So the caravan plan seems to be the following. Please confirm, and I’ll update the caravan page.
Feat
Extra wagons
Wagons (-1,600gp caravan fund)
Two supply wagons (with enhanced undercarriage)
Hires (-1,520gp caravan fund paid to Minkai)
3 drivers (one for Ulf so he can guide)
4 cooks (with Kisaiya this brings you to max)
3 scouts (max)
4 guards (with Kelda this brings you to max)
You’ll need to load up the extra wagons with food and supplies for this next leg, much to Sandru’s chagrin (more trade!), even with two create food and waters cast a day. You’ll still have some trade goods of course, just not as much as Sandru would like. ”Oh if only we could provide more supplies somehow.” he laments.
You do have some trading to do here as well. Traders, please make two checks each.
As far as supplies go, it’s assumed you’re brining along whatever mystical concoctions you can buy here. From a practical perspective when you craft something, all you need is the cash and the usual rolls. I don’t want to worry too much about raw materials - we’ll just hand waive that.
So let me know if this plan is good, make a trade roll if you’re a trader, and do anything you’d like with your last two days in civilization for a while.
Ameiko gets in line for the crafting. She’s requesting two items, and is happy to wait - she’s in no hurry. Koya offers to do the gloves in case Mukluk is busy. When she's not casting spells for others of course.
Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2 (4,000gp)
Apprentice Cheating Gloves (2,200gp)
So that’ll cost 3,200gp. She has 4,500gp left to loan out if anyone wants it.
Mukluk moves to meet and greet all the newcomers, making them feel welcome as best he can. He knows this will be a dangerous journey, and cold, and wants them to feel warmly welcomed.
And he will be crafting supplies to make good use of the time when the caravan is stopped to acclimate.
He and Moose are ready to go.
After some nudging from Snowball, Unk foresees what crafting materials will be needed, and makes sure they're stocked. He also asks Ulf to pay for the materials that'll be used for his own dragon hide armor, at least.
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He also asks Ulf to pay for the materials that'll be used for his own dragon hide armor, at least.
"Sort of a half now - half later sort of thing? Sure, I don't have anything else to do with the money at the moment." Ulf agrees to pay half up front for his armor.
Kisaiya is fine with the plans for the caravan upgrades and staffing updates. She stocks up on a variety of materials for items she will get crafted after a bit of research and some embarrassingly basic questions about how the whole process works. She helps with the trading of goods as well, knowing clearing out space for travel is always smart.
During the down time, she makes a big batch of those spiced cookies that Ameiko likes so they have something homey to snack on.
Besides the components for a Belt of Giant Strength, Durgan also picks up components suitable for enchanting magic weapons.
He spends a couple of days trading before heading out.
"The time to acclimate does seem like an unavoidable delay but the wisest course of action. We don't wish to be suffering from altitude sickness if we have to go into battle."
"I will prepare one casting of Create Food and Water every day, and Koya will prepare one. I will also prepare Make Whole every day."
It’s Erastus 25, a Toilday, and time to leave.
You smash the ice off the wheels as the snorting horses are put in harness, their breath making icy clouds in the cold morning air. Sandru moves smoothly through the caravan, making sure all the new hires know their jobs as the caravan begins, slowly, to lurch forward and out of Iqaliat. Many of its citizens come out into the morning cold to see you off, Spivey flying around saying a final tearful farewell of her own to each and every one of you - even Moose with whom she has a long, but private, conversation.
Eventually you get through the gates and out into the wild, turning nearly due north and onto the High Ice!
The first week’s travels take place with little fanfare. For the first few days, you’re still in dragon territory and she kept the local riff riff at bay. You thimk you saw the abominable snowman, but it could be a trick of the bright white light on the crisp white snow. You have several clear days and the brightness of it all is starting to get to you a bit. Though there could be another apex predator about, for the next few days - nothing stirs.
The thin air is also certainly a problem, as Ulf had warned. You, and the faithful steeds, struggle for breath as you go. It’s most unpleasant and the fatigue slows you all down. Turns out you really like breathing!
Eventually, Ulf comes to you on the morning of Arodus the first, a Toilday, and says, ”I think we’re high enough. Today let’s have the scouts out looking for a good place to hunker down for the ten days or so. We’ll want it a bit sheltered and low so maybe we won’t be noticed easily.” If you agree, he’ll take the scouts off foraging duty and put them on this for the last day before a prolonged rest.
The first three posters, please make Security checks (d20+10), one for each scout you have.
Security
Security
Security
Mukluk works on his craftings (and that of others as well) when he and Moose can make time. He notes that he does like breathing air. It's great.
Oops! I mis-wrote a bit. Just one check per person, three people making checks. So Mukluk got an 18 so far. Two more rolls.
After leaving town, Unk asks Mukluk to craft a int headband for himself and gets to work on the breastplate again:
”I have materials for some crafting as well. Just a headband and an improvement to my cloak. Nothing high priority, so I’m fine waiting.”
Kisaiya is not afraid of being hunkered down for 10 days, but she does worry how it will affect Ameiko, as she’s never been one to enjoy being tied down without being free to move for too long. She waits until she can privately speak with her. ”Are you going to be okay hunkering down for that long? Is there anything I can do for you to help make it easier?”
Kisaiya is not afraid of being hunkered down for 10 days, but she does worry how it will affect Ameiko, as she’s never been one to enjoy being tied down without being free to move for too long. She waits until she can privately speak with her. ”Are you going to be okay hunkering down for that long? Is there anything I can do for you to help make it easier?”
”Oh, I’ll be OK, thanks Kisaiya. I have all these new people to meet.” she grins uncertainly. ”I do miss the singing though. This air, it’s so thin! All singing is, really, is breath. And I have no breath up here! I can’t wait to belt out another tune.”
One of the new scouts find an excellent spot for the caravan. It’s a moderate depression, so the wagons won’t be visible from a distance. With the campfire beads, there’s nearly no smoke and what there is is dissipated by the consistent breeze overhead. You should be pretty well hidden. Now that you have guards to keep watch, you should also know well in advance if anything is coming at you.
Your plan is to rest here for ten days. Ulf says you’ve been making better time than he expected considering the fatigue, so it might be better to hold out for twelve. You still won’t be acclimated, but the delay means you will be acclimated before you arrive at the Storm Tower - your next target.
In the morning, Arodus 2, a Wealday, you rise late. After all, there’s no where to go.
Ameiko is spending some of her time working magical armor for Unk, once he’s finished the physical part. I think I saw someone set aside some stuff for magic weaponry as well. She has plans for her own weapon and armor improvements, once she gets a little more cash together. Perhaps after the spire? she wonders idly. For the rest of the time, she concentrates on playing her samisen, her breath being a little too short for singing - though she tries. It’s exhausting!
Durgan will set up the Field Scrivener's Desk every night, so that whoever is on watch can have a fairly comfortable and safe place to watch from. It's a 20-foot radius hemisphere, which won't cover our entire campsite with the wagons, but a good bit of it. It's protected from snow and wind.
Durgan will remain working on his armor. It isn't coming along as fast as he would like, but then, he doesn't yet have the skill to wear it either.