Ewww! What's that?! (DM Stephen) d100=74 d100=96 d100=79 d100=10 d100=91 d6=3 d6=6 d6=1 d6=2 d6=3 d20+2=10 d20+2=7 d20+2=6 d20+4=10 d20+4=12 d20+4=6 Friday December 17th, 2004 12:33:39 AM
(Ok, all of you departing in different ways and times is a bit confusing for me, so dont get bent of shape if I simplify things a bit and keep the action moving forward. At this point, I dont care who is on what horse or who is walking and so on.) ---------------------------- Olo is surprised that after he ate the tiny berry, his stomach feels as full as if he had a regular meal. Their magic reveals itself to the young cleric.
Airin and Kendry are facinated by the rings. They spend several minutes examining them. Airin is able to determine that they are roughly worth 25 gold a piece. However, they may bring more from collectors or the family in which they came from (sentimental value). Airin finds common script on one of the thicker rings. I reads, "Let the deid shaw." Kendry can determine that it's an earlier form of the common language and that if translated into modern common it would mean, "Let the deed show." Could be a family motto. The only other markings on the ring is a crest with a backwards 'F'and a warriors helmet with a stag's head mounted on top. Definitely a human design. Two rings have this design. The other two have elegant vine-like designs. Neither of you see any writing on them. However Kendry is able to determine they are elven in style.
Kendry quickly takes the map. The map covers most of the region. Those who see it see all three towns of the Crescent Valley marked. You realize that you are now in the Red Hills. There are traders roads nearby. There is one leading to a place called Ogre. Its not far from Brock's trading post. You can see a new traders road leading east, all the way to Dragon Bay. It joins with another road that goes north and south along the coast. The north road heads back to Angel Springs in the Crescent Valley. There is an interesting spot on the traders road between Ogre and Dragon Bay called Hill Giant Ruins. Down in southern Red Hills is an area marked "Goblin Lands". Pretty good chance where Bobbles is from. Otherwise, the map is a wealth of information. You see the eastern most part of Culverwood. You can also see the southern half of the Scab that borders Crescent Valley. The Giants Towers are clearly marked as well. Its easy to determine that the goblin wagon is heading for the nearest traders road so they can shoot straight down to Ogre.
As Shale waits for the others to get going, he glances at the coins and easily determines they are normal currency of the region.
The captain decides to send Biguns and Slag to travel with the party so they can bring back the sail and some of the rigging if they find it before getting to the road. He suggests that if they need to get back to Humbles Ford in time for the final night of the Burgomeister election, they may need to travel back north along the traders road. To bad the traders road didnt go all the way down to Brock's Trading post. Kendry recalls a bill that would have gone to a vote by the village elders and the Burgomeister of Crescent Valley to extend the traders road to the Trading post but the River Boat Union successfully campaigned against it for obvious reasons.
After all is said and done, the party along with Biguns, Slag and Bobbles head off to catch the 1st goblin wagon. Mayzie and Ghost decide to stay behind with the captain and his remaining crew. She feels it necessary to stay back and take up the task of cleaning up the carnage left behind by the goblins. Returning nature to its natural state.
Those on horseback stay up ahead the group keeping an eye out for trouble from their higher vantage point. Those walking make their way well enough, even though they have yet to sleep a full nights rest. (Everyone make Fortitude check DC 10 to keep from becoming fatigued. If you become Fatigued you can no longer run or charge. You also take a -2 penalty to both Str. and Dex.)
Up ahead those on horseback spot what looks like an old stone guard tower. It looks abandoned, no flags wave from its top. The closer you get, it looks like parts of it have collapsed from time and the elements. The wagon tracks lead toward it. Suddenly the remains of a small body can be seen. Its a goblin and it's squashed flatter than a pancake!
(Make your whatever skill checks you think are necessary.)
Patterton d20+9=10 Friday December 17th, 2004 3:12:54 AM
(OOC-Fortitude save 10...even with endurance feat and fortitude save of +5, I barely madde it!)
As they approach, Patty quietly lets out a low whistle. "Mind your shoes, Shale. Let's dismount here and investigate...better grab that crossbow, Dead Eye."
If the others are close enough to see him, Patty will wave at them to come closer.
Kendry - In Pursuit of the wagon d20+1=18 d20+3=7 Friday December 17th, 2004 3:52:19 AM
Kendry gives Mayzie a parting hug. "You take care of yourself," he says in common, then switches to elvish to add, "beautiful halfling of the elves." "Bye, Ghost!" "Later, Nalf! Bye, Captain!"
He is glad that Biguns, Slag and Bobbles are coming along.
[Fortitude check: 18. Well, we did get a partial night's rest :-)]
"I agree, Polly. I wish that we would have been able to spare the lives of more. Things happened pretty fast, though. But there have got to be more like our new friend, who might be open to less ... churlish comportment." He thinks it over a bit more. "Probably most of 'em, at least the ones who go out to steal things, are evil though, I suppose. 'Least that's what I've heard. They killed two of the crewmen, and it's only our good fortune that the captain and a few others did not die. Bob wanted me to kill my cousin! Well, all right, he didn't know he was my cousin, but, still. Shoot, Shale took a lot of damage, and so did my sis, and they started the whole thing. Let me talk this over with our friend here a bit."
"Say, Bobbles, Polly was, was..." and he tries to think of a goblin word equivalent to 'wondering.' Nothing exactly like that word comes to mind. "Uh, she think to herself, 'Be there others like good Bobbles?' So I ask - maybe there others who want learn be good, other goblins maybe? Also - you have idea how we get wagon back, no have to kill more goblins? We not want kill, if no have to. But we not want be stupid, let them kill us. How we do this?"
At some point when Shale is nearby, he asks whether he has any idea what happened to the two wort hogs who fled with the ragged remnants of the wagon.
Kendry passes on what he is able to gather about the rings to any who are interested. He also explains his findings to Bobbles, to learn whether he might have any insight as to how the rings were obtained.
He enthuses over the map that Captain Titus Bloomers lent them. As he rides along, once he gets used to the rhythm of the horse, with the map spread out on the back of the person in front of him, nearly cross-eyed as he examines it in detail, trying to place as much of it in memory as he can.
"It looks here like we might be able just to head back north, just like the captain says, and follow the road that parallels the river. Don't know 'bout you all, but I don't highly fancy traveling through Ogre at the moment. Maybe someday, though." He passes on to some of his halfling friends mention of the bill to extend the road to Trader's Corner that got defeated some time back. He takes care to bring it up discreetly, away from the ears of the crew members, not sure of how they might receive the topic.
When the party comes closer to the old stone guard tower, Kendry dismounts to look at the remains of the goblin as Patty lets out his low whistle. Despite their treatment by the goblins, he feels sad for some reason. "Oh. Oh, Bobbles. I sorry this one smooshed down. Bobbles, you know who is? Is like Dup, or better one? You know who be with wagon?"
Kendry tries to avoid obscuring any tracks that Shale or others might use to puzzle out what happened here. He thinks to look up in the direction of the tower, of a sudden picturing in his mind a huge stone sailing through the air...
[Spot 7.] Kendry signals with his hand for caution, using Duncan's sign language, indicating to his friends and family that eyes and ears should be sharp, and noise kept to a minimum.
Airin d20+3=15 d20+5=6 d20+7=8 Friday December 17th, 2004 5:58:03 AM
The rings dissapear in Airin's pouch to be examined once this is over.
Riding along Blossom she manages to hold on and keep her eyes open, (Fort safe = 15) though she's certain they will need a rest once they have finished this business.
Watching Patty signaling for caution, Airin tries to hide Blosson closer to the edge of the forest. Perhaps even under a couple of over hanging branches to get out of the tower's line of sight. Once agin her instincts tell her to grab her crossbow, load it, and keep her eyes and ears open. Yet she has a hard time concentrating on her surroundings. Those rings keep her busy ... (spot 6 Nat 1, listen Nat 1 - she's blind and deaf at the moment :-) )
As she can't manage to concentrate well, she decides to take one of those seemingly healty Wild Berries. She starts to feel better right away.
Patterton Friday December 17th, 2004 6:21:43 AM
Patty unsheathes the sword that the evil goblin boss Bob had once owned and motions for Kendry to come closer.
"Listen,"he whispers, "I suggest we make a show of force. There are quite a few of us and if we train enough crowssbows on whatever pokes out of that tower, we can stick it full of bolts. Even if we don't have to shoot anyone, the threat might work to our advantage. We may be able to scare the goblins(or whatever was big enough to squish that poor slob) into letting us have the wagon with no bloodshed."
Olo d20+6=7 d20+4=8 d20+6=7 Friday December 17th, 2004 12:16:38 PM
Stumbling along half asleep (Fort save 7, nat 1), Olo is roused when he starts to hear excited whispering. Spotting the body, he blinks, stares at it for a couple seconds, and says a single word. "Wow."
Looking around now, he sees the tower for the first time, and listens as Patterton talks of assaulting it.
Not wanting to much up the tracks the others are examining, Olo follows the wagon tracks with his eyes, trying to figure out if they lead to the tower or not. His vision is still a bit blurry with sleep though, and he doesn't have much success (spot 8).
"What if it's not goblins in there?" Olo asks uneasily. "We can't just fill anyone full of bolts ya know. Maybe some giant just lobbed a boulder at them and got lucky." Olo peers back at the wagon tracks, trying again to follow them with little success. "Do we even know if the wagon stopped here?"
Olo rubs his eyes, clearing them so he can get a better look at the tracks and try to figure out what flattened this goblin, which he'll do once the 'expert' trackers are done with their examination.
OOC: Wow, bad rolls. Olo even used his 'Luck' domain ability for a reroll on that fort save and rolled another natural one. Olo is now fatigued!
Selithe d20+3=9 d20+3=12 Friday December 17th, 2004 5:56:49 PM
Selithe thanks Shale for offering the ride and motions to her brother, "I will walk with my brother. Just don't get in to much trouble riding so far ahead of us."
Selithe walks and watches the scenery as they do (spot:12) but does start to feel tired and lacking in stregnth from all the activites so far. At one point she stops and leans over, breathing hard and tired, "Man, we need to stop soon people for abit. I need some rest and surely some others do also."
Selithe sees the goblin that is smashed and shakes her head as she looks to Kendry and speaks to her brother, "See, about the size of a halfling and see what a ogre can do to a goblin? Hope there isn't to many of them or we're in alot of trouble."
(Spot:12 Fort:9)
Kendry d20+3=6 d20+5=17 Friday December 17th, 2004 6:35:08 PM
"Maybe it's a trebuchet," Kendry replies to Selithe. "You know, a big mechanical rock-throwing sling-thing." He looks around to see if there is any evidence of a rock having rolled or bounced off the goblin splat. [Spot 6]
"Ah, yes, show of force," he answers Patterton. He points over his shoulder at the yawning Olo and Selithe. "You look a mite wobbly, yourself, Patty."
He glances up the path. "Let's follow, spread out, eyes and ears open as wide as fatigue will allow." [Listen 17]
He does follow the suggestion, though, and places an arrow in his compound short bow.
Polly d20+3=12 d20+7=14 d20+9=12 d20+1=3 d20+1=15 Friday December 17th, 2004 8:45:08 PM
Polly is holding up well with what little sleep she's had (Fort=12). She slides from the pony when they reach the squashed goblin to share the signed and whispered discussion.
"Olo has a point," she adds. "We're after the barrels and barge equipment, not sightseeing. If the goblins moved their wagon past the stone heap, then we should skip it. Maybe Shale could stick to the wagon tracks while the rest of us fan out?"
Readying her spear for a throw if necessary, she moves out carefully (Hide=14, Move Silently=12) some distance from Shale, choosing the tower side of the tracks since she's one of the quieter people among the group. She keeps her eyes and ears open for signs of trouble as she goes. (Listen=3, Spot=15)
Patterton d20-1=5 Friday December 17th, 2004 9:19:26 PM
Patty unlatches his wooden shield from his back and straps it firmy to his forearm. He then fishes around in his pack for his chain gauntlets and shoves his hands into them. Next, gripping the sword tightly in his fist, Patty begins sneaking(or lack there of) forward. He tries to stay a good 20' behind Shale so as not to interfere with his tracking, but also to be in range to charge in case of a surprise.
Moves silently=5 AC with shield= 20
Airin Monday December 20th, 2004 3:36:00 AM
Airin waits with her pony under the tree branches and hears the ramblings about a show of force ...
She dismounts Blossom, and while remaining under the cover of the trees she mingles in the plotting
"A show of force ? If it were me in that tower, and I saw 8 little halflings standing outside, hurling whatever they can find at me -safely sitting behind the stone walls- I'd have a good laugh ... We're thinking about something that can hurl boulders at us ! So what are you all standing in the middle of the road ? Maybe we can try to get closer under cover of these trees ? Even if it was only to see what's inside that tower. Maybe Polly and me ought to get closer to spy first ? The wagon is gone that's for sure, and me thinks that whatever is inside that tower took it before them goblins got to the Ogre camp. I want to know what's inside those towers first. May I suggest you all step away from the road, take cover under these trees (don't go too far into the woods though) for you are all standing there for somthing huge to take a target practice at you all."
Patterton Monday December 20th, 2004 6:18:59 PM
Patty scowls at Airin. "Where's your backbone gone to,then? You guys wiped out those goblins before they could lift a finger and now you're all scared bacause of a little pile of goblin pulp. The lil' blighter could have fallen off the front of the wagon and been trampled by those boars for all we know." Patty snorts,"I've heard just about as much complaining as I can stand. Either press on or head back to camp."
(OOC-just trying to stay in character here. Patty is impatiant by nature. no offence! :)
Shale Monday December 20th, 2004 9:20:05 PM
Shale is obviously anxious to leave (and intent on wiping out evil by nature), he speaks up about the goblins, "If it displeases any among us we need not slaughter all of those goblins that remain, but we must bring justice to the little bastards who stole our beer. Their is no question of that. We'll catch them before they ever reach the ogres if we just hurry up.
Once everyone is saddled and ready Shale takes the lead on Valor.
Fear Flatter (DM Stephen) d100=96 d100=53 d100=6 d100=76 d100=94 d20=3 d20=19 d20+2=5 d20+2=17 d20+5=6 d20+5=11 d6=5 d6=3 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 12:52:17 AM
Some of the hobbits are showing fatigue from not having a full nights sleep. The presence of a flattened goblin seems to have halted the party for a bit. The severity of its "state of being" has brought of major concern to the parties well being.
With careful observation, Shale determines to tread forward to rescue the beer. As he follows the tracks of the wagon, that are leading to the tower, he spots two more flattened goblin masses up ahead.
Patterton also seems determined to head forward and he make sure everyone else knows it too! Especially after others have expressed some concern about the safety of the party.
Kendry asks Bobbles several questions about his old comrads. He looks a bit confused. He scratches his head a little and says, "Me the only Bobbles I know. What you mean? Good at what? Some be good at fishing. Wait, good at fishing was me."
The bard doesnt notice any rocks lying around that are big enough to do that kind of damage. There are also no signs of a trebuchet. The tower doesnt look sturdy enough to support any large armaments. Everyone can see the surroundings and it looks peaceful, except for the overly pressed piles of goblin flesh. However, Kendry's keen ears (the only one to do a good listen check) hears a disturbing sound on the wind, coming from the tower. It's hard to describe at first. Its a low, deep gutteral sound. It's also repetitive and grating. If Kendry had to compare it to anything, its sounds like the sound his father makes when sleeping under his favorite tree. It sounds like someone is snoring! Snoring rather loudly if heard from this distance.
(BTW Kim, the map does look like that map you linked to.) (Party's initiative. Do what you must :)
Kendry whispers of his discovery d20+4=6 d20+5=11 d20+3=6 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 3:21:14 AM
Elaborately signaling for silence, Kendry gathers who he may. Whispering, he tells his companions, "There's the sound of snoring by the tower. Since we must come back this way, let us deal how it seems appropriate. Gently, or roughly, as circumstances warrant. Quiet movers - circle left. Noisy ones, walk the path to the tower - with care. Missile weapons ready, or others, as you will. Blankets - some of you get blankets out. If we need to overcome someone without killing, cover with blankets, subdue." As he talks, he unties the knots holding his blanket to the bottom of his knapsack, and wraps it over his shoulders.
"Polly - whistle like a bird if you need us to come to you. Click your tongue like a chipmunk's scold if you think we should attack. Let's see what's there, though, first. If we get line of sight with each other, use Duncan's language. Make the sound of the wind with your mouth if we should retreat.
"Polly, Airin, Selithe - to the left. Slag - can you back them up?
"Patterton, Olo, Shale - up the path. Have Valor take it easy - try to avoid stepping on stones, Shale. Biguns - can you back 'em up? Shale - you know Duncan's sign language a bit. You'll be between me and Polly. Relay what you can. Use the same signals as I gave to Polly. Bobbles & I will go to the right.
"Bobbles, come with me. We move quiet, find out who snore. We don't talk loud. Whisper if need talk." If this seems fine to all, then Kendry quickly moves off with Bobbles, circling to the right, toward the tower. He renocks his arrow in his bowstring.
[Move silently: 6. Listen: 11. Spot: 6. Hmmm.]
