GREYHAWK CY 576: GREAT LEGENDS RETOLD -- CAMPAIGN THREAD

[Tellerian Hawke]

Nimbar says, "Merchants, Nobles, and other people with money often buy mid-priced gems, of around 100 gold piece value, to carry around for money, instead of lugging around a bunch of coinage. Those sorts of gems, like pearls, garnets, bloodstones, and the like, have a consistent, but not common availability, so their value remains pretty stable, and they are readily accepted as pseudo-currency. I don't think anyone would bat an eye if we purchased three pearls. We just need to make sure we don't do anything flashy, like buying 10 or more at one time. THAT would attract attention, for the simple fact that people would realize that we're carrying a lot of wealth. What say the both of you? I propose we buy the pearls."

Hawke nods, "Agreed."

Sphynx: What is your take on the situation?

 

[MacConnell]

Sphynx flattens his lips and quickly shrugs his left shoulder, cocking his head slightly toward that shoulder but does not verbally respond.

He begins to walk off. "I'll be in the tavern."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Nimbar disagrees...

Nimbar snorts in disagreement, forcing Hawke to hand over 300 gold pieces from his haversack, before leaving the common room, and heading out into the street. Hawke smiles, as he calculates Nimbar's growing debt, and decides to join Sphynx in the tavern. ~I hope you know, I'm keeping track of all this borrowing. That's 474 gold you owe me! Alas, I think Sphynx has the right idea; who wants to sit around, chanting all day, when there's ale to be had?~

Hawke chuckles, "Wait up, Sphynx. I'll join you."

Whilest Hawke & Sphynx are enjoying some downtime, Nimbar is all business. He buys the three pearls, heads back to his room at the inn, and spends 8 hours resting, so that he can cast three Identify spells. He does so, and comes to the following conclusions:

GM: Results of Nimbar's Identify Spell: The six arrows turn out to be the real prize; they are moderately enchanted, and of exquisite craftsmanship, most likely Elvish in origin. Six +2 Arrows (Value: 160 gp. each., 960 gp. total) Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds (2d8+2) (300 gp. value) Scroll: Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1), and Hold Person (3rd Level Caster) (175 gp. value) The arrows and the scroll are of little use to the party; there isn't a bowman among you, and neither of the three of you is a Cleric. These items can be sold for a total of 849 gp. (75% value + 2 gp. seller's premium) at the local shop. [The shopkeeper keeps a modest margin (25%) for profit-making. This is excellent, considering that many shop-keeps employ a margin of 50%.] The actual value of the two items is 1,135 gp.) Nimbar sells the two items, and distributes the profits accordingly: Split three ways, each share of 849 would be 283 gp. But since Nimbar already owes Hawke money, he will give his share to Hawke. That means that: Sphynx gets 283 gp. Hawke gets 566 gp. Nimbar's debt has decreased from 474 gp., down to 191 gp.

When it's all said and done, the party's expenditure proves worthwhile.

Nimbar asks, "Who wants to carry the potion around? My instinct is to give it to Sphynx."

 

[MacConnell]

...
Nimbar asks, "Who wants to carry the potion around? My instinct is to give it to Sphynx."

Sphynx raises his eyebrows. "Well, I was not expecting anything to be made from that venture. Good on you. As for the potion, I can carry it. I'll store it in one these pockets. One in which it is not likely to get damaged."

At some point during the respite, Sphynx asked, "We did not find that ore you were seeking, When do you want head back out?"

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

GM: During the previous day, as Hawke and Sphynx were enjoying drinks and darts at the tavern, Sphynx noticed that Hawke was still pretty beat up and acting lethargic and fatigued; having the Heal skill, Sphynx reaches into his bag for some herbs, and mixes them into Hawke's ale when he isn't looking. After a few minutes, Hawke complains of being very sleepy, and says that he's going up to his room to crash. Sphynx simply smiles and nods, and continues to play darts and dominoes and drink his fill. Sphynx's Heal Skill: +5 DC For Long-Term Care: 15 Resting at the inn is not considered stressful, therefore, Sphynx can take 10 on his check, which means that he can succeed on the roll without even having to roll a die. (His result with "Take 10" is a 15, which meets the DC requirement.) Hawke's hit pts: 9 out of 31. (Down by 22 points.) Normal heal rate (3rd Level Char): 3 pts. per day. Healing rate while tended by practitioner of Heal skill, resting for 8 hours: x2. (6/Day) Healing rate while tended by practicioner of Heal skill, resting for 24 hours: x4. (12/Day) By the time Hawke sees Nimbar again, he has rested for 8 hours, and has healed 6 hit pts. Hawke's new hit point total: 15 out of 31. (Down by 16 points.)

Hawke says, "I'm still sore as the Nine Hells, and my shoulder is still tender from where the Ogre smacked me. I think it may be dislocated. Does anyone know how to reset a bone? I know how, but I can't do it to myself. If I could get my shoulder popped, and maybe get a day or two more rest, I'd be good as new."

GM: Hawke has the Heal skill; but you cannot perform "long term care" for yourself. It must be performed by someone else. Nimbar does not have the Heal skill, although Sphynx does. If Sphynx will agree to check on Hawke each day, and perform some "act of care" (e.g., helping him pop his shoulder back into socket, or giving him an herbal potion to drink, or wrapping his arm in a cast, etc.) then Hawke will be fully healed in 3 more days (resting only 8 hours a day) or a day and a half (resting in bed all day) or perhaps even sooner if healing spells are also used.

Nimbar winces, "Indeed, my friend. You look like death warmed over. Some more rest would certainly do you a lot of good."

 

[MacConnell]

Checking in on his new friend after his first period of rest, Sphynx exclaims, "Looks like you took a bit more damage than I first suspected. We need to hold off for a couple of days. I should be able to reset that shoulder for you. I also have a secret. I am a druid. I was born to druids, but circumstances have sent me down another road. Even without this potion Nimbar was able to identify, I can offer you some divine healing."

OOC: In addition to offering aid, Sphynx cast Cure Light Wounds. I do not remember if there is an option to maximize results when safe and at rest.

GM: No, there is no option to maximize unless you use the feat / memorize the spell with a higher level spell slot; HOWEVER, if you advise Hawke to get COMPLETE bed rest for 24 hours, he will regain 12 of the 16 hit pts. he needs; as for the spell, instead of rolling the d8, you ALWAYS have the option to take the average result (4.5, which rounds down to 4) which means that a spell that heals d8+1 would always heal 5 pts. if you take average every time. Taking average plus the bed rest would put Hawke at full hit pts.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

An Encounter on the Road!

GM: Campaign Start Date: Coldeven 14, CY 576; 1 week after Hawke's 24th birthday. Nimbar & Hawke meet up with Sir Walter at his tower just before sunset on Coldeven 15th. Sir Walter teleports them to the keep, where they meet up with Sphynx and invite him to join the group. Coldeven 16, CY 576: Party sets out from the keep at 5am. They ride for 7 hours, and walk their mounts for another 2.5 hours, arriving at the Caves of Chaos at about 2:30 in the afternoon. Their brief invasion of the first cave only takes about 30 minutes, during which time a large group of Goblins is routed. Hawke is seriously injured when the party encounters an Ogre, so the partydecides to return to the keep to re-group. The party gets back to the keep at about 12:30 am, and turn in immediately. Coldeven 17, CY 576: Party rises early, and discusses what to do with the recovered treasure. Nimbar suggests identifying the items. Sphynx and Hawke enjoy downtime, while Nimbar goes out and buys the supplies needed for his Identify spell. Coldeven 18, CY 576: Party rises early again, and Nimbar reveals what the spell told him. The party sells two of the three recovered magic items, making a tidy profit. Hawke is still in bad shape, so the party decides to delay for one more day, with Hawke remaining bed-bound all day, per Sphynx's advice. While that is going on, Nimbar spends 5 gp. to buy more rations for the party's return trip to the caves. Sphynx casts Cure Light Wounds on Hawke, and helps him pop his shoulder back into place. He also helps immobilize Hawke, by wrapping his arm and chest together with bandages, and tells him to stay as still as possible while resting. Coldeven 19, CY 576: Party rises at 5:00 am, and Hawke has made a full recovery. Everyone has re-memorized spells, and is fully prepared. Nimbar wakes the innkeeper, and the party eats a nice breakfast before heading out at 6:00 am. The plan is to reach the caves by 3:30 pm.

The first few hours of the trip are uneventful, but around 10:00 am, the party comes upon a line of smoke. They follow it, before realizing that about 300 yards up ahead, the source of the smoke is a burning wagon. The road slopes downward, with the party being atop the rise; down below, are many dead horses, soldiers, and tribesmen. Wandering through the aftermath, 8 fierce-looking Nomads, all armored and armed to the teeth, pick through the remains, obviously looting their victims. They have NOT YET seen the party. Everyone quickly dismounts, and backs off, back down the way you came, about 10 yards, enough to hide the party from view.

GM: ​

Hawke bristles, "I cannot let this pass! This is obviously a murderous ambush! I say we teach them a lesson!"

Nimbar scoffs, "Do you not see that we are out-numbered, 8-3? That's three for each of us, and two for Sphynx. Seems a bit much. At least for a frontal assault. But I wouldn't be opposed to following them..."

Sphynx: What are your thoughts on this matter?

 

[MacConnell]

Sphynx rubs the thumb and first two fingers of each hand together, absentmindedly. "It seems a direct assault may prove suicidal. We could follow and harangue them, picking off the trailers and retreating until we can make better odds."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Following The Nomads

The party is in agreement that the Nomads should be followed. It is not difficult to lay low, near the top of the rise, and watch them as they prepare to move on.

Spoiler: Game mechanics stuff.

GM: RANDOM ROLL: Encounter chance while waiting and watching: 1 in 10 for each direction; rolls = 2, 8. All is quiet, and there is currently no one on the road, in either direction.

While the party is watching, no travelers come, from either direction; the Nomads finish looting the scene, and the party notes that they follow two unusual practices: first, they remove the heads of all of their fallen enemies, placing them in bags, intending to keep them for some purpose. Second, they strap the bodies of their fallen comrades onto their mounts, tethering the animals together to form a loose train. They do NOT leave their dead, nor do they attempt any burial. They are apparently unwilling to leave the bodies of their comrades behind.

The party stays well behind them, following at a discreet distance; you eventually realize that they are headed the same way you were! It looks like they are headed to the Caves of Chaos! They leave the road at almost the same point that all of you did a few days prior, traveling through the forest with purpose and intent, in the exact same direction as the caves.

You follow them back to the ravine, and watch as most of them file into cave number 11 (see map below; ) taking the captured heads and the bodies of their fallen comrades with them. However, one of them splits off from the main group, and leads the the animals out of the ravine, toward the southwest, probably to some sort of corral area. You manage to remain unobserved throughout this entire process.

Spoiler: Ravine Map

​

...Now what?

 

[MacConnell]

Sphynx conveys to the others as quietly and with as few of words as possible that he intends to follow the animal handler and take him out. "From there, I can free their animals or take them, whichever seems best. I think freeing them will cause our adversary to split their forces to investigate. We can use our previously discovered hideout for staging."