In reply to Varen (msg # 2):

She smiles at you with fairly perfect white teeth.  One of her dainty hands waves at you.  "Hello.  I'm Moontoad.  Yeah.  That's what my folks named me.  Go fig."  She giggles.  "You here for the trip too?"

She points towards the halfling.  "There's your guy."

Sellows looks up as you come closer.  He points at you.  "You're either Varen or Castor.  I'm gonna go with Varen.  Nice ta meetcha."

He has a strong handshake for a halfling.

"So you'll be on my detail.  We handle security.  Rex and Rossa over there,"  He jerks a thumb over his shoulder at the two gryx.  One of them overhears, glances your way, nods a greeting, and goes back to work.  "They're the strong arms.  They'll be sticking with the goods and Gantry.  That's our order or priority by the way.  Goods.  Gantry.  The passengers.  Then everyone else.

"You'll be scouting.  Don't know if Gantry went over this, so sorry if it's a repeat.  We'll be taking a boat upriver to a town called Fastner.  That's the easy part for you.  I'll just want you up top keeping a lookout.

"After Fastner, we'll have to hoof it up the river."  He goes over to a nearby barrell and starts rooting around for something.  "That's where you'll really earn your pay.  You'll be on point, scouting up ahead.  Here we go."

He comes back with two arrows.  The heads on the arrows are odd.  Only thin tipped silver with a thin sheet of parchment wrapped around the ends.  "Signal arrows.  You ever use these before?  You see danger, you fire this straight up in the air.  Once it gets to a certain height, it will set off a flare.  We'll see it downstream and know to brace for trouble.

"I expect we'll run into bandits.  This route is pretty well known and Gantry's known to bring back a load around this time of year.  But I've made this trip four times thus far, and we haven't lost a package or a man yet.

"Questions thus far?"

"No, haven't seen these before."

Varen takes a close look at the arrows. Unusual shape on the tip, not meant to pierce anything with a silver tip. He nodded.

"Looks straithforward. Now, I don't want to sound any false alerts. Can you tell me what colors or shields the bandits carry? Also, am I the only lookout?"

In reply to Varen (msg # 4):

Sellows shakes his head.  "No.  Castor is also signed up for scouting duty.  But each of you will take one side of the river.  So you'll be solo for most of the day.

"Bandits up that way come in all shapes and sizes.  Most of 'em are just poor folks who wanna score some coin.  Occasionally a mercenary band fighting in some of the border wars up there will go bandit once the work has dried up.  At present I'm not aware of any such groups.  But that doesn't mean there aren't any.  There's some battles that went on this season.  We'll be passing through the Kenduke's lands and the Blue Duke's lands.  Both have fought some border wars with their neighbors this year.

"The other thing is the ants.  There's some of the larger size variety, but there's also river ants.  You've heard of 'em?"

You have.  A swarm of killer ants that moves like a river.  They'll take down anything that gets in their way.

"River Ants will migrate downstream this time of year.  They tend to avoid the Azwhen.  But you do need to keep your eyes open.

"Otherwise, use your best judgement.  I won't dock you for making a bad call.  Unless, you know, it's over a rabbit or somethin'."

He laughs.  Then he glances towards the dwarven ladies.  "One thing.  We'll have passengers this run.  Those ladies are the wife and daughter of the mayor of Green Bluff.  Which is a pretty important trade town up where we're headed.  Mind your manners around 'em.    They're supposed to have brought their own security, but I haven't seen anyone show up.  If they don't, they'll probably take top priority.  But I'll let you know.

"If that's all your questions for now..." He walks over to you, taking a piece of paper out of his back pocket.  "I'm a little worried about Castor runnin' late.  I've worked with him before and he's usually pretty reliable.  He should be stayin' at the Broken  Crossbow.  It's a tavern off the market square.  Can you run up that way and check on 'im?  He's a tall human with reddish brown hair.  Big thick beard hangin' down to his gut.  Will probably have a raven with him."

He looks at the piece of paper, seems to consider, and then folds it back up and tucks it back in his pocket.  "Well.  That will be enough for now.  We can worry about other things when you get back."

Varen nods curtly.

"I will find Castor."

Without a second thought Varen turned and started back down the pier to the market square. It was quiet this early in the morning. He was glad for that. With the daylight all manner of people would come out. As was the human way, the streets would reek of garbage and manure, as well as food and the unwashed stench of the bodies all around him. He'd had a hard time acclimating to the way other races lived, but with enough weeks behind him, even this seemed acceptable. He wasn't about to criticize it, at least not in the open, and certainly not to the humans. He was trying to keep his head above the fray, and keep an open mind.

... the broken crossbow... let's see...

With his eyes accustomed to the dark, he spotted the tavern's sign over the door without any difficulty. He stood by the door for a moment, listening. Then he pushed the door open, ready to see who he would find in this place.

In reply to Varen (msg # 6):

It's the typical early morning for this kind of tavern.  Drunks are sprawled under the tables, sleeping it off after paying the barkeep a couple of coppers for the right to sleep inside.

A tired looking bar maid is trying to sweep around all the sweaty, smelly, sleeping men.  A tough looking dwarf with arms thicker than an oak beam is behind the bar, hoisting up fresh barrels as he restocks for the new day of drunken brawls.

You ask the maid after Castor.  She thinks a moment and then says, "Oh yeah.  Him.  He was talkin' to those fellows last night.  The big spenders-"

"Maybel."  The bar dwarf has stopped hoisting barrels and speaks in a deep voice.  Not loud, but it carries easily across the room.

"Go see if the cooks have that bread in the oven.  This lot will start wakin' up soon."  He gives her a look that tells her to leave in no uncertain terms.  He waits until she's set down her broom and scurried to the back.

He gestures towards the back of the tavern.  There's a door leading out to the alley behind the bar.  "He left with two halflings and a big guy shortly before last call.  They went that way.  They probably took him to the lot on the other side of the fence in the alley.

"That's all we know.  We don't get involved.  Go find your friend."

With that he turns his back to you and picks up the next barrel to load into the stands.

Varen notices the man's demeanor. There was more here than met the eye, but it was obvious that what DID meet the eye was not welcome to be discussed to any deep degree of detail.

"Thank you," he said with a rather detached voice, making sure to denote that the keep would not get involved in anything else that might happen.

Varen carefully stepped over the bodies on his way out, heading toward the door leading to the back alley. As he opened it slowly, he put one hand on the hilt of his sword. The keep's words were clear: there was probably something unsavory going on, probably criminal. Maybe the dwarf owed some money, maybe he had crossed someone and now he was out of luck. Either way, this might get nasty.

With his keen eyes Varen scanned the alley's darkness to make sure there were no further surprises. Once clear, he followed the fence and looked to the lot past it.

In reply to Varen (msg # 8):

The lot the barkeep was referring to has been neglected for a long time.  Piles of rubbish and clumps of high grass dot the place.  Rats cavort about like dandies at a noble's ball.  You see two bodies in the lot.

One has been there for at least a couple of weeks.  The aforementioned rats have taken to it and there's not much left.

The other body is most assuredly Castor.  He fits Sellows description perfectly.  A raven is perched on the man's forehead.  It seems to have driven all the rats away from the large hole in the man's gut.

As you study him, the burly man suddenly coughs.  His eyes flutter open halfway.  They look around, then focus on you.

"Hey," he heys you.  "You got any whiskey?"

Varen looks at the fellow on the ground.

"Castor?"

He crosses the distance quickly, shooing the rats and raven away, and kneels next to the wounded man.

"My name is Varen. Sellows sent me to find you. What happened to you?"

The elf examines the wound carefully. It was a gut wound. If this was bad, Castor would not be making it out of this lot tonight. Or ever.

Pulling his pack off his back, he searched for simple rags that he would use to clean the wound, all the while keeping his eyes open for whoever was responsible for this. They might still be close-by.

OOC: Sorry for the delay. It's been busy, and it was Thanksgiving. On positive news, I have finally finished allocating all the skill points to Varen, so I will be spending some time tomorrow to finish that part of the character sheet.

Now all I need to do is do the equipment. I rolled a 5 so he'll have 15 gp worth of stuff.

In reply to Varen (msg # 10):

Was out myself.  So no worries.

You eye Castor's wound.  It is not looking pretty.  He must have been bleeding quite a while.  That at least means whoever poked him probably isn't around.

Castor knots his brow.  "You know me?  You from Sellows?"

He tries to raise a hand and fails.  "You from Sellows?  Was Moontoad there?  Fetch Moontoad.  She can..."  He has to take a deep, rattling sounding breath as you touch a rag to his wound.

This isn't good.  It's the kind of rattling breath you hear when someone's on the downward slide to dead.

Wasn't Moontoad the healer for this trip?

So here's the deal:

He's near the end of bleeding out.  But there's still some time.  You can try an All/Nothing check for Heal/RE to buy yourself some time/at least staunch the bleeding.  It will be a Very Hard check, so -30.

You need to run back to the docks and fetch Moontoad all before he bleeds out.  To see how long it takes you to get to the docks, roll Percentage Tests based on Qik until you get 100%.  Once you get to the dock, we'll deal with what comes next after.

Clear as mud? Let me know if there are any questions. Thanks.

OOC: Ok, Varen's healing is at +30, but the situation is dire (-30) so he's even.

21:19, Today: Varen rolled 42 using 1d100 ((42)).

Hmm... not looking too good for him.

21:25, Today: Varen rolled 37 using 1d100.  Running! +4 Quickness = 41

21:26, Today: Varen rolled 28 using 1d100.  Running 2. +4 Quickness = 32

21:26, Today: Varen rolled 97 using 1d100.  Running 3. +4 Quickness = 101

It was that final straightaway down to the docks that made all the difference. =)

Varen rushes back to the docks as fast as he can. While he's a good tracker and has the stamina to walk for hours on end, sprinting is a different beast.

Breathing hard he clambers up the boarding plank and calls out,

"Castor's been stabbed. I need a healer. Which one of you is Moontoad?"

In reply to Varen (msg # 12):

"Oh sonuvabitch!" Sellows bellows.  He turns towards the woman who is still sitting on the crate.  She's already scrambled down.

"That's me!" she says in a singsong voice as she jogs up to you.  "Where's he at?"

You can tell she isn't the most athletic person in the world.  Not out of shape.  But not in it.  She's not going to get there as fast as you did coming here.

You can lead her back.  Or you can pick her up and carry her there.  Might be faster.


So some more rolls.

First, decide:  you leading Moontoad there or carrying her?

If you are leading her, it will take five rounds normally.  You can make a Navigation check to  find shortcuts.  Nail three of them and you get there in time.  Fumble any of them and that's all she wrote.

If you carry her there, another set of percentage rolls vs Qik.  But even though she's light, her weight will still hamper.  So count her as a Hard (-20) modifier.  You want to get 100% before the fifth roll.

Your call.  Thanks

Carrying her sounds like a better possibility to me.

"Moontoad. We need to get there fast. He was already shivering. You'll excuse me."

Varen doesn't really wait for her answer. He leans down and picks her up into his arms.

Then he sprints!

18:47, Today: Varen rolled 67 using 1d100+4.  Running Back to Castor - Qu +4 Roll 1.

18:47, Today: Varen rolled 103 using 1d100+4.  Running Back to Castor - Qu +4 Roll 2.

Oops, there was a "copy/paste" error on that description. My bad. Either way, two rolls was enough.

Blazing through the streets, Varen raced back through the alleyways and into lot where Caster was hanging on to life. He carefully put down 'Moontoad' and took a step back.

In reply to Varen (msg # 14):

Moontoad climbs off your back and kneels down by Castor.  She clicks her tongue but seems to smile at him gently.  "Again?"

Castor looks a lot paler than when you left him.  He mumbles, weakly, "Well...I wanted...ta keep ya...on your toes..."

