GM Rednal's Ruins of Azlant (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Gameplay thread!

.

After six long weeks, this morning the crew of the Peregrine sighted land to the west. A few hours later, the Peregrine sails into a natural bay with a sandy beach within rowing distance for the ship’s boats. As the crew begins to untie one of the smaller boats to lower it into the water, the sailors pass a spyglass among themselves and finally hand it back to the captain. Captain Jacob Markosi peers at the island for a moment before grunting and handing the spyglass to expedition leader Ramona Avandth. "You should see this," he says quietly.

Ramona accepts the spyglass and peers toward the shore. When she lowers the scope, she is clearly distressed but trying to hide her worry. She approaches and motions toward the far side of the deck, away from where most of the other colonists have congregated. "Can I have a word with you?" she asks.

Finally! Azlant! A whole new world to explore!

Rowan tears himself away from his view of the shore, still grinning at the sight, faltering when he sees the concern on her face.

O-Ok. What is this about?

"We have a problem," Ramona said bluntly, once she and you had some relative privacy. She offered the spyglass to you and explained, "Something is wrong. Nobody’s in sight. There’s no smoke from cook fires or the smithy. Some of the buildings look burned out."

Rowan takes the spyglass raising it, searching for signs to confirm, ruminating on the possibilities.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

"That isn't good. Is it possible they moved? It has been a few years. Maybe this site wasn't as suitable as they first thought? Otherwise, the other possibilities only get worse. I can fly ashore, scout ahead as a bird." Rowan says darkly, still searching the shore.

Looking through the spyglass, you were able to confirm Ramona's comments - you didn't see things that should have been there... like the roughly year-old colony.

"Mm. Problem is, sailors can’t keep their mouths shut. Soon all the other colonists are going to hear about this — if they can’t see for themselves already — and things could become... tense. You came well-recommended, so if you're willing, I'd like to ask you to go ashore and see if you can find out what happened while we sail to the fallback point."

Rowan nods. "I will return when I find something."

Twisting his shape, his clothes and gear are melded into the form of a shark as he dives off the ship, swimming toward shore. Changing back, he starts searching for signs of what happened.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Apparently I can't fly until fifth. So swimming to shore it is.

In fairness, fifth is a pretty common level for flight to come online. XD

And, uh, are you sure you want to swim out before getting directions to said fallback point? 'Cuz the ship you're on isn't going to stay put.

Rowan nods. "I will return when I find something." Eager to leave for shore, he starts changing, but reverts when he realizes he has no idea where to meet them next. *ahem* Uh, where is the fallback site, exactly?"

"The fallback is a fair ways north from the colony." Despite everything, Ramona sounded slightly amused as she gestured in the appropriate direction. "There's a small cape - just follow the coast and look for us to be moored out in the water."

Rowan nods. "I will meet your there in a few hours" Finally knowing where he is going next, Rowan dives into the water, transforming into a shark as he does so, swimming to shore.

Once on shore, he breaks form and starts searching for signs of what happened.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

The bay’s waters are calm, with only a gentle rocking of the ship’s boat. The shore is approximately three hundred feet to the east, where a lonely dock is built off a sandy beach. As you about a hundred feet from the ship, though, two murky shapes rose up in the water before you, some fifty feet ahead... and they didn't look particularly friendly.

Do they see me? If not, I am going to try to stealth around them.
If they do, he'll stand his ground.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Rowan swims slowly through the murky water, keeping low and away from the shapes, hoping to keep unseen and unfelt long enough to make it to shore.

They definitely see you - and before you noticed them, for that matter, given your low perception roll.

Ready to defend himself, Rowan studies the two shapes in coming at him, trying to identify what they are before engaging or running.

Using Studied Target and a Knowledge check on the nearest one to figure out what is coming toward him, using standard to maintain concentration

K Nature, or the relavant check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

The two creatures look like Grindylows - aquatic creatures similar to a cross between goblins and octopi. As you focused, they darted in towards you, spreading wide and closing from either side to pin you between them. Alas, having to move so far meant they didn't have the opportunity for an attack... not yet, at least.

