Certainly as compared to mine, which remains decidedly lacking. Anyway, must get cracking on a post.
Search Posts
There we go. A bit behind schedule, but that should put us back on track.
Group 1: With no other leads and no further serpents presenting themselves, the decision is made to carry on to the lake. It's a path which requires them to backtrack a little, walking along with Iodenna for a while. As it turns out, her awkward walking gait is due to a wooden leg, her original one having been lost during the course of Ragnarok. Though the missing limb slows her down, she seems to get along well enough otherwise. Along the walk, she fills the trio in on her knowledge of the beast they hunt. Named for water monster of Midgard, the nicor is a large but surprisingly swift and agile hunter, able to bring down large prey through a combination of venom and crushing coils. It's generally a solitary animal, but mated pairs will cooperate to feed their young, with nests found in hollowed-out trees. To her knowledge, nobody's gotten into a fight with one, so it's difficult to say how they'll respond when attacked. Soon enough, the group reaches the branch of the path which will take them to Tabletop and the Tarn. Here, Iodenna leaves them, wishing them well on their hunt. For her part, she intends to continue on to Arnsford, and from there to Ragnfeld. Time passes, thunderclouds beginning to mass in the east as their day wears on. At length, however, they crest a hill and the lake comes into sight. It's a decent-sized body of water, trees growing right down to the edge. To the west, Tabletop looms. Of more immediate interest, however, are the three people warily retreating along the trail towards them. By the looks, they're three of the youngsters from Gulbrandr's party. One has a splinted leg and is being supported, whilst the third is watching their backtrail, bow in hand. Beyond them, the occasional glimpse of mottled coats can be seen, indicative of animals stalking along behind. Group 2: No ambush is forthcoming. It seems their quarry's objective was only to confuse and elude pursuit. A short amount of searching picks up Fenian's trail where she descended from the trees. The new trail leads off on a tangent from that taken by the horse, leading them along the gentle southern slopes of Tabletop. It's difficult for the group to tell if they're gaining ground, but hopefully they'll catch her before the thunderclouds looming in the distance reach them. Tracking through a downpour would be a trickier proposition. Time passes. At last, the journey is broken by the sight of a large lake to the east. It seems they are not the first to arrive here; downslope, on a trail leading down to the lake, two parties of three can be seen. One party, with an injured member, is retreating up the trail towards the second. Given your higher vantage point, neither group is aware of you yet. However, further inspection reveals you are not alone; Only a short distance ahead of you, peering intently down at the people below, is a large, spotted cat. It seems unaware of you for the moment.
Okay. Hopefully this will be the last round of apologies for a while. I think I've got the work-life balance a bit better sorted. At least to the point of being able to set aside adequate time and motivation to do the campaign justice. I am going to go ahead and combine the groups as my first act on resuming, which ought to help there. So, I'm going to ask those interested in continuing to check in, and we'll resume on Wednesday.
Another round of apologies. I've been tied up in organising an overseas trip and haven't really had time to provide some proper posts. I think what I'll do is leave things where they are until I get back on Monday, then advance the plot a bit.
Group 1: "The nicor?" Iodenna asks, turning her gaze towards the picked-over remains of the serpent, "Yes, I've seen a few. Mostly a fair way to the north, around Eisr Tarn. They seem to like still waters. Yours is likely to be closer to hand though; There's a middling-sized tarn east of Tabletop. You might try there."
Group 2: Though the tracks are easy to follow, it's a long slog, hours stretching by as they follow the horse's trail through the jungle. At length, however, something catches the eyes of the trackers - A couple of grey woollen threads caught on an overhanging branch. The branch is well above head height, even for a mounted person, but somebody standing on horseback would be able to reach it. The horse's tracks continue on, along much the same bearing as before, but it looks as if horse and elf may have parted company here.
Group 2: Hedrick's investigations certainly suggest that the horse appeared out of nowhere. Telling if it was originally carrying a rider is impossible, but the fact that Fenian's tracks intermingle with the horse's before disappearing is certainly suggestive that she rode away on it. Yudra's examination of the map reveals that the nearest landmark is Tabletop Mountain. If they continue on their present bearing, the tracks will lead them towards that flat-topped peak. The tracks prove easy enough to follow, keeping straight for the most part, save for the occasional detour around an obstacle. On the plus side, the jungle terrain probably isn't all that suited for horses, so Fenian is unlikely to be opening up as much of a lead as people may have feared.
Apologies all, I've let myself get sidetracked by other things. I'll definitely try and pick up the pace a bit.
Group 2: Intent upon casting about for tracks, Yudra almost steps on a decent-sized snake, warned off at the last moment by a warning hiss. Whilst not big enough to make a meal of him, it might still do some damage if provoked. Meanwhile, Vaynard and Hedrick find something more promising the occasional shallow boot print leading up to a point... And then mingling briefly with and being replaced by hoofprints, as of a small riding horse. A distinct oddity, given the rarity of horses among Bifrost's settlers, but they should be easy enough to track.
Group 1: Catching the apple easily, the woman bites into it with every sign of enjoyment, "Much appreciated. You just don't see apples out in the wilds; it's been a while. Iodenna Sigrunsdottir," she says by way of introduction, "What brings you out? A hunting expedition?" Iodenna's appraising gaze takes in each of the three in turn. She is herself dressed practically for the jungle, a light pack on her back no doubt containing the essentials for travel. A hatchet and dart thrower, suitable for bringing down small game, sit at her hip. From the looks, she's become quite at home in Bifrost's jungles.
Group 1: There is a certain amount of excitement over the rest period but not, alas, of the type they may have been hoping for. Rather, the snake's carcass draws in scavengers, each intent upon eating its fill before something larger and scarier turns up. In the end, one of the jungle's big, spotted cats claims the carcass, dragging it part way up a small tree before settling in to eat. Thankfully, none of the scavengers seem willing to tangle with people, but they bear watching nonetheless. No further snakes have presented themselves. Well, not flying ones, at least. An ordinary, if large ground-bound snake slithers past at one point, moving about on some business of its own. After a leisurely breakfast, it seems like time to make a decision - do they continue to wait here, where they know at least one snake has spent time, or do they move on to another possible site? The decision is postponed a little, as they catch sight of somebody walking down the ridgetop path. A middle-aged woman with a sightly awkward gait, leaning on a staff. "Greetings," she says as she draws closer, "Might you spare a bite to eat? Perhaps some news?"
Group 2: Mathild shrugs, "Nothing stood out. She has been dour and standoffish, as have many people since Ragnarok, and has spent time exploring the Bridge on her own." It seems she has exhausted her insights into Fenian. The journey proceeds from there. The Bridge is a lush place, full of greenery, though often that greenery is far above their heads, forming a canopy which plunges the forest floor below into shade. Every so often, smaller creatures can be seen, giving the group a wide berth, but much of the life is up amongst the treetops, the cries of animals punctuating the walk from time to time. Here and there, for those paying attention, the bears' pawprints can be made out. After perhaps an hour and a half of steady marching, Mathild calls a halt, in a patch of forest much like any other, "This is where I caught up with Fenian," she says, "We will have to pick up her trail here. Since she now knows she has been followed, she may have made it difficult."
Group 2: Mathild nods, taking the questions in stride, "Fenian, by her own account, was in Alfheim when Ragnarok fell upon us. She was caught up in the burning of Aesthelm Library, escaped from there to Midgard and then here. She is young as we measure it and a moderately capable mage. She is not, however, battle-trained, her skills tending more towards scholarship. As to her destination, I am unsure. She has spent some time walking the Bridge, but in her own company." "The summoning of these bears for so long is well beyond what I've seen her or anyone else exhibit; The chase lasted for a good hour. I had thought to simply stay out of their reach until the spell expired, but it never happened. Under the circumstances, we must assume she is more accomplished than I had thought, though I still do not believe her capture is beyond us."
