004 - On the Wagoner's Road

[Eris]

When the wagons circle, Aden will ride his horse inside the laager and dismount. He'll take up position so he can see out and fire his bow as needed.

[joertexas]

The drovers, under Ustasi's direction, arrange their wagons into a double circle, with the heavier ones covering the side toward the oncoming stampede. All the riders are called into the center, and then the herd comes into view. They are large, heavy, four-legged bovines with extremely wide horns. The largest of them is the size of a draft horse, and none of you have ever seen cattle quite like them. The herd shies away from the wagons as they begin to pass by, and the air is filled with dust and the pounding of thousands of hooves.

Then, a group of a dozen riders appears at the non-herd side of the wagon. They are all either orcs or half-orcs, and they are armed with bows and heavy spears.

[terrymixon]

The drovers, under Ustasi's direction, arrange their wagons into a double circle, with the heavier ones covering the side toward the oncoming stampede. All the riders are called into the center, and then the herd comes into view. They are large, heavy, four-legged bovines with extremely wide horns. The largest of them is the size of a draft horse, and none of you have ever seen cattle quite like them. The herd shies away from the wagons as they begin to pass by, and the air is filled with dust and the pounding of thousands of hooves.

Then, a group of a dozen riders appears at the non-herd side of the wagon. They are all either orcs or half-orcs, and they are armed with bows and heavy spears.

Mirek

Mirek finds a wagon to provide half cover and deploys his bow. When he can engage, he will.

[joertexas]

Mirek finds a wagon to provide half cover and deploys his bow. When he can engage, he will.

Curiously, the riders are coming in at an easy trot, with no arrows nocked in their bows, and with their spear butts braced on their thighs. One of them waves in Mirek's direction, and two others appear to be talking and laughing with each other, paying no mind to the caravan.

[Eris]

The drovers, under Ustasi's direction, arrange their wagons into a double circle, with the heavier ones covering the side toward the oncoming stampede. All the riders are called into the center, and then the herd comes into view. They are large, heavy, four-legged bovines with extremely wide horns. The largest of them is the size of a draft horse, and none of you have ever seen cattle quite like them. The herd shies away from the wagons as they begin to pass by, and the air is filled with dust and the pounding of thousands of hooves.

Then, a group of a dozen riders appears at the non-herd side of the wagon. They are all either orcs or half-orcs, and they are armed with bows and heavy spears.

Aden moves to a gap in the wagons and nocks an arrow keeping an eye on the riders. They could be just herders, or they could be raiders, best not to shoot until he knows which they are...

[terrymixon]

Mirek finds a wagon to provide half cover and deploys his bow. When he can engage, he will.

Curiously, the riders are coming in at an easy trot, with no arrows nocked in their bows, and with their spear butts braced on their thighs. One of them waves in Mirek's direction, and two others appear to be talking and laughing with each other, paying no mind to the caravan.

Mirek

Mirek lowered his bow. Their bosses needed to do a better job of saying when something wasn’t an attack.

[Spearmint]

Amistad's inclination is to check out the stampeding creatures to understand the reason behind their charge. He says to the guard, "Come with me, ready your bow." and spurs Dandelion into a trot to observe the stampede more closely, confident his horse can match any sprinting beast and he can about turn when necessary.

Did this guard follow me in getting closer and circling around the stampede. Hopefully that brings me up to flank the orcs.

He has an anticipation of battle. He draws his battle axe, raising it high over his shoulder and points to the biggest mounted orc, figuring that one the 'champion' of the supposed raiders. His brain just doesn't compute these are nomadic shepherds of the great plains.

He wheels his mount, spurring his feet into the horse's flanks to get it to raise on two legs. He begins to chant, a warrior's ancestral mantra of war, summoning the spirit of his forefathers to strengthen his arm in battle and fill him with a fearsome presence.

[joertexas]

As everyone watches, Elaith hops down off her wagon and runs up to the nearest warrior. He slides down off his mount, landing gracefully on his feet. Elaith reaches him and envelops him in a hug. The big warrior laughs and returns the hug, and then he holds her shoulders with his huge hands as they speak for a moment. She turns to look at Amistad, and she waves at the barbarian to approach.

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Watches. He senses he is being made a fool of. He doesn't ride to approach Elaith or her beau. Instead he wheels his mount away and rides up to Ustasi to give her a piece of his mind.

The drovers, under Ustasi's direction, arrange their wagons into a double circle, with the heavier ones covering the side toward the oncoming stampede.

"You have travelled this route many times before. You knew. Don't tell me you didn't.

It would have been a fine mess charging into the milk herd and cleaving my battleaxe up his spine, leaving you to explain why 'friendly fire' and a misunderstanding leaves her shorn of love and him of his head."

Basically, he's pissed. He clearly thinks Ustasi knew who the dust cloud came from yet chose not to communicate that or even brief the mercenaries that "we are going through friendly territory and have some contacts here. Billy Big-Bollocks the orc shepherd.'

If he had a shortbow, he would have ridden into the herd and fired at the warriors. He had asked the other guard to follow him and do just that. Where would we be now if two of the orcs lay in the dust?

