Spirit River Ranch is just outside of the main wall of Gamma city. It's not as sprawling as one might expect from the name, and 'spirit river' is more like a pathetic meandering creek. Laying or milling about in the pre-dawn half-light there are a variety of small farm animals and a several larger livestock, chiefly Bull Pigs and Judas Goats. Two humanoid silhouettes are easy to spy from the approach, the slight rancher and the unmistakable hero Iceman, who is twice as wide as the older man even without his armor donned.

Leyna shows up to the 'ranch' with a long staff that she uses as a walking stick in one hand and a shield in the other hand. From outward appearances, she is otherwise unarmed and unarmored. She does carry a backpack on her back, which presumably carries her waterskin and other personal effects.

She has platinum hair that has been pulled into a long, sleek ponytail for this occasion. Her clothes are dark and those of a traveler, including a black hooded cape cloak. She appears to be a young adult (although it can often be hard to tell with elves) perhaps in her mid 20s.

She greets the two men with a nod. "Mr. Frugal, my name is Leyna and I understand you are looking to take on a handful of Guild novices to accompany you on an important quest. I would like to take the opportunity to gain valuable experience from one of the best."

Leyna is haughty and not prone to being obsequious, which probably shows. This is as much flattery as she can manage this early in the morning. Should she kneel? No, he is not the king. And, even if he were, she would not wish to.

She eyes the Bull Pigs and Judas Goats, studying them privately and taking mental notes to write down later.

Not long after Leyna shows up, Alonder arrives at the Ranch. There is a faint sign of recognition when he sees Leyna, having spotted her at the Honking Swan the day before.

"Greetings. I'm Alonder. I'm here for the quest?"

There is hesitation in his voice, unsure if he is missing some key part of the etiquette. He is normally more confident, but knowing that Iceman is probably judging the applicants as they come is somewhat unnerving.

Urvan, the unwashed fur clad man from the other day eventually joined those already gathered at the ranch.

He seemed resigned to the work and not particularly eager as he walked along, rhinoceros in tow, to stop near to the group with an appraising look at the four.

"Morning" he greeted them gruffly and shooed a judas goat away with his foot as he pulled a small yellowish red apple from his back and bit into it without relish, the juice dripped from his beard as he chewed noisily and glanced about.

Becca also made her way to the ranch, while it may not have been her first choice for a first quest, she knew you had to start somewhere. The human woman with red hair had her sword and shield on her back and her pieced armor on her body. She was enjoying the fresh air, and as such stayed away from the dirty man with the rhinoceros. "Well met on this fine day friends. Looks like most of us at the Swan last night had the same idea."

Valgard ambled up to the small group that had begun to form. "I see we think alike too," he said with a deep gravelly voice as he gave the red-haired human woman a friendly smile. He nodded to the others that were there as well, "I take it we're all here for the same purpose. I'm Valgard of clan Bouldershoulder."

Ralden took another deep swig from the mug he carried as he approached the small ranch. Even if his instructions to the place had been wrong it would be impossible to miss the large gathering of armed individuals that loitered at the entrance. Once he was close to the crowd he polished off his beverage before he discarded the mug. He straightened himself up and tried to look professional for his guild debut.

"Morning everyone. I assume we are all here for the posted quest? I'm ready to help the mighty Snowman." He declared sarcastically as he threw up his hand with mock enthusiasm.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Wed 19 Apr 2023.

The hero known as Iceman notices the group as they assemble. They make their introductions, and he sizes them up silently each in turn. When he speaks, his voice is surprisingly mismatched with his appearance. He sounds like a very young man despite the weathered skin and stern demeanor and his words carry a slight accent that is foreign to Maret. "Welcome, Hirelings, I'm pleased that you are punctual."

What might have been an approving smile at that, however, dissolves immediately with his next admonishment. "But if I hear any of you disrespect a Hero of the Guild by using any name other than either their officially given name or any other name that they expressly approve, you will not work with me." And he cracks his knuckles to emphasize his point as his eyes linger Leyna on Ralden.

"Our adventure is one of exploration and information gathering. We shall row a [Language unknown: Erarut] east around Dagger Shoals for a day toward World's End. We will disembark on the north shore of this land and explore inland southward. We are looking for signs of the cause of the unnaturally hostile weather there. You may have heard many rumors in town over the years, you may have theories of your own, but we are in search of proof." The warrior stops pacing and looks to the novices to ensure they understand.

Meanwhile, the rancher has wrangled a strong-looking Judas Goat and presses the reins into Icaman's hand. When the veteran continues, his tone is slightly less severe. "If anyone wants out, feel free to walk away now. If anyone has any questions, you may speak your mind now one at a time."

OOC: Feel free to barrage the DM with questions if you wish; the "one at a time" bit is for flavor only. Iceman will address all questions for as long as it takes IRL, but please let me know when you've asked your last.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Wed 19 Apr 2023.

It's unclear if Leyna is looking distastefully upon the others, or if she just has Resting Elf Face.

Either she is considering the rhinoceros warily, or she is studying it with the eye of a naturalist.

The others seemed unnaturally friendly for this hour of the morning. Leyna pulls her cloak around her to ward away the pre-dawn chill.

Ralden casually discards a mug. Is that a local custom? she wonders, inscribing it in her memory to record in her notes later.

Edit: Got ninja'd
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Wed 19 Apr 2023.

At the prompt for questions, Alonder raises his hand, accustomed to the proceedings at the gatherings in his village. Catching himself and somewhat embarrassed by the involuntary gesture, he quickly lets his arm fall back to his side and asks:

"Do you have any ideas as to... Ah, I understood that we are gonna look for facts, but I was wondering if there are any leads that we are supposed to start looking into first? What would these signs of the weather changing look like?"

Ralden started to respond to the hero's reprimand with more sarcasm but he had enough common sense to stop himself. Instead he sighed and threw up his hands in defeat. "Fair enough," he said and hoped that would satisfy the seasoned guild member.

Fortunately for the warden the topic of conversation soon switched to the mission. Ralden stroked his chin as he listened to the story. Another recruit had already asked his biggest question but he had a few more to add. "What exactly has been reported as hostile weather? Is it just a localized thunderstorm? Tornados? Blizzards? What should we expect?"

Urvan finished the small apple and passed the core to the Judas goat he had recently nudged away. While he idly scratched the creatures head he asked. "How long do you plan to be out?"

Iceman nods at each question in turn. "Hostile weather is really putting it mildly since what we're talking about is a storm of freezing wind and angry lightning that comes and goes seemingly at random and stretches for miles in all directions. As you may know, ships do not sail south because of these storms. The coastal floor is littered with fools that didn't heed warnings, and if any have made the journey successfully they certainly have not made it back."

Urvan's manner elicits a quick smirk before the hero covers it up again. "We'll be out no longer than needed, but there's really no guarantee how long such an adventure lasts. I've packed enough provisions to last about two weeks even with Einarr here, just in case."

Urvan nodded a few times in acknowledgement as the rhinoceros jealously forced the goat away from Urvan and huffed. It nudged the nomad with its lips until he too was warded away by Urvan's elbow into the crook of its jaw.

Urvan looked around wordlessly, ad if wondering if there were anymore coming, or if they should get on the road.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:29, Wed 19 Apr 2023.

Leyna frowns. She was being polite, at least by her standards. But she also has to admit that she doesn't always speak skillfully. Her tone or body language often makes it seem like she was being more conceited that she actually is. Or, maybe she really is that arrogant and her self-image is inaccurate.

"Are we expecting hostilities?" she asks. "Are there local flora and fauna that pose a threat?" This is asked in a tone that conveys perhaps more excitement than might be prudent.

Alonder nods automatically as Iceman speak, barely noticing that his own question wasn't answered. Oh well, the hero HAS to answer it at some point anyway, and he is a patient man.

He doesn't seem keen to voicing anymore inquiries.

It certainly didn't look like any others would be joining the expedition this morning. Iceman himself didn't seem to be in any particular hurry, though his manner seems always to be efficient as he continued to field questions.

"The region is beyond the frontier of civilization, though there was a settlement there back when Maret was first started. It was eventually lost along with all of the other colonies, save Gamma. So now it's all wilderness and danger... and opportunity." The last words spark both a twinkle in his eye and a slightly mournful frown.

"Nobody knows exactly what's there now, but the most recent accounts include primarily beasts, spirits, and giants. And that's the reason we're going to find out. A long-lived hero should always expect hostilities in a place like that so we'll have to be ready for anything."

"So it would seem. This seems to be the best way to start off with the guild, in my opinion anyway." Becca responded to Valgard. She was quietly listening to Iceman as she didn't have any questions the others of the group hadn't already asked. "I am Rebecca, though some in the guild call me Harm. Like the rest of you, save for Iceman, I am a novice of the Heroes Guild. Why I am here is not really something I like to talk about save for I tried to run a business and was run out of town by competitors. Joining the guild seemed the best way to survive."

"Harm" Urvan nodded and jerked his head towards the animal at his die. "Gron here can carry some of your things if you like." Urvan extended the offer to the others with a look as he continued to fend off the affectionate, or perhaps just hungry, rhinoceros.

The animal did have very crude saddle bags, just a pair of broad sacks balanced with a simple harness of thick rope that practically disappeared into the shaggy fur.

"If it's delicate though, I would keep it with you." He warned, without elaboration.

As they waited for Iceman to begin their expedition in earnest, Urvan casually inspected the back half of the arrows in the flap covered quiver at his waist, where he fluffed up some of the fletching and adjusted some of the fur padding within that kept them from rattling.

Leyna nods her understanding, perhaps looking slightly less enthusiastic than the moment before.

She has a shield but no armor beyond her clothes for the cold. Her hiking stick could function as a staff, but she carries it more like it's really for walking.

"Leyna," she says by way of introduction, although she doesn't elaborate beyond that. "A pleasure," she manages to add with great effort.

Being away from civilization for two weeks sounds dreadful, but at least there's a per diem and a chance for loot. She keeps her backpack on, either because the contents are delicate or because she's concerned about Gron running off with her possessions.

Ralden had nodded along as the dangers of the mission were explained. "Oh, good to know this land has giants and spirits too," he said with a smirk. The rest of the mission seemed fairly routine. Endure the weather, the monsters, find the information.

He did a mental checklist of his own supplies. "If we're expected to be out there two weeks I might need to buy some extra rations. I only have enough for a week." The warden had no desire to die to starvation after coming this far.

When it seemed others were introducing himself he scratched his chin. No doubt some level of conversation would be necessary if they planned to spend several weeks together. "I'm Ralden. Just recently arrived from the Old Empire."

Iceman nods, pleased that the question and answer session is complete. "Right. So I'll be outfitting Einarr for a short while longer. You all will have a little time to stop in town and pick up any last minute supplies for the journey. We will convene at Jade Harbor in North Gamma District where we will load up the [Language unknown: Entnceest] and embark. If the waves are favorable, we should reach the far shore before dark." With those instructions, he turns away from the novices and begins packing Einarr for the journey.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:57, Fri 21 Apr 2023.

The rancher then takes the opportunity to speak, "If any of you would also like to rent or purchase a mount or beast of burden, please remember that Spirit River Ranch has the best around. And tell your friends, as well. I can give you a referral discount!"

OOC: Once again, fast-forwarding to allow some shopping if the PCs wish. Feel free to continue fielding questions, Iceman will answer them IC at some point. When you do finally embark, we'll start doing overland travel and hexploration stuff.

At Iceman's final words, Alonder (who has been introducing himself quietly as people arrived) said:

"I have a cart with nearly two weeks of rations ready at the inn. If someone here can help me carry them, I don't mind donating them to our traveling party"

Leyna puffs out her cheeks and exhales.

"Like Ralden, I only have provisions for a week."

These are heavy enough on her back. She does not cherish the notion of doubling their weight. She is tempted to hire a riding horse, but she is a poor horsewoman.

She turns to Urvan. "When I purchase more, might I impose upon Gron to help bear the load?" She's doing her best to be polite but often it comes across as patronizing.

Once the meeting is complete, she heads back to Gamma to purchase additional provisions before going to Jade Harbor to meet with Iceman.

"I can go with you." Urvan suggests to Alonder. "And Gron can carry food enough for the three of us. I have no coin to spend, so I may as well stay busy." he patted the rhinoceros for emphasis and gestured towards town as a way of indicating that he was ready to go right away.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:15, Fri 21 Apr 2023.

Becca stood there awkwardly as the others talked about provisions and supplies. Everything she owned was on her already. So she didn't even bother going back to the inn. Instead she went directly to Jade Harbor to meet up with Iceman and wait to board the ship that would take them to their destination. 'Who needs to eat anyway? I'll figure out some way to get by.'

As Rebecca started walking towards the Jade Harbor, Valgard followed behind her, "Mind if I join you? I've got nothing else to buy...or more correctly, nothing to buy it with."

As the others echoed his need for supplies Ralden nodded his head in approval, glad he had spoken up. The rancher's request was considered but ultimately the warden decided to pass on the offer, afraid he'd lose the beast in a fight and be out more money than he planned to make.

So instead he followed the others to the general store for a quick shopping trip before he headed to the harbor.

Rebecca smiled at the Dwarf and nodded her head. "I'd be glad of your company, Valgard. It seems we're going to be traveling together for a while yet. So I think we should get to know each other better, don't you?" Rebecca was genuinely curious as to Valgard's opinion on the matter. Normally she didn't really get on with someone so quickly, but these weren't really normal circumstances. And she was no longer in her homeland, so being treated like an outcast or worse was not something she should expect anymore.

When the group finds their way to the harbor they are greeted by the fresh sea air that so seldom finds its way through the industrial center of Gamma. There are several ships moored at the docks but only one that matches the description of the [Language unknown: Micapa] that Icaman spoke of. It's quite a fine looking ship, adequate for travel with small groups and still with enough room for either a few animals or lots of loot. Painted lovingly in a firm script are white-silver letters indicating the name Second Kelpie.

There is nobody on board yet as Iceman and Einarr are still on their way. Fishermen in boats both grand and humble are setting about in the morning light, while stevedores amble deliberately to and fro with goods of similar scale. Everyone is preparing for their daily adventures. A cool morning fog persists, limiting visibility on what might have otherwise been a perfect morning.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:50, Sat 22 Apr 2023.

Urvan and shaggy companion made good time once they had made it to the more rocky and sandy coastline, where there was less vegetarian to temp the hungry beast.

The sea breeze rugged at the nomads unwashed cornsilk hair and Urvan narrowed his eyes as he stared out at the banks of fog, his foot steps kicking up little sprays of coarse sand as he made his way towards the harbor.

A few sea birds scattered in their wake as the pair stopped near the base of the dock, where Gron sniffed and rejected a clump of seaweed that buzzed with small insects.

Since the both of them had gone together back to the town to load Gron with the rations that Alonder had brought from his hometown, the former farmer had joined beast and master on their way to the harbor.

"Is Gron used to traveling by ship? Perhaps we should ask if there is a cage for him. Or worst case scenario, I have some rope to secure him if you need it."

"No...but he can't swim very far, and he knows it." Urvan shrugged and languidly batted some gnats away from his ear. "And he knows that I'll feed him eventually...so he'll come without much trouble. Although he might complain a little." he side eyed the large, primitive looking creature.

"He'll probably piss and shit everywhere though, fair warning." the Nomad added offhand in a helpful tone before he stared off into the fog silently for a few moments.

Suddenly he turned back to Alonder. "So why all this? Instead of some safe and steady trade ?" he asked bluntly.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:30, Sat 22 Apr 2023.

Leyna gets to the docks. She looks around with curiosity.

She finds a place to sit - an untended crate, perhaps - removes a writing kit and a journal from her backpack, and begins to write. Her eye drifts here and there, seeming to take in the scene. Her writing patterns suggest that she is taking notes on what she sees. On the bottom of the page emerges a quick sketch of the Second Kelpie.

"One wonders what happened to the First," she says to nobody in particular.

"Oh, I discovered that I have talents for magically healing others. I could not tell you exactly how or why, but I figured that since I have them it would be best to train them properly to help others. I was a farmer at my village. It is a quiet, peaceful place, so becoming a hero seemed to be the best path."

While it didn't sound like he was lying, Alonder's muscles seemed more toned than your usual farmer, even taking into account the most demanding tasks on the field. His tanned skin, his discoloured hair and the roughness of his hands however seemed to be clear indications of his previous profession.

"How about you? Why did you decide to join the Guild?"

"A healer?" Urvan raised a bushy eyebrow and looked Alonder up and down. "Well I'll predict  you'll make a lot of friends in this line of work then." he nodded a few times.

At Alonders own question Urvan scratched at his beard. "Well my Clan had a herd, and a long hard winter, some didn't make it. After that there was a bunch that wanted to give up the life and settle. So they did." He stared out at the fog as he spoke. "And they took most of the stuff with them." He added with a hint of bitterness.

He was silent for a few moments before he went on. "It can be a good life out there, with enough people, but it'll kill a lone man, more often than not. And I'm not so good a hunter that I can make it on meat and hide alone." he admitted without reservation.

More silence.

"Gron was my share of the Clan goods." He suddenly added and affectionately placed a hand on the creatures head.

He left it at that for the moment.

"Elf's here" he gestured to where Leyna was off by herself writing.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Sat 22 Apr 2023.

Alonder turned, noticing Leyna. He waited for her to look their way to wave at her, but she seemed mostly focused on the view and her own notes. "I think I saw Valgard and Rebecca on the ship already, so we are just missing Ralden, Einar and Iceman."

His pack filled to the brim with supplies Ralden occasionally adjusted his pack as he approached the harbor. He sighed in appreciation of the cool mist, unsure of how long the good weather might last. If the senior guild member was to be believed they would see stormy weather or worse soon.

As he passed smaller fisher boats it quickly became clear which ship they intended to use. The design different than the rest along with the gathered adventurers in front of it. "We meet again." He called out as he approached the group. "I see this is our vessel. Anyone know if it will survive a storm? What was that he said about the ships, 'littered the coast floor' I think?" He asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Greetings. I don't know much... well, almost anything... about boats, but I'd guess that Iceman knows what he is doing. And if I'm not misremembering, we are gonna be bordering the shoreline, right? So worst case scenario..."

He was gonna say that they could just swim to the shore, but Gron's presence made him hesitate. The worst case scenario was worse than his first impression. Could the beast even swim?

"A-anyway, I'm sure we'll be fine"

Valgard nodded, "I agree. Fortune has made us companions, perhaps time can make us friends. I am from Forgehold, a great, well once-great, Dwarven city in the Old Empires. I was apprenticed to be a weaponsmith before road called to me. What about you, are you from Lekesiz or somewhere else?"

Rebecca was enjoying the company and conversation with Valgard and as such, wasn't in too big of a hurry to get anywhere anytime soon. "No, I am not from Lekesiz, I come from a small city in the Old Kingdoms. It's not worthy to have it's name pass my tongue. I took up adventuring because it was either that or starve to death after certain parties, who are also not worthy to be named, ran me out of that city. Thankfully I was a quick study when it came to fighting things, so while dangerous I never really feared for my life all that much. Well maybe a few times," Becca conceded the point about being in mortal danger a few times in her past exploits. But as she was still here and able to swing a sword, she obviously made it through that peril.

Iceman and Einarr arrive shortly after the last of the novices. Without another introduction he leaps right to business. "I'm glad almost everything was packed in advance. We'll leave immediately and hopefully we'll be quick enough to avoid the storm." Without a hiccup, Einarr seems to know what to do and the goat easily navigates what misgivings he might have while embarking.

"Leyna, you take the [Language unknown: meieomlese]. We'll hug the coast eastward until dusk and put ashore when we find a good spot. Just avoid the shoals, keep land on the side of your sword hand, and don't let us stray into open water." And with that he seems convinced that those limited lessons are sufficient for the elf to pass muster. "Everyone else, grab an oar and maintain a good steady pace." Iceman himself takes up an oar and seats himself in the front of the boat.

And so without any ceremony, The Second Keplie hit the waves.

OOC: I'll need some checks to see how well the group as a whole manages this:

• Leyna (or anyone that ends up steering) can do either Dex/Wis with Notice/Sail.
• Everyone else (rowers) can do Str/Con with Exert/Sail.

17:43, Today: Iceman rolled 11 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,4.  Strength (+1) & Sail (+0).
This message was last edited by the player at 21:47, Mon 24 Apr 2023.

Leyna isn't sure whether this assignment is a blessing or a curse but she privately appreciates Iceman's confidence in her abilities.

"Yes, certainly. Right away."

As luck would have it, Leyna has a deft hand with the doohickey that pilots The Second Kelpie.

One might spy a smile on Leyna's face as the wind blows her hair. If anyone catches her she'll try to suppress the smile and adopt a more serious expression, but it doesn't take much to see that she's thoroughly enjoying the start to the adventure. The folks on the oars might be having a rougher time of it though.

13:23, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 13 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 6,5.  Dexterity + Notice.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:59, Mon 24 Apr 2023.

Cutting off her conversation with Valgard, Rebecca takes an oar as well and follows Iceman onto the boat. Finding a proper place to sit so that she could oar with the others, Rebecca took a seat and dipped her oar into the water, waiting for the signal to start rowing. She'd done a bit of rowing on her last boat voyage, it seems it was a common way to help pay their way for passage on the boat. "Ready when everyone else is to get under way."

16:38, Today: Rebecca Prowers rolled 8 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 5,2.  Strength + Exert.

The warden noted Alonder's concern and nodded in understanding. For the sake of those in heavy armor or unused to swimming he hoped the ship remained intact.

Once Iceman appeared things seemed to pick up quickly. Ralden followed along into the boat as he listened. With a grimace it was confirmed that the hirelings would need to row the boat. The warden wondered if manual labor was the real reason Iceman even hired others to come on the expedition. Already on thin ice, pun silently intended, he held his tongue and instead took his seat at the far edge of the boat.

With a sigh Ralden waited for everyone to settle before he was forced to row for the next few hours.

15:44, Today: Ralden rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,2.  Constitution + No Skill.

Valgard frowned slightly as he was told to grab an oar. It wasn't because he was unwilling to engage in physical labor, his calloused hands were a testament to that, but rather he'd never oared a boat before, and his last experience on a ship was not a pleasant one. But, he was here, and this was the price to join his first expedition, he was willing to pay. He took the seat behind Rebecca, hoping he might learn some technique from her, and took the oar in hand.

15:45, Today: Valgard Bouldershoulder rolled 7 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,2.  Str + Exert (no skill)

Having no clue what he was doing, Alonder followed the dwarf's example and sat behind Ralden, trying to copy his movement as best as he could. It took a few tries, but eventually he fell into a similar rhytm to the warden.

18:32, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 7 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,4.  Strenght + Exert.

OOC: The DC was 6 for that check, so everyone passed and the group check passed without any trouble. Leyna managed a critical success so Iceman's opinion of her has increased. Urvan didn't roll yet but I'll move on for now and keep an eye out for it.

The day at sea is hard work. Rowing for hours on end is not exactly what most of you had imagined when you'd decided to become heroes. But on closer examination, you're starting to realize that this is actually what the great majority of time spent adventuring actually is. Today, however, the air is crisp and clean, the weather holds up, and the exercise agrees with everyone's physiques.

You break for a late lunch after having passed the worst of the shoals, relishing the chance to stretch your muscles and relax with some chow. The veteran does not verbalize it, but everyone can tell that Iceman is pleased with the progress. He seems especially impressed with Leyna, though it's only noticeable through his tone when he speaks to her. The words of appreciation fail to coalesce. However, your leader wastes no time when lunch is through. HE encourages everyone to scarf down what they can most expediently and demands that everyone reassume their posts to continue quickly.

Just after the earliest signs of dusk is when you catch a first glimpse of the storm in the distance. Due to the clear visibility of the day you can see many miles directly ahead of you, and it looks like a dangerous moot of heavy, dark clouds slowly engulfing the wide horizon. "We've nearly made it," Iceman declares as he indicates the forest on the shore to the south. "We'll make landfall there," he declares, and everyone follows suit.

By the time The Second Kelpie hits land and you scramble to pull it ashore, a smattering of light rain has already begun to find you. It's been whipped in by the approaching storm and will no doubt get worse before it gets better. Again, Iceman dictates the obvious, "we'll need to secure a camp before dark. When we find a good spot to pitch camp, three of you will go find some wood that is yet dry for a fire. Stick together and don't get lost. The rest will clear the area and set up tents." Several minutes later, you find such a spot and break into two groups to accomplish your duties.

OOC: Going to give a little time for characters to react and chat IC. No rolls are necessary to make camp, but a roll might be necessary if there's anything complex that your characters would like to do besides simply what was ordered. Then, we'll see what happens overnight. Hint: It looks like everything is going to be wet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:57, Mon 24 Apr 2023.

Leyna is eager to get into the field to get up close with some of the native flora and fauna.

She hesitates for a moment, her eye falling on her backpack, perhaps wondering if it will keep the contents sufficiently dry. She eventually concludes that it has a better chance of staying under cover if it's left with the folks setting up camp rather than being dragged into the field.

"I'll go," she offers, hoisting her shield. Not being exhausted from rowing, and finding the sea invigorating, she has a bit of extra energy. She looks at the walking stick in her hand and discards it at the camp, presumably because it will get in the way of gathering and carrying wood.

She looks to see which of the others will join her.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:21, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

As they finished pulling the boat onto the shore Ralden threw his pack on the ground and stretched his legs. He was no stranger to exercise or physical activity but several hours of hard rowing had half his body sore while the other half was restless. Fortunately they seemed to have arrived to the shore in one piece.

The warden surveyed the woods beyond the campsite before he spoke up, "I'll go as well. Could use a nice walk." More importantly Ralden wanted to walk the perimeter and check for signs of creatures, natural or otherwise. A few tracks might give a clue as to what might find them that night.

He knelt down and retrieved his lantern from his pack. After he filled it with oil he returned the rest of his belongings to his backpack. After more consideration he also left his club and a dagger behind. Better to travel as light as possible if they meant to carry wood back.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:11, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

"Oh, I'll join you. I have never set a camp before, and while I want to learn I should probably go through the basics once weather isn't pressing."

After that over-explanation, Alonder offers his rope, waterskin, 3 torches and cooking utensils to Iceman and Einar, in part because he figures they are useful items to aid setting up the camp, and in part to make space in his backpack to keep some of the wood they collect away from the pouring drizzle.

After that, he moves after his elven companion.

"Do we have a small hand axe?" Leyna asks Alonder and Ralden. She then gestures to Ralden's discarded dagger. "Or, failing that, a blade."

Leyna is not an experienced survivalist but she can pretend. She does her best to follow common sense: she looks for wood on the dry side of the trees, she avoids wood that's been sitting on the damp ground.

"I believe we may whittle away the wet exterior to find the dry interior," she tells the Alonder and Ralden, "although that would be best done under cover."

Her eyes linger on the trees and plants. She uses her elven vision to spy into shadows and dark, covered spots that might shelter dry wood. She doesn't know what sort of fauna to expect, so she remains attentive to anything that might object to their presence. Leyna takes Iceman's warning to heart and doesn't stray far from the others.

"I don't have any tools that could help, sorry. Dry leaves and branches were always my go to for starting fires. And even if we can't find any dry wood, I do have burning oil, and I left some torches with Iceman and Einar. As long as what we find isn't soaking wet, we should be able to start a fire going I believe"

While the forest wasn't pitch black, Leyna (and possibly Ralden, if he was somehow also able to see in the dark) would notice that Alonder moved through the forest surprisingly well for someone with human sights. If they were especially perceptive, they may even notice that Alonder wasn't even looking where he walked, but avoided obstacles all the same.

Ralden actually does notice something that seems out of place in a remote forest like this.

Meanwhile, Leyna does well noticing an overhang with some bushes hiding underneath.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:59, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

Leyna's  outward expression is only one of modest amusement. She wants to call out to the others but she doesn't.


10:34, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 10 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,5.  Intelligence + Know.

Rebecca stayed at the camp, or what would become their camp and didn't go with the others to collect firewood. It wasn't that she couldn't collect wood, but she figured she could be more useful helping setting up the camp. Slowly making her way over, she started to set up the tents that Iceman had mentioned earlier. She helped clear the area as she worked as well.

In reply to Leyna Noc (msg # 56):

"Found something?"

At her pause, Alonder approached the elven woman. With some hesitation, he ventured a guess.

"A burrow?"

In response to Leyna's questions Ralden patted his belt. "Brought a knife but no axe I'm afraid." Although not meant for cutting foliage hopefully the blade would help them with smaller limbs.

As their search carried on Ralden noticed the light started to fade. They had started their search at dusk and the clouds ahead did not help their vision. Eventually the warden lit the lantern he had brought to help illuminate the woods well enough for him to see.

The extra light seemed to have paid off when he stopped following the others. "Hold up, think I found something," he called to the adventurers as he knelt down. Amongst the foliage Ralden pointed out a set of tracks that ventured south. "Looks like we aren't the only ones in the area. Seems humanoid but too large to be human. Iceman mentioned giants didn't he? Not sure how recent the tracks are but if it storms frequently in the area the tracks couldn't have been here long."

Seeing that enough people had gone off to look for firewood, Valgard stayed behind and started clearing the area and then helped Rebecca setup the tents. Once they were put up, he glanced around the area, seeing if he could find any thick vegetation that he might be able to use to build some sort of thatch covering to keep things a little drier.

Basically looking to see if there are any materials around he could use to craft something to keep them a little drier once the rain comes

Back at camp, Iceman produces the pieces for a large tent from Einarr's load. With Rebecca's help they can make a somewhat comfortable and dry space for about four humanoids as well as a Judas Goat is needs be. Iceman's primary concern is for the armor and weapons; he repeats himself a few times about how a Hero must always maintain their tools and he curses the weather for making his job more difficult. "Pull that line hard, lass," he needlessly reminds Rebecca, "There will be no rest at all if the camp is [Language unknown: omeughstr ouhiacne]."

Meanwhile while helping unpack, Valgard notices a few materials that could be used handily and ideas begin to run through his mind.

Leyna puts her the palms of her hands together and then pulls them apart. Between them emerges a blade that you are quite sure was not there a moment before.

"Good night," she whispers to the bush. "Better to go in your sleep."

She plunges the blade into the bush into an unseen target. The act leaves her with a sense of guilt - it is terribly unsporting - but she does her best to be as humane as possible.

"What do we have here?" she says mostly to herself, producing a bundle of fur from the hideyhole. "Dinner, or a prize?"

Once a cursory examination of her catch is complete, she will bend back down to cut up the bushes underneath the overhang for firewood.

Valgard frowned as he looked around the area, "Well, it's not what I would choose, but I might be able to rig something up," he grumbled to himself. After setting his backpack on the ground, he grabbed one of his axes and chopped down a a few branches of a thick palm tree that had found it's way near the shore. He then proceeded to collect some of the tall grass around the area to use for weaving the palms together.

The next couple of hours entailed him weaving the palm branches together as best as he could to get a serviceable thatched covering. It likely wouldn't last more than a couple of days, but all they needed was for it to make it through the night.

Once the roof was complete, he took out his rope and tied it around one of his iron spikes, and then tossed it over a branch of one of the taller trees nearby. He then hammered the spike into the ground, leaving just enough rope to be able to tie to the makeshift rope. After tying the rope to roof, he pulled on the end of the rope near the spike, lifting the roof up into the air, and then tightened the rope around the spike, leaving the roof suspended.

After reviewing his handiwork, he shrugged, "Eh, I guess that's about as good as it's gonna get."

15:56, Today: Valgard Bouldershoulder rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,2.  Dex + Craft.

Leyna has successfully hunted a cute, fat raccoon. The luck of the catch perhaps offsets the weather, that is if someone knows how to cook it.

Valgard erects a decent enough shelter though it does take a good amount of time. He'll be only about 1/3 finished with his project by the time the others return.

At the lack of a response, Alonder moves even closer to get a view of Leyna's catch. "Huh. I didn't know people ate those. I suppose travelers eat whatever they can find..."

Leaving Leyna to her prey, he continues scouting the forest floor for suitable wood to store in his backpack.

Leyna looks disappointed to have not caught something more unique. She had privately fantasized about announcing a new species to some society of the biological or zoological scholars, but it is not to be.

"Iceman may know what to do with it," she says. "I understand the theory behind cooking, but I know not the craft or technique of it."

Maybe it could be skinned to make a fine pelt. Or perhaps she could taxidermy it into a ferocious pose.

Once she has firewood in one hand and her prize in the other, she goes to investigate Ralden's find. "What sort of tracks?" she asks curiously. "Humanoid, you say? Barefoot or wearing footwear? Spaced how far apart?" She looks for herself to see how large they really are.

"Well, I can probably cook it if push comes to shove. I just have never done so with a racoon."

He then joins Ralden aswell, examining the prints. "We should probably head back to camp and let Iceman know. Investigating on our own sounds like a bad idea"

The tracks are faint and certainly not fresh, though it's not possible to tell how long ago they were made. From the stride length, the side of the boot imprint itself, and the depth of the print in the muddy ground, you can estimate that the individual is likely a couple feet taller and a proportionately heavier as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:20, Wed 26 Apr 2023.

OOC: Assuming there is no argument to Alonder's suggestion:

Successful, the gathering party returns to camp just before the night gets quite dark. The canopy of the thick woods blocks most light from the stars and the rain blocks out all of the rest but seems to be maintaining a steady pace and not worsening.

When the fire crackles to life, the dangers of the dark seem averted. Sitting and relaxing is heavenly for muscles that had been overworked all day.

OOC: Someone can attempt to cook the raccoon with a DC 6 Wisdom / Survival check.

Also, we can take a bit of time to converse around the campfire and get to know your fellow travelers.

"I'm not saying we have to wander off," Leyna tells Alonder, "but we should have something to report.

"Iceman doesn't want to be our nursemaid. He wants to find out who among us can contribute meaningfully to the Guild. That will take risk on occasion.

"But in this case, yes, I think we've ascertained enough to make a meaningful report. Let's go deliver the firewood and what might be our dinner."

On the way back, she notes how Alonder traverses the terrain. She brings it up around the campfire later, reasoning that he will be proud of it rather than private.

"You don't look down as you walk," she notes. "Even amidst the underbrush and the wet logs and the ankle-twisting rocks. And yet you do not stumble. That's a good trick. Keeps your eyes up and attentive."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:53, Wed 26 Apr 2023.

As everyone gathers around the fire, Alonder recovers the equipment that he left with Iceman, if it wasn't used in setting up camp. With the exception of the cooking utensils, that he lets whoever is handling dinner use. He also volunteers himself for the task, if noone else steps out.

"Hm? Ah, yes. Whenever I focus, I'm sort of aware of my surroundings without needing to use my eyes. It's hard to explain exactly how it works, but the information of my surroundings just comes to me without any 'looking' involved"

As the ex-farmer explains this, he seems non-chalant about it, as if it was the most common thing in the world. "You didn't seem to have much difficulty either navigating the forest. Were you a huntress before joining the Guild?"

"Goodness, no," Leyna says, not exactly affronted but with a raised eyebrow. "I am a product of civilization, not one of those twee forest elves. I studied with renowned scholars and received a fine education covering history, geography, botany, and zoology, among the other natural sciences."

She sighs, perhaps reluctantly. "But a time comes when one must extract themselves from their scrolls and books and venture into the field to conduct research in person. I like to think of myself as something of a fighting naturalist."

She gestures to the raccoon she vanquished. "I had hoped to discover a new species unknown outside of Lekesiz, one that I might describe in a triumphant dispatch to the Old Empires, but no such luck."

Ralden raised a brow at the freshly killed raccoon but otherwise did not make a comment as the others gathered around. He nodded at Lenya's question, "definitely wearing a boot or some other shoe." He stepped back and held the lantern aloft to let the elf inspect the tracks.

