Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Caravan - Medieval Fantasy - Jump Right In!

Welcome! This RP is open to anyone. Jump in and we'll make it up as we go!

• Combat - defenders choice. (Which means no 'auto-hitting', aka god-modding. This includes NPCs introduced by others.)
• Feel free to introduce NPCs!
• 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...", Cedric said aloud to anyone that happened to be near as he helped push one of the wagons from the rear. The sell sword 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 problems 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 it's okay if I jump in!))
"You're tellin me. My boxers are still soggy from all that damn rain," Scuz grumbled from inside one of the rear wagons. Despite being hired by the goods trader, the goblin hadn't once pulled his weight since the journey started. Perhaps he would have been motivated to help more if the weather wasn't so abysmal.

Grunting as he shoved aside a heaving bag of cargo, he scrambled to the top of the rear wagon and, against his good judgement, looked down. Feeling a bit nauscious, he quickly looked away, not keen on staring down the deadly drop below. His scheming yellow eyes turned to the young human he had initially replied to. They hadn't spoken much, but Scuz had the impression that he was close to his employer- or at least, more so than the goblin was.

" Hey, meat-sack," he called out, now reclining on top of the wagon like it was a fine leather couch.

" You any clue how much longer it's gonna be 'till we get over this big hunk of rock?"

((Definitely! Welcome! ))

"What?" Cedric was straining with the effort of pushing the wagon and had to stop momentarily to look up at the goblin talking to him, breathing hard. A look of irritation crossing his face as Scuz's words registered a moment later. Why the goods-trader had even hired the thing was beyond Cedric. Must be cheap...and he's still getting ripped off.

"I dunno, ankle-biter, maybe faster if you got down here and helped rather than laying about up there like a sack of ..."

"Tree down on the trail!" another voice called from somewhere up ahead.

That did not bode well to Cedric. 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 Scuz to hear. "You see anythin' from up there?"

" Nah," the goblin started, before pausing to think. Now that Scuz thought about it, he had sensed some sort of presence awhile ago. There was a soft scuffling sound, something moving in the rocks above. He had quickly dismissed it, believing the sound to a small animal passing through, but now he wasn't so sure.

" Well- thought I heard some noises, but it could've been anything," the goblin sighed with a shrug. He stared up ahead, where the other wagons in front were slowing to a stop due to the blocked off trail. Scuz shuddered- he didn't like the idea of being all caged up like this, especially if they were going to have an ambush on their hands. Scuz had specifically agreed to this job because the guy offering it claimed it would be fast, uneventful, and lucrative. So far, it wasn't either of those two things. And if everyone was caught up in an attack soon, he didn't want to be a part of it. Regardless of whether or not he was paid for defending the wagons and their cargo, he knew he wouldn't see a penny anyway if the group was all killed off by bandits. And more importantly, he didn't want to die.

For a moment, the goblin sat on the wagon in troubled silence, stroking his chin with a long clawed finger. Finally, a thought resembling a bad, but still appealing idea crossed his mind. What was he so stressed about? After all, running away was always an option!

He flashed an uncharacteristically friendly smile at Cedric, revealing a set of sharp, yellowed teeth.
" You worried we got trouble up ahead? Why don't I just move ahead of everyone else and scout the area? To uh... make sure it's safe!"

Walking behind the wagons of expensive cargo was a traveling caravan of performers called the Bizare Wonders. They weren't hired by the trader for extra protection or entertainment, but just strangers traveling in the same direction. No really paid any attention to them and they mostly kept to themselves for most of the journey.

Just like the hired sellsword, they were also miserably pushing their own wagon through the muddy trail while enduring the harsh weather. Four performers got out form the safety of the wagon push the wagon as their own horses were struggled to move the whole thing on their own.

While the four pushed from the back, one member stared the horses so they didn't trail off the path so there would be no deaths or loss of their own supplies. The person up front steering the wagon was a young girl dressed in what seemed to be dancing attire. Her face was ridden with worry while she tried focusing on the trial while ignoring the steep drop from below.

She could hear the goblin's complaints from ahead and even though she agreed with his feelings he didn't have room to complain since he wasn't helping. But she wouldn't dare say that out loud to a random stranger.

((Thanks for joining in, Lumaslily!))

