Expedition - Blackjack/Logging Trip- 02 May 2021

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc looks at Alcide.

"I think we should wait for Blackjack to wake before continuing. I don't know a thing about piloting a raft down the river..."

[Spearmint]

as much as I don't like sitting around waiting, or Blackjacks case resting around, I agree. Not sure putting him on a big triangle of nine logs and towing him to the ford will help him if the bounces rip open the wound. ...at least you get the chance to study a few more spells and the morlock....oh yeah, we need a days rations because we are out I believe.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc takes the downtime opportunity to examine the contents of the waterproof eelskin scrollcase.

OOC: Earc is fine with not feeding the prisoner for one day, if that means we don't run out of rations. I believe I've been keeping up with it proper-like and I still have one day of trail rations left. We can restock on rations when we get to the halfling camp, most likely.

I will try and keep track of our loot for the venture as best I can.

[Marullus]

Earc and Alcide make camp, warming and covering Amistad. They are startled by a sharp thud and quaking of the raft, then another. Something tried to rattle it again from below. They rise in alarm, only to see a pod of giant eels depart upstream, frightening in their aspect, but no threat on land.

The small pyre of driftwood burns nicely, the rubbery troll flesh crisping and finally falling to ash atop it. Amistad stirs and wakes at sunset, too weak and anemic to move, but grateful. Alcide and Earc share watches to let him rest and the night passes without incident.

Earc investigates the scroll case and finds a scroll within; magical writings of a paradigm unfamiliar to him. Using his magical arts to decode it, he finds that the frogmen creatures have created (and carried) a Ward Against Undead.

The group takes it easy and rests through the morning; after lunch Amistad's strength begins to return. (+3hp) He poles the raft the last leg downstream and in two hours you arrive at the watchtower and Halfling mill, a small cluster of buildings.

The watchmen greet you warmly and the halfling have dinner warm and ready to serve -- they appear to have been expecting you. The watchmen are quite wary of your prisoner, however, and question you sharply as to why you've brought him.

Day: 07 May 2021
Time: 6:00 pm
Light: Dreary, overcast sky.
Status: Amistad critical.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

OOC: So Earc can use the scroll now because he's able to read it? Just confirming, before we end up in a tight spot and it doesn't work

Earc suggests to Blackjack that they might consider selling the wood to the halflings, eliminating the need to transport it back to town.

Addressing the halfling, Earc says, "We encountered highly unusual and aggressive creatures in the lands north of town. These crawlers are the apparent cause. We would know more about them, to learn how and why they do what they do, to learn how they communicate with other creatures, if their humming is some form of communication or defense... There is so much we don't know about the lands around us. Any way to gather more information should be examined!

Earc eats his fill, grateful for a warm meal. He asks the halflings about the creatures living in the river, trying to find out if they might benefit from telling them about killing the river troll.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Will rise when he can, slowly going through his meditations in a quiet corner of the mill yard. It is painful to lift his battle-axe but he has perseverance. He will take the chance to look around the ford and mill if he can, engaging in conversation with workers and guards. Who is the mill/community boss?

How do folk ford the river, is there a bridge, lots of stepping stones or a raft ferrying folk and cargo on a pulley? What does the condition look like, well maintained, rotten, makeshift?

Foreman Hickory from the logging yard recommended building a new mill out here. Is there much land or a vacant warehouse available?

Scar from troll bite might be obvious, make a good story over any meal table, Amistad using a big cabbage head to demonstrate how it happened. Is there an inn or just a community mess hall? Any place to stay overnight it is a dreadful downpour outside? Amistad will happily bunk in the watchtower if the Morlock is under guard there.

Have they met any Morlocks before, show them the jackbuck skin?

These high quality Orc-ridge pine trunks are premium grade. Strong but light, easily planed and warp free. If the 1/2lings make a good offer they can cut the wood yard 50% markup price out. I can offer 4.5gp each, plus the 1sp customs tax per log and 1gp deforestation penalty ( that goes to the Dukes' elf council I hear), and 2gp haulage fee, rounded down to the nearest gp since the Morlock was chewing his teeth on one like a beaver....thats' base value but I'll give a commitment to build 'Blackjacks' Lion Lumber' down here. Get you extra work and a healthy stream of settlers coming this way. 45gp here or 65gp in town.

