Darius looked over at the young ranger. For once his idle banter was a welcome distraction from the worries of the moment, perhaps he had been alone too long. "Well Bayne, Even by the most direct route, Griffon's Nest is over 90 miles, but we may want to travel to either Mithril Hall or Nesme first. We can resupply there and then head off to Griffon's Nest. This will add time, but is necessary. If we travel to Mithril Hall, we would arrive mid-day on the second of our journey, Nesme would be another Half day more. Both are a day and a half journey from Griffon's Nest. Either way is dangerous."

Mithril Hall sounds good to me. I have heard nothing of this place, please tell me more about it...

OoC: I'm not too sue if i can make tonights session baldak.
i know that i can be there form 12-3am gmt, is that ok by you?

[This message has been edited by herf (edited August 31, 2001).]

"Mithril hall it is. A fine choice I think, although I have never been there either. We shall see it for the first time together. I have heard stories...."

OoC: If I can be there I will. If you are in the Chat room we can maybe run some. If not just post the next time you can make it. Some Info on Mithril hall will follow. But you will have to post next as I cannot double post.

Tell me of these stories.
When you have finished i would also like to know about your father, he seems a powerful man...

Well, as far as I know, Mithril Hall was once the greatest hold of the northern Shield Dwarves. About 180 years ago a Shadow Dragon was released by the Dwarves, who had dug too deep. The dragon took over Mithril Hall killing most of the dwarves. A few of the Dwarves excapaed to Icewind Dale. During the year 1356, One of the descendants, Bruenor Batlehammer, returned to Mithril Hall and slew the dragon. It is rumored that he had the help of the famed Drow Ranger, Drizzt Do'Urden.
After the dragon was dead, Bruenor brought the dwarves from Icewind Dale back to Mithril Hall and drove out the Duergar who had taken up residence there.

Sounds like a...lively place. If tis all stone then I say we stay only for a short time, buildings make me queasy, they destroy the look of nature...
How long do you think we shall be spending there? I knw we aren't in any hurry to reach this nest but I hope our stay will be short...

"I'm sure our stay will be short. We will be welcome, but we have other business to attend to. As for my father, he is a powerful man. I have not seen his equal with the rapier. He is a sight to behold when in battle. As far as some things though, we do not see eye to eye. I guess it is a matter of methods. For my father, how you acomplish your goals is as important as acheiving them. For me, it is not important how. Acheiving the goals of goodness is the important thing, even if you have to move outside of the accepted ways. In this I think that you and I are closer than my father and I."

Your father abides by the laws of the lands, he is held within the rules of the rigid structure of society. Still, sticking to those laws is no easy task, he deserves much credit for doing so.
Yet I agree with you, sometimes the laws are...annoying and must be avoided, there are loopholes in the law in which vagrants can escape punishment, with me, they cant escape punishment.
Do you have any friends in Mithril Hall?
If so, are they expecting us?

"I have no friends there, but I know that they will welcome us because of my father. Let us set down for a meal. I can see that it is mid day and I could use a rest."

During the meal, Darius noticed some movement off to the north and brought it to the attention of Bayne who then identified the threat as gnolls moving around the hill to the east. The two moved to the top of the hill, fired a volley of arrows down on the gnolls, and then charged into the fray. Bayne was the first to draw blood, striking one gnoll with his rapier. Darius followed with a hit of his own. Bayne took one of his down while Darius struggled with his two. Darius took several hits as did Bayne, but the two never went down. The gnolls were not so lucky. The sword play rang out in the low hills for many minutes but the pair of Rangers finally ended the last gnolls life.

A total of 40 SP, 4 Battleaxes, and 4 suits of Studded leather Armor were taken. Each received 600 Experience. Bayne will finally raise a level.

Darius hands a small potion bottle to Bayne. "Drink this, it will make you feel better." He then continues to apply the bandages to Baynes injuries. I should drink one of those myself, he thinks to himself. After I'm finished.

Bayne accepts the liquid gratefully and swallows, feeling a strange sensation overcome him. After a few seocnds he feels, stong again, as though the battle had never happened.
"Were those gnolls set as a trap do you think or were they random?" Bayne asked qith a small smile, thinking of the bloodhsed to come to those who lay in wait for them...

"The Gnolls must have been just passing on their way to do some evil. They were just unlucky to run into us. You are quite handy with that rapier of yours. Perhaps when we return, my father would show you some of his better moves. May I see it. It is rather well made, and except for the one my father carries, I do not think I have seen one quite this nice." Darius, having finished his work of the young ranger, gathers up his healing kit and stows it in the saddlebag where it came from. "One thing for sure, when I return I will ask my father to show me some of the riding techniques he knows. It would be useful to be able to utilize this horse for what it has been trained."

I agree, it would be good to be proficient in the use of these horses, they might make very good weapons in capable hands, unluckily mine hands are anything but capable.
So where to next fellow defender of the forest?

ooc: where exactly are we right now?

"Perhaps we will get a chance to practice on our own with the horses. By my calculations we should be about a day's ride away from Mithril Hall. We will have to bed down for the night before we reach the city. Keep an eye out for a good defensible location for camp. We can set up some alarm traps for those wandering creatures who might happen by. I will show you." At this Darius turned his horse towards the West and continued the journey to Mithril Hall.

There is a "Party Location" Map posted on my site, where you can see where all the groups currently are located. You are the Blue Dot with the B in it.
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/frankmarianne


[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 05, 2001).]

"Heh, learnign to use this horse is on my list, but surely twould be better to be taught by one knowledgeable in the ways or riding and mounted attacking?"
At Darius's request Bayne looks for a spot in the trees to make camp.
After a few minutes of searching he sees the perfect place, a small secluded spot underneath a ring of willows, with only two visible entrances. Dismounting Bayne asks Darius to show him those traps he was talking about earlier...

Darius scans the area chosen by the young ranger, this will do nicely he thought to himself. "good spot, Bayne. Now let us to the task of securing this area." Darius opens up one of his saddlebags and begins to remove some items, a spool of silk thread so fine as to be nearly undetectable, tanglefoot bags, and some small globes that Bayne does not recognize. "These are the key to the protection," Darius points out to BAyse, noting the globes. "When activated, they will explode with a loud pop, and release their contents of sleep powder. The sound is not so loud as to attract more creatures but loud enough to alert us, and the sleep powder subdues all but the most stout. A mage in town makes these for me, but the original idea was mine, or more accurately a plants. I had come across a plant with globes similar to these hanging from it like fruit. When a creature pulled a globe from the bush like plant, the fruit would explode, releasing the sleeping powder contained within. The insidious plant would then devour the creature. I was lucky to have been able to observe all this from a distance, as a group of Uthgardt Barbarians had happened upon the plant. They never knew what hit them."

"You seem to be very well situated here in the forest, exaxctly how long have you been travelling and living here in the wilderness?"
Bayne watches Darius hang up the globes and tie the thread around low branches and high branches together.
"Yes these should warn us of any danger, and the globes shall wake us to let us administer the..ahhh.let us say the 'coup-de-grace'"
With this remark Bayne gives a sly smile...
"Lets bed down for the night and hope these contraptions arent necesarry lest they fail to alert us..."

After a brief meal and some light conversation with Bayne, Darius moved over to the trunk of the willow and sat down for his meditaition. Four hours of trance would do him good. He had been getting by on little more than 2 for several weeks and his efforts against the gnolls showed that he could use it.

OoC: Herf, you can only wear and use one shield at a time. The Character Generator Demo allows you to equip yourself with two or more at the same time and will show all bonuses.
also, I have compiled a list w/descriptions of all the new feats from the guidebooks if your interested I will send them to you.

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 07, 2001).]

