"Small Town" Chapter 1

[distant quasar]

The pack of wolves appears In a loose line in front of Ferran, immmediately running towards and leaping at the nearest Orcs, tearing at them with their jaws.

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The wolves appear in A14, B15, C14, D15, and F14.

One charges the orc in J13 another, the one in I17. One charges the Orc in H22. One each moves to and attacks the Orcs in J13 and I17. The wolves are now in I13, I12, H15, H16, and H21.

Bite (J13): (1d20+7)[13] (+3, +2 from extra str, +2 from charge)
Damage: (1d6+3)[5]
trip if hits: (1d20+3)[22]

Bite (J13):(1d20+5)[8]
Damage: (1d6+3)[8]
trip if hits: (1d20+3)[18]

Bite (I17):(1d20+7)[24]
Damage: (1d6+3)[7]
trip if hits: (1d20+3)[20]

Bite (I17):(1d20+5)[19]
Damage: (1d6+3)[9]
trip if hits: (1d20+3)[21]

Bite (H22):(1d20+7)[11]
Damage: (1d6+3)[4]
trip if hits: (1d20+3)[9]

[Batpope Scott]

Violence, slaughter, prophecy and cyclic reincarnation. Not only that but he seems quite the nasty fellow. Let's see if I can clear up a bit of those unclear points....

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Decipher Script roll
(1d20+14)[34]

[boldfont]

The Orcs were told they could cut trees to make homes for themselves, but mistakenly confused the building site with the sacred grove. Very mistaken indeed! What began as a misunderstanding became a brawl, and from there a bloodbath.

Five wolves spring into existance from under the dry leaves on the ground. They snarl and leap at the throats of their enemies as commanded by the furious druid. Two take on one Orc, and two more take on another. Both are by the bon fire. They snap at the Orcs arms and connect. In avoiding the first, both orcs are bitten by the second. They pull at the flesh between their teeth and shake their head vigorously, dragging the Orcs to the ground.

One of the Orcs twists his body as he falls, wolf still attached, and lands with the full force of his body on the wolf. This quickly loosens the animal from his arm, but leaves the Orc prone on top of the wolf.

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8 dmg to I13 Worf and grappled.

The fifth wolf, furthest away bites but misses the mark. Likewise, the Orc takes a swing with his ham like fist, but misses. They eye each other warily.

Suddenly, the other Orc strikes out with his foot at just the right moment, propelling one of the wolves into the fire. The summoned animal dissapates into nothing more than burning leaves.

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CRIT and Death

The fourth Orc realizes that the level of seriousness of situation has risen considerably. He picks up the axe that he prematurely cast aside and runs forward to join the battle.

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Here is the updated battle map.

[boldfont]

Treating the Book

Ivellios has some success treating the aged paper. He brought out some dyes he kept on hand for just such a purpose, and with a delicate hand brushed a blue solution over the page. Harrazd assisted his friend by covering all sources of natural light. After a minute in the dark the page began to glow.

It was better certainly, but still difficult to make out. They had a choice. They could either make do with the puzzling page as it was, or they could employ a risky technique known as "soft firing" in which they ran the page over a flame without buring the paper to bring out traces of ink that were long since lost. This would certainly make the page legible, but it could also destroy the paper as well, along with whatever mysteries it held.

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Decipher Script DC 25

[Batpope Scott]

My friend I can't believe I am saying this but, I am going to risk the book as this may be our only way of truly knowing what it means to tell us.

Before attempting to risk the information, Ivellios copies what he can see of the writing into his journal.

A short elven prayer for good luck is made as Ivellios attempts to clear away this mystery.

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(1d20+14)[28] Decipher Script

[boldfont]

My friend I can't believe I am saying this but, I am going to risk the book as this may be our only way of truly knowing what it means to tell us.

Before attempting to risk the information, Ivellios copies what he can see of the writing into his journal.

A short elven prayer for good luck is made as Ivellios attempts to clear away this mystery.

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[roll0] Decipher Script

The Soft Flame

Ivellios copies what he can decipher onto a separate page. With skill and care he cuts the page from rest of the book and lofts it over a candle flame. The words do indeed darken and the writing that was once hidden by age is now revealed.

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Pock may join these two in the library or visit some other location in the interim. I figure enough time has passed so the Pock's, Harrazd's, and Ivellios' experiences are now in sync. It looks like the grove encounter will take longer, and so I invite you find some trouble independant of Murika and Ferran or to role play.

[Batpope Scott]

So much for the mystery. He's the son of a dragon, no wonder he could show up in a 200 year old battle. We may have our work cut out for us...

Ivellios copies down the text into his journal for later and does his best to preserve the original page for the library.

Shall we get going then? We've apparently got a dragon to slay.

[Morbis Meh]

Capin looks at the crazed hippy and the orcs and simply shrugs "Have fun guys, I am going back to town, didn't start this and I am not getting involved check you later." He turns around and walks away in the opposite direction of the fight.

[distant quasar]

Ferran stares incredulously as his friend walks away. "They are tree killers!" he cries. "Despoliers of nature! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"

shaking his head, Ferran turns back to the Orcs. Still, Murika's unexpected withdrawal forces him to think... if he does have these orcs eaten, as he should, where will that leave him? The mayor would probably be more inclined to side with the Orcs, after all.

"Don't kill them!" he calls, somewhat resignedly, even as he casts a spell to help his wolves do precisely that.

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cast Mass Snakes Swiftness, giving an extra attack to wolf I12, I13, and H16

I12(1d20+5)[8]
(1d6+3)[4]
I13(1d20+1)[12]
(1d6+3)[7]
H16(1d20+5)[19]
(1d6+3)[9]

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If any of those Orcs fall below 0 hp because of those attacks, the wolves disengage them and charge the Orc in K17; I'll let you roll for that if it happens

The wolves then snap at the orcs they are already next to.

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I12(1d20+5)[19]
(1d6+3)[4]
I13(1d20+1)[7]
(1d6+3)[5]
H16(1d20+5)[19]
(1d6+3)[9]
H21(1d20+5)[24]
(1d6+3)[5]
trip (1d20+3)[18]

[theduck]

Pock skittered a house a couple blocks from his abode, and dons this sneakin' boots and leather jacket. As he slides his dagger into it's small sheath, he hears the orcish women call his name one last time, and he feels a slight pang of regret at the hurt he hears.

Reckon I coulda handled that better... but that is future me's problem now. he mutters to himself, as he turns to walk towards the Munster Burger Bar. He loiters for a bit, but when no one else seems forthcoming, the awkwardness of just sitting at a resturant by himself drives him out. He recalled that a Capin and Ferran where planning on heading to the grove, but did not really feel like heading out of town (he had had enough of whole orcs for the day), so he heads to the library. Making his way in, he calls out.

We'll about ready to head on... we got us an orc to kill.

[boldfont]

Blood in the leaves

The wolves gain a sudden uniform boost in speed. They chomp at once like a machine. The words don't kill them.. ring hollowly in their ears. A wolf puntures the skin of the orc that felled his companion multiple times as he flails his arms on the ground helplessly. The others miss.

Again the wolves launch a volley of attacks. This time not in a magically induced unison. The Orc that was just bitten is bitten again, this time on the throat. Skin and blood spray in the air and the fallen Orc gurgles out a feeble cry. And then no more. He twitches as his blood begins to pool in the leaves.

Meh! thinks the wolf Technically it's the loss of blood that'll kill him.

Then yet another Orc is dragged to the ground. The Orc looks over to his fallen friend even as he himself is dragged down. He lets out a terrified cry and thinks briefly of his children at home. As tears rolls down his cheek he wonders if this is the day he dies... at eighteen years old and two babies as orphans.

That Orc's older brother, who earlier grabbed an axe, charges the wolf that just dragged his young brother down. In a murderous rage he screams bloody murder and revenge as the great axe falls and splits the wold in twain. But it is only a flurry of dry leaves from a conjured beast and this gives him no satisfaction for the very real blood his friends and family have shed.

As the fallen Orc begins to lose consciousness and quickly bleed out he envisions the young Orc lady from the Broken Tooth Clan that he never had the courage to talk to. He feels the deepest regret of a life not fully lived. If I survive this he thinks I'm going to marry that girl. And I will dedicate my life to the poor and the needy. And then he stops twitching. Is he dead? Or dying? There sure is a lot of blood...

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Here is the updated map.

[distant quasar]

Ferran heads over to the dying Orc and casts a spell on him, at the same time requesting that Silver tell the Orcs to give it up.

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casting cure minor wounds. Mainly to stablize him.

Silver swoops down through the treetops, hovering remaining around 20ft above the ground. She speaks to the Orcs through their minds, requesting that they cease and desist their futile struggles.

"Attention feeble-minded, unsanitary despoilers of nature! Give it up! You lose! Leave this place and never return! The death of your friend returns in kind the death of the golden deer, and your wounds repays the harm you caused to the mighty oak. Justice has been served, so leave or die!"

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roll Intimidate? Diplomacy? Circumstance bonus?

The wolves move close to the Orcs, ready to attack them should they attempt anything funny.