[Marullus]

He will take the chance to look around the ford and mill if he can, engaging in conversation with workers and guards. Who is the mill/community boss?

You meet Captain Uthred, commander of the Watch Tower; a stolid man with long mustaches drooping to his chainmail tunic. He wears his longbow, longsword, and shield on his back and is keen and attentive to his business. Here on the edge of the last civilized footprint at the last edge of civilization, his business is watch-guarding and war. He is clearly obeyed in all operations here.

You also meet the Frogmorton family, who's warm and comfortable burrow-home is built into the side of the hill, protected and fortified by the earth itself. Madoc Frogmorton is introduced first, a stolid patriarch with a weary and weather-worn countenance. Your dinner is provided by Menegilda Frogmorton, as stoic as her husband but more effusive in her provision for the needs of others who enter her door. You then meet their three children, each of whom is brighter and more cheerful, as well as more companionable, than their parents. Berylla Frogmorton makes her way into your company shortly after the formal introductions, before you even have Pingu stabled. She is inquisitive and curious about your findings and listens raptly to any of Earc's notes about the forest. Isengar Frogmorton keeps a more respectful distance, watching the trio disembark and wearing a longsword slung across his back. Fastred Frogmorton is the youngest, in late adolescence, and pointedly carries a well worn round shield as he greets you and asks about your adventures and exploits.

The burrow is comfortable and well-appointed with upholstered chairs and both a human-sized and hobbit-sized set of table and chairs. The meal has lots of fresh-cooked fish, fresh breads, and foraged wild greens; a good meal, to say the least.

How do folk ford the river, is there a bridge, lots of stepping stones or a raft ferrying folk and cargo on a pulley? What does the condition look like, well maintained, rotten, makeshift?

It is a river ford, so primarily a place where the river is shallow enough to be rolled across with wagons or horses. This means the river spreads out here - nearly three times wider than the deeper and faster-moving portion to the north. The burrow and flour-mill operated from within the hill by the halflings lies upstream on a slightly narrower, deeper portion, while the Watchtower is a bowshot further south and watches the ford itself.

Any place to stay overnight it is a dreadful downpour outside? Amistad will happily bunk in the watchtower if the Morlock is under guard there.

The watchtower has a stable and wheelwright among its out-buildings, and a squat stone-built barracks attached to its base. You are offered lodging for the night in the barracks with the soldiers, where proper man-sized beds can be found. There is a cistern beneath a trap door in the watchtower where the crawler will be contained.

All the buildings are well-maintained and newly-built within the past few years. There is an immense pride of worksmanship present in those who choose to live here, rather than within the safety of the walls.

Have they met any Morlocks before, show them the jackbuck skin?

Addressing the halfling, Earc says, "We encountered highly unusual and aggressive creatures in the lands north of town. These crawlers are the apparent cause. We would know more about them, to learn how and why they do what they do, to learn how they communicate with other creatures, if their humming is some form of communication or defense... There is so much we don't know about the lands around us. Any way to gather more information should be examined!

Madoc Frogmorton's weather-veined face frowns deeply. It is Captain Uthred who responds. "We're familiar with the twisted and melded beasts. You're saying that these... base creatures... are responsible for this? Why would you think this? If it is true, the Guard would definitely have interest, when you return to Gaul."

Earc eats his fill, grateful for a warm meal. He asks the halflings about the creatures living in the river, trying to find out if they might benefit from telling them about killing the river troll.

Menegilda seems quietly pleased at your praise of her cooking, continuing to bustle around the humble but well-kept burrow. Her daughter, Berylla, is much warmer to you. "Things are not easy here, of course. We all have experience and hardship with the threats of the river... none can be naive and live outside of the town walls. We observed you at your camp last evening, lighting a fire so close to our home, and knew you were of good heart. They excitement you had over your books was... cute." She smiles at Earc.

