" We leave on the morrow."

" We're headed back into clan lands but if you can swing an axe or use a spear you'll not be treated any worse than any other outsider."

" There won't be much in the way of silver, but food and drink and a bit of raiding can be found in abundance."

Drake nods again in answer, lifting his mug to his lips, his face thoughtful.

All this talk of the ruins in the middle of the fey inhabited forest has intrigued him and he means to explore it. Who knows what treasures or secrets such an adventure might yield? But first he will need to assemble a suitable party and kit up for an exploration trip...

OOC - Ok I am assuming that you intend for Drake to join up with Colm and the rest soon, possibly even inside the ruins. Hope what's coming up below will not cause too much trouble or inconvenience for your plan. :P

If Fergus has nothing more to say, Drake will just let the conversation lapse, allowing the reaver to take his leave. He will go back to observing the people in the Silver Stag, mentally picking out suitable individuals (men who look like they can handle themselves in a fight out in the wilds) who might be interested to join his treasure hunting party to the old ruins in the old forest. He will also chat up the bar owner Padraig and see if he can drop some names or point out some suitable candidates who might be interested.

If any candidate turns up in his search, Drake will discreetly approach each of them for a closeup evaluation before putting forth his proposal:
1. Form a party of about two to four men to explore the ancient ruins and do some treasure hunting.
2. Everything found to be equally split among the party.
3. Hadrik(Drake) as the leader with the final word on decisions, disputes and all other matters while on the trip.

In all his interactions, Drake will prudently and carefully NOT mention exploring the ruins as the ultimate goal unless and until absolutely necessary. Hence the candidates he "interviews" will eventually know at the end when he judges them suitable and invites them to join him. Padraig would NEVER know what Drake is really forming a party for.

Whether or not he has a party formed by midday, Drake will go hunting for common equipment:
1. lantern oil
2. rations (enough for the party for 7 days)
3. rope (2 good lengths if there is at least one other party member, else Drake will just get 1)
4. a lightweight staff suitable as a weapon, javelin (and pole-vault?)

He will then rest early. The next morning, Drake will bring his party (if any) to join up with the reavers and journey with them until the village of Mimirs Well where he will cook up an excuse to part ways with the reavers.

Does this all look ok to you?
I can RP all this if you deem it necessary or desirable. ;)

This message was last edited by the player at 08:49, Fri 02 Dec 2016.

OOC - Over the remainder of the day Drake is able to locate a couple of likely lads...in truth the pickings are not that great. Most of the Reavers have gone for the season and would be reluctant to sign up anyway and the vast majority of men of military or 'enforcement'bearing are already on their way to Glissom City with the departing urban traders.

In the end he is reduced to approaching two native Gliss men with somewhat unsavoury characters.

Lute Lilywhite: A hulking man with barely the wits of a five year old....a badly behaved five year old. He is currently replacing a millers donkey and eager to stop walking in circles all day.

Jon Tehatima: a quiet introspective fellow that wouldn't have looked out of place among the other ravens of Drakes childhood and youth. He seems happy to go whereever Drake wants to go....a little too happy.

All the below are easily purchased in Rosmuillean:

1. lantern oil
2. rations (enough for the party for 7 days)
3. rope (2 good lengths if there is at least one other party member, else Drake will just get 1)
4. a lightweight staff suitable as a weapon, javelin (and pole-vault?)

All good.

Actually, yeah do a little IC and then we'll move straight to the journey with the Reavers.

Drake glanced in disgust at the two before him. The best there is. They will have to do. The big oaf would do fine, though Drake hopes he doesn't cry for his mum and scream for home at the first sign of trouble. The other guy is a different story. Drake looks him over again, from head to toe, searching his memory. Tehatima. Jon.

OOC - 15:21, Today: Drake Taubron rolled 17 using 1d20.  Remember.

Nope. If there is anything here, Drake certainly doesn't remember it at all. Shrugging, he turned to the task of the moment - testing the men.

OOC - Drake tries to determine what each man can do. In game terms, can I have some rough idea of their likely skills and rank?

A short time later...

Drake sheaths his weapon, bids the two men sit down, and begins his briefing.
"The village of Mimirs Well lies somewhere along the old forest road. Apparently, it is built on top of some old ruined city. City of Mimirs according to rumour. We will be paying the ruins a visit and pick up some gold for ourselves. And perhaps if we are lucky, we may even find some treasure fit for a king."

