(OOC: Llama's too busy to post right now, so I'll be making actions for him in combat for the time being. He'll probably have to drop for now, but may rejoin later depending on his schedule. In the meantime, sorry for the lack of updates. At first I was waiting for every last player to post an action, and then I got busy in real life after that. I'll edit this post to keep things going. Also, now that Zingbob's dropped, someone on the waiting list's been approved to join up at the next stop.)
This time, the intense stream of cold is far larger and stronger than usual, and actually chills the air all around the path from Belview to the Mane strongly enough for those near it to actually feel it. Once it hits the demon, a cascade of blue-white ice covers it from head to toe, and it falls forward and shatters into chunks of ice and rotten meat.
(Mane 4 destroyed)
Merrok, caught in mid-parry, shivers slightly as he lets out a breath that can actually be seen in the brief moments that the temperature has suddenly dropped. Still hiding behind the tree she's retreated to, Kaylessa slowly arches and eyebrow and remarks, "Aye, it's always th' little ones that surprise ya."
Initiative 09
The drow warrior reacts with blinding speed to Aldarin's swing, bringing it directly up into the path of Aldarin's staff. However, the instant before his blow gets parried, the Half-Elf shifts his weight and slams his shield into the dark-elf's body, and in the moment of distraction from that unexpected blow, swings his staff around at clips his opponent on the side of the head from a different angle.
The hooded Drow gasps as he staggers back from the unexpected hit to his head. He seems to have rolled with the blow as best as he can, but now looks quite unsteady on his feet. A bit of blood is now trickling down the side of his face, some of which is also glistening off the tip of Aldarin's enchanted staff.
Initiative 05
Seeing the Goblin who viciously attacked her almost getting away, Kayelssa lets out a guttural cry of rage. "I can still hit him!" she yells, impulsively drawing her bow back with more of a ragged jerk than a disciplined pull, and sending an arrow flying toward the back of the fleeing goblin.
(Longbow - 1d20+7 = 19 to hit, 1d8+3 = 8 damage)
Somehow, even at this range and despite Kaylessa's rough movements, the arrow finds it mark and the Goblin jerks sharply while running as the arrow pierces his upper back. Nonetheless, he doesn't stop moving, and keeps running away in a now even deeper panic.
Even looking like he's barely able to stand, the now panting Drow keeps both blades up in a ready position, looking ready to try to block any blow that might come his way. He begins hunching forward, looking like he might spring at any moment. However rather than any kind of attack, a sudden globe of darkness appears abruptly instead, covering the Drow and everyone around him.
By the time anyone is able to get around it, the Dark Elf is gone without a trace.
Off in the distance, even with a few shallow wounds covering him and the arrow lodged in his back, the Goblin manages to finally run out of the range of even Kaylessa's Longbow, and vanishes into the brush, disappearing from sight. Through the trees, the two visible Goblin Wolfriders (including the one holding the torch) nervously slink off, goading their worgs away, apparently unwilling to face a party that's forced what was presumably their leader to flee, killed his man-eating giant worg, destroyed a group of otherworldly demons, and also chased off a particularly elite-looking Drow that couldn't even win despite having taken down one of the enemy (albeit a gangly, weak-looking one) in a handful of seconds.
It seems like the immediate threat, at least, is over.
Pale-faced and shocked looking, the caravaneers bring their vehicles slowly over to the group as soon as they're sure things are safe, and that all of the enemies are gone. Elessa and her husband quickly rush over to Jim, and Elessa begins treating his injuries rapidly with the use of a healing kit, with Halethar pulling off bits of armor to expose wounds and otherwise helping his wife as much as possible. After a few tense moments, Jim wakes up, looking haggard, but stable.
"Ye should go rest yerself in the wagon, dearie." Elessa finally says breathlessly when the half-elf comes to. She and Halethar help him over to their large wagon, and bring him inside the back of it to recover.
Similarly, Durgan Stonecreek has also pulled out a physician's kit, and appears to be tending to Kaylessa, who is sitting on the ground near the tree she's taken cover at. She winces slightly at some ointment is applied to her shoulder where the javelin hit, and stifles a cry as some more of it (along with a sterilizing liquid) is applied to the wound on her leg. "You'll be needin' a new boot once this one is off lass, and I'd try to stay off this foot at least for th' rest of th' day." Durgan says as he gingerly pulls off Kaylessa's fang-gouged left boot and covers the exposed foot with bandages once its cleaned off. "Aye, I have spare set. Just th' one though." Kaylessa replies, grimacing slightly as the bandages are applied. "Thankfully th' wounds look shallow, seems th' boot got th' worst a' it." she adds.
Oria seems stunned almost into silence, and is quietly sitting on the driver's seat of her cart, being comforted from a distance by her brother Merrok, who appears to be cleaning off his gore and maggot-streaked armor, clothes, and equipment as best as he can, using the bushes and leaves around the area to wipe off his gear. "No need t'worry yerself none, young 'lassie. Yer big brother has seen hisself a battle or three, an' this one isna bad as th' attack on th' logging camp where Halethar had ta put his woodaxe into th' back o' an Orc that were attackin' our friend. Th' worst o' all these were those fat demon blobs, an' I can tell ya that their bark is far worse than their bite, an' o' course, th' smell."
After he's "done" cleaning himself off as best as he can, Merrok starts going around checking on each party member in turn. "Is anyone needin' their wounds tended?" he asks. "Me father an' Elessa are quite skilled with a healer's kit."
(OOC: I'll stop here for a moment to give people a chance to roleplay before moving things to the Lighthouse, where our next player will join)
Thurgar stood panting, watching the last of the foes move off into the distance. Just then, the smell hit him. The demon's fluid rot on his clothing was enough to make him want to vomit, but he quickly gathered some thick brush weed from the area and started to scrub the oozing, chunky masses off. Waiting until he was sure the color had returned to his face, he slowly moved toward his companions.
"Methinks they be knowin' our strengths now..." he mused to Umbra and Belview, "an' any force bent teh put up a fight as we did muss be protectin' somethin' worth havin'. I spect' teh see 'em return a'fore this journey ends. Best we be prepared but we should be movin' on a'fore we be restin'."
The stout dwarf tried to nurse the wound in his side without drawing too much attention to it.
OOC: Sorry to see you guys go, but welcome to the new player! Take your time, Arcel. Life gets in the way, sometimes, as we're all aware :)
Holding her scabbard, Umbra cast Prestidigitation. Thus cleaning the blade while simultaniously sheathing it.
"Methinks they be knowin' our strengths now..." he mused to Umbra and Belview, "an' any force bent teh put up a fight as we did muss be protectin' somethin' worth havin'. I spect' teh see 'em return a'fore this journey ends. Best we be prepared but we should be movin' on a'fore we be restin'."
