The Trank River is relatively easy to navigate near the farms, with no whitewater in sight. Leaving Taroo's boat for the young man to return upriver, you cast off your rented keelboat, using the friendly current to drift quickly downstream toward the Twilight Marsh.
OOC: There are still a couple hours before sunset, so here it's really up to the party how far you would like to traverse. Are you trying to make it to the Twilight Marsh by night, or camp outside of the marsh and wait until morning to investigate further?
In addition to helping to guide the keelboat with poles, each character can choose one of the following travel activities:
Keep a Lookout - look for threats along the river Navigate - search for the quickest possible path downstream Map the area (with the appropriate supplies)- create a map for future reference Track - continue to track the kidnappers
When Sylyra hears someone wondering aloud about when they should stop for camp, Sylyra says over his shoulder, "As it's unlikely we'll be able to pick up any kind of trail from this boat, if we travel until sunset and make camp, I can rest for an hour and then spend the next four scouting in animal form before needing to return to meditate." He pauses then says with a little bit of harshness to his voice, "If I'm allowed to rest now, I will be ready to start scouting as soon as we land." He turns his head slightly in Hex's direction, but not far enough for the two to make eye contact. "The drums may be our best chance of discovering where the lizardfolk are hiding out."
Hex rolls her eyes and stands up from her spot to walk to the prow of the boat where Sylyra is. She puts one hand on her hip and holds the other out towards the pole. "Finee, I'll take over navigating while you rest then. I'd rather we not make camp, even if it means walking around in the dark. Don't want anyone else to get kidnapped while we sleep... "
Briny pulls her cloak a little tighter around her and watches the river bank go by. "Do you really think the creatures would come after us next? I mean, we don't have any cattle, aren't in an established dwelling where they can learn our habits, and it's not as easy to ambush a group in a camp as it is to surprise a family in a house." Still, she keeps a careful eye out for any signs like the trails they have encountered before, and keeps listening for the sound of drums. Jumping now and then as a frog croaks or plops into the water.
Hex tilts her head a bit as she thinks about what Briny said. "Mm... they might attack us just because we're in the way of their objective. Maybe they're ballsy and don't care if we're a bit more difficult to kidnap. Either way, it's probably best if we finish this job as soon as well can."
Uragum pipes in, "I bet we get just for entering their territory. I mean, they would be stupid not to have some sentries posted. Though, I don't really know a whole lot about Lizardfolk. Their folk don't fair well in the colder climates from what i hear. All in all though, expect we are being watched."
In just two hours, you have managed to navigate the keelboat five miles downstream. Hex navigates a quick path through the currents, but Briny struggles to find any sign of other travel along the river. Then, as the sun begins to set, and the sky darkens, the drums begin.
Four distinct, thundering beats echo across the river and the marsh in the distance. The thunderous drums keep up a continuous low rumbling roll accentuated by louder staccato patterns and an occasional thundering boom, starting somewhat faint but growing louder as you near the marsh. The current in the river grinds to a halt for the next two miles, making it feel like forever to finally reach the Twilight Marsh. As you near the imposing swampy treeline, you catch motion in the water behind you - noiseless, but something has disturbed the water nonetheless, indicated by ripples flickering with reflected moonlight several hundred feet behind you.
OOC: DM, did I succeed in getting in a short rest?
When someone mentions the ripples in the water behind the keelboat, Sylyra gets to his feet, moves to the stern, and kneels down on one knee. Watching the water carefully, he says over his shoulder, "We should land. Fighting in the water will not go well for us."
"Finally, an enemy. Not just some nebulous threat. Something tangible that can be dealt with," Uragum says as he stares out into the direction the movement was indicated.
Possibly Briny saw the ripples first, and quietly moves to each of the others to tell them of the disturbance in the water. Nodding in agreement with Sylyra's suggestion, she looks thoughtful. "If this is what ambushed the others, then they may be intelligent enough to use a distraction." She takes a few seconds to cast a spell, with no visible results that the others can see at first glance. Briny watches the water near the boat, slowly turning from the side to the back, to the other side.
A spectral hand appeared in the water at the side of the boat, mabe 25 feet from Briny. Keeping the hand within 30 feet of herself, she would direct the hand to the bottom of their channel, raise it about a foot off the bottom, then have it sweep to the side moving around the back of the raft and around the other side. If it seemed like the hand was blocked by any object she would attempt to use the hand to quickly work out the dimensions of the object.