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to H19, H20, I19

ready actions attack the first Orc to attempt an attack on a wolf, Ferran, or Silver.

[boldfont]

A failed diplomacy check in the Grove...

The Orcs hear the druid's words and understand their meaning through his animal companion's freak deaky telepathic power. It totally trips them out man!

Can you take this a little more seriously Narrator? I think he really wanted to make that diplomacy check.

Sorry Dungeon Master.

As I was saying, the Orcs find the telepathic message of peace deeply disturbing. The words You have been beatin particular wound their collective Orcish pride. With a unified roar and new vigour (from the Druid's healing attempt) the Orcs begin to regroup for the next attack.

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You have used your turn, but in the circumstances and the spirit of the moment the Orcs will also use their turn non-violently.

One of the Orcs drags their recently fallen friend back behind the Fray. They back up cautiously and form rank around their wounded friend. They do not appear to be willing to leave the Grove, but neither are they on the offensive.

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You may not make another diplomacy check. They have heard your message, understood it, and rejected it. They feel strongly that they have a right to cut these trees down without your blessing. Any further diplomacy checks must be negotiations in nature, not demands. Depending on the offer, you may get a circumstance bonus.

Here is the updated map.

[distant quasar]

Ferran shakes his head sadly at the Orcs.

"We warned you," Silver says.
"Now you must die. Nothing personal."

Ferran moves back from the battle again, prepared to step in should the Orcs survive the next onslaught of the wolves and now Silver as well.

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move to G9

The wolves move in close to the orcs and attack, and silver swoops down to hit an orc with her hooves before flying back up again.

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move to H19, I19, J19

attack: (1d20+5)[11]
damage: (1d6+3)[8]
trip: (1d20+3)[21]

attack: (1d20+5)[14]
damage: (1d6+3)[5]
trip: (1d20+3)[14]

attack: (1d20+5)[25]
damage: (1d6+3)[8]
trip: (1d20+3)[4]

Silver uses flyby attack on the Orc in H20.

attack: (1d20+4)[21]
damage: (1d6+1)[5]

attack: (1d20+4)[17]
damage: (1d6+1)[4]

[boldfont]

The Journey to the Orc Clans Begins

Murika, Ivellios, Harrazd, and Pock meet at Munster Burger's with gear in hand.

Actually, we are doing this anacronistically.

What do you mean oh mighty DM?

We are assuming Ferran Treestrider joins the party later and we are playing out the journey with him there, while concurrently resolving his battle in the grove.

Well that doesn't make my job any easier! What a load of crap!

Just do it!

Fine, but I'm not happy about it (lousy DM... How am I supposed to do my job?)

At last the whole SWAG team, including Ferran Treestrider, march off together from Munster Burger. The day is getting late, but they know that any delay could lead to an unstoppable force of Orcs decending on their beloved Small Town. They have to defeat this Red King before he becomes a problem. They discuss their strategy...

According to a map on a placemat from Munster Burger, the nearest safe resting point is a full 2 day march from town. That is if they keep a continuous pace. Resting has two major drawbacks: (i) it causes greater delay, and (ii) once the SWAG team reaches the edge of town there won't be any resting points that are safe. Bandits and wild beasts roam the road, and most merchants travel without resting for fear of being eaten or robbed. There may be no rest to be had. On the otherhand, a forced march is unpleasant and if the party is weak they may find themselves in real danger.

There is also the issue of which road to take. The West road is longer and leads through Butterfly Lane and The Gopher Warrens. The East road follows the river through Broken Bone Pass. The pass is narrow and it follows along a cliffside.

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One player may be nominated to make a Knowledge: Geography Check with a +2 bonus for ranks in Knowledge: Local. I say only one because your characters would have no way to dissern who was correct among dissenting opinions. The DC is on a sliding scale ranging from 15-30.

[distant quasar]

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lol that wolf got a natural twenty and then a natural one his trip attempt...

confirm crit: (1d20+5)[13]

Ferran arrives a little late, appearing very, very, ticked off about something, which is rather unusual.

After looking at the map, he proclaims "I don't know much about either road, but that butterfly lane sounds nicer than broken bones pass..."

[Batpope Scott]

Ivellios looks up from his reading material to comment on the direction to be taken.

Is anyone of us versed in geography? I am an educated man, but my knowledge of maps is lacking. Personally I would think that a name as obvious as butterfly lane would be misleading. Though I could be paranoid.

[theduck]

Pock gives a small shrug as he looks at the map.

Well, Ivellios, an educated guess might be all we have to go off of, and I reckon we'll get the best guess out of the most educated one of us.

Amateurishly, he traces his finger along the two different paths.

I suppose the names could be misleadin', but it seems awfully unlikely that a path named after butterflies and gophers will give us more trouble than cliff side path named after broken bones.

[boldfont]

Angry Orc SMASH Wolfs!

The wolve are up to their old tactics. The crew, and growl and chop the Orcs - one for one. One the Wolves manages to pull down the Orc with the greataxe. Another hits an arterial soft spot on her opposite's leg. That wound looks nasty and will continue to bleed if it is not treated.

Silver swoops from the sky, raking the prone Orc's face with each talon Hooves.

AHHgggg!

Which is Orc for My Beautiful Face!!!

But then retaliation comes in spades. The prone Orc with his axe knows better than to take this kind of abuse lying down. He leaps to his feet, allowing the wolves to take a bite out of him if they can. Alas, not a single one is able to before he is on his feet and also on his guard.

The Muscular Orcs are all engraged. They curse! They Spit! They stomp their feet like tottlers! Each of them strikes the wolf in front of them with impossible strength and speed, and slays their target. Ferran feels a lump swelling in his throat. They look as if they could charge over to him and tear his arms off in three seconds if he gave them the chance.

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The updated map is here.

Hint: These raging barbarian Orcs are no walk in the park (so to speak). You want to make sure none of them actually gets the chance to hit or grapple you. Now that they have raging STR and CON bonuses they can pretty much hit and hit big an lightly armoured target every time. Just looking out for you buddy.

The "W" stands for wounded (from the crit - x2 and wound - DMs prorogative).

The "P" stands for prone.

[distant quasar]

Ferran swallows, looking at the Orcs.

"Well. Huh. That ain't good..."

As he looks at the Orcs, pondering what spell he might cast to destroy them once and for all, it occurs to him that Orcs can't fly. Looking up at Silver, he signals her to act. She swoops down to where Ferran stands ready, leaping on her, and then rises above the ground again, taunting the Orcs: "Naaa na-na-na - Can't touch this!"

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Ferran readies an action to mount silver when she lands adjacent to him. Silver moves down, Ferran mounts, then Silver takes off, ending up 15ft above the spot Ferran stood.

From his new vantage point, Ferran smiles, dreaming of the sweet, sweet revenge that is lightning.

[Batpope Scott]

You may be right Pock. The cliffside pass sounds like the more dangerous one. My suggestion would be that we do not take the name of a place lightly. I was once convinced that a place named "Mary's Flower Field" was going to be safe. That was the day I learned about a particular flower that acts more as a predatory animal.

Ivellios lets his eyes drift as he loses himself in the memory and then shakes slightly as if coming back awake.

My apologies, I digress.

[boldfont]

There is an encyclopedic series by Wendle Buttercup that is known among scholars the world over. It is The Encyclopedia Prime Materialis and it so happens that Ivellios, Ferran's friend and Small Town's resident librarian, has the entire series in first edition. The Encyclopedia Prime Materialis contains information on science, literature, art, major historical events, and all manner of natural and unnatural phenomenon. Simply put, it is the single most comprehensive collection of facts available.

The following is an excerpt from that marvolous collection:

The Encyclopedia Prime Materialis

Flying and Falling

There is a sub-school of flight theory that postulates that there is no actual difference between flying, hurlting, and falling. This school of thought has come to be know as the "flying and falling" theory.
The preeminent scholar on the flying and falling theory is Dak J'Rok of the Bearclaw Clan. This surprisingly well read and educated Orc Chief is most famous for his "Flying off the Cliffs of Broken Bone Pass" experiments in which Orcs were catapulted off of the cliffs to their doom in an attempt to selectively breed flying Orcs. Naturally, the experiment was a failure. Clearly Orcs are not capable of flight. The interesting and compelling theory is what followed. In order to save face as leader of his clan, Dak J'Rok brilliantly came up with a theory to explain his findings. In his theory, the sacrificed Orcs did fly, because there is no actual difference between flying, being hurtled, and falling. This is because, he explains, "even the clouds cannot stay in the sky indefinitely". Thus began a second series of experiments involving birds, wizards, and large rocks, all of which did return to the ground eventually. This, he argues, proved his theory as correct, and therefore no Orcs were needlessly sacrificed under his leadership.
This theory has been the subject of horrified elven scholars and passionate orcs scholars for years. The elves have contended that Orcs, and certainly rocks, cannot fly. The rebuttal usually takes the form of Orcish "flying rocks".

