Prologue:

"I'm no fool, Sildar," Gundren said mirthfully to his companion. "I talk with every man I hire. Look in his eyes. The eyes tell you everything. You oughta know such things."

As the two rode side by side along the trail, Gundren passed the waterskin full of strongwine to his companion. Sildar took it, and hesitated. The old warrior's mood was a bit more sour than Gundren's. But then, it wasn't dififcult to be more sour than Gundren. He said, "Well, my eyes are as good as yours, friend, and I can see that the bunch could have been of better character. Hiring the priest was shrewd, I'll grant you. But Elven monks are unreliable allies in the best of times. And that mountain dwarf? I could have sworn I saw him talking to himself when he came into the pub." He put the waterskin to his lips and drank deep.

"Haha!"said Gundren. "Those mountain dwarves are strange folk. When you coop yourself up in a mountain all day, who else ya gonna talk to? Haha! He's a good sort though, I can tell." The dwarf stroked the top of his beard pensively. "That one who said he came from Luskan though, he ain't trustworthy, but Oskarr'll keep an eye on'em. He'll keep an eye on'em all! Haha! And the priest too! That boy's msucles got muscles! He prolly eats stones fer breakfast! Haha!"

Handing the waterskin back to the dwarf, Sildar sighed. "I hope you're right. This business with Iarno is worrying me, and if they prove they can handle caravaning, perhaps they can help us if there is any trouble in town."

"Pah! Trouble? Ain't no trouble in Phandalin we can't handle! I bet he just-What was that...?"

Gundren and Sildar:





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Chapter 1:

You were recruited by a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker to bring a wagonload of provisions to the town of Phandalin. He started ahead of you with his warrior escort, Sildar. Gundren was tangibly excited, but when pressed about what he needed to attend to in town, he simply said, "some business." In any case, he was clearly in a rush to leave while the supplies were being gathered.

You've spent the past few days travelling the High Road south from Neverwinter [see map in QA thread], and you've recently veered east along the Triboar Trail. You haven't encountered any trouble yet, but you do know that bandits often lurk along this road. The provisions are being carried in a large wagon that is pulled by two oxen.

Gundren gave instruction that Oskarr and/or Pavel should drive the wagon, though only one person needs to operate the reins to keep the wagon moving. The rest of you may be riding in the wagon, or traveling alongside it afoot, or wherever you wish to be in relation to the wagon, at your discretion.

Oskarr: The only thing Gundren shared with you about what he was excited about, if you pressed him, is a slap on the back and the words: "Something big."

Theren sighed to himself as he listened to the other make whatever small talk interested them. He had always enjoyed the company of others, but years of near-seclusion ended up having even more effect on him than he would have guessed. Once upon a time, he would have been in the middle of the group, talking and laughing and joking to his heart's content. Now he trailed the caravan a ways, mildly uncomfortable with so many people nearby and no ways to get peace, short of abandoning the job.

Theren shook his head. He get back into the spirit of things, it was just a matter time. No need to worry. In the mean time he'd keep a lookout behind the group. No reason to get careless on a road known to be a bandit haven.

Dan walked along next to the wagon and wondered if he had found a spot to settle for awhile. Not settling like most people might consider the word, for it did not look like he would be buying a house, getting a spouse and starting a family any time soon. But settling in terms of finding a group to be with for awhile. Perhaps this group would work for that.

Two dwarves, an elf and two humans. It was an interesting crew. A loner, a nut-job, a noble and a holy man. Still more interesting. Still, it beat trying to work alone. And although this was just another caravan job like others he had taken, Dane had hope that this group might somehow become a bit more than that. He'd spoken to the others a bit and they all seemed to have a bit of the "adventuring bug." And Dane knew he had it. He wanted to get out and about. He didn't want to have to work the streets. He wanted to have some adventure and see some of the world. Neverwinter had seemed as good a place as any to begin. And this group seemed like it might work as well. They were an interesting group, but it seemed from his readings that most groups were. What of it? They seemed like good folks and trustworthy enough. In fact, he supposed they probably had more reason to doubt him than he did them. Well, except maybe the dwarf who kept talking to himself. He might need watching, although from what he'd heard in the mumbles, he kept an eye on himself anyway.

But for now it was just a walk through the landscape next to a wagon. Still it could be worse, he could be back on the streets of Luskan and Neverwinter. And it was a pleasant day. (Assumption?) He walked along to the left of the wagon, bow in hand, and kept his eyes on the country side. He wanted adventure in a general sense, but right now he really just wanted to enjoy the sunshine.

Not for the first time Pavel was sitting in the drivers seat of a wagon of supplies, though since attaining his commission it had been some time.

Pavel said to the dwarven cleric beside him, "So Oskarr... You were in the military I understand?"
Though Pavel was talking to the dwarf, his eyes were roaming the countryside, and his hand was resting on his crossbow.

((OOC: I hope that is alright placing Oskarr beside me))

OOC: Totally fine about placing Oskarr beside you... he'd probably want to ride anyway so as not to slow the party down with his stubby legs.
IC:
Oskarr had learned through many years of moving around with the Bloodaxes how to loosen up his body to allow it the dip and bob with the wagon as it continue to plod along through the rough patches. And yet, the dwarf's eyes, like the human beside him, were alert and watchful of the road sides.

"So, Oskarr.... you were in the military I understand."

The Hill Dwarf from Sundabar was quiet for a moment, his mind flooding back to his last battle with his company. It had been a blood bath Oskarr was looking to forget.

