the various bits of wood you have (literally) knocked off, you manage to get the fire to a cosy glow.  Adonis takes first watch and the others realise how tired they are as soon as they lie down by the fire.

[ooc: please give me a 2d10 roll each].

[OOC:00:25, Today: Beren Sigilchyr rolled 5 using 2d10.]

Adonis paces around the main room to keep himself awake, occasionally pausing to listen carefully for anything out of the ordinary, or have a look up the chimney.  The others are asleep in moments.

Outside the wind has got up again and after about half an hour it is joined by the pitter-patter of rain which within minutes rises to a constant drumming.

Although the inn has no windows to speak of, only barred openings closed by shutters, Adonis can feel that the dawn is not far away when he shakes Beren awake and hands over the watch.

[ooc: playing for time slightly - basically waiting for Eldor/Brejgun's thread - which itself is slightly waiting on new player - but if nothing moves by tonight I will do a "Deus ex Machina"]

Beren grumbled as he woke up. Why did I chose a life of adventure? Oh yes, glory, riches, power, and early calls...

Still wiping sleep from his eyes, he checked on Arkenos and Bjorn. He also checked his sword - today, he would need to save his mystical energies...

 There's nothing like being in front of a good fire on a rainy night, and Adonis (quick to forget the excitement of the evening, or at least to put it aside and not let it trouble him) soon enough feels the onset of dawn around the corner, stooping when he does to clap a hand over Beren's mouth and gently wake him (which is just how he was taught to do it when in a dangerous situation) before stripping off his armour (though not his arming jacket and padded undergarments) and settling into his own blankets to rest, almost immediately dropping off into the sleep of the honest and just.

Some ten minutes after Adonis has finally dropped off to sleep, you are all awoken by a loud clang of metal on metal which appears to be coming from outside, not far off.

Brakkus gets out of bed carefully, testing his weight on his injured ankle. Satisfied, he strides over to the nearest window, draws back the curtain  slightly, and peers outside.

 It takes a few moments for the clanging and banging to percolate through Adonis' mind, but where he might not have been roused had he been fully asleep, he's still close enough to the land of the wakeful to jerk upright and reach for sword and shield, bellowing something about 'thousands of 'em' and then groggily rising to his feet, blinking furiously, "What the blazes is about, can't a man sleep!?"

Beren unsheathed his sword. "I heard Brejgun's shout! They must be in danger!" Despite this, Beren is not keen to face danger on the front - not with his mystical force all but spent, so it comes as no surprise that he is bravely waiting for the more martially inclined in the room to charge into the fray.

All three of you assemble at the inn door, weapons at the ready.  You look through the spying panel and the sky is beginning to lighten.  You hear another clanging, it appears to be coming from the left (where the outbuildings are).  Without opening the door you can't see properly round the corner of the house.

Brakkus quickly retrieves his bow and nocks an arrow, ready to provide cover from the doorway.

Beren was especially cautious - not to say fearful - about being the first to go out. He therefore mustered his courage and waited behind the armored members, well, the remaining armored member of the party.

[ooc: imagining what Adonis would do since he didn't post...]

Once you are all together at the door, Adonis draws back the bar as quietly as possible and leads the way out of the inn.  The sky is definitely beginning to lighten and you can see no sign of movement or anything out of the ordinary.  You move forward with Beren sheltering behind Brakkus and Adonis.

You have only gone a few paces when you hear familiar voices to the left.  Moments later Brejgun appears, half-leaning on a tallish man who is nearly naked and looking the worse for wear.  Brejgun himself is staggering and pale in the face.

A few paces behind comes Eldor, bow drawn and scanning the air anxiously.

 [Sorry about that, you should have said - I was waiting 'till we'd explicitly finished the pm chat rather than driving things on. ^_^ ]


 That's actually a pretty good summation of things - were it not that this time, because it involves actually leaving the confines of the Inn and because it sounds like a rescue effort on the behalf of those who were foolish enough to stagger off into the dark without making any effort to coordinate with their comrades, Adonis actually takes the time to slip into his armour once again, or at least his breastplate and gauntlets, doing so with perhaps a touch of ill grace that's soon forgotten as he stands in partial armour and starts towards the door - which by that point has probably been opened and used by at least one other person.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:16, Wed 29 July 2009.

[ooc: please continue posting here: link to a message in this game]