To break free the web...

[tomcat]

Seemingly as quick as they had appeared, they were dispatched.

Vári and Gumbo hacked and stabbed at the two ghouls before them until neither moved again, while across the road, Bornoge ended the life of his attacker.

Only Nori and Caranmîr came up short, for as they crested the switchback, they found that the mewlip atop it had disappeared. The plants and ground around showed evidence of where it had ripped and raced back into the forest - as if it had known that its companions were defeated. The Silvan Elf wondered if these creatures were reputed for their intelligence.

Adrenaline began to subside and each of the warriors were able to breath easier. It was then that they all noticed, in the distance, unseen, somewhere in the woods, an axeman chopped at a tree.

THOK! THOK!

Kori, who had been holding back the animals looked off towards the sound. "Undead monsters and ghostly sounds! I do not like this forest much anymore... let us try and leave it with haste."

The ponies were urged forward and they hesitantly moved past the dead mewlips - even in death, the animals could sense their unnaturalness. The wagon was drawn up the switchback and the companions took positions around it as they continued on down the road.



Company's' Wisdom tests:
TN 11 Wisdom (varies by character)
-------------------------
Gumbo - Roll(2d6)+2: 2,6,+2 Total:10 FAILED
Bornoge - Roll(2d6)+2: 3,2,+2 Total:7 FAILED
Caranmîr - Roll(2d6)+4: 2,2,+4 Total:8 FAILED [Elf gets the +2 bonus for The Art]
Kori - Roll(2d6)+1: 2,4,+1 Total:7 FAILED
Nori - Roll(2d6)+1: 3,6,+1 Total:10 FAILED
Turumarth - Roll(2d6)+2: 6,4,+2 Total:12 SUCCESS
Vári - Roll(2d6)+2: 2,5,+2 Total:9

Note: Remember, you can tell me to use a Courage on any result that I roll for a mundane test.

[Telcontar]

"that damn chopping sound does not portent well for us and our coming out of this wood."

[GandalfOfBorg]

"rrrrrrrAAAhhhh!  I am tired of this forest and its ill-tempered ways... if but that chopping t'were a legion of axes we'd be rid of this place with nary a fond memory." Nori looked to his uncle, "Do we seek out the hewer or do we press on?"

[Cut]

[OOC: I will be going on vacation starting sometime tomorrow or latest on saturday. Will be in Italy (Lake Garda, anyone?!) and should be home again on the first days of October, maybe even latest days of september.

Take care out there, enjoy the game, and let Caranmîr live until I return

See you then, guys!]

[Telcontar]

Doug, I failed my wisdom roll so I am guessing I dont know what's going on. So unless someone else does i'm going to move caustiously down the road staying closer to the wagon.

(Cut, are you going to be outflanking and open hand slapping hoardes of Austrain's like Napoleon? The Italian Campaign being perhaps better executed than Jackson's valley campaign.)

[Cut]

(Cut, are you going to be outflanking and open hand slapping hoardes of Austrain's like Napoleon? The Italian Campaign being perhaps better executed than Jackson's valley campaign.)

[OOC:
No I shall be travelling to Italy by car, taking a few breaks for my dog to stretch his legs and then eat good food (and lots of it!), while reading, walking the dog and enjoying the friendly people and the nice landscape. Between all this I shall eat some more and get sleep. That's about it. Sounds like a hobbit's vacation and I am sooo for it. See you then guys!]

[Telcontar]

ooc: GARHHHH, even the hobbits paid homage to Bullroarer Took! Imagine an upstart petty noble.....by chance cicumstance due to the fact that no one hated him, or knew really who he is, they liked his pluck and gave him an army and said, The Piedmont is your command, fight for the Republic. Duke Charles a grizzled old Hapsburg lapdog with an army twice his size is slapped, teased, and flogged around either side of Lake Garda. In other places and times he would have been called Thorongil for his deeds. Should your dog deficate on the grounds of his victory at least call him to mind so the ghost of those deeds should not pass away.


Gumbo, hearing the axe grips his spear, looks to the others and says, "twice now this sound has haunted us, either its the cause or the result of our confusion. the trail doesnt look different and surely we have not crossed this spot before, but surely we dont seem to make any progress either. Action is required, Caranmir, should we call out to it? sneaking has done us no good."
Clearly having more respect for the more arcane members of the group Gumbo goes on to say," Turumarth, can you touch him with your mind? Perhaps its one of the wood men of the Anduin, strange folk they are..."

[donimator]

Something wasn't right. Perhaps the events of the night still held his blood in chill, but Turumarth paused a moment to try and determine what he was feeling. The Halfling was speaking to him before he caught the words and answered with a start, his voice feeling heavy in the air.

