"But how the hell are we supposed to do this?"
"We work together."
Morthak attempt to assist anyone who begins work on the raft.
To save time, we'll say that the party is able to make a serviceable raft. If folks stranded on an island can make one, then it can be done untrained. It just won't win any beauty awards.
Samantha contributes her labor without complaint or issue, working well with the group as a whole.
With the raft complete, Lars looks back at their goblin prisoner. "I say we just kill the creature, so that it doesn't harm anyone else. But I wouldn't want to offend the sensibilities of anyone present. Ladies, you didn't want me to scare it. Do you have any issue with me putting it down?"
With the raft complete, Lars looks back at their goblin prisoner. "I say we just kill the creature, so that it doesn't harm anyone else. But I wouldn't want to offend the sensibilities of anyone present. Ladies, you didn't want me to scare it. Do you have any issue with me putting it down?"
Sam shakes her head. "I said have a problem with causing needless suffering." She says. "Otherwise you're just as bad as the murderer we're trying to capture. I don't like it, but it's unlikely the goblin will change its ways anytime soon."
For rules on piloting a raft, please see the Ultimate Combat section on piloting vehicles. Details for a raft can be found here, with the exception that the raft will be 10 x 15 to accommodate the party. At the very least, there will have to be one person designated as the driver.
*just in case it wasn't obvious, please designate a driver once you embark and a general order.
Slot 1:
Slot 2 (Driver):
Slot 3:
Slot 4:
Slot 5:
Slot 6:
<--Front [1][2][3]
<-- [4][5][6]
"We should also fashion long poles. To push against the bottom when the current does not suit us."
"A good idea. Here, deal with the goblin. I'll see what I can find."
Atsushia tries to help, but she has no real clue about what to do and how or when to do it.
Then she places herself carefully in the middle of the boat.
I guess I'm not made for rowing either..I feel useless
Seeing that everyone else was also inexperienced with guiding a raft, Lars took the lead in attempting it. With his full concentration, he steered it down the river to the best of his abilities.
"Everyone, keep an eye out for any signs of where Trevol stopped."
The group pushes the raft into the river, creating a set of waves that ripple outward as it undulates up and down and people board. Muddy boot prints quickly mar the surface as people get settled int.
Travel through the swamp is difficult; in some spots, the river is several feet deep, but it's difficult to tell as the pole descends further into the silty bottom. Even worse, it tends to get tripped up on concealed roots, vines, and submerged pits.
Night begins to settle over the swamp, cloaking the dense undergrowth in darkness and turning the water’s surface to black. With it comes a clinging, creeping fog, rising from the water like spectral steam. The fog surrounds you, its dampness caressing you like cold, dead hands. The swamp seems to retreat from the mists, its sights and sounds disappearing into some unseen distance. All that remains visible is the cold, choking fog. Even your companions seem far away. For a moment, everything is quiet. What few sounds you can hear are amplified by the surrounding mists: your own breathing, your beating heart. Then the fog begins to dissipate, fading away as quickly as it appeared, leaving you and your companions alone in the dismal swamp.
"Fog doesn't normally do that does it?"
That seems odd.
Atsushia licks her finger and tries to find some wind
Does anyone feels some drift that could explain the fog going away?
She starts to wonder if the fog was of a magical origin.. but its hard to tell
"Hard to see. We should stop for the night. I don't want to drift past wherever Trevol landed his raft. If we do that we are beyond screwed."
"Wow... that was, like, strangely Ustilavan." Samantha comments, looking around. "Anyone sure we're still in Varisia?"
The swamp seems even darker than it did before. The nearby trees have become twisted shadows with clawlike branches reaching out, and a foul odor rises from the murky water. Overhead, through the tangled branches, the sky also appears strange. The stars have subtly changed positions, and the moon is closer, nearly full. Menacing clouds begin to roll across the western sky like a curtain of black smoke. In but a few moments, the clouds blot out the feeble starlight completely. A storm is brewing-a very bad storm.
That seems odd.
Atsushia licks her finger and tries to find some wind
Does anyone feels some drift that could explain the fog going away?
She starts to wonder if the fog was of a magical origin.. but its hard to tell
[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+7
Atsushia doesn't get the impression that there was a magical effect - no signs of implements, magical residue, or obvious components.
As the starlight fades under the clouds, you notice a glimmering ember of light up ahead; a crackling orange-red mote behind blackened blades of sawgrass.
Samantha is actually a little grateful for the darkness falling. At least at night, she could see better than most.
She looks back to the group as she makes sure everyone's on the raft still.Strangely, inside her pupils are pinpricks of pure white light, too small to be noticed at anything but close range, but eerie in its own right.
