Megan's Kingmaker PbP

Game Master Megan Robertson

A good campsite is soon found.

To Rhasadilara, the wolf howls sound like hunting calls, wide-flung scouts keeping in touch with each other. Bit odd in the open plains, not normal wolf hunting territory.

"Hmm. It may be nothing, but let's have our sentries watch in pairs tonight. We should picket the horses closer to the fire as well."

The horses are indeed a little restless.

Nilus tends to Bess. Good idea. the thought of his best mate being harmed by wolves fills the normally stout hearted warrior with dread.

Gonna make me a nice cloak if any of them wolves come too close.

"I could see you howling it up in such a cloak, perhaps more tha one wolf tah fill tha order."

Barnabus laughs and looks about the general area....

"Fire usually keeps tha animals at bay."

Calinder helps set up camp and builds a fire and starts working on a meal for the group.

profession (cook): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Despite the calls of the wolves around them Calinder produces another fine meal.

"Rhasadilara, do you think we need to post watches even when the rest of us are not sleeping? If so, I can take my first shift as soon as I have our meal ready."

"It is amazing what you can accomplish over a campfire, Calinder. I will watch for now, but when we bed down, we should post two. Pack hunters can be surprisingly cunning for animals. And that's if they are truly just animals."

"That sounds fine. I can take a turn on first and last watch if needed. We can also rest longer if needed to keep from being deprived of too much rest. It's not like we are in any great hurry."

Calinder finishes preparing their meal and calls everyone to come eat. Once he has finished he begins to clean up. Once that is done, he checks on his horse and then walks about their camp for a time. He listens and watches for anything unusual.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

If memory serves, Lothar is also on first watch. So, I'll have him roll as well.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

If Calinder doesn't see or hear anything during his time watching, he will then ask to be woken up in the early hours of the morning to take another shift watching if needed.

Calinder goes to find Lothar where he was keeping watch and says, "Lothar, since all seems quiet, I'm going to go get some rest. Who was next on watch, do you know? I can wake them and send them out to take the next turn at watch if you would like?"

Earlier in the OOC thread here is what was decided based on 2-hour watches: Watch rotation...

1-Lothar
2-Calinder
3-Gorguk
4-Kylia-->Rhasa
5-Barnabus

This seems to be the order we originally worked with. It doesn't work so well with the current story. Lothar and Barnabus need rest to replenish spells used, I expect, so I would think Lothar would watch first and rest, Barnabus would watch last and rest before (both as shown in Gorguk's plan); The question is how the other three of us cover the other 3+ shifts. One suggestion: Rhasa will arise for second and third shift, Nilus will overlap with her for third shift and stay up for fourth, and Calinder will arise to watch with Barnabus for fifth shift. We really don't have enough personnel in the party to give the arcane casters a full night's rest and double-watch all night.

OK, who is on watch at 2am?

If we go with Rhasa's plan, which I think is our best option at this time, then I would say it is about the time that Nilus is joining Rhasa on guard duty. That is calculating our first watch as starting at 10 PM.

OK, then.

As Nilus wriggles out of a nice warm bed roll to find a clear sky with glittering stars, both he and Rhasadilara hear another chorus of howls. A distant one first, followed by one that sounds like it comes from a nearby hill.

"Ere comes my cloak Bess" Nilus whispers as he begins grabbing for his weapons and loosening them from their various straps and buckles. He gives Rhasa a little shake "Trouble " and then moves near where the horses are picketed

-Posted with Wayfinder

Barnabus had found sleep and enjoyed some dreams of himself ruling the world as the 99% toiled beneath him like various hills of ants. The old struggles came forward in his dreams, absolute power currupts absolutely....In his dream he uses just his body and settles down on the earth and toils side by side, shoulder to shoulder, with the ants on just one of the hills....

Assuming Nilus's declaration of trouble is meant to awaken everyone...

Barnabus blinks his eyes quickly and gathers himself for any trouble.

Actually no, it was more of a hissed whisper to wake Rhasa. But rereading Megan's post it looks like she was on duty with me! So instead lets say that Nilus woke Barnabus.

Calinder having not been asleep long, wakes at the sound of first the wolves and then at Nilus' whisper to Barnabus. "Nilus, what is happening?"

She nods at Nilus' observation. To Calinder, she replies, "Wolves. Closer. Lay still, but ready yourself."

Bow ready, she moves to the opposite side of the camp from Nilus and the horses. She keeps her back to what remains of the small fire to preserve her night-sight and watches both toward the howls and away, in case one of the creatures is circling around behind.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

Rhasadilara's keen senses detect a whiff of wolf, quite pungent and obviously very close...

Calinder reaches for his morningstar which is with his gear near where he is sleeping and wishes he had the opportunity to put his armor back on. Once he retrieves his morningstar, he slips it underneath his blanket ready to swing at any wolf that comes into their camp. He then remains motionless and waits for an opportunity to strike.

Calinder readies an action to attack any wolves that may come near him.

Too close. Stowing her bow, the ranger draws the long curved blade of her people, holding it loosely in her right hand as she tries to determine the position of the canine. Noting the direction of the breeze, etc.

In a low voice, "I smell it. Close."

Reconsidering her earlier advice, she says, "Go ahead and stand, make movement and noise. That may be enough to dissuade them if they seek an easy meal. And it puts you in better position to defend yourself. Take turns if you disarm to put on armor."

At the top of the hill just to the north of your campsite, an unusually large wolf appears. It has an evil, almost intelligent light shining in its deep red eyes. It throws back its head and howls again.

The response is closer this time, and comes from three throats.

"Form a perimeter! Everybody on your feet! This is no animal hunting in the night - if there's something you need to keep safe, keep it behind you in the circle, including the horses - Move!"

Following her own advice, Rhasadilara moves back to where the horses and Nilus were, helping anyone to their feet that remains in their bedroll.

Rhasadilara has to think very hard, but that creature might just possibly be a worg rather than a wolf.

Nilus readies his shield and warhammer. He whispers to the horses Easy gals, s'ok, I've got ya right here.

Lothar's eyes snapped open at the sound of his partner's voice, her sense of urgency breaking through his haze of uncertainty. The magician rolled to his feet, but did not rise, opting to remain in a crouch as he surveyed his surroundings.

Barnabus calls upon magic, enlarging Nilus from medium to large size....

"Bulwark defend by giants and not just men!"

He turns to Lothar.....
"Would such aid or hinder you?"

You'd do better bolstering Nilus with that spell. I require a degree of speed that would be denied me if I were to receive it.

"I believe we face four. The one on the hill, there, is likely the leader and far more than a wolf. The other three may be lesser worgs, but are probably wolves, easier for the worg to control."

Moving to the side of the ring of horses facing where she spotted the worg, she peers into the darkness. Is he still visible and can she target him with a bowshot if she switches weapons again?

He's still there, seeming to be looking straight at you.

Let him look, then.

Rhasadilara continues to watch the creature, sheathing her sword and readying her bow by touch.

By the way, it's been so long since this mattered, I had forgotten, but one of my class abilities goes as follows: When in her favored terrain of plains, Rhasadilara grants all allies within line of sight and that can hear her a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks.

Lothar remained crouched, moderating his breathing as he called upon techniques that he learned to aid his stealth. He remained motionless, knowing that though the wolves possessed acute olfactory senses, they, like most living creatures, were dependent on their sight.

The magician sought to take advantage of that.

I'm assuming that I will need to make a Stealth check at some point for this, but I'm using the ninja class feature "no trace", hence why Lothar hasn't moved from where he currently is.

The three other wolves howl again, closer.

Your horses are getting restless.

Barnabus considers the situation, should the horses become more restless he will attempt to speak to them, though he would rather speak to the wolves to attempt to resolve this....

"Focus upon tha worg, perhaps once beaten tha wolves might prove reasonable."

Rolling for Stealth. No trace causes the wolves Perception DC to increase by 1.
Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 +2 from Rhasa's assist.
Wolves notice Lothar on 17 or better. Readying an unarmed strike should they come his way.

At Rhasa's words Calinder jumps up, throwing aside his blanket and taking a position around the horses, his Morningstar ready for any lupine creature that comes near enough for him to strike.

When Calinder jumps up, the worg turns its head, watching him. It takes a couple of steps closer, then sits down on his haunches. It emits another howl, a different one this time, then looks quite deliberately at each of you in turn.

Guess that means I was spotted... I'm still readying an unarmed strike for any that come Lothar's way.

Rhasadilara calls out, "Do you speak our tongue, great one, or only that of wolves?"

The worg puts its head on one side, but if it is able to speak, it doesn't.

"Barnabus - can you try to speak to the leader of the pack?"

Barnabus uses his feral speech hex and speaks to the worg....

Feral speech hex
"Oh wolf of the storm what is it you are hunting so far afield?"

Calinder waits patiently as Rhasa and Barnabus try to talk with the leader of the wolf pack.

Calinder also prepares to ask Erastil for his aid if the wolves attack or indicate that the Guardians are what they are hunting.

Readies an action to cast Prayer if the party is attacked.

The worg bares its fangs.

"I seek to establish my territory here. Who are you that intrude?"

Was that spoken so that we all can hear, or is it just Barnabus that hears what was said by the worg?

Was that spoken so that we all can hear, or is it just Barnabus that hears what was said by the worg?

Barnabus' feral speech, I assume.

The worg is speaking in, well, whatever worgs speak naturally, so it's a series of yips and growls to those of you who do not understand feral speech.

"The Worg wants a territory..."

@Worg
"I am Barnabus, we are doing much the same. Will the blood and meat of animals satisfy you and your pack?"

Calinder listens as Barnabus speaks with the Worg, trying to understand what is being said by either, and still ready to react in case the situation deteriorates into a fight.

When there is a break in Barnabus' conversation, Calinder whispers to Barnabus, "What is it they want?"