It has been two tendays since Perrin’s arrival in the great coastal city of Neverwinter. Upon his arrival, Perrin seemed assured of a busy future, as an acquaintance he’d met by chance on the road had offered him a letter of introduction to a friend, a dwarf called Gundren Rockseeker, who, Perrin had been told, was looking for a few courageous folk to accompany him on the journey of a lifetime. And, this Gundren Rockseeker, Perrin had been told, was ready to pay in gold for such accompaniment.
But, when Perrin arrived, ready to offer his talents in service, he learned that the dwarf he sought had left town the prior tenday. And no one seemed to be able to tell him where he’d gone. “He mentioned heading off to ‘something big’ – them’s his own words, ‘something big,’ but I haven’t seen him since early in the month.”
And although Neverwinter offered sights, sounds, flavors, smells, and people of all kinds, no opportunity arose in the days that followed that was nearly as intriguing. After seeking for clues fruitlessly, Perrin came across a diviner in one of the city’s squares, and decided to ask the question. How to find Gundren Rockseeker. The diviner, who wore long hair and a neatly brushed beard and earrings and flashed her eyes wistfully at Perrin, told him, “You will find your answer with Reidoth. In the ruin of Thundertree, on the banks of the Neverwinter River where it exits the Neverwinter Wood.” Only a two day walk, east of the city of Neverwinter.
Perrin set off just as the harvest festival began, following the river road as it hugged the meandering stream, passing farmers, postmen, and monks on the road, and finding a hearty party by lamplight at a hamlet that night, where the locals bobbed for apples and ate their hearty fill, welcoming Perrin to the celebration.
During the second day, traffic thinned. Perrin turned in after sunset, just a few miles short of Thundertree, and found a haystack to lean against and enjoy the temperate night with its clear sky. In the morning, he discovered that he was not the only person to have camped overnight on the farm.
(OOC: ALL: Anyone may take the lead in describing how Perrin and the rest discover each other the following morning.)
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DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver// Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever//Dev Horndin Curious Critters//Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Marten was on the last watch rotation. He finds it difficult to sleep after the sun rises anyway, so he was happy to take the dawn watch. Shortly after dawn, as the colors fade from the sky in the east, he wakes Berry, Nosam, and Vidruth. He already has some water boiling in case anyone wants tea or some porridge for breakfast. As the others get out of their bed rolls and start to make their breakfast, Marten says, "I'm goin' t' walk up the field a bit 'n' stretch my legs 'efore breakfast." He walks up to the top of a little rise so that he can try to get a look at the dark line of trees that marks the Neverwinter Wood to the east. The farmer had said that the forest was only a few miles east of the farm, so they should reach Thundertree well before mid-day.
As Marten turns to walk back to the campsite, he looks along the line of haystacks in the field waiting to be baled up once they dry out. The morning air is cool, and he spots steam rising in little puffs from one of the haystacks. When he gets closer, he spots a face sticking out of the haystack: someone mostly covered in hay to keep warm overnight. He looks around. It seems like this one was traveling alone. The party's fire down the slop on the opposite side of the haystack, and maybe the traveler just didn't see it before dark last night. It seems unlikely that the Black Spider would have sent a lone halfling to follow them, but Marten figures that he should make sure.
Marten draws one of his short swords in his left hand and then gets out his signal whistle. He stands a little back from the haystack so that he's visible from the campsite and then blows two clear, brief notes, TWEET--TWEET, on this whistle. (Marten's signal that you should approach but with caution.)
The piercing sound wakes up the halfling. When Perrin opens his eyes, he sees that it's just daylight. A figure stands maybe 10' away with a whistle in his mouth. That explains the piercing sound!
Your first thought is that it's a vagabond of some sort, perhaps here to beg for some food. The man's frayed cloak is old and frayed and has a couple of patches in it. Under his wide-brimmed hat, you see an unkempt beard and a face that looks tanned and weathered. His brown hair hangs loosely to his shoulders. He's definitely not part of the Neverwinter "polite society."
As the sleep clears from Perrin's eyes, he sees that it's a human. He's short and doesn't seem very imposing. But then you see that his tunic covers studded leather armor. The man has a couple of daggers and swords on his belt, and he looks very comfortable with the short sword in his hand. He regards you with a curious expression and asks in a polite but direct manner: "Good mornin', to ye. What're y' doin' here?"