Group 1:
Edyssa: It's difficult to say whether another snake would turn up any time soon. The bloody carcass probably wouldn't scare them off, but big predators tend to hold decent-sized territories, whether on their own or in packs.
Group 2: "In truth, we know little of the Feathered Lady," Mathild says as they walk, "She intervened on our behalf under dire circumstances, and was plainly a being of Power. She tore apart the glamours which cloaked our foes, calling down fire to consume them. In that time and place, nothing of Ragnarok could hold the field." "In the wake of the battle, she gave her necklace into our keeping, bidding us carry it to the Rainbow Bridge, and to hold the portal for as long as we could. Why she entrusted the necklace to us, and to what purpose, I do not know." "Most of the remaining elves were on that field and party to that trust. Fenian, my quarry, is an exception, having made her own way to the Bridge. My task is to return both the necklace and her, that she may account for her actions."
Group 2: Yudra's search for healing supplies turns up a small kit stashed upon a shelf. It contains needle, thread and bandages, suitable for stitching up a wound out here in the wild, as well as a salve to stave off infection. Following Vaynard's healing, only a single long gash and some bruising remains, so stitching and binding the wound should be reasonably straightforward. Ynghildr:
On closer inspection,it's difficult to tell where the new metals leave off and the underlying steel begins. It seems the steel has been transformed, rather than a veneer added on top. You see traces of silver, iron, bronze, even a couple of shining black flecks which look like obsidian. Only those bolts which were embedded in the bear have been so altered; the one which passed through the smoke is unchanged. The elf shakes her head to the offer of food, preferring to relate her tale, "I am Methild, lately of Aelfheim. When my people came to the Bifrost on the wings of Ragnarok, we had been made refugees by defeat. Those items which we carried with us into exile were largely dictated by the vagaries of chance, or personal whim, as we believed ourselves fated to perish, with all else, in the war." "Few in number as the elves are, we have chosen to dwell together, keeping alive the memory of what we were and pooling our knowledge and skills in service of the community. One among us, however, has betrayed our trust, absconding with a relic entrusted to us by the Feathered Lady." Knowledge (local), DC10:
The Feathered Lady is a subject of some discussion. Many of the refugees of Ragnarok report seeing a woman in a feather cloak hurling magic in their defense during Ragnarok. The sightings seem linked to moments of particular peril. Opinion is divided as to the Lady's nature. Some believe her to have been a manifestation of the goddess Freyja, others a gifted sorceress, or a valkyrie, or perhaps something more exotic. "I was tasked to track the thief and bring her back. From my knowledge of her, I did not anticipate this would pose great difficulty. Yet it seems she is more than I had believed, given her ability to conjure such creatures in her defense. To return to Ragnfeld for aid would take time and risk her escape, and so I must ask your support in this."
Group 1: With a final, fading hiss, emanating from hacked and mangled lungs, the snake slumps to the ground and dies. All things considered, not a bad result. Except that, seen up close, outside the heat of combat, the creature doesn't look large enough to carry off a full-grown sheep. It might perhaps be a juvenile, or another species of flying snake entirely, but it seems unlikely to be their quarry.
That's also on my list of things to do - a write-up of elves in the old world.
No, you're good. I just need to find the time to put together a proper post to advance the plot. By this evening, certainly.
Group 1: Caught completely by surprise, the snake is struck full force by three projectiles. Heavily wounded, it draws itself back, hissing angrily, before uncoiling itself with startling speed and flying straight at Elric. Its head lashes out at him, just as it did with the monkeys. Its fangs slice through his flesh with ease, and he can feel the burn of the venom entering his system.
GM Rolls:
Group 2:
Yudra:
By the time you cast the spell, the smoke has dissipated. Nevertheless, there are traces of magic to be found. Two faint auras of conjuration linger, and when you seek out the sources, you find two bear claws, located roughly where the two bears came apart. Looking further downslope, where the first bear came apart, you find a tooth bearing similar traces. Those inspecting the arrows which struck home find something interesting. Vaynard's cold iron arrows are exactly as you'd expect, shafts damaged during the fight, arrow heads come loose or bent out of shape. Those of Yngildr's bolts which hit, however, have been subtly altered. The heads, forged of steel, are no longer entirely steel. Veneers of other metals coat their surfaces, with no apparent rhyme nor reason to their pattern.
Group 1: The wait, spent lurking watchfully under the cover of a vigorously growing stand of young trees, encompasses a few hours more. It's a decent spot, affording a view of both the roosting tree and of the water's edge. The end of the waiting comes with shocking swiftness. A decent-sized snake, covered in iridescent green scales and green-feathered wings, swoops down from the sky, striking from the end of its long neck at the troupe of monkeys drinking at the water's edge. The troupe scatters, disappearing into the undergrowth with a series of alarmed shrieks. Two of their number, however, don't run very far, collapsing after only a couple of bounds. Its prey down, the serpent sheds speed, settling at last to the jungle floor next to one of the dead monkeys. Possessed of venom and a metre-wide wingspan, it is plainly a dangerous predator.
Group 2: Ynghildr:
For a brief moment, it seems as if if the smoke responds to your thoughts. Faces shape themselves within the smoke, tantalisingly familiar, and you see the smoke thicken momentarily about Yudra. Then the faces are gone, and the smoke with them. Yudra:
The smoke clings to you for long moments, even thickening momentarily, then it is gone abruptly. You find that your wounds have knitted somewhat. Between Ynghildr's bolt, another arrow from the elf and Hedrick's blow to the neck, the bear finally comes apart, the resulting smoke cloud simply sinking, without trace, into the ground. The air is once again clear, with no evidence the bears ever existed save for Yudra's wounds. Her pursuers vanquished, the elf takes a few moments to get her breath back before answering Hedrick's query, "They seemed but summoned beasts to begin, but they were far longer-lived than other such conjurations. I thought I could simply outpace them until they dissipated, then turn and deal with the summoner, but it was not so." She sighs, "I thank you for your aid, yet it seems I must ask more. Let us see to the wounded and then I shall share my tale with you." Oddly, Yudra seems less wounded than he was moments ago. Perhaps there is some merit to Hedrick's suggestion of illusions. Or perhaps something else is at work.
GM Rolls:
Group 1: Edyssa's scrutiny of the ground pays off, allowing her to spot what resemble several larger versions of an owl pellet - masses of indigestible materials such as bones, fur and teeth. These are scattered about the base of a large tree near the game trail. The pellets and the bones within are larger by an order of magnitude than those of any owl you've ever seen. Back on Midgard, owl pellets were often found around roosting sites, so although the tree looks to be empty at the moment, it's a good bet that whatever spit up the pellets will be back eventually.
Group 2: Yudra's hands rise to the bear's throat, gouts of thick smoke pouring from it as he digs in. Then, as if all the very substance of the bear has deserted it, his hands rip clean through the bear's neck, the severed head remaining intact for a bare moment before it and the body collapse into swirling, multi-coloured smoke. As close as they were to the bear, Ynghildr and Yudra are engulfed by the smoke, and it seems to cling to their skin, simultaneously oily and gritty in feel.
With the first bear down, Vaynard redirects his attentions to the second, feathering it with a pair of arrows. The bear is definitely hurt, but it isn't down yet.
Group 2: Yudra takes a chunk out of the bear, with another arrow piercing the creature. Even with another arrow from Vaynard sinking into it though, the bear is still standing, its arms tightening inexorably around Yudra. Though his wounds are beginning to knit together, courtesy of Hedrick, this looks likely to be painful. It's at this moment that the elf intervenes, sidestepping her own bear and firing two arrows at Yudra's in quick succession, one of which strikes home, further wounding the bear. Then she has to look to her own defense, ducking and dodging away from outstretched claws. If anybody thought the arrows might earn Yudra a reprieve, they are mistaken. The bear releases him, but only to bring its full armament into play, ripping and tearing at him with teeth and claws. At the end of the process, Yudra is badly wounded and pinned beneath a massive paw, with cinnamon-scented smoke wafting about him.
