Ironfang Invasion

Game Master GM Red

"On its back!" Gronilda darts forward, double moving to gain the boar's back while menacing it with the axe.

Pawnies continues to try bite it, this time with Ghost's help.
Bite+flank: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 = 91d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Pawnies: AC 13 TAC 12; HP 6

Grymwold's slash just barely misses the angry, spittle-covered boar, but Saélihn follows it up with another arrow to the face. Ghost advances, grabs the boar neck firmly in his jaws, and shakes it around until the legendary Gashmaw is very, very still.

This is where you'd get the Achievement earned popup: "Defeat the Fangwood's boar menace". Out of combat

Lizzie double moves to near Saélihn.

"Something suggests Grymwold's eager for salted pork tonight.", she says with a smirk.

"Well, there'll be plenty of it to go around tonight!" she replies with a grin.

Slinging her bow over her shoulder, Saélihn races over to Ghost, praising her hunting partner on another successful hunt. Taking a moment to look over the fallen boar, she begins planning the preparation and dressing of the beast once they get back to camp.

Lizzie "beads" Tamar wrote:

Lizzie double moves to near Saélihn.

"Something suggests Grymwold's eager for salted pork tonight.", she says with a smirk.

"Well, there'll be plenty of it to go around tonight!" she replies with a grin.

Slinging her bow over her shoulder, Saélihn races over to Ghost, praising her hunting partner on another successful hunt. Taking a moment to look over the fallen boar, she begins planning the preparation and dressing of the beast once they get back to camp.

"Oh, i have no doubt we'll be getting a piece of roast salted pork tonight. Given the size of it, we might even have a small seconds."

Gronilda breathes a sigh of relief as the boar finally goes down, wiping the sweat from her brow "Good work, everyone," she says, nodding appreciatively at Ghost and Saélihn. She raises her axe and speaks a solemn blessing, "Thank you, Erastil, for this bountiful hunt. May this meat nourish and strengthen our people."

After the brief prayer, she turns her attention to the hobgoblin bodies they had encountered earlier. Moving cautiously, she begins to examine them, looking for any clues or items that might provide insight into their presence and intentions in the area.

Zarena is pleased that the boar is dead, but wonders how they are going to carry it.

Um, should be butcher it now, to make it easier to carry?

She assists Gronilda with searching the bodies while she waits for a decision about that.

Saélihn looks ip at Zarena's question. "While it's true that butchering it here would make it easier to carry, it would also draw predators, and take us well into nightfall." she points out.

"We should be able to manage the trek...with a little help from Erastil." the huntress says, closing her eyes and taking a few slow deep breaths, the muscles in her already well-toned arms and legs seeming to become a bit more defined and pronounced. Beside her, Ghost seems to attain a bit of additional muscle mass.

Animal Focus: (Bull) The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level. Also changes Ghost's focus to Bull, increasing his strength (lasts until changed again)

Cutting some branches, she fashions a makeshift sled, lashing the carcass to them and resting a hand on Ghost's back as she draws upon primal energy to dramatically increase her companion's ability to bear and carry weight.

Cast Ant Haul. New carrying capacity 400–600 lbs.(Heavy Load) "A character can generally push or drag along the ground as much as five times his maximum load." So Ghost can now drag up to 3000lbs for the next 4 hrs

that's one strong wolf. Wow

Impressive.

With Ghost beefed up from a magical incantation, the party hauls the boar into a makeshift sled - not only will it provide lots of nourishment once butchered, but it's something of a trophy to the forest locals.

Gronilda examines the hobgoblin bodies. They carry a number of iron rations and waterskins worth a total 8 Provisions. One carries a spyglass and 50 feet of rope attached to a grappling hook. All 3 carry tattered notebooks. Inside the notebooks, are rough, hand drawn maps of the area, notes of water supplies and what seems like ideal routes through the forest for marching large groups.

A folded up paper is in each of the notebooks that reads as follows:
Added it to the slides, but I'll paste it here for convenience
BOUNTY!

Phaendar has not been secured to our glorious general's satisfaction, and in her name I now offer a bounty of 25 pieces of gold to any member of the Ironfang Legion who returns reliable information regarding the location of fugitive human-likes who fled Phaendar. The payment is doubled if you instead return their heads. Live captives may be claimed as slaves!