He lets Ustasi know how he feels and doesn't hang around for a reply, (still in his summoned barbarian rage), he is not up for a meet and greet with the locals. So he retreats to a copse by the circled wagons and tends to his mount.

[joertexas]

Amistad

He lets Ustasi know how he feels and doesn't hang around for a reply, (still in his summoned barbarian rage), he is not up for a meet and greet with the locals. So he retreats to a copse by the circled wagons and tends to his mount.

Ustasi opens her mouth to reply, and then shakes her head in consternation as the barbarian rides off.

Meanwhile, Elaith and the warriors converse briefly, and then the orc remounts, leading the rest of the group around the caravan and off toward the now-retreating herd.

"Caravan, ho!" Ustasi calls out. "We will camp at the river tonight."

"Guards," Elaith also calls. "Be especially wary, for there are others following the herd, as well."

[terrymixon]

Amistad

He lets Ustasi know how he feels and doesn't hang around for a reply, (still in his summoned barbarian rage), he is not up for a meet and greet with the locals. So he retreats to a copse by the circled wagons and tends to his mount.

Ustasi opens her mouth to reply, and then shakes her head in consternation as the barbarian rides off.

Meanwhile, Elaith and the warriors converse briefly, and then the orc remounts, leading the rest of the group around the caravan and off toward the now-retreating herd.

"Caravan, ho!" Ustasi calls out. "We will camp at the river tonight."

"Guards," Elaith also calls. "Be especially wary, for there are others following the herd, as well."

Mirek

Mirek doesn’t disagree.

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Rides along. He has a few ideas about scouting out those who follow the herd. But he treks in line with the others to the river and waits for any suggested plan.

Are we crossing the river in daylight. Can it be forded?

[Eris]

Amistad

He lets Ustasi know how he feels and doesn't hang around for a reply, (still in his summoned barbarian rage), he is not up for a meet and greet with the locals. So he retreats to a copse by the circled wagons and tends to his mount.

Ustasi opens her mouth to reply, and then shakes her head in consternation as the barbarian rides off.

Meanwhile, Elaith and the warriors converse briefly, and then the orc remounts, leading the rest of the group around the caravan and off toward the now-retreating herd.

"Caravan, ho!" Ustasi calls out. "We will camp at the river tonight."

"Guards," Elaith also calls. "Be especially wary, for there are others following the herd, as well."

"This side of the river or the other?" Adan asks, "And is there a good place to ford or a bridge?"

"I'll round up Amistad and Mirek and ride ahead to scout out the river bank. If you say so, Boss?"

[terrymixon]

Amistad

He lets Ustasi know how he feels and doesn't hang around for a reply, (still in his summoned barbarian rage), he is not up for a meet and greet with the locals. So he retreats to a copse by the circled wagons and tends to his mount.

Ustasi opens her mouth to reply, and then shakes her head in consternation as the barbarian rides off.

Meanwhile, Elaith and the warriors converse briefly, and then the orc remounts, leading the rest of the group around the caravan and off toward the now-retreating herd.

"Caravan, ho!" Ustasi calls out. "We will camp at the river tonight."

"Guards," Elaith also calls. "Be especially wary, for there are others following the herd, as well."

"This side of the river or the other?" Adan asks, "And is there a good place to ford or a bridge?"

"I'll round up Amistad and Mirek and ride ahead to scout out the river bank. If you say so, Boss?"

Mirek

Mirek will be amenable when approached and join him.

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Sure, a ride around.

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Amistad: perception check [1d20]=9


Rides around in the unfamiliar country not really spotting anything.

"Seems pretty quiet around here." he says to Mirek and Adan.

[terrymixon]

Amistad

Amistad: perception check [1d20]=9


Rides around in the unfamiliar country not really spotting anything.

"Seems pretty quiet around here." he says to Mirek and Adan.

"Yep."

Mirek: Perception Check [1d20+4]=4+4=8

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Rides off into the wilderness.

[joertexas]

Sorry, folks - lots of RL stuff's been going on...

The wagon trail is a well-defined series of tracks and ruts worn into the high plains' dusty hardpan. The quartet rides forward at Ustasi's word, and they come to the riverbed in the early afternoon. The river is barely a stream, but the wide, rocky path cut into the hard ground speaks of powerful floods in the past. A line of hills rises to the north, perhaps five miles or so away. Across the river, the land begins to rise to the west, with the road following a curving path along the near slope.

Amistad follows this path, staying on the smoothest part of the trail. As he nears the ridgeline, his mount's ears go up, and the animal snorts softly and slows from a canter to a walk. The other three are about fifty yards back, picking their way across the rocky ford.

[Spearmint]

Amistad

Well if the horse hasn't bucked it probably isn't another predator. Maybe more horse riders. He doubts it will be the shepherds.

He tries to turn the horse to traverse beneath the ridge line and keep him out of view of anyone approaching but it seems his mount is reluctant to go further.

Amistad: Animal Handling with proficiency [1d20+2]=2+2=4

So he dismounts, taking his axe and shield to creep closer himself.