Chapter One - Kassen Town Square

[Rakeesh]

Kirdo was mildly surprised at Dariel's assertiveness, but then first impressions of someone in a ceremony weren't so representative, he thought. "Aye, starting past noon isn't the best but it's a special occasion and all," he piped up amiably. Patting Hauler, he approached Maura while withdrawing his own map.

"Hrn," he muttered to himself, tilting his head up a bit. "I've been through those parts before, and even if we didn't have an actual ranger with us, I could probably pick out a landmark or two," he said modestly. It took an effort-gnomes loved to know things, and to talk about what they knew, but Kirdo had learned that was frequently off-putting among other races. He would defer to Dariel for choice of path, and decided to ride on Hauler rather than walking if haste was the word.

[Scott R]

<quote>"Finish any business you may have. We're done here... Time to move."</quote>

Sandy scratches his nose, trying to decide if he should laugh or just take offense.  He settles on a middle course-- taking out the scrap of parchment he'd found in his pack. 

"I've got something that looks map-ish as well," he says.  He shows Maura the map and tries to figure out if they line up at all, or if he recognizes any landmarks, roads, or anything.

Knowledge Local +5 1d20+5 : 3 + 5, total 8

Note: ShowHide

Each backpack contains 5 days' worth of rations, a small tent, a winter blanket, a full waterskin, and a piece of the Trail Map.

[Nighthawk]

Dariel takes a moment to dig in to the pack provided and dig out the map piece he was provided. It wasn't exactly the best map he'd ever seen, but he hoped it was enough to get them where they need to go.

Knowledge Local 1d20 : 2, total 2
Survival 1d20+9 : 6 + 9, total 15

[TheTick]

The initial stretch of the trip is over familiar ground, with the road wide and flat.  Soon, however, it narrows as the path enters the Fangwood proper, winding through the raking claws of the trees.  The fallen leaves crunch underfoot for the first hour or two of the walk.  As you round a corner, you see a fallen tree trunk blocking the path.  Suddenly a trio of snarling humanoids leaps up from behind the log, all greenish skin and fearsome tusks, bellowing vulgar challenges.

DM OOC: ShowHide

Roll your initiative!

[Nighthawk]

"Let's be reasonable..." Dariel says as he motions the group to stop. "You don't want to do this."

Diplomacy (because why not?) 1d20+1 : 11 + 1, total 12
Initiative 1d20+3 : 19 + 3, total 22

[Lotofsnow]

Maura grins. If these creatures are the extent of the journey's challenges, there should be no trouble at all.

Statblock: ShowHide

Current Initiative 9
AC 17 Touch 12 Flat-footed 15
Hit Point Maximum 10 (1d8+2) Current HP 10
Attacks of Opportunity Per Round 3

[Scott R]

. OOC— do any of us know anything about orcs in the area?

Although— you said roll for initiative so I guess that means we know they're hostile.

Sandy surreptitiously draws his crossbow and loads a quarrel.

Initiative +3 1d20+3 : 3 + 3, total 6

[Scott R]

This dice roll has been tampered with!
Initiative +3 1d20+3 : 3 + 3, total 6

Sorry— Bonus to the roll should be +5 rather than +3. Forgot to add my 'Reactive' trait.

Total should be 8.

[Rakeesh]

Though it was hardly a well-travelled path, the fallen tree blocking it so neatly gave Kirdo a moment's pause before the orcs sprang up and gave him more than a moment's pause. He hadn't ridden this particular path before, but orcs already? He let himself take a moment to consider if he'd heard of trouble such as this, before their insults brought him out of his thoughts abruptly. With a temperament to match his hair, the gnome bristled angrily atop Hauler at their mockery. "Go back to your-" he began, shouting in a high voice in Orcish, before he stopped at Dariel's effort at a more moderate approach. He blinked a little, surprised, but then shrugged and rested both hands on his belt, ready to draw either sling or vial as needed.

OOC: If the diplomacy fails and the orcs attack, Kirdo will attack with either a bomb or a sling. If they charge us, that's fine and he waits until they're within 40' and chucks a bomb at `em on his initiative. But if they split up, or if one of my new buddies gets in the mix with them and are adjacent, Kirdo won't throw a bomb but will sling a bullet at one of them instead, once they're within 30'. On Hauler his move can get him to such ranges if it's required.

[statblock]Current Initiative: 4
AC: 13, Flat: 12, Touch: 12
Current HP: 9
Bombs: 6/6[/statblock]

Knowledge: Local +5

Rolled 1d20+5 : 7 + 5, total 12

Bomb attack, 40' +4 to attack roll as a ranged touch attack

Rolled 1d20+4 : 20 + 4, total 24

Damage

Rolled 1d6+3 : 4 + 3, total 7

Sling attack, 30' +2

Rolled 1d20+2 : 20 + 2, total 22

Damage

Rolled 1d3 : 3, total 3

[Nighthawk]

Dariel grumbles under his own breath, then lets an arrow fly with little hesitation. "Get to cover!" he shouts to the rest the group, unsure of what they're going to do about their attackers.

Attack, longbow vs random target 1d20+4 : 19 + 4, total 23
Damage, if hit 1d8 : 2, total 2

[TheTick]

Dariel's arrow finds it's target, piercing the center Orc on the arm.  (-2hp)  He growls and charges forward at Dariel, swinging a massive greataxe.

OOC: ShowHide

Sending Nighthawk some info.

[Nighthawk]

Dariel sees his arrow fly and strike his opponent, but not with the effectiveness he's use to. Before he can nock another arrow, the orc is upon him and cleaves at him with his axe. Dariel braces for impact and...

...nothing. Not even a whiff of air as the axe's blade swings through.

Dariel doesn't exactly know what to think. Although he senses that there's something amiss with these creatures, he's not entirely sure the rest of the group feels the same way yet.

Setting his bow aside, he produces his two blades and hopes his weapons have a more profound effect on the orc. "Attack!" he shouts.

[TheTick]

The other Orcs are not far behind their comrade, charging Kirdo and Maura.  Kirdo, already doubting the reality of their enemy, is unsurprised when the axe seems to pass through without harm.  Maura braces for impact, but also does not get killed by the massive axe swing. (Maura disbelieves the illusion)  The fallen tree and the Orcs wink out of existence, leaving the four of you standing alone on the road.

[Lotofsnow]

Maura tears her longsword from its scabbard savagely. Holding it in a defensive position, she scans the road to either side and ahead.

"What trickery is this?" she growls through teeth clenched in fury.

roll: ShowHide

Perception 1d20+2 : 19 + 2, total 21

[Rakeesh]

Kirdo groaned in annoyance, faintly embarrassed. When he was younger he'd been told he paid too much mind to languages and whatever caught his fancy-other gnomes might've scented the trick immediately. "Illusion magic," he said, though he kept his eyes peeled. He patted Hauler idly, who had remained calm throughout. "A reference to Kassen's adventures, perhaps?" he wondered. He felt a little amusement at Dariel's assertion of leadership given the unreal threat, but said nothing-he'd been fooled too. "We should've known better anyway. Bandits on an empty road in the wilderness?" The gnome knew quite well such wasn't the place they targeted.

OOC: Perception +3

Rolled 1d20+3 : 14 + 3, total 17