Here is the gameplay thread, craving some dots.
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Generator dot
Having spent the winter in Riddleport, the party has recently formed in answer to a call for help from the nearby gold mining town of Elbar’s Bluff. The town is a mere speck on the map, lying on the Velashu River about halfway between Riddleport and Brinewall.
Being little more than a frontier fort, the people of Elbar’s Bluff are used to fending off wandering monsters, brigands and barbarian tribes. However, word is that a particularly brutal band of orcs have recently begun harassing the town and attacking those working the mining claims nearby.
The current ruler of Elbar’s Bluff, Lady Velrosa Nandar, has sent word to Riddleport announcing a reward of six hundred gold pieces and a small cache of magical potions to anyone who can drive the orcs away and restore safety to the town and the surrounding area. Although newly acquainted, your group each have their own reasons for being ready to leave Riddleport and agreed to band together to journey north along the river in answer to the call.
You have been travelling uneventfully for the last three days. Although the cold of winter hasn’t yet passed, you have at least been spared too much rain and you have made good time following the river north as it winds it’s way through the hills of the Velashu Uplands.
Shortly after noon on the fourth day of travel, you encounter the first signs of the settlement. You gradually become aware of the peal of a church bell sounding from upstream, maybe half a mile or so away. It soon becomes clear that there is something strange about the ringing bell. The sound is incessant but irregular, continuing on much longer than usual with a broken, unpredictable rhythm.
"Sounds as though these people might need us more quickly than planned. Those bells are not normal. Let us hasten forward, lest someone unwelcome takes our reward".
Pik pulls his cloak closer around him and shivers. You were right, he calls out to the large dark-skinned man trudging up ahead, I should have bought that winter cloak. The man chuckles as they continue, This one is getting a bit thin. I hadn't even noticed till we were out here in the wind. Ah well, at least the walking is keeping us warm. He stops abruptly and tilts his head, Anyone hear that bell? Seems we've arrived...and none too soon!
Drawing his sword, Pik follows the others. Perhaps we should approach unseen. Best to know the situation before we walk into it. If the others are amenable he'll sneak forward with anyone else willing to, using the hills to cover their approach as best they can.
Dorin draws his warhammer, and he begins to chug along with the Shaman.
Aye, those bells be soundin' like a warnin' to me. Let's move while yer sneakin' up Pik, I will head right in.
Trudging along, Kraz remarks at Pik's poor circustance..
"Ahaha, I told you Pik! These hills can get much colder than the city, but do no fret I'm sure Silvio will help you keep warm at night! Bwahahahah..."
Turning back to his thoughts of slaughtering Orcs, Kraz is a bit surprised at the bell sounds. "My kin can be ruthless, I have seen it first hand. Let us hurry!" He pulls his greataxe and pushes to the front with Dorin and Rath..
”Yes, Silvio’s warm demeanor and hot blooded personality has been known to transcend the usual boundaries and should prove an advantage in the cold. Silvio would not be surprised if it did”, Silvio says apparently missing the underlying innuendo of Kraz’s comment. ”Now regarding the church bell, Silvio agrees with his good friend Rath. That kind of sound is basically a urgent calling card for Silvio Callgari Pazzi!”, the young chelaxian announces and follows close behind the shaman, barbarian and ranger.
Pik moves ahead of the rest of the group, slipping away from the river and using what cover he can find to screen his movement from any scouts or lookouts, the rest of the party hurrying slightly behind. As you travel another few hundred yards, the peal of the bell continues erratically, pausing from time to time for a few moments before ringing out once more.
Rounding the final curve, the town comes into view. Roughly circular and about four hundred feet across, Elbar’s Bluff is set on an island in the centre of the river. The settlement is circled by a wooden palisade, half a dozen watchtowers spaced evenly around its perimeter. There is a drawbridge lowered over the river on the side you are approaching from allowing easy access through the palisade. Visible above the wooden wall, you can see a windmill, the steeple of a church from which the bell is tolling, a large stone building which appears to be an inn and maybe ten or so smaller buildings. It appears the town has plenty of room in its walls for crops and livestock and you hear faint noises of chickens and perhaps goats or sheep.
