Rael keep to the rear of the group, long blade in his right and a throwing knife in his left.

His pale gaze never resting in one place long searching the fog for unseen enemies.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not..." intones Kjaelos thoughtfully. Turning to Beren, he says, "Do you think this path leads to the burial barrows of the ancient reiver kings? Perhaps it was built specially for royal funeral processions to convey the bodies of their kings to their final rest..."

Kjaelos bends down to take a closer look at the stone path beneath his feet.

" the human need to honor their dead under mounds of earth intrigues me. I would love to discuss it at a later date if possible. We elves honor the life of a fellow elf rather than the death. Once you are gone you go back into the earth and are reborn into another life. Whatever shape that may take."

Eldor looked forward in the direction they were going knew a fair bit about human burial mounds from his mother the witch and was not too happy that this path might lead to some. But it was the only clear direction they had to go only he hoped it was not leading them to thier doom at the same time.

 Bizarre as it might be for Karl and Thomas to arrive at the same conclusion as Adonis only after the perillously dim (but never less than courageous) Campbell has done so, the good knight continues on, only snorting at the suggestion that the locals could have done this work and stating, "If they did it was with Selentine labour. Look at it! - Lance-straight for miles. Besides, it hardly matters where it's meant to go, it's heading in the right direction and could cut hours off our march, even if we must leave it in due course."

Rael seem to want to say something answering to Eldor but decide against it shutting his mouth.

When Sir Campbell speak, he nods slowly then says "Unless charm set on road, to blind senses and... " he motion with his hand in waxed motion lacking the words and trying to mime as if he is drunk or confused.

"I do not believe the causeway is enchanted" says Brakkus succinctly.

Kjaelos notes the old hermit's observation of the absence of any enchantment on the path with a brief nod in his direction. However, at Eldor's comment about his people's beliefs about life and death, he looks up with a quizzical expression on his face. Stealing a brief wondering glance at Beren, he turns his attention back to the elf saying, "Are you privy to the revelation from the spirits about the source of power of the Jarl?"

Looking up at the rest of the party, he continues, "Or perhaps you have not spoken much with each other about bits and pieces of knowledge and information you have each picked up individually?"

After a brief moment, he turns his attention back to his examination of the stone path while elaborating further, "I heard from Beren the revelation conveyed by the old woman Olga. It hints that the secrets to the Jarl's power might lie in the graves of 'ancient thieves'. It is not clear who are these thieves it refers to. But there are rumors of ancient burial barrows of past reiver kings here in the Old Downs. Apart from a True Faith graveyard known to be situated in the village of Anthelsham, these barrows are the only burial grounds in these parts that seem to correspond with the revelation. Perhaps we may find some clues to the meaning of the revelation here...if we can find these rumored burial barrows..."

 "It could be so, but it makes little difference." Adonis replies with some measure of regret, since this sort of wild and ballad-worthy adventure is the sort of thing he came North for, but every single opportunity he's had to do anything about it he's been racing against the clock on some honourable errand "But we've not the time. We're racing against cavalry and can only beat them to their targets if we hasten."

Kjaelos looks up at the knight and shrugs, "If necessary, we could split up. Doesn't take the whole party of us to pass a message and deliver some intelligence."

Dusting gravel and dirt off his hands, he rises to his feet and continues with the party down the stone path. "Let's 1st see where this leads us..."

Thomas offers, "Splitting our forces is not tactically sound. This road is a boon to us. If it leads us to our destination, we should make use of it."

thomas looks up and down the road as he waits for them to decide which way they are going to go.

Rael rubs his chin at Kjaelos words, he would need to speak more to the man, later for now there was work to be done.

He nods in agreement with Sir Keith "If road is good then we are good, if not... best split into many groups then one group might have a chance to escape and bring others..."

He motions with his hand "most groups... die."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:27, Tue 28 Sept 2010.

[ooc: assuming you continue east, then]

You continue onwards a good mile.  The causeway gradually rises above the bog until it is a good foot above the surface. The piles beneath it are sometimes wood, blackened and compressed almost to the hardness of iron, sometimes stone.   Another mile and the track is showing some signs of decay - stones have fallen away and the piles have rotted.  However the central part is sound, although you are gradually forced to adopt single file.

The mist keeps up - yet after another mile you can see that the peaks ahead are beginning to draw closer.
]

Suddenly shapes loom out of the mist on either side and Beren is yanked from the causeway into the bog.  Karl is struck a savage blow but manages to keep his footing.

[ooc: actions/rolls please - you are in single file as per the below.  The X's mark the attacking shapes - only the three closest positions can directly attack a shape.  So Karl, Thomas and Rael can fight one, while Brakkus and Kjaelos are close to the other, until people "shuffle up".]


   Eldor
   Adonis
   Kjaelos
  Beren X
   Brakkus
   Bjorn
   Karl
X Thomas
   Rael

Recovering from the violent blow, Karl shifts his weight to swing his staff in retaliation.