GM Rolls: Bear 2:
Group 2: As Yudra bounds downslope, the bear reaches out to intercept him with a massive paw. The blow clips him and draws blood but he continues on in. Yudra's own blow strikes home, sending a thick gout of smoke billowing from the bear's wound. It smells of hot iron, and there is not a trace of blood.
One of Vaynard's arrows strikes home, the other flying overhead amidst the confusion of melee combat. Ynghildr adds his own crossbow bolt to proceedings, resulting in further billows of smoke. This time, however, the smoke has a cold, icy tang to it, a sensation all but unknown on the Bifrost. The elf continues her steady retreat uphill, lodging an arrow in the pursuing bear as she goes. The bear continues its dogged pursuit. It's almost on top of the elf now, and poised to take a chunk out of her. The other bear, looking a bit the worse for wear, lashes out at Yudra, the person who hurt it most. Its jaws clamp down on him with crushing force, and its claws drag him into a tight embrace.
GM Rolls: Crit: Grapple:
Group 1: With the decision made to try upstream first, the three set out into the jungle. To begin with, they walk along with Gulbrandr's group, crossing the Arn on a rope bridge. At this point, they part company, heading upriver whilst Gulbrandr leads his own group northward, in the general direction of Tabletop. For now, the route is reasonably well traveled, a well-cleared pathway following a ridgeline parallel to the river. The jungle is alive with the calls of birds and animals, though they are seldom seen, the wildlife having learned to be wary of humans. Perception DC15:
At one point, you spy a large, spotted cat perusing you from beneath a fallen tree, but it slinks away as soon as you meet its eyes. The landscape hereabouts is thin soil atop limestone, which means caves and deep holes where water has worn through the underlying rock. The path itself is firm underfoot, though at one point it skirts a wide, deep hole with water glimmering at the bottom. Your position atop the ridgeline affords you a decent vantage, at least when breaks in the trees allow it, but no winged serpents present themselves. After a good five hours' walk, a possibility presents itself. For a while now, the trail has been close to the river, atop a cliff. Now, you come to a break in the cliff, where a more gentle slope prevails. There is a prominent game trail down to the water, and you actually catch sight of three small deer drinking at the water's edge. This seems like the kind of spot predators might frequent.
Group 2: Hedrick:
Whatever these "smoking bears" are, they're nothing you're immediately familiar with. Ynghildr:
The bears radiate strong conjuration magic. Along with a trace of transmutation. Yudra:
There's definitely magic at work here. Vaynard's arrow strikes home, swiftly followed by one from the elf. Between the two, they finally bring the lead bear down. As it slumps to the ground, its form wavers and finally dissolves before their eyes, becoming a cloud of glittering smoke which wafts gently downhill, dissipating as it goes and finally disappearing entirely. With her target finally dropped, the elf climbs a little further up the slope, halting level with Yudra. The remaining bears, tenacious in their pursuit, continue up the hill, winding up still a little short of the elf and right on top of Ynghildr respectively. GM Rolls:
Generally, "up river" is synonymous with "away from the coast."
So, which possibility is group 1 looking into first?
Group 2: Ynghildr:
The bears are definitely giving off strong magical auras. You'll need a little longer to determine the school of magic, however. Another two arrows strike the bear as it lumbers uphill, causing it to stumble briefly in its stride. Two more of those puffs of dust waft from it, glimmering in the sunlight. As the elf continues uphill, she slows, unlimbering her bow. Turning, she plants her feet and fires an arrow... An arrow which multiplies to become four in mid-air. Only two of the arrows strike home, to the elf's obvious frustration. Between these and the previous arrows, the dust has become a veritable cloud of multi-coloured, glittering smoke, streaming from the bear's wounds. It almost seems to be losing substance with each step forwards. Nevertheless, it continues to advance. This bear, at least, looks to be sorely wounded. Unfortunately, there are still two more of them.
