Thema: Chapter 1 – The Journey Begins

[Varn]

Varn rubs his nose and tries to forget about the smell in here. He normaly enjoys a fresh air out in the woods, especially the fine salty smell after the rain. At this time he just closes his eyes and breath slowly but deep what gives him a good feeling. Like he got born again.

"Well, i live in the woods out there ... i really enjoy the lonliness ... and i have learned to live with the animals ... and i'm able to perform some minor tricks what helped me a lot in former times. That's all about me ... at least the more or less interesting part."

Varn tries to smile before he takes his cup of tea and does a little slurp. The he take a look on the plate, full of cheese in front of him and tries a piece.

[Wei Ling]

“My profession?” Wei Ling asks in a rhetorical fashion, her lips forming in a tiny smirk as she continues. “I'm a merchant, but while my professional skills are often useful, I havn't really been active since I left my home.”

“I'm also a mage,” she then says almost casual, knowing quite well, that this was what the kenku has been asking about.
[/i]

[Chik-Cha Crookbeak]

With his taloned hand, the kenku takes her mug of beer and pours it down her beak. She then stopped a small burp and looked to each of you.

"Great, two mages. That'll make us 'ree. I'm whatcha would call, well, a spelljacker. I take magic from o'res an' use it as it fits me. Don' worry, I wont take your magic... At least not wi'out asking first."

[Varn]

The last statement of the birdlike creature costs Varn a soft but meaningful smile.

"As long as you really ask, i will share my potential of spells with ya."

[Wei Ling]

“Likewise, I would appreciate that you asked, or rather, that we get to some point of mutual understanding about when the use of your talent is appropriate. And when it is not.”

Taking a sip from her wine, Wei Ling picks a small piece of chicken and some cheese from her plate and tastes the hopefully delicious food.

“This place is rather busy. But there is some influx of people in this town these days, so that had to be expected.”

[Chik-Cha Crookbeak]

"Bah, 'is place ai'nt to kkk-crowded. Now 'at I'm 'inking bout it, 'ere could be a whole lot of yar people, I wouldn't kkk-care. At least, here 'ey don't treat me as 'e thief I am.

About 'e understanding... I'll worry 'bout keeping me alive. You? A close second, and 'ats how far ya gonna get. But lets hope 'at we get the cash and find ano'er good taverne to celebrate it, eh?"

And with this, Chik-Cha started to pick the meat of her lamb roast in a manner closely resembling a crow, although she bothered to use knife and fork where more convenient.

[Wei Ling]

“Yes, let's hope, that the whole journey can be concluded like that, with the promised gold in our pouches and a good glass of wine.” Speaking of which, Wei Ling raises her glass to her lips once more and takes another sip from it.

[DM]

The evening ends without anything interesting happening and so do the other evenings until the big day. As you arrive at the tower once again you notice quite a lot of people hastily moving crates with food, barrels with water and other supplies towards the centre of a big square in front of the tower.

After watching the scene a while you hear the voice of Craven.

“Scouting team one, get ready for departure!”

As you make your way through the crowd you notice five wizards standing in a circle mumbling some strange incarnations. After a few minutes a big blue glowing portal opens up.

Craven seems a bit uneasy as he steps toward the portal but tries to sound relaxed.

“Alright. Let’s see what’s on the other side.”

Breathing in deeply Craven steps through the portal.

[Wei Ling]

“Looks like the moment has finally come...” Wei Ling says and watches curiously as the wizards open the portal, and Craven steps through. “I guess we are expected to follow him now?”

Before entering the portal, however, the young sorceress will invoke three spells of her own. Without knowledge of what lies beyond the planar gateway, she would rather have some protections up at least.

Spoiler (Anzeigen)

Mage Armor
False Life
Dragonskin (red; fire)

[Varn]

Varn nods slowly, "I guess you are right, Wei Ling"

Without asking further questions he moves on to the portal, watches it with a suspicious look and finally step through ...

[Chik-Cha Crookbeak]

With a small smirk, the kenku in her dark robe followed them last. Der Talons placed casually on her knives, she felt like she was ready for everything, an assumption with which she faced all obstacles and which hadn't proved wrong until now. Who knew, maybe the others would even survive as well...

[DM]

As you step through the portal and arrive on the other side you suddenly gasp in exhaustion as your lungs fill with air that is barely breathable for you. After a few moments you acclimate to the air a bit and take a look around.

You are standing in the middle of a vast stone circle, or better said in the ruins of it. The sky glows in a red/purple light but there are neither stars nor a sun on the sky.

Craven starts to examine the ground around the portal and then says

“There was someone here recently. The tracks lead to the east.”

You follow Craven leaving the stone circle. The terrain is very rocky and there’s plenty of cover behind the huge rocks everywhere. Most of them are definitely not natural. What ever building was standing here, it was huge and it was destroyed quite thoroughly. The ground is a mixture of stones and sand. There is no obvious vegetation near you.

Following the tracks further Craven suddenly raises his hand

“Wait”

At the same moment as Craven gives the signal you notice yourself why. Combat noise. Somewhere close to you position you hear the sound of weapons.

“Chik-Cha, try to sneak up to the fighting and see what’s going on. You two stay with me and take cover at the rocks over there.”  

[Wei Ling]

Wei Ling nods, then she says: “I will send Bian Fu with you,” at that time, the tiny bat lifts off from her shoulder and flies towards the kenku. “I will know if anything happens then. I hope you don't mind.”

Afterwards, the young Shou hides near the fallen rocks and debris, apparantly not the first time she has done so, Wei Ling seems to know quite well how to hide properly, and she remains silent as well as she watches the surrounding area.

[Varn]

Varn followed the others leaving a small gap between the group and him. While moving on he observates the environment and try to recognice signs of animals or other livings.

Remo wouldn't fit into this world. And it's better for him to live in the wilderness around Luskon now. Perhaps i take him with me on the next adventure.

As the sqad stops he moves beside Wei Ling and kneels down behind the same rock. He closes his eyes and try to focus on the sound of battle while waiting for Chick-Cha's return.

[Chik-Cha Crookbeak]

Yeah, send the kenku in, Chik-Cha thought sarcastically as she ducked between the rocks, silently drawing her trusty dagger. The magic of her Armor and Equipment makes it nigh impossible to track her quick steps as she sneaked through the rubble in the general direction of the fighting. This wasn't so bad. Where there was fighting, there were bodies, and looting was always the best part of a fight, even if you are not part of the fighting itself.