[Pathfinder] The Fog of War

[Mark Chance]

OOC: Everyone: Mea culpa on the hold up. Last week, life kicked me in the head. The state of Texas changed certification requirements for teachers recently. Suddenly, I'm not only not qualified for my current position, but I've also been terminated from my current position in another week. Consequently, I've been running around, taking necessary steps to secure employment elsewhere, et cetera.

I'm going to try to get back into game mode this afternoon/evening.

 

[Mark Chance]

OOC: Let's get this show on the road!

Joseph shows the heroes how to use pistols. The basic operation is simple enough.

"The trick," Joseph says, "is hitting your target. The bullet moves fast. Real fast. But you've still got to lead a moving target a bit, and the accuracy falls with range rather quickly. A rifle shoot farther and packs more of a punch, but it's also a lot harder to conceal."

Each party member is given a loaded pistol and two extra clips of ammunition. Joseph also goes over the basics of maintenance, how to keep the pistol clean and its parts lubricated.

"They heat up fast with use, and friction will cause the moving parts to jam. A misfire can be dangerous. A bullet can explode in the chamber if it's too hot. It's not common, but...."

He shows everyone how to clear a jam.

The frightened community does their best to welcome what, to them, are truly alien visitors. Joseph's confidence allays many suspicions. When Tevye appears around dinner time with his hair cut short and beard shaved off, nearly everyone seems to forget the party entirely. There's a brief argument about the impropriety of Tevye risking his life, but Tevye is unmoved. The weight of his moral authority cannot be overlooked.

After dinner, everyone settles down quickly. By the time the sun has set, the fires are out. A tense hush settles over the camp. The adventurers are made as comfortable as possible.

"Sleep well," Joseph says. "Who knows when you'll get another chance?"

In the morning, the community assembles to see the party and Tevye off. Tevye is wearing a wrinkled uniform.

"I might be able to pass as a Polish officer," he says. "If not, they'd shoot me anyway."

Packs of food are distributed. Tevye pronounces blessings on several people. Almost everyone is weeping.

"Take care of people while I'm gone, Joseph," Tevye says. "The Lord willing, I shall return. Now, come my friends. We've got a long walk ahead of us. I know a farmer who will loan us a wagon, assuming it hasn't already been requisitioned. We can then ride most of the way to Krakow."

 

[Andor]

Sam triple checks the alien weapon on his belt and turns to Tevye. "Do you have no stores of old food I can restore? I hate to see a community is such need and not do anything to help. It's a minor spell, I can cast it as many times as needed."

 

[Shayuri]

"You could probably find it without even asking," Mellisande informs Sam, tugging on his belt. "Just follow your nose. Anywhere they keep nasty old food would get all smelly."

Then she skips ahead a few steps. "Now lets get the wagon! HAY RIDE!" She charges ahead gleefully...only to have to come back and ask Tevye which way. Then she charges off gleefully in that direction.

 

[ghostcat]

Piedra starts the pistol lessons with eager anticipation. However, as the lesson goes on and Joesph starts explaining the drawbacks, he becomes less and less keen. By the end of the lesson, Piedra is determine to stick with his crossbow whenever possible. Its silent and doesn't blow your hand off if it goes wrong.

Piedra settles down to sleep along with everyone else. However, he does not quite trust the community and therefore sleeps very lightly, waking at the slightest noise.

In the morning he thanks Joseph for all of his help and follows Tevye and the others as they walk off down the road. Piedra carries his crossbow, loaded but not cocked.

 

[Mark Chance]

Sam triple checks the alien weapon on his belt and turns to Tevye. "Do you have no stores of old food I can restore? I hate to see a community is such need and not do anything to help. It's a minor spell, I can cast it as many times as needed."

Tevye nods. "We have a bushel of potatoes that are going bad. Mold. If you can 'restore' them, it would be a great relief."

 

[Andor]

Tevye nods. "We have a bushel of potatoes that are going bad. Mold. If you can 'restore' them, it would be a great relief."

Sam nods eagerly, clearly relieved at the chance to do something to alleviate the suffering of these people.

OOC: During his morning prayer Sam swapped out "Create Water" for "Purify Food/Drink" and will happily purify anything the refugees can bring him. Once done he quickly joins the rest of the group in the wagon for the trip to Krakow.

 

[Shayuri]

Perhaps it's fortunate Mellisande seems to like playing in the hay so much, since it means she's rarely in view of other people...and if so, not for long enough to register as anything stranger than a rambunctious child. It also tuckers her out fairly quick, prompting the young gnomelet to curl into a sleeping ball of cute after only four or five hours of noise and messing around with straw.

 

[Mark Chance]

OOC: I miscommunicated earlier. The group doesn't have the wagon yet. The first stage of the trip to Krakow is getting the wagon.

The refugees are duly impressed by Sam's restoration of their potatoes. The word "miracle" is whispered more than a few times. Tevye grins hugely and claps Sam on the back. One older woman brushes gnarled fingers against Sam's cheek, tears shining in her eyes.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you," she says.

An hour later, the group is trudging through the forest. An unseasonably warm day is causing the snow and ice to melt, turning the frozen ground into icy mud.

"We're almost to Andrew's farm. He's on the outskirts of the village, so there's little chance of us being spotted. Krakow lies in that direction, so we need not pass through the village either."

Some time later, the land grows less hilly. The trees become more sparse. A chill breeze picks up. The scents of moist earth and decaying vegetation drift on the wind. Then, almost as if it were a solid thing, the stench of rotting flesh assaults everyone's senses.

Ahead winds a narrow road, and farther down the road is a simple farmhouse, a barn, and a pen.

"Oh, dear Lord, no," Tevye says.

Tied to the pen's fence can clearly be seen five bodies, arms outstretched, heads slumped.

"Not Andrew," Tevye says, and he makes to run toward the farm.

 

[ghostcat]

"RAV STOP" Piedra says in what can only be described as a loud whisper. "They may still be around. You stay here with Sam while Jon, Mellisande and I scout around to make sure the coast is clear. Are you two coming?

Without waiting for answer, Piedra start to stealthily move round the farm so he can see what is around the other side. Depending on how far are we from the farm, Piedra will either stay at the same distance or move to within crossbow range (80'). Unless he sees anything, he will keep going until he is back with Tevye and Sam.

[sblock="Mechanics"]Stealth (1d20+6=17)[/sblock]