Eltariel is glad to volunteer her skills and services, but do they have any idea as to the source of this unseasonably bad weather? And how far does it's influence extend?
Most of the area affected at the moment is shown on this map. However, minor effects have been felt as far away as Tarantis and Valon. This is a serious disruption of the balance
The red X marks the area where the disturbance is strongest the small red dot in the Tarsh hex denotes your tower. The Rangers suggest you take the marked route which is about 3 days march but that's purely your call
"Is anything significant known about the region we are to visit? Who - or what - lives there, and are there any locations of any note?"
Layjiani nods and adds "As well, do this be the first such occurrence? Or has aught similar happened before?"
"The area is deserted"Says the commander of the guard"..we'd go in force but this might be the prelude to some attack and I won't see the cities defences depleted..thats why I called on you..the Archdruid seems to think you are a capable and well balanced team of..specialists"
It's obvious the captain is not happy about having to use what amounts to outside help even if some of you are pledged to the city
"as for previous occurences..we are trying to determine from the city records and the records of Old Tarsh whether that is the case..without, I have to say, much success"
"We have some resources of our own we can consult, if we find any further information we shall share it. If we are unsuccessful, or otherwise fail to return any further information may be useful to the city," Eltariel speaks as much for the reassurance of the guard captain as for her own concerns. "Otherwise, we shall depart as soon as we have gathered those willing to volunteer (which I do not doubt will be all of us), stocked sufficient supplies and completed our researches."
On return to the tower, Eltariel will immediately consult the library!
Asking the library to show you all books concerning unusual weather effects gives little result..three or four books at most...mainly filled with legends and supposition.
There is no indication that anything off note has ever occured in the area you are going to.
Once they return to the fortress, Layjiani asks the Library to supply her with any and all geographical information and maps on the area they are going to and through. She spends as much time as she needs to get a good idea of the best route and what sorts of potential hazards to expect and avoid (Knowledge(geography) )
Once she is satisfied, the ranger/rogue gathers all her travel gear and declares herself ready to depart.
Gashelle spends a day checking her own horse and anyone else's mounts, in preparation.
Eltariel will take measures to purchase herself a horse (light, combat trained) ... and asks Layjiani's and Gashelle's advice into the bargain, as she knows very little about horses and riding!
Taking horses would certainly cut your journey time..from 3 days to 2..however it would mean leaving your horses unguarded if you had to explore any structure or cave system and at the mercy of wild beasts like griffons..which are plentiful in these latitudes.
Eltariel managed to get all the scrolls she wanted before setting out
1st level:
DC16 Spellcraft to learn:
Alarm
Colour Spray
Whelm*
Repair Minor damage*
2nd level:
DC17 Spellcraft to learn:
Resist Energy
Glitterdust
Invisibility
Sonic Weapon*
Life Bolt*
Edit: These dice clearly don't like me ... Eltariel will take ink and spell-writing supplies with her to the tune of 300gp, so she can try again when her spellcraft skill increases.
Wellard:
In any case, Gashelle will agree to whichever means of travel is wisest.
Eltariel will speak to the rangers concerning the nearest known settlement to our destination, working on the assumption that we can ride that far, then leave our horses safe there and continue on foot for the remainder of the journey.
As we have a long way to go, I am suggesting we get a Wand of Lesser Vigor and a Wand of Cure Light Wounds both, leaving us with 1350gp in the party fund. Is there anything else anyone thinks we should get out of this for this trip?
"The Goddess of Wisdom has suggested that the authority she has invested in my glaive, of rigor over lawlessness, might soon come into play. We might do well to pick up scrolls of protection from chaos."
The rangers tell you there should be caves you can use to stable your animals..they advise taking a pack horse or mule for fodder transport.
The wands are easily obtainable and indeed you get a 25% discount for being on council business
So assuming 350 gp spent on tools and building materials, leaving us with 2500 in the group kitty, less 1125gp for the two wands, leaves us with 1375gp. Scrolls of Magic Circle of Protection will cost 375gp each. Assume at least one against Chaos and another against Evil, leaves us with 625gp ... we can spend that on horses or else leave for work to be ongoing on the keep ...
Considering the weather, we could buy heavier clothing...
Otherwise, a pack animal and feed for a week probably cleans us out.
A light horse and saddle (combat trained and military) will set a PC back 130 gp (Gashelle already has hers, we should all buy our own). A heavy (combat trained) horse and saddle will be 330gp.
From the party kitty, we will need a draft horse (200gp) and a pack saddle (5gp) and a week of feed for seven horses is going to be 490lbs (moderate load for a heavy horse) and less than a gold piece. Plus, we have a Bag of Holding - that should ensure we are travelling lightly loaded.
Aude, would you like to take charge of the Wand of Cure Light Wounds and I'll hang on to the Wand of Lesser Vigor?
Layjiani purchases a combat trained light horse for herself and names it Shaft. Shaft, a beautiful and fierce mare, is a dun rusty colour with a dark red mane and is built to favor speed over endurance. The owner had been reluctant to sell the not yet fully broken-in animal until he observed Layjiani's skill with her.
The ranger then happily helps her friends choose animals best suited for them. For example for Holgur she chooses a stong mount, one who can easily bear his weight while for Eltarial and Aude, who's riding skills are minimal to none, she chooses gentle creatures.
"Thank you, Layjiani," Eltariel strokes the neck of her new friend, Moepyd ('soft foot').
Aude looks at "her" horse with misgivings but will nonetheless thanks Layjiani for her gift .
"It's all right Aude, I never learned to ride before either, so we can fall off together. I'll heal your broken bones and you can heal mine, if you like?" Eltariel asks cheerfully.
Gashelle mounts Madhyarati, her jet black stallion, and prays to all the gods who are holy that we all come back safe and sound. (And wiser, say the teachings of Athena.) (And richer, reply the ways of Lakshmi.) (And not the walking dead, suggest the tenets of Pharasma.)
This is a temperate clime. Do you have any idead how much coconuts cost here?
Don't forget that Holgur now has a +1 Greataxe and a suit of +1 chitin breastplate!
you ride from the keep the wether is calm compared to what it has been but that is no gaurentee oit will stay that way...riding along easily you cover the 40 miles to a campsite along side the river oakenrun..it flows quivkly swollen by the recent rains..you have seen nothing in your travels except a few scattered homesteads .
You come up to the river and begin to set up camp...suddenly the horses begin to snort and rear on their picket ropes...out from the waters rises a hideous shape..standing 8 feet tall it's green skin warty and wrinkled and it's four eyes burning with a cold fury a two headed troll roars it's challenge to you.
No surprise because the horses warned you...troll is about 40 feet away from you across open terrain with scattered bushes.
Eltariel 22
Troll 17
Avinar 15
Aude 15
Gashelle 7
Layjiani 4
Holgur 2
Seeing the monstrosity rearing out of the water Eltariel spins about, muttering a brief word and making a gesture. Immediately the vegetation around the troll for forty feet springs to life, lengthening, thickeing and twisting about, particularly about the limbs of the troll ...
Eltariel then ducks behind the party fighters and readies a Scorching Ray.
The troll roars its two heads chorusing its rage as it moves towards you dragging its feet from the grasping weeds and shrubs that catch at it..the spell seems to have no real effect on slowing the creature..
It closes on Avinar slashing at him with a huge clawed hand and ripping a grievous wound into his flesh(23 damage from a confirmed crit)
please note any attempt to flank the troll will take you into the entangle
Holgur's mount is startled by the appearance of the beast and it nearly throws him as it rears up. With difficulty he is able to control it and pull his axe from the saddle before putting one foot on the ground. His other foot gets caught in the stirrup and he makes a most ungraceful dismount, nearly falling in the process.
He waits for the troll to draw back its arm so that it will be less able to defend against his axe.
Her bow always close to hand in the wild, Layjiani snatches it up, drawing, knocking and releasing an arrow all in one smooth movement as she takes deadly aim on the two-headed monstrosity.
Gashelle moves immediately behind Holgur and thrusts high with her glaive, for as great a blow as she can muster. "This is our encampment, brute. Look for your food elsewhere."
Attack: (+2 to hit if the two-headed troll is chaotic)
Damage: , 16 of which is electricity, (plus if it's chaotic).
Gashelle takes 5 points of damage from the blade of blood spell.
Avinar yells in pain and returns the favour slicing into the rubbery green and loathsome flesh of the troll.Aude casts a bless whilst the remainder of the party move in to attack..between Arrow,Axe and Glaive the beast is cut down almost instantly.
400xp
Eltariel whispers the words of a healing spell and casts a lesser vigor on Avinar (fast healing 1 for the next 12 rounds will restore 12 hit points. A charge from the wand of the same will restore another 11).
"It's clearly a variation on the normal troll, so ..." she raises her hands and sweeps the troll with a cone of fire.
"Question is, where did it come from? It may have a lair near here, and there may be more of them."
Gashelle peers into the river, glaive at the ready. "Do you think they breathe water?"
"Some do, I think."
Eltariel examines the feet and hands of the troll to see if it has webbed hands or feet.
We could always ask his corpse .
"Do you know that spell?" I ask curiously. "And ... can you speak his language ... I think trolls speak the same tongue as Giants."
The troll is not an aquatic variety..it must have swum the river.
"Layjiani, do you think you could track it? Or is the light fading too fast?"
Layjiani simply nods then looks to the river to see how wide it is and trying to gauge the speed and force of the current. She moves as close to the edge as she can, trying to see if she can spot anything that looks like tracks on the other side. If she can, and crossing the river doesn't seem to dangerous a task she will, otherwise, if the swollen river makes crossing it risky, she will refrain and instead move up and down her side of the bank, trying to determine where the troll may have come from.
Perception:
Survival: (for judging the river if necessary)
Track:
Gashelle follows along, looking for more trouble.
The river is much swollen by the recent rains and is almost 100 yards wide at this point..it doesnt look that fast but you know that hidden currents could pose a danger.
The fading light makes it impossible to spot tracks on the other bank.You decide to move camp a couple of hundred yards upwind as the stench of burning troll fills your nostrils.