Male Tiefling Slayer 2 | HP 0/24 | AC 18, touch 14, FF 14; CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +2 | Init +5, Perception +6 (darkvision 60 ft.)
Perception:1d20 ⇒ 14
Sounds like we aren't being told everything... still, it's something to do.
Derrick steps forward. "I'll lend my blade and skill to this journey. My name is Derrick Tramsen, and should I fall, I'd have the money given to..." He pauses, unsure of who should receive the thousand dollars. "Give the money to an elf woman, called Hana, here at the fort." He settles on the only member of Fort Horizon with whom he's had much contact.
After a restful night in two separate cabins, the travelers;
Sithundan
Derrick
Edren
Portia
Gruingar
And Valind
I am contacting Dolin to see if he has decided to leave the game
Rise, eat a few bites of left over rations from the caravan journey, and then quickly but carefully pack for the expedition.
One by one you all make your way out into the street where Karl and Jeannine are waiting with their two other associates. Both of them are young, male Halflings, about the same size and build. There are wiry, with muscular arms, thin legs, and slim torsos.
Karl is wearing a large backpack, a thick pair of trousers in dark grey, a light brown shirt with a heavy leather vest. A lantern hangs from his pack, and a heavy bedroll is tied to the top. He is not armed.
Jeannine is wearing black wool pants, and high black leather boots, a grey tunic and a light and short leather jacket. She has her hair braided against her head and she wears a red bandana tied loosely around her neck. She does not have a backpack, and instead carries a large shoulder sack with the strap going across her body. She has a large knife on her belt, and a smaller knife tucked into her left boot.
Jeannine introduces the other two halfings and each of them steps forward, one at a time as she does.
This is William, “Bill” Dorrien, she says pointing to the first fellow. He is dark haired, and his hair is shaggy and long. He has a slight beard and mustache, clear brown eyes, and a small straight nose. He is an experienced climber and will be our resource when we rappel into the chasm.
I’m glad to meet you all, Bill says as he offers his hand to each of you.
Bill also wears a heavy, seeming overloaded backpack, with a heavy roll on top that looks more like a tent then a bed roll. There are several coils of rope hanging from his pack, and his belt, a thick leather affair with metal rings worked into it, has many large climbing accessories hanging from it. There is a pick hanging on his belt in the middle of his back.
Jeannine introduces the second Halfling, And this is Laurence Collour. He is an experience spelunker.
Call me Lars, Laurance says as he offers his hand after Bill is done meeting all of you.
Lars wears a backpack, but it is not overly filled, as Bill’s is. He wears a similar belt and also carries climbing gear and rope. He is unarmed, save for a very small knife strapped to his right leg. An odd pair of cleat-style shoe soles hangs from his belt in the middle of his back. He is the same, in build and stature, as Bill, but that is where the similarities end. His face is long and narrow. His hair is light blond, thin and cut short. He has some stubble on his chin and a soul patch below his lower lip, but no mustache. His eyes are grey-blue, and a bit bloodshot.
We are getting a good start, Karl announces. The weather is pleasant. If we can keep on the notes and map we’ve been given we should reach the base camp location well before nightfall.
The group heads out of the Fort, with several of the locals waving goodbye, and calling, “Good Luck.”
You set out, at first, going west of the fort, until you come to a stream flowing from the north, to your left, and then turn and follow the stream.
The map is crude, but the details, landmarks and descriptions, are easy to follow. You walk at a quick pace for a few miles, and then slow to a steady and slow walk.
You finally turn east, away from the stream when it begins to become a small trickle coming down a steep gorge. You follow around the south face of a rocky escarpment, until you come to a narrow valley, and turn north again. Here the way seems obvious, as the valley walls are sheer and steep to east and west.
The valley widens as you go further and further north, until it becomes somewhat difficult to be sure you are headed in the right direction.
The map mentions a standing boulder, but either you missed it, or it is not as the map describes
Portia:
You can take ten on a Survival Check, slowing the group down and checking the map frequently, but eventually reach the base camp just before sunset, or try a Survival Check roll, the DC is 14, if you fail by 10+, you lose your way, only for a short while, and reach the Base Camp as the sun is setting, if you succeed, you reach the Base Camp an hour before sunset, and if you roll a natural 20, you find a flat easy short cut that takes you to the base camp location sooner than expected, arriving with two hours of daylight to spare.
