Your group travels for several days. At first you see and pass many other travelers and small groups, but as the road winds up into the foothills of the Fang Mountains and you get further away from Ravengrow, you see fewer and fewer folk.
Finally, passing through moorland and even more dark and dismal foothills, you come out into the valley containing the city of Lepidstadt. As dusk comes ever closer Vraxel comes up short and waits for his 3 companions to reach him. Ahead on the road you can see about a dozen traveling home-wagons and multiple people milling about them. The wagons are pulled off the side of the road just a bit and some of the folks appear to be pretty animated about something.
Do I know about these traveling people?
Do I know about these traveling people?
[dice=knowLocal]1d20 + 9
You are to far away (about 1/4 mile) to be able to identify anything specific about this group, and didn't read much about economics and logistics during your time at University. You know that merchant groups usually travel in small caravans like this for security reasons, but there also a large number of gypsy bands that travel from town to twon.
I say we approach them and see what's up.
I agree Vraxel.
Move closer to get a better view and study situation before closely approaching.
You move up and observe the scene: The wagons are pulled by poor quality horses and are gaudily painted and depict strange figures. Each wagon is clearly marked 'The Crooked Kin-Ustalav's Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities!'.
The small group of 5 people milling about in front of one of the wagons seem to be having a relatively heated discussion about something.
Swagger up to the five with my thumbs hooked behind my belt.
Loud enough to interrupt the heated discussion.
"Hello fellow travelers, can we be of assistance?"
There are two women crying pitifully. They seem fairly normal, except for the fact that their heads are about 1/2 normal size. Next to them a small boy that looks almost like a wolf club is howling uncontrolably.
An enormous woman (7') with a beard and an exotically dressed woman with 4 arms appear to be trying to comfort the woman. Behind one of the wagons (where you couldn't see before), an even larger man (8') with greenish skin and a small aboriginal looking man with no arms or legs but somehow floating in mid-air are talking intensely with a small hunch-backed man and three men all with extra limbs (one has 3legs, the others have 3 arms).
Hearing your greeting, the huge woman calls out in a deep voice Ho traveler, maybe you can but that's for Kaleb to decide. Kaleb! We have a halfling out here that is offering to help us with our problem!
Out from the wagon the group is surrounding, steps an albino man with red eyes and nlong, white hair that hangs below his knees, he wears a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers.
In a clear pleasant voice, Hail little friend! You wish to help us eh? Help freaks and misanthropes? Well Desna smile on all of us then and finally sends us someone to aid us instead of mock and scorn us. We of the Crooked Kin have lost one of our members-Fair Aleece. She went wandering off down into that small boggy river valley over there and we have been arguing amongst ourselves about what to do next. If you can find her and bring her back I will reward you with a magic dagger. What do you say friend?
Cast Message on Vraxel, Randtam, and Alamin.
I move forward and greet the group. Figure I look the least fearsome of our group. Or maybe a bad idea because I look the most normal...
Good day.
"Well met Kaleb, I would be happy to look for Fair Aleece, can you describe her? And if you are familiar with this area maybe you know what dangers may lurk along the boggy river?"
Kaleb-seeing Randtam approach Oh-ho, two of you is it? And those your friends further back? cups his hands and yells towards Alamin and Uuranx, COME ON OVER! WE JUST LOOK SCARY!. Back to Vraxel She was a young lady of maybe 16 years. Sweet as could be, but maybe not the smartest of girls... Maybe 5'4" and thin as a stick. Black hair, brown eyes, and a smile like the dawn. Don't be knowing about no dangers now, and that's a fact! I'm smart enough to keep me and my wagons on the road and not wander off into...that mess. Like I said, bring her back and this magic dagger of mine is yours to have as a reward. I'll not be offering more, just because you have friends.
Advances to Randtam, Vraxel, and the wagons. Stands quiet and cautious at the odd looking travelers.
If you decide to accept Kaleb's offer eveyone make some survival rolls to see if you can pick up Aleece's tracks.
I say we help them out.
Look around for the girls tracks.
After a brief search you find a clear trail running about 1/2 a mile into the boggy river valley. As you progres midges and other bugs swarm about you nipping and biting as the reeds get higher and higher. The denseness of the reeds makes the going difficult and Uuranx is forced to crush a way through them so the others can follow. The ground gives way to water and Aleece's tracks vanish underneath the murky depths.
Another Survival/tracking roll please.
"Damn bugs, making it hard to concentrate."
The +1 is for Ranger tracking, add 1/2 level to survival (forgot it last roll)
Look and listen for the girl as well or any items she may have dropped.
Uuranx and Vraxel do their best, but do nothing but muddy the waters and make things worse. Vraxel takes a second and strains his keen ears to listen and thinks maybe, just maybe he hears the sound of soft crying about a 100 yards ahead in a small clearing surrounding a pond.
"Uuranx, I think I hear some crying over there, about 100 yards ahead, can you clear the way?"
I point in the direction of the small pond and clearing.
Head over that way
You move in that direction. About 3/4 of the way there you hear the scream of a young girl. Ahhh! Help me!
"Ok, keep going Uuranx, be prepared for anything, these folk are a bit different."
Hurry towards the scream
As Uuranx rushes towards the sound of the voice, a large spider-like monster with an eeire, humanoid face surrounded by a shaggy mane of fur suddenly appears and savagely bites Uuranx for .
It disappears after biting him...
Aarrrgg!! Some freaky spider bit me and disappeared! What the frak!
Looking, listening, smelling for the spider thing.
Cast Mage Armor
Looking, listening, smelling for the spider thing.
[dice=perception]1d20+13
You don't see or sense anything.
~detects evil~
I don't sense anything!
Move action towards Uuranx.
If I have another round, I will cast shield, AC now 20
If I have another round, I will cast shield, AC now 20
I'll wait for Randtam's action in the first round.
Hear message from Uuranx
Cast mage armor and
Looking for a way to help....
Randtam recognizes the creatures from a book he once read about the ethereal plane. They are called Phase Spiders and like to hunt by phasing into the material plane, biting thier foe with poison, and phasing back to the ethereal plane before they can get hit.
That attack is successful during a surprise round or any round they can win the initiative.
The spider again materializes, but this time the group is prepared and all but Uuranx may take an action before it returns to the Ethereal.
The spider snaps at Alamin as it moves but she blocks it with her shield.
[dice=PSInit]1d20+7
[dice=AlaminInit]1d20+6
[dice=RandtamInit]1d20+5
[dice=UuranxInit]1d20+3
[dice=VraxelInit]1d20+11The spider again materializes, but this time the group is prepared and all but Uuranx may take an action before it returns to the Ethereal.
My iniative is +6 now due to dexterity point.
Confused by the unique method of the spider's attack everyone misses, but in turn the spider misses dodging the various blows.
Uuranx up then the 3 amigos then the spider than Uuranx again.
Now I cast shield on myself, AC 20
Cast mage armor on myself AC 16
Uuranx loads up on more magical protection as Alamin swings again and misses again. Randtam casts a spell of protection on himself. Vraxel jumps in placing two daggers where they can do some harm causing the hideous face on the spider body to hiss as it bites at him but the pain drives it to distraction and it misses badly, fading back to the Ethereal.
Uuranx's action, then 3 amigos, etc.
16
That spider is gone before I can even swing at it! Cursed beast!! Swing my axe in a defensive pattern.
-I don't see what options I have-
That spider is gone before I can even swing at it! Cursed beast!! Swing my axe in a defensive pattern.
-I don't see what options I have-
Readied action to strike the beast. It should go off simultaneous to it's attack on you. If you don't roll it by the time the other 2 post I'll do the honors.