"Not a sight you see everyday. Think that's what was on the map?" Treygan makes for the wrecked boat, looking for any signs of where it came from.
"Erastil be still, if I didn't know any better, I'd say my eyes must be deceiving me! It kinda reminds me of the schooner I took from Garund all those months ago..."
Broderus joins Treygan in trotting towards the breached ship, especially looking for signs of a name, flag, or other hint of its origin.
The mere notion of seatravel; the act of traversing WATER on a vessel made of WOOD, seems to make the dwarf cringe, and rub his foot on the semisolid ground for confirmation. "Bah! Boats. Nae sane dwarf would'a dreamt ta offerin' his safety from tha deep ta half a giant walnut with a cloth drivin' it forth." he shakes his head and huffs "Tellin' ye, I prefer tha blessed rock fer me soles ta tread.
He scans the derelict craft with scrutiny, as if his gaze will make it sink in the swamp and confirm his prejudices against sailing.
Oh I dunno I bet there are plenty of sane dwarves who would want to see a giant walnut with a cloth pushing it around....
Joya double times it to keep up with the rest as they approach the ship and examine it.
As the party surveys the crash site, they find a noticeable lack of debris, and the little that remains is well worn and weathered. Joyabraund and Valcrim, of a speed and arguing about sea travel stumble across a rather large piece of debris about the same time, lodged between some low lying branches that seem to have grown around the object. Between the smith's practical knowledge and Joyabraund's creative thinking, they are able to pull the placard from its natural trap. So far from the crash site, this piece of debris is considerably better off than the others, and when the dead refuse of the swamp is swept away from its surface it almost clearly reads Kaijutsu Star.
Those investigating the wreck itself can see that the fire damage is fairly localized, and you suspect from the pungent aroma hanging to the damp wood, recent.
"Hey, that's Ameiko's surname, innit?" Valcrim scratches his head "Looks older than tha lass herself, so seems her kin came by boat. Good on her ta get her wits about her an' open a tavern rather than keep riskin' her hide ridin' planks on Gozreh and Besmara's whims."
Seiji reads the name of the vessel to himself over and over again. Kaijutsu. It is not a name common to Avistan. Have I heard it before?
Knowledge (Geography) -
"Ah." Seiji turns to Valcrim. "This woman, you know her."
Broderus touches the singed wood and comments, "This fire damage is recent. Perhaps it's connected to the Licktoad goblins and their fire sticks. Anyone else up for a look around inside?"
He begins to draw his weapons but also places his ear up against the side of the boat, listening carefully for any hints of activity within.
You recognize that the name Kaijutsu is not, in fact, a name that is common in Avistan. It originates in the Tian lands, specifically Tian-min.
Your study of the interior of the ship reveals a few more pieces of obscure lore, a tarnished and battered sextant, and larger pieces of debris that might have at one time been furniture that from the quality of the splinters has been recently broken and seemingly hoarded in one place, perhaps for burning?
Upon further investigation, you make out several tracks of goblins. You estimate that they are at least a week old.
Broderus rubs his chin thoughtfully and points to some footprints in the hold, "Look there, goblin tracks; probably at least a week old..."
"So the Licktoads were here. Now the question becomes why were they here? Obviously this ship has been here for quite a while, so why did the goblins suddenly pick this particular time to ramsack it? Maybe the other locations on our map will help us put piece everything together."
He furls his brow and continues, "I don't know friends, but I'm getting the feeling there's more to the goblin threat than we saw at the village."
Is this where they found the fireworks? When did those attacks begin? Goblin's aren't very bright, maybe they never noticed the ship before last week?
Seiji frowns as he confirms Broderus's observation. "There are possibly more of them in the swamp, if they've ranged this far." he says. "And if so, it falls to us to root them out."
Treygan takes the others words on the matter of the tracks, knowing his own skills at such. "Perhaps one of the other locations on the map was another village. We should move quickly. If they discover our work, they may try to exact revenge."
Also, if you want to give me a location where you would like to go next, I could make a better post to move you along when Treygan returns.
"We will not have light for much longer." Seiji looks up at the afternoon sky. "Valcrim. You are the strategist. Is this ship's hull defensible? We may need to camp here."
