Lightly touching the others on the shoulder, Toby gestured for them to quietly follow him away from the camp a bit. Once they're a bit away, he quietly runs over the situation. "By my count, three by the fire, one with a crossbow to the left, and one napping to the right. Probably a few more wandering about somewhere."

He pauses to give the others a moment to add in anything they might have noticed, then continues, "I think best bet is to take the sentries out first, as quietly as possible, then have a look around for stragglers. What think you two?"

"Umm, wouldn't they notice if we picked one off, like if I shot one?" Iskanna asks.

She averts her black eyes away, "Sorry, I really don't know much about tactics; I prefer reading the books about theory, especially magical, not battles... those I tend to fall asleep with..."

Absently, Iskanna begins to braid her long black hair behind her.

"Well, I have a spell that would be sure I would hit one of them without any chance of missing... so... if you pick a sentry, did you want me to use that?" She asks.

Finishing her braid, Iskanna ties the end off with a white ribbon that she had loosely tied around her wrist.

"So... what enemy am I supposed to shoot?" Iskanna asks.

Toby listens to her assessment of the plan, nodding to himself, "Aye, there is a risk they'll wake up and raise the alarm, and they do outnumber use rather more than is good for us..." He thinks to himself for a moment, "So here's a thought: Let's see if we can't get these folks to surrender without too much fight. The man with the crossbow is a threat, but if you magic him down right off, I can rush in and scare the tar out of them. Tell them they're surrounded, we've got wizards and archers in the trees covering them, and if they just sit quiet and ties themselves up, we won't hurt any of them."

He looks at the other two seriously for a moment, "So basically the same plan - I'm counting on you two to catch the sentries and the like, only I'll deal with the three in the middle. Watch that crossbow, now, same as before."

Pointing out into the darkness where the man with the crossbow waited, he waited until he heard the sound of spellcasting, then strode purposefully into the firelight, cracking his whip. "Listen up, boys, and listen good!" he shouted, "we're the law, and you've got nowhere to run to... I'm sure you noticed the wizards we got covering you lot, anyone who tries to run will have his soul ripped out of his ears before he gets three steps!"

"Uhh, what enemy?" Iskanna asks, looking in the direction Toby is pointing.

After a moment of staring, Iskanna murmurs, "I don't think my sight is as clear as yours."

"Oh well, here..." Iskanna says, raising her bow, "Look from behind my shoulder, and angle my bow arm toward wherever the sentry is as best you can."

((After this is done))

"Alright, I should still be able to hit, in using my spell." Iskanna says, before murmuring.

"Ad ghv togwr hq ghv tic, aao k grmiu ao anoeg."
The very air itself then seems to form an almost unfelt cylinder, something to provide her arrow with a trajectory that is impossible otherwise. Then, she lets the feeling of the power of nature rise through her as she nocks and pulls back the bowstring, making sure to hardly stray from the angle. The power of the hurricane, the tornado's fury, the volcano's might... the power of nature when it brings forth destruction. Iskanna temporarily closes her eyes as she feels the dark power engulf her and her arrow. She snaps her eyes open and fires the black arrow.

"Look from behind my shoulder, and angle my bow arm toward wherever the sentry is as best you can."
"I'll do what I can, my girl." Even through the sleeves of her gown, Toby's fingers seemed thin as twigs and cold, almost like they were nothing but bone. It was sometimes easy to forget his age, but as he gently turned her towards the hidden foe, those skeletal hands were reminder enough that he had surely seen far more winters than most humans could hope, or fear, to.

"He's right there. Best of luck, and be not afraid to lie low it things get hot. Let Toby take the heat." With that, he enacted his daring, risky plan.

Krim Mountains, Far Northern Tar’Talon
Toby drew the group back away from their position overlooking the camp to lay out his plan.

"By my count, three by the fire, one with a crossbow to the left, and one napping to the right, probably a few more wandering about somewhere.", he said quietly, "I think best bet is to take the sentries out first, as quietly as possible, then have a look around for stragglers. What think you two?"
"Umm, wouldn't they notice if we picked one off, like if I shot one?", Iskanna asked absently, "Well, I have a spell that would be sure I would hit one of them without any chance of missing... so... if you pick a sentry, did you want me to use that?”
"Aye, there is a risk they'll wake up and raise the alarm, and they do outnumber us rather more than is good for us..." Toby agreed, "So here's a thought: Let's see if we can't get these folks to surrender without too much fight. The man with the crossbow is a threat, but if you magic him down right off, I can rush in and scare the tar out of them. Tell them they're surrounded, we've got wizards and archers in the trees covering them, and if they just sit quiet and ties themselves up, we won't hurt any of them."
The group quietly agreed, even Chancer, who quickly volunteered to circle about and neutralise the other sentry while Iskanna dropped the first. They ran through the plan once more before heading off to start the action.

