Halfling Camp, Archive Query
Subject: RE: First Day: the hunt; Battle is over and moving on 2
Once Garyth has made a decision as to the best course, Farron is quick to second it. He adds that the group should travel quickly but be watchful for a good place to camp before nightfall.
From: Scott
Subject: RE: First Day: the hunt; Battle is over and moving on 2
Mission rolls his shoulders.
"Eastward, for me. Come devil-boar, leggy dame, or maddened halfling." He grins. "I'd prefer the leggy dame, if it's all the same to you, Rennick."
From: Raja
Subject: RE: First Day: the hunt; Battle is over and moving on 2
Sa'id laughs out loud at Mission's words, the timbre of his voice full and deep. "I myself wouldn't mind *cough* examining *cough* that particular specimen. Professional interest only, of course." He shakes his head ruefully. "The mystery of the scrolls is, I think, worth unravelling. Eastward."
From: Dan
Subject: RE: First Day: the hunt; Battle is over and moving on 2
So long as the Halfling trail continues East, I will be on it by your side, brother. But I fear I cannot follow you west. I worry that this black pillar is truely a great evil, one that may be getting stronger with time. As you must aid your kin, my duty is to my God. He would have me learn more of this pillar, and tell the world of it should it prove too much for me to handle alone.
From: Ty
Subject: RE: First Day: the hunt; Battle is over and moving on 2
Actually, that west thing was probably a typo. The Mountain is at the center of the island, and is east. The trails all head in the general direction of the mountain.
From: Ty
Subject: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
The party agrees to move on, trailing the vanished halfling, though there is a cloud of tension hanging over them. Rennik and Garyth move quickly at the front of the group, but do not look at each other. Occasionally Rennik takes in a sharp breath when he jars his injury (Rennik is still down 13 HP) on a bump in the path or a low hanging tree branch.
Farron and Sa'id walk with heads close together, talking in low voices and examining one of the scrolls. Farron is a Diviner, and a language specialist by training, so this is a puzzle that intrigues him.
Cadfael and Mission bring up the rear. Mission watches the mage's conversation with a blank look on his face; his reaction to what has come unreadable. Cadfael has his head down and mutters under his breath for most of the way. It appears that he may be praying.
The halfling's trail is as easy to follow at Rennik had thought. The fleeing man clearly gave no thought to covering it up, sacrificing stealth in favor of haste. By watching the tracks, Rennik sees that the halfling ran as far as he could, then walked for a couple moments, then began running again as soon as he had his breath back.
After an hour has passed, the party comes across what may have been the halflings camp. Packs and supplies are strewn about a cold fire pit. A quick examination shows the packs to be of halfling size, but there is little else. The tracks in and around the camp are all halfling.
However, once you pick up the trail again on the other side of the camp, there are now two sets of tracks, both walking. Your mysterious quarry picked up a companion here it seems...
From: Karl
Subject: Re: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
Farron continues to study the scroll, leaving it to Garyth to decide our course.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
Garyth will search the fire pit and packs for anything useful.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
A search of the packs will turn up crude rations and water skins, and even one bottle of harsh halfling rotgut, but nothing else. If someone wants to pick through all the rations, you will find about 8 days worth that people would actually be willing to eat.
Under one of the bed rolls, you will also find one small wooden shield of crude workmanship.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
What Farron said. :)
From: Matt
Subject: Re: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
(OOC: Okay, upgraded to AOL 9.0... maybe that'll help things... oh, and the directional thing was a complete brain fart, sorry 'bout that)
Rennik will try to find any trace of Fayten's sleeping place or any other of his personal belongings at the camp.
Following the tracks a little beyond the camp, he comes back in a hurry with a dark cast to his face.
"We have more troubles. Our halfling's companion is none other than Horan, the devil-boar I have sought for these last three years. I am certain. My fear is that there were only two sets of tracks - both halfling. Horan's companion was not with them, and could be nearby - or guarding their retreat. There is a chance they may attack our camp tonight."
Wincing a little as he turns, he moves toward Cadfael. "Brother Cadfael, my injuries are not crippling, and I would bear them. But I fear I must be at full strength if the devil-boars attack. I humbly ask your god to close my wounds so that I can defend us from this threat."
(Conditional responses)
If Cadfael heals his wounds, Rennik will thank him graciously.
If Cadfael refuses, he will understand, as there may well be greater wounds inflicted befeore dawn's light.
