The Valley of Forgotten Kings. Keeping D&D simple

[Auranghzeb]

Not many paths can take you up to the valley you were told. Old known passes have been erased by time, and eroded memory can't remember the secret ones. The valley of the Eshtô a secret river that every spring appears when the ice thaws up there. The last valley.

Legend has it that king Gudu of Ro once took his most loyal men to explore the valley looking for ancient secrets. They never made it back, and Ro fell into chaos and petty disputes among the feudal lords. Now, not even Elminster himself could tell you much about the customs of the people of Ro.

Bardic, History

It has been raining for two straight days. Light rain most of the time, but there were also some thunders and even some ice. Weird summer storms in the mountains.

By mid-morning of the third day the rain slowy fades and you see the forest becoming thicker and more impenetrable down in the valley. The road losing itself in that green fortress they call the whisper woods. As you descend, the Sparrow, the tallest peak of the region, towers over you to the east and as the clouds of the last days open up you see the magnificient mountain. They call it like that because it resembles the shape of a bird sitting, 300 meters of vertical clean rock, over the mass of the mountain. To the north, and many kilometers away the mighty Orangerock, the northern limit of the valley, smaller than the sparrow and yet more impressive: A 700 meters vertical wall on an already steep mountain.

It is impresive this valley, and so far pretty peaceful, way too much. Last night you slept close to a ruined hunting shelter, collapsed by the inclement weather of the winter. But in the summer there are no attacks, contrary to what was expected. The mules have suffered, back before the Sparrow the step road was too difficult for them and you had to push and drag. By now feeling more like hired labor than sellswords.



To the west, a quiet mountain stream becomes a waterfall that gently drips into a gorgeous gully. From above you see groundhogs and beavers in the water below. A maginificient place. Surely a great place for a new settlement, and Dugari carries all kind of supplies. You have heard a new village was settled there in the whisper woods right before last summer. But in all earnest, nobody has even heard about them since. Dugari, a savy merchant has decided to take the risk. And here you are. Soaked and tired, beholding one of the last valleys south of the Spine of the World that hasn't been populated .
Dugari calls a halt as the sun finally makes its way through the clouds and some well earned warmth can be felt on your fatigued faces.

“Let's have lunch, those woods down there must be the whisper woods. We should make it to the margins by sunset. Let your clothes dry and get some dried meat. Fele, my tea!”

[redzimmer]

Aramos of Targos

Maybe death and eternal damnation is a better option, Aramos thinks darkly.

He had nearly forgotten what it was to be dry. His dark gifts allowed him to launch bolts of death, breath underwater and lie to Helm Himself. But he would trade it all for a dry tunic.

[An Enemy Spy]

The rain rolls off Drezh's hard scales like streams drown a craggy green mountainside. The rain doesn't bother him much. Out in the harsh wastes of the Shaar Desolation, Drezh had prayed to any god who would care to listen for live giving rain though none of them had ever answered him. He has never met another one of his kind, but Drezh knows that his people are meant for the water.

Ziya is not so pleased. The camel is used to a dryer climate, and Drezh tries his best to keep her dry with blankets. He dismounts at the base of a tall tree with thick leaves to keep the worst of the rain off of her and joins the rest of the group.

Knoledge(history) check to see what he knows about Ro. [roll0]

[~Corvus~]

Sammy adjusts his winter coat, happy at least that he's dry...ish. His boots were dry, a blessing in and of itself, and Mercy didn't seem to mind the rain. She especially liked to run into and splash puddles until they weren't wet anymore. Cheeky ape.

He had been looking on to this lizardfolk with a camel. He'd heard tales of Ssithilids and Thri-kreen of Auranoch, but hadnt heard of Lizardfolk much, other than he'd stolen some poisons from one of them during his travels. Bloody lizard didnt seem to want to use it, and Sammy was all too happy to relieve the bugger of more burdens. ""why e'd have a bloody camel is beyond me. Poor bugger looks like its fixin to die," he mutters to himself. "Maybe e should eat the poor bugger, find a roight proper wolf round 'ere."

He chuckles to himself, still not sure what to make of their employer. When he announces lunch, Sammy sends Mercy of into the woods. "Fetch food," he commands to her. She knew what he meant. She'd try to find a deer, but might only find rabbit. Better than rations.

Sammy frowns at the baleful attitude written on the warlock's face. What an ugly look 'e as. Might as well say what 'es thinkin lest we get the idear 'es plottin to murder us all, he unwittingly projects to Aramos.

He runs to catch up with Mercy. He could use a lunchtime hunt.


Survival check, aided by companion [roll0], just enough for Mercy only. Great.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Aramos considers his companions as he chews his rations with no real enthusiasm.

The tall, green lizard with the weird horn-less moose was a mystery, as was the little orange lizard. Being from the far north, he had not encountered many reptiles.

The halfling was maddeningly cheerful given the weather. He had no real animosity to him, but he could tell he and the ape did not trust him. This wounded Aramos to the quick, as he could not imagine what he ever did to him.

Which isn't to say I didn't do anything to him, I just don't remember. Oh well.

As the halfing and his... pet? friend? familiar? went off to play in the woods, Aramos focused on the other human. The lad gave off a pious, holier-than-thou vine, even if he didn't mean to. He would have to watch out, in case this crusader decided he was to be "smote" next.

"I'm through eating," he announced to no one in particular. "I'll stand watch until we are ready to press on."

Moving away from the group, he peers into the wood, searching for any signs of danger.

For each cardinal direction of the compass:

[roll0] N
[roll1] E
[roll2] S
[roll3] W

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos.

As you consider wether is better to lose your soul or to walk around with soaked boots, the sun appears and weather becomes a bit more bearable. You sit and eat some dried meat and some figs, Dugari has Fele offer you all ginger tea with some honey. Good for the blood, the olf gnome says.

You rise to spy the horizon. Yo are sitting near the top, barely just passed the mountain port and picking a place protected from the wind. To the south you see the top of the mountain you just passed, with the Sparrow to the east, crowning the mountain above the pass. Some big birds fly up there, probably nesting in the rocks. Nature to identify them.

To the west you see the path winding down and some snow, eternal snow under the shadow of rocks. Probably never gets the sunlight, it seems you will have to walk on it to pass.

the north is the valley below, the first line of trees is still about 4 miles in a straight line, but it i impossible to pas in a straight line. The visibility is clear and you can also see some streams coming into the valley from the east mountains. Nothing to report.

@Sammy No trees to fetch wood around here so Mercy jumps over some rocks, agile and swift. Apes are extraordinary hunters, you hear a squeak and a high pitch noise and then about then minutes later, mercy comes with a small sized groundhog, there are others, you can see them on the rocks beside the path you are walking. Mercy deposits the animals body, still shaking and dying...


@Drezh
No trees around, not unlike the waste you grew up, but colder and with many rocks and low vegetation, manly herbs and some flowers, clovers and grass, the tallest plants are some wild thistles about 5 feet tall with bright violet flowers and thick thorns. Ziya is obviously bothered by the cold and rain and a bit scared of the clifs and gullies. But nonetheless it enjoys the low herb the clovers and the grass. Good grasslands these, may be the settlers could eventualy bring herd.


@allhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFcWlFXCvDM/VCF2SP5CnBI/AAAAAAAAS18/7-Abf5e_jsI/s1600/P1120528.JPG
west

https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/none/path/sfdd0fd27a5699845/image/i4bc4ed69ee6243d0/version/1377021270/image.jpg

[Doritodon]

Strannik draws back his hood, sunning himself briefly before examining the group once more.

He steps around their resting area, sniffing each person warily from a distance of a couple of feet, before deciding the other reptile would probably be the most amenable to being stood next to. He walks over to the lizard, giving a stiff imitation of the waving motion he had seen humans do in greeting, and plops down in the dirt just out of sniffing distance, basking in what sun he can get.

One hand covers his sensitive eyes.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy decides it's hardly worth the trouble risking his skin over a pack of hogs. She's got roight quick fingers, but those beasts are wicked fierce and won't take many losses. More of my own supplies for now, I guess. Good job, Mercy, well done! He breaks the creature's neck and tosses it back to her. Let's get back, eh? Prolly servin' tea roight now, buggered if I miss that. Mercy gives him a look and he replies, Oi know that look, and Oi know yer hungry, so don't act like ya have to take care of me, eh? Well done, good job, let's get back, eh?

As they rejoin the group, he peers at the flight of birds nearby, trying to think what they are.
[roll0]
Bugger all, those birds're prolly why we can't find wild food worth anythin, innit? he remarks to the group. Watching Mercy greedily devour her own meal, he wishes he didn't have qualms about eating meat raw. 'Cept for this lady 'ere, Oi think we should 'ave better luck later, eh? He smiles at the warlock, but doesn't try too hard. Bloody man needs to decide to be happy 'imself, can't do it for 'im he projects.

He saunters up to Dugari, pours himself some tea, and comments, Only way our clothes will dry is a noice evenin' fire. When we're done with tea, I 'spect we'll be back on the road?

[Auranghzeb]

@Sammy, those birds are bonebrakers, http://www.fotonatura.org/galerias/fotos/usr34681/13556739Nq.jpg their romboid tails give them away, they don't usually hunt, they are scavengers. But one of them could easily take you away.

Dugari smiles.
"That's about right mate. But we won't make a camp up here, too cold and exposed. I don't want my bone to end in one othem bird's nests. Finish up your tea and let's move."

@all

the tea is good, kind of spicy but reinvigorating +2 to constitution checks for the next 4hours and +1resistance bonus to fortitude saves.

Yo start marching again, the clouds have gone away and the road is a gentle slope, a narrow road but gentle, it twists to the west and after a bend you get to the perpetual snow Aramos saw. It seems solid... but who knows... at the bottom there's a glacial lake.

http://www.gorgol.com/sites/default/files/styles/colorbox/public/images/detalle/%5Buid%5D/ruta-de-los-3refugios-gr-11-12.jpg?itok=W4B25lBo

the perpetual snow pass is 60' wide and almost half a mile long. treat as dificult terrain

tell me the marching order and describe your actions.

[An Enemy Spy]

Drezh will march in second place behind the leader.

Listen check for any danger [roll0]

[Blinkbear]

Randal has displayed well manners and decent interest in the other characters origins since the beginning of their journey. He has surely told everyone that he was born and raised in Waterdeep, and that he is a convinced follower of Lathander. He likely introduced himself as an "adventurer with a mission", to which he then likely added: "to bring light into the darkest corner of Faerun." He is apparently highly motivated, and seems to be the kind of person seeing adventure behind every corner. Additionally he seemed kind of interested in the Kobold and Lizard folk - not in a hostile or mistrusting way, it rather seemed as if he was pleased to meet such people as companions even though they had a rather negative reputation where he comes from.

For a fighter he is rather lightly armored with his chain shirt. He wears adventuring clothes with two tokens of affiliarion: The symbol of the Morning lord, and the coat of arms of the Order of the Aster. Every morning he could be seen shortly praying and then performing a sequence of fighting moves with his mace which can obviously be illuminated on its end similar to a torch.

Regarding the rain it shows that he is still very human though he rather mentions that he looks forward to seeing the sun again instead of complaining too much about it.

[Doritodon]

Strannik will trail near the back, crossbow at the ready!

Spot checks for danger! [roll0]

[redzimmer]

Aramos

"I'll keep close to the mules," Aramos says in slightly imperious tone.

"I don't pretend to be a ranger, but I do know this snow will slow us down."


[roll0] survival
[roll1] spot


Behind Randal and Drezh, Aramos watches for anything untoward.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Before they leave, Sammy instructs Mercy to lend him a ride. His trusty companion readily accepts his command, and takes a small proffered treat as she helps him up. Sammy calls to Dugari, We'll be on ahead, eh? Any special landmarks or directions? With the speed of his companion, Sammy was well-suited to scout ahead of Dugari's mule train for trouble. He looks to the gnome for confirmation and instruction before they set off.



Sammy and Mercy will obviously scout ahead for danger. If no danger is found, they hunt for potential food near sunset, as living off the land is preferable to using packed supplies. They'll be moving 125' per minute in difficult terrain, significantly faster than mules or others around them.

NB: Mercy has Scent, which, depending on the wind, may add significant benefits to her perception checks.
(M) Spot: [roll0]
(M) Listen: [roll1]

(S) Spot: [roll2]
(S) Listen: [roll3]

Survival (aided by Mercy): [roll4]

Bloody hungry girl. She'll be the death of us all, Sammy mumbles as he scans on their way ahead.

Mercy
Much more occupied with finishing her meal from earlier, the strong-armed simian takes any pauses Sammy gives her to eat every possible scrap of meat from bone and to lick her fingers.

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos, you don't want to look as a coward, but going ahead with this snow is not the best option for you. Even when yo are not trained in the arts of the hunter or the survivalist, you grew in Ten Towns and know your snow enough to understand that this here is a bit frozen and slippery due to the recent rain. Yo can't see no footsteps or trials.

@The party- You fall behind as Sammy and mercy run ahead. The ape's speed is amazing, even in the slipery snow. But... there's somethin ahead...

@Sammy, Dugari asks you to be careful.

You ride ahead on Mercy, confident of the path, the ape moves easily jumping n the snow almost playfuly, the noise you make disturbs your ears and makes it hard to concentrate on the hazards, and yet you marginaly manage to notice the snow moving below you both as you jump over a small recently dug snow...! Two pincers come out of the snow and grab at Mercy. The unaware ape can't stop on time.

initiative for Sammy in the surprise round, and the rest please roll for round one
Roll knowledge nature

attack [roll0]vs 11, damage[roll1] +[roll2] grapple [roll3]

[An Enemy Spy]

Initiative: [roll0]

[An Enemy Spy]

Oh and also Knowldege(Nature) [roll0]

[Auranghzeb]

@Sammy, as you fall on the snow next to mercy you hear her screaming as an ant like creature gnashes on her legs.

DC 31, she takes 15+4 acid damage.

[An Enemy Spy]

Knowledge(Nature), cursed machine! [roll0]

[redzimmer]

Aramos

I said I was no ranger, Aramos grimly thinks as hell begins to break loose.

[roll0]

Know Nature untrained: [roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

No untrained knowledge checks.


This beast has the ape in its maws...
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG15.jpg

Drezh knows it from his time in the warm plains and the desert, but this has pale chitin and an icy look... some sort of subspecies of ankheg, territorial predators. there could be more, they nests in clusters although they never cooperate.

[Doritodon]

Not sure if Search or Spot to check for more. I'll roll both.

Search [roll0]
Spot [roll1]

If he sees another hiding, he'll shout "Another!" and fire.

[roll2]

[~Corvus~]

Sammy acts quickly with Mercy's roar as the overgrown beast grabs her torso. He yells at the offending beast, "No tasty meal 'ere, so bugger off why dontcha, git!

Seeing that the beast won't relent, he rakes his memory for apex predators he's encountered on his travels so far, and he chants a summon he's certain he can manage: "Hoof and Beak, fly with Speed / Find a meal! Grant aid to me!"

Sammy encourages his trusty companion taken by surprise, "Beat it ta pieces girl, go on!" and he falls out of the saddle as best he can. Wherever he lands, Sammy instructs the Hippogriff to dive at the nice juicy Ankheg in front of it.

Dive (2 atks) [roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Mercy's Grapple (+2 flank) [roll6]

[Auranghzeb]

Sammy (already prone next to the beasts) rises up and tries t calm the Ankheg, but the violence of the actions precludes any comunication. He then decides help is needed and, delving into the obscure interior of nature itself calls an ally, which starts to materialize soon after, first as a smoky shadow.

The Ankegh, having trapped Mercy, tries now to pin the ape and secure its dinner by moving over Mercy and draggin its long antlike body further out in the snow.

Mercy takes [roll0] non lethal damage. Make an opposed grapple [roll1]

The rest:

You watch in horror as this beast moves over mercy...

@Stanik, you don't see any other of these creatures.

Initiative:
Sammy
Ankheg
Stranik
Aramos
Randal
Drezh
Mercy

Those in bold may act in any order

The hipogriff acts next round, I ruled you tried to comunicate during surprise round, standard action. And started to summon in round 1, full round action. If you want you can keep the attacks

[Blinkbear]

Randal moves quickly and nimbly towards the grappling beast.

I run as far as I can. My base speed is 30ft. Usually, running is x4. I have no idea how far I come. (Sorry for being confused.) I started 60ft away from the Ankheg (10 ft in front of the caravan). Balance check is OOC (1d20+3 = 23).

[Auranghzeb]

Randal covers the ground between the mules and the battle. Running top of his lungs through the snow and leaping over a couple of rocks. Still the snow slows him down enough to make it impossible to gather the momentum for a charge. He nonetheless is now standing at the ready, looking for an opening to attack the creature and free Mercy. Balancing his morningstar and breathing hard. His mission may start right here.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Aramos trudges toward the creature through the difficult snow, cursing Auril's frozen arse every step.


XXX mXXXXXX
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mXXXDXXDXXXX
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XA XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXX XXXXX
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My marker in Red.


He fires at the creature hoping the eldritch blast will reach.

Blast range is 60 feet, not sure of Aramos' distance with diagonals.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Confident in the range, Aramos brings forth a tendril of Hellish energies and launches it at the creature.

[roll0]
[roll1] damage

[Doritodon]

Strannik will focus on the beast, trying to align his sights so he doesn't hit the trapped animal. He will fire.

[ROLL]1d20+11[/ROLL}

I ****ed up the roll, I'll try again in ooc

[Auranghzeb]

@Randal, as you get into position https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/27/be/28/27be28c4269a3e98b927c5bf78b4cf91.jpg ready to strike... a beam of eldrich energy strikes the creature right in front of you...
from the corner of your eyes you catch the weird guy from Ten Towns with an outstretched hand smoking the remains of arcane energy unleashed...

@Aramos. You move heavily on the snow, but where others need effort and endurance you have what you bargained for... and thus, without delay you aim and drawing on ancient powers no man should have, you fire a blast of energy...

[Auranghzeb]

@Stranik... this is not your tactic, your people don't charge into action like mad dogs... you lie in wait and shoot with care... yet, you try to aim and hit the beast.

Unluckly your bolt barely scratches the chitin of the creature, you aimed too high in your attempt to avoid the ape and the upward angle of the shot does not penetrate the tough beast.

Sammy
Ankheg
Stranik
Aramos
R
Mercy
Drezh

[An Enemy Spy]

Drezh charges the Ankheg, driving his spear down and aiming for one of the eyes.

"Beware the monster's acid spit!"

Attack[roll0]
Damage[roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

As mentioned before to Blinkbear, with the snow you can't charge. I'll keep that attack roll for next turn. Roll a balance check and you are next to the creature.

Drezh grabs his spear and moves ver the white ground, warning you about acid and standing at the ready next to Randal.

That's when a Hippogryf manifest right behind the critter and starts attacking it, rendidng with it's claws and tearing the chitin apart, green ooze showing through the cracks. It has been obviously hurt and it releases mercy with a screech.

Heed Drezh warning...


Sammy (the hippogryf has acted)
Ankheg
Randal
Stranik
Aramos
Drezh

[Blinkbear]

Randal takes quick aim and swings his magical mace.


Att with power attack 1: [roll0] +higher ground? +flanking?
Dmg with power attack 1: [roll1]

[An Enemy Spy]

Drezh thrusts at the creature with his spear.

Attack[roll0]
Damage[roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

wait! it's sammy's turn and then the ankhegh... I'll keep the attack rolls in case.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy
The potential negotiations could have saved them a lot of trouble. And now this thing looked like it would be fit to burst after Mercy pummels it again. He urges Mercy away from the beast and begins a spell.
"Verdant spirit bless on thee:
Flesh and bone, re-knit with ease"


Sammy Moves 10' Away while the Griffon makes an attack.
Mercy attacks the Ankheg
Claw 1 [roll0] [roll1]
Claw 2 [roll2] [roll3]
Crits: [roll4] [roll5]
Sammy orders her "Come" (free Action)
Mercy moves 10' towards Sammy
Sammy casts Lesser Vigor (Mercy Heals 1 HP this round)

[Auranghzeb]

The ankheg takes the full fury of the Hypogriff attack and starts to retreat in it's burrow not without opening its jaws wide and spitting acid straight into the Hypogriff face...

reflex halves DC 14 [roll0] 30' LINE

Then between Drezh and Randal everytihng is a flurry of steel and spear and the magical vermin is crushed beyond recognition. First Drezh's spear finds an opening in the chitin exoesqueleton, then Randal smashes its ugly head, some drops of acid blood steam on his armor...

Mercy would have attacked in her turn, at the end

[~Corvus~]

Sammy saunters up to the Ankheg as Mercy her ferocious stand. "Bloody told you, innit?" He notices the hippogriff eat delicately from the magical beast until its conjuration runs out half a minute later. Meanwhile, Sammy looks to Mercy and pulls out a wand and expends a charge.


Lesser Vigor heals 14 HP & one wand charge gets another 11, including nonlethal damage.

"Mercy. I swear, you're a savior. Bloody good name for yourself, eh. Shall we get on, then?" He re-mounts Mercy somewhat more warily than before, and calls out to Dugari. You arright there? Keep goin' this way, or sommat else?

[redzimmer]

Aramos

The immediate danger passed, Aramos returns to his place in the marching order.

"If anyone get stuck, I have means to extract us. I'm no tracker, but I expect it'll get harder before it gets easier in this weather."

He pats his benign transposition wand to reassure himself it is still there.

[Auranghzeb]

state if you want to do anything with the ankheg before moving

Dugari has barely managed to calm the only mule who was scared.

"a coward mule is a mule too smart"

The combat was swift... yet surprises like this aren't nice so Sammy and Mercy, scouting ahead will be more wary fromnow on.

Aramos, the fighter and the big lizard are brave, bold and deadly... their faces take a fiercer look after the kill. Finely crafted mace that of the human.

Stranik... you are sure your aim will be better next time.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy, since he hears nothing else, pauses before he continues to see if he has any memories of such beasts. Perhaps he's heard tale of such odd beasts, at least, from his time in Druidic circles.

[roll0]

Ankheg, that was it. Burrowing beasts that like blood. bloody Brilliant, he thinks. Scavengers.

[Doritodon]

Strannik will examine the place the beast was hiding, to see if he can determine where it came from.

[roll0]

If he finds anything, he won't pursue it right away, but point it out to the others.

[Auranghzeb]

@Sammy, you know this is a specific subtype of ankheg, adapter to the cold.

