Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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" Aye, Thanom. He was on watch overnight, we'd just left Tegris an hour before...there was no splash he was just snatched up into the air, no one heard a thing."
" Could have been anything really....theres a lot of wild country along the Silver."
She looked saddened.
" Your free to come upstream and have a look, we're just dropping this at Tegris then heading back. A few extra hands on the poles won't hurt."
" There wasn't any noise though....you know...if it had been a gryphon or the like there would have been a lot of air movement and noise as it tried to gain height again....but it was deadly quiet..."
Rufus examined the flat vessel carefully, certainly nothing he'd like to go to sea in but he was sure it served well enough for river trade.
He finds no signs or damage to the vessel from an attack.
"How did you find out he was gone? Was someone near by to be so sure the man disappeared?" Lindale probably should not interfere but could not help it.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Brocc keeps his position, waiting for his friends to return from the ship.
" He didn't come inside the cabin to get the next watch, we were all playing cards inside at the time."
" We've lost crew before to Razor Fish, Devils Locks and Harpoon Flies.....this one was just weird..."
Rufus looks about at his companions and inquires, "Should we accompany them then? It may be the best way to determine well befell Thanom."
Lindale nodded as well: she wanted to help the guy - Thanom? (if he could be helped) but the idea to sail on the ship was exciting on it's own. While Banzo was asking Brocc to join them on the deck, she entertained the captain (or, let's be honest, herself) with more questions: "So, even if you are inside the cabin, you would hear if someone falls overboard or any other noise? The quietness is the main strangeness here? Have you heard about similar disappearances from other ships? Or not from ships? Is this area - the hour from Tegris, right? - knows for people disappearance? For known cases? (you said Razor Fish, Devils Locks and Harpoon Flies are common, right?) Or is it something new completely?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
The Bargemistress gave Lindale a big gaptoothed smile, " Certainly, the river is quiet at night, except for the frogs, you can certainly hear a man falling into water."
" Hmmm, you know I haven't heard of it happening to other barges, but there was a coracle drifted past a few days ago. Could have just been abandoned, but perhaps someone was snatched from it? Nobody but orcs, goblins and the like live out in those wild lands...if they were being taken who would ever know?"
" If its not just an isolated incident then I'd say this would be the start of it....most barges are family run, they'd yell if their folk went missing."
" As for the beasties, as long as you keep yourself out of the water the fish and things are unlikely to bother you, Harpoon Flies can be a bother in spring but with a full crew your usually alright."
"I'm fine with going. River shouldn't bring up my seasickness," Hatch said. "Probably not."
“Very well.” Brocc agrees. He has the spider walk onto the dock, and then onto the barge, as he draws closer to it. “Well met.” He tells the craft’s master. “Seems like we’ll be traveling with you. Hope we can help figure out why your man went missing...” He climbs off hte spider, and stands next to it, one hand on the construct’s back.
" Very well.", the bargemistress says looking slightly askance at the spider-thing.
"Get yourselves settled, theres plenty of room but we'll be full on the way back I'll wager."
After an hour or so everything was stowed away and the crew finished loading the boat and pushed off from the docks.
They boat was propelled by means of two large feathered crossed oars and a pole at the rear by two huge human men with sun-leathered skin, the Silver River lived up to its name only when the sun danced across its flat surface...otherwise the water was uniformly brown.
Suthida pointed out various things as they travelled, different trees and plants on the bank, swirls in the water indicating feeding fish and birds that congregated near the waters edge.
After several hours journey she brought out parcels of sticky rice filled with chilli fish and a jug of rice whiskey that stung your eyes a little as the seal was removed.
"We've still a ways to go, tell me a litttle about yourselves and what brings such an interesting family together."
Rufus always seeking the opportunity to regale others with tales of the adventures of The Heroes of Chalice; settles in to tell the tale of the group's most recent slaying of The Demon of the Hills. He starts at the beginning as any good tale should. He tells of the original members meeting the Hillmen and Hatch initially driving them from their camp with his booming voice of doom. And of their second encounter where Rufus defused the situation with a timely casting of a spell that placed their attackers into an enchanted slumber. After they awoke the Hillmen explained the nature of their problem. Rufus explains how Brocc negotiated safe passage and aid in the hills, in exchange for slaying the demon. Finally he tales of the reformed party braving the Demon's lair and besting it. He drums up the parts of the others in the tale and downplays his own part.
He finishes his tale with a smile and dogs on heartily to the meal provided.
( +1 Inspiration)
" The Wild Hill Folk of the Moonstones are known to be a dangerous and quarrelsome folk, you did very well indeed to find common ground. As for the demon ( her eyes flicked to Hatch for a moment), it sounds fearsome indeed. I'm glad you all survived and triumphed."
" When we get to the area where he disappeared, did you want to disembark to look around or stay aboard and just chance that you can make something out?"
"That is the brunt of it." Brocc says with a nod to the story-teller in the group. "For my part I am mostly a tinker and warrior." He pats the spider next to him with a hand. "I built this mount and companion to aid us in our work around these parts."
" Its an interesting device. I've never seen the like."
Further down the river they came to a bend where a large sand bank extended almost all the way across the river, " Here, this is where we noted him missing....so I'd wager if you walk upstream from here you'll like find the place he actually disappeared."
The river barge was nudged onto the edge of the bank, " Jump off here, we'll stop here for a spell and then continue on and wait at the next major bend. Can't keep the deliveries waiting too long. I'd say you have about six hours. Its about 2 hours walk to where we'll be waiting for you."
" Most likely you'll want to walk on this bank, as that was the closest one when he disappeared."
" You'll need to jump down onto the sandbank, can your spider do that?"
"Thanks," Hatch said before disembarking. Once on the bank he would look for any prints or signs of interest before heading upstream like the Bargemistress suggested.
Perception 15
“Spiders are great jumpers.” Brocc said with a nod. He climbed onto his spider and the spider jumped to the sand with ease. Brocc then waited for the others to join him.
Rufus leaps to the sand bank and assists Hatch in looking for any trailsigns of the missing barge worker.
Survival: 9
Perception: 10
The five of them gathered on the sandbank, initial looks around revealing nothing of note as they climbed up and onto the riverbank.
Starting to walk upstream they kept their eyes peeled for trouble.
OOC: Alright- lets get two checks of any relevant skills from each player and we'll see what you find on your hike.
Lindale waited until Brocc's spider was on the sand (more to see the jump itself, had to be an interesting show) and then joined it and the rest of the group. Sort of joined - before jumping herself she whispered softly, her figure begun to loose colors, transforming into a mist cloud - moment later the mist disappeared, leaving on the deck a grey wolf with bright green eyes. The wolf shook as if shaking off something unpleasant from the fur, and jumped over board to the sand, immediately taking upstream along the river.
Perception: 20 (Advantage for smell and hearing), Nature: 7 , Survival: 21
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice