[LPF] Rodents of Unusual Size, pt 3

[Guest 11456]

Hawk, Little Halfling with a Big Sword

Hawk merely nods and then gets her horse and mounts up.

[sblock=Hawk Mini Stats]Hawk
AC: 20 (16 flat-footed, 15 touch)
HP: 26/26
CMB: +3 CMD: 17

Fort: +6 Reflex: +5 Will: +1
Perception: +7 Sense Motive: +0
Initiative: +4

Current Weapon in Hand: Greatsword(2-handed)
Current Conditions in Effect: None
Rage Rounds remaining Today: 8/8[/sblock]

 

[Aura]

Well rested and mostly recovered from the swarm of stirges at the stables, the group sets off east, out of Venza, on the journey to the site marked on the map. After a few hours of travel at a comfortable pony speed (the horses find themselves shortening their gait in order to maintain speed with the ponies, must to the disappointment of Midnight, who seems to want to push ahead), the group comes across the intersection they have been looking for.

It is a little place called Baron's Cross, and there isn't very much to say for it. The center attraction is the intersection of the east-west trade road that leads into Venza itself, and the rather well-known north-south Silver Road, the major road leading up to Tritower and then into the northern baronies. Two farmhouses can be seen here, each with a fair swath of farming land attached. And finally, a somewhat worn old roadhouse with a plain wooden sign reading, "The Broken Log," finishes out the items of import in this little X on the map.

From within The Broken Log, a fairly pleasing aroma of lunch being cooked for travelers such as yourselves wafts from the inside of the building, rising slowly upward. A glance at the sun, nested between fluffy white clouds, reminds you that it's a bit early for lunch, but not unreasonably so.

Sighting southward down the Silver Road, a forest pushes up on the left side, although more open terrain can be seen on the right, with continuing signs of the presence of sentient races: a small farm house here, some cleared land there. Hills can be seen in the distance to the right of the Silver Road, and the swamp the group elected to not traverse is undoubtedly located there.

The further you travel along the Silver Road, the smaller the usable land between the road and the swampland becomes. You cannot see the swamp, but you can eventually smell it--a bit musty, with a tinge of decomposing foliage, but very, very much alive. As night approaches, the smell disappears--presumably because the swamp is now receding away from the Silver Road. More importantly to the average traveler, there is a small inn, no more inspiring than the one back at Baron's Cross, named The End of the Road. And, if you don't want to go digging into your trail rations just yet, the inviting smell tells you dinner awaits within those walls.

True to the word, a quick glance tells you the Silver Road, one of the most famous roads many of you even know to exist, ends less than 100 yards later, breaking down into a much less impressive unpaved road.

[sblock=Travel Day 1]Let me know anything you're doing. With the main road breaking down, the next day's travel will be more a function of how you'd like to do things: try to hit the site directly, or possibly target a bit to the east or west and track in on the river.

Looking at the inn, it seems you can count on food, beds (although it remains to be seen how a larger group such as yours would be handled) and a small stable.[/sblock]

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dunkel says, "We may has well call it a day. We won't be making much progress through that swamp for the few hours remaining and I'd rather not sleep while waterlogged. And I especially don't want to deal with night mosquitoes after dealing with stirges. The thought gives me the creeps. " So saying he leads his animal to the stable before opening the door to the inn and calling a hello to the proprietor. "Hello there good sir! How much for room and board for a traveler and his mount?"

 

[BigB]

Crue follows Dunkel's lead and heads for the inn. "Won't do any harm to get a good rest before leaving the main road. Probably be good for the mounts as well. I wonder if there will be any good stories to hear."

[sblock=mini stats]
Cruendithas
Initiative +1
AC: 17 (with shield/ Flat:16, Touch: 12)
HP: 18 current: 18
CMB: +0 / CMD: 11 Fort: +1 / Ref: +4 / Will: +4
Resistence: 0
Current Weapon in Hand: Buckler in off hand

Spell Like Abilities: Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Speak with Animals

0 Lvl Spells:
Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Message

1st Lvl Spells: 3/3 per day
Cure Light Wounds, Grease, Expeditious Retreat

Archaeologist's Luck (+1) rounds/day: 6/6
[/sblock]

 

[Aura]

The inn is small, but agreeable in nature. The aroma of the food is appealing, and a hearth crackles away as a man plays the lute with a bit of skill. The woman seated next to him sings a classic folk song, lifting spirits for all in the dining hall and common rooms.

A middle-aged man, apparently the innkeep, finishes talking with another customer and comes to greet you. Listening to Dunkel's question, his eyes focusing on the dwarf. He smiles graciously, flickering light of the hearth making obvious the grey in his short, trim and still mostly-brown beard. "Oh, hey dere! Sleeping in the common room, complete wit a few other lovely people like youselves, is 2 silva a night. We also got private rooms for a two, a crown each. Full fare meals start at a silva and you can spend about three for the good food. As for stablin', we jus do dat for ya." His eyes survey you all as you fill the small entry, leading him to scratch his beard, "Wow, dere's a lot of ya! Please, dis way, let's get you settled for dinner first, come come!"

As he leads you into the dining hall, places are cleared and you are seated for dinner. True to his word, when the serving girl comes to take your orders, you can get by on a single silver, and receive a meal with bread, broth, and some basic baked and stewed vegetables (particularly roots such as turnips and onions.) The better meal, for 3 silver, features a chicken soup with small chunks of chicken and a variety of vegetables, a roasted ratatouille, and buttered bread. All the cooking is lightly spiced with mace, apparently the cook's favorite. The service is adequate, but it's immediately obvious the staff is worn thin with all the work. The serving girl, most probably the innkeep's adult daughter, seems curious about the group but hasn't the time for more than polite passing questions.

The beds aren't the most comfortable, but after a good day's travel, they certainly look inviting enough.

[sblock=Medieval Cooking]Fantasy tavern food is, at least a little, based on medieval cooking. My personal experience: very light on meat and spices, producing subtle tastes that many are not used to. I never got into 'original transcripts' (the measures are all weird), so I have to trust in the accuracy of those porting them into modern terms. However, this light-on-spice approach would make sense: spices were quite expensive.[/sblock]
[sblock=Cost of Living]If you select the 1 sp meal and a common-room accommodation for the night, you don't have to account the cost at all, it is covered in even the most minimal Cost of Living classification (poor). The better meal and private room (which is 5 sp each for 2 people = 1 gold) are covered by Average Cost of Living status, if you have it.[/sblock]

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

[section]

Jonas greets the innkeeper and the serving girl with a warm smile as he settles into a place at the table. "It takes more than a little bread to keep me going . . . I'll waste away to nothing on that!" he says cheerfully. "I'll be needing the 3 silver meal. However, the common room is good enough for me for sleep; better, actually, than where I've laid my head most of my life."​

[/section]

[sblock=Actions/Rolls]--[/sblock]
_______________
[sblock=Mini Stats]
Jonas Psalter

Initiative: +02
AC: 17 (12 Touch, 15 Flat-Footed)
HP: 31/31
Senses: DarkVision (60’) Perception: +10
CMB: +05 CMD: 17 (+7/19 vs. Trip)
Fort: +06 Reflex: +02 Will: +04
[/sblock]

 

[Fobok]

Ever since leaving the city, Joren has been looking more the wide-eyed kid than the wise sorcerer he tries to act most of the time. Every new sight outside the city is greeted with obvious curiosity, though he doesn't say much during the travel.

Now, he smiles as they step inside the inn, and he looks to the innkeep and nods, "Thank you, sir. The common room and a simple meal will be just fine for me."

 

[Commander_Fallout]

Wahyu followed behind the others, cloak wrapped around him.
"I will require a private room of my own," he said to the innkeep, face obscured by the shadow of his hood. He drew a gold coin from his robe, and held it out, "This should be adequate, I trust." The wayang then turned to the matter at hand: dinner.
[sblock=OOC]He uses prestidigitation to shroud his face, btw.[/sblock]
[sblock= Wahyu's Mini Stats]

Wahyu
AC: 16 (14 flat-footed, 13 touch)
HP: 16/16
CMB: 0 CMD: 12
Fort: +1 Reflex: +2 Will: +4
Perception: +4, Darkvision 60 ft
Initiative: +6
Current Weapon in Hand: Light Crossbow (+4, 1d6+0, 19-20 x2)
Current Conditions in Effect: -
Spells Remaining (1st): 4/5

Used Items:
-
Abilities Used:
-[/sblock]

 

[Aura]

The inn-keeper takes Wahyu's coin with a combination of happiness and curiosity, casting a wary eye on the small figure the entire time. The rest of you he seems a little more at ease with--even the massive Jonas only get an initial double-take. "Yes, sir," he adds as he takes Jonas' silver, "We gots both kinds 'o beds--big an small! You need anything, just ask. I'm Quincy."

The open time between dinner and a reasonable bedtime gives everyone a little time to relax, practice, converse with other inn-dwellers, engage in the music by the fire, or whatever else you like to do when not busy. The place was a bit quiet before you came in, and perks up considerably with 7 more patrons.

The whole time, the only workers you see are Quincy and the young woman who served you at dinner.

[sblock=Night]The night passes uneventfully. I'm assuming that, unless otherwise stated, people stayed within their Cost of Living allowance. Otherwise, mark the expenditure off on your character sheet as consumed.

As it is a full 8 hours of restful sleep, everyone can gain 1 point of CON back that is still down. I think that's just Dunkel.

This puts you at the next morning, rested and ready to roll.[/sblock]

 

[Guest 11456]

Hawk, Little Halfling with a Big Sword

Hawk gathers her equipment and then checks on breakfast. She finds Quincy. "What's for breakfast?"

[sblock=Hawk Mini Stats]Hawk
AC: 20 (16 flat-footed, 15 touch)
HP: 26/26
CMB: +3 CMD: 17

Fort: +6 Reflex: +5 Will: +1
Perception: +7 Sense Motive: +0
Initiative: +4

Current Weapon in Hand: Greatsword(2-handed)
Current Conditions in Effect: None
Rage Rounds remaining Today: 8/8[/sblock]