Session Twentyone 22nd - 24th Nolus 720

Where we follow the vicissitudes of a separate viking pHarn Down Under ...

Moderator: Neil

Session Twentyone 22nd - 24th Nolus 720

Postby Neil » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:31 am

22nd Nolus 720

The rain continues to fall throughout the night once again.

The day dawns with the clouds low and thick in the morning sky. The temperature is cool with a strong wind blowing in from the SW.

The warband are awoken and go about their morning routine ending with the sharing of the morning meal.

As the warband share their meal they notice that there are a few more customers this morning. It has been several nights since their ghostly visitor has appeared. The warband suggests that now their friend has been cleared of the charges against him, he is now free to take the trip to Talagaard with his honoured restored. With the ‘ghost’ now gone customers are starting to return to the “Iron Boar”.

Turning to the business at hand the warband discuss the mysterious symbols shown to Ashain during his dreams. They decide that they will spend the day gathering information that may help decipher this puzzle. Tryne on the other hand has more a more pressing need.

Tyrne approaches one of the inn staff requesting a private room, arrangments are quickly made and then visiting the chandler to purchase some writing equipment, another visit to the inn staff gets him some oatcakes and and fruit to see him through the day.

Making his way upstairs he locks the door and settles in to write himself a Scholium and a Tract to prepare himself for his Focus spell.

The rest of the warband go in search of information.

They return to the inn around midday without any luck in gathering any further information about this mysterious heraldric symbol. There is no sign of Tryne at all.

As the warband sit and eat their midday meal Raan overhears a conversation between 2 other Ivinian men from the town. Raan recognises one of the men as the town chandler Jorga Shengaard.

“I tell ya, I heard it straight from Bjarri, Linon has lost their whole flock of sheep, gone, no more.” The other man listens on, after drawing a healthy moutful of ale he replies “that must be nearly 400 or so head, what would have done that.....must have been some fearful beast indeed.” Then with a smirk on his face he continues “Stupid Jarin herder is probably lost is all.” Jorga waves away his friends comment “Nah, no chance of any beast causing that, mind you if the Jarin are invovled, what if it is part of any uprising, likes we had not last season.” He does not sound all that convincing in his reply concerning any beasts but he does sound interested at the thought of Jarin involvement “Anyway I reckon it is closer to 600 sheep gone, I reckons on seeing the Valhakar of Linon in Sherwyn before long seeking help from our Lord.” Taking a quick sip Jorga looks at his companion “What sort of beast do’s ya reckon would be able to eat all thems sheep?” His companion merely shrugs his shoulders in reply before draining the contents of his tankard. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve he stands and says to Jorga “Well, I don’t know about you but I’ve got work to get back too.....” both he and Jorga stand and leave the inn.

After the two men have left Raan turns to his companions and retells them of the story he has just overheard. Mablem informs him that he too overheard the conversation but not all the details while Kalyn and Ashain listen on. Raan makes his way upstairs and knocking on Trynes door says “Have just heard a good rumour if you are interested.” Their is a muffled response from behind the door “Be finished soon, see you later.” Shrugging his shoulders Raan makes his way downstairs and rejoins his companions. Finishing their meal the warband leave the inn and resume their search for information.

Later in the afternoon Tyrne emerges from his room Scholium and Tract secured within his pack.

As he enters the common room he finds that his companions are not there. He takes a seat by a window and watches the world go by as he stares at the ocean to the east.

Showers begin to fall and nearing dusk the other members of the warband arrive back at the inn. On entering the inn the warband shake the droplets of rain from their cloaks and take a spot by the hearth fire to dry out. Tryne joins them by the fire. They order a round of ales as Raan tells Tryne of the story he overheard during his midday meal. “We were thinking of taking a trip out to Linon tomorrow and seeing what is going on, what do you reckon?” Tryne listening to his companion retelling the story stops for a moment on hearing his question, thinks for a moment and answers “Sure, why not. But we will have to be careful and avoid my fathers holdings lest we be seen.” Raan and Kalyn nod in agreement “Tis true, I don’t fancy being hung just yet.” he says with a smile.

The warband remain at the inn this night, with Tryne retiring to his room for the night.

The other 4 members of the warband remain in the common room for the night.

The night is uneventful with showers falling and a mild breeze blowing in from the SW.

23rd Nolus 720

The rain falls all night with showers developing into rain. This rain continues to fall well into the day.

The warband arise as usual with the staff of the inn preparing the mornings customers. Going through their usual morning routines they warband eat their morning meal before heading off towards Linon.

Passing through several small villages the warband make reasonable time along the road. The rain slowing them slightly.

As the warband near Zoen, Tryne suggests that they should now veer inland and skirt his fathers holdings. The warband now find themselves moving through mixed woodland, the sounds of the birds and other wildlife ring out.

Nearing midday the warband breakout from the woodlands and finds themselves back on the main road towards Linon. The warband quicken their step and soon arrive at a small village called Tirdatr, numbering some 10 buildings or so.

As the warband leave the village Ashain notices off in the hills a flock of what he believes to be goats. The herd is sizeable maybe numbering several hundred.

About 1 kilometre further on the warband arrives at the village of Linon.

Walking through the village the warband see no signs of any sort of trouble, maybe the story was all wrong.

The warband makes their way to the thran, where they are halted at the thran gate. Their weapons are taken and placed under a small shelter near the thran gate, the guard takes them towards the main hall. They are introduced to Ardin Dellaka the thran chamberlain.

Raan informs him of the stories he has heard in Sherwyn regarding the loss of the thran’s flock. Ardin laughs off the story as rather an exaggeration. “It is not as bad as that, we have had about 10 sheep go missing that is all, 2 carcasses have since turned up, mauled by some beast. Our woodward is out now looking for any sign of the beast.”

“We are here to offer our services if you so need them.” says Raan. Ardin says that he will ask the Valhakar if this is indeed required. Before leaving the warband ask Ardin if he might have any knowledge on the mysterious heraldry symbol that was shown to Ashain in his dreams. Taking the drawing Ardin says he will see what he can find out. He suggests the warband travel back to Tirdatr where there is an inn. The warband can wait there and he will send word to them as soon as he can.

The warband agrees and before leaving the thran gather their weapons and other belongings. Returning through the rain to the small village they soon arrive and without trouble find a small inn the sign above the door shows a falcon perched on a branch and scribed underneath is written “The Falcon’s Rest”.

Entering the inn the warband find a bench near the fire, rush lights provide illumination for the interior. 3 Jarin women make their way around the room tending the all Jarin customers. As the warband take their seats one of the Jarin girls quickly makes her way over to their table and takes their order. She returns quickly with the drinks requested.

Raan leaves the bench and makes his way to the bar where he spends his time ‘chatting’ with one of the Jarin serving girls. He soon has talked her into meeting him for a liason. She agrees saying that she will meet him outside after the inn has closed.

With a meeting arranged Raan returns to his bench and takes his place with his other companions. There are smiles on the faces of his companions when he tells them of his arrangements.

They warband continue to order several more ales as they await word from Linon.

A Jarin arrives and wiping the rain from his locks finds the warband handing over a note to them. Underneath the drawing of the heraldry device are the words “I could find nothing to help you.... Ardin.”

They order their evening meal which is nothing more than a simple broth, some bread and fresh fruit. The warband believe that they will be staying here tonight so make arrangements for accomodation this night. They organise for a place on the common room floor.

Just after finishing their meal a Jarin boy arrives at the inn, he is soaked by the rain and breathing heavily and quickly recognises the Ivinian warband, making his way towards them he says “Master Ivinians, my master, Master Dellaka requests your attendance at the main hall immediately if you will.” The warband nod their agreement and go about gathering their gear and leaving the inn. Raan shrugs at the Jarin girl as he leaves fearing his rendevous tonight might well be cancelled.

Leaving the inn the warband walk out into the still falling rain. The Jarin boy quickly breaks into a run to return to the thran, Tryne breaks into a jog to catch up, the others do not and continue to walk, Tyrne slows down immediately and rejoins the warband, the young Jarin slows down too and waits for the warband to catch up before continuing to lead them to the thran.

