Kulogall turns to Ruby and says "He can't do that. He has no idea what he's doing, which makes him even more dangerous. And to believe that I was starting to fall for his line of rubbish!" He turns to Isadore and says "You're right, we are not here to act as constable. Sorry for that, old habits die hard. Back in the guard, we coasties would have brought him to port for justice and judgement. But that is not our job here. And I"m sorry that I lost my temper there." He looks up, saying no more about the subject, he looks to the horizon with a long stare, then says "I'll be glad when we get to the mine and the job is done."
After that he walks over to Baaaaaah-veth and looks him over, trying to ascertain the status of his transformation and how long it may last. "Poor Daveth. You are having a rough start as an adventurer."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"I don't think he has the slightest idea on how to do that Ruby, he doesn't really know what they do, or how to reverse any effects, just let him go."Elwyn shouts to the halfling. "Hopefully Baaa-veth here will return to his normal naive form within time. How should we split the magical items though?" Elwyn says, and takes a swig from his water skin.
Ariana suggests, between bites, some soup on her chin, "However you all want to hand out the magic items is fine with me." She finishes her dinner. "While you decide, I'm going to go meditate."
She stands and without waiting for a response, walks into the woods.
She walks in about 300 ft. She doesn't do anything with the mushrooms. She just meditates. :)
She keeps her senses about her, though, and has Wesley to nibble her finger if he senses any danger.
Perception 19
If granted advantage for help from Wesley, the second roll for Perception 5
After about an hour, she returns to the group, looking mentally and emotionally refreshed.
"Yeah.. guess you´re right." She says, feeling a bit down. She will come back to have what is left of the soup, sitting down next to Baaa-veth with just a simple: "Don´t worry, we´ll figure it out." "I don´t really care for any of those two items so the rest of you can decide who gets them." She says after hearing what each of the items does. "But what about the mushrooms? Do you think we should get rid of them or keep them?"
Neither you nor Wesley sense any danger during your meditation. When you return to the group, Daveth has returned to his normal form.
All - After a little more than an hour, Baaah-veth suddenly begins to glow. He starts baaaahing as he looks around with fear in his strange eyes. With a long "baaaaaaahhhhhh!" and a CRACK, Daveth returns to his normal form in a puff of smoke. "aaaaaaah! Oh... Oh thank goodness!" He rolls over onto his back from hands and knees and lays there breathing deeply. He begins to laugh and as he lays there he says, "Ok... No more maidens in ponds... No more magic mushrooms... Do they have a temple in Saltmarsh? I'm thinking of becoming a man of the cloth..." Daveth props himself up on his elbows and looks to you all with a chuckle. After dinner is done and the night has come, Isadore says "Tymora willing we'll reach the mine by mid-day tomorrow. It's about time to set a watchman and settle down for the night. I'll let ye decide amongst yourselves who has which watch, same as before." There will be five watches of two hours each. Each player should post which watch they're taking, briefly describe how they spend their watch, and make a Perception check.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kulogall, still feeling antsy, says that he will take first watch. He will keep the fire going, at a low to mid level. He sits down and takes deep breaths, calming his mind, a mantra of relaxation, then keeping his eyes and ears fixed on the periphery of the camp. From time to time he reaches out with his mind, “Are you there?”, but the earlier sensation is gone. He keeps watch in the usual manner when on board ship, biting his cheek, hitting his thigh or cheek to stay awake and alert.
Perception : 18
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Wake will volunteer for third watch. Before going to sleep he will convey to the volunteer of the second watch, Vigilant Blessing. He will give it to himself during the third watch and then pass it to the fourth watch as he taps out.
Vigilant Blessing: The night has taught you to be vigilant. As an action, you give one creature you touch (including possibly yourself) advantage on the next initiative roll the creature makes. This benefit ends immediately after the roll or if you use this feature again.
He will commune with Selune and appreciate the night sky while silently keeping watch.
Perception: 8
If Guidance is allowed, add: 4 to the Perception roll.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Before people starts turn in for the night Elwyn can't help himself and grabs his lute and sings again. "There once was a young man from Amphail who was sold a mushroom on his trail the price it was steep he turned to a sheep last seen in the forest was his tail."
Elwyn sleeps well and takes second watch, keeping the fire going and keeping a good lookout, while thinking out new fantabulous stories. Perception:24
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ruby will take the last watch, sitting near the fire and occasionaly poking it with a stick. After making sure everyone is asleep, Ruby would like to find the sack with the purple mushrooms in it and put two of them in her backpack, thinking they might come in handy later.
