"Don't look at me Kieran, you work for the King now."
Tirnel looks at Ibram, clearly discomfited at not being in charge-What do you think Ibram; go now or in the morning?
Kieran looks uncomfortably at Ibram and steps from foot to foot-I'm ready when you are, uhmm your Majesty.
"I believe a fresh start in the morning would be best. Donel, why don't you show us around. I am interested to hear about all that has been accomplished here so far."
You are shown around Fort Milo which you are already familiar with but has been fully repaired. There is a new town outside the fort which is also walled. The king receives five unsolicited marriage proposals from mother's offering what they term their most beautiful and eligible daughters. Tirnel quickly tells them all that marriage proposals are being vetted by the Hand of the King to determine the most suitable match.
The next day, Kieran wakes the group before dawn hoping to get an early start.
The night before:
Well Ibram as long as Erastil doesn't have any problem with you using your...falchion...I suppose we won't need to worry about a succession plan for our Kingdom, whatever we name the land. Hopefully you can come up with a name sooner than later; calling it the Kingdom of Whateversland does not have the most inspiring ring to it.
Tirnel looks doubtfully at another mother and her offered daughter-I swear by the Weave, Ibram, any mother that can get through Svetlana to foist one of her seed on you could probably be used as our head diplomat or some such. More like you will end up with a nobleman's daughter to give Whateversland some additional wealth, prestige, and an ally to call on in time of need. Better you than me my friend.
Throughout the evening Tirnel continues to extol the virtues of making Milo and Keen-Eye Keep the Capital of Whateversland.
The next day:
Kiernan rises well before dawn, as is his habit, and prepares his kit for a hard day's march and an extended period in the wilderness. Arriving at the area he told the Lords to assemble he is not surprised to find them still a-bed. Soft little Lordlings. Adventuring is not the same as soldiering. I hope they can keep a brisk pace on the march.
He proceeds to wake the rest of the party, treading a fine line between brusqueness and some limited military courtesy. Desna bless us if we ever get ambushed while camping...
When the party is FINALLY ready he leads them West towards the location of the raided settlements-Come along my Lords. I'll try not to set too quick a march for you until you get your legs properly stretched. Do your best to keep your eyes open; we are headed towards the frontier and most of the land past a few miles of Fort Milo is plain wilderness and full of dangers; as the inhabitants of the village we are headed to would tell you if any of them still survived. Commander Donel says none of you are allowed to die on my watch so be careful.
Tirnel is excited to see new lands, although he is not quite as excited about the possibility of dealing with trolls. Before he sets out he acquires several skins of fast burning oil and several firestarters.
@Quinray in elven-I thought being a Lord meant we were done with adventure Quinray; maybe it only means the start of a new adventure, hey? I'll miss Svetlana's meals and a nice bed to lay in at night. ~sighs~ Have you thought anymore about what role you would like to play for King Ibram? A man of your talents would seem able to find a good home for himself in this new land.
"Well Tirnel, I've been thinking about a name for the kingdom. I remember in my paladinic training, reading about an ancient kingdom called Gran March. That name appealed to me, so I think we will appropriate it. What do you think?"
Ibram also picks up a couple of oil flasks.
Kentaur will also pick up a couple of flasks.
"Well Tirnel, I've been thinking about a name for the kingdom. I remember in my paladinic training, reading about an ancient kingdom called Gran March. That name appealed to me, so I think we will appropriate it. What do you think?"
Ibram also picks up a couple of oil flasks.
Anything's better that Whateversland. Hells, the Principality of Suckadicka would be an upgrade...
Speaking to Ibram-Gran March...in elvish we would call it 'ግራንድ መጋቢት' which loosely translates as 'Glorious Procession'. I like it-the name speaks to a March of progress, transformation and, hopefully, tranquility. Now if we can find a way to balance that progress without losing the pastoral quality of the areas we have pacified so far. I'm all for developed cities and areas of commerce, but I don't want to see The March turned into one of the Southern lands where you can't get away from the crush of bodies. Tirnel chuckles as he looks at Kentaur.
Provided Kentaur has detect magic memorized, Tirnel will memorize the cantrip 'spark' until the threat of trolls is abated.
I will memorize Spark for the next day instead of Guidance
"I've been bantering about your ideas/reasons for moving the capitol here, Tirnel, and I think I agree with you. Let's put it into motion."
Quinray any actions in town or on the march?
I will memorize Spark for the next day instead of Guidance
Then I shall stay with detect magic.
Kieran is unsurprised by the "Lord's" disdain in talking to their lessors.
Typical. Give a man a title and look how quickly he forgets that he was just a commoner before someone anointed him as special. Bah! No matter, I've served under worse officers than this I'm sure and I didn't earn my sergeant strips by being a cry-baby. Plus, this is easier duty than facing off against the barbarians of Numeria; filthy Kellids....
Wonder if the half-breed is a regular jamoke or another jumped up dandy. He's been awfully quiet so far.
Maybe Desna will be kind and we will find some young girls that need rescuing from their virginity...
After a long day on the trail the party arrives in the late afternoon at a destroyed settlement which consisted of two buildings, a dwelling and a barn, both of which seem to have been knocked down, not burned.
The settlement is about a 100 yards to the north of the Skunk River. Your trail more or less followed the Skunk River upriver and to the west from Fort Milo.
Let me have a look around before anyone mucks up what tracks remain,
and keep an eye out. Would not be unusual for any intelligent force to set up an ambush for rescuers.
