Watchfort Reclamation, Summer 668

[scarik]

It has been precisely 12 weeks since the party first ventured out, and while they certainly fell short of their lofty goal they notched a formidable victory and made new friends. It it is with several of those that they take to the road in force, and have no fear on the road between Borderton and Ravenswell. The first day of travel is entirely uneventful and while the road itself is much easier to traverse due to the dry weather the heat has the same effect as the spring mud in limiting their speed. The night passes quietly.

The second day is the same and they reach Ravenswell with the sky only just turning red. The tiny stronghold is the only shade any of them have had all day and they are all quite glad to stop by the well and have the master of the tower with them as he sets his porters to the task of drawing water as fast as they can manage. The men set camp and the mules are put by the best ruffage so that they have plenty in reach and don't wander off.

Corbin opens his larders and joins the others in a small feast to thank them for coming along with him before they head west back to the ruined watchfort.

Darkness falls and the troupe settles down for the night with only the perfunctory watches set. There are no bands of ruffians this time, but the night is far from uneventful...

Random Encounter Chance Day 1 Hex 1 [1d6]=4
Random Encounter Chance Day 1 Hex 2 [1d6]=3
Random Encounter Chance Day 1 Hex 3 [1d6]=2
Random Encounter Chance Day 1 Hex 3 [1d6]=2
No meaningful encounters Day 1

Random Encounter Chance Day 2 Hex 1 [1d6]=2
Random Encounter Chance Day 2 Hex 2 [1d6]=1
Random Encounter Chance Day 2 Hex 3 [1d6]=4
Random Encounter Chance Day 2 Camp [1d6]=6
Camp Encounter [1d100]=92
Lair Chance [1d100]=1 No. App [1d4]=3
Odd encounter Reaction Roll [2d6]=10
This is quite the odd result all told. I need a bit to figure it out.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Despite the road being clear due to the actions of Sir Tylar and his knights, Ji-ho kept the new troops, and their new sergeants, drilling as if in hostile territory. Soon enough the practice would pay off, best to make mistakes when the threat of battle was less. At each break, Ji-ho and Si-woo would circulate amongst everyone and ensure loads were distributed well, questions were answered, and advice quietly given to the new leaders. Throughout the training, duties have been assigned in an alternating order, so that all of the soldiers learned the details of being a good soldier. Even the Jings took their turn cooking the meals, cleaning the pots and pans, and tending the animals.

Ji-ho spoke with Bofur, and asked that the dwarf alchemist could work with Hemia the priestess and her henchperson Darfilla the human alchemist. "We must deal with the spiders, and that will be risky. Best be prepared in case anyone gets bitten."

[roobeastie]

Morwen

Making no secret of the fact that she was listening to the conversations taking place around her, Morwen stood up and moved a little closer to Jing Ji-ho and Bofur, clearing her throat before speaking softly. "My apologies for interrupting, however this is the first I'm hearing of any spiders," she started, glancing from one to the other. "If assistance with potions is needed, I can certainly help, as can my apprentice, Cuivne."

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Ji-ho turned toward Morwen, and paused. He was obviously not from the local area; shorter in body, a natural warm color to the skin, and a style of long black hair tied into a ponytail. As he spoke, his diction confirmed that Magyar was not his native tongue. "Thank you, we welcome your assistance, as being dead is not helpful to our mission. I do not know what types of spiders there are, but they were significant enough to cause a dozen ogres to blockade themselves off."

He smiled, and shrugged slightly. "I know that some people struggle with your kind. I do not know enough about you to struggle, but please take into account that not everyone is comfortable with you yet. If they struggle, just remind them that you are helping keep everyone alive. Is that acceptable?"

[roobeastie]

Morwen

Morwen nodded at Ji-ho, a ghost of a smile playing on her beak. She was, of course, aware that others might find her unsettling, both due to her race and her chosen discipline. Still, that was something that could - and hopefully - be overcome with time. "You need not thank me, as our mission is one and the same. In an effort to help ease tensions, I know that showing a willingness to work together and assist where I can is for the best."

She laughed softly, amused by his words. "I am cognizant of the struggle others may have with me and mine. I take no offense, and understand that only time and patience can change peoples' perceptions. I have no intention towards forcing my presence on others, and to that end I will do my best to treat others with the same care and respect they treat me."

