Where do we want to go? The two options we discussed earlier were Thundertree or Wyvern Tor. I still think Wyvern Tor is the safer option, but I'm fine either way. Another thing worth considering is it seems like both locations take us near other villages and towns. Thundertree is near Neverwinter, which I'm assuming is a large city. I honestly don't know much about it. And Wyvern Tor seems to take us new Conyberry, which seems to be maybe another smaller town.
If we can't decide, shall we leave our fate up to the dice? I can roll a 1d6.
1, 2, 3 = Thundertree
4, 5, 6 = Wyvern Tor
Thoughts?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Unless there are any objections, the party prepares to begin their trek to the abandoned village of Thundertree. There, they've heard, they might find Qelline's friend, the druid Reidoth, who may know the location of Cragmaw Castle. The freed captive Mirna Dendrar also told them of her family's herb and alchemy shop, inside which was an emerald necklace in a case hidden beneath a section of storage shelves. But they've also heard that the town has long been in ruins, overrun by a horde of undead. It was once a prosperous community, wealthy from the work of its woodcutters and trappers. From what you've gleaned from Qelline, thirty years ago an eruption of Mount Hotenow to the north devastated Thundertree. In the wake of the natural disaster, a plague of strange zombies swept over the area, killing or driving off those who survived the eruption.
It is early afternoon in Phandalin. Rain has begun to fall; the sky is black with clouds. Distant lightning lights up the mountains with low rumbles of thunder.
Is there any further preparation you need to take? It's at least a three-day journey on foot. The first and potentially last stretches are likely the most dangerous. If they leave now, they could probably reach the Triboar Trail by nightfall. Or, they could take another long rest and start out in the morning (and hope that Gundren Rockseeker, if he is still alive, can survive another night.) But Triboar Trail, as they've learned, is not a particularly safe place.
Back at Roderick’s old cottage Syzygy packs for the coming journey. Sweat beads on his lip not used to the heat, humidity and rain.
He reasons that the decision to first seek at the advice of the Druid was best option. Who else would know these lands moree? He wonders what’ll happen to the stinking wizard that got the best of him.
Syzygy will head to Barthen’s to pick up another 4 days rations (2gp).
When he meets up with the others, when they’re all together, “I think we should leave sooner rather than later.”
Bryony nods to Syzygy. "I'm worried about Gundren. They've already had him for a while now. Who knows when they will decide he isn't useful to them anymore?" she says.
Before the party leaves, Bryony packs food from her aunt's kitchen. She turns to her aunt and gives her a long hug. "We have to do this, Auntie," she whispers. "I know it's dangerous, but there's no one else to help. Besides, I've gotten quite good with my dagger and sword. I've also got my friends to protect me." She smiles toward the others, all of whom look pretty fearsome and capable in their own rights. "I'll be home in a week or so. I promise."
Quinn smells the air. "Aye, we best get going. Smells like rain. Earlier at Barthen's I got some gear for the group."
He drops his pack and unlashes two cylindrical bundles wrapped in canvas.
"Here, two of you take a tent. I'll carry one myself. They might come in handy. It's a long trek and the weather isn't looking favorable. Let's get goin"
OOC:
Quinn's shopping list
2 person tent x 3 = 6 gp
1 day rations x 6 = 3 gp
torch x 2 = 2cp
hooded lantern = 5 gp
5 pints of oil = 5cp
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Unless you have any further preparations, the group heads out. It is mid-afternoon, and the light drizzle has turned to a steady rain. With luck, you can make camp at the edge of the Triboar Trail.
(Somebody should roll a d20 for me. No modifiers.)
The party slogs down the same trail they used to arrive in Phandalin, but this time in a steady rain, heavy at times. The worst of the lightning storm seems to keep its distance. Although the mud begins to slow you down at the end, you manage to make it nearly to the junction of the Triboar Trail without much issue. You set up camp using Quinn's new tents just as the rain tapers off. You passed a few parties headed toward Phandalin, including a small caravan of miners, but they bring little in the way of news. Their recent travels, fortunately, have been uneventful. Now, darkness has fallen, the rain mostly stopped.
