** spoiler omitted **
Profession: carpenter to know about local woods;
Knowledge Nature (untrained, but with a +1 trait bonus): 1d20+4=9, 1d20+1=5
Nevermind.
** spoiler omitted **
Basil frowns ........
"Right," Laurel says, "By your confused looks, I'd say you have as much clue as I do as to the whereabouts of these things. Tell you what, go talk to Milon Rhoddam over at the Lumber Camp. You boys remember him? He's been in and about this vale all his life. If anyone knows where these things are. Mind you folks new to town, it's about a four hour march from the town to the camp, so if you leave now you should get there before sundown. Just follow the road northeast out of town. Best plan accordingly if you're going there first. Gozreh knows how long you'll be on the move after that, and Foreman Trookshavits won't give you any supplies."
"Very well then," Jorsic says firmly, "we should gather what supplies we need and set out immediately." He turns to his native companions with a questioning look, "were is the best place to purchase such things?"
"Oh," he catches himself, turning back to Laurel, "are there any particulars about the way these ingredients should be stored? I wouldn't want them to be spoiled before you were able to use them."
"Very well then," Jorsic says firmly, "we should gather what supplies we need and set out immediately." He turns to his native companions with a questioning look, "were is the best place to purchase such things?"
"I can show you the stores. Fair warning though, the company adds a tax to just about everything. You'll go broke eating in this damn town." As soon as purchases are made, Josiah is ready to head off.
"Very well then," Jorsic says firmly, "we should gather what supplies we need and set out immediately." He turns to his native companions with a questioning look, "were is the best place to purchase such things?""I can show you the stores. Fair warning though, the company adds a tax to just about everything. You'll go broke eating in this damn town." As soon as purchases are made, Josiah is ready to head off.
"Yes I got the same advice from the Eagle Knights that accompanied me here," Morganna nodded.
"So how much should we be expected to carry and by that I mean how long should we plan on being out there after all getting those herbs back here suggests we shouldn't be planning on staying too long out there ideally," she adds thoughtfully.
Basil's attention snaps back to the group
Oh, no need to stock up on food overmuch. I think that Burrow and I can find food enough, even for this crew. You may not feast, but at least you won't perish. Besides, from the looks of it," glances at Josiah playfully "some of you could stand to lose a pound or two."
"Watch it, Nature boy. Sticks break, you know."
You start out on the road, heading northeast towards the lumber camp. The warm afternoon sun, the wildlife in the grass, and the overall beauty of the vale make a very pleasant walk ... until you arrive at the camp itself.
The Lumber Consortium Camp cuts an ugly scar of stumps into a dense stand of proud darkwood trees. Five sturdy-looking log buildings—seemingly a bunkhouse, meal hall, office, barn, and smithy—stand with numerous wide carts and sleds amid the sawdust-covered clearing.
Several men can be seen lounging outside the meal hall, having just finished their dinner, smoking pipes and looking a combination of surly and exhausted. You hear other voices inside the meal hall, the ringing of hammer on steel from the smithy-stand, and see a couple shapes through the open door of the office building.
Josiah will walk up to the nearest man he sees and say, "We're looking for Milon Rhoddam. Where is he?"
Josiah will walk up to the nearest man he sees and say, "We're looking for Milon Rhoddam. Where is he?"
To the rest of the group:
"He's direct.""I like that."
With that Stam moves to stand behind and to the side of Josiah, showing a little muscle should the surly lumberjacks give an attitude.
Josric simply waits, quietly observing the pair of locals speak with the woodcutters. He does internally wince at the bluntness of the words chosen by Josiah, and Stam’s standoffish stance, but waits for some form of response before interceding – after all, perhaps this is the local custom…
"Um Laurel sent us, so could we speak to him before you have a rumble or whatever it is you do in these situations?" Morganna asks.
Intimidate or Diplomacy, both are untrained with the same bonus, so take this roll as whichever you'd like: 1d20+2=12
Edit: Josiah wouldn't exactly be trying to be intimidating, just straightforward.
"Watch it, Nature boy. Sticks break, you know."
"Watch it, Nature boy. Sticks break, you know."
Playing catch up a little... :)
Basil smirks, "why, Josiah, that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me..."
