Galban has organized a group of town guards and himself to travel with three wagons pulled by oxen to the base of the cliffs. He expects it to be 5-6 days before you can circle west and take the road to the base of the plateau. Wooden signs have been carved warning travelers not to travel near the ruins on top of the cliffs at night. Provisions, tents and blankets to bring home the dead are all in place.
The trip out is relatively easy. The weather remains pleasant with warm days and cool nights. Galban remarks that since the defeat of the Red Cloak Bandits and their goblin allies the trade road has become much safer. “Huzzah!” is offered to all of you with raised cups of brandy over an evening meal. Watches through the night pass without incident as you each take a turn with the guards.
On the evening of the fifth day you approach the area where the first sign is to be erected. Camp is made and the guards dig post holes. Trees are cut and used as posts. The sign is affixed to them and is now in place. “We will camp here tonight. Tomorrow, we will drive east to erect a sign on that side of the road. If you want, we can drop you off at the base of the cliff below the ruins. Then, pick you up on our way back to this camp. The next day we will begin days of driving to the ruins to search the rocks below for the day and returning here at night.”
"Sounds like a reasonable plan Sheriff, drop the group and some additional hands of and we will clear the remains from the base of the cliff." " We can wrap the bodies in light cloth and twine, and return those to their loved ones if you are able to identify."
Disembarks the wagons with supplies to retrieve remains.
Starker reminds people to bring their holy water with them if they have it and stuffs the pockets of his robe with carrots and pears for Cyrus Magnus. He double checks to make sure that his Mage Armor is up and running (his SOP in the morning includes casting it as soon as he wakes up).
Since Galban’s crew is erecting signs today, Hoid will head to the dragon’s lair and begin a comprehensive excavation of the area where treasure was allegedly buried.
Since Galban’s crew is erecting signs today, Hoid will head to the dragon’s lair and begin a comprehensive excavation of the area where treasure was allegedly buried.
The camp becomes active at first light the next day. The soldiers get the tents packed, a meal is prepared and the oxen are hitched. By early morning you arrive at the base of the cliff. You can make out the cave exit in the cliff wall. It helps to know it is there as the rocks around it obscure it from view from your vantage point. "I am told that there is an animal trail leading up the cliff face. You sure you want to do that in full armor and gear?," Galban asks.
When Trolkarl looked at the cave entrance on your last trip, there was no path leading to it. Galban reports a game trail leading to the top of the cliff. That is around 200 feet.
The climb up the cliff's face is arduous. A game trail is there to guide you, thankfully. Your rope and pitons are useful in establishing hand holds and assist in some of the harder places. After about an hour you make it to the top of the cliff, emerging beside the lake. Those of you carrying an Ace Hardware store with you are exhausted after the climb (Hoid, Kragen, Chadwick). Starker and Trolkarl could use a short rest and Gneuman is unaffected.
A high tower sits in the courtyard. It is constructed of tightly fitting stone blocks and well made. There is an open top with battlements. You can see gutters running down the tower to direct water from the roof away from the tower at the base through buried drains. There is a large double door solidly made of oak with iron bands. You can see small windows on the upper levels that have solid stone shutters blocking them. The tower appears unaffected by the time that has led to the collapse of the keep walls and the manor house.
Two thick posts are set in the ground about 20’ from the tower door. They appear to have been placed recently given the bare dirt around their bases. There are ropes with what appear to be leather restraints on the ends hanging from each post.
As in the game mechanic exhaustion or that was a good workout? Asking for a character with 18 strength and 16 constitution.
Exhaustion
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect's description.
Starker: “Back in town I consulted with a puissant wizard. It may well be that this tower is a prison for the great power therein, and that it requires servants to bring it offerings. My curiosity is almost unbounded, but here we have found a point beyond its call. Let us give it a wide berth while we go about our other business.”
Hoid will take a short rest and make note of his fitness not being what he thought it was. He makes a mental note to leave some gear behind before undertaking an obviously arduous physical task instead of contemplating what to leave behind and then undertaking said task anyway. He also ponders how much he could have carried up the trail with his exceptional strength (dare he say the strongest a typical man or dwarf could ever achieve?) and extremely good constitution?
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Galban has organized a group of town guards and himself to travel with three wagons pulled by oxen to the base of the cliffs. He expects it to be 5-6 days before you can circle west and take the road to the base of the plateau. Wooden signs have been carved warning travelers not to travel near the ruins on top of the cliffs at night. Provisions, tents and blankets to bring home the dead are all in place.
The trip out is relatively easy. The weather remains pleasant with warm days and cool nights. Galban remarks that since the defeat of the Red Cloak Bandits and their goblin allies the trade road has become much safer. “Huzzah!” is offered to all of you with raised cups of brandy over an evening meal. Watches through the night pass without incident as you each take a turn with the guards.
On the evening of the fifth day you approach the area where the first sign is to be erected. Camp is made and the guards dig post holes. Trees are cut and used as posts. The sign is affixed to them and is now in place. “We will camp here tonight. Tomorrow, we will drive east to erect a sign on that side of the road. If you want, we can drop you off at the base of the cliff below the ruins. Then, pick you up on our way back to this camp. The next day we will begin days of driving to the ruins to search the rocks below for the day and returning here at night.”
"Sounds like a reasonable plan Sheriff, drop the group and some additional hands of and we will clear the remains from the base of the cliff." " We can wrap the bodies in light cloth and twine, and return those to their loved ones if you are able to identify."
Disembarks the wagons with supplies to retrieve remains.
Starker reminds people to bring their holy water with them if they have it and stuffs the pockets of his robe with carrots and pears for Cyrus Magnus. He double checks to make sure that his Mage Armor is up and running (his SOP in the morning includes casting it as soon as he wakes up).
"Thank you Starker, i should have plenty of Holy Water and will perform last rites for the deceased."
Chadwick will assist with preparing the bodies for transport.
Since Galban’s crew is erecting signs today, Hoid will head to the dragon’s lair and begin a comprehensive excavation of the area where treasure was allegedly buried.
Gneuman will assist Hoid.
I misunderstood the previous post. Chadwick will assist digging for booty.
Do we want Gneuman to explore the water with the magic belt, or have all of us concentrate on digging?
The camp becomes active at first light the next day. The soldiers get the tents packed, a meal is prepared and the oxen are hitched. By early morning you arrive at the base of the cliff. You can make out the cave exit in the cliff wall. It helps to know it is there as the rocks around it obscure it from view from your vantage point. "I am told that there is an animal trail leading up the cliff face. You sure you want to do that in full armor and gear?," Galban asks.
Dragon Lair
Ruins
Will this be a dex check, or athletics to stay on the path? Will those of use in heavy armor be at a disadvantage?
Could we send the lightly armoured up first, then have them haul our armour/packs up by rope?
DEX based climb.
Heavy armor Disadvantaged.
The unarmored, not undextrous Starker is happy to make the climb. The monkey will help me find a good path.
Hoid will mutter countless curses in each of his known languages and take off his armor.
How high is the entrance from the cliff bottom?
When Trolkarl looked at the cave entrance on your last trip, there was no path leading to it. Galban reports a game trail leading to the top of the cliff. That is around 200 feet.
Chadwick joins Hoid in the muttering and cursing while taking off his armour.
Maybe have Chadwick be last since he has a decent dex for climbing and he could heal someone if they fell (unless it's instant death height).
Just to make sure we aren't risking death for a few gold, is there any other, possibly longer but safer path that would get us there?
(Only Kragen’s dexterity is lower than Chadwick’s.)
The climb up the cliff's face is arduous. A game trail is there to guide you, thankfully. Your rope and pitons are useful in establishing hand holds and assist in some of the harder places. After about an hour you make it to the top of the cliff, emerging beside the lake. Those of you carrying an Ace Hardware store with you are exhausted after the climb (Hoid, Kragen, Chadwick). Starker and Trolkarl could use a short rest and Gneuman is unaffected.
A high tower sits in the courtyard. It is constructed of tightly fitting stone blocks and well made. There is an open top with battlements. You can see gutters running down the tower to direct water from the roof away from the tower at the base through buried drains. There is a large double door solidly made of oak with iron bands. You can see small windows on the upper levels that have solid stone shutters blocking them. The tower appears unaffected by the time that has led to the collapse of the keep walls and the manor house.
Two thick posts are set in the ground about 20’ from the tower door. They appear to have been placed recently given the bare dirt around their bases. There are ropes with what appear to be leather restraints on the ends hanging from each post.
As in the game mechanic exhaustion or that was a good workout? Asking for a character with 18 strength and 16 constitution.
Exhaustion
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect's description.
Starker: “Back in town I consulted with a puissant wizard. It may well be that this tower is a prison for the great power therein, and that it requires servants to bring it offerings. My curiosity is almost unbounded, but here we have found a point beyond its call. Let us give it a wide berth while we go about our other business.”
Hoid will take a short rest and make note of his fitness not being what he thought it was. He makes a mental note to leave some gear behind before undertaking an obviously arduous physical task instead of contemplating what to leave behind and then undertaking said task anyway. He also ponders how much he could have carried up the trail with his exceptional strength (dare he say the strongest a typical man or dwarf could ever achieve?) and extremely good constitution?