You are on the night coach to Tegel Village, the coach's shutters drawn and each of you respecting, after your fashion, the one injunction imprinted upon a plaque in the car:

Please refrain from speaking to other guests
Or even making any untoward utterances.

Come to think of it, it's hard to think of any that don't fall into that category.

Having earlier accepted the 2nd class tickets (how would first class have changed things?) from each of you with a curt nod, the night coachman had duly honored the former prohibition.

As for the latter, it did not appear to apply to him. After you had safely embarked and situated yourselves either on the front or back bench within the carriage, he had embarked upon a chorus of song, his voice both haunting and alluring:

If you're going to Tegel Manor,
Be sure to wear some lavender in your hair.
If you're going to Tegel Manor,
You're gonna meet some eerie people there.

For those who come to Tegel Manor,
Wintertime will be frozen there.
In the halls of Tegel Manor,
Eerie Rumps with black roses in their hair.

There must have been other songs in his repertoire, but that's the only one that comes to mind. In fact, it's been on your mind for who knows how long. You must have all thought a trip to Tegel Village would absolve you of all thoughts of the Rumps and their decadent ways. How wrong that would prove to be for those who lived to discover their errors.

Some hours (days? who knows?) after you had safely ensconced yourselves within the safety of your benches, the coach thuds to a stop with a sinking feeling, both literal and figurative, sending you clattering about the carriage indecorously. From your new indecorous locations, you hear the mortal cry of the night coachman, announcing his and his song's end.

You are sprawled about the capacious interior of the coach.
It is dark save for some light that filters through the shutters.
The two carriage doors, one on either side, are closed.
Oversized weapons have been stored in the overhead storage racks.
You may declare your actions.
17:46, Yesterday: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 3,3 using d6,d6.  Init: Guests/Residents.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:39, Sat 30 Apr 2022.

Otis holds a finger up to his mouth in the time-honoured gesture for 'no noise' in accordance with the instructions. He listens intently before peering outside.

======
OOC: Does the light appear to be coming evenly through the shutters from outside, as if sun-lit? Or unevenly as if illuminated from a torch or latern or somesuch?
Do we know what the Rumps are?

With some effort, Cassandra extracts herself out from under the dead weight of one of the 6 passengers sprawled about the coach floor. Cassandra looked about the cabin and confirmed, without speaking, that everyone else was jostled but seemed unharmed.

She was about to break the plaque-imposed silence, since she had a slight sensation that the coach was slowly descending. Had they run off the road, she wondered. Were they now in mud, a swamp, or a marsh? Her equilibrium felt "off."

Before she could speak, though, she saw the universal "Be Quiet" gesture from one of larger, gruffer men, who then moved to one of the doors and peered through the shutters.

OOC:
=======
Sorry my original post was confusing.  I've cleaned it up.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:25, Sat 30 Apr 2022.

PM for Otis

Otis says quietly, "We're in a bog. Four huge frogs. Ready your missile weapons."

Ereth collected himself, dusting off his robes while silently cursing this unfortunate turn of events. Taking his cue from the big fella, he readied a handful of darts, preparing for the potential danger outside.

Trevion righted himself, already tense from the sudden halt. Doing his best to find steady footing, he nodded silently at his formidable looking companion’s instructions, loading his crossbow with a series of practiced, almost unconscious movements, his attention focused on the coach’s door.

Darts in hand, Ereth presses his gaunt frame to the side of the carriage, making room for the armed men to reach the exit door first.

Cassandra moves out of the way of the burly men readying their weapons. Since the silence has now been broken, Cassandra begins a quiet prayer to her deity, Eir, and asks for her blessing on her companions in the coach, as we are about to face deadly foes. She casts a "Bless" spell on the party. (+1 to hit, duration: 6 rnds)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Mon 02 May 2022.

PM to Otis

Since Ereth had given way to the rest of the party to queue behind the big fella at the south-facing carriage door, he found himself pressed against the north-facing door, and took the opportunity to peer through the shutters on that side.

While eagerly awaiting his PM from the Host. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:21, Sat 30 Apr 2022.

Otis says quietly, "These southern four are fiftenn to twenty feet away. Nasty bog in between. Hence missiles."

======
OOC:
@ Ereth - Nice one!

PM to Ereth

Ereth reports to the group, sotte voce, "Four more on this side." "More importantly," he added, "this is the direction we need to go to return to the road."

"I suggest we hurry, before more creatures are alerted to our presence. Perhaps we can fight our way through and make a push toward the high ground. The coachman is dead and the carriage is a lost cause, so make sure you have your belongings, then let us away."

With these last words, Ereth moved across the compartment so the others could reset the queue for a strategic exit through the north-facing door.

Otis turns on his heel and draws his sword, "North it is. No shouting."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Sun 01 May 2022.

Trevion acknowledged the change in plan with a simple nod. His thoughts shifted to the roof of the carriage and his halberd, which was stored there. He needed to retrieve the weapon at the earliest opportunity if he were to be of significant help in any combat that unfolded.

"If we're ready, someone open the doors, missile people do that, then folks like me charge and hack, hopefully with surprise," suggests Otis, not thinking it necessary to explain the possible, but now less likely, link between their warning against noise and the frog ambush. He scans the group for who's going to open the door: ideally a non-hacker who's also a non-missiler*.


======
OOC: if no-one else is better suited to open the doors away from the bog then maybe Trevion could combine it with a climb up to get his stuff on the roof?

"I will get the door," offers Ereth. "These little darts probably won't do much good against those giant swamp creatures any way."

Turning to the young man in chain armor, he added, "My staff is atop the carriage as well. If you want to engage the beasts with another weapon, perhaps I could exit the carriage last and retrieve both of our items? Does anyone else have anything in storage?"

