This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Effort tries to remember how much she enjoyed the trip from Gorta to Lovrila, and what her companions in the caravan had said about their own various journies. She casts Guidance to aid herself while doing so...
Effort and Brask, between the two of you, you know most of the main roads that traverse the eastern side of the continent. Brask, you probably even traveled some of them during your fighting days.There's a main coastal road that goes all the way from Rumengen in the south, around the Carrion Coast, and up to Gorta (the northern terminus). Green Fork is a large city that sits on the biggest river in the east, which shares the name. It makes the soils between the mountains and the coast extremely fertile, and some of the richest people on the continent are "farmers" in this region. That's putting it lightly - they grow expensive crops land produce gourmet goods. Wine, honey, all kinds of oils, and much more. There are smaller roads that radiate out from Green Fork, some of which connect to these farms and estates, some of which connect to the coastal road. Your most direct route to get to Gorta will certainly be either the coast road or to hire a boat in one of the smaller villages. If you can't find any, there are certainly boats for hire on the river near Green Fork. That's still quite a trip, however...it seems like if your hearts are set on Gorta, you're in for quite a trip either way.
"If we're trying to get to Gorta, we're going to have to go through those affluenza-infected fools in Green Fork first," Effort tells the others, holding back a sigh of exasperation. "As much as I dislike the area, these cultists seem to gravitate towards large populations. So even if our end goal is elsewhere, we should investigate there first."
Green Fork, says Brask, thinking the name over. Always thought it sounded stupid. I might have been there. If they have an arena. He thinks long and hard. Nope. Don't remember. Stupid name, probably some stupid rich humans happy to pay Brask, so... I say we head there. And I heard you can get boats on the river. That sounds like fun.
(I think if Brask has travelled to the east, he might not remember it. His conditions during his time as a gladiator weren't much different to being a slave, so he probably was locked in a wagon when they travelled, and he didn't see anything outside the arenas.)
Is it the next day yet? Is the scout still with them?
OOC: It's morning now, and Burdan was leaving to head back to the village. If you have any last remarks or questions, though, feel free. He won't be coming with you.
It takes you another full day of travel - thankfully an uneventful day - to reach the final peaks of the mountain range. Throughout the next day, they turn into rocky hillsides and then into rolling green hills. When you awake the next morning and start heading south, you crest the top of a hill and, off in the distance, see the shimmering reflection of the ocean. A few hours later the hills have turned into a long, flat stretch of fields heading toward the water. When you finally start to smell the salty air, the coastal road comes up to greet you.
It heads to south-west, toward Rumengen, and to the north-east, toward the Carrion Coast. You're somewhat surprised to see that the road is well worn and fairly large. Even this far away from a large city, it seems to be the main (and only) path to travel, and so must get decent use from nearby villages, traders, and nomads. As you turn east, a few travelers greet you on the road. An elf on horseback with a lute strung over his shoulder. A pair of strange, corvid humanoids sitting on the roadside. A group of armed dwarves heading south-west with a large wagon. A few humans pass you as well, with no distinct characteristics. Dusty faces and clothes, some with baskets of grain.
OOC: You can interact with any of the travelers, or completely ignore them. Up to you! I just didn't want to montage for longer than a few days, haha.
(If I remember correctly from reading earlier... Xyrfaen was an Aarakocra, and his (Aarakocran city) people ABSOLUTELY HATED warlocks (and probably tieflings). Are those dudes giving Effort a nasty look or not? XD )
Effort stops along the road as the elf on horseback begins to pass, and whistles out a call to him. Trying to call on her rusty human manners, she waves him over. "Excuse me! Good sir! You look like you might be of the traveling musician persuasion. Are you, perhaps, a bard? We're weary travelers, looking for rumors and tales on the road, and would love to hear if you've any to share..."
Effort, give me an insight check on the bird folk.
The bard pulls up next to you and smiles, bowing gently. "Greetings, my lady. I am indeed the bard known as Syl. Perhaps you have heard my songs and poetry. As for rumors, there are plenty. Always!" The smile returns. "What exactly are you inquiring about?"
Brask, who is striding out front of the group, says to each passing group in turn:
Ho, bard! Play us a song!
Ho, you on the wall. Does Brask recognise what they are?
Ho, dwarves! Killed any dog-worshippers lately? We have!
Ho, peasants! Don't drop your grain!
He doesn't expect to stop and chat, so when Effort addresses the bard, he keeps going about a dozen feet before he realises the others aren't following. He'll turn to watch the conversation play out.
The peasants pay you little mind, and the dwarves grin at your boisterous proclamations. The two bird humanoids look over, but then look away. Finally, you turn and rejoin the others who are speaking with Syl, the bard. "I shall play you a tune, good sir. In good time."
Effort, you can't get a read on them, but you realize upon closer inspection they aren't Aarakocra. They have no wings at all, actually, and you recall these folk are called Kenku. Your guess is these might be nomads.
"Your songs I haven't heard yet, but this really is an oversight you absolutely must correct," Effort says charmingly. "Although I'm afraid the rumors we're searching for are of the less pleasant variety. We're hunting for rumors of kidnapping or other unrest, particularly those that might be brought about by a certain particular brand of religious gnoll fanatics."
"Oh, I've heard rumors of both...but never connected. People have been vanishing. Well, more often than usual, that is. And there are whispers of the dog people coming over from the island to the east. But how the two are related, I'm afraid I don't know. You might find more out about the latter down in some of the fishing villages...but Syl doesn't travel there too often. Not enough coin!" He plucks at his lute a few times, then closes his eyes. His smile fades. "This one has been on my mind quite a bit. Perhaps because of the rumors we speak of. Bad times, aye?
When you know that your time has come around You know you'll be prepared for it Say your last goodbyes to everyone Drink and say a prayer for it
When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead
To this day I guess I'll never know Just what the ghosts come to show But I'll never go dancing no more 'Til I dance with the dead"
His voice is soothing, and his lute playing is impeccable. He smiles once again and bows politely when he's finished.
„Yes, but at least music makes them all the brighter,“ Effort replies, handing the bard a gold coin. „Thank you for humoring us, and if you‘ve anything else to tell, I couldn‘t think of a more pleasant way to find out.“
As she speaks, she hears Cadmael in her mind. Are you ill, master?
Silence, Effort shoots back, keeping her smile in place. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
The bardling does not look like a fly, Cadmael observes. And I catch mice with my talons.
That fly will lead us to the mice, Effort replies. „Thank you so much,“ she says to the bard pleasantly. And then, you will see my talons.
"Thank you kindly," Syl pockets the coin. He slings the lute over his back and looks down the road for a moment. "If you're traveling up the coastal road, I have a friend just southeast of Green Fork. He has a beautiful sailing vessel and deals in...discrete trips, shall I say. Knows more than a traveling bard might know, and he can help you get to wherever you're looking to go. Tabaxi gentleman. Goes by the name Lucky Shadow. If you meet up with him, tell him ol' Syl sends his regards."
Burik gives the Dwarves a slight wave as he passes, but gives little heed to the others. He reacts a bit faster than Brask to Efforts sudden stop, but still goes a few paces before stopping.
To the party "A boat would be faster, or at least easier... Though I don't want to get mixed up in whatever he's got going on."
Most of the dwarves keep marching ahead. Two or three turn and nod a greeting.
Syl offers his horse a carrot and then mounts it, nodding politely and setting off back down the road.
It's late afternoon at this point, and some clouds have started to roll in off the ocean. It drizzles for a bit, but the temperature is significantly warmer now that you're down off the mountain road.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Above & Below
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Effort tries to remember how much she enjoyed the trip from Gorta to Lovrila, and what her companions in the caravan had said about their own various journies. She casts Guidance to aid herself while doing so...
History: 8 + Guidance 2
Brask's History check: 3
Yeah, I think I got drunk with a guy from Gorta once. Talked a lot about home. Drank a lot. Like, a real lot.
Effort and Brask, between the two of you, you know most of the main roads that traverse the eastern side of the continent. Brask, you probably even traveled some of them during your fighting days.There's a main coastal road that goes all the way from Rumengen in the south, around the Carrion Coast, and up to Gorta (the northern terminus). Green Fork is a large city that sits on the biggest river in the east, which shares the name. It makes the soils between the mountains and the coast extremely fertile, and some of the richest people on the continent are "farmers" in this region. That's putting it lightly - they grow expensive crops land produce gourmet goods. Wine, honey, all kinds of oils, and much more. There are smaller roads that radiate out from Green Fork, some of which connect to these farms and estates, some of which connect to the coastal road. Your most direct route to get to Gorta will certainly be either the coast road or to hire a boat in one of the smaller villages. If you can't find any, there are certainly boats for hire on the river near Green Fork. That's still quite a trip, however...it seems like if your hearts are set on Gorta, you're in for quite a trip either way.
DM - Above & Below
"If we're trying to get to Gorta, we're going to have to go through those affluenza-infected fools in Green Fork first," Effort tells the others, holding back a sigh of exasperation. "As much as I dislike the area, these cultists seem to gravitate towards large populations. So even if our end goal is elsewhere, we should investigate there first."
Green Fork, says Brask, thinking the name over. Always thought it sounded stupid. I might have been there. If they have an arena. He thinks long and hard. Nope. Don't remember. Stupid name, probably some stupid rich humans happy to pay Brask, so... I say we head there. And I heard you can get boats on the river. That sounds like fun.
(I think if Brask has travelled to the east, he might not remember it. His conditions during his time as a gladiator weren't much different to being a slave, so he probably was locked in a wagon when they travelled, and he didn't see anything outside the arenas.)
Is it the next day yet? Is the scout still with them?
"As good a destination as any, and if its the quickest route all the better."
OOC: It's morning now, and Burdan was leaving to head back to the village. If you have any last remarks or questions, though, feel free. He won't be coming with you.
DM - Above & Below
Brask will offer his hand to shake, but doesn't have much to say to Burdan. See ya around. He leaves the fancy parting words to the others.
He sorts out his stuff, looks again in satisfaction at the battlefield where they killed so many stupid doggies, and is ready to head out.
It takes you another full day of travel - thankfully an uneventful day - to reach the final peaks of the mountain range. Throughout the next day, they turn into rocky hillsides and then into rolling green hills. When you awake the next morning and start heading south, you crest the top of a hill and, off in the distance, see the shimmering reflection of the ocean. A few hours later the hills have turned into a long, flat stretch of fields heading toward the water. When you finally start to smell the salty air, the coastal road comes up to greet you.
It heads to south-west, toward Rumengen, and to the north-east, toward the Carrion Coast. You're somewhat surprised to see that the road is well worn and fairly large. Even this far away from a large city, it seems to be the main (and only) path to travel, and so must get decent use from nearby villages, traders, and nomads. As you turn east, a few travelers greet you on the road. An elf on horseback with a lute strung over his shoulder. A pair of strange, corvid humanoids sitting on the roadside. A group of armed dwarves heading south-west with a large wagon. A few humans pass you as well, with no distinct characteristics. Dusty faces and clothes, some with baskets of grain.
OOC: You can interact with any of the travelers, or completely ignore them. Up to you! I just didn't want to montage for longer than a few days, haha.
DM - Above & Below
(If I remember correctly from reading earlier... Xyrfaen was an Aarakocra, and his (Aarakocran city) people ABSOLUTELY HATED warlocks (and probably tieflings). Are those dudes giving Effort a nasty look or not? XD )
Effort stops along the road as the elf on horseback begins to pass, and whistles out a call to him. Trying to call on her rusty human manners, she waves him over. "Excuse me! Good sir! You look like you might be of the traveling musician persuasion. Are you, perhaps, a bard? We're weary travelers, looking for rumors and tales on the road, and would love to hear if you've any to share..."
Effort, give me an insight check on the bird folk.
The bard pulls up next to you and smiles, bowing gently. "Greetings, my lady. I am indeed the bard known as Syl. Perhaps you have heard my songs and poetry. As for rumors, there are plenty. Always!" The smile returns. "What exactly are you inquiring about?"
DM - Above & Below
Brask, who is striding out front of the group, says to each passing group in turn:
Ho, bard! Play us a song!
Ho, you on the wall. Does Brask recognise what they are?
Ho, dwarves! Killed any dog-worshippers lately? We have!
Ho, peasants! Don't drop your grain!
He doesn't expect to stop and chat, so when Effort addresses the bard, he keeps going about a dozen feet before he realises the others aren't following. He'll turn to watch the conversation play out.
Effort insight check: 13 + guidance 3
The peasants pay you little mind, and the dwarves grin at your boisterous proclamations. The two bird humanoids look over, but then look away. Finally, you turn and rejoin the others who are speaking with Syl, the bard. "I shall play you a tune, good sir. In good time."
Effort, you can't get a read on them, but you realize upon closer inspection they aren't Aarakocra. They have no wings at all, actually, and you recall these folk are called Kenku. Your guess is these might be nomads.
DM - Above & Below
"Your songs I haven't heard yet, but this really is an oversight you absolutely must correct," Effort says charmingly. "Although I'm afraid the rumors we're searching for are of the less pleasant variety. We're hunting for rumors of kidnapping or other unrest, particularly those that might be brought about by a certain particular brand of religious gnoll fanatics."
You know you'll be prepared for it
Say your last goodbyes to everyone
Drink and say a prayer for it
And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead
When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed
And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead
Just what the ghosts come to show
But I'll never go dancing no more
'Til I dance with the dead"
DM - Above & Below
„Yes, but at least music makes them all the brighter,“ Effort replies, handing the bard a gold coin. „Thank you for humoring us, and if you‘ve anything else to tell, I couldn‘t think of a more pleasant way to find out.“
As she speaks, she hears Cadmael in her mind. Are you ill, master?
Silence, Effort shoots back, keeping her smile in place. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
The bardling does not look like a fly, Cadmael observes. And I catch mice with my talons.
That fly will lead us to the mice, Effort replies. „Thank you so much,“ she says to the bard pleasantly. And then, you will see my talons.
"Thank you kindly," Syl pockets the coin. He slings the lute over his back and looks down the road for a moment. "If you're traveling up the coastal road, I have a friend just southeast of Green Fork. He has a beautiful sailing vessel and deals in...discrete trips, shall I say. Knows more than a traveling bard might know, and he can help you get to wherever you're looking to go. Tabaxi gentleman. Goes by the name Lucky Shadow. If you meet up with him, tell him ol' Syl sends his regards."
DM - Above & Below
Burik gives the Dwarves a slight wave as he passes, but gives little heed to the others. He reacts a bit faster than Brask to Efforts sudden stop, but still goes a few paces before stopping.
To the party "A boat would be faster, or at least easier... Though I don't want to get mixed up in whatever he's got going on."
Most of the dwarves keep marching ahead. Two or three turn and nod a greeting.
Syl offers his horse a carrot and then mounts it, nodding politely and setting off back down the road.
It's late afternoon at this point, and some clouds have started to roll in off the ocean. It drizzles for a bit, but the temperature is significantly warmer now that you're down off the mountain road.
DM - Above & Below