Natural Born Trouble

[Revenant]

Morwen speaks up, "I will volunteer for first watch. I doubt sleep will come to me anytime soon. And Mallorean will need rest. Though his wound is slight, a good night's rest might put him back as good as new. No need for anyone to watch with me. That way there can be two on the second and third watch." The skinny bard says, "I never refuse a good night's rest," as he lays his bedroll out close to the fire.


Straws are drawn and you and Ruskin end up with second watch leaving Vari and Kade for third. Kade says, "Good, that means Vari can make breakfast. She the best cook of the three of us." Vari snorts, "You're just sayin' that cause I'm a girl and you're too lazy to cook."

The talk slowly drifts off as each of you bed down for the night, leaving Morwen, the lone guardian knight, to watch over you.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik doesn't feel right leaving Morwen solo on watch so he takes a double shift taking watch with Morwen. "Vari I dun mind helpin cook come mornin'." he adds after the jesting and jabs are had between the recruits. "Morwen, I sense yah got somethin on yer mind yah need ta talk bout. I'm thinkin' that was yer first real combat kill. It can weigh on a person no matter how strong they be."

[Revenant]

The others curl up beside the warm fire burning in the hearth, it's warmth welcome on such a chilly night. The lady knight and Torvik start their watch.

Morwen nods, "Yes commander, he was the first I have slain in battle. It does weigh heavily upon me. I have sworn to slay undead abominations, not the living. Bearing a sword is a heavy burden and it grows heavier seemingly each time I draw it outside of my sworn oath." She looks away into the darkness adding, "You must think me weak and I cannot say I would not agree."

Somewhere in the distance there is the lonesome sound of a wolf's howl.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik keeping a keen eye on their surroundings tries to help verbally "Nah, yah ain't weak. We all deal with killin' in our own way oath er no oath. I sworn ta protect innocent folk so it be a bit different. But it shouldn't be no different fer tha knighthoods. Sure undead and evil abominations, but those were folk meanin ta harm others fer money. They were'nt much better than undead just they got a mind of their own and were thinkin it ok ta do what they do."

[Revenant]

Morwen smiles wanly, "You are right sir. They were predators upon the innocent, there is no doubt in that. Justice was done. I must only pray that Kelemvor guides my hand so that I am strong enough to dispense justice despite my troubled mind."

You are about to say something else when you look beyond the knight into the shadows of the forest. Despite the shadow, you make out the outline of man standing between two trees watching you both. You have but a moment to register that, when the night wind blows and the shadows fall away like dead leaves in an autumn breeze and whatever you saw, is there no more.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik readies his crossbow in the event he sees the man again "we're bein' watched, lady knight. Steel yerself, if yah can, an be ready in case our watcher decides to become a bit bolder." he warns in a hushed tone so as not to be overheard by onlookers. The dwarf then begins to march a patrol route keeping his eye and ears alert to their surroundings.

[Revenant]

At the warning, Morwen draws her blade and takes a position guarding her sleeping companions. Torvik patrols the area and when he looks at the spot where he sighted the person, sees no sign that anyone was there at all. Nonetheless, he continues to walk the area looking for the man or anything else that might be out there. He finds nothing except a chill in the night air.

Ruskin relieves Morwen and the two of you continue your watch but thankfully there is no further sign of the man and the watch is uneventful. Cold and tired from your double watch it is time to awake Vari and Kade for the final shift.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik moves to Vari and taps her with his hand on the shoulder "Alright, lass yer shift now. Keen eyes, and true aim should any trouble arive." he says in waking her then moves to Kade and likewise wakes him "Alright lad, timer fer yer watch, up an at 'em keep yer eyes peeled." he says rather than the line about true aim. He also knudges Kade with his booted foot rather than a tap on the shoulder. Then once both awaken the dwarf will take his well needed rest.

[Revenant]

Torvik having roused the two recruits, lays out his bedroll a short distance from the fire. He glances at his three sleeping companions...Morwen lays on her back, her brow furrowed tossing and turning in her sleep...Ruskin lies in a fetal position, his breath measured and steady...Mallorean is facing the ceiling snoring lightly, closest to the fire. You, furthest from the fire, lay down and nearly as soon as you close your eyes...the tiredness overtakes you and you are out....

...out until you hear a voice near you. A gruff resonant voice that says, "Tis been many a day since I've seen a kinsman about these woods, much less in me home." You open your eyes and are surprised to see a burly dwarf, arms crossed before him standing over you.

Durvan the Hawk.jpg (55.9 KiB) Viewed 646 times

You are also surprised to see yourself alone save for the dwarf and the cabin which is far from the ruin it was when you laid down to sleep. Whereas before it was nearly empty the cabin is now comfortably furnished and the roof intact. Two fur-covered chairs sit before the hearth and you can smell a savory soup (potato leek you think) cooking in the hearth. A great stag's head is mounted above the stone mantel. The dwarf grins down at ya, "Why I swear old Gorm Gulthyn, musta sent ya himself. I'm Durvan the Hawk. Well ya gonna git up and introduce yerself or layabout all night like some poncy elf?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik puts on a very confused look furrowing his brow and rising "Torvik Shadowhood be me name. Sorry bout yer home, I swear when me an me fellows camped in tha place it was a ruin, with a gapin hole in tha roof. But now I'm wonderin where they all be? Three of em are in my charge recruits of tha Ranger's of tha Horn. I be one of them. But last I knew we were all restin' after takin down some bandits. But now I be wonderin' if this ain't all a dream." Torvik extends his hand in offering a handshake to Durvan. "Some sorta magic at work ere? Er what exactly Durvan? I'm a bit dumbfounded me kinsman. So pardon me questions."

[Revenant]

Durvan tugs at one of the braids in his beard, "Not rightly a dream, I'd guess, more of an echo, if that makes sense." Then his eyes gleam in the firelight, "Wardens of the Horn! Why I knew ye wuz brought here for a reason. I guess the wardens have forgotten ole Durvan lest ye'd know me name. I was one of the original wardens. I come from up Hearthhome way till the winds blew me sorry ass south. And here I came and...yes," he pauses looking down as if at first realizing a truth, "And here I died, in this land far from my clanhold with no kin to mourn me passing. Tell me Torvik Shadowhood, what brought you to this land so far from yer clan?" He stirs the soup awaiting your reply.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik shrugs and shakes his head "An echo eh? So this be me talkin ta someone in the past er is this some sorta vision from a wisened spirit?" thinking on the name Torvik tries to recall if anything was talked about regarding Duvan. WIS 11 or INT 10 Check [1d20]=12 if required appears to be a failure. "Sorry been a bit o; time since me trainin' I don't recall much about yah sorry ta say Duvan. As ta what brought me this way, orders ta escort a lady knight with tha dead body of her mentor. Then got some other business ta look into once we reach Lupre. Been talk of some bandits that might be somethin' I gotta look into, possible deal with removin em."

[Revenant]

"Well, few have called me wise, but yes, I guess this is the past since I'm still alive and cookin', so to speak," Durvan frowns as he stirs the pot. "And I have knowledge that I didn't have then...so mebbe I am a spirit sent ta warn ya. There be a storm blowin' up north way. Pretty soon it'll blow its way down south and I'm feared for the rangers' future. A long night is coming, mebbe the worst since the Winter of Tears." He looks Torvik square in the eye, "Them dreams ya been havin' are your key...and possibly your death. You need to be strong for yer kin and those who ain't too." He reaches to a sheath at his belt and pulls out a shortsword.

Volgundar.jpg (136.73 KiB) Viewed 630 times

"This be Volgundar, and she's helped me outta many a scrap." It's name, which you know in dwarven, means mountain tooth is etched in runes along the blade. He holds the sword aloft but doesn't offer it to you. He just points to a stone to the side of the hearth which differs slightly in color from the rest of it's brothers. "When I knew I was dyin', I hid her away. Along with some other...goodies...I managed ta collect. I reckon they're yours now. Use them wisely Torvik Shadowhood. Your future and many others depend on it. Now lets drink to better days for I'm not sure they will come again." He pours two cups of dwarven ale and raises a toast which you both down in one long gulp. "Looks like the soup's ready," he says as he leans forward to stir the pot once more. You watch the fire for a moment blazing bright and shut your eyes smelling that wonderful aroma....

When you open them, Vari is hovering over a pot in that hearth and the smell of whatever is cooking makes your stomach gurgle in anticipation. She sees you have awoken and says, "Sorry I didn't wake you to help. Frankly, I doubt you are better cook than I. And you know what they say about too many cooks commander." You look about the small space of the cabin and see you are the last to rise. Then your eyes are drawn back to the hearth and that discolored stone on one side.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik moves to the stone after chuckling at Vari's remark about too many cooks. He then checks the stone for traps and tries to figure out how to open the secret stash place Durvan indicated in the strange dream or whatever it truely was that he just experienced. "Yeah, too many cooks ain't no different than too many chiefs, as tha sayin goes." he ads to Vari as he is checking out the hidey hole location.

unsure of how you handle theif skill rolls but here is one if you have players roll it.
Thief Skill Checks [1d100]=6

[Revenant]

Torvik checks the stone for a trap but finds none. He examines the stone carefully and notices a fine crack along the mortar around that stone. When he presses the stone, it slides inward revealing a hidden compartment. Within he finds Durvan's sword in its tanned leather sheath wrapped in a doeskin cloth. There's also a tin that reads Healing Salve in dwarven. As well as a small glass corked bottle with a label that reads Mother's Milk also in dwarven. In addition there is a leather pouch with 15 gold pieces in it.

Vari and the others have sat down for breakfast and she looks in Torvik's direction, "Commander, are you going to eat before your food gets cold?," and then she turns to Morwen, "I swear some men need a full time mother or they'd starve to death."

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik puts the salve and "mother's milk" in his pack and takes the sword replacing his with it putting his in his pack. He likewise adds the coin to his coin pouch. "Yeah, yeah. I'm a comin' hold yer horses lass." the dwarf sits down and eats "Anyone else have any interestin dreams eh? Mine lead me ta some pretty handly loot."

[Revenant]

Mallorean wide awake and looking healthier thanks to his undisturbed sleep, if the skinny malnourished bard can said to look healthy at all, "I had lots of interesting dreams, alas none I could speak of in front of the ladies." He climbs up in the wagon alongside Morwen who shakes her head with a heavy sigh. Kade, Ruskin and Vari clean up, put out the fire, reloading any equipment used into the wagon. Ruskin remarks, "I wish I got loot for sleeping. I'd sleep half the day and night." Vari snickers, "You do that already, pay or not."

You get an early start traveling throughout the day and spend one more night on the road. Though none too pleasant due to the cold, you rest comfortably out in the open and get another early start. About four hours later you are just outside Lupre when you catch sight of black plumes of smoke rising high in the air. Vari who was scouting ahead returns and tells you there is something wrong in Lupre. She said she saw some armored men outside the Hanged Man Tavern and Tarn Brighteye's home. Two were mounted and barking orders at six others. The two horsemen wore the tarbards of the knights of the Vale, the guardian knights of Wildervale. She also heard screams beyond the wooden walls of the town.

Please note the map of Lupre for your location in post 1 of that thread. And please start replying in the Lupre thread.

[GreyWolfVT]

Perhaps I am confused aren't Knights of the Vale "the good guys?"

[Revenant]

Yes....clothing maketh the man.