OOC: if that's not within the scope of the Mage Hand cantrip just chalk it up to a learning experience for a low level sorcerer testing the limits of her magic lol
Hex barely has time to begin navigating the boat toward land; by the time Briny's mage hand has appeared in view, five reptilian heads have already emerged from the waters surrounding the keelboat. The booming drums and an increasing rain have seemingly masked the creatures' approach almost entirely. Nevertheless, the brief glimpse of the disturbed water behind you has given you just enough time to react to their approach.
The lizardfolk are humanoid, upright reptilian creatures the size of a human, but seem to be at home with the river this close to the marsh. Watery weeds and reeds dangle from their heads, their clothing and packs are netted, and though they wield javelins, heavy clubs, and spiked shields, a blowgun in each lizardfolk's hand appears to be their current weapon of choice.
Round 1 Order: Players <===== Lizardfolk
Placement: Five lizardfolk are in the water surrounding the keelboat, each 30 feet away from its center.
OOC: It would take 2 rounds of an action from Hex to navigate the boat onto dry land from its current position (it would be 3, but I'm including the "round" immediately before initiative was rolled since the party's instinct was to navigate toward land).
It's worth noting as well that if anybody is going into the water to keep the rules on underwater combat in mind. I'll advance once everyone's actions are in!
(Ohh that's not too bad. In that case Hex is definitely going to use her action to move the boat to land instead. She'd try to maneuver the boat in a way that will put more space between the party and the lizardfolk if possible.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Uragum looks around and doesn't like being g surrounded, while in a small boat. Puts them at great disadvantage. He thinks quickly and says, "We attack the same one to punch through an opening and make for land there. Then we weigh options," he says just loud enough for his companions to hear.
Action: chromatic orb lightning at same target as Hex's
The Trank River is relatively easy to navigate near the farms, with no whitewater in sight. Leaving Taroo's boat for the young man to return upriver, you cast off your rented keelboat, using the friendly current to drift quickly downstream toward the Twilight Marsh.
OOC: There are still a couple hours before sunset, so here it's really up to the party how far you would like to traverse. Are you trying to make it to the Twilight Marsh by night, or camp outside of the marsh and wait until morning to investigate further?
In addition to helping to guide the keelboat with poles, each character can choose one of the following travel activities:
Keep a Lookout - look for threats along the river
Navigate - search for the quickest possible path downstream
Map the area (with the appropriate supplies) - create a map for future reference
Track - continue to track the kidnappers
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
When Sylyra hears someone wondering aloud about when they should stop for camp, Sylyra says over his shoulder, "As it's unlikely we'll be able to pick up any kind of trail from this boat, if we travel until sunset and make camp, I can rest for an hour and then spend the next four scouting in animal form before needing to return to meditate." He pauses then says with a little bit of harshness to his voice, "If I'm allowed to rest now, I will be ready to start scouting as soon as we land." He turns his head slightly in Hex's direction, but not far enough for the two to make eye contact. "The drums may be our best chance of discovering where the lizardfolk are hiding out."
Hex rolls her eyes and stands up from her spot to walk to the prow of the boat where Sylyra is. She puts one hand on her hip and holds the other out towards the pole. "Finee, I'll take over navigating while you rest then. I'd rather we not make camp, even if it means walking around in the dark. Don't want anyone else to get kidnapped while we sleep... "
(Hex will take over navigating!)
Sylyra can't help but smirk as he hands Hex the pole. Silently, he takes a seat somewhere on the boat to try to get a short rest.
Briny pulls her cloak a little tighter around her and watches the river bank go by. "Do you really think the creatures would come after us next? I mean, we don't have any cattle, aren't in an established dwelling where they can learn our habits, and it's not as easy to ambush a group in a camp as it is to surprise a family in a house." Still, she keeps a careful eye out for any signs like the trails they have encountered before, and keeps listening for the sound of drums. Jumping now and then as a frog croaks or plops into the water.
OOC: I'll give some more time for Uragum's activity on the boat, otherwise he'll just be helping to steer and I'll advance.
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Hex tilts her head a bit as she thinks about what Briny said. "Mm... they might attack us just because we're in the way of their objective. Maybe they're ballsy and don't care if we're a bit more difficult to kidnap. Either way, it's probably best if we finish this job as soon as well can."
Uragum pipes in, "I bet we get just for entering their territory. I mean, they would be stupid not to have some sentries posted. Though, I don't really know a whole lot about Lizardfolk. Their folk don't fair well in the colder climates from what i hear. All in all though, expect we are being watched."
