OOC: suggested soundtrack for this scene is The Burning Crusade, by Russel Brower.

At dawn, you check one last time your equipment and leave Gallows End to start your trek in the Forest of Bron, under a dreary and darkened sky. As you leave the village, some yokels glance at you with a sorry look in their eyes.
As soon as you step into this wood of ancient oaks, beeches and maples, a gelid rain
starts pouring down like hell, dunking heavy your clothes.
It seems likely this damn shower will see to you throughout the reaching of Hellwinter’s Tower.

After 4 hours marching, the path splits in two diverging paths. Probably you have about two more hours of light in this winter season, maybe just a bit more.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:50, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

As he marches, Garl grumbles under his breath, kicking the dirt as he goes.
“Stuck paying for everyone’s rations... damn that do-gooding sword jockey... I’ve got some knuckle sandwiches I could ration out to everybody, with a side of electrified whoop-ass...”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:46, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

Larson started out feeling glad to be away from civilisation being a northman he enjoyed the wild but even his high spirits were as dampened as much as his clothes after four ours of marching in the raun.

He quietly trudged along behind the others keeping his thoughts to himself but cursing the rain under his breath

Sir Roland pulls the hood of his cloak over his head and wraps it closer as the rain pelts down. Looking at the fork in the road, he considers one, then the other.

OOC:
1. Is there any difference in the 2 paths?
2. Any recent tracks (footprints, wagon ruts, animal tracks) on either?
3. Both paths have signs of recent usage? As in none is covered with overgrown undergrowth?

Garl temporarily interrupts his glowering long enough to venture an opinion.  “I would go left, but that’s pure whim on my part.”

The left path carries on approx to north-north-east, while the right path points more toweards east, perchaps even east-south-east.
Both paths are similarly sized (a cart could pass with some difficulty) and they are kept clean of bushes and branches to a similar degree.
You can't spot obvious fresh tracks right now, but perhaps the rain messed up the situation, as the paths seem routinely used... perhaps not when it's pouring.

Sir Roland uncocks his waterskin and takes a quick drink of the cool clear water. He shakes his head slightly. "The two paths look the same. And the Innkeep had said all paths lead to the same destination - North East of the Forest of Bron. Left it is then."

Replacing his waterskin in his pack, the knight takes the left path and continues trekking through the rain.

After a couple of grim hours, darkness fall. Nothing makes you hope the weather may change.

The incessant rain rattles down on the knight's armor, seeping into his cloak until his clothes are a sopping mess. As the final rays of the sun fade away into dusk, Sir Roland calls for a halt. He chooses a sturdy oak with a broad trunk and a nice relatively dryer patch beneath its towering crown of branches and leaves. "Let's make camp here. I will take first watch.

He looks around at his companions to see if there are any objections. Seeing none, he drops his pack against the oak, and gets out his tinderbox, attempting to start a fire where it is sheltered and dry...

OOC - Do I roll anything to try and start that fire going?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:22, Sun 10 Dec 2017.

Being the middle of Winter, there is no nice grassy patch around, but a half-decent spot can be located. After a few attempts, a smoky fire can be lighted.
You haven't had any food after leaving Gallows End.

[OOC it's OK, you have no pressure and plenty of attempts]

Sir Roland builds up the fire with small twigs and bigger branches he picks up from the the ground. The wet wood however results in a smoky fire that gives out little light and warmth, but also copious amounts of smoke that sting the eyes and induce coughs.

Having improved the fire as best as he can, he removes his sword from his belt and lays it against the tree, then sits down beneath the oak, breaks out some of the dried trail rations from his pack, and shares it around with his companions. Munching on abit of dried bread, he glances at Larson and Garl.

"Wet miserable day huh?" Sir Roland begins by way of conversation. "How are you guys holding up?"

OOC - Sorry. Sir Roland is sharing 3 meals's worth of rations from his pack with Larson and Garl.

Deducted from charsheet.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:41, Sun 10 Dec 2017.

OOC Please clarify how many "portions" you are having and deduct them from your character sheets. Do you have two square meals, just one, or just a snack? This will have a consequence on your STAMINA, of course.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 15:36, Sun 10 Dec 2017.

Garl will have a square meal.

“I’m cold, wet and miserable, but I suppose many a worthwhile adventure has begun this way.” He picks at his teeth in between bites.

After dinner your eyes close, as you feel very tired and miserable.
Luckily, you have a quiet night rest and, considering the situation, relatively comfortable.
Nobody wakes you up until morning, and the rest allows you to make up for the missed meal during the day before.
Unfortunately, the weather is still the same.

Garl gets up, stretches, yawns, and then checks to make sure that none of his body parts have frozen off.

Larson wakes early as is the norm for northern men and as the camp raises he already had the fire stoked and rations cooking.

He even had a small bowl of warm spiced Ake by the fire which he handed a small cup to each one as they woke

"It is a small warmth to wake your body and unfreeze the brain...traditional in the winter where I come from"

Sir Roland accepts the drink from Larson with a nod of thanks. He drains the bowl in one draught and hands it back to the Northman. Feeling the warmth spread throughout his body that had become stiff and cold from bedding on the frozen ground, the knight picks up his stuff, loosens his sword in its scabbard, and prepares to begin another miserable day on the trail.

Garl gladly accepts the tasty confection, and he gulps it down with relish.  It doesn’t completely eliminate the chill, but it certainly helps.

OOC

Larson fossas:

as the camp raises he already had the fire stoked and rations cooking.

Please keep tracking the rations progressively eaten up.

Everything seems OK all around, apart from the miserable weather. You are ready to move, if you want.

“We should get going.  It’s cold, and we aren’t getting any younger.”