Since the seal is already broken, Oelle inspects the roll of parchment.
Oelle adds the bandages to his collection of medical equipment, and divides the rations among the three of them. If no one objects, he collects the belt and cinches it around his waist. He needed a belt, and this one contrasts nicely with his heavy black clothes.
1. The hunt ends?
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Boggs: the ring looks like solid silver, and the stone looks like a sapphire, so it's bound to be worth something. You can pocket the pouch of coins, but it's unlikely that you could do it unnoticed.
Oelle: you said "let me see to everyone's scrapes" and the question remains, what're you doing about that? You have healing potions which heal 10, and bandages which heal 4. Apply them where you will, and mark uses off.
As for the parchment...
Oelle: you said "let me see to everyone's scrapes" and the question remains, what're you doing about that? You have healing potions which heal 10, and bandages which heal 4. Apply them where you will, and mark uses off.
As for the parchment...
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Oelle administers a potion to Bedwyr, and applies bandages to himself and Boggs.
After reading the scroll, he tells the others, "It's from no less a personage than Count Contegus of Urbem, writing on behalf of Lord Abessus. The elf was hired to seek out and bring back either information or proof of having vanquished a terrible force at work in the Wood. No doubt, our master of gnolls. It suggests seeking the, well, "power" is the word he uses, at the end of the river Selm, in a cave beneath an ancient sentry. That is supposed to be the... power's seat of origin."
After reading the scroll, he tells the others, "It's from no less a personage than Count Contegus of Urbem, writing on behalf of Lord Abessus. The elf was hired to seek out and bring back either information or proof of having vanquished a terrible force at work in the Wood. No doubt, our master of gnolls. It suggests seeking the, well, "power" is the word he uses, at the end of the river Selm, in a cave beneath an ancient sentry. That is supposed to be the... power's seat of origin."
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
After examining the dead animals, Bedwyr reluctantly admits it would take too much time to properly skin them. He settles for removing a few claws from the adult as souvenirs.
He feels considerably better after Oelle plies him with a healing draught (thanks Doc!), and says he feels it worthwhile to build a hasty cairn for Neff. He suggests covering Neff and the elf-girl at the same time. "Why waste a good cairn? And I doubt Neff will complain at being laid to rest in an elf-maid's arms...well, arm."
No objections to Oelle taking the belt; Bedwyr himself will take the sword, just to carry along for now. Adding rations and medical supplies to our stores is good sense, and naturally we'll collect the coin and ring...Neff's coin and pendant as well. I think I'll grab the cloak as well; doesn't weigh much, and might come useful.
Let's cover up the bodies and be on our way. Do we still have our course?...following the river, I believe, yes?
He feels considerably better after Oelle plies him with a healing draught (thanks Doc!), and says he feels it worthwhile to build a hasty cairn for Neff. He suggests covering Neff and the elf-girl at the same time. "Why waste a good cairn? And I doubt Neff will complain at being laid to rest in an elf-maid's arms...well, arm."
No objections to Oelle taking the belt; Bedwyr himself will take the sword, just to carry along for now. Adding rations and medical supplies to our stores is good sense, and naturally we'll collect the coin and ring...Neff's coin and pendant as well. I think I'll grab the cloak as well; doesn't weigh much, and might come useful.
Let's cover up the bodies and be on our way. Do we still have our course?...following the river, I believe, yes?
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Whoever is carrying the rations, please add 1 to your load.
After a couple hours of sweaty work gathering and piling large stones for the cairn, you take a brief moment to pay your respects to Neff and the unknown elf, and prepare to move on. Tired and covered in splotches of owlbear blood, mud and stinking fwytawr sap, mixed with your own blood and sweat, you heft your packs and continue along the river.
During an afternoon of trudging, sometimes easily along the bank besides the peacefully flowing river, and occasionally circling around large, muddy, nearly impassable patches of earth, you see little of interest beyond the trees, taller than the towers of Urbem, an occasional pair of dragonflies, with wingspans beyond the length of your outstretched arms, skimming the surface of the river, and the ever present clouds of midges.