"Agreed. Not much more we can do with a storm rolling in. This does give us a good lead as to where to go. If the creature lives around here it might have some idea as to what is causing the weather." With the group in agreement Ralden gathered some suitable wood and followed the others back to camp.

When the party returned to camp the warden extinguished his lantern. After he deposited his haul he reported the tracks and his suggestion to Iceman. With his task done he retrieved a ration from his pack and sat with the others around the fire.

The warden dug into his meal as he listened to the others. "Well the continent is barely explored. If you want some new species this is probably the best place to find it. Makes sense to me. Hoping the guild will fund your expedition someday?" He cocked his head towards the patron they had all been hired to work under.

"More like two birds with one stone," Leyna says, leaning forward to receive the fire's heat.

"I had considered responding to 'Baron' Byron Burlek's request to find his ring, if only to study the 'freaky plant-folk' he described, but I was concerned that if he had his finger bitten off then I might fare no better."

She contemplates her hand, rolling her fingers in a wave. "It would make it so difficult to write..." she says, trailing off as she ponders the thought.

Iceman shrugs at Ralden disinterestedly. "I don't care what you do with your money so I'm not funding anything. You're getting paid to work a job; despite that you're all just [Language unknown: proantthi]. So my only concern is that you're worth the cost."

He pokes at the fire with a stick, rolling some coals back and forth idly. And his face turns suddenly sour as he remembers something. "You," he points accusingly at Leyna. "You did well to catch that morsel. Now cook it before it attracts beasts."

The veteran is then silent for a time. He seems smaller without his armor on, but not more vulnerable. "Still," he muses at last, "if you're lucky you may find some [Language unknown: astastast] at the Guild willing to pay you to do whatever; or a familia that's just like your kind of foolish. Guild's got fools of every flavor, after all."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:20, Thu 27 Apr 2023.

Leyna isn't sure how she got assigned this particular task, but she doesn't question it.

She notes the sudden change of his mood. 'Iceman' probably didn't get his moniker for being warm and cuddly, she reflects. If he's going to call us that[Language unknown: ck reitis e] then his attitude is clear. The imposition of strenuous - sometimes humiliating - tasks is a time-honored part of initiation among many social cultures.

Leyna borrows a knife and gets to work. She knows something of dissecting animals...

Her hand freezes in midair. She has a sudden vision of piercing both the urine sac and the colon. They are immediately below her knife and either would foul the meat beyond recovery. Her eyes pulse wide as she imagines the literal crap show that would be. Then she adjusts her knife slightly and makes a far cleaner cut.

Oo, that could have been bad! she thinks to herself. Lucky it didn't go that way.

Forewarned is forearmed. Leyna completes the rest of the dressing in a competent manner as if she had some sort of premonition about all the ways that it could have gone wrong.

She gets it roasting over the fire. Not too close, so that it doesn't burn, but not so far away that it takes forever to cook. Once it is safe to consume, she dresses it with some of the nuts and dried fruit from her rations to fancy it up a bit. The end result is highly serviceable and, quite frankly, far better than she expected.

Beginner's luck, she thinks to herself, but she'll try to pass it off as competence.

07:10, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 8 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 3,6.  Luck reroll.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:20, Wed 26 Apr 2023.

"Big tracks you say?" Iceman responds to Ralden's report. "That is consistent with the rumors, though I'd thought the giants were only further south. We'll have to be on the lookout."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:13, Thu 27 Apr 2023.

As the campfire crackles and the smell of cooked food fills the area, the site finally feels relaxing despite the mild rain. Iceman looks over the hirelings and his gaze rests on Urvan. "You," he barks, "I'm not sure I remember your name. You've been quiet since this morning. Something on your mind?"

OOC: I do still need that rowing check from Urvan when you get the chance.

After eating and conversing for a bit, Iceman leaves some final instructions before turning down for the night. "With seven of us, we'll have six shifts of roughly 90 minutes so that everyone will have a fair amount of sleep. I will wake with the last shift and to pack the camp and ready for tomorrow's journey."

With Einarr unpacked and lazing comfortably already beneath the large tent, Iceman answers any final questions that the hirelings may have. He then drifts off into a deep and sonorous sleep, snoring remarkably loudly for the next seven and a half hours, much to the chagrin of those with ears.
This message was last updated by the player at 00:23, Fri 28 Apr 2023.

Ralden pointedly did not look at the senior guild member as he decided to join the conversation. If the man wanted to be confrontational and split hairs on the warden's choice of words then he simply wouldn't give the man more ammunition.

Instead he focused on Lenya's task. Having already finished a ration he avoided taking any of the cooked meat but gave a small nod of approval, "well done. I did not know raccoon could actually smell delicious."

The rest of the meal Ralden was fairly quiet. Instead he poked and prodded the fire to keep the campsite warm. "I can take first watch," he offered.

"Wake me up when you are done Ralden, I'll take the second."

After saying that (and hearing who is taking third), Alonder heads to sleep, not wishing to waste any resting minutes.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Fri 28 Apr 2023.

It's a fairly generous schedule as things go: 7 shifts of 90 minutes equates to 10.5 hours of downtime. That means Leyna could go later and still get a lot of continuous rest. Well, if Iceman's snoring allows for it.

"I'll take the sixth shift," she offers. "My eyes work well in the dark. I will wake Iceman."

Her eyes drift over to the surprisingly bitter adventurer. If she has any concerns about their leadership, she does not voice them at this time. Instead, she produces her notebook and writing kit and records the news and events of the day. She is not as physically tired as the some of the others, who had a much harder day than she did, and so she passes some time writing and sketching while she waits for the snoring to stop, even though it never does.

The night -though exceedingly wet- passes without incident. There are moments for a few hours when the rain holds up, but by morning it has resumed. By the time everyone is awake and, Iceman has Einarr and the rest of camp packed up and ready for the journey. Your first day of exploration is about to begin.

The weather simply does not cooperate. The skies remain grey, but in many parts of the forest the canopy prevents the sky from showing through anyhow. These moments are the only respite you have from the rain, as the weather continues to steadily worsen hour after hour. Everyone is soaked through early on into the muddy journey and the task of thoroughly exploring the area is truly arduous under the conditions.

However, the search bears fruit. Shortly after you had stopped for a midday snack you stumbled upon tracks similar to those noticed the night before. These are much fresher and also noticeably deeper. They would be easy to follow, and Iceman suggests that should be the course. He urges caution as even a lone giant could be very dangerous. The party follows the tracks in a westerly heading for a short while when you spy signs of life ahead.

There is light from a fire and smoke billowing toward you on the wind. It bears an unpleasant odor, like whatever is cooking is rotten. Though the rain reduces visibility you can make out the silhouette of a figure hunched over the fire, in a particularly canopied clearing about 200 feet from your position. The figure is facing southward (sideways to where your position is) and does not appear to have noticed you.

Leyna has tried to use her shield as an umbrella of sorts, but holding it over her head all day has been very tiring. It works well most of the time... but it rains all of the time, so the end result is that she is still wet.

She does her best to distract herself from the physical aches and pains by focusing on the surrounding flora and fauna. It's much too wet to write anything down - in fact, she's concerned about her backpack becoming so saturated that her notebook gets wet - but she tries to commit as much as possible to memory.

Leyna tries to use her elven eyes to make out any details about the silhouette, including its relative size and shape. Does it have the proportions of a giant? She tries to think of anything she remembers about giantkin.

If Iceman is looking for the group to take initiative, Leyna will whisper to the group, "I am confident in my footwork. I believe I can approach undetected to investigate further. The smoke, however rotten, means that we are downwind. And the drumming of this rain provides a constant din to drown out noise."

Leyna Noc:

- use Notice to see if she can pick out any additional information

At this distance and through this rain, even Letna's elven vision can't make out many more details. The silhouette does seem larger than human sized and is wearing hides. More detail could likely be had if one were closer.

Leyna Noc:

- use Know to see if she recognizes anything, or knows anything about giants (if it is a giant, although she would expect Iceman to know a good deal himself)

PM

Ralden was quiet for most of the journey. A few times he opened his mouth to make a comment but a glance at their leader was enough for him to give up and continue on. His cloak had provided him some comfort from the rain but after hours his body was soaked as the rest of them.

It wasn't until the tracks were spotted that his mood improved. With a definite goal in sight his body had found his second wind. He pushed forward as his eyes followed the muddy footprints. At the sight of the giant the warden finally grinned.

Taking a queue from the elf Ralden also kept his voice low. "It would be useful to know what it's up to, especially if we can avoid being seen." He said as he glanced between Iceman and Leyna, unsure how the senior wanted to handle the situation. "Iceman you said giants were dangerous, can they be reasoned with? It might have some clue about the weather, or at least anything strange it's seen in the area."

Alonder followed along, like his companions with little means to ward off the rain. When the unknown figure is spotted, he remains silent, willing to let his companions decide on a course of action.

Iceman motions for everyone to huddle close. When he answers Ralden his whispers are barely audible through the pounding of the rain. "Some giants can be reasoned with, sure, like some men." He cocks his head in the direction of the giant, "Consider this your first test as a group. I'm keeping eyes on you, of course, but I can't simply tell you all what to do all the time. You could likely handle this many ways; but don't lose sight that the point of us being out here is to learn about the storms."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:42, Sat 29 Apr 2023.

"Well, the violent weather should be an inconvenience for the giants aswell, if they are not the cause, right? Perhaps honesty is the best policy in this case?"

Alonder tries to seek his memory for any hints to giant culture, that he may have heard from the odd adventurer that decided to rest from their journey in his hometown.

"From an scholarly perspective, giants are large, simpleminded, cannibalistic brutes with terrible personal hygiene. Anyone who speaks to one risks being roasted on that fire."

Leyna sighs.

"But, as a resident of these lands, they may understand what troubles it."

She looks around the group.

"I have no talent for diplomacy, none whatsoever. Are any among us gifted in statecraft? If so, we may send a sortie forth for negotiations. Numbers may deter the oaf. I will lie in wait in ambush, in case discussions... unravel."

"I've had to deal with beligerent drunks once or twice. I imagine talking to giants is somewhat similar. Still would appreciate some backup, in case things go sour"

Alonder looks around the group, to see if anyone else volunteered. If not, then he'll start making his way towards the figure. He is careful in his approach, as to appear non-hostile. Having no weapons probably aids in creating that image.

Ralden's frown grew a little deeper with every adjective the elf used to describe giants. "They sound lovely. Hopefully this one isn't hungry. I'm not very well versed in diplomacy but I can tag along." His hand gripped the short sword sheathed at his waist indicating what service he provided. "If negotiations break down what is our backup plan? Try to kill it or flee into the forest? Either works but if we don't all act as a group we'll be killed."

Leyna sketches a simple diagram in the mud.

"I will approach covertly from the direction of the smoke. I will lie in wait, setting up an ambush if one is necessary.

"You should circle around a bit before approaching. That way we may catch him from different angles."

She looks back and forth between Ralden and Alonder. "You should discuss between yourselves how you prefer to fight, so that you may better anticipate what the other might do."

"Well, subduing would be ideal, right? Specially if we can confirm it speaks the common tongue. Or someone here speaks the giant tongue. If we can't get them to cooperate by his own, maybe we can ask him again in exchange for freedom. That's the sort of thing adventurers do, right?"

After Leyna spoke, Alonder turns to Randel. "I believe we both are melee fighters. My hand to hand combat is more limited, however, and since I can provide magical healing, it's probably best for our overall goal for you to take the initiative if combat is a must. Sounds good?"

If agreed, Alonder will take initiative and start walking towards the campfire.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:27, Sun 30 Apr 2023.

OOC: For whenever it is that you post to engage the Giant:

1. For the folks that are sneaking into a closer position (Leyna,, etc.) I will make a secret Dex / Stealth roll to determine how successfully you do so.
   
2. For those that are presenting themselves to make social contact, I'll need a Reaction check [2d6 + Charisma Mod] from the initial speaker (Alonder?).

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 16:57, Sun 30 Apr 2023.

Ralden nodded in confirmation of Alonder's request. "If things go south back up and let me get his attention. I should be able to hold my own long enough for the rest of us to join the fight. Can't promise I will be able to subdue him though. A sword is meant to cut and I can't afford to fight with one hand tied behind my back. Hopefully a few blows will make him re-evaluate his attack."

He reluctantly took his hand off his weapon and let the other man lead the way.

Alonder nods. "Yeah. Subduing them is an ideal scenario if a fight happens. I don't think anyone will expect us to defend your life with anything less than lethal force."

When everyone seemed to agree, Alonder started moving towards the campfire, without making any attempts to conceal himself. Once they were a couple dozen paces away, Alonder called out.

"Hail! We wish to talk with you! Can you understand us?"

A little clumsy as greetings came, but at least it drove the point across in a succint manner.

15:41, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 6 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 1,6.  Reaction check.

As Leyna does her best to stay out of sight, several of the others approach with friendly intentions but prepared for the worst. After covering about 80% of the distance, the giant raises his head and seems startled as he noticed the group. He glances in all directions while grasping what looks like a huge club from the ground at his feet. It looks like he also is regarding something else on the ground for a moment, and doing so brings your attention to the presence of a second giant laying on their back by the fire.

Then, the giant turns and stands to regard the interlopers. At first, Alonder's words register no comprehension to the giant, but when he repeats his query in Dwarvish there is sudden recognition. [Language unknown: "Notderiou onho, hoivecut,"] he snaps cautiously but not angrily, [Language unknown: "Nt derme miugh as wereil."] His full height is almost eight feet and he is quite imposing. Still, the two giants before you seem smaller than the rumors foretold; they may be runts in their tribe.

Iceman gives Alonder a nod of encouragement but keeps his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

The giant then demands, [Language unknown: "Si ver ilrut ing ionousles llnote p sanoulest ckniss? Ca ho pro, ha a comhouine tasta oretedeve path."] He does not speak Dwarvish well; communication is slow and some words are not right, but it seems to get the idea across. At least he seems receptive to discourse at present.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:54, Sun 30 Apr 2023.

Alonder nods, mostly with the purpose of reassurring his companions that he understands the giant.


After saying this, Alonder's gaze lays mostly on the laying giant, completely ignoring the large, club wielding one. There is a look of genuine concern on his face.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:18, Sun 30 Apr 2023.

When the others leave to circle around to approach the giant from a different angle, Leyna sneaks through the undergrowth to help keep overwatch.

Valgard follows Leyna, preferring to remain out of sight and be able to provide an ambush should the giant prove to be hostile.

The giant squints trying to comprehend all of Alonder's words. After a tense several moments, recognition clicks at something. [Language unknown: "Thu Monael? Ticsi dikor Fiunsaos era k chnoos i Itou."] His voice is demanding but betrays worry for his friend who lies almost perfectly still on the ground. The female giant seems gravely wounded in some way; besides blinking her only movement is a twitch in her neck a few times a minute.

OOC: 23:51, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Alonder Gimbel, rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 2,3.  Alonder (Int/Heal).

Upon closer inspection, Alonder cannot determine exactly what is wrong with the injured giant. She has some cuts and bruises but nothing especially deep or damaging. She's pale though it's difficult to tell if that's from loss of blood or simply her complexion. She struggles to remain conscious and seems incapable of speech.

The giant that called himself Kron is curious about Alonder, but he maintains a string grip on his massive club. Occasionally his eyes dart back up to make sure the others are maintaining their peaceful demeanor. It's difficult to tell, but you think he probably glanced in the area where Leyna and Valgard are, though he says nothing of it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:03, Mon 01 May 2023.

Alonder nods, and quickly summarizes the situation for the others.

"His name is Kron, and the injured one is Cernunna. I'm gonna heal her, and then we can ask about what they know"

Careful but with determination on his step, Alonder moves closer to Cernunna, and very gently places his hands on the giant's shoulder. Closing his eyes, he feels the blood flowing through her body, and draws from her own life energy to close her wounds.

Cernunna may add 1 system strain and heal 8 HP.
01:16, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,3.  Healing Touch.

Alonder is certain that he performed the ritual correctly, but his healing touch appears to do nothing to improve the condition of the giantess. Kron's frown is grim. [Language unknown: "Tr sind oneil, Riosre,"] he growls impatiently.

OOC: At this point Alonder is fairly certain that not only is Cernunna's condition not the result of damage in combat, but that the power to undo her malady is likely beyond his powers entirely.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 04:37, Mon 01 May 2023.

OOC: Do the visible wounds (cuts and bruises) not heal either?

Alonder frowns aswell, sharing the giant's frustration to a lesser degree.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:18, Mon 01 May 2023.

OOC: Yes, the visible cuts and bruises have mended but they were almost entirely superficial.

[Language unknown: "A caat ons. Blepo ckivmaev p ro ionwasort, elsschma. Tic rom miplac thone evnt. Utte usun al cayin whi e plevla, ruttr In llonen nc eve res forectess. Ha wiicio adma t atita setforave stul i teich alpeio. Art po Larvenvorast un, Resiouoer."] Kron's words were not a question. A minute later, he adds dejectedly, [Language unknown: "K acfo hishououn but Thniadwi, movir tiwhun est. Il sawhdi po es thuionnot oer."]

The rain beats down, thinner here but still finding its way through the canopy. The mood is tense and silently angry with helplessness.

The warrior had been watching intently, judging Alonder's actions and Kron's reactions. It seems that he sensed less immediate threat now. "Alonder," he reminds, "we must learn about the storms."

Alonder seems to completely ignore Iceman, which is perhaps a show of bad judgement considering impressing here is the whole point of being here in the first place.

His gaze is stuck on the female giant, scrambling his brains in search for an answer that doesn't come. He finally turns to the others.

"I think she was bitten by something...". He stops for a second, never quite remembering which word was the correct one. "... Poisonous" he decides, wrongly. "If we can heal her of her ailment, we could ask them about the storm. As she is right now, Kron won't cooperate". While that last bit wasn't necessarily a lie, the slight desperation in his tone suggests that Alonder is more worried about the giant's health than the quest.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Mon 01 May 2023.

OOC: This is a good time for everyone else to interject with ideas and keep moving the story forward. At this point you've likely gotten all you can out of the giant regarding the details of the injury so there's no point continuing a one person conversation along those lines.

Ralden stood silently as he watched Alonder converse with the giant. The presence of an additional giant had concerned him but the woman seemed content to lay on the ground. The warden grimaced when their healer volunteered to get closer but he held his tongue.

At the latest request though Ralden finally spoke, the confusion on his face evident. "Okay, so they do have information on the storm? That's good for us. So what do we need to do to cure her? You're the healer here, I don't know how to treat poison."

Leyna scowls.

"He keeps looking in your direction," she tells Valgard Bouldershoulder. "I think you've been made."

Of course, Valgard's direction is the same as Leyna's direction, so who can say who the giant really sees, hears, or smells, but Leyna seems to have reached her own conclusion.

Leyna stands and, presuming the giant does not completely freak out, she'll move closer to try to get a better view of the situation. Her hands have her shield and walking stick, so hopefully she doesn't look that threatening.

"There are many things that could cause paralysis," she tells Alonder and Ralden, even though Alonder probably knows this already. "Several types of poison, several kinds of magic.

"I presume that the locals are experienced enough to avoid the natural sources of paralysis. Did he say anything about what led to this? Perhaps it is a magical source, the same source as the storms."

If the giant doesn't try to punt her over the horizon, Leyna will step forward and examine the female giant for traces of magic.

15:53, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 4 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,2.  Int/Magic. OOF, hopefully that roll isn't needed.

"They suspect it was a snake, but could not find any in the area".

Alonder turns to Kron. [Language unknown: "K undntiich the lesewi n pediload n ivehattra haut erhase t enshe iveentpre moove whll a stver ameanyund us Toioanilet ansswe. Sthaerol iepeca, hat ut llca oltalo to llck ingviress. Ee ort wi ur espe?"]

Leyna is allowed to approach, though Kron seems more agitated by the minute. He barks dismissively at her,

OOC: PM


To Alondar, Kron answers with brow furrowed. [Language unknown: "Wer allecther? Erste? Urwipa airiev te ee of sable Outatethuthi rut ardol."] After some thought he offers, [Language unknown: "Llbe eldius saine roroul taolec ast, san areshehisstr esthastio avebutfor. Eraternte ndncro usekinpr. Ilos ches urwa [Entartsonast Uronsa Ules: Alri-eite]?"]

OOC: Also, +1 Luck Point each awarded:

1. to Leyna, for consistently entertaining dialogue and general IC RP. I find what you've been doing amusing lately.
   
2. to Alonder, for sticking to his principles and for mostly solo-ing this scene with translating this mess back and forth.

This message was last edited by the GM at 12:09, Tue 02 May 2023.

[Language unknown: "Li hi der Ivilai. Icnoin ec moev adpradnc, oulvensti na manoulect ceto. Ar ureno chno o nt li re esou ureiouugh be nceestver. Ect no pool poekol asfohe reavenres?]

After a brief pause, Alonder adds with a grimace. [Language unknown: "Ul loreun lehou Korounecthas. Rom witeenill tr a o ticntiere tiitne. Ss com onsestant me k meiturho etnoos poatut ure. M ec ess il anse is alnima sheestcom, ch lo ri vir intnotred ticca Somstasankor"]

[Language unknown: "Nt i wh [Ndebleesssom Selafo Ti: Thehat-undavetic] then. The other small folk there complain about the weather."] Kron tightens his face at Alonder's admission of failure. He then snorts dismissively, [Language unknown: "Paus no tinlesrut und weleheun. Il redounous etwhe icfiie rorat is po romstr'ndemen ure stimankor sheateure tioli."]

With that, Kron turns his attention to Cernunna, his body language indicating that his patience is through for the band of adventurers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:58, Fri 19 May 2023.

Alonder lets out a frustrated sigh, but can't do anything but admit his own powerlessness.

"There is a town, or village, south, past the river. It's called Saltbridge. People should know more about the weather phenomena there".

He then turns to Iceman. "Iceman... is there any chance we might be able to send for a healer? A... proper one. I'm untrained, and can't be of help. I can't even begin to tell how serious her affliction is".

Iceman's response is automatic, "If you'd like to return to Gamma to deliver that message, I won't ask you not to."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 14:20, Tue 02 May 2023.

Alonder can't hide a frown, but says nothing more of the matter. Even if he somehow managed to get to Gamma in a timely manner without the boat, going to the guild to beg for a healer would be pointless. He is not even a novice at this point, and he doubts they'll consider the situation pressing enough. He knew already that it wasn't a Hero's job to save everyone, that's why quests were a thing. But understanding it didn't make that reality suck any less.

At Leyna's experience Ralden had given a short sigh. Her appearance had been risky but she seemed to have a better grasp of the conversation than he did. So he did nothing but stand back and watch her examine Cernunna.

He nearly jumped when Kron snorted. The warden could not understand the words that were spoken by the giant but even he could tell the conversation had drawn to a close. Ralden nodded in agreement with Iceman as he kept his eyes on the large humanoid. "We have what we came for. Might I suggest we leave before our new friend's hospitality comes to an end?" The warden wouldn't be at ease until they had put some distance between themselves and the giants.

Leyna scowls some more.

"That's a fool's errand," she says with an opinionated tone. "We rowed from basically dawn until dusk. That's at least a 2-day walk back, maybe more given the weather and the difficult terrain, then an equal return.

"No, far better to look for solutions around here." The look in her eye suggests that she's skeptical.

"The symptoms remind me of what some particularly unpleasant undead creatures might do, like a ghoul, but I'd like to think that they'd remember something like that."

She turns to the south.

"Let's investigate Saltbridge. Is that giant town or are we expecting folks like us? We can ask them about storms... and if they're familiar with these symptoms."

She gestures to the ill giantess.

Leyna seems to break Alonder out of his stupor. She is right, the town may have healers. It's a big 'may', but it's better than giving up on Cernunna.

"Oh, no, it's a human town, I believe. Or at the very least humanoid. Kron referred to their inhabitants as 'small folk like you'"

Leyna nods to Alonder.

"Let's go pay it a visit," she suggests. "Our condolences to Kron."

She holds up her hands to Kron in what she hopes is an apologetic manner. If the brute is quick to anger then he may take out his frustration on some squishy small folk.

"Is Saltbridge known to you?" she asks Iceman as they withdraw. "I did not know there were established settlements outside of Gamma, Segin, Ruchbah, Schedar, and Caph. I thought all the other colonies on Lekesiz met with grizzly ends, either via the inhospitable weather or hostile local wildlife."

Valgard took a few steps backward so that he wouldn't alarm the giant any more than had already happened, and circled around back to the others.

"It does seem that our journey is taking us to this Saltbridge," Valgard nodded in response to Leyna.

He turned to Iceman at her question, himself wondering if the veteran knew of this previously unmentioned city.

"Saltbridge is new information. The goliath mentioned that it lies Southward, and that may be roughly where the old colony stood long ago. It's only been recently that anyone even dared venture again into these lands because it was believed to be overrun with giants. Some of those rumors now appear to be true. But if there is a settlement of 'small-folk' here now, that is indeed a new development and we must look into it."

Iceman seems overall pleased with the outcome of the encounter. You can all tell since he has no sharp words for you at the moment. His manner is workman-like, as always, and he looks happy to be not only on the move again but now with a lead.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Wed 03 May 2023.

Leyna muses.

"I wonder how well a goliath distinguishes between other humanoids. Maybe this is a village of gnomes or goblins, or even a nest of orcs or kobolds. Smaller than a goliath, and thus 'small folk' like us. Could be Vanara, or even Warforged."

A bit of speculation, but Leyna believes that forewarned is forearmed, so it's good to consider such possibilities in advance.

Alonder comments on Leyna's musing.

"I personally don't think it's goblins or kobolds. Mainly because of the name. Saltbridge doesn't sound like something a tribal society would choose. I'm not certain, certainly I'm not expert, but lacks a certain ring to it"

As the group trudges on through the weather they make slower and slower progress. The rain steadily picks up, then a harsh wind joins in. Within the hour, dark clouds blot out the light of the evening sun. When the lightning begins, visibility is already limited to almost nothing and everyone is thoroughly miserable slogging through the fury of the elements.

Not much longer, Iceman apparently has has enough. "We can't go on like this!" he yells. It's the only way anyone can hear each other through the whipping wind. "Spread out a bit but keep each other in sight. Report back immediately when you notice a place to shelter!" His directive is punctuated with dramatic thunder. The storm - no, the hurricane - threatens now to damage more than just your pace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:36, Thu 04 May 2023.

Alonder gives a nod to confirm he has heard Iceman, and starts walking south-east to try and find anything that might shelter them from the furious weather.

Ralden had experienced storms before but as the winds continued to grow stronger he started to become concerned. His cloak normally provided him some protection from the elements but as it whipped around it threatened to drag him off his feet. The warden was forced to use his hands to keep it relatively contained.

When Iceman called for the group to find shelter Ralden eagerly nodded his approval and started to wander the woods. A short while later he barely made out an unusual silhouette in the distance. His eyes unsure he squinted through the rain and confirmed that there were in fact several buildings.

His target found he ran as fast as the wind allowed back to where they had separated. "I've found shelter! It's some sort of farm with a stable!" He yelled over the wind. He gestured back the way he had explored until everyone knew the direction to go.

Leyna is questioning her life choices that led her to be walking through the wilderness in the middle of a typhoon.

She can see in the dark, which is great for navigating but doesn't keep her warm or dry.

When Ralden yells about the farm, her first reaction is, How are those building standing? But she'd prefer to investigate a ray of hope rather than to drown it in doubt.

Leyna presses forward to see if she can see anything more with her ability to see in the dark.

Various sounds of grumbling, cursing, and general annoyance came out of Valgard's mouth as the rain soaks through to his bones. "This is why dwarves live underground! Damnable weather will be the death of me!"

When Ralden called out, Valgard quickly raised his pace, making for shelter as quickly as was dwarvenly possible.

Like the others, Alonder turned back and ran towards the direction Ralden was calling from.

When everyone follows Ralden's direction, they notice a collection of small buildings standing firm above a swampy area where the trees of the forest have thinned. There is decent-sized two-story building - likely an inn, also a stable, a small chicken coop (that looks to be barely holding on against the wind), and in the courtyard a standard ground-water well.

Ralden did a rough head count and confirmed that all the party had heard him. With that he pressed forward towards the building that appeared to be an inn once he had gotten closer. If things had been different the warden would have wanted to be more subtle about their approach. Unfortunately every second they stayed in the storm seemed to be another challenge to fate. So instead he marched to the front door of the inn and attempted to storm his way in. "Hello? Anyone here? We're trying to get out from the storm!" He yelled when he entered, or at the doorway if the entry was locked.

Leyna will use her ability to see in the dark to scout out the exterior of the inn.

If there are any windows that aren't covered, she'll peer through them.

If the door is locked, she'll try to pick the lock.

If the door is bolted from the other side, she'll see if the stable offers any sort of meaningful shelter. She would prefer not to break down the door or smash a window, but she won't hesitate if that's what it takes to survive the night.

Alonder opted to use his heightened senses to act as a bodyguard for the group, letting Leyna do the scouting on her own. He closed his eyes and stood near Ralden, trying to detect any living beings that may be around.

The sign over the door pictures a ghostly but winsome maiden and declares the inn to be "The Smiling Spirit". The windows have all been boarded up, decent protection from the storm, and there are neither lights nor sounds emanating from within.

The building itself is roughly 20'x35' rectangular, cozy but common for a roadside inn. There are two doors that would lead into the inn, but sadly, they are both secured against the storm from the inside. These doors are not locked, simply obstructed. Leyna's ability to see in the dark helps minimally at present, since there is currently a little light left before dusk and the limiting factor to vision is primarily the steady sheets of rain.

No answer responds to Ralden's call at the front entryway.

The stable meanwhile is 25'x10' and its large double-doors are closed but do not appear to be locked or barred against entry.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:20, Fri 05 May 2023.

While the others focus on the inn Valgard approaches the stable and, if possible, makes his way inside to see if it might be a possible backup solution for them to wait the storm out.

Leyna doesn't want to break the door down. Bolting the doors against such a storm is logical. Breaking in will not only anger whoever barred the door - a surmountable challenge - but it will also degrade the effectiveness of the building providing shelter.

Unless there are orders to the contrary, Leyna then goes with Valgard to investigate the stable and its suitability as shelter. Presumably it won't be barred from the inside unless there's someone already in there.

"I think Valgard and Leyna found shelter at the stables over there"

After announcing that, Alonder moved after the dwarf and elf, hoping that the stables were indeed unbarred.

Focusing their attention on the door, Valgard takes the initiative to swing open one of the double-doors. With a start, the group is immediately startled by a huge Judas Goat - perhaps the largest of its kind that you'd ever seen. Terrified, it rears bare inches from the dwarf's face and bleats loudly in its own shock.

OOC: This isn't combat since the Judas Goat has no purposeful intention to surprise attack you. However, it's quite clear that it's spooked. If it's not handled quickly it may be a danger to anyone nearby. Timing wise, I'm going to say you have a round's worth of quick-acting to do.

Valgard and Leyna are right at the door; Ralden, Alonder, and Iceman are about 20' from the stable door (closer to the front door of the inn). Urvan, Rebecca, and Einnar are meandering about somewhere on the far side of the building and thus won't be of use currently.

Leyna is taken aback.

She had thought there might be animals in the stable, but not The Biggest Judas Goat She's Ever Seen. The animal is understandably upset, as hurricanes are just as overwhelming for animals as for people.

She doesn't want to kill it for the same reason she doesn't want to bash the door down at the Inn: it would seriously piss someone off. But at the same time she has limited experience with live animals - wild or domestic - and knows little about how to settle them.

"Woah, there!" she says, hoping that Alonder - who seems to have a wide range of knowledge on a variety of topics - will know what to do.

"Woah," Valgard said as he instinctively took a couple of steps back. Dealing with animals was right up there with riding in a ship and dealing with the weather in his view. This day was quickly starting to make him reconsider the life choices that led him here. But, here he was, and he wasn't going to be able to leave anytime soon. He just hoped someone here knew how to calm down a freaked out animal.

At the surprise expressed by Leyna and Valgard, Alonder quickened his step, only to find the massive goat panicking. Truth be told, he had no experience dealing with goats, but other than Urvan who was nowhere to be found, he was the only other member of the team that he knew owned an animal. He just hoped the methods he knew to calm an ox during a storm worked to calm a giant goat during a tornado.

"Woah there, easy girl. It's alright, everything is alright"

Slowly, he moved ahead into the barn's entrance and tried to gently pat the goat on the spot right over it's nose.

OOC: Not sure what skill is relevant, but I'm fairly certain Alonder has it at +0, so rolled with just cha mod (-1).

14:51, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 6 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 3,4.  Calming goat (cha+?).

Ralden muttered a curse under his breath when the door refused to open. Based off the way the windows were boarded shut it was fairly obvious the door had been secured as well. With no easy way inside he joined the others near the stable.

The warden wasn't surprised to hear the sounds of a goat inside. The size of the animal and it's spooked behavior however concerned him. He watched as Alonder attempted to calm the creature and decided to step back lest the beast feel surrounded.

OOC: Apologies all, I have to correct what I mentioned earlier about the size of these buildings.

• The Inn is not 20'x35' rectangular, but rather 40'x70'.
• The Stable is not 25'x10', but rather 50'x20'.

Though he makes a decent showing of it, Alonder is unable to stay the beast with the power of his personality alone. The Judas Goat apparently isn't listening to words right now and decides instead to barrel its way through the group in a mad dash to simply escape.

OOC: Alonder, Valgard, and Leyna will need to make Reflex Evasion saving throws to avoid injury from the Judas Goat as it barrels through/over/past you. Valgard and Leyna can apply a +1 bonus to this roll. The others are far enough away that they are not in the beasts' path and so are not in danger.

Assuming nothing stops the Judas Goat's movement it will simply run at a decent speed (faster than any of you can run) away from the stable in a southward direction. Everyone will have another chance to respond to the situation with quick actions if they wish. The Judas Goat seems likely to simply run away unless obstructed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:14, Sun 07 May 2023.

Leyna sidesteps the Judas goat like a toreador as it barrels past her.

22:06, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Reflex 13.

Alonder somehow manages to pivot out of the way of the terrified goat, barely avoiding its massive hoof.

"Is everyone ok? Let's get inside"


10:36, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 16 using 1d20 with rolls of 16.  Evasion 14.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:39, Sat 06 May 2023.

OOC: 20:16, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Valgard Bouldershoulder, rolled 15 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 14.  Evasion Saving Throw (vs. Judas Goat) - DC 14.

• In the future I may make more of these rolls myself simply to save time.

With great agility, everyone avoids the rampaging Judas Goat. It runs past the others of the group, not understanding that it can't outrun the storm, and disappears from view shortly after. Iceman had grabbed a spear and was apparently considering chucking it at the fleeing target but decided against it. As is becoming custom, he nods approvingly in the direction of Alonder, Leyna, and Valgard, apparently satisfied that they sustained no injury from the ordeal.

The excitement over, the group peers into the now calm stable. They notice quickly that while the walls are holding against the storm, most of the ceiling had already lost its struggle. Gaping holes allow both the fading grey light of the evening and also the torrents of rain and wind into almost every corner of the stable. You recon that it's better shelter than nothing, but it would still not be dry and if any additional damage were to happen, it might be at least as dangerous as being outside.

Within are all of the standard accompaniments that one might find in a stable. There is a little soggy feed, and a small variety of stable tools laying scattered about. Most immediately notable, are the unmoving corpses of two animals lying awkwardly on the ground in their respective places. One is a greying old (standard-sized) Judas Goat, the other is a Bull Pig.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:28, Sun 07 May 2023.

Alonder examines the interior of the barn, looking a bit lost.

"Ceiling is not looking very sturdy. I confess that I don't have much knowledge as to what one must do to protect themselves from a tornado. My general knolwedge ends at 'find shelter'. Should we secure ourselves with rope, or...?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Sun 07 May 2023.

Leyna's mind races. The absence of a roof is inconvenient.

"See if we can improvise some shelter!" she bellows over the wind. She debates whether the barn door would be more valuable shut against the wind... or ripped off the hinges and tipped against the wall as a makeshift roof.

"This barn is shot!" she yells. "See if there's anything to be used as shelter! Barrels, or stable walls we can break down and repurpose!" This is mostly directed at Alonder, as he seems like he might have a sense how to accomplish this.

If this is all completely impractical, then maybe they should consider bashing down the door to the inn...

Leyna, for her part, moves to inspect the corpses of the Judas Goat and the Bull Pig. She'll feel the corpses to see if they are still warm or if they have been dead for a long time. She'll also try to establish a cause of death. Do they bear any external wounds? If so, what might have caused them? Leyna knows that the spooked Judas goat that bolted might have done it... or that there could be a separate threat that has not yet been revealed.

Ralden made no move to stop the beast when it charged into the storm. Perhaps it was a bad omen that the goat thought it better to flee than hide in the stable. He followed the others into the building to barricade themselves in, or at least that had been the plan.

The holes in the roof were a cause for concern. Ralden was unsure if Alonder's comment about rope was made in jest but the warden couldn't think of a much better option. He quickly scoured the stable for rope or other tools they might be able to use to help secure themselves to the frame of the building.

There are some bits of rope in the stable but at first glance, nothing that looks right enough to 'secure ourselves' as Alonder put it. Building up a make-shift barrier against the storm here might be somewhat practical if you put in some time and effort, but it would obviously never be as good as a solid, sturdy building like the inn.

OOC: Probably overlooked, but one of the uses of Luck Points is to 'Edit the scene by adding something descriptive and useful/convenient.' This would be an appropriate use in order to luckily find what you need.

Leyna's investigation of the corpses reveals only some of the more obvious answers. Neither of the dead animals suffered damage indicative of a Judas Goat's doing. They have some scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. They are in fact quite cold but are definitely not decaying yet. Leyna is, of course, no expert on the subject of animal death scene investigation.

From the entryway, Iceman's voice cuts through the wind, calling back to the others that are still outside he clarifies, "Urvan and Rebecca noticed a few graves out behind the inn that looked rather fresh." He pauses for a few more moments before yelling back to them, "Did you find a way in? or anything else important?" After several more moments of answers that can't be heard he adds his determination to the group in the stable, "Probably better to stay the night in the main building."

Alonder turned, somewhat alleviated by Iceman's last sentence. Moving towards the exit of the barn, he asks for confirmation:

"Did they find a way in?"

In reply to Alonder Gimbel (msg # 154):

"The back door is less well secured, though still locked. They were about to force it to make enough room to enter."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:28, Mon 08 May 2023.

"Is that a good idea? I fear that the locals may not be very welcoming if we make their shelter less... sheltery. We already set lose one of their barn animals"

"I'll take that chance!" Leyna bellows over the wind.

"Those dead animals have been here a while, longer than the storm I'm guessing!"

It's a curious combination of evidence. On the one hand, the barn doors being closed and the inn doors being bolted shut does suggest the presence of somebody. On the other hand, Leyna would have thought that someone would have noticed and addressed the dead animals by now.

"If Urvan and Rebecca made it inside then I see no reason not to follow!"

She goes to find the back door to enter the inn. Her first goal (besides getting out of the rain) is to connect with Urvan and Rebecca. The second goal is to sweep through the inn to see what, if anything (or anyone), is inside.

Despite his words expressing hesitation, Alonder is moved by the tailwind of Leyna's proaction and swiftly follows her to the inn.

Ralden examined the junk he had scoured from the barn before he dropped the useless item. It seemed that nothing here would be able to help them. He whipped his head around when Iceman told them an entrance had been found.

Any ill will they might cause seemed a better option than dying in this storm. He rushed after the others and offered to help bust down the back door if they hadn't opened it already.

Valgard follows the others and calls out, "I could try and pick the lock, make it easier to get in and out."

At the door, he takes a look for a moment, and tries to pick the lock.

17:42, Today: Valgard Bouldershoulder rolled 9 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,4.  Sneak + Dex.

Rebecca was just about to kick the door in when Valgard appeared and persuaded her to accept a more subtle approach. It takes the dwarf some time to complete the delicate work due to stubborn wind, but eventually he thinks he's got it. Sadly one of the fine tools snaps as he does, but at least the task was successful. He swings the door open and the party shuffles in to escape the storm.

The 15'x15' room that the back door opens into appears to be a pantry. There are shelves of supplies here, and judging by the unpleasant smell, something that's gone off at least a few days ago. There is another door immediately across from the one by which the group entered. Inside the walls, sheltered from the wind, you might be able to hear now if there was anything going on inside the inn. However, the premises still seems quite deserted.

"Well done," Ralden muttered when the dwarf managed to pick the back lock. As soon as the doorway was opened he entered the room thankful to be out of the rain and wind. Wordlessly he drew his club and moved to the opposite door to listen for any sounds. If someone was still in the building it seemed better to find them early.

11:28, Today: Ralden rolled 4 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,1.  Notice + Wis.

Ralden hears nothing beyond the door.

OOC: For things that should be secret to PCs (such as many perception and knowledge checks), I typically ignore if a player makes a roll and I actually do a secret roll myself. Of course, it's not always easy for PCs to know what should have been secret or not, so it's totally fine for you to make such rolls in advance in the attempt to expedite the story. Just a heads up.

As everyone shuffles into the back door of the inn, Iceman stays in the stable a bit longer. He returns moments later without Einaar, apparently having left the beast there. The little shelter it still affords is sadly he best that could be managed for the animal at this time. To his credit, Einarr seems well trained and disciplined, keeping his wits through it all.

"I'll check it out," Leyna offers. "I have good eyes for the dark."

Inside, she can now stop yelling over the wind.

"Can someone figure out what went bad in here?" she asks, sniffing around the pantry. "It's odd for food and animals to be left unattended. Doesn't bode well."

She'll advance through the inner door, shield at the ready, to sweep through the rooms and see what she can find in the dark.

Valgard nodded at Ralden's acknowledgement of his skill, and follows behind Leyna, "I'll come with you, I can see in the dark myself."

The Smiling Spirit has multiple rooms here on this first floor, including Pantry, Kitchen, Backroom, and the large Commons Room. One would have to first go through the kitchen to get to any other room.

The stairs leading up to the second floor also still seems intact. It's likely that there are about seven Guest Rooms there. The stairs originate from the Common Room.

There is also a staircase downward from the Common Room that presumably leads to a Cellar.

OOC: Everyone should feel free to tell me which room(s) they are exploring (or whatever else they're doing) and I'll address everyone's findings individually as they come up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:37, Wed 10 May 2023.

"Let's stay close," Leyna tells Valgard. "I suspect that the spirits here are not smiling."

She briefly wonders on what sort of local population must exist in order to support an inn. Then she brings her attention back to the present.

Her loose plan is to examine the main floor first. Pantry to being (presumably completed upon entry) → kitchen → backroom → large common room.

Once that's done, then the guest rooms upstairs in clockwise order if no other sequence suggests itself.

Her plan is to leave the basement for last but, who knows, maybe the dwarf will feel an instinct to delve underground first.

In addition to looking for occupants, she'll try to judge the structural integrity of the inn. (Or Valgard can do this; dwarves being famously good craftsfolk.) If there are no occupants, she'll look for clues about their fate, or where they might have gone.

Since Leyna and Valgard seem to be handling the first floor, Alonder heads straight for the second. While he is looking for items that may be useful to setting up camp, his priority is actually checking the structure of the ceiling of the highest floor, to check for signs of disrepair. The Inn is definitely sturdier than the barn, but that doesn't mean it's in perfect condition. Better be sure than sorry.

OOC: Alonder will examine the second floor corridor, and move through the rooms to check for possible abandoned belongings and holes on the ceiling.

The warden sighed at the comment about the darkness. Indeed with all the windows boarded up it would be hard to see.

"Perhaps the storms drove the residents out and they abandoned whatever animals or supplies they couldn't bring?" Ralden offered before everyone separated.

Despite his plausible theory he kept his club out and followed Alonder up the steps. If something went wrong here it seemed best to travel in pairs. Ralden didn't spend long in each room, he search aimed for obvious things like residents who might still be in the building.

OOC: Noted.

The group passes from the Pantry into the Kitchen together and they do notice the darkness is more pronounced here. Some light and rain finds its way through small holes or seams in the walls, but overall the inside of the inn is indeed quite dark. Urvan lights up a candle and sits it on a counter as he lights another to carry with him. The effect is a cozy glow, but still only Leyna and Valgard truly can see comfortably. Alonder navigates effortlessly, as usual, but everyone else makes occasional missteps.

The Kitchen is 15'x35' with windows on the north and south walls that look to have been boarded up hastily. It's clean and well stocked but otherwise mostly standard to your expectations. Notably though, the air reeks of garlic; mashed and cut garlic buds are scattered everywhere on the floor and tables.

The Commons Room is 40'x35' and its three windows are similarly boarded up. Its space is stocked with the traditional bar, tables, and chairs. Alondar and Ralden split off to explore the upstairs while Rebecca and Urvan explore downstairs. Iceman lingers with Leyna and Valgard here. Several puddles have formed from where leaks in the ceiling and walls have allowed the storm access. Interestingly, scattered about this room are several crudely carved wooden symbols - propped on the mantle, hung on the walls, and left lying on the tables and floors. Dozens of blobs of tallow are similarly scattered. Like the Kitchen, this room also reeks from the garlic hung everywhere.

Up the stairs the Hallway grants access to seven doors, presumably guest rooms. There is a tear in the roof here and several collections of puddles formed on the floor that drip through the boards to the rooms below. The doors to the guest rooms seem to be in good shape though.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:48, Thu 11 May 2023.

"Squandering perfectly good garlic," Leyna sniffs, either because the smell is overpowering or because she finds food waste distasteful.

"Old wives tales speak of holy symbols deterring the undead and garlic damaging them. So we know the occupants feared, if not what befell them."

She picks up a carved holy symbol out of curiosity, then investigates the blobs of tallow to see if they are the knob ends of candles that burned through their wicks.

"Hopefully we won't have to exhume the graves out back," she says. "Damp earth is difficult to dig."

Valgard absentmindedly picks up one of the holy symbols as well, examining the poor craftsmanship, "I can't see why we would exhume them. If they have been infected by the undead, I would expect they would exhume themselves. Otherwise, no point in us bothering with them I would think."

He continued circling the room, looking to see if there are any signs of a struggle taking place here; blood on the floors, scratch marks, or the like. "It's a bit surprising there are no bodies. Clearly they were afraid of something, but it's as if they just up and left, with a fully stocked kitchen. Surprising given how far away we are from anything."

OOC: Are the guest rooms empty? I believe Alonder and Randel are checking half each, Randel glancing for occupants and Alonder scanning for items.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Thu 11 May 2023.

"Nothing here suggests a voluntary evacuation," Leyna says.

"The food in the pantry, the doors bolted from the inside, the candles that nobody bothered to extinguish, the untended animals.

"No, I suspect that the former occupants are still here, in one form or another.

"Come, let us assist the others."

She heads to the basement to see if Rebecca and Urvan are still alive.

This message was deleted by the player at 22:12, Thu 11 May 2023.

OOC: Oh, I wasn't certain that was the agreed plan. I'm going to wait for Ralden to see if indeed Ralden is fine with moving on in that way or if he wanted to do anything else in the hall first.


It's a good thing that Valgard did indeed look a little more closely around the room. Yes, lots of garlic and symbols and such, but that was only what was noticeable at a rough look. Spending a bit more time to focus in every corner does yield something.

Huddled in the corner of the hearth - fitting snugly as if hiding intentionally - is the body of a human male, probably in his late teens. The body is dressed in commoner clothes, is extremely pale and is very cold. A knife and a bit of wood that's been half-carved into another holy symbol are still clutched in his hands. Valgard can tell that the boy had lost lots of blood, a ridiculous amount of blood... maybe about all of its blood. Curiously, there are no visible bloody wounds or stains on his clothes.


OOC: I'm assuming Leyna wants to belay that action for a moment due to the new info about the body on this floor. If that's incorrect, just say so.

Valgard approaches the body slowly, one hand on one of the handaxes strapped to his hips just in case. He reaches out to touch it, to see if there might still be any life left inside.

"Leyna, you might want to check this out," he called out to the elf as he examined the body.

Leyna stops and returns.

"Hmm!" she hums, clicking her tongue a couple times. "Hypothesis confirmed."

She looks around the room.

"Well, we can't leave him in there. Well I suppose we could. I will restate: we should not leave him in there."

Curious, she grabs a dab of garlic off the table and presses it onto the cheek of the teen to see if it produces any result. If it does not, she will drag the body out into the room for closer inspection.

"Exsanguination," she murmurs, seeing if she can tell how it occurred. "Maybe warn the others, or let them know to look in hiding places."

OOC: I'm not sure I caught that Alonder or Ralden had any light going at the moment. I know Alonder has his special ability so he's not bumping into stuff, but light would still help to see better details. Apologies if I missed any mention of lighting prior, but it likely does influence what details you can make out in these rooms.

When the upper floors showed no more light than below Ralden lit his lantern and checked the rooms with Alonder.

OOC: I am good to check the rooms.

Valgard nodded, "Right." He walks over to the stairs leading upstairs and calls out, "Hey, keep your eyes open. We just found a dead body huddled in a corner down here. All of the blood is missing from the body, but there's nothing spilled anywhere, and no wounds to speak of."

He then walks over to the stairs leading to the basement and reveals the same information.

OOC: Pausing the investigation in the Common Room for a moment. You'll (probably) have time to get back to it.

As the others spend time investigating below, Ralden and Alonder have time enough to check two rooms each. They are all basically identical, each with two sets of bunk beds, a table with a water basin, and a pair of stools. The standard minor leaks and puddles from the storm are present, but overall the roof and walls seem sturdy in these rooms.

Ralden is just about to leave to check the next room when his years of training pay off. He senses danger, though he knows not exactly what it means. For a second he sees nothing, but then from the corner of his eye he catches movement from a nearby puddle. A silvery sheen glints in the moonlight and by the light of the lantern, the warden sees it lunge up at him. His quick reflexes afford him a moment to react.

OOC: We're in combat rounds now. Ralden avoided the surprise due to his Foci. I also rolled Initiative:

1. Ralden gets to act first.
2. The puddle will act second.
3. Everyone else in the group can act in whatever order they wish. Remember to apply character knowledge appropriately.

You don't have to post in initiative order, but events will resolve that way.

It was more instinct than common sense. The warden felt something was off in the room. Before he could retreat something attacked him. Ralden moved his lantern to see the water itself move unnaturally towards him. His training guided his hand and he lashed out with the club he held. Perhaps a foolish idea in hindsight since his opponent was a sentient puddle. "Grr, Alonder fall back and warn the others! Some magic is controlling the water!" He shouted over his shoulder.



Main Action: Melee Attack
On Turn Action: Say a few words
18:00, Today: Ralden rolled 13,5 using 1d20+3,1d4+2 with rolls of 10,3.  Club Attack/Club Damage.

Ralden's panicked swing is wild and wide of the mark. His quick aggressive action, however, puts him in a position from where he easily dodges the lunging puddle. With the sidestep, the puddle splashes back onto the floor and splatters - motionless, like a proper puddle should be.

OOC: Ralden's attack missed and the puddle attack also missed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:59, Fri 12 May 2023.

Quickly jumping into action, Alonder rushes out of the room and into the hallway, examining the water in the area for movement. He makes sure to stay out of the way for Ralden to move out of the room if needed.

OOC: Looking around for any puddles in the hallway, to see if any are moving around.

OOC: For the sake of keeping things moving, I've taken liberties in assuming that Leyna's and Valgard's actions would include moving closer to the action. If simply moving to the upstairs hallway was in fact not what was intended, please let me know.

For a moment the excitement dies down. Ralden and Alonder peer quisically at the puddles in the upstairs rooms while the others clambor up the stairs to join them. Iceman responds to Ralden's warning with more questions, "What!? Magic? Close ranks and don't let the sorcerer slip past."

Round 1 Summary: Ralden was engaged with a puddle in a guest room. Alonder is on the upper floor examining other puddles more closely. Leyna, Valgard, and Iceman were alerted to the commotion and made their way up the stairs and into the second floor hallway.

Round 2 begins (same initiative).
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:01, Sun 14 May 2023.

Not seeing any immediate threats, Valgard looks down the hallway in both directions, and then into the nearest room, readying one of his axes just in case.

Ralden was relieved when he heard Iceman's reply. It seemed the others were now aware of the attack, although what that attack was the warden wasn't sure. The mention of a sorcerer made some sense to him. Perhaps the water itself was a weapon and not the enemy? He shined his lamp into the room as he prepared to defend himself. If another attack happened maybe he would see some clue.

OOC:
Instant + Main Action: Total Defense

Remaining wary, Ralden wisely keeps an eye on the puddle that had leapt at him.

OOC: The puddles seems to do nothing during the round. Everyone should continue to post any actions if they want to. Am I correct that Ralden is, at this point, the only one in the room where the attack happened? After that first round of movement, everyone else can be close enough to Ralden if they want to be.

Leyna takes Iceman's advice to heart and stands back-to-back with Valgard.

"There is something more at play here!" she shouts to the others. "It's not the water itself, but whatever is controlling it!"

Leyna isn't certain what sort of magical attack would involve an attacking puddle of water. There is remarkably little in the academy literature around such an approach.

"Alonder!" she barks perhaps a little rudely, but the situation has alarmed her. "Can you detect things you cannot see?

"If so, sweep the area around Ralden while we guard you!"

Alonder continues standing watch in the corridor, waiting for Ralden to get out of the room with the attacker, or shout further instructions. He has no direct awareness of any threat, so he stands by for more information.

Several seconds passed but the warden continued to examine the puddle. "Iceman, or anyone really. This puddle seems to twitch. I don't know if it reacts to movement or is sentient. Anyone have a clue as to what it is?" As he spoke he kept his light on the liquid in question and continued to prepare to dodge if necessary.

Ralden's question hangs in the air but the answer will have to wait. Iceman slides past the warden into the room to see for himself. He stares at the puddle for only a moment before the puddle visibly twitches again. This time it's unmistakable.

"I don't," stammers Iceman speechless. "What in the?"

Then, with supernatural gravity that a puddle simply shouldn't have, the mass of water glides effortlessly and with startling speed across the floor in the direction of the doorway and toward the hallway beyond.

OOC: Unless anyone attempts to intervene somehow, it seems like the puddle is attempting to move away from the party in a non-aggressive manner.

OOC: I'm going to say that we're out of rounds now. That is unless someone does something that necessitates going back to it.

Instinctively, Alonder tries to catch the puddle as it runs away. In the span of a moment, the only coherent thought he is able to make is that cloth would be the only way to capture water, so he lunges himself at the liquid being.

"Be careful!" Leyna tells Alonder. "It could be sentient, like an elemental! Or an unusually fluid ooze!

"Or it could be controlled by someone or something we can't see! Stay alert!"

She runs to get a pot or a bowl from the kitchen, thinking they might be able to trap it... but what then? If it's sentient, they probably can't communicate with it. If it jumped at Ralden, it might be hostile.

But more likely it's being controlled by someone or something else, whatever finished off that teen boy that was hiding in the hearth. Maybe the killing and the puddle are unrelated, but that coincidence would be hard to believe.

Alonder's brave but impulsive decision proves disastrous. As the puddle draws near to him, the mage attempts to somehow contain the spillage and only opens himself up to retaliation. He fails to absorb the puddle, and in return feels a burning sting across his midsection as the puddle lashes out to meet him. In an instant, Alonder's downward momentum has him crashing face first to the floor. In another few seconds, the burning sensation is gone replaced by, well nothing but numbness. The feeling spreads quickly and as it takes hold of Alonder's body stiffens with paralysis. He can already feel himself losing control of his limbs as the tightness makes them all flop in awkward angles when he tries to squirm.

OOC:

• 16:13, Today: Secret Roll: Dungeon Master rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  Alonder - Physical Save vs. Puddle (DC 15).
• 16:11, Today: Secret Roll: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Alonder Gimbel, rolled 2 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 3.  Alonder - Dex/Punch (to Grapple Puddle).

The puddle makes no further move toward Alonder, rather it slips past him to continue slithering down the hall toward the stairs.

OOC: Leyna is heading for the kitchen, where she's certain she saw a large pot and lid.
Alonder takes 1 Hit Point of damage and is now moderately paralyzed. His limbs will not support his weight and any activities requiring manipulation will be difficult for him. His head parts are working fine though, so he can still perceive, speak, etc. as normal... for now.
If anyone else wants to try anything before Leyna returns with the gear for her plan, they will have time to do so now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:38, Tue 16 May 2023.

Alonder yelps from his position on the floor, eager to share his discovery with the other members of the party.

"It numbed my limbs! It stings like a jellyfish!"

"Right, let's not try that again," Valgard says matter-of-factly as he keeps an eye on the puddle, following it if necessary to make sure they don't lose it before Leyna returns.

Leyna continues with her fetch-a-pot quest, although she privately wonders what the end result will or should be. To trap it? Maybe they could get some rest for the night. Communicating with it seems like a bridge too far. There's also concern that where there might be one, there might be more.

"Rebecca! Urvan!" she calls down to the basement as she runs for the kitchen. "Watch out! We have a stinging ooze up here!"

Having already seen the puddle move, Ralden was not surprised when the liquid retreated out of the room. As he joined the others and raced out of the room he saw Alonder had apparently fallen victim to the creature, quite literally as he was splayed out on the floor. He saw that the others had continued down the staircase in pursuit.

Instead of joining the hunt the warden instead moved to prop Alonder up against a wall. "Not a great time to lie down on the job," he joked with a smirk. "Can you move?" While he addressed the other man Ralden's eyes were trained on the hallway. If another 'puddle' decided to mobilize while Alonder was incapacitated he'd be ready to act.

Alonder appreciated Ralden's support, and lamented out loud.

"Somewhat, but I don't have much control of my limbs. I don't think the paralyzing agent is too severe, but I'm unsure how long it will last for"

With a hint of embarrassment, he added: "I should note not to jump on top of unknown sentient puddles in the future"

Ominously, there is no sign nor signal from the two that were investigating the basement.

Meanwhile, the puddle has slinked its way past the upstairs group and is in the Commons Room. Leyna has her pot and lid, but is she brave (or foolish) enough to enact her initial plan? It's likely now or never, since the puddle seems to now be heading for the door.

Leyna growls. She drops the pot and lets the puddle escape.

"Ralden, Valgard, leave Alonder with Iceman! Come with me to the basement!"

She moves to the top of the stairs to the basement and calls out to Rebecca and Urvan again. If they don't respond, she'll descend the stairs.

"Wise words," he said with a nod of agreement as he put away his gear and tried to position Alonder so that he was at least sitting up.

When he heard the shouts from down below Ralden looked behind him. "Iceman, care to take over here?" He waited for the experienced hero to take over as chaperone before he picked up his lantern and rushed down the stairs.

Once Ralden was on the first floor he retraced his steps and joined up with Leyna at the top of the basement stairs. The warden had put away his club and instead drew his shortsword from it's sheath. Those who saw it easily noted that some sort of enchantment was on the blade. Glowing runes ran down the metal seemingly written in black flames. "Mind if I take point?" He asked the elf. If she agreed he marched down the steps and swept his lantern across the basement.

Valgard followed Ralden down the stairs and shrugged at Ralden's question, "Be my guest sir." He gripped his handaxe and followed the human down the steps.

The puddle excitement past, Iceman nods at the suggestion and stays with Alonder in the upstairs hallway. "Maybe next time, hit a beastie with a sword instead of with your belly, eh?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:51, Fri 19 May 2023.

"I don't have any weapons on me. And punching water sounded silly, but I guess it's a valid strategy? I still have lots to learn"

In the cellar, the three remaining adventurers are met with a sorry sight. The space itself is 20'x35 and rather plain. It's a storeroom stocked with several large tuns of wine and kegs of mead, ale, and beer. Otherwise, entirely devoid of interest. However, near the far wall the bodies of Rebecca ad Urvan lay sprawled on the floor unceremoniously a few feet apart.

Upon closer inspection, they appear to be alive, breathing faintly but rigid and coldish. Very much, in fact, like the giantess Cernunna that you encountered earlier this morning. Neither of the two are able to communicate and every second they seem to be struggling to hold on to consciousness.

On Rebecca's neck and right collar bone you notice a wide abrasion, discolored but definitely fresh and about the size of a dinner plate. The warrior's blades are still in their sheathes. On Urvan, a similar mark on his lower left arm. Urvan still grasps his handaxe in a pale, clenched hand.

Leyna sweeps the area with her darkvision, looking for potential threats. She makes sure to look up as well as down.

"Let's get them upstairs if we can," Leyna says to Valgard and Ralden.

"Valgard, are your boulder shoulders up to the task? Ralden and I will guard the flanks."

Nothing else noticeable.

The warden frowned when he saw the condition of the two adventurers. After seeing upstairs the outcome of touching one of the oozes it was fairly obvious they had come into contact. He too scanned the room but found no other sign of a creature.

"Something about this isn't right. If something attacked them it either escaped or it's still here somewhere." He whispered as he pointed to the wide collection of tuns, kegs, and other containers for liquids.

"Perhaps whatever caused this escaped?" He said a bit louder. Ralden wasn't sure if these creatures understood speech but a bit of misdirection couldn't hurt.

Unless the others had a better idea he slowly approached the kegs to see if any of them were opened.

The drinkables all appear to be as they should; properly sealed and/or tapped. Nothing but some dust and dirt behind and under and in between. Overall, the cellar looks clear of danger.

"The boy in the hearth had such abrasions," Leyna tells Valgard and Ralden, indicating the one on Rebecca's neck and the one on Urvan's lower left arm.

"But obviously they still have their blood. So either the puddle either stuns its prey and then later drains its blood - perhaps we interrupted its feeding - or maybe there is a symbiotic relationship. The puddles stun the prey, and - once immobilized - the vampire or what-have-you emerges to feed at its leisure.

The elf begins to regret not spearing the one that escaped.

"We must gather together for mutual protection. We need to get Rebecca and Urvan somewhere defensible along with Alonder. Come, I'll grab Rebecca under the shoulders and will drag her up the stairs. Valgard, you do the same for Urvan. Ralden, watch our backs!"

Valgard nods, "Yep, I can carry 'em up." He bends down and grabs Urvan's body and starts to carry him up the stairs.

With the three mostly incapacitated party members upstairs, everyone breathes a sigh of relief that the danger seems to be past. Moments slip by with no sound but the howling of the wind and the rain against the walls of the inn. Overall, they do seem sturdy enough to weather the storm. Some cracks and holes here and there, but nothing worrisome; a decent place to dry.

As well, dusk has faded completely into night and candlelight is the only means by which many of the group can navigate at all. "It's not an ideal situation," Iceman chimes in, "but it's better than nothing. We should get rest now while we can and if we're lucky the storm will have relented by the light of day." He cocks his head to the side, likely concerned about something of which he does not speak.

Between the adrenaline and the work of carrying Rebecca upstairs, she hasn't really noticed being cold or wet. Now that the physical labor is nearing an end, she knows that will change.

"We need to warm up and dry out," she declares to nobody in particular. This is probably obvious to everyone but she says it out loud anyway. "We're never going to get rest if we're soaking wet and uncomfortable."

She takes the dead young man and drags him to the backroom. She dumps him unceremoniously in a corner and moves to the next task.

"Firewood, fire. Let's get that hearth going. If things are slinking in through the chimney, I want them to find a toasty, smoky reception. And we'll have a better chance of seeing something coming if we're not dependent on dinky little candles.

"Ralden, follow me around; watch my back. Valgard, stay with Alonder, Rebecca, and Urvan and monitor their breathing." Not that she has a clue what to do if they stop breathing. Stick the bellows in their mouth and start pumping?

"Alonder, any advice?" She figures it's good to keep him talking.

She's a buzz of activity, first gathering firewood and piling it up in the hearth. She has no special fire-creation or fire-starting skills but hopefully someone can split the wood into splinters and use one of the candles to light it.

She'll stick a pot under one of the leaks in the ceiling to catch some water. Eventually she'll set that water to boil, hopefully making tea or something soothing.

The pantry smells foul. "What doesn't go bad... flour? Flour takes a long time to go bad, right?" She grabs some flour and a pan. If there's some cooking lard or vegetable oil, so much the better. She'll crudely mix together flour and water into a simple dough and will set it in a greased pan over the fire to make exceedingly elementary pancakes. If she gets real crazy maybe she'll brown some garlic in the pan first before adding the dough. But the overall goal here is heat, inside and out.

OOC: Any update on Alonder's condition? Is he still alright from the neck up?

At the request for advice, Alonder manages a meek: "If you see a sentient puddle, don't jump on it"

In reply to Alonder Gimbel (msg # 220):

OOC: Yes, Alonder's condition remains the same.

Ralden had assisted the other as they dragged the paralyzed members up the stairs onto the first floor. His weapon sheathed his scowl remained in place as he nodded his agreement with Leyna's request. Once she had gathered some materials he used his tinder box to start a small fire to dry themselves.

It wasn't until he had followed the elf into the kitchen that he spoke. His voice was lowered as she scoured through the supplies. "I might be paranoid but something about this seems off. If they had some sort of venom that might explain the paralysis but the wounds don't line up. Alonder literally fell on the thing and he is still conscious. Urvan on the other hand got attacked on his arm and he's fallen into some sort of coma." He stood in silence for a few minutes before he continued. "I wonder if some piece of the creature is still inside them? Like a shard of a blade broken off and left in the wound." He scratched at his chin as he considered the answer to his own question. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it," he said with a sigh.

Once Leyna finished her makeshift recipe he followed her back into the room with the others. No longer distracted he decided to examine the body that had been discovered on the off chance he noticed something previously unseen.

"We must assume magic," Leyna tells Ralden in the kitchen.

"Puddles are not usually animate. Anything that lacks an obvious source of locomotion is usually derived from magic.

"The question then becomes, is it an independent creature, or one responding to the beckoning of another?"

She puffs her cheeks out as she exhales.

"We came to solve the storms, but the storms may solve us first. Come, we must be on our guard. We will not do our adversaries work for them."

As others get a fire started in the hearth and cook up some evening sustenance, Iceman moves the tables and chairs in the Commons Room to barricade the door and simply get them out of the way. He then strips the bedframes in the guest rooms of their mattresses and lays them on the floor near the fire. The shelter of the inn and the extra layer of padding will certainly help bring a little comfort to the rest, despite the storm outside and the general feeling of terror inside. The corpse in the corner and the infirmed companions close by make it impossible for anyone to forget the danger that is ever present.

OOC: If everyone is ready to camp for the night I'll move events along. Let me know if anyone will be keeping vigil or otherwise not sleeping.

"We should presume a threat is still present," Leyna says.

"Let's do shifts overnight, both to guard but also to keep watch over Rebecca and Urvan. 90 minutes each. I'll take the first. Ralden and Valgard next. Perhaps Alonder if he recovers sufficiently. Iceman, if you're willing.

"Let's bring Einarr in," she suggests. "No sense in leaving him out in the storm. Plus I don't want whatever befell those animals in the barn to happen to Einarr. Some animal senses might add an extra layer of protection too. Doesn't look like our hosts will mind if he's indoors."

If nobody objects, she'll take Ralden out to the barn to recover the rhinoceros. After that, she'll bolt the back door and do her best to dry off. She takes off her cloak and wrings it out, then places it near the fireplace to dry out.

"Agreed, any place water can get in we should assume these 'puddles' can also get into. We'll have to be vigilant." The warden nodded in agreement at Leyna's plan of action.

The mention of the large animal caused Ralden to sigh but he held back any objection. The creature would no doubt be safer in the house, although moving the beast might be a bit of a challenge. He followed her out to the barn and attempted to coral the rhino into the building.

With some effort, some squeezing, and a whole lot of stuff knocked off of shelves in a tiny pantry, the animals are brought inside successfully. The Commons Room will serve well enough for a camp for the night, all things considered.

OOC: Leyna mentioned '90 minutes each' for watch shifts, so including Iceman I count only four guards. Does that mean you're only planning to rest for six hours total?

Everyone including the animals settle in to their sleeping pads and begin to drift off as Leyna keeps first watch. The sounds of rain and wind on the walls become ambient and only the prodigious snoring competition between Iceman and Einaar dominates. Leyna is vigilant, stubbornly resisting the urge to sleep after a long and arduous day of travel and danger.

Roughly ninety minutes pass before she notices something missing. Instinctively, she glances to her companions, then leans close and focuses. Rebecca, it seems, has stopped breathing entirely. A quick check for signs of life reveal nothing positive. Her body is stiff and cold and as silent as the corpse of the boy in the corner.

OOC: Allowing a response before moving on to the next shift, which would be Ralden's.

Leyna sighs. She does the obvious things: checking for pulse, feeling for breath, watching to see if Rebecca's chest inhales or exhales. She does a few chest compressions to see if there's any reaction. Presuming there's none, she lets the others rest. She'll inform Ralden at the end of her shift.

She'll still keep watch over Rebecca, both to see if her initial assessment was wrong - it seems plausible that this could be a magically-induced stasis, especially if the hematophage prefers their prey to be stunned - but also to ensure that Rebecca hasn't been infected with anything that's going to reproduce and/or emerge from her. Not a comforting thought, but Leyna needs to limit the damage before it spreads further. She grows concerned for Alonder, worried that his condition may worsen instead of improve.

Leyna will keep the fire tended but not overly bright. She wants the room warm and comfortable but not hot nor so well illuminated that the others cannot rest. At the end of her shift, she will wake Ralden for his watch.

Leyna's assessment confirms that Rebecca is indeed very much dead. She cannot tell exactly how long ago it happened, but she can tell that the warrior's wound from earlier is freshly agrivated. The abrasion on her arm is more discolored and more widely spread.

A quick look around confirms that nobody else seems to be any worse nor any better than before.

Leyna is now concerned that this is an infection that spreads. Or could there be an invisible presence at play?

She positions both Rebecca and Urvan so that she can keep an eye on their wounds. She wants to see if they continue to progress.

A grim part of her thinks to chop off Rebecca's arm and toss it outside, but she doesn't want to deal with a flood of blood. Alternatively she could just throw Rebecca outside. Unceremonious, and not what one would expect of a teammate, however temporary. Would the others raise eyebrows, or would they think her prudent for doing so?

She continues her watch.

Notably, none of the wounds on the boy, on Rebecca, Urvan, or Alonder are bleeding or had ever been seen to be bleeding. The immediate coldness in fact definitely suggests loss of blood, but not where the blood went. At this point, she has enough evidence to be fairly certain that whatever is causing the blood to go missing is not an infection, but rather must be an outside source.

The last several minutes of Leynas watch end without further development.

OOC: Ralden's watch is up next. If nothing is specified to change, I'll proceed.

Leyna wakes Ralden, both to hand off the watch but also to update him.

"Rebecca seems to have passed. Urvan and Alonder are the same, as best I can tell. But, see here how Rebecca's wounds have progressed? And note the immediate chill of her skin. It is troubling. It almost as if she is being consumed from the inside out.

"Keep a careful watch. If Urvan's condition worsens, we may have to consider drastic measures, like amputation."

Leyna has a hard look in her eye that says she would not enjoy it, but nor would she hesitate if she thought it might save Urvan.

