No, but Mallichatti get you to shore. Looking closer the waterfall is going down 50 feet. It looks real impressive.
Toran hops out of the boat and walks towards the edge of the waterfall, staring over, That was closer than I'd have liked. Did anyone have maps showing that this was here?
Your "maps" are mostly heresay. That a good part of the reason you are exploring.
Riva searches for a side path down the cliff and beckens the others to carefully carry the boat down to the lower river bed. She takes her time, mapping out the surroundings as they go. Once safely back on the water the party resumes their journey.
The detor takes 4 hours. Man that boat feels heavy after while.
You keep rowing on your way getting out every now and then to explore the hex. In Hex B46 you come arcross Fort Serenko.
This wooden fortification has stood for years on the southern border of Brevoy, but with the growing tensions between Rostland and Issia, the soldiers and scouts stationed here have been recalled to Restov. The fort itself is abandoned—an examination of the fort reveals evidence that it was abandoned in a swift but orderly manner.
Riva makes note of it in her logs and maps before urging the others to move on. "If there is anything to be found here, we can look for it after we have determined what's become of our neighbors."
Exploring hex 47C you only find the edges of mountains. Gain 25 xp for clearing the hex.
In the next hex give me a DC survival check and a perception check. If anyone gets a survival check over 12 everyone gets a +4 bonus on their perception check.
You see wheeling buzzards in the sky above following them you find the son of a well to go man from you kingdom. Or at least his body. It seems that Tomin Hanvaki fell into this gulch, breaking his fool neck in the process.
"Poor bastard. Should we get him?"
I meant "well to do" not "well to go"
Exploring hex 47C you only find the edges of mountains. Gain 25 xp for clearing the hex.
In the next hex give me a DC survival check and a perception check. If anyone gets a survival check over 12 everyone gets a +4 bonus on their perception check.
"Do you think there will be a reward for his return?" asks Riva coldly. "If one of you wants to go down there, I can cast feather fall to catch you. We can then lower a rope for you to get yourself and the body back up. Valissa and I can provide cover from up here if anything goes awry."
Toran backs away, I went to save the drowning lady and look how that turned out, I'll take a pass this time around.
Riva calculates the depth of the gulch.
30 feet
You get the body (which is starting to smell). It weighs 150 pounds.
Riva searches the body for signs of valuables.
If he carries a family token or something, then we should take care to deliver it along with the body.
Riva casts gentle repose upon the body to eliminate the smell and to keep it from decomposing further, and mending to stitch up the torn clothes. Furthermore, she cleans the body with prestidigitation and takes steps to conceal any injuries, making the corpse somewhat presentable. Finally, she wraps it in sack cloth and loads it onto her wagon.
Tomin wears a mother of pearl brooch worth 100 gp.
Also you don't have a wagon. You have a boat.
Riva pockets the pearl brooch.
"This will be safer with me until we can return it to his family."
I thought you were going down the Kiravoy River. Seeing as that goes straight to Varnhold.
I thought you were going down the Kiravoy River. Seeing as that goes straight to Varnhold.
Ah my mistake. Unfortunately you seem to have taken a wrong turn.
"We seem to have gone too far. We must have gotten turned around at the waterfall. Might as well carry on. There is a road not too far ahead. We can still explore the pass on the way back, after we've stocked up on more provisions."
As you continue to Hex 50D you find that the hex is actually well developed There are farms roads and even a bridge across the river. How in all you exploring you do no see a single person. There are only empty farm houses. No sign of a struggle.
Gain 25 xp for clearing the hex.
Well I guess I'll assume you want to move on.
Most of Varnhold’s buildings are constructed of fieldstones up to a height of about 3 feet, with wooden planking and even some frame and stucco above that. The windows bear shutters and are unglazed unless otherwise noted. Roofs are uniformly shake shingles. A few dwellings, however, are still the sod dugouts constructed in the colony’s earliest days. The primary buildings of the town are an inn, a church of Erastil, a town livery, a small brewery, and the local grange, where farmers can stockpile their produce for trade and sale. The town is constructed around a ford of the Kiravoy River, above which stands a low, flat-topped hill. Atop this hill stands the hewn-log stockade and blockhouse built for the colony’s defense—the seat of Varnhold’s lord governor, Maegar Varn.
Here is a map. I can't figure out how to copy it from the pdf.
This next section is a very complicated bit that is going to be hard to do with pbp so bare with me.
...the colony’s defense—the seat of Varnhold’s lord governor, Maegar Varn.
Let's go there, with as little fanfare as possible. (Though we aren't being sneaky.)