As the light begins to fade with the setting of the sun, Oelle spots something odd through the foliage ahead. It takes a moment to identify in the vague light, but he's sure it's a face, high above the trees. Continuing up a hill, you get a better view through the space between two mammoth trees...
Oelle, please describe the statue, the ancient sentry, you see towering among the trees.
The river flows through a cut in the hill you're standing on, meanders down through the trees ahead, and flows straight across a large, treeless clearing about the statue's base, disappearing between its feet.
After a couple hours of sweaty work gathering and piling large stones for the cairn, you take a brief moment to pay your respects to Neff and the unknown elf, and prepare to move on. Tired and covered in splotches of owlbear blood, mud and stinking fwytawr sap, mixed with your own blood and sweat, you heft your packs and continue along the river.
During an afternoon of trudging, sometimes easily along the bank besides the peacefully flowing river, and occasionally circling around large, muddy, nearly impassable patches of earth, you see little of interest beyond the trees, taller than the towers of Urbem, an occasional pair of dragonflies, with wingspans beyond the length of your outstretched arms, skimming the surface of the river, and the ever present clouds of midges.
As the light begins to fade with the setting of the sun, Oelle spots something odd through the foliage ahead. It takes a moment to identify in the vague light, but he's sure it's a face, high above the trees. Continuing up a hill, you get a better view through the space between two mammoth trees...
Oelle, please describe the statue, the ancient sentry, you see towering among the trees.
The river flows through a cut in the hill you're standing on, meanders down through the trees ahead, and flows straight across a large, treeless clearing about the statue's base, disappearing between its feet.
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KingOfCowards
- Ranger Lord
- Posts: 2317
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:30 pm
- Location: Western NY
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Boggs argues that he doesn't need any medical attention. "Bah! Save that for when I'm really hurt, Doc. Your spell barely grazed me." In all seriousness, Boggs was only down 1 hp. I'm sure he can survive.
He has no intention of hiding the treasure from the rest of the group. They had the same chance as he did to grab it. He grumbles about building the cairn, but works as hard as the rest. It seems a waste to leave the chainmail. "You think this can be repaired, Elf?" He questions of Bedwyr while trying on the torn sleeve to check for fit.
He has no intention of hiding the treasure from the rest of the group. They had the same chance as he did to grab it. He grumbles about building the cairn, but works as hard as the rest. It seems a waste to leave the chainmail. "You think this can be repaired, Elf?" He questions of Bedwyr while trying on the torn sleeve to check for fit.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
The Ancient Sentry
A column, composed of stacked square blocks of basalt, stands in the middle of the flowing river. It is covered in complex bas-relief carvings that have been worn by years of exposure to the elements, and covered in thick bunches of moss and lichen.
At first the designs seem vague, abstract, and obscure. As one's gaze lingers, however, details start to click together.
The bas-relief is figurative. The lower portion of the column are two legs clad in a kilt or skirt of braided rope or writing snakes or twisted entrails. The upper part of the column is a torso heaped in stone-carved jewelry and marked with what might be tattoos or scars or scales. The topmost block represents the head. But that is using the word "head" loosely. From the neck and shoulders of the figure emerge a dozen or so hands, each holding a piece of facial anatomy in about the place one would expect to find them on a face: Two plucked eyeballs held above a torn nose above a hand holding a jawbone. On the side-faces of the head-cube, ears, scalp, tongue and brain all appear to be represented.
After taking in the entire column, the details now seem clear and inevitable. The depiction becomes more apparent the longer you look at it, until it nearly vibrates with pretensions of life.
Woven reed baskets bob and float in the river around the base of the column, tied to it with reed cords. The baskets hold packets wrapped in leaves and are covered in buzzing black flies.
A column, composed of stacked square blocks of basalt, stands in the middle of the flowing river. It is covered in complex bas-relief carvings that have been worn by years of exposure to the elements, and covered in thick bunches of moss and lichen.
At first the designs seem vague, abstract, and obscure. As one's gaze lingers, however, details start to click together.
The bas-relief is figurative. The lower portion of the column are two legs clad in a kilt or skirt of braided rope or writing snakes or twisted entrails. The upper part of the column is a torso heaped in stone-carved jewelry and marked with what might be tattoos or scars or scales. The topmost block represents the head. But that is using the word "head" loosely. From the neck and shoulders of the figure emerge a dozen or so hands, each holding a piece of facial anatomy in about the place one would expect to find them on a face: Two plucked eyeballs held above a torn nose above a hand holding a jawbone. On the side-faces of the head-cube, ears, scalp, tongue and brain all appear to be represented.
After taking in the entire column, the details now seem clear and inevitable. The depiction becomes more apparent the longer you look at it, until it nearly vibrates with pretensions of life.
Woven reed baskets bob and float in the river around the base of the column, tied to it with reed cords. The baskets hold packets wrapped in leaves and are covered in buzzing black flies.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
In response to Boggs, Bedwyr shrugs. "Possible, I suppose...though I doubt you'll find a smith who can make a new sleeve to match the rest of the hauberk. Could be they could neaten up that ragged seam along the armhole, and take the other sleeve off, make a nice tunic."
Later, when they come upon the great and grisly statue, Bedwyr looks it up and down with frank appraisal. "Now that is a miserable-looking piece of work. I think that is the ugliest countenance I have ever seen." Eyeing the fly-ridden baskets, he adds, "And I am not touching those."
Later, when they come upon the great and grisly statue, Bedwyr looks it up and down with frank appraisal. "Now that is a miserable-looking piece of work. I think that is the ugliest countenance I have ever seen." Eyeing the fly-ridden baskets, he adds, "And I am not touching those."
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
I said before that the river disappeared between the feet of the statue, but now that we have a description, and it doesn't have feet, let's amend that a little...
The river flows around the grotesquely carved column, forming a wide pool on all sides of it. A sheer cliff, around half the height of the towering sentry, rises on the far side of the pool. The cliff face is broken by a wide, low cave which swallows the pool, and belches out a cloud of white spray. Even from this distance you can hear the roar of a waterfall, albeit faintly.
The river flows around the grotesquely carved column, forming a wide pool on all sides of it. A sheer cliff, around half the height of the towering sentry, rises on the far side of the pool. The cliff face is broken by a wide, low cave which swallows the pool, and belches out a cloud of white spray. Even from this distance you can hear the roar of a waterfall, albeit faintly.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Sorry about dropping that detail!
Oelle whispers, "Assuming the Gnoll's master is nearby and attended by his flock, do you see a way to that cliff without being observed?"
Oelle whispers, "Assuming the Gnoll's master is nearby and attended by his flock, do you see a way to that cliff without being observed?"
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Not a worry, I'm very flexible about the world, in fact I should probably be involving you guys more in defining it.
With regards to getting closer without being observed, there's good cover with the dense forest most of the way there. There's a large treeless clearing forming a rough circle in front of the sentry, and behind the sentry the trees and brush cover the ground up to the banks of the pool, and up to the base of the cliff. It'd be feasible to circle the clearing and reach the cliff and stay under cover of the trees the whole time. Apart from that, the sun is on the horizon and it'll be dark soon.
With regards to getting closer without being observed, there's good cover with the dense forest most of the way there. There's a large treeless clearing forming a rough circle in front of the sentry, and behind the sentry the trees and brush cover the ground up to the banks of the pool, and up to the base of the cliff. It'd be feasible to circle the clearing and reach the cliff and stay under cover of the trees the whole time. Apart from that, the sun is on the horizon and it'll be dark soon.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Just to make sure everyone is imagining the same thing, here's a rough map. The cliff's in the north, the sentry's the black dot, and you guys are off to the south.
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Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Bedwyr studies the scene. "I don't see any trouble in getting to the cave under cover; a child could hide in this foliage. But once we get there...much depends on how deep that pool is. And if there's a waterfall, well...that could be a ticklish bit of business."
"I'd say the real question is...do we want to go in? Or lay an ambush, and see who or what comes out?"