For the rest of the night she will listen for any sounds of movemet in the woods in case the bandits decided to pay them another visit.
Before turning in to sleep, feeling much better after her meditation, Ariana can actually be seen smiling and even tapping her foot a bit to Elwyn's song.
As the night winds slowly on you find yourself drawn to the dancing flames of the campfire. You peer into their depths... Watching the small cinders that ride skyward on the warm updraft... The shadows from between the logs, flickering... winking... flashing... You're marching through the old house in a simmering rage... None of your subordinates meet your gaze as you stomp by... They know all too well the price to be paid for earning your ire... Down the decrepit stairs and into the cellar... The smell of blood finds your nose and you stop... A figure lies dead on the cellar floor... Not one of your men... An ill-fated adventurer then? Sanbalet has many questions to answer... Through the secret door and into the barracks... Laughter and smiles die quick deaths under your stern glare... Where is he? you say, barely more than a whisper but with all the boiling ferocity of a hurricane... The men point to his quarters and you stomp over to them... He's reading in his bed when you enter... His contentment turns to fear as he sees your eyes... Xolo, he stammers... Wha...What can I do for you? You snatch the book from his hands and strike him with it... Once isn't enough... Again and again until the book is tattered and torn... YOU RISK EVERYTHING! You shout... I don't know what you mean, sir... I...THE GIRL! SHE HAS BEEN FOUND! YOU'LL LEAD THEM RIGHT TO US! Sanbalet cowers and says, I... I'm sorry! She was too feisty! She'd never make a good slave! She bit my damn finger off! I... I had to make an example... Or the others might get too brave... You give him a look of utter contempt and reply, The next time you make an example, make sure the body isn't found! Or I'll let the Lizardfolk... You stop... Sensing something... A familiar presence... Kul..? You think... Then it's gone... Sanbalet still cowers before you... Your rage is still unquenched, raising a fist, you bring it down with a roar... CRACK The campfire gives a loud crack as some pocket of air or water within the logs boils and explodes. A flurry of sparks scramble upward, like drowning men flailing for the surface of a churning ocean. You shake your head and look around, the campfire appears safe and your companions are sleeping soundly. Heart racing with confusion and apprehension, you make a round of the camp to ensure everything is ok. As far as you can tell, all is well. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully.
Kulogall gently wakes you from your sleep and settles in to his bedroll. He seems distant, offering only one word responses to your questions. You tend the fire and recall the events of the past few days, smiling to yourself as you think of just how you're going to tell the tale and how the drinks will flow, how the laughs and cheers will fill the taverns, the ladies will smile their inviting smiles, and your coin pouch will fill to bursting. With these thoughts filling your head you complete your watch. It passes uneventfully for you and you quickly fall back asleep when it is over.
It is a clear, cloudless night. The moon smiles upon you, blessing you with her soft comforting glow. Your companions mostly sleep soundly under your watch, although Kulogall seems to toss and turn every few minutes and mutter in his sleep. The forest is alive around you. You see and hear creatures of the night creeping about their twilight territory. An owl glides soundlessly through the air toward a twitching bit of grass. It spreads its wings wide to arrest its momentum, talons outstretched. A brief but one-sided struggle ensues and the owl takes flight once more, a small rodent grasped tightly in its claws. You make a round of the camp every quarter hour or so, finding your gaze often returning to the moon above. One of the mules snores noisily as you pass. Your watch passes uneventfully in the light of the moon.
