21:59, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 23 using 1d20+5. Spot (w/mods).

23:12, Today: Villhalas of Cameron rolled 14 using 1d20+6. Spot.

Though Garryn was giving serious consideration to abandoning some of his heavier equipment he still took ample notice of his surroundings as he toiled under the additional burden.

Garryn the Grey rolled 22 using 1d20+7. Spot Check.

Perrato's attention is absorbed in the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside, though perhaps many practical specifics elude him.

[17:38, Today: Perrato Viatomagne rolled 14 using 1d20+3. Belated Spot Check.]

While the rest of the party can make out the presence of riders, only Garryn and Totmacher can discern that these are elves--albeit of an apparently less elegant appearance than either would have expected.  Additionally, a robed human seems to be traveling with the elves.

OOC:  Moves?  Sorry things have been so slow, but I will be finished teaching by next week.  Summer break (with only one job to deal with) will allow me a lot more time to devote to the campaign.  Cheers.

Having been roused from his contemplations by something out of the corner of his eye, Asher squints to see if he can recognize his or his companions mounts within the mix.

15:24, Today: Asher Willbourne rolled 25 using 1d20+7. Spot more info.

"Totmacher, Garryn -- Can you make them out?  Humans..???"

"Looks like elves.  Racial cleansing elves."

Totmacher unsheathes his Great Axe and lowers his position and gestures to the team to do the same.

Kev, can you provide a map of the area and the position of the sun?

Noting his sibling's actions, Vil nods and takes a knee.  Once there, Vil reaches over his shoulder and unsheathes his crossbow - bringing it to rest comfortably across his knee.  "Can you tell if they've spotted us??  If they have, I'm going to bring to bring in some support -- Sorcerer-style..  Don't be alarmed by their arrival.."

V
This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Tue 14 June 2005.

OOC: That must have been some spot check Tot, to allow you to see those little tiny swastika tattoos from here. ;)

Perrato expresses his concern with the notoriously human-unfriendly elves of Arret as he too prepares his crossbow. "We should most certainly attempt some sort of diplomatic contact with these fey folk. De todos modos, I do not envy the fate of the human in their charge. Might it be prudent to conceal an archer, such as Señor Caylin, somewhere he might be able to avoid notice by the fey?"

Hearing the Wisdom in their New Acquaintance's words, Vil looks over to Garryn and Totmacher - "..The Cleric may have a point here.  Caylin - would you be so kind???"    Vil looks back over to the Barbarian, Rogue and Monk - who seem to have a better view of their Quarry "How many are we talking about anyway???"


V
This message was last edited by the player at 15:10, Wed 15 June 2005.

The monk, squinting against the glare of the early afternoon sun, can make out at least two mounts that he finds familiar--his own and the party's spare mount.

Totmacher and Garryn can make out a total of ten mounted elves, plus the human.  One of the elves appears to be mounted on a spectral horse.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:31, Wed 15 June 2005.

The party has found itself continuing to descend from the Blackthorn Hills into the plains.  They had followed a gently sloping draw, which looked as if it conducted water down into the plains during storm events.  The draw disappears once it hits the flatter terrain of the plains.

A small depressional wetland lies between the party and the elves--about 1.5 acres in area.  The plains are largely open grassland, interspersed with copses of trees or riparian vegetation flanking streams.  Two such copses occur to the east and southeast.  A winding column of cottonwoods and willow form a portion of a riparian corridor indicating a stream to the south.

OOC:  A new map is up on the site, under the link 'Horse Map'.  The sun is in an early afternoon sky, and plays little role in anything that you have discussed so far.

Totmacher turns towards Perrato (intentionally overlooking the diplomatic references), "Totmacher likes the way you think, Cleric, the halfling as a sniper.  Totmacher agrees.  What about you Garryn, do your arrows find Elf flesh appealing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:21, Wed 15 June 2005.

Shaking his head at Totmacher's comments, Vil smiles and quietly adds "Well at least He's Consistent.."

Taking a pull from his waterskin, Vil continues - "... Given this distance though...  I'm having second thoughts about posting Caylin here.  We're simply out of range...  We've got to be at least 300 meters away from the Elves..  I think we post my illusion - and move down to meet with them..  Garryn - you've been quiet. What are your thoughts?"

