BLACK CRATER

[Tom Cashel]

Traveling Lonely Lands

After but a few hours of southward travel over ridges and through shallow gullies, the wagons clattering over the rocks and the horses chuffing and neighing unhappily, you reach the dusty trail that winds through the Stonelands.

If you were to turn right, you'd be headed west, across the wastes. So you turn left, back toward the Black Crater (formerly known as Tilverton)...the nearest "safe destination."

A few hours after midnight, when Selune has sunk beneath the horizon and the night is as dark as a Zhentarim sky-steed, Dalabrac and Artemus hear the sounds of hooves, and the clanking and jingling of barding, on the road ahead.

"Who goes there?" calls a clear voice in Common, as lanterns are unshuttered. In the lights that they shine, you can see that it is a patrol of Purple Dragons...on horseback and bearing the Cormyrian royal crest.

Bear, they smell like a bunch of humans sweaty from riding the trail.

 

[Van Dyksun]

I'm going to stay out of sight, circle back to the caravan and tell Artemus, "They're humans. You talk with them--I might startle them."

 

[Mahiro Satsu]

Oh, GODS be praised! Masters, it is so good to see you! We have been in terrible straights. If only we'd strong men like you to help us! There were these orc, and they... they... it was terrible. Then this horrible man on a black steed in black armor, he...

Let me start from the begining. We were to escort these settlers to Silverymoon, and we were attacked. These are the survivors, those we could find. Oh, thank gods you found us.

If it looks like i need to start crying I will.

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

"Excuse me sir, my traveling companion is very distressed... as well he should be." I hand Dalabrac my wineskin filled with water. "We were on a mission given to us by Lord Ironcrest. We were escorting many settlers to the Silver Marches and our caravan was ransacked by cowardly brigands. Sadly most of the settlers have perished and we need a safe place to gather our strength. May we enter this area? We are in need of hospitality. I have worked with the Purple Dragons before, like in Arabel, and I know they are trustworthy and helpful."

I will roll a diplomacy skill check if you like.

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

My diplomacy skill check is a 27.

 

[Tom Cashel]

The captain of the patrol says, "For Torm's sake, halfling, get a hold of yourself. We saw the explosions from a distance and thought you might need some help. Since you've taken care of the threat, we'd be happy to escort you back to Tilverton, noble druid! Oh...your companions, too."

"Assuming we travel until dawn, it'll be eight more hours to reach the Black Crater."

"Uh....is that a bear?"

(Keith, if you e-mail me the roll you don't need to post it. Good roll, though!)

 

[Roman Gemmalee]

"Yes it is and his manners are as painful as his bite but trust that he means well."

"Kind sir, thank you for your hospitality, if the journey will take eight hours then let us start now." I introduce everyone in the company and we move our wagons into position to start down the trail to Tilverton.

 

[Van Dyksun]

"Best luck we've had on this trail so far..."

Urges the wagons on to make haste in our travels to Tilverton/Black Crater.

 

[Tom Cashel]

You travel for four hours, and the sun rises, revealing the barren Stonelands in all their blasted and barren glory.

At this point you must stop for about three hours: the horses need to be fed and watered, and have some time to recoup their strength for the final eight hours of the journey. The clerics and druids of the party take the opportunity to pray for magic.

"We found this map in the back of the wagon in which we were sleeping," says Quidam.

"We could always continue on to the Silver Marches by ourselves, if we choose...or else we may be able to decipher the writing on Faraugar's map.

 

[Van Dyksun]

Peers over Quidam's bald head at the map. "Hrmph. Now that's a map. That thing of wad's is a chickenscratch. If you really think that's writing on his map, though, maybe you could ask Tymora...oh, sorry...maybe you could give yourself the ability to comprehend languages. Van could do that kind of thing, but I'm a little afraid to try it. These claws don't have quite the same shape as fingers for all that intricate spell casting stuff."