Rictor helps ol' Cookie get the mules into the barn. "Once it gets pitch dark out here I'll keep an eye out," he says, eyes flashing unnaturally, "and holler if anything heads towards the barn. Try to get some rest, pal."
He ambles away from the barn, revolver holstered for now. For a long moment he stares at Keth, impressed as ever with his abilities with animals, before he heads over to Moon. "I trust the dog a lot more than whatever made that noise. I'll welcome the extra set of eyes and ears, not to mention his nose. I'll take the second watch once the stars are out."
Shaking the snow off her hair, Miz An replies timidly, "Yeah, I suppose you're right Meesta Graves. And I'll take the last two watches, like 'fore!"
Putting her bonnet back on because of all this snow, she continues, "I don't suppose y'all are equipped for this cold? The watah's container is just a chunk of unused wood, but it is dry wood free of poison and disease?"
Lifting her hammer and letting it rest on her shoulder, she looks to Rictor, Cookie and the others for knowledge about the ranchin' life.
"I propose I take my trusty ol' hammer to it and render it to firewood, if y'all ain't opposed to a little noise? We wasn't already quiet with the wagon approachin and the lil pooch already told the rest of the valley we is here."
Flynn heads off into the house to look for the dog. He is doing it so they can have a distraction if a beast comes for them in the night. Not because he liked it and didn't want it to get eaten or anything, it is purely strategic.
On his watch Keth would call Aihàm and using first Speak with Animals and then Beast Sense would spend the full hour to soar around as the bird.
Later on in the night and after seeing Flynn and Keth's undaunted heart for the animals around them, Miz An Moon puts her hands together then bows her head to face them. "Do forgive me, I probably come off pretty strange for suspectin' the lil pooch...but the fey ancestry coursin’ through my veins tells me to stay on guard. Even most innocuous parts of nature can be the trickiest!"
Getting riled up, she stops herself, raps herself in the head to get herself centered, and bows again. Keeping her head lowered with a sheepish smile she concludes, "But obviously this place are your stomping grounds. Please accept my apologies...lil' Miz An's still a bit fresh to this ranchin' business."
Once more the party splits, Rictor and Flynn in the residence with the dog and Cookie, Moon, Keth, and Bill in the barn. (DM: let me know if this is wrong)
Night falls across the territory. A small fire has been started in the barn and the party settles in. During the second watch, Rictor sees a figure coming from the east. The figure stands only 4'10" but is thick in its build. The figure is walking with some determination towards the cabin and doesn't attempt to hide its approach. The figure is carrying a shield in 1 hand and a club in another. With each step, the figure takes there is a rattling sound.
The figure comes down the same road the party did when they first approached the homestead and stops some 50 ft. away from the water tank.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Rictor watches, tense, until the figure stops. He wakes Flynn with a gentle shake, holding a finger to his lips. He whispers, "Short, stubby fellow, heading our way. Out near the water tank on the main road."
He tries his best to exit the house unseen and unheard and sneak over to the barn so he can wake the others and likewise tell them in a hushed tone that they had company.
Singing Tree walks confidently into camp, as she does she starts a rhythmic hopping step and the acorn shell bracelets and it anklets rattle in time, as she goes she picks up a handful of dust from the ground and sings softly in a high pitch voice.
"We all walk on the be same ground, I have things to tell, we all know the one who cooks for the Takers, I have things to show, we have the same enemy, I have things to do, we all go to the same land, I have stories to tell."
With the last word she stops cold brandishing her club and shield on front of her in a psuedo Christian cross pattern, not knowing what to expect, but keeping faith in Old Man Coyote
Assuming that no one had opposed it...when Singing Tree walks by the water tower, she will see that it had been brutally destroyed by some sort of blunt object. And oddly enough, the homestead looks cold and empty while a warm fire stirs from where animals are supposed to be kept.
When Rictor sneakily creeps into the barn, he'll see that Miz An sitting up perfectly straight, having cordoned herself in a corner of the barn with her possessions laid out to make it difficult to get the jump on the girl who's too used to her share of looters. If he doesn't announce himself, her hand lowkey creeps towards the railroad spike hammer lying beside her.
(Rictor took the second watch and spotted them with his super-special nightvision.)
Rictor shakes his head vigorously at Miz An as she starts to reach for her hammer, holding a finger up to his lips. He points outside, head cocking toward the sound of a voice in the night. He shrugs and steps out of the barn and starts walking slowly toward the stranger, gun drawn.
As he approaches he lowers his firearm when the stranger sits down on the ground. He blinks his shimmering eyes. "Uh, hello there, stranger. I'd say you're more late than early, judging by the distinct lack of a sun in the sky at present. I'm Rictor, Rictor Graves.
"I am Singing Tree" The stocky native American woman says "I have had a vision of you and your party attacked this night, I have run many miles on the hooves of the river spirit to find you here and the one called 'Cookie'. I have news of the Takers' ranch and need you alive to help." She has slowly been rising to her feet
Rictor shakes his head vigorously at Miz An as she starts to reach for her hammer, holding a finger up to his lips. He points outside, head cocking toward the sound of a voice in the night. He shrugs and steps out of the barn and starts walking slowly toward the stranger, gun drawn.
