"I don't have a lot of spells remaining, but if you all want to go to the crater I'll be right there with you. I don't care about the starmetal though -- it's not worth Blossom's life, or that of all those cyphermages."
Reva remains silent while Trig and Saphren talk before piping up.
"The crater is closest. Let's scout it out and then make a decision there."
"Wait, I have an idea. Does anyone have anything we could carry water in? You saw what happened to those creatures when they fell in the sea -- water seems to be harmful to them!"
Saphren offers up a water skin, knowing its likely not large enough to accomplish what Trig has in mind.
Magnus stares down at his sodden boots and beard. "Perhaps I could wring myself out at them." he says, dryly, before doffing his dome-shaped helmet and grabbing the canteen on his pack. "Vould either of these serve?"
Before you set out, I'd like to make sure we are in the same page on HP and resources.
Magnus - HP 36/65.
Reva - HP 16/27. 1 lvl 1 spell and 1 lvl 2 spell left. All judgements used. All Bane's left.
Saphren - 28/37 HP.
Trig - HP 16/28. 2 lvl 1 spells and 4 level 2 spells left. 4 tremors left.
Can we confirm these numbers are correct?
Reva goes around the group, tapping them with her wand.
Reva:
Trig:
Magnus:
Saphren:
By my reckoning Magnus' hp total is 62. Which would leave him at 31hp, or 59 after Reva's healing spells. It also seems Magnus' profile doesn't reflect his level up. So that's fixed.
By my reckoning Magnus' hp total is 62. Which would leave him at 31hp, or 59 after Reva's healing spells. It also seems Magnus' profile doesn't reflect his level up. So that's fixed.
After a slog across the land ruined by the starfall, the group finally ends up near the crater. Thousands of trees have been knocked over by the impact and the churned earth is very difficult and treacherous to traverse.
Soon, you stand on the edge of a nearly mile-wide crater. Thinking that a large chunk of whatever fell from the sky would be sitting here, you are disappointed to see that the crater is mostly empty. No foreign object or mass of skymetal is readily visible.
Reva frowns, looking over the crater carefully.
"Those campfires may be our answer, but let's see if we can find any indication of who has been here..."
Before going down into the crater, Reva walks along the edge and peers where she can, trying to find any clues.
Looking around the ruins of the crater, Reva is able to see there are many footprints in the soft upturned earth and mud. The jumble of footprints is a bit bewildering, and she can't seem to find that they lead anywhere in particular, but its evident you aren't the first to find the impact zone.
Lets at least cut through the crater on the way to these fires. Maybe we will find some metal or some clue.
Saphren sets out to do just that searching as he moves.
Looking through the upturned trees and earth for a bit, the party fails to find anything other than the debris and detritus associated with the falling, and now missing, meteor.
Travel is very slow and tiresome with the fallen trees and muddy ground creating obstacle after obstacle. As you pass out of the direct impact zone, the sun starts to draw the day to a close.
"Let's investigate the fires and make a decision," says Reva as she peers eastwards.
"But if we can avoid any large fights until tomorrow, I think that would help us all."
Lead on then. I shall follow. Saphren says, agreeing with Reva.
As the sun starts to set in the west, the party leaves the immediate vicinity of the craters and moves east towards the bonfires visible from the beach.
About half-dozen small four-man tents are arranged on the north side of the camp, opposite 3 larger olive green ones. At the west side, an enormous red pavilion about 15 ft tall stands out like a sore thumb in the pastoral setting of the island.
There also many crude wooden cages scattered about a large tree to the far west of the encampment. A half-dozen or so men work on scattered projects around the camp.
Reva peers out at the bonfires, her half-elven eyes seeing clearly through the darkness. She hisses as she inhales sharply.
"This is a well-organized expedition. I'm not sure we see friends there. Akron Erix is amongst their number, a mercenary pirate and thief of evil repute. I see several cages as well."
"Oh yes, that hoom right there... bad sort, he is. By the First Vault, I had hoped we would find someone at least reasonably friendly, to share a fire with."
Magnus' eyes bore into Saphren's back. He looks as if something is on his mind, but cannot bring himself to say it. As they approach the camp he places a hand on Trig's shoulder "Chazak v'ematz, leetle Trig. I won't let any harm come to you. Reva, vhat is it you wish to do?"