@Stranik- the ankheg's burrow is about 20' deep, the beast does not appear to have moved much recently ant besides your own trails,there's no other sign of movement. Down the shaft you find some rags and a MW Shortsword, the wooden hilt is missing, and the blade has a brown stain of acid. Otherwise the blade is perfectly functional with a new hilt.

Dugari ask you to move on. You pass the rest of the ice field without any troubles and you reach the edge of the glacial pond (about 60'wide and 70'long), the water seems calmed and deep. From the small plateau where the lake is you can see now small columns of smoke coming from the forest below. Without much training those with at least 2 knowledge nature raks you identify the smoke as cooking smoke, probably using birch wood. That could be the settlement you are looking for.

[An Enemy Spy]

Drezh looks at the columns of smoke more closely.

Knowledge(Nature)[roll0]

[Auranghzeb]

@Drezh About 15 miles away, four columns, clean smoke, cooking. Birch wood.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy doubles back as soon as he sees the township to ask Dugari if this is the town. "Nothing worse than stumbling across a village of flesh-eating bear-men or summat," he says, fidgeting in his saddle and a smile playing over his face.


[roll0]

Sammy had never paid much attention to Birch. Smelled fantastic. Good for relieving spell-resistant body aches after possession, or at least that's what he remembered. Or was that sageleaf? He scratches his beard and straightens his back as if he has an idea. Oi guess bear-men wouldn't burn birch for fun, but isn't it rare? Dugari, are these rich folk?

[Auranghzeb]

You explore the lake, nothing atracts your atention.

This is a glacial lake, elves call them Ivhon's the water is perfectly good to drink and swim, this one seems deep and perhaps connected to an underground spring. But no way of knowing and the water is cold (2C).

Above you the large bone breakers are circling over the fallen Ankhegh, good verming meat for their chicks.

Dugari insist in the need to continue:
"I dont' want to spend the night out in the open... lets make it to the woods at least"


By the time you reach the entrance of the whisper wood the sun is setting in the west. Is early still but among the mountains the sun disapears sooner.

http://www.fotonatura.org/galerias/fotos/usr3616/usr3616_gal4.jpg

As you stop to behold the last light of the sun painting the Orangerock with the color that gives it its name, you hear some chants coming from the trees.

There's no life like a freemen's life
To roam and sleep in the moonles night
We'll trade a crown for a skin of wine
and a dragon's hoard for a maiden's tighs.

https://www.google.es/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chickensmoothie.com%2FForum%2 Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D7%26t%3D1770113&bvm=bv.134052249,d.d2s&psig=AFQjCNEwELKoxry3_RKQimiv96VUrYAVUQ&ust=1475234981236447



And walking from the forest, in the dim-light of sunset, four tall young men carrying staffs and dressed as commoners.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/3d/6d/33/3d6d33d7fb089d1fdfc39b70a826e171.jpg

Declare if you want to hide or move silently when you first hear them Hide DC [roll0] MS DC [roll1]. Spot DC 15, assume a maximum 30' spotting distance due to the dense forest.

[Auranghzeb]

[roll0]



Perhaps my desxription was not good enough, the smoke you see comes from the woods, clear and thin, to an obvserver is most probably cooking fire. And sicne it's clear and steady it must be a well burning wood like birch. you see the small columns, they where not there before so it's even more likely someone lit them because of the time of the day. You would have all reason to believe it is the settlers and estimating the distance you can infer it's about 15 miles away in a straight line in the forest below. Of course, your path is not a straight line.

[Doritodon]

Strannik will warily slip behind a tree, crossbow aimed at the newcomers.

(his abysmal but sufficient rolls are accidentally in ooc)

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

It had been several hours and his employer did just about everything to evade any of Sammy's questions. Go back towards the forest this, This area isn't safe that, I'm not paying you to ask questions, blah blah blah...

"Oi swear", Sammy whispered to Aramos before leaving to the front of the caravan, "Dugari is the least-'appy gnome I've ever'eard of. You know curses an' stuff, righ? Do ya reckon 'es cursed?" Sammy gives a conspiratorial chuckle if Aramos has a reply, and wanders off astride Mercy soon enough.


----

There he was, enjoying the remarkable view and yet sufficiently desirous of excitement, and some commonly-dressed human lads approached, singing of wenches and wine. Been bloody too long, he thinks, since this kinda luck showed its face.

Sammy gives a furtive glance backwards to see how far he was away from Dugari and the others. He couldn't see more than 30 feet back. Well, worst case scenario, these bunch probably aren't worse than ankhegs, he thinks.

He urges Mercy forward towards the singers. Well if it bloody well isn't the best day o' moi life! 'Ere Oi was, losin' moi mind, thinkin' it's been bloody ages since Oi 'ad a good drink or a good lass, bloody freemen show up!

...Annya know a good tavern nearby? Drinks 'n summat fun?

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Bhaal's black arse, will this halfling never shut up?

Aramos favours Sammy with a warm, laughing smile.

"Curses, my sharp and talented friend? Why ever would you think such a thing? I am just a simple conjurer who knows a few arcane tricks. You and your japes, one would think I was a Thayan devil-worshipper!"

He cares not one lick what the ape-riding furfoot thinks of him, but he does not want to tip his hand to his employer, at least not yet.

[roll0] Love the extra devil charm.

Sense motive for Fele and Dugari (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21253711&postcount=78).

He presses onward at Dugari's behest, and takes a small bit of comfort when he see the signs of civilization.

If you can call this civilized.


---

As he sees the four men approach, he sheathes his sword and stays beside Dugari, in a non-threatening manner.

Sense Motive link as above.
Bluff to look non-threatening: [roll1]

"Cyric's sagging scrotum, the halfling is talking again. Stay close, boss. I'll try not to let him get us killed," he says in a low voice.

[~Corvus~]

As he talks, Sammy maneuvers himself astride Mercy so that he is facing where his group might emerge. Thus, these lads are both facing him and not looking where they might see his party members emerge.

If one of them casts a glance backwards, he catches that one's attention. Oi, mate! Really 'as been a bloody nightmare out 'ere! Been lookin' fer a place ta warm me bum, bloody goriller picked fights with wildlife, one 'ell of a day, innit?...'ow bout we 'ead into town, five 'o us? he says to them.


If they prove to be hostile & assault him, he can throw Ssartis Venom & either knock unconscious (2d6 min fail fort) or Paralyze (2d6 min succeed on fort).

He can then call others over; he can summon 1d3+1 wolves, saccing Bull's Strength @+4 Str/Con; or he can make his Staff into a Shillelagh (+1 enh, 1d10 dmg) with Brambles (+3 1d10+2) and after those 2 rounds, dismount & smash face.

Sammy shifts uncomfortably in his seat as he waits to hear from the men. Longer they make me wait, more suspicious they seem, he projects to one of them. Oi 'ope these lads are not lookin' fer trouble.

[Blinkbear]

Randal simply stays in front of the caravan. He holds his mace in his right, but rather carrying than wielding it.

Of course this could be a trap...

rolling sense motive to see whether the song is what it sounds like: a commoners traveling song.
[roll0] - haha I guess there's nothing.

Now the spot check (don't really know what it's good got for though)
[roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

I was waiting for Drezh's action but I'll move on

@Stranik, despite not taking to much precaution the forest is dense enough to hide and you almost become invisible, aiming your crossbow waiting for any hostile intention. These guys don't seem hostile, but one never knows.

@Aramos, you use your demonic powers to scan your employer and his cargo, you find nothing. And Dugari's stories ring true to you. Either he is a great lier or he has nothing to hide. But nohing is magically hiden. And Fele is just a simpleton.
As the men approach you adopt a reassuring posture.

@Sammy, you move ahead again, daring and bold. The men are right away surprised by the vision of an ape, a creature they had never seen before... the assume a defensive stance, clearly surprised by you and looking at the mules and the group behind you...

"Hey, what are you... Like what kind of beast is that..."
They look around...

"Oi, don't think you'll take anything from us. Kord protects us and we will kick your rear if needed"

"the hell you are doing here?"

@Randal, this guys appear to be what they seem, woodsmen and commoners on their way out of the forest.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy looks back at them with raised eyebrows. He barely holds back a giggle as he says, "Roight, already tolja why I'm 'ere." He turns a hand over and dips his head slightly. "Bloody cold out, innit? Been trav'ling. As for my companion, she's what you call an Ape. Stronger than she looks, too. 'Er name is Mercy, which she gets because that's what people beg for when she's angry." His explanation is delivered with only the slightest bit of condescension, and he gives a level, matter-of-fact stare that implies I'm not joking.

He takes a breath before they can react, and holds his hands up in a non-threatening gesture. "Now. Tha last thing Oi'd like is another bit a trouble. Today's been a long day a travel. 'Ow about we all go to town, and Oi buy us all a drinking contest. I 'ear Kord rewards those stalwart 'earts that can withstand plenty 'a booze. Call it a favor for getting me outta the bloody cold. Sound good, eh?"


He'll consider casting Summon Nature's Ally II, conjuring 1d3+1 Wolves, which should scare them enough and alert his companions.

[Auranghzeb]

Sammy, Roll diplomacy...

"An ape ehm" says the oldest one, a 6'3 lad with a reddish beard. "Don't move further and state your intentions"
He waves to one of the men

"Rori, check the bushes for more, we don't want to be ambushed."

The other starts to move toward the trees on the east, close to where stranik is hidden.

"Kord has given us this woods and we will defend them... I see you have some packing mules, what are you doing here? you must have come from down the pass. Did you see dog's heads?"

[~Corvus~]

Sammy scoffs at the men. When was the last time some forest-men outright rejected and ignored both reason and offers for free drinks? "Clearly, you all are mad. Oi'm 'ere ta get to tha town there." He points to the town with birch smoke coming from it. He pauses for effect, and then continues. "Oi offer you all free drinks, on me, because Oi'm feeling both charitable and, like I said, I. DON'T. WANT. TROUBLE." he raises his voice at the end.

"Oi've been traveling with a merchant, and Oid gladly compensate you all for your aid in getting all of us to the town with free drinks, without trouble. Who in their roight mind, would decline that offer?"


[roll0] <-- See that beautiful natural 20.

[Doritodon]

Strannik, reassured in his choice of actions by their choice of tone, will attempt to circumvent their search and move around to a new location.

Hide [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

The men seem to relax upon hearing about the merchant and the group intention.

"By Tempus, so finally someone decided to send a caravan. Well, the guys and me we were going to spend the night on the mountains, get an early swim in the Ivhon and collect some herbs and flowers for Garesha. But if you carry any kind of ale in those mules we will take you back to new Pedwich and call ourselves lucky."

They now put their defensive stance down and approach the group. the tallest one offers a hand to Sammy and Randal.
"Erik is the name, wellcome to the whisper woods, now land of Tempus and home of the free men and women of new Pedwich. Did you encounter any ogres of goblins on your way down? recently we have seen a few up there in the mountains."

while they speak Dugari raises his voice "I happen to have a couple of caskets of plum schnaps, stronger and sweeter than ale. Take us to New pedwich and we will talk."

Erik seems elated "Schaps! We will celebrate tonight. Come after us ant do speak!"

@Stranik, you manage to circle the group without being noticed.

[Blinkbear]

Randal friendly shakes the hand of their leader. "My name is Randal, and i am pleased to meet you. So, you don't often get visitors? And please excuse my curiosity but you mentioned now free? Had you been forced to live under the oppression of others? " His allegion to Lathander is pretty clear due to the tokens that he wears on his armor.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Aramos forgot how an unassuming halfling could disarm a hostile crowd. He recalled years back how a halfling councillor in Ten Towns could enthrall a whole committee meeting with a few words.