These high quality Orc-ridge pine trunks are premium grade. Strong but light, easily planed and warp free.

Amistad CHA [3d6] = 13
Indeed, Madoc is quite interested in the lumber. "We've a number of improvements to make, and this is better tree-stock than they've been getting in. I can hire the lumberwrights to come plane it here and I'll put it right to use." He offers you 60gp for your logs.

He's also pleased by your idea to build a lumber mill, but more importantly, so is Captain Uthred. "If you can get funding for a mill and a secure bunkhouse, that's all for the best. Plenty of land, though, and good planed boards will help a lot in building and fortifying. We need it to be a mite safer here, before more civilians come, of course. Not all folks as hearty as the Frogmortons, here."

Day: 07 May 2021
Time: 6:00 pm
Light: Dreary, overcast sky.
Status: Amistad critical.

OOC: So Earc can use the scroll now because he's able to read it? Just confirming, before we end up in a tight spot and it doesn't work

Yes. Technically any class can read (by rote) and use a Warding scroll. I opted that Read Magic lets you study and comprehend the workings of the magic without having to intone and use it.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc nods at Captain Uthred's inquiry, "Yes, yes, I believe that is the case! They came into our camp one night and tried to take us as prisoners, but we were able to better them, it seems. They look rather... base, as you say... their clothing simple. But look at their gear! Obviously they have access to someone skilled in metallurgy and maybe even thaumaturgy!" He carefully pulls out one of the sets of manacles, the spear, and a dart.

He lets Captain Uthred handle the manacles and spear, but is hesitant to pass over the dart since he's down to just a few left to study.

"I know not what this metal is - lighter than steel, but just as strong, if not stronger. And this," he adds, holding a dart out carefully in the flat palm of his hand, "a dart that injects a numbing liquid into its victim. Our guide, Alcide, was struck by one such thing. It must not have affected him properly because it just made his arm numb. But I shot one of these into the river troll we fought yesterday and it dropped like a stone."

"If these aren't the creatures what make the twisted beasts, then they certainly work for them. And they have some unusual method of communication - a humming they do. I know not if it is to control other creatures or just to call them."

"We had captured two. Shortly after their capture, the two creatures began humming. Then a bit later, a grumpbear appeared. It ate one of them, which is why we have just the one, and Blackjack was... was able to scare the grumpbear away somehow..." He pauses, trying to gather his thoughts, "Ah, yes, but then on the raft yesterday, Blackjack said the one started humming again and then shortly thereafter the river troll appeared! Such a vial creature - and powerful enough to severely wound Blackjack when it was just a head, if you can believe!"

"Anyway... building the mill closer to the river would sure make transporting the logs easier. Well, I mean if there aren't many more river trolls swimming about. Or... eels? I think we saw some giant eels, as well..." Earc abruptly ends with a shudder.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Yeah, shame we never got to do any fishing. Skip the 'Apple of my Eye' Cyclops farm too.

Thanking the Frogmortons for their hospitality, Blackjack Amistad will take his leave and the 60gp for the logs. He just wants to check the cistern has no tunnel, wouldn't do for the Morlock to dive in and swim away.

Amistad will return to Gaul tomorrow, May 8th, perhaps by mid day so he can check out suitable land for building and rest up. Take the crawler to the guard house and see if there are mages or clerics about who will identify the stuff, sleep poison, coins.

Earc do you have a list of the trove we found. Perhaps we can decide how to split it up and reward Alcide as well. We should split this 60gp log gold equally I feel.

Oh I agree, you do look 'cute' reading your books!

[Marullus]

The three younger halfling hang on your every word. Captain Uthred looks notably impressed. "Well, you certainly have a tale to tell when you return to the town. I see what you mean about this metal. It does look like simple steel, but is clearly superior to anything I've ever seen forged. And these chains. They are... honed at their trade, I suppose." Menegilda interjects. "Nothing simple about those clothes they're wearing, either. Been sewing all my life, and never had stitches so small and even. I didn't expect such base-looking things to have hems, let alone tailoring."

Madoc expresses his gratitude for dealing with the troll. "Been a menace for some time... supposing he's the only one. It is a favor nonetheless. If it your strange darts that did the deed, then they are a prize to be had. We don't have much, but well... we are a flour mill. We can gift you as we know how." All three of you are given sacks of food - pastries and tarts such as you haven't seen in months, fresh baked bread loaves to last a week or two, hardtack, smoked fish and dried berries. (You each get 5 days fresh rations and 10 days preserved.)


Expedition summary:

2 PCs: Blackjack Amistad, Earc Orctongue (1 share each)
1 NPC: Alcide the Woodsman (1/2 share xp, full share treasure)

Encounter: Hunting the Jackbuck
Encounter: Fairies of the Forest
Encounter: Home for Cyclops Dinner (evaded)
Encounter: A Night in the Tunnel to Below
Encounter: Investigating the site of creature capture
Encounter: Meeting the Neighbors: Orc Camp
Encounter: Hunted by the crawlers
Encounter: Facing the Grumpbear
Encounter: Boglings in the night
Encounter: Rise of the Troll

Exploration - 9 new hexes
Exploration - 6 days

Total: 3727 character xp / 3581 item xp each for Earc and Amistad

Treasure:

• 12 gold coins. Ancient gold, wide and flat, with a human face on side and a spread eagle on the other, both images worn almost completely away from use.
• a simple, unadorned torc of solid gold
• an ornamented golden torc with a knotwork design
• a platinum small hourglass, the top and bottom fashioned like a wolf’s claw, and set with a red-flecked green bloodstone.
• 13 silver coins. each rough-cast without ornament
• 4 long spears
• 12 javelins, made out of a hard bamboo-like reed
• Eelskin scrollcase
• scroll of Ward against Undead
• 5 sets of finely-wrought manacles
• 5 lengths of chain, both utilitarian and weapon
• 5 dart tubes with (x) darts Althan, what's the total?
• 60gp for the Log sale

Let me know what I missed.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc blushes at being called 'cute' by Berylla.

But not by Blackjack.

After pulling Blackjack aside for discussion of what to do next, he inventories their take from the venture:
- Jackbuck skin
- 4 darts, round-ended, filled with viscous liquid
- 5 sets of manacles (1 in use),
- 5 chains, made of light metal, stronger than steel
- 5 short spears that function as hollow tubes to fire darts
- 12gp in coins - ancient gold, wide and flat, with a human face on one side and a spread eagle on the other
- a simple unadorned torc of solid gold
- an ornamented torc of gold with knotwork design
- a platinum hourglass, the top and bottom fashioned like a wolf's claw, and set with a red-flecked green bloodstone
- 4 bullywog spears
- 13sp, rough cast without ornament
- waterproof eelskin scrollcase containing Ward Against Undead spell

"I think we should have the torcs and hourglass tested for magical properties. If the torcs are not, then we can sell them for a nice amount of gold, I'd think. I would keep the hourglass for further study, magical or not, as part of my share, if that is OK with you. I think the manacles might be of interest to the blacksmith for a goodly price. Maybe he can study it further to see if he can duplicate the technique. I would likewise like to study the darts, or at least two of them, if we can find someone else to study the other two."

[Alethan]

OOC: Oh, cross-post. But looks like we were very close. There were 7 darts in total and Earc tried to use three (two against the grumpbear and one against the river troll), which leaves four left.

I didn't think we'd picked up the bullywog javelins, so I didn't have them on my list.

Nothing from the river troll. We didn't have time to search the damned thing. But maybe it had a lair, anyway? After we are recovered, one task might be to go up to where we burned the body and search around for a lair. Probably underwater, though, which would be unfortunate.

[Marullus]

Yes, a troll hoard would be in a lair, which you'd need to find. It is worth doing that on your next expedition, though.

Amistad still has HP to heal, likely 2-3 days worth. You can rest comfortably here or in town.

