I've had a full week too. I'll try and get a post in later tonight.
Communicating with these whatevers in the marsh is fun! It's either this or d6 diplomacy. We may want to go out into the marsh and meet them at some point. Start a smokey fire, they'd definitely come.
This was under Istiel's survival check, it's a bit of what we're in for. She would disiminate her scouting to the group of course.
Closest to the Cheya, within a couple miles at least of the river, and often covering more area, is actual swamp, which at its core is simply flooded forest. Reeds and grasses bend, but trees and shrubs do not. They are immovable objects that create narrow channels spawning a labyrinth of twisting waterways, dead ends, and tight squeezes. The farther you get from the Cheya, small, nimble watercraft are best to travel.
Of course, when it comes to overland travel, the reverse is true; the further you are from the Cheya, the easier it would be for your people to walk.
Occasionally, you find a fen, a waterlogged area with a water table just at or below the surface. The flora and fauna are greater in these areas, though travel by watercraft is impossible.
There are many hazards, you recall Domhnall saying, to traveling in such areas. Marsh gas, coming from the bowels of the swamp, is easily combustible, as is peat, or decayed plant matter, which can burn seemingly indefinitely if the conditions are right, especially in drier areas.
Pluff mud, also known as quicksand, can ensnare an unwary walker. It would be best for your people to travel in groups, if they are walking.
Sinkholes are also a - thankfully rare - possibility. Much more common is sloughfoot, a condition caused by damp footware. Walking with this syndrome can be dangerous for the traveler, bringing great pain and fatigue.
You occasionally see cyprus trees on your scouting through the swampy area, hazardous as the knees of the trees can hide in flooded waters, causing injury to both boats and walkers. Much more commonly you find poison sumac, which releases a powerful concontion of oils known as urushiol as creatures brush against the plant, and irritates the skin.
While animals are rare, the bugs are plentiful; mosquitoes, but also ticks and midges hide within these waters. Drinking the waters - especially in the stagnant areas - may also be dangerous; you recall Domnhall talking of many sicknesses one could contact by doing so.
It is a beautiful post, GMBP. I've gone to respond a couple times and then stopped. Will try to put something together today, and just hope it does the scene justice.
^Thanks! You did fine :)
We're wrapping up the week of D11-18. What are y'all's plans for the next week, Desnus 19 - 26?
Well firstly Oios will hand over the canoe to Imix.
Do we have guards or scouts watching the northern approach? I think it might be better to be safe than sorry given the First Flame's surprise attack abilities demonstrater at Shadeholme.
Right now, you have most soldiers training in the shieldroom. Hamfatten and his magistrates are with the supplies, and Sarre and her people are doing patrols. One of Antuk's teams is usually posted at the tower.
Let me know if you want to change things up.
If we're going to be here for any length of time, Nat will suggest that they consecrate a church - even a makeshift one - and have some sort of service.
Both in gratitude that they've survived, remembrance of the fallen, and some hope for the future.
^ What a lovely idea!
I think the plan was you all were going to stick around a few weeks. Is that enough time to be church concecration-worthy?
Think so - this is the first time we've had an opportunity to stop and catch our breath since we were kicked out of Shadeholme.
Do we have guards or scouts watching the northern approach? I think it might be better to be safe than sorry given the First Flame's surprise attack abilities demonstrater at Shadeholme.
This is what I had planned on Istiel doing for the next week- prowling the area in search of any scouts that the Frozen might have sent after the Flight (and murdering them). Of course she would also be looking for other signs of danger as well. Maybe she'll bring Scree along. The two of them could take down a basic scouting party of Frozen.
Would be nice to run into Mother Hunger after the revelations we've had, but that chance seems slim.
After the first week (and hopefully plentiful hunting) I think we should post some serious guards.
I'm curious as to whether more study might indicate how to use the room, as well as what it does. I'm also curious as to whether it gives clues to why.
Just considered the thought of making some armor or weapons with Drazan's craft skill. I never truly knew how caddywampus the crafting rules were until now.
Time for a conference maybe?
Yeah, the craft rules are pretty cray-cray. I *think* the ones in Unchained are better, but I can't recall off the top of my head. I'd say, go with whatever is the most favorable.
You can also craft capital, and make influence, labor, or magic. (Or goods, but you all have plenty of goods).
Regarding the spiral room, more study will uncover more things. Same with some of the other rooms.
So: Nat wants a church, Istiel will prowl, Drazan may be crafting, Imix may be studying the spiral room.
Oios will finish up in the library, aiming to have it all packed away by the weeks end also. I'm sure The Three Peoples know how to keep paper safe from water. Wax containers or something?
Were there any maps in the library?
I'm sure there are maps tucked into books, but they'll be from before the cataclysm, so of varying usefulness.
Let me think on what they would have (I honestly hadn't considered the possibility). Is there something in particular you're looking for?
Not particularly. If it's not more useful than the map we got from the undead Engineer in Shadeholme then Oios will just shrug and move on. He really wants to know as much about the unknown lands they're heading into really.
Speaking of where we're heading, our goal at the moment is to find a place for the Three Peoples to settle down, and then we go search the capital city of the Darhom that was on Drazen's map for more information about the First Flame, correct?
We might as well start heading towards it- while it's a stretch we might even be able to inhabit it, if we're willing to kick out its current occupants.
That's my recollection!
Sick, I'll be back when Im better.
Sick over Christmas is bad luck!
Hope you feel better soon.
Feel better soon BP. Drink some hot cocoa!
Hi All,
Sorry - I got laid out, then my wife and baby got laid out. Baby is still sick. I'll get us moving forward soon - in the next couple of days.
No worries. Cascading family sicknesses are a hell of a thing. Especially the first time they happen!
No rush, GM. Concentrate on everyone feeling better first!
Hope things are looking on the up and up for everyone one way or another.
No hurry, sick baby is awful!
Yikes. Best wishes to you and yours.
OK, so, just getting caught up. Thanks again for your patience.
Week 2:
* Nat will concecrate a church. Where is the church going to be located?
* Istiel and Scree will range throughout the area, looking for signs of the Frozen.
* Drazan is going to craft. What are you going to craft? Are you going to try and operate the fyorge?
* Oios will study the library.
* Imix will study the spiral room.
Do I have everyone's actions correct?
That's right for Imix!
Oios gave up the toy boat for others to study.
Nix the crafting, Drazan is going to work on getting that box open and try to fashion armor in the fyorge.
Correct! Though... If they find any Frozen, they'll probably hunt them down.
Oios gave up the toy boat for others to study.
Ah, thanks for the reminder, Oios. I'll take that into account.
Sorry... been having internet connection issues (plus phone issues because of course everything happens at once).
Back now, hopefully.
Apologies again. I really am back now.
OK, so, just getting caught up. Thanks again for your patience.
Week 2:
* Nat will concecrate a church. Where is the church going to be located?
Church will be outdoors, of course: open to the sun and the rain.
Imix's attempts at childcare are absolutely adorable, btw - the kids that survive the Suriname upbringing are going to learn so much!
Despite their general antisocial nature and hide-strike behaviour, interestingly crocodilians apparently do have parental instincts.
Nice posts all!
I agree, Nat. It is adorable. Imix and Surinamelets could be a spinoff comedy.
"Godsdamn!" Ippaxa snorts. "You found some darhom porn!"
*raises eyebrow*
Really, GMBP? THIS is the denouement the campaign has been building towards?
That was the greatest treasure reveal I have ever experienced. I lauhed so hard my co-workers asked me what was so funny. Oops..
Pack it up, people. We've hit peak treasure. No reward will ever be as fulfilling or desirable!
IT HAS ALL BEEN HEADING TOWARDS THIS MOMENT!!!
In all seriousness, I was just trying to figure out what a low-level soldier would want to hide. It would either be something illicit or at least of questionable societal value. So, porn seemed perfect.
Istiel, question: you're hiding yourself by a tree or in some brush? So, you'll have some sort of blocked view? A tree against your back, or some such thing? Is your hiding place intended to take in a view of the whole of the mountain top, the tree, a specific approach, the view of the tower, or something else?
Not that I'm asking for any particular reason, just trying to better understand your positioning and methodology for the stakeout.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It was genius. I'm just envious that I never thought of anything like that.
I was purposefully leaving it open to interpretation so you could set the scene/justify the taking 10/20, but on further review it looks like I'm trying to have her hide in a tree and bush simultaneously.
My first thought was to build a blind in a tree with brush, but that's stupid. This is a sentient being, not a deer, and that's pretty noticable.
So how about she sits with her back against a tree, covered in brush, with a clear view of the campsite/tree but nothing else. She doesn't know which direction the person is coming from, so it would be difficult to know which spot to pick to catch the person from behind. Let's say she's situated to the south?
Also, SUPER important question. Do female Darhom have beards? I've always thought proper dwarfs of both genders have beards.
Damn it BP, in one day you make me laugh at a mechanical dwarven porn box, and now you've actually made me gasp aloud at creepy words carved in a tree.
Stop playing with my emotions, man.
Mwahshaha!
I was incredibly impressed with the... hang on, this sounds wrong.
The box was genius. Made the world seem more real. Retrospectively of course technology would be used for this.
A post that is too hard to follow. Well played... :P
Retrospectively of course technology would be used for this.
I think most every visual advancement humanity has made has been used for that purpose.
A post that is too hard to follow. Well played... :P
Hehe, nicely done, back at ya!
*Tries vainly to come up with some dumb joke about the size of a word count not mattering, fails miserably*