"Okay. Xuor lead the beasties to the slaughter." Brianna pipes up. "But try not to being all of them at once." Brianna adds with a grin and a laugh.

"ome on, Oh Bearded One, shake a leg and lets get set up.

"If I stood right out there in the open near the inner trees you could set up near them and when the orcs came in to attack me you could step out and desuade them from that idea."

"With xuor up that tree he can wait until they move towards me and then he can shoot at their backs. Thought Other than Xuor, I think we should stick fairly close to each other so we can work together and they can't cut us off from one another.

“Aye Lass as you say so shall it be, me blades as said before hunger for orc blood and me new Crossbow is awaiting thie're taste too. Let us be feed'in them both together”

With that said and as directed by the fair lady Brianna, Highnar moved into hiding his heavy repeating crossbow at the ready.

(OCC: Ok not sure how many shots I get with the C-bow but once Brianna gives me the signal I will fire as many as I can without reloading and then charge forward, both of my axe’s in hand.)

OOC:Just a quick hello to the other players here and to let you all know that I am taking the roll of Xuor.So shall we get down to business and kill some Orcs.
BIC:
With their plan for an ambush now set Xuor sets out to lure the stinking creatures to their deaths.He knows all he has to do is get upwind of their party and they will come a running.Circleing around the orcs keeping himself at first downwind untill he is sure he is in the right position and far enough advanced so he can reach the tree he is planning to climb.Then when he feels everything is right he will move into the upwind position so they will know he is there and come a running.

Keeping all his senses tuned towards the orcs he bids his time till he is sure they have caught his scent, then turning he makes a beeline back to his hiding spot in the tree, making sure he now stays upwind so they can easiely follow lurning the filthy beasts to their deaths.Once he reaches his position he quickly scurries up the tree and positions himself so he has maximan firing range.With his longbow in hand and the first arrow nothced he waits for the orcs to make their appearance.

Brianna prepares for the battle She clears the area around her of anyhting that might trip her up as she fights. She sets her shield c on a cord so it is easy to bring to bear when she fights with her sword. and hangs the large ax she carries to her left hip tying it a quick release knot on a leather thong. Her two swords she removes from her back and set them before her into the earth. SHe strips the stallion of all his gear and leaves him free the mare she puts into the protection of the inner trees however close enough to hand if she wants to mount up to fight..

Brianna unslings her bow, tests her string, checks the wind drift with the fieather tied to the tip of her bow, and moves her quiver to her hip as her final preparations. FInally she stands ready as she can make herself but for one thing. She offfers to Amaterrana. "Mother, bless us. These orcs are determined to do evil and we would prevent them from that course." She then putws on hre helm and waits as relaxed as one can before the battle.

Young though she is is she has fought many times before mostly skirmishes with her own people but they became more deadly serious wen she was enslaved and sent to the Forbidden Isles. She looks around to her companions an tries to assess the whole situation.

While the others arrange themselves into their positions of ambush, Xuor moves quietly through the forest finally coming to the last outpost of the Orc army and moved carefully to an upwind position. The wind was coming from the NW to SE, the same direction as the Moonsea Ride, the main road through Mistledale, which cut thought the Cormantor Forest where once a shooting Star fell to earth and slide along the ground wiping out a great swath of forests. Even after thousands of years only grass grew in the old scar.

Luckily Xuor did not have to go into the grasslands for his scent to be blown into the Orcs' camp. Only after a few minutes there are a sudden cries from the Orc camp.

"ELF!!!"

"MEAT!!!"

Where as Orc's do not have the speed of an Elf, they were tenacious trackers especially when hunting their favorite food.

(OOC Ambushers and Xuor you can post accordingly.

The day is quiet enough in the forst right now as Brianna stands across the clearing near the inner copse of trees. WHen thesounds of the chase can be heard through the woods she combat draw three arrows, nocking the first then taking a full draw. She waits until the first orcs clears the woods and they have less than 50 percent cover.

When the first appear she will be aiming and firing as fast as she can until they began to close on her position. Then will draw her swords, Thunder and Lightning. She left the scimitar on the sorrel mare ready for her if she has to mount up.

With his two newly aquired longswords at the ready, Logan sits poised for battle. His breathing is slow and faint. His heart pumps slowly as if he is resting. He passes along and recieves singles from the others with narly a muscle movement. While he appears calm and collected outside, inside his mind, he is running thru all the possible scenerios when the ambush goes down. His attackes, counter attackes and what to do under if things dont go right.

Highnar moved into the small clearing and positioned himself with a clear field of fire for his crossbow. Then he waited and was not surprised at the shortness of such for Xuor had gotten the Orcs attention in a big way.
Crossbow up and firing Highnar emptied it into the Orcs before him, then with axes to hand and using his newly acquired Boots of Striding and Springing leaped into the middle mass of Orcs both axes swinging.

(OOC: Ok using the Boots I will not stay in any one place longer then to swing each axe for a hit or miss then leap to another area to repeat the process.
Leap, swing, swing, leap, swing, swing ect.....)

Xuor, with Drau on his heels, moves quickly through the brush and around tree trucks staying just enough in front of the Orcs to tease them to continue the chase. All this was accomplished with only one slight stumbled caused be a brace of rabbits bursting out from their burrow just where his foot was about to go, Xuor burst into the clearing.

The clearing is grassy, fat C shape about 140 feet top to bottom and 120 feet side to side with a copse of trees jetting out from the forest to the right. Xuor is coming at the bottom left and now racing full out toward the inner copse of trees 30 where he planned to do his bow work.

(OOC I am going to try to see if I can load a map. I am going to need some sort of idea where each of you are. AE In the copse of trees in the center or somewhere in the surrounding forest. Though I would think you melee Fighters would be somewhere in the copse of trees in the center.)

Once he gets the orcs on his tail Xuor finds they are a little faster than he thought when they are after Elf meat.He is doing all he can to stay far enough in front of them to be able to get into his tree.Then just as he is about to reach the clearing he nearly steps on a bunch of rabbits who are leaving their burrow right where he is placing his foot.It takes all of his skill to keep his momemtum up and not lose his balance as he nearly crushes a rabbit.

Bursting into the c shaped clearing at the bottom left he makes his final sprint putting everything he has into this last forced run in order to reach the copse of trees in the center of the clearing.He knows that the orcs are following so he doesn't waste time by looking back to see, he just finds the tree he planned on climbing and heads stright for it.Then using his climbing ability he will attempt to scrambles up and get into position to fire his bow.

(OOC at the Orcs' speed bowmen will get to shoot for 2 rounds before the the Orcs are in point blank range. I sort of have an idea of where Xuor, Brianna, and Highnar are, close to where Xuor is going to be up the tree. Logan give me a rough idea of your position.)

As Xuor speeds up once into the meadow, so to do the 5 Orcs.
that were after him.

"FRESH MEAT!"

"Don't let him get away,"

"I wants a leg."

"First dibs on 'iz liver."

Xuor climbs like he had wings possibly spurred by the Orcs' comments. (Might have taken longer to get into place, but the roll I made for you was maxed out. You will be in place by round 2)

ROUND 1

(OOC Narrate you actions, emotions, etc, take all the attacks or actions you are allowed, unless you hold an action.)

PS OOC: For good reading go to Dragon Forum/Free Forms RPGs/Fantasy RPGs and read Vatta's intoduction THE ERSTWHILE ADVENTURES OF VATTA SILESTIA

Inside the inn at Ashbenford the drinks were flowing as the afternoon waned. The clientel was mainly locals with a few travelers scattered about. The main topics were the weather, the condition of the crops and the lingering mystery of Tilverton.

The later topic was spoken of in husted voices, the mystery of the missing town was a mystery that could not longer be investigated as a company of Purple Dragon Knights and a goodly number of War Wizards guarded the empty space that had once been a thriving border town of Cormyr. They had been sent out after the disappearence of a number of adventing groups that went into the now empty area of the town and were never seen again.

(OOC Cerric and Vatta you are both in the inn.)

Cerric Khalidran sat at a table with a regular patron of the establishment, talking at first about the farmer’s yearly almanac, as if the superstitions of the peasant’s were interesting to him. It was a means to an end as far as this clergyman was concerned. He still referred to himself as a holy man, although his robes gave him the periodical look of whimsical doubt. Nevertheless, a proud member of the church of knowledge, he wore the symbol of Oghma proudly upon his sleeve, a blank scroll he had embroidered in himself. He had spent many a night over the light of the campfire repairing his stitching, as his sewing skills were in such disrepair as to say that the task was forlorn. He refused however to be recognized as but a mere transient, this man had purpose. Wherever he went, there was cataloguing to do, maps to remember of make due notice of. Knowledge was of the most import to this man, he would stop at nothing to get his hands on every last stitch of it. To think, in another possible turn of fate, he could have been as facile as the man before him today, talking about how the next day would bring sustainable rain. Cerric was sceptical to be sure, but perhaps there was something to be said about these auger written predications. Although he had been a farmer’s son, he had never picked up on the religion of the fields, nor had he felt the urgency of a hard day’s work, no matter how hard the old man had broken him for his failure’s as a son. Pain passes, as Cerric could now recall. He interrupted the man surreptitiously, as though he were not speaking at all, and with a whispered phonic said “This is all very interesting, but in truth, I was hoping we could speak on matters somewhat more intriguing, such as the appearance of the Purple Dragon Knights, or the War Wizards, what is their interest here?”

At that very moment the waitress visited the two, Cerric and the old farmhand wondering if they might require more drinks. Cerric had been leaving a tab open for him and his ‘friend’, and had been discreetly stowing his drinks so that he might dominate the conversation with this man. He found that a sober mind’s inquiries into a drunken man’s knowledge assisted the gathering of information, especially in such a place as the tavern, where the overly thirsty cretins sat with strangers for nary a reason besides their capacity to afford them more booze than they could pay for with a months earnings. As if to silence the man’s response, Cerric grasped the peasant’s wrist and held it tightly while he ordered them another round. “Perhaps, if you would be so kind, I might enjoy some hot broth to ease the numbness of mind,” he added with a smile that made the waitress’ cheeks look warm to the touch. After she had left them to deal with another table, he bid the older man speak on about the eerie presence of the Guards around Tilverton… “Now, if you will good sir, let’s return to the subject at hand…” His thin face tightened in concentration, as he stitched his fingers together, hand in hand, and rested his forearms on the tabletop, awaiting the gluttonous patrons reply.

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Char kept a watchful eye from above his master in the rafters. Places too overly full of people - especially those of the inebriated variety, were a breeding ground for both brawling and thievery, and it was always useful to keep a bird’s eye view on the situation. The bird could not discern whether anyone had noticed him or not, but was not making the crow of his kind, and assumed that without this annoyance, he would be relatively ignored. He kept a close eye on those patrons that moved a little too close for comfort, being most watchful of their hands, and if they had any weaponry askew. Cerric was a moderately genuine character, a priest at that, which would reduce his enemies to a bare minimum in such an established community, but he was also a very wealthy cartographer, and professor of knowledge beyond the reach of these simpletons. The birds little mind often chirped with suspicion, and it was best that he maintain the air of dire circumstances in any case; he was as good as any premonitory spell that his master might conjure, and considerably less tolling on him as well. The raven knew that Cerric would spend two hours a day memorizing his spell book, and praying to the ‘Binder of What is Known”. It was better that Char remain vigilant, and save his master the need of such divinations…

Vatta Silvestia sat quietly at a table eating a modest meal and sipping some ale that was passable at best and while the hood of her cloak was up hiding most of her face; the lower part was visible revealing her pale skin and feminine features to anyone who gazed upon her. While she seemed disinterested in everything around her, except her meal and beverage, nothing was further from the truth.

Her amber eyes gazed out from beneath the hood, missing little that went on in the common area. It had taken several minutes though to notice the dark raven in the rafters above. She smirked slightly thinking that no one else besides the pet’s owner would probably realize it was present, watching all those below.

The bird obviously belonged to someone here in the room for it didn’t move and only watched everything that went on, a very attentive pet it seemed. The bird was probably trained to sound an alarm if it spotted danger to its master. If Vatta were to bet she would have to put her money on the bird belonging to the Priest at the next table, the one listening to the drunken peasant farmer yammering about weather and crops. It was almost enough to put her to sleep, until their conversation turned to more interesting items; the missing town she had heard mentioned hereabouts.

The robed man was obviously a priest, his manner of dress, what could be holy symbols in his attire, and the calm and contemplative manner in which he spoke. Vatta had little use for Gods, she had never met one and found they in turn had done nothing for her as far as she could tell, but Priests were another matter. She often found them useful to have around especially on dangerous adventures where injuries were common. Their magic was often useful and had saved her life on more than one occasion, but whether it came from their gods or something more mundane similar to the magic users she didn’t know and hardly cared.

When the waitress left the Priest’s table and came by hers, she ordered another tankard of ale and having overheard the Priest order some broth thought that some soup would be nice and ordered some for herself. Looking at her plate and seeing she was almost out of bread she ordered more of the warm fresh bread and some honey as well. A hot fresh meal was something she didn’t get often and cherished the moment when it presented itself besides she could really put it away; more than her small 4’7” lithe muscular frame might suggest.

As she wiped her plate with the last of her bread, she thought of how she had considered asking around about the missing town and the other adventuring bands that had gone off in search of answers to this mystery. Now she figured she could learn what she needed to know by just listening to the conversation at the next table and not have to reveal her interest in the subject. While her ears were attuned to the words of the Farmer and the Priest, her eyes still roamed the room from beneath the hood watchful for any signs of trouble or anything of interest.

The part about the Dragon Knights and the War Wizards caused her some concern as she didn’t like it when officialdom was involved in any way. While she respected certain aspects of law and order, she understood that there would always be chaos. In her opinion; the best course seemed to be when the good and bad in the world balanced in harmony. One of her basic tenements was that ‘without evil how would anyone know the nature of goodness’. At this thought she absently fingered the silver pendant she wore on a leather thong around her neck. A basic Yin and Yang symbol, one side black and the other white but within the black was a small circle of white and the white side had a similar circle of black. To her it meant that one couldn’t exist without the other; that good contained some part of evil and evil some part of good. Of course most people didn’t see it her way but she shrugged and smirked at the thought.

Her philosophical musings were interrupted by the return of the waitress with her ale, a bowl of steaming broth, another plate of bread and some honey, her mouth watered as she laid two gps on the table in payment letting the waitress keep any remainder as a tip. She was always generous to those less fortunate than her; a common failing some had told her but she had been down on her luck many times and could appreciate a little help now and then. She dug into the broth, occasionally dipping the warm bread into the bowl. She set aside two pieces of bread to slather with the honey for the end of the meal. Every few minutes she would glance up and check on the whereabouts of the Raven above, just checking to see if it was still there and wondering privately if her wager with herself on its owner was a sure bet.

(OOC: I just noticed the plug of my Solo Story of Vatta's Previous adventures by our DM, Thank you Dragon Mistress. Just want to mention that my thread was moved to the Creativity Forum/ Personal Creations/ Hope you enjoy! )

The local glups down half his tankard before setting it down.

"Furst 'erd of the disapperance 'fter a caravan come through from Cormyr. That was a few months ago, before furst snows." (OOC it is early summer now)

"Some adventurers 'angin' 'round went off to check on it and never returned. It was in spring we 'eard that th'were then Purple Knights and Wizards guardin' thar."

He goes on chattering but telling nothing new, and what Cerric gleens is that everything he is telling is third of fourth hand.