Into the West (Inactive)

Game Master Simeon

The party travels through the canyon. Along the way they see a few native humans in cliff dwellings similar to those of the giants. However, they are far less forthcoming than the giants and retreat into their homes as the party passes. The canyon narrows at a few points, making it slightly difficult to cross pass the river, but two days later the party makes it through the canyon to the large lake at the other side.

"Well nice to see all that water. The canyon as beautiful but a good body of water does my heart good."

Stopping at the mouth of the river, Angus nods in agreement with John, "Yes, it's good to know we won't be thirsty for a while." Drawing out the compass, He then takes a moment to look at the map they had been drawing.

"I recon we should keep heading west, do we want to try and cross the lake, or go around?"

Is there anything we need to know that these rolls may help with?
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
knowledge: geography: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Which general direction were they heading following the river to the lake?

"Water for drinking is good. But water for cleaning and swimming? That is even better. Lets check to make sure there isn't anything and then I, for one, am going for a swim"

Would let others take a look. If nobody else sees anything, he goes for a swim

Be careful. River Drakes are the worst kind.

"Yeah, a good look in the water first would be good. If I need to swim much I will have to take off the armor. As far as crossing... I would rather go around but we can try it if you like."

The party was heading west. Angus thinks that the water will likely last them a while. While Guujaw swims, a fish bites one of his toes, but nothing more happens. The water is cool and refreshing.

Seeing that Guujaw didn't get eaten, Zaranna takes a brisk swim in the river as well, a little further away from the guys, and takes the time to wash her hair, which they haven't had the water for in a while.

Well may as well clean of the road dust.

Seeing the others head into the water John Thomas, with no sense of modesty, quickly splashes down into the water shouting a bit as he hits the water and dives under.

"Ah, that feels so so good"

He then kneels and starts to chant in Haida

sorry, I thought we were heading west when we came to the canyon and would have followed it north or south, Just trying to figure out if we needed to go around the lake or not to continue west. Are we on the north side of the bank/lake or on the south?

Smiling as the other splash about, Angus begins to unsaddle Marion, "This looks like a good place to take a break." He then fills his iron pot with water and begins to wash the dust off of the bay gelding.

The canyon continued to the west as the group travelled through it, ending when it gets to the lake. You are on the eastern side of the lake.

The canyon continued to the west as the group travelled through it, ending when it gets to the lake. You are on the eastern side of the lake.

did we exit the river/canyon on the north or south side of the river? Maybe a stupid question, Is the canyon the grand canyon and is this lake mead?

Ah, now I get the question, you exited on the south side. It is indeed the Grand Canyon, and you’ve exited to the the smaller lake that would eventually become Lake Mead with the construction of the Hoover dam.

sorry if I keep asking this. What time of day is it?

Once he is done giving Marion a good rubdown, Angus looks to the sky, then to his friends. "Do you all want to relax here till tomorrow or press on and try to find higher ground for our camp?"

I don't mind either way. I feel better than I have in a long time.

"I think we can all use a bit of a rest. Lets spend the day here doing nothing any more strenuous than keeping watch and mending our clothing. I know some of my small clothes desperately need attention"

"No giants and no one trying to kill us. I could sleep happily by some water."

Small cloths. Water is here, best get them as good as I can.

'Relaxing here would not be a bad ideas.' Angus nods his head in agreement. "I recon." He looks around the terrain a little, then begins to saddle his bay. "I'll look about, make sure there isn't anything that will be a problem. Shouldn't take to long. I'll stay to where we can see each other, If I get in any trouble I'll shoot off a round from my pistol and hightail it back here." Once the gelding is saddled, he mounts and rides west parallel to the lake, staying just within visibility of the group. Then he circles back around going back past the group, again staying just within eyesight.

he will take 10 (19) on perception just riding a half loop

It is early afternoon. Angus doesn’t find much while scouting. However, he does find a cave a ways in the distance.

which direction is the cave?

Riding back into the camp, Angus dismounts and begins to unsaddle Marion. Telling his companions, "The area if clear, though I did find a cave off in the distance. If we want to take the time to investigate it, I can show you where it is when we break camp in the morning."

He takes Marion to the water to drink again. Releasing the bay, he flops down beside the water, pulling his boots off and soaking his feet in the water.

"A cave sounds good to me. Do we have light sources?"

John Thomas at this point is laying beside the water letting the air dry him while his cloths dry someplace near by.

"It could have something interesting in it. Might as well check it out since we're near. I've got the light cantrip at least"

The cave is to the east.

"Right. Lets go East to the cave"

I think that we have a quorum and you can just move us to the cave or to whatever we encounter on the way

Sounds good. We're headed west, but I guess that just means we could stop back here on the way, which doesn't seem bad at all. We should be careful though. It could be a drake cave.

'well, it is just early afternoon.' Nodding in agreement he puts his boots back on, and saddles up. "We can be at the cave shortly, take a look around. Maybe spend the night there, or come back here. Either way we should be able to head west in the morning without much of a slowdown."

Waiting for the others to mount up, he leads them towards the cave. Slowwing down as they near, he begins to keep a keen eye out, just in case it is a drake cave like Zaranna warned.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

On the way to the cave, Angus notices some large paw prints. They look similarly sized to those of a bear, but he doesn't know the exact type.

'Those are similar to bear prints.' Stopping Marion, long enough to point at the tracks, "I recon those look like bear tracks, don't know if they are headed to the cave though."

He dismounts, and investigates the prints for a moment, attempting to tell the direction they are headed.

survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Zaranna takes out her bow when the prints are found, just in case they have to fight something. She hopes not though. This seems like such a peaceful place.

Studying the tracks, Angus noticesa few odd details. The creature is certainly a large quadruped, with paws similar to that of a lion. However, they begin abruptly without any indication as to where the creature came from. The starting tracks seem significantly deeper than the others as well. They do lead to the cave however.

'Well, that's odd.' Reaching up under his hat, Angus scratches his head. "Well this is just plain odd, The beast is large with paws like a big cat." He walks over to where the paws start, and points. "but they start right here." He then points to the following tracks. "and those are significantly deeper than these/" He then points to the cave. "Good or bad, they head right to the cave."

Mounting Marion, he looks first to Zaranna then Guujaaw, "Have either of you two ever heard of a big cat just materializing in the desert?"

knowledge check: dungeoneering or nature, he has a + 5 in both
knowledge D or N: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Guujaw tries to make a guess as to what could have made these prints

knowledge: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22 +2 Arcana, +1 Nature, +0 Planes. Assumes a +2 for consulting books

Guujaw isn't sure exactly what could've made the prints. However, he has read enough to realize that the creature was most likely flying and landed a ways from the cave.

Know Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

John Thomas takes a gander at the tracks on the off chacne he will know something more but does not come up with much. Instead he shrugs and waits fo rhte others to give the signal to move on to the cave. Keeping his eyes out as he goes.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Well, there are ancient elven legends of course. Stories that mention the Tressym, a kind of flying cat, but those are said to be much smaller. Maybe a Sphinx or Manticore would be this size. I think also something called a Lammasu, and there is a Griffin. ... I don't know which ones actually exist, however, or if one of those things does exist whether it would be friendly or not. I think some of them were friendly in the stories.

'Well, noting a bullet can't kill I guess.' Nodding his head in agreement with Zaranna, Angus turns his horse toward the cave. "I reckon we'll keep heading that way. Sounds like it might be a sentient creature, if so we will try and speak with it, see if it's friendly." he shrugs, "If not." He pats his pistol, lets his silence speak for itself.

As he moves forward, he does slow Marion down, keeping a keen eye out for any movement in or near the cave.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

"Well of course it all has to fly. I am going to need to start practicing with this pistol I guess, or learn to jump real high."

Angus doesn't notice anything odd aside from the paw prints as they approach the cave.

Stopping about a hundred feet from the cave itself, Angus dismounts, patting Marion on the neck he tells the gelding. "You stay here and guard the other horses." Shouldering his rifle he turns to the others, "I reckon we should walk from here."

He carefully moves forward toward the mouth of the cave, Keeping a keen eye out for anything odd. As he walks into the darkness his eye begin to adjust.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"I guess I will head bang some until there is light."

Not able to see in the dark John Thomas stays near the mouth but keeps his eyes and ears open.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

"Doh!."

Guujaw casts his light spell on Johns armor

Zaranna laughs. You make a nice target now, John Thomas.

She walks forward trailing slightly behind Angus but keeping a good sight line to the cave mouth for a bowshot, just in case things go sideways.

"I guess that is part of my job. I will just keep the shield in front as much as I can."

Still I'm not sneaky if you guys want to look quietly.

Angus sees a passageway leading down the center of the cave, with several chambers leading off of it. He also notices a few scraps of fur scattered around the cave.

'Scraps of fur so there is something that frequents here, if this things sentient, we just burst into it's home guns at the ready, that's a formula for someone or something getting killed, now doubt about it.' Kneeling and holding up the fur to show the others, he nods toward the first cave on the left. "Let's start that way. But since our glowing shield will announce our presence anyway, should we call out? That would let a sentient creature know we would like to speak to it. Or do we just go in guns blazing and hope we don't kill something we should make friends with?"

Yeah, I think we should call out. It's not a drake, so there is a possibility that it will be good creature. And honestly, I'm curious about what legend will come to life this day.

Zaranna lowers her bow so that her arrow is pointing at the ground, but she doesn't put it away.

Cupping his hands over his mouth Angus calls out in Nahuaña "Hello the cave!"

if it's enough to get a diplomacy check
diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14well that could have gone better

"Trying to not fight unless absolutely necessary is always a good idea. ESPECIALLY when stealth isn't likely to work anyway"

Angus hears a slight growling from inside the cave.