Gus studies the map, trying to look like he knows what he's doing, What if he's right? Scaling down the cliff into water would indeed put us at a disadvantage. Would it be better to consider climbing down between caves 2 and 3? Might help us approach either cave by sticking close to the base of the cliff or maybe it would allow us to make our way southwest and survey cave 2 from that point?
Feydon leers at you, seeing through your attempt to look like you know what you're doing. "I didn't say 'scale down into the water' - I said JUMP. It's a short ridge there. Nearly half as high. Probably something to do with the erosions from the water underneath it. It forms a ramp downward as you come up it on the ridge, you'll see. And by jumping, we make it down instantly. No disadvantages to that whatsoever, wizard-boy. You know what DOES have a disadvantage? Spending half an hour hammering pitons into the ridge in full view of everything in the marsh for half a mile around, or more. We'll be sitting ducks if we CLIMB down. So... I say we JUMP."
Sir Jory hems awkwardly. "As much as I hate to admit it, he IS right about the ridge being very short there. Not that I agree with his plan."
Nayeli, who's been watching the exchange between her own people, your group, and the world's rudest guide with interest.
"Feydon, you will keep a civil tongue in my hall, is that understood? Sir Jory and myself are vassals of House Daggerford. Insulting the group here, Sir Jory, or myself, to my mind, is not in the interests of Daggerford or its people. Further, psychological harm IS harm. If you follow my logic.."
"Stop!!" he cries, grabbing his forehead, dropping his goblet. "Please! I get it. I'll stop."
"Well. That was... less difficult than I thought it would be," Nayeli says. "Maybe Onbarl still has a marble or two left rolling around in that head of his. Is he still spending all his hours researching various ways to make jars? Wherever he went for that century seems to have cracked his head a little."
Feydon has gone completely quiet, his face pale, holding the sides of his head with both hands as if trying to keep it from exploding. It seems there's to be no further comments from him for a while.
Geren takes the time to savor his meal. For now he's content to try to memorize the information he's being given and watch the interactions between Feydon and Sir Jory. Geren gets the sense the knight might be an issue, especially given how he's immediately come into conflict with their guide.
Seeing that Feydon has been silenced, at least for the time being, and sensing some indecision among the group (not to mention himself - he's clearly considering Feydon's idea, but could simply be too proud to acknowledge its merits), Sir Jory speaks up. "Well, in response to the point of being seen climbing, I do have some thoughts on that front," he starts. He points to the two locations he mentioned are easiest to climb, and notes their distance from the Hold. "Given that we'll be on foot, and that the journey to these farthest points along the ridge is several hours, but not quite a full days travel, I propose the following: we leave early in the morning, hike to one of the two locations, stopping well short of the edge, and make a brief camp where we get some additional rest until night. Or, perhaps, dusk. The darker it is, the less we'll stand out on the ridge, I expect. That said, we may want to choose a time where there's still enough light to see what we're doing of course," he laughs, heartily. Then, seeing that no one found his 'joke' amusing, his laughing comes to a slow, awkward stop.
Speaking through his hands, and sounding weary and strained, Feydon can't resist a short remark to Sir Jory's brilliant idea. "They... see... body... heat..." he manages to say without the desperately desired stream of expletives and insults he'd have preferred to splice in between each word.
Even Nayeli has a hard time hiding her embarrassment for Sir Jory. She gestures for him to be seated. "I think we've both confused and overwhelmed our guests enough. Mayhap they just need to rest on it, and decide their course in the morning?" she offers. It seems she's grown somewhat weary of getting nowhere and all the drama. "Does anyone have any questions for me before we adjourn? I'll of course see you off in the morning, after a light breakfast - never a good idea to begin a stressful day with potentially rigorous climbing by stuffing yourself silly."
OOC: I think it's Gus that's taking the measurements? Dawn will coordinate with him and see if he needs help. Also she might help refine the time till midnight by basing it on sunset and how long the days are this time of year (something she'd need to know when dawn is for her morning rituals.
OOC: I think it's Gus that's taking the measurements? Dawn will coordinate with him and see if he needs help. Also she might help refine the time till midnight by basing it on sunset and how long the days are this time of year (something she'd need to know when dawn is for her morning rituals.
I think I gave someone an hourglass, maybe two people. If not, we'll say I did because I meant to. So if someone keeps turning it over every time they see it has finished, you can get pretty close to midnight - certainly within 2 hours of it. But I'm glad you remembered. I was getting worried you'd all forgotten.
You might ask Nayeli if she's got a more reliable time keeping method. This is the time for questions like that, for sure :)
Edit: oh sorry I read your comment wrong. You're saying that you want to use your understanding of sunrise and sunset to help narrow down when midnight is? You can certainly do that - Reyna suggested as much if you lose track with the hourglasses, then starting them up again at sunrise, which this time of year is at the 6th hour where you are - we'll say that sunset is about a quarter hour shy of the 20th hour (using a 24 hour clock obvs).
It's also very definitely something that will be improved if there are two people doing it - one doing the reading, and one jotting down the numbers as they read them off. Setting down the instrument to record the long, odd numbers with their strange syntax that you've never seen before isn't easy (small spoiler that's probably something you already guessed: he's essentially invented his own Longitude and Latitude coordinate system, one of the reasons his maps are leagues ahead of the standards for the day).
As everyone wraps up coming up with a plan Eltra points out "I would prefer to take the shortest route down....I am old, not very strong, and don't want to plummet to my death, so if all you regular sized folks could keep that in mind when planning, I would be forever grateful"
Feydon, straining to keep a measured, tone, finds himself speaking half his normal speed to do so. "The shortest path would be the one I described. If you're old, then you'll certainly prefer my method then theirs - how does half-an-hour of scaling a nearly 40-foot sheer cliff wall sound to your... elderly... bones? For someone of your weight, the fall from the ridge at its lowest point would be even less jarring than for larger people - maybe it seems... counterintuitive... but the smaller you are... the farther you can fall before... it hurts. Ask the... wizard's... cat... how far... he? Or she... or whatever... can jump. It's even further... than humans can.... despite it being.... in a relative sense... a greater fall. Catapults don't fire pillows... do they? Why is it... that the heaviest rocks... are the most damaging? Trust me. No, don't trust me. Watch me do it. You can cast reduce on me. I'll jump as someone your size. And it'll be even easier. Not that's its hard. It's barely over 15 feet. And its cushioned by four feet of water. Maybe four and a half. That's... taller than you. But that's just at... the deepest... parts.... its not far... to dry ground... or at least... shallower water. Beneath the water... the ground... is like... sponge. So much so... there are places... you can just... sink into oblivion. But not there. What does your gut tell you? About our... respective options? Our.... friend the knight,.. would have us wait... until we're half-blind from darkness, and standing out like flares to all lizardmen far beyond the range of our own vision in the dark. I propose... we... get... the... DROP... on them. Instead. Pun. Intended. Also. Ask yourself this. Why am I feeling so... compelled... to argue... this point? Do you think... that I care... if you and your friends... take a permanent dirt nap? I DO NOT. But... if I were to not voice my.. views on this... I'd... suffer... pains... you cannot begin to fathom. I can feel it already, because I haven't been making my strongest arguments. Just for that much 'disobedience'... I can't even see straight, I'm in so much pain. But it's easing now.... because I think that was my best argument. Now. I wash my hand of it. Do what you will."
Assuming we've been dismissed for the evening, Gus will try to catch up with Feydon as we leave the hall, Master Feydon sir, may I ask, I've never been in a marsh, could you help me in deciding the type if creature for Cleo to assume that be the best to assist us with minimal risk of her being eaten by one if the lizard folk? I was thinking maybe an owl?
Eltra hears and listens to Feydon's words "Well I cast my vote for Feydon's plan. Seems the others are tired of the back and forth and would like to continue in the morning, but as it stands or falls, I prefer the shortest climb and fall. Good night, I would like to get some reading in before I go to sleep"
(OOC: At some point you'll be dismissed, and sure you can have this interaction then - you effectively are dismissed, but I haven't pushed it forward because I want to be sure everyone's had a chance to ask any last questions - but for when you do go back:)
Feydon looks at the cat. "Madame Cleo, hmm? I take it she's your familiar then, not just some pet? It'd be an odd thing to bring your pet, and to polymorph it to boot. I didn't think you capable of that kind of spell. So I'll assume familiar. Well. I'll tell you one thing. Having a set of eyes that can fly, and that can spot a mouse rustling in the bushes from 100 yards away, is a pretty useful thing for gathering intelligence. Wouldn't you think? I'll tell you another thing. Have you heard the term - apex predator? It's the kind of phrase you see in natural philosophy pamphlets in Waterdeep. Or from, the Society of Brilliance. Don't look at me like that, I know how to read. I'm a practitioner of the same art you are. But it's just a side thing for me. To answer your question - owls are safe pretty much everywhere. Invulnerable? No. Of course not. But she'll be a lot safer than we are, I'll tell you that much. Especially if we follow Sir Blow.. er.. ory... in his... poorly conceived... plans," clearly, he wanted to describe both the man and the plans is a much more damning light but began feeling the first signs of warning from the geas and thought better of it. "There are more things that feed off humans that I can think of, than owls. Maybe having your... cat... as an owl... will help assuage the fears... of your companions. By scouting ahead. They seem to have... a lot of fears... that need assuaging," he gasps out, finally finished. It's proving very hard for him not to splice in 'psychologically harmful' statements in between every other word he says, apparently.
Gus - before he leaves, you know growing up on the docks if the Gate I heard stories of you. When we'd play pirates I'd always try to pick you. Running around the docks freeing rats from fishing nets thinking I was you freeing slaves. Thank you.
Gus - before he leaves, you know growing up on the docks if the Gate I heard stories of you. When we'd play pirates I'd always try to pick you. Running around the docks freeing rats from fishing nets thinking I was you freeing slaves. Thank you.
Feydon, almost reflexively begins his usual sneer, or derisive expression if not remark, until he hears that you're not insulting him. Quite the opposite. He seems very uncomfortable with what you just said - like he doesn't know what your angle is, and how you're trying to screw him, but can't see how you'd be doing that, and therefore can't make sense of why you'd say something like that.
Eventually he just sort of shrugs. "Uhm. You're welcome?" he says. confused, but not unkindly. Turning away, he hikes up a nearby ladder to the ramparts above and spends a few minutes looking westward toward the marshes before eventually returning to his room - well, to his 'cot'. He's been afforded a bedroll on the floor in the room shared by Hnefa and Geren, which opens into the room shared by Bree and Dawn, and on the other side to the room with Eltra and Gus. The doors don't close between the rooms, but there's a sheet on a line around each of your beds that can be drawn for privacy - changing and the like. Except, of course, for Feydon. He's essentially sleeping in full view of the entire party. Unbothered, he undresses into his underclothes, slips into his bedroll, and within moments can be heard lightly snoring.
(by the time this all happens, its about the 21st hour - he'd been up on the ramparts to see the last glimmer of light from the setting sun, so that would have been almost the 20th hour. Just FYI - in case there's something a pair of you wanted to do... say around midnight or so....)
Gus and Cleo retire to his room. As he makes preparations to cast find familiar as a ritual he discusses the process with Cleo, explaining how she can really help us out in our quest. An hour later the spell concludes and the cat is transformed, taking the form of a marsh owl. Gus opens the window and encourages Cleo to try out her new wings. As she flies out the window Gus will reach out to her, using his ability to see through her eyes and hear what she hears.
Geren spends his time before leaving reading the book on lizardfolk culture and at midnight ensures they keep their end of the deal with Mr. V along with however many other party members he can wake up.
Sir Jory hems awkwardly. "As much as I hate to admit it, he IS right about the ridge being very short there. Not that I agree with his plan."
Feydon smiles again, without a hint of warmth however. "Fortune favors the bold," he says simply. "And the cold," he adds, under his breath.
Nayeli, who's been watching the exchange between her own people, your group, and the world's rudest guide with interest.
"Feydon, you will keep a civil tongue in my hall, is that understood? Sir Jory and myself are vassals of House Daggerford. Insulting the group here, Sir Jory, or myself, to my mind, is not in the interests of Daggerford or its people. Further, psychological harm IS harm. If you follow my logic.."
"Stop!!" he cries, grabbing his forehead, dropping his goblet. "Please! I get it. I'll stop."
"Well. That was... less difficult than I thought it would be," Nayeli says. "Maybe Onbarl still has a marble or two left rolling around in that head of his. Is he still spending all his hours researching various ways to make jars? Wherever he went for that century seems to have cracked his head a little."
Feydon has gone completely quiet, his face pale, holding the sides of his head with both hands as if trying to keep it from exploding. It seems there's to be no further comments from him for a while.
Geren takes the time to savor his meal. For now he's content to try to memorize the information he's being given and watch the interactions between Feydon and Sir Jory. Geren gets the sense the knight might be an issue, especially given how he's immediately come into conflict with their guide.
Seeing that Feydon has been silenced, at least for the time being, and sensing some indecision among the group (not to mention himself - he's clearly considering Feydon's idea, but could simply be too proud to acknowledge its merits), Sir Jory speaks up. "Well, in response to the point of being seen climbing, I do have some thoughts on that front," he starts. He points to the two locations he mentioned are easiest to climb, and notes their distance from the Hold. "Given that we'll be on foot, and that the journey to these farthest points along the ridge is several hours, but not quite a full days travel, I propose the following: we leave early in the morning, hike to one of the two locations, stopping well short of the edge, and make a brief camp where we get some additional rest until night. Or, perhaps, dusk. The darker it is, the less we'll stand out on the ridge, I expect. That said, we may want to choose a time where there's still enough light to see what we're doing of course," he laughs, heartily. Then, seeing that no one found his 'joke' amusing, his laughing comes to a slow, awkward stop.
Speaking through his hands, and sounding weary and strained, Feydon can't resist a short remark to Sir Jory's brilliant idea. "They... see... body... heat..." he manages to say without the desperately desired stream of expletives and insults he'd have preferred to splice in between each word.
Even Nayeli has a hard time hiding her embarrassment for Sir Jory. She gestures for him to be seated. "I think we've both confused and overwhelmed our guests enough. Mayhap they just need to rest on it, and decide their course in the morning?" she offers. It seems she's grown somewhat weary of getting nowhere and all the drama. "Does anyone have any questions for me before we adjourn? I'll of course see you off in the morning, after a light breakfast - never a good idea to begin a stressful day with potentially rigorous climbing by stuffing yourself silly."
if there aren't any questions Bree reads more of the two books she got and then goes to sleep.
OOC: I think it's Gus that's taking the measurements? Dawn will coordinate with him and see if he needs help. Also she might help refine the time till midnight by basing it on sunset and how long the days are this time of year (something she'd need to know when dawn is for her morning rituals.
I think I gave someone an hourglass, maybe two people. If not, we'll say I did because I meant to. So if someone keeps turning it over every time they see it has finished, you can get pretty close to midnight - certainly within 2 hours of it. But I'm glad you remembered. I was getting worried you'd all forgotten.
You might ask Nayeli if she's got a more reliable time keeping method. This is the time for questions like that, for sure :)
Edit: oh sorry I read your comment wrong. You're saying that you want to use your understanding of sunrise and sunset to help narrow down when midnight is? You can certainly do that - Reyna suggested as much if you lose track with the hourglasses, then starting them up again at sunrise, which this time of year is at the 6th hour where you are - we'll say that sunset is about a quarter hour shy of the 20th hour (using a 24 hour clock obvs).
It's also very definitely something that will be improved if there are two people doing it - one doing the reading, and one jotting down the numbers as they read them off. Setting down the instrument to record the long, odd numbers with their strange syntax that you've never seen before isn't easy (small spoiler that's probably something you already guessed: he's essentially invented his own Longitude and Latitude coordinate system, one of the reasons his maps are leagues ahead of the standards for the day).
As everyone wraps up coming up with a plan Eltra points out "I would prefer to take the shortest route down....I am old, not very strong, and don't want to plummet to my death, so if all you regular sized folks could keep that in mind when planning, I would be forever grateful"
Feydon, straining to keep a measured, tone, finds himself speaking half his normal speed to do so. "The shortest path would be the one I described. If you're old, then you'll certainly prefer my method then theirs - how does half-an-hour of scaling a nearly 40-foot sheer cliff wall sound to your... elderly... bones? For someone of your weight, the fall from the ridge at its lowest point would be even less jarring than for larger people - maybe it seems... counterintuitive... but the smaller you are... the farther you can fall before... it hurts. Ask the... wizard's... cat... how far... he? Or she... or whatever... can jump. It's even further... than humans can.... despite it being.... in a relative sense... a greater fall. Catapults don't fire pillows... do they? Why is it... that the heaviest rocks... are the most damaging? Trust me. No, don't trust me. Watch me do it. You can cast reduce on me. I'll jump as someone your size. And it'll be even easier. Not that's its hard. It's barely over 15 feet. And its cushioned by four feet of water. Maybe four and a half. That's... taller than you. But that's just at... the deepest... parts.... its not far... to dry ground... or at least... shallower water. Beneath the water... the ground... is like... sponge. So much so... there are places... you can just... sink into oblivion. But not there. What does your gut tell you? About our... respective options? Our.... friend the knight,.. would have us wait... until we're half-blind from darkness, and standing out like flares to all lizardmen far beyond the range of our own vision in the dark. I propose... we... get... the... DROP... on them. Instead. Pun. Intended. Also. Ask yourself this. Why am I feeling so... compelled... to argue... this point? Do you think... that I care... if you and your friends... take a permanent dirt nap? I DO NOT. But... if I were to not voice my.. views on this... I'd... suffer... pains... you cannot begin to fathom. I can feel it already, because I haven't been making my strongest arguments. Just for that much 'disobedience'... I can't even see straight, I'm in so much pain. But it's easing now.... because I think that was my best argument. Now. I wash my hand of it. Do what you will."
Assuming we've been dismissed for the evening, Gus will try to catch up with Feydon as we leave the hall, Master Feydon sir, may I ask, I've never been in a marsh, could you help me in deciding the type if creature for Cleo to assume that be the best to assist us with minimal risk of her being eaten by one if the lizard folk? I was thinking maybe an owl?
Eltra hears and listens to Feydon's words "Well I cast my vote for Feydon's plan. Seems the others are tired of the back and forth and would like to continue in the morning, but as it stands or falls, I prefer the shortest climb and fall. Good night, I would like to get some reading in before I go to sleep"
(OOC: At some point you'll be dismissed, and sure you can have this interaction then - you effectively are dismissed, but I haven't pushed it forward because I want to be sure everyone's had a chance to ask any last questions - but for when you do go back:)
Feydon looks at the cat. "Madame Cleo, hmm? I take it she's your familiar then, not just some pet? It'd be an odd thing to bring your pet, and to polymorph it to boot. I didn't think you capable of that kind of spell. So I'll assume familiar. Well. I'll tell you one thing. Having a set of eyes that can fly, and that can spot a mouse rustling in the bushes from 100 yards away, is a pretty useful thing for gathering intelligence. Wouldn't you think? I'll tell you another thing. Have you heard the term - apex predator? It's the kind of phrase you see in natural philosophy pamphlets in Waterdeep. Or from, the Society of Brilliance. Don't look at me like that, I know how to read. I'm a practitioner of the same art you are. But it's just a side thing for me. To answer your question - owls are safe pretty much everywhere. Invulnerable? No. Of course not. But she'll be a lot safer than we are, I'll tell you that much. Especially if we follow Sir Blow.. er.. ory... in his... poorly conceived... plans," clearly, he wanted to describe both the man and the plans is a much more damning light but began feeling the first signs of warning from the geas and thought better of it. "There are more things that feed off humans that I can think of, than owls. Maybe having your... cat... as an owl... will help assuage the fears... of your companions. By scouting ahead. They seem to have... a lot of fears... that need assuaging," he gasps out, finally finished. It's proving very hard for him not to splice in 'psychologically harmful' statements in between every other word he says, apparently.
Gus - before he leaves, you know growing up on the docks if the Gate I heard stories of you. When we'd play pirates I'd always try to pick you. Running around the docks freeing rats from fishing nets thinking I was you freeing slaves. Thank you.
Feydon, almost reflexively begins his usual sneer, or derisive expression if not remark, until he hears that you're not insulting him. Quite the opposite. He seems very uncomfortable with what you just said - like he doesn't know what your angle is, and how you're trying to screw him, but can't see how you'd be doing that, and therefore can't make sense of why you'd say something like that.
Eventually he just sort of shrugs. "Uhm. You're welcome?" he says. confused, but not unkindly. Turning away, he hikes up a nearby ladder to the ramparts above and spends a few minutes looking westward toward the marshes before eventually returning to his room - well, to his 'cot'. He's been afforded a bedroll on the floor in the room shared by Hnefa and Geren, which opens into the room shared by Bree and Dawn, and on the other side to the room with Eltra and Gus. The doors don't close between the rooms, but there's a sheet on a line around each of your beds that can be drawn for privacy - changing and the like. Except, of course, for Feydon. He's essentially sleeping in full view of the entire party. Unbothered, he undresses into his underclothes, slips into his bedroll, and within moments can be heard lightly snoring.
(by the time this all happens, its about the 21st hour - he'd been up on the ramparts to see the last glimmer of light from the setting sun, so that would have been almost the 20th hour. Just FYI - in case there's something a pair of you wanted to do... say around midnight or so....)
Gus and Cleo retire to his room. As he makes preparations to cast find familiar as a ritual he discusses the process with Cleo, explaining how she can really help us out in our quest. An hour later the spell concludes and the cat is transformed, taking the form of a marsh owl. Gus opens the window and encourages Cleo to try out her new wings. As she flies out the window Gus will reach out to her, using his ability to see through her eyes and hear what she hears.
Geren spends his time before leaving reading the book on lizardfolk culture and at midnight ensures they keep their end of the deal with Mr. V along with however many other party members he can wake up.