Blue and Orange (Solo)

[Nettlekid]

Alright, here's the thread where we'll begin, but for now we'll just use it to keep track of OoC stuff.
I'll edit this first post with a link to your character sheet and details about the setting. Did you want to use the setting I posted in the recruitment thread or something different, and did you want me to develop the town or was that something you wanted to design on your own?


You'd likely be starting on the continent of Magnalia, which is the most active of the three. It's divided into four main territories, Amaranth in the south, Eornal in the east, Resswald in the west, and Cyridhi in the north. Amaranth is the largest and most urban region, home of the Magistrate who governs the central territory and a focus for trade throughout the continent which is riddled with paths and trade routes. While the urban environment lends itself to an eclectic mix of races all pursuing their trades in the bustling environment of the big city, there is an unmistakably Human-dominated atmosphere which on occasion causes tension between territories commanded by other races who have a longer-standing claim on the land which Human populations are encroaching on. On the eastern coast, bordering the oceans, are the Elf-dominated territories of Eornal marked by glades of towering trees. The Elven capital city Teurilain stands out above the trees, buildings of wood and marble rising out, but the smaller habitations are interwoven into the forest and hidden from the average eye. To the west, across a vast desert and into the mountains, is the Dwarf-centric domain of Resswald. The villages and capital of Drunvuur are all dug into the stones of the mountains, and reach deep into the earth where it breaches into the Underdark whose paths riddle the underbelly of the continent. Finally to the far north in the frosting tundra is the rough native Human land of Cyridhi, where the brutish humans stand tough against the elements.

The center of the continent is temperate grasslands whose grounds made easy work for earth roads to be packed and canals to be dug, and the villagers of central towns like Burrett, Vennington, and Hyll to name a few are used to travellers from the four corners of the continent passing through on the route to sell wares in other cities. These towns, while modest, are economically booming and necessary for the lifeblood of trade across Magnalia, as the longest journeys across the country can take a month on horseback and twice that with cargo-laden beasts of burden. Without these towns to chart a route through traders would be at risk of bandit attacks, and often can be persuaded to let some of their cargo go at a reduced price for the benefit of not having to continue shipping it all the way to their destination. It's said that some of the smartest economic minds on the continent are not in the glitzy, glamorous Amaranth but instead holed up in the many no-name outposts.


Regarding members of the Thieves Guild proper, there are some higher ranked members who keep a low public profile due to the notoriety they'd gather if they didn't, and there are numerous lower ranked members who are unknown due to lack of noteworthy accomplishment. To find members of the latter group you'd have to ask around in less reputable areas, implying you need "work" done or something like that. To come in contact with members of the former group you'd need to get the hookup from members of the latter group. Or somehow bypass the whole process by bashing down some figurative door. Perhaps investigating with the local authority, like the town guards affiliated with the City Watch or the magistrate's guards, to see if they have any leads to track down the criminals. Of course, you'd need to gain their trust first, since they don't involve civilians in police business.

While some splinter groups of thieves that aren't affiliated with the Thieves Guild do exist, it's hard to know of them by name or contact. That they're a lot harder to find within Amaranth itself rather than the outlying towns because the Thieves Guild keeps a strong grip on the criminal side of the city (shared by the very unofficial and very secretive Assassin's Guild, the two guilds occasionally making use of the other's services and somewhat bleeding into each other member-wise) and the Thieves Guild isn't going to allow any novice criminals to upset careful balances of power and authority. If a splinter group is still in existence, it's because it's very good at hiding itself.



Although the Merchant's Guild is multifaceted and has many heads, including a council which makes decisions such as the appointment of guards and changes to taxes or land ownership diplomatically, the average person on the street would point to Gristol Cavendish as the "boss" of the Merchant's Guild. A charming and charismatic man younger than you'd expect for his position, he's known for his original work as a deacon in the Church of Heironeous and was recommended for the Merchant's Guild due to his uncanny business sense, which did very well for the church and catapulted him through the ranks of the guild. As for accountants there are also several, but among the most prominent is Rayele Birchbark, a taciturn Elven woman whose name is really only known because Cavendish has publicly applauded her efforts on behalf of the guild. According to him, she has a quick and retentive mind and is indispensable for the guild's continued business.

Regarding the wealth of the guild, much of it is in non-liquid assets such as property deeds, though there is a substantial amount of actual gold kept in safes in both the Merchant Guild building and in the Magistrate's manor. It is defended with both mundane tactics like locked safes and with magical safeguards. The biggest defense of course, to those canny few who suspect dealings between the Merchant's Guild and Thieves Guild, is that the Thieves Guild would never steal from their often-employer and so any thief who tries likely belongs to one of those splinter groups, and that paints a huge target on their back. Anyone who's been able to keep hidden from the Thieves Guild for so long isn't about to risk their security for gold.



At its core, this guild is an organization for the bold and brave and daring to congregate and find people of similar minds who they get along with. Foreign and monstrous races find this place to be a safe haven in an ethnocentric Amaranth, and their association with the guild keeps them safe on the streets. Often unable to integrate into a prejudiced society, their mortal needs like food and shelter are provided by the guild. But these things take money, especially in an economically-driven city like Amaranth, which means they need some kind of income one way or another. The best way to get money is to do jobs that only they can do (hunt monsters, fight bandits, explore ruins, find treasure, etc) and this is ideal because the kind of person drawn to the guild in the first place is the kind of person who likes doing things like that. The aspiring swordsman who got in trouble with the law for picking fights now gets to chase down ne'er-do-wells, and the thrillseeking thief who used to break into houses now has a challenge in disarming traps in old ruins. They've made friends within the guild whose wellbeing they care about, and the more money they bring in the better the guild does and the more comfortable life is for all of them. It's a win-win as far as most members are concerned; those who don't see it that way rarely join or stay. For that same reason though, the guild doesn't want to rely on anyone who isn't planning to form a solid connection within the guild. Too many people would join frivolously, using the name of the guild to bolster their own social standing without actually contributing or getting to know the heart of it, and that goes against what they stand for.



Paracelsus Academy of Arcane Science is the premier mage's college in Magnalia, and by far the most prestigious.
Admission is extremely selective, and only those who show not only arcane talent but potential to become a notable name in the magical community are accepted for study. A select handful of professors each specialize in one or two schools of magic and teach students how to work with spells in a manner that breaks the mold of traditional spellcrafting. The head of the academy is one Theophrastus von Hohenheim, a Tiefling who keeps himself and his work behind many bolted doors. Although the school has come under fire frequently from the religious establishments within Amaranth the undeniable talent of the wizards it produces defends its reputation, as well as the fact that it has never been traced to any kind of disaster or public safety risk.


T'inker is a Warforged Artificer whose tireless arm and keenly appraising eye makes him the go-to for magical equipment and wondrous items. He's a no-nonsense kind of person and isn't shy to criticize ignorance or foolishness, but can be impressed by an appreciation of art. He also has no ethical compunctions against selling equipment to people who plan to use it for ill deeds, like members of the Thieves Guild, whose members he contracts with to punish thieves if his own (formidable) defenses don't catch someone who steals from him.

Billun Feranim is a Dwarf Ironsoul Forgemaster, one of very few Dwarves to own a permanent storefront on the market mile. His skill at handling molten metal is unparalleled, and his equipment both mundane and magical is some of the best on the continent. He cares deeply about his craft, and wants assurance that the weapons and armor he makes are going to people deserving of them.

Juiri Brothbrew is an elderly Halfling Master Alchemist who makes curative potions of impressive potency through the medium of delicious soups. Potion-makers at Paracelsus have been trying for decades to get her secrets, which she guards determinedly.

Aranara Bonebinder masquerades as a Human but is actually a Kalashtar Ardent with a kind soul and a devotion to healing. She uses her psionic abilities to knit together physical wounds and calm damaged minds, and to a similarly generous soul she doesn't charge for her services. Some of the more profiteering members of the church dislike this, but they can't figure out how she's healing people without divine influence.


If you were hurrying on horseback Burrett would be a little more than a week, maybe a week and a half, from Amaranth. Obviously trading caravans move a lot slower than that. It's about two weeks from Burrett to either Eornal's Teurilain or Resswald's Drunvuur, not factoring in time delays from environmental hazards like the forest or desert, and three to get further north to Cyridhi. From Amaranth to Teurilain or Drunvuur is about two and a half weeks as the crow flies, but those paths aren't well traveled and it's far less hazardous to travel north and then east or west rather than northeast or northwest directly. A lot of the trading routes were designed by the Human settlers, since prior to their colonization the east and west halves of the continent didn't really want anything from one another, but the Humans wanted goods from them both and had some unique products of their own.

The criminal element in Burrett is a bit strange, because it's almost like there's a degree of legal criminal behavior due to its interaction with the Merchant's Guild of Amaranth. Burrett as a city is well-defended, its borders are surrounded by palisades and there are guards from Amaranth stationed at the gates which open at the cardinal directions to let traffic through. This is necessary for a town distant from major cities but known for having substantial wealth at any given time. Most other trader towns have some manner of guards and defenses like these, but Burrett (and Vennington and Hyll) are among the most fortified. You don't need passports or papers to enter the town, guards are usually content to get a verbal declaration of purpose. Monstrous races like most Goblinoids or even Humanoids that just seem shifty are typically unfairly scrutinized, but permitted if the guards can find no reason to turn them away. All cargo and baggage is thoroughly examined in search of illegal or dangerous goods, but otherwise it isn't taxed or even recorded. On the other hand, cargo coming into the city of Amaranth has its inventory documented and reported to the Merchant's Guild and has both import and sale taxed. Naturally, taxes are higher for "exotic" goods, which is pretty much anything sold by an Eornal Elf or a Resswald Dwarf. The result of this is that many merchants, especially but not exclusively Elves and Dwarves, are glad to unload some of their cargo in those trading cities like Burrett, Vennington, and Hyll because that way they have less cargo when arriving in Amaranth and lose fewer profits to taxation. These merchants aren't concerned about what their buyers plan to do with the merchandise; the buyers could be travellers on the road interested in some unusual goods, maybe they're headed the other way and plan to resell at home, or they may even intend to smuggle the goods into Amaranth past the guilds. The Merchant's Guild of Amaranth is aware of these pre-import sales but doesn't have much of a way to stop them from happening, save for employing members of the Thieves Guild to follow or intercept merchants known for this kind of trading and collecting the Merchant's Guild's "fair share," plus a little extra for payment of the contract and to ensure it doesn't keep happening. Typically the Merchant's Guild tries to target traders who frequently bring oddly light loads into Amaranth, because it suggests they sold some of their wares during their voyage. These activities on the part of the Merchant's Guild are of course very illegal, but the paper-pushers are good at hiding their trail or any involvement with the Thieves Guild. And they'd be hard to touch anyway, as money is power in Amaranth and they're where the money goes.

