Here is the Gameplay thread
Dippin' a dot.
Extreme Dottage
Happy New Year, Dwarves!
Your journey from Hammerfast had been nominally uneventful. A few light and moderate rainfalls came and went. On this day the rain had become a little harder cloaks of many of the dwarven settlers wrapped around themselves and their families. Even the wagons were wrapped and the animals shod with mud gear.
Thankfully the creaks and squeaks had muted over the raucous rain. The Caravan leader Berk Ironbeard had regulated you to the center near the food and camp supplies. This is an important part because it serves not only you but the entire camp. The elderly dwarf Crag Coalhammer is the one in charge of the camp logistics and supplies. Strangely the man is quite adept at such things and with a crew of six can set up camp and meals for over 40 or more dwarfs and livestock.
As for the rest of you, it's been nearly a week with over another three days until you get to the Fortified Mines. From there you will restock and have a chance to explore the vale and its people in the hope to build Hammrfast into a powerful force in the Vale itself.
Morkam mills about the camp area anxious for dinner to be served. He keeps walking by the cooking pit starting to offer seasoning advice, but then thinking better of it.
Krystid starts a well-known dwarven feasting ballad to raise everyone's spirits before the meal.
Taking 10 = 13 Perform.
Amber has a seat near the cookpot and is sketching in the dirt with a stick, intensely focused on her thoughts.
...would leave more room to move through but then a full house might not make enough to pay for it...but might not need the extra servers...could it go against the other wall? Nonono, what am I thinking? She erases her sketch with her boot and begins again.
The rain continues, the smells and sounds muffled by the wind and rain. The rainy season had come and though great for the farmers and foilage, not as good for travelers who trod the worn dirt road.
Still, the dwarven settlers and militia seem to not let the torrential rains affect them. Food, drink, and song filter are a bit muffled, but still flows through the area.
Thankfully the Militia had set up some sentries and they can be seen about the camp doing what they can to observe.
Krys continues singing until the food is ready and then helps distribute the food to the sentries. She will eat last.
The camp is a bit down, not only from the weather but the long trek. The path is a bit more dangerous Other travelers have been talking about a few bandits that roam this area.
Unlike the standard bandits on the King's road, these bandits come at night and in the mists and rain. Long bellows and groans with croaks come. Strikes happen from powerful strikes and stabs of steel. They are dangerous for taking children and livestock, but also regular goods.
The caravan has been on edge due to this. Nothing has come of the extra tension. The caravan's general emotional feeling is fear. Even the stalwart Berk Iornbeard is worried.
( I am enlisting a few more players as we lost some. SO hopefully I will have a few and we can continue on)
Baldrek wanders through the camp, ensuring every dwarf who seems cold has a blanket, everyone who's afraid has comfort and everyone who doubts has reassurance. His task is to bring the blessing of Moradin upon his people no matter the means and even in the depths of darknness. Specially in the depths of darkness.
He's still young, but it's clear even to casual observers that he's had his share of inner development. Black hair and beard, as most from his family, put the dark tone in his pale skin and light eyes. A thick mail armour protects his upper body, well-built and robust, as his winter boots step on the puddles formed by the continuous rain.
"Don't worry, mates, it can't rain forever. It will soon stop and we'll still be here, because we're born from the rock itself."
The Rain seems to continue, and strangely the people seem even more on edge. Some guards jump as frogs the size of tea kettles seem to pop through camp now and then.
Perception
Morkham is starting to get a bit grumpy at the weather and kicks a large frog out of his way as he walks about the camp.
Ever alert, battle ready, frog superior...
Frowning as the wind occasionally blows the rain onto her semi-dry patch of drawing space, Amber twists her fingers in the air and chants a few choice words, flinging the unwelcome puddles away from her design space.
A broad-shouldered dwarf in a dark red hood and cloak assists the crew in preparing a shelter against the rain, and approaches the campfire with a few tankards of spiced ale. A tad taller than other dwarves, the soft sounds of cascading metal chain announced the traveler, Ienmar of the extinguished clan Hearthfire, one of the promising young dwarves sent by Thane Norri. His face is partially hidden in a hood, but in the firelight, a simple grin lights a brown-bearded and noble face--one that seemed long from old sorrows.
"Ey up," the dwarf said, his heavy boots sloshing in the heavy mud near the campfire, and handing tankards to Amber and Krystid. "Keep yer eyes peeled, good lads and ladies. Some 'uman outlaws might be lurkin' about. Rain can 'elp them cover their tracks and assist in ambushin' us."
"Oi, Berk!" Ienmar cried out, making his way through the mud with quick military strides, passing by Morkam abusing a frog. A backpack with the same color of his cloak hanged from a hook, carrying various artisan tools, rope, and a well-maintained warhammer and round red steel shield. Ienmar barked up to the expedition's leader. "Need 'nother shelter up? Are all the supplies still dry, or do ya need somethin' else put up?"
As he waited the commander's instructions, Ienmar turned to notice Baldrek moving from dwarf to dwarf with aid (both physical and moral), and waves his hand, approaching. Rain cascaded down his water-resistant cloak, as Ienmar directed a question to the young priest of Moradin.
"The people're on edge. Ye reckon ye can find a cavern nearby? We're sittin' targets for any passing orc, outlaw, or beast."
|
"Need 'nother shelter up? Are all the supplies still dry, or do ya need somethin' else put up?"
"Another shelter up? Right away!" shouts a nearby hill dwarf. He's an amiable sort with a long beard and stout leather armor, though the leather is bangled and decorated with various colors of feathers and skulls of small animals.
John the Druid lays out a large square of canvas and four stout pegs right on top of a large puddle. It seems daft, as none could stay dry in such a thing, but then he says a word and the puddle...moves.
The puddle rouses itself from under the canvas and stands, forming a flowing, watery peg on two legs. The center part suddenly flows into a great hammer freezes. This icehammer then walks itself about to all four corners, pounding in the stakes while John holds them still then props up the center.
"'Nuther one up!" he shouts in joy after a short amount of time.
You choose an area of water that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate it in one of the following ways:
You instantaneously move or otherwise change the flow of the water as you direct, up to 5 feet in any direction. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage.
You cause the water to form into simple shapes and animate at your direction. This change lasts for 1 hour.
You change the water’s color or opacity. The water must be changed in the same way throughout. This change lasts for 1 hour.
You freeze the water, provided that there are no creatures in it. The water unfreezes in 1 hour.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.
The Croaks begin to get louder and louder. strange slapping and slopping noises can be heard. Still visibility remains hard as the rain hasn't let up.
Perception
Morkam continues to stomp about hoping that more of the loud frogs appear in his way.
The young priest is intrigued by the constant croak sounds that can be appreciated once you manage to get your attention away from the constant, boring and depressing rain.
Ienmar watches with wide eyes as the hill dwarf sets up a strange shelter. He nods with appreciation, rain flicking off the bits of beard that appear from under his hood. He then sets out to the cart, near his weaponry, to fetch his carpentry kit to reinforce the shelter.
As he reaches out to his carpentry tools, he pauses.
"Bloody frogs," he says, oblivious to the coming danger, as he moves away his crossbow impatiently in his quest to secure the carpentry tools.
|
|
"Good to meet you, friend," Johnny says, shaking hands with the carpenter tool-laden dwarf observing his work. "I'm John. Johnny-Boy to my friends. Aye, I've found that water can be a boon, if ya know how to ask it right."
"I've spent many a night around some frogs, but the ones 'round these part are the _most_ talkative I've ever seen. Well, heard, I guess."
As he talks he dismisses his animated ice-hammer and starts setting small stream, designed to flow the water away from the camp in the quickest and most efficient way. "Maybe the frogs are thirsty? Well we don't need this water so they are free to have it!"
John fingers his Shillelagh nervously.
Amber moves to draw another line in the dirt when something clicks in her mind. "Wait..." She listens intently, ears trained for the sound she's listening for. "Not sure tha's a frog..."
Pushing herself up off her seat, Amber pulls her handaxe out of her belt and rolls her shoulders to loosen up. "Somethin' feels off. Eyes and ears up, you lot! Either there's a BIG frog out there or we're not alone."
The Croaks of the frogs and toads seemed to simmer back down to the sounds of smaller amphibians. The rain still fell and the sounds of wet slapping continued. Strangely an eerie quiet could be heard at least if the rain an frogs weren't there.
The people seemed to slowly panic. Dwarves began to move their arms and shields seemed slowly move as others without much combat experience tried to begin to hide.