Ariana - Wake nudges you softly, bringing you to consciousness. After a brief stretch to stave off the lingering lethargy, you make a round of the camp, ensuring everything is secure. Once that is done, you find near the campfire a bit of cheese and crackers wrapped in waxed paper. Isadore had offered what was left of his rations and left them for anyone to grab before retiring to his bedroll. As you pick up the small bundle, something falls out and you just manage to catch it before it hits the ground. Your eyes light up when you see it, one of Isadore's garlic sausages! He thought he was sneaky, trying to eat them when he thought others weren't watching, but you saw him early on into the trip. His secrecy piqued your curiosity and you asked about what he was eating. A bit embarrassed, he showed you the sausages. He reluctantly offered you one and when you accepted, he tried to hide his frown, but again you saw. He snapped one in half and handed it to you before quickly stuffing the rest back into his pack. They were delicious. You found yourself thinking of them over bowls of thin soup and watery porridge. Smiling at your fortune, you messily enjoy it as you walk around the campsite. With nothing much to look at, you wander a bit further from camp. You find the road again and look back toward the camp. You see the soft glow of the low fire roughly thirty yards away. A sound draws your attention back to the road in front of you. Barely a whisper, but there. Something moving through the woods about fifteen yards up the road. Your eyes widen and you start to look around for someplace to take cover, but before you can react, something steps out of the woods and into the road. A scaly snout peeks through the tall blades of roadside grass. Yellow eyes peer out from the darkness. A clawed foot slips out of the grass and into the dirt of the road. The upper body of a humanoid lizard person emerges and you see that it carries a bow in hand with an arrow nocked, but not drawn. Leather scraps cover its body in places and crudely fashioned armor made from the parts of various animals and plant life adorn the rest. The lizardfolk silently stalks into the road and stops. It stares at you for a second before its tongue flicks out between its partially opened lips. It cocks its head slightly to the side, but makes no aggressive or threatening movements. After considering you for a few moments more, the lizardfolk makes a clicking noise and suddenly more of its kind step silently out of the woods. All similar in size and dress as the first, but carrying various types of crude weaponry. Everything appears to be made from wood and either bone or rock but appears as deadly as iron or steel. The lizardfolk hunting party crosses from the woods on one side of the road to the other while the scout stands watch. As the last of the hunting party slip through the trees, the one in the road stares at you for a few seconds, then turns and joins the others. Judging from where they entered and the direction they appeared to be heading, you don't think they're headed near your camp though you're fairly certain they saw it. Hurrying back to the campsite, you find it as you had left it only minutes before. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully and you see no more sign of the lizardfolk.
When Ariana wakes Ruby for the last watch, she details what she saw and urges her to keep her senses up. "I don't believe we're in immediate danger, so I'm going to sleep this last few hours, but please do wake me if anything seems amiss." She then returns to camp to finish the night resting.
You're shaken from your sleep by Ariana and yawn as you try to recall the subject of your dreams... Purple sheep? You smile a bit to yourself as you get to your feet and begin your watch. Your companions seem to be sleeping soundly and the fire burns low. As the moon dips silently behind the treetops a glow begins to fill the sky. Morning will soon be upon you and even now one of the mules stands and twitches its flanks in the cool morning air. You walk over to it and pet it as it placidly chews on a clump of grass. The hair is thick and coarse, but short, it reminds you a bit of your own. Leaving the mule to enjoy his breakfast, you make a round of the campsite. You splash a bit of water on your face from a nearby stream and watch as fallen leaves glide smoothly along the surface. You see your reflection in the water and smile. The events of the past few days have been nothing if not interesting. The owlbear was certainly frightening, and you think to yourself, Did I really stab an owlbear? Impressed with yourself, you then feel a little down as you remember that the job will end soon and this friendly band of misfits you've fallen in with might go their separate ways, leaving you to find your own way in the world. Shaking off the sadness, you tell yourself, You're a big girl Ruby, you've made it this far... Heck, you stabbed an owlbear for crying out loud! You can do this. You feel better after the pep talk and finish your watch with a smile on your face once again. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully and your companions are beginning to awake.
