"Well, I would wager that cow is a ranch animal too. I'm not sure if it makes sense to try to gather it now or not. We're probably walking into a band of Orcs if the didn't retreat back into the hills. Still, Robwin already has the horses.", Eli says to the group.
"Do what you think is best.", he adds with a shrug.
Blaire has been gently brushing one of the following mares for the majority of the walk from Conyberry. She nods at Eli's statement, but doesn't offer an opinion of her own. Going back to running her hand along the mare's ear and neck.
"If we are walking into an ambush the horses are going to be big targets as well as hinder our quiet movements. We should tie them up and go without them"
Party: Based on the information you have, you're probably halfway between Conyberry and the Butterskull Ranch now. It's late afternoon and you probably have another hour before you reach the outskirts of the ranch.
((OOC: @DM - sorry, can I also ask: is it getting close to the end of Robwin’s mage armor? It lasts 8 hours from when we set off from camp in the morning? Will it die before we make it to the ranch? Thanks))
"Let's get the cow now," Rinn says, "I think I remember Barthen or someone saying it was a ways to go before the ranch. We can take the cow with us and tie up all the animals somewhere near the ranch before we take out the pesky orcs."
((OOC: @DM - sorry, can I also ask: is it getting close to the end of Robwin’s mage armor? It lasts 8 hours from when we set off from camp in the morning? Will it die before we make it to the ranch? Thanks))
No worries; Yes. You'll be close to 10 or 11 hours by the time you reach the ranch.
"I will see what I can do," Wolfsong states as he makes his way to the cow. "If it comes down to it we could use it as bait for the orcs, the manticore, or if we come across it again the dragon." Wolfsong takes the rope from his pack and tries to tie a lead to the cow.
Wolfsong: You have no trouble approaching the cow and setting a lead on her. As with the horses, she has a BAK brand on her right rump.
Party: You continue your journey and soon you can start to see the fence outlining the ranch to the left of the Triboar Trail up ahead. The right of the Trail starts to rise into small grassy hill some hundred fifty feet at its rounded plateau.
The fence roughly follows the trail for a thousand feet before a better maintained trail heads north off the trail with fencing on both sides. There is a post with a small BAK brand plaque hanging above the ranch trail.
About three hundred fifty feet north you can see the trail split one going northwest toward a still smoking burned-out building the other going northeast toward what must be the main ranch house. Both buildings are probably three hundred to three hundred fifty feet from that trail split.
Straight north beyond the split is a large pond and beyond that another smoking building.
Blaire & Wolfsong: Your no stranger to ranching or farming. While one was obsessed with their people's life on the sea and the other their people's focus on the hunt, you learned from a young age how tribes survived together including how the herded, gardened and gathered. You can tell these large fenced fields were tilled recently in preparation for the first plantings. About halfway between the trail head and the split an orchard starts on the west (left) side and a set of gardens on the east (right) side the rest of the fenced lands look like they'd held corn last harvest.
((Anyone with a survival or history check of DC 13 or higher observes the same.))
((Ikki: if your tribe were farming or hunting/gather in nature you don't need to roll. ))
Pigs harmlessly wander the fields, gardens, and orchard.
Party: Welcome to Butterskull Ranch. It's been a long journey, but you're here. It's about an hour before twilight of Dusk. What are you doing?
((@DM: are you happy with a passive ability check for stuff like this? Robwin is ‘proficient’ in history, and has a passive history score of 15. If you prefer we always roll regardless, let me know)).
As the party approach the main entrance by the trail, Robwin would tie off the horses, just inside the ranch proper, a little way in, up the road into the ranch grounds itself.
Then he’ll look across at TT and the party and say, “I tend to agree... Should we start with the main building? That one looks untouched. ...Or the other ones, that way? They seem to have been set alight”.
Also, as the party proceeds further into the grounds, he’ll ritually cast comprehend languages as he walks, and refresh it every 40 minutes or so if he can, to make sure he’s got it up in case they come across anyone.