Bayne watched as the fellow company fell inot a kind of meditation.
Un-packing his bedroll and blanket he lay on them, looking up through gaps in the great willows branches, admiring the stars.
"What a great journey this has turned out to be, I've gone from being robbed to stopping the invasion of a village. Well i certainly live in interesting times..."

ooc: yes please, that would be great!
and any oher stuff you think might be useful, imherf@hotmail.com

Four hours in deep meditation, was all that an elf needed to rejuvinate himself. Darius wondered how Humans could deal with having to sleep for 8 hours a day. So much of the day wasted. Darius glanced over at Bayne. He was glad that his traveling companion was also elven. This would make traveling quicker. Darius pulled some dried meat from his rations pouches, along with some bread and cheese. Perhaps they would find some game along the remaining trail to Mithril Hall. The Dwarves would be more receptive, if the two were bearing gifts, and Dwarves loved their food. "If we begin the rest of the journey within the hour, we should make the foothills below Mithril Hall, by mid-morning. This will give us a chance to perhaps locate some fresh game. Both for us and the Dwarves."

Bayne looked over at his companion, "Yes, the dwarves would welcome us with open arms if we come bearing gifts, even if their arms are only open for the meat tis always good to be welcomed. And i like the thought of some fresh tender meat rather than these" Bayne holds up his field rations in disgust, "to eat all the time."
To show his disgust Bayne spat out a mouthfull of his brekfast onto the ground and wiped his mouth.
"After the fight with the gnolls I feel I am more proficient with the art of killing than I had been previously, I feel...rejuvinated, have you ever had that feeling?"
Taking the elder elves advice Bayne packed up his sleeping utensils and mounted his horse, to set off earlier tis always good.

Darius mounted his horse, turned toward the west and rode off. "Keep a sharp eye out for any tracks that may prove worthwhile in locating some game. I have heard tell that the Dwarves of Mithril Hall are fond of both Vennison and Wild Boar." Keep an eye out for more gnolls too, he thought ot himself.

The young ranger kept his eyes downcast, but not looking for animal trails, he felt more than sure that Darius could look for both of them. He kept his eyes downcast because he was thinking, he had gone from wandering naked in a forest after ebing robbed to saving a small town, th thought just wouldnt click in his mind. At least he wasnt trpped here with Darius, he knew he could walk away at any time...and that was the good bit.

Traveling at the much reduced pace, It was still not easy for Darius to spot tracks on this hard packed ground. The two were fast approaching the area of Mithril Hall, the Mountains were but a short distance away now. Darius had finally spotted what he wanted, the tracks of a wild boar. But there were other tracks present as well. It would seem that this particular boar was being hunted already. Darius, got off the horse and kneeled at the tracks. "I have found boar tracks," he commented to Bayne. "It would appear that this boar is very unlucky today. Not only will it have to contend with us, there is a large humanoid tracking it as well. I can't tell what kind though, it has boots on."

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 11, 2001).]

Jerking his head up at the words Bayne listened intently at the thought of the tender boar...
After the ranger had finished talking Bayne answered by shrugging and turning his horse towards the tracks.
Riding as fast as his ability to follow the tracks would allow, Bayne thought about the "humanoid" that was tracking his prey...hopefully it would be a good battle.

Riding along, the two did not have to wait long to find what they were tracking. Ahead they could easily see the Verbeeg, carying a rather large Boar over his shoulder, heading toward them. Darius turned his horse behind a small grove of trees and dismounted, pulling out his long bow, he moved to the front of the grove and took aim. The Arrow flew true, and hit the giant in the arm. (roll of 17 (+7 to hit for a total of 24) damage 7).

Initiative roll 14 (+2 modifier for a total of 16.)

OoC: The Verbeeg is 100 feet away, and will not notice the two until hit by the arrow.

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 13, 2001).]

(ooc i used a dice roller on my own computer, if its wrong then just tell me and you can roll it)

init- 4+7= 11

Seeing darius fire his arrow at the great Bayne realised he had no weapons that could reach that far. Thinking for a few seconds Bayne came up with a plan, he would attack the Verbeer from behind and surprise him like he did with the goblins...
Reaching behind him he pulled out his rapier, such a beautiful sword it was, maginificently carved along the hilt and blade, twould be worth a fortune to any trader. The blade was so light that it was easier to wield than any other weapon Bayne had ever held.
walking off to the right in the undergrowth Bayne circled around the Verbeer...

