Book 2: Chapter 3 - North and North

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 70 - On the Coast South of the Oracles

Thematic Music

---

It takes almost an entire month to make land where Karadoon, Iphigenia, and Brother Langdon guide the Fortune to. Iphigenia in particular is seen guiding sailors to trim the sails and make as good time as possible - even avoiding a catastrophic lee shore at one point in the journey on account of being on watch and seeing it for what it was.

Having made your way 700 miles north, and the season growing late, it is significantly colder than anyone is accustomed. Kelmar is subtropical, as was the land you made it to due east. Whatever happens over the next few months will have to be decisive or preparatory, as if it is this cool in the end of summer, winter will be impossible to campaign in.

The land here is flat grassland. By the mouth of a large river you pass, an abandoned town can be found. You are told over the journey that about fifty miles to the west is the original landing point of the second expedition, and there is another permanent encampment 75 miles further west still.

For now, the Oracles lay 75 miles further north still. What the Maliente might have in store remains to be seen.

 

[Vladim]

The Fortune seemed to her far superior to the much humbler Philadelphia, which had been, after all, only a gunboat. As they moved ever northwards with swift sails, she sought every opportunity to refresh her memory, and to re-familiarize herself with the skills necessary for navigating such a great vessel. Perhaps one day she would command her own, but even if fortune favoured her future thusly, she still had a long road ahead of her, and many more steps to climb.

In what spare time she had to herself, she sought the others, wishing to help them all reach some consensus in matters such as plans and priorities. Things had not exactly gotten to a smooth start-they all seemed to share different beliefs and morals-but it appeared to her at least that the Oracle was the first task to tackle.

As for the rest, only time would tell.

 

OOC

Kind of a nothing post from me, but maybe sufficient to summarise the downtime, and serve as an introduction.

Obviously, Iphigenia favours journeying northwards at speed, to find the Oracle.

[thesloth]

Karadoon

Karadoon spent considerably less time in the bottom of the hold on this crossing than his previous two crossings, but nothing would likely ever soothe his nerves when the coastlines faded from view and it was just water, wind, and sharks. Ecstatic to see the coastline again he gathered up his gear and spent his time fighting the effects of the salt water.

"Stavard, Brother Koji, Beitris, that river is I believe, the one we paddled up and found the orc armory at. It's possible this big boat of yours could fit up it, but I am near certain we would be spotted by Maliente scouts.

If we land a bit south, we should have a relatively direct route to our outtpost and the Oracle."

[matt_s]

Salt on his hand, sea breeze in his hair, the gentle caress of the rocking deck beneath his worn boots, Stavard was perhaps more at home amidst wind and tide than anywhere else. The sight of the land they were seeking was still a happy one. Stavard like all sailors loved and loathed the great blue expanse in near equal measure the balance thereof perched upon a fulcrum distant and unknown.

If that is it, then let us weigh anchor and away the launch over the side and get to it. The horizon calls.

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 72 - Northward to the Oracles

The journey north is marked by the steady cooling of the days and nights, amplified by your northward progression. Needing to fill your canteens as you go, you are always on the lookout for that sparkle in the distance that may indicate water, and in the late afternoon you find just that sparkle. However, as you get closer knowing that water will soon be available, and admittedly thirsty from the day's journey thus far, a smell that's almost swamp-like can be caught. However, looking around, this is open prairie, with occasional copses of trees.

 

Dungeon Master

Anyone who wants can make a Notice roll, which will be a Wisdom base skill. The DC on this is 8. Reminder that it's 2d6+Attribute Modifier+Skill Modifier.

 

[matt_s]

Stavard looks about, trying to keep his eyes sharp.

ooc

not sure if you want us all to shotgun the notice roll - the "help/aid" mechanic is useful to allow one player to make a check and then others to support them. With a party this size if everyone rolls even at -1 for no attribute mod or training, success is basically guaranteed

 

[Vladim]

Iphigenia turned up her collar and brought her hands to her face, blowing a long breath on them to warm them. She had not yet grown accustomed to the cold, and she disliked it. She wondered what they'd do if they needed to remain this far north for longer. It had already been difficult to reach a consensus about the Oracles; what would they do next?

The hint of something rotten caught her attention. She looked to the others, seeking to confirm that she wasn't simply imagining things now. From the looks of them, they had noticed something foul too. But what? Nothing seemed amiss...

