(( It looks like everyone is wanting to proceed. Unless someone protests in the next several hours, I'll move on from there before I get on the road. ))

Darbakh nods and hefts his maul over his shoulder. “Burning the mummy smelled a lot worse than I’d expected,” he murmurs while leaving the burnt corpses to join the rest of the group.

The bodies of the dead now dealt with, the party moves forward....

(( Encounter 2 ))

As you venture further, the air begins to warm again and the trees thin out… but the going gets tougher. After about a half hour, the snow under foot has turned to wet terrain, then to thick mud, with foliage growing ever thicker as you proceed–almost as if in an attempt to stop you. After nearly an hour of travel, standing pools of water begin to dot the landscape, developing into a full blown swamp.

In the distance, you hear what seems to be singing, and it seems to be coming closer. A DC 15 Perception check can identify the location of the source.

Anyone who knows Orc can understand what is being sung.

(( The terrain is now difficult due to the water and mud; it appears that this will be the case for awhile. ))

Please make your Perception checks!

Darbakh begins moving a little more often. He’s visibly uncomfortable as the group delves deeper into the swamp. “This is very strange…snow and a swamp? Is this common on the surface world?”

He then snaps his fingers at his serpentine familiar. “You. Be on the lookout.”

Darbakh’s perception roll: 5

His familiar’s perception roll: 18

Perception: 17

Perception 8

(( Whistler's Perception Check: 19 ))

(( Perception Check for Gordon: 16 ))

Whistler, Redoff, Gordon, Aeron and Darbakh's familiar are all able to locate the singing--it is coming from two orcs headed your direction, roughly 80 feet away behind half cover, ahead and to the right of the party. The orcs have not yet spotted the party, but they're about to break through foliage that will let them see you all clearly.

Once turn order is determined, everyone except Evan will be able to take a turn before the orcs, as they are caught by surprise.

Everyone (including Evan) roll initiative!

(( Whistler's Initiative: 9 ))

Initiative: 13 

Gordon will stop Evan with his arm, trying to prevent him from alerting the orcs even faster than they would be otherwise. 

Init 11

*Merry Christmas everyone!!!*

A belated Merry Christmas to everyone!

We'll take the suggested "pause" for another day or so; if our last two combatants haven't rolled initiative by Wednesday evening (CST) I'll place them toward the end to give everyone a chance to start their turns.

Quote from RodTheBard >>

Whistler, Redoff, Gordon, Aeron and Darbakh's familiar are all able to locate the singing--it is coming from two orcs headed your direction, roughly 80 feet away behind half cover, ahead and to the right of the party. The orcs have not yet spotted the party, but they're about to break through foliage that will let them see you all clearly.

Once turn order is determined, everyone except Evan will be able to take a turn before the orcs, as they are caught by surprise.

Everyone (including Evan) roll initiative!

(( Whistler's Initiative: 6 ))

 22

Secret rolls...

Alright, initiative order determined!

Aeron - 23
Redoff - 22
Gordon - 12
Evan - 11
Whistler - 6
Orcs - 4
Darbakh - 1

(( Round 1 ))

Everyone except Evan and the Orcs gets a full turn this round. You can make out that the orcs are armed, are wearing armor of some sort, and have half-cover behind the foliage. Their armaments will become more visible once they come out into the open.

Again, not trying to rush anyone since it's still the holidays. I'll just bot any player who hasn't taken their turn after a day or so.

Aeron is up!