Perched atop a low hill, this triangular fortification looms over the town. A palisade of sharpened stakes leaves enough gaps for archers within to fire out upon the surrounding hillsides. The southern corner of the fort both have twin watch platforms and the northern corner is anchored by a soild-looking blockhouse of sturdy timbers. A thin column of smoke drifts upward from a fire in the stockade's compound.
The walls are 8 feet high.
As you walk forward you see a flare shoot into the sky.
"That's an odd sight."
I wonder what such signals are used for here.
The fort is building #17. Are you walking there by the path or cutting across?
A flare could mean anything. Some sort of prearranged signal. However the it is most likely to signal your coming unless you happen to have an odd sense of timing.
Perception checks.
Riva sees a Camouflaged Pit Trap in the middle of the road.
Riva warns the others, casts heightened awareness, then steps around the pit. She also casts raiment of command. Finally, she prepares chastise in place of heightened awareness and, when nearer to the fort's walls, casts that as well.
Seeing as she was expecting to speak with city officials, Riva's spell list is a little different today.
3rd (4/day) – haste
2nd (6/day) – blindness/deafness, raimant of command
1st (6/day) – heightened awareness chastise, magic missile, shield, silent image
0 (at will) – detect magic, light, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, sift
These are in addition to the ongoing spells she normally casts on herself at the start of each day (false life, mage armor, protection from arrows).
Remaining Spell Slots:
3rd (4/day)
2nd (3/day)
1st (3/day)
Arcane Reservoir Remaining: 2
As you walk forward you notice some times
# 7
A greensward occupies the center of town. A few trees grow
around an unoccupied pillory, and a well has been dug at the
southern end.
Building # 8
This long, low building partially surrounds a yard encompassed
by a split-rail fence. A sign above a wide, barn-like entrance
shows harness for a horse and a blacksmith’s anvil. Despite
the abandonment of the village, it appears that many mounts
and a great deal of livestock were left behind, trapped in the
livery and yard. A half-dozen horse carcasses, decomposing
and ravaged by the crows that continue to pick at them, lie
sprawled in the yard.
Building # 9
This modest cottage is neatly kept and has curtains hanging
aske in its windows. The door has been koocked down.
Building # 12
A two-story inn stands just off the village commons. A sign
above the door depicts a rider clinging to the back of a madly
galloping horse with a green mane and a fish’s tail extending
from its hindquarters. The inn’s walls are painted a cheerful
shade of yellow to complement the red shutters. On the front door the word NOMEN is hastily scratched.
Toran glances around as he walks through the town, turning to Riva after he sees the inn and asking,
You know what NOMEN means? It might explain why no one is here except for whoever set the flare.
The Nomen Centaur Tribe are big time isolationists. Also most of the them are rangers or druids.
"It's the name of a local Centaur tribe, Toran. They're traditionally isolationists though."
"Do you think the people here might be under siege, Mal?"
"Maybe. It's not like bandits or raiders to leave behind livestock and horses."
Moving down the path
# 10
the front door of this one
has been broken down. A small yard adjoining the house and
surrounded by a low picket fence holds the smashed remains of
many clay vessels and statuettes.
# 14
This cottage has cheerful curtains in its windows. A number of
wooden children’s toys lie abandoned in the front yard.
a half-starved calico cat hiding beneath
the porch and watches the party warily.
Riva ignores the cat.
"A wildshaped Nomen spy perhaps?" she wonders to herself.
# 15
This giant barn has both a cargo door on the front and a smaller
door on the side where a lean-to abuts the structure. The strong
odor of barley and other grains wafts through the seams in the
clapboard walls.
# 16
Looks like it was ransacked by someone desperately searching for something.
When you come within 180 feet of the fort a bunch of bolts shoot towards you from arrow slit in the fort. Mostly towards Riva the obvious leader (buff).
Riva's
Toran's
Mallichatti
Vallisa
They are shooting from a range of 180 feet
Initiative
Round 1
Mallichatti
Riva
Toran
Vallisa
Archers
Trusting in her wards to protect her, Riva simply ignores the crossbow bolts, not even bothering to dodge them. Several of the bolts simply bounce off of her face and chest just as surely as though they had struck a stone wall, leaving her wholly unharmed.
"How dare you assault the leaders of your peaceful neighbor, Caerulus!? We have come to treat with Maegar Varn of the Varnling Host, not to make war upon Varnhold!"
Standing beside her, Toran raises his hands to show that he does not hold a weapon, nor does he fear those who have attacked them,
Hold your fire! We are the rulers of Caerulus and come as friends. Stand down and allow us entry, for we would speak with you as allies, not enemies.
Using Intimidate to change an opponent’s attitude requires 1 minute of conversation. So do you want to stand there and let them shot at you for 10 rounds or better yet walk forward slowly? That should look very intimidating.