[GURPS 4e] Banestorm fantasy game (IC)

[Unwitting Pawn]

Inside the tower...

John reappears at the door. "Finished, yes? Good, good. Then if there is nothing else, you had best be going if you wish to reach the town. Godspeed, yes." He attempts to usher everyone out of the room and back down the stairs, pausing only to relock the library door.

[NamelessArchon]

Eniarch allows John to usher the group from the room, and waits for him to lock the door before he speaks to him. "It has been more productive than might have been expected to have had access to the library. Thank you for your assistance." He makes a slight bow, then turns to descend the steps and leave the tower before John starts looking for a broom to sweep them from the tower.

[dariathalon]

Ementha walks out the door, giving John a smile. "Thanks again for all of your help. I guess we'll see you when we've found it."

As Ementha leaves the tower she says, "Well, some information gained anyway, but more would have been useful. I guess I'll have to watch the omens to see if I can gather any more clues."

[Unwitting Pawn]

"Yes," says John in reply. "Good luck and Godspeed." He sees you out of the tower and gives a wave before disappearing back inside.

The sun has disappeared and it is rapidly getting dark outside. There is a partial moon that occasionally glows through a gap in the clouds. The evening air is a little chill.

[NamelessArchon]

Eniarch pulls his cloak around himself a little more tightly. The season's chill is all too evident in the air. Omens and signs. Phaw. Next we'll be casting tea leaves and reading entrails while we fret over black cats.

He once again plucks the glowing coin from his pouch and holds it aloft, casting a brightly defiant circle within the gathering darkness, then turns to follow the lead of the others. "Nothing we found is definitive, to be sure. What should our next course of action be?"

[Devereux]

Seeing the group exit tower, and noting a definitive lack of stuffy caretakers, Cedric stands up and approaches them.

"Well now, found everything you needed? Or is it safe for me to say 'we' yet?" he asks, looking questioningly at everyone, but especially Eniarch.

"I would have loved to have seen all the books in that library. I bet a wizard like him's got all sorts of books about all sorts of places and monsters and whatnot!" he says excitedly

"as for our trip ahead... do you know where we're going? As much as I dislike sleeping out in this chilly weather, I don't think we'll be getting better accomadations here, if I'm any judge of our friend John's quick farewell. May as well put some distance towards town, if that's our aim. Maybe a barn along the way will provide some more sheltered accomadations. Or an inn or friendly farm house. Or any place they might have some food. I'm a bit ill prepared for the trip. I didn't think to ask Gill for any provisions before he left."

He shivers a bit and looks at the moon.

[NamelessArchon]

"'We' is safe enough. You'll have a chance to earn your keep before we're through, I'd expect." Eniarch glances at the sky a moment, and tries to shrug deeper into his threadbare cloak.

"I'm not at all familiar with the area here. Not to mention, I'm not sure how welcome we'd be camping here next to the tower. I've bunked down in the open before, but I'd rather reach a place where I could find something to eat before I sleep. I'm not much for foraging in the wilderness and the town is a fair distance away." He trails off and shrugs slightly.

[dariathalon]

Ementha bends over to make sure her shoes are ready for a good long walk. Then she pauses to make sure her backpack's straps are sitting comfortably on her shoulders.

"Well, whatever we do, there's no use standing here and wagging our jaws. I think we're all in agreement to try to at least get some travel done today." She begins walking toward the gates, using her mage's staff as a walking stick. She calls over her shoulder, "We might as well start moving. We can talk as we walk. My mouth works just as well if I'm walking and if I'm not."

Once Ementha reaches the gate, she'll look back over to make sure the others are behind her. If not, she'll pause to wait for them, although looking a little impatient.

[NamelessArchon]

Eniarch nods in agreement at that. "One moment, then, and I'll fetch my things."

The mercenary isn't the only one a bit ill prepared for a lengthy trip. He hurries out of the compound, and turns right to walk along the wall for a few paces, using the coin to light his way. A few paces from the entrance, he turns left and walks a pace to a small scrubby tree. He bends down and retrieves a small cloth bundle from near the base of the tree, then returns to the entrance to stand next to Ementha, where he spends some time tying it to one end of his staff with a bit of twine.

