Expedition: Foxy/Monoc Mages - 15 October

[Marullus]

Foxy has already used up all her retainer checks for before this expedition and also doesn't have Friendly status to try that here.

Sir Breissenbeam chuckles. "I was warned that there is nothing you won't try to push too far. No, madam, my offer is generous and it is as it stands. I will swear to not demand a prisoner as our share of treasure, as it is not in my faith to treat humans as objects thus. Will you accept my terms?"

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"You wish to strike a bargain but your terms are too high. I lend a horse and you keep a trophy. Yet you have done nothing to win it. There are those among my companions who fear that we may not even return at all yet risk everything to gain knowledge. I travel a crooked path to these rogues Monoc's, made straighter only by the blessings of Eruanna who has gifted two acolytes to aide our travels. Baudh normally demands gold. My golden shield is archived in these catacombs. Take that in exchange. You can carve you initials on it and engrave pixels of brave deeds and wanton wenches all you like. I'll take the two horses, to keep, saddled and equipped. I'll send my Sgt-at-Arms to bridle them and shoe them anew in the smithy. And to save any confusion I'll have them branded, A big letter F with a flaming arrow underneath. I will offer a tithe of my personal gain in tribute for my safe return."

Foxy pours out the last of the wine, believing her counter offer is fair and doesn't compromise the rewards of others. A horse for Arlen and a spare for supplies, eventualities.

[Marullus]

First: You can move at full speed with the horses you have now; it is only moving everyone to riding horses that gives you a boost. With the list posted, that means a horse for Arlen, Neegan, and Gundri as well as replacement horses for Foxy, Nigel, and Colby. So, he's offering six horses on loan, with your war horse and two ponies left behind in the stables.

Second: it is 110gp for a stoic riding horse and 30gp for a saddle (plus 4sp for saddle bags). That's 141gp as fair value for one riding horse, saddled and equipped. Your shield is valued at 200gp, as you quoted above. You're offering to cheat him 82gp in your request (or at least 42gp if they're flighty).

Third: With Arlen withdrawing and Neegan buying his own pony, it is only Gundri who is on foot. But as above, horsed or unhorsed, you can pack your extra gear and all move at normal (not riding horse) speed either way.

Sir Breissenbeam nods, growing less and less mirthful, as Foxy offers barbs for his faith and insults his knowledge. "Indeed. Gold is a fitting tribute, but it is unwise to cheat the Gods. I will sell you a single horse and accept your golden shield as payment, if that is your preference."

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

I can loan you enough riding horses for your party

Foxy understood that this was an offer of a horse for Arlen and two ponies for the dwarves, misunderstanding the offer of six riding horses. Though ooc: Neegan has bought a pony for himself. Dwarves as per character creation can only ride ponies not horses and Foxy would be unwilling to give up or trade her warhorse. She does see an answer to the conundrums and offers another counter.

Foxy O'Hare. "Sir Bentley you are as much a merchant as master diplomat. We'll settle this over another final bottle. Damn these dwarves for their flagons of ales, a crisp Chardonnay, Zinfandel or Riesling fills the palate much more comfortably don't you think? she harks back to the southron reds and lusty vine fruits. "I cannot trade in my faithful Galavan, he bore me beneath the jaws of the dragon and the cusp of the Abyss. The ponies are from the poor hospice and I cannot impeach upon the vows of the faithful, wether poverty or chastity. Still we can reach an agreement aids my quest. I will buy the horse, saddle and all. And a blessing from Baudh to aid the weary and injured, Your cleric aide has a store of healing potions. I will take one also. Should any trove recovered from the Monoc's need divine enquiry I shall call upon your skills to intercede wisdom and revelation. My shield is yours Sir, carry it with pride. "

Foxy's final offer is to purchase the stoic horse. If Arlen is with us, then he can use it as an npc. If not, Gundri can swap an Eruanna pony with Nigel who can ride the horse instead. The potion of healing she will give to the accompanying dwarves. (Gundri). If Arlen comes it is only a pony for Gundri needed.

[Marullus]

CHA Check [3d6] = 8

Foxy pushes still further. Sir Breissenbeam contemplates the dwarven mug of southern wine before him for several moments, but relents. "Your shield as a tribute of gold, a horse and a blessing of a healing draught for your travels."

Foxy's golden shield transfers from King Drunil to the Emmisaries Office.

When Foxy shakes off the wine and meets her companions the next morning, there is a fresh riding roan gelding saddled and ready with a potion in it's bags. "His name is Danny," says the stabledwarf who hands over the reins.

Please organize, post details for your initial travel, and I will start your journey.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

She equips Arlen with the mount traded for her golden shield. As a welcoming gift, albeit a small one, she offers the healing potion to the accompanying dwarves. (Gundri). I believe we are set if the dwarves are pony mounted. As a direction, we go west. Following the trail used by the red robes and the one we ambushed them on at the rear or side entrance of Verdun.

do you require some kind of 'riding order'?


re-reading former expeditions to refresh knowledge on the Monoc mages.

Balex reveals that the Red Robes are humans. They ride horses, which the goblins traded them. He helped capture them from the caravan last month. He doesn't like the Red Robes as they are distain the goblins are treat them as inferior. They can't use wagons or carts in these hills without roads. There are no roads, but the trail they use is discernible. The goblins traded stolen horses and goods with them in exchange for magic artefacts, inferring the mages do not have great resources.
Follow the trail to the 'Red Stone Effigy' then turn uphill to the old temple.
The RR use hellhounds given to them by 'their masters' and gods'.
The mage 'Longshadow' mentioned that he had already 'called in' the attack on the mage group to his superiors. He had no orb or carrier pigeon. A telepathic mental link to base or a lie?
They identify as 'seekers of knowledge, wizards of distinction from the south'.
He used a bone white powder to animate the dead skeletons. I think he may also have cast ESP or had some way to identify us for he spoke our names, Foxy, Clay, Johan Farrow without our disclosure.

[Bluetongue]

Roybarb

Acquaints herself with the other members of the party. She has her horse and takes a place in the middle of the riding order. As she gallops along she will be meditating on the spells she has memorized for the day.

[Zhym]

""Skirt the mountain,' is the part I remember most," says Pendleton. "I am all for avoiding combat unless necessary."

"What is your plan when we finally encounter the mages?"

[Marullus]

I heard from Leitz: Arlen is definitely out for IRL reasons.

Danny the horse is given to one of the clerics, who is much more comfortable. His stout pony is given to Gundri, ensuring the Axebearer is mounted with the rest.

• Foxy (with warhorse Galavan)
• Arlen, human fighter
• Pendleton Kettleworth, Archmage of the Guild (with Heroditus the riding horse)
• Roybarb, elf apprentice of Hagaseth (with riding horse)
• Neegan Battleworx, dwarf of renown (with pony)
• Gundri Gundrudson, dwarven axebearer (with Nigel's pony)
• Tocen, bowman (with riding horse) [NPC]
• Brielle, bowwoman (with riding horse) [NPC]
• Nigel, cleric of Eruanna (with Danny the riding horse) [NPC]
• Colby, cleric of Eruanna (with large pony) [NPC]

The party talks and plans as they begin riding west. They are grateful that the day passes with no rain, and the night as well, but the daylight is now getting shorter each day - only cresting the horizon for about ten hours, temperatures rising just above freezing for the few hours around noontime before falling again. The party makes the most of the gloaming dawn and dusk hours to stretch the day as long as they can, riding their horses across the plains where the foothills begin to rise. There's no true road here, but the trail of previous travel is simple to follow, heading due west.

The first day out from the Dwarf King's halls, they pass within sight of the ruined City of Zhint, marking the northern horizon, and the cave-pocked foothills to the south where the dwarves report having difficulty with goblins and kobolds. The night passes without incident, though Foxy thinks she sees fires up on the cliff-side where she once sat and parlayed with the Hill Giants. The second day the party is careful to stick to the cusp of the hills as the northward plains become yellow, blighted, and unwholesome.

By noon the blight seems to be weakening and you see a prominent landmark ahead of you. You reach it about an hour before sunset: it appears that the Red-robed mage that Foxy questioned was truthful enough about this, as it is clearly the Redstone Effigy.

The Redstone Effigy stands over fifty feet tall and about 20 feet wide for most of it's height. It has a base three times that wide, resembling a humanoid figure rising from spikes of stone that look like consuming tongues of flame up to waist high. The figure is roughly shaped with no fine detail, but has discernable shoulders and head. One arm reaches upward with crooked elbow, the other hands down aside. It is made of a natural ruddy-red stone that differs from the surrounding hillsides, but appears fused to the bedrock below nonetheless.

A diagonal track cuts across your path here, leading northeast and Southwest.

Date: 18 October 2021, 4:00pm
Sunset: 05:06 PM
Sunrise: 06:49 AM
Temperature: -2 to 3 C
Distance travelled: ~40 miles
Injuries: None
Effects: None

[Dram]

Neegan tries from his pony to see what kind of tracks crossed there path.
He also looks at the large statue cautiously. Would this be a warn-en?

[Zhym]

Lord Archchancellor Pendleton (Invisible)

Though no one can see him do it, Pendleton gazes up at the effigy. "Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. How do you suppose this colossus was constructed? I would guess magic, from the way it seems fused to the bedrock, but if there are incantations to do that, they are beyond my knowledge. If the Red Robes built this, we should be careful—their knowledge and power is almost certainly greater than ours. Once again, I advise approaching with caution, tact, and diplomacy. A violent assault is unlikely to end well for us."

The research magician is clearly more interested in the medium than its message. But his thoughts eventually turn in that direction. "As a signpost, however, it lacks a certain clarity. I have no idea what this effigy is supposed to convey, aside from a possible affinity for fire. It doesn't seem particularly welcoming, but neither does the figure's pose appear to be one of warning or forbiddance. It is not detailed enough to be an effective homage to any particular individual or group. Maybe it is meant merely to say, "Here begins our territory." Or perhaps the thing itself is the only message: 'Look what we can do.'"

He rides around the perimeter of the effigy, looking for anything like an inscription that might clarify the effigy's import.

