Helmut is ..er..was asleep at wherever he is. Hearing the commotion, he decides to but on his boots and helmet and take a look outside. Then he realized he fell asleep in his helmet and reaches for his trusty battle axe. He walks at a slow pace out to mainstreet to see what he can see. He is still rather stiff from walking all yesterday and just waking up. Also, for some reason, he has a large headache.

This is a start of a trend that Jerrico doesn't like. It can't really be gobos. This is something that needs to be stopped. Rather than wait for the others to wake on their own. He sets out to find all of the others. Sighting Helmut, he quickly tells the dwarf, "Could you help me find the others. There has been another attack and I don't want to lose any tracks or clues as to what is behind this..." After a quick thought, He yells after the dwarf, "I'm leaving after the site. Catch up with me after everyone is up." He didn't wait for a conformation. He was off to the stables and out the gate before Helmut could even find one person.

 (It'll take you a minute to saddle the horse and ride out but, considering Helmut's current state, you should have no problem getting out before the others get up. I assume you are just heading down the road to the ford then following the path up to Plogge Magre? Are you moving at a gallup, a canter, a walk?)

Drakon had still been in the Tavern. He had fallen asleep at the table that he had been at the others. "Were they ignoring him on purpose or what? oh well." The next thing his mind knew there was a commotion and someone kept yelling the word, "Gobos." His mind doesn't connect it at that moment. He goes outside to see what happens. Several of the other members are there. "What is happening?" He asks no one in particular.

If Flock is awakened by the commotion, he will take a few moments to make himself decent, and then also go out to investigate.

Hearing the commotion outside, Felix quickly dresses and heads outside. He sees Helmut wandering around still half asleep and says "What's going on... and has anyone seen Jerrico?"

Helmut turns to Drakon, Felix and whoever might be out there, "Apparently there has been another attack. Might be them gobos. Jericco has taken a horse and is heading away from town. He didn't tell where or when or how many, just that it was happening and happening fast." After giving this brief but concise report, he goes to awaken the others. He wakes everyone by shaking them accept Phase, which he simple knocks at his door. He advises that all regroup outside the tavern to decide what to do next, only a suggestion. His sleepiness is wearing off although he wishes he could splash some really cold mountain water on his face. That will wake ANYTHING. Experience through mistakes.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Phase reluctantly gets up, gathers his things and stumbles out to the group looking to Felix for direction.

After being awakened by the commotion, d'Cur readies himself as quickly as humanly possible under the circumstances. Hearing the shouts of another gobo attack, he wonders if this could actually be it this time, and hurries outside.

Felix mutters something under his breath that no one quite catches but it doesn't sound good. Shaking his head he says" Alright, I suppose we should try to catch up to Jerrico before he gets into too much trouble. everyone, head over to the stables and get the horses ready while I try to find out where this attack took place. Felix heads towards the town gate looking for someone on guard duty. "What's all this then about a gobo atttack? Where did it happen?"

A stunned looking guard points towards Waldron's tower and, incongruously responds, "Plogge Magre".

After getting an answer he heads towards the stables... seeing Flock in the street he says " I think whoever took your box was behind the attack here and another that just happened. If you're interested in finding that box you night want to come with us, besides we could use a mage and I can pay you one trochee a day." without really waiting for an answer Felix heads back to the stables to get his horse ready. ((OOC if the guards don't know where the attack took place Felix will head toward Pickman's Ford since that's the direction the tracks were headed. ))

Drakon heads out with the others to where ever they go.

Phase, gets to the stable, saddles up his horse and follows Felix

OCC// Is Helmut able to ride a horse? Even a small one? If so, he will follow on the tails of Felix and Phase If not, he'll follow on foot, he needs the exercise

// OOC I believe everyone has a horse except Drakon who rode behind Phase. d'Cur might let you ride with him if you sweet talk him. ;^) //

Helmut finds d'Cur and approaches him cordially. This may sound kind of odd, but, could I ride with you on your horse? I'm afraid we need to be someplace in a hurry and these little legs of mine just won't cut it.