Holding the coin in his left hand and with the staff over his right shoulder, he waits quietly for the others to be ready to depart.

[Devereux]

Cedric puts his things away and shoulders his pack. He then pauses and looks around to see if anyone needs any help.

"How are you feeling now, Miss Ementha? Hope a bit better. he asks, lumbering out after Ementha.

[Unwitting Pawn]

Rann says "I'll catch up in a few minutes," as he begins to resaddle his horse and prepare for the journey.

Franciszek picks up his gear and silently follows the others.

[dariathalon]

Ementha smiles. "Oh much better now, thank you," she relies to Cedric. "It is wonderous what a little red-willow root and a few minutes of quiet rest can do. I probably just tuckered myself out making that bracelet glow."

She begins walking, "So are we going to try to make it to town or just stop when we've found a good campsite?" she asks.

[NamelessArchon]

Eniarch waits patiently for the more experienced travelers to chime in, considering his own opinion on the subject in case the others ask him for it. Walking all night won't accomplish much beyond leaving us exhausted the following day. He raises the coin higher for a moment, while peering out at the surrounding terrain. This isn't my idea of a grand place to make camp, but I've had rougher. I think we cover what distance we can, then make camp before it gets too late.

[Devereux]

Cedric scratches his chin thoughtfully, and suggests, "Well I am certainly mostly used to wagon travel. I would suggest we travel until the sun sets a bit. Then keep our eyes peeled for places that look more comfortable or defensible if we're in the open... or perhaps we'll happen upon a home where we could offer a copper or two for a barn or shed to sleep, or maybe even a spot of breakfast for a little extra."

Things were so much easier with Gil doing the driving and deciding. At least this promises to be a bit more exciting.

[dariathalon]

"Sounds like a plan to me," Ementha says. She glances up to the sky, looking for signs of what tonight's weather might hold.

(Weather Sense skill 12)

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(3d6)[4]

[dariathalon]

After a few moments of looking at the sky, Ementha continues. "Well, that's one thing we don't have to worry about anyway. The Signs say that we'll be getting rain soon, but it should hold off until tomorrow afternoon, I think."

[NamelessArchon]

"Cold is better than cold and damp, at any rate." Eniarch continues to trudge along at the back of the group. "By then we should have arrived at town, and we can work out what to do to try and stay dry on the trip out."

[Devereux]

"I'm happy to keep walking until we get to town, I don't see a need to camp out and risk getting caught in weather tomorrow. John mentioned earlier we could make it by nightfall, and we're only a couple hours off now. So long as your light holds, and I can get a warm bite to eat once we're there."

"Speaking of which, does anyone recall if this town had a name? Or will it just be the first clump of buildings we encounter with a place to eat?"

Cedric marches along happily, humming a tune to himself from time to time.

[Unwitting Pawn]

Rann trots up to the others, before dismounting to lead his horse on foot, and the party moves along the road towards town. As the White Tower is left behind, the darkness of evening is held at bay by the group's two sources of unnatural light. The light from these drown out the pale luminosity of Yrth's partially-visible satellite, and serve as visible beacons of the party's movement to any other inhabitants of that dim night.

Marching progress will be dictated, as all would expect, by the pace of the slowest member of the group. After a little walking, it becomes fairly apparent that that person is going to be Ementha.

OOC:

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dariathalon, do you want to try for a Hiking roll?
NA, I don't think you need make such a test, as it won't matter here. Eniarch is least encumbered of the party at this juncture.

[dariathalon]

The weight of her backpack is already beginning to weigh heavily. It is almost half the weight of her own body, so it is little surprise, really. And her long walk before encountering Gill's wagon earlier in the day was certainly beginning to get to her tired legs and feet. She pauses for a moment, readjusting her backpack straps. When she takes off again, she tries to set a moderate, but steady pace.

Hiking roll (Skill 11)

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(3d6)[5]

[Unwitting Pawn]

After about an hour or so, the party passes by the outskirts of a small village near the road. A narrow track leads off from the road to where a few dark buildings are barely visible in the moonlight.

