Chapter 2: On the Road to Dimwater

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg chuckles "Thank you it was a pleasure partaking in the act." upon hearing being owed a silver piece the dwarf perks up "Eh you can just buy me an ale later hairfoot."

[Storm11]

Hex fusses over the recently freed halfling. "Be careful with him now, big lummoxes no no no. This won't do at all. Hexalon Glowfoot, master of hypnotism, at your service," he says genially, brushing down the fellow hobbit, his rainbow robes and long topknot billowing about him as he does so.

"Yes, yes, yes a dark place indeed I hear tell", the illusionist confirms earnestly, wide eyed and eager

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg pats Hex on the head messing up the halflings hair "Oh calm yourself down now you aren't the only hairfoot in the troupe." the dwarf smiles then gets back into his marching position to continue on their travels.

[Grognardsw]

Aric, savage

"We travel path to the old monastary at Dimwater, there to find holy crook and what treasures may fall our way," replies the barbarian. "I am Aric Inglorak, of the Iron Tribes of the North."

The northern warrior wonders how he fell in with all these little people. He hopes they can swing steel as good as they frolic. His stomach rumbles with a bit of nausea. Someone here is a damnable magic-user.

[Storm11]

Hex whistles innocently whilst moving away from the muscles, pointing at the elf

[Inferno]

Phineas T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

Phineas greeted everyone warmly and said, "Monastery. Sounds like an interesting business opportunity! Excuse me one moment! I'll catch up with you directly!"

The mighty midget ran off.

He stopped at the largest tree in sight, many yards away. At its trunk, he faced north, and counted off 20 paces. Then he turned left for 15 more paces, moved a big rock aside and began digging with his little hands in the soft soil beneath it.

[jdluna]

We have to keep moving, we cannot miss the full moon Luna states. If this gentlemen wants to play a a squirrel, that is his business

[Mant72]

Favin:

"Brother Luna is right. We are pressed for time." He then calls out to the burrowing halfling, "Master Phineas is it? What manner of strangeness possesses you now? We must be leaving. If you are to join us, you must do so now."

[Storm11]

Hexalon waves his robed arms in the air dismissively. "He'll be alright, he will at h up in a while."

The halfling wanders off after the dwarf

[Inferno]

Phineas T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

Phineas pulls a fabric-wrapped bundle out of the shallow hole. Looking around, he opens it and pulls out a backpack, a short bow, a quiver, a sword, pouches, and more. "It's all here," he thought. "Good ol' Num Num and Constantina."

• 
  Num Num.
  
  
  Constantina.

Phineas chews on some leathery jerky while putting on a leather jerkin. He drinks half the contents of a wineskin. Then, fully equipped, he catches up to the adventurers.

"So! Monastery! What do you know about this foreboding place of astounding mystery and peril?!" he asks as he clips off the end of a gigantic cigar.

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg "Peril, adventure, undead, and artifacts all potentially found within the place we are headin' Phineas. Hairfoot or whatever you'd not mind being called." the dwarf smiles. "So what say you are you coming with? We have to get movin time is of the essence."

[coil23]

Osprey Palearctic, elven fighter/magic-user

Osprey begins moving on down the road again once the halfling says he will catch up, idly wondering if the magic tricks, hijinks, and boisterous talk will occur when they are all trying to sneak through catacombs.

[Mant72]

Following the meeting with the grandiose Phineas T. Codswallop, the band returns to their mounts and proceeds onward towards Dimwater.

It is now late afternoon when Favin reins in his horse, stops at the side of the road, and turns in his saddle to address the group, “Here we must leave the main road and head further east. In a few miles we will come to the edge of the Eldenhook Forest; we should be there by nightfall. There we can set up camp and rest. We have made good time, and we are still on pace to arrive at the monastery by twilight tomorrow."

He takes a long draw from his waterskin and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Favin and Duran then edge their horses off the road and into the tall grass, heading east toward a tree line you can just make out in the far distance.

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The journey thus far has seen you roughly ten miles out of Silington to the borders of the Eldenhook Forest, a rather sprawling expanse of oak, maple, and pine. Before entering the wood, Favin stops at the edge and speaks, “We are getting closer. The Dimwater River lies just on the other side of these woods, and the monastery is only about a mile upstream from where we will emerge; however, as far as travel is concerned, this will be the most difficult part of our journey. The Eldenhook will become thick and hilly, and we will have to walk the horses for the most part, lest we risk one of the poor beasts breaking a leg or taking a nasty fall. I would guess we are only about seven or eight miles away from the monastery at his point. I suggest we press on a little further into the wood, and find a clearing to set up camp before night falls.”

[coil23]

Osprey Palearctic, elven fighter/magic-user

I will follow your guidance on this. Any other dangers we should know of in this Eldenhook Forest?

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg the dwarf replies "You're the one who is more the expert of this area so I too will go on your judgement."

[Inferno]

Phineas T. Codswallop, halfling impresario:

Kragg "Peril, adventure, undead, and artifacts all potentially found within the place we are headin' Phineas. Hairfoot or whatever you'd not mind being called." the dwarf smiles. "So what say you are you coming with? We have to get movin time is of the essence."

Phineas' titanic cigar made his little hands and face seem even smaller. But not his mustache.
"Thank you! I'd be delighted and honored to join this most promising of enterprises! We can discuss terms later.
"And please! Call me Phineas! I've spent most my life among humans, rather than hobbits and dwarves. A terrible oversight I look forward to correcting!
"Undead, eh? I would relish the unique opportunity of capturing such an exotic, unbelievable creature alive. It would be a sure-fire headliner in any city in the world!"

Admiring the surroundings and puffing away, Phineas proclaimed, "Just marvelous scenery you've got up here. Wonderful country! All these trees. Rex would have loved it!"

Rex.

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg "I've lived among humans as well though me dwarf speech sometimes comes through. Doesn't make me hold back my racial heritage as you saw earlier." the dwarf winks back at Phineas. "Rex who's that a dog you once had? What happened yah loose em?"

[Mant72]

Osprey Palearctic, elven fighter/magic-user

I will follow your guidance on this. Any other dangers we should know of in this Eldenhook Forest?

"This wood houses no particular dangers that I am aware of Master Osprey; although, being this far away from civilization is always cause for extra vigilance." He turns to Kragg, "I am far from being an expert, my friend. I am simply following the directions provided by Father Halbrick prior to our departure." He then dismounts and proceeds to lead his horse in to the waiting forest.

[GreyWolfVT]

Kragg replies back "Very well. However you're the local, I'm just a foreigner in these parts."

[Storm11]

Hex follows the others along into the woods. He too marvelled at the sight of the pleasant forest.

The halfling shivers at the mention of undead.

Within the treeline he looks to Brother Favin. "Where to camp we wonders, yes yes yes? Any climbable trees to settle into?"

Are there many leaves upon the ground?