Aleta grins at Arthanos "Don't worry, If I run into anything, I will be right back. If I come to a split, I will wait. she then pulls a throwing knife and starts up the hall. She tries to move up the hall as quietly as possible.

"Fortuna bless you." Arthanos says softly as Aleta heads off down the tunnel.

Turning to face Itylus, Arthanos nods. "Yes, we should be ready. Try not to let anything sneak up on us." he replies cheerfully. He then turns and gestures for Petracles to stay with him as they move into the tunnel.

Itylus eyes follow Aleta as she disappears in the darkness of the right tunnel.

Then with a smile he replies to Arthanos: "Rest easy, not even a fly will pass through us without my knowing. Just be sure you don't let anything break through you neither!".

When the others start moving after Aleta, Itylus softly murmurs under his breath "May Artemis guide us and protect us all!", and then follows silently. All five senses in sharp alert as they plunge in to the darkness of the tunnel.

Agmund shook his head in response. "I do not know. There is a wrongness about whatever it is." he says grimly.



Aleta moves ahead in the cave, taking the the northeastern passage.  While she noted there was yet another split in paths, her observation of the new split heading southeast was that it was not often used by boarmen, given lack of foot traffic.  She continues forward.

Aleta goes about fifty more feet in the northeastern passage before finding another split.  Directly ahead of her is a large cavern filled with various wooden crates and boxes.  Sneaking forward (and seeing nobody around for the moment) Aleta peers in and sees that they contain various provisions: some food, various weapons varying between almost brand new and completely rusted or worn with age or use. There are other items that would be best described as 'worthless junk'. While it was certainly possible that there might be something of value here, they would have to search the room first.

Returning back from the passageway, Aleta sees two passages. One to the west, and another to the east. Both are well used by the boarmen from the looks of it, though as she tentatively moves in the western passage she notes a stronger smell of animal (undoubtedly that of boarmen) as well as the sounds of some of them conversing further up in the passage. How many or how far up is uncertain to the young woman.  From the eastern passage Aleta hears no conversation and the smell is not as strong.


OOC: A more detailed map of the caverns is pending.  The storage room, as well as other passages not yet taken will be marked off on it if the group decides to explore further.

Aleta sneaks back to the group and tells them what she saw and heard. "I would like to sneak up closer and see how many boarmen there are. If you hear a whistle, come running"

So far so good... Or so it seemed. They had managed to go this far without being detected, and it had been almost too easy. However Itylus knew that easiness couldn't last much longer.

While Aleta was speaking he checked once more the path from where they had come... Nothing. His grip on the bow tightened.

Once she had finished he nodded and said: "I agree with you Aleta, but be very careful! Also, try to see if you can overhear anything that may give us a clue to where the Boarman keep their prisoners. Meanwhile I'll be checking the other path and see where it leads."

Turning to the others Itylus nods to the room before them and suggests: "In the mean time perhaps you should try to search this storage room to see if there is something useful in it."



OCC: Itylus won't depart immediately, he will wait to see if everyone agrees with this.

Arthanos frowns slightly as he hears the layout, then speaks.

"I think we should move up to the junction as a group. If that room has weapons, I'd prefer to cut the boarmen off from them. Plus it may have other useful supplies we could use. While you guys scout, we can check the room out." he says, looking at the others.

Aleta moves up to the split with the party and then sneaks off up the western hall.  She makes sure she stays quiet and keeps her eyes peeled.

(ooc-Aleta rolled 11 using 1d20+7. stealth.
GM edit: with +4 thievery bonus, actual number 15)
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:23, Tue 27 Aug 2013.

Itylus watched Aleta sneak in to the left path once the party reached the junction.

He looks around for a moment, making sure no one is coming from any of the paths. Itylus then brings out his spear from the place in his back where he usually kept it while he didn't use it, walks towards Arthanos and tells him:

"Here, take care of this for me while I go scout the other path, please. Though  its a loyal spear in combat, it will be only a hindrance down there." He gives Arthanos the spear, and then says: "I'll be back soon."

Without further ado, Itylus turns around and disappears in to the right path, moving as silently as he is able.

OCC: 09:55, Today: Itylus rolled 27 using 1d20+10. Stealth (Target = 12).

+10 Because I use both my danger evasion (+6) and my hunting bonuses(+4)
Target 12 since I gave the spear to Arthanos (Normal encumbrance: 14)


This message was last edited by the player at 09:01, Tue 27 Aug 2013.

Aleta sneaks away. Her feet hardly making a sound in the earthen cave, and before anybody knows it, she has blended into the natural shadows and darkness of the caverns as well as she began to take the left path.  It is clear that this way leads to the heart of the boarmen's activity as Aleta finds yet another split in passages.  Fortunately, they are not too far apart. She first travels south (Chamber D) and finds herself looking into a large communal cave that the boarmen use. As she looks around from her vantage point, she notes crude tables, and mattresses on the ground, as well as what looked to be either dried blood all over one of the closer tables.

More importantly than that, are the three boarmen that are currently in the communal chamber. One of them is sleeping, or at least it looked like he is sleeping. The other two were sitting at a table further away and seemed to be conversing in their guttural beastly language.

Aleta heads back and peeks into the northern chamber. (Chamber E) The presence of a human woman - who could be none other than Veda is the first thing that Aleta sees. She appears to be unharmed, and unbound as well, sitting on a small mattress in the furthermost corner of the room. She hugs her legs and keeps her head down, hair spilling over.

There were three boarmen in this room too.  One of them Aleta assumed to be the leader, as he stood closer to Veda, and looked, as far as boarmen go, more dignified, or even gentle then the others that she had seen so far. He carried a deadly looking crossbow though, and obviously was still a danger.  The other two boarmen looked to be guards, standing at attention keeping an eye out for intruders.

As one of them begins to sniff the air, Aleta moves back towards the party so she could remain undetected.

Itylus snuck away, heading about forty feet down a very narrow passageway, before finding himself face to face with the same large boulder that he had encountered on the other side. Little bits of natural sunlight peer from small cracks.  As he turns around to head back, he notes a small passage heading north (Chamber G) Heading into that cave, he discovers it is actually a small shrine, containing a crude wood carved statuette of Og, who Itylus recalls to be the beastly god of the Boarmen.  This statuette is surrounded by various offerings that the boarmen have left behind. Mostly dead birds, rabbits, an occasional chipmunk or squirrel.  All were in various states of decay.  While at first glance the chamber appears to be empty, Itylus spots two boarmen wearing, strangely enough, robes who were kneeling at the shrine, as if in prayer.  Given that the two were not moving, the robes they wore made it almost seem like they were part of the chamber itself.  Perhaps there was a magic in what they wore?

But one of them begins to move. It turns its' head and begins to sniff the air, and thus Itylus made his exit before his scent could be detected.

The rest of the party examines the other crates in the storeroom.  Clothing, weapons (mostly spears, but occasionally crossbows and arrows) are found in several of the crates. Most of the others contains food. It seems that the boarmen are not keeping any treasure here though.



Legend

A = Front Entrance to Caverns
B = Unxplored passageway (smells of 'Death')
C = Unexplored passageway
D = Communal Cave
E = Leader's Lair
F = Boarmen's Storeroom
G = Boar Shrine
H = Hidden Entrance / Large Boulder

Aleta sneak back and tells the party in a whisper what she saw. She whispers "there is only 3 with the woman but at least 3 more will come quickly. I wonder if we could set a trap for the 3 that might come to help"

Itylus returned in time to hear Aleta describe what she had found out. Once she was done he reported his own findings.

 In the end he added: "I think there is something odd going on here. Eight boarmen certainly don't sound like the terrible horde that annihilated Lord Joris' first rescue party. Where are the rest?"

"I suppose we could have been lucky and infiltrated the caves while the boarmen are in a hunting trip, and I guess we might have missed some in the passageways we didn't explore, but... I feel there is much more going on in to this than we know. We have to be extra careful when we go in there to save your friend."

"Would it be worth our while to take out the shrine first?" Arthanos asks after the others report their findings. "If something is causing problems, would it not be from their...god?" he asks, the pauses as he thinks, then something Aleta mentions clicks.

"Maybe we could trap them...except we hit the entire group in the trap." he says, "If we hide in the store and create a noise back towards the entrance, when the go past to see what it is, we hit them in the rear. Those cloaked guys, and maybe the boss, are likely to be in the rear, so clear them out and we could discourage the others."

Itylus nods as he hears Arthanos speak:

"I was thinking something along those lines too. What about burning that cursed shrine?" he smiles. "I am sure we can easily handle those two boarmen "priests", and once we burn the shrine the rest are bound to go there see what's going on."

He continues: "That's when would have our chance. To either ambush them, or try to sneak past them for the girl." Itylus turns to look at Dysis. "Either way I think that your proficiency with... shadows, could be of great help to avoid an upfront battle. Could you do something to blind the boarmen or hide us from them once they reached the shrine?"

Dysis nodded.  "It will need my remaining power, but yes, I can.  Blinding them is a better approach.  I can hide myself in shadow. A larger area of darkness will be obvious as unnatural.   It will not cling to them, you understand. They can move out of it. Though I'm guessing their exit would be a confused, clumsy one.  And I agree with you, in both things.  So few of them is odd. And burning the shrine a good tactic."

"but remember, if you start a fire down here, the smoke will start to fill the caves. It could help cover us or it could hurt us as we might get lost in it" she says in a whisper.

Itylus nods: "Yes, that's true. Playing with fire always brings risks. But we'll have to take risks one way or another."

"If we act quickly I think the smoke won't be much of a problem. Besides, once the whole shrine has burned the fire will probably die by himself. There won't be much else for it to burn."

"If we time it right, the fire might cover our retreat.  I would like to set up traps but I am not sure how much stuff we have to make one."

The party gathers close together and discusses the best way to proceed. Having a general strategy in place, they decide leave Agmund and Petracles behind with instructions to wait for either the sound of battle or some other signal that they were attacking, at which point they were to call out the boarmen waiting in the leader's lair and the communal gathering place and draw them out.

Before departing, a quick check of inventory reveals that Dysis and Itylus carried rope. While it seems that at first they have no way to actually secure a rope trap in place, Aleta discovers a few small iron spikes nearby the crates in the storehouse, which were likely used at one point to keep the crates secured shut. Tossing them to Itlyus and Arthanos, the two hastily set up a trap that would snag and trip the boarmen's ankles if they were to come down this passageway and weren't being especially cautious in doing so.

Set and ready, Agmund nods to the others "We will wait for your signal." he says.

The party proceeds down the narrow passageway, and halt when they get to the abrupt turn leading to the cavern where the shrine was. (Area 'G' on map, Boarman Shrine)

14:46, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Itylus, rolled 25 using 1d20+11. Stealth: Target = 10.
14:45, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Itylus, rolled 12 using 1d20+10. Stealth: Target = 12 .

Aleta masterfully blends in and moves softly towards the shrine, while Itylus follows. By appearances he is not quite as masterful as her, but he is able to move without making noise as well.

As they approach the entrance to the shrine, they look around, and after a moment, spot the two boarmen sentries that Itylus had spotted before, only this time seem to be in the middle of a sacrifice. Hunter and thief watch as one of the boarmen lifts up a live rabbit to the small wooden idol and say  It then twists the neck of the rabbit, breaking it before dropping it down onto the altar, while the other draws a knife ready to begin whatever part of the ritual took place next.

Back where the others are, Eurenomes begins to look a little nervous. "My patron, the great Hermes, or any of the other Gods should be pleased if we destroy the boarman's shrine in their honor. Still, one never knows when it comes to matters such as this. Gods are fickle creatures, and might not like us intruding upon another's realm, even such a minor deity as the boarmen's beastly Gods."

---

OOC: Itylus and Aleta the boarmen are distracted, if you wish to try to stealthily enter the chamber, you will gain an additional +4 circumstantial bonus to your roll.  (and please make that roll and include it with your post).  If you wish to immediately attack from your position, you can do that as well, and will take them by surprise, gaining either a +4 circumstantial to hit for a ranged weapon, or a +2 circumstantial to hit for a melee weapon. You cannot both move stealthily into the chamber and attack at the same time this round.

(Also note: whispering to one another would not go well given your proximity to the boarmen, they would undoubtedly hear you.)

OOC Everybody else: You are waiting for your allies up ahead.  You cannot hear anything going on up ahead. It has been a few minutes and you could try to go see how they are progressing.  If you wish to do so stealthily, You can make that roll: 1D20 + Danger Evasion Mod, Target number = Your Encumberance Mod.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:08, Thu 05 Sept 2013.

Aleta puts her finger to her lip and motions for them to attack now, yes? she pulls out one of her throwing knives.

Itylus sees Aleta's signal and gives her a slight nod. Then, silently, he rises his bow, nocks an arrow in place, aims at the back of the neck of the closest boarman priest... and releases the arrow.


OCC:
10:54, Today: Itylus rolled 22 using 2d20+10, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 6,12. Missile Attack with Weapon of Choice.


This message was last edited by the player at 09:58, Sun 08 Sept 2013.

Aleta throws her dagger at the Priest's throat (as long as its un armored).

(ooc- Today: Aleta rolled 26 using 1d20+7. throw dagger. I forgot to add the +4 circumstantial to hit for a ranged weapon so I got a 30 to hit. Is that correct?)

While Arthanos is tempted to try and sneak forward to see how the others are doing, he knew it would be a wasted effort with the armour he was wearing. Sighing quietly to himself, he waited for the sound of combat being joined and prepared to charge to the aid of his team mates.

Aleta and Itylus' attacks take the boarmen completely by surprise. Within a mere matter of seconds, they are killed. One by a dagger to the throat, the other by an arrow. Any squeals or shouts of surpise or alarm are drowned out completely as both boarmen choke on their own blood.

Cautiously, Aleta and Itlyus enter the room, checking to make sure that the boarmen are well and truly dead, but it only takes a quick glance at the bodies to tell that they had done their work well.  They do a quick search of the room, and find it empty. No other passages elsewhere from what they could tell, just the remains of animal sacrifices.  Though Aleta does notice a small wooden box underneath the boarmen's altar that is currently locked.

The Discovery of Veda

Pleased by their success in taking down two of the boarmen's number without incident, the party gathers their strength and launches an attack on the boarmen in full force. While they take a few wounds, they are insignificant to the number of boarmen that they fell with dagger, arrow, sword and spell and soon all save for the leader and his two bodyguards remain, guarding the terrified Veda who cowers in her corner of the leader's lair.

Arthanos and Petraceles step forward, each one quickly dispatching the bodyguards while the leader remains close to Veda - acting almost as if he were guarding her instead of threatening her in any way. Still, not wanting him to kill the terrified young woman, the group keeps its distance, save for Aleta, who blended into the shadows. Taking advantage of her stealth, she inflicts a grievous wound on the boarman chieftain, distracting it from his task. An arrow from Itylus and a quick sword thrust from Arthanos is enough to dispatch him from there.

All are shocked to discover the lead boarman change form! From boarman he shifts to a human. Naked, bloody and dead, he lies on the cavern ground. Veda's eyes grow wide and she begins to sob with a tremendous outpouring of grief. The only words she says being " Lelios! Why did you kill Lelios?!"

The Shapeshifter Son

Comforting the grief-stricken Veda, the party exits the caverns and begins their journey back towards Lord Joris' estate.  It is by the campfire that evening that she recovers sufficiently enough to tell them her story.

"The boarman you killed was my twin brother, Lelios." she says. "He was a shapeshifter.  A year ago he had discovered his ability.  He came to me one evening and told me the truth, but our father would not allow it. He disowned Lelios, and banished him.  My brother transformed into a bird and flew away."

"After he had captured me, he told me how he had been living. He had survived as best he could in the wilderness, spending his time in various animal forms and trying to avoid my father's men who had been ordered to hunt him down and kill him. If you could have only heard him. The despair and sorrow that he felt, the same as my own once he had been driven away!"

"I had tried to run away before, to find him, but my father's guards had always prevented it. " she gives a nasty look to the guide who had accompanied the group as she says this. "My brother was misguided." she says "He wanted to destroy our father for casting him out. We were always very close, so kidnapping me was a way to hurt our father and have me for company as well."

"I know now that I could not have helped Lelios give up his rage. He had spent too long in the form of a boarman, and could only barely restrain the others from hurting me. He convinced them that the servants my father had would provide more then enough sport for their desires." she shudders. "I wish there could have been another way."

The Return to Lord Joris

The group returns as heroes, as the sight of Veda and news of her return travels quickly throughout the nobleman's estate.  Both father and daughter are reunited, and although perhaps some in the group are not pleased that Joris had not told them that Veda had a twin brother who was a shapeshifter, the welcome they receive and the gratitude not only from Joris himself, but from everybody present is almost a little overwhelming.  It is here that Joris is introduced to Eurenomes, and learns the role that the priest had played in rescuing his daughter.  He also is introduced to Itylus and learns how the Hunter had helped track down his daughter as well.

After a celebratory dinner, and a private meeting with Agmund about his vision, Lord Joris summons the group together for a private meeting. "You have done as I have asked and returned the most precious thing in the world to me. For that, you have my eternal gratitude. And, as promised, you will be gifted with the three thousand silver pieces I had promised you.  My daughter has told me that you slew the leader, who was her brother." a look of shame crosses his face. "I thought he had died long ago, else I would have told you about him. I hope that he can rest in peace now that he is gone."

"But let us speak of happier tiding. I promised you my patronage, and you shall have it. You are and will always be honored friends. You may stay as long as you wish, my estate will be at your disposal.

"I am also a man with some influence in Thena. Although I have been absent for some time, I still receive news and have connections within the great city. There are others who would need the help of adventurers, and if you are interested, then I will endeavor to let you know about them.

---

REWARDS

- Group Pool of Three Thousand Silver to be used at the party's discretion.
- A "Home Base" in Lord Joris' estate.
- Experience / Wisdom / Glory Gains  (everybody receives 1000 points each. This will be enough to get everybody to level 2. Please PM me with the increases for your levels.)