Glumr scowls.  Upset that the party is engaged with a wild bear, he realizes that at this point, the bear is enraged and he has no ability to calm it that much.

He draws his an arrow and notches it into his bow.  Glumr pulls the string back and mutters a blessing to Elhonna.  He takes a breath while he aims, holds it and lets the arrow fly.

Glumr rolled 12 using 1d20+6. Glumr Shoot Bear.
Glumr rolled 3 using 1d6. Possible Arrow Damage.

He can tell as the arrow launched from his fingers that it's not a perfect shot.  He hopes that Elhonna can guide the arrow in.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Tue 18 Aug 2009.

I let out an intimidating battle roar at the bear and take a massive swing at him.

11:59, Today: Mord rolled 13 using 1d10+4. Dmg on Bear round 2.
11:54, Today: Mord rolled 14 using 1d20+4. Attack Bear in Round 2.

I suspect a 14 will connect, and if so, 13 damage should help adjust his attitude.  If it continues to attack me, I will do the same in round 3, but if it decides to run I won't pursue.

Glumr's shot hits the bear but does not penetrated its tough hide, falling to the ground instead.

Mord's mighty blow slams into the side of the bear's head and hammers into its shoulder.  The bear crumples to the ground.  Combat in now over.  Animal lovers and veterinarians that would like to see this bear not end up a rug should act soon.

Glumr steps forward and gives Mord a heavy pat on the back.  "Good job my friend.  Your strong arm has once again proved its worth on this trip."

Glumr looks sadly at the bear.  "Poor bear.  I bet he was just hungry.  What happened?  Did the bear attack us?  Snow was yelling for us to attack when I awoke.  I'm thinking that Holly or I may have been able to persuade the bear to leave as we're both experienced with animals.  Poor thing.  We should put it back on it's feet before we leave if we can."

Glumr turns to Holly and says "Holly, after we see that Mord is healed, can you call on your god to heal the bear?  I might be able to do a little, but I am not trained in the healing arts.  I feel bad that we have slain a beast that was only looking for food."

And then to nobody in particular, "I was so worried about goblins that I didnt think about a proper camp.  When bears are about, you should string your food up and hang it out of bear reach, which also will keep them out of camp."  Glumr looks upset.  Slightly blaiming himself for Mord's injury as he should have known better than to leave food about in bear country.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:57, Tue 18 Aug 2009.

One of the things you were trying to achieve with this location was a low profile - a place your campsite wouldn't be easily viewable from afar.  As you might expect there are no tall trees in the area from which to hang your food.   You've also got a lot of food right now.  Your next choice of campsite can include trees, but they're scarce out here in these particular grasslands.

Holly considers Mords wounds, and then casts her best healing spell on him, repairing the gash damage done by the bear.  Moving over to the furball, she checks it out quickly, wondering if it could indeed be saved, knowing already it was unlikely.  Turning to Glumr she says, "Worry not Glumr, for even I today was not prepared for this.  I normally speak with such creatures to calm them, and move them on, but tonight I prepared for combat.  That is why I can heal Mord's wounds, but not stop them.  We are yet young and unprepared.  But with each day we learn more, and gain the wisdom of our elders."

[Casts CLW on Mord.  Repairs 5 damage.]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:53, Wed 19 Aug 2009.

Mord is now fully healed.

The bear is not dead yet.  It can be saved with a heal check (I'll give you a DC of 15 because you have wild empathy) or a Cure Minor Wounds.  The animal will be unpredictable when it wakes up.

Snow goes to see the damage to the provision, giving the bear dirty looks as she looks over wonder how tough bear meat is and the best way to season and tenderize it.  Is a bear pelt difficult to skin and cure she wonders...

Knowing Holly's affinity for mangy wildlife she keeps these thoughts to herself as she sees if anything can be salvaged for breakfast.

The bear didn't eat all that much.  You'd say the damage is about 4 meals.  (For one person not 4 meals for all 6 of you)  As luck would have it none of it was anything you were planning to use for breakfast.  Speaking of breakfast plans, you were planning a cold breakfast, but now you have this campfire going.  Let it burn?  Put it out?  On the one hand it could give away your position to the goblins.  On the other hand - warm breakfast.

"Stupid Bear" Glumr mutters, shaking his head.  "Holly, I've not studied any healing arts, but I've been around animals that I understand some things.  If you will attempt to heal the bear I can try to assist you."

Glumr kneels down be the bear.  "If anything, we should try to prevent it from dying and move on before it wakes.  Else if there is nothing we can do then we should end it's suffering.  Maybe it can pay us back with a pelt or a meal.  Is bear good eats?"