Pausing to glare sternly at his two associates, Drake continues.
"Gentlemen. The ruins have probably lain untouched for some years. We dare not assume it will remain uninhabited for long. Bring your best weapons. Keep them oiled and ready. Once the journey begins, keep your eyes open. Your ears peeled. Be ready for anything. Anyone who slacks off, wanders off, or falls behind..." Drake's face turns grim, "He will be left behind."

Glancing sharply at Lute, Drake continues.
"The rules are simple..."

"Number One. Everything we find, we split equally among us. And Number Two..." Here, Drake turns his gaze to Jon. Intense, dead serious, scrutinizing. "Throughout this trip, I have the final word. On all decisions. Disputes. Every matter."

"We good with this?"

Deep inside, Drake is rather disturbed by the appearance of the quiet man Jon Tehatima. No one leaves the Clan. No one alive that is. This was one of the first things he learned as a boy from the Clan trainers.

Glancing at Lute again, Drake sighs inwardly. The expedition does indeed need a third member. Two is too few. Too risky. Especially with a halfwit. Besides, keeping Jon close by where he can keep an eye on him would be way more preferable than to let the man wander freely out of sight.

Taking special note of the man's equipment, weapons, and armor, Drake makes a mental note to do some digging on the fellow Jon Tehatima, his background, when did he arrive in town, who did he come with, for what purpose, etc.

OOC - At first convenience, Drake discreetly chats up Padraig, any Solver Stag patron open for a chat, and perhaps Fergus as well. About Tehatima.

Need a roll? What does he discover?

Drake decides to keep a careful eye on the man at all times.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Sun 04 Dec 2016.

The two men shrugged apparently not particularly fussed about such things. Lute was used to being ordered around and Jon....well Jon didn't seem to care about anything all that much...




Polite chatting with Padraig and Fergus and a few other locals indicates that Lute wandered in off of an outlying farm a few months ago naked and covered in blood....he was almost killed as an ogre of some sort but began asking for food when he was challenged and the townsfolk soon realised he was indeed human.

He was fed and clothed and put to work by the miller, folks soon learned to not rile him up as he tended to break things and occasionally people when he had a tantrum...but due to the Millers influence he was kept around.  The Miller is happy now to see him go as he has young children and doesn't really want them playing with Lute as one mistimed prank could end very badly indeed.

Jon is an enigma to most in town, no one seems to know where he came from he just appeared in the market square one night and hasn't left. He speaks little to anyone and has earned his coin fixing thatch and slate on roofs seemingly happy to work at heights.  Most are amazed that he is leaving as its been difficult to get more than two words out of him since he arrived.

OOC:

Lute: Str 18, Int 3, carries an axe and is dressed in a woolen kilt and sheepskins in a rough sort of cloak.
Jon: Has a number of Assassin skills...Climb, Jump etc. carries a number of throwing axes and is dressed in black wool and leather.

Fergus and his family/companions eyed the trio approaching them with some interest.

" Well, you've found some friends...we're off now. Try to keep up.", he grinned.

The group crossed the Shadowspin and headed off on the Old Forest Road and under the dark eaves of Siren Wood.

This message was deleted by the player at 15:51, Mon 05 Dec 2016.

Drake raises his hand in greeting to Fergus and his companions/family. He gives them a wide friendly smile and nods.

Turning back to his companions, Drake tells them in a low quiet voice,
"Our journey begins here. We will travel with these borderers a little ways, until the village."

His face turns stern, glaring especially at Lute,
"Do not talk to them! Do not fraternize with them in anyway! They do not know where we are going. And may not take kindly our intentions to visit the ruins."

"Do not wander off on your own. We stick together. Watch each other's back."

Here, Drake breaks into a smile, giving an encouraging nod at each man,
"We go together. And we get back here together."

OOC - Drake has purchased:
rope 10m, staff, waterskin, flask of oil x3, rations for 7 days for 2 persons.

Oil and rations carried by Lute.

Have made the necessary adjustments to charsheet.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:06, Wed 07 Dec 2016.

Throughout the journey, Drake keeps an eye on his two fellows Jon and Lute. In particular, he is careful not to allow himself into a situation where he is alone with Jon and exposed.

OOC - Jon is armed with throwing axes...and what else? Is he dressed in padded armor (AF2)?

Also, if chatting is possible, in the brighter areas before entering the Siren Woods, Drake will walk (or jog) alongside Fergus and, keeping his voice low, try to find out more about the old forest, the denizens dwelling within (ie: The Good Folk...what else?), the "traditions" they need to follow to be safe, and the consequences if they don't.

Once the party enters the Siren Woods, Drake will be silent and watchful for any sign of danger...

Before they pass fully into the Forest proper Drake peppers Fergus with quiet questions to which he gets answers...some are quiet...but mostly Fergus doesn't seem to understand subtlety.

" Forest has been here since the beginning they say, before the Pagans and Bracks even in some tales."

" The Good Folk? Oh, best we not talk too much about them...they take an interest if you take an interest its said. They're Aes sídhe, the first folk...here even before the Fomoire walked these lands. Treat them with respect and treat the folk of Mimirs Well the same...it can go badly otherwise."

" We're to stay on the road, don't go under the trees...those are the rules and I stick to them.  Short while back some young Borderer men harmed a girl of the villagers at Mimirs Well...still haven't found all their parts...".

They walked silently for a while then, about a mile into the forest a shimmering white
tower could be seen to the right through the trees. A path lead off towards it. There is no one visible anywhere nearby. You can see an arched entrance at its base.

Fergus and his folk ignored the tower and walked on....






OOC: Jon is dressed in little more than a simple leather vest in terms of protection. So AF 0. He also carries a dagger.

Drake stops to gaze at the tower. He calls to Fergus,

"Strange tower...who lives there?"

In reply to Drake Taubron (msg # 20):

Fergus looked back over his shoulder at Drake, " Dannae know, dannae care. Its off the road."

Drake's gaze lingers for a moment on the structure in the distance as he retrieves his waterskin from his pack and takes a good long drink. Replacing the waterskin carefully, he loosens his weapons in their scabbards, takes a quick final glance around, then turns to rejoin the party and continue their trek through the woods.

Perhaps the good villagers at Mimirs Well know something about it. Drake makes a mental note to ask when they arrive.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:15, Fri 09 Dec 2016.

A few miles after the tower, there is a sudden hissing sound in the air and a volley of darts fly over your heads, narrowly missing Drakes group and the Borderers. Drake sees a group of vague lithe shapes barely visible, moving away through the trees.

Fergus laughs loudly, " Our friends are a little frisky this day it seems.....", the other borderers look about warily but make no moves.

Jon hisses under his breath and without a word, draws two axes and begins to lope after the retreating shapes....

OOC - Without leaving the path himself, Drake tries to grab and restrain Jon before he leaves the path.

10:07, Today: Drake Taubron rolled 11 using 1d20.  Run after Jon and grab his arm.


"No Jon!"

Drake cries out in as low a voice as he can.

"We stay on the path and keep moving!"

Drake grabbed Jon by the arm before he left the road, the man swung around to face Drake with his axes raised and angry eyes....but he lowered them and nodded, falling into line to walk beside Lute once more.

Lute for his part was far too distracted by a butterfly to have noticed anything....

Inwardly, Drake breathes a deep sigh of relief, even as outwardly he maintains his expressionless demeanor. He gives a light pat on Jon's and Lute's shoulder.

"Let's keep moving lads. Village is near. Can have ourselves some hot grub and rest."

OOC - Any chance Drake can pick up some of the darts without getting too far off the road, like one to two metres? If yes, he quickly glances around. Seeing no one watching, he quickly bends over, grabs the darts using a piece of cloth, wraps them up, stuffs them inside his pack, then continue on...

Drake will examine the darts at leisure later when he arrives at a place of safety, ie: the village.

Giving the surrounding a quick cautious glance to see if any of the dark shapes approach again, he quickly falls in with the band and continues along the road, eyes peeled, senses alert. His pace is noticeably quicker.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:11, Sat 10 Dec 2016.

Drake tucks the darts into a piece of rag and puts them away for later.

With no further sign from the attackers except some distant laughter and bird calls the Borderers and Drake and company moved on.

The day dragged on and it was late afternoon before they saw any change in the scenery.

The road entered a green dell,its grassy sward dotted with coloured flowers. Birds sing from the trees and a feeling of intense peace settles over you. In the centre of the dell you see a pool some distance off the road.