All rewards are doubled for the impudent ringleaders of this band!

Return all information or heads to my cur of a son, Sergeant Scarvinious.
—Lieutenant Scabvistin

Gronilda furrows her brow as she reads the bounty notice "This is troubling" she mutters, showing the paper to the rest of the group "The Ironfang Legion is actively hunting down our people. We need to be extra vigilant."

She pockets the notes and turns to her companions "Let's make haste back to camp. We need to warn the others about this and prepare for any possible attacks. Ghost, you've done a fantastic job with that sled. Let's not waste any more time here"

She leads the way, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings as they make their way back to camp.

Survival+deadeye's lore: 1d20 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 4 = 23

Zarena has never been on a wanted poster before, even by association. It's a strange feeling.

She nods when Gronilda suggests they hurry back, and she helps gather things up and then follows.

Grym takes a look at the map for large forces traveling through the forest looking to see if those routes are close to the current camp or the redoubt?

Lizzie blows up a strand of hair that hangs over her face.
"If only we could claim bounties on them instead.
At least they can't tell the tale."

Grymwold takes a close look at the maps. The hobgoblins might as well have left the mapmaking to the kids because they're a little more than scribbles and lines. Regardless, the lines curve from Phaendar through the woods in different directions. Indeed, one of the drawn routes passes by the current camp. None of the maps indicate the Redoubt.

Gronilda takes the lead back to the camp. Most of the villagers seem to have called it in for the night, with their makeshift tents still serving most of them well, and others unfortunately still sleeping on a layer of blankets above the damp forest ground.

Aubrin is speaking with Jet and Kining as the party approaches, and they're taking turns staring up at the sky, Aubrin squinting hard to make something out.

"It's dark, but I can smell the rain. It's comin', I'm tellin' ya," Kining shakes her head. "Jet, help me with this sheet. See if we can't stay dry."

"Oh, they're back," Aubrin smiles as she is relieved by seeing the party return safely. "Did you find anything?"

"Whoa, look at the size of that thing!" Lizzie's cousins, Bradey and Hilary, rush out to see the boar in tow. "That'll feed us for days! Bacon for breakfast tomorrow?" The excitement causes some of the villagers to stir in their beds and they look over with hope in their eyes.

Following Aubrin's gaze up to the sky, Saélihn lets out a soft grunt of displeasure. "There's definitely a storm coming in a day or so...a bad one." she mutters, momentarily distracted form the spoils of their hunt.

Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Well, hopefully we'll have the group someplace a little more sheltered by then. Should we take them to the redoubt for now, and keep looking for those caves we heard about?

The shelter at the redoubt is better than what we have here AND the trails on the Hob's map don't go anywhere near the redoubt. I think we should move there and continue looking for the caves

Survival+deadeye's lore: 1d20 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 4 = 19

As the group enters the camp, Gronilda’s face lights up with genuine happiness "It's good to be back, everyone!" she calls out warmly. She nods and smiles at familiar faces, patting children on the head and clasping hands with the adults "We have a feast tonight, thanks to our hunt. Let's celebrate our small victory and gather our strength."

As the aroma of roasting boar fills the camp and everyone gathers to share the meal, Gronilda’s demeanor grows more serious. She takes the map and approaches Aubrin, motioning for her to join her at a quieter spot near the fire.

"Aubrin," Gronilda begins, her voice low but urgent, "we found these on the hobgoblins. The maps show planned routes through the forest and notes on water supplies. They're actively searching for us, and there's a bounty on our heads. This isn't just about surviving the elements anymore—there’s a calculated effort to find and capture us."

She hands the map to Aubrin, allowing her to see the crude markings "We need to communicate this to the refugees, but we must do it in a way that doesn't cause panic. They need to understand the gravity of our situation, but also trust that we have a plan so the morale is up."

Gronilda takes a deep breath "I agree that moving to the redoubt is our best option for now. It offers more shelter and isn't on their maps. We need to relocate quickly to avoid the coming storm, and while we're safer there, we'll continue looking for the caves that might provide a more permanent refuge."

After taking some time to check in on her mother, Saélihn leads the efforts to clean and dress the boar, before those more skilled at cooking take over.

Joining the others in reporting to Aubrin she nods in agreement with Gronilda. "There's a stretch along the river on the way to the redoubt as well, the water source will be welcome."

Aubrin squints deeply, listening to the party's explanation and plan, and absorbing every word. Eventually, she nods in agreement. "We saw dozens of hobgoblins when we escaped Phaendar, and more hands means they must have made quick work on reconstructing the bridge. Or that scouting party took the long way around. It's lucky that the boar found them before they found us, but if there were three seeking that bounty, there will be more, and we may not be as lucky next time."

She leans in, whispering. "The hobgoblin presence... I'd rather not announce this so broadly. Surviving and fear of the elements is enough. These people want their homes back, and that home is gone. Adding the threat of hobgoblins to the mix, I don't know how anyone will ever sleep."

"Despite no one going without food or water yet, we are still lacking proper shelter, and the Chernasardo redoubt is as good as it might get for now. Certainly more defensible too, with hobgoblins now roaming the woods. I'm glad you managed to find it," she smiles. "Would you rather gather everyone and go now, with the dark forest lit by our torches, or wait until early morning?"

Added 8 Provisions from butchering the boar

Let's go to the redoubt early morning and enjoy the boar tonight

Gronilda listens intently to Aubrin and Grymwold, nodding in agreement "Yes, let’s move at first light. The redoubt will be a safer place for all of us, and the cover of night might be more of a hindrance than a help right now" she glances at the villagers, their faces showing a mixture of weariness and hope as they prepare for the evening meal.

She turns back to Aubrin, her expression resolute "Ok, we’ll keep the details about the hobgoblins to ourselves for now. For tonight, let's focus on resting and enjoying the meal. The strength we gain from this boar will help us on our journey tomorrow."

She then helps distribute the food, making sure everyone gets their share, and takes a moment to offer a quiet prayer of thanks to Erastil for their bounty and protection.

"Yes, full bellies and hope will do more for the trek there, than having to make our way at night. It would likely be a lot safer as well." Saélihn adds.

Zarena enjoys the roast boar, and goes to sleep early, planning on getting up for the last watch.

Before turning in for the night, Jet explains the fruits of today's labor. The refugees have managed to forage more wild berries and plants, totaling 6 Provision points. Aubrin, Jet and Kining constructed enough shelter so that 11 more of the villagers will sleep more warmly tonight, and one additional sheep has been herded.

During the night

Day 3
The night might as well have been blessed by Erastil himself, as it passes without wild animals attacking. Or hobgoblins.

The villagers rise from their slumber and line up for breakfast, gathering around the spent fire. Aubrin stands in the center and clears her throat. "My friends, today, we will be leaving our camp, and traveling to somewhere more safe," she begins, looking at the party to provide the villagers with an explanation.

Perception (Ghost): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Perception (Saèlinh): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Zarena notes that Edran is stealing food supplies for himself, but declines to confront him immediately, worried that it would turn violent and wake everyone up. Instead she waits for morning and confides the information to her party.

Perception (darkvision): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
During the night, Gronilda is stirred from her sleep by the sound of rustling near the food supplies. Peeking through half-closed eyes, she notes Edran moves with the provisions.

In the morning, Gronilda steps up early and quietly speaks to Aubrin and the other party members "I saw Edran taking some food last night. He honestly has been behaving strangely since we found him. I think there is something odd about him, and anyway, we can't let this behavior continue. I suggest we confront him before things turn worse"

Later, during the breakfast and after Aubrin finishes speaking, Gronilda addresses the gathered refugees "My friends. We found yesterday a place that promises safety and better shelter. The redoubt will provide us with the security we need to rest and recover."

She lets her gaze sweep over the crowd, meeting the eyes of as many people as possible "We’ve faced many hardships together, but you have worked all hard for us to be in better shape today. Each step we take is a step toward a brighter future. Erastil has blessed us with this opportunity, and together, we will make the most of it."

She nods to the group, signaling the end of her speech "Now, let’s prepare for our journey. Gather your belongings and ensure you have everything you need. We leave shortly after breakfast. May Erastil bless our path and keep us safe"
Diplomacy (in case is relevant): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

With that, Gronilda helps distribute the remaining food, making sure everyone is well-fed before they embark on their journey.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Grym sleeps through the night, the roasted boar in his belly seemingly feeding sweet dreams.

Grym is furious at Edran for violating the group's trust and agrees his behavior has been odd from the start.
Should we confront him now or should we have Lizzie keep an eye on him to see if he's a danger to the group in addition to being a thief?