Ereth was trying to be helpful, but privately he wondered if this was a good idea, or a very bad one...

His thoughts having shifted to the roof of the cabin, Trevion remembers that the carriage, in addition to the overhead storage compartments, is also outfitted with an overhead escape hatch, that is, a trapdoor set in the roof. A plaque set in the middle of the trapdoor reads:

"Should egress be otherwise unavailable,
Please avail yourself of this egress."

It's padlocked.

Almost shaken out of her seat, Lotti darts her eyes about her fellow travellers.  She was just about to start speaking when the other ugly halfbreed held his finger up for silence.  That actually made sense, until they knew what it was, no-one knew they were inside.

When the orc-man then quietly suggested missile weapons, stating what was outside she unwrapped the cloak she'd been holding close to her chest, for within she'd placed her well kept short bow.

One of the humans had darts, the other a crossbow.  She silently cursed she'd placed the quiver of arrows in the overhead compartments, well out of her reach.  (She's only a petite 4 foot 5 inches)

The halfbreed looked to the locked trap door in the coaches ceiling, his thoughts obvious.  She pulled the hand axe from her belt, holding it out to him, there was no way she would be able to reach it.  "Smash the wood around the lock, don't hit the lock, don't blunt my blade."

She swivels to the human with the darts.  "My quiver is in that overhead compartment," she says pointing to the exact compartment the quiver was in, "if someone gives me a hand to the ceiling trapdoor, I'll cover whoever goes out from the roof, I won't be much good in the mud."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:53, Mon 02 May 2022.

Having already positioned himself by the north-facing door, Ereth took a moment to quietly test the latch and peer outside once more to make sure the exit was not blocked by mud, or anything else.

If the girl was going to hop out on the roof, the fighting men needed to be ready to charge at the same time...

As soon as I get feedback from the Host, Ereth will respond to the girl and/or address the party as a whole.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Mon 02 May 2022.

The tilt of the carriage has plunged the road-side door further into the muck than it's bog-side counterpart.

Minor test of strength to force the door open.

Trevion studied the trap door in the roof, considering Lotti’s suggestion. Using the butt of his crossbow, he struck the portal near the padlock.

12:24, Today: Trevion rolled 5 using 1d6.  Test of Strength.

The trapdoor didn’t budge. ”Perhaps more than one of us could try to force it? My halberd is above. If the frogs draw close, it would be my best chance to lend a useful hand in our defense.”

While Ereth was talking Otis was unfastening the overhead door. Stuff tumbls out, but no one seriously getting brained, hopefully. He swings his pack on his shoulders and re-readies himself for action.

Seeing Tegel not budge the trapdoor he points at the trapdoor lock, "Someone pick it!" then addsing "Someone open the north door!" and looks at Ereth questioningly.

======
OOC: is there a ladder, rope or otherwise, for the trapdoor?
Does the window in the door open or unlatch such that we could get out through that?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Mon 02 May 2022.

Cassandra finishes her quiet prayer and request for general blessings on her companions from her deity, Eir.  She decides, however, not to cast a Bless spell at the moment since the party is not yet ready to engage in combat.  She looks around the cabin trying to determine what everyone is planning to do.

She observes Ereth try unsuccessfully to turn the door knob and open the north door.  And she sees Trevion unsuccessfully try to break open the trap door in the ceiling with his crossbow hilt.  She hears Otis then ask if anyone can pick the padlock on the ceiling trap door.

Now that her belongings have dropped unceremoniously near her from Otis’s opening of the overhead storage rack, Cassandra kneels, gathers her pack and belongings, pulls out her lockpick set, and says, “If y’all want to move out of the way, I’ll be happy to try to pick that padlock.  I’m not very good at it, but I’m willing to try.”

In response to the half man's cry, Ereth explains, "The door won't budge for me, but I believe you might have better luck!"

He then joins the others in quickly gathering the rest of his belongings, and while on one knee, says softly to the young girl with elven ears. "I would be happy to help you through the trap door, when the time comes."

He follows this comment with a friendly, fatherly, wink.

After a blur of rushing and peering about, everybody hears it: the full-throated croaking of the knot cincturing the coach, the coachman already caught within its clutch. And everybody feels it: a slight lurch as the coach starts to sink inexorably into the sucking morass. And everybody knows it: it will be a matter of minutes, not hours, before the sucking's done.

OOC
Ornwin got to his feet, grabbed his pack and equipped his shield and battle axe. Everybody had time to do this as well except for Trevion.
The trapdoor remains padlocked. No ladder leads to it.
The road-side door must be forced.
The bog-side door can be opened.
The casement windows cannot be fully opened.
16:14, Today: The Host rolled 4,5 using d6,d6.  Init: Guests/Residents.

Ereth presses himself against the far side of the cabin, in an attempt to keep clear of the three exits, figuring he will be bringing up the rear, regardless of how the next few moments play out. He stands ready to follow the others' lead or to assist Lotti, if needed.

Otis puts his shoulder to the northern door only to find it doesn't budge. "Stuck. If the trapdoor lock won't pick, open the south door and use a grappling hook and rope to get up to the roof." He gestures to one reeled on his backpack should other folks not have such.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Mon 02 May 2022.

Cassandra briefly considers opening the South door, swinging out and up using the coachman handles and rails on the side of the coach to clamber quickly up to the top of the coach to retrieve the Paladin’s halberd, but then decides it’s probably in the best interest of the party (and a bit safer for her) to open up another escape route in case the coach begins to sink more quickly.

Instead, Cassandra maneuvers under the trap door, studies the padlock, and inserts her two pick tools into the lock to see if she can sense or feel the locking mechanism.

21:26, Today: Cassandra rolled 13 using 1d100 with rolls of 13.  Pick lock percentile.

