Expedition - Blackjack/Troll Lair - 20 May 2021

[Marullus]

On the morning of 20 May 2021, Blackjack Amistad, Earc Orctongue, Achaedany, and Alcide depart the city walking eastward towards the Frogmorton Ford.

Please pay at least a week's stabling for Pingu the draft horse, since you're leaving him behind.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Amistad rises early from his family tepee and wagon at the market quarter. He meditates and practices his series of devotional spiritual and martial moves in front of the carved totem he carries. This time incorporating a couple of extra poses, of a stalking prowling nature. He finishes bowing low before the icon and then wishes his Ma' goodbye as he sets of to seek his fortune once more.

Amistad meets with Alcide and Achaedany outside the tavern and wait for Earc, no doubt completing his morning studies to show up.

No draft horse with us, so we are carrying our supplies. We have at least a week's food each, no tent we can create our own bivouacs if need be.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Shortly after Amistad shows up, Earc appears as well, a slight cloud of dust trailing the lower half of his robes.

"We will be attended by our scout and a mercenary, yes? Hopefully the four of us can port back anything we find, though it might be wishful thinking that we find anything at all..."

[Marullus]

You can set out once you establish the direction and plan.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

"It would make sense to me to hike out to the Frogmorton ford and then follow the riverbank upstream. Hopefully Alcide can spot the last campsite and pure of the last troll. Should be a little SW if the corner turning on the map. Then, who knows? Underwater caves or large beaver type troll nests above water?"

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc nods his agreement at the plan and prepare to set off.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Will lead off down the trail to the ford. He checks the inventory of folk making a mental note of the strengths and weaknesses we may have.

Alcide should have his bow, bullywug spear and 3 javelins at least, does he wear the jackbuck as a new coat? What armour does he and Achaedany wear? She also has a BW spear.

"Earc the Bullywugs had a 'ward vs undead', was that a scroll type spell or an item usable many times? If these frogmen protected themselves thus, are there undead who live in water? Maybe swamp ghouls from further upriver?"

[Marullus]

Alcide does appear a bit more jaunty; his studded leather armor is covered by a buckskin jacket with natural rabbit-fur lining. He wears the unadorned golden torc on his upper arm and does indeed carry the bullywug longspear and javelins in addition to his longbow. He is busy explaining the nature of these trophies from their last conquests to Achaedany (who makes no effort to hide her boredom) as they approach you.

Achaedany has no such frills. She wears a simple studded leather tunic and carries a loaded heavy crossbow. She wears a shortsword and throwing knives within easy reach. "Silence your woodsman and lets find your troll," she tells Alcide curtly. She accepts your bullywug spear with a simple nod, looking it over.

The sun rose just before 5:00am; up in the overcast sky before you stirred from your warm beads. Nonetheless, you set out early and watched the moon set, a faint drizzle thickening to a steady rain as you walk back towards the Halfling Ford. It is about lunchtime when you reach the tower and ford, the river even higher in its banks and faster-moving than when you last came this way a week and a half ago, engorged by the unremitting rain on the now-saturated soil. The tower watchman wave a simple greeting and you veer northward, continuing back to your former campsite. The mound of ash and cinder which was once driftwood and troll marks the site easily. You stand along the riverbank and contemplate the luck which led to you surviving the troll encounter, now prepared to hunt the rest of its family.

Day: 20 May 2021
Time: 1:30 pm
Light source: Sun (Sunset 9:28pm. Next sunrise 4:51am. Moonrise 12:42am to set 8:31am, 84% full)
Temp: 46 F
Wind: 14 SSW
Injuries: None
Distance traveled: ~7 miles today

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

"Do you know much about river trolls Earc? How they live, lair? "

Amistad will go with Achaedany to check a few yards up stream for any hint of troll prints or brushwood thatched hideaway. Is the river broken up at any points by small rock islands. He will ask Alcide to get a small covered camp going.

Maybe, like we found further upstream, there could be some cisterns or ruins the troll lair in. Not sure what else we can do except sit and wait or go swimming and diving. How clear is the River Gaul?

[Marullus]

With the constant rains, visibility in the water is quite low. The whole river has a swollen, fast-running, muddy feel.

Alcide sets up a base camp where you previously rested, reusing the makeshift materials for shelter. Without tent or raft for cover, it is a drippy, wet affair despite his efforts, but at least the campfire helps.