Biggest problem I'm seeing is light, once we're inside...hard to be stealthy with a torch.
"I'd say the real question is...do we want to go in? Or lay an ambush, and see who or what comes out?"
Biggest problem I'm seeing is light, once we're inside...hard to be stealthy with a torch.
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KingOfCowards
- Ranger Lord
- Posts: 2317
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:30 pm
- Location: Western NY
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Boggs nods, an ambush would make things easier, but he doesn't feel that is a luxury afforded to them. "Remember, we're here for Onde. Sitting here in wait just doesn't seem right, with her inside with them." He spits at the awful vision in his head of her predicament.
Boggs will start scouting closer to entrance, staying in the cover of the foliage.
Boggs will start scouting closer to entrance, staying in the cover of the foliage.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
"Yes, we need an opportunity to observe the creatures, see where they are keeping Onde."
Oelle tries to recall more about the habits and habitations of gnolls: Are they good climbers? Do they build vertically upwards (like, say, treehouses or building up a cliff face), or dig down into the earth? How much of the day do they spend alert? Are there times when they are likely to be less active? He's wracking his brain for anything that might aid them in infiltrating whatever sort of settlement they have found (assuming it is organized according to Gnollish preferences, and not on those of the Master).
Spout Lore [2d6+2] = 9+2 = 11
Oelle tries to recall more about the habits and habitations of gnolls: Are they good climbers? Do they build vertically upwards (like, say, treehouses or building up a cliff face), or dig down into the earth? How much of the day do they spend alert? Are there times when they are likely to be less active? He's wracking his brain for anything that might aid them in infiltrating whatever sort of settlement they have found (assuming it is organized according to Gnollish preferences, and not on those of the Master).
Spout Lore [2d6+2] = 9+2 = 11
Last edited by Pulpatoon on Tue Aug 26, 2014 12:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
To Boggs, Bedwyr returns, "Of course we want to come to her aid...but getting ourselves killed through overhaste won't do her any good." Still, he follows after the irascible thief, trying to move with stealth.
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Oelle...
Is it safe to assume Oelle's ruminations take place before Boggs & Bedwyr set off, and that Oelle is following?
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Oelle follows the others, a little absent-mindedly, which thinking about gnoll behaviors. "The sun is setting. Gnolls are nocturnal. And probably sleeping under the cover of those trees. It might behoove us to take the most direct path. Or else retire until morning."
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Boggs and Bedwyr sneak through the trees with ease, remaining relatively quiet. Oelle, bringing up the rear, is not the most nimble of adventurers, and somewhat distracted, so his passing creates enough noise to clearly announce your approach to anyone who might be ahead. If you continue in this manner, and there are in fact guards in the forest, they'll surely know you're coming before you know they're there...
Re: 1. The hunt ends?
Bedwyr winces as Oelle steps on an umpteenth branch with an audible snap, and signals Boggs to halt. Turning to Oelle, he says quietly, "Doctor, I say this with the utmost respect...but you are like a herd of cattle, and you are going to get us all killed, and possibly eaten."
Gathering his compatriots close so they can talk in muted tones, he goes on. "The doctor may have a point; if the gnolls are taking their ease among the trees, we may indeed run afoul of them even as we try to avoid them. But we cannot wait for the morrow; besides the risk to Onde, I doubt there is any place we can hide nearby where the gnolls would not detect us during the night...and then we would have to fight them, in great numbers and under circumstances to their advantage."
"So with all that in mind...perhaps haste is our best tool. What if we make a break for the cave, and rely on speed and surprise?"
Gathering his compatriots close so they can talk in muted tones, he goes on. "The doctor may have a point; if the gnolls are taking their ease among the trees, we may indeed run afoul of them even as we try to avoid them. But we cannot wait for the morrow; besides the risk to Onde, I doubt there is any place we can hide nearby where the gnolls would not detect us during the night...and then we would have to fight them, in great numbers and under circumstances to their advantage."
"So with all that in mind...perhaps haste is our best tool. What if we make a break for the cave, and rely on speed and surprise?"