Post by venger on Sept 5, 2008 15:27:05 GMT -5
In looking back it was never clear why this oddly pious group formed a party for adventuring. Three of the five are acolytes to different gods - amenable to each others' company, but no past experiences drew them together. A monk with no clear affiliation to a temple and a taciturn fighter round out the group. Morvan is the rare male elf priest to the goddess Bralm. Clearly out of step with the matriarchal hierarchy of his faith he finds ways to spread his faith away from the rigid confines of the city. Morvan also claims to have learned some rudimentary magics in his long and varied past. Zinc is an esquire in the service of Jascar. Oddly he is the only cleric of the group that speaks of smiting the undead. Rensslaer is a young, seemingly impatient priest of Lendor, who acts more warrior than priest. Only time will tell if this is his true calling. Kazan's huge stature and bulging muscles remind one more of a smith or stone mason than a penitent monk. Basil Athelstar, the sole fighter of the group, is the most easy going member - willing to let life take whatever fate has in store for him. While clearly the most charismatic of the group he chooses to let other do the talking, relying on his prowess with the sword to carry his intent.
The Islands are filled with ruins, large and small, but many have been searched through and disassembled, stone by stone. Others have not, and the fruits of such labor may be sizable. In the innermost parts of the Islands, where the mountains rise up out of the coastal areas, fewer folk live and more of the ancient wealth is left behind, undiscovered.
Baron Woodward’s land extends into the mountain, but the practical border is the Shrill River. On one side are hamlets and homesteads of farmers and herders, guarded by border forts. On the other is a vast wilderness extending up into the mountains. This separation was not always so, as the ruins of many buildings are found on both sides of the river.
A scout once told Kazan that the forest hides more than the animals in it. Tracks and paths can be found by those that have a good eye, and these tracks and paths lead places, places not known by many men. Opposite Fort Guy is such a place.
Nestled against the Shrill River, the wooded hills hide a temple or monastery to ancient evil, long abandoned. While known to the soldiers of the fort as formerly a place to temporarily camp, it has not been visited in years. As far as Kazan was told, none have tried to search the ruins for anything of value. Rough directions to the monastery were easily available, but it would take a group of like-minded folk to travel safely and thoroughly search the monastery.
After some discussion, the group decides that they will spend most of their remaining pennies to buy supplies for the trip to Fort Guy. The plan is to seek a crossing of the river where they will be able to explore the ruins of the hopefully treasure-laden monastary.
The party heads out on foot with unarmed, fleet-footed Kazan carrying the bulk of the party's meager equipment. The days passed uneventfully. At times the party walks with merchants or other travellers that head down the road. Money being scarce they are only able to purchase simple meals from those inns they find along the way. Nights are spents sleeping in stables or by the side of the road. Tales of a bandit company known as Burt's Bees -a name which brought a smile to Morvan's face- attacking travellers in the country side are heard from time to time. However they encounter no problems along their route. The further out from the City State the fewer people share the road with them. As their money just about runs out they reach Fort Guy.
Fort Guy is an impressive structure along the Shrill River. Clearly well run by the Baron's army. The forest has been cleared to build the fortress and the area around the fort is kept well clear of buildings as well as vegetation. Some small buildings surround the fortress but it appears that most of the inhabitants live inside the walls.
Kazan tells his friends "I'm going to go down to the docks for information about far side of the river as well as passage across the river." The rest of the party wishes him luck and enters the fort. Quick enquiry discovers that the the Lion's Head Inn is the only tavern. They head there for a good meal, which Rensslaer generously pays for, and settle in at the bar for some drinks before the hard part of this trip begins.
Kazan finds fisherman working on the dock repairing his nets and offers to help, hoping to chat up the fisherman for tales of the land. Knot tieing proves a skill unknown Kazan but fisherman Charles is happy to but him to work carrying supplies and tarring the underside of the boat. While Kazan happily completes these task Charles and another fisherman Phil tell him how adventuring groups occassionally come to Fort Guy looking to find their riches on the far side. Charles has been known to ferry them across the river for a mere 10 gold pieces a head and for a little more has agreed to pick them up later. So far Charles has been able to pocket the return fare as no one has returned. Knowing that the party has spent most of their little saving equiping themselves for the trip even a small fare seems like a fortune to Kazan. Charles also tells tales of ogres that populate the far side of the river which take adventures captive and sell them as slaves. Phil indicates that this more likely a yarn that Charles likes to use to scare young adventures. But there are definitely humanoids on the far side of the river and the size of fortress seems to back up this fact.
