From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

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Eulalios

From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#1 Post by Eulalios »

Second of Autumn
Daily Weather: Temp [1d6] = 4 Moisture [1d6] = 3 Wind [1d6] = 2 Magic [1d6] = 3: 60-65°F, clear, dry, 5 mph breeze from west.
Daily Encounter [1d10] = 10 [1d8] = 2 [1d6] = 2; Daily Encounter [1d10] = 3 [1d8] = 8 [1d6] = 6
The yellow square is the Stone Barn Tavern / Hill area.  The map shows (roughly) what can been seen.
The yellow square is the Stone Barn Tavern / Hill area. The map shows (roughly) what can been seen.
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The next morning at breakfast the Rough Bunch jape about the sexual habits of the cult that venerate a weird tentacled statute, said to be sacred to the goblins of the Minor Caves that go under the mountains that rise a few leagues east of the village.

Veniat leads Lora and Sigmund north up the hill from the tavern yard, past Periwinkle's den, to the top of the hill. He points northward.

"You see there the Crag." From the hilltop a track runs north down to the valley road that follows upstream along the near side of the Straight Stream, i.e. northeastward from the trestle bridge at your left shoulder around the base of the hill and to the Stone Bridge that goes over the straight stream a couple miles north from where you stand. Between the hill and the Stone Bridge are fields, and over the Stone Bridge are more fields, with scattered groups of two to six cottages spaced no more than about a mile apart. Between the groups of cottages are copses of broad-leaf trees. The fields run on still northward across the valley bottom for eight or nine miles past the stream, then run into a wall of thick forest at the foot of a long upward slope. The Crag is a jagged hump of brown and gray stone that breaks sheerly upward from that long slope, maybe sixteen or eighteen miles distant. The morning sun gleams sharply off its eastern faces. "From the Cragtop, that's the white-gray chunk of rock ... there ... from the Cragtop you can look norrrth-nor'east to the True Mountain. On its southern face be the Lost Castle, what she the Old Mother were talkin of last night. I never been there but for thirty silver I'll go a fortnight with you that-a-way."

To your right (eastward) are forested hills, and beyond them mountains, lower than the Crag but higher than Stone Barn hill. Their dawn shadows lay on the forest hills. Somewhere in there are the Minor Caves.

Behind you, southward, the mountains continue around and dwindle down to a very flat and sharp horizon. You can see the constant cloud of mist that rises from the Long Fall, where Lora came up the switchback trail to enter this realm. The mist cloud twinkles in the dawn, though the angle's not right for rainbows you might see sundogs in it later morning.

To the west, beyond the trestle bridge, are more hills of forest - mainly the Nut Woods, through which Sigmund came to Joinder. Beyond the Nut Woods are mountains, gray and brown, that rise in steps left-to-right toward the white-gray pinnacle of Cragtop. Continuing right from the Crag there is a broader, lower mountain, and to the right of that the valley of the Straight Stream stretches northeastward into blue morning shadows.

You notice near the Stone Bridge a group of about a dozen small and faded green tents with a green pennant waving from a lance, the point of which sparkles in the morning sun. About a dozen armed men, tiny at two or three miles distant, are going about their breakfasts at a couple of tiny fires there. They have horses grazing near the tents. They all seem to wear green capes like Veniat's.

Questions for Veniat about the map?

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#2 Post by MrHemlocks »

Periwinkle, having a hard time sleeping awoke early and prepared a light breakfast for himself. Halfway through the meal he is startled see Veniat and two others walking northward from his den."Now what are they up to." He say to himself as he dons on his travel clothes and makes chase to reach them. After following the threesome for a bit, he stops and hides within the foliage, when noticing they come to a rest near the top of a crag. Seeing Veniat pointing northward, toward the mountains beyond, Periwinkle strains his eyes to try to take notice what is being shown to the two strangers.
Can he see the low castle ruins that is being pointed to? Periwinkle remembers what the old lady told him about a squat castle within the mountains that a dragon had been seen to fly over.

Also, your map is VERY hard for me to understand where the various locations are at. Can you maybe label the map or something because I am at a loss here. I still can not even figure out where Periwinkle's den is(((

Great game just the same :)

Eulalios

Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#3 Post by Eulalios »

Periwinkle, believing himself well hidden, leans too hard to get a listen round a too-bendy bush and bangs his knee on a rock as his foot slips on a thin layer of dew-damped moss that lubricates the stony hilltop. Though he tries to stifle his yelp, it's still audible to anyone with half an ear or wit.

He has just now learned (by listening) that there might be a lost dragon castle built on the selfsame crag of rock toward which he has peered while picnicking, hundreds of times over the past 183 summers. First he's heard of it!
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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#4 Post by LtTibbles »

Sigmund
"Anything you could tell us about what we might run into on the way to the lost castle? Groups of goblins, bands of orcs, packs of gnolls, that sort of thing?" hearing a yelp behind them he turns around to see who or what made it. "Oi who goes there!?"

