[Game Thread] In the Still of the Night

[Norwain]

Sistiana responds to Darren, with a giggle. "Yes, Darren, I suppose you could say that. But she is quite enthusiastic." she looks around to find the kender, to make proper introductions. "Spindletop? Where are you?" Our final traveling companion has arrived.............SPINDLETOP!" she yells finally, hunting for her new driver, when she doesn't get a response. Slightly embarrassed, she turns back to Darren "I thought you'd want to ride Dextari. It's ok, we'll give her a try."

[RonarsCorruption]

[Saloch]

Saloch sits fairly comfortably atop the carraige, his spear balanced vertically and topped once more with it's innocuous topper that makes the enchanted weapon look like no more than a walking stick. He says little as the others finish packing, ready to head on his way.

[Silent Tiger]

The party travels through the main street of Dockalong attempting to connect at the crossroads with the River Road. River Road is the fastest path which leads arrow straight southward, through the valley, to Drybone Hollow. At this time of day, only a few people are out and about the streets. Dockalong is very prosperous and most people are busy at work, except for Urchin Jake, who just wanders the streets aimlessly. The priests would do something about him, but they suspect that his aimless wandering is guided by Fharlanghn's hand, so they do not interfere.

The town of Dockalong is quaint and small. A town that if you weren't paying attention to, you could pass by and miss very easily. Most of the buildings in town are constructed of wood, gleaned from the local forests and one of the most prevalent materials found in the surrounding valley. Of note, the foundations of most buildings are stone, seeming to be built up out of the ruins that are also a prevalent feature in the valley.

The one major exception to the normal Dockalong construction is the temple to Fharlanghn, which is constructed almost completely of brown stone. The church is positioned at Dockalong's nexus, the crossroads of River Road and the Main Valley Road and also very close to the docks, for which Dockalong is named. It stands sentinel over all forms of travel.

The edifice itself stands about a story plus above the surrounding buildings, with plenty of space around for the monks and clerics to live comfortably and perform ceremonies. In fact, this was the exact situation that occurred earlier this year, when some more senior members of the party attended a wedding in the church. Unfortunately, the whole joyous occasion brings up bad memories for some and worse ones for others.

As the group travels through the town, they notice that the local town guards are maintaining a strong presence today. Many town guards are out and about patrolling the streets. The patrols are pert and alert, aware of everything happening around them. As they notice the carriage careening past, they stop and take a minute to watch the carriage passage through the street. They seem to be taking a more than ordinary interest in the party's pilgrimage to Drybone Hollow, but it might just be that they can't believe that a Kender has been allowed to drive a carriage.

[rhaiber]

Spindletop smiles beamingly at all the onlookers as she bounces lightly in her seat.

"This is fun!" she announces cheerfully, "kinda like being in a parade. And I think I've figured out how to steer by gesturing emphatically."

The little kender demonstrates the strategy she appears to be using to overcome her lakc of whip or reins by waving her arms to the side as though shoving some unseen force. As she does so, the team of horses alters its course slightly to the left, easing its way around the bend in the road. Surely this must be a coincidence, but remains unsettling nevertheless.

"I've decided to name that one Brie - since she's white - and the other one I'm calling Limburger, because ... well have you stood behind him?"

[DrTeeth]

Darren rides along side of the carriage for a while at a leisurely trot. When the driver mentions thats he figured out how to steer that gets the young nobles attention.

"You just figured out how to steer? I thought you knew how to drive a carriage?"

Without waiting for her reply, he slows Dextari enough that he drops back towards the window to the carriage. Leaning over towards it Darren speaks to its Sistiana and Jordan.

"Um, I think your probably gonna die. Your driver apparently just figured out how to steer."

After they get out of the town proper, Darren allows Dextari to run for a while. The horse gleefully gets up to top speed several times on the long straight road. Darren never allows the horse to take him too far away from the carriage though. All the while he keeps an eye and ear out for anything suspicious.

[Fizzgig]

Once things appear as good as in order as they can be, Jordan climbs up into the carriage to sit inside with Sistiana. He is still left wondering how Spindletop intends on steering the horses, having noticed a lack of proper harnessing and reins. Yet he reminds himself that no one tells him how to cast spells, and so he shouldn't be telling drivers how to drive a carriage.

Unless of course they are doing a terrible job of it anyways.

Jordan gets nice and comfortable, well as comfortable as one can be without crushing the abundance of bundles present as passengers along with him. He has a feeling if he came down to chosing between a few packages and himself in the carriage, that Sistiana would likely have him walking to Drybone Hollow.