After a long afternoon of helping the fishermen with their labors Kazan returns to the inn with the two fishermen. Kazan introduces them "This is Charles and Phil, they are some boats owners I met. They think they know someone that would be willing to take us across the river." The rest of the party hasn't been as industrious during their time in the fort so readily agree to hear what these men have to say. Kazan is treated to a rich meal by the fishermen while the negotiations were carried out. Charles tells the group " I know that Bret and his two brothers are looking to build a new boat. They need help felling trees from across the river and bringing the logs back. I'm sure that he would willing to cut a deal on the passage if you help him." "I don't know" says Rennslear "sounds like a lot of work for passage." "The deal sounds fair to me "says Zinc. "We'll take it!" So an agreement is struck.
Early the next morning the party meets Phil and Charles at the dock where the introductions are made. Bret asks "if you have everything then we can be off!"
Bret and his brothers take the party across the river to a clearing by the side of the river. It is a large clearing with a waterfall at far end and a small stream running done the middle. Work commences felling a number of the large trees that form the edge of the clearing. Kazan enjoys the heavy labor but the rest of the party finds the works extremely hot in their heavy armor.
Morvan, who takes frequent breaks, at one point spies some motion at the far side of the clearing. He chooses not to tell anyone of the small humanoids that leave and then quickly re-enter the forrest along what appears to be a game trail. Later in the afternoon when larger humanoids appear following the same path he feels it is prudent to let others know as the humanoids appear to have taken notice of the group.
Bret and his brothers immediately dash for the boat upon learning of the humanoids; leaving all of their supplies. Kazan and Morvan also join them on the boat. Basil, Zinc and Rennslaer however are more interested in facing this foe and ignore all entreatments to get on the boat. By the time the boat pushes off from the shore it is clear that five hobgoblins are moving towards the three remaining party members.
In the boat Kazan implores the brothers to return to the shore to pick up his foolish party members. Don't they realize that they have been hired to fell trees and not hobgoblins, he wonders. Eventually Bret relents and steers the boat back to the shore. Kazan and Morvan rush back on shore to retrieve their friends as well as the equipment the brothers left behind. The equipment is easily retrieved but the Basil, Zinc and Rensslaer stand firm in their resolve to test their mettle against these hobgoblins.
Torn between leaving his friends and fulfilling his contract Kazan is left standing on the banks of the river as the boat once again pulls away. The rest of the party has taken up defensive positions amongst the fallen tree trunks.
Out from the trees charge the six hobgoblins. Zinc lets loose a crossbow bolt that sails deep into the forrest. Two hobgoblins each rush forward to attack Zinc and Rennslaer with the remaining heading for Basil. In the first clash Zinc is struck twice and knocked unconscious. Rennslaer is able to spit one of the hobgoblins on his spear and Basil has no problem gutting his opponent. Then as soon as it has begun the fighting stops as Morvan calls upon the power of Bralm to entangle the three standing hobgoblins. Rennslaer kills the held hobgoblin in front of him while standing in midst of the writhing grasses. Kazan edges forward to retrieve the fallen priest of Jascar after being assured that Morvan can control who is considers a foe by the mindless vegetation.
Zinc is healed by the combined blessing of three dieties and the hobgoblins are bound more permanently using the rope carried by Kazan. The party waits for the boat to return but nothing is visible from the shore. Zinc decides to retrieve his errant bolt and heads into the dense forrest. Still being covered by large amounts of his own blood he is assualted by large numbers of mosquitoes. It isn't long before something larger also catches scent of the blood.
Not waiting to find out what is making the loud buzzing sound Zinc sprints back towards the clearing his lost bolt gone from his mind. Rushing into the clearing he is followed by four large bug-like birds, with huge proboscis. "Stirges!" Zinc yells. Two of the stirges make a beeline for the bound hobgoblins while the other two fly in amongst the party. It takes several minutes to dispatch the two attacking the party. Rensslaer, seeing the stirges killing their prisoners, throws his spear, impaling the stirge but also unfortunately, one of the hobgoblin prisoners. The final stirge is easily slain the nearly full meal having made it a slow and easy - if messy - target for the party.
