[ACO] B10 - Hillcross Roundup (P3) (Inactive)

Game Master UncleFroggy

Please dot (add a post) in here and then delete your post to add yourself to this campaign.

1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend. If you disappear for more than 24 hours, especially during combat, I will simply place your character on infinite delay just to keep things moving.

2) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.

3) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same. Real life happens, and real life will always take priority over the game, but out of fairness for your fellow players, please let us know if you will be unavailable for an extended period of time.

4) Please complete the Macros and the Slides linked at the top of the page.

5) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.

6) Let's have some fun and tell a great story together! After all, that's what we are here for.

It should be Dulcinea, for some reason the only part that registered was Du :)

Your adventure begins in the small tent city of Hillcross, which serves as a meeting place for Kellids and others traversing the largest
pass through the Tusk Mountains. It is a common waypoint for those traveling to or from the region. The tent city is damp, and the air thick from a heavy rain that occurred the night before, but is still bustling with activity as folk of all kinds pass through.

As you make your way through the city, you hear a tumultuous tapping closeby. Turning to the source of the sound, you see a woodpecker at work, affixing a note to a wooden advertisement board. This note is a hastily scribbled message in Common, calling for help in rounding up
stegosaurus nestlings just outside the city.

As you approach the board, you see the following posted:

Urgent assistance requested! Young stegosauruses loose! Help me return them to the wild! Make haste to the outskirts of town, due west, then south between the two large boulders. Payment of gold provided in exchange for a successful roundup.
—Xila of the Green Faith

As you read the note, you notice the woodpecker hovering nearby.

Please introduce your characters here

"Wild lizards! This sounds like something I could do. Are you part of this, bird?"

The shimmering, silver-blue kobold turns to look at the woodpecker. He is tall for a kobold, standing around 3'4" with a long tail as well. He wears purple-dyed studded leather armour. There is a spring in his step.

A young lad Raphaeleos in studded leather armor, and accessorized with a bag of things, a set of sundry weapons of arrows, a satchel of climbing tools, and a latchet of healer's tools, finds a note on a board posted by the woodpecker hovering nearby.

Hmmm, I've have only read about dinosaurs in the books but has never seen one. Maybe this is my chance, he mutters to himself.

A blonde half-hair girl, dressed in Andoran colors and wearing a rapier and shield looks at the paper the pecker just nailed.

"Dinosaurs ! Lucky us to see such animals !"

She looks at the pecker more attentively "That bird is really impressive"

A young woman with luscious and thick black hair enters into the room. Her dresses and her skirts make for a beautiful cascade of colors, reds and yellows and purples and greens. On her fingers she has castanets and the heels of her boots are very thick. On her back is a guitar and her green eyes shine with excitement and wonder. Her upper body is covered in a colorful shawl.

She looks around and in a very thick Varisian accent My name is Dulcinea Valencia. I am happy to get to know you all . as she stamps her foot in a little beat.

"You all seem very alive, vibrant even. Human proverb 'many hands make light work'. Don't know if that's just laziness or reference to human ability to multiply rapidly or actually just about teamwork. Hopefully the latter. You all going to help this Xila out?"

The plants and grass near Pasq seem extra green right now.

A relatively thin dwarf with a graying beard approaches the board. With an air of light paranoia he keeps an eye on the bird while reading the request for help.

It's always good to make new friends. Shouldn't be so bad, as long as we can hold their attention.

An older man, dressed in patched pants and jerkin moves up behind everyone else. His long white hair and beard frame a sad face and downcast eyes with deep bags under them.

Noting that everyone is looking at the posted advertisement, he stops to read. His expression softens momentarily as he watches the hummingbird, then his eyes drop and he lets out a sigh.

"Stegosaurus inside of the town? That can't be safe."

He looks around, imagining the buildings being crushed by a pack of loose dinosaurs and shudders.

"For the safety of the community, these animals should be relocated. Are the rest of you planning to help with this endeavor? I would be glad to bring Erastil's blessings along."

