"I suggest we..."
Kaylayne nods along with Garridan's suggestion.
"...so why don't we...?"
Kaylayne shrugs and is happy to do that as well.
"I just need a good night's rest before I go spelunking, that's all. I'm happy to march about wherever until then," Kaylayne notes as she stretches out her legs. She ponders as she tries to get her legs loose.
"Let's go with Ederin's plan. It's simple and quick," Kaylayne agrees after some thought. "Should be pretty easy for today."
Kaylayne moves to follow Ederin.
Keeping it simple, and as there is plenty of time, the party searches half-heartedly the area around the town, but finds nothing of particular note in the cliffs. You do find one cave, but it is fairly shallow and doesn’t lead anywhere.
Night too is largely uneventful. Around about third watch a lone zombie strode into camp, but you fell it fairly quickly I’m sure.
Morning dawns (13 Arodus, 4709) bright and clear and you have the whole day ahead of you. Where do you begin?
Dimitrio gets up, stretches, and mumbles "Eight more days to go." But quickly adds, "At most, let's not forget to look for a ship, people."
He then flavors and warms his rations with magic and gives everyone an enigmatic smile. "Don't look at me like that. I feel good about today." He sniffs the wind, "I can.. smell it."
He then claps Ederin in his shoulder, "Follow me today, Shorty. We're going straight south and then heading east. And don't forget to keep an eye out for caves and a ship. Oh, and Zincher; don't forget about him either."
Ederin looks curiously at Dimitrio and even smiles a bit, letting the bards good mood improve his own after a few days of being sour.
"Don't get too carried away Carini, I've still got a better eye than you." Ederin eats his morning's ration and checks his ammo and weapons, making sure everything is good to go before he leaves. When ready he follows Dimitrio and looks for a decent cave, using his knowledge of geography to point out likely spots.
Kaylayne groggily awakes in the morning. She had taken her shift during the night, and sometimes she wakes with hair and mind out of place. She takes some time to collect her thoughts and think upon things before she is ready to decamp.
After a bit of time alone, she is ready to move on.
"Follow me today, Shorty."
Kaylayne flashes a well-earned smile at the pair and she follows both them. She keeps her own eyes open for caves, and will breaks so she can scamper over or around a crag to get a look at things that the others cannot without climbing.
Perception - Part 1
Perception - Part 2
Lief flicks a look every once and a while during the night. He twists the ring on his finger, respecting its ability to provide nourishment and shorten the amount of time he spends sleeping, and he enjoys the quiet when the others fall asleep in turn. He takes time to prepare his formulae, and ready himself for the next day.
Expeditious Retreat, Shield, True Strike(x2), Cat's Grace(x2)
He watches the mixtures settle, so takes his turn sleeping, knowing that the titrations should reach precipitation just before he wakes.
He spends a little time looking over his hand crossbow as he waits for the others to wake. He tries to imagine Depora and her intent, while he turns over her weapon in his hands. He looks it over for signs of drow writing, beginning to wonder what it may look like should they encounter further drow while he bears a tool of theirs.
Lief listens to Dimitrio and Ederin as they take the lead. When he teases Ederin about Zincher, he unconsciously snarls.
Garridan takes some of his last remaining ale and spills it on the ground as he meditates on the course of cations the group could take today. Finally he asks, "Will we find the drow by searching for caves on this island."
1 level - (4) Bless, Divine Favor, Divine Favor , Protection from evil, Divine Favor
2 level - (3)Air step x 2, Augury
The party spends the day following along the cliff, occasionally sending Kaylayne down to check out some rock formation or other, but otherwise walking slowly and, mostly, looking down.
You do in fact find several caves throughout the day, but none lead to Drow.
By the end of the day, you're weary and eye-sore and all you have to show for it is one pound of Noqual that Lief found in the afternoon. Granted that was a bit of a surprise as you're kinda far from the blast site, but there you have it.
You feel like you might have more success along the coast from below. Or at least make better time. The terrain is about as tough (on the topside you've a forest right up to the edge so it's tricky to maneuver safely) but it's easier to see the caves from there. Marginally.
You feel like you might have more success along the coast from below. Or at least make better time. The terrain is about as tough (on the topside you've a forest right up to the edge so it's tricky to maneuver safely) but it's easier to see the caves from there. Marginally.
Dimitrio's shoulders slump, his feet drag, even his mustache is turned down.
He shakes his head as if trying to shake away their bad luck and starts whistling an upbeat tune. After a while, he mumbles to no one in particular, "Well, at least we're one day closer to getting back to the Goblin..."
Yes, I'm keeping rough track - you won't cover the same ground twice. You probably explored about a mile, mile and a half, over the course of the day. It's slow going as there are a lot of caves and potential caves to check out. You might make two miles at the coast level. Less across the board if you take-20 on your cave searches, but not a lot less.
It'll be a few days to search the entire coast no matter what. Not bad really considering the level of detail in your search. The boots help a LOT.
My understanding is you went straight south from 'B' and then east along the coast through the forest above the cliffs.
Garridan searches with his companions using his magic when he can to help.
Air Step I think you mean Garridan.
Air Walk would be incredibly useful as you could 'walk' 50' out from the cliffs or so and take in the whole scene. Much faster. Unfortunately Air Step isn't quite as good but it does help in some of the tougher spots to reach.
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Kaylayne seems wearied, but not broken by their failure. She's willing to continue looking, and continues to do her part in the searches using her magic boots.
"Maybe the caves aren't the answer. Maybe we should be searching where the meteor hit more to see what the Drow were trying to destroy. Just that nothing makes sense to me yet."
Kaylayne continues to search via the route suggested by Ederin or Dimitrio.
Ederin sits on the ground as the day nears it's end and drinks a bit from his water skin.
"Maybe we try down by the coast tomorrow?" He wipes some beaded water from the growing stubble on his chin. "You lot want to camp here, or trek back to the village and take up our usual spot?"
Whatever the case Ederin keeps quiet until the next morning, trying to think of anything that may speed up their search. When they do set out in search of more caves, Ederin is somewhat distracted.
As the party searches, he pulls a couple rations from his pack and mutters a few magical words. He then walks up to the nearest tree and speaks loudly into the surrounding forest trying to make eye contact with any birds or other wildlife.
"Anyone hungry? I've got some food here if you can answer some questions?"
This better work. I feel like a proper fool.
Most of the wildlife scatter in a panic as the large man suddenly starts speaking their language, but one largish albatross seems to linger.
The large bird shuffles toward the man, and grabs the food out of his hand. Giving him a meaningful stare, the bird stomps off and gulps it... waiting.
Here goes nothin'.
Ederin pulls another ration from his bag and holds it out of reach. Not having ever talked to a bird before, he's not entirely sure what to expect.
"So, uh, bird. Have you seen any people or...elves I guess, um." He shakes his head and starts over, hoping he hasn't confused the animal.
"Have you seen anything that walks on two legs comin' in or out of the caves? If you have, can you show me which cave they use?"
He keeps a tight grip on the food in his hand, making sure he doesn't lose this one before getting some sort of reply.
"Whaat!" it squawks. "Whaat!"
It pecks at the food, trying to get it out of your hand. Eventually it says, "Many caves, many caves. Uh, people, come from caves - there!" The albatross gestures to the east. Hard to say exactly where it's gesturing but somewhere maybe a mile or so further away.
It squawks again and bites at your fingers trying to get at the food.
That's somethin' I guess, don't know what I expected.
Ederin offers the bird half of the food he's holding and shows it the rest, so it doesn't fly off right away.
"Come find us in the morning. If you can show me the right cave, I'll give you more food." He tosses the rest of what he's holding at the albatross, wondering if it will even remember who he is in the morning.
Worth a shot I guess.
Done with the creature, Ederin turns back to camp lets the rest of the group know that a bird has a confirmed sighting of 'people' in caves to the east, half expecting them to laugh it off when he does.
