This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
OOC: Leek, I've filled out your equipment. Your descriptive text said you had a scimitar and I've also given you a sling and a yew wand (your druidic focus for casting spells without the material components).
After three awkward days of little conversation and odd behaviors, your party camped at the crossroads between the High Road and the Triboar Trail. The next morning, you begin travelling east onto the overgrown Triboar Trail that has recently started to see use again. This road is known to harbor bandits and outlaws.
OOC: To speed things up, I will roll dice for all of you this time. I am taking the liberty to guess that Kitryn will be ahead, approximately 30 feet, using the foliage to hide and watching for signs of danger. Eren will be thirty feet behind the wagon doing the same. Katerielle, Rindelk and Leek, all on the cart, will be keeping an eye out for danger.
Here's a brief lesson on the mechanics of Perception. All of you have a Passive Perception. This is a floor, or a minimum score. You will automatically detect any hiding (stealthed) creature or any trap that is below your passive perception UNLESS you are actively doing something that would prevent you from keeping an eye on your surroundings. For example, if Rindelk was studying some book while on the cart, his passive perception would be effectively zero. At any time, if you feel the situation warrants it, you can roll your perception skill: 1d20 + the modifier for that skill per your character sheet. I will then use the higher of your roll or your passive perception to determine what you detect.
Kitryn:
Perception roll: 18
Stealth roll: 10
Eren:
Perceptoin roll: 21
Stealth roll: 12
Katerielle perception roll: 11
Leek perception roll: 18
Rindelk perception roll: 22
You've been on the trail for half a day, with the sun directly above in the sky marking the noon hour. Kitryn steps out of the foliage as the wagon rolls up towards a bend in the road. Without speaking, she points to her eyes then makes a motion with her arm mimicking the path of the road. She walks forward and leans her head to see while keeping most of her body hidden by the vegetation. You all do the same and can see two dead beasts sprawled in the road, blocking it approximately 50 feet away.
OOC: At this point, describe what you intend to do. Any new action will require new rolls, ie: if you want to sneak up to get a closer look, you need to roll stealth again. Roll perception if you're searching for danger. Roll investigation if you are trying to figure out what the beasts in the road are. If you describe an action but don't know what to roll, just ask.
The Roll20 map has been updated to show you the situation. The map is upside down: North is at the bottom, East at the right. Ignore the hexes, use the squares. Top right square is A1. Bottom left square is Y19. You are all going to start on the bottom right corner of the map, you tell me what square you want to be in to start (your marching order). The bend I described above is off map.
We are not fighting, so any action you wish to do happens right away, in the order of the posts. If you want, you can describe your action, but tell me you're going to wait for so-and-so to do theirs first.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
ooc: north is bottom? east is right? mirror image up/down then? so we should be approaching from the left no? as we turned south to eastward onto high boar?
Leek will sneak up to the dead beasts. I will use either my medicine or my survival (whichever makes more sense) to figure out what might have killed them (visible wounds and what caused them, man or beast. If it was a beast, what it might be or how big it is, etc. Any info I might glean). If one of the animals is still alive, I will gently put it out of its misery.
Here are any rolls I might need.
Sneak: 4 (obviously I don't give a shit about being seen)
You can roll a Perception to try and figure out what killed the beasts from here (50 feet away). Otherwise, an Investigation check would require you to get closer.
i whisper to group "it's not right, their end is beyond a day, yet no vermin close to gnaw at them.. and there are no sign of riders though they are saddled steed." "gnome.. Leek, it is yes? rush not forth!" "you rest, what say you? would you know more or walk forth like innocent fawns?"
Seeing the beast corpses in the road, Leek decides to approach and investigate. He adopts a posture and gait meant for sneaking, however as he enters the thick foliage next to the road, he steps on several dry branches making them snap. Several nearby birds take flight, crying out at the disturbance.
Kitryn reaches out and halts Leek's progress and whispers to him, "One is prey, two is certainly bait. Hold a moment longer." Kitryn then takes a small step into the road to get a better look, moving her head side to side, up and down, squinting at the scene She also sniffs the air. Then she whispers to Leek again, "It's not right, their end is beyond a day, yet no vermin close to gnaw at them.. and there are no sign of riders though they are saddled steed. Gnome.. Leek, it is yes? Rush not forth! You rest, what say you? Would you know more or walk forth like innocent fawns?"