Moontoad looks up at you, pointing at the area of Castor's wound.  "Can you cut away his shirt there?"

She takes a pouch off her belt and starts rooting inside of it.

Castor takes a deep, very wet sounding kind of breath.  "You tell..Sellows...those guys.  One was...an elf...an' there were two halflings... circle scar... but...but..."

Another ragged breath.

"...I don' think they were...that.  They was...somethin' else...under-"

He gasps as she kneads the area around his cut.  Closing his eyes, he mutters, "...somethin' else...under their...skin..."

Moontoad has closed her eyes and is intoning something, her fingertips pressing against Castor's wound.  You feel that small electric thrum in the air from whenever someone uses magic.  There's always this feeling when someone starts casting.

Castor's eyes close and his body goes limp.  But he seems to be breathing.

Moontoad opens her eyes.  She looks washed out.  But she shakes her head and rummages back into her pouch.

"I anchored his soul.  As long as I can stop him bleeding, he shouldn't die.  But I need to work fast."

She pulls out a small packet of what looks like spongy moss.  You recognize it as a common moss used to plug up wounds.  Moontoad shuts her eyes again and mumbles over it, then, without opening her eyes, pulls out a small bottle and hands it to you.

"Alcohol.  Pour that all over his wound please."

She brings out a couple more herbs while you disinfect the wound.  She starts the process of patching him up, packing the moss and other herbs into the wound.

"Anchoring him took a lot out of me.  I'll need you to carry him once I'm done.  We'll leave him with a healer I know.  Gantry will pay for it, but he won't be happy about it.  I'll need you to witness the cost for me.  Gantry has trust issues where money's concerned."

She smirks a little, but you can tell she's tired.  Her healing has taken some out of her.

"As you can tell, I'm the healer.  Done this run with Gantry and Sellows the last three years.  Castor usually acts as one of the scouts.  His partner got a knife this summer.  I don't know the details.  Castor and her were always into trouble."

She shuts her eyes again.  The air gets all prickly/staticky again.  But it's only a brief moment.  Moontoad sighs deeply and leans back on her ass, rubbing her forehead.  She goes back to stuffing moss into Castor's wound.

"You aren't gonna give me this much trouble, are you Varen?"

Stopping here so you can process and ask any questions, etc. that you wish.  Thanks.

Moving along

The healer Moontoad knows is mercifully only two streets over.  Castor is heavier than he looks.  His raven kept hoping around on the top of your head and shoulders while you carried Castor over.  It settles on top of the bed post you dump Castor into.

Moontoad talks to the healer.  You wait out on the stoop outside while she arranges for Castor's care...

Perception test please

In reply to The Barkeep (msg # 16):

The sun is up by now.  The street outside is getting crowded with people rushing to work or to open up their stalls at the market one block up.

As your eyes wander the scene, you notice a scabby looking halfling studying you.  He turns quickly and heads into an alley as soon as your eyes meet.

Varen smiled in morbid amusement at Castor and Moontoad's banter as helped to cut Castor's shirt out of the way. It was good he kept a small utility knife with him. The sword would have been far too unwieldy.

With that out of the way, he watched the woman apply the herbs. She had a practiced and steady hand, much like his. He had been working with herbs for over twenty years now, but it was always special to watch a human, such a short lived race, master information and skills in such a short time. He was about to offer assistance, but he decided to keep it to himself. She looked like she had it all well managed.

Then she cast a healing spell of some sort. While he was proficient in magic himself, this branch of magic was not in his repertoire, although he was earnestly considering going out of his way to train in this when he had some time and money to himself again. Physical healing was welcome everywhere, by everyone.

As she commented about Caster's life and her experiences with him, he only nodded and gave an occasional acknowledging "uh-huh".

"You aren't gonna give me this much trouble, are you Varen?"

"No. You don't have to worry about me. I don't drink to excess, and I can take good care of myself. I'll carry him if that is what he needs."

