Ptolus: City by the Spire

Game Master EltonJ

"As long as you abide our laws," says the leader. "We will allow you to traverse our swamp."

"Then tell us of your laws so that we do not take them in vain."

"As long as you abide our laws," says the leader. "We will allow you to traverse our swamp."

Rribak looks at the elder with surprise, then shrugs.

"Okay... probably be best if we travel together. Nobody bother you if you with us. Come," the Grippli turns and motions for them to follow. "We take you to our boat."

The grippli leads the group to a long shallow boat. There is a rounded shelter towards the rear of the boat, and a number of grippli are aboard, performing various tasks. On the front part of the boat, a grippli body is wrapped with a burial shroud and bedecked with garlands of flowers.

"Yes, whole family live on boat. Is the Rivermen way. We have to go to sacred island to bring body for burial. Please leave body alone."

"Our boat not built for big people... so you can follow in your boat. Um... you have boat? If not, maybe we build raft. We can show how."

"Then tell us of your laws so that we do not take them in vain."

Rribak looks over the group, and shrugs.

"Most laws same as anywhere. Don't hurt people. Don't steal things. Don't go into house without invitation. You know," says Rribak.

"Just one thing. When we get close to Sacred Island, you not allowed to go there. Because sacred. Only Hr'op-Shtavor guardians of dead are allowed. So you go around. Okay? Grippli get very angry if ousiders trespass there."

Just so you're aware, we have like 50 ratfolk with us =D

I remember, Rribak might not.

I didn't realize it was that many. :)

"I don't think this group will all fit on your boat, Master Rribak. Perhaps we can follow you from the shore and find a spot to make camp?"

"This is a swamp; there is no shore. Just a few islands here and there."

"If you want to proceed, you can wade, or swim, or make rafts."

"There are many of you; if you all work at making rafts it won't take too long."

Assuming the ratfolk can be convinced to work for themselves, they can make rafts too.

All right then

Shellin will try to explain the situation to the rat folk.
”Would your people be willing to pitch in on rafter making?”

Tony leaned in.
"Otherwise we'll be waist deep in stinking mud and 'gators." He said helpfully.
Diplomacy Aid Another: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 Success by the skin of his teeth! +2 to Shellin's Diplomacy!

The ratfolk leaders nod, and they start making the rafts. by taking 20.

"If the big people do the wood cutting, and the normal-sized people like me do the tying-together of logs, this will go faster," Rribak suggests.

Rribak and some of his family join in the work.

Rribak doesn't have craft (wood) but can just make untrained checks. Taking 20 probably isn't necessary for building something as simple as a raft. Rribak can get an 11 by taking 10, and will aid another.

Kali will take her warscythe to the trees to help provide materials.

Kali will take her warscythe to the trees to help provide materials.

It would be more efficient if you had an axe. But alas, no axe, right?

Just my Scythe and lots of strength!

Vallus contributes as best he can, but his mace is ill suited to woodwork.

I recommend that you all take 20 in building your rafts.

Anyone got any skills that would apply to raft building? I sure don't.

Unless the raft needs last rites or it seems suspicious, I'm pretty much working with nothin'.

Tony, a city boy ill equipped for raft making by skill or equipment, takes his time and does his best with rope and logs.
(Takes 20)20-1=19

Uhhhh...
Knowledge Nature (to find the best trees): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Shellin tried to help by selecting good materials for the boats, before crafting his own
Taking 20 =24 Craft

Taking 20 on a craft check will get me a 21.

A raft is really simple to build, probably DC 10, and those who have a negative INT bonus can just roll to try to Aid someone else.

Taking 20 implies trying to make the same raft 20 times over until you get it "perfect." Probably not necessary. In the same amount of time a group could try to build 20 rafts, and probably succeed at least half the time.

After you got the rafts built, you see the wetland denuded of any good trees, allowing the newer trees to get a good, head start. The rafts look ready to take the ratfolk to their new home. Fortunately, the sacred isle doesn't seem to be on your map, and Rribak might be able to help you get the ratfolk to their new home.

With the rafts built, Shellin feels their contract with the ratfolk,
being to escort them to the swamp, has met its end. He approaches Rribak.
"Rribak, is their someone among your tribe who would be willing to guide these ratfolk down the river from here, to a place where they might make a camp?"

"I s'pose I can do that," Rribak says. "Someone gonna have to keep you out o' trouble while' you're here."

"We can go that way," Rribak points to a broader stretch of water between the soggy trees. "We call it 'river' because water is deeper there and current is stronger. But it is still swamp like the rest round here. Just easier for boats."

"Lemme check wi' m' family."

Rribak goes over to the other Grippli to confer with them.

GM: seems like this would be a good spot for Rribak to part ways with the other Grippli NPCs unless you want them to come along. Or, the NPCs could do this if you want the players and ratfolk to part ways. But then Rribak would need some reason to go with the party.

So its been a bit, I'll toss out an idea.