[Enoch]

Gundri dismounts awkwardly and approaches the effigy, circling around it and inspecting the workmanship.

Does proficiency in mining provide any info about this?

[Marullus]

Gundri examines the stone with a practiced eye. The stone is without seam and has no marks of being quarried or sectioned and moved here. It is uniform in it's hue, which is odd for natural stone, which would have some striations. It does have significant natural weathering, though, and he estimates it has stood here for roughly 6,000 years.

Pendleton finds no inscriptions or tags, but seems confident of the statue's magical origins. The morphology of the statue is not distinctly human, but has a gis of something extraplanar to his eye.

Neegan examines the crossroads. There is more traffic and wear Southwest/northeast, with comparatively less wear along the due eastwards trail you just travelled. The westward path is barely worn. It looks like both hoof and foot traffic.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"Red stone. Maybe from the Red Planet? Carved where it fell from as a meteor from the skies?" Foxy makes an uneducated guess to it's specific origins. What she does know is that 'the Red Robes tried to open a door or portal into it or from it'. And as far as we know they have not succeeded in that task.

We have an hour before dusk. I would rather we find a suitable covered campsite than be out in the open, particularly so close to the blighted lands. She remembers the wandering zombies and the orange fiery eyes of the fiend known as the 'Wolfwere'. "We can return to study this rock tomorrow in the morning light and take a more practiced eye of it." She directs the party, principally Tocen and Brielle, to scout out a suitable lodge for the evening.

Preferably a cave, certainly a place shielded from view, a river bed, thick copse of trees. Ideally a place that might overlook the SW trail for I think that leads uphill to the temple ruin and we could be alerted to any night time movements of mages to the Effigy.

[Zhym]

"Of course!" realizes Pendleton. "An efreeti! A powerful creature of the elemental plane of fire! It's so obvious now—the build, the suggestion of extraplanaraity around the eyes, the spikes of stone made to look like flames—they all add up now!"

"In fact, now that I look at it more closely, I see that I was on entirely the wrong track wondering what this symbolizes. I believe that this is no mere image of an extraplanar being. It is the creature itself, bound or imprisoned within the form we see before us. By its size, I would say that this is a significant being indeed—possibly even a lord."

He marvels at the thing before him. He realizes now why he ventures out from his obsidian tower into the dangerous world. He'd never see something like this in Frogmorton Ford! "An efreeti lord, imprisoned for six thousand years, since before the Cataclysm," he says softly, his voice full of awe. "Marvellous." He wonders if the thing is itself magic, and what would happen if he tried to dispel that magic. Probably nothing, he surmises—he cannot have been the first person in six thousand years to have had that thought. At least some of his predecessors here must have tried it.

"Yes. I believe camping away from here is an excellent idea." He looks for a place to securely tie Heroditus where he can easily find his invisible horse. The others hear an incantation, then an explanation. "I will fly up and around to see if I can spot a likely place to camp. I shall return presently, assuming nothing goes amiss."

Cast Fly.

[Dram]

Neegan hearing Pendleton say that the may be a living being moves his pony away it at what he believes would be safe distance. Lets not wake it then. I be rather upset affter 6,000 of imprisonment.

[Bluetongue]

Roybarb

is a bit disappointed Pendleton reached the same conclusion before her. One of her spell books has a front cover of an Efreeti model being climbed over by thieves who chip out its' diamond eyes. "Wow, that is some revelation. So I understand why the Monoc mages may want to free him. Make him serve their cause of get 'three wishes'? What do we do? Free him also or keep him imprisoned?"

[Enoch]

Gundri rubs his chin as he considers the pillar. "If it could be somehow harnessed to power the forges..."

He shakes his head sharply, as if coming out of a reverie. "Free it? Can any of you control it if we do?"

[Marullus]

The party speculates about the nature of the Red Stone Effigy. Foxy directs Tocen and Brielle to range into the hills to look for a suitable campsite. Pendleton invokes his eldritch words of power - the hems of his robes ripple with scintilating energy and he rises into the air, flying up for a better view from above the statue.

The blighted lands north and east offer little promise, so, they focus on the foothills to th south. Two potential locations are visible - over the nearest hill is a small dale. It offers to obscure you from those who are on the roads if you stay low, and puts you 150' from this intersection if you wish to observe it through the night. The second location is a copse of trees further up and beyond any hope of bowshot. It would provide a far more robust concealment, even allowing some concealment of a fire against the freezing temperatures.

From his height, Fingers also has vantage to see the course of the crossing trails. Stone walls of a castle or monestary are cut into a cliff face to the southwest a large building with three spire towers built against the mountainside where the foothills rise to meet it. It is 8-10 miles away, but large enough to be discernible at this distance. Likewise to the northeast, he spies some structure that the trail goes to, but it is much smaller and he cannot make out details without getting closer.

Date: 18 October 2021, 4:20pm
Sunset: 05:06 PM
Sunrise: 06:49 AM
Temperature: -2 to 3 C
Distance travelled: ~40 miles
Injuries: None
Effects: None

[Zhym]

Pendleton shares his (literal) overview of the terrain with the others and suggests trekking up to the copse of trees for better concealment.