Basil follows the group to the lumber camp, being polite, but mostly keeping to himself. Once out of the town, the group notices him hold a small wooden tube to his lips and he blows. A few minutes later, there is rustling in the bushes and a rather large badger waddles out of the brush and eagerly greets Basil. Basil fusses over him as one might a loyal dog. Apparently the badger's name is Burrow. As the group walks on, Burrow follows behind on the path about ten paces behind. Once the group reaches the lumber camps, Burrow disappears into the woods again.
Upon seeing evidence of the camp's harvesting, Basil grows anxious and his face grows clouded. When the group stops, Basil leans on his staff and looks a bit pale.
Josric simply waits, quietly observing the pair of locals speak with the woodcutters. He does internally wince at the bluntness of the words chosen by Josiah, and Stam’s standoffish stance, but waits for some form of response before interceding – after all, perhaps this is the local custom…
As Josiah speaks with the lumber camp person, Basil leans over to Josric. He sounds a bit desperate.
"Josric. You are a champion. Can't you do something?"
The combination of Stam's massive presence, and previous knowledge of the Carpenter lad's reputation makes the lumberjacks, normally surly, somewhat more reserved before they laugh at Morganna's suggestion of a fight. "Lass," one says, "You think we're gonna work all day just to pound on some some young'un who shoulda stayed in his hut? That's for days off!"
Most of the camp workers all laugh, but another one with a more serious look (apparently still threatened by Stam's appearance), blurts out, "Talk wi' the boss, there, Carpenter, but don't give 'im none of your lip, or we'll catch it. I saw him talkin' to Milon before I went in for dinner."
...
The lumberjack leads you to the camp's office building and knocks. A drink-slurred voice calls out a loud "WHAT!?"
The lumberjack opens the door, sticks his head in and says, "Foreman? These folks need to see Milon. Last I saw him he was here-"
"Who is it?!" the yell comes back. "Aw, hells, send 'em in. Maybe that brat of his has the taint. GET IN HERE!" he roars. The office is filthy, and it is clear that no amount of cleaning would make it any better at this point. The furs and heads of various forest animals, many of them quite fierce, cover the walls and floor. The foreman has an open bottle next to his half-eaten plate of dinner, and he takes a big swig before bellowing out, "Now, who in the hells do you think you are that you can just walk into my camp?"
Ignoring the foreman's swaggering, Josiah replies, calmly, "We need to see Milon. He has some information we need. Where is he?"
Josric looks back at Basil, a sympathetic expression on his face.
"I understand your discomfort over these places, the damage caused to nature is indeed unfortunate." He lets out a long breath surveying the camp, "but Andoran needs lumber in order to survive, we can only hope that the needs of both nature and civilization can be balanced in some way."
Ignoring the foreman's swaggering, Josiah replies, calmly, "We need to see Milon. He has some information we need. Where is he?"
"Well, let's take a good guess at where he is, shall we, Carpenter? Let's see... he's a woodsman, and he works for me, so either he's in the woods, or he's here in camp, right? You better figure out a better way of askin' yer questions before you let that jaw go flappin'."
He takes another pull from his bottle and looks around the group once more before his eyes fix on Basil. At the sight of the young man, his eyes narrow, and the bottle slowly found the dining surface. "And why are you here, you little forest lover? Come to try and shut down my operation again? You'll remember the last time we sent you packing, of course. Brought Judson and some Ulfen oaf along to hold you up on the way back to yer hut in the trees? You know, I think that region is about where our next contract is going to be drawn from. You've got some damn fine bark over there. The whole lot'd make a pretty pile of sawdust at the end of the day." Gearing up for a bit more verbal abuse toward the party as a whole, he picks up the bottle and takes a long pull.
Josiah nods at the blustery foreman and heads out the door to seek out Milon.
Stam turns and follows Josiah. On his way out, loud enough to be heard, Stam says,
"I've never much liked that man. Too concerned with ale and profits."
"Well at least I now know why you stayed back here," Morganna mutters to Basil as she walks away from the camp to where he's standing.
He takes another pull from his bottle and looks around the group once more before his eyes fix on Basil. At the sight of the young man, his eyes narrow, and the bottle slowly found the dining surface. "And why are you here, you little forest lover? Come to try and shut down my operation again? You'll remember the last time we sent you packing, of course. Brought Judson and some Ulfen oaf along to hold you up on the way back to yer hut in the trees? You know, I think that region is about where our next contract is going to be drawn from. You've got some damn fine bark over there. The whole lot'd make a pretty pile of sawdust at the end of the day." Gearing up for a bit more verbal abuse toward the party as a whole, he picks up the bottle and takes a long pull.
