After the ensuing engagement Doric was again in bad shape from being in the forefront of the battle. Cedris Whispered words of healing giving some strength to the weary dwarf.

Sasha quickly went through the bodies of the fallen Gnoll’s grabbing some not so rancid meat and a couple of bags of what looked like grain of some sort.

Doric called to Sasha “Take that iron plate off the corpse. If I can ever find a place I can cut into smaller plates and make some useful armor for myself. And take that giant cursed looking spear. I’ll cut down that shaft for you, so you canna have a real weapon for a change.”

“We need to move.” said an excited El-Dris “One got away we do not know if it has friends nearby.”

A spent Doric pushed himself to his feet.

“Your right, I donna think we can handle many more of those boulder cursed Jackal’s.”

“Agreed” Cedris said.

Sasha put everything in a large smelly bag she found tied it to the end of the spear, slung it over her shoulder moving out after the party. They traveled slowly for the rest of the day only stopping when the sun was well down with only the false sunset giving any light upon the surrounding area. They settled into the crook of a fallen tree. They split and ate the last two of the loves at a cold camp. keeping as low a profile as possible and hoping that any pursuit was long in coming.

The night went slowly as every crack in the woods awoke them. A large animal seemed to pass just feet from them as they huddled together. Eventually the dawn came and with it the blessing’s of Mithras. Cedris started praying with the sunrise and allowing the healing powers to flow into Doric. As the energy seeped into him the pallor of his face improved, before long he was up and stretching. The knots in his arm released in a crack like that of snapping twigs.

Before long the party started to move traveling quickly to put space between them and the dog creatures behind them. After a couple of days of forced marches and cold camps. The Party came upon a good sized stream. They refilled there water containers and Cedris cleaned them with his holy magic.

“We need to rest, we can’t keep going like this I think we are far enough away at this point.” El-Dris said

“Yes” Sasha and Cedris both said quickly.

“I be needing some sleep and a warm fire.” Doric grumbled to no one in peculiar. “Maybe a belly full of food.”

El-Dris Continued “Let us follow this stream for a bit then pitch camp.”

The others nodded in assent and trudged on for a couple of miles.

They found a dry spot under some cherry trees covered in beautiful blossoms the hypnotic sent of the blooms bathed the area in its perfume. A bend in the stream offered a deep pool on the other side.

El-Dris exclaimed “There could be no better spot, let us prepare our repose here”

Sasha replied “This is really a wonderful place.”

Doric nodded and started to search the area for fire wood. Cedris started to clear the area under the trees while whispering prayers in thanks to his god.

Soon all the party was working to clean and prepare the area. Doric was able to get a fire started and Sasha pulling a pot out of the backpack heating water. El-Dris pulling dry Herbs of mint and chamomile for a refreshing tea. After a few days the party was mended body and soul.

After his chores are finished Doric carved a fishing pole and took his respite near the stream. the others took notice of this and Sasha and El-Dris had never tried fishing before.

“This looks easy enough.” El-Dris quipped as he threw his line into the water.

Behind them Cedris chuckled at this turned away, starting some tea.

Sasha threw her line in and managed to tangle it on a rock after only a second or so.

After a few more casts she finally manages to get her line laying in the water correctly.

Doric quickly yanked up on his rod and before too long a large river trout was pulled from the water. Doric with a small smile on his square face proceeded to clean it. He placed it in the pot with some fresh water.

Returning to the streamlet he returned his line to the water.

Cedris came around handing bowls of rich tea to the rest of his friends.

Doric drinks deeply

With a sigh of satisfaction he says “Thank you my boy.”

“Tis been a hard couple of months. I owe you something huge.” Doric continues. “You may look a babe in arms. But you have a strength to you dinna you.”

Cedris replies “Thank you?”

Sasha tired of watching her string tangle at every little piece of wood or stone. Pulling her line out.

Doric pulled another fish out of the stream. And then another.

Sasha complains “What about this is fun. I can’t even get my line in the water, Bah I’m done with this.”

El-Dris spends several more hours casting and trying different techniques all to no avail.

“Ok how do you do it Doric” El-Dris asked a bit peevishly.

“Just look at the stream and tell where the fish be.” He replied.

Doric started to pull his rod in with yet another fish on the end.

Getting rather flustered El-Dris stood up Raising his hand and saying rather louder then necessary “fúmë”

Several fish float to the top of the water seemingly asleep.

“There is that enough fish” El-Dris says sharply.

“Don’t need any more pot will be full with this one.” Doric shaking his head ruefully.

Laughing Doric says “What be the fun in that anyway.”

“We needed the fish, that’s why you fish is it not” El-Dris mumbles

“Nah, I fish for a bit of fun” Doric replies “Though some fish for dinner will be a nice change.”

“Me Pa taught me to fish when I was a wee lad in the hills. Before he caught the greed of the dice. Good times they were.” Doric said wistfully.

“lets boil these up into a stew and we will have a nice bit of meat for dinner” Doric says with a large grin on his face.

El-Dris shaking his head waves his hand the fish awaken with a slight shake with a splash they quickly disappear.

Cedris and Doric heat water adding some of there dwindling herb stock and fish and before long the smell of fish soup floats across the campsite.

The next morning the group are finally ready to move on toward the uncertain future.

after a couple days the hills start to get smaller and smaller before long they spill out on a flatter area the trees spreading out.

Before to long they hear the bleating of a goat from somewhere in front of them Sasha pulls her bow. But having learned some caution didn’t rush forward. the sound started to get further and further away. The party started to move toward the sound. Before long say the white hind quarters briefly behind a tree just as it disappeared into the woods.

More going on?

The group followed the goat for several hundred yards before they lost it again in the woods. Then a splash and another bleat and the party was back in the chase. Before long the sounds of other bleating responding the bleats of the white goat echoed across the forested plain.

Exiting a stand of trees a small campsite revealed itself. The bleating of goats filling the meadow as the white goat batters his head at the gate trying to push it open to be with his companions. After a crescendo of bleats a young man steps out of the tent to see what the commotion is all about. He sees the party and lifts up a quarter staff he raises his voice asking.

“Who goes there and what do you intend today?”

The party slows as they see the young man

Sasha raises a hand calling out “We are the Gowdawn Explorer’s, my name is Sasha we intend you no harm we where just following your young goat here and came across this place.’

“Who might you be good sir.” she continues.

“I am know as herder John, I herd goats around here.” replies John.

He walks over to the gate lifting a loop of leather and opens the gate. Smacking the goat on is rear it leaps forward into the pen.

“What be ya doing in these parts” Asks John as he whistles at the goats.

“We are looking for a town near the shore” replies Cedris. “We are have been asked to look into some troubles there.”

“You be close.” replies John.

“Just three days to the west you will come the the valley and a day down the valley you will find the town.”

John asks “Would you be joining me and Robert for dinner.”

Doric asks “Where would this Robert be?”

“Robert is out checking on the upper pasture and should be back shortly.” replies John

“Do not be alarmed when he shows himselves. He is a bit of a Larger bloke. He helped me survive this blasted place.” John Continues

El-Dris asks “How might it be that you ended up here.”

John “Not enough food, a family and a alcoholic father.”

Come join me for a meal and I will tell you the tale. Then you can tell me yours.

The party settled down in near John’s tent around the cooking fire. A small pot simmered on the coals. The smell made Doric’s stomach growl with the smell of cooking meat and vegetables. John pulled some flour out of a near by chest and expertly mixing ingredients into simple campfire bread. He spread loaves on planks and placed them next to the fire to bake. Soon the smell of baking bread mingled with the stew until the Explorer’s were intoxicated with the scent.

Just as the party was relaxing a crash could be heard from the north side of the encampment. Trees could be seen weaving about and the ground was shaking with the thumping of foot steps.

With a cry the party jumped up drawing steel and preparing for the worst.

“Wait, Wait this is my friend Robert” John said.

“That’s your friend, But he is a ogre.” Sasha said.

The ogre frowned looking at the party.

“They are low learned brutes more likely to eat you then anything else.” El-Dris injected.

“You know many ogre’s” The Herder smirked.

“To tell you true I would be dead if It were not for this ‘brute’. As I was telling you if It wasn’t for Robert here my carcass would be feeding the birds and animals or something worse of this damn place, like many they send here. Not all they send to this land are great and mighty adventures. Most are just the lame, sick, or poor. Those that it is convenient to discard, that can’t work or have something the powerful covet, or need to hide or discard.”

“Those that remain and make this place home are the lucky. The boat they sent to this place had twenty we were attacked as soon as we made it to the beach. I was beaten and everything I had was striped from me. Several of the men joined the bandits. And about to deal with the women and girls when Robert here crested the dune on the beach along with several of the people from Creteza, a small patch of peace in this wildland. With a holler and growl and his giant sword, of course. He sent them to the infernal place they belong. I was nine at the time. Scared to my core my head covered in blood. With nothing and no one. Robert walked over to me picked me up by my waist and threw me over his shoulder. To be honest I thought he was about to eat me.” John laughed.