Upstream from the main island is a smaller, higher plateau of basalt rising some twenty feet out of the river. On that second island sits a stone keep, with a wooden ramp leading down through a gap in the wooden wall to the village.
As you take in the scene, it becomes even more apparent that something is very wrong. The keep has partially collapsed and the wooden ramp connecting the two islands is missing a section. The watchtowers on either side of the open drawbridge are unguarded and apart from the ringing bell, you can detect no sign of the occupants – the windmill is stationary and no smoke rises from any chimney.
This is wrong.
Pik falls back to join the others. I don't see anyone, speaking breathlessly, The keep...it's been attacked. It might be the survivors in the church, or...it might be the orcs. He draws a dagger with his left hand as he falls in line with the others. We should hurry...but be mindful. The half-elf frowns. It might be a trap.
"Well that doesn't look good.. Lets hurry.." He picks up the pace to arrive there as fast as possible.. He listens to Pik.."Orcs aren't smart enough to set a trap. We have something else to worry about if thats the case.. Keep your eyes open.."
Dorin advance with his hammer drawn.
Let's get in there.
Whistling at the bright day, Coronei enjoys the journey towards the fort. However that pealing bell triggers his latent nature and a cold mask falls over the wizard. He runs up without a word and keeps going with the rest, his bow at the ready.
He does make sure that the fighters are either side of his flanks.
Dorin approaches the drawbidge and moves quickly across to enter the palisade, scanning the area for any noticeable threat.
Coronei looks left as Dorin looks right, an arrow notched and just waiting for a target.
Silvio, feeling that the situation calls not for caution or contemplation but rather bold and heroic actions, continues forward with purpose in his steps. Assuming that the road into Elbar's Bluff is unguarded he ignores the watchtowers and strides onto the bridge behind Dorin. His immediate attention goes to the church, curious of what may be operating the bell. Quick, friends! There are damsels to rescue and brigands to vanquish!
Rath pulls his gnarled blackened club, and attaches his battered shield, moving forward, and keeping his eyes peeled for danger.
Perception
Rath's club
Raths club is a blackened and gnarled piece of driftwood. He found it buried beneath the snow in the bank of a river, where it had obviously survived a fire. He was taken by the fact that it seemed to have survived the four elements as had he, so he carved off the soft spots, and fitted wrapped a leather throng around the handle area to make it useful in combat. he normally casts Shillelagh on it before using it as a weapon.
Hurrying towards the town, the party passes between the abandoned watchtowers, getting your first unimpeded view of Elbar’s Bluff as you cross the drawbridge.
Immediately to your left is the church, the most imposing structure of the main settlement. A stark building, its sole ornamentation is a mosaic of Pharasma’s spiral above solid oak doors, currently ajar. The ringing bell drowns out any noise from the rest of the village here, its erratic tolling continuing unabated.
On the right there is a simple, wooden home and behind that the windmill you could see on approach. Further in to the village is a second home, half collapsed and a recently ploughed field, neat and orderly apart from two enormous boulders buried in the soil, each around four or five feet in diameter.
Ahead about eighty feet from you the road marked by those three buildings opens out into what passes for the town square. It is here that you see the inn, the stables and one or two smaller buildings. From the gate you can see several other boulders scattered haphazardly around the square.
Alert for danger, your group sees no sign of anyone else in the village, friend or foe.
Rath looks around at the destruction.
"Let's get into that church, and shut up that blasted bell, before I get grouchy".
Nothing you've seen. You wouldn't have noticed if they'd been fired from the other side of the river.
Pik nods and briskly follows. Wouldn't want you to get grouchy. He smiles a wry smile as he keeps his eyes on what's left of the buildings.
Dorin studies the boulders and uses his stonecunning to determine the possible origin of the boulders, based upon his nearby home and if their positioning can identify them as the means of the destruction of the palisade and nearby buildings.
Kraz follows the others into the church, determined to find out whats happened.
Coronei waits in the church doorway as the others proceed. "I shall keep a lookout. Call me if needed."
Silvio looks at the symbol hoovering above the wooden doors of the church and sighs slightly. "How disheartening. Silvio was led to believe that this was a merrier place. Somewhere the great Cayden Cailean or the lovely goddess Shelyn would thrive. Still, adventure lies buried here, and Silvio has a feeling that is starts inside this temple." He moves in along with the rest of the group.
You make your way into the church, Coronei remaining in the doorway with a clear view of both the street outside and the party’s progress within. The interior is simply decorated, a series of wooden pews, a pulpit and an altar underneath another mosaic, mirroring the symbol above the door outside. At the far end of the church, some fifty feet from the doorway you have entered from, there are two antechambers. The door to one is closed, but the other is open, clearly leading into the belltower.
From here you can see the source of the incessant bellringing, three goblins are swinging wildly on the end of the bell pulls. Gleefully pulling the ropes down as hard as they can before being flung up into the air in an erratic performance of amateur bellringing.
; ;
Two of the goblins are so caught up in their game, they completely fail to notice your entrance, however the third looks over towards your group with alarm as the church door swings open.
Monsters:
Dorin studies the boulders and uses his stonecunning to determine the possible origin of the boulders, based upon his nearby home and if their positioning can identify them as the means of the destruction of the palisade and nearby buildings.
Kraz will move up 30' and then speak in goblin..
"Surrender for questioning or I'm gonna cut yea down the middle then feed yer parts to the fish!"
The goblin replies in kind, charging from the belltower to engage Kraz, apparently unaware that his companions have not yet noticed the party's entrance.
"How about you surrender, ugly man!" yells the goblin gleefully, calling back over his shoulder to his allies. "Come on! Let's get him!"
Kraz swings his axe at the goblin with his readied attack! "Fine then, die stupid goblin! Bwhahahahaha!!!"
Kraz meets the goblin's charge with a fierce blow. Staggering to one side, the goblin remains standing, trying to cut the taller half orc down.
Kraz turns the attack away easily.
Dorin moves up 25 feet and throws a hand axe at one of the goblins who have yet to act.
Moving into the church, Dorin hurls his axe through the open door, catching one of the bellringing goblins in a fine display of skill. The goblin drops from the rope, motionless on the floor!
Silvio draws both rapier and shortsword and dashes into battle. He moves up next to the barbarian and thrusts his rapier into the goblin.
Silvio is equally effective, downing the wounded goblin in one clinical strike.
Coronei spins round and moves into the church, drawing back his bow in one fluid motion. He takes a bead on the dangling goblin as it bounces around and then holds the breath to release.
twanggg
The goblin catches the arrow in his back. It thuds on impact.
The arrow goes deep, although the goblin remains alive, releasing the rope and dropping to the floor. He stares at you with a wide eyed look of panic, rooted to the spot.
One goblin? That's it? Well, aren't you a pathetic sight. If I were you, I certainly wouldn't want to fight! Pik yells out at the goblin.
With a whimper, the goblin steps backwards from Pik's harsh words. Stumbling over his fallen comrade, he trips and falls, his head smashing into the stone floor with a sickening thud.
The bell tolls once or twice more before the ropes lie still as quiet descends on the town.
Rath and Pik can make perception checks:
Pik tilts his head again, listening to something. Well, that doesn't sound good. What's that sound like? Wolves, you think? He slowly backs away from the door, into the room closer to his allies. They don't sound happy.
Perception
Rath had just summoned a small flame in his hand (Produce Flame), and was preparing to throw it when the last goblin went down. He simply decides to carry the flame around for while just in case he needs it.
He stops at the door for a while to listen, and hearing nothing enters behind the others, stopping to kick the goblin corpses to ensure that they're not playing Gob-possum.
Cleaning off his blade Kraz turns around.. "Nice blade work Silvio! Little bugger took a clean hit from my axe. I was surprised he stood.."
Hearing Pik.. "Wolves you say?" Kraz moves to the door and awaits the others before moving to check out the new threat..
Dorin picks up his thrown axe that did in the goblin with a single shot. He draws his Warhammer and heads to the door where the sound of the wolves was identified.
Well, we could call 'em over, or we could shut the door and search the inside o' this place.
As Dorin collects his axe, he sees that the three goblins each had a small sack stuffed with a variety of items. The sounds of dogs snarling in the square remains faint. They don't appear to be coming any closer to the church.
The second room at the far end is the priest's private chamber, with another closed door that apparently leads outside to the rear of the church.