As she starts testing the interior locking pins inside the keyhole, to her surprise, the lock suddenly pops open. She lets out an inadvertent gasp, as she didn’t expect the lock to pop open so quickly or easily.

“Yay!  It’s open!” she announces proudly to no one in particular, as she removes and pockets the padlock.

“So who wants to go up and out first?” Cassandra asks, as she steps out of the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:41, Tue 03 May 2022.

Ornwin says, "Unless someone has a better idea, I'll go out with my ax.It should chop frog flesh."

"Well done, Cassandra!" encourages Otis. "Who ever goes out, don't block the way for others."

"You and me together dwarf." Lotti says, not actually knowing the chaps name.  She looks to the others,"That's the plan, and I'm so scared I'm probably going to piss myself, but we don't have time to squawk this out further, let's cover each other and get this done."

I'm not sure if the seats of the carriage are upholstered, but if they are Lotti will use one of her hand axes to very quickly strip the material, ripping and yanking it without ceremony and quickly wrapping it up into a ball.

"If you can, take something with you.  Either we use it to distract, or we'll throw it on the swamp to form some sort of makeshift path to help disburse our weight as we run across."

She is very clearly shaking with fear now but seems quite resolute.

”Well done,” Trevion said to the young woman who picked the lock, thankful that one among them had possessed the ability to get it open.

His expression grew grim at the noises from outside. Crossbow still in hand, Trevion nodded in acknowledgment of the half-elven woman’s plan, making ready to follow the others up to the top of the coach as soon as the opportunity arrived.

Since Ereth was just staying out of everyone's way, as soon as he heard Lotti's words, he spoke up so everyone could hear, "I happen to have just enough torches in my pack for anyone who wants one."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:39, Tue 03 May 2022.

As long as she can get a leg up Lotti will follow Ornwin onto the roof and take a torch from Ereth to wave about as soon as she is above.  (She's only 93 pounds or 42 kg's if you're that way inclined, so easy enough to give a leg up, or throw up even wearing chain mail.). She is still visibly shaking, but seems to be keeping control of her bladder, or does she?  :o)  Whose lifting her again?

Atop the coach, Lotti and Ornwin breathe in the fetid swamp vapors in ragged gasps while beholding the panoramic expanse of Derfingel Marsh for what else could it be called. The frogs, those with splendidly developed vomerine teeth and those without, register their arrival with a tender projection of their tongues -- all except for the largest among them who continues to ingest the coachman, his one visible arm still feebly jerking about.

Three of the frogs, one toothy, two not so much, leap into the night sky and describe incredible arcs before landing atop the carriage. One shoots out its tongue an obscene length, before it lassoes Lotti, and pulls her towards its open maw. Another chooses to bite her right from the get go (2 dmg). The third, the one with certain genetic advantages, rips at the dwarf (hits once for 2 dmg). Able to deflect one claw with his axe, he avoids being drawn within reach of its slavering jaw.

Orwin boosts Lotti on to the roof the carriage and then Lotti helps Ornwin clamber up to the roof.
Ereth lights a torch.
The trapdoor has been unlocked and opened.
The road-side door must be forced.
The bog-side door can be opened.
The casement windows cannot be fully opened.
17:28, Today: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 19,15,2 using d20+4,d20,d3.  2 small frogs attack Lotti.
17:34, Today: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 13,14,1,2 using d20,d20,d3,d3.  killer frog attacks Ornwin.
17:38, Today: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 5,1 using d6,d6.  Init: Guests/Residents R#3.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:46, Wed 04 May 2022.

Otis opens the bog-side door and tries to clamber round towards the road side via whichever rouute seems easiest. "Shoot the bog-side frogs"
If he can't help thoe on the roof then he will go for the road frog and try to kill it.

======
OOC:
09:19, Today: Otis rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Longsword v frog THAC0 20.
09:20, Today: Otis rolled 10,10 using 1d8+7,1d12+7.  LS damage v M, L.
Hits AC1 for 10 slash damage
09:22, Today: Otis rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Longsword v frog THAC0 20
09:22, Today: Otis rolled 10,19 using 1d8+7,1d12+7.  LS damage v M, L.
Hits AC5 for 10 (S/M) or 19 (L) slash damage

This message was last edited by the player at 08:24, Wed 04 May 2022.

While Otis exits the carriage on the bog side, Ereth makes his own effort at forcing open the road side door... And he succeeds!!!

20:24, Today: Ereth rolled 2 using 1d6.  Minor test of strength (road side door).
This message was last edited by the player at 00:27, Wed 04 May 2022.

In reply to The Host (msg # 41):

Ornwin puts full power into what was originally a defensive deflection and sinks his ax deep into the frog's arm which ended in the claw he had deflected.

OOC: Ornwin rolls 23 on d20+4 to strike the frog, and then 6 on d8+4 for damage.

Like a Banshee Lotti begins screaming a high pitch hysterical scream of pure terror as the tongue sticks to her, wetting herself in the process.  "GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF!!" Her arms, each hand holding a tomahawk hack down desperately at the tongue in an attempt to cut it from the creatures mouth and off her body.

16:31, Today: Lotti rolled 19 (hits AC 1) using 1d20.  1st attack to hit.
16:32, Today: Lotti rolled 4hp using 1d4+3.  1st attack hand axe damage.

16:31, Today: Lotti rolled 11(hits AC9) using 1d20-1.  2nd attack to hit.
16:31, Today: Lotti rolled 2 using 1d20-1.  3rd attack to hit.

Ornwin I'm not sure if you've chosen to take specialisation with your axe, but if you have the rules state the extra attack occurs on the 1st round.  Furthermore and I'm sorry if this is me telling you how to suck eggs, if you don't take specialisation at the inception of your character you never get to have it.  Just in case you are unaware.

