Interlude 2: Rest & Resupply & ... ?

[drpete]

Danthan looks Solaine up and down, a grim look on his face. "Mmmmm, lots of people passing through, heading up to Dwimmermount. They think there's treasure to be had... two groups passed through just yesterday. One group had elves in it. Gonna get themselves killed with that foolishness. One of them even asked me if I had a map!" He laughs bitterly, and shakes his head.

[kalstone]

Solaine laughs. "Headed up to Dwimmermount? They're just going to get themselves killed. We took a peek in there and were up to our ears in orcs. Then some kind of black skeletons jumped us. We were lucky to escape with our lives. Well ... at least some of us were. We had two eaten by the wyvern that lives there at the entrance. And that's not even getting into the giant ape that lives in one of those guard towers now. Thirty feet tall if he's an inch, and he carries a whole tree as a club!"

She laughs, "Yeah, anyone headed up there will find themselves filling some beast's belly. We're going to keep an eye on the mountain to see if things cool down. I'm not hopeful though. You should have seen that ape's eyes! They were crazed eyes. Like a demon had possessed it and was waiting to unleash the fires of hell on the world of man. Hope you enjoy your breakfast!" She gets up and rejoins the party.

[drpete]

The corporal scowls "You kidding? A demon ape, up in the towers up there? I know those towers. Yeah, they must be crazy to be going in there. Still, people have been trying to get in there for decades. Don't think some kind of monster ape is going to stop 'em from trying."

[drpete]

Also, I failed to mention it, but... Torgyr, Solaine, Steel and Ranulf owe 7 gp for living expenses "today". They've been in the game for 2 weeks.

[Zorroroaster]

7 gp deducted!

[kalstone]

7 deducted here too.

[drpete]

Date: Skullmont 11, 10:00 am
Season: Early Fall
Weather: Cool and Rainy (Cold)
Moon phase: First Quarter
Conditions: Ranulf & Emm, hungover (-1 to hit & damage until 1 day's rest)
Location: Basecamp

Hearing about other adventuring parties heading up to Dwimmermount, after breakfast the group heads out to their base, to make sure everything is alright.

You find Ammey and O working on building a latrine a fair distance back from the camp. They come and greet you happily. They report that yes, a group did pass by them yesterday. The adventuring group had about eight members. They stopped at the camp, and O was worried that they would steal some of your stuff, but Ammey got them talking and fed them, and they went on their way, up the mountain.

The impression of the mercenaries is that these guys were not very upstanding characters. They were kind of dirty and unsavory looking. The leader had a habit of spitting a lot, and there was an elf with the party.

[bobloblah]

"Luck was with you."

Brother Galen looks away towards the upper slopes of Dwimmermount, "Let us go see if our demon-ape still guards his tower, or if these unsavoury types were able to deal with him..." looking back towards his companions he asks, "I do not suppose any of you speak the brutish tongue of such beasts?"

[drpete]

"Luck was with you."

Brother Galen looks away towards the upper slopes of Dwimmermount, "Let us go see if our demon-ape still guards his tower, or if these unsavoury types were able to deal with him..." looking back towards his companions he asks, "I do not suppose any of you speak the brutish tongue of such beasts?"

Ranulf has an unspecified extra language, and this might be a good time to decide what it is...

It could be:
High Thulian: If Ranulf has some literary or aristocratic connection
Elven
Dwarven
Goblin: Goblins are mostly nasty, chaotic underground dwellers, but they mix with human society more than in default d&d/acks, and can be found in cities, though they're generally a surly and standoffish underclass.
Beastial: the "beast-men"... the descendants of human/animal hybrids, like the orc "pig-men", etc. They are violent, warlike creatures, and their language is filled with military phrases taken from common/low thulian.

[drpete]

While we think about that...

As the mercenaries update you, they say that although they are willing to do this duty, they are not confident in their ability to prevent a group like the one that came by yesterday from just robbing everything, or stopping the giant apeman. They seem to want some backup...

[Dogma]

-7 deducted for living expenses...does this cover his drinking spree or do i need to drop a couple more?

as far as languages...I don't think it makes sense for him to know High Thulian...though I do like the juxtaposition of a rough man-at-arms knowing how to speak a a high falutin' lanquage.

same with Elvish. Probably makes more sense for him to know Goblin or Beastial...how about Beastial since he didnt understand the goblins we already encountered?

[drpete]

How about 5 gp for the party.

I was definitely thinking bestial made good sense, I guess you just weren't in position to hear or talk to the orcs we met before.

As you know bestial, you are somewhat more familiar with beastmen. You know that they are much less common than goblins, but stronger. They are universally extremely violent. They rape and pillage human settlements, and steal women for breeding. These are not "noble savages" but animalistic supersoldiers.

[drpete]

On the recruiting point, remember that's a slow process, on the timescale of a week. You can put the word out, but it'll be a while before you get an answer. My understanding is that you guys wanted to go up to the ape man first, so...


Date: Skullmont 11, 10:40 am
Season: Early Fall
Weather: Cold and Clear
Moon phase: First Quarter
Conditions: Ranulf & Emm, hungover (-1 to hit & damage until 1 day's rest)
Location: Stairs up to Dwimmermount

After talking with the henchmen, you head up the stairs, leading the pig. It takes about a half an hour of climbing. You pass the decorated "Alchemist's Door" and eventually you come near to the tower where you had seen the giant ape. Even from a distance, you can see signs of it around the ruined tower. You see a severed head mounted on a pole outside the tower, and a pile of some bloody "stuff" under it. The ten-foot-tall apeman sticks its head out of one of the windows of the tower, and looks down the road towards you. It quickly ducks its head back into the tower. Moments later, it emerges from the tower door, wielding its big club. It stands there, in the door, looking at you (still at a substantial distance) intently.

Do you approach? Retreat? Something else?

[kalstone]

I was thinking we could hammer an iron spike into the ground (or a stone wall if there is one nearby) then tie the pig to it. Then we could back away, staying within sight of the pig. Hopefully looking non threatening the whole time. Anyone have a better idea?

[Zorroroaster]

That sounds workable.

[bobloblah]

As long as Ranulf is here to talk to it.

[Zorroroaster]

"Grunt grunt?"

"Grunt, grunt, grunt!"

"Gruuuunt!"

[drpete]

The pig is staked, and the party retreats to what seems like a safe distance, with Ranulf staying close enough to talk to the ape.

The ape approaches, coming down the stairs. As it approaches, it occasionally stops, and its glance goes between the pig and the party, as if it suspects that this is a trick. Finally, it comes within about 20 feet of the pig, and stops. From here, you can see that it has a minor wound on its leg. It then lets out a loud bellow, slams the ground with its club three times, and gives Ranulf a pretty intimidating glare.

It then says something in Bestial.

In Bestial:
(bellowed) "This is MY [home? post? pig?]!"

"Men cannot have it! Will not go!"

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr whispers, keeping his voice low and even.

"I wonder if he had a run in with the other party that came through here? Look at that gash. Maybe you should offer to lay on hands, Brother Galen? You might lose a limb in the process, but that's diplomacy for you."

[barkman]

Or can we take advantage of the fact he's already been in a fight and put him down...... Will it be better to kill him, or use him to discourage others?