The rain continues to fall making the ground muddy under foot.

On arriving at the thran again they are disarmed and shown into the main hall there sitting by the fire is a man not recognised by the warband but obviously quite distressed.

Ardin approaches the warband and says “Thank you from arriving as soon as you did. It seems things have developed some since you left.” Pausing for a moment to order something to drink for himself and the warband. “This man” pointing towards the man by the fire, “was found by the woodward out near the village Vyrwarn to the north of here. The man claims that he was crew aboard a vessel sailing to Aleath with various cargo, when his vessel ran aground during a storm over a ten day ago. He jumped ship before the ship ran aground but he was washed up on some rocks where he watched the ship hit the rocks and break up going down with all hands.”

Ardin then continues “The herder has since returned to the thran without his flock, he claims that while watching the flock he saw a beast standing more than 12’ tall, with 2 heads and weighing more than 800lbs tried to catch some of the flock, he did not hang around to find out if this beast was sucessful or not. I do not know what he has been drinking but I fear that he is making up this story, a beast such as that does not exsist anywhere on this island.”

The warband ask to speak with the sailor, permission is given and they begin to ask their questions. They discover that some of the cargo was in fact bound for the Pamesani games.

Figuring that perhaps some of the cargo did indeed survive the shipwreck and has no taken up residence on the island. Tyrne suggesting that perhaps this 2 headed monster is in fact an Ivashu. The others in the warband look on blankly “What are they?” asks Mablem “They are beasts created by the god Ilvir, there is little more than that I know.” The warband discuss several options amongst themselves.

“If these beasts got off the boat, then perhaps other cargo might yet be washed ashore for us to lay claim to.” says Tryne.

They approach Ardin again. “Does your Valhakar require our services.” Ardin replies “I do not know, let me make enquiries of him and I will let you know.” Returning Ardin says “Alas, he does not require your services, I fear my Lord places no faith in the words of the herder. The woodward will go out again tomorrow near where the herder said he saw the beast and he will search the area.” Before leaving Ardin says “The woodward will be leaving just after sunrise, should I let him know he will have guests travelling with him?”

The warband nod their approval before returning to the “Falcon’s Rest”. Travelling through the rain the warband arrive at the inn with but an hour to spare before closing the warband takes a place by the fire shakes off the rain droplets and try to dry off.

It is not long before the last patron has left for his dwelling. The serving girls finish cleaning up. Soon the inn has closed. The Jarin women named Felesra looks towards Raan signalling for him to follow. With his face buried into the bottom of his tankard he has missed the signal. Luckily Tryne and Kalyn saw it and inform him that his ‘date’ has left without him. Leaping from his seat he makes his way to the back door and exits the inn. In the darkness he can see the dark form of the Jarin women standing near a storage shed.

Approaching the girl Raan is lead into the shed where he hands the girl a 1d coin. Soon she has taken care of business and both she and Raan have re-entered the inn.

Laying in his bed by the fire a smile drifts across Raan’s face. Soon after he can hear a heated discussion coming from somewhere else in the inn, one voice is clearly the Jarin girls and the other is not known to him but is certainly a males voice. Little is understood from the conversation but it is clearly an arguement.

Raan soon drifts off to sleep with the sounds of the Jarin still in his ears.

24th Nolus 720

The warband are awoken the following morning, it appears the rain has cleared but the day still looms overcast and cool. The wind blows steadily from the SW.

Felesra is not seen this morning as the warband prepare to leave for Linon early.

Arriving at Linon they find the woodward waiting by the thran for them. He introduces himself as Loraan Hodan.

The woodward hands each of the warband some waxed paper, wrapped in it are 12 oatcakes, 1/2lbs of cheese and 6 strips of dried salted pork. The warband thanks Loraan for the food. The warband stores this food in their backpacks before heading off.

The clouds hang grey and low as the warband lead by Loraan quickly head off NW passing through fields and pastures. The hills in the distance approaching with every step.

After about a kilometre or so the fields and pastures give way to mixed woods and steadily increasing hills.

The warband enter the woods with Loraan still leading. Soon after entering the woods the warband turns to a more northerly course still winding their way through the trees. Cresting a hill the warband can see a bay to their east. Nestled along the eastern side of the bay is a small village, maybe a dozen buildings can be seen, whisps of smoke can be seen coming from most of them.

The warband find little shelter as they pass through the woods the stiff wind blowing in from the SW. Raan looks skyward and says “We will be getting rain soon.” After some further walking the warband arrive at a small clearing atop a hill. “This is the area herder said he was in when he saw this beast. I will start a search after we break for our meal.”

No sooner have the group broken camp and started their search than a light shower begins to fall. The rain continues to fall off and on for the next hour, the warband huddle inside their soaked cloaks as they watch Loraan search the ground for any signs.

Soon he stops the warbands advance, waving them forward he shows them a sign. The warband look blankly at him as he describes the sign as a human footprint from a rather foot, judging by the impression left the individual is probably 9’ tall and weighs around 600lbs.

The warband look at each not sure of what to make of this information, could there really be a man this size.

With the wet weather of late Loraan says that he should be able to track the thing as long as the rain does not fall to much longer or too heavily.

The warband turns towards the west with Loraan following a trail only he can see. Several hundred metres later the warband break onto a small rarely used trail. Loraan begins to follow this trail.

About a kilometre later the warband notice through the trees a clearing ahead. Just before the clearing is a small stream and a small stone bridge crosses the stream.

The nothern side of the clearing is dominated by a tree topped hill, the trail continues into the centre of the clearing where it forks, the left leading to the western side of the hill while the other fork climbs through a cutting to the hill’s wooded summit. Several boulders and tree stumps dot the clearings edges.

As the warband approach the bridge they notice that the bridge is obviously in a severe state of disrepair. Loraan warns that the bridge will only hold the weight of one person at a time, he begins his journey across.

About halfway across the bridge an arrow clacks of the stonework. Kalyn can see hiding behind a rock on the far of the clearing a small creature around 3’ in height with tawny brown streaked fur, it has a bow in his hand an appears to be reloading his bow.

Loraan crosses the bridge as quickly as possible, as the small creature yells something unintelligable but it is clearly heard across the clearing. Another arrow from the creature bounces off the bridgework. Loraan has taken shelter by a tree stump near the bridge as Kalyn no attempts to cross. Loraan begins to return fire at this small creature. Kalyn crosses the bridge while Ashain, Mablem, Raan and Tryne take shelter among the trees.

Tryne attempts to hit the creature with his staff sling but his first attempt causes the leather to fray and he has to spend some time fixing his weapon.

Kalyn begins to circle the clearing towards the west. While Mablem attempts to cross the bridge, eventually the creature gets lucky and an arrow strikes Mablem in the left hip. His armour absorbs most of the damage but the arrowhead bites into his skin. Mablem surprised by this struggles to gain the far side of the stream. Soon he makes the far side and begins his advance towards the creature. A second arrow strikes Mablem this time in the chest again his armour absorbs most of the damage however, like the first arrow it too bits into flesh.

Raan is the next to begin to cross the bridge.

Eventually Loraan wins the exchange of bow fire as one of his arrows takes the small creature in the stomach. It disappears behind the rock.

Tryne by this time has repaired his weapon but with no targets to engage waits anxiously.

As Mablem begins to advance on the creatures position, a warcry can be heard and 4 men charge from the trees atop the hill down the trail and towards Mablem. Mablem turns to face his attackes and places himself at the foot of the cutting in a position to block the attackers advance.

Raan quickly gains the other side as Ashain begins to cross. Tryne fires a rock at Mablems would be attackers hitting one in the groin, causing him to drop in pain as he falls unconcious to the ground.

Loraan takes another of Mablems attackers with an arrow through the neck.

Soon a second small creature is seen along the trail leading on the western side of the hill near the first creature. He ducks behind a tree and then moves behind the boulder shielding the other creature. Now this one boulder hides 2 of these creatures.

Mablem now faces off against two attackers. The fight between them ebbs and flows with the first attacker being struck in the chest with Mablem’s sword, until an attack by one of the attackers is met by Mablem and they both drop their weapons. The other attacker sensing an opportunity step forward and launches his attack, Mablem deftly steps aside and launches his own attack with his shield, catching the would be attacker squarely on the shoulder, the sounds of cracking bone is clearly heard as the attacker grimaces in pain, dropping his own weapon.

The 3 men stand facing off against each other without any weapons. A further attack by Mablem with his shield lands squarely against the second attackers skull, dazed he attempts to break away from the fight to regather his weapon.

Kalyn advances on the far side of the clearing approaching the small creatures hiding spot. From her vantage point behind a boulder she can see both creatures the first is laying against the rock while the other stands near him. Kalyn fires a few arrows at him without sucess. Dropping her bow, she picks up spear and shield and charges the creature. Her first attack takes the small creature through the hip as it shrieks in pain, falling to the ground. Raising her spear she drives the spear through the now prostrate creatures chest. Blood flows from the creatures mouth as she withdraws her spear. Turning her attention to the other unconcious creature she drives her spear through the creatures neck.

The first attacker facing off against Mablem now steps back and picks up his weapon while the second attacker seeing Raan advancing towards him attempts to step over one of his prone comrades, losing his footing he falls to the ground. Mablem strikes out at the first attacker, hitting him in the right calf, this wound proves to much as he collapes unconcious to the ground.

His partener attempting to regain his feet notices Raan standing over the top of him axe in hand ready to strike, without a weapon of his own he concedes and surrenders to the warband.

The warband gather at the fork in the trail to tend to their wounds. Mablem tends to the warrior with the shoulder (a compound fracture) and head wound (simple fracture) and seeing the damage decides to drive his sword into the unconcious man’s throat.

Two of the other attackers are being treated and begin to come around. One with a fracture to his groin (?) and the other with open wounds to his chest and right calf. The wounds are treated sucessfully. As Kalyn treats Mablem’s wounds.

Both arrows have not gone to deep and Kayln after cleaning the wound applies a dressing to each. Soon after Tryne finishing treating one of the human attackers makes his way to the stream and gathers some water in his helm, he then removes the dressing from Mablems hip and wipes the water into the wound. The water is very cold and soon the wound appears to heal immediately.

The warband looks on as Tyrne replaces the bandage and then attempts the same feat on Mablem’s chest wound, this time without any visible affect.

Kalyn during her assault noticed that dug into the western side of the hill was a cave enterance.

By the time the warband have treated wounds, gathered weapons,refilled waterskins and carried out other various post battle tasks the sun hangs low in the sky. Ashain gathers up one of the creatures shortbows and gathers together 48 arrows. Raan has spent his time preparing 8 torches using the clothing from the dead warriors and deadfall from the woods. With little more than a few hours of daylight left the warband ponder the cave entrance......

The entrance is carved stone intricately laid, no door bars entry.

The warband have no torches or lanterns with them so they deicide that Loraan should go back to Linon and gather some torches then return, the warband will secure the cave’s entrance until his return. As they enter the cave’s entrance the rain has begun falling.

Mablem and Raan enter the cave’s entrance after lighting one of the torches Raan built, the light it sheds is little but enough for them to be able to advance down the dark tunnel. The stonework is old but looks secure.

Advancing several hundred feet the 10’ wide tunnel opens out as the torch light fails to reach any of the further walls. With only 5 torches left they decide to return to the entrance and daylight.

With darkness fast approaching the warband construct a fire near the cave’s entrance and a smaller fire further around the lee of the hill. Cutting 3 of the guy ropes from their tent, Tryne secures one of the prisoners to the ground near the fire in an effort to get any further inhabitants to attack this poor fellow. The other prisoner is kept near Tryne. Kalyn, Mablem and Tryne take up their posts near the cave entrance while Ashain and Raan move to the top of the hill so that they can see the cave entrance below them.

The warband divide into watches, Mablem and Tryne take the first watch. During their watch the rain begins to fall again. With midnight approaching they hand over the watch to Raan and Kalyn.
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Neil
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