Marie looks at the bird "I don't think the dinosaurs are in the city, there is no location mentioned in the bounty, however. Bird, you seem intelligent. Can you lead us to your master ?"

She turns towards Pasqualek "You are right, it's the latter. The more people, the smaller the burden, usually

((Marie speaks with a strong French accent btw))

Hamish shrugs. "It does not mention the city, but 'return them to the wild' strongly implies they could become a threat to the community.

Gripping the limb of his longbow, he looks toward the west. "Besides, it is always good to have a task to occupy the mind.

Shall we follow the directions? West, then south to two large boulders. Oh, and I am Hamish, by the way. Nice to meet you all."

How adorable, a baby dinosaur! I made friends with alpacas in my last adventure. Maybe I can make friends with a baby dinosaur she says.

Raphaeleos mentally takes note of their conversation. He seems to cannot relate.

”Greetings, everyone. I am Raphaeleos, and I am here for the dinosaur rescue just as you all,” he says at last.

Sounds that way. Bring something shiny if you can. Might make it easier.

She shows the group the castanets on her fingers, These are shiny and make noise she says as she moves her arms around to make a soft beat that she begins to dance to.

The woodpecker hovers nearby, its motions almost appear that it's trying to get you to follow it.

Let's follow that bird, it seems to know what it wants Marie follows behind, motioning the bird the lead us

Raphaeleos follows the lead of Marie in following the woodpecker hovering above them.

Hamish shrugs and begins following the bird.

Is it going in the same direction as the instructions?

She smiles and gives a deep laugh as she begins to follow the bird!

Seems is the best direction we have. Let's go.

As you set off, you all begin with 1 Hero Point.

By following the directions on the notice board, you find yourselves in a large clearing in a wooded valley to the west of town. It is here you find a haggard Kellid woman in a patterned cloak of several colors. She ignores the sticks tangled in her hair and the dirt on her face as she chases a juvenile stegosaurus through the mud. All around her, nearly twenty young stegosauruses romp across the clearing, play in pools of mud, and trample the ropes and stakes of a ruined animal pen. For each stegosaurus the woman successfully herds toward the enclosure, another storms out, excited to roam and play.

When you arrive, the woodpecker lands on her shoulder, and she slumps away from the chaos to greet you.

"I am Xila, a follower of the Green Faith. When I heard rumors circulating around Hillcross that this clutch was to be sold into captivity, I knew I needed to return them to the wild. As young as many of them are, I believed their herd must be in the nearby lowlands. I paid the trapper’s fee, which was quite a sum, but money is nothing in comparison to their quality of life. I have kept them here while I searched the valleys. I found a herd nearby, with many young missing—it might even be their family. I intended to reunite them today, but this morning I discovered them like this. They’re quite the handful."

"Before I escort the young to their herd, I need to round them up and calm them down. There are far too many, and I’m exhausted. Please gather them up and bring them to me, without hurting them. While you’re at it, see if you can find out how they broke free—I don’t want to head into the wilderness only to be set upon by some dangerous creature."

Some of the dinosaurs have their spines wrapped in rope from the makeshift enclosure, while others are stuck in the thick mud left by the night’s heavy rain. Others simply run away from Xila as she tries to lure them to the enclosure, taking advantage of the space to play with each other. The young stegosauruses range in size from 1 to 2 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet long, and 30 to 100 pounds.

The roundup plays out over the course of 3 rounds, each representing about 5 minutes of activity. During each round, each of you can attempt a single skill check to help herd the clutch. You are free to use any skill as long as you can describe how you will use the skill in this situation. Because the dinosaurs get bored easily, using the same skill in from a previous round will result in a -2 penalty.

Some Examples:

Nature to calm the dinos
Thievery to untangle ropes
Performance to lure the the curious dinos using odd noises or gestures.
** Be creative **

It is Round One! Please go ahead and make your checks. Remember, only one check per player.