Glumr looks to the group, hoping that they don't see his comment as brash.  He feels it would be poor to waste one of Obad-Hai's creations.

"Either way, buzzards gotta eat, same as worms."

Glumr keeps an eye on the horizon knowing that the fire could attract hostiles.
Glumr rolled 20 using 1d20+6. Spot approaching Goblin (+4, +2).
This message was last edited by the player at 15:32, Thu 20 Aug 2009.

Holly is half tempted to tell Glumr what he can do with his idea to eat bear meat, but simply moves over to the bear to check on its condition, and remove the arrow from its body.  Checking it over quickly, taking care to notice its breathing and movements, and not wanting to wake it up quite yet.  Yet she automatically finds her hand stroking its head, and she hears Moonlight snort a warning to her from his position outside the camp.

Seeing that the wounds are beyond her simple healing skills, she considers whether it is safe to stop the bleeding with one of her spells.

If Holly can cast CMinorW without the bear waking up, she will.  If not she will tell the others to move off and then cast the spell

Holly casts the spell to ease the bleeding, and then steps away a little to see what effect the powers of Obad-Hai has on the bear.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Thu 20 Aug 2009.

The bear will live.  You suspect that it will wake up some time between an hour from now (about dawn) and four hours from now.  If the plan is to douse the fire, pack up camp and move along before the bear wakes up there's plenty of time for that.  You've all had sufficient rest for the night and there's no sense lying around an unsafe campsite.

"We should break camp and get on the road before this beast wakes up.  Let's break camp and start the march on ward.  We can breakfast when we get to a safer area where we are sure this bear's grudge wont come looking for us."

Glumr start to break camp and gestures for the rest of the team to do as well, all the while watching the horizon for any trouble that might appear.

Holly continued to stroke the head of the bear.  In another time, and perhaps another place she could have sat with it and talked.  For now she wanted to be assured that the bear was safe until it woke up.  For that reason she decided she needed to stay.

"You move off slowly, and I'll catch you up with Moonlight."  Seeing the concerns she quickly adds, "I'll be safe enough.  I'll not be close, just close enough to watch, and Moonlight will be with me.  He's rather good at protecting me really."  Holly looked out to see the horse standing in the dark of the morning light.  Just typical that Moonlight had missed spotting the bear.

No matter what the others said, Holly was determined that the bear would live, and go about it's business.  By staying behind, she also hoped that she could scare it so it didn't follow the trail of the wagon.  If all else failed, she was sure that she could outrun anything else.

The party douses the campfire and buries it so there will be no lingering smoke.  Glumr gathers up his rope.  There's plenty of it to tie the food into a tree in the future.  You might need to use two sacks to hold the current amount.  You pack up and break camp.  The party heads off to the east in darkness.  Holly will catch up later, following the rising sun.  The morning is cooler than it has been.  The grasses are wet with dew.  Shifting winds blow them this way and that.  Snow dishes out a cold but still tasty breakfast at the first rest break.

Holly has treated the bear's injuries to the best of her abilities.  Glumr's assistance was a small help.  He didn't know the principles of healing, but he did have some aptitude for it.  Normally an animal that has been injured this badly has little chance of survival, but the bear has a few advantages.  Being young and male, he has no cubs to care for.  Bears have easy access to food here and little competition.  He will be able to go weeks without confronting other predators.  With luck that will be long enough to recover.  When the bear stirs Holly assumes a dominant but not aggressive attitude.  She makes it clear that the confrontation was the bear's own fault.  He lingers at the pond, drinking.  When she feels he has had enough water she sends him away.  Hopefully the bear has learned to stay away from humans.

Holly and Moonlight have 2 hours of travel to make up, but that isn't a problem since they can move considerably quicker than the cart.  The mid-morning skies darken and rain pours down.  Moonlight sniffs warily.  It is not the weather that troubles the horse.  There are Goblins following them.  Holly notices them too.  They keep they distance for the most part, but once a pair of goblins charge out and throw small spears in Holly's direction before running off.  They come nowhere near hitting.  Holly picks up one of the crude spears to show the others and journeys on.  That is the last she sees of goblins before meeting up with the rest of the party.

It is earlier afternoon and full blown thunderstorms drench the party as they trudge eastward.  Mord lets out a battle cry in response to each lightning strike and thunder rumble.  He is enjoying the storm.  The rest of you...  not so much.

"Why are you all looking so glum, goblins probably have better things to do than mess with people during a thunderstorm and this is about as close as we will get to a bath for several days I suspect"

Snow gives Mord a rather broodish and dark look.  The outdoors...  it's dirty... wet... infested with vermin and wild animals looking to convert you into a meal.  Indoors... clean... dry... warm... and the animals are domesticated pets.  What the hell was Mord so happy about.

Tugging the hood of her cloak lower to keep the rain out of her face, and pulling the cloak tighter around her Snow reflects on the one bit of good news she has.  While she had bathed and cleaned recently the others had not.  The rain should improve the lingering aroma around camp she thought.

At the news of goblins, Snow purses her lips thoughtfully and says nothing.  What was there to say?  They knew goblins were in the area?  Would they not care about the rain and attack in a thunderstorm our did they hve some sense to wait for clearer weather before striking?

"They were following me, back to you!  That means a lot out here.  They'll pick up numbers as they travel.  I reckon they'll attack when they think they outnumber us enough.  At the moment I doubt they know our strength.  Perhaps Glumr and our travelling companions could slow them down if it wasn't actually raining so hard."  Holly made the statement as she and Moonlight took the opportunity to take a breather once they had caught up with the others.

The rain soaks Glumr in his leathers.  He actually enjoys the rain, but these are defiantly the times he wishes he had a nice cloak and hat instead of just these utilitarian leathers.

The news on Goblin brings a scowl to his face.  He hates those dirty little critters and is visibly concerned.

"Do you have any idea how many have been following you?" Glumr asks Holly.  He gives a deep growl.  "Problem with those little bastards is that they are smart and have friends."  He looks to the group.  "The can gather up in large numbers and have been known to ride on wolf creatures.  Likewise, they are quick to put traps and drive you to them, so be weary your step if we run into them."

Glumr ponders what to do in the situation.  "I can go scout them out.  I should be able to hid and observe them without being detected.  I'd like to know what we're up against before we are forced to take a stand against it.  What do you all think?"

Glumr keeps an eye on the direction they have come from, searching the horizon for any trace of Goblin.
Glumr rolled 12 using 1d20+6. Spot Goblin.

"I only saw shadows and images, other than the two that ran forward and tried to stick me with this!" Holly says as she waves the spear around a little.  "The longer we take, the more will come together, even with this storm.  I suggest we find a place to defend, and prepare to bloody their noses with arrows and magic.  If we can get them close together, I can call upon Obad-Hai to again aid us by trapping their feet."

"Then if we fight, we should find a defendable area... Ideally somewhere where where they cannot get to our back, but where we can retreat if need be."  Glumr looks to see if there is anything like that near.
Glumr rolled 7 using 1d20+3. - Nature/Geography knowledge to dertermin is appropriate spot is around but not visible

"We should set a trap and ambush them.  They're unaware of our numbers, they've only seen Holly and a cart likely.  If we have Holly and me camp with the cart somewhere, the rest of you can wait in ambush.  Seeing only the two of us should make them bold before they have the numbers to overwhelm us.  Two helpless women out here should be easier to deal with than a party of 'six'.", Snow comments deadpan.  The misery of the rain not quite making it to her voice, though theres really no enthusism either.

There are no current goblin sightings in the downpour, but they are foremost in everyone's mind.   The terrain isn't providing much of a tactical advantage to the Triplefang.  Flat plains stretch on for dozens of miles in all directions.  The grasses do provide a good (very muddy at the moment) hiding place for an ambush as well as plenty of vegetation to entangle enemies.

Would you like to set up your ambush here or travel onward towards Gollag?

If Glumr would like to journey out on his own and scout for goblins.  He may roll survival (an additional +2 for tracking goblins) and hide (also +2)

In reply to Fritzholm (msg #80):

I dont like the idea of setting up an ambush for goblins we aren't even sure are following us.  If they aren't, we will be wasting time we should be using to get to Gollag and find Arkus.   If they are, they probably know the size of our group already by our trail, smell, and tracks.  In a flat open plain with no significant cover, the chances of us successfully hiding from those glowing goblin eyes well enough to set up an ambush are slim even if they aren't sure of our numbers now.

We should press onward as fast as we are able.  Perhaps we can stay ahead of the alert about us that those two fiends who saw Holly will surely spread.  Meanwhile we need to be thinking about finding a defendable location we can camp tonight.

Rolf/Vidar, have either of you been out to Gollag before?  Do you know of any outposts or farms along the way that might offer some shelter and defense?

"Nay Mord, we've never been to Gollag.  I have no use for a pointless little Ferisedan village.  We're just along to see that you whelps don't get butchered on your first trip out.  It's your druid friend there who knows something about Gollag.  She's the only one who's seen the goblins too," replies Rolf.


You're only on day 3 of your 5 day journey (maybe 6 if you spend time trying to ambush goblins) to Gollag.  It's likely you won't cross any farms along the way today, or even tomorrow.