I owe a significant update, which I'll get to later. But I want to take a few notes of things I thing might be handy for the OP. It's there for you, too, so please add to the list:
Inspiration Tracker (who has and who doesn't have)
Madam Eva's reading (your characters don't have to care, but just in case)
Hmm. I think I had other things in mind, but they are eluding me at the moment. Let me know if you think of something, whether it's now or later. It can be a big thing, too, because I can stash it in a spoiler tag.
Kif shakes his head and turns to follow the others. He knows he saw something and he also know Puddin' saw something too. It was a disturbing sight not to be easily ignored, but for now he's going with the flow
As he walks, he thinks about what he saw, wondering if they have started to touch on some of the things fortold by the cards, and executioner, well the gallows are the executioner's domain, and was that brief vision of a freshly dead child related to the missing child, or was it just the result of some of that nasty stink around the bad guys
If you consult the map in the OP, you will see that the road bends quite close to the river at one point between the crossroads and Barovia. You have been traveling for two hours since battling the Needle Blights, and you pause in this meadow to rest.
The day is not bright. There is some sunlight, but a haze hangs over this valley. In the distance, though, through the haze to the north, you can see a castle on a hilltop. Even at this distance, it looks like it's brooding and dark.
The second thing you notice is much closer to where you sit. Puddin lays down on her back in the grass to stretch, and happens to notice, in a hollow in the log upon which Barnaby is explaining certain things to Kif, a small bundle of cloth.
What do you want to do with the bundle, and everybody make a perception check, please.
You open the bundle and discover inside a commoner's clothing. It's plain clothes, but a full set: shirt, pants, hat, boots. Clothes for an adult human male.
While Barnaby and Kif look at the clothes, Puddin notices a swarm of rats just inside the treeline, about thirty feet from you. There are four or five of them, and they appear to be watching you. Not in any natural, ratlike way. They're just watching from the dark shadows of the trees.
”Rats are a common target for possession, or they can be a wizard’s familiar. I could turn tulip here into a rat...not to worry Tulip, I love you just the way you are.”
Barnaby pauses thoughtfully, with an eye on the foul beasts
Barnaby will again start ritually casting detect magic. This time to have a look at the rats, but will look over the clothes and the rest of the area while he’s at it. He pulls his spell book from its leather satchel, opens to the correct page and begins the incantations.
Friends, it appears we are being watched. Barnaby, you're a forest gnome -- maybe try to talk to them? If they don't speak with you it may be a good test that they are not of themselves but rather under control of another. I'm able to detect evil or good, Barnaby, but you are able to detect magic. How should we go about this?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Barnaby will be mindful this time to maintain his focus on his ritual casting until complete. At that time he will say, “Yes, Puddin, I can convey simple ideas to animals, but I don’t really understand them. Perhaps a plan to use that will arise out of what we can learn about them otherwise. If you detect evil and good, don’t be distracted by Tulip. She is technically a creature of the fey rather than a beast, so I believe she will show as a blip on your radar.”
Barnaby completes the ritual, and casts Detect Magic. Neither the bundle of clothing, nor the rats - which don't move when you get within 30'; please tell me if you get closer - are magical, nor is anything else in the immediate area.
The haze you noticed in the morning gathers into a fog near the river, and the fog does not lift during the afternoon. There is an occasional light rain, as well; the weather has gotten pretty rotten.
It is about 5:30, and getting dark in the valley. You think you might be pretty close to Barovia (the town, not the city-state valley), but this is your opportunity to decide to press on at night, or to make camp.
For future reference, I'll be using 5:30 as sunset time year-round. I figure it's a valley, and it would be too much work to try to adjust it for passing seasons.
The fog grows thicker, though the rain reduces to a drizzle. Only about an hour later, you enter the village of Barovia.
Tall shapes loom out of the dense fog that surrounds everything. The muddy ground underfoot gives way to slick, wet cobblestones. The tall shapes become recognizable as village dwellings. The windows of each house stare out from pools of blackness. No sound cuts the silence except for mournful sobbing that echoes through the streets from a distance.
There are houses on the left, and houses on the right. All are dark. In the darkness the houses are colorless, and are all in some state of disrepair.
Barnaby will use his racial ability that allows him to communicate ideas to small animals. The point he is trying to get across is ‘Hi.’ He will do this with a small wave and a few quiet cluckings of the tongue against the roof of his mouth. He hopes they get the subtext, “please don’t eat us, follow us, or otherwise creep at us.”
He will then turn and follow his friends toward Barovia.
Edit: After further review, it appears that I can have a two way exchange of simple ideas with small or smaller beasts. With that in mind, Barnaby will pause briefly to see if there is a response prior to picking up the clothes and heading down the road.
I think that would be a perception check. Unless you were looking for something in particular.
Either way, close inspection of the gallows reveals them to be quite old, with no signs of recent use.
I owe a significant update, which I'll get to later. But I want to take a few notes of things I thing might be handy for the OP. It's there for you, too, so please add to the list:
Inspiration Tracker (who has and who doesn't have)
Madam Eva's reading (your characters don't have to care, but just in case)
Hmm. I think I had other things in mind, but they are eluding me at the moment. Let me know if you think of something, whether it's now or later. It can be a big thing, too, because I can stash it in a spoiler tag.
Kif shakes his head and turns to follow the others. He knows he saw something and he also know Puddin' saw something too. It was a disturbing sight not to be easily ignored, but for now he's going with the flow
As he walks, he thinks about what he saw, wondering if they have started to touch on some of the things fortold by the cards, and executioner, well the gallows are the executioner's domain, and was that brief vision of a freshly dead child related to the missing child, or was it just the result of some of that nasty stink around the bad guys
If you consult the map in the OP, you will see that the road bends quite close to the river at one point between the crossroads and Barovia. You have been traveling for two hours since battling the Needle Blights, and you pause in this meadow to rest.
The day is not bright. There is some sunlight, but a haze hangs over this valley. In the distance, though, through the haze to the north, you can see a castle on a hilltop. Even at this distance, it looks like it's brooding and dark.
The second thing you notice is much closer to where you sit. Puddin lays down on her back in the grass to stretch, and happens to notice, in a hollow in the log upon which Barnaby is explaining certain things to Kif, a small bundle of cloth.
What do you want to do with the bundle, and everybody make a perception check, please.
Have we had time relaxing where we’ve had a short rest? If so, Barnaby will recover a spell slot.
Perception: 8
Perception 21
9 perceptin'
Yes, you're getting a short rest now.
You open the bundle and discover inside a commoner's clothing. It's plain clothes, but a full set: shirt, pants, hat, boots. Clothes for an adult human male.
While Barnaby and Kif look at the clothes, Puddin notices a swarm of rats just inside the treeline, about thirty feet from you. There are four or five of them, and they appear to be watching you. Not in any natural, ratlike way. They're just watching from the dark shadows of the trees.
Before we go into short rest Kif is going to second wind for some healing 7
If Puddin points out the rats:
”Rats are a common target for possession, or they can be a wizard’s familiar. I could turn tulip here into a rat...not to worry Tulip, I love you just the way you are.”
Barnaby pauses thoughtfully, with an eye on the foul beasts
“I wonder if we’re being watched.”
Barnaby will again start ritually casting detect magic. This time to have a look at the rats, but will look over the clothes and the rest of the area while he’s at it. He pulls his spell book from its leather satchel, opens to the correct page and begins the incantations.
Edit: If Puddin points out the rats.
She does indeed point out the rats.
Friends, it appears we are being watched. Barnaby, you're a forest gnome -- maybe try to talk to them? If they don't speak with you it may be a good test that they are not of themselves but rather under control of another. I'm able to detect evil or good, Barnaby, but you are able to detect magic. How should we go about this?
Barnaby will be mindful this time to maintain his focus on his ritual casting until complete. At that time he will say, “Yes, Puddin, I can convey simple ideas to animals, but I don’t really understand them. Perhaps a plan to use that will arise out of what we can learn about them otherwise. If you detect evil and good, don’t be distracted by Tulip. She is technically a creature of the fey rather than a beast, so I believe she will show as a blip on your radar.”
Portent rolls:
12
13
Busy day at work, fellas. I'll catch up later.
. . . and a second busy day at work, and tonight is busy too. I should have time during the day tomorrow. Thanks for your patience, all!
Barnaby completes the ritual, and casts Detect Magic. Neither the bundle of clothing, nor the rats - which don't move when you get within 30'; please tell me if you get closer - are magical, nor is anything else in the immediate area.
The haze you noticed in the morning gathers into a fog near the river, and the fog does not lift during the afternoon. There is an occasional light rain, as well; the weather has gotten pretty rotten.
It is about 5:30, and getting dark in the valley. You think you might be pretty close to Barovia (the town, not the city-state valley), but this is your opportunity to decide to press on at night, or to make camp.
For future reference, I'll be using 5:30 as sunset time year-round. I figure it's a valley, and it would be too much work to try to adjust it for passing seasons.
What say, friends, shall we push on to the town now we've had a little rest. bring the clothes to see if anyone in town recognizes them
"Yeah we better. These rats are creepier than the ones in Waterdeep and my hair is getting so frizzy in all this heavy heat and rain."
The fog grows thicker, though the rain reduces to a drizzle. Only about an hour later, you enter the village of Barovia.
Tall shapes loom out of the dense fog that surrounds everything. The muddy ground underfoot gives way to slick, wet cobblestones. The tall shapes become recognizable as village dwellings. The windows of each house stare out from pools of blackness. No sound cuts the silence except for mournful sobbing that echoes through the streets from a distance.
There are houses on the left, and houses on the right. All are dark. In the darkness the houses are colorless, and are all in some state of disrepair.
Barnaby will use his racial ability that allows him to communicate ideas to small animals. The point he is trying to get across is ‘Hi.’ He will do this with a small wave and a few quiet cluckings of the tongue against the roof of his mouth. He hopes they get the subtext, “please don’t eat us, follow us, or otherwise creep at us.”
He will then turn and follow his friends toward Barovia.
Edit: After further review, it appears that I can have a two way exchange of simple ideas with small or smaller beasts. With that in mind, Barnaby will pause briefly to see if there is a response prior to picking up the clothes and heading down the road.