Of course there are also bands of thieves that can be contacted that are not part of the Thieves Guild, who are straight-up crooks rather than "extralegal enforcers" and would be killed by Thieves Guild operatives if found stepping on shoes. The Merchant's Guild is technically only affiliated with the economy and trade that goes on within Amaranth city limits, so they don't have any official representation in the outside trading towns, but they do have means of getting word back to them. The guards of Burrett try to prevent people matching the profile of thieves from entering in the first place, but some manage to get through. Within the walls of Burrett thievery is typically deterred by threat of legal retribution. Merchants passing through towns like these often elect to pay a small fee to leave caravans and mules in either privately owned or government-funded lots for safekeeping through the nights. These lots tend to be heavily guarded, much to the appreciation of the merchants who make use of them. Merchants supply the lot-owner with records of their inventory which the lot-owners will confirm, and the merchants can then verify that nothing was stolen when they recover their goods. In the unlikely event of robbery, the merchants can hold the lot-owners responsible for failing to secure the goods; in effect, the goods are insured by the lot-owners while being held. If government-owned, the lot-owner will typically report the theft to the guards within Burrett who take the issue seriously (limiting exit from the city, demanding civilian searches, etc) and who pass on the report to the Merchant's Guild down south in Amaranth who use their own means of figuring out where stolen merchandise has gone. If privately-owned lots are stolen from they have fewer connections with the government-funded lots, so they have to employ their own means of settling the score. As a result privately-owned lots are considerably better protected, and often more expensive for a merchant to use. The government-owned lots are averagely protected, because there's a better chance that a thief will be tracked down by the government upon theft. Thieves are well aware of the pros and cons of taking from either kind of lot, and infrequently do either.

There's also the category of merchant that prefers not to make use of the lots and either leave their merchandise in the open but nearby where they hope to keep an eye on it, or keep it safely on their person by means of extradimensional storage. Since stealing is a serious crime in a trading town regardless of the placement of the goods, cargo left in the open is still fairly safe considering the guards patrol with some regularity. But any serious merchant wouldn't leave things up to chance like that, that's only what an amateur who's trying to save some coin would do.

The result of all of the above is that thievery is far more common shortly outside of Burrett or any other trading down, perhaps ten or twenty miles outside city limits where a band of thieves can expect a caravan to get to in a day of travel. Banditry is still illegal but it's harder to enforce when there aren't guards within a shout's distance, stolen merchandise is more difficult to verify without witnesses, and by the time authorities arrive the bandits are usually long gone. If the Merchant's Guild were to ever send Thieves Guild operatives to "reprimand" unscrupulous merchants, it would be on these open roads rather than in a town that the thieves would strike. Merchants may have a variety of defenses against this type of raid, be it use of magical items and traps or hired help as escort, enough to foil common thugs like a group of Goblins but usually inferior to the resources professional thieves would put into a raid.



The Elves of Eornal are divided in their mentalities, some being more militant and active and others valuing artistry and reflection, but their society is universally highly spiritual. It's not as church-focused as the Empire save for respects paid to Corellon Larethian, Ehlonna, and Obad-Hai, but they have a Druidic approach to natural order even if very few are actual Druids. Their society tries to invade on nature as little as possible, working with naturally fallen trees as lumber or magically growing the trees to suit their purposes rather than chopping any down. At the same time, they consider themselves to be an apex in the natural order and own the right to use nature as they please, being at the top of it. As such they tolerate pretty much all creatures types apart from Undead, Constructs, and Aberrations as part of the natural order, as long as those creatures stay in their lane. Even though some magical beasts are as intelligent as any humanoid creature the Elves would consider them to be beasts rather than people. They wouldn't be afforded any legal protection as humanoids under Elf law, which means that among other things the killing a sentient creature like a werewolf is no more than a minor offense and isn't an issue that would be brought to court or tribunal. Then again if these creatures keep to themselves then the Elves would treat them like normal animals and not attack them on sight or anything like that. The result is that the forests of Eornal are full of exotic and wild creatures who often harbor resentment toward humanoids.



The Dwarves of Resswald on the other hand base value in their society off of labor and craftsmanship. Anyone, regardless of race or belief, can grow to become a respected member of Dwarven society if they prove that they are willing to put their nose to the grindstone and work for the benefit of the Dwarven people. Most up-and-comers are found carving through the depths of the mountain, working to spread out the city and add to the labyrinth of tunnels reaching into the bowels of the continent. Even members of the Dwarven government, who convene routinely to discuss the direction of society, are known to take a pick and shovel on their off days and chip away at the stone. As it was through this kind of work that they rose to their position, many find it relaxing to revisit their personal histories. Dwarves who find that kind of direct physical labor exhausting usually turn to crafting instead, working with the stone and metals that the Dwarves collect in excess, or doing their own carving by making homes and dwellings in the new tunnels. Yet others who find this kind of toil tiresome take to the crusade, warring against the Aberrations of the Underdark who see the Dwarf tunnels as an intermediate step before invading the surface. Dwarven society is thus open to peculiar creatures and oftentimes monstrous races with impressive natural strength will outshine the work of regular Dwarves, though the Dwarves are quick to be fair and judge an individual not solely by accomplishment but by effort and taking natural talent into perspective.



Due north from Burrett, flanked on the west by diminishing peaks bordering Resswald's desert and on the east by the sparse woodlands that further south become the forests of Eornal, is a cold and harsh wasteland that's claimed by the Humans of Cyridhi. These Humans are natives of the land the same as the Elves and Dwarves, not descended from Solthlunian colonists like most of Amaranth. They are a simpler people with a gruff culture, as the wastes reward effort only with survival. They value strength, but strength is not just muscle. Any who shows themselves to excel at a craft or skill is considered strong. These Humans are deeply social and band together to lash out at threats against their community like monsters or invaders. Exile is akin to execution as it means either death in the wild or isolation among the alien societies down south, and so it is reserved only for heinous criminals whose actions threaten the safety of the clan. While it is uncommon for any clan to leave their village all at once, foragers or adventurers may splinter off to explore other parts of the waste and come across another clan. Enough interchange between clans or marriage between them may encourage one group to move to join with another. Foreigners from down south are usually treated with mistrust initially, but welcomed and embraced if they either do a great service for a village or simply stay long enough without causing trouble.




Across the eastern ocean from Magnalia is the continent Solthlune, center of the Solthlunian Empire to which the Magistrate of Amaranth reports. Solthlune holds a strongly theistic society in which the Emperor, here one Emperor Bertund Tzikias IV, is considered to have divine authority and deific endorsement. Churches of gods supporting Law and Good are strongly supported in Solthlune, while those of Chaos are tolerated to a lesser degree and those of Evil are not permitted open worship. It's through the churches that money flows in Solthlune. Government subsidies for clerical study mean that there is a high proportion of healers on the continent, which in turn means that the destitute population is nonexistent due to even acolyte Clerics being able to conjure food and water or heal the wounds of the sick and injured. The flipside of this is that to be taken care of by the church requires the declaration of ones loyalty to the church in question, though most don't question this practice. It also means that joining the church is the fastest way to a better lifestyle, and as a result Solthlune's other fields of scientific investigation or technological innovation are lacking in comparison.

The populated region of Solthlune is smaller than Magnalia and of an even more temperate climate, predominantly composed of plains and rocky outcroppings. It contains fewer natural resources than Magnalia which have been taxed heavily, making Magnalia a prized colony for imports. The less populated regions actually comprise the majority of the continent, but the terrain is rough and rocky and inhospitable. Solthlune holds a strongly pro-Human cause which manifested a few centuries ago as a templar-propelled crusade which eradicated the vast majority of monstrous creatures. The few which remained retreated either to the furthest edges of the rocky eastern terrain or into the caves of the Underdark and out of the minds of the population. In some of the borders between thoroughly inhospitable and manageable, enterprising Humans have taken to keeping controlled farms of monstrous creatures such as Blink Dogs, Gargoyles, Krenshars, Howlers, and Wargs, and infrequently more dangerous creatures like Chimeras, Hydras, and Displacer Beasts for hides and other products. These farms are legally permitted but socially frowned upon (despite the ever-increasing demand for the products of the farms) and as such heavily taxed. If a farm fails to pay taxes, is discovered to have been operating outside proper channels, or loses control of their livestock, the livestock in question will be unceremoniously slaughtered by the knight-templars of the Solthlunian capitol.



Across the oceans south of both Solthlune and Magnalia is the largely unexplored continent of Kynea. Kynea is a much warmer and more humid climate, and catching more sunlight explains the overgrowth of broad-leafed plants that both rise high into the air and tangle themselves into knots on the jungle floor. A number of factors have limited thorough exploration of Kynea. For starters, the oppressive heat and obstructive foliage make any forward progress twice as draining as normal, and many expeditions retreat having exhausted their supplies early. The environment is also highly hazardous, as flora and fauna alike are toxic, caustic, or hallucinogenic. Taxonomic errors have claimed many lives, which in turn hinders proper categorization of these dangerous plants and animals. Finally, it is suspected but not confirmed that several of the sapient monstrous races with intelligence equalling or exceeding that of the Humans who took hold of Solthlune made Kynea their new home. This theory is substantiated mostly by a lack of evidence - that is to say, any exploration party that might have feasibly discovered one of these races has not returned from its expedition.