From: Raja
Subject: Archive
I was thinking of posting a thread to Hatrack with a link to the game archives in case any of the people who were interested but aren't playing (particularly those who had never played in a game like this before) could get an idea of how the game flows. Maybe it would inspire them to get that second game going. :)
Anyone mind if I do that?
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Archive
Actually, it might inspire them to get that THIRD game going. This game is the second one. (No offense to Ty).
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Archive
OH, sorry, I hit "send" too soon.
I don't mind if you post the link. I think it would be nice if other want to read the adventure.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Archive
:-P
In the last RPG thread there was talk of getting two games going at once, this one and a "second" one. That's why I used "second." :)
From: Ty
Subject: RE: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail
(Rennik will try to find any trace of Fayten's sleeping place or any other of his personal belongings at the camp.)
Rennik will not find anything that looks like it belonged to Fayten. It appears that the bead bracelet was the only personal item that he still kept with him.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Archive
Dang it. This is getting all screwy again. I got three replies to the "Archive" email before I got the email itself! Grr.
In any event, I'd have no problem with you posting the link on hatrack.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Archive
:-p well taken. :-D
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Archive
I'm certainly cool with the idea of more people coming to my website. :p
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Archive
Ah, the man I was waiting for. Great, I'll post the thread. :)
From: Ty
Subject: RE: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail (last call at the camp)
Anyone doing anything else at the camp?
Are you moving on from here, or camping? (it is late afternoon)
Is Cadfael healing Rennik?
Last call for the halfling camp!
From: Scott
Subject: RE: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail (last call at the camp)
While on the trail, Cadfael was a mite too casual with his passage, and Mission, who followed the cleric, must have been smacked in the face with every tree branch along the trail. He pauses a moment as the others ransack the poor encampment to wipe his eyes and wince at the scratches on his face. He has gained a new appreciation for Rennick's stature.
"If these halflings were from the east, what were they doing here in the west? What has prompted them to turn back east? Does this tribe normally range so far afield?" he wonders aloud, picking through the remains of the halfling's rations. He turns his nose up at a hunk of spoiled, maggoty cheese. "Did they just happen upon us, or was an ambush truly laid?"
He scratches the back of his neck where a mosquito has bitten him. "I don't like the idea of camping where," and here he strives for the right word. "I don't like the idea of camping where the. . . Pathless have slept. But I'll admit, I don't have much experience in setting up defensive perimeters. Garyth? What do you think?"
He adds, "When I see Madame Legs, I hope that I will not have grown tusks, hooves, bristles, and a snout, in other words."
From: Matt
Subject: RE: First Day: The hunt; following a halflings trail (last call at the camp)
"The Murrkat were a myth to me until today, friend Mission. They were a story we would use to scare children. A curse to throw at one's enemies. My people have not seen them in countless generations, but stories of their vileness have carried down through the ages."
Rennik starts to clear a spot in the campground, tossing bits of spoiled food and soiled sleepmats several feet into the trees.
"They would eat the dead, rape their children and wallow in their own shit. They would coat their arrowheads in shit and urine to cause infection. They spoke only single words, if any at all. They had no respect for family, or life, or honor."
Looking up at Mission, "But these are myths, stories. I no nothing of their range, or their true practices. I don't know what brought them from their rumored home at the base of Mt. Kessel. For what it's worth, I don't believe they were tracking us. They were too far away.
"Likely, they were moving in the same direction as Elise, along a parallel path. When we left the path to investigate, a.... glinting of metal, or clank of armor," he glances briefly at Garyth, "must have alerted them to our approach. I would guess that Fayten was a sentry for their camp, or a scout - from what my cousin told me, he was a skilled woodsman."
"They had fair warning of our approach. Fayten's arrow was focused squarely on Garyth, and his skill with a bow may have cost our companion an eye, had I not... distracted him." Rennik's eyes turn down at the thought.
Glancing around at the campsite itself, he raises his voice to gain the group's attention.
"The light is beginning to fail, making travel dangerous. It will be more and more difficult for me to spot ambushes or traps as night approaches. Though distasteful, this campsite will do well for our purposes. There is a stream not far off that offers fresh water to wash with and fill our waterskins, and the sight lines are good enough that we could see all but the most skilled attackers approaching. There is already a firepit and some wood, which would save us effort. It has been used often as a camp in the past, from the markings."
"We should work out an order for the night watch, as our missing halfling may try to return. Or Horan and his companion may attack. This position is fairly well defensible, and we should have fair warning before they are upon us."
"What say you all?"