"Greetings to you, freemen! May Tempos bless this meeting!"

He pronounced it the way Icewind Dale barbarians said the name, as that was how he learned it.

[Doritodon]

Strannik will walk out of the wood nonchalantly, crossbow on his back, as if he had no idea what he was walking into. He'll sidle up next to the lizard again so he will look less out of place.

[Auranghzeb]

The men shake hands, clearly swayed into a friendly attitude by Sammy's little speech and his nonchalant demeanor.
Aramos, you think of Reggis and memories of the barbarians of the Icewind dale, Tempus worshipers as these men. They seem pleased by your greeting.
@Stranik. They look over their shouders and point at you and Drezh asking the halfling and the humans...

"Are those two with you? or have you captured them and that weird faced beast of burden?"

@Randal- Erik is strong, you can tell by shaking hands with him. He greets you and stares at your ostentatious display of religios zeal, but mentions nothing.

He waves you to follow them down a crudely made road.

"Yes master Randal, we are now free, been free for almost a year and thirving in these Tempus blessed woods. We used to live down the marches you see, but dukes and generals there kept coming to our lands demanding tribute or young men to fight in their armies, and in their orders. Specially since those orcs up north armed themselves and took the dwarven cities. Don't get me wrong, we are good and willing fighters, but we just don't like being pushed around and ordered. We fight when we need to and we rather fight a battle to keep our lands and homes than to give a lord or an indiferent church land and glory.

So about a year ago we decided to explore these valleys, and we found a heaven that now you can admire yourselves. The land is hard, and last winter we experienced hardships. And we have learnt that the valley and its woods and mountains are not completely empty. And obviously there are others and there were others living here."

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

"Yes, Erik, nice to meet you," he says as the big man enthusiastically introduces himself to others. Sammy scratched his head. They warmed up pretty fast, he thinks. Why do I feel like we avoided an awful conflict? His stomach churned.


We used to live down the marches you see, but dukes and generals there kept coming to our lands demanding tribute or young men to fight in their armies, and in their orders. [...] We fight when we need to and we rather fight a battle to keep our lands and homes than to give a lord or an indifferent church land and glory.

Sammy strokes his beard, a frown playing upon his face and a stare that sees past his surroundings as Mercy follows the others. At one point she stops, gives out a big huff and his eyes re-focus. "Steady there, big girl. Oi'm awlright." He shakes his head, no longer staring into the distance, but still sporting a frown.

I can't wait for that drink.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Aramos nods politely as these weird vagabonds prattle on about the real or perceived virtues of simple rustic living.

Thanks, no. I'd rather have a no-questions-asked cleric of Mask remove a disease for some coin, and not take my chances with some wood-worshipping plant nut.

He had never even tasted wine until he found his way to Luskan. And in Silverymoon he was introduced to a delicacy from far-off Maztica called 'xocolat'. No amount of clear glacial lakes or dried horse meat is a fair trade off.

Id just as soon stay a slave with heated baths, thanks anyway.​

[Doritodon]

Strannik admires the men's need for independence and nods thoughtfully as they talk, but when they mention running away, giving up and just living somewhere else, his long, scaly mouth twists into a disgusted frown.

But he decides his input would not be entirely welcome, and doesn't ask them why they haven't returned to kill those that pushed them from their homes.

He will fall in with everyone else and go where they go.

[Auranghzeb]

You resume walking now in the company of these men the woods are certainly lush and very intrincate, the "road" serpents down a hill and yo can see that water isn't scarce, many small streams appear now and then springing clear from rocks. The men stop to drink some and are clearly delighted at the freshness. It is a haven.

@Perhaps Stranik, they didn't go back because they found a better place to call home and easier to defend from mounted knights and large armies. This is in fact a place your people would fin suitable, hunt is abundant and there are all mannner and sorts of herbs and plants.

@Aramos, Marching in the forest was not your plan, and the company of rude, noisy men wasn't either. But even a wannabe urbanite can apreciate the beauty of this place, if not necesarily enjoy it.

@Sammy, unsure on their easy change of mind you go with them. Who knows what moves a man's heart in one direction or another. But they seem glad to help you.


Tell me the order and roll spot checks and listen checks Move silently [roll0] Hide [roll1]+10 for lighting conditions Also any survival check you want to make etc.

"Ey Gnome, do you happen to have iron nails and tools? We are erecting a new temple for Tempus. See we found an ancient one, in ruins and tatters in the middle of the forest, a really nice spot, and we decided to settle there. Good water supply, all kind of wild fruit and some old buildings destroyed by time and build by who knows... We found a great place to build a quarry, we will spend the night there tonight If you agree. Have breakfast with the crew there and then by noon we will be in new pedwich. You can venture far tonight if you want, but the woods are confusing to strangers. And you might end up stepping on one of those giant ants nests"

[Doritodon]

Strannik will walk to the others. "Is safe here? I am can scout out front for boogies."

If they accept his offer to scout out front for boogies, he will do so.

Hide[roll0]
Move Silently[roll1]

If nobody says they want him to do that, he won't.
In either case, listen/spot:

Listen[roll2]
Spot[roll3]

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Returning to his place behind Strannik and Sammy, Aramos tries to keep an eye and ear open for danger.

Wait... giant ant nests?


[roll0] Spot
[roll1] Listen


His thoughts in regards to what could possibly happen next preclude his actually paying attention to his surroundings.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sitting astride Mercy, he lets his awareness drift back to his erstwhile companions. It seemed everyone was wary about giant ants. As bloofy if the Ankheg wasn't confirmation that they live in this area.

He asks, "Erik, whoi would giant ants 'ave nests underground? Oi unnerstand regular ants' nests, cause the buggers're so small.But giant ones? Ya gotta be outta yer bleedin mind. Giant ants wouldn' live above ground 'less you're talkin bout those Thigh-keen insect-people."

He'd only heard about Thri-Kreen in the context of stories that he believed were embellishments of heat-addled travelers.


Sammy's Knowledge(nature) regarding Giant Ants: [roll0]

Mercy's Listen/Spot: [roll1]
Sammy's Listen/Spot: [roll2]

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos, the woods are getting darker by the minute, and you just lack the training to this type of darkness, too many shadows from the trees. They fool your senses. And the wind moving the leaves! You can't discern noises from meaninful sounds.

@Sammy, you are right, and you know it. What this iliterate call giant ants are probably something else. Then it strucks you... you just fought a "Giant ant" that burrowed underground: the ankhegh! These simpletons would call anything with six legs an ant. So you are so concentrated in your own selfsuficiency that you can't be bother with the noises going around you.

@Stranik, you scout a little ahead, going furhter down the road and moving very carefuly between the trees and bushes. This is your element, this is were you excell. You are not familiar with this terrain but you have your instincts. It is then that you hear something below, and you see a few shadows in the dim light, about 200 yards below, on a ravine that runs paralel to the road there seems to be somebody moving among the bushes. four? five creatures? They are far, and you see them only because you are higher than them. They don't seem to carry any lightsource and they seem to be working around the bushes.

The hill where you are standing is about 150 yards higher than the ravine, which is between 200 and 250 yards on a straight line, there is a steep slope and it is extremely difficult to descend due to the undergrowth. Besides the light is dim, those without low light vison or a light source run the risk (40%) of tripping over and rolling down hill taking 2d4 nonlethal damage.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Unaware of how well Mercy can see in the dark (very well)--and that she's the one doing all of the work on their descent, Sammy watches Strannik and Aramos as they travel. He keeps his thoughts to himself once he realizes how ignorant Erik is (I hate it when people bloody believe superstitions, he thinks at Eric), Sammy tries to quiet his mind and continues to watch with intention, but can't stop himself from thinking about Formians.


Spot/Listen: [roll0]

[Auranghzeb]

the description of th slope applies only to the sides, the road is gentler and is obviously been taken care and kept clean by the settlers. Th difficult terrain is on both sides, to the northwest the slope goes up, to the southeast it goes downhill

[redzimmer]

Aramos

As darkness falls, Aramos brings forth the invocation See the Unseen, specifically the ability to see in the dark. With his devilsight enabled, he feels a bit less trepidatious.

[Doritodon]

Strannik reports back to the group. "Is other things, hidey 'round us. Fars away, kind of. Who am good at seeink dark? You come, I show."

He will point out the moving shapes to anyone who can see.

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos, your senses become keen, yet you don't discover anything in the near vicinity

@Stranik, you carefuly go back to the group and inform them, Erik nods and he and Roik move to the side of the hill trying to spot what you saw [roll0]. Erik says "it could be some kind of animal. If you want to go and look for it, go ahead, we will try to make it back to the quarry before night falls."
Dugari pulls the mules forward and informs you he'd like to get to the quarry. and that any exploration is at your own risk.


@Randal, you light the road ahead, but the radius of light not only doesn't pierce the dim darkness below but actualy makes it harder to see what goes on down the hill.

[Blinkbear]

Randal sighs. "Well, this way, we see nicely where we're going, but I guess I also make us easy targets for an ambush, I guess. Which we are anyways... Right? I guess we should keep moving though, but if we want to investigate, we should do so properly. But honestly, my eyes see in the light of the lord, but are nigh useless under Shar's veil. So I guess, it's better if I stay with the caravan no matter what." He seems not so sure about the wisest course of actions, that you can hear from his voice.

[Doritodon]

Strannik makes a choking sound and starts slapping at Randall's leg. "Ack! What you do!?! Every ting is see us now! See us from fars away! Bad bad!"

He draws his crossbow and dives into the forest/brush. He will walk next to the road and the party, out of the light.

Hide [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]

He will not return to the road even if the light is extinguished, now expecting an ambush.

[Auranghzeb]

@Stranik, these guys get in your nerves! Now, even if this wasn't an ambush, you are exposed. You move back to the bushes, on the lower side f the hill. http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/16/1605/K6CFD00Z/posters/panoramic-images-lush-forest-with-path-jedediah-smith-state-park-california-usa.jpg
Doing your best to remain hidden.

SPOT AND LIsten [roll0] [roll1]

[redzimmer]

Aramos

The big lizard's disappeared, and now the little one is getting squirrelly. Do they know something?

Still stuck in his reverie, the would-be urbanite carries on blithely.



Spiderwalk
See the Unseen
Hammer Blast
Swimming the Styx

[Blinkbear]

((Some follow up to a slightly older post))



"Yes master Randal, we are now free, been free for almost a year and thirving in these Tempus blessed woods. We used to live down the marches you see, but dukes and generals there kept coming to our lands demanding tribute or young men to fight in their armies, and in their orders. Specially since those orcs up north armed themselves and took the dwarven cities. Don't get me wrong, we are good and willing fighters, but we just don't like being pushed around and ordered. We fight when we need to and we rather fight a battle to keep our lands and homes than to give a lord or an indiferent church land and glory.

So about a year ago we decided to explore these valleys, and we found a heaven that now you can admire yourselves. The land is hard, and last winter we experienced hardships. And we have learnt that the valley and its woods and mountains are not completely empty. And obviously there are others and there were others living here."

(...)

"Ey Gnome, do you happen to have iron nails and tools? We are erecting a new temple for Tempus. See we found an ancient one, in ruins and tatters in the middle of the forest, a really nice spot, and we decided to settle there. Good water supply, all kind of wild fruit and some old buildings destroyed by time and build by who knows... We found a great place to build a quarry, we will spend the night there tonight If you agree. Have breakfast with the crew there and then by noon we will be in new pedwich. You can venture far tonight if you want, but the woods are confusing to strangers. And you might end up stepping on one of those giant ants nests"



"That sounds like a glorious new beginning indeed," Randal comments agreeing. "This ancient temple you found... Was it also a temple of Tempus?"

[Auranghzeb]

@Randal, Erik says no, the temple wasn't tempus.

"No mate, the temple had some strange symbols the priest couldn't identify. and two tombs. Old bodies there, we didn't want to break the tombs but tree roots had broken through the stone."

@Stanik, you move one side of the path, but now you don't see anything else, whatever was down hill isn't there anymore.


@The party, I will be grateful if your post specified your actions. Or tell me if my writing is confusing or not clear enough. Only Doritomon character seemed to react to the situation posed. and actualy gave me something to work with. the rest of this post assumes you didn't explore further as a party. It can be edited.
Yo go along for anothr two hours, luckly the moon is almost full and the road is easier and easier. The forest opens into a small clearing and there's a waterfall to the east, and a small stream you cross over a ford. Then the woods become even thicker and trees with deep roots and tall branches, soround you. The path is easier to walk. Then the men point at a fork and signal a small path coming out to the east. the ground seems well walked and worn, deep marks of cartwheels.
after a few minutes down that path you come into the quarry, in the moonlit night you see three rustic wooden buildings and there are five men and a dwarf sitting around the fire, slowly cooking a boar on some vine wood. They don't seem to notice you, when you are close the dwarf is pouring some seasoning over the boar.
Erik shouts:
"Ey fellows! that must be a good pork you got sicne all eyes are on it an no hands watch the road"

The dwarf shouts back "Well, if ogres and goblins reeked half as bad as ye do, we'd smell them coming four miles away on a rainy day. Erik, Rori, weren't ye going to take a bath in the Ivhon? Some clear cold water would have done ye' a good deal lad."
Then his eyes travel from Erik to the mules and to mercy
" And what's that taht comes with ye. Mules I see! and a hairy better looking version of yerself!"

Erik laughs


"Ah you moron! that dwarven wit of you! Keep your snout runing like that and my new friends and visitors won't get you any schapps to swallow that boar!"

the dwarf handles the pot of sauce to another man and walks towards your group.

"Ay, good drinks at last! sit down and bring a casket then! It was about time someone went over the pass to bring us some goods."

[Doritodon]

Strannik joins the group in plain sight again.

The scent of pork catches his nose and he moves inquisitively toward the campfire, before another scent grabs his attention and he notices the shorter stranger.

Stupid Dorfs, he thinks, muttering Draconic curses to himself. He spits on the ground and walks away from the fire.

He will patrol the edges of the clearing slowly, alternating between keeping watch and laying the stinkeye on the dwarf.

Describe the dwarf, if you would.

Spot[roll0]
Listen[roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

Stranik
you hate dwarfs more than you hate cold winters. And this is a stinky one, broad forehead and round belly. He wears no armor, artisan's clothes and a leather apron. He carries a heavy pick on one side of his sturdy utility belt with many tools.

Erik and him shake hands and Erik introduces him to you, this is "Pug Highcourse, master mason. and excellent cook." He then asks the dwarf "The nine hells are you doing here in the quarry old beard?"

The dwarf nods to you "Well, you bunch of useless humans can't cut a limestone properly and we already have enough problems with the temple as it is. I came to supervise, I need some precision with the threshold rocks. And if your people cut rocks as they cook boar then the door will fall over us when we cross it"

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/5e/35/67/5e35670fdf2ba0765180a1b42e5ae8be.jpg

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Desecrated tombs? From abandoned temples? I might be a yokel from the arse-end of Toril, but I know bad mojo where I hear it.

Somewhat shaken by the revelation, he subtly tries to broach the subject with the settlers before reaching the dwarf's group...

"So, how fares things in your fair community? I imagine any new town has its growing pains."

[roll0] :mitd:

Once they reach the dwarf barbecue he is acutely aware of his hunger, and all pretense of cosmopolitan tastes evaporate.

"I grieve I have no drink, Revered Master, but if you have a haunch of boar to spare, I verily have gold to barter it for!"

Diplomacy [roll1]

Years in Icewind Dale gave Aramos fair enough time to learn the tongue of the Shield Dwarves of Kelvin's Cairn. He hoped his accent wouldn't offend.

"Ware your tongue, O Great Wyrm. You know not who may share it!"

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Something about their tone when talking about Mercy that put him at ease. They must be close friends if they can give each other this much flack. Good ol' Aramos. Showing off his speaking skills again. Not that Sammy couldn't do the same, but it just wasn't needed right now.

Sammy dismounted from Mercy and reached into one of her saddle-bags, giving her the last portions of wild animal she'd killed earlier. He then took off her saddle and let it slide to the ground for a bit, giving her a quick rub-down. Meanwhile he tried to think up a good dwarven greeting. He didn't get very far. When he was finally ready to present himself to thr group, he says Oi hear that Dwarves have over foive 'undred names for rocks alone. Now if that's the kinda calibre one can bring to stonework, Oi can only imagine what their cooking tastes like.

[Auranghzeb]

Pug notices Stranik's look and he is not at ease with it, but he doesn't adress the kobold turning his attention to Aramos and Sammy, his voice is harsh, the kind that makes you feel unsure about wether he likes you or despises you, even when talking to Erik, you can only assume the get along by the way the human lad reacts, because if you had to judge by the dwarf...

"Well shorty" he scoffs at sammy "Sit yer tiny skeleton around that fire and have a go. We are not the kind of people to deny food to travelers" then to Aramos "Don't talk about gold here, we ain't got where to spend it. Tell us a good story bard."

Then to all, but specialy to Erik "Or I tell you one meself, there is one about witches in this forest, and cursed temples..."

Erik Laughs "O common, old beard. People will think you lost your mind if you keep with those stories"

Dugari, who had Fele unload a casket of plump liquor, opens it and handles Pug a small wooden cup with the beverage...sense motive everyone

"Here master Highcourse, drink some. And tell us your stories"

The dwarf gulps it down and licks his lips "Ah! sweet and strong, aint no bitter ale like the one they brewed in Bruenor's Halls, but a dwarf could get drunk allright with this."
Then to Erik
"You are too young and to bold, but there's something fishy going on and you know that dammned witch has something to do with it"
then to all
"come, sit, eat"

[redzimmer]

Aramos

"A story you say? Well I am no Storm Silverhand, but I'll see what I can do..."

[roll0]

Stammering through a dull tale, Aramos hopes he does not actually start a war.

The cup ritual seems to be of some importance, Aramos wonders what they're up to...

[roll1]

[Auranghzeb]

You know nothing, Aramos the Warlock...

[Doritodon]

Strannik will not break bread with a dwarf. However, recognizing that on dangerous treks it is ill-advised to remain alienated from your companions, he will plop down by Aramos and start eating his trail rations.

He will not eat the boar. The dwarf probably cooked it with dirt or something. And seasoned it with worms. Probably stuck his stinky dwarf feet into it to keep them warm. Stupid dwarf.

He won't drink any drink either, but he'll decline that with something approaching politeness. He has no problem with alcohol, but he remembers the last time he tried some... he's what his fur trading associate referred to as a "lightweight".

[redzimmer]

Aramos

He can practically hear the group cringe at his horrid story. He raises his hands, begging a second chance.


[roll0] I beg you, let me try again!
[roll1] another untrained perform.

Flop sweat does 1d8 point splash damage

Emboldened with a full belly, Aramos regales the collected group with the tale of Alias, the woman who was cursed with Azure Bonds. Reading his audience, he adds more raunchy bits.

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos, as Pug watches over the boar, adding spices and slowly truning it over the fire, you attempt a pedantic tale of a noble man living alone on a castle who is visited by a black bird during a winter night. The men and pug just look at you sweating and stuttering. Nonetheless they are somehow entertained by the sight and the gleely ask you for another story when you insist.
The second story is far more of their liking and you stretch it with some skill and charm. When you finish they ask you to sit down and then Pug announces the Boar is ready and two men help him carry the beast to the center of the circle, placing it on a large slate table.
Pug speaks as he expertly cuts and slices the boar, quickly handing chunks of the beast, some ribs here and there, large pieces from the loin, etc
"Nice story bard, I got one meself but these brave men, with more brawn than wits, think I am losing my pot and that it is just imagination.
I haven't seen the witch, but everybody knows she lives over the serpent bridge and I am sure that hag is the one responsible for all the accidents. Se has jinxed us, I keep saying, but these boars don't believe me."

The dwarf is conviced you are a bard sicne you travel light and with fancy clothes and speak several languages.

Erik tries to calm the irritated dwarf and then elaborates a little bit,
"We have faced a few minor accidents and a serious one while building our temple, the usual thing rocks falling and ropes breaking. It is a dangerous buisiness to build a temple you know"

Erik's intervention only irritates Pug.

"ahhhh shut your pipe We haven't had "minor" accidents. We had two fires and a rock falling on top of Dekar's head. Go dig his rave and ask him if he considers that a "minor accident", or yer brother Korrin whose left hand will need a trolls regeneration to be of any use again. Fine mason your brother coudl have been. Almost as a dwarf.
And It is my bet that witch has something to do..."


@The food is great, and Dugari keeps the liquor going around. Fele eats eagerly.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

The halfling goes light at the booze. He's only nursed his tiny "halfling" portion when Aramos decides a second story is in order, and it's actually pretty good. Sammy can't get himself to take another sip: instead he concentrates on the man in front of him, nearly convinced that he actually is a bard. Nah, he thinks, Aramos spent way too much time brooding. Who's ever heard of a brooding bard with a dark side (http://www.studioeye.net/resources/DarkSidePosterA3.jpg)? I'm onto you, Aramos, he thinks at the man. I'll keep your secret, though. He nods his sincerity to the man, and says "A foine tale indeed. Oi wonder if you told tha first story to put us off balance. Tha' way, the second story sounds better, innit?

When he hears the dwarves' suspicion about witches, he can't help but try to crack a joke. "Oi 'eard that many Dwarves are as superstitious as they are tough and hardy." Judging by the lack of reaction from the stoic creatures, he tries another approach.

"Honestly, those accidents sounds bloody 'orrible, but whatif you're simply diggin' in the wrong place? It's not loike we can investigate this witch, eh?" His tack, obvious to himself, was to get the dwarves to tell of the witch so they could investigate. Of course. Typical halfling trickery and curiosity. "Tha' is, unless you really believe there's some kinda witch. 'Ave any of you been turned into other creatures, even temporarily? Salamander, badgers, newts? Anythin' at all?"

[Auranghzeb]

@Sammy I love that poster I might print it out you know a few bards, may halflings and some fey, a human who would get into lady's rooms and another quite famous in the sword coast who wrote about fey and such. No, Aramos is no bard, bards don't fry enemies with eldrich energy.

The dwarf looks at you, he has clearly been drinking while cooking. His eyes are wild...

"Well, investigate bout the witch... yes that'll be something ye could do... ye are sellswords after all. And I picture you are a druid ain't ye, with that weird bear that goes with you."
He walks towards you, a boar rib dripping grease on his hand and says

"Yes, why don't you investigate what's going on? I'll be grateful if you lifted this curse"

Dugari interrumpts
"Well, I paid you t bring me here safely and so you have, if you want to take me back when I finish dealing with these people I'll pay the same, but in the meantime you are free of any obligations, and I am free of any fee."


@Stranik
Fele comes to where you are brooding and solitary, he carries a bowl and he gives it to you smiling. "Here, eat some, that dwarf can cook for sure" the pimple faced teenagers says.

@PARTY
the rest of the men talk among themselves, they obviously don't like Pug's superstition. Why? It could well be they are affraid he is right and the town is cursed.

Handle information results (you gather this from talking with the quarry workers):
New Pedwich has 60 people living in it. about 32 grown men, two newborns and 25 women and Pug plus an old Halfling that ived in the Old Pedwich. Most of them are Tempus followers except the Halfling and a woman whom they hired as tracker and trail blazer when they first came and decided to stay, she lives outside the hamlet in a hunting hut to the north east.
There are rumors about a witch..
Some people report yelping at nights and some have seen goblins in the woods.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Hmmm... lifting curses is bound to earn you coin in the Fugue Plain. Downright heoric even.

The dwarf thinking him a bard at first struck him as ridiculous, but why not? If he could pass on stories about a Great Hero tricked into a Faustian bargain, trying only to do right with the Devilish curse he stoically carries...

"Ready, aye, ready! As long as there are innocents to defend and freedom to safeguard, I shall be there."

[roll0] Bluff my enthusiasm.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sammy chortles at the idea of Mercy being a bear. "Leave it to dwarves ta spend so little time above-ground ta not recognize an Ape when they see 'em. Bloody more useful than a bear, and eats better too. See?" He points to Mercy, whom is sitting on her butt, enjoying a large bit of pork. She even tosses the clean bones into the fire. "Besides, she can 'unt other things besoides fish. Bloody brilliant, they are. Clean, caring, they will actually 'ave Mercy on someone if they ask for it." At hearing her name, and at least grasping the concept that he's talking about her favorably, Mercy hoots appreciatively. "Bears don't do that, innit?"

[Blinkbear]

Randal had stayed mostly quiet since they had left the path and sat down for food, drink, and stories. Most of his interjections were rather short and not worth mentioning in the chronicles of their trip. However, he did not seem absent but rather listening, using the opportunity to get a better grip about the intentions and character of his comrades, and also the new people they met. They all seem extraordinary somehow... I wonder if they feel as strange as I feel... normal. I have spent most of my life in civilized, human lands, and they... Well... Can't really imagine someone with that ... pet in Waterdeep. Guess I can learn a good deal from them. Especially about the wilderness and its dangers. Those guys here are nice and all, but somehow it's also suspicious. Building a new temple by restoring an old one... They don't even know who the old temple belonged to... Not too wise, at least that what my guts tell me... Oh, this meat is really nice, a bit like the one aunt Priscilla was always making for Midwinter... Always said it's warming you up from the inside like the spring's sun. Then again, she was an alcoholic. Randal had stayed mostly clear from the alcohol so far. If it was required to clink classes (or jars), he'd done it, preserving the etiquette. I have a bad feeling about this. Now he's talking about witches and curses. Maybe he's just drunk, maybe he just likes to fuel fear, or they will all laugh in a second... No, they won't. Accidents. One side acting as if they are serious, the other playing them down... Come on, Randal, you know what to do.

"I'd be happy to investigate this, to try to shed light on the darkness on the cause of those incidents. Maybe there's really a hag in the woods, maybe she was enraged by you moving into her territory, maybe you fell victim to some old traps in whatever temple's seal you're scratched, and maybe Lady Luck simply was not overly merciful with you -- I just hope you did not awake the anger of some other deity for desecrating the old temple. But for now, there is a lot of speculation, and we really need to sort out the actual facts. Tomorrow morning, right after sunset will be a great opportunity to start this whole thing, when the shadows of the night have passed, and it's easier to distinguish facts from fiction." He slightly shrugs, and smiles. "At least to me everything most stories sound a bit too believable if they're presented in front of a campfire. Nice performance by the way." He winks over to Aramos. Always hated those guys from bard college. No real fighting prowess and there noses up in heaven with their fancy cantrips they could cast... But this guy seems to have concentrated on good stuff. More helpful. Of course, his hate for bard college attendants has nothing to do with their abilities to make the floor greasy or sent a grown person to sleep or into some unwanted laughter... After all, bards (and students in general) are not known for being mischievous. Or chaotic.

Randal seems terribly excited for this whole thing, but at the same time, he also seems to be very fond of the idea of starting with the actual planning in the morning. When everyone was sober.

[Auranghzeb]

"An ape eh!, Who would have tought I'll ever see one of those." Says Erik
Then sammy, Randal and Aramos offer to help Pug in this hag nonesense and Erik and Rori are visibly angry, the finish their food, too good to be wasted and then both rise and go to set their bunks in a single room hatched roof building, a temporary building for the quarry.

"Enough Pug, there is no witch in the forest. Only some weak ass goblins and that old hermit. He has been here for almost 20 years and he swears there's no witch whatsoever. Good night gentlemen"

The oter men shift uncomfortably in their seats, both dwarf and man are figures of autority amng them and is hard for this men to ignore either of them or take sides.

Pug, a bit drunk now, ignores him and talks to you.

"Well, I'll be damned. That old hermit is blind and deaf if he swears nothing strange goes on beyond the serpent bridge. Thank you adventurers for your offer. Tomorrow I'll take you to the temple or wherever you need. Your help will be wellcomed. Cheers!"

[redzimmer]

Aramos

"Might we bunk down for the night first? The journey was long and some of our number are recovering from an anhkeg attack."

Aramos wouldn't hold his breath that they might have a heated room, at the very least. His bedroll mocked him, like an apathetic lover who knew he'd always come back to her.

"Yon blind hermit may know more about the blessings of Beshaba you are enduring."

He knew well enough to not to take the Maid of Misfortune's name in vain.

[Blinkbear]

If possible, Randal approaches the angry men before they're gone to bed (maybe while they are still preparing, or shortly after they got up from the fire).

"I give you my word that we will handle this whole thing with respect for all sides. If you what you believe is true and everything is a coincidence, the better, right? I am also a man of good faith, as you are, and we will not desecrate your holy place. If this is what you're worried about."

[~Corvus~]

Sammy scoffs at Randal's ideation. "Bloody awful building a temple on a ruined one's site if y'ask me. Coulda been a temple a Bane back years ago, innit? Whoi don't ya move tha stone somewhere else'n start ovah? Tha' way, it's no longer mixed with the jiggery-pokery past."

[Doritodon]

Strannik silently derides their superstition. Hermits are by and away his favorite kind of people. Unless they're a complete loon. Or a dwarf.

He'll call in his dire rat, Templekkiton, from the woods, and give him the boar portion he was handed before. As he goes to lay his head to rest, he realizes he forgot his bedroll. Distraught, he comes to the conclusion he's going to have to talk to the gnome.

He'll march up to Dugari (that's the merchant they were guarding right?), and say "Am forget bedroll. Need one. I pay."

He won't negotiate, paying whatever the gnome asks. After that business is concluded, he looks around at everyone going to sleep and asks "Who is keep watch? Watch for boogies?"

[Auranghzeb]

sorry, long week end and in the game i'm playing there was a flurry of posts (big boss and a lot of rule lawyering because the DM is using ToB and broken homebrew classes against a mostly core and Complete series party and is getting annoying) and that simply sent any notification of this game to the third page, I owe you a long post and I beg your understanding, I only saw it this morning when doritodon posted

@STRANIK you accept Fele's offer, but as soon as he turns your back to you you give your portion to your rat. Dwarven food is disguisting and you simply don't want anything to do with that bearded son of a boar. Dugari doesn't barter with you, he simply handles you the same bed roll he gave you two nights ago and some old soaky furs, and waves you away. Is a gnome after all, his people and yours have an ancient hatred that is larger than your hate for dwarfs.

@Randal: Erik and his men nod at you. They understand your intentions but they seem tired at the dwarf's impertinence.
"Well, find out if his nonesense about the witch is true. Then I'll show him that he is just past it and that we are facing a run of bad luck and that's all. After all Tirton did his best to re-bury those bodies and to sacralie the temple."

@Aramos.
Pug offers you some more alcohol and then nods at your suggestion, visibly drunk
"yep, let's go, we part first thing in the morning"

@Sammy, you are left alone with some of the men, they talk to you and they inform you that the hermit was in the valley before they came, and that he tried to approach the people and sometimes trades fur or wooden statues for fruits and stuff the settlers make, he doesn't speak much and lives beyond the serpent bridge. You learn they call it like that because it actually is the skeleton of a wyrm that crosse a stream about 6miles north west of the settlement.

@The party: You sleep rather well in the quarry, and the night passes without any inccidents. The morning comes bright and without any sign of rain. and after sharing porridge with the men Erik decides to scort you to the village. The ther men and Pug stay behind loading a wagon with rocks and cutting other rocks. Before you leave the quarry he waves his hand at you, he seems to be more assured and calmed. He shouts his orders and supervises the working men.

Dugari leaves Fele and the mules in the quarry, in case the men here have need for tools and stuff, and tells Pug to grab anything they may need and have Fele write it down.

"I taught that brat everything he knows, so don't try to trick him"

The village can't be far away...

tell me the marching order and roll sport DC 25

[Doritodon]

Strannik will offer to scout ahead, checking their path for danger.

Hide[roll0]
Move Silently[roll1]
Spot[roll2]
Listen[roll3]

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Night passes uneventfully for the warlock. Prior to departing, he invokes the Power to grant him the Gifts as agreed.

See the Unseen
Hammer Blast
Swimming the Styx
Spiderwalk

Nursing a hangover from the generous libations, Aramos follows after Strannik. At least until the insufferable little bugger disappears into the terrain.

How in the Nine Hells does he do that?

Even with his Dark Gift, he can't see him.

[roll0] spot
Aramos will take point after Sammy.

[Auranghzeb]

Aramos

Stranik disappears in the shadows provided by the canopy of trees and the bushes...
This creep is better on your side than lurking in the shadows waiting to kill you... a cold drop of sweat rolls down your spine.
But even if you can't see him, you do notice some wild bushes growing berries of many different kinds, and you see some bushes close to the road where some of the berries are scattered around the ground, and smashed, these are a brilliant red and smooth, not unlike cherries but tiny.

STRANIK

Your movements are swift and you become one with the woods, invisible, death incarnate... but you are so focused on your sneak movements you fail to see many of the things around you, and it is only a fraction of a second too late you feel your right foot sinking on something like a clay vase hidden in the ground... it is a wasp hive...a big one
.
but luckly there are no wasps around.

[Blinkbear]

Randal would have preferred to hear sober Pug's version of the story first. But if that's impossible, he will of course tag along. Those who observed him during dawn, would have seen him practicing with his mace in the light of the rising sun.

Now that they are escorted by Erik, Randal seems light-footed and thirsty to find some adventure. "You mentioned bodies yesterday night that had to be buried again. Care to tell me a bit more about it? Were the corpses actually... conserved somehow?"


Sorry, but a spot DC 25 is outside of Randal's capabilities.

[Auranghzeb]

Well, pretty much Pug's version of the facts is the same drunk or sober. He is just less creepy about it.


