The Queen lets out a small sigh, shaking her head with a smile on her face. "Were it so easy to duel the lords and ladies of the Great Houses into submission."
A man comes from the ship, bowing low before approaching further. "Ship and crew are ready Your Grace. We can depart anytime at your leave." She nods in response, motioning for him to return to the boat. Her attention turns back towards you all. "Well, the fate of my House is in your hands now. I wouldn't place it anywhere else. Good luck, and for the last time. Come home safe." She smiles, which quickly fades from her face as she moves past you to head back to the castle. Her guard follow close behind.
The trip along the Forgotten Coast is a relatively peaceful one. The ships of House Lense aren't swift or special by any means, but you are comfortable over the 5 day journey. At the end of it, you offload into the port city of Bluda, within the lands of House Marais. Bluda is more travel hub than a center of trade, it's filled with taverns, stables, supply shops, and craftsmen skilled in repair of land and sea vehicles. None are of great import to your mission.
Overland it is a further four days travel east, away from the swampy marshes that make up most of the Marais lands. On horseback, you leave the city of Bluda the day after your arrival. Your travel overland is nearly as uneventful as the sea travel...Until your second day, just a few short hours after you pass into the realm of House Marne, with the sun still high in the sky.
In the southern distance you can see black smoke rising, beyond the sparse woodlands that sprinkle the coast in this area.
When the time to leave comes, Feliks simply steps onto the ship, ready to locate his quarters. Though eager to get there, he is more interested dropping off his pack and setting up a place for Nixri to rest. Once that's accomplished, he is back outside and standing at the edge of the ship, enjoying the view. That is what he does much of the voyage, clearly enjoying the breeze and the views as they travel, no matter the weather.
Upon arrival in Bluda he is happy to help out with seeing the horses off the ship. He had in fact checked on them often during the journey, making sure they were comfortable, groomed, and properly fed. Perhaps there were others that were specifically there to care for them, but he felt he should check. And it was never enough to just monitor and provide instructions. He was more than willing to jump in and do some of the work.
He had of course kept Nixri away from the mounts while aboard the ship. The journey by water was nerve-wracking enough for the creatures. They didn't need a small dragon to further aggravate them. As a creature of spirit, she didn't really need nourishment and wasn't a threat to the horses. But they didn't know that. Of course, now heading overland, Nixri accompanies the group as they ride. His own horse is used to the presence of the drake, but he makes sure to keep Nixri back from the other horses as much as possible.
Now as the group rides, he sees the black smoke. "Not a good sign," he says to the others. He studies the smoke and the direction it's coming from, trying to discern what kind of fire the smoke might indicate and where it is likely located. (Survival: 14)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Valeria would give her queen a final graceful curtsy before boarding the ship, settling in at her private quarters before joining the others on deck, having a pleasant conversation with the captain about the ship and the expected weather ahead, then visiting the ships cook to make sure the meals would be enjoyable at their journey. She was certainly no stranger to living simple but now being back in civilization she would simply prefer to keep some luxury in her life whenever possible. During the journey at sea she would socialize with those available, making herself pleasant and entertaining company while never getting the least personal, a balancing act she would need to hone for the days ahead. Cruentus would spend the journey hunting any vermin that had snuck on board, or proudly riding the winds above the ship, trying to make sure Nixri down on the deck would see him up there.
As the queens envoys set foot in Bluda she would thank Feliks for keeping her steed well groomed and cared for. During their overland journey towards Marne, the young red-haired lady, now dressed in her travelling outfit, well-made but simple clothes and a red travelling cloak matching her long hair now put into a loose pony tail, would try to navigate towards high quality meals and rests whenever possible. Cruentus is now flying ahead above the queen's envoys to scout for any threats on the horizon. As he spots the black smoke rising to the south he flies closer, trying from his high altitude to discern what is the cause.
Kyrian spends most of the time on-board the ship on the deck, helping where he can. He'd spent quite a large amount of time on deck the past few years, and from experience he knows that a tired deckhand is unlikely to turn down an offer of help in good faith. While partially done out of generosity, it also helps him work off his restless energy. There aren't many places to escape your own mind on a ship.
When they finally drop anchor in Bluda, he is relieved that they made it without complications. He relays to the group that he's impressed with the efficacy of the crew, but he's also glad to be on dry land again. During the travel overland, he says little, but does seem more in his element than how he looked in the Queen's court. The saddle of his horse seems slightly uncomfortable to his non-human physique, his tail sticking out at an odd angle, but he doesn't complain. He's used to things not quite fitting him since he left his homeland. As they see the black smoke rising over the horizon, he lets out a low growl.