Trig puts her hand on Magnus's, taking comfort in her friend's gesture.
Some colour spreads to Magnus' cheeks, but he doesn't shy away.
Saphren peers into the camp from his place of concealment.
I've heard of that one but do not recognize him. If he is there then I fear we will find no friend in that camp.
Oblivious to the moment of empathy between Trig and Magnus, Reva continues to peer intently at the camp.
"Saphren, do you want to give the camp a quick look-over? I'd like to know who runs this place."
Quietly Saphren nods and prepares to moves out to scout the camp. He motions for the rest of the group to fall back well out of sight of the camp and wait for him there. He will stay in heavy cover relying on his darkvision for advantage and try to find the camp's scouts without being spotted himself and in general observe the camp for intel.
Magnus scowls. "Vait... Be careful, Saphren. You spared me a watery grave. That is blut khoyv, blood-debt. If you get killed before I can return the favour I vill not be pleased."
Saphren looks back at the too dire dwarf with a wry smile on his face. Always careful he mouths quietly as he disappears in to the leaf cover.
The camp stands in a wide forest clearing just off the western side of the trail that runs across the island. Sections of palisade walls have been constructed around part of the camp, and the stack of felled trees, and partial trenches indicate that work is intended to encircle the camp someday. The massive bonfire burns in the center giving off an enormous plume of white smoke that is visible all across Devil's Elbow.
Saphren is able to creep up to the edge of the forest and watch the proceedings in camp fairly closely. In all he counts 8 men and the large man with the warhammer, apparently Akron Erix.
It appears a patrol of 4 men, led by the large man, Erix, has just returned from scouting. The men look weary and worn, the time on the island evidently wearing on them Two more men stand sentry, walking just outside the perimeter of the camp, weapons ready. Another pair appear to be cooking the evening meal around the large bonfire and the smell of roasting meat is noticeable on the air.
No one seems to go in or out of the large red pavilion, which has a number of crudely constructed cages around it. There is one tent on the south side of the encampment which apparently has the entrance flap stitched shut. Sounds like moans seem to be coming from there.
His reconnaissance complete, Saphren fades back into the leaves and goes to report his findings.
"Good. Good. Nine men. Two each, and one to spare."
I am at loss as to what to do. The rogue admits. We need a safe place to camp, but I doubt we will be made welcome in that camp. Yet it seems wrong to attack and kill those men simply for being part of Zincher's group.
Saphren looks to his companions for guidance. Well? Do we ambush them, walk in and talk to them, or retreat and ignore them?
"I am for a fight. Then ve vill have ourselves in a defensible position with one less enemy to worry about."
"Any idea what was in those cages, or what was in the tent with the closed flap? Maybe we could create a diversion by releasing whatever was in those."
Seeing that the fight is inevitable, Reva closes her eyes and nods once.
"So there's eight men and that ... brute. As well, there are likely to be more in the large red pavilion."
She peers out at the camp.
"I like the idea of creating a diversion. Let's investigate the cages - if there's something dangerous we can release that. Or perhaps it is prisoners, either way a commotion by the cages would do well to distract them. If the cages are a bust, we can also try to lure out the sentries and dispose of them since they're more likely to wander a little farther from camp."
The cages were smaller than man-sized and all appeared empty.
I can take a sentry by surprise. Maybe I can get both... Sahpren's face shows confidence. At least he believes he can do this.
"We're both light on our feet, I can help out. Magnus, Trig, can you organize some sort of distraction? Draw the sentries out a bit, and Saphren and I can take out one each."
Magnus pulls a signal horn from his belt. "Perhaps zis vill do the trick?"
"I can make illusory sounds that sound like anything -- a baby crying, someone sobbing in pain, an animal roaring..."
Reva blinks at Magnus' horn. The stern half-elven woman looks to the rest of the group.
"That'll probably alert the whole camp. Magnus, see if there's a spot nearby where you can enter the fight easily but while out of sight. Trig, head a bit out and see if you can draw the guards with the spell. Saphren and I can conceal ourselves and take out the sentries if your spell draws them out."
Seeing which sentry Reva is heading towards Saphren picks the other and moves in his direction sap in one hand and blade in the other.