Threat dispatched and situation under control, the four of you follow the hare, who introduces himself as...
"Thornbuck, at your service, guardsmouses," he says with a lazy salute. There's a sardonic grin on his face that seems more or less permanently affixed, and tall as he is, he's leaning heavily upon his quarterstaff. He's obviously innebriated, and his half-open blue jacket reveals what appear to be several daggers hidden about his person. Not that any hare is "safe", but this individual is clearly not to be trifled with.
"I told Sef there was nothing to worry about. Any trouble that can't be solved by four of the Mosskeep's finest few is trouble that... that isn't..." He grasps at the air in front of him, apparently trying to catch the thread of his would-be insult. "Bah! Never mind that. Let's just get you back to the Ransom." He sniffs the air, and then eyes Craven askance. "We need to get your friend over there washed up, at the very least."
Sef has very little exposition to offer to say when you return. She's grateful for your help, and she offers you room and board for the night free of charge. There are full packs ready for you all to be loaded up in the morning (Sef appears confident that they won't be a problem, and she ALSO eyes Craven askance as she says so). Your beds are soft and your stomachs are full. It's actually a pleasantly warm summer night, with a gentle breeze stealing in through your windows. In the morning, the townsfolk and the village Wisdom will take care of the stoat's body. Nothing to do now but rest and enjoy these last comforts before your weeks-long trek into the untamed wild...
(You each recover all harm. Unless there is something you would like to accomplish in the night, we'll move into the following morning)
Craven, having satisfyingly determined the nature of the sound and dismissed his... companion, turns toward the hare. His little glowing, green, beady eye twitches, yet he nods, “Yup yup. We leave, go, not stay.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Pre-dawn light creeps over the horizon. There's no one else about. Just the four of you, Sef, Thornbuck, and Paf. Thornbuck lounges against the front door of the The King's Ransom. His normally falsely cheery expression is... dour.
"So the hare is going to be traveling with you," Sef continues, pointedly adding: "Whether he wants to or not. Your instructions from Mosskeep are pretty straightforward. You just need to check out that big green light. My friends tell me that it didn't show up last night, but that might not mean anything. It wasn't there on the second night either..."
She looks concerned. "If you can... If you don't have to go out of your way to do it, I would appreciate any help you can offer to the people of this village. Some of our best went up the mountain waiting for the Guard to send you four. I would take it as a personal kindness if you were to return them to us." She looks over to Paf and then rolls her eyes hugely. "Come on, it didn't hurt you, you moonpup."
...Paf is shaking. His little whiskers are trembling and he is studiously avoiding looking at the creature he just saddled with your travel gear. It's Craven's Haul that has him so scared, of course. And Haul is...
Mild screams of panic and disarray can be heard the sound of thousands of footsteps draw close. Carts are moved out of the way as the ensuing dust cloud approaches. Eventually, “Haul” comes into sight. A massive interlocking chain of chitinous red plates crawls on hundreds upon hundreds of legs toward the mad mouse. A round, armored head snakes along the roads as the monstrosity is covered in massive pallets, blankets, palatines, and boxes. A low squeal emits from the beast as it skitters toward Craven. Finally it arrives in its full glory. Haul is... a massive... monstrous... millipede!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Thornbuck spits out his tea. "What in the ever-loving salt- what is that thing?!"
Once introductions to the cheerful bug are made, the five of you make your way up the North Road (the highway wending up from Mosskeep to the Peak. It takes a sharp turn westward at the King's Ransom, moving deep into the forest of Kinsgreach). It will take two days to reach the squirrel capital in the heart of the woods, and the trek up the Peak will take at least a week from there.
Nissa is at first cautious about Haul, then fascinated. She even loses some of her reticence. "Where did you find it? How did it get so big? Is it from the mainland?" As soon as Craven replies, however, she is reminded of his oddness and kind of clams up again, just taking the bug in stride. She'll still throw a fascinated glance at it every so often.
On the road
Endure (with Woodcraft) roll: 6
As the group sets off towards the Kingsreach, she will do a couple of things. She'll have a conversation with Mazer (though "conversation" seems too generous). "Captain," she says, as she sidles up to him askance. "Whenst we meet a squirrel, let me speak to it first. I've lived amongst tem." That's about it. :)
She avoids Craven and Haul as much as she can, and in fact spends most of the day scouting ahead, slipping in and out of the woods. When she does walk beside the party, she will mostly stay near Eli in companionable silence. Almost silence. "T'were a strong move, bringing t'stoat t'heel as you did. It were possible you lead in our wager now, though my downing of t'weasel back when put me mightily ahead."
She will actually engage Thornbuck in conversation, though it may come across more as an interrogation than chit chat. "Whence do you come from? Oh? And your warren? I've been t'ere. Nice bucks and does. What brings you wit t'Guard?"
Finally, a little way into the day, she will ask the group to stop for a moment. "Captain," she addresses Mazer as a proxy for the whole group. "One moment." She doesn't explain herself, motions for them to wait, and then moves away from the group quite a bit. She clears a little space, then starts making godsawful hooting and clicking sounds, whistles and trills you don't think you knew a mouse could make, all the while looking to the trees and the sky...
The Language of Birds roll: 10
OOC > Making space here for Keeper to RP the results...
Craven “kekeke’s” to himself as Nissa asks questions, “Raise from little egg, feed regular diet of good good potions. Make Haul grow big big big. Quite happy with result.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
(Endure results: Eli and Mazer: 8, Craven 7, Nissa 6)
Four mice walk up the North Road. A monstrous red arthropod happily scrabbles alongside them, stopping occasionally to munch on leaves and bark. Far ahead of them, but still within audible range of his massive ears, Thornbuck stalks onward in a foul temper. The hangover isn't helping, but it's the circumstances of his company that have him quite so thoroughly discomfited. Mazer observes their new companion from his position in the rear. Unbidden, a memory of Master Kepik droning on during a lesson at Mosskeep enters Mazer's thoughts...
"The hares of Loamholt are well-integrated into mouse culture, little dorry. They fight the mice's battles against predators of the wood and shore, and they help the rangers and bannermice of the village outposts to maintain the peace. Their mix of natural power and disinterest in governance result in allies to the Guard that are fierce fighters- fighters that pose little to no risk to the stability of the island..."
Without warning, Thornbuck suddenly leaps straight to the top of a boulder on the side of the path- a boulder easily 5 mice high. His ears on a swivel, he crouches and holds up a paw to shield his eyes from the still-rising sun. He calls down to you all: "Something up ahead. Can't quite make it out; could be nothing. What say you, oh brave mice?"
In response to the hare, Nissa grins. She begins tweeting and chirping, both hands cupping her mouth.
The birdsong in the trees above them quiets, then. The emptiness that surrounds them is deafening for a moment, and then the air whistles above them. Landing on the brown earth between the boulder and the mice is a great spotted woodpecker.
He chirps massively, then cocks his head this way and that to listen to Nissa.
Mazer considers the hare's report. There is a real incentive to keep the pace going, but he doesn't want to needlessly endanger the group. "I think one of us should scout ahead," he suggests. As he is still learning the capabilities of the group, he asks: "Who among us is best suited for the task?"
"I will scout," Nissa declares, not looking in the direction of the group as she approaches the enormous red and white bird with care. It dips its head, and she hops on its back, settling cleanly amid the feathers. She leans forward and gives a small trill, a chirp, and in a flash the bird hops once and launches into the air, carrying the small black mouse with it, holding on for dear life!
They circle once, then head in the direction Thornbuck indicated, until they are lost to sight behind the trees. It is just a few minutes before they come swooping back in, doing a fast dive and landing near the group, the woodpecker hopping once or twice. Nissa slides off, and chirps thanks to the bird, which is eyeing Haul with avid curiousity. Another sharp chirp and it sort of shrugs and hops away, taking off and leaving.
She marches up to Mazer. "A cart is overturned in the road, no creatures to be seen, not quite ten minutes on, walking. We must—" she stops herself and nods at Mazer. "What would you have us do, Captain."
Thornbuck snorts and hops off of his perch. He spares a glance for Nissa (apparently he was at least somewhat impressed by her stunt with the woodpecker), but the idea that these 3 (moderately) capable mice would defer to a tenderpaw is laughable.
Guard ranking makes absolutely no sense. He thinks Should have brought a newborn mousepup along, too. Then we would REALLY have some strength of leadership.
Mazer nods. An overturned cart, nothing too dangerous on the face of it. It could be any number of things. Perhaps simply a broken wheel, and people went to get tools. Perhaps a practical joke, young mice taking a farmer's cart and leaving it in the middle of the road. It could also be another stoat, having kicked over the cart and swallowed the occupants.
Mazer suggests that two of them, Nissa and Eli, take the woods, while he and Craven take the road. His reasoning is that Haul will need to be near its master, and wouldn't be very discreet crashing through branches.
If it turns out to be nothing, there is a minimal delay. But if there is something, then the element of surprise from the ranger and the lightkeeper could be important.
Mazer proposes this, then listens to the others. One of them might have a better idea, or might point out a flaw that he had not considered. If not, then he starts to make his way with Craven, Haul, and Thornbuck along the road.
He asked. “Eli is better wit his fists, and your bow has t’best advantage from t’woods,” she says without much deference. “I should take t’woods on t’left, and you t’right, t’em two... t’ree, up t’road.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
So organized (unless I hear differently!) the party makes their way westward. Thornbuck moves on ahead, his long legs eating more hard-packed earth at a jog than any of you could manage in an all-out sprint. His expression is aloof, but his constantly rotating ears betray his alertness: he's expecting trouble.
Eli and Craven continue on the road behind him (it's up to AP whether Eli joins Craven aboard the giant bug). There certainly doesn't seem to be anything amiss from their vantage point... No more than seven or eight minutes after parting ways, the party on the main road reaches the hand cart. It's... a mess. 'Rindle Farms' is painted in bright green along the side, but it's also coated in a spray of mud. Bags of food have been spilled and scattered across the road beside it, and what appears to be a splatter of blood has soaked into the dirt nearby. Also, unmistakably, a large stoat claw mark is visible on the side of the cart.
Mazer, you pick your way through the woods with your bow drawn. When you draw level with the cart on the north side of the path, you notice that a number of leaves and twigs around you are broken. You can make neither heads nor tails of these tracks, however.
Nissa, you make excellent time through the woods. You're still feeling pretty great about your flight on the woodpecker. You may be cool as a cucumber most of the time, but the surging giddiness of flight is hard to shake. It's still ebbing through your veins when you feel your hindpaw trigger the trap you failed to notice. A silken rope quickly tightens around your ankle as you are hoisted high into the air. You let out an involuntary SQUEAK and you're left to dangle, helplessly, upside-down.
"Squeak!!!" Well aware of what happens to creatures in a trap, Nissa will hurriedly try to curl up to the rope, grab it with her front paws, and use her teeth to try to cut it.
Good news and bad news: The good news is this silken rope is of the sort favored by the squirrels. The bad news is that, as a result, there's absolutely no chance your teeth will loosen the knot or cut through the material.
Ugh. Nissa will relax and let herself hang, closing her eyes and listening for squirrels, her ears twitching. Well, the one full ear and the tattered remains of the other.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Threat dispatched and situation under control, the four of you follow the hare, who introduces himself as...
"Thornbuck, at your service, guardsmouses," he says with a lazy salute. There's a sardonic grin on his face that seems more or less permanently affixed, and tall as he is, he's leaning heavily upon his quarterstaff. He's obviously innebriated, and his half-open blue jacket reveals what appear to be several daggers hidden about his person. Not that any hare is "safe", but this individual is clearly not to be trifled with.
"I told Sef there was nothing to worry about. Any trouble that can't be solved by four of the Mosskeep's finest few is trouble that... that isn't..." He grasps at the air in front of him, apparently trying to catch the thread of his would-be insult. "Bah! Never mind that. Let's just get you back to the Ransom." He sniffs the air, and then eyes Craven askance. "We need to get your friend over there washed up, at the very least."
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Sef has very little
exposition to offerto say when you return. She's grateful for your help, and she offers you room and board for the night free of charge. There are full packs ready for you all to be loaded up in the morning (Sef appears confident that they won't be a problem, and she ALSO eyes Craven askance as she says so). Your beds are soft and your stomachs are full. It's actually a pleasantly warm summer night, with a gentle breeze stealing in through your windows. In the morning, the townsfolk and the village Wisdom will take care of the stoat's body. Nothing to do now but rest and enjoy these last comforts before your weeks-long trek into the untamed wild...(You each recover all harm. Unless there is something you would like to accomplish in the night, we'll move into the following morning)
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Craven, having satisfyingly determined the nature of the sound and dismissed his... companion, turns toward the hare. His little glowing, green, beady eye twitches, yet he nods, “Yup yup. We leave, go, not stay.”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Pre-dawn light creeps over the horizon. There's no one else about. Just the four of you, Sef, Thornbuck, and Paf. Thornbuck lounges against the front door of the The King's Ransom. His normally falsely cheery expression is... dour.
"So the hare is going to be traveling with you," Sef continues, pointedly adding: "Whether he wants to or not. Your instructions from Mosskeep are pretty straightforward. You just need to check out that big green light. My friends tell me that it didn't show up last night, but that might not mean anything. It wasn't there on the second night either..."
She looks concerned. "If you can... If you don't have to go out of your way to do it, I would appreciate any help you can offer to the people of this village. Some of our best went up the mountain waiting for the Guard to send you four. I would take it as a personal kindness if you were to return them to us." She looks over to Paf and then rolls her eyes hugely. "Come on, it didn't hurt you, you moonpup."
...Paf is shaking. His little whiskers are trembling and he is studiously avoiding looking at the creature he just saddled with your travel gear. It's Craven's Haul that has him so scared, of course. And Haul is...
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Mild screams of panic and disarray can be heard the sound of thousands of footsteps draw close. Carts are moved out of the way as the ensuing dust cloud approaches. Eventually, “Haul” comes into sight. A massive interlocking chain of chitinous red plates crawls on hundreds upon hundreds of legs toward the mad mouse. A round, armored head snakes along the roads as the monstrosity is covered in massive pallets, blankets, palatines, and boxes. A low squeal emits from the beast as it skitters toward Craven. Finally it arrives in its full glory. Haul is... a massive... monstrous... millipede!
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Thornbuck spits out his tea. "What in the ever-loving salt- what is that thing?!"
Once introductions to the cheerful bug are made, the five of you make your way up the North Road (the highway wending up from Mosskeep to the Peak. It takes a sharp turn westward at the King's Ransom, moving deep into the forest of Kinsgreach). It will take two days to reach the squirrel capital in the heart of the woods, and the trek up the Peak will take at least a week from there.
(Everyone, roll Endure!)
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Nissa is at first cautious about Haul, then fascinated. She even loses some of her reticence. "Where did you find it? How did it get so big? Is it from the mainland?" As soon as Craven replies, however, she is reminded of his oddness and kind of clams up again, just taking the bug in stride. She'll still throw a fascinated glance at it every so often.
On the road
Endure (with Woodcraft) roll: 6
As the group sets off towards the Kingsreach, she will do a couple of things. She'll have a conversation with Mazer (though "conversation" seems too generous). "Captain," she says, as she sidles up to him askance. "Whenst we meet a squirrel, let me speak to it first. I've lived amongst tem." That's about it. :)
She avoids Craven and Haul as much as she can, and in fact spends most of the day scouting ahead, slipping in and out of the woods. When she does walk beside the party, she will mostly stay near Eli in companionable silence. Almost silence. "T'were a strong move, bringing t'stoat t'heel as you did. It were possible you lead in our wager now, though my downing of t'weasel back when put me mightily ahead."
She will actually engage Thornbuck in conversation, though it may come across more as an interrogation than chit chat. "Whence do you come from? Oh? And your warren? I've been t'ere. Nice bucks and does. What brings you wit t'Guard?"
Finally, a little way into the day, she will ask the group to stop for a moment. "Captain," she addresses Mazer as a proxy for the whole group. "One moment." She doesn't explain herself, motions for them to wait, and then moves away from the group quite a bit. She clears a little space, then starts making godsawful hooting and clicking sounds, whistles and trills you don't think you knew a mouse could make, all the while looking to the trees and the sky...
The Language of Birds roll: 10
OOC > Making space here for Keeper to RP the results...
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Craven “kekeke’s” to himself as Nissa asks questions, “Raise from little egg, feed regular diet of good good potions. Make Haul grow big big big. Quite happy with result.”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
(Endure results: Eli and Mazer: 8, Craven 7, Nissa 6)
Four mice walk up the North Road. A monstrous red arthropod happily scrabbles alongside them, stopping occasionally to munch on leaves and bark. Far ahead of them, but still within audible range of his massive ears, Thornbuck stalks onward in a foul temper. The hangover isn't helping, but it's the circumstances of his company that have him quite so thoroughly discomfited. Mazer observes their new companion from his position in the rear. Unbidden, a memory of Master Kepik droning on during a lesson at Mosskeep enters Mazer's thoughts...
"The hares of Loamholt are well-integrated into mouse culture, little dorry. They fight the mice's battles against predators of the wood and shore, and they help the rangers and bannermice of the village outposts to maintain the peace. Their mix of natural power and disinterest in governance result in allies to the Guard that are fierce fighters- fighters that pose little to no risk to the stability of the island..."
Without warning, Thornbuck suddenly leaps straight to the top of a boulder on the side of the path- a boulder easily 5 mice high. His ears on a swivel, he crouches and holds up a paw to shield his eyes from the still-rising sun. He calls down to you all: "Something up ahead. Can't quite make it out; could be nothing. What say you, oh brave mice?"
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
In response to the hare, Nissa grins. She begins tweeting and chirping, both hands cupping her mouth.
The birdsong in the trees above them quiets, then. The emptiness that surrounds them is deafening for a moment, and then the air whistles above them. Landing on the brown earth between the boulder and the mice is a great spotted woodpecker.
He chirps massively, then cocks his head this way and that to listen to Nissa.
(What will you have the woodpecker do, Nissa?)
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Mazer considers the hare's report. There is a real incentive to keep the pace going, but he doesn't want to needlessly endanger the group. "I think one of us should scout ahead," he suggests. As he is still learning the capabilities of the group, he asks: "Who among us is best suited for the task?"
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
"I will scout," Nissa declares, not looking in the direction of the group as she approaches the enormous red and white bird with care. It dips its head, and she hops on its back, settling cleanly amid the feathers. She leans forward and gives a small trill, a chirp, and in a flash the bird hops once and launches into the air, carrying the small black mouse with it, holding on for dear life!
They circle once, then head in the direction Thornbuck indicated, until they are lost to sight behind the trees. It is just a few minutes before they come swooping back in, doing a fast dive and landing near the group, the woodpecker hopping once or twice. Nissa slides off, and chirps thanks to the bird, which is eyeing Haul with avid curiousity. Another sharp chirp and it sort of shrugs and hops away, taking off and leaving.
She marches up to Mazer. "A cart is overturned in the road, no creatures to be seen, not quite ten minutes on, walking. We must—" she stops herself and nods at Mazer. "What would you have us do, Captain."
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Thornbuck snorts and hops off of his perch. He spares a glance for Nissa (apparently he was at least somewhat impressed by her stunt with the woodpecker), but the idea that these 3 (moderately) capable mice would defer to a tenderpaw is laughable.
Guard ranking makes absolutely no sense. He thinks Should have brought a newborn mousepup along, too. Then we would REALLY have some strength of leadership.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Mazer nods. An overturned cart, nothing too dangerous on the face of it. It could be any number of things. Perhaps simply a broken wheel, and people went to get tools. Perhaps a practical joke, young mice taking a farmer's cart and leaving it in the middle of the road. It could also be another stoat, having kicked over the cart and swallowed the occupants.
Mazer suggests that two of them, Nissa and Eli, take the woods, while he and Craven take the road. His reasoning is that Haul will need to be near its master, and wouldn't be very discreet crashing through branches.
If it turns out to be nothing, there is a minimal delay. But if there is something, then the element of surprise from the ranger and the lightkeeper could be important.
Mazer proposes this, then listens to the others. One of them might have a better idea, or might point out a flaw that he had not considered. If not, then he starts to make his way with Craven, Haul, and Thornbuck along the road.
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
Craven is lounging on the palatine on the back of Haul, “Is we being there yet yet?”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
He asked. “Eli is better wit his fists, and your bow has t’best advantage from t’woods,” she says without much deference. “I should take t’woods on t’left, and you t’right, t’em two... t’ree, up t’road.”
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
So organized (unless I hear differently!) the party makes their way westward. Thornbuck moves on ahead, his long legs eating more hard-packed earth at a jog than any of you could manage in an all-out sprint. His expression is aloof, but his constantly rotating ears betray his alertness: he's expecting trouble.
Eli and Craven continue on the road behind him (it's up to AP whether Eli joins Craven aboard the giant bug). There certainly doesn't seem to be anything amiss from their vantage point... No more than seven or eight minutes after parting ways, the party on the main road reaches the hand cart. It's... a mess. 'Rindle Farms' is painted in bright green along the side, but it's also coated in a spray of mud. Bags of food have been spilled and scattered across the road beside it, and what appears to be a splatter of blood has soaked into the dirt nearby. Also, unmistakably, a large stoat claw mark is visible on the side of the cart.
Mazer, you pick your way through the woods with your bow drawn. When you draw level with the cart on the north side of the path, you notice that a number of leaves and twigs around you are broken. You can make neither heads nor tails of these tracks, however.
Nissa, you make excellent time through the woods. You're still feeling pretty great about your flight on the woodpecker. You may be cool as a cucumber most of the time, but the surging giddiness of flight is hard to shake. It's still ebbing through your veins when you feel your hindpaw trigger the trap you failed to notice. A silken rope quickly tightens around your ankle as you are hoisted high into the air. You let out an involuntary SQUEAK and you're left to dangle, helplessly, upside-down.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
"Squeak!!!" Well aware of what happens to creatures in a trap, Nissa will hurriedly try to curl up to the rope, grab it with her front paws, and use her teeth to try to cut it.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Good news and bad news: The good news is this silken rope is of the sort favored by the squirrels. The bad news is that, as a result, there's absolutely no chance your teeth will loosen the knot or cut through the material.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Ugh. Nissa will relax and let herself hang, closing her eyes and listening for squirrels, her ears twitching. Well, the one full ear and the tattered remains of the other.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me