The Untamed Wilds: Caravan Campaign

[Kwargrow]

Sannit takes a few minutes to check that there are no threats, including the pool. Satisfied there is no more danger he will appraise their fresh kills. He leans down and claps the healed Tor on the shoulder. "I know you had your heart set on lizards, but this snakeskin looks to be even better." He drags one of the snakes off to find a good place to start cutting it up. He would collect anything they normally would, the skin, the fangs, horns, anything else that looks useful on the animal.

After aiding Tor, Bolo rises and says, "I want to explore the pool but since it is night we would have a hard time finding anything. We should camp here and go swimming in the morning." After that she helps with the snakes and preparing camp for the evening.

Turtle looks from Bolo to the pool, eager to jump in and have a fun swim. He creeps closer and sniffs at the water to determine if this is a good fishing place.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor says,

"Well, I hope the meat on this thing is edible, and not too gamey. I'm extremely hungry. I have never seen something move so fast, as these things did. I'm lucky to be alive. Best to feast, while the gods allow it."

Tor will then begin helping Sannit.

Merin will also help Sannit with the butchering. He wants to examine the creature in detail as he does so. He is especially interested in the glands that seemed to light up.

 

[MacConnell]

Settling in for the Night

Sannit takes a few minutes to check that there are no threats, including the pool. Satisfied there is no more danger he will appraise their fresh kills. He leans down and claps the healed Tor on the shoulder. "I know you had your heart set on lizards, but this snakeskin looks to be even better." He drags one of the snakes off to find a good place to start cutting it up. He would collect anything they normally would, the skin, the fangs, horns, anything else that looks useful on the animal.

OOC: There is quite a bit of skin on a snake so large. Each would provide enough to make complete covering for a single person. The snakes do not have fangs, but have a mouthful of teeth like a shark, giving a total of 119 teeth from both snakes. Some teeth had become missing or broken over the years.

Turtle looks from Bolo to the pool, eager to jump in and have a fun swim. He creeps closer and sniffs at the water to determine if this is a good fishing place.

GM: The water smells fine to the bear and taste fine as he drinks his fill. Due to the pool's previous occupants, it is not a good place to fish, and Turtle returns to sit near Bolo.

Tor says,
"Well, I hope the meat on this thing is edible, and not too gamey. I'm extremely hungry. I have never seen something move so fast, as these things did. I'm lucky to be alive. Best to feast, while the gods allow it."

Tor will then begin helping Sannit. Merin will also help Sannit with the butchering. He wants to examine the creature in detail as he does so. He is especially interested in the glands that seemed to light up.

GM: As the snakes are being cleaned, the smell of the meat seems as though it would be edible, but the extreme number of bones would make trying to eat it an exasperate lesson in futility. The smaller rib bones near the tail, however, will make good sewing needles and leather awls. As the party has silken cord, Tor can attempt to repair his damaged armor.

GM: Their liver and hearts make a considerably enticing and satisfying meal for Turtle.

OOC: As Sannit begins to work on one snake, Sheldon begins to work on the other, both now having enough experience to efficiently remove the skin without further damaging it. The guts of the serpents reveal nothing of importance and they, along with the unusable meat are tossed into the stream below the natural dam to provide food for the myriad of life in the water. Also as the snakes are cleaned, a soapy-like liquid periodically produces phosphorescent light. The glandular system is too tiny to adequately analyze, but it is determined that this ability to make light is natural and created by the mixing of two excretions. The party is unable to determine exactly where the chemicals are produced or stored within the snake's bodies. Disappointed though he is about the phosphorescence, Merin gets the feeling he might like to collect some of the heart blood and uses one of the small waterskins to do so.

OOC: Indigo, Aust, and Revan help Bolo prepare the turkey for the party's evening meal.

GM: New Collections: 2 snake skins of 100% coverage each 119 piscivorous snake teeth (about the size of a thumb knuckle) 1 skin of water serpent blood Old Collection: 4 Flint Kukris 45 Bone Head Arrows 17 Flint head Arrows 10 Pouches of Herbs Drawing of Assassins' Guild Symbol 1 Wooden Vial of Ghost Adder Venom 1 Parchment w/ Known Message 2 Quartz, 1 Copper Ingot, 2 Tin Ingots

 

[Kwargrow]

At morning Bolo still wants to swim into the pool and investigate. She will take Turtle with her and Sannit will be on shore holding a silk rope tied around her waist. She will attempt to use way to allow her to see better underwater and perhaps breath.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 19: Investigating the Hollow of Bones: Morning Day 3

Rain comes in the early hours of the morning soaking everything. The rain is cool and prevents sleeping any longer but really poses no difficulty. Once it is light enough to see, everything is laid out so that it can dry, including pack harnesses. The two pack animals are allowed to forage on their own.

