(014) The Ravine

[waysoftheearth]

Valandil wrote:

and somewhat strong fighters at the rear for protection there.

OCC: Andaros has plenty of hit-points, he can watch your backs.

"Mads, lad, I hope you don't mind if I use your ax a little longer."

Andaros will put Padrig's corpse sitting against the wall of the ravine, ten or twenty feet away from the dungeon entrance. He will leave the dagger and the short sword in the elf hands, but will take Padrig's spear with him.

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

Wibert pokes around the site of the discussion, supposedly looking for anything to add to a stew, but checks out the equipment of the slain Padrig along his way.
With the knave having made off with the Elf's coin purse and backpack, what is left of Padrig's goods are:

• A water skin,
• A spear,
• An Elf made Shortbow,
• A quiver of 16 arrows and 3 silver arrows,
• A metal shield,
• An oil flask.

Back here Wibert takes the follow:

A water skin,
An Elf made Shortbow,
A quiver of 16 arrows and 3 silver arrows,
A metal shield,

And drops the Knaves crossbow for a better one.

Note: Padrig used the oil to attack the ogre inside, so its not really there to take.

Wibert is not a priest but stops for second to ask the gods to take care of this brave knight he saw killed in battle, sorry never to met him, for he never had a chance to talk much with an elf before. He covers his face with a cloth, and trots off to the join the others.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Highbough mounts the narrow stair to the dunjon entrance once more as first shafts of ivory light slant through grey clouds to fall upon that dented, rusted, iron door. Once composed after the short climb he closes his eyes a moment to gather his will, then he begins to chant a rickety, broken verse in a pitted, bleak and morose tongue of wails and strangled screams that has the hair upon the back of your neck cringing to hear it.

The grey light shuns the portal and it slams shut with such as force that dust is cast over the ledge, and Highbough's cloak ruffles about his thin legs. And then the verse in thankfully ended.

"It is done," he rasps, returning to the common speech.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Meanwhile Wibert and Andaros take up what goods of Padrig's seem rightful (leaving behind the empty oil flask).

Wibert thinks better of attempting to converse with the uncanny Elf Highbough... for now.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

And drops the Knaves crossbow for a better one.

The knaves were equipped with short bows -- none possessed a crossbow.

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
Dieter will take the lead, behind any scouts that volunteer.

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
"Let'us get moving, before they have a chance to regroup," says Pellenwin. " I'd like catch them on their lunch and rip out thier spine from behind."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Very good.

The company sets off, with Nidhogg sent to scout the way ahead of Olaf and Dieter, then Pelenwin and Mads, followed by the bulk of the company, then finally Thorgrim and Victor come lugging one of the heavy chests, and Boris and Fix lugging the other. Andaros has the van.

It is thankfully but a short hike back up the rocky ravine to where the mule waits patiently with the cart. He watches the company approach with a mild disinterest which does not prevent his chewing on whatever is in his nose bag.

"At last!" grumbles Victor, as he and Thorgrim dump the very heavy chest onto the cart. Boris and Fix are both hot and flustered by the time they unhandle their burden too.

Now the cart is loaded up with the two heavy chests and all the supplies and spare gear which the company possesses.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Victor hitches the cart to the mule while Nidhogg heads off down the ravine for a look ahead. Pretty soon all is ready, and the company follows after the Dwarf in the following marching order:

Nidhogg

Olaf & Dieter
Pelenwin & Mads
Wibert & Gustave
Highbough & Ulric
Thorgrim & Victor
Mule & Cart
Boris & Fix
Andaros

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
The morning is cool and still, and dawn is not yet an hour gone when you hear echoes of several horn blasts behind you. Your thoughts turn a moment to the knave who escaped the ambush...

...but you press on through the rocky ravine, awkwardly at first, for the cart is now heavy with loot, and the terrain is unfavourable. The mule struggles at times, and the Men about it are forced to lend their backs and shoulders to get the cart over particularly difficult ruts.

Ahead, Nidhogg find the ravine getting wider and lower, and the ground more even. Eventually, the ravine is no more and the Dwarf finds himself upon the brink of a choice. Which way to go?

Directly ahead is a broken looking canyon-land that stretches far out to his right. Or he can make a sharp U turn to his right to head back up along the ridge of the ravine the company has just traversed.

To his left, the ravine-river is now perhaps some dozen yards wide, and the lands beyond it appear to be rolling hillocks of grassy plains for as far as the eye can see. There is no obvious ford here, but the rest of the company is just now passing by the ford a little way back up the ravine -- where the river is much shallower.

What to do?