Into the West (Inactive)

Game Master Simeon

once the conversations are over

After taking their leave of the Holy man, Angus will finish checking the property and gathering any gear the Mexica had. Then feed and water Marion finding a place to put him up for the night.

any barns or out buildings? Assume Angus takes '10' (19) on any needed perception checks

Getting up to leave also, Angus tells John, "Let me take care of a few things then I will come help you."

Once he is done helping check the property and the gear the Mexica had and putting away Marion, he goes and helps John finish building the Pyres.

Guujaaw will also help to prepare the funeral pyres.

"I am not a warrior. It seems to me it is better to live than to die, no matter how honourable that death may be. Dying to save others, to make things better is one thing. But dying for honour? That is not my way"

"In the eyes of these men what they were doing was to make things better or stop them from getting worse. War is ugly, everyone fighting thinks they are in the right."

The party gets the pyres built a ways from the building and the bodies moved onto them. The old man begins chanting in Nahuatl, which the Nahuaña-speaking party members can slightly understand as prayers for the dead and requests to Huitzilopochtli to give the warriors passage to the afterlife of the warriors. After about an hour of prayers, he calls to the sky and a great pillar of flame cascades unto the pyres, quickly lighting them. Once done, the man says to the group, ”I thank you for your assistance. While I did not agree with their ways, they deserve honour in death as all warriors do.”

Guujaaw just looks on, saying nothing and hopefully showing nothing in his expression

Hat in hand, Angus stands watching the priest do the last rights for his countrymen. 'So I wonder if someone will speak last words over me when I'm gone. Or will I end up buzzard bait at the end of a trail somewhere.'

Putting his hat on while he Nods to the priest, "I reckon so."

He turns to the others, "Have we decided where were going to bunk and what watches we will take?"

I believe you already volunteered for middle watch, and I volunteered for last watch. I am taking Axlai's old room.

Was there any loot on the bodies?

The common warriors were cremated with their gear. However, Axlai’s great macuahuitl and armoured coat were left behind.

"Doesn't matter so much where I sleep or what watch. Why don't you all get some sleep and I will just find a bed when i wake up the next person, we have more beds then people. Think we should keep watch here or out on the wall?"

Not sure if I should set watch just outside the building or on the wall. Your guys call.

I did say that I was looting them before the whole cremation scene, but that's cool. No place to sell mundane gear out here anyway I suppose.

On the wall for better sight lines perhaps?

"I'd keep close to where we're sleeping. So, I suggest just outside the building. Otherwise, the watch won't be able to see anybody entering the building from the rear"

Zaranna, that was my thinking. I wasn’t sure what use the party would have for a dozen macuahuitls and slings.

After the ceremony, angus asks, "Can anyone tell what is special about ole' Axlai’s great macuahuitl and armoured coat? They seem nice and all."

He then yawns. "I recon I will bed down near the horses so I can keep an eye on them. John wake me when it's time for the middle watch. Personally I'll move around, makes it easier to stay awake."

After his watch, Angus will wake the next watch and return to his bed roll. When it's morning, he helps get the coffee on the fire. Ready for the first cup of 'joe.'

"You got it. I will get you up mid night. Yeah, I will move around some so I don't get too board."

Not sure how to do perception for the night. Continuous take 10 as passive perception?

The rules are vague on that, but I generally rule as a single perception check sufficing for the night.

Guujaaw will look at the items to see if he can determine what they are

spellcraft coat: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18
spellcraft macuahuitl: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

The armoured coat is +1, the macuahuitl is +1 wounding.

Is this the stats for the macuahuitl? And did we move on to the morning?

It uses the stats for the great terbutje. We can move on to the morning unless people want to make perception checks for keeping watch.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

And another +2 if a Drake comes by. :)

perception for watch: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
and another +2 if a pair of glasses come by :-(

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Woops thought I did this.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

I'll take the latest watch (so I get me recharge rest)

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

The night passes uneventfully. No drakes come by. Morning comes around and a desert hawk flies overhead, its screech a slightly abrupt wakeup.

