Missy, the horses, and the wagon are nowhere to be seen. Hopefully she will be able to stop them before they gallop all the way back to Saltmarsh, leaving you to walk home.
The distant horn blows again. You catch a glimpse of one of the burnt goblins rapidly retreating to the west, perhaps 60 feet from you, deep in the scrub.
Peri also returns to the road. "She was indeed carried away, but by our horses and not the goblins." Gazing down the road in the direction the horses bolted, Peri shakes his head. "The Saltmarsh Guard never fails to impress. Hopefully she doesn't disappear for days like that Farley fellow."
If there is a good-sized tree nearby, Peri will attempt to climb it -- Acrobatics14 -- and then try to identify the source of all the crashing and roaring -- Perception24
Peri scampers up an easy-to-climb oak, but is not able to get high enough to see as much as he hoped. The shallow, scrub-filled valley continues for miles to the west. The only landmark visible in the direction of the noise, to the WNW, is a small hilltop with some sizable rocks atop it, at least several hundred feet away, which could coincide, roughly, with the noises. His sharp eyes barely make out a distant figure behind the largest rock.
Several huge, splintering crashes echo through the woods from the west, from the direction of the rocky hilltop. The crashes are followed by a mighty roar.
Peri notices that the humanoid figure by the rock is gone.
A few long moments pass, as you listen for developments and consider your next course of action.
But just as Peri prepares to descend his tree, his sharp halfling eyes spot a new commotion.
About 250 feet into the woods, he reports, he can see a tall human male with a fancy but bloodied shirt and a bright purple forehead fighting off a giant, wolf-like monstrosity.
((Weird, I thought I posted a reply yesterday, complete with the requisite jab at the dwarves. I don't know where it went, but it was kinda like this:))
"There's a small hill a ways off over there that could be the source of all the roarin' and crashin', but there's someone lurkin' amongst the rocks up on top, so don't go chargin' headlong at 'em like the dwarves y' are!"
((Back to present)) After telling the others of the man battling the wolf-beast, Peri slides down out of the tree and will attempt to sneak up on the fight unseen. Stealth22
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Peri slides down the tree and vanishes into the underbrush, leaving the two dwarves once again to survey the ugly, lifeless, and empty landscape.
As he goes deeper in the woods, the underbrush thins slightly, and he eventually comes upon a faint game trail of some sort. The battle between the purple-headed guy and the wolf thing seems to have gone quiet for the moment. Perception: 15
"Aye brother, one landed a luck blow. I'll live though. Where'd that pint sized pain in the neck get to now? No doubt getting himself inta more trouble than he can handle alone. He said something about charging into the hills. I think he was daring us not to. Let's not give him the satisfaction."A huge grin crosses his face. Barreling headlong into trouble is what gave Qiv the greatest rush. He begins to bang his hammer into his shield in an increasing tempo. At its crescendo he yells a warcry that would make Spartans spoil their pants and heads off towards the direction his sarcastic companion had headed.
With an impressive fanfare, Qivys charges the thicket into which Peri disappeared. It's tough going at first, but as the underbrush thins a bit, he soon finds the faint game trail that Peri discovered, leading west.
(Note: Dwal also took a couple of nasty hits during the fight with the goblins.)
Qivys and Dwal stumble on through the brush, trying to follow the thin trail presumably left by local fauna. You see a second eerie, crackling blast of energy up ahead.
About 250 feet into the stunted forest, you find Peri, standing near a large boulder amongst a cluster of bushes.
He is accompanied by a tall, haggard-looking human man wearing a finely-tailored shirt drenched in dried blood. He has an extensive purple stain of some sort on his forehead and along the side of his face, and a purple sheen to portions of his hair. He holds two blades, both of which are stained with fresh blood.
"Hang on you foolhardy son of a bugbear, we're coming!"Qiv yells at the top of his lungs as he runs through the thicket. If it wasn't for his plate, he'd be hung up at every turn. The steel protecting his body, but damaging his ego at the same time. He's never had to push so hard to run such a small distance. "I. Hate. These. Brambles."
((Damn it. Should've finished typing before making that last coffee. Would've posted first ))
"Sir Gerrard, allow me to introduce you to my brave companions, Qivys and Dwal. Dwal is the quiet, intense one, and Qivys is the one loudly cursing Nature and all her creations. And I suppose I haven't given my name yet either. Periwinkle Fenwader - Peri to my friends - undisputed leader of this well-drilled band of heroes."
To the dwarves, "Now you've decided t' join us, Sir Gerrard here has asked for some assistance. Seems he was beset by an ogre and a worg yesterday and his horse eaten. He'd like to retrieve his belongings from said ogre, who appears t' be killin' the very Goblins we were sent to disperse."
As an aside to Gerrard, "I'd not mention the coin; dwarves get touchy about 'honor for purchase' and whatnot. Never can tell what'll set 'em off. Appealin' to their sense o' justice will do fine."
Dwal
Dwal starts to remove himself from the brambles making his way back to the roadway.
"Did she get spooked and make haste away?" Dwal will ask.
As Dwal starts to make his way back to the road he will grab Peri by the arm. "Let's head back lad." he will say.
Missy, the horses, and the wagon are nowhere to be seen. Hopefully she will be able to stop them before they gallop all the way back to Saltmarsh, leaving you to walk home.
The distant horn blows again. You catch a glimpse of one of the burnt goblins rapidly retreating to the west, perhaps 60 feet from you, deep in the scrub.