He looked up a Pavel for a moment, trying to take a measure of the man. "Aye, Pavel. Not for any of the grand cities, mind you. Toured with the Bloodaxe Company a bit. Probably bloodied my first hammer while you were busy coming out of your mum." Oskarr gave the beefy man a wink. "I seen my way 'round a few fields of battle. Glad to see you know to keep your eyes on the sides and that crossbow handy." He sniffed the air. "This place smells like trouble. I'll be glad to pull into Phandalin. Get ourselves behind some good defenses, you know?!"

"Oh, Aye," Skovl said to a fat bundle of rope, "'Tis like to come down in buckets tomorra."
The dwarf shoved a frying pan out of the way and re-situated himself amongst the bedrolls. He might have to go on this journey to satisfy some chunk of rock but he'd be blasted if he was going to walk the whole way.

Up front, the ones called Pavel and Oskarr kept the oxen company as they spoke of military matters. A fair bit of it went over Skovl's head, but that was no reason to be unfriendly.

He stroked his beard (which, incidentally, lacked the common decency to remain plaited and instead spent most days looking like a fiery explosion) and spoke toward the front of the wagon. "'fenses, eh? Don't know much about them. Was a time I 'er happier wid a pickaxe than a war axe. Always, was that time. Aye, I sometimes dream about mining, about diggin out a great hunk'a ruby and polishing it to glorious multifaceted perfection... "

You've only been on the Triboar trail for about half a day. As you come around a bend in the road, you spot two dead horses about fifty feet in front of your wagon. Each has several black feathered arrows embedded in it's flesh. The woods press close to the trail here, with a steep embankment and dense thicket on either side.

Pavel, Oskarr, and Dan spot the gruesome scene first. Skovl would only see it if he goes to the front of the wagon and looks over the two front riders shoulders, and since Theren is trailing a ways, he doesn't have an angle on the sight either (plus the wagon would be in the way anyway). Of course, he can quickly catch up with the wagon if he hears commotion up ahead or sees it stop.

Dane saw the horses at the same time as those in the cart. His immediate action was to draw and nock an arrow, stepping to the back of the cart so he could quickly move around it for shelter if an attack came. He scanned the surroundings looking for any sign of movement or disturbance of the natural order of things - tracks and such. His first look was towards the woods directly on their sides - that which was closest posed the greatest threat.

(If he sees nothing immediately)
He then shifted his gaze towards the horses and the land to the sides of the road there. It was a perfect location for an ambush. And someone had clearly been ambushed. Was another ambush planned here with them as the victims? But if so it was strange that the horses would be left there, for it had made them stop short of the perfect spot. Or was this simply the aftermath of an ambush? If so, how long ago and who had been ambushed and by whom?

Well, he thought to himself, I wanted to adventure . . .

Oskarr took in the scene of dead up ahead. "Slow the cart," he said to his partner before jumping down to the ground.

"Look sharp, lads," the cleric sounded. "Looks like there's been some trouble ahead."

The dwarf put the crossbow away and brought up his shield and hammer before hustling over to the dead horses. As he moved, his eyes ranged from left to right over the woods on either side, scanning for hidden assailants. "Come on, now," Oskarr spoke to the woods. "Ain't nothing to be 'fraid of. Death comes swiftly at the end of my hammer."

As we came around the bend, there was something large laying in the road.

"Slow the cart," Oskarr said as he jumped down.

Pavel did as instructed, and when the wagon came to a halt stood up. His eyes roved the area, crossbow at the ready, covering Oskarr as he went ahead.
"What do you see Oskarr?"

Theren frowned as he saw the caravan come to a stop. There were no sounds of battle, but an unscheduled stop on this road was never a good thing.

He could here raised voices in that direction, but make out no words. Theren picked up his pace to join the rest of the group and discover what had happened.

Oskarr hops off the wagon and scurries towards the dead animals, his hammer and shield at the ready. He rushes over and by a quick glance and the smell, he can tell that these horses have been dead for at least a day.

Scanning the thicket for enemies, bellowing his threat, he hears a shrill warcry: "Yayayayayayaya!" Four goblins, two from either side of the room, leap out of the thicket, swords raised, moving in on Oskarr with surprising speed.

An arrow from Dane's bow sails through the fray, and almost hits one goblin who saw it out of his peripheral vision soon enough to stop short and let it fly past him. But as he breathes a sigh of relief, a bolt from Pavel's crossbow thrusts into his side, and he slumps and collapses to the ground with a groan.

The other three goblins don't even realize as they each slash at Oskarr with their scimitars, intent on cutting him to ribbons. How ever, each of their blows is blocked and parried by the dwarf.


[Initiative Roll]: Including bonuses, Goblins rolled 9, Oskarr rolled 2, Pavel rolled 20, Dane rolled 22

OOC:Your roll results:
12 Your total roll is 12.

Use the hammer (+6 attack) give Oskarr a +18 total...


Oskarr knocked back and deflect the goblins' hasty attacked, his shield arm hardly felt the weak blows.

"Time to knock some sense into ye," the priest bellowed as he swung his hammer around before dropping it down on the nearest ambusher. "Shoulda left the good folk alone, ye shifty rats."


OOC: Your roll results:
5 Your total roll is 5.

Damage on the hammer is 5 +4 (Str) = 9

The goblin tries to raise his scimitar to block the blow but isn't able to in time. Oskarr can feel the creatures skull cracking beneath his hammer and the goblin collapses, another ambusher biting the dust.

Oskarr brought his shield and hammer back up to ready.

"Listen, now. Might want to put them blades away, hey?" Oskarr raises his bushy eyebrows and gives a nod at their dead mates. "You keep this up and I can promise you'll be dead just as quick them. Surrender, and you get to live your life a little longer. Best make this choice quick."