Middle Earth PbP (In Character)

[Girlfriday]

Bella listens to Brannadan, then nods emphatically before wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

"Yeah, what he said!"

[glimmerrat]

The grey traveller raises a bushy eyebrow.

"Isengard, you say? If that be so, then to Saruman they travel - the master of my order." He pauses, stroking his beard as he contemplates how to phrase his next statement.

"As it happens, yesterday I passed what appeared to be the remains of a caravan that had been sacked. There was no sign of a cart, or its cargo, but there were I am sad to report, three slain hobbits. I am very sorry."

"Of course, if it is hillmen that have the survivors, they may yet live. However, if it is orcs, well..."

He smiles apologetically.

[Girlfriday]

Bella's smile quickly sours as the traveller talks, and after he mentions the dead hobbits and the possibility of orcs, she looks like she's about to cry...

"Oh... oh no!"

[Antilles]

Brannadan can't quite hide his surprise when the implication of the traveller hits him. 'He's a Wizard? But he looks so... normal!' When he hears of the dead hobbits, he quickly regains his focus. Three dead young hobbits... he could feel the anger rise in him, but he pushed it down, until it became as small as a rock, white-hot and smoldering, but under control for now. He would find the ones responsible, and then they would pay, he would make sure of it. Hearing Bella's voice quivering, he puts on his best 'stoically brave' face and tries to comfort her.

"It's sad news, Bella, but the other two might still be alive. We have to find and rescue them, and then we'll make sure they can't hurt anyone else. Until then we've no time to spare for grieving, I'm afraid."

Brannadan turns back to the traveller.

"Thank you for informing us. Normally I'd suggest setting up camp and inviting you to join us, but it seems we've no time to lose. Have you perhaps any advice for us before we part ways?"

[glimmerrat]

"Yes - the more quickly you find Saradoc, the more likely it is that he'll be alive. The bodies were no more than a day south of here, and they were on the road too."

He pats Adelhard on the nose and smiles, then walks back to his cart and climbs up onto the driver's seat.

"I wish you the best of luck in your quest. These are perilous times, and people such as yourselves are a rare breed..."

With a "Hyah!" he pulls past the party and back onto the road, briefly glancing straight down at Dren and raising a bushy eyebrow. The cart rolls back up onto the overgrown roadway and moves off.

"Farewell!" he shouts over his shoulder.

[Bill Whitmore]

Many emotions play out across Gorbo's face: elation from meeting a wizard; no, not A wizard, THE wizard; sorrow over the fate of the hobbits, annoyance at himself for being too star struck to say anything, and sympathy for Bella's pain.  But in the end, it is the anger that prevails, anger at whomever it was that thought they could kill the hobbits and get away with it.

"We should keep movin'.  With a little luck, we may be makin' it by tomorrow mornin'."

With that, Gorbo continues the trek in silence.

[foproy]

gets up and hops back into the cart

[glimmerrat]

You continue your journey, riding south hard for the rest of the day. You set camp late and break camp very early, resting for only a few hours so that when you come upon the site of the attack, the pre-dawn light is barely brightening the sky.

Ahead you can make out the signs of a skirmish, including arrows, fragments of wood and cloth and the bodies of three hobbits. They have obviously been extensively mauled by scavengers but a few persistent crows remain, picking over the bodies. The dark stains on the roadway and nearby flora are undoubtedly blood.

The ground has been churned up on and around the track by cartwheels, hooves and many pairs of feet. One of the crows lets out a startlingly loud ‘caw’, and flaps lazily away.

Actions please?

[Girlfriday]

Bella leaps down off the cart and runs toward the bodies, waving her arms and shouting meaningless noises to drive the carrion birds off. She stands amid the bodies with both hands over her mouth, slowly turning from side to side with a look of horror plain on her face.

"Please, we... we should bury 'em. We cor just leave 'em 'ere on the road..."

[Bill Whitmore]

"I agree Bella, we should be a buryin' them, but lets be havin' a look around before we go about disturbin' everything."

Gorbo stares at the remains for a moment, trying to recall if he recognizes any of the deceased.  Then, after shutting his eyes and shaking his head, he begins to slowly circle the area, studying the ground.

(click to show/hide)

First, I am studying the dead hobbits to see if any of them are Saradoc or if I recognize any of them from my previous trips through the Longbottom area.

Second, I am checking the ground around the site for tracks.  I am primarily looking for hobbit or dwarf tracks leading away from this area, but if I see anything that may be from orcs or hillman I would also be interested.

1d20+5, 1d20+3 → ([9, 5], [13, 3])

Knowledge is 1d20+5 for 14 and Survival/Tracking is 1d20+3 for 16.

I didn't roll an error for Survival so using the Scout's stalker ability, I should succeed on anything up to a DC of 25.

[foproy]

(click to show/hide)

jumps down from the wagon, and begins looking for the assailants tracks
1d20+0=16 max 15

[Antilles]

"If you think you'll find anything, by all means. But don't take all day, yeah?"

Brannadan then takes out his bow, nocks an arrow and stands ready, watching over the rest while they go about their grim business.

[glimmerrat]

Now that it is getting lighter, in the distance (no more than a few miles at most) Brannadan can make out the ruins of the bridge at Tharbad. You're on the southern edge of Minhiriath - not even into Dunland yet. It's a bit far north for Orcs or Hillmen...

Gorbo and Dren study the tracks, with both quickly coming to the concensus that the cart was attacked here, and then carried on further south. Gorbo determines that half a dozen folk must've approached from the south, then lain in wait. The party was ambushed, and then the cart and its contents were taken south with the ambushers. There are smears of blood where no bodies lie - it is likely that the Hobbits cut at their attackers and slew at least one of them.

None of the dead hobbits matches Saradoc's description, although it isn't easy to tell. The carrion birds have made quite a mess of their faces.

The area brings back unwanted memories for Erkenwulf; memories of bloodshed and death. The bodies of three tiny Hobbits only add to the effect.

[foproy]

"they went south"dren says standing from one knee"several men ambushed them, the hobbits did not go down without a fight, i will scout a bit ahead, and see if i can find anything out."

(click to show/hide)

dren is just going to a better vantage point and not leaving shouting distance. edit: also staying out of sight
blend=1d20+11=20
sneak=1d20+11=22

[Bill Whitmore]

"Yea, lookin' like a group of a 'alf dozen or so came from the south and set an ambush 'ere, I don't see signs of a dwarf or 'obbit leavin' this area.  Probably hauled away in the cart."  Gorbo looks over at Kyan.  "The tales I been hearin' about dwarves says 'e wouldn't be taken 'ostage willingly.  'e must've been dead or out 'imself."

With a sigh, Gorbo turns to look at Bella.  "I'm guessin' there ain't any point in puttin' this off any further.  Why don't you go about seein' if there be any thing we could use to bury them or set about makin' a funeral pyre.  I'll see if they might be havin' anything left on them that may help identify them when we get back home."

With grim resignation, Gorbo approaches the bodies and carefully searches through them for anything useful.

(click to show/hide)

I am going to just take a few minutes and take 20 searching the bodies.  I am mainly looking for any personal effects that may be returned to the families later, but I'll keep an eye out for anything which may give some insight about the attackers identity as well.

Untrained take 20 Search check result: 15