Anyone can study the map, use a skill you think is appropriate. You cannot take 10 or 20 on this Check. If you roll 12+, you find some small mark or note on the map that can be corrected, and improved, helping Portia to guide you, giving her a +2 circumstance modifier to her Survival Check.
Survival Check made to examine the trail for animal or other signs, not related to following the map, DC = 16+:
If you roll this success you find something interesting. A list of random features is posted in the discussion thread.
Portia is dressed simply, olive green leggings, and a red shirt. Her studded leather armor secured tightly against her over her shirt. Her longsword on her right hip, shield slung over her back. Her sling and bullet bag attached to her left hip and a small knife in her boot. Her auburn hair, flowing free in the wind, falling to her shoulders.
She greets both men with a warm smile, Nice to meet the both of you. The name is Portia and this feathery fried is Issabelle. I feel most at home in the woods and feel very capable to guide use quickly and safely to the gorge we seek. Lest you have any questions, I suggest we set off.
Male Halfling Cleric/2 | AC 16, T 12, FF 15 |HP: 15/8 | F +4, R +1, W +5 | Init 1, P 2, I 1 | CMD 10
untrained survival:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Valind is both keenly interested and largely oblivious to his surroundings on the trip. He stops to look at vistas but ignores the weather, becomes fascinated by new, small, poisonous creatures and seems intrigued by the idea of sketching plants and preserving leaves.
On the other hand he's likeable enough, a capable healer and an hour every day he can summon an invisible floating wagon that holds a hundred pounds of gear. He's also - when not wearing his coat or carrying a lot of equipment - amazingly fast. Sadly that speed just seems able to let him get intro trouble first.
He uses the excuse of scribing scrolls to get out of camp duty for the first two days.
untrained survival:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16Aha, surprisingly made it. which one:1d6 ⇒ 3
Gruingar waves around the rusted metal implement he found on the ground. Hey guys look! I found the toothy remains of a metal monster. Ha ha aha... ahem. What? Oh, you didn't think that was funny? Sorry, I'll shut up now.
Not long after Gruingar finds his "metal monster" limb, Edren notices a small pile of stones off on the right side of the trail. At first, he dismisses them as nothing more than a natural tumble of rock. As the group gets closer, the pile nags at him, something about it doesn't seem right.
"Hmm... look here. This pile of stones appears to be some sort of marker. The way they are stacked, it is almost as if it is supposed to look like a natural pile. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just know it isn't. It could possibly a cairn or grave? Odd to find it out here. Jeannine, do you know if these trails are traveled often? It doesn't seem likely, but I think we have some proof that we are not just the second group of travelers to come through here."
In a brief moment, the night before the expedition, Jeannine approaches you and offers you 50 dollars to act as legal counsel for the group, in both dealings with the travelers and as advisor to the university representatives, in addition to the daily fee of 25 dollars. She will examine your ledger, and remark that it is well done and she hopes that the signatures of you and your friends in your journal can take the place of a separate contract. She will ask you to please inform her if any of your friends develop concerns about the expedition, but will tell you that she respects any client counsel privilege that has been established. This comment of hers reminds you that your relationship with the others is nebulous at this time, and if it needs to be clarified it probably should be done soon.
Gruingar:
As you, jokingly, lift the piece of metal into the air to bring it to the attention of the others in the party, please make a Perception check
Edren Kent:
If you decide to examine the stones more closely, or if you convince the party to pause and examine it as a group, the rest of this post will be delayed and we will deal with this discovery, okay?
Portia, with her animal companion circling overhead, listens patiently as the Dwarf and Halflings explain some of the details that were explained to them, by trackers and hunters they met on their journey to Fort Horizon, and with this information, a crude map, and a good compass, she leads the expedition to the base camp site well before sunset.
It is a wide plane, level and clear of rocks and brush. To the east, the ground rises almost imperceptibly toward a range of mountains not too many miles away, while to the west, the ground remains level for about a half of a mile, and then there is an escarpment nearly fifty feet high. The escarpment extends to the south for as far as the eye can see, while to the north, at the precipice of the gorge, it is a sheer cliff face.
To the north, running east and west, is a great gash in the ground a deep gorge. The far side of the gorge, where you have decided to make camp, is nearly one hundred feet away, but you can see that the gorge narrows to the west, while it expands to the east. Approaching the edge of the gorge carefully, you can see that it is deep, but not so deep as to be impossible to climb to the bottom. From the edge you can see several ledges below, at different elevations from sixty feet below you, to one hundred feet below you, then there are no ledges from that point to the bottom of the gorge, which here appears to be two hundred fifty feet down. There are signs of a washed out river bed, now dry, and only a few yards wide, near the center of the floor of the gorge.