immediately after the whistle vidruth makes all due haste to reach marten as quickly as possible, moving at a rather disheveled jog, but comes to an abrupt stop when he sees perrin, eyes flickering back and forth sometimes stopping on empty sections of air, sometimes on marten or the halfling
the half orc, for no full orc could be so frail and have such pale skin, despite his unusually large tusks, curls his hand slightly as if grasping something then sighs almost imperceptibly, and steps forwards more calmly. he is clad in clothing that you would expect more from an uncivilized raider than a mage, made from animal hides with care, then inexpertly modified for the climate, and then ripped further and very poorly repaired
he briefly makes eye contact with perrin, his eyes cold, then turns and shouts back to where he came from "nosam, you look respectable, get over here!" considering that nosam is likely the only one of the group likely to leave a good first impression
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This Mug immediately shared with me a transcendental tale of an Infinite Mug that anchors the Universe and keeps it from folding in on itself. I filed this report under "illogical nonsense" and asked why its sign is in Times New Roman font, when it is basic knowledge that Arial Black is a far superior font. I wondered: How did this mug even get past the assembly line with its theistic beliefs and poor font choices?
quote from Romantically Apocalyptic byVitaly S Alexius
Dreamily, Perrin rubs sleep from his eyes, the shrill noise of the whistle rousing him from his slumber. "Tymora smile upon you, friends. I suppose I didn't need another hour's rest after all. Name's Perrin, and I'm... let's say I'm seeking my fortune along the river. Forgive me if I seem rude, but I'm not in the habit of disclosing my plans to every whistle-bearing chap who happens by with a blade in his hand. I haven't any money, if that's what you're after, but I do have a pouch of Lurien's finest pipeweed and a summer sausage I might share for breakfast, if you could spare a cup of tea to ward off the morning's chill. I thought I smelled smoke from a cookfire. " The halfling rises to his full height, just over three feet, and brushes strands of hay from his robes and gently tousled curls. He is clad in fine blue robes embroidered with silver, but a close inspection reveals frayed hemlines and small patches of coarser fabric repairing parts worn threadbare from travel. A small pack and quarterstaff lie nearby, half buried in the hay.
Perrin's green eyes dart across the approaching pair, assessing them. He is friendly, but cautious, clearly looking for this "Nosam" the half-orc just called. The two seemed a strange pair. The human seemed like he could be a brigand, but his demeanor didn't seem hostile. The half-orc was perhaps the least imposing specimen of his kind Perrin had ever seen, but his attitude seemed somewhat pricklier. Best to continue the charm offensive in the interim until he can determine what they're about. Besides, he was child-sized to them, and doubtful looked a threat. He hardly looked like he could conjure rays of eldirtch might to defend himself. Regardless, fate had brought young Bramblefoot here, and he intended to see where she led next.
Nosam rushes, upon hearing the whistle signal, to find Marten.
The dwarf, a strong, armored fighter with a battleaxe in one hand and a helmet in the other — having run to the spot before fully accoutering himself, plants his feet and stands like a four foot wall of stone at Marten’s side. He follows Marten’s lead though he seems relieved that good mornings, rather than blows, are being exchanged.
DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver// Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever//Dev Horndin Curious Critters//Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Berry, a small fairy barbarian, had ventured away from the campsite in search of a secluded spot to relieve himself. However, his intentions were quickly diverted when a vibrant butterfly caught his eye. Entranced by its graceful movements fluttering from blossom to blossom, Berry found himself momentarily forgetting his original purpose as he followed the butterfly's mesmerizing path through the field, distancing himself even more.
Just when he wondered where he was, he heard the signal, Marten’s signal. Something wasn’t right! He jumped into the air to find his bearings and zipped back to camp and towards where he thought he heard the signal coming from. Hopefully, he wouldn’t arrive too late!
Anyone looking at the direction from which Berry approaches, they would see him coming in fast. He slows down as he approaches Marten and Vidruth and wonders what alarmed Marten about that hay stack that he stares down.
Once he’s gotten closer, Berry appears a strong, lean build of a small fairy, though his movements suggest that he’s very nimble and not slowed down too much by his own strength. His faceted, iridescent wings are almost invisible until he lands, owing to their fast movement that keeps him in the air.
When Berry finally arrived, Perrin just stood up, and Berry spotted him. “What happened, Marten? Is he one of the farmhands? He doesn’t look like a bandit. In fact, it looks more like you surprised him.”
"Tymora smile upon you, friends. I suppose I didn't need another hour's rest after all. Name's Perrin, and I'm... let's say I'm seeking my fortune along the river. Forgive me if I seem rude, but I'm not in the habit of disclosing my plans to every whistle-bearing chap who happens by with a blade in his hand. I haven't any money, if that's what you're after, but I do have a pouch of Lurien's finest pipeweed and a summer sausage I might share for breakfast, if you could spare a cup of tea to ward off the morning's chill. I thought I smelled smoke from a cookfire. " The halfling rises to his full height, just over three feet, and brushes strands of hay from his robes and gently tousled curls. He is clad in fine blue robes embroidered with silver, but a close inspection reveals frayed hemlines and small patches of coarser fabric repairing parts worn threadbare from travel. A small pack and quarterstaff lie nearby, half buried in the hay.