I am combining Spot/Listen/Search into Perception (Wis), Hide/Move Silently into Stealth (Dex), Balance/Jump/Tumble into Acrobatics (Dex), Climb/Swim into Athletics (Str), Forgery/Decipher Script/Speak Language into Linguistics (Int), Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate/Gather Information into Persuasion (Cha), and Open Lock is now subsumed into Disable Device. Having any of the component skills on your skill list means you have the combined skill on the list instead, even if you didn't have the others (so Barbarians have Perception since they had Listen, even though they don't have Spot.) Bonuses that apply for a particular usage of a skill apply to any use of that skill (so Balancing Armor is effectively Acrobatic Armor and applies its bonus for Jumping and Tumbling too) unless it clearly could not aid the skill in its current application. For example, Invisibility doesn't make you any harder to Perceive by hearing, even though it gives a big boost to Stealth. Or a Raptoran's wings don't add their +10 to Acrobatics for Tumbling, only Jumping, but I could see it justified for Balance. Having a Swim speed and gaining a +8 on Athletics checks for it won't help with Climbing.

Also I'm going to be running Persuasion much more ad hoc rather than by the set DCs in the book. High checks make you more persuasive or can prevent a target from immediately seeing that you're lying, but no skill is going to automatically gain allies just from a high roll nor do they automatically fail just because you rolled low if you roleplay it convincingly.

Saves and BAB are fractional, and you can only get the +2 for having a good save a single time (that is to say, you don't get +2 to a save every time you take the first level of a class with that as a good save.) You are allowed up to two Traits from UA, and you may have one Flaw which cannot be from UA. This must be a Flaw that you yourself invent and run by me, and it must have some mechanical effect which connects to the character in a flavorful way so as to encourage roleplaying. Examples of Flaws I've liked in the past included a Shadowcaster whose excitable shadow tangled her up, and at the start of each combat she had a 20% chance to be tripped. There was a proud warrior who took a -1 to Will saves for every 10% of his HP he was down from the blow to his pride and confidence. That kind of thing.

I don't like keeping track of XP, so you'll level up after you've done enough story-wise. All XP costs (of spells and crafting and such) will be replaced by an equivalent 5 GP per XP cost, though that conversion happens at the end of the process (so Extraordinary Artisan won't decrease the XP-to-Gold cost, you'd still need Legendary Artisan to do that).


Lielta Greennook (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1175205)

[An Amy]

Lielta of Greennook (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1175205)

The Two Woods valley area, nestled between the Irimorn and the Darkstone mountains, gets its name from the two forests encompassing a majority of the valley. The Tall Wood’s redwoods and high canopy and the Drakestone Forest with its thick undergrowth and mysterious, moss-covered boulders. Splitting the woods is the Whitespring river that comes down from the mountains and flows north and out of the valley and links up the three human villages in the area. Hornbridge to the north east, the largest of the villages sits on the main road connecting it further on to Eastervil and Baerton. In the middle and in the open is Loren’s Hill, surrounded by flocks of sheep and farms of wheat and tobacco. In the niche corner of the two woods where the Whitespring emerges is Greennook, the smallest of the three villages.

The people of the Two Woods are hearty and fiercely protective of their land. When the goblins of the Darkstone emerged and pushed down into the valley, the last stand of Loren’s Hill was etched in the memories of the next two generations since as many still tell tales of the heroics of those five nights when the people of the Two Woods fought back and held to their homes. Sure the physical structures burned. Farms were ruined. But they withstood and survived and rebuilt. And so is the mentality of the folks there. Never give up and never stay down.

Lielta was born the second of five children to Fendrid and Cora, a hunter and seamstress in Greennook. When her father died from an injury sustained protecting his fellow hunters deep in the Drakestone forest, the family began living with the local herbalist, Hremalia. Rema, as she was known, was a bit crazy and always thought a touch off her stump. However, through Rema, Lielta learned about herbs and gardening.

One day, when she was out in the woods gathering herbs, she was discovered by a man that went by the name of Orumac. The man was one of the druids from the Drakestone who visited the village from time to time, but little was known about him or the supposed other druids in the area as they had no contact with the human village except through Orumac. Impressed with not just her knowledge of plants but the respect by which she harvested and the consciousness of her presence in the woods.

Soon, she was meeting more and more with Orumac who indulged the child’s curiosities and great interest in the natural world. It turns out that Orumac was not always a druid but was once a monk from a distant monastic order that traveled the world seeking enlightenment through the purity of combat. Upon arriving in the Two Woods, he fought with the goblins in the Darkstone mountains. Injured, he was found by a druid who helped nurse him back to health. Ever since, he was committed to learning more and more about their ways until, one day, they accepted him as one of their own.

He introduced Lielta to the druid who found him, Lu, and spoke about the child’s interests in the woods and the natural order and world. She learned more and more about the ways of the druids, often mediating, in a small capacity, between the village and the druidic circle of the Drakestone forest. As she grew, her role became more recognized and important for the villages of the Two Woods as they depended on hunting from the woods as well as the farmland they maintained between the forests along the Whitespring river.

Like her mentor, Lielta was not a wild-embraced druid. She was not born of them nor raised by them. Her connection was not whole to the point where she would be able to transform her body into the image and form of a beast of the wild. Though she discovered her capacity for natural spells and was respected enough by the forests to call forth the service of animals, she learned somewhat as an outsider like Orumac. Instead of the deepest of the druidic talents, she learned physical training from Orumac, such as the ability to move quickly and avoid physical combat altogether instead of engaging in it. The complete martial training was something Orumac forbade himself from passing on, and Lielta never showed interest in such knowledge. She continued to hone her ability to track prey and hunt for the village while maintaining the respect and acceptance of the creatures of the surrounding forests as well as the circle of druids she then called her second family.

But Orumac’s stories of the world continued to piqued her interests and raised her wonderment of the world beyond the Two Woods. She desired to know more about the world, its peoples and creatures. With the village and the druids with a far better functional relationship built on trust and respect, she felt the wanderlust inspired by her mentor’s tales of life elsewhere. The circle, too, agreed that the youth needed the experiences of life beyond the valley. As a part of her leaving, her circle imparted upon her an ancient secret for summoning creatures. Instead of animals, one could call forth the forest itself to take the form of creatures. This mysterious secret had been held by the Drakestone circle for numerous generations. It was a testament to their faith in Lielta and her committment to the world at large and not just the small life that is a single human.

And so with a companion creature from nearby, the love of her family, the trust of her circle and a bow, she began her travels.

http://pm1.narvii.com/5988/8c7a19a523a0108d24ca438e5bd791e1c820f855_hq.jpg (http://www.deviantart.com/art/Forest-mage-523303320)
Image Copyright Meago (http://meago.deviantart.com/)

[Nettlekid]

Alright, that's a great setting you've described and helps to set the scene excellently. If you want to use the setting description I posted in the recruitment thread (which I'll repost in the OP here for reference) then the Two Woods valley would be in the northeast of the center of the continent of Magnalia, far enough south of the edge of Cyridhi's frozen tundra that they are unplagued by frost and near the edge of the forests of Eornal which populate the eastern quarter of the continent. You're pretty much diametrically across the continent from the largest city Amaranth,
so the busiest trade cities like Burrett in the center of the continent would be what you consider bustling and urban,
and you would hardly be able to imagine what Amaranth itself looks like.

[An Amy]

She's rather ignorant of the world, so she may not even have heard much of these places except from Orumac.

About some feats. Do you have any suggestions for feats that can enhance an animal companion or perhaps summoning?

I was looking at Summon Elemental. Could I take the feat at 6th level and only benefit from it at 7th level when I meet the 4th level spell requirement? Or delay the feat selection?

Is there a way to qualify for Improved Animal Companion? (+3 druid level)

Sheet so far: https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1175205

[Nettlekid]

I'll let you take Summon Elemental at 6th and benefit from it at 7th if you want that. It looks like Improved Animal Companion is non-official D&DWiki garbage, so that's not allowed. The closest official thing to that is Natural Bond which adds three to your Druid level but only up to your ECL, like Practiced Spellcaster. Regarding summoning,
Greenbound Summoning is widely considered to be one of the strongest feats for what it gives you. Ashbound is also strong, doubling the duration of your summons, but requires you to join an order that despises the use of arcane magic. More simply, Augment Summoning is reliable. The Ring of the Beast item (8000 gold) allows you to count every Summon Nature's Ally as being one tier higher, so SNA III is used as SNA IV, etc. I'm not seeing a ton of feats which improve an Animal Companion though.

EDIT: How is your Wild Empathy check so high? I can only see +5, +2 from levels, +1 from Cha, and +2 from synergy with Handle Animal.
Your Druid and Ranger levels don't stack for it if that's what you're thinking. They would if you were taking them separately, but since it's Gestalt they don't sum up to give you a doubled progression. I thought you said you were going to trade out the Urban Ranger's Wild Empathy for Voice of the City anyway.

EDIT2: Also regarding your Persuasion check, I see you have +4 from synergy, but I'm not seeing what's giving you the second +2. Sense Motive definitely gives you +2, but what else?

[An Amy]

Yeah, I knew Improved Animal Companion was from the Wiki, but wondered if there was anything like it. The older 3.0 feat that it mentions, Extra Animal Companion). It seemed a little... powerful and that Natural Bond was already doing something similar with a logical limitation.

Greenbound is wow potent. Changes type to plant, though, so things like Animal growth won't apply later on. But would she qualify for that feat? Maybe they taught her that ancient art. Maybe the Drakestone druids are the ones that carry that summoning talent. Seems very potent for what it gives, I will agree, but is it an always thing or an option? If an optional thing to apply to SNA, then yes. If not... hmm, how high of a level will this campaign go? ^^
Augmented Summoning has a feat requirement as well. But a good standby.
Ashbound, looked that up and it's totally out of flavor for Lielta...
Rashemi Elemental Summoning was mentioned in a thread discussing Greenbound. Has some RP stuff to get into maybe? Setting specific it seems as well. Potent for the elemental summoners.

Yeah, for the animal companion, there's little. The Natural Bond is neat if you get a an advanced animal companion that lowers your effective Druid level for the companion stats. But the way I want to play her, she doesn't change animal companions. Builds with one. The idea I tried to push on you (teehee) was the same soul, mutable body animal companion. She still forms a bond with that kindred spirit. So, now, just one animal companion. Granted one may die and she'll call another at a higher level where a -4 or so effective druid level might be detrimental.

So Greenbound seems like a yes if you rule it is optionally applied to animals summoned AND that Lielta qualifies for the role playing requirement of learning it from someone who knew it.
Otherwise Spellfocus Conjuration and Augmented Summoning are way to go... OR Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot so she isn't penalized for firing into melee with her SNAs and Companion.

[Nettlekid]

Rashemi Elemental Summoning has some pretty stringent fluff requirements that make it unavailable to you based on your backstory. Greenbound Summoning requires that a secret art be passed down, which is more reasonable in your position, so I'd allow it. Sure, I'll say you can turn it on and off as you please, allowing you to summon normal animals if you choose to. But you can't split it between a single casting - you can't summon 1d3 wolves and make only one of them Greenbound and the other two regular.

Also I edited in some questions about your skills to my previous post, if you could check that out.

[An Amy]

Wild Empathy... not sure. I can only add a +4 total. I don't know how I typoed twice or what not. I wasn't counting anything but the 2 druid levels and the +2 from a synergy. So Fixed
For Persuasion, I have to go back to my sheet where I converted the skills over to the groups. Or, actually, I think that may have been it. I must have added synergies up. There is one synergy from bluff to diplomacy... so it should balance back to a situational modifier to just not work that way given that Persuasion shouldn't be able to synergize Persuasion. Probably the latter. Fixed.

Also, would you consider turning Rapid Summoning into a feat? It was an alternate class feature for Conjurer specialists.

Gosh, feats...

I also think I have too many skill points. I should have only 55 but have 57 allocated... will fix.
And my traits of Quick and Polite are written down temporarily. I'm not sold on Quick though it plays into her backstory nicely (monk teaching her how to avoid combat). Polite just fits into her personality BUT it relates to 2 aspects of the same Skill, Persuasion. Would that balance into a 0 or be a situational bonus? Or be a +1 except where intimidating it turns into a -1?

As for her flaw that you wanted written up to be more personalized to her I was thinking maybe something related to getting lost in towns or cities where she cannot see across them. Villages you can tend to see from one end to the other. Large towns might have enough streets where she can't see the edge of the town if she's somewhere inside it. I'm not sure how it would be represented mechanically though... Maybe it manifests as anxiety and she gets -1 to ATK/DMG or -1 to social interactions? Kind of feels counter to the idea of an Urban ranger who should be comfortable in cities. But she doesn't have experience with large populations. In the woods she feels more comfortable and can find her way easily enough.

I could just forgo the traits/flaws altogether. I'm not thinking of a flaw that really fits well for her. Will have to think on it some more.

[Nettlekid]

Yeah, obviously a skill doesn't synergize with itself. The idea behind combining the skills is that some of them are similar enough to fall under the same category.

I would not allow Rapid Summoning as a feat, that's very particular to the specialist Wizard. It's a strong ACF.

Where do you get 55 skill points from? I'm reading 45. 6/level from Ranger, 2/level from Int, 1/level from Human,
x4 at first level, gives 45 total at level 2.

If you take Quick then your HP should be 2 lower than it is. Polite I'd allow as you described it, +1 to Persuasion checks when being diplomatic and -2 to Persuasion checks when being intimidating.

Getting lost in big cities is a cute idea, though it would cripple Urban Tracking. Taking a -1 to attack/damage or a skill check is way too insignificant of a penalty - it may feel substantial at level 2 but if you got to level 10 you'd barely notice it.

[An Amy]

Yes, I caught the skill point issue when I went to look at it again. I believe it was my mistake from when I was considering the build with Scout (with its 8 skill points + 2 int + 1 human = 11 x5 for lvl 2). So do have to adjust it. Thinking about what to get rid of. Use Rope probably for one. I'll get to doing that later.

Greenbound Summon is already very, very nice. Rapid Summoning would seal the focus for SNA, but I can see the definite reasoning. The only other alternative is getting Rapid Spell, which doesn't apply to summonings only but is +1 metamagic. Rig of the Beast you mentioned would offset that. Still...

The lost in a city thing was cute wasn't it. I think it goes against the idea of an urban druid though, as you say. And yeah, the flaw wouldn't be detrimental for too long. The flaw difficulty isn't something I'm fully grasping. I looked at other UA flaws and they are kind of stiff. Halving speed. -6 initiative. I was thinking something like -4 Str for things like grapple, bullrush (contested Str checks). But even that is less severe than other UA flaws.

The only other thing I could think of for her is confused spell preparation. A percentage chance that a spell she prepared is not the spell she thought it was. It randomly might become another spell. A percentage chance she knows it happened and what spell it is. Else she won't find out until she tries to cast it. Not... too thematic. But doesn't break her concepts either. Dunno what the percentages would be, but it would have to be a DM secret roll anyway. What do you think?

[Nettlekid]

Being of sleight build and counting as one size smaller for purposes of combat maneuvers is something I'd accept as a Flaw, since it's flavorful and has a mechanical application. It might be odd that she has Monk-esque training while having low muscle mass, but then again I guess the training is all about being nimble and not about unarmed combat.

The prepared spell thing is I think too severe - it would be pretty critical if a restorative spell used in a time of need turned out to be something useless. Plus you don't want to portray her as an incompetent airhead, right? Especially not with such a high Wisdom.

[An Amy]

So she counts for small for things like grapple, bull rush, trip, disarm, sunder, overrun. Being that, her opponents get a +4 to the roll or she gets a -4 to the roll depending on the special attack and the wording. But it would only apply here, not to something like attack modifiers in general, movement and such. It's not the reverse of powerful build, right? I think I could deal with that... she's going to avoid melee anyway as much as possible with her trait and monk speed and summoned creatures and animal companion.

As far as portraying her, that's going to be a touch fun. She has a high wisdom and not that bad an Int either, but her experience is high. She's ignorant of a lot of things. Another flaw I was thinking of her having is just being too trusting. Not only would she get a penalty to sense motive against deceptions, but people might even get a feeling like she could be easily lied to. It wouldn't be airheaded, but gullible. But combining the skills as they are (plus there being a trait that does this), makes it less of a mechanical penalty and more of a roll playing fluff for why she doesn't make many sense motive checks.

Just have my items to purchase and then I should be done for the most part. I'll update the background to incorporate greenbound feat.

EDIT: how do you handle crafting and XP? You have comment of how to handle XP components for spells (like beget bogun). Can you also repost your houserules to your OP?

[Nettlekid]

Sure, I'll repost those as well. Crafting worked the same as spells, that XP spent crafting is instead converted to 5 GP per 1 XP. In effect this means you can just get any item you can craft for 70% of the market price,
since it's 50% for the gold to craft and 4% XP, times 5 is 20% in gold for the XP cost, so 70%.

And that's right, a Flaw would never have a beneficial effect tacked on. And of course, if you want her to be gullible you can just roleplay that and mechanically support it by putting few ranks into Sense Motive.

[An Amy]

Well, she's done except for items. Starting out with 900 gold, and most of that will probably be left over. A masterwork Longbow, though...

Here's a glimpse of her progression without any PRCs.



Level

HP (5)

BAB

Fort

Ref

Will

Features

Feats

Skills

Speed Bonus

AC/Speed



1st

8

1

2

2

2

Animal Companion, Nature Sense, wild Empathy
Track, Urban Tracking, speak with animals/plants (3/day), Favored Enemy

Point Blank Shot, Greenbound Summoning, Track (ACF)



+0

+0



2nd

11

2

3

3

3

Woodland Strike, Combat Style (Rapid Shot)

Rapid Shot (combat)



+0

+0



3rd

15

3

3

3

3

Trackless Step, Endurance (bonus feat)

3rd Level, Endurance



+10

+0



4th

19

4

4

4

4

Resist nature's lure, Urban Animal Companion





+10

+0



5th

23

5

4

4

4

2nd Favored Enemy





+10

+0



6th

27

6

5

5

5

Improved Combat style (Many Shot)

Many Shot (combat), 6th level



+20

+1



7th

31

7

5

5

5



^Summon Elemental?



+20

+1



8th

35

8

6

6

6

Swift Tracker





+20

+1



9th

39

9

6

6

6

Venom Immunity, Evasion

9th level



+30

+1



10th

43

10

7

7

7

Combat Mastery (Improved Precise Shot)

Imp. Precise Shot (combat)



+30

+2



11th

47

11

7

7

7







+30

+2



12th

51

12

8

8

8



12th level



+40

+2



13th

55

13

8

8

8

A thousand faces





+40

+2



14th

59

14

9

9

9







+40

+2



15th

63

15

9

9

9

Timeless Body

15th level



+50

+3



16th

67

16

10

10

10







+50

+3



17th

71

17

10

10

10

Hide in Plain Sight (any terrain)





+50

+3



18th

75

18

11

11

11



18th level



+60

+3



19th

79

19

11

11

11







+60

+3



20th

83

20

12

12

12







+60

+4





And I realized my flaw is pretty devastating in the right (wrong) situations. Being tripped at the beginning of combat seems a pleasant alternative. ^^
I'M STILL DEBATING POINT BLANK SHOT, btw in anticipation for Precise Shot. That and something called Cloudy Conjuration.

[Nettlekid]

Alright, well whenever you think you're ready we can go ahead and begin.

Where do you plan to begin? Are you still in your town, or did you hit the open road?

[An Amy]

I'm pretty much ready. Need to get an animal companion down, going with wolf as is both cliche and rather smart. Hawk was going to be an option, but with her severely limited melee capabilities, she'll need something to get between her and baddies while she summons a greenbound.
Let's start on the open road already or at least having left her home town.

[Nettlekid]

You seem to have forgotten that you have a Base Attack Bonus which increases your to-hit, and your speed is ten feet higher thanks to taking Quick. Also Polite decreases Intimidate checks by 2, not by 1. You also have one extra Favored Enemy since you get one from Ranger but also one from the Druid ACF. I'm not going to let the second one bump up the first to +4 bonuses though in addition to granting +2 against a new type (as you would when you get a second Favored Enemy through Ranger alone), since that's a bit much.

Across the rolling green fields, glistening dewdrops began to fade into nonexistence as the sun sat comfortably in the morning sky. The air carried by the warm breeze brings with it the gentle perfumes of blooming flowers and drying grasses. The weight of the sunlight is the true marker of the tomb of spring, as summer's heat is just around the corner and bound to make itself all the more pronounced the further south one travels. It has been two weeks since Lielta set out southward from her village and from her circle, keeping at a dedicated but not insufferable pace. The mountains to her west have moved farther and farther until only hills remained, while the forests on Eornal's westernmost edge still line the horizon to her east. More than capable in the wilds Lielta has been well cared for in the wilds, digging up tuberous roots to eat and finding clear spring water, but now over the next hill the sight of civilization emerges. If her path was correct this will be the town of Vennington, one of the smaller trading cities still large enough to be noteworthy on a merchant's path. Orumac had told her of this place, that is a friendly town with deep roots. The majority of the population are Half-Elves, descendants of Elves who were adventurous enough to leave the Eornal forests but too reserved to venture far afield. It provides welcome respite for Elven merchants heading south to Burrett or even Amaranth, as the people are still well aware of Elven tradition. The village can be relied on to replenish supplies and occasionally pick up some odd Elven curiosities, although a few of the traders both local and transient have been known to look suspiciously toward anyone they think may be trying to take advantage of them.

[An Amy]

Can I assume that my animal companion has been trained his tricks? That would give him 7 total tricks. You also mentioned this place as a small city but then later mention a village... Is there a village outside the city?
Lielta
Having gathered a piece of wood from a forest a while back, the short young woman walks with the rhythm of her foot fall and that of a temporary walking staff. A similar pattern that has occupied a lot of the quiet moments along the road. She much prefers to walk in the forest or out in the open fields rather than on a path beaten down by the boots, horses and carts of other travelers. But as she sought out people and their stories, it would not do to avoid them. And with Vennington within sight, she gets an excited flutter inside her and picks up her pace just a touch. Then slows once more realizing her pack is heavier for it.

"Ash," she calls out to her companion. One of the nearby wolves from her village, this one is known for sniffing at the ashes of campsites with curiosity for what had been eaten. The other wolves call him "sniffs at the ashes of men's campfires". Too long to call out. And Sniffs was already taken. The grey leaps over a thick of tall grass lining the road, answering her call. "We're close to a city. So stay close."

[Nettlekid]

Yes, but you do need to choose which tricks those are.

Small city, big village, same thing for all intents and purposes. It's just the one.

Lielta closes the distance to the town without delay, and she's not alone on the road. Industrious members of society are already well at work in the mid-morning, and she can see the bustle of business within the city limits. On the road a few hundred paces ahead of her a farmer sitting atop a wagon drawn by a pair of mules and loaded with burlap sacks enters onto this main pathway from a branching path from the south. A full-blooded Wood Elf with a light pack passes by in the opposite direction, nodding to Lielta as he heads toward the shoreline of trees in the far distance. The town of Vennington is open but secure - while passage through is easy to obtain, the village is decently defended with palisades that form a wall stretching about a mile long on all sides, and a wide gate with ropes to close it in the event of a raid by a band of Goblins or roaming Orcs. Lightly armored guards occasionally pace back and forth but for the most part lean against the wooden barricade, leather caps starting to warm up in the steady sunlight. One of these guards gives Lielta a cordial smile as she approaches, though he looks at her wolf with slight apprehension.
"Good day, traveller. On your own? I trust that the beast is properly trained? It'll be trouble if it goes after livestock, or worse."

[An Amy]

Lielta

She nods to the elf and passes a smile his direction as well. A wooded elf, from what she can guess. Lu is an elf and spoke of the many other elves that there are. She remembers there being a remark that most of the elves are not as social with each other as humans are, which makes them distinctive from each other and lends to their continued divisions. Recent times have changed that. Of course, recent times for the elf druid means generations for the likes of Lielta and other humans.

The city in the distance already marvels her. A wall! And gates! Such a grand place to have a wall. Loren's Hill still had remnants of its old wooden log wall from the Battle of Four Nights, but the village had expanded somewhat and removed the old wall in places. A portion remains where names were once etched into the timbers of those that died in the defense of the Two Woods. A local blacksmith converted the etched names into branded letters before Lielta was born. She has a few distant relatives up on the wall. But that is nothing compared to Vennington's long wall of stone surrounding the large city. Or... small city, as Orumac speaks about it.

"You will marvel at its size, no doubt. But, mind, you've seen nothing of large cities until you are lost in the likes of Amaranth."

"Ash, with me," she says, calling her companion to heel as they approach the gates. Seeing the concern in the guard's expression. To whom she replies, "Better trained than most, I would think. And we travel together. I trust this is Vennington?"

[Nettlekid]

"Indeed it is, trading center of the east. Where do you hail from, if this is your first time to the town? Your clothes don't strike me as Cyridhi garb, but you did come from the north. Are you looking to get somewhere?" the guard asks. You get the sense he's just making small talk, but he's pleased to help with directions if you need any.

[An Amy]

I totally thought I was waiting on you! Apologies!

Silently mouthing the word Seer Id Ee, Lielta shakes her head before stopping and then nodding. "No, I mean... yes. Uh, this is my first time here, is what I mean. I came from the Two Woods. I'm a druid of the Drakestone forest. I'm not really looking to go anywhere in particular. Just traveling and learning. I think I'll spend some time here maybe. Learn about your wildlife and the city itself. I, uh, I've never been in such a large town before. Not with a wall, mind. Ha!"

She's suddenly nervous about speaking and doesn't know what to say or how to let the guard help as he seems like he would. She looks around briefly toward the horizon hoping to rest her eyes on a thick treeline. She has a hammock... not a bedroll and was hoping to be able to go back to the woods between visits to cities and towns. That... that might have been naive of her.

"Maybe you can help. I'm looking for a map of the area. Are there any map makers in town?"

[Nettlekid]

Just to note, even though you've let a sheltered upbringing you'd probably know the names of the nations on the continent, like Cyridhi. Especially Cyridhi, since it's what's closest to your village. That would be like someone from rural Montana not knowing what Canada is.

The guard nods. "A Druid, you say? I suppose that explains the beast. The farmers will be glad you're in town, they're always complaining to us about something we can't fix. 'Ooh the wheat's bitter, ooh these eggs are empty, ooh that's not my cow,' that's nothing we can fix but maybe you can have a look. If you have the time, naturally.

Anyway, map makers I'm afraid not, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to find a map. A lot of Elven commerce comes through this village and the merchants got the idea into their heads long ago that people would pay well to know the routes they took going and coming. Most of the traders will have a copy or two of a map that at least describes their planned route, and either the inn or the general store can supply one of the basic area around here.
Where are you looking to end up?"

[An Amy]

"I can certainly look into them," she answers, responding to the issues that the town has been having. Bitter wheat... witch eggs? Are they actually empty or just without yolks. Young hens do that from time to time... Wandering cows. She blinks herself back into the present and out of the thoughts of solving everyone's problems. Smiles back to the guard as he continues answering about the merchant routes and inns having... maybe information if not a map and traders having actual maps.

"I'm looking to end up... no where in particular. Here, for a time. Just... wondered about the surrounding woods. I haven't been here before, just arrived, and haven't had a chance to get to know the land yet. A map would help know where people are, I suppose. Farms, homesteads, hamlets dotting the roads. Uh..."

Lielta looks upwards under her hat to where the sun is and gauges the time. She should have enough time to walk about the city.

"Where might I find your hunters or those that venture out to forage for food or materials?"

[Nettlekid]

"If you want a map of the surrounding area then Matthias at the general store is the man you want to talk to, as well as if you're needing to replenish your supplies. I expect that's not much trouble for you, though.


As for hunters and foragers...well, Vennington doesn't have a great need for them, as some of the best trappers in the continent are just next door in the Elven lands. What we locals don't get from the farms is often traded for or ordered from the Elves in the forest, furs and lumber and such. The Redsole Trading Company has a strong presence here, much to our benefit. The heir to the company, Gwyon Redsole, spends almost as much time here as he does in Parlu Nanta, the city in Eornal where the company is based. But if you're dead-set on talking to someone with those skills here, I'll point you to Tarrik Olbrand. He comes from up north but he's lived here for near on thirty years. His hunts aren't the cleanest, especially compared to the Elves', but he's not afraid of big game or things that'll fight you back. I'd go to the Elves for deer leather and fox or rabbit pelts, but Tarrik is a man to talk to about boar meat and bearskin."

The guard gives you directions within the village to get to the various people he's mentioned: Matthias' general store, the Redsole trader's point of contact, and Tarrik's house.