Bear Stats:
AC 16/10/15 HP 42 F/R/W +8/+5/+2 CMD 20 (24 vs. trip) GM Rolls:
Group 1: The other hunters do eventually divide themselves up into different groups, three in all, and set to discussing how they'll go about the hunt. Gulbrandr attaches himself to the largest of the groups, intending to strike inland and investigate a couple of possible lairs. The kobolds, meanwhile, can be overheard talking about traps with their own group. They intend to set up shop near the town's flocks and see if they can bag the snake when it descends upon them. The third group is still discussing their course of action. The three have the option of remaining to help guard the flocks and perhaps bagging the serpent (or serpents), or of exploring the jungle in search of its lair. Knowledge Nature DC10:
Large predators often lair or hunt near water, so as to catch their prey while they drink. Following the river Arn upriver from Arnford (roughly northwest) might net results. Knowledge Geography DC10:
Tabletop Mountain, named for its flat top, lies perhaps a day's march to the north. Once scaled, it would give an excellent view of the surrounding landscape, perhaps allowing you to spot the snake in flight, or at least potential sites to investigate. Knowledge Geography DC15:
If you were to follow the coast, you would arrive at the Hollow Cliffs, so named because of the caves which riddle them. This could be a likely lair for the serpent. Knowledge Local DC10:
There's a hunting lodge a day's march to the northwest. It could be worth consulting the people who've been hunting the region and finding out if they've seen anything.
I think that was an apology in advance. And I can assure you that you'd have to work very hard indeed to surpass some of the lengthy, typo-ridden content I've seen in the past.
Group 2: Vaynard's arrow flies downslope and lodges itself in the lead bear. There's something odd about the impact, a puff of glimmering dust erupting from the bear's shoulder as the arrow strikes home. As to the bears themselves, they're all of a uniform, rather large size. The elf seems able to keep ahead of them, though she's having to work at it. It seems unlikely the bears will catch her before she reaches the group.
Group 2 (Hedrick, Vaynard, Yudra, Ynghildr): As the group emerge from the cabin, they soon spot the source of the commotion – an elven woman in mottled green armour is toiling up the hill towards the lodge. Seeing it inhabited by people, she shouts again, “To arms!” Now that they’re out in the open air, the four can hear a crashing sound coming from the jungle, as of something large shouldering its way through the trees. As they watch, three bears burst from the jungle’s edge, rather closer on the elf’s heels than she’d probably like. This is something of a surprise, as nobody has yet reported seeing a bear upon the Bifrost. Still, under the circumstances, questions about the bears are probably secondary to seeing them off. Preferably before they get into mauling range.
Group 1 (Elric, Edyssa, Thorfinn): “Any leads on the snake’s lair?” One of the crowd, a well-armed kobold, pipes up. “None,” Gulbrandr says, “It’s a big jungle. I mean to do some scouting, see if I can narrow down the search area by spotting it in flight.” It looks as if the other prospective hunters are likewise forming themselves into groups. If Elric, Edyssa and Thorfinn were looking to round out their own group, they could likely pick up a couple of people. Among the unattached candidates are two kobolds, one being the speaker and another with the look of a mage, two hard-bitten outdoor types, and a couple of youngsters, perhaps less prepared than their elders but certainly willing.
Group 2 (Hedrick, Vaynard, Yudra, Ynghildr): As the others chew over Hedrik’s offer, a noise intrudes upon their reflections. Coming from somewhere outside the hut, it’s faint but unmistakable – somebody is shouting, their exact words lost to distance and the muffling effect of the walls.
