The Mouth of Doom (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

First!

Also sorry about the super meta post.

Ghae if I wanted to give you some plot seed info about the blight you are seeking, how would it have come to you? Via woodland creatures like Rhadaghast the Brown?

Because there's something perfect I just don't know how to set it up.

Up to you. Since I am the lazy one who has not yet written a background. Feel free to PM me or send me stuff. I figure that I trained with other druids. Also, I am still considering grabbing the World Walker archetype, so I could have been sent here.

Ok well I didn't this to feel rushed but there's no time to really colab on weaving you into the setting like Eli did with me. Maybe we just keep it vague so we can flesh it out later?

Works for me. I see the post you have in the IC thread and will incorporate that. Usually I create long detailed backgrounds, but can make a short one involving investigating this pestilence.

Ghae is more focused on those who would harm nature as opposed to stopping a specific outbreak, although she would definitely do all that she could do if disease were to begin to affect the trees and plants of the region.

Honestly that would have been a shoe in for the other game you first applied for. Total shoe in. But we'll work it, right?

I am sure that we can make it work. A dungeon full of monsters is just as much of a threat to nature as a pompous paladin who seeks to cut down all the trees to create more fields to feed his people. It is all in how one views it - gotta love that True Neutral alignment.

Ok, so...
-Ridley came to excavate the Mouth of Doom as an archaeologist.
-Hound is her bodyguard.
-Raziel had some connection with them back in Whiterush, where he wore out his welcome somehow. Gambling debts?
-Ogrim's reasons for coming here are unknown, but likely related to treasure.
-Eli is seeking something that slipped through his grasp long ago.
-Ghaelja has seen a sickness spreading and tracked it's origins here.
-Q?

Q came to town, a Paladin died, an alliance was forged in blood... I honestly hadn't thought about it much. I think his role is more happenstance, but there's something admiring about everyone else's determination.

Recap:

-All arrived by boat or by road on the same day, met at a tavern. Discovered their common interest in the dungeon.
-A map was found. A young girl was questioned about it and identified a couple of locations on it, which were promptly forgotten ;)
-A bar fight broke out with a rival party. The rival party contained at least two bad eggs, one delusional spoiled fool, a few misguided kids, and one victim of blackmail and coercion (and mind control?).
-The half-orc, liberated from his captor, announced he was leaving to rescue someone from a cabin. He said his captor had a device that was used to convey messages to the people holding his loved one captive and he probably wouldn't make it on time to stop her being killed if they didn't receive word.
-Ogrim shares that the dungeon is in one of the four hills south of Zelkor's Ferry.
-Tallie shares that there is a statue of a green demon pointing towards it somewhere out there.
-Old Russ shares that you can see the Cabin from the dungeon entrance.
-A device is found in the possession of the man who was blackmailing the half-orc and holding his loved one hostage. It is determined that the device transmits messages.
-The monk is about to be hung.
-Dinner will finally be served shortly thereafter.

Q came to town, a Paladin died, an alliance was forged in blood... I honestly hadn't thought about it much. I think his role is more happenstance, but there's something admiring about everyone else's determination.

No problem I was just throwing up the list of motivations to see if it sparked anything. I hadn't seen that you guys were already mobilizing over in the gameplay thread, that totally works too ;)

Isn't the cabin a well known location in the town? If we can see the entrance to the dungeon from there, then I think that the cabin should be our first point of exploration. In addition, it might be able to be used as a resting place.

Also, isn't there a witch that likes to eat children somewhere?

There aren't enough accidental adventurers in the world. I figure Q could fill that role.

So far you have asked three people about the cabin, one didn't know, one forgot, and one outright told you including what number it is on the map ;)

#4 I believe - of course I was not there when that discussion took place.

Something about the locals think it is haunted, but some boy from town spent a night there and was not harmed.

hahaha. Not #4 but you're on the right track! Of course your first idea of just striking out could also work.

