"If everyone wants to rid the land of the bandits I am all for it. I think heading down by the lake is a good idea so we can camp out of sight of the fort and then scout it. We leave in the morning. Be ready to head down. After we capture of otherwise deal with these bandits we need to finish the exploration. While it may not be as exciting as the bandits it is what we were hired to do and we may find some nice land that we will want and make our own. I know I have a good track of land I already want. We can address the Mites again after we finish the exploration as I feel they are not a serious threat right now. Get some rest so we can leave at first light."
With everybody in agreement that scouting is the best plan so far, you draw a line on your map straight down to the south, into territory unknown. The old map (decades old Taldan map) shows a fork in the river between Oleg's and the lake (The blue outline). The information Theaton has suggests you have to cross through the ford at the bandit camp (Red 1) before heading down to the west side of the river where it meets the lake.
Moonday 17 Sarenith
The day is cloudy, yet remains warm, as you ride out with Kesten in tow. The plains are crossed quickly, now that you aren't laden with meat and fur, and you venture deep back into the forest.
Toilday 18 Sarenith
Early mist clears quickly as you ford the river, then follow it's west bank to emerge from the forest in the hills. As night falls, you camp not far from the collapsed bridge.
At around midnight a gentle patter of rain comes down on your tents, but it doesn't prevent Caelum from hearing something large swishing and lumbering in the mud around the camp.
Out of Character: Kesten should be male, the only lady you've seen in a long time is Svetlana.
Please write in your post if you're using a light source. The rain clouds are blocking the moonlight so it is pitch black outside.
And Txtrpg, you might have missed it in the character topic: I'm sure that Zork can level up.
Edited: iCon on 21st Apr, 2016 - 3:32am
Caelum peers into the darkness in the direction of where the noise came from, attempting to determine if it's a threat.
Out of Characterl: Wait - I thought we had already explored everything… At least that's what I had originally gathered. So there's still stuff to explore? If so, sweet!
Caelum has Darkvision out to 60'.
In Character: Zork relies on the superior sight and instincts of grizzly to see what is out there. "Something is around be alert!" He shines his torch around.
Out of Character: Yeah, you know how I love that, have to get around to it.
Out of Character: : Theaton tells her yes that wounds good I will see you shortly once we get there. I hope that Bal has some good information.
In Character: Theaton will check with White Fang to see if he is tense or not. If he is tense we will know it is not something good out there making that noise. Hopefully it is not that wandering troll. Theaton will be ready for anything with his bow.
As everyone is woken, Caelum peers out, but it seems to be quite a bit beyond the sight of his darkvision. It sounds like a large creature sloshing as it walks through the mud at the bottom of your hill. Both dog and wolf seem tense, but who isn't when woken in the dark of midnight and confronted with a noise from an unknown source?
Zork pulls out his flint, striking a few times to light his torch. The flame lights up your campsite and a further 20 feet downhill is dim light. Theaton's eyes see the dim light 20 feet further and Caelum can see the 60 feet clearly. That's the moment when the sound of movement stops, followed by a sudden swishing and the thunderous drum of something charging towards you.
Grizzly and White Fang gag as they smell it, and moments later so does everyone else. It's not a smell like stagnant water, but more like rotting vegetation.
Roll initiative!
Out of Character: Yet again, Mykael and Zork would be sleeping without their medium armour.
If you're trying to aim into the darkness for a single shot, please add a perception check. Otherwise you can ready your action for when/if it comes into view. But it will probably be dim light, so please add d100 rolls for each shot.
It will be identified using a Knowledge (Nature) check.
On my first action, I cast Haste - effecting Mykael, Zork, Theaton, Grizzly, and White Fang. For the next 5 rounds, whenever they make a full attack action they "May make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon" at their full base attack bonus, plus any appropriate modifiers. They also gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls, +1 dodge bonus to AC, +1 dodge bonus to Reflex Saves, and their movement speed increases by 30 feet.
In Character: Zork will instruct Grizzly to circle when he sees it to attack from the sides or behind. "Wait for it boy… wait… here it comes."
All the while Zork is firing into the dark and continues whenever 'it' shows.