Barrow Mounds: Secret of the Saurons'.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

The Knight looks up at Foxrell's words. "Your words ring true. Golgarth must be escorted back immediately. I will go with Cosmo to do so."

He nods at Vann Hector. "That may be wise as well, Sir. But I must defer to the patron of this excursion. Foxrell. If you do continue on down three, I would ask you to mark your trail well so that we may follow."

Sir Dewey shoulders his shield, places his Morningstar next to Golgarth on the stretcher, and gets ready to heave and carry. "Place his belongings on the stretcher, we will take them back as well."

He kneels beside the stretcher and waits for a final decision on the fate of the group.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

will support the stretcher from underneath, if his height makes this a feasible idea.

[SilverBen]

Leibish nods in agreement with all who spoke before him. He looks to Foxrell making an appeal in support of Van Hector and Sir Dewey, "Golgarth is crucial to our mission. I prefer to return him to Helix, restore his strength, and return on a new expedition." He steps towards the edge of the stretcher and takes his place aside Cosmo at the opposite handle.

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

11.45am. Windy, light rain.
Light: Visibility good. Lantern (LK) Lantern (LK).
Effects: none.

Golgarth survives -5hp

Foxrell thinks, considering the options and the volunteering of the characters. You can tell he is pulled towards pressing on but makes the compromise to turn the whole group around and detour back to the main Helix-Ironguard forest trail. "It is a couple of hours trek but we lose little except time. Once there, it would be safer for a trio to stretcher the priest back to the chapel. We can camp on the trail edge and await your return."

He hands over a pouch of twenty five gold coins. "Let this cover any care and ministry from the chapel or nurses who may watch over his revival."

And so, the group escort Golgarth back, bearing him in turns in a stretcher. The trek is slow and cautious but not harassed by any creatures. The grazing deer herd wary of your approach leap over grassy mounds out of sight very quickly, a group of frilled gecko lizards basking in the midday heat upon some rocks slink away.

Sir Dewey, Cosmo & Liebish carry Golgarth back to Helix. post an action in the chapel thread and any village actions.

While Foxrell and the lancers make a camp by the trail, Vann Hector & Sigrid can both make an action. Recovery of spells could be done here if you note such. You can also discuss any of the trek, objectives, plans with Foxrell.

Barrow Moor trek [1d6]=2 [1d6]=4

action posts please

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

As the trio carry Golgarth away with my best wishes for his health, I will chat with Foxrell. I have no particular questions so will whittle a stick with my penknife and steer conversations towards the lizardmen tribes.

I will raise the thought that old Basil the ranger whose body was repatriated recently was found by the Old Dwarf Bridge and may be have taken captive, tortured and slain by rogue lizardmen.

Would there be any value to investigating the wider regions where the lizardmen raid. Do the bandits come and go from the temple in the mound or from a tribal area in the Blackwater or Merisc deltas?

[Bluetongue]

Golgarth

Just gurgles and drools en route to Helix.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

"What's that, Golgarth? You sound like Alaster, but don't worry, you'll be fine. We won't bathe you." He chats with Cosmo and Liebish on the way back, glad that the moor denizens seem to take pity on them.

[Darithe]

Sigrid waves goodbye to her companions wishing them a safe journey and Golgarth a quick recovery. She will take the downtime to study her spells and chat amiably with those who remain, making sure to stay away from any unrecognized vegetation.

[Spearmint]

the trail camp is pitched for three hours. Foxrell paces uncomfortably, but gives the time to the trio to arrange Golgarth's recuperation.

He chats with Vann Hector regarding the lizardmen. His focus for this trip is on the mound but he would support a wider campaign to rid the region of the reptile folk. His modus operandi would be 'a good lizardman is a dead lizardman', as he perceives them as savage tribalists of evil intent. "Can someone you hatches from an egg ever be consider civilized?" Which might not be the elf's view as you learned the vocabulary from peaceful trading communities.

Sigrid can regain all the erased spells.

I will advance here once the village threads are completed.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

The wait for the others to return is fine. Better to be reinforced than trek off without them.

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

16.00pm. Windy, light rain.
Light: Visibility good. Lantern (LK) Lantern (LK).
Effects: none.

Sir Dewey, Liebish, Cosmo and new recruit, Sun Tsieng Roy, an oriental monk and current mud wrestling champion, rejoin the Sauron Mound trekkers at the small encampment outside of the forest territory.

You give a report on Golgarth (who will get s minimal share of XP up to his point of departure) and introduce the monk to Sigrid and Vann Hector.

Foxrell acknowledges the man also and sets the team off again, retracing the steps you took earlier.

While occasional strange screeches from hunting birds are heard overhead and baboon like hooting from a wandering primate tribe catch your attention, nothing molests you from the long grasses or peat bogs. Following a pre-planned route that takes you directly south for approximately six miles, you come to the water margins of the Moorwash as it branches out from a single flowing river to become several murky creeks of sediment and algae. The waters are high following the springmelt and teem with freshwater salmon. The fish spawning the next generation. You trek westwards along the riverbank, wary of predators in the long grasses and also anticipating that the lizardmen prowl this territory as well. After four hours, darkness sets in and a chill wind picks up.

I would like everyone to make a post and include a 1d6 roll please. This is not an initiative roll but a perception check as you walk along.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Can't help thinking about the old ranger who probably hunted game in this region. What was he after? A big bear?

He wanders along, following the route along the riverbanks and stares across the waters of the mist allows, on the lookout for signs of lizardmen.

Vann Hector: random check. [1d6]=3

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

He introduces Sun to the group. "Mr. Foxrell, I have taken the liberty of procuring another hand for our expedition. I felt it wise to bolster our strength in light of the morning happenings."

"We need to start finding shelter, or a camp. What is the plan?"

[1d6]=2

[Darithe]

At the sight of Sir Dewey, Sigrid runs up and pulls him into a rather uncomfortable hug, "Ah my roommate has returned! How fares the good priest? Was the journey a safe one? Who is this strange man?" looking at the new person, Sun Tsieng Roy. And then she continues chattering on in her thick northern accent half of which is incomprehensible.

[1d6]=1

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

The Knight returns the hug awkwardly, patting her on the back. "Good to see you too. Golgarth is resting comfortably, the journey was thankfully uneventful." Slightly embarrassed, he tries to turn the attention to the monk. "This is Sun Tsieng Roy, you may know him as the wrestling champion. I asked him to join us on this expedition wanting to be sure of our collective strength."

He does stay near Sigrid, feeling some pull towards the northern lady.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Is surprised to see his mud wrestling semi-final opponent joining the Sauron crew. He bows formally in greeting. It will be interesting to see how a man trained in unarmed combat takes in creatures that have a poisonous touch.

Happy to learn Golgarth's fate is in the hands of the gods and a comely wench to wipe his fevered brow.

He posted his perception check.

[Nordbo]

Cosmo

Perception roll 1 to 6 dice roll [1d6]=2

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

20.00pm. Windy, light rain.
Light: Visibility good. Lantern (LK) Lantern (LK).
Effects: none.

Trekking along the Moorwash distributary, the gathering gloom rolls in swirling mist along the riverbank. The group head west towards the Barrow Mounds and their destination to stakeout and assault the Sauron Mound.

Sigrid spots a large shadow in the mist. It looks like a collapsed, a saddleback shaped hump covered in thick mosses and creeper vines. Wary of the previous encounter with sentient flora, the scouts are sent to check the area and confirm an ancient mound. The entrance stones long since torn away from its frame and cast aside. With night wearing in, you may have a cave chamber to shelter in.

Foxrell gives the decision to claim the niche and set up the camp. "Let's make sure it is empty of threats."

He moves to the entrance, sword drawn. actions please for those who go with him and actions for those who stay by the riverbank with the supplies.

[Darithe]

Eyes the opening warily, considering the force behind Foxwell, she resolves to stay at the camp and keep an eye on the supplies. No actions as of yet other than keeping watch.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

I know he doesn't have any authority over the conscripted troopers from the Manse, but he tell them to both help unpack the two mules and also pair of to guard sides of the camp.

"At first sight of trouble, call for us."

He will draw his sword and a flaming firebrand and advance into the mound with Foxrell and any others.