"No, not a good sign at all. Come on, someone might be in trouble."
He kicks in his heels, nudging his mount into a fast canter and takes off towards the source of the smoke. He does look behind him to make sure the others follow before he gets out of sight.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
During the journey on the boat, Kertez spends most of his time discussing with the other members of the delegation and reading the books he’s brought to kill time. It takes him a few days to get used to the rocking of the boat. As he already has to rely on his cane for balance, the extra challenge from the waves hitting the ship make moving around a struggle. As a novice seafarer, he also tries to observe the sailors working on the deck, asking them question here and there to better understand what they do.
He looks relieved when they reach Bluda. The old wizard is more than happy return to solid ground. But despite the inconveniences of travel, he enjoys the uneventfullness of this journey. It reminds him of a simpler time, when he was younger and traveled across the realms alone. It makes him somewhat nostalgic.
His reverie is cut short by the sight of the plumes of black smoke in the distance. As the other members of the party seem ready to go investigate, he commands his horse to follow and keep pace with the rest of the group.
Alaric is hesitant to veer off course. Of course his first instinct was to help people...But his Queen had given him a specific mission, and it made him to uneasy to delay it for a problem the local lords should be managing. He doesn't voice his concerns however, instead wordlessly directing his horse to follow Kyrian as he takes off into the trees.
Feliks eyes the smoke in the distance, noting the black coloration. Usually an indication of whatever's fueling the fire not burning all the way, creating soot that gets thrown into the air with the smoke. Like when a house or building is set aflame. It's at least 2 or 3 miles from where you are now, or around an hour of traveling time if you move quickly.
High above Cruentus can see what Feliks was speculating in his own mind. In the distance it sees the a small grouping of buildings like a hamlet, one of which is burning. It flies back to within 100 feet of Valeria to relay the information.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Cruentus has spotted a grouping of buildings ahead, one of which is burning."The young red-haired lady quickly explains to the others as she follows them on her steed. She then sends Cruentus ahead once more to hopefully be able to see if the hamlet is under attack or if the queen's envoys are led into a trap.
Another perception for Cruentus as he gets closer: 10
Feliks spurs his horse to move faster, following after Kyrian. "Let's keep an eye out for danger. But if there's some way to help we need to provide aid!"
You travel through about a mile of sparse woodland before the terrain morphs into a grasslands with gently rolling hills. The south appears as a gradual uneven slope upward, a few miles to your east is a river tributary that flows into Marne.
As you approach, Cruentus could see indistinguishable figures traveling further south from the hamlet. By the time you're close enough to the small settlement to realize how wrong the situation is, the building that was aflame is little more than a smoldering pile of ash.
The hamlet consists of a small cluster of wood-constructed homes spaced around enough to fit gardens next to them. In any other circumstance, you might have thought the settlement to be peaceful, its homes quant. But immediately you know those homes to be empty, because the inhabitants litter the ground before you. Some bodies have arrows sticking out from them, others have been torn by steel blades. Blood soaks the ground, and most of the houses seem to have their doors kicked in.
As they approach the village, Kyrian pulls his horse to a standstill. As the smoke reveals the bodies, his breath catches in shock. "We have to stop the people that did this. The last thing this country needs is to be worrying about bandits and raiders, it's balancing on a knife's edge as it is. Valeria, can Cruentus see the raider's heading? We need to cut them off."
He reaches down, pulling his sword a few inches out of his scabbard, inspecting the blade, then resheathing it. He reaches into his pocked with his left hand grabbing something that briefly glints, reflecting the sunlight, and holding it in a closed fist. He tries to drag his gaze away from the bodies, but finds himself unable to. The blood and the smell of burning flesh bring back unbidden memories.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Agreed," Feliks says quickly. "We must pursue whoever did this!" He presses his horse quickly to the south, hoping that Valeria's familiar could give them an idea of where these bandits had gone.
(OOC - From the description, I presume we are still within Marais. But we are close to the border with Marne?)
"The raiders continued to the south."Valeria calls out to the others from her steed, desperation in her voice, almost making it break up, looking about with sorrow and disgust over what she witnesses. She swiftly sends Cruentus ahead to the south to report any change in direction of the ruthless raiders. She felt herself torn between her mission, the urge to look for survivors, and to stop the raiders from further slaughter, but she decides to follow the others for now.
