The Winds of the Weln - IC Thread

[Fedrik]

The Winds of the Weln
Episode One: The Wind, the War and the Worries of the Dead

IC:
It was a windy day in the early spring of the 1157th Year since the Fall of Scaenfir, a kingdom far to the north that no one remembered. An uncommonly windy day...

The wind was a North Wind. It blew through all the north free and loud, until making its careful way through ruins, hills, mountains and the settlements of mortals, to play in the trees of the Blackfold Forest far to the south, in the lands known as the Weln. Following on its back was a heavy rain, but in the forest the dark clouds were occluded by the oaks, willows, pines and maples of the Blackfold. Though the smallest of the Weln's great forests, the Blackfold certainly lived up to its name.

Five travellers met that day, having been forced into one another's company by wind and fate and the eldritch universal laws that dictate thusly: when a gnome falls in a forest, a half-orc mercenary, a sorceress from the south, a wandering druid, and a curious cleric hear him make a sound.

Having stopped to practice his limmericks by a minor waterfall near the eastern edge of the forest, Thain the gnomish bard - caught off-guard by the wind - managed to find himself plummeting head-first into the shallow pool below. Laughing and yelling and nervously chortling all the way down, Thain was heard for several miles in several directions. Luckily, in those directions, there happened to be adventurers. This was, after all, the Weln.

First Siobhan the sorceress arrived, just in time to see Thain begin his tumble. Realizing that the fall was harmless, but the serpentine Hookfish in the pool below were anything but, she cast a quick sleep spell and sent the beasts drifting to the bottom.

As the giggling gnome smacked with a wet "WHAFT" into the pool, Nicholas the mercenary stepped from the brush to see what the commotion was. The scene seemed humurous at first, and Nicholas was ready to step away, until he noticed the deceptive pressure put on the floundering gnome by the water from above. Thanks to his considerable size and might, Nicholas was able to dive into the pool and drag the poor (now unconcsious) gnome to shore.

As he did, two other figures came to the pool's clearing. They had met earlier on the road, and had been discussing their disparate methods of healing and caring for the sick, when they heard the sorceress' spell and the gnome's splash. The first of the two, a priest named Agelia, went to the unconcsious gnome and, without hesitation, began her curative chants.

Meanwhile, her conversation partner, the mysterious druid Aevien, slipped back into the wood for some leaves known to druids as a salve for abrasions.

As the divine words faded from the air, the gnome sputtered and gasped, laughing as he was shocked into wakefulness. A minute later, as the small troupe helped Thain get his bearings, Aevien returned with a makeshift mortar and pestel of wood, with a greenish-brown substance that smelled of ginger and mud, which he proceeded to unabashedly slather onto the gnomes cut and bleeding elbows, knees and arms.

The afternoon progressed easily after that. The five decided that the road was safer (not to mention the gnome) in a larger group, and the sharing of resources is never an objectionable idea.

As the hours grew darker, the wind increased, until finally it stopped. Some were thrilled, but the druid and the barbarian knew better, and began to show the others how to set up a waterproof camp with lean-to's and bark and blankets. An hour later, as the downpour began, the troupe was huddled safely between two great maples, surrounded by makeshift defences against
the elements.

The rain lasted only a couple of hours, and afterwards, the breeze was pleasent and the air began to warm, even in the early evening. A faint rainbow could even be seen, as the sun was still just high enough. As the last of the rain trickled from the canopy and the downpour had ceased, a strange sound came to the ears of the five travelers...

Siobhan and Agelia recognized part of the harmony of voices as elven. At least two, singing in unison. There were other voices, but they were of a deeper, rumbling sort and in a language that none of the others knew...

Following the eerie music through the underbrush, the party stopped before entering into another clearing, this one large, and without a waterfall. Instead, a large hill, completely barren of grass or growth, with a large stone cairn on its crest, dominated the breach in the thick Blackfold. Standing and sitting reverently by the cairn were five figures, and each was singing. One
plucked a lute that Thain could recognize as very ancient in its design. Two were elves, obvious from their height and pale skin. The other three were dwarves, ruddier of skin and each with a great flowing beard - save for one, a dwarf woman, who was clearly the leader.

The five sang an old song. Though at first listen none knew its origins, anyone that had spent any time listening to bards in taverns could tell you that this strange music was old. Very old. Even the dialect used in the elven part of the vocals was ancient, and by elf standards, ancient is indeed ancient.

After time out of time, the music stopped, and the five figures collect themselves and move to stand close together. As the dwarf bard with the lute moves from his position, he reveals the true object of their reverence. Not the stone cairn, but what is obviously a fresh grave dug in the hard earth before it.

The figures, elves and dwarves both, are all armed and armored, equipped to their obvious professions. The elves look to be an archer and a mage. The dwarven leader woman carries a large symbol of Moradin around her neck, while one of her companions seems a rugged warrior, and the other the bard with the lute. Though distinct, the emblems on their armour and tabbards are all the same: a tower mounted by four crowns, all green on black. A symbol none of the five travelers recognize...

As a murmer begins in the throats of the travelers - questions of whether to approach the strange funerary party - a pall darkens the very atmosphere of the clearing. A fear strikes the minds of all, and the wind, thought-dead, picks up again. The elves and dwarves by the cairn cast about, draw their weapons, and cast spells of readiness and defence. Then, with an arcane thunderclap, the air before them opens...

The five new friends look on in paralyzing horror as five monstrosities step out of the thin air before the cairn. One, a fiend of immense size, red skin, and air-boiling atmosphere. The second, an impossibly gaunt, spindly skeleton of a man, with a fleshless face and a staff of black and purple bone. The third, a warrior, stocky as a dwarf, bedecked in bright silver armor, but whose face seems completely invisible behind his helm. The fourth, a massive half-orc, impossibly muscular, missing both eyes but seemingly possessed of vision, armed with a huge bow and a rugged, blood-stained axe. And the fifth creature seems at first a vaguely humanoid fog of black cloud and ephemeral shapes, but when it stops, its shape is more apparent. An elf, wreathed in pure shadow, but with eyes as white as purest snow.

Gibbering and dancing and shambling around these five monstrosities are creatures that seem to suite their nature. Undead, minor fiends, creatures of shadow, painted berzerkers, ebbing and flowing like a tide of evil around their masters...

The elves and dwarves that have just buried their friend waste no time in acting against these strange interlopers. The battle, like most battles, is brief, but seems to ring forever in the minds of the five friends waiting scared outside the clearing. One by one, the mourners in the clearing fall to their strange adversaries. Foul magic is cast, fell weapons brought to bear, and words in ancient tongues spat in the heat of combat... But none of it can save the poor procession, as they are cut down or laid low by dark magic.

Eventually, the five evils collect themselves by the grave. The lich, with arms unnaturally long, slips his bony hand into the fresh packed earth and recovers something that shimmers even through the dirt. A rumble of various evil, triumphant laughs echoes through the clearing as the lich shows them his prize, and the fell creatures prepare to leave. The evil berzeker and the lich, before stepping once more through thin air with their victorious allies, order several of their gibbering followers to stay and slay anyone who may have heard or seen the fight.

With those evils gone, the five friends hiding nearby begin to collect their wits and try to figure out what it is they've just been witness to... when they notice one of the elves stir near the feet of one of evil minions... the elf has not been noticed yet, but it is only a matter of time.

OOC:
So! There we go! Crazy stuff, huh?

There's one painted barbarian warrior, one painted barbarian bowman, a zombie and a skeleton, all left behind by the five evil blokes. They don't notice you yet. They are standing in a rough clump between you and the wounded (only surviving) elf, about 60 ft. away into the clearing. The wounded elf is about 80 ft. away, and the cairn on the (low) hill is about 30 ft from that
(so 110 ft away).

There's not much terrain of note save for the cairn on the hill. The hill is too low to offer much in the way of height advantage.

Initiative is rolled below, and you guys can act in that order. I might not be able to update again until late tonight or tomorrow evening, but feel free to post your intentions, reactions, questions, knowledge rolls for anything witnessed, etc.

Initiative:
Siobhan
Thain
Nicholas
Agelia
Aevien

Bowman
Warrior
Skeleton
Zombie

Elf Survivor

(I rolled it at home out of convenience, but will have our dice thread up in a jiffy).

[Fangren]

It had been an odd day for Siobhan Galanodel, to say the least. She'd been walking along Blackfold Road, minding her own business, when suddenly some gnome falls off a waterfall. Rushing to his aide on instinct, she soon noticed the dangerous-looking fish in the pool below.

A quick spell later and the fish were dead asleep. Then some half-orc came out of nowhere, jumped into the pool and saved the gnome from drowning. Having gotten her clothes a bit wet from the splash, Siobhan absentmindedly dried off with another spell while a couple more people (and a wolf) came out to give their assistance. Next thing Siobhan knew, she'd gained a bunch of new traveling companions.

The next few hours went pretty well, rain aside. The weird...funerary procession?...was haunting, but Siobhan wasn't about to interrupt or intrude.

And then a group of obviously evil things showed up, slaughtered the mourners, took something from the cairn, and then left just as quickly as they showed up. They also left a handful of their thugs behind to kill anyone who may have seen the battle. Probably the elf that still looked possibly-alive too.

Acting quickly, Siobhan cast another spell of sleep on the group of assorted minions while they still had no idea the group was there.

She also wracked her brain, trying to remember anything her father had ever taught her about the ways of magic that would shed light on what just happened.

Casting Sleep on the bad guys (DC 15 will save), should only effect the barbarians as the undead are immune. Unless the barbarians are immune too, which would be annoying.

Also making a Knowledge - Arcana check in the dice roll thread for basically anything related to what just happened. If you want more than one roll, let me know and I'll make more.

[Techmagss]

Thain has been frowning at these undead- he didn't like them. Maybe he could hit them? Or maybe give them a little cheerfulness in their life?
After all, they're old and old people need happiness!
Except that skeleton right there.
Thain didn't like skeleton or the zombie, not one bit. He thought for a second or two if he could take off its head...



May I use Mage hand on the skeletons head?

[BassWalker]

It had been a good day. Nicholas had been paid for his last job. He had gotten to watch a foolish gnome fall down a hill, though he did fish the man out of the water shortly thereafter. He had even met some decent folk, which was none too common in these parts. It had been a nice, quiet and simple day to follow the last week of mercenary work.

And then a band of... somethings ruined the most beautiful funeral he had ever had the fortune of witnessing. There weren't many things that the mercenary found particularly disturbing or distasteful, but to intrude upon the sanctity of a grave site and defile someone's final resting place made up a large amount of the list. It didn't sit well with him at all. It made him angry. It made him want to smash something with a rock until the rock broke.

Nicholas's breathing quickened, veins swelling almost to the appearance of bursting within his neck and brow. His lips curled back from the rows of white teeth beneath them, accentuating the two larger incisors rising from the bottom jaw. He hardly heard the red-haired woman's chanting. All the sound that existed seemed to only come from his pounding heart, and he couldn't see her hand waving for the tunnel vision setting in around his gaze.

He didn't wait a moment longer. He couldn't. He was off and running already, bared feet digging into the soft dirt beneath the great weight of his charge. He hefted the large axe in his hands and bellowed at the top of his lungs as he crossed the short distance between him and the infuriating foursome. He had reached the archer before any reaction could be made, swinging the axe in hand through a horizontal arc of disembowelment and fury.

Nicholas is flying into a rage and charging the archer, using Power Attack to deal more damage. The statistics are as follows:

Health: 16/16
AC: 11 (9 during the Charge)

Attack Bonus: +7, Damage: 1d12+9

Duration of Charge: 7/7

I'm assuming that "rough clump" means that they're spaced out some, so there's nothing to say that any of the others are between Nicholas and the archer. Also, any of the other three approaching will only provoke an attack of opportunity. :smallsmile:

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia had witnessed two spectacles and two thirds, all in one day!

First, there was the funerary ritual by the elves and the dwarves; then, there was its swift and bloody interruption by the...fiends. She could have sworn that she heard the skeletal being with the staff tell those that were left behind - a handful of painted fools and lesser undead beings - to kill whoever may be around. These words did not sound empty to Agelia, but rather like the fiend knew that somebody had seen events transpire.

Normally, the young priestess would have fled as fast as was possible, but she wasn't about to leave anybody who might still be alive to die...at least, not when she was with company, for there was strength in numbers, and the large man who called himself Nicholas seemed to turn into two or three, at least! And the half-elf? Her incantation sounded vaguely familiar...like something she had heard a mage or two use while she was training, to tranquilize the occasional injured traveller who couldn't stop screaming in agony while remedies were being administered.

Gods willing, the two painted warriors would be put out of commission, possibly permanently if Nicholas' axe had anything to say about it... But undead were sturdier, their bodies fortified by the foul magics that brought them back to life. Fortunately for her companions, Agelia was adept at wielding positive energy, and, with luck, would be able to drive them off, if not send them back to whatever afterlife they had been denied.

Agelia steps up, her holy symbol held out before her. She calls out to the undead, and channels the energies granted to her by her order's benefactor.

Tactical
Closing any necessary distance, and then invoking turn undead!

Also going to roll a Knowledge (Religion) check so that I can find out some more about the more bizarre aspects of this encounter...in particular, Mumm-Ra -- err, the lich and fiendish beings. If more rolls are needed, more rolls can be made!

[Fedrik]

IC:
Siobhan's spell takes effect on both foreign warriors, but the archer is barely falling before Nicholas is upon him, cleaving him in twain with a single mighty blow.

The other warrior collapses into the underbrush, snoring absurdly.

Meanwhile, after musing a moment on what to do, Thain executes a well-timed Mage-Hand spell, which manages to knock the skeleton's jaw directly off of its head.

Agelia, for her part, attempts to invoke the power of her deity and be rid of the undead for good. Unfortunately (likely due in no small part to the horrible sights witnessed not moments ago) the attempt fails to affect the undead.

And then Aevien the druid...

OOC:
So, Thain, I'll be doing this thing with your cantrips where I'll let you do some extra stuff that other casters can't do with them. I figure because Bards are quite weak in combat at low levels, this will make up for some of that nerfage. So, your Mage-Hand has done a small amount of damage to the skeleton. The only requirement for these special effects, is that you come up with clever ideas (like you did above) and I shall adjudicate special effects.

Status Report:
- Archer is dead.
- Warrior is sleeping.
- Skeleton is lightly damaged.
- Zombie is up and shambling.

Just waiting on our druid friend, and the remaining opponents shall respond.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes charges towards the shambling undead human gnashing his teeth.

Attack roll [roll0]
Damage[roll1]

Aevien moves forward and swings his staff at the slightly fazzed walking skeleton.

Attack roll [roll2]
Damage[roll3]

[Smileybastard]

Bright eyes

Bright eyes having bitten tries to take the creature down.

Trip (touch attack) [roll0]
STR roll [roll1]

[Fedrik]

The druid and his faithful companion charge into the melee behind the barbarian, targeting the undead creatures. Bright Eyes manages to tear a chunk out of the zombie's leg, but the zombie lurches away half a step and the muscle and flesh is torn free.

Aevien makes a swipe at the skeleton, but the undead warrior's rusted armour causes the blow to glance off and do little damage.

