AtG Howling Crag (5e PBP) IC

[TaranTheWanderer]

Spoiler: Donnell - Mini-sheet

Donnel Race: Human HP: 86/86 (9/9 THP) AC: 18/20(with shield)	Pass Perc:15 Pass Inv: 14 Pass Ins: 15 Initiative: +3	Spell Save DC: 15/+7 Spell Slots: 1st[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] 2nd [] []
Channel Divinity: 2/2	Lay on Hands: 30	Echthigern: HP: 25/25
Spoiler: Stats(saves) STR: 13+1(+4) DEX: 16+3(+10) CON: 14+2(+5) INT: 10+0(+7) WIS: 12+1(+4) CHA:16 +3(+6) *saves include aura	Spoiler: Skills Athletics+5 History: 4 Insight: 5 Intimidate: 7 Investigate: 4 Perception: 5 Persuasion 11 Religion: 4 Stealth: 11 Survival: 5	Spoiler: Spells Daily: Divine Smite 1/1 Find Steed: 1/1 Memorized spells 1st : Shield of Faith*, Prot. frm Evil* Cure wounds, Bless, Divine Favor, Divine Smite Heroism 2nd: Aid*, Zone of Truth*, Protection from Poison, Shining Smite

---

"Our mission is to find out why giants are attacking and use the best strategy to stop it, right? We can't do that without intelligence so, I'm not willing to go to the main gate until we have more information. Especially since we've already been warned away.

"I like your plan, Kharu, although I'd worry about splitting up but nobody can match your ability to get close and blend in.

"Gimlak, how close do we have to be to use your divinations? I'm thinking it would be nice to camp close enough to spy things out from a distance but not close enough to raise an alarm. While we spend the night divining, Kharu, can you scout for a back door?

"So, move closer today, reconnaissance overnight, regroup in the morning then act on the information we have.

"What do you think?"

 

[Steve Gorak]

OOC: Sorry guys, I thought I posted yesterday from my cell but it seems it didn't go through

Gimlak answers laconically. "I need to be within 1 mile. And I agree that we need to gather information. I recommend we approach the gate together, if that is what we choose to do: If the giant's scouts know how many we are, they will be suspicious if not all of us come at the gate"

 

[FitzTheRuke]

They had one more day to make up their minds, so the group set off at first light. Visibility was terrible, with cold damp mists surrounding all surfaces. It would mask their approach, but it would also make travel slow and potentially hazardous. They left the old dwarf road at midday, and moved upward, a long zig-zagging climb above the treeline to a rambling ridge, where they found themselves above the mists. The view was beautiful, but they felt terribly exposed.

OOC: Okay, let's see how this goes. Everyone give me two checks each from among these skills: Athletics, Perception, Stealth, & Survival. And perhaps someone could throw in Animal Handling (for the horses).

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

OOC: Can someone who makes a survival check benefit advantage from the maps? stealth: 1D20+11 = [20]+11 = 31 Athletics: 1D20+5 = [15]+5 = 20 Despite having a horse, I suck at animal handling but, since it was my idea to bring them, maybe I'll make the roll: Animal Handling: 1D20+1 = [9]+1 = 10 PS: cool art

 

[Kobold Stew]

OOC: Athletics: 1d20+5=15. Survival: 1d20+2=8. (untrained).

The discussion about splitting up had not seemed wise to the Colonel, and he was grateful when Donnell's words echoed that thought. If there was to be reconnaissance, he firmly believed that single handedly he could get the group (if not the hoses) over any pallisade or barrier they might encounter; and at the same time, he believed that if called upon he would be a natural person to lead the negotiations with the giants, even if they already knew that they would prove unsuccessful. Why they would be unsuccessful -- what had caused the insisten, almost panickly response through the Sending Stones -- was still a mystery, and one that he intended to see resolved before this trek was through.

The stopped to refill flasks a small brook, and the taste of the fresh water was welcome to the old salt.

