Chapter 1: So it begins.

[alver]

Ingvar comes closer to investigate what Sheamus is doing. When he sees the tracks, he puts his own foot beside one for comparison, then looks up. "You found the $%#^," (Ivinian obscenities censored) he says gleefully. There appears to be a certain manic look in his eyes. "Let's follow it and kill it!"

"Solvi!" he calls out sharply. He starts looking around if Humfrey and Rodbert are anywhere nearby.

[GreyWolfVT]

Sheamus nods "That'd be the plan. Get the others and lets hunt this man down."

[VonAlric]

Hearing Humfrey pronounce someone being dead, Rodbert mutters a few curses under his breath. Shaking his head, he turns to the other two. "Let's go. Watch carefully." As he and Earnest start to move, Ingvar's call for Solvi only legitimizes the action.

When he arrives on the scene, Rodbert will take a moment or two to examine the body. As he finishes, he will turn to the others. "Well, we may need to assume that the other people are dead as well but seeing Baldwin here like this raises one other big question. Why is this the first body that anyone has found?"

[Rex]

Humfrey upon hearing Rodbert's comments stops and thinks a minute. "I think we caught it in the act, Baldwin wasn't dead when I first spotted him. Some sort of enchantment on him for sure, its how I found him. Whatever this thing does with them we interrupted it. I don't think it is very far and whatever it is, it can rip a mans throat out with ease. I agree with Sheamus and Ingvar that we need to try to find it now, but I worry about what magic it was using on Baldwin. Any idea what it could be Rodbert?"

[VonAlric]

"What magic...... Let's see... Illusion?... No, that would have affected more people...... Maybe some sort of charm? That would be the most likely thing that I could imagine. Another question comes up. What order were we in as we came to the mine and where was Baldwin in it? Shouldn't someone have seen him? Could the magic affect more than one person and be selective? Whatever this is may be more dangerous than just some orcs."

[alver]

Ingvar

"It is clever. Until now, it always wins. But now it is sneaking away. It sees us coming and does not want to fight. This is why we must go and fight it now." The Ivinian turns to the direction the tracks seem to head and motions Solvi to follow.

"Let's go quickly. It is big, maybe it will make a noise. Maybe we can see it move some bushes."

Is the marching order I posted a while back OK with everyone?

[Rex]

Humfrey listens to Rodbert and Ingvar. "Yes a charm of some sort seems to make the most sense. Very dangerous indeed. Baldwin was bringing up the rear on the trail. I think whatever we are dealing with is far more dangerous than any Orc. I suppose we should try tracking it before the trail grows cold. Any suggestions on how to proceed?"

[Rex]

Sheamus and Ingvar roll 3d6, Rodbert roll 4d6 for tracking. Low is better.

[alver]

Tracking [3d6] = 13

[GreyWolfVT]

[3d6] = 10

[VonAlric]

Tracking: [4d6] = 16

[Rex]

Sheamus and Ingvar are able to track the beast, but it takes both and even then they lose it and have to find it again several times. It does seem to be heading in the general direction of the hermits home, but shadowing the trail. Suddenly you come out on the shore of a small lake and the trail leads straight into the water. Wading out into the cold water the tracks soon disappear even though it is soft sand here. Possible it swam off? About a quarter mile down the edge of the lake a small shack can be seen.

Actions?

[alver]

Ingvar finds a suitable tree nearby and climbs up to get a better view of the lake and its shores. He looks for any movement on the lake or anything worthy of attention along the edge of the water.

[VonAlric]

"Ilvir's balls! What manner of creature are we dealing with?" Rodbert will take a moment to scan and make sure all of our members are here. Afterwards, he will find a suitable tree near where the tracks enter the water and make a few notches. "If we use the shack as a reference point, we should be able to come back up to here to investigate further, especially if we find Martin. He might know more about the tracks. Ingvar, as soon as your done, let's head towards the shack as quietly as we can."

[Rex]

For Ingvar

You think you might have seen a wake with no source directly across the small lake, heading like something landed or walked a shore there. Hard to be sure at this distance of anything else.

For Rodbert

Everyone accounted for and tree marked. You think it will be easy to locate again.

[GreyWolfVT]

Sheamus will try and pick up the trail on the other side of the water if he can find a spot to cross that isn't deep however before doing so he consults Ingvar "What do you think Ingvar cross and see if there is a trail to follow or circle back and see if we missed something?"

[alver]

Ingvar

Bits of bark and debris fall as the Ivinian descends from the tree, red-faced from exertion.

"Something came out of the lake there," he points directly across the water.

"I want to follow it but I also want to see if the hermit is here. If we go around the lake that way," he waves towards the shack, "Then we can do both."

I don't have a clear idea how big the lake is but I'm getting the impression that we'd have to go around it along the shoreline.

[VonAlric]

"Lead on. Let's check there as well for this track, I would hate for the inhabitant of that shack to make similar marks."

[Rex]

The lake is just over a mile long north-south and about the same at its widest east-west. Where you are the lake is narrower, about 800 yards across. Going around is your best bet.

After marking your location and attempting to note the land marks on the other side, everyone heads around the lake towards the hermits hut. As you approach you hear the barking of a dog and are met by a small to mid size mutt, it doesn't seem aggressive but definitely wary. Shortly thereafter Martin appears. It is hard to judge Martin's age, but he is old and has clearly lived a rough life. See picture in other thread.

After looking you over for a moment Martin hails you "Who are you?" he speaks with a strong accent, closer to Sheamus' than anyone else.

[GreyWolfVT]

Sheamus "Names Sheamus. We're here to figure out what is going on out here."