OSRIC Page 13:

A partial additional attack (e.g. 3/2 attacks) means that the extra attack is taken on odd-numbered rounds in the combat sequence, hence two attacks on the first round, one on the second, two on the third and one on the fourth, if applicable.

If weapon specialisation is not selected dur- ing character generation, it remains forever unavailable to the character, barring some magical or divine intervention.

Lotti has taken double specialisation with the hand axe so is at +3/+3 for her attacks, which offsets the negatives she gets for a low dexterity and fighting with a weapon in both hands.  You might want to consider double specialisation as well for the extra bonus to hit and damage it gives.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:19, Wed 04 May 2022.

Cassandra heads toward the now open North door and says “I’m following you, Paladin.”

Cassandra gives Trevion a few segments to head out the North door and preferably follows him out. If the Paladin does not react and charge valiantly out the North door, Cassandra will proceed on her own out the North door. As she follows Trevion, she carefully steps over and avoids tripping over Trevion’s halberd, currently in the middle of the floor of the cabin. At the sill of the North door, she quickly assesses whether she can step down to solid ground from the door step, whether she needs to jump and leap out to clear the bog to reach solid ground, or whether it is necessary to clamber along the side of the carriage first (whichever is the easiest/shortest direction) to get to a better vantage point from which to leap from the carriage to solid ground to clear the bog.

09:21, Today: Cassandra rolled 9 (vs Dex of 15) using 1d20 with rolls of 9.  DEX roll for leap from coach to solid ground over bog if necessary.

Once on solid ground on the road side of the carriage, Cassandra will determine her next action, depending on what direction Trevion, Ereth and Otis go, how things appear to be going on top of the carriage, whether she is attacked, and depending on the state of the horses and carriage (i.e. can the horses be unhitched and led out of the bog, does it look like the coach can still be pulled out of the bog by the horses or are the wheels too submerged in the bog to salvage the coach, and/or is the large, coachman-munching frog effectively blocking the horses and/or carriage from being moved out of the bog).
This message was last edited by the player at 19:20, Wed 04 May 2022.

Trevion nodded at Cassandra and headed through the door, his crossbow shouldered. Although he wanted to take hold of his halberd at the earliest opportunity, he did not know how quickly he would be able to reach it. Stepping out onto the marshy ground, he took aim at the first of the frogs he sighted, loosing a bolt in the creature’s direction.

10:03, Today: Trevion rolled 17 using 1d20.  Attack - Light Crossbow.

10:03, Today: Trevion rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Damage.

As the last one remaining in the carriage, Ereth quickly scanned the compartment to see if there were any of the party's personal items remaining. Seeing nothing other than Trevion's halberd on the floor, he retrieved it and followed Cassandra through the road side door.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Wed 04 May 2022.

Four up-jumped batrachians learn a fatal lesson about the ladder of evolution. The one that had jumped up on to the roof nips the curiously diffident ranger (1 dmg). A fifth, the one between the half-orc and the road, leaps into the sky and away. As for the seventh, thought by some to have been the eighth, with a little twitch of its gullet, slurps a wayward limb all the way into its mouth, gives a contented belch, and also ascends majestically into the blackness above before disappearing from view.

Two draft horses strain with equal parts might and futility against their reins, sure to suffer the same fate as the carriage, itself more than half-submerged within the mire. It's much easier to hear their horse sounds after the rout of the frogs.

19:01, Today: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 2,2 using d6,d6.  Init: Guests/Residents R#4.
19:00, Today: Secret Roll: The Host rolled 16,1 using d20,d3.  giant frog attacks lotti.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:21, Wed 04 May 2022.

Seeing Lotti and Ornwin still in danger, Ereth drops the halberd at Trevion's feet and launches a magic missile at the frog on the carriage.

17:02, Today: Ereth rolled 4 using 1d4+1 ((3)).
This message was last edited by the player at 05:17, Fri 06 May 2022.

Cassandra turns toward Otis and says, “Hey Otis!  You made it out the South door!  Can you unhitch and try to rescue those horses?  I’ll stand guard for you and keep an eye out for any new or returning frogs.”

Cassandra pulls out her war hammer and heads toward the front of the horses, while at the same time steering clear of the bog.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:00, Fri 06 May 2022.

With one frog still on the carriage roof, Lotti continues her attacks, her hand axes whirling about in a storm of exhilaration and fright.

16:03, Today: Lotti rolled 1 (miss) and 19 (hits AC1) to hit using 1d20,1d20-1

16:05, Today: Lotti rolled 7hp damage using 1d4+3.

This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Fri 06 May 2022.

"Sure, Cassandra," replies Otis with an alarmingly tusky grin.  He cleans his blade and reshethes it.

When he sees that Lotti's already on the case with the horses Otis passes her one end of his rope suggesting, "If you can fasten this onto their harnessing then we can use that to help them out of the bog."

Retaining his end of the rope, the half-orc adss offhandedly, "Good idea about posting torches in an arc around the us!"

While Lotti is working away with horse fastenings, Otis eyes the coach, trying to assess whether they, with help from the horses (if rescued) can pull the coach out. As an afterthough he adds, "Anything useful, or any equipment left of the coach?"

Trevion scoops up the halberd, grateful to the mage for retrieving it. Hearing the melee atop the coach, he moves closer to the vehicle, uncertain if his weapon can reach the remaining enemy, but unwilling to loose a crossbow bolt in that direction for fear of striking a fellow traveler.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Fri 06 May 2022.

While the others are working to free the horses, Ornwin, whose equine skills barely include ponies, is alert for any further frog attacks, or anything else that might come out of the swamp.

With the last of the batrachians silenced, the mosquitoes can be heard, the heat felt, and the sludgy swamp bottom feared. With swamp water up to their knees (or higher), Cassandra and Otis work to free the horses (Dex check for Otis to free one horse from its reins; Str check for Cassandra to help the horse reach the road), they themselves in swampy peril.

