The Temple of Elemental Evil game thread

"How about that courtyard on the way in? Some rest would do us all good. What do you think?" Grumble adds, directing that last to Spugnoir. Surely he can see how much Kaxaon needs to recover!

"You think we can rest here?! There could be bandits, mages, bears, what else!? I have a room waiting at the welcome wench! But I do suppose you need to pause for a while. You certainly lose yourself to rage in combat, ka...Kaxon?"

(Agree on a place to rest - bearing in mind it might be uncomfortable without a bedroll!)

"I think it best that we head back to the Welcome Wench, it is only a couple of hours away after all," Matthias says, agreeing with Spugnoir.

Anrin cannot contribute to the discussion, considering he is (once again!) unconscious, but his battered body certainly looks like it could do with a rest in a warm inn, away from assorted lethal vermin!

Kaxaon coughs, spitting blood, can only nod. He is still unsteady on his feet, supporting himself against a wall. He points at Anrin, "He...*gasp*...alright?"

Grumble has accompanied the others, delighted for the company even if he doesn't understand why they would want a bed when the soft loam of the forest beckons.

Grumble eyes the new arrivals curiously, crossbow in one hand, staff in the other (he uses the staff for walking, and the crossbow is in case he spies any game). Yellow capes!, he thinks, How odd! Is that an example of this 'fashion' thing that city people yammer about?

On his guard after the trouble they've had so far Matthias stays quiet, trying to see anything that might give him a clue what these men might be about, and keeping a close eye for any weapon they may have.

Kaxaon stumbles along. He grabs Spugnoir's arm, bloodying the man's sleeve. "Hey. Be careful. If there's trouble I'll be no good for fighting."

Grumble notices that the men are smiling, and wonders what this could mean. Then again, their faced are mostly covered.

Beneath their ochre robes, some weapons can be seen. Scabbards containing daggers or swords tap against their clothing as they jostle. Deep burgundy marks are painted or sewn into the robes. They continue their approach.

Spugnoir looks almost frozen in fear. "Who...are these folk? Seem familiar..."

Elmo, looking strong, runs to the front of the group.

"Watch out. These are cultists! Do not threaten them! We may need to flee and regroup at Hommlet"

"Cultists? What sort of cultists? Is it...an evil cult?" Grumble says, with a gleam in his eye. Destiny calls...

"Stop there, we have no qualms with you and as you can see, we have injured and can't stop to chat, so please be on your way and we will be on ours." Matthias calls out, preparing to defend himself if they get too close.

Grumble looks at his group: Elmo (carrying Anrin), Matthias, Spugnoir, Kaxaon, Turuko, Kobort, and himself. Seven, against four men in yellow. Surely they couldn't mean us harm - even evil isn't stupid, to fight such odds?

But then the hermit considers his group again: three of us are clearly not fighters, Kaxaon is at the end of his strength, and Elmo carries an incapacitated friend...which just leaves Turuko and Kobort as seemingly able defenders. On the other hand, maybe that doesn't seem like bad odds to them. Oh, evil...

(gentle nudge)

Grumble looks uneasily at the girls with scarred faces. These don't seem to be evil, at least not overtly so. But the group is in no condition to go swanning off with strange women. "Certainly, but my friends and I need food and rest before we would be presentable to someone in so exalted a position. Where would we go to meet your kind leader once we have prepared ourselves?"

Matthias looks at the warily, in no trusting mood, "Who's oppressing and exploiting you and what are your methods of fighting back?"

Glad the game's started again, but Anrin's only action for now is being unconscious...

Now that the strangers have declared themselves as on-threats, Kaxaon hobbles along, too wounded to care any further. He does pause and wait to see what Spugnoir will do.