Given my access issues - see my OOC post - I'm going to summarise the interrogation so that you're not left hanging.

Atalakis and Cuaglir keep watch while Zyphen interrogates the bandit.  Corven looks on but Kanir seems only to want to get back to sleep.

Zyphen has no trouble getting the bandit to talk, in the circumstances it would be harder not to intimidate the wounded man, but his answers are not what you might expect.

"What patrol?  What are you talking about?  We saw the smoke from the fire you lit to burn the dire wolf and followed you here.  Thought we might pick up some good loot if we could catch you unawares.  Nobody's going to come looking for us, we're just...thieves."  The bandit chooses his words with some care.  He doesn't mention what they were planning to do if they caught you unawares and 'thieves' is the mildest alternative.

Under further questioning, it becomes clear that this group has nothing to do with the Keep.  After all "There's orcs up there."  They were just robbers after a mark.

Zyphen will see if the man has any additional information about the Keep and the orcs.  He will see to cleaning up the camp, then.  He drags the bodies off to the side, sets back up his twine and bells, sets Snow to watch again, etc.

In the morning, he will speak to the others.  "Were it just me, I would probably kill this man, for he would have done us no better.  However, I would guess that our brightly-colored mark might object to such expediency.  If I am correct, it is of no great matter.  This man is not connected to the Keep, will have little way to follow us and poses no great danger.  Letting him go is not likely to bring harm to us."

Assuming the paladin expresses some wish not to kill the man, Zyphen will remove the manacles and rope and send the man on his way.  "Thank Sune and the garishly-dressed knight for your life.  Do not attempt to follow us.  If I see you again, I will kill you.  Go."

When he saw the prisoner being let loose, he picked up his bow and nocked an arrow meaningfully stretching it out and aiming for the horizon, then unbending the bow again.

The young wizard tosses and turns as he tries hard to get some sleep, but sighs and moans of injury makes it hard.  The bat stays awake on top of young man's body, alart and watching for the night.

-K

The bandit takes to his heels without any further encouragement and is soon lost to even the best eyes and ears amongst the group.

In returning to your camp it is clear that something will need to be done about the bandit's bodies.  It takes  a little while to drag them away and heap them together, but it would not be wise to leave them lying close by if there are more predators like the dire wolf about.  In doing so you have the opportunity to loot the bodies, if you want.  Most of the bandits have basic equipment and there is little to be gained by taking it, even the arrows are of a shorter cut and useful only for short bows.

The leader's kit is of a better quality by far.  You find his bow where he cast it aside before charging Atalakis and his sword by his mauled corpse (the badger has long since vanished).  The bow is a recurved composite longbow, very heavily strung and the sword a hand-and-a-half sword, very heavy and balanced with its weight favouring the point.

The remainder of the night passes free of incident, although those keeping watch can hear noises as some of the more adventurous local animals investigate the pile of carrion.

A new day is dawning and the Keep awaits.

OOC: As usual those who are injured gain HP equal to your level for the night's rest.  I'll allow Corven to make heal checks (DC 15) to double that if he wants - in effect presuming that he spent some time attending to first aid before you all slept.

Corven will attempt to administer care to his comrades, bandaging their wounds with a salve, and saying a small prayer to Chauntea over them.



Looks like Kanir and Atalakis get helped - was Zyphen even wounded? ^^

18:58, Today: Corven rolled 22 using 1d20+6. Heal check Atal.
18:58, Today: Corven rolled 16 using 1d20+6. Heal check Kanir.
18:57, Today: Corven rolled 8 using 1d20+6. Heal check Zyphen.

Cuaglar woke early, rising from his trance to pace the campground, rekindle the campfire, and wait for his companions to arise.

Do we use our ECL for determining HP gained or our class level?

Thanks!

Your ECL and level should be the same as your level, yes?  I think you bought off your level adjustment at the same time I did.

Good point, 6 HP healed.

You break camp and head off towards the Keep.  Zyphen scouts ahead once more, wary of the risk of ambush.  He has hardly gone out of sight, however, before Snow comes back and gives Corven the signal for a cautious approach.  You follow the owl to where Zyphen stands at the edge of a small clearing close to the path.

A Spot check DC 10 or a Survival check DC 5 reveals the remains of a small campfire and a patch of disturbed ground.  If you see it, you know that someone else was camped here last night.
[Private to Zyphen: From what you can see there is only one set of tracks.  That and the other signs left behind suggest a lone traveller.  Interestingly, the tracks don't lead back to the trail.  Instead, they head deeper into the trees and scrub towards the Keep.]

Cuaglar fails to see what they mean by a campfire, as he can't see any sign of one.  However, he is more than willing to take the word of a ranger that someone camped here last night.

OOC: Got 8 on my Spot check...

"One person camped here," Zyphen says softly, pointing to a set of prints.  <purple>"They did not return to the trail, but instead went deeper into the trees, towards the Keep.

I do not whose prints these are, but it might be wise to follow them.  If it is an enemy, I would prefer they not be at my back; and it may be someone with information about the Keep.

Can I tell how long ago the person left, perhaps from the signs of when the fire was put out and camp was broken?  If Zyphen believes the person might still be close, he would want to track them alone and try to catch them without the slow-pokes in the rest of the party, and so he could be stealthy about it.

"These tracks are fresh; probably not more than an hour old.  I am going to follow them and see who proceeds us.  Follow me as quickly as you can."

Zyphen will move quickly but quietly after the tracks, looking for the traveler but attempting not to be seen.

