IC

[thirdkingdom]

Aldus hops off his horse, Athanathius, and draws his sword to deliver the coup de grace to the sleeping bees and to examine the bodies to see if he can make out any reason for them to have all died. "Is there an apiarist among our number? Anybody's family keep bees?"

A closer inspection reveals that the bees that had dropped dead apparently without cause were those that had previously stung victims, and their barbed stingers had been torn off and left in the targets' bodies. Aldus recalls hearing the normal bees died upon stinging; perhaps the giant variety suffer the same fate?

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"We definitely need to find the hive and destroy it. And I agree that we could make some money off the deal, by retrieving the honey first. But it's getting late and bees don't tend to go out at night. I think we can camp tonight and search for it tomorrow."

[thirdkingdom]

Telemachus

The mage also dismounts and goes over to the fallen horseman.

To the squad's lieutenant, he says, "Make sure this man gets a proper burial and his family gets his possessions."

Lieutenant Den

He salutes Telemachus. "Will do. If we're returning to the bridge, maybe we can take the body over to Junction and have a priest say some words."

[thirdkingdom]

Newton heads over and looks at the injured footmen.

"Elerik, I can help one of these men, can you do something for the other?"

He take a guess as to which of the two is worse off and kneels down besides them. He orders one of their comrades to carefully remove the stinger, and he then calls upon nature to heal their wound (Cure Light Wounds).

Two of the men are injured quite severly. The one Newton assists regains the color back to his upon the healing touch, and is soon as right as rain. He thanks Newton for the care.

http://orokos.com/roll/732250: 1d6+1 6

[thirdkingdom]

Gardo wipes the ichor off his blade and sheathes it. He looks around for Mariusz to make sure he is still okay. After confirming good health, he walks to the other party members.

"My dad always said to hit your enemy where they lived, hopefully while they aren't there. Might be more of the stingers around. Probably should look to see where they came from and that we don't get surprised again by them. One of the guys I knew said that the honey they make might be good for something. At least they make wax which someone might find a use for."

Gardo examines the stingers. They're about six inches long, and made of hard, chitonous material. There are some barbs in the end, presumably to get lodged in their target's flesh. They look wicked sharp. He figures they may be worth *something* to an alchemist or a collector of curios.

[sulldawga]

Lieutenant Den

He salutes Telemachus. "Will do. If we're returning to the bridge, maybe we can take the body over to Junction and have a priest say some words."

Telemachus

"A capital suggestion. The men can go with you but return by sundown. There will be time to celebrate his life and mourn his death once our current mission is over."

[sulldawga]

Gardo examines the stingers. They're about six inches long, and made of hard, chitonous material. There are some barbs in the end, presumably to get lodged in their target's flesh. They look wicked sharp. He figures they may be worth *something* to an alchemist or a collector of curios.

Telemachus

The mage whirls around upon catching a glimpse of Gardo examining the stingers.

"Be quite careful if you decide to remove the stingers from any bees that didn't sting first. There may still be venom inside and, as we just learned, it can be deadly."

[thirdkingdom]

Newton examines the giant bees. They look like big, aggressive bees. He's got a general idea of how far normal bees will travel from their hive, but thse creatures, obviously tainted by Chaos . . . who knows?

15+: 1d20 9

[VonAlric]

Gardo waves to Mariusz. "Yo. How'z about we take the stinging ends here. Someone might like to take it off our hands. Not useful as a weapon from what I see. Sack 'em up, 'kay?"

[thirdkingdom]

Gardo waves to Mariusz. "Yo. How'z about we take the stinging ends here. Someone might like to take it off our hands. Not useful as a weapon from what I see. Sack 'em up, 'kay?"

Mariusz

"I don't know how comfortable I am messing with those, boss. Like the mage said, there could be poison on those there stingers."

[thirdkingdom]

Thirdmonth, Thirdday
The Fortifications at the Bridge

With the dead mercenary slung over his horse's saddle the adventurers return back to the beachhead the Baron's soldiers have established. They welcome the presence of the party to camp their for the night, and send a couple of men back with the dead soldier with orders to buy beer and wine for the evening. "We'll drink to your dead," says their lieutenant, "and to the living, as well. It'll make us feel better having your swords beside ours should something try and test our mettle during the night!"

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

The mage puts 10 gold toward the cost of beer and wine for the soldiers and mercs.

[VonAlric]

"Whut? Use a stick or something to roll them into the sack. My dad always said you always use a stick to touch crap you didn't want to touch with your hand. That might have been because no one likes to have hands that stink like crap as well. If you still don't want to, get me the sack and stick"

Gardo will use a stick or his boot to nudge the stingers into a sack. At camp, before he turns in for the night, he will spend some time with the mercs raising a mug in the memory of the fallen.

[thirdkingdom]

Thirdmonth, Thirdday
The Fortifications by the Bridge

Glasses are raised, songs are song, and the dead mercenaries bravery is toasted to see his spirit off into the next world. Those standing watch note a warm breeze blowing up the Sarn for the south, bringing with it cloudcover that blocks out the stars. Around middnight those on watch hear the baying of wolves off in the distance, but nothing comes of that.

Encounter on a 1:: 1d20 3

Thirdmonth, Fourthday
The Fortifications by the Bridge

The adventurers rise in the morning to a light misting rain. As they pack up their gear and prepare to head out for the day the rain starts to pick up, coming down harder. It's the kind of rain that doesn't look like it will end anytime soon. They could certainly continue to explore, but would likely want to unstring their bows to keep the sinews dry. On the plus side, rain tends to keep the monsters at home in their lairs, as well.

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"This is certainly inauspicious weather. I am content with waiting a day for this damnable precipitation to subside, if you all concur."

[Gerrin]

Elerik Van Der Haas

(OOC - Apologies for the lack of posting. My folks flew in for my youngest birthday and things have been hectic.)

Elerik sees to his wounded man (casts cure light wounds)

"I would agree to retire in this weather. It makes no sense to make things more difficult than they already can be."

[shaidar]

Newton shakes his head at the others.

"It's just a bit of rain, that's what cloaks are for. But, I suppose if we're here to clear out creatures and this weather keeps them laired so we'd pass them by, then we'd just end up having to do it again anyway. There is a spell that will let me know the local weather conditions for the next half-day or so, if you think it'll be worthwhile?"


ooc: is there anyone else injured enough to require magical healing, either ours, or in the guards?

[thirdkingdom]

Newton shakes his head at the others.

"It's just a bit of rain, that's what cloaks are for. But, I suppose if we're here to clear out creatures and this weather keeps them laired so we'd pass them by, then we'd just end up having to do it again anyway. There is a spell that will let me know the local weather conditions for the next half-day or so, if you think it'll be worthwhile?"


ooc: is there anyone else injured enough to require magical healing, either ours, or in the guards?

All of the guards have been healed.

[VonAlric]

Gardo shrugs his shoulders. "All I really know is fighting in rain is bad. Too easy to slip, hard to hold a sword, have to wipe water out of eyes. If we had a destination, wouldn't be so bad. My dad always said to have a purpose when you went somewhere, otherwise you look like someone who don't know where they are going."

He turns to Mariusz. "Those were the ones who were easier to catch for the boss, weren't they?"

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus: "I say we take the day off. I'm inclined to ride back to junction and see if Madame Fleur has any news on some business I left her with."