Done with the creature, Ederin turns back to camp lets the rest of the group know that a bird has a confirmed sighting of 'people' in caves to the east, half expecting them to laugh it off when he does.
Dimitrio raises his eyebrow and looks at his other companions as Ederin told his story.
"Ok, so you went to the woods by yourself and a little bird told you about the people and the caves?"
He barely contains a chuckle, "So, did the little bird tell you anything else? Like where the unicorns are hiding?"
He claps his knee and bursts out laughing, "I'm-- I'm sorry, Shorty. It just all sounds so funny, especially coming from you who are always serious and stuff."
"Ok, so you went to the woods by yourself and a little bird told you about the people and the caves?"
"A bird told you, huh?" Kaylayne says with a smile. "At least that is something I understand more. The eyes of nature are everywhere."
Kaylayne gives a look to Ederin.
"Sure. In the morning we'll see what the birdie saw. If it works, maybe we'll try the same for Zincher."
The night passes without incident and the dawn rises... though late as clouds block the sky. Rain today.
No birds seem to welcome Ederin the following morning. Do you try for another animal? Head to the rough location and search? What's the morning plan?
"Might as well listen to the bird," Garridan suggests to his companions as they make their preparations to search.
Ederin shakes his head when he realizes the bird isn't coming back.
"At least we know we were going in the right direction."
Ederin heads towards the next stretch of land hoping they can find the cave without another awkward bird conversation. If the party is unable to find a cave that they believe is the one they're looking for by midday, Ederin will attempt to find another animal in the immediate area, using the same tactic as last night to see if any can point him in the right direction.
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As Ederin makes his report, Lief takes in the part where he had talked to a bird to retrieve intel. He nods and waits to follow the bird whisperer to the next spot of investigation. "So, you have some skill with magic, as well as a bow, eh?"
The young man considers the nature of magic that can facilitate the conversation between bird and human brain, and chuckles, when his thoughts turn to a cartoonish version of Ederin's brain being not too far from that of an albatross.
After eating some bacon-flavored... something, the bard is ready to start exploring again.
He massages his feet before putting on his boots and speaks, "Well, as long as the little bird told you to explore an area we haven't explored yet, I think that's the way we ought to go."
The bard mumbled, "Seven more days to go..."
I presume you march from here to there directly, and then begin searching again, rather than searching all along the coast from here to there. You can always come back and close the gap later if need be.
It's mid morning when you stand at the edge of the cliff, hoping to find the home of the drow on the island. Kaylayne climbs down and begins a search while the party fans out a bit above to look for overhangs or other signs of caves.
Kaylayne climbs down and begins a search while the party fans out a bit above to look for overhangs or other signs of caves.
Perception morn
Perception afternoon
Lief leans way out, possibly helped by Garridan's Air Step, and suggests Kaylayne follow a particular ledge he spied from above. She does, and finds clear signs of passage along a path leading up to a stone wall.
A path!
Kaylayne holds her hand out to stop the others, trying to let her get an unobstructed examination of the path and where it leads.
Survival -tracks?
Kaylayne is alone on the ledge, the rest of the party is some 80' or so above her at the top of the cliff.
"So, you have some skill with magic, as well as a bow, eh?"
Ederin sheepishly rubs the backs of his head and laughs a bit. He's doing his best to be good-natured about all the ribbing he's gotten for speaking with a bird, so he's thankful that Lief has brought up something else.
"Happened a little after we dealt with Depora. Was doin' a bit of meditatin' an' suddenly I had all this knowledge in my head." He shakes his head, debating the idea of explaining his vision, but he figures the bird talk is making him sound crazy enough. "Don't quite know everythin' I can do yet."
Later, while Kaylayne walks along the ledge below Ederin sits quietly by the edge of the cliff, bow ready, incase she needs help while she's alone.
She wants to find a spot where the party can join her easily.
Almost subconsciously, Lief manages a very good look around, helping the others to locate their next location.