"Let's hope they come back,"she says and grins. "I hate letting things unfinished."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
To the Lighthouse
Before everyone gets ready to leave, Durgan and Elessa try to give everyone a once-over to check that no one's seriously hurt. Most people are relatively unscathed, but they notice that Thurgar's been hit, and by rancid, dirty demonic claws as well. "Well look at ye, Ranger Thurgar, that's quite the set of scrapes ye've got there. I don't much fancy lettin' those wounds fester an' get infected, so if ye'd let me an' Master Durgan tend to them, we can get 'em patched up right quick now." Elessa says with motherly concern after taking a few moments to inspect Thurgar.
"Aye, me boys and girls have gotten themselves inta quite a few scrapes over th' years, includin' Merrok over there when the armor he had weren't quite so thick as it is now. Let us have a look at it son." Durgan agrees, healing kit already half-open in his hands.
(If Thurgar accepts the treatment, he recovers 10 hitpoints, as the Caravan Masters have the equivalent of the healer feat. Also, he can't benefit from additional treatment like this until after a short or long rest.)
Shortly afterwards, after a few final checks on the animals and vehicles, the caravan begins carefully resuming its way to Elua's Lighthouse, once Merrok and Kaylessa finish destroying the goblin writing marking the tree and rock (with the help of whoever decides to join them). Despite their earlier bickering, Kaylessa and Merrok spend a good amount of time discussing the gravity of the situation at the middle of the formation before splitting up to resume their respective positions at the front and rear.
"We're goin' ta have ta let th' guard know, alon' with all th' rangers an' druids that work with them, but aren't formally a part a' them." Kaylessa can be overheard saying.
The distance to the lighthouse is reasonably short, and it's reached well before sunrise, but to many of those travelling with the carts and wagon, the journey probably feels much longer due to the constant threat of further attacks, and the tension of having to search every rock and tree for signs of another ambush.
Finally, the large tower with its lit bonfire and the small hamlet surrounding it are reached, and the caravan stops at a clearing just on its outskirts to unhitch all of the animals and give them rest and feed. While they're doing this, some laborers come in to start unloading a small amount of cargo, while a few others bring in new cargo which is promptly loaded in its place. While this is going on, Kaylessa and Merrok take off to speak to the local leaders of the guard and any affiliated members of the militia, after instructing the adventurers to simply oversee the safe loading and unloading of the vehicles.
This request almost seems redundant however, as the entire area seems to be crawling with an unusually high number of guardsmen and women for such a small settlement, and quite a few of them seem on edge. There are also many rangers and druids nearby, along with wizards and clerics who look like they might be from the Great Cairn (the Temple of Mystra) and the Halls of the Unicorn. Finally, oddly enough, several small packs of Eilistraee-worshipping Drow seem to have come out of the cave and tunnel networks in and around Elventree (also known as "Little Underdark") and are openly walking on the surface, wearing their dark-brown "Piwafwi" cloaks, adorned with the twin symbols of Eilistraee and Elventree. Unlike the shimmering, color-shifting cloak the Drow that attacked the caravan wore, these ones seem to be nonmagical and simply stay the same drab shade of brown, although the color chosen seems to blend in well with the dirt, tree trunks, and many types of leaves and foliage found inside the forest of Cormanthor.
Kaylessa and Merrok eventually return from giving their reports, looking grim-faced. "Well me good lads an' lasses, it looks like we weren't th' only ones who saw or even fought wi' goblin types. Much o' th' guard are reportin' th' same. Goblins, Worg-riders, even a few o' th' bigger Hobgoblins an' reports o' an ambush by one o' those hefty Bugbears. Heh, maybe even two. No one else saw any Drow or any use o' strange shadowy magics though." Merrok begins, looking to everyone to see how they take the news. "Looks like we may have caught th' worst o' it though. Th' woodsy types claim that th' big Worg we took down was likely one o' their pack alphas, and those from th' Halls o' th' Unicorn think that the Goblin was some sort o' Shaman an' one o' their leaders. No one said anythin' about any Drow or Demons, an' the Eilistraee folk claim he ain't one o' theirs, an' also that underdark Drow raiders haven't been seen on th' surface in almost 80 years." he concludes, looking concerned, but not actually afraid or even nervous.
"Aye, an' apparently most a' th' goblins were seen an' fought to th' east of Elventree, an' headed towards Elmwood by th' reckonin a' our scouts." Kaylessa adds, taking a moment to fold her arms and bite her lip before continuing. "A smaller detachment were spotted around th' area we were in however, but headed west an' south towards both Hillsfar an' Cormanthor, most likely scoutin' forces tryin' ta test th' strength an' measure th' numbers a' th' humans around th' city an' th' scattered Elven settlements in th' forest. It's very likely in my opinion that we came across th' leader a' those scouts. Hopefully we scared him off the idea a' tryin' ta attack Elventree." she finishes explaining, before taking a break to see if anyone has any questions.
(OOC: Manick, if you want to enter the scene now instead of having Raymond wait inside the tavern, that would be fine. I can imagine him noticing all the goings on and wanting to go outside to see what's happening)
"Ah 'preciate the offer, Durgan, but me burly blood aught'a keep any nasty infections at bay." Thurgar started to waive him off, then considered the task at hand, and what they had just faced. He had heard the rumors in the tavern, and even a mention of a bugbear, but he brushed it off as hunters tall tails. Now that he had seen the demons, personally dispatching of one, not to mention a warg, he was starting to think they might be in for a long, hard journey. He turned back to Durgan and made a feeble attempt to lower his voice so the others would not hear. "Aye, on second though, maybe yeh best be takin' a look jess in case...y'knea, peak fightin' form, an' all..."
Thurgar let Durgan tend to his wounds, which helped relieve some of the apprehension he was feeling. He had originally signed up to stand against goblins and the like, but with the power they just faced, it was anyone's guess at what more was out there. More hands and swords would not be an unwelcome thing right now, and he secretly hoped that they might find a few willing volunteers at the Lighthouse.
After they arrived, Kaylessa and Merrock quickly gathered word of the happenings in the area and relayed them back to the group. He listened intently, confirming that the new information matched the rumors he'd heard, save for the Drow, which was unexpected, to say the least. Thurgar looked to Kaylessa. "News o' all manor o' beasts in the woods spreads like wild fire in me favorite taverns, so I heard these tails a'for I signed up, but I dinnea believe a lick o' it. Seems that was my mistake. Thing is, though, none o' what tickled mah ears included tell o' no Drow. New news, iffin yeh don't mind me sayin' so." he paused for a moment, not quite sure how to phrase his next words. "Me gut be tellin' me the woods 'er startin' to feel a wee bit small, like there's some sorta invasion slowly a'massin'..."
He let himself trail off, lost in thought. Soon, he began to wonder if they were truly prepared for what was ahead and started to look for any shops or merchants that might have something useful.
OOC: While we're stopped, and seemingly protected, is there any shopping available?
From the direction of the hamlet and the small inn therein, a large human walks toward the group. His well-oiled chain mail glints and gleams as he passes by the torches. He has a dark mop of unruly hair with a small tuft of a beard adorning his chin. His most noticeable feature is the long jagged scar that marks the left side of his face. It starts just above the eyebrow and stretches down to his jaw. He pauses to speak with a guardsman and then quickly and confidently strides toward the group. He is balancing a halberd on his shoulder with his right hand.
As the man reaches the group you notice that he begins to smile as he recognizes Merrok and Kaylessa. "Hail, Master Merrok! Greetings, Mistress Kaylessa! I understand you ran into some trouble on your way here." Glancing at the rest of the party, the man plunks the butt of his halberd into the ground and pushes it forward in a salute and says, "My name is Raymond Xarrut," the last word of which is pronounced Zah-root. "But you can call me Ray. When I had heard that the caravan that was attacked was from Elventree, I came as quickly as I could to offer my assistance."
"Well met, Ray. You're from Elventree, I take it?" Umbra asks the newcomer. Leaning on one of the wagons she pretends to examine her fingernails while eying Ray from the corner of her eyes.
OOC: While we're stopped, and seemingly protected, is there any shopping available?
(OOC: There's a small general store where you can get travelling supplies and tools, including some simple weapons that often double as tools, and simple armors made of light materials. Basically, all the light armors and hide. That said, it's not open yet as it's before sunrise.)
After they arrived, Kaylessa and Merrock quickly gathered word of the happenings in the area and relayed them back to the group. He listened intently, confirming that the new information matched the rumors he'd heard, save for the Drow, which was unexpected, to say the least. Thurgar looked to Kaylessa. "News o' all manor o' beasts in the woods spreads like wild fire in me favorite taverns, so I heard these tails a'for I signed up, but I dinnea believe a lick o' it. Seems that was my mistake. Thing is, though, none o' what tickled mah ears included tell o' no Drow. New news, iffin yeh don't mind me sayin' so." he paused for a moment, not quite sure how to phrase his next words. "Me gut be tellin' me the woods 'er startin' to feel a wee bit small, like there's some sorta invasion slowly a'massin'..."
Kaylessa nods in response to Thurgar, and Merrok also inclines his head in a more subtle one as well. "Yer gut is quite right by my reckonin' Mister Thurgar. As far as anyone can make out, there seem ta be a major force possibly headed out towards our closest allies in Elmwood. We've already sent out messengers on two separate boats t'warn them, an' we're doublin' patrols around Elventree alon' with fortifyin' th' Lighthouse in case it comes under attack. I have little doubt that th' scoutin' parties said ta be headed toward Hillsfar and upper Cormanthor may get involved in some skirmishes ta test th' forces around those parts, so if we're to continue our expedition, we'd best be prepared ta be careful." she says in response to the Dwarf.
"Aye!" Merrok agrees, nodding more vigorously this time. "I should've known things were too quiet nowadays. Th' roads an' woods have always been a bit thick with Orcs, an' we haven't seen neither hide nor hair of 'em in far too long for it to be a coincidence. No reason fer them t'just vanish like that, unless somethin' else were chasin' them out. Th' Eilistraee Drow are also sayin' that Th' Little Underdark and the Upperdark that connects to it have been too quiet as well. I would bet my ale money that what we saw and fought has somethin' to do with all o' that." he expounds.
As the man reaches the group you notice that he begins to smile as he recognizes Merrok and Kaylessa. "Hail, Master Merrok! Greetings, Mistress Kaylessa! I understand you ran into some trouble on your way here." Glancing at the rest of the party, the man plunks the butt of his halberd into the ground and pushes it forward in a salute and says, "My name is Raymond Xarrut," the last word of which is pronounced Zah-root. "But you can call me Ray. When I had heard that the caravan that was attacked was from Elventree, I came as quickly as I could to offer my assistance."
"Ah, Raymond!" Merrok exclaims, clapping his hands together firmly with delight. The sturdy dwarf walks over and warmly thrusts out his hand in greeting, vigorously shaking the man's hand if Raymond allows it. "Word gets around fast in a place as small as this one I take it? Well, perfect timing m'boy. One o' our guards took quite a thrashin' from that strange Drow we've been on about, an' we don't know if he'll be fit t'travel for a while. Y'shoulda seen th' hit that boy landed on that smug dark elf though. His staff was glowin' like it was on fire from heaven, an' when it hit, I swear I heard a crack like thunder. It struck that drow so hard, it knocked his 'Faerie Fire straight off o' our druid. Y'wouldn't think that a twiggy lad like him could even do it!" he practically gushes.
Kaylessa strides up next and offers her hand for Raymond to shake as well. "Quite good ta see 'ya again, Mister Xarrut. I take it that y'dont have prior commitments this time, an' are free ta join us on our trip ta Hillsfar? Either way, Master Durgan an' Oria will be quite happy seein' yer face, given as how you saved them both from that Orc th' other day. Good that y'were there too. I can't possibly imagine how me an' Merrok both missed that Orc, an' Durgan isn't quite as fast as he were when he were younger, nor as strong. It were good fortune that y'were there ta keep them from bein' hit with that Orc's giant axe, an' I thank the gods." she says, nodding in acknowledgement to the human.
(OOC: I'll pause for a bit here, to give people to respond and roleplay, then move things along either later today or early tomorrow. Basically, there will be a chance for party members to join or leave, and people will be able to take a long rest at the local inn or even camp outside if they like, and after the rest, there'll be time to shop before the Caravan sets off again)
As Merrok and Kaylessa approach to greet him, Raymond deftly flips the halberd over with both hands, twists and stabs it quivering into the ground behind him. He then turns and leans down a bit to return the dwarf's hand shake. "I am sorry to hear about the injured lad. D'ya think he'll recover?" Next, he awkwardly returns Kaylessa's handshake, careful not to squeeze too hard. "I must talk with Durgan and Oria to see how they are."
After exchanging pleasantries with Merrok and Kaylessa, you notice that Ray's demeanor changes. He stands more upright, back straight and chest out with his hands clasped behind his back as if at military ease. The volume of his voice increases and becomes more measured. "I am currently between jobs at the moment. I returned from Hillsfar just two days past. As for rumors about an increase in activity in these woods, my charges and I only saw some wolves slinking around the night fire. That was three days ago and about halfway between here and Hillsfar. If you require an additional guard for your journey on to Hillsfar I would be honored."As he says this, he bows stiffly. "If I may take my leave, I must settle my affairs with the innkeeper and gather the rest of my gear. When will we be leaving?"
Responding to the dark haired woman, Ray looks toward Umbra and replies curtly, "No. I am from Impiltur."He frowns at the seeming indifference and returns his attention to the rest of the assembled caravan host.
Aldarin greets the newcomer with a solemn nod. Even though they are in relative safety, he continues to keep watch, eyeing anyone passing near carefully. "The more protection, the better off we'll be. I won't speak for our benefactors, but I would welcome anyone to aid the journey, and by the look of you, you would aid us very well indeed."
OOC: I propose we do a rest to recover spell slots, unless Thurgar is the only PC down one. We can check the shop in the morning, see what's what, and go back out at 100%. Everyone agreed?
After all the work of loading and unloading is done, the rest of the Caravan Crew makes its way over to where the Adventurers are meeting with Raymond. Seeing that he's there, Oria sprints ahead and practically tackles the mercenary, attempting to throw her arms around his waist in a hug. "Raymond!" she cries excitedly, clinging tightly to the man (if he lets her). Smiling brightly, Durgan also quickly jogs over and claps his hand enthusiastically on Raymond's arm in a sign of genuine affection. "Ach, good t'see you again Orcslayer! I trust you've been doin' well? If me boy and Kaylessa have'na told ya yet, we'd be delighted t'have ya join us on this trip if y'don't have any prior commitments this time." Durgan says, apparently not knowing that Kaylessa's already asked.
The Wood Elf ranger nods to the Caravan Master. "Aye, th' man's agreed ta join, but he needs a bit a' time ta speak with the innkeeper an' get ready." she explains. "Perfect! We were all set t'head there anyways. But before we do, Elessa and I would like to briefly speak with everyone to make sure that they all wish to continue on this trip." Durgan replies.
"Aye, as the man says. Things have been quite a bit more dangerous than we expected, an' if any of you wish ta take the pay ye've earned this far and leave, we won't hold it against ye." Elessa explains. "Little Jim seems a bit too worse for wear, an' I be thinkin' that now that he's seen everyone kill a big wolf an' several disgutin' demons, that he likely won't wish ta continue now that he's seen th' level of violence we're encounterin'. Add t'that the attack on Elmwood an' forces sneakin' about Elventree an' Cormanthor, an' I can also see how anyone with loved ones t'protect would rather take th' time to go keep 'em safe rather than hit th' road with us." she continues.
Halethar takes this moment to step up, with small drawstring bags that he attempts to hand out to everyone except Raymond. (If accepted, everyone will find that the bag contains the equivalent of 5 gold coins, although the actual value may be made up of various combinations of coins that add up to 5 gold's worth)
"Good work in the forest. That was quite the battle and all of you acquitted yourself superbly well. The coins in the bag are a bonus for having to deal with all of those terrible foes... especially those... awful demons." Halethar says, with a disgusted look on his face as he tries (and fails) to suppress a shudder.
The man pauses for a moment before continuing. "Yes, as my wife was saying, we don't mind if anyone wants to leave for any reason. The fight we were in was quite harrowing, and it wasn't the same as fighting normal Goblins. The local guard and some of the rangers and a druid have offered to escort us most of the day tomorrow, and scouts assure us that it's unlikely we'll run into any real danger going west as long as we stick to the road (given that the bulk of the goblins seem to be headed east towards Elmwood), but anyone who wishes to leave at this point can do so if they please. You'll still get one day's worth of pay, and if for some reason you want to join one of the boats headed towards Elmwood, they are taking volunteers and hiring mercenaries for what they presume will be an upcoming fight there." he explains with more composure than he did before.
"Regardless of your choice, the village guard and local militia with them have generously agreed to pay for our lodgings at the local inn, so if you want to rest there, you can do so for free. We're all done with what we need to do for now, so you're all free to go and rest or do what else you like. I for one, am getting some sleep at the inn. If you want breakfast in the morning and you don't want to order there, just let my wife know. She, Master Durgan, and Oria will be cooking something when they wake up, so if you let them know ahead of time, they'll make something extra." Halethar concludes, nodding to everyone.
(OOC: This is where Jim will officially bow out, and most likely Belview too, as his player's too busy to post right now. If you guys want to take on one more member or add an NPC to the party, we can do that. Since the party left Elventree at night to sneak out, after spending some extra time staging a mock battle against those guards no less, 8 hours of rest will end up having everyone get up closer to noon rather than in the morning. Everyone can respond to the NPC's and roleplay as much as they want, and then settle into the inn or wherever and take a long rest. The general store will be open by then, and most of the hamlet will have woken up.)
Oria sprints ahead and practically tackles the mercenary, attempting to throw her arms around his waist in a hug. "Raymond!" she cries excitedly, clinging tightly to the man (if he lets her). Smiling brightly, Durgan also quickly jogs over and claps his hand enthusiastically on Raymond's arm in a sign of genuine affection. "Ach, good t'see you again Orcslayer! I trust you've been doin' well? If me boy and Kaylessa have'na told ya yet, we'd be delighted t'have ya join us on this trip if y'don't have any prior commitments this time." Durgan says, apparently not knowing that Kaylessa's already asked.
When Ray sees the young dwarf couple his visage visibly softens. A wide smile spreads across his face, crinkling up the edges of the old war wound on his cheek. His brown eyes twinkle and he steps forward and lowers himself to one knee, bracing himself for the onrushing Oria. "Oria!"he bellows a little loudly, and giving her a quick embrace. As Durgan touches his arm, he pats the back of his hand and says softly in return, "'Tis good to see you both! How are you faring this trip?"As the others receive their "hazard pay," Raymond keeps his attention focused on the two dwarves he saved in his first journey outside the city of Hillsfar.
"Regardless of your choice, the village guard and local militia with them have generously agreed to pay for our lodgings at the local inn, so if you want to rest there, you can do so for free. We're all done with what we need to do for now, so you're all free to go and rest or do what else you like. I for one, am getting some sleep at the inn. If you want breakfast in the morning and you don't want to order there, just let my wife know. She, Master Durgan, and Oria will be cooking something when they wake up, so if you let them know ahead of time, they'll make something extra." Halethar concludes, nodding to everyone.
"By the way,"he says after Halethar speaks, "I'm riding with these two. But we'll discuss our travelling plans after we all get some rest. If anyone needs help finding the inn, I am heading there myself. Oria and Durgan, I'll see you two in the mornin'. I'm looking forward to a dwarven breakfast!"He sees that Umbra is heading in the direction of the inn, so he stands and turns toward her, deftly pulling the halberd out of the ground and swinging it up to his shoulder. He glances back to group expectantly.
OOC: I agree with the rest. I need to get the rest of my gear before we head out anyway. If anyone wants or needs to prepare different spells or what not, we'll be able to do that.
"Oria!" he bellows a little loudly, and giving her a quick embrace. As Durgan touches his arm, he pats the back of his hand and says softly in return, "'Tis good to see you both! How are you faring this trip?" As the others receive their "hazard pay," Raymond keeps his attention focused on the two dwarves he saved in his first journey outside the city of Hillsfar.
"Well enough I suppose, given th' fierce attack we endured on th' way here. Luckily, th' adventurers recommended by Lady Elanil were as good as she said, and aside from Kaylessa and Jim, most of th' guards came out pretty much unscathed. Well except for Thurgar, but those wound weren't deep, an' I was able to patch 'em up right quick." Durgan replies earnestly.
"It were right frightenin' Raymond. Th' human-sized wolf an' th' tall Drow ya couldna see were bad enough, but the fat little demons oozin' pus an' maggoots were th' worst! I dinnae ken how Thoorgar were able t'keep his lunch down after they were splatter'd all over his armor like that. Me broother says th' demons were weak, an' tha' they were terrible fighters tha' even Kobolds could beat, but they scared me the most none th' same!" Oria chimes in, clinging a little tighter to Raymond as she recounts the harrowing memory, but sheepishly letting go and pulling away once she's done speaking.
"By the way," he says after Halethar speaks, "I'm riding with these two. But we'll discuss our travelling plans after we all get some rest. If anyone needs help finding the inn, I am heading there myself. Oria and Durgan, I'll see you two in the mornin'. I'm looking forward to a dwarven breakfast!" He sees that Umbra is heading in the direction of the inn, so he stands and turns toward her, deftly pulling the halberd out of the ground and swinging it up to his shoulder. He glances back to group expectantly.
Halethar nods in response to Raymond. "Yes, of course. Oria's mule-cart is in the middle, and having someone stationed there where Jim used to be would be quite a comfort. Especially now that we know that the Goblins aren't too scared to attack, and alongside strange allies as well. So it's quite good to see you again, and have you actually come along this time." the half-elf replies, with an acknowledging nod. He then walks back to take his wife by the hand, and the two begin strolling towards the inn.
Oria smiles and nods to Raymond as he speaks. "Th' breakfast is a bit Elven as well thanks to Mistress Elessa, an' a bit human thanks to th' tastes o' all three o' us, but Dwarven enough t'satisfy anyone!" she replies cheerily. "Noontheless, I'll make sure you'll have a heapin' servin' waitin' for you come the mornin'!" she adds.
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(OOC: Llama's too busy to post right now, so I'll be making actions for him in combat for the time being. He'll probably have to drop for now, but may rejoin later depending on his schedule. In the meantime, sorry for the lack of updates. At first I was waiting for every last player to post an action, and then I got busy in real life after that. I'll edit this post to keep things going. Also, now that Zingbob's dropped, someone on the waiting list's been approved to join up at the next stop.)
Initiative 17
Seeing only one demon left, Belview decides to send another freezing beam to slow it down.
(Ray of Frost - 1d20+5 = 25 (Crit!) Damage - 2d8 = 13)
This time, the intense stream of cold is far larger and stronger than usual, and actually chills the air all around the path from Belview to the Mane strongly enough for those near it to actually feel it. Once it hits the demon, a cascade of blue-white ice covers it from head to toe, and it falls forward and shatters into chunks of ice and rotten meat.
(Mane 4 destroyed)
Merrok, caught in mid-parry, shivers slightly as he lets out a breath that can actually be seen in the brief moments that the temperature has suddenly dropped. Still hiding behind the tree she's retreated to, Kaylessa slowly arches and eyebrow and remarks, "Aye, it's always th' little ones that surprise ya."
Initiative 09
The drow warrior reacts with blinding speed to Aldarin's swing, bringing it directly up into the path of Aldarin's staff. However, the instant before his blow gets parried, the Half-Elf shifts his weight and slams his shield into the dark-elf's body, and in the moment of distraction from that unexpected blow, swings his staff around at clips his opponent on the side of the head from a different angle.
(Heroic Action - Guaranteed Hit - Damage - 1d8+3 = 7)
The hooded Drow gasps as he staggers back from the unexpected hit to his head. He seems to have rolled with the blow as best as he can, but now looks quite unsteady on his feet. A bit of blood is now trickling down the side of his face, some of which is also glistening off the tip of Aldarin's enchanted staff.
Initiative 05
Seeing the Goblin who viciously attacked her almost getting away, Kayelssa lets out a guttural cry of rage. "I can still hit him!" she yells, impulsively drawing her bow back with more of a ragged jerk than a disciplined pull, and sending an arrow flying toward the back of the fleeing goblin.
(Longbow - 1d20+7 = 19 to hit, 1d8+3 = 8 damage)
Somehow, even at this range and despite Kaylessa's rough movements, the arrow finds it mark and the Goblin jerks sharply while running as the arrow pierces his upper back. Nonetheless, he doesn't stop moving, and keeps running away in a now even deeper panic.
The Retreat
Even looking like he's barely able to stand, the now panting Drow keeps both blades up in a ready position, looking ready to try to block any blow that might come his way. He begins hunching forward, looking like he might spring at any moment. However rather than any kind of attack, a sudden globe of darkness appears abruptly instead, covering the Drow and everyone around him.
By the time anyone is able to get around it, the Dark Elf is gone without a trace.
Off in the distance, even with a few shallow wounds covering him and the arrow lodged in his back, the Goblin manages to finally run out of the range of even Kaylessa's Longbow, and vanishes into the brush, disappearing from sight. Through the trees, the two visible Goblin Wolfriders (including the one holding the torch) nervously slink off, goading their worgs away, apparently unwilling to face a party that's forced what was presumably their leader to flee, killed his man-eating giant worg, destroyed a group of otherworldly demons, and also chased off a particularly elite-looking Drow that couldn't even win despite having taken down one of the enemy (albeit a gangly, weak-looking one) in a handful of seconds.
It seems like the immediate threat, at least, is over.
Aftermath
Pale-faced and shocked looking, the caravaneers bring their vehicles slowly over to the group as soon as they're sure things are safe, and that all of the enemies are gone. Elessa and her husband quickly rush over to Jim, and Elessa begins treating his injuries rapidly with the use of a healing kit, with Halethar pulling off bits of armor to expose wounds and otherwise helping his wife as much as possible. After a few tense moments, Jim wakes up, looking haggard, but stable.
"Ye should go rest yerself in the wagon, dearie." Elessa finally says breathlessly when the half-elf comes to. She and Halethar help him over to their large wagon, and bring him inside the back of it to recover.
Similarly, Durgan Stonecreek has also pulled out a physician's kit, and appears to be tending to Kaylessa, who is sitting on the ground near the tree she's taken cover at. She winces slightly at some ointment is applied to her shoulder where the javelin hit, and stifles a cry as some more of it (along with a sterilizing liquid) is applied to the wound on her leg. "You'll be needin' a new boot once this one is off lass, and I'd try to stay off this foot at least for th' rest of th' day." Durgan says as he gingerly pulls off Kaylessa's fang-gouged left boot and covers the exposed foot with bandages once its cleaned off. "Aye, I have spare set. Just th' one though." Kaylessa replies, grimacing slightly as the bandages are applied. "Thankfully th' wounds look shallow, seems th' boot got th' worst a' it." she adds.
Oria seems stunned almost into silence, and is quietly sitting on the driver's seat of her cart, being comforted from a distance by her brother Merrok, who appears to be cleaning off his gore and maggot-streaked armor, clothes, and equipment as best as he can, using the bushes and leaves around the area to wipe off his gear. "No need t'worry yerself none, young 'lassie. Yer big brother has seen hisself a battle or three, an' this one isna bad as th' attack on th' logging camp where Halethar had ta put his woodaxe into th' back o' an Orc that were attackin' our friend. Th' worst o' all these were those fat demon blobs, an' I can tell ya that their bark is far worse than their bite, an' o' course, th' smell."
After he's "done" cleaning himself off as best as he can, Merrok starts going around checking on each party member in turn. "Is anyone needin' their wounds tended?" he asks. "Me father an' Elessa are quite skilled with a healer's kit."
(OOC: I'll stop here for a moment to give people a chance to roleplay before moving things to the Lighthouse, where our next player will join)
Thurgar (01) - HP: 13/20 | AC: 14 | PP: 11 | SP: 25 | HA: 0
Thurgar stood panting, watching the last of the foes move off into the distance. Just then, the smell hit him. The demon's fluid rot on his clothing was enough to make him want to vomit, but he quickly gathered some thick brush weed from the area and started to scrub the oozing, chunky masses off. Waiting until he was sure the color had returned to his face, he slowly moved toward his companions.
"Methinks they be knowin' our strengths now..." he mused to Umbra and Belview, "an' any force bent teh put up a fight as we did muss be protectin' somethin' worth havin'. I spect' teh see 'em return a'fore this journey ends. Best we be prepared but we should be movin' on a'fore we be restin'."
The stout dwarf tried to nurse the wound in his side without drawing too much attention to it.
Holding her scabbard, Umbra cast Prestidigitation. Thus cleaning the blade while simultaniously sheathing it.
"Let's hope they come back," she says and grins. "I hate letting things unfinished."
To the Lighthouse
Before everyone gets ready to leave, Durgan and Elessa try to give everyone a once-over to check that no one's seriously hurt. Most people are relatively unscathed, but they notice that Thurgar's been hit, and by rancid, dirty demonic claws as well. "Well look at ye, Ranger Thurgar, that's quite the set of scrapes ye've got there. I don't much fancy lettin' those wounds fester an' get infected, so if ye'd let me an' Master Durgan tend to them, we can get 'em patched up right quick now." Elessa says with motherly concern after taking a few moments to inspect Thurgar.
"Aye, me boys and girls have gotten themselves inta quite a few scrapes over th' years, includin' Merrok over there when the armor he had weren't quite so thick as it is now. Let us have a look at it son." Durgan agrees, healing kit already half-open in his hands.
(If Thurgar accepts the treatment, he recovers 10 hitpoints, as the Caravan Masters have the equivalent of the healer feat. Also, he can't benefit from additional treatment like this until after a short or long rest.)
Shortly afterwards, after a few final checks on the animals and vehicles, the caravan begins carefully resuming its way to Elua's Lighthouse, once Merrok and Kaylessa finish destroying the goblin writing marking the tree and rock (with the help of whoever decides to join them). Despite their earlier bickering, Kaylessa and Merrok spend a good amount of time discussing the gravity of the situation at the middle of the formation before splitting up to resume their respective positions at the front and rear.
"We're goin' ta have ta let th' guard know, alon' with all th' rangers an' druids that work with them, but aren't formally a part a' them." Kaylessa can be overheard saying.
The distance to the lighthouse is reasonably short, and it's reached well before sunrise, but to many of those travelling with the carts and wagon, the journey probably feels much longer due to the constant threat of further attacks, and the tension of having to search every rock and tree for signs of another ambush.
Finally, the large tower with its lit bonfire and the small hamlet surrounding it are reached, and the caravan stops at a clearing just on its outskirts to unhitch all of the animals and give them rest and feed. While they're doing this, some laborers come in to start unloading a small amount of cargo, while a few others bring in new cargo which is promptly loaded in its place. While this is going on, Kaylessa and Merrok take off to speak to the local leaders of the guard and any affiliated members of the militia, after instructing the adventurers to simply oversee the safe loading and unloading of the vehicles.
This request almost seems redundant however, as the entire area seems to be crawling with an unusually high number of guardsmen and women for such a small settlement, and quite a few of them seem on edge. There are also many rangers and druids nearby, along with wizards and clerics who look like they might be from the Great Cairn (the Temple of Mystra) and the Halls of the Unicorn. Finally, oddly enough, several small packs of Eilistraee-worshipping Drow seem to have come out of the cave and tunnel networks in and around Elventree (also known as "Little Underdark") and are openly walking on the surface, wearing their dark-brown "Piwafwi" cloaks, adorned with the twin symbols of Eilistraee and Elventree. Unlike the shimmering, color-shifting cloak the Drow that attacked the caravan wore, these ones seem to be nonmagical and simply stay the same drab shade of brown, although the color chosen seems to blend in well with the dirt, tree trunks, and many types of leaves and foliage found inside the forest of Cormanthor.
News from the Guard
Kaylessa and Merrok eventually return from giving their reports, looking grim-faced. "Well me good lads an' lasses, it looks like we weren't th' only ones who saw or even fought wi' goblin types. Much o' th' guard are reportin' th' same. Goblins, Worg-riders, even a few o' th' bigger Hobgoblins an' reports o' an ambush by one o' those hefty Bugbears. Heh, maybe even two. No one else saw any Drow or any use o' strange shadowy magics though." Merrok begins, looking to everyone to see how they take the news. "Looks like we may have caught th' worst o' it though. Th' woodsy types claim that th' big Worg we took down was likely one o' their pack alphas, and those from th' Halls o' th' Unicorn think that the Goblin was some sort o' Shaman an' one o' their leaders. No one said anythin' about any Drow or Demons, an' the Eilistraee folk claim he ain't one o' theirs, an' also that underdark Drow raiders haven't been seen on th' surface in almost 80 years." he concludes, looking concerned, but not actually afraid or even nervous.
"Aye, an' apparently most a' th' goblins were seen an' fought to th' east of Elventree, an' headed towards Elmwood by th' reckonin a' our scouts." Kaylessa adds, taking a moment to fold her arms and bite her lip before continuing. "A smaller detachment were spotted around th' area we were in however, but headed west an' south towards both Hillsfar an' Cormanthor, most likely scoutin' forces tryin' ta test th' strength an' measure th' numbers a' th' humans around th' city an' th' scattered Elven settlements in th' forest. It's very likely in my opinion that we came across th' leader a' those scouts. Hopefully we scared him off the idea a' tryin' ta attack Elventree." she finishes explaining, before taking a break to see if anyone has any questions.
(OOC: Manick, if you want to enter the scene now instead of having Raymond wait inside the tavern, that would be fine. I can imagine him noticing all the goings on and wanting to go outside to see what's happening)
"Ah 'preciate the offer, Durgan, but me burly blood aught'a keep any nasty infections at bay." Thurgar started to waive him off, then considered the task at hand, and what they had just faced. He had heard the rumors in the tavern, and even a mention of a bugbear, but he brushed it off as hunters tall tails. Now that he had seen the demons, personally dispatching of one, not to mention a warg, he was starting to think they might be in for a long, hard journey. He turned back to Durgan and made a feeble attempt to lower his voice so the others would not hear. "Aye, on second though, maybe yeh best be takin' a look jess in case...y'knea, peak fightin' form, an' all..."
