River Boat Trip

March 24th 2007

Players: Rannar, Zsuzsa, ShadowHawk, Skinnir

The day is peaceful, well as much you are going to get here in this winter pit you all call home. The adventures guild had told you all to meet Heather at the docs for a job that will pay 200 gold. The short half elf is waiting for you all. "ahh hello, my friends, are you the ones going on the trip?"

Rannar gets there before others arrive, saying with his arms crossed, "I wasn't able to bring Taharqa with me, because I couldn't really find him."

Zsuzsa rides up on her horse upon seeing Heather she dismounts with a small smile "Well hello there stranger" she says over to Heather and gives her a wink.

ShadowHawk comes striding up to the dock, at least as much of a stride that a gnome can do. "Hi Heather, thanks again for the toy horse it's loads of fun to play with!" He looks around at the others that are showing up, "Is it going to be far for us to get where we need to go or should I prepare for battle now?"

"You mean Red?" Skinnir, grinning, limps up to stand behind Rannar. "I did not see him either... Good day," he says to Heather with a dip of his head as he wraps his hands around his staff and settles his stance.

Heather smiles gently to Rannar and says "well I hope he is well." she then blows a joking kiss to Zsuzsa and addresses shadow "well I will give you a gnome knight when you come back." now addressing the whole group "there is some cargo that the temple of Valtameri needs in the city of Velix. It will take you 5 days by ship to get there and 3 days back due to the currents. When you get there they will pay you the 200 gold for this trip, we heard that some bandits been hitting the boats in that area, so is there any questions?"

Rannar looks to Zsuzsa with a little surprise upon finding out that she is here as well. He looks to Heather, "I have a question. Are these bandits the usual scum, or are you expecting some kind of surprise?"

Zsuzsa hmms and then looks back to her horse and then to Heather "Would you mind taking him to your place Heather?" she asks while nodding towards her horse, "I can't take him on a boat he'd freak out"

ShadowHawk dances around the dock with Glee!! "I get a gnome knight!!!" moments later the rest of Heather's words sink in. "Bandits, what kind of bandits? whats in the cargo? can I see? can I? can I? Why is it five days there but only 3 back? are we taking a short cut back?"

Skinnir's face and attention both fix on Heather, but he gives Rannar an approving nod. "Good question. Any knowledge of how many bandits? Any spots they have favored for their attacks?" ShadowHawk gets a rather surprised look as he interrupts and asks, and ask, and asks....

Heather nods as she walks towards the horse "sure I will even brush him."said lovingly as she loves horses. "well the bandits we don't know and it seems they been hitting different areas. the only reason we know of them is due to the bloody and empty boats they been finding." she then looks to shadow "Yes on the knight and no on looking at the cargo."

Rannar has his question answered, and wit h that moves to Zsuzsa, "So you really did decide to come." He seems more pleased than worried, knowing that people tend to have surprises up their sleeves.

Zsuzsa gives Heather a big grin "Thank you he'll love ya for it" she watches as Rannar comes over and gives him a wink "sure did" she says and then gives a wink "what can I say ya convinced me last night" and walks down the dock a bit.

ShadowHawk pouts at not being able to look in the boxes, but smiles again at the idea of another sea voyage with the extra added fun of having bandits. He checks his pouches an then heads up the gangplank onto the ship. "Anyone else coming?" he says and then finds himself a place to sit in the one area that it is most likely that he will be in the way.

Skinnir drops a nod. "Alright, we'll be on our toes...." He pauses and looks around - and down - at the rest of the company. And blinks. "Ah-- do we know what *size* these bandits are?" He is still smiling, but that smile is starting edge over into worry.

Heather shakes her head as she gets on top of the horse "no but we are thinking orcs or even possibly a ogre or two."

Rannar looks back to Heather, "Ogres? Alright then. That'll be a better challenge for us!"

Zsuzsa pats her horse and turns to get on the boat.

You say "but Captain Luis thinks its going to be a boring trip, so listen to him on his ship please. And I will be scrying you all from day to day to make sure you are all ok and safe."

Rannar gets on the boat as well.

"Ah, nice." Skinnir's face snaps into a stern look that says it's anything but, then he shrugs and, shouldering his kit, starts up the gangplank, staff striking the wood in support of his step. "Hey, she's a friend of yours, right?" he calls after Rannar as he gives Zsuzsa a smile and a nod.

Heather rides off after she sees every one is taken care of

ShadowHawk looks around the boat. "wait, you said boring! Ok warning people you are about to be trapped on a boat with a board gnome for 5 days, do you really want to do that?" he looks around to see how many of the sailors would rather feed themselves to the sharks then remain on the boat.

Rannar looks down to Skinner, responding with a blush, "Well, uh.... yeah." He says simply before getting back onto the boat.

Zsuzsa turns around and gives Skinnir a sexy lil wink "I'm everyone's friend Honey, names Zsuzsa" she says as she puts her hand out.

ShadowHawk pulls out his shiney new crossbow, polishes it lovingly then looks around for a target to shoot.

Rannar moves past ShadowHawk, placing his hand on the crossbow and forcefully lowering it gently while shaking his head at him.

"Skinnir" he says as he takes her hand for a shake. His is almost a paw. "So--" he settles kit on the deck "--what have we got, then? One bow..." he nods in ShadowHawk's direction as he bends over and draws from his gear what proves to be a longbow "... and two. What else?"

Zsuzsa giggles "I'm just a lil ole candle maker" she says as she bats her eyelashes at Skinnir and walks to the front of the boat.

Captain Luis says from the wheel "good you got bows they are very good for ship combat." he goes back to using the ships enchantments to make it go upstream.

Rannar says, keeping the bow lowered with one arm, "I have two swords, but I may be able to throw a harpoon."

ShadowHawk stands up an walks over to the wheel, "can I steer the boat? You'll have to tell me which way since I can't see over the wheely thing to know where I am going" he then reaches towards the wheely thing.

Skinnir nods to Captain Luis and says, "Yes sir," then turns to Rannar. "I do not know if they have one... keeping watch would be best, maybe. Starboard?" he suggests with a grin as he quickly limps to follow ShadowHawk, saying "And you, friend, why don't you keep watch at port and sing out if you see anything amiss?" His smile is winning, but his eyes, as he looks to find Zsuzsa, are starting to look a little wide.

The old captain "no my little friend only experienced people like my crew can control my ship." then he addresses Rannar "We don't use them on the rivers, since most creatures are to small for them to be effective."

Rannar responds, "Alright. I'll just keep watch then."

Zsuzsa stands at the front of the boat with her cloak wrapped around her and the wind whipping her red hair around. Her pack under her cloak with her but her quarterstaff tucked under her cloak as if she's hugging it.

ShadowHawk looks up at Skinnir "good idea!" he then walks to the back of the boat and looks out across the water. "HEY!! there is water rolling away from the boat here in the shape of a V!" he yells, since that is definitely unusual.

"That's the bow where you're going..." Skinnir's voice is small, and he shakes his head and calls out to ShadowHawk's back, "Alright, then! I've got port side! And thanks, Rannar," he says with a smile. "Keep your peace-knots off except when it comes to our friend's crossbow, eh?" He is at the rail now, legs spread to brace as he bends and starts to string his own bow.

Rannar says, "Alright. Just making sure he didn't accidentally shoot someone..."

Four hours of idle chat and such seems boring but you do get to see some pretty scenery. the quietness is soon stopped as the man in the crows nest screams "drop anchor some one damed the river where it is narrow up a head." with that the ship comes to a abrupt stop with the help of the ships magic.

Suddenly out of no where Rannar who wasn't paying attention didn't duck as the boom swung across and he didn't hear Captain Luis yell and got the boom arm right in the side of the head and falls over unconscious.

ShadowHawk wonders why anyone would want to damn a river but not wanting to miss anything quietly mutters to get his armor in place then runs to the front of the ship.

"Look sharp!" Skinnir calls. "Watch the banks!" He eyes scan the bank that is port side, then he turns and looks behind them as well.

ShadowHawk climbs up on the crates he is supposed to be guarding to try to get a clearer view. Once on top he readies his crossbow and looks around for any beasties to shoot.

When the ship fully stops you can see that its not damned but ten trees were placed in there with sharp spikes to puncher the ship if it didn't stop in time. three ogres caring a bundle of short spears and rock come out of a tree line to the east. "Humans give us you food and gold we let you live." Captain Luis gets a scared look "oh crap ogres, get killed by them or by the temple." he seems in different to what to do."

Zsuzsa still standing at the front of the boat sees the ogres and her eyes go wide, she suddenly starts speaking in another language, her eyes turning bright green as she speaks and suddenly she's encircled by a glow all around her and then it disappears.

ShadowHawk looks up at the ogre that is shouting demands and shoots a bolt at him. "how about you clear out the trees and leave and we let you live. The bolt hits the ground by the Ogre's feet.

Skinnir has an arrow knocked at the movement on the shore, and drawn and aimed at the ogre's call. "Rock!" he calls - not to the shore, but to the boat. And he lets the arrow fly at the one, not surprisingly, with the rock.

Zsuzsa's eyes again start to flare a bright green colour as she mumbles a few words, and brings her right hand out in front of her as it also starts to glow a ball of energy shots from her hand towards Ogre1, her aim is a bit off and nicks the ugly creature in its bicep.

ogre number 3 still mad at the gnome for shooting at him first decides to toss a rock the size of the smurfs head and misses him.

ShadowHawk takes aim again at Ogre3, pulls the trigger and sends another bolt flying at it again. the bolt flies true and sticks quivering out of the ogre's armor.

Skinnir shakes his head sharply as the rock splashes water up into his face. He already had the next arrow knocked, but it goes wide as well when released.

the second ogre didn't mean to help out the adventures as the rock that was intended to Skinnir fumbles out of his hands and lands on his own foot with a large scream of pain and some words in ogre that would make a sailor/teamster blush.

Once again Zsuzsa starts speaking in another language quickly the green flashing brightly in her eyes as the magic collects in the palm of her right hand, she shoots another green ball of energy towards that big ugly Ogre 1 again this time hitting him in the hand. She wears under her breath.

The ogre tosses another rock at the gnome and misses, this time he is switching to a spear.

ogre number one tries to toss a rock at the gnome also but thankfully his magic spell saves him

ShadowHawk aims again at ogre3, taking a deep breath he pulls the trigger the bolt flies again at the ugly beast this time hitting with enough force to drive a grunt out of it and a small trickle of blood runs down his armor.

The green ball has impacted the first ogre, and the third deals with crossbow bolt. Skinnir's teeth are bared as he yanks another arrow from his quiver, knocks it, and shoots at the second one. And, again - "Arrgh! Mod's cod!" - misses.

ogre 2 finds that mage armor is a good spell as he barely misses Zsuzsa

Zsuzsa raises her arms and makes a waving motion with her arms ever so slowly and makes a low guttural sound in her throat as she does this, suddenly all around the ogres is a low ghostly moaning sound. Meant to scare them away and leave the boat alone, but instead only seems to confuse two out of the three brutes.

ogre one and two seem to be swatting at things by there ears.

Ogre3 is now starting to look like a moving pin cushion as ShadowHawk shoots yet another bolt at it, that hits hart enough to get a grunt of pain. The arm where the bolt landed is now running with the brute's blood.

As the two ogres begin to... dance?... Skinnir switches targets and fires at the third one. It does not help his aim.

the short spear doesn't help the ogre at all.

Zsuzsa continues waving almost trance like at the front of the boat and making the loud spooky sounds out where the ogres are standing.

Another short spear tossed at the gnome falls short at his feet.

the one ogre seems to be even more confused as he screams

Skinnir's bowstring /snaps/. With a curse, he drops the bow, sheds quiver and cloak, and is over the side. It seems he has decided to meet the ogres more personally. with powerful strokes, he swims toward shore.

ogre 2 seems to come to mentally but is busy getting his club ready to take on the on coming Skinnir.

Zsuzsa reaches into her pack on her hip and comes out with a little bottle and chuckles as she stands up and lobs the little bottle thru the air, it's then she notices Skinnir and yells "watch out Skinnir" as the little glass bottle bursts and sets the logs and ogre 3 on fire.

The now flaming ogre finds out that Greek fire will not go out in water as he dives in screaming in pain.

ShadowHawk smirks at poor 'stupid' as it jumps into the water giving a clear shot. Pulling the trigger again the bolt goes flying and embeds itself up to the fletching in the top of 'stupids' head. Ogre3 slowly since below the water leaving a trail of blood guts and fire as it goes.

"YEE-OW!" Skinnir hits the shore, rolls away from the burning logs and comes up with his axe. Even with the lip, he moves fast. "Crazy fire woman!" he yells as he swings the axe and smacks the ogre coming at him with a spear. Blood wells from gash deep on the creature's side.

Zsuzsa bends down again spying one of the ogres short spears and picks it up and launches it like a javelin which she really has no idea how to throw and completely misses the almost dead ogre2, she stomps her foot on the deck and swears in several different languages.