The coach descends further into the Derfingel, water now sloshing against its windows, sure to find its way in (major test of strength to save the carriage if rope is attached and a puller is on the road).

Combat is over. All who wish may safely gain the road.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:25, Sat 07 May 2022.

22:02, Today: Otis rolled 15 using 1d20.  DEX check; is successful
This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Fri 06 May 2022.

On gaining the road Lotti looks down at her mud splattered and wet trousers.  "Damn frogs," she mutters.  "This is going to stink when it dries.  I wonder if there is any fresh water about to clean up?"

She quickly glances to the others to make sure they are all hale and whole and states when she sees they are, "I'll have a quick look around, see if I can tell what's been coming and going, and if there's any fresh water hereabouts."  She waits a moment for replies in case there is anyone else who also wants to tag along.

A few question Host.

1.  Does the road continue, and was it just the frog attack that caused the coach to ver off the road?
2.  Can she make an estimate of what time of night/early morning it might be given the moon/stars?
3.  Can she notice (firstly only using infra vision) any tracks leading in any direction.  If Infra vision is not suitable, she will pull up a torch to take with her.

She will wander only a little away from the others (along the road if it continues) so the sound of their movement and the horses is dampened, and listen for what else she can hear in the night/early morning, and see if she can determine any landmarks/tracks or items that might help their situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:08, Sat 07 May 2022.

Ornwin says anxiously, "Don't go too far alone, Lotti. Who knows what else might be lurking around? if you want to risk going a little further, I can escort you."

Lotti considers Ornwin a moment before breaking into a smile.  "Sure come along, there's safety in numbers.  Whatever is around already knows we're here after the sound of that fight, so I think we should be safe enough," she says peering off into the darkness, "but I'm not familiar with this area so who really knows."

As she moves off, she slaps at the back of her neck.  "Damn mosquitoes, why do things always go wrong for me in spooky swamps?  I had a bunch of girlfriends travelling up north, and the axel broke on their wagon.  They didn't get frogs, no they got rescued by a harras of Centaurs." She throws her arms wide at what she obviously thinks is an injustice.  "I mean come on."

Without pausing for a breath, or allowing the dwarf a chance to reply, she continues.

"Did you see the length of that tongue that hit me.  Jeeze I wasn't expecting it to be that long, it freaked me right out!"

Stikll struggling to save horses and coach the half-orc suggests, "How about a little help here?"

As Otis and Cassandra strain to free a bogged-down draft horse (TBD), Lotti and Orwin reconnoiter just a little ways down the road, which does continue beyond the point where skids mark the carriage's abrupt plunge into the Derfingel. Lotti looks up at the sky and finds the moon to be missing and no early light to be dawning. They were on the night coach to Tegel after all, and it most definitely remains night. Not a long ways off, though, down the road, she can make out a thinning of the swamp and the beckoning of some lights. The coach must have nearly completed its nightly run.

Trevion moves to assist Otis with the horses and coach as best he is able.

Cassandra continues to stand guard for Otis, and now Otis and Trevion, working to free the draft horses.  Cassandra sees that Otis has been successful in unhitching one of the horses from the carriage.  She is now torn between helping the two horses that are whinnying and struggling to avoid a swampy death and just standing guard.  Trying to save the animals wins out, so she does try to help Otis pull and coax the horses out of the bog, but doing so pulls her more into the muck.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Sat 07 May 2022.

Another tilt in the perennial contest of man vs. nature plays out on and just off the Night Road to Tegel Village. With a deftness belied by his porcine physiognomy, Otis first disentangles and then unfastens the rein tethering the horse to the sinking carriage. Then, Cassandra, herself sloshing towards the safety of the road, tries to lead the horse there. To her side, Trevion sludges, where he grabs hold of the lead, lending his fervent tugs to hers. But the rope is too slick with slime and the mare too far submerged. She gives one last valiant effort to launch itself free, succeeding in finding an even mushier pocket beneath the surface water of the swamp. With a heart-rending snort, the draft mare sinks down into the mire beyond the help of any man. Naturally, she takes the rope with her -- although that won't add nearly as many nutrients to the Derfingel as she will.

The horses can't be saved.
All not on the road can traverse to it safely.

If it's certain both horses cannot be saved then Otis will end then: a speedy death is better than a drawn out, fear-filled one.

"Fine, let's move on and find this manor!"

Cassandra lets out a deep sigh and accepts the cruel death sentence imposed by the frogs and nature on the two draft horses.

Cassandra turns to her three muddy companions, “Thank you, guys, for trying.  We did the best we could do.”

Bog group call:

Ereth quickly searches the remains of the four dead frogs.

Trevion, Otis, and Cassandra gather their belongings, wait for Ereth to finish a quick search, and then the four head up to the road together to join Ornwin and Lotti.

In reply to Lotti (msg # 62):

Ornwin says with cheerful grimness, "Yes, that frog had a long tongue indeed. Fortunately, they all had soft hides." He continues to plod up the road for a bit, his muddy boots squelching as they shed swamp water. Finally, he says "If my eyes don't deceive me, it looks like lights up ahead -- maybe Tegel Manor with luck. Should we go back and tell the others?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 02:31, Mon 09 May 2022.

Once up at the road, Cassandra, Ereth, and Trevion fall into slow, methodical steps behind Otis.  Otis takes the lead, seemingly having a little better vision in the dim light than the other three.  Trevion takes up the guard position at the rear of the marching order to protect the two more fragile spellcasters walking between him and the Half-Orc. Otis leads them along the road in the direction the coach had been heading, presumably toward Tegel Village.  Cassandra silently whispers a prayer to Eir, asking and hoping that Otis is able to lead them in the right direction to meet back up with their other two coach mates.

