GREYHAWK CY 576: GREAT LEGENDS RETOLD -- CAMPAIGN THREAD

MacConnell · Mar 25, 2019

Tellerian Hawke said:
Tellerian scoffs, and says to Sphynx: "Well, my new friend, what is the fee for your camel? If it's not unreasonable, we'd probably just give you the whole fee up front...

"Tell you what, big fella. I'd spend my compensation anyway and coins can become a burden to carry. You two buy my evening meal and night's lodging and that will cover the up front fee. You buy your own supplies and I will load them effectively on the camel."

Tellerian Hawke said:
"We'd love to have you along, since we could use all the help we can get, but you might not exactly become rich off of this venture, if you catch my meaning. What say you?"

"I have no concept of rich, no comparator even though I know the word."

Tellerian Hawke said:
"If you are with us, I think we should find a room, stow our gear, have a good meal, and then provision ourselves before the shops close for the day. Then we can make a fresh start tomorrow, just before the dawn. No sense traveling during the heat of the day, if we can avoid it."

"Sounds good. Having been in the desert for quite some years, I can tell you that the heat of the day is not so hard as the cold of night. The best times to travel are an hour or so after first light until mid morning and then to wait until late afternoon and travel until almost mid night. This avoids travel during the hottest and coldest times. The coyotes, and possible more dangerous warm things, travel during the coldest part of the night. It is good to be guarded then. Reptiles travel during the hottest part of the day, and, again, it is good to be guarded then."

"Let's eat. I'm starved."

Tellerian Hawke · Mar 26, 2019

Having a meal at the Green Scorpion tavern.

GM:

Speeding Things Along: The party follows Sphynx back to building #4 (the stable) and are pleased to find that basic stable services are free; the stable boy explains that animals are fed, watered, and have their waste collected on a daily basis, free of charge. He says that if we want the camel groomed, a fee of 2 silver will be assessed. He also says that saddles and saddle bags, and other gear that is left on the camel, will be stored in a guarded building next door (#5, the warehouse) but he advises that only mundane equipment be stored there, and that we take any valuables and/or money with us. Lastly, he says that the stable also has camels and burros for sale, should the party wish to buy additional animals.

The party thanks the stable boy, and Nimbar gives him a 1sp tip. Sphynx's camel is left in the stable, and the party goes back to the concourse, passing through area #13 (the fountain and the farmer's market) to arrive at the Green Scorpion Tavern. (Which is building #15.)

Once inside, the party is seated, and orders drinks and a meal. (You can state what you order, and what-not, as part of your next post; but such considerations are of secondary importance at the moment.)

During the course of the meal, the tavern is alive with laughter and loud conversation. This being a hub of foreign trade, many people are speaking the Common trade tongue, rather than Eryptian. The topic which dominates most of the conversations is the nearby cave complex, which some people have taken to calling "The Caves of Chaos." The party members manage to overhear several tidbits of talk that prove to be interesting:

Man #1: (Overheard by Tellerian, who shares what he heard) "...That Elf---what was his name? Jalal?---hasn't been seen in nearly two weeks. He left that one day, saying that he was going to take a shortcut to the Southeast, off the main road. Said he'd be back in four days. That was the last time anyone spoke to him. I doubt he's still alive..."

Woman #1: (Speaking a dialect of Ancient Baklunish, overheard by Nimbar, who shares what he heard) "...Ahmed, my son, I beg you not to go. None of those men seem trustworthy to me, and the Caves are known to be dangerous. Remember what Khalif said about the tunnels? The Eater of Men lives there, Ahmed, and he is evil and cruel. Stay home my son, I do not want you to die!"

Man #2: (Talking loudly at the bar, overheard by everyone) "...Kobolds? They're the least of your worries, my boy. There are Hobgoblins and Bugbears in there, to be sure. I even hear tell of an Ogre, although I must admit, the guy I heard it from was drunk. He kept mumbling about an Ogre who protected his "little brothers," which made no sense to me, whatsoever..."

[sblock=What Sphynx overheard (up to you whether or not you share this information.)]
Adventurer #1 "I hear tell that Bree-Yark is Goblin language for 'We Surrender.' ..."

Sphynx: You also overheard the woman's warning to her son (the one Nimbar overheard) and it was similar to Eryptian, but not similar enough for you to decipher without hearing Nimbar's recital of it. You suspect that whatever ancient language it is that Nimbar knows was perhaps a root language, from which Eryptian grew and evolved. You make a mental note to talk to him about it later.
[/sblock]

Serving Maid, Directly to the Party Members: "You fellows look like a stout lot, but stay away from the Hermit in the Northlands, you hear? He's stark-raving mad, living up there with a Mountain Lion! Can you believe it? Only a lunatic would keep a big cat like that as a pet!"

The meal is actually quite good, since it is prepared by a skilled cook, from fresh ingredients, with high-quality spices. Such culinary delights are uncommon in an outpost like this, therefore, the party is very appreciative, and leaves nothing on their plates, which in this region, is considered a high compliment.

MacConnell · Mar 27, 2019

Tellerian Hawke said:
GM: ... the stable boy explains that animals are fed, watered, and have their waste collected on a daily basis, free of charge. He says that if we want the camel groomed, a fee of 2 silver will be assessed. He also says that saddles and saddle bags, and other gear that is left on the camel, will be stored in a guarded building next door (#5, the warehouse) but he advises that only mundane equipment be stored there...

GM:

Sphynx removes all personal belongings from the camel, as well as anything of value.

DM said:
... Man #1: (Overheard by Tellerian, who shares what he heard) "...That Elf---what was his name? Jalal?---hasn't been seen in nearly two weeks. He left that one day, saying that he was going to take a shortcut to the Southeast, off the main road..."

Sphynx snorts. "There are no shortcuts through the desert."

DM said:
Woman #1: (Speaking a dialect of Ancient Baklunish, overheard by Nimbar, who shares what he heard) "...Ahmed, my son, I beg you not to go..."

"Hmm. I am not familiar with that language. Sounds like she needs to cut those apron strings."

Sphynx switches to Elven and speaks quietly. "This one over here may have done some traveling. He claims that 'Bree-Yark' is Goblin language for 'We Surrender.'" If that is not understood he will repeat it in the Common tongue.

Serving Maid said:
"You fellows look like a stout lot, but stay away from the Hermit in the Northlands, you hear? He's stark-raving mad, living up there with a Mountain Lion! Can you believe it? Only a lunatic would keep a big cat like that as a pet!"

Sphynx jerks his thumb in Hawke's direction, "Well, he looks stout. We other two... not so much, if at all."

Once the maid has departed he adds, "Sounds like a druid to me but may be a lunatic as well. I see no reason to bother someone who wants to be left alone."

Tellerian Hawke · Apr 3, 2019

Plans are being made!

Both Tellerian and Nimbar nod when Sphynx speaks in the Elven tongue, indicating their understanding. There is no need to switch to the Common tongue.

Tellerian scoffs, "Who the hell knows for sure? The language of Goblins is an awful, muddy, conglomeration of gibberish. Goblins speak like they fight; that is to say, very poorly."

In reference to the 'stout' comment, Nimbar says, "Yes, he's the stout one, I'm in pretty good shape, but I'm not the brute that he is. As for you, my boy, give it time. You're young yet."

Tellerian says, "According to the map I saw back at Sir Walter's, Southeast would put him in the fens. Nevertheless, you are correct. There are no shortcuts here, in a harsh region such as this, desert or no. Every direction is fraught with hardship and danger. He should have stuck to the road."

Nimbar nods, "Agreed. I also agree that we should forget about the hermit. Crazy or not, people that live in the wilds, and keep company with beasts, do so because they desire their privacy."

Nimbar pauses, and reaches into his belt pouch, to retrieve a small piece of paper.

Nimbar continues, "Sir Walter wouldn't let me take his fine, expensive map out of his tower, so I sketched a rough version of it on this parchment. It's not even close to being the correct scale, and it shows much less detail, but the general layout is sound, and the major landmarks are all correctly positioned. We are less than a half-day's march from these so-called 'Caves of Chaos,' so I say we cut to the chase, and head straight there to find the little cretins."

Tellerian chuckles, "So I guess this means that you're not afraid of the Eater of Men? Sounds pretty scary to me."

The sarcasm is readily evident in Tellerian's tone.

Nimbar retorts, "I've got a rapier he can chew on. I'll ram it down his bloody throat."

Tellerian nods, "So it's settled then? When should we leave? First light tomorrow?"

MacConnell · Apr 3, 2019

Tellerian Hawke said:
Tellerian nods, "So it's settled then? When should we leave? First light tomorrow?"

Sphynx places both hands on the table and rotates his wrists so that both palms show momentarily. He is unsure of where he learned the gesture, but he is sure of its meaning. "Sounds fine to me. I have had quite a bit a walking of late. I would like to turn in at an early watch." (Watch is an archaic term for time at night, while hour refers to time during the day.)

Tellerian Hawke · Apr 8, 2019

DM Prep Notes

GM:

If you look back at the wilderness map, you can reach the area of the caves simply by taking the main road, for a distance of 48 squares. Then you will have to march 2.5 squares to the west, before reaching the caves. According to the module, 3 squares an hour is the normal walking rate, 2 squares per hour in the forest, or 1 square per hour in the fens. If the party is mounted, these rates can be doubled. That will mean buying two more animals, either camels or ponies. Otherwise, walking that distance will take 16 hours on the road, and then another 1.5 hours through the forest. So if the party walks, and starts at 5 am, they will reach the caves at 10:30 pm. That's without taking any breaks. If the party is mounted, they could spend 8 hours on the road, then walk their animals through the forest, for a total of 9.5 hours, which puts the party at the caves at about 2:30 pm. Given that most Humanoids are nocturnal, being mounted would provide the party a significant advantage, because of their daytime arrival, as opposed to walking, which would result in a night-time arrival.

You are unlikely to have any encounters on the road, until you get very close to the caves. (Within 10 squares.) Once in the forest, the chance for encounters increases significantly.

Tellerian and Nimbar also choose to turn in early. After the meal, the only further delay is a quick trip to the two provisioning shops, and back to the stables to inquire as to the prices of camels and ponies. Tellerian and Nimbar decide to go ahead and buy two camels, along with a few additional items of equipment.

GM:

2 Camels @ 75 gp. each = 150 gp. (Paid by Nimbar)
2 Bits / Bridles / Exotic Saddles: 64 gp.
4 saddle bags (2 for each camel): 16 gp.
Various provisions (listed on Tellerian's sheet) = 70 gp.
9 Days of Trail Rations (Dried Fruit, Nuts, Jerky, and Bread) 3 days per person = 5 gp.
Total Paid By Hawke: 64+16+70 = 155 gp.
Rations are stored in the saddle bags for each camel; each person's camel has 3 days worth of food.
3 full waterskins (1 for each camel) = figured in with cost of Various Provisions (above.)
Amounts have been deducted from both sheets.

Tellerian Hawke · Apr 11, 2019

You have arrived!

GM:

The road, being elevated, clear, and heavily patrolled, offers no encounters of note for most of the day's travel. The party reaches the point where a visible trail, obviously cut by previous exploration, leads off to the west. The party dismounts, and begins to walk their mounts through the forest, following the narrow trail.

GM:

After about 90 minutes of slow travel along the narrow, winding path, the trail ends suddenly in a large clearing; you step out of the thicket into a ravine-like area. The walls rise rather steeply to either side to a height of a hundred feet or so -- dark streaked rock mingled with earth. Clumps of trees grow here and there, both on the floor of the ravine, and up the sloping walls of the canyon. The opening you stand in is about 200' wide. The ravine runs at least 400' west, to where the western end rises in a steep slope. Here and there, at varying heights on all sides of the ravine, you can see the black mouths of cave-like openings in the rock walls. The sunlight is dim, the air dank. There is an oppressive feeling here -- as if something evil is watching, and waiting to pounce upon you. There are bare, dead trees here and there, and upon one, a vulture perches and gazes hungrily at you. A flock of ravens rise croaking from the ground, the beat of their wings and their cries magnified by the terrain to sound loud and horrible. Amongst the litter of rubble, boulders, and deadwood scattered about on the ravine floor, you can see bits of gleaming ivory and white -- closer inspection reveals that these are bones and skulls of men, animals, and other things... You know that you have definitely discovered the Caves of Chaos!

Cave openings are numbered in red. Lowest caves (1, 4, 5, & 7) are all at 25 ft. elevation. There are a series of switchback ledges that lead up to the various caves, which look narrow and treacherous, and which would become quickly crowded in a melee situation.

Tellerian says, "It looks quiet. I don't see anyone moving around near any of the caves, although some of them are hard to see clearly with all the foiliage. We do need to keep in mind, that just because most of these creatures are nocturnal, doesn't mean that they don't do things during the day. In the same way that we have night watches, they probably have guards set for daytime hours. Also, depending on what they're up to, they might be awake regardless. We shouldn't make any assumptions. We should enter the caves ready for ANYTHING, at ANY TIME. We also lack a healer, unless you know something of the art," indicating Sphynx with a forward nod.

Nimbar nods in agreement, "Aye. We need to be careful, then. Which cave do you think we should start with?"

SPHYNX: What do you do?

MacConnell · Apr 12, 2019

Tellerian Hawke said:
Tellerian says, "...We also lack a healer, unless you know something of the art," indicating Sphynx with a forward nod.

Sphynx smiles, makes a taught gesture of engagement with his left hand, and responds. "I do, in fact, have some talent in that regard. It is due to my natural attuning for nature rather than any formal medical background. I have found that my holistic approach fares as well as the traditional."

GM said:
Nimbar nods in agreement, "Aye. We need to be careful, then. Which cave do you think we should start with?"

"I think we should be systematic about it. Like the big man, there, I get the creepy feeling that we are being watched. I would like to skirt the edge of this hidden ravine moving either left to right or right to left. When we enter one of these caves, we will necessarily have to leave our camels outside. Sadly, we may be walking back on our own."

He scans the area looking for specific hidden dangers or sentries.[sblock=d20]= 16[/sblock]

Tellerian Hawke · Apr 12, 2019

GM:

Spot check = 16+8 = 24. Success!

Sphynx, while the party is still at the edge of the thicket (and effectively hidden) you carefully scan the ravine, and you happen to catch something. Out of cave entrance number four, you see a line of urine splattering onto the outer ledge of the switchback. Although you can't see the creature making it, you can guess by the relative height of the stream in relation to the ground that something perhaps Goblin- or Kobold-sized is making it. Clearly, this is a humanoid guard relieving himself while trying to remain hidden. If you had not been so still, and so keen of eye, you'd have missed it. Nevertheless, your discovery is that Cave #4 is definitely guarded by at least one creature.

MacConnell · Apr 13, 2019

Sphynx nudges Hawke and makes a gesture of quiet, then points. He very quietly conveys, "Looks like our first direction is chosen for us. I saw a sentry relieving himself, while trying to remain hidden, by the entrance of that cave there to our left, short sentry. I am thinking goblin or kobold."

GREYHAWK CY 576: GREAT LEGENDS RETOLD -- CAMPAIGN THREAD

MacConnell

Creator of The Untamed Wilds

Tellerian Hawke

Defender of Oerth

MacConnell

Creator of The Untamed Wilds

Tellerian Hawke

Defender of Oerth

MacConnell

Creator of The Untamed Wilds

Tellerian Hawke

Defender of Oerth

Tellerian Hawke

Defender of Oerth

MacConnell

Creator of The Untamed Wilds

Tellerian Hawke

Defender of Oerth

MacConnell

Creator of The Untamed Wilds

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