IC Chapter 1: A Fateful Gathering

[aronbc]

Elan

I’ll try and stab at is as it darts past, but nothing more.

[jason.connerley]

To hit rabbit [1d20] = 10

That doesn't include his +1 with missile weapons.

[Koren n'Rhys]

Toldir calls out as the rabbit darts past and Elan takes a stab at it, but caught unawares, he fails to spear the would-be dinner. Conrad's arrow misses it's mark as well. It seems it will be a cold meal of trail rations after all, unless one of the group harbors a hidden talent as a campfire chef.

A quick check of the ruins reveals nothing else of interest and it does seem to be a safe enough place to camp for the night, dry and out of the elements. You don't detect any sign of larger animals or other dangers around the site.

OOC:
Elan - To Hit Rabbit: [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7
What do you guys want to do for a default watch rotation at night? We can set that now, as we did the marching order, so that we don't need to work it out fresh every time. I'll make a random roll for an overnight encounter and move things along. Sorry again for the delay.

[Koren n'Rhys]

The party settles into the shelter of the ruined building for the night. After a brief discussion, it's decided that keeping watches might be a wise decision and an order is established with Toldir taking the first. Despite these cautions, or perhaps because of them, the night passes peacefully and nothing but the normal nighttime noises of the forest break the silence.Morning dawns and you haven't been ravaged by savage beasts.

Anything you'd like to do or change before we move on?


Standard Watch Order: Toldir -- Conrad -- Elan -- Nimbus

For the record, my interpretation of the rules for spell recovery is simply that casters need to get a full night's rest, which to me would reasonably include a turn on watch. I'm not going to nitpick order, consecutive hours of sleep or anything like that. If a night is interrupted by combat but you go back to sleep, that's fine too. It will really only be if the night is cut short and you stay up that you can't recover spells.

Nighttime Encounter?: [1d6] = 5 No

[VonAlric]

Toldir wakes up and steps outside to take some deep breaths and stretch. He does this for a few minutes to get circulation going. When done, he quickly eats some more cold rations, gathers his things, arms himself (sword drawn) and waits for the others to get themselves ready.

[jason.connerley]

Conrad peeks out from his blanket and groans softly.
"Morning already?"
He looks to Toldir
"Do you have the hot water on?"

[VonAlric]

Toldir hesitates, trying to remember his actions.
"There's no hot water. If we were closer to the river, we probably could have had some. Is that something that adventures do on the trail? I don't seem to recall my grandfather ever mentioning that in any of his adventuring stories."

[jason.connerley]

Conrad gives Toldir a hard look,

"I suppose your grandfather didn't mention second breakfast on the trail either?"

Unable to keep up the joke the halfling broke into a good-natured laugh.

"Do you suppose we'll sleep under a roof tonight?"

[VonAlric]

Toldir is pondering when Conrad begins laughing. He gives a small grin. "Why do you need a roof to sleep under? We've got the best roof any time we want it," pointing to the sky.

"As for my grandfather," he continues,"he never really said anything about halflings. I don't recall any stories of him adventuring with one. The occasional elf or dwarf. I've only spent any time with one other halfling. He had a habit of 'borrowing' things, including food, that eventually landed him in jail. Think he was hung for punishment. Other than that, he was a pleasant enough person."

[jason.connerley]

Conrad considers this.
"Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Sometime you big folk misunderstand when someone takes a third or fourth helping for the road...

More than once those misunderstandings have led to my kin being called thieves and worse but I believe that is an unfair characterization."

Conrad stretches and gets up. Time to get packed up, have first breakfast, and get on the road.

[Koren n'Rhys]

With any morning preparations made (and first breakfast eaten) the group gathers their meager belongings and leaves the makeshift campsite behind. You set out once again on the overgrown trail towards the village of Volaga. The sun climbs steadily towards it's zenith as you travel and as the day before, you occasionally pass the standing stones which mark the roadway.