Ereth awakens as if from a dream. He finds himself walking down a rural highway, alongside three strangers. Wait, are they strangers? They seem more like acquaintances. Or perhaps even... friends?

Then it all comes back to him. He was in a traveling coach, full of odd people. The carriage was driven into a ditch. No, wait. Not a ditch, a bog. And next thing you know, there were... frogs? Yes. Frogs. But not regular frogs. Giant ones.

And then, the frogs attacked! With magnificent leaps, sharp teeth, and flickering tongues.

But his friends fought back! The big one. And the little one. And another one. Perhaps a fourth?

And then he started speaking a strange language, and waving his hands, and then... FIRE shot out of his fingers! No, wait. Not fire. Lightning? No, that's not right either. It was more like fireworks that a child would play with. Smoke and sparkles, and a whoosh sound.

And that. Well, that... was all he could recall. Before waking up and finding himself walking down this road.

==========

Keeping these thoughts to himself, Ereth says to the others, "Hold on a minute," and lights a torch.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:53, Sun 08 May 2022.

Cassandra had been lost in her own thoughts, following Otis footsteps in front of her but not really paying attention to anything else.  Ereth coming out of his stupor and speaking brought her out of her own stupor. Ereth had gone silent after he had cast some sort of fiery projectiles at the last frog.  But, after that, he had seemed dazed or stunned.  He had responded to requests for help, but he hadn’t been speaking and his eyes were not focused.  Cassandra felt like she was still in shock from everything that had happened.  Trevion too seemed lost in his own thoughts.  He was strong, he looked capable, but he also seemed troubled.  Otis was the only one who seemed present, but perhaps that was his way of dealing with his own shock. How did they get into that carriage? She couldn’t remember.

As she turned and saw Ereth getting out a torch and his flint and steel, she got Otis’ attention and asked him to hold up for a moment.

Once the torch is lit, Cassandra says to Ereth, “Welcome back!  You zoned out for a bit.”
This message was last edited by the player at 06:06, Sun 08 May 2022.

"Tegel Manor," Lotti nods in agreement, or possibly Tegel hamlet if not the manor itself.  She glances back and can see the others walking.  "They'll be here shortly, here they come," she says pointing to the others moving towards them with the torch.  "Humans," she notes in passing, "no night vision."

She holds out a clenched fist to the dwarf to be bumped by way of introduction, "I'm Lotti, a runner," (ADND term for 1st level Ranger), "what's your gig?"

OOC:  Host how far away do the lights look to be, best guess.  30 minutes, an hour, or further than that?  Is pushing on to the lights more plausible than stopping to make camp?  Without knowing what we're heading towards, I don't want to turn up to an area overrun with undead without sleep if that is to become an issue.

Do we know why we're going to this manner, do we vaguely know what is ahead, or should we just project forward and role-play ahead.  Do we know each other, do we assume introductions have previously been made?

My apologies I like to know the colours I can use to add to this drawing, plus I've gamed with DM's that like to beat up on characters, and don't know where you stand on that yet.  As I always say, forewarned is forearmed. 


Who or what are the Rumps, is it important to know that detail and why would Lotti want to be absolved of thoughts about them?"

Otis stops at Cassandra's request. "That should show our companions where we are," he comments as he steps out of the light and averts his eyes. He stays out of the light and adds, "And anything within ten miles or so that's looking. Let's hope that's nothing big and hungry."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:44, Sun 08 May 2022.

In reply to Lotti (msg # 75):

He gives a solid friendly return fist and says "I'm Ornwin, an ax-dwarf --Baruk Khazad!"

OOC: I don't know if they use Tolkien dwarven warcries in this rpol universe, but it's fun anyway.

"Well met Ornwin."  She thinks a little, "Baruk Khazad - Axes of the Dwarves, or The Dwarves are upon you?  Is that about right?"

OOC:  Hell yes, fire away, all dwarf (fighters) I have played in Rpol have used it.

Since the others are still on their way she continues......

With the group having come to a stop, Ereth completed the task of lighting his torch, nodded toward the woman for her remark, then replied to the half-man (in a tone more hopeful than confident),"As long as we stick to the road, and stick together, we should be ok."

After a slight pause, he continued, "By the way, I know this will sound strange, but have we met?"

He addressed this question to the half-man but followed by turning to make eye contact with the others as well.

"I know we have been walking together for a bit, and I feel that we may have shared a traveling coach earlier, but it's all very foggy and for the life of me I cannot put a name with any of your faces."

"My full name is Artimus Ereth, but you may call me Ereth, and I am at your service," he said, finishing with a slight bow.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:23, Mon 09 May 2022.

“Well met, Ereth.  My name is Cassandra, I’m a healer.  This is Otis,” Cassandra says gesturing toward the Half-Orc. “Otis and I met briefly, earlier, but I don’t know anything about him, other than he is big, strong, and brave.”

“Paladin. We’ve spoken, but haven’t been formally introduced either. My name is Cassandra.  I am a healer and am here to help.  If you ever need healing or wound care, just let me know.”

”Well met, Cassandra. My thanks for the offer of healing,” Trevion answered, ”And to each of you as well. I am called Trevion. I do not know if I have truly earned the title of paladin as yet. I suppose I still regard myself as a soldier above all. But one who is seeking to be true to his calling.”

He gazed ahead, regarding the settlement with a frown. ”Have any of you set foot here before?”

OOC: *Raises a fist in support of the use of Tolkien dwarven war cries.*
This message was last edited by the player at 23:07, Mon 09 May 2022.

OOC: "Hear, hear!" with a double tap of my staff.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:42, Mon 09 May 2022.

