A Triplefang young man with nearly shoulder-length hair strums his lyre, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He looks to be about twenty years of age, and he wears a sort of armored tunic, as well as a longsword girded about his waist. A pack and a quarterstaff lie on the ground beside him. When he sees Jurgen and the group approaching, he stands and smiles.

"The Triplefang adventurers. I have heard much about you, and it's good to meet you at last. I am Adíel Triplefang," he says, looking at each person in turn. There is something piercing about his gaze. When it lands on Sunna, his smile widens slightly. "Sunna. It's a pleasure to see you again, cousin."

"I've pieced together many of your reasons for coming to this place," Adíel continues simply, "And I would like to join you. I think you'll find my expertise helpful, particularly if you encounter any magical items in your quest." The high likelihood of the adventurers' having found magical items in the tower does not escape him.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:18, Tue 03 Mar 2015.

Holly looks over at Sunna as Adiel introduces himself, and raises an eyebrow in question of whether this was someone they could trust? For the moment, Holly was more interested in getting a healer to look at Glumr and his cough, and to find Moonlight.

"Jurgen, do you have a healer here? Glumr had a lung full of spores, and I'd like someone more experienced than me to take a look at him."

When she gets a chance, Holly excuses herself and runs out into the wilds. She can feel Moonlight is close, and calls out to her before throwing her arms around the broad neck and cuddling for all her worth.

OOC: Not likely.  Holly has a lot of ranks in heal!

Jurgen looks Glumr over doubtfully.  In fact you all look to be in bad shape, Glumr no more than the others.

"Sure.  I'll go tell Tibalt.  He's the shrine's priest," says Jurgen.

When he returns with the priest Holly is gone.  Tibalt doesn't look particularly priestly. In fact there's little to distinguish him in build, demeanor, or style of dress from the other Harix followers.

Tibalt has Glumr lie down so he can examine him.

"Now what would compel you to pull a fool's maneuver like breathing up a bunch of spores?" asks the priest.  He promptly smacks Glumr in the forehead with the heel of his hand, hard enough to hurt a little, but too lightly to do much more than surprise the ranger.  "Now I'm more of a wound healer than a curer of sickness, but let's see what this does."

Tibalt pours nearly a quart of some unknown liquid down Glumr's throat.  Glumr immediately start choking.  He tries to sit up cough out the liquid, but Tibalt deftly pinches Glumr's nose and covers his mouth, holding him down in the process.  Glumr thrashes around in a panic for 10 or 15 seconds (seems a lot longer to Glumr), before Tibalt rolls him onto his side and releases him.  Glumr spends the next minute or two coughing up liquid.

17:08, Today: Fritzholm rolled 8 using 1d20+4. Tibalt's healing skill.

"That's for the spores.  Someone had best keep an eye on him for a day or two to witness the cure or whatever happens.  As for those burns."

Tibalt casts a familiar healing spell on Glumr while he's still spitting up the mysterious fluid.

Glumr recovers 8 HP.  He's nearly back up to max.

"Well there you have it, young Triplefang.  True healing if you've ever witnessed it.  Donating a little of those spoils to the temple wouldn't go unwelcomed.  Specially if any of the rest of you aren't keen on hobbling around with all your broken bits."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:38, Fri 13 Mar 2015.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Adiel", Sunna replies with a smile. "I guess we could need some help, especially from someone known to be able to beat Proctor Limon Ferisedan in strategy games. As you can see we had some trouble to deal with recently." The young bard winces as she touches her ribs. "Where have you heard about our current quest?"

When the priest is finished with Glumrs wounds Sunna turns to him. "If I might ask, do you happen to know a cure against an ongoing feeling of feebleness that has nothing to do with any wounds?" Sunna asks the priest, not yet going into the details of her encounter with the malevolent ghosts. "Or do you know someone to ask?"

The priest has the recipe for Sunna.

"An ongoing feeling of the feebles is common among those who don't follow the example set by Harix.  I have just the cure for you.  Our morning routine is quite rigorous.  You are welcome to join us.  I will personally wake you at dawn.  It will take a few weeks to get you up to speed.  Nothing comes without a bit of hard work.  Wouldn't you agree?"

Adiel's eyes follow Holly for a moment as she leaves. He'll have more time to win her trust as the days go by. When Sunna asks about his sources, he explains, "Coal and Proctor Limon Ferisedan both knew a fair amount about your quest, and what they didn't tell me I could guess." He does not intend to share more in the presence of the Ferisedan Harix followers.

Instead, he shows interest in the Harix exercise routine. "I'd like to try the routine, too. If you're going to learn about strength, Harix is certainly the one to learn it from."

Sunna nods and doesn't press the matter further.

She almost laughs at the priests suggestion, then smiles at him. "I am certain that your exercise will certainly help with time, Tibalt. But I fear that's not exactly helping the problem. You see, the tower we just came back from indeed is haunted and I had the misfortune to come too close to a being that shouldn't be touched at all. It wasn't an experience I want to go through again. Anyway, it is the touch of this being that I think is the reason for the feebleness I'm feeling. Are you certain that some weeks of exercise it all it takes to make that feeling go away?"

Glumr feels a lot better, but he thinks mostly due to the healing from the cleric's gods more than the liquid he had forced into him. Either way, he's feeling better and hopeful that his cough will soon go away.

Glumr thanks Tibalt and drops two Ferisedan silvers into the collection as a thanks for the healing.  "I appreciate the healing that Harix and you have given me.  I'm sure my friends could use a bit of the same.   But if you would excuse me Tibalt, I believe there is a small fox around here that has been missing me.  I need to find my companions so we can prepare for the next leg of our travels."

Glumr looks about for Talita and spies her hiding in the grasses just outside of this small Farasedan community, watching the return of Glumr and his friends.   Glumr gestures to her and she comes running to him.  He kneels down and the small fox practically climbs on him to give him a quick lick on the nose.  Talita is practically smiling she's so happy to see her people companions again.

Glumr feels a bond with the fox that he might not have noticed if they had not been separated.  The feeling is the same as when Elhonna blesses him with abilities.  Like light or energy coming from inside of him, filled with the energy of his goddess.  "Oh Talita...  I bet you were so worried we would not return from that island.  And honestly, a few times I worried about that myself." Glumr says to her retorically.  He is shocked when she makes a fox sound in reply and he understands her.   Immediatly, he understands this is something Elhonna will grant to him.  But there's a bond between him and the fox that somehow helped him understand how to use this particular gift.  He's seen Holly talk with the animals using her druidic powers from Obad-Hai and realizes that Elhonna has given him the same.

Glumr takes his opportunity to talk to his fox companion as he knows it will only be for a fleeting moment until Elhonna refreshes his abilities with his morning prayers.

After a few minutes, Glumr feels the blessing wear off and Talita's last reply ends with only fox chirps.   It was like talking to someone and having the wind stop you from hearing the last part of the words.  He understood the first part but the last was only fox sounds.  Glumr is puzzled and amazed at how the blessing let him understand the fox sounds like it was triplefang spoken words.

Feeling closer than ever with his fox companion, Glumr is feeling spiritually refreshed even more than the physical refreshment from Tibalt's healing.

He spots Adiel and Sunna and he and Talita walk over to join their conversation."Greetings friends.   I am Glúmr Triplefang, son of Hólmfastr.  It's a pleasure to meet you traveler.  My apologies I was a bit preoccupied with my health when I came back to shore."  He says to Adiel.  Glumr is suspicious of the man that shows up immediately after a treasure hunt, but reserves his judgement until after they have had a chance to talk.

"There's the spirit!  Strengthen the body and the mind and spirit will follow," says Tibalt slapping Adiel on the shoulder in a friendly way.

However, when he hears about Sunna's close brush with a haunted being his manner turns more serious.

"Foul ghastly phantoms drain the very souls from the living.  You're lucky to still be breathing.  If it took a piece o' your soul I don't have near the power to bring it back.  Like I said to that Glumr fella, I'm more of a wound healer."



Before Adiel can reply Jurgen interrupts.

"You sure do have a lot of animals with you," nodding the the fox and bear. "Where exactly did that bear come from?"

"And are you sure it's completely safe to have it around?"

Then there's a loud whistle from back towards the boat.

"HEY!" shouts Farden.

He was with you when you first came over to meet Adiel, but he didn't say anything.  Now he's standing by the boat with two of the Harix followers only a short distance away from him.

"You two get over here right now!"

OOC: Sorry for all the purple, but both Jurgen and Farden use that text color.

Adiel opens his mouth to respond to Glumr, but after the interruption, his eyes move from fox, to bear, to Farden. He starts walking to the ship where some sort of conflict is evidently in process. As he does so, his eyes flicker back to the bear. There was something... different about it. It was probably the same bear he'd heard that Holly summoned from time to time; he could ask her about it later.

As he approaches, he tries to get a sense for what the Harix followers are feeling.

09:41, Today: Adiel rolled 19 using 1d20+11. Sense Motive (Harix followers).
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Sat 14 Mar 2015.

Adiel sizes up what's going on with Farden and the two Harix followers as he approaches.




Sorry, this was a little ambiguous.  Farden is shouting to Glumr and Sunna, not the two Harix followers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Sun 15 Mar 2015.

"A piece of my soul? Sunna suddenly feels even more feeble than before. But before she can say anything further Farden yells at her to come over. With an apologetic shrug she turns and heads over to her friend. Now she has a reason to find a high ranking priest, too.

"Is there a problem?" she asks Farden.

"The fox is mine, and the Bear is Holly's" Glumr say's to Adiel "but you'll have to excuse me for a moment" as he walks over toward Farden.

Glumr assumes he's going to be lectured about the need to keep quiet about their adventures to the island and what items the returned with.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Mon 16 Mar 2015.

Holly and Moonlight run back into the village together, Holly flushed from her new found skills, and Moonlight happy to be running with his soul mate again. When Holly sees the others, she runs over to them and nods a greeting to Jurgen and then says, "Sorry for the delay. Moonlight and I had a little bit more to do than I thought. Whats up?"

Farden pulls Sunna and Glumr off to the side a little and speaks in a hushed, but serious tone.   Adiel can just barely hear him.

"There's a problem alright.  These two are nosing around the boat," he tilts his head to the two Harix followers.  "Which means the treasure.  In case you don't remember everyone here are raiders."

Farden lets the word sink in.

"Sunna, I need healing.  Then we need to load the cart and get out of here.  We're outnumbered and we don't know how tough these guys are.  'Pretty tough' is my guess."

"Where the heck is Holly?!?" he adds, agitatedly.

Just then Holly returns and makes her way towards the boat.

"Nevermind."

He looks back to Adiel.

"You're a harper, right.  Can you tell those two about a waterborne epic or something?", he asks a little louder.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:50, Tue 17 Mar 2015.

"Oh, right." Sunna glances over to he two Harix followers, then turns back to Farden. "I guess I could help with the healing. Unless you'd like to ask Tibalt." If Holly and Farden don't object Sunna would play a healing song for Farden.

"I can't wait to return home", Sunna says, just loud enough for the Harix followers to hear if they want to. "Don't know if I can muster enough courage to get back to that island again. Not even to retrieve the statue." After a short pause she adds very quietly with a wink: "Not that I want to get the remains of Augustines statue, but maybe they want to."

OOC: 09:26, Today: Sunna rolled 8 using 1d8+5. CLW.

Holly joins the others and catches up on Farden's concerns. "I think we need to move out as well. Lets pack up the cart and get moving. If nothing else we can make some distance today before nightfall."

Hearing about the circumstances of Glumr healing from Tibalt, Holly has to hide a laugh. Holly does go to him though and say, "Sorry cousin, I was more interested in finding Moonlight than looking after my friends. I hope Tibalt's cure didn't cause you too much pain."

"I think I'll keep Erma and Moonlight out here to entertain the locals whilst you pack up the cart. Hopefully I can keep them focused on me and not what we carry. I will also try and leave a trail of crumbs that might take their interest to the island. If they can deal with the undead, I would say the island would be a great base for raiders."

"I agree Farden.  Let's pack up and get on the road as soon as we can.  We can camp and rest in privacy and probably more safety than with the Farisedan here.

Sunna, do you know Adiel?  Can he be trusted?  If so, he might be a good ally to travel with and help us identify our items....  or so he says."

Glumr's curiosity about the items the recovered is at full bore.  He wants very much to know more about the assorted treasures and magics they returned with.

Adiel thinks Sunna was very wise to heal Farden. He gives no indication of being able to hear the warrior's panic about the Harix followers. Instead, he walks over to the Harix followers and strikes up a soft conversation with them.

"I hope you'll forgive my cousin if he jumped to conclusions about your intentions. As you can see, he is wounded and exhausted after showing his strength against unknown horrors of undead. I imagine that he wants nothing more than to go home with the spoils of his great conquest."

Farden relaxes a little once Sunna heals him.

"Thanks."

The party is all still injured.  Everyone but Glumr could use a full Cure Light Wounds.  In fact, Holly and Farden could probably use two Cures or a Cure Moderate Wounds.

Glumr and Talita go get the draft horse and hook it up to the cart.  Everything looks to still be in its place on the cart, but Glumr notes that there's not much food left.  Together with what you're carrying he estimates today and two more, not counting feeding a bear.




"His knots are tied too tight is what."

The other boatman nods with an arm gesture of agreement.

"Unfriendly is what, too.  They come to us for help and we lend a hand.  The first people ever to return from that freaky-as-all-Hell island, with a bear and a boat full of mysteries.  We just want to see 'em."

"A little taste would be neighborly.  Something, right?  Unfriendly and Ungrateful."


Holly presents Moonlight and Erma for an impromptu bear and pony show.
OOC: Two Harpers, and it's the Druid who ends up entertaining the crowd.  :-)
Jurgen is pleased that Erma is not a threat and even pats her on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"I'm still fuzzy on where she came from.  I know you didn't have a bear when we sailed out there," says the Vanguard, puzzled.


Glumr brings the cart down to the beach so he, Farden, and Sunna can start loading items from the boat.

"I am a little fuzzy about her appearance as well, Jurgen. She came to us as we were leaving the island, and I assume she had just woken from hibernation. With all of the other unusual events on that island, like the undead, I can see how it could happen. She seems harmless, and has not harmed anyone." Holly checks on the others progress, and adds, "So, now we have returned from the island, are you and your raiders likely to want to investigate? We left by a decent dock, although it would need attention. Clear out the undead, and you'll be able to check out all of the rooms and buildings we couldn't on our visit. I'm not saying it wouldn't be dangerous. As you can see we came back - just! If you go there, take lots of holy water and strong men and women. I reckon it might make a secure location to raid from as well."

"Honestly Miss," says Jurgen.  "We don't want a thing to do with that damned place."

"I'm sure there will be others who come along without the wisdom to avoid it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:53, Wed 18 Mar 2015.

You pack up quickly, say some terse good-byes, and head south for Kammarra.  You find you're slowed a little by Erma.  She's quick, but can't keep up with the horses over the long haul.  You make camp when the sun begins to set.

Farden insists that you keep watch tonight, worried that the Ferisedan raiders might've followed you to attack during the night.  He also invites Adiel to take last watch with him for now.

Once everyone is asleep Farden (who was only faking slumber) has a short conversation with Sunna, who is on first watch.

"I want you to take this stuff," he says quietly. "Three scrolls we found on Brother Howe."

He opens up the scroll case and shows them to Sunna.  She remembers seeing them when you rested in the tower, but she was shaken by her near-death experience at the time.

"I think we can safely ignore the map scroll for now, but the other two are important.  One is Brother Howe's notes on the staff, and the other looks to be magic.  Show them to Holly when you wake her for her watch.  You two should be able to figure it out.  If not, maybe our new magic item 'expert' can help."

"But I don't really trust that guy."


Sunna looks over Brother Howe's notes:

There's a sketch of the staff on it.  It's is pointed at one end and the other end is blurred and left black.  The following notes are scribbled on the page:

  creates dread undead creatures
  wielded by the necromancer
  neither divine nor unholy

  aligned with the moon

  fetishes to control the undead
  can be created by an enchantress
  do not show The Tooth to Cordelia or Genessa

  activation word?

  shorter than previous thought
  headpiece missing?
  about the length of a man's arm
  made of silver?  quicksilver?  Mithril?

If anyone wants to have done anything on the ride south or before going to sleep such as casting spells or examining items, let me know.

Sunna is glad to be on the way, away from the haunted tower. At the camp she plays a few songs, rather quietly, one of them to heal Glumr, the others just for fun and practice. Just in case, should Fardens concerns prove true.

When Farden gives her the scrolls and notes she glances at them and puts them away into her pack. "Alright, I'll take a closer look at the magic scroll with Holly tomorrow", she says quietly, "though I guess we could trust Adiel. I would have suggested him to Tora, to command a band just as hers down south, but somehow I haven't found the time for that, yet." She shrugs, then smiles at Farden. "But you should get some sleep now, friend."

OOC: Sunna rolled 11 using 1d8+5. CLW.

During the trip Sunna would talk with Adiel, mostly about history, especially the Sowells. If none of the others object she'd like to take a closer look at the supposedly magical items with Holly and Adiel, otherwise just with Holly, to find out what they are. The only exception is the Needle, this thing will be kept hidden as good as possible for now.

Also it would be interesting to talk with Erma. She's a speaking bear after all!
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Sat 21 Mar 2015.

Two notes.  Due to nightmares and lack of sleep, Sunna was only able to cast one 1st level and one 0th level spell.  Since she's used a CLW on Farden she's down to just a Cure Minor Wounds.  That brings us to the second note.  Glumr is only very lightly injured, so a CLW would've been mostly wasted on him.  I'll assume you cast a cure minor on him.  He now has just one point of damage.  You can cast more spells in the morning if you'd like.

Right now the only things from the tower that your sure are magical are the painting and the staff.  You also strongly suspect that the two wooden boxes contain magical wands, and that there are two magical potions.  If only there was some way to look over a big pile of loot and detect which items were magical.  ;-)  Sunna has exhausted her spells for the day, but the other two are welcome to review the loot.

Sunna has already given the painting a good scrutinizing.  She can share her findings with the others.  Of the two wooden boxes, one is broken enough to open, while the other remains securely locked.  You've seen Farden open a lock before with small tools he carries.  You could also try forcing it open.  The broken box is padded and contains two ornate shafts of wood each about a foot and a half long.  The shafts are not twins of each other and look to be made of different types of wood.  One way you've heard of for identifying potions is to taste them.  You know what healing potions taste like, but have limited experience with others.  Holly has experience with growth and shrinking potions too.  They craft potions at Goldenpoint, so there must be an alchemist there.  Eldress Elana, Coal, and Cordelia are all alchemists too.  Any one of them might be able to recognize a potion by taste.  It remains to be seen how much Adiel knows about potions.

Feel free to start up the conversation with Adiel and the conversation with Erma either in PM or on the side conversation posting.

Adiel seems to enjoy the relative peace of travel. He gives the others the privacy to talk about him behind his back, completely confident that he will be able to prove his usefulness soon enough.

As soon as Sunna and the others show their spoils to Adiel, his eyes light up. "Let's see what secrets the Sowells left in their dread tower, shall we?" he asks. He sings a few rising notes and strums a chord on his lyre that is somehow both mysterious and joyful. For those familiar with the magic of a Bard, he is casting Detect Magic.

Adiel scans the pile carefully, as if seeing something that others cannot. It is almost as if he is studying not just the items, but the very air around them.

OOC: I'm not sure how many Spellcraft checks Adiel will need, but hopefully this will identify the school of magic for the first three auras he sees.
21:39, Today: Adiel rolled 30 using 1d20+14. Spellcraft.
21:39, Today: Adiel rolled 27 using 1d20+14. Spellcraft 2.
21:39, Today: Adiel rolled 33 using 1d20+14. Spellcraft 3.

Adiel plays his magical song while gazing intently down at the collected pile of treasure in the cart.  The song has a short, catchy refrain that cycles through over and over.  Sunna knows that you rarely need to play this detect magic song for very long, but Adiel's song goes on and on.  He changes up the chords and shifts the refrain into minor notes occasionally to keep the tune fresh and even goes into a lengthy bridge before wrapping up with the standard refrain repeated 5 times varying only slightly each time.  In all the song lasts 5 minutes.  Sunna is impressed.  She's never played it at such length.  This is a challenge she'll have to attempt when she's good and rested some day.

Adiel draws out a number of items and sorts them into five piles.

The first pile is the smallest, a single buckler. "This has some sort of protective magic on it," Adiel explains.

In the second pile, Adiel gathers two maces and a flail. "These look like magical weapons," says the harper. "The easiest way to figure out what they do is usually just to fight with them. The flail is the strongest of the three."

The third pile includes the creepy painting, a broken case with two wands in it, and a belt. "These all have something to do with necromancy," says Adiel. "I'd be very careful with them. It's easy to make the gods angry with that sort of thing, and you may not survive long enough for the gods to do anything about it."

The fourth pile includes a locked case with two more wands in it, a leather coat,  and two potions. "These ones do all sorts of things," Adiel explains to the group. "Although I'm not sure exactly what yet. One wand casts a summoning spell, like the kind I think Holly uses to summon her bear friend, and the other casts some kind of enchantment over the mind. The leather coat is fairly powerful, and it has the power to transform people in some way. Maybe it makes the wearer stronger or more skillful. One of the potions will transform the user, and I think the other one will enchant them."

The fifth pile consists entirely of a blue dress and a purple dress. "I'm not sure about either of these," Adiel admits. "But the purple one has a compulsion on it. I wouldn't suggest trying it on until I know more."

After giving the group a tour of what he has learned, Adiel uncorks both potions and sniffs them, checking for any familiar scent. "I know a spell to get more details about what an item does, but the magic burns up a gemstone every single time. I want to be careful before deciding to do that, especially since you're planning to sell much of this for the Tome of Legends."

OOC:
15:31, Today: Adiel rolled 26 using 1d20+14. Identify Potion (Transmutation Aura).
15:31, Today: Adiel rolled 30 using 1d20+14. Identify Potion (Enchantment Aura).

Adiel sniffs and tastes the potions.

I have updated the cart item to reflect your new knowledge about which items are magical.

"That explains why the stuff was in such a good shape, compared to much of the rest", Sunna states and glances at the piles Adiel made, still impressed by his song.
"What kind of gemstone does the spell need? Not that we have any gemstones to burn, I'm just curious.

The painting is... interesting in a way. I just hope it's just odd and not dangerous. But it feels like there's a story behind it."


During the trip Sunna would also like to look at the other four books they took from the tower. Maybe one of them contains some history or interesting stories?

Holly has already looked over 2 of the books, so Sunna starts on the 3rd.  It is not encouraging.  The formatting shifts and changes several times a page and words are thrown together in sometimes non-sensical ways.  From time to time Sunna comes across a short passage that could border on profound were it not surrounded by so much gobbledygook.  You don't hold out much hope of this book being valuable.

The next book is written in mysterious magical writing, similar to a scroll.  The first 13 pages of the book are used while the rest of the pages are blank.

Ah ha!  Now we're getting somewhere.  The fifth book is a long work of entertaining fiction.  The epic begins with a young lady taking a solo journey into a magic forest to make good on a wish.  Meanwhile a young man plagued by nightmares in which he commits violent acts wakes up to find the rest of his warparty has either abandoned him or mysteriously disappeared.  As the story shifts back to the magical forest you set the book aside.  It's good reading, but you do have one more book to look at.

The last book is full of short children's fairytales and colorful illustrations.  You read about a servant who brings the king a covered silver platter every day.  He grows very curious and one day takes a peek to find an albino snake coiled under the dome.  The servant takes a small bite and discovers he can now speak to and understand the animals.  The servant travels the countryside helping animals in need. Each time the grateful animal says "I will remember and return the favor".  When the king's gorgeous daughter is to be married, he requires suitors to complete three life or death tasks.  With various animals' help the servant completes all three and marries the beautiful princess.  In the end the princess is unhappy being married to a lowly servant and the servant is unhappy because he can no longer bring himself to eat his favorite dishes and must subsist on a bland vegetarian diet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:40, Mon 23 Mar 2015.

In the morning you press on south to Kammarra.  Glumr's cough is getting worse.  He was coughing during the night, but not so much as to keep people from sleeping.  You are all (except Adiel and Erma) pretty exhausted.  As you ride along Glumr reports that his joints are aching and swelling and he complains about the taste of the grit he coughs up.  The coughing expels barely visible clouds with a vague greenish tint.

21:51, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Glumr, rolled 1 using 1d4. CON damage.
21:51, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Glumr, rolled 1 using 1d4. DEX damage.

It's mid afternoon when you ride into the Ferisedan fishing village on Loch Grmikel.  You're running dangerously low on food, especially since Erma has been sampling what's left of your rations.  It would be wise to buy food here.  This is a great time of year for fresh fruit.  Local orchards tenders are also just drying the walnuts and black walnuts.  There's as much of the those treats as you care to buy.  Kammarra also has a year round selection of fresh, salted, or smoked fish available.  The late summer batch of Pete's Tremendous (beer) is available, and they can sell you as much hard, unremarkable bread as you'd like.

You can all feast and drink for the night for 50sp.  Staying in the common hall is free.  Bears are not allowed in town or near the stables (but you can bring food out to her unless you want a grumpy bear tomorrow.)

Basic food for the road will run you 5sp per pound,
or you could splurg on the fresh goodies for 12sp per pound.

Your party goes through about 7 pounds of food a day now, and the trip to Crim will take about 3 days even with some delays built in.  You'll be able to get food provisioned to you free once in Crim.

Once in Lock Grmikel, Holly pulls Glumr aside and insists he gives her a chance to properly examine him, now it is obvious that he is not getting any better. Taking a clean cloth, Holly makes Glumr gurgle some water before spitting it into the cloth so Holly can check for any unusual spores or colouration to the spittle. Holly then gets Glumr to take in some deep breaths as she places her ear against his chest to see if she can hear any restriction in his breathing. Holly then gets Glumr to open his mouth wide and she looks inside to see if there are any inflammations she can see. Taking what she finds, Holly tries to work out what is making Glumr sicker, and what she can do for him.

[OOC - Skill Check (HEAL).
Holly rolled 23 using 1d20+11. Holly Heal check on Glumr. ]

Holly examines Glumr.  She feels she can get him back to full health if he'll rest for 2 or 3 days - no travel, no drinking, certainly no combat, just a few days of bed rest and herbal treatments.  She'll need to make a trip out to the wilds too.

If Glumr accepts treatment and rests, he can use Holly Heal roll if in place of his saving throw (including this 23).  Two successful days of saving throws in a row will cure the infection.

In the meantime, Adiel, Sunna, and Holly must make FORT saves (DC 14)

12:31, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Farden, rolled 23 using 1d20+4. FORT save.

After sampling the potions, Adiel smiles. "I recognize these! One essentially makes you weightless, and gives you the power to float through the air for a short time. The other potion enchants you with great courage."

During stopping points during the journey, Adiel pulls out a small lens and examines some of the jewels in the amongst the treasure, deciding whether to recommend using some of them to identify the magic items, especially the two mysterious dresses. (He doesn't want to use the Avaldamon Jewels for a spell if he can avoid it.)

He then begins pouring through the books, especially fascinated by the book on the spirit realm, the insane-sounding book, and the book of magical writing. He tries to apply his knowledge of language to the insane-sounding book, even though it could just be a product of Kelney Sowell's madness, and then he sings a strange, slightly jarring melody as he reads the book of magical writing, casting Read Magic. (To Adiel, it looks sort of like a bunch of scrolls put together in a single book. What an odd idea. Perhaps the enchantress used it as a template to help her write scrolls more easily.)

Once the group arrives in Loch Grmikel, Adiel offers to buy the group an evening feast, to celebrate their surviving the tower. "What you've done is unprecedented, and you've earned a pleasant evening," he says.

OOC:
Decipher Script - Adiel has a +10, but the usual rule is for the GM to roll Decipher Script checks in secret, I think.
Appraise - Adiel has a +7 for Appraise checks on small and detailed items. Can he take ten and recognize the worth of any gem with a DC of 17 or less? He's looking for gems worth about 100 gold.
10:48, Today: Adiel rolled 12 using 1d20+2. Fortitude Save.

When the party makes it to the edges of civilization Erma decides that things were 'too' civil for her taste and she turns abruptly and wanders into the woods.

A few days to nap on and off, and shake off the last of the hibernation sleep would do her good.  She was probably going to have to munch on leaves or something till she was alert enough to kill something.

She was going to be all fur and bones at this rate, but that was the way it always was after hibernation.  Maybe Holly would remember to bring her a nice rainbow trout or some salmon... or sumtin...

Erma licks her chops and snoozes, dreaming of fish.

Glumr feels a couple days of rest is needed if he's going to continue on the next leg of this journey.  He's much appreciated of Holly's healing as he is really starting to worry about his cough.

"I need to stay here and rest for a couple days.  This town is safe and we can rest comfortably."  Glumr says to his friends.   "We should put our... um goods from the island somewhere safe and keep an eye on them while we are here.   Once I'm feeling better, we should push on to Crim."

Glumr takes Holly's healing roll as Day 1 of rest/healing

When they have a bit of privacy, Glumr brings up the point of treasures.

"We brought back all these items.  We should decide if there is anything we want to keep before we try to sell and trade for gold pieces.  After finding my arrows to be useless against the corpses we fought on the island, I think I'd like to trade out my scimitar for a mace, use that buckler.  I like the leather coat too, it would be an improvement to my leathers and cloak.   Is there anything anyone else had their eye on?"

{mourns that there is no fish in the treasure to claim.}

Adiel reads books.

The book on the spirit realm is very interesting and enlightening.  However, it's your understanding that only an enchantress can do the things written about in the book.  It's a shame.  You'd love to learn it.  Part of the process involves finding a spirit and bribing it to return with you to be bound into and object.  Evidently this bribe comes partly from a singular valuable real world item and partly from the enchantress' own life force.  It's quite a sacrifice.  Luckily enchantresses are very charming and persuasive negotiators.  Kelney was one of the best, if not the best ever.  Her silver tongue talked down the price dramatically.

The insane rantings are much less impressive.  As legendary as her charm and powers were, Kelney was no genius.  There is little depth in the bits a pieces that make any sense.  Her few insights are pedestrian.  You pick out mundane angst, vanity, and heavy doses of megalomania.  There is also a lot of fury, sadness, and frustration.  Kelney clearly did not handle even the slightest frustration well.  As you would expect there's a lot in here that flat out doesn't make any sense.


The party enjoys a small feast and many rounds of beer.  (Please mark off 50sp, Adiel.)  Sunna sneaks a beer out to Glumr and Holly sneaks a few fish out to Erma.  Farden even leaves the cart unguarded for a while to join in on the fun.  Though the party is *still* badly wounded, they forget their woes and carouse with their new found adventuring friend and a few random travelers and locals.  They're rich!  It's just a minor formality before they're in possession of The Tome of Legends too!

On the topic of being rich, Glumr, with nothing better to do while resting, counts through the 4 buckets of coins the next day.  There are 23500sp, 250gp, and 70cp.  Naturally, none of them are the newly minted Ferisedan coins.

I have added the coins to the party's treasury.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:21, Tue 24 Mar 2015.

Since they have to rest anyway - which Sunna is glad of - the bard takes the chance to read the book with the epic tale in it.

OOC: Sunna rolled 8 using 1d20. fort save.
Yikes!

Holly enjoyed the drinks and the chance to relax, whilst keeping an eye on Glumr and ensuring Farden doesn't miss out on some fun. With Sunna and Adiel providing the entertainment, Holly is content.

[Holly rolled 21 using 1d20+5. Holly Fort save.]

The tale of epic fiction is entertaining.  Right now it feels like two different, unrelated stories that are taking place in the same general place at the same general time.  Strange way to tell a story, hopping back and forth.  You also feel that too many unbelievable things have happened.  That's not such a bad thing for a story.  It makes it different from accounts of real events.

You think about how you would present this story.  It might be good to tell one piece of it every night after setting up camp.  Like the book, you could switch between the girl's story one night and the boy's story the next.  You think about asking your cousins if they'd like you to do that, but it's probably a good idea to finish reading the book yourself first, so you know how the story ends, and how to improve the telling.

Holly easily finds the herbs she's looking for and brings them back for Glumr to smoke.

"Of course!  Many healthful puffs of the leaf.  Why didn't I think of that?" exclaims Glumr.  This treatment is a lot better than being half drowned in the chest by Tibalt's medicine.

By the second night of sleep in Kammarra, Glumr and Sunna have recovered all of their HP, but Holly and Farden are still wounded.

Please let me know your updated HP for 5th level.  Sunna, please let me know both your CON 8 and CON 12 level 5 HP.

I need a DC16 FORT save roll from Glumr and a another Heal skill roll from Holly.

I also need a DC14 FORT saves from Holly still.

Please ignore my second set of DEX and CON damage rolls for Glumr.

Holly, would you like to try any magical treatments on Glumr or magical healing on yourself or Farden?  It might all take care of itself naturally without magic eventually anyhow.

Holly enjoyed her time away in the wilds, but was appreciative that Obad-hai was with her as she quickly found the herbs she felt would help Glumr. Having Moonlight beside her also made her day go well.

Returning to the others, Holly realises she has neglected herself and Farden, and calls upon the healing aspect of Obad-hai to provide them with healing energy to remove that last of the signs of their time fighting on the island. Checking on everyone else, Holly is relatively happy they have come through this all successfully.


[Holly rolled 16 using 1d20+11. Holly - Heal Check 2.
I assume you want Sunna to re-roll a FORT check, as I passed and Sunna failed...]

My bad.  I missed Holly's successful FORT save.  You're all set now, Sunna included.

The herbs Holly brought tingle in Glumr's chest when he smokes them... It seems to change his cough a bit, causing him to feel like he's actually coughing out the thick feeling of goo in chest.

When Holly's not looking, Glumr mixes a bit of his sweet leaf into the herbs as he's not really been somewhere safe enough to enjoy the smoke.

Combination of rest and the herbs has him feeling much better than he did when they landed ashore. He wonders if there is any of that tasty ale left to enjoy on what feels like a relaxing day of rest.

Glumr rolled 19 using 1d20+4. Fort Save - Smoking Herbs (Healing Kind).

"Your knowledge of nature always amazes me Cousin, which says a lot as you know.  I appreciate your help clearing my lungs.  My thanks to you, and Obad-hai and Ehlonna, for your help and the healing of the herbs.  I'm starting to feel like we should think about starting on the next stretch of travel."  Glumr says to Holly.

After two days of rest, recovery, medicine, and a little magic your all feeling better.  It's time to head for Crim.

Before you leave someone needs to make a call on food.  First off - two days, 5 people, 5sp per day = 50sp which I've deducted from the party funds.  Now, how much do you want to buy for your trip to Crim?



How many pounds of food and what quality are you going to buy before leaving Kammarra?


In the morning you ride off west through the dry grasslands towards Crim.  The weather is very pleasant for traveling.  There's still a hint of summer heat, but it's not oppressive.  Instead it's tempered by a light breeze.  Around noon there's a short rain shower.  The skies clear quickly and the ground soaks up the water without getting muddy.

About an hour before sundown both Sunna and Adiel begin to cough.  It looks like Glumr's spore cough has spread.

00:54, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Adiel, rolled 2 using 1d4. CON damage.
00:54, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Adiel, rolled 3 using 1d4. DEX damage.
00:53, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Sunna, rolled 4 using 1d4. CON damage.
00:53, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Sunna, rolled 2 using 1d4. DEX damage.

Soon both are complaining of aching joints.  Sunna's condition deteriorates quickly.  First it was just the cough and pain in her joints, then tingling and numbness in the feet and hands.  Now she can not feel her fingers at all.  (She's down to 4 CON, and will *die* at 0.)  Adiel isn't in as serious danger, but his muscles are cramping in addition to the joint pain.  You decide to stop early, treat Sunna and Adiel, and set up camp.

Sunna votes for fresh provisions for all for the first two days and two additional days of basic food.

When she starts to feel strange Sunna anxiously feels and listens for her heartbeat. She's not entirely certain that it's "only" the cough Glumr had, even when Holly says so, and is unusually quiet.

Adiel is uncomfortable and becomes a bit irritable. He is aware that he is acting irrationally, but doesn't have the wisdom to know how to make himself feel better. He walks around the campsite, trying to read and not getting very much out of it, and mumbling under his breath about his aching joints and how annoying contagious diseases are.

It occurs to Adiel to make sure the most valuable items, especially Avaldamon's Jewels, are not visible, especially while the group is in Ferisedan territory. Travelling with an open cart of treasure is unsafe; travelling with an incredibly valuable cultural artifact is asking for trouble.

I assume that you keep a blanket and/or tarp over all the cart stuff.  Partly to conceal it and partly to keep rain from damaging certain items.

You spend another 238sp on food for the trip.  This stuff ain't cheap, is it?  You sure are glad the Triplefang outfit your journeys for free.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:52, Sun 29 Mar 2015.

(Forages for food around the edges of town ... nutting but nuts and berries... ugh... I feel like a squirrel.   The indignities i suffer for the Triple Fangs.)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:24, Sun 29 Mar 2015.

After the third futile attempt to get the flute from her belt into her hands Sunna slumps back against the side of the cart again and bites her lips. Could it be that it's not the cough Glumr had but... whatever exactly the spirit did getting worse? There is this cough and Adiel has it, too, so it's these spores, right?

Things seem to have stalled out here.  What's the plan?  Stop and rest for a couple of days with medical attention?  Press on and hope Adiel and Sunna recover naturally and Sunna doesn't die before you reach Crim?  Magical goodness?

Resting with medical attention sounds great!

The harpers spend a day resting and trying to recover.  You're happy that you bought a little extra food for this trip and you're hoping to kick the spore cough as quickly as Glumr did.  It's pretty miserable.  There's aches and stiffness throughout your body as well the awful taste of what you cough up.  You'll be glad to feel normal again.

I need FORT saves (DC14) from Adiel and sunna, and a Healing skill roll from Holly.

Erma spends a few days being miserable waiting for the Triple Fang to come out and decides that one of the downsides to being a Bear was all the calories you need to take int to maintain your body weight.  She was going to be fur and bones at this rate.  The Fangs were also taking a long time to come out of their caves.  It was time to go see what was taking them so long.

Erma prowls carefully through town.  She's leery, there was a lot of human in there, an while Erma wouldnt go quietly, she was certain the could do her a lot of harm if motivated.  She sniffs the air, but her human senses sucked.  What little she had of her senses was lost the moment she took this form.

Everything was brighter... more colorful, making everything a distraction to her and making her skittish.  Forcing herself to calm she focuses.  They were triplefang, how hard could they be to find?

---

Eventually, an woman, with long Auburn hair, that looked to be in desparate need of a combing comes upon the triplefang.  She looked like she might have been Triplefang Kin, she had the barbaric look down pat.  A long wild red man of hair, and strategic placement of furs and soft hides clad her body.

"Holl~ly..?", she comments looking at Holly.  Her voice was deep and husky, perhaps as if the woman was in need of a drink.

"Sorry my cough has made everyone else have a cough.  Hopefully you will feel better as quick as I did" Glumr says apologetically to Adiel and Sunna.  He feels bad that they are ill from his cough.

---

While tending to gear, Glumr is startled when this woman comes into camp.  He keeps his eyes on her to see if she makes any hostile moves.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

Erma keeps an eye on Glumr with her peripheral vision.  She made an effort to keep an eye on all of them.  Humans were wild... unpredictable and killed their own.  The Triple Fang themselves seemed to have a knack for havoc and mayhem.  She knew very well that 'looking' like them was no guarantee of safety.

Adiel grunts and finally sits down to rest a little. He feels fifty years older, with his joints so stiff. Never mind that he'll probably be dead in fifty years.

13:06, Today: Adiel rolled 15 using 1d20+2. Fortitude Save.
Edit: Should be 14 due to Con damage
This message was last edited by the player at 06:51, Sat 04 Apr 2015.

Sunna looks over to Glumr and tries a smile, hoping that he's right.

19:15, Yesterday: Sunna rolled 13 using 1d20. fort save
it's only 11 since I forgot the additional -2 due to CON damage...

Holly felt the stress building as she noticed the others going down with the same cough Glumr had had. Holly contemplated trying to find enough herbal medicine for everyone, but knew she was putting the others into danger just for a chance to prove her worth again. Instead, Holly knew she would need to call upon Obad-Hai's help, and that would require a nights sleep. That would mean convincing the others to stop over, which seemed likely. Moving to each in turn Holly checks them quickly, and then suggest they make camp for rest of the day.

Holly calls in Moonlight, and takes him aside, talking with him before sending him running off. Returning to the others, Holly tells them she has asked Moonlight to find some help, and that she would call upon Obad-Hai's powers in the morning. Quickly settling the others in to rest, she checked on GLumr and then asked him to go hunting to feed Erma and the others. "Keep safe cousin", Holly says as she goes back to her patients.

---

Holly is slightly startled when she hears her name, and turns to see the redheaded woman, and nods, "I am Holly. How can I help you?", Holly says, whilst moving to and picking up her waterskin to offer that and some of the bread the group had carried with them.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:38, Wed 08 Apr 2015.

Though the appearance of the red haired woman is somewhat surprising Sunna doesn't feel like introducing herself right now. Besides, it seems that the woman knows Holly. Maybe Holly will explain later. Sunna closes her eyes and tries to relax a bit.

Sunna and Adiel rest.  Sunna is doing poorly, so Holly gives her the rest of the gathered herbs to smoke.  That seems to help, but both patients are still suffering from the spore cough.

12:27, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Holly, rolled 16 using 1d20+11. Healing skill.

No stat damage for either character today.  Both recover 2 stat points from the treated rest.  Magical help coming after Holly's prayers.

"Tymmme fooor C~C...", Erma clears her throat and tries again, "C~uh~bub."

Erma pauses not quite sure of the word she's looking for, or how to pronounce it.  Frustrated she starts to work a quick spell.

---

Spoiler for Spell being cast: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
{Erma starts to cast a Speak Human Spell}

---

Adiel starts to feel a bit better. He looks up with interest at the newcomer, and reflexively attempts to identify what sort of magic she's using. Once he's satisfied that it's harmless, he lays his head back down to listen to their conversation from a distance.

15:23, Today: Adiel rolled 27 using 1d20+14. Spellcraft.

Relieved that the herbs finally seem to help Sunna stops listening for her heartbeat every few minutes. Still, she won't object against resting a day longer or two. Carefully she tries to move her fingers and sighs in frustration as the feeling has not yet returned, at least not the way she knows.

Erma works her spell and moves her jaw around a little experimentally before looking at Holly to try again.

"Come along cub.

 Time for lessons, and you wont be learning it here with your cousins.", Erma smiles pleased with herself.  It was nice to be able to articulate.

Fingers bruch at on either side of her mouth, they muscles felt weak, but much more flexible and pliable than her usual maw.  Not so good for gnawing on bones, but maybe not without merit.

Eyes flick to Holly to see if she's coming or not, and at the other cousins to see if they have a problem with that.

