A Vision of Brute Squad (Inactive)

Game Master ThorGN

Kassandra stops. Do you hear that? Horses from the east.

Noa nickers to the mule, guiding the animal and the cart to one side of the road, coming to a stop before draping one arm over her scabbarded falchion and quiver, to rest on her laminate warbow. Her other hand patted at the flank of the draft animal. "Easy. Easy...", she calmed the mule, hoping to pay in advance the cost of horses, thundering past.

Baru looks about for the source of the approaching sound. "Most likely travelers, such as ourselves," although as he says this his hand instinctively falls to the hilt of his sword. The paladin looks at Nestor for his reaction.

After several moments, a Centaur hunting party bursts through the trees and pulls up a little way from the party.

Ho there! What brings a party of two-legs this far from the city?

"Two legs!", jokes Noa. "...At a time! Well, except for this one!", she says, brushing at the mule.

Diplomacy, +6 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

...this is apparently a very bad joke to make. Quick, everybody stand on one leg, and make them dizzy! :)

The leader of the trio raises his eyebrow at Noa. Excuse me! Are you saying we are akin to mules?!

"No. Only that she is wiser than I. See, she stands so calmly, and silent, while my words have left me, without a leg to stand on!", Noa doubles down. "I can only blather, and hope you forgive, wha' was no' meant to be an offense."

Diplomacy+6 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
...if I can?

No, maybe I can't.

Irenal's mouth falls open as the Noa begins talking. He thinks back to his studies and experience living among wooded regions in an attempt to recall pertinent information about the Centaurs.

He looks over the hunting party hoping to glean some idea of their intention and says, "Brothers of the wild we are here just in passing on route to another land. We mean no offense in trespass but have been instructed to stay on the path given to us."

KN: Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

The Centaur regards the party with a steely gaze. Take care not to get eaten by wild animals, little two-legs. With a head jerk they gallop off into the woods.

Irenal stares almost as agape at their departure as he did at Noa's introduction. With quick sideways glances he wonders if he's just done something wrong.

"That was abrupt, eh Bala?"

The faithful companion makes no sound.

As you continue on the land becomes wild and untamed. Your progress is slowed as you help the cart navigate fallen branches and steep hillsides. In what seems like too short a time, your shadows grow long and you stop to make camp.

Nestor sits on a nearby log. If it's all the same to you, I think I will rest here while you set up camp. I’m not quite used to all this travel yet.

"Nestor, can you drive a cart? It's just a small thing, no' really space for two, I don' know you so well...", Noa smiles. "But if you can drive, I will go fin' more natives to insult."

Could I have taken 10, either of those times?

Would it make you feel better if I said no? ;)
Yes, I think you could have.

Irenal moves about the edge of the campsite collecting firewood. Darkness shall provide no cover for you tonight fair kindling.

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Bala's perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Kindling Stealth: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (14) - 5 = 9
;)

Irenal finds plenty of wood to fuel a camp fire.

Kassandra starts humming a hymn of Sarenrae as she sets out her bedroll.

After she is done she states Should we make a watch

The moon is almost full tonight as the wind rustles through the trees.

Nester decides to tell a story while you work. What a nice night. This reminds me of my younger days when I was still foolish. There was this Troll you see, and there were rumors about what he kept in his cave. So a friend and I decided…

Irenal perks up at Kassandra's suggestion of a watch. Thinking it pertinent to show initiative he says, "I'll take first if there are no objections."

He then sits close to the fire and listens to Rees's tale.

Re: Kassandra, "Should we make a watch"

"We should start the good habit", Noa says. "Three watches, four hours. And Angel and a Devil, then a Man and a Woman, then an Elf and a Lizard, while Irenal awakens his magics? And you can sing us all a lullaby, Kassandra. That puts the sharp eyes and ears spread out, and let the wizard wake to his books."

Dasiji considers Noa's proposal. "Sharp as our eyes might be, we can't see as well at night as others. I'm pretty good with animals, so I'd be a natural choice to keep watch with Bala, who can probably see and smell things that I can't. If that sounds good, you could keep watch with Aesentia or Kassandra, and Baru with the other one."

"But do we really need such long watches? Perhaps three or three-and-a-half hours each would suffice." I can't find anything in the rules about how much sleep anyone needs aside from prepared casters, but I suppose there might be a FAQ or forum post somewhere.

* If you haven't seen it before, flextime is a pbp convention where you can continue rp'ing a conversation after the main action has moved on. A specialized kind of retcon that is just for fun. Sometimes spoiler'd, if not everyone is involved.

Baru diligently assists in setting up the camp site for the evening. As he works, he can't help but hum along with Kassandra's melody. The teifling gives her an approving look as he works.

With the camp prepared, Baru takes a seat within the warm glow of the campfire. He listens to Nestor retell his story of the troll while keeping mental tabs on the conversation about watches. At one point he interjects, "My vision, and my faith, are such that I would be most effective when the night is at its darkest. However, I will be happy to take whatever shift the group deems most appropriate."

watches:

Seeing that many had opinions on where, no, when they were best used, Noamuth gave a sort of shrug. "Anybo'y ge's tired, wake me up."

Ok, so Irenal / Aesantiel, then Baru / Noa, then Kass / Dasiji.

Thee next day dawns grey as you break camp and continue your wilderness trek.

After a bit of strenuous travel, you are greeted by the sound of running water echoing ahead, and several muted beams of light pierce the thick forest canopy. Soon the dense forest opens, revealing a river that blocks the way forward. A large felled tree trunk offers a way over the swift moving river.