End of excerpt


If Ferran had read his passage he might not have been so self assured about the non-existance of flying Orcs. As it so happens, he has not read the Encyclopedia Prime Materialis, and was largely unprepared for the two massive boulders and the greataxe that came "flying" at him. The Axe and one boulder each flew wide of Ferran and Silver. The second rock hits him squarely in the chest...

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8 damage and Ride DC 5 (I know you have +11, but a natural 1 is a fail in this case.) or fall 15 ft.

[distant quasar]

"Ungh! Stupid Orcs..."

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I now have 42 hp, and am thus invincible.
(1d20)[18] succeed unless a one

[distant quasar]

Managing to keep his mount on Serran, Ferran has her fly off further away from the orcs, even as he has her fly off away from the orcs.

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Serran flies 60ft directly up (run action)

Ferran casts Call Lightning, hitting the wounded orc in J20 for (3d6)[11] electricity damage.

"Eat lightning!" he yells at them from his new height, secretly hoping they can't throw rocks this high at least...

[boldfont]

In a Storm, Never Stand Next to A Tree
(Grove Encounter)

It was somewhat of a surprise when, despite there being not a cloud in the sky, lightning shot down on Gork. He was just about to pick up another rock when he felt the primal wrath of three million volts running through his body.

Ferran looked down on them, both figuratively and literally, from his frosy mount. They seemed so small from his airey perch. He watched as they scurried like field mice in fear. From sixty-five feet in the air it was difficult to see where they had gone. He hadn't quite cleared the canopy, but all he could see were tree branches. They had taken. His eyes scanned the clearing for sign of his foe, but he only spotted two. The first was the sizzling Orc he had just zapped, still in the clearing. The second was standing next to the tree the Orcs were chopping when Ferran discovered them. He was holding a burning branch. Ferran could faintly hear the grunts of the others, and knew that they hadn't given up.

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Updated Map. The Orc by the tree has 20% Concealment. The Wounded Orc in the Centre is a sitting duck. The others are hidden.

[distant quasar]

Ferran scowls. Filthy nature despoiling cowards he thinks.
I'll save the wounded for last

He points down at the one huddled by the once mighty tree. How dare it attempt to use the great tree it harmed to defend its own hideous self!

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The Concealment doesn't affect the Lightning, since the lightning targets the square itself (and 30ft above it as well), automatically affecting any creatures/objects that happen to be there. At least that's my interpretation, if you see differently here is a roll:
(1d100)[25] 21 or above lightning strike for (3d6)[10] damage

Ferran and Silver also keep an eye and ear out for signs of the other orcs.
Silver spot: (1d20+10)[12]
listen: (1d20+10)[17]

Ferran spot: (1d20+9)[18]
listen: (1d20+9)[28]

[boldfont]

Which Way?

Ivellios thinks long and hard about the two paths on the placemat. All he knows for sure is that the merchants usually take Butterfly Lane in the winter, but it is now spring. Butterfly lane is longer, but he has heard that it can be quite lovely this time of year. Lovely means safe. Doesn't it? He's not sure. Almost everyone in the group has been through Broken Bone pass or knows someone who has been through there. The cliffs are steep and the path is narrow. It is also occasionally beset by trolls. It's tough to say... They'll probably have to go with their gut feeling on this one. As the appointed navigator, it is up to Ivellios.

[Batpope Scott]

I.... I have made my decision. We shall go through butterfly lane. I know the dangers of the cliff faces, but I just have my suspicions about the lane.

Ivellios thinks for a moment before adding in, We should probably still be careful as I have said previously.

[boldfont]

Butterfly Lane

Having made his decision, Ivellios and the other members of SWAG strick out on their bold quest to the Orc villages through Butterfly Lane. This route is fairly new. It was cleared by the combined efforts of the Merchant's guild of Small Town and the Orc Clans.

Once the farms and forest area is cleared the party has an uneventful trip. They make good time, stopping only briefly for supper and for a potty break. They reach the fork in the road, just as the map on the Munster Burger placemat said they would. The sun has begun to set.

The road forks in an open field with tall grasses. The smell of wet earth and pollen fills the air. If they were going to sleep tonight, this would be the place and time to do it. Otherwise, they should continue north by northwest, through butterfly lane in the dark. Time is of the essence.

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Harrazd made a successful spot check

Harrazd's keen barbarian sense detect the silhouette of a large humanoid to the South, about 1000 meters away on the crest of a hill. The party is being followed.

[theduck]

Pock was slightly saddened by the lack of actual butterflies, though he had to admit he hadn't been as observant as he could have been. Stretching slightly, his belly still full from supper and bowels empty after an emergency break shortly thereafter, he turns to the others.

Not sure how y'all are feeling, but I think I could keep going. Then again, I'm not a spell user.