IC 003 - Expedition to Blackwater Swamp

[Rex]

Ciarra

"I agree Mikhail, I am not for it. Simply saying that would be our best option. I don't think any of it is actually worth it."

[Rex]

Ciarra

"Lets just move on now and keep exploring."

[Enoch]

Lavin nods. "I suspect whatever is in that building, it can be patient. I vote to move on.
We can come back with more forces if we want."

[Marullus]

"Agreed... though I must remember to look into why such a being is entreating me to deliver objects of power to Elder Visant of the Church of Albor."

Gars readies the mules and leads them on, following the more proficient scouts.

[Urson]

Mikhail
Mikhail returns to his place in the front, casting back and forth across the route like a hunting dog searching for a scent. He stops to kick open a rotted log and pick out a few fat grubs to snack on, then continues.

[cybersavant]

Kaithar
falls in line with the others. He looks around as they walk, watching for threats.

notice1

[sulldawga]

Hallastor Hills

The party leaves the shrine and continues their sweep of the hex. About a mile north of the hex, they find a giant elk heading into a copse of trees. It looks like a possible bedding area for the animals. It doesn't look like the party was noticed but the copse is thick enough that it's unlikely you'll be able to sneak up on the elk if you entered the area.

Do you want to stop and investigate further or keep moving?

[Rex]

Ciarra

"Do we want to check it out. I am not much of a hunter."

[Marullus]

"I am more interested in ruins," shrugs Gars. "That’s some really big moose."

[Rex]

Ciarra

"That it is."

[Urson]

Mikhail
Elk, not moose. I'll remember this area- a team of hunters could harvest several of those beasties and feed a whole village. It's not something I'd want to tackle right now- we don't have the right gear for a big hunt like that. Let's push on

[Rex]

Not sure about the game obviously (and assume we are referring to North American Elk), but Northern Europeans call moose elk, when French and English settlers came to the New World they thought the Wapti (what the Native Americans called North American Elk) must be the Northern European Elk. But as often happens they had never seen them and screwed it up. I hunted Moose in Quebec one year with a friend of mine from Norway and he always called moose elk. Just a bit of fun trivia.

[sulldawga]

Blackwater Swamp

The party completes its sweep of the hex and moves northwest toward the swamp.

You find a pond positively filled with frogs. Circling around it, you notice a game trail. You're not sure what animal has made the path but it's fairly clear that something comes to this pond to drink on a regular basis. The trail runs off to the southwest.

To the northwest, you see the plains turn into patches of wildflowers.

Which way would you like to go next?

I have been bothered by the way we've been exploring hexes so far. I don't like how it's inevitable, once you make a loop around the hex, that you find everything in it. I realized it's because I meant for this game to be a pointcrawl and then I immediately discarded the idea. So we've moving back to the pointcrawl concept. I will expand on it in the OOC thread.

[Rex]

Ciarra

"This would be a good spot to ambush game if we need food."

She looks around, "How about we head for the wild flowers?"

[Urson]

Mikhail
Mikhail studies the game trail, hoping to get some guess about what creatures use it.
(Using his Survival skill) [2d6]=10

We might as well head for the meadow. Don't walk on the game trail- it will make the wildlife skittish. Just walk alongside it.

[sulldawga]

Mikhail
Mikhail studies the game trail, hoping to get some guess about what creatures use it.
(Using his Survival skill) [2d6]=10

We might as well head for the meadow. Don't walk on the game trail- it will make the wildlife skittish. Just walk alongside it.

Mikhail says the game trail is used by elk.

[Marullus]

Gars rubs his jaw thoughtfully. "In my experience, a pond means a stream, and upstream leads to high ground, and civilized things and their ruins tend to congregate around good water sources. Maybe we could follow the stream to see if we can get a better vantage from high-ground before we go into the low-ground of the swamp." He then adds, "After the wildflowers, of course."

[sulldawga]

Blackwater Swamp region

The party heads northwest toward the wildflowers. As you move further to the NW, the plains become grasslands and then the grass starts to give way to wildflowers. The smell of pollen fills the air and prompts an occasional sneeze. Every once in a while, you see a flowering bush of strange appearance. They're like what you are used to seeing back home, except larger.

It's like everything here is a pleasant garden, except twice or three times the normal size. There is a constant subtle drone in the background, like insects buzzing.

After about 2.5 miles, you realize the droning buzz is getting louder. You stop, only to realize you're somewhat surrounded by the noises. Perhaps 100 yards away, you see a enormous wasp! It's the same size as a medium dog, except flitting above the ground from flower to flower. You quickly realize there is another one to your left, and two to your right.

There is no surprise here. The party may withdraw if they wish. Actions?

[Rex]

Ciarra

Ciarra readies her spear.

Whispering, "Maybe a good idea to pull back?"

[Marullus]

"Faint hearts never won... fair flowers," he says distractedly, watching the movement of the giant insects. "They don't seem bothered, perhaps we shouldn't either. Move carefully, avoid their hive?"

We're moving rather randomly - is there anything visible ahead of us that might make this interesting enough to risk continuing?
Is this the way to the swamp?

If it helps...
Int+Know [2d6+2]=6+2=8