Holly stands there for a moment, wondering what the woman could mean, before realising that Erma was no longer in the camp and thinking back on how Erma had first appeared, Holly grew very suspicious. "I won't be long cousins", before setting off with the woman. When they were away from the camp, Holly asks a simple question, "Erma?"

There interaction between Erma and Holly is very important, but it could also take a long time to resolve.  Since that would hold up play for everyone I'd like to move it to the In character side conversations posting.

I'm going to assume that Holly uses one of her newfound abilities to cure Sunna and Adiel of the spore cough with two castings of Remove Disease that evening after her prayers.  She can also use several castings of Lesser Restoration to aid their speedy recovery from their stat damage.  Mighty magics!


You enjoy the last of your delectable fresh treats that evening and morale is high once again.

The next day you break camp and continue towards Crim.  Just after noon you see a mounted warrior, a riderless horse, and a man on foot traveling together in the distance.  The mounted warrior charges forward upon spotting you and shouts out a joyful greeting.  It's Mord!  Moonlight gallops along side, and eventually the man on foot joins you too.  It's Harj, Tora's healer.

Sunna is really glad that Holly was able to help her recover and so quickly. Though there is still that lingering feebleness she feels a lot better now. "Thank you, cousin. And thanks to Obad-Hai as well."

When the two men approach the group she raises a hand in greeting and smiles.
"Greetings, Mord and Harj. What brings you here?"
Wasn't Mord supposed to be with Toras group? And Harj, too? The bard is curious about the reasons for them coming here. Not that she knows them both overly well, but she remembers that Mord had traveled with at least some of the others for a while.

Holly beamed a smile as she saw it was Mord, and stopped herself from rushing forward. "Cousins, it is good to see you again. Where are you off to?", Holly asked at the same time as Sunna, and wondered what other surprise the day might bring.

Mord, however, was not a man content to bandy words like some civilized city member.  The Triplefang's connection with the changing world of the merchants had served them well enough, but the world would change to the Triplefang as well, not just one way.

The mighty barbarian scarce had allowed his mount to stop before leaping enthusiastically from saddle to gather up Holly in one arm and Sunna in the other - helpfully sheltering them from the dust cloud of his rushed arrival.

"Cousins!" he boomed exuberantly as he squeezed just shy of painful in the embrace.  "The Father of All indeed smiles on us.  I have been sorely tasked waiting back at the inn for something to happen.  Anything.  A mighty warrior like Mord needs challenge, not staring at the trees.  There's nothing left to challenge me, the goblins are broken from our campaign, nothing to tumble, and I was at risk of being... bored.  Horrible."  The energetic warrior grinned openly at his kin.

"Hey now, what is this?  Have you turned merchant on me, with all these wagonned goods?  I had thought you were going about adventuring?"

Harj stands back quietly waiting for the dust to settle, literally and figuratively.

Holly gives in to Mord's enthusiasm and gives him a big hug in response to his wrapping up both herself and Sunna. She takes a deep breath in, inhaling her cousins strong odour of long travelling and hard exercise, but the smell was welcoming like an old friend. In answer to Mord's question about the cart, Holly quickly says, "Lots of dried food I'm afraid, with a couple of things we picked up along the way" Looking over towards Erma at this point, Holly adds, "Including Erma. A friend of mine who recently joined us. Of course you remember Glumr, and this is a friend of Sunna's by the name of Adiel, a fellow follower of the same path as Sunna I believe, and of course Farden, who has been doing a very good job of protecting me since you decided to desert me and Snow to the perils of a weary path. Have you seen Snow recently? We haven't been back for a while. Do you still have her cloak?!" Holly realised she was rattling on, so clamped her mouth shut so Mord could at least reply to some of her questions.

Holly hoped the others picked up on her desire to keep quiet about the treasure until later.

Mord gave another solid hug and released the pair.  Gesturing with the thumb towards the mount and its saddlebags, Mord nodded distractedly.  "Of course.  Needed the breeze to cool me down - with great thews comes great heat, when you're running a horse hard to give it a stretch.  Too much time in the inn was not doing either of us good, and I didn't want that thing to try and waddle when I needed a furious charge."

Erma doesnt look at all talkative, she was literally talked out for the day.  It was obvious she was going to have to be here for a while.  She was just going to have to make the most of it.  She rubs her tummy thoughtful.

This furless thing was going to take getting use to. How do they not freeze to death being this bald all over their body?  Was it no wonder they stole the pelts from other animals?

About the only thing going for the body, was that it didnt seem to get as hungry... and... thumbs....?

Erma looks down at her hands and flexes her thumbs.

'I really dont see what the big deal is ... '
This message was last edited by the player at 19:51, Tue 14 Apr 2015.

"So tell me of your great triumphs.  Did you slaughter goblins by the hundreds?  Tear down a castle tower to find the truest blade within? Travel into dungeons or ruins?"  Mord thumped shoulders in greetings to the others, clasping arms where appropriate.

"Didn't sound as much fun as killing goblins, but even they didn't have the good courage to stand up to us long enough to make it a good beating.  The only thing they did right was delay me long enough that I missed you when you passed through last week.  One more thing to rebuke them about next time."

Turning to regard Erma, Mord added a touch of strength to his voice.  "Where'd you find the red-head?  I don't recall her from any of the clan gatherings, and she doesn't talk much, but she has a strong spirit in her eyes.  I like that."

"Mord, this is Erma. A friend of mine, and therefore yours." Holly answers, not knowing whether Erma wanted everyone, including Harj, to know everything now. So Holly simply allowed Erma to decide who she introduced herself to.

Erma grunts in Mord's general direction, and 'politely' grasps arms with this mountain of a man.  She had no fear of fleshy dangers.  Grasping hands, she would match his clasp with equal force, and would allow no human thing to cow her.

"eerrrrggg.... maaaah", she grumbles in a hoarse voice.  She was still working on how her tongue worked, and the nuances of her jaw and how to make sounds was totally different from the gaping maw that was capable of snapping bone.


]

"Oh, sorry Erma. I promised you a tonic for that sore throat. Once Mord has said his goodbye's I will set a fire and sort it out. It sounds really rough at the moment, but I am sure Mord is used to rough voices in the camp he has been spending his time in! Harj, where are you two off to this time? We have just come up from Vanguard Jurgen Ferisedan and his Harix raiders on the coast" Holly tried to cover up Erma's slow progress in learning to speak, aware it took children many months to work out all of the sounds used.

Adiel is excited to get back on the road, and he is very grateful for Holly's healing magic. As they travel, he sings a high melody about adventure and discovery, clearly in a better mood now. He notices Erma flexing her thumbs, and makes a mental note to show her some of the advantages of being human. Like sword-fighting. And books. And building things.

He greets Mord with a smile. "It's good to meet you, cousin." Adiel has nothing more to say, for now, waiting to learn Mord's and Harj's purpose. He dislikes speaking in ignorance.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:38, Wed 15 Apr 2015.

Morg grinned at Erma's strong return of his arm claspe, the slow speech, and rough throat - "A good warrior reply.  Throat a bit rough from drink and singing, heh?  I'm liking you all the more, lass.

"Adiel!  To you as well, cousin!  Still singing on key, despite my best hopes for you," A deep chuckle joined the greeting to Adiel as well as Mord moved through the crowd, ensuring he greeted everyone.

"Goodbyes?  Not by Obad-Hai's bushy beard!  I've been right idle the last while, and dragging Harj around to get some fresh air and let the stink blow off us, perhaps bully him into sparring with me so I don't rust up like some big-city guardsman.

"I've changed my mind.  With no goblin army to defeat, adventuring seems the choice for me and good Harj here.  Right, Harj?  Course!  So, to what far-off place are we about to venture?" Mord inquired, not having clued in to the fact that he had met his kin so close to the city from which he found himself needing escape...

"I have reached my destination as beckoned by a horse." Harj answers succinctly.

Tora's healer is a quiet, still, young man who wears no armor and strange sleeveless robes (except during the cold of winter).  He's tall (though he doesn't look it standing next to Mord) and quite handsome.  Mord holds him in high regard for restoring the warband to fighting health after tough battles.  Holly and Glumr respect him for his deep knowledge of religion.  Evidently, Moonlight respects him for some reason too.

"I will be glad to have you back cousin!" Holly says, finding the prospect a nice one of having Mord back with them.

Holly looks rather quizzically at Moonlight, before accepting her friends choice and stepping forward to run her hand over the horses nose. "It seems Moonlight had more sense than me. Welcome Harj, we have some talking to do, and then I suspect you will be travelling on."

Holly calls Glumr forward and says, "We have been in the Tower of Sewell, and our cousin here caught a lung full of spores. It hit him bad, and I managed to help him with a few herbs he smoked. Did the trick, but not before Sunna and Adiel both went down with the same symptoms. My problem is, I have cured them, but we probably left Jurgen and the Harix raiders with it. I can't go back, so I asked Moonlight to find someone who could help. Thankfully he found you Harj. I think the Harix priests methods, which Glumr was forced to try out, might do more harm than good. Would you be willing to help them and stop a potential spreading of this disease?"

Holly went on to explain the herbs she had given to Glumr, and how she had called on Obad-Hai to quicken the recovery of Sunna and Adiel.

Teaching cubs what to do was hard work.

Erma sits down and plucks bits of grass to gnaw on... not as good as Salmon... or even Trout... but bear's got to eat.

Erma gives Moonlight the 'eye' but decides Holly would take it badly if she snacked on the horse.

Holly explains the effects of the Spore Cough to Harj and lists the herbs she used in the smoking treatment.  Harj is a skilled herbalist and sees the wisdom and efficacy of the treatment.  He's glad to add another technique to his repertoire.  Moonlight has chosen well.

"I will go to Kammarra and to this temple.  I will treat those in most dire need and let the spores run their course in the others, thus maintaining the balance of nature,"  Harj says matter-of-factly.  "Please tell Tora my return will not be in the coming weeks."

Intentionally leaving some people to suffer untreated in the name of 'the balance of nature'?  That sounds like typical Druid cruelty to the ears of most.

Sunna takes a deep breath once Mord releases her from the hug, then grins broadly.
"Glad to have you here, cousin. I'm sorry that there's no new tale of killing hundreds of goblins. But there was a tower involved and several dangers within. Since you're planning to travel with us, there will be enough time to tell that story."

She regards Harj with a strange look as he mentions leaving people untreated, glances over at Holly and then shrugs inwardly. Druids have their reasons, strange as they seem to everyone else. Maybe there'll be time to talk about this balance of nature later.

Adiel nods as Harj explains his intentions. If it were up to him, he would probably cure everyone, but that has never been Obad-Hai's way. It's possible that Harj, following the way of Obad-Hai, would leave people stronger for the experience of being ill. It didn't sound as if he would let children or pregnant women die of it, at least. A valuable lesson to learn from those who followed the way of balance.

The bardic sage looks around at the group, attempting to assess their strengths and weakness. "For the moment," he says, "We'll need to continue our journey north." The group needs to sell enough of their magical items to return to the Proctor and buy the Tome of Legends.

"Thank you Harj, we will let Tora know." Holly says, relaxing a little for the first time in a few days since her concerns were first there. Holly knew what Harj meant about letting the balance remain balanced, as she had let that lead her in the treatment of the others. At least there small suffering had helped the greater good, even though her methods might seem a little cold hearted or harsh to her cousins.

"Right, whilst we let Mord's horse rest from its abuse", Holly raises her eyebrow to Mord with that, "I will take some time with Moonlight. Be back soon."

Before the eyes of her cousins, Holly relaxes her mind and moves into the state Erma had taught her and found herself seeing the world around her from a completely different view. The scents of the grasses and flowers came better to her, and he vision was enhanced. Letting out a snicker to challenge Moonlight to a run, the horse version of Holly, newly transformed into a four legged silver coated mare, ran off into the grasses. Moonlight quickly followed and overtook Holly.

[OOC - This is the first time Holly has transformed in front of her cousins...]

Erma gets up and isnt impressed.  Holly doesnt look anything like a bear.  Terrible.  She's learned nothing it seems.

"We... go...?", Erma was getting better.  It was slow and halting, but actually not terrible.  Their was a vague accent, that these days, might have sound like a Russian speaking English, but she was at least more understandable.

Harj nods to you all and departs east toward Kammarra.

Holly promptly turns into a horse (!!!) and runs off with moonlight.

Erma asks if the party is ready to leave, but Adiel has other ideas.

"Better to look over the items from the tower here than in the relative public of Crim," he says "We've got a while before Holly returns.  Might as well put it to good use."

Adiel climbs up onto the cart and starts looking over items one by one.  He has a strange eyepiece for examining small items and fine details.  You've seen him use it when looking at Avaldamon's jewels.

"Just a bunch of dried food, huh?" Mord comments teasingly, referring to Holly's earlier deflection his question about the cart's contents.  There is all manner of strange loot as well as buckets of silver on the cart.  Food appears to be the least of it.  (See the What's on the cart? post for more info.) Mord sees the lantern, torches, and half gallon containers of oil he bought from Ironbottom over half a year ago on just the party's second adventure together.  (All the way back in msg #225 of Chapter 02)

"I see you still have all that oil I ran across the lands carrying!"  He adds with a hearty laugh.

It takes Adiel nearly half an hour to look over all the loot and try to assess a value to each item.  Holly returns before he finishes.  Furthermore, he pulls the creepy magical painting of the riders out.  He pulverizes a gemstone into powder and plays some sort of magical song.

(Anyone with Spellcraft may make a DC16 roll to determine what spell Adiel is casting)

"As I thought," says Adiel, after casting his spell. "The painting is cursed. It might even have contributed to Kelney's descent into madness, although it's hard to be sure. It's been dulling our minds and bodies, ever so slightly."

He starts working on starting a fire, with the easy effort of someone with a fair amount of experience living in the wild.

"I think our best option is to burn it."

OOC: Doing anything within sight of the painting takes a -1 penalty.

"By Obad.." Mord's expletive was half-swallowed as the druid talk, followed by Holly's change to the horse form she had such a bond with her horse - they were just beasts made for riding, but he had never wished to hurt her girlish bond with the beasts - but could the gods have placed such a strange magick upon her? Perhaps as reward for her good heart?  The bards liked to tell such tales, after all.

That certainly was new. While being used to seeing Holly set off with Moonlight seeing her change shape was a wholly different matter. Sunna watches the two horses running away for several more moments before turning back to the others.
"Well...", she says, feeling a bit out of words right now, "I guess we'll have to wait until they return."

The mentioning of the painting being cursed does come as another surprise and Sunna quickly helps Adiel building a fire. There is no need to experience what kind of curse it is that already has begun working its way on everyone.

16:05, Today: Sunna rolled 9 using 1d20+7. Spellcraft .
Actually it's only 8 due to the curse, I guess.

"Was that turning into the horse caused by the painting?  Or one of the other items you found out in this adventuring?  It is a strange magick.  It seems you have found many strangeness - stacks of silver, sicknesses that spread so widely, cursed paintings, spells turning people into horses."

The warrior paused, chewing mentally on this.

"I do hope there's still opportunity in all this strangeness to slaughter any pesky goblins we come across.  This adventuring sounds a busy business."  Mord let out a mighty chuckle.

Adiel shakes his head. "She didn't use an item. I've never seen a transformation like that before, but druids are secretive, and Holly seems to be becoming more powerful than I had heard, even without the Tome of Legends. Summoning Erma, curing disease, turning into a horse... I wonder what else she can do."

"I agree with Adiel, the transformation had nothing to do with the painting. Or other items, as far as I could tell. Maybe it is something druids are able to do at some point." Sunna glances over to Erma, wondering if she had had something to do with it somehow.

The magic show isn't yet done for the day.

Once the fire gets going and the cursed painting is crackling its way towards destruction, Adiel plays a simple, repetitive, somewhat orchestral magic song (Spellcraft DC15 if you're curious).  Dozens of colorless bubbles appear.  They float in the air, bobbing up and down to the music.  Adiel sets out old tarnished silver tableware in a circle.  The dancing bubbles cover the surface of the items one at a time, rubbing away the tarnish and leaving a clean, but unpolished silver finish on the cups, bowls, and saucers.  As an item has been cleaned he plucks it from the circle and replaces it with a dirty one.  When the silver cleaning nears completion he opens 8 bottles a pours out the strong smelling contents.  He places the bottles in the circle to be cleaned too.

You've met up the Mord, conducted business with Harj, had some lunch, appraised most of the loot, destroyed a cursed painting, and even "washed the dishes".  It's time to get back to traveling.  Where to?  Reynaud's cottage?  Crim to speak to Tora?  Skip Crim and head directly to Silvergate, Volge, or Goldenpoint?

"If none of you want to use the magical maces or flail that you found, we could try selling them to Tora or Todrick in Crim. I expect that one of them might buy the Potion of Heroism, as well," suggests Adiel. "And there's still the choice of what to do with Avaldamon's Jewels. I lean towards returning them to the Ferisedan, cultural treasure that they are."

Erma was tired of being cold, and the Fangs seemed content to camp out for the night.  If she was going to be calling it a night, she might as well get herself good and comfortable, which to Erma meant Bearing out.   Somewhere along the way, when no one was paying too much attention, she kneels down on all fours, and starts to bulk out and get furry.

A few moments later Erma settles down to nap, the only thing thats going to wake her is the smell of food cooking, a fight breaking out, or someone stupid enough to wake a sleeping bear.

Mord let out a bellow at seeing the bear nearby, having missed the transition from Erma to beast of the woods.  "Hey now, no nosing about our foods, little bear.  Watch the horses and your fingers, cousins!"

The barbarian warrior quickly slid free a gigantic over-sized axe from its loops on the far side of his mount.  Swishing the weapon back and forth to spread his size against such a clearly mindless animal, Mord grunted and "G'ON!" as he tried to encourage the predator away from their apparent camping location, even if it was temporary.

"Seems like the bears like this spot, cousins.  To where are we travelling?  Somewhere far and adventurous I hope!"

Holly steps in quickly when Mord assumes the bear is a predator, gently placing her hand on her cousins arm to settle him. Taking a deep breath, Holly looks over at the others and then back at Mord. "Mord, this is Erma. The red head is also a bear, as I am also able to take the shape of an animal. Both are blessings of Obad-Hai and he means to threat to you, or any of my cousins. Erma prefers her natural form, that of a bear and I prefer my natural form, that of your cousin. Now sit down, and I will tell you what I can."

Holly waits for Mord to stop shooing Erma away, and sits down herself.

"Obad-Hai is calling to me more and more Mord, as the battle calls to you. Erma is a friend come to help me move further into his blessings. This particular blessing allows me to transform for a short while into an animal. This afternoon I didn't know how, but Erma was able to tell me, and I didn't think much when I transformed and ran off with Moonlight. I got a suitable telling off for that, I can tell you. It seems Obad-Hai prefers for that blessing to go un-noticed. Yet if we are all to travel together, I need you all to know. So, I need you to understand Mord, in fact I need all of you to understand that this is not something we should discuss outside of our group here. Which means Sunna and Adiel cannot put it into any tales for a few years at least! Assuming we get the Book of Legends, then perhaps our tales will need telling. Until then, please know I am still safely here, and that I will stay here."

Erma makes a loud roar when Mord looks like he wants to pick a fight.

Translation:  "You want a piece of me!?!"

She calms down when Holly gets in the way though.  Mord jots down a mental memo that Mord tried to kill their spirit guide.  He's going to get a demerit next to his name when she gets back home.

The warrior ceased his activities as the combined message from Holly and non-response/movement from Erma.  This was not to say that he threw away his weapon, for he kept it in hand, but now more relaxing upon it as he kept eye on the bear, even as he discussed with Holly.

"Things were much clearer killing goblins.

"Let me see if I have this right.  My cousin turns into a horse, the feisty red-head is really a bear that likes to walk around as the red-head, and the two of you plan to flit back and forth into these different forms with Obad-Hai's blessing to do it."  Mord scratched beside one ear.  "Who am I to criticize the father of the world.  The world is just so much different than the battlefield.

"Yeah, I think in interests of us moving ahead with a world of magicked tapestries, and bears as women, and women as horses, a little advance warning and updating would be in good planning."

[Erma, that last post part didn't make sense to me]

Erma is speaking 'bear' at the moment, if you had a speak with animal spell, or were a bear, you'd have the translated respone to you pulling an axe on her.

Bad humor on my part, ignore it.

Next stop - go see a talking fox and a floating magical musical eyeball?  (At least Mord has met the wandering minstrel eye.)

I will take that as a "Yes"

Holly nudges Erma to inform her that the party is leaving.  "Come on Erma, only lazy wildcats get to sleep all day."

The party travels onward.  Between to having to stop for a little over a day to treat the Spore Cough and having travel a little slower to accommodate a bear (still faster than a human on foot) You run out of food on the night before arriving at Crim.  You'll be fine, though.  They'll feed you in Crim, but first you stop by Reynard's cottage.

It's quiet and dark there, which is common.  No music, no smoke from the chimney.  You knock on the door a few times, but there's no answer.

Then you hear a yip.  Talita, facing away from you, barks with her head turned back to look at you.  She takes a few hoping steps away from the cabin and yips again looking at you.  You follow her.  You travel vaguely southeast for about 10 minutes before you spot the eye floating above the grass.  When it sees you the magic eyeball plays familiar tune.  :)  Reynard is curled up in a sunny spot in the grass not far away.  He opens one eye.

"So, you've come back for your cursed minstrel," he comments.

Erma does take human form to make travelling easier, she hates it, cause her feet arent used to being so soft, and while she's lighter, she has to put all her weight on two legs which is... different.  She know the Fangs are in a hurry though and she's will to sacrifice her comfort for them.