Hamish lived many years as a farmer and knows that the surest way to round up livestock is to give them something they want to eat in the enclosure.

He looks around the enclosure, attempting to identify the tastiest grasses, bushes, and other plants. Collecting as much as he can, Hamish walks through the dinosaurs, moving the armful of plants near their noses to entice them. He walks into the enclosure and spreads the plants on the ground.

Lore(Herbalism): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Dolan starts working his way around the pen, untangling young donors as he restores the pen. Asking the way he starts stringing up his own rope and tying in groups of sticks.

Hey, Dulcinea, got any more of those shiny noisemakers? I want to rig something up to keep them distracted.

Duncan's rig causes sticks to clatter, instruments to chime, and other junk to take as different parts of the route get tugged on by the curious young animals.

Lore (Engineering): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8

Performance: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Raphaeleos dances and waves his staff in the air towards the baby dinos to get their attention but it seems ineffective.

Pasq is going to sneak around and surprise the dinos back to the fold!

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Marie will sing an alluring Galtian revolutionary song trying to pied piper the dinos back in the pen (if they understand french)

La Marseillaise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Marie will hero point this because this is an insult to her national Anthem.

Performance: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

It should be 25, sorry i misstyped 6 for 7

She gives her castanets to the dwarf when he asks for them.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 Performance

The half elf begins to play her guitar and sing a song hoping to attract the attention of the baby dinosaurs:
I'm the baby, gotta love me
Big purple eyes, I'm very cuddly
'Specially when I hit my daddy with a frying pan
WHACK (Earl: "Fran!")
I'm the baby, gotta love me
First I whack you, then you shove me
Flying 'cross the room, I like it!
Again!
Mama says it's too much sugar
Daddy is all perplexed
A-B-C-D-E-F,
Gee, you never know what I'm gonna do next! (Earl: "FRAN!!!!")
Wanna see me make a rocket?
Watch me put her tail in a socket
She lights up like a Christmas tree
(Ethel: "Don't try this at home!")
Whee!
I'm the baby and you gotta love meeeeeeee
Everybody!
I'm the baby, gotta love me
Big purple eyes, I'm very cuddly
Don't you think that every home should have one of me? (Or three!)
I say...

Jump on the bed, hit my daddy on the head
Run around the house when they tell me not to
I take every chance to make a poop in my pants
But I'm the baby, and you got to
Ra-ta-ti-ra-ba-ba-loo-boo-doop-doo-doo-boop
Yeah!
Yoo-too doo doo da-da-deep
Ta-da-ba-da-ba-deep-ba-doop-ba-doo-doo-doop
I'm the baby, gotta love me
Don't you wish there were more of me?
Daddy, Mother, brother, sister
I'm the greatest baby in prehistor'!
I'm the baby and you gotta love
I'm the baby and you gotta love
I'm the baby and you gotta love me
Gotta love me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y4qnQ0tEUE

Dulcinea composes an original piece and leads a baby dino back into its enclosure. Marie plays a rousing French song and leads two babies back into the pen. Pasq sneaks up behind two baby dinos, then suddenly jumps out. Both stegasauri jump with fright and run back into their pen for safety. Raph tries to get the dinos attention with a dance but the babies don't seem interested. Hamish lures the dinosaur babies by setting a feast in front of them back to the pen. Dolan tries to repair the enclosure but one of the dinosaur babies accidentally unravels one of the knots, causing a corner post to fall.

Roundup Points: 6

It is Round Two! Please go ahead and make your checks. Remember, only one check per player. Try not to use the same skill as last time

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Raphaeleos tries to calm down the dinos by giving them food to eat. It seems that they don't like mint leaves he is giving.

”How does Xila manages to take care of these unruly creatures?” he frustratedly asks himself as the baby dinosaurs are just passing by him playfully and ignoring him. He is so done with these creatures.

Marie goes with acrobatics this time to try to make the dinos follow her by hopping around.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

With enticement set forth in the pen, Hamish considers the situation and thinks that the best option now is to make the sound of a mother Stegosaurus encouraging the little ones into the pen.

Unfortunately, Hamish has never heard an adult Stegosaurus, nor has he talked with someone who has. The sound he makes sounds more like a cow than a giant lizard.

Seeing Marie flip about acrobatically, Pasq decides to join in!

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

"Hey other lizards! Can you do this?" he says, trying to make them curious.

Seeing that there are some baby dinos entangled Dulcinea will attempt to undo the knots/
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 thievery

Seeing all the little dinos rolling through his elaborate set up Dolan sighs and begins working to set them free of the ropes.

Thievery: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Hold still little ones

The little ones did not hold still.

Pasq and Marie put on an acrobatics show for the baby dinosaurs and manage to drive them back to their enclosure. Dulcinea manages to untangle one of the babies from the ropes around the enclosure. Hamish tries to sound like a stegasaurus mother but ends up sounding like a large cow instead. Dolan tries to untangle the babies from his attempted repair work but they don't hold still and become more entangled. Raph tries to calm the babies with food but they don't seem too interested in what he's offering.

Roundup Pts: 10

It is Round Three! Please go ahead and make your checks. Remember, only one check per player. Try not to use the same skill as last time

Hamish realizes that he has been thinking of the stegosauruses as if they were domesticated livestock. That obviously isn't right, these are wild animals that will respond instinctively to the presence of a predator.

He asks for Erastil's Guidance and falls back to his experience with hunting, takes out his bow, and falls in to the demeanor of the hunter. Retreating a ways, he begins stalking the baby dinos, hoping that their sixth sense will drive them toward the enclosure.

Survival,Guidance: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13

Resigned to a difficult day Dolan joins Marie and Pasq in putting on a show.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 = 22

He leapfrogs over some babies and begins flipping from post to post.

Thievery: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Raphaeleos tries to untangle some ropes around the dinosaurs but it seems he is tangled as well because the are too playful.

"I am starting to not like you, dinosaurs" he tells one of them, pointing his fingers of admonition.

He's been sneaky, he's been bouncy but now it's time for him to try scaring them back!

Although they won't understand Common, Pasq tries to Intimidate them to where they need to be.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 stealth

The half elf will try to play hide and seek with one of the baby dinos.

Marie will look at the fence and see what has damaged it thievery: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Raph tries untangling a baby dino but for some reason, manages to get himself tangled up in it instead. Dolan puts on his own acrobatics show and manages to herd a baby back to its pen. Pasq tries scaring the dino by making faces at it and convinces the baby that he's more scary than anything else. Hamish tries to stalk the dinosaur babies but they pretend that he's not there. Marie has a look at the enclosure and determines that the gate was busted open. Dulcinea sneaks up on a baby dino and successfully scares it back to the enclosure.

Roundup Pts: 12

Finally the last dinosaur is led back to the enclosure and the gate closed.

"Thanks for rounding them up! Let me count them first before we can bring them back to their families."

Xila begins counting the dinosaurs, tapping at sticks in her hair the way one might count on their fingers.

"...eighteen... nineteen... no, that can't be! I must have counted wrong!" Her voice becomes more and more panicked as she repeats the count again. After recounting the dinosaurs for perhaps the fifth time, she cries out in alarm "Babs is missing! Babs is the smallest and youngest of the lot."

Hamish goes stiff, his eyes far away. He starts mumbling under his breath. "The youngest, and our last. Take her, Marie. Into the forest. The rumors can't possibly be as bad as what we know is behind us. I will lead them away..."

He starts shaking, and tears run down his cheeks. Suddenly, his eyes snap back into focus and a look of anger holds his face. "No! I won't lose them again!"

Moving into grass, Hamish begins casting around, attempting to locate the tracks of a lone stegosaurus heading away from the enclosure.

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24