GM Corwyn's Jade Regent (2) (Inactive)

Game Master corwyn42

Looks like Caladorn has the best perception...

Caladorn looks at his hands and sighs, and then points "How about we leave watching up to Galaditar; I'll tell you now, he won't paddle...So that's up to us."

If you want to make the checks in secret, Corwyn, Galaditar's perception is 2 ranks +3 trained +4 racial = +9. Also, what checks will we need to make to paddle the raft.

Everyone gets on the raft with Gundar pushing them off. You start to use the branches to move you across, but soon realize they aren't very effective. Galaditar notices a water snake swimming along the surface. It darts quickly away at the splashing made by the branches.

You continue across, working diligently, when you feel a bump from underneath the raft. You think it might have been just a rock until you feel it a second time, this one more violent than the first.

Obvious question, how far are we from shore?
Caladorn speaks in a strained voice: "You know, this kind of thing is why sane people stay in the city..."

You estimate that the river is about 300 feet across and you are about 50 feet from the shore you left.

"I propose a change in direction and head back to the nearer shore!"

Filona comments "I don't know that would work. Maybe we should get ready for a fight!" The normally joyous gnome is worriedly looking at the water. "Can any of you make fire? They usually scare away mean creatures."

"No, got no fire", Caladorn stops paddling to draw his rapier, and then asks Walthus "Walthus, you live in this swamp, got any idea what this is?"

@GM, is this just thumping/bumping the raft, or is this going to tear the raft apart violent?

"A fire on a raft seems a bit daft to me!" Posh considers, and suggests, "let me..."

He moves towards the edge of the raft, pulling some rations out, and activates his speak with animals ability.

"Come little water creature, speak with Posh, and I will reward you with some food."

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 Diplomacy is the same

Posh uses his magical ability noticing a crocodile emerge from the water and attempt to snatch the ration from his hand.

@Posh Do you let it take the food or do you attempt to pull back your hand?

I'll let it take the food, but, hopefully, not the hand!

"Ohhh, you're a big pretty crocodile aren't you! Talk to me beautiful creature!"

The crocodile grabs just the ration and begins to chomp on it as it retreats back into the water. You get the feeling that it might have grinned a tiny bit before it sinks below the surface. You pause for a few moments, watching for any further activity and when none arrives, you presume the creature has moved on.

Caladorn is impressed: "Well that was slick Posh. Now let's get on before he comes back for seconds..."

Back to paddling across the river

Filona breathes a little more easily and says "Ok, let's go. I don't like this river anymore." She gets nervous as they move to the other side.

Glad you still have your hand, Posh! Gundar says with a chuckle.

"I'm rather attached to it myself!"

You manage to paddle across the river, taking a lot longer than you would have thought. Fortunately, the flow is slow enough to allow you to reach the spot where Posh thought he saw footprints on the far side.

Walthus takes a look around attempting to locate the trail the skeletons took. Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 "Hmm, not finding the trail here - anyone else have any luck spotting them?"

perception, caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 3 + 2 = 15
2 ranks+3 trained +2 racial

perception, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 26
2 ranks+3 trained +4 racial

"Yeah, got some prints over here..."

Walthus follows Caladorn's indication and confirms

"Ah, yes I see them now. Good eye. Let's secure the raft and see where these track lead us."

You pull up the raft to the shore and hide it as you did previously. The trail leads you west and comes close to a couple of inlets. The area contains a lot of animal tracks and weather marks.

"Drat, the trail has stopped here, let's look around and see if we can find if it picks back up."

Walthus searches the area to pick up the trail.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"Here! I found some tracks here!"

You continue southwest approaching another inlet where the trail turns northwest. The trail goes cold - again requiring additional searching.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"Haha! Found them here! Let's keep going."

Walthus continues to follow the trail until they stop at the water's edge once again. This time the water is not as wide (200 feet) and shallow (2-4 feet in depth). Walthus looks around for where the trail picks up on the other side.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Walthus lets out a sigh and asks "Caladorn, can those keen eyes of yours see if the trail continues on the far side?"