Rowan changes form, his natural form added with gills and fins, sprouting deadly claws and large teeth, trying to make himself as intimidating as possible.

Intimidation: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Did you want to Concentrate for that? You're in melee range of the Grindylows, and casting does provoke unless you do it defensively or have an ability to help with that...

Concentrating on alteration takes a move action for a Shifter. But I will spend a point to make it last without.

Concentration (defensive): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Lashing out at the Grindylows, Rowan tries to bite the nearest one.

Bite w/ PA: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 81d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Whiff

Yeah, Lingering Transformation doesn't kick in for a little while. Which is probably fair, since it reduces your ability to make tons of attacks at a low level without paying SOME sort of cost.

Also, please add your Quick Reference Bar stuff. The right order is here in my alias - that makes things go much faster. ^^

Your focus on defense wasn't quite enough to protect you - and your shapeshift faltered, then reverted. (Alas, spells're still lost if defensive casting fails. Combat Casting is actually a rather handy feat in solo games.)

Hissing angrily at you, the two Grindylows didn't hesitate to poke their spears out at you.

Melee: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 2 = 17
Melee: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 = 8

Rather unfortunately for them, neither strike hit - though one did come close.

Holding his breath as the spell slips, Rowan scratches and bites, trying to avoid the spears.

Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 141d4 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

In a bloody whirlwind, you managed to first bite one of the Grindylows in half, then reach out with a... sharky... claw? Well, whatever the body part was actually supposed to be, it was enough to rake through the body of the aquatic creature and finish that one off as well. That left the immediate area of ocean clear of threats. You could go back and warn the ship about pests in the water, of course - or just keep swimming to the beach.

I had reverted shape by that point. The bite and claw are my own as a Skinwalker.

I wish I hadn't have had to do that... Rowan thinks, grimacing at the slowly floating corpses.

Reseting the spell upon himself, he is once again adapted to the water. Rowan swims toward shore.

A well-worn path in the grass rises up a slope toward a cluster of buildings to the east. The buildings are arranged in a rough triangle, with each point ending in a wooden circular enclosure with rectangular notches cut intermittently, like battlements. These round enclosures are clearly meant to be three points of a wooden palisade fence, which would enclose this first group of buildings once completed. The palisade fence, however, is complete only along the southeastern side of the triangle and is obviously unfinished elsewhere. The grass around the settlement looks like it was cropped at one point, and many paths exist between locations in the settlement, but in less well-trafficked spots, the grass has started to regrow. All the buildings are constructed of either rough timber or mud bricks set in a wooden frame, and have pitched thatch roofs. Many have open window frames, but only a few have actual shutters or even a canvas curtain for privacy. Doors are basic, wooden affairs, too simple for locks, and some buildings lack them entirely. The construction is new, quite rough and unfinished.

A solitary dock extends from the beach into the bay, and this is where you land. The construction is solid and looks recent, suitable for tying off a small boat, although no watercraft are visible. The beach inclines to the east before giving way to grass and trees. Further on in that direction, buildings and a palisade wall stand on the rise.

We've got a map up! You can describe where you want to go, or just tell me an area number. XD

Strange...They were working on construcution up until recently. What happened

Rowan starts walking up the path toward the cluster of buildings, warily looking around him and sniffing the air.

Perception w/ Scent: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Switching Skinwalker traits to gain Scent (30ft). Heading toward A5

Heading forward, you see this L-shaped building is constructed of mud bricks on a wooden frame. The western portion is of the structure is enclosed by four walls. This section has a single open window on the south side, with a canvas curtain hung across the opening. The single entrance is a wooden door, standing slightly ajar, on the southern end of the eastern face of the building. A ten-foot extension connects to the building on the east side. This extension has only a northern wall and is otherwise just a roof sheltering the space below, which is open to the outside. Underneath this cover is a forge with an exhaust flue directly above it, a worktable covered in metal scraps, a small tub of black water, and a partially sheltered anvil.