With both warriors either dead or a asleep, the undead press their attack. The skeleton swings at Aevien with his age-bitten longsword, while the zombie flails at Bright Eyes.

OOC:
Skeleton Attack: [roll0]
Skeleton Damage: [roll1]
Zombie Attack: [roll2]
Zombie Damage: [roll3]

TOP OF THE ROUND!

Knowledge Checks:
Siobhan: Knowledge Arcana 15 reveals that the Cairn is a Knot Stone, an ancient artifact, of which their are many dotted throughout the Weln. They were used in the ancient past by elven, dwarven, giant and fey kingdoms as neutral meeting places and the sacred burial grounds of heroes.

Agelia: Knowledge Religion 20 reveals the same as above, and also that the religions practiced today view these sites as mildly "pagan", signs of a time before the light of the common gods shone upon the Weln. The Knot Stones were erected by the ancient races who hailed from the Old Kingdoms far to the north, when their power was at its height.

[Fangren]

Siobhan bit her lip, realizing that the cairn was probably one of the Knot Stones her father had told her about. She wished she'd paid more attention to his lectures about her elvish heritage so she'd have a better grasp on the situation, but she didn't think a Knot Stone should be so casually defiled.

Fortunately, the battle was going well - she'd successfully put the two living thugs to sleep, and one had already been killed by Nicholas the half-orc. The two undead were currently being engaged by the druid Aevien and his wolf, but Siobhan felt they could use a bit of help.

Staying put, she began to cast another spell. A moment later, a small ball of force went shooting off towards the skeleton.

Casting Magic Missile at the Skeleton for [roll0] damage. It isn't much, but I'm not about to shoot into melee AND risk damage reduction nullifying my attack.

[Techmagss]

Thain pulled out his crossbow. If these meanies kept bullying his friends, he'd put a bolt through their jaws!
Or something else.
He didn't know.


Taking out crossbow and attacking the zombie with it.
[roll0]

[BassWalker]

Splatter had dyed his axe a beautiful crimson, and he could feel the sticky warmth covering his front. The Human lay at his feet, severed at the waist, while his brethren had fallen inexplicably. Oh well, he wasn't going to be a problem at the moment, but the two necromantic warriors still stood.

Nicholas turned and bellowed once more at the top of his lungs, turning his fury and strength against the one still clinging to its rotten flesh. The distance was too short to get a running start, but this mattered not. In two bounding steps, he was upon the creature and the beast that fought it, bringing his axe to bear upon the nape of its neck.

Nicholas is approaching and attacking the Zombie, again using Power Attack.

Health: 16/16
AC: 11

Attack: [roll0], Damage: [roll1]

Duration of Rage: 6/7

[SCARY WIZARD]

Nothing. Agelia's attempt at channelling did nothing. Well, second time's a charm, right? Or was it the third time... Characteristic of herself, Agelia was at least able to properly place the name of the Knot Stones, something to educate the others on later, if they were interested.

Wishing to lend her assistance to the half-orcish warrior, Agelia steps forward, a bit closer, and flashes her symbol again, this time channelling divine positive energies with enough conviction to make an Immortal quake.

"This world has nothing more for you, cursed with living death! By the Feathers of the Celestial Gatherers..." The acolyte priestess cries out. Her inflection - accented enough as it was - on the word "cursed" seemed to imply that she did at least understand that these two shambling beings might not have been willing converts into living death... Agelia reaches outward with her Symbol, as if "driving the point home" to the undead. "Begone!"

At least, she thought she showed that much conviction. With luck, she would at least be able to drive one of the undead away long enough for herself and possibly Aevien to see to any survivors of the grisly spectacle.

Actions

Approach until I'm within 35 ~ 40 feet of the undead.

Turn Undead
Turning Check: [roll0]
Turning Damage: [roll1]

Nice!

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

Brights eyes again bites at the Zombie.

Attack roll [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

Strength roll[roll2]

[Smileybastard]

Aevien attacks the skeleton.

Attack roll [roll0]
Damage roll [roll1]

[Fedrik]

IC:
The fight continues.

Siobhan lets loose an arcane projectile at the skeleton, striking it full in the chest. Though damaged, the othrworldly glint of its eyes does not change, and it continues on...

Thain, for his part, manages a well placed shot with his crossbow on the zombie, which staggers slightly at the impact.

Caught up in the fury pf the moment, Nicholas reels around for a wild swing on the undead, but falls short.

The priest Agelia, however, meets with more success in her second attempt to turn the undead. The zombie collapses from the inside out, while the skeleton seems to surge with teh undead version of pain for a moment, before breaking off into a flailing run in the opposite direction, dropping its sword in the process...

OOC:
Aevien may change his tactics for last round, but unfortunately Bright Eyes misses the skeleton.

The skeleton flees thirty feet.

You guys must decide to chase after it and kill it or let it go.

BTW, Thain did 6 damage to the Zombie.

TOP OF THE ROUND!

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia looked at her work with a mix of satisfaction and revulsion. Sure, the effects of her first successful channelling were a little unsettling, but at least now one of the dead could rest easy. The skeleton could wait, unless somebody else wanted to go after it, and it couldn't cause that much damage with just its hands... Now, Agelia had business with the more recently fallen, particularly with the elf that she swore she saw stir.

The priestess ran in its direction as fast as her legs could take her. Her only explanation was, "I think I saw a survivor."

[Fangren]

Siobhan bit her lip, still watching the battle from the distance. Their group seemed to be doing well, especially once Agelia destroyed the zombie and forced the skeleton to flee in one move. That left the warrior she'd put to sleep a few seconds ago. Siobhan knew she could only manage one more of her better spells before she rested again, but should she risk using it on the skeleton and leave herself open?

With little hesitation, Siobhan cast the spell, and another ball of force flew straight towards the fleeing undead. With that done, the young half-elf approached the cairn.

Casting Magic Missile at the skeleton again: [roll0]
Then using my move action to advance 30 feet.

[Techmagss]

Dibs on the sword! Come back here! I wanna look at your skull closely! Thain excitedly takes out his mace and runs after the skeleton And you guys look for survivors, I'll chase down this skeleton! says Thain. Cm'ere you!

[Fedrik]

IC:
Between Bright Eyes the wolf, Thain with his lute/club, and Siobhan's second missile, the skeleton is easily dealt with.

There are two strangers left alive. The painted barbarian warrior lying asleep, victim ti Siobhan's sleep spell, and the wounded elf from the battle before.

Siobhan approaches the Knot Stone. Upon it are weathered and faded stone etchings only visible from up close. The design is recursive and complex, a mass of vines, serpents, and other shapes that seem to resemble letters.

Agelia approaches the wounded elf slumped beneath the great stone. He appears to have been mortally wounded by the large fiend creature from before. His wound is deep and clearly made worse by some supernatural corruption. His eyes are flittering and his head lolling back and forth as Agelia moves toward him.

OOC:
So we'll say that's combat over. Good job! It was a good guage to see what lowlevel sorts of things may or may not be a challenge in the future.

The surviving elf requires either a healing check or healing spell to become communicative, but probably can't be saved from death.

The Knot Stone can be the subject of investigation, as can the fresh grave at the foot of the Knot Stone.

130 XP Each

Apparent Loot:
- 1 Longbow w/12 arrows
- 1 Handaxe
- 1 Small wooden shield
- 1 Hide Armor
- 1 Longsword
- 1 Cure Light Wounds potion

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia got down on one knee, and without wasting a single moment, begans to invoke divine energies to heal the elf's wound. Well, at least, to ease its suffering; the wound she saw on it appeared far too grave for her to be able to manage...

When her prayer of healing was finished, she spoke. Her Elven is accented, just as her Common, but she tried to get things as correct as possible. "I am Agelia Redstart, friend. Who are you, and what were those...fiends after?" She worried that the elf was too far gone to reply, and began another prayer...

Actions
Cure light wounds on the bleeding elf. This is being cast spontaneously, and inflict light wounds is being converted for the purposes of this.

Cure Light Wounds (Elf): [roll0]

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

Aevien looks around for any more dangers or threats and as he does so keeps an eye open for berries.

Listen [roll0]
Spot [roll1]
Search [roll2]
Survival [roll3]

Bright Eyes

Moves to the sleeping painted barbarian and stands guard.

Listen [roll4]
Spot [roll5]

[Fangren]

Marveling at the intricate patterns engraved into the Knot Stone, Siobhan leans in to get a closer look. She dares not touch them, but nonetheless scours her memories for any recollection of the symbols.

Knowledge - Arcana check: [roll0]

[BassWalker]

One head of the great axe buried in the soft dirt, Nicholas stood and seethed for some moments as the animated skeleton was dealt with. His rage subsided gradually, visible in the slowing of his breaths and the softening of his gaze as it passed over the immediate area in his newfound desire to learn what had occurred.

"Does anyone have rope?" He spoke gruffly, his attentions on the slumbering warrior.

[Fedrik]

IC:
Agelia's magic seems to bring the surviving elf into enough of his wits to mutter a little to the cleric and any close enough to hear. "...the... the phylactery.... did the lich?... my friends, are they?... *gasp* never- mind... take my letter, and my sword. Take them to King... the Lord of Challace... east."

The poor fellow seems not long for the world, but may be able to answer another question, were it important enough...

Close by, Siobhan inspects the Knot Stone. She remembers reading that each stone has different carvings, all in an ancient derivation of elven, fey and draconic that is no longer in use - a language that originates far to the north. Some aspects, however, can be gleaned. This particular Knot Stone, it seems, was one of the last ever built by the ancient northerners. They were used as arcane connecting points between far-off places. They could be used for divination, and some say even arcane transportation. The thing that made each Knot Stone unique was the power source.

This Knot Stone, based on the carvings, the lich's glee at finding its treasure after the slaughter, and what the elf survivor mumbled to Agelia, must have been a phylactery of some kind, buried beneath it in some ancient grave. If this was the case, it can be assumed that the Knot Stone is no longer active.

Aevien and Bright Eyes spot no further threats in the immediate area surrounding the clearing. Aevien has no trouble finding the berries he needs after a minute or two of looking. He also spots thick vines that, with some skill, could be used as bindings.

While waiting for news of rope and cooling down from his barbarian rage, Nicholas again catches the glint off of the armour of the slaughtered elves and dwarves. A strange symbol adorns their shields and breastplates, that of of a crowned tower.

Thain, in the meantime, is chasing down the rest of the skeleton... Most likely with the sort of glee that only a classically trained gnomish comedian can muster...

OOC:
Though it may seem like a lot of info, Siobhan's knowledge roll was really only enough to glean general information and some minor specifics based on what the party has already seen.

The elven survivor is not long for the world, so any last minute questions will have to asked soon! Another dose of healing might make this go a little easier, but there's still no saving him.

Also, anyone from the Weln knows of the place the elf mentions. Challace is perhaps the largest town in the northern part of the Weln, located east of the party's current position along the Blackfold Road, in a rural region known as the Challace Plains. Knowledge Local rolls will be necessary for further info.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien and Bright Eyes

Aevien gathers the vines and berries and returns with them dropping the vines on the ground near the sleeping barbarian. Will this do?
He then casts good berry on the berries.

Rolling for number of goodberries[roll0]

[Fangren]

Frowning, Siobhan stood up straight and crossed her arms. The inscriptions had jogged a couple of memories, as had a few of the dying elf's words, but they'd just given the young woman for questions than answers. 'Knot Stones are supposed to be ancient, right?' she thought to herself. 'So if the phylactery was powering it, it must've been there from a very long time. But if it belonged to that lich, why wait until now to reclaim it?' Regardless, Siobhan decided to acquire a map of the Weln soon, and try to map the location (and status) of any Knot Stones she comes across - it may be important.

The half-elf sighed, walked closer to Agelia and the dying elf and put on a calming, if sad, smile. "We shall deliver your letter and sword, good sir." she addresses the elf. "Unfortunately, the lich did indeed take the phylactery. Please, if you can, tell us why...they...came for it this day?"

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia channels more energies to help the elf. He is, indeed, beyond her help, but that didn't mean that she couldn't make his passing somewhat less painful...and perhaps it could make his speech somewhat more coherent.

Again, Agelia addresses the elf, in the Elven tongue. "Consider it done." Her use of the Elven tongue was more of a courtesy, than anything. The elf was dying. If he was anything like her friend Silenna, he grew up speaking Elven first, and then Common, so why not go out hearing the language you first heard in this world? As for the affectations and stresses on syllables, Agelia couldn't help that...

Actions
Cure light wounds on Gildor, again.

Cure Light Wounds (Elf): [roll0]

[BassWalker]

Pursing the corner of his lip in thought, Nicholas grunted at the pitiful excuse for rope that had been presented. While the others attended the wounded elf -something he had very little ability with which to offer aid, anyways- he saw to the fallen brother and the threat that he may still pose. Simply, he picked the man's weapon up from the ground with enough care to not wake him. "Maybe. Rope would be better, but we can't be picky."

[Techmagss]

Thain grinds to a halt and starts digging through his brain for information about Challace- it's like he forgot!


Bardic knowledge
[roll0]

[Fedrik]

IC:
The wounded elf becomes a little more coherent, though clearly pale and fading fast. "Thank you, gracious travelers. Those five that came for the phylactery... they are... in league. Ancient evils, all. Remnants of the great kingdoms that once stood in the north, as were my brethren and I. Where those five were responsible for the north's destruction, however, my friends and I were the last of those charged with its preservation." The elf takes a long breath as his eyes flutter closed... and then open again.

He continues. "I am Sir Caithan of Tansheal, a Brother of the Knights of Tanthis. My friends, those slain here not minutes ago, were all that remained of our secret order. We had hoped to make a last stand here at the Knot Stone. We had hoped, by some miracle, that we might stop them from taking the phylactery that gave it its power. But they found us too soon. We couldn't even get our message to the King in Chalice. The knight we buried here today was our messenger, but the Five's agents caught up to him..." Another ragged breath, a fluttering of the eyes.

"They plan... no. It is too horrible to say." Caithan looks around at the five interlopers with grave eyes. He seems to think about something hard for a moment. Having made a decision, he continues. "The way is clear. They have taken the artifacts from the Knot Stones, and given them to their lieutenants for safe keeping. They have rallied the lesser evils of the Weln to their cause, and they plan to repeat the catastrophe that crippled the Northern Kingdoms those long centuries ago. Another War." He intones the last word as though it were not the common one used to describe battles and politics, but something set apart. Something deeply evil.

"Their plans are far-reaching and convoluted. They will not be achieved over night, even with the artifacts stolen from the stones. I would... I would ask the five of you, though you owe me nothing and are strangers, to take up my cause. Succeed where we have failed. Travel the Weln, seek out signs and servants of the Five, and let not history repeat itself." Caithan is growing visibly weaker by the second, his fiendish wounds incurable.

But he has strength enough for one more utterance. "If you would do this thing, know that the path is not straight. Take my letter and my sword to the King in Chalice, who is a friend of our order. He can help point you in the right direction. Furthermore, should you ever make it to the elven realm of Lethewood, go to the city of Tanthis. The Queen there will make your oaths to me official, and you will be inducted as brothers and sisters of the order, should you so choose... Now," he whispers with one final breath, "I must rest... I would not go to Corellon Larethian with evil thoughts on my mind. Live in peace, and go with honour."

And with that, Caithan of Tansheal, last of the Knights of Tanthis - he that asked you to take up his ancient cause - dies.

OOC:
Sorry that was so long folks. I usually won't write a freakin' novella like that, it's just that I like to detail the more pivotal scenes in the story.

MEANWHILE:
- Nicholas can tie up the warrior if he chooses.
- Thain remembers that Chalice (sorry for the alternate spelling last post. Checked my map since and corrected it) is one of the largest cities in the Weln. It is ruled by a king, and heads a small kingdom contained mostly in the region of the Chalice Plains, which is northeast and east of the Blackfold Forest. Chalice and its nobility are usually well spoken of in taverns. The name of Chalice's current monarch escapes Thain at the moment.

MAP:
I have a lovely map of the Weln, but unfortunately it's hand drawn (as I hadn't foreseen using it for a PbP game). But, I am working on getting some simple CG sketches done of the local area. I might even take some digital photos and post them as needed (the map is pretty big, and resolution shouldn't be an issue).

IMMEDIATE SITUATION:
- Once finished at the Knot Stone, the party will need to make Survival checks to find the road again after all the traipsing around in the woods (or at least one of you will, though others can help).
- The Blackfold Road runes west-east through the forest. After the forest ends at its eastern border, the Blackfold Road leads straight through the Chalice Plains, and eventually Chalice itself. Chalice is a good ways off, and there are smaller communities along the road. More specific information can be recalled via appropriate Knowledge checks. Exact distance from the eastern edge of the forest can be determined once the road is found again by the party.
- Of note: There is a small town somewhere in the western half of the forest, that some of you may have stayed at on your way through. It is called Kalder Cross. Assuming you want to go to Chalice, it would be a back-step, but it all depends what you want to do.
- That being said, it is starting to getting late in the day for the party. After you all finish at the Knot Stone, I'll assume you camp for the night, and then we'll fast forward to the morning and get things rolling.

FINAL NOTE:
Just want to emphasize that, although I've laid a definite groundwork here for the adventure, I want you all to feel free to take it wherever you like as a group. I am prepared for almost anything.

[Techmagss]

Thain tells the party about this information.
Get inducted into some creepy elvish order which is most likely evil and will start attacking us? Not likely. Well, lets go to chalice, at least IT'S nobility is actually high standing." he puts on a smarmy voice, then bursts into dancing. And yelling.
Most likely about an ogre, a dwarf, a toad and a stupid elf.


Performing a dancing comedy act
[roll0] dance check
[roll1] comedy check

[Fangren]

Siobhan stood enraptured by the dying elf's last words. It was...unlike anything she'd ever experienced in her life. Her emotions were jumbled - fear of the ancient evils she had set herself against tonight; anxiety towards the upcoming journey and troubles; excitement at a chance to become part of something greater than herself; and countless others she could not find the names for.

And then the gnome completely ruined the scene with his buffoonish antics and disparaging remarks about her father's kind. At a loss for words, Siobhan settled for narrowed eyes and a fierce glare directed at Thain.

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia closes Sir Caithan of Tansheal's eyes, and considers how to dispose of his remains. Perhaps Siobhan would be better off making such arrangements? As far as his request goes, she would no doubt honour it -- it all went hand-in-hand with protecting knowledge! And protecting her own hide. But it was a pity that she couldn't somehow save the elf's memories.

...then, while she briefly mulls over possible ways to extract information from the dead, comes Thain's outburst. She closes her eyes, inhales, exhales, and then slowly turns her head to face him, locking her eyes with his. Truly, the beginnings of a great joke about an irreverent little gnome!

[BassWalker]

Nicholas nearly flinched and shut his eyes tightly when the gnome had begun, as though that would help to drown out his singing. It was irritating. Like nails on the monestary walls. He clenched and unclenched his free hand for a few moments, until he finally snapped. In a fury, he turned towards the ridiculous gnome. "SILENCE, OAF! CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT THIS IS NEITHER THE TIME OR PLACE!?"

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

I will carry out this act if your words are true.

[Techmagss]

Thain, having satisfied his desire to dance says
Sorry. I'll just... Look around.

He taps his head a few times, and a small violin appears in his hands as he begins to play 'funeral march' with an Elven bend.




Scratch that, I'm using Create Instrument (the worlds smallest violin)
Perform (string) 1d20+8

Anyway, let's take his body. Not to burn it or anything! To take it to a church or something to have them speak to him using their clericy magics, woooooooooooooooo! he makes a spoooooooooky sound

[Techmagss]

Roll didn't work last post
[roll0]

[Fangren]

Siobhan sighed in irritation at Thain's suggestion (although she did admit he played a fairly decent violin). "No, I don't think we should be dragging any bodies all the way to the next town." she paused, and looked around the hill. Their were several bodies which needed to be taken care of: the three dwarves, two elves (Sir Caithan of Tansheal included), the human archer they'd slain, the remains of the undead, and the sleeping half-orc.

It was times like this she wished her magic was more powerful.

"We really should bury them." she said, looking around to see if there were any good places for burial - Knot Stones were often used as burial grounds, so the earth should be suitable, although perhaps a tad crowded. "And we really do need to decide what to do with that one." she added, with a gesture towards the last living enemy.

[Fangren]

Forgot to roll:

Spot check to try and find any good grave sites for the dwarves and elves: [roll0]

[Techmagss]

I know!
Watch this!
Red means kill, green means capture and orange means kill and then turn in, blue means capture and turn in!


The gnome sets up a fascinating light show- a circle with lighted pie shapes on it and a pink arrow. The circle is dancing with colours and the arrow starts spinning.

Fabulous!


1 is Red, 2 is green 3 is orange 4 is blue
[roll0]

Of course it's up to YOU GUYS but I thought IT would HELP ME.

[BassWalker]

Nicholas sighed gruffly and rest his face in an empty palm. He just had to save the gnome from drowning, did he not? He honestly believed that he should have left the fool to his fate. Doing everything he could to ignore the gnome, he stooped and picked his own axe from the ground and let his attention fall on the slumbering half-orc once more. "It would be best to interrogate him. He may have useful information."

What was the half-orc holding anyways? I have no idea what in the hell Nicholas is even holding.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

I think the bodies will wait for now. Lets deal with the living. Lets wake him and see what he has to say.

Biright Eyes growls at Thain and then stands in front of the sleeping barbarian.

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia states, flat as a pancake, "I'll leave the sweet and tough-talking to you guys. ...not good with people, unless they need to find something out, or have gotten hurt." She, likewise, beings to scout out a decent burial site for the fallen.

She turns to Siobhan, but searches her memory before saying anything.

Actions

A Spot check to locate any decent burial areas...
Spot Check: [roll0]

A Knowledge (Religion) check to jog Agelia's memory, with regards to elven burial rituals.
Knowledge (Religion): [roll1]

[Techmagss]

Interrogate then kill or interrogate then capture?
He asks one of you, then looks at Nicholas, Agelia and Aevien in turn.
But, really, we shouldn't capture him. As we can see by this man's bulging muscles- he points at Nicholas- half orcs are very strong and it'd be possible for him to break out of his binds and tell his master about us.

[BassWalker]

"We won't tie him up." Nicholas spoke, honestly a little proud of the compliment he had been paid but still rather irritated at the gnome. He spent a moment weighing the sword against his axe before walking away to leave the former in the ground, roughly sixty feet from its owner. "We wake him, surrounded by armed men, and let him choose his fate."

Moving his axe to its proper hand, and relieved for the discomfort of the odd off-hand grip, he returned to the druid's side. "Wan'a search him first?"

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Brights Eyes

Aevien searches the figure while Bright eyes watches.

Search [roll0]

[Fedrik]

IC:
With Sir Caithan laid to rest and the party essentially on the same page with regard to their new mission, the five new companions set about the more practical matters.

Between the five of them (counting Thain for jocular accompaniment) they are able to find nothing more of use or interest on the body of the unconscious barbarian (other than what was looted earlier), and are able to plot out five graves for the three dwarves and two elves.

It seems that any spot around the Knot Stone would be suitable, save for that of the buried sixth Knight of Tanthis (the messenger Caithan mentioned), and the plot the Lich reached into to find the artifact powering the Knot Stone. Any older graves here have long since been buried by centuries of soil.

Working through her recollections like a veteran excavator at a digsite, Aegelia recalls the details for battlefield burials of those that worship Moradin, and those who follow Corellon Larethian: For the dwarves, if no caves are present, a simple cairn of field stones over the body will suffice; and for the elves, either buried face down and eyes open toward the earth for the wood elves (as the nameless dead elf was) or burned with aromatic leaves, grasses and flowers for the high elves (as Caithan was). Agelia also knows that it is acceptable to set fire to a high elf's body in the open grave, and then douse the flames by burying it (a ritual for situations in which a sustained fire would not be prudent).

Meanwhile, the painted warrior proves easy to tie up or intimidate, even once he's jostled or shouted awake by his captors. His weapons gone, his companions slain, and his head a little dizzy from the magic and the straight fall, the half-orc is no longer a threat (for now). He awaits - seething his anger uselessly - his new wardens' decision as to what to do with him...

The early hours of evening have begun to fall on the small Knot Stone clearing somewhere in the eastern reach of the Blackfold Forest...

OOC:
So, you guys can do any questioning of the half-orc prisoner that you'd like, and, if not participating in that, can do whatever you like for the evening. There is a place not too far from the Knot Stone (still in the clearing) where Caithan and some of his companions seemed to have been camping.

After any business with the half-orc is taken care of, the party can rest and we'll go into the next day.

Either at camp or in the morning before leaving, you will all have to decide where it is you'd like to go after finding the road. Straight to Chalice? Back through the forest a little ways to the nearby town of Kalder Cross? Away from the road and out of the forest in a different direction? Etc... Just options to be thinking about...

NOTE: For all serviceable or useful loot, see my end of combat post. :smallsmile:

[Techmagss]

I'll just go with Agelia. I may be 'funny' but I don't have a silver tongue.
Well, I do, but I'm not good with speaking to someone who could rip my head off at any given moment.
Thain follows Agelia like a penguin, then suddenly starts thinking on information about the knot stones.


Bardic Knowledge
[roll0]

[BassWalker]

"Ok, this'll be real easy for you." Nicholas spoke down to the unrestrained Half-Orc, almost seeming to brandish his battleaxe as he did. "Who were you following, and why did he disturb that grave over there?"

Anyone else present, please feel free to add on to that if you wish. Class starting back up has gotten my mind in a funk.

[Smileybastard]

Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes will growl menacingly at the half-orc.

[Fangren]

Seeing that the burials were basically under control, Siobhan rejoined Nicholas in order to assist the interrogation. She was growing tired, and wanted to resolve this with as little violence as possible. The half-elf was not a killer, and did not enjoy how likely it was that the captured half-orc would have to be killed out of necessity, so she resolved herself to make some part of the information-gathering process be painless.

Sighing, she put on her most charming smile and addressed the captive. "Sorry about all this, sir, but surely you understand why we had to do it? All we want now is to understand what happened tonight, and why. Surely you must have some idea, and it can't be too much to ask of you, can it?"

Diplomacy check: [roll0]

[SCARY WIZARD]

"Help me dig, Thain. They need a proper burial." Agelia takes the nearest unattended object able to be made into an improvised shovel, and begins to dig. She considers saying something to the half-orcish prisoner, but pauses and holds her tongue over it.

[Techmagss]

Fine, jeez, mom. Thain conjures up a guitar, puts a small cloth from his bedroll over the hole after breaking the strings, and starts digging.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien

Aevien looks for the best thing to dig with.

Survival [roll0]

[Fedrik]

IC:
Between the interrogative efforts of Nicholas, Siobhan and Bright Eyes, and his obviously hopeless situation, the captured half-orc realizes that he has no choiice but to tell them what he can and pray for mercy or swift death. This much is apparent in his suddenly pale features and the glazed dimness of his previously fiery gaze. The point that he is indeed far from home and far from safety seems driven home for the prisoner when he witnesses the gnome strip a guitar of its strings, stuff it, and begin using it as a shovel to dig graves.

Truly, such strange, eldritch practices could only be the product of minds best left unmessed-with.

"I am Jalghun, from the Cairn Hills," he says, "My warchief and master is no man, no orc. He is not of the woods or the plains or the hills..." the Half-Orc seems more afraid of the memory of his leader than of his interrogaters. "He is a demon. A spirit of blood and iron. You do not stand a chance against him or his fellow spirits. They are too great, and that is why the men of my tribe have bowed to their power. As others have."

The prisoner's Common is surprisingly good, spoken with a thick, pondorous accent that marks him as being of the barbaric hill tribes that live several hundred miles to the north, at the borders of the Old Kingdoms. "Though mad with a desire for carnage and vengeance, the Iron Blooded is a fearsome leader of warriors. My brothers and I follow him willingly. And I am prepared to die for his greatness."

Lost in something of a devout revery, the barbarian that arrived out of thin air with his dark masters suddenly regains his composure, and seems to remember your other questions. "As to the Lich's purpose with that trinket he pulled from the earth, I know not. We are not told of the dealings of the Five. We do only what the Iron Blooded commands, and know only what He wishes us to know. Do not think that by hearing these things from me, that you have bettered your chances against them. They will devour you in shadow, as they have other heroes. As they have whole kingdoms. Those knights... those insects we crushed here today are as you will be if you take up arms against my master. The gods of war and death will have no mercy for you."

And with that, the prisoner lowers his head and begins to laugh in a low, gravelly tone that reminds one of jagged iron scraping heavily on rocks.

Meanwhile, around the Knot Stone, Aegelia, Aevien and Thain make short, but respectable work of the burials. The cleric sees to it that all are buried according to their custom, while the druid marks the plots and the bard digs away with his makeshift shovel.

As he digs, Thain remembers again the fascinating monument in the center of the clearing, and almost recalls something new... and then nothing. Or at least, not much. Only what every other storyteller in the Weln knows, really. Many people have heard of the strange monoliths, Thain knows, and many stories are told about them. Sometimes they are mythlogized as beacons of good-aligned gods that use them to communicate with believers, while some folk legends tell of their connection to evil fey or demonic possession. Many of these stories can be disregarded as harmless fiction, but the majority of tavern tales told of the Knot Stones seem to share one thing in common: the ancient north, namely the vast region known collectively as the Old Kingdoms, where it is said by scholars that civilization itself began with the ancient elven, dwarven, giant and draconic dominions of far antiquity. It is usually implied in these tales that the ancient northerners built the Knot Stones at a time when their kingdoms stretched all the way into the Weln, where the humans of the day were little more than pastoral shepherds and nomadic hunters. The real purpose of the Knot Stones is never agreed upon in common conversation, however, and many a bar fight has arisen betwixt rival bards over theories as to such.

OOC:
So the party has done a good job of burying the dead and interrogating the prisoner. It seems one of the five great evils is called the Iron Blooded, and he's a barbaric badazz of epic proportionality.

Hope I didn't miss anything... I'll give you guys until the evening of the 16th for last replies, interrogations or actions in the clearing, and then we're moving on to the morning of the next day. (Unless anyonne wants to do some IC party discussion around the campfire first, or maybe in the OOC thread, which is fine by me).

But yeah, new post, 16th(technically today), late-times.

F.

[Fangren]

IC:
Between the interrogative efforts of Nicholas, Siobhan and Bright Eyes, and his obviously hopeless situation, the captured half-orc realizes that he has no choiice but to tell them what he can and pray for mercy or swift death. This much is apparent in his suddenly pale features and the glazed dimness of his previously fiery gaze. The point that he is indeed far from home and far from safety seems driven home for the prisoner when he witnesses the gnome strip a guitar of its strings, stuff it, and begin using it as a shovel to dig graves.

Truly, such strange, eldritch practices could only be the product of minds best left unmessed-with.

"I am Jalghun, from the Cairn Hills," he says, "My warchief and master is no man, no orc. He is not of the woods or the plains or the hills..." the Half-Orc seems more afraid of the memory of his leader than of his interrogaters. "He is a demon. A spirit of blood and iron. You do not stand a chance against him or his fellow spirits. They are too great, and that is why the men of my tribe have bowed to their power. As others have."

The prisoner's Common is surprisingly good, spoken with a thick, pondorous accent that marks him as being of the barbaric hill tribes that live several hundred miles to the north, at the borders of the Old Kingdoms. "Though mad with a desire for carnage and vengeance, the Iron Blooded is a fearsome leader of warriors. My brothers and I follow him willingly. And I am prepared to die for his greatness."

Lost in something of a devout revery, the barbarian that arrived out of thin air with his dark masters suddenly regains his composure, and seems to remember your other questions. "As to the Lich's purpose with that trinket he pulled from the earth, I know not. We are not told of the dealings of the Five. We do only what the Iron Blooded commands, and know only what He wishes us to know. Do not think that by hearing these things from me, that you have bettered your chances against them. They will devour you in shadow, as they have other heroes. As they have whole kingdoms. Those knights... those insects we crushed here today are as you will be if you take up arms against my master. The gods of war and death will have no mercy for you."

And with that, the prisoner lowers his head and begins to laugh in a low, gravelly tone that reminds one of jagged iron scraping heavily on rocks.

"Oh." Siobhan said, trying to ignore the captive's creepy laughter. "Well, regardless of whether it will help us, thank you for the information. Incidentally, do you know what the other four are called?"

In the back of her mind, Siobhan filed away the name 'Iron Blooded' to look into later...or rather, to have Agelia (who seemed to the half-elf to be much more inclined to actually do research than the sorceress herself) look into. She was willing to bet that there had to be something written down about those five somewhere, and knowing what they're called would be a big help in getting further information.

It was probably too much to hope for a list of weaknesses, flaws, and shortcomings though.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien

Aevien listens and then looks at the others not knowing what do suggest.

[Fedrik]

IC:
At Siobhan's question, the barbarian looks up at her. His weary, inane gaze passes between those standing over them, and then his laughter begins anew, only this time to accompany words of mockery. "You think names will help you? May the gods be with you...

"We know them as the Iron Blooded, the Father of Ghosts, the Black Guard, the Malcontent and the Oath Breaker. They are of a singular nature, and regard one another as brethren. They are two men, two women, and one being without earthly form... and they are far beyond any of your mettle, wit or magic. Now kill me and have done with it, that I might serve my masters better..."

[Fangren]

"Thank you." Siobhan replied, making sure to commit the names to memory for future reference. She turned her back to the barbarian, pausing in thought.

They weren't likely to get much more out of him...so what to do next? They couldn't simply let him go, but it didn't really seem like they should cart him off to some town either. That left killing him...which Siobhan truly did not want to do. At least, not herself.

"Nicholas, I'll let you handle him." she told her ally, a cold (and somewhat forced) smile on her face.

[Fedrik]

IC:
The dawn after the night of carnage is, of course, a bright red staining the horizon.

A poet would call this "pathetic fallacy", but none of the five companions (excepting Thain, of course) were feeling poetically critical or ironic enough to critique the sun and clouds their cliched appearance. Instead, they all stirred solemnly as they broke camp, made the finishing touches on the previous night's burials, and gathered around their barbaric prisoner with their packs and equipment, ready to make decisions...

Or at least they would have made a decision, had the prisoner still been there. In his place was the dagger the group had seen strapped to Nicholas' boot the day before. It lay on the grass, under the tree where the prisoner had been tied up.

It pointed North. Aevien is able to see almost without looking that the two warrior's tracks lead in that direction, but then fade uncannily a dozen or so meters into the forest. Trackable, perhaps, but not easily or certainly. Whatever his motivations, it seems that Nicholas has relieved the party of their burden...

...as well as their primary muscle, a situation to be rectified at a later point. Now, it is time for the party to find their way in the Blackfold, and decide what the larger plan will consist of for the time being.

OOC:
Survival checks for anyone wishing to help find the road. Applicable spells are... applicable.

The closest and most obvious destination would seem to be the city of Chalice, one of the most powerful settlements in the Weln, and one that, in theory, controls most of the Blackfold itself.

Other options include trekking north to find Nicholas and the prisoner; figuring out where Lethewood (the elven realm mentioned by Caithan) lays and going there to be inducted in the Knights of Tanthis proper and perhaps receive information; or to strike out elsewhere in hopes of finding your own path to eventual confrontation with the Five Evils (perhaps starting with the town of Mosschurch back in the western part of the Blackfold).

Another important decision to make regardless of where your destination ends up being: will you take the beaten path (assuming you find it), or stick to the wilderness?

[Fangren]

The rest of the night had passed without issue. The group, having agreed to bind their half-orc prisoner and deal with him further in the morning, quickly set up a shared camp near the cairn. As both Thain and Siobhan herself required a full night's rest in order to refresh their magic, and thus could not properly take watch, the duty fell to the other three. Agelia went first, followed by Aevien and Bright Eyes, and lastly was Nicholas.

Come dawn, the group awoke two half-orcs short. In the short time while Thain was readying his mind too noisily for the others to properly concentrate, Nicholas' dagger had been found pointing north. It would, however, be another hour before Agelia and Aevien were ready for any discussion, so after she'd finished her own short meditation Siobhan had joined Thain in quietly taking care of the various necessities around camp.

Eventually, though, it was time for the group to make a few decisions.

"So, what now?" Siobhan spoke first. It was, she decided, annoying to have lost a potential companion so early. True, they'd only known Nicholas for less than a day, but he'd stood alongside them against those evils. She sighed, frowning. "I mean, I guess Nicholas decided to take care of the prisoner himself. They're both half-orcs, right? So I guess Nicholas knew what to do..."

I hope nobody minds my extra fluff...I wanted the night/morning to make sense with the need for a watch, and each of our spell prep requirements.

[SCARY WIZARD]

While she rested, Agelia wrote the names that Siobhan acquired down.

The priestess grunts at Siobhan's words. "Well, if we never see him again, I wish him the best of luck... He'll need it, with these things planning on running around." She stretches. "Might be in our best interests to research them -- the fiends. It's always a good idea to know what you're up against. I'd say that Chalice or the Lethewood would be good starts."

[Fangren]

"Yeah, that sounds good." Siobhan replies. "I, uh, I don't really know where Lethewood is, exactly, so I guess we should go to Chalice then? Deliver the sword and letter to the King, figure out where Lethewood is and anything we can about the bad guys?"

[Smileybastard]

Aevien

It would seem Chalice is where we should go.

[Techmagss]

I agree, but what about Nicholas? He may be agressive,but... Did that other Orc kill him, or kidnap him as payback?

