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It is after nightfall in late winter.
Ambassador Krippler, the village mayor, has called an emergency town meeting. He has listed several people who are missing, and it seems to be happening at the Pass of Thaldor. He has called for volunteers to investigate, and you have answered his call.
The mayor is very grateful to you volunteers, and wishes you well. There is applause from the townsfolk, though it is sombre and brief.
“We need to know what has happened to these people. It is inconceivable that a corps from Vigil would be lost.”
The dwarf stares out the window for a moment, lost in his thoughts and memories. You remember that he wears the Shields of Vigil on both palms.
Supplicants [to citizenship in Vigil] must first present themselves to a Tribune, state their reasons for desiring citizenship, and receive the Shield-Mark, a mark of justice upon the right palm in the shape of a Lastwall shield, sealing their oaths of loyalty to support the crusade and its ideals, and swearing to treat citizens and strangers alike with fairness, honesty, and respect. Aspiring Vigilant soldiers must approach a Precentor Martial in the same way, receiving the Sword-Mark, a second mark of justice upon the left palm in the shape of Iomedae’s symbol, swearing to faithfully serve their commanders, to protect the life of any citizen in danger (even at the risk of their own), and to temper justice with mercy and uphold the best of the crusader ideal.
”If you head off at first light you will reach the Monument around noon, and the Pass is only another hour beyond that. Don’t forget to take these.”
Krippler waves towards the wand and scrolls on the table with his good arm.
”May Iomedae be upon your shoulders. We will see you soon.” He smiles at you with tears in his eyes.
Abruptly, he closes the meeting, dismisses you, and limps out the door.
You, the volunteers, linger behind in the room as everyone else leaves.
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"Well, seeing as were going to be going off together on this "Little" voyage it is best if we familiarize ourselves with one another." Grobnar gives a slight bow before continuing. "Grobnar Spinfoodle at yer service."
Grobnar is a young and chipper gnome who always seems to be in a good mood even in the most dire of times. He is shorter than most of his short race and wears a ridiculous feathered hat that is far to big for his head at all times.
If no one else wants, Grobnar would take the scrolls.
Drakr grunts as Grobnar introduces himself, looking around the room taking a measure of his new allies tugging on his long dirty blond coloured beard. He gives a curt nod to Pedro and then says in a rumbling voice "Drakr Graknspire, the axe is my game." he wears banded armour and a dwarven waraxe and heavy shield are strapped to his back.
A slender young half-elf stands and takes her turn at introducing herself. "Pleased to meet all of you. My name is Lorelei."
Seeing no one make a move for the scrolls Grobnar silently walks over to them and pockets them. "Might as well make a use for em I say, What about the wand any takers I got me own so..."
Emong pops out from nowhere, with a black raven upon his shoulder, as you reach for the scrolls.
"Very handy, these will be, Worc says so. Tis all that I could write today. Mayor-Ambassador-dwarf-Krippler approached me this morning, asking what I could do to help. Worc here," the (slightly mad) gnome says, gently scratching the neck of the raven on his shoulder, "suggested some scrolls will be useful. So I did as he says, as I often do, and I wrote furiously for all day. Now, yes, see, the writing is a little rushed, and Worc has chided me for it, but if you bear with me a few minutes I will show you what each scroll does for you.
"Yes, Worc, I'll be quite careful to explain it all properly."
Jobo doesn't use scrolls or wands, but he appreciates what they can do. Speaking of wands, I have a wand that makes me big, but I need someone else to use it. I find fighting big is better than fighting medium or (no offense to the little ones) fighting small.
A large 6' 5" young man with a slightly lanky build stands with an assortment of large two handed weapons on his back. He is wearing chainmail and has a bandolier of hammers and axes. He is not particularly appealing and does not improve his appearance with the local hair style of his tribe sometimes referred to as a mullet.
"Well met everyone.
Drakr stamps his foot and taps his hand on his side impatience all over his lined face. "Do we set out immediately or wait for first light? I vote for immediately. Either way I'm gonna have to go home first and get my weapons."
"Grobnar, as you already have two wands already to manage, would not Lorelei be better able to handle this?"
For some reason Jobo seems to be more interested in the attentions of Lorelei. His "moves" are quite limited and consist solely of flexing his muscles like an amateur body-builder. Luckily he left his grease at home.
A druid in brown robes over his hide armor walks into the room. He pulls back the hood to reveal a plain face topped with brown hair. He looks at everyone present and raises a sprig of holly and mistletoe to grant them all a blessing.
"May the blessings of Gozreh be on all of us along the path we must walk."
I am considered impeduous, but I say go now and you magic guys make sure we take the magical booty.
Pedro returns Drakr's nod, and finds somewhere indiscreet to spit a long stream of tobacco juice, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
Pedro is wearing Studded Leather armor at the moment, but you can see that he has a bundled up Breastplate and accessories in a sack at his feat. He also has a strange Dwarven weapon at rest loosely in his right hand.
"Pedro's the name". "And I can smell an evil, no good, lying orc...which happens to be all of them...a mile away". "I'm ready to leave when everyone else is".
Bertholdt – you see nothing that strikes your fancy, nothing that is easily swiped. Though you begin to notice the smaller details. The Town Hall is well appointed. Taking the time to look about you realise that the Hall is quite expensively decked out. It is furnished with simple yet high quality furniture. The windows are double-glazed, the floor is marble and granite. The brass door handles and window latches are actually gilt. Thinking more on what you know of the other buildings, you realise that the town is actually quite wealthy, though no one wants to make a show of it.
TO THE PARTY – It is after nightfall in late winter. If you were to leave almost immediately, travel the well-maintained road through the night, you would arrive at the pass as the sun rises. Is that what you want?
Alternatively, you leave at first light and reach the pass about an hour after noon.
"Tradition in my tribe is to travel by day and sleep at night; that is my vote. Although this seems wise, I will not let my lack of dark vision hold up the bold and brave. Perhaps those star tatoos on your hands will gleam like a bright star and light the way."
"Hmph, Tradition is a good thing and I normally hold to the same one, but tonight there are men on the pass that need help."
Lorelei nods in agreement with what Drakr says and adds: "They could be laying there injured as we speak and may not last long enough for us to reach them if we delay our departure."
Some of you race home to gather pieces of gear that you feel you would otherwise miss. Others farewell loved ones with promises to return safely soon. Within the hour you are travelling north out of Cedarwood.
The road is well-maintained, as good as most roads in cities, all the way to the Pass and beyond, and cleared of undergrowth to about 20' either side of the road.
The moon is barely a sliver in the cloudless sky, and it is getting very cold, very quickly.
Drakr trudges along at his slow steady pace fully decked out with all his equipment. His banded mail armour covered with a fur lined cloak and a woolen cap pulled over his shoulder length blond hair, his shield now strapped to his left arm, he carries his axe in his right. He has an assortment of small axes and hammers tucked into his belt along with his beard and a morningstar slipped through a metal loop on his left hip. He also carries a full to bursting backpack.
Wulfrid is a tall man with short brown hair and an unkept beard. He wears an armor made of bands of metal and carries a massive shield strapped to his back. He looks like a cavalier or a mercenary, but sports a very un-cavalier weapon (a jagged waraxe) and a stern, angry look in his eyes.
My name is Wulfrid. Let's just go, our help is needed. He then stays silent for most of the time.
Right behind Drakr in second row - I assume he will be easier to see over and fight over than Wulfrid
If Lorelei doesn't want to take my Wand of Enlarge - it goes to Grobnar before we set out. I plan on waiting to rush into combat until enlarged as standard tactics by the way.
So since everyone else is in the front or scouting ahead, the ranger with night vision will pull up rear duty.
Lorelei will accept your wand, she'd just ask for a sign for whenever you wanted her to use it on you.
Lorelei will be near the back.
how's this order?
Pedro, Bertholdt
Jobo, Wulfrid
Grobnar, Conner
Lorelei
Drakr, Istivahn ?
"Sounds good, lets roll. I decided to dress warm too. I have some torches in my pack if we need light, I bought them for one copper piece each, but they don't seem much different than good wood I could have cut myself in the forest"
Jobo has added a bedroll to his load and has dressed in not so exotic furs. He seems to wonder if the city boys are laughing about their one cp torch scam at his expense.
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Grobnar is a light traveler and only brings a bed roll some simple rations and his small backpack containing his several books his notepad and his few adventuring supply's. He nervously says."I would be fine in the middle or far back I do vote on someone protecting the flanks so we are not cornered or ambushed."
Conner nods at the dwarf's suggestion for him to take the middle part of the marching order.
"So long as I'm alive, water should not be a problem for us. If someone wants me to cast Light on a torch or shield before we go, simply ask. Be warned, I can only have one such spell at a time. I would suggest using a torch if you plan to quickly hide it."
GM Post coming soon!
The air is frigid though still. Your breath forms mists and your toes begin to tingle with numbness as the cold seeps through your boots.
The road north is well maintained, being the main, some say only way into Cedarwood. It is certainly the only ‘road’ into Cedarwood. [Some of you would know the paths that lead into the Fangwood from the village.] Either side of the road is cleared of undergrowth to about 20’, and it gently undulates over the low hills. It winds its way around the large trees.
Those of you with darkvision can see that you pass several evidence of the harvested cedar trees (the rest of you have seen them before) – these are well over 200’ tall and still growing. You can see where some of the lower branches have been removed - branches that, judging from the size of the wound which remains, were at least 10’ wide.
With Darkvision the party can see 60’ ahead, behind and to the sides (it’s a good thing you brought a few dwarves along). The temperature drops well below freezing at around 1am. You are expecting to arrive at the pass as the sun rises, roughly 7am in this part of the world at this time of year.
You've been travelling 7 hours now. It is about 4 am.
Grobnar shivers in the cold and dryly comments "It is a bit chilly out" In a raspy voice. He keeps his eye out on the road to the best of his capability's to keep an eye out for the unusual.
Fort saves: 21
14
13
Perception:1d20+6
non-lethal damage
Jobo actually paid 8gp for this fancy winter survival suit (even more embarassing than paying 1cp for torches is paying 8gp for "off the rack" furs). He has a winter blanket he will loan to Grobnar.
As a barbarian with Survival training and wearing cold weather gear he is ready for "this fresh winter air."
"It always serves to be prepared!" When Drakr sees the gnome begin to shiver and shake he shakes his head. "All that fancy clothing ain't gonna do you no good out here!" He rumbles "Ya should of brought your own gear, but here try wrapping thus around you." pulling a winter blanket out of his pack and offering it to Grobnar.
Jobo actually paid 8gp for this fancy winter survival suit (even more embarassing than paying 1cp for torches is paying 8gp for "off the rack" furs). He has a winter blanket he will loan to Grobnar.
As a barbarian with Survival training and wearing cold weather gear he is ready for "this fresh winter air."
Jobo, the Good person that he is, sees our Small friend shivering, and offers him his Winter Blanket.
EDIT: Drakr gruffly thrusts another blanket around the gnome.