The Hills of Morokha (IC)

[Edan]

A near middle aged man walks into town, having received word that his presence was requested. However, he feels uncomfortable in the new hamlet, and lacks any idea of where to find his summoner.

Dayll, mumbling under his breath, half annoyed.

"I know I was summoned to this hamlet, but I was never informed on where to go, this is rather annoying." he again mumbled under his breath "I guess I will ask around, but it is so...mundane, I wish there was some sort of magical way to find this guardhouse, everything looks so similiar. Oh well, just another piece of knowledge to pursue later."

[Edan]

Still working out dice roller, had to add role here.

(1d20+0)[20]

(1d20+0)[20] (gather information)

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

Annoyed by the duel's end, Eg sheaths his weapon. He'd been hoping for a clear victory.

However, this was perhaps going to get even more interesting soon...

[Zincorium]

Dayll- although initially perplexed at your questions (who doesn't know where the guardhouse is?) the townsfolk you talk to quickly ascertain that you are, indeed, not familiar to the area and direct you up the hill to the gates.

The rest-

Captain Drelan invites you all into the small office on the second floor of the keep. It's quite a bit warmer and the air gets stuffy rather quickly, but it's worth putting up with to get the chill out.

"I'll try to keep this short, but there's a bit to tell. I'll answer questions when I've said my piece, if you get bored the rest can fill you in later. Just got news that a mentor of mine back when I was a young scamp passed away in his sleep a few days ago. He was a loner, so it's not surprising that it took a while to check up on him. Can't help but get misty eyed when I talk of him, but I didn't bring you all here to tell sad tales."

Pulling out a small, crude wooden chest, the captain removes a sheaf of yellowed and tattered paper and begins spreading it out on the desk.

"One of the things he mentioned a time or two when he was in his cups was an old temple of some dwarven god, way out in the foothills beyond the gate. Treasure, mystical beasts, eternal life, all the parts of a good yarn by the fire, yeah? But he'd been there once before, and more than one of his companions got left behind when they fled.

"One of the things he left was a note attached to these papers, telling me to find some people to see if his memory was real or just a fantasy he'd concocted over the years. I'm willing to pay for expenses out of my own pocket for a bit of closure on this, find out what you can and get out of that place alive. I don't need bodies piling up over this. It's up to you each to decide whether you're in, but it'll be safer if the majority of you go."

[BooNL]

Tan

Tan listens intently to the request of the captain. The mention of dwarves sends a shiver down his spine, A chance to find out about my heritage? The long lost legacy of our race's division, any clue would help.

"Your mentor might have passed away in this land, but nature has absorbed his energy in all life. I hope this helps lessen the pain." Tan was never good at comforting others, though he felt he had to try.

"This proposition, it is of personal interest to me. The dwarves have always been a fascination of mine.

I accept, with or without help from the others."

Tan steps back and waits for the others to respond.

[Icewalker]

expenses paid.... Risch thinks to himself, smiling slightly.

"Sounds interesting. I could use something to do, not enough variation around here."

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

Knowledge is always valuable.

"You have intrigued me. I will help you."

[LightWraith]

Daveak Pegason

An ancient temple... maybe I'll find some answers about Jareak. It's worth the chance.

Daveak bows to the Captain, "You have my help as well. Closure is something that everyone deserves."

To the others, "The foothills are dangerous though, especially with spring setting in. We must be well prepared."

Back to the Captain, "When would you have us leave?"

[Zincorium]

The captain smiles as the various people in the room all acquiesce. "Whenever you feel you're ready, but sooner would be good. Talked to the local wise-woman, and she said the winter storms have passed. She's never been wrong so far. Which leaves mudslides and flash floods as the only environmental hazards, and both Tan and Daveak should be able to guide you out of the way of those."

[BooNL]

Tan

"Most of the more dangerous animals are in their final days of hibernation, meaning we should leave as soon as possible if we want to make our journey somewhat easier."

Tan is anxious to leave, he walks toward the door, turns toward the others and says "I suggest we leave by dawn tomorrow. I'll be waiting in front of the guard house."

Without waiting for anyone to respond he walks out and shuts the door behind him.

"Come on Allara, let's get you that food I promised."

[Icewalker]

Risch nods, cheerful

"Sounds like a good plan. I'm gonna go buy...supplies."

[LightWraith]

Daveak Pegason

"Dawn it is, then.

By your leave Captain, I will go prepare for the journey.

Hmmm... have I ever seen any signs of this temple before?

((Knowledge Geography - (1d20+2)[10] To see if I might have seen some hint on my travels.. I figure an ancient dwarven temple had to leave some trace on the landscape.))

After thinking for a moment, Daveak leaves the building to do whatever preparations that might be necessary.

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

"We shall meet again in the morning, Daveak," Eg tells him, before beginning to leave the room. However, he stops at the doorway. Like Daveak, he also wonders in there was any mention of such a temple in his studies.

Knowledge Checks
Arcana - (1d20+5)[10]
Arch. and Eng. - (1d20+3)[13]
Bardic - (1d20+3)[6]
Dungeoneering - (1d20+3)[8]
Geography - (1d20+3)[9]
History - (1d20+3)[20]
Local - (1d20+3)[21]
Nature - (1d20+5)[17]
Nobility and Royalty - (1d20+3)[10]
Planes - (1d20+5)[7]
Religion - (1d20+5)[13]

(Yes, all of them, including Bardic Knowledge! Something might come up in the obscure knowledge checks...)

[Icewalker]

Risch heads out to anybody he can find to scrounge out some information.

Gather Information check: (1d20+8)[25]

[LightWraith]

Daveak Pegason

After insuring that all of his supplies are in order, Daveak will retire for the evening. Assuming nothing exciting occurs, he will awake in time to arrive in front of the guard house shortly before dawn.

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

Assuming Eg has everything he needs, he will do the same.

[BooNL]

Tan

Ditto on Tan, he might help in the infirmary some more, but is otherwise set.

[Icewalker]

Well, seeing that Risch isn't prepared for camping and the like, He heads out to buy...some supplies:

Bedroll, Hooded lantern, 5 pints of oil, tent, waterskin, and 1 week of trail rations. 5 candles, two map tubes, 2 empty flasks, a mug, signal whistle, 3 torches, and 2 empty sacks. (Total price 25gp, 2sp, 6cp, 52 lb. weight.)

If possible, I'd like to add on a mule and a week of feed. (only 8g, 35cp more)

All this may come in handy, traveling through the countryside, Thinks Risch as he buys a small truckload of supplies.

[Zincorium]

As the morning breaks, the sun shines down in full glory. But beneath the warmth and light, the cold and dark that winter has wrought still lurk behind every spot of cover.

Captain Drelan sees you off, providing every scrap of paper and any necessary supplies that will help keep the journey smoother.

"Now remember, stay alive, I don't care if you run all of the time, but make sure you get back to me with something that proves you were there. Now, there are some dwarven treasure's mentioned, and they're yours for the taking, but there's a certain 'orb of life' that the ol' man talked about, and I'd like to at least see it for myself if you can find it. Anyway, regardless of the outcome, I wish the best of luck to you."

[LightWraith]

Daveak Pegason

Falling into his comfortable role as guide, Daveak addresses the party, "Well, if everyone is prepared, we should get on our way. Everyone keep your eyes open and call out if you notice anything out of the ordinary. As long as we stay wary, this should be an uneventful trip. At least until we reach the temple."

Unlimbering his longbow, Daveak heads out in the general direction of the temple.

As is normal when he acts as a guide, he will try to stay roughly 10 feet ahead of the party, so that he can recognize any problems before they become critical.

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

Eg leads the others as Daveak stays in front. ("Take your lead. You know this place better than I do.") He also recommends that the wagon stays in back. ("Anyone who doesn't surround us is likely at the front. Moving around the wagon would waste time."*) With that, he started after Daveak, muttering old stories under his breath, ready to let them roar.

*((I'm assuming the wizard isn't here with us. If he shows, I'll give his orders.))

[BooNL]

Tan

Even though the sun is bright in the sky, there is still a cold wind blowing and Tan wraps his cloak a bit tighter around his body.

As he climbs on Allara he gives her a small pat on the head. "Alright girl, we're going back to the wilds again, so be on your guard."

To his companions he adds "Let us go, we have a long day ahead of us."

Tan will be riding in front of the wagon, near the back. Eyes peeled to the wilderness in case he spots something interesting.

[Icewalker]

Risch strides along, a passive expression on his face and a glazed look in his eyes, as if lost in thought, his hand on the mule carrying his rather large bags of supplies.

[Zincorium]

(eh, let's on with it, edan can either join the party whenever by walking up to the camp, or just be a running joke. Pun not intended.)

The sunshine is bright by late morning when it finally climbs up over the eastern mountains, the light glinting off of wet rocks and snow to make vision painful at times, but the heat it brings vanishes whenever a cloud passes across it's surface or one of the scattered pine trees overhangs the suggestion of a trail that your path takes you along.

(Just a question: where, precisely, did you guys get a wagon? What's pulling it? No one mentioned it before you guys left in the back of it, and wagons aren't well suited to mountains.)

At the evening of the first day, you've bedded down by the side of a large, but nameless lake approximately a third of the way along according to the map. The lake is cold, wide, and appears very, very deep.

Everyone roll spot, listen, and survival twice.

[BooNL]

Tan

We've made good progress and nature has been suprisingly good natured to our presence, let us hope this does not change the coming days."

Spot1 - (1d20+3)[12]
Spot2 - (1d20+3)[4]

Listen1 - (1d20+5)[25]
Listen2 - (1d20+5)[15]

Survival1 - (1d20+9)[21]
Survival2 - (1d20+9)[10]

[LightWraith]

Daveak Pegason

"Aye Tan, we have been lucky so far. Let us try to get some rest."

Spot - (1d20+5)[6]
Spot - (1d20+5)[7]

Listen - (1d20+5)[12]
Listen - (1d20+5)[8]

Survival - (1d20+5)[20]
Survival - (1d20+5)[23]


((I was wondering about the wagon myself, I know Risch picked up a mule, but there was no mention of a wagon...))

[Icewalker]

(Well, if survival is for food, I already have my own rations, so I'd eat them)

Spot:
(1d20+3)[21]
(1d20+3)[13]

Listen:
(1d20+3)[15]
(1d20+3)[19]

Survival:
(1d20-1)[13]
(1d20-1)[5]

[NoDot]

Eg del Wonk

((The wagon was an Ica. My bad! Replace wagon with mule...))

Spot:
(1d20+1)[4]
(1d20+1)[4]

Listen:
(1d20+1)[20]
(1d20+1)[3]

Survival:
(1d20+1)[17]
(1d20+1)[20]

((I presume we can make these untrained...))

[Zincorium]

Tan: Every once in a while, when the wind is still, you've heard rocks clatter and twigs snap in the distance and to a lesser degree once you decided to camp. Might be someone following you, but it's hard to be sure.

Daveak: You don't sense anything, but boy, you sure would know what to do if something did come up.

Risch: Small bits of shadows where they maybe aren't supposed to be, odd noises, but being a city boy you don't know whether that's just normal animal sounds, or what.

Wonk: You only heard a little bit of noise, but you recall a few tales of people being tracked down in the wilderness, and you're definite that it sounded almost exactly like that was supposed to have sounded. But you haven't heard it in a while, so maybe it stopped.

[BooNL]

Tan

Looking around the clearing of the camp, Tan felt something was not right, but he could not be sure.

"We're a ways from civilized land, I suggest we post a guard tonight, just in case.

Looking at his surroundings, he adds, "Allara and I will take the first watch."