[scarik]

The Unquiet Night

The warm fire and the friendly chattering of the Ravenfolk thaws some of the animosity and trepidation among the human soldiers and Sengrim at least enjoys the food enough to get in a game of bones with one of the black-feathered guards. Others are less convinced and keep their distance and their own company. Eventually the evening grows dark and sentries are set. There is wide, flat spot to the eastern side of the road set for larger parties and over time it has become a robust camp site with ditches and sumps and dry, packed earth. The soldiers find it a simple matter to set their tents, clear their latrines and post guards. Its not as comfortable as being outside a friendly tavern, but it beats the side of the road from the day before.

At midnight the baying of wolves begins to sound across the plain. At first it comes from the western grasslands where a dozen howls call and respond to one another, but by the witching hour the cries trill out from the nearby eastern wood and the slightly removed southern forests as well. Only the most accustomed to hardships manage to sleep well with those newest to campaigning startled awake with every new call. Others find some comfort in the distance and the guards and manage a few winks here and there.

The Lucky PC [1d4]=4 Rolls like this will always be inn the order of the Roster page. Morwen wins this time.
The Lucky Henchmen [1d4]=4 Same order. One of Morwen's henchmen. (The Lucky raven[1d2]=2 ) Cuivne
The Lucky NPC [1d6]=6 by type I had to ad hoc this but 6 is Gurav's men. (The Lucky Dwarf [1d4]=4 ) Korev
Lots of max rolls here. Had to do a few extras just to see if it was still working. Seems alright.

Effects PMed to those affected. I'll post NPC results after PC ones.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Ji-ho nodded to Morwen. "There are many things I do not know. If you see a chance to increase our skills, and odds of survival, please let me know."


Later that evening, during his watch, Ji-ho listened to the wolves. He did wonder, occasionally, what they were saying to each other. Were their ancestors talking to them, as well? Were totemic spirits real?

Still, the band was suffering from nervousness. Ji-ho went to Barnaby, and gently shook him awake. "Regrettably, my friend, the sound of wolves is taking its toll on everyone. Could you give us a tune to fortify our rest?"

[tibbius]

"Ah," muttered Barnaby sleepily. Then he roused himself. "Of course! But not the new one, that's been heard too many times of late."

He tuned up his lap harp and sang a few quiet scales to settle the sleep out of his throat. Then he began to sing a cheerful love ballad. Inspire Allies



Darn it ... really hope that roll was not needed!

[scarik]

I'll take a Captain roll from Ji-Ho as well to help calm nerves.

[Leitz]

I'll take a Captain roll from Ji-Ho as well to help calm nerves.

Pair dice roll [_2d6]=(2+5)=7

[scarik]

The uneasy night passes at last and an unseasonable mist lingers over Ravenswell as dawn begins to break. Its mere presence continues to make people nervous but with the suggestion of sunlight men begin to joke about the shapes they claim to have seen in the night and how the shape of the valley must have made far off wolves seem so close...

But then a great wind erupts from out of nowhere and swirls through the tiny outpost. When it dies down as suddenly as it started the area is clear and bright and Corbin can be seen atop his tower with his apprentices. He hops down and leads Morwen back toward the party as they finish breaking down their camp to speak with the leaders. Morwen's guard, Macnav is carrying a very full pack and several sacks of fragrant and pungent reagents.

"These herbs and tinctures will aid you in crafting anti-venoms, among other things if your alchemists are skilled. Please accept them and my apprentice into your party."

Standard rules on shares for your new, official party member. The reagents are worth £2 and give a high-quality ingredient bonus to Alchemy rolls.

[scarik]

Day 3

A strong, steady wind blows from the northwest all day. Perhaps its the wind magic of the Ravenfolk, or perhaps the natural wind was how Corbin's spell was powered, but in either case it makes for a colder than normal day out on the grasslands. Some good news though is that it makes the hidden road easier to follow as the grasses are less well rooted on it and thus they are more vulnerable to the breeze and bow lower to the ground. Or so Sengrim says and Bofur agrees. No one else really sees it.

The trip to the old fort is uneventful, the other denizens of the grasslands must be staying in their dens today.

They arrive with plenty of daylight left and find that a half dozen, hungry and skittish wild dogs have turned the place into a den.

Random Encounter Chance Day 3 Hex 1 [1d6]=2
Random Encounter Chance Day 3 Hex 2 [1d6]=1
Random Encounter Chance Day 3 Hex 3 [1d6]=4
Random Encounter Chance Day 3 Camp [1d6]=1
Random Encounter Dungeon [1d100]=33
No. Appearing [4d4]=5
Dog Reaction [2d6]=5

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

"Our neighbors protect our domain!" Ji-ho exclaimed. He smiled, and looked around. "If anyone else is familiar with dogs, please help me recruit them."

