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The first day goes without incident. Nothing approaches the party during its trek through the woods. Animals flee before the large group, and no sign of recent travelers appears.
The party works its way southwest to the forest edge, not too far from where they, or at least most of them, entered it. The trees grew less dense and the ground slightly more hilly. The sky darkens as the sun sets sets behind the hills to the west. Those from Threshold know that the town lies to the west beneath that setting sun, another days' (or nights') travel.
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Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Ash kept a reliable pace in the vanguard. She was mostly pretty quiet, watching for any sudden surprises the may come from the trail or the woods around them.
She offers to take second watch and removes her armor to tend to it, eat, then sleep for a few hours until waked. At that point she'll don her armor, quietly if she can, for her watch.
Mycah walked along silently, keeping mostly to himself and letting the energy of the forest invigorate him. When the time comes to camp, he offers to take third watch, after Ash. Always an early riser, he enjoys watching the forest come back to life around him as dawn approaches.
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Last edited by Koren n'Rhys : 03-05-2012 at 11:00 AM.
The night passes without incident, the riders taking watches spread through the night.
Likewise, the travel the following day is marked by little other than the rise and fall of the hill, and even that decreases as the day wears on. The hills slowly give way to open plains, tall grasses waving in the light spring breeze. With sunset beginning to glow at their back, the party can spot the Bost lumber camp in the distance.
Several large longhouses and a two-story square building make up the lumber camp. A large stack of lumber has been assembled nearby.
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Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Oh, Petra! This crummy place is what passes for a town round here? thinks Talsarios as he sees the lumber camp. I'm so far from home. Oh well, better be nice to the Colonials about their 'town'...
"Ah, the comforts of civilisation!" the Thyatian scholar says. "That didn't take long. So, which of these ... um, establishments is the best inn for food and lodgings?"
Spoiler
Talsarios assumes this place is Threshold until someone tells him otherwise.
Nathros contemplates whether to tell Talsarios this is just a waypoint or see how far he can be strung along.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
"This is Lord Bost's lumber camp. We can rest here more safely for the night. Unless you all wish to push through the night, though there would be little light and more things that wake within the woods. We should be there by lunch tomorrow." She looks to Mycah for any clarification he might offer. He's the expert after all.
She assumes the others wish to stay here the night rather than press on, unless they say otherwise. She'll speak to the one in charge to make arrangements for the rest of the group to sleep here the night.
The Thyatian scholar blinks in surprise, then looks round to see if anyone noticed...
"Of course," he mutters. "Lumber camp... Yes, let's stay here before we go on to Threshold - which we'll do tomorrow."
Then he hesitates. "Um, best to keep your guard up. Even so close to town, there are monsters to be found. We fought a bunch of fire beetles, though they were underground. Plus the kobolds."
Mycah nodded absently in response to Brandon's cautionary words. He'd spent enough time in these surrounding woods to feel safely at home, and encounters with monsters were rare.
"Yes, midday tomorrow, if the weather holds," he replies to Ash's query.
His gaze returns to the lumber camp below and the trails of smoke rising from the longhouses. The familiar sight brought conflicting feelings. One the one hand, that camp was all that he had known for many years - his only home, but he couldn't help feeling like the world beyond had so much more to offer. The riders were just proof of that with their tales of adventure.
Spoiler
I'm assuming we're really that close to the town proper. I wasn't around early in the campaign, if was ever explicitly mentioned. Roland?
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
Nightfall obscures the lumber camp, its modest use of lighting hiding it along the riverbank. The party continues with one of the lumber camp's own scouts, Mycah, able to lead them in.
Dim lanterns hang from lampstands giving a slight glow to the camp's clearing. As the move from grassland to clearing, the party is met by a pair of human guards dresses in simple Bost livery and a third guard of sorts, a kobold named Abdok who seems very excited to see the party. "Welcome back!" the kobold says in reasonably clear Common.
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Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Nathros is startled by the sight of the kobold seemingly walking freely amongst the men of the lumber camp, but holds his tongue and tries not to show his surprise too obviously.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
Ash instinctively reaches for an arrow, "What the blazes?!"
Assuming this is some kind of trap, she looks around for more kobolds among the trees or around corners and such as she trains her arrow at the Kobold in front of her. She appears on guard and confused.
"What is this trickery?" She looks to the lumber camp guards for answers.
She blinks as Brandon greets the kobold in a friendly manner. She lowers her bow and arrow reluctantly, narrows her eyes, and studies the situation with caution before saying, "You - know this fellow?"