Besides, she needed practice on this two legged thing, and talking and using thumbs... and so forth.

OOC: Maybe the Triplefang should buy you a horse in Crim.

Adiel opens his mouth, and then shuts it again. Another talking animal? This is... unusual. Or so he once would have thought. How many other animals could speak--gods in disguise, guardian spirits, or simply creatures smarter than humans give them credit for?

"I'm starting to feel like the animals in Triplefang lands have been very, very quiet around me," Mord remarked as the fox spoke in clear words.  "I'm not even... really, cousins?  You couldn't explain all of this at once?  I'm still have uncertain if I'm actually back in Crim, and victim of a drained ale keg, or this strangeness is all a dream.  Bad berries.  It's a good thing I remember our floating minstrel and fox friend, or I'd have gone back to bed and waited for the morning.

"Good to see, or not see, both of you."

"I told you it would be a surprise", Sunna says to Adiel with a grin. "Reynard, Scott, this is Adiel. Adiel, meet Scott and Reynard."

 "Glad to see you both again. I hope everything is alright here? There's a lot we have to tell you, about the tower and its inhabitants." And the Needle, Sunna adds in thought. Something she had not had the mind for until now.

"Scott, Reynard, I would like to introduce some new friends. This is Adiel, a harper, and one normally not lost for words, so thank you for that! And this is Erma." Holly still didn't know how best to introduce Erma, so simply left it to Erma. Over the day Holly had tried to help Erma get used to the changes, walking beside her most of the way and only running off with Moonlight when it seemed Erma needed time alone, or wanted Holly out of the way.

Reynard nods lazily to Adiel and Erma.  He stands up, yawns, and stretches.


Is Erma in bear or human form?


"The spirit tower, flickering in and out of this realm," muses the fox sleepily.  "I'd almost forgotten about it."

Short memory!  You've been gone less than a moon.

"Did you find everything you were after?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:04, Sat 25 Apr 2015.

"Most of it", Sunna replies, "we hoped to find the jewels of Kelney Sowell as well, but weren't able to find them. There were other goods, though, and the Needle." The bard makes a short pause, then takes a deep breath. "It seems as if Kelney and her husband are back now. I don't know how but it seemed as if they were able to leave the tower now. They asked us for directions. I just hope it won't turn out a mistake."

"Asked for directions?"   Reynard perks up at this.  "How very cordial of the dead.  Now I am curious.  What did they want directions to, and what did you tell them?"

Before you can answer he chuckles to himself and says "Lost souls."

"They wanted to know who had all the power, so they could probably influence them. I sent them after an agent of the Empire who sometimes trades in goods and information. We have met him, and are not in his good books shall we say, so I thought it appropriate to send him a little more trouble. Hopefully the ghosts will go bother the empire and leave us alone." Holly says, explaining her plan when she had sent Thibideaux Kelney and Augustine out into the world against the empire. "I might have given us some time, but I predict it won't be long before they come back to haunt us, in all forms."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:28, Tue 28 Apr 2015.

"Yes. This is such an interesting time to be awake.  The Sowells' spirits will make things even more unpredictable."

"In the spirit realm time doesn't pass the way it does here.  There aren't many events to mark time, no day or night or seasons, so when something exciting is going down word travels fast.  Kelney's visits were like that.  She'd pass between the worlds regularly before her death.  It's hard to explain how fascinating she was.  I followed her just to see what she'd do and how she'd do it," Reynard relates.

"Kelney was always charming.  Few knew if the sun always shined inside her or if she kept up a perpetually glowing facade, but I got a glimpse at the truth."

"One day she was walking along the banks of a stream alone.  So many spirits craved her company that it was rare to see her without a crowd.  She strolled aimlessly like the other dead as if she had no purpose or destination.  I must've gotten too close because she wheeled on me and locked me in place with her gaze.  '.Critter,' she said to me. 'Normally I'd tolerate your nuisance, but not today.  You will eternally regret if you're still there next time I glance back.'  She threaten me!  I'm embarrassed to say it worked.  I fled like a child.  Kelney Sowell was up to something secret in the spirit realm that day, and I eternally regret not knowing what it was."

"Who did you send them to?" Adiel asks Holly. "Flavius? I heard you and he aren't on the best of terms."

Adiel listens carefully to Reynard. Who was this fox who spoke of spirits and ancient sorceresses as if they were old acquaintances? He decides to try to find out. He pulls out the book of magical writing and shows it to Reynard. "They found this book in the Sowells' tower. It seems to have a set of contracts written inside it, but I don't fully understand who was involved. Can you understand it? Was Kelney making contracts with spirits, perhaps?"

Adiel presents one of the books from the tower to Reynard.  He opens it in front of the fox, slowly turning the pages, not really sure how best to show a book to a fox for scrutiny.  Reynard doesn't complain about the presentation.

"It feels like you bring me a new harper every visit," he says to the group with a chuckle.  "Some day the guild will run short on members."

Reynard turns more serious.

"Do try to keep my existence a secret.  The number of visitors you've brought has grown since the five I first approached.  Humans are a bunch of blabbermouths."

But then he turns his attention to the book.

"Written in magic, I'm sure you know..." he mutters.

"Yes, Kelney made many deals with spirits to bring them back to this world and enchant them into objects, but most of your spirits from the past or even today have no interest in the written word.  That should be the first clue.  The second clue is the signatures."

He puts a paw on the writing at the bottom of the page, a very long word indeed.

"They are truenames.  Very valuable if you know who they belong to."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:00, Fri 01 Apr 2016.

Holly says in a low voice, "I doubt it!" when Reynard mentions new visitors and the harper guild running out of new members to meet.

Listening to Reynard's comments on the book, Holly steps forward in interest and then asks, "The names give power over them then? We just need to link the name and truename. Wonderful, another challenge." Holly steps back and then slowly draws her sickle.

Gently holding across her palms, Holly asks Reynard, "So Kelner could bring spirits back into this realm into objects, like Coal did with our weapons here. Can you help me find out more about the spirit residing within here? Coal said it was liked to me in some way, although she gave little detail. It has proven its worth already in the Tower, but I want to know if it is a threat to me and my cousins as well."

Sunna listens to Reynards words carefully, her mind racing. What secret could Kelney have had in the spirit realm? Something about Darsin? Or the strange cursed painting? And what kind of contracts did she make?

"Well, somehow the group of people joining in our quest seems to get bigger. We'll be more careful with visitors, though.

I do have a few ideas as to the secret you mentioned, Reynard. But without asking her, I guess we'd never know. Maybe it had to do with her son, Darsin. We saw some scenes set in the past, in one of them Darsin was chewing on people... and that wasn't the only strange thing about him.
Another thought involves a cursed painting we brought back - and then destroyed when we discovered that it was cursed.
Could one of the contracts involve the Queen of Thorns somehow? Augustine had a connecntion with that being..."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:43, Wed 29 Apr 2015.

The fox regards Holly's sickle.

"When a spirit is bound into an enchantment it doesn't have thoughts, motivations , personality, or any of that stuff anymore.  It's just magic, essence, a sort of blessing.  The enchantment on your sickle is not cursed in any way.  No harm will come of it."

"Other than the harm of you slashing your enemies," Reynard adds grinning.

"Of course, there are exceptions.  Take Farden's sword for example."

Farden is startled to hear his name.  There's been something on his mind and he's unusually quiet lately.  He looks at Reynard quizically.

"His sword's spirit is still active.  It might be able to perceive and communicate.  That should be impossible, but it happened."

Farden stands amazed.

"Nothing's a secret around you, is it?  Sometimes I think you can see everything."

He nods in confirmation and draws his sword.

"I heard a whispering voice on the haunted island.  It happened when I was holding the sword.  Can't hear it now."

"Only a god can resurrect the dead.  It's just not possible with what you call goblin magic, witch magic, or the musical magic of the harpers.  Kelney was very powerful, but she was no god.  Reanimating her son was a disaster."



"Discovering that all depends on how curious you are.  You can call them to you with the truenames.  Would you know The Queen if you saw her?  These contract were drawn up a long time ago.  The demons might be dead and gone now, or they might be much more powerful.  It's a very dangerous game.  I strongly recommend that you ignore these contracts.  If you get killed or enslaved you won't be able to help me when I need you."

Reynard sits back down in the tall grasses he matted down.

"I'd love to hear about these scenes from the past you saw."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:11, Wed 29 Apr 2015.

Mord settled down into the grass.  "Spirits in contract, and visions of the past - things have not settled down since I left you to crush little goblin skulls."  The warrior let out a deep laugh, but did listen attentively.

One never knew when the story of today would help destroy an enemy of tomorrow.

"She tried to reanimate him? That would explain a lot."

Sunna frowns. "No, I don't think I would recognize her. What I have heard about her is enough to know that I'd like to keep it that way. I guess the same is true about any others mentioned in the contracts, so... no, I'll refrain from trying to find out."

"Well, if you're really interested in it..." Sunna settles down in the grass and gathers her thoughts for a moment, bringing the scenes in the right order again.
"They were all scenes set in the Sowell past and it all began with a feast we witnessed. Kelney was there and Augustine, even Darsin and several other people. A woman thanked Augustine for some stones Kelney had enchanted, she was named Wynnie, as far as I recall. Kelney was about to ask for the return of the favor to create these stones, something about the Windblown Chiefs premier, when she was interrupted by Darsin suddenly speaking up, stating that he was hungry. Kelney hurried to him and said that she knew. That was when the scene ended." Sunna looks at Reynard, trying to judge his reaction before recalling and telling the other scenes they saw, too.

"How was the story told?  Preserved artwork?" Reynard asks.

OOC:  You can feel free to narrate the description of the other scenes if you don't want to type out all the details.

"No, it was like we were in the scenes, each took place in a room in that tower, it looked like some kind of illusion. Everything was tinted in a blueish glow, furntiture and people alike. Augustine and Kelney seemed to be able to see us in the scenes, however, but none of the other people present."

Sunna continues telling about the other scenes. The one where Augustine explains his missing eye and Kelney tells him to stay away from the Queen, the one where Kelney demands to know if he gave his left arm to the Queen and the blue staff she throws at Augustine, Darsin chewing on a girls arm and Kelney killing the man who said that her boy is a monster. And finally the scene where Augustine hands over a fetish and the power to control several undead to another man and reacted to the group being present.

"I think that was all of the scenes", Sunna finishes.

"Zany," Reynard comments.  "I've never heard of anything like that happening.  It's as if the past itself was haunting the tower."

"The bluish tint you described is how the whole spirit realm looks.  Better like blue!  That's how your afterlife is going to be."

"So now that you have the Needle, a warrior hero's coat of jewels, a cursed harper, baubles, trinkets, a big pile of silver, and part of your soul missing, what's your plan?" he asks.

"A strange sight indeed. And the spirit realm really looks that way? Interesting!"

Sunna looks at the others, then her gaze wanders to Scottfard. "I guess we both need a powerful priest for our problems and since we know that we'd better hurry to find help for you, Scott, I guess that would be our next move. Also, the church of Pelor needs to know about their missing priest.
Finding someone to sell the jewels to and selling several of the trinkets would go well with that, since we'd have to travel to the bigger settlements anyway." She looks at the others again, waiting for their reactions to the plan.

"I suppose you'll be staying here a while longer, Reynard?" she asks with a smile.

"Who would abandon their brand new cottage with winter on the way?"

Adiel feels a sense of sympathy for Augustine, a bright man whose life was apparently consumed by desire to fulfill obligations, to look good in society, to protect his mad wife, and to obtain power. He hopes the man's ghost doesn't seek out demons again for more power. The harper makes a note to himself to avoid following that path himself. No arcane secret is worth your soul.

Looking at the fox contemplatively, Adiel asks a question of his own. "Who are you? A god? A guardian spirit? An ancient sage in disguise?

"All fine guesses."

He pauses.

"I'm none of those things.  For now I am merely a wise old fox whose knowledge is vast and whose senses range far in this world and others.  I remember the past, present, and future.  A nice trick wouldn't you say?  I have a few other powers..."

You see fire and sparks crackle along Reynard's fur, strongest in the back.  You'd swear his tail has fully caught on fire.  The sky darkens somewhat, and a chilly wind blows the grass to the west.  The air smells of impending rain, but the fox's fur settles and the clouds slowly start to break up.

"but I'm limited by this form.  With your help perhaps I'll become something greater."



"That is a secret for another time.  Come back to me alive, strategist, and someday that secret will be revealed."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 06:01, Fri 01 May 2015.

"True." Sunna grins.

The question Adiel just asked was one she also had in mind, but didn't want to ask. Impressed by Reynards display of power Sunna just sits there until the clouds have broken up again. "Another secret?" she murmurs, more to herself.

Holly moves in close to Sunna and says, "Welcome to my world Sunna, secrets by the hat full." Holly moves back with a big smile and turns to the others.

"Well, we need a priest, and to tell the Pelor's about their missing priest. Perhaps Goldpoint would be a good starting point?" Holly looks down to Reynard before adding, "Unless someone can point us in a better direction."

Adiel watches the fox contemplatively. He isn't yet sure whether this particular being of knowledge deserves worship, adoration, or mere respect. He decides to ask at least one more question. If questions aren't asked, they can't be answered. "Meaning no disrespect, but would you tell me a little of your goals, or your morality?"

OOC: 08:51, Today: Adiel rolled 17 using 1d20+11. Sense Motive (Reynard).

"I suggest that we go to Crim first," says Adiel. "Todrick might pay well for some of our magic weapons, or that Potion of Heroism. Crim is on the way to Goldenpoint, in any case."

Sunna sighs dramatically at Hollys words, then smiles.

"Since it's on the way to Goldenpoint Crim sounds like a good start", Sunna agrees with Adiel.

Reynard tilts his head at Adiel's question.

"That is a difficult question.  There are many subtleties to morals and ethics.  I do not worship any of your gods.  Of them I admire Ehlonna most.  Her followers tend to be more crusaders and heroes than I would.  Knowledge doesn't harm anyone, but it can turn the tides of battles and wars."

"I am usually just an observer.  I tend not to interfere in the course of history, but I am more interested in your well being than that of typical humans."
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:22, Sat 02 May 2015.

You're very near Crim.  It takes about half an hour to reach the town square.

Mord is in his element here.  He immediately takes control of the group's activities.  The big warrior corrals Bid Triplefang and sets him to the task of restocking the party's totally depleted traveling rations.  The village is well used to keeping Tora's warband supplied and this request is little different.  Mord also inquires if there's a riding horse (for Erma) suitable for purchase available.  Bid will check around.  He's certain he can find one in the next day or two.

"What adventure is the mighty Mord off to now?" asks Selma overhearing the discussion of stocking for travel.

OOC: I leave the answer to Mord himself and move along.

Erma has switched to her human form to attract less attention, but that doesn't work completely.  Everyone else in the party is known to the villagers of Crim.  Who is this strange, awkward woman with them?  Speculative rumors begin.  Of course, Scottfard draws more talk even though he floats and bobs along without musical accompaniment for now.

When new foodstuffs have been loaded onto the cart Mord explains Todrick's whereabouts.

"Most of the raiders in Crim bunk down in our newly built barracks.  I myself have a bed there not unslept-in one day.  Todrick, however, has his own ranch.  He is Crim's butcher.  No doubt he slaughtered, cut, and smoked the meats we find on our cart now.  Follow me, friends.  I'll show you to his home," Mord says.

You ride a short distance to Todrick's ranch.  It doesn't take long to verify Adiel's assertion that Todrick is a wealthy man.  His lands are vast with a number of well constructed buildings and pens.  He has a wide array of livestock including goats, sheep, cattle, and fowl.  Dozens of workers are tending to the animals and the harvest of beans and spinach.

It's a busy time at the ranch, but you find Todrick sitting in the shade of a grand tree drinking hard ale with Steinolf and Meinhard, two warriors Mord has fought alongside.

"Mord!" they exclaim in unison as you ride up.

Todrick stands.

"Who visits my..." he announces grandly, "...place?" he adds less grandly.

The former raider squints to look over the assorted travelers accompanying Mord.

"Have you a quest for Todrick Triplefang?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:14, Fri 01 Apr 2016.

"I hope you are well, Todrick. I am Adiel Triplefang," Adiel begins. "And these heroes have just returned from a grand and deadly quest of their own. Their journey has been legendary." Once pleasantries have been exchanged, he explains, "We are seeking a mighty warrior who might like to buy some of the treasure they found... including these." Adiel pulls out the pair of light maces. "They are magical, enchanted in times past and found in the Sowells' tower."

He allows Todrick to handle the weapons, if he wishes, and then pulls out the Potion of Heroism.

"They also found a potion that can strengthen any warrior for a short time. It is called a Potion of Heroism."

"Pft... Kinda puny clubs.  What sort of magical are they?  Got anything bigger?" asks Todrick.

He is more interested in the potion.

"Now I've *heard* of them!"

"Todrick don't need a potion to herosize him," Steinolf says lifting his mug in cheers.

"It's not like that, Stein."

Todrick takes another drink while he pieces together his rebuttal.

"It's like..."  he pauses again.  "Going wild on the battlefield like Mord here, but you keep your head."

"No offense, Mord," he adds quickly.

Adiel nods. "It's certainly a similar effect, making you more accurate and more skillful. But I can't promise that it will make you as strong as Mord in a rage," he admits, with a grin. "Merchants usually sell this for over seven thousand gold silver, what with all the magic it takes to make one."

Since neither Adiel nor Todrick seems to have any way to know how much the powerfully magic flail is worth, he decides not to bring it out. Instead, he pulls out the perfectly crafted morningstar. "If you want a bigger weapon, this might suit you. It's a beautiful weapon, isn't it?"

Finally, Adiel decides to try his luck selling some of the other valuables. "They also found a beautiful old mirror, some silver cups and bowls, and a simple brass ring, if you're interested in anything like that."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:22, Tue 05 May 2015.

OOC:  I'm going to assume Adiel said "seven thousand silver" unless he intends to grossly over state the Potion of Heroism's value.  Please let me know if I misunderstood your meaning.

Todrick looks over the items you want to sell him, but doesn't make any decisions on them right away.  He invites you all to sit and drink with him.  Beer and bread is very welcome since you skipped a meal or two on your way.  Afterwards it becomes clear that this sale might take quite some time.

"Todrick, thank you for your kind hospitality.  I hope that you see fit to buy some of these rare and valuable items.  They are all authentic treasures from years gone by.  But I am of no use to you or my cousins in this exchange.  I plan to return to Crim and check up on some friends," says Glumr.

"Hold on, Glumr.  I have a lady to send with you to Crim on an errand."

Todrick calls for a woman named Rae and has a short, quiet conversation with her.  Her hands, arms, and smocked dress are dirty from working the fields.

Farden is planning to stay and guard the cart.  Of course Adiel will stay at Todrick's ranch to discuss the sale.  The rest of you, please tell me if you'd like to stay with Farden and Adiel or return to Crim with Glumr and Rae.

Holly holds her tongue when Adiel steps up to sell the goods, but decides to see what the new arrival can do in getting any of their items sold off. Staying in the background, aware she is still uncomfortable around warriors in a boasting mood, and keeps Erma company, gently rubbing Moonlights nose as they listen to what is being said.

When it comes to deciding what place they will spend the night, Holly is tempted to just go off into the night, but decides she needs to stay close to others for some reason, and going back to Crim would give her a chance to help Erma get used to the tribesman and woman as she adapted.

Quite certain that Farden and Adiel are perfectly able to handle the deal Sunna would go back to Crim with Glumr, hoping to get a chance to test one of her new songs, the ones she made out of the dwarve history book, on a small crowd. That and to gather some news. They have been gone for several weeks now, so it might be that there have been some more or less interesting events. Hopefully neither Augustine nor Kelney have made an appearance here, yet.
Also, she plans to discuss the notes of Brother Howe with Holly and Glumr, if possible.

Erma does what she can to lay low and keep out of trouble.  Already in her human form, she lingers near the triple fangs.  If nothing else, being near the known Fangs, should help earn at least a little trust.

She keeps quiet as much as possible.  Really she didnt need to attract attention with her broken human.  While she had a reasonably good command of understanding the spoken language, speaking it was still a little beyond her.

OOC: No word from Mord.  I'll assume he stays on Todrick's ranch to socialize with Steinolf and Meinhard.

Glumr, Sunna, Holly, Erma, and Rae head back to the village square.  They are met by a pair of merchants.

"Hello ladies, I don't think we've met.  I'm Lady Glifa, finest merchant and tailor in Crim, and this is my friend Maureen."

Both women are sporting well-worn, but finely made traditional dresses.  Lady Glifa is easily old enough to be your mother, beginning to show her age with some greying hair and smile lines.

"How rude.  I'm sure this young man does not care to be addressed as a lady.  Glumr is it?"

It's hard to guess Maureen's age, but these two act like old friends, so you assume they're the same generation.

"I was getting to him, you little troublemaker.  I wouldn't have appeared rude at all if you hadn't interrupted me."

"Were it not for my interruptions the only sound the people of Crim would ever hear would be a constant stream of Lady Glifa's wisdom," Maureen confides in you.

Holly feels a bit awkward being in the middle of their bickering, playful as it may be, and seizes on an opportunity to change the subject.

"Lady Glifa Triplefang, Maureen Triplefang, I'd like to introduce you both to Erma.  We met her on our latest journey to the eastern shore."

"A pleasure to meet you Erma," says Maureen with a short curtsy.  "No clan name.  Are we to assume she is your captured slave?"

"She doesn't look very Eastern Seas to me," says Lady Glifa peering directly at Erma.  "She's extra pale."

