Bramble will continue, "Another thing that tends to succeed because it also bolsters cooperation, is self control. Denying yourself something that maybe is rightfully yours in order to strengthen the group can be a powerful strategy. Like when I gave you my last Goodberry. It was rightfully mine but by strengthening you, I am, in reality, strengthening the group. We are stronger as a group than we are individually."
Bramble takes a break from talking, hoping he hasn't overstayed his welcome.
"I know I've given you much to think about. And perhaps, if someday our paths lead to your realm you can tutor me on your successful strategies."
Bramble will go silent and fall back half a step to give "Dee" some space.
"Ibleth is the word for any that are not of my kind. I will not speak of my exile to suffer under the accursed ball of light. It is simple enough to say I had little choice as the wilds of the Underdark are hard enough to survive for a priestess let alone one who was forsaken. Now before you continue to lecture me I understand the use of others. I was born into a high house with an entire army of commoners that served my mother. They served us and were given a small form of status return." Daerthe tells him as she crosses her arms and looks at the druid with a wary eye, seemingly not used to people speaking with her as of they were an equal.
"Let it also be known that I am much older then you. I have seen the passage of nearly two centuries. But if it appeases you I shall ponder your musings while I remain."
Bramble bristles a little at her tone. But will forcefully compose himself and then tries to take a tone that is befitting displaced royalty. “My words were not intended to lecture, merely to advise. You, of course, have the right to value or discard at your leisure.”
After a short hesitation, Bramble will add, “I posit this idea which is universally accepted in this realm, “using people” and cooperating with people are not the same thing and generally lead to different outcomes.”
Bramble will then fall far back behind the drow. He’s had enough olive branch extending exercise for today.
The group continues along the path for another good hour. Perhaps not so much a “group” as a few collections of individuals who happen to be headed in more or less the same direction. It’s a cool day, but the walk and the afternoon sun keep them warm, especially when the chill wind dies down every now and then. Some hyacinth and daffodil create spots of color at the feet of the trees and bushes that border the path. Birdsong fills the air.
It is not long before Bramble’s mood is lifted. How could it not on such a beautiful day? His head turns from side to side, drinking in all of nature’s beauty and he instinctively begins quietly whistling bird calls once again. Dang, always struggling when he attempts a warble. Oh well.
Daerthe pauses as she crosses her arms and goes silent for the rest of the walk to the small village. As they get closer she moved to be in the middle of the others that are going in the same direction. As the approach she will pull down the ragged cloth to uncover her eye, showing the fresh scar that looked to be from some large beast. Based on irritation it looks like she have attempted to make something to help with the scar that did not help in the end.
As the group travels towards Nightstone, Ryndar falls back into his standard silent patrol that Helena had gotten used to. He sticks close to Helena, keeping his head on a swivel for any additional trouble, both from within and without.
Perception (if needed): 7
He listens passingly to the conversation Bramble attempts to strike up with D, he smirks slightly at the drow's responses, laughing inwardly. She had definitely done nothing to break his preconceived notions of what to expect of a dark elf.
While walking, Stigandr regales the group with many tales of his exploits, or alleged exploits anyway. ".....and then, I told the troll that he better go back to whatever cave he crawled out of before I bashed his head in and made a fire out of his brains. At least I think it was a troll. It was big, and green. And smelly. Come to think of it, it might have been a...."
Even if no one is particularly listening, he continues to ramble on.
Essie has fallen to the side of the group, almost unsure what to do with so many people. She's listening intently to everything Stigandr is saying, taking in all his tales with wide eyes. She gives him a nod every once in a while. Just deeply amazed by his stories. As they approach town, she pulls her cloak tighter around her tall frame. "Here we go," she mutters to herself. "You can do this, Essie."
Shadows are lengthening as the group continues along the path. There may be an hour of daylight left before the sun sets. The first sign that you may be approaching Nightstone is the sound of a bell ringing. It grows louder as the village comes into view. It sits on a piece of land with the Ardeep River running on either side of it. The village and a stone keep to the south are each surrounded by a wooden palisade. The keep is on a separate hill that rises higher from the river, with a bridge connecting it to the village. A few buildings are visible above the enclosure: a windmill, bell tower, one two-story building, and a couple of other structures.
