LPDnD: Hazy Shade of Winter

[Jimer Lins]

I say #2, just to see the response from our old friend, assuming it's him and not a descendant.

[Blackferne]

White? Furiel?

[Furiel]

In my order of preference: 3, 2, 1

Too many things could go wrong with the werewolf hunt, like someone getting infected or dieing. But I'm not going it alone so if the party votes to stay and help them we stay and help.

[Jimer Lins]

Yeah, don't want to go off track on a WW hunt; we've got a mission.

[Blackferne]

Syric looks off into the snow disinterested in the conversation. His mind drifts to the bear mounts and the legends of him again.

Victae gnaws on some jerky and says "Yeah we need to get moving."

The party parts ways with the trappers wishing them luck. With the dwarves in tow you make your way along the snow peaks and valleys. Each night the howls pierce the night making sleep uneasy, except for Victae who doesn't seem bothered by them. The going is rough, but the upside is there has been no new snow, so the snow is starting to pack slightly.

After a few days you find yourself standing on a mountain ridge looking down int a valley. There is a column of grey smoke rising from a chimney on an enormous wooden building covered with snow. Leading from that is what seems to be (based on the absence of trees in a curvy line) is the aforementioned road.

It will take about 2 hours to get from where you are now to the lodge. It is mid morning.

[Jimer Lins]

"By all that is holy, a hot fire, hot soup and warm bed will be about the best thing I've had in a long time."

[Furiel]

"Tony Plush seconds that...and would like to add some warm mulled wine and a warmer barmaid to the equation if possible."

Tony says with a half-hearted smirk

[Blackferne]

"Do we have a plan, or just all go in at once lads?" Atrios asks.

[Staris]

"I will scout ahead to see what if any activity the blood army has had around here." As he is stating his intentions will approach Trinal and hand him enough gold to cover his room and food. "If you would be so kind to get me a room and have some food sent up in about an hour, I should return around then, have my meal and rest for a bit before coming down and playing for the tavern area. That is unless they already have entertainment, though hopefully even then they will allow company as it feels it has been ages since I've played."

With that unless there is complaint or those wishing to join, Stavis will head off down the road looking for any signs, though to more or less going through the motions as he figures any real information that could be gleaned will be inside.

Stealth
[dice]0[/dice]
Perception
[dice]1[/dice]

[Whiteness]

Syric nods in agreement with Trinal and Tony, though his mind was elsewhere. His thoughts were shifting between and the werewolf, Drayson and his short stint as a bear rider.

[Blackferne]

Stavis currently the party is on a ridge to the WEST of the Massive Lodge. You can tell from this vantage point that there is a road leaving the massive lodge that heads east presumably to the citadel if you guys got correct information (from victae and others).

Are you wanting to scout the Lodge or pass the lodge and head even further east to look for Army of Blood patrols?

[Staris]

If there is any signs that there is a road heading west towards the mountains unless that is what we where already on would start that direction for about twenty minutes before double backing and then heading east twenty minutes past the Lodge. If there is none or we where already on it, will head east looking for signs of Army of Blood patrols for about forty minutes before making my way back.

[Blackferne]

Okay Stavis heads off. The valley opens before you. You see that the lodges logging has made the woods less thick than what you had seen in previous valleys.

There are trails on the west side of the lodge, but no formal road. You see various tracks in the snow. some animal, others humanoid. There is activity of people around the lodge.

How close do you want to get to teh lodge before going round it to the other side Stavis?


----------------
Everyone else, what are you doing?

[Staris]

Unless any of the trails heading west look to be a connection point for the Lodge and Brackton that is frequently used, Stavis will go ahead and start down the road heading east.

[Whiteness]

I was waiting for Tony to weigh in, he usually goes scouting with Stavis and we often wait for the all-clear before we move in.

