“Well is exactly how matters stand.  I have rescued my comrade, and have replaced the enemy’s battle plans with the substitute you provided me.  Now your victory is assured.” But Tristan adds a look, implying, if you follow your part of the bargain.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 122):

Frog General barks a laugh, stands, crosses to you, and slaps you good naturedly on the shoulder.

"Ha!  Good lad!  Tomorrow...we attack!  Get some sleep!  There'll be killing a plenty in the morning!"

You are ushered out of the tent and lead to a different tent, where you can lay down are rest in preparation for whatever the Frog General was talking about.

Conrad leans down and whispers to you.  "We are going to run away during the confusion of battle, right?"

“I think that’s the best plan.  No need to do it now, while they’re prepared for it.” But even as he says this, Tristan can’t help but feel that something is wrong.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Fri 08 Sept 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 124):

You get some rest, though it's fitful.  Conrad shakes you awake while it's still dark out.

He motions to the tent flap and whispers, "They've been on the move for a little bit now.  Something's happened. Don't know what."

You peek out the tent flap.  It looks like the soldiers are getting ready. Quietly though.  They aren't making it obvious.  Maybe they mean to make a surprise assault on the other camp?

"Let's slip away now," Tristan says, and darts out of the tent, staying down as low as he can.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 126):

A couple of frogs see you. But they pay you little heed.  They seem to be gathering near their front lines.

As you and Conroad, rush along the outskirts of the camp, there's a sudden commotion from the soldiers.  Several of them are pointing at the skies.

The air is filled with birds!

Terns.  Puffins.  Seagulls.  Every kind of bird you can imagine.  The sky seems to be filling up with them.

One of the soldiers yells out in a panic, "What are they doing here?  I thought their King had been captured!"

The birds start diving in waves into both camps.

Seems the frogs have a new enemy now.  Birds are starting to dive bomb everyone.

Make me a Stealth/Qik check please.  And it is a stress roll, so reroll any 1s or 0s you roll

Thanks

13:05, Today: Tristan rolled 8 using 1d10+1.  Qik.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 128):

I think that's your best roll all game

You and Conrad scurry out of the camp as the great flock of birds descends.

The frogs begin to shout and panic.  They lob spears upwards but the birds cover the land like some Biblical plague covered Egypt.  The birds are soon among the soldiers, skewering them with beaks.  Raking them with claws.

You hear one of the birds scream, "Find the Boy!  Find the one who threw away our King!"

Conrad grabs you and rushes away as fast as he can.  Luckily the birds seem too intent on tearing apart the frogs to pay you two much mind.

Conrad throws the two of you around the side of a boulder as far away from the camps as he can.  He sets you down, leans over, gasping for breath.  "Thanks.  Thanks for coming for me.

"Any idea who we get out of here?"

Their king?  Holy shit-covered relics!  "That's a good question," Tristan says as he struggles to catch his breath. "At the moment, the answer is no.  Let me think on it."

In reply to Tristan (msg # 130):

You look around, trying to get an idea...

Let's leave it up to fate.  Roll me an Per check or an Int/Awareness.  Your call

16:11, Today: Tristan rolled 1 using 1d10-1.  Int/awareness.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 132):

You have no idea what to do.  You thought you were at the bottom of a creek.  But the sky up there looks like a sky.  There are birds here.  This place makes no sense.

Conrad scratches his head.  "Well.  Master will come looking for us at some point.  You're his student after all.  It's just a matter of when.

"We should find somewhere to hide I guess.  Let's wait for Master."

Glancing around, you can see two options.  There's a small stand of trees off to your east.  And you think there's a small cave off to your south.

Of course, you can just keep walking.  I mean...you'll end up somewhere if you just keep walking.  Right?

“Let’s head to the cave,” Tristan says.  “And I don’t know if my master will come for us or not.  We may have to handle this on our own.”

On my own, he corrects silently.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 134):

Conrad nods and follows along.  When you get to the cave, he motions for you to hold up, and goes inside first.  He comes back quickly and waves for you to follow him in.

The cave is much larger than it appeared on the outside.  Much, much larger.

Conrad points towards the back.  "We can wait here.  Or see how far back this goes.  What do you want to do Young Master?"

“Let’s explore it.  I don’t like not knowing what we’re sharing a cave with.”

In reply to Tristan (msg # 136):

The cave dips low into the earth, and then starts to rise.  Soon the two of you are scrabbling up an incline.

The passage seems to get narrower and narrower.  The candle Conrad is carrying is only providing feeble light.  So the going is tough.

Ahead, it looks like the passage may narrow so much you aren't sure Conrad can get through it.  But...

Is that daylight up there?  You can't tell from here.

The passage is getting too narrow for Conrad.  It has been rising upwards.  You may...may...be seeing daylight ahead.

What would you like to do?

Tristan tells Conrad to wait while he explores the narrowing passage on his own.  He then proceeds with caution.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 138):

At the top of incline, the passage seems to open outside.  But the outside looks funny.  Like you're staring into a pool of water.

Reaching out, you actually touch water.  The cave seems to lead upwards and arrives at the underside of the stream.  If you leave the cave, you will come up out of the stream bed into the stream itself.

Tristan comes back down.  “It leads to the bottom of the stream.  See if you can make it through.”

In reply to Tristan (msg # 140):

Conrad tries scurrying up the incline.  He looks back at you.  "I think I can dig enough to where I can get out.  But it's gonna take me some time.  Go ahead.  Tell Master that I'm here.  He'll know what to do."

"No, you first.  I'm in command here.  I'm not returning until this mission has been completed."

In reply to Tristan (msg # 142):

Conrad blinks at you, and then chuckles.  "As you command Young Master."

The two of you start to dig...

At first it just feels like rain.  Big drops of water fall down and slowly start to soak your shirt.

But then the water just suddenly rushes in.  Conrad grabs your arm and hauls you upwards.  You think you hear him shout for you to hold your breath, but you do so without him having to yell about it.

Soon, he's pulling you up and then the two of you come staggering out of the brook, panting.

The sun's gone down.  The night is much colder than you expected.  Thankfully, there's a campfire nearby.  A grog from the covenant is standing by the fire, gaping at the two of you.

He stammers and then crosses himself.  "Corr!  That you Conrad?"

"Course it's me Nolan.  Do I look like The Pope?"

Nolan stammers a bit more, his eyes cutting back from you to Conrad and back to you again.

The chill is really getting into you now.  Your breath is making a cloud right before your face.

It's spring.  Why is it this cold?

Nolan gestures at the fire.  "Ah...get warm.  Then we can go back.  Everyone's been waiting for you two.  Been waiting quite the while.  I'll go run an' tell 'em!  Here's a blanket!  I'll get stew!  Get warm!"

He says a few more meaningless things and scurries off.  Conrad huddles with you before the fire.

Soon one of the turb officers comes with a few more men.  You're taken back and given warm broth and hot milk.

Going to pause here.  Let's talk about experience.

First, take 4 XP to spend as you like.

Second, you have earned the ire of a bird.  And quite an important one too.  Do you want to consider turning that into a story flaw for Tristan?

Sounds as good a story flaw as anything.

I’ll soon figure out how to spend that XP.  Fun adventure, btw.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 144):

Thanks.  That one was fun.

I'm going to be travelling this week, so let's start new thread next week.

We also need to discuss how you'll spend your seasonal studies

Thanks

After that adventure, Tristan is intensely interested in learning how to sneak around.