[Adventure] Marna is Missing (DM: pacdidj, Judge: renau1g)

Bann-ur follows Jezebel up the muddy slope as she walks over to inspect the armor fragment. The cowl proves to be in similar rotten condition and sports several large holes that are almost certainly tooth marks. Glancing around and seeing no immediate threat, Jezebel surveys the marshy pool. Some sort of woody blockage just above the falls appears to be the cause of the water backup here. Cattails and small mangroves grow thick in the calm water around the pool's edge. The surface of the water is still and calm. As are its surroundings, save for the faint chirping of some tree frogs in the distance.

Two points of color catch Jezebel's eye: the red plume of a Dauntonian-style helmet (at C13), and what appears to be the tattered remnants of a Dauntonian military cape snagged in the buses a little further on (at -B7). On the far side of the pond there is a small rocky outcropping that overshadows the mouth of a small cave right at water level, and some sort of lumpy object floating right in front of the cave's mouth that she can't quite make out.

[sblock=tracking]PCs:
Alnar - 15/26 HP; can't use Draco till end of next rest
Bann-ur - 23/35 HP
Ferris - 16/24 HP
Jezebel - 19/31 HP[/sblock]

OOC: A couple more terrain notes. Any square with cattails is lightly obscured and grants concealment. The small mangrove bushes are difficult terrain, and grant cover and total concealment to anything standing in or behind them. Also, being beneath the surface of the water grants total concealment and superior cover against anything above the surface, but not vice-versa.

Ferris follows Jezebel and Bann-Ur up the slope trying to look everywhere at once. His eyes narrow on spotting the cave mouth across the pond. Looking at the blockage in the water, he ponders whether or not it is natural.

"I don't like the looks of this..."

Ferris readies his javelin for a quick throw.

"I could a bit of a breather to collect my wits and marshal my strength... " Ferris seems embarassed to admit this.

[sblock=tactics] We really need a short rest before taking anything else on... this looks as good a spot as any. [/sblock]


[sblock=Stat block/Actions][sblock=Actions]Start=

Minor= Perception check=19

Move= Move to I10

Standard= Ready action to throw javelin at first apparent threat.

End=
[/sblock]Ferris Cacamoujai, Cleric of Dayna 1- Male Longtooth Shifter, Cleric of Dayna 1
Conditions: none
Passive Perception: 14, Passive Insight: 19, Init: +2
AC: 17, Fort: 14, Reflex: 13, Will: 16 -- Speed: 5
HP: 16/24, Bloodied: 12, Surge Value: 6, Surges left: 6/8
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: used, Milestones:
Basic Atk: Battleaxe +6 vs AC, 1d10+4 dmg (Crit = 14 dmg)
Ranged Basic Atk: Javelin +4 vs AC, 1d6+4 dmg, Range 10/20 (2/2)
Powers-
Righteous Brand, Invigorating Assualt
Healing Word Used:1, Longtooth Shifting, Healing Strike, Healer's Mercy OR Divine Fortune
Weapon of Astral Flame
Combat notes:
-Only use 1 Channel Divinity per encounter. Can use Healing Word 2x per encounter[/sblock]

Unlike the crowding of the mangrove trees that has constrained the party's movements, Ferris thinks the dam above the falls looks to be a natural creation.

[sblock=Nature 15]In addition to beavers, certain reptiles including aquatic turtles and crocodiles have been known to build such dams.[/sblock]

Squinting at the cave mouth, Ferris spots the glint of several small pairs of eyes reflecting the dim, post-sunset light, staring out at your party.

OOC: Just want to be clear that taking a short rest here will run the risk of a random encounter with local fauna.

Nature=27

"Be careful... that dam may be a sign of crocodiles... and... there is somethin' looking back at us from that cave."

[sblock=tactics] A short rest may mean a random encounter... but the question is, are we heading into another encounter? Are we gonna check out this area or try and find a way to safer ground? [/sblock]

Oh great something else to chew on us. Alnar says looking at the cave. I vote we find another cave, or something. Better the cave than being eaten by another vampire mosquito though.

[sblock=ooc]
I'll take the cave over sleeping in the wild, unless there are better options available nearby.[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]This is off-topic, but it's been a long time since we've heard from Phoenix, and a much longer time since we've heard from Bobode or Atriden. I'm thinking at this point that I'm going to write them all out permanently unless I hear from them within a week or so.

Sooo... this probably means the need to recruit new folks out of the tavern. Thoughts on preferred roles, and how best to bring in new folks?[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc] Is this a common attrition rate for PbP's? This is my first. Must be annoying as a GM... I know when I have players that fail to show in my RL games I get pretty PO'ed. As far as roles go, I would suggest a Defender (I believe Jez once said she was more of a Striker) and a Controller or a Striker. [/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]
I believe Jezebel is Controller-ish with her whip ability, I have AOE as well so I double as a controller.

Honestly we could use anyone. We have all the basics covered (besides a pure controller). We don't have a stealthy character. Having a seconadary healer would be nice too, just in case Ferris gets attacked by vines again

Botj could sense that we need help and go to the tavern again. Or Draco could fly over there with a note or something "Whats that Dragon, party fell down the well!?! Technically impossible rules wise, but still might be fun

How long has it been since we've heard from Phoenix? Couple weeks?
[/sblock]

"We just need a few minutes to tend to our wounds. Let's backtrack a few hundred feet and then come back here; the path behind us should still be safe enough."

[sblock=rest]Go forward and probably run into a random encounter, or stay where we are and have a random encounter. We don't need a full 8 hours of sleep; we just need 5 minutes. So my vote is going backwards for a few minutes.[/sblock][sblock=recruiting]PbP games in general have a high attrition rate, but games on the living forum are usually much better than this. Still, it happens.

Jezebel is the anti-striker. She's more of a defender / controller, and I only took on the controller aspect because it makes her a better defender ("don't bother attacking anyone besides me because you'll miss and take damage if you do"). I like specialization in one role.

Perhaps the elders decided that this job is too important for the motley crew we have now, and they hired some more people while we were travelling to the last village? The new players could meet us at the gnome village. As for who we get, any role would be useful I think (but I'd prefer another striker at least).[/sblock]

OOC: So is everyone on board with Jezebel's suggestion, re: backtracking to a safer place to rest?

[sblock=recruitment]I can't really speak to attrition rates of PbP generally, but this does seem to be a higher attrition rate than the two living world games I'm currently playing in as a PC. This is my first PbP DM, and first 4E DM for that matter (just coming back to D&D after a long hiatus since my last 2E campaign in the late 90s), so I don't really have a basis for comparison. Hope those of you still here are having fun though! It's certainly been fun designing and running it thus far.

I think I will try to find 1 solid defender and 1 sneaky striker if possible. That ought to round out the party nicely.[/sblock]