Vira nods, her sharp eyes briefly meeting B'Reh's as she feels the warmth of the blessing settle over her. "Thank you, B'Reh."
Her gaze turns to Kenna and she gives a proud smile. "You did good, Kenna. Just stay close now and we'll get you home safe."
Taking a deep breath, Vira turns her gaze toward the path towards the southern entrance. "Let’s move. If anything so much as squelches, we deal with it fast." With that, she takes the lead, stepping cautiously but confidently into the darkened passage.
The group sets out once more, moving through unfamiliar tunnels as they move towards where Kenna says the southern entrance should be. Vira leads the way, with her keen senses and survivalist skills to guide her (along with a little magical help from B'Reh), and the rest of the group follows on high alert. You don't encounter any more slimes, though, and after only one wrong turn to a dead end and about an hour of walking, a faint light begins to grow in the tunnel until you round a corner and see sunlight once more. The sun has changed positions from where it was when you entered the cavern, now sitting somewhat low in the sky and leaving only a few hours before sunset. With nearly 12 miles of traveling to reach the edge of the Mokk Fields, the party is left with a choice: camp here just inside the caverns until morning, travel at a hurried pace to reach the previous night's campsite before nightfall, or travel at more of a normal pace and risk the dangers of nighttime travel in the swamp.
B'Reh adjusts her grip on her spear, glancing at the sun's position through the cavern’s mouth. "I’d rather not spend the night in the swamp, especially not here. The dangers of traveling it in the dark outweigh the strain of picking up the pace now. At least in our last campsite, we know the terrain, and we can prepare more effectively against any ambushes like before."
She looks to the others, her tone firm but not unkind. "If we camp here, we’ll lose too much time and won’t make it back to Winnowing Reach tomorrow. That leaves us stuck another day longer than necessary in this muck. I say we push to reach our last camp before nightfall. We’re all tired, but it’s the better option."
Vira considers B'Reh's suggestion, looking to the young Corvum after a moment. "Kenna, do the slimes tend to get more active at night? Our last camp wasn't as safe as I would have liked, and rushing through the swamp at night...I don't think I can rage again without a rest, so if we get into a fight with more skeletons or whatnot...Ah, but I trust the rest of you to get me back up if I get knocked out!"Her feathers puff up as she gathers her courage. "What do you think Aric, Brynlee?"
"We need some place defendable, that's what my master always told me. I don't advise us making a break for home. Vira's right, the last place had it's share of incidents too. I say we camp here. " Aric replies
(Was there a good place to camp just in side the cave but close to the opening that was off to the side a little; maybe a room?)
Kenna thinks for a moment."Not necessarily the slimes, but there are other things, like skeletons, yes."She seems a bit quieter than earlier now that she has her sample, and happy to let your group make this decision given the prowess you all have shown in combat thus far.
"It's definitely more of a risk to travel," Brynlee says. "We either risk a run in after dark without a defensible camp around us, or we risk getting lost trying to move more quickly and make it before dark. I don't think Vira's map can fully compensate for the difficulties of navigating at a high speed. Even very experienced Tenders struggle with that!" She looks to B'Reh. "Is it really worth the risk just to not lose a day? The elder said Meadowfen could sustain the refugees for at least a chorus or two, and it's only been a couple of beats since we left."
[[ Aric, you/the others could make a survival or investigation check to find a defensible location in the caverns that would make a good camp, though it would take a few valuable minutes to look right now. ]]
B'Reh exhales slowly, her reluctance evident as she glances back into the dim, damp cavern. "I still feel the open swamp, even at night, might be better than staying in this... hole," she says, her wings giving a faint shiver. "But I can see the sense in staying where we can create a defensible position."
Turning to Kenna, she adds, "Your research is important, Kenna. Do you think your slime sample will remain viable for a day or two in that vial? If we’re not rushing back, I want to make sure our delay won’t ruin your work." Before anyone moves, she lifts her amulet in quiet prayer, murmuring words of guidance as a soft glow touches her hand. She lightly presses her palm against Aric's (or Vira's, whoever happens to post earlier) shoulder. "Let’s make sure we pick the best place to rest while we’re here. May the Rhythm guide your search."
[[ Sooo the dice rolls weren't loading for me for a minute so I went to check the campaign log and only see a 6 there which would become a 7 with guidance. I don't mind if you want to roll on your sheet or in your post, just make sure you aren't doing both! ]]
Aric spends several minutes searching the tunnels near the entrance and finds a few dead-end caves, but most have portions that are too small for Vira and B'Reh to fit through, leaving them unable to reach the safety of the dead end. He is able to find one that would fit the entire party, but it seems to have a constant drip of cold water from the ceiling, which would likely make it hard to get a good night's rest there. If travel to the edge of the swamp this evening is still out of the question, it seems that the options for remaining here are the wet cave, or a more exposed position somewhere in the main tunnel.
B'Reh listens to Aric’s report, her expression darkening at the options presented. "So, we’re left with either a wet cave that will leave us miserable and unrested, or staying in the main tunnel, exposed and potentially trapped if anything comes from outside, or the Rhythm forbids, both sides," she says, her tone edged with frustration.
She glances towards the cave entrance, her gaze softening slightly as she looks to where the open sky waits beyond. "I say we camp outside, just a bit higher up from the entrance—perhaps 100 feet away where we climbed earlier. Under the open sky, we can retreat if need be, and we’ll have the advantage of seeing anything approach from a distance. Down here, we’d be boxed in. If slimes or skeletons—or anything worse—come from both sides, we’ll be forced into a fight or a blind escape into the unknown."
She pauses, her voice taking on a firmer, more commanding tone. "Let’s set up where we have options, not where we’re cornered. The higher ground will serve us better."
Vira nods firmly, her wings shifting slightly as she stretches her shoulders. "You’re right, B'Reh. No sense in camping down here if it’s just going to leave us miserable or sick and no safer. I’d rather not wake up to slimes crawling over us or something worse trapping us inside." She grips her greataxe, glancing toward the entrance.
The group begins climbing, following roughly the same route as earlier in the day when you came down towards the cave entrance. Not having to move quite so quickly, and already being familiar with the terrain, the task proves fairly trivial, and soon you have reached a flatter area a little ways up from the cave. It's still very open and exposed, but even if you can't find any sort of clearing or wall to set up against, at least you're further from the boggy waters of the Mokk Fields up here.
As you move, finding a spot to settle down for the night, Brynlee speaks up. "Aric, do you still have that little necklace we found earlier? I thought it seemed magical when I looked at it then, and I'd love to spend some more time examining it now that we're not in a rush and we have a couple of hours before sundown."
[[ Someone can make another survival check if you'd like to find a comfortable and roughly defensible area to set up camp up here. ]]
Vira surveys the area carefully, her sharp eyes scanning for anything that might offer even a semblance of cover or advantage. She moves with purpose, inspecting the ground for any flat, dry spots that won't soak through their bedrolls in the night.
B'Reh takes a moment to survey the rocky terrain around their makeshift camp. With a quiet determination, she says, "I’ll gather some firewood and see if I can find anything edible nearby. We’ll need to keep our strength up if we’re to make it back safely tomorrow." She moves carefully among the nearby trees and shrubs, seeking out dry branches that might serve as kindling. As she works, she also scans the ground for any signs of edible plants or small game, relying on her instincts. Occasionally, she glances back towards the camp, ensuring that the others are settling in safely and that Kenna isn’t wandering too far in her curiosity.
The challenge now that the group has scaled some of the rocks isn't so much finding a place that's dry, as most of the moisture up here off the ground is just ambient humidity. The difficult thing is finding a flat area to camp. Vira has a bit of difficulty at first, but finally finds an area in front of another cliff face you'd scaled earlier that is just large enough for everyone's bedrolls to lay flat, but not much else.
"At least nothing can come from behind us here. We'll just have to keep an eye up above,"Kenna says, spreading a blanked pulled from her pack, before setting about arranging several notebooks and vials around her to get a bit of work done in the last hours of sunlight.
Brynlee settles on a flat stone nearby, and begins to study the amulet, muttering under her breath as she tries to attune herself to the magic seemingly contained within.
B'Reh finds a sizable stack of firewood and an assortment of nuts that she carries back to the camp before setting off again, this time returning with three small dusktails on her spear.
The sun has just about finished setting when Brynlee suddenly lets out a loud gasp! She hurries over to the fire and the rest of the group, where the smell of roasting meat fills the air. "How would you all like our very own perch for tonight?"She sets the amulet down in the middle of the camp. "I'd heard of these when I was first studying in Ashbarrow, but I've never seen one before! Nasce." At her command, the tiny woven branches of the necklace suddenly unfurl, growing along the ground, weaving together to form a platform underneath everyone's things. When the movement finally stops, you find yourselves in the center of a large metal nest. In the next moment, there's a sudden lurch, and the nest begins to rise into the air, five feet, then ten, up and up until you're well above even the 30 foot cliff you'd initially planned to camp against for the evening.
"A nest charm!" Kenna exclaims. "Now we don't have to worry about anything getting us while we sleep!"
Vira nods, her sharp eyes briefly meeting B'Reh's as she feels the warmth of the blessing settle over her. "Thank you, B'Reh."
Her gaze turns to Kenna and she gives a proud smile. "You did good, Kenna. Just stay close now and we'll get you home safe."
Taking a deep breath, Vira turns her gaze toward the path towards the southern entrance. "Let’s move. If anything so much as squelches, we deal with it fast." With that, she takes the lead, stepping cautiously but confidently into the darkened passage.
Survival: 12 + 3 guidance= 15
Stealth: Nat 1 + 5
Aric readies his crossbow again <readied action to fire>
D&D since 1984
The group sets out once more, moving through unfamiliar tunnels as they move towards where Kenna says the southern entrance should be. Vira leads the way, with her keen senses and survivalist skills to guide her (along with a little magical help from B'Reh), and the rest of the group follows on high alert. You don't encounter any more slimes, though, and after only one wrong turn to a dead end and about an hour of walking, a faint light begins to grow in the tunnel until you round a corner and see sunlight once more. The sun has changed positions from where it was when you entered the cavern, now sitting somewhat low in the sky and leaving only a few hours before sunset. With nearly 12 miles of traveling to reach the edge of the Mokk Fields, the party is left with a choice: camp here just inside the caverns until morning, travel at a hurried pace to reach the previous night's campsite before nightfall, or travel at more of a normal pace and risk the dangers of nighttime travel in the swamp.
DM - A Humblewood Adventure | Holm Erebos - Dread Tyrant
B'Reh adjusts her grip on her spear, glancing at the sun's position through the cavern’s mouth. "I’d rather not spend the night in the swamp, especially not here. The dangers of traveling it in the dark outweigh the strain of picking up the pace now. At least in our last campsite, we know the terrain, and we can prepare more effectively against any ambushes like before."
She looks to the others, her tone firm but not unkind. "If we camp here, we’ll lose too much time and won’t make it back to Winnowing Reach tomorrow. That leaves us stuck another day longer than necessary in this muck. I say we push to reach our last camp before nightfall. We’re all tired, but it’s the better option."
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
Vira considers B'Reh's suggestion, looking to the young Corvum after a moment. "Kenna, do the slimes tend to get more active at night? Our last camp wasn't as safe as I would have liked, and rushing through the swamp at night...I don't think I can rage again without a rest, so if we get into a fight with more skeletons or whatnot...Ah, but I trust the rest of you to get me back up if I get knocked out!" Her feathers puff up as she gathers her courage. "What do you think Aric, Brynlee?"
"We need some place defendable, that's what my master always told me. I don't advise us making a break for home. Vira's right, the last place had it's share of incidents too. I say we camp here. " Aric replies
(Was there a good place to camp just in side the cave but close to the opening that was off to the side a little; maybe a room?)
D&D since 1984
Kenna thinks for a moment. "Not necessarily the slimes, but there are other things, like skeletons, yes." She seems a bit quieter than earlier now that she has her sample, and happy to let your group make this decision given the prowess you all have shown in combat thus far.
"It's definitely more of a risk to travel," Brynlee says. "We either risk a run in after dark without a defensible camp around us, or we risk getting lost trying to move more quickly and make it before dark. I don't think Vira's map can fully compensate for the difficulties of navigating at a high speed. Even very experienced Tenders struggle with that!" She looks to B'Reh. "Is it really worth the risk just to not lose a day? The elder said Meadowfen could sustain the refugees for at least a chorus or two, and it's only been a couple of beats since we left."
[[ Aric, you/the others could make a survival or investigation check to find a defensible location in the caverns that would make a good camp, though it would take a few valuable minutes to look right now. ]]
DM - A Humblewood Adventure | Holm Erebos - Dread Tyrant
B'Reh exhales slowly, her reluctance evident as she glances back into the dim, damp cavern. "I still feel the open swamp, even at night, might be better than staying in this... hole," she says, her wings giving a faint shiver. "But I can see the sense in staying where we can create a defensible position."
Turning to Kenna, she adds, "Your research is important, Kenna. Do you think your slime sample will remain viable for a day or two in that vial? If we’re not rushing back, I want to make sure our delay won’t ruin your work." Before anyone moves, she lifts her amulet in quiet prayer, murmuring words of guidance as a soft glow touches her hand. She lightly presses her palm against Aric's (or Vira's, whoever happens to post earlier) shoulder. "Let’s make sure we pick the best place to rest while we’re here. May the Rhythm guide your search."
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
((Vira's survival is a +3. She will help Aric's roll if his is equal or higher.))
Aric Survival: 13
D&D since 1984
plus 1 from Guidance
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
[[ Sooo the dice rolls weren't loading for me for a minute so I went to check the campaign log and only see a 6 there which would become a 7 with guidance. I don't mind if you want to roll on your sheet or in your post, just make sure you aren't doing both! ]]
Aric spends several minutes searching the tunnels near the entrance and finds a few dead-end caves, but most have portions that are too small for Vira and B'Reh to fit through, leaving them unable to reach the safety of the dead end. He is able to find one that would fit the entire party, but it seems to have a constant drip of cold water from the ceiling, which would likely make it hard to get a good night's rest there. If travel to the edge of the swamp this evening is still out of the question, it seems that the options for remaining here are the wet cave, or a more exposed position somewhere in the main tunnel.
DM - A Humblewood Adventure | Holm Erebos - Dread Tyrant
B'Reh listens to Aric’s report, her expression darkening at the options presented. "So, we’re left with either a wet cave that will leave us miserable and unrested, or staying in the main tunnel, exposed and potentially trapped if anything comes from outside, or the Rhythm forbids, both sides," she says, her tone edged with frustration.
She glances towards the cave entrance, her gaze softening slightly as she looks to where the open sky waits beyond. "I say we camp outside, just a bit higher up from the entrance—perhaps 100 feet away where we climbed earlier. Under the open sky, we can retreat if need be, and we’ll have the advantage of seeing anything approach from a distance. Down here, we’d be boxed in. If slimes or skeletons—or anything worse—come from both sides, we’ll be forced into a fight or a blind escape into the unknown."
She pauses, her voice taking on a firmer, more commanding tone. "Let’s set up where we have options, not where we’re cornered. The higher ground will serve us better."