[Powderhorn]

Dungeon Master

Iphigenia is the first to pick up on it. She knows this scent from too much time on ship with rations too old that even salt and brine can't hide the truth. As she points it out, everyone else is able to notice it as well.

Beneath the smell of old vegetation is also the distinct odor of rotting animals.

 

[matt_s]

Stavard was unsettled. If predators had killed those animals, they would have eaten them. That was the point of hunting as he understood it. Never had he seen a sailor reel a fish out of the sea and leave it on deck to fester.

Something is not right here, I tell you, he says in a whisper. Might be a peril to look, probably a worse peril to proceed uninformed. Draw weapons and let us see what has happened.

Stavard proceeds towards the smell, brushing aside the vegetation with the haft of one of his spears. But soon he thought he would have to stow the spear and wield the hammer.

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

Koji peers over the corpses and vegetation "Not eaten, must be poisoned or diseased or something would have eaten them" as he looks down at the water, he comments "I will pray to the Father for us to be able to drink his divine mead, it would be better than the swamp water"

Looking up he takes stock of the surrounding area, hefting his mace on his shoulder.

Edited February 10 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 72 - Northward to the Oracles

As Stavard starts to push aside the brush and bramble, the scent of decay quickly becomes the predominant smell. Brother Koji notices something amiss and is able to jump back, as suddenly, the vegetation itself rises up - bringing long roots which it uses to lash out at Stavard!

 

Map

 

Dice Explanation

Tried doing them all together, first attack was 26 to hit, 12 damage, second was 12 to hit, 14 damage.

Shock is 2/20.

 

[matt_s]

Stavard reaches for his warhammer inscribed with ancient runes and with a peculiar heat burning within it but then the monster is faster. One blow he throws himself back at the final moment out of gut instinct honed from a thousand nights of watchfulness and a handful of battles that even in recollection filled him with terror.

The bitter payment doled out by the bizarre foe some forsaken agglomeration of vegetation and horror was but a grazing wound but Stavard fear indeed he knew his luck would not last. He swing his flaming hammer in a fury of blows.

 

 

 

ooc

12/14hp, 15AC

 

whirlwind for 7/AC18 shock. Then attack Warhammer +7/1d8+6+2(fire) 7/AC18 . Took 2 dmg (one is vet's lucked and shielded, second is a miss).

note that chances are pretty high if the mob is looking beat up I'll snap attack it next round.

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

Jumping backwards Koji brings up his shield and pulls his mace around.

He calls out "Father, Father, lend these mortals your strength and vigour!" as the words leave his lips you feel a surge of blood coursing through your veins as strength, vigour and a Will to help your fellow nearly overwhelms you.

The creature swipes in to attack Stavard, Koji darts in swinging. Lacking the training and skill of a warrior, his mace grazes the creature.

 

OOC, Mechanics

Immediate action: God will's it - everyone gets +1 to attack, and +1 damage (including Shock), as well as 12 Morale until end of the scene

Effort: 2/3

New Maths
to hit = 13 (8 rolled +2 might, +1 bab, +1 skill, +1 God's will)
Damage = 5 (2 rolled, +2 might, +1 God's will) or Shock 4/18 AC (1, +2 might, +1 God's will)

 

Edited February 11 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)

[Vladim]

As soon as the rotting root-thing rose up, Iphigenia drew her blade, but the sight of the slender sword did not fill her with much confidence. The brutish horror towered over them, and at once she thought the weapon unlikely to damage such a thing-it was, after all, forged for duels and sportsmanship and sparring-not for dealing with monsters like this one.

She swiftly moved by Karadoon, seeking to shield him from any incoming blows. The others she did not know as well, but from the looks of it, they knew what they were doing. Still, part of her thought to flee. Did they truly need to fight if they could simply march around this foe?

 

OOC

Move Action: Screen an ally (Karadoon)

Main action: Ready an item (draw sword)

Edit: Matt points out that I can have some items readied already, so if that's the case, I'll make a skill check with Know (+1) and Int (+1) to see if Iphigenia might know something useful about this creature.

Edit 2: Let me use the expert ability to re-roll that crappy roll...

[Powderhorn]

Dungeon Master

You know that there are spirits of the slain who roam this land in a manner different from Kelmar (where the dead notably stay... dead.), and it is difficult to know precisely by what magic this is animated. However - it seems likely that some sort of spirit is moving this. What defeating it looks like, precisely, is tougher to know. Perhaps disarticulating it into its component pieces...?