I thank him and follow him out. On the way to his fire I ask him what dangers might await us on our quest.
Dangers? Well what can you imagine? Werewolves, humanoids, dragon-kin, giants, hunters, criminals, poachers, just to name a few. I'd be most worried about the witch Ulizmila. The legends of her and her ways have haunted the young of the Hallow for hundereds of years. The Dwarven monastery is a mystery. Don't know that anyone has been out there in years, at least no one that lived to tell about it. The Dwarves have been gone from this part of the world for a long time and who knows what they left behind? You reach his fire and note that it is on the far edge of camp and relatively solitary. Milon starts to work preparing a small kettle of stew for the group.
I think we take the recommended route which means we cut across the river. Time seems to be of the essence so the quickest route seems logical. I ask of he knows of a relatively safe place to cross the river along our route. We need to move as fast as we can. I would propose Druid and Ranger for front and back. Azzakan and I in the middle, he can pick whether be wants to be second or third. Variel and Jalriel can figure out first and last.
I will go in between the cleric and ranger.
I'll take the lead...
Jalriel
Azzakan
Daedeloth
Variel
How much distance between all of you? Also, I sent a note to Daedeloth that you may want to look at using either "hustle" or "forced march" to increase the distance you can travel. Walking it will take you several days just to make the round trip, not counting search/adventure time. You can heal the non-lethal damage when your rest. Every day it takes you there will be more Falconites in the ground.
Confirm the above and I'll get the story rolling again.
Order looks good. I think we would keep about 5-10 feet between us depending on how far line of sight is, if we are in super dense forest or something and can't see 10 feet then we keep closer. I think we should hustle, as it will double our speed, and we can do it for one hour without any damage at all. One point of non-lethal for every hour beyond one hour.
*Clint, finally saw your email about avatars and responded.
The next morning you are awoken by Milon, Up lads. It's time to be away and save my nephew His voice breaks through the still silence of a lumber yard at rest. The air is a damp and you shake a chill dew off your equipment and bodies, warming your hands on the embers of the fire.
Milon passes around a hard loaf of rye bread, some strips of venison, and a few wild onions. Eat hearty; you will need your strength crossing the river. He looks over at Daedeltoh Queen of the North Star guide your steps and bring you back to the Hollows with all speed. With that he stands up, shakes each of your hand and heads out in to the mists of the mill.
You gather your gear, refill your waterskins and head north deeper in to the forest. The first two hours of travel you move at a hustle; take 1 point of non-leathal damage each.
To Milon: thank you for the breakfast and traveling with us. We will do our best to save your nephew and the populace.
To Daedloth: Milon seems to know you well. Why did he not go further with us?
To Jalriel: it seems odd there are hunters this far out. Can you scout a little ahead to give us a better understanding, if something besides us are around the hunters.
To Variel: do the woods seem calm to you?
To DM: I must of course ask this question...Do Jalriel and Variel look alike? Are they lost long kin?
1d20 (dM roll please) Perception +8
Outside of the pointy ears the two elves are entirely dissimilar. Jalriel is middle aged; Variel is quite young. Jalriel has tan skin; Variel has a dusky red hue to his skin. Jalriel has yellow eyes; Variel has green eyes. Jalriel is about 1/2 foot shorter than Variel and much thinner. You know that Jalriel was one of his people's best hunters before joining the Cloaks and that Variel is a follower of the Green Faith.
Variel to Azzakan: No my friend, the woods seem quite alive and vocal. Do you not hear them? Over there that family of dark wood squirrels, and there the small bark lizard taking in the sun. There are birds aloft and many hooved beasts stalk the land. And the trees friend Azzakan, do you not hear their voices in the wind? They have been here many years and are very soulful. Many cry for the felling of their kin to the south and care not for the plagues that afflict Falcon's Hollow. I am surprised after our weeks journey to the Hollow that you can not sense more, but perhaps your work with the chemicals clouds your inner eye? Tonight if we make a fire I will help you gaze deep in to the flames and see if their flickers do not awaken you to the growing world.
To DM: Azzakan has been chided but does not understand why? He is reading other people's spoilers? Intelligence of 20. Azzakan does not understand....
