<div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d6/94/f9/d694f9b3cf8f7b03bb8479ce54584582.jpg)</div><strong>OOC Scene 1, Post 1</strong><br/>All, please see the Encounter section of the Whiteboard. A lot of information that I would normally cut and paste into the IC post will be captured there.<br/>Whiteboard (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FJsC9yGy1G1ttWQNWMsW7IRcBfBaqQ01RujNOYY38KY/edit?usp=sharing)<br/><br/>Alisandra and Phari are inside the Dry Gulch. They have heard the commotion on the street and can step outside (or stay inside), but cannot take an action this turn<br/>Cassandra and Sonanwe should roll initiative. On an initiative of 11 or higher, they can act this turn.<br/><br/><hr/><strong>IC - Damsel in Distress</strong><br/><br/>Pharli was no Wizard. However, the Druid's close ties to the Land enabled her to sense that there was something unnatural about the Badlands. The land's nature was not totally due to natural causes - lack of rainfall, acidic soil. Rather some subtle curse clung to the land.  Tying her horse up outside the Inn and Tavern, Pharli shifted from an assessment of the land to an assessment of its inhabitants.  The noise and sight seemed to reinforce what Pharil had heard about the village. Going around back, Pharli runs into Cook, who rules the kitchen with an iron hand.<br/><br/>Cook's initially cool reception to Pharli changed as she found out that Pharli was a Druid. A Druid, who could summon water with a gesture, create magically nourishing berries and was adept with various Herbs. Cook and Pharli came to an arrangement, room, and board for the Druid and her horse, in return for assistance, mundane and magical in the kitchen.<br/><br/>If Pharli had entered through the rear of the Dry Gulch, Alisandra strode through the front door. There was a bit of heckling from the regulars in the tavern, which were a surprising number of Orcs. However, Alisandra's signet ring and more importantly letter of credit secured her a meeting with Kitty, the proprietor of the Dry Gulch. Kitty was quick to provide the best room for Alisandra. However, she did provide a warning, "The village is even more unsettled than normal. The last Mayor was rather brutally evicted by a band of Hobgoblins - the Green Legion or something.<br/><br/>Sondanwe's time as a slave had changed her. Perhaps they were mental scars, maybe a finely honed sense. However, she felt that someone or more likely something was hunting her. So it was that when the Tall Sorcerer arrived at the entrance to nowhere, she continued into the village, searching for a place to hide as well as food and shelter. Something told her to risk the town rather than the road for the night.<br/><br/>Cassandra had just left the Peddler behind and was headed toward the Dry Gulch, when a scene began to unfold in front of her.  A tall lean half-elven female walked towards the Tavern. The woman had obviously spent some time on the road. However, despite the dirt on her clothes, she was obviously a beauty. Then she saw the beauty being accosted by two villains on horseback.<br/><br/>Sondanwe heard two horses cantering into the village behind her, and then a shout,<strong>"There she is! Don't let her get away."</strong>The two riders cantering towards Sondanwe seem to mean to capture her. However, they have not drawn weapons.