Flight to Freedom
Action in Greyhawk continued with the party of adventurers leading a rag-tag group of former slaves and wild hill men through humanoid occupied territory. Making an overland trek through the Drachensgrab foothills, their eventual goal is freedom across the Jewel River in the Duchy of Ulek.
Kendrick, Tesrae, and Gil led the way, doing their best to steer around humanoid villages and other trouble. The heat of the day, this being late high summer, was oppressive with temperatures reaching about 100 degrees. Many of the children were carried, but there was little relief for the adults, many of whom had been undernourished for weeks, and the adolescents too big to be carried. The march was forced to stop and wait out the worst of the heat during the mid-days along the march.
One late morning, during a light rain that did little to break the heat for long, the heroes noticed a predator flying overhead that appeared to be draconic in nature. Tesrae reacted quickly by directing the refugees to find cover to get out of the rain. A couple of the refugees became worried about this sudden change, but Gil did his best to persuade them that it was really nothing to be concerned about. Kendrick, kept his eye on the flying creature as it clearly turned and started flying in the direction of the column of travelers.
As the draconic creature got closer, they identified it as a wyvern and it was clearly coming in for prey. Kendrick, still not having properly trained with his longbow, made a lucky shot at the wyvern at considerable distance. Tesrae, using the oversized bow taken from the slavers' ogre lieutenant, also pierced the wyvern's hide. The refugees, now clearly seeing the danger of the wyvern, broke out in panic, a few trying to flee on foot but most cowering under whatever cover they had.
Gil tried to take the fight closer to the wyvern itself by flying forward and interposing himself between the predator and the ground party. The wyvern lashed out with its claw as it neared to try to carry Gil away as a prize, but although it bruised the man, it failed to grasp him. Gil fairly squirted out of its grasp like quicksilver. Undaunted, the wyvern continued in its path toward the warriors who had already pricked its hide. Gil did manage to get a wicked slice at the wyvern as it passed, doing more damage than was immediately apparent.
Kendrick was ready for the wyvern as it neared. With a mighty leap and a little luck, Kendrick managed to just grasp onto the creature as it flew 15 feet overhead. The wyvern probably had a chuckle to itself as its prey went right for its clutches. The monster's whip-like stinger tail lashed forward, catching Kendrick and injecting its venom. Kendrick felt his insides turn inside-out with the sickness of the extremely virulent poison.
Gil again flew to press the attack and Kendrick, daringly, shifted his hold on the wyvern to grasp at and foul a wing. Luck again smiled on the monk as he interfered with the wyvern's ability to fly, driving them both into the ground. Gil dove in with his sickles and finised off the beast. With the aid of Gil's first aid, Kendrick survived the poisoning but was left feeling ill for the remainder of the day.
Tesrae rounded up the fleeing refugees, who were now both terrified by the brush with the monster and buoyed by the heroic actions of the adventurers. Kendrick particularly seemed to have won much respect from the hill men. The column pressed on.
After the third day on the road, it became clear that the children were reaching the limits of their endurance, particularly the adolescents who were too large to carry. The heroes gave up all use of horses for the walk in favor of rotating the older kids on and off the remaining mounts.
Bob Arby, near the middle rear of the column rode forward one day to warn of approaching horsemen. A group of smartly organized and heavily armored humanoids, flying the banner of Hextor the Lord of Tyranny, rode up from behind. Gil and Tesrae went to meet them with Kendrick, hidden from view, watching for hostile moves. The apparent leader of the Hextorites, a man with at least some orcish blood, rode forward to ask who led the rabble and what their business was in these lands. Gil, with all the politeness he could muster seeing that the three heroes were clearly outnumbered by 2 to 1, responded that they were leaving the area and bluffed up a story that the ex-slaves were his own. Mollified by that, the Hextorite just demanded that the way be cleared so that his men could ride through. Gil and Tesrae willingly complied and the horsemen rode through without incident.
Finally, as the terrain softened into heather-covered hills rather than scrub covered rocky outcroppings, they were certain they were nearing the Jewel River valley. Tributary streams were now becoming fairly common. But there were yet other obstacles.
Cresting a hill, the heroes noticed a line of dispersed gnolls striding through some tall grasses ahead, banging their swords on their shields. Other gnolls, clustered a distance away were armed with bows. It appeared that they had come upon a hunting party of some sort. Sure enough, before long, large birds were taking to the air ahead of the bush-beaters, only to fall prey to the archers. Rather than risk the gnolls, the adventurers led the refugees on a route around the area that gave the gnolls wide berth.
On the close of the 5th day of the march, evidence of the river could clearly be seen in the distance, perhaps half a day ahead. Forgoing sleep, Gil, Kendrick, and Tesrae, on horseback, pushed ahead to scout out the area. This turned out to be a good idea as they found an army encampment/shanty town of humanoids on the near side of the river at the bend. On the far side was a fortified town. The immediately surrounding territory was clear cut with easy visibility for a couple of miles.
Under cover of darkness and hiding well, Gil expended his magic power to fly over the river, noting that, at about 1/3 of a mile wide and with a lot of flowing volume, the Jewel River was not really fordable and probably wasn't for miles. He decided to seek in the fortified town for help. Gil landed and revealed himself to a local patrol of dwarven infantry. He related his story about leading refugees out of the Pomarj and that was enough to send his concerns up the chain of command. Gil met with a lieutenant, Ulfgar by name, who then arranged to get Gil cleaned up at an inn for an audience with the baron and general in charge of the town.
Kendrick, Tesrae, and Gil led the way, doing their best to steer around humanoid villages and other trouble. The heat of the day, this being late high summer, was oppressive with temperatures reaching about 100 degrees. Many of the children were carried, but there was little relief for the adults, many of whom had been undernourished for weeks, and the adolescents too big to be carried. The march was forced to stop and wait out the worst of the heat during the mid-days along the march.
One late morning, during a light rain that did little to break the heat for long, the heroes noticed a predator flying overhead that appeared to be draconic in nature. Tesrae reacted quickly by directing the refugees to find cover to get out of the rain. A couple of the refugees became worried about this sudden change, but Gil did his best to persuade them that it was really nothing to be concerned about. Kendrick, kept his eye on the flying creature as it clearly turned and started flying in the direction of the column of travelers.
As the draconic creature got closer, they identified it as a wyvern and it was clearly coming in for prey. Kendrick, still not having properly trained with his longbow, made a lucky shot at the wyvern at considerable distance. Tesrae, using the oversized bow taken from the slavers' ogre lieutenant, also pierced the wyvern's hide. The refugees, now clearly seeing the danger of the wyvern, broke out in panic, a few trying to flee on foot but most cowering under whatever cover they had.
Gil tried to take the fight closer to the wyvern itself by flying forward and interposing himself between the predator and the ground party. The wyvern lashed out with its claw as it neared to try to carry Gil away as a prize, but although it bruised the man, it failed to grasp him. Gil fairly squirted out of its grasp like quicksilver. Undaunted, the wyvern continued in its path toward the warriors who had already pricked its hide. Gil did manage to get a wicked slice at the wyvern as it passed, doing more damage than was immediately apparent.
Kendrick was ready for the wyvern as it neared. With a mighty leap and a little luck, Kendrick managed to just grasp onto the creature as it flew 15 feet overhead. The wyvern probably had a chuckle to itself as its prey went right for its clutches. The monster's whip-like stinger tail lashed forward, catching Kendrick and injecting its venom. Kendrick felt his insides turn inside-out with the sickness of the extremely virulent poison.
Gil again flew to press the attack and Kendrick, daringly, shifted his hold on the wyvern to grasp at and foul a wing. Luck again smiled on the monk as he interfered with the wyvern's ability to fly, driving them both into the ground. Gil dove in with his sickles and finised off the beast. With the aid of Gil's first aid, Kendrick survived the poisoning but was left feeling ill for the remainder of the day.
Tesrae rounded up the fleeing refugees, who were now both terrified by the brush with the monster and buoyed by the heroic actions of the adventurers. Kendrick particularly seemed to have won much respect from the hill men. The column pressed on.
After the third day on the road, it became clear that the children were reaching the limits of their endurance, particularly the adolescents who were too large to carry. The heroes gave up all use of horses for the walk in favor of rotating the older kids on and off the remaining mounts.
Bob Arby, near the middle rear of the column rode forward one day to warn of approaching horsemen. A group of smartly organized and heavily armored humanoids, flying the banner of Hextor the Lord of Tyranny, rode up from behind. Gil and Tesrae went to meet them with Kendrick, hidden from view, watching for hostile moves. The apparent leader of the Hextorites, a man with at least some orcish blood, rode forward to ask who led the rabble and what their business was in these lands. Gil, with all the politeness he could muster seeing that the three heroes were clearly outnumbered by 2 to 1, responded that they were leaving the area and bluffed up a story that the ex-slaves were his own. Mollified by that, the Hextorite just demanded that the way be cleared so that his men could ride through. Gil and Tesrae willingly complied and the horsemen rode through without incident.
Finally, as the terrain softened into heather-covered hills rather than scrub covered rocky outcroppings, they were certain they were nearing the Jewel River valley. Tributary streams were now becoming fairly common. But there were yet other obstacles.
Cresting a hill, the heroes noticed a line of dispersed gnolls striding through some tall grasses ahead, banging their swords on their shields. Other gnolls, clustered a distance away were armed with bows. It appeared that they had come upon a hunting party of some sort. Sure enough, before long, large birds were taking to the air ahead of the bush-beaters, only to fall prey to the archers. Rather than risk the gnolls, the adventurers led the refugees on a route around the area that gave the gnolls wide berth.
On the close of the 5th day of the march, evidence of the river could clearly be seen in the distance, perhaps half a day ahead. Forgoing sleep, Gil, Kendrick, and Tesrae, on horseback, pushed ahead to scout out the area. This turned out to be a good idea as they found an army encampment/shanty town of humanoids on the near side of the river at the bend. On the far side was a fortified town. The immediately surrounding territory was clear cut with easy visibility for a couple of miles.
Under cover of darkness and hiding well, Gil expended his magic power to fly over the river, noting that, at about 1/3 of a mile wide and with a lot of flowing volume, the Jewel River was not really fordable and probably wasn't for miles. He decided to seek in the fortified town for help. Gil landed and revealed himself to a local patrol of dwarven infantry. He related his story about leading refugees out of the Pomarj and that was enough to send his concerns up the chain of command. Gil met with a lieutenant, Ulfgar by name, who then arranged to get Gil cleaned up at an inn for an audience with the baron and general in charge of the town.
posted by Bill D91 at 8:23 AM
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