It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last in all likelihood that Tann found himself on the road, evading pursuers. What was different this time though was it was orcs on his trail and the weather was unusually cold.
In eighty years the Charwood had never received so much as a single flake of snow, but now everything was frosted with a coating of white. Yesterday had been bad enough with the sleet and drizzle, but today, the freezing mud and snow was both catching at Tann's boots and leaving a clear trail behind.
The events of the past few weeks were a little murky mainly due to lack of sleep, but of Tann's original group of ten, only he remained. Some had been killed in clashes with humanoid patrols, another was taken from their rearguard position by something unknown which had left no trail. Muklec, the priest of Muamman Duathal, was the last to go, exposure and frostbite claiming his life just the day before.
Tann's only hope now seemed to be in outpacing his hunters somehow and making for the safety of Durrowden, north of the Charwood.

Tann looked up from his bundle of furs. It was time to get moving again, he had already wasted too much time.

Tann hunched forwards and looked around to view his surroundings to see what would be the best course of action.

The landscape lightly dusted in snow and freezing mud sucking at every footstep, Tann moved on northwards.
After about an hour he came across what looked like an ancient roadway. Although overgrown, it's paved surface was at least free for the most part of mud and did seem to run in the needed direction.
Before a decision to carry on along it, or avoid it could be mad, Tann's acute senses pick up the muffled sounds of hooves coming from the south....

Tann will immediately leap of the path and attempt to hide in the nearest cover to get a good view of whomever may be approaching.

From his hurriedly assumed hiding spot, Tann observed a man in plate mail riding northward along the trail. His powerful horse was laden with equipment and both it and the man were festooned with weapons of various types.
The man is alert and aware of his suroundings, but does not appear to be looking for anything specific. The horse however seems somewhat skittish.

Tann stands up out of his hiding spot "Hail rider!"

The rider pulled back on the reins, the horse shying away in apparent shock and fear at Tanns sudden and completely unexpected appearance in the bushes.
His sword, wrenched from it's scabbard, thrust threateningly at Tann, flames bursting to life along it's blade.
"Who are you to so surprise a traveller!?" he demanded, expertly bringing the animal back under his control with just his knees.

"M'name's Tann," the stour sirly dwarf replies. "And it'll be etched on me headstone if we don't get outta here soon!"

"Then I suggest you talk quickly and tell me why I shouldn't run you through myself?"
Nikodemos looked around nervously into the surrounding forest, the horse starting slightly at an unexpected hoot somewhere off in the distance behind them.

NPC'd
"No time fer that. I got something on me tail. Been huntin' me fer days. Orcs, ogres and worse me think."

"If its that bad, get on, we can out-ride them quite easily."
Nikodemos sheaths his flaming sword and reaches out to help Tann up, his bronze necklace dangling.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:00, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

Reaching up high, the four foot tall and muck coated dwarf accepted Nikodemos' hand and swung up behind him.
"We need to move as far and as fast as your horse can manage. I don't know how much of a start I have on them."

Let us make haste
Nikodemos spurs his horse into action, and rides along the path to safety, wary of the imminent danger
This message was last edited by the player at 10:15, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

"So, what's yer name traveller?"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:20, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

"Have you any idea why you are being hunted good sir?"
Nikodemos asks as he spurs the horse onwards
This message was last edited by the player at 10:20, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

"My name is Nikodemos, but please call me Nik"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:22, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

"I'm not sure why, but i'm headed fur Durrowden, that'n yur direction?"

The weather turns even uglier as the afternoon progresses. By dusk both men are soaked to the bone as the snow melts with their body heat. Finally, about an hour before dark, the horse stumbles, clearly tired and needing a rest. To push on risks it becoming lame.

"I'm not really headed anywhere but I can accompany you there if needed. Anyway, we should set up camp here for the night and take watch duty as well" Nikodemos busies himself setting up camp "I don't think we should risk a fire tonight"

"Sounds good ter me" Tann gets off the horse - with some difficulty due to his height - "It's cold out, i think we'll need a fire"

Nikodemos sits down a convinient fallen log and pulls out a pipe, stuffs it with tobacco and lights it up. "Ah nothing like a good smoke after a long journey