At Rictor's warning, the blue haired woman's eyes flutter open from closed meditation to open, concerned look of alertness.
"We've got company," she'll shake awake Keth, Bill and finally Cookie if they're still asleep.
"I have had a vision of you and your party attacked this night,"
After waking her companions, an elf follows after the gun wielding human a moment later, her face unlike other "Takers" that Singing Tree knows, her features actually a lot similar to her people, but still somewhat different.
She only emerges halfway from the open doorway, her accent surprisingly similar to the gun toting greeter. "A vision, eh stranger? I'd hope that a genuine olive branch, not a roundabout way of making a threat...izzit?"
"Threats are for the young and fiery, I have nothing to prove and I would not have announced myself, I would have told the forest and it would have delt with you."
As a few of the party members gather to meet this newcomer (Rictor, Moon, and Bill) and discern her intent a noise erupts from about 300 yards north of the cabin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY73ffSq4uU
Its sound is very unsettling.
Inside the cabin, Flynn hears the noise then hears a "yelp" come from his canine companion as the dog tries to find a corner to crawl into.
Inside the barn, Cookie reacts by pulling his shotgun closer. "What the hell was that?" Cookie mutters almost to the point of crying.
Keth hears the noise and ice-cold fear runs up his spine. He has heard this before, he knows that is coming this way.
Both Keth and Sing utter the same word, at the same time, loud enough for the whole party to hear. "Chiye-Tanka". "Bigfoot"
Nodding to Flynn, Miz An Moon kicks dirt on the fire to kill it, grabs her things only to drop them as she's about to leave out through the door.
"I'll--! I'll stay here," the blue haired woman announces to the group, nodding in particular to Flynn and Keth, "Someone needs to stay behind and keep the mules calm."
She gulps then flashes the rest a nervous smile. "We can't make our way back to the ranch without 'em...right?"
Rictor, a city boy at heart, shakes his head firmly, mutters, "Nope," under his breath and turns back toward the cabin, only to sigh and heads over to Miz An.
"If you're keeping the mules company I suppose I can keep you company. Just to be sure nothing tries to make a meal of them. Or us."
Miz An Moon puts her hand on her gun toting friend's shoulder and motions for him to join help the newcomer.
"It's awful kind of you to offer to stay with a lady, but dontcha worry your little head, Miz An Moon's got a trick up her sleeve if things go south! But I'm afraid it's a trick that only works for one. Take care of the otha lady for me, wontcha?"
Her voice sounds a bit pushy, but for Rictor and anyone nearby they would notice her hand shaking with fear.
"...I'll give ya a holla' if things don't go as planned, though."
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Shaking the snow off her hair, Miz An replies timidly, "Yeah, I suppose you're right Meesta Graves. And I'll take the last two watches, like 'fore!"
Putting her bonnet back on because of all this snow, she continues, "I don't suppose y'all are equipped for this cold? The watah's container is just a chunk of unused wood, but it is dry wood free of poison and disease?"
Lifting her hammer and letting it rest on her shoulder, she looks to Rictor, Cookie and the others for knowledge about the ranchin' life.
"I propose I take my trusty ol' hammer to it and render it to firewood, if y'all ain't opposed to a little noise? We wasn't already quiet with the wagon approachin and the lil pooch already told the rest of the valley we is here."
Later on in the night and after seeing Flynn and Keth's undaunted heart for the animals around them, Miz An Moon puts her hands together then bows her head to face them. "Do forgive me, I probably come off pretty strange for suspectin' the lil pooch...but the fey ancestry coursin’ through my veins tells me to stay on guard. Even most innocuous parts of nature can be the trickiest!"
Getting riled up, she stops herself, raps herself in the head to get herself centered, and bows again. Keeping her head lowered with a sheepish smile she concludes, "But obviously this place are your stomping grounds. Please accept my apologies...lil' Miz An's still a bit fresh to this ranchin' business."
Once more the party splits, Rictor and Flynn in the residence with the dog and Cookie, Moon, Keth, and Bill in the barn. (DM: let me know if this is wrong)
Night falls across the territory. A small fire has been started in the barn and the party settles in. During the second watch, Rictor sees a figure coming from the east. The figure stands only 4'10" but is thick in its build. The figure is walking with some determination towards the cabin and doesn't attempt to hide its approach. The figure is carrying a shield in 1 hand and a club in another. With each step, the figure takes there is a rattling sound.
The figure comes down the same road the party did when they first approached the homestead and stops some 50 ft. away from the water tank.
Rictor watches, tense, until the figure stops. He wakes Flynn with a gentle shake, holding a finger to his lips. He whispers, "Short, stubby fellow, heading our way. Out near the water tank on the main road."
He tries his best to exit the house unseen and unheard and sneak over to the barn so he can wake the others and likewise tell them in a hushed tone that they had company.
Stealth: 23
Singing Tree walks confidently into camp, as she does she starts a rhythmic hopping step and the acorn shell bracelets and it anklets rattle in time, as she goes she picks up a handful of dust from the ground and sings softly in a high pitch voice.
