The adventure begins

[wolfpack]

You travel the entire morning on a steady pace until the sun is high in the sky then you stop to have a quick bite to eat. Dilbert lets you know this is where you will leave the road to head towards the woods.

After eating you stretch and head out across the rolling plains

[Stirling]

Saxony Quinn (joins in the BuddyHolly/Moony song).

As we near the woods, he whets his sharpening stone and cleans the blade of his sword. With animals, especially aggressive ones that can't be reasoned with, he will adopt his usual methodology of 'act first and ask questions later'. If the group do run into humanoids or people, then he expects to defer the talking to the paladins or clerics of the group.

[Spearmint]

Moony

Follows alongside Filbert trying to notice unusual footprints or hoof prints in the dust or signs of recent travel this way.

He has his bow ready to keep foes at a distance.

[ravenn4544]

Allan follows staying alert but also looking quite at peace with pleasant surroundings.

[wolfpack]

The day passes uneventfully, at some point Dilbert shots a rabbit and throws it into his pack. As it starts to get later in the day


It will be dark in a couple of hours, we should set camp. We will reach the thickwood tomorrow before midday.

Dilbert will methodically go about getting camp ready, collecting some lose wood, cleaning the rabbit which he offers to share. He uses his unstrung bow as a pole and the canvas tarp wrapped around his pack to build himself a small tent.

As camp is being made Dilbert reveals a little about himself. he is in his late 39 winters old and has lived in Ellendale his whole life. His father was killed in a goblin raid when he was 6 so he took up learning to hunt to help feed his mother and sister. He was good at it so it just became his profession as he supplies larger game for the local tavern and some of the local families, as a result he is also the defacto "butcher" for the hamlet.


here I need to know if you want to set a watch and if so what is the order before we move forward.

[spanningtree]

Ruthgar will take Dilbert up on his offer of rabbit to defer using rations. He will collect some local herbs to brew a strong tea. I'll take the first watch unless someone has another idea.

[Spearmint]

Moony

As the camp is being set up, Moony will take a little walk around the likely perimeter. Noting fallen logs, thick copse, boulders, basically figuring what likely hiding spots anyone sneaking up on us might use.

I am more used to being hunter not hunted but precautions in 'strange woods' don't go amiss. He strings a line of mess tins together across a gap between two trees a hunter might use to shield himself, camouflaging them with leaves and vine.

How good is Allan with making traps not removing them?

7 people doing an hour each or in pairs (my preference) doing a couple each watch and Dilbert takes the dawn hour? Moony will go with of after Ruthgar then

[Stirling]

Saxony

"Wake me up before dawn."

He does his 'ablutions', peeing against the designated latrine bush. He sleeps wrapped around his bearskin cloak, one hand curled around the shaft of his axe ready to swipe any intruders. He probably snores and farts intermittently.

[ravenn4544]

Allan appreciates prudence in defending ones position. “For applying counter measures, I’m no expert but better than the initiated. I will see what I can do”

Allan will examine the plants for possible vines to be used as trip wires on any likely paths in to camp. He also expresses no preference for watch times. Provided that the watches are equally shared it is fine.

[Gerrin]

Sandarin Highhill

Sandarin is happy to take whichever watch is needed.

Also adding this which was in the OOC thread and probably belongs here.

Sandarin listens quietly to the plans for marching order.

"I would insist that I take a place in the front rank. My Lord Marduk would expect nothing less."

[wolfpack]

The night passes uneventfully, you wake at sunrise and quickly eat some rations and prepare for the day. You set off and after around 3 hours time You reach the forest edge.



Misty from the overnight dew you enter the Thickwood following Dilbert. After less than an hour into the wood he tells you this is as deep as he normally goes and where the winged the deer.

The forest gets thicker as you travel further, your heavy armor slowing you down as you make your way through brier and bramble on light animal trails.

After another hour you stop and eat some hardtack as a quick lunch before getting moving in short order.

Another 3 hours in and Dilbert comes to a stop.

Up ahead Mooney can tell by the way the horizon turns the way is going to slope down a hill.


This is as far as I go, just up that way another hundred yards the forest dips into a hollow. Once you reach the bottom you will need to head east for about another 4 miles as the crow flies. Then you'll come to what I found, no way you can miss it.

I'm going to head back out of the forest the way we came in. I'll set up a camp near the forest edge and wait for you. I'll give you two days before I head back to town.

He looks at Mooney

I suspect you'll have no problem backtracking out the way we came in.

I wish you all luck for whatever is down there and I hope you find george.

[Spearmint]

Moony

"Two hours trek to this strange thing. Not too many hours before it gets dark. Anything in the hollow we should be aware of?"

When everyone is ready he will lead off, stopping in the hollow to gather the team and consider options. His initial thoughts is to just follow the east line until we find something or it finds us?

[wolfpack]

Moony

"Two hours trek to this strange thing. Not too many hours before it gets dark. Anything in the hollow we should be aware of?"

besides the thing that was out of place I did see some bear sign. Other than that not that I am knowing of.

[spanningtree]

Thank you Dilbert.... Adjusting his pack he looks back at the way they came, not sure he could find his way back out.

[Gerrin]

Sandarin Highhill

"Thank you Dilbert, we will see you within two days. Thank you for your assistance."

Sandarin bows and readies himself to join his comrades along the path.

[redwarrior]

Sandarin Highhill

"Thank you Dilbert, we will see you within two days. Thank you for your assistance."

Sandarin bows and readies himself to join his comrades along the path.

Phillionous bows to Sandarin and waves him to the "position of honor" at the front of the troop and takes his place in the second row, spear at the ready.

[Stirling]

Saxony

"Just remember this grizzly is at the back," he says as he wraps his bearskin around.

Ready, he follows the ranger.

[ravenn4544]

Allan follows in his place, staff as a walking stick, and studies the forest and ground for any signs of unusual passing.

[wolfpack]

Dilbert wishes you luck as he heads back the way you came quickly disappearing in the thick wood.


The party moves forward and into the hollow down a steep grade hill to the bottom where the ground levels out. Only scattered patches of sunlight break through canopy of the overgrown trees making the temperature much cooler than above.

Without the sunlight the ground is soft and moist and the trees are covered with lichen. Getting his bearings Moony leads the group to the east. With lack of sunlight the bushes are sparse here but there are plenty of vines and brambles to work through.

Moony sees the occasional sign of deer and bear and the sound of birds high overhead are reassuring.

You travel through the dank terrain for nearly 2 hours on the look out for anything unusual.

everyone make an int check make this check by rolling 3d6 and comparing to your int

[Spearmint]

Moony treks for a couple of hours figuring we should 'hit the spot' soon. Investigating as he goes.
Skill check vs 13 intelligence [3d6] = 11