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Ahto listens to Kavken and once he finishes speaking replies with a sigh of irritation.
"Galt! A fine example of a country where disregard for the law and the manners of civility have brought ruin upon the populace. Erastil is an ally to Abadar against such violent anarchy. Our mission here is to bring civility to these wild lands. Your quest for redemption moves in the same direction as our ultimate goal. I see no reason to deny you assistance, assuming the others are willing to commit to this endeavor. Come let, me introduce you to them."
He leads the priest to the others in the group. After introducing him, Ahto prompts Kavken to recount his tale again for them.
Hexa gromphs with pleasure at Svetlana's pleasing response. "Keep Fangberrys apart, attracts biting spiders." He shows her his still-healing scars. "War party find more plants to bring you with time." He bobs his head before departing her company, he had a skull and a hide to give to Vekkel
He spends time looking for the one-legged hunter to hand over the remains of Tuskgutter, he had hoped to share meat but too much time had passed. Chacta followed behind him, noisily grumbling all the way.
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"Galt?" Wonky says after Jhod's introduction. "I have never been there, though I have heard many cautionary tales about the place. Your tale of a crazed guardian at an old Erastilian shrine truly interests me. I wonder what aspect of nature has resulted in such a guardian arising..." Wonky trails off, lost in thought.
Sprocket woofs.
After completing his tasks he was enjoying some of Svetlana's Soup with some of the others when Ahto finds them with the rather small man in tow. At the introduction and Wonky's words Hexa nods and rises to his full height as he approaches Jhod. Deeming Galt as not something to eat.
He sticks out a large scaly hand in greeting. "Well Met Jhod, I am Hexa, hunter of Warband Ahto."
Hexa is using Lorekeeper on as many people he meets. Using it to acquire knowledge and expand on what he knows. Let me know if you want rolls or anything but he doesn't hide his eagerness to meet and greet new people.
He looks to Auto then, differing to him over Jhod. "What are we hunting?"
"Bears?" exclaims Vekkel as the hunter hobbles over to the group. "I don't doubt you'll be the folks to put them down since this scaly son of a scow here was the only hunter keen enough to bring down Tuskgutter."
Vekkel claps Hexa upon his broad back, congratulating the lizardman on his hunting prowess.
"As promised. These should make short work of any dang-blasted bear."
He unslings his bow from around his shoulders and hands it to Hexa, followed by a bundle of six arrows, their heads made from razor-sharp wedges of bone.
"Oh, well...um," Jhod stammers sheepishly. "I don't actually know its precise location.
"The landmarks and clues in my dreams led me to the Greenbelt, and I've seen visions of the dry forests north of the more sodden Narlmarches, but beyond that I do not know where it lies. Since you explorers were charting the region, I was hoping you might find the temple in your travels, if you hadn't already."
Hexa nods to Vekkel and hands over Tuskgutters hide and skull. "Warparty presents to Vekkel. Tuskgutter is no more but fought ferociously before its fall.." He takes up the well-made longbow and the magical arrows. These were things they hadn't seen before. He nods to Vekkel. "We will hunt well with these. Hexa will help Vekkel again when he needs it."
At the word Ruin, a new word he had learned from Wonky, Hexa perks up. "Hexa wants to find Ruins."
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Wonky looks with interest at the bone-tipped arrows given to Hexa by the grizzled hunter.
”Hexa, if you would allow it, I would like to examine those arrows so as to identify the dweomer with which they are enchanted,” she asks. Seeing that her words fail to make sense, she tries again. ”I would try to identify their specific magical property,” she clarifies.
Ahto's question casts Jhod into a new bout of self-doubt, and he looks around aimlessly while muttering his thoughts to no one in particular.
Finally, he looks up and seems to have reached a decision.
"If I seek redemption, I cannot make do with half measures. I had hoped that new visions might come to paint a surer picture of the temple's location, but such a vision is just as likely to come when camped out in the wilds as it may here. In fact, reconnecting with Erastil's domain might bring me closer to such a vision.
"Yes, I will accompany your next expedition."
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”Animal bane arrows!” Wonky explains to Hexa. ”Truly a generous gift! These arrows will not only enhance the probability that you will hit an animal, but it also will deliver an enhanced amount of damage.” Wonky smiles briefly.
An overload to the delicate balance between us and the natural world. Still, there are only six such arrows...
Wonky speaks briefly to Jhod of his visions.
Hexa looks over the arrows and grunts. "Only use these for beasts, not hunting. Right Wonky's?" He looks to the others then. "Any one else need these too?" He offers up a few if his arrows so that not all of the power was with him alone.
Amongst the bubbling and burning of her alchemical apparatus, Wonky gleefully finds that her experiment brewing the fangberry-based potions is a resounding success.
Vekkel claims the head of Tuskgutter to set about making his infamous head cheese.
Hexa prepares and sets aside the beast's hide to begin fully and properly treating the hide on the morrow.
The warband, after ten days in the wild, spends a well-deserved restful night within the safety of the trading post.
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Wonky rises with the sun despite staying up well past sundown to finish her potions. She shuffles to the dining room of the main building from her bed and workshop in one of the stable stalls followed by an ever-bounding Sprocket.
"Good morning, everyone," she manages with a half-awake grin as she slumps onto a bench. "Is there coffee brewing?" She puts her head on the table and peacefully closes her eyes.
Once appropriately caffeinated, she waits for Sams to enter the dining room.
Oleg has a couple copper pots of coffee brewing over the fire.
"He insists on managing the coffee himself," Svetlana explains jovially. "I don't think he trusts anyone else with something so important as his coffee."
Meanwhile, the indentures have made good progress gathering timber, clearing land, and setting a foundation for a new bunkhouse. Without oversight from someone with proper carpentry skill, though, no framework has been erected yet.
For his part, supervising these men has improved Garess' mood - at least according to one of his own soldiers, Charl.
Under Ahto's supervision, taking direction from his expertise, the indentures make phenomenal progress on the frame. The beams are secured together and, by day's end, the frame has been raised.
Hexa's work, both in the field and now back at the post, has preserved Tuskgutter's hide and even prepared it for working. However, he currently lacks the tools necessary to turn the hide into proper armor.
Thankfully, the merchants plan to stay at least another day, and one of them has leather tools available for sale.
Hexa looks into these merchants at the Village, following Wonky as she inquires about things and uses the credit that Chief Oleg had gave them for the work they had done. Seeing the various tools he looks to the merchant Wonky had finished up with and asked like Wonky had been teaching him. "Do you sell Tools, for working hide or leather..." Another word he was understanding more of, something almost superior to his wooden armor. "... Hexa would like to buy them. Also would like to buy more leather for crafting things."
With tools he could clean up Tuskgutters hide and turn it into something useful.
"Well," the merchant begins, chewing on a bite of a carrot as though he were a mule, "I didn't bring anything fancy , but I have a set of simple leather-working tools that can be yours for eight crowns. As luck would have it, we just bought up a bunch of hides and pelts that the locals traded to Old Oleg. What kind are you looking for? Deer hides can be yours for two crowns each. Four crowns each for beaver pelts, and six for fox pelts."
The merchant punctuates his offer to Hexa by taking another bite of his carrot.
"Well, um..." the merchant begins, trying not to stumble over his words. Even if she had not meant the interjection accusingly, the accuracy of her observation - not to mention the suddenness of her appearance - catches him very off guard.
"You must understand, the road from Restov remains long and perilous," he claims. "If we're to take the risk of traveling to this outpost, we need to make some crowns to cover the cost."
Hexa looks from Wonky to the Merchant before inhaling deeply and exhaling in a rumbling growal. A mix of a growl and grunt of frustration. He'd hunt for his own hides, but making tools were outside his skill for now. He needed tools to understand how to make new tools. "Hexa only take tools. Will remember prices."
He didn't want to take more than needed from the Credit but tools would be the start of making armor for the village. To make an income, to being of use instead of a Wanderer.
Whether his stance was misinterpreted by the merchant was of little concern to Hexa. He wanted tools, would buy them and forget about cured leathers for now and collect his own.
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It seems Hexa's stance, as well as his "growal," was misinterpreted by the merchant, as he agrees to sell the needed tools for six crowns, rather than eight.
Pulling out 8 gold coins he hands them to the merchant shaking his head at the change in coinage. "Hexa pay 8 gold, Hexa needs... Items to make better armor. Materials to tan and work leather into stronger shapes. Metal to back and toughen. Also, Hexa will sell his weapon..." He unshoulders his bow and offers in trade as he looked into the merchants best materials, he wouldn't let Tuskgutters skin be something shabby. He had knowledge now, beyond that of the swamp, his ability to see into creatures being's was an immense and immeasurable resource he must use.
When he secures his additional items he reaches out a scaled hand in agreement. When he shakes the merchant's hand he takes in the knowledge of humans, their weaknesses, and strengths. Thus becoming more enlightened in the process.