To Azz: I never met Milon before. He probably had to stay and work or face the wrath of the horrible boss Mr Kreed.
Are you talking about "show?". So how does anyone know what is going on in the game. I thought private messages were "passing a note"
For example...since I have already spoiled things...three hunters are ahead of us. When do I find out about this, four days from now. Must I ask Jalriel...What do you see if anything. Please tell me. Jalriel writes bak
To Azzakan: I see three drunken hunters ahead.
How many posts are required to get basic information. I guess I assume Jalriel is going to tell us what is up ahead. I assumed there is basic information passed among the group.
I was wrong. Did not know the rules. I have looked at every single "spoiler" previously.
To group: I have it on good authority that there are three hunters who I think are way out where they should not be. Lets sneak up and destroy them and take their gear. Who is with me?.
So think about when we are doing this table top style. If I tell you that your character is out in front of the group scouting and sees/hears something, then just your character sees it and it's up to you to react to it and relay that info to the group even though everyone at the table just heard the exact same thing as you. In theory everyone else should hold their action pending on what you do/realy, yes? So in PBP it allows for the DM and PCs to simulate that with even more realism and role play the events accordingly. Good?
Maybe try reading through this PBP example. These guys really have it going: http://paizo.com/campaigns/DMDevonsRotRLAkaTheHeroesOfSandpoint/gameplay&am p;page=1
what if a character says nothing for two days. We sit and do nothing? Tabletop style I find out very quickly what is going on. Now I wait for my character to explain to the group what is going on. What if I Azzakan, am unable to login for two days? Does the group sit and do nothing'? Is there no information passed on?
Had no idea these were the rules to the game. Now I know and hope to stay involved!!??!
I honestly do not want to spend a bunch of time trying to find out basic information that my group would like me to know.
I think that's the nature of the PBP universe. You are right, what if Clint doesn't log on for a few days to respond to what he hears ahead of the party? Then we wait. It's absolutely NOT like tabletop because it's not real time and everyone waits to some degree for everyone else. John and I have posted more, probably because it's easier for us to do from work than you and Clint. I try as much as possible to consolidate information and move things along, but will always have to wait for you guys to declare what you are doing before advancing the story. It's definitely a slow play. The link I sent you the guys have been playing their campagin for years and it's still just the first book of an adventure path!
To DM: can u hyperlink that for me please.
To DM: can u hyperlink that for me please.
I e-mailed it to you, can't figure out how to do it on the post
There are some drunk hunters up ahead. I think we should bypass them to save time. Every minute we delay, another Falconian perishes.
Assuming the group agrees with Jalriel's statement you realize that you should easily be able to pass them by and that you can only be about an hour from the river.
Variel: I agree with Jalriel. Let's move past them and get to the river crossing. I can't wait to meet Eldest!
Agreed, lets not waste time with the hunters.
Sayeth the man who had too much coffee and can't sleep.
Agreed, lets not waste time with the hunters.
Sayeth the man who had too much coffee and can't sleep.
Jalriel easily glides by the hunters, as does Azzakan. However, as Daedeloth moves past the semi-inebreated group of hunters he catches his boot on a small tree root and falls in to some brush. There is a loud screech as the branches of the brush scrape against his breastplate SCREECH!
From the right side of the party you hear a small group of men in drunken voices trying to be quiet Whuzzat? You hear that? Get your bow ready! I think it might be a bear! It sounded huge! SHHHHH!
Suddenly there is another even louder SCREECH from behind the group of hunters and deep bellowing GROOOWWWWWLLLLL!
The hunters in a panic begin swearing and screaming about werebears and quickly flee to the south. As the party collectively stands holding its breath it observes Variel sheepishly walking towards them from the direction of the hunters former position. Sounded like they were afraid of bears so I just tried to sound the scariest bear I could. Let's keep moving shall we?
After another hour of hustled travel (deduct another 2 HP of nonlethal) you hear the sounds of a river ahead. The group moves up on Jalriel's position on a low rise to see:
"Not far from the edge of the forest-shrouded lake, a fox with large ears and bright orange fur lies bleeding, its hindquarters caught fully in the jaws of a crude iron trap."