All of a sudden the air is broken by three powerful blasts of a horn. Followed by a bunch of deeper sustained croaks and the rhythmic dimming of something on shields or feet slapping mud.
Ienmar is about to answer Johnny-Boy, but upon hearing the potential danger, quickly reaches out for his round shield, bearing it close. He leaves his backpack, unable to secure it in short notice, but slings his crossbow and grabs a handful of bolts and pins them on his belt.
“Take shelter, everyone!” Ienmar shouts at the families and miners. He grabs his warhammer and throws back his red hood, clanging his hammer against his shield as he braves the thick rain, quickly sprinting towards the origin of the nose.
He slides to a halt, heavy leather boots finding stable purchase in otherwise muddy ground, and he shouts, “Reveal yourselves! Friends or foes?”
Unaware of the threat, Krys still has her bow in her hand and is watching the frogs until Ienmar yells.
|
|
"Be ready now lads and lassies! We're in for it now."
John speaks a word and his holy wooden stick begins to glow green. It's a bright and sweet emerald green that speaks of great untouched pastures and little people dancing at the ends of rainbows singing about their pots o' gold and their lucky charms.
A clash of Thunder happens and the sky lights up with lighting crawling across the sky. Outlines of hunched five-foot and four-foot creatures with clubs, spears, and shields stand on strange legs and glisten in the night sky. Some croaks seem to make the smooth glistened skin destend in a huge bulge. These are clearly Frog men of some kind.
Ienmar raises his shield against the sky, just as the flash of lightning turns dark into day. The the strange sight of ominous croaking frog-men caused Ienmar to narrow his eyes.
Frogmen!
"They can... jump high, probably?"
"Those don't seem natural, my brothers and sisters. Clearly the storm gods have sent their minions to test us. BUT WE WILL NOT FALL!"
Squinting through the rain at the crouched and heavily armed forms, Amber flexes her fingers around the haft of her handaxe while twirling the fingers on her other hand and intoning a few choice words. In her free hand a magical flame erupts, lighting her features against the dark. "Imagine they're here for stew, lads? Let's see how they like Dwarven cooking!" She then hurls the ball of flame into the frogman ranks.
Ienmar clangs his hammer against his shield, and takes an aggressive step forward. A warhammer etched with dwarven runes of loyalty and bravery stays still with the dwarf's martial discipline, as he invites the intruders to either yield or rout.
Initiative
History
"What the hell... Sorry I kicked your baby".
Morkam swings his crossbow around and takes aim ata particularly ugly and aggressive frog man.
Aim and hold action to determine if they are aggressively, attacking or not.
If aggressive...
Crossbow
Bolt
|
The frog's folk respond one getting singed but the air quickly is dampened out. Another takes a crossbow bolt into its face and falls. Frog and dwarf clash in other areas as some come to square off against you.
This frog folk begins to grab people and things, some square off to defend the bandits with weapons barred. As one reaches for something near Lenmar the Frog man's rubbery hide is no match against the heavy hammer he wields
A pair of Frog Men go for Amber noting her magical assault they leap in one a spear and the other a club.
A few others begin to get into positions seeking to keep you separated. Pairs seem to keep you occupied.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Be ready now lads and lassies! We're in for it now."
John speaks a word and his holy wooden stick begins to glow green. It's a bright and sweet emerald green that speaks of great untouched pastures and little people dancing at the ends of rainbows singing about their pots o' gold and their lucky charms.
** spoiler omitted **
"Ach! The froggies are tryin' to take us all to their underwater lair and eat us alive! Let's show 'em, Dwarves! 'Tis we that eat the frogs, not the other way around!"
Johnny Boy lays into the foemen before him, swinging his green-glowing club and singing the songs of the Ancient Kings!
"Fight with Blood! Fight with STEEL!
Die with honor, never Yield!
Fearless Hearts, filled With Pride,
Into Glory We Shall Ride!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ienmar surges ahead after felling one of the frogmen, feinting with his shield, before sending another hammer-blow to crush another invader, moving to flank with Johnny-boy as his blood pumped with the war-chant.
[Ooc] johnny Boy it would go off. Did you post a spoiler. If not go ahead and take a shot[ooc]
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Krystid shoots an arrow at one of the ones threatening her.
"Made you croak!"