I'm here - just waiting to see what Lizzie thinks re: confronting Edran or not

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

I'd have stolen it back, as soon as i were aware.
I had her personality blunt on occassion, so a confrontation is what Lizzie goes for. Away from others if possible.
‐-------------
At hearing the news at whatever time....
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"Oi, stealing? No, no no no, i'd like to have some words with him. But i'd like to try taking it back, if able. If i fail at that, we can have a nice chat with him. Remind him that he'd best fork it over, before a group of refugees gets angry at him."

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 +10 if Lizzie would hear about it at night, and he'd be
asleep.

You know the whole "looking for something?" With a meaningful look and crossed arms.

Love it, though Lizzie herself didn't make the Perception check, so she wouldn't know, and Gronilda and Zarena opted to wait until the morning. In any case, you can certainly confront him now!

At breakfast
The villagers look on at Gronilda as she explains the next steps and the upcoming relocation to the Redoubt. Some scoff at the plans, others smile with hope, but there are some particularly strong reactions.

"I slept on the damp ground last night. My back is killing me! If this ... redoubt... has any type of real bed, I call dibs," Geoffrey Antwort the aristocrat complains, gingerly wiping dirt off of his lacey sleeves.

The hunter twins, Taidel and Lirosa, look over at the man, taking turns speaking.
"There's something comforting..."
"About being in nature"
"You should appreciate all that it provides," Lirosa finishes, tossing a berry up and catching it in her mouth.
"Indeed. We'll sleep outside anyway, redoubt or not," Taidel agrees.

"Humph! If I have to eat another piece of dried meat or rotten fruit, I'm leaving. And surely some of you would join me, right? ... Right?" Geoffrey looks over at the rest of the villagers. They don't seem too convinced that mister regal-and-important would be a very good woodland survivor.

Others look on at Gronilda with hope in their eyes, and begin gathering their belongings to start the journey to the redoubt.

At Edran's tent

While Gronilda explains the plans and inspires the villagers, Lizzie sneaks over to Edran's tent, the party having informed her of his theft. She finds the meat underneath his pillow, though one piece is soggy, as if Edran had been sleeping while chewing on it.

Gronilda watches as the refugees begin to gather their belongings and prepare for the journey. She moves among them, offering words of encouragement and practical assistance wherever she can. With the corner of her eye, she looks at Edran's tent and follows the events about to develop there.

Lizzie is glad she was able to salvage something. But the other bit that was soggy, she slightly shook her head.
Shoplifters, sheesh. If only i had something to spoil it with, would suit him.

She uses the pommel of her dagger to scrape away dirt, to put the soggy bit in and cover it up again. She then makes her way back to the rest.

Sneaking: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
She taps Grymwold on the back, as she comes to stand next to him.
"Retrieved half. Other half was soiled"

While Gronilda works to motivate the refugees, Saélihn keeps a close eye on Edran.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Zarena is busy helping people pack up and move, but when she sees Saélihn come back successful, she smiles.

Edran re-enters his tent just as Lizzie returns to Grymwold. He exits a moment later, a confused look on his face, and looks over each of the villagers. Then, he shrugs, and starts packing up his things.

I'll give you a Provision Point back for Lizzie retrieving the goods.

If you're approaching Edran, let me know. If not, I will have us depart for the Redoubt tomorrow. You could also talk to Edran on the way there, up to you.

On the way to the redoubt Grym sidles up to Edran and asks Got a question for ya....What makes you deservin of those extra rations you snuck into your tent last night? Seems a poor way to repay a group that welcomed you with open arms.

With everything packed up, the villagers form a group lead by the party and Aubrin, with Jet and Kining just behind, and start trekking through the woods back towards the abandoned Chernasardo Redoubt.

On the way, Grymwold and whoever else wants to be in on the conversation finds a moment to catch up with Edran. When asked about the rations, he throws his hand behind his head and smiles sheepishly. "Oh, well, what can I say? I wanted to make sure I had an extra buffer. Never know when we might run out of food, and it's not like I'm going to be running off with all of your supplies or anything. Hah! No, no. It was just for me. But ya caught me, and I won't do it again." He leans in and starts whispering. "Could you keep this between us? If everyone else finds out, well, it's all too easy to abandon someone out here."

