Simon nodded as he finished checking his mount's tack and stepped up into his saddle, his pale grey warhorse pawing at the ground in anticipation of being on the road.
"Easy, Ash." the knight said patting the horse's strong neck. "Slow and steady tonight."
Moving out of the stables he waited for the others, looking out into the misty darkness.
Why do I get the feeling it's going to be one of those nights?
Wexley, being of a swifter foot than most, grits his teeth against the chill of the night air and prepares to march alongside his mounted companions, keeping an eye out for danger.
Ensebullus strokes his bow as he stands, then shoulders it. "I do not have a pet," he says.
"I'll take the lead. Jack and I can move fast enough to give advance warning of danger."
The group packs up and heads off into the chill night air. It's not too hard to find a decent spot to set up camp for the night.
Please inform me of your plans for camping for the evening, and what the watch order is.
When they find a spot to camp for the night, Lyra dismounts and removes all her gear and saddle from her horse and then begins to set up her tent. As she works, she asks the group: "I suppose it's safe to assume we are posting watches for the night, correct? I would prefer either first or last watch if no one minds."
"Of course, and in pairs. Spellcasters get the bookend watches, two hours each. I understand their mental needs require a full night's rest, so in total we will rest ten hours to accommodate them. For those of you that haven't done this before, while on watch, I expect you to be armed, armored and ready, and to keep your partner in sight at all times. I'll take middle watch."
After laying out his bed roll and pulling out a few extra thick blankets for those that don't have them, Leon takes the time to untack and brush his horse, and change his blanket, but then puts it all back on again save for the bit. Tonight his mount would just have to rest with it's kit on.
"I don't have the best night vision, so perhaps it would be best to partner me with someone who has decent night sight?"
"I'll take last watch," Calvin says. "Tobias and I had three amputations today, so we're exhausted. Good night, all."
"Ensebullus, would you mind taking first watch with Lyra? As long as the fire is burning, your Elf-eyes should see farther than most of the rest of us."
"I can accomplish this task."
Wexley grunts. "Fine."
He pauses, does a quick count, and retorts, "Two of us will have to take a solo watch. I'll do second watch by myself. And--"
He looks around for a bit.
"You." He points at Red, still perhaps bitter about her chastising remark at the Inn. "Can you handle fourth watch yourself?"
"No solo watches. Whoever is with me will just take a long watch in the middle. It's the price us normal folks pay for having magical support."
Wexley eyes Simon suspiciously for a few moments, then shrugs. "I'll take second."
With that, he begins to bed down, as far away from the overbearing Simon as possible.
"I can take the middle watch with Simon. Might not be able to see in the dark but my guns have yet to deafen me," Flynt offered, even with the ever present moisture in the air, it was not difficult to find suitable fuel for a fire and with a few strikes on his flint and steel he got a decent sized fire going.
That done he sat down and set about cleaning his revolver. In misty weather, it paid to insure that everything was in perfect working order.
Once she has the tent set-up, Lyra settle down beside the fire as she prepares to take her turn at watch.
"Hopefully we are still far enough away from the source of trouble to have an uneventful night. I would also think that Red and I should take care not be alone if at all possible since we fit in the catergory of women who have either gone missing or suffered from the wasteing."
"Wear a bell." Wexley jests as he spreads his bedroll.
"Not a bad idea, actually." Leon says, taking the joke a little more seriously. "We can look into picking up a few in the next town to rig watch alarms."
"In the mean time, this will have to do." he says, digging into one of his many pouches and tossing Lyra a signal whistle.
Then he beds down and with the practiced ease of a career soldier, is asleep in moments.
As the group arrives at camp, Dourmahr hops off the horse "Thanks for the ride Red. You saved these little legs a bunch of steps. Why don't I stay up for first watch at least. I can see quite well in the dark and that will still give me plenty of sleep."
Mysterious GM dice rolling:
More mysterious GM dice rolling:
Simon and Jeremiah
It is your watch, deep in the night. The fire has died down to coals that, well tended, generate plenty of heat but little light.
Twenty minutes in, you begin to hear many creatures rustling through the brush, circling the camp.
Jack, Red's wolf, also rouses and begins snarling out at the darkness around the camp.
I think I may have been a little confused as to just what the watch order was. I was under the impression that Jeremiah and Simon were taking the 3rd of four watches.
Maybe then please clarify who was on the third watch (it's the "4" result in that set of four 1d8 rolls above).
So, the watch rotation and applicable special senses are-
1: Lyra, Ensebullus (low light)
2: Wexley, Simon (low light)
3: Simon, Wexley (low light)
4: Red, Jeremiah (low light + wolf)
5: Calvin, Dourmahr (Darkvision + familiar)
Thank you, Wexley.
