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Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 1:25 am
by sully
Ok, fine, you convinced me. The party will march until dusk, sleep until dawn, and then start marching again.

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 1:43 am
by waysoftheearth
At this point, I think you won't have a problem with covering the distance in time. Your biggest risk is being diverted by an unlucky encounter, so minimising the odds of an unlucky enounter seems to be the best strategy.

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 12:35 pm
by waysoftheearth
The pilgrims are thankful for a rest, and conduct their muted evening prayers before turning in.

Truth be told, Dorgan and Morgan are duly weary also, but Dorgan plans to push for the woods by late morning. Hopefully the elves will have a wary lookout, and find them in time...

...the night passes...

Dorgan and Morgan awake in the predawn still to find a drizzle falling. Dorgan can feel the grim load of poison dragging at him; he knows his time is running short. It's looks to be a cool, and damp day, but nothing should now prevent him from reaching the Ivory Wold and, hopefully, Southwatch...
Nothing further, so a regular night camp is made.

The ref check for night-antics: Xd6=?? but all is clear.

Ref rolls for the next day's weather: 2d6=10, so it's light rain.

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 12:57 pm
by sully
Dorgan will rouse the pilgrims, and get on the move.

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 1:02 pm
by waysoftheearth
Dorgan is determined to make the most of what strength he has left, and gruffly rouses the pilgrims before setting off immediately. "Break your fast on the move, or fall behind!" he grumbles as he trudges off, and the pilgrims wail and curse, but none-the-less they quickly break camp and follow after.

The rain persists all morning, deepening Dorgan's grim mood, and in truth the pilgrims, and Morgan too, are happy to give the dwarf a few score yards lead in order to stay out of his way.

This turns out to be fortuitous, for as Dorgan comes to the crest of a grassy ridge, he finds himself looking down slope to a large column of men on foot, there might be a couple hundred of them with spears and shields and dozens of pennants snapping in the breeze; it's a proper army on the march! The rhythmic thumping of their many feet comes now to his ears...

The column is about 90 yards off, and making a direct bee-line to cross paths, perpendicular with Dorgan's route toward the forest. Maybe a league or two beyond them lies the Ivory Wold; a grey-green smudge in the drizzle.

There are several pairs of outriders flanking the column, and the nearest pair of these are only fifty yards off, and have clearly marked Dorgan (but will not yet have seen the pilgrims, beyond the ridge). They turn briskly to come cantering directly toward our weary dwarf...
One final random encounter check during the morning's march; 1d6=6! uh oh...

The ref determines in secret what will be encountered, then checks for surprise; 2d6=3,4, so no surprise. The encounter distance is then 2d6=9, so 90 yards outdoors.

What now?

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 5:44 pm
by sully
Dorgan will absent-mindedly drop his axe behind him, then turn to pick it up. As he turns, he'll say to the closest pilgrim, Riders! Stay put and keep quiet!

After retrieving his axe, he will walk briskly toward the riders, hoping to put as much space between him and the others as possible. While they approach, he'll examine the pennants and shields, hoping to learn more about who these soldiers are.

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:17 am
by waysoftheearth
Hardly a quarter-minute more of drizzle falls of before the two horsemen canter to within a dozen yards before one of them boldly issues: "Hail the muddy Dwarf! State your name and business in these parts!"

They look to be grim types, unshaved and none too clean themselves, perhaps indicating from a long march. Dorgan notes that both wear a conical steel helm and a brown and blue gambeson for protection, with a large and silver-flecked shape of The Enigma stitched over the front. They carry round shields, spears, and a side arm, and the shields too bear The Enigma. There is some distant shouting audible above the constant patter of rain, and the main column begins the process of coming to a halt...

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 1:58 pm
by sully
I am Dorgan, son of Dorgamond. What am I doing out here? Good question. Right now, I'm babysitting a bunch 'a pilgrims from Maine who didn't know Ket was sacked by goblins... Here, Dorgan stops to spit on the ground, for effect... and I'm in search of a priest who can neutralize poison. Ya got any priests with ya, by chance?

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:55 pm
by Fatal T
Morgan will try and see if he recognizes any faces among the men.
Sorry I've missed it! Notifications aren't working it seems and we've had a nasty bug running through the kids...ugh!

Re: (069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 12:38 am
by sully
Not at all, you're just in time for the action! Hope the kids feel better soon.