Besides the ongoing ringing of the bell, you notice that part of the keep has sustained some damage, the bridge is partially collapsed, and the drawbridge is down. Two stone watchtowers flank the entrance to the village at the drawbridge. There are no signs of activity from inhabitants of Nightstone.
(What would you like to do as you approach?)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM: Into the Feywild Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
Hearing the bells from the town, Ryndar slows cautiously. Turning to Helena, he asks, "You said you'd been here before; Is it normal that the bell rings at dusk? A bell ringing that consistently is usually used as some sort of alarm, in my experience." Then continuing to address the rest of the group, "Have any of you been this way before? Is this normal?"
He pauses to scan the town, "There should be more activity in the town at this time of night... something feels amiss."
Ryndar is studying what is definitely an odd scene. Large sections of the southeast and northwest towers of the keep seem to have crumbled away. The bridge seems to be shattered in the middle, the wood splintered, leaving about a 15 foot gap. There is no sign of any guard on the watchtowers or atop the wall surrounding the keep. As they proceed north along the path toward where it turns east to the drawbridge, he can see that the northwest corner of the two-story building beyond the bell tower also shows significant damage. The drawbridge is down, no guard in sight. The only sound is the ringing bell. There’s something strange about the ringing, an uneven cadence...none of it makes sense.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM: Into the Feywild Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
“No rising smoke. No cries or wailing. No fleeing citizens. Just a tolling bell. I have no idea what to make of any of this.” Bramble adds what probably everyone else is quietly thinking.
Daerthe seems to care little about the damage to the town but just the same draws the bow from her shoulder and sets an arrow into place. As other continue to walk she will slow her pace, crouching down but making sure to stay clear of anything that resembles a vine.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
“no the bell is definitely not normal.” Helena says, slowing as they approach the town. She looks to the group that has been walking together since the plant creature attack. “Is anyone good at looking for tracks? Maybe looking over the ground as we approach will tell us something.”
"Oh, yes!. I once tracked a snow gorilla across a vast..." Stigandr rambles on with another anecdote as he searches around for tracks or any other signs of peoples passing through.
"This... This isn't normal behavior?" Essie studies the town ahead of them, head cocked to the side. She wrinkles her nose a little and gives her head a shake. Her hand reaches back for the staff strapped across her back. "I don't like this..."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Bramble will focus on the grasses on both sides of the path, he will be looking for crushed grass and possible direction of travel. Footsteps or wagon wheel tracks that indicate travel in either direction. Fleeing folk will often leave the path if slower folk are in front of them. A rushed siege would show similar signs but in the opposite direction.
As Stigandr tells his tale, he sees many tracks in the grass and dirt that suggest that a large group left the village heading north. There is no established path in that direction, just grass, bushes, and trees along the west bank of the river. Bramble notices smaller tracks heading from that direction and to the drawbridge. He would guess that these were made by about a dozen smallish humanoids.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM: Into the Feywild Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
Bramble tries to interpret the sets of tracks, “A dozen or so smallish humanoids came out of the north. Then a large group, probably the townsfolk, escaped or were driven north.” Bramble scratches his goatee and asks, “If they were fleeing, why wouldn’t they have turned south on the road? Instead they head into the wilderness. Does anyone know what lies to the north?”
Bramble will continue, "Another thing that tends to succeed because it also bolsters cooperation, is self control. Denying yourself something that maybe is rightfully yours in order to strengthen the group can be a powerful strategy. Like when I gave you my last Goodberry. It was rightfully mine but by strengthening you, I am, in reality, strengthening the group. We are stronger as a group than we are individually."
Bramble takes a break from talking, hoping he hasn't overstayed his welcome.
"I know I've given you much to think about. And perhaps, if someday our paths lead to your realm you can tutor me on your successful strategies."
Bramble will go silent and fall back half a step to give "Dee" some space.
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
"Ibleth is the word for any that are not of my kind. I will not speak of my exile to suffer under the accursed ball of light. It is simple enough to say I had little choice as the wilds of the Underdark are hard enough to survive for a priestess let alone one who was forsaken. Now before you continue to lecture me I understand the use of others. I was born into a high house with an entire army of commoners that served my mother. They served us and were given a small form of status return." Daerthe tells him as she crosses her arms and looks at the druid with a wary eye, seemingly not used to people speaking with her as of they were an equal.
"Let it also be known that I am much older then you. I have seen the passage of nearly two centuries. But if it appeases you I shall ponder your musings while I remain."
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
Bramble bristles a little at her tone. But will forcefully compose himself and then tries to take a tone that is befitting displaced royalty. “My words were not intended to lecture, merely to advise. You, of course, have the right to value or discard at your leisure.”
After a short hesitation, Bramble will add, “I posit this idea which is universally accepted in this realm, “using people” and cooperating with people are not the same thing and generally lead to different outcomes.”
Bramble will then fall far back behind the drow. He’s had enough olive branch extending exercise for today.
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
It is not long before Bramble’s mood is lifted. How could it not on such a beautiful day? His head turns from side to side, drinking in all of nature’s beauty and he instinctively begins quietly whistling bird calls once again. Dang, always struggling when he attempts a warble. Oh well.
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
Daerthe pauses as she crosses her arms and goes silent for the rest of the walk to the small village. As they get closer she moved to be in the middle of the others that are going in the same direction. As the approach she will pull down the ragged cloth to uncover her eye, showing the fresh scar that looked to be from some large beast. Based on irritation it looks like she have attempted to make something to help with the scar that did not help in the end.
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
As the group travels towards Nightstone, Ryndar falls back into his standard silent patrol that Helena had gotten used to. He sticks close to Helena, keeping his head on a swivel for any additional trouble, both from within and without.
Perception (if needed): 7
He listens passingly to the conversation Bramble attempts to strike up with D, he smirks slightly at the drow's responses, laughing inwardly. She had definitely done nothing to break his preconceived notions of what to expect of a dark elf.
Ryndar Shadowsbane - Lvl 3 Eldarin Fighter | Kassar - Lvl 2 Lizardfolk Druid (Circle of Stars) | Finnegan (Finn) Taggert - Lvl 1 Human Cleric (Peace Domain) |
Verdan Schmidt - Lvl 2 Half-Elf Bard | Grithik - Lvl 5 Deep Gnome Warlock (Celestial)
Helena is happy they are getting closer to town, so is not payin overly much attention to the new people walking with them.
While walking, Stigandr regales the group with many tales of his exploits, or alleged exploits anyway. ".....and then, I told the troll that he better go back to whatever cave he crawled out of before I bashed his head in and made a fire out of his brains. At least I think it was a troll. It was big, and green. And smelly. Come to think of it, it might have been a...."
Even if no one is particularly listening, he continues to ramble on.
Enzo Ballantine - Shadow Sorcerer
Essie has fallen to the side of the group, almost unsure what to do with so many people. She's listening intently to everything Stigandr is saying, taking in all his tales with wide eyes. She gives him a nod every once in a while. Just deeply amazed by his stories. As they approach town, she pulls her cloak tighter around her tall frame. "Here we go," she mutters to herself. "You can do this, Essie."
Shadows are lengthening as the group continues along the path. There may be an hour of daylight left before the sun sets. The first sign that you may be approaching Nightstone is the sound of a bell ringing. It grows louder as the village comes into view. It sits on a piece of land with the Ardeep River running on either side of it. The village and a stone keep to the south are each surrounded by a wooden palisade. The keep is on a separate hill that rises higher from the river, with a bridge connecting it to the village. A few buildings are visible above the enclosure: a windmill, bell tower, one two-story building, and a couple of other structures.
Besides the ongoing ringing of the bell, you notice that part of the keep has sustained some damage, the bridge is partially collapsed, and the drawbridge is down. Two stone watchtowers flank the entrance to the village at the drawbridge. There are no signs of activity from inhabitants of Nightstone.
(What would you like to do as you approach?)
DM: Into the Feywild
Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
Hearing the bells from the town, Ryndar slows cautiously. Turning to Helena, he asks, "You said you'd been here before; Is it normal that the bell rings at dusk? A bell ringing that consistently is usually used as some sort of alarm, in my experience." Then continuing to address the rest of the group, "Have any of you been this way before? Is this normal?"
He pauses to scan the town, "There should be more activity in the town at this time of night... something feels amiss."
Perception: 22
Ryndar Shadowsbane - Lvl 3 Eldarin Fighter | Kassar - Lvl 2 Lizardfolk Druid (Circle of Stars) | Finnegan (Finn) Taggert - Lvl 1 Human Cleric (Peace Domain) |
Verdan Schmidt - Lvl 2 Half-Elf Bard | Grithik - Lvl 5 Deep Gnome Warlock (Celestial)
Ryndar is studying what is definitely an odd scene. Large sections of the southeast and northwest towers of the keep seem to have crumbled away. The bridge seems to be shattered in the middle, the wood splintered, leaving about a 15 foot gap. There is no sign of any guard on the watchtowers or atop the wall surrounding the keep. As they proceed north along the path toward where it turns east to the drawbridge, he can see that the northwest corner of the two-story building beyond the bell tower also shows significant damage. The drawbridge is down, no guard in sight. The only sound is the ringing bell. There’s something strange about the ringing, an uneven cadence...none of it makes sense.
DM: Into the Feywild
Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
“No rising smoke. No cries or wailing. No fleeing citizens. Just a tolling bell. I have no idea what to make of any of this.” Bramble adds what probably everyone else is quietly thinking.
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
Daerthe seems to care little about the damage to the town but just the same draws the bow from her shoulder and sets an arrow into place. As other continue to walk she will slow her pace, crouching down but making sure to stay clear of anything that resembles a vine.
Rekuberk Onc Level 8 | Half Orc | Barbarian (The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks)
Kayassa Level 3 | Satyr | Warlock (Cleath13's LMoP)
Bertolt Silentlash Level 3 | Variant Human | Bard (Our Little Lives Kept in Equipoise: Death House)
Daerthe Narcion Level 4 | Drow | Rogue (Karmoli's Great Upheaval)
“no the bell is definitely not normal.” Helena says, slowing as they approach the town. She looks to the group that has been walking together since the plant creature attack. “Is anyone good at looking for tracks? Maybe looking over the ground as we approach will tell us something.”
"Oh, yes!. I once tracked a snow gorilla across a vast..." Stigandr rambles on with another anecdote as he searches around for tracks or any other signs of peoples passing through.
Survival: 16
Enzo Ballantine - Shadow Sorcerer
"This... This isn't normal behavior?" Essie studies the town ahead of them, head cocked to the side. She wrinkles her nose a little and gives her head a shake. Her hand reaches back for the staff strapped across her back. "I don't like this..."
Bramble will focus on the grasses on both sides of the path, he will be looking for crushed grass and possible direction of travel. Footsteps or wagon wheel tracks that indicate travel in either direction. Fleeing folk will often leave the path if slower folk are in front of them. A rushed siege would show similar signs but in the opposite direction.
Survival: 20
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
As Stigandr tells his tale, he sees many tracks in the grass and dirt that suggest that a large group left the village heading north. There is no established path in that direction, just grass, bushes, and trees along the west bank of the river. Bramble notices smaller tracks heading from that direction and to the drawbridge. He would guess that these were made by about a dozen smallish humanoids.
DM: Into the Feywild
Marva Stormaventendrian - Level 1 Dragonborn Cleric of the Tempest - Looking for a campaign
Bramble tries to interpret the sets of tracks, “A dozen or so smallish humanoids came out of the north. Then a large group, probably the townsfolk, escaped or were driven north.” Bramble scratches his goatee and asks, “If they were fleeing, why wouldn’t they have turned south on the road? Instead they head into the wilderness. Does anyone know what lies to the north?”
Wilhorn Dustwater | Halfling, Lightfoot | Sorcerer, Divine Soul 2 / Warlock, Celestial 2 | Warriors, LMoP (NathanAscher -DM)
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams