"Like someone whos about to incense the gods of some dead, elvish Ice tribe, I guess." Lyra replies with a mischievous grin that doesn't quite match her words.
Father Pat scratches the bald patch on his crown and says with a grin ”definitely an improvement, coz now you look like me!“ he then continues ”but we don’t know what it does so I suggest you put it down.”
Folzi after removing all the items from tge chest finds a cloak at the bottom neatly folded made of a deep brown color nearly black. It blended into the bottom of the chest, anyone else might have over looked it.
3 totems: a cat, a raven, and a turtle
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Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Folzi chuckles and pulls the mask away. "And what have we here hiding at the bottom." The rogue pulls out the cloak and unfolds it with a flourish. "Once we get out of this place well have to see if any of this stuff is actually of any use." He looks around for his gnomish companion. "Nicknack!? Can you tell if this stuff is magical?"
Nicknack runs his fingers over the various totems, and lets the fabric of the cloak slip through his fingers. Then he murmurs, "Arrange them in front of me while I concentrate." He sits cross-legged on the floor, his spellbook in his lap, chanting arcane phrases under his breath as his fingertips run over the runes etched on the thin copper page before him.
Casting Detect Magic as a ritual: each pair of d100 rolls will signify ten minutes spent in the attempt
69 / 95 99 / 13 94 / 20 34 / 81 31 / 22 38 / 53
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Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
After forty minutes Nick manages to conjure his spell but it takes its toll on the gnome forcing his magic to manifest. As he looks at the items around him one of the cat totem glows but the others do not. The cloak Folzi is dancing around with glows and the shield in Hrian's hand glows as well. The gemstone is just that a fine gem, a diamond he and Folzi agree.
OOC: What is the party doing during the 40 mins Nick tried to cast?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Thanks, Nick! I'll let you concentrate. It's hard enough as it is in this place without me yapping."
Folzi pulls Hrain off to the side to go over the map - not to avoid the others just to allow Nicknack to do his work. He pulls out his book with the map of the area. "So, hopefully, we only have another day or two before we get out of the waste... I think."
Folzi knows traveling hard that day even though they've used the majority of the morning to look over the camp they could reach the harbor late that night. That is if they push through risking exhaustion or they can sleep another night in the Waste.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
After forty minutes Nick manages to conjure his spell but it takes its toll on the gnome forcing his magic to manifest. As he looks at the items around him one of the cat totem glows but the others do not. The cloak Folzi is dancing around with glows and the shield in Hrian's hand glows as well. The gemstone is just that a fine gem, a diamond he and Folzi agree.
OOC: What is the party doing during the 40 mins Nick tried to cast?
OOC: Making fun of the poor struggling arcanist? :)
Frustration was not a new emotion for the gnome wizard - no student of the arcane can grow to mastery of even a single spell without overcoming the boundaries of frustration, for dozens of failures occur before the first correct casting is ever completed. But this smothering weight of banality, this unmaking force extinguishing even the embers of arcane ability, filled Nicknack with desperation and frustration. Over and over, he strains to push through the emptiness, the mystical void... til finally, like a swimmer reaching the surface of deep waters, his magic bursts forth with an exultant screech!
One of the cat totems, the cloak, and the shield are limned with shimmering arcane radiance, in different colors corresponding to their various schools of magic. When he catches his breath, he points this out to his allies.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Hrain continues to admire the clearly magical shield after the spell confirms what he had been thinking.
Whilst Nicknack has been casting he has taken the time to cast his own spell recalling Vihar to his side and he now strokes the mane of the proud creature. "I am sorry I sent you into such danger without me, but I had to try to save her. I hope you understand and you didn't suffer too much. I do not intend to send you away again, my friend. We must move out soon, we have to try to make it to the coast as quickly as possible. You can help us all by shouldering some of the burden if you will?"
Moving over to Folzi he finds he can't help but smile "The cloak is very much you master gnome." Seemingly caught between two choices the young paladin seems ready to walk back to his horse but stops and kneels down near Folzi. "A few days ago I would never have imagined this conversation that I want to have with you now. The world was far more black and white then, and I knew no better. It is clear to me that I was living under some misapprehensions borne of being raised in a detainment camp as one of the jailers. You and the others should never have been the enemy, or inmates or anything else. The empire has failed you, that much is clear, there are evil casters and good ones and we should never have made the decisions that we did, irrespective of whether or not the choice seemed the best at the time. Make sure you hang on to that diamond, you may need a source of wealth soon enough. If I am not forced into another direction I intend to try and find some way of resisting these casters and ultimately taking the war to them, to lay them all low but not to return to the way things were. I only say this to you because we may need to part ways to protect you, Lyra and Nicknack from the system I am sworn to uphold."
"I have sworn an Oath of Devotion, to me this means my deeds must be beyond reproach, I have no wish to bring you and the others to harm but I have superiors and they may instruct me to do things which are at odds with what my heart tells me is right. I will not follow orders blindly but I do not wish to put you in a place from which I could cause you harm. Be ready to run Folzi adn take the others with you if there is need. I will follow if I can, and if I ever cannot, well then may Sune bless your days."
As he rises, he smiles "I hope this is not the beginning of the end Folzi, I do not wish to leave but we have seen that fate does not seem willing to allow for fond farewells at times of our choosing or I would have been able to say farewell to Lebenha and Haldur, Thomas too and the others. That reminds me, I intend to say my farewells to Haldur before we leave. I plan on sending him on the next stage of his journey by cremating him in the hut, there will be some smoke. I was thinking that you could take the others out and get a good headstart and I would catch you up with Vihar later... He was the last of them Folzi, the last of the soldiers entrusted into my safekeeping. I failed them utterly, not a single cleric, paladin or mercenary entrusted to my care still draws breath. This new shield has come at the right time, it means I do not have to look upon Her symbol and remind myself of what I have not done, and the mistakes I have made." Hrain reaches out, and places his hand on Folzi's small shoulder. "I apologise, you did not ask for this outpouring of feeling. I should go."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
"Wait... wait,"Folzi stammers trying to absorb the statements of the paladin whose beliefs seem to have been shaken. He closes his book and stands to face Hrain - finding a chair or bench to get more on eye level. "Listen. I don't have a problem with the gods or doubt their existence. My problem are those followers who have twisted the words of their patron to fit their beliefs."He sniffles a bit, wiping a bit of snot running from his nose brought on by the exposure to the cold over the past few days. "Damn, I miss that warm tent in a way... Anyways, I mean some ******* had a vision while they were taking a shit and thought their god told them it would be a good idea to lock up all of us that may be different in some way!? That, or they are straight up using the gods to hide behind their own agenda. And if it's the latter then we really have a problem."
"My only question for you is who do you really serve - your goddess or the Empire? Do you really believe the dogmas of Sune, and the other goddesses, are parallel with the government? My advice - as if you asked for it,"he gives a sarcastic smirk, "is to place your 'devotion' in what you believe to be Her true path."
The gnome walks away and toward the others in the group. "Okay, folks. We have a decision to make... We've waisted a good deal of time exploring the rest of this camp - though maybe not so much a waste considering we've found a few useful items. We can push hard and make the harbor after nightfall. Or, we can get another night's rest here, risking another run in with whatever got Haldur, and head out early in the morning."
"For what it's worth travellin' by day is better than being caught outside at night - I vote we stay here one more night"Father Pat says. He then turns to Hrain and continues "as for saying good-bye to young Haldur, I'll standby you Cap'n when we you farewell him!"
"I'd appreciate that Pat, truly, but I had concerns about drawi g attention to us, out here in the middle of nowhere. Can you summon a steed of your own? It could prove a useful companion out here."
"Oh and Folzi, my thanks, I needed to hear that from you. May the blessings of the Lady find you."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
"Cap'n I cant do that at the moment, I thought when I got to the Camp my adventuring days were over so to speak. That said it looks to be mighty useful and I might seek guidance from her Ladyship on it"Father Pat says in reply to Hrain's question.
Lyra, secluded somewhere in the back of the hut again, perks up at the word "decision". "I agree with the chauntea dude. I dislike the idea of strolling through the night with whatever killed Haldur chasing us down. And if we get a chance to kill them by staying here its a win-win."
As they party deliberates they know preparing for another night is in order. Gathering mire fuel for another fire as well as see to Haldur and ybe other people's burials. It's late morning but the party knows the sun doesn't stay out long here. Folzi's words ring true. The party staying another night in the camp getting up the following day is the best plan.
OOC: Feel free to RP the funeral and we'll get on with the day/night!!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
(Pre-post in case something goes bump in the night - if nothing goes bump it stands)
The next morning Father Pat rises with the dawn and walks outside and looks at the sky. "Ah"he says "its a beautiful morning and were it not for this endless white muck" here he kicks at the snow "I'm sure that this would be good farmland." He then turns to where dawn is breaking and says "Oh Lady of the Harvest, this worker of yours needs your help. Can you provide me with one of your harvest helpers so that we may all proceed faster to safety in order to carry out your will. As he finishes his plea (casting Find Steed), Hrain's horse Vihar gives a whinny which something responds to in a very deep snuffly whinny from around the back of the Long House and for anybody who is watching they see the largest horse they have ever seen walk around the side of the Long Horse. It is a Shire Horse stallion standing approximately 21.25 hands (86.5 inches) at the whithers and probably weighing excess of 3000lbs. It is a deep black in colour and has a rough coat with white feathers on its fetlocks. On its face it has a white blaze that looks like a head of wheat. The horse walks up to Father Pat and lowers its head. As he scratches its ears, he rests his head on its muzzle almost as if he is communing with the horse. Father Pat turns to anybody who is there and says "his name is Sampson and Chauntea has made him available to me to assist us in carrying out her will."
When the time comes to bid farewell to Haldur, Father Pat turns to Hrain and says "Cap'n, he was one of yours and you know best how he should be fare welled but he was a soldier first and foremost and as an old soldier permit me to say a few words to a young soldier who died doing his duty." After (and assuming that Hrain grants permission) Hrain has fare welled Haldur in the appropriate manner, Father Pat turns to the sky and bellows out in his best parade ground voice "Oh Lady of the Harvest, the Home and the Hearth, many thanks for the Sampson he will be a valued companion as I seek to go about doing your will. BUT I also expect you to look after this young soldier's soul and if one of your sisters decides to take him for hers I expect you to keep an eye on him, otherwise when I get there and that may not be long now, you're going to wish you had taken better care of his soul when you had the chance."
When the time comes to leave, and Father Pat is mounted on Sampson, he leans down to both Nicknack and Folzi he says "there's plenty of room up here if you want to join me, save you getting your feet wet in the snow."
"Feel free to dispose of the body as you see fit. But if you're going to burn it, can I suggest that you say your farewells tonight then wait until we leave in the morning to set it on fire so we don't sound the dinner bell for whatever is out there. Perhaps you can knock down one of these huts to use as the base of your pyre?"
Folzi makes another round of the camp during the day to scrounge up more wood for the group to use to keep them warm in the longhouse for another night. Afterward, he'll go about the grim business of going through the belongings of Haldur for anything that they might be able to use.
"Yes the cremation can wait until morning, you are right to be cautious Folzi." turning back to Pat he says "The words are appropriate, although Haldur served as a mercenary for the Sunite garrison he was a servant of Chauntea, I suspect not the most devout, but a servant nonetheless. I am glad you have told her a warrior comes to her, I am sure his deeds will see him granted all he has hoped for."
Moving to the corpse of Haldur he kneels in front of the young man, head bowed in prayer for many minutes.
"Haldur, or Halberd as you preferred, it was my privilege to have you in my command. You stood where men and women of greater renown fell, you were brave when those who proclaimed themselves fearless turned from their duties. You were a good man thrust into danger, and you never failed, although those around you did. I pray to a goddess who values physical beauty, but I can see beyond the surface as well, and whilst you were not a vain man, not greatly concerned with your appearance you shone through the last few days, and Sune will look with envious eyes as Chauntea grants you her blessing. As dawn comes tomorrow, I will send you to your goddess if you are not already there, let the winds wash away any pain or regret and know that although you fell alone in the darkness, your friends will hold you as they remember you in life, not death, and it will be a memory treasured."
The Paladin-Captain stands and returns to his tasks, patrolling the camp and keeping an eye on the other duties helping to organise the others so the other jobs are done. As the day progresses he creates the bier that he will cremate Haldur on from parts of the huts and makes a space for the elves who lived in the settlement to be cremated at the same time.
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Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
Backpack Bedroll Chain Mail Clothes, Common under his armor Crossbow Bolts Crossbow, Light Dagger Dagger Halberd Mess Kit Rations (10 day) ope, Hempen (50 feet) Shield Tinderbox Torch Waterskin
The party passes the day paying their respects and collecting fuel for the evening. Around dusk a heavy storm picks up. Snow is falling fast and blocking out the moon which is finally full. The party huttles together for warmth as the evening passes without, thank tne Sisters, incident. The following morning they awaken from long rests ready to try their luck in the newly fallen snow towards White Waste Harbor. There most know passage can be found to anywhere in the Empire for the right amount of coin and a convincing yarn!
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Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
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"Like someone whos about to incense the gods of some dead, elvish Ice tribe, I guess." Lyra replies with a mischievous grin that doesn't quite match her words.