And he’ll summon Lia the Owl onto his shoulder with a little double-‘click-click’-sound in his cheek.
Rinn rubs his hands together. "Maybe we should tie up the animals here so they're far away from whatever we find up at the buildings? We don't know how many orcs attacked, so having as much of a chance to scout without attracting attention with horses and cow in toe..." he shrugs as he trails off.
As you approach the fork in the ranch trail, you can see several humanoid bodies on the northern side of the pond. It looks like they all died fighting between the burned out barn, what now appears to be a destroyed smithy and the ranch house. You count seven you can see. Two are definitely Orc.
(( I'll typically check passive abilities, but bring them to my attention whenever it may be relevant. Thanks))
As you approach the ranch house, you see it is the south side of it is about sixty-fifth feet long with a small steps and porch to a front door just twenty feet from the southwest corner.
About ten feet from the corner on either side is a window.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Robwin’s Stealth check (advantage): 22
Seeing the concern on the party’s faces, and people looking over towards the bodies, Robwin sends Lia flitting over to them, with the instruction to swoop at each one and give them a small peck on the hand of face to see if they react at all. Hopefully that way, we can quickly get a vague sense of whether they are properly dead.
Assuming there are no movements from the bodies, Robwin would be interested to move closer to the building in the dark to see if we can see or hear anything or anyone...
Robwin: For as big as he is, Wolfsong moves quickly and quietly, settling the loops and knots for you.
You soon have your rope tethering the alpha mare, Eli and Blaire donating their ropes too.
The extra edibles went a long way.
The drizzle has stopped.
About another an hour out of Conyberry, you all see a cow in a field a few hundred feet off the Triboar Trail.
"Well, I would wager that cow is a ranch animal too. I'm not sure if it makes sense to try to gather it now or not. We're probably walking into a band of Orcs if the didn't retreat back into the hills. Still, Robwin already has the horses.", Eli says to the group.
"Do what you think is best.", he adds with a shrug.
Blaire has been gently brushing one of the following mares for the majority of the walk from Conyberry. She nods at Eli's statement, but doesn't offer an opinion of her own. Going back to running her hand along the mare's ear and neck.
“How close are we to the ranch now?” Robwin asks the group. “I’d be tempted to securely tether the horses, somewhere before we get there”.
”Anyone want a cow??! ......I say we save the ranch before we go herding up ALL the animals!”.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
"If we are walking into an ambush the horses are going to be big targets as well as hinder our quiet movements. We should tie them up and go without them"
Party: Based on the information you have, you're probably halfway between Conyberry and the Butterskull Ranch now. It's late afternoon and you probably have another hour before you reach the outskirts of the ranch.
((OOC: @DM - sorry, can I also ask: is it getting close to the end of Robwin’s mage armor? It lasts 8 hours from when we set off from camp in the morning? Will it die before we make it to the ranch? Thanks))
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
"Let's get the cow now," Rinn says, "I think I remember Barthen or someone saying it was a ways to go before the ranch. We can take the cow with us and tie up all the animals somewhere near the ranch before we take out the pesky orcs."
“Well don’t look at me!” says Robwin. “Who do you think I am? The Pied Piper of Phandalin?!”, he teases.
”Ha! What? I’ve got enough on my hands with these!”.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
No worries; Yes. You'll be close to 10 or 11 hours by the time you reach the ranch.
Ikki will continue to fly overhead. Once he can see the ranch, he will land.
"I will see what I can do," Wolfsong states as he makes his way to the cow. "If it comes down to it we could use it as bait for the orcs, the manticore, or if we come across it again the dragon." Wolfsong takes the rope from his pack and tries to tie a lead to the cow.
Animal Handling 16
Wolfsong: You have no trouble approaching the cow and setting a lead on her. As with the horses, she has a BAK brand on her right rump.
Party: You continue your journey and soon you can start to see the fence outlining the ranch to the left of the Triboar Trail up ahead. The right of the Trail starts to rise into small grassy hill some hundred fifty feet at its rounded plateau.