Gameplay updated ;)

DM Grimmy, just dropping a note to say that Raziel will want to got to the hanging - if with all his conversation, the time seems to be near, he'll leave the others with the info he has gathered and go out.

Let's get some momentum back in the next couple days! The Wizard's Amulet is clocking a lot more combat which is ok because they need to catch up a level.

Looks like Ghaelja is another figurer-outer like Raziel which will help the group from stalling out at decision making points so that is good.

Hound is also full of surprises it seems.

He is always there. Watching...

I am updating the loot spreadsheet with what people request - I was planning on taking those scrolls of Vanish, or at least one of them. Maybe the manacles [it's a personal thing 8)], adn maybe the alchemist fire or the acid - will defer to anyone else that wants it though.

Start telling me what you want people - I'm gonna sell the rest :D

Hound wanted comp bow and 20 arrows.

Rasmus Pye will purchase pretty much everything but the red syrup and the tablet and quill for standard half-price.

What's the breakdown once things are sold? I'd like to pick up a a +2 composite bow... Maybe smoke arrows some tactical stuff.

Raziel has a link to the loot under his avatar. Rasmus Pye has everything under 220 GP in CRB for sale at standard price, plus a few things behind the counter.

Other merchants pass through from time to time, they use the ferry to cross the branch of the river going to and from the coast road.

Checking in again, still dealing with fallout from other people's...ineptitude...but baring any more crazyness I'll be back to normal in a few hours.

Q, only gonna do the math once people call out if they want anything - then I'll see what can be sold.

@DM Grimmy: What about purchasing gear, how high will he go? Or we'll RP it out?

We'll RP anything kewl he might have behind the counter but anything under 220GP is available for purchase at full price.

We RP what you can sell him normally too, but I already looked, everything you're selling will be accepted at half price this time (except red juice and tablet, not interested.)

Rasmus has a purchase limit of 1,000GP, and he doesn't take everything. Bigger dungeon hauls then that will have to be unloaded back in Bard's Gate or Whiterush, sometimes to merchant's passing through ZF, etc.

Edit: Clarity and omissions.

I will take the light crossbow and bolts if nobody else wants them.

EDIT - skip that, lacking crossbow proficiency makes using a crossbow rather less useful.

Q - I'm not sure about your +2 composite bow reference. I don't see it in the loot.

Raziel you want to make the spreadsheet editable by the others so they can claim what they want right in the tracker or will that be a cluster?

ANything I can do on my end to take some of the book-keeping off your hands, you are already doing the heavy lifting on puzzling everything out and taking notes on what is learned.

I'd rather not have everyone editing it or it may become a REAL cluster. Besides people need to decide who gets what before the spreadsheet is edited ;)

But I can give you access if you send your e-mail my way?

On my end, since you hold all the secrets, it would be cool once something is confirmed, to have it in the Campaign Info tab. For example, if we confirm the numbers on the map, you could add a list with the names for each, etc. Stuff like that.

Not selling that tablet, by the way ;)

Sounds good.

Hound has the Composite Longbow +1 str mod.

Updated campaign info tab with XP total and map keys.

Guys, just wanted to run another idea by you - While looking at the loot, I was thinking: perhaps we can arrange a permanent room for us here at the inn, or anywhere else, where we can store gear for later use, instead of selling it? I was thinking mainly arrows, rations, stuff like that?

In the meantime, I am assigning some items to some people - if you find it incorrect, let me know.

We sure no one wants that masterwork chainmail, buckler or rapier? Hound, why the heck are you not claiming the chainmail? Isn't it better than your scale?

I'm gonna sell it now - it is all worth about 700 gold in total (math done in the spreadsheet).

Okay, I will take the chainmail.

Lol - good thing you forced him to accept the chainmail.

Had to twist his arm ;)

Hound, gonna put the scale for sale then.

Note: The "Zelkor's Ferry Environs/Wilderness" map is the kiddie pool. If you guys venture outside of that into the regional map, you might be "playing up".

Hehe, so much to do and so little time.

I guess we can't just pass this up though... The group seems inclined to help the half-orc :D

I glanced through the list and think I'm good. Biggest issue being size.

