Vera - Light Finds a Way - IC I

[The Kool]

Giving the city of Marina a wide berth wasn't easy, thanks to the forest. Alexis had to travel down the mountain range itself to stay clear of both, and Garm had been sent along as a guide for her and Dolf. The views were breathtaking, but being out in the open this much really drove home how widespread the darkness really was. King Battlehammer had requested that she act as envoy to whomever might still be out there, and last he knew there was a port city or two out on the Grin, the archipelago that ran to the west. Perhaps one of them would be willing to strike up trade. The day was drawing on when the trio caught sight of the signs of a small cluster of fields in the hills below. A faint outline of a wagon trail led south, but the north end of it was hidden in a vale. They were a few days past Marina at this point, but well within the kingdom's claimed borders. Perhaps there might be a farmhouse that could provide shelter for the night?

Arskel, Tikk, and Massarin were an odd bunch, that's for sure. How they wound up together still wasn't quite certain, companions of circumstance perhaps. They had met here in this small cluster of homes over the past fortnight, the catfolk from the fields to the north, the human from the road to the west, and the gnome from the east where necessity had dictated he leave the tyrannical confines of Marina with some urgency. The rest here had been unease, constantly feeling as if they were being watched, and at night it felt like voices whispered on the cold wind. There was a faint trail to the north, but none had yet ventured to see where it led.

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OOC thread is here.
And here we are, guys. Let's get this rolling. If you have any questions, fire away. Feel free to engage in some scene setting and meet-and-greet while everyone catches up.

[Lioslaith]

"Oy, when do ya be a tinkin we might be eatin supper?" Tikk asks to no one in particular. It was near supper time and his stomach was reminding him of that fact quite often. "Mayhaps we could be a findin a different farm house dat be less spooky when we be a sleepin." He pauses a moment or two before looking up the northern trail but shakes his head in a rare moment of quiet and decides not to say anything.

Tikk often used this sort of communication tactic we he wasn't just being a blunt hammer within the conversations. Which seemed to be all too often. The small gnome had a big personality albeit a grating one to most folks that didn't know him. And admittedly to those that did. He was however loyal to a fault with those he named friend.

[Alucard 109]

Garm turns to his comrades.
I have the tent for myself, vat of you?

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this is my first attempt at writing a Russian-ish accent, so apologies if it's not very good

[The Kool]

To clarify: Garm, Dolf, and Alexis are currently in the hills looking down on the small cluster of farmhouses, though they can't see the buildings just yet. Tikk, Massarin, and Arskel are already there and have been for a bit. There's about an hour of sunlight left, easily enough to reach the homes.

[razorback]

Massarin walked along the road with the others. Arskel and Tikk couldn't help that he walked a bit less graceful today then yesterday, and his fur seemed... ruffled. He had slept terribly, noises constantly keeping him awake as he was still a bit uncertain of his new traveling companions. They seemed decent enough on the surface but he was leery of trusting them, having been burned before.
"Well, if we hustle, we should make those homes. Perhaps we can get lucky and find a warm and dry place with some food?"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Dolf

"I prefer stars overhead to a tent - but a real roof might just beat both." Dolf motions towards the fields.
"Fields mean barns. If we're lucky we can sleep with the cows tonight!" Dolf actually sounded excited.

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Character name = Dolf who is a dorf, I mean dwarf.

[Alucard 109]

Da. Maybe soon ve vill find the houses if we search. I vould take first watch if you vish.

[The Kool]

Spoiler: OOC

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Character name = Dolf who is a dorf, I mean dwarf.

I don't know what you're talking about...

[Alucard 109]

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't know what you're talking about...

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>dwarf named dorf battlehammer
>Isn't fighter, barbarian, paladin, or cleric
>What.exe

Seriously though, you should make him either the most or least dwarfy dwarf ever. There is no in between with a name like that

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Spoiler: ooc

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Well Dolf was named/raised by a human. So he won't be very dwarf-y at all.

You think a dwarf choose to call himself "Dolf Winterbottom?" (aka whitebottom. aka whitebum)

Definitely a name a druid gave to a Dwarf.

[The Kool]

Alright, to keep things moving, I would like the three on the ridge to roll spot and listen checks.

The three in the cluster of homes can look around, or ask for details on the place if they've already been here.

[Alucard 109]

Spot: (1d20+1)[13]
listen: (1d20+1)[20]

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Spoiler: OOC

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Spot: (1d20+6)[19]
Listen: (1d20+6)[25]

[razorback]

Massarin looks at Arskel and Tikk. "Never been here. Maybe there is an in or something. If not, might be best if you" he says as he points at Arskel "talk to a farmer. Some might find me... a bit scary looking, though I'm not."

[Anachronity]

Arskel regards you with the deeply scarred half of his face and flashes a smile, showing the two over-large silver teeth he had willingly deformed himself with.

"Not to worry, I'll butter 'em up for us. 's just as well, really. Scary means they won't cross you unless they can be very far away af'erwards."

With that he 'hmm's and 'humm's, making a show of carefully selecting a home before simply settling on the nearest one. He gives the door a rough knock and announces himself more than asks, loudly enough to be heard from within: "PARDON, SIR OR MADAM. MIGHT YOU HAVE ROOMS FOR A FEW STRANGERS WITH COIN?"

[The Kool]

The knocking echoes in a hollow fashion. Silence reigns in the cluster of buildings for a moment. Somewhere, a hinge creaks, and something wooden bumps against a frame. The small 'town' has a name, as you found when traveling up the road. Back where to road to it split off from the main highway, there was a sign indicating 'Ghost Town' in this direction, and it looks fitting. The homes themselves stand in a close grouping, three low buildings on each side of the road and a larger one at the end of the street. No response is heard.

---

Up on the ridge, Dolf and Garm can hear sounds of footsteps echoing theirs. It seems like they aren't alone, yet they haven't seen anyone yet.

[Alucard 109]

Garm quietly preps the Peppy Wyrmling just in case it's needed(It most likely takes about two rounds to set up. free action to draw it, standard or fill round action to fill it with oil, full round to light a candle with flint&steel, and either free or move action to attach the candle)

[Anachronity]

"Shame, they mus' be ski'dish. Wouldn't be the firs' time I slept in an alley..."

He looks around pointedly at the seemingly-deserted town.

"... Or we could make ourselves welcome? The gov'ner has worse problems, I suspec', and I don' mind payin' for damages if there's anyone to pay."

[Lioslaith]

Tikk looks around in wonder as the others try to gain entry into the random home. He reaches out and tries the handle to see if the door is open. "I don a be a tinkin anyones home..."

[The Kool]

The door appears to be latched, or barred, or something.

[Lioslaith]

Feeling the resistance Tikk frowns a bit, "Or dey dun locked demselves inside and died."

[Anachronity]

"I suppose there's only one way to know."

With a nod of his head Arskel indicates to back away from the door, and lines up his shoulder before attempting to batter through it.

Spoiler: Breaking the Door

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(1d20+4)[19] to see if I get it on the first try and look super cool
otherwise I take a 20 for a 24, if the noise doesn't attract something first.

[The Kool]

The door gives quite suddenly, an old board that had barred it splintering from age under the force of the strike. The room is empty, but looks like it was closed up with deliberation. Table and chairs neatly stacked in the corner, nothing small and portable still lying around unless it holds little value, that sort of thing.

[razorback]

As Arskel smashes the door in, Massarin quickly follows him in, dagger handy but hidden. "Well, I don't see any bodies but someone had to have barred that door from this side. By the look of the dust, its been a while since something has tread here. Best to shut the door, check it out for... company, before we just bed down for the night is my thinking." Once Arskel and Tikk agree, he moves out, silently stalking through the rooms, keeping an eye out for danger.

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Hide
(1d20+8)[20]
Move silently
(1d20+10)[21]
Listen
(1d20+7)[24]
Spot
(1d20+5)[20]

[Alucard 109]

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should my group make a listen check to hear the door break, or were they too far away?

[The Kool]

Too far away. I'll be poking things forward tomorrow.

[The Kool]

Consolidation and status update post...

Arskel, Massarin, and Tikk are in the town. They have broken into one of the buildings, and found things left like the occupants moved out and locked the door behind them. There is furniture, some useful bits and bobs, but nothing perishable.

Alexis, Garm, and Dolf are on the ridge. They have heard footsteps following, but seen nothing. They are about half an hour from the town. As they pass over the next hill, they find that turning left (South) here will be a good way to head towards the town. The sun is getting real low, presumably. You estimate about an hour left of daylight.

Ino hasn't been active in 12 days. Hope they're alright, but until they return we will NPC Alexis.

[Lioslaith]

Tikk looks through the rest of the little home for things of interest and for a place to bed down. If it has a fireplace he will look for old furniture and the like to make a fire. Other than that finding a suitable spot to bed down for the evening seems like a good plan.

[The Kool]

There are two beds, wooden platforms with no mattresses, in each of two rooms at the back of the house. There is some old furniture and a hearth, but there's also some wood in the firebox next to it that may be preferable.

[razorback]

Massarin continues to stalk around until he is convinced they are alone, then goes back to set up the door to make sure it's at least partially secure.
"Alright, how's it look?" he says as he looks at Tikk.