Peri:
Peri also returns to the road. "She was indeed carried away, but by our horses and not the goblins." Gazing down the road in the direction the horses bolted, Peri shakes his head. "The Saltmarsh Guard never fails to impress. Hopefully she doesn't disappear for days like that Farley fellow."
If there is a good-sized tree nearby, Peri will attempt to climb it -- Acrobatics 14 -- and then try to identify the source of all the crashing and roaring -- Perception 24
Peri scampers up an easy-to-climb oak, but is not able to get high enough to see as much as he hoped. The shallow, scrub-filled valley continues for miles to the west. The only landmark visible in the direction of the noise, to the WNW, is a small hilltop with some sizable rocks atop it, at least several hundred feet away, which could coincide, roughly, with the noises. His sharp eyes barely make out a distant figure behind the largest rock.
Qivys
"What do you sees scamp?" Qiv cries out to his nimble friend. "I ain't never seen someone climb a tree that quick."
Several huge, splintering crashes echo through the woods from the west, from the direction of the rocky hilltop. The crashes are followed by a mighty roar.
Peri notices that the humanoid figure by the rock is gone.
Dwal
"Sounds like we woke someone up out there." Dwal says with a smile. "What's our next move then?" he asks.
A few long moments pass, as you listen for developments and consider your next course of action.
But just as Peri prepares to descend his tree, his sharp halfling eyes spot a new commotion.
About 250 feet into the woods, he reports, he can see a tall human male with a fancy but bloodied shirt and a bright purple forehead fighting off a giant, wolf-like monstrosity.
Peri:
((Weird, I thought I posted a reply yesterday, complete with the requisite jab at the dwarves. I don't know where it went, but it was kinda like this:))
"There's a small hill a ways off over there that could be the source of all the roarin' and crashin', but there's someone lurkin' amongst the rocks up on top, so don't go chargin' headlong at 'em like the dwarves y' are!"
((Back to present)) After telling the others of the man battling the wolf-beast, Peri slides down out of the tree and will attempt to sneak up on the fight unseen. Stealth 22
Peri slides down the tree and vanishes into the underbrush, leaving the two dwarves once again to survey the ugly, lifeless, and empty landscape.
As he goes deeper in the woods, the underbrush thins slightly, and he eventually comes upon a faint game trail of some sort. The battle between the purple-headed guy and the wolf thing seems to have gone quiet for the moment. Perception: 15
He sees and hears nothing.
(Continuing Peri's story via PM...)
Dwal
"Yeah, that's right." he exclaims "run off solo and get ate by something bigger than you and likes the sour taste of halflings."
Dwal looks around for a moment.
"Qivys, were you hurt during that little scarp with those goblins?" he asks.
Qivys
"Aye brother, one landed a luck blow. I'll live though. Where'd that pint sized pain in the neck get to now? No doubt getting himself inta more trouble than he can handle alone. He said something about charging into the hills. I think he was daring us not to. Let's not give him the satisfaction." A huge grin crosses his face. Barreling headlong into trouble is what gave Qiv the greatest rush. He begins to bang his hammer into his shield in an increasing tempo. At its crescendo he yells a warcry that would make Spartans spoil their pants and heads off towards the direction his sarcastic companion had headed.
With an impressive fanfare, Qivys charges the thicket into which Peri disappeared. It's tough going at first, but as the underbrush thins a bit, he soon finds the faint game trail that Peri discovered, leading west.
(Note: Dwal also took a couple of nasty hits during the fight with the goblins.)
Dwal
With a big smile Dwal will cast [Tooltip Not Found] at 2nd level on himself then head into the thicket after Qivys.
Heal: 13
As you trudge deeper into the woods, for a brief moment you see a crackle of eerie purple light far ahead.
You can just barely hear Peri's high voice shout a few words. You can't quite make them out, but it sounds like "Stop Todd and Gup Ear!"
Dwal
Dwal will do the best he can to pick up his pace and get closer to where he thinks Peri is located.
Qivys and Dwal stumble on through the brush, trying to follow the thin trail presumably left by local fauna.
You see a second eerie, crackling blast of energy up ahead.
About 250 feet into the stunted forest, you find Peri, standing near a large boulder amongst a cluster of bushes.
He is accompanied by a tall, haggard-looking human man wearing a finely-tailored shirt drenched in dried blood. He has an extensive purple stain of some sort on his forehead and along the side of his face, and a purple sheen to portions of his hair. He holds two blades, both of which are stained with fresh blood.
They are talking.
Qivys
"Hang on you foolhardy son of a bugbear, we're coming!" Qiv yells at the top of his lungs as he runs through the thicket. If it wasn't for his plate, he'd be hung up at every turn. The steel protecting his body, but damaging his ego at the same time. He's never had to push so hard to run such a small distance. "I. Hate. These. Brambles."
((Damn it. Should've finished typing before making that last coffee. Would've posted first ))
Peri:
"Sir Gerrard, allow me to introduce you to my brave companions, Qivys and Dwal. Dwal is the quiet, intense one, and Qivys is the one loudly cursing Nature and all her creations. And I suppose I haven't given my name yet either. Periwinkle Fenwader - Peri to my friends - undisputed leader of this well-drilled band of heroes."
To the dwarves, "Now you've decided t' join us, Sir Gerrard here has asked for some assistance. Seems he was beset by an ogre and a worg yesterday and his horse eaten. He'd like to retrieve his belongings from said ogre, who appears t' be killin' the very Goblins we were sent to disperse."
As an aside to Gerrard, "I'd not mention the coin; dwarves get touchy about 'honor for purchase' and whatnot. Never can tell what'll set 'em off. Appealin' to their sense o' justice will do fine."