Chapter 8 - Orc Recon

[onlyme]

Dandelion glistens

We could be famous if we go there with a peace offering. Let's do it.

[Inferno]

Khahl-Ehl, elf

• She looks to Arnulf. "In recopying, I'd ask that you add word from us. The messenger was found dead, this letter not reaching him. Tell of this tower, and its location on the southside of the western road, which a small garrison could effectively hold. This would be a positive answer to the Sambords and a direct aid against the raids on the farms, which are truly not far east from here. Ask that he respond with a message for the Sambords, which Rrkox can bring and we deliver to them."

Khahl-Ehl says gently, "If the raven is slain by an arrow, then the message remains undelivered. Or worse, falls into enemies hands, along with our location."

He passively continues, "This urgent plea has already been delayed by one dead messenger. We must see this safely delivered to Alleborg. Perhaps half of us should go if you feel our group too large for such a task?"

[Nuke66]

"I still be thinking that we should try and hold this position as we expand to help the others. As such, we be needing some support." Galan say his two coppers.

[Marullus]

Hellebore bristles as the elf predicts Rrkox's death. "It is okay," she croons to the bird, stroking it's feathers, "he didn't mean it..."

[AleBelly]

OK, so the plan now is to make for the Sambord fort and bypass town no-go? Or do you want to get it en route?

Chet's PC is at a sleepover so his action will come this evening when I get home from work. I think a couple of PCs are pondering hand-delivering the message to Alleborg. If so, please have this all worked out before this evening so I can give an update. Thanks.

[Marullus]

If Arnulf agrees to copy it with his parchment, Hellebore will send the Raven. The original is not lost, and if the Raven doesn't return, a runner can leave tomorrow.

CAN the Raven find me if we move on a full day without him? I know he's try, but what are the odds?

I am assuming we need to stay a day to ensure his return. In which case, I advocate that we clear the webs and scout the nearby woods. (Anyone not inclined to let the spiders hatch should ensure Hellebore doesn't stay for that part.)If the Raven doesn't make it back, runners can leave tomorrow.

If we can leave with assurance of the bird's capabilities, then I am okay heading south with the stealthy group trying to get some inkling on the town and the non-stealthy group swinging a little wider. I though the town was south-southeast, so we swing south-southwest.

[Zorroroaster]

I think this is a good plan. Arnulf will copy the message, we clear spiders while we wait and then head towards Sambords while scouting No Go.

[enn.in.me]

I like it.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf slowly removed a digit from his nose and concentrates on trying to flick something from his finger. People scatter as he moves around, trying to keep out of the way.

"I'll copy that message for you, Hellebore. I'm getting better at my cursive writing ever since I switched hands."

He gets out his quill and parchment and gets to work.

[CAI4]

Chet sees that Khahl-Ehl is set on going back to Alleborg. He looks at the others with a serious expression on his face. "Well, guys, do we really want him going back on his own? Facing those dangers himself? I have to go with him. I mean, I don't want him to go alone and get himself killed."

Chet gets ready to depart with the elf if he does indeed decide to go.

[AleBelly]

If Arnulf agrees to copy it with his parchment, Hellebore will send the Raven. The original is not lost, and if the Raven doesn't return, a runner can leave tomorrow.

CAN the Raven find me if we move on a full day without him? I know he's try, but what are the odds?

I am assuming we need to stay a day to ensure his return. In which case, I advocate that we clear the webs and scout the nearby woods. (Anyone not inclined to let the spiders hatch should ensure Hellebore doesn't stay for that part.)If the Raven doesn't make it back, runners can leave tomorrow.

If we can leave with assurance of the bird's capabilities, then I am okay heading south with the stealthy group trying to get some inkling on the town and the non-stealthy group swinging a little wider. I though the town was south-southeast, so we swing south-southwest.

One option is to communicate with the raven (via spells, etc). They are very smart creatures, and Hellebore could probably let it know which direction she's going and it could follow that flight path. If they travel through dense woods Rrkox might have trouble seeing them through the trees, but if something like a campfire would be a good landmark if it's along the path Hellebore speaks of.

[Zhym]

"If you're fixin' on killing orcs," Angus tells Chet, not unkindly, "they ain't in Alleborg. Not yet, leastwise. If you want to kill some orcs, you gotta come with us to Sambord."

The woodsman's countenance hardens as he turns toward the bossy newcomer. "You're new here, so I'll tell you this once," he says. "Stay or leave. You wanna run back to your masters in Alleborg? Your choice. But you ain't been with us long enough to take a piss, let alone shed blood with us. Elf Bitch, now, she was meaner'n a hungry boar. But she was also a hell of a fighter and never let us down— excepting a little old accounting issue that's been forgiven. If'n you prove yourself, maybe you can earn an honorable title like Elf Bastard. Until then? Don't be puttin' on airs that you're in charge."

He spits at his feet and turns away. "Hellebore's plan is a good one. I reckon we can wait a day before traveling to Sambord, and Town No Go is on the way."

[Inferno]

Khahl-Ehl, elf:

Chet gets ready to depart with the elf if he does indeed decide to go.

The young elven warrior is humbled. "Thank you. I would be honoured, sir."
He glances at Lorilee, and then deferentially asks the strangers: "May we please have the message, that we may see it safely delivered to Alleborg, not for the sake of her "masters" but for the sake of the beleaguered people of Sambord?"

[CAI4]

Chet's face shows a great deal of uncertainty as he digests Angus' words. "Well, ah, um, I...I might not completely trust the newcomer. So, um, ah, well, I'm still going with him. But I'll go to the Sambords right after I escort him there." The monk stammers through his decision, but in the end decides not to let the elf go off by himself.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf sighs dramatically, and holds up two pieces of parchment.

"Behold! I have here two, yes TWO pieces of a marvelous technology known as ... paper!" He mimes a gracious thank you to some unseen crowd in the distance before continuing.

"With these two pieces of paper I can create two, yes TWO copies of the warning message. If this guy here wants to go off on his own to deliver it, I say that's just super, man."

"Look at it this way. The raven will still arrive earlier, and with two notes travelling we create something called redundancy. My dad used to order extra flour for the bakery at festival times."

He writes the notes, hands one to Hellebore with a smile and turns to the elf, speaking in low tones.

"You do realize the raven is much less likely to get shot from the sky than you are to get ambushed by brigands, right? Good, just checking."

He hands the second copy to the elf and turns back to the others.

"Where were we?"

[Marullus]

Hellebore accepts her copy of the parchment. She affixes it to the raven's leg and then murmurs in her strange druidic tongue at low breath. She then quorks to the raven, holding a conversation of some length. When she finishes, the bird flies off, winging swiftly to the east.

"That is done, then," she says, turning to the impressively-armored elf. "If you go, and travel alone, I can offer a simple aid, though the travel should not be arduous. We're not far from the perimeter, so the longest part of your journey is the farmlands. I will aid you in that case by disguising your path, keeping both you and us safe. With an enchantment, I can cause the wilderness to hide your path, which should last long enough for you to depart the trees and reach the well-travelled farmland." She pauses, looking to Chet. "It only works for one, however, so only is useful if alone."

She looks from the mounts secured in the courtyard to the elf, then to the others, but says nothing.

Mounts: Sucks the pony, owned by Arnulf, was noted to be with us. I assume she's grazing in the courtyard. Ilfirien took her horse home with her and Yenny's got eaten by wolves, right? I assume we have Angus' pack mule, too? Any others?

From the other thread:

Tempus listens to all the bickering and nuzzles fluffy's neck.

"I am inclined to agree with everyone. The leaders do need to know, we should present ourselves to this town, and we should scout out the Town no go place. Yes to all of that."

[AleBelly]

After much debate, Arnulf produces two copies of the letter and hands one to Khahl-Ehl. Chet, feeling uneasy about letting the stranger head off alone, decides to accompany him. Hellebore offers to cover the elf's tracks, but Chet insists on following so she doesn't see the point.

Serving the role as messenger, Rrkox alights for Captain Castleman's barracks at Alleborg. The party watches as the raven easily overtakes the traveling pair, swallowed by the thick woods.

CAI4, Inferno, please do not read further in this thread for now. Your updates will be in a private forum.

[AleBelly]

Except Inferno, CAI4:

A bit puzzled at the departure of two of their party, the group nonetheless presses onwards. The dumb eagle begins to ascend after the raven but is quickly called back by Hellebore. Lorilee, Tempus and the halfling scout ahead as they head nearly south on a 165 bearing - this is necessitated by the presence of the canal. After about a mile and a half the canal swerves to the east, but the party continues on their trajectory. The woods are silent, but for the jangling of armor and the punch of feet through the snow. Those trailing catch glimpses of the halflings ahead.

After about 2.1 miles of travel, they encounter a cut in the forest. It must have been a minor road once, but it is quite overgrown with shrubs and saplings. They realize this must be a clue to the location of town no-go, and follow the road SSE for another quarter mile. The trailing group sees the halflings and Lorilee motioning to them. The carcasses of dead animals had been appearing with more and more frequency in various stages of decomposition. Now before them lies the skeleton of a humanoid, long ago picked clean of flesh and belongings. Inspection of the long-dead corpses offers no clues as to the cause of their demise -

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 11:00
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Sun
Intended Direction of Travel: 165 degree bearing, bound initially by canal to their left, 0.9 mph due to thick forest, 2.35 miles traveled today
Injury Status: None

[Zhym]

Angus scratches the stubble of his beard in thought. "This ain't sensical," he says. "What kills critters and leaves them to rot? Even orcs and goblins would want the meat. Gives me the heebie-jeebies, this does."

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf keeps a hand over his mouth.

"Plague. That's why it's Town No Go. We should skirt around this and go directly to the Sambords. Unless you want to end up like him."