Eulalios

Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#5 Post by Eulalios »

Periwinkle, Lora, Sigmund
In reply to Sigmund's question, Veniat gives a grim chuckle. "Well there's a couple of ways up to the Cragtop - near and far. The nearer path is straight north over the valley and up through the woodlands, then the trail goes west up into the pass between the Crag and Ledges. At least two days walking to the pass, and camping at nights. In that woods I've seen or heard of goblins, wolves, and dire bats. The pass is somethin' fierce, if the trolls are about. Best done in daylight.

"The further path is up along the Straight Stream half a day or more, rest at a village or at the Chapel, then up through the Lichyard Ruins and around the north face of the Crag. Not much to be said for that route ...

"... 'cepting you like dragons, ain't that so, Sig?
"

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#6 Post by dmw71 »

"What is this speak of dragons?" Lora asks, feeling like she's walked into the middle of a conversation.

I'll admit, I'm a little confused here. Does everyone know each other now?
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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#7 Post by MrHemlocks »

Periwinkle, poking his head out from the shrubbery,"I say we go through the vale. The other rout might not be any safer and it will take much longer." Now aware that he has been discovered, Periwinkle nobs his head and goes over to the others. "I did not means to be sneaking up on you all like that but caught you going pass my den, this early morning, and thought I take a look and see what the heck is going on. And that led me here." Smiling he continues. " I am Periwinkle, and could not miss the part about the dragon at the old castle ruins. I like yourselves am interested in heading over to the castle and taking a look. You might need a little fellow, like myself, to tag along. I'm not the best sword swinger but I can sneak around places that would cause others to be caught. What say you mates?"

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#8 Post by LtTibbles »

Sigmund

Sigmund grinned at Veniat"I like their gold more, as for you having someone that can sneak around could prove useful how well do you know the area Mr....?"

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#9 Post by MrHemlocks »

Looking up at the big man, periwinkle gives a wink of his eye and continues."I am Mr. Periwinkle and live not too far from here in a most cozy den. The very same one you and your friends crossed over this morning all but ruining some seedlings the children had planted."

Stepping back a bit and looking toward the crag, "I have been here on this spot many a times but not once over there where that castle stands."

"Now tell me, what is you name and why have you come to our do nothing village?"

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#10 Post by LtTibbles »

Sigmund

"My name's Sigmund I'm mostly a traveler some would call me an adventurer but I feel that's a bit too grand of a name for what I usually do. I was over at the inn last night and made the mistake of offering my help to Old Mother so now I've found myself heading to the castle to retrieve a cup of dragon's blood if there is one actually up there."

Sigmund gripped the hilt of his rapier praying in his mind that his doubts would turn out to be true. "I'm sorry about the seedlings by the way if we make it back I will reimburse your children for them."

Eulalios

Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#11 Post by Eulalios »

Veniat shifts his body, turning away from the overlook to address you. "Of sure there's a dragon, questions are whether it's awake and whether it can be killed. I've heard its been done by a knight of the Order, Ser Geillam by name. That was when I only was a smallin though. Folk say he used a heavy crossbow, others say one o them thunder rods."

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#12 Post by dmw71 »

While a prospect which could lead to a dragon is certainly enticing, Lora has other plans which take her the opposite direction. "Luck be with all you, and may bards sing your tales if this dragon quest of yours is successful."

With that, the confident elf packs up her belongings and sets off and departs on her own.

---

Sorry, guys, time constraints for me to drop out of the game.
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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#13 Post by LtTibbles »

"Well I don't have a heavy crossbow or thunder rods unfortunately, what happened to Ser Geillam after he had slain the dragon? The beast didn't take him down with it I hope."

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#14 Post by MrHemlocks »

Seeing the female elf leave does not worry Periwinkle in the least. "Best that you did leave little lady. Dungeon work and the like is a man's job after all."
I am sorry but say you are leaving because of time restraints??!! It only takes one minute, or less, to post one sentence here every other day or so. You mean to tell me you do not have even one minute to spare every 1-2 days to write a post...blaaa. Just admit it; your not committed to playing...that is all. Good luck to you ;)

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Re: From the Top of Stone Barn Hill (2 Autumn)

#15 Post by MrHemlocks »

Ok....Guys I am leaving this game. The DM has not posted in over two weeks. Unless he is sick or has no internet there is NO excuse for not posting by now. If this is the way the game is going to be run....no fun. If you can search the web, text, check email daily than you have the time to post at least one sentence here...TAKES LESS THAN ONE MINUTE!

Good luck but the game died away before it really got going...and that is a good thing.

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