Patterton d20-1=14 d20+2=13 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 4:45:55 AM
Patty nods to himself, satasfied that a plan of action has been offered. Giving Kendry a quick nod, Patty attempts (move silently 14) to sneak foreward as quietly as he can, straining his ears to see if he pick up the snoring sound (listen 13). He raises his sheild defensivly and keeps his sword close to his body as he creeps foreward.
Airin d20+10=24 d20+7=12 d20+5=25 d20+12=31 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 6:30:36 AM
Being scowled upon by Patty was just what Airin needed to lay down her paranoid defenses. She sees herself in a bed time story called Gullivers Travels where this man got tied to the ground by this little folk ...
"I'm not carrying a blanket Kendry but I do have a bedroll ... would that be suited ? Perhaps we can fool around with whatever sleeps in that tower, and tie his toes together so when he gets up to chase us ... hihihihi ..." a broad smile appears on her face and twinkling lights shine in her black eyes.
OK, lock and load. Polly, lead the way I'm with you. Bolt in place in the crossbow and blending into the woods she moves towads the tower.
Olo d20+2=7 d20+4=22 d20+6=16 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 10:21:21 AM
Olo thinks for a moment about a blanket, then decides that juggling that in addition to his crossbow and other gear is just too much. In fact, as tired as he is, he decides to lighten his load before continuing. Slowly shrugging his pack off of his shoulders, he lets it slide off of his right arm into the grasses. Then, in what is quickly becoming a nervous habit, he reaches down and checks for the presence of his holy symbol at his belt.
Olo gives his more quiet comrades a moment to start circling around before starting out himself. While waiting, he scans the area to make sure there isn't another threat that's been overlooked with all the attention on the tower. Then, with a ready crossbow, Olo starts to move forward (slightly less quietly then intended). If he manages to catch up with Patty, he'll stay about 15 feet behind and to the right.
Now what was I supposed to listen for again? A chipmunk coughing?
[OOC] With -2 Strength, Olo would have been at medium encumberance with his pack so he dumped it. All checks include penalty for fatigue. Move Silently = 7 - 6 (for armor) = 1 Spot = 22 Listen = 16
Kendry nods to Airin that a bedroll would be fine Tuesday December 21st, 2004 11:16:12 AM
Kendry gives Airin a thumbs up on the bedroll idea.
Selithe Tuesday December 21st, 2004 1:55:47 PM
Selithe frowns as she knows she most likely to tired to hold anything down, let alone put up to great of a fight and pulls her brother to the side when she has just a free moment, "We rest soon brother. There is no way some of us can keep up in our tired state." Selithe's snappy temper is deffinetly coming from her being tired.
Selithe now follows the tactics laid out by her brother and moves along with the group she was told to and tries to stay quiet as she carries her crossbow in tired arms. She looks to Polly and Airin and shakes her head as she whispers to herself and then quickly shutsup, "I must be getting old or something since Polly and Airin seem to be doing good."
Bobbles d20+2=17 d20+4=5 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 4:05:13 PM
Bobbles spots something glimmering in one of the flattened goblin masses. He reaches down and picks it up. It's a gold tooth ring (with tooth) to his delight. He quickly pulls it off the tooth and rubs it against his shirt. He looks to Kendry and quietly says, "This be Borks. Everybodies wants it. Big status this be! Kills many thieves to keep it, Borks did! Now it belong to Bobbles." He quickly and gleefully slides it onto his largest tooth. He then flashes Kendry and anyone who is looking a bright and yellowie tooth-filled smile.
(spot 17, listen 5)
Kendry Tuesday December 21st, 2004 7:18:50 PM "Good, good find, Bobbles. Borks not need it anymore. Very shiny," Kendry says, sotto voce, to the happy goblin. "So. Let's walk quietly up to tower - this way, and, when we get closer, be sure close mouth, so bright tooth light not wake up snorey sleeper."
Shale d20+6=21 d20+6=24 d20+7=15 d20+4=18 Tuesday December 21st, 2004 9:21:15 PM
After everyone hopes down off of Valor, Shale lets him roam around the perimeter of the forest, just like at home. "Stay close in case we need you buddy, keep your ears up." (Handle Animal 21)
Pulling up the hood of his gray cloak and tucking his hat into Valor's saddle, he pats the warpony on the butt as he begins to graze off the road a ways.
With an arrow nocked Shale heads quietly up the path, looking for footprints as he sticks with Patty. (Tracking 24, Move Silently 15, Listen 18)
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