“Trevion. Before you, I had never actually met a Paladin in real life, but, when I was younger, I fondly remember listening to the tales and stories told at my temple of holy warriors who were soldiers, blessed by their deity, to serve a noble and higher purpose.  I worship Eir, the Norse Goddess of Healing, and although I can tell you do not worship her or our Warrior God Odin, I can still sense the nobility and honor of purpose with which your deity has blessed you.  You may not realize yet that you are a Paladin, but it was obvious to me when we first met that I was, for the first time, in the presence of a true Paladin.”

In reply to Lotti (msg # 78):

Ornwin replies privately to Lotti "The elder dwarves of my house have found elves as gallant comrades in their adventures, so I expect to follow that tradition. Whatever ancient troubles there may have been are now far behind us."

In reply to Ereth (msg # 79):

Otis keep out of the light and his face turened away from it.

He replies to Ereth very simply, "No." Then Otis adds belatedly, "I'm Otis, martial defender of the woods and devout follower of Mielikki." He genuiely doesn't see the bow but does wave back over his shoulder.

When Cassandra mentions him by nmae Otis gives another wave back over his shoulder, not that any will probably see, but he does encourage with, "I see our companions on the road ahead of us, we'll catch them if we keep this pace."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:03, Tue 10 May 2022.

The young soldier felt a mingled surge of hope and humility wash over him. ”My thanks for your kind words, Cassandra. Perhaps I am not so far from my appointed purpose as I believed.”

“I, like those in my family, follow Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. She has graciously blessed our line for many, many years now. I hope that I am able to prove worthy of her call.”

In reply to Otis (msg # 85):

Cassandra turns partially and responds to Otis and smiles at him, although he probably doesn’t see her smile as he is still avoiding looking toward the torch light and has focused his gaze intently down the road ahead of us. “Otis.  Thank you!  Martial Defender of the Forest.  I really like that. I’ve never heard of Miel-icky!”  She stumbles verbally over the pronunciation of the deity, but does her best to repeat it just as spoken by Otis.

After Trevion responds to her words of encouragement, Cassandra redirects her smile, which turns almost to a beam, toward Trevion and nods her head.

With Otis’ announcement, she turns fully back toward Otis and says, “Great!  I think we are all ready to move along again.  Please lead us on to our other two companions.”

A single, positive-sounding word comes back from the shadowly twilight at the limit of the torch's influnce, "Sure!"

When the four companions led by Otis finally met up with Lotti and Ornwin, who were patiently waiting for them on the road toward Tegel Village, Cassandra let out an audible sigh of relief and exhilaration.

“I’m so glad we found you two and that y’all are ok!  You are ok aren’t you? I was concerned when we didn’t find you immediately when we finally made it up to the road.

Her enthusiasm quickly subsided as her thoughts drifted back to the lost carriage, coachman, and draft horses.  “We lost the horses and the carriage to the bog. Otis and Trevion did all they could do, but even with their strength and determination, the bog won out.”

“Thank you for scouting things out.  Did y’all have any success checking out the area up here?  Any idea where we should go now?”

Cassandra was so full of questions and letting Lotti and Ornwin know what had happened, she didn’t even think about introducing herself and didn’t even realize that the Dwarf and Half-Elf probably didn’t know which of her companions were Otis and Trevion, whom she had named but not actually identified or introduced.  And she didn’t even think to mention Ereth, who had suffered some sort of daze after the battle with the frogs.

In reply to Cassandra (msg # 89):

Ornwin says courteously, "We are well, so far, but now we must risk entering the strange village; so far all we have seen are its lights."

Lotti points out to the lights on the horizon as Ornwin mentions them.

"I'm Lotti by the way, and this stout fellow here is Ornwin.  It's sad news about the horses, but I've heard drowning is euphoric in the last moments, so I guess that is better than the coach drivers outcome."

She looks to the half-orc and to Trevion since they seem to be the ones that would be into some heavy work.  With an educated guess she points to Otis, saying "Otis," and then to Trevion saying "Trevion." waiting for a nod from one or the other to see if she is correct.

Once a nod is given from either she says to Cassandra and Ereth, "So who are you two and what are your skills.  I'm a runner, Ornwin is obviously a dwarven heavy, and my guess is both Otis and Trevion are warrior types, but I don't think either of you fit that mold"

Trevion smiles nods to affirm that Lotti has identified him correctly. ”Well met, Lotti. And well met Ornwin. I am glad to know you both.”

Ereth pauses, respectfully, as Trevion speaks, then makes his own response to Lotti, while nodding toward Ornwin as well, "My name is Artimus Ereth. I am a practitioner of the arcane arts. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:03, Wed 11 May 2022.

Cassandra laughs at the Half-Elf’s description of the Dwarven “heavy.”

“Well met, Lotti and Ornwin!” Cassandra says, as she makes a slight nod of the head to each.

In a more formal tone and using words that have obviously been memorized and rehearsed many times, Cassandra states: “My name is Cassandra, but you may call me Cass, for short.  I am a novice priestess of Eir, the Norse Goddess of Healing.  I was recently ordained and commissioned by my temple.  Although I am trained in basic combat with my heavy war hammer and, when needed, my throwing hammers - in honor of Eir’s liege-lord, Odin, I am less inclined toward killing others and much more focused on the healing arts.  I have basic first aid training and am somewhat familiar with effective medicinal herbs that can be cultivated or sometimes even found in the wild.  But I have been blessed by Eir to provide divine healing, blessings, prayers, and other clerical arts, as may be of benefit to others.”

“That being said, if I can ever be of assistance or if you ever need binding or healing, please do let me know.”

Ornwin remarks, "My kinsman Thunwin is also a priest who bears a warhammer, though he has no throwing hammers. They will likely prove useful."

Overhearing the dwarf's comment, Ereth thinks to himself for a moment and then speaks his thoughts out loud, "Hmm. Ornwin... and... Thunwin... Those names sound vaguely familiar to me. You wouldn't by chance be a member of the famous House of Unwin, would you?

Ornwin bows again and says, "Indeed I am, though I am so far the youngest and least known of that justly famous house."

Ereth is genuinely impressed to learn this. With a deep bow, he states in his most formal voice, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Ornwin of the House of Unwin. I am at your service."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Fri 13 May 2022.

"Yeah, well if it's any help Ornwin, you're the oldest and the best known one I know from that house.  Things are obviously on the up for you already.  Stick with me, we're going to be famous."

She considers where they are, standing on the road out in the middle of nowhere.

"We better get a leg on.  It looks to be about a 30 minute walk to the hamlet up ahead, and though I can't see the moon, or the stars, I'd guess we've still got a fair bit of the night to go, there's not even a hint of predawn light yet.  I don't want to know what else is out here, so it's a good idea for us to put some distance between this bog and the noise we made."

"Does anyone else have something to share before we make a move?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:27, Fri 13 May 2022.

In response to Lotti, Cassandra says: “Unless someone needs healing now, l agree with Lotti that it is in our best interest to head on to Tegel Village and a nice warm bath and bed at their inn as soon as possible for the remainder of the night.  We can continue introductions and get to know each other better as we head up the road.”

“I hope those lights you saw ahead are, in fact, the lights of Tegel Village.”

“Lotti, you are the Ranger and have night vision.  Makes sense for you to lead the way.  Ereth and I need to be in the middle - both for our own safety and for tactical spell benefit. What do you recommend as a marching order for the whole group? 

"I can lead, though the road is wide enough for several people to walk across.  It's only you humans that will have difficulty with the dark Cassandra, ....Cass.

Otis and Ornwin can also see, so if we team up in double file, we'll all have someone to get to know, as well as someone who can see clearly and someone who isn't quite so clear sighted.

We're pretty exposed out here, and if anything comes for us, they can come from any angle, so I don't think a marching order is overly important right now.

Why don't you pair up with me and we can chat as we go."

“Perfect!  That works for me.”

In her walk and conversation with Lotti on the road to Tegel Village, Cassandra provides some of her background growing up in a small town, as an orphan, and being raised in the temple. Having met very few elves or half-elves, Cass is very interested to learn as much as she can about elves and their culture.  She is also deeply interested to know if Lotti was raised primarily by humans or elves (or both) and what impact that had on her becoming a ranger.

As far as Lotti is concerned, there's really not much to tell.  "I grew up with a mum and dad, both half elves themselves, so I'm probably more half elf, than elf or human.  (Actually I'm not sure if half elves are sterile or not?  I'll change if they are). School books didn't really interest me, but the forest did.  Given I wasn't particularly talented at anything I was left to follow my nose and soon took to tracking and learning the ways of the forest myself.  I guess you could say I'm self taught, I've been in the forest all my life."  She shrugs, "I just know stuff from doing stuff I guess."

“Thanks for sharing, Lotti.  That must have been lonely - not being fully part of either the elven or human communities.  Did you and your folks spend much time with either group or did you grow up isolated from both?

I can relate, somewhat.  I never knew my real parents.  The couple that raised me, loved me, but I was never really part of their family.  They didn’t adopt me.  That’s why my focus in life has been on serving Eir and healing others - physically, mentally and emotionally.  I have a soft spot for those who are abused, mistreated, or outcast.”

"Lonely?  No not at all I got the best of both worlds.  We mingled as we pleased.  Dad is a story teller, a bard, and mum can sing, so I guess we were welcomed where-ever we went.  I always had someone to talk to if I wanted, I've never found that to be a problem."

Suddenly aware Cassandra didn't really have a joyful story to tell of her youth, Lotti listened to her angle to understand her better.  "I'm sorry to hear your upbringing wasn't all roses, but as you point out, it has made you the person you are.  What a wonderful opportunity you have, think of the empathy you'll be able to share.  Perhaps down the line you could open an orphanage or something to catch those falling through the cracks."

“Lotti, please forgive me.  My story was not really as dreadful or as lonely for me as it sounds.  I was trying to be empathetic because I assumed, wrongly, how you must have felt growing up.  My story naturally comes out sounding depressing when I tell it.  But it was actually a very pleasant childhood.  I enjoy being alone and having time to myself to think and explore.

But I love your perspective on things.  It sounds wonderful growing up traveling and having all of the singing and story telling be a part of your life.  I see why you are so outgoing and so good interacting with people.  It comes naturally to you.  I have to work hard to be outgoing and to focus and be supportive of others. I try, but it doesn’t come naturally.

Thanks for sharing your story.  I hope, in time, you will be able to share some of the tales and songs you learned growing up!”

Flashback...continuing the conversation on the Wilderness Road from Day 1...

"So, Brant.  What is your story?  You haven't said much so far since we lumbered out of the carriage and fought off those giant frogs.

You look like a capable fighter and the frogs were certainly surprised and scared when you leapt into the middle of the fray - seemingly from out of nowhere."

What, my story?" Brant shrugs, then carefully pours a cup full of bourbon. "Common enough tale, really. Grew up dirt poor on a failing, family farm. One tedious year after another. Then one day a band of mercenaries blows through, burning the place to the ground, killing my ma and pa, and leaving me alone with a gut full of hate and revenge... only it was a mill,  not a farm. And my folks were fairly well off and didn't actually die. No mercenaries, either. But I sure got bored carrying around bags of flour all day.  My folks had enough of my whining, so they packed me off to town so's I could join the Watch. Learned how to swing a sword and not stab myself. But the routine... there's only so much pacing the streets and beating up thugs a man can handle. I swear, almost worse routine than the mill. So why not try adventuring, I thought. And here I am!" Brant beams a smile then raises his cup in salute. "Lechyd da!"