Randal
Erik looks at you.
"I meant the bodies we found in the two tombs under the temple ruins. We sacralized the place again and they didn't rise as undead or anything like that. So i don't believe in Pugs curse theory. I'm glad you accepted to investigate, I don't think you'll find anything but at least he will calm down. About how is he going to pay you, well, I imagine we could offer you lodging and food anytime you pass to these woods.
You know, in the year or so we have been here we haven't had many problems, there are creatures in the woods and we haven't ventured too far because the place is vast and the first months we had a lot of chores, and work. Building houses and gathering food for the winter. Winters are hard here, dark and long. But the beauty of the place and the air, Oh! the mountain air!
We climbed the Sparrow, some large birds there, but since they are scavengers we didn't have to fight. From up there one can see the valley is larger than it seems. And we have seen some goblins and even an ogre... but they have stayed away as the bears. There are a few bears but in this season they mostly eat fruits adn berries and there's so much game that in early spring when they eat meat, we didn't have to worry about them.

As for the witch...
well, that patch of the forest across the bridge is eerie, I won't deny it, and there is a huge bear there, probably a female. But a witch? I don't think so, and the hermit lives further north."

As his eyes meet aramo's line of sight, he says:

"Stay away from those berries, we call them hexberries, they'll make you feel ill."

Roll and open according to result
hexberries are a potent laxant, a bunch of them can cause intense diarrhea
If dried and brewed correctly they also make a potent ingestion poison.
the antidote of the poison can be made with elvenleaf. the exact formula requires a Profesion Herbalist DC 15

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sammy had been enjoying a morning routine: Venture into the early-morning wilderness to hunt, hunt with Mercy, catch what they could.
On their return trip, he made some offerings in a grove, said a few prayers and felt much refreshed. It helped that he hadn't enjoyed too much drink the night before. He returns to Aramos and Erik showing others some berry bushes.


Survival: [roll0]

Know(nature): [roll1]


Astride Mercy, Sammy has an entire Elk. A huge dead elk.

"Ah, Hexleaf, eh? Ya eat enough of 'em ye'll lose what ya last ate roight quick. Don' taste good though, and yer stomach'll be angry. Oi remember some Druids used to dry 'em and brew them for a poison, twisted yer insides somethin' nasty. There was an elf, make some kinda antidote with 'em too, but it was rather complicated and needed more herbs. Ah well. Don' eat 'em."

"Now 'o wants ta 'elp me harvest this elk, eh? Bloody meat fer fifteen 'ere, eh?"

[Auranghzeb]

Sammy, you and mercy are fortunate this morning... well scratch that, it isn't luck at all your orisons are answered and you find a young elk, the size of a large dog, you wouldn't have hut a specimen like this... too young. It is already dead, very recently, perhaps no more than two hours, the warmth has left the body but there arent any signs of decomposition, the flesh is perfectly edible. Moreover you find the cause of the death. the broken shaft of a crude spear can be seen on the animal's torso, well stucked into the muscles. Whoever did it, was a strong hurler. there are signs of struggle and some small cuts, small daggers perhaps. You can see where the animal crawled to die, falling exhausted after escaping its attackers.

You take the animal back to the quarry and have some of the men in there skin it. It's a nice piece, lots of meat. The men in the camp cleave it and give your party half of it. They promise they will pay you back. I'm doing this to speed up, if you feel like bartering or going back and do something else, tell me OoC

On the road you identify the berries that aramos found.

[Doritodon]

Strannik shifts anxiously, waiting for something to happen.

[Blinkbear]

Randal nods to Erik's story. After all, he welcomed new beginnings. He was still a bit estranged by the fact that there were still remains in the tombs although the temple already laid in ruins. Well, one would see about that later. For now, he was more interested in this part of forest and its eeriness.

"Eerie, you say? Could you tell us a bit more about that?"

[Auranghzeb]

"Well, I haven't crossed the bridge myself, but when you come close you feel watched. And the bear that lives there, it seems intelligent. Once I saw it fishing close to the river and I swear I felt he knew i was observing, and didn't care. The trees are different too, there are far more willows on that side of the river, and the vegetation looks even more entangled."


Stranik I was waitin for reactions to the berries, an empty hive and to sammy survival check, but i'll move along. It's just you are missing clues and I don't know if its because i don't give you enough details. you shift over the hive and move along. Your hatred for the dwarf has taken the edge out of your senses.


Eventually you come to the settlement. it is a collection of wooden houses around a groove of trees and with some land already cleared for orchards and rye. http://www.campaignmastery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/5ac8dd989c63c543d8a23f35fc88470c_excerpt.jpg

The place looks busy with people working and moving about the buildings. You enter from the south, and on a hill in the northern part f the hamlet, you see a temple of stone and wood being built (MARKED 7 in the map). The population is mostly young and the stare at you and Erik.

A woman, tall as erik, greets you.

"Well Erik, you really brought something interesting today!"

There is a big building in the centre of the village, it is entirely made of wood and looks as if could hold two scores of people inside.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

The huge nest sets Aramos on guard, but he relaxes when it's revealed to be extinct.

Great, even the fruit out here wants to kill you, he thinks after discovering the hex berries. The sooner he got back to civilization, the better.



***

Once the party arrives in town, he gravitates towards the temple. He was a pragmatic man, and a desecrated temple and sudden strokes of bad luck just seemed a bit too much a coincidence for him.

[Auranghzeb]

Aramos.

You walk past the maing building and some houses, they look solid, well built. Not the kind you would expect of a group of people struggling to build a temple. But a house is not a church. You practically dismiss the girl who remains with Erik, tlaking about you and learning about Dugari's merchandise.

"Oh! well so Pug convinced them to look around?"


At the temple building site you see eight people, 4 men and 5 women, working. One of them is giving indications, he has only one hand, his right arm ends on a stump. The Building is all made of stone, some wooden cranes and platforms sorround it, it is a good sized building and even an untrained eye can tell that they have been using both recently cut stones and old ones.

What do you do?

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Putting on the airs of a bumpkin fascinated by tall things, Aramos tries to get close enough to use his innate ability to detect magical auras.


[roll0]

Spot & search with detect magic warlock ability

[roll1] spot
[roll2] search

[Auranghzeb]

Aramos you get closer to the temple. The workers mixing mortar spot you and so does the one handed man, he looks like Erik but more muscular and prematrely bald. He doesn't stop you, seeing his brother and Alena coming a few yards behind you.
The men stop. You don't detect any magical auras in the outside, neither by peeking inside. The roof is open and unfinished.
Like this but far more ruined...
http://sobreespana.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/santa-masia-del-naranco7.jpg

The floor is still covered by grass and is evident the works are going very slow. But there's no magic. If you move inside you see how the walls show the rest of the ancient stone work and some fantastic creatures...
Close to the altar you see a large rock with the sacred sword of tempus, chromated with mineral paints and ready to be hung on the center of the altar where now there's a unfamiliar symbol, almost worn away by time.
There's a small crypt, where the earth mounds and stone seems to have recently moved
Knowledge religion, search, etc

Party: Aramos goes straight to the Temple, Erik hastly introduces you to Alena and then follows the "bard". Alena seems amused by Mercy, and asks sammy how did he tame the ape.
As you move towards the temple you notice a one handed man giving orders to a pair of workers on a sturdy wooden ladder. Aramos goes inside and from another, smaller building, a man in his late 40's walks toward the temple.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Continuing his "tour", Aramos considers the altar and the general attitude of the local yokels.


[roll0] search
[roll1] Religion
[roll2] sense motive

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sammy has a decent time looking around the village. The quaint style struck a little too close to home for his comfort--he both missed his village and knew he could never go back--and so he decided to enjoy his time if he could.

When they are introduced by Alena, he wondered how he'd work up the way to talk to her. She was a beautiful country woman. But he didn't have to. "Ya know, Mercy here pretty much trained 'erself," he replies modestly. "Bloody intelligent, an prolly more so than oi am. She really just enjoys bein' round others, and sometoimes feels tha need ta be protective. She wouldn' leave me alone, really.

So, about this temple. Wha's its backround? Been 'ere since ya got 'ere? What are the purposes of restorin' it?" His questions come easily and flow after each of her answers to keep her talking. Alena was a cute one. He'd have to keep her talking.

[Auranghzeb]

@Aramos, there is nothing magic abot this place. At least nothing lingers. It is ancient, and what you find unsettling is that despite time having stolen the colors away, that symbol can only belong to the old god Bhaal... the cruel death, the murderer. But then, it is an old church. Since Bhaal and his cultist were defeated by those of Cyril.
If there is indeed a curse, then it could be a deadly one.


@Sammy, Alena smiles, she isn't a beauty,but she is a nice woman, strong and well built. She asks you if she can stroke Mercy's fur.

"Well, we found this temple here, and the well and another smaller building over there. All were ruined. At first Tirton didn't want to re build the temple, saying we could honor Tempus in the main barrack were Slatejaws cooks and where we celebrate the assemblies. But when we found the quarry, It seemed a good idea.
See, that one talking with Erik's brother is Tirton"

She points to the older man who emerged from the small building.

"He said the temple belonged to a lost god, an evil one, but that he could clean any evil left. And it is a nice building."

[Blinkbear]

If Randal has found the opportunity before the actual talk, he has already introduced everybody. If not, he'll do so in the next pause in the dialogue. Manners!

"Probably it's best if I talk to Tirton then." That being said, Randal makes his way through the settlement, friendly nodding to and greeting whoever he meets on the way. He takes his own quick look at the construction site, while approaching Tirton.

"Greetings, master Tirton. I am sorry, I hope I am not disturbing you? My name is Randal, I met your brother in the woods. I have got to admit, I am very curious about the temple you are building -- and the old one that lies beneath of it." He smiles a winning smile. Surely, there were smoother ways of saying that, but that's not so much his strength as he wishes it was.

[Auranghzeb]

@Randal

Alena looks at you as you speed up the hill to speak with Tirton...

http://www.eva-widermann.de/i/103.jpg

The man looks at you with a stern face.

Both Erik and Korrin laugh.

Korrin, the burly man with only one hand explains "Oh, you met my brother, not Tirton's" He offers you his only hand "The name is Korrik. And this here is Trirton, our priest and religious leader. Is it your friend that just went inside the temple?"

Tirton nods at you, then he speaks to Erik "Tell us Erik, who are this people?"

Erik gives a small explanation and Triton listens to Randal's introduction.

"Well, and why would you be curious adventurer? I see you follow your own path." he stares at your holy symbol. "The temple was here, magnificient as you can see. There were some signs inside and I needed to make sure the place was hallow before we started building over. It seems you have bought into Master Pug's ideas... the witch he insists."

Tirton doesn't look very strong, and his eyes show a primitive edge. Yet he is imposing, tall and lean and with the aura of a resprected man of great wisdom. A scar runs on his left eye, he still can see, but the eye looks damaged. He bears no weapons but a quiver with arrows can be seen hanging from his hip.

[Blinkbear]

Randal looks a bit confused for a moment, then says loudly "My appologies, ladies and gentlemen. ", and then tries to take part at the common laughter. He gives Erik a thankful glance for clarifying the situation. Then he nods to the words that are addressed to him.

"I indeed follow the path of the Morninglord wherever I can see it in the dark," he agrees in a friendly and modest way. "We have indeed met Master Pug and heard of his stories of a witch. We have not agreed that there exists a witch, we only have agreed to look into the series of incidents that have happened at the construction site." He smiles friendly. "Would you mind to maybe tell us how it all started? If I am not mixing up everything again, you were first against the construction of the temple."

[Auranghzeb]

"As I have told you, I needed to be sure the place was sacred. I have spent my life in the battle field, not in a cloister and therefore I must admit I'm not a well educated man. I once was good with the sword, now I prefer the calm art of the bow. But sacred books and history are not my play field.
When we decided to come here and found this temple I saw the symbols of an ancient deity. I couldn't be sure, but I believe it is Bhaal... Now see, information about Bhaal and his followers is scarce and old, so I couldn't comfirm my beliefs.

But after almost four months, the place didn't look special. Any evil magic seems to have gone away. We did find two bodies, old, perhaps more tha a couple hundreds years. We buried them again and proceeded with the construction. I still have a hard time believing such a beautiful structure was built by Bhaal's followers. So right before the Time of Flowers we started to re-built it to dedicate it to Tempus."

Korrin then interrupts:

"We have had some accidents for the past month or so. " He lifts his stump "I lost my hand. but I still don't believe there's a hex. I assign men every night to watch over... Now, feel free to look and search, you are wellcomed to this land and master Pug's stubborn enough. Knowing someone is looking into his claims. May be useful."


Tirton sighs, obviously irritated "That dwarf! He's being going around saying those stories for almost a forthnight now. I really don't know where he got those nonesense ideas!"

[Doritodon]

Strannik sticks close to the group, knowing full well what can happen when an armed kobold waltzes into a village.

He shudders at the temple on their approach. Maybe it's just the worker's paranoia, maybe it's the symbol Aramos is poking at, but he feels unsettled. "Bad juju." he mutters to himself.

What does the inside of the temple look like?

[redzimmer]

Aramos

[roll0] We have a doom-saying dwarf insisting on a curse.
We have a town full of humans who say nay, despite obvious signs of (in Strannik's words) bad juju.

One of them is lying, deluded or the perpetrator.
Aramos will now stop and see if anyone is glarlingly obvious about their motives.

His cursory search complete, Aramos dons again his mask of the carefree 'bard.'

"A thousand pardon, good fremen! I am but a simple man from Icewind Dale. I daresay we have not a building over two storeys, let alone such a magnificent structure!

Bluff to hide my motives, diplomacy to avoid seeming rude.
[roll1] Bluff
[roll2] Diplomacy

[Auranghzeb]

Good intution

@Aramos
These people seem honest about their motives.
And they seem to fully believe you are a bard. Tirton asks you:
"A bard like you must have heard legends. I fail to identify the symbols in the temple. An old god it seems, but My knowledge doesn't reach very far."



@Stranik
The inside of the temple is like this
http://www.españaescultura.es/export/sites/cultura/multimedia/galerias/monumentos/santa_maria_del_naranco_interior_oviedo_t3300929.j pg_1306973099.jpg
but far more ruined, the roof is collapsed in certain parts and the floor is covered by grass and herbs in certain parts.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sammy keeps his own lusty thoughts to himself. Strong or not, plain or not, he found her attractive. And her kindness did a huge amount of work. He is about to turn his charm on full-force when she stops his mojo in its tracks.



Alena
"He said the temple belonged to a lost god, an evil one, but that he could clean any evil left. And it is a nice building."


Noice building or not, this is the worst thing ta 'ear. That's 'ow od gods get power back, he unwittingly projects to her. But instead he excuses himself, grumbling about "Tha bloody bard stirrin' up trouble" and "Don' wan' 'im alone with tha others."

With those excuses, he tells her, "Sweet'eart, you can pet Mercy any toime. Want a ride?" If she declines, he will mount Mercy up and hurry over to the others.

[redzimmer]

Aramos

"A dark and twisted tale, this symbol tells," Aramos tells melodramatically. "The story is the realm a more capable skald than I."


Make them want it... wait for it...

He takes a sip from his waterskin, then tells the tale as best he can recall about the Time of Troubles, the Dead Three and rumours of Bhaalspawn stalking Faerun.

[roll0]
Work cited: Baldur's Gate Series, the Avatar Trilogy.

[Auranghzeb]

@Sammy, Alena laughs, and blushes. Then she goes livid: "Are you saying we might have brought ill upon us? But you are here to help us, ain't you?" Then declines the ride "I'll walk myself, your frend looks strong, but I don't trust this kind mounts"

@Aramos, as you clear your throat to start speaking more people come, some of the workers climb down the ladders or stop mixing the mortar... Sammy and alena are close and an old halfling with a healthy round belly comes from the west side. They all listen to your tale:

You tell them about the Time of Troubles when the deities walked the land as mortals and waged wars against each others. Bhaal was an ancient god of murder and slaughter, a cruel deity that had foreseen his death. Cyric, widely known to everyone, killed Bhaal and most of his followers, sending his cult to oblivion. But it is said that Bhaal, having foreseen this, left behind Bhaalspawns to grow and sacrifice themselves to bring him back. And yes, the carvings in the church tell the story of Cyric betrayal... So this is probably a church used by worshipers of Bhaal not long after the time of troubles. But the buiding is probably even older and not necesarily dedicated to Bhaal in the first place, it is not unusual to use older temples...

@Randal, this is the first time you hear about Bhaal in those clear terms. But you know enough about funerary rituals to understand that the bodies they described were subject to a simple one: buried with their thing and left to rot.

@party...
As aramos finishes his story the faces of those around him are stern and worried.
Tirton is the first to speak
"It is a terrible story. And I don't have the ability to hallow this place completely. Yet the accidents didn't happen right from the start... they have been more frequent recently and Pug didn't come with those ridiculous stories until a forthnight ago after he traveled north to try and find marble and a good walnut tree to craft the door and the floor. I'm glad you are here. I'll call a town assembly, but I think is better if we stop the works temporarily while you look into this. We will repay you within our possibles"

Remember that there are some skills in which you can take 20, given enough time

[Blinkbear]

Randal listens carefully. Of course this all looks a lot like some old evil had been awakened. And, Lord Lathander, I hope it's not any one of those B-spawn or how they call 'em. Maybe, the answer is a completely different one. Much more ... mundane.

To Tirton: (nods) "That sounds good. Until then, we'll further look around. Is it okay if we already start asking around, or would you rather first have the gathering?"

Once the others have dispersed a bit, Randal will gather his fellows, and try to speak to them (or at least some of them) in private. "What do you think? I mean, maybe it's just wishful thinking, but it might as well be that the stuff which is happening doesn't really have anything to do with the temple. Or witches. I think the main question here is: Who is currently gaining something from the incidents?" He doesn't sound as if he really has a theory already, just a hunch, or really wishful thinking.


I assume that I am not the best searcher in town. If we are allowed yet, asking around in town sounds like a good idea, but this doesn't sound like a take 20 skill for me. Is someone capable of going through the whole area with detect magic and detect evil?

[Auranghzeb]

Erik says:

"Don't take offense master Randal, but the assembly can't include you. Go around town. Explore around the place if you want. As you know not everyone in the valley lives here. You have Ariza's house to the north east and then the Hermit lives further north to the west, close to the serpent's bridge and the "witch". He was here just yesterday trading his wooden statues, quite an artist! We haven't gone too far. The valley is vast."

Tirton adds "The Hermit and Ariza are the people who better know the place... she often hunts and sets her traps all the way the orange rock. But I wish you luck... she is a little bit socially challenged..."

Alena, with clear disgust adds "Feral I would say... that women is not right in her head..."

Tirton asks Erik and Korrin to gather the townspeople in slatejaw's barrack. and he starts walking there.

Alena winks an eye to sammy and says "I'll see you around ape knight." She seems an optimist.

As you are left alone, only the old halfing remains. Standing 30 yards or so away and humming to himself... he seems to be drunk...

I was talking about search, spot, disable device, etc...

[Blinkbear]

Just earlier (yay, time hops):

"No offense taken, at all. I was just asking if it's alright to ask around." He smiles turns around, and then seems to remember something, and lets those guys point them into the direction of the hermit and that wild woman. He thanks again, and then tries to catch up with the normal time line again.

[Auranghzeb]

Just earlier (yay, time hops):

"No offense taken, at all. I was just asking if it's alright to ask around." He smiles turns around, and then seems to remember something, and lets those guys point them into the direction of the hermit and that wild woman. He thanks again, and then tries to catch up with the normal time line again.
We could wait for everyone to post and the unify everything in one narrative post, is what I ws trying at first. But in PbP that is very slow. This way we get to advance the story a bit. In combat, specially against bosses, or in delicate social situations that will be different

[Blinkbear]

We could wait for everyone to post and the unify everything in one narrative post, is what I ws trying at first. But in PbP that is very slow. This way we get to advance the story a bit. In combat, specially against bosses, or in delicate social situations that will be different


Sure, sure, no worries. And yes, I would assume that a take 20 in spot would be okay for him. I can't really imagine him searching the temple thoroughly, like knocking on doors for finding hidden doors, and so on, but he will surely also check out this building. Should we roleplay interviewing the people in "town" or should we just roll something?

[Auranghzeb]

Sure, sure, no worries. And yes, I would assume that a take 20 in spot would be okay for him. I can't really imagine him searching the temple thoroughly, like knocking on doors for finding hidden doors, and so on, but he will surely also check out this building. Should we roleplay interviewing the people in "town" or should we just roll something?

Roll a gather info, and givem me your modified take 20 search and spot and I'll post accordingly, if there's something interesting we'll role play it.

[Blinkbear]

[roll0]
Spot Take 20: 21.
Search Take 20: 20.

[Doritodon]

Strannik listens as Randal discusses their options with him and the group. He picks his nose thoughtfully and asks "We talk to hermit maybe yes? He know more maybe?"

[Blinkbear]

Randal nods thoughtfully, obviously fascinated by the Strannik's nose-related activities. Then, he looks up and adds: "We might as well get a short overview about the opinions here. And this guy over there. Who's drunk." He slightly shakes his head as if it is bothering him.

[~Corvus~]

Sammy

Sammy weighed the options in his head: Stop flirting with Alena or tell his group about the temple stirrings. But he didn't have to. As Aramos talked, he watched Alena for her reactions. He even learned a few things himself, if the warlock's story was to be trusted. So he dismounted and cleaned Mercy as he told the tale.

And then the story was over. He wasn't sure what to say to Alena. "Did oi? Did you 'ear..?" But she smiled and walked away. He shakes his head and heads to Randal as he calls him, Strannik and Aramos over.


Randal
"What do you think? I mean, maybe it's just wishful thinking, but it might as well be that the stuff which is happening doesn't really have anything to do with the temple. Or witches. I think the main question here is: Who is currently gaining something from the incidents?"

Sammy shakes his head. "All Oi know is, there's nothin' roight 'bout wha's appenin' ere. All the bloody rest could be circumstantial, an if we don' stop it, well..." He puffs. "Knowledge is power, eh? We talk to those we can, an' see if someone's lyin' loike Erik suggests. Do we know anything more?"

[redzimmer]

Aramos

Aramos considers all that Sammy and Randal have to say.

"We have tacit denial mixed with scapegoating mixed with the temple of a dead god. I've heard enough penny dreadfuls* to know a mysterious little town with a secret ends badly."

A grim little urban myth/friend of a friend/ghost story you can coax out of a street-corner bard for a copper.

He looks around at the collected group of townsfolk as they congregate.

"I suggest we keep a watch, bunk for the night, then seek out this 'blind hermit' in the morrow. We might want to seek out this witch they all whisper about too. Probably some senile druid crone," he adds.