Marten keeps his eyes on Perrin, even as his friends approach. He says, "Good mornin', Perrin. I'm Marten. Sorry t' wake ye, but I didn' 'xpect t' find someone sleepin' so close on our camp, 'n' we've had a rough couple o' weeks." His tone doesn't sound threatening, but, although he sheaths his sword when the fairy and dwarf approach, he only does it so that his hands are free to take up a crossbow.
When Berry finally arrived, Perrin just stood up, and Berry spotted him. “What happened, Marten? Is he one of the farmhands? He doesn’t look like a bandit. In fact, it looks more like you surprised him.”
"Naw," Marten responds to Berry. "Prob'ly jus' a traveller like us, sleepin' in the field. But it's strange, eh? To pick almost the same spot as us? But I don' reckon he works for the Black Spider, do you?" Marten is still looking at Perrin, but he's talking to his companions. While talking, he reaches into a case hanging by his side, withdraws a bolt, and smoothly loads it in his crossbow. All without looking or seeming to think about it much at all.
Marten waits to see whether the halfling seems to recognize the "Black Spider" at all. If not, now that his friends are here, he finally looks away. He scans the field for any signs of goblins or bugbears or men hiding nearby. (Perception19) Presumably not seeing any, he visibly relaxes.
(OOC: Perrin: you have never heard of “The Black Spider”)
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DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver// Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever//Dev Horndin Curious Critters//Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Perrin, seeing Marten sheathe his blade, relaxes. His smile grows, and he begins to rummage through his pack. His left hand extended, palm outward, to indicate that he means no harm, the halfling extracts a trio of ruddy sausage links, marbled with bright veins of fat. "These'll go nicely with some bread and cheese, if you'd like to share. I'm headed for Thundertree, which is a ruin not far from here. I'm hoping to meet up with an expedition there. Where is it you lot are headed? As for your 'Black Spider,' I cant say I'm familiar with him. How did this individual acquire such an unpleasant nickname?" Perrin busies himself with the cooking supplies, his relief building to enthusiasm at the prospect of a pleasant breakfast after an earlier awakening than he'd preferred.
Marten believe that Perrin has never even heard of the Black Spider, and he doesn't see any immediate threats. His eyes go wide for a moment at the mention of Thundertree, but he says nothing. His stomach is starting to growl, and he doesn't object to sharing breakfast with a stranger.
Marten says, "Sorry: false alarm," to his companions with a shrug, and he tucks the whistle back under the breastplate of his studded leather armor. Before the conversation can continue much more, Marten says curtly, "Berry. Nosam. 'N' Vidruth," pointing in turn at the fairy, the dwarf, and the half-orc. Then he steps back and nods toward the party's campsite a little way down the field, saying, "No use standin' here. I'd say them sausages earn you a place by our fire, Perrin. We can talk o'er breakfast."
Once they get some food cooking, Marten finally answers one of Perrin's questions, "We don' know much 'bout the Black Spider. Jus' the name 'n' that he's been stirrin' up trouble 'round Phandalin, a little village south o' th' Triboar Trail. The four o' us met -- what? jus' over two weeks ago now, yeah? Anyhow, we met while escortin' supplies from Ne'erwinter t' Phandalin for Gundren Rockseeker. But then we were ambushed by goblins 'n' bugbears, 'n' it's been a mess o' fightin' 'n' grief since then. Two of our friends are still recoverin' in Phandalin. It seems like th' Black Spider's behind all of it." Marten doesn't make much of a story of it, just a bare summary to explain his reference to the Black Spider.
"We're also on our way to Thundertree," Berry had said enthusiastically when he heard Perrin's destination and had nodded politely at his introduction by Marten. On the way back to their camp site, he walked near Perrin with a light spring in his step.
When, Marten explains that they were fighting and doesn't state more than facts, Berry feels there's a lack of color and begins elaborating on their first expedition into the goblin cave. He explains in detail how the goblins fought for each foot of cave floor and how vicious and slippery they were in their tactics. "In the bowels of that goblin den we almost perished and had to make a quick exit," he explains. "Two of us were down and the rest barely more than a goblin arrow short of joining them. So we all jumped together in the goblins' water pool and released their flood gate and WHOOOSSSH! We've all washed out of that nightmare," he describes vividly with his hands and arms, and his whole body really, how they tumbled out of that cave.
After a little bit of silence, again, he brings up their destination, "We're looking for a druid that goes by Reidoth, do you happen to know him?"
Satisfied with his breakfast, Perrin listens as Marten describes the group's adventures, and laughs encouragingly as Berry embellishes them. The halfling's eyebrows rise at the mention of Rockseeker and Reidoth. "I was looking for Rockseeker in Neverwinter. I heard he's been recruiting for some expedition, and had it on good word it was a guaranteed fortune. But I couldn't find the walking beard, so I found a diviner. She said my answer would be with Reidoth at Thundertree. So he's a druid? What do you know about him? Or Thundertree? And what happened with Rockseeker, what did he find?" The servant of Tymora puffs merrily on his pipe, awaiting replies from the motley assortment before him.
Nosam strolls up to the scene a bit embarrassed he didn't respond more quickly. "Sorry 'bout lagging behind there boys." Nosam sees the new face with the group and gives as warm a welcome as he can considering he was startled awake. He extends his hand, exchanges pleasantries, and sits down not wanting to interrupt the story time already in progress any further, "Nosam Lightfound, pleased to meet you."
When Marten explains that they were fighting and doesn't state more than facts, Berry feels there's a lack of color and begins elaborating on their first expedition into the goblin cave.
Marten digs into breakfast and listens with appreciation to the way Berry recounts the tale. He nods along quietly and occasionally interjects with a comment like, "We got lucky there!" or "Ugh! Don't remind me." He's impressed with how good of a story teller Berry is.
The halfling's eyebrows rise at the mention of Rockseeker and Reidoth. "I was looking for Rockseeker in Neverwinter. I heard he's been recruiting for some expedition, and had it on good word it was a guaranteed fortune. But I couldn't find the walking beard, so I found a diviner. She said my answer would be with Reidoth at Thundertree. So he's a druid? What do you know about him? Or Thundertree? And what happened with Rockseeker, what did he find?" The servant of Tymora puffs merrily on his pipe, awaiting replies from the motley assortment before him.
Marten says, "I don' know about a fortune. We're all friends o' Gundren. He was kidnapped, and we mean t' find Gundren 'n' rescue 'im if we can. No one's payin' us t' do it." His expression shows that he finds the talk of money in this matter to be distasteful or crass.
Marten explains, "Gundren and his body guard, Sildar, were taken by the Cragmaw clan o' goblins. Sildar was tortured 'n' maimed before we got 'im out. We think they took Gundren t' their base, an ol' castle somewhere between here 'n' Phandalin. We don' know much about Reidoth, only that a friend said that he may know where the Cragmaw's castle is. So, here we are, on our way t' find Reidoth."
(OOC: I didn't think to ask. Does Marten know anything about Thundertree? History7)
Berry shifts uneasily, "Now also both of Gundren's brothers have been taken and we believe by the same forces. We might find them all in that castle, dead or live. These goblins, bugbears and regular bandits and thugs have given us a hard time so far. I really don't look much forward to storm a castle full of them."Berry stares down at his feet as if he feels some shame for what he perceives as not measuring up to his foes. He shrugs and continues, "We only really need the three brothers but if we manage to remove the threat of the Black Spider or whoever plagues Phandalin from that castle, then there would be a sizeable reward for that."
vidruth listens to berry's story with obvious interest, and when its completed he laughs "i must say, it sounds much more heroic than it felt" he comments
when berry looks down he claps him on the back "chin up berry! theres no shame in recognizing an enemy's strength! besides, i dont much like the idea of facing glasstaff again myself!" he frowns "and if we can avoid making any contact with the black spider that would be best, we get our friends out and then we clear out and let the army do its job"
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This Mug immediately shared with me a transcendental tale of an Infinite Mug that anchors the Universe and keeps it from folding in on itself. I filed this report under "illogical nonsense" and asked why its sign is in Times New Roman font, when it is basic knowledge that Arial Black is a far superior font. I wondered: How did this mug even get past the assembly line with its theistic beliefs and poor font choices?
quote from Romantically Apocalyptic byVitaly S Alexius
Berry does show relief when he hears that an army will be dealing with the bulk of the castle defenders, "That sounds good, let's get them out and we'll be back in Phandalin in no time."Berry's mood clearly rises at that prospect but then it gets another hit, "But then Sildar will want us to go to that darn other cave, no? How was it? Wave Cave? No that sounds wrong. Wave... E... Echo Cave? That's the name? Anyhow," he protests, "I'm sure it's gonna be just as dark and damp in there as in the goblins' lair, whatever fancy name it has!"
Marten says, "I don' know about a fortune. We're all friends o' Gundren. He was kidnapped, and we mean t' find Gundren 'n' rescue 'im if we can. No one's payin' us t' do it." His expression shows that he finds the talk of money in this matter to be distasteful or crass.