"Okay fellas, raise your hand if you can see just fine." she says, raising her hand. "Or should I lead us from here?"
"I can't see for shyt. And if I'm not mistaken a storm is brewing. Let's beach this raft, secure it, and find some shelter. If I'm right, we'll all be swimming soon enough."
There's something coming towards us.. see that glimmering light here?
Atasushia tries to pinpoint what she just spotted
"Are you sure its coming at us?"
"Hmm... might just be a campfire hidden by grass. I'll lead the way. Stay near me, and keep any light behind me." Samantha says, taking the lead.
If their raft is landed, then she will cautiously move forward, her warflute and shield ready to go.
We'll follow you.. but please be careful. I got an odd feeling, even if i can't say why. I'm not used to the outdoors. Even more at night. I should be in a cosy bed, burning the midnight oil and reading...
"We are in the hands of fate now. But let us approach this fire quietly. I can go on ahead."
"Morthak, go ahead of me, but stick within 50 feet. You run into trouble, you get where I could see you." Samantha says.
Morthak nods, and moves forwards, trying to stay in Line-of-Sight of the rest of the group.
Ourias takes a position at the rear, due to not being stealthy
"We are in the hands of fate now. But let us approach this fire quietly. I can go on ahead."
[dice=Stealth]1d20+12
The light isn't moving towards the party; the party has to move torwards it. However, since the group is on the raft, it is all or nothing. Technically it's up to Lars as the driver of the raft.
...
Lars slowly paddles the raft towards the fading light, the sound of each stroke gurgling through the water resonating with the beating of your heart. The metallic taste of fear starts to build in the back of your throat as each shadow's jagged outline threatens danger. Eventually the craft reaches a bank, the front of the raft knocking down flora as it hits land. Behind a few feet of cattails is a clearing where remnants of a small fire lingers.
Intermixed on the ground are small strands of white fibers. Several of the edges are frayed like the ends of dandelion seeds.
Morthak picks up one of the fibers and examines it closely for a moment.
"Hm."
Not sure what to make of it, he then hands it to one of the others .
He then examines the area around the campfire.
Looking at the white strands
Some kind of cloth? Maybe the man we are pursuing? That's not my area of expertise, I'm afraid..
Lars went over to the cloth to examine it. He had been on the trail of the murderer for far too long. He examined it intently, looking to see if there was anything about it that matched any previous evidence gathered about Trevol. As he did this he also looked through the rest of the sparse camp with similar appraisal.
Lars recognizes the material to be close to what is used in the straight jackets Magnimar uses to transport prisoners.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Lars recognizes the material to be close to what is used in the straight jackets Magnimar uses to transport prisoners.
Relaying the information, Lars grimaces. "The bastard was here. We are on his trail. Sam, can you follow his trail in the dark? If we have to wait for morning, but the sooner I have his head the better."
Lars recognizes the material to be close to what is used in the straight jackets Magnimar uses to transport prisoners.
Ok, we'll assume the party camps here and waits for morning. Even with darkvision, I don't think the group would want to continue on the raft as the sky offers no reference points due to the clouds. Sam is able to investigate your surroundings and quickly informs you that you're on a dry land protrusion about 100' long.
The night is long and uncomfortable, although oddly quiet. The clouds eddy like milk in coffee, but there is no thunder or flashes of lightning. Morning arrives, but the sky remains overcast and you discover shades of grey that can only be divined by such a bleak place.
Searching the land mass during the day yields signs of previous residency, but you conclude that the person had to have returned to the water as there is no other way off it without resulting to the arcane or the occult.
The day is dark and dismal, painted gray by the mist and clouds. The sun has not shown its face since you arrived, and the air is clammy and cold. The water below the raft is several feet deep. To one side, black logs drift lazily atop the stagnant water. To the other, shadows slip through the trees and the underbrush, moving in time with the raft. The eyes of the swamp are upon you.
"We should follow the current. See where it goes. I doubt our quarry had anything better in mind."
"Agreed." Samantha will help get everyone set up on the raft.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Atsushia takes charge of the cooking in the evening and morning, giving everyone as good a meal as could be hoped in a swamp in the night.
In the morning, listening to the others, she says
Do you think the fugitive will hide into the wilderness or try to get back into a town, hoping he wont be recognised?
Dayly energy resistance: Fire (5)
Catching everyone off guard, the large maw of some ancient reptile rises out of the water and attempts to pull pulls Ourias into the water.
Atsushia Init: 22
Morthak Init: 15
Lars Init: 26
Samantha Init: 4
Ourias Init: 19
Bold may act.
Everyone, be ready to catch Ourias! Ourias, close your eyes, I'll try something!
The crocodile appears to go unconscious and the thrashing settles down to Ourias'.