We'll give the scout(s) time to get ahead of us and then start making our way towards the lodge

[Blackferne]

Stavis wets of the ldoge there are small trails the spread out from the lodge that trappers and hunters start their hunts on. Nothing major but they disolve into nothing quickly as they get into the woods. You keep the lodge in view but go around the lodge to the north which is a bit easier to remain undetected. On the east side you quickly see the road which is two horse carts wide, snow covered but has been shoveled to reveal cobbling. Trappers are in the area talking and hauling back wares. There isn't much in the way of army folk to the best you can see.

[Staris]

[OOC I'm scouting more for keeping myself busy for the beginning introductions so I won't have to come up with excuses to keep from taking my ski mask off around the dwarfs, not so much for getting an all clear for the lodge, unless there is direct army presence, so if your wanting that will want Tony to do that.]

After getting an a clear so far on blood army presence, will spend some time conversing with the trappers present to get a feel for their attitudes of different fighting forces and what if any info on how the sedge of the Citadel is going. For any trappers that seem to side with the enemies will try and seem sympathetic to their cause in the hopes of gaining additional information, unless also in the presence of those who side with the Citadel or the Army in the South.

[dice]0[/dice]

If Streetwise +13
or Diplomacy +12

Bluff if necessary
[dice]1[/dice]

[Blackferne]

@ Stavis About 3 miles east of the lodge you slip onto the road and make your way towards the lodge. A wagon is slowly pulled ahead by a mule. It doesn't take much to catchup and start up a conversation with the two older men walking along side. They make note of your mask, to which you reply that you are an entertainer looking for work. You show them a simple cantrip which they are easily impressed by and you sing a song. It is a bit saucy, but they seem to like it and laugh well. You find that they are just collecting deer pelts to sell. The wagon is full of them. The Army of Blood is somethign tehy've heard of but never seen in these parts. As for the Chalussa they tell you that they don't like mountain passes etc and so would never get this far up. They are seiging the citadel, but the Citadel still stands last they heard.



@Everyone else. Stavis has departed and the wind is cutting your face. Time passes....slowly

[Furiel]

Tony will start heading down to the lodge

[Blackferne]

Tony does a little quip about what Tony is doing and something about bosoms hopefully being play short and starts down the ridge towards the lodge. Victae rolls her eyes and follows. The dwarves follow and start speculating on whether they have venison sausage stew. I assume Trinal and Syric follow as well.

The ridge slopes into a sparsely wooded valley. Clearly they sue this side of the lodge for lumber needs. There are plenty of tree stumps. Quicly you notice a small trail which leads to a slightly larger trail, which leads to one of the main three trails on this side of the lodge. You approach and see on the long porch several traders talking to each other, mostly commerce it seems. some drinking as well. Occasionally the door opens and the inside has many more folks.

[Jimer Lins]

"Warm fire good", says Trinal.

[Blackferne]

@ Party - Stavis

The party steps onto the porch. A few of the traders look at the party with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The party passes the door and sees a massive hall filled with tables, benches, a large bar along the south wall with many many animals mounted for display. The bar has several bartenders keeping mugs full and getting orders from the kitchen behind.

In the far north corner there is a particularly dense concentration of people standing facing what you'd assume is one table.


@Stavis- You catch sight of the Lodge about half a mile ahead. You figure keeping pace with the mule cart it will be fifteen minutes.

[Staris]

Stavis will stay at the current pace, staying with them to chat and small talk to try and learn anything else. Should the cart and men take a detour or something will bid them farewell and head into the Lodge, as he figures the group will have gotten in and Trinal had gotten his room and meal like he had ask with the gold he had given before heading off.

[Whiteness]

Syric heads straight for the bar. Whatever is happening at the other end of the lodge can wait until he's had a drink...or 2.

"Barkeep, I'll take a whisky and an ale" he yells out to the first suds slinger whose attention he can grab.

He intends to slam the whiskey then take the ale and head towards the group at the north end of the lodge.

[Furiel]

Tony will look around the room and see if there is an open table. And if I see one I'll go get us setup there.