[IC] The Storm on the Horizon

[Dragodar]

Spoiler: Ambience

Show

Listen to this as you read the following post and write your reply.

Youtube link

Spotify link

As the party regroups and begins once again to traverse the forest, the sounds of the pagan feast continue to drone on, a crazed, rapturous cacophony of screams and chanting. For what seems like an eternity, Bendron leads the party on a safe path, weaving through the camps and avoiding the Niorû.

=============

After nearly two hours, the sounds of the ritual fade behind them, just as the sky begins to lighten. Bendron keeps moving, getting the party safely away from the savage ceremony until it is light enough for them to walk on their own.

Spoiler: Ambience

Show

Youtube link

Spotify link

As the sun begins to rise behind a thick blanket of clouds, a slight drizzle begins, dampening the already tired spirits of the group. They are exhausted, sleep-deprived, and covered in blood, but the sounds of the Niorû have faded to complete silence behind them. For the first time in over a day, they feel relatively safe, although cold. Even in this temperate climate, the winter saps them of heat and drains their energy.

Spoiler: Date and Time

Show

It is early in the morning of Iru 6th, around 6 AM.

[RealZachKraus]

"Right. There will be plenty time to talk, and rest, when we find a campsite."

[Nightwing32193]

Spoiler: OoC

Show

check for campsite

Gideon looks around the area their in, having been in the wild for so long he developed a trained eye for good campsites.

[Dragodar]

Spoiler: GM Only

Show

Survival check: (1d20+5)[16]

Gideon sees a group of trees off to the left that appear to be close enough together to provide some amount of shelter from the rain, despite their lack of leaves.

Spoiler: Ambience

Show

Youtube link

Spotify link

The group makes camp between the trees and tries to get some rest, for what seems like the first time in forever. They are thoroughly exhausted, and fall asleep without issue. The rain picks up to slightly more than a drizzle but hardly bothers the enervated sleepers.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Does anybody keep watch or does everybody sleep?

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon sits with his back to a tree with his great sword against his shoulder. He stares intently at the dirt as the rain drizzles down against his body from the trees above him.

[Graehamkracker]

Bendron volunteers to take first watch. Things are still very new to him, and he's still running on enough excitement to hold off the weariness. He finds a suitable pedestal and sets to cleaning his equipment, hands running along the halberd as he removes the grime and hones the edges - inspects it thoroughly, then sets the head back into a covering to keep it well oiled. Finished, he takes in the trees and grass and rain, uncaring of Gideon's brooding.

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon shrugs. Acknowledging the dwarf. But doesn't move.

[RealZachKraus]

"My friend, you are still wounded. Let the dwarf take the first shift. Get some rest, whatever ill news you have for me can wait until we're clear-headed. A lot has changed these past years," Chadwick said to Gideon, compassionate, but stern.

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon looks up and nods, without moving he rolls over and lies down. Closing his eyes and falls asleep, cradling his sword.

[RealZachKraus]

Chadwick stretches and lays out his bedroll. Looking at Bendron, he smirks, "I trust you're not gonna gut me and take my loot while I'm out?"

[Graehamkracker]

"There's nothing you have that I would need." Bendron replies.

Spoiler: Character Internal? IDK

Show

As his watch passes, Bendron compares the stories he was told and the truths he was taught to the things he sees in the woods. Wood seems a bit softer than he'd imagined, and grass almost tickles as he runs his hand over it. The noises of a forest are all foreign, but most mapped to various animal calls he had been told of. He was not prepared for weather. The wind's movements were expected, but the noises were not. Creaking, whistling, and rushing were one thing to hear about, but another to actually hear. And the rain. What magics must carry the water into the sky only to release it back to the ground? The world he's seen so far has been a bit less ordered than expected.

Spoiler: OOC For DM

Show

Assuming an uneventful watch, of course.

Spoiler: Chadwick

Show

As Chadwick relieves Bendron's watch, the dwarf gestures to the snoring barbarian and asks: "Do you really see that hope in him?"

[RealZachKraus]

Spoiler: Chadwick and Brendron

Show

Chadwick lets out a low whistle. "Hope? Sure I have hope for him. But then, it's not really what I meant. See, it may not be readily apparent, but that guy's royalty.. or whatever his people's idea of royalty is. We may have some pretty extreme ideological differences, but years ago we fought together against a much greater evil. His father is a pretty powerful chieftain... or at least he was... Chadwick trails off, suddenly becoming aware that he is speaking to what amounts to a complete stranger. "I used to be an lieutenant in my country's military. A little over 5 years ago I lead a regiment against the orcs of the south. I don't know how long you were conked out in those caverns but I can guess it's been long enough that you might not be aware of this threat. Many of the northern kingdoms banded together in this crusade of ours. His tribe happened to be in the warpath of the enemy, and on a recon mission my troops discovered them under siege. Together our people managed to push the army back and for the rest of the campaign we had that tenuous alliance. It was in my negotiations with the chief that I met Gideon. We ended up going countless missions together and, while I'm ashamed to admit it, I oftentimes used him and others as a way to get things done outside of the 'rules of war,' if you get me. All for the cause, of course. A brotherhood forged in blood is not easily broken. Eventually we pushed the enemy back, and as far as I know, routed them. But seeing him so far North worries me. I fear we may have declared victory too soon..."

[Graehamkracker]

Spoiler: Chadwick

Show

"There are no 'rules of war' - just three outcomes. You safeguard that which you set out to protect, your foe destroys it, or you destroy it yourself. Be wary, paladin; it is all too easy to claim victory and have lost along the way."

Finished, Bendron rises and settles in for a much shorter sleep than his last one

[Dragodar]

As Bendron closes his eyes and drifts into a quiet sleep, Chadwick settles in and prepares for his watch shift.

Spoiler: GM Only

Show

Spot check: (1d20+2)[8]
Listen check:(1d20-1)[15]

Chadwick's hour ticks by slowly and uneventfully. Soon, it is time for him to wake his replacement.

[ButcherDawg]

With a brief, startling yelp, Seamus is shaken awake by a presumably terrifying dream.

Spoiler: Chadwick

Show

"I... I am sorry. It was a dream..." Seamus trails off in thought as he looks around, making little sense of the surrounding damp darkness and comparing it to the dream he dreamt. Somehow, it is better here. After a pause of avoiding eye contact, Seamus looks over. "I must be rather the embarrassment," he whispers.

[RealZachKraus]

Spoiler: Seamus

Show

Chadwicks face softens, attempting to convey a paternal demeanor, "It happens to the best of us. What's on your mind, kid?"

[ButcherDawg]

Spoiler: Chadwick

Show

Seamus stares at Chadwick's silhouette for a handful of silent moments. He looks unsure to say more. But his paranoia dissipates. "Are there others awake?"

[RealZachKraus]

Spoiler: Seamus

Show

"Not right now. We're sleeping in shifts. Try and get some more rest."

[ButcherDawg]

Spoiler: Chadwick

Show

"Have you seen an eagle before?"

[ButcherDawg]

Seamus sniffles a little. Though in the dark it is hard to tell if he is just cold or on the verge of tears. He lays back down, and, after a few minutes of silence, returns to sleep.

[RealZachKraus]

Chadwick finishes out shift uneasily, rattled by his talk with the boy. Not being one to have such vivid dreams, he wished he had been able to give some better advice. Eventually he gauged his time was up and shook his barbarian friend. "Hey, hey you. RISE my son. You're up."

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon wakes with a start,"UNUN!" his eyes dart around wildly until they finally rest upon Chadwick. He shakes his head and looks at the ground and shakes his head. Taking a deep breath he rises and rubs the sleep from his eyes. Without saying a word he walks to the edge of their makeshift camp and sits down with his legs crossed, leaning his sword on his shoulder.

[Dragodar]

Chadwick and Gideon begin to speak in low murmurs as the rest of the party sleeps.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Conversation in Private Conversations Thread.

=============

The party starts awake at the sound of Gideon's shouting. Weary eyed and sluggish of mind, they struggle to take in their situation. Awakening, they realize that there seems to be no immediate danger. But Gideon is shouting something about fire and murder, slipping between the common tongue and an unfamiliar language.

By the time the party is awake enough to realize what's going on, Gideon and Chad are silently wrapped in a powerful hug, neither saying a word. Chadwick steps back and murmurs something to Gideon in a low voice, then they turn and stand shoulder to shoulder, gazing out across the hills where the sun has just recently risen. They whisper a few words to one another, then stand in silence.

Spoiler: Rolls to Hear Whispered Conversation

Show

Spoiler: Bendron

Show

Listen check: (1d20-1)[8]

Spoiler: Demryon

Show

Listen check: (1d20+9)[13]

Spoiler: Seamus

Show

Listen check: (1d20+10)[16]

[Graehamkracker]

"Its a watch, not a sodding shouting match" Bendron calls out over the yelling as he rolls over

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon doesn't notice. Or care. He said his piece and is now continuing his watch.

[Dragodar]

Spoiler: Seamus Only

Show

You hear only snatches of the conversation. After Chadwick releases Gideon from the hug, you hear, "... no longer ... by Hyroneus ... win your lands ... once and for all ..." And Gideon responds, "... keep your armies ... but ... your counsel ..." You hear Chad say, "Lord'll sort 'em..." and then the two stand in silence.

[Nightwing32193]

After an hour of scouting around the campsite

Spoiler: OoC

Show

survival/spot check for wilderness activity

Gideon makes his way back to his sleeping companions and gently shakes Seamus, "Hey kid, you're on watch now but if you're not feeling up to it I can take yours as well."

[ButcherDawg]

Spoiler: Gideon

Show

Seamus pauses, clearly considering the offer. "No, I can do this. If you guys can do it, then I can too," he whispers.

[Nightwing32193]

Gideon smiled at the young boy and ruffles his hair. With that he jogs back to camp and lays down cradling his great sword.

[Dragodar]

Spoiler: Gideon Only

Show

You are in hill country. The forest around you seems fairly normal for a wintertime forest. Not much wildlife can be seen but you are able to hear birds and see the occasional squirrel. It is a fairly mundane area. The trees extend in every direction as far as you can see, but since they lack their leaves you can see relatively far.

Spoiler: Bendron Only

Show

Knowledge (History) check: (1d20+7)[16]
If your estimation of your current location is correct and you are in fact ten miles east of the cave you woke up in, you are aware that the city of Korduur once stood near here. You are not sure of your exact location, and it has been a very long time since you've seen Korduur, but you would guess that it would be within a few miles of your current location if it still exists.

The next few hours pass uneventfully, and around 3 in the afternoon, Demryon wakes the party.

With the cloud cover, the risen sun is not bright enough to wake the party from their deep slumber, so everyone in the group wakes well rested, if not a bit chilly. The temperature did not rise with the sun this morning, and under the cold gray Iru sky, our band of misfit adventurers is able to see their breath coalescing in the air before them.

Spoiler: Date and Time

Show

It is about 3:00 PM on Iru 6th. The weather is foggy and overcast but thankfully not rainy... yet.