All the talk about bugbears and bandits and Black Spiders and glasstaves and storming castles began to worry the fortune-seeking halfling. Perrin's brow furrows for a moment. He closes eyes, and idly rubs a small rabbit's foot at his belt, his lips moving in almost a prayer. He draws a coin from his pocket, flips it with his thumb, and snags it out of the air. Glancing at the coin, his face splits into a smile. "Kidnapped? No pay? My friend, there're no surer signs that our fortune is just around the corner. When the odds are this long, you know the payoff is gonna be spectacular. Would you allow me to accompany you, at least until Thundertree or we find Gundren? There's safety in numbers, and you seem... unique company. I'll stay out of your way, and I might just share some of my good fortune with you, and not just the sausages."
Near the place where the Neverwinter River emerges from Neverwinter Wood stands the abandoned village of Thundertree. Once, this was a prosperous community on the outskirts of the forest, wealthy from the work of its woodcutters and trappers. Then thirty years ago, the eruption of Mount Hotenow to the north devastated Thundertree. In recent years, there have been whispers that the place is haunted, dangerous, a place where the curious go to explore the abandoned ruins and are never seen again.
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DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver// Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever//Dev Horndin Curious Critters//Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
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PERRIN BRAMBLEFOOT
It has been two tendays since Perrin’s arrival in the great coastal city of Neverwinter. Upon his arrival, Perrin seemed assured of a busy future, as an acquaintance he’d met by chance on the road had offered him a letter of introduction to a friend, a dwarf called Gundren Rockseeker, who, Perrin had been told, was looking for a few courageous folk to accompany him on the journey of a lifetime. And, this Gundren Rockseeker, Perrin had been told, was ready to pay in gold for such accompaniment.
But, when Perrin arrived, ready to offer his talents in service, he learned that the dwarf he sought had left town the prior tenday. And no one seemed to be able to tell him where he’d gone. “He mentioned heading off to ‘something big’ – them’s his own words, ‘something big,’ but I haven’t seen him since early in the month.”
And although Neverwinter offered sights, sounds, flavors, smells, and people of all kinds, no opportunity arose in the days that followed that was nearly as intriguing. After seeking for clues fruitlessly, Perrin came across a diviner in one of the city’s squares, and decided to ask the question. How to find Gundren Rockseeker. The diviner, who wore long hair and a neatly brushed beard and earrings and flashed her eyes wistfully at Perrin, told him, “You will find your answer with Reidoth. In the ruin of Thundertree, on the banks of the Neverwinter River where it exits the Neverwinter Wood.” Only a two day walk, east of the city of Neverwinter.
Perrin set off just as the harvest festival began, following the river road as it hugged the meandering stream, passing farmers, postmen, and monks on the road, and finding a hearty party by lamplight at a hamlet that night, where the locals bobbed for apples and ate their hearty fill, welcoming Perrin to the celebration.
During the second day, traffic thinned. Perrin turned in after sunset, just a few miles short of Thundertree, and found a haystack to lean against and enjoy the temperate night with its clear sky. In the morning, he discovered that he was not the only person to have camped overnight on the farm.
(OOC: ALL: Anyone may take the lead in describing how Perrin and the rest discover each other the following morning.)
DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver // Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Marten was on the last watch rotation. He finds it difficult to sleep after the sun rises anyway, so he was happy to take the dawn watch. Shortly after dawn, as the colors fade from the sky in the east, he wakes Berry, Nosam, and Vidruth. He already has some water boiling in case anyone wants tea or some porridge for breakfast. As the others get out of their bed rolls and start to make their breakfast, Marten says, "I'm goin' t' walk up the field a bit 'n' stretch my legs 'efore breakfast." He walks up to the top of a little rise so that he can try to get a look at the dark line of trees that marks the Neverwinter Wood to the east. The farmer had said that the forest was only a few miles east of the farm, so they should reach Thundertree well before mid-day.
As Marten turns to walk back to the campsite, he looks along the line of haystacks in the field waiting to be baled up once they dry out. The morning air is cool, and he spots steam rising in little puffs from one of the haystacks. When he gets closer, he spots a face sticking out of the haystack: someone mostly covered in hay to keep warm overnight. He looks around. It seems like this one was traveling alone. The party's fire down the slop on the opposite side of the haystack, and maybe the traveler just didn't see it before dark last night. It seems unlikely that the Black Spider would have sent a lone halfling to follow them, but Marten figures that he should make sure.
Marten draws one of his short swords in his left hand and then gets out his signal whistle. He stands a little back from the haystack so that he's visible from the campsite and then blows two clear, brief notes, TWEET--TWEET, on this whistle. (Marten's signal that you should approach but with caution.)
The piercing sound wakes up the halfling. When Perrin opens his eyes, he sees that it's just daylight. A figure stands maybe 10' away with a whistle in his mouth. That explains the piercing sound!
Your first thought is that it's a vagabond of some sort, perhaps here to beg for some food. The man's frayed cloak is old and frayed and has a couple of patches in it. Under his wide-brimmed hat, you see an unkempt beard and a face that looks tanned and weathered. His brown hair hangs loosely to his shoulders. He's definitely not part of the Neverwinter "polite society."