Finding a place to rest his walking staff is a bit awkward, but he manages to wedge it diagonally into a corner and across his person at long last. Once the carriage gets underway at long last, he peeks out the window just to make sure the driver is indeed in the seat when this happens, and noticing the distinctive figure of Spindletop in her proper place he relaxes.

His eyes stray out the rolling view offered by the side window as he leans back in his seat. The stone foundations of the otherwise wooden houses is noted, and he finds himself musing aloud but to no one in particular.

"I can only assume those ruined foundations are from the same civilization that crafted that temple beneath the cottage. Strange, though, if indeed it is the same race. The pictograms and language suggests the people who lived here were a precursor to both dwarves and gnomes. This architecture suggests they favored above-ground dwellings, where as their present day descendants have found a preference for underground abodes. Very interesting."

Noting the rather copious amounts of interest the carriage seems to be gaining from the ever vigilant town watch, Jordan decides now would be a good time to try and catch up on some shuteye that he missed out earlier this morning. After all, the guards will likely not suspect anything if he isn't staring back at them all suspiciously. Not that they should have anything to suspect in the first place, but, why tempt fate. His head cants down, arms fold across his midsection, and his eyes drift slowly closed.

Of course going to sleep on a moving carriage is a bit easier said than done. The matter is not helped in the least when Darren offers a rather ominous morsel of information, causing one tired hazel eye to peek out the window to the man as Jordan considers the situation. Under normal circumstances he may have felt a bit of panic. Truth be told though, he was comfortable, sleepy from a large breakfast sitting in his stomach, and not in immediate danger at the moment.

"Better late than never..." he mutters to the horse riding nobleman, before his singular eye slides closed once more, trying to steal about fourty more winks between here and their destination.

"Just be sure to wake me if we're about to die" the undirected request likely made of Sistiana, as he himself apparently has no intent of remaining awake anymore than needed.

Besides, it wasn't like the carriage was barreling out of control through the midst of town right this second. Jordan reasons he will jump off that bridge when it actually starts burning.

[RonarsCorruption]

[Saloch]

"Rather a fun young lady, isn't she?" Squeaked Cin, climbing out from Saloch's sash. Saloch had a spell cast on him years ago to allow him to speak freely to the otter, and even though not a person understood what he was doing when he spoke with her, it was nice to have an opinion that was always on his side. Well, almost.

" Yes absolutely. I have to admit her driving a little eccentric, but I like her about. Very cheery. "
" Well, she hasn't met me yet... "

And seconds after they passed the last building in dockalong, Cin flung himself directly onto Spindletop's lap.

"Ah, Cin!"

[Norwain]

Sistiana listens to Jordan ramble on about foundations and architecture. She smiles and nods politely in agreement, despite the fact she knows nothing about which he speaks. As he starts to doze off, she responds to him. "Will do, Jordan...."

When Darren stops by, she seems a bit frustrated by his comment. "Darren!" she offers a stern look "We are going to be just fine! Besides.... Saloch won't let anything happen to us! ........ Will he?" Her tone turns to a bit of concern with the last.

[rhaiber]

Spindletop rolls her eyes dismissively at Darren's concern.

"Pfffffttt, Of course I know how to drive a carriage. Why else would they call me Spindletop Loadlightener - Carriage Driver Extraordinaire?" She appears fully satisfied with the irrefutable logic of her statement. "I'm just experimenting with new methods. See that's where the 'extra' in the 'extraordinaire' comes from. If I didn't further my craft through innovation, I'd just be plain old ordinaire."

Though, Darren has clearly ridden away from the front of the carriage, this does not deter Spindletop and she simply turns her attention to her new victim ... errr ... audience, Saloch.

"See one time when I was a courier, I innovated all sorts of stuff. I truly took the field of courying to new heights. Literally. See I was the first one to ever tie stuff onto pigeons. I experimented with all types of birds first to find out which would be the best for courying. I tries tying stuff to hummingbirds, but then they just flapped around on the ground and never went anywhere. I also tried tying messages to ducks, but the ink got all wet and runny. Then finally I discovered the perfect breed of bird for courying messages. I named them the Spindletop Loadlightener - Courier Extraordinaire Pigeons." She announces this last part with a dramatic flourish which is followed by a brief pause before she adds, "Of course, the name eventually got shortened to carrier pigeons, so people tend to forget who they're really named after."

As her story finishes, the little kender looks down and notices the furry little rodent nestled in her lap.

