"The deeper you get into the forest, the less the snow will bother you," Saros says. "The older, larger trees shelter the ground and provide a wind break. I would recommend you use the two hours you have before the storm hits to make as much progress into the forest as possible. The Baron's hunting grounds are fairly far back from the road. All the best game prefers the shelter of the thick woods. That's probably your best bet to pick up a trail or find some clues."
Saros falls silent for many minutes, as the carriage carries the group to the edge of the forest. The trees begin light at first. The few deciduous trees rapidly multiply, and after about a hundred yards the forest becomes much thicker and darker. Behind the carriage, the last glimpses of the storm show that it's rapidly approaching. An hour away. Two at the most.
The cobbled road winds and turns through the thick trees. The ground on either side is raised up several feet higher than the road. Perhaps the cobbled path follows the ancient remains of a riverbed? Or it might have been dug out to make the path level. The visible ground is covered with heavy brush. Movement through this type of terrain would be slowed quite a bit.
"About thirty more minutes," Saros says finally. "There's a path worn into the undergrowth that'll take you to the hunting grounds. Keep your eyes open for Dragoneye Rock. That area is the favorite hunting ground of Aeron, the Baron's son. You can't miss the rock. It's huge and oval, with a giant crack running straight down the middle."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
"Then we'll have no time to waste when this carriage stops, we'll make for Dragoneye Rock and it'll be our place to camp for the night, then continue searching for clues in the morning when the snow fall has stopped. Since there is only three of us we're going to need all the time we've got to cover as much ground as possible."
Alexander nodded to the others, as he noticed the change in scenery.
"I'd not be so certain of where we'll make camp, my friend. The wilds may hold may dangers and trials yet before we sleep tonight."
Jordle gives Alexander an exaggerated wink. He then turns to Saros.
"Many thanks for your helpful words; we may yet see you on the other side of this night. Any parting thoughts, ere we make our departure into these haunted woods?"
Anyone know what's happened with Ursinus? How is this posting rate for everyone? Is this about what we're going to settle into?
He hasn't been online since January 1st... I guess we'll just bring him along for now. If he doesn't show up in a timely manner, we'll just have to mod him out of the game.
"Just be careful," Saros says. He slams a fist into the wooden coach behind him, and it comes to a halt after a few moments. Saros opens the door and jumps out first, his longsword drawn. He scans the area, then gestures for the rest of the group to follow.
He points to a place several dozen feet down the road, where the raised sides of the roadway are much more level to the cobblestone lane. "That's the start of the trail, on the right side of the road. Follow it, and don't go too far from it if you don't want to get lost."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
I feel uncomfortable with beginning the adventure proper without giving TransmutationOrchestra a chance to get back into this. How do we feel about taking a break from moving forwards with the story until the coming weekend? Say, Saturday or Sunday. If there's no word from him by then, Ursinus faints or something and goes back with the carriage, and Alexander and I can carry on together.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Well, it's not looking too great for our chances of getting TransmutationOrchestra back. Are you still around, Silence? Do you have an opinion to express here?
Still here. I think we're just going to move on without TransmutionOrchestra. I sent a PM reminding him about the game but he never responded. It's been three weeks since his last post. I think we can officially call it too long to keep waiting.
I don't like doing things like this, but for the wellbeing of the game, I'm willing to drop inactive players.
Ursinus closes his eyes and tilts his head, as though hearing something nobody else can. He suddenly goes pale. I've just recieved a magical communication. Several of my friends have been taken captive by an old enemy. I'm sorry, but I have to go save them. He looks at Saros. Can I get a ride back to town? I don't have long.
Saros frowns at Ursinus, then nods. "I understand. If we need to hurry, please follow me."
As he and Ursinus are climbing back into the carriage, he nods to the remaining two. "Good luck. One more thing," Saros pulls out a scroll from his pack, and tosses it to Alexander. "That scroll contains a sending spell. If you succeed, use that to contact me. I'll come pick you up."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Jordle nods silently to Saros as he and the elf clamber back into the carriage. He turns away from the pair, the sparrow-which-is-not-a-sparrow fluttering to keep its grip on his shoulder.
Jordle will take a move action to intently observe the environment around him. What is it like here? He will also consult Quurthx for the result of his separate Perception check.
Both Jordle and Quurthx see basically the same thing: This area is mostly devoid of wildlife. Possibly because of the road running through it. If the travellers using the road often hunted game nearby the trail, most likely the animals would stay away from it.
There is one thing of note, however. Footprints. Recent ones, on the trail leading to Dragoneye Rock. They can't be more than a day old. The soil on the ground of the path is soft enough that they've held the shape of the prints very well. The footprints are slender and whoever left them was barefoot.
They're just far enough back from the start of the trail that casual obvservation would almost certainly miss them.
Saros' coach has already turned on the road and is now heading off into the distance, back toward Dragondale.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Alexander put the scroll into his bag as he watched the carriage disappear back into the woods. When it had he turned his attention to his traveling companions.