Having dried out a bit during her watch, Rebecca is more confident that she can get some rest. Now, with such a busy brain she might not be able to sleep, but at least she can recover a little bit.

Ralden jerked awake when he was disturbed until he remembered where he was. The warden rubbed the slumber from his eyes and nodded at Leyna's words, the meaning behind them slow to sink in.

When he looked over at Rebecca though everything clicked into place. He frowned as he examined the corpse. Leyna's theory troubled him even more. "Perhaps they are being consumed? Some creatures lay an egg inside a host and the young use the corpse as food. Maybe they have a metaphorical egg."

He paused to look at the corpse in the corner. "I think at the very least we have a pretty better idea of what happened to the boy who lived here. Whatever drained the former occupant is now draining them. I doubt Urvan will last the night at this rate. If amputation is to be considered it should be now while he still has blood left to lose."

His hand hand moved to draw the dagger as he spoke. "Do you disagree or should I wake the others?"

"Urvan and Alonder haven't gotten worse during my watch.

"I don't want to go severing limbs if there's a chance they'll recover. I would say to keep an eye on them. If things get worse, we'll need to act, but let's give them a chance to beat this before we disfigure them for life."

OOC: Any change of plans for watch? Anything else to do before I move on with Ralden's watch?

Ralden eventually nodded his head and sheathed his dagger. "Fine, I'll keep an eye on them and see if things change." With that he let the elf try to get some rest. Now alone he poked the fire to keep it active and tried to focus on those who were incapacitated.

OOC: We can move on.

Leyna tries to get some rest, even if it's just closing her eyes and relaxing her muscles.

The night passes slowly. Anticipation and worry are heavy on the minds of everyone, waking or not. Shadows flicker throughout the commons room of the Smiling Spirit while outside the weather waxes and wanes but does not relent.

Ralden remains vigilant. A few times he thinks maybe the pallor of Urvan's face is shifting, but further study seems merely to be a trick of the lightning. Similarly, he thinks maybe he spies glints of movement from the corner of his eyes or from behind some furniture, but ultimately there is nothing there when looks more closely.

About halfway through his shift, the wooly rhino yelps and collapses to the floor with a thud. With a start, Ralden springs to investigate. Again, he thinks he sees movement on the floor but is unable to pinpoint anything. The rhino bears a now familiar mark on its leg, though it's already quite large compared to Alonder's wound and those of Rebecca and Urvan when they were first discovered. The rhino's muscles stiffen and its condition soon mirrors Urvan's. It seems conscious but unable to do much more than simply breath laboriously.

The racket wakes Leyna, Alonder, Valgard, and surprisingly even Iceman. Groggily the veteran warrior grumbles with his eyes still closed, "What's with the racket?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Wed 31 May 2023.

Leyna sits up. She scowls.

"An external threat, then," she says once Ralden updates everyone. "Not an infection. We are being hunted. The question becomes, 'why can we not detect it?'"

She stands and goes to the kitchen. She finds a sack of flour or cornmeal or any other dry and powdery baking material. Opening the bag, she grabs a handful and begins to scatter it about. She tries to dust every surface that's visible from the hearth, taking care to avoid the fire in the hearth since flour is flammable. She dusts Urvan and his rhino. Then, for good measure, she takes a handful and throws it in the air all around her to see if it lands or collects on anything.

"We must all keep watch," she says. "Look for trails or movement in the dust. Throw a handful of flour at any movement you think you see."

"In better news, and don't ask me why I'm responding better to the venom, but I seem to be slowly recovering movement. My limbs are still completely numb, but my neck is less stiff and I can wiggle my shoulders if I try. You'll have to keep watch over me a bit longer, sorry for the trouble."

The first part of the watch ended smoothly. Sure, the fire caused shadows to dance but Ralden was used to the odd movement of shadows. The cry ruined that illusion. In a second the warden drew his blade and approached the rhino as he looked for the source of the beast's distress. The familiar wound quickly revealed what had happened.

"We brought in the animals from the storm," he explained when he heard the others stir. "It seems likely the ooze creature that attacked earlier is still around. Urvan's rhino was attacked and has a wound similar to Urvan and Rebecca." He shifted the creature so the others could see the wound.

As Alonder stirred he let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. Unfortunately Rebecca's wound grew more severe and she passed on during Leyna's watch. Probably killed the former resident too."

With the group informed Ralden took a handful of the flour Leyna discovered and examined the room.

There is enough flour to make quite a mess of the place. With the entire room covered, you find it difficult to believe that much of anything could wander through without causing some noticeable disturbance.

"Good thinking," Iceman comments at Leyna's plan. The warrior had been double-checking that Einaar was ok and resituating the resting arrangements to be more tightly concentrated together. "Anything tries to come up on us, we'll be ready. It'll be a long night, but hopefully also a quiet one."

OOC: Some of you have only had 90 minutes of rest this evening. It's also still several hours until dawn.

1. Do you have any other preparations to make?
2. Am I correct that the plan now is for everyone to stay awake and all keep watch together?

OOC: Alonder will sleep, hoping to recover as fast as possible. Staying awake to keep watch is a marginal benefit, and if everyone is gonna be on edge the correct teamplay is to recover ASAP to be able to assist when everyone else is tired.

For a long time after setting down, Leyna's plan seems to have been wasted time. Flour covering everything leaves the place looking almost like a blizzard had entered the commons room rather than just rain. Most folks are able to nod off after a while for some much needed rest.

Leyna's primary plan was the locate a threat and neutralize it.

But if they can deter the threat, so that the team can get some rest and recover without being eaten alive, then that's a success too.

She sleeps, and trusts the others to keep watch in turn.

Eventually the others nodded off until only Ralden continued to stand watch. His tired eyes scanned the room until finally his watch was ended. Before he could wake the next person to stand guard he noted a whole in their "flour" trap. He followed the opening until he finally spotted the puddle.

Ralden slowly drew his blade as he tried to quietly approach the enemy. When he was close enough he lashed out with his sword in an attempt to damage it. "The creature is back!" He shouted to the others.


OOC:
18:11, Today: Ralden rolled 18 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 15.  Short Sword Attack.
18:12, Today: Ralden rolled 4 using 1d6+2 with rolls of 2.  Short Sword Damage.

OOC: Considering this the initiation of combat. Ralden wins initiative so the following is a first round.

Ralden's quickness and skill brings a measure of success. The creature was apparently not expecting the attack to be so swift and fierce and it silently recoils as Ralden's blade cuts into it. Instinctively, it retaliates but Ralden's reflexes save him for now from its dangerous touch.

Already on edge and sleeping lightly, everyone else is awoken by Ralden's battle cry and everyone that is able to bolts up ready to respond, their weapons within easy reach.

OOC: Everyone else can join the battle starting in round 2 after Ralden and the puddle act once more. Ralden and the puddle are engaged on the far side of the room while everyone else is gathered together near the fire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:08, Tue 06 June 2023.

OOC: Is Alonder's condition better, worse or the same?

Slightly better than before, maybe an inch more of feeling, but sadly Alonder is still unable to effectively use limbs.

Leyna awakes with a start. Her head is pounding. It takes her a moment to focus on the action and collect her wits. She watches Ralden thrust and parry with his short sword as her muscles tense for action.

Ralden felt a brief moment of relief as the puddle recoiled from his blade strike. Even though the creature looked like a liquid perhaps he stood a chance of slaying it. The warden ducked under a tendril the creature shot out before he swung his short sword once more.

OOC:
Spent a luck point to reroll my attack.
14:37, Today: Ralden rolled 10,8 using 1d20+3,1d6+2 with rolls of 7,6.  Short Sword Attack/Damage.
14:38, Today: Ralden rolled 21 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 18.  Spend Luck Point to reroll attack.

Ralden sees his blade cutting deeply into the puddle and flecks of transparent puddle goo fling across the wall. Still, the creature emits no noise to indicate if it feels pain. Its actions, however, now indicate a clear desire for self preservation. More quickly than one might imagine, the puddle slinks away from Ralden, climbing through a crack where the window nearby was not perfectly boarded, and escapes into the storm.

OOC: If anyone wants to give chase, I'll continue with rounds. Otherwise, the combat is effectively over at this point. You can blame Ralden being awesome for the rest of you not getting a chance to act :P

"Well done, Ralden!" Leyna cheers.

Leyna jumps up and rushes over to see if it's possible to pursue the puddle or if it's camouflage in the storm is so complete that it would be a fool's errand to do so. Having dried out, she has little desire to go get soaked again.

Lenya is pretty sure that the puddle would be quite invisible outside and indeed decides that only a fool would attempt to locate the creature in such conditions.

Leyna looks around the room and does her best to patch up any holes that would make it easy for a vengeful puddle to return. Granted, there are still holes in the ceiling that are likely beyond repair, but she'll at least make the puddle work for it's next meal.

Leyna is no craftswoman, but she also knows that the puddle can probably only apply a limited amount of force. Even if she can't make actual repairs, she'll block holes or stuff them with whatever's handy.

"Puddles probably hate salt, right?" she says to nobody in particular. Now that she's stomped around a bit, she'll reinforce the flour trap with a layer of salt (if the pantry has salt in sufficient quantities).

Then she heads back to bed.

The warden raised his blade to strike again when the creature retreated. Ralden chased the creature to the crack where the puddle easily squeezed through and escaped into the storm. He grunted in frustration but finally sheathed his blade.

When he noticed Leyna's tactic he nodded in agreement. He gathered any fabric he could and tried to cover any potential openings in the doorways. "Put an extra lair of the salt on the staircase and around the fireplace. I can't think of a good way to completely cut those off." He sighed as he looked at the others. "Hopefully having been forced to retreat it will give up on hounding us."

His watch having effectively come to an end he nodded to the person who would next be on lookout.

Adequately plugging the holes is a painstakingly process. There are numerous gaps through which the puddle could slip, and the materials to do the job correctly are sparce. Still, with tenacity and teamwork the group completes the task satisfactorily. The time goes more quickly with the feeling of victory at the puddle's last appearance.

Iceman takes the next watch and the others are grateful for the much needed rest. They succumb to their dreams quickly and welcome oblivion. In the blink of an eye, Iceman is shaking you each awake. Alonder finds that control over his muscles has increased to the point where he can move his entire upper body and control his bladder and bowels but not much else below the waist. Leyna and Ralden are groggy and it takes several minutes for them to blink open their eyes.

Urvan and the rhino simply do not wake; his injuries having taken their toll in a similar manner to Rebecca's. Iceman explains, "Our hunter was clever, but ultimately reckless. I noticed the puddle latched onto Urvan about an hour ago. It came not from the windows or cracks in the wall, but I surmise that it dropped through the ceiling directly onto hapless Urvan. When I noticed it, I finished it off with my blade and it died just as any foe." He indicates to a spot by the fire where a still puddle lay still and deflated like a mostly transparent balloon that had burst.

Additionally, the storm seems to have broken with the sun. Iceman seems determined to hit the road and make up for lost time despite his visible weariness. "Let's search the rooms for valuables and then be off. This place stinks of death."

OOC: Due to the terrible night sleep, everyone that isn't dead will be considered Fatigued for the day. Fatigued characters take a –1 status penalty to AC and non-luck saving throws and also treat their Luck Ability modifier as if it were 1 point lower for the day. I may possibly also apply a -1 to some skill checks as appropriate.

Leyna is grouchy in the morning. The rough night of sleep - always on the brink of consciousness, never fully resting - has left her foggy and fatigued.

For breakfast, she repeats the process of mixing flour and water to make simple griddles cake over the fire. Hopefully there is something in the pantry that will improve their flavor. Preserves would be nice, but under the circumstances she's not holding her breath.

"Was there a trail on the ceiling?" she asks Iceman. "Are we sure that the creature did not emerge from inside Urvan? Perhaps it is part of its reproductive cycle."

Her tone is a curious mixture of bitter annoyance and professional curiosity.

She grabs a small pot from the kitchen and uses a spatula to scoop the remains of the puddle into the pot. She covers it with a lid and ties it shut with kitchen twine. "For study," she explains.

She does not relish the idea of plunging back into the wilds, where such puddles could be hiding on any leaf or branch, ready to drop onto unwary victims. Groaning, she stands.

Leyna pushes back on Iceman's eagerness to leave: "We must bury Rebecca and Urvan and the boy. Shallow graves, I'm afraid, but I would rather be buried than left to rot in the open. Sorry, Einar, I don't think I have the strength for a rhino."

She takes a moment to sort through the possessions of Rebecca and Urvan for things that might be useful for the survivors. Then she goes to the barn for a shovel to dig up the ground next to the other graves they saw the previous night. She might only go down six inches, but enough to get a layer of dirt over the deceased. She doesn't have the energy for anything more elaborate.

While Leyna prepares breakfast and plans on burying the fallen, Alonder is using his recovered upper strenght to try and get himself back on his feet. The chances of him walking or even standing up are slim at the moment, but he refuses to continue laying on the ground.

"I think it's safe to assume that whatever this is, it's a magical effect. I have no idea why I'm recovering, but if it had the same effect on humans than on a giant it can't be mundane in nature."

There is a strange feeling of guilt in his voice, as if he was ashamed to be the only survivor.

When dawn arrived Ralden fought off the lure of sleep and forced himself to stand. "Glad to know it can die. Good kill," he said with a nod of approval at the seasoned adventurer. He poked the ooze with his sword a few times but otherwise was content to leave the puddle alone. "I sincerely hope that was a rare creature that we stumbled across. If every night is like this we won't survive long."

Once he had stretched he moved to follow Iceman's orders. The upper rooms still remained unchecked. Ralden hoped that the holes in the ceiling would help illuminate the upper floor. He went room by room as he first stabbed any puddle with his sword. Once each room was cleared he'd search for anything of value.

The earth is quite soft and easy to dig, and so shallow graves are easy even for the still exhausted folks. A few quick prayers later and there are now a total of six graves around the back.

Meanwhile, from the Smiling Spirit, the group gathers up the following interesting items:

• 90 SP worth of loose coins
• 1 threadbare worn backpack with a few usable basic adventuring supplies within
• 1 vial of a small amount of blue, faintly glowing dust (confirmed to be Ember)
• 5 bottles of passable-quality wine

As the group packs up and leaves, they notice a trail heading from the clearing south into the woods. Since their new goal is southward anyhow, Iceman decides that the trail should be followed. About an hour later as the morning is finally stretching to a strength not seen in what seems like a very long while, the group rounds a corner and spies a lone figure on the trail heading toward them. At this angle, the trail is quite strait and the figure is about 90 feet from your position.

OOC: Is Alonder walking, or being carried?

He's definitely not walking. The rest is up to how his friends want to handle it.

Ralden wiped the sweat from his brow as they marched south. After a night of no sleep they had already dug the graves for the fallen. The warden rubbed his face to keep himself awake and focused.

At the sight of the figure down the trail Ralden stopped. Not one for stealth he rested one hand on his weapon and simply waited. Might as well let the figure come to them. "Seems there is someone off in the distance, a local perhaps? It would be nice to get some directions but I'll settle for something that doesn't consider killing us."

A vial of with a small amount of blue, faintly glowing dust is found at The Smiling Spirit. Leyna cups it in her hands like it's a holy relic.

"This is Ember!" she says with obvious excitement. Her mood immediately brightens; all of her malaise melts away.

She immediately shifts into academic mode: "Ember is a supernaturally efficient and clean-burning fuel, and a catalyst for enchanting permanent magical items and effects! Some mages have even claimed to be able to harness greater raw power by directly incorporating Ember as a focus or component during spellcasting..."

It belated occurs to her that she should probably be lying about this and not promoting its value, but she has little capacity for deceit, plus a scholar's dedication to facts.

She clutches the vial to her chest, like a long-lost treasure that's finally been found. She looks around for the safest place to store it, then settles for stuffing it down the front of her shirt.

"There, well-cushioned," she pats it, perhaps exaggerating. "Cushioned, at least," she allows as an afterthought.

Her mood for the rest of the morning is considerably improved, and might even involve humming to herself while she's burying the dead.