Amistad will return to Gaul tomorrow, May 8th, perhaps by mid day so he can check out suitable land for building and rest up. Take the crawler to the guard house and see if there are mages or clerics about who will identify the stuff, sleep poison, coins.

You can travel to town freely, arriving in half a day, when you're ready. You can arrive back in town at 11:00am on 08 May at the earliest... the game clock for town already is advanced to sunset on 09 May. (I hate clock problems.) so, you'd either automatically spend a day resting at the inn to catch up with the town time, or you spend a day resting in hobbit hospitality and arrive at sunset 09 May instead. Since either way, Amistad gets a one of those two days resting (the other potentially travelling to town), I'll do a recovery roll:
Amistad - day of rest [1d3] = 1

You can take the crawler to the guard house and RP an audience with whomever you request by using the Town Business thread.

Edit: Lets just move to decisions.

• You travel the morning of the 8th, as Amistad says.
• You use the time on the 8th to get your items appraised.
• You meet with the guard captain and handle the prisoner on the 8th (we'll do that here in this thread).
• You get space in the Inn for the day of 09 May, resting and healing.
• You enter the inn common room at sunset on 09 May to interact with other PCs.

Item appraisals:
Amistad barters with the Userer [3d6] = 10

• a simple, unadorned torc of solid gold. (value 10gp). The Usurer offers 9gp, mostly for metal value.
• an ornamented golden torc with a knotwork design. (value 20gp). The Usurer offers 9gp, mostly for metal value. The merchants will buy it for 15gp.
• a platinum small hourglass, the top and bottom fashioned like a wolf’s claw, and set with a red-flecked green bloodstone. (object d'art, 200gp) The merchants offer to buy it from you now for 50gp, or take it on commission and get you three to five times that much when they return in three months.
• The Guard House will buy the good steel items for more than the blacksmith. 15gp for each of the manacles, 5gp for each of the chains, 4gp for each spear tube.

Also, one of you roll 2d6 for Alcide's retainer reaction for the end of the Expedition.

[Marullus]

Also...

Next Steps:

• Post any last RP as you travel and finish at the Frogmorton Ford.
• Handle the disbursement of treasure shares IC on this thread. Note what you sell and keep. Update your sheets.
• Go and RP in the tavern. You arrive at timestamp 9:00pm 09 May 2016. Please at least post in the tavern (or other appropriate town thread) about where you're getting and deducting food and lodging at normal costs.
• Roll up a second character. If you'd like, and think you can keep up with two expeditions at a time, you can now make a second character because your first has successfully returned from an expedition. We can discuss any questions in your private forums.
• Memorialize the tale of your expedition in the tavern. Follow the rules for Tributes to Expeditions and gain extra XP. Your tales will go here.
• If that gold is too heavy in your pack, you can spend up to 100gp to make a Tribute to a Living Adventurer rules and also get more XP. Your memorials will end up here.
• Use your private forum to assign Item XP to an item you carried on this expedition. Remember: item XP not assigned before your next expedition begins are lost.

[Spearmint]

Earc

Keep all the darts and a couple of blowpipe spears. Give the other three to the 1/2fling kids, they can have fun shooting pebbles at each other.

Keep the scroll case and ward spell.

Keep the Wolf Clawed platinium hourglass for further study and appraisal.

20gp

Alcide

Keep the Jackbuck skin, as the first kill it is yours. Someone in the market can tan the leather and cut it into a nice fringed jacket no doubt.

Keep a set of manacles and hunting chains.

Keep a Long spear and three javelins.

20gp

Captain Ulftred

Keep a set of manacles and chains for any future prisoners and keep the remaining 9 bamboo javelins to reinforce the barracks armoury.

Amistad

Keep a Bullywug Longspear and the 13 sp, 20gp

That leaves 3 chains and 3 manacles for the forgesmiths,
2 Bullywug Longspears, 12 gp ancient coins and the two torcs to appraise and split three ways.

We have 18gp worth of food gifted to us, a nice reward for killing the troll.

( Is there a Bank of Gaul we can open accounts with?)

Earc and Alcide happy with that?

[Alethan]

Earc suggests the following additions/changes, considering the value of the hourglass:

Sell:
Torc - 9gp
fancy torc - 15gp
3 manacles - 45gp
3 chains - 15gp
Total: 84gp

42gp each to Alcide and Amistad and Earc keeps the hourglass. That would at least set off some of the cost difference.

Each splits the 12 ancient coins evenly, so 4 each to Earc, Alcide, and Amistad. Alcide and Amistad can spend theirs as they chose, but Earc would study rather than spend them to see if he can find some historical reference and thus throw some light onto how the crawlers happened to have it on them.

OOC: My mind is starting to twirl some gears about how the hourglass may be turned into a heroic item with expenditure of XP...

[Alethan]

Earc
Keep the 4 darts and 2 blowpipe spears. (Give the other three to the 1/2fling kids, they can have fun shooting pebbles at each other.)
Keep the scroll case and ward spell.
Keep the Wolf Clawed platinum hourglass.
20gp
4 ancient gold coins

Alcide
Keep the Jackbuck skin, as the first kill it is yours. Someone in the market can tan the leather and cut it into a nice fringed jacket no doubt.
Keep a set of manacles and hunting chains.
Keep a Long spear and three javelins.
20gp
42gp
4 ancient gold coins

Captain Ulftred
Keep a set of manacles and chains for any future prisoners and keep the remaining 9 bamboo javelins to reinforce the barracks armoury.

Amistad
Keep a Bullywug Longspear
13 sp,
20gp
42gp
4 ancient gold coins

[Marullus]

Thanks for doing that, Alethan.

Alcide is happy with his share. He keeps one of the chains (5gp) in his share.

( Is there a Bank of Gaul we can open accounts with?)

Nope. There is an Usurer who will convert coins to Platinum to reduce weight. If anyone sells gems to the Usurer, they'll become available for purchase and retain value with negligible weight. Weight (and particularly weight of wealth) is an IC problem. Thus, you're encouraged to buy gear, invest it in Tribute and Memorials, in improvement projects, etc.

Since Amistad intends to build a property, he can secure a deed from the ArchDuke's office and pay construction workers to begin on his first building. That is a good place for you to regularly divest coin.

[Spearmint]

Cross posts. Okay here is Alcide roll, is that good or bad?

Alcide retainer [2d6] = 8

Divide stuff as in my previous post and adjust as follows:

Torc prices. Worth 30gp in total, so....Give Alcide the unadorned torc, Amistad wear the knotted torc and Amistad will give Earc 10gp in compensation,

Hourglass...worth more than 50gp, Earc it is in your hands so you decide, for my part I would send it south. Especially even a base 3x 250gp value or maybe with luck 5 x value. Certainly worth more than 42gp.

3 chains and manacles = 60gp. No hollow spears ( 1/2lings have them) but two Longspears at bargain price of 3gp each totals 66gp.

22gp to Alcide plus 20gp from.log sale
32gp to Earc. +20gp log sale
12gp to Amistad. + 20gp log sale

Are the ancient 12 gp coins worth anything more than 12gp? Put that towards 'expedition future costs' like Mage research, study of Morlock history, investigate how the sleep poison is created, whatever?

Amistad stays with Ma and Pa in family wagon and tepee but he pays Ma board and lodging of 1gp a week to cover the Dukes' ground rent.

Any problems with that? It divides stuff equally and we still get the food supplies.

[Alethan]

I'm fine with selling the hourglass. But I read that as:

Sell now for 50gp
Sell on consignment for chance to get 3x (150gp) up to 5x (250gp) that after 3 months

In a PbP game, 3 months game time can be what? Two years of real time? Maybe more?

If Amistad wants to dump it, that's fine. But I recommend taking the 50gp up front. Coin better used now than coin coming back in 3 month when, let's be honest, the characters might be dead.

Split that:
Earc 15gp
Alcide 20gp
Amistad 15gp

Keep the hireling happy. Get some coin to put towards immediate future needs.