The Colonel was grateful to be moving, though admittedly he had not slept well the previous night. Life in the castle was making him soft, he told himself, though he knew that wasn't the truth of the matter. He was getting old, and the ache in his knee that he felt with every step didn't slow him down, but he knew it demonstrated weakness -- a weakness the ememy could exploit, but also a sign of his body betraying him, slowly but surely.

By the time he reached the crest, though, standing above the clouds, he was in his element - literally. a steady march and the loping gait of a band on the move. Getting to the castle was at least going to be pleasant. Of that he was sure...

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

OOC: So sorry. It's ... ugh. Stealth, Perception: 1D20+11 = [8]+11 = 19 1D20+10 = [4]+10 = 14 Past Life(Per): 1D6 = [4] = 4 Stealth= 19 Perception= 18

 

[Tonguez]

Kahru nodded as the others extended on the plan, they would survey the Howling Crag, gaining better insight before making an approach. While the party would stick together, the Barbarians sense of space might be more expansive than the others and he was soon once more transformed and, on the wing, soaring to a high cliff and watching as the others climbed the zigzag path of the dwarf road as he negotiated the equally tricky current and flow of the mountain winds...

OOC: Skill Rolls : 1D20+7 = [13]+7 = 20 and 1D20+7 = [17]+7 = 24 So I have Athletics, Perception, Stealth, Survival and Animal Handling all at +7, So while I should probably roll Athletics and Perception for Kahru the Hawk, I'm willing to fill the gap for any missing checks if needed actually seeing as Donnell only got 10 I'll roll Animal Handling pre-emptively for if I need to swoop in and help on the next round Animal Handling: 1D20+7 = [15]+7 = 22

 

[Steve Gorak]

Gimlak was more used to matters of the mind. He welcomed the physical challenge that came with this trek, altough he was definitely out of his element.

OOC: So Gimlak's best mod here is a +2 on stealth, and all the other checks are are +0. Here are a Stealth and Perception check Stealth: =21, Perception:7

 

[FitzTheRuke]

As the sun began to drop behind the mountains to the west, the group stopped for a moment to consult their map and to choose a good spot to camp. Their best option would be one within a mile of the Crag, so that Gimlak could do his psychic scouting. Kahru, having flown ahead, located two possible spots:

One was to the south-west of the Crag, a with a large gorge in-between. It was a rocky overhang, with its open-side facing away from the Crag. It was hidden from the air (Kahru had only discovered it by swooping low, hoping to find something like it). Its biggest draw-back was that it would be at least five hours to reach the Crag on the following day, travelling around the gorge.

The other was to the south-east of the Crag. It was not far off the wide trail that led up to the main gates. While it was only a mile away, it would take two hours to reach them in the morning. It was concealed from the road by a ridge of rock, and consisted of a ditch with several avalanche stones that would provide cover from the sky, though not quite as well as the other overhang.

Both would take them well into the night to reach, with the second about an hour's travel further than the first.

As they were consulting the map on the best route to each, and discussing which to choose, Kahru, who was circling overhead, spotted the eagle-rider rising out of the mists. He cried out a previously-agreed upon "take cover from the sky" hawk-call. Gimlak did not even know what he was running from (though he could guess) when he dove out of sight under a rock.

Doc lay his horse down in some mountain-grasses that were of a similar color and hunkered down beside it, camouflaged from the sky. But Donnell and the Colonel struggled to get the other horses to cover. The pack-horse, in particular reared in terror, as if it somehow sensed the giant eagle, who were known to prey on horses. Kahru was forced to land and return to human form, and the three of them were able to get the horses hidden among some rocks as the eagle flew overhead.

From his position, concealed but in the open, Doc was able to see the rider, a female stone giant, as she craned her neck to look around. It was impossible to say if she had seen them or not, but she flew past and then circled eastward, disappearing into a cloud.

OOC: Please let me know which camp you'd prefer!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

OOC: double-post strangeness. I'll use it for a picture! She's showing more leg than I imagine, and I don't think it is a bald eagle, but this one will do: