Forgotten Realms Tales

Logan:

Gorm:

 "Oh that's incredible " replies the young prince "May I ask for where do you come from Gorm? Your attire is strange to me I am sorry"

Logan:

 “We also plan to visit some sages before ending up at Candlekeep,” adds Logan, belatedly remembering they were making another stop or two first.

     Gorm looks over the teenager again and finds his curiosity genuine and that softens her stance a bit.  “I am one of the Diabhal,” she answers him.  “We mostly live in the shadows of The High Ice but we call all of Anauroch our home and roam it freely.  We are Al-Badia… what you would call nomads.  We dress for utility, not style.  We are not Al-Hadhar… city-dwellers who… who have options around each corners.”

     Gorm tries to keep a neutral tone but depending on how perceptive the listener is they may detect a certain disdain or dismissiveness towards those she feels are soft because their lives are too easy.

     “We mostly keep to ourselves and limit our interactions with the world to assisting the occasional traveler or caravan across the sands… “ Or finding them unworthy and letting the sands be the final arbiter.  These are often the more profitable but Gorm leaves this unsaid. 
     

"I see." Replies the commander to Logan " And you say you have presented yourself to Sir Isteval. I will be sure to put a good word for you. The Knights need people with your courage" he says nodding in recognition to the young fighter. 

"How interesting, I am sorry Gorm, I've never heard of your people before. Thank you for sharing this with me and for saving my life. I look forward for our next encounter Gorm" says the young prince and after making a small bow to the nomad he returns to the carriage. 

The rest of the knights have checked the carriage and the horses and inform that everything is in order. One of them climbs to the driver's sit and his companions take the reins of the horse. 

Sir Scatterhawk nods and thanks once more the help of the party. 

"Safe travels. May Helm guard your path" says the Purple Dragon Knight. 

With the young prince waving his hand inside the carriage the convoy reassumes their journey. 

     "To be fair, I still have not heard of you...?" Gorm says, wondering what this royal's name is, though she doesn't further press the issue if it is not supplied.  Royals hold little interest for her.  She does return his bow and opines "Our two parties saved each other, I believe," before allowing the young man to be on his way.

     "That was one of those your people allow to rule just for being born?" she asks of the others after the carriage and retinue have left them.  

Logan:

”Indeed,” says Logan, “It does seem odd when you phrase it like that, I suppose.  Still, I hope to evaluate our rulers by how they govern, even if the way they are selected is…somewhat arbitrary.”

”Shall we get going?” he asks, heading back to their wagon.

Dr A joins in the conversation “ahbut you’re right it does seem somewhat arbitrary but I have heard that in some other places if you can pull a sword out off rock you get to be King and I guess that is just as arbitrary as being born into the right family but like Logan I tend to judge rulers on their actions not their pedigrees!”

When they rejoin Chiara at the cart they continue their journey across the mountains towards Daggerfold discussing the ups and downs of the different ways of rulership. The conversation makes them quickly forget how close they had been to death at the edge of the cliff. 

They set camp on the top of the mountain pass, near the ruins of what seems to be an ancient tower, only half of the lower circle remains and they decide to use it to protect them from the night wind, which gets more and more speed and it keeps blowing all night, making the clouds moving fast in the sky above them.

After the night, which goes without any major incident despite the wind, the party resume their journey and start their descend towards the vales, and particullary Daggerfold. They still have two or three days of journey ahead of them. 

The path goes on with the wall to their right and a fall to their left.  Some mountain streams are born in the heights to their right crossing the path and making it muddy and treacherous, so they tread slowly until they leave that behind them. 

The landscape is compose of woodland as they descend and soon they find themselves walking among pine trees and high fern. 

     Gorm enjoys the travel amongst the pines.  This is an environment totally different than what she is used to, and far less confusing than the cities of the Al-Hadhar, so she is relaxed and easy about their time here.  She wacthes for wildlife and considers doing some hunting to supplement the rations they brought with them but, considering what happened with the harpies, perhaps it is better they keep a low profile...

Logan:

Enjoying the uneventful ride, Logan says, “These pines are a welcome relief from the cliffs and their deadly drops.”

 “Have you learned anything more from your studies of the documents?” he asks Doctor A and Chiara.

“Ahbut what pine trees” Dr A says from his head before looking up “oh you mean those pine trees. Nice I guess if they’re your thing! Well I have found out that ….”

DM - what if anything has Dr A found out.

(Nothing new to add to your current discoveries. Dr. A, has a bunch of theories of how the magic weave could have interact with the astrological object though and he is more than willing to share it with the party ) 

As the party proceed to walk among the woods the hear a loud crack to their left among the trees. Something big is that way. A flock of birds flies away from that part of the forest, scared.

     "Should we investigate?" Gorm asks, turning in the direction of the noise.  "It could be just a local beast hunting it's prey but..."

Logan

”Whatever it is, we can’t outrun it in this wagon,” says Logan, hopping down and preparing his shield and sword.  “Let’s pace the wagon and be ready to engage if it comes after us,” he suggests.

Logan walks beside the wagon down the road on the side they saw the disturbance.  He looks for any clues to the creature who made the birds fly away.

Perception:  7

They have half move the wagon to their intended spot when their suspicions cam true. 

Walking among the trees, at a cautious pace, they can see the hulking figure of a bear. It has dark grey fur, but something weird sprout from its shoulders. As the beast move among the trees they try to get a better glimpse of it. Are those feathers? The creature raises it head above the ferns and they can see that it has a collar of white and grey feathers and the head of a great owl. 

The creature sniffles the air in their direction. It seems that it has detected them. It moves its head up and down and growls and chirps, menacing. 

Logan:

Though most of his training is with domesticated animals, Logan tries his best to deter the massive bear like owl creature from engaging them, saying “You will find no easy meal here, creature.  Move along.”

Handle Animal:  11

The beast growls to Logan's words, and takes a step closer to them, his yellow eyes dart from one of them to another.

     Gorm jumps down, drawing her blades and she does.  She stands ready and stares at the encroaching beast, growling in warning.

intimidation: 12
Otherwise she is ready to fight - Initiative: 20
.

(LoL)