One thing I forgot to mention in the post above. I'm going to grab one of the large, male alphas and drag him out of the settlement so that I may harvest him when we reach our destination beyond the maddening whispers. I won't ask Rawr to help as I want his paw to heal fully.
I'll set us up somewhere where the wind is obstructed by the landscape. I'll ask the creatures to huddle close together and to me so that we can maintain warmth out here. Once Rawr and the dog are cuddled close to me and we're out of the wind, I'll go about harvesting the skin and meat of the great wolf. When the skin is removed, I'll harvest the meat as the dog and the wolves are starving and Rawr is hungry. When they're eating, I'll get my tools to scrape the excess fat and soft-tissue free from the skin so that I might wear it. This process will take some time so I'll probably be finishing by the time the goblins return with the offering of Otthor's cloak.
When the goblins arrive at our location outside the settlement, I'll tell my pack of animals that I'm going to grab the other slain wolves and bring them back to harvest as well. I'll signal to the goblins my intent to the best of my ability. I can't communicate with the them as Otthor can. It should be a pretty simple pantomime though.
Alright, here goes.
[sblock]Harvest Animal (Dex)
2, 2 + 2 (+1) = 7.
I'll take 1 ration.[/sblock]
While I'm harvesting, I'll let them all feed in peace. There is no need for an interrogation now on what they all know of what is happening to this highland realm. Also, its going to be difficult to speak to the dog due to his deafness. He is going to need to be able to see my face and posture for us to attempt to converse about what happened to this settlement. I'll handle it when we're on our perilous journey to Earthmaw.
When Otthor returns and tells me of what he found, I'm intrigued. I'm going to let him know that I'd like him to stay here with the animals and the goblins while the sleds' riggings are being repaired. I'm going to hike down to the base of the cliff and the lake's beach so I can locate the tracks on the cliff's face and attempt to find any that might be now obscured by the blizzard's snow. I want Otthor to stay here to oversee things and I don't want to risk anyone coming with me and endangering them. Rawr's still hobbled so he needs to stay here as well. I let them know that I plan to be back within a few hours, at most. If I have not returned by then, something has gone wrong.
[sblock]Hunt and Track (Wis)
2, 5 + 2 = 9
✴ On a 7+, you follow the creature’s trail until there’s a significant change in its direction or mode of travel.[/sblock]
I'd like to find out where this goes or at least get a bead on it so we can follow it when we head out.
[sblock]Hunt and Track (Wis)
2, 3 + 2 = 7
✴ On a 7+, you follow the creature’s trail until there’s a significant change in its direction or mode of travel.[/sblock]
Hmmm...perhaps a bit further. I'm going to reach into my pack and light a tinder twig to guide my way. Marked off 1 Adventuring Gear. I'm not going to explore far, so I won't need the light for very long. This should do the job. I'll pull out my elven short sword in the other hand in case things turn violent. As I step down into the tunnel, I'll very carefully descend, paying close attention to the nature of the tunnel and what is revealed by my light-source.
[sblock]Discern Realities (Wis)
6, 6 + 2 = 14. 3 questions and + 1 forward with each.
* What should I be on the lookout for?
* What here is useful or valuable to me?
* What here is not what it appears to be?[/sblock]
I move toward it slowly with my tendertwig out before me. When I near, I pull my elven blade back beside my ear and thrust forward into the heart of the thing.
[sblock]d8 damage. Rolled 8. 0 armor.[/sblock]
I'm going to probe the creature a little bit. Are there any identifying markers or clothing from which I can confirm that this was one of the town-folk.
Alright. I'm going to run straight back to camp after I scoop up the 1 Adventuring Gear left by the poor traveler. I'll tell Otthor what I found upon my return.