Take 10 MS - 20
Take 10 Hide - 20
Take 10 Listen - 17
Take 10 Spot - 17
Tracking - 21

09:49, Today: Zyphen rolled 21 using 1d20+9. Tracking (if can't take 10).

Zyphen follows the tracks quickly and surely, although, in all fairness, they are fresh and easy to follow.  Even so, the effort involves a bit of hunting back and forth for signs of the quarry's passing and the rest of the group has no trouble keeping pace.

The tracks lead from the clearing to an animal trail that runs roughly paallel to the main path.  Your progress is now quite steeply uphill and it is not long before you come in sight of a large cliff.  From your current position you can just see a wall section and two towers atop the cliff, which must be a portion of the Keep's defences.

At about the same time you see a slender, brunette woman seated on a log facing away from you.  She has a book open on her lap and an inkwell beside her.  She appears to be writing or sketching.  Further details of her clothes are obscured by the travelling cloak she wears.  A pack rests against the log close by.

Before you can decide on your next action, she abruptly turns her head.  She may have been stretching her neck or perhaps she was alerted by some sixth sense but she's looking squarely at Zyphen. Natural 20 on the Spot check!

Alright, Evesa, you're on!

The young woman sitting on the log turns and looks the man up and down deciding if he is friend or foe. Deciding that he might be a friend she acknowledges him by saying "Good day to you sir."

As she turns you notice she is not as young as she first seems. She is not pretty yet some might find her face pleasant enough. Under her cloak is a hair shirt and there is a glint of a weapon by her side.

Zyphen, realizing that he has been spotted, draws his bow but does not draw or string an arrow.  Whispering a word to Snow in Auren, he sends the white owl flapping back to his companions, to bring them forward.  Then, keeping the bow down at his side, and his other hand empty and in view, he steps out of the shadows and trees.

"Your eyes are keen, lady, for I am normally not easily spotted.  You are in a dangerous area.  I would know your purpose here, so that I might know if you are friend or foe."

As Zyphen waits for her answer, he keeps his hands in view so as not to provoke the woman unnecessarily.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Sun 13 Jan 2008.

"I could say the same of you, yet that might lead to an unwanted stand-off. So let me begin by saying my name is Evesa. My purpose, well that should be a little obvious. I am interested in the Keep with it's new inhabitants. Held by orcs and with these type of defenses the Keep is too good a puzzle to give up easily." Evesa replies.

As she turns further towards the man he can make out a drawing of the Keep wall and towers that are visible.

[Private to DM Fletch: 09:40, Today: Secret Roll: Evesa rolled 14 using 1d20+3. Listen check of others.
09:40, Today: Secret Roll: Evesa rolled 16 using 1d20+3. Spot check of others.]

"And what sort of 'interest' do you have with the keep and its inhabitants, lady?  Are you a friend of the orcs in the keep, or their foe?"

Cuaglar spotted Zyphen's owl fluttering towards them, and gathered up his things.
"It's safe to move ahead; let's go!" He said, as he began following the path where Zyphen went.

"My interest is purely academic. I wish to see what is the best way to remove the orcs from the Keep. It is like a puzzle to be solved. So that would probably make them a foe."

Zyphen is not the best at reading people, but he has studied human reactions in particular, and believes Evesa is probably telling the truth. "Yes, assuming you do not intend to remove them by leading them out to sack the nearest city, I should say that makes you their foe," he says, as he returns the purple-fletched arrow to his quiver.  "Shaundakul may have blessed your travels this day.  We have been hired to perform the same task, albeit we have thus far planned to accomplish it in a much less than 'academic' manner.  My companions should arrive soon; I am sure the one in pastels will be pleased to speak with you about it."

Zyphen withdraws into the shadow of a tree, watching the lady, and watching for Snow's return with the others.  He will brief the others quickly on what he has learned when they arrive, so that we don't have to go through it all again.

OOC:  Queue group--Zyphen is no face man!
This message was last edited by the player at 06:35, Tue 22 Jan 2008.

Cuaglar came walking a little later, with his pack horse trailing behind him.
"Well, Zyphen?  What did you find?" He asked as he walked between the trees.  "Oh, I see.  A wanderer?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:47, Wed 23 Jan 2008.

Corven will follow Cuaglar, chatting with Tacky about how Zyphen seems a bit paranoid at times, and perhaps he should lighten up and enjoy life a little.  Tacky agrees, of course.

Atalakis reigns his horse forward, deftly guiding it through the woods with the skill of a practiced rider. As he enters the clearing, his lance is tucked in the crook of an arm that holds the reigns to the horse. He raises a gloved hand and runs his fingers through his hair, to give it a stylish toss as he surveys those around him. His eyes note the newcomer and he flashes a dashing smile which literally sparkles. He then turns his gaze to scan his companions.

How fortuitous is this? A pretty maid alone in the forest and our band of champions without a pretty maid to favor our cause. Sune, you work in mysterious ways. He muses as he touches the symbol of Sune which is embroidered on his tunic.

He once again focuses on the lady.

Hail and good evening, fair lady. I am Atalakis, the Pastel Paladin of Sune. Tis a pleasure to meet you.

These woods are cold and full of treacherous dangers, and it seems we have a common foe. We have a long list of wrongs to right and people to aid--if we were to band together, we could certainly accomplish this task more quickly. What say you?

While he speaks with her, Atalakis will use his detect evil ability to make certain she is not a foe.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:41, Thu 24 Jan 2008.