Tulip doesn't have much to add to what I already wrote. With that Perception roll, Tulip does get a bit more detail, though.
There are ten people in all. Men and women, all human. Two of them are in the woods at the edge of the road, one on each side of the group. They are not far from the campfire, maybe 25' away, and you would guess that they are lookouts.
Føpé suggests, Based on the duchess's soldiers, we have reason to believe they have magic or trickery.
How much can Tulip tell you? Can he watch for a while? Look for additional evidence of magic, and maybe the means by which it is carried out if there is way to fight against it?
Are the lookouts armed? Are there weapons in the camp. I believe we should gather as much information as possible before approaching.
If tulip is not up for it, I can try. To know if a sheep is ill, one must be in the habit of watching. I propose that I attempt to sneak up close, and lay hidden, and watch, and learn.
Stay near enough that you should know if I am seen, and come to my aid if there is trouble, but not so near the rattling of your armor will draw attention. I will take time, and watch as I would my sheep, until they all sleep, or some action is needed.
This is my plan. But I am open to others if you think a different course of action wise.
“Well young fella, from this distance Tulip could fly in and perch on a branch and I could use her eyes and ears as if they were my own indefinitely. During that period though, my body here would be blind and deaf, so I would be best suited to be sitting behind a bush or some such thing. Someone would have to poke me if trouble were approaching so that I could return my senses. Alternatively, you could sneak in as you proposed. Either path is acceptable to me, and, I’m sure, to Tulip.”
I will roll over Tulip's stealth and perception rolls from earlier.
As afternoon disappears into evening, you all watch as Barnaby sits cross-legged on the ground and goes into an almost trance-like state. He sits in front of you, but his eyes and ears are clearly elsewhere.
Tulip silently makes her way back toward the campfire.
Barnaby, you watch through Tulip's eyes as she glides between the trees, away from the lookout, and perches on a bough beyond the firelight. She is near the outer limit of your ability to see through her eyes, but your connection is strong enough.
She watches as the travelers busy themselves around some of their workstations. You realize that more people are now preparing food: the stew was already cooking, and more things are being added to it. Herbs, maybe. Vegetables and a little meat are going on the grill. Somebody gets a couple of stools from one of the wagons, and they are placed near the campfire.
Remember, you are on the forest side of the camp. Whatever he’s doing is on the road side. After about 25 minutes, you notice two things.
1. Some of the food really appears ready to be served, but the cooks are just holding it in platters, keeping it appropriately warm or hot.
2. More interestingly, the older man sitting near the fire has apparently cast some kind of a spell. He appears to be using a spell to move around some boxes and stones, and a bolt of beautiful cloth, in the darkness on the other side of the campsite. He is still sitting, and appears quite at ease with his magic. It looks like it takes him barely any effort at all.
Remember, Tulip flew up onto the forest side of the encampment. If you want her to circle around to the road side, to see what’s going on over there, roll another stealth check.
Kif is with Barnaby, in the trees just off the road. Is everybody else there, too?
edit ~ The spell the man has cast appears to be familiar to you. It’s Mage Hand. But it seems so *hard* when you do it.
Barnaby, in his trancelike state, will describe what he sees.
The bad news is that it looks like it is possible that they are waiting for us. The good news is that dinner looks tasty. The older gentleman by the fire looks as though he may be quite the powerful mage. We should be very wary of getting into a scrap with this crowd. Better to listen to the instructions we received, and keep this to a conversation.
Tulip will circle the camp to see what else is evident.
Tulip circles the camp silently and perches near the narrow path connecting it to the road.
She watches as the bolt of cloth is dragged by the magic hand out into the road, and laid next to the pile of boxes and stones. Slowly, the hand assembles the stones and boxes into two stacks. Finally, slowly, the hand manages to haul and balance the bolt of cloth across the top of the two of them. It appears to be a crude arch, formed in the middle of the road.
The elderly man leans forward from his seated position and appears to snatch a spark, blown from the campfire, out of midair. He turns it between his thumb and forefinger, studying it, before he draws it toward his lips. With a puff, he blows the spark in the direction of the road, and a powerful light appears behind the arch on the roadway. Those of you who creep to the edge of the woods and look see that the combined effect looks something like this.
From Tulip's angle, it's hard to see. But from up the road, where you guys are, up the road, it looks an awful lot like an open door, illuminated from behind.
Could I please get a fresh perception check from Tulip, and from Puddin or Fope, if either are watching the road.
Tulip doesn't have much to add to what I already wrote. With that Perception roll, Tulip does get a bit more detail, though.
There are ten people in all. Men and women, all human. Two of them are in the woods at the edge of the road, one on each side of the group. They are not far from the campfire, maybe 25' away, and you would guess that they are lookouts.
Føpé suggests, Based on the duchess's soldiers, we have reason to believe they have magic or trickery.
How much can Tulip tell you? Can he watch for a while? Look for additional evidence of magic, and maybe the means by which it is carried out if there is way to fight against it?
Are the lookouts armed? Are there weapons in the camp. I believe we should gather as much information as possible before approaching.
If tulip is not up for it, I can try. To know if a sheep is ill, one must be in the habit of watching. I propose that I attempt to sneak up close, and lay hidden, and watch, and learn.
Stay near enough that you should know if I am seen, and come to my aid if there is trouble, but not so near the rattling of your armor will draw attention. I will take time, and watch as I would my sheep, until they all sleep, or some action is needed.
This is my plan. But I am open to others if you think a different course of action wise.
Also, we should probably get off the road. If someone comes by, our presence here will be suspicious.
Kif will move off the road. I will keep ready to come to your aid if necessary. Your plan is sound if you think you can really be quiet.
At this point you're about 80' up the road from the nearest lookout, who in turn is about 20-25' ahead of the campfire light.
“Well young fella, from this distance Tulip could fly in and perch on a branch and I could use her eyes and ears as if they were my own indefinitely. During that period though, my body here would be blind and deaf, so I would be best suited to be sitting behind a bush or some such thing. Someone would have to poke me if trouble were approaching so that I could return my senses. Alternatively, you could sneak in as you proposed. Either path is acceptable to me, and, I’m sure, to Tulip.”
“Also, during that time I would still have the use of my deft tongue, so I could relate to you what I see and hear.”
“Also, Tulip is a girl.”
I can watch over you Barnaby while you report your owl's observations, hopefully he will see something useful
I will roll over Tulip's stealth and perception rolls from earlier.
As afternoon disappears into evening, you all watch as Barnaby sits cross-legged on the ground and goes into an almost trance-like state. He sits in front of you, but his eyes and ears are clearly elsewhere.
Tulip silently makes her way back toward the campfire.
Barnaby, you watch through Tulip's eyes as she glides between the trees, away from the lookout, and perches on a bough beyond the firelight. She is near the outer limit of your ability to see through her eyes, but your connection is strong enough.
She watches as the travelers busy themselves around some of their workstations. You realize that more people are now preparing food: the stew was already cooking, and more things are being added to it. Herbs, maybe. Vegetables and a little meat are going on the grill. Somebody gets a couple of stools from one of the wagons, and they are placed near the campfire.
Five minutes pass, ten minutes pass. Then twenty.
Roll an investigation check, please.
I'm going to resist going too fast through this bit, because I know Dov is not around until tomorrow evening.
Investigation: 18
Remember, you are on the forest side of the camp. Whatever he’s doing is on the road side. After about 25 minutes, you notice two things.
1. Some of the food really appears ready to be served, but the cooks are just holding it in platters, keeping it appropriately warm or hot.
2. More interestingly, the older man sitting near the fire has apparently cast some kind of a spell. He appears to be using a spell to move around some boxes and stones, and a bolt of beautiful cloth, in the darkness on the other side of the campsite. He is still sitting, and appears quite at ease with his magic. It looks like it takes him barely any effort at all.
Remember, Tulip flew up onto the forest side of the encampment. If you want her to circle around to the road side, to see what’s going on over there, roll another stealth check.
Kif is with Barnaby, in the trees just off the road. Is everybody else there, too?
edit ~ The spell the man has cast appears to be familiar to you. It’s Mage Hand. But it seems so *hard* when you do it.
Barnaby, in his trancelike state, will describe what he sees.
The bad news is that it looks like it is possible that they are waiting for us. The good news is that dinner looks tasty. The older gentleman by the fire looks as though he may be quite the powerful mage. We should be very wary of getting into a scrap with this crowd. Better to listen to the instructions we received, and keep this to a conversation.
Tulip will circle the camp to see what else is evident.
Tulip stealth: 16
Tulip circles the camp silently and perches near the narrow path connecting it to the road.
She watches as the bolt of cloth is dragged by the magic hand out into the road, and laid next to the pile of boxes and stones. Slowly, the hand assembles the stones and boxes into two stacks. Finally, slowly, the hand manages to haul and balance the bolt of cloth across the top of the two of them. It appears to be a crude arch, formed in the middle of the road.
The elderly man leans forward from his seated position and appears to snatch a spark, blown from the campfire, out of midair. He turns it between his thumb and forefinger, studying it, before he draws it toward his lips. With a puff, he blows the spark in the direction of the road, and a powerful light appears behind the arch on the roadway. Those of you who creep to the edge of the woods and look see that the combined effect looks something like this.
From Tulip's angle, it's hard to see. But from up the road, where you guys are, up the road, it looks an awful lot like an open door, illuminated from behind.
Could I please get a fresh perception check from Tulip, and from Puddin or Fope, if either are watching the road.
Tulip perception: 19
Edit: Right...she gets advantage...
15
Edit again: LOL. :P
Hmmm...if he's making a door, perhaps it's not us that he's expecting.
Tulip gazes, fascinated, at the magically illuminated archway.
Barnaby, you recognize the second spell he has cast, also. It’s Light.