The two Halfling men set about unpacking their gear, and erecting a small tent that looks as though it might sleep up to five Halfling sized adults.
If someone in the group had wanted to buy a tent, one was available in Fort Horizon. It weighs 40 pounds, rolled up, and stands five feet high when erected. It will sleep four human sized adults comfortably, or six, if everyone decides to get “cozy” (sleeping shoulder to shoulder). This tent would be available for 150 dollars, is not “new” but is dependable.
I typed this description up, but I may be jumping ahead of everyone. If you discover something along the trail and want to examine it, please let me know and I will tell you what rolls I would like you to make and we can explore those discoveries. Thanks!
When Gruingar shows his discovery, she wonders what it could be. After he turns it over in his hand a few times and comes up with nothing she speaks up, Mind if I take a look, maybe I can shed some light on it
perception:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 to notice anything new about it (ie: material/age/hidden cache/poisoned/etc)
At first it appears to be an innocuous piece of worked metal, but as you turn it over in your hand you begin to see that it is remarkably light for its size and apparent thickness. The rust layer is also somewhat odd, being uniform and mostly just a thin surface layer, with barely any real degradation of the steel at all. The fact that it is still sharp is also troubling. Finally you are convinced that the object is more extraordinary than it appears and deserves closer examination by someone with more expertise.If cleaned, and fixed to a shaft it would make a formidable weapon.
Human Male Fighter (Polearm Master) 1 HP:9/24, AC:17:12:15, Init:+4, Per:+1, Intuition:+6, Saves:4:2:1, Attack:+6 (guisarme)
I would like to get the group to take a look at the pile of stones, even if it's just to find any identifying marks. I will wait until they are done with Gruingar's discovery before that, though.
Edren walks over to look at the object being passed around. "Any idea what it may have come from? It is obviously manufactured, it may have belonged to our expedition leader's friend, Derwinter."
Male Oread Monk/2; 20/20 HP | AC 14, T 14, FF 12 | F +4, R +4, W +5 | Init 7, P 5, I 6 | CMD 17
When the metal chunk gets around to Sithundan he dips into his natural connection to the elements and tries to figure out what the strange metal is made of.
Intuition check:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Day 2, afternoon, North of Fort Horizon, in a location identified on the map as “Torinbul’s Flat”
The party gathers around, while the others take a moment to rest and have a bite of rations and a drink of water. Jeannine sits alone, while the dwarf and the other Halflings trade stories from their past.
As each of you examine the “artifact” you cannot make out a purpose for it, but that it may have been a tool or weapon is obvious.
Sithundan handles the object with a kind of faraway look in his eyes
Sithundan:
You are not completely sure, but you have a gut feeling that the object is made from an alloy that is entirely unknown on this world. It is far too light for its apparent volume and it feels impossibly strong. You cannot bend it.
As Gruingar begins concentrating on the power within him to see the traces of magic that might be imbued within the object. Valind, off handedly, suggest getting out his scales and weighing the object, but Jeannine overhears this suggestion and approaches the group.
While Jeannine is talking, Gruingar studies the object
”I’m not sure we should take the time to do that. What do you think, Portia?” she asks the guide. ”Are we going to miss making camp before nightfall if we tarry any longer here?”
Since we are going to examine the pile of rocks that was pointed out, if we weigh the item check out the rocks, what is the estimated arrival time to base camp?
Sounds like a good way to test Portia's Outdoorsy skills. Right now you have a solid feeling that you are doing well, following the map and making good time. You can roll a Skill Check, there is no DC, but the better you roll the better you can judge the time. Lets say that on a roll of 1-5 you do not manage the time, and your reach camp after the sun has set, and 6 to 15, you reach camp about when you thought you would (at sunset), but if you roll 16+ you keep everyone on task, focused, and get moving when you should, for every +2 over 16, you reach camp ten minutes before sunset.
Male Tiefling Slayer 2 | HP 0/24 | AC 18, touch 14, FF 14; CMD 20 | Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +2 | Init +5, Perception +6 (darkvision 60 ft.)
Derrick stands to the side, practicing his iaijutsu and stretching his muscles. Not much good in this area... Not much good with anything but my sword.