(ooc, all that ok?)

The Battle had begun. The Verbeeg, feeling the sting of the arrow shot by Darius, dropped the boar and proceeded to move at top speed toward the small grove which Darius was in. Bayne having moved around to the side, was in position to strike from the rear. Daruis was able to fire two more arrows into the Giant before it reached his position. Meanwhile, Darius had coame out of his hiding place and began to strike at the Verbeeg with his rapier. The Verbeeg, sensing Darius as the more dangerous of the two, concentrated his attacks on the older ranger, lucky for Bayne. Darius was having little luck in penetrating the devenses of the verbeeg, and Bayne was slowly whittling it down. The Verbeeg had scored several hits on Darius, and feeling the toll of the giants blows, Darius went on the defensive, and quaffed several potions to help keep him alive. Bayne had reduced the giant considerably, when the Verbeeg missed Darius with his final blow. Darius seized the moment and struck the final blow on the giand. Bayne then fmade sure that the Verbeeg was dead, while Darius used the opportunity to heal himself more.

Darius turned to Bayne. "Well, I'm glad that he's dead. Normally, I would have used hit and run tactics on such a large creature. Having you along has allowd me to discover that I'm not a very good swordsman. I guess I'll have to dedicate some training to that."

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited September 15, 2001).]

Bayne look up at the older elf and smiled, then after some banter and a few pieces of food the two set off again on horseback with the boar draped over the back of Bayne's horse, "Hopefully when we reach this place there will be someone who might train me to use this horse," Bayne thought to himself, "Maybe if we catch some more beasts they might do it for free." With this thought in his head Bayne keeps his head down looking for any tracks of animals that could be roasted and eaten...
"How long be it now from our destination Darius?"

Darius pointed toward the mountains. "Well, those are the southern most peaks of the Spine of the World. Over there you can see the Mountain known as Five Peaks. It is there that we will find the entrance to Mithril Hall. I would say that we will be there with two hours." Darius wondered if his father's good name would be enough to allow them entrance in to the underground city. He would need to resupply with food at least, and it would be nice to convert some of their findings into gold.

Bayne's face lit up with delight at the news, finally they were going to reach their destination, but after that they had a long trek to the nest, their final destination.
"Exactly hwo well known be your fathers name here at this Mithril Hall? Me and my friends were bands of adventurers in a way and we had never heard of your father, what makes you think these people will have?"
Bayne sped up his horse to get to their destination faster.

(Ooc- Baldak, if this is to much bother to carry on ill understand, i know your dming two games now and mine makes three, if you want we could cancel this, i wouldnt mind.

[This message has been edited by herf (edited September 21, 2001).]

OoC: Herf, This is no bother, I have just been working alot lately, and have not had a chance to post much. But it is up to you.

Darius, releived to have finally arrived at the entrance to Mithril Hall, sighed. "I was afraid that my directions were faulty." The entrance was well hidden, marked by a circle of stones. Darius rode up to a nearby cliff and dismounted. "This is where we get off, so to speak. Horses will not do very well in the caverns of Mithril Hall, but I understand that the Dwarves have a stables of sorts on the upper level." At this, Darius spoke a few words in dwarven, carefully memorized and a door into the cliff opened up. Two dwarven guards appeared. Darius pulled out a letter and handed it to the guards. "This will take a few moments as they check on our identies."

(Ooc - i had to re-boot my computer and i lost everything, do you have a copy of Bayne? i dont even have the character generator yet but i need a copy of bayne)

Bayne dismounted his horse and listened to Darius mumble in some incomprehensible language.
"Wow," Bayne mumbled under his breath as a huge doorway appeared in the side of the mountain. He had heard stories of the technology of the Dwarves but this was a marvel.
Bayne stared dumbfounded at the hole in the mountain as Darius handed over the letter and the gurads read it, he looked round at the guard as the guard started talking...

"Well it would seem that we are in luck. I guess that my father is known here." Darius leaves his horse with one of the guards and follows the other into the mountain. Inside, the rough walls of the entry chamber gradually smooth out as the hall is followed. The hall ends at a platform looking out over a gigantic cavern. Lights can be seen dotting the walls and floor. As Darius is observing the cavern, the platform begins to decend slowly.

OoC: I will send it out tonight.

(Ooc - Thank you)

As the lift descended Bayne was wrought with terror, "The ground is falling!"
With this scream he drops down to his belly and grips the floor, it takes a few moments for Darius to calm him down.
"Who could make such a contraption?"
Covered in sweat and looking around him an anger rose up in Bayne, "They ahve destroyed that natural beauty of this mountain and filled it with contraptions and metalwork, tis not normal, IT IS A DISGRACE TO NATURE!"
Bayne, after considering his mood, stands behind Darius and doesnt say another word lest he attacks the beasts that created the monstrosity.

The platform stopped and the dwarves lead the two through a passageway and into a large hall. Darius thanked the dwarves and now he and Bayne were on their own. The large hall was a market place of sorts, many tables were set up with various food products and other wares displayed. "Well, we are in. The Guest rooms are through that side passage over to the left. I think I will secure us a room for the night."

Bayne walked through the market with a glazed look on his eyes, these thick bodied dwarves were talking in a strange tongues he couldnt understand. Trying to buy or sell goods was a useless task as he could not understand anything they said.
After a few hours of desperate attempts at conversation Bayne made his way to the corridor Darius has said led to the guest rooms, spotting Darius waiting for him Bayne greeted him.
"Hail, these people are...queer to say the least, their products are strange and the tongue they speak in is peculiar, getting out of this hell-hole is high on my list. Now, where are our rooms?"

Seeing Bayne's uneasiness, Darius brought the elf quickly to their room. Inside, the room had a window looking out on a peaceful meadow. The scene was magical of course, but was enough to remove the feeling that they were underground. "I know that you are having trouble with the being underground thing, I have some similar feelings. It is taking all my will to overcome them. Hopefully this room will help. If you want anything from the market, just ask and I will go and try to find what you want."

Looking out of the window brought a little peace to Bayne's angry heart, watching the flowers and grass blow in the wind was calming and soothing, the only thing that ruined it was the little glimmer of black every so often which only served to remind Bayne of their placement.
"Ummm, no thank you Darius, just looking at the cusine here is enough to remove my hunger, I think twould be better if I ate some rations."
Bayne removed a small package from his backpack, removed the leaf covering and started chewing on the thick chunky contents.
He held it up to Darius and smiled, showing he was enjoying it.
"How long are we required to stay here? I don't mind staying a while if we can find something to occupy our time but if we have nothingt o do here when could we leave?"

(OoC - when we defeated those gnolls did we loot the bodies? i cant remember if we did or not)

"We will only stay long enough to rest and resupply our provisions. I think I will see if I can get a few more healing potions. I have almost used up my supply. We will be leaving in the morning."

OoC: Yes you did loot the Gnolls. The booty is posted above.

"Darius whilst your out buying your potions could you please sell the items we got from the Gnolls, our hard work may as well pay off, that fight was a bloody one.
Half the share is rightfully yours and as I'm not short of gold I feel you spend as much as you please on Healing Potions..."
Bayne didnt mind Darius buying healing potions as a lot of them would be used on Bayne himself...
Bayne stared out of the window trying not to notice the flaws appearing every so often in the grand landscape, "If only this was real, then this place wouldn't be so bad...I might even like it here if they had some real gardens like these, but no, these little bastards have wounded this mountain in their search for technology."
Bayne worked himself into a frenzy, and to stop him from murdering a dwarf or somesuch he threw himself onto the bed and gripped the hard pillow tight to his chest.