Taking a little bit of leftovers, Ji-ho approached one of the dogs slowly, speaking in a calm tone. His goal is to get the dogs to relax, and perhaps eventually "join".

[roobeastie]

Morwen

While she had only a passing familiarity with dogs, Morwen remembered hearing somewhere that dogs liked to gnaw on bones, which she happened to have quite a few of. Reaching into one of her bags, Morwen pulled out a few random bones and scattered them around.

[scarik]

The dogs are distrustful but too hungry to refuse. They are easily lead outside where they lurk at the edge of the encampment hoping for more scraps.


This is what you have so far.

Room 2 is the entry chamber The west facing door goes to the collapsed entry tunnel. Its eastern door is the blocked off passage.
Room 1 is where the treasure was found and where the provisions are stored.

Dog Reaction 2 [2d6]=6

Watch Fort so far.jpg (185.27 KiB) Viewed 5168 times

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

"Thank you, Morwen. The dogs will provide us one more layer of warning, should something try to sneak up on us at night." Ji-ho said.

"Morphin, organized the skirmishers and lights, we march in ten minutes. We need to look at the closed off entrance to the watchfort and make sure nothing else is hiding too close. Verdugo, join me. Si-woo, lay out the camp and begin setting everything up. Hemia, gather those who may know about spiders and see if you can get any indication of what types and numbers we will encounter."

He looked at the group, and smiled. It wasn't a small adventuring party, but the quest they were on was not a small adventure. The group was diverse, and many had yet to find their full place in the tapestry of fate. That was their task, though. Not his, he had other work to do.

"Gurav, Barnaby, Bofur, Morwen; you know best how to contribute your skills and knowledge. Please, join me as you like. I want to make sure we have a secure perimeter, and as few surprises as possible tonight."

[scarik]

There is only one real way forward and given the amount of work it will take to clear the task waits until the next day when everyone is rested.

It takes many hands more than an hour to open up the passageway by firelight. There are some ventilation shafts built into the hill but they give only limited light as only the ones that serve the previous chambers have been cleared out. Plus this fort lacks the many bronze mirrors that a dwarfhold would typically use to reflect the light around. On the plus side there 's more than a cord of wood to make torches from.

The way forward leads into a dark chamber that smells of disuse and is filled with webs with strands as thick as fingers. They are so thick that they are like curtains and its impossible to see into the chamber beyond due to their presence. The spring mists couldn't have been any heavier, but at least they weren't flammable.


Now you decide who is going to go room to room and in what order.
The scale of the map is 10 feet per hex.
This door is an arch about 7' wide.
The webs are covered in dust so they aren't sticky on the surface nearest you.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

"Let us see if fire will remove some of the webbing," Ji-ho said. His sword in hand, he used his shield hand to hold the torch and swing it around. preferably with his shield still in place. If combat comes, he'll drop the torch.

Unless anyone feels otherwise, Ji-ho will be in front, trying to clear the webs with the torch. Any PCs or fighter NPCs who want to join him are welcome. Drotik and Rolton will be along as well, but do not have to be up front. They are also carrying torches, and spares. The first goal is to clear the webs and see what lays beyond. The dwarves can assess the structural risks, if any. Si-woo will control the camp outside, and ensure the rear guard is ready if needed.

[scarik]

On the positive side of the equation the webs at the entrance do respond to flames, but only just. The thick, ropey strands are quite damp from the cistern system built into the fort and so they shrivel and hiss when met with torches. Any soldier can appreciate how they will make excellent kindling and cautions that with enough heat they ought to steam up and then burst like dwarfen blasting chalk.

On the negative side, Jing Ji-ho will likely be in the center of the room when that happens and be burned to cinders.

As another positive the attempt reveals the room to be an elongated rectangle similar to Room 2 though perhaps a bit longer north to south.

Detection [1d6]=5
Nothing to see here.

WF2.jpg (38.8 KiB) Viewed 5068 times

[/ooc]

[tibbius]

Dramm and Barnaby are playing at lots with Sengrim on the hillside, their armor clad and weapons close to hand. Frequently they look up from the game to scan the horizon. "No temper for a nasty webby hole like of that," the halfling says lightly at one point, apropos of nothing in the current conversation. He twitches his shoulders and tosses the sticks. Barnaby and Dramm just nod and return to talking about women and dogs. "That's a likely one," Barnaby mentions with a slight nod toward one of the less-mangy wild canines. The whole pack are lying about on the hillside, feigning disinterest in people who could feed them at any time. Dramm chuckles and mutters something; Sengrim guffaws. Barnaby looks puzzled for half a moment, then shakes his head, scoffing.