Chapter 2 - The First Foray

[Enoch]

Yana looks around at her companions and nods, apparently satisfied. "This is a good place for me. I can protect my companions from surprise or treachery."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry folks! Not trying to hang behind. Just tidying up some details at the church.

Ive questioned the priests of my temple......they know nothing of the surrounding lands unfortunately.

Sev takes his place in the order, happy to lead the group. He gives the cowardly orc (in his mind anyway) a long stare. He is happy to see the other orc, the smiley one, nearby his position. Hyde was it? Sev didn't bother with learning their names as they are orc blood and usually can't be depended on to stick around too long.

[Marullus]

Arlandria leaps down from the fence rail, carrying her bow in hand, even as they cross the farmlands to the perimeter. She squeezes it absently, perhaps drawing comfort from its worn wood. Her expression is attentive and serious, her eyes flitting over each party member in turn as she takes a place in the group. "Well enough. We can pass the perimeter by lunch, I think. Keep alert... We can adjust there, I'd say."She nods once to Hyde."Some fresh game wouldn't be remiss."

fine with the order for now. Prepared to be an archer. When we hit the perimeter, she'll suggest that Eduard and Arlandria scout together to provide some cover (only elves and halflings together) since Ilfirin has the pony to mind.

[Zorroroaster]

"Arlandria, I fear my chain armor is going to make too much noise to be of use scouting out front."

Yeah, he's not dressed for stealth... apologies!

[KingOfCowards]

Jaspar
The old man volunteers. "I can help scout. I'm no elf, but I can keep quiet enough and I don't surprise easily."
Twix would probably be your next best option, I'm assuming he is some type of thief by the description he gives of himself.

[Marullus]

Arlandria Frogmorton

The diminutive woman pads along with quick steps to keep pace with her larger companions, her small bare feet silent on the packed earth of the road. She purses her lips thoughtfully at Eduard, then glances to Ilfirin on her pony with heavy armor packed on the saddle. "Well enough. Let us see what kind of cover the woodland or marsh offers us. A large group with jangling armor and ponies, let along when we camp and roast the wild boar, will attract enough attention anyway. I'd rather be a bowshot off, I'd think."

She looks Jaspar over, giving him a kindly smile. "When we explore the ruined watchtowers and keeps of the overrun fortresses ahead, I will trust you with my life."

OOC: Okay, we'll wait for final "leaving town" posts, then the GM update, then handle reconfiguring at the Perimeter... right?

KoC - it is a special racial ability... elves and halflings armored as thieves can scout and surprise with 67% success if more than 90' from other party members, which I think is better odds than the thieves, at least in the woods. We can discuss IC if it is a good idea.

[MonkeyWrench]

Hyde stomps slowly from the front door of the inn, just barely awake. He throws his head back and opens his enormous mouth impossibly wide in a noisome yawn. He looks about and smiles in morning greeting. Strolling toward Korok (but not too close, he knows Korok is as liable to swat him as anyone else) and makes polite conversation. Well! It be time to show Alleborg's Human population that Half-Orcs be their heroes, hah? Yeahh. He nods in the direction of the Halfling. Where we find the Hobbit?

Korok looks over at Hyde, his glare not so intense as it is for the others. At the fellow half-orcs question he simply shrugged, and with his comment on a half-orcs usefulness he simply comments, "Heroes? I guess we'll see."

[MonkeyWrench]

Sorry folks! Not trying to hang behind. Just tidying up some details at the church.

Ive questioned the priests of my temple......they know nothing of the surrounding lands unfortunately.

Sev takes his place in the order, happy to lead the group. He gives the cowardly orc (in his mind anyway) a long stare. He is happy to see the other orc, the smiley one, nearby his position. Hyde was it? Sev didn't bother with learning their names as they are orc blood and usually can't be depended on to stick around too long.

Korok clearly notices the glare but instead decides to completely ignore the human, Koroks opinion of the man already set in stone as a simple and racist human, he's dealt with enough of those in his life and is instead content to simply wait for the others to head out, his spot in the formation fine, for now.

[Keehnelf]

With a sardonic smile at Arlandria's comments about the pony, Ilfrien rides over alongside Korok to demonstrate that even astride her mount she has a smaller profile and makes no more noise. "I agree that metal armor can be a problem with catching likely enemies by surprise. Maybe if we declaim loudly enough how we're the heroes of Alleborg, all the nasties will flee before us?"

[Zorroroaster]

Eduard tries to suppress a smile, but keeps his thoughts to himself.

[MonkeyWrench]

With a sardonic smile at Arlandria's comments about the pony, Ilfrien rides over alongside Korok to demonstrate that even astride her mount she has a smaller profile and makes no more noise. "I agree that metal armor can be a problem with catching likely enemies by surprise. Maybe if we declaim loudly enough how we're the heroes of Alleborg, all the nasties will flee before us?"

Korok slightly glances at Ilfrien who had rode up next to him, likely proving a point, he says nothing and continues to stand where he is, doing his best to ignore the pony. Thinking internally, "It seems the title heroes is on everyone's mind today... foolish."

[Keehnelf]

btw, Ilfrien's armor packed on the saddle is studded leather. She clearly has not prioritized defense, preferring instead to increase the amount of loot she brings back with her training rewards...

[Keehnelf]

When she notices Korok standing stiffly at attention, she pats him on the shoulder with a soft, slightly raspy chuckle, before returning to her position with the pony well out of grab-and-eat range of the meaty Orc.

[MonkeyWrench]

When she notices Korok standing stiffly at attention, she pats him on the shoulder with a soft, slightly raspy chuckle, before returning to her position with the pony well out of grab-and-eat range of the meaty Orc.

Hahah, might not be what you expect though!

Korok looks over to the elf as she pats him on the shoulder chuckling, he watches her ride back to her position a bit in front of him. Korok then adopts his normal stoic attitude, "Good... I hate horses, never got along with them..."

[enn.in.me]

After her initial greeting, Yenny has been unusually quiet. She is loaded heavily but compactly, and seems to have her mind on other matters than the constant cross talk of her companions. She does seem to be paying close attention to the rest of her surroundings, looking off to her point (8 o'clock) frequently, and occasionally looking up to the sky as if keeping an eye out for the weather or flying creatures. From time to time, she does rather obviously count the party members, seeing that everybody is in his or her place. Small noises of metal on metal or wood pop out from time to time when her shield, armor or weapon collide, but overall she is a fairly quiet being this morning.

[bloodymage]

Twix would probably range out of sight scouting to either flank moving silently, slowly watching for traps. Move slowly everyone. No hurry.

[AleBelly]

OK, if he wants to change positions please give coordinates...

[AleBelly]

Date: 15 Rituals, Year 41 PM
Time: 13:05
Conditions: 42F, clear, south wind 8mph
Known Spells in Effect: None
Sunset: ~ 15:30

The party sets off from the tavern, Sev arriving just in time to keep the party from leaving a message. They exit the west gate, checking in their possessions with the gate guards and assessors. They follow the meandering river south, its waters moving slowly in the opposite direction. This motley group of adventurers gets strange looks from the few citizens they see, while two boys are drawn to Sev, striding alongside him for a few minutes pretending to carry swords. The patrollers seem to ignore them - neither waving to nor accosting them.

The cold winter sun chases the clouds away, warming the earth. Vultures fly ominously overhead, catching the resulting thermals. Discussions range on all sorts of topics, the foremost being strategy once they hit The Perimeter. After about six miles of walking almost due south, they see the wall of trees demarcating the boundary between civilization and the unknown. They stop for a quick lunch and reach the treeline, with about two and a half hours before sunset. There's a lone farm in sight with no activity, probably not surprising considering settlements next to such a danger are not very appealing.

The forest looks pretty thick. The path you were taking disappears quickly, reclaimed by the natural processes of the woodlands. You estimate you'll be able to move at about 3/4 normal pace. It will be easy to keep within earshot of the river.

I can continue quickly, but just need to know if Arlandria will be scouting alone, or at all.

[bloodymage]

C-M 17. I'll be moving more quickly than the party but laterally.

[Marullus]

Arlandria Frogmorton

As the group slows approaching the woodline, the diminutive woman looks to Eduard, removing her gloves and woolen scarf and tucking them in her pack. "Keep your course south. If you here my whistle, or the screams of dying orcs, come faster." With that, she slips into the woodland brush, her tiny bare feet moving deftly from one erupted tree root to another until she disappears from sight, an arrow knocked and ready in her bow.

[Unless someone objects or intercedes, Arlandria will be scouting ahead approximately 100 feet, roughly the 11 o'clock position, assuming the river is to our right/east. If it is possible for me to move quietly in the dense canopy, I do so to remain above ground level. If I can't, I'm silent along the ground, moving under and around brush and trees. If there is a place that looks disturbed, I'll keep an eye out for traps as well. Since Twix is also scouting away from the group, out to the flank (assuming about 8 o'clock?), Arlandria will also make sure she is the requisite distance forward from the gnome.]