"I have had ill luck in this wood. The place seems to radiate with an old power that masks anything more subtle...yet something of great power lies south...Nevermind, it can't hurt to try again, but anything I sense would have to be close...maybe too close"

Turumarth casts Sense Power TN 5
Willpower test +5, +2 charm = +7
Roll 2d6 +7 = 6,4 +7 = 17 (Extraordinary Success)
------------
Turumarth makes an Observe (Sense Power) test TN ?
Observe (Sense Power) +5, +2 Speciality, +3 Spell = +10
Roll 2d6 +10 = 6,3 +10 = 19

[Telcontar]

Gumbo watched patiently as the arcane weaver worked his mojo. "Well, when subterfuge is at a loss sometimes just a plain old whistle and 'Hellloooh' does the trick as it does in more civilized places."

[tomcat]

Kori listened to Nori, but could overhear the halfling and the mage's conversation as well. Something was odd here and the presence of the ghouls made it even more discomforting, especially with the thought that sundown was not too far away.

"I say we press on nephew, and get as much of this forest behind us that we may. But, our efforts continue to bring us back to this same sound..." the old craftsman scratched at his beard. "Let's find this woodsman and see if he is the root of our problem, or just someone that can help direct us on our way!"

Turumarth again reaches out with his innate arcane ability, sensing the weavings of mana both natural and un, both dark and light. The presence of the Shadow could still be felt like whispers of cold fingers being drawn over the bare skin. It was enough to cause gooseflesh stand on his arms.

The mage felt as if a blanket was thrown over the wood... at least this area of it. He could sense that the road before him was real, but that there was some kind of effect on the peripherals, like blurry sight, that was trying to misdirect.

The question was, were they being led away from the source, or to it?

The ponies whickered as the Company stood about quietly, looking towards Turumarth. Gumbo noticed... the chopping stopped.

[Telcontar]

Not willing to sneak about in the dark like a thief in the night Gumbo cast his voice in the loudest speach giving voice of his folk and said.

"Hile WOODCUTTER, Hile Son of wood and man! I am Gumbo of the West Farthing. We beg the ancient right of hospitality, safety in the dark of night and blessing on our travels. Our roads have crossed and our need is great reveal yourself as servant of the white or the nothing beyond the void! Come forth in the open to meet our plea or state the reason for denying us, for this according to the ancient customs I would demand."

Gumbo stood in the middle of the road spear planted point down open palms before him with cloak cast back. "Come forth!"

[donimator]

Dissatisfied, Turumarth shakes his head. The weariness of spellcasting was taking a grip, but the frustration of his confused discoveries were more wearing.

(quietly) "This whole area is enchanted in some way. The only thing I can trust is the road beneath our feet...we have already seen what happens when we stray from the trail. Some strange magic is at work. My best counsel is to press on and see where this road leads us, if we receive no response from our mystery axeman."

[GandalfOfBorg]

"Ay, lads, keeps your wits about you and your blades at the ready.  Who knows what challenges this devil wood has left for us," cautioned Nori, as he edged closer to his uncle.

[Roborob]

This road may be tricky, but when in doubt follow the road as it often runs true. I say we move on

[tomcat]

After hearing Turumarth's words and then Bornoge's advice, Kori clicked agreement. "Aye, we keep to our road and let whatever haunts this trail be. If we leave the road in search of this woodsman, we may never find our path again." Kori then looked about and shouted to no one, "OY! Whoever you be, we are just looking to pass. We want nothing more."

He then snapped the reins on the backs of the ponies and the wagon began to roll again. Each of the Company members slowly fell back into line around the cart as it rolled past them.

"We'll push on into the night to get far from here. Nori, prepare the lanterns to hang off the cart and give us light."

The younger dwarf climbed into the back of the wagon and took out four lanterns. Each were already oiled, but on two he affixed a directional hood that was polished on the inside, and beamed the light out of the other side. The two hooded lamps were hung on the front end of the cart, while the other two were hung on the back. Nori did not light them yet, as the day's failing sun still kept the forest lit enough.

As they continued on, again Turumarth sensed a blanketing shadow that seemed to be trying to mislead them. Only Caranmîr, showed sign that he too was aware of the power, the others seemingly oblivious. Still, the unseen power was not strong enough to grab them and the Company kept on its way, undeterred.

Well into the night, Kori finally pulled the cart to the side. "Let's camp... if there was anything following, we have certainly left it behind."



[OOC:] Well... that was kind of anticlimactic, but that is what crappy dice-rolls will do. Whatever it was out there that was screwing with you guys, did not succeed in beating you all in opposed Wisdom tests for three tries!! My last roll was double-ones!  With the +3 bonus she gets, and then the -5 I rolled for cascading ones (House Rule)... there was little point for me to have you guys try to oppose. I know I could have fudged the dice, but I didn't feel the need. The ultimate purpose of our quest here is Moria, so I didn't see the need to make this plotline happen.

Anyway, to keep us from bogging down anymore... the Company is moving on. This may seem weird, but you all have been awarded 500 xp for the crossing of Mirkwood. Although you didn't directly engage the 'witch of the woods'... you did effectively beat her attempts to capture you all. And so, Shadows and Dreams passed with little to say about it. (D

You can see you character's current XP, by looking at the Character Sheets thread in our game.