Brumdal puts his coins on the bar, and thanks the tavern keeper. "My money is best used for the ale. I have no problem sleeping in the stables. If this adventure pays off, it may be soft beds in the future, but for the near future, a stable is good enough for me. I will see you all in the morning, fellow adventurers."
The next morning is overcast and cool, but not so cool that you are uncomfortable outside--perfect walking-down-the-road weather. This is a mild summer day and you are grateful that it is not too hot.
You have already had the complementary breakfast promised to you by Bumbo, and you find yourself back at the gatehouse where you arrived yesterday as a lone traveler. Now you leave the keep in the company of new companions. You await the corporal of the watch to give the signal to raise the portcullis to allow your exit.
Before we head out of the keep into the wild, let me know whether you wanted to do anything else in the keep or with Bumbo, your friendly barkeep. (I'm skipping that scene, but if there was something you wanted to do, just make a post.)
Once you leave the keep we need to determine which way you're going....
The keep sits on a lone hill in a relatively flat floodplain. The road leads from the gatehouse generally south (and sloping downward) for about a quarter mile before it comes to a t-intersection with the main road you would have used to get to the keep. Heading west takes you back toward civilization. Heading east along the road takes you into uncharted territory.
Along the road from east-to-west you can see to the north a forested hill. The slope of the hill starts immediately heading north of the road with the forest starting some 600 yards later. You can see if you were to head east the road and forest grow much closer--almost intersecting at one point. You learned from your time in the tavern that the forest is called the Whispering Wood because it seems to always be windy there and wind makes the trees sound as if they are whispering to one another.
Along the road to the south (maybe a few hundred yards away) is the Goblinwater, a river so named because of the many goblinoids and (other savage humanoids) that can be encountered near the keep. The river is known to be fast running, deep and therefore not easily crossed, but there might be places where the current is not so fast and the waters not so deep where you could safely cross it. Beyond the river are marshlands and more hills.
Brumdal looks around at the wood and the river and the hills. "The barkeep spoke of the caves, which I would imagine are under the hills, if they can be explored. If they were closer to the river, I would imagine that they would be filled with water. I have no guess as to where the lost merchant may be found. I can be persuaded to adventure in any direction, but my suggestion is that we head toward the wood and the hills."
Amar considers Brumdal's words. "Yes, he did mention caves and they would likely be under the hills. But a merchant, and his party, wouldn't likely wonder into the woods.. The merchant likes the easiest path to profit. A meek merchant would head west to the predictable small profits of civilization. Our merchant didn't get wealthy by not taking risk. He probably thought his party invulnerable and saw better profits heading east. We may end up in caves but I would head east along the road and perhaps we'll pick his trail. Thus, I suggest east"
"I agree with Amar, it doesn't seem like the Merchant would head North for profit, most likely he headed East and when the forest closed in on the road was subject to the ambush. I vote East. Most likely we'll end up in the woods at some point, but I can keep us from getting lost. If we can pick up his trail I should be able to track him."
The corporal of the watch gives the signal and a guard turns the wheel that raises the portcullis, letting the party exit the keep. Outside the walls you follow the road from the gatehouse down to the crossing of the main road. You turn and make your way east toward adventure!
The dirt road is reasonably maintained—especially for those on foot like yourself. A cart might find itself stuck in a rut from time to time, but those obstacles are trivial to avoid for a walker. The weather is also in your favor this morning as it remains overcast and comfortably cool. You suspect the clouds will dissipate by midday.
The party will easily make it to the point where the Whispering Woods and the Goblinwater close in on the road within 2 hours—and that is at a slow, methodical pace. With that said, you should decide what pace you are setting.
For purposes of the game, you can say the group is moving at a slow, normal, or fast pace, which would correspond to 2, 3, and 4 miles per hour respectively. If you’re moving slowly, you can move using Stealth—although you’re out in the open right now, so it might be hard to be stealthy. At a fast pace you are not as observant and might miss interesting landmarks or not notice someone following you or spying on you, etc.
Since there is not any benefit really to moving slowly right now, I would suggest the normal pace. At a fast pace, you might miss clues about tracking down Lhodis or finding the Caves. I’ll assume normal pace unless someone speaks up about it.
Also you should determine your marching order. Essentially what that means is I need to know who is in the front, middle, and back ranks of your group as you explore. This will help me determine who notices things first or who is closest to a threat. Some things to consider with this are these:
Characters with higher Perception scores have a better chance to spot things like people following you, a cave entrance, etc.
Characters with a higher Armor Class (AC) are less likely to get hit by attacks like a bite from a monster or an arrow from an archer.
Characters with more hit points can take more damage if they get hit by attacks, or take damage from a trap like falling into a pit.
Characters who are tracking someone or something (assuming they pick up a trail) pretty much have to be in front. Survival is the skill for tracking and rangers like Markus are especially good at it.
Who has the best Perception skill? Zerys (+6), followed by Pagan (+3), then Amar and Brumdal (both at +1), and Markus (+0).
Who has the best AC? Brumdal (18), followed by Amar and Pagan (both 16), then Markus (15), and Zerys (14).
Who has the most hit points? Markus and Brumdal (13 each). Everyone else has 10.
That seems like a reasonable order, except that we may want to put Markus in front, since he has a higher tracking skill. Brumdal is happy to walk second, and then perhaps Zerys, assuming that will not hinder him from looking around and spotting what is there.
Markas places a gold piece on the bar and slides it towards Bumbo, "For the ale... and tomorrow's breakfast" (with a slight nod towards the taverner).
He hefts his backpack on and picks up his bow. He'll be heading to the stables as well.
