T1: The Village of Hommlet 5e Conversion (Inactive)

Game Master hiiamtom

Yeah, those traps are all ready for you, Glyph.

Arda is willing to use up any spell slots for healing as well including Elmo, and then dine there with them. As usual, she's usually quiet unless asked anything, and then nervously rambles quickly and for too long. Someday she might get used to polite dinner conversation, but today is not that day.

Then Arda hopes to accompany Glyph to see the rabbits liberated and Dink's fears calmed. Arda hates seeing one of her companions in such a frightful fit.

Glyph goes back to Brendanne

"Got your traps, do you have those rabbits ready?"

Brendanne sees the traps and says, These are great, go ahead take however many rabbit you want from the coop. My son Ricard will go with you to help you out.

A red-faced little boy that's about the same height as Glyph appears from behind his mother's apron and leads Glyph to the barn where he gives Glyph a half dozen rabbits in a brown bag.

"Thank you Ricard"

Glyph takes the bag back to Dink.

"Here Dink" handing Dink the rabbits "Hostage negotiations were successful. Now stay away from barns it appears the local culture is too much for you to handle."

I'm never doing this again... I hope

Glyph goes off to find a well earned supper.

If you guys are ready to head to the moathouse?

It will take more than one day to reach the moathouse. The exact amount of time needed is determined by your travel pace and navigation. You must choose to travel Quickly, at a Normal Pace, or Stealthily.

I also need you to pick a marching order. Just choose Front rank, Middle rank, or Back rank. The front and back ranks are on watch, the middle rank may choose a different activity.

In the middle rank you may choose to Navigate (make sure the group doesn't get lost), Draw a map (makes it easier to travel places you have already been), Track (if there is something to track), or Forage (find food and water from the land).

If you wish to travel more than 8 hours you can push yourselves to cover a few more miles in a day, but you risk exhausting yourselves.

I think Grimm will be in the front rank, and I feel we should travel at a normal pace. What say the rest of you?

Glyph will stay in the middle and Draw a map, he likes documenting. And a Normal pace will make sure we can adapt on the move and still get there in good time.

I'm assuming we can make checks as we get closer to the moat house for stealth?

I vote stealthily. Tis'kaliss will take front rank.

Yes, this is just for the road between Hommlett and the moathouse. Once outside the moathouse you can change your approach.

Marcus will be in rear rank.

I'm pretty sure Arda and Dink have highest passive perception (14) although not by a ton. Might be good for one of us to be in front and other in the back. I don't mind front (can wildshape and sneak ahead if ever necessary), but will defer to Dink if he has a stronger preference. My vote is stealthy pace since we are not in a major hurry, although I can live with normal pace.

I agree with Arda's reasoning I'll go in the rear rank, I'm for a normal approach until we get closer to the Moat house then I will be for a more stealthy approach. So I think this is what we have:

Front rank: Grim, Tis'kalis, and Arda
Middle: Glyph
Rear: Marcus, Dink

Given that Glyph is the only one in the middle rank and the way I'm reading the DM's comments does that mean Glyph needs to Map, Navigate and Track. I'm mean he's a bad ass gnome and all but that might be to much?

You don't have to do any of those things, they are optional roles to those in the middle rank instead of being on lookout - and you can only choose one per day. How does this sound:

Speed: Normal

Front Rank: Grim, Tis'kaliss, Arda
Middle: Glyph - Making annotations to Elmo's map
Rear: Marcus, Dink, Ragnaganon

Sounds good

Good! Onward to glory..lol

Dinkerdink musters in front of the inn for the expedition to the moathouse. He takes his place in the rear rank sandwiched between Marcus and Ragnaganon and trys to peek at Elmo's map before they leave.

Time for some DM stuff!

6d20 ⇒ (5, 10, 10, 12, 20, 7) = 64
8d20 ⇒ (13, 13, 5, 5, 14, 11, 6, 20) = 87
3d20 ⇒ (13, 10, 19) = 42
1d12 + 1d8 ⇒ (8) + (5) = 13, 1d100 ⇒ 73, 1d4 ⇒ 3
1d12 + 1d8 ⇒ (11) + (3) = 14, 1d4 ⇒ 3
4d20 ⇒ (16, 11, 12, 20) = 59

The weather crisp, typical for autumn, the group travels easily enough along the road east of Hommlet. The road is not well worn, but maintained well enough, clearly marking the path to "Nulb".

The hours pass with little excitement, but the animals are plenty and the area certainly doesn't feel like they have such a dark and evil history. Large trees dot the craggy foothills, and the road lays nestled in a several hundred feet wide gap cut between mountains. Annotating the map, Glyph realizes that they are at the crossroads Elmo indicated just before Grim spots the physical fork in the road a few minutes away. The wide road continues down the shallower slope of the mountain where trees become more dense and become a truly forested area. There are iron posts driven into the road forming a blockade, and wooden beams cross the road in thick bars with "DANGER, ROAD CLOSED" sloppily scrawled in several languages.

There is a new road that is narrower but well-made routed up the slopes completely with wooden slats to help wagons drive the slope. A sign clearly indicates that this is the "New Nulb Road". Despite the bright day, the forest in front of you seems to be too dark for the density and type of trees.

Arda looks around warily and quietly says to the others, "I don't know how much we should be trusting things around here. It's looking like the fey are a warrin' round these parts. Those little tricksters are usually up to no good when they aren't in a foul mood. Can't imagine what fey at war would be doing!"

She tries to nonchalantly point to the other writing on the sign hoping they aren't being watched.

"That's all and good but if we want answers on what is happening at the moat house we need to go down the dangerous road. Are you suggesting that we could be dealing with an illusion?"

Is the sign right, is that the way we should be going according to the map? Dink asks Glyph as he leans over his shoulder trying to get a glimpse of the map.

"I suspect the road was closed due to the dangerous nature of the forces occupying the moat house. So yes, toward the danger we go."

Well, of course we shall choose the more dangerous path. It is, afterall, why we are here.

Heading down the slope the road dives into the dimly lit forest, there is an odd sense of unease in the first as if you are being watched but there is little signs of being somewhere alien until you catch sight of some pixies that whisper to each other before flying off out of sight. Soon the old road turns into an overgrown path; tree roots, dead leaves, and weeds spring from the packed dirt and while it is easy enough to follow the travel slows in the terrain.

Within the hour you come to a stone wall about chest high on a human, with two crumbling statues flanking a stone archway. It looks like there was once a gate here but the gate was torn down, and any sign labeling the archway is missing.

Passing through the archway, you hear a distant rumbling growing louder.

Is the rumbling just a noise or is the ground shaking in an earthquake or stampede kind of way?

"Do one of you tall folk want to climb that wall and see what is making that rumbling sound?"

Grimm readies his weapons and says a quick prayer to Moradin.

The front rank can use Wisdom to try and determine the source.

Wisdom: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Wisdom: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Wisdom check: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Arda recognizes the sound of hooves hitting the ground, like a dozen horses racing towards the party. They are at most thirty seconds away.

Upon hearing the unknown rumbling sound Dink fears the worst and draws his hand axe, trying to hide on the side of the lane.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Tis'kaliss follows Dinkerdink's lead, trying to hide, and drawing his scimitars

Dex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

"What's going on? Why are you all scuttling off the road like a bunch of sand crabs?"

The dwarf checks his weapons and shield...trying to see what the others obviously have detected.

Glyph moves to the other side of the archway and moves close to one of the side walls and peers through the archway for the oncoming threat.

Arda says, "There's a pack of horses approaching fast! It appears threre's more than fairies around here!"

She moves to the left side along the wall and peers over, trying to see them approaching group.

Marcus draws his rapier and leans against the opposite side of the archway from Glyph.

Ragnaganon and Grim stand their ground as eighteen elk charge wildly down the overgrown road. The smaller elk dance around the group at full speed, racing through the archways and away.

Following behind, three large stags with full racks slow to a stop in front of the dwarves and begin to scrape the ground with their hooves and shake their heads showing their horns.

You may all take a single round of actions.

Tis'kaliss focuses on one of the stags, and decides, You are the one I will hunt. He readies himself for the charge, holding his scimitars out.

Casting hunter's mark. Readying an action to attack the stags is they come close.

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Possible Hunter's Mark damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Grimm hunkers down and prepares to doge out of the way of the charging elk.

He speaks to the creature in a soft, calming voice.

"Hey now ye overgrown cow, now just take er easy. We mean you no harm...ya stupid beastie! Just walk away and we wont be eating yer carcass fer dinner tonight!"

Glyph watches from the other side of the wall taking no action.

"Leave nature alone... unless it tries to kill you or you're hungry or it's good for research. Point is we should see if they want to harm us before we go off wasting our energy on stags."

Grimm calls back over to the gnome.

"Ya think I want to be messing with this thing? I'd be happy if it just wandered off and left us alone!"

Marcus remains silent a prepares to dodge if threatened.

Foolish dwarves, everyone else with sense got off the road, Dink complains to himself. Aloud he utters to the dwarves, "They're too big for me to talk to, but I think he wants you to get out of his way."

Grimm Wisdom: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

The stag front and center takes a step back, but doesn't leave. From deep in the woods there comes the growl of a large cat and then the yipping of an injured dog.

You can all take another action. There's still a lot of tension between these elk and the group.

Grimm will motion Ragnaganon to begin to slowly move off to the side of the road, letting the elk have space to continue on. He moves off to the opposite side that Ragnaganon go.

Marcus also begins to back away, clearing a path for the Elk. He maintains a readiness to dodge any threat.

Tis'kaliss hears the dog yelping, and vanishes into the trees to find the creature.

Dashing into the forest to find the dog and large cat.

Wisdom Check: 1d20 ⇒ 6