With no real change in the weather, it being still cool, and coincidentally also being May 5th like today as I write this, you begin to lead the Captain and his soldiers into the forest. Engelhart, I expect, will keep a running conversation going with any of the Captain's questions and we don't need to go into that. The party marches along, with the players taking note that the followers are, occasionally seen talking privately to soldiers as you're moving along [presuming we haven't reached the peak of your paranoia, yet].
About half a mile from the lake camp, you come to the top of a rise, with Store Stokka a mere hundred yards towards the right. Reaching this point, you get a surprise.
Somewhere in the direction of Mimmarudla, you can see a great amount of smoke rising. You would guess this is a part of the forest that is burning. It is sending a long and thick plume that is skirting across the tops of the trees towards the lake, a distance of at least a mile, before the smoke dissipates.
As well, not far from where the lake camp would be, you can see a forty foot tower emerging to the tree-tops. Even with a glass, it is difficult to see if there is anyone on watch.
Apart from this, you're not close enough to see anything else that is unusual.
40 comments:
Wha...
What's this tower made of? Timber?
What are its relative dimensions, to our best guess?
"Captain, I think we have found them. That tower certainly wasn't there five days ago."
[I'm gonna go and guess they've built housing for their precious frog statue...]
I'll be wanting to cast Bless, but only once we're closer to trouble, to make the most of its one-hour duration.
The tower does seem to be made of timber.
"Is that so?" asks Captain Hagen, observing the tower. He then dispatches two men to return to the road to tell them of the observations and to send for more men.
"Well done, Father. Well done to the rest of you. You've been of a great help here in helping us find the devils. I'll let you part at this time if that's in keeping; but I'd just as soon have you around if you're willing to use those weapons on behalf of Stavanger and Norway."
"I am willing.
"Bergthora, Valda, Fjall; I shall not ask you to risk more than you are willing. If you wish to return to Stavenger in light of this development, you are welcome to await word of our fate there; this does look to be a bit heavier task than we imagined we'd face when you signed on. Though your company in facing that fate here is more than welcome if you are willing. "
"Lothar, we've known each other since we were kids," says Bergthora. "You pushed me out of that tree and that didn't stop me from climbing back up and blacking your eye. I think we're coming along for this."
[Okay, I hope you guys felt a little serviced today. I have tomorrow off but I'm going to concentrate on writing ~ I'll still be around to answer emails and move things a little further along. Sorry about my schedule: working five days a week, with such long travel times, is most annoying]
(I'm only annoyed that work kept me from taking the full advantage of it, it's been a most eventful day.)
Let's crack some heads, lads. Oddsdrakken, stay close.
[I am with Pandred. It's been a long week]
I am at full health, so all y'all can use those points however you need to.
I ask Petar and Willa the same.
Let's get it done.
[sorry about the campaign dragging. It's the physical labor, it is tiring me out at night]
Captain Hagen is going to suggest a small party, ten or twelve, going ahead towards the lake to scout information about the creatures movement. He'd like to concentrate on three things: 1) if there is any use of the lake, as this would threaten the northern shores, particularly towards Randaberg; 2) the tower; and 3) the forest fire. He suggests that the players may choose whether or not they wish to act on their own in this, or let the professionals handle it. If the party wants to check out one of these things, his men will search the other two.
He's had time to talk to the cleric, so he has a good feeling about Engelhart and seems to trust your group.
Yea or nay? Please let me know.
Yea.
I propose either the tower or the forest fire. While we are poorly-equipped to manage such a blaze, it would be unfortunate if the soldiers happened upon Mimmarudla unawares. The tower, likewise, could be where the critters relocated, once they escaped.
[And no worries, Alexis. I know I have been busier than I'd like as well. We are happy you are employed again.]
[I smell some stealth rolls on the horizon!]
I'm up for scouting the fire. The tower seems like it'd be the center of their operations, and I'd rather not get too near that without a hundred of my closest heavily armed friends also going along.
[Having a job has its ups and downs, money good, workload bad. As a side note on Thursday at noon I'm heading off to Ohio for a wedding, so will be less available than usual until Monday]
[No problem Alexis, we'll be here]
A yay is, of course, in order.
However, I think we should elect whatever feels less dangerous. We're still a low-level party, with all that that entails.
So, the tower seems out of our league, in my view.
The fire is as yet undefined, it could be just an effort in ground clearing, it doesn't feel inherently too dangerous.
Tell you what, we're bound for the lake either way before branching out, right? Why not attempt to get in a little bit closer, a furlong or two, before compromising?
I take it there's no vantage point that strikes us as half-past obvious, no, Alexis?
Not from here. You'll have take your chances.
Okay, my vote narrows down to Forest Fire or Lakeside. I don't wish to get near the tower.
I await further comment from my party-mates.
Ha, I guess the Plate has made me even more reckless than usual, I was all for charging headlong into the tower.
So said, consensus seems to me that the fire is what we want to check out. It's a mile from the lake, which I'm pretty sure means the wind is blowing northerly, so if possible we should go around from the southeast.
I'll strike out that way now.
Do recall that the fire was in the vicinity of the actual barrow ~ I did not want that detail missed.
[Note: if any of you have a moment, please respond to the post I've just put up, Lurkers' Corner ~ PvP. I'd like your thoughts on this. Don't feel you have to listen to the podcast, if you're not in the mood, before commenting]
So perhaps one of those statues is a fire-breathing creature of some kind, which is responsible for this fire.
Or it's deforestation with the intent to erect more structures, equally possible. Hell, maybe the naptha in the lower pits ignited, and everyone died, problem solved.
Either way, I'm not changing course for the lake now. This Barbarossa doesn't plan on drowning in their armor, thank-you-very-much.
I want Oddsdrakken close to me with the Crossbow in hand and ready to load, and I'll have my Shield and Handaxe.
Everyone want to follow Pandred to the fire?
I do.
Then you load up and head out. In keeping with a policy that seems to be working, I need to know the following, for each person.
1) What armor are you wearing and what is your present speed in combat with pack/without pack.
2) What are you carrying in your left hand and what in your right hand?
For those with followers, please provide this information for your followers as well.
Armor: Plate, Shield, Helmet
Total AP 3 (No Pack)
Left/Right: Shield/Handaxe
Oddsdrakken
Armor: None
Total AP 3 (Carrying my Pack)
Left/Right: Heavy Crossbow, Quiver
I'm stowing my Studded Leather with the donkey, which is 20 lbs. If this is not doable, Oddsdrakken drops to 2 AP in order to carry it.
Do you want to bring the donkey or leave it with Captain Hagen?
We should probably leave the donkey. In my (admittedly inexpert) opinion, donkeys are not terribly stealthy or likely to be calm around a raging forest fire.
That said, if Pandred is going to be at 3 AP, I'll be there too.
Wearing Leather Armor,
AP with bow = 3
AP sans bow = 4
Left hand - bow
Right hand - nocked arrow (not drawn, but nocked and ready to draw)
I'll leave my pack, shield, and quarterstaff with the donkey.
Bergthora, Valda, and Fjall will be in Studded leather with (Left hand) small shields and (Right hand) short swords.
I'll align myself with the rest of the party as regards 3 AP.
I'll be carrying ~65,73 lbs, meaning 3 AP, but also the possibility of taking all of my weaponry choices with me (stripped down to armour, other than the thong harnesses) and of going back to AP 4 if I drop the warhammer.
I'm wearing my new Banded Mail (AC 4)
Left hand: Shield (AC +1).
Right hand: Sling with bullet loaded.
I can draw my warhammer quickly and my Maul is stashed as a reserve option, should the opportunity arise.
I'll leave the donkeys (+cart) with the Captain as well.
I am wearing studded leather with an iron helm.
AP 3 w/pack
AP 4 w/out pack
Left hand: battleaxe
Right hand: javelin
Petar and Willa are also wearing studded leather with iron helms.
They have their bows out.
Oh yes, Bergthora, Valda and Fjall also have iron helms.
Oh, almost forgot!
Assuming our destination to be a 15-or-so minute walk, I'll cast Bless on the party: that's us four, the five retainers - I'm deliberately excepting Oddsdraken who is, I believe, just a squire? - and the first three guardsmen wishing to come forward, for a total of twelve willing recipients.
Engelhart, you better reconsider that bless spell. It is a mile, true, but it is through forest you're not familiar with, as this wasn't your original route from Stavanger. Lothar can walk you through a mile in about half-an-hour, but you won't want to be making much noise, moving as carefully as possible, so you better count on the effort lasting an hour to get to the edge of the fire.
Hm! Apparently, I don't have sage abilities for Embla. I'll go check the drive, but my backup home copy is blank on the assassin page. Embla, did you never get around to picking a field and a study?
She took Skullduggery, Surefootedness.
It's on her creation page from 2016.
Good. Either I never rolled the numbers or I didn't save the file after rolling. I'll wait for Embla to affirm which it is.
In the meantime, since it means Embla has stealth, want to let her go ahead?
I don't think you ever rolled the numbers.
I also have Logistics, from my background.
And I would love to scout ahead. In that case, I'll give my backpack to Petar and move at 4AP.
I'm sorry Embla. I'll get them rolled. I'm going to bow out for the evening, but count on a good long day of playing on Friday, just like last week.
Alexis: quite right, I was somewhat counting on that, hence my disclaimer.
I'll hold on to the spell for now, then.
Waiting on Embla's lead...
I scout ahead, sneaking as best I can.
[Hello, I'm in the saddle for the next 8 hours. Let's get some running done. Check your feed often!]
I'll start working on the next post. Could I get a move rate on all the followers?
Oddsdrakken 3AP
I don't know how much they can carry. Presumably 3AP as well.
The next post is up. It's all on you, Embla.
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