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
Vira nods firmly, her wings shifting slightly as she stretches her shoulders. "You’re right, B'Reh. No sense in camping down here if it’s just going to leave us miserable or sick and no safer. I’d rather not wake up to slimes crawling over us or something worse trapping us inside." She grips her greataxe, glancing toward the entrance.
Sorry about that. So it did finally work. My browser stopped and I kept hitting refresh. I surprised there weren't a dozen ;-)
D&D since 1984
The group begins climbing, following roughly the same route as earlier in the day when you came down towards the cave entrance. Not having to move quite so quickly, and already being familiar with the terrain, the task proves fairly trivial, and soon you have reached a flatter area a little ways up from the cave. It's still very open and exposed, but even if you can't find any sort of clearing or wall to set up against, at least you're further from the boggy waters of the Mokk Fields up here.
As you move, finding a spot to settle down for the night, Brynlee speaks up. "Aric, do you still have that little necklace we found earlier? I thought it seemed magical when I looked at it then, and I'd love to spend some more time examining it now that we're not in a rush and we have a couple of hours before sundown."
[[ Someone can make another survival check if you'd like to find a comfortable and roughly defensible area to set up camp up here. ]]
DM - A Humblewood Adventure | Holm Erebos - Dread Tyrant
Vira surveys the area carefully, her sharp eyes scanning for anything that might offer even a semblance of cover or advantage. She moves with purpose, inspecting the ground for any flat, dry spots that won't soak through their bedrolls in the night.
Survival: 11 + 1 guidance= 12
Airc says to Brynlee "Sure, here you go". and hands over the little necklace.
D&D since 1984
B'Reh takes a moment to survey the rocky terrain around their makeshift camp. With a quiet determination, she says, "I’ll gather some firewood and see if I can find anything edible nearby. We’ll need to keep our strength up if we’re to make it back safely tomorrow." She moves carefully among the nearby trees and shrubs, seeking out dry branches that might serve as kindling. As she works, she also scans the ground for any signs of edible plants or small game, relying on her instincts. Occasionally, she glances back towards the camp, ensuring that the others are settling in safely and that Kenna isn’t wandering too far in her curiosity.
Survival: 17
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
The challenge now that the group has scaled some of the rocks isn't so much finding a place that's dry, as most of the moisture up here off the ground is just ambient humidity. The difficult thing is finding a flat area to camp. Vira has a bit of difficulty at first, but finally finds an area in front of another cliff face you'd scaled earlier that is just large enough for everyone's bedrolls to lay flat, but not much else.
"At least nothing can come from behind us here. We'll just have to keep an eye up above," Kenna says, spreading a blanked pulled from her pack, before setting about arranging several notebooks and vials around her to get a bit of work done in the last hours of sunlight.
Brynlee settles on a flat stone nearby, and begins to study the amulet, muttering under her breath as she tries to attune herself to the magic seemingly contained within.
B'Reh finds a sizable stack of firewood and an assortment of nuts that she carries back to the camp before setting off again, this time returning with three small dusktails on her spear.
The sun has just about finished setting when Brynlee suddenly lets out a loud gasp! She hurries over to the fire and the rest of the group, where the smell of roasting meat fills the air. "How would you all like our very own perch for tonight?" She sets the amulet down in the middle of the camp. "I'd heard of these when I was first studying in Ashbarrow, but I've never seen one before! Nasce." At her command, the tiny woven branches of the necklace suddenly unfurl, growing along the ground, weaving together to form a platform underneath everyone's things. When the movement finally stops, you find yourselves in the center of a large metal nest. In the next moment, there's a sudden lurch, and the nest begins to rise into the air, five feet, then ten, up and up until you're well above even the 30 foot cliff you'd initially planned to camp against for the evening.
"A nest charm!" Kenna exclaims. "Now we don't have to worry about anything getting us while we sleep!"
DM - A Humblewood Adventure | Holm Erebos - Dread Tyrant