IC II

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"Mardan, find a place to setup our tents and then get some sleep. I'd like you up at first light to help us get going on time. I think I will take second watch."

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

"Mardan, find a place to setup our tents and then get some sleep. I'd like you up at first light to help us get going on time. I think I will take second watch."

The young man grumbles a bit -- clearly he wants to stay up around the campfire with the other adventurers, telling tales and strumming his zither, but he eventually acquiesces.

Encounter, PC's surprised, distance, reaction, time it occurs:: 1d8 2 1d6 1 4d6 13 4d6 18 1d4 4 That last 4d6 roll should have been 2d6:: 2d6 11

That night, around midnight*, those on watch are startled when several figures step out from the trees into their camp. They're clearly orcs, wearing cast-off armor, weapons not drawn but close to hand. "What are children of Man doing in the Wildlands," asks one, in heavily accented Common, "You should be safe behind walls in a city, not out here, vulnerable and unprotected." Those on watch sense movement in the trees behind the orcs, as if others lurk in the shadows, hidden and protected from the firelight.

*That would be those on second watch.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus gets cautiously to his feet. Like the orcs his shield and mace are not in hand but a quick reaction away. In a loud voice, meant to awaken the rest of the party he calls out. "Welcome! If you are here in peace, you are welcome to share our fires! Otherwise, I ask that you leave. For our part, we are exploring the lands to the north. Do you have knowledge of these places?"

[sulldawga]

Telemachus groggily rises from sleep, as does Casfrea.

While they gather their senses, they await the orcs' response.

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

Feargus gets cautiously to his feet. Like the orcs his shield and mace are not in hand but a quick reaction away. In a loud voice, meant to awaken the rest of the party he calls out. "Welcome! If you are here in peace, you are welcome to share our fires! Otherwise, I ask that you leave. For our part, we are exploring the lands to the north. Do you have knowledge of these places?"

Orc

"Knowledge of these places?" the orc snorts, porcinely. "Of course I do. These are the Outlands, son of Man. My kin rule this part of the world, and little transpires here that we don't know about. As for coming in peace, we do for now. We saw your firelight and wondered what manner of Man would stray from the safety of their world. It may be that we will cross swords one day -- perhaps your skull will make a fine goblet for my ale -- but for the time being we are content to let you live!"

[sulldawga]

Orc

"Knowledge of these places?" the orc snorts, porcinely. "Of course I do. These are the Outlands, son of Man. My kin rule this part of the world, and little transpires here that we don't know about. As for coming in peace, we do for now. We saw your firelight and wondered what manner of Man would stray from the safety of their world. It may be that we will cross swords one day -- perhaps your skull will make a fine goblet for my ale -- but for the time being we are content to let you live!"

Telemachus

"We have no quarrel with you and yours, orc, but we mean to explore this area and perhaps connect with other Men living north of here. We're not here to rob or kill you. But we will defend ourselves. Do not mistake us for fools or weaklings."

[thirdkingdom]

Orc

The orc glowers at Telemachus briefly. "Very well," it says, in its strangely accented Common, "we will leave you to your fire, but be aware that you are in our lands, and next time we meet it might not be so pleasant." The orc and its companions melt back into the shadows and soon no trace of them remains.

Fourthmonth, Twelfthday
Hex 236.131

The rest of the night passes without incident. Those spellcasters* who woke for the confrontation with the orc find themselves not rested well enough to focus on the memorization of new spells.

Breaking camp, the adventurers press on. They soon espy the source of the deer carcass the thouls had been feasting on the day before; a herd of deer grazes at the undergrowth, off in the distance. Newton counts at least two dozen. He figures they could bring down at least two or three, if desired, but gutting and cleaning them would take some time, and would reduce their traveling distance for the day.

*Only Telemachus responded, so the others can have slept through it, if desired. I'm onsite for most of today with no internet connection, and don't necessarily want to stop the action, but you guys did mention the possibility of hunting. I had posted the rules from OSE regarding hunting upthread; my houserule is that if an encounter (fixed, as this is), or wandering is with a hunt-able animal we treat it more like combat. So, it doesn't take all day but reduces the amount you can travel by one hex, from four to three. Each deer shot (which I'd likely determine randomly) will yield 50+1d20 pounds of meat. To simplify things, we can assume that each pound of meat yields one day's rations for one person.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Not being much of a hunter, Feargus doesn't take much time focusing on the deer. If the party comes to a stop though, he spends time with Mardan Cy and any of the other young party members working on the finer points of combat.

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

If anyone in the party is skilled in Tracking, the mage wants to know how many orcs were out there in the darkness last night, from which direction they came, and in which direction they left.

"We may want to consider moving with some alacrity, lest the orcs gather a horde and return to make some drinking cups from our skulls."

[VonAlric]

Gardo

"Let's not hunt for now. We may need to do some hunting on the way back and, if these deer are still around here, can go after them then if needed. I agree with Telemachus, it would be good to know how many Orcs there were and which way they came from. This also means that we should increase the guard, some of the mercs need to be on watch as well, to be able to respond to this possible threat. One of them spoke common? If pushed into a fight, we need to capture him."

[shaidar]

Newton spends time seeing if he can find out a rough number of orcs, where they came from and which way they left.

as we've moved on it may be too late for this

[thirdkingdom]

Newton spends time seeing if he can find out a rough number of orcs, where they came from and which way they left.

as we've moved on it may be too late for this

By the time Newton thinks to check it is too late, and the movement of the mounts and mercenaries have obscured what tracks there may have been.

http://orokos.com/roll/755889: 1d20 5]

The general consensus is that the adventurers would be better off making good time instead of hunting, so the party presses on.

Fourthmonth, Twelfthday
Hex 236.130
10:00 am

The adventurers have been traveling for an hour, if that, through quiet, peaceful woods, when they come across a trail that runs to the west. It's bigger than a game trail -- perhaps not as well traveled as the rough road they are currently on -- but traveled nonetheless, by Man or something similar, and recently, although none in the party are trained trackers, so it is difficult to tell.

"I think we should investigate," says Lec. She has until now been content to ride alongside the adventurers, saying little, but observing. "Someone, or something, clearly lives down here, potentially close enough to have bearing upon our main objective."

Hex 236.130

Hex 236.130 Player's.png (64.15 KiB) Viewed 3041 times

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

The mage shrugs in tepid agreement.

"It's early enough in the day that we can afford a diversion. And anything that gets us off the main path might throw off any orc ambushers."

[shaidar]

Newton climbs down from his horse and examines the tracks to try and get a clearer of idea of what left the tracks, how many, and how recent they are.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus shrugs at the desire to explore. "Yeah, and maybe there isn't anybody who can impact our primary goal. Newton - does it look like anybody has been down that path recently? I feel like if we go exploring every side path along the way to where we think Kimrid is, it has the potential to greatly lengthen our time in the wilds. Let's just be up front with the costs here."

[thirdkingdom]

Newton climbs down from his horse and examines the tracks to try and get a clearer of idea of what left the tracks, how many, and how recent they are.

It's hard for him to say definitively, outside of knowing that the orcs they encountered the previous night went this way.

http://orokos.com/roll/755965: 1d20 4

Feargus

Feargus shrugs at the desire to explore. "Yeah, and maybe there isn't anybody who can impact our primary goal. Newton - does it look like anybody has been down that path recently? I feel like if we go exploring every side path along the way to where we think Kimrid is, it has the potential to greatly lengthen our time in the wilds. Let's just be up front with the costs here."

Kirra Lec

"Perhaps, but you agreed to help us track down threats that lurk nearby to the road. The party was accosted by a group of sassy orcs last night, orcs that clearly have come this way if your tracker is to be trusted. That's a pretty clear threat to me. Plus, everyone knows that orcs, as base creatures of Chaos, are not the be trusted."

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus again just shrugs his shoulders. "Fair enough although I would not recommend going to deep into the brush off the main road."

"Haaki - Can you scout ahead from above?"

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

Feargus again just shrugs his shoulders. "Fair enough although I would not recommend going to deep into the brush off the main road."

"Haaki - Can you scout ahead from above?"

The tree cover here is just as dense as in the rest of the woods, an almost impenetrable canopy of green that filters the sunlight and leaves the understory in shade.

Thus decided, the adventurers leave the main road and begin venturing down the side trail. As they progress Newton picks up more signs of orcs; carelessly trampled vegetation, half-consumed and rotting carcasses carelessly flung to the side of the road, dried piles of what can only be orcshit in the trail itself. After a half hour or so the companions begin to notice evidence of the orcs' presence in the very landscape itself; orcs are the mirror image of Man, and, as Man reshapes the world in an attempt to bring Law, orcs do the same, but through Chaos. Newton at first sees a dead tree, then another, then more and more. A foul miasma reaches their nostrils, like burning hair.

Kirra Lec holds up a hand. "I believe that we are near an orc lair," she says, "and it is my suggestion that we investigate and attempt to eliminate it. As per our agreement you are entitled to any treasures the orcs may possess."

[Atlictoatl]

Feargus

Feargus again just shrugs his shoulders. "Fair enough although I would not recommend going to deep into the brush off the main road."

"Haaki - Can you scout ahead from above?"

Haaki, the Feather Witch

"In these dense woods, I can scout as Newton scouts... in a direction ahead of the group, spying things early. He has stealth, I look like I belong there. I might be able to range a bit further, as wings are faster than feet. Though not by so much, if I'm having to dodge branches."

Kirra Lec holds up a hand. "I believe that we are near an orc lair," she says, "and it is my suggestion that we investigate and attempt to eliminate it. As per our agreement you are entitled to any treasures the orcs may possess."

"You're a bold one, eh?" the witch laughs. "Get your sleep uninterrupted by a cocky orc, and the next morning you're wanting to track their lair down and kill 'em all? I'll remember not to interrupt your sleep, in future."

"If we wait 'til the morrow, I can scout their lair out, and bring one or two with me."

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"Not to be completely mercenary about it but we need the cash. And if we're going to open the road, we need to eliminate potential bandit threats. These orcs are exceedingly likely to attack traffic on the road. Best to deal with them now before they formulate a defense.

I would want to get another night's rest, though, so I can memorize a couple of Sleep spells."