Caster was much heavier than he looked. But then again, he always found that with humans. Elves, like himself, tended to feel lighter. Or so he thought. He listened silently to Moontoad's explanations and the healer's recommendations. He really didn't need to pay attention to that since Moontoad was going to make herself responsible for Castor. So, he stepped outside for a moment to gather the fresh air in. Time had flown since he first stepped on the ship. The sun was up now. It must have been several hours somehow.

That's when he spotted a small, grubby halfling peering at him. As soon as their eyes met, the little one turned and ran into alley. Varen wasn't too keen on the idea of being taken for a mark, so he swiftly walked to the alley's corner and peered around in away that would keep others from noticing him.

12:17, Today: Varen rolled 162 using 1d100+68.  Stalking and Hiding roll.

In reply to Varen (msg # 18):

The alley stretches between a bakery and a dress shop.  There's not a lot of garbage laying about.  There's only one drunk balled up against the bakery wall.

The alley opens at the other end on the next street over.  You can see the halfling turning north on it.  He doesn't seem to have made you.  Either that or he is very good at acting nonchalant.

You could try to follow him down the alley.  Or you could cut up the street you are on.  It ends in east-west street just past the bakery.  You could cut west and hopefully 'run into' the halfling coming up the other street.

Just suggestions.  If you can think of some other course, please feel free.

Varen considers his options. If someone's watching him, they already know he's here. If they want him "out of the way" they will have to come to him.

Right now keeping Moontoad and Castor safe are his priorities.

He quietly backtracks his steps and rejoins the pair.

"It looks like we are the subject of someone's keen interest. A halfling ran after I spotted him watching me. Anything I need to know about?"

In reply to Varen (msg # 20):

Castor is still out.

Moontoad raises her eyebrows.  She seems genuinely surprised.

"If there is, no one's told me about it.  We should talk to Sellows."

She thinks about it and glances back at Castor.

"I suppose it could be about Castor.  He likes to play with the dangerous types.  But..."

She shrugs.  "I honestly don't know.  I know everyone because I've been the healer on Gantry's run the last three times.  And I occasionally see everyone around during the off season.  But I live up in Green Bluff.  Just come down with Gantry each summer."

She picks up her cloak.  "Anyway.  I've made the arrangements for Castor.  We should head back.  Gantry will be pissed."

Let me know if you have any questions for her on your way back to the docks, otherwise...

When the two of you arrive, it looks like the goods are all packed on board the boat.  There is a tall human who's joined the group:  a broad shouldered man with a thick, bushy mustache greased to points at both ends.  He wears a wide brimmed hat with a peacock feather stuck in the band.

Moontoad glances over at Gantry, who's talking to the dwarven ladies.  The ones Sellows refered to as 'special guests'.  Mr. Bushy Mustache is hanging next to them.  He must be the security Sellows spoke about.

Moontoad sighs.  "I'll fill Gantry in about Castor.  Can you update Sellows?"

Without really waiting for you to respond, she heads towards Gantry.  You can see Gantry notice her coming and scowling.  He might not know what's going on, but he seems to have figured out he won't like it.

Sellows is coming down off the boat. Probably to pick up the last sack left sitting on the pier.

As they walk back, Castor over his shoulder, Varen speaks to Moontoad.

"You are adept at healing, and herbcraft. Where did you learn to tend to injuries?"


As they arrive:

Moontoad sighs.  "I'll fill Gantry in about Castor.  Can you update Sellows?"

Varen nods and finds place by the ropes and sacks where he can gently (or as gentle as carrying a human allows it) lay Castor down. He meets Sellows down at the last cargo.

"We found Castor. He was bleeding from a cut to his gut. Moontoad helped by keeping him from dying, but it will likely take some days for him to fully recover. And we were being watched. I suggest we keep your guards at alert. Hopefully it is only personal, and only over money."

The top of Moontoad's head comes up to a little under your shoulder.  She glances up at you as you ask your question.

"Thanks.  Yeah.  My family ran a logging camp.  My uncle tended the family's shrine and a number of the lumberjacks were skilled with herbcraft.  So I basically learned about healing from Dads number two through twenty."

She grins and then doesn't.  "There was a raid from the neighboring fief. Our camp was destroyed about five years ago.  My mom and I moved to Green Bluff.  She lives with a friend and I..."  She waves her hand at the town.  "...make the run with Gantry each year now to make some coin to keep us in bread for the year."

She shrugs.  "We're alive. That's better than the alternative.  What about you?  You from here?"

---

Sellows takes in what you said and then takes a deep breath in.  Then let's a deep breath out.

Across the docks, Gantry suddenly roars, "THAT DAMN STUPID BIRD SUCKER!  DOES HE THINK I'LL WIPE HIS ASS EACH AN' EVERYTIME?!?"

Sellows chuckles but without much humor.  "Well.  Gantry is gonna be a joy for the next couple a' days.  But he'll take care of Castor.  And be a real bear about it."

Sellows' expression hardens.  "I've never seen bandits pickin' up our scent this soon.  But maybe we got a smart gang operating this time around.  Well.  More bonus for us I guess.  But this will complicate things.  There's no time to hire on another scout.  So you'll be solo.

"Also," He glances towards the dwarven ladies, who are a shade of pale white shock as Gantry continues to curse and fume by the gangplank.  Sellows studies Mr. Bushy Mustache.

"The new guy is Alber du Pois.  He's apparently the guard hired by Dame Rockdust.  Dame Rockdust and her daughter Millicent are the family for the mayor of Green Bluff.  I've never heard of Alber before.  But we can't discount the possibility that a gang might be targetting the Rockdust family.  Green Bluff isn't the richest town.  But I wager the mayor could pay a nice ransom.

"Keep an eye out.  Not just on the road ahead either.  You follow what I'm sayin'?"

"I hail from the city of Ishhadel, in the central plains of Oln, in the forest of Shaothyr, or what you know as the EverSpring. It is not too far from here, as the eagle flies. My training in healing and herbs comes from my teacher, Ondolanil Salinhe, master hunter and ranger for the Home Guard."

Varen smiles as he remembers the carefree days traversing the plains and forests of his home, his friends and companions at his side, the midnight hunts, the moonlit celebrations, the sharing of stories from the teachers to the students, the final rites of passage that marked him as a grown elf, and the gifting of his bow, Eonollin.

"I don't often get a chance to use my skills, as things have been peaceful where I step. But this voyage promises to be different. It is already starting on a difficult star. I suspect our skills will be challenged yet, but I hope it won't come to that," he smiles at Moontoad.

---

Varen looked up at Alber du Pois. The fellow seemed strong, self-assured, and familiar with his company. The peacock feather suited him fine, and looked well placed in Varen's eyes. But Sellow's warning did not go unnoticed. Although Varen had no particular reason to believe this Alber would want to betray them, among humans loyalty often only went as far as the range of their last filled coinpurse.

Varen nodded to Sellows.

"I will keep my eyes open. Maybe you should add an 'extra' guard, just in case."

In reply to Varen (msg # 24):

Soon the dock is clear of everything except people.  A human man walks up to the gangplank and waves a hand.  "I'm Wilkes!  And this is my barge!  If you're comin' to Fastner, get on deck!  We're gonna cast off!"

You hop on board.  The Storm Flood wasn't much to look at when it was at the end of a mooring line.  It's not much to look at now, but it is larger than you realized.  The crates and bales of Gantry's cargo have been formed to create three small 'tents' or enclosed areas.

One is where Moontoad and the Rockdusts will sleep.  There's a female elf on the barge crew too.  But you doubt she'll be mixing with the passengers.

There's an area set up for Gantry.  You can see him sitting on a small collapsible stool in his crate cave, scowling at the deck, probably counting up the coins Castor is costing him.  Another gnome you have not yet laid eyes on is sitting by him, reading some papers.  He looks younger than Gantry, though with the same sunburned skin and ungnomelike frown lines around the mouth and eyes.

The other area is set up near the back of the barge, near the rudder.  It seems Sellows set it up as a barricade, a place an archer can set up in and sniper at anyone who tries to take control of the rudder.

Wilkes walks back to the rudder while the elf and another human take up long poles and start pushing the barge off the dock.  You feel that electric feeling in the air.  Looking back, you see Wilkes has set his hand on the rudder, and a small set of glowing glyphs has appeared on the wood.  Some kind of magic to either assist with navigation.  Or maybe to fight the current.

The latter you decide as the barge easily starts to ply upstream.

Sellows finds you and points at the tops of each crate cave.  "Things are same about two clicks out from town. The city guards keep a good patrol that far along the river.  After that...you stay up top.  Keep an eye out along both shores of the river.  I'll do the same.  But I'm counting on the fact your eyes are better than mine.  Any questions?"

Go ahead and make me four perception checks please.

And let me know if there are any questions.  Thanks.

Varen nods silently at Wilkes' statements, which are followed up quite convincingly by him taking the rudder and having the barge cast off into the river. It seemed rather smooth. He wondered just what type of magic was necessary to move something as large as a loaded barge and not seem to ask much of an effort. Probably enchantments on the boat itself. He would have to inquire later, when there was a better time.

He listens to Sellows' suggestions on the crate 'tents' and replies, "Understood."

With a nimble foot he climbs the rear-most set of crates, checks on the dwarven group (as an excuse to keep an eye on du Pois), and settles in on top. It occurs to him that a net, or a mantle of some sort, might conceal his own position on top as a look-out should anyone be spying on them. He makes a mental note to fashion one for himself should he find all the necessary supplies.

OOC: Perception Rolls
20:53, Today: Varen rolled 79 using 1d100+38 ((41)).
20:53, Today: Varen rolled 82 using 1d100+38 ((44)).
20:54, Today: Varen rolled 99 using 1d100+38 ((61)).
20:54, Today: Varen rolled 105 using 1d100+38 ((67)).

Wow, look at that. He just keeps getting better.

In reply to Varen (msg # 26):

That's how I recall RM in the past.  The rolls are always freaking high.  Of course that goes both ways...

There seems to be plenty of rope and netting available.  You could definitely fashion something.  I would say this would be an Ambush roll on your part.  The result will determine the DM onlookers will have to beat.  Thanks

The initial part of the trip is as dull as Sellows predicted.  The road along the river bank seems decently maintained.

But then at one point, that neatly maintened road just ends.  Past it, the way along the river bank becomes a muddy track, stamped down by the traffic of horses and carts rather than paving stones.

There is some traffic along the bank, both on foot and on horse.  Most of the passers by are heading towards town, not upstream.  Those that are cast jealous glances at your barge.  Much easier to go by magic than trudging on foot.

The crowds thin out as the morning wears into afternoon.  Sellows takes your place for a short while so you can relieve yourself off the back of the boat and munch on some fish Moontoad has grilled on a small brazier and stuffed into a bread roll with pickled cabbage and some kind of mustardy sauce.

When you return up to your position, it's only about two hours until sunset.  The plan is for the barge to stop on the shore tonight:  there are some rapids up ahead that will require light for Wilkes to steer through.

It's then you notice the elf.  He's on horseback coming up the river road.  Not strange per se.  The road to Fastner would see some traffic.  But you've seen him before.  At least once before when you studied the passing crowds on shore.

Again, not necessarily strange.  He's headed upriver.  And the barge isn't moving so fast that a rider on a decent horse couldn't keep up.

But why would a rider want to keep up with the barge.  And there is no doubt about it as you study him:  he is keeping pace with the barge.

He's dressed as a traveler.  And despite your good eyesight, you can't make out too much detail.  He seems to have dark reddish hair.  And there might be a long scar along the right side of his face.  His horse is a brownish colt.

The two of you seem to make eye contact.  Again, its too far to be sure.  But he seems to swing his head your way, notice your head is turned his way, and then he stops his mount.

Suddenly he turns his horse to the side and rides off the road into the woods that run along the river.  He is soon lost from sight.