Earc Int check [1d20] = 1
Earc does indeed know a bit, such as is written about river trolls, at least. They possess no gills and so must breathe air, but can hold their breath for a considerable time. So, while they move and hunt from the water, they must lair some place dry. They also are not known to build or construct anything useful using their own skill or intellect, typically taking the home or lair of another, or finding a convenient dry place along a river (most stories thus focus on under-bridge trolls, which get the most attention near civilizations).

[Spearmint]

Amistad is thinking that 'river hunters' like trolls will favour an island in the middle of the river. Bullywugs perhaps come from across the swamp land. Can he spot anything up or down stream. Failing that we will have to check along the riverbank or further inland. What is the geography like, any small cliffs leading down to the riverbank or particularly rocky sections of forest? we perhaps need to check this western riverbank first before deciding to cross the river.

[Marullus]

Overall, the river is running like a ribbon between rolling plains for a number of miles north. If you eant to search for interesting features tell me which direction and how far you go. Searching is at half speed. Your technique likely matters, too.

[Spearmint]

Perhaps the best view of the river upstream is going to be climbing higher up. So maybe get some rope for security and with Achaedany go climb a tall tree that overlooks the river.

The Frogmorton family mentioned they had been troubled before by a troll and further up stream he would be on similar turf to the cyclops territory. So my hunch is the troll or trolls lair nearby or off the west bank. So any tree covered island or rocks with caves in the river will be of special interest.

[Alethan]

Apologies for the minor absence, gentlemen; was laid up with illness. Should be able to get a few posts in the rest of the weekend if they are necessary.

After relaying his information to the others, Earc mutters something about maybe not needing that potion now that he thinks of it...

Then continues louder, "I agree, this side of the river should be our first searching point. If it comes to crossing around here, though, I would remind you of the giant eel the cyclops was carrying and of the group of eels that attacked the log raft when we were embanked for the troll fight."

While Blackjack climbs a tree for a better view from above, Earc, working with Alcide, begins searching for a large outcropping of rocks or a hillside or ledge or cliff face that might be able to contain a cave or cavern of some kind. He begins looking upstream of the site of the fight, figuring the troll waits for victims near his lair and so attacked the raft AFTER it had floated past his ambush point.

[Marullus]

Climbing trees and scouring the riverbanks, the quartet examines for signs of the troll's passing. No islands are seen in the river and most of the banks slope down to the river cut. About two miles north of your campsite, you do find some limestone cliffs which give you hope, a deeper cut by the river and hope for caverns. Hours of searching reveal some large tracks that might be a troll leading into the water, but no caves or openings, however, and you eventually retire back to the campsite to beat the sun's set. Setting watches and settling in for rest, the night passes. In the waning hours before dawn, something rampages through the brush beyond the firelight. Alcide wakes the others, but it is already gone, back into the river with a giant splash.

The dawn comes, a warm breakfast over the campfire, and another day before you.

Day: 21 May 2021
Time: 7:00 am
Light source: Sun
Injuries: None
Distance traveled: 0 miles today

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Well I am not disappointed to find nothing of value. Amistad will rouse himself, and encourage the others that 'today will be a better day'. We can either continue to search this one place or move further upstream? Amistad will vote we venture to search further north. Perhaps going as far as the cyclops fishing nets and covering maybe within 100 yards or a bow shot of the west riverside embankment.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

First thing in the morning, Earc checks the site of the noise with Alcide to see if they can determine what made the tracks and/or how big it was.

[Marullus]

Amistad will vote we venture to search further north. Perhaps going as far as the cyclops fishing nets and covering maybe within 100 yards or a bow shot of the west riverside embankment.

Check your maps; I think you are 32 miles downstream from the Cyclops.

First thing in the morning, Earc checks the site of the noise with Alcide to see if they can determine what made the tracks and/or how big it was.

Alcide and Earc check for tracks where the noise was heard the night before. You are in luck - the rain stopped before midnight and left the tracks in place through this overcast-but-not-raining morning. It does appear to be troll tracks, coming from and returning to the river.

Day: 21 May 2021
Time: 7:15 am
Light source: Sun (sunset at 9:29pm, next sunrise 4:49am. Waning full moon, next rise 1:08am to 9:51am)
Injuries: None
Temp: 45 F (feels like 39 F)
Weather: Cloudy, wind 12-19mph SSW
Distance traveled: 0 miles today

[Alethan]

Does it appear they are large - like the size of the troll previously killed? Or are they smaller, like maybe they belonged to the progeny of the troll previously killed?

[Marullus]

Alcide considers. "Now, I didn't rightly spend much time with the other troll's feet, given its scary claws and teeth, but I'd reckon this one looks smaller."