With the exception of the rushing sound of the water, an eerie silence pervades the area, as does the fresh smell of death. A deer carcass litters the near riverbank.

"We go' a woodsman? 'Siji, tha's you, right? 'Cause if i' smells bad to me, i' migh' smell pretty good, to somethin' else. So why they gon' leave i'? I'm thinkin', they di'n't..."

Noa readies her longbow, and nocks an arrow. Is the deadwe- I mean, mission specialist driving the cart, or is Noa? If Noa, she instead stays on the job keeping the animal calm as job one, readying a bow if time allows.

Perception, because always perception, +4 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Hmm a fresh kill. I am not good at the outdoors, my place is in the middle of an Opera House. Dasiji, do you think you could tell us anything about the kill.

"That ain' no fresh kill..."

"Curious to be leaving something so unused laying about."

perception around the carcass etc: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Nature on the carcass: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

It’s a deer. Common food source for many predatory animals.

Is it the same deer as last night?
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Possibly. It’s really hard to tell one deer from another.

"It is not of use to us, and either predators or scavengers are likely to be attracted. The quiet of the wood suggests that may already be the case. We should move on quickly, and be prepared for hostile creatures." Taking her own advice, Aesantiel readies her bow, and walks quickly onward, with arrow nocked.

"We go' a woodsman? 'Siji, tha's you, right? 'Cause if i' smells bad to me, i' migh' smell pretty good, to somethin' else. So why they gon' leave i'? I'm thinkin', they di'n't..."

Dasiji nods solemnly. "I like the way you think, Noa. I will see if there are any tracks around it. If there are hunters around, it would be good to know; if there are natural predators, it would be good to know what kind. But if it was left as bait by someone, and they're watching... everyone be careful." The thorough ranger looks for signs of danger that someone with sharper eyes might not recognize, and readies his fancy new darkwood bow before moving toward the dead deer. He takes his time (two minutes) looking around, just to be sure.

Aid Another (Aesantiel) with Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 for a +2 bonus on her check.
Survival to Track: Take 20 + 7 = 27.

Dasiji straightens from examining the carcass and tracks closely. "A large cat of some kind killed the deer, but didn't finish eating it. The tracks lead away from us, to the water, so we might've startled it. Let's keep an eye out, since it could still be around; but even then, it would probably just be waiting for us to leave before resuming the safe meal, already dead."

That said, Dasiji leads the group across the tree-trunk bridge. I'm assuming that we can somehow make it work for the one-mule cart -- even if that means taking the cart, its contents, and the mule across separately.

With the treebridge to keep us from floating away, we could swim the mule and float the cart. I think the real point is <can't just run back>, rather than <can't go on>. But that's crazy paranoid gamer talk. :)

Noa takes longbow overwatch, hold-the-ropes, or mule- or cart-wrangling duties as needed to get us across.

Aesantiel crosses the tree-trunk immediately behind Dasiji and takes up a guard position. "I have little experience with rivers, and the crossing of pack animals or carts. I can provide greatest help at guard."

'that, and I have no desire to test my meager swimming skills against such a vast-seeming body of open water.' thinks the desert-reared elf, shuddering slightly at the prospect of fighting river and cart and mule while trying to avoid drowning.

It's a tree trunk, not a tree road, and the river is deep and flowing quickly. How exactly are you planning on getting the mule and cart across?

Dasiji is first across the trunk to the other side, or at least that was the plan until he slipped on a patch of moss and went unceremoniously tumbling into the river, which quickly starts to sweep him away.

As Dasiji goes into the water, Aesantiel peels one of the sashes from her monk's garb, drops prone on the log, and swings her sash toward Dasiji. She clings hard to the log, bracing for Dasiji's weight to pull back through the sash.

This simple outfit includes sandals, loose breeches, and a loose shirt, and is bound together with sashes. The outfit is designed to give you maximum mobility, and it's made of high-quality fabric. You can conceal small weapons in pockets hidden in the folds, and the sashes are strong enough to serve as short ropes.

"AyDiamia!", Noa exclaims as Dasiji falls into the river. "Somebo'y go' a rope?! Trow i' to him! Trow it!"

Noa drops her bow into the cart, and runs along the near bank, mindful of her step and any potential hanging branches that might be coaxed into Dasiji's path.

perception+6 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

with a roll, like that, you'll be glad she's wearing white, in 3, 2, ...(stumble, SPLASH!)

Dasiji is able to grab a hold of 'tiel's sash. He holds on with the strength of the jungle, at least for now.

Noa grabs a stick to help the cause, but as she reaches it out toward the fallen ranger, the bow breaks and falls into the river.

I never knew Elven legs looked so... *smack*, get you mind out of the riverbank!

So who's in the river, now? And did a 'bow'(archer's weapon) just break and fall into the river, or a 'bough'(tree limb)?

Swim: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Dasiji holds hard to the sash, and strikes back to the near shore with determination and practiced strokes. He grew up swimming all the time -- but in Desperation Bay, not a rushing Avistani river. It's different.

Sorry, meant bough (tree limb).

Dasiji pulls himself up on shore, now looking a bit more like a drowned dire rat.

Noamuth offers him a dry Varisi scarf (one without hidden blades or chains or pockets) (or meaning). "OK, so we try again in a bit, maybe?" Noa twists and offers another (similar) scarf to Aesantiel, since her own belt is sodden. "I's alright, I go' more..."

Irenal steps up to the log as others make their way across and he tries to follow.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

"Le's get some rope tied in loops? Before we gon' lose anybo'y?", Noa requests.