Adventure: Lord Byron’s Economic Woes (DM: Tenchuu, Judge: H.M.Gimlord)

[renau1g]

With Hergunna - "He is powerful, very strong. I am honoured he accepts me. Next time I stay and let him have the fresh meat, it is only fair for the pack leader" the bugbear says, staring at the departing wolf. "Oh, don't worry about bodies, I take care of before we leave." he says cryptically.

Back to camp -

"Hmmm, ok yes, so the mine is a big scary place now? Stanng your friend is in there? Maybe he is still ok? Maybe they are torturing him. Maybe he dead. No matter what we should check, if he's alive, we save him, if he's dead, we crush whoever did it. Sound good my friends?" Kane says calmly as if the crushing of creatures was as natural as chopping firewood.

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=ooc]I think I'm a little confused with all the temporal switching at the moment... So there are currently three time periods advancing simultaneously: before camp, during camp, and after camp. "Before camp" was after battle cleaning up. "During camp" questions were asked to the NPCs. "After camp" is effectively when my character showed up - is that right? Is that effectively "the next morning" or is that late that night? Either way, I'm guessing that's a "post-extended-rest" game point, correct? Just wanted to make sure so I wasn't asking follow-up questions to conversations that happened a few hours before I got there. (Also, I noticed the "soup" that we all keep talking about switched from "during" to "after" at some point as well.)

Also: so I take it we, as a group, are now deciding whether to explore the mines first or the "other side of the mountain" first? (Or are there more options?) Since my character just arrived I'm fine with whatever the consensus may be.[/sblock]

 

[rastl74]

Stanng circled the camp after the battle, making sure all was finally calm and quite. He settled in to look through the spoils, paying special attention to his new blade. It hummed with power and he smiled as he ran his finger along its edge. It was a beautiful piece of remarkable craftsmanship. With this, my friends I'll find you... and avenge you if need be.....

He went to sleep, if one could call it that, for several hours. He was troubled that he rested while his friends were still lost. He knew though, that if he pressed on he would fall to the possibly greater numbers of the enemy. A few more hours his friends would have to wait for freedom. A few more hours would be all they would have to wait, if they could hold on that long....

When he awoke, there was some stirring in the camp, but he payed it no mind. He had business to attend to. He took some rags from the building and wiped the kobold's blood from his shield and scabbard. He washed his face and hair in the horse trough. He meditated and prayed that Maros would bring him strength in the day to come and that Glory be won this day.

Stepping toward one side of the camp, he looked toward the direction of the mine. He held his shield at his side and let the wind blow through his hair. He smelled an unfamiliar scent in the air and turned to notice the others talking to someone new and Tessa had left them. He walked over and eyed the man as he quickly drank a bowl of the soup Kane had likely prepared. Nodding at Kane acknowledging the thanks for his efforts in cooking the soup.

Mervin, is it? I'd love to continue with the pleasantries, but there are others who need our help. We've little time to waste with talk and such. I take it you'll be traveling with us in Tessa's stead. You can explain yourself on the way. James, and Michael, you'll stay here and hold the fort until we return no doubt. Stanng takes his old sword and one he'd taken off the body of the kobold and gives one to each man. We'll be back as soon as we can, try not to make it look like you are here and hide if necessary.

Turning to the others, he expressed his need for suggestions: Kane, Wil, Hergunna... How do you suggest we proceed? Should we make a quick search of the mine and secure it before moving to the other side of the island. What say you?

OOC: I'll have my sheet leveled up shortly.

Back to camp -
"Hmmm, ok yes, so the mine is a big scary place now? Stanng your friend is in there? Maybe he is still ok? Maybe they are torturing him. Maybe he dead. No matter what we should check, if he's alive, we save him, if he's dead, we crush whoever did it. Sound good my friends?" Kane says calmly as if the crushing of creatures was as natural as chopping firewood.

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]I wouldn't sweat the timelines too much, it's hard in this format sometimes... I do take it that you arrived after our rest, in the morning. Also I think there was just a whole lot of soup. [/sblock]

Hergunna introduces herself to Mervin. "Hergunna. From Surtyr, on Ea. I'm a druid, but I don't appreciate jokes about 'nature children', so keep those to yourself." She gives the wizard an appraising glance, then a nod. "That girl wizard was nice, and not bad as a fighter, but I'm happy to have someone with a little more experience behind him on our team."

[sblock=Description]Hergunna is middle aged, fat, very light skinned with full pink cheeks. Her dark hair, streaked with white, is bound into a long braid with leather cords. Another leather thong around her neck holds a large polished fang, carved with symbols and pierced by bronze rings. Wolves' teeth and amber stones hang from the rings. She is wrapped in thick hides that look like they originally belonged to a great brown bear. She wears sturdy, practical boots. [/sblock]
After hearing Mervin nattering on, she shakes her head and mutters something under her breath. But she seems to appreciate it when he magically cleans up the plates. "Nice trick."

"So," Hergunna addresses the group. "There was an 'accident' in the mines, they stopped mining, and then later they brought an adventurer down there, eh? I wonder if the 'accident' had legs and claws and teeth and whatnot. Maybe they thought the adventurer could fight it. Or they just wanted to feed it. Who knows?" She shrugs.

When Stanng asks about the next course of action, Hergunna says, "I guess we'll have to go around the other side of the mountain too eventually. We could learn more there about what's down in the mines... But since the mine entrance is right here, I figure we might as well go there first. Your friend's situation down there might be more urgent too. I just have a feeling."

[sblock=ooc]Hergunna level 2 sheet is done and submitted.[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

"Oh yeah. Before we head out, I have enough herbs left for one casting of the camouflage ritual. Do you think we should use it now, or perhaps wait for the trip around the mountain? Remember, it only helps when you're travelling, not fighting. It does last almost half a day..."

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=ooc]No problem; so I guess we're all caught up to "now" then? Also, rastl74: I guess one of us should switch colors? I can go to purple.[/sblock]

"Hi, how are you do- well ok then!" Mervin says as Stanng prepares to leave. "So, we're ready to go then?" Mervin stands and claps his hands twice; the small campfire extinguishes. Another few waves of his hands and the camp itself begins to clean itself up: logs are dispersed, the ashes are wiped away. "Give that another hour and it shouldn't look like a group of folks slept here overnight. Of course, it may look like a group of folks cleaned the whole area, but there you go... Anyway, so I heard a suggestion to head to some mines? That the plan?"

 

[johnmeier1]

I think Hergunna that your ritual would be appreciated, I may have some additional components if you run out. Wil looks in his pack for a moment. Well, certainly I can purchase some back in Daunton. I say that we move into the caves carefully, I would rather Kane and Stanng took to the fore, while Mervin stays beside me as we follow. Hergunna should join us in the rear.

[sblock=OOC] That ritual is worth it, since we are actually pretty good at sneaking (some of us) it could come in useful later in the day.

Actually, I have purple evilbob You could do green?

I can also do a Traveler's Chant for free today to increase our travel speed. It's better than doing nothing
[/sblock]

 

[evilbob]

"I think your instinct to save the traveler's camouflage ritual until we are traveling through the woods is a good one, miss. Not sure how much good it would do someone like me - I tend to stick out like a sore thumb regardless... But I'd be happy to help you cast it when it is used, however. ...Well, unless 'helping' also required me to suddenly travel a thousand miles away and get even more hopelessly stuck in the middle of nowhere." Mervin rolls his eyes.

As he starts to leave, suddenly Mervin stops in his tracks; he looks thoughtful, then a bit worried. He turns around with the best fake smile he can muster. "Wait - miss, what was it? Henna-something? You said you were from Ea? Ah, um - well, this may seem like an odd sort of question, but uh: do I already know you?"

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=occ]Aw crap! Sorry! Ok, green it is!


Also, a note about Mervin: he loves to use cantrips. His usage of them is pretty excessive. In particular, he tends to cast light on something and then re-cast every 5 minutes when it expires. In fact, if this is ok with the DM, he will continue to cast light unless otherwise specified or he is unable.

His favorite place to cast light is on whoever is leading the marching order (with their permission, of course). This is so they have the most light with which to see, and also in case they are suddenly separated from the party - pit trap, falling wall, etc. - they at least have a light source for a moment to see who or what they are stuck with.

I am guessing, like johnmeier1, the paladin would be at the front of the group? Would Stanng want a light spell cast on him? Or Kane? Or neither?[/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

"Ok, yes, we go to the mine's first, save our new friend's old friend and then we go check out new part of island. If your magicks make Kane even sneakier than yes that is good." the bugbear says, tiptoeing around, mimicking sneaking, and actually showing surprising stealth for a large creature.

[sblock=ooc]
Kane would not prefer the light spell on him, he does have a decent stealth score (+6) and with Hergunna's spell it bumps up a decent amount. I'm thinking that Hergunna could save her spell as going underground we'll need a light source and it'll be hard for Kane to be more than 5 squares from Stanng as he'd likely just get himself in even more trouble [/sblock]