Toby headed over to Iskanna first, directing her aim towards the active sentry on the spire to their left. His touch was strange and cold, but then again he was very old, and Iskanna thought little to question him at this time, it was quite cold and windy where they were after all. With Toby’s help Iskanna found her mark, and muttered an incantation under her breath, imbuing her arms with steadiness and her heard with clarity. Already she could make out the form of the sentry, now outlined against the darkness, the trajectory of her arrow no longer a concern. She waited a moment for Toby to get in position, and closed her eyes, focussed on her arrow.

Toby meanwhile, had scaled down the small bluff and was awaiting the signal from Iskanna. He didn’t wait long before the unmistakeable ”twang” and ”thwick” of an arrow that had hit its target registered in his hearing. Not skipping a beat he strode purposefully toward the campfire and the bandits around it before cracking his whips loudly, instantly bringing the men’s attention to him and startling one of the drunker ones to sharply he feel backwards off the stool he had previously been sitting on.

"Listen up, boys, and listen good!" he shouted his whip punctuating each point with a loud crack, "We're the law, and you've got nowhere to run to... I'm sure you noticed the wizards we got covering you lot, anyone who tries to run will have his soul ripped out of his ears before he gets three steps!"
For a moment there was absolute silence, the bandits simply stared at this new arrival, clearly shaken and unsure of exactly what was going on. They looked at each other quickly but still said nothing. There was a moment of stillness before the loud thump of the sentry’s body falling from the leftmost spire surrounding the camp drew the attention of those assembled for the smallest fraction of a second. And it was in that second that all hell broke loose.

A crossbow bolt zipped out of the darkness to Toby’s left, striking him full in the back and sticking deep in his armour. Toby turned just in time to see the three bandits surrounding the fire turn tail and run madly towards one of the tents, diving into it quickly and screaming all the while. Toby turned to the source of the bolt, and saw the remaining sentry not only alive but completely awake, reloading another bolt to no doubt fire at him again.

The thought hit Toby in an instant. Where the hell was Chancer? He had had more than enough time to eliminate the sentry yet obviously he hadn’t done that. That’s when Toby noticed him out of the corner of his eye, over on the far cliff face, moving some of the assembled bushes out of the way hurriedly, was a figure, perhaps Chancer. Before Toby could be sure the figure disappeared behind the bushes, vanishing from his sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Town of Camatcha, Southern Tar’Talon
As was often the case over the past day, Lheriel was the first to speak after Kaene had finished.

"I'm going to try an head out to get a map to these mountains. We should meet up at the gates of town in a few hours time so we could get supplies and provisions. I'll try and find us the shortest route out of here to Portluck."
Before he and his companion could leave, Raiel offered up another good suggestion.

"I think we need to talked together and make a plan of how we are going to achieve this quest. The planning we do now can well give us the edge we need to succeed. Perhaps at an inn or tavern…does anyone of you know where we can gather together?"
"Meet at the North gates in 4 hours," Raen said casually, seeming entirely uninterested by the discussion. Before anyone could disagree she had already headed out the door, mumbling "Alright, time to go kill 4 hours." to herself as she did.

Meanwhile, Kumadel was adjusting to the sudden realisation that she was in fact alive again, and in her own body. As she opened her eyes she found Katriana’s face directly in front of hers.

"You," she said softly, almost a whisper, "you have saved my life."
“It was the lord’s above who saw fit to save you my dear, I was but the messenger, to deliver you to their loving embrace.” Katriana replied, lifting Kumadel’s gear up beside her. “I’m glad you’re back, but I forgot to get your spear. Guess I might have had my hands full.”
She turned back to address the group before they headed their separate ways.

“Let us visit the local guild-houses and watering holes, for there we might find one who has traveled to Portluck. Perhaps we can arrange for a guide, or better still accompany a caravan or trade envoy already scheduled for that destination.”
The group came to an agreement, they’d meet at the North Gate in four hours and discuss what they’d found so far. Kumadel declined the offer, deciding instead to rest and think more on the fact that she had been given a second chance at life. Dying once had already been an experience, she didn’t quite want to repeat it. Without another word, the group departed, heading their separate ways to try to cover as much ground as possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lheriel and Jeskell were the first to step out of the church. Quickly agreeing on the need for supplies they separated, Jeskell looking for arrows and rope while Lheriel sought a cartographer or at the very least a store that would sell a decent map. It took him a few minutes, but with the help of some nice townspeople, he soon located a cozy and homely general store not far from the North Gate where he was to meet the rest of the group in four hours.