As the sleep clears from Perrin's eyes, he sees that it's a human. He's short and doesn't seem very imposing. But then you see that his tunic covers studded leather armor. The man has a couple of daggers and swords on his belt, and he looks very comfortable with the short sword in his hand. He regards you with a curious expression and asks in a polite but direct manner: "Good mornin', to ye. What're y' doin' here?"
immediately after the whistle vidruth makes all due haste to reach marten as quickly as possible, moving at a rather disheveled jog, but comes to an abrupt stop when he sees perrin, eyes flickering back and forth sometimes stopping on empty sections of air, sometimes on marten or the halfling
the half orc, for no full orc could be so frail and have such pale skin, despite his unusually large tusks, curls his hand slightly as if grasping something then sighs almost imperceptibly, and steps forwards more calmly. he is clad in clothing that you would expect more from an uncivilized raider than a mage, made from animal hides with care, then inexpertly modified for the climate, and then ripped further and very poorly repaired
he briefly makes eye contact with perrin, his eyes cold, then turns and shouts back to where he came from "nosam, you look respectable, get over here!" considering that nosam is likely the only one of the group likely to leave a good first impression
This Mug immediately shared with me a transcendental tale of an Infinite Mug that anchors the Universe and keeps it from folding in on itself. I filed this report under "illogical nonsense" and asked why its sign is in Times New Roman font, when it is basic knowledge that Arial Black is a far superior font. I wondered: How did this mug even get past the assembly line with its theistic beliefs and poor font choices?
quote from Romantically Apocalyptic by Vitaly S Alexius
Dreamily, Perrin rubs sleep from his eyes, the shrill noise of the whistle rousing him from his slumber. "Tymora smile upon you, friends. I suppose I didn't need another hour's rest after all. Name's Perrin, and I'm... let's say I'm seeking my fortune along the river. Forgive me if I seem rude, but I'm not in the habit of disclosing my plans to every whistle-bearing chap who happens by with a blade in his hand. I haven't any money, if that's what you're after, but I do have a pouch of Lurien's finest pipeweed and a summer sausage I might share for breakfast, if you could spare a cup of tea to ward off the morning's chill. I thought I smelled smoke from a cookfire. " The halfling rises to his full height, just over three feet, and brushes strands of hay from his robes and gently tousled curls. He is clad in fine blue robes embroidered with silver, but a close inspection reveals frayed hemlines and small patches of coarser fabric repairing parts worn threadbare from travel. A small pack and quarterstaff lie nearby, half buried in the hay.
Perrin's green eyes dart across the approaching pair, assessing them. He is friendly, but cautious, clearly looking for this "Nosam" the half-orc just called. The two seemed a strange pair. The human seemed like he could be a brigand, but his demeanor didn't seem hostile. The half-orc was perhaps the least imposing specimen of his kind Perrin had ever seen, but his attitude seemed somewhat pricklier. Best to continue the charm offensive in the interim until he can determine what they're about. Besides, he was child-sized to them, and doubtful looked a threat. He hardly looked like he could conjure rays of eldirtch might to defend himself. Regardless, fate had brought young Bramblefoot here, and he intended to see where she led next.
(Bot #1)
Nosam rushes, upon hearing the whistle signal, to find Marten.
The dwarf, a strong, armored fighter with a battleaxe in one hand and a helmet in the other — having run to the spot before fully accoutering himself, plants his feet and stands like a four foot wall of stone at Marten’s side. He follows Marten’s lead though he seems relieved that good mornings, rather than blows, are being exchanged.
DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver // Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Berry, a small fairy barbarian, had ventured away from the campsite in search of a secluded spot to relieve himself. However, his intentions were quickly diverted when a vibrant butterfly caught his eye. Entranced by its graceful movements fluttering from blossom to blossom, Berry found himself momentarily forgetting his original purpose as he followed the butterfly's mesmerizing path through the field, distancing himself even more.
Just when he wondered where he was, he heard the signal, Marten’s signal. Something wasn’t right! He jumped into the air to find his bearings and zipped back to camp and towards where he thought he heard the signal coming from. Hopefully, he wouldn’t arrive too late!
Anyone looking at the direction from which Berry approaches, they would see him coming in fast. He slows down as he approaches Marten and Vidruth and wonders what alarmed Marten about that hay stack that he stares down.
Once he’s gotten closer, Berry appears a strong, lean build of a small fairy, though his movements suggest that he’s very nimble and not slowed down too much by his own strength. His faceted, iridescent wings are almost invisible until he lands, owing to their fast movement that keeps him in the air.
When Berry finally arrived, Perrin just stood up, and Berry spotted him. “What happened, Marten? Is he one of the farmhands? He doesn’t look like a bandit. In fact, it looks more like you surprised him.”
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
Marten keeps his eyes on Perrin, even as his friends approach. He says, "Good mornin', Perrin. I'm Marten. Sorry t' wake ye, but I didn' 'xpect t' find someone sleepin' so close on our camp, 'n' we've had a rough couple o' weeks." His tone doesn't sound threatening, but, although he sheaths his sword when the fairy and dwarf approach, he only does it so that his hands are free to take up a crossbow.
"Naw," Marten responds to Berry. "Prob'ly jus' a traveller like us, sleepin' in the field. But it's strange, eh? To pick almost the same spot as us? But I don' reckon he works for the Black Spider, do you?" Marten is still looking at Perrin, but he's talking to his companions. While talking, he reaches into a case hanging by his side, withdraws a bolt, and smoothly loads it in his crossbow. All without looking or seeming to think about it much at all.
Marten waits to see whether the halfling seems to recognize the "Black Spider" at all. If not, now that his friends are here, he finally looks away. He scans the field for any signs of goblins or bugbears or men hiding nearby. (Perception 19) Presumably not seeing any, he visibly relaxes.
(OOC: Perrin: you have never heard of “The Black Spider”)
DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver // Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story
Perrin, seeing Marten sheathe his blade, relaxes. His smile grows, and he begins to rummage through his pack. His left hand extended, palm outward, to indicate that he means no harm, the halfling extracts a trio of ruddy sausage links, marbled with bright veins of fat. "These'll go nicely with some bread and cheese, if you'd like to share. I'm headed for Thundertree, which is a ruin not far from here. I'm hoping to meet up with an expedition there. Where is it you lot are headed? As for your 'Black Spider,' I cant say I'm familiar with him. How did this individual acquire such an unpleasant nickname?" Perrin busies himself with the cooking supplies, his relief building to enthusiasm at the prospect of a pleasant breakfast after an earlier awakening than he'd preferred.
Marten believe that Perrin has never even heard of the Black Spider, and he doesn't see any immediate threats. His eyes go wide for a moment at the mention of Thundertree, but he says nothing. His stomach is starting to growl, and he doesn't object to sharing breakfast with a stranger.
Marten says, "Sorry: false alarm," to his companions with a shrug, and he tucks the whistle back under the breastplate of his studded leather armor. Before the conversation can continue much more, Marten says curtly, "Berry. Nosam. 'N' Vidruth," pointing in turn at the fairy, the dwarf, and the half-orc. Then he steps back and nods toward the party's campsite a little way down the field, saying, "No use standin' here. I'd say them sausages earn you a place by our fire, Perrin. We can talk o'er breakfast."
Once they get some food cooking, Marten finally answers one of Perrin's questions, "We don' know much 'bout the Black Spider. Jus' the name 'n' that he's been stirrin' up trouble 'round Phandalin, a little village south o' th' Triboar Trail. The four o' us met -- what? jus' over two weeks ago now, yeah? Anyhow, we met while escortin' supplies from Ne'erwinter t' Phandalin for Gundren Rockseeker. But then we were ambushed by goblins 'n' bugbears, 'n' it's been a mess o' fightin' 'n' grief since then. Two of our friends are still recoverin' in Phandalin. It seems like th' Black Spider's behind all of it." Marten doesn't make much of a story of it, just a bare summary to explain his reference to the Black Spider.
"We're also on our way to Thundertree," Berry had said enthusiastically when he heard Perrin's destination and had nodded politely at his introduction by Marten. On the way back to their camp site, he walked near Perrin with a light spring in his step.
When, Marten explains that they were fighting and doesn't state more than facts, Berry feels there's a lack of color and begins elaborating on their first expedition into the goblin cave. He explains in detail how the goblins fought for each foot of cave floor and how vicious and slippery they were in their tactics. "In the bowels of that goblin den we almost perished and had to make a quick exit," he explains. "Two of us were down and the rest barely more than a goblin arrow short of joining them. So we all jumped together in the goblins' water pool and released their flood gate and WHOOOSSSH! We've all washed out of that nightmare," he describes vividly with his hands and arms, and his whole body really, how they tumbled out of that cave.
After a little bit of silence, again, he brings up their destination, "We're looking for a druid that goes by Reidoth, do you happen to know him?"
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
Satisfied with his breakfast, Perrin listens as Marten describes the group's adventures, and laughs encouragingly as Berry embellishes them. The halfling's eyebrows rise at the mention of Rockseeker and Reidoth. "I was looking for Rockseeker in Neverwinter. I heard he's been recruiting for some expedition, and had it on good word it was a guaranteed fortune. But I couldn't find the walking beard, so I found a diviner. She said my answer would be with Reidoth at Thundertree. So he's a druid? What do you know about him? Or Thundertree? And what happened with Rockseeker, what did he find?" The servant of Tymora puffs merrily on his pipe, awaiting replies from the motley assortment before him.