"Well at least we still have one prisoner left" says Rennslaer. "Once he is conscious we will get him to tell us where this monastery is. In the meantime I guess we should make camp. Do you think we need to set a watch?"
"I suggest we have at least two people on watch at all times" say Kazan.
"Let me think about this" says Zinc. "We have two people who can see in the dark. And the three priests all need at least four hours of rest in order to pray and memorize our spells. And of course we don't want a fire as that might draw creatures to us in the dark. So let's go with overlapping four hours shifts. Morvan and I will start. After two hours Morvan goes to sleep and Rennslaer starts his watch. We continue the pattern with Basil and Kazan, with Morvan taking another two hour shift in the morning."
The party accedes to this plan. And after a cold meal the watches start.
However even before the first watch is finished four large dark shapes plummet out the sky and attack the party. Morvan recognizes them as giant bats and proceeds to fight the one attacking him.
Zinc shouts "What's happening! I can't see a thing!" as he swings wildly at the sound of wings in the night.
Morvan answers as he wards off one of the bats "Obviously there is a giant bat right in front of you and two are attacking the prisoner. I am busy killing this one."
Zinc screams "Awake! Awake! Giant bats!" which stirs the heavily sleeping party members.
Kazan fumbles in his backpack for his timber box and after a minute is able to light a torch The sudden appearance of bright light scatters the bats. The party has been scratched up by the claws of the bats. Further investigation shows that the bats finished the job that the stirges started, killing the last prisoner.
"Well at least they served as a distraction from things attacking us" offers Basil. This gets shocked expression from the rest of the party, unsure as to whether he truly meant the remark. Or was just trying to lighten the dark mood of the group.
"How about a small fire?" asks Rennslaer.
The suggestions seems reasonable but their is concern that it could draw even larger nocturnal creatures. Eventually eveyone settles back to sleep and the watches in the dark continue.
Later, in the pitch darkness, Rensslaer and Basil are on watch. From across the clearing comes a rattle and an evil sounding, high-pitched cackle. Clutching his spear in the dark, Rensslaer calls out to Basil, "Do you see anything?" Basil stares into the night, his half-elven heritage allowing him to make out the shapes of trees, vegetation and the sleeping forms of his companions, but nothing else.
"Nothing out there," the warrior says from the opposite side of the camp, "must be your imagination."
The cackle sounds again, closer, and Rensslaer invokes a prayer to Lendor. Light blooms from his spear, illuminating the campsite and blinding Basil, who rubs his eyes in confusion. Moving toward the sound, still outside his light, Rensslaer comes upon a nightmarish apparation. A walking dead, a skeleton, with two red glowing eyes heading directly for the party. Not one to let the fight come to him he races forward with his spear and just as a skeleton cross the stream in the middle of the clearing he impales it. This does not appear to slow the skeleton as the spear wedges between it ribs, and it lets loose another frightening cackle and its eyes flash red. Yelling for help, Rensslaer drops his spear and draws his sword. Basil readies himself for combat, while Zinc leaps from his bedroll, brandishing the silver hammer of Jascar. Stricken by holy might, the skeleton turns and flees, Rensslaer's spear still embedded in its chest. "Not so fast," Rensslaer quips, before smashing it with his longsword, crushing its skull. The eerie light fades away in its empty eye sockets.
"My imagination, indeed," snorts Rensslaer.
Basil shrugs.
Fortunately the noise of the combat does not awaken the rest of their tired friends and Zinc drifts back to sleep, content with the might of Jascar. And the rest of this watch and the next two pass uneventfully. Everyone stirs as the sun rises and the spellcasters take time to memorize their spells. Kazan stomach grumbles as he sinches up his belt again.
"I think I'll try fishing while everyone is busy," says Kazan. "I really wish we had more provisions. Do you think the brothers will come back to collect the trees?"
No one answers his query and he heads off to stream in search of something to break his fast. As luck would have it he is able to spear a good size fish by the time the spells are memorized.
"Would anyone like some raw fish?" ask Kazan as he proudly displays the fruits of his labor.
"Thanks but I think I will stick to rations," says Morvan, who proceeds to pull out two weeks of rations that he shares with the rest of the group. "If we have to stop every day to catch our meal we'll never get anywhere."
