Along the Border Watch

[hedgeknight]

"I'm gonna have the wagons ready to roll at first light!" Malin says, squinting into the glare of another flaming ball sailing out of the darkness to land short of the wall, bounce off the stone and roll back to the edge of the river.
He looks up at Adelphocles and shakes his head. "I'm glad you didn't kill anybody. That would have been bad...for business."

Unless you folks have anything else to add, I'm for fast forwarding to the next morning and moving out.

[Bluehorse]

was anything ever said about Adelphocles leading a raid on the catapults?

[Darklin2]

Sai

Keeps Emerall safe and sound.

[Hotgoblin]

Muldgarr remains cautious and will keep an eye on Jasmalus. He gathers his belongings and heads down to Nantathren and readies her for the upcoming ride ahead.

[OGRE MAGE]

Montego tries to get some much needed rest before first light, wherever he can find a safe place out of fireball range.

[Monsieur Rose]

Cassius

Cassius relays the snippets he overheard to the others. "They know each other, and something about not trusting something or someone. This mission has layers that we mere guards weren't told about."

He settles down, resting while he can.

[hedgeknight]

was anything ever said about Adelphocles leading a raid on the catapults?

As you were about to bring up the subject, some drunk wanted you to take him for a ride.
And truthfully, no one would have went with you, saying it would be "a suicide run for nothing."

Northern Furyondy, 585 CY, the month of Patchwall, Godsday 11, Pre-Dawn, Chilly and Wet

River-PreDawn-Light.jpg (152.31 KiB) Viewed 1805 times

In the pre-dawn hours, Malin, Emerall, and Jasmalus rouse the teamsters and prepare their wagons for the road. Your rest was not very...restful...and you awake tired, sore, and grumpy. Regardless of your moods, your horses are ready to ride, eager to be away from this place.
Taking a last look at Fort Belvor, and the various scorch marks from the midnight barrage, you see Captain Mikinus standing on the wall, peering over the river and into the blackened lands of Iuz the Old. At the sound of your horses whinnying and stamping, he turns and waves at you, the turns back toward the river.

"Are we ready then?" Malin asks. Not waiting for a reply, his wagon leads the others and you depart the grounds of Fort Belvor.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Give me a traveling order based upon the following: Malin's wagon will lead, followed by Emerall, and then Jasmalus.

[Bluehorse]

Adolphecles awakes and stretches, not feeling 100% but willing to get on with the day. Truth be told, as they depart, the idea of not being able to do more to directly help the fort and its people bothers him. He takes up a position more or less in the middle of the night so that he can be ready to rush to either end of it to help should danger present itself.

[Darklin2]

Sai

Sai rides beside Malin for a little while before falling back to the rear.

Malin. In my dealings yesterday with the trader back there I payed your debt to him and gave him enough gold to replace some knife he stated you owed him. It was covered with the wagon we found and purchased some supplies. He hands Malin a loaf of bread and half a wheel of cheese.

He falls back to Emerall's wagon and pulls up beside her on Goliath.

I managed to get you this from the Trader back there but had no time to get that bath arranged. Smith was still working and the bombardment shut everything down. But I tried. Sorry. He hands her a bar of soap for a bath and a loaf of bread and half a wheel of cheese. Supplies from the Wagon Sale.

He stops at the other wagon and does the same. Loaf of bread and half a wheel of cheese. Then moves around and give a half a loaf of bread and quarter wheel of cheese to each of his companions along with 4 gold pieces each. He then slows up Goliath and allows everyone to pass and he brings up the rear guard station.

OOC- Make sure you add a half loaf of bread and quarter wheel of cheese with 4 gold to your inventory. Spoils from the Wagon Sale.

[Monsieur Rose]

Casssius

Cassius rides on the middle wagon with Emerall again. He merely arches a brow as Sai hands something to Emerall.

[Bluehorse]

Adolphecles Takes the food with a grin. Ah, this looks good. he says looking at the bread but then looks at the cheese curiously. Any what is this?

[Hotgoblin]

Mulgarr will scout in front on Nantathren. He’ll keep a close watch out on the road and forest ahead.

[ChubbyPixie]

As the party rides in the caravan, they hear behind them on the road, at first only faintly, the strains of an extemporaneous tune accompanied by a tapping drum:

Ride, ride! thou heavy sprite
Thine languid pace the stuff of sin!
Ride now! arrest their headlong flight,
’Tis not too late yet to begin.
Ride now, Eustace! Not to tarry;
The road leads ever to our quarry.

Steadily the voice grows louder as a rider approaches.

Double-time, thou leaden man!
Trip and step! upon them gain,
Beat the path with great elan:
We catch them up, they flee in vain!
Their dwarven keeper has retuuuuurned!

...he hesitates, searching for the final line before looking behind him. His eyes light up and he continues:

...Just as they leave a city burned.

It's Kranston. He's back. Sitting astride Eustace he settles into a traveling pace beside the middle wagon.

"Well? How did you manage it? Burning a city? I'll admit, I am impressed," he says.

[Darklin2]

Adolphecles Takes the food with a grin. Ah, this looks good. he says looking at the bread but then looks at the cheese curiously. Any what is this?

Sai Smiles at the Big Man.

It is a molded mixture of goat milk and cow milk clotted over time and allowed to spoil. Sounds horrible but tastes quite good. And it keeps for the road nicely since it is already spoiled. Try some you will like it.

[Bluehorse]

Sai Smiles at the Big Man.

It is a molded mixture of goat milk and cow milk clotted over time and allowed to spoil. Sounds horrible but tastes quite good. And it keeps for the road nicely since it is already spoiled. Try some you will like it.

Adolphecles

The centaur looks at the wedge of spoiled milk in his hand and seems dubious. Wha.... how? Why would anyone ever try that...? And who was the first to say, Here... eat this? Oh! what is it? Spoiled milk! Grand idea! Give me some! Yum! This is great! Everyone should eat some! he chuckled and looked over at Sai. If you promise this is not a joke... he tore off a chunk of the cheese and popped it in his mouth making a bit of a face at the texture but nodding. It will be difficult, but I could survive on this. May we ever find green fields.

[OGRE MAGE]

Riding in between the rear two wagons, Montego laughs at the exchange between elf and centaur, accepting the snack from Sai with thanks.

When he hears the dwarf singing behind them, he slows his horse to see if it really is KK coming back to them.

"Nice song, old dwarf. I see you haven't lost your touch while you were away. And we had nothing to do with that last attack, but I cant say that I was unhappy to leave that place, tired or otherwise."

[hedgeknight]

Fellers, this next leg will take about 8 days; I'm not going to roll for wandering monsters, so if there is anything you wish to do to pass the time for the next week, let me know here or in your private threads and we can roleplay it out.
Otherwise, my next group post will have you riding into Batlet.

[ChubbyPixie]

Riding in between the rear two wagons, Montego laughs at the exchange between elf and centaur, accepting the snack from Sai with thanks.

When he hears the dwarf singing behind them, he slows his horse to see if it really is KK coming back to them.

"Nice song, old dwarf. I see you haven't lost your touch while you were away. And we had nothing to do with that last attack, but I cant say that I was unhappy to leave that place, tired or otherwise."

"It wasn't you?" says Kranston looking mildly disappointed. He glances back at the city. "I was going to write a song about it..."

As they travel to the next destination, he relates to the others about his surprise upon leaving the dryads and fauns that so much time had passed. "It seemed like only hours. A few glorious hours, mind you. So much singing, playing, dancing, et cetera..." he waves his hand in a dismissive gesture, "Frankly, I never wanted to leave. But... I think we all know you'd never survive without your dwarven bard. Where else would you get your daily dose of high culture?" He does a slight bow in the saddle.

[Monsieur Rose]

Cassius

His attention is drawn at the et cetera. "You played the part of a satyr, did you? You certainly have the beard for it." Cassius smiles and makes a note to discuss dryads, nymphs, satyrs, and fauns with Kranston later.

He will continue his efforts to make nice with Emerall and Malin during the journey.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Well, it's all a bit of a blur, really..." replies Kranston, suddenly looking slightly puzzled. "If I'm being honest, I'm not entirely certain which parts of it were strictly real, in the classic sense. But what is reality, anyway, am I right?"