Zarena doesn't interfere, but when she hears that he agreed not to do it again, she is somewhat relieved. She thought he might be a touch mad from the initial performance coming into the camp, and is glad that he seems somewhat reasonable and didn't get histrionic.

Saélihn listens in silence as Grymwold confronts Edran, surprised at his immediate confession, though she vows to watch him more closely in the future.

Lizzie went along with Grymwold. She wanted to hear what the thief said.
So what excuse will you come up with?

At the sleezy way he justifies it for himself, her eyes slightly narrow.

Sense bs?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Could you keep this between us? If everyone else finds out, well, it's all too easy to abandon someone out here."---Edran

So you're saying you don't want a group of people that welcomed you in, to all know what kind of person you are. And NOT to watch out for whatever else you might do, steal. Not a good way to live Edran Grym tsks and shakes his head disappointed.

Grym stares quietly at him for a bit before quietly saying We're fighting for our lives out here. ALL of us! We don't have the luxury of giving multiple chances to a stranger who may not have our best interests at heart. If I ever hear of anything like this again from you, my voice will be recommending exile, without your boots, in payment for whatever you've stolen. Mine is just one voice out of many here, but it can be a loud one when I feel strongly about something.

Grym leaves without waiting for a reply, truly not liking this man

Gronilda lags behind slightly as the group continues their trek toward the Redoubt. Her brow furrows in thought as she considers everything that’s happened with Edran.

Catching up to the others, she talks in a low tone "Something about Edran's story doesn’t sit right, and the more I think about it, the more suspicious he becomes at my sight" she glances back to ensure he’s not within earshot "He said he was at the inn when the hobgoblins attacked, but all where there and we didn’t see him. If he really was inside, how did he manage to escape alone, without any of us noticing or a hobgoblin taking him?"

Gronilda pauses, her eyes narrowing as she recalls Edran's odd behavior "And then there’s the way he appeared in front of us out of the blue and how he’s been asking about interesting places, like Kraggodan. It seems innocent enough on the surface, but something about it feels wrong. He’s too interested in places of power or significance, almost like he’s searching for something, but he’s trying to keep it hidden."
You can read this Gronilda spoiler now

She looks at each of her companions in turn, her expression serious "I don’t trust him, and I think we need to be cautious. He could be hiding something important, something that could endanger us all. I would not rule out him working for our enemies."

Her voice drops even lower, almost a whisper "If he’s not what he seems, we need to figure out his true intentions before it’s too late"

I agree. He's an untrustworthy slimy fellow and likely worse than just a simple thief

"I have to admit he makes me uneasy as well." Saélihn says quietly. "But if he turns out to be helping the hobs, he can't be simply released into the wilds....he could tell them where we are."

We're fighting for our lives out here. ALL of us! We don't have the luxury of giving multiple chances to a stranger who may not have our best interests at heart. If I ever hear of anything like this again from you, my voice will be recommending exile, without your boots, in payment for whatever you've stolen. Mine is just one voice out of many here, but it can be a loud one when I feel strongly about something.

Edran gulps loudly and begins to reply, "Of course! Never again will I take anythi.." But he quickly trails off as Grymwold walks away, not wanting anyone else to hear his confession. Lizzie had been watching the exchange, and has some thoughts of her own on Edran's words.

Pausing moving us forward until Lizzie can see the spoiler (in the event she might want to share it/react on it)

Hearing his response,

Dirty liar. You are definitely going to steal and run off. We've got to do something about this fellow. Leaving him behind is a risk, keeping him is a risk. I can think of something, but it'd be pretty bad.

She does pull the team together, still keeping an eye on the guy.

"Okay, that guy is definitely lying, and will screw us over at first convenience, i am very sure about that. Which leaves the question, what do we do with someone who is a risk to us both left behind, and kept with us?"
"Is it possible to knock some genuine amnesia into his skull?"

Hmm. Well, if he is as slimy as you say... I don't know any spells that will make someone forget... but I might be able to scare him off? Don't freak out now. I'm going to show you something.

She opens her mouth, causing her fangs to elongate, to show them.

It's just a sorcerer thing, mild poison if I actually bit someone, but if we told a ghost story about a vampire or something, and I visited his tent... I mean, could freak him out. And sounds like he might deserve it?