Hey guys, sorry, this somehow managed to keep slipping my attention. What I mean to ask, Caex, is for you to set the scene. What are these woods like? What is the time of day? How near is this storm? Give us a fitting intro to the actual quest Enjoy the Super Bowl!
I'm happy to elaborate on the setting or the surroundings whenever anybody asks, but please try to advance the game as well when you do it. Your character commenting on the footprints doesn't particularly require a detailed description of the setting.
But please, if you feel one of my descriptions lacking, ask for more detail.
The wind begins to pick up through the deciduous trees of the forest. The storm approaching might be the first major storm of the season, so many of the trees still have their red, golden, and yellow leaves. They start whipping through the rapidly cooling air, swirling in small eddies and rustling as they whirl around.
The sun is already behind the lighter clouds preceding the darker gloomier ones, and the light is dimming rapidly as the huge winter storm advances. The footprints will likely be buried soon beneath the coming snow.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
"Footprints," Jordle says without turning. "and recent ones at that. Barefoot, too."
He looks at Alexander, eyes steely. "We should make for Dragoneye Rock. I can shield us from the storm; do you have any means of travel faster than your feet?"
Jordle casts communal endure elements, dividing the duration equally between himself, Quurthx, and Alexander (8 hours each). -1 2nd level spell for the day.
Saros falls silent for many minutes, as the carriage carries the group to the edge of the forest. The trees begin light at first. The few deciduous trees rapidly multiply, and after about a hundred yards the forest becomes much thicker and darker. Behind the carriage, the last glimpses of the storm show that it's rapidly approaching. An hour away. Two at the most.
The cobbled road winds and turns through the thick trees. The ground on either side is raised up several feet higher than the road. Perhaps the cobbled path follows the ancient remains of a riverbed? Or it might have been dug out to make the path level. The visible ground is covered with heavy brush. Movement through this type of terrain would be slowed quite a bit.
"About thirty more minutes," Saros says finally. "There's a path worn into the undergrowth that'll take you to the hunting grounds. Keep your eyes open for Dragoneye Rock. That area is the favorite hunting ground of Aeron, the Baron's son. You can't miss the rock. It's huge and oval, with a giant crack running straight down the middle."
{Magic: The RPG}
Alexander nodded to the others, as he noticed the change in scenery.
There was once [The Pack], but no more.
Jordle gives Alexander an exaggerated wink. He then turns to Saros.
"Many thanks for your helpful words; we may yet see you on the other side of this night. Any parting thoughts, ere we make our departure into these haunted woods?"
"Just be careful," Saros says. He slams a fist into the wooden coach behind him, and it comes to a halt after a few moments. Saros opens the door and jumps out first, his longsword drawn. He scans the area, then gestures for the rest of the group to follow.
He points to a place several dozen feet down the road, where the raised sides of the roadway are much more level to the cobblestone lane. "That's the start of the trail, on the right side of the road. Follow it, and don't go too far from it if you don't want to get lost."
{Magic: The RPG}
{Magic: The RPG}
There was once [The Pack], but no more.
I don't like doing things like this, but for the wellbeing of the game, I'm willing to drop inactive players.
Saros frowns at Ursinus, then nods. "I understand. If we need to hurry, please follow me."
As he and Ursinus are climbing back into the carriage, he nods to the remaining two. "Good luck. One more thing," Saros pulls out a scroll from his pack, and tosses it to Alexander. "That scroll contains a sending spell. If you succeed, use that to contact me. I'll come pick you up."
{Magic: The RPG}
Jordle's Perception at +20
Quurthx's Perception at +13
EDIT: Never mind.
There is one thing of note, however. Footprints. Recent ones, on the trail leading to Dragoneye Rock. They can't be more than a day old. The soil on the ground of the path is soft enough that they've held the shape of the prints very well. The footprints are slender and whoever left them was barefoot.
They're just far enough back from the start of the trail that casual obvservation would almost certainly miss them.
Saros' coach has already turned on the road and is now heading off into the distance, back toward Dragondale.
{Magic: The RPG}
"What do you see Jordle?"
There was once [The Pack], but no more.
But please, if you feel one of my descriptions lacking, ask for more detail.
The wind begins to pick up through the deciduous trees of the forest. The storm approaching might be the first major storm of the season, so many of the trees still have their red, golden, and yellow leaves. They start whipping through the rapidly cooling air, swirling in small eddies and rustling as they whirl around.
The sun is already behind the lighter clouds preceding the darker gloomier ones, and the light is dimming rapidly as the huge winter storm advances. The footprints will likely be buried soon beneath the coming snow.
{Magic: The RPG}
He looks at Alexander, eyes steely. "We should make for Dragoneye Rock. I can shield us from the storm; do you have any means of travel faster than your feet?"
Alexander felt warmer suddenly and motioned for them to start walking.
There was once [The Pack], but no more.