He then brought me back to Creteza fed me, and found me a place to earn my keep.

A fishers family took me in and I helped tend the nets. They taught me how to fish, and more importantly where to fish. To mend nets and patch boats. I also ate a lot of fish. When Robert came back he taught me the manly skills of self defense. The town looked after the few that survived in my boat. Most eventually Died or moved on mostly up to Iron Keep where, The Order has set up a base.

“The Order?” Inquired Sasha

John replied “The Order of twilight is a group of men and women that seem to be trying to tame this savage land. Rumor has it that their leader had a vision to do with something or other and uprooted the whole mess of them to come to Miramar and do something about it. Jack Draman is one of the better ones from what I understand. He is the leader up there in the ‘Iron fortress’ from the news I heard.”

“What about you folks, what is your story?” John asked

Doric told John and Robert of the adventures of the Gowdawn explorer’s telling the story with only the panache that a dwarf could muster up. As the evening continued they ate a hardy stew with some bread that Robert cooked over some rocks on the edge of the campfire. Late into the night they talked about and laughed. The bellowing of Robert rang around the clearing sounding like a cross between a hyena and stones falling of a high cliff.

Soon John pulled some blankets from the tent and laid them out for the party to curl around the fire. Robert gave his good byes saying he would be back in the morning. Telling them that he was headed toward Creteza and would accompany them as far as three days walk.

“That would be a boon” Cedris replied “You have our thanks.”

The Gowdawn explorer’s settled in to sleep.

In the morning shortly after sunrise Cedris on his assigned shift for watch duty heard a noise near the goat pen. Getting up and walking toward the goats he was looking around didn’t see anything of importance then noticed the back fence knocked down and the pen empty.

Yelling “Master John, Master John they have escaped. Quick quick. the goats!!”

Almost instantly the camp went from peaceful to a manic mess as the party members rolling out of bedding and John flying out of the tent.

Cedris held up his holy symbol saying “By the light of Mithras pull back the shadows.”

Suddenly light erupted from the disk, Just in time to see the last goat entering the forest

“Damn Goats” John said loudly stumbling around trying to get his boots on.

The party following Cedris plunged into the forest chasing the goats.

Suddenly El-Dris lifts his hands saying loudly “fúmë” two of the goats just colipase into a heap as they suddenly fall asleep.

“After the other two” The half-elf yelped as he ran into a low hanging tree branch.

Doric was able to corner the white goat in a small gully. He picked it up holding it close to his chest. Grumbling all the way back to the camp about how bad it smelled.

“She probably feels about the same” Sasha laughs overhearing the dwarf.

Soon the last goat was found a short distance away as it was chewing on some nettles. John walked over easily grabbing its horns and leading it back to camp.

El-Dris mumbled something in elvish and the ropes that held the paddock was repaired. the goats back where they belonged.

“Thank you my friends. I tell you that goats are the spawn of the pits. Up to constant mischief its a wonder that I haven’t eaten them or let Robert have them as a snack.” John laughingly said.

“I have little to give for your assistance. But I can make you breakfast and give you a little food for your trip.” He continues. “Take those blankets with you I have plenty, it may allow you some small comfort.”

“Thank you, Sir” Cedris says bowing his head slightly. “It has been rough going for us up till now.”

“Well this is a rough place.” The herder says with a slight smile. “Anyway Robert was planning to head in the same direction as you it should be a smooth trip to the coast with him accompanying you.”

Sasha replies “I could see why he could be quite the deterrent.”

Dorric let out a huge belly laugh at Sasha’s statement. Wiping the tears out eyes he laughs “I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that bit of metal he carries around.”

With the excitement of the evening the party couldn’t return to sleep so the stoked the fire. John made up some bread and cracked some eggs and threw some smoked meat into the pot making some breakfast for the party. Doric took over the making of the campfire bread eating the first one claiming that he burnt it so it wasn’t safe for consumption for one with a lesser constitution. The rest of the party and John just laughed feeling relaxed for the first time in a long time. the morning passed quickly.

A hour after sunrise Robert came striding into camp.

“Be you ready?” Robert said in a deep Basso voice.

The party all nodded as Sasha said “Yes, sir”

The ogre chuckled while saying “I’ll be seeing you in a few weeks John, Keep your goats where they are supposed to be chasing them around at all hours tends to be a bit of a chore”

El-Dris looked sharply at the large man, and just caught a wink from The ogre.