He mentions the remaining purchase to Oleg, aside from the tools he bought he needed the extra materials as well. For now he would test his skills on what hides he could get on his own while working on making Tuskgutters hide stronger and suitable for wearing.
He checks in with Warchief Ahto before setting into working on the materials he had recieved and on Tuskgutters Hide...
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Ahto spends the next day making sure that the walls and roof of the bunkhouse are up to snuff.
If Kavken asks about when they will go looking for the temple, Ahto replies. "If you do not know its location, then it is likely no one else does. Unless there is some urgent need to leave immediately in search of it, we will go soon, perhaps in the next day or two."
Paval kept to himself while the others were busy talking to the priest and bartering with merchants. He only moves to his bunk after the others went in and gets up before the rest does.
By the time they get their breakfast he is already practising his swordplay. Those close by can hear him in having what sounds like a fierce discussion, yet there is nobody else there.
Kavken makes no argument against waiting.
"If Erastil will lead me to redemption, it will be done at His pace," the priest says, seeming to accept the wait as part of his penance.
Hexa makes good initial progress on his new armor. Having purchased the needed tools and acquired additional materials from the merchant. Additionally, some of the local hunters who visit - including Vekkel - offer to contribute bone studs that can be used to reinforce the armor he will create.
Ahto supervises the indentures as half work on setting the planed timbers upon the frame to form the walls while the others cut wooden shingles for the roof.
"I've watched you practice. You're good," he says in his usual brooding tone. "Care for a practice duel?
When the man requested a duel Paval nodded and smiled, "Yes. It would be good to get some practice in formal combat again."
With that he put some more distance between him and Garess. He then faced the mercenary leader, blade at the ready, and nodded.
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Wonky offers to let Hexa use some of the space in the stable stall that she has taken over as part-alchemy lab/part-weapon smithery for his armour creation. She works alongside him on her stonebow, the industry of it all inspiring her work.
Successfully completing the work on her stonebow that she set out for the day for herself, the busy gnome turns to work on one last healing potion to augment their stock for when they hit the road.
Wonky spends the majority of the day working, surfacing late in the afternoon for a much-needed break and meal.
I ask this because i've been trying to roleplay him as being observant, looking at his companions armor along with thsoe that enter the village. He is a visual and physical learner. But if making a more advance type of armor he is unfamiliar with requires a larger DC then please let me know. Thanks!
Hexa accepts Wonky's offer, though at times he leaves the stables and inspects the work in the light. He doesn't hide his discomfort in cramped places. If asked he explains it simply. "Wanderer's never finding peace within walls."
He continues to make Tuskgutters hide into something one would wear with pride. keeping the head as a sort of hood. Though for something none lizardfolk it would obscure their face. Tuskgutters eyes were round out, to be reinforced later with metal for one to be able to see but obscure their face some.
Stealth and durability were key to this creation. One he would make to the best of his hatchling crafting ability.
Hexa: I will say that Lamellar is also an option available to you. Given that Hexa is unfamiliar with "normal" armor conventions, it makes sense that he would be more apt to experiment.
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"I recognized your dueling sword right away. My family forbade me from studying the Aldori styles. They thought it was beneath us," he says with a bitter reflection.
"Even so, I think all my practical experience puts me on the same level of such a student."
Garess draws his sword, a finely crafted longsword possessing a straight blade and a sunburst-shaped crossguard. He unslings his shield and sets it aside. As he settles his stance, his left, off hand repeatedly grips and releases the pommel, as though he remains uncertain of whether to wield the blade with one or two hands for this duel.
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After two days of work around the trading post, the horizon darkens ominously. The wind begins to whip the treetops, and the air feels heavy.
"Storm's coming," Oleg mutters in a grim, matter-of-fact manner. "Looks bad."
He offers no other advice beyond setting an example by securing the doors and window shutters on the buildings, ensuring that all animals and supplies are stowed, and quickly checking for any weak points in the roofs that he may have missed.
Daily or weekly works, I can do the calculations for you and keep track in a spreadsheet on google docs. That way we can theoretically leave whenever we need to for missions.
Once Kingdom Building starts we can drop into weekly. But Up to you. I can take the Cumbersome stuff on because I love excel sheets/formula building. :3
Then Hexa will aim for Leather Lamellar then. Which would make the cost 70 GP even for Lamellar Materials (unless the Tuskgutter Hide counts for the 20 gp) and Masterwork materials which accounts for the other 50 GP.
Also I don't know if you saw it but Hexa will try and sell his bow to the merchant, to offset the costs he is incurring. He is still unsure of the 'Credit' despite Wonky's explanation and still acts in trading things for things personally to lower his burden on the Village.
So he paid 8 gp of his own money, which left him with 7 gp left. Trading in his bow to offest the remaining 70 gp in costs for materials.
Let me know what to deduct from the credit, please. Thanks! Getting some sleep atm. TTYL :)
Hexa happened to be outside when the wind started to whip, he looked to the black clouds and spoke to himself. Speaking a statement in draconic an old hunter had told him when the screaming winds came. He repeats it, over and over as though it would speed up his feet as he strapped on his armor and pulled on a bedroll like a cloak against the hammering winds.
As Oleg is preparing to ensure everything is secure Hexa is making to leave for a hunt. His new bow on his back and his tools and hides safely tucked away in the stables. He takes Tal and Chacta with him, more backs to carry the meat and edible plants with. He doesn't ask anyone else to go with him except his two animal companions.
He keeps an eye to the skies, lest the winged death find him unawares.
Hexa moves as swiftly as he can, aiming to bring down some large game with his new bow and gathering up edible plants before returning to the Village.
If the storm proves to great he finds a safe place and hunkers down in a low spot with his companions until the winds abate enough to return to the fort.
Tal readily braves the storm alongside Hexa. Chacta whinnies at the rising winds and first droplets of rain, but it does not take much effort to calm the horse.
Hexa identifies that the heaviest rains will last until midday. The driving winds and lesser showers will likely continue until nightfall.
Hexa's familiarity with the area remains impeccable, and he easily avoids getting lost as well as hazards such as falling branches and potential mudslides.
The storm proves to be almost a blessing for the hunting excursion. Not only does Hexa pack Chacta's saddlebags full of early spring fruit knocked down by the wind and edible roots unearthed by the sodden soil, but he also fells a mighty elk, its antlers as broad as Hexa's armspan, driven out of its hiding spot in the woods as a tree comes crashing down.
[ooc]Leather Lamellar 60 gp, crafting makes that 1/3rd cost so 20 gp or 200 SP.
Masterwork Components are 150 gp but by 1/3rd rule cost is 50gp instead 0r 500 SP.
Leather Lamellar - Craft DC 14 - 200 SP
Masterwork Components - DC. 20 - 500 SP
Total SP - 700 SP
Hexa take 10 on Craft Armor = 15 * 14 = 210 SP / 7 = 30 SP per day of work.
Time to craft 23.333 (24) days on Take 10 Rolls
Costing only 10 GP is a great start. Hexa is a minimalist, he wants to leave no mark on the Village in a way where he is a liability or dead weight.
Having Tal and Chacta made it easier to gather food, the elk was a grand boon. He gives an utterance to Mazludeh before working swiftly to prep the Elk to be carried back to the Village. Splitting the weight with Tal and trying to keep the skin intact as they progressed slowly back to the village. Avoiding the worst of the issues as best they could, he aimed to take the shortest route out of the woods and hazard a longer trek back to the village to avoid mudslides and tree falls.
It was a good day, a full day though the village was large. He was sure Svetlana could make the meat and vegetables last.
Garess possesses strength that translates well into his swings and thrusts, making them difficult to evade and parry. However, his form is sloppy, and there is a conviction lacking in his strikes. At first you believe that he is holding back to avoid injuring you. However, watching his movements and his face for clue to his strikes, you soon grow to suspect that he is subconsciously sabotaging his efforts with self doubt.
.....
At the trading post, as the winds swell and the stinging droplets begin to fall, Ahto spurs the indentures into action, and they work to secure the worksite with canvas to protect the materials from the storm.
Likewise, Garess orders his guards to secure their tents and gear to ensure that nothing is blown away or damaged.
Using an empty box as a gaming table, in the shelter below one of the watchposts, Sams tosses dice with one of the guards and one of the indentures, who hide from both the elements and their labor.
Yet is was grandfather who provided him with an edge at times. Strong swings from Garess that he knows he shouldn't have been able to parry he miraculously did. Truly it was a triumph of technique over brute force. AT the same time it showed Paval he still had a lot to learn. As a large part of his win was actually due to Garess defeating himself.
When the storm was about to hit they had to break it off to prepare. Paval aided Garess and his mercenaries. "That was a good duel, we should spar more often. Perhaps some of your men could also do with some practice beyond dummies."