TL;DR:

Recap:

-All arrived by boat or by road on the same day, met at a tavern. Discovered their common interest in the dungeon.
-A map was found. A young girl was questioned about it and identified a couple of locations on it, including a haunted cabin
-A bar fight broke out with a rival party. The rival party contained at least two bad eggs, one delusional spoiled fool, a few misguided kids, and one victim of blackmail and coercion (and mind control?).
-The half-orc Krull, liberated from his captors, announced he was leaving to rescue someone from a Shack. He said his captor had a device that was used to convey messages to the people holding his loved one captive and he probably wouldn't make it on time to stop her being killed if they didn't receive word.
-Ogrim shares that the dungeon is in one of the four hills south of Zelkor's Ferry.
-Tallie shares that there is a statue of a green demon pointing towards it somewhere out there.
-Old Russ shares that you can see the Cabin from the dungeon entrance.
-A device is found in the possession of the man who was blackmailing the half-orc and holding his loved one hostage. It is determined that the device transmits messages.
-The monk is about to be hung.
-Dinner will finally be served shortly thereafter.

Edit for clarity: Used the word shack for the hostage place, and cabin for the one you can see from the dungeon.

Update:
Ridley and Hound fooled the hostage takers, death of captive delayed.
Monk spared. Location of hostage shack learned.

XP:
200 Rollplay Ad Hoc
90 Hound's Recap
400 Company of the Crying Maiden
200 Location of haunted cabin near MoD learned
50 Death of hostage delayed
50 Location of hostage shack learned

990 total

Q I'm still paying attention, but since I had said in my post (and it was too late to edit it out when Raziel posted again) that I was on my way out when Raziel got back, I'll hold off on responding until the intervening time (his conversation with Ghae and the monk) catches up.

Ridley, Raziel, Hound, Ghaelja, and the Monk are all conversing near the gallows, between the guards barracks and the smithy, correct? I'm confused where Eli and Q are in relation to this.

Just did a gameplay post trying to remedy that, and perhaps having everyone together ;)

Yeah you had mentioned going to talk to Tallie about the extra room, which is when I posted and then you and the monk got to talking. You stole away for a second for that purpose and now Eli and Q (I think) are back with you trying to get some final bits of info from the monk. Now we're all caught up.

I get it now.

Everyone but Ogrim has voted to go save the hostage. My guess is he is going to be down too.

But...

In case any one missed it:

------------------------------------
WARNING!

The Zelkor's Ferry Environs Map is the kiddie pool.

Hex-crawling in the greater regional map is risky!

You might not hit anything crazy but you could.

If you do this job... an unlucky result on a random encounter table could put you in trouble.

Be prepared to run away from a fight if you have to!
--------------------------------------

Ok, other then that, ready when you are. Raziel took care of the loot selling/storing. All you gotta do is walk through those gates.

Muuahhhaaahahahha!!!

But...

In case any one missed it:

------------------------------------
WARNING!

The Zelkor's Ferry Environs Map is the kiddie pool.

Hex-crawling in the greater regional map is risky!

You might not hit anything crazy but you could.

If you do this job... an unlucky result on a random encounter table could put you in trouble.

Be prepared to run away from a fight if you have to!
--------------------------------------

Ok, other then that, ready when you are. Raziel took care of the loot selling/storing. All you gotta do is walk through those gates.

Muuahhhaaahahahha!!!

This is one of those things... There is really no way that the characters can ignore this situation - I mean, it is right there in their faces.

Adventurers simply do not say - "Hey, maybe we should let this one pass because the wilds may be too dangerous for us..." - it just doesn't happen :D

Just done the math for the loot - it amounts to around 73 gold each, which means we are like 2 gold shy of buying a horse each - Raziel can put up his 2 gold, and he will have around 7 gold left - we are brave, but POOR ;)

Ok well I didn't expect you to be able to afford the horses, so that will totally help. Less time hex-crawling out there = less random encounter rolls.