"Happened a little after we dealt with Depora. Was doin' a bit of meditatin' an' suddenly I had all this knowledge in my head. Don't quite know everythin' I can do yet."
Lief nods knowingly. "Epiphany. It's a mysterious event in and of itself, but I'm glad your the recipient of it, and not a man like Zincher." He smirks, and taps his temple.
While the others look to the cliff's edge, Lief keeps an eye on their flank.
Lief doesn't see anything sneaking up on the party.
Kaylayne climbs back up to the party and explains she found a trail, with heavy traffic, leading to a wall on one end, and the other stretches maybe up to a half mile away to the east before reaching the summit.
The ledge is ~80' down from the lip of the cliff where you're standing now. Presuming you have 50' ropes, you'll need to find another ledge to cling too in order to climb all the way down. Or walk about an hour or so to return here.
I think there may also be other options open to the party, but those are the most obvious.
You're at area 'G' on the map (link).
Garridan considers the situation, "It might be best if we take the long way and walk around to the the trail. Too much can go wrong if we try to climb."
Kaylayne nods.
"Ayep. And it will give me and Ederin some time to examine the trail more...it might be humanoid or animal tracks," Kaylayne adds. "I'll need more time to sure. And maybe Ederin will see something I didn't."
"Right, last thing we want is to be surprised while climbing down, walkin' it is."
Taking point the short man keeps his eyes out for any tracks as they travel, relying on Kaylayne to point out any if they were similar to what she found on the ledge. Anything suspicious
The party moves east along the cliffs until they figure the trail must line up, but it’s devilishly hard to find. It takes another half hour of searching before you finally find it. It’s clear that on this end, the path has been very carefully hidden. But you do find it and walk along it.
Ederin doesn’t pick up anything new, nor does Kaylayne. From her earlier examinations though they’re definitely humanoid tracks, which Ederin can confirm. As you reach the end of the trail, it’s clear to anyone who looks that the tracks lead right up to the wall.
Dimitrio looks at the wall, "Magic? Illusion?"
He surveys at the area carefully and carefully prods the wall with his rapier to see if it is indeed real.
The wall is real, and resistant to Dimitrio's prodding and investigation.
Knowing that something *must* be here, Kaylayne takes her time to examine the wall.
After a few minutes of searching, Kaylayne does indeed find a secret door right where she expected one to be. She detects no lingering magic in the area however (other than the party of course).
Lief steps up, his interest renewed in, of all things, a secret door. "Caves are natural enough obscure haunts, you'd think it's unnecessary to build a secret door. But here we are." He pauses a moment to allow Kaylayne to move out of the way, then he takes a closer look at the door. "Dimitrio, lend me your eyes, and possibly your fingers. Don't want to miss any redundancies built into an already redundant wall."
The door does not appear to be trapped, so no disabling seems to be required.
Lief steps up, his interest renewed in, of all things, a secret door. "Caves are natural enough obscure haunts, you'd think it's unnecessary to build a secret door. But here we are." He pauses a moment to allow Kaylayne to move out of the way, then he takes a closer look at the door. "Dimitrio, lend me your eyes, and possibly your fingers. Don't want to miss any redundancies built into an already redundant wall."
His curiosity peaked, the bard plays second fiddle to Lief's skills. He seems reluctant to admit it, but the kid was smart and actually better than he is.
At last we found something. Perhaps now we can return to our business, Garridan thinks. He asks "Are we going in?"
Lief steps back, satisfied with his study of the door. "Not sure. You catch a mouse by luring it outside its hole. Don't suppose we care to wait and see what's been making all these tracks?"
"Are we going in?"
Kaylayne seems to think that the party is going in and pulls out her wand of magic stone, and uses it on a trio of stones.
"We know they are humaniod, but we don't know when they were made...could be Zincher's from his night time visit, could be older. No point in waiting that I can see."
Now girded with stones, Kaylayne is ready to enter.
With trepidation, as he recalls his helplessness during his last encounter with one of these drow, Garridan casts light on his blade as he enters the cave.