By the time you reach the hills, the sun has clawed its way high into the late-morning sky, though its light does little to lift the gloom. The hills rise around you, cruel and jagged, like the talons of some slumbering beast reaching skyward to rend the low-hanging clouds.
Each step forward is a negotiation with the treacherous ground—strewn with sharp rock, loose shale, and dips that snatch at your horse hooves. The air is still, save for the echo of your own passage. Footfalls, the clink of gear, even your breath bounce from stone to stone, warped and scattered, until you feel you are being stalked by your own shadow.
Then, just as the bleak sameness begins to gnaw at your resolve—you round a bend in the path and stop short.
A goat stands before you.
It is a small thing, white as snow save for two dirty grey smudges along its flanks. Its narrow eyes fix on you, unreadable. It bleats once, shrill, defiant, and then lowers its head, tearing a brittle tuft of grass from the parched soil. It chews slowly, as if your presence is of no more consequence than the wind.
The hills watch. The goat chews. A shadow passes overhead.
"Fellows, I could cast Speak with Animals if we think this er, creature is of import... It takes about 10 minutes for the ritual, or I can burn up some the remainder of my casting power for the day. Or I could just offer it a Good berry and we go from there... Thoughts?"
"Or we can just continue forward ignoring it as it seems to be an ordinary goat. But if you Scritch wants to take the time to converse with it then so be it." says Rachus.
"Meh," Skritch telepaths back to Rachus, "let's keep on keeping on. If the goat has something it wants to do with us, I'm, er, sure it'll let us know..."
Skritch throws the grey-shanked goat a Goodberry, then flicks Sunhill's reins and starts to ride past, smiling at the beast as he does.
Thanadol the goat stares back at you impassively as it chews on the berry.
Putting the creature behind you the journey resumes. It is not until you all approach the next bend in the trail that you hear a monstrous screech and an answering bleat behind you. The goat has vanished and a vast shadow sweeps across the space where it stood. Looking up toward the hill tops you see a flash of white feathers disappearing over the jagged rise.
Vakas studies the map as he looks down the pathway through this land, studying the territory leading to the kobolds and their goal. He looks up oddly when distracted by the goat, considering it, but he continues his study as they try to pick their way forward. “This is odd…”
Investigation of the map : (Nat 20!) 27
Perception when looking ahead at the valley and the path : 11
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"The eagles! The eagles! The eagles!" - but also, Meh, whatcha gonna do? thinks Skritch. You live n learn. Well, er, unless you're that particular goat...
The appearance then disappearance of the goat barely registered with Dealuri, who was more focused on herself. While on the path, Dealuri takes the opportunity to ask some questions to her companions that might help her decide what to do about the mark near her wrist on her left arm. "I know that name of Loki and that he is a bad guy. So that makes the mark bad, although the solitary elf did say it could be powerful. The solitary elf also said there is a temple to Víðarr a few days away - I don't know anything about Víðarr - is it a him or a her or an it? Are they good or bad?" Dealuri never was good at remembering people's names or history.
OOC: If anyone wants to see how much they know about Víðarr then give me a religion check. Otherwise should you choose it any of the characters might know that he is a son of the dead god Odin. A powerful god of the new pantheon worshipped in remote places.
Vakas (with and 11) you see nothing unusual on the trail ahead. (With a 27) you and Thanadol study the map together. You are clearly now on the last leg of your journey and you see etchings that point to a ruined tower that will mark the point where you must leave the trail. From there it will be a short ascent to the entrance of the Kobolds lair. You feel confident that you will find the entrance before you lose the light of this day. (OOC: In short the high roll will get you there without incident)
With a religion bonus of -1 Skritch has other thongs to focus on. Like, where's this tower they're looking for? Will there be a safe place to tie up the horses. Will he be able to take Sunhill into the caves? How long do they think they'll be underground? What will be the best spells to take into wherever they're going?
Rachus arches an eyebrow when the goat is literally swept off its feet "Well the cycle of life and all of that." he thinks for a moment about Vidaar and draws a blank. He shakes his head and says "I know nothing in regard to Vidaar"
Vakas tries to remember anything he’s heard about Víðarr, religion check : 11.
“Look, here is the entrance, on the map. We are almost there! Just a little further…” Vakas points out what he sees to everyone. “Everyone on your toes. From what I generally recall from what I’ve heard about kobolds .. they love traps. So be on your guard. Did any of you see what snatched that goat, I just heard a bleat and saw the feathers… hope it’s nothing that is still hungry..”. Vakas keeps looking as they ride along, head on a swivel.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"Thanks for the information about Vidarr." Returning to the here and now, "I've never been good at solving puzzles or finding traps or understanding tracks. But when I was with the army I would go with the scout to protect them as they search for those things. I can do that now." Dealuri is at least wise enough to know she not the magnifying glass but the hammer in the toolbox.
Mind-twittering, Skritch says, "I do, er, fear the skies somewhat. The sooner we are under some sort of cover, the longer it'll be ere one of us is snatched up into 'em..."
He scruffs Sunhill behind an ear as he keeps a warry watch on the heavens.
Dealuri it appears your companions know little more of the god than you do.
The day deepens as you press south and east. The land is hard and empty, empty of goats now, and empty too of skyborne threats. But the silence is no comfort. There is a weight to it, thick as a woollen cloak, and more than once you glance skyward or back along the trail, certain you are not alone.
At last, the path bends, and there it is the ruined tower, half-swallowed by the hillside, its broken silhouette rising from the black stone like the bones of some long-dead thing. Once it was a watchtower, no doubt, though no banner flies from it now. The old stones are slick with moss, weathered to a dull grey, a stark contrast to the obsidian crags all around. It stands crooked and patient. An empty shell of what it once was.
There is a small clearing at the base of the tower that you may investigate, or may take a look inside if you wish (Investigation check). The clearing contains clear signs of an old campfire. Otherwise you will continue now to the east climbing those traitorous hills as you approach your goal. Not long now...
Quick investigation for our Skritch, methinks: Trotting into the tower on Sunhill's back, Skritch encourages him to sniff around. (OOC to DM, don't suppose there's any chance that Sunhill's nose can gives Skritch the Help action for advantage on his Investigation?)
OOC: The dice have spoken lol. You can start training Sunhill to be a sniffer dog if you like, drop me a DM if you are interested and we will work out some rules for it :)
Skritch you enter the tower on the back of your noble canine steed. The ceiling has completely collapsed so you can not get in far. Your passage kicks up clouds of dust from the crumbling rocks and Sunhill begins to sneeze violently. Make an acrobatics roll and describe your landing accordingly as you are flung from the dogs back.
You find little of interest.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
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Wilderness roll (on character sheet): 5.
By the time you reach the hills, the sun has clawed its way high into the late-morning sky, though its light does little to lift the gloom. The hills rise around you, cruel and jagged, like the talons of some slumbering beast reaching skyward to rend the low-hanging clouds.
Each step forward is a negotiation with the treacherous ground—strewn with sharp rock, loose shale, and dips that snatch at your horse hooves. The air is still, save for the echo of your own passage. Footfalls, the clink of gear, even your breath bounce from stone to stone, warped and scattered, until you feel you are being stalked by your own shadow.
Then, just as the bleak sameness begins to gnaw at your resolve—you round a bend in the path and stop short.
A goat stands before you.
It is a small thing, white as snow save for two dirty grey smudges along its flanks. Its narrow eyes fix on you, unreadable. It bleats once, shrill, defiant, and then lowers its head, tearing a brittle tuft of grass from the parched soil. It chews slowly, as if your presence is of no more consequence than the wind.
The hills watch. The goat chews. A shadow passes overhead.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Thanadol (with a 14) you discern nothing unusual about this goat. It watches you watching it, and cocks its head to one side.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
"Fellows, I could cast Speak with Animals if we think this er, creature is of import... It takes about 10 minutes for the ritual, or I can burn up some the remainder of my casting power for the day. Or I could just offer it a Good berry and we go from there... Thoughts?"
"Or we can just continue forward ignoring it as it seems to be an ordinary goat. But if you Scritch wants to take the time to converse with it then so be it." says Rachus.
"Meh," Skritch telepaths back to Rachus, "let's keep on keeping on. If the goat has something it wants to do with us, I'm, er, sure it'll let us know..."
Skritch throws the grey-shanked goat a Goodberry, then flicks Sunhill's reins and starts to ride past, smiling at the beast as he does.
Thanadol the goat stares back at you impassively as it chews on the berry.
Putting the creature behind you the journey resumes. It is not until you all approach the next bend in the trail that you hear a monstrous screech and an answering bleat behind you. The goat has vanished and a vast shadow sweeps across the space where it stood. Looking up toward the hill tops you see a flash of white feathers disappearing over the jagged rise.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Before..
Vakas studies the map as he looks down the pathway through this land, studying the territory leading to the kobolds and their goal. He looks up oddly when distracted by the goat, considering it, but he continues his study as they try to pick their way forward. “This is odd…”
Investigation of the map : (Nat 20!) 27
Perception when looking ahead at the valley and the path : 11
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"The eagles! The eagles! The eagles!" - but also, Meh, whatcha gonna do? thinks Skritch. You live n learn. Well, er, unless you're that particular goat...
Kobolds ho!
The appearance then disappearance of the goat barely registered with Dealuri, who was more focused on herself. While on the path, Dealuri takes the opportunity to ask some questions to her companions that might help her decide what to do about the mark near her wrist on her left arm. "I know that name of Loki and that he is a bad guy. So that makes the mark bad, although the solitary elf did say it could be powerful. The solitary elf also said there is a temple to Víðarr a few days away - I don't know anything about Víðarr - is it a him or a her or an it? Are they good or bad?" Dealuri never was good at remembering people's names or history.
OOC: If anyone wants to see how much they know about Víðarr then give me a religion check. Otherwise should you choose it any of the characters might know that he is a son of the dead god Odin. A powerful god of the new pantheon worshipped in remote places.
Vakas (with and 11) you see nothing unusual on the trail ahead. (With a 27) you and Thanadol study the map together. You are clearly now on the last leg of your journey and you see etchings that point to a ruined tower that will mark the point where you must leave the trail. From there it will be a short ascent to the entrance of the Kobolds lair. You feel confident that you will find the entrance before you lose the light of this day. (OOC: In short the high roll will get you there without incident)
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
With a religion bonus of -1 Skritch has other thongs to focus on. Like, where's this tower they're looking for? Will there be a safe place to tie up the horses. Will he be able to take Sunhill into the caves? How long do they think they'll be underground? What will be the best spells to take into wherever they're going?
He has a lot on his mind...
Rachus arches an eyebrow when the goat is literally swept off its feet "Well the cycle of life and all of that." he thinks for a moment about Vidaar and draws a blank. He shakes his head and says "I know nothing in regard to Vidaar"
He will keep on travelling forward.
Religion Check
2
Vakas tries to remember anything he’s heard about Víðarr, religion check : 11.
“Look, here is the entrance, on the map. We are almost there! Just a little further…” Vakas points out what he sees to everyone. “Everyone on your toes. From what I generally recall from what I’ve heard about kobolds .. they love traps. So be on your guard. Did any of you see what snatched that goat, I just heard a bleat and saw the feathers… hope it’s nothing that is still hungry..”. Vakas keeps looking as they ride along, head on a swivel.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"Thanks for the information about Vidarr." Returning to the here and now, "I've never been good at solving puzzles or finding traps or understanding tracks. But when I was with the army I would go with the scout to protect them as they search for those things. I can do that now." Dealuri is at least wise enough to know she not the magnifying glass but the hammer in the toolbox.
Mind-twittering, Skritch says, "I do, er, fear the skies somewhat. The sooner we are under some sort of cover, the longer it'll be ere one of us is snatched up into 'em..."
He scruffs Sunhill behind an ear as he keeps a warry watch on the heavens.
Dealuri it appears your companions know little more of the god than you do.
The day deepens as you press south and east. The land is hard and empty, empty of goats now, and empty too of skyborne threats. But the silence is no comfort. There is a weight to it, thick as a woollen cloak, and more than once you glance skyward or back along the trail, certain you are not alone.
At last, the path bends, and there it is the ruined tower, half-swallowed by the hillside, its broken silhouette rising from the black stone like the bones of some long-dead thing. Once it was a watchtower, no doubt, though no banner flies from it now. The old stones are slick with moss, weathered to a dull grey, a stark contrast to the obsidian crags all around. It stands crooked and patient. An empty shell of what it once was.
There is a small clearing at the base of the tower that you may investigate, or may take a look inside if you wish (Investigation check). The clearing contains clear signs of an old campfire. Otherwise you will continue now to the east climbing those traitorous hills as you approach your goal. Not long now...
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Quick investigation for our Skritch, methinks: Trotting into the tower on Sunhill's back, Skritch encourages him to sniff around. (OOC to DM, don't suppose there's any chance that Sunhill's nose can gives Skritch the Help action for advantage on his Investigation?)
Investigation roll: 1 (or, if with advantage: 4)
(OOC: Wow. Just wow. But, to cheer myself up, here's Skritch Nubbins investigating a tower - albeit very poorly)
OOC: The dice have spoken lol. You can start training Sunhill to be a sniffer dog if you like, drop me a DM if you are interested and we will work out some rules for it :)
Skritch you enter the tower on the back of your noble canine steed. The ceiling has completely collapsed so you can not get in far. Your passage kicks up clouds of dust from the crumbling rocks and Sunhill begins to sneeze violently. Make an acrobatics roll and describe your landing accordingly as you are flung from the dogs back.
You find little of interest.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain