Maldorn and Jambiya think the ring is interesting and slightly off putting, especially when Erric points out how the prongs holding the stone are shaped like fingers. Finally, as everyone is settling in to sleep, the halfling spends an hour really studying the piece of jewelry. He discovers through the magic of the item and the land that it is a ring of mind shielding. (I added it to Erric's inventory and attuned you to him. The image isn't quite the same — this ring has a yellow stone, and the "looks like a brain" is much more subtle. And it has the finger prongs. I didn't have anyone in particular in mind for this, so it doesn't need to stay with Erric, but he's got it right now.)
I'll assume the watch order: Erric, Jambiya, Anafrey and Maldorn.
The night is calm and very crisp. Luckily, there is no wind, so the fire doesn't have any trouble staying lit to help fight the chill. By the next morning, however, Erric, Jambiya and Maldorn wake feeling pretty chilly. The fire has gone out due to inattention. Maldorn is surprised that the sun is so high. Why didn't Anafrey wake him? He intends to ask, but she isn't anywhere to be seen. Her bedroll is still laid out where it had been the night before, but her pack and other belongs are gone.
Jambiya, you woke Anafrey at the end of your watch, and nothing seemed odd as she arose and took over the watch.
(Happy to hand over the ring to anyone who is interested!! If no one wants it though, he'll take it.)
Erric, groggy with a case of bedhead that trasncends the physical, asks where Anafrey has gone this time, trying to stand up inside his bedroll to retain warmth and begin to walk around to start a search, not quite tripping over himself.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
OOC: The ring is not the kind of item Maldorn would go for.
Relying on his many years of experience (for a human) Maldorn has a hunch about what may have happened. Nonetheless, he looks around to see if he can find tracks left by Anafrey.
Jambiya sits up, and hugs her knees. "She's gone. Taken her stuff, too." She just sits there, thinking.
After a bit, and after asking Snap if he saw anything, she gets up and begins breakfast, restarting the fire with a wave of her hand. "I think she knows what she's doing," she announces. "None of know for sure what she's going through, with Anin, but she was firmly in control, so I'm not worried he got back inside her. Besides, he probably would have killed us in our sleep. No, she's doing something she needs to do."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Maldorn, you find some tracks, but you're not sure if they're Anafrey's. Some are heading southeast. Some are heading almost due east in about the same direction you're headed. What you don't find is any sign of a struggle or danger. Oh, and your shoulder hurts even worse today. Ouch!
Erric, you don't see anything out of the ordinary, either.
Jambiya, Snap sends feelings of regret to you as he tells you he went hunting after you woke Anafrey for her watch, and he didn't realize anyone was gone when he returned.
A wave of sadness hits Maldorn as he realizes he should let go of his efforts to track Anafrey. Even a bit of embarrassment. He does not tell the others of the tracks he found.
He stays silent about his shoulder too. In fact, he stays silent for the next several hours.
With quite a pall over the company as they walk, Jambiya begins to hum a tune quietly. It's something Brunthor taught her, an old Dwarven song about a lonely mountain. She sings a couple of verses quietly, but it's all too sad. "Why do the heroes never actually win?" she asks nobody in particular. "They just defeat the evil, but then they just get to go lick their wounds until it comes back. Even the gods are just waiting for some final reckoning."
OOC: Posting this does not mean Jambiya's thought cannot be answered or continued by the others.
The party continues their hike east. The Sword Mountains, which were once only gray masses in the distance, are now upon them. By the time the party decides to camp, they are well within the foothills approaching the northern point of the mountains. As they gather around the campfire, feeling sore and still a little disheartened at the loss of Anafrey, Jambiya pulls out Ebokk's letter and reads it aloud:
My new friends,
I hope your trip home was safe and uneventful. I know it has not been long since I last put you all in danger, but I have recently uncovered an interesting text surrounding a mysterious vault. It seems two brothers, Raman and Grath Turntide, former adventurers, created this vault to memorialize their escapades. The vault is magical and only accessible during sunset and only a few times a year. I know I promised mother I wouldn't adventure anymore, but I am no longer satisfied sitting at home. I am going to tell her I need to travel to Neverwinter for business, but I am heading for the vault. According to what I found, it should be opening very soon. Will you meet me there? It should be located on the northernmost tip of the Sword Mountains. The text says the setting sun will point the way. I hope to see you there!
Included is a map and a timetable. According to it, the date is less than a tenday away!
Breaking his long silence, Maldorn's only reaction to Jambiya's comment is this: "Worry not, dear witchy girl. We are not heroes." His voice breaks a little.
At the foot of the mountains, the ranger helps set camp by being in charge of the tents. It is a painful ordeal for him and his shoulder. He says in response to Jambiya's reading: "Well, at least we are on the right side of the mountains. I have the tents out already but, if you think it is prudent, maybe we should follow the setting sun while we still can."
"Well, I'm the only one of us that can see in the dark well, but I could make my lights dance for you two. I think if we're going to adventure, we might as well get started. I'll help you pack up the tents, Maldorn."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Erric slowly realizes the gravity of Anafrey's absence, and as Jambiya walks along, he finds himself humming and singing in harmony with her sad mountain song. When she speaks, he says, "I wonder if the heroes ever think they're heroes, or if they ever think they win. Defeating evil does seem like a win to me."
Later, he agrees with the idea to walk toward the setting sun even if the darkness is rising, at least for a little while. "Maybe Ebokk is here and he will see our lights in the dark?"
As the sun drops low in the sky behind him, painting the mountains in front of them in reds and purples, Maldorn thinks he sees the lazy curl of a campfire's smoke trail many miles ahead, but he knows it would be morning before they would reach it, even if he is judging the distance correctly.
Erric raises one question before turning in for bed. "If Ebokk knew about this vault opening only every once in a while, then perhaps others do too. Should we expect our friend is not alone in trying to get in?"
He's also been trying to wrack his brain (pun initially unintended, but then cheerfully allowed) for any stories he's heard about beholders.
The old man will try to memorize the location of the far-away campfire, trying to imprint the image on his mind, before going turning to help set up camp as before.
Meanwhile in the distance the darkness covers all but a small area around the lonely campfire. Two piles of rocks are placed next to the campfire in opposite positions. On it two sticks balance a frying pan and in it a rabbit stew is being prepared over the fire.
Some feet away under the cover of a tree a dwarf sits near his bedroll searching in his bag. A shield is placed next to him leaning against the tree. Ah.. there you are. He says as he takes out a large mushroom from his bag. As he moves to the campfire he takes out a small knife and cuts the mushroom up in small slices over the frying pan, letting them fall in. See mother, i can take care of myself just fine.
As he takes a wiff of the stew he continues to mumble to himself with a nagging tone. Its to dangerous out there.. your all i have left... bah thats why im.. The dwarf stops his mumbling as the fire crackles a large flame reaching towards the dwarf. Back you!He takes the pan off fire being carefull to use a piece of cloth to grab the handle in case its hot. Then he quickles moves towards his bedroll placing the pan next to it and sitting down on the bedroll.
A few moments later he takes out a piece of paper with some notes on it twisting his beardring as he reads it. Looks around Hmmthen takes a spoon to start eating some of the stew jolting back a bit that its still a bit hot but continues to eat it. Not as good as home but it'll do.
As the time passes he finishes his dinner and takes a last look around Where are you..
With those words he turns in for the night tucking himself into his bedroll and holding his warhammer close.
OOC: This post is full of railroading. I apologize, but hope the end result helps you forgive me.
The next morning, four travelers wake to another clear and crisp day in the Sword Mountains. It's almost cold enough for there to be frost. The three travelers from Seldom Spring quickly pack up, choosing to eat their breakfast while they walk. Maldorn takes the lead, aiming for where he remembers seeing the smoke the night before. His shoulder is feeling better today. He thinks with any luck, he'll be almost back to normal after another night's sleep. After all, hiking all day and sleeping on the ground usually leaves the old man a little sore anyway. The trio marches up and down the rolling landscape, skirting cliffsides too steep to climb, fording a couple of streams, but heading basically due east. The map Ebokk supplied in his letter is a little hard to interpret, but Jambiya feels like they're going in the right direction. She keeps thinking over the phrase, "The setting sun will point the way."
The dwarf, for all of his inexperience in such things, actually shouted for joy the previous evening after his speculation paid off. It was there. The setting sun's rays inexplicably illuminated a cave opening which had not been in the mountain just moments before. If only the others had already arrived. As it was, the opening was only visible for half an hour before it disappeared again. Tonight will most likely be even shorter. How many more nights will it even be visible?
The sun slowly arches overhead throughout the day, causing the huge mountain-shaped shadows in the west to shrink, disappear, and then grow once again toward the east. Maldorn is feeling slightly worried the longer they march. He figured reaching the location by now, but he can't be positive. Perhaps one of the detours threw him off course. Perhaps he misjudged the distance. Perhaps they've just taken longer then he anticipated. Or perhaps the campsite was well hidden; they could have walked right by it without realizing. The two young ones are counting on him. He can't let them down.
The dwarf feels as nervous as a rabbit. He's jumping at every sound, feeling both hopeful and anxious. Six hours until sunset. Four hours until sunset. Two hours until sunset. They still have time. One hour until sunset. Where are they? Time is running out. He's pacing now. Thirty minutes until sunset. He quickly begins building a fire once again, hoping the smoke will bring them to him. They have to be close. His letter told them to hurry. He arranges the cold coals and adds new wood. Why did he wait so long to start? They should already be here. His eyes keep rising to the place on the mountain. Will it appear? How long will it be there? His hand keeps slipping, trying to get the wood to light the fire. Finally, he gets it going. He tenderly urges the flame, half distracted. There! The cave opening appears once again — smaller — as the sun is going down. He slowly rises to his feet, his wide eyes as he counts the seconds. As the cave disappears from view, he almost gasps, now realizing that he had been hardly breathing. Half the time tonight. Half the size and half the time. Was that it?
Maldorn can't help but breathe a sigh of relief as he sees the smoke trail again and close. He looks over his shoulder and gives the other two a grateful smile, but they are too intent on watching their footing to notice. He alters his course only slightly and anticipates reaching the fire within the hour. Hopefully it is their friend the dwarf.
Though the sun is still above the horizon, Ebokk Lockforge's campsite is in deep shadow once the other three arrive. The dwarf is sitting, facing the fire and looking only slightly dejected. The sound of boots on rocks causes him to turn and look as an aged and white-haired human man, a lithe and uncharacteristically beautiful goblin girl, and a skinny male halfling with red hair walk into view only 30 feet away.
With the sound of the boots Ebokk's eyes shoot open and he quickly scrambles to hits feet turning around lifting his warhammer up and grasping it with both hands. Who's there?
Ebokk blinks a bit more rapidly to have his eyes adjust to the darkness after gazing into the light of the fire. Show yourself!His head tilts left and right trying to get a good look and to determine if his eyes are not deceiving him.
Is that you Maldorn? He takes a few steps closer It is! My friends! I was worried you wouldnt come.
He looks at his weapon still holding it up and quickly lowers it. Come warm yourselves he says as he motions to his campfire.
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Maldorn and Jambiya think the ring is interesting and slightly off putting, especially when Erric points out how the prongs holding the stone are shaped like fingers. Finally, as everyone is settling in to sleep, the halfling spends an hour really studying the piece of jewelry. He discovers through the magic of the item and the land that it is a ring of mind shielding. (I added it to Erric's inventory and attuned you to him. The image isn't quite the same — this ring has a yellow stone, and the "looks like a brain" is much more subtle. And it has the finger prongs. I didn't have anyone in particular in mind for this, so it doesn't need to stay with Erric, but he's got it right now.)
I'll assume the watch order: Erric, Jambiya, Anafrey and Maldorn.
The night is calm and very crisp. Luckily, there is no wind, so the fire doesn't have any trouble staying lit to help fight the chill. By the next morning, however, Erric, Jambiya and Maldorn wake feeling pretty chilly. The fire has gone out due to inattention. Maldorn is surprised that the sun is so high. Why didn't Anafrey wake him? He intends to ask, but she isn't anywhere to be seen. Her bedroll is still laid out where it had been the night before, but her pack and other belongs are gone.
Jambiya, you woke Anafrey at the end of your watch, and nothing seemed odd as she arose and took over the watch.
(Happy to hand over the ring to anyone who is interested!! If no one wants it though, he'll take it.)
Erric, groggy with a case of bedhead that trasncends the physical, asks where Anafrey has gone this time, trying to stand up inside his bedroll to retain warmth and begin to walk around to start a search, not quite tripping over himself.
OOC: The ring is not the kind of item Maldorn would go for.
Relying on his many years of experience (for a human) Maldorn has a hunch about what may have happened. Nonetheless, he looks around to see if he can find tracks left by Anafrey.
-> Survival: 24
-> If we are in or at the edge of a forested area, please add a +2 to that roll.
Jambiya sits up, and hugs her knees. "She's gone. Taken her stuff, too." She just sits there, thinking.
After a bit, and after asking Snap if he saw anything, she gets up and begins breakfast, restarting the fire with a wave of her hand. "I think she knows what she's doing," she announces. "None of know for sure what she's going through, with Anin, but she was firmly in control, so I'm not worried he got back inside her. Besides, he probably would have killed us in our sleep. No, she's doing something she needs to do."
