Lucien does provide healing to Feytok and to himself before they set out down the valley again. They encounter no more snakes or other threats for the rest of the afternoon and evening before finding a a series of regular low mounds that serve as a nice wind break and seclusion from any prying eyes. The party beds down for the night, each taking turns on watch as they have come to practice every night.
(Everyone takes a long rest.)
The party is woken in the morning to the roar of thundering hooves. Emerging from their shelters, they peek over the nearest mound to see at least half a dozen giant boar stampeding across the valley floor and disappearing into a thin forest. After breakfast breaking camp, the party continue along the valley as it winds toward the east and begins to narrow. A little before lunch time, Tock spots a pair of giant lizards basking at the edge of a large cave on the side of the steep mountain to the north.
"Is everything big here?" Neventi says after pointing out the giant lizards to Gentoa.
The sighting delays lunch a little as the travelers opt to put some distance between them and the lizards. After lunch, the party travels until there is no more Serpent Valley. A low shoulder bridging two mountains seems to be the only path forward, but it is a promising path. In the far distance, a thin plume of smoke rises between the mountain peaks.
Thankfully, it is not a rigorous climb, but it does leave the party tired after days of hiking through the valley. They setting sun to the west clearly reveals a large city in the distance. From where they stand, it is perhaps 25 miles until they reach the city. The group hikes until Gentoa falls asleep, not quite reaching the base of the mountains that tail away to the west. It will be a full day of hiking before the arrive at Karkarus, and soon everyone follows Gentoa's lead. They are out of the valley, now, and prying eyes might spot a stray campfire. They eat cold rations and turn in for the night, setting the watch schedule for what proves to be an uneventful evening.
And the hike the next day is equally uneventful. It isn't until they arrive at a small river, a mere mile from the city, that they see the first living soul for a week and a half. A small caravan plods along in the distance, perhaps 2 to 3 miles distant, along the Long Road towards Karakarus (which is only a mile away, between the river and the road.) The river is not wide, perhaps 20 feet at its narrowest, but it carries a strong current, through cold, deep water. To the north and south, the river extends for miles, with no bridge or ferry in sight. In fact, this side of the river looks largely undeveloped, as if the party is arriving at the back door to the city. But the river presents a real obstacle to reaching Karkarus and the temple of Tymora.
If there is a tree that close with a trunk 30 feet tall, Dog will suggest cutting down the tree and using it to get across after it falls. Or securing rope to the tree on the other side via arrow or lassoing and tying the other end to another tree on this side and using it to not get swept away during crossing. "Or maybe someone can fly us there."
The tallest tree within 10 feet of the river on this side of the river is about 20 feet tall. There is a similar sized one somewhere further south on the opposite side of the river.
Tock takes a length of rope (just asking someone, he doesn't have it himself), ties and end of it to a crossbow bolt and takes a shot at the thickest tree on the other bank.
Then he moves some feet upstream and starts stripping down. "I'll take a running leap holding the rope and try to swim over. Once we get it secured then we can figure out the next steps. I don't think the logs will hold in such a strong current."
Tock begins swimming and finds the current much too strong. It almost immediately pulls him south. Instinctively, Tock grips the rope when he realizes how strong the current is. The rope holds, as does the bolt, which is deep into the tree. He is able to pull himself along the rope without much trouble and emerges on the other side, cold and wet.
Tock drops down and does some jumping jacks, sprints some feet it one direction and then in the other. "Damn that's cold!"
"Throw or shoot some longer length of rope over. Lets really secure it on both ends, then do it with another a few feet above the first one. So one can walk across while holding on to the upper rope."
Dog is glad to see Tock made it across okay. "You could have told me, neighbor, I'd have given you a boost. Also, you forgot your clothes!" He secures all of Tock's clothes and belongings into the bag of holding. He ties two more lengths of rope to the end of the line Tock shot across, and tells Tock to pull his rope across, which brings the two new lines across, and then he secures the ropes to a tree on the near side with someone else's help (his big goliath fingers aren't very nimble) as Tock suggested.
Looking at the diameter of the single rope, Dog's not sure it'll hold him all the way across. "I might be able to make it across if I get a good running jump." (OOC: Dog's strength is 16, should be 18 next level... which means with a 10 foot running start he can leap 16 feet forward. If he's 8 feet tall, plus his arms, he might be able to grasp onto the far bank and pull himself ashore?)
He helps everyone get across the rope -- securing the rope on the near shore, and also playing a guard downstream in case someone slips and falls in and needs a swimming rescue. Once everyone's across, he plans to untie the ropes, hold onto them, back up ten feet, and run and jump across.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(Nope, he will fall short, I'm afraid.)
The nearest tree on this side of the river, which is the closest two trees you could find across from each other, is 220 feet away from the tree that Tock is next to.
Okay so there's a tree 10 feet from the river on this side, and then there's the one Tock shot the crossbow bolt into, and those are 120 feet apart? Definitely don't have the rope to string twice between those.
Dog asks Keyrie about the spider webbing idea. Perhaps they'd cut down the 20 foot tree on this side, and knock it over across the river. Tock could tie the top branches of the tree to the opposite bank with the rope, and then Spider-Keyrie secures the roots and trunk to the bank with webbing, travels across, and then secures the top of the tree with webbing to the opposite side. Then she can help people get across one by one?
Tock shouts to Dog to tie the rope around the bag ofnholding and let him drag it across to get his equipment.
He also surveys the height and sturdyness of the branches, some of which probably reach a bit towards the river. "What if we create a swing like we had in the circus, then we can just swing across. How do the branches look from your side?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tock's tree is 7 feet away from the edge of the river and has a sturdy 13 foot long branch pointed in the direction of the river.
The tree on Dog's side is 5 feet away from the edge of the river and has a sturdy 11 foot long branch pointed in the direction of the river, meaning it hangs 6 feet over the water.
"Hey Dog didn't you read that book about boat construction? Could any of that help us here?" Keyrie asks, "Maybe some sort of raft or something we could make to get across? We could use the rope to pull ourselves across once we make it?"
"I think you need more wood for a raft, don't you? We could try it if we find some bigger trees. I only see a few. You don't think the spider bridge would work? I trust you either way, Keyrie."
“I could probably make a very small raft. But the current might be too strong still. I can conjure up small things if you can think of something that would help. Oh and Friend can help too.”
"Merxina, may the Traveler guide you. The seeds of Chaos are forever mysterious. Does any one have any wounds that need tending?"
Lucien does provide healing to Feytok and to himself before they set out down the valley again. They encounter no more snakes or other threats for the rest of the afternoon and evening before finding a a series of regular low mounds that serve as a nice wind break and seclusion from any prying eyes. The party beds down for the night, each taking turns on watch as they have come to practice every night.
(Everyone takes a long rest.)
The party is woken in the morning to the roar of thundering hooves. Emerging from their shelters, they peek over the nearest mound to see at least half a dozen giant boar stampeding across the valley floor and disappearing into a thin forest. After breakfast breaking camp, the party continue along the valley as it winds toward the east and begins to narrow. A little before lunch time, Tock spots a pair of giant lizards basking at the edge of a large cave on the side of the steep mountain to the north.
"Is everything big here?" Neventi says after pointing out the giant lizards to Gentoa.
The sighting delays lunch a little as the travelers opt to put some distance between them and the lizards. After lunch, the party travels until there is no more Serpent Valley. A low shoulder bridging two mountains seems to be the only path forward, but it is a promising path. In the far distance, a thin plume of smoke rises between the mountain peaks.
Thankfully, it is not a rigorous climb, but it does leave the party tired after days of hiking through the valley. They setting sun to the west clearly reveals a large city in the distance. From where they stand, it is perhaps 25 miles until they reach the city. The group hikes until Gentoa falls asleep, not quite reaching the base of the mountains that tail away to the west. It will be a full day of hiking before the arrive at Karkarus, and soon everyone follows Gentoa's lead. They are out of the valley, now, and prying eyes might spot a stray campfire. They eat cold rations and turn in for the night, setting the watch schedule for what proves to be an uneventful evening.
And the hike the next day is equally uneventful. It isn't until they arrive at a small river, a mere mile from the city, that they see the first living soul for a week and a half. A small caravan plods along in the distance, perhaps 2 to 3 miles distant, along the Long Road towards Karakarus (which is only a mile away, between the river and the road.) The river is not wide, perhaps 20 feet at its narrowest, but it carries a strong current, through cold, deep water. To the north and south, the river extends for miles, with no bridge or ferry in sight. In fact, this side of the river looks largely undeveloped, as if the party is arriving at the back door to the city. But the river presents a real obstacle to reaching Karkarus and the temple of Tymora.
Are there any areas of the opposite or near bank, here, or miles upstream or downstream, that have trees?
Yes. Either up or downstream there are trees within 10 feet of the bank on both sides but only scattered here and there. It isn't a forest.
If there is a tree that close with a trunk 30 feet tall, Dog will suggest cutting down the tree and using it to get across after it falls. Or securing rope to the tree on the other side via arrow or lassoing and tying the other end to another tree on this side and using it to not get swept away during crossing. "Or maybe someone can fly us there."
The tallest tree within 10 feet of the river on this side of the river is about 20 feet tall. There is a similar sized one somewhere further south on the opposite side of the river.
"I can turn into a spider and try and do things with webs again?" Keyrie asks. "Maybe tie two logs together so they will be 30 ft long?"
Tock takes a length of rope (just asking someone, he doesn't have it himself), ties and end of it to a crossbow bolt and takes a shot at the thickest tree on the other bank.
Then he moves some feet upstream and starts stripping down. "I'll take a running leap holding the rope and try to swim over. Once we get it secured then we can figure out the next steps. I don't think the logs will hold in such a strong current."
And if nobody objects then he does all of that.
DM shield:
Athletics: 3
Bolt and rope holds? 20
Tock begins swimming and finds the current much too strong. It almost immediately pulls him south. Instinctively, Tock grips the rope when he realizes how strong the current is. The rope holds, as does the bolt, which is deep into the tree. He is able to pull himself along the rope without much trouble and emerges on the other side, cold and wet.
Tock drops down and does some jumping jacks, sprints some feet it one direction and then in the other. "Damn that's cold!"
"Throw or shoot some longer length of rope over. Lets really secure it on both ends, then do it with another a few feet above the first one. So one can walk across while holding on to the upper rope."
Dog is glad to see Tock made it across okay. "You could have told me, neighbor, I'd have given you a boost. Also, you forgot your clothes!" He secures all of Tock's clothes and belongings into the bag of holding. He ties two more lengths of rope to the end of the line Tock shot across, and tells Tock to pull his rope across, which brings the two new lines across, and then he secures the ropes to a tree on the near side with someone else's help (his big goliath fingers aren't very nimble) as Tock suggested.
Looking at the diameter of the single rope, Dog's not sure it'll hold him all the way across. "I might be able to make it across if I get a good running jump." (OOC: Dog's strength is 16, should be 18 next level... which means with a 10 foot running start he can leap 16 feet forward. If he's 8 feet tall, plus his arms, he might be able to grasp onto the far bank and pull himself ashore?)
He helps everyone get across the rope -- securing the rope on the near shore, and also playing a guard downstream in case someone slips and falls in and needs a swimming rescue. Once everyone's across, he plans to untie the ropes, hold onto them, back up ten feet, and run and jump across.
(Nope, he will fall short, I'm afraid.)
The nearest tree on this side of the river, which is the closest two trees you could find across from each other, is 220 feet away from the tree that Tock is next to.
Okay so there's a tree 10 feet from the river on this side, and then there's the one Tock shot the crossbow bolt into, and those are 120 feet apart? Definitely don't have the rope to string twice between those.
Dog asks Keyrie about the spider webbing idea. Perhaps they'd cut down the 20 foot tree on this side, and knock it over across the river. Tock could tie the top branches of the tree to the opposite bank with the rope, and then Spider-Keyrie secures the roots and trunk to the bank with webbing, travels across, and then secures the top of the tree with webbing to the opposite side. Then she can help people get across one by one?
"If you get spidery again we could cut logs and use webbing to build an actual bridge. "
Tock shouts to Dog to tie the rope around the bag ofnholding and let him drag it across to get his equipment.
He also surveys the height and sturdyness of the branches, some of which probably reach a bit towards the river. "What if we create a swing like we had in the circus, then we can just swing across. How do the branches look from your side?"
Tock's tree is 7 feet away from the edge of the river and has a sturdy 13 foot long branch pointed in the direction of the river.
The tree on Dog's side is 5 feet away from the edge of the river and has a sturdy 11 foot long branch pointed in the direction of the river, meaning it hangs 6 feet over the water.
"Hey Dog didn't you read that book about boat construction? Could any of that help us here?" Keyrie asks, "Maybe some sort of raft or something we could make to get across? We could use the rope to pull ourselves across once we make it?"
"I think you need more wood for a raft, don't you? We could try it if we find some bigger trees. I only see a few. You don't think the spider bridge would work? I trust you either way, Keyrie."
“I could probably make a very small raft. But the current might be too strong still. I can conjure up small things if you can think of something that would help. Oh and Friend can help too.”
Gash - Lvl14 Goblin Wizard - The High Court of the Aasimar Queen
Dog still likes the spider bridge idea if that's possible