Thurgar let Durgan tend to his wounds, which helped relieve some of the apprehension he was feeling. He had originally signed up to stand against goblins and the like, but with the power they just faced, it was anyone's guess at what more was out there. More hands and swords would not be an unwelcome thing right now, and he secretly hoped that they might find a few willing volunteers at the Lighthouse.
After they arrived, Kaylessa and Merrock quickly gathered word of the happenings in the area and relayed them back to the group. He listened intently, confirming that the new information matched the rumors he'd heard, save for the Drow, which was unexpected, to say the least. Thurgar looked to Kaylessa. "News o' all manor o' beasts in the woods spreads like wild fire in me favorite taverns, so I heard these tails a'for I signed up, but I dinnea believe a lick o' it. Seems that was my mistake. Thing is, though, none o' what tickled mah ears included tell o' no Drow. New news, iffin yeh don't mind me sayin' so." he paused for a moment, not quite sure how to phrase his next words. "Me gut be tellin' me the woods 'er startin' to feel a wee bit small, like there's some sorta invasion slowly a'massin'..."
He let himself trail off, lost in thought. Soon, he began to wonder if they were truly prepared for what was ahead and started to look for any shops or merchants that might have something useful.
From the direction of the hamlet and the small inn therein, a large human walks toward the group. His well-oiled chain mail glints and gleams as he passes by the torches. He has a dark mop of unruly hair with a small tuft of a beard adorning his chin. His most noticeable feature is the long jagged scar that marks the left side of his face. It starts just above the eyebrow and stretches down to his jaw. He pauses to speak with a guardsman and then quickly and confidently strides toward the group. He is balancing a halberd on his shoulder with his right hand.
As the man reaches the group you notice that he begins to smile as he recognizes Merrok and Kaylessa. "Hail, Master Merrok! Greetings, Mistress Kaylessa! I understand you ran into some trouble on your way here." Glancing at the rest of the party, the man plunks the butt of his halberd into the ground and pushes it forward in a salute and says, "My name is Raymond Xarrut," the last word of which is pronounced Zah-root. "But you can call me Ray. When I had heard that the caravan that was attacked was from Elventree, I came as quickly as I could to offer my assistance."
Raymond Xarrut (pic)
"Well met, Ray. You're from Elventree, I take it?" Umbra asks the newcomer. Leaning on one of the wagons she pretends to examine her fingernails while eying Ray from the corner of her eyes.
(OOC: There's a small general store where you can get travelling supplies and tools, including some simple weapons that often double as tools, and simple armors made of light materials. Basically, all the light armors and hide. That said, it's not open yet as it's before sunrise.)
Kaylessa nods in response to Thurgar, and Merrok also inclines his head in a more subtle one as well. "Yer gut is quite right by my reckonin' Mister Thurgar. As far as anyone can make out, there seem ta be a major force possibly headed out towards our closest allies in Elmwood. We've already sent out messengers on two separate boats t'warn them, an' we're doublin' patrols around Elventree alon' with fortifyin' th' Lighthouse in case it comes under attack. I have little doubt that th' scoutin' parties said ta be headed toward Hillsfar and upper Cormanthor may get involved in some skirmishes ta test th' forces around those parts, so if we're to continue our expedition, we'd best be prepared ta be careful." she says in response to the Dwarf.
"Aye!" Merrok agrees, nodding more vigorously this time. "I should've known things were too quiet nowadays. Th' roads an' woods have always been a bit thick with Orcs, an' we haven't seen neither hide nor hair of 'em in far too long for it to be a coincidence. No reason fer them t'just vanish like that, unless somethin' else were chasin' them out. Th' Eilistraee Drow are also sayin' that Th' Little Underdark and the Upperdark that connects to it have been too quiet as well. I would bet my ale money that what we saw and fought has somethin' to do with all o' that." he expounds.
"Ah, Raymond!" Merrok exclaims, clapping his hands together firmly with delight. The sturdy dwarf walks over and warmly thrusts out his hand in greeting, vigorously shaking the man's hand if Raymond allows it. "Word gets around fast in a place as small as this one I take it? Well, perfect timing m'boy. One o' our guards took quite a thrashin' from that strange Drow we've been on about, an' we don't know if he'll be fit t'travel for a while. Y'shoulda seen th' hit that boy landed on that smug dark elf though. His staff was glowin' like it was on fire from heaven, an' when it hit, I swear I heard a crack like thunder. It struck that drow so hard, it knocked his 'Faerie Fire straight off o' our druid. Y'wouldn't think that a twiggy lad like him could even do it!" he practically gushes.
Kaylessa strides up next and offers her hand for Raymond to shake as well. "Quite good ta see 'ya again, Mister Xarrut. I take it that y'dont have prior commitments this time, an' are free ta join us on our trip ta Hillsfar? Either way, Master Durgan an' Oria will be quite happy seein' yer face, given as how you saved them both from that Orc th' other day. Good that y'were there too. I can't possibly imagine how me an' Merrok both missed that Orc, an' Durgan isn't quite as fast as he were when he were younger, nor as strong. It were good fortune that y'were there ta keep them from bein' hit with that Orc's giant axe, an' I thank the gods." she says, nodding in acknowledgement to the human.
(OOC: I'll pause for a bit here, to give people to respond and roleplay, then move things along either later today or early tomorrow. Basically, there will be a chance for party members to join or leave, and people will be able to take a long rest at the local inn or even camp outside if they like, and after the rest, there'll be time to shop before the Caravan sets off again)
As Merrok and Kaylessa approach to greet him, Raymond deftly flips the halberd over with both hands, twists and stabs it quivering into the ground behind him. He then turns and leans down a bit to return the dwarf's hand shake. "I am sorry to hear about the injured lad. D'ya think he'll recover?" Next, he awkwardly returns Kaylessa's handshake, careful not to squeeze too hard. "I must talk with Durgan and Oria to see how they are."
After exchanging pleasantries with Merrok and Kaylessa, you notice that Ray's demeanor changes. He stands more upright, back straight and chest out with his hands clasped behind his back as if at military ease. The volume of his voice increases and becomes more measured. "I am currently between jobs at the moment. I returned from Hillsfar just two days past. As for rumors about an increase in activity in these woods, my charges and I only saw some wolves slinking around the night fire. That was three days ago and about halfway between here and Hillsfar. If you require an additional guard for your journey on to Hillsfar I would be honored." As he says this, he bows stiffly. "If I may take my leave, I must settle my affairs with the innkeeper and gather the rest of my gear. When will we be leaving?"
Responding to the dark haired woman, Ray looks toward Umbra and replies curtly, "No. I am from Impiltur." He frowns at the seeming indifference and returns his attention to the rest of the assembled caravan host.
