The Curse of the Witch-King Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

Hulburg
Kythorn 28th


After a few days' rest in the small, gray, not-terribly-friendly port city of Hulburg, the party takes a ferry across the river (ice cold waters even in summer, so not pleasant to attempt to ford upriver) and sets out on the trail called Gramble's Climb, which leads up through the High Fells toward the passes of the snowcapped Galenas and then down again into Vaasa across the mountains.

The weather holds fair this morning, fleecy clouds flying far above in blue skies, with a cool westerly breeze whipping over the grassy hills and headlands near the Moonsea.

[kintire]

Kat look back at the town slightly wistfully as is fades behind. Unfriendly or not it feels more familiar territory than the wilderness ahead. She looks with no great favour at the snow capped peaks: admiring the view with a smile of pleasure, but clearly not looking forward to having to actually cross them...

She takes the opportunity to check just once more that nothing has been forgotten, and then to scan the trail sides in case someone or something finds the expeidtion to be a likely target

[ewancummins]

KYTHORN 30th

The last day of the month finds the party high in the foothills, making a camp late in the evening.
Kat's pony bolted earlier, for some horsey reason none of the group comprehends, and the time spent tracking it down and calming it meant that the party covered rather less distance than Klokulf had planned to have made by this time.
Everyone's backside and feet are sore from the ride and hike up Bramble's Climb, the steep, rocky road into the Galenas.
The campsite you've found is a little dry cave in the under-hang of a stony cliff face, screened by dry brush and gnarled dwarf pines. No problem getting firewood.
Alain ties the animals outside the cave, in the shelter of the trees, and Klokulf keeps watch as Katrin builds a fire.

Night is coming on swiftly, and with it a cold wind from the northeast--but the cliff shelters you.

[ewancummins]

Kat is busy grabbing some extra wood for the fire when something begins growling at her from the dark shadows under the pines...

[kintire]

Kat turns smoothly to look in the direction of the growl, one hand dropping to the hilt of her rapier and drawing the blade, eyes squinting into the darkness. Blade levelled, she takes a few steps back in case she has merely got too close to some beast going about its business...

[ewancummins]

rustle...rustle....growlllll

[kintire]

Rapier tip flicking from side to side to cover the possible approaches, Kat backs slowly towards the cave, feeling behind her with each step

[ewancummins]

A cat-sized gray creature with a long snout and naked tail scurries into the campsite. It hisses at Katrin and then speeds into the brush to the north.

[kintire]

Kat takes one look at the thing and rapidly, returns her rapier to its scabbard, bending to recover her collected wood with slightly flushed face, hoping no one has noticed the incident...

[ewancummins]

Kat takes one look at the thing and rapidly, returns her rapier to its scabbard, bending to recover her collected wood with slightly flushed face, hoping no one has noticed the incident...

The ponies begin to snort and stamp.

Kat hears something crunching through the trees and it sounds a lot bigger than that opossum.

A dim bulk appears behind a clump of pines. The dark mass grows taller. Eyes glint from a massive, shaggy head that looks down at Kat. The huge bear--it must be twice a man's height-- sniffs the air and lets out a rumbling growl.
It drops to all fours and walks into the camp.

The horses panic, straining their ropes so hard they are bending the trees to which Alain tied them...

[ewancummins]

Klokulf notices the ursine intruder straight away, or course, and Alain sees it as well.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Klokulf rises slowly and backs off, trying to appear non-threatening. Simultaneously, he begins to gesture and chant in a low voice.

[ewancummins]

Klokulf rises slowly and backs off, trying to appear non-threatening. Simultaneously, he begins to gesture and chant in a low voice.

The bear doesn't like this.

It charges forward and seizes Klokulf in its paws with a roar so loud that the noise drowns the screams of the horses.

Katrin moves behind the beast, sword held low.

Alain circles round the campfire, keeping away from the bear's front, moving for its rump....

[ewancummins]

Alain rushes in from the rear, his outstretched hands crackling with sparks.

Kat lunges.

The bear thrashes, roaring its agony and anger, and then hurls the cleric over the campfire and into the cave. Kat nearly loses her sword before she can jerk the blade free.

The echoes of the beast's terrible cry still reverberate as it topples like mighty tree felled by a woodsman's axe, crashing onto the ground hard enough to shake Alain and Kat's boots.

Klokulf groans in the cave mouth. Alive, but battered and bruised, his face smeared with dirt and sweat.

Rumbling, wheezy breathing from the bear. It's stunned, maybe mortally wounded.

The ponies continue to snort and stamp, tugging at their ropes and shaking the pines to which they're tied.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Without rising, Klokulf begins to pray again, calling on healing energies to repair his damaged body. He breathes a sigh of relief as his wounds knit somewhat.

He sits up with another groan, and says, "Clearly, the handling of wildlife should not be left to me."