The sea loving orc was dreaming of the smell of the ocean breeze and the gentle rolling of the surf. Lucan's voice called him from his slumber. His training kicked in subconsciously. He sprang to his feet, stood at attention, saluted in Lucans general direction, and fought a great battle against a yawn that threatened to break his disciplined posture. He blinked a few times, dropped the salute, and offered up a sheepish grin. "Get fer restin' now, no troubles fer sneakin' by the humphorse 'n me,"
Salty did his fair share of guard duty in the warehouse district of a town far to the north called Luskan. He served his duty on his feet, turning slowly for the full two hours. Men who got comfortable on duty ran the risk of dozing, the cardinal sin of standing watch. He kept an eye on the camel as well, noting any sudden or unusual actions.
As his time passed he glanced up to the magnificence of the night sky in the desert. The vastness and sheer beauty of it took the burly orc's breath away. He disliked being far from the sea, but he offered a prayer of gratitude to Valkur for blessing him with the opportunity to see such a sight.
***OoC: perception: 12 ***
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
The faint chill of the pre-dawn air stirs me from my rest without need for a nudge. The sky is still painted in deep blues, but the first hints of light are creeping over the horizon. Rising quietly so as not to disturb the others, I step toward Salty, who stands watch with the stillness of one accustomed to such vigils.
I offer him a nod of respect as I draw near. “You have my thanks, friend,” I murmur, lowering my voice so the sleepers remain undisturbed. “Before you rest, if you don’t mind my asking, what is it truly like to serve Valkur? To feel his presence at your side?”
While we speak, I move to check on our camel, laying a hand gently on its neck, murmuring soft assurances. I make sure it has enough water, adjusting the tether so it can rest in comfort.
Once Salty takes his leave for sleep, I remain standing, eyes sweeping across the terrain in slow, deliberate arcs, watching for any movement in the pale light of the approaching dawn. The world feels balanced in this moment, neither night nor day, danger nor safety.
In the quiet, I bow my head, clasping my hands before me. Lord Kelemvor, Judge of the Dead, I thank you for the blessings of this journey, for the safety of my companions, and for the guidance you grant in life as in death. The prayer is silent, but the weight of its sincerity is heavy in my chest.
The day is coming. I remain alert, ready to meet it.
Salty pauses for a moment, giving real consideration to Samir's question. In the short time he had known the man, Samir's deeds and words had earned his respect. He pulls forth the small clay pot, opens the lid and dips his fingers into the sea water; laying two fingers on his forehead he drags a straight line to his chin. He tasted the salt in the water and felt calm and reassured. He looks Samir in the eye, his own eyes both fierce and kind, gentle and powerful. "Always has I feeled da pull of da sea. I feels it in me very bones. Tis beautius 'n terrible, givin' 'n takin' life 'n equal bits. Valkur's fer much o' da same. The chaos o' da storm, wind, lightening, seas fer topplin' da mightiest o' ships 'r fer bein' is domain. But yon seas 'er fer givin' life too. Valkur gives might fer me arm, but light fer me heart. Me hands 'er fer killin' fer da cause o' good, me same hands 'er fer healin' da sick 'n hurt. Ye speaks wit a hurricane what seeks evil 'n seeks fer washin' it away fer da glory o' me god. To serve me god is fer tastin' da power o' chaos 'n guidin' it fer a goodly cause."
Salty wasn't sure how else to explain it. He was not an educated orc, but his words came from the heart. With a wide yawn, Salty gave Samir a pat on the shoulder. "I'm fer mo' talkin' 'n hearin' o' yer callin', but sleep I'm needin' too." Salty finished his rest, assured that he and Samir would have many more cconversations on matters of faith.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
"Your words carry the weight of truth. The sea, like the divine, holds both wrath and mercy in its depths. I see the hand of Valkur in your conviction, and I honor the strength he gives you. Though I walk a path under Kelemvor's gaze, where justice and balance guide my steps, I hold deep respect for all who serve the greater good.
Like you, I have a duty. My calling is to ensure that those who are meant for life remain among the living, and those marked for death are not unjustly spared. Kelemvor is the final judge — the one who weighs the deeds of the dead and delivers their eternal sentence. There is no escaping his judgment, no bribing his scales.
You, Salty the Stormbearer, drive the wicked from this world. Your god's winds scatter the darkness, and your strength clears the way. And when the storm passes, and evil falls — Kelemvor waits to pass judgment, unflinching and absolute.
Together, whether by storm or silence, we serve the same cause: to preserve the balance and purge the rot that festers in the world."
With that, Samir closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and a slow exhale. He opens his eyes and assumes his watch while the others get their final few hours of rest.
The blue haired orc stops in his tracks as Samir speaks. He turns to face the man as he speaks, eyes attentive, if not a little heavy. He answers simply, saying, "Aye. We're fer bein' look't over, dont ye doubt." Salty was usually not much fer pretty words, but the acknowledgment and respect for his calling was evident in his deep blue eyes. He offered another friendly pat on the shoulder.
He paused as he turned to get the remainder of his rest. "Salty da Stormbearer... I'm fer likin' dat. Not fer knowin' can I spells it, but I'm fer likin' it."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
Lucan uses the time to rest as much as possible before and after his guard shift.
Perception 8
During his shift Lucan will do a small circle pattern around the group using his Darkvision to help spot any problems as far away as possible. If there is high ground very close by, he'll try to use it off and on to get a better view of the area around them.
He will go through his spells and hope to get a long rest in or if they get attacked ask to be allowed to get a long rest in if he hasn't had the time. If Lucan spots anything he'll alert vocally immediately or wake the others physically.
Using the exercise to help build heat while moving.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Krakan sits quietly after the fire in the center of them dies down, he does his nighttime routine of stretches and forms, then sits with his back against the camel, periodically standing and looking around, then sitting back down, listening always for anything that sounds different. His mouth curves in a faint smile as he listens to the conversations, but he avoids being drawn in, keeping to his duty and watching for intruders. He listens carefully and takes a circle of the camp a few times through the night, keeping his watch and then tapping Lucan for the next shift before curling up next to the camel, staying close to it for warmth. His dreams are somewhat fitful as he’s processing the events of the last couple of days. When the morning light comes, he’s standing and walking around the camp, anxious to be on the move again, he prepares himself for the coming day.
Perception : 18
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
The night was uneventful save for a pair of tortoises during Krakan's watch that foraged among the few hardy shrubs between the stones.
Day 2
The journey begins again and after 6 hours of travel during the hottest hours the party transitions from rocky plains to desert dunes. The dunes rise before you like shifting mountains. The journey is quite arduous as your feet sink into the sand 1ft deep with each step. The camel with its wide footing easily traverses this terrain.
The wind whips from several directions which at times causes a shower of sand to fall onto the group.
The slow pace becomes slower.
Does the party do anything to make it easier to walk across the mountainous sand dunes?
"I'm not fer likin' dis powderin' sand," he says, sinking several more inches down, as if to make his point. He glanced around, no sound of rolling waves, no smell of salt on the wind, just sand, sand, and more sand. His eyes scan the horizon. "Hmmmm... I'm fer wonderin' if walkin' da low spots is fer bein' better," Salty says. He shields his eyes with one hand and points to a lower point between two sand dunes.
***OoC: thinking if the lighter, powdery sand is blown into dunes, perhaps the low points will be better packed - maybe some protection from the wind as well***
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
True the gullies have more packed sand but eventually you would need to cross over sand dunes as there are no gullies that will lead you all the way through this area. Side note these are star dunes who don't have long gullies forcing frequent crossing of dunes to reach your destination. On average a gully among star dunes are about 1 mile long before you need to cross over a sand dune.
OOC - We'd need a way to disperse our weight on the soft sand almost like snowshoes, Grin. Sandshoes. Crawling or move to lower packed sand maybe like Salty suggests.
Lucan move along with the others staying in line and helping where needed. He struggles with the sand a bit more being less strong, but makes the most of his nimbleness to keep a lighter step and avoid wasted energy fighting the shifting sands. Easy soft steps he thinks.