V

"All I know is, that is my horse, and I see at least one of yours Vil. I believe we are here to retrieve them; so let's. With this Asher cups his hands behind his back and begins to cross the plain, with each step twisting his foot slightly to carve throught the grasses like the prow of a ship cuts the waves.

OOC: Asher will clip his land speed slightly so that the slower party members can keep up if they choose. Hehe

Totmacher seeing his new groupie decend the hills towards the Elves turns towards Vil in the brush, "Damn it, that Monk and his stoicism.  Does this mean Totmacher will need to bail his ass out again?  Totmacher thinks we should delay and see how the Monk fairs.  Halfling, Garryn, are the bows ready and your wits sharpened?"  He then pauses waiting for Vil's card to be played.

"Esto es un accidente que está impaciente por pasar," observes Perrato under his breath as he checks his gear over to note the current location of bolts, scrolls, and potions. "Señor Vilhallas, do you not possess our group's silver tongue? Quizás..., rather, mightn't it be best if you were to address the fey first?"

Shouldering his Crossbow, Vil offers Tot a wink and nod.  Looking to the Cleric then - "Aye Perrato - you're right.  Diplomacy first today..  Let me cast a quick spell - and then we can catch up with our Robed Maverick.."    Vil looks around at the motley crew of characters kneeling around him, Laughs - and adds - "You never know.  Half-Orc, Half-Elf, mixed in w/a handful of grubby Humans - hell, I'm sure these Emnian Elves will just love us.."

With that, Vil maintains his kneeled position in the tall grass and begins to cast...

V

OOC:  Bret - you've been quiet.  Your thoughts on all this??
This message was last edited by the player at 14:46, Thu 16 June 2005.

Asher sets out purposefully, striding out into the long grass of the plainslands.  A blue grouse, flushed from the monk's path, explodes into the sky with a flurry of wingbeats.  This is greeted with a cry from one of the elven warriors, as the horse-mounted elves whirl their steeds to face the party from some .

Villhalas completes his spell, kneeling as the mystic syllables he speaks float languidly in the hot afternoon air.  Six figures emerge from a portion of the draw, out of sight from the plains, and join the party--an older, robed human with a staff; a human clad in half-plate with a great sword; two humans carrying long composite bows with long swords strapped to their backs; a dwarf in chainmail bearing an urgosh; and a hooded figure in leather armor, bristling with daggers in a bandoulier, and bearing a heavy, curved kukri in either hand.  The sorcerer must focus a significant bit of his attention on maintaining this small unit of illusory reinforcements.

The elven riders are beginning to spread out across the plains, riding for the party in a loose formation.  The human is with them.  The elf on the ghostly steed peels away from the riders, moving with stunning speed as he urges his mount to a gallop.  Outpacing the others by easily two to three times their speed, the elf mounted on the ghostly horse presses forward across the wetland without slowing down.


OOC:  Actions?  Plans?  Updated map on the site.

OOC:  are they bringing our mounts w/them?

Somewhat alarmed at the rate of the oncoming Elf, Vil looks to the others in the Party and Stands up.  "Caylin - stay w/the illusion.  Why don't the rest of us move up towards Asher.."  Vil raises his voice here - "Asher - a moment if you will.."   

V

OOC:  I'm planning on going down to meet them w/o a weapon drawn.  What are the rest of you thinking??

Perrato strikes out behind Villhalas in the direction of the oncoming elves, also with no weapon drawn, muttering exhortations to Vagrani all the while. "A veces, podríamos tener un plan in estos tipos de situaciones..."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:20, Fri 17 June 2005.

Asher offers the oncoming mage a polite wave, despite his distaste for illusionists. Noting the spectral horse, Asher ponders the image with a mix of respect and pity, Their ability to manipulate the ether we call existence is so like that of the monk-- but for no pupose. They will never benefit from enlightenment; they are doomed as every common thief to the eternal Chaos--



--Asher turns to see that Vilhallas and the others have not kept pace with him and are actually still where he left them. Raising an eyebrow, he nods to Vilhallas and stops to wait for him.

Not wanting to turn his back on the trickster for too long, Asher faces the rider and braces for the possible unpleasantries.

OOC: Look ma, no weapons.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:39, Thu 16 June 2005.