OOC: Leek: Having rolled a perception of 18 and given Kitryn's warning, you get a good look for yourself. See your Private Messages.
The rest of the party, faced with a real situation, come to the realization that this job may not be a free 10 gold pieces. There's danger, and their lives are at stake. The sudden realization makes them hesitate and falter.
OOC: Feel free to post conversations amongst each other if you want to make a plan. Otherwise, let me know what you want to do!
I scan my surroundings while Leek investigates the corpses. I see the the disturbed birds take flight as Leek makes his approach. Looking at the carnage I clearly see their souls were very recently evicted. I turn my head to listen. Silence. Only the faint whisper from the wind.
"I hear only silence."
I draw the scene as it is exposed. I take notes of my environment, making sure to describe my sense of unease. The silence I describe as not being natural.
"We should not delay. Let us keep on our journey."
I scan my surroundings while Leek investigates the corpses. I see the the disturbed birds take flight as Leek makes his approach. Looking at the carnage I clearly see their souls were very recently evicted. I turn my head to listen. Silence. Only the faint whisper from the wind.
"I hear only silence."
I draw the scene as it is exposed. I take notes of my environment, making sure to describe my sense of unease. The silence I describe as not being natural.
"We should not delay. Let us keep on our journey."
OOC: We're all learning here. Nothing is canon until I (the DM) narrate it, with the exception of conversations you have among each other. Rindelk has no idea if it's unnaturally silent unless he rolls perception and the DM tells him it's unnaturally quiet.
Here's the situation: You need to travel up the road. The road is blocked by beasts (identified as horses by Kitryn due to the fact the corpses are wearing saddles). If you want to continue on, you need to move up to the dead horses and move them out of the way. If you feel you should do a sweep of the area before, then you need to make a plan (or YOLO and set off on your own) in the woods or down the road.
When you post, you are asking the DM to do something. It doesn't happen until everything gets resolved. For example, Leek said he was going to stealth up to the beasts to investigate. He rolled poorly on Stealth. Kitryn then indicated he stopped Leek and looked around from her current position first. Seeing as this is all new to all of you, I chose to let Kitryn stop Leek from wandering ahead. However, if Leek doesn't like that, he can ask me again to shrug off Kitryn's hold and sneak up to the horses. Since I narrated what happened, it became cannon. The bright side of me denying Leek's request is, if he chooses to try again, he has to re-roll his checks and hopefully get a better stealth result.
Here's an example for what Rindelk could/should be doing:
I see the flight of birds disturbed by Leek's attempt at moving through the brush. I see Kitryn and Leek are looking intently towards the dead animals.
I would like to do a Perception check to look around and listen: 9<-- typed [ roll]1d20 + 4[ /roll] to "roll the dice" using the forum feature. What do I see/hear?
Since those beasts are horses wearing saddles, they were attacked and this place might be dangerous. I cast Mage Armor to increase my armor class.
I say to the group, "Look, we either walk up the road and take our chances, or we scout the woods around the road to see if this really is a trap. If we scout the wood, should we all go together?"
OOC; holding put to allow the rest a chance to have a say both on forum and IC. is it preferable to call action and wait on DM input or stack a couple together for pacing?
OOC: To keep things moving, it would be better if people just post what they want to do all at once. Talking between yourselves (in character) doesn't lock you into any course of action.
If one person lays down a plan and no one else posts in 24 hours, I'll execute that plan and make the necessary rolls, movements and actions.
Leek is startled by the sudden physical contact and moves a few feet from Kitryn. I will attempt to speak with animals (forest gnome trait: Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.) The group suddenly hear Leek whistling and gawking. I'm trying to talk to either the flight of birds I scared off or the scavengers. I just want a general idea of what or where the danger is.
I see the flight of birds disturbed by Leek's attempt at moving through the brush. I see Kitryn and Leek are looking intently towards the dead animals.
I would like to do a Perception check to look around and listen: 17
What do I see/hear?
Since those beasts are horses wearing saddles, they were attacked and this place might be dangerous. I cast Mage Armor to increase my armor class.
I say to the group, "Look, we either walk up the road and take our chances, or we scout the woods around the road to see if this really is a trap. If we scout the wood, should we all go together?"
Eren quickly catches up to the wagon just as Leek stops, and takes a quick moment to take in the scene.
"Something feels amiss. Perhaps we should remain on our guard. I would suggest a quick perimeter check. I can be back in a moment."