"What?" Holly stammers.  "No no, she's not a slave.  She's..." Holly thinks quickly.  "a guide and teacher."

Todrick's messenger, Rae bristles at this conversation, and storms off.

"A teacher?  Perhaps she can teach Todrick's girl some manners," says Lady Glifa looking over her shoulder at Rae.


There are still a couple hours of daylight left.  You adjourn to the beer garden to drink, socialize, and listen to Sunna's new songs.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch...

Rae returns with a long brown, curly haired man in leathers and a vest.


"I know this guy," Farden says to Adiel and Mord.  "Elias.  He's some sort of spy or trickster.  We rescued/kidnapped him for him mentor in exchange for information."

Todrick confirms the man's identity shortly thereafter.

"Elias!  These men have some treasures to sell.  I need you to determine fair prices."

Elias greets you all.  After a bit of smalltalk he gets to the task.  After examining the good Elias has a short private discussion with Todrick.

"Adiel Triplefang.  I offer you 10,000 silver for the morningstar, the silver dishware, and the mirror.  I'm also willing to buy the potion for the 7,000 silver you requested, but I want Elana to look at it first."

Erma doesnt talk much, she's not an eloquent speaker.  She had zero trouble understanding what was being said though.  Erma tugs her ear and looks to one side, grunting slightly at the comment and only not mauling her because she was a Triplefang, and HOlly had corrected her.

These were mortal dealing for mortal wares, and had little to do with Erma so she stays out of it.  She stands to one side, watching them, all go about there business with the detachment of an outsider.

"Can't go wrong with Bid.  Kept me in horses when the damn goblins kept ambushing our mounts to slow down slaughter of the wretched little pests - the goblins, I mean.  He also knows if he tries to cheat us, that I'll rattle his noggin off the rafters," Mord grinned broadly and laughed as he thumped Bid on the back/shoulders.


"Anything and everything.  I swear that chair in the corner's starting to adjust to my bottom, and that's no manner of life for a warrior like Mord the Mighty!   Next thing I might start liking an afternoon tea and those little biscuits the merchants keep trying to foist off on us.

"This adventuring into the realm helps me keep my skills up between goblin raids.  I wonder if we encouraged them to breed more, if we could kill them off faster?"  The barbarian likely was jesting.  But, there was always that hint of doubt when it came to killing goblins...

---

Mord snorted, and slapped the horse to move aside to greet his companions-at-arms.  "Quest?  Yer too deep in your cups to remember your own name half the time.  Some quest that would be - "The Finding of Name of Whassisname"."   The twinkle in his eye and good-natured guffaw suggested that a little drink was more than a little common among the group of warriors.

"Looks like you three have been keeping the dust of you enough, but shame to waste good ale on tongues that wouldn't know it from horse streams.  How are you three doing, friends?"

---

"Be a fool to buy it without looking," Mord agreed, kibitzing on the conversation more than offering opinion or direct. "Adiel, what do you think of the offer?  Todrick and Elias know better than to take hurt with a differing view of the value, being merchants and all," Mord tossed a little dig at Todrick and leaned away as if to dodge a swing from the former.  "Not sure how they would be for the long term, but I know Todrick, and though he can barely hit the end of his nose, he's been solid with me always, so you can trust his dealings with us.  Don't go telling him I said that, though, as it'll be liable to make his head swell even more,"  Mord's observation was stated at all-but the same volume, to ensure Todrick heard every word.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:51, Fri 08 May 2015.

"That's a fair offer," says Adiel, after thinking for a moment. Some merchants would sell it for more, but the offer was more than they would probably make elsewhere. "Assuming it's fine with the rest of our companions, I think we have a deal. Of course, I'm happy to have Eldress Elana look over the potion first. She is the expert on such things."

As they continue talking, Adiel decides to ask Elias a question. "I'm a little curious about your mentor, Elias. I've heard that a man named Leonardo has trained you and others, but he is a bit mysterious to me."

"Ugh!  That snob, is a real horse's ass," groans Steinolf.  "Thinks he knows everything."

Elias laughs heartily.

"Oh yes.  He's an elitist to be sure, but he can turn that off whenever it benefits him.  He knows how to falsify charm and just how much of it, but you can tell the effort of being nice to people drains him."

"Leonardo is a master of unusual skills.  For instance, I'm not strong, nor mighty, but Leonardo taught me some techniques that let me take down a much bigger man."

"Not like you, Mord," he adds quickly.  None of the others took that statement well, being a bunch of prideful warriors.


"He'll take on one apprentice at a time and then ask for favors in return later on.  Nothing nefarious.  We all owe him.  He also goes on and on about freedom.  If you want Leon to talk for a few hours, just get him started about a man's freedom.  Naturally he ditched his clan name a long time ago and answers to no one."

Todrick departs to his ranch house and comes back as the sun is setting.  Steinolf and Meinhard are starting a fire where you're all sitting when he returns.  He and Rae make two trips to bring out 10 bags and a barrel to put the bags in.  Todrick assures you that each bag contains 1000 silver.  They weigh about 20 pounds each, so that feels right.  (Farden double checks a couple of the bag anyhow.)  You load the barrel onto the cart and toss the ten bags into the barrel.  Todrick takes ownership of the morningstar, the mirror, and the silver dishware.

I've removed these 3 items from your cart listing and added the 10,000 silver pieces.

Is there anything else you'd like to do before returning to the village square and joining the others?

"There are bigger men," Mord replied in an appearance of deep thought, as though whether or not to take offence, "And then there are bigger, bigger men.  Fortunately Mord the Goblin-Slayer is one of the latter and takes no offence."  Although Mord was not a diplomat, no warrior survived without knowing how to talk warrior talk.  With Mord's reply, if the other warriors had taken it as a slight to all warriors, then Mord not taking slight would demean them to say they had.  If they took slight that Mord had been singled out as better than they, well, Mord was, of course... but even if they disagreed, it was hard again to be offended, when he made a half-jest that was the greatest part in truth - very few WERE the size of Mord, and very few retained their feet against his blows. The barbarian added a little braggadocio, mixed with wisdom.   "Few, if any, are there that can stand against Mord's might, but experienced warriors, even if they have become half in dotage or merchants, can learn canny tricks.  It is a fool that never learns what his enemy can teach him, if only to break his skull open with it later on.  Having a great axe in your hands is excellent.  Having another one, and a sling for hunting, and a dagger for close work, it all gives you more option to show off your greatness."

Mord went over and did the farewells and macho testing of strength, balance, and grip with the others.  "Well and good bargained, friends.  May you go down with the sun in your face, and fall so the bastard trips on your backside."

Adiel, Farden, Mord, and the eye return to Crim with the cart.  You meet the others after dark at the beer garden, but instead of joining them Farden surprises you by insisting on gathering everyone up and follow him a short ways out of town.

"We're not leaving town.  You don't need your horses.  I've got a few important things I need to discuss with everyone," he says.

It's a shame to leave the amusement and merrymaking of the beer garden, but he sounds very businesslike.

A less-than-half moon and Glumr's magic torch provide some light as you make your way down a minor cart path into Crim's farmland.  When it feel secluded enough Farden stops and addresses you all.

"I'm not big on making speeches, so I'll try to keep this short.  Glumr, do you remember what I told you when you asked if I'd join your quest?"

"Ummmm..."  Glumr thought back.  It had been about half a year ago, but it felt so much longer.  They'd accomplished so much together in that short span.

"I told you that I would join you on the condition that I could take my share of the spoils and spend it on something other than the Tome of Legends."

OOC: See Chapter 03 msg #598

"In our journeys I have done my best to protect you and maybe saved your lives a time or two, but I am very wary of this book.  I've decided I don't want the mantle of Legend foisted upon me.  Now that you have Mord back to guide you in battle and Adiel to see that you aren't duped I think I can safely leave you."

"I'll stay on until we sell all this stuff.  There's sure to be enough for my cut and to buy the book too, but we need to dispense with the idea of handing the jewels back to Limon for free."

"There's more," Farden continues.  "We need better security for our valuable items.  We can just ride around with treasure and silver spilling over every side of this cart.  We just sold some trinkets to Todrick for 10,000 silver pieces and the weight is just killing this old piece of junk.  We need to trash this cart and get a proper wagon with a 2 or 4 horse team.  We need to get some strong locking chests, preferable chained or permanently attached to the wagon.  We also need to convert all this silver to gold and gems.  This much silver is ridiculous."

"There might not be a lot of gold in Crim, but I'll bet they can build us a nice wagon at the very least.  We can each carry some of the silver on our own horses for a while and can get the rest done in Silvergate for sure, maybe Goldenpoint."

"You want to be having spare mounts, and remounts, in case some of the beasts throw up lame, as well," Mord tossed in his thoughts, "Since yer thinking of a heavy carriage.  If it's looking at heavy weight, I know I've had to get extra reinforcing on my weapons, and I can't imagine wagons are much different.  Might be worth having some hidden places for anything truly important we find.  Extra cabinets for spare weapons, extra wheels and yknow, other wagon things to keep it going."

Mord scratched his chin, trying to recall what the merchants tended to grouse about in the tavern.  "Food area, water barrels, extra feed for the horses if the grass is garbage.  If they reinforce the top, little stronger if it tips over.  Also give something to angle some waterproofed canvas to break the rain for sleeping.  Waterproofed canvas too.  Banding to help the sides for reinforcement.

"Ermmm.  Some thick planks to help with muddy roads.  Oh yeah - nails and hammer, and some spare planking to fix damages.  Make that two hammers so you're not waiting on one person to do everything.   Shovels to help dig it out if really mudsocked or trapped in snows.  Ropes to help pull it free.  One of the steel merchants mentioned a pulley of some kind helped him.
Extra ale of course, for while you're waiting.  Never have enough good ale.

"Most of the merchants talked about some kind of ledger, to track their expenses, or scales to weigh their stuff, but who really cares about that.  Get it out, keep it moving, and places to put the stuff are the important things.

"Refresh my memory on the Tome, and this idea of giving jewels away for free?"  Mord frowned at the latter - not because he cared about money, but just the suggestion that his kin might have been in situation where they felt forced to give away things they earned.

Sunna exchanges a quick glance with Holly, then decides to change the topic. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sunna Triplefang, a harper. Just back from a very interesting and dangerous quest I had the honor to accompany Holly and Glumr here. Lady Glifa, are you interested in enchanted clothing? We brought some interesting things back from this quest..."



Though not surprised by Farden being somewhat paranoid Sunna is surprised that he chooses to lead them out the village for this discussion and by his decision-
"You really don't want to be part of all this? Well, it's your choice, really, but... I'm still sad to see you leave.

You're right about the cart. Though a wagon would draw some more attention, I guess." Sunna shrugs. "Still, the things would be safer in it. Mord, you do have some interesting ideas of things we'll need, too."

"Enchanted clothing?  Do tell.  What does it do?" asks Lady Glifa.

After Farden's speech, Adiel nods. "I certainly agree with keeping this wealth secure, even if much of it will soon be traded away. As for the Jewels, I think those of you who went into the tower have the right to decide together what to do with them. If you sell them, I would advise doing so in secrecy, and only telling people that we found "some beautiful jewels" in the tower. The Ferisedan would account us thieves if they knew we had something precious that once belonged to their people. But if the others persuade you to change your mind, Farden, you would be hailed as a great hero for bringing the Jewels back to their original owners."

OOC: Sunna, I haven't identified most of the magical clothing yet. I need a jewel for each Identify spell. I have two more jewels of my own, and I could use many of Avaldamon's Jewels to finish the spell.

If anyone wants to persuade Farden to return the jewels to the Ferisedan, hopefully Adiel's reasoning helps.
12:48, Today: Adiel rolled 15 using 1d20+5. Diplomacy - Aid Another.

In reply to Fritzholm (msg # 159):

"That's a bit of a mystery", Sunna replies honestly, "we still have to find out what the magic on the two dresses does exactly. It's far easier to determine if an item contains magic of any kind than to get the details. A friend of ours is working on it, though, but it will take a while. If you want to you could take a look at the dresses tomorrow, at least to see if you like the style. I don't have them here right now."

"Magic dresses?"  Mord could not contain a guffaw, then held a hand up in apology, considering the secrecy-focus of the meeting.  He continued more quietly, "You brought magic dresses across the land in cart?

"Then again, who makes magic dresses?  A good magic armour, sure... hhhmph.  Imagine wasting your time on such a thing - I suppose if a woman magick-maker was bored enough.  I know nose in book of fancy magics would have be bored enough to eat magic dresses.

"Somewhat like the on-and-on complaints of merchants at the inn.  Looks like I reluctantly learned something about that.  Beh.  Liable to start throwing words like edjucated around."

Mord, the conversation about the dresses took place in Crim while you, Adiel, and Farden were still at the ranch, so you didn't overhear it.  It's all mixed together and a little hard to keep track of what happened where when.  I like your reply though.  :-)

Additionally, allow me to give you a little background on the world that would apply to your above post.  It'll help you get a better feel for the Triplefang lands.

The clans pass knowledge by oral tradition.  Few of the Triplefang are literate.  Mord and Glumr are both illiterate, for example, and other members of the party are part of the exceptional few.  Books are very rare and institutions of learning are a new thing.  This is why there are no human wizards in clan lands.  The only wizards are goblins and they don't use spell books precisely, more like carved slabs of wood.  You've seen a bunch of these in your time with Tora.  Once you learned what they were you've taken to smashing those goblin wood slabs so other goblins can't get their hands on them.  For arcane magic, there are harpers and their musical magic and a few very rare female sorceresses like Coal Triplefang, Snow Triplefang, and Cordelia Ferisedan.
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...p?id=coal.triplefang
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...p?id=snow.triplefang
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...d=cordelia.ferisedan
These sorceresses are often called witches (not to their faces), so arcane magic is often referred to as "goblin magic" or "witch magic", neither of which is particularly flattering.  Somehow, harpers get a pass.  Must be the delightful music.
A sorceress who can create magic items like Coal is called an enchantress because she can enchant items.  There may be a second meaning to this term since they all tend to be very charming.

Lastly, Inns are rare in villages.  There are inns in the cities like Silvergate and Rankor Heights, but almost never in villages like Crim.
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.com/doku.php?id=silvergate
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...hp?id=rankor.heights
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.com/doku.php?id=crim
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...hp?id=map.triplefang
Travelers sleep and eat in common longhouses.  Crim also has a brand new military barracks that is similar in build and purpose.  That's where you've been living when not out camping with Tora's traveling warband.  Tonight, after this little meeting Farden called, you will all be sleeping in the common longhouse.

After the talk about Farden leaving, treasure, coins, and the cart you head back to Crim's common longhouse to bunk down for the night and sleep on these matters.

Deep in the middle of the night you're all startled awake by the sound of several BOOMs outside, but nearby.  You've never experienced anything like it.  The closest experience being the sound of a single lightning strike, but these were shorter and there were more than one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:27, Wed 13 May 2015.

"What's that?" Sunna asks no one in particular, then hurries out of bed and to a window to take a look outside.

It's dark.  You can't see much of anything.  There are sounds of confusion and injury.  It's hard to tell if there's combat or not.

Sunna, please make a listen roll.

09:33, Today: Sunna rolled 18 using 1d20+3. Listen.

Holly hears the commotion, and rises, but sees Sunna moving to find out what is going on. Taking the chanceto prepare for any trouble, Holly waits to see where she is needed.

There are some unseen figures moving away from the village square.  Sunna hears something that sounds like spoken goblin, but she can't make out what it was.

Holly moves quickly to where she knows Farden and Mord are and ensures they are awake and aware of potential danger. "Lets get out there and see what we can do!" Holly suggests as she grips her sickle in one hand.

"Goblins, I think", Sunna whispers and reaches for her crossbow, "let's go."

You only stop to grab weapons.  No time for armor.  Sunna leads you all (except the eye) out to where she heard voices, but nothing's there.  Glumr holds his ever-burning torch above his head and kneels down to examine the ground.

The common longhouse is at your back maybe 60 to 100 feet away.  The barracks are to your right considerably further.  You see fire flickering around the barracks building.  It looks like more than just lanterns.  There are also sounds of chaos coming from the barracks.

"There!" Glumr shouts.

He tosses his torch to the ground, stands, and fires two arrows that sail off into the night.  For the most part you can't make out what he's shooting at.

Holly, what are you more concerned with - the barracks, or what Glumr is shooting at?  If it's Glumr's target please make a Spot roll.  You get the bonus for having Moonlight around.

Mord long strides ate up the distance as he caught Sunna and Glumr.

"What's the racket?  Did someone say goblins?  Hey - isn't that longhouse on fire."  Glumr's archery, however, distracted Mord back to the darkness.  "Is that - no, I don't see anything.  Did you see something?  Dammit, man!"

Whipping his longaxe against his left palm, Mord bounced the heavy-hafted weapon.  "If you can point me at the culprits, the rest of you can stop that damn fire.  I suppose one of you can come with me to help me find the little beggars, but - it was goblins, someone said?  Crazy that they're spined enough to come this close."

"Perhaps someone, or something else is pushing them into this. I'll deal with the fire, Mord" Holly says, stepping towards the longhouse on fire and preparing to call forth water to douse some of the more intense flames. "Just watch out for their casters!"

"Do you need help?", Sunna asks Holly and squints in the darkness, while trying to remember the nearest source of water. Is there a well near the barracks, preferrably with some buckets? Then she realizes something and she turns towards the barracks. "There might be people locked in there!"

10:38, Today: Sunna rolled 7 using 1d20+1. Spot.

"If you can call up water, douse the roof. Otherwise be careful of goblins and we will see if there is anyone inside." Holly says to Sunna.

"Hellspawn!" Glumr curses.  "It's goblins for sure Mord, but I can't see them anymore."

The ranger scoops up his torch and tucks it into a bag, plunging the area into darkness.

"They're getting away for now, but I'm shall hunt the curs.  If I go alone I can track them without them knowing it.  I won't stop you from coming with me if you insist."


Sunna, Holly, and Farden race towards the barracks.  As they get closer they see a few people battling the fire and armed Triplefang milling around.  On the way, they are met by an unarmored warrior.

"Where in the blazes is Harj!" he says mostly to himself.  "Have you seen Harj or Timmor?  We need a healer fast!"


I need to know what Mord, Adiel, and Erma are doing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:50, Fri 15 May 2015.

Adiel wakes, draws his weapon, and takes a few seconds to cast a spell. His longsword begins to glow like a torch in the darkness.

When he walks outside, suspecting that the noise he heard is some new infernal device of the goblins, he sees chaos. Warriors, not knowing what to do; Glumr, about to dart into the darkness; the village, needing both a healer and a water-summoner.

I wish I could master a healing melody, thinks Adiel, feeling a moment of shame at the one sort of bardic magic he struggles with the most, but he has another role. Strategist. Sunna can do the healing while Holly puts out fires.

"Hold, Glumr!" He calls out, and then yells for the rest of the warriors to listen. "Don't chase them into the dark. It's almost certainly a goblin trap. They launch their fancy weapon, we go out into the darkness searching for them, they set up an ambush for our scouts and warriors. A simple battle plan, and one that smells of goblin."

"I'm guessing they've found a way to launch fire with some sort of catapult and their alchemy, or they have a spellcaster throwing fireballs. Either way, we need to spread out a little, so their weapon can never hit a group of us together, and we need light. Use your torches. Never chase the goblins into the night. Stay within sight of each other."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:03, Fri 15 May 2015.

Mord took his polearm in hand and disappeared into the darkness after Glumr.  "That's why we don't send out the warriors - we send out Mord the goblin slayer.  'Sides, I can't go letting Glumr have all the fun."  Flashing a grin at Adiel, Mord followed Glumr, despite the warning, but with a nod that he had received the caution.

Although the barbarian warrior was a fierce and sometimes impetuous man, and rather ignored the darkness patches, his steps were not very loud when outside his armour.

And the goblins had been quieted, broken, and scattered.  To raid now deeply into the Triplefang lands, ambushing for harm and taking nothing... that was not the normal goblin tactic.  If someone new was directing new goblin forces, Mord needed to ensure Glumr survived the tracking down of the goblins, and the leader of the force captured and encouraged to spill his worthless intestinals all over the ground, along with the secrets contained in the head.

Glumr looks to see if he can see any marks from the goblins to know what direction they went.

"You hold here and help the injured" Glumr yells back to Adial "Mord and I have to deal with some goblins".  He spits on the ground in disgust as if the word leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

Glumr rolled 22 using 1d20+12. Track Goblins.

OCC - How much of a delay to run back and grab leathers?
This message was last edited by the player at 04:43, Mon 18 May 2015.

Erma shows up wearing next to nothing and rubbing her eyes, wondering what the racket is all about.  She's armed, but not carrying much else.  She has little if any shame about being near naked.  She notices the house burning with a bit of a frown.

"This is why bears live in caves.  Caves dont burn.", she murmers sleepily.

"I'll help with the Goblins.", Erma lazily stretches sleepily to limber up her muscle.  She's watching Glumr though and when he starts to rush off to go, she'll follow him.

{It's minutes to get the lightest armor on, they'll be gone if you stop to get armor, i'm fairly certain.  Though to be fair, i thought you were allowed to sleep in leather armor.}

OK, here's the rundown:

You are all currently at light encumbrance for obvious reasons, so your move is 30'.  Glumr can track normally while moving at 15'.  He can track at -5 to his roll moving at 30'  and in theory he could hustle and cover twice as much ground at -20, but this is impractical for now.  Especially *after* the roll.

So your two speed choices are slow or normal.


If we assume the goblins are also lightly encumbered then neither of these speeds will catch them while they are moving.  You would have to move your normal speed  and push yourselves a little extra to catch them when they camp.  Doable.  You could both travel about 24 miles in a day and that's not far enough to reach the Dark Woods, which are 30-40 miles from Crim.