The letter reads, ”We move west to fight the elves of the Five Branches. Axlai, you will stay behind at Kaxtilkalli. Stay ready, the Americans may strike you.” There are also some other details related to supplies and raids on local tribes. A map is also in the envelope, showing part of the western coast and a few settlements there.

Waking early, Angus sees to the horses, then joins the others for breakfast, "We will continue heading west of course, I think we should attempt to look for the Five Branches. It sounds like we have a mutual interest with them."

He looks at the others, "Or is there something else we should do?"

Would it be ok to retcon whatever healing was available?

The hawk screeches.

"What ma! I'm sleeping...... oh. morning all."

John Thomas looks around and then at Angus. He opens his mouth but really has no idea what to do so simply eats in silence.

"Going west sounds good to me"

Zaranna saddles up her horse and gets ready for the day.

I’ll have a post up tomorrow. A cold followed by a biology exam is not a fun thing.

The group sets off across the plains. The sun beats down onto the parched lands, the dry soil and scrub brushes underneath. Days pass and not much happens. Coyotes prowl around the campfire one night, but are easily scared off. One particularly hot afternoon when Kuruk tries to conjure up some water for the group, he notices that the spell seems less effective, only managing to bring forth enough for a canteen.

Good thing I can cast that all day, be wary though we might be headed into a magical deadzone. We should fill every container with water while we can.

To identify the phenomena, you can make a knowledge arcana or nature check.

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Bzzt. Thanks for playing.

"That is very strange. And disturbing"

knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 25

Guujaw would also try his light spell to see if that also seems less powerful than usual

'That's odd.' Hearing Kuruk's comment about water, he guides Marion over beside the buffalo, handing Kuruk his canteen. "Here, we may need to stop and fill something for the animals for later."

'Disturbing?' Turning toward Guujaw, he frowns, "I hope it doesn't affect gunpowder as well. We'll be down to bows, tomahawks and macuahuitls."

Nothing wrong with bows.

Smiling at Zaranna's comment, "Maybe not in yours and Kuruks hands, I'd be a little nervous if John and I had to use them. We'd probably would put an arrow in our own foot or each others."

John Thomas smiles at the conversation with Angus.

"That is why I have never relied on weapons. Even stripped naked as a jay bird I can hold my own. Not sure what I would do with a bow though, guess I could use it to choke someone out. Water now, well that is more a worry to me."

With the combined knowledge of Guujaw and Zaranna, the party is able to figure out the cause. Guujaw remembers learning that the spell draws water from the surrounding area. As the terrain becomes drier, water becomes more scarce.

Well, knowing what we know now, should we turn back and buy water? I know we had this conversation already, a long time ago, but if magic doesn't work, then I think our plans might need to change.

endless decanter of water pulls from plane of water and wouldn't be subject to that. Kuruk does not have this as a knowledge but anyone with sufficient arcane would.

That's like nine thousand gold though, isn't it?

I mean we both probably have pretty sick Survival rolls and can simply use cactus for water/ hunt down likely water sources.

Perhaps. Just not sure what the DM intends here with the way the spell functions, so not sure that survival would be enough either for the whole party including horses. Totally willing to go on and try though... "What's the worst that could happen?" :)

Shanking his head, Angus turns to John, "John I recon I don't want to hear about you naked and holding your own, but I can appreciate being concerned about the water." He turns to Kuruk, "Marion and I are used to crossing the desert without magic, do you think something else is going on here?"

"If this area is such a desert perhaps we'd be better served moving around its edge instead of going straight through? Even if WE can make it through settlers probably couldn't and farmers certainly couldn't farm it. Seems to me that our time could be better served exploring elsewhere"

Ah, well, there is a difference in the amount we get paid depending on the route we take. Going this way was worth significantly more, so that's what we chose. I mean, not saying that we couldn't revisit that choice, but we negotiated a pretty sweet deal.

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Basically how confident is Kuruk he can help the group and our mounts survive the dessert with present supplies and our ability to forage for water, I can roll knowledge geo too or nature or whatever you feel is appropriate.

Foraging for water, Kuruk manages to find a few cacti. With a few blows of a blade they easily yield some water.

Does the party want to buy water or are they read to move forward?