[Fangren]

I agree, but what about Nicholas? He may be agressive,but... Did that other Orc kill him, or kidnap him as payback?

"Err, neither, I think?" Siobhan answered before turning to the druid. "Aevien, didn't you say it looked like Nicholas was doing the dragging, or something?" She looked around the campsite, before turning back towards her companions. "Also, uh...does anyone know where the road is?"

[Fedrik]

Episode Two: The King's Chalice

Nicholas and the prisoner have left, and now it is up to the mage, the bard, the priest, the druid and the druid's wolf to make it east to Chalice, to begin the quest Caithan has charged them with.

They have decided to take the Blackfold road east, out of the forest, through the town of Mosschurch, through the verdant farmland that feeds the great city, and then to Chalice itself. First however, there is the small matter of finding the road, which Aevien is able to do almost without effort.

Once the road is found, it is an easy day and a half journey through the rest of the Blackfold Forest. Other travelers are encountered along the way, due to the importance of the Blackfold Road in the Weln, but none of any real importance. Drovers, merchants, and petty messengers, for the most part.

Once the forest is breached on its eastern fringe, the road turns vaguely north for another eight or so miles, before reaching the prosperous town of Mosschurch. Mosschurch is ruled by a lord who swears fealty to the crown in Chalice. Here supplies may be purchased, news gathered and rest caught up on in anticipation of the three days' journey to Chalice itself.

Mosschurch is a beautiful town, with low stone walls, charming squat, steepled towers on many of the older buildings, and an over abundance of temples, churches and shrines (considering its moderate size). The stone roads are well cobbled and spacious, and while the people are practical and the walls are still manned vigilantly, their is an air of settled prosperity to the place.

After time spent recharging in Mosschurch, the party moves on down the Blackfold Road, east toward Chalice. The road winds through more lush farmland. Several small villages and hamlets lie on or near enough the road that the prosperous aura of Chalice is made quite obvious to those who have never been to this part of the Weln. More travelers are encountered, none of any particular interest, save for one party on the eve of the last full day of travel.

That evening, the party has stopped on the eastern outskirts of a small village called Nevent. Just off the road, but not really able to hide due to the lack of brush or elevation, the party simply relies on looking nondescript. That night, however, a party of armoured riders can easily be heard coming up the Blackfold Road from the direction of Chalice. As they come closer to the section of road nearest to the party's camp, it becomes obvious that the three riders are indeed from Chalice. The one on the right appears to be a young man, armed as a knight and carrying the banner of Chalice (a golden grail bisected lengthwise, with a heron and a swordfish on either side). The rider on the left is a middle aged woman dressed in knightly attire as well, but whose armour looks much better worn and whose mailed fist holds high a torch that casts light on the third rider, the one in front. This individual is a bit of a mystery. He is young - perhaps 16 - with whispy whiskers on his chin and lip, but whose look is so severe and concentrated as to age him nearly a decade. He wears richly appointed robes, and wears the telltale leather component pouch and gilded spellbook of a wizard.

When they approach the edge of the party's firelight on the road, they halt. The standard bearer speaks first, planting his banner in the ground beside his horse: "Hail, travelers, good folk of the Weln, bonders to the throne in Chalice! Stand and prepare for the good words of Jaemol Ulgred, Apprentice to High Wizard Filfaer of Chalice, advisor to King Waylyn II."

At this the young man in the lead speaks, clearly and professionally, if with a slight waver of boyhood still clinging to his words: "Friends. What are your number? If you are five, and you are blooded these last several days, coming from the Blackfold, please come forward. The Crown of Chalice would have words with you. If you are not five, do not come from the forest west, kindly come forward all the same, that we may see you and ask you your good business."

The boy's voice is without joviality, but is very prim and noble sounding. Neither of the armed knights beside him seem overly aggressive, but the request does indeed seem serious...

OOC:
Aevien's Survival roll to find the road: [roll0]

[Fangren]

Siobhan was the first to rise and greet the newcomers. It was obvious that they were very important people, and admittedly wasn't as well-versed with local formalities and such as she would have liked, but her experience told her she could get a long way with her natural charms. It would no doubt help that this group wouldn't expect strict formalities anyhow.

"Well met, sir." she began with a smile and a bow. "My name is Siobhan Galanodel. Our group did indeed number five some days ago, come from the Blackfold, and we have been blooded in that time, I think perhaps you are looking for another group? We ourselves came across another five, and watched them be slain, at the Knot Stone west of the forest. They were two elves and three dwarves, and one bore a message for the Crown of Chalice, as I recall." She paused, looking towards the other three (and wolf) for their input.

[Fedrik]

When Siobhan makes her words to the dignitaries from the city, both knights seem attentive. The boy-mage, however, blushes instantly at being addressed by a charming female, and looks almost imperceptibly over to the standard bearer, who smiles.

The standard bearer clears his throat once more, and addresses the group. "Your honesty and forthrightness pleases the Crown, Goodwoman. It would please us further that we hear from your company, as well."

And with that, they await the reactions of the other three...

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia speaks up next. "Agelia Redstart, of the Order of the Celestial Gatherers." She raises her hand, and with it her holy symbol, doing her best to be at least somewhat, well, presentable? Normal? Whatever.

"As Siobhan said, we were given a letter and a sword to give to the King of Chalice, by a late Sir Caithan of Tansheal." The priestess looks somewhat troubled, as if she wants to continue, but does not want to upset the riders unnecessarily.

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

I am Aevien of the wilds and this is my companion Bright Eyes. My friends speak the truth.

[Techmagss]

Ohhithereimthainthesearemyfriends you should trust them all, they're really friendly. Pleasure to meet you all.
Thain puts on an innocent-looking face.


Rolling diplomacy check, just in case.
1d20+4

[Techmagss]

[roll0]
Dice weren't working

[Fedrik]

The young mage seems satisfied with the party's salutations. He gathers himself for a moment, straightens his face, and dismounts. He walks over toward you where you lurk near your own fire. The older woman knight follows him on her horse, while the male knight stays back to watch the road.

The mage comes close enough to whisper, and says: "Friends. My master has seen what it is that occurred in the Blackfold at the Knot Stone. Before the lich among the Five stole the artifact that powered the Stone, my master was able to glimpse the Knights of Tanthis and their fate. He also saw you and your fifth companion, hiding in the trees during the slaughter. And he would know what it is you saw and what the fates of the Knights of Tanthis were.

"For you see, friends, the King of Chalice has always, since time out of mind, been bound by blood to the Knighthood. It is a matter of honour that you come to Chalice." He regards all of you individually, then speaks again. "It would seem to me that you are men and women of virtue, and I will not force you under arms to come to the city. I will trust you, and trust that you all want what is best for the realm. However, if you wish to travel with us, you are welcome. We can procure horses for you should you wish to ride with us."

OOC:
So, ride with the young mage and his knights back to Chalice to speak to his master, or make your own way there. The choice is yours.

Thain: Just for the record, it was your Dip. check that gave you guys the option to make your own way to Chalice should you choose.

[Fangren]

Siobhan listened intently as the mage spoke, nodding now and again. She was very glad his group was on their side and willing to assist them. "Thank you for the offer, friend." She began her reply. "Personally, I would welcome a swift mount after so many days on foot. How about you all?" She turned to her companions. "Yea or nay?"

[Smileybastard]

Aevien & Bright Eyes

That sounds acceptable to me.

[SCARY WIZARD]

Agelia blinks. "When I say 'no' to an offer like that, get one of my superiors to see what's wrong with me... I'll take it."

[Techmagss]

Thain rubbed his hands together, almost if hatching an evil plot... Then looked up, let out a toothy grin and said OKAY!