Day 2, afternoon, North of Fort Horizon, in a location identified on the map as “Torinbul’s Flat”
Portia studies the map, looks at the landmarks around you, and then studies the map again. She is confident that the party will reach the gorge before sunset, maybe even have an hour of day light available to make camp. Edren points out a mark on the map that could be a stripped rock formation in the distance, and this solidifies Portia’s belief.
I have had no comment about the party purchasing the tent mentioned in the post above, so I am assuming no one purchased, beyond what is listed in their profile, this additional tent.
Valind takes out his weighing apparatus, what he calls a “scale” and begins the process of ensuring it is set up properly, while a few of the others move closer to examine the pile of rocks.
The rock formation is definitely a grave, and a crude one. Once you are close enough you can all see that some of the smaller rocks have been disturbed, most likely by a small scavenger, and a few small bones can be seen. The bones, pulled out from under the rocks, have been gnawed upon, and are not old. A Healing Skill Check may reveal some information about the nature of the bones, while a Knowledge Religion or Knowledge History Check might inform as to the nature of the grave itself.
While the party examines the grave site, Valind weighs the object against an assortment of known weights and materials he carries with him.
Valind:
The object weighs just less than 4 ounces, but by its volume and apparent material (steel) it should weigh very nearly a pound. You have a fine steel knife and this object weighs nearly the same as it does, but is easily four times as large. You have heard of unusual metals, but cannot determine this material’s composition at all.
Hmm... My thanks for the info Valind, Portia, and Sithundan. It seems both odd and interesting. I think I will hang on to it to see if I might find a use for it in the future.
Gruingar doesn't want to be weighed down carrying a tent but also doesn't like the idea of his gear not being under his control while on a wagon or such. He might grumble about getting a little wet, but would still prefer that to worrying about what is happening to his gear or trying to carry it himself. If it was snow or monsoon season he would probably buy one anyway even though he wouldn't like it.
Human Male Fighter (Polearm Master) 1 HP:9/24, AC:17:12:15, Init:+4, Per:+1, Intuition:+6, Saves:4:2:1, Attack:+6 (guisarme)
Edren chuckles at Portia's comment, "Yes, well, during the war, I worked with some of our scouts. They, like you, were definitely the experts, and it was good to learn a valuable skill. I've also learned that a second opinion can go very far!"
"This is an odd little grave." Edren, like Portia, examines the grave without disturbing it further.
You have a very good suspicion, but cannot be sure, that the bones are of a Halfling adult
Portia:
You are certain that the bones are of a humanoid very similar to a Halfling, but there is something unusual, it is a sort of porosity that you can see on the end of a bone where it has been chewed threw, it is odd, and unlike anything you are familiar with.
Edren:
You cannot determine anything unusual about the bones that are exposed
Valind as she takes a deep breath, I am fairly certain these bones might be of a fellow Halfling. But there is something different about them, as she points at the porous end of the bone, there is something different about it but I can't quite put my finger on it
Intuition checks to "feel" anything about the situation (ie cause of death, past experience, etc)
intuition:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Perception to notice cause of death, possible wild animal teeth marks, etc.
Human Male Fighter (Polearm Master) 1 HP:9/24, AC:17:12:15, Init:+4, Per:+1, Intuition:+6, Saves:4:2:1, Attack:+6 (guisarme)
"They look like bones to me." Edren moves back from the grave, giving Portia and Valind the room they need to work. He watches the two for a few minutes before losing interest. Edren smiles thoughtfully and thinks to himself, "Scouting I can see being useful, but I'm not sure looking at old bones works for me."
"I'll let the others know what you've found." Edren returns to the rest of the group and relays Portia and Valind's findings to them.
If the party is ready to move on, I'll wrap this up with a bit of dialog between the NPCs and Edren, and then re post the making camp site scene. Any questions?
I don't feel right disturbing the bones. Whether they are truly Halfling in nature I couldn't be 100-percent accurate unless I moved them which I refuse to do. Perhaps we should get going to make camp before sunset, lest you want nature to have her way with us. We can always check on them upon our return trip.
Valind
Did you make in headway in the unique object we found? Any clue what it could be, or could be used for? We should hold onto it of course, never know what might come in handy later on down the road
Edren & Gruingar
So boys, are any of you knowledgeable in the wilderness? I was hoping when we get to camp, you could possibly help me scout out some food. As much as I just LOVE rations, I wouldn't be against a few rabbits or other small game if there are any around, if you're interested. Same goes for you as well Valind, don't want you to feel left out. she says with a smile.
