Chapter Two: The Hippocampus on the Cracked Lintel
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Dec 21, 2015 8:00 pm
Leth: Survival: Success!
Shamush: Religion: Success!
Vad: Acrobatics: Success!
Zangua: Deception: Success!
Later in the day, the party reaches an end to the farms and the trails between them, and finds a dry shoulder of ground to walk on as they reach the marshy convergence of springs and streams that form the headwaters of the Ophid. Leth takes note of some muskrat spoor on the path and is quickly able to spot a nest half-hidden in the grass a few dozen yards away.
Shamush finds that he can recall the Horizonist creeds and prophecies quickly back to mind, word for word. Older and wiser now, he finds some of them incoherent or even absurd, and yet, in some there are allusions to deeper mysteries and compelling allegories that still tug at his emotions.
Behind him, Vad is barely aware of his surroundings as he flips and twirls his dagger in ever-quickening circles, never dropping it, never so much as nicking a finger.
Stopping for a late lunch of muskrat hams roasted on a spit, Zangua casually and politely dissembles about his past, never raising any suspicions as far as he can tell.
Throwdown results: it's a tie. Zangua and Vad have both "won" this Throwdown and can give themselves Advantage on any one roll of their choice.
Shamush: Religion: Success!
Vad: Acrobatics: Success!
Zangua: Deception: Success!
Later in the day, the party reaches an end to the farms and the trails between them, and finds a dry shoulder of ground to walk on as they reach the marshy convergence of springs and streams that form the headwaters of the Ophid. Leth takes note of some muskrat spoor on the path and is quickly able to spot a nest half-hidden in the grass a few dozen yards away.
Shamush finds that he can recall the Horizonist creeds and prophecies quickly back to mind, word for word. Older and wiser now, he finds some of them incoherent or even absurd, and yet, in some there are allusions to deeper mysteries and compelling allegories that still tug at his emotions.
Behind him, Vad is barely aware of his surroundings as he flips and twirls his dagger in ever-quickening circles, never dropping it, never so much as nicking a finger.
Stopping for a late lunch of muskrat hams roasted on a spit, Zangua casually and politely dissembles about his past, never raising any suspicions as far as he can tell.
Throwdown results: it's a tie. Zangua and Vad have both "won" this Throwdown and can give themselves Advantage on any one roll of their choice.
Dec 21, 2015 11:58 pm
As night begins to fall, the party sees a stilted fisher's hut up ahead in the marsh.
Dec 23, 2015 5:06 pm
Can we easily tell if it is occupied? If not:
Mordred quietly approaches through the reeds, straining to detect anyone's presence.
Mordred quietly approaches through the reeds, straining to detect anyone's presence.
Rolls
Stealth - (1d20+5)
(4) + 5 = 9
Perception - (1d20)
(14) = 14
Dec 23, 2015 5:18 pm
Zangua approaches the hut directly, in the open. He rests his hand on the pommel of his club, casual and ready. His intent is to see if the hut is occupied and introduce himself, at the very least to assuage any threat.
He does welcome the stealthy flank and periphery check from Mordred. He peers ahead, trying to determine if a light is on, or activity can be detected within and around.
He does welcome the stealthy flank and periphery check from Mordred. He peers ahead, trying to determine if a light is on, or activity can be detected within and around.
Last edited December 23, 2015 5:18 pm
Rolls
Perception - (1d20+5)
(16) + 5 = 21
Dec 23, 2015 6:03 pm
The hut is dark, but about a dozen yards away a small boat sits in shallow waters, bearing a person bundled in rags and wearing a large floppy hat. The person raises their head as Mordred and Zangua approach.
Dec 23, 2015 6:34 pm
Zangua raises his hand, not only as a gesture of greeting, but also to distract attention from Mordred. He approaches up to the water line and tries to assess the man in the boat; his bearing, his equipment, his face.
Rolls
Insight - (1d20+5)
(12) + 5 = 17
Dec 23, 2015 9:02 pm
Zangua can't see the person's face, or much of anything about them at all under all bundled clothing, wraps, and hat. As he draws nearer, he can see a bucket in the boat, and three slender wooden fishing spears. The person seems to be observing your approach, but says nothing.
Dec 23, 2015 11:02 pm
Vad will try and find a spot to cover both Zangua and Mordred with his crossbow.