"Only if, and I do mean only IF, you can keep those little conversations with your father to a low roar," replies d'Cur.

"I'll see what I can do. He sometimes is such a pain. Me head aches just thinking about it." At this point he grumbles something inaudible and shakes his head slightly. He seems to be straining very hard against some mental foe. Oh well, it happens every now and then.

Once everyone is saddled up, Felix will take the lead and head out towards Pickman's Ford. From there He intends to take the path that leads toward Plogge Magre. Since Felix is the only really experienced rider currently with the group, he will gauge from how the others are doing on how fast to go (if people are struggling to control their mounts he's not going to break out into a full gallop).

As everyone gathers outside the inn, Garrick comes hurrying out of the tower. His hair is rumpled and his cloak askew. He appears to have been rousted out of bed only a few minutes ago.

"I see you've heard the news," he calls out as he hurries over. "The peasant from Plogge Magre is certain it's a goblin this time. Short, hunched creature with a mishappened head. He only saw it in silhouette before the thing knocked him over, but it did drop a copper knife such as the goblins use. It was apparently attempting to carve up some cattle in the corral.

He saw others scurrying through the fields as well--running away. He couldn't get their number though, on account of the darkness." //ooc Now would be a good time for Phase and d'Cur to make those riding rolls... //

Jerrico will proceed at a cantor through the settlement and then break into a gallop up too the old tower. From that point he will slow to a walk. Trying to find any tracks that might be of help. OOC: The tracks that were back at the first attack which way did they go again. Are they headed in the same direction as Jerrico is going?

//ooc - There weren't enough tracks to establish a firm sense of direction, but what few could be made out looked as if they had entered the field, from the road walking in a generally northern direction. If you head south (the direction the spur-wearing intruders were coming from) you'll find Pickman's Ford, but that road also leads to Plogge Magre, Nodding Hollow, Neebo's Landing and, ultimately Starhaven itself. (Among other places.) //

It is still early morning. The trip from Stooton to Plogge Magre is almost as long as the trip from Neebo's to Stooton. Jerrico seems to be suffering from lack of sleep but you force yourself onward. You travel for a couple of hours. The narrow path descends into the river bottom land and begins to snake through thick trees and rocks, and winds along the edge of the swampland. As you turn a sharp corner you are forced to stop quickly. You encounter large boulders blocking your path. The biggest, the size of a wagon, shows one full side smeared in fresh brown dirt from where it had lain in the soil--until recently.

Jerrico sets out to find any sight of where the rocks came from. Drag marks or other debris that would hint as to where they originally rested. Jerrico is also wary of these rocks he is trying to find any flaw in them. His energy level is up again at the hopes of there being another chance at getting to any of the dark races. This new flow of energy will not last as long, and he knows it he has to get some rest soon, or else he will crash.

The rocks loom before you at about shoulder height. You feel that, in an emergency you might able to clear it, but with this boggy uneven ground, it would be difficult--not to mention the fact that as the rocks are situated in a curve of the path, it would be hard to get up enough speed. You draw reign and notice that you might be able to go around the rocks on the hill side (the hill is not very steep) if you threaded you way through the trees carefully. In fact you can see the large holes where the stone formerly lay and wonder how it is that the stone could have gotten through the trees to the path.

With the hackles rising on the back of your neck, you turn to the rocks and notice a pair of eyes blinking at you from between them. No, not between them...the eyes actually seem to be IN one of the rocks. With a sickening feeling, you watch the stone rise. And as it does so you realize it is a large, ugly, gray-green head. The creature rises until it can look you in the eye where you sit on the horse. It is standing behind the stones holding a club the size of your waist. You hear a regular splashing, and notice a second creature about 30 yards away by the river, trying to club fish with a similarly sized weapon.

The call themselves the Angorim (the pain eaters) for a number of reasons--not the least of which is their habit of eating their victims alive from the toes up.

But you know them as Ogres.

Finally, Jerrico gets what he wants. The chance to fight the dark races. He takes a quick survey of the field. Based in his available options Jerrico sets his mind to what must be done. He draws his fathers sword. By the blood of my family, may the Servants guide my hands in their duty. The white metal catches the light of the early morning. He feels a rush of pride and honor. And sets his plan in action.

Taking into account that he is alone and not truly ready for a two on one fight, but still filled with too much anger at the dark races. Jerrico puts his desperate plan into action. He takes a quick aim at the front ogre and throws a dagger at its eye. Sure of his aim, Jerrico then takes position to launch another attack based on the ogre's action.

Knowing that he has the speed for this battle. Jerrico takes another aim at the ogre before he turns the horse to gain some more room for a real battle.

Jerrico knows that he is not having the best day in his life, probably because he hasn't had a good night of sleep in a long time. But he has to fight until he wins and/or someone comes along to help.

Back to the action--- With the dagger bouncing off the ogre's eye, he's stunned. He missed! From that close and he should never miss. Jerrico was too slow to get out of the way of the ogre's attack. Accepting the inevitability if the blow he tries to roll with the attack and lessen it's damage. Falling off his horse and to the ground hurts ant he feels there is more damage than can be healed in a night he turns the pain to his anger, using it as fuel for his fire. Hoping 'Wind will fend for himself, Jerrico continues his basic battle plan. He moves further back on the trail trying to open up the space between him and the ogre.

The moment there is enough room for him to launch an attack Jerrico turns and lets loose another dagger for the same spot as before, the eye, a painful and stopping wound.

The angorim may be slow in general, but the club comes in awful fast. It smacks you on the hip. You try to "roll" with the blow, but since you are on a horse that means diving off. You scramble limping to your feet as the angorim climbs over the stone. Your horse turns in fear to flee back along the path, but does not go far. She seems reluctant to leave you. She rears back uncertainly as if to strike.

The Angorim shuffles forward, you lurch back to stand along side your horse. Your leg tingles, half numb. You whip out a dagger and fling it truly. It strikes the angorim's massive chest. Not deeply, but with effect for the creature pauses to blink stupidly at the blade. He pulls the blade out flicking a string of black blood through the air and roars. Whether from pain or anger you cannot tell. His companion, the one who was trying to club the fish in the stream looks up and notices you for the first time. He begins wading to shore and you brace yourself, fearing what will come next.

But in the distance, you hear the faint sound of galloping horses.

Since Jerrico is off his horse he is forced to fight with a sword. He takes a position that protects his leg. He knows that he now can't out run the ogre he is going to have to fight with cunning and skill in hopes that help is not far behind. Rather than attack first he choose to be on the defensive. He will wait for the ogres attack and defend and then attack. He will try to slow down the ogres advance (i.e., going for the knees and heels). As he waits for the ogre to reach him he says a prayer, Dragon Lord please aid me in my fight with the dark races. With that he draws his father's sword and readies for the battle.

Jerrico braces himself as the huge beast lumbers forward.

The monster raises his club confidently when a whinnying sound distracts him. Silverwind lunges forward, hooves flying--they connect with the angorim's head, making a meaty thud.

The angorim staggers back a step, obviously stunned. You lunge in with your sword. You feel a sharp pain in your hip, but you thrust your weapon deep in its side.

The angorim lets out an earth shaking roar of pain and anger and swings wild. You dodge and hear an answering bellow from the angorim standing in the stream. The swing misses but smacks into Silvering. The horse does not appear to be seriously hurt, but being already spooked by the anghorim, she turns and flees back down the road.

You stagger back, your sword at the ready, dripping black blood. The beast looks down at his wounded side, then glares back up at you.

Meanwhile...

Felix, Phase, Drakon, Helmut and d'Cur are galloping along as fast as they can. They hear the sound of some huge creature roaring in the distance and they fear the worst. As they race down the narrow overgrown path, Silverwind thunders by, riderless, in the opposite direction. It is not a good sign.

Finally,

Flock is trudging along as fast as he can. He is doused in sweat and the small chest of magical supplies weighs heavy on his back. As he trudges along he keeps thinking about the man he spoke to in the inn the night the box was stolen and considers what he can remember of curses and what he'll do if he can find the man...

As he walks, he hears the steady clopping of a horse. In the distance he sees a horse trotting towards him. As it gets nearer, he can tell it is saddled, but riderless and lathered as if it has run a long ways. The horse slows as she nears. Flock reaches for the bridle. She shies away at first, but lets him take it and stands before him nervously.

Drakon is riding upon the horse, behind the same man as before. He had decided to practice his spheres of xaris. So, that next time his castings would work well.( Will send in the rolls later) After about an hour, of this and his boredom not subsiding to well, he speaks up to the man. "Sir Phase, can you tell me a story about yourself? Just a little something to wile away the time?"

"Sure, I knew a man once that was so consumed by his hatred of the dark races he would ride off on his own in search of their nests. One day he found himself in the middle of a horde and though he fought valiantly and skillfully, he was no match for the gobo's small blades and long claws. When his companions finally caught up to him there was barely enough meat on his bones to interest the buzzards."

Phase kicks into his horse to catch up to Felix. "Seems to me, whoever--whatever is attacking these towns is doing it in a decidedly systematic fashion." He pauses for a moment to consider his next words, "so why are we spending our time following them instead of trying to get ahead of them?"

Felix ponders Phases' question for a moment, " I'd still like to get to Plog Magree and see if we can't get more information about what we're up against... but you raise a very good point... where do you think they'll hit next? Nodding hollow maybe? It's about the only town in this area that hasn't been hit... except for Neboo's landing of course. Phase, I'm curious about what you think behind these attack.. gobos seem to be part of it.... but as you said the attacks systematic and then there's the business of the spur marks we found... spurs are usually worn by men of wealth if not outright nobility... not the sort you'd expect to be hanging out with gobos ." ((OOC how does Plogge Magre compare to Stooton Slough... bigger, smaller about the same? and about home far is the party from Pickman's Ford at this point?))

(From what you remember, it is similar in size to Stooton, maybe a little smaller. Since you seemed to get on the road pretty quick, I'm going to assume you're only a few minutes behind. Of course Jerrico was riding pretty fast... }

"Well," Phase starts, "where I came from, when the land barons wanted to get rid of the farmers and take their land, they would cut off the water supply." He pauses a moment to let this sink in. "If this were about gobo's and cows, they'd still be on the outskirts of Stooton...at least until they ran out of cows. I don't think we are going to know who's behind this until we catch them in the act." //ooc Is Flock with the party? I haven't heard mention of him, sounds like we are going to need a mage... //

Felix nods in agreement. "Aye, but first we'd better catch up to Jerrico... before he gets himself into to much trouble. " Felix kicks into his horse a bit to pick up the pace.

You heard the commotion outside and planned to join them, but then you thought you might need to have some schemas ready and bound to your staff just in case. You hurriedly set up your things, preparing to conduct a full ceremony in your room. You've done this plenty of times in the quiet of your master's workroom, but in this strange place you feel hurried and find yourself fumbling through your box of supplies looking for what you need.

You calm yourself and begin the binding ceremony. You feel it starting to take effect as the Xaris shapes itself to your will. However, it takes an extra repetition before the staff is prepared and ready to receive the schemas. Then you begin the first schema. A blast of negative energy from the plane of Shadows. It works the first time, but it does not feel very strong. You could pump more energy into it at some additional cost. You hold that thought in mind as decide to go ahead and try the fire bold schema...

You focus your mind on the elemental plane of fire. You perform the necessary ritual, but it doesn't seem to work.

Outside you hear the braying of that dwarven fellow from last night and the chattering of the elf. You gather that they are leaving without you. You hurriedly try again, but again the schema fails to take shape. You ponder what to do next.

Helmut riding behind d'Cur decides to see if he has any jerky in any of his pockets. He is rather hungry. To d'Cur " Where in the blazes are we headed anyway? I'm not to familiar with much of anything but the mountains. What is this Plogge Magre like anyway? Sounds like a hexen's name to me and if there's one thing I hate besides the dark ones, its a witch. Foul stinking vermin that they are. I remember once, a friend of mine was turned into a horny toad by one of them there villains. Hate 'em I do, I do."

"I really don't know, " replied d'Cur. "I've been to a lot of different cities, but I'm usually out shortly thereafter. It seems that most of people in charge don't care much for the likes of me. So, I don't usually catch their names. If you know what I mean." d'Cur gives the horse a little kick to keep the pace up a bit.

" Hang on Drakon, this might get interesting," Phase shouts as he kicks his mount into higher gear.

Drakon replies to Phase, "Well, Phase I remember hearing some stories about a small group of forest ogres invading a Thraiyn village. From what I remember, blunt weapons such as hammers and staves were rather ineffective while spears and blades were more so. Still, we must exercise caution. Do you wish me to try a protection Xaris? Say of smoke?"

Phase replies "We don't have a cause for such conjuring yet, but keep it on the tip of your tongue as I fear danger is afoot."

Helmut, with his years of battle experience feels a twinge in the air that something isn't quite right. He readies his large axe as best he can and adjusts his helmet to a comfortable posistion. He announces to d'Cur " Better kick this here pony into full speed before the others get to far away and the fun starts without us."

Phase grows increasingly concerned with the safety of their strange companion and says a quiet prayer.

Drakon notices that Phase is praying and yells ahead to see if they can go any faster. He, also, makes a silent prayer for Jerrico and that if he needs help that the rest of them can help him out.

Felix kicks his horse into a full out gallop, the concern he observes in the others heightens the very bad feeling he was already experiencing. Felix shoot a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure the others are still handling the horses ok. As he rides, he mutters a quick prayer that they reach Jerrico in time and that Jerrico live at least long enough for Felix to give him a good chewing out for running off on his own and that none other the others breaks their fool necks on the headlong charge down an unfamiliar road on borrowed horses. Amen.

 (To Phase) After your conversation with Felix, you grow more worried until you find yourself actually repeating a prayer for guidance you had learned as a child. Unlike then, you really mean it now.

Suddenly, you find your attention drawn to a crow surrounded and harassed by a group of jays. This strikes you as significant and you are immediately certain--just as surely as if someone had whispered in your ear--that Jerrico IS in trouble.

"Jerrico is in trouble," you mutter and hear Drakon gasp and begin muttering prayers to Rutan. Felix's expression grows stony and you hear him growl out some sort of prayer of his own as he kicks his horse into a gallop. //ooc: -1 LF all around, but no riding rolls are necessary. There may be other results as well, later, depending on the situation and the attitudes of each patron lord.//

"That was weird," Phase thinks as he tries to shake off the experience. He kicks into the horse and tries to hang on.

After seeing Felix ride off like a madman, d'Cur looks over his shoulder to Helmut and says "Hang on. We're in for a bumpy ride!". d'Cur then gives his horse a swift kick and heads after Felix.

Helmut holds on tight as d'Cur spurs his horse into gear. He axe is at the ready and he goes over some basic battle maneuvers in his mind. Stay away from the arms, try to take out the knees, and never forget that the head is a useful weapon at all times. He notices some of his companions praying to whomever. Helmut begins to feel the adrenaline for the upcoming battle and grins happily with his father's battle cry singing in his ear.

Phase kicks into the horse to squeeze out some more speed and yells back at Drakon "Hang on! I'm going to try and flank whatever that was" Upon arrival to the melee, Phase will attempt to ride past the beasts before dismounting, so that he and Drakon can attack from the rear.

Felix readies his pilgrim's staff.. flipping out and locking the blades as he rides... when he reaches the melee he will attack the beast closest to Jerrico using the staff much like he would a lance if he had one. hopefully this will distract the angorim's attention from Jerrico (not to mention an attack from the rear by Phase and Drakon).

Felix, looking grim, pulls his staff from its straps at the side of the horse and gives it a shake. Three razor sharp blades spring from the end. He tucks it under his elbow as if he were a knight in a tourney.

Helmut calls up to d'Cur and says, "My father told me to smack ye up yer head if you don't get this mule of yerrs to go any faster, we're missing all the fun."

"You tell you're father to hang on. . ." shouts d'Cur as he kick the horse's flanks as hard as he can. "I just hope our gloomy companion hasn't gone and gotten himself killed."

Jerrico lost his control. He could handle the ogre attack on him, his own pain but when his horse ran off he lost it. In a rage that he rarely lets lose. All well laid plans went out the window. The speed he used the sword had it at a blur. He set into the ogre with no thought about his safety. all that can be heard from him is a primal growl that put a look of fear in to the ogre.

Jerrico throws himself at the angorim in a blind rage. His blade flashes like lightning. The angorim, already reeling from Silverwind's blows, staggers backwards, holding up its huge club to block your attacks. He swings, more of a reflex action than an attack, and knocks you back a couple of steps. The blow doesn't seem to do any real damage--at least you're not feeling any pain now, only rage.

Okay, here's the plan: My hope is to divert the attention of the ogre away from Jerrico as I ride through. If one or both of the ogres follow me, I will continue down the path trying to keep far enough ahead of them in order to avoid actual combat while the rest come up from behind. If neither pay attention to me, I will ride far enough to ensure that I have enough time to dismount and draw before either of them could overtake me by surprise. If the ogres assume a back-to-back stance (ie Drakon and I would be separated from the group and facing a frontal attack on the 2nd ogre) I will stay on the mount and again attempt to draw the second ogre away from the group. Hang on Drakon, this might get interesting. A riding roll should follow.

Phase and Drakon are the first around the corner. Jerrico and the first angorim suddenly appear in your way. Your horse swerves past them, then a large boulder appears. You hang on for dear life as your mount rockets up into the air, over the boulder and slams down on the path on the other side.

Your horse keeps running. With Drakon trying to stay on himself and leaning on you, you start to slip off, but clutching the horse's mane, you manage to scramble back up.

Drakon notices the second angorim splashing to shore as you zip past.

If either angorim has turned its attention toward Phase and Drakon, Phase will stay mounted and attempt to keep a safe distance, drawing the angorim away from the rest of the party. If neither are paying attention to him, Phase will dismount, draw his sword and charge full speed attempting to plunge his sword into the back of the closest ogre. (Rolls to follow: Init=1 Roll 1=20. Roll 2=10. Roll 3=3.)

The angorim from the river follows, bellowing, for a short distance but realizing--even in his dim brain--that he can't catch up, he turns back to the fray hoping to join in the fun. Phase, seeing his opportunity, dismounts and charges the angorim with sword drawn (rolls a crit) and slams into the angorim driving it to its knees. The huge beast lets out a roar of pain that startles everyone. It tries to rise and turns to face his attacker.

//ooc - I'm going to try and coordinate everyone's actions in order of init rolls, but some of you took "extra" actions at the end of the round. //

Felix charges the angorim attempting to impale him on the blades of the staff. (Whether or not this is successful will determine what he does next. If he misses completely, he will ride on swerving of the path to miss the bolder and charge towards the second angorim. If he hits and the staff doesn't get stuck, Felix will halt the horse and make a slashing attack while still mounted during the next round. If the blades of the staff become stuck however, he will attempt a second action this round and attempt to wrench the blades out of the angorim, in a manner that is as painful to the angorim as possible :) Init=2 Roll 1=5 Roll 2=14 Roll 3=15 ).

You charge toward the angorim, your staff at the ready. Of course you don't really have any experience jousting and you suddenly notice the huge boulder right behind him. The horse swerves. You miss the angorim but manage to barely hang onto the staff as your horse leaps the boulder //ooc - with all these riding rolls, I'm definitely going to have to hand some some XPs to everyone for their riding skills! // You see the second angorim just as Phase runs up behind him and swings his sword and you decide to bare down on him (the ogre :) as well.

//Your first roll was a miss, I used your second as your riding roll which was so-so, and your third roll was your extra action--you had a good starting initiative)//

//(Drakon) Talus, you already have my battle rolls. // Drakon jumps from the horse and from behind Phase. He begins his use of the Xaris and of schemas. He attempts to create a fog to make it more difficult for a battle. Then, he calls upon nature to help them out with her plants. If nature does answer his heed, then, plants will shoot up around the Angorim and block them off from us. (Init=6 Roll 1=7 Roll 2=17 Roll 3=5)

Drakon hastily grabs his magical components and chants an invocation. His first attempt, fog fails so completely he decides to try something else and grabs the components for plant control. A harder schema, but he's had look with such just recently...

d'Cur brings his horse to a screeching halt and dismounts, drawing his daggers in the same move. He will try to hamstring the achilles' tendon of the creature that's attacking Jerrico. Rolls to follow. . . (Init=3 Roll 1=18 Roll 2=12 Roll 3=3 )

//ooc - Do horses screech?//

Wounded, beset by Jerrico and confused by not just one, but *two* horses flashing by and leaping the rock behind him, the angorim fails to notice d'Cur taking up his preferred position behind his opponent. Helmut swings ineffectively with his short arms, trying alternately to hit the angorim and to just get off the horse without falling. d'Cur sees his opening and strikes his target. Trying to cut the angorim's tendon is like trying to slice through a steel cable. (In fact they've been used to make crossbows.) But d'Cur is not a small man. He leans into his blade until he slices through. The angorim staggers and drops to one knee. As he flails about, he whacks d'Cur in the side of his head with his elbow, sending d'Cur sprawling, slightly stunned, but otherwise unhurt.

(Jerrico's assault on an ogre Init= 5. Attack= 18. Defense=7. Extra=14.)

Jerrico, not one to waste an opportunity, plunges his weapon deep into the creature's chest. It reacts with only a quiver and a grunt, his yellowish eyes looking glassy and unfocused. It tries to rise, but only rocks forward twitchingly. Jerrico limps up, raises his sword, and removes the monster's head.

Whenwhile, Felix rides past the second angorim and jabs it in the side, dragging one of the blades across its ribs. The angorim is sent spinning around. It falls to the ground as Drakon succeeds at his second schema. The grass and vines along the narrow trail, quickly grow up and around the angorim, pinning it to the ground.

 Drakon does a little jig as his schema goes to work on the angorhim. A bright smile upon his face. He settles down and goes over to the ogre. "You sure are one ugly creature."

Phase recovers from his last attack and attempts to chop of its head.

 (Seeing as it's pretty much immobile, it is not diffult. --GR)

***SPLAT!***

As you [Drakon] are talking at the angorim, Phase walks up and whacks off its head.

Phase wipes his blade off on the dead ogre's body

Helmut attempts to slide off the horse as best he can with his large battle axe at hand. If this is successful, he will attempt to charge at the back of the closest angorim trying to remove the creature's kneecap from behind. If getting off the horse is unsuccessful, Helmut will gather himself up while swearing and try to keep things under control.

Helmut successfully scrambles off the horse. But by the time he gets his feet on the ground, the angorim have largely been sliced and diced.

Helmut, severly perturbed at his lack of appropriate timing, turns to the nearest tree and vents his anger. Many would not find the repeated slamming of one's head into a tree relaxing, however, Helmut is not most people. "Are we going to finish this little goose chase of ours or are we to figure that the angorim attacked the town this morning?", Helmut states to whomever is closest. "I figure we should be on our way." He turns to d'Cur and says, "You best not be forgetting to search the creatures, they sometimes have odd items swimming about in their stomachs."

"Yes, my strange little friend. I think searching them would be a good idea. However, I'll let you do the gutting. They're nasty enough on the outside." d'Cur then proceeds to riffle through the creature's various belonging and the surrounding area, always mindful to keep alert in case there are others lurking about.

These angorim have no real possessions. But you do find a pair of knucklebones made out of real knuckles!

Felix dismounts and walks over to where Phase and Drakon are standing over the decapitated ogre. " Nice work", he says to Phase with a note of admiration in his voice. Felix then turns to Drakon" Do you think you can cast a healing schema? I think Jerrico could probably use one." Afterwards, Felix will search both ogres and the immediate vicinity on the off chance they had anything of value or interest.

Phase catches his breath, nods to Felix in response, then takes a look around to make sure there are no more hiding about as he retrieves his horse.

"I can do my best." Drakon answers and gets some herbs and spices together to attempt to heal Felix up some.

Felix points towards Jerrico, whose been limping around. "Not me Drakon, him... heal Jerrico". Having said that, Felix goes back to searching the area.

Your best is good enough. You feel the xaris flow through you as you invoke your schema. Jerrico feels it as well. Though he sits there with a look of bored indifference behind his black mask, he feels the numbing pain subside. His hip is still a little sore and he estimates it will remain that way for a day or so, but he's felt worse after a heavy weapons practice session and is confident he can continue on with no difficulty.

You (Felix) walk back along the trail to the riverbank where they had obviously spent some time trying to club fish. You spy some broken twigs and footprints on the other side of the trail and follow them up the hill and through the bush to a "nest". In the nest you find a variety of gnawed bones, mostly fish, and shredded fluffs of fur. You also find some stone cutting and scraping tools which make the gobolyns look like an advanced culture. You estimate by the (relative) lack of fouling of their own nest, that they hadn't been there more than a night or two at most. You find nothing else of interest or value.

"I hope nobody minds me. I think we should bury them or at least put them to good use." Drakon says, joining the group. As normal, he is more than likely thought of as dumb. For wanting to help the cause of decomposition and to do a fair turn about. "I'll even make the hole. Then, we can go alright?"

"Sorry little fella," Phase replies as he mounts his horse, "no time to bury these beasts." He looks up to the sky, "no doubt the buzzards will pick the bones clean by sundown." He waits for Drakon to take the place on the back of his steed and looks at the others, hoping to speed them along.

"Thank you," he stands on his healed hip the pain is still there but a shadow of the original pain.

He then walks over to 'Wind. "You! you ever turn from a fight and I will turn you into glue. But Thank you for the help once you came to your senses." He give the horse a hug.

Turning to phase he says "Your right, we don't have time to bury them, but we should at least put them into the swamp. We don't want to leave any sign of them for anyone to find. We also have to get word to Whitehawk that this road is blocked and it needs to be cleared it is a dangerous choke point. He will have to send someone to clear it out." He then turns to everyone, "We need to get moving on this there is another town that has been attacked and we need to find some clues before they are gone.... And I need sleep." With that He sets to pulling the bodies into the swamp.

(I was going to let Flock ride back on Silverwind, but it appears that Flock has abandoned us for good, so we'll say that when Flock grabbed for Silverwind, the horse shied away and ran back in the direction of the river. So as Drakon finishes his healing schema, you hear your horse trotting back along the path to you.)

Felix helps Jerrico drag the bodies into the swap . After this is done he will climb onto his horse. "Let's get going again'" he says to the group and heads toward Plogge Magre. ((OOC- Talus, how much further to Plogge Magre? What time of day is it now?))

 (The attack in Plogge Maugre took place around dusk yesterday. The messenger took a small canoe to Pickman's Ford and ran the rest of the way {stirring up the Angorim, but fleeing before they actually spied him}. You'll see the canoe as you near the ford.

It is now about 7am. You've got about a six hour ride ahead, though you might be able to shave off an hour or so if you hurry.)

Jerrico is wiping off the excess mud. And then mounting 'Wind and waiting for the orders to get ready to go.

d'Cur sits, while trying to shake off the lingering effects of the monster's blow to his head, and waits for the group to decide what to do.

MY character is riding silently with Felix or is listening to everyone else speak.