Now Tynia had caught that look Foreman Jarlben gave her and a brow raised. In her eyes however, there was the look that said, not interested. She turns slightly away, so that she can see Dûrwë more directly than out of the corner of her eye.

She then inclines her head in a short nod to him along with a sweet smile.

Brett would have said something then and there, if it weren't for Dûrwë stepping forward and speaking. He calms himself down and listens in on the transaction, to see what the Foreman would do. While every so often he would glance at the silver on the table between Dûrwë and the Foreman, waiting.

He'll either take it or not. My money's on he'll take it, he thought and continued to watch the man, to see what his decision would be.

Jarlben looks down at the single silver coin on the table, wondering at the elf's seriousness.

"Yeh thinkin' I'm a leatherheaded sod. Fer that, yeh'd get five seconds so yeh better come a lookin' fer Milon on the kip (time of resting). He'll be birthin' in the shanty with all the other yard berks 'n cutters come new moon."

The foreman looks back up at the elf with a serious look.

"Now, I will slip yeh that chant if the jink's (gold) square. Otherwise, get on out o'ere or yeh'll be kiss'n the dust by meh scrubbers."

The smile fades from Dûrwë's face at the man's response, and he says coolly to the man, "it is most unfortunate for you, foreman Jarlben, that you are not a reasonable man. This is the second time within the last five minutes that someone from this cut-yard has threaten not only myself, but that of my companions as well. Now, I can easily handle a stupid sod like yourself throwing some verbal dagger at myself because I would just laugh your stupidity off with a shrug and smile. However, I cannot abide by anyone threatening a lady."

Dûrwë looks directly into Jarlben's eyes and says plainly, "we are going to speak to the man with or without your approval, and this offering was token gesture. Now, I suggest that you pick it up and shut up. Otherwise, make good on your threat now, man! I am done with you and we will have our way in this matter."

The young elf makes a point of looking at the door, his companions, and back to Jarlben before continuing, "now, exactly how do you plan to get out of this cabin? Sure, you may call out, but it will be second last sound you make before blackness takes you. The last sound you would be making is that of a bubbling or gurgling sound as you choke on your own bile. Do the smart thing: pick up the coin, boy!"

Karok stepped forward to the table. "Hope ya pardon me, colleague," he said to Durwe, "But your noble silver does look a little lonely." He sighed and, not without difficulty, laid a gold down beside it.

He turned to the foreman. "We're here to stop the plague. The way it's goin', you'll die, and so will a lot of your men before they bring us down. If I'm gonna die fight'n I want it to be goblins, not lumberjacks. So if this helps you listen to reason, it's a good value. But you need to listen."

Jhaelin's surprise at Durwe's outburst is evident in his features. His face flushes at the impudent boldness and he tenses at the movement he detects outside the doorway.

"Two guards outside" he says lowly. Loud enough to alert his companions to their presence and loud enough for the foreman to know he has given warning.

His mind prepares the first spell he would deliver if the foreman didn't see reason.

Dûrwë raises an eyebrow at Karok's surprising gesture, and the natural smile returns to the elf's face. Although, he continues to look directly into the foreman's eyes to possibly see his mind, and course of action.

However, when Jhaelin gives his warning, Dûrwë moves his hand to the pommel of his sword, and says coolly to the man, "so, what will be? A few minutes of your man's time for that gold there, or blood? Frankly, I am fine with either choice."

"A lot of stupid death," Karok offered. "Or ya can choose a chance at life for ev'rybody. What's it gonna be? Corpses don't spend gold."

Foreman Jarlben visibly reacts to Durwe's ultimatum with anger. His face blotches red, his nose flares and eyes widen. He hesitates a moment, considering the risks and his options, but then Karok steps forward and offers a dwarven gold sovereign. The glint of gold settles his anger quickly. He takes the offered coins and places them in his belt pouch.

"Take a short stick and pike it, bubber." the foreman says to Durwe.

Finding the dwarf to hold the wisdom of this bunch, Jarlben turns his gaze on Karok.

"Here's the peal on Milon. Follow the tree line west then take the cut north. He'll be seein' to cutters workin' there. Be open to the wood for moornsakes, slurks, razorcrows, and whatever else the vale can throw at yeh. "

Dûrwë smiles and nods at Jarlben when he picks up the coin from the table.

He chuckles at the verbal barb directed at him, and says casually, "it appears that reason and greed walk hand-in-hand this day. Thank you for your time, Foreman Jarlben."

The young elf noble waits for his companions to either speak further with the foreman, or exit the cabin. As they exit, Dûrwë is keenly alert for any furtive movement by Jarlben or the thugs outside when they exit.

"Thanks," Karok gave the foreman a grave nod, and turned to follow Durwe, watching the guards in his peripheral vision.

"Wisdom and greed walk always hand to hand in a dwarf's heart," he murmured. "But I wonder what THAT guy's problem is?"

Tynia glanced at the foreman with that particular shake saying now that's just sad.

She turned and followed the others, not saying anything at all. She is a bit disappointed though but it is not unwarranted. Taking bribes, how boring. She thought.

You ignore the sneers and jeers of the cutters and lumberjacks as you follow the tree line west through the camp, and endure the suspicious glares from camp guards who reluctantly let your party pass. To the south is a field of tree trunks piled high. The path between the yard and tree line is littered with limbs, leaves, chunky wood chips and sawdust. The air is permeated with the smell of cut wood. Eventually, you reach a wide swath of stumps, a cut path, running north into the wood. The cut yard was clean compared to the cut path. It is littered heavily with limb, broken trunks and stumps. A heavily trod and clod churned path used by oxen to pull trunks through the path lies before you.

After an hour of following the track, a turn appears ahead in the path which roughly follows a trough between two low hills. The normal sound of wood cutters echoes from somewhere ahead, and you know the end of the line is near. Above the normal din of noises however is a cacophany of familiar yet dangerous razorcrows who make a sudden appearance ahead at the turn in the path. They dip and soar in seemingly random patterns, perhaps a dozen of them. Your presence is detected quickly and four of them fly your way.


Begin combat round 1015.6

State your intended action in your next post. Roll a d6 in the DICE thread for Initiative regardless of actions. Apply your DEX modifier if you have one. If you have a +1 bonus on your DEX score, that is a -1 to your roll. Also roll to hit if you are attacking. State what AC you hit. Roll damages even if you miss... you never know! There is no need to repeat the roll information in the main thread. I read the dice threads.

Range to target is 60 yards.

Write your post in such a way as to state what your character is intending to accomplish, is trying to do. Do not write a result of any action. Only one GM here...


Magic in play...
Armor on Brett, 9pts AC6
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:48, Mon 14 Nov 2022.

Karok had been watching for just such and took in the situation at a glance.
He knew he had some range, but not for long. Quickly he flung his sword, point-first, into the timbered turf, then loaded his sling, swung it and let fly at the closest of the birds.

Immediately after lofting the shot, he would snatch up his sword and move a few yard in front of the group to become the most obivous and available target, though surely the avians would have liked elf blood more than dwarves'.

Still--

Tynia had heard the beats, and her bow sort of leapt into her hand. She would grab an arrow and have it flying.

"Why are they here at this time," she asks frowning all the while.

Brett defends himself against the razorcows when they close in. Then attack, striking with the staff.

The magic, he leaves alone, for the time being as he would not need it seeing as their opponents are flying.

"RAZORCLAWS!" Dûrwë yells in alarm to his companions.

The elf woodsman quickly readies his short bow to fire as he keeps an eye to the sky and the incoming raptors. Once his bow is strung and ready, he quickly and deftly draws, notches, and fires two arrows into the sky at the incoming Razorclaws, one arrow for two different targets.

The razorclaw birds are upon the party quickly while more of them continue to dip and dive into the brush and tree line ahead at a turn in the path. The air is filled with the peal of their cawing.

Karok scans the birds coming toward them and picks out the lead bird. His sling whirls around his head once, then twice, gaining momentum and the stone is released. It strikes the bird solidly, knocking a few feathers from it, but does minimal damage. The bird dips quickly and attacks Tynia without success. Talons rake her shirt open on the shoulder without doing any damage to her. Her swing at the thing finds nothing but air for resistance.

Durwe ignores the loud flapping of wings and aims his bow at the razor attacking Tynia. The arrow strikes true, to heart, and the bird falls from the air dead.

Jhaelin is attacked next by a razor, its sharp claws finding flesh. (-1) He swings his mace in a futile effort at the flapping bird.

Brett is attacked by two of the razors at once. He swings, trying to injure or keep them off him, but they are too quick. The talons of one rakes the mage's flesh, cutting a gash open. (-1)

Durwe aims again with his second arrow and drops one of the razors attacking Brett. It is dead before it hits the ground.

Ordil backs up a few feet, apparently moved to inaction by the sudden appearance of the birds.

---

Begin round 1015.12....

Two razors left. One attacking Brett and one attacking Jhaelin.

Range to target is either melee or short (+1 to hit) for ranged.

Magic in play...
Armor on Brett, 8pts AC6
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:53, Mon 14 Nov 2022.

For a wonder all of the Razorclaws shot past Karok, seeking other prey. Smothering a curse, the dwarf whirled and ran after them.

As he came to the melee he set himself for a try at the one attacking Jhaelin. His blow was a short, scything slash; the warrior being careful to attack the flier and not the cleric.

In a fluid motion, Dûrwë moves around Brett to a position where any stray shots are not in direct line with his other companions. As he moves, the elf woodsman draws, notches, and fire two more arrows at the Razorclaw harrying Brett.

Tynia will attempt to use Magic Missile on the Razorcrows attacking Brett being careful not to hit any of her companions.

Brett continues to use his staff. If things get to harried, he would not hesitate to use the spell burning hands next.

Ordil took a few steps back to get a better view of the battlefield. His actions had payed off because he saw something the rest of his companions had not. As he pulls out his sling and readies a rock he makes his companions aware of what it is he sees. "A moorsnake up the path is disturbing these birds and beasties nearby," Ordil says just loud enough for the rest of the group to hear him without startling any more creatures. He points in the direction of the moorsnake and then readies his sling and attempts to strike one of the razorclaws that is attacking one of his companions.

The companions are quick to dispatch the remaining razors that have attacked them. Wary of the others, they look ahead and can see half a dozen or more flying low and dipping into the brush and out again. The peal of their caws is loud in the hollow, but the noise doesnt come just from those. Caws can be heard from the wood to the companion's right.

There is no sign of the moor snake Ordil mentioned, but given the reaction of the birds ahead, its in the brush and moving toward the party. To make things worse, more of the razors dart toward them from the trees to their right. It seems likely a razorclaw roost is in the wood nearby.

---

Begin round 1015.18....
10 Razorclaws
Range to target is melee or short (+1 to hit) for ranged.

Magic in play...
Armor on Brett, 8pts AC6

Karok whirled to face the oncoming wave. "Unless you wizards have some marvelous effective magic," he called, taking a hack at the razorclaw/moorsnake/whatever inimical thing drew near unto him, "we might want to consider retreating!"