Avaria and Ula strain every muscle they have and they just begin to budge Dagg. Hammerdasher reaches down to try and help pull him up as well. With all of that and Avaria's solid footing, they just manage to get him up high enough that he can drag two big meaty arms up out of the dirt. Dagg then does the rest of the work and pulls himself up and out.
Dagg seems to just keep coming. Eventually his entire 16'6" frame towers above everyone.
"Ha ha. Dagg free. Dagg free," Dagg says.
Dagg stops when he sees everyone mounting up and getting ready to leave.
"No. No leave Dagg. Dagg's friends now. Dagg pay back friends." Dagg says.
Then he looks around and whistles.
Over a ridge to the west, something most of the group has seen before appears. The large spike-maned dire wolf that escaped from Mak'ral's mirror lopes towards the group.
"Ha ha. There wolfie. Wolfie Dagg's friend too." Dagg says. "Wolfie gone many days but then Dagg find wolfie. But then Dagg fall in hole."
"Dagg, I think you need to start heading towards the forest with Wolfie, fast. The horsymen are coming back and you probably don't want to meet them again."
Avaria gets back on her horse, but counters. "You know, if I were a bunch of horsymen I would avoid a group with a giant. Maybe a group or a single giant, but them together? Oh, and a dire wolf. I don't know, just a thought."
"Can we expect to outrun these riders?"Ethel asks with concern. "If I were a betting woman, I would put my coin behind the hardened plains-riders versus the visiting tourists and their ponies."
She is painfully aware of how low her spell reserves remain after the battles of the tower.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
”No we can’t out run them. Hopefully it’s just outriders and they won’t come too close if we out number them. But they’ll report back and more will come.” Soren says.
He looks over at Dagg.
”With any luck they’ll find something else of more interest, buying us the extra time we need. We can’t bring him with us.”
Dagg might not follow everything Soren is saying but he seems to get the gist.
”No. Dagg must help new friends. They save Dagg. Dagg save them. Let bad horsey-riders come. Dagg stop them,” Dagg says. He pauses and licks his lips. “Maybe horse die too. Good lunch.”
Up above, K’ gets a better view of what’s coming and relays it back down. Jan gets an image of four riders, coming quickly. They’ll be within bow range in a couple of minutes.
Soren looks at the group and off in the direction of the approaching riders.
"They might be friendly but I wouldn't bet on it," he says then pauses for a second before continuing. "We either need to make sure they can't report back to the rest of the tribe, or make ourselves scarce before the rest can catch up."
He looks off in the direction of the foothills of the mountains and then back towards the forest in the distance.
"Rawlinwoods is closer than the hills. Both will be tougher for them to ride through. But the forest is the opposite direction from where we're headed," Soren says. "We might make the hills but it will add a day to our travels too."
Avaria scowls. "We don't have time for this. If they are friendly great, if they are not, I say we just don't allow them to return for more. We need to get moving, Our orc friend slowed us down enough."
With the group waiting for the approaching riders, Soren signs and pulls his horse around, staying slightly back and to the side of Marrin.
Dagg whistles the dire wolf to come closer and then chides it "Dagg not get in trouble if Wolfie not get lost. Where Wolfie been?"
He then moves to join Marrin.
"Dagg good smasher. But Dagg lost good club," Dag says, looking back over his shoulder at the hole he had been.
After a couple of minutes, four riders appear on top of a ridge to the east. They spread out so that all four riders can look across the 600 or so feet and see the group. They pause for a minute, looking to discuss something between themselves. Eventually two riders urge their horses forward. They begin to trot down the ridge and towards the party. One of the remaining riders turns his horse around and disappears back over the ridge in the direction they had come. The final rider remains stationed on the ridge, watching the two riders headed towards the party.
"That one will have gone to find the main group of riders," Soren says.
"K, can you follow from on high and see how far out the rest of the riders are? Return once you've spotted the group."
((The horses can likely outpace K in any terrain that isn't too challenging, so not wanting them to wait until the riders start returning, as they'd get here before K does.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Ethel had been working out in her head the most probable outcomes of putting a horse at full gallop to sleep - but sees it won't be relevant as the group tries to parley with these riders.
Not optimistic about the chances this will end peacefully, she tries to calm her anxiety by giving a professional wave to the spiked dire wolf. She is mildly curious if it remembers them from its escape at the tower.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Avaria stays up near Marrin in case things go south, but lets her take the lead. As the one rider heads back, her shoulders slump. Maybe they should just have rode on...
Dagg looks at Marrin quizzically then kneels down near the loose rock and sand and pushes his hand down into the dirt.