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Gundar shouts excitedly, I see them over there! He points to the tracks on the far side.

Filona walks along the group, surprisingly silent. Her feet squish into the mud but she doesn't look much bothered by this. She seems distracted by the rich wild life in the swamps to the point where she almost asks mosquitoes what their life is like. On the other hand, she is hardly useful to follow tracks, distracted as she is.

While we follow the trail, Galaditar is flying overwatch...

...

Gundar shouts excitedly, I see them over there! He points to the tracks on the far side.

"Good eyes Gundar"

Before going into the water, Caladorn takes a look around for possible crocodiles and other threats:

Perception, Caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 3 + 2 = 18
2 ranks+3 trained +2 racial

perception, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 17
2 ranks+3 trained +4 racial

Posh and Walnut continue in the direction indicated.

The water appears to have a few small fish swimming about and occasionally a tiny snake slithers along the surface. While you consider neither of these to be threats, you are more concerned about the things that would eat them. You don't see or hear any of the creatures you are imagining, so it appears to be safe - for now.

"Welp, don't see anything... "

Caladorn hustles across to the other side.

As you wade across the river, the softness of the water's floor makes going slow.

@Everyone in medium armor must make a DC 10 swim check

You wind through the swamp crossing the river twice more using bridges and skirting inlets several times. After traveling most of the afternoon you arrive at a fifty-foot-high cliff which rises along the marsh’s southern border, its face a thick tangle of jutting rocks and bright green vines and nettles. A curtain of these thick nettle vines partially conceals a cave opening at the base of the cliff. The sun begins to set as the day nears its end.

Caladorn covers one eye and looks balefully at the cave, "Let me guess Walthus - the tracks go into the cave there... Here we are, have found the undead lair, just as the sun is about to set. Does any of you trackers have any kind of a guess as to how many skeletons we are following here?"

Walthus shrugs "Tough to say for sure, but I know there is more than one set of tracks. I am not used to tracking skeletons, they aren't your normal marsh creatures. "

Swim: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (11) - 3 = 8

Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 +2 vs Illusions

"Whoah, what was that? It pricked me, hard! Other than that, I feel fine though."

@Posh: I think the Fort is to avoid feeling sick from all the muddy water you just gulped from failing your swim check.

Filona doesn't seem bothered by having her clothes get wet and dirty. As they come to the cave, she says "We should go in soon. It'll be dark and we need someplace protected and dry to sleep."

Caladorn ducks behind a bush so he can't easily be seen from the cave, and looks at it carefully. Meanwhile, he replies to Filona: "I'd rather spend a night outside wet and cold, than get eaten by undead. That said, do you think we could rig a rope so that if we come running out of that cave, it'd be easy to get up the cliff and pull the rope after us? Galaditar, take a scout up the top there and see if there's something to tie the rope to."

Stealth, Caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 2 + 3 + 3 = 28
2 ranks +3 trained +3 dex

Perception, Caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 3 + 2 = 23
2 ranks +3 trained +2 racial

Stealth, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 8 = 27
2 ranks +3 trained +3 dex +4 racial + 8 Tiny

Perception, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 28
2 ranks +3 trained +4 racial

I'm guessing that we're going to venture inside, but I'm waiting for Gundar to get caught up. Also, a planned escape route is always a good idea. So is some pre-buffing: I have message for comms; does anyone have a light cantrip we can use for lights? (We will have to keep them hidden/controlled to avoid giving ourselves away)

Galaditar flies up the cliff face and notices the plant growth is radically different from the swamp. The grass and trees appear to be much closer to a normal forest. Several of the trees seem sturdy enough to support the weight of anyone in the group.

The vines growing in the cliff are filled with nettles and thorns as they descend from nearly the top of the cliff to the marsh floor.

Maps Updated

As mentioned, I'm kind of waiting for Gundar at the moment...

Taking advantage of Galaditars ability to fly (and the fact that the party has 100 ft of rope between us), Caladorn will string a rope from a solid seeming tree at the top of the cliff, so we can have an easy escape route we can pull up behind us if & when we come running out of this hole...

My previous Q's about buffing and cantrips stand...

If we see skeletons, I will cast Bless as soon as I am able to help us in the fight. Gundar offers.

Filona tries pushing the others forward and says "Come on, let's go! I'm getting hungry!" She clearly never encountered undead before. Still, she readies her crossbow.

Posh and Walnut are ready to move.

Caladorn looks at each of his companions in turn, shakes his head, and then says "You all think going into this hole is a good idea, don't you... Does anyone have a light?"

GM, if the answer to this is no, can I revise my cantrip selection for the day (as yet unused)? I'd like to trade detect magic for light

Filona says "Hang on a second." and draws from her gnomish magic to form four little wisps of floating light that fly towards the cave. Satisfied, she turns to Caladorn and smiles.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 13 vs dc 15 (ID a level 0 spell)
See discussion

Caladorn looks at Filona and says "OK, Gundar and Posh are clanky, and Filona's talky - so I guess that leaves me taking point. You guys stay about 40' back from me (that should put Posh within charge distance)and come running if screaming starts... He points at every individual in the group and repeatedly casts a spell (Message cantrip X4 - Filona, Gundar, Posh, Walthus), "Now you will be able to whisper back and forth with me at a distance"

He concentrates at Galaditar, and then moves stealthily up to the vine covered entrance. Once there, he checks the entrance and vine curtain for traps...

stealth, Caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 2 + 3 + 3 = 28
2 ranks +3 trained +3 dex

Stealth, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 8 = 31
2 ranks +3 trained +3 dex +4 racial + 8 Tiny

Perception, Caladorn: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 3 + 2 = 12
2 ranks +3 trained +2 racial

Perception, Galaditar: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 20
2 ranks +3 trained +4 racial

In reviewing the cave area, I see no reason to not let you know the layout (it makes it easier for me to show you the entire map). As you move around I will post the details of what you see/encounter.

Caladorn looks over the vines and makes the assessment that they are potentially hazardous. The nettles/thorns could be poisonous and Walthus agrees.

Whispering through his message spell, "Watch out for these vines, they're probably poisonous."

He carefully sweeps some of the nettles aside with the blade of his rapier, enough that Galaditar can get sneak in and take a peek. (as above, stealth and perception take 10)

He whispers Posh, Gundar, use your shields to hold these aside so people can get through without touching them."

What marching order are we using? Posh would like to have an unobstructed charge lane, should we see bad guys, but a rogue out front makes sense too.

See this, two of my posts up, inside the spoiler block...

Walthus sees the group looking to head into the darkness and spends a few moments searching around the area. After a couple of minutes he returns with a four branches. One of them contains a dull grey shine on the leaves which burns brightly once Walthus uses his flint and steel.

"These will work for a few minutes before they go out."

Each branch will last for approximately 5 minutes

The cave goes about 25 feet before it bends to the east. About 10 feet in a small opening heads west.

Caladorn does not notice anything other than brackish water which appears to be slowly sinking into the rocks. You estimate the depth to be around 3 feet.

Filona looks at the water and says "Well, this should be easy to cross.", but doesn't offer to be first. Instead, she makes her lights approach the water to reveal if there is anything hidden in it.

Caladorn takes a running jump and hurdles the stream at the narrow point...
acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 3 + 3 = 17 vc dc 10 to hurdle 10'
1 rank +3 trained +3 dex

I have put a pink G on the map to indicate where Galaditar is; as before, you can assume he's taking 10 on stealth (30) and perception (19). He'll send an empathic pulse to warn Caladorn and come back if he spots something of interest.

He whispers through the message spell to Filona :"Quietly", and then braces himself with and extend arm to help any of the others as they goes for the jump...

acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 1 + 3 + 3 = 19 vc dc 10

Caladorn successfully leaps over the water and lands safely on the far side.

You can leap over the water or attempt to wade through it. I just need to know from each of you how to plan to cross. Walthus is confident in his ability to leap, but is also a good swimmer.

Galaditar has not spotted anything based on its current location.

Filona says "I'm really not the athletic type, I'll need some help with this."

Walnut will take 10 and leap the thing... 14.