Alaric observes the scene grimly, as much as the others he wanted to stop those responsible. "I would say this isn't our place to dispense to justice. That we should leave it to a local lord. But..." He gaze moves to Feliks, "I suppose you count for that anyway."
"We won't be able to catch up to them until they stop somewhere for the day. So long as Cruentus can keep sight of them that shouldn't be a problem."
While crossing what remained of the quaint little hamlet, Kertez looks around the scene with desolation. Such a ruthless act of barbarism should not go unpunished. Thankfully, Valeria’s draconic servant managed to pick up the trail of the raiders.
As the other seem ready to give chase, Kertez tries to quickly look among the ruins for any distinctive signs of who or what the raiders were (any particular fletching technique or material on the arrows, graffiti that identifies the culprits, details on the wound on the bodies, etc.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Noticing the old wizard looking about as they pass through the raided hamlet, Valeria does the same, hoping to pick up some quick clues as to who the raiders are.
As the pair of you look around, you see no symbols or signs left behind by the raiders. There's nothing particularly notable about the arrows they left behind either. They could have been made anywhere in the lands controlled by the Great Houses of Men. Whoever this group was, they weren't here to leave a mark and make themselves known.
From what Cruentus can see, the group is riding at a fast pace away from the Hamlet, heading straight south for the woods. After Valeria and Keretz finish their quick investigation, the five of you send your mounts south, following the guidance of Valeria's familiar. You kick your horses into a gallop to try and overtake the group...Within 30 minutes(4 miles from the hamlet, 6 miles to the southern tree line) you have them within your sights.
There are 8 of them in total riding in a close group. From the distance you're at now (500 feet), you can't make out any distinguishing features on them.
This is also the point where they notice you. You hear a shout go out, and then another. The riders split apart, putting distance between each other and veering off on slightly different courses, but still going south towards the woods. They push their own mounts into a gallop, now matching your speed as they split off.
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The Queen lets out a small sigh, shaking her head with a smile on her face. "Were it so easy to duel the lords and ladies of the Great Houses into submission."
A man comes from the ship, bowing low before approaching further. "Ship and crew are ready Your Grace. We can depart anytime at your leave." She nods in response, motioning for him to return to the boat. Her attention turns back towards you all. "Well, the fate of my House is in your hands now. I wouldn't place it anywhere else. Good luck, and for the last time. Come home safe." She smiles, which quickly fades from her face as she moves past you to head back to the castle. Her guard follow close behind.
The trip along the Forgotten Coast is a relatively peaceful one. The ships of House Lense aren't swift or special by any means, but you are comfortable over the 5 day journey. At the end of it, you offload into the port city of Bluda, within the lands of House Marais. Bluda is more travel hub than a center of trade, it's filled with taverns, stables, supply shops, and craftsmen skilled in repair of land and sea vehicles. None are of great import to your mission.
Overland it is a further four days travel east, away from the swampy marshes that make up most of the Marais lands. On horseback, you leave the city of Bluda the day after your arrival. Your travel overland is nearly as uneventful as the sea travel...Until your second day, just a few short hours after you pass into the realm of House Marne, with the sun still high in the sky.
In the southern distance you can see black smoke rising, beyond the sparse woodlands that sprinkle the coast in this area.
When the time to leave comes, Feliks simply steps onto the ship, ready to locate his quarters. Though eager to get there, he is more interested dropping off his pack and setting up a place for Nixri to rest. Once that's accomplished, he is back outside and standing at the edge of the ship, enjoying the view. That is what he does much of the voyage, clearly enjoying the breeze and the views as they travel, no matter the weather.
Upon arrival in Bluda he is happy to help out with seeing the horses off the ship. He had in fact checked on them often during the journey, making sure they were comfortable, groomed, and properly fed. Perhaps there were others that were specifically there to care for them, but he felt he should check. And it was never enough to just monitor and provide instructions. He was more than willing to jump in and do some of the work.
He had of course kept Nixri away from the mounts while aboard the ship. The journey by water was nerve-wracking enough for the creatures. They didn't need a small dragon to further aggravate them. As a creature of spirit, she didn't really need nourishment and wasn't a threat to the horses. But they didn't know that. Of course, now heading overland, Nixri accompanies the group as they ride. His own horse is used to the presence of the drake, but he makes sure to keep Nixri back from the other horses as much as possible.
