Here's the opening post so you can get all nicely dotted up.
Drink Hail! Wassail for all!
That is to say, dot.
Blessed be The Lucky Drunk!! HAZZAH!!
dawt
dot dot dot
You are summoned to the military headquarters of Janderhoff, your home city. The leader of the standing army, Ulf Ironbeard, is bedecked in his uniform at the head of a table surrounded by chairs (not too comfy, you're dwarves, not soft elves or something). There are pitchers of ale on the table (not water, who trusts water?)
(Apply Canadian accent, Scottish is beat to death).
"Please be seated. Sorry to interrupt your business, but there's a serious situation that is developing. You are all independent agents of note who have worked with our forces before. You have been summoned to form a team to intercede while we prepare our larger forces. "
He stops to take a quaff of ale.
"It appears that a figure has emerged among the giants. A sooper threat known as the Storm Tyrant. Small villages have been getting wiped out near the Mindspin mountains. One village, Trunau, managed to resist the assault. Was that luck? You betcha. But we'll take luck when we can find it. Captured prisoners have confirmed rumors of this Storm Tyrant. They have also dug up some information on threads to follow to investigate the Tyrant's organization. "
Again, he wets his whistle with a bit more ale.
"Aboot your mission which is why we're here. You're to board a riverboat in Belkzen. This will take you first to Ghostlight Marsh which is understood to contain some artifacts which should help you on the mission. There you should find a cache stored in the Vault of Thorns. I can't tell you what you'll find in it, but it is understood that those druids fought a lot of giants, so it should be relevant. "
Again with the ale, and he belches loudly as is polite.
"The core part of your mission is to go to Redlake Fort which is a stronghold held by a tribe of hill giants. They launched the assault on Trunau, and should be able to provide more information on the giant conspiracy that we face. Giant Conspiracy- good one eh?"
"You will be provided with a magic lantern to lead you to the Vault of Thorns, an artifact hammer, and a geode which appears to be part of a map to further artifacts for fighting giants. Do you have any questions?"
I'll be providing links to the google slides documents in private messages since they will have edit rights.
"Boats and druids." Kurgan said. "Sounds like a job for elves." He added dryly and with a slight smirk. Taking a drink himself, he put the mug down. "But killing giants is dwarven work, eh?" Having worked with Ironbeard's forces before, he knew that he didn't have to haggle on payment. He had been summoned and glory would be brought to Clan and Hold. He elbowed his brother in the side and added "What do'ya think? This artifact hammer going to be made out of wood or what?"
Next to Kurgan Kegstalker sat his younger brother, Orthoon, his silver symbol of Cayden Cailean worn prominently just under his beard. The caydenite always enjoyed mission briefings; they always included dwarven ale. The dwarven cleric was mid-gulp when he was elbowed by his older brother.
"Bleh. My guess is a wooden handle, at least. Other races I've spoke to can't seem to hold stone, even worked stone, very well. Looks like we'll need the our cousins to watch the vats while we're gone."
"No, the artifact hammer is a relic of the stone giants actually, and is forged of steel as a normal blacksmith's hammer. You are welcome to examine it. " He signals to aides to bring in the items you will be taking along. In short order they come in with a large blacksmith hammer, a geode, and a lantern.
Crastor drinks deeply from his mug and then says, "What type of giants are we expectin' at this fort? Any chance the big boys' are there or just some idiot ogres who were chased off from Trunau?" Crastor reaches over and picks up the hammer to examine it.
Crastor wears full plate and has a shield strapped to his back and a dwarven waraxe at his side.
Orthoon audibly gasps as the artifacts are brought in. Knowing full well the other weapon crafters among them will want to examine the maul, the dwarven cleric looks at the lantern closely.
"A stoopid boat ride -- probably we'll all get wet; why'd those friggin' droods hafta set up in a swamp? Buncha a$@&*~~s, I'm sure..." Grumpy ignores the fabulous smacking tool, but shares Orthoon's interest in the lantern:
.
. stupid dice!
check that -- my dwarf doesn't even look at any of the equipment; he just grumbles in the corner!
Crastor drinks deeply from his mug and then says, "What type of giants are we expectin' at this fort? Any chance the big boys' are there or just some idiot ogres who were chased off from Trunau?" Crastor reaches over and picks up the hammer to examine it.
"We don't expect opposition more substantial than hill giants and ogres. That's all that was reported on the Trunau assault. "
Orthoon, are you casting detect magic before that spellcraft roll? If not, it doesn't do much. The knowledge religion seems to indicate that there are markings present which praise Minderhall, who is a LE god of the forge in the stone giant pantheon.
Biruta sticks out in the room for a few reasons. First, she's the only female there. Second, her hair is quite long and blonde. Third, she wears no obvious armor, and is armed with a longbow and machete (if you call that a weapon).
She's rather young, not very far past marriageable age probably. Her clothing is of the sort one expects to see experienced travelers wearing, and it's all in various muted, earthy colors.
Biruta sips on a cup of ale to be polite and listens for a while without saying anything. When the artifacts are brought out she waits to let the others get their fill of looking at the them. She'll have plenty of time for them later.
What she really wants to know is more specifics about the route they will be taking.
"Which river will the riverboat be traveling?"
Crastor waves his hands and his eyes glow slightly as he examines the hammer and the looks over at the lantern. He whistles slightly as he looks over the two items and considers what properties they have.
"Hmmph", Orthoon grumbles. "Minderhall, a stone giant god of the forge", the cleric says as he points the symbols out to the others.
when Grumpy hears there will be hill giants, he perks up, and taps his crossbow:
"Dumb ol' hill giants make fine targets -- but if'n we run across stone giants, every time I hit, it'll wreck another bolt...I guess I should stock up...that's a buncha crap..."
my dwarf also has Lorekeeper, so he'll just check for a really high roll:
nope
10+ Ghostlight Marsh is a vast tract of swampland
along the shores of the River Esk. The current
border between the Hold of Belkzen and Lastwall
runs through the swamp. Both orcs and humans
avoid the marsh due to countless tales of strange,
floating lights.
15+ Lastwall’s northern border with Belkzen has been
pushed back multiple times over the centuries.
When the second of these borders, Harchist’s
Blockade, was overrun by the orcs, some stood
resolute, seeing themselves as protectors of the
land. The Council of Thorns, a militant druid circle
who despised the orcs’ defilement of the land
the creatures conquered, attempted to stand their
ground. While the druids’ fight was valiant, the
Council of Thorns was eventually driven back to the
swamp and defeated by the orcs.
20+ Faced with sure defeat at the hands of the
conquering orcs, the druids of the Council of Thorns
made a final stand in the swamp, sacrificing
themselves in a bloody ritual. As the druids’ dying
bodies slumped into the muck, vengeful will
o’-wisps rose from the marsh and drove the orc
army out of the swamp. These cruel and capricious
aberrations have guarded Ghostlight Marsh from
intrusion ever since.
25+ The will-o’-wisps of Ghostlight Marsh are actually
the reincarnated druids of the Council of Thorns,
who still remember their former lives.
Dolgrym sits through the briefing quietly and drinks his ale. When finished he says "Killing giants? Check. Are there any maps of these area's we can look at to get some idea of the lay of the land?"
Trunau is a small villain on the outskirts of Belkzen that has been then since before the Orcs took over, and has managed to avoid Orcish control. It will not be of any consequence further in this AP.
Vault of Thorns is where the Council of Thorns stashed their bling.
Storm Tyrant is the rumored leader of this Giant troubles, alliance, something. You are lacking in details.
Orthoon finds that the hammer is a very powerful magic item, a minor artifact in fact. Since we're using ABP I won't bother giving out the statted weapon part (and really, it's not that hot). However it can do a couple of fancy things when you get to Minderhal's forge. We'll address that then.
This brass bullseye lantern is embossed with dancing orbs
flitting amid a leaf-and-holly motif. A ghostlight lantern
functions as a normal bullseye lantern, but if the
remains of a dead will-o’-wisp are placed inside it,
the lantern gains additional abilities. The dead
will-o’-wisp powers the lantern for a period of
1 week, during which time the lantern sheds
a bluish-white light without the need for oil
as fuel. Creatures within the 60-foot cone
of the lantern’s normal light are outlined
with a pale, bluish glow, as faerie fire. Orcs
within the cone are dazzled, as if in bright
sunlight, for as long as they remain within
the light. Additionally, three times per day as a
standard action, the wielder of a ghostlight lantern
can draw upon the power of the deceased will-o’
wisp fueling it to cast shocking grasp. Lastly, while
within the bounds of Ghostlight Marsh in the Hold of
Belkzen, a ghostlight lantern unerringly emits a beacon
that illuminates a direct path to the circle of standing stones
that form the entrance to the Vault of Thorns. After 1 week,
the power of the deceased aberration is exhausted, and the
ghostlight lantern loses its additional abilities, once again
functioning only as a normal bullseye lantern until another
dead will-o’-wisp is placed inside.
Crastor puts the hammer back on the table and says, "These are some powerful items, but we will need to track down a Will-o'-Wisp in the marsh to use the lantern."
Dolgrym sits through the briefing quietly and drinks his ale. When finished he says "Killing giants? Check. Are there any maps of these area's we can look at to get some idea of the lay of the land?"
"The only maps we have of Belkzen are well out of date from before the Orcs overran the place. We can't really offer anything current. We do have some general idea of where things are, including your destination. I'll have a copy for you. "
I'll put that in the slides when I have the links sent out.
"I hear tell of glowing lights in that slimy midden -- maybe they're frigging will-o-wisps...bet I'll get zapped a bunch..."
Biruta doesn't get an answer about which river, which she takes to mean Ironbeard doesn't know but won't admit. It doesn't really matter much anyway. It's probably the Kestral since it's closer than the Esk, more sensible if there's boat traffic on the Kestrel.
To Crastor's comment about will-o-wisps Biruta replies "Oh I don't think we'll need to go the the trouble. It would be surprising if we don't find a few or more of them tracking us."
"I've never been nearly so far east as Ghostlight Marsh, that's practically Lastwall, but I've heard things..."
Biruta tells them what she knows about the place.
”Aye then. Let’s calculate how much supplies we will need for the journey and get started.” Kurgan said, right before he drained his mug. ”And let’s hope these reincarnated Druids be willing to talk and work for us.“ He added as he put the mug down and poked at the hammer that lay on the table.
Kaalul quaffs his ale and slams his mug down hard on the stone table. It seems as if he does this as a ritual rather than out of any sense of enjoyment. If he attracts any attention when he does so, he pays it no mind.
He nods and grunts in approval when he learns that giants are to be their quarry, and again when he learns that an artifact of an enemy forge deity is in dwarven possession.
His fellow dwarves seem competent and knowledgeable, and he will consider them as such until they show him otherwise. They often do. Then, he will guide them back to the correct path.
"First things first: we gotta get from Janderhoff to Trunau. Shall we freeze our butts off going over the MindSpin Mountains, or risk death going through darklands under the whole mountain range?"
Grumpy is more of a Disney dwarf than all the Tolkein-type dwarves typically found in adventuring parties; as such, he is quite a bit smaller than his kin -- he's standing on his chair as he makes the above remarks. Somehow, his words sound a little more like a complaint than an attempt at planning...
"...'had my druthers, a mighty wizard'd TELEPORT us!"
The dwarven cleric swipes his beard from a long guzzle of ale.
"If given the choice, I'd prefer the stability of the mountain above me than the sky." Orthoon started on the next ale.
”Aye. Best to walk the roads of our ancestors than to fall into the sky.” Kurgan said.
"You aren't going to Trunau, you're heading to the riverboat. That boat will get you first to the marsh and then the fort. "
On the way to the riverboat, Orthoon helps to carry party supplies and gear onto the boat.
Kaalul takes another quaff of ale, slams his mug, and emits a ritualistic belch that echoes throughout the stone room.
"If we are to travel from Belzken into the Ghostlight Marsh and then to Redlake Fort, a riverboat makes sense. As Torag's children, we're not going to complain about the tools he gives us to protect dwarvenkind. However, it's fine to voice personal misgivings in the interests of raising awareness of dangers, threats, and hazards.
"That said, if the boat isn't maintained by at least some dwarves, I don't trust it."
Dolgrym listens to the boat complaints and where there is an opening he asks, "Who is carrying each of the items? Someone needs the hammer, someone the lantern and someone the geode. I'll volunteer for the geode if no one else wants it."
Orthoon makes a small shrug. "I identified the lantern. Figure I'll carry it."
Biruta is carrying all her stuff already since she doesn't actually reside in Janderhoff. She's ready to go right away.
"I use an axe, so someone who might actually want to wield the hammer should carry it. I can carry the geode if no one else wants to." Crastor shrugs and will stand to go gather his bag.
Via the magical transport of dotted line on a map, you make your way to the south bank of the Kestrel river to meet up with your riverine transportation.
The riverboat is a large, modified keelboat with a
sturdy wooden hull. Assembled from the scavenged wrecks
of several other vessels, the riverboat looks ungainly, with
a wide forecastle and towerlike structure at the bow, and
a high aftcastle at the stern. The boat is 120 feet long and
30 feet wide, with a draft of 10 feet. It has a single mast with
a large sail as well as rowing banks.
Standing in front of it is a large, muscular half orc. He introduces himself "Greetings, I am Bloodtusk, captain of the Tadpole. Yes, I named it. I have been commissioned to transport you to two locations and I always honor my deals. Stay to the common areas on the vessel and we won't have any issues. If a door is locked, there's a reason and leave it alone. It is possible we will need some of you to pitch in on some sailing duties along the way, so it is best if any of you with boating experience let me know now. Do you have any questions?"
Orthoon steps forward to shake the Captain's hand.
"Good day, Bloodtusk. If there are no unforseen delays, how long will the trip to Ghostlight Marsh take?"
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”Experience, on a boat?” Kurgan scoffed. ”Must have mistaken us for very short and handsome humans.” He shook his head. ”Will stay in the common areas, nay problem. Will pitch in if something needs done.”
"I use an axe, so someone who might actually want to wield the hammer should carry it. I can carry the geode if no one else wants to." Crastor shrugs and will stand to go gather his bag.
Kaalul picks up the hammer and rests it on his shoulder before heading out.
Via the magical transport of dotted line on a map, you make your way to the south bank of the Kestrel river to meet up with your riverine transportation.
Assembled from the scavenged wrecks of several other vessels, the riverboat looks ungainly, with a wide forecastle and towerlike structure at the bow, and a high aftcastle at the stern.
Upon his first sight of the Tadpole, Kaalul shakes his head and sighs, muttering a prayer requesting Torag's protection for the watercraft they were to travel on.
Standing in front of it is a large, muscular half orc. He introduces himself "Greetings, I am Bloodtusk, captain of the Tadpole. Yes, I named it. I have been commissioned to transport you to two locations and I always honor my deals. Stay to the common areas on the vessel and we won't have any issues. If a door is locked, there's a reason and leave it alone. It is possible we will need some of you to pitch in on some sailing duties along the way, so it is best if any of you with boating experience let me know now. Do you have any questions?"
"Torag's blessing on you and your crew, Captain."
Kaalul walks up the gangplank and finds a place to stow his things.
As you go belowdecks, you find that the height of each deck is only 5' so it's strangely perfect for dwarves. Clearly the captain has to hunch anywhere except on the top deck.
Dolgrym laughs as the captain asks for anyone with boating experience. He chuckles as he says "We are dwarves. We are not known for our seaman ship and have been known to sink like a stone. If you need help there are many strong backs. Just ask us and we'll help. Now if it is to repel boarders that is much more up our alley!"
"Yeah, I must admit I didn't expect much in seamanship. Though these can be dangerous waters, so able armsmen will be welcome. "
Crastor will pack the Geode in his pack and go to the boat.
After seeing the below deck Crastor wonders if the captain did not make his life harder in dangerous waters with cramped quarters. But instead of questioning his working conditions he says, "I have no prior experience in guiding a riverboat. Hopefully, the water is not too rough as we pass through. How long will this journey take us?" Crastor tugs on his armor straps and considers that now might be a good time to shift over to his lighter armor.
"Following the river, it is 130 miles to the Ghostlight Marsh. That should take 6 days if nothing delays us. "
when the team arrives on the bank of the river, but before boarding the vessel, Grumpy cringes when he sees the beat-up boat bobbing in the flowing water, and recites a classic rhyme:
(from the comic strip "BC", wherein Wiley -- a dirty peg-legged caveman who hated water -- is writing while sitting under a tree...)
"...wouldst that I should be so bland,
that I should wield a blotter;
that spreadeth over all the land
-- and sucketh up the water!"
Ok, enough with the yammering, er I mean that should be sufficient roleplay to set the scene.
You get your gear stowed and are handed menial tasks like swabbing the deck, lookout, or cooking. None of these are arduous and they relieve the boredom some.
3 of you have been voluntold to help with pulling in the catch of fish the first day you're underway. That will be Orthan, Kurgan and Kaluul. Place your icons adjacent to the water on the 'hungry crocodiles' map.
The rest of you should put icons onto the map as well, but you don't need to be croc bait.
To be clear, the boat is on the top left. You are all on the boat (for now).
the Disney dwarf is hiding in the upper-most left corner of the map -- crouched behind that barrel -- crossbow in hand...
. stupid dice!
what I meant was: Grumpy is standing, hunched over, ralphing loudly into the barrel...