Chapter 3 - The Long Run

[Vardaen]

After having found Oroshar's Lair and destroying the dragon's tooth in the portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire, the group was ambushed by the Doviello Ranger Vallenhost. Before the Doviello's death he mocked the group (like any good villan should) and revealed that his tribes were decending in a surprise attack on the Elk on an excellerated time time.

The new of this suprise attack must be brought to the Elk Tribe if they are to have any hope to surviving it. Only one person among the Children could hope to make the week long journey back in time enough to warn Bowenwar and the Elk -- Lehros Forst Moon. With the Rod of Khendrajan in hand, and the similarities in tasks not lost on the Half Anhel Lerhos leaves the group at once.

Lehros says his quick good-byes to his sibblings and Saeldur and flies out of the cavern of Oroshar. His body is enchanted by a flight spell from the Anhel Wizard Saeldur and as a result Lehros flies out of the caves, and up the massive cliff in hardly any time at all. Coming to land some four hundred feet above the others, the scout finds himself at the group's winter sled loaded with gear. It is his last stop before the long run back to the Elk is attempted.

This Thread Arrives From Here: Ill Made Graves

OOC

This is a side thread for paradoxa/Lehros only!

[paradoxa]

Lehros lands beside the sled. Quickly, he gathers his ski and snow shoes stored on the sled. He also takes some of the food - there will be no time to do any hunting, so it's good the group still has some of the Elk's supplies left.

Within a few minutes, he has checked his gear, packed, and is ready to depart. The young scout glances up to the night sky, to see how late it is, and then sets off, starting his Long Run to the Elk Tribe...

OOC

Take 5 rations from the common stuff.. I'll update the sheet later

[Vardaen]

Lehros staps his skis on his back, and hangs his snowshoes off his pack. The young half anhel will set out for a while along the warm coast and will not need these things, but soon enough he will change to the skis to cover more ground quickly. Taking some food to survive the trip Lehros glances down once at the raven's and the tiny spot where Vibrika's corpse lays and then turns and heads off.

The night gives way to the dawn, a red dawn warning of blood on the horizon, blood that Lehros hopes to change from Elk to Doviello. The lithe scout races across the warm coast and turns inland into the snow. For a long while Lehros races across the country, it has been some time since he was forced to travel as such and his body is not used to it. By the end of the first day of travel for Lehros his body is aching, sore and simply burning too much for him to continue as it is. He is forced to stop.

Its dusk of the next day, the snow is deep, and it blows in your face. Pausing at a small set of pine trees you collaps from exhaustion.

Roll

1 of 4 Rolls (Day 1)

Fort Save: 10 vs 18 Failure!

Not a good start. Now would be a time to drink a healing potion.

[paradoxa]

OOC

d'oh!

Lehros rolls on his back. He stares up to the sky, trying to catch his breath, the cold air burning in his lungs. But the shame and anger about overestimating his abilities burn even more.

you started off too fast, fool...you're not even half way there...

With growing despair, he realizes he won't be able to go on without a rest. Has he already failed his task?
His hand, trembling from exhaustion, slips into the pocket, to touch the piece of blue silk there. The familiar gesture comforts him and fends off the tempting thought to simply give up - no, by the face of his mother, and his dead sister, Vibrika, he has to press on.
He reaches for his pack and blindly grabs one of the healing potions. After pulling out the cork with his teeth, the exhausted scout gulps down the liquid.
The half-anhel closes his eyes while the magical powers of the potion are spreading through his body and renewing his strength.

But he needs some mundane sustenance as well. He forces himself to sits up and takes some of the food, warming the half-frozen stuff between his hands for a moment, and then chewing it thoroughly. He also gets out the waterskin from underneath his fur clothing, drinks some water, and fills it up with snow again, so it can melt from his body warmth later.

After a short rest, Lehros readies the ski, taking the time to check his equipment, fasten any lose straps, adjust buckles and making sure the weight in his pack is balanced. When he is content that nothing will hinder him, he moves on. This time more steady, trying to find his old pace instead of rushing and breaking down again.

[Vardaen]

Lehros lays there panting and breathing hard, the cold air burning his lungs. He grabs up a cure potion and downs it, the warming fluids reinvigorate the Anhel. Standing Lehros munches on some food to fuel his body, and readies his skis. The rest of the trip will be on hard packed and freshly fallen snow. The warmth of the inland sea is gone, and the Eternal Winter lies ahead.