Raymond Xarrut (pic)
Aldarin greets the newcomer with a solemn nod. Even though they are in relative safety, he continues to keep watch, eyeing anyone passing near carefully. "The more protection, the better off we'll be. I won't speak for our benefactors, but I would welcome anyone to aid the journey, and by the look of you, you would aid us very well indeed."
A Welcome Rest
After all the work of loading and unloading is done, the rest of the Caravan Crew makes its way over to where the Adventurers are meeting with Raymond. Seeing that he's there, Oria sprints ahead and practically tackles the mercenary, attempting to throw her arms around his waist in a hug. "Raymond!" she cries excitedly, clinging tightly to the man (if he lets her). Smiling brightly, Durgan also quickly jogs over and claps his hand enthusiastically on Raymond's arm in a sign of genuine affection. "Ach, good t'see you again Orcslayer! I trust you've been doin' well? If me boy and Kaylessa have'na told ya yet, we'd be delighted t'have ya join us on this trip if y'don't have any prior commitments this time." Durgan says, apparently not knowing that Kaylessa's already asked.
The Wood Elf ranger nods to the Caravan Master. "Aye, th' man's agreed ta join, but he needs a bit a' time ta speak with the innkeeper an' get ready." she explains. "Perfect! We were all set t'head there anyways. But before we do, Elessa and I would like to briefly speak with everyone to make sure that they all wish to continue on this trip." Durgan replies.
"Aye, as the man says. Things have been quite a bit more dangerous than we expected, an' if any of you wish ta take the pay ye've earned this far and leave, we won't hold it against ye." Elessa explains. "Little Jim seems a bit too worse for wear, an' I be thinkin' that now that he's seen everyone kill a big wolf an' several disgutin' demons, that he likely won't wish ta continue now that he's seen th' level of violence we're encounterin'. Add t'that the attack on Elmwood an' forces sneakin' about Elventree an' Cormanthor, an' I can also see how anyone with loved ones t'protect would rather take th' time to go keep 'em safe rather than hit th' road with us." she continues.
Halethar takes this moment to step up, with small drawstring bags that he attempts to hand out to everyone except Raymond. (If accepted, everyone will find that the bag contains the equivalent of 5 gold coins, although the actual value may be made up of various combinations of coins that add up to 5 gold's worth)
"Good work in the forest. That was quite the battle and all of you acquitted yourself superbly well. The coins in the bag are a bonus for having to deal with all of those terrible foes... especially those... awful demons." Halethar says, with a disgusted look on his face as he tries (and fails) to suppress a shudder.
The man pauses for a moment before continuing. "Yes, as my wife was saying, we don't mind if anyone wants to leave for any reason. The fight we were in was quite harrowing, and it wasn't the same as fighting normal Goblins. The local guard and some of the rangers and a druid have offered to escort us most of the day tomorrow, and scouts assure us that it's unlikely we'll run into any real danger going west as long as we stick to the road (given that the bulk of the goblins seem to be headed east towards Elmwood), but anyone who wishes to leave at this point can do so if they please. You'll still get one day's worth of pay, and if for some reason you want to join one of the boats headed towards Elmwood, they are taking volunteers and hiring mercenaries for what they presume will be an upcoming fight there." he explains with more composure than he did before.
"Regardless of your choice, the village guard and local militia with them have generously agreed to pay for our lodgings at the local inn, so if you want to rest there, you can do so for free. We're all done with what we need to do for now, so you're all free to go and rest or do what else you like. I for one, am getting some sleep at the inn. If you want breakfast in the morning and you don't want to order there, just let my wife know. She, Master Durgan, and Oria will be cooking something when they wake up, so if you let them know ahead of time, they'll make something extra." Halethar concludes, nodding to everyone.
(OOC: This is where Jim will officially bow out, and most likely Belview too, as his player's too busy to post right now. If you guys want to take on one more member or add an NPC to the party, we can do that. Since the party left Elventree at night to sneak out, after spending some extra time staging a mock battle against those guards no less, 8 hours of rest will end up having everyone get up closer to noon rather than in the morning. Everyone can respond to the NPC's and roleplay as much as they want, and then settle into the inn or wherever and take a long rest. The general store will be open by then, and most of the hamlet will have woken up.)
Pocketing the gold, Umbra replies to Halethar. "Oh, I'll stay. As I mentioned, I hate to leave things unfinished. And I can use the gold."
She will then head to the inn.
When Ray sees the young dwarf couple his visage visibly softens. A wide smile spreads across his face, crinkling up the edges of the old war wound on his cheek. His brown eyes twinkle and he steps forward and lowers himself to one knee, bracing himself for the onrushing Oria. "Oria!" he bellows a little loudly, and giving her a quick embrace. As Durgan touches his arm, he pats the back of his hand and says softly in return, "'Tis good to see you both! How are you faring this trip?" As the others receive their "hazard pay," Raymond keeps his attention focused on the two dwarves he saved in his first journey outside the city of Hillsfar.
"By the way," he says after Halethar speaks, "I'm riding with these two. But we'll discuss our travelling plans after we all get some rest. If anyone needs help finding the inn, I am heading there myself. Oria and Durgan, I'll see you two in the mornin'. I'm looking forward to a dwarven breakfast!" He sees that Umbra is heading in the direction of the inn, so he stands and turns toward her, deftly pulling the halberd out of the ground and swinging it up to his shoulder. He glances back to group expectantly.
Raymond Xarrut (pic)
Raymond Xarrut (pic)
"Well enough I suppose, given th' fierce attack we endured on th' way here. Luckily, th' adventurers recommended by Lady Elanil were as good as she said, and aside from Kaylessa and Jim, most of th' guards came out pretty much unscathed. Well except for Thurgar, but those wound weren't deep, an' I was able to patch 'em up right quick." Durgan replies earnestly.
"It were right frightenin' Raymond. Th' human-sized wolf an' th' tall Drow ya couldna see were bad enough, but the fat little demons oozin' pus an' maggoots were th' worst! I dinnae ken how Thoorgar were able t'keep his lunch down after they were splatter'd all over his armor like that. Me broother says th' demons were weak, an' tha' they were terrible fighters tha' even Kobolds could beat, but they scared me the most none th' same!" Oria chimes in, clinging a little tighter to Raymond as she recounts the harrowing memory, but sheepishly letting go and pulling away once she's done speaking.
Halethar nods in response to Raymond. "Yes, of course. Oria's mule-cart is in the middle, and having someone stationed there where Jim used to be would be quite a comfort. Especially now that we know that the Goblins aren't too scared to attack, and alongside strange allies as well. So it's quite good to see you again, and have you actually come along this time." the half-elf replies, with an acknowledging nod. He then walks back to take his wife by the hand, and the two begin strolling towards the inn.
Oria smiles and nods to Raymond as he speaks. "Th' breakfast is a bit Elven as well thanks to Mistress Elessa, an' a bit human thanks to th' tastes o' all three o' us, but Dwarven enough t'satisfy anyone!" she replies cheerily. "Noontheless, I'll make sure you'll have a heapin' servin' waitin' for you come the mornin'!" she adds.