Toward Nesalin, Garyth's Ride
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Matt, was just hoping to get everyone to check in.
But, having said that, I am still fairly unclear on what's happening. What is Farron actually doing now? Is Mission running to Nesalin ahead of the group?
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Seeing that Rennick is still intent on going to Nesalin, Mission will follow him.
My questions about running ahead of them were purely in case running was necessary.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Ok.
Is Farron summoning a mount?
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
(OOC - I'm assuming Garyth stopped Farron before he actually summoned anything. I'll leave it up to Ty to let me know if he had the time to actually memorize the spell. If he had it, he would have done so with the intent of riding himself to warn his family /OOC)
Farron makes to summon a mount when Garyth catches his arm.
*********
"The patrols will raise the alarm as soon as the army is sighted. Not everyone will make it into the town before the army reaches the gates, but the Guard have a better chance of alerting the people before..."
Garyth's voice breaks, and he pauses to swallow. With a grim look in his eye, he continues. Besides, even if we got there ahead of the army, the defenses at Overlook won't slow this force down much, not even if we are there to help. Our best hope--our *only* hope--is to make it to Nesalin in time to raise the Guard there."
**********
Farron struggles to pull his arm away, giving the soldier a furious look, as his words take their time to sink in. He relaxes in the soldier's grip as he realizes the truth of Garyth's words.
"You are right, of course, " He stammers. "Then we need to warn Nesalin as soon as possible." Let me summon a mount and we can send our best rider ahead to raise the alarm. But we must move NOW!"
(OOC - Farron wants to summon a mount and send the fastest rider to Nesalin, but he will do whatever is decided by the group. He will be anxious and jumpy until the group is on the move again.)
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Garyth is by far the best horseman in the group (Ride level 10).
I need a final turn from Mike and Karl at the least on whether Garyth would agree to make that ride.
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
OOC:Farron might know this. How long does it take to get from Nesalin to Overlook by boat? I am assuming that Overlook could be evacuated by boat if needed. I guess what I am saying is that we have two days. If it takes us a day to get to Nesalin and a flotilla can get to Overlook within a day maybe most of the people can be rescued.
Mark
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Actually, overlook sits on a cliff above the Bay of Nesalin. There is no easy way to get to the water from Overlook. Think, Cliffs of Dover type thing. That's why the lighthouse is there.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Not to mention that's why it's called OVERLOOK. ;-)
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Oh well screw that idea. Does Nesalin have any cavalry?
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
*****************************
"Let me summon a mount and we can send our best rider ahead to raise the alarm. But we must move NOW!"
*****************************
Garyth nods and turns to the group. "I will go ahead if we are agreed. I know how to handle myself in the saddle, and I'd have an easier time raising the Guard once I arrive. I'm willing to take the risk of going alone." He looks down the road where the army has passed. "If we don't make it in time, I've nothing left to lose anyway."
OOC: Unless someone has an objection, Garyth will ride ahead at the best possible speed (meaning he'll push the horse but won't risk killing it). If the Mount spell doesn't last the whole way, he'll hustle the first hour then walk the rest of the way without stopping to eat or rest.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
In the interest of speeding the narrative, (Since I can't reply again today), Farron will accept whatever is decided. He will push a little for *someone* to ride ahead, but will be placated if we just GET MOVING!
From: Mark
Subject: splitting the group
I understand the reason why, but I have never had a good thing happen when the group splits up.
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: splitting the group
Me neither, but unfortunately Garyth hasn't played much D&D. :p
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
"Wait," Sa'id says. "Let me do what I can to aid you along the way. Also, Farron, what about hasting him?"
OOC: Sa'id will cast Invisibility Sphere on Garyth, if he's interested, to give him some time to get away unnoticed.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
OOC: Garyth will happily take all the help he can get.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
OOC: Although, since Haste only lasts 1 round/level, that's only 36 seconds of fast movement, which would only get the horse an extra 360 feet at a walk and 1800 feet (or about a third of a mile) at a dead run. But, like I said, Garyth will take all the help he can get.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
Well, invisibility sphere will only last you six minutes, but it's better than nothing.
I can give you a magic circle against evil, too.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: splitting the group
I understand that, too, but sometimes it would be out of character to simply stay together for the sake of not splitting up. In cases like that I say you either split up or find some plausible way to motivate the characters to not split up. (I.E. if anyone really feels strongly about keeping the group together, now would be a good time for their character to speak up. ;-)
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Crying babies and Undead armies
I can't remember if it's on my spell list for today. I think it is, but my hard drive died and I lost everything at home. If Farron can cast it, he will. Since it's good for 5 of us, he'll suggest casting it on the horse, and the 4 slowest movers of the group just as we're all ready to head out again.
From: Ty
Subject: A life and death race; Garyth rides off
Farron makes to summon a mount when Garyth catches his arm.
"The patrols will raise the alarm as soon as the army is sighted. Not everyone will make it into the town before the army reaches the gates, but the Guard have a better chance of alerting the people before..."