The fence roughly follows the trail for a thousand feet before a better maintained trail heads north off the trail with fencing on both sides. There is a post with a small BAK brand plaque hanging above the ranch trail.
About three hundred fifty feet north you can see the trail split one going northwest toward a still smoking burned-out building the other going northeast toward what must be the main ranch house. Both buildings are probably three hundred to three hundred fifty feet from that trail split.
Straight north beyond the split is a large pond and beyond that another smoking building.
Blaire & Wolfsong: Your no stranger to ranching or farming. While one was obsessed with their people's life on the sea and the other their people's focus on the hunt, you learned from a young age how tribes survived together including how the herded, gardened and gathered. You can tell these large fenced fields were tilled recently in preparation for the first plantings. About halfway between the trail head and the split an orchard starts on the west (left) side and a set of gardens on the east (right) side the rest of the fenced lands look like they'd held corn last harvest.
((Anyone with a survival or history check of DC 13 or higher observes the same.))
((Ikki: if your tribe were farming or hunting/gather in nature you don't need to roll. ))
Pigs harmlessly wander the fields, gardens, and orchard.
Party: Welcome to Butterskull Ranch. It's been a long journey, but you're here. It's about an hour before twilight of Dusk. What are you doing?
Survival 12
"We should check out the buildings for survivors or any clues to whats going on before we setup camp for the night. "
((@DM: are you happy with a passive ability check for stuff like this? Robwin is ‘proficient’ in history, and has a passive history score of 15. If you prefer we always roll regardless, let me know)).
As the party approach the main entrance by the trail, Robwin would tie off the horses, just inside the ranch proper, a little way in, up the road into the ranch grounds itself.
He’ll also recast mage armor on himself.
Then he’ll look across at TT and the party and say, “I tend to agree... Should we start with the main building? That one looks untouched. ...Or the other ones, that way? They seem to have been set alight”.
Also, as the party proceeds further into the grounds, he’ll ritually cast comprehend languages as he walks, and refresh it every 40 minutes or so if he can, to make sure he’s got it up in case they come across anyone.
And he’ll summon Lia the Owl onto his shoulder with a little double-‘click-click’-sound in his cheek.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
" I think the main building, seems most likely where any survivors would be"
TT touches her amulet and mutters something under her breath before moving ahead
Rinn rubs his hands together. "Maybe we should tie up the animals here so they're far away from whatever we find up at the buildings? We don't know how many orcs attacked, so having as much of a chance to scout without attracting attention with horses and cow in toe..." he shrugs as he trails off.
Robwin agrees and helps Rinn tie up the animals at the entrance before the party heads onward.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
As you approach the fork in the ranch trail, you can see several humanoid bodies on the northern side of the pond. It looks like they all died fighting between the burned out barn, what now appears to be a destroyed smithy and the ranch house. You count seven you can see. Two are definitely Orc.
(( I'll typically check passive abilities, but bring them to my attention whenever it may be relevant. Thanks))
As you approach the ranch house, you see it is the south side of it is about sixty-fifth feet long with a small steps and porch to a front door just twenty feet from the southwest corner.
About ten feet from the corner on either side is a window.
Everyone make Stealth checks with advantage.
Let me know what you want to do.
Eli 4 ((adventure & disadvantage))
Blaire 3 ((adventure & disadvantage))
Stealth12 (rolled straight, have Dis from armor)
TT is fidgety and anxious to check if anyone is saveable. She follows Eli as quietly as she can.
Robwin’s Stealth check (advantage): 22
Seeing the concern on the party’s faces, and people looking over towards the bodies, Robwin sends Lia flitting over to them, with the instruction to swoop at each one and give them a small peck on the hand of face to see if they react at all. Hopefully that way, we can quickly get a vague sense of whether they are properly dead.
Assuming there are no movements from the bodies, Robwin would be interested to move closer to the building in the dark to see if we can see or hear anything or anyone...
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss