or being recently enslaved most of folk setting out from Sluice are in pretty good shape. Traveling across the plains and out of the heart of the Scarlands anyone was welcome to ride in the supply wagon for a spell to get some rest but few did. I of course was riding up front with Elgin the teamster – I suppose there’s an upside to being a savior after all. The good thing about traveling with a group of this size is that most beasts and other dangers are going to steer clear of you. The bad thing is that if something decides to take on this many people it’s because that something isn’t worried about taking on more than a hundred people.
A few hours after dawn someone spied a spotted lion watching us from afar. Throughout the course of day people saw another and another and another. It’s hard to be quite sure because it’s difficult to identify one spotted lion from another but in the end everyone was pretty sure there were at least a dozen of them. They never got close but they shadowed us all day, watching us from afar. When I asked my advisory council (Argo, Marsh, Wiremu, Arlonni & Molly) how concerned we should be about this the answer turned out to be very. Twelve is a huge pack for spotted lions, we appear to be traveling right through their territory, and unlike their smaller cousins spotted lions are not afraid of people in the slightest. I asked Elgin and Davarro (the other teamster) what the Hells the deal was but they claimed they had never seen any lions on this route. I’m starting to wonder if those two are cleverer than they seem.
The question was raised if we should turn back – but if the lions are here that means that no more wagons will be coming through, if we headed back that would mean nearly half our rations would be gone in return for no progress. I made the call – we forge ahead. We made camp early and some of the woodsy types oversaw putting together a scrawny looking “wall” of brush that looked like it wouldn’t keep out a housecat. I wasn’t terribly relieved when I was told that it was less to keep the lions out than it was to lets us know if they charged in. We supplemented our paltry compliment of weapons with a few sharpened sticks that you could almost call spears and some branches that could be called clubs if you were feeling generous. It was going to be a nervous night.
Everyone tried to get some sleep as best they could (except those on watch) but we could hear the spotted lions roaming around outside the confines of our paltry barrier. Eventually I said to no one –
“I thought cats were supposed to be stealthy!”
Durian, the man in the red silks, who had been sharpening his curved sword all night – well past the point of weapon maintenance – answered.
“They can be silent as ghosts when they want to Ela.”
“What does that mean?”
“They want us to hear them.”
“Are they intelligent?!”
He shrugged “Not like us maybe. But their intention is to kill. And they will . . . . they will.”
“What do you know about it? You don’t seem like a naturalist sort.”
He got a faraway look in his eyes and then walked to the other side of the camp. I turned over angrily to try and get some sleep, muttering to myself.”
“Gods damned adventurers.”
____________________________________________________________
Funds: 10,258 gold
XP: 70,003
Inventory: Ring of Many Garments, Bag of Tricks (rust), Cap of Disguise, Secure Pocket, Resplendent Diplomat’s Palette, Secure Paypack, Skeleton Key, Brooch of Shielding, Pouch of Magic Stones, Masterful Grey Gloves, Black Marketers’ Bag, Biting Bracelet (Endless Ammunition), Boots of Escape, Bracers of the Glib Entertainer, Ring of Animal Friendship, +1 Falchion, +1 Greatclub, +2 Commanding Light Crossbow, Headband of Alluring Charisma +2, Manual of Quickness of Action, Bracer of Fire Resistance (10), Spear of Piercing Thunder, Handy Haversack, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Cloak of Resistance +2 (2), Headband of vast intelligence +2 (2), Ring of Feather Falling
Signet ring, noble’s outfit, candlerod (9), masterwork dagger, succubi carving, Domiel family ring, walking stick, masterwork playing cards, spinel and peridot holy symbol of Kralten, diamonds (14), silver crown, waterskins (6), trail rations (7), antitoxin (9), formula book, smelling salts (3), sunrods (3), thieves’ tools, tindertwigs (6), various and sundry inebriants and intoxicants
Potion of Spider Climb, Potion of Eagle’s Splendor, Potion of Jump
Silver ring, gold bracelet, gold and pearl pendant, gold ring, platinum necklace (2), mithril hair clasps (3), 4 small diamonds
Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, Piltis Swine, Rince
Electrum, watchman Gridley, White-Muzzle the worg, Percy Ringle
the butler , Alice Kinsey , “Patch”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire
Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror,
Eedraxis, Skin-Taker tribe,
Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni
Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander,
Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel, mother
Hurk, Mazzmus Parmalee, Helgan
van Tankerstrum, Lightdancer, Bonder Greysmith, Pegwhistle Proudfoot, Lumbfoot
Sheepskin
Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)
Graltontown Buildings – Mill
Behind the curtain – Got an encounter today and rolled FOURTEEN dire lions.
The Errant Endeavors of Ela the Expert 