Expedition - Foxy\Bounty Hunting - 20 May 2021

[Spearmint]

Idriss

anything more -1 hp from the zombie and she might have been too late to save anyway. Having come so far and determined not to let Foxy's flame go out with a whimper, Idriss makes a decision to try and leave the cave.

Stabilise Foxy, search goblin zombies in hope of one being an animated former goblin shaman, ( any indication of a zombie wearing an ecclesiastical dog collar or wearing a priestly ephod?). If no medical stuff turns up then take planks from stairs timber, if necessary collapsing the stairs behind him. Put planks on Floating Disc to hold of one body of Foxy as an ad hoc stretcher bearer.

Put Foxys' two remaining oil from satchel on the disc in case he needs to make a flame barrier and hang lantern from wood. Place shield of goblin and scimitar over Foxy or in her scabbard. Take her gold filled purse ( he didn't put it in the swag bag), if necessary he can use it to bribe goblins or guards to assist in getting us back to town.

Go forward armed with lit torch and drawn iron short sword. Rest of oil flasks in pouch ready to use as Molotovs' if need be.

First go to check out the giant cooking pots fire area. I have a plan if I get rat attacked, am vary wary more toothy nibbles are watching me in the dark.

[Marullus]

I'm willing to hand-waive that. We already established that you can fit Foxy and her goods on the Disc when you transported her last time. Moving her is dangerous work: see the Rules on that. She normally takes 1d2 damage per turn for being moved without first resting. I'm making some allowance for the Disc, but she'll face some damage getting back to the surface for you to camp there.

Idriss finds nothing of value on the twice-dead zombies and decides to move. He conjures his invisible disc, gets Foxy onto it, and arranges and stabilizes her accordingly. His torch then spent, he lights the lantern and carefully advances up the steps, Foxy floating gently behind him. He looks cautiously at the cooking room, wary of rats. The cauldrons are tipped and long since scoured by grimy whiskers - no movement, or food, remains that he can tell. He stands in the hollow cavern considering his options.

Date: 22 May 2021, 3:15 pm
Light: Idriss' Lantern (until 7:00)
Injuries: Foxy (mortally wounded)

[Spearmint]

okay, was trying to find a way of moving Foxy without incurring the -2hp a turn as she'll be dead in under an hour, hence trying to find another solution. I will re-read the above parts but if moving is going to kill the girl I might have to chance the Alamo again. Don't think my luck with the sniffers will hold though. Hanging Foxy with the meat and getting the guards/ going to town ain't going to work. Must think harder....

The large iron cauldrons mentioned. How big are they? Cauldrons rather than saucepans make me think of big heavy ironware ( like what the natives put the missionaries in Tarzan). Idriss would like to roll one ahead of him so that any trap stepped on or wire, spring set is triggered by the pot. It might also be big enough to 'go tortoise' in if I am about to be swamped by arrows or use it to stand in and create a moat of burning oil around for protection.

Stick to the north cavern wall and very carefully go by scythe area. Even use saucepans as tinpot helm for extra head protection.

[Marullus]

I'm allowing a bit more leeway on the cushy magical floating platform. Time is still of essence, though. You'll need to camp overnight (for stabilizing, not 24 hours for healing) and there are a lot less encounters outside the cave.

Yes, the Tarzan missionary-sized cauldrons were what I was intending to describe.

Idriss gets a small cast-iron pot and puts it on his head, then begins rolling a large cauldron ahead of him along the north wall. Thankfully, no rats are in the offing, and he crunches noisily through the cavern with appreciable progress. He heads for the narrow passage and the cauldron does indeed trigger a pressure plate, starting scythes swinging out of hidden slits in the walls. The blades clang off the cauldron metal and there is a crunching sound in the works as it stops abruptly in its motion. Three Scythe blades now hanging flaccid, he is able to roll the cauldron past them without fear.

Still holding your lantern aloft, you now enter another wide cavern - in the dim reaches beyond the lantern light you see the remains of the rat-nest fire, indicating you're at the opposite side of the cavern where your adventure began.

Date: 22 May 2021, 3:30 pm
Light: Idriss' Lantern (until 7:00)
Injuries: Foxy (mortally wounded)
Spell effects: Floating Disc (until 4:15 pm)

[Spearmint]

Idriss

Okay, again he will edge forward, tin pot helm and prayer to Eruanna hopefully sufficient for salvation.

Clutching lit torch, (lantern lit but on disc), and holding a couple of ragged up flasks to hurl or smash if necessary, Idriss and floating Foxy make their way to the last cave, very carefully looking at the map for more pit traps or falling piercing stalactites.

If he does make it out the cave then follow trail to where we left the horse.

[Marullus]

Already aware of the pit-trap and its pressure points, Idriss cautiously makes his way through the cave, around the pit trap, past the spear trigger wires, and out the front of the cave. He makes it back to the horse (who is thankfully still healthy and well, chewing all grass within reach of his tether) as the disc spell expires, lowering Foxy to the ground. She is jostled by the floating ambulance, but still alive. The daily drizzling appears to have just ended, the clouds clearing to allow a bright and hopeful blue sky overhead. Everything is damp, however, and the day is a little too cool and windy for her to be comfortable.

You know she'll need to rest overnight before going further, and you'll need either a litter pulled by her horse or two