"I'd hate to get swallowed up by the sand. Can it do that? Let's get to a place that has firmer footing. I suppose we could crawl. Keep an eye on the sand too. If its shifting maybe there is something underneath it. I'm going to get my magical armor on as we finish deciding our actions. I'll follow you folks along in marching order keeping those more alert up front."
Salty keeps his face covered as best he can. Each step felt like his feet were tied to anchors. His sharp eyes scanned the areas left and right, looking for trouble, but also for any debris left from former travelers, wagons left to bleach in the sun, broken barrels, even former battle sites.
***OoC: perception 13. If we can't come up with something we can always take turns on the camel as Weathervision mentioned.***
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
Traveling over well worn paths is one thing, traveling over the shifting sands and dunes is totally another. Krakan remembers from everything he has heard from travelers, how to walk across the sand with the smallest effort, how to save your energy, conserve your body's water in the heat. He offloads his items he is carrying to the camel. He checks his sandals, making sure they are in shape, he likes the idea of sticking to the lower paths, in between the dunes, avoiding as much of the heat as they can. He wraps his head with his facial covering, makes sure everything is in order.
Not sure which is the most appropriate roll here :
History : 7
Survival : 17
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Lucan will follow suite and offload his backpack to the camel checks his gear and follows any beneficial instructions to help with their situation.
"We just need to be sure we don't overload the camel. I'm sure they can carry a bit of stuff though. We'll need to keep control of the beast, so it does run off with all our gear though."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Samir watches the others unload their heavy gear onto the gentle camel. He looks down at his legs buried in sand up to his calves....
With a regretful pause he considers off-loading his gear to the camel as well.
"No," he says to himself. "I will share the burden." Samir takes another struggled step over the sand while holding onto the gear he carries, electing to suffer in sand rather than overburden their camel.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Salty
The sea loving orc was dreaming of the smell of the ocean breeze and the gentle rolling of the surf. Lucan's voice called him from his slumber. His training kicked in subconsciously. He sprang to his feet, stood at attention, saluted in Lucans general direction, and fought a great battle against a yawn that threatened to break his disciplined posture. He blinked a few times, dropped the salute, and offered up a sheepish grin. "Get fer restin' now, no troubles fer sneakin' by the humphorse 'n me,"
Salty did his fair share of guard duty in the warehouse district of a town far to the north called Luskan. He served his duty on his feet, turning slowly for the full two hours. Men who got comfortable on duty ran the risk of dozing, the cardinal sin of standing watch. He kept an eye on the camel as well, noting any sudden or unusual actions.
As his time passed he glanced up to the magnificence of the night sky in the desert. The vastness and sheer beauty of it took the burly orc's breath away. He disliked being far from the sea, but he offered a prayer of gratitude to Valkur for blessing him with the opportunity to see such a sight.
***OoC: perception: 12 ***
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
Samir Perception: 13
The faint chill of the pre-dawn air stirs me from my rest without need for a nudge. The sky is still painted in deep blues, but the first hints of light are creeping over the horizon. Rising quietly so as not to disturb the others, I step toward Salty, who stands watch with the stillness of one accustomed to such vigils.
I offer him a nod of respect as I draw near. “You have my thanks, friend,” I murmur, lowering my voice so the sleepers remain undisturbed. “Before you rest, if you don’t mind my asking, what is it truly like to serve Valkur? To feel his presence at your side?”
While we speak, I move to check on our camel, laying a hand gently on its neck, murmuring soft assurances. I make sure it has enough water, adjusting the tether so it can rest in comfort.
Once Salty takes his leave for sleep, I remain standing, eyes sweeping across the terrain in slow, deliberate arcs, watching for any movement in the pale light of the approaching dawn. The world feels balanced in this moment, neither night nor day, danger nor safety.
In the quiet, I bow my head, clasping my hands before me. Lord Kelemvor, Judge of the Dead, I thank you for the blessings of this journey, for the safety of my companions, and for the guidance you grant in life as in death. The prayer is silent, but the weight of its sincerity is heavy in my chest.
The day is coming. I remain alert, ready to meet it.
Salty
Salty pauses for a moment, giving real consideration to Samir's question. In the short time he had known the man, Samir's deeds and words had earned his respect. He pulls forth the small clay pot, opens the lid and dips his fingers into the sea water; laying two fingers on his forehead he drags a straight line to his chin. He tasted the salt in the water and felt calm and reassured. He looks Samir in the eye, his own eyes both fierce and kind, gentle and powerful. "Always has I feeled da pull of da sea. I feels it in me very bones. Tis beautius 'n terrible, givin' 'n takin' life 'n equal bits. Valkur's fer much o' da same. The chaos o' da storm, wind, lightening, seas fer topplin' da mightiest o' ships 'r fer bein' is domain. But yon seas 'er fer givin' life too. Valkur gives might fer me arm, but light fer me heart. Me hands 'er fer killin' fer da cause o' good, me same hands 'er fer healin' da sick 'n hurt. Ye speaks wit a hurricane what seeks evil 'n seeks fer washin' it away fer da glory o' me god. To serve me god is fer tastin' da power o' chaos 'n guidin' it fer a goodly cause."
Salty wasn't sure how else to explain it. He was not an educated orc, but his words came from the heart. With a wide yawn, Salty gave Samir a pat on the shoulder. "I'm fer mo' talkin' 'n hearin' o' yer callin', but sleep I'm needin' too." Salty finished his rest, assured that he and Samir would have many more cconversations on matters of faith.
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
As Salty walks away;
"Your words carry the weight of truth. The sea, like the divine, holds both wrath and mercy in its depths. I see the hand of Valkur in your conviction, and I honor the strength he gives you. Though I walk a path under Kelemvor's gaze, where justice and balance guide my steps, I hold deep respect for all who serve the greater good.
Like you, I have a duty. My calling is to ensure that those who are meant for life remain among the living, and those marked for death are not unjustly spared. Kelemvor is the final judge — the one who weighs the deeds of the dead and delivers their eternal sentence. There is no escaping his judgment, no bribing his scales.
You, Salty the Stormbearer, drive the wicked from this world. Your god's winds scatter the darkness, and your strength clears the way. And when the storm passes, and evil falls — Kelemvor waits to pass judgment, unflinching and absolute.
Together, whether by storm or silence, we serve the same cause: to preserve the balance and purge the rot that festers in the world."
With that, Samir closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and a slow exhale. He opens his eyes and assumes his watch while the others get their final few hours of rest.
Salty
The blue haired orc stops in his tracks as Samir speaks. He turns to face the man as he speaks, eyes attentive, if not a little heavy. He answers simply, saying, "Aye. We're fer bein' look't over, dont ye doubt." Salty was usually not much fer pretty words, but the acknowledgment and respect for his calling was evident in his deep blue eyes. He offered another friendly pat on the shoulder.
He paused as he turned to get the remainder of his rest. "Salty da Stormbearer... I'm fer likin' dat. Not fer knowin' can I spells it, but I'm fer likin' it."
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
Lucan uses the time to rest as much as possible before and after his guard shift.
Perception 8
During his shift Lucan will do a small circle pattern around the group using his Darkvision to help spot any problems as far away as possible. If there is high ground very close by, he'll try to use it off and on to get a better view of the area around them.
He will go through his spells and hope to get a long rest in or if they get attacked ask to be allowed to get a long rest in if he hasn't had the time. If Lucan spots anything he'll alert vocally immediately or wake the others physically.
Using the exercise to help build heat while moving.
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Krakan sits quietly after the fire in the center of them dies down, he does his nighttime routine of stretches and forms, then sits with his back against the camel, periodically standing and looking around, then sitting back down, listening always for anything that sounds different. His mouth curves in a faint smile as he listens to the conversations, but he avoids being drawn in, keeping to his duty and watching for intruders. He listens carefully and takes a circle of the camp a few times through the night, keeping his watch and then tapping Lucan for the next shift before curling up next to the camel, staying close to it for warmth. His dreams are somewhat fitful as he’s processing the events of the last couple of days. When the morning light comes, he’s standing and walking around the camp, anxious to be on the move again, he prepares himself for the coming day.
Perception : 18
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
The night was uneventful save for a pair of tortoises during Krakan's watch that foraged among the few hardy shrubs between the stones.
Day 2
The journey begins again and after 6 hours of travel during the hottest hours the party transitions from rocky plains to desert dunes. The dunes rise before you like shifting mountains. The journey is quite arduous as your feet sink into the sand 1ft deep with each step. The camel with its wide footing easily traverses this terrain.
The wind whips from several directions which at times causes a shower of sand to fall onto the group.
The slow pace becomes slower.
Does the party do anything to make it easier to walk across the mountainous sand dunes?
Salty
"I'm not fer likin' dis powderin' sand," he says, sinking several more inches down, as if to make his point. He glanced around, no sound of rolling waves, no smell of salt on the wind, just sand, sand, and more sand. His eyes scan the horizon. "Hmmmm... I'm fer wonderin' if walkin' da low spots is fer bein' better," Salty says. He shields his eyes with one hand and points to a lower point between two sand dunes.
***OoC: thinking if the lighter, powdery sand is blown into dunes, perhaps the low points will be better packed - maybe some protection from the wind as well***
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
True the gullies have more packed sand but eventually you would need to cross over sand dunes as there are no gullies that will lead you all the way through this area. Side note these are star dunes who don't have long gullies forcing frequent crossing of dunes to reach your destination. On average a gully among star dunes are about 1 mile long before you need to cross over a sand dune.
Lucan
OOC - We'd need a way to disperse our weight on the soft sand almost like snowshoes, Grin. Sandshoes. Crawling or move to lower packed sand maybe like Salty suggests.
Lucan move along with the others staying in line and helping where needed. He struggles with the sand a bit more being less strong, but makes the most of his nimbleness to keep a lighter step and avoid wasted energy fighting the shifting sands. Easy soft steps he thinks.
"I'd hate to get swallowed up by the sand. Can it do that? Let's get to a place that has firmer footing. I suppose we could crawl. Keep an eye on the sand too. If its shifting maybe there is something underneath it. I'm going to get my magical armor on as we finish deciding our actions. I'll follow you folks along in marching order keeping those more alert up front."
Lucan Cast Mage Armor est time Noon/mid-day.
Lucan mage armor Noon - 8 PM
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
The camel is an option
Salty
Salty keeps his face covered as best he can. Each step felt like his feet were tied to anchors. His sharp eyes scanned the areas left and right, looking for trouble, but also for any debris left from former travelers, wagons left to bleach in the sun, broken barrels, even former battle sites.
***OoC: perception 13. If we can't come up with something we can always take turns on the camel as Weathervision mentioned.***
“Let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond
Traveling over well worn paths is one thing, traveling over the shifting sands and dunes is totally another. Krakan remembers from everything he has heard from travelers, how to walk across the sand with the smallest effort, how to save your energy, conserve your body's water in the heat. He offloads his items he is carrying to the camel. He checks his sandals, making sure they are in shape, he likes the idea of sticking to the lower paths, in between the dunes, avoiding as much of the heat as they can. He wraps his head with his facial covering, makes sure everything is in order.
Not sure which is the most appropriate roll here :
History : 7
Survival : 17
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Lucan
Lucan will follow suite and offload his backpack to the camel checks his gear and follows any beneficial instructions to help with their situation.
"We just need to be sure we don't overload the camel. I'm sure they can carry a bit of stuff though. We'll need to keep control of the beast, so it does run off with all our gear though."
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Samir watches the others unload their heavy gear onto the gentle camel. He looks down at his legs buried in sand up to his calves....
With a regretful pause he considers off-loading his gear to the camel as well.
"No," he says to himself. "I will share the burden." Samir takes another struggled step over the sand while holding onto the gear he carries, electing to suffer in sand rather than overburden their camel.