As midday passes there is no sign of the brothers or any other boats on this side of the river.
"What are we waiting for?" asks Basil.
"Right, let's see where this game trail goes" agrees Zinc. "I am sure we can use the branches from the trees to light a bonfire when we are ready to go back. Someone is certain to come and investigate."
They cross the clearing and walk along the edge of the forest. The sounds of buzzing can be heard in the tree tops overhead. Morvan identies the sound as a large species of bee. Not something he would recommend messing with. The party passes quickly and enters the forest along the game trail. The game trail heads up the hill.
The party continues along the trail unsure exactly where they are headed. They pass a couple of side trails but stick to what looks like the main trail. This eventually dumps them out in a clearing by a lake that is nestled between a couple of hills. Colored stones line the floor of the lake and schools of small fish can be seen darting along the shallows.
The party continues along the clearing skirting the edge of the lake. Large bushes grow along the edge of the forest which are covered in dark red berries. Kazan looks at them longingly but Rensslaer assures him that they are poisonous to humans. Rensslaer explains that knowing what kinds of berries are edible is one of the many skills he learned from his father, the hunter. Kazan decides not to test his friends woodland skills.
At the far end of the lake another trail leads back into the forest. This trail follows between the two hills and then rises up another hill. At the top of this hill Kazan offers to climb a tree in hopes of getting a better view of the surrounding lands. Everyone waits as he selects what looks to be one of the larger trees and proceeds to climb with apparent easy. High above the forest floor Kazan has a good view of the lake and beyond that the clearing and the river. Looking in the other direction he sees another lake with clearing and a more distant clearing. In the clearing by the lake there appear to some huts or tents. He is unable to detect any motion from the huts after several minutes and heads back down.
"No ruins from what I could see but there are some huts down by a lake a couple miles from here. Could be hobgoblins," ventures Kazan.
"Well it is getting pretty late. I think this makes as good as any camp site," says Zinc. "We can check out the huts in the morning. Maybe Morvan can entangle more hobgoblins that we can get information from this time. Same watches? No camp fire?"
The watches proceed again in the dark. It isn't until the second watch that more giant bats attack. This time Kazan has left his tinderbox and torch in close reach and is able to light the camp site within minutes. The bats flee into the night again leaving the party on the losing end of the fight.
"That's it," says Rensslaer, "we are lighting a fire from now on. Standing watch in the dark is stupid."
"But we are camped on the top of a hill," retorts Zinc. "It will be visible for miles."
"Well they will have already seen Kazan's torch if anyone is looking," answers Rennslaer. "We'll make a small fire and try to shield it."
Not wishing to be awoken by giant bats anymore the party agrees. And the rest of the night passes undisturbed.
The Islands are filled with ruins, large and small, but many have been searched through and disassembled, stone by stone. Others have not, and the fruits of such labor may be sizable. In the innermost parts of the Islands, where the mountains rise up out of the coastal areas, fewer folk live and more of the ancient wealth is left behind, undiscovered.
Baron Woodward’s land extends into the mountain, but the practical border is the Shrill River. On one side are hamlets and homesteads of farmers and herders, guarded by border forts. On the other is a vast wilderness extending up into the mountains. This separation was not always so, as the ruins of many buildings are found on both sides of the river.
A scout once told Kazan that the forest hides more than the animals in it. Tracks and paths can be found by those that have a good eye, and these tracks and paths lead places, places not known by many men. Opposite Fort Guy is such a place.
Nestled against the Shrill River, the wooded hills hide a temple or monastery to ancient evil, long abandoned. While known to the soldiers of the fort as formerly a place to temporarily camp, it has not been visited in years. As far as Kazan was told, none have tried to search the ruins for anything of value. Rough directions to the monastery were easily available, but it would take a group of like-minded folk to travel safely and thoroughly search the monastery.
After some discussion, the group decides that they will spend most of their remaining pennies to buy supplies for the trip to Fort Guy. The plan is to seek a crossing of the river where they will be able to explore the ruins of the hopefully treasure-laden monastary.
The party heads out on foot with unarmed, fleet-footed Kazan carrying the bulk of the party's meager equipment. The days passed uneventfully. At times the party walks with merchants or other travellers that head down the road. Money being scarce they are only able to purchase simple meals from those inns they find along the way. Nights are spents sleeping in stables or by the side of the road. Tales of a bandit company known as Burt's Bees -a name which brought a smile to Morvan's face- attacking travellers in the country side are heard from time to time. However they encounter no problems along their route. The further out from the City State the fewer people share the road with them. As their money just about runs out they reach Fort Guy.
Fort Guy is an impressive structure along the Shrill River. Clearly well run by the Baron's army. The forest has been cleared to build the fortress and the area around the fort is kept well clear of buildings as well as vegetation. Some small buildings surround the fortress but it appears that most of the inhabitants live inside the walls.
Kazan tells his friends "I'm going to go down to the docks for information about far side of the river as well as passage across the river." The rest of the party wishes him luck and enters the fort. Quick enquiry discovers that the the Lion's Head Inn is the only tavern. They head there for a good meal, which Rensslaer generously pays for, and settle in at the bar for some drinks before the hard part of this trip begins.
Kazan finds fisherman working on the dock repairing his nets and offers to help, hoping to chat up the fisherman for tales of the land. Knot tieing proves a skill unknown Kazan but fisherman Charles is happy to but him to work carrying supplies and tarring the underside of the boat. While Kazan happily completes these task Charles and another fisherman Phil tell him how adventuring groups occassionally come to Fort Guy looking to find their riches on the far side. Charles has been known to ferry them across the river for a mere 10 gold pieces a head and for a little more has agreed to pick them up later. So far Charles has been able to pocket the return fare as no one has returned. Knowing that the party has spent most of their little saving equiping themselves for the trip even a small fare seems like a fortune to Kazan. Charles also tells tales of ogres that populate the far side of the river which take adventures captive and sell them as slaves. Phil indicates that this more likely a yarn that Charles likes to use to scare young adventures. But there are definitely humanoids on the far side of the river and the size of fortress seems to back up this fact.
After a long afternoon of helping the fishermen with their labors Kazan returns to the inn with the two fishermen. Kazan introduces them "This is Charles and Phil, they are some boats owners I met. They think they know someone that would be willing to take us across the river." The rest of the party hasn't been as industrious during their time in the fort so readily agree to hear what these men have to say. Kazan is treated to a rich meal by the fishermen while the negotiations were carried out. Charles tells the group " I know that Bret and his two brothers are looking to build a new boat. They need help felling trees from across the river and bringing the logs back. I'm sure that he would willing to cut a deal on the passage if you help him." "I don't know" says Rennslear "sounds like a lot of work for passage." "The deal sounds fair to me "says Zinc. "We'll take it!" So an agreement is struck.
Early the next morning the party meets Phil and Charles at the dock where the introductions are made. Bret asks "if you have everything then we can be off!"
Bret and his brothers take the party across the river to a clearing by the side of the river. It is a large clearing with a waterfall at far end and a small stream running done the middle. Work commences felling a number of the large trees that form the edge of the clearing. Kazan enjoys the heavy labor but the rest of the party finds the works extremely hot in their heavy armor.
Morvan, who takes frequent breaks, at one point spies some motion at the far side of the clearing. He chooses not to tell anyone of the small humanoids that leave and then quickly re-enter the forrest along what appears to be a game trail. Later in the afternoon when larger humanoids appear following the same path he feels it is prudent to let others know as the humanoids appear to have taken notice of the group.
Bret and his brothers immediately dash for the boat upon learning of the humanoids; leaving all of their supplies. Kazan and Morvan also join them on the boat. Basil, Zinc and Rennslaer however are more interested in facing this foe and ignore all entreatments to get on the boat. By the time the boat pushes off from the shore it is clear that five hobgoblins are moving towards the three remaining party members.
In the boat Kazan implores the brothers to return to the shore to pick up his foolish party members. Don't they realize that they have been hired to fell trees and not hobgoblins, he wonders. Eventually Bret relents and steers the boat back to the shore. Kazan and Morvan rush back on shore to retrieve their friends as well as the equipment the brothers left behind. The equipment is easily retrieved but the Basil, Zinc and Rensslaer stand firm in their resolve to test their mettle against these hobgoblins.
Torn between leaving his friends and fulfilling his contract Kazan is left standing on the banks of the river as the boat once again pulls away. The rest of the party has taken up defensive positions amongst the fallen tree trunks.
Out from the trees charge the six hobgoblins. Zinc lets loose a crossbow bolt that sails deep into the forrest. Two hobgoblins each rush forward to attack Zinc and Rennslaer with the remaining heading for Basil. In the first clash Zinc is struck twice and knocked unconscious. Rennslaer is able to spit one of the hobgoblins on his spear and Basil has no problem gutting his opponent. Then as soon as it has begun the fighting stops as Morvan calls upon the power of Bralm to entangle the three standing hobgoblins. Rennslaer kills the held hobgoblin in front of him while standing in midst of the writhing grasses. Kazan edges forward to retrieve the fallen priest of Jascar after being assured that Morvan can control who is considers a foe by the mindless vegetation.
Zinc is healed by the combined blessing of three dieties and the hobgoblins are bound more permanently using the rope carried by Kazan. The party waits for the boat to return but nothing is visible from the shore. Zinc decides to retrieve his errant bolt and heads into the dense forrest. Still being covered by large amounts of his own blood he is assualted by large numbers of mosquitoes. It isn't long before something larger also catches scent of the blood.
Not waiting to find out what is making the loud buzzing sound Zinc sprints back towards the clearing his lost bolt gone from his mind. Rushing into the clearing he is followed by four large bug-like birds, with huge proboscis. "Stirges!" Zinc yells. Two of the stirges make a beeline for the bound hobgoblins while the other two fly in amongst the party. It takes several minutes to dispatch the two attacking the party. Rensslaer, seeing the stirges killing their prisoners, throws his spear, impaling the stirge but also unfortunately, one of the hobgoblin prisoners. The final stirge is easily slain the nearly full meal having made it a slow and easy - if messy - target for the party.
"Well at least we still have one prisoner left" says Rennslaer. "Once he is conscious we will get him to tell us where this monastery is. In the meantime I guess we should make camp. Do you think we need to set a watch?"
"I suggest we have at least two people on watch at all times" say Kazan.
"Let me think about this" says Zinc. "We have two people who can see in the dark. And the three priests all need at least four hours of rest in order to pray and memorize our spells. And of course we don't want a fire as that might draw creatures to us in the dark. So let's go with overlapping four hours shifts. Morvan and I will start. After two hours Morvan goes to sleep and Rennslaer starts his watch. We continue the pattern with Basil and Kazan, with Morvan taking another two hour shift in the morning."
The party accedes to this plan. And after a cold meal the watches start.
However even before the first watch is finished four large dark shapes plummet out the sky and attack the party. Morvan recognizes them as giant bats and proceeds to fight the one attacking him.
Zinc shouts "What's happening! I can't see a thing!" as he swings wildly at the sound of wings in the night.
Morvan answers as he wards off one of the bats "Obviously there is a giant bat right in front of you and two are attacking the prisoner. I am busy killing this one."
Zinc screams "Awake! Awake! Giant bats!" which stirs the heavily sleeping party members.
Kazan fumbles in his backpack for his timber box and after a minute is able to light a torch The sudden appearance of bright light scatters the bats. The party has been scratched up by the claws of the bats. Further investigation shows that the bats finished the job that the stirges started, killing the last prisoner.
"Well at least they served as a distraction from things attacking us" offers Basil. This gets shocked expression from the rest of the party, unsure as to whether he truly meant the remark. Or was just trying to lighten the dark mood of the group.
"How about a small fire?" asks Rennslaer.
The suggestions seems reasonable but their is concern that it could draw even larger nocturnal creatures. Eventually eveyone settles back to sleep and the watches in the dark continue.
Later, in the pitch darkness, Rensslaer and Basil are on watch. From across the clearing comes a rattle and an evil sounding, high-pitched cackle. Clutching his spear in the dark, Rensslaer calls out to Basil, "Do you see anything?" Basil stares into the night, his half-elven heritage allowing him to make out the shapes of trees, vegetation and the sleeping forms of his companions, but nothing else.
"Nothing out there," the warrior says from the opposite side of the camp, "must be your imagination."
The cackle sounds again, closer, and Rensslaer invokes a prayer to Lendor. Light blooms from his spear, illuminating the campsite and blinding Basil, who rubs his eyes in confusion. Moving toward the sound, still outside his light, Rensslaer comes upon a nightmarish apparation. A walking dead, a skeleton, with two red glowing eyes heading directly for the party. Not one to let the fight come to him he races forward with his spear and just as a skeleton cross the stream in the middle of the clearing he impales it. This does not appear to slow the skeleton as the spear wedges between it ribs, and it lets loose another frightening cackle and its eyes flash red. Yelling for help, Rensslaer drops his spear and draws his sword. Basil readies himself for combat, while Zinc leaps from his bedroll, brandishing the silver hammer of Jascar. Stricken by holy might, the skeleton turns and flees, Rensslaer's spear still embedded in its chest. "Not so fast," Rensslaer quips, before smashing it with his longsword, crushing its skull. The eerie light fades away in its empty eye sockets.
"My imagination, indeed," snorts Rensslaer.
Basil shrugs.
Fortunately the noise of the combat does not awaken the rest of their tired friends and Zinc drifts back to sleep, content with the might of Jascar. And the rest of this watch and the next two pass uneventfully. Everyone stirs as the sun rises and the spellcasters take time to memorize their spells. Kazan stomach grumbles as he sinches up his belt again.
"I think I'll try fishing while everyone is busy," says Kazan. "I really wish we had more provisions. Do you think the brothers will come back to collect the trees?"
No one answers his query and he heads off to stream in search of something to break his fast. As luck would have it he is able to spear a good size fish by the time the spells are memorized.
"Would anyone like some raw fish?" ask Kazan as he proudly displays the fruits of his labor.
"Thanks but I think I will stick to rations," says Morvan, who proceeds to pull out two weeks of rations that he shares with the rest of the group. "If we have to stop every day to catch our meal we'll never get anywhere."
As midday passes there is no sign of the brothers or any other boats on this side of the river.
"What are we waiting for?" asks Basil.
"Right, let's see where this game trail goes" agrees Zinc. "I am sure we can use the branches from the trees to light a bonfire when we are ready to go back. Someone is certain to come and investigate."
They cross the clearing and walk along the edge of the forest. The sounds of buzzing can be heard in the tree tops overhead. Morvan identies the sound as a large species of bee. Not something he would recommend messing with. The party passes quickly and enters the forest along the game trail. The game trail heads up the hill.
The party continues along the trail unsure exactly where they are headed. They pass a couple of side trails but stick to what looks like the main trail. This eventually dumps them out in a clearing by a lake that is nestled between a couple of hills. Colored stones line the floor of the lake and schools of small fish can be seen darting along the shallows.
The party continues along the clearing skirting the edge of the lake. Large bushes grow along the edge of the forest which are covered in dark red berries. Kazan looks at them longingly but Rensslaer assures him that they are poisonous to humans. Rensslaer explains that knowing what kinds of berries are edible is one of the many skills he learned from his father, the hunter. Kazan decides not to test his friends woodland skills.
At the far end of the lake another trail leads back into the forest. This trail follows between the two hills and then rises up another hill. At the top of this hill Kazan offers to climb a tree in hopes of getting a better view of the surrounding lands. Everyone waits as he selects what looks to be one of the larger trees and proceeds to climb with apparent easy. High above the forest floor Kazan has a good view of the lake and beyond that the clearing and the river. Looking in the other direction he sees another lake with clearing and a more distant clearing. In the clearing by the lake there appear to some huts or tents. He is unable to detect any motion from the huts after several minutes and heads back down.
"No ruins from what I could see but there are some huts down by a lake a couple miles from here. Could be hobgoblins," ventures Kazan.
"Well it is getting pretty late. I think this makes as good as any camp site," says Zinc. "We can check out the huts in the morning. Maybe Morvan can entangle more hobgoblins that we can get information from this time. Same watches? No camp fire?"
The watches proceed again in the dark. It isn't until the second watch that more giant bats attack. This time Kazan has left his tinderbox and torch in close reach and is able to light the camp site within minutes. The bats flee into the night again leaving the party on the losing end of the fight.
"That's it," says Rensslaer, "we are lighting a fire from now on. Standing watch in the dark is stupid."
"But we are camped on the top of a hill," retorts Zinc. "It will be visible for miles."
"Well they will have already seen Kazan's torch if anyone is looking," answers Rennslaer. "We'll make a small fire and try to shield it."
Not wishing to be awoken by giant bats anymore the party agrees. And the rest of the night passes undisturbed.