All - The morning light and the sounds on others awaken you. The air is chilly and you can see your breath as you get ready for another day of travel. The road winds its way out of the Dreadwood and back toward the coast again. You can see the Trackless Sea stretching out to the horizon to the left and gulls squawk noisily as they fly by the cliffs that the road follows. From the peak of the cliffs, you see the mine up ahead to the right of the road a few miles away. Parts of the rocky hills have been shaved away and reshaped, their precious contents carted away. As you get closer, you can see a few mineshafts yawning in the hillside as well. You see dwarves mostly, though there is a scattering of other races, going about various tasks. Some lay wooden ties in an orderly row and hammer steel rails to them, making paths for the mine carts to glide upon. Others venture into the gaping mineshafts with picks and shovels in hand, jesting with one another as they descend into the earth. Another group is clearing trees, rocks, and dirt away from the site, making way for various structures to be built. You arrive at the mine and are greeted by a group of laborers that begin unloading the wagons. They cheer when they see the barrels of ale and set about unloading them first when they're redirected by a boisterous dwarven woman, "Git yer mitts off those barrels boys or I'll toss 'em in the sea myself! That batch is going under lock and key just as soon as you get the rest of these supplies unloaded. You lot drank the entire camp dry in two days last time we got a shipment! Get on with it! Go! Now!" She turns from barking orders and greets Isadore, "Izzy! Ye made it!" Isadore smiles and says, "I did, thanks to these fine folk." He gives the woman a hug and she says, "Was there trouble?" Isadore says, "Ye could say that... An owlbear, bandits, some whackjob peddling magic mushrooms... It was interestin' that's fer sure." The woman's eyes widen at the mention of the owlbear, "Well I'm glad you made it alright." Isadore sighs and says, "Well, we lost Rosey. Damn owlbear had 'er fer lunch." The woman lays her hand on Isadore's forearm and says, "Aw, I'm sorry hon." She turns to you all and thanks for your help getting Isadore and the supplies safely to the mine. Isadore asks you all to wait a minute and heads off. When he returns he hands you each 50 gold pieces from a large sack. "I can't thank ye enough for your help gettin' here in one piece. Yer a good lot. If yer headed to Saltmarsh now, stop in The Wicker Goat and talk with Manistrad Copperlocks. She runs the mine. Tell 'er I sent ya and she'll help you find steady work, I'm sure. Take care of yerselves!" With that he leaves to help unload the rest of the wagon.
Ruby - Daveth yawns and says, "Oh, not too baaah-d" his eyes grow wide and he slaps his hand over his mouth. After a few seconds and no more sheep noises, he chuckles a bit and says, "Guess I've still got a bit of it in my system. I feel fine. Thank you for helping to fetch me when I was spooked. It was a strange experience. One second I felt like myself and I could understand you, the next, the sheep took over and I was afraid of everything. Anyway, that was very brave of you to go after that owlbear with only a dagger! I about wet myself trying to get that harness undone, but you walked right up to that beast and stuck it like it was nothing more than a fat sausage! Weren't you scared?"
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Kulogall turns to Ruby and says "He can't do that. He has no idea what he's doing, which makes him even more dangerous. And to believe that I was starting to fall for his line of rubbish!" He turns to Isadore and says "You're right, we are not here to act as constable. Sorry for that, old habits die hard. Back in the guard, we coasties would have brought him to port for justice and judgement. But that is not our job here. And I"m sorry that I lost my temper there." He looks up, saying no more about the subject, he looks to the horizon with a long stare, then says "I'll be glad when we get to the mine and the job is done."
After that he walks over to Baaaaaah-veth and looks him over, trying to ascertain the status of his transformation and how long it may last. "Poor Daveth. You are having a rough start as an adventurer."
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"I don't think he has the slightest idea on how to do that Ruby, he doesn't really know what they do, or how to reverse any effects, just let him go." Elwyn shouts to the halfling.
"Hopefully Baaa-veth here will return to his normal naive form within time. How should we split the magical items though?" Elwyn says, and takes a swig from his water skin.
Ariana suggests, between bites, some soup on her chin, "However you all want to hand out the magic items is fine with me." She finishes her dinner. "While you decide, I'm going to go meditate."
She stands and without waiting for a response, walks into the woods.
She walks in about 300 ft. She doesn't do anything with the mushrooms. She just meditates. :)
She keeps her senses about her, though, and has Wesley to nibble her finger if he senses any danger.
Perception 19
If granted advantage for help from Wesley, the second roll for Perception 5
After about an hour, she returns to the group, looking mentally and emotionally refreshed.
"Yeah.. guess you´re right." She says, feeling a bit down. She will come back to have what is left of the soup, sitting down next to Baaa-veth with just a simple: "Don´t worry, we´ll figure it out."
"I don´t really care for any of those two items so the rest of you can decide who gets them." She says after hearing what each of the items does. "But what about the mushrooms? Do you think we should get rid of them or keep them?"
Ariana -
Neither you nor Wesley sense any danger during your meditation. When you return to the group, Daveth has returned to his normal form.
All - After a little more than an hour, Baaah-veth suddenly begins to glow. He starts baaaahing as he looks around with fear in his strange eyes. With a long "baaaaaaahhhhhh!" and a CRACK, Daveth returns to his normal form in a puff of smoke. "aaaaaaah! Oh... Oh thank goodness!" He rolls over onto his back from hands and knees and lays there breathing deeply. He begins to laugh and as he lays there he says, "Ok... No more maidens in ponds... No more magic mushrooms... Do they have a temple in Saltmarsh? I'm thinking of becoming a man of the cloth..." Daveth props himself up on his elbows and looks to you all with a chuckle. After dinner is done and the night has come, Isadore says "Tymora willing we'll reach the mine by mid-day tomorrow. It's about time to set a watchman and settle down for the night. I'll let ye decide amongst yourselves who has which watch, same as before." There will be five watches of two hours each. Each player should post which watch they're taking, briefly describe how they spend their watch, and make a Perception check.
