(Hauptman's) Red Hand of Doom

DerHauptman

First Post
You have recently been told of an old keep, long abandoned and reputedly haunted that may contain a considerable amount of wealth in its vault. The previous owners, a family of soldiers known as the Vraath, were reputed to own many named magical weapons many of which have never been found or accounted for. The family controlled the countryside for miles around after the fall of the Rhestilor Empire about 500 years ago.

You have been traveling southeast on an old but well constructed road, known as the Old North Road, for a few days. You are in good company and the mood has been light as the dreams of riches fill your heads.

Your destination is a small town situated on the east side of the River Elisr. It is aptly named Drellin’s Ferry which may be the only way to cross the river for some 30 miles up or down stream. It is the closest town to Vraath Keep and therefore a logical base of operations from which to search for then plunder the ruins,

You all have fine sturdy mounts (as per character creation instructions) and a couple of well stocked, packed and handled mules. You have hired a human widower named Grad and his youngest son Pip to handle the animals cook, and do the mundane tasks associated with travel. Grad is a gruff but practical man, an early riser who insists that things are done in a methodical way. Pip is a typical teen, angry at the world for taking his mother and being stuck as a groom and go-fer instead of something more adventurous.

The sun has just started to rise over the You wake early, back stiff from sleeping on the ground to the smell of cooking bacon and sounds of Pip struggling to get the horses and mules ready for the days travel.

You throw off your damp blankets and stand up in the chill early spring air…..

The rest of the camp is doing the same….

[sblock=Posting Conventions and Rules]

1. Please post all IC Dialog in a color of your choosing. I will use Yellow for all NPC's so it will be easy to track my comments at a glance. There is no need to place the spoken word in quotes as I will assume anything in your character's chosen color is spoken.

2. Narrative actions can be posted plain text in normal font (white).

3. All rolls and OOC information should be in [ sblock 'ed ].

4. Use Invisible Castle to make your rolls. I will roll initiative to speed things up and will post it at the beginning round of each combat encounter. I will also roll all typically hidden rolls, i.e. bluff, forgery, diplomacy, appraise etc. (those rolls characters typically might not know the actual outcome of)

5. I want to try and give you all my rolls on IC as well just so you all know this is above board, however, if it becomes cumbersome I reserve the right to change that.

6. When posting combat actions or events in rounds you will have 24 hours to respond. If you do not do so I will NPC your characters actions (this is simply to speed play not to steal fun or be a fussy pants.)m

7. IC conflict is fine and IC chatter is encouraged wholeheartedly.

8. When posting combat actions I you are free to use conditionals to speed play. I mean you may have to, for real life reasons, post your combat actions out of order, i.e. before leaving for work for the day etc.. I will always give you the benefit of the doubt when so doing, I won't have you execute a fireball action into a crowd of team mates if they moved into the area before your action. (Just isn't likely to happen.) I guess you could tell me you don't mind friendly WIA then then I'll let it go,

9. Finally, real life... We all have one and if yours will interfere with my game then quit now - my game is your #1 priority from now on, you hear? Kidding, just be polite enough to let me know you'll be out. I will handle your character as an NPC.

My NPCng a PC rules are: 1) You will not get full XP for me playing your character. You get 1/2. 2) IN view of that you will not die - unless its a TPK. Not fair to die when you're not there. 3) You will do minimal things, no spotlight attack defend, remove traps if thats you role etc. I'm not putting a ton of thought into making out of box choices for you.

All that's not a penalty, just practicality - if you've ever DM'd you know what I mean.

Other than that have fun lets play.

[/sblock]

PS Gotta scan maps INTO format for you guys so be flexible. Just follow the railroad to Drellin's Ferry then I'll let you have at it....
 
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Grad stubbs his toe on the rocks surrounding the firepit and lets out a long and loud string of obscenities that would make a sailor blush....

&^$$ING ROCK, PIECE OF DOG &^IT, PIG ^%$%ING, WHORE......

PIP GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE BOY!

THE MASTERS ARE STIRRING!


PIP, rolls his eyes in response, finishes tightening the lashings on Brant the eldest of the two mules, and walks slowly and deliberately over the the fire and starts to get out some wooden plates and spoons.
 

Tar sits up slowly, the morning air crisp to his ripened senses. With a light toss, he shoves the blanket off to the side as he stands, yawning. "Mm, bacon. Again," he mutters sullenly, his tastebuds craving the taste of fresh meat. Ignoring the two hired servants for now, the gnoll saunters over to the fire and sits, attempting to warm his cold bones.
 

Visara lay drowsing at the edge of the camp, curled up, almost as lovers, with her tiger mount and companion Vivek. She rouses when Grad begins yelling and glares at Grad with her unsettling copper eyes, matching those of Vivek, when the hireling refers to her and the others as "the masters". She then gets to her feet, stretching, and wrinkles her nose at the sizzling bacon.

Is there time to hunt down a brace of rabbits or a deer? I'd rather break my fast on fresh meat rather than this salted charred drek.
 

Tullivan finishes dressing, throwing his cloak over his wide shoulders. Stepping over to the fire, he stabs a piece of bacon with the tip of his dagger and then stuffs the still dripping piece of meat into his mouth. Smiling, the warrior resheathes his blade and runs his hand over his freshly shaved head.

"Don't listen to her, Grad. Your salted, charred drek is the best."

Tully walks over to his bed and picks up his guisarme. Inspecting the black hardwood shaft and oddly colored blue-steel head, he checks for any imperfections. Satisfied, he walks over to the fire and sits down next to Tar.

"I hope we make it to Drellin's Ferry soon, if only to spare me from anymore of your complaints about the food."
 

Grad answers the druid....

Madam, as you wish...however, I think it will throw us off our timetable of reaching the Ferry before it shuts down this evening.

If along the route today you were to get some game I would gladly prepare it for diner.


As the heroes approach the fire, Pip serves them each a plate of breakfast; the main portion of which is a portion of oatmeal spiced with maple and cinnamon, generous portions of bacon, and fried camp biscuits with honey and butter.

Pip seems to admire the heroes and eagerly accepts any praise or thanks eating it up with big smiles and a blushing face.

Here you go M'lord he would say (or M'lady as appropriate)

He addresses the Barbarian...

M'lord do you think the town's folk in Drellin's Ferry will have any information on the location of the keep? If it not bee too bold of me to ask?

[sblock] Made a quickie PPT map so you had something to go by. The map is the one you were given and the location of the Keep is hand written and presumably a guess as to the rough location. [/sblock]
 

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Andreena Colvin is awoken by Grad's stream of obscenities, and she indeed blushes at all the curses Grad was sputtering, having served on ships before. Are you sure you've never been a sailor before Grad? I knew a boatswain with a vocabulary like yours on the Silver Fox. Andie accepted her plate with a word of thanks to the youngster Pip. I'll agree with Tully's assessment. You two sure know how to make the best of what you have. You two ought to open an inn when we're done with the business at hand.
 

Sorry, M'lady...just stubbed the old toe, got a corn on there the size of a small Dutchy I think...

Never been a sailor,
<pointing at Pip> boy's ma wouldn'ta suffered it, damn crazy jealous woman she was - rest her soul.

Thought bout it a few times though but traveling the roads with my mules, helpin folks like you and yours with a little comfort along the way is the life fer me.

Sides, you adventuring types pay handsome coin for this little bit of work.

As for the Inn... might do just that when walking and keeping nights on the cold stiff ground takes its toll on me so bad I can'na keep up.

Fer now though give me the stars o're my head and the the ground neath me feet and I'm satisfied...
 

Taargash shot Tul a wolfish grin. "Though I don't doubt your prowess in battle, human, I'm beginning to doubt your taste of food. Though I will admit I've never had better trail rations." With a nod, he accepted the meal from Pip, and despite his former protests of the meal, dug in with a voracious appetite. The gnoll was a big beast, and grew hungry quite quickly. "So you think we'll be reaching the ferry by this evening?" he asked, directing the question at Grad.
 

"What a miserable night."
As usual, Velka had slept well away from the group, under a fallen tree to provide cover in case of a random dragon attack.
"Did anybody else get bitten by ticks last night?"
 

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