Mycah trudges into camp with his companions, and the riders at his back. He greets the men on guard with an air of long familiarity then eyes the overly-enthusiastic kobold with a bit of caution.
"Where did... he... come from? You know him?" Mycah looks in confusion from Brandon to the guards.
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
The kobold is either unaware of the incredulity of the others or he ignores it, though he jumps behind one of the human guard at the sight of Ash's arrow. The guard holds up a hand to ward off being shot. "He's fine."
Peaking out from behind the guard, Abdok beams a toothy grin at Brandon's greeting. He looks considerably cleaner than last time Brandon saw him, too, and dressed in human clothes.
"Johan teach me. Part of camp now. I stand watch. Good night eyes." He points at one eye by way of explanation.
One of the human guards waves the party on into the settlement.
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Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Nathros mutters quietly to himself at the apparent insanity of men who try to civilise such inherently evil creatures, but makes no other outward sign of discomfort.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
As the group moves on into the settlement, Talsarios lowers his voice to speak quietly with Brandon.
"Bran, please tell me why we can trust the kobold. I'll trust your judgement, but it's unusual to see one that isn't trying to kill children, or steal things, you'll agree."
Ash proceeds into the camp with a wary eye on the kobold, but judges that this matter is not her responsibility and trusts the men must know what they are doing. She re-sheathes her arrow and continues on, glancing back at the faces of the riders and wondering how they feel about this oddity.
As the group moves on into the settlement, Talsarios lowers his voice to speak quietly with Brandon.
"Bran, please tell me why we can trust the kobold. I'll trust your judgement, but it's unusual to see one that isn't trying to kill children, or steal things, you'll agree."
Brandon Bor
Brandon waves off the worries of Talsarios and the others.
"He's fine. He helped us free this captive magic-user some other kobolds had kidnapped. And his Common wasn't nearly as good when we were last at this camp."
"You can't tell me you're worried about a kobold."
With a shrug, Mycah ignores the little creature and moves into the amp, leading the riders, and shows them where they can stable their mounts.
"We should make some introductions and see the riders settled for the night."
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
The camp leader recognizes Ash and Mycah straight away and was apparently told about the party. "There's free rooms at the far end of the north longhouse. Your horses'll be fine in the stable. We'll send word to the Lord, but he'll likely not come over 'til morning."
He looks the group over, "unless it's urgent news."
Unless he's told it is, he points the group to their lodgings and returns to his business in the main building.
__________________
Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Nathros looks faintly embarrassed as he introduces the riders and their purpose to the camp leader. "These riders are from beyond the keep; good men and experienced, looking for employment as soldiers with Lord Bost." He leaves it to others to recount their deeds at the keep, as well as how they fell in with Talsarios and his unfortunate companion.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
For the lumbermen to send word to Lord Bost, Ash will tell them that the keep is secure and occupied, that Devin is in command there, and about the goblins and how they met the riders from the eastern village of Helmond.
She will let the riders speak for themselves in regards to their interests in work around these parts. She says, "There is no urgency. My lord does not have to come all the way here to meet with us unless he has no other matters to attend to in Threshold. Our group will probably be heading to Threshold either way."
Brandon Bor
...
"You can't tell me you're worried about a kobold."
"Fair enough, if you and these lumberjacks vouch for him, then he must be trusted," says Talsarios as he walks over towards the north longhouse.
"I wouldn't say we're worried about him, anyway, just that I'd hate to be betrayed because we trusted a monster in our midst."
"Fair enough. You folks can go to him in the morning." the camp boss responds. "We'll send word for him to expect you."
The longhouse is bare but adequate with sufficient space for all to bunk down. The riders keep to themselves and save their tale for their meeting with the lord. Abdok trails the party until they reach their lodgings and returns to his watch duties with a cheerful, "good night!"
Morning comes early as the sound of lumber being stacked and loaded rings through the camp.
__________________
Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Ash dons her armor and quickly begins preparations to leave this morning. She'll make sure everyone wakes who hasn't already, she'll suggest having rations to tide everyone over until lunch in Threshold, and she'll assist with feeding and saddling the horses, if there's time to help. She appears a little anxious to return.
Talsarios gets up at his usual early hour, but with no need to re-memorise spells, he seizes the unique opportunity - and his notebook - and goes in search of Abdock the kobold, with a plan to interview him about kobold culture until it's time to leave.
Spoiler
Talsarios is ready to go at a moment's notice, aside from politely taking his leave of the kobold, assuming he's anywhere to be found.
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