The East Upper Vales

[tomcat]

Warg pack --  this roll is to set future test difficulty.


TN n/a stealth 3d

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 3, 3, total 12

[Telcontar]

Bandy absently scratched at his thorn burns. "These folk seem no different then those of the wood folk who live in the vales..."

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast holds his hand up as a gesture of parley, being sure to keep it well away from his axe, and his shield on his back.  "Greetings to you!  I am the Fire-watcher.  With me is the Baker.  We are honest men in unfamiliar lands.  Have you time to speak - perhaps out of the rain?" 


I'll roll Riddle to make introductions - no point in being more obvious than we already are. 

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 1, 5, total 12

[tomcat]

"Fire-watcher and Baker, you say? Strange men with strange names. Aye, we have time to talk...right here. I'd ask you again where you be coming from, though it is not my business save to say you come from the forest. Where you are off to is rightly not my business either, save when it crosses my land. Still, as strangers in our lands it serves you best to be forthcoming with your business."

Arbogast could see that the man did not change his stance and his words were spoken with the same strength, but yet the tone was softer. The Fire-watcher knew that weapons were not going to be necessary...conversation would get them through.

At the doorway to the house beyond, a woman appeared. She was of middling-age and her frame was corpulent, but strong. She looked on but said no word.

[tomcat]

Saradag led the pack of wolves around the lee of the hill and saw the companions sitting low atop the next hill. They sat with their backs to the wolves' approach and the warg chieftain growled in delight.

The pack split into two groups. The five wolves surged forward up the slope to press the attack, while the three wargs continued around the base of the hill to come up on the other side and attack their flank.

There was a small man-creature atop the hill. Saradag would drag him away personally and tear out his throat. The warg loved to slay the weakest!

[tomcat]

Awareness tests for the party on top the hill...

TN 13 Awareness by PC

Bandy 2d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 1, total 6

Esgalwen 2d 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 4, total 8

Rorin 2d 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 4, total 5

• On a success, the five wolves are seen and the company may make one opening volley

• On a great success, the five wolves are seen and the company can make two opening volleys

• On an extraordinary success, the five wolves are seen, but also the three wargs trying to flank the party; the company can make two opening volleys - one at either group of attackers, or two at one

[tomcat]

Results...

• Bandy is too interested in the itchy, sting that is making his palm ache to see naught but his friends talking below

• Esgalwen sees the five wolves racing up the hill

• Rorin sees the five wolves racing up the hill

The company may have one opening volley against the five wolves. I will be switching to combat very shortly - PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR OPENING VOLLEY HERE. I will open the combat rounds after I get a bit more dialogue from Arbogast, Grimbeorn and the Viglundings.

I want to create as cinematic a scene that we can in PbP!   

[Eclecticon]

"Your pardon, sir, for we mean no alarm to you and your kin.  We seek a maid who was lost in the wood, but we believe may have come this way.  The forest is dark and disorienting, though, and we know not precisely where we ourselves might be.  Can you tell us where we are, or if aught else has passed this way from the wood?" 



Doug, I'm assuming that I don't need to roll anything at this point.  If I'm assuming wrong, let me know, or go ahead and roll for me if it would keep things moving better. 

Also, how far away are Grimbeorn and Arbogast from the rest of the company?  Asking for a friend. 

[tomcat]

your distance question caused me to re-think positions, so I updated a post above.

Arbogast and Grimbeorn stand at 30 yards to the house where the woman came to the door. The remaining party members are at least 150 yards (not sure if you need this stuff in meters) from where you guys are. They are a little east of you, and obviously on the crown of a hill.

I am intrigued as to whom your friend might be? A fellow player, or do you have some people reading along with our story?

I am interested to know, if you want to tell me. I think it is cool when people not in the game come to hang and read.  

As to test needs - yea, I am going to treat this as an encounter - I just need to get to my office so I can suss out the mechanics. But I will work with what you give me, while you're waiting..

[Telcontar]

  I'M THE FRIEND! BANDY IS ON THE WARG BUFFET!

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn remains quiet during the exchange, preferring to keep an eye on the folk Arbogast is talking to and ready for action if necessary.

[tomcat]

You were really the inquiring friend, Tom? LOL! Why didn't you just ask me? 

[Eclecticon]

As to test needs - yea, I am going to treat this as an encounter - I just need to get to my office so I can suss out the mechanics. But I will work with what you give me, while you're waiting..

Okay, cool.  I'll make a Persuade roll:

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 2, 6, total 11

Thanks for the distances.  I assumed that Grimbeorn and Arbogast would need to run back to the hill at some point and wanted an idea of how long it'd take (the 'friend' thing was just a joke, though Bandy was on my mind).  One yard is 0.9 metres, which is close enough for our purposes - I've never had too much trouble visualising them. 

[Telcontar]

  doug. 'Asking for a friend' is a euphenism for saying i really wanna know but am fake pretending to ask for someone else. A la "someone in our class really likes you and whats your favorite candy?" So you can buy them a bunch for valentines day.
I said I wanted to know because the answer was gonna have a direct impact on my character.  Not because i was the friend.

[tomcat]

Yea, I understand all that - I was just under the first impression that Paul might have someone that was reading along with our game and may have been asking questions. My curiosity was piqued.

Then you said you were the friend, so I assumed you guys chat outside the game.

No big deal either way.

With two great successes, Paul, I think that Arbogast is making a good impression.
"The forest is disorienting, indeed," answered the large man. "You are in the lands known as the East Upper Vales...those under the rule of Viglund, son of Vartin. His house lies a ways south, down yonder trail." The farmer raised his axe to point to the southbound trail.

"We've seen no maidens pass our lands. We've seen no one p..."

"Come now, Argil. Tell them." The voice was that of the heavy set woman who had padded out of the house to walk up closer, so as to hear the conversation.

"Mind your place, woman!" yelled the large, red-bearded man.

"I won't! Not when it comes to them!"

He turned on her, "You'll do as I say!"

The woman did not cow to her husband, but she did show the obedience that he sought. Her face took on a torn look, "Not another, Argil."

He looked away from her and back to the companions. He breathed in deeply and said once more, "We've seen none pass."

To his right, the younger man who had been tilling the field wiped the rain from his brow as if to clear his sight. He pointed, "Ay! There be three large wolves mounting yonder hill! They are huge!"

Everyone, including Arbogast and Grimbeorn, turned to look at the hill that was just north and east to the fields. Up the north side loped three enormous animals.

The farmer yelled out, "IT'S SARADAG! The beast is once more on the hunt! What might they have found there? Where's your sister?!" The younger man took on a frightened look, his face whitening, as he shrugged his shoulders in ignorance.

As if in reply, a chorus of howls and barks swept down the hill as the animals engaged whomever might be atop the hill.