You all are able to slip away quietly and not draw any attention from the sketchy sailors.
Reading them, the books appear to be the ones that the Harper shield dwarf historian Bruldenthar might have lost. They contain years of history and an..apple pie recipe? What the...
In addition, you grabbed a map to a place called Rivergard Keep. It's not too far away from here.
BROWN = Feathergale Spire RED = The shallow graves BLUE = Sacred Stone Monastery ORANGE = Rivergard Keep PURPLE = Delegation ambush
BELIARD: The Mirabar delegation was last seen in the town of Beliard. (COMPLETE!) SHALLOW GRAVES: Four new graves have appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills. (COMPLETE!) WOMFORD RATS: A dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper in Womford.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ninja-Daewen entered the dockhouse with Ninja-Mercy, and as Mercy was collecting the books and map, she decided to punish the bad men by pulling out one of her rapiers and silently drilling holes into the hulls of the boats that were dry-docked inside the house. Silently snickering to herself, she quickly finished up her work and retreated back out with Mercy.
Upon meeting back up with the rest of the crew at the carriage, she helped Mercy unroll the large chart inside the carriage, and started to inspect it, wracking her brain to recall if she recognized anything about the hand-drawn symbol (Perception: 8, History 7).
With the rest of the crew looking over the map, she points to the Bargewright Inn shown just northwest of their current location, and gives a quizzical look (as if to say should we go there next?).
A small castle overlooks the mighty Dessarin River, which is a good half-mile wide at this point. A gatehouse and keep stand atop a low bluff, but the walls are built to the water’s edge. On the river bank, another low tower guards a boat basin where keelboats are moored.
The keep seems old and worn, but new timbers and shingles suggest that repairs are underway. A white banner with a blue gauntlet flies over the keep.
You approach from the west. The front door is closed.
Mercy keeps to the shadows as they approach the keep, looking around for any way inside other than the front door. Not finding anything here, she hides and waits for someone to come up with an idea on how to proceed.
Mercy keeps to the shadows as they approach the keep, looking around for any way inside other than the front door. Not finding anything here, she hides and waits for someone to come up with an idea on how to proceed.
Late afternoon. The sun is up, but edging towards the horizon, so it's not totally full daylight. From what you can see, the door on the west side of the keep is the only way in, unless you choose to scale one of the walls, or go around the back to where the boats are, but that's fenced off, too.
Mercy sighed softly and glanced at the group. Keeping her voice low, she offered the only idea she had at the moment. “We’re probably all in agreement that waiting for nightfall is the best time to do whatever we end up doing. Perhaps Daewen and I can use the time we have before then to scout the perimeter, see if there’s another way in. One not visible from this angle.”
Carrhae isn't stealthy and while she's raring to fight these cultists, she's not trying to fight every single cultist at one time, so she'll look for a non-obvious route into the keep.
Perception: 3
Unable to spot anything at her distance, she just goes off to the side and begins silently praying to Sune for the strength to help her friends as she waits for someone to come up with a plan to get in. As it gets darker, Carrhae finishes her prayers for the group and puts her still-sheathed sword on her lap. "I usually don't enjoy taking lives, but I feel like these cultists are going to be an exception."
Aeydof the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\
So, all four walls, except for the door on the west wall, is nothing but stone. It looks like the only proper way in IS that door along the west wall. There is a gate in the river which is currently closed. (Basically, it's what the picture above looks like. Only one door in, unless you climb.)
The keep’s eastern wall is built into the river, forming a long pier that encloses a boat basin. A heavy chain that emerges from the tower to the south stretches across the entrance. It appears the heavy chain is raised and lowered by a winch. There is one guard in the tower above, ready to raise and lower it.
Feeling silly and guilty for having gotten lost in Wormford and botched their opportunity for learning any information, Trini will stay back with Carrhae. Besides stealth isn't really her forte, and creeping around this keep seemed to be something of a stealthy mission.
She'll keep an eye on the guards pacing about, and wonder if she's ever seen the symbol on the flag before. Perception: 10 History: 16
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"All will become equal now" | "Cause we're going to shout it loud, even if our words seem meaningless. It's like we're carrying the weight of the world"
After they drove their carriage up to the entrance in the west wall, Strife hopped down to speak with whichever guards manned the gatehouse.
"Hello! We are a handful of weary and spooked travelers seeking the safety of your fine keep. We were journeying north following along the west bank of the Dessarin River when we noticed a clump of vultures not far off, and when we saw them rending clothes with their talons, we knew the dead were not merely ordinary wildlife.
"We approached the scene and determined the bodies had been somehow beaten, but before we could even begin trying to dig graves, we spotted a group of about thirty humanoids on the east side of the river. They seemed to be headed in our direction, and unsure whether they might find a nearby ford, we hastened away further to the west. But once we lost sight of the river, we became disoriented in the hills, and we have been warily wandering for several hours.
"We are relieved to have found both you and the river once more, and hope to shelter here and plan the safest and fastest way out of these hills, for we suppose murderous bandits are prowling nearby. In exchange for hospitality, two of our group are bards who would be pleased to entertain you. Can you help us?"
The group had scouted the keep and reconvened to discuss their options. As the debate grew heated, Mercy began to despair of any chance of maintaining the element of surprise. Then, Strife had tossed out a suggestion (though it was probably more in mockery of her paranoia) that stuck in her mind. As the others began to plan out their entrance, Mercy grabbed her bedroll and mending kit and set to work.
Mercy sighed softly, nestled into the bedding she'd fashioned into a makeshift hammock between the axles of the coach. Strife's suggestion to hide below might have been a bit preposterous without the device, as it would involve an amount of upper body strength the rogue simply lacked, but with it...The Tiefling smirked. If nothing else, she'd found a way for someone to sleep while they traveled and be ready to stand guard while the others slept.
Stealth: 7
Speaking of sleep...the events of the past several days seemed to have caught up with her, and Mercy fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, she had a tendency to snore. Loudly.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As soon as he noticed how heated the girls were getting when debating on the plan to get inside, Zephyr’s mind ran off in thought of a different plan, a plan of his own, in case the one they came up with went south (which was always plausible despite the confidence he had for the group). He even wrote a note for them! Just in case. He didn’t notice how far deep he was into his mind when he realized he had lagged behind them, pretty far, and when he squinted, he could see Strife talking up a storm with the guards. It looked as if it had gone well, until he noticed the guards eye the coach with a curious glance, and when got into hearing range he could understand why.
Zephyr, without second thought, broke out into a sprint, shifting themselves to look exactly like the genasi from the docks. He slipped the note out of his bag and slowed down to a jog just as he approached the group.
”Oi! I leave you all for five minutes and you go off without me?” He shook his head in disappointment. “Last time I try ‘n’ do one nice thing for you lot.” He pulls Strife into an awkward side hug and presses the note to her chest. “From that guy. You better read it now and to yourself.” He then looks at the guards. “Excuse them, they’re old friends of mine—“ He let’s go of Strife once she takes the letter from him then he gives a swift kick to the side of the coach in hopes to wake up Mercy from her slumber. “That should shut em up.” He clears his throat and approaches them openly. “Anyways, what did they tell you?”
Deception on the party: 13
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeydof the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Insight:22
Carrhae has no clue who this mysterious Genasi fellow is or what was in that letter he handed to Strife, but it seemed like he was trying to help them get in the keep, so she wasn't about to screw things up now by asking questions. But she is curious about what happened to Barry. It seems that she managed to lose track of him when she went off to do her prayers. Bad time for Barry to go missing. I'll have to speak with him about this later if I see him again. She thinks.
You all are able to slip away quietly and not draw any attention from the sketchy sailors.
Reading them, the books appear to be the ones that the Harper shield dwarf historian Bruldenthar might have lost. They contain years of history and an..apple pie recipe? What the...
In addition, you grabbed a map to a place called Rivergard Keep. It's not too far away from here.
BROWN = Feathergale Spire
RED = The shallow graves
BLUE = Sacred Stone Monastery
ORANGE = Rivergard Keep
PURPLE = Delegation ambush
BELIARD: The Mirabar delegation was last seen in the town of Beliard. (COMPLETE!)
SHALLOW GRAVES: Four new graves have appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills. (COMPLETE!)
WOMFORD RATS: A dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper in Womford.
Ninja-Daewen entered the dockhouse with Ninja-Mercy, and as Mercy was collecting the books and map, she decided to punish the bad men by pulling out one of her rapiers and silently drilling holes into the hulls of the boats that were dry-docked inside the house. Silently snickering to herself, she quickly finished up her work and retreated back out with Mercy.
Upon meeting back up with the rest of the crew at the carriage, she helped Mercy unroll the large chart inside the carriage, and started to inspect it, wracking her brain to recall if she recognized anything about the hand-drawn symbol (Perception: 8, History 7).
With the rest of the crew looking over the map, she points to the Bargewright Inn shown just northwest of their current location, and gives a quizzical look (as if to say should we go there next?).
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Daewen: You recognize this symbol. It belongs to the cult of the Crushing Wave, the cult of water.
RIVERGARD KEEP
A small castle overlooks the mighty Dessarin River, which is a good half-mile wide at this point. A gatehouse and keep stand atop a low bluff, but the walls are built to the water’s edge. On the river bank, another low tower guards a boat basin where keelboats are moored.
The keep seems old and worn, but new timbers and shingles suggest that repairs are underway. A white banner with a blue gauntlet flies over the keep.
You approach from the west. The front door is closed.
This is what you can see:
Perception: 11
Investigation: 3
Stealth: 25
Mercy keeps to the shadows as they approach the keep, looking around for any way inside other than the front door. Not finding anything here, she hides and waits for someone to come up with an idea on how to proceed.
Mercy keeps to the shadows as they approach the keep, looking around for any way inside other than the front door. Not finding anything here, she hides and waits for someone to come up with an idea on how to proceed.
What time of day is it?
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Late afternoon. The sun is up, but edging towards the horizon, so it's not totally full daylight. From what you can see, the door on the west side of the keep is the only way in, unless you choose to scale one of the walls, or go around the back to where the boats are, but that's fenced off, too.
Four guards are pacing around - one on each of the corners of the castle up top.
Mercy sighed softly and glanced at the group. Keeping her voice low, she offered the only idea she had at the moment. “We’re probably all in agreement that waiting for nightfall is the best time to do whatever we end up doing. Perhaps Daewen and I can use the time we have before then to scout the perimeter, see if there’s another way in. One not visible from this angle.”
Carrhae isn't stealthy and while she's raring to fight these cultists, she's not trying to fight every single cultist at one time, so she'll look for a non-obvious route into the keep.
Perception: 3
Unable to spot anything at her distance, she just goes off to the side and begins silently praying to Sune for the strength to help her friends as she waits for someone to come up with a plan to get in. As it gets darker, Carrhae finishes her prayers for the group and puts her still-sheathed sword on her lap. "I usually don't enjoy taking lives, but I feel like these cultists are going to be an exception."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Zephyr, at an attempt to be useful, takes a look around the perimeter.
Perception
because I know I'm gonna roll low: 17And relays whatever he finds to the ladies.
Aeyd of the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk
Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm
Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid
Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue
Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm
/ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\
So, all four walls, except for the door on the west wall, is nothing but stone. It looks like the only proper way in IS that door along the west wall. There is a gate in the river which is currently closed. (Basically, it's what the picture above looks like. Only one door in, unless you climb.)
Following Zephyr’s intel, Mercy goes to check out that gate.
Perception (C’mon): 23
Investigation (Please): 8
The keep’s eastern wall is built into the river, forming a long pier that encloses a boat basin. A heavy chain that emerges from the tower to the south stretches across the entrance. It appears the heavy chain is raised and lowered by a winch. There is one guard in the tower above, ready to raise and lower it.
Feeling silly and guilty for having gotten lost in Wormford and botched their opportunity for learning any information, Trini will stay back with Carrhae. Besides stealth isn't really her forte, and creeping around this keep seemed to be something of a stealthy mission.
She'll keep an eye on the guards pacing about, and wonder if she's ever seen the symbol on the flag before.
Perception: 10
History: 16
"All will become equal now" | "Cause we're going to shout it loud, even if our words seem meaningless. It's like we're carrying the weight of the world"
After they drove their carriage up to the entrance in the west wall, Strife hopped down to speak with whichever guards manned the gatehouse.
"Hello! We are a handful of weary and spooked travelers seeking the safety of your fine keep. We were journeying north following along the west bank of the Dessarin River when we noticed a clump of vultures not far off, and when we saw them rending clothes with their talons, we knew the dead were not merely ordinary wildlife.
"We approached the scene and determined the bodies had been somehow beaten, but before we could even begin trying to dig graves, we spotted a group of about thirty humanoids on the east side of the river. They seemed to be headed in our direction, and unsure whether they might find a nearby ford, we hastened away further to the west. But once we lost sight of the river, we became disoriented in the hills, and we have been warily wandering for several hours.
"We are relieved to have found both you and the river once more, and hope to shelter here and plan the safest and fastest way out of these hills, for we suppose murderous bandits are prowling nearby. In exchange for hospitality, two of our group are bards who would be pleased to entertain you. Can you help us?"
Deception (+7): 23
Several hours earlier...
The group had scouted the keep and reconvened to discuss their options. As the debate grew heated, Mercy began to despair of any chance of maintaining the element of surprise. Then, Strife had tossed out a suggestion (though it was probably more in mockery of her paranoia) that stuck in her mind. As the others began to plan out their entrance, Mercy grabbed her bedroll and mending kit and set to work.
Mercy sighed softly, nestled into the bedding she'd fashioned into a makeshift hammock between the axles of the coach. Strife's suggestion to hide below might have been a bit preposterous without the device, as it would involve an amount of upper body strength the rogue simply lacked, but with it...The Tiefling smirked. If nothing else, she'd found a way for someone to sleep while they traveled and be ready to stand guard while the others slept.
Stealth: 7
Speaking of sleep...the events of the past several days seemed to have caught up with her, and Mercy fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, she had a tendency to snore. Loudly.
As soon as he noticed how heated the girls were getting when debating on the plan to get inside, Zephyr’s mind ran off in thought of a different plan, a plan of his own, in case the one they came up with went south (which was always plausible despite the confidence he had for the group). He even wrote a note for them! Just in case. He didn’t notice how far deep he was into his mind when he realized he had lagged behind them, pretty far, and when he squinted, he could see Strife talking up a storm with the guards. It looked as if it had gone well, until he noticed the guards eye the coach with a curious glance, and when got into hearing range he could understand why.
Zephyr, without second thought, broke out into a sprint, shifting themselves to look exactly like the genasi from the docks. He slipped the note out of his bag and slowed down to a jog just as he approached the group.
”Oi! I leave you all for five minutes and you go off without me?” He shook his head in disappointment. “Last time I try ‘n’ do one nice thing for you lot.” He pulls Strife into an awkward side hug and presses the note to her chest. “From that guy. You better read it now and to yourself.” He then looks at the guards. “Excuse them, they’re old friends of mine—“ He let’s go of Strife once she takes the letter from him then he gives a swift kick to the side of the coach in hopes to wake up Mercy from her slumber. “That should shut em up.” He clears his throat and approaches them openly. “Anyways, what did they tell you?”
Deception on the party: 13
Aeyd of the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk
Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm
Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid
Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue
Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm
/ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\
Insight:22
Carrhae has no clue who this mysterious Genasi fellow is or what was in that letter he handed to Strife, but it seemed like he was trying to help them get in the keep, so she wasn't about to screw things up now by asking questions. But she is curious about what happened to Barry. It seems that she managed to lose track of him when she went off to do her prayers. Bad time for Barry to go missing. I'll have to speak with him about this later if I see him again. She thinks.
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More