So, the only way to catch light encumbrance goblins is to travel at normal speed.  Time is less of an issue.  There's time to go put on light armor and carry light gear.


If we assume the goblins are at medium encumbrance half speed tracking is still too slow.  However, you can catch them in the first hour traveling at normal speed.  Putting on armor would extend this to two or three hours, but you'd still catch them before they made camp.

So, you can catch medium encumbrance goblins quickly if you travel at normal speed with no armor and somewhat slower if you put your armor on.


I need Glumr to decide whether to go back for armor, what speed to track at ,and whether you are tracking by torchlight or moonlight.

It seems like a no-brainer to travel at normal speed and take a -5 to tracking.  On the other hand maybe you want to be extra careful and make a long go at this and follow them into The Dark Woods.  I dunno.  It's your call.

How do Sunna and Holly react to this?  Is Adiel going to join them?

Sunna exchanges a glance with Holly as someone asks them for Harj and Timmor. This seems like some sort of balance at work.
"I can help, I'm not much use in dowsing the flames anyway. Where are the wounded?"

"GLUMR! I need you to find Harj. Trail them if the goblins have him, but we need to find Harj." Holly was worried. If the goblins had come to find Harj and Timmor, then there was potential for serious danger to the tribes. Holly waited to get a response to her request from Glumr, before considering how to call up water to douse the flames.

Holly thinks back.  You all last saw Harj about 36 hours ago headed east towards Kammarra.  While it's possible that he's mixed up in this goblin business it's even more likely that he's camped safely 35 miles away from Crim.  Being part of Tora's quick strike force has taught him to travel light and fast.  Timmor is the priest of a shrine in Crim.  You don't know much about him.

She's not even sure Glumr heard her shout.  There's a lot of noise and chaos.




"You're a healer?  Thank Pelor!  It's Tora.  She's dying!" says Goddard in panic.

He grabs Sunna's wrist and runs to the barracks pulling her along.  The initial tug feels like it might pop her arm right out of her shoulder socket.

Are Holly and Adiel following Sunna and the warrior?

When you get to the barracks you see the damage.  It looks sort of like a fireball hit the wall, but from the inside, not the outside.  Beds and furniture near the wall are broken and splintered as is Tora.  She and a couple other wounded have been moved to beds on the other side of the longhouse, clear of the debris and safe from smoke.  Tora's whole left side is ruined.  Her arm is destroyed, her ribs, hip and leg crippled, and her head is cracked open.  The other wounded just have cuts and bruises.

"She's stopped breathing," says Giselle.


"I found a healer!" says Goddard, pulling Sunna after him.

Glumr calls to his companions to coordinate a rough plan.

"Let us rush and get gear, we might be a couple days out if we are to follow the goblin filth back to whatever hole they came from.  I agree with Mord, this is something other than a simple goblin raid, this was an attack such as we would see in warring tribes."

Glumr ponders his course of action.

"I'll try to keep us moving as fast as possible, but they have a head start and if they run we might not catch them today.   When we find them, we need to be ready for a fight.  If you two keep the goblins out of reach while I stand behind you, I can help make short work of them with my bow, but I need you two to keep them from my reach."

"Likewise we need to try to find out information as Mord said.  Something is driving the goblins to come into our lands.  Maybe we can capture one and interrogate it or bring it back to someone who can speak their tongue."

Glumr pauses and looks at Mord with a grin.

"Got that Mord, we need one alive." Glumr says with a wink.  "Are we in agreement?  If so let us get our gear in haste and meet back here and then we will be off"

OCC - I plan to try to keep us moving at full speed trying to catch them.
           I plan to grab Talita too.

Upon seeing Tora Sunna hesitates, realizing that while she is able to wield healing magic she is no real healer. And this looks really really bad. "What happened?" she asks in as calm a voice as she could muster while stepping forward. Not certain if it will be of any use Sunna reaches for her flute and leans her ear over Toras mouth as if to listen for her breathing.

With no fires left to put out, Holly follows Sunna and the guard to find out what injuries have occured. Seeing Tora in such a bad way, Holly places a hand gently on Sunna's shoulder and says, "You do what you can, and I'll do what I can. Our magics should help save her."

With that, Holly calls upon Obad-Hai to aid in healing Tora of her wounds, focussing the energy of her magic to a healing spell.

[Holly will cast Cure Moderate Wounds, by taking away "Summon Natures Ally 3".
Holly rolled 11 using 2d8+5. Healing spell - Tora.]

Mord snorted deeply as he led his horse back, and mounted it in a smooth, effortless motion.   "The little beggars like to run, true enough.  If they run slow enough that they remain in reach of my axe, they'll be off you soon enough.

"Keeping one alive..."  Mord made a play of trying to count fingers with puzzled look on his face.  "Mord no count good.  Laugh.  Yes, we need information from the little beggars, or their leader, more likely."

Sunna adds her musical healing to Holly's divine healing.

11:50, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Sunna, rolled 15 using 2d8+5

Both spells work in unison.  Tora's wounds close up and she stops bleeding.  Her left arm must've been too far gone because it ends in a stump at the elbow.  You hear her take a few ragged breaths and then her eyes open.

"Where are they?" she asks, coughing and sitting up.  "Make sure the village is secure.  Giselle, in the morning I want you to take Mord, Balki, Karola, and 6 other warriors.  Find those little bastards.  If you can safely do it, wipe them out.  If not, hound them and send Balki back to report."

"Take it easy, Cap'.  You almost just died," says Giselle pushing Tora back into a lying down position.

"The goblins left the village. Glumr is already chasing them, he took Mord and Farden with him, as far as I know." Sunna does her best to sound reassuring. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened here? A few hours ago Mord told us that the goblins aren't a threat around here. At least not more than normal... And this looks unusual for them."

Tora winces.  You can't be sure if it's from the pain of her injuries or the news.

"The archer?  He's going to get himself killed.  No offense, but your little group is reckless and untrained.  Having Mord along is just going to make them feel invincible."

Tora shakes her head.  That simple act makes her involuntarily list to the side.  There's something very wrong with her balance.  She tries to catch herself with the arm that is no longer all in one piece, and slumps awkwardly to the bed irritated and confused.  She stubbornly sits back up again.

"Giselle, see if you can catch Glumr's group before they run into any goblins.  If you do, absorb them and continue, but don't let finding them distract from the mission."

Tora turns back to Holly and Sunna.

"I'm sorry.  I haven't yet thanked you for the healing.  I am grateful.  Your powers are very impressive.  I am lucky you were passing by.  We could use your help.  Can I convince one or both of you to join us?"




"I got complacent.   We've crushed all the known aggressive goblin elements along the border.  I thought we were safe, but it looks like there are unexpected and capable reinforcements.  This is not as big a threat as it might seem.  This attack was an act of desperation, and thanks to you it didn't work.  We'll be more vigilant and it wont happen again,"  Tora answers, firmly.

That's only half of the answer to your question.  Perhaps there are physical clues to what happened here, or better eye witnesses.

Glumr, Erma, and Mord grab light gear and 3 days food and head out the direction of the goblins' retreat.  Mord is on horseback while Erma and Glumr are on foot.  Glumr examines the tracks.

"There are only four of them," says Glumr.

That sure was a lot of bang for just 4 squeaky little goblins.

"Look," Erma says to Glumr pointing out other tracks.  "No running.  A walk looking back.  Slow with no hurry."

She's right.  They milled around instead of running off right away.  Were they watching for something?  Were they planning to hide in the darkness until Glumr started shooting at them?

"Hey you're a pretty good tracker," Glumr realizes out loud.

"Of course.  How else could I teach you, Cub?"

The group moves along to follow the goblins.

Glumr, please make a Search roll at -5 (DC 20).  If you fail Erma and Mord need to make a REF and Glumr needs to make two REF saves and number them REF1 and REF2.

Reckless and untrained? Absentmindedly Sunna rubs her shoulder. It still hurts a bit from being pulled to get to Tora in time. Just as she's about to tell Tora about what they have accomplished, that a group of goblins seems much less a threat compared to the things seen in the tower of Sowell, Tora speaks up again. Sunna winces as she sees the warrior having problems with her balance.
"You're welcome. But, as much as I'd like to help you in your task here, my path leads me elsewhere. I'm sorry, Tora. If you're in need of another warrior, though, I guess Farden might be interested."

"Of course it won't", Sunna says as firmly as Tora, "I'm certain that these reinforcements will be put down as quickly as they appeared." Though there might be others. And someone must've sent them here. It can't be just a small group acting on it's own, can it?

"Do you think it's a sort of trap? That following the goblins will lead whoever is following them into much more trouble?" she asks Giselle. Then Sunna looks around in the room, eyeing the destruction that was caused by the goblins. Somehow.

Since the other wounded are much less hurt than Tora Sunna will ask them about what happened. "Have you seen the little buggers coming in here? Did they have a witch around? Or how did they fire start?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:14, Sat 23 May 2015.

Adiel watches Erma, Mord, and Glumr leave, a little helplessly. They might catch the goblins... or they might fall into a trap. He rather expects them to return wounded, after falling into a trap and fighting their way out, with great cost. Perhaps Tora would send a proper band of warriors after them, once it was morning and the goblins have lost the advantage of darkness.

He spends several minutes asking warriors what happened, trying to piece together the best picture he can, although he suspects they used some alchemy or magic or machine of the most devious kind. He tries to sort out what beliefs come from panic or confusion, searching for the truth. He thinks through his own knowledge of magic, too, pondering what powers the goblins might have used here.

16:22, Today: Adiel rolled 12 using 1d20+10. Knowledge (Arcana).
16:22, Today: Adiel rolled 23 using 1d20+14. Spellcraft.
16:22, Today: Adiel rolled 15 using 1d20+11. Sense Motive - Tora's Warriors.

Finally, he enters Tora's room. He watches and listen's for a few moments, notes Tora's stump, and says, "Holly, you have become powerful indeed. You can heal wounds and cure diseases. Can you also heal damage to muscle or mind?"

OOC: Spells like Lesser Restoration might help Tora right now, if she's still dizzy.

Holly turns to Adiel and looks for a moment, before replying, "Harper, it was Sunna that did most of the healing here. Obad-Hai has granted me some healing powers, not nearly as useful or powerful as others within the tribe. I happen to be in the right place is all. Now, whilst we were doing some serious work, I assume you have been finding out what has been going on?"

Holly tells herself that she needs to talk to Adiel and puts it on the list of things to do in the morning.

"Tora, if needed I can join any search party and track for them. Glumr stinks to high heaven most of the time, so Moonlight and I can find him if we need to."

Adiel, Sunna, and Holly split up and ask around the scene of the crime.  No one saw or heard anything until the bangs, and only one of the warriors saw  the goblins.

"They were small is how I know they were goblins," she tells you.  "I didn't catch view of any beady eyes.  They were on their way out at the time and dark.  Wrapped up all in black and made no sound, or I was deafened for the time by the BOOMs.  I saw three.  They were gone fast.  Then there was fire."

It checks out with what the others know about goblins and their tactics.  They are very quiet when they are trying to be.  They attack at night.  The only real victories they've every scored over Tora's warband have been when scouts find a camp and lead a stealth party to sneak attack the guards and sleeping warriors.  Even so they are always driven back and scatter.  The silent part brings up another interesting point.  Magic requires words; firm reasonably loud words.  Casting a spell might've woken someone up.  You can't rule out goblin mages, but it's unlikely.

You examine the scene for physical clues starting with the hole in the wall.  The damage to the wall is minor.  It breached the structure from inside based on the way the wood is splintered.  The hole is just big enough for a goblin to climb in, but the hole will be patched on both sides tonight and it would be easier to climb in a window anyhow.  Not all of the shutters were, or will be closed.  Blowing a hole in the wall was probably a side effect instead of the goal.  There are two other scorch marks on the floor and you think a forth explosion on Tora's bed.  The fire was localized to the furniture and hole in the wall, mostly inside.

You find shards of pottery all over that side of the barracks and some have been removed from wounds.  The pottery is seared on the inner curve leading you to suspect fire and alchemy inside round ceramic pots were the source of the loud booms everyone heard.

On the way out of Crim Glumr steps on something that clicks.  His quick reflexes kick in just in time.  He hops straight up to avoid the jaws of a small bear trap snapping shut on his ankle or shin.  Mord and Erma look at him startled.  He grins and lets out a sigh of relief.

Then there are a series of deafening bangs all around him.  Glumr disappears in a storm of fire, smoke, dirt, and clay shrapnel.  The blast knocks him to the ground on his back.  He can't see or hear anything but a strange metallic sound.  All he can't feel is pain and heat and the everburning torch clutched in his hand.

Mord's horse takes a chest full of fire and debris too.  It rears back in panic.

Glumr takes 22 points of damage and Mord's horse takes 11.  Glumr is currently on fire.   I need a DC 5 Ride roll from Mord to stay in the saddle.  I also still need a DC 18 REF save from Erma.


The explosions are plenty loud enough for everyone back at the barracks to hear including our heroes in the middle of their investigations.

Mord shelters himself against his mount, even as the beast rears in pain and shock.  No skittish beast would survive beneath Mord's bellows, however, and the barbarian was quick to demonstrate why, as while the fist holding reins grasped the saddle pommel, Mord's other hand tightened just enough to distract the animal, and bring it back to ground.  Heels and "Hyah!" surged the equine forward effortlessly, as training overwhelmed pain response.

If there were more traps, Mord's horse would run them down and spare the party, and if this was the point meant for ambushing the response party, then Mord very much intended to ride down to bloody effect the ambushers.

And his counting skills were not weighing strongly...

---

OOC: 22:11, Today: Mord rolled 18 using 1d20+8. Ride.
Mord couldn't fail that roll, but good to see how WELL he did it :)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:23, Wed 27 May 2015.

"Alchemy..." says Adiel, holding a few shards of pottery in one hand. This was a powerful weapon, a planned attack... perhaps their goal was nothing less than an assassination of Tora. If that happened, Adiel would definitely be pressed into service in her place, and Adiel has more to do before he joins the war. Thank goodness Sunna healed her before it was too late--it increases his shame at having no healing powers to know that it was his fellow harper who did it. But how would they know exactly where she was sleeping?

Three possibilities: divination magic, exceptionally stealthy scouting, or a traitorous spy in their midst.

Hearing the loud booms, Adiel curses under his breath. "A trap of more alchemy would be deadly. They could have set it up before the attack. The goblins wouldn't even have to risk themselves in a proper ambush." He shakes his head, hoping that Glumr and Erma have enough sense to persuade Mord to return, after triggering the first trap.

Based on the spy theory, Adiel begins asking whether anyone is missing (a spy might run, after filling his mission), and asking people one by one, "Do you know anything else about the attack?" He thinks Elias is probably spying for someone, but why would he spy for goblins?

Can I assume that Adiel takes 10 on his Sense Motive checks to see whether anyone lies to him, for a total of 21?
This message was last edited by the player at 22:12, Wed 27 May 2015.

"Divination spells would give them enough information on this camp, if used the right way, and it does sound like a desperate measure to try and attack in here." Holly says, considering the attack and its meaning.

At the sound of the booms, Holly knows fear for her cousins and Erma, wondering if her skills in healing might be needed again. Holly half assumes Glumr would have spotted any traps, but knows in the dark it doesn't always happens as you would hope.

Everyone from the barracks is accounted for.  Taking an informal inventory of the residents of Crim will have to wait 'til morning.  Consider that Goddard didn't even know that Harj was out of town.  As for liars, there's confusion anger and concern, but you don't think that any of the warriors are trying to mislead you.  This attack really caught everyone by surprise.

When things start exploding, Erma lets instinct take over.  She screams at the top of her lungs a challenge.  The scream very quickly takes on the feral low gutteral roar of a feral beast as she takes on her natural form.

"Now they're using alchemy?" Sunna frowns at the pottery shards. It's almost as bad as them having a witch around.

When she hears the booming sounds in the distance the bard stops in her steps and turns to Holly. "Shouldn't we go looking? It sounds almost as bad as here and, well, if one of them got caught in the center of the trap..." There is no need to end the sentence, Tora is the example of what could happen.

Adiel's next strategy is to cast Detect Magic, singing his melody long and high, and search the vicinity of the attack for suspicious magical auras, just in case.

A loud explosion, then near silence from deafening pain.  Glumr is stunned as he realizes what is happening.  When he realizes he is still alive but on fire, his instincts take over.  Glumr dives onto the ground, trying to smother out the flames with the dirt and his cloak as fast as possible.

+4 to reflex save from rolling on ground and cloak
Glumr rolled 27 using 1d20+12. Reflex Save.

Soon as the flames are out, Glumr is drinking a healing potion he has to try to stop the burning pain and recover from the explosion.  It hurt a lot!

Mord charges forth to clear a safe path ahead.  Luckily for his horse there are no more traps along the way.  He reaches a safe distance and looks back.  The others are not following.

Erma was further to the edge of the explosions than Glumr and was not flung to the ground or as badly injured as he was.  After changing into a bear flames still lick at her fur and she can not manage to put them out.  She needs help.  Glumr's efforts to extinguish himself are more successful.  He gulps down a potion, which heals some of his wounds and restores his senses.

Erma takes 17 points of damage.  Glumr recovers 4 points.

Adiel examines the barracks while singing his magical song.  He thinks he'll have time in the spell's duration to walk out to the scene of the second set of explosions and check there too.


There are a few rounds for Erma and Glumr to deal with a burning bear before Holly and Sunna arrive.

The potion feels good going down, but only barely numbs the pain from the explosions and fire.   Glumr, making a quick survey of the situation, sees Erma as a bear, trying to deal with the flames.  He grabs his torch and as he runs over to her, he pulls his cloak off and throws it over her and tries patting to help smother out the flames.

+4 for cloak, any other bonus to Erma from Glumr's help?
_{Character sheet updated for potion usage}
This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Sat 30 May 2015.

"Us rushing after them is likely to get us in the same danger. I have confidence in Glumr, so I suspect he set them off to put the goblins in a good mood. If they think their traps worked they might slow down enough for Glumr and the other to catch them at dawn." Holly says, wondering if that was the case. She had spent enough time with Glumr to know his skills, and even in the dark Holly suspected Glumr had spotted the trap and played it to his advantage.

"If they are in trouble, we will soon know about it."

Using his cloak, Glumr is able to help put out the flames burning Erma's fur.

There is still some grass and underbrush on fire.  Grasslands are prone to wildfires so it's vital to extinguish all of the fires.  Luckily, several people from the barracks are on their way over.

We can safely say that the whole party is back together now near where the bomb trap went off.

Mord trotted back on his injured horse, seemingly unburdened by overconcern, but not trying to kill the beast either.  "Not far ahead, I judge, and keeping ear out for us, but I didn't want to leave the rest of you out of the fun of slaying them, and saw Glumr and Erma had not rejoined me, so I returned to check on my companions, before riding back out to slay the little goblin wretches.

"The path forward is clear as far as I rode down to the split rocks there.  Hey now, you too look a little hurt.  Another thing we'll have to hold them to account.

"Holly, Sunna, Adiel - how are things at the barracks?  Anyone injured by the fire there?"

The barbarian made no effort to dismount unless his aid was needed - direct to do so, if it was - and seemed just as eager, if not moreso, to be away and riding down the goblin heads, as his own fire in eyes seemed to suggest.

"Tora, quite badly. Sunna and I put her back together." With that Holly ignores Mord and moves over to Glumr. Turning to Erma, Holly asks, "Are you ok Erma?", before turning to Glumr and saying, "Cousin, I thought you knew better. Lets take a look at the damage and then consider whether we let Mord lead us off or we return to camp."

Holly called down Obad-Hai's healiing power on her cousin, feeling the energy seal some of his wounds and stop the bleeding. "Perhaps next time you will consider goblins more worthy of their tricky nature. There, that should keep you going until I can work out what spells I don't need for the new day."

Holly then moves to Mord's horse and inspects its wounds, stopping the bleeding with a simple spell and then looking up at Mord. "You should get another horse cousin. This one needs rest and a chance to heal up."

[Holly uses Barkskin to CMW on Glumr. Uses Produce Flame to CLW on Mord's Horse.]

"I never saw the goblin filth...   I stepped on their trap and nearly burned up from that thunder fire.  I was lucky I heard the bear trap engage and jumped clear of it.  The fire caught me, lucky I had my leathers on and keep a potion on me."

"Do you all think we should go after the goblins, and at least see where they are coming from and whatever information we can find?   I know Mord is itching for some goblin killing.... I'm just worried what this attack and the magic used really means"

Glumr is visibly burned and hurt, but more than willing to go after some goblins.

Mord's horse is fully healed.  Glumr is doing pretty well.  He only has 3 points of injury left.  Erma is still badly injured.  She has 17 points of damage.

Moving to Erma, Holly sees the true extent of the wounds, and quickly moves in. "Erma, stand still and I will heal you." With that, Holly again calls upon Obad-Hai's aid and sends healing power into the bears body. Turning to the others, Holly adds, "I am out of powerful healing spells until the morning. I know we should consider why the goblins attacked this way, but Tora said it was a last desperate act on their part. Killing them might make Mord happy, but can we really go wandering off in the dark? Let us wait until the morning and run them down then."

[Holly uses Produce Flame to cast CMW]

"It looks like a decent plan to kill off as many capable fighters of Toras band as possible. Don't know if I'd call that desperate, but rather well planned for a group of goblins. I'd really love to get to question one of them... but odds are that they might have more of these traps." Sunna looks around, then shrugs. There's no way that she could see the goblins if they're hiding.
If Erma is still injured Sunna would cast a cure spell on her, too.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:46, Thu 04 June 2015.