Basil grows angry and doesn't notice the rest of the group start to leave.
"Your bluster is fueled by your cheap booze, you barren seed. You take more than you need and never restore! If you or your men were able to walk or cut in straight line, then I would be concerned for the forest."
Josric’s face hardens at being referred to as an oaf, and the inclination to attempt to calm the druid fades quickly under the barrage of the foreman’s insults. As a result, it takes several breaths longer than it would have otherwise for him to decide that it is for the best to prevent this situation from escalating any further.
“Gentlemen,” he speaks levelly, stepping forward, “I can see that the two of you do not have the friendliest of histories, but throwing insults at one another will not solve anything.” The paladin looks at each of them in turn with a steady gaze, “Perhaps if you discuss your issues rationally, you could find some solution that will satisfy you both.”
"Who d'ya think paid yer wages on all them merchant drives, Judson? Pah! That clinking mess yer wearin' right now prob'ly came from what this camp does, so don't go judgin' me on profits. And if yer wantin' t' talk about ale, we can always talk 'bout yer uncle, can't we?"
He turns to Josric and Basil, "Here's a ration'l solushun for ya - GET OUT OF MY CAMP! By all that's in cinders, the blasted Rhoddam'll be back in a bit. He's jes' lookin' fer sumthin' out in the trees for meh. Can't cut a straight line mah arse...WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!"
As you walk out the door, the foreman gets up and slams it shut behind you. You hear through a crack in the doorway something about "...barren seed my arse...", but otherwise it appears that the foreman has shut himself in to finish eating and drinking.
You wait outside for a few minutes, and you are soon rewarded by seeing a figure emerge from the shadows of the trees, walking quietly and carrying a longbow and quiver of arrows. Noticing your inquiring stares, he approaches and asks very simply, "May I help you?"
"Milon? We need your help. We're looking for some herbs that only grow in the oldest part of the forest. Can you tell us where that is?"
"Milon? We need your help. We're looking for some herbs that only grow in the oldest part of the forest. Can you tell us where that is?"
Milon looks at each of you as he answers, "Oldest part, eh? Hoo, damned if I've been there in the last few years, but I can point you in the right way, if that's your need. What's your purpose there? I remember some foul things up that way."
Josiah shakes his head, "Some old herbs, maybe some old witch. I don't care, but it'll save a lot of people from blackscour taint. What's there to watch out for?"
“Gentlemen,” he speaks levelly, stepping forward, “I can see that the two of you do not have the friendliest of histories, but throwing insults at one another will not solve anything.” The paladin looks at each of them in turn with a steady gaze, “Perhaps if you discuss your issues rationally, you could find some solution that will satisfy you both.”
aside to Josric Thank you for your help. My reason is clouded whenever I am near these people and I doubt that will ever change. One day, I hope to stop their excesses."
For GM
level 1 (DC 15, 2/day) - Cure Light Wounds x2
orisons (DC 14, 3/day) - Resistance, Guidance, Know Direction
Josiah shakes his head, "Some old herbs, maybe some old witch. I don't care, but it'll save a lot of people from blackscour taint. What's there to watch out for?"
"The taint? Well, if Laurel's got somethin' on that, we'll get you movin' quick as can be. My own nephew 's got it, and blast if he don't need a miracle. Now, if you head due north of where we are, it'll bring you to a lake in the middle of the wood. Head around it by goin' east, then where the lake becomes the river, turn due north. You'll see things startin' t' get quite a bit older lookin after a few miles more. You should be able to find somethin there if it's old trees y'need.
"Ulizmila's, huh? Hoo, can't imagine wantin' t'see her or what she'll get out o' you, but the good news is that she isn't far from the old part of the wood. Head west from the old ones, and, well, you'll see. It's a damned odd place, her hut. Kinda pulls you in, but if you want t' get out and she don't mind, it's easy enough to head home.
"That cover everything you need? I hate t' think that I can't get out there and help y' find it, but my work is here."
"You're reaction is understandable," the holy man responds to Basil kindly, "but it is only through reason that any meaningful victories can be attained, anything else would only be a temporary solution."
Josric looks over to Milon, "I do believe there was one other thing that Laurel mentioned, some variety of mushroom that might grow in the old dwarven settlements..." he furrows his brow, trying to recall the name of the mushroom, "Ironroot, was it?"
"You're reaction is understandable," the holy man responds to Basil kindly, "but it is only through reason that any meaningful victories can be attained, anything else would only be a temporary solution."
Josric looks over to Milon, "I do believe there was one other thing that Laurel mentioned, some variety of mushroom that might grow in the old dwarven settlements..." he furrows his brow, trying to recall the name of the mushroom, "Ironroot, was it?"
"Oh, I know that place. Right terrifyin', it is, but if Laurel thinks it'll be there, there it is. Come out of the wood to the north from Ulizmila's, then follow the edge of the wood west toward the Crag. Place called Droskar's Crucible, only construction in that area, you can't miss it. It'll look like an old monastery of sorts. Never been in, only around, but I'll tell you I do remember the howls of wolves in those parts, so be on the lookout. Anythin' else?"
Anythin' else?"
"Just wolves? Seems like must be darker things in the woods, what with the re-PU-ta-tion it's got."
Anythin' else?""Just wolves? Seems like must be darker things in the woods, what with the re-PU-ta-tion it's got."
"To be sure, there are, and I've not seen half o' what is out there. But the wolves are what I recall from my last foray near th' monastery. I'm not sayin' you won't find anythin' else ou' there, so my best advice is this: walk light, and y' might not call too much attention t' yerselves."
"Well, wolves I can handle. Worse things, well, I guess it's good that we've got a band of quality youth here to handle them. Which way to the plants and the old witch?"
Basil looks to the sky, trying to gauge the time and the amount of light left in the day.
"Thank you for your advice Milon," Josric says graciously, "Are there any natural hazards that we should be wary of in the forests?"
"That monastery may hold more things than just wolves, Basil do you know anything about the past of this area and by that I mean both this forest and that monastery?" Morganna asks curiously.
"That monastery may hold more things than just wolves, Basil do you know anything about the past of this area and by that I mean both this forest and that monastery?" Morganna asks curiously.
a little sheepishly
"Morganna, I have to admit, that I am not all that familiar with what he is talking about. Aside from keeping an eye on these nasty lumberjacks, I've pretty much kept to myself over the years. I've heard Laurel talking about the old witch from time to time, but I figured that she was merely exaggerating."
shrugs
"Guess I've lived a sheltered life afterall."
"Well, wolves I can handle. Worse things, well, I guess it's good that we've got a band of quality youth here to handle them. Which way to the plants and the old witch?"
"Like I said, just head north to the lake, go around it until you find the river openin', turn due north, then you'll be at the old part. Head due west from there, and you'll find Ulizmia's."
Basil looks to the sky, trying to gauge the time and the amount of light left in the day.
The sun is almost set, and it is getting close to twilight. Leaving now would gain you perhaps a mile before full darkness set in. This would coincide with the more dangerous inhabitants of the woods waking up, if stories are to be believed.
Milon, seeing your glance at the sun, says, "Look, y' can't stay in the bunkhouse, but no one says y' can't stay by the firepit on the far side of the bunkhouse from the office. That foreman's a right arse abou' his business, but he is in charge. You all just make sure to haul off at first light, or he'll come after you and me."
"That monastery may hold more things than just wolves, Basil do you know anything about the past of this area and by that I mean both this forest and that monastery?" Morganna asks curiously.
"Thank you for your advice Milon," Josric says graciously, "Are there any natural hazards that we should be wary of in the forests?"
"Well, y' can almost always count on somethin' comin' after you in there, but most of the worst sleeps during the day. If you just have to be in there at night, set a watch with good ears, don't make a sound, and don't build a fire unless you have to. You might not be able t' see anythin' comin, but you'll prob'ly be able t' hear it. Make sure y' watch yer step, as it get's pretty rough in there. Can't move but half as fast as y' usually want to."
Listening to Morganna's question, the holy man cast his mind back to the teachings he received from his mentors, trying to recall any mention of someone named Droskar, or his followers.
Listening to Morganna's question, the holy man cast his mind back to the teachings he received from his mentors, trying to recall any mention of someone named Droskar, or his followers.