Terq, Portia would feel right at home sleeping on the ground, she would have a sleeping bag and use her backpack as a pillow. Roughing it, is okay with her. Plus she figured the less to carry, the less to weigh her down and such.
Well Portia, I am no great huntress such as yourself. However, Nashantur and myself can usually manage to survive. We will see what we can find.
Gruingar has no ranks in survival. But if the region is not completely desolate, one can usually see some small game or birds even if they are not close. Between Ray of Frost, Summoned Hawks, and Nashantur's +20 to stealth we can bring down enough samll game to keep me alive. But unless someone can track down some more substantial prey I am certainly unlikely to feed everyone.
Male Halfling Cleric/2 | AC 16, T 12, FF 15 |HP: 15/8 | F +4, R +1, W +5 | Init 1, P 2, I 1 | CMD 10
"Not really Portia, there's some interesting properties, but that's it. I do recommend the owner keep it, but am unsure if this qualifies as 'party treasure'. I think it does. I am prepared to hear arguments to the contrary, though."
Personal versus party is irrelevant to me, i think it an interesting item to keep on ones person is all. The cavernous spelunking we shall be doing I view more as party treasure
Human Male Fighter (Polearm Master) 1 HP:9/24, AC:17:12:15, Init:+4, Per:+1, Intuition:+6, Saves:4:2:1, Attack:+6 (guisarme)
"I am capable of following some tracks, but I am afraid that I don't have the tools to assist in hunting game. I can try to help, but if you think I'll be a hindrance, I will sit this one out."
"This is quite the find, but it matters not, to me, who gets to hang on to it."
Day 2, Evening, North of Fort Horizon, in a location identified on the map as “Torinbul’s Flat”
After examining the small grave, the party regroups. Edren explains, in simple details, what the party had found, but the four members of the University team express no knowledge of the local population or any information about local burial customs.
Portia keeps a shapr eye out for game, but is disappointed, and just before reaching the gorge, she is a bit concerned that this region might be a difficult place to find game at all. There is a “barren” feeling to the region, even though there is some low growing shrubs and wild flowers in abundance.
You reach the camp site.
It is a wide plane, level and clear of rocks and brush. To the east, the ground rises almost imperceptibly toward a range of mountains not too many miles away, while to the west, the ground remains level for about a half of a mile, and then there is an escarpment nearly fifty feet high. The escarpment extends to the south for as far as the eye can see, while to the north, at the precipice of the gorge, it is a sheer cliff face.
To the north, running east and west, is a great gash in the ground, a deep, but not tremendously wide, gorge. The far side of the gorge, from where you have decided to make camp, is barely one hundred feet away, and you can see that the gorge narrows to the west, while it expands to the east. Approaching the edge of the gorge carefully, you can see that it is deep, but not so deep as to be impossible to climb to the bottom. From the edge you can see several ledges below, at different elevations from sixty feet below you, to one hundred feet below you, then there are no ledges from that point to the bottom of the gorge, which here appears to be two hundred fifty feet down. There are signs of a washed out river bed, now dry, and only a few yards wide, near the center of the floor of the gorge.
While the two Halfling men set about unpacking their gear, and erecting a small tent that looks as though it might sleep up to five Halfling sized adults, Portia searches in a short perimeter around the site, at first fearful of not finding anything at all, she is surprised when she comes across a flock of fat “chicken” like birds, with feathers that are various colors of brown to sandy white. The birds seem unafraid of Portia, and she is easily able to drop two of them with arrows before the small flock flies away.
I'm applying a take 20 to this survival effort, okay
It is well before sunset, and there is a just enough daylight left to prepare the birds for roasting over a small fire. The whole of the group sits in a circle around the fire and marvels at the palette of red and orange, pink and purple colors as the sun slowly sinks in the west, behind the cliffs.
“We should set a watch in pairs. I’ll take the first, with any volunteer. Because I need our climbers up early and a thorough inspection of the gear done, I’m asking that Lars and Bill sit out any watch during the night. Our plan is to drop three ropes over the edge. We’ll rig one over a fixed shiv and use it to move supplies. With the other two ropes we’ll descend in pairs, one experienced climber with one less experienced climber. We’re going to have to scout east and west until we find a ledge at fifty feet down, with a marker, it should be four blue painted rocks set in a circle, and when we do, that’s where we’ll be dropping. Are there any questions?”