Somebody please roll a Survival check to pick a good campsite.
Who's taking watch? Any other nighttime precautions? Any actions you wish to take before settling in for the night?
Finally – somebody roll a fresh d20 to see how the night progresses. (First one to post the roll here in the forum counts!)
Syzygy spent years wandering, surviving/scavenging off strange lands. He should know a good place to hide. And though he's more familiar with the lands north of Neverwinter (and the treacherous paths leading to the shadow fell) he's got a decent eye for edible bugs, slugs, fungi and mould. He collects what he can to share with the others when they make camp [outlander background: can find food and fresh water if the land has it].
@Jurgen 🎲 Result: 1d20 (9). Total: 9 Jurgen and Draco will take first watch Draco will also keep watch thru the night as he cannot be surprised
Syzygy finds a hidden nook in the wooded hills just off the trail, and discovers some large, spongy mushrooms and a nest of edible blue beetles to share. Jurgen takes the first watch; others among you follow. The night passes uneventfully aside from the distant howling of wolves. (Everyone gets a long rest; those of you who don't partake in Syzygy's unsettling feast should subtract one day's rations.)
The morning is bright and warm; the ground is wet with rain. You break camp and begin your second day's march. Quickly finding the Triboar Trail intersection, you turn west and begin to retrace your steps back toward Neverwinter. The last time you came this way was in the dead of night; it looks very different in the morning light.
Somebody make one more d20 roll for me. (First to post in the forum counts.)
Your second day of marching passes uneventfully, as does your third.
You pass the site you were ambushed on the Triboar Trail – there is no evidence left of the fight, after yesterday's rainfall. Rejoining the High Road and following it north, the well-traveled highway provides relative safety, as it has regular patrols of guards from Neverwinter who keep a constant eye on the merchant traffic along the coastal route to points south. You find a well-frequented, safe campsite the second night. (No rolling required!)
The third day takes you off the highway, through farms and fields, following a broad, winding river upstream toward the Neverwinter Wood, as Qelline directed you. Your third night is spent in a kindly farmer's beet field, at the edge of the somewhat-civilized zone surrounding Neverwinter.
Your fourth day brings you into the wilds – there are no farms nor settlements here; the treeline of a vast forest looms ahead, where the river vanishes into the gloom of the forest.
Gradually, the trail becomes an old, overgrown lane winding between dilapidated buildings choked with vines and brush. In the middle of the settlement rises a steep hill, upon which stands a stone tower with a partially collapsed roof and an adjoining cottage. A dirt road hugs the base of the hill and wends its way between old stone houses, many of which are roofless ruins. Other buildings appear intact. The whole place is eerily silent.
A wooden sign is nailed to a post nearby. It reads: “Danger! Plant monsters and zombies! Turn back now!”
Welcome to Thundertree!
Map: You are at the top-left (NW) corner. To your right (south), cowering in the shadow of an old tree, is a crumbled, weed-choked stone cottage with no roof. (We'll call it #1.)
Ahead and to your left (north) is a large building (#3) –a weathered signboard by the door shows the faded image of a workhorse holding a flagon of ale. The building is sagging and dilapidated, but it is more intact than the ruins across the road.
South of it, two ruined, side-by-side cottages (#2) look as though they might have been the homes of prosperous shopkeepers or well-off farmers in their time. All that remains are collapsed walls and piles of debris. Several young trees have grown within the ruins.
Quinn squints and looks closely at the bottle.
"You know, it looks a bit like the potions I found hidden in King Klarg's throne. If thats what this is, then great work, my friend."
He pats the little kobold on his shoulder.
"Let's get going."
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
(Where to?)
Jurgen placed a blood smell on the first rock and a video of rabbit on the other. He then welded them together and gave it to him.
D&D since 1984
Jurgen would try to investigate the item given to him.
D&D since 1984
(Make an Investigation check.)
OOC:
Where do we want to go? The two options we discussed earlier were Thundertree or Wyvern Tor. I still think Wyvern Tor is the safer option, but I'm fine either way. Another thing worth considering is it seems like both locations take us near other villages and towns. Thundertree is near Neverwinter, which I'm assuming is a large city. I honestly don't know much about it. And Wyvern Tor seems to take us new Conyberry, which seems to be maybe another smaller town.
If we can't decide, shall we leave our fate up to the dice? I can roll a 1d6.
1, 2, 3 = Thundertree
4, 5, 6 = Wyvern Tor
Thoughts?
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Kimberley doesn't really mind where they go she just wants the town to be safe....
OOC:
In Discord Bryony and Aros voted to let the dice decide. I rolled and Thundertree it is.
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Unless there are any objections, the party prepares to begin their trek to the abandoned village of Thundertree. There, they've heard, they might find Qelline's friend, the druid Reidoth, who may know the location of Cragmaw Castle. The freed captive Mirna Dendrar also told them of her family's herb and alchemy shop, inside which was an emerald necklace in a case hidden beneath a section of storage shelves. But they've also heard that the town has long been in ruins, overrun by a horde of undead. It was once a prosperous community, wealthy from the work of its woodcutters and trappers. From what you've gleaned from Qelline, thirty years ago an eruption of Mount Hotenow to the north devastated Thundertree. In the wake of the natural disaster, a plague of strange zombies swept over the area, killing or driving off those who survived the eruption.
It is early afternoon in Phandalin. Rain has begun to fall; the sky is black with clouds. Distant lightning lights up the mountains with low rumbles of thunder.
Is there any further preparation you need to take? It's at least a three-day journey on foot. The first and potentially last stretches are likely the most dangerous. If they leave now, they could probably reach the Triboar Trail by nightfall. Or, they could take another long rest and start out in the morning (and hope that Gundren Rockseeker, if he is still alive, can survive another night.) But Triboar Trail, as they've learned, is not a particularly safe place.
Back at Roderick’s old cottage Syzygy packs for the coming journey. Sweat beads on his lip not used to the heat, humidity and rain.
He reasons that the decision to first seek at the advice of the Druid was best option. Who else would know these lands moree? He wonders what’ll happen to the stinking wizard that got the best of him.
Syzygy will head to Barthen’s to pick up another 4 days rations (2gp).
When he meets up with the others, when they’re all together, “I think we should leave sooner rather than later.”
Bryony nods to Syzygy. "I'm worried about Gundren. They've already had him for a while now. Who knows when they will decide he isn't useful to them anymore?" she says.
Before the party leaves, Bryony packs food from her aunt's kitchen. She turns to her aunt and gives her a long hug. "We have to do this, Auntie," she whispers. "I know it's dangerous, but there's no one else to help. Besides, I've gotten quite good with my dagger and sword. I've also got my friends to protect me." She smiles toward the others, all of whom look pretty fearsome and capable in their own rights. "I'll be home in a week or so. I promise."
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf (Phandelver and Below) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan (Vecna: Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Gareth Blackwood (Dragon of Icespire Peak) ♦ Karys Velthune (Out of the Abyss) ♦ Surina Xarith (Simple, Heroic Adventure)
DM: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
Quinn smells the air. "Aye, we best get going. Smells like rain. Earlier at Barthen's I got some gear for the group."
He drops his pack and unlashes two cylindrical bundles wrapped in canvas.
"Here, two of you take a tent. I'll carry one myself. They might come in handy. It's a long trek and the weather isn't looking favorable. Let's get goin"
OOC:
Quinn's shopping list
2 person tent x 3 = 6 gp
1 day rations x 6 = 3 gp
torch x 2 = 2cp
hooded lantern = 5 gp
5 pints of oil = 5cp
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Unless you have any further preparations, the group heads out. It is mid-afternoon, and the light drizzle has turned to a steady rain. With luck, you can make camp at the edge of the Triboar Trail.
(Somebody should roll a d20 for me. No modifiers.)
9
The party slogs down the same trail they used to arrive in Phandalin, but this time in a steady rain, heavy at times. The worst of the lightning storm seems to keep its distance. Although the mud begins to slow you down at the end, you manage to make it nearly to the junction of the Triboar Trail without much issue. You set up camp using Quinn's new tents just as the rain tapers off. You passed a few parties headed toward Phandalin, including a small caravan of miners, but they bring little in the way of news. Their recent travels, fortunately, have been uneventful. Now, darkness has fallen, the rain mostly stopped.
Somebody please roll a Survival check to pick a good campsite.
Who's taking watch? Any other nighttime precautions? Any actions you wish to take before settling in for the night?
Finally – somebody roll a fresh d20 to see how the night progresses. (First one to post the roll here in the forum counts!)
Syzygy spent years wandering, surviving/scavenging off strange lands. He should know a good place to hide. And though he's more familiar with the lands north of Neverwinter (and the treacherous paths leading to the shadow fell) he's got a decent eye for edible bugs, slugs, fungi and mould. He collects what he can to share with the others when they make camp [outlander background: can find food and fresh water if the land has it].
Survival: 18+3=21
Syzygy finds a hidden nook in the wooded hills just off the trail, and discovers some large, spongy mushrooms and a nest of edible blue beetles to share. Jurgen takes the first watch; others among you follow. The night passes uneventfully aside from the distant howling of wolves. (Everyone gets a long rest; those of you who don't partake in Syzygy's unsettling feast should subtract one day's rations.)
The morning is bright and warm; the ground is wet with rain. You break camp and begin your second day's march. Quickly finding the Triboar Trail intersection, you turn west and begin to retrace your steps back toward Neverwinter. The last time you came this way was in the dead of night; it looks very different in the morning light.
Somebody make one more d20 roll for me. (First to post in the forum counts.)
9
Your second day of marching passes uneventfully, as does your third.
You pass the site you were ambushed on the Triboar Trail – there is no evidence left of the fight, after yesterday's rainfall. Rejoining the High Road and following it north, the well-traveled highway provides relative safety, as it has regular patrols of guards from Neverwinter who keep a constant eye on the merchant traffic along the coastal route to points south. You find a well-frequented, safe campsite the second night. (No rolling required!)
The third day takes you off the highway, through farms and fields, following a broad, winding river upstream toward the Neverwinter Wood, as Qelline directed you. Your third night is spent in a kindly farmer's beet field, at the edge of the somewhat-civilized zone surrounding Neverwinter.
Your fourth day brings you into the wilds – there are no farms nor settlements here; the treeline of a vast forest looms ahead, where the river vanishes into the gloom of the forest.
Gradually, the trail becomes an old, overgrown lane winding between dilapidated buildings choked with vines and brush. In the middle of the settlement rises a steep hill, upon which stands a stone tower with a partially collapsed roof and an adjoining cottage. A dirt road hugs the base of the hill and wends its way between old stone houses, many of which are roofless ruins. Other buildings appear intact. The whole place is eerily silent.
A wooden sign is nailed to a post nearby. It reads: “Danger! Plant monsters and zombies! Turn back now!”
Welcome to Thundertree!
Map: You are at the top-left (NW) corner. To your right (south), cowering in the shadow of an old tree, is a crumbled, weed-choked stone cottage with no roof. (We'll call it #1.)
Ahead and to your left (north) is a large building (#3) –a weathered signboard by the door shows the faded image of a workhorse holding a flagon of ale. The building is sagging and dilapidated, but it is more intact than the ruins across the road.
South of it, two ruined, side-by-side cottages (#2) look as though they might have been the homes of prosperous shopkeepers or well-off farmers in their time. All that remains are collapsed walls and piles of debris. Several young trees have grown within the ruins.
" Plants vs. Zombies? No...Plants and Zombies....fun..."
" So is that why this place is abandoned or was that something else?"
She headed off toward the cottage to the south, not overly concerned about the dead or the flora that may or may not be wandering about...