Good OOTSiverse

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi stayed near the ranger, but as Eosi began talking, looked at him, thinking he was being addressed. When he saw he wasn't, he shook his head, wondering to himself what kind of oddjob he was working with.

Constitution check: (1d20+4)[8]

[#Raptor]

Alrik Thrundling

The dwarf, not built for this, tries to keep up with the rest of the group, from time to time sprinting before he falls back again.

Spoiler

Show

There we go again. ^^
ConstitutionCheck - (1d20+3)[10]

[Pulsecode]

Spoiler

Show

Saved, by everyone else also getting shoddy rolls.

Radel broke off at a run, but was soon forced to slow down. He wanted to keep an eye on the track, and it was difficult to follow at full tilt... that, and the group was spreading out alarmingly as they ran, some keeping up a full pace, others dropping behind quite quickly. He didn't slow to walk, still being very keen to press the pursuit. No, he ran on, but he slowed his pace as much as he judged he had to.

[Elfin]

When you left Cliffport the sun had already begun to sink into the west; and after a few fruitless hours of hunting you begin to tire.
From the front of the line Radel calls back.
'' It's getting late; perhaps we should stop and rest so that we might continue our search in the morning.''
The rest of you heartily agreeing, you make camp in a wide glade, ghostly shadows of trees flung across it in the dusky light.

[Pulsecode]

Radel

Frustrated at having let his prey - and when he was on the trail, he did regard the man as his prey, not matter how many were in the group - Radel stalked the edges of the campsite, watching for movement in the forests. He'd picked the campsite himself - it was relatively well positioned, at at least as well positioned as he could hope for, without stopping to seek out a better one which would waste too much time.

He nodded in silence, and slipped back into the campsite.

"Hrmph. Don't usually have anyone to tell this to, but to prevent misunderstanding... don't leave the campsite during the night. But if you have to, for whatever reason, if anything happens at all... as you draw near the site, mutter the word... Ah, I don't know."

He glanced up at the sky, and the moon drifting slowly over the tree-tops.

"Gibbous."

Spoiler

Show

Spell cast: Alarm (mental)

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

"We'll pick up the trail in the morning, don't worry." Keothi says, sitting under a tree. He carefully pulls out the journal he had taken from Alvors study, and begins to read.

[Night Monkey]

Eiso squatted down beside Keothi, and attempted to read over his bulky shoulders, wanting to catch up properly on what he'd missed.

[Pulsecode]

Radel grunted quietly, and eyed up a nearby tree. The light was failing rapidly, and the later they went to sleep the later they'd get up. He hooked one hand around a stout branch of a tree overlooking the campsite, and swung himself upwards, lodging himself halfway up the tree.

Fionn alighted on the branch beside him, and wasted no time in tucking her head under her wing. He nodded, and drew his hood over his head in a remarkably similar gesture.

"We start out at first light.", he called down to the campsite below.

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi looks up at the rangers words. "Shouldn't we post a watch?"

[#Raptor]

Alrik Thrundling

"Sounds to me like I should get sleeping soon... and our chase so far was more than just a little straining. But if you need me to stand guard for the night later, just wake me." He quickly dozes off, and soon nothing more but a silent, regular breath can be heard from him.

[Pulsecode]

A laugh filtered down from the top of the tree, followed simply by the muttered words "Well volunteered..."

As some gesture of gratitude, though, he tossed a strip of dried venison down to Keothi, before leaning back against the trunk of the tree, and closing his eyes.

The spell he had cast would wake him if anyone approached the camp, which is why he hadn't been overly bothered with guards - but it was always better to have two plans than just the one.

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi, never one to pass up free food, snacks down on the venison. "I'll take first watch, then, but only for an hour or so."

[Pulsecode]

Spoiler

Show

Since things seem to be slowing down, I need to get to bed... I might not be around quite as obsessively often over the next couple of days, but I won't be gone. I'll just be posting from my phone!

Elvenblade - feel free to use Radel during the IC night, if needs be. The Alarm spell will wake him up if anyone approaches the camp without uttering the password, and I would think his first thought would be to use the special enchantment on those scimitars, for intimidation value. You can see where that's going, I'm sure. ;)

[Pulsecode]

Spoiler

Show

Well... guess I was right about things winding down.

Radel was asleep in moments - the discomfort of sleeping on a treebranch was something he had long ago gotten used to, even while still wearing a chain-shirt. His last thoughts before sleep claimed him were of puzzled amusement. He couldn't remember the last time he'd spent more than a few hours in any person's company, and even that just for trading tales in a tavern, or selling skins to merchants.

And now here he was, leading a band of adventurers through the woodland, in search of an ancient, evil artefact. The thought occurred that he never should have left his forest... but it was swiftly dismissed. He was needed here, and it was entirely possible that his contributions could swing the scale. With events like these, he couldn't just refuse to take part for the want of a simple life.

The thoughts drifted into dream, and the dreams drifted back to the estate. Ah, now there was a simple life.

[Stanfield22]

Chasa was in no hurry. Alowne had wandered off like this before... hadn't he? She couldn't even remember. The elf heard her badger start growling and, based on the way Alowne's pitch increased, he was about to attack something.
Chasa was, again, in no hurry.

Alowne could definitely smell something, and he was hot on the trail. He stopped to look around.

Spoiler

Show

Spot Check to find Radel in the tree: (1d20+4)[23]

If Alowne sees Radel, he lunges up the tree, growling like a maniac.
Climb Check to get to Radel: (1d20-1)[14]

If not, Alowne continues lurking at ground level.

It was only as her badger stopped that Chasa began to worry. She was in NO mood for this.

"Alowne!" she hissed.

And naturally, her badger took a 0 on his Listen check.

[Stanfield22]

An excellent tracker, though not the sharpest leaf on the tree, Alowne uses the "surprise round" to attempt a grapple check on the sleeping target.

Spoiler

Show

Balance Check to stay on tree: (1d20+3)[11]

If Alowne falls, he falls. Chasa's eyes will roll.

Grapple attempt:
(1d20-6)[2]

Chasa watches, bewildered, from the ground. She doesn't tense to the situation. That stupid badger's gotten her in worse.

"And to think, I'd wanted a ferret, instead....."

[Pulsecode]

(editing - new post coming)

[Stanfield22]

Spoiler

Show

Chasa's still a ways behind her companion. It was the badger, not a human, that violated the alarm. Can animals break the barrier? :) And yes, I googled it before I did it. Badgers can indeed climb trees. ;) Though I didn't expect you to sleep through the chatty little devil.

[Pulsecode]

Spoiler

Show

Ah - hrm. I'll edit the post then, as he wouldn't have done that if it were just a badger. Sorry if I'm a bit slow, posting from my phone.

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi, still on watch, eyes the badger snuffling it's way up the tree towards Radel, but says nothing... it's likely one of his woodland friends, after all.

[Pulsecode]

Radel snapped his eyes open as he felt the tree shake. They'd been found! Why hadn't the alarm sounded? He snarled quietly, peering down the tree, hands on his scimitars.*

A badger? What could have angered it that much...?

He crouched back down with a carefully peaceful air, and produced another strip of venison from his pouch. Carefully taking a non-threatening stance, and positioned himself to be hard to get to, to buy himself a little more time.*

Spoiler

Show

Wild Empathy check (d20+5)[22] - good roll. I love being a ranger in the woodlands! Also, turns out that a badger would set off the alarm, but I'm not editing it again. Lets roll with it!

[Stanfield22]

Chasa runs forward (through the alarm) to the base of the tree.
"Alowne! Leave them be!" Her tone reflects fury, but her face seems more melancholy.

Alowne, meanwhile, having miserably failed his grapple check, starts salivating over the idea of munching on some meat.... he gets closer, still taking 0's on his listen checks. He starts nibbling on the meat, warming immediately thereafter to Radel.

"Great work, Alowne, you attacked the man's food supply. You're a hero to us all."

The badger seems to hear this and growls down at Chasa, who scowls for real this time.

Though she possesses a shortspear, she doesn't seem eager to attend to it; her posture remains relaxed as she stares up at the ranger, now made visible by her stupid companion's method of attack.

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi has his sword ready, but the shouting woman seems more focused on the tree then attacking the campsite. She also seems to be talking to a badger. "What are you doing out here?"

[Pulsecode]

Radel left the badger to chew the rough, preserved strip of venison, and swung his way carefully down through the branches. *Alighting softly on the ground, he turned to face the newcomer with an appraising air. There was no surprise on his face - he had heard the chime ring out in his head when she crossed the threshold of the campground. Nor was there particular worry, though, as she didn't remotely resemble Kor, or anyone he would expect to work with Kor.

"And who might you be, to come rushing headlong into the camp of a group of armed strangers?"

There was no malice in his voice, but amusement if anything. As he spoke, a gold flecked hawk perched lightly on his shoulder, tweaking at Radel's hood irritably.

[Night Monkey]

Eiso jerked upright from his uneasy slumber, awakened by the voices. He fumbled for his sai, hidden beneath his furled up cloak upon which his head had been resting. Extracating himself from his bedroll as quietly as he could he moved slowly towards the tree beside which Radel was standing, ready to support him in combat should the need arise.

[Elfin]

Spoiler

Show

Again, really sorry about leaving you guys hanging. Do you guys want to resolve the new character joining yourselves?

[Tackyhillbillu]

Taki was awakened as well, grabbing his chain and poking his head out of the Tent he had set up. He had his Chain in hand, waiting to see if he would be needed.

[Stanfield22]

From Keothi, to Radel, Chasa looked. Her face seemed to cool back to melancholy as Alowne contendedly munched on his jerky, a wary eye on the bird.

Chasa slowly moved her hand to her shortspear, stifling a grin as those around her became rigid. She moved the hand beyond the spear to the clip that held it on and removed it, the spear thudding softly to the ground. She then took three slow steps back, never once breaking her gaze.

"My badger likes to follow scents and footprints. It found all of you. Sorry it tried to attack you. He's not the brightest. Right, Alowne?"

The badger took another 0.

[ColdSepp]

Keothi Longwalker AC: 17 HP: 48/48
Maneuvers: Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, Steel Wind
Stance: Hunters Sense

Keothi eyes the woman, but relaxes once she has dropped her spear. "And you walk these woods at night... often?"

[Pulsecode]

Radel clicked chidingly at the hawk, which ruffled its feathers, and took off with one beat of its wings, circling quickly above the trees.*

He eyed the new arrival once again, an unfilled silence laying between them. Finally he decided to break it, and smiled slightly.*

"Radel. Woodsman, and tracker."

He wasn't sure about the newcomer's reaction, but he felt no compunction about telling her his name. After all, it wasn't like it was his only one. *

"And as much as I would like to stop and talk, time presses on."

The longer they delayed, the further the man got from them, and the colder his trail grew.