D&D 5E (IC) Scourge of Daggerford

[Kobold Stew]

"Only milk and horse piss," Tommi answered when he saw her, with a wink. He raised his roearm to block the sun, and his smile was warm and genuine. He wanted, more than anything, to give her a hug. But she was on the horse, and so he stood and patted the creature's rump.

"It's good to see you, Sherlen. Um. It's been a time."

 

[KahlessNestor]

Angis Honack
Julkoun
Afternoon
Round 0

Angis did some more training even after the militia drills were done. He found himself handling the larger battleaxes easier to do now with one hand, and he worked one in each hand in complicated, weaving battle motions on the dummies. A couple of the militia watched in awe.

When Lady Morwen and Sherlen rode into town, Angis paused and sheathed the pair of battle axes. He still carried plenty of handaxes for throwing, and his heavy crossbow leaned within easy reach.

Dwarves didn't stand on ceremony with their political leaders, not like humans. A dwarven king was just about as likely to get into a tavern drinking contest and brawl as any other dwarf, so unless he was sitting on the throne dispensing justice, he was just another dwarf. Angis took the reins of Lady Morwen’s horse and helped the lady down.

“Welcome t’ Joulkoon, milady,” the ugly dwarf said politely. “Guess we’ll need t’ find ye a room then.”

When Sherlen joked about needing a drink, Angis tugged a skin off his belt. After all, what dwarf was without? He tossed it up to the young woman. “Careful, lass. Tha’ ain’t ale,” he warned her with a smirk as he watched her cough and joke on the dwarven brandy. Dandin’s apples had to go to some good use, and a good, strong applejack was just part of a healthy diet. It was fruit, after all, right?

Angis headed off to the repaired stable to put up Lady Morwen’s horse. Tommi was the authority around here, so he could play the politics.

Spoiler: Angis’ Actions

Save:
Move:
Free Object Interaction:
Action:
Bonus Action:
Horde Breaker:
Reaction: Absorb Elements or Opportunity Attack
Conditions:
Concentration:
Inspiration:

Spoiler: Mini Stats

Initiative: +1
Perception: +4
Speed: 25
AC: 14
HP: 3/31 HD: 3/3d10+2

Bolts: 13
Bolts used:
Handaxes: 12/12

Spells
1) 3/3 Absorb Elements, Cure Wounds, Hunter’s Mark
4/4 Boon of the Elk. Can cast Knock four times (without the loud sound) as an Action. Until he uses the last one, non-good aligned Fey count among his Favoured Enemies.

Spoiler: Party

Tommi - human rogue urban bounty hunter
Dandin - halfling bard guild merchant
Enseth - warforged war cleric shield guardian
Angis Honack - dwarven ranger outlander merchant
Drui Holderhock - dwarven cleric of Tempus soldier
Titus - human Waterdhavian noble fighter

 

[gargoyleking]

Dandin had been out at the docks, seeing to the transfer of goods, the boats had just had a stress check to make sure they were handling their loads and the water well and were just about ready for another trip to Daggerford. This trip would be the first real trade mission of Applesbane Shipping and he was excited to get things rolling.

So now Dandin was in a good mood, he was whistling on his way back towards the Upper Bailey and the inn when he heard the commotion at the gate. Seeing the procession arrive, he grinned and headed that way. As he walked, he conjured up an apple from thin air, it even split itself into 10 separate wedges. Though he took some care not to be too obvious about it, his magical abilities were public knowledge now, but he liked to keep an air of mystery where he could.

"Ah! This must be the reinforcements I heard the Duke was planning to send!" Dandin Applesbane at your service m'lady. Please, have a slice of apple. Be it but a humble first welcome to Julkoun, but I guarantee that one bite and you'll soon forget the aches of the road."

Dandin bowed as he greeted Lady Daggerford, and offered her a slice of the Apple in his hand. Once she'd accepted, or passed it up he offered slices to any of her retinue that wished to take him up on it, giving priority based on their rank. Alas, but he only had the one apple once the 10 slices were gone, he couldn't offer any more.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Lady Morwen removed her riding gloves, nodded to everyone, and took Dandin's apple slice as Angis took her horse. She was well-respected, but often dour. She had a business-like expression on her face as she chewed, and she looked about town as if she were already considering all that needed to be done. However, when she swallowed her eyes lit up and she said to Dandin, "What a magnificent apple. I have never tasted one like it. Thank you, Dandin. I believe that I have seen you once before at the market in Daggerford. I will remember this."

One thing that Lady Morwen hated was to have to stop working long enough to eat, and she later found that Dandin's apple lasted her through all of her day of getting settled in Julkoun, and that pleased her greatly.

 

[gargoyleking]

Dandin frowned slightly as he watched Lady Morwen chew the apple with such a dour expression. Then he saw her expression change and he smiled brilliantly and bowed at her praise.

"Thank you M'lady, please feel free to call on me if ever you are in need."

Then went about the rest of his day knowing that he'd made a good impression on a powerful political figure. Such was his stock in trade, and couldn't have passed up the opportunity.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Tommi helps Sherlen down from her horse, and finds a place for her in one of the partially burnt buildings.

"It'll offer you shelter, as long as you stay," he suggests. Her fingers are unresponsive in the mailed hand that he holds for a few seconds, and as he lets go he runs his fingers through his dark hair, from ffront to back. "See you at supper?" he asks, before going off and continuing to repaint the bridge, a chore he had begun that morning after he had sanded away the char from the goblins' attempts to incinerate it. "I'll just be over here."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

OOC: As I have mentioned in the OOC, we are going to start Book Two soon. I would like to start like I did our Book One, with a post for each character. I recommend you all go back and read our first few posts for your character if you havent lately. It's good stuff and I would love to work elements of it in. Them give me three skill checks like we did back then (oh so long ago) along with some vary basic intentions for the checks. Don't resolve the checks yourself - I will use a combination of your intent and the roll to narrate the result. You can add to it in your follow-up post. (I only post this here because I think some of you may have missed the request in the OOC.)

 

[Kobold Stew]

Tommi finds himself breathing easily. Its surprising. He thinks of what's transpired since that night of the goblin raid along the river. There's goblin blood on his hands, but it doesn't trouble him. He's looking around and wants to help. He could be doing more than painting, he knows.

But at the same time, he could be doing more than thinking about beer at the Happy Cow back home.

They're going to need help here, he realizes as they rebuild. And then there's Sherlen.

OOC: Skill checks: Tommi finds an old Lute in one of the damaged homes, restrings it, and practices. He offers to buy it from his earnings, if possible. Performance: 1d20+2=18. Tommi wants to get a sense of how to help the town best, maybe help them organize the reconstruction. His mom would be much better at this than he is. Insight: 1d20+8=9. Tommi want to closer to Sherlen. He's a really good listener. Persuasion: 1d20+4=23 (These last two maybe would be reversed? Not trying to constrain you.)

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Janos

Janos was a well-liked and respected member of the Riverfolk community who made his living fishing and trading up and down the Shining River. He lived in a small nameless community a brief way upriver from Daggerford (and on the other bank), with his wife and two young sons. He was a shining example of his folk, strong, smart, and charming, but he worked very hard just to feed and cloth his family, and to have a little left over to drink at the Otter's Run in Daggerford twice a tenday.

So when Dandin came, first to request skilled aid to deliver supplies to Julkoun (Janos' community had also been hit by goblin raiders, and was first to be rescued by the Doughty Daggerfordians), and later with a plan to risk everything on a trade trip to Waterdeep, the grandest city in the world, Janos knew that he had to help.

Gathering a crew of brave and skilled riverfolk, and adding his own boat to Dandin's two, they had taken supplies to Julkoun. With that mission, they found that they worked together quite well, and they loaded the three boats with fleece and fabric from Julkoun, ale from Daggerthrust Ales in Daggerford, furs trapped by riverfolk, and as many other goods as they could get their hands on.

Then they made their way under Tyndal's Bridge, the low and wide stone bridge that spanned the shallow ford that gave Daggerford its name, and three hours downriver later, they stopped at Rock Tower to buy coastal maps, gather more goods, and to make a few minor alterations to the boats to make them more seaworthy. This took a full day, but then they were off again.

The sea of the Sword Coast was far rougher than most of the crew had ever experienced, but Janos turned out to be an impeccable navigator. They put the boats to shore at night, and travelled during the day, and Janos had an impressive instinct when it came to sailing point-to-point, and avoiding following the land as it moved inward. He was also able to 'feel' when they passed a river-mouth, and avoided going up them, which would have cost much time.

The only trouble on the journey came as they neared Waterdeep, on their fourth day out. The vast volume of water that came from the Dessarin River pushed them out to sea, and they clawed their way up slowly. To keep the boats together, Janos ordered them lashed as a group, and night came with him still at the tiller of the lead boat. When morning came, they were far enough out to sea to be out of sight of land, but Janos, having stayed all night at the tiller, was confident he had not lost his way.

The following afternoon they arrived at Waterdeep Harbour. A vast, busy place unlike anything that most of the riverfolk had ever seen. Janos was exhausted and had blisters on his hands, but was proud of what he'd accomplished. He could now rest and enjoy the sights and taverns of the City of Splendors. Until the return trip, the rest was up to Dandin.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Dandin

Dandin had used a lot of the goodwill that he had gained by helping the riverfolk and the Julkounians against the goblins. He used the reputation he had gained in Daggerford as well, securing a small investment in funds, as well as a literal ton of goods. Much of it was based on promises and fast-talking, and Dandin was aware that he was risking it all for this venture. But he had risked something far more valuable than his money and reputation in the fight to save Julkoun - he'd risked his life. Though most of his friends had come far closer to death than he had, watching them come close to death had only served to remind Dandin of how dangerous it had all been. Compared to that, this expedition would be easy.

Dandin enjoyed the company of the riverfolk - while they were not busy, they traded stories, played music and sang songs. He marvelled at Janos' command of the crews, and the uneducated man's exceptional practical skills at organisation. Aside from regular updates on how things were going, and plans for the future, Dandin stayed out of Janos' way, leadership-wise. They made an excellent team, and grew quickly to a mutual trust.

Dandin had two panic-moments on the voyage: The first, was when they first left the river for the sea. The ocean was a very different beast and the boats bobbed, pitched, and rocked fiercely at sea. And they took water over their sides. Janos was busy keeping them upright and on course, and it was left to Dandin to keep their cargo from being ruined. He worked hard all day long, and often checked the cargo at night, while they were anchored in little bays. The second, was the night he had gone to bed with the lights of Waterdeep glowing to the north, only to awaken with no sign of shore at all. It was only Janos' confidence that they were still on track that had calmed Dandin's nerves.

Then they had arrived in Waterdeep, and Dandin, who had been there before from land (though not often) was quickly too busy seeing his cargo unloaded, meeting with vendors, and paying guild fees, to enjoy much of the city's titular Splendors. Dandin had done his research, and was a quick study, and he only made a few errors on this, his first trade in the big city. He had trusted the wrong city official, and it cost him a sizeable chunk of his profit on the Julkounian fleece. He made up for it on the sale of the Daggerthrust Ales.

For the return trip, he acquired three crates of Waterdhavian brandy, spices from Calimshan, and a large supply of nails and wooden roofing tiles destined for Julkoun, among other things. The crew pooled much of their money together, and got him a gift, which they presented to him one day at a party at an inn in the dock ward.

He had done well enough, and he wondered if Titus would be ready to join them for the return trip, or if the young nobleman would make his own way back.

OOC: Dandin made a personal profit of 100gp and expects another 200gp when he returns to the Daggerford area. The crew got him a magical shawm that turns into a shortsword as a bonus action (and back). Heck, I'll throw in a +1 bonus, both as a sword and as an implement.