As the little dog scampers up the mountainside, Ludwig comes bursting out of his tent. “Dirius!” he calls out. “Wait for me Dirius! I know you have the power I seek! Come back!” And with that, he scrambles up a slope of loose rubble and disappears from sight among the barren peaks.
Syl, you have a point of Inspiration due to the canyon being tied in some way to your destiny as a hero. What do you do to aid the party’s journey across the desert while Ganod focuses his attention on finding likely sources of water? As you descend the mountains, you will lose sight of the distant canyon. The overcast sky will also thwart any effort to gain your bearings by the position of the sun.
Syl will orient the mountains behind them, attempting to keep them on the same angle toward the canyon. Every few minutes he'll turn, surveying the silhouette of the mountains and making sure they're moving in the right direction. "Any luck with water sources, Ganod? I have a bit of water left in my skin, and the clouds are helping the heat a bit, but it'll be awhile before we get to the canyon."
You try to find your way back to the Dry Barrens, down the trails on which Ludwig had led you into the mountains nearly two days ago.
But the way seems unfamiliar, and as the morning continues into the mid-day, the front ranges block your view of the desert. There seems to be no end to the twisting pathways of the mountains, although the bleak slopes give way to a region more abundant with vegetation, and you have no problem finding fresh water.
Small rills begin to cross your path with increasing frequency, giving rise to the occasional stream, and by noon, a vista opens before you of a high mountain lake, several miles in width, laying across your path. The lake is fed by a deep and fast-moving river rushing down from the peaks to your right, while to your left, the lake’s surface ends at a precipice over which it plunges into a deep mountain valley below.
Mountains surround you to the left and right, and ahead and behind , while across the lake and to the right, a low gap in the mountains reveals a rugged badlands of tumbled rock beyond, and in the opposite direction you can spy fertile green plains stretching to the horizon under the cloudy sky.
Swimming across the lake while keeping your belongings dry will take the rest of your traveling day. So will walking around its edge, presuming there’s a fordable place in the river somewhere up-stream. You can also choose to explore the river’s course either up-stream or down-stream past the falls, or, considering you were expecting to find the Dry Barrens instead of this place, you can attempt to retrace your steps and return to your last campsite. The choice is yours.
Edit to add: You can also head in the direction of either the badlands (but you’d have to get to the other side of the lake first) or the grassy plain in the distance.
Syl, no difficulty is involved in following the river’s course downstream for the rest of the day, so is there anything else you’d like to do while traveling?
I’ll assume that while there is no difficulty finding water to drink as you travel down the river, that Ganod continues to forage for food unless he’d also like to do something else.
You made a map several days ago on the back of Tazlynn’s letter using a sharpened piece of charcoal, which can feasibly be repeated. The limiting factor, however, is that to create a reasonably detailed map requires space, so a fresh sheet of paper or parchment would be required for each day of travel (or fraction thereof) spent mapping.
Mild temperatures prevail as you hike down past the falls, finding the cliff-face broken into rocky steps that can be descended like an oversized staircase. The riverbanks are lined with cottonwoods, alders, and willows, whose small branches are moved by a wind blowing up the valley. An occasional deer can be spotted, as can squirrels leaping among the branches of the trees and beavers building their dams and lodges in the river.
After traveling through the afternoon, the river seems to take a great bend to the left, encompassing a wide area in which to make camp. Ganod, when you get a chance, make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check to see if there was anything edible to be collected along the way. Also, with only two members of the party remaining, you can divide your twelve-hour rest period into two watches of six hours each, so that each of you can get adequate sleep. Let me know if this arrangement suits you, who takes which watch, whether you make a fire, and any other details you wish to include.
Syl, while hiking along, casts Guidance on Ganod as he's searching for food.
"I'm happy to take first watch if you want to catch a bit of shut eye," Syl starts. "Perhaps we can get a fire going for now. If temperatures remain mild, we can put it out once it's dark. Who knows what might be drawn to its light?"
Also, from your new vantage point, you can see the river continuing on after its great bend to the left and winding its way through a lower hilly country before disappearing from view. On the left hand side of the hills, green plains are visible in the distance. Tall mountains block your view in every other direction.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ganod, moments after Syl casts guidance on you, as if guided by Nature itself, you have a chance to acquire 6 pounds of food from some natural source to add to your stores. If you wish to take the food, describe the source and what you do, and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check adding 1d4 due to the effect of the spell.
The rushing river is deafening as you make your camp by its shore. During Ganod’s watch, the temperature dips into into a chilly range, but nothing dangerous is drawn to your camp in the night. The morning dawns on the scene as described. It is now eight days since you left Harthwaite. The clouds persist, blocking your view of the sun, as does a moderate wind blowing down the valley from the peaks upstream.
Assuming that Ganod and Syl continue their journey down-stream along the left bank of the river into the hilly country ahead, the hills are covered with thick grass as the river meanders among them. Here and there the ground is littered with shed antlers. To your left as you travel, you can see that the hills fall away into a fertile grassland. Ahead are more hills, while to your right and behind you, the mountains from which you have descended march on.
At about mid-day, as temperatures become slightly warmer, the river takes a hard turn to the right and flows on into a high-walled canyon that seems to be cut into the mountains that now stand across your path. As the slopes close in on both sides of the riverbank, several trees can be seen which have been marked by what must be a very large bear judging by the width of the markings. A warm wind blows into your faces out of the long canyon in front of you, which continues deep into the mountains of which there is no end in sight.
As evening draws near, a suitable campsite can be found on the riverbank within the canyon's depths.
The temperature again drops to chilly as night passes in the deep canyon. Above the sound of the rushing river can be heard an occasional low growl echoing through the gorge, but there is no other sign about your camp of the large bear whose markings you saw earlier.
Another cloudy day is revealed by the light of dawn in the strip of sky overhead, as a cold wind blows moderately down the canyon from the mountain peaks.
You start the day with only three pounds left in your stores of foraged food, enough for a day and a half for the two of you, but the rations you have brought have so far gone untouched.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The DM describes the environment.
The players describe what they want to do.
The DM narrates the results of their actions.
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What say you, Ludwig?
As the little dog scampers up the mountainside, Ludwig comes bursting out of his tent. “Dirius!” he calls out. “Wait for me Dirius! I know you have the power I seek! Come back!” And with that, he scrambles up a slope of loose rubble and disappears from sight among the barren peaks.
Syl, you have a point of Inspiration due to the canyon being tied in some way to your destiny as a hero. What do you do to aid the party’s journey across the desert while Ganod focuses his attention on finding likely sources of water? As you descend the mountains, you will lose sight of the distant canyon. The overcast sky will also thwart any effort to gain your bearings by the position of the sun.
Syl will orient the mountains behind them, attempting to keep them on the same angle toward the canyon. Every few minutes he'll turn, surveying the silhouette of the mountains and making sure they're moving in the right direction. "Any luck with water sources, Ganod? I have a bit of water left in my skin, and the clouds are helping the heat a bit, but it'll be awhile before we get to the canyon."
DM - Above & Below
You try to find your way back to the Dry Barrens, down the trails on which Ludwig had led you into the mountains nearly two days ago.
But the way seems unfamiliar, and as the morning continues into the mid-day, the front ranges block your view of the desert. There seems to be no end to the twisting pathways of the mountains, although the bleak slopes give way to a region more abundant with vegetation, and you have no problem finding fresh water.
Small rills begin to cross your path with increasing frequency, giving rise to the occasional stream, and by noon, a vista opens before you of a high mountain lake, several miles in width, laying across your path. The lake is fed by a deep and fast-moving river rushing down from the peaks to your right, while to your left, the lake’s surface ends at a precipice over which it plunges into a deep mountain valley below.
Mountains surround you to the left and right, and ahead and behind , while across the lake and to the right, a low gap in the mountains reveals a rugged badlands of tumbled rock beyond, and in the opposite direction you can spy fertile green plains stretching to the horizon under the cloudy sky.
Swimming across the lake while keeping your belongings dry will take the rest of your traveling day. So will walking around its edge, presuming there’s a fordable place in the river somewhere up-stream. You can also choose to explore the river’s course either up-stream or down-stream past the falls, or, considering you were expecting to find the Dry Barrens instead of this place, you can attempt to retrace your steps and return to your last campsite. The choice is yours.
Edit to add: You can also head in the direction of either the badlands (but you’d have to get to the other side of the lake first) or the grassy plain in the distance.
(am dealing with some IRL issues that popped up, so might be slower/inactive for a few days while I sort them out. Will post if able)
Ganod votes to follow the river, "Water always leads to something. Might be something worth looking into."
"I agree," Syl starts. "I'd rather not get completely drenched swimming across this lake."
DM - Above & Below
Syl, no difficulty is involved in following the river’s course downstream for the rest of the day, so is there anything else you’d like to do while traveling?
I’ll assume that while there is no difficulty finding water to drink as you travel down the river, that Ganod continues to forage for food unless he’d also like to do something else.
Did we establish we can't make a map because we don't have a pencil or something? I forget.
DM - Above & Below
You made a map several days ago on the back of Tazlynn’s letter using a sharpened piece of charcoal, which can feasibly be repeated. The limiting factor, however, is that to create a reasonably detailed map requires space, so a fresh sheet of paper or parchment would be required for each day of travel (or fraction thereof) spent mapping.
Can I draw it on Ganod's back, assuming he doesn't bathe?
Syl will keep his eyes trained on their immediate surroundings, searching for any interesting plants or animals that they might stumble upon.
DM - Above & Below
Mild temperatures prevail as you hike down past the falls, finding the cliff-face broken into rocky steps that can be descended like an oversized staircase. The riverbanks are lined with cottonwoods, alders, and willows, whose small branches are moved by a wind blowing up the valley. An occasional deer can be spotted, as can squirrels leaping among the branches of the trees and beavers building their dams and lodges in the river.
After traveling through the afternoon, the river seems to take a great bend to the left, encompassing a wide area in which to make camp. Ganod, when you get a chance, make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check to see if there was anything edible to be collected along the way. Also, with only two members of the party remaining, you can divide your twelve-hour rest period into two watches of six hours each, so that each of you can get adequate sleep. Let me know if this arrangement suits you, who takes which watch, whether you make a fire, and any other details you wish to include.
Syl, while hiking along, casts Guidance on Ganod as he's searching for food.
"I'm happy to take first watch if you want to catch a bit of shut eye," Syl starts. "Perhaps we can get a fire going for now. If temperatures remain mild, we can put it out once it's dark. Who knows what might be drawn to its light?"
DM - Above & Below
Also, from your new vantage point, you can see the river continuing on after its great bend to the left and winding its way through a lower hilly country before disappearing from view. On the left hand side of the hills, green plains are visible in the distance. Tall mountains block your view in every other direction.
Ganod, moments after Syl casts guidance on you, as if guided by Nature itself, you have a chance to acquire 6 pounds of food from some natural source to add to your stores. If you wish to take the food, describe the source and what you do, and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check adding 1d4 due to the effect of the spell.
The rushing river is deafening as you make your camp by its shore. During Ganod’s watch, the temperature dips into into a chilly range, but nothing dangerous is drawn to your camp in the night. The morning dawns on the scene as described. It is now eight days since you left Harthwaite. The clouds persist, blocking your view of the sun, as does a moderate wind blowing down the valley from the peaks upstream.
Assuming that Ganod and Syl continue their journey down-stream along the left bank of the river into the hilly country ahead, the hills are covered with thick grass as the river meanders among them. Here and there the ground is littered with shed antlers. To your left as you travel, you can see that the hills fall away into a fertile grassland. Ahead are more hills, while to your right and behind you, the mountains from which you have descended march on.
At about mid-day, as temperatures become slightly warmer, the river takes a hard turn to the right and flows on into a high-walled canyon that seems to be cut into the mountains that now stand across your path. As the slopes close in on both sides of the riverbank, several trees can be seen which have been marked by what must be a very large bear judging by the width of the markings. A warm wind blows into your faces out of the long canyon in front of you, which continues deep into the mountains of which there is no end in sight.
As evening draws near, a suitable campsite can be found on the riverbank within the canyon's depths.
OOC: Haven't heard from Ganod since 3/4. Probably gone?
DM - Above & Below
I’m assuming (according to “Ganod”’s last message) they’ll post when they can, and that his last action declaration to follow the river still stands.
What does Syl do?
The temperature again drops to chilly as night passes in the deep canyon. Above the sound of the rushing river can be heard an occasional low growl echoing through the gorge, but there is no other sign about your camp of the large bear whose markings you saw earlier.
Another cloudy day is revealed by the light of dawn in the strip of sky overhead, as a cold wind blows moderately down the canyon from the mountain peaks.
You start the day with only three pounds left in your stores of foraged food, enough for a day and a half for the two of you, but the rations you have brought have so far gone untouched.