 "Sir Keith has the right of it, this is no place to be a small group." Sir Campbell concurs as the group marches on, variously starng with unease at the countryside or just eating up the miles as their natures take them...

 ...until the ambush of course.

 Glancing back along the length of the group at the first sound of struggle, Sir Campbell once again demonstrates that you hardly need wits to have good instincts, and calls out orders even as his blade is clearing its scabbard and his shield is being unslung, "Eldor and Rael, ware further foes, Bjorn, Karl, Thomas - the rear one, Kjaelos, back up a stride there and let's have at this fellow!"

 Curiously however, his sword is going into his shield-hand once the latter is settled securely in place, a position from which neither can be used but that leaves his arm free to act as he waits only long enough for there to be room to get to the foe before reaching out and trying to snag their only healer from the embrace of the bog.

Thomas drops the bow and arrow since the creature is right on them. He draws the great sword from his back in one swift motion and swings at the shape hard and misses it in his haste.

He says with juswt a hint of annoyance and spirit, Already dealing with it!

23:00, Today: Thomas Keith rolled 15 using 1d20. Strike the monster with Great Sword.

Hearing a scuffle and perhaps a yelp of surprise from behind him, Kjaelos spins around just in time to see Beren disappear into the fog. Seeing the ominously looming dark shadow just beyond in the mist, Kjaelos recovers quickly from his momentary surprise to shout a single arcane word of power and point at it. A stream of eldritch flame erupts from the tip of his finger and rushes to envelop the dark figure...


Hearing the yell from Adonis just beside him, he moves instinctively to his right without taking his eyes off the shadow to make way for the hulking armored knight to join the fray.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Fri 01 Oct 2010.

Rael is tossing his knife about when the attack come by without a pause he toss the knife at the figure only to have it fly high.

He do not pause watching but slash with his long blade at the figure.

14:24, Today: Rael rolled 8 using 1d8. Armor bypass roll for blade.
14:23, Today: Rael rolled 11 using 1d20. Attack with long blade.
14:23, Today: Rael rolled 16 using 1d20. Knife toss.

Eldor steps to the left so he could get a clear line of sight down the road towards the attackers and lets loose with an arrow.

13:58, Today: Eldor Leaf-fall rolled 10 using 1d20. missile attack + half aim.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:58, Wed 29 Sept 2010.

Brakkus throws himself down to the ground and thrusts out his staff towards where Beren disappeared into the swamp, hoping the wizard is able to grab hold of this makeshift lifeline.

[ooc: sorry all the calcs for the fighting put me off for a while, too much like work!]


Karl's desperate attack hits home but appears to make no impression on the sinewy form, while Thomas great swipe passes through the mist without harming anything.  Perhaps, though, the distraction is enough for Rael's blade to strike home and elicit a queer grunt of pain from the foe.

Brakkus drops to the floor, covered by Bjorn, and reaches out with his staff.  A pale hand grabs onto it and Beren's moon-face can be seen just above the surface of the bog.

Kjaelos unleashes a vicious stream of fire at which the attacker screams in pain - but it is so close that some of the flame curls back and burns those closest.

Eldor looses a shot but fires it high at the last minute.

The creature which hauled Beren into the swamp now lashes out at Brakkus, who is unable to defend himself and feels long claws sink into his flesh.

On the other side, Thomas is struck a heavy blow which shakes him but does not penetrate his armour.

[ooc: here are the positions now.  actions/rolls for ROUND 2]

   Eldor
   Adonis
   Kjaelos X
   Brakkus-Beren
   Bjorn
   Karl
 X Thomas
   Rael
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:10, Sun 03 Oct 2010.

Slightly singed by his own eldritch flame, Kjaelos realizes his mistake and quickly changes tactics. Speaking in the language of arcane power, he gathers his power again for another spell and directs it at his shadowy opponent...
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Fri 01 Oct 2010.

Rael dance the dance of blades now, he has no time to think about drawing a second blade and in fact is more focused on dispatching this foe.

Blade slashing up and down Rael aim to find a weak spot in his opponent defense and drive the blade through.

01:13, Today: Rael rolled 6 using 1d8. Armor bypass roll for blade.
01:13, Today: Rael rolled 10 using 1d20. Attack roll.

Karl focuses his attention on the shadowy foe, summoning his assistant...


17:26, Today: Karl Borensson rolled 17 using 1d20. Summon Silent Warrior.

Keeping a firm hold with both hands on his staff, Brakkus flips over onto his back and scrabbles backwards as fast as he can, hoping to evade whatever attacked him and help Beren pull himself out of the swamp.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:23, Sun 03 Oct 2010.

[whoops - completely forgot that the bad guys get to fight too!   Edited msg #99 above to include their attacks.  If anyone wants to retroactively change their posts because of the new info, that's fine.]