Chapter 6: Into the Valley of the Caves of Chaos

[MonkeyWrench]

Maya looks at the others going up the hill, she scans for Borum. After finding him she calls out, "Are we going up there or not?" She stands near a tree for cover while she waits for her next direction. Victor is with her, one hand is in one of his belt pockets as he scans the cave for incoming orcs and the top for rock throwing creatures.

[GreyWolfVT]

Borum stays silent as much as he can and shakes his head no.

[MonkeyWrench]

Maya nods and does not follow to the canyon ridge, she patiently takes cover and waits for any movement from the cave. Once enemies appear she will rush to engage, putting most of the attention onto herself.

Victor waits by her, he seems to be mumbling to himself, possibly chanting something.

[Baramoor]

Seeing Borum shake his head negatively, Wexley takes a knee and begins to do a slow scan of the ridgeline as the others climb. He alternates this from time to time looking at the lower cave, the smoking cave (i.e. Orc cave) and then the trees nearby to ensure no one is preparing to snipe at the ascending party.

If Wexley sees any movement that gives a good target, he will fire and do his best to protect the party and himself

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea hunkers down with Borum's group. She tries to signal to Ewat to do the same, but he is already climbing up after Choe.

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

The Adventurers split up & nothing happens for an hour.

The fires in the caves have apparently died down.

The group up on the rim are: Fr. Tenebaum, Karick, Radac, Sister Opal, Mr. Choe, Ewat, Lutha, & Wolfram

Down in the Valley in the trees: Borum, Maya, Wexley, Idonea, Mort, Kormak & Victor

Lutha hears some ruffling in the underbrush behind them, (they are all laying on their bellies, looking out over the valley).

Remember it's very thick foilage up there though they spotted where the previous party had cut through the day before, you have very little room for combat on the valley rim.

Valley Rim Party Actions!

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort climbs a tree for a better vantage point view.

Borum & Kormak remain in the tree cover.

[Dizlexus]

Mr. Choe
[1d100] = 15

Choe jumps in a forest shadow and waits attentively for the approaching sound.

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

Lutha now hears the sound of something being dragged, a grunting sound, then the sounds of an owl.

It's sounds like it's coming towards them but not closer to them.

[Nordbo]

Lutha, hushed, to Ewat: "Psst! Did you hear that? You, who know all about forests, have you ever heard of owls with legs? Are there such abominations in this land? A stitch in time is worth two in the bush, you know"

While remaining in spell mode, close to Tenebaum, close to Wolfram who has weapon ready.

[MonkeyWrench]

Back down in the valley

Maya continues to watch the cave entrance, seeing the smoke start to die down she calls out to Borum in a hushed tone, "It seems the smoke is going down, either they stopped the fire or it burned all of the rope."

Victor looks up at the valley ridge, "Wonder what they're doing up there, think they'll get eaten? Hehe"

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort is still wondering what he can see from the tree he climbed.......

Borum shrugs and scratches his beard "Wish I knew what Choe was thinkin' dunno why the durned fool wanted to go up again."

[MonkeyWrench]

Maya, "I agree... Victor, see what they are doing up there and get them down here again, keep an eye on us as well. We should not keep splitting up like this."

Victor nods with a wide smile and travels up to the ridge, seeing that everyone is tensed up and/or hiding, "So... what's going on? Are we playing Hide'n'seek?"

[Pulpatoon]

Lutha, hushed, to Ewat: "Psst! Did you hear that? You, who know all about forests, have you ever heard of owls with legs? Are there such abominations in this land? A stitch in time is worth two in the bush, you know"

Ewat whispers. "Hide. Ready yer magic."

Ewat does his best to hide, looking for cover from which to shoot arrows, not having a precise idea what direction anything might be coming from.

He readies his bow.

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

Mort sees nothing but the usual things ones sees in a forested valley with a creek.

The group up on the Valley Rim all hide behind foilage as Lutha continues to hear the dragging, groaning/growling then the owl hooting, which now seems to be moving

away from them.

About 10 minutes later a large bear-like creature with a beak, comes out onto the Valley Rim slightly to the right of the next cave opening about 90 feet away & 75 ft up, from the Orc Cave entrance,

where the party just burned the netting.

It appears to be dragging it's breakfast down from the Valley Rim & into that cave opening.

The Caves of Chaos Valley Map:

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort climbs back down as quietly as he can. "I couldn't see much of anything even up in the tree...."

Kormak yawns as this is just become the dullest day ever.

Borum thinks for a moment then decides "Alright lets see about sending out a scout. Mort I assume you are our best man to do such since we are a split party now."

Mort will go out and play scout going up the hill slowly to see if he can make out where the others apparently following the non-leader up the hill.

[Dizlexus]

Mr. Choe

Should we sneak in behind the bugbear or should we attack it?

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

Ok, the map again with the locations of both groups & the Creature!

It takes about 10 minutes to climb the 100 ft to the top of the Valley Rim.

Mort would see the OwlBear coming down over the Rim. Will he continue up or halt or go back down???

OwlBear:

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort upon seeing the owlbear will stop and try and use hand signals to indicate something is coming back to Borum and his group.

[Baramoor]

Wexley sees Mort signaling and tries to scan the area to see what he is attempting to point out.