Rann looks down the track for a moment. "I can't see any lights on over there," he squints. "Shall we keep going? I'm inclined to stay on the road until we find somewhere more inviting, but I'm not sure what was agreed while I was saddling-up."

OOC:

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Thx for the roll, dariathalon. Needless to say perhaps, but that was a success.

[Devereux]

"I don't need to stop just yet. And I think I would rather sleep under the sky then wake some poor bloke just to beg for a place to sleep. But then, I've been on a wagon all day. Perhaps our more road weary friends may feel inclined to take a rest. Miss Ementha here was looking a bit tired but seems to have perked up a bit. I'm not positive about Eniarch and er, Francis here," he says, looking apologetically at Franciszek.

"A saucy cut of beef and a mug of something warm and frothy might be nice though... or I'd settle for eggs... or even some of that mystery stew I cooked up last week...," he says quietly, thinking outloud.

[NamelessArchon]

Eniarch turns away from the track to address the others. "Hungry as I am, I would rather our arrival not wake the village with an armed gang at my back. Such is apt to lead to a misunderstanding we would do very well to avoid." His eyes linger on Cedric's weapons as he speaks.

He regards the dim buildings for a quiet moment, then shakes his head in negation. "I would also prefer to stop where there will be some assurance of something to eat, but if there were any tradehouse here, then surely there would be some signs of activity and lights to show it as such."

He looks once more at the farmhouses, and then looks up the road before he speaks again. "If we are all prepared to march on, I will not speak against it. There will be other meals and other places to rest."

[dariathalon]

Ementha pauses, examining the darkened buildings carefully. Her eyes narrow to a squint for a few moments, before she turns back to the rest of the group. "Looks to me like nobody's home, or at least awake at any rate. Let's keep walking. There's bound to be a better option than waking a poor family up to ask for a bit of food and a place to sleep. I'm not that desperate." In her mind, she adds, "Well, not yet anyway."

[Unwitting Pawn]

The road proceeds onwards. After some time, the darkness ahead is broken by a small glimmer of light that your eyes would guess to be an approaching candle.

"I think that they are singing," comments Franciszek. The rest of you don't yet hear anything other than your own steps.

[Devereux]

"Singing? Are they any good?" muses Cedric to Franciszek.

He then stops, checks to make sure that his sword is within easy reach, strains his ears to hear, and squints out into the dark.

[NamelessArchon]

Good voices or no, by now they've certainly seen us if we can already make out their candle in the dark. Eniarch settles the free end of his staff on the ground, and strains to hear or even see the approaching singers, all the while holding the coin high above his head in a futile attempt to gain a better look before they approach more closely.

He speaks softly to the others, trying not to let his voice carry too strongly. "I would rather know, instead, what they sing and in which tongue. I fear my ears and eyes are not so sharp as yours."

[Devereux]

"A very good point. You're clearly one of those who God blessed with wits." whispers Cedric, vainly attempting to talk and listen at the same time. "But... if they are robbers, I may willingly part with a few silver if they sing me a sweet song, provided they settle for just a few."

He then puts a hand up to cup his ear to attempt to listen.

[Unwitting Pawn]

As the PCs pause, the candlelight continues to approach. Rann's horse appears to be unsettled and he calms it as quietly as he can.

"No, they would not appear to be any good," says Franciszek.

@Cedric

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You could just make out some singing as Franciszek was replying, but not well enough to identify. There is then a moment of silence as the candle appears to have stopped its approach. You can spot two or three persons in the glow ahead, and you hear low voices instead of more song.

"I believe it was supposed to be Anglish. I'm sure I would not recognise the song," adds Franciszek disdainfully. "In any case they have stopped."

@Eniarch

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You heard something that was probably singing, but now there is silence. The candle appears to have stopped its approach. You can make out at least two figures in the light.

@Ementha

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You heard something that was probably supposed to be singing, follwed by silence as the candle appears to have stopped its approach. Then the sound of low voices.

[dariathalon]

Ementha whispers. "I could try to sense foes, but if they really are singing, it seems to me that they probably aren't hostile. Maybe we should just call out a greeting and see what happens." She takes a step forward, with the obvious intent of calling out. Though she pauses long enough that she can be stopped if the others feel strongly against it.