 A bower of honeysuckle and climbing roses separates it from you. Cavorting in the pool is a group of scantily clad women and men, all of them beautiful and all in the prime of health. They call out merrily to you and point to a tree at the centre of the pool. It bears a number of golden apples along its boughs. They wave in a friendly manner and invite you to come and join them.

Fergus and the others regard the bathers with interested looks but they do not answer them or slow their pace.

Jon seems completely uninterested, Lute however smiles widely and begins to lumber towards the bower with almost a skip in his step...

As the party enters the dell, a feeling of peace washes over Drake, taking away some of his cares, fears and burdens. He closes his eyes briefly, allowing himself to enjoy the warmth of the moment as it envelops him.

The inviting calls of the revellers ringing in his ears, Drake's eyes snap open and he turns his attention to the pool and the revellers inside. He observes them curiously.

The revellers in the pool, the tree in the middle with golden fruit hanging from its branches, the birds singing, the soft green grass, the peaceful feeling...they all seem...right. They seem to belong together. But the whole scene itself seems totally out of place here within an old forest rumored to be enchanted and populated by fey folk and perhaps more frightening creatures...

These last thoughts jolt Drake awake like a splash of cold water in his face. Just then, he catches the strange sight of the giant Lute, pouches and pack bouncing, carefreely swinging his battle-axe, skipping his way off the path towards the bower of flowers like a child off to play!

Reaching into his belt pouch quickly, Drake withdraws three shiny silver coins. He calls out to Lute, trying to get his attention. As the giant turns around, he begins to juggle the coins, starting slowly, but going faster and faster and faster until the movement of his hands becomes a blur and the coins themselves blur into a silvery hoop. As the movement of his hands accelerates towards impossible speeds, he tosses the coins up one by one where they disappear into thin air! Smiling slyly, he walks over to the big man, reaches out and seemingly plucks out a coin from inside Lute's ear!

OOC - Drake tries to attract and hold Lute's attention by juggling and doing some fancy tricks with the shiny coins.

12:46, Today: Drake Taubron rolled 9 using 1d20.  juggling and fancy tricks with coins - Ref 15.

Ending his little performance with a flourish, he holds up a single shiny coin, a wide smile on his face. Using friendly gentle tones, Drake invites the giant to come back to the path and continue their journey.

"Come on big man. It's this way..."

"That's good Lute. That's a good lad."

"The village is just up ahead. Hot food, clean clothes, warm beds...you like that Lute? Sure you do..."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:03, Wed 14 Dec 2016.

In reply to Drake Taubron (msg # 28):

Fergus raised an impressed eyebrow as Drake lured Lute back and they continued on their way.

For their part, as the group moved away, the frolicking youths seem to forget their presence almost immediately and go back to their play.

After a little way along the road, evening begins to draw near they see a low burial mound within the trees and shrubs a little way off the road to the left.

Fergus doesn't even bother looking back this time and simply continues walking...

Drake nudges Fergus as they pass by.

"Tis a mighty strange place to bury a man. Right beside a road. Would not a more secluded area some aways off be preferred? More peaceful less likely to be disturbed?"

Drake stops and studies the mound from his vantage point on the road. He looks for any other man-made structures nearby that might give a clue to who, if anyone, is buried here.

OOC - What can Drake observe about the mound? How recent is it? Any indications who is buried here? Any signs of recent visits?

" A man?", says Fergus with a raised eyebrow.

The mound is covered in ancient layers of crowberries and moss and appears as old and undisturbed as the trees around it...though it seems no saplings have sprung up upon it.

A slight shiver runs down Drake's spine at the suggestion that this is no mound for a man. Seeing as there is nothing more to do here except to dig up the grave, and not fancying himself as a graverobber, Drake decides to leave quickly.

He casts a few nervous glances around, then falls in with the company and resumes the journey.

The group moves on, ahead they see the snow­-covered, purple Mountains of Brack rising up in the dim light through the trees. .

They note ahead a settlement of wattle ­and ­thatch houses, with some older stone walls mixed in, straddling the forest road.

 As they draw closer, they see a village ­size settlement with a large Moot Hall set next to a well at its centre.  A plume of smoke is coming from the chimney of the Moot Hall.

Fergus smiles broadly, " And we have arrived at Mimirs Well. We'll be going on through the night as I've a grand bairn on the way at home. Don't pester the village folk too much, they're an odd sort but friendly enough."