Kayle moved through the undergrowth back towards the group of travellers, doing his best to conceal signs of his passing as he did so. As he came within earshot of the group, he began to speak. "I set out before dawn to get the lay of the land and see if I could find any sign of orcs..."

Survival: 6 (+4 or +6 if in forest) = 10/12
Sorry folks, got reduced to lurker status for a while there. I'll continue with the report once the boss lets me know the result of the roll, if anything.

Kayle hasn't found any signs of orcs, but does find traces of goblins... probably several days old.

All of the walking was beginning to take its toll on Maldor. He didn't mind the labor of the travel itself. It was the lack of anything significant happening. His urge to rid the area of evil was strong. The half-orc did not know why he had that sensation brewing within him. Perhaps it was just the need to do go. Or it may be bloodlust, kindling in his mind for some reason.

Mal glanced down at the gnome next to him, then held his greatclub in his left hand. With his right he reached into his pack and withdrew a stout piece of jerky. He took a large bite, which was indeed quite large for the fighter. The saltiness was tasty, quite useful for Mal's current need.

He returned what was left of the meat, then held his weapon again with both hands. He scanned the treeline and the road ahead. After a moment, he looked behind him to Artem and Mithra. They seemed content. Good. An unhappy warrior is a sloppy warrior.

Maldor looked ahead again.

"Not sure if my name has a meaning, friend," Artem answers the half-orc after some time passes. "But hopefully it does mean something like fight good."

"Hmph. 'Less your folks were told your future, names don't mean much. Anyone who's ever thrown bones with me, knows that I don't always get the spoils. Else I'd've skipped the army and gone into gambling full-time! Well,'til I was kicked out of every tavern and gambling hall on Toril, anyways."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:12, Fri 27 May 2016.

"Cognomen possess power,"  Ero replies.  "A wizard can conduct plenteous deprivations when he is cognizant of a being's true name."

"Darvin De Villiers was a cavalry officer who died a hero. No magic user can use that name against me, it's owner is dead. In my job, you don't use your real name" says Darvin.

A single eye raised in curiosity, Ebrik gazed ahead at his peers, listening to the pseudo-academic discussion. "Hopefully, none of the orcs will live long enough to care what our names are..."

Kayle is now the group's ranger, and while he scouted ahead, he couldn't really scout too far ahead. He made sure the way was clear out to the Triboar Trail, and rejoined the group once they got there.

After a brief rest at the trail, the group moved on. It was towards the end of the day when Kayle spots the group of figures up ahead.

Lureene guesses they are at the stream that she and Rihala had visited before on the way to Conyberry.

Even Gimble notices the figures up ahead.

When the group gets a bit closer, one of the figures steps forward. Now you can see that it is a bugbear!

"Which one of you killed my brother?!" he calls out.

Maldor gripped his greatclub firmly in his right hand. He held the larger part in his left, cradling the weapon in his palm. He twisted his head slightly so that he could speak to Artem.

"Brother? Who brother? Maldor no remember."

The half-orc looked forward again, mentally preparing for the inevitable battle.

Darvin moves forward."I think you mistake us for some other  group. We have only just arrived."(OOC use persuasion +5)

Victor scans the area behind his party, and whispers to Ebrik "Watch our flank. Don't want to get boxed in."

OOC: 20:52, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 11 using 1d20+2.  Perception.

Ebrik casts a brief look of agreement towards victor before falling back and ducking into some tall brush to keep an eye on the party's rear and flank.

OOC:
07:21, Today: Ebrik rolled 5 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 1.  Perception-watching party's flank and rear.

07:20, Today: Ebrik rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Stealth roll.

"Well...off to a good start :("

"We killed a couple of bugbears in the Redbrands' lair," Mithra replies to Maldor. "And then there was the bugbear chief in goblin ruins."

"I'm not sure he was actually a brother, though. I think they just mean he was a member of their group... kind of like you and I are 'brothers-in-arms'. We fight together, so that gives us a bond kind of like brother and sister."