Kulogall, still feeling antsy, says that he will take first watch. He will keep the fire going, at a low to mid level. He sits down and takes deep breaths, calming his mind, a mantra of relaxation, then keeping his eyes and ears fixed on the periphery of the camp. From time to time he reaches out with his mind, “Are you there?”, but the earlier sensation is gone. He keeps watch in the usual manner when on board ship, biting his cheek, hitting his thigh or cheek to stay awake and alert.
Perception : 18
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Wake will volunteer for third watch. Before going to sleep he will convey to the volunteer of the second watch, Vigilant Blessing. He will give it to himself during the third watch and then pass it to the fourth watch as he taps out.
Vigilant Blessing: The night has taught you to be vigilant. As an action, you give one creature you touch (including possibly yourself) advantage on the next initiative roll the creature makes. This benefit ends immediately after the roll or if you use this feature again.
He will commune with Selune and appreciate the night sky while silently keeping watch.
Perception: 8
If Guidance is allowed, add: 4 to the Perception roll.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
Ariana will take the fourth watch.
Ariana scrounges around the campfire for leftover food, bread, anything. Investigation 2
If she finds anything edible other than the mushrooms, she eats it gluttonously, leaving crumbs all over her face.
For the rest of the watch, she meditates as before, keeping up her senses for signs of danger.
Perception 10
If granted advantage by Wesley, second roll for Perception 18
Before people starts turn in for the night Elwyn can't help himself and grabs his lute and sings again.
"There once was a young man from Amphail
who was sold a mushroom on his trail
the price it was steep
he turned to a sheep
last seen in the forest was his tail."
Elwyn sleeps well and takes second watch, keeping the fire going and keeping a good lookout, while thinking out new fantabulous stories. Perception:24
Ruby will take the last watch, sitting near the fire and occasionaly poking it with a stick. After making sure everyone is asleep, Ruby would like to find the sack with the purple mushrooms in it and put two of them in her backpack, thinking they might come in handy later.
For the rest of the night she will listen for any sounds of movemet in the woods in case the bandits decided to pay them another visit.
Perception check: 10
Before turning in to sleep, feeling much better after her meditation, Ariana can actually be seen smiling and even tapping her foot a bit to Elwyn's song.
Kulogall -
As the night winds slowly on you find yourself drawn to the dancing flames of the campfire. You peer into their depths... Watching the small cinders that ride skyward on the warm updraft... The shadows from between the logs, flickering... winking... flashing... You're marching through the old house in a simmering rage... None of your subordinates meet your gaze as you stomp by... They know all too well the price to be paid for earning your ire... Down the decrepit stairs and into the cellar... The smell of blood finds your nose and you stop... A figure lies dead on the cellar floor... Not one of your men... An ill-fated adventurer then? Sanbalet has many questions to answer... Through the secret door and into the barracks... Laughter and smiles die quick deaths under your stern glare... Where is he? you say, barely more than a whisper but with all the boiling ferocity of a hurricane... The men point to his quarters and you stomp over to them... He's reading in his bed when you enter... His contentment turns to fear as he sees your eyes... Xolo, he stammers... Wha...What can I do for you? You snatch the book from his hands and strike him with it... Once isn't enough... Again and again until the book is tattered and torn... YOU RISK EVERYTHING! You shout... I don't know what you mean, sir... I... THE GIRL! SHE HAS BEEN FOUND! YOU'LL LEAD THEM RIGHT TO US! Sanbalet cowers and says, I... I'm sorry! She was too feisty! She'd never make a good slave! She bit my damn finger off! I... I had to make an example... Or the others might get too brave... You give him a look of utter contempt and reply, The next time you make an example, make sure the body isn't found! Or I'll let the Lizardfolk... You stop... Sensing something... A familiar presence... Kul..? You think... Then it's gone... Sanbalet still cowers before you... Your rage is still unquenched, raising a fist, you bring it down with a roar... CRACK The campfire gives a loud crack as some pocket of air or water within the logs boils and explodes. A flurry of sparks scramble upward, like drowning men flailing for the surface of a churning ocean. You shake your head and look around, the campfire appears safe and your companions are sleeping soundly. Heart racing with confusion and apprehension, you make a round of the camp to ensure everything is ok. As far as you can tell, all is well. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully.
