Greyhawk Game Blog

Crossing the Barrens [11 May 1211]

Filed under Tar's Company Storyline » 11 Taking the Amulet Trail by Steve | | Bottom

With the day breaking with a light rain present, the Company heads into the Barrens of Iuz. The rain, dark clouds, and empty landscape only add to the oppressiveness of the Company’s mood. However, the 6th and 7th of may pass without incident, with the Company camping well North of a collection of wigwams on the plain. It is unlikely that those in the camp are or will be aware of the Company’s presence, but there is no incident and on the 8th the Company moves out again. The rain has been on and off all day, by the end of the 8th they are once again sleeping in the rain.

In the morning of the 9th, when Tar greets Hanar a good morning, she tells him that a small group passed near them last night (about a klick away). They didn’t come nearer and didn’t seem a bother, so she didn’t alert anyone last night. Tar thanks her and heads over to the horses to check them under their rain tarps. That’s where Firena finds him and is told about the encounter in the night. Though Tar seems unconcerned, Firena is concerned about them. She asks for information about the group. Size, horses, carts, etc. Tar tells her than there was less than a dozen human-sized people on horseback. Other than that Hanar couldn’t tell anything specific. She finds it interesting that they didn’t shy away or pay any extra attention to the camp. Perhaps they’re used to seeing large temporary encampments of armed people. She then asks Tar to fly Splerendor and see if there are any tracks. She doesn’t want them to circle around and try to use us as a battle trophy.

Tar nods and sends Splerendor up. However, as he watches the hawk fly, he tells her that a group of that sizes poses no threat to us. They would have to be either foolhardy or exceptionally skilled to beleive that they can take on a camp of our size. She reminds him that though this is basically true, they might be an advance (or trailing) detachment of a larger group. Tar grunts and watches the hawk fly and enjoys the feeling for a few minutes before he calls the hawk back. He tells Firena that they are moving away from the Company at normal speed. Satisfied, she heads out to ensure that breakfast is being made.

It isn’t until later that evening when the Company has their next contact. Firena is right in the middle of telling Marky how to deal with a large complex break when Drathon finds her.

About a klick away. A dozen or so people. Riding some wierd mount.

Firena:

Approaching?

Drathon:

Comin’ from the West. Heading East. Don’t know if for us, yet.

Firena:

No point waiting to find out. Prepare to meet them.

Drathon:

Aye. William, Edmund, Shasivin bows at the ready. 23, 25, at the ready!

He heads off toward Gustuv, who’s watching something and starts issuing other commands setting his people up in preparation of a charge. Tar, seeing the commotion starts to head over to Firena. Even thought encounters like this always set his stomach churning, he shows no sign of it on the outside. He carefully projects an aura of calm and control about himself. With his empathic abilities, those around him typically feel calmer as well. In short order, the camp is up and prepared for an encounter and Firena has given Tar a quick status report. Tar nods and heads over to his horse. “Better to project an aura of command and authority on whomever is coming,” he thinks. “Besides, the troops should draw inspiration from me astride Naldo.” Indeed, the sight of the 6’ 6” giant on top of his 14hh rare black Andalusian stallion standing calmly behind them, bolsters up all of their courage to meet the stand.

As Tar, is mounting his horse, Dreune tells Nyra and Morven to be ready in a moments notice. Nyra simply nods and turns back to the elk that she’s skinning. Dreune watches her, shakes his head and walks up to Firena, who’s standing next to Drathon and in front of Tar. As he gets there, Firena is asking what they’re looking for and Drathon points out on the horizon, but Firena can’t see anything. She keeps watching and slowly she can see a dust plume, but not really what’s making it, when she hears Gustuv call out:

Two Wagons. A dozen or so soldiers are being ridden as well.

Dreune (to Morven):

Earth spikes or small hills might be needed to take care of calvary.

Firena:

I think we should be ready for the worst.

Drathon nods:

Miles, Mount ‘em up. William, set to. Hanar form up! Prepare for a charge.

Dreune:

(to Gustuv) Are the Wagons full of soldiers?

Gustuv:

No telling. Each wagon is having 2 on the front board. I am seeing no weapons. The riders are being armed, but they are not having their weapons out.

Tar unhoods the hawk and sends it aloft, while Miles, Alonso, and Marky head to the horses. Hanar starts organizing the Infantry, while William places himself, Edmund, and Shasivin behind them. Dreune loudly tells Morven and Nyra to take down the wagons first.

Nyra looks up from the half-skinned elk:

Excuse me?

Dreune (to Nyra):

I would like it very much if we targeted the wagons first. They could be carrying more troops.

Nyra glances and Meluvia:

I guess I’ll be leaving you the elk. (She wipes her hands on the towel at her waste and starts to clean her knife as she heads over to the group.

Firena:

I suppose we should match their posture?

Tar:

If so, then we should lower our weapons.

Gustuv:

They are not to be heading this way. I can tell not if they have seen us.

Tar nods:

I adree. Dey are nod headin’ doo us but are headin’ wes’ stiw.

The Company watches the other group as they pass North by about half a kilometer from the Company—still heading East.

Firena:

A ruse?

Tar:

Wad?

Firena:

It could be a ruse. Riding in a direction that looks as if they are going to ride past us, only to turn at the last minute and head our way.

Tar:

A dossen men agains’ us? May’e more in da wagons, but drifin’ wagons indo a baddle doesn’ seem li’e a smard miwidaru moof. I’w haf do remember dat. Id coul’ come i’ han-dee.

Firena:

They look like they’ve passed us. Drathon, stand down the general alert, but double the guard for the time being. I do not want to be surprised if they decide to turn back.

Drathon:

Stand down. 21, 22 on guard. 21, Eyes on the wagon.

And so, the Company settles down into normalcy. Gustuv and Miles watch the caravan fading into the darkness of night, while Cust and Tovish roam the camp. Eventually, the camp settles down and even though there is still a light rain, the night of the 9th passes uneventfully.

May 10, 1211

By the time the 10th of May arrives, the rain has stopped and the sun is shining nicely. “A day that the gods are celebrating some unknown occasion—a great one’s birthday, maybe”, thinks Tar. He stretches and calls for his dogs. He’s almost forgotten that they are in the evil unnamed one’s lands. at least, he forgets until Firena reaches him. Sighing, he pockets the ball, to the great discontent of his dogs, and heads over to the horses.

Later, around 10:00, the Company can see signs of another village. Like the last one, they avoid it and keep going. Fortunately for the Company, the rainclouds stay away and the day is a bright warm one that allows the ground to start drying.

May 13, 1211

The last three days have been rain free, but the rain looks light it will not hold off longer. The Company believes itself to be almost halfway across the barrens. It is with that thought that they are partaking lunch with. Drathon approaches Firena again.

Contact. Quickly moving group from the North. Seems on track to meet us.

Firena:

Right. Let’s be ready to meet them.

Dreune:

fly the hawk?

Drathon:

Miles, mount ‘em up. William, prepare the archers. The rest form ranks. Orvin, Benito you’re 23!

Dreune

Morven, Nyra be ready…again. More directions to follow.

Nyra:

Korkyn, prepare you’re staff. Balianuvial holds no sway here and you’re not up to talking to the Spirits yet.

When the group is about half a kilometer away, Hanar calls out:

15-20 of them. (she looks back) and they’re large!

The creatures are about times and a half that of a normal man and about twice as heavy. Like Hanar said, they are running toward the group…about 15-20 of them.

Dreune:

Morven, earth spikes are a good option (or whatever she can manage) Nyra…she’ll come up with something.

Nyra has. She has started chanting and and shortly there’s a buzzing sound and shortly, the ground starts to stand up and the others can feel th earth tremor slightly as it stands up to it’s full 8 foor in height. Nyra smiles. Nyra glances over at Dreune. “

So, do I have you’re permission to send Tahdaformanug to attack those things, sir?

Dreune:

...ah…well…ah…my that is impressive! No reason to wait.

Nyra smiles an evil little smile and the creature dissapates into the ground. Dreune thinks, “By the gods is she one sexy druid”

Morven:

Dreune, what would you think of a wall to slow them down?

Dreune:

You thinking of entrapping them or making a small wall for them to either climb over or go around?

Morven:

An obstacle to overcome. Not enough time to encircle them completely.

Dreune:

Might be to intenisve from this far away…we’d have to make it closer to the group…and then that actually block our view

At about 200 meters, they are coming into focus.

Cust:

Oh bloody hell, no! Have the gods bedamned us? Shasivin, d’ ye remember those accursed creatures in th’ Cairn Hills that s’prised us with th’ Duke’s hunting party?

Shasivin: Aye. I remember. They be trolls.

At the Company’s looks, Cust continues:

Trolls are well-known loike for bein’ able to heal themselves. Right quick too, damn them. Saw one once, with his head lopped right off. Didn’t a new one sprout back. Limbs? Like a lizards, they’s grow back! I’m tellin’ ya, nothin’ boot fire an’ mebbe acid’ll kill those things. Oh, and they’re fierce tough they are. A kill’d aboot seven o’ us before we got the best o’ ‘em.

Hanar:

There looks to be closer to around 15 of them, maybe less, but not much less.

Firena:

We need some folks with torches. Anyone not actively engaged, start some torches!

Dreune:

Korkyn, make yourself useful, go Astral and see if these things have an astral form. Do not engage them, oh, and hurry!

Korkyn closes his eyes and casts his mage sight out across the plain. “No, they’re not dual essenced!” he says with some amount of excitement in his voice.

Dreune:

As expected. Thank you.

Dreune starts to mumble a few words of an incantation, while Tar sends a message to Firena and Drathon mentally:

Folks, there no reason why we need to have this conflict. We have the plain and horses.

Both Drathon and Firena turn toward him, but with different expressions. Drathon has never been one to shirk from a battle, but it hadn’t occur to Firena to run. She does, however, understand and asks:

Can we outrun these things? Plynsen, Hnar can you drive those damned carts quicker than those things are running?

Yalinari:

I thththththink wwwwwwe shshshshshshsould tttttttttry!

Miles:

Most assuredly. If we find they are catching up to the wagons, the cavalry can divert them.

Hanar:

Aye, I think I can.

Plynsen:

As do I.

Gustuv:

If catch us they do, we are to be fighting on horseback. A much better place to be, than fighting on the ground.

Drathon (To Tar and Firena):

Right. Exercise discretion. After all, that’s the better part of valor.

Tar:

Mout up. We leafin!

Dreune:

Sorry Nyra…good job though

Drathon:

24, 25 get the kichen stowed and don’t be neat. Cavalry prepare to flank. Handlers, the picket line. Get those teams harnassed.

Edmund:

William, Shasivin, Ladbrooke to me. We may need covering fire.

The Company explodes into movement with the trolls bearing down on them. The soldiers are throwing the uncleaned pots and pans into the wagon over the protests of Meluvia. Gustuv rides over to the picket line and cuts the line while Vanith and Plynsen move the horses into position. They are not done when they can hear the first Troll scream. Those that were watching saw the ground open up beneath one. Suddenly, another pit opens and another troll disappears. Edmund yells, “Fire” and a volley of arrows goes into the sky as they are about 120 yards away. As some strike their targets, more screams are heard. Dreune calls out, “Points arise” and the ground before the trolls turns to sharply pointed rocks in all directions. The trolls scream in pain as they step on the ground and their is confusion. Morven starts to magically throw some of the spikes that Dreune has created. The arches send another volley into the trolls, who are now in a near panic as the Earth Spirit rises on one side and smashes a huge stone fist into one of the trolls. The troll screams and swings back, as does it’s neighbor. Both hit the Spirit which flails back with it’s own strike felling another of the beasts. However, it’s partner strikes the unprotected spirit, which explodes into a cloud of dust.

By this time, the trolls have figured out that they will have to go around the ground that Dreune tranformed and have started to trun again. The time that took, however, has been enough for the horses to be hitched. And it’s just in time. The trolls have found the edge of the trap Dreune laid and are approaching again, undaunted by the hails of arrows striking them. Hanar and Plynsen jump into the cart, as do Meluvia an Vanith, and they each yell to their teams. Like a shot they are off. The others, on horseback, follow, but the trolls are not far behind. The stench of troll makes the hroses even more fearful. Even the skilled riders have problems controlling them, but it is Parnalam who is clinging to the saddle with all his might. After five minutes, the trolls start to fade rapidly and the Company can slow their speed as well. It’s another ten minutes before the trolls are lost from sight completely, and Tar sends up his hawk again.

With an assurance, that the trolls are not following them, the Company slows to a more moderate pace and quits the field earlier than normal. Firena calls for a double watch, but the night passes uneventfully. The barrens is turning out to be a very dangerous place indeed.

[single.php]

| |