While he waits for an answer, the bronzed elf scans the surroundings more closely, now at the ready.
OOC: Rolled [Tooltip Not Found](on roll20)
OOC: You rolled a 17 for Perception. You peek around the bend, you can confirm the beasts are horses and they have saddles still on the corpses. You look in the foliage nearby, and feel confident there is no danger within 30 feet of you.
Leek is startled by the sudden physical contact and moves a few feet from Kitryn. I will attempt to speak with animals (forest gnome trait: Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.) The group suddenly hear Leek whistling and gawking. I'm trying to talk to either the flight of birds I scared off or the scavengers. I just want a general idea of what or where the danger is.
OOC: NICE! I wasn't expecting that, very cool use of your skills. Leek makes gawking and cawing sounds loud enough to be heard by the scavenger birds circling above. They gawk and caw back. Check your private messages.
I see the flight of birds disturbed by Leek's attempt at moving through the brush. I see Kitryn and Leek are looking intently towards the dead animals.
I would like to do a Perception check to look around and listen: 17
What do I see/hear?
Since those beasts are horses wearing saddles, they were attacked and this place might be dangerous. I cast Mage Armor to increase my armor class.
I say to the group, "Look, we either walk up the road and take our chances, or we scout the woods around the road to see if this really is a trap. If we scout the wood, should we all go together?"
OOC: Rindelk casts Mage Armor, using up one level 1 spell slot. He now has 13 AC for the next 8 hours. Then you look around and listen. (see full description in the narration below below.)
OOC: Leek, I've filled out your equipment. Your descriptive text said you had a scimitar and I've also given you a sling and a yew wand (your druidic focus for casting spells without the material components).
After three awkward days of little conversation and odd behaviors, your party camped at the crossroads between the High Road and the Triboar Trail. The next morning, you begin travelling east onto the overgrown Triboar Trail that has recently started to see use again. This road is known to harbor bandits and outlaws.
OOC: To speed things up, I will roll dice for all of you this time. I am taking the liberty to guess that Kitryn will be ahead, approximately 30 feet, using the foliage to hide and watching for signs of danger. Eren will be thirty feet behind the wagon doing the same. Katerielle, Rindelk and Leek, all on the cart, will be keeping an eye out for danger.
Here's a brief lesson on the mechanics of Perception. All of you have a Passive Perception. This is a floor, or a minimum score. You will automatically detect any hiding (stealthed) creature or any trap that is below your passive perception UNLESS you are actively doing something that would prevent you from keeping an eye on your surroundings. For example, if Rindelk was studying some book while on the cart, his passive perception would be effectively zero. At any time, if you feel the situation warrants it, you can roll your perception skill: 1d20 + the modifier for that skill per your character sheet. I will then use the higher of your roll or your passive perception to determine what you detect.
Kitryn:
Eren:
Katerielle perception roll: 11
Leek perception roll: 18
Rindelk perception roll: 22
You've been on the trail for half a day, with the sun directly above in the sky marking the noon hour. Kitryn steps out of the foliage as the wagon rolls up towards a bend in the road. Without speaking, she points to her eyes then makes a motion with her arm mimicking the path of the road. She walks forward and leans her head to see while keeping most of her body hidden by the vegetation. You all do the same and can see two dead beasts sprawled in the road, blocking it approximately 50 feet away.
OOC: At this point, describe what you intend to do. Any new action will require new rolls, ie: if you want to sneak up to get a closer look, you need to roll stealth again. Roll perception if you're searching for danger. Roll investigation if you are trying to figure out what the beasts in the road are. If you describe an action but don't know what to roll, just ask.
The Roll20 map has been updated to show you the situation. The map is upside down: North is at the bottom, East at the right. Ignore the hexes, use the squares. Top right square is A1. Bottom left square is Y19. You are all going to start on the bottom right corner of the map, you tell me what square you want to be in to start (your marching order). The bend I described above is off map.
We are not fighting, so any action you wish to do happens right away, in the order of the posts. If you want, you can describe your action, but tell me you're going to wait for so-and-so to do theirs first.
ooc: north is bottom? east is right? mirror image up/down then? so we should be approaching from the left no? as we turned south to eastward onto high boar?
investigate roll: 19
ooc: what is the scale of the grid?
Leek will sneak up to the dead beasts. I will use either my medicine or my survival (whichever makes more sense) to figure out what might have killed them (visible wounds and what caused them, man or beast. If it was a beast, what it might be or how big it is, etc. Any info I might glean). If one of the animals is still alive, I will gently put it out of its misery.
Here are any rolls I might need.
Sneak: 4 (obviously I don't give a shit about being seen)
Perception (to see baddies) 18
Medecine: 8
Survival: 16
(rolls are in the Rolld20 chat thing.)
OOC:
1 square is 5 feet. Yes, the map is flipped. It's just something I googled, work with it.
You can roll in these forums using the [ roll]XdX + ?[ \roll] without the spaces.
If you want to figure out what killed the beasts, it would either be Investigation or medicine, your choice.
Survival is more about tracking and foraging.
If you are moving, please let me know what square you are walking towards. Tell me waypoints if your path is not a straight line.
Waiting for the others to post before resolving what happens, what you find.
Ooc; did I roll right then? Do I need to be closer?
I'm interested in clean kill, mauling kill evidence. Possibility freshness? Can I smell from 50 feet?
Ic; if the gnome moves I attempt to grab a shoulder and whisper " one is prey, two is certainly bait. Hold a moment longer"
You can roll a Perception to try and figure out what killed the beasts from here (50 feet away). Otherwise, an Investigation check would require you to get closer.
i rolled perception vs investigation then
ooc; these tooltips are harder than they look..
Ok, I'm assuming you mean you want your 19 roll from post #22 to be perception instead of investigation?
Check your Private Messages for what you perceive.
i whisper to group "it's not right, their end is beyond a day, yet no vermin close to gnaw at them.. and there are no sign of riders though they are saddled steed." "gnome.. Leek, it is yes? rush not forth!" "you rest, what say you? would you know more or walk forth like innocent fawns?"
Seeing the beast corpses in the road, Leek decides to approach and investigate. He adopts a posture and gait meant for sneaking, however as he enters the thick foliage next to the road, he steps on several dry branches making them snap. Several nearby birds take flight, crying out at the disturbance.
Kitryn reaches out and halts Leek's progress and whispers to him, "One is prey, two is certainly bait. Hold a moment longer." Kitryn then takes a small step into the road to get a better look, moving her head side to side, up and down, squinting at the scene She also sniffs the air. Then she whispers to Leek again, "It's not right, their end is beyond a day, yet no vermin close to gnaw at them.. and there are no sign of riders though they are saddled steed. Gnome.. Leek, it is yes? Rush not forth! You rest, what say you? Would you know more or walk forth like innocent fawns?"
OOC: Leek: Having rolled a perception of 18 and given Kitryn's warning, you get a good look for yourself. See your Private Messages.
The rest of the party, faced with a real situation, come to the realization that this job may not be a free 10 gold pieces. There's danger, and their lives are at stake. The sudden realization makes them hesitate and falter.
OOC: Feel free to post conversations amongst each other if you want to make a plan. Otherwise, let me know what you want to do!
I scan my surroundings while Leek investigates the corpses. I see the the disturbed birds take flight as Leek makes his approach. Looking at the carnage I clearly see their souls were very recently evicted. I turn my head to listen. Silence. Only the faint whisper from the wind.
"I hear only silence."
I draw the scene as it is exposed. I take notes of my environment, making sure to describe my sense of unease. The silence I describe as not being natural.
"We should not delay. Let us keep on our journey."
OOC; holding put to allow the rest a chance to have a say both on forum and IC. is it preferable to call action and wait on DM input or stack a couple together for pacing?
OOC: To keep things moving, it would be better if people just post what they want to do all at once. Talking between yourselves (in character) doesn't lock you into any course of action.
If one person lays down a plan and no one else posts in 24 hours, I'll execute that plan and make the necessary rolls, movements and actions.
Eren quickly catches up to the wagon just as Leek stops, and takes a quick moment to take in the scene.
"Something feels amiss. Perhaps we should remain on our guard. I would suggest a quick perimeter check. I can be back in a moment."
While he waits for an answer, the bronzed elf scans the surroundings more closely, now at the ready.
OOC: Rolled [Tooltip Not Found](on roll20)
Leek is startled by the sudden physical contact and moves a few feet from Kitryn. I will attempt to speak with animals (forest gnome trait: Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.) The group suddenly hear Leek whistling and gawking. I'm trying to talk to either the flight of birds I scared off or the scavengers. I just want a general idea of what or where the danger is.
OOC: I used your example just so we can save some time but I think I understand.