"We all walk on the be same ground, I have things to tell, we all know the one who cooks for the Takers, I have things to show, we have the same enemy, I have things to do, we all go to the same land, I have stories to tell."
With the last word she stops cold brandishing her club and shield on front of her in a psuedo Christian cross pattern, not knowing what to expect, but keeping faith in Old Man Coyote
Assuming that no one had opposed it...when Singing Tree walks by the water tower, she will see that it had been brutally destroyed by some sort of blunt object. And oddly enough, the homestead looks cold and empty while a warm fire stirs from where animals are supposed to be kept.
When Rictor sneakily creeps into the barn, he'll see that Miz An sitting up perfectly straight, having cordoned herself in a corner of the barn with her possessions laid out to make it difficult to get the jump on the girl who's too used to her share of looters. If he doesn't announce himself, her hand lowkey creeps towards the railroad spike hammer lying beside her.
reactions?
"Hello? Am I early?" She sits down and closes her eyes and concentrates on the friend she sent to scout the forest
(Pretty sure me and Rictor have no clue as to whats going on outside...)
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
(Rictor took the second watch and spotted them with his super-special nightvision.)
Rictor shakes his head vigorously at Miz An as she starts to reach for her hammer, holding a finger up to his lips. He points outside, head cocking toward the sound of a voice in the night. He shrugs and steps out of the barn and starts walking slowly toward the stranger, gun drawn.
As he approaches he lowers his firearm when the stranger sits down on the ground. He blinks his shimmering eyes. "Uh, hello there, stranger. I'd say you're more late than early, judging by the distinct lack of a sun in the sky at present. I'm Rictor, Rictor Graves.
"I am Singing Tree" The stocky native American woman says "I have had a vision of you and your party attacked this night, I have run many miles on the hooves of the river spirit to find you here and the one called 'Cookie'. I have news of the Takers' ranch and need you alive to help." She has slowly been rising to her feet
At Rictor's warning, the blue haired woman's eyes flutter open from closed meditation to open, concerned look of alertness.
"We've got company," she'll shake awake Keth, Bill and finally Cookie if they're still asleep.
After waking her companions, an elf follows after the gun wielding human a moment later, her face unlike other "Takers" that Singing Tree knows, her features actually a lot similar to her people, but still somewhat different.
She only emerges halfway from the open doorway, her accent surprisingly similar to the gun toting greeter. "A vision, eh stranger? I'd hope that a genuine olive branch, not a roundabout way of making a threat...izzit?"
"Threats are for the young and fiery, I have nothing to prove and I would not have announced myself, I would have told the forest and it would have delt with you."
(regrettably I am stepping away from RPGs for a while, just caused a big fallout with my family)
As a few of the party members gather to meet this newcomer (Rictor, Moon, and Bill) and discern her intent a noise erupts from about 300 yards north of the cabin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY73ffSq4uU
Its sound is very unsettling.
Inside the cabin, Flynn hears the noise then hears a "yelp" come from his canine companion as the dog tries to find a corner to crawl into.
Inside the barn, Cookie reacts by pulling his shotgun closer. "What the hell was that?" Cookie mutters almost to the point of crying.
Keth hears the noise and ice-cold fear runs up his spine. He has heard this before, he knows that is coming this way.
Both Keth and Sing utter the same word, at the same time, loud enough for the whole party to hear. "Chiye-Tanka". "Bigfoot"
Flynn turns on his heels, drawing his revolver. "You stay right there boy, ok? I am gonna go deal with this."
He walks out of the house, and is a little surprised to see someone new in the camp, but says nothing as they dont seem to be a threat.
"Folks, I think we should all head inside the house tonight. We need somewhere to board down, and it is completely abandoned."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Bill just looks to the location of the noise and then back at Flynn giving him a nod "Agreed, hopefully whoever owns the home doesn't mind."
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
Any actions from the rest of the party?
Nodding to Flynn, Miz An Moon kicks dirt on the fire to kill it, grabs her things only to drop them as she's about to leave out through the door.
"I'll--! I'll stay here," the blue haired woman announces to the group, nodding in particular to Flynn and Keth, "Someone needs to stay behind and keep the mules calm."
She gulps then flashes the rest a nervous smile. "We can't make our way back to the ranch without 'em...right?"
Rictor, a city boy at heart, shakes his head firmly, mutters, "Nope," under his breath and turns back toward the cabin, only to sigh and heads over to Miz An.
"If you're keeping the mules company I suppose I can keep you company. Just to be sure nothing tries to make a meal of them. Or us."
Miz An Moon puts her hand on her gun toting friend's shoulder and motions for him to join help the newcomer.
"It's awful kind of you to offer to stay with a lady, but dontcha worry your little head, Miz An Moon's got a trick up her sleeve if things go south! But I'm afraid it's a trick that only works for one. Take care of the otha lady for me, wontcha?"
Her voice sounds a bit pushy, but for Rictor and anyone nearby they would notice her hand shaking with fear.
"...I'll give ya a holla' if things don't go as planned, though."