Mord snorted at Holly's comment, and made no effort to dismount, although he did seem pleased that the horse beneath him was in better shape.

"The traps they left behind them were not desperate, but planned and canny.  This was at the least a probing test, and from what I gather from what you've said, a strike on the leadership of our armies.  That's no desperation, but attempt to cut off the head."

The mighty barbarian leaned from his saddle, it creaking softly beneath his form.  "You're right that it would make me happy, cousin, to kill goblins - but I'd rather know the whos and hows and whys of this attack, to cut off the head or neck and protect our people.

"Waiting to rest only gives the goblins time to retreat, and makes it harder to track them.  We're in good shape thanks to the All-Father's healing at Holly's hand.  I say we move, and move strongly now.  Track the goblins and capture them to investigate the source of this attack.  If the goblins are close, we find and defeat them.  If they manage to elude us for the night, then Holly gets her rest.  Either way we win.  We lose by letting them escape."

"Cousin, can you see in the dark? I know I can't. Erma probably sees better than all of us in her bear form. If we carry light, we warn them of our coming, but without light we are likely to set off more of there so called planned and canny traps. There is likely more than one on any route they are taking. Another blast and someone could die. It is only a few hours to daylight, so let us prepare and use the light to our advantage." Holly said, understanding Mord's view, but trusting Tora's years of battle to have a better view of reality of the attack that her cousin.

Whistling out into the darkness, Holly hopes Moonlight is close enough to hear and come to her aid. His nose would at least work in the darkness if the others insist they go on into the night.

Erma is now fully healed.

Having already been woken and alarmed by the thunderous noises, Moonlight is sure to be around and glad to know Holly is OK.  It doesn't take him long to arrive.

"There are other ways to gain that knowledge," says Adiel. "We could send a spy, invisible or disguised. We could hire divination magic. We could let Tora send scouts in the morning. All of these are safer than pursuing well-prepared goblin alchemists at night, and falling into more traps or ambushes. Obviously we would kill them in a fair fight, but I doubt we could ever engage them in such a fight, no matter how strong our pursuit."

Do we have a consensus about the party's next move?  Charge off after them now, or wait 'til morning?

So, of course:
- 2 in favour of pursuing now (the two that led that way)
- 2 in favour of waiting, and maybe something later
- 2 no position mentioned

Chuckle.
How about this, to help the DM:
In absence of clear majority from party, Mord will depart with Glumr and any others wishing to go, to track now while fresh.  If any party remain behind, Mord will leave marks to help the group follow tracks.
Seems a good compromise between lemming and abandonment strategies :)

Sunna's in favour for waiting until sunlight, too.
But I like the compromise.

Holly isn't happy that Mord and Glumr won't wait until the morning, but she hopes they can't get into much more trouble before Moonlight tracks them down in the morning. "OK, if you want to go off, be safe cousins. I'll catch up with you in the morning when Moonlight has tracked you down. Until then, I will return to the camp and ensure Tora is aware we will go after the goblins. Just try and stay alive long enough for us to find you."

Holly feels like she needs to hug Mord and Glumr, but restrains herself and instead leads Moonlight back towards the camp.

"No, Adiel is right.  There are many ways to find out why the goblins attacked.   More so this should be for Torra to decide.  As much as I enjoy seeing goblins with my arrows stuck in them, this is not why we came here.  But... Personally I have a bit of a score to settle.

At first, I was for following goblins immediately to catch them, but considering the delay now, I expect to take much longer to close the distance.   If everyone simply wants to wait for light for safety reasons, I suggest we leave as soon as we are ready and comfortable as it will be sun up by the time we find them considering their head-start. "

With Mord having suffered little harm, and only a bit of adrenalin, Glumr's comment took a sighing "oh well" response from Mord, who was still eager for battle.  "Ah, well, wouldn't do to go off with the rest of you hurt.  Might take offence at the next hand of dicing, and ill to start a good contest in poor spirits.

"And you're family, and don't want to see others hurt.  Might make me a little gung-ho to see dessert served, or dish out some revenge... not to mention I loathe the little buggars, but... alright!"  Mord threw up his hand and dropped them back on the pommel.

"Ruining a good head of steam, though.  If we're staying the night, let's at least do what we can to help the others that were hurt, buildings damaged, and do some tracking or searching of the area before Glumr loses any signs around the building.  And ready up packs so we can leave at false dawn, yes?  Give everyone a chance to settle into the saddle."

The barbarian slung a boot free and dismounted, then gestured.  "No sense sitting around like some city folk.  Strong hands to help.  We need a building torn apart or move something to help injured folk, you've got a pair of arms here.  Let's get at 'er, so we can leave with clear heads tomorrow, hmm?"

Mord graciously relents for now.   The party is assured that issues with the barracks, fires, and wounded are under control and you all return to sleep for a few hours.  You get up nice and early to head off after the goblins.  Glumr and Erma plan to go it on foot for better tracking.  Mord prefers his horse.  Others may choose to walk or ride.   Holly prays and gains new spells for the day.  Farden volunteers to stay back and keep an eye on the cart and treasures.

Do you want to work with the team Tora instructed Giselle to assemble or go it on your own?

I need today's updated spell lists for Holly, and Glumr.

When journeying, Adiel rides his horse much of the time, occasionally taking a break to walk and stretch out his legs. He has good stamina after years of travelling, but is only an amateur rider.

As they prepare to leave, he attempts to find Tora or Giselle to coordinate their groups' efforts. No need to duplicate each other's tracking work.

His mind keeps flickering back to the Tome of Legends. Adiel doesn't want to spend too long on this side-venture; he is anxious to discover the Tome's power and see if his guesses prove true.

It's not hard at all to find Giselle, in fact she finds you.  The berserker has six other members of Tora's warband with her, all on foot.

"Listen up," says Giselle in a commanding tone.  "I'm gonna make this speech short.  Tora has tasked me with hunting down and slaughtering the cowardly goblins who dared attack Crim under cover of night.  Pelor's light shines now.  It will expose them as weak."

"I have been ordered to take my two scouts, Mord, and a handful of warriors.  Since I have brief experience with Glumr and Holly, I shall count them as warriors.  The rest of you, if you insist on joining this hunt, I will count as poets, dreamers, and healers until proven otherwise."

"I've known Glumr to track a man from Crim to Volge with several days head start, so I trust him to take the lead on this for now."

The party of 13 people, Moonlight, Talita, and the wandering minstrel eye, traveling light, sets off after the small band of goblins at first light.  Glumr and Erma work together on the tracking.  They discover that past the bomb trap the tracks aren't quite so simple to follow.  Evidently the easy to spot tracks were meant to lead trackers into the trap.  Even so, Glumr is up to the task.  He finds the trail using subtle, but consistent clues.  The feral redhead imparts helpful bits of knowledge along the way and occasionally spots small details Glumr might've missed otherwise.

After a couple hours Glumr reports the bad news that the small group of goblins travelled light and fast.  You wouldn't have been able to catch them even if you'd trailed them right after the incident.  What's worse is you might not be able to catch them at all before they reach the Dark Woods.  However, you never know what will happen and there may be something to be learned just by following their path.

Mord grunted as Glumr updated the parting on the tracking results.  "Then we push as fast as you can keep tracking, Glumr, and only slow to cycle the horses or if you need to take a closer look at the tracks.

"What you've said confirms to me that this wasn't some random raid or vengeance.  This group is highly trained, beyond what we saw from the common rabble and their commanders.  They travelled a long distance at fast pace, leaving little tracks, ambushed their target without being prevented or detected, and nearly escaped undetected as well, but for our kin's good eyes, and even then implemented plans on the fly to ambush trackers following the next day, and had the endurance to push hard on the way back.  All with the thinking to ensure they carried only what they needed, and the discipline to not be looting, jeering, or any of the other goblin weaknesses we normally see and exploit with an axe.

"If Glumr didn't confirm it was goblin tracks, these things are so bloody different from the rest, that I'd never know them as them without seeing them.

"Let's ride."

"A war does tend to remove the weak and the unlucky Mord. You are an example of the cream coming to the top in war. So don't imagine they are a new breed or super goblins. I agree they have been very unusual in their ways, but those ways allowed them to carry out the task they set themselves. Good planning, and discipline, although very unlike goblins must exist in their civilisation as they have lasted this long with the clans hunting them down." Holly has little concern that the goblins who had attacked the camp were anything more than the elite of that race. That made them a likely match with her and her cousins if Giselle and the others were not also travelling with vengeance in their hearts.

"I was about to suggest we ride hard to try and flush them out or make them turn and face us. Glumr, is there a pattern to their direction, or should we spread out our line a little to catch up. I can have Moonlight help see if they move across our flanks. He has a knack I think for smelling them out. At least normally." With that Holly gives Moonlight a side look, wondering how the goblins had got past Moonlight in the night of the attack. Not that Holly knew what her companion had been doing that night, as she'd let him loose into the grasses for the night.

Glumr looks a tad frustrated with everyone's suggestions "We are honestly moving as fast as we can go without losing these tracks..unfortunately.   We could move faster if we knew the destination, but to do so now is only asking for us to lose their trail."

Karola, a tracker Mord has fought along side for months, nods in agreement with Glumr's assessment.

"This speed already feels reckless to me," she comments.  "We track more meticulously and hunt slowly.  This sort of thing takes time."

In answer to Holly's question, the goblins headed, to no one's surprise, generally south.  You do have a lot of people.  You could fan out, but to cover enough area you'd quickly lose sight of each other.  That might be a tactic better used when you're closer to catching up to them.

Mord dropped an arm over Glumr's shoulders.  "Bah, don't go getting all up in your britches.  Can't blame an eager blade for urging speed, any more than you can the skilled tracker for braking to keep at a good pace.  We did the same thing to Karola only about twice every day - three times if it was an early breaking of fast.  You keep us going at the pace you can manage among the group of you.

"Say, I don't know if it would work like it does in battle, but some times we will leapfrog ahead of where the battle seems to be going, so we're in better position there if all proceeds as planned.  Don't know if it could work the same with tracking.  Could one of you skilled folk keep following the tracks so we don't lose them, and the other double-time ride with an advance party along the ... what's the word - judging where they're going from the line they've been following, like judging how to avoid a sword blow from the incoming arc. They might be crafty like Mord is in battle, so that's why I'd think one keeping following - or two, really, depending how Glumr, Erma, and Karola figure it out.  Cycle active people, or keep two tracking the confirmed, while the third goes ahead.  If it looks like it's heading to the tree over there, say, then we do a little ride-ahead, and if we pick it up, great, we can bring up the slower rear group.  If we don't, no worries, the rear group is staying on the trail.  As long as we stay within earshot, and the trackers let us know if the trail's getting too fresh to do that, seems to me we could maybe zip ahead if we're lucky, and worst case the front group spends a little extra time riding back to join the slower group a few times?  If that doesn't work, don't mind Mord the Mighty - goblin-killing's a different thing than following marks on the ground.  I mark 'em up, not trace it out on the ground."

Holly considers for a moment, and then steps aside with Erma to have a very private with Erma before moving back to speak with Glumr and Mord. "Look, I think I can help out by scouting ahead, by using that little trick I showed you a couple of days ago. Obviously, I can't do that here, as I think Giselle and the others would go manic. Let me take Moonlight back out of sight and I'll be back in a few hours. Moonlight will go with me, so don't worry if you runs past everyone. I take a loop to the west so he doesn't spoil any tracks. Glumr, just don't go shooting down any ravens until after sunset."

Holly waits for the protests, but taking the form of a raven and flying forward would at least give them a possibility of seeing the enemy and hopefully determining their speed and course. If anything happened, Moonlight would hopefully be close, being able to hopefully follow her flight and easily keep up.

[Holly knows Ravens, so chose that as her Wild shape. Now she has the ability she intends to take more notice of birds around her, especially hunting birds.]

Sunna has nothing to add, tracking is not her field of expertise after all. But there is something else...
"Giselle, have the goblins used such kind of alchemy before? I haven't heard any stories of fire traps so far. Which doesn't mean much, given that I have been away for some time." Maybe someone made a deal with them aside from the usual dealings in liquor?

"Be careful", she says warmly when Holly moves away from the party to do her scouting. "We might not be the only ones around here using ranged weapons."

"Mord is right about our foes, and our scouts are right about our need for careful tracking," says Adiel. He seems a bit grim, not expecting to be able to catch the goblins before they make it into the woods. "That supports my guess that they were targeting Tora."

For the first time this morning, he smiles when Holly suggests her plan. "That could be our only chance of catching them," he says.

"You're all exactly right to notice that they're more organized than before. I've been among the hordes in disguise, and there is a new religion there. Where before, the goblins were a fractured and quarrelsome group of clans, they are beginning to be unified. In the borders of the Dark Woods, near Utsk, there are great pits filled with machinery, where the goblins are building infernal devices. I think that the goblins are preparing for war, that this was an early strike to try to slay our greatest strategist." Adiel doesn't mention Tora's opinion of his own talents. There is no use boasting until one has proven himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:54, Fri 12 June 2015.

When Holly pulls Erma aside and discusses her idea Erma shakes her head.

"Raven is too much smaller than the bear."

Holly contemplates this.  She thought a smaller bird would be easier, but the limit on sizes makes sense.  (Actually, a horse is a large animal, which would also be beyond Holly's abilities, but I made an exception due to Holly's affinity to horses.)

"Owl?  Hawk?"  Holly suggests.

Erma shakes her head again.

"Eagle," she says firmly.

The redhead also has some warning advice.

"The eagle, it's not safe like the bear or horse.  You must be sure to transform of your own will on the ground, not from the ending of the shape in the air.  The power will not last a quarter day."

Holly nods.  Better to be overcautious with her duration in raven form.


Holly departs from the group, taking Moonlight with her.

The rest of you press onward.  Around mid-afternoon Glumr discovers a group of very large wolf tracks crossing the path of the retreating goblins.  They are dire wolves, ridden in a loose formation.  This is a common mount animal for goblin cavalry.  The tracks are only a little older than the goblin tracks you're following.  It looks like you're dealing with more than just 4 goblin bombers scampering back to the Dark Woods.

"Seems like the tracks we follow lead to a common place as I've found tracks from dire wolves ridden by goblin filth."  Glumr ponders what this could all mean.

"Adiel, do you think this could be something similar to what you know of in the Dark Woods?   Or a forward raiding camp or something related?"

Less than an hour after you find the dire wolf tracks and keep following your four run-away goblins, Holly returns with news.

Sunna looks at the tracks Glumr had pointed out with a frown.
"How many of them were here? I can only see that there are wolf tracks."

Holly is sitting in the grasses, with Moonlight standing nearby, waiting for the others to catch up. For herself, she is still marvelling at the feelings she had gone through being an eagle, and also on what she had found. Holly had taken the time to relax again and contemplate how she could pass on the information without startling the tribesmen and Giselle especially.

"Moonlight and I found them, or at least a good camp of them, some way ahead. We waited here to catch our breath, and to allow you to catch up. We have a camp, in the open, with about twenty goblins, some hobs and one of the fully grown monsters we killed at that shrine some time ago. This time their shrine seems to have done its job. I would say we could take the camp on, even though we'd have to approach from a long way away in the open. What complicates it is a shrine, with more monsters, not that far away, which would likely join the fight. That scares me loads." Holly takes a moment to let the information sink in.

"The shrine is hidden, as was our previous engagement. We could get there without being spotted by the goblins, and take out the main threat. Use it as a base to attack the camp which is about two miles away. That might work." Holly is no great strategist, but she thinks that would be the best approach. Holly really wants them to leave the earth monsters alone, but she knows they would be too big a threat to any tribesmen in the region if they weren't dealt with now.

Glumr nods at the information Holly relays to the group.  "Your plan sounds good Holly.  I dont want to leave the shrines standing and think we need to do what we can to destroy them.  Between all of us, we should have the numbers and strength to eliminate both groups."

"Holly, did you see the Direwolves?  I found tracks of goblin cavalry traveling to the same place as the goblins from the crim attack."

"Adiel, do you have any insight on how might we best strike based on the knowledge Holly brought to us?  I think my arrows might be best against the heavier kinds they have over there, but with such a large group between us and them, we need to coordinate our actions this time more than ever."


OCC - How many direwolve tracks did Glumr see, to answer Sunna?

"There were four direwolves in the camp and a pen, so I suspect there might be others out on patrol perhaps? I would if I was leading the camp. I would hope we have enough people here to take them out as long as they don't get together. The patrols are the worry when it comes to trying to take out one threat without alerting the other. But I am sure Mord and Giselle can come up with a movement plan to reduce that threat."

Holly quickly draws in the dirt the relevant landmarks she had remembered, and where the camp and shrine were in relation to each other. "If we go in, I can provide healing skills and some fire if needed. Remember the entrance we did for our friendly duellist? Setting fire to the grasses might be useful for the camp. Will bring in their patrols though. Other than that, I intend to let Mord have all the fun getting close and personal. If we hold off to the morning I can perhaps hold the goblins in place using a tangling spell, but that won't probably work on the monsters at the shrine."

The tracks you found were a formation of 4 dire wolves - a leader and 3 followers.

One word of warning: In these grasslands there's very little to stop a localized grass fire from becoming a regional wildfire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:50, Wed 17 June 2015.

Mord hunkered down and drew a rough map in the ground.  "Pictures always make things easier, for me.  Fire in the grasslands isn't a great idea - too easy for the wind to change and blow back against us.

If the shrine is two miles away, they're out of quick battle response.  Yes, we plan for a potential pair of battles in quick order, but, even if they flew, we'd have the first battle resolved before the second arrived.

"I'm more concerned with preventing their flight.  The goblins are more active at night, so attacking at dawn gets them at their most tired, and before the sluggish wolves are up.

"The more time we wait, the greater the risk of being detected, and both sides coming up active at once.

"Hitting the shrine first could put us in worst shape - potentially the entire large camp roused, wolves and goblins scattered throughout the woods, nothing but a series of ambushes, when we're outnumbered.  Bad that.  They'd have harrying even outside the woods, and the horses' would be 'strung and down before we could even try a mounted retreat.

"No, it's hitting the camp as priority, ideally striking at dawn if we can manage it, so they're at greatest sluggishness and vulnerability from the rising sun. Even better, we strike riding in fast from two or three sides - but from the far side harry them back towards Crim, not towards any reinforcements.  Do three sides in case one of the groups hits a patrol, so we at least have two prongs driving them away from support, and to our strength.  'Course it's ideal if we hit from all three sides at once, and grind them down, but plan for worst to grab the best fruit.  I'd love to sneak us up close, but I can't hide in the wind, or worth a damned, and the buggers see better than we do in the night, and the risk of having a wolf up on patrol.  Bleh.  Better to strike when they're tired.

"Keep any prisoners of any that seem in charge - if we can - but not at expense of a swordmate going down.  Those wolves would be good to drop early, as well as any of them with a flask in hand. Hrm.

"We could grab a few branches and hold them in front of ourselves as we ride forward.  The general mob are dumb enough we might make a few more strides before their watch clues into the trees moving in no wind.

"My question would be, if that's the agreed plan, how you want to divide up numbers.  If they have the flasks, it might be smart for me to share a few of the goblins, but don't get greedy - they're all mine by default, right boys?"  Mord grinned toothily at the other warriors, in the tone of jest among friends. 

"If it isn't the agreed plan, what's better?"

"If that makes sense, we can use your special scouting to help make travel paths.  The closest group could fashion some delaying traps about a third distance from shrine and camp on the intervening distance.  Slow them.  The far group would have the fastest riders, and strongest hitters.

"Just thoughts."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Thu 18 June 2015.

Sunna listens to Glumr and Holly explaining the situation then to Mords suggestions. "I think we agree that we don't want to battle both groups at once", she says thoughtfully, "which means that we have to stay undetected until it is time to attack. Don't want them to make the first move, either."

"There is a new song I have in my mind which I'd really like to test.  It's a sort of lullaby, should put a few of those goblins back to sleep if it works as I hope. That way we might get a captive without having to risk someone's life." Sunna looks at Adiel, waiting for him to share his strategic knowledge.
"If we feel daring I could even try to take on the form of one of those buggers and... well, I don't know. Coax them into doing... something?"

Holly listens, considering the plan to hit the camp first is a little wayward, but knows better than to second guess warriors of experience, and from the stories and his actions that day Holly knew Mord now fell into that category.

"If we are waiting until the morning to attack, I can prepare some surprises, like the time we were with Snow on our first adventure and caught up with those Beast Tamers who had walked away with the idol. Have them struggling to move whilst our archers pick them off. I can arrange something." Holly didn't want to alarm Giselle by saying she was going to call on Obad-Hai and the grasses themselves to entangle the goblins, as Holly was not yet sure how her cousins would react. At least this way Mord would understand her intentions and potential to help the cause.

[OOC- Holly intends to use Entangle to hold some of the goblins in place, and use other magic to help out as she can.]

"Perhaps Erma and I can come up with some other little surprises as well."

"We're not here to attack shrines and anger the gods.  We are here for those at the camp."



Giselle smiles at Mord's humor.

"Have you forgotten your tactics so soon?  You're going to get the initiates killed."

"At these numbers we strike to weaken,"  Giselle states flatly with authority.

She points to the wolf pen on the dirt map.

"The wolf riders are the most dangerous.  We strike there fast.  Kill the wolves and retreat before they can organize a defense.  There certainly won't be time for these shrine monsters to join the fight.  Cripple their strength.  Hound them and attack the camp again later.  We can reach the camp tonight before dusk.  If we wait 'til morning they might pack up and leave in the night."

