D&D 5E Undead Apocalypse!

[Fradak]

"Yeah, tell me about dealing with extraplanars..." said the warlock.

 

[gargoyleking]

After a short time of experimenting with his new magic item, Galahad went back to the cabin. This time he opened a scroll case and removed a thin stack of parchment paper and some writing supplies. And then he set to work. Were anyone to look in on him, they would find some arcane diagrams and writing in a precise hand. As for the priest himself, he worked almost as if possessed. In the end, 6 pages lay filled and after sanding and drying, Galahad stood to stare down at his work in satisfaction. Then, he packed them neatly back into the scroll case.

 

[Neurotic]

The Captain reconsiders

After all the hubbub with the adventurers and the cards is resolved, Amil comes forward toward The Captain.

"Good day to you, good Captain. My name is Amil of Deneir, Scribe of Oghma, One True Historian and Runekeeper. Blessed be this voyage and blessed those that are virtuous. I ask your permission to come aboard your TWO ships."

The emphasis is subtle but clear. The Captain already profited by this journey even if he doesn't get anything else.

OOC: I will go from here assuming the permission is granted.
"If I may suggest, Captain, we could repair these ships quicky and safely once we're in a sheltered cove. There must be someone among you all that knows how to draw. And one of the magic items here can create what is needed to repair the ship. Or food and water if there is no shelter close by. And remember that you're alive because we're here and you now have two ships. The Gods provide the righteous and The Wise say: Keep your lives free from the love of possessions and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' And here we are - you went out when no one else dared - and, lo and behold, here you are, with two ships instead of one. Dishonest money dwindles while those honestly gathering bit by bit prosper."

OOC: The idea is that The Captain maybe relinquishes his claim on any of the magical items and we help them by repairing the ships - mending spell [MENTION=6865745]gargoyleking[/MENTION] ? If we have to we can paint what we need including better ship sides - but idealy we would save those for when we really need them. What do you all think? We COULD offer him bag of holding, but I believe it is too useful for the party (imagine all the food we could bring) to give it to mercenary captain. [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION], [MENTION=6805410]Fradak[/MENTION], [MENTION=6803188]VLAD the Destroyer[/MENTION] A small wooden box. --> Marvelous Pigments A ratty bag on it side with some of the gold spilling out of it. --> Bag of Holding A cloak dropped over the captain's chair with spiderweb designs interwoven throughout. --> Cloak of Arachnida --> Tycho In the cloak, you find another small box, and in that deck of cards. They're made of ivory. --> Deck of Many Things A pair of goggles stylized as eagle eyes, complete with a beak that goes over the nose. --> Eagle Eyes --> Galahad A nice leather backpack with a number of pouches --> Handy Haversack --> Amitiel A large, corked metal flask --> Iron Flask --> BUNNY Non-magic Each ship has 10,000 gp scattered in piles. Also, in each ship has a few items. A Fine Gold Chain set with a Fire Opal Platinum Bracelet set with a Sapphire An Eye patch with a mock eye set in blue sapphire and moonstone A Gold Circlet set with four aquamarines An Embroidered glove set with jewel chips An old masterpiece painting of the Drow city of Menzoberranzan A small, fine wooden box weighing 1 pound.

OOC: [MENTION=6855204]tglassy[/MENTION], I changed my patron to Deneir, Scribe of Oghma - more connections to libraries and runes, less bardic tales - same general focus.

 

[tglassy]

OOC: Because of the Crit in rolling for persuasion, he will take just one magical item. It looks like that will be the paints.

A few hours later, the captain manages to steer the ship into the cove where they set about making repairs. The ships are in well enough order, but were previously tended by those who did not eat, sleep, nor breath. They needed a lot of work to be sail worthy for real, live folk.

The captain tells you such, and has his men going about, making said repairs.

While fleeing the ship, you managed to get most of your food and water from the hold, though all other supplies are gone. You have enough to last you for ten days or so. You can go forward, to the Forest, which is four days away (3 if you go fast, 5 if you go carefully). It's possible you'll be able to find food there, though not guaranteed. The forest is crawling with Undead, from all scouting reports, and a mist has almost permanently settled into it.

You may also choose one of the other options at the beginning of the game, if you like. Or you can go back to the city and regroup.

What do you do?

 

[Neurotic]

Amitiel finally finds himself alone with the party around the campfire at the very edge of the sealine after he negotiated with the captain. He seats himself and takes a small portion of food.
"Strange, how little things mean so much in this world. What do you plan to do next? We should ensure the crew can return safely, find some water and food here if possible. But we shouldn't really waste time. As soon as they are seaworthy they should return to the city. The caster captains will not die in the water and it is risky going the same way. But short detour should be safe for them."

OOC: Short reminder: Forest: food for the city Mines / mountains: weapons/armor Sea: enabling faster travel Desert: Lost city - possibly safer for the general populace Icewind Dale: a source of the undead

 

[gargoyleking]

Galahad looks confused for a moment at Ametiel's suggestion of letting the ships depart. Then he realizes that the Aasimar may not fully understand their current mission and the dire need of it's completion.

"This mission is more about the city. Food supplies are at the crisis point, and we are all that stands in the way of mass starvation. If we could fill both holds and these magical bags, with food, we may yet be able to hold off the disaster long enough to put our minds to some more long-term goals."

 

[Shayuri]

"ALSO!" shouts Bunny, with impressive lung capacity for someone so small, "The woods are a bastion for the vile undead! We should burn them all like matchsticks on our way back out!"

Had someone secreted one last card draw from the Deck before it had vanished.

Oh yes.

She was already planning her memoir. There and Back Insane; A Gnome's Journey into Madness, and The Comforts of Her Return to Calming Sanity.

But how to print on obsidian plates with ash? Alas!

"But yes, food and so on, we'll need the ships. Shan't have time to make new ones when we're fleeing desperately ahead of the bramblefiends."

 

[Fradak]

Tycho took a small crystal bead from his pocket and started whispering some dark words to it. Then suddenly, an energy field emanating from the pearl appeared, forming a dome around the the five companions.

"Let's make a plan."

OOC: Cast Leomund's Tiny Hut. Can you pin point where we are on a map?

 

[tglassy]

OOC: Bump. Also, let me know if you’re ready to set off. I’ll give you a long rest till morning.

 

[Neurotic]

OOC: Bump. Also, let me know if you’re ready to set off. I’ll give you a long rest till morning.

I believe we're all set: we're preparing for long rest and our departure in the morning. Setting up camp, preparing for the travel, making "a fort" for the sailors who will repair the ships. The sailors will be ready to sail in case of undead attack. And we can only hope they will be close by when we return

Does that sums it up?

Other things:
Can Thieves cant be learned as "normal" language? i.e. by paying money (and obviously having a tutor, which I can hopefully get in the city)

 

[tglassy]

OOC: I don't see why it couldn't. You'd just have to find someone willing to teach you.

 

[tglassy]

OOC: I suppose everyone’s waiting on me, but I thought y’all would want to talk strategy, or make final decisions on where you’re going. Since I’ve waited over a week and nobody’s posted, I will assume that your original plan, to go to the woods to find a source of food, is your current plan, and that you will be leaving in the morning. As stated before, it will take four days of normal travel to get to the right area. You may travel faster, but that increases the chance you’ll encounter something hostile. You may travel slower, and decrease the chances of something bad happening. You’re call. I will also need to know what each of you is doing, if anyone has any survival skill or the ability to forage better, if anyone wants to be scouting, etc. Once I hear from each of you on these things, we will continue. Oh, and make sure you know what magical items each person is carrying. Neurotic made a good list on page 29. The Marvelous Pigments were given to the captain. I believe everyone’s drawn from the Deck at least once, so we’re going to say no more of that. You still have the Deck for now, and you might be able to draw again in a few weeks if you really want to, but for now, if you draw any new cards, they do nothing and dissipate, appearing back in the deck a moment later. Keep track of what you have. Also keep in mind that there are perhaps near a million people or more living in Waterdeep. A single bag of holding’s worth of food will not solve the food problem. You need to find a food SOURCE. And a means of securing it.

 

[gargoyleking]

Right. I did mention trying to fill the holes of both ships in addition to the bag of holding. Even that is only a temporary salve to the continuing problem.

 

[tglassy]

OOC: It's been a week, is anyone still here?

 

[gargoyleking]

OOC: Maybe everyone's confused as to where we're at since this thread has been inundated with ooc chatter. Just a thought.

As the party settled in for the night, Galahad drew out a chart of the surrounds he'd discovered in the captain's cabin of the captured ship. It was designed for nautical navigation, but Galahad had spent some time with a quill, filling in some details as he could remember from other maps he had seen.

OOC: Survival: [roll0] +guidance [roll1] Nature: [roll2] +guidance [roll3]

 

[Neurotic]

His experience with natural world being limited to reading about them, Amitiel doesn't even try. But the paper, maps, documents...that includes things he can help with both with optimizing the space and shorthand writing so that more can be fit on less.

He collates in his notes all suggestions, brings others into the process who may be disintrested in paper or discussion (looking at you Bunny!) and in general being helpful without knowing how to survice in the forest.

Aid another actions
[roll0]
[roll1] <-- motivating and coordinating, speeches, creating a group interest, advice etc...

 

[tglassy]

OOC: OOC: Maybe everyone's confused as to where we're at since this thread has been inundated with ooc chatter. Just a thought. Good point. Here's a recap, in case anyone is unsure, I will be brief: Dead rule the world, Waterdeep is the only known safe city, but is overcrowded because of it. Even its magic cannot keep up with the disease, starvation and crime that is riddling the city. The City Watch is overworked, food stores are running dry, and Clerical power has only just recently come back into the world due to a plague that affected only those who had faith, thus forcing many of the gods to lose their power. You have been tasked with easing the suffering by going out into the world and fixing the problems. You need to find resources to help. Currently, you have chosen to go to a fairly nearby forest where reports are showing that game, land and vegetation is plentiful, but is also overrun by undead, who seem drawn to there for some unknown reason. Your job is to find that reason and fix it, or report back if you cannot for more help. Not that there is much help to be given. Here are some of your recent choices: 1. You decided not to accept the help of the Xanathar Guild, a shady organization in Waterdeep, as they asked you to do things you were unwilling to do. 2. You decided to go by sea instead of trying to go through the horde that is surrounding the wall of Waterdeep. You were accosted by two pirate ships (really, really unlucky rolls), that were crewed by undead, though you managed to defeat both of them (the captains still live). You lost your ship in the process, but gained two in turn, including a number of magical items. 3. I...um...mistakenly gave you a Deck of Many Things, and boy did you use it. Some now have great boons, at least one was hit with stupidity, but also a Legendary Sword and a Henchman (which still needs to be created. You can always leave the henchman with the ships if you like, to protect the ship, if you do not want to deal with controlling two characters.) One of you, Amitiel, I believe, also got the deed to some property in Waterdeep. Seeing as property is at a premium in Waterdeep, this would likely be a very good thing to check out when you get back. If you get back. Now: You have finished a long rest, have enough food to last about 10 days, and are about to set out to this forest, which is a few days away. I just need to know how fast you all want to go. There is somewhat of a time element to all this. The longer you stay out, the worse things get in Waterdeep. The city goes on without you. Take too long, or don't complete your missions, and it is possible for the undead to breach the walls, or for other, more nefarious characters to affect irreparable change to the city's power structure.

 

[Neurotic]

OOC: So, as I recapped it earlier: we remain for the day, prepare the crew with repairs and fortified camp and leave. We're going into the forest - at normal speed if there is no special reason to risk the extra speed.

 

[Fradak]

Tycho sends Ichtaca ahead to avoid any surprises and maybe spot some potential points of interest.

 

[gargoyleking]

As they set out, Galahad kept his eyes peeled for danger, (or more possibly something to spark his interest.) The goggles firmly settled across his eyes and making him look even more out of place than usual.

Still, he was ready to help with any task in which he could assist either with a little divine guidance or his own impressive knowledge base.

OOC: Eyes are awesome, not sure how advantage would work with a passive check, but still 17 passive Perception is nice. He can give guidance on anything that takes less than a minute and has 8 (mostly int/wis) skills to work with. Let's get this party rolling if we're going to, eh?