In just two hours, you have managed to navigate the keelboat five miles downstream. Hex navigates a quick path through the currents, but Briny struggles to find any sign of other travel along the river. Then, as the sun begins to set, and the sky darkens, the drums begin.
Four distinct, thundering beats echo across the river and the marsh in the distance. The thunderous drums keep up a continuous low rumbling roll accentuated by louder staccato patterns and an occasional thundering boom, starting somewhat faint but growing louder as you near the marsh. The current in the river grinds to a halt for the next two miles, making it feel like forever to finally reach the Twilight Marsh. As you near the imposing swampy treeline, you catch motion in the water behind you - noiseless, but something has disturbed the water nonetheless, indicated by ripples flickering with reflected moonlight several hundred feet behind you.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
OOC: DM, did I succeed in getting in a short rest?
When someone mentions the ripples in the water behind the keelboat, Sylyra gets to his feet, moves to the stern, and kneels down on one knee. Watching the water carefully, he says over his shoulder, "We should land. Fighting in the water will not go well for us."
OOC: Shoot, yes, meant to add that. Sylyra has indeed gained the benefits of a short rest.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hex nods and looks for the nearest spot of land the boat could stop at.
"Finally, an enemy. Not just some nebulous threat. Something tangible that can be dealt with," Uragum says as he stares out into the direction the movement was indicated.
Possibly Briny saw the ripples first, and quietly moves to each of the others to tell them of the disturbance in the water. Nodding in agreement with Sylyra's suggestion, she looks thoughtful. "If this is what ambushed the others, then they may be intelligent enough to use a distraction." She takes a few seconds to cast a spell, with no visible results that the others can see at first glance. Briny watches the water near the boat, slowly turning from the side to the back, to the other side.
A spectral hand appeared in the water at the side of the boat, mabe 25 feet from Briny. Keeping the hand within 30 feet of herself, she would direct the hand to the bottom of their channel, raise it about a foot off the bottom, then have it sweep to the side moving around the back of the raft and around the other side. If it seemed like the hand was blocked by any object she would attempt to use the hand to quickly work out the dimensions of the object.
OOC: if that's not within the scope of the Mage Hand cantrip just chalk it up to a learning experience for a low level sorcerer testing the limits of her magic lol
Hex barely has time to begin navigating the boat toward land; by the time Briny's mage hand has appeared in view, five reptilian heads have already emerged from the waters surrounding the keelboat. The booming drums and an increasing rain have seemingly masked the creatures' approach almost entirely. Nevertheless, the brief glimpse of the disturbed water behind you has given you just enough time to react to their approach.
The lizardfolk are humanoid, upright reptilian creatures the size of a human, but seem to be at home with the river this close to the marsh. Watery weeds and reeds dangle from their heads, their clothing and packs are netted, and though they wield javelins, heavy clubs, and spiked shields, a blowgun in each lizardfolk's hand appears to be their current weapon of choice.
Round 1 Order:
Players <=====
Lizardfolk
Placement:
Five lizardfolk are in the water surrounding the keelboat, each 30 feet away from its center.
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(How far away from land are we? Would it be possible for Hex to move the boat to land in a reasonable amount of time?)
If not, Hex jumps out of her seat, immediately drawing her bow and shooting an arrow at the lizardfolk closest to her.
Bonus Action: Hunter's Mark on closest lizardfolk
Action: Longbow Attack - 13 Damage - 7 Hunter's Mark - 4
OOC: It would take 2 rounds of an action from Hex to navigate the boat onto dry land from its current position (it would be 3, but I'm including the "round" immediately before initiative was rolled since the party's instinct was to navigate toward land).
It's worth noting as well that if anybody is going into the water to keep the rules on underwater combat in mind. I'll advance once everyone's actions are in!
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
(Ohh that's not too bad. In that case Hex is definitely going to use her action to move the boat to land instead. She'd try to maneuver the boat in a way that will put more space between the party and the lizardfolk if possible.)
Uragum looks around and doesn't like being g surrounded, while in a small boat. Puts them at great disadvantage. He thinks quickly and says, "We attack the same one to punch through an opening and make for land there. Then we weigh options," he says just loud enough for his companions to hear.
Action: chromatic orb lightning at same target as Hex's
Attack: 9 Damage: 11
No move or bonus.
OOC: Hex is using her action to maneuver the boat closer to land, so Uragum's target will be a fresh one.
Briny and Sylyra's actions remaining.
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