Game Master Tea's Road from Otari (Inactive)

Game Master Mr Tea

Just a simple task, delivering some packages.

On the noticeboard in the centre of Otari, you see the following:

Intrepid Travelers Wanted!
Please inquire at Gallentine Deliveries for an urgent
delivery that must set out for Absalom posthaste. Reasonable
terms, payment upon delivery.
—Oloria Gallentine

Hasira7 is unnaturally tall and lanky, with silver tinted fleshy bits like eyes and lips.

Speaking at a normal volume that somehow seems like contained rage, but towards nobody in particular Hasira thinks out loud as he reads the bounty board. "This is just what I need to get back on track. Taking the discounted ship to Otari has merely been a delay, not the setback I thought!"

An arrogant man with shoulder-length greasy black hair wearing an all-black flowing robes reads the sign on the noticeboard.

"Another puny mission,” he says with a smirk. He looks around and finds beside him a tall being with unusual appearance for a human. He looks at him from head to toe with a raised eyebrow.

A rather plain man with a backpack and two hand crossbows at his waist joins the others.

"I hope this will be interesting. I've just got here and hope this will be rewarding."

"Hmm. What's this? A simple transport delivery job? It could work. I could use the extra coin. How about it, Scouty? It's on our way home. Well met, travelers. Are you planning to take on this assignment as well? Would you be all right with Scouty and I joining you? Heather Brightflower is what I'm called, and I range the woods around Absalom."

Heather is tall and willowy, her long blond hair tied back behind her head. She speaks in a slightly musical voice. Those observant enough to catch sight of her ears will note that they are slightly pointed, though not as pointed as a full blooded elf. Beside her a young tiger patiently sits and waits for his mistress. Heather is dressed in well worn leathers, has a sword at her hip and a crossbow slung across her back.

A young ratfolk in scorched leathers approaches the noticeboard. Trailing him is a mechanical contraption with the letters "Marq-3" painted on its side.

"Absalom? We're headed there already. Might as well make some gold on the way."

It’s easy to find Gallentine Deliveries and to ask Oloria about the job. Otari isn’t that big.

”I had an aristocrat from Absalom, Kulrin Hulfheen, in Otari last week for some sport fishing. He netted a large, rare trevally and arranged to have it mounted and shipped back to his manor in Absalom.

”I just received an urgent missive from Master Hulfheen informing me that he wants the trophy shipment expedited and would pay couriers the exorbitant sum of 4 gp if they can get it to him in three days.

”I’m willing to let my couriers keep all the money from Hulfheen—so long as you leave right away!”

You are aware the trip to Absalom takes 3 days by foot.

”My usual couriers are already out and they have all my horses, but the trophy should arrive in time even if you walk, so long as you don’t dawdle, but if you can secure mounts on your own, all the better.”

The trophy is safely packed into a wooden box with leather carrying straps.

You can make a Society check to know about the road to Absalom. I also need to know which PC is carrying the box.

Society: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

"I dunno. Never been to the big city. Anyone else know about the road there?"

Is the box heavy? I can carry about 4.5 more Bulk.

"Euch! More fish?" the ysoki wrinkles his nose in disgust, "We just got done tracking down the fish missing from the Fishery."

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Ugh. Fish, stinky fish. Severus does not want to carry it.

"I will not carry that stinky thing of your master. I can do better than that." he arrogantly tells Oloria. "You can carry it," he points to Omar and the wooden box.

Society(U): 1d20 ⇒ 4

Heather looks at the group with a bit of disdain. "If no one will volunteer to carry it, I'll carry it. Though I do need to know how heavy it is."

She turns to her cat and whispers to him.

"Now you know why I like you better, Scouty?"

Scout chuffles as if to say "Patience. You were the one who wanted to join this group."

Hasira takes the trophy. "Hasira7 does not object to carrying it."

”Good, we have someone to carry the thing now. So, aren't we going now?” Severus asks Oloria, now impatient of doing the task.

Severus recalls bandits are sometimes a problem on the road between Otari and Absalom, but there are also rumours of strange creatures who crawl up from the lightless places underground but many underground creatures consider the surface to be inhospitable and entirely too bright, even at night. Many such creatures are eager to head back underground if they still know the way.

Oloria seems offended by Severus' behaviour.

"Acting as a courier is your choice. You don't have to do it. Either get paid for escorting the box or don't."

You each have 1 hero point and should now make your character choices (spells prepared etc.).

Spells memorized etc.

"You know, Severus, if you don't want the job, I can give your share to Scout."

"Aye, we'll take it."

Guirs is ready

Severus looks to Heather from her head to toe. He smirks.

"No, no. I will take the job. I just don't want to bring that stinky thing. I can do other things with this escorting," he clarifies himself to others, his arrogance imbued in every word he says.

And so you set off.

Most of the three-day walk is through forested areas in this part of the Isle of Kortos, making travel quite cool when you are in shade.

Just before sundown on your first day of travel, you enter a boggy area of the road

Just left of the road, a heavily laden wagon lies sideways in deep mud. The muck is churned and crisscrossed with layers of muddy sticks. Two dejected looking halflings sit at the edge of the mud pit, stoking a campfire.

As they see you walk up the road, they look up hopefully.

"Well met, friends. What happened here?"