"Oh boy! A beaver!"

[Fizzgig]

The commotion up at the front of the carriage and the mention of pigeons and beavers causes Jordan to crack an eye open despite his wishes, a quiet sigh heard under his breath. Despite the sigh, however, a small smile lingers on his features as he shakes his head. The eye falls slowly closed again, trying to get comfortable in a crowded and moving carriage.

"I don't know..." he mutters quietly to the nearby Sistiana. "She seems a bit too young to me to have invented carrier pigeons. But I could be wrong."

A quiet chuckle slips past his lips, not appearing terribly concerned by the whole matter, just so long as the carriage isn't careening towards certain doom.

[Silent Tiger]

Spindletop manages to guide the carriage through the scant traffic of Dockalong with no incidents and not being stopped by any of the town guards. The caravan reaches the intersection with River Road and then the group turns south along the road. The party continues until Dockalong dwindles and then eventually disappears from view. The River Road is sinuous following the road. The path wends back and forth until it closes on the river and abuts the banks of the river Gazelle. The other side of the path grows thick with woods. The scant trees quickly turn into more heavily forested growth. Constantly, the trees grow even thicker, until one cannot see past the dense edges into the forest depths.

While Darren is out riding ahead, diligently watching for trouble, clouds gather in the sky. They multiply like rabbits until they pile up upon one another in a fuzzy fluffy orgy. They grow several layers thick covering, obscuring and blotting out the very burning glow of the sun itself. The land grows dark and the path becomes shadowed, as if it was twilight. Soon a few dribbles fall plunging from the sky, like the first wave of daring kamikazes, and quickly grows into a unavoidable deluge.

The group looks for somewhere to shelter during the storm, but there are conspicuously no inns or buildings, and no place from which to turn off the road into the sheltering trees without the possibility of getting stuck or mired. They can do nothing but press on. Fortunately, if one considers being soaked to the bone fortunate, the deluge stops. The weather leaves the party wondering if they had chosen the right day in which to travel to Drybone Hollow or if the gods themselves are looking down upon them with disfavor.

The rain stops, sloughing off until the last drop is left miles behind. The land however shows the results of the recent rain. The road is wet and slightly muddy, but not to the extreme that it hinders the carriage, only enough to build up a thin layer of mud on the wheels. Ahead, a small stream crosses the road to empty into the Gazelle River. A stone bridge, the width of two carriages or wagons, gaps the river with Fharlanghn engineering ingenuity but without any extraneous flair. Darren approaches, looking over the bridge and deems it safe. The carriage follows close behind, at Spindletop's discretion, though she hasn't worked out her new verbal command to halt the team.

-----The Ambush [Encounter on the way to Drybone Hollow]-----

The carriage makes it to the apex of the bridge when a barking yapping shout comes from the forest behind the caravan. Darren turns from his seat upon Dextari at the other end of the bridge to look behind the caravan. Two dog-like humanoids emerge from the woods, and one appears from underneath the bridge. Sistiana and Darren recognize these creatures as gnolls, as they have encountered them before in the Woodhill Wilderness. With that, the ambush is unleashed.

The gnoll from underneath the bridge, stands out ahead of the rest chanting. The gnoll's fur is tangled with branches and burrs to make furls and snarls, and the rest of its body is covered in dead animal pelts. The chanting stops with the creature releasing the spell. The dirt road between Darren and the edge of the bridge bubbles and churns as the ground softens and becomes even more muddier. (Indicated by the purple fenced in area on the soon to be posted map)

The second gnoll stands up from within the woods, between two trees. A longbow is clutched in its hands along with an arrow. A chain shirt covers the gnoll's torso and it looks over the carriage to find a target. Pulling back its bow, it lets forth an arrow that arches towards the carriage. The arrow hits Saloch but just barely making it past the top edge of the carriage. [14points damage]

A third gnoll is closer to the road, but behind the first gnoll. A strange painted buckler is strapped to its arm, the emblem on the small shield a giant slitted eye. This gnoll also has a longbow and an arrow already nocked. With care, it looses the arrow to arch towards the carriage. This one arches and falls upon Spindletop who is attempting to guide the horses over the bridge and figure out what the command for stop should be. [7points damage]

As these two gnolls are firing off their attacks, part of the vegetation by the side of the road raises up. With a shake, the concealment over the creature is thrown off. Four massive legs raise a canine form that is about the size of Dextari. Stripes parade up and down the rear haunches. This type of creature, only smaller, was also encountered by Darren and Sistiana. The Hyena lops towards the carriage, tongue lolling from its mouth, and a hungry looking gaze eveloping the entire party.

