DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3Y.A2 - On the way to Olostin's Hold

DM

High Forest, Day 1 – Evening

[Davroar, Jaliera, Pavel, Zindra]

(Flashback)

As darkness falls, the trees guide the party en route to see Turlang to a small clearing, appearing a comfortable spot to camp. A small spring provides water, and there's evidence of previous parties creating a small fire there to keep warm. Around the boundary, there are ample trees and shrubs to provide shelter from the elements.

The forest around them has ample small creatures available to hunt, should the party prefer them to consuming saved rations. Both predators and prey roam the area and there is nothing that would imply taking enough to eat would be frowned upon. Here in the older growth, it does seem a world apart from the human realm, but it is still a world in which nature runs its course.

Quiet murmurs from a few trees indicate they will keep watch and the party should rest for their journey.

It seems they'll have a restful night.... and ample warning if anything were to disturb them.

And this is where Zindra senses a familiar voice within her mind, clear and unmistakable despite the distance.

Aubric.

His message carries the faint strain of urgency beneath his usual calm.

“Hill giants overwhelmed hunters. Weevil and doppelganger three days ahead en route Olostin’s Hold, selling weapons to many threats. Head there soonest after your meeting.”

The Sending fades as quickly as it arrived, leaving only the soft whisper of leaves overhead.

OOC: Zindra: you may reply with a Sending response if you wish — 25 words or fewer. Note this is a day ago, after the dryad but before the woads or Turlang.

Noanar’s Hold Road, Day 2 – Morning

[Aubric, Kriv, Sindar, Zhu]

Dawn breaks cold and gray over the lands beyond Noanar’s Hold as the party embarks after a restful night.

As they enter the more rural areas, the hunters’ warnings now feel less like rumor and more like forecast. Tracks along the road are heavier than they should be — deep gouges from large feet, wagon ruts pressed hard into the mud, and signs of many creatures moving eastward in uneasy migration.

Troll spoor. Ogre prints. The occasional churned earth where something large passed in haste.

Not a single organized army.

But many dangerous things, all moving the same direction.

All toward Olostin’s Hold.

The road itself remains passable, though far from safe, stretching east across rolling moorland broken by sparse woods and low rises. Travel by road would be fastest and most visible. The wilds offer slower paths, but greater cover.

You have supplies, mounts, and daylight ahead of you.

OOC: Decide how you choose to travel: openly on the road, cautiously along its edges, or by a more concealed route.

Day 2 – Evening (Pending)

The sun begins its descent, and distances close between allies traveling from different directions toward the same target. Another Sending from Aubric to Zindra is planned....

Glad they had updated and heard from their friends the previous night, Jaliera wants to avoid unnecessary trouble on their journey, wanting to save their energy and strength for the inevitable showdown ahead.

"I suggest we travel on the edge of the road ready to retreat into the woods if needed. I can send Whisper to scout ahead as an advance warning system. We would just need to watch our backs. Zindra, do you know if we are likely to get close to our destination ahead of the others? If so we could maybe do some scouting to gain advantage for when the rest arrive."

Davroar

"That is a good idea Jaliera."

Eventually they will have to depart the safety of the forest when they get closer to Olostins Hold.

Zindra (flashback to first night)

She was getting ready to hunker down for the night next to a tall elm. The leaves would make good cover and also a soft bed. It was getting colder now and many of the trees had bare limbs. Then the voice can in her head.

She and the others had learned much from Turlang but how could she relay what they learned concisely? Those were the things that she had pondered as they trapsed through forest all day. So when the expected message came she was prepared.

"We met Turlang. Giants driven with different purposes. We must seek the Frost giant named Harshnag an ally. We will Meet you at Ostin's Hold."

DM

OOC: Technically hadn't met Turlang yet but will just handwave timelines and move on.

Aubric

It was good to know the other party got their message to head to Olostin's Hold, and his group of four made good progress along the road, careful to scout the forest edge for threats to avoid, as well as the road itself, if the forest needed to provide refuge.

Fortunately, it seemed any traffic headed this way was either ahead of them or behind them, and they didn't encounter anyone else.

The party traveled a bit faster than usual, trying to make haste while still being cautious. STill, they could only trim a 4 1/2 day trip to 3 1/2 days which meant two more full days and a third half-day lay ahead of them.

He communicated as much, catching up with more Harshnag information, using Sending for another brief message. He could do more, but with two more nights to send two more messages there was ample time to coordinate over the next two days.

He sends this message, which arrives to the Shadowtop party as they are still in the forest, headed northward, themselves with the same two-and-a-half days of travel ahead of them.

"Many different beast tracks going toward Olostin's Hold. Harshnag hunts giants, may be there. Three days travel remain. Let's meet evening third day. Details tomorrow."

DM

Another day of travel elapses, with both parties exercising both speed and caution.

The four that remained in Noanar's hold before heading north keep close enough to the forest to be able to use it for protection if needed, but continue road travel to make better travel time, hoping to gain ground over their weapon-selling targets. The forest mostly closes its most obvious trails to their view, but there's enough room at the edges to hide for a time to avoid encountering random passers-by and remain sheltered during their overnight periods.

The four traversing the forest find the trails opening readily for them as they discuss their destination.

Aubric's Sending and Zindra's responses exchange enough information that the parties determine meeting a bit earlier along the road would be ideal, particularly with Whisper's advanced scouting ability that would better serve a combined party.

And so it is, that the meeting plan is slightly revised, and so it is that in the evening, two days' after the forest party departed Shadowtop Cathedral, they find themselves on the northern edge of the forest, Whisper alighting to locate the other party and guide them to a rendezvous at the edge of the forest.

All eight adventurers are together again as night falls and they enjoy a reunion meal to discuss the next day's strategy. They are about a half day's travel from Olostin's Hold, and coming up with a strategy in more than 25-word messages might be useful supper conversation.

Jaliera

Jaliera is delighted to see everyone again and goes around giving everyone a hug.

"Just wish we had Bern with us too."

Aubric

The cleric is glad his contributions with Sending helped make the reunion of the party much easier, and also, as the carrier of the maps, helps point out the path they likely should take along the forest's edge before the final, more open-road segment toward Olostin's Hold.

"What are all those markings on your arms?" he asks the party that visited Turlang.

(OOC - Does the other party know what happened to Bern? If not she will ask Jaliera.)