Dec 24, 2015 6:44 am
As the Hut had begun to come into view, Leth had dropped behind the rest of the group, and was now crouched low to the ground, looking for some cover with which to hide behind while Zangua and Mordred moved forward towards the hut. Ideally, they would get their information and leave, and no one would even know he and the rest of the party had been in waiting, but if worse came to worse, he was hoping to be in a position to surprise the enemy from their hiding spot.
(Do I need to roll anything? I'm not sure how close the rest of us are to the hut so I don't know if a stealth roll is necessitated)
(Do I need to roll anything? I'm not sure how close the rest of us are to the hut so I don't know if a stealth roll is necessitated)
Last edited December 24, 2015 6:44 am
Dec 24, 2015 9:42 am
Felor stays back with Leth, so as not to intimidate what appears to be a fisherman with too large a group of people.
Dec 24, 2015 10:09 pm
Shamush hangs back with Leth and Felor, a piece of straw hanging droopily from his mouth. He stands slouched and he looks around drowsily and murmurs, "Where the hell are we anyhow?"
Dec 24, 2015 11:32 pm
Zangua greets the fisherman. "Hoy. I am a traveler that seeks shelter for the night. May I camp here?"
Dec 25, 2015 3:01 am
I'd forgotten exactly how Zangua was told to meet with the witch-men, so I had to go back and look it up... here it is again: Also, what's the name of the village we're going towards? And are we actually at the village yet or is this still outside of it?
Leth glances at Shamush and shrugs. "I'm not sure exactly - this could easily not even be who we're supposed to meet with... We need to keep a lookout for the Crown sigil." Leth says, and he slowly peeks out towards the hut. From this distance, he doesn't expect to be able to see much of anything useful - much less the symbol itself, even if it were carved into the wood of the hut - but it wouldn't hurt to look.
Quote:
"If you see her, return to this village and search for this mark: linger where you find it until dusk, and you shall be met there, and rewarded for your help."Leth glances at Shamush and shrugs. "I'm not sure exactly - this could easily not even be who we're supposed to meet with... We need to keep a lookout for the Crown sigil." Leth says, and he slowly peeks out towards the hut. From this distance, he doesn't expect to be able to see much of anything useful - much less the symbol itself, even if it were carved into the wood of the hut - but it wouldn't hurt to look.
Last edited December 25, 2015 3:02 am
Rolls
Perception (looking for signs of the crown) - (1d20+4)
(10) + 4 = 14
Dec 28, 2015 6:18 pm
This is not the village. You are still about a half day's hike away from where the village was. This is just a lone fisherman's hut out in the marshlands around the Ophid headwaters.
"Camp? In my home?" the fisher answers Zangua in a soft, croaking voice. "Many fish in a small basket!" They laugh, a wheezy, coughing laugh. "What an inconvenience! But I was taught by my father and my mother not to deny guest-rights plainly asked for. You may stay, if you can fit your bodies inside. I will serve you whisker-fish cooked hot, and in the morning you will leave. Is that agreeable?"
"Camp? In my home?" the fisher answers Zangua in a soft, croaking voice. "Many fish in a small basket!" They laugh, a wheezy, coughing laugh. "What an inconvenience! But I was taught by my father and my mother not to deny guest-rights plainly asked for. You may stay, if you can fit your bodies inside. I will serve you whisker-fish cooked hot, and in the morning you will leave. Is that agreeable?"
Dec 30, 2015 1:20 am
Mordred remains concealed, fearing that his appearance might put the fisherman ill at ease. He is used to sleeping rough, and will let the rest of the party take the cabin. Perhaps he will sleep under the cabin if the weather turns.
Dec 30, 2015 5:16 am
OH! Okay haha got it. Sorry, misunderstood the situation here.
Are we actually hidden? It seems to me that the fisherman knows we're all hanging back, kind of half-hiding from view... In my head its like we're all hiding behind bushes and tree trunks that are way too small to conceal us and he can clearly see us but we think we're pro hiders and he just doesn't want to provoke these weirdos hiding outside his house to violence hahahaha
Are we actually hidden? It seems to me that the fisherman knows we're all hanging back, kind of half-hiding from view... In my head its like we're all hiding behind bushes and tree trunks that are way too small to conceal us and he can clearly see us but we think we're pro hiders and he just doesn't want to provoke these weirdos hiding outside his house to violence hahahaha
Dec 30, 2015 1:54 pm
I don't know about the rest of you chuckleheads, but Mordred specifically tried to sneak up to the shack, and since I haven't seen an exclamation point appear over the fisher's head, I assume he hasn't been spotted.
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