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Maldorn, you find some tracks, but you're not sure if they're Anafrey's. Some are heading southeast. Some are heading almost due east in about the same direction you're headed. What you don't find is any sign of a struggle or danger. Oh, and your shoulder hurts even worse today. Ouch!
Erric, you don't see anything out of the ordinary, either.
Jambiya, Snap sends feelings of regret to you as he tells you he went hunting after you woke Anafrey for her watch, and he didn't realize anyone was gone when he returned.
"It's okay, Snap. We're all sad she left, but she knows what is best for her. Maybe we'll see her back at Seldom Spring."
After wrapping up breakfast and striking camp, Jambiya says we should keep going. "Ebokk is expecting us, and we should at least meet him."
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
"Would you believe I forgot we were meeting him! Maybe Ebokk will know what happened to Anafrey," Erric says, incongruously. He prepares to head out.
A wave of sadness hits Maldorn as he realizes he should let go of his efforts to track Anafrey. Even a bit of embarrassment. He does not tell the others of the tracks he found.
He stays silent about his shoulder too. In fact, he stays silent for the next several hours.
Sagitta coils around his neck, for confort.
With quite a pall over the company as they walk, Jambiya begins to hum a tune quietly. It's something Brunthor taught her, an old Dwarven song about a lonely mountain. She sings a couple of verses quietly, but it's all too sad. "Why do the heroes never actually win?" she asks nobody in particular. "They just defeat the evil, but then they just get to go lick their wounds until it comes back. Even the gods are just waiting for some final reckoning."
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
OOC: Posting this does not mean Jambiya's thought cannot be answered or continued by the others.
The party continues their hike east. The Sword Mountains, which were once only gray masses in the distance, are now upon them. By the time the party decides to camp, they are well within the foothills approaching the northern point of the mountains. As they gather around the campfire, feeling sore and still a little disheartened at the loss of Anafrey, Jambiya pulls out Ebokk's letter and reads it aloud:
Breaking his long silence, Maldorn's only reaction to Jambiya's comment is this: "Worry not, dear witchy girl. We are not heroes." His voice breaks a little.
At the foot of the mountains, the ranger helps set camp by being in charge of the tents. It is a painful ordeal for him and his shoulder. He says in response to Jambiya's reading: "Well, at least we are on the right side of the mountains. I have the tents out already but, if you think it is prudent, maybe we should follow the setting sun while we still can."
"Well, I'm the only one of us that can see in the dark well, but I could make my lights dance for you two. I think if we're going to adventure, we might as well get started. I'll help you pack up the tents, Maldorn."
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Erric slowly realizes the gravity of Anafrey's absence, and as Jambiya walks along, he finds himself humming and singing in harmony with her sad mountain song. When she speaks, he says, "I wonder if the heroes ever think they're heroes, or if they ever think they win. Defeating evil does seem like a win to me."
Later, he agrees with the idea to walk toward the setting sun even if the darkness is rising, at least for a little while. "Maybe Ebokk is here and he will see our lights in the dark?"
As the sun drops low in the sky behind him, painting the mountains in front of them in reds and purples, Maldorn thinks he sees the lazy curl of a campfire's smoke trail many miles ahead, but he knows it would be morning before they would reach it, even if he is judging the distance correctly.
How much longer do you travel?
Jambiya will agree to stop once the sun is set, hoping to get an early start the next morning.
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
(Same.)
Erric raises one question before turning in for bed. "If Ebokk knew about this vault opening only every once in a while, then perhaps others do too. Should we expect our friend is not alone in trying to get in?"
He's also been trying to wrack his brain (pun initially unintended, but then cheerfully allowed) for any stories he's heard about beholders.
"An astute observation." Maldorn tells Erric.
The old man will try to memorize the location of the far-away campfire, trying to imprint the image on his mind, before going turning to help set up camp as before.
Meanwhile in the distance the darkness covers all but a small area around the lonely campfire. Two piles of rocks are placed next to the campfire in opposite positions. On it two sticks balance a frying pan and in it a rabbit stew is being prepared over the fire.
Some feet away under the cover of a tree a dwarf sits near his bedroll searching in his bag. A shield is placed next to him leaning against the tree. Ah.. there you are. He says as he takes out a large mushroom from his bag. As he moves to the campfire he takes out a small knife and cuts the mushroom up in small slices over the frying pan, letting them fall in. See mother, i can take care of myself just fine.