Cedric looked at the goblin suspiciously, but then shrugged. "Don't look at me, I ain't the boss," he said, moving toward the front the wagon train to go see what he could do to help about the tree situation.

"If you do though, don't go gettin' lost. Nobody's comin' lookin' for you!" he warned. Part of him hoped Scuz did have the group's best intentions at heart by offering to go scout. But experience with a few other goblins over the years suggested Scuz was more likely to go find somewhere to lay low for awhile until either the work of getting the tree cleared was done or, if there really was an ambush, he could come back and loot the pockets of the losers.

---

Brylla pushed her wet hood back as she ducked into the cave where a few others were conversing. She wasted no time and interrupted them immediately. "A caravan's in the pass, traveling north. 5 slow moving wagons, 10 horses, 17 armed men," she reported quickly. "Front 4 wagons looks like trade goods. The 5th looks like maybe musicians or actors or something."

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.

Two knights were traveling down the worn-out road made by many things traveling on it, the two knights are having a argument about something, one will think that the argument was about the traveling, but no, the two knights, Solaire and Ashen, was arguing about sweet rolls.

Ashen was getting annoy at Solaire nagging him about sweet rolls to the point where he want to kill him,”Sweet rolls are delicious, that all their is to it!” Ashen yell with fire appearing around him, Solaire shut up as quick as a person with a knife to theirs neck, which is what happening here, but the fire replace the knife, Ashen then see the tree in their way, Ashen sigh that moment was as heavy as the moon,”Solaire, go back to the town,” Solaire nods to Ashen, then turned around and go up the road.

Ashen was stumped(see what I did there.) Ashen first thought was to burn it into ash, just to realize that he was in a forest, Ashen sat down onto a stump
, he then hear some voices coming from the other said of the tree, he called out to them,”Oi, the people over then, any idea how to move this tree?” He then get back up to listen to they plan, if they have one.

Fawn, riding on her horse, was gently going down the same path but just a few feet from all the the others. Fawn heard the knight call out. She made her horse stop and got off of it. She walked over to the knights and said" Fawn's the name. Have you guys though about cutting it? If not, my horse and I would be more than happy to move this tree for you. That is, for a small price."

Ashen jump when Fawn appears behind him,”Bloody hell, don’t do that!” Ashen said while turning around, as soon as Ashen seen her, he realize
that she look like a sell sword and talk like one, When Ashen realize that, he cringe, he really do not like sell swords, they have no honor when come to combat, and to top it off, he have many sell swords paid to kill him, Ashen sigh,” I have a few gold I can give to ya,” Ashen said while looking in his gold bag, only to realize that Solaire have all the gold,” Oh, wait, can i pay you in gear?” Ashen said while pulling out a strange-looking sliver sword.

Scuz barely waited for his companion to finish speaking before he darted off, Cedric's warning having gone through one ear and out the other. He quickly maneuvered around the wagons and their steeds, careful not to veer off the track. He quickly realized he had approached the block in the road, not from the huge tree in the middle of the trail, but from the small gathering of men around it. A couple of men appeared to be quarreling with the merchant on what to do, some of them also gesturing to the other side of the fallen tree, where three other figures had also stopped.

Doing his best to appear as unassuming as possible, Scuz walked past the men, who did not notice him until he began trying to climb over the fallen debris. The group fell silent for a moment, watching the small creature try to claw its way over the tree with a mixture of pity and amusement. Scuz looked back at them over his shoulder, suddenly feeling a need to explain himself.

"I gotta whiz," he announced loudly.

And with that, he jumped down on the other side of the tree, and dive-bombed into the nearest bush on the mountain pass, very nearly missing the edge of a large rock that could've easily split his head open. Now nestled in the small bush, Scuz was able to smugly revel in the flawless execution of his plan.

Now all he had to do was wait.

(Welcome LittleFireKing & Wolfzone92! )

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 and come up from behind. With the tree blocking the road and sharp drop on the other side of the road, that should effectively block off any escape.

Brylla found herself part of the group assigned to approach from the rear. 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.

---

Cedric arrived at the tree just as there was a conversation about cutting it up and hauling it away and was surprised to see an armored stranger sitting on the tree stump and another woman with a horse.

They didn't look like bandits, he thought. He paid no mind to the goblin scrambling up and over the large downed trunk. If Scuz suddenly got the urge to actually help out... well ... it would be highly suspicious.

"Who're you two?" he asked of the strangers, his tone not overly friendly. It seemed awfully coincidental they should be here... asking for payment to move a tree trunk. Charlatans, he suspected.

Ashen look over to where he heard the voice, he noted that the person, who is a he, ask with no trace of niceness in his question,”I’m Ashen of Astora, a noble knight,” Ashen voice was so full of pride,”And this woman here is Fawn, a sell sword,” Ashen said with something that feel like hate,”Now that out of the way, who are you?” The noble knight said, his voice so cold, that it can freeze water.

(First post! Hops this is ok!)

During the conversation and confusion, a small shadow slipped from the back of a small covered caravan towards the middle of the line, sliding towards the front, where the group had gathered.
It hesitated between the trees to the side a moment, before finally approaching the group.
Short, but long limbed and slim, black hooded scarf drawn down just enough to obscure the upper half of their face, the person cleared their throat.
"Um...Hello. I was wondering what was happening? I see there is a tree in the road, but... Is there a plan to continue on, yet? Has anyone scouted to be sure this is not a trap?"
Wren had a softer voice, but it still rang as deliberate. They had been with the caravan for some time, stopping with the group outside of towns when they would do business, but they never seemed to be trading anything, and aside from occasionally offering assistance on the road or a quick 'good morning', Wren had kept to themselves, and to their small, single horse wagon. This, in fact, was the closest thing to a conversation they might have been a part of in weeks.
In an outfit of a long sleeved black tunic, black cotton pants, and black boots, they looked almost like a walking shadow, aside from the smooth pale skin of their lower face, and hands, and the two small drawstring pouches at their belt in a soft green and light pink. Even the cloth bag on their back, along with the leather belt that secured it in place that slung across their chest, and the belt at their waist, seemed soft, faded, and dark.
"If not, I would be willing to keep my eyes in the treeline until the way has been cleared." They offered.
They didnt seem to address any single person, but the group as a whole.

"Cedric," he answered Ashen, giving Fawn another glance as he caught the derision in the knight's voice about her being a sell-sword. He was one himself, so certainly couldn't fault her for that, unless of course, she'd been hired by someone with malicious intentions against the caravan.

The caravan master was hurrying forward now as well. "Com'on! Unhook those horses and get 'em over here to help!" he was ordering to the driver of the front wagon.

As Wren approached and asked about anyone scouting ahead, Cedric shook his head and called to the caravan master. "You seen Simon?" he asked, referring to the scout that generally rode ahead.

"Not since this morning," the man answered. That certainly didn't bode well.

@#$%! He looked to Wren again. "Yeah, keep an eye out. And if you got a weapon or armor, I'd suggest gearing up."

---

Brylla gestured back to the others and they crept toward the road, stopping just inside the tree line about 20 yards behind the last wagon.

Wren nodded, turning to eye the path ahead of them.
"The most dangerous points would likely be... to the side of the tree that blocks less of the path, or behind us. Its easier to move the log to the side its further near and try to just get by when theres just enough room, using it as a choke point. But we'd be weak from behind, as well, since it takes a minute to get the horses going again; even with the path clear, the last few carts are going to be lagging behind..."
They seemed to consider their options for a moment, letting out a slow, exasperated stream of air.
"You can see ahead from here fairly well, and they wouldnt gain much picking off the group working the log. I'll go back." Instead of walking directly to the back of the line, Wren tightened their scarf on their shoulders, pulling their hood in slightly, and darted off towards the trees, watching their steps to circle downwards through the woods towards the back of the caravan, stopping now and then to listen to the trees around them.

((Sorry, my post came up late! It should be up to date now!))

Scuz was beginning to think the bush wasn't such a great hiding place- when he lunged into it, he had failed to notice the abundance of thorns on the branches, and the leaves were beginning to make him itch. His whole plan, now that he thought about it, was completely dependent on bandits attacking within the hour. What if they kept him waiting in the bush longer than that? How long would it be? An hour? Two? A whole day, a week? There was no question that the roadblock was planted by someone, but maybe they had forgotten about it, or moved on.
With his bloated ego wounded a little, he watched Cedric interact with the newcomers. With all of these new faces popping up, the road was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

The goblin's yellow eyes narrowed in interest as he watched an small, unassuming stranger quietly approach the others. He squinted at the small figure, trying to make out any discerning features. Their slight build and long limbs made them look like a kid- maybe a teenager? Their voice was quiet, and if it weren't for his sharp hearing, Scuz doubted he could have made out what they were saying from where he was. Cedric responded quickly to the hooded figure, advising them to gear up. The figure nodded, and promptly ran back, likely investigating the back of the line.

From his hiding spot, Scuz let out a self assured chuckle, which sounded more like a painful cough.
His head popped out of the bush, a couple of leaves and twigs sticking out of his aviator cap. Already, he was smirking, expecting to see looks of surprise from the others, having mistaken being ignored with going unnoticed.

" Cedric, I think you just sent that poor kid to their death. A shrimp like that would be the first to die in an ambush, I guarantee it," he jeered.

" I see it all the time. It's always the little guys that die first in situations like these."

Carmen was not alone atop the wagon of the Bizarre Wonders. A blonde elf moved across the back where she had traded barbs with one of the other performers. Her arms and legs were sleeved in sheer black silk and her generous bosom was uplifted by a tight fitting bustier that left her midriff bare.

As the wagon lurched she stumbled and fell, landing in her knees with long golden tresses tumbling about. The glimmering nimbus momentarily blinded her. After that she crawled across the wagon top.

Like Carmen the elf was clad in dancing attire but dancing wasn't her only skill. The elven woman was a fortune teller. No. She couldn't actually divine the future but she could read people and fake it and that was enough to get the attention of this performing troupe. She had only known them for a couple days but she was liking them so far.

Finally reaching the front of the wagon she put one bare foot over the rim of the wagon and climbed up into the bench next too Carmen.

"I like him," Assallya stated, "Mouth of a sailor on that one."

((Slain!!! So glad to have you join in! Anyone/everyone, feel free to claim some of these bandit characters!))


"So where's that leave you, Scuzball?" Cedric asked, annoyed all over again at the goblin. But he didn't stick around for a response and moved forward to lend his aid to getting the tree hooked to the two horses and moved out of the way.

---

Not yet noticing the dark clad figure slipping quietly toward them through the trees, Brylla turned to the others as they came up to join her. "We wait for Rorik's signal."

Rorik, meanwhile, hurried his group into position. The caravaners were still getting the tree cleared off the road and there would not be a better time. He motioned with his hand and he and 9 armed men stepped into view from one side of the road.

"Hold there, good travelers!" Rorik hollered. "Perhaps you were not informed that this road runs through the territory of Rorik the Benevolent." Rorik smiled, as if he was the most good-natured person in the world. "And there is a tax to have the privilege of using this road."

Seeing the group, but unable to hear, Wren watched as a small fraction split off, the rest waiting patiently in the wood, ready.
An ambush, then. They'd see how much information the first faction could get, see how many were ready to fight, and blindside them from the side.

Tlasi, a tall elven man with a gleaming silver bow on his back, stood back with the far faction, an arrow cocked. His white hair and golden skin seemed to glow softly in the moonlight, rings of a dark blue stone set along the ridges of his ears.
Deep-sea blue eyes scanning the trees behind him, he raised his bow.
"Someone's there." He whispered to the group in the trees. "I'll deal with them."
An arrow raised.

Wren saw the silver in the low light, and quickly grabbed a small stone, tossing it to bounce through the trees.
The arrow hit the stone in the air, causing a brief spark and a loud clap of sound.turning and staying low, Wren quickly crawled through the twisted roots, headed back towards the caravan front.

"I missed." Tlasi sighed, his left eyebrow twitching upwards in irritation. "I cant tell which way they went, but we dont have much time." He adjusted the wooden bracer on his left arm.

The blonde elven dancer heard commotion at the front of the line of wagons. A man had come out of the woods and was speaking to those at the front of the column.

Since the wagon was mostly stopped by the other wagons before it Assallya risked standing up atop the wagon's bench to see what in the nine layers of hell was going on. Stretching up onto her toes she still saw little and strained her pointed ears to hear.

"I think he works for the King," she said to Carmen as she completely misread the situation, "He said something about collecting a tax or a toll."