Auromar, IC 2

[Greyen]

Dothen

I'm not worried about racing nobody right now. We don't know if anyone else is racing us fer the prize, if you can call it that. Right now I want to rest the horses and feed and water them so we can get back on the road in the morning and try to make some good distance tomorrow. I'd like to find the crossroads settlement, if there is one. From there we can start racing shadows. Dothen looks a little bothered as he snappishly says this.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Point taken. But don't move us too far off the road; that's all I ask. If we're racing shadows, there's no harm in not venturing too far from the beaten track.

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

Grazys dismounts and takes the saddle from his horse. "C'mon, mates! Let's get comfortable while we can. I don't think it'll matter much how far off tha road we are, unless we get one o' Anura's rope spells, hm?"

The binder drops his haversack next to the saddle and lounges against the latter, crossing his ankles and lacing his fingers together behind his head.

[Greyen]

Dothen

Listen, Im not so sure I'm liking sticking my neck out this far for "saving the world" and all that crap. I mean I like you guys and this world is where I keep all of my stuff, but I'm pretty sure I can buy my way off of this one at this point. Dunno where to but its really tempting to just not be here any more.

I really like ya'll and I want to help but I got a gut feeling this is not going to go well. This ol' set of guts hasn't been wrong in a while. I think we need to have more help on our side than just us four and Anura way back in Eras.

Now just let me be bitchy and moody for abit,

its my turn anyway.

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

Chuckling, the binder nods to Dothen and reclines further back onto his saddle. "Aaaah," he sighs contentedly.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Heh. Fair point; though I'll be interested when you find out just who you can pay off to survive this one.

Hist thinks for a minuet

Tell you what. The next traveler who we find that doesn't look likely to immediately stab us in the back, we'll ask to help out. Anyone who signed up as explorer is likely to be useful when it comes to facing down a fiend. Granted, it's not the best way to find trustworthy help, but it's quick, and we are going to need some more manpower if we're going to do this.

Reid? I'm not that well up on the magic of the divine, but I believe that you can check into men's hearts, as Freeman could? If we can find someone, with at least a mostly pure hart, that seems powerful, well...

Any thoughts?

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

Grazys snickers at Hist's query of the Pelorite, but alters it to a snore when anyone looks over at him, feigning sleep.

[Greyen]

Dothen

Ach, here's the rub. Unless we do something like what Freeman could do, we may just be advertising out deaths. Kind of like that looney cell of St. Cuthbert's 'Knock Knock Hi, we're with the Church of Risen Strength! Would you like a pamphlet? Have you heard the holy word of - slam!' On a nice sleeping-in morning too. Except with us it'll be 'Knock Knock' Hi we're trying to find all of the One's old sources of power. Oh, really HeeEy! Are those my entrails suddenly being spilled on the floor?'

There are too many freeloading, money grubbing arseheaded grubs around this place, trust me before ya'll came along I was one of them. And another just whacked our mechanical friend into being a leaf bearing species.

Not that there's anything wrong with that Reid.

If we are going to find help I think we need to be much more selective.

And I heard that snort there Grazys. Which by the way if those magic tattoos of yours suddenly begin taking over your soul, Ima hafta kill you. I love ya like a brother but that crap gives me the willies.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Hist laughed at his friend's jokes.

Heh. Alright. Any ideas though , as to how we could gain additional support on this one? Personally, beyond what I've just said, I'm stumped. I can't think of any absolutly certian way of ensuring any backup would be reliable. That old "Seeing into men's heart's" thing. But I've never been the best informed.

[Toliudar]

Reid

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Reid would also have touched a bunch of trees at the far western end of the forest. But not in a sexual way.

Still clearly perturbed by Dothen's willingness to abandon their quest...their world...Reid has remained silent through much of the conversation. Finally, he chips in.

There are many ways to see into men's hearts, and some of them are even reliable. While I lack Freeman's instictive understanding of the process, I can also take care of some of this as needed.

I would of course welcome more help. I believe that I was recommending a more general call for assistance back in Eras. But we do have more than the five of us. There's Krista, and within the forest, I'm sure that Freeman and Siriphae would be happy to help. Granted, they're less able to help out here...

He seems to be about to add more, when his eyes glaze over and his spine stiffens for a moment. He snaps back after a few seconds, and quickly recites a brief message:

Elder contacted. Elf was sent to Auromar for Kariost the Black Flame, Camerion member that still lives. Advised, take extreme caution if you find him.

That was from Father Haugen. Seems that we do still have some of The One's forces active on this continent. On the side to the good, this Kariost will certainly be working at cross purposes with Gr- with Grazys' new friend. So, perhaps there's some possibility for a kind of truce as we deal with a common enemy.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

The warlock looks extremely interested at Reid's news.

So; that's one ally at least. Although we seem to have started by scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to purity of heart, let alone trustworthiness.

Hist sits down, as he continues, looking a bit weary now.

I've heard of him as it happens. A very high ranking arcanist in the One's regime; and a military type as well. He supposedly got his rank from the battlefield, or some such. It is interesting that he survived the war.

Not to mention the fact that the bastard was the one who oversaw the burning of Vaelith. Not the nicest guy. In fact, if you drafted a list of "Unpleasant people who should be avoided", he'd probably be near the top.

[Greyen]

Dothen

So right up there with my mother, eh? Ach, well go to sleep you two, I'm tired and intend to wake one of ya'll up in an hour or two for my rest. Dothen says as he fades into the bushes.

[Lochar]

The night passes quietly without interruption, and in the morning you are all able to keep moving.

[Toliudar]

Reid

Glancing back at the forest in the distance behind them, Reid felt a pang he could not put words to. Focus on your prayers, boy.

Thinking about Hist's talk about meeting other travellers, Reid prays to Pelor for guidance. And only occasionally sneaks glances back to the forest. Or rubs the wooden ring with his finger.

After breakfast, Reid helps break camp again, and prepares for what he sincerely hoped would be another uneventful day of travel.

Say, Grazys. I don't suppose that this, ah, connection of yours also makes you sensitive to the points of power that G- that the fiend is seeking?

[Greyen]

Dothen

Dothen will lead everyone back to the road and then onward following the road/path as best as possible. Keeping to a fast pace without trying to break the horses down too much.

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

The binder smiles at Reid. A gleaming sapphire shines back at the Pelorite from its place in thie front of Grazys' mouth. "I should know when we're within a few miles of one of Pygas' places, which is what the Other seeks."

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Well, let's go. Who knows, if no one else does show up, we should reach the crossroad settlement soon.

Hist mounts hios horse, and follows Dothen.

[Lochar]

After Reid's morning prayer, you all mount up and ride, keeping the horses to a canter and not pushing them as you did getting into the forest. The day is only marred by a clouds on the horizon, coming from the west towards you. They look like rain clouds, and probably will be overhead this night as you get closer to them.

The sun sets and night falls, and the clouds roll in. Luckily though, it is only a light rain tonight.

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It's currently 6pm ish in game. I need to know schedules of whoever is taking watch, and for what times, including when those who do require 8 hours of rest are turning in.

Yes, you're going to get attacked. Deal with it. And no, no staying up all night because you know OOC you're going to be attacked. LOL

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Hist'll not eat dinner, bringing out his Ioun stone, to claims of a bad appetite. In stead, after an hour of siting around, with the others and his thoughts for company, he'll turn in at 7; and aim to rise at 3 to take a morning watch.

[Greyen]

Dothen

Dothen keeps watch through the night, hidden as best he can in the area. He sleeps in the early morning when Hist and Grazys are awake and dawn is near.

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Hide (1d20+25)[43] - take 20 if possible.

Spot (1d20+10)[28]
Listen (1d20+10)[21]

[Lochar]

OOC:

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Moving ahead to Grazys questioning the head, as it doesn't effect anything else. Still waiting to find out when Toli is sleeping.

Grazys and Hist go to bed early, both wanting to be available for later watches. After a couple of hours, Grazys wakes up refreshed while Hist still slumbers.

Dusk was about six hours after noon, and it's now about three hours after dark.

Rummaging through his bag, Grazys pulls out the head of the rogue. Focusing on it, Grazys senses a moment of resistance before it falls. "Yessss?" the head asks.

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

With a wicked grin, the binder nods at his success and begins his interrogation. "Why did you and Hiran attack us?" he hisses quietly.

[Lochar]

"The events you knew of the forest that you would not discuss."

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

Grazys purses his lips and furrows his brow in thought. That hardly seems a good reason to assault a group of people. Especially a larger group than your own, he thinks to himself.

To the head, he asks, "Why was Selene not with you?"

[Lochar]

"She will not create the dead to pick over and did not agree with us."

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

Good for her!

After a moment of thought, Grazys asks another question. "Do you think Hiran will come after us again?"

[Lochar]

"If he thinks you are worth the effort, yes."

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2 questions left

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

The binder grins wickedly at that thought. His loss, if we can catch him!

"Whom or what can he call upon to help him attack us?"

[Lochar]

"Fiendish creatures, summoned by magic are his tools."

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

"Who are his allies?" Grazys asks insistently.