These poor folks; never had a chance. Strange the buildings were knocked down and not burned. Let's see what we can find....
Once Kieran signals the 'all clear' Tirnel moves in to look about for any clues or magic.
Maybe it is trolls? That would explain the lack of fire...
~detect magic~
keep an eye out
Also keep an eye out
"Look at that cloud, look's like Abadar's pursestrings",
Kentaur's mind wanders, dreaming of gold and commerce.
You believe damage here occurred about 5 days ago or more, it rained 4 days ago so not much discernible from the tracks other than it was something large and came from the South.
It looks like we head South tomorrow if we want to find whatever did this; the rain has made a mess of things and it will be Desna's kiss indeed if we can pick up a trail given the circumstances. What are your orders King Ibram?
Kieran assumes one will be to camp in the ruined farmstead overnight and he sets about making a fire.
This lot didn't do too poorly for a bunch of trumped up lordlings. Mabe Erastil has a plan after all...
Tirnel spends some extra time seeing if he can determine any specific claw marks on the destroyed structures before night sets in.
"Let's make camp here, assign the watches Kieran. Everyone takes a turn."
[dice=perception]1d20 + 7
Purse strings!
No strange happenings in the night.
The next day Kieran wakes everyone bright and early-Grab some chow and let's be on the march.
I do love the forest...
Possibly Quinray was already awake and scouting.
This Kienan seems like a real....hard ass. Is he an older and angrier version of Milo?
Seeing Quinray alert and ready long before the others Kieran attempts to strike up a conversation with him during the march-You seem ready at a moments notice and appear to see more with your eyes on a hard march than most I have met. What did you do before all this, my Lord Quinray?
Quinray is uncomfortable speaking about his past and it is obvious to anyone paying attention.
Kieran, my past is my past. It was not the most pleasant. I had to learn how to fight. Food or death. I got lucky. The bow seemed to work best for me. Out here, please call me Quinray, without the title.
Keiran double takes for a moment, looking at Quinray with some surprise at his blunt talk.
'My past is my past', hey? Sounds like a few lads I've met on campaign and they were right to keep it in the past. No one cares what type of bloodthirsty killer you were before you chose to die for King and country. As long as you figure out the right folks to kill while you are wearing the uniform...
I can respect that Quinray, and thank you for dropping the 'Lord' bit. I'm more used to officers than Lords, but can't say that I've ever cared much for either. Usually, them are the ones giving the orders that get me and my boys killed; sometimes for better but usually for worse.
I'm a fan of good bow-work myself. Why get up close and personal when you can stand off a bit and let the foe deal with a few bolts to the chest, eh? Especially if it's a wave of Kellid barbarians feeling frisky; although I'm guessing I'll feel the same about ogres or trolls or whatever the hells we are looking for.
Hopefully your fellows will be good enough to keep the more adventuresome foes at bay so we can do our work. Although I'm guessing your cousin elf won't be much use in hard scrap. Looks like he's more used to fighting books and recovering from paper cuts than anything truly dangerous.
Kieran lets out a low chuckle at the last bit.
@KieranI have had the opportunity to watch magic. Tough to understand. But I want it on my side. Tirnel is on "our" side. He has proven himself. He will stand.
Scout ahead
The party crosses the river and heads south through the forest and occasional clearing. Throughout the day the party is able to see tracks and other signs they are on the path of whatever attached the settlement.
Late in the day, the group enters a small clearing (30' across) though a canopy of forest blocks the sky. You feel something is not quite right and can smell something dead and rotting must be close.
Tirnel crinkles his nose in disgust at the pungent stench.
Think about Svetlana's mushroom pie instead...
He looks about for the source of the reek.
~detect magic~
Something bought the farm here; smells like the jacks after a week in the sun... Kieran mutters harshly as he looks about with bow at the ready.
"Smells like Kentaur's cologne," chuckles Ibram. "Maybe this is where he takes his dwarven dates."
"Hey, that cologne costs me a lot of money. Smells better than the stuff you use. herbs and fungii, all natural, like dating a moss zombie. heh, heh".
Kentaur laughs at his own ramblings.
Tirnel and Kieran spot some bones with bits of decaying flesh scattered amongst the plants in the clearing. Just as Kieran is getting ready to move forward for a closer inspection what looks like a dark brown tree about 20' tall lunges forward from the surrounding forest and attacks with branch like claws thoroughly thrashing the laughing dwarf!
"Ouch!! Friggin tree!!"
Cast CMW getting rid of Shield Other,
-15hp
"Kentaur!" Ibram attacks with falchion,
Turns out nature likes Kentaur more than he knew... ~mental chuckle~
Careful friends, it's an evil Scythe Tree! Resistant to arrows and maces but vulnerable to FIRE!
DC 18 REF
Great, wasn't I just talking about how nice it is to fill things full of arrows and now THIS. Desna taunts me...
The blade will have to do Quinray; come on!
Tirnel, will an arrow with the ability to create fire cause damage to this "tree?"
+1 flame arrow 1d6 fire damage
Indeed Quinray! The fire itself is deadly enough.
Move into position so I can flank and light this up like a Yulrtide Tree. In honor of King Ibrahm.
Wait till I can flank.
As Ibram and Kieran's falchions flash and slash, foresty fragments of flesh fly from the foul festering fiend. Quinray's first arrow flies true but only the fire hurts the freakish creature.
It continues to claw away at Kentaur.