While she appreciates Darvin's attempt to persuade the bugbears, she doubts that will work... if nothing else because there are 6 of them... moral support kind of thing. The bugbear chief had been entertained by Serena, but Mithra didn't think Mikal would be quite as... captivating.

So she stepped forward then, and called out to the bugbears.

"WE'VE KILLED A LOT OF BUGBEARS! WHICH ONE ARE YOU REFERRING TO?"

When the warrior woman stepped forward and made her reply, a grin escaped one side of Maldor's mouth. He realized that the battle that was fated was about to begin.

The half-orc took a step away from the gnome standing near him. He needed the room to swing his greatclub. If rushed, he wouldn't want to hit him. Then again, Mal expected to be running forward very soon.

Cunaar was about to step forward and suggest that Ero explain things to them. Thus informing them it was likely they did kill his brother but they would never know. In the meantime preparing for their assault...pity, they would just have to have at it straight out.
The battle yet to engage, for his part he would wait and try to remove the slowest.

As she yelled at the bugbears, she tried to remember who'd killed the bugbear chief. She remembered Amiri hitting it, and Aria... and Ero... but he'd only been unconscious. When he woke up again, Maldor had knocked him out again. But...

No one had actually killed him. In fact, they hadn't even tied him up. In the thrill of beating the hobgoblins with their wolves, everyone seemed to have forgotten all about him.

They'd all just left after that, leaving the bugbear behind. What was his name again? Damn. Serena would know. Wait! It was something like those dog-like humanoid monsters... the gnolls... that's why she remembered it... now what was it? Gnell? Droll? Got it! Grol!

She couldn't help wondering if he was even dead. Maybe one of the goblins had killed him. That was what Mella had suggested. The goblin that killed him would be the new leader. Had one of the goblins done that?

Victor slowly drew his warhammer, while still keeping his back to the party.

Ero taps his foot impatiently.  "Let us abrogate this malevolent menagerie forthwith.  Oppugnancy is inevitable, so why procrastinate?"

"Tally any wizards you descry," he says to Amiri.  "And I'll the sharpshooters."

Count up the number of ranged attackers in the bugbear group.

09:39, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 16 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Seeing his new companions were not great on diplomacy, Darvin moved to one side out of the way of fighters or shooters. A dagger slips from his sleeve into his hand, as yet hidden by his cloak.

Gimble takes a moment to cast the minor illusion cantrip, making a simple copy of himself as he steps to his right and stops moving. Now there are two little Gimbles.

When the gnome near him doubled, Maldor was almost shocked. This battle to come was becoming more and more odd for the half-orc. Yelling at the bugbears... sure, that was understandable. The elf man wanting to get the creatures pregnant? Strange. Mal's memories of combat from his past weren't complete. But the desire for blood within him did seem natural.

Maldor studied the far bugbears to see what they were doing. If they wished to fight, he'd be ready.

Zhoa peered between the branches of a large bush. He had strolled into the trees earlier and had decided to take a nap, but now these fool bugbears had awakened him with their shouting. And he had been deep asleep. Now he was indignant.

He looked over the bugbears and the group of travelers the leader was haranguing. For perhaps the tenth time since he arrived in the western part of Faerun, he thanked the fates that his traveling clothes were a verdant green.

It looked like a fight was brewing. He decided he would help the travelers if hostilities broke out. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the bearded gnome had become two bearded gnomes since he last looked.



09:56, Today: Zhao Loa rolled 20 using 1d20+3. Sneaky sneaky.

Lureene sighed when Dravin's attempts at diplomacy were shouted down by Mithra yelling, bragging almost, about all the bugbears they'd slain. She doubted the creatures would find themselves intimidated, or indeed view it as aught but an invitation to battle. Not that, as Ero pointed out, that was going to end any other way,

"Violence it is", said the priestess softly, and she unhooked her shield from her back and reached for her flanged mace.

Mikal stood where he was, watching the exchange. He didn't bother drawing a weapon yet, he simply watched and waited.