This occurs on Red and Jeremiah's watch.
"Red, rouse the others," Jeremiah ordered calmly. As if by magic, his revolver seemed to appear in his hand. The click of the hammer being drawn back surprisingly loud in the night air. It was indeed going to be one of those nights. One of many nights in Ustalav really. He was in no mood to risk tossing another log onto the fire and leave both Red and himself with anyone covering their backs.
Nodding her head as she brings her axe in to a readied positon, Red lets out a whistle that sets Jack howling at the top of his lungs. "No use in playing games, is there Mr. Flynt.", she says,"Show yourself and we'll ensure you are not harmed. You have my word as a knight of Order of the Dragon.", she shouts into the mist.
Leon knew that whistle. He'd spent enough time partnered with Red to know exactly what it meant.
He rolled to his feet in a defensive crouch, quickly shrugging on his long coat and pulling his whip from where it was coiled on his epaulet.
Wexley wakes with a start, not sure of what's going on, but ready for a fight.
The sound of Jack howling scares Lyra awake fearing they are besieged by lycanthropes. "What? Werewolves? Are we under attack?"
Willowcreek's eyes snap open from his meditative trance. He picks his bow up from his lap and grumpily prepares for battle.
"Not yet, but Jack isn't liking what he is smelling in the air, Lyra. Best to be ready.", Red says as she scans the area in front of her.
Wexley stands, drawing a starknife and his rapier.
Lyra will grab up her crossbow as she looks about, wondering what might come crashing through the underbrush at any moment.
GM Muttering to himselfWork, work, work. Don't they understand I have a PbP to run???
RIGHT! So....
You are all awakened and your nerves set on full alert as Jack's howls fill the night.
And he is answered by similar, yet mocking howls from startlingly nearby. Likely from the very creatures now surrounding your campsite.
Round: 1 (Note: Surprise rounds will be noted here as "Surprise")
Tactical Summary:
The campsite you've selected is a small clearing approximately 30' across. On the northern edge of the site, the camp is back up against a rock face 20' high and continuing into the woods on either side. The site is sparsely ringed by evergreens. The creatures around you move in trees and brush just outside the camp.
The coals in the fire provide almost no light at all, and the moon has set. Humans and those with no night vision can barely make out the area right around the fire pit.
Those with low light vision can see well enough within the ring of the camp, but not really beyond it (it's damnably dark tonight).
I'll be doing something akin to team initiative for combat, but everyone please continue rolling individual initiative, as it will be taken into account.
The creatures surrounding you have not attacked or moved into the campsite as yet.
Everyone please declare actions, and I will check back after a few hours to move us along.
Round 2: Put away rapier, cast "Light" on campfire.
Round 3: Draw rapier, take 10 on Stealth (for 23).
Round 4: Ready action: throw starknife at first target within 40 feet (without cover or concealment).
Lyra is readying her crossbow to fire at the first hostile creature she sees. She will be staying beside the campfire for now since she needs the light to see by.
Just to move things along....
Calvin's initiative:
Dourmahr's initiative:
Player Action Summary - Round 1
1. Wexley (26) - Sheath rapier and cast light on firepit (your previous listed action was considered already taken)
2. Jeremiah (24) - Ready action to fire upon first visible target within 20'
3. Red (21) - Mount Jack and let Jack find a target.
4. Calvin (18 modified) - Holding, possible GM action
5. Lyra (16) - Ready action to fire upon first visible target.
6. Dourmahr (7) - Holding, possible GM action.
7. Simon (6) - Move to cover Lyra and Ready action for whip attack.
8. Ensebullus (4) - Ready action to fire upon a valid target.
Resolving
As panting, howls and growls fill the night around you, Wexley whispers a prayer to Desna and tosses a desiccated firefly at the firepit. Pale light fills the camp clearing.
The humans of the party can now see well within the camp. They can also make out some of the shapes prowling the woods beyond the light's edge.
Those with low light vision can now tell the pack currently harassing you contains at least a dozen members. Possibly more.
Red mounts Jack, who leaps into the brush to find a target. They are not long kept waiting, and engage one of the wolf-like creatures in the dim light just beyond the clearing.
Dourmahr begins pounding out an inspiring rhythm (inspire courage +2).
"Red": Please make attack and damage rolls for both yourself and Jack. (You may include the inspire courage bonus)
Calvin: Barring your declaration of another action within the next hour or so, I will have you fire your crossbow at the first available valid target.
Everyone else: Please make attack and damage rolls for your readied attacks.
,
,
Wexley: I was too free with the words "Everyone else." Your standard action in Round 1 is casting light. My bad. However, I'm not going to let you waste that crit. I'm accepting that roll for your attack in Round 2.
Willowcreek's eyes narrow and he lets loose an arrow.