Looks around, making sure nothing hostile is in the area

Leaving the talking to the talkitive, Omar gets his crossbow ready in his left hand while scanning the surrounding area.

Guirs looks over the wagon and crosses his arms, "Looks like the load was a bit top-heavy. Would you like some help setting things right?"

Hasira waves and waits for an answer to Heather's greeting.

”We’re Kambit and Miro Leagallow, we’re brother and traders. We were taking our wagon" Miro butts in ”It’s full of crops, spices, and other stuff for the market in Otari."

Kambit continues ”We were ambushed by a humanoid about our size with a magical lantern and giant frog companion! Our poor donkey was murdered by it! It might still be nearby. You can see the donkey there.” He points towards the dead beast.

The brothers have been trying to build a ramp of sticks and lever the wagon out of the mud, but though they are industrious, they seem to lack the skills necessary to accomplish this task.

"I'm no engineer, but perhaps we could craft a decent enough lever to help them," Omar says over his shoulder, while looking intently for a lantern, frog, or other person.

"A pulley system would help us use our strength most efficiently." Guirs considers.

Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Oops, appears I wasn't getting updates for this one...

"Quite spill," notes the gnome as he surveys the scene. He listens intently to the description of the attackers. "A giant frog? If you ask me, that sounds like quite the leap!"

Severus just stands there looking at them conversing with the halflings. But upon mentioning the murdered donkey, he silently proceeds to check what really happened to it.

Perception +5

Hasira7 nods to Guirs "Well done, I shall lift."

Hasira7 begins to glow as he pulls on the rope setup.

athletics: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 = 13

Severus sees the corpse of their poor donkey, and it’s clear that some wide-mouthed creature took a large bite from its flank. He looks around and finds big batrachian footprints in the area.

You can use Survival to Track it if you wish.

Thanks to Giurs most excellent pulley system, getting the cart out only takes an hour! The pulling is most efficient as a result.

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Severus tries to track the footprints into its source but he is now unsure on what he is seeing on the ground. He cannot distinguish other footprints present on the ground at the moment.

”Ehhhemmm..” he clears his throat for attention. ”I got here some big footprints but I am not sure where it really leads into. Would someone among you mind to help, or do the tracking instead? This is not my expertise.” he says while looking to them with a raised eyebrow.

Heather and Scout get to work, trying to follow the tracks of the frog-beast.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Unfortunately, Scout blunders into some nettles and is now rolling around and yowling in agony. Heather is forced to break off the chase and see to her companion.

Omar takes a break from "guard duty" and sees if he can make sense of the tracks.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

He goes back to taking cover and watching...

Guirs returns to the side of his construct companion, ”I’m glad that merchant from Ustalav had those wonder gears for me to use. Sparq-3, see if you can track the creature”

whirr, buzz
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

I believe using Survival to Track requires training in the skill. Rethersfell has none.

While the others tend to the cart and look for tracks, Rethersfell ponders over the two halflings' description of the humanoid, giant frog, and magical lantern, trying to discern what he may already know about the two likely threats and the item.

Potential Skills for Recalling Knowledge: Academia Lore +7, Arcana +7, Fey Lore +7, Herbalism Lore +7, Nature +4, Occultism +7, Religion +4, Scribing Lore +7, Society +7

Hasira draws his polearm for the search in case the horrible frog should attack them.

The halfling brothers are exceptionally grateful for your help, but they have very little to offer you. Miro gives Guirs a lesser smokestick to say thank you.

Sometime before you left…

“Greetings, Guirs!” Tamily Tanderveil hops forward on a wooden leg decorated with blue ribbons and painted waves. “You’re on your way to Hulfheen Manor, I hear, and I wonder if I could add a small bit to your load?” She produces a small wrapped parcel that smells sharply of brine. “Kulrin Hulfheen enjoyed our local delicacy of pickled fish eggs. Please take these to him in gratitude for his business—and maybe it’ll lure his business back to town!” Tamily produces a larger satchel bulging with breads, cheeses, and fish. “I wouldn’t expect you to do so for free, of course, so I took the liberty of packing some provisions for you. Consider it my good-luck gift for safe travels to Absalom.”

You had helped her at the fishery, so she offered something In return!

Back to the present...

Unable to track the creature or confirm the halflings' story, you carry on to try to get as far as you need to this evening.

About half an hour after you leave them, you come to a really soggy area.

Soggy Terrain: The deep muck throughout this area squelches as creatures move through it. While it doesn’t slow creatures in the area down, it provides a –2 circumstance penalty to Stealth checks and gives creatures a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to Seek a creature they can’t see

Please see map and place you tokens coming on from the bottom edge. It is dim light as you should be stopping soon for the night.

earlier

"Don't mind if we do!" Guirs replies to Tamily, nibbling on some cheese.

About half an hour after you leave them, you come to a really soggy area.

"The slow going has just gotten slower, it would seem." mutters Rethersfell. "I can offer a little light if anyone should need it."

A pile of sticks is on the path in front of you.

With a loaded crossbow in his left hand at the ready, Omar goes up to inspect the pile of sticks.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Omar notices the hidden pit trap under the sticks just in time! It looks recently and hastily made.

Heather, seeing everyone else draw weapons, does the same, drawing her crossbow and loading a bolt into it.