“Dagg not think club down here,” Dagg says. “Dagg lost club by horsey.”
Wolfie the dire wolf approaches more closely but does not come too close to the party. It bares its fangs but does not growl.
The pair of horse riders trot closer, reigning up when they’re about 30’ away. Both riders are lean and covered in leathers and furs. Bows hang from worn saddles, and long swords hang at their waists. One has a stubbly black beard while the other wears her long red hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Why did you free the horse killer?” Red Ponytail asks.
Dagg looks up from his seemingly futile search for a club.
“Dagg not kill horse. Dagg kill humans. Dagg kill goblins. Dagg kill bear. Dagg kill deer. Dagg kill an elf once. But Dagg never kill horse.” Dagg says.
The riders look away from Dagg and to the party, waiting for an answer for now.
K' floats up above and sees the lone rider moving quickly to the east. The tundra like plains stretch off to the northwestern arm of the Rawlinswood. There are rolling hills and ridges, along with scrub covered shallow dried creek beds. K' sees no sign of other riders immediately. They will have to follow after the rider for a little while. From this distance any of the hills or ridges could hide hundreds of riders.
"Well, honestly we freed Dagg, the not horse killer, because some of my group thought being buried alive seemed a bit cruel for having eaten an already dead horse."
Slowly shaking her head she'll sigh,
"Though given Dagg's statement just now, it seems like maybe the horse was a lesser issue."
She puts on her best smile,
"Either way, we were just convincing Dagg to leave the area and return to his home so his proclivities don't impact you or your vaunted tribe again. Further, we'll guarantee Dagg makes his departure without further incidents."
((Ha! Dice wanted Dagg dug up!))
Marrin watches with interest but doesn't join in. Her interest quickly switches on hearing riders are coming.
"Ava, Hammerdasher, time to go. Best of luck to you Dagg!"
She encourages her helpful friends to get moving.
Avaria and Ula strain every muscle they have and they just begin to budge Dagg. Hammerdasher reaches down to try and help pull him up as well. With all of that and Avaria's solid footing, they just manage to get him up high enough that he can drag two big meaty arms up out of the dirt. Dagg then does the rest of the work and pulls himself up and out.
Dagg seems to just keep coming. Eventually his entire 16'6" frame towers above everyone.
"Ha ha. Dagg free. Dagg free," Dagg says.
Dagg stops when he sees everyone mounting up and getting ready to leave.
"No. No leave Dagg. Dagg's friends now. Dagg pay back friends." Dagg says.
Then he looks around and whistles.
Over a ridge to the west, something most of the group has seen before appears. The large spike-maned dire wolf that escaped from Mak'ral's mirror lopes towards the group.
"Ha ha. There wolfie. Wolfie Dagg's friend too." Dagg says. "Wolfie gone many days but then Dagg find wolfie. But then Dagg fall in hole."
Soren ignores Dagg and sides with Marrin.
"Marrin's right. We need to go now."
Jan sends an invisible K up to get a scouting report on the incoming riders... distance, number, etc.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
"Dagg, I think you need to start heading towards the forest with Wolfie, fast. The horsymen are coming back and you probably don't want to meet them again."
Persuasion: 25
Marrin suggests while starting to move a bit.
Avaria gets back on her horse, but counters. "You know, if I were a bunch of horsymen I would avoid a group with a giant. Maybe a group or a single giant, but them together? Oh, and a dire wolf. I don't know, just a thought."
She moves along with Marrin and Soren regardless.
"Can we expect to outrun these riders?" Ethel asks with concern. "If I were a betting woman, I would put my coin behind the hardened plains-riders versus the visiting tourists and their ponies."
She is painfully aware of how low her spell reserves remain after the battles of the tower.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Marrin chuckles at Ava's suggestion but poses,
"But can we rely on our friendly giant or his wolfie?"
To Ethel,
"When has it ever been easy, at least since we met?"
Soren nods at Ethel’s assessment.
”No we can’t out run them. Hopefully it’s just outriders and they won’t come too close if we out number them. But they’ll report back and more will come.” Soren says.
He looks over at Dagg.
”With any luck they’ll find something else of more interest, buying us the extra time we need. We can’t bring him with us.”
Dagg might not follow everything Soren is saying but he seems to get the gist.
”No. Dagg must help new friends. They save Dagg. Dagg save them. Let bad horsey-riders come. Dagg stop them,” Dagg says. He pauses and licks his lips. “Maybe horse die too. Good lunch.”
Up above, K’ gets a better view of what’s coming and relays it back down. Jan gets an image of four riders, coming quickly. They’ll be within bow range in a couple of minutes.