The second ogre says "stupid human Gre will take you with me." but he spies to soon as the bolt and its own spear gets him off guard and he jabs himself killing him self.

ShadowHawk is torn between shooting at "big" (ogre1) or 'Dumb' Ogre2,finally deciding to just shoot and see which one the crossbow shoots at. The bolt flies just wide of 'Dumb' he nods his head as if deciding that this is the one he will continue shooting at.

Skinnir turns, weight on his right leg, axe level. He is still grinning as he normally does as the spin brings him around and the blade of the battle axe slices across the first ogre's belly.

Ogre number 1 tries to bring his spear down on to Skinnir but finds him just to small and annoying to him "Fleharl run with our loot I am good as dead." screamed out loud as there is a rumbling sound in the trees as if some one is trying to move fast to pick things up.

Zsuzsa scoops up another short spear that had been thrown closes her eyes for a moment and again launches it thru the air like a javelin. She hears the thump of it impacting flesh and looks to see the last ogre fall to the ground with the short spear sticking out of its chest. She squeals like a little girl in delight and turns to ShadowHawk "Look... Look" she points towards the fallen ogre "I killed it" she says smiling.

ShadowHawk looks around seeing big, dumb, and stupid dead he points at the tents he saw earlier "look there are 4 tents down that way there may be more.

"Toss me my cloak!" Skinnir yells up at the ship. He turns at ShadowHawk's gestures and, squinting, peers in the direction indicated.

You all see the bigger ogre 40 feet into the thin tree line.

Zsuzsa turns back around and looks off the front of the boat after pointing out the big dead ugly to Shadow and sees another even bigger and uglier Ogre down aways. "Oh my you guys see that one?" she asks.

ShadowHawk sees the big ogre down the ways and shoots it in the back with his little crossbow, harming it but not seriously.

Once Shadow shoots him they see the large ogre foam at the mouth grabbing his club and is running out of the woods line to attack the first person he can attack.

Skinnir calls back, "I see him! We should try to--" He ducks reflexively as the crossbow bolts sails overhead. "Aaaah! Gnome, you are *getting on my bad side*!" But he hefts the axe and starts toward the ogre anyway, yelling, "Try not to shoot be in the back, yah ijit!"

Zsuzsa watches as Skinnir goes off down the beach towards the big ogre "Go get 'im Skinnir" she calls from the boat.

ShadowHawk shoots again at the big nasty and almost as if by magic another both is now sticking out of it.

Skinnir takes a nasty hit that stuns him. next Fral starts to move in to the water line.

Zsuzsa looks around to see how she can help when suddenly without much warning her eyes flash a bright green and the magic ball forms on the end of her right arm and when she realizes whats going on she throws the green magical ball of energy at the big stupid Ogre.

The frenzying ogre is able to swim to the ship but he messes up pulling himself on to the ship and slips

Zsuzsa sees that the big ugly is trying to get onto the ship, as her heart rate speeds up she puts both hands forward towards the big ugly and and mutters a few words and in an instant a burst of bright light flashes in front of big and nasty's face causing him some serious blindness, for one whole minute.

ShadowHawk shoots down at 'thick skull' hitting it for a little more damage probably just enraging it further.

Fral being nicked and flared slips under the water still alive but flailing his arms.

ShadowHawk's next shot goes wide due to the water. he knows better now for his next shot.

Zsuzsa gathers up all her strength and lets loose another missile at the drowning ogre, some how the big tub of nastiness is still alive.

This time he got his wits to him and finally gets on to the ship and is almost ready to attack as he has that crazy look to his eye

Zsuzsa grabs her quarterstaff in both hands and steps forward "Fuck this" she says and in a baseball swing motion swings at the big nasty's head "Die" she yells as she connects with his thick head, it was apparently enough to break his skull and lodge a piece of bone into it's tiny pea brain for it hits the deck with a thud. "Stupid head" she says and walks over to Shadow.

Zsuzsa gets help off the boat and helps ShadowHawk search the dead uglies and the brutes tents find a bunch of loot.

ShadowHawk searches over the corpse then after getting over to land searches the rest of the corpses and the tents to try to find anything of value.

once the two search the "brave" ship crew removed the temporary damn and the adventurers enjoyed a quiet journey the rest of the trip, when they got to Velix it was there that Skinnir decided that he was going to stay in the beautiful city.