Father Pat scratches the bald patch on his crown and says with a grin ”definitely an improvement, coz now you look like me!“ he then continues ”but we don’t know what it does so I suggest you put it down.”
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
OOC: 😆 burn!!!
Folzi after removing all the items from tge chest finds a cloak at the bottom neatly folded made of a deep brown color nearly black. It blended into the bottom of the chest, anyone else might have over looked it.
3 totems: a cat, a raven, and a turtle
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Folzi chuckles and pulls the mask away. "And what have we here hiding at the bottom." The rogue pulls out the cloak and unfolds it with a flourish. "Once we get out of this place well have to see if any of this stuff is actually of any use." He looks around for his gnomish companion. "Nicknack!? Can you tell if this stuff is magical?"
Nicknack runs his fingers over the various totems, and lets the fabric of the cloak slip through his fingers. Then he murmurs, "Arrange them in front of me while I concentrate." He sits cross-legged on the floor, his spellbook in his lap, chanting arcane phrases under his breath as his fingertips run over the runes etched on the thin copper page before him.
Casting Detect Magic as a ritual: each pair of d100 rolls will signify ten minutes spent in the attempt
69 / 95
99 / 13
94 / 20
34 / 81
31 / 22
38 / 53
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
After forty minutes Nick manages to conjure his spell but it takes its toll on the gnome forcing his magic to manifest. As he looks at the items around him one of the cat totem glows but the others do not. The cloak Folzi is dancing around with glows and the shield in Hrian's hand glows as well. The gemstone is just that a fine gem, a diamond he and Folzi agree.
OOC: What is the party doing during the 40 mins Nick tried to cast?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
"Thanks, Nick! I'll let you concentrate. It's hard enough as it is in this place without me yapping."
Folzi pulls Hrain off to the side to go over the map - not to avoid the others just to allow Nicknack to do his work. He pulls out his book with the map of the area. "So, hopefully, we only have another day or two before we get out of the waste... I think."
Survival 18
Folzi knows traveling hard that day even though they've used the majority of the morning to look over the camp they could reach the harbor late that night. That is if they push through risking exhaustion or they can sleep another night in the Waste.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
OOC: Making fun of the poor struggling arcanist? :)
Frustration was not a new emotion for the gnome wizard - no student of the arcane can grow to mastery of even a single spell without overcoming the boundaries of frustration, for dozens of failures occur before the first correct casting is ever completed. But this smothering weight of banality, this unmaking force extinguishing even the embers of arcane ability, filled Nicknack with desperation and frustration. Over and over, he strains to push through the emptiness, the mystical void... til finally, like a swimmer reaching the surface of deep waters, his magic bursts forth with an exultant screech!
One of the cat totems, the cloak, and the shield are limned with shimmering arcane radiance, in different colors corresponding to their various schools of magic. When he catches his breath, he points this out to his allies.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Hrain continues to admire the clearly magical shield after the spell confirms what he had been thinking.
Whilst Nicknack has been casting he has taken the time to cast his own spell recalling Vihar to his side and he now strokes the mane of the proud creature. "I am sorry I sent you into such danger without me, but I had to try to save her. I hope you understand and you didn't suffer too much. I do not intend to send you away again, my friend. We must move out soon, we have to try to make it to the coast as quickly as possible. You can help us all by shouldering some of the burden if you will?"
Moving over to Folzi he finds he can't help but smile "The cloak is very much you master gnome." Seemingly caught between two choices the young paladin seems ready to walk back to his horse but stops and kneels down near Folzi. "A few days ago I would never have imagined this conversation that I want to have with you now. The world was far more black and white then, and I knew no better. It is clear to me that I was living under some misapprehensions borne of being raised in a detainment camp as one of the jailers. You and the others should never have been the enemy, or inmates or anything else. The empire has failed you, that much is clear, there are evil casters and good ones and we should never have made the decisions that we did, irrespective of whether or not the choice seemed the best at the time. Make sure you hang on to that diamond, you may need a source of wealth soon enough. If I am not forced into another direction I intend to try and find some way of resisting these casters and ultimately taking the war to them, to lay them all low but not to return to the way things were. I only say this to you because we may need to part ways to protect you, Lyra and Nicknack from the system I am sworn to uphold."
"I have sworn an Oath of Devotion, to me this means my deeds must be beyond reproach, I have no wish to bring you and the others to harm but I have superiors and they may instruct me to do things which are at odds with what my heart tells me is right. I will not follow orders blindly but I do not wish to put you in a place from which I could cause you harm. Be ready to run Folzi adn take the others with you if there is need. I will follow if I can, and if I ever cannot, well then may Sune bless your days."
As he rises, he smiles "I hope this is not the beginning of the end Folzi, I do not wish to leave but we have seen that fate does not seem willing to allow for fond farewells at times of our choosing or I would have been able to say farewell to Lebenha and Haldur, Thomas too and the others. That reminds me, I intend to say my farewells to Haldur before we leave. I plan on sending him on the next stage of his journey by cremating him in the hut, there will be some smoke. I was thinking that you could take the others out and get a good headstart and I would catch you up with Vihar later... He was the last of them Folzi, the last of the soldiers entrusted into my safekeeping. I failed them utterly, not a single cleric, paladin or mercenary entrusted to my care still draws breath. This new shield has come at the right time, it means I do not have to look upon Her symbol and remind myself of what I have not done, and the mistakes I have made." Hrain reaches out, and places his hand on Folzi's small shoulder. "I apologise, you did not ask for this outpouring of feeling. I should go."
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
Lyreis - Level 6 Elf Fighter - Eberron: Omega
DM - Dzenda: The Cracks - DM - Dzenda: Whispered Tales
"Wait... wait," Folzi stammers trying to absorb the statements of the paladin whose beliefs seem to have been shaken. He closes his book and stands to face Hrain - finding a chair or bench to get more on eye level. "Listen. I don't have a problem with the gods or doubt their existence. My problem are those followers who have twisted the words of their patron to fit their beliefs." He sniffles a bit, wiping a bit of snot running from his nose brought on by the exposure to the cold over the past few days. "Damn, I miss that warm tent in a way... Anyways, I mean some ******* had a vision while they were taking a shit and thought their god told them it would be a good idea to lock up all of us that may be different in some way!? That, or they are straight up using the gods to hide behind their own agenda. And if it's the latter then we really have a problem."
"My only question for you is who do you really serve - your goddess or the Empire? Do you really believe the dogmas of Sune, and the other goddesses, are parallel with the government? My advice - as if you asked for it," he gives a sarcastic smirk, "is to place your 'devotion' in what you believe to be Her true path."
The gnome walks away and toward the others in the group. "Okay, folks. We have a decision to make... We've waisted a good deal of time exploring the rest of this camp - though maybe not so much a waste considering we've found a few useful items. We can push hard and make the harbor after nightfall. Or, we can get another night's rest here, risking another run in with whatever got Haldur, and head out early in the morning."
"For what it's worth travellin' by day is better than being caught outside at night - I vote we stay here one more night" Father Pat says. He then turns to Hrain and continues "as for saying good-bye to young Haldur, I'll standby you Cap'n when we you farewell him!"
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
"I'd appreciate that Pat, truly, but I had concerns about drawi g attention to us, out here in the middle of nowhere. Can you summon a steed of your own? It could prove a useful companion out here."
"Oh and Folzi, my thanks, I needed to hear that from you. May the blessings of the Lady find you."
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
Lyreis - Level 6 Elf Fighter - Eberron: Omega
DM - Dzenda: The Cracks - DM - Dzenda: Whispered Tales
"Cap'n I cant do that at the moment, I thought when I got to the Camp my adventuring days were over so to speak. That said it looks to be mighty useful and I might seek guidance from her Ladyship on it" Father Pat says in reply to Hrain's question.
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
Lyra, secluded somewhere in the back of the hut again, perks up at the word "decision". "I agree with the chauntea dude. I dislike the idea of strolling through the night with whatever killed Haldur chasing us down. And if we get a chance to kill them by staying here its a win-win."
As they party deliberates they know preparing for another night is in order. Gathering mire fuel for another fire as well as see to Haldur and ybe other people's burials. It's late morning but the party knows the sun doesn't stay out long here. Folzi's words ring true. The party staying another night in the camp getting up the following day is the best plan.
OOC: Feel free to RP the funeral and we'll get on with the day/night!!
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
(Pre-post in case something goes bump in the night - if nothing goes bump it stands)
The next morning Father Pat rises with the dawn and walks outside and looks at the sky. "Ah" he says "its a beautiful morning and were it not for this endless white muck" here he kicks at the snow "I'm sure that this would be good farmland." He then turns to where dawn is breaking and says "Oh Lady of the Harvest, this worker of yours needs your help. Can you provide me with one of your harvest helpers so that we may all proceed faster to safety in order to carry out your will. As he finishes his plea (casting Find Steed), Hrain's horse Vihar gives a whinny which something responds to in a very deep snuffly whinny from around the back of the Long House and for anybody who is watching they see the largest horse they have ever seen walk around the side of the Long Horse. It is a Shire Horse stallion standing approximately 21.25 hands (86.5 inches) at the whithers and probably weighing excess of 3000lbs. It is a deep black in colour and has a rough coat with white feathers on its fetlocks. On its face it has a white blaze that looks like a head of wheat. The horse walks up to Father Pat and lowers its head. As he scratches its ears, he rests his head on its muzzle almost as if he is communing with the horse. Father Pat turns to anybody who is there and says "his name is Sampson and Chauntea has made him available to me to assist us in carrying out her will."
When the time comes to bid farewell to Haldur, Father Pat turns to Hrain and says "Cap'n, he was one of yours and you know best how he should be fare welled but he was a soldier first and foremost and as an old soldier permit me to say a few words to a young soldier who died doing his duty." After (and assuming that Hrain grants permission) Hrain has fare welled Haldur in the appropriate manner, Father Pat turns to the sky and bellows out in his best parade ground voice "Oh Lady of the Harvest, the Home and the Hearth, many thanks for the Sampson he will be a valued companion as I seek to go about doing your will. BUT I also expect you to look after this young soldier's soul and if one of your sisters decides to take him for hers I expect you to keep an eye on him, otherwise when I get there and that may not be long now, you're going to wish you had taken better care of his soul when you had the chance."
When the time comes to leave, and Father Pat is mounted on Sampson, he leans down to both Nicknack and Folzi he says "there's plenty of room up here if you want to join me, save you getting your feet wet in the snow."
(BTW Sampson was a real horse and according to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shire_horse the tallest horse ever)
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
"Feel free to dispose of the body as you see fit. But if you're going to burn it, can I suggest that you say your farewells tonight then wait until we leave in the morning to set it on fire so we don't sound the dinner bell for whatever is out there. Perhaps you can knock down one of these huts to use as the base of your pyre?"
Folzi makes another round of the camp during the day to scrounge up more wood for the group to use to keep them warm in the longhouse for another night. Afterward, he'll go about the grim business of going through the belongings of Haldur for anything that they might be able to use.
"Yes the cremation can wait until morning, you are right to be cautious Folzi." turning back to Pat he says "The words are appropriate, although Haldur served as a mercenary for the Sunite garrison he was a servant of Chauntea, I suspect not the most devout, but a servant nonetheless. I am glad you have told her a warrior comes to her, I am sure his deeds will see him granted all he has hoped for."
Moving to the corpse of Haldur he kneels in front of the young man, head bowed in prayer for many minutes.
"Haldur, or Halberd as you preferred, it was my privilege to have you in my command. You stood where men and women of greater renown fell, you were brave when those who proclaimed themselves fearless turned from their duties. You were a good man thrust into danger, and you never failed, although those around you did. I pray to a goddess who values physical beauty, but I can see beyond the surface as well, and whilst you were not a vain man, not greatly concerned with your appearance you shone through the last few days, and Sune will look with envious eyes as Chauntea grants you her blessing. As dawn comes tomorrow, I will send you to your goddess if you are not already there, let the winds wash away any pain or regret and know that although you fell alone in the darkness, your friends will hold you as they remember you in life, not death, and it will be a memory treasured."
The Paladin-Captain stands and returns to his tasks, patrolling the camp and keeping an eye on the other duties helping to organise the others so the other jobs are done. As the day progresses he creates the bier that he will cremate Haldur on from parts of the huts and makes a space for the elves who lived in the settlement to be cremated at the same time.
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
Lyreis - Level 6 Elf Fighter - Eberron: Omega
DM - Dzenda: The Cracks - DM - Dzenda: Whispered Tales
Haldur's gear
Backpack
Bedroll
Chain Mail
Clothes, Common under his armor
Crossbow Bolts
Crossbow, Light
Dagger
Dagger
Halberd
Mess Kit
Rations (10 day)
ope, Hempen (50 feet)
Shield
Tinderbox
Torch
Waterskin
The party passes the day paying their respects and collecting fuel for the evening. Around dusk a heavy storm picks up. Snow is falling fast and blocking out the moon which is finally full. The party huttles together for warmth as the evening passes without, thank tne Sisters, incident. The following morning they awaken from long rests ready to try their luck in the newly fallen snow towards White Waste Harbor. There most know passage can be found to anywhere in the Empire for the right amount of coin and a convincing yarn!
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.