She takes Rebecca's dagger but leaves the rest of Rebecca's and Urvan's possessions to anyone who can make better use of them.

~~~

Out on the trail, Leyna halts and tries to study the figure approaching them:

- Giant, or a more traditionally-sized humanoid?
- Male or female?
- How are they dressed? Like a huntsman, a warrior, a mage, or otherwise? Armed and armored?
- Has the figure noticed the adventurers?
- Do they have a discernable facial expression, body language, or overall demeanor?

She holds her tongue and stands her ground, confident in the team's superior numbers (even if Alonder is on goatback), while she waits for the figure to notice them, or for someone else to say something first.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:36, Thu 15 June 2023.

Just as the group rounds the corner and notices the figure, said figure notices them too; not a great feat of observation, to be fair, with the four people on foot and an enormous goat saddled with another person quite frankly crowding the fairly narrow trail.

The figure animatedly lifts a hand, hailing the adventurers. Finally, a few paces away and out of Ralden's immediate striking distance, they stop, leaning on the curiously carved cane held in their other hand. [Language unknown: "A, oun ck olss et issteeho, e mawhel anyforsti illng undencore encreaeauich ie k oneet wilthoalllinthu lihaat'aspl,"] the figure speaks cordially in a low baritone, pronouncing the words with a faint but recognizable Imperial accent, and a soft lilt to the calm voice.

At this close proximity, the figure is revealed to be a tall—but not giant-tall—pale-skinned young man in prim clothing, with fancy bright silks covering a more practical thick dark coat. Around his waist is a small and rather elegant leather bag, as well as a singular unconcealed weapon: a simple dagger, safely inside of an embossed sheath. Strangely enough, his black-dyed leather shoes look like they'd just been through meticulous polishing. On top of the man's head is a shock of light beige, unruly hair, adding a touch of wildness to his otherwise tidy and composed appearance. He seems way too clean to have been on the road for more than five minutes, and yet... here he is, on a trail, seemingly in the heart of nowhere.

[Language unknown: "Trahoured pa tieier hi ear cebut are ekfi ro to Naie Uspeck Virencthi day? A pro io sti ouulla pe theredble sire, ineos pr ac ameingareica peckwi essta osalac."] The man flicks his wrist a few times as if dismissing the thought of a mild inconvenience.

Leyna isn't usually the talkative sort but she's in such a good mood from finding the Ember that she greets the man cordially.

[Language unknown: "Out tic mell rom, thiurethuart,"] she says.

[Language unknown: "Ndatma oun ioce san u isthio vir nondaino,"] she continues. [Language unknown: "Lasi Le proconear si thothisti t homa int pa onetioles."] She indicates the path behind her. [Language unknown: "Llol P arre besick is no ear ni ticpr p voreauicaare. Encestlatdin enclatoun adtron ckto i atth. N os oer no linc icaai sanich hastr tioomesta."]

She taps cooking pot on her pack that has a lid tied down on it. [Language unknown: "Ar ofivfo p i str t erit ha beoun sa terhasear. Ne foll-ilinbe tho on ntihisoulare raterebut com comentith nd ortterany."] She indicates Alonder riding awkwardly on Judas goatback.

Leyna is an elf who is looking a bit worse for wear. She's clearly from the city and out of her element here in the wilderness. Her platinum hair is long and in a messy ponytail at the moment. She wears a black-hooded cape cloak while her only visible armor is a metal shield. There's a staff in her hand that she's using as a walking stick, and a dagger on her belt. Her accent is polished and speaks to a certain degree of education.

Seeing that the man is an elf, she switches languages:[Language unknown: "Be ch a Urestasta. One nc es heto t ha laouan, thhi. Pl at uneau om ar Chalpl." (Noith mopr e eauica-allnde u ersar Oul Settheome, anymenwit ha tedbuticaive i Hindut.) "Ng iv wil butel reahas'oneich llin eleipe. Er omted... itilseos."] Her eyes glance down at the polished shoes that look like they belong anywhere but in the forest.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Sat 17 June 2023.

Learning of the inn's fate makes the fair-skinned man's placid smile wane. Further explanations are met with him lifting a hand to his chin and rubbing it thoughtfully. His gaze wanders to the unfortunate goatrider at Leyna's prompting; his eyebrow rises with a modicum of curiosity. [Language unknown: "Set wata ent atina tioet ativorcom? Fiome enev eiprli evalla mo nt thieretrason nt ecos resweronenti butectsti? A eeiv hasyin'virpro fostho cemetawiad enc bleyintic on tranck? Ti lesainout a i ncatur e thiin o om noelwh itivurdiit—"] The stranger pauses, shifting his purplish eyes back to Leyna after she smoothly switches the language she speaks. His other eyebrow joins its sibling in its casual trip toward his pale hairline. It's as if he had not noticed her ancestry before she spoke Elvish.

[Language unknown: "Wi un t thwhac oulingourall. Sahaes. Ive le ourleshis itcali p ural stithoeveherome, stril Ckicut. Wa hasdiname thas sheughous li kor Oulne Esenan, ar notoreartica u ec nceilland tr uresenndac, na ratatihis ch no ek orendelar astiouess. T u u onsdaydintra ee intithres, elpach, ustr os etbeof. Con linherate ereon ce eiisnoilse,"] Garret shakes his head briefly—resigned to his lesser title from, presumably, a far less prestigious institution—making the unorderly waves of his hair more clearly reveal his pointed ears. Whether he's truthful or not is anyone's guess, as the cadence of his speech and his expression both remain fairly unchanged.

"I assume then that you speak imperial common as well?" Finally speaking the language of the Empire, his accent is identifiable as one commonly heard around the Segin district of Maret. "I had a rather urgent business to discuss with the inn's proprietress—have you any idea what became of her?"

The warden tried to keep his face neutral but it was fairly obvious he failed to follow the conversation. As he watched Leyna converse with the man Ralden slowly relaxed. Even if he was unable to understand the words the tone of exchanged seemed fairly cordial.

When he heard the newcomer switched to Imperial it took a few moment's for Ralden's sleep deprived brain to notice. After a short pause he shook his head. "There were none left alive when we arrived. We saw several recently dug graves, it's possible she was placed there. It's possible she escaped but the storm was fierce yesterday."

The warden paused when he noted the man's clean attire. "I assume there is a town nearby? Some place we could rest without fear of weather or venomous oozes?" The last part was said with a thick layer of sarcasm.

Alonder likewise seemed to be missing the entirety of the conversation between Leyna and the newcomer, and was relieved to hear the man speak in Empire Common.

ToRalden's comment, he added: "I'd really like some venomous-ooze-free place to finish my recovery. I'm Alonder, pleased to meet you"

"Ah, splendid," Garret says as they seem to have found the correct language to communicate with. "Not the deaths at the inn, of course. That is quite tragic," he adds, his face clouded with a frown. He ponders that if the woman escaped before the storm hit, she might have avoided the same fate as the new tenants of the inn-side graves. Perhaps there were clues to where she'd have gone at the site—were being the keyword, as the storm would have destroyed all tracks and obvious evidence around the area. He immediately dismisses the idea of taking the time to check for certain.

The elvish man looks lost in thought before his frown finally dissipates. "My name is Garret. It is a pleasure. Meeting other travelers in this landscape is quite the treat," he reiterates, now that they can all understand his words.

"Nearby, hm... I departed Saltbridge at first light yesterday. The storm didn't help with my walking pace, as you can imagine, but I happen to be able to move faster than a limping slug. The town is not right around the corner.

"There is an old, abandoned settlement on the way along the trail south, where you can find rest. The locals say it used to be a colony called Hrasnoos. However, I cannot guarantee the absence of venomous oozes there. I can only vouch that I have not encountered any." When speaking of the southern trail, he uses his wood-and-metal spiral staff to indicate the direction which he came from. Clearing his throat, he taps his foot on the slightly overgrown path they're all standing on. He makes polite eye-contact, shifting his gaze from one person to the next as he continues to talk.

"Given the news about the inn, I see little reason to continue my journey northward. If The Smiling Spirit's apothecary has managed to escape, Saltbridge is the most likely place to have gone to. Until our paths diverge, let me accompany you."

Leyna nods.

"Yes, let us travel together. There is safety in numbers ... and our numbers have recently been depleted."

Upon reflection, she is uncertain whether this suggests traveling in the team's company is a dangerous affair, although to her it seems less treacherous than traveling alone.

"We are searching for the source of these storms," she tells Garret. "They are unnaturally violent. Have you uncovered anything suspicious or worth investigating during your travels? Was there any discussion of it in Saltbridge?"

She looks to the others, uncertain of whether it makes more sense to head toward Saltbridge or to explore Hrasnoos instead. Garret may be able to report whether Saltbridge would be productive for the purposes of information-gathering. If not, then perhaps it makes more sense to visit Hrasnoos. If it is abandoned then the weather there must be bad indeed, which perhaps suggests that they would be getting closer to the source of the problem.

OOC: Paraphrasing an answer for Garret to save time:
"No, nothing out of the ordinary. That is to say, the storms are a normal part of life in these parts and nobody worries overly much about it."

Iceman concurs with Leyna's allowance for Garret to travel with the group. He mentions nothing of the arrangement he'd made with the guild and the companions, and instead comments about the area and questions the newcomer about his abilities. "I've heard of Hrasnoos," he starts, "been there before, in fact, a while back. I didn't realize how close we were now though. In any case, the ruins there are unremarkable and likely useless at this point; picked over by scavengers long ago."

To Garret directly, he questions, "I trust you can handle yourself out here? We're not for babysitting, after all. You travel with us, you pull your weight."

---

His concerns then settled, Iceman pushes the party to continue southward along the forest trail. Hours pass and the refreshing smell of the flora is beautiful to those that appreciate it. The storm has snapped many trees of both trunk and limbs, so the trek involves clearing the path of such debris as you go.

Over that time, Alonder slowly feels his legs again though he still can't muster weight on them. He clings to Einhar helplessly and estimates that if his recovery continues at this pace he be fully mended the following morning.

OOC: Feel free to continue to converse as you travel. If there's anything else that you'd like to do on the way, let me know that as well. I'll move the action forward again soon.

Alonder didn't want to pry, but the curiosity grows along the further they walk (or ride, in his case). Eventually, he can't hold it back.

"So, Garret, why exactly were you looking for the apothecary for? Is someone you know sick?"

Ralden looked between Iceman and the newcomer. The warden had expected a summary of their expedition but it seemed their senior preferred to keep some information close to his chest. Not eager to draw the man's ire Ralden was mostly silent as they walked.

However his face slipped into a frown at the mention of storms being a normal occurrence. If the locals had dealt with the weather long enough for it to become accepted as normal then the source might be harder to find than they anticipated. He shook his head before he became too distracted. After the ordeals they had faced last night it seemed prudent to keep himself focused on the present.

"I'm surprised the region even supports an apothecary. If the storms are frequently as bad as they were yesterday it seems like it would be hard to tend a garden," he idly commented as he kept his eyes trained on their surroundings.

In response to Iceman's questioning, Garret raises an eyebrow. "Rest assured, good sir. I am capable enough of handling myself." Having said that, he taps his slender fingers against the wooden part of his staff in what he hopes seems like an idle manner. A superstitious gesture he would rather keep unnoticed.

As they make their way down the trail, prompted by his question, Garret's attention turns to Alonder. The elvish man seems hesitant for a moment. "Yes, someone I know is in need of medications," he admits, though he doesn't volunteer further details on the subject. Instead, he turns to respond to the warden's comment. "I don't see why they would not have men or women skilled in making medicine. The land is flush with wild herbs," he indicates the woods surrounding the trail, "And the people have as much need of various remedies as the people of Meret. If not more, actually, with how harsh the weather is."

After a short while of walking in relative silence, the mage turns to regard Leyna. "I can't help but wonder, why does a group of travelers seek out the source of these storms? Is it for scientific purposes?" He casts a doubtful glance at the four men and the goat, his expression betraying skepticism regarding their scholarly background.

"Sure," Iceman chortles, "scientific purposes. Oh, and the small fact that the storms make sea travel around the horn quite improbable, essentially blocking Meret from the rest of Lekesiz."

"Oh. I suppose it was a little troublesome, finding a ferry willing to cross the sea," Garret ponders out loud, connecting the dots as they are being laid out in front of him. He was neither much of a seafarer nor one to concern himself with meteorological phenomena. One thing Garret certainly is, however, is confident. The mage doesn't bat an eye explaining his lapse in logic. "It hadn't occurred to me that there could have been reasons beyond the weight of the coin purse I'd offered the sailors."

OOC: I've decided that it's time for dishing out some experience. For Alonder, Leyna, Ralden, and Valgard, a total so far of +820 XP.

• This is not counting the value of any treasure you find during adventure since that is calculated at the end.
• This is also not counting bonus XP that I promised for exceptional roleplay and/or writing contributions since I'm still not sure how to handle that exactly.

Overall, the pace is maybe about right I feel. Finding more treasure would always help, of course.

The daylight hours pass uneventfully. The group makes decent progress along the forest path southward as the weather remains pleasant. The storm has loosed many tree branches and stirred up plenty of dirt and mud, but it's a welcome time. Alonder has regained control of his upper legs, and he feels twinges of response from his lower muscles and even in his toes. But riding Einhar is still proving to be the best means for him to travel.

As sunlight begins to dwindle you spy the first ruins of Hrasnoos through the breaking tree line. The ruins themselves are just remnants of wooden walls here and there, nothing taller than a man and mostly reclaimed by nature. Whatever this settlement had once been, such promise was snuffed out decades ago.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:54, Mon 26 June 2023.

OOC: Also, if everyone can include a Wis/Notice roll in their next post, that would be great. Thanks.

After a while of traveling, Alonder decides to update everyone on his status.

"I think I can twitch my toes... I should be able to walk normally soon."

He then adds "Thanks again, Einar", patting the side of the goat.


11:09, Today: Alonder Gimbel rolled 13 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,6.  Wis/Notice.

"I'm not wondering if there are men and women skilled in making medicine," Leyna says. "I'm wondering why there are men and women out here at all. This weather seems inconducive to habitation. But if the intensity of the storms is a recent development then perhaps the land has tipped from 'survivable and sustainable' into 'neither'."

She appreciates the updates on Alonder's condition.

"When we set up camp, perhaps we can try the warm compresses that Garret recommended."

Leyna exhales when she sees the ruins of Hrasnoos. She had been hoping to find some stone walls at least. And finding dry wood for a fire might be a chore.

"Valgard can watch over Alonder and help set up camp," she suggests. "Ralden, Garret, why don't the three of us scout around and see if we can find any firewood, and maybe some fresh meat for dinner."

She's tired from the lack of sleep the previous night and from the long march today, but her enthusiasm from finding a vial of Ember is keeping her going even when her body wants to quit.

10:42, Today: Leyna Noc rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,2.  Wis/Notice.

At Leyna's suggestion, Alonder voices a slight adjustment.

"Oh, I'll help too. I don't want to keep being a burden, I had you drag me along for long enough. I may not be fit to go exploring on my own, but I should be able to be more help than hindrance in setting camp"

The warden was used to a march but their exhaustion added an extra layer of annoyance to their travels. The others had mentioned that the settlement had been abandoned but despite all rationale he had hoped for a decent bed. The site of torn down walls and overgrown ruins dashed any such dream.

"Should be pretty easy to find fuel for a fire, half the settlement is just fallen wood." He remarked with a sigh. Before he left he looked at the newcomer to their group. "Where did you stay last time you were here? Any building that might be still standing to offer some shelter?"

He waited for Garret to respond before he joined the others in their scouting attempts. Tired as he was the fresh memory of last night's attack was a reminder that they would need to find any threats early.

OOC: 12:00, Today: Ralden rolled 6 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 3,1.  Wis/Notice.

Even before Leyna, Ralden, and Garret break off the group notices several locations that would work ideally as campsites for the evening. Picking one, Alonder and the others begin setting up while the other three scout around. Fuel for the fire is plentiful and easy to gather. The scouting group is out of sight for a short while before you notice a few things..]

PM

PM
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:00, Thu 29 June 2023.

"Ah, thought I heard company."

From behind one of the wooden walls, a figure emerges. A man, about average height, wearing pieced armor and a sword at his hip. Although a little dishevelled, he looks like someone who would be competent in battle.

He finishes eating some ration, then continues. "Name's Caldus. Who might you all be?"

Leyna notices human-sized tracks in the soft ground around a ruined building close to the center of what would be the village.

"Footprints," she points out in case the others missed them.

"Aha! Feet!" she declares triumphantly when Caldus emerges.

Leyna is a civilized elf who looks like she's from the city, not the countryside. Her accent is polished and speaks to a certain degree of education. She has platinum hair that is long, sleek, and is currently pulled back in a messy ponytail. Her clothes are dark and those of a traveler, including a black hooded cape cloak. She appears to be a young adult (although it can often be hard to tell with elves) perhaps in her mid 20s. She carries a small metal shield in her left hand and a wooden staff in her right hand that looks like it's functioning as a walking stick.

"I'm Leyna," she says in response to Caldus' question. "We're... adventurers? Explorers, perhaps. Or investigators. We're looking into the increased intensity of storms in the region.

"Speaking of which, we're looking for some shelter. Looks like you are too."

Caldus looks to be a human male in his twenties. He's about average height and weight and in good physical condition. By the dust on his boots and armor, he looks like he's been travelling for some time but he doesn't carry much in the way of camping gear showing he isn't one for living outdoors. His brown hair looks like it has been growing out for some time. Bristles line his cheeks and jaw, again not seeing much in maintenance. He carries a bulging backpack and has a short sword in a scabbard. Under his cloak is a suit of pieced armor that looks like it has seen some combat. By his posture and the way he moves, you get the impression he's had at least some exposure to the military life.

"Nice to meet you, Leyna. Storms? Don't know much except to keep out of 'em. I've been stuck in one for the last few days. Found a cellar just over... there. He points a short distance away. "Some place to lay low until it blew over. Good to finally get out of there."

After a pause.

"So... are you folk working for anyone?"

Those that have traveled with Iceman recently sense annoyance in addition to his customary gruffness when he answers, "We're with The Heroes Guild. What are you even doing in these parts if you don't even know about the storms? And do you know anything of Saltbridge?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:04, Thu 29 June 2023.

Cauldus ignores the man's irritation, his eyes lighting up at the mention of the Heroes's Guild.

"The Guild, is it? I've been more than meaning to join but the membership fees seem a bit steep. I was heading to Saltbridge on some personal business which also brought me this way.

What's the interest in storms? Doesn't sound very lucrative."

Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but the veteran warrior clearly doesn't seem to be in any mood for this Caldus individual's chipper nature. "The storms are Guild business and if you have no information for us, then I advise you to keep moving. We've had a hellish day and I'm in no mood for your face right now."

Leyna Noc bows her head a bit at Iceman's brusqueness. Now she is fully capable of being just as awful, and is probably rude more than her fair share, but that doesn't mean that she thinks that Iceman is being helpful right now.

"We lost a couple of our fellows last night," she says to Caldus, lowering her voice so as to not further irritate Iceman. "Then had a rough night with the storm, followed by a long day on the trail. We're all tired." She hopes this helps serve as a (partial) explanation for how they are acting.

"There is safety in numbers. If you can stand the snoring, we can divide up the watch tonight. We're all paranoid about venomous little jellies that look like a puddle come to life. That's what got us last night."

Caldus nods to Leyna.

"Much obliged, and sorry for your losses. I'm happy to take a shift at watch tonight."

Then he looks to Iceman.

"And I don't take lightly the seriousness of your investigation. As I said, I have one of my own. I've heard reports of bandits in these parts. Have you seen or heard anything?"

Alonder takes the oportunity to chime in, now more relaxed since Caldus decided to step out into the light rather than watch from the shadows.

"We haven't seen anyone alive, other than a couple of giants. Can't say I've noticed any signs of bandits either. I'm Alonder, by the way, nice to meet you."