As he takes a wiff of the stew he continues to mumble to himself with a nagging tone. Its to dangerous out there.. your all i have left... bah thats why im.. The dwarf stops his mumbling as the fire crackles a large flame reaching towards the dwarf. Back you! He takes the pan off fire being carefull to use a piece of cloth to grab the handle in case its hot. Then he quickles moves towards his bedroll placing the pan next to it and sitting down on the bedroll.
A few moments later he takes out a piece of paper with some notes on it twisting his beardring as he reads it. Looks around Hmm then takes a spoon to start eating some of the stew jolting back a bit that its still a bit hot but continues to eat it. Not as good as home but it'll do.
As the time passes he finishes his dinner and takes a last look around Where are you..
With those words he turns in for the night tucking himself into his bedroll and holding his warhammer close.
OOC: This post is full of railroading. I apologize, but hope the end result helps you forgive me.
The next morning, four travelers wake to another clear and crisp day in the Sword Mountains. It's almost cold enough for there to be frost. The three travelers from Seldom Spring quickly pack up, choosing to eat their breakfast while they walk. Maldorn takes the lead, aiming for where he remembers seeing the smoke the night before. His shoulder is feeling better today. He thinks with any luck, he'll be almost back to normal after another night's sleep. After all, hiking all day and sleeping on the ground usually leaves the old man a little sore anyway. The trio marches up and down the rolling landscape, skirting cliffsides too steep to climb, fording a couple of streams, but heading basically due east. The map Ebokk supplied in his letter is a little hard to interpret, but Jambiya feels like they're going in the right direction. She keeps thinking over the phrase, "The setting sun will point the way."
The dwarf, for all of his inexperience in such things, actually shouted for joy the previous evening after his speculation paid off. It was there. The setting sun's rays inexplicably illuminated a cave opening which had not been in the mountain just moments before. If only the others had already arrived. As it was, the opening was only visible for half an hour before it disappeared again. Tonight will most likely be even shorter. How many more nights will it even be visible?
The sun slowly arches overhead throughout the day, causing the huge mountain-shaped shadows in the west to shrink, disappear, and then grow once again toward the east. Maldorn is feeling slightly worried the longer they march. He figured reaching the location by now, but he can't be positive. Perhaps one of the detours threw him off course. Perhaps he misjudged the distance. Perhaps they've just taken longer then he anticipated. Or perhaps the campsite was well hidden; they could have walked right by it without realizing. The two young ones are counting on him. He can't let them down.
The dwarf feels as nervous as a rabbit. He's jumping at every sound, feeling both hopeful and anxious. Six hours until sunset. Four hours until sunset. Two hours until sunset. They still have time. One hour until sunset. Where are they? Time is running out. He's pacing now. Thirty minutes until sunset. He quickly begins building a fire once again, hoping the smoke will bring them to him. They have to be close. His letter told them to hurry. He arranges the cold coals and adds new wood. Why did he wait so long to start? They should already be here. His eyes keep rising to the place on the mountain. Will it appear? How long will it be there? His hand keeps slipping, trying to get the wood to light the fire. Finally, he gets it going. He tenderly urges the flame, half distracted. There! The cave opening appears once again — smaller — as the sun is going down. He slowly rises to his feet, his wide eyes as he counts the seconds. As the cave disappears from view, he almost gasps, now realizing that he had been hardly breathing. Half the time tonight. Half the size and half the time. Was that it?
Maldorn can't help but breathe a sigh of relief as he sees the smoke trail again and close. He looks over his shoulder and gives the other two a grateful smile, but they are too intent on watching their footing to notice. He alters his course only slightly and anticipates reaching the fire within the hour. Hopefully it is their friend the dwarf.
Though the sun is still above the horizon, Ebokk Lockforge's campsite is in deep shadow once the other three arrive. The dwarf is sitting, facing the fire and looking only slightly dejected. The sound of boots on rocks causes him to turn and look as an aged and white-haired human man, a lithe and uncharacteristically beautiful goblin girl, and a skinny male halfling with red hair walk into view only 30 feet away.
With the sound of the boots Ebokk's eyes shoot open and he quickly scrambles to hits feet turning around lifting his warhammer up and grasping it with both hands. Who's there?
Ebokk blinks a bit more rapidly to have his eyes adjust to the darkness after gazing into the light of the fire. Show yourself! His head tilts left and right trying to get a good look and to determine if his eyes are not deceiving him.
Is that you Maldorn? He takes a few steps closer It is! My friends! I was worried you wouldnt come.
He looks at his weapon still holding it up and quickly lowers it. Come warm yourselves he says as he motions to his campfire.