Rowan takes the time to search the building for potential clues.

Take 20 on perception (28)

Looking around, you notice the actual anvil and forge are outside the smithy under the shade of a roof extension. The outdoor worktable is covered with a few blacksmithing tools and pieces of metalwork, such as weapons, tools, or farming implements abandoned halfway through being forged or repaired. The water in the tub is filthy with soot, ash, and charcoal residue.

Inside the smithy building, the space is divided between personal living quarters and an indoor tool storage and work area. A pungent animal smell lingers in the air and a tussled pile of blankets on the wooden cot is soiled. The room is in a state of disarray, with tools such as tin snips, pliers, and files carelessly strewn all over. A few weapons and pieces of armor are strewn among the debris.

Nature? to identify smell (as I also have scent): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

How recent is the, err, soiling?

Whatever happened happened suddenly, with all this half finished work. And if they simply moved, they would have taken the tools and weapons.

If nothing else is yielded here, Rowan moves north.

The smell is hard to pin down as a specific sort of creature - it's not one you've come across before, but you're quite sure it's not human (or any of the other common races that settled here). (Also, the book literally doesn't say. XD)

The bed area seems like it was soiled a week or so ago.

To the north (A4), this mud wall building has a door facing east and one shuttered window. Above the door is a plain wooden sign that reads, “Tool House.”

Rowan enters the Tool house, keeping his eyes and ears open, searching the house if there is nothing around.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

The contents of this building are useful but unremarkable. Hanging on the wall from hooks and nails are an assortment of tools, such as hammers, handsaws, hatchets, machetes, trowels, and the like. Various other implements, such as makeshift ladders, barrels of tar, and shovels are stacked or otherwise arrayed about the room. Absent are tools and implements that would pertain to or be exclusively used for blacksmithing. It takes you roughly five seconds to determine that the colonists could not have successfully relocated without these tools - indeed, the second wave was planned with the assumption that these tools would be here.

You also note a locked wooden box with the words “Emergency Only” carved on the lid sitting on a shelf.

That confirms my suspicion. They certainly would not have left this. Now where did I put my lockpicks....

Open Lock, roll now, take 20 if fails.: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17

Rowan sets about the lock, pulling out a nice set of lockpicks, starting to fiddle carefully with the lock.

Inside the box are what look like two vials of alchemist's fire. There's also a strange suit of clothing - it doesn't seem to be magic, but it was composes of several layers of thick, heavy cloth, and the head area seemed to have some kind of dense mesh netting. Most insects weren't likely to get through it, but wearing it would definitely slow you down.

Insect protection - smart. I would have used a balm though.

Stowing the cloth in his pack, he continues on to the next shack.

Directly north of the tool shed, a rectangular building is constructed of mud brick walls. The building has a simple door facing east, but unlike all other buildings in the colony, it lacks any windows. A heady smell of dried plants, herbs, and dried meat lingers in the air. Opening the door is easy - there's no way to lock it.

Cracking the door open to look, you see that the ground has been dug out to a depth of 3 feet so that the floor is lower than the ground outside. A short flight of steps set with flat stones leads into this darkened area, lit only by any ambient light coming through the door. The building lacks interior walls except for a few short partitions, and four stout posts support the roof. The temperature is cool and the smell of rotted vegetables and meat is strong. Strings of garlic hang suspended from ceiling crossbeams alongside chunks of salted meat and bone. Debris and refuse is strewn across the floor between stacks of crates, boxes, and barrels against the walls.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
K Nature on dried herbs: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Rowan wrinkles his nose and holds back his lunch as he raises a cloth to ward against the stench. He searches the rooms, looking for useful herbs among the rotted meat.

From the state of the meat and vegetables, am I able to guess the length of time they have been gone

Looking around, you notice that some of the containers are still sealed. Before you could get too far in, though, you noticed insects starting to come out... first one by one, then by the tens, then by the hundreds as they swarmed towards you.

Init (Cockroach Swarm): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Init (You): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

...Unless you have something to change that?