Broderus walks over and runs his hand over the ship's ruined timbers. "For my part, I believe this spot should be defensible. Definitely much more so than the open swamp; We can place one guard at the hull's breach point and have a pretty restful night, I think."
His confidence growing from earlier, he looks to his companions for confirmation of his observations.
Joyabrqund nos emptily at the ranger, trusting his assessment over his own.
Valcrim grimaces and looks around, taking in the surroundings "Aye..." he sighs and looks at the rest with a defeated smirk "But we better nae wake up sailin' on a ghost-ship full o spite fer tha sea tha' claimed her." he half-jests, and looks to Broderus "Ranger, ye and Joya be light on yer feet, I'll trust ye ta get firewood. I'll try ta nod off fer a spell, so I'll be fresh ta take tha darkest hours o' tha night."
Evening
Night 01
Night 02
As the evening wanes and the tide rises, the husk of a ship that you take up temporary residence in shifts and groans, perhaps giving rise to Father Valcrim's fears of a ghost ship. In truth, the grumpy dwarf and lifelong craftsman is in possession of enough sense to know that old and partially rotted wood is subject to expanding and shrinking with the temperature, and though he knows little about sea faring vessels one can stand to reason that a ship with a gigantic hole in its hull is no longer completely sound.
It is not difficult to gather wood to make a fire for the evening. Much of the brush in this area can be used for the purpose of kindling, and after a time and with the expert aide of Broderus, you can build a fire hot enough to burn some of the larger pieces of debris from the ship.
The night is as clear as one might expect of a swamp. In the early hours the humidity in the air turns with the chill and becomes a damp fog that lends an eerie appearance to those who are on watch during this time. If you could see the torn sails and battered riggings from your vantage point you might very well be spooked by the half shattered walnut shell with cloth, and there is something decidedly menacing about the clank of pulleys upon some piece of the wreck you cannot place, almost like the pulse of the ship marking time until it crumbles into the sea, or... perhaps a call to discover its mysteries?
Whichever of the possibilities you ascribe to, whatever they are, it appears that Desna, mistress of the celestial spheres and of adventurers and travel smiles upon you. Your evening is free of dangerous encounters, though as the sun climbs in the morning, you are greeted by the many toed cat and two of her kittens who casually slink about your camp, investigating your things.
Seiji greets the day with a yawn, then promptly looks over his equipment, pausing to eye the cats that have found their way into the camp. "This day's trek will take us farther from shelter. Let us be underway quickly, that we might save daylight for the journey back."
Treygan wakens, refastens his armor and prepares for the new day with a smile. "I agree, moving quickly would be prudent." Following Seiji's gaze to the cats, Treygan can't help but laugh. "If that's the worst this swamp throws at us today, well that'd be a fine day wouldn't it."
Im ready for another day on the road. The brain is rested and ready to soak in our grand adventures for the taprooms to follow!
"Och aye! A taproom be soundin' mighty fine 'round now, laddie!"
Valcrim takes a few seconds to ensure that his axe is sharp and his shield straps not suffering overly much from the humidity before setting off with a smile as he thinks of all the booze waiting for him back in town.
Seiji keeps a bolt ready in his crossbow, but keeps his eyes on the ground, methodically searching for hazards of the swamp, and tracks of any kind.
The early morning fog makes the first leg of your journey extremely uncomfortable physically, as well as any mental anguish you might harbor for your return to the goblin compound. Several hours of walking brings you back round the site again, seeming eerily desolate in this weather, still and silent. It is perhaps a blessing that you cannot see its watch towers, or too far inside its walls unless you stray very close.
A little further ahead, you recognize a bit of a clearing you did not see on your first walks through the area, perhaps because of your zeal to put down Sandpoint's pests, or discover treasure.
You discover that the clearing is actually an entrance to a a lesser used path, essentially the dotted red line on your map, which may be less time consuming way through the swamp, should you not wish to go completely around the bridges and by ways.
Broderus points to the clearing just a few paces ahead."That opening there leads to a path heading southwards. It might make our journey a bit easier to go that way rather than having to cross all the bridges in the swamp."
He strides forward to get a closer look and kneels down, looking for tracks and other evidence of traffic through the path.
"You're the tracker. I'd just lead us into a sinkhole or something."
