Caravan - Open Fantasy RP - Jump right in!

[Frundette]

(This is an open, fantasy RP! My preferred way of role playing is for anyone interested to just jump right in however they see fit and we make it up as we go along. So have fun!)


The four horse drawn wagons crept slowly up the rutted road in the narrow mountain pass. The goods trader had been determined to make one last trip before the winter snows made the mountain road impassable until spring. But right about now, everyone was doubting the wisdom of that decision. It had been raining almost continuously for the past two days, making the road muddy and slick. The horses strained against their harnesses, having trouble getting the heavy wagons up the steep slope.

"What I wouldn't give for a pint of beer...", Terrick said aloud to anyone that happened to be near as he helped push one of the wagons from the rear. The sellsword had worked for this particular trader for most of the year now, providing extra protection and a helping hand when needed. "...and a pair of dry boots."

This pass had been trouble free all summer, so they hadn't been expecting major trouble this trip. But while the wagons struggled up the hill, a pair of eyes watched from the rocks above, carefully counting men and weapons. Once satisfied, the figure slipped away to make her report...

 

[Frundette]

Bump.....

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

(This is an open, fantasy RP! My preferred way of role playing is for anyone interested to just jump right in however they see fit and we make it up as we go along. So have fun!)


The four horse drawn wagons crept slowly up the rutted road in the narrow mountain pass. The goods trader had been determined to make one last trip before the winter snows made the mountain road impassable until spring. But right about now, everyone was doubting the wisdom of that decision. It had been raining almost continuously for the past two days, making the road muddy and slick. The horses strained against their harnesses, having trouble getting the heavy wagons up the steep slope.

"What I wouldn't give for a pint of beer...", Terrick said aloud to anyone that happened to be near as he helped push one of the wagons from the rear. The sellsword had worked for this particular trader for most of the year now, providing extra protection and a helping hand when needed. "...and a pair of dry boots."

This pass had been trouble free all summer, so they hadn't been expecting major trouble this trip. But while the wagons struggled up the hill, a pair of eyes watched from the rocks above, carefully counting men and weapons. Once satisfied, the figure slipped away to make her report...

(Hope you aren't tired of me yet

)

Linden stumbled around the corner of the wagon Terrick was pushing, his boots sodden and slick with mud. He desperately reached for the edge of the wooden cart to right himself, then cursed under his breath as a rather large splinter lodged itself in his thumb. "How much further is it anyways?" He grumbled, picking at the stubborn splinter with his other hand. "We've been going straight for two days through this bloody rain, you'd think the Lord himself was crying a river!" After finally managing to free the splinter he wiped the spurt of blood that followed onto his coat and bent down to help Terrick push. "The boss had better give us a bonus for this one."

 

[Frundette]

(Not at all! Thanks for joining! )


"No argument here," Terrick said, glad for the help pushing as the wagon started making slightly better progress with the extra muscle behind it. "Going to be at least another 3 days yet, at the rate we're going. Rain's slowed us down and put us off schedule a bit."

The small group of wagons was approaching a level point and Terrick noticed the wagon in front of them had stopped. And another man that was leading the horses stopped the wagon. "Wagon stuck?" Terrick called as he took a break from pushing.

"Tree down on the trail," another called in answer.

That did not bode well to Terrick. At best, it would slow them down further. But worse, it was a tactic sometimes used to force a caravan to stay just where ambushers wanted them. His eyes scanned the surrounding terrain, but didn't spot anything out of place. "I don't like it..." he said just loud enough for Linden to hear, but went forward to see what he could do to help move the tree from their path.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

(No probs, I like your RPs )

Linden waited a second as Terrick trudged away towards the front of the caravan and glanced wearily into the bushes surrounding them. He had traveled for many years pushing carts for various traders and was no stranger to ambushes. A long scar down the back of his arm proved that. The quicker they got moving the better. "Hey you!" He called back to a younger blond boy about 12 or 13 hanging back near the last wagon, looking uncertain as to what he should do. "Come help get this tree moved!"

The boy looked up at Linden's call, his expression slightly startled. He brushed the thick blond hair out of his eyes and walked over towards Linden. "How much further is it?"

"Bout three days if this rain stops soon." He paused, looking thoughtfully at the boy "Say, whats your name kid? I haven't seen you around..."

"Mavis, I just started... Does it always rain on these trips?"

Linden chuckled with a small smile as he bent down to help the other guys move the heavy tree out of their path. "Sometimes."

 

[Frundette]

Brylla pushed her wet hood back as she ducked into the tent where a few others were conversing. She wasted no time and interrupted them immediately. "A caravan's in the pass, traveling north. 4 slow moving wagons, 8 horses, 17 armed men," she reported quickly.

The leader of the bandit group, Rorik, looked up, slightly surprised, but pleased by the news. Supplies had been running low and there was concern about how their group would survive the winter. He grasped the hilt of his sword immediately and stood.

The tree they had dropped over the trail the previous week should hold the caravan up for awhile and leave them in a vulnerable position. "Gather the others, tell them to get ready," he told Brylla.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Mavis pulled at the tree, but didn't seem to be having much success. His soft, uncalloused hands were already raw from working with the scratchy ropes and pushing the wagons and he was dirt tired from walking all day. Coming from a reasonably wealthy family he wasn't used to hard work, he wasn't used to working at all.

Linden, on the other hand, was the typical steryotype of a rough, tough traveler. His skin was dark and weathered by the sun and elements from spending so much time outdoors and his muscles ran up his arms like thick cords which bulged under his heavy coat as he worked. He wasn't overly large, or tall, but was heavy and extreamely strong. "You think we'll need the horses to move this one?" He called to Terrick, standing up with a frown as their progress slowed even further.

 

[Frundette]

"Huh?" Terrick looked up from where he'd been chopping away at one of the tree branches and wiped rain from his eyes. "Eh, we might," he said. "Here, get this out of the way, kid," he said to Mavis, gesturing at the large branch he'd hacked free.

"Think it's a good idea to unhook 'em from the wagons, though?" Terrick asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding area, still expecting trouble. "But either way, we're sittin' in a bad spot. See the base of the tree? This tree didn't just fall down in the last storm."

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

"Huh?" Terrick looked up from where he'd been chopping away at one of the tree branches and wiped rain from his eyes. "Eh, we might," he said. "Here, get this out of the way, kid," he said to Mavis, gesturing at the large branch he'd hacked free.

"Think it's a good idea to unhook 'em from the wagons, though?" Terrick asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding area, still expecting trouble. "But either way, we're sittin' in a bad spot. See the base of the tree? This tree didn't just fall down in the last storm."

Mavis hurried over to Terrick's side and began tugging at the loose branch. Stubbornly, it refused to move until Linden gave it a good kick and Mavis was finally able to start dragging it away. It was a painfully slow process which any other of the men with them would have been able to complete in half the time, but he was trying his best.

"Unless thunderstorms have evolved to yield axes, I don't think thats what took the tree down..." Linden frowned, reading Terrick's uneasy thoughts about an ambush but still stating the obvious out loud. "We're sitting ducks out here, it'll take us all night to move this thing by hand. We'll be done in half the time with the horses."

 

[Frundette]

"You're probably right," Terrick said. "The horses could have this out of here in no time."

He'd let someone else handle that though and kept chopping away at the next branch . He didn't along with the four legged beasts. They were useful, no doubt, but he'd never been good at getting even the most docile gelding to do what he wanted it to do.

"Saul!" Terrick snapped at one of the other men nearby. "Go get yer armor on, clay-brained fool."

--

The bandits had gathered, 20 strong and all on foot. They split into two groups, one of which would approach from the near side of the road. The other group would swing wide, crossing the road a half mile behind the caravan then pressing the attack from the other side.

Brylla found herself part of the group assigned to cross the road and approach from the opposite side. She scouted ahead of the others, quietly slipping through the woods toward the road and down the hill, her boots making soft squish noises on the muddy ground. In her hands, she held a short bow with an arrow knocked loosely, trying to keep her nerves calmed. Attracting the attention of the caravaners now would ruin any advantage of surprise.