Group 1 (Elric, Edyssa, Thorfinn): At last, Gulbrandr takes the stage, standing atop the large rock often to address crowds. He is a tall, fit man in his middle years, wearing light, practical outdoors garb, with a bow slung across his back and an axe at his hip. As an experienced scout and fighter, he has taken it upon himself to safeguard the region around Arnsford, and is generally well-liked and respected amongst the community. “Friends,” Gulbrandr begins, “No doubt you’ve all heard about the creature preying upon our livestock. It’s a flying snake, a quick and deadly predator, and it’s been carrying off sheep. We’d like some experienced hunters to put an end to it, and to track down its lair, make sure there aren’t any more of them about. The pay’s good – a share of the next harvest surplus to anyone who sees the job through. And I’m sure the mages back in Ragnfeld will want a look at the creature’s carcass. So, what questions do you have?”
Further accumulated questions, this time from the gameplay thread: Most people would have arrived on the Bifrost via the single known portal between there and Midgard, having eluded or fought their way through various foes to reach it. There was a fair amount of fighting around the portal, with a lot of warriors falling holding the way open for refugees to escape. The portal itself was, on both sides, a waterfall, shrouded in rainbows. Since it was sealed on the Bifrost side, the water no longer flows, leaving behind a deep pool in the hills above Ragnfeld. There are perhaps a dozen elves on the Bridge in total, but no dwarves that anybody has seen. Time continues to be kept in Ragnfeld itself, with various clocks of different designs and complexity keeping the time and dates of Midgard. There are a few small enchanted bells scattered about the smaller settlements, linked to Ragnfeld's own town bell, which keep the times in synch, but it's easy for biological clocks to get out of synch, leading to a mismatch in waking and sleeping hours between people. Especially out in the wilderness, where there are no bells to remind them what the nominal time is meant to be.
Anyway, accumulated questions. Elric: I think I'll pass on the background skill points rule for the time being. It looks like people have managed to select those knowledge/crafting skills they feel are important to their character concepts anyway, and it's worth remembering that there is a reasonable depth of knowledge to fall back on within the community if need be. No man is an island and all that. Hedrick: No problems with you having a composite longbow as part of your gear. Harauld: It's your call whether you'd like to take part, but I don't think there's much difference between seven characters to keep track of and eight, so I think we'll be right. I suggest seeing how you get along with keeping up to begin with. We can always write you out if you decide you're not keeping up, and your slot will be open for you when or if you decide to return. Elric: Looking at the alchemy version, it looks like splintercloud arrows are effectively splash weapons. So you'd get sneak attack damage on the arrow itself, but not for the shrapnel.
I'll confess that the more I think about it, the more appeal there is in running a single, large group, rather than two smaller ones. What I might do, since I've scripted out a couple of introductory adventures, is have the groups start out separate and then combine a little way down the track. This might involve one group stumbling upon the other's plot line if they finish their own early. With that in mind, I think I'll run both introductory adventures in the same gameplay thread, rather than divide things up. 7-8 characters may yet turn out to be unwieldy, but we'll see how we get along.
Group 2 (Hedrick, Vaynard, Yudra, Ynghildr): It is, as always, high noon upon the Bifrost, the hot, humid climate of the Rainbow Bridge serving as a strark contrast to the cold northlands of lost Midgard. In the years since Ragnarok, Midgard’s refugees have adapted to their new home, spreading out from the settlement of Ragnfeld, harvesting trees, hunting the novel wildlife, establishing agriculture and exploring the jungles. The rainforest provides a range of resources for the survivors of Midgard. From the obvious resources of lumber, fruits, wild game and the like to spell components and exotic materials for crafting enchanted items. The jungle has its dangers of course, but given appropriate preparations and respect, there’s a great deal to attract visitors. Perhaps a day’s walk into the jungle, atop a hill, sits a small hunting cabin, constructed for the convenience of anybody hunting in or traveling through the region. It’s not much to look at, but it provides good shelter and facilities for cleaning and skinning catches, as well as preserving meat. Accordingly, the cabin sees a fair amount of use, and often serves as a meeting point. Today, there are only a few people present, gathered together by coincidence or design at this small outpost of an exceedingly small civilisation. Although they’re close to home, and the region is reasonably well explored, Bifrost’s jungles retain an element of mystery. Corridors of exploration tend to follow rivers, with little revealed about the rainforest’s interior. New plants and animals are constantly being discovered, and nobody yet claims to know just how far the jungle extends. Such matters, however, take second place for the moment to a shared meal and conversation on topics of interest to the travelers.
Group 1 (Harauld, Elric, Edyssa, Thorfinn): It is, as always, high noon upon the Bifrost, the hot, humid climate of the Rainbow Bridge serving as a strark contrast to the cold northlands of lost Midgard. In the years since Ragnarok, Midgard’s refugees have adapted to their new home, spreading out from the settlement of Ragnfeld, harvesting trees, hunting the novel wildlife and establishing agriculture. Lately however, Bifrost’s wildlife has been biting back. Here, at the northern edge of the farmlands taking shape around Ragnfeld, lies the small village of Arnsford, home to a hardy collection of farmers, woodsmen and crafters. This thriving community has lately fallen under the shadow of a winged predator, evoking uncomfortable memories of some of the beasts loosed during Ragnarok. The predator, described as some manner of winged serpent, has been taking livestock for some days now, to the fury of farmers to whom all good breeding stock is precious. There is also the fear it will turn its attention to people. So far, the serpent has eluded efforts to bring it to battle, prompting local Thegn Gulbrandr Frostmane to put out a call for hunters to track and kill it. Gulbrandr’s call has netted him perhaps a dozen prospective hunters, a mix of locals and people from further afield. It has also netted him an audience of villagers. At present, the interested parties are gathered on the village green, waiting on Gulbrandr to kick things off. There is a low murmur of conversation as people discuss the serpent’s depredations, speculate on the Thegn’s plan, or simply catch up on news and gossip.
Okay then, we're good to go, I think. Just need to type up those initial introductory posts and we'll be underway. Expect that sometime tomorrow. I've divided characters as follows: Group 1:
Group 2:
To answer earlier questions: Composite longbows are still in reasonably short supply, but attainable. Arrows and non-metallic items are readily come by. Attitudes towards religion vary according to the individual, but priests don't enjoy the status they did on Midgard. The Ascomi gods, after all, played a large role in Ragnarok (which side is 'right' is something of an academic question if practically everybody's dead), and many blame them for what happened. Priests are not immune from these mixed feelings. Some continue to keep the faith, others carry on with their vocations out of a sense of duty, and some have renounced the gods and their works, among other responses.
Just to clarify, Goblin, the Gods have been silent since Ragnarok, but clerical types are still getting their spells, and there's nothing really preventing anyone from continuing to devote themselves to the ideals they represented. So no obstacles to playing a cleric, even if just where their powers are coming from is a little ambiguous at the moment.
Well, I suppose if I'm going to be running two campaigns, there's an empty slot for a loyal reader of the old campaigns. So go ahead and put together a sheet, Goblin.
Apologies, all. I've been a tad distracted with the elections, and then with working out another suitable opening adventure. Thorfinn: Yes, I imagine people characters are at least somewhat familiar with each other. It's a reasonably small community, and they may have claims to fame/infamy/weirdness among the citizens of Ragnfeld. Feel free to collaborate on any preexisting relationships beyond that. Still waiting on a couple of sheets, from Capntastic and Hurin. Also background sections from some people, which would be welcome, but we could easily get started without those and let people fill in as we go along. Capntastic has been in touch, and will hopefully have his sheet done soon. I've also dropped Hurin a line. I'm inclined to let them have a little longer, rather than starting up a character interaction thread which would just be superceded. I do still need to check over peoples' sheets properly, so expect some messages in your inboxes as I work my way through.
Thorfinn: It looks as if the Earth Breaker is listed as a martial weapon in the reference document, so you're all good to use one without the need for an exotic weapon feat. Same for the klar. Min: No worries, I don't think we've got any completed character sheets yet. A few empty background sections, if nothing else. I still need to work my way through the sheets we've gotten so far and check them over. It looks as if we've got eight people signed up, which is a bit unwieldy for a single party. I may wind up splitting the campaign into two threads and seeing how we get along. Any thoughts?
|