Garyth's voice breaks, and he pauses to swallow. With a grim look in his eye, he continues. Besides, even if we got there ahead of the army, the defenses at Overlook won't slow this force down much, not even if we are there to help. Our best hope--our *only* hope--is to make it to Nesalin in time to raise the Guard there."
Farron struggles to pull his arm away, giving the soldier a furious look, as his words take their time to sink in. He relaxes in the soldier's grip as he realizes the truth of Garyth's words.
"You are right, of course," He stammers. "Then we need to warn Nesalin as soon as possible." Let me summon a mount and we can send our best rider ahead to raise the alarm. But we must move NOW!"
Farron turns back to his casting, and a moment later, a large and healthy looking riding horse appears. Sa'id chuckles, wondering to himself where such manifestations come from. Is the horse created from nothing? It seems unlikely, when it appears the training to act as a good mount. He wonders if somewhere on the other side of the world, someone suddenly falls on their ass as their horse vanishes into thin air. Magic has so many puzzling aspects?
"Wait," Sa'id says. "Let me do what I can to aid you along the way. Also, Farron, what about hasting him?"
Farron shrugs. "I can, but the duration is so short that it seems a waste."
Sa'id replies, "But I will be casting invisibility sphere on him as well. Perhaps it will ensure that he gets a head start large enough that the army can't catch him even if they later spot him."
Farron nods. "Whatever will help." He and Sa'id begin casting. Mission knows he is the fastest of the group on foot, and dislikes the way he feels when spells are cast upon him. He begins edging away.
Garyth has already swung lightly into the saddle. It feels good to be back on a horse. The Blood Falcon's were trained as guerilla fighters, and getting into and away from a scrap quick was part of their technique. Nesalin is about 50 miles from his location. A decent riding horse can walk almost that in a day. If he pushes the horse, not enough to kill it, but more that it might like, he can probably make it in four. That might cause permanent harm to an animal, and normally he wouldn't risk it, but in this case killing a horse to save a town was worthwhile. And, he reasons, it's a magic horse. Not a real horse at all.
When he feels the peculiar bubbling sensation that tells him the spell is working, he digs his heels into the horse's ribs and gallops off. The party can hear him galloping, but of course can't see him wrapped as he is in Sa'id sphere of invisibility. They hustle off in the same direction, trying to gain as much ground as possible while hasted.
Too soon the spell wears off, and the long road lies ahead. Rennik curses and spits. "Watching that army march past cost us half the day, dammit. It will be a late night in Nesalin before we arrive. On the plus side, Garyth might already have been there for several hours, and we may pass their army on the road, depending on how fast they muster." Rennik doesn't have high hopes. In his experience, it takes a very long time for humans to get around to doing anything.
At least Promise seems reassured by the efforts made. He still clutches his father insecurely, but he no longer cries. Tichenor sniffs the trail of the undead army when the group walks over it, and lets out a whine. He stays very close to his master after that.
[I am including a quick map of the layout of overlook, since it came up recently.]
From: Ty
Subject: Racing with the devil
Garyth gallops the horse as long as the haste spell and invisibility last. He slows down to a fast trot afterwards. It would kill a weaker horse to keep up this pace for four straight hours, but he is willing to risk it. The horse looks healthy and strong. And the lives of almost a thousand of his friends and family are about to be stolen by a demon. Damn the horse.
After an hour, the horse is beginning to show signs of weariness, and its flanks are sweaty. Garyth lets it drop to a walk for a few minutes to cool off, then takes it back up to a fast trot. The road moves swiftly under his hooves, and Garyth lapses into the half awake state that comes during a long ride. The road moving underneath and the steady clop of the hooves hypnotize a rider. Normally it is very peaceful, but this time Garyth has to continually fight the urge to gallop again. An extended gallop definitely would kill the horse, and strand him several hours from the city.
After the second hour, he walks it again for a few moments. The horse is starting to show real signs of wear now. While he walks it, its flanks heave, and foam lightly flecks its nostrils. He gives it enough time to stop panting, then swings back up into the saddle. "Sorry boy. You are a good horse. But we have a long way to go." He kicks the horse back up to a trot.
By the time the walls of Nesalin come into view, the horse is spitting foam tinged pink with blood. But he makes it, and stands shivering when Garyth slides out of the saddle at the main gate guardhouse. The sun is just below the wall. That would make it mid to late afternoon. The horse got him to the city in just over four hours. He stops for a second to rub its nose and neck. The horse is soaking wet and shuddering. "Thank you. Magic or flesh, no horse has ever been braver, and it has never mattered more. Thank you."
As he is speaking, a man with the stripes of a Sergeant in the guard wanders slowly over from the larger group that is dealing with the line of people trying to get into the city. He spots Garyth's Lieutenant markings and Overlook guard insignia and straightens up a bit. He offers Garyth a quick salute then says, "What news of Overlook, sir? You look to have ridden hard."
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Racing with the devil
Garyth strokes the horse's nose and whispers to it, "Thank you, boy. I release you from your service. I hope, wherever you return to, you find rest and peace."
Draping the reins over the horse's neck, he pats it goodbye, then turns to the Guardsman and returns his salute. "Grave news, Sergeant. Overlook is in dire need. I must speak to the Captain of the Guard immediately."