Maybe your people want to reclaim land from the swamp. The methods for doing this require alot of raw materials (like sand and dry dirt) that are difficult to haul and to apply.

Your shaman believes that with the ability to control the water, the reclamation process could be simplified.

Thus, they ask you to gather resources to conscript the purchase of these items from a wizard (maybe within the swamp or to purchase it from a city wizard.)

Either way, this wizard wants something in return for making magical items(Ex. making for Muleback Cords for hauling or a Staff of Control Water). This something requires you travel to Ptollus, or to supply at Ptollus and travel further.

Maybe your people want to reclaim land from the swamp. ...

I don't see why they would want to do that. Grippli like swamps. It's their natural habitat and they are good swimmers and can catch fish. Also, since most other races don't care for swamps, it keeps their territory relatively safe, since nobody wants to take if from them.

Since the grippli of the Hr'op Shtavor are very superstitious about their remains, some members of the clan are sent away when a grippli is believed to have died somewhere and their corpse was not recovered. So some grippli are sent to retrieve these bodies for proper burial. These retrievers typically travel alone, and if it was convenient to the adventure Rribak could be sent off as one of them.

It's my fault that you've waited so long. I thought some party members were going to confer with one another.

Your family says they don't mind that you, Rribak, can go out and adventure for a while with the humans.

"What do you want to do, Rribak," one asks.

GM: Do you want Rribak to join the party at this point and then the NPC grippli take the NPC ratfolk to somewhere they can settle? Or are we still escorting the Ratfolk?

GM: Do you want Rribak to join the party at this point and then the NPC grippli take the NPC ratfolk to somewhere they can settle? Or are we still escorting the Ratfolk?

It was settled that Rribak would join the party, and the npc Grippli will take the ratfolk somewhere else to settle.

"Looks like you are with us then, Rribak." says Kali as she makes to start walking back towards the city.

It was settled that Rribak would join the party, and the npc Grippli will take the ratfolk somewhere else to settle.

Oh, was it? I asked but I didn't see a response.

Assuming then that the party has mentioned where they were from and that they are heading back...

"You are from Pholus, yes?" Rribak asks. "Long time ago, Brbeli Hrabatu, a grippli from our tribe, went to big city. He was famous for singing. But he never came back, and no one knows what happened to him. No one wanted to go to get his bones 'cause it was so far, so he never got proper burial."

"Maybe I come with you, see if I can find him. Besides, I always want to see big city. Yes?"

"I'm not a native to the city, but I'd be willing to help you find your body if you'd be willing to help me find my brother."

"Aye and with a will!" Said Tony, dreaming of a bath in a nice four star inn while distastefully brushing at the mud spatters encrusting his clothing.
"And then you can aid us in pursuing that Shulikar fellow! At least he has a bounty we can share, unlike todays good deed." He said glumly.

”Well, we should earn some good faith credit with the guards at least. We solved the overpopulation problem, in a permanent fashion, as per request.”

His smile pleasantly returning, Shellin turns to Rribak. ”The more the merrier! Shellin would be happy to have you with us.”

"Do many people disappear in big city?" asks Rribak. "Maybe you have crocodiles there too? I know how to deal with crocodiles."

Rribak gets out of the boat and begins heading back towards dry land.

"It seems like everyone has a finding-people quest. All the same. Maybe destiny that we met, yes. May as well get going."

Ready to move on... don't think there's anything else we need here.

The weather is still good for it. In fact, Kali is already on her way back to Ptolus.

”It looks like we best hurry, lest Kali leave us all in the dust!”

With that Shellin will hurry after Kali

As does Tony

Vallus shrugs and waves to the rats and grippli. "Farewell and good luck! May the angels watch over you!" He runs to keep up with Kali and the others.

You catch up with Kali. It wasn't hard to do. At least you made it by the barbarian's side. And you are on your way back to Ptolus. The weather is still good for it.

Kali appears to be humming a tune as you approach, and she has pulled a whippoorwill from the swamp and is idly swishing it back and forth in time to her tune.

Tony tipped his plumed hat back and grinned as he matched Kali's stride, his crossbow slung jauntily across his shoulder.

Rribak hops along with the others, his google eyes looking to and from as they leave the swamp into open country.

"Not much to hide behind around here," he says. "How far is the city?"

Isn't a whippoorwill a bird?

I thought they were also the name for what we used to call cat's tails growing up.

It doesn't matter right now. Cats tails or bird. What does matter . . .

Is an encounter die. 1d20 ⇒ 5

"WHy is Kali biting the head off a bird?" Vallus mutters to Tony. "Is that a barbarian thing?"

^Hah

Shellin will pull a book titled Reinkarr and the Dragon from his backpack and read quietly to himself as they walk.

As they walk and the party chatters, he feels the need to add something.
"Shellin hopes the weather holds. He hates having to dry out his books."

At that moment, a Rougarou (Bestiary 6) jumps out of the brush in front of you.