Anything else before you head off into the Cairn Hills? Are you taking Heckle? Are you otherwise walking or purchasing some horses? Do any of you have any other modes of travel?
(OOC: I'm not sure what the characters know about both the journey and the destination. Can we just say that The Company would do "what makes sense" for this trip? The characters can handle themselves in a fight, but they should also be experienced enough by now that they know how to prepare for a journey into the wilderness. If you want the journey to the rift to be part of the adventure, and our decisions here will have a real impact, then you'll have to tell us what The Company already knows.
How long would it take to walk to the rift? What kind of terrain lies between the manor and the rift? I guess that the rift is in the wilderness, not right beside a well-maintained road, but do we expect that we'll have to traverse a swamp or climb mountains to get there? For example, I'm not sure whether we'd bother to take horses if we expect to cross narrow bridges like this one:
A "rift" makes it sounds like a gash in the ground. Like we'd have to lower ourselves down into the rift via ropes. Or at least a cave where we might have to crawl on our bellies. If we cannot practically bring our horses into the rift, then either we cannot take them, or we need to pay some hirelings to stay with the horses--possibly for many days--while we explore the rift itself.
If these details aren't the sort of information we'd know from Toska's letter or from general knowledge of the area around the City of Greyhawk, I'd expect that The Company will want to spend a few days to research where we're going and the possible routes before we decide what to bring.)
Unless he's aware of anything in specific he might need to do to prepare for the journey to the Cairn Hills, Theldrin gathers his gear and is ready to go. As he waits for the party to depart, he spends some time in the manor courtyard practicing with his quarterstaff.
I also wasn't aware Avery had purchased a warhorse. You would know the the Cairn Hills are very close to Greyhawk, only a few days away. It would probably be a safe assumption that if you found a rift it would be hard to take horses in.
You would know the the Cairn Hills are very close to Greyhawk, only a few days away. It would probably be a safe assumption that if you found a rift it would be hard to take horses in.
Xanrym proposes that they simply walk to the rift. He's not fond of carrying a lot of heavy gear, but if Khessa really acquired a Bag of Holding during their downtime, perhaps she could put a lot of the rations in that.
In that case, The Company could leave Heckle, their trusty draft horse, behind at the manor in the care of the bastion's hirelings. While they were setting up the manor, Xanrym would have been taking Heckle back-and-forth between his stables in the city and the manor house just for some exercise. And the bastion has a bit of property around it, so Heckle won't be cooped up in the stables all day. The gardeners will just have to keep Heckle from munching on all of the useful (or poisonous!) plants.
On their way out of town, Xanrym would stop at a merchant to pick up some simple, mundane equipment (extra oil for his lamp, maybe some extra rope, etc.). Other than that, he's ready to head to the rift.
(OOC: how do mounts/pets work? If Syllen buys a trained mastiff would it just follow the group and act as a guard dog? I assume that if it is trained in a fight it would just stay in the back and dodge.)
Syllen was thinking of buying a trained mastiff to help carry supplies and act as a guard. After that he is ready to leave.
Syllen may very well buy that trained mastiff, what name will he give it?
Otherwise the Company of the Grey Chain sets out from their bastion near the City of Greyhawk north-east, into the Cairn Hills. The land between Greyhawk and the Cairn Hills is fairly uninteresting, with grazing farmlands giving way to a large stretch of lush grassland. After a day's travel, the Company sees the Cairn Hills and the mining community of Steaming Springs at it's base. Here they meet some friendly locals who inform them that the point on their map is well off the beaten track: You'll need to head along the main road toward the Nyr Dyv, and then break off sharply to the south east after half a day's journey. After that it's rough going, you'll likely cross a small walking path after another half day, then you'll need to travel two more days up the hills to get to the spot. They let you know that it's a fairly unexplored part of the Hills as it has long been determined to hold little value for mining. You all set off on this journey, into the hills, over a walking track and further into unexplored regions. All this while fighting off random encounters with flying beasts trying to pick you off, of course the Company easily overcomes these battles.
Eventually, when you'd almost decided the rift wasn't here and go to tell Toska to find another way underground, you almost stumble down a crack in the ground. Before you is a sheer drop down into blackness below, a fissure in the earth, surely this must be the rift Toska spoke of. If you're going down, how do you traverse the sheer cliff?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Theldrin looks around the rim of the rift to see if he can spot any evidence of activity, and scans for any handholds or other way to climb down the cliff wall.
Theldrin does find evidence of footprints and holes along the cliff edge. Someone has been here recently and descended into the rift. The holes lead down into the rift, however when you check the first one it feels somewhat unstable to be used as a handhole. It will be easier to use these to get down, but not trivially so.
Syllen introduces Sentry(A Mastiff) to the group. During the trip Syllen will cast speak with animals in order to better understand Sentry and get him acquainted with the group.
Syllen looks over the edge.
“I wonder if I was an ape, it might be possible to carry people down.”
(OOC: how does climb speed work? If someone has a climb speed can they easily climb down the cliff?)
Khessa tries to reassure her companions: "I know a spell that slows falls. It affects up to five people at once. We can definitely use it to get down - or just use it in an emergency if we try to climb and fall."
"But first," the blonde arcane warrior summons her bat brother (and familiar) from her pocket dimension "I want to send Anator down, to make sure there are no nasty surprises down below."
And with that, she focuses on her brother's senses. As she has so many times before, the sensation of flying, which she perceives as a kind of swimming, but in the air rather than in water, is exhilarating. As is being able to perceive the world around you independently of your sight [[ OOC: the bat has Blindsight ]]. Anator flies, ideally all the way to the bottom of the rift, and Khessa uses his senses to try to spot any potential dangers.
"Let's figure out how deep the rift is and if we have enough rope, tie to some hammered pitons and climb down. You said that emergency spell is quick enough to cast that you can catch us if there is a sudden fall?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
On their way out of town, Xanrym would stop at a merchant to pick up some simple, mundane equipment
Bullseye Lantern (to replace his hooded lantern)
1 Net
1 Flask of Oil
1 Case of Crossbow Bolts
2 Glass Bottles
1 Extra bag of Ball Bearings
1 Extra Rope
Other than the Net and Bullseye Lantern, which goes in his Backpack, Xanrym asks Khessa whether he can put the other spare items in her Bag of Holding (along with the party's rations). Those aren't items he expects to need at a moment's notice, but if the rift really leads somehow to the Underdark, he figures that it's a good idea to carry some extra gear with them.
Avery has his warhorse
(OOC: I'm not sure what the characters know about both the journey and the destination. Can we just say that The Company would do "what makes sense" for this trip? The characters can handle themselves in a fight, but they should also be experienced enough by now that they know how to prepare for a journey into the wilderness. If you want the journey to the rift to be part of the adventure, and our decisions here will have a real impact, then you'll have to tell us what The Company already knows.
How long would it take to walk to the rift? What kind of terrain lies between the manor and the rift? I guess that the rift is in the wilderness, not right beside a well-maintained road, but do we expect that we'll have to traverse a swamp or climb mountains to get there? For example, I'm not sure whether we'd bother to take horses if we expect to cross narrow bridges like this one:
A "rift" makes it sounds like a gash in the ground. Like we'd have to lower ourselves down into the rift via ropes. Or at least a cave where we might have to crawl on our bellies. If we cannot practically bring our horses into the rift, then either we cannot take them, or we need to pay some hirelings to stay with the horses--possibly for many days--while we explore the rift itself.
If these details aren't the sort of information we'd know from Toska's letter or from general knowledge of the area around the City of Greyhawk, I'd expect that The Company will want to spend a few days to research where we're going and the possible routes before we decide what to bring.)
(OOC: Is that a recent purchase? If not, I completely forgot that Avery owns a warhorse.)
Unless he's aware of anything in specific he might need to do to prepare for the journey to the Cairn Hills, Theldrin gathers his gear and is ready to go. As he waits for the party to depart, he spends some time in the manor courtyard practicing with his quarterstaff.
I also wasn't aware Avery had purchased a warhorse. You would know the the Cairn Hills are very close to Greyhawk, only a few days away. It would probably be a safe assumption that if you found a rift it would be hard to take horses in.
Just listing it as an asset, not necessarily something that is needed as it was asked about transportation.
Xanrym proposes that they simply walk to the rift. He's not fond of carrying a lot of heavy gear, but if Khessa really acquired a Bag of Holding during their downtime, perhaps she could put a lot of the rations in that.
In that case, The Company could leave Heckle, their trusty draft horse, behind at the manor in the care of the bastion's hirelings. While they were setting up the manor, Xanrym would have been taking Heckle back-and-forth between his stables in the city and the manor house just for some exercise. And the bastion has a bit of property around it, so Heckle won't be cooped up in the stables all day. The gardeners will just have to keep Heckle from munching on all of the useful (or poisonous!) plants.
On their way out of town, Xanrym would stop at a merchant to pick up some simple, mundane equipment (extra oil for his lamp, maybe some extra rope, etc.). Other than that, he's ready to head to the rift.
Coriana is ready.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
(OOC: how do mounts/pets work? If Syllen buys a trained mastiff would it just follow the group and act as a guard dog? I assume that if it is trained in a fight it would just stay in the back and dodge.)
Syllen was thinking of buying a trained mastiff to help carry supplies and act as a guard. After that he is ready to leave.
Before the group leaves on the journey Syllen will once again ask the heavenly bodies for protection.
“May the wilds of Greela guide us on our journey, unmask our prey and hinder those that hunt us.”
Everyone gets 9 temp HP.
Syllen may very well buy that trained mastiff, what name will he give it?
Otherwise the Company of the Grey Chain sets out from their bastion near the City of Greyhawk north-east, into the Cairn Hills. The land between Greyhawk and the Cairn Hills is fairly uninteresting, with grazing farmlands giving way to a large stretch of lush grassland. After a day's travel, the Company sees the Cairn Hills and the mining community of Steaming Springs at it's base. Here they meet some friendly locals who inform them that the point on their map is well off the beaten track: You'll need to head along the main road toward the Nyr Dyv, and then break off sharply to the south east after half a day's journey. After that it's rough going, you'll likely cross a small walking path after another half day, then you'll need to travel two more days up the hills to get to the spot. They let you know that it's a fairly unexplored part of the Hills as it has long been determined to hold little value for mining. You all set off on this journey, into the hills, over a walking track and further into unexplored regions. All this while fighting off random encounters with flying beasts trying to pick you off, of course the Company easily overcomes these battles.
Eventually, when you'd almost decided the rift wasn't here and go to tell Toska to find another way underground, you almost stumble down a crack in the ground. Before you is a sheer drop down into blackness below, a fissure in the earth, surely this must be the rift Toska spoke of. If you're going down, how do you traverse the sheer cliff?
Theldrin looks around the rim of the rift to see if he can spot any evidence of activity, and scans for any handholds or other way to climb down the cliff wall.
Investigation: 17
Theldrin does find evidence of footprints and holes along the cliff edge. Someone has been here recently and descended into the rift. The holes lead down into the rift, however when you check the first one it feels somewhat unstable to be used as a handhole. It will be easier to use these to get down, but not trivially so.
Coriana says, "I brought rope, but didn't think to bring spikes or anything to secure it to."
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Syllen introduces Sentry(A Mastiff) to the group. During the trip Syllen will cast speak with animals in order to better understand Sentry and get him acquainted with the group.
Syllen looks over the edge.
“I wonder if I was an ape, it might be possible to carry people down.”
(OOC: how does climb speed work? If someone has a climb speed can they easily climb down the cliff?)
I'll give you advantage on your skill check if you have a climb speed.
Khessa tries to reassure her companions: "I know a spell that slows falls. It affects up to five people at once. We can definitely use it to get down - or just use it in an emergency if we try to climb and fall."
"But first," the blonde arcane warrior summons her bat brother (and familiar) from her pocket dimension "I want to send Anator down, to make sure there are no nasty surprises down below."
And with that, she focuses on her brother's senses. As she has so many times before, the sensation of flying, which she perceives as a kind of swimming, but in the air rather than in water, is exhilarating. As is being able to perceive the world around you independently of your sight [[ OOC: the bat has Blindsight ]]. Anator flies, ideally all the way to the bottom of the rift, and Khessa uses his senses to try to spot any potential dangers.
Avery offers, "I have pitons and a hammer if that will help."
"Let's figure out how deep the rift is and if we have enough rope, tie to some hammered pitons and climb down. You said that emergency spell is quick enough to cast that you can catch us if there is a sudden fall?"
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Other than the Net and Bullseye Lantern, which goes in his Backpack, Xanrym asks Khessa whether he can put the other spare items in her Bag of Holding (along with the party's rations). Those aren't items he expects to need at a moment's notice, but if the rift really leads somehow to the Underdark, he figures that it's a good idea to carry some extra gear with them.