I'll set us up somewhere where the wind is obstructed by the landscape. I'll ask the creatures to huddle close together and to me so that we can maintain warmth out here. Once Rawr and the dog are cuddled close to me and we're out of the wind, I'll go about harvesting the skin and meat of the great wolf. When the skin is removed, I'll harvest the meat as the dog and the wolves are starving and Rawr is hungry. When they're eating, I'll get my tools to scrape the excess fat and soft-tissue free from the skin so that I might wear it. This process will take some time so I'll probably be finishing by the time the goblins return with the offering of Otthor's cloak.
Per Manbearcat
Wolves are notoriously opportunistic carnivores. The sick, lamed and dead from their pack are considered fair game when the situation is desperate...as it is now. The wolves have no compunction of eating their prior alphas. Once the bear and dog is finished, they establish an eating hierarchy and gorge on the prior leader.
This singular alpha won't be enough for them so if you want to feed them all, you'll have to go back into the settlement. You won't need to roll any Defy Danger for the madness. Your check earlier was sufficient for now.
When the goblins arrive at our location outside the settlement, I'll tell my pack of animals that I'm going to grab the other slain wolves and bring them back to harvest as well. I'll signal to the goblins my intent to the best of my ability. I can't communicate with the them as Otthor can. It should be a pretty simple pantomime though.
Per Manbearcat
It is. You're able to convey it to them without trouble. First though, they hand you Otthor's winter cloak and exchange names with you.
[sblock]Also, before I forget, I screwed up above on the Wolf Sled Team Hirelings. Their Sled score should be 3 and their Loyalty should be 0. I'll fix it when I have an opportunity.
For a move for this, we'll go with the below. Due to the amount of material you have available, you can take + 1:
Harvest Animal
When you harvest an animal for skins, furs, and meat, roll + Dex. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend hold 1 for 1:
* Skins for boots, gloves.
* Fur for cloak, blanket.
* 1 Ration.[/sblock]
Alright, here goes.
[sblock]Harvest Animal (Dex)
2, 2 + 2 (+1) = 7.
I'll take 1 ration.[/sblock]
While I'm harvesting, I'll let them all feed in peace. There is no need for an interrogation now on what they all know of what is happening to this highland realm. Also, its going to be difficult to speak to the dog due to his deafness. He is going to need to be able to see my face and posture for us to attempt to converse about what happened to this settlement. I'll handle it when we're on our perilous journey to Earthmaw.
I rush back, grab the usable rations, and head to Saerie. I'll put out the lantern and keep it for the road. When I arrive, I'll tell her what I've found. Hopefully the goblin has fixed the rigging for the sleds and we can be off soon. Its going to be a long trek to Earthmaw. I'll agree with whatever role she wishes me to take for the 3 day journey.
[sblock]Undertake a Perilous Journey (Wis)
5, 3 + 0 = 8[/sblock]
When Otthor returns and tells me of what he found, I'm intrigued. I'm going to let him know that I'd like him to stay here with the animals and the goblins while the sleds' riggings are being repaired. I'm going to hike down to the base of the cliff and the lake's beach so I can locate the tracks on the cliff's face and attempt to find any that might be now obscured by the blizzard's snow. I want Otthor to stay here to oversee things and I don't want to risk anyone coming with me and endangering them. Rawr's still hobbled so he needs to stay here as well. I let them know that I plan to be back within a few hours, at most. If I have not returned by then, something has gone wrong.
[sblock]Hunt and Track (Wis)
2, 5 + 2 = 9
✴ On a 7+, you follow the creature’s trail until there’s a significant change in its direction or mode of travel.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
You don't need to roll a DD (Wis) here due to just passing it a short bit ago. However, you note clearly that the frequency and intensity of the whispers and disturbing images grow as you get closer to the water.
As you investigate, you find that the translucent, pinkish goo is frozen under several inches of snow. You're able to locate it with minimal effort. Following the trail is slow-going as you have to continuously brush aside the layers of snow, but within about 40 minutes, you discover that the trail is clearly not going into the water. It abruptly exits the large bowl that this great reservoir resides in at a snow-covered slope that gently ascends to the tundra above. You haven't traveled terribly far. Perhaps 1.5 miles or so. You can easily get back to your camp in short order since you won't be tracking.
Do you want to continue following it? If so, go ahead and H&T.
I'd like to find out where this goes or at least get a bead on it so we can follow it when we head out.
[sblock]Hunt and Track (Wis)
2, 3 + 2 = 7
✴ On a 7+, you follow the creature’s trail until there’s a significant change in its direction or mode of travel.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
The trail continues on a ways into the open, wind-swept tundra. You're able to track it easier up here as the wind has blown much of the snow away, leaving exposed the frozen trail of translucent goo. Perhaps another mile and change away and the tracks abruptly stop at a rocky formation, perhaps glacial deposition or some such. A tunnel cuts down into the frozen earth at a fairly steep incline. From here, its impossible to say how deep down into the impenetrable darkness it goes.
Do you want to pursue or head back?
Hmmm...perhaps a bit further. I'm going to reach into my pack and light a tinder twig to guide my way. Marked off 1 Adventuring Gear. I'm not going to explore far, so I won't need the light for very long. This should do the job. I'll pull out my elven short sword in the other hand in case things turn violent. As I step down into the tunnel, I'll very carefully descend, paying close attention to the nature of the tunnel and what is revealed by my light-source.
[sblock]Discern Realities (Wis)
6, 6 + 2 = 14. 3 questions and + 1 forward with each.
* What should I be on the lookout for?
* What here is useful or valuable to me?
* What here is not what it appears to be?[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
I'll start from the bottom first:
3) This tunnel was formed by neither earth movement nor the excavating picks and shovels of humanoid laborers. The rocks up top are not glacial deposition. The sides of the tunnels are perfectly smooth and the rocks up top show signs of being slagged. The only thing that could have made such a tunnel is a mighty Remorhaz, the massive, centipede-like predators of frozen wastelands whose bodies radiate heat like raging infernos.
2) Perhaps 150 feet into the descending tunnel it abruptly stops in a hollow slightly larger than the tunnel carved out by the Remorhaz. Clearly this tunnel was used by human travelers as a way-station once upon a time. You find the tattered remains of a bedroll that has been unfurled. Some climbing gear is neatly arranged at one end of it (1 Adventuring Gear). Its prior owner's skeleton is curled up in the corner, probably dead from freezing to death (common in this place).
The trail culminates in a large, hardened chrysalis, plastered to the ceiling/wall interface in the back of this cubby. A pile of frozen goop lies below it. It's opaque enough that you cannot clearly see within. It's translucent enough that you can see shadows of something moving within the internal the fluid.
1) Signs of imminent collapse. The Remorhaz is clearly long since gone and the tunnel is totally collapsed beyond this "foyer-area" where the creature you are trailing has cocooned. As you moved down, there were signs of cracking from expansion and contraction everywhere.
[sblock]If you attack, just roll damage. This isn't an H&S scenario.[/sblock]
I move toward it slowly with my tendertwig out before me. When I near, I pull my elven blade back beside my ear and thrust forward into the heart of the thing.
[sblock]d8 damage. Rolled 8. 0 armor.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
The cocoon cracks, shudders, and bursts completely, filling the chamber with fluid up to your toes. The creature writhes about momentarily and then collapses silently. It was clearly once human but its feet have been unified into one tail-like structure and its upper body has sprouted feeler-like tentacles. Multiple, stacked red eyes now predominate the top of its head where its nose and eyes are now a unified snout. It is not fully "something else", but definitely on its way there.
I'm going to probe the creature a little bit. Are there any identifying markers or clothing from which I can confirm that this was one of the town-folk.
Per Manbearcat
There is nothing on the creature itself as the changing has already fully occurred. However, in the ruptured membrane, you can find a scrap of torn breeches and a torn sleeve that looks like the remains of a straight-jacket
Alright. I'm going to run straight back to camp after I scoop up the 1 Adventuring Gear left by the poor traveler. I'll tell Otthor what I found upon my return.