Surprise Round Summary Saloch has taken 14 points of damage and Spindletop takes 7 points of damage. Anyone wanting to move the Carriage needs to make a DC 15 Handle Animal or similar roll. Purple Area has a Soften Earth and Stone spell on it and the following applies: Originally Posted by Mud Affected Squares A creature in mud must succeed on a Reflex save DC 14 or be caught for 1d2 rounds and unable to move, attack, or cast spells. A creature that succeeds on its save can move through the mud at half speed, and it can’t run or charge. A creature may neither run nor charge across the area of mud.

Initiative Order is:
Surprise Round - Over
Round1-24: Darren
Round1-20: Sistiana
Round1-16: Saloch
Round1-12: Jordan
Round1-12: Spindletop
Round1-12: Gnolls + Hyena
Round2

[Norwain]

Upon Sistiana's turn:

When the Carriage is suddenly attacked, Sistiana pokes her head out of the carriage window. Looking back, her eyes narrow and she scowls as she recognizes the attackers...... Gnolls.....Nasty Creatures.

Suddenly, the top hatch of the carriage pops open, and Sistiana grips her glowing crystal and makes a few hand gestures, casting her spell. She centers the spell in the middle of the 3 together in the open.

Hypnotic Pattern

Spell Details attempting to catch all three within range (10ft radius) if unable, get the center & strongest looking enemy 8HD affected (Roll in dice thread), Will Negates, DC 15

[DrTeeth]

Darren who is lazily riding ahead is shaken quickly out of a daydream (about one amazing woman who is an amalgam of several he met over his incarceration in Dockalong). Turning his head back he sees first the the hail of arrows strike his companions. The the glow of magic upon the roadway cutting him off from said companions. Not one to be deterred Darren spurs Dextari forward about ten feet, he then wheels the horse into a fast u-turn. Darren draws his ancestral sword and slaps the warhorse on the rump with it. The warhorse digs its hooves into the soft ground and drives its massive quadriceps forward. The excellently bred horse easily leaps the magical mud pit and comes down with the carriage between it and the attacking gnolls.

(the horse has enough movement to do all of that and end up right on line on the map with the carriage horses)

[Fizzgig]

Jordan dozes peacefully through the trip once matters and exclamations about beavers settle down to a dull roar. At least he refrains from drooling all over himself this time. As the pitter-patter of raindrops begin to dance upon the roof of the carriage, the change in atmosphere causes him to stir faintly from his rest. An eye cracks open, and seeing the gray clouds overhead he cannot help but chuckle quietly.

"See, I told you it was a good idea to leave the packages in the carriage."

For a moment he is concerned for the well-being of those still outside, but imagines Saloch is at least enjoying the downpour, given his own moist nature. Spindletop, he reasons, is accustomed to such as part of the driving job. And Darren, well, such are the drawbacks of getting to look all noble atop a mighty steed. He figures a little rain won't harm those outside and so with ease Jordan shifts his posture slightly and goes right back to sleep.

A truly epic dream it is in fact. Captain Jordan Tolrent the Pirate King resplendent and magnificent upon his mighty vessel, The Salty Dog. His coffers are overflowing with plunder and booty, and he is receiving the overflowing attentions of a lusty, busty pirate wench whose booty he would like to plunder.

Then the carriage rocks with the attack disturbing those in control of the steering, and likely giving the horses a bit of a fright as well. The noise of galloping hooves and weapons being used intrudes upon an otherwise perfect dream, and sleepy mutters of disapproval were heard from the still slumbering figure.

"Avast, these scurvy dogs have come to rob me treasure! First Mate Bully, get yer landlubbin' backside out on the deck and prepare to repel boarders!"

While appearing to still be passed out and half dreaming, Jordan begins to incant arcane words, a hand gesturing lazily yet purposefully out the window on the side not obscured by parcels and bundles bound for Drybone Hollow. Fee, fi, fo, fum, something summoned this way comes.

[RonarsCorruption]

[Saloch]

Saloch, still as wet as if it were still pouring, stands straight up on the carraige, his spear already in his hands, spins it around slowly; so that the point is no longer up, but leveled forward. The arrow was deep within his ribs, likely missing his lung by only a sliver, and it hurt like a bitch. Any creature that hunted sapient creatures was terrible.

held actions Saloch will ready an attack for the first gnoll to get within 20 feet of him, see the attack here