To party: Rescuing an animals sounds like the perfect job for a Druid or a Ranger, be careful, where there is one trap there may be others. I look around to see if I can spot any other traps or anything out of the ordinary.
To DM: I thought we took one point of nonlethal damage for every hour we traveled. Why did you say to deduct 2 hp?
To party: Rescuing an animals sounds like the perfect job for a Druid or a Ranger, be careful, where there is one trap there may be others. I look around to see if I can spot any other traps or anything out of the ordinary.
[dice=perception]1d20+12To DM: I thought we took one point of nonlethal damage for every hour we traveled. Why did you say to deduct 2 hp?
To party: There is someone concealed in the tree line by the river with a bow drawn.
The rest of the party is unable to see what Daedeloth does.
To party: let's keep moving towards the fox, the guy in the treeline is obviously up to no good, when we get closer, I am gonna charge him and attack. Please back me up.
To DM: the idea is to act normal and close as much distance to this guy as possible before attacking. Want to limit how many bow shots he can get off during the charge.
To Party: where I don't see him. But I know he is there. Maybe someone should track up where Daedloth thinks the individual is.
To party: let's keep moving towards the fox, the guy in the treeline is obviously up to no good, when we get closer, I am gonna charge him and attack. Please back me up.
To DM: the idea is to act normal and close as much distance to this guy as possible before attacking. Want to limit how many bow shots he can get off during the charge.
The fox lies on the grassy shore of the river, about 10 feet from the water and 20 feet from your current position (edge of the forest). The figure is about 50 feet further from the fox (total 70 feet from you). It will take you about 2 full rounds at a run to make its position from where you are now and a full round from the fox's position.
I'll wait for the other two members input before moving forward.
I will go up and aid the fox...loosening my bow as I walk...I'm going to make sure the fox gets out even if I start getting fired upon
As Jalriel moves out in to the clear an arrow flashes out from where Daedeloth described the figure to be slamming in to his right shoulder for 6HP. Jalriel breaks in to a sprint and heads towards the fox.
Daedeloth/Azzakan-your action.
I will channel positive energy to heal everyone in the party for 1d6, excluding the guy in the treeline even though I am pretty sure he is too far to get healed.
Apparently Valriel and Daedloth went after the man in the bushes. I run to jalriel's aid. I take an extract which higher s my AC by 4. I ready a healing extract to give him as he allows the fox to leave.
Variel, get the bowman!
Round 2, I sprint towards the bowman.
I help release the fox and hand Jalriel a vial.
As Jalriel lets out a grunt of pain from the arrow wound, Daedeloth steps forth brandishing a small crystal star from around his neck Mother Moon aid us now! and a wave of healing washes over the group. Azzakan swigs down a vial of ochre fluid as he races to assist Jalriel's efforts with the fox. Variel bursts from the forest line at a sprint heading directly for the woods where the arrow flew out of. As he does a pair of shrill and high pitched screeches is heard as two oversized crows streak out of the skies, one attacking Jalriel pecking and slashing inneffectively before circling around; the other engages Variel futilely as he sprints towards the concealed figure.
Initiative!
So:
Azzakan
Variel
Jalriel/Enemy
Daedeloth
Go!
I am not sure where the crow who attacked Jalriel is...
If in air if ire my crossbow
If in front of me I smash him with my Morningstar
DM roll please
I run towards the bowman.
Azzakan stumbles to a halt reaches for his crossbow and fires.
The huge crow explodes in a cloud of black feathers as Azzakan's bolt strikes true!
Variel continues to sprint towards the archer's position hoping to bring the foe under the reach of his longsword.
The archer fires again as Variel continues to be plagued by the huge crow. (a Feast of Crows!?)
As he dodges an arrow, one of the crow talons lashes across Variel's neck ripping across his jugular; blood begins spraying everywhere as Variel falls to the ground clutching his neck (double critical 12 points)!
Jalriel grapples with the savage looking geared trap fastened to the fox's hindquarters:
With a wild cry his efforts shatter and split the metal of the trap freeing the fox!
Daedeloth continues to sprint across the open field.
Initiative Round 3
So: Jalriel; Enemy; Azzakan; then Daedeloth/Variel
I will heal Variel, Cure light wounds.