Veronica shot forward in a blur and laid into both needle blights with her bare hands. The jagged tattoos on her arms flowed with her movements, empowering each strike. The needle blights were both obliterated in her onslaught. (First attack hit and destroyed 1 blight, the second missed. The final attack destroyed the second blight.)
After swiftly dispatching the Needle blights and traveling for 2 hours from the Village of Barovia, the Old Svalich Road transitioned from being a winding path through low mountains into a lazy trail that hugged the mountainside as it descended into a fog-filled valley. In the heart of the valley you saw a walled town, Vallaki, near the shores of a great mountain lake, its waters dark and still. Another hour of travel would bring you to the town of Vallaki.
However, a branch in the road here led west to a promontory, atop which is perched a dilapidated stone windmill, its warped wooden vanes stripped bare.
{DM Note: Giving characters a chance to visit a landmark in the area, if the majority of the party is interested in doing so, before continuing the journey.}
"It would be a pain to not see the mill in all its 'beauty', we should go there, it looks interesting."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Skanon shrugs slightly as he looks at the mill. "Beauty isn't exactly the word I'd use for it, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a peak inside. Who knows what kind of 'treasures' we might find in there." The last part was said with a hint of sarcasm.
Ireena and Ismark glanced with trepidation at the crumbling edifice, until finally Ismark spoke up, “In truth, we’ve never been outside the village before, whether you think it is better to get a lay of the land or head directly to Vallaki, we’ll follow you.”
{DM Note: I’ll give a bit more time for Veronica and Garavon to respond. If we still only have 2 “Yea” votes for the windmill in 12 hours, I’ll roll dice to simulate a 50/50 chance which way Veronica and Garavon votes.}
{DM Note: Whether you have already decided Yea or Nay, votes are never final, you can always roleplay a character changing their mind...until I respond and move the scene 😅}
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
{DM Note: Sorry Veronica. I’ll use the majority opinion here.
Garavon hasn’t leveled up his character yet and Gaelyn hasn’t responded in a long time. We’ll proceed without them for now and let them hop in if they come back.
Any combat encounters should still be doable without them, especially since Ismark and Ireena is with the party.}
You approached the windmill. The onion-domed edifice leaned forward and to one side, as though trying to turn away from the stormy gray sky. You saw gray brick walls and dirt-covered windows on the upper floors. A decrepit wooden platform encircled the windmill above a flimsy doorway leading to the building's interior.
Perched on a wooden beam above the door was a raven. It hopped about and squawked at you, seemingly agitated.
Insight check on the raven:
Vicky: 11
Skanon: 7
Veronica: 13
Once on the hill, you also noticed a circle of four megaliths at the edge of the nearby forest.
Veronica realized the raven is trying to warn the party of danger in the windmill. It flapped away in the direction of Vallaki once it had delivered its message.
{DM Note: Awaiting player responses before describing the scenes. You can explore this area individually. We can assume the characters are near enough to each other to come to each other's aid should trouble occur.}
Skanon watched as the raven flew away and then back to the flimsy doorway of the mill. He takes a breath and mumbles something to himself quietly. For those close enough to him they hear, "Here goes nothing." Before he hesitantly gives the door a little knock, hoping that the door wouldn't fall apart in the process.
Skanon heard the thumping footsteps echo from behind the door.
“Coming!” came a voice from within. The door swung wide enough for a frumpy old lady to poke her head around the door. Her hunched figure barely reached Skanon’s chest and her long white hair was tied into an unkempt bun, skewered in place by a bodkin needle. The smell of sweet pastries baking within blended with a stench that burned your nostrils. Soft clucking from chickens and the croaking of toads can be heard from within the windmill.
The old lady surveyed the group and said, “Oh dear, you must have traveled far. Have you come to buy some of my dream pastries? They’re only a single gold piece each, made from the finest ingredients and sure to make you forget your troubles.”
Through the door, Skanon’s darkvision in the lightless interior…
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Skanon paused for a second before hesitantly nodding slightly. "Y-Yes, that's exactly why we've come here. It's been ages since I've had a decent pastry."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Vicki's insight on wether to trust the lady: 13.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(I am going to roll through Vicky's thought process at different moments in time, since I have missed a bit.)
Squawking Raven:
Vicky is immediately confused at the sight of the raven: how come a raven, of all birds, was there? Vicky thought6 nothing more of it and waited for someone else to do something.
Old Lady:
Vicky, due to the insight, has no trust in the lady, and believes Veronica was right with the being something off. She took a look inside of the mill, attempting to scout for anything off, for example, if the inside looked cosy and welcoming, unlike the exterior. Perception 20. "Unlike my friend, I'm not here to buy, but I would like to ask: what are these ingredients? What makes these so good? If it sounds good, I may just but some."
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
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The needle blights used the trees as cover and the arrows and bolts do not find their mark.
Awaiting Veronica's turn...
Veronica rushes in and tries to beat one of the monsters into submission with her fists.
Unarmed strike - Attack: 20; Damage: 8 (magical bludgeoning)
She will also use a ki point to unleash Flurry of Blows (two more Unarmed Strike attacks)
Flurry strike 1 - attack: 10; damage: 6 (magical bludgeoning)
Flurry strike 2 - attack: 20; damage: 7 (magical bludgeoning)
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Veronica shot forward in a blur and laid into both needle blights with her bare hands. The jagged tattoos on her arms flowed with her movements, empowering each strike. The needle blights were both obliterated in her onslaught. (First attack hit and destroyed 1 blight, the second missed. The final attack destroyed the second blight.)
After swiftly dispatching the Needle blights and traveling for 2 hours from the Village of Barovia, the Old Svalich Road transitioned from being a winding path through low mountains into a lazy trail that hugged the mountainside as it descended into a fog-filled valley. In the heart of the valley you saw a walled town, Vallaki, near the shores of a great mountain lake, its waters dark and still. Another hour of travel would bring you to the town of Vallaki.
However, a branch in the road here led west to a promontory, atop which is perched a dilapidated stone windmill, its warped wooden vanes stripped bare.
{DM Note: Giving characters a chance to visit a landmark in the area, if the majority of the party is interested in doing so, before continuing the journey.}
"It would be a pain to not see the mill in all its 'beauty', we should go there, it looks interesting."
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
Skanon shrugs slightly as he looks at the mill. "Beauty isn't exactly the word I'd use for it, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a peak inside. Who knows what kind of 'treasures' we might find in there." The last part was said with a hint of sarcasm.
Ireena and Ismark glanced with trepidation at the crumbling edifice, until finally Ismark spoke up, “In truth, we’ve never been outside the village before, whether you think it is better to get a lay of the land or head directly to Vallaki, we’ll follow you.”
{DM Note: I’ll give a bit more time for Veronica and Garavon to respond. If we still only have 2 “Yea” votes for the windmill in 12 hours, I’ll roll dice to simulate a 50/50 chance which way Veronica and Garavon votes.}
Veronica looks at the crumbling windmill skeptically.
"In all honesty, I think that stopping to sightsee is probably not worth the risk, minimal though that might be," the dhampir says.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
{DM Note: Whether you have already decided Yea or Nay, votes are never final, you can always roleplay a character changing their mind...until I respond and move the scene 😅}
{DM Note: Sorry Veronica. I’ll use the majority opinion here.
Garavon hasn’t leveled up his character yet and Gaelyn hasn’t responded in a long time. We’ll proceed without them for now and let them hop in if they come back.
Any combat encounters should still be doable without them, especially since Ismark and Ireena is with the party.}
You approached the windmill. The onion-domed edifice leaned forward and to one side, as though trying to turn away from the stormy gray sky. You saw gray brick walls and dirt-covered windows on the upper floors. A decrepit wooden platform encircled the windmill above a flimsy doorway leading to the building's interior.
Perched on a wooden beam above the door was a raven. It hopped about and squawked at you, seemingly agitated.
Insight check on the raven:
Vicky: 11
Skanon: 7
Veronica: 13
Once on the hill, you also noticed a circle of four megaliths at the edge of the nearby forest.
Veronica realized the raven is trying to warn the party of danger in the windmill. It flapped away in the direction of Vallaki once it had delivered its message.
{DM Note: Awaiting player responses before describing the scenes. You can explore this area individually. We can assume the characters are near enough to each other to come to each other's aid should trouble occur.}
Skanon watched as the raven flew away and then back to the flimsy doorway of the mill. He takes a breath and mumbles something to himself quietly. For those close enough to him they hear, "Here goes nothing." Before he hesitantly gives the door a little knock, hoping that the door wouldn't fall apart in the process.
Veronica sighs... she (and the unusually clever bird) have apparently been outvoted.
"Just... be careful everyone. Something feels off about this place."
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Skanon heard the thumping footsteps echo from behind the door.
“Coming!” came a voice from within. The door swung wide enough for a frumpy old lady to poke her head around the door. Her hunched figure barely reached Skanon’s chest and her long white hair was tied into an unkempt bun, skewered in place by a bodkin needle. The smell of sweet pastries baking within blended with a stench that burned your nostrils. Soft clucking from chickens and the croaking of toads can be heard from within the windmill.
The old lady surveyed the group and said, “Oh dear, you must have traveled far. Have you come to buy some of my dream pastries? They’re only a single gold piece each, made from the finest ingredients and sure to make you forget your troubles.”
Through the door, Skanon’s darkvision in the lightless interior…
Skanon’s Perception check: 4
...saw not very much at all. The old lady seemed to be intent on keeping Skanon from spying into her abode.
Ireena raised an eyebrow and said, "That is quite expensive for some pastries." Ismark nodded in agreement.
"Hush children," said the old lady, "you won't find my pastries anywhere else in the whole valley, what do you say travelers?"
Skanon paused for a second before hesitantly nodding slightly. "Y-Yes, that's exactly why we've come here. It's been ages since I've had a decent pastry."
Deception: 19
Opponent's Insight: 10
"Excellent. You won't be disappointed!" The old lady turned around back into the windmill to fetch her pastries, leaving the door open...
{DM Note: Awaiting player response in case anyone wants to take advantage of the opening Skanon's deception created.}
Vicki's insight on wether to trust the lady: 13.
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
(I am going to roll through Vicky's thought process at different moments in time, since I have missed a bit.)
Squawking Raven:
Vicky is immediately confused at the sight of the raven: how come a raven, of all birds, was there? Vicky thought6 nothing more of it and waited for someone else to do something.
Old Lady:
Vicky, due to the insight, has no trust in the lady, and believes Veronica was right with the being something off. She took a look inside of the mill, attempting to scout for anything off, for example, if the inside looked cosy and welcoming, unlike the exterior. Perception 20. "Unlike my friend, I'm not here to buy, but I would like to ask: what are these ingredients? What makes these so good? If it sounds good, I may just but some."
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!