Now as the group rides, he sees the black smoke. "Not a good sign," he says to the others. He studies the smoke and the direction it's coming from, trying to discern what kind of fire the smoke might indicate and where it is likely located. (Survival: 14)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Valeria would give her queen a final graceful curtsy before boarding the ship, settling in at her private quarters before joining the others on deck, having a pleasant conversation with the captain about the ship and the expected weather ahead, then visiting the ships cook to make sure the meals would be enjoyable at their journey. She was certainly no stranger to living simple but now being back in civilization she would simply prefer to keep some luxury in her life whenever possible. During the journey at sea she would socialize with those available, making herself pleasant and entertaining company while never getting the least personal, a balancing act she would need to hone for the days ahead. Cruentus would spend the journey hunting any vermin that had snuck on board, or proudly riding the winds above the ship, trying to make sure Nixri down on the deck would see him up there.
As the queens envoys set foot in Bluda she would thank Feliks for keeping her steed well groomed and cared for. During their overland journey towards Marne, the young red-haired lady, now dressed in her travelling outfit, well-made but simple clothes and a red travelling cloak matching her long hair now put into a loose pony tail, would try to navigate towards high quality meals and rests whenever possible. Cruentus is now flying ahead above the queen's envoys to scout for any threats on the horizon. As he spots the black smoke rising to the south he flies closer, trying from his high altitude to discern what is the cause.
Cruentus perception: 23
Kyrian spends most of the time on-board the ship on the deck, helping where he can. He'd spent quite a large amount of time on deck the past few years, and from experience he knows that a tired deckhand is unlikely to turn down an offer of help in good faith. While partially done out of generosity, it also helps him work off his restless energy. There aren't many places to escape your own mind on a ship.
When they finally drop anchor in Bluda, he is relieved that they made it without complications. He relays to the group that he's impressed with the efficacy of the crew, but he's also glad to be on dry land again. During the travel overland, he says little, but does seem more in his element than how he looked in the Queen's court. The saddle of his horse seems slightly uncomfortable to his non-human physique, his tail sticking out at an odd angle, but he doesn't complain. He's used to things not quite fitting him since he left his homeland. As they see the black smoke rising over the horizon, he lets out a low growl.
"No, not a good sign at all. Come on, someone might be in trouble."
He kicks in his heels, nudging his mount into a fast canter and takes off towards the source of the smoke. He does look behind him to make sure the others follow before he gets out of sight.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
During the journey on the boat, Kertez spends most of his time discussing with the other members of the delegation and reading the books he’s brought to kill time. It takes him a few days to get used to the rocking of the boat. As he already has to rely on his cane for balance, the extra challenge from the waves hitting the ship make moving around a struggle. As a novice seafarer, he also tries to observe the sailors working on the deck, asking them question here and there to better understand what they do.
He looks relieved when they reach Bluda. The old wizard is more than happy return to solid ground. But despite the inconveniences of travel, he enjoys the uneventfullness of this journey. It reminds him of a simpler time, when he was younger and traveled across the realms alone. It makes him somewhat nostalgic.
His reverie is cut short by the sight of the plumes of black smoke in the distance. As the other members of the party seem ready to go investigate, he commands his horse to follow and keep pace with the rest of the group.
Alaric is hesitant to veer off course. Of course his first instinct was to help people...But his Queen had given him a specific mission, and it made him to uneasy to delay it for a problem the local lords should be managing. He doesn't voice his concerns however, instead wordlessly directing his horse to follow Kyrian as he takes off into the trees.
Feliks eyes the smoke in the distance, noting the black coloration. Usually an indication of whatever's fueling the fire not burning all the way, creating soot that gets thrown into the air with the smoke. Like when a house or building is set aflame. It's at least 2 or 3 miles from where you are now, or around an hour of traveling time if you move quickly.
High above Cruentus can see what Feliks was speculating in his own mind. In the distance it sees the a small grouping of buildings like a hamlet, one of which is burning. It flies back to within 100 feet of Valeria to relay the information.
"Cruentus has spotted a grouping of buildings ahead, one of which is burning." The young red-haired lady quickly explains to the others as she follows them on her steed. She then sends Cruentus ahead once more to hopefully be able to see if the hamlet is under attack or if the queen's envoys are led into a trap.