OOC: Sannit ties one of the thicker sisal rope leaders to Bolo's waist before she and Turtle enter the pool. Sheldon since he is already wet, decides to join them in investigating the depths and strips down to only his kilt. He dips a leg in the pool testing the water.

"The water is cool but not cold. I think this morning's rain might have even warmed the temperature some, though it has also clouded the visibility a bit."

GM: Bolo and Sheldon find that being able to see while submerged is much easier than expected. The bottom of the pool is comprised of a dark stone, making peering into it difficult, but looking around while under the water proves to have no interference. The bottom is littered with refuse, especially the bones of many animals. There is a myriad of small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks that populate the pool, thriving from the leavings of the two former serpents, but no large fish. Some of the mollusks are noted to be about the size of a man's palm, which is large for a fresh water variety. Neither Bolo nor Sheldon sense any danger in the water. The bear, who cannot really dive, seems to be thoroughly enjoying playing in the water. As the diving becomes more comfortable, several ruined weapons and useless pieces of armoring are retrieved from the bottom, but nothing of value or use. The only real interesting thing in the pool seems to be the large clams. Exploring near the top fall, however, reveals a groto washed out behind the roiling water. The groto opens up above the water line to a small cave that appears to be wear the snakes slept, for it too is littered with bones and refuse. Sifting through the debris reveals several items of value, 9 Ansylin Clams, 20 copper ingots, 1 unknown white metal ingot, 2 quartz stones, 8 amber stones, 5 dark grey stones, and 5 agate stones.

OOC: After Bolo, Turtle, and Sheldon exit the pool, everyone uses way to dry clothing and other belongings. No food supplies were damaged due to the rain. The pack animals are reloaded.

GM: If any further action is desired regarding the pool or other specific tasks or specifics concerning the eggs, please state so; otherwise, the party will now be considered to be continuing on its journey.

 

[Kwargrow]

Bolo unties the rope when she sees there is no threat and takes some time out to play with Turtle. She can feel her bond growing with the animal all the time.

While his woman bonds with her pet, Sannit goes over the metal she and Sheldon brought back to shore. Inspired by watching Bolo practice on the river ingots, Sannit attempts to use way to investigate these metals, holding them in his hands. He attempts to identify the unknown white metal.

Turtle gets out with Bolo, knowing there is an urgency in her mind. Those are human matters, though. The mollusks and small fish he was able to munch on did not satisfy his appetite. He is still hungry and after they leave the pool he will have to look for something to eat.

 

[MacConnell]

Delays in Getting Underway

While his woman bonds with her pet, Sannit goes over the metal she and Sheldon brought back to shore. Inspired by watching Bolo practice on the river ingots, Sannit attempts to use way to investigate these metals, holding them in his hands. He attempts to identify the unknown white metal.

OOC: While clothing and armor is being dried, Sannit takes the unknown white metal ingot in his hand and thumbs it back and forth hoping to come to some understanding of it nature. Not realizing he has gone into a semi trance, after almost an hour and 20 minutes, Sannit shakes his head as he suddenly realizes the metal has curative properties and a very high tensile strength. He thinks that the smith in town might know a name to call the metal.

[sblock=Identify Mineral]Essence + Mind + Adhesion + Knowledge + Will + Collegiate + Aberrative + Academic + Time - d100 - penalties
= 41 + Time - 20 - 100: Time = 79[/sblock]

Turtle gets out with Bolo, knowing there is an urgency in her mind. Those are human matters, though. The mollusks he could not open and small fish he was able to munch on did not satisfy his appetite. He is still hungry and after they leave the pool he will have to look for something to eat.

OOC: With the departure delayed and the bear not minding being wet, he forages around near at hand in hopes of finding something to munch. After Bolo notices that Sannit is deep in thought, she takes her bear further out. Finding a long fallen tree, the bear rolls the rotting pulp around discovering 6 arm sized grubs which he joyfully eats, then sits back on his haunches and claps his paws. Bolo and Turtle return to camp.

OOC: Once everyone and everything is dry, the party moves on, following the stream. The ground becomes more hilly and the soil more alkaline. The tall pines become shorter, soon to be replaced by cedar, before mesquite and scrub oak become the dominant foliage. As the stream narrows with the rise in altitude, its velocity also increases, while its direction become more south than east. Traveling for most of the day because of the delay in the start, the party decides on a suitable place to make camp since tomorrow will require turning due south away from the river.

