Goal

The goal of this skill challenge is to track, trail and catch up with the orc that has stolen goods from the wagon to retrieve anything of value.

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Level and Difficulty

This skill challenge is of medium complexity, requiring eight successes before three failures. Two of the successes will need to be against a Hard difficulty skill check, which should be called before the skill check is made.

Two advantages are available for the group and need to be called before the skill check is made.

Easy: DC 11, Moderate: DC 15, Hard: DC 23

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Primary and Secondary Skills

The primary skills for this challenge are: Athletics³, Endurance³, Nature, and Perception².

The secondary skills for this challenge are: Acrobatics, Intimidate, and Stealth.

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Progress

Skill Challenge has been successful!

Successes: 8 ^{(2 Hard DC)}, Failures: 2

Advantages Remaining: 1

Putting his head down slightly Tradden concentrated on putting all his power into his legs, running like he never had done before!*

* In fact, he had run faster. The time he had been caught in the bed of Mrs Denelia Morrowbreeze by Mr Morrowbreeze the morning after Tradden’s stunning victory in the notorious Backhookey Road All-Entrants Freestyle Dance Competion…

Zero kept pace with Tradden, just behind the fighter’s shoulder.

‘Keep your eyes out for any traps the little bugger’s set!’ he huffed at his friend.

Kireth followed behind, one hand holding his staff, the other trying to control his bag and numerous pouches from flying around. He was acutely aware of how ridiculous he must look and cursed Tradden’s name once more. Somehow, this was all the youth’s fault.

A branch snapped into his face, not only leaving a nice red welt but also throwing the mage out of his laboured stride.

Khalin hurriedly pulled himself through the webbing. Kireth’s latest sly jibe rankled the dwarf. ‘I’ve got to stop that pompous oaf getting under my skin’, the warlord thought as his trailing leg hit the ground beyond and his gear fortunately failed to snag the ropes. With that he was away, arms pumping, legs pounding, and the excruciating pain that throbbed through his chest with every footfall mercifully dulled by adrenaline.

Tradden’s body was flagging. His mind and spirit got together and decided now was not the time to give up, however, and he felt a surge of adrenalin rush through his veins.

At the same time he saw an opportunity. In the cobbled road ahead there was a slight bend. Thick undergrowth either side meant that one had to stay on the road, but on the best line round the corner there was one of the trademark, large holes in the road they had negotiated with the cart many times. Tradden adjudged the orc too small to likely have jumped it, the greenskin would have to have gone round. If Tradden could jump it, he could gain back valuable seconds…

The fighter leaped gracefully, gliding over the obstacle as if it were not there.

‘Ha… haaaa!’ he exclaimed, breathlessly, as he pounded after the orc!

Tradden had started to edge ahead of the rogue, but Zero was concerned that the orc would have more traps prepared for them.

‘Slow down, Tradden,’ he puffed. ‘Watch your step!’

He scanned the trail ahead, seeing if he could spot anything that the young fighter might blunder into.

It may have been wiser just to stop, leaving those of firmer frame to do the chasing but ‘giving up’ was not something the half-elf had ever been good at. That said, he had to change tactic.

He slowed slightly, eyes darting this way and that through the forest. ‘There!’ he said to himself, his elven eyes picking out what no one else could. Not an obvious route and it would surely only work if he moved undetected. It was a gamble, stealth was not his game either and if he failed at it he would surely be out of the chase but it was a calculated move and one he felt he must take.

Besides, he did have one advantage… his hand closed around the clasp of the shroud he wore and he allowed himself a brief smile.

For a moment the forest around Kireth sank into a dim gloom and the mage tried to blend in to his surroundings.

Khalin saw the branch whack into Kireth’s face before the mage fell into shadow and disappeared into the trees. The dwarf wasn’t the vindictive sort, but couldn’t help but suppress a smile. The mage was quite the gifted magic user, but sometimes the more mundane aspects of ‘a walk in the woods’ didn't come quite so smoothly to him. The warlord only hoped the whack wouldn’t slow his comrade down too much as he sprinted past the scowling half-elf’s last position — he was now gaining fast on Tradden.

‘You’re going to be beaten by a dwarf!’ he challenged the human playfully as he quickly made up the ground, passing the panting Zero with ease.

‘Never!’ laughed Tradden, picking up the warlord’s positivity. It gave him the extra impetus to keep up the chase — they had kept good speed and even orcs couldnt run forever…

Experience

Experience awarded.

[Khalin gains 268 xp to reach 8,985 xp]

[Kireth gains 270 xp to reach 8,959 xp]

[Tradden gains 267 xp to reach 9,000 xp]

[Zero gains 269 xp to reach 8,969 xp]

Levelling

No characters ready to level up.

Healing Surges

Healing Surges are applied.

[Khalin spends 2 healing surges (6 left) to get to 51/51 hp]

[Kireth spends 1 healing surge (7 left) to get to 44/44 hp]

[Tradden spends 3 healing surges (4 left) to get to 57/57 hp]

[Zero spends 0 healing surges (7 left) to get to 50/50 hp]

Encounter Powers

All encounter powers are recharged.

[…continued in Book #01, Chapter #09, Scene #07…]