Soren looks at the group and off in the direction of the approaching riders.
"They might be friendly but I wouldn't bet on it," he says then pauses for a second before continuing. "We either need to make sure they can't report back to the rest of the tribe, or make ourselves scarce before the rest can catch up."
He looks off in the direction of the foothills of the mountains and then back towards the forest in the distance.
"Rawlinwoods is closer than the hills. Both will be tougher for them to ride through. But the forest is the opposite direction from where we're headed," Soren says. "We might make the hills but it will add a day to our travels too."
------------------------------------------------------
What's the party going to do?
Avaria scowls. "We don't have time for this. If they are friendly great, if they are not, I say we just don't allow them to return for more. We need to get moving, Our orc friend slowed us down enough."
"Agreed, I am tired of people stopping us just to stop us."
She takes a deep calming breath,
"But I also don't want to kill anyone, if we can help it. I can try to talk them down, if they're looking for a fight."
Seeing no disagreement, Marrin turns and moves out ahead of the rest of the group, hands held to side to show she isn't looking for a fight.
With the group waiting for the approaching riders, Soren signs and pulls his horse around, staying slightly back and to the side of Marrin.
Dagg whistles the dire wolf to come closer and then chides it "Dagg not get in trouble if Wolfie not get lost. Where Wolfie been?"
He then moves to join Marrin.
"Dagg good smasher. But Dagg lost good club," Dag says, looking back over his shoulder at the hole he had been.
After a couple of minutes, four riders appear on top of a ridge to the east. They spread out so that all four riders can look across the 600 or so feet and see the group. They pause for a minute, looking to discuss something between themselves. Eventually two riders urge their horses forward. They begin to trot down the ridge and towards the party. One of the remaining riders turns his horse around and disappears back over the ridge in the direction they had come. The final rider remains stationed on the ridge, watching the two riders headed towards the party.
"That one will have gone to find the main group of riders," Soren says.
To Dagg, Marrin suggests,
"Maybe you can start digging to get your good club out Dagg, while we wait."
To Soren, Marrin stoically mutters,
"Ya, I figured."
"K, can you follow from on high and see how far out the rest of the riders are? Return once you've spotted the group."
((The horses can likely outpace K in any terrain that isn't too challenging, so not wanting them to wait until the riders start returning, as they'd get here before K does.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Ethel had been working out in her head the most probable outcomes of putting a horse at full gallop to sleep - but sees it won't be relevant as the group tries to parley with these riders.
Not optimistic about the chances this will end peacefully, she tries to calm her anxiety by giving a professional wave to the spiked dire wolf. She is mildly curious if it remembers them from its escape at the tower.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Avaria stays up near Marrin in case things go south, but lets her take the lead. As the one rider heads back, her shoulders slump. Maybe they should just have rode on...
Dagg looks at Marrin quizzically then kneels down near the loose rock and sand and pushes his hand down into the dirt.
“Dagg not think club down here,” Dagg says. “Dagg lost club by horsey.”
Wolfie the dire wolf approaches more closely but does not come too close to the party. It bares its fangs but does not growl.
The pair of horse riders trot closer, reigning up when they’re about 30’ away. Both riders are lean and covered in leathers and furs. Bows hang from worn saddles, and long swords hang at their waists. One has a stubbly black beard while the other wears her long red hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Why did you free the horse killer?” Red Ponytail asks.
Dagg looks up from his seemingly futile search for a club.
“Dagg not kill horse. Dagg kill humans. Dagg kill goblins. Dagg kill bear. Dagg kill deer. Dagg kill an elf once. But Dagg never kill horse.” Dagg says.
The riders look away from Dagg and to the party, waiting for an answer for now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
K' floats up above and sees the lone rider moving quickly to the east. The tundra like plains stretch off to the northwestern arm of the Rawlinswood. There are rolling hills and ridges, along with scrub covered shallow dried creek beds. K' sees no sign of other riders immediately. They will have to follow after the rider for a little while. From this distance any of the hills or ridges could hide hundreds of riders.
Jan tells K to follow, but return when they see a larger force of riders.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
"Well, thank you Dagg for that self defense."
She gives the riders a tight smile,
"Well, honestly we freed Dagg, the not horse killer, because some of my group thought being buried alive seemed a bit cruel for having eaten an already dead horse."
Slowly shaking her head she'll sigh,
"Though given Dagg's statement just now, it seems like maybe the horse was a lesser issue."
She puts on her best smile,
"Either way, we were just convincing Dagg to leave the area and return to his home so his proclivities don't impact you or your vaunted tribe again. Further, we'll guarantee Dagg makes his departure without further incidents."
Persuasion: 26