“Oh!” Petcan looks a bit embarrassed as he reaches in his pack. “I forgot, I made these for anyone who wants one.” He unwraps some sort of pastry using ingredients that look vaguely familiar but arranged in unfamiliar proportions. “I’ve been messing with the uh… travel rations. Trying to make something decent out of basics. I’m sort of proud about how good these are.” 

 “I suggest we take five, and go after the villagers. The plants, we just don’t know enough to understand the consequences of going down there, yet.” 

Decide amongst yourselves which lone single player is on 3rd watch and have them roll a Perception check.

Randall:

As evening falls, Randall says, “Let us rest for the night instead of following the natives in the dark.  I’ll take the last watch so I can see the sunrise and pray to the Morninglord.”

”Oh, and thanks for the pastry—I’ll see if there is any game around here we can eat to supplement it,” responds Randall to Petcan.

Survival for food and a good campsite:  14

(ooc: so Randall has 4th watch, you can post who has 1st and 2nd if you'd like but 3rd will need the Perception check.)

You know what Bow will take the third watch:P

Perception check: 22

Perception: 14

Bow posted 1st and wasn't surprised.

You hear grunting and snuffling sounds along with the snapping of small branches as a giant boar comes rushing out of the underbrush heading straight for you.

GB's initiative: 12 

Bow needs to roll initiative.

11

The giant boar charges at Bow.

Tusk Attack: 16 Damage: 7 slashing damage.

If the charge hits take 5 extra slashing damage and you must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

(Bow wears light armor and it only takes an action to equip a shield so for his watch he will benefit from his full AC. All others who are sleeping and usually benefit from medium or heavy armor are assumed not to be sleeping in their armor.)

(To be fair and if you want a challenge... you should not be able to benefit from a shield while using both your hand crossbows, or if you are only using one at a time that is fine but you don't have a free hand to reload it in that case. Entirely up to you how you want to face this encounter, it is an easy difficulty which is why I am suggesting this.)

(How I have been playing it upto now is I have one bow in hand, and one on my back within reach; both loaded so I have a total of 12 shots before I need to reload; although reloading with the shield is difficult indeed; might have to rethink this method for bigger fights :P)

Luckily Bow can keep the boar at bay with his shield after which he imbues his first crossbow with rite of the storm taking 5 damage in the process.

After that he gets of two quick shots on the boar:

Attack: 24 Damage: 22

Attack: 12 Damage: 23

(Trying not to wake the others)

Bow plants 2 well placed shots to fell the giant boar. Silence and peace reign once again and his companions slumber has not been disturbed.

(Fell free to describe any interaction with the great beast in subsequent posts. It is large size.)

(ooc: your method of having 12 shots available should work just fine for a while longer yet, I have only ever ran games for tier 1 & 2, but I have seen some tier 3 fights go long... we'll figure it out if/when it ever becomes relevant.)

When the beast drops Bow makes a round through the close surroundings after it seems everything is quite again he gets back to the camp.

He takes a look at the beast, and gives it a couple of pets on the back; thinking that is a pity that it attacked him, but it will make some good food for the morning and day. He refills the crossbow clip he used, which doesn't leave his hand during the rest of the watch, shield next to him. At the end he wakes Randall and tells him what happened and that it was a quite night besides the boar. Before he gets back to sleep for a couple of hours more.

The night passes and everyone can benefit from the long rest.

This is the 4th day of travel. It will takes hours yet, but you should all reach the site of the large fire today.

Randall:

Nodding his appreciation at the adroitness with which Bow dispatched the intruder, Randall uses much of his watch to properly skin and butcher the giant boar, and the party wakes up to the smell of sizzling bacon, though much of the choicest bits of meat have been left for Petcan the chef to pack and season as he sees fit.

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

Randall:

Nodding his appreciation at the adroitness with which Bow dispatched the intruder, Randall uses much of his watch to properly skin and butcher the giant boar, and the party wakes up to the smell of sizzling bacon, though much of the choicest bits of meat have been left for Petcan the chef to pack and season as he sees fit.

 Which he does, happily. 

Bow thanks Randall for the bacon and enjoys it a lot. While eating he starts a discussion on what to do with the natives and on how to approach them.

Zenodor suggests that perhaps if someone had a spell to polymorph or disguise themselves to look similiar to the Natives? If they think the person approaching them may be a friend from another village, they may be more friendly than to total strangers (who, given our races and equipment, would look very odd indeed).

Additionally, Z floats the idea that if things get heated with the natives, he could cast Major Image to make it appear that the strange blue flowers the Natives were playing their instruments for are breaking through the ground in the centre of the village. At the very least, it would be highly distracting, but it might also allow us to see what the Natives do about these flowers/monsters. Are they revered/feared, allies or threats?

Randall:

”I think we should go in as ourselves, but carefully…starting with deception will engender distrust if we are discovered.  I like the idea about the plants if things go poorly, though,” suggests Randall.

”But your ideas have given me one as well.  Perhaps we make camp a bit away from their village if we see it in the distance, then roast a goodly portion of this boar…They may come to us, and I can cast Tongues on our spokesmen.  Sharing food and letting them approach in their own time may be the least threatening.” adds the cleric thoughtfully…