[An Amy]

"Thank you very much!" Lielta shows gratitude and nods her head while dipping in the slightest of curtsies with the traveling skirt she is wearing. "I am Lielta of Greennook. What might your name be?"

[Nettlekid]

The guard nods to you with a smile. "Evrel Vawn of, well, Vennington. Just doing my job, there's not much for a guard here. Goblin bands rarely come so near the forest with the risk of riding Elves taking heads. It's rougher out west in Hyll, where being close to the badlands of the desert gives you rougher weather and more desperate bandits. In any case I wish you well, Lielta of Greennook, and please don't be shy if you need anything. You're better company than most. Just, again, keep that wolf close."

[An Amy]

Lielta pats the wolf on the back of his neck as she smiles once more and then walks into Vennington in full. The town soon surrounds her as she gets within the walls. Frequent glances over her shoulder remind her that the natural world is still within sight. Birds fly around, perching on hand-made trees of stone and wood. The buildings crowd like a forest. The crossing is but sapling in the shadow of this city. The young druidess has to remind herself not to stand and stare in country-girl amazement at the 'big town', but it's hard not to marvel for the first time. Instead she looks forward, deeper into the city, and presses on with the intention of making her way to Matthias General Store. For a map. And more questions. Plus the troubling comments of empty eggs and confused cows.

[Nettlekid]

Vennington a large village but with few tall buildings, and those that are here are mostly made of wood rather than stone. The largest is wide but short and stretches across an entire block, and glancing in it appears to be a central general store with multiple interior exits reaching into a less accessible space in the back. Following Evrel's directions, Lielta realizes this is the Matthias' store. The second most prominent building and the tallest in the village is a thatched building with stables on the outside; Lielta can recognize Fharlanghn's simple holy symbol displayed prominently above its doorway. Connected to the temple of Fharlanghn is a wider but shorter building that she can imagine is a tavern and inn to cater for the frequent travelers who come through the town. Apart from those the other buildings are small and few, houses large enough for one or two people and most being too small to live in comfortably. These tend to be clustered in the corners of the town away from the entry gates, and the alleys between rows are vaguely haphazard. The majority of the space within the center of Vennington apart from what's left for roadways is taken up by open or filled lots, gated and fenced territories containing caravans and stables for pack animals. And along the roads of the town nearby to these lots there are numerous collapsible merchant stalls made from folding lumber and tarps where a few wanderers are trying to pedal their wares well before they reach the big cities.

Making her way to the first large building that had caught her eye, Lielta is greeted with the smell of dry wood and burnt tallow. The middle of the store has racks and shelves of consumable supplies, tins of provisions and flasks of oil. The walls are adorned with sturdy-looking clothing and light armors made from animal hide, Elf-favored weapons like longbows and short swords, and tools like lanterns, ladders, and coils of rope. There are several oaken barrels stacked in the corner, and mounted on the wall behind the counter are a few thin but delicately crafted rods of wood - wands, by the look of it. Also behind of the counter is an uncommonly hirsute middle-aged Half-Elf, pointed ears poking out from a mop of thick black hair that is mirrored on the underside of his face in a mustache and beard. He's carrying a wooden crate from one of the back rooms when you enter, and he sets it on the counter as Lielta enters.
"G'morning to you, little lady!" he calls to you across the room. "Anything you need helping with?"

[An Amy]

"Good day to you," she replies as she makes her way up to the counter making sure that ash is both visible to this hair-prone half-elf and close to her to give the impression that he is well controlled and behaved. Thinking back on the guard's words. "I'm Lielta from Greennook up in the Two Woods and druidess of the Drakestone forest. It's my first time in or around Vennington. As such, I'm looking for a map of the area and was told by a very helpful guard at the gate that this store should be my first stop to check."

[Nettlekid]

"Well you were told rightly!" he says with a smile. "We get a lot of wanderers, be they travelling merchants or rangers out from Eornal, and the smart ones get a map along with their rations and wagon wheels. Biggest I got marks out the whole continent, if you just need to orient yourself and you have a compass. If you're headed far afield there's one that spans about a hundred miles, but good luck finding any but the biggest roads and towns on it. The twenty-mile map is probably the most popular since it can get you to a couple of smaller towns reliably, and you can often pick up another from there. I've heard of merchants scrapbooking a little atlas of their own out of maps like that. And then there's a ten-mile map that's good for the local area - we manage to update it from time to time to reflect property changes and such. Which of those suits you? The continent map I can give you for five gold pieces, and any of the others are two each."

[An Amy]

"I'd like to see the smaller ones," she states as she moves a little closer but a couple steps making sure to get a read on the man's wariness of Ash. She's more conscious of it since Guard Evrel's comment. Both comments. "What I'm looking for is to get an idea of the surrounding area, in particular, the forests. I've already been told, and know for that matter, that the Eornal woods are probably the denser and greater forests. But something more local would be fine, if one is more local. Even just a small batch of trees..."

[Nettlekid]

"Sounds like the twenty mile map is the one for you then. The further west you go the fewer forests you'll find, any woods that were once growing out there were cut down to make the land arable or to pave the paths. If you're hoping to stay close to the trees I'd recommend heading due south from here, off the main roads. There are some groves there, so I'm told, and same for the southwest way further south than the desert. But those will be across the plains,
and there's very little tree cover on those open roads."
Matthias seems to have noticed Ash and is keeping half an eye on the wolf, but isn't so spooked as to make any obvious action. There are some other customers in the store however, and they're nervously keeping far from you and against the walls.

[An Amy]

"I'd like to see it then," she says as she moves up to the counter in full with a smile while glancing around still as if being distracted.

"Ash, down please while I check out these maps," she tells to Sniffs at Ashes while attempting to get her wolf to lay down at her feet. She does this to demonstrate her control or, rather, the wolf's non-threatening demeanor. She doesn't want to necessarily appear to dominate her companion. He's a wolf and fully capable of doing what he wants. He just... heeds her words. Mostly. Though within a town or village, he should know that other people can be put at ease by him at least implying obedience.

Looking at the map, she's going to chose the one that shows a decent amount of forest and good relative distances in the surrounding area. If the Two Woods are found on the map, she just might stare for longer and marvel at the distance she's traveled. Though, she feels she's gone further than twenty miles. She expected Eornal to be the closest by far given that she could still see it as she appraoched. But smaller beyond the hills could have been out of sight and yet closer. Maybe... the closest to the town, the better. And she would want to know about this deforestation taking place. Were any circles consulted? Or did the realm of builders just assume ownership of the lands and remove swaths of homes for hundreds if not thousands of creatures with no more thought than joy for a prosperous future of their own design. She pushes away the thoughts.

"While we're to looking," she begins as well, "I've heard some news of bitter wheats, empty eggs and confused cows. Thought I might make myself useful in the area. Know anything about these."

[Nettlekid]

Matthias brings out a few scrolls of different sizes, and unrolls the one containing a decently detailed map of the roads and natural features in the surrounding 20 miles. There are a few dots marking out some farmsteads with different-colored patches of land marking owned property, and further out are similar markings with a few named towns. As Matthias said Lielta can see a few patches of green to the south marking forests, and a blue patch of a lake to the southwest. Two Woods is not on the map, Lielta's traveled the better part of a hundred miles in her time walking so far.

Matthias looks to you when you bring up what the guard told you. "I don't know much, but it would explain why some of our stock is so low. If the farmers are having trouble, you'd want to be talking to them out on the farmsteads.
I couldn't tell you much. I've got my plate full, I've got a baby on the way and frankly whatever's happening on the farms is the least of my concern. Though I suppose if food gets scarcer it'll bite me and my business in the end."

[An Amy]

The first of the things she seeks on the map is any wooded area within a short walking distance of the city. A place where she can stay and then go to the city in the day and return to in the evening. A place to hang her hammock, forage for food and various other things. A river would be splendid. Truly, Lielta wants to avoid staying in inns when not necessary as she prefers more natural surroundings. But if nothing else...

"That should do nicely," Lielta comments pleasantly as she moves to retrieve two gold from the purse just inside her tunic above her belt. She only keeps ten or so there, noting that she has now ten remaining along with five silver. The rest remain in her pack. She places the two coins atop the needed map before returning her small purse back to its place. The fear of thieves was well-dug into her mind. Other cities outside the Two Woods are just teaming with would-be cut-purses just waiting for an easy mark. A young, dainty looking naturalist such as herself should pose too tempting a target. Or so she was told over and over. Honestly... she's met nothing but nice people. "And thanks for the information. I'm merely here to... ha, listen to the sound of that. Merely. As if my entire travel south from the Two Woods and my stay here in Vennington can be reduced to just one merely. No, I came here to learn and explore and just to know the greater world in general. If the greater world has need to someone explaining empty eggs, then... maybe. Uh, maybe you can tell me who actually raises livestock? Of these homesteads, I mean."

[Nettlekid]

Lielta can see that the forest to the south is roughly eight miles away, and the lake is about fifteen. There does seem to be a river only two miles south that feeds into that lake though.

Matthias gratefully takes the gold and gives you the rolled up map.
"Let's see, farmers? Well, the homesteads around the village belong to three families, mainly. The Thurbane family are crop farmers a little to the north of the city, and they have a few sows, goats, and beasts of burden. The Ghirange estate, that's to the northwest, they're dairy farmers with many coops and a few cattle, selling mainly eggs and cheese. And then there's the Dunweigh family, who own the largest plot of land in the southwest with a large herd of cattle raised partly for milk but mostly for meat. The Ghiranges and the Dunweighs try to keep out of each others business since they don't want to step on each others' toes. Part of the reason the Dunweigh farm is so large is that they took over the Einwith farm after the eldest Einwith son sold it to go south to Amaranth. It broke his father's heart, but as a businessman I can tell you he made a good deal on it. The Einwith farm was losing money and he sold it for enough to keep his parents taken care of before they passed, and the Dunweighs make good use of the land for grazing."

[An Amy]

She takes the rolled up map and pulls her pack around to stow it or fasten it somehow for carrying.

"Thanks. I'll keep those names in mind. You've been of great help. Now, I'll be on my way. Your customers have been wary of Ash, my companion here, ever since I walked in. A good day to you, sir."

With a farewell, Lielta departs the establishment and looks about the city once more as she steps from the good shop. Marveling briefly at how she cannot see clear outside the city... well except through the gate. The gate that's in a wall that goes around the entire place. By the stones, what a sight. And to know that larger, Amaranth for example, is still even more unfathomable. Next on her list is to perhaps visit that Tarrik Olbrand, the hunter or, rather, the only one that could be called a hunter living in the town.

[Nettlekid]

Following the guard Evrel's directions from the store, Lielta passes by the various merchant stalls and into the cluster of small buildings in one of the corners of the city. The wooden shacks are packed together tightly, with very narrow spaces separating them to form an oddly haphazard grid of thin streets. It's not easy to find the specific building Evrel directed you to, and you're not certain you DID, though on the frame of the door there are nicks of wood taken out as though by a weapon and Lielta's skill at tracking notices traces of very old, dried blood encrusting the underside of the foundation, as though it seeped in and wasn't washed away fully. The windows have curtains drawn, but there don't seem to be lights on within. There's no way to announce her presence besides calling out or knocking.

[An Amy]

Lielta knocks a few times and merely listens for any sounds of someone moving on the inside. She doesn't fully expect the man to be there. If he's a hunter, he's out hunting more than likely. It does seem he does... his own butchering, probably skinning and downs as well, right here at his house. At least from the sight of the blood. She assumes that's what the dried blood represents. Something bled out a lot... well... or a lot of somethings. If he brought in something dead to the city, then the blood may very well have drained out almost fully. Leaving a little to further spill once he butchered an animal.

She only hopes that the man honorably performs his hunts and doesn't do so out of the sense of sport that some seem to take to. The idea of hunting foxes with hounds as a pastime? Oh, she couldn't stand the thought when she first heard it and can't stand the thought still. But, people are... far different. Their reverence for each other, let alone the creatures and plants of the wilderness, is sometimes low. How can one expect them to...

She knocks again and waits. Quieting her mind.

[roll0]

[Nettlekid]

Lielta is left waiting for several minutes, trying to hear if there is movement within the house. There does not seem to be. Focusing all her attention into listening to the door, a booming voice behind her makes her jump.
"Well! I hear from the guard there's a doe-eyed lass callin' after me, an' here she is breakin' down m'door. Out of the way, whelp, I have business to attend to 'fore I c'n deal with ye."
Clomping from behind you is a large man, stout as a Dwarf but a foot taller, made all the wider by his baggage. He has shaggy black hair streaked with silver, and a matching mustache and beard. His body is muscular, his ungloved hands are calloused, and his face looks like leather. His right eye is a deep green but the other is white and milky, a strike of three scars that Lielta can guess is from a bear's paw traced across it. The right side of his mouth is also scarred with something less distinct, healed and re-healed but still scarred. On his back he carries a medium-sized deer slung across his shoulders, and a large satchel roped around his midsection from which comes a strong odor. The deer's eyes are glassy, and a slight dripping of blood draws the eye to the animal's abdomen which has been cut through entirely, then bound to close it.

Tarrik bears the weight of the animal not gracefully but also not without great burden. If Lielta moves he stomps up the stairs, and if not he pushes her out of the way to do the same. He fumbles in one of his pouches for an iron key and unlocks the door, kicking it open and plodding inside. He leaves it open, but it's unclear if this is an invitation or just him letting the place air out. There's a thud of him setting the deer onto the floor, and he retrieves a large dagger, dull in color but sharp in blade, from a mounted place on the wall.

[An Amy]

Lielta does get out of the way as the large man hauls a still-fresh animal across his back. She understands by the scene from within the home as the door opens that the man does, in fact, do all his work here. From skins and bones and blood all about, the carcasses seems to be fully cleaned. Hopefully fully utilized with no waste or otherwise remains returned to the ground. She wouldn't be surprised at all if large amounts of life prospered just beneath the man's floorboards. Flies are ever present. Especially around human civilizations where the fly's predators aren't welcome either.

"I've just arrived in Vennington," the 'doe-eyed' druidess says from the door without entering. She hasn't been properly invited. "I'm Lielta, from Greennook up in the Two Woods. A druidess of the Drakestone woods. I'm staying here for... that is, in and around Vennington, for an... undetermined amount of time for now. I wanted to meet some of the local hunters and get an idea of where you normally hunt. So as to be aware. I'll probably find a place outside the city to call a home for a bit. I didn't want to get in anyone's way."

She doesn't want to start judging people. Her first reactions are to tell him that any waste remains of his should be returned to the earth and its children in an appropriate and timely fashion. Not just slopped into a bin for the feed of other en-cattled scavengers.

[Nettlekid]

I'd prefer that you didn't take description of the setting into your own hands, telling me that there are skins and bones and blood all over the place and it's thick with flies. I didn't say any of that, and if you want to get a sense of your surroundings then you can make Perception checks or otherwise ask me what you see, asking specific questions about what you might expect to see. I know some games run with a mutual storytelling kind of thing,
but I'm more comfortable with the notion of the player controlling their character in its entirety and the DM controlling the setting and world in their entirety. You can ask me "Do I see waste and refuse from past kills around the cabin? Bones in the corner and blood splattered on the walls, things like that?" and I would tell you that "You do see a large number of animal skins around the cabin, some hanging on a rack on the wall and many more dried and stacked. However there's considerably less gore than you might expect considering the animal you see him carrying; the floor is clean, and although there's a strong pungent smell hanging in the air it's not exactly one of decay. There are bones but not scattered in the corner - he has several woven baskets filled with small bones of dozens of animals, each basket's contents belonging to a different species." That's why you have skill ranks.

"Well you're too late for that," Tarrik growls, sitting down next to his kill. He unravels the binding wrapped around its abdomen and there's a fresh foul smell. Lielta can see that the reason for the deep cut and the binding is that the entrails have already been removed. She can imagine that several organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver are in the satchel Tarrik carried at his waist and now hung from a hook on the side, but by the smell of that bag some of the more grisly parts aren't present. It's possible he did some preliminary cleaning in the woods, leaving the entrails wherever he made the kill, along with most of the blood from the deer's body.
"And you expect a hunter t' share 'is grounds? I stalked the woods before you were born. Pay for the privilege in years. If there's naught you're here to do for me, then hop along."

[An Amy]

I apologize. The fluff writer in me fills the white space too often especially in solo games.

"I was hoping more to avoid your hunting areas," she explains. A little set back by the hostility but not too surprised. Not everyone is going to be as receptive as those she's already encountered. Forgoing any further philosophies on people and animals in her mind, she continues. "I'd rather not disturb whatever balance there is. Just looking for a small place to forage on my own as a courtesy. But if such a gesture is not necessary, I'll just find what I can and go from there."

This interaction gave her the impression he didn't want to be bothered any further with conversation. The open door not a gesture or invitation for further discussion but perhaps just a way to keep the smell from gathering. She glances about briefly to see if the other structures are indeed set apart from this one in a similar fashion as residences are from tanners.

"I am looking to be of use while I'm here. If you've something with which I can help, I'd love to hear it."

[Nettlekid]

The houses on this row are packed together pretty tightly, with only a narrow alley about a usual person's shoulder-width separating each.

"You won't find my hunting grounds." Tarrik still doesn't look at Lielta, but is smoothly and expertly running his razor-sharp knife between the meat and skin of the deer and then peeling the hide away from the flesh.
"But you know..." he says ponderously, pausing a moment. "There actually may be somethin' you can do for me. If you're a bold and brave girl, strong enough t' take the job. I've been looking for somethin' rare, somethin' I've only heard tell of and never witnessed in person. I've sought and sought but it's eluded me for years. But you might be able to find it for me."
He pauses again, returning to cutting the hide.
"It's called 'silence.' Y' think y' can run along and find me some silence? Run fast and far, and don't come back 'till y' find it so I can keep it 'till the day I die."

[An Amy]

Lielta listens intently right into his rather insulting request with expressions of interest up until she understands what he's saying. She purses her lips together but pushes a smile through them as she nods.

"Oh, just found some for you," she says while pushing a smile through an otherwise avoiding expression. She steps back and briefly mimes placing something at his door before turning and turning way with nothing more to say.

Well, no, not everyone is going to be nice. Nothing to do about it though. He's a right to turn people away and want his peace. Even while rude or at least... what's the phrase, rough around the edges. She moves out of sight of his house making sure that Ash follows closely and that she avoids others that are wary of having a wolf around. She might just need to leave him outside the city for the time being, but she's fearful of him being shot by... well, someone like Tarrik.

Once she is far enough away, she stops and sits down somewhere not in the way of others and retrieves the map she purchased. She wants to both do something useful for someone and the same time find a place for the evening that isn't going to stay away for too long. She looks about at the sky and sniffs at the air to confirm her prediction earlier that morning of what the weather is going to be like. Then she looks for the nearest crop of trees indicated by the map an the farms that she might see on the way there or those that are nearby. Who those farms are. Hopefully she'd be by the Ghirange estate and it's chickens who might be able to say something about empty eggs. She is guessing... but she does remember something said about things to the south for small crops of wooded areas and not to the northwest nearest the dairy farmer.

Survival to predict weather w/ above ground synergy [roll0]
For food and foraging, she can support herself and other people. Would her animal companion need her to roll a survival or can he hunt on his own? (at the risk of him being spotted and treated as 'just another wolf', obviously)

[Nettlekid]

You can forage for food in the wild for yourself just fine and you can feed Ash with the same check,
or let Ash hunt on his own which would not require a check either.

Lielta can tell by the soft afternoon wind that the weather tomorrow will be the same as today, bright and sunny and warm bordering on hot. It won't rain, although the land looks like it could use it.

Examining the map, Lielta can see a forest almost directly south and what looks like a lake a little to the southwest, between the forest and where she thinks the Dunweigh farm's grazing lands ought to be. There's one river running either to or from that lake, a line running west of Vennington and following a southeast line to finish in that lake to the south. It's probably that river which keeps the southwestern fields irrigated. The Ghirange farm to the northwest on the other hand is further west but otherwise closer to Two Woods, backtracking on her path a little. But being as far west as it is, the woods are sparse. It's not likely she'd be able to find a proper forest surrounding that region.

[An Amy]

To the south it is then. She wants to find a way to set up something to stay in. Just to be in and around the town for a period of time. Learn of its people and their ways. Help them if she can. Then onward further in her travels. But for now, to the southern gate of the town. When she reaches, she'll stop and ask a question of one of the guards. Hoping they are as useful as Evrel had been earlier and that they're find enough with Ash as long as he remains close.

"Hello, sorry to bother," she asks of a guard as she shows one of them her map. "Can you help me with a question about the land around here?"

Should they be receptive of her request, she holds the map up and points to the forest and lake area to the south. "Are these, this forest and lake, on anyone's land in particular? Such as the Dunweigh family? Would you also happen to know if Tarrik Olbrand hunts in those woods?"

Is there a gate leading south? Don't want to assume, but I did so for the sake of time. If there's no southern gate she heads back to the northern one and will approach Evrel specifically if he's still there.
And I must have previewed my post before submitting, which messed up the roll. Should I make another? She can only fail the check if she rolls a 1 anyway.

[Nettlekid]

There is, these walled trading towns have gates at each of the four cardinal directions. And no, I rolled for you since the dice roller messed up, and yeah you passed.

The guard, another Half-Elf, looks to Lielta as she nears the gate to exit. He seems less nervous about the wolf than Evrel had been, presumably because Lielta looks like she plans to leave rather than gain entry.
"Let's see here...hmm, well that's Lake Caelynn, it's a fair shade bigger in person than it looks on the map there. I don't know that anyone owns the land proper, but there is a travelers' respite built on the south shore. Traffic on the river, gondoliers and such, make use of it. The fishing's good, that's for sure. The forests a little to the west though no,
I don't think anyone's laid claim to that land. As for Tarrik, the hunter? Sorry, I couldn't tell you where he goes. He comes through this gate on occasion so it's possible he goes south, but not often. He may be on the road now, if you're looking for him?"

[An Amy]

"Oh, no, looking to avoid," she explains with a smile. One driven half as a coping mechanism. "Thank you for the information!"

After that she depart the town of Vennington, having only arrived just earlier. She sets her path toward the forested area with the intention of searching through the woods for a nice place hidden from the view of both the river and the lake but close enough to either for a source of water.

[Nettlekid]

Keeping a brisk pace, Lielta's travel takes her first along a paved road that's frequented by travelers and then splitting off onto a packed earth path that seems less traveled. It takes her the better part of the afternoon, and the sun is barely in the sky when she can see the treetops peeking over the next hill. These are tall and sturdy evergreens, not deciduous trees like most of Eornal but vaguely reminiscent of the Tall Wood save for being shorter than those redwoods. In the direction of the setting sun Lielta can see the reflection of the sun on the river that winds toward the northwest, but the large lake is still out of sight.

[An Amy]

Lielta will settle somewhere she can find relative safety. She has a hammock to tie up between two trees or two branches of the same tree. Evergreens usually have frequent branches; so it shouldn't be a problem to climb them a little ways and set up her camp. She will forage for the evening. For the water, she determines the direction it is flowing. If it is from the city, she will gather some into her flash and purify it with a spell along with any food she gathers. She's not trusting the area just yet, knowing how the presence of people can affect the land.

She'll also be on the lookout for the signs of hunting. Scattered or broken arrows, knicks in trees unnatural for any creature, campfire evidence, platforms in trees and anything else she can think of.


Survival [roll0]
Perception [roll1]

[Nettlekid]

Lielta has no trouble setting up a camp in the trees. The water in the river, which is a fair ways from the edge of the forest but still in visual range, is indeed flowing from the northwest to the southeast, so it doesn't pass through Vennington but would be coming through the farmlands.

Looking around herself she sees no evidence of humanoid interaction with the forest, everything here seems like a solidly natural setting.

[An Amy]

Lielta forages food for her and Ash and sets up her hammock just enough off the ground so as to not be trampled on by larger animals. She's not one for climbing, after all. Then she sleeps through the night.

[Nettlekid]

Lielta manages to collect enough food for herself and traps a large hare that serves well for Ash. With the wolf sated, Lielta sleeps solidly though the night, without the slightest sound in the forest to disturb her slumber.

It's still early in the morning when she awakens, a slight mist on the ground below her as the treetops cover the ground from the morning sun. As she packs up her night's supplies, she notices a glint on the ground beneath where she was sleeping. It's her own fishhook, the one that had been in her backpack, resting on top of the pine needles on the ground.

[An Amy]

Was the night soundless or just she was not disturbed? And are there sounds of morning?
Prepost Perception check her surroundings. A take-20 for her belongings and pack.
Perception [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

It was in fact soundless. She does hear birds and beasts in the morning though.

[An Amy]

The soundless night bothers her. The next morning, after sleeping so well, she's glad to hear the morning sounds of birds and such. Her own presence in the woods could cause some creatures to quieten, but not from everywhere within listening distance. She searches her pack after finding out her fishing hook was somehow on the ground. She calls out to Ash...

She focuses her attention on Ash, utilizing her ability to occasionally speak with him. For a couple minutes at least.

"Sniffs ashes," she addresses him. "What do you think about how strange last night was? No sounds."

Using speak with animals SLA 1 of 3.

[Nettlekid]

Everything in Lielta's pack seems as normal, somewhat jostled from her journey but all accounted for. However, when she takes stock of everything she has before packing up, she notices that her longbow is unstrung. The ends are splayed out without the tension of the bowstring to pull them tight.

Ash licks his chops and yawns, looking to Lielta as she uses her magic. He gives a whine, but Lielta can understand the meaning of words behind it.
"No sounds, no smells. None new, anyway. No night hunting, bad, but not being night hunted, good. Bear lives near, not coming is good."

[An Amy]

Is the bow otherwise usable. Being a hunter herself, she may know to unstring her bow when it isn't in use to preserve it's form. I guess she didn't last night then? She may not find it odd that her bow is unstrung if she does it often enough. But the ends being splayed out? Was it damaged?

[Nettlekid]

The bowstring is gone, so as it is it's unusable and you'd need to get a new string (not a new bow or anything like that.) The "splayed out" is just describing how a bow goes straight when it's not pulled tightly back by the string. I didn't know you unstrung your bow when it wasn't in use (considering no D&D character has stopped to string their bow at the start of a surprise combat) so I was treating it as having its string in. If not, then the string is gone when you go to string it again.

[An Amy]

No one goes to the restroom in D&D games either. Just been reading fantasy novels lately and all the archers string and unstring their bows frequently. One uses it as a quarterstaff when not strung.
I could imagine using it as a fishing pole as well. Not with the bowstring, mind you. I'll make note to unstring her bow during the night and pack away her bowstring as to keep it from getting damp even after applying wax.
I'll go with she didn't unstring her bow bring in an unfamiliar wood. She'll take a 20 on the perception check (29) for the surroundings to find her bowstring.
Going to redo the survival roll to find food for this day [roll0]

"No night sounds is strange indeed. We may have to stay up a little later tonight to find out. Does this area feel right to you this morning, though?"

She searches the surrounding area for her bowstring like how her fishhook was on the ground as well. She knits her bows and purses her lips as she searches. Regardless of the search, she packs up her hammock and rope then finds a place to sit and meditate to replenish the magic granted to her by the land.

[Nettlekid]

Lielta searches her campsite thoroughly but finds no trace of her bowstring. She can feel reasonably certain that it's nowhere to be found.

Ash sniffs at the ground. "Feels good, not bad. Is good, not people, just animals. Feels hungry, morning hunting. Last day man with deer smelled good, sweet. Soft meat and liver, hot after chase." He licks his chops loudly.

In the calm of the forest Lielta meditates on the surrounding nature, finding magical inspiration from the natural setting. It is still early morning and she has the full day to her purposes.

[An Amy]

Lielta finishes the morning's necessities of making herself as presentable to people as could be expected. She's going to need to find a way to gather water for bathing or a private place somehow to do so, but she'll consider that for later. Morning food down, she begins to head to... say, the nearest of the farms that might have had an issue mentioned to her earlier. If the wooded area is to be her home for a little bit, or a longer bit depending, she wants to also know her neighbors some. Wait...

She stops and looks around. "Did they take my strings?" she ponders aloud. Bow string. Fishing line. Well, she has other threads. Shoe laces, and various other things that tie up clothing and pack alike. Rope. So not all her strings. Strings that are used to hunt. Well, hunt and fish. To facilitate killing something. Well she only has the bow for protection and hunting for her and Ash. She cannot change her form and run around like a fellow wolf with her companion. And there is still the natural order of prey and predator in which she is a predator. She certainly doesn't hunt for sport or trophy. But she can imagine some pixie taking offense to tools of hunting and fishing, as silly as it seems. Pixies! Ha. She laughs out loud. Sure, they exist, but... well... not around the Two Woods. But she isn't around the Two Woods anymore. Maybe there are fey in the woods around her. Or she's just being silly.

Being without her bow, she'll make sure to stop by the town before heading north to some of the other farms. The one around her is the Dunweigh. Perhaps they have the issue with wandering cattle. And might know about any pixies. She begins her walk to the Dunweigh farm.