Location: Stavanger, Rogaland
Weather: a gentle breeze is blowing from the northeast, from inland, with chilly weather and clear skies. Feels like 1.4 C.
This night, half the town's ships took out from the harbour, with perfect weather for making their way to England or the Low Countries.
Pandred and Embla are sitting in a tavern, the Greasy Cod, which is empty this evening of sailors or most everyone. However, they cannot help but see two men across the tavern, whom they are told came into Stavanger a week ago, covered with scars and having lost three companions in the woods. Since then they have been staying at Old Man Askjellson's house, healing so they say. To date, they've said nothing about the events that happened . . . but they is a rumour going about that these two men intend to go out again to search for their lost companions, and may be looking for others brave enough to go with them.
Having formed a party, the followers accepted so far include:
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| This is a fix; the first time I posted this I did not adjust Bergthora's hit points for her constitution. |
33 comments:
I wink at Pandred, get up from the table, and pad over towards them.
"Evenin', gents. You caused quite a stir last week, coming back from the woods. Sounds like there's a story there. I'll cover the next round if you share it."
"Aye, there's a story, and a dark one, but short. Three friends we lost, out there. Engelhart here and myself barely escaped with our lives. We were foolish, and it cost us dearly.
"There is out there an ancient burial mound, the grave of the Toad King. Our friend Rowan thought it might be filled with treasure, but what we found was our ruin. We climbed down into the grave with high hopes, but glowing giant beetles met us, and now the bones of our friends are trapped in a heathen grave. As soon as we can find some sturdy companions we will return, avenge our friends, and give them a proper Christian burial."
"Treasure, you say? Well, I'm sorry to hear about your friends. Now, I might know a good Christian woman or two to help give these companions of yours a proper burial. When do we set out?"
"Grave took three of five, Em. We here are less than that."
"I've been looking for a Thingman or two to ease the burden of travel, and unless I misunderstand my friend here she's found a plucky pair herself. You lot willing to hang about a bit longer to finish assembling our band?"
I will be spending the 5gp to search for Hirelings again. Obviously it's a bit late to assume that finds anything this evening.
"This is my friend Pandred, and I'm Embla. I've two sturdy archers to assist us, but another companion would certainly prove useful."
Engelhart, in glum silence thus far, stares quizzically at the two women, mincing a while as he takes in all of Embla, being that there is a lot to take.
"Pardon my doting on you thus, mistress, ahm, Embla is it?
I don't think I've ever lain eyes on another such as yourself... or, at least, not such a well predisposed sort.
Your semblance brings dark reminders and I would inquire, if not seen as untoward, as to your ancestry."
Upon landing his gaze on young Pandred, a decidedly more seemly sight, Engelhart eases his manner, managing a demure smile, the first one not borne by the relief of survival in quite some time:
"Pandred, then.
I'm... pleased to make your acquaintance.
I didn't mean to sound unwelcoming, but my thoughts have decidedly taken a darker turn since last week's events.
'Ere we've just returned to hearth and home and already God has seen fit that we should cross paths with those whose souls leap at the prospect of gamely slaughter and adventure perilous.
Let me brush aside my own rudeness and let us begin afresh. Be seated, mend your hearts with mead and share with us your story, we'll... endeavour to spin in less roughspun yarn the measure of our own tale as God doubtlessly saw it from on high.
Engelhart takes his turns with Lothar, filling his part of the narrative with admonitory - and unexciting - overtones.
"With regards to your question, friend, I hail from Poland, to the south."
You can go out and search tomorrow for hirelings, Pandred; there's no one in the bar here to talk to, and you need to start in the morning.
Excellent, I assumed that would be the case, just wanted my old-but-new pals to know as well.
"I know a few people who I think would make a goodly addition to our crew, but unfortunately I've not the coin to entice them away from the comforts of home and secure work. I'd be glad to introduce you tomorrow, since you seem keen to join us in our obligations to fallen friends. They're sappers, good with holes underground, and we would have benefited greatly from their assistance last time out."
[OOC: Alexis, you've been pretty mum about one thing: is Maxwell coming back into this?]
"I've got the coin if they've the spirit. That makes nine by my count. How then are our provisions?"
Us four, the five hirelings (and hopefully Maxwell returns). How much food do we have left, and how far would that get nine to ten combatants?
Last week we were able to walk away (from the barrow) with 10 lbs of leftover meats (not sure how long they'd keep) and 28.1 lbs of potatoes. Everyone else's food has probably been eaten by the beetles by now.
Traveling days we'll need 4 lbs apiece, combat days we'll need 6 lbs each. On the positive side, we can likely make the trek out and back in a single day since I've blazed the trail, though more people might slow us down some. We can probably get a hearty breakfast in before we leave, pack only enough for a quick cold lunch, and have dinner in town if weight becomes an issue.
Given that we left 6 beetles alive, 10 people might be a bit of an overreaction. Granted, we don't know what else might be down there or what we might encounter under the ruined farmhouse, but my gut says that's too many. Your guts may disagree.
We can afford provisions for everyone, no problem. And I think, even though it might be overkill, to bring everyone so that we get used to coordinating everyone's efforts.
Furthermore, any complaints to my purchase of a donkey? That should help with our encumbrance problems.
Alexis, what is the carrying capacity of a donkey?
[Engelhart, sorry, I've been working through the weekend. Maxwell wrote a message before ~ not sure which post ~ that stated he wasn't continuing with the campaign on account of time. He and I spoke about it; it's only that things are impractical at the moment]
Can Lothar and Engelhart please assume that for 7 days, they were eating on his grandfather's provender. Still, I think both of you should knock off a two pounds of food each for night-time snacks, being out and about a little and general spoilage.
Embla, if you can afford the donkey, no problem. The donkey's AP is also 5; it can carry up to 240 lbs. without any adjustment to its AP; thereafter, for every additional 90 pounds it carries, it loses an AP [so, 241-330 lbs. = 4 AP; 331-420 lbs. = 3 AP; 421-510 lbs. = 2 AP; 511-600 lbs. = 1 AP]
Hey, look at me, with my sweet donkey-handling abilities!
As an aside, while ten people may be an overreaction to the beetles, I'm paying them by the month, not the day. I want these folks around for a while, and now's as good a time to go for it as any.
Besides, we never got to see what, if anything, was up with that central bit, nor the farmhouse, nor did we investigate the trail along the lakeside. Even discounting adventures we haven't yet thought of, we've got some stones to turn.
I'm taking the lack of objection on Alexis' part to mean Lothar IS able to locate and hire on the sappers we left behind on our first go around. I'll deduct their monthly cost from my sheet, in addition to the morning's five gps for finding my own tagalong.
The sapper's names are Bergthora, Valda and Fjall. They are 11 g.p. per month apiece. We should talk to them about what sort of equipment they might want/need to get through the reinforced flooring of the farmhouse and consider how much that will cost as well. If we want to try to break through there on our first trip out.
I'd like to point out that it is not in your power to name NPC's in my world, Lothar. Embla did the same, and I think the motivation for both of you was an attempt to save time, cut through the crap and keep things moving. But as I've said, don't do that. Remember to stay in control of YOUR characters, and your characters alone. Everyone else, including hirelings and followers, are my problem.
I had rolled earlier and found that only one of them was a woman.
Let's go with Daria for the woman, then Halvar and Nils for the men.
Actually, you did name them, back in the comments section of my original character creation post
I can see this is fumbling around, so I will try to get it going again. I've been waiting for some things but they haven't been forthcoming . . . so here's what I need:
Are you a party? Does everyone feel they've had enough role-playing between you?
Is everyone good with Pandred's spending another day tomorrow to hunt for a hireling? Just to get the thing in motion, I'll say that Lothar is healthy, and that Engelhart's grandfather is glad he's able to go out of the house now and find his own place. So you're on your own food stores again, tomorrow, plus finding a place to sleep tonight.
Can we confirm that the hirelings are paid for? I count five hirelings at this time. Perhaps I've missed someone. If so, please correct me. If the hirelings are paid for, you'll have to feed them TOMORROW. Are you good with that?
Do you, as a group, agree to go back to the Barrow?
If so, when?
If we can deal with these specific issues, and nothing else to distract us, we can move forward.
Gawd, did I?
Jeez, I must be losing my f'ing mind. Then my sincerest apologies. I did not mean to step on YOUR toes. The original names, then. And apparently, two of them ARE women.
Shoot me, okay?
I agree that we have 5 hirelings and I will supply food for all 9 of us (+1 donkey), lodging for all, and get several days' rations as well.
Do we wish to set out for the Barrow tomorrow, assuming Pandred finds who she's looking for?
I feel like we are a party now.
I think it will take all day for Pandred to track someone down. I'm not sure that we need to wait around another day for a 10th person. I vote we head out in the morning and save hiring another mouth to feed until we get back, if we feel we need it. I don't know that one more person will make that big of a difference.
[No worries about the names, Alexis. That's one of the benefits of the written record (and character sheets)]
Also, what is the mass for 30 days' feed for a donkey? There's no amount listed for single-day or 30-day in the price table (I know the donkey can forage, but I'd like to have something on hand just in case).
I agree with Lothar - let's head out tomorrow.
The donkey eats about 29 oz. prepared meal per day; for 30 days the weight is 42.75 lbs. The rest of its diet is whatever grass or other forage that it finds. You'll find the weight on future updates to the pricing table.
Lothar is correct. You can't leave tomorrow with the expectation of arriving at the barrow in the daylight AND find another follower for Pandred.
Apart from food, take it that your hired associates are all satisfied for equipment they might want. The sappers will each have a 25' length of rope, four spikes, four torches, a pottery lamp and a flask of oil, probably other things but that's what occurs to me right now.
For those who are hiring people from their character generation, it says on the background that these are "friends" ~ this makes them "followers" and not "hirelings." Have a look on their background and tell me what morale they are.
Their names being: Petar, Willa, Bergthora, Valda and Fjall. I've updated their stats and hit points above on the main post.
Petar and Willa both have Morale 7
Bergthora, Valda and Fjall all start with a morale of 8.
Alright, good. I HAD deducted the GPs for the sappers from my sheet, which should be uploaded to the drive now correctly. Since I incorrectly assumed we'd be alright with another day for my own hireling, I'll have to add 5gp back in.
I am 100% okay with this course of action. We strike out come the morning.
For the record, please indicate the actions of the followers as you go. Think of it as giving orders and them following, or as them taking the best possible action in your interest. I will only veto if something odd occurs.
So long as you don't put them in danger, they won't need to roll their morale; however, as the rule says, "A check is made whenever an individual encounters a situation that is life threatening." That would include going into the barrow. All of these fellows have combat training. None of them are leveled.
Ruling that 3 of 4 have agreed to move forward, I have created a new post. I'm sure Engelhart will be glad to move forward, but he should feel he has a last chance to say something or address something.
I should tell you at this time that no one is of his religion, because no one has stated clearly that they get down on their knees and make a declaration to that effect. I felt I should mention that.
Oh I'm happy to be going, yes. I've come down with a cold and staring at the cellie puts a drill to my temples so I've been avoiding it.
I'll just restate my appeal that you repent and convert. Well, at least one out of the two.
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