Tobruk scoffed down this extra food he was going to need all the nutrition he could in the days to come. Looking around the Inn at the hardwood chairs and tables, he saw the locals with their full tankards, and beards dried with ale, Tobruk judging each one of them listening in on their conversations largely about whores and tales of bravery and companionship.

This was not what Tobruk was really taking notice of as he watched the tiefling slope up to his room, he was still unsure about him, he thought he would very much like to find out more about the hooded figure but would leave this until another day.

Tobruk scoffed down what was left on the plate, smacking his lips once he was finished, and wiping his chin with his napkin. Once he was finished he announced to the table he was off to his room and would see them at dawn.

Tobruk unlocked his door and looked inside his small dingy dark room it had a single window which was kept locked at all times, Tobruk was not the most trusting of Half-Orcs so was glad of this. As he got into his bed the mattress sunk beneath his weight and he would be just as comfortable on the hard wooden floor. With this final thought Tobruk drifted off to sleep, haunted by nightmares of the warlock and his minions.

With the last meal of the day eaten most of the group made for their respective rooms. It being a small inn in a small town they aren't quite what anyone is used to but the lock and door seem good enough and there is a bowl of water in the corner for washing. Drifting off for sleep your dreams are hectic and filled with shadows, not a very comfortable night at all. Darren, however, had the least comfortable sleep, not due to the substandard bedding but a premonition, one of teeth, no, fangs, and claws, an ungodly presence in the mountain.

Val however did not go to sleep immediately, he slipped out to fill his hunger. The guard is poor so there is next to no chance of him being spotted, despite that prey isn't easy to come by as the dogs are hunting animals and the rats are slippery. His thirst hardly quenched by the time he needs to settle down, supper is a couple of the rats that have avoided the dogs.
Val's dream were much alike those of the others but featured an eerily familiar presence, as if a kin of his called from the mountain.


All awoke to a misty morning, it had rolled in from the lake and had cast an oppressing cold and stillness over the town. The earliest to wake except the innkeeper, breakfast was a thick oatmeal with a nut bread, hardly the best meal to set off on yet set off you did. After a few hours walk the mist lifted and you were able to see both the mountain before you and the town, much closer, behind you. You push on and much sooner then you would have though possible the sky starts to darken and its near time to set up camp, one more days walk and you would be at the supposid entrance to the mountain.

((OOC: Yer, I'm not great at descriptions but your moving. One day into the walk to the mountain and your starting to reach the foothills, but your not in them quite yet. Maybe a few hours ahead of you if goblin country.))

Tobruk was glad to see the back of the unicorn inn, he was much more comfortable in the outdoors. As he walked through the villages cobbled streets and poorly built houses, he started to wonder why any person would like to live in a place such as this. Just two days ride from the horrifying firetop mountain, and more importantly what creatures and foul magic may be inside of it. Tobruk and his new found companions were almost outside the gate heading into the barren and charred landscape which invited them, when a child ran past him forcing to stop abruptly, god he was glad to be rid of this place, later he might regret that, he thought.

The landscape was bare and little else moved apart from the four adventurers, and to call this place grim was an exaggeration on its beauty. By Midday Tobruk was tiresome of the menial conversations he was having with his comrades so went off 100m ahead making up the excuse that he was scouting for any signs of trouble. When he was ahead he ate half of his rations for that day, after failing to sling down a grey mangy hare, the only wildlife he had seen thus far. As he munched on his dried and salted meat he grimaced crunching on some bristle, he spat it out and swore in a quiet voice to himself, god this best be worth this, he thought to himself.

A few Hours later as night was falling the group found a suitable place to set up camp, a small incline which would protect them from the chill wind during the night, Tobruk set down his bedroll and blanket ready for sleep later, after this he got out his remaining rations and ate the meat and nuts he had allocated for his evening meals, the meat tasted a lot nicer than the one he had earlier that day and the nuts were actually tasteful, clearly his luck had changed. He looked into the hills beyond and remembered what one of the gruff locals had said to him “Beware of the hills, that be goblin country.” and Tobruk would heed this warning. “I'll be first watch I will wake you in two hours.”

The morning sun came early the next day, and Val welcomed the warming embrace of the light with a heavy heart. Dressing for their trek toward the mountain he donned his armor and prepared his weapons before offering up a prayer to the Shining One, asking that his light guide and protect their odd little group, even if they were misguided infidels who did not know the warm love of the true God. Dressed, packed, and ready to go he pulled on his cloak, pulling the hood up over his head to hide his face and of course his horns he joined the others below for breakfast before they set out. Again this food served only to tease his dark hunger, and he could tell this was going to be a rough hike as he had barely managed to satiate his thirst the night before on the rats he had caught in the alleys.

As expected, the going was rough, and as the day dragged on and on he could feel the dark thirst rising in him. He would have to find something to feed on before sleeping that night, or else he feared he would not be able to control himself around his companions. As if detecting the mental stress the whole situation was causing him the sinister voice in the back of his mind hissed at him, "You know, if you would just give in to your hunger, then these cravings wouldn't be so bad. Imagine how much sweeter that waitress would have tasted than those rats. The smell of her skin driving your senses wild as he sweet life force flowed into your hungry mouth, blood trickling down your pale skin.." The image was too much to handle and he shouted at no one in particular, the voice was in his head after all, "QUIET!, Quiet, I can not listen to this anymore!!" Needless to say, is his companions had not already been looking at him funny they were sure to think differently of him now... he would just have to make sure to find some way to quench his thirst and quiet the voices, though with the seeming scarcity of wildlife he was not sure how he would manage that.

((Will attempt to find something, anything, to feed on during the night without wandering into the hills where they had been warned before of goblins. If nothing can be found or caught then when he does turn in for the night he will purposefully set up his bedroll away from the others, partly in an attempt to hide his face, and partly to put distance between them if his hunger becomes too much))

Daeren had maintained silence the entire trip. The only notice he gave the others that he was there was the occaisonal shake of the head. This group would accomplish little in this state.

Daeren made no effort to hide his feelings. He did not shun anybody, but it was abundantly clear he did not wish to speak over trivial things.

(Daeren will discourage all conversation with him unless it pertains to survival, or the upcoming dungeon. He will do what needs to be done to help the group survive, so long as it does not interfere with daily meditation. It should be noted Daeren doesn't consider himself above anyone, he only is blunt and to the point when he notices something.)

Andrew gazed around the assembled company, a mish-mash of some quite bizarre people.

He raised an eyebrow at the proceedings. One horned ally shivering with... cold? Something else? The warrior, always in a bad mood, and the other man who didn't talk much.

He shrugged mentally, before curling up in his bedroll and hoping for sleep.

Your group organised a watch, although with the quiet and dark of the night it seems it was hardly needed. No goblins came down the hills after you and with the exception of a few wolves somewhere in the distance the night was fortunately still, unfortunately it was also cold so the campfire was kept going all night to keep whoever was on watch warm... and to keep whoever company should he feel lonely with the others asleep.

As you slept, all of you, you were hounded again and again by the same dream as you had drempt when you slept in the inn the night before, except now all reality seemed to get washed away leaving you drowning in darkness. Eventually, after waking a few times, you got used to this unpleasant dream and it lost its potency. For the one of you on the hunt you had more success then the night before, the wolves you had all heard proved good prey.

In the morn the sun was up early and shone brightly, a good day to travel. Camp was packed up and you began your hike to the supposed entrance of the mountain... soon enough the hearsay proved true that this was goblin land, a single spear was embedded next to the route you had chosen and on the end was lashed a wolf's skull. On your guard you easy came to the entrance to the mountain, it was a tall and jagged gash in the mountain, dark as a moonless night and filled with an unearthly raw. The raw, logic told you, was the rumble of water as it tumbled over jagged rocks next to the entrance to the cave.

It was midday as you observed the path into the cave, a river slowly flowing to the side of the path from the heart of the mountain. The river must feed the lake, and the goblins must have some guard nearby if they do guard the entrance, but there was no goblin in sight.

Daeren asked the group to stop a moment.

"Perhaps you guys should wait here... I am going to scout ahead, check for guards and such, and one person is easier to miss than a group."

(Daeren shall do so, discouraging companions, but by no means giving orders, ultimately accepting anyone who is determined or obstinate)