Brumdal puts his coins on the bar, and thanks the tavern keeper. "My money is best used for the ale. I have no problem sleeping in the stables. If this adventure pays off, it may be soft beds in the future, but for the near future, a stable is good enough for me. I will see you all in the morning, fellow adventurers."
Day 1
The next morning is overcast and cool, but not so cool that you are uncomfortable outside--perfect walking-down-the-road weather. This is a mild summer day and you are grateful that it is not too hot.
You have already had the complementary breakfast promised to you by Bumbo, and you find yourself back at the gatehouse where you arrived yesterday as a lone traveler. Now you leave the keep in the company of new companions. You await the corporal of the watch to give the signal to raise the portcullis to allow your exit.
Before we head out of the keep into the wild, let me know whether you wanted to do anything else in the keep or with Bumbo, your friendly barkeep. (I'm skipping that scene, but if there was something you wanted to do, just make a post.)
Once you leave the keep we need to determine which way you're going....
The keep sits on a lone hill in a relatively flat floodplain. The road leads from the gatehouse generally south (and sloping downward) for about a quarter mile before it comes to a t-intersection with the main road you would have used to get to the keep. Heading west takes you back toward civilization. Heading east along the road takes you into uncharted territory.
Along the road from east-to-west you can see to the north a forested hill. The slope of the hill starts immediately heading north of the road with the forest starting some 600 yards later. You can see if you were to head east the road and forest grow much closer--almost intersecting at one point. You learned from your time in the tavern that the forest is called the Whispering Wood because it seems to always be windy there and wind makes the trees sound as if they are whispering to one another.
Along the road to the south (maybe a few hundred yards away) is the Goblinwater, a river so named because of the many goblinoids and (other savage humanoids) that can be encountered near the keep. The river is known to be fast running, deep and therefore not easily crossed, but there might be places where the current is not so fast and the waters not so deep where you could safely cross it. Beyond the river are marshlands and more hills.
Does, as seen from our vantage point, the Goblinwater also run east - west?
Brumdal looks around at the wood and the river and the hills. "The barkeep spoke of the caves, which I would imagine are under the hills, if they can be explored. If they were closer to the river, I would imagine that they would be filled with water. I have no guess as to where the lost merchant may be found. I can be persuaded to adventure in any direction, but my suggestion is that we head toward the wood and the hills."
The Goblinwater runs swiftly from the east to the west; heading west is downstream.
Amar considers Brumdal's words. "Yes, he did mention caves and they would likely be under the hills. But a merchant, and his party, wouldn't likely wonder into the woods.. The merchant likes the easiest path to profit. A meek merchant would head west to the predictable small profits of civilization. Our merchant didn't get wealthy by not taking risk. He probably thought his party invulnerable and saw better profits heading east. We may end up in caves but I would head east along the road and perhaps we'll pick his trail. Thus, I suggest east"
As Pagan slurps down the delicious complimentary breakfast he inquires of Bumbo "Do you know which way Lhordis was headed from here?"
"And by the way, I love the eggs... just like back home."
:)
You assume Lhodis was heading east. Most of the trouble happens that way.
A map ...
"I agree with Amar, it doesn't seem like the Merchant would head North for profit, most likely he headed East and when the forest closed in on the road was subject to the ambush. I vote East. Most likely we'll end up in the woods at some point, but I can keep us from getting lost. If we can pick up his trail I should be able to track him."
I’m assuming you want to take the road from the keep down to the t-intersection and then turn east.
You have some more time to think about that; I probably won’t post until the evening Pacific time.
"You make a good point. East it shall be!"
Yes, that was my intention.
"I agree to travel East."
(Before we leave Pagan would like to get some booze from Bumbo for the road. A good wineskin of pub ale. Let me know what the charge is.)
The party will easily make it to the point where the Whispering Woods and the Goblinwater close in on the road within 2 hours—and that is at a slow, methodical pace. With that said, you should decide what pace you are setting.
For purposes of the game, you can say the group is moving at a slow, normal, or fast pace, which would correspond to 2, 3, and 4 miles per hour respectively. If you’re moving slowly, you can move using Stealth—although you’re out in the open right now, so it might be hard to be stealthy. At a fast pace you are not as observant and might miss interesting landmarks or not notice someone following you or spying on you, etc.
Since there is not any benefit really to moving slowly right now, I would suggest the normal pace. At a fast pace, you might miss clues about tracking down Lhodis or finding the Caves. I’ll assume normal pace unless someone speaks up about it.
Also you should determine your marching order. Essentially what that means is I need to know who is in the front, middle, and back ranks of your group as you explore. This will help me determine who notices things first or who is closest to a threat. Some things to consider with this are these:
Who has the best Perception skill?
Zerys (+6), followed by Pagan (+3), then Amar and Brumdal (both at +1), and Markus (+0).
Who has the best AC?
Brumdal (18), followed by Amar and Pagan (both 16), then Markus (15), and Zerys (14).
Who has the most hit points?
Markus and Brumdal (13 each). Everyone else has 10.
He’ll fill up a waterskin for 1 gp.
Did you want a second waterskin for this ale and keep the one you’ve got already for water?
Since we're looking for clues I'd suggest Zerys should lead, Pagan should be in the back. Brumdal second, Markus and Amar in the middle.
That seems like a reasonable order, except that we may want to put Markus in front, since he has a higher tracking skill. Brumdal is happy to walk second, and then perhaps Zerys, assuming that will not hinder him from looking around and spotting what is there.
Something else to consider: Darkvision
Who has it?
Brumdal, Markus, and Zerys
They each can see in the dark out to 60 ft.
That becomes more important in the dark obviously.