Elwyn -
Kulogall gently wakes you from your sleep and settles in to his bedroll. He seems distant, offering only one word responses to your questions. You tend the fire and recall the events of the past few days, smiling to yourself as you think of just how you're going to tell the tale and how the drinks will flow, how the laughs and cheers will fill the taverns, the ladies will smile their inviting smiles, and your coin pouch will fill to bursting. With these thoughts filling your head you complete your watch. It passes uneventfully for you and you quickly fall back asleep when it is over.
Wake -
It is a clear, cloudless night. The moon smiles upon you, blessing you with her soft comforting glow. Your companions mostly sleep soundly under your watch, although Kulogall seems to toss and turn every few minutes and mutter in his sleep. The forest is alive around you. You see and hear creatures of the night creeping about their twilight territory. An owl glides soundlessly through the air toward a twitching bit of grass. It spreads its wings wide to arrest its momentum, talons outstretched. A brief but one-sided struggle ensues and the owl takes flight once more, a small rodent grasped tightly in its claws. You make a round of the camp every quarter hour or so, finding your gaze often returning to the moon above. One of the mules snores noisily as you pass. Your watch passes uneventfully in the light of the moon.
Ariana - Wake nudges you softly, bringing you to consciousness. After a brief stretch to stave off the lingering lethargy, you make a round of the camp, ensuring everything is secure. Once that is done, you find near the campfire a bit of cheese and crackers wrapped in waxed paper. Isadore had offered what was left of his rations and left them for anyone to grab before retiring to his bedroll. As you pick up the small bundle, something falls out and you just manage to catch it before it hits the ground. Your eyes light up when you see it, one of Isadore's garlic sausages! He thought he was sneaky, trying to eat them when he thought others weren't watching, but you saw him early on into the trip. His secrecy piqued your curiosity and you asked about what he was eating. A bit embarrassed, he showed you the sausages. He reluctantly offered you one and when you accepted, he tried to hide his frown, but again you saw. He snapped one in half and handed it to you before quickly stuffing the rest back into his pack. They were delicious. You found yourself thinking of them over bowls of thin soup and watery porridge. Smiling at your fortune, you messily enjoy it as you walk around the campsite. With nothing much to look at, you wander a bit further from camp. You find the road again and look back toward the camp. You see the soft glow of the low fire roughly thirty yards away. A sound draws your attention back to the road in front of you. Barely a whisper, but there. Something moving through the woods about fifteen yards up the road. Your eyes widen and you start to look around for someplace to take cover, but before you can react, something steps out of the woods and into the road. A scaly snout peeks through the tall blades of roadside grass. Yellow eyes peer out from the darkness. A clawed foot slips out of the grass and into the dirt of the road. The upper body of a humanoid lizard person emerges and you see that it carries a bow in hand with an arrow nocked, but not drawn. Leather scraps cover its body in places and crudely fashioned armor made from the parts of various animals and plant life adorn the rest. The lizardfolk silently stalks into the road and stops. It stares at you for a second before its tongue flicks out between its partially opened lips. It cocks its head slightly to the side, but makes no aggressive or threatening movements. After considering you for a few moments more, the lizardfolk makes a clicking noise and suddenly more of its kind step silently out of the woods. All similar in size and dress as the first, but carrying various types of crude weaponry. Everything appears to be made from wood and either bone or rock but appears as deadly as iron or steel. The lizardfolk hunting party crosses from the woods on one side of the road to the other while the scout stands watch. As the last of the hunting party slip through the trees, the one in the road stares at you for a few seconds, then turns and joins the others. Judging from where they entered and the direction they appeared to be heading, you don't think they're headed near your camp though you're fairly certain they saw it. Hurrying back to the campsite, you find it as you had left it only minutes before. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully and you see no more sign of the lizardfolk.
When Ariana wakes Ruby for the last watch, she details what she saw and urges her to keep her senses up. "I don't believe we're in immediate danger, so I'm going to sleep this last few hours, but please do wake me if anything seems amiss." She then returns to camp to finish the night resting.
Ruby -
You're shaken from your sleep by Ariana and yawn as you try to recall the subject of your dreams... Purple sheep? You smile a bit to yourself as you get to your feet and begin your watch. Your companions seem to be sleeping soundly and the fire burns low. As the moon dips silently behind the treetops a glow begins to fill the sky. Morning will soon be upon you and even now one of the mules stands and twitches its flanks in the cool morning air. You walk over to it and pet it as it placidly chews on a clump of grass. The hair is thick and coarse, but short, it reminds you a bit of your own. Leaving the mule to enjoy his breakfast, you make a round of the campsite. You splash a bit of water on your face from a nearby stream and watch as fallen leaves glide smoothly along the surface. You see your reflection in the water and smile. The events of the past few days have been nothing if not interesting. The owlbear was certainly frightening, and you think to yourself, Did I really stab an owlbear? Impressed with yourself, you then feel a little down as you remember that the job will end soon and this friendly band of misfits you've fallen in with might go their separate ways, leaving you to find your own way in the world. Shaking off the sadness, you tell yourself, You're a big girl Ruby, you've made it this far... Heck, you stabbed an owlbear for crying out loud! You can do this. You feel better after the pep talk and finish your watch with a smile on your face once again. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully and your companions are beginning to awake.
After the night passes without any problems, Ruby gets slowly ready for the last stretch of their journey while the others are getting up.
After Daveth wakes up, Ruby will come up to him and smile warmly. "I am glad you are yourself again. How are you feeling?"
All - The morning light and the sounds on others awaken you. The air is chilly and you can see your breath as you get ready for another day of travel. The road winds its way out of the Dreadwood and back toward the coast again. You can see the Trackless Sea stretching out to the horizon to the left and gulls squawk noisily as they fly by the cliffs that the road follows. From the peak of the cliffs, you see the mine up ahead to the right of the road a few miles away. Parts of the rocky hills have been shaved away and reshaped, their precious contents carted away. As you get closer, you can see a few mineshafts yawning in the hillside as well. You see dwarves mostly, though there is a scattering of other races, going about various tasks. Some lay wooden ties in an orderly row and hammer steel rails to them, making paths for the mine carts to glide upon. Others venture into the gaping mineshafts with picks and shovels in hand, jesting with one another as they descend into the earth. Another group is clearing trees, rocks, and dirt away from the site, making way for various structures to be built. You arrive at the mine and are greeted by a group of laborers that begin unloading the wagons. They cheer when they see the barrels of ale and set about unloading them first when they're redirected by a boisterous dwarven woman, "Git yer mitts off those barrels boys or I'll toss 'em in the sea myself! That batch is going under lock and key just as soon as you get the rest of these supplies unloaded. You lot drank the entire camp dry in two days last time we got a shipment! Get on with it! Go! Now!" She turns from barking orders and greets Isadore, "Izzy! Ye made it!" Isadore smiles and says, "I did, thanks to these fine folk." He gives the woman a hug and she says, "Was there trouble?" Isadore says, "Ye could say that... An owlbear, bandits, some whackjob peddling magic mushrooms... It was interestin' that's fer sure." The woman's eyes widen at the mention of the owlbear, "Well I'm glad you made it alright." Isadore sighs and says, "Well, we lost Rosey. Damn owlbear had 'er fer lunch." The woman lays her hand on Isadore's forearm and says, "Aw, I'm sorry hon." She turns to you all and thanks for your help getting Isadore and the supplies safely to the mine. Isadore asks you all to wait a minute and heads off. When he returns he hands you each 50 gold pieces from a large sack. "I can't thank ye enough for your help gettin' here in one piece. Yer a good lot. If yer headed to Saltmarsh now, stop in The Wicker Goat and talk with Manistrad Copperlocks. She runs the mine. Tell 'er I sent ya and she'll help you find steady work, I'm sure. Take care of yerselves!" With that he leaves to help unload the rest of the wagon.
Ruby - Daveth yawns and says, "Oh, not too baaah-d" his eyes grow wide and he slaps his hand over his mouth. After a few seconds and no more sheep noises, he chuckles a bit and says, "Guess I've still got a bit of it in my system. I feel fine. Thank you for helping to fetch me when I was spooked. It was a strange experience. One second I felt like myself and I could understand you, the next, the sheep took over and I was afraid of everything. Anyway, that was very brave of you to go after that owlbear with only a dagger! I about wet myself trying to get that harness undone, but you walked right up to that beast and stuck it like it was nothing more than a fat sausage! Weren't you scared?"