Nosam strolls up to the scene a bit embarrassed he didn't respond more quickly. "Sorry 'bout lagging behind there boys." Nosam sees the new face with the group and gives as warm a welcome as he can considering he was startled awake. He extends his hand, exchanges pleasantries, and sits down not wanting to interrupt the story time already in progress any further, "Nosam Lightfound, pleased to meet you."
Marten digs into breakfast and listens with appreciation to the way Berry recounts the tale. He nods along quietly and occasionally interjects with a comment like, "We got lucky there!" or "Ugh! Don't remind me." He's impressed with how good of a story teller Berry is.
Marten says, "I don' know about a fortune. We're all friends o' Gundren. He was kidnapped, and we mean t' find Gundren 'n' rescue 'im if we can. No one's payin' us t' do it." His expression shows that he finds the talk of money in this matter to be distasteful or crass.
Marten explains, "Gundren and his body guard, Sildar, were taken by the Cragmaw clan o' goblins. Sildar was tortured 'n' maimed before we got 'im out. We think they took Gundren t' their base, an ol' castle somewhere between here 'n' Phandalin. We don' know much about Reidoth, only that a friend said that he may know where the Cragmaw's castle is. So, here we are, on our way t' find Reidoth."
(OOC: I didn't think to ask. Does Marten know anything about Thundertree? History 7)
Berry shifts uneasily, "Now also both of Gundren's brothers have been taken and we believe by the same forces. We might find them all in that castle, dead or live. These goblins, bugbears and regular bandits and thugs have given us a hard time so far. I really don't look much forward to storm a castle full of them." Berry stares down at his feet as if he feels some shame for what he perceives as not measuring up to his foes. He shrugs and continues, "We only really need the three brothers but if we manage to remove the threat of the Black Spider or whoever plagues Phandalin from that castle, then there would be a sizeable reward for that."
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
vidruth listens to berry's story with obvious interest, and when its completed he laughs "i must say, it sounds much more heroic than it felt" he comments
when berry looks down he claps him on the back "chin up berry! theres no shame in recognizing an enemy's strength! besides, i dont much like the idea of facing glasstaff again myself!" he frowns "and if we can avoid making any contact with the black spider that would be best, we get our friends out and then we clear out and let the army do its job"
This Mug immediately shared with me a transcendental tale of an Infinite Mug that anchors the Universe and keeps it from folding in on itself. I filed this report under "illogical nonsense" and asked why its sign is in Times New Roman font, when it is basic knowledge that Arial Black is a far superior font. I wondered: How did this mug even get past the assembly line with its theistic beliefs and poor font choices?
quote from Romantically Apocalyptic by Vitaly S Alexius
Berry does show relief when he hears that an army will be dealing with the bulk of the castle defenders, "That sounds good, let's get them out and we'll be back in Phandalin in no time." Berry's mood clearly rises at that prospect but then it gets another hit, "But then Sildar will want us to go to that darn other cave, no? How was it? Wave Cave? No that sounds wrong. Wave... E... Echo Cave? That's the name? Anyhow," he protests, "I'm sure it's gonna be just as dark and damp in there as in the goblins' lair, whatever fancy name it has!"
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
All the talk about bugbears and bandits and Black Spiders and glasstaves and storming castles began to worry the fortune-seeking halfling. Perrin's brow furrows for a moment. He closes eyes, and idly rubs a small rabbit's foot at his belt, his lips moving in almost a prayer. He draws a coin from his pocket, flips it with his thumb, and snags it out of the air. Glancing at the coin, his face splits into a smile. "Kidnapped? No pay? My friend, there're no surer signs that our fortune is just around the corner. When the odds are this long, you know the payoff is gonna be spectacular. Would you allow me to accompany you, at least until Thundertree or we find Gundren? There's safety in numbers, and you seem... unique company. I'll stay out of your way, and I might just share some of my good fortune with you, and not just the sausages."
Berry suddenly realized that Thundertree is quite an evocative name and he tries to remember if he ever heard anything about it (History: 17).
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
(OOC: History 15+)
Near the place where the Neverwinter River emerges from Neverwinter Wood stands the abandoned village of Thundertree. Once, this was a prosperous community on the outskirts of the forest, wealthy from the work of its woodcutters and trappers. Then thirty years ago, the eruption of Mount Hotenow to the north devastated Thundertree. In recent years, there have been whispers that the place is haunted, dangerous, a place where the curious go to explore the abandoned ruins and are never seen again.
DM for Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver // Story Guide for COYOTE and CROW: Cahokia Forever // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Co-creator: Princes of the Apocalypse - A DnD Story