Mari sent a quick prayer of thankfulness to Ellantha for the fact that nobody was paying too much attention to her or her flaming cheeks. She tried to tell herself, you're a Chosen of Ellantha, carrying out her divine wishes in the world, conduit of power most people only dream of... But to no avail, when she had met her mother and siblings again, it was as she had never left and was still a teenager.

Sight of commotion distracted her from more inner dialogue and the mention of goblins was sure to draw her attention to the group that was crowding around Kara. She noticed the holy warrior of Ellantha with interest, Criplot didn't usually draw people like her.

Weaving carefully around all the people until she was near enough that she could be seen and heard by the distraught woman, she asked, "Mrs. Flitfoot, how many goblins did you see and what direction they fled to?" Her cheeks reddened even more with drawing so much attention but she reached for Kara's hand and took it onto her own holding tightly. "By Ellantha's grace we will find Ami and Todd unharmed, but you need to calm down and help us help you." Looking into her eyes, she hoped Kara could see the sincerity of her offer. "Are you and Jon unharmed, do you need healing?" Mari glanced around to see the boy taken care of.

Today seemed to be another typical day for Karadin. Following the road west, he was passing through a simple human village and figured it was a good place to stop for a rest. It had been the same pattern day after day, and he was starting to question why he'd left home. The hardy dwarf sat with his back against a large rock, pondering questions of self-doubt, as he absently picked at his teeth with a small piece of wood.

There was some commotion in the northeast part of the green. Karadin watched with half-hearted interest as some human woman cried about frantically. Several other humans seemed to scramble to assist her, but when Karadin noticed a fellow dwarf in the crowd, his interest increased when he noticed a fellow dwarf in the crowd. And when the shouts of "Goblins" echoed through the crowd, Karadin jumped to his feet, grabbed his pack in one hand and his axe in his other, and ran toward the crowd.

Stopping next to the other dwarf. "Goblins, eh? How about we go have some fun? Show these humans how dwar handles goblin problems." he said in Dwarvish.

Zarth strides up next to the group speaking loudly in broad daylight, his hood pulled up to obfuscate his face. He listens intently to the conversation of goblins and missing children, nodding along with information. Having nothing of importance to add to the conversation himself he simply readies to follow along and get in a fight, he's had a bad past few tendays anyway.

"Not for long if I've anything to say about it.""  Maiya nodded, satisfied at the report.  "Then, everyone willing to fight, with me!  We'll retrieve them before the goblins can get very far!"

An adventure!  How exciting!

You can all see Kara (as the cleric referred to her) visibly try to calm herself, fighting back the tears from her eyes. She smiles gratefully at Maiya, hope showing in her face, before turning to answer Mari.

"Oh, sweet Mari. You've changed so much in such a short time. We are fine," she glances at Jon as she says this and lets her hand drift to the cut on her forehead. "It's just a scratch; don't worry about me. Please save the young uns. We know what you can do. I don't know how many - it all happened so fast. It was about a mile back, near the fork in the road towards Everlun. I don't know where they went." Tears start to well up again.

"South!" The young boy raises his head from where he had been crying. "They ran south from the road, I saw them go."

OOC: Real life has unexpectedly detained Raven for a few days, so don't worry about waiting on her to post for now. If you decide to leave before she's ready to post, I'll have her tag along.

"Mrs. Flitfoot... Kara. We will do everything we can to get your babies back to you. The information you gave will be enough to find them," she said with more conviction than she felt inside. Tracking could be a tricky thing but by the sounds of it they had not been trying to hide.

With a final pat on Kara's hand she turned to Maiya who seemed to be excited about the prospect of following goblins to their lair. "I will join you, it has been a few years since I've been here last but I have some memories of the areas close by that could be helpful." She wasn't at all sure she was willing to fight, like the holy warrior had requested, but she was prepared to support anyone that would help save the children.

Harbek smiled broadly when the second Dwar appeared and suggested that they "show these Humans how Dwar handle Goblin problems." "That sounds like an excellent idea, Stone-Brother!" he exclaimed happily, also speaking in Dwarven. "But do you need a moment to don your armor?"

He was pleased to see the Human female holy warrior -- for this was what she appeared to be, a paladin -- and the female priest take charge of the situation and organize a group to track the Goblins down and deal with them.

Switching to heavily-accented but understandable Merinthian, Harbek raised his hand and spoke to the paladin. "My fellow-Dwar and I are eager to aid you. You can count on us to take the fight to the Goblins."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:55, Wed 14 Aug 2019.

Dorian stands aside as the crowd grows bigger. He makes a quick scan to search for unsupervised pockets, but this idea leaves his head as fast as it came. He takes a big sip of wine while listening to the happening, until it is finally said: Goblins. Yes, that makes sense. Goblins like having little kids either to eat or to sell. He may or may not have already traded some stolen goods for a couple of young slaves...I mean...crew.

But that was good sign, not for the lady, of course, but for Dorian. If there were goblins, there could be some treasure.

Dorian sees that some of the stand out people have already prompted themselves to help and, even though that was already spoken, he raises his voice and says "No fear, ma'am! Your kids will be rescued! Rescue team, assemble!".  And readily starts his unsteady walk toward south, not waiting particular manifestations, but still doing it rather slowly so he could see if anyone would join. He surely wouldn't go alone.

"My good friend, armor would only slow me down. Besides, its just goblins," he laughed. He grabbed the shaft of his axe. "Shall we?"

Just outside of the small village named Criplot in the direction of the northeast road, a pale-skinned and dark-haired woman sat atop a small rise to the north of the road, enjoying a bit of peaceful solitude and fresh air, and reading from a book which sat open on her lap. She had been so engrossed in what she was reading that she had completely missed seeing...

A middle-aged woman, dirty and disheveled, with a trickle of blood dried on the side of her face, comes running into the green from the northeast road. A boy of about 8 or 9 with tears streaking his muddy face is hot on her heels.

... but the noise of a growing clamor coming from the village drew her attention and looking up she noted that a small parade of people -- and what appeared to be two dwarves -- were making their way down the northeast road. She closed her book, placed it back in her pack, and rose gracefully to her feet. Curious as to what was going on, she moved to follow the procession at a distance -- content for the moment to satisfy her curiousity with a bit of remote observation.

OOC: Please note that the above happens once the group actually begins to make their way out of village in pursuit of the goblins. If there's more dialogue to be had before that happens, just kindly retcon this post where it needs to be in the story sequence. Also, if I happened to get the directions wrong, I apologize. My intent was to have Raven see the group leaving the village wherever that happens to happen. Thanks! 

Several village women cluster forward to comfort and support Kara as she pours out profusive thanks to all those volunteering to help.

A diminutive figure forces his way through the crowd to stand before the gathered adventurers. While most of his clothes are the same, drab peasant garb as the rest of the villagers, he wears over it a bright red coat of fine leather, which has evidently seen better days but was presumably once quite pricey. Clearing his throat, he pulls himself up to his full 5'5" and puffs out his rather scrawny chest.

"My good people! As bailiff of this village, and official representative of the honourable Lord Oterhal," his puffy cheeks noticeably redden, while most of those present pay him little attention and continue to soothe Kara and Jon. "I will not stand idly by while our children's safety is threatened! I will secure the aid of a Champion of our Lady; and even Dwarven warriors from distant lands!" he proudly declares as if such aid was not already offered.

Seeing little reaction from his audience, he holds his hand overheard in a gesture presumably intended to be dramatic, and delcares "Great rewards will be offered for those who will step forth to save our threatened kin!" after which a look of panic momentarily crosses his face on considering what he just said.

Ignoring the bailiff's theatrics, Kara turns again to Mari, clearly now in more control of herself. "Please hurry child. It was on the northeast road, near the Everlun junction; not an hour past. Please find them, before they.." She cuts off with a choked sob.

'Not quite that distant I think?'  Maiya thought, but the point was taken, and the response rallied.  She hoisted up her pack and gestured down the way.  "Let's be off then while the trail is still warm!  Swiftness is our greatest ally in this!"

Like everyone, Mari ignored the bailiff other than noting his words in passing. She remembered him from before and it didn't seem he had changed much other than few grey hairs. She nodded to Kara to confirm she was on it, simply turning to walk away towards the road to Everlun.

Grabbing the straps of her pack to adjust it more comfortably on her shoulders, she concentrated on the road before her and prayed to the success of their mission. After a while few beads of sweat started to run down her forehead from the exertion.

Harbek looked askance at his fellow-Dwar when he replied that armor would only slow him down. Then it dawned upon Harbek that he must be in the presence of one of the hvati hjorleiks* -- fearless warriors who were quick to charge into battle, but who purposefully did not wear armor. They were not overly common among the Dwar, and Harbek himself had never met one before, so he was rather curious to see how this fellow would conduct himelf in battle.

"Aye, I'm with you," Harbek replied, strolling over to the tree where he been resting, and picking up his backback.

Rejoining the other Dwar and shrugging his shoulders into the straps of the pack, he said, "Let me deal with the formalities first, as is meet and proper. I am Harbek, of the Hardstone family, of the Hardshaft clan, and I hail from Krak Vestri**.

By now the Human female holy warrior was doing her best to get the unwieldy group of would-be rescuers moving, and Harbek nodded his understanding to her. Turning to the other Dwar, he smiled and exclaimed "Let us be off to kill some Goblins! You can return the formalities as we move along."

---

OOC:

*Bold warrior, brave warrior in the Merinthian tongue.

**The Western Hold, or Westhold, in the Merinthian tongue.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Thu 15 Aug 2019.

Daniel will follow the NE road in whatever actual direction it goes that is closest to south.


OOC: What actual directions does the road go?

Nodding along with the rest of group as they introduce themselves and gather information from the distraught mother, always picking through for the important bits.

"Zarth Willowstriker, I think it best not to tarry much longer in the face of abduction of children by goblin."

His voice feels a bit forced and stilted but does show a modicum of compassion as he speaks. All the while his hood remains pulled up, casting dark shadows across where his face would be.

"Maiya Greenfield, guardian of the Sturmbund in the Order of the Iron Quill"  She explained, as she began to hustle up now that the direction was granted.  "If Goblins are striking at people this close to town, it's our Goddess-ordained duty to remind them of the folly of such villainy!"

One by one, the hastily assembled group of strangers sets out eastward along the road to Everlun, Dorian belatedly joining on the rear as he notices through his drunken haze that everyone else went the other way. Daniel is already some distance ahead of the group, scanning for tracks further along the road; while Raven tags along a short distance behind.

The 'road' is little more than a dirt path through the surrounding fields; where mounds of the recently harvested wheat are piled high to dry. Deep ruts left by the regular passage of carts form muddy little puddles everywhere you step.

It only takes about 20 minutes or so of walking before you're able to see a fork in road some way ahead; one path heading off to the north east and one to the south east.

~Commendable, very commendable -- especially for a Human, who is not favored with a Dwar's innate sense of discipline,~ Harbek thought to himself as he noted the activities of the lone Human who was several dozen yards ahead of the main body. The fellow had quickly moved down the road towards the spot where the Goblins had made their attack -- and this was on his own initiative, without having anyone tell him so, which was what Harbek found so impressive.

To Harbek's eye, the Human seemed focused on the roadway and adjacent portion of the fields, and it seemed obvious enough that he was attempting to find tracks that would lead them to the raiders and the captive children.

Glancing behind him, Harbek noted the drunkard staggering along some little distance behind the main body. ~That fellow, on the other hand,~ the Dwar thought to himself, ~could simply fall into a ditch, and 'twould suit me just fine.~

As was ususal, given their shorter strides and slightly slower pace, as compared to most Humans, the two Dwar found themselves at the tail-end of the formation. Harbek turned back to the front and stepped out into the field to the side of the road, so that there was no one in front of him to block his voice.

Intending to hail the Human who was a goodly distance ahead of them, he raised his voice and called out "Hoi! Tracker! Have you found any signs of their passage?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Fri 16 Aug 2019.

Mari glanced back rather sharply at the shouting dwarf, but kept walking, the fork in the road was the one Kara had mentioned, so there should be tracks there if there was anywhere. There was no need to announce their arrival for the whole countryside by being so loud.

She walked at the northern edge of the path, figuring it was the best way to avoid trampling on any tracks that might show on it or at the southern side where the goblins had retreated. In her mind, she started going through of her memories of the area and tried to assemble them to a formate that would be useful even for those that had never visited there. Along the way she picked up a stick that could be used for drawing on dirt, perhaps she could make a rudimentary map for the benefit of all.

When arriving closer to the junction she kept more close eye on any tracks there might be on the muddy path or leading away from it.

Taking a moment to draw with her stick on the ground Mari produced a rudimentary map. When finished she spoke up to everyone that might be listening:

"This is a general look on this area. As you can see, the north is at the top. This path leads to the mine, although it stops before it, because the land is too rough for carts. The other path goes to Everlun. For now it looks like the goblins are running towards the hills and while there could be good hiding places for them there, naturally they might also change direction before reaching there." She pointed south where the bushes next to the path had been broken and marks of small muddy feet and dragging could be seen leading off of the road.



OOC
Cartographer's Tool check to see if Mari could draw a rudimantary map of the area close by (if she is familiar enough with it).
Survival check for finding tracks.

22:35, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 13 using 1d20.  Cartographer's Tool check, add suitable stat modifier and proficiency.
22:34, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  Survival, tracking.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:28, Fri 16 Aug 2019.

As he was walking away, Dorian looked over his shoulder and realized that not only he had been completely ignored, but also that he was going the wrong direction. Clearly his guidance skills were much better at the sea than in firm land. Or the boy was simply misleading with all his three hands. But maybe it was time to sober up a little, so Dorian make a quick turn and headed to the well, as if it was his intention all along. He picked  some water from the bucket and splashed it into his face. Then a quick shake to put the brain back on tracks, being careful not to drop his hat.

Okay, so people seemed to know where they were heading. It even seemed that at least one of them, a beautiful blond woman, was a local. He simply followed the group as steady as he could until they found themselves in a fork. He watched as he blond woman drew the map and pointed south. Yes...now south, definitely. But just to be sure this time, he decided to wait the others move first.

As the rest of the group gathered their gear and started off to the northeast, Karadin introduced himself to Harbeck. "I am but a common laborer with a love for crafting fine drink and meals, and am not accustom to such formal greetings. I am Karadin, of the Axebeard family with the Craghaven Dwar, located in... well, Craghaven."

Once the group reached the fork in the road, Karadin dropped his pack to the ground with a small sigh of relief. He took a small sip from his waterskin. "I'd say we need to head south based on what that child said," he said as he wiped the excess water from his beard. "But I will leave the decision making to those of you much more accustomed to making decisions."

Daniel does not wait for the rest of the group to catch up and ignores Harbek's hails. By the time Mari is drawing her map and pointing out the signs of a recent struggle, Daniel is already striding southwards over the fields.

The dark-haired stranger that followed behind the group seemed to easily move at a quicker pace than most of the others in the procession, and before the group had made it to the fork in the road she had caught up to the pair of dwarves who lagged a bit behind the other longer-legged folk. When the armored dwarf sought to hail someone farther down the road, the stranger then saw that a lone figure had moved far out ahead of the procession, and it almost seemed as if the group were chasing this lone individual. Curious though that the dwarf had called him a tracker though, and to whose passage was he referring?

She cleared her throat politely to announce her presence to the dwarves ahead of her -- just in case they hadn't noticed her behind them -- and spoke, her voice heavily accented and marking her as a foreigner to Merinthia, though she seemed to speak the local language (Merinthian) quite well. "Excuse me, sirs. What is going on? Are you chasing that fellow far up ahead?" 
This message was last edited by the player at 07:53, Sat 17 Aug 2019.

In reply to Raven (msg # 31):

"The pleasure of the meeting is mine, Karadin of the Axebeard Family, of the Craghaven Dwar," Harbek responded in the accepted manner, completing the Greeting Ritual that Dwar all over Merinthia followed when first meeting another of the Stout Folk -- and, by extension, members of other races whom the Dwar wished to honor by following the same formalities that they would with another Dwar.

As Karadin spoke to the others in the group, a dark-haired Human female caught up with them and inquired in the Human tongue what was going on, and whether they were chasing the Human male whom Harbek had just hailed.

"Nay, Human stranger," Harbek replied, not being able to honor her by addressing her by name, since she did not follow the formalities of the Greeting Ritual -- not that Harbek held that oversight against her, since she was a Human, and most likely did not know any better.

He turned and glanced ahead at the fellow whom the female had inquired about. "Apparently a group of Goblins carried off a couple of bnarrs . . . umm, children, from the family of a female who resides in that village behind us."

"I had thought that the Human male who is out ahead of us was tracking the raiders and their captives -- and I suppose that must be the case, since we are all following along behind him, like unto a pack of canine puppies."

"However, he did not respond to my hail inquiring as to whether he had succeeded in his efforts to find signs of our quarries' passage. Seemingly he is either hard of hearing, or quite rude. Thus, we are left somewhat in the dark -- as I believe you Humans say -- on the matter, and can only hope that he will prove to be competent."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:01, Sat 17 Aug 2019.