Melani and the Great Escape; The Wizards Plus One; Leaving the Town Behind
Subject: sorry guys
My work has been hell the last couple weeks. I apologize for letting the game lapse so long.
There will be turns today for everyone!
From: Mark
Subject: Re: sorry guys
There was much rejoicing.
Oh shit my arm. My arm hurts do bad. :)
How long does it take to write up "Melani steps on a branch and the evil boar and halflings eat her."
Mark
From: Ty
Subject: Melani and the Great Escape
[Sometimes the gods of the dice giveth, and sometimes they taketh away]
While the Murrkat and their big Wereboar friend munch dried meat, Melani quietly slips her hands out of the leather straps binding them [Escape artist: success]. Whoever tied them clearly had not run into one of the Reth before. She could have gotten out of those knots at 10 years old. And she was no green apprentice. She was Reth'Tenn, first scout of her people. They should have killed her. She can't help but smirk. She marks the face of the Murrkat holding her goods. She'd come back for that one when the time was right. He had her armband.
She curls her legs up behind her and undoes the knots quickly and then waits. Wait for the right time, her brother's voice says in her ear. You will only get one chance.
There. A big badger goes by, crunching through the underbrush and drawing everyone's attention for a second. In that second she is up and gone. She has already moved several dozen feet into the brush [move silent: success] before the cry goes up behind her. She immediately turns and moves parallel to the river, moving as quickly as she can while remaining quiet [move silent: success]. When she has gone a hundred feet or so, she turns again to move back to the stream.
She pauses at the edge of the underbrush. There is a gap in the brush of about five feet before she reaches the river, and she peers out so see if anyone is looking her direction. She can see no one. All of the Murrkat must have followed her into the woods. Good. Maybe they are following her first trail off into the forest. They would surely have trackers, but she had been careful to leave no trail after she turned to follow the river. She is just preparing to dart to the stream when she hears a branch crack behind her [Listen check versus Move Silent: success]. She spins around, and finds the Wereboar standing not more than ten feet away. He grins at her with his long tusks distorting his half human face.
"You are very quiet," Melani says, with something like respect in her voice. "Now you die," is his only reply.
[Initiative Melani 19, wereboar 16]
Before the boar can attack, Melani tumbles toward the river [tumble check 17 vs DC15; success]. She cartwheels away, throwing herself into a flat dive that takes her under the surface. But a second later she sees a shadow above her, then there is a huge splash and a heavy weight falls across her back [Wereboar charge attack 23 vs AC 14, hit; Damage 11; HP -6; death]. The boar slams her to the bottom of the shallow stream and holds her there. She can feel his heavy hornlike claws digging into her back as he holds her under. She holds her breath as long as she can, and then when she can't any more, she screams to Meilikki and her brother in a rush of bubbles.
A soft green light filled with the voices of those she loved carries her away.
From: Ty
Subject: The wizards plus one
After breakfast, Kasen and Sa'id ride off into the gentle hills that surround the forest. Sa'id looks up at the sky. "We are approaching Gully's from a different direction this time. And there is no sun or stars to get your bearings with. I hope I can find it."
Kasen nods. "But I think that a trader does not make himself hard to find. There should be many paths leading to his outpost."
By lunch they are in the woods. Sa'id remembers the gentle green light last time. The woods were almost a welcoming place then. But under the perpetual cloud cover, they are very dark, and filled with strange sounds. The wizard is just beginning to be afraid of getting lost, when the knight says, "Look! There's a path. And going sort of northeast too. I bet your trader's outpost is somewhere along it."
It is getting on toward late afternoon when Kasen is startled by Farron suddenly saying, "My back hurts." He stops Storm, and turns the wizard to face him. Farron's face is still pale, but his eyes are open. "Your saddle is killing my back. I think I'd like to ride my own horse now."
Kasen grins at him. "Of course. Just glad to see you back."
[you are a couple hours from camping. Check in to let me know if you want to do anything before or during the camping bits.]
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Melani and the Great Escape
Well shit.
Do you need a new character rolled up? Or am I out of the game?
Mark
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The wizards plus one
"Farron! You're awake!" It's obvious, of course, but Sa'id is happy enough to see his friend awake and talking that he doesn't much care. "We don't have too much further to go before camping," he adds. "Hopefully you'll feel stronger and less sore after a night's sleep."
OOC: I have nothing special to do or add before or during camping.
From: Ty
Subject: Leaving the town behind
Osred considers Vincy's words for a while. His scarred face twisted in thought. "Well, boys, I think we are off the map here. I can't say that there is any clear path for duty. We are certainly tasked with defending the folk of this isle wherever we can, so keeping those townfolk safe would clearly be part of our duty. But, at the same time, going to the temple of this demon and kicking his unholy ass back to hell sounds like something Hieronious would smile on." The sergeant gives them his own ugly smile. "And that's what I'm going to do. I think each man should make his own decision at this point. Either way, you are doing your duty as soldiers of Nesalin, and members of the Blood Falcon elite. No man can question now. Not after what you've been through. I'd pin a medal on each of you if I had any to give."
Vincy looks at Robert and Munch for a second. Something unspoken passes between the three men. He turns back to Osred and Garyth. "We're going then. There's no guarantee of anything either way. Kenneth died shepherding these people around. Dying out here or dying in a demon's lair, it's still dead. And I'd like the chance to pay the Captain back for saving my life." The other two Falcon's nod.
Munch spits. The generally taciturn Falcon surprises everyone by saying, "Fuck that demon. Fuck him and his zombies and his Halfling wretches. We all die, I guess. But I want the chance to say 'fuck you' right to him, before I go. I get that, I guess that's good enough." He steps forward, and grips arms with Garyth so tightly that it hurts. "You took blows meant for me. When I went down, you took blows that would've ended me. I'll cut the heart from any man or beast that lays a hand on you. And that's all there is."
Osred pushes the Falcon away, "Hands off the Captain now, you buggering crybaby." His voice is rough, but his smile shows his love for the men that look up to him. "I guess we're all going. With the Captain's permission of course."