Getting his stride again Lehros begins the long cross country trek from here to the Elk. The snow is where he's most comfortable, knowing nothing but the enternal winter Lehros finds his pace and is traveling at a strong hustle.

No rest.

No time to stop.

No room for failure.

Lehros skis for hours and hours without sleep, the distance is great, but the Rod, used as a sky pole seems to hum with energy enjoying the non stop travel, the wind blowing across it, the snow at its tip, the ancient spirit of Khendrajan is alive through Lehros and before the scout realizes a day has passed, and then another, and the third.

The shells of burned out Elk villages come into view. These are the remains of the dragon's attack on the Elk, and Lehros remember passing through them on the trip to the dragon's lair. Only another day, less at this pace, stands between him and Bowenwar King of the Elk.

Roll

Roll 2 of 4
Fort Save 18 vs 18 Success!

Roll 3 of 4
Fort Save "20" Success!

One more roll/day to go!

[paradoxa]

Lehros truly is in his element now. Seeing how close he has come to the target fills him with a wave of euphoria.
...it's not far now...
Before passing through the ruins, he slows down a bit, to get out the waterskin and drink. But he does not want to stop and break his pace.

The scout remembers the strange smoke rising from the ruins when they passed them on their way to Oroshar's lair, most likely caused by the foul magic of the tooth. He hopes that there are no more unpleasant surprises waiting in the remnants of this village, now that the tooth has been destroyed. But he still keeps an watchful eye out, while skiing on past the ruins.

[Vardaen]

Lehros slow a bit in the ruins of the village, the burned out buildings are covered in snow for the most part now. A large snow fall must have come through here since Lehros last did. The buildings do not start smoking again, but remain dead and at peace.

Skiing on past Lehros begins the last leg of his trip.

OOC

Last roll, go ahead and post once more gearing up for it.

[paradoxa]

With the ruins disappearing behind him, Lehros picks up speed again.
He knows that if he can't reach the Elk tribe in time, their camp will look no different than this place in a few weeks time, the snow covering all traces that they ever existed. The people who are kin to one of his siblings and welcomed the small group of travelers deserve a better fate than that. The scout is determined to do everything he can and use his last reserves of speed to reach them in time.

Even though he's skiing on and on, his hand still finds a chance to slip into the pocket holding the worn out piece of silk. The memories connected to this charm helped him find new strength and go on when he was about to give up on the first day - it seems like a whole lifetime ago. He hopes that strength will stay with him now, on the final day of the Long Run.

[Vardaen]

Lehros touches that piece of silk and can feel wrapped up insideof it a small bead, perhaps a button that has been stuck inside the hem of the fabric. Perhaps its a trick of all this running, or perhaps he just never noticed it before. Whatever the reason it may require more inspection.

The thought of his friends and siblings and the Elk being defeated by the barbarous Doviello spurs him on. A whisper on the wind whips through the trees, a soft familar voice, yet completely foriegn to him comes out of the past. You shall not fail my son...

Lehros charges on ahead through the snow...

Hours later as the sun is starting to set he's under the eves of the trees that lead up to Jotsplat the Elk capital. Standing watch in a wooden watch tower are several Elk warriors. The step forward to the edge of the guard town and call down as they spot Lehros, "Halt! Who goes there!" The torches on the tower burn flanking the men showing their longbows at the ready, and their spears leaning on the wall nearby.

Roll

Fort Save: Roll 15 + 3 = 18! Success. LUCKY! Those were hard rolls for Lehros. You have completed the Least Ritual for the Rod, meaning it will 'level' up when you do. I think it willd deserve some RP time to discover its improved as you improve, etc. But the technical part of it is done.

[paradoxa]

Lehros slows down, and finally stands, leaning on the Rod of Khendrajan. He pulls down the scarf from his face and calls up to the men on guard, for once not caring about the mark on his face.

"I bring grave news.. call Bowenwar... the Doviello are marching on the Elk, they will be here any time!" His voice is hoarse from exhaustion and the cold, but filled with a great sense of urgency.
Standing still after the long run feels strange, almost if the ground beneath him was spinning. The young scout sways and tightens his grip on the Rod, wanting to see his message delivered to the Elk leader before allowing himself to see his mission as accomplished.

OOC

omg, it really worked! those were some lucky rolls!