By mid-morning you begin to see signs of human activity - recent use of the trail, no longer so overgrown, areas which have been logged and the undergrowth is cleared or trampled and torn. Not too long before noon you crest a rise in the road and what see the last vestiges of wild wood open up to cleared land for some distance ahead. Cleared land, plots of planted fields, fenced paddock holding horses and houses scattered about. The furthest out are singular farm houses, but there is also a cluster of buildings, some larger, that seem to be the village proper. You see smoke rising from the distant chimneys, but can't really see any people from this distance.

[VonAlric]

"Well, it looks like we made it. Wonder if there is anything happening around here that we can help with? Let's move into the village."

[jason.connerley]

Conrad feels invigorated at the prospect of a good meal, good drink, and a soft bed. He picks up his pace in anticipation.

[Koren n'Rhys]

Alright - I want to kick this thing and get going again. It's on me that it's not. Let's try to make some headway over the next couple of weeks before things pause again. I'll be travelling for the holidays and away from 12/24 through 1/4, with only sporadic online activity.

Conrad eagerly leads the way as the party heads for the small village center. As you make your way through the tended areas, you do see people working in a few of the fields tending to their animals or late-season crops. Some look up and note your passing, and a few nod in acknowledgement before returning to their work. As you move through the area, you see signs that all may not be as bucolic as it appeared from a distance. One farmhouse in particular shows signs of fire damage with part of it's thatch roof burned away and broken windows, and all that remains of what you assume was a barn is charred timbers. The next plot closer to town shows signs of being attacked as well, though with minor damages. At the far side of that field you see a trio of workers who seem to be repairing a stretch of broken fence.

Just ahead now lies the village square with a well in the center and a few larger buildings in addition to some more houses.

[VonAlric]

Toldir

"It seems that there might be something amiss here. Let's go into the center here and find someone who can tell us where a place to sleep is and what trouble has occurred here."

He will head to the well then approach the first villager that is nearby. "Greetings. We are looking for an inn or such where we may bed for the night. We also saw signs as we came in that there may be some trouble here. Show us to someone who is in charge and we can see if this is something we can help with."

[jason.connerley]

I hope the inn has a competent cook, Conrad mutters just loud enough to hear.

The little adventurer moves up next to Toldir while taking in the overall scene.

I also hope the inn isn't one of the damaged buildings...

[sirravd]

A young, handsome-faced man walks through in the village square, leaning one hand on a well. He is clad in plate mail and has a greatsword at his belt.

"Hello," he says, upon seeing the other adventurers. "Are you also wanderers through the Dim...what's it called...the forest?"

[Koren n'Rhys]

An older woman, her arms full with a large basket of bread, pauses at Toldir's query. "Trouble? Aye, you could say so. Goblins again, and getting more brave than usual. They come out of the woods on occasion, but lately..." Her words trail off as she shakes her head, a frown on her lips. "In any case, it's close enough to noon that Master Skerric should be at the Stoop for his lunch. He's the village head man and will know if there's a way to help." She points out the largest of the buildings directly on the square, a sturdy edifice of stone with a second floor of wood above. Above it's door hangs a sign painted with the image of a diving bird of prey. With a polite nod, she bids you well and moves along on her way.

[VonAlric]

Toldir

"My thanks to you for the information," Toldir calls out to the woman as she moves away. Heading towards the building, he notes the man in plate.

"Well, not really wanderers. We were dropped off by boat a day and a half back and pointed in this direction. Our group is here to make names for ourselves and, from what I see, there may be an opportunity here. So," he points to the greatsword strapped to the man, "are you good with that? From the looks of this place, you might get a chance to use it."

[jason.connerley]

Conrad

At the woman's mention of lunch Conrad's ears perk up and soft rumble can be heard from his stomach. He follows Toldir and is slightly annoyed when he stops to address the youth.

"Perhaps introductions would be better over a drink and hot meal?"