Another perception for Cruentus as he gets closer: 10
Feliks spurs his horse to move faster, following after Kyrian. "Let's keep an eye out for danger. But if there's some way to help we need to provide aid!"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Kertez tries to keep up with the other members as they rush to the location of the smoke.
You travel through about a mile of sparse woodland before the terrain morphs into a grasslands with gently rolling hills. The south appears as a gradual uneven slope upward, a few miles to your east is a river tributary that flows into Marne.
As you approach, Cruentus could see indistinguishable figures traveling further south from the hamlet. By the time you're close enough to the small settlement to realize how wrong the situation is, the building that was aflame is little more than a smoldering pile of ash.
The hamlet consists of a small cluster of wood-constructed homes spaced around enough to fit gardens next to them. In any other circumstance, you might have thought the settlement to be peaceful, its homes quant. But immediately you know those homes to be empty, because the inhabitants litter the ground before you. Some bodies have arrows sticking out from them, others have been torn by steel blades. Blood soaks the ground, and most of the houses seem to have their doors kicked in.
As they approach the village, Kyrian pulls his horse to a standstill. As the smoke reveals the bodies, his breath catches in shock. "We have to stop the people that did this. The last thing this country needs is to be worrying about bandits and raiders, it's balancing on a knife's edge as it is. Valeria, can Cruentus see the raider's heading? We need to cut them off."
He reaches down, pulling his sword a few inches out of his scabbard, inspecting the blade, then resheathing it. He reaches into his pocked with his left hand grabbing something that briefly glints, reflecting the sunlight, and holding it in a closed fist. He tries to drag his gaze away from the bodies, but finds himself unable to. The blood and the smell of burning flesh bring back unbidden memories.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Agreed," Feliks says quickly. "We must pursue whoever did this!" He presses his horse quickly to the south, hoping that Valeria's familiar could give them an idea of where these bandits had gone.
(OOC - From the description, I presume we are still within Marais. But we are close to the border with Marne?)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"The raiders continued to the south." Valeria calls out to the others from her steed, desperation in her voice, almost making it break up, looking about with sorrow and disgust over what she witnesses. She swiftly sends Cruentus ahead to the south to report any change in direction of the ruthless raiders. She felt herself torn between her mission, the urge to look for survivors, and to stop the raiders from further slaughter, but she decides to follow the others for now.
Alaric observes the scene grimly, as much as the others he wanted to stop those responsible. "I would say this isn't our place to dispense to justice. That we should leave it to a local lord. But..." He gaze moves to Feliks, "I suppose you count for that anyway."
"We won't be able to catch up to them until they stop somewhere for the day. So long as Cruentus can keep sight of them that shouldn't be a problem."
While crossing what remained of the quaint little hamlet, Kertez looks around the scene with desolation. Such a ruthless act of barbarism should not go unpunished. Thankfully, Valeria’s draconic servant managed to pick up the trail of the raiders.
As the other seem ready to give chase, Kertez tries to quickly look among the ruins for any distinctive signs of who or what the raiders were (any particular fletching technique or material on the arrows, graffiti that identifies the culprits, details on the wound on the bodies, etc.)
(Investigation?)
(Make an Investigation check, yes. You are within the borders of House Marne's lands.)
Investigation: 23
Noticing the old wizard looking about as they pass through the raided hamlet, Valeria does the same, hoping to pick up some quick clues as to who the raiders are.
Investigation: 16
As the pair of you look around, you see no symbols or signs left behind by the raiders. There's nothing particularly notable about the arrows they left behind either. They could have been made anywhere in the lands controlled by the Great Houses of Men. Whoever this group was, they weren't here to leave a mark and make themselves known.
From what Cruentus can see, the group is riding at a fast pace away from the Hamlet, heading straight south for the woods. After Valeria and Keretz finish their quick investigation, the five of you send your mounts south, following the guidance of Valeria's familiar. You kick your horses into a gallop to try and overtake the group...Within 30 minutes(4 miles from the hamlet, 6 miles to the southern tree line) you have them within your sights.
There are 8 of them in total riding in a close group. From the distance you're at now (500 feet), you can't make out any distinguishing features on them.
This is also the point where they notice you. You hear a shout go out, and then another. The riders split apart, putting distance between each other and veering off on slightly different courses, but still going south towards the woods. They push their own mounts into a gallop, now matching your speed as they split off.