Yeah I agree, you say go that way I go. I would just lead us to...well I might lead us to a bar or food but not where we actually want to go...except for our good Friend Flinthammer here...he may like me to lead him to a bar or food.
Your excellent survival check, as well as your perception check reveal that the path has not been used in half a year, based on the new growth evident. It is also rather narrow, likely only used by a single creature.
And if you are wondering there are no goblin tracks here.
Your group would know that cutting across the swamp in this way, you would have to cross the Soggy River at some point, and your short of stature and heavily armored cleric might object to such a plan.
"Hmmm....; On closer examination, maybe this path is but a red herring in our explorations. It doesn't appear to have been used in at least half a year, and I spot no goblin tracks. It's also very narrow, likely walked by just a single creature. Interesting, none the less."
Broderus really seems into his element here, prowling about the wilderness and exploring tracks in the dirt. A satisfied expression forms on his normally stoic face as he rubs the soil between his fingertips.
"Do we continue then to the next destination on Joyabraund's map?"
Treygan nods at Broderus's estimation of the trail. "Not sure how you can tell all that, but if the goblins didn't go this way, probably not where we should be going either. I'm all for continuing on."
"Yes. Let us travel to the next point." Seiji, disturbed by his seeming inability to make sense of the paths through the swamp, instead watches the trees. All manner of danger lurks in this swamp. We shall not be caught unaware.
"I be trustin' tha wilderness experts. I be as out o' me element as an elf would be workin' me forge." Valcrim nods to Broderus "Lead on, lad."
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Encounter Leg 1
Broderus Perception
Goblins Perception
Broderus Stealth
Having settled for travel by trail, you make decent speed in the dank morning, bringing you to the first bridge you have seen since yesterday. It is little more than a few moss covered logs that cling to the tenets of civilization over the Soggy River. Broderus, acting as your party scout sees that there are creatures standing upon the bridge, holds up his hand and uses the brush for cover to get a better look.
You see three goblins on the bridge. One is currently fishing, another is casually pissing into the river right where his mate has sunk his line and the other seems to be delighting itself running back and forth over the bridge and punching both in the head.
Broderus' head reappears from the brush, and he whispers to his teammates, "Three goblins ahead at that bridge! They have not yet seen us, so we have the element of surprise. Frontal assault or do we pull out the missle weapons?"
His hands grip his weapons tightly as the prospect of combat once again raises its head.
"I'm all for the head on charge. I'm concerned if they manage to escape and seek to cause more harm."
"Aye, nothin' like a glorious charge into tha ranks o' evil." Valcrim agrees, hefting and cocking his crossbow. "Gods o' steel an' battle walk beside us, as we do thy biddin'. he prays and touches his holy symbol.
"They are small targets, and from this distance, they are yet smaller." Seiji says. "Better to close on our own terms than waste a bolt and give warning to our foe."
You boys do that, I will spur you on with my encouraging words!
Initiative Tables
The Heroes
Broderus
Joyabraund Northropple
Yamamoto Seiji
Valcrim Flinthammer
Trejgan Gorski
The Enemy
Goblin Fighter
Goblin 1
Goblin 2
Seiji hustles forward with a half a mind on stealth and half a mind on haste. Dropping to one knee, he lifts his crossbow to his eye and looses a bolt at the nearest goblin.
Attack -
If it hits, it deals points of damage.
Attack:
Crit Confirm:
Damage:
Opening Round
Having clearly gotten the drop against the goblins, Yamamoto Seiji and Valcrim Flinthammer fire their crossbows at the goblin dottering about on the bridge, and he is quickly and soundly defeated. Your thundering steps and his cries alert his companions to your presence, however, and they look none too pleased to see that filthy humanses have spoiled the peace of their idyllic afternoon picnic eating pee fish.
This close to the goblins, you recognize that the fellow fishing is wearing studded leather armor as opposed to the standard leather, and appears quite a bit bulkier than his companions.
Round One
The goblin formerly peeing into the river turns and snarls at you. His priorities sound, he leaves his pants about his ankles as he draws his bow and fires at the nearest lightest armored target, Broderus. The arrow glances off Broderus's armor and skitters uselessly to the ground.
Broderus, your choice of targets!