"I apologize that none of the magics I are of much use in this situation, but I'm more than happy to try and help with the pulling," Trom offers.
Hennie mostly stands around and watches, although sometimes she finds a place to sit for a few minutes.
Scipio and Gimble can easily hitch some logs up to the horse and drag them back to where the rope spans the river and Odd'n sits on the other side.
Liv could attempt a Strength check to pull the bridge out of the water.
Odd'n isn't in the water. He's on the other side of it, with the grappling hook, I believe, as he carried his gear over.
The bridge is on the other side and, with a range increment of 10, this river is too wide for you to do that.
You might be able to get the grappling hook over, but you'll be taking a lot of range penalties. Getting it to them is a big enough feat.
Odd'n isn't in the water. He's on the other side of it, with the grappling hook, I believe, as he carried his gear over.
The bridge is on the other side and, with a range increment of 10, this river is too wide for you to do that.
You might be able to get the grappling hook over, but you'll be taking a lot of range penalties. Getting it to them is a big enough feat.
Hennie studies her fingernails. In the process she notices an interesting pebble on the ground by where she's sitting. She furtively picks it up and stuffs it away in her belt pouch before anyone else claims it.
"Hey! Odd'n! Catch anything tasty? Maybe I can clamber over on a tightrope, carry mine across? Seems faster than building a whole new bridge, I guess. "
Livlena does a few basic stretching exercises before trying to pull the ruined bridge back to the south bank.
"Hmm...must be hooked on a submerged rock," she lies with a telltale grin.
"Hey, wait a minute! What if we take Odd'n's rope, my rope, and some logs, then use that to curve the rope and yank the bridge across. Like, we pull here, the rope goes around a log or tree on the other side, and that pulls the bridge part across the right way. I think that could work, right, Trom?"
Gimble offers his rope and expertise on what to do. Hopefully, Odd'n can handle the 'loop around a smooth slim tree trunk' part.
disable device
Scipio's going to ride back. Get a running jump to get across part of the river then ride the horse through the water to the other side
Scipio's going to ride back. Get a running jump to get across part of the river then ride the horse through the water to the other side
That would work and the check is sufficient. The only thing needed would be to attach a rope to the end of the bridge without getting wet. That's a DC 15 Acrobatics check, but failure means falling into the freezing water. Who wants to do it? Any precautions?
"Hey, grab my belt, eh? I think I can get these ropes together, but I don't wanna fall in if I slip."
Gimble moves out to the edge of the bridge and attempts to connect the ropes.
acrobatics
Liv elbows Hennie in the ribs and whispers something to her out of the corner of her mouth. Then the twins starts to clap for Gimble and say in unison, "Our hero!"
"Creepy Twin Powers...Activate! Clap and say 'Our hero!' on 3! 1...2...3!"
Scipio jumps off his horse and goes to help Gimble where he can
Gimble, with the help of Odd'n on the other side of the river, is able to use Odd'n's rope to rig up a pulley that will allow the horse to pull the bridge out of the water and stretch it across the bridge. He's also able to get far enough out on the rocks to hook up the grappling hook to the bridge.
Once this is done, it takes the whole team. Odd'n on one side of the river to make sure the rope doesn't snag and to tie it off when the bridge is stretched out. The twins and Trom will find they need to manipulate the bridge a bit so that it untangles slowly. Scipio will need to persuade the horse to pull very slowly and stop and go as necessary, until the bridge is pulled straight and stretched across the river once more.
It doesn't look like it will hold for weeks, but you manage to pull the bridge into place across the river.
Trom examines the situation to try and find the best way to keep the bridge there till they return on the following day. "T'would be a shame if we were t'have to swim on the way back," he mutters to himself.
Hennie snaps to, doing as Liv asks. After clapping and saying "Our Hero", Hennie asks in a low voice "Who? What'd he do?"
"Sounds good to me. If you wanna carry this silk rope instead, we can leave the hemp stuff holding the bridge together. For now, at least. This way we have a way across on the way back, and we can tell the sheriff or who ever to fix it more permanently after we get back to town."
Gimble heads over to Odd'n, checking his fingers and lips for blue color and ahivering.
"Good job on the fire, big man. You'll be right as rain in no time."
Having crossed the river that divides the forest in half, and hopped over a dozen tiny creeks that pour from the snowcapped mountains through the darkened woods and feed into the river, you continue through the forest. The trees begin to thin, but the mountains loom almost directly over and it gets no lighter.
You've heard that the lumberjacks refuse to enter the woods in crews fewer than six these days, but you, only six in number, see nothing that doesn't seem more scared of you. Other than that annoying bridge, the forest seems uneventful.
Eventually, the last tree of any significant height disappears from view. A wide area has had all the trees of any significant size cut here, but then over many years, smaller berry covered bushes have grown up in their place.
Sitting squat at the foot of an imposing mountain, a ruined monastery comes into view between ancient gnarled trees. Made of simple stone blocks, worn smooth with the passage of time, the stout building is falling apart. Sections of the slanted shale roof have collapsed and portions of the outer wall have crumbled.
Weeds and wild thorn plants run rampant across the field leading up to the place, leaving only the slightest indication of a path that ends at the ruined front doors. Beyond, an overgrown yard sits in shadow.
perception
Liv stomps along the faint trail in a carefree, almost careless, manner.
Shrugging his hide coat back on, Odd'n takes up trailing after the party as he neatly wraps his ropes back into an orderly bundle to be hung from his pack; the jumble of rope wrapped haphazardly around his head and shoulders as he works.
Eyes fixed on a particularly stubborn tangle in his rope, Odd'n fails to hear any sounds around him. He gets so involved in the knot that he fails to recognize the forest thinning and his party slowing up ahead. Bumbling into their backs, he is startled by the change in his surroundings. The earlier fish doing little to satiate his hunger, his stomach grumbles when his eyes fall on the berry bush.
Not recognizing the berries as anything he has been taught to avoid he moves to grab a handful..
Shrugging his hide coat back on, Odd'n takes up trailing after the party as he neatly wraps his ropes back into an orderly bundle ...
Don't eat those berries, they cause stomach cramps unless boiled or fermented Scipio comments before Odd'n can eat them, he takes out a kettle, puts some water in it and offers it to put the berries in We can boil them when we sit down for camp, make a nice tea
Whistling a cheerful tune now that the river is behind them, Trom shifts his pack on his shoulder as he walks along.
Eventually Henndrina comments out loud on the forest's interest in them.
"The forest watches us, but it is not of one mind I think. It seems both hostile and curious. Maybe it wonders why we've come, but maybe it also wouldn't mind if we all fell and broke our necks."
It's now late afternoon. The sky is grey and purple and, although you're at the edge of a clearing, there is no warmth of sunlight. The former monastery is surrounded by cold damp ground and brush. You can see a path leading from the monastery, through the clearing you stand on the edge of, and up into the mountains.
At one time, this wide path towards the monastery would have been inviting. The statues that stand on either side of the path are old and crumbling now.
From where you are now to the monastery is about 50 ft.
"There she is," Trom comments, "another legacy to the hubris of the devoted." Slowly, Trom begins to walk up the path to the monastery, taking in the sights and observing the statues, occasionally touching one to examine it. "Twas fine craftsmanship at one point," he adds.
Livlena strolls not far from Trom, bardiche (as always) at the ready.
"Which ingredient are we expecting to find here?" she asks aloud, maybe of her sister, while scanning the area for threats.
While there are many places danger could lurk, Livlena sees no clear threat as you make your way towards the Monastery.
A statue stands on either side of the path, although one has been so damaged that it is barely even recognizable as a dwarf. The other is relatively intact and stands 5 foot high. You can make out that it is a dwarf holding aloft a great stone hammer.
Moss and creeper vines cover most of its surface. Damage to the side of the face leaves the statue with only one eye peering out between the vines.
This statue is from the time of the last great dwarven kings, many centuries ago. It's style, or what can be seen of it through the damage, puts it fairly early in the period. It may even pre-date the monastery and have been brought here when the monastery was built.
"I believe our quarry be the mushrooms that grow near the iron," Trom responds. "Likely we'll find some in what's left of the forge." He'll pause for a moment to translate the inscription for the party.
"Hmm," Trom wonders aloud. "This statue certainly stands as a testament to their craftsmanship, however."
Trom steps back and looks up at the statue. "Whoever this was, I wager he was one of their favorite."
"Old dwarf temple with a forge and some weird mushrooms? What kinda traps did these old dwarves use? Lots of the falling blocks, spiked pit stuff, or more like spring-loaded darts and spears that shoot across hallways? Purely a professional inquiry, I would hate to miss something that would be very obvious to a follower of this deity, or dwarf, or what not."
it's all very nice, Dwarves usually have the best stone and metal craftsmanship. Scipio comments from a merchants perspective before answering Gimble almost as if speaking from experience Spikes from the floor, pressure plates, high grade locks, maybe if you're dealing with a particularly well off dwarf you get constructs of some kind. Also clockwork things, depends on the dwarfs funds, age and talents...purely profession experience with Dwarves i assure you.
The path continues toward the monastery, between the crumbling statues, and through a large stone gate. To the left of the gate is a crumbling watchtower. A few razorcrows caw from its broken windows. Walkways over the gates would have once allowed the guards in the tower to pour out and fire down on those attempting to enter. The wall is broken now, but it is hard to tell if it was damaged by a siege weapon of wood and rope or whether it was damaged by time, which eventually lays siege to all.
Livlena notices signs of animals along this path, including a gnawed bone and dung.
The large wooden doors that once hung in this gate now lay rotting by it side.
Stumbling along with his party like a dumb struck child, Odd'n looks around at what he presumes must have once been a glorious home or fort. His eyes take in the facade of the main keep, the watchtower, the doors entering into said structures, and the gaping hole in the wall.
A creeping sense of claustrophobia begins to crawl across his shoulders and down his spine as he views the keep and the darkness beyond its doors, the ominous surrounding walls and the lone watchtower. Almost unconsciously he begins walking towards the gaping hole in the wall of the courtyard, the greenery of the forest and brush beyond offering his mind the ease of open space that he is accustomed too.
As he walks his eyes remain fixed beyond the broken wall for it is surely safer than in the darkness of the keep.
Livlena points out the gnawed bone and whispers, "Predator," to the others. Then she points at the pile of poop and adds, "Defecator, too--watch where you step."
"Probably not best that we stay the night here then," Trom whispers. "Though if we can find a secure section of building, I'd wager it'd be able to withstand most anything these woods can throw at it."
Trom pauses for a moment and examines the doors. If he had been in charge of this monastery, where would he have put the forge? "I'm guessing behind those double doors is a good place to look," he thinks aloud.
"Sounds as good a way as any, Trom. Lemme take point and make sure we are gonna trip some of those fine dwarven defenses, eh?"
Gimble moves to the front of the group, hand on his knife hilt and ready to pull at a moment's notice. He walks slowly in the direction Trom suggested, watching the floors, walls, and ceiling for danger.
"Hey Odd'n, stay with the group, big guy. No sense wandering off and getting lost, eh?"
perception
When you moved past the large wooden doors, you entered area 2 on this map: Droskar's Crucible. I'm wondering if you went straight to the double doors leading to Area 4.