"I think there is a better way," adds Adiel.

"I am in command here, not you," snaps Giselle.

"Of course.  I only offer this as a suggestion for you to consider."

Adiel draws a wide circle around the map.

"We know they patrol out to here.  Why not fall back to this distance and watch for them?  Let them ride past our main force hiding in the grasses and hit them with a strong few, Possibly you and Mord.  The rest attack once you've engaged them.  An encirclement from behind will cut off a retreat so they cannot return to the camp to report.  We will have decisive advantage in numbers and strength.  We weaken them like you suggest without risking fighting them where they have the advantage.  We can attack the main camp later."

After sharing his idea, Adiel looks up from the map in the dirt. "The biggest gap in my knowledge is that I don't know the strengths and weaknesses of our warriors. Giselle, what can your people do? You said you had some initiates here? And Holly, Mord, Glumr, Sunna--how well can you hide and move quietly?"

Having said his piece, Adiel sits back to listen again. The more knowledge he has, the less likely he will speak in ignorance. The great Triplefang adventurers, as he is accustomed to thinking of them, had a wonderful diversity of ideas.

"Usually I want people to know that I am there", Sunna says with a grin, "so I don't have much experience with the whole hiding and sneaking thing. Wasn't even good at it when I was a lot smaller."

"Like Sunna, I have never had the need to go sneaking around and hiding from people. So I would likely be a liability in the front line. Supporting once you are engaged is probably the best I can do, but I need to be fairly close." Holly considers something for a moment and then adds, "Giselle, I think I'd be best left behind. I tend to trip over my own feet, and my skills in healing would be best used after the combat. Leave me here with the items you won't carry into combat. I can do something useful from there."

Holly hopes the others pick up on her desire to stay behind, whilst having an idea to use her new skills from above when her position would not put the others at risk.

"These lands are my home and where I am most comfortable, I expect I can move without notice as freely as I would want"  Glumr tells Adiel.

"I am for eliminating the shrines.  We do not want the unatural elelemts gaining a foothold in our lands.  Giselle, we can aid you in eliminating the camp, and afterwards it would be a trivial amount of time for you to aid us in destroying the shrines after.  It makes most sense to drive the creatures away more than just eliminating the ones we see." Glumr advises Giselle.  If anything, his traveling companions will most likely assist in this task, even if Giselle doest see the need.

"I like Adiels advice.  The only worry is that timing of patrols in the camp.  These goblins seem to be a bit more organized with the attacks agains crim.  They might notice if the patrols are delayed in returning.  But it makes most sense to keep the majority in camp, and any that leave... we should make sure they dont return."

"Stealth?" Mord snorted, grinningly.  "Things keep dying when I'm around, so not very well.

"The idea of ambushing their patrols is great - if they were for sure coming back here.  They aren't though, right?  So the idea of waiting in longgrass for a few days while the goblins perfect their retreat ain't great in my mind.  No offence, just don't see it here, Adiel.

"Likewise, Giselle, I know you're in charge- but you're thinking this like long war, not a mission to punish and grab information.  Great harrying and whatever, but it doesn't stop them from reporting success, doesn't get us the information, and only takes one unlucky tracking us back, or more reinforcements arriving in response to warning, or bad luck in walking into a group or patrol, and then we have everything in Obad-hai's breadbasket collapsing on top of us.  And we fail the double-task.

"The camp is first priority.  We need to break them, and capture for information, and hopefully stop any reports of success.  I agree the wolves are priority, I just disagree on the fading away.  They'll still out-track our quietness.  Goblins break, and we should take advantage of that, and keep piling on.  Attack when they are disorganized at dawn - oh we can make it there before dusk?  Sure - attack while we still have the light and fewer scouts up.  Riding in and butcher the dire wolves.  Lay on with blasting attacks and harry and run down the goblins.  Makes having riders ready to prevent flight a little more important, as they're more likely to escape if they make darkness.  These warriors in the making could learn from a veteran warrior like you, and stay better co-ordinated.

"How about this?  Our kingroup is the hammer, striking down the wolves and scattering the goblins, and you sweep around with the other warriors and act the anvil, flanking strike from the other side, and running down any fleeing goblins?"

Mord nodded at his own words, as he often did, and moved towards his horse to mount up.  Goblins awaited killing, in his mind.

"Then we can move onto the shrine and make sure that abomination is wiped out.  First things first tho."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:43, Mon 22 June 2015.

Holly places a gentle hand on Mord's arm and simply says, "Don't take his name in vain Mord. Obad-Hai will be there to support us, at least through me. You know that."

Giselle looks with disappointment upon Holly and Mord.

"Holly, I counted you as one of my warriors when we left.  You're not going to leave me short-handed, are you?"

Then she turns to Mord.

"Tora's 'long war' tactics are what's kept our casualties so low.  They work.  This mission is not so vital that I am going to throw away my clanmates' lives for it.  Don't worry, Mord.  I'll see that you get to crack goblin skulls, but we do this smart and careful.  That said,  Mord makes good points.  I'm not sold on the plan to ambush a patrol yet.  Glumr, can you tell how often patrols pass by?  When they come would be even better information."



"Mord and I are the heavy hitters.  Rutland is also a veteran.  We deploy him up close.  Goddard, Nolan, and Wynne are the initiates.  They are solid warriors.  They've seen some action, but they are still learning.  Goddard is the best archer of the three.  Balki and Karola are our scouts.  They are quiet and fast, capable of light fighting.  I had counted on Holly and Glumr as warriors too.  That would give us 10 for the patrol ambush or 8 for the assault on the wolf pen.  I'm not sending our scouts in for that.  Reduce those numbers by one if Holly pulls out."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 16:31, Mon 22 June 2015.

"Giselle, I dont know.  I found the wolf tracks and just followed them and the other golbins.   I could go scout and try to find that information out."  Glumr offers.

Mord waved his hands down at both Holly and Giselle.  "Don't go taking a warrior's words out of context, isn't it?  A battle oath by one's god only reinforces the luck, Holly.  No insult meant to you.  We just give our words to the big guy in different ways.  We're all good.  It's just an expression about everything happening at once.  Didn't mean to ruffle you.

"That does bring a thought tho- rather than counting Holly out, Giselle, why not keep her moving with the initiates that are looking strong for a harrying cavalry.  Keeps an extra body with them, healer there, and she's a skilled horsewoman.

"I count as two or three warriors, so I'll make up the difference in the melee lines."  A broad smile at the boast carried across confidence to the other warriors.

"So Giselle, Rutland, and I drive hard at the wolves - Erma's a good scrapper too," Mord added after a pause, giving the fetching redhead a glance, wondering at what form she'd be in for battle, and extending the glance to include the others present.  A bear appearing from no where would be... distracting... without advance word.  "Glumr's unwarriorly modest- still trying to break him of that.  He's up front with us, helping guard our flanks as we drive through.  Adiel and Sunna with us in support, at range.

"Then Holly, the other scouts and archers stay ahorse and harry from the other side?

"If we're looking in rough, rough shape we can pull back - good to have good riders there to help that," Mord reluctantly conceded to Giselle.  Mord had a history of first-in, last-out, and on more than one occasion had wanted to stick in too long for his injuries, but he knew he was one of the finest warriors of the clan, and despite his warriory boasting, did his battle because he knew the clan needed him up there, not in pride.

Pride helped though.

Adiel nods as the group considers his idea. "Glumr, will you go see whether you can guess when and how their patrol will move, based on their past patterns?"

"Giselle makes an important point about Tora's tactics. We might be able to take the camp with these numbers--but we might lose a couple of warriors, and that's not acceptable. Keep in mind that since goblins breed very quickly in wartime, they will always outnumber us--every Triplefang counts, both because every life is inherently valuable, and because we'll lose this war unless we train up every warrior."

"There's been a lot of talk here about revenge and mighty Triplefang warriors saving the day, but if we're to win the coming war, our first goal here cannot be revenge. We need to give our initiates experience, learn more about the goblins' abilities, and, if we can, destroy the shrine that is creating monsters. These are the things that will make a long-term difference in the war."

He turns to Mord. "I want to see the day when Goddard, Nolan, and Wynne are as skilled as Mord and Giselle. Give them practice and training, and keep them alive!"

"I stand by my suggestion to ambush a patrol--weaken their numbers first. Then, we should either attack the shrine, or mount a swift attack on the direwolves, retreating before the goblins and monsters can fully organize themselves."

"Before we decide about attacking the shrine, I want to see it, so I can look for weaknesses. For now, Holly, can you tell me more about these unholy monsters?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Mon 22 June 2015.

Mord rolled his eyes and shook his head at Adiel, not in anger, but genuine disagreement.  "Train, absolutely.  Practice, absolutely.  Wrap in swaddling clothes until they have grey hair, gods no.  These men are warriors, not scribes.  I wouldn't shove them in front of a pile of papers to scritch with ink, and I wouldn't shove a scribe into battle.  But expect warriors to fight in the area of engagement that fits their strength and skills?  Bloody rights.

"Adiel, I don't have a death wish of my own or anyone else.  But I also don't think that the risk of someone being hurt or killed means we don't do anything.  There is risk every time you engage in battle.  Even outnumbering 10-1 there is risk.  Ambushes have risk.  The worst archer in the world can break a bowstring and send the shoddiest arrow through a veteran's eye.

"If we had a guarantee to break off a piece of the patrol - great.  But we don't.  Even if they did patrol, there's not a reliable risk that they'll be back, or back in the time frame we have."  Mord gestured to Giselle.  ""Giselle is right that they could be gone in the night.  I don't like it.  I'd prefer to hit them at dawn, but the risk of them leaving and joining with a larger group isn't acceptable.  It isn't an option."

The barbarian warrior spread his arms and then pointed down.  "We fared as we did in the battle because Tora was smart to fight a long, broad war in fashion to defeat that.  Treating a raid as a battle is as foolish as an axe a club.  You use them differently, respond to them differently.

"If the goblins spread word that assassinating our leaders wins, then expect more of it, in numbers we can't match.

"If you're asking that I'm willing to sell my life hard to prevent that word from getting out, you better bloody believe it.  I'll sell mine, yours, and everyone here before I'd let positive word get out about how successful they nearly were with a handful of goblins into one of our greatest towns.  The goblins know fear from Tora, and that's the strongest deterrent, the strongest armour we have as a people.  I love you all as kin, and I love every one that hasn't popped, pooed, or crawled yet.  I'll dull my axe and whetstone before I let the rest of our kin be put in risk.

"Yes, we'll lose the war if we don't train.  They've trained. They're warriors.  We also lose the battle if we just nibble on the edges of the bread because we let the damn bread go rotten through the middle.  You made the point against yourself - if we play the back-and-forth game, they'll outbreed us into the ground.

"We strike with strength and training, and show their failure and weakness... or we encourage them to return again, ten-fold in numbers.  Four goblins nearly took our Tora and Crim.  How about four hundred armed with firebombs?  Or a hundred hundreds?

"You stand by your waiting for a patrol, and puttering with the shrine.  I stand with my strong, decisive strike at the camp, and harry and grind them down.  You can't stop a landside with your palm, but you can catch the first stone that would start it."

"I will let you all figure out the tactical approach while I see what I can figure from their patrol tracks." Glumr says to the group and turns to leave... Then, with a second thought, he looks to Mord and adds "Mord, dont forget I am best with a bow.  If you have my in position like you say, you and the others with hands on hilts must hold the line so that I may keep my fingers on the bow string."  and with that he gives Mord a wink and grin and turns to investigate the patrols.

"That's your BEST weapon?  Gods protect us, "  Mord grinned as he jested back, nodding that he had not forgotten. After, it wasn't as though he had suggested Glumr anchored the line... but Mord from the way Mord smiled to himself, Glumr's reminder was a wise thing when Mord was used to being in the front line and... might... consider everyone loving the crash and clash at the fire.  "As long as you don't expect me to find satisfaction with one of those toothpicks."

Adiel shakes his head, disagreeing with Mord in turn, in spite of his eloquent and impassioned expression of devotion to his clan. "Your fire is admirable, Mord, but risk is something that can be weighed, measured, controlled. A head-on attack on the camp would be a high level of risk, especially with initiates, and especially since I believe Holly feels we would be unable to approach in secrecy or without detection from the shrine."

Erma leaves to assist Glumr in finding out  more information about the dire wolf patrol tracks.

After they are gone Giselle asks Mord
"That woman is a warrior?  I saw she was armed, but other than Glumr's tag-along I have no idea who she is.  Who IS she?  Is she even Triplefang?"


Glumr and Erma return over an hour later.

15:52, Tue 23 June 2015: Fritzholm, on behalf of Glumr, rolled 32 using 1d20+18 ((14)).


"The mounted filth pass north of here once every two hours.  We didn't see any evidence of night patrols.  There should be at least one more patrol today before dark.  Maybe two.  We found an area of uneven ground where you could set up your ambush,"  Glumr reports.

Even those of you who have traveled with Glumr at length are shocked at the details they were able to get from a few scratches and marks on the ground.

"She is my cousin Giselle, and I vouch for her completely. She has been away from the tribe for a while, out at sea, so is still catching up. Erma might not be as good a tracker as Glumr, but she will be useful. If you want, I will stay behind with Erma when you attack, if you are worried about us." Holly quickly jumped to the defence of Erma. Holly knew Giselle was worried, but Holly wanted to ensure Giselle was not worrying about Erma or herself. Having Mord challenge her was likely to make her defensive in her dealings with them, and Holly wanted to find a way out of the main battle to implement her own plan.

Sunna listens to Mords and Adiels plans, but there is nothing she can add. She can't help to feel relieved, however, that no one really considered her spontaneous idea of her taking the form of one of the goblins to act as a sort of spy or, rather, distraction.

"I can vouch for Erma as well", Sunna says, though knowing that her word might be considered less worth by Giselle than that of a real warrior.

"She's not worried, just wanted to know that she could count on Erma,"  Mord spoke for the warrior-in-charge.  "And good gods above, we're not sitting back two of our number.  You keep mentioning that and she's going to start thinking you're scared to go into battle, which would be a first.

"Glumr, you could tell all that from ... that?  After we're done, you really need to explain a lot of that to me.  Giselle, he wouldn't say it if he didn't believe it, so I'd have to support the idea of letting them cover us up, and doing a leap-up ambush to dispatch the patrol, then immediately moving onto the camp.  With the dire wolves patrol down, we should be able to wipe out a few goblins, loot the information, and decide if we should push onto the shrine or not.

"All before we need to decide about supper-making."

Adiel smiles quietly at Glumr's success. He knew Glumr was quite the tracker, but he enjoys being surprised by good news.

"One more suggestion," says Adiel, who has no real intention of ever ceasing to give suggestions. "After fighting the patrol, Sunna or I can use our Harper magic to visit the goblin camp in disguise and give them a false lead; we can tell them a small Triplefang raiding party killed the rest of the patrol and is heading into uninhabited lands, trying to cover their tracks and go somewhere unexpected. While the camp pursues the false lead, we make our move." Adiel draws thin lines on the ground to illustrate the directions each group would need to travel. "We can follow Holly's plan to take the unholy shrine in secret, and then heal our wounds before fighting the goblin camp."

He hopes his plan would be persuasive to Giselle, and that she would become willing to attack the shrine. Either way, he worries about Mord's plan. "Remember that the goblin camp has twice as many warriors as we do, and it can be plainly seen from the shrine. If we attack there, more monsters from the shrine will probably join the battle."

12:52, Today: Adiel rolled 32 using 1d20+12. Knowledge (Geography). - What's the best direction to send a false lead so the goblins wouldn't actually run into any Triplefang?
12:57, Today: Adiel rolled 17 using 1d20+11. Sense Motive - Giselle.
12:56, Today: Adiel rolled 18 using 1d20+5. Diplomacy - Giselle.

"You mean disguised as one of them?" Sunna looks a little surprised at Adiel. Does he know the same spell as she?

"I'm just a dumb warrior," Mord replied, "But why in the hells are you making this so damn complicated?  Sending magic-covered family into goblin and wolf-filled camps?  To what, try and misdirect them so they're harder to find, on that chance they're do bloody dumb that the wolves don't smell the truth of you, that the smarter leaders can't tell a goblin from a Triplefang, and with the rest of the party then way away to respond?

"I'm not saying that's the dumbest plan I've heard, but... what in the hells?

"And why are we looking at the shrine?  Did I miss a morning dispatch? Holly looks reluctant at dealing with them, or she's been sitting on a pricklefruit.  We didn't come out here to go busting up shrines, but to stop the goblins, find word on the culprit heading this style of battle, and beat the bleeding message into their bodies to never try it again.

"If you said you were going to do the camp visit, all disguised up with a funny nose, to find information instead of battling them - I'd still say it was foolish beyond words, and missing half our efforts' goal, but hone your blade as you like.  Letting the information spread and making the camp harder to find is as buttocks-backward to our success as I can imagine.

"If we attack the camp," Mord explained with clear patience behind his gritted teeth at explaining the same point over again, "The shrine, if they came to help, is over two miles away.

"We are not talking about fifteen Triplefang warriors against thirty Triplefang warriors.  We are talking about goblins.  I have killed more than thirty goblins myself and stopped for a mug of ale because I was bored in the morning's walk.  But not stopping there, we have Rutland and Giselle, both of whom are respectably close enough to my skills, and crack enough skulls to make keeping track a challenge..  And Goddard, Nolan, and Wynne may be still learning, but every warrior worth his salt keeps learning, and if they stop, then I'll give them a kick in the arse; they're all solid warriors and the match for a troop of goblins on their own - Goddard especially - fine archer.  Balki and Karola are our scouts, yes, and excellent cavalry.

"We have a core group of very strong, experienced Triplefangs.  We have a second hand of trained and blooded warriors that are smart enough to listen to battle instructions and point the pointy ends at the bad things.  We have multiple skilled archers.  We have casters of magic.  We have - what, four, five trackers?  We have a dedicated battle healer.

"We know where the camp is.  We know their reinforcements are miles away.  We know their damn patrols routes and timings, and can ambush and wipe out a patrol to weaken the camp numbers even more - good work on that, again.  We can reach them and have them routed before nightfall, and be fresh when they're still groggy from sleep.  Seriously, what in the hells do you need before we can get off our arses and end this problem?  10:1 odds and a city merchant's written ball invitation?"

"The longer that shrine stands, the more monsters we have to kill later," answers Adiel. "We could try attacking the camp first, but we have to be prepared to flee the camp quickly, with the monsters pursuing us. If the battle with the goblins went well, I suppose it's possible we could lure any pursuing monsters into an ambush."

"Going among goblins in disguise is something I've done before, Mord, and it's why I'm convinced we must prepare for a greater assault from them than we have ever seen before. Perhaps not today, nor tomorrow... but they are preparing for war." He turns to Sunna, to answer her question. "I can use my music to actually change my physical form. It's too tiring to do all day long, but I actually turn into a goblin. There's no illusion to see through. If it's information Mord wants, we could go among them in disguise before the attack on their camp, and find out what we can about their motives, plans, and powers."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Wed 24 June 2015.

"Enough discussion!  Here are my commands.  Anyone who has a problem with them can take it up with Tora and Heinrich later.  For now you'll do as I say,"  Giselle barks, intimidatingly.

"Our camp will be here."

She marks a spot on the map west of the Goblin camp vaguely, but not directly opposite of where the shrine is from the camp, and safely outside the radius of the dire wolf patrols.

"This is our fall back point where we can regroup, but nearly all of you will be with me for the first part of the plan."

"Balki, you will go south.  Give the shrine, the goblin camp, and the wolf patrols a wide birth at all costs, but get to here.  She marks a point south of the camp outside the patrol radius.  You keep watch there until several hours after dark.  You are there to see if the goblin pull up camp and head for the Dark Woods in the night.  If you see this, report back to our camp at once.  Otherwise I will send Karola out around midnight to take over your watch."

Balki nods.

No one but Mord and Holly mentioned whether they were mounted (unless I missed it.)  I will assume Adiel and Sunna also rode.  Tell me if I'm wrong.  Everyone else is on foot.  You did not bring the cart, of course.

"Mord, myself, and this strange floating eye oddity will be out in the clear on the second rise.  We will be mounted and have the best view.  I will be borrowing your horse, Adiel.  Eye, you may play inviting tunes.  We are not hiding from the goblins.  We are attempting to draw them in.  Your music should make the cowards curious.  No battle cries, shouts, or charges Mord.  Let them come to us."

"The other horses are a dead give-away.  Since Holly is so keen to sit this fight out, she will take the other horses now to our base camp and await our return, but Erma stays with us."

"No fire at the camp," she adds.

"I will split the rest of you into two teams.  Glumr leads the north fang.  Rutland leads the south fang.  I will position you spread out on either side of where we hope the riders will travel.  You will lie flat down in the grass and wait until you hear Mord and I engage.  No one pops up a head out of curiosity or I will personality come poke an eye.  You lie there even if a wolf tramples right over you.  Understand?"

"When the fight has begun the fangs will spring up with archers firing where it can be done safely and footmen fanning out to encircle and closing in.  If an archer hits Mord or I or our horses you'll wish you got the eye poke instead of what I'll do."

"Kill!" she says emphatically.  "I don't want any wolf or goblin survivors from this ambush.  No prisoners and no one escapes.  Mord and I will ride down any run-aways."

"If you have questions where I was unclear, ask.  If you have any objections or suggestions, stuff a fist full of mud in your mouth."

With the exception of Mord, our heroes are not used to taking orders like this.  You are overwhelmed by her forcefulness.  Giselle is very intense and none of you feel like questioning her or slipping up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:49, Fri 01 Apr 2016.