OOC: Once camp is set and the pack animals free to forage, Sheldon and Indigo decide to cross the stream to hunt for game, Bolo and turtle follow the stream further up to hunt for game, Sannit takes his hand again at panning in what looks to be a better suited area, and Tor and Merin look for sign of lizards.

GM: Three to four hours of daylight remain. Any other desired tasks than the ones listed, please state.

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit looks at the shallow dish he was using to pan and decides to try something new in his attempt. He puts his hands under the water, against the river bottom and attempts to reach out with way to detect any metals or other interesting items.

Bolo decides to put some training into her play with Turtle. They run together, to make them both faster; she races him to climb to the tops of trees, to make them both stronger; they play hide and seek with Bolo attempting to find Turtle strictly through their bond, to be able to sense him better; and she tosses pinecones and small stones at him, encouraging him to swat them out of the air to improve his manual dexterity.

Turtle can tell that Bolo wants him to be stronger and faster and he wants that too. He gleefully takes her directions and enjoys batting the pinecones away the most, trying to swat them back at her. When he manages to hit her they both laugh.

GM: +1 xp for Sannit, Bolo, and Turtle.

 

[MacConnell]

Sannit looks at the shallow dish he was using to pan and decides to try something new in his attempt. He puts his hands under the water, against the river bottom and attempts to reach out with way to detect any metals or other interesting items.

GM: Sannit, at his first attempt, is overloaded with information. Almost everything contains metal, not only the soil but all living things. Sannit realizes that the Mhytres who can smell the metal must be specifying a particular metal. Concentrating a second time, he specifically seeks for copper, moving as he does so as he learns to target in on a higher concentration. Digging through the gravel a that particular point, reveals a fist sized rock that holds 3 ingots worth of copper.

OOC: After Bolo trains with Turtle for about an hour, the two set off in search of game. After a few minutes of travel, Bolo realizes that the movement of the bear helps masked the distinct sound of her own walking, allowing for closer encroachment on various animals. Only a few more minutes pass before she is able to fell a medium sized deer. A second advantage presents itself as Turtle is able to drag the carcass back to camp with much greater ease than Bolo ever could.

OOC: Merin, who simplifies is manipulation of way to hunt his quarry, finds an enormous number of lizards in the few hours they search, but nothing larger than 1/2 a man's arm.

[sblock=Detect Lizard]Range = Cohesion + Will = 8 paces radius (~48'r or ~7235 square feet)
Effectiveness = Essence + Mind + Cohesion + Knowledge + Will + Collegiate + Aberrative + Academic + Time - d100 - penalty
Effectiveness = 43 + Time - 45: Time = 2min per attempt[/sblock]

GM: Shortly before dark, Sheldon and Indigo return from their hunting expedition, not with game but with a surprising find of equal importance. Trailing between the two of them as they ford back across the stream are 5 burros, 1 male and 4 mares.

Sheldon whistles as they enter the water.

These animals are, of course, still quite wild. We will need everyone's help to keep them calm as we try to get them adjusted to Bolo's bear.

OOC: Bolo who has just returned to camp with her kill, tells Turtle to stay put as she and Sannit join Sheldon and Indigo. With everyone working together and strategically surrounding the new pack animals, they are able to keep the animals from spooking as they are herded to the where the donkey and other burro are feeding. Sheldon takes some of the rope and tethers the new animals together in case the effects of calming them wears off during the night. Sheldon then congratulates Bolo on her kill as he joins to help clean it and cook it, saving the hide. The liver, heart, and kidneys are fed to Turtle. While some of the meat is cooked for a fresh meal, the rest is cured for transport.

GM: New Collections: 9 Ansylin clams 23 copper ingots 1 white metal ingot 2 quartz stones 8 amber stones 5 agates 5 shiny grey stones 1 deer hide 46 bricks deer meat

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit smiles as he cooks the skewered venison. Variety is the spice of life, he thinks to himself. Idly, he wonders what bear would taste like. Since his trick with the copper was so successful, he will try to search for other metals like gold, silver, or other precious metals the next time he tries.

Bolo inspects the large ingot rock Sannit pulled from the ground, impressed that he found it with way.

Turtle thinks those burros are right to be afraid of him. He wouldn't kill all of them of course, that would be wasteful, but there was a fat one he had his eye on. Oh well. Bolo said no.