The smell of dust permeated the air as Lheriel entered the shop. The door rung a small bell as it opened, prompting a yell of ”Ah’m com’in, ‘old yer ‘orses!” from somewhere the half-elf couldn’t yet see. Lheriel looked at the series of jars, boxes and tools covering the walls and shelves before a soft thump and a rough coughing noise drew his attention to the dwarf that was standing before him.

”Ah be down ‘ere laddy!” he said gruffly, his fiery red beard and hair starkly contrasting with the worn brown leather apron and dirty clothes he wore. ”Name be Tam, would can I be do’n fer ya today?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raiel and Katriana had decided they would be investigating the pubs and taverns throughout Camatcha, trying to find themselves a guide or caravan heading their way. And after spending a while locating a pub they were dismayed to find the majority of them quite empty, with anyone they did find being a little bit too in love with their drink to offer them much help. One barkeep however, did mention that they had missed a merchant caravan heading towards Portluck by just over an hour, and depending on the speed of their travel they may be able to catch it. They found little else however.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raen was, for lack of a better term, killing time while waiting for the others to find out what they could. She walked around town for a while, seeing the sights and waiting for four hours to pass. She was walking down a series of alleys behind the shops when she heard some voices coming from around the corner in front of her.

”You better not put up a fight here stubby, you’re outnumbered and you know it!”
A quick peek around the corner reveals a trio of young human thugs with clubs, surrounding a dwarf in spiked plate mail. While it appears the thugs hadn’t noticed yet, Raen quickly spotted the axe strapped to the back of dwarf. Whatever was about to occur here, was not going to be pretty.

((OOC: Ryst you got hit. You’re in combat now. Group one, do what it looks like you have to do.))

Evil men were, in their hearts, usually cowards. It surprised him little that they had rather run than fight. That Chancer had apparently hid from yet another fight was something less than a surprise as well, but the time to deal with that would come later. For now, there were wicked men about and his charge was unprotected in the darkness. Now was the time for action.

Hardening himself for the fight, he quickly pulled a few brands from the campfire and tossed them onto the tent into which the men had fled. They wouldn't hide in there for long - not if they wished to live out the night. Wheeling around to where he could keep an eye on both the tent and the one with the crossbow.

((OOC: Activating Aura of Toughness. If I get enough time before the bandits come out of the tent, readying an action to use my breath weapon on them. Any attacks of opportunity will be trips, as usual.))

”You better not put up a fight here stubby, you’re outnumbered and you know it!”

These children wanted to beat up Rubrick. The dwarf stood a hearty 4'3" tall. He wondered if it was related to his height or they were just on one of those childish killing sprees. First it's ants, then it's bunnies, then it's those shorter than you. Ok, honestly, he didn't wonder. He hadn't enough time to wonder. The dwarf was too busy laughing.

Yes, Rubrick was laughing. They thought that their numbers meant something to him. Amidst his laughter, he knocked the clasp on his pack, dropping it to the ground. The pack must have carried considerable weight, not only from the loud clangs of it falling, largely due to the shield covering it, but also because of the tower of dust it blew into the air.

His pack off, he reached down with one-hand to release the knot on his tower-shield, and pick it up. The dwarf was left handed, his tower shield was now on his right. What it took a more inquisitive eye to see, was that admist doing that he also picked the morningstar off of his hip. He didn't go for his axe because these were just kids. They didn't know any better. Whether 15 or 40 years old, they were just kids to him.

He was still chuckling, when he came back up to his full height, fully armored, shield in hand, with a morningstar in his other. It was a low chuckle, belying a very deep, gruff, voice. It was this voice, that came out in the following words.

"You boys've never fought a dwarf before, 'ave ya?"

EDIT: Mixed flail & morningstar up

Hearing a crossbow bolt fire, Iskanna bites her lip. Weren't they both supposed to be dead by now? Oh well... time to act.

Well, first thing's first; if she can't see the enemy, she can't help and attack it, so light is needed. Secondly, if they were to attack her... well, she knows she can't stand up to much in terms of physical damage.

So then the question is defence or light first? Well, that would be an easy pick. Iskanna raises her hands and holds them in front of her, as though in prayer. Then she reaches forward, to draw the outline of a flower in the air. All the while she does this, she sings softly in a melodic language that seems to lift the spirit. She finalizes the spell by bringing her hands together once more.

((Casting Sanctuary))

Katriana mews a cough as she reflects on the news gleaned. It would take longer than was wanted just to track down and gather the others, let alone wait for the four hour rendevous time, and by then any hopes of catching the caravan would be long gone.

"I guess we all have some time before departure, and it seems we'll be making our own way. Why not try to obtain a map of the area and surrounding lands so we can plot our course, I am going to tend to a few things, I will not be late."

With that Katriana takes her leave of her companion.
Katriana will attempt to spend three hours of purchasing a large quantity of bread and fruit (25 small loaves of bread and 25 apples) visiting the local churches/ orphanages, back alleyways and perhaps the harbor district and other places of impoverished people, sharing what she may of kindness and the gospel to those that will listen. If any of the beggars, often a city's underlying source of rumor and information have anything to share that may prove useful, she'll reward them with a copper for each tidbit as well.

Raen's mind was elsewhere. She wandered the streets, peering at the wares of some of the open air merchants and daring a peek at some of the smithies in the area. She knew that she didn't have the need for anything, nor the coin to buy it if she did need it.

The others felt the need to gather some information before they left so Raen walked around a while, gathering her head for the trek.

Paying no attention to her surroundings, Raen traced a line along the brickwork of the rear sides of some shops. The buildings were made sturdily enough, though some mortar had started to wear on the corners in some places. The rough stone under her fingertips was pleasantly cooling. Such simple actions had an unusual calming effect on Raen and she was paying so much attention to the wall that she almost missed hearing angry voices beyond the next corner. Removing her hand from the wall, Raen stopped short of the corner and listened.

”You better not put up a fight here stubby, you’re outnumbered and you know it!” said a human voice. Raen knew it to be a young man, but that was all she could tell from the voice. Her back to the wall, Raen leaned out just enough to see three thugs with their backs to her confronting what seemed to be a dwarf. Raen silently raised an eyebrow at the situation wondering how three humans had worked up the courage to harass a dwarf wearing several weapons, a shield and a full set of spiked armor. He looked like he could take on ten of them let alone three.

Raen quickly glanced up and down the street to see if there was anyone else around that might rush in, such as the city guard, before turning her attention back to the dwarf and humans just as the dwarf dropped his pack, loosened a morningstar and bent to retrieve his shield. The fighter didn't yet move off the wall, still waiting to see whether the dwarf truly needed help or not.

Lheriel looked around the shop that he had entered. It had quite the rustic feeling about it, one that he secretly adored. Living and growing up in such a high class family he almost always wanted to know what it was like to live in a cozy little cottage, with just his family. But now that was impossible and the thought only brought sad memories flooding back.

He watched the fiery haired dwarf come to the shop front, and Lheriel smiled at his accent.

"Name be Tam, would can I be do’n fer ya today?”

" Well Tam, I'll be needing a map of the Krim mountains, and if so even past that to Portluck. Do you have anything that will suffice? I have a pouch full of gold to spend so only the best shall do."

Raiel sets off quickly with her Cooshee following at her side.. The green elven hound attracted attention as they moved about . Raiel asked about for the best fletcher from any bowman she spots. She follows their directions to the shops and picks up 50 of his best arrows.

Rayne also finds a supplier of trail rations negotiated for trail rations enough for her and her Cooshee. Then she went looking for a few more dagger to hide surreptitiously about her body.

With her purchases made she makes her way back to the gate well in advance of the stated hour and fines a place to sit and watch the comings and goings through the gate and look also for the others who had accepted this mission.

The Town of Camatcha, Southern Tar’Talon
"Well Tam, I'll be needing a map of the Krim mountains, and if so even past that to Portluck. Do you have anything that will suffice?" Lheriel asked the dwarven shopkeeper, a grin on his face as he listened to the stocky man’s accent. “I have a pouch full of gold to spend so only the best shall do."
Tam looked thoughtful for a moment, before turning back towards the back of the shop and gesturing for the half-elf to follow him.

”Ah’ve jus’ th’thing ya be look’n fer. Some o’the best maps ye’ve ever been see’n in all yer days. Drawn be a cleric o’ Omoto ‘dey are. Best ye’ll be see’n, fer jus’ a few gold an’ they’ll be yers.
By this point the dwarf had led Lheriel up to the counter at the back of the store, and was fumbling beneath it, throwing leather sacks out of his way and mumbling things that even Lheriel’s half-elven ears couldn’t discern. Eventually, a stocky dwarven arm emerged from behind the counter, followed by Tam’s fiery red hair and beard as the dwarf pulled himself up to be above the counter. He placed a hide tub on the counter, and withdrew an aged sheet of parchment from it which he spread on the counter in front of him.

”Now this ‘un ‘ere,” he gestured at the map, ”be’n Camatcha, where you be find’n yerself at this’n very moment. An’ this,” his short finger tracing a route along the coast and then further inland through what appears to be some mountains, ”is th’route ye’ll ought’a be take’n.”
Tam took his hand off the map and rolled it carefully, tucking it back the tube.

”Five shinies and she’ll be yers.”
Lheriel accepted, laying the coins on the table. He thanked the dwarf for his kindness and headed out to the meeting spot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katriana meanwhile had headed off into the streets on Camatcha. The merchant caravan she had hoped to catch was too far gone from the town to be of any use, and she still had time before she was supposed to meet the rest of the group. Throughout the day she had been taking note of the disenfranchised of the city, and now with some spare time she had an opportunity to do her best to assist them.

She searched the streets for a kindly vendor, and with a little persuasion managed to gather a small quantity of food for a minimal price. She then made her way back through the back alleys, dispensing the food to those in need.

Her duty to the downtrodden complete, she made her way back to the North Gate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raen had found herself in an interesting situation. From her vantage point from around the corner she was in a unique third-party position to observe the conflict in front of her. While it appeared they didn’t know it, the three thugs were clearly outmatched here. Her keen warrior instincts clearly pointed out that a dwarf does not walk around in that much armor unless he has a reason, and the reason usually involved a great deal of combat. She didn’t really see herself being needed here, and decided to keep herself out of sight.

Rubrick however, didn’t need this going any further. He casually dropped his pack from his shoulders and picked his morningstar and shield from his gear. He didn’t really want to hurt these thugs, but he certainly had to make sure they learned their lesson. He turned back around, his weapon ready.

"You boys've never fought a dwarf before, 'ave ya?"
The thugs looked a little unsure of themselves, they obviously weren’t all that bright, accosting someone in full plate mail like they did. Their wooden clubs were looking less and less useful as this progressed. While two of them looked a little worried, their leader seemed to recover his bravado soon enough.

”We still out number him lads! And he seems to be carrying some ‘spensive stuff! Let’s get him!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Krim Mountains, Far Northern Tar’Talon
Although Chancer’s inactivity seemed to have caused more chaos than previous, Toby gave it little thought. There’d be time for talking about that afterwards, and he was a little more concerned with Iskanna and the four thugs remaining around the camp.

He advanced towards the fire, his heightened senses giving him just enough time to shift to the side to avoid another crossbow bolt from the remaining sentry as it sailed harmlessly into the ground beside him. He took advantage of the sentry’s reloading to grab a stick from the fire, its tip alight, and tossed it towards the tent the three thugs had fled too. It took only a second, but soon the cheap fabric was aflame, and with a scream the three bandits tore through the flaming entrance flap only to find their legs pulled out from under them by Toby’s whip. The first two were thrown up in the arm, while third received an additional lash across the chest for his trouble. Toby cracked his whip back, the three men moaning on the ground in front of him.

Meanwhile, Iskanna remained up on the bluff, watching from afar. She was far to frail to risk a direct confrontation with those below, luckily Toby had provided a way out of that. The sentry on the bluff still was a bit of a concern however, as she was unable to see him and it was quite possible that he could see her. She’d do no good dead, and her thoughts quickly turned to self preservation. A prayer on her lips, she conjured a protective ward about herself, hopefully giving herself enough time to find a way to deal with the unseen sentry.


((OOC: Vil and Sui you’re the only ones from Group One I need, everyone else is just sort of waiting…unless you want character interaction [which would be nice you know]. Ryst the three guys in front of you are awake, but drunk, on their backs, slightly singed and one has a nice little welt from your whip. They don’t seem quite capable of standing back up. Reralae you’re…still on the bluff. ))

Successful or not, deadly or not, the dwarf would have been fascinating to watch. His strategy was simple with these boys. The three boys charged at him, threatening his life, but he stood, unwavering as they came in. When the first boy got to him, his shield shifted to catch the boy's body, and a burst of strength came out of him in an attempt to launch the boy backward.

The other two boys were not received so generously. They each got a swat with his morningstar. Whether or not he succeeded in any of this, it was fascinating to watch three boys bouncing around swatting at the dwarf while he stood there, barely a step between his strikes, and often no movement at all. It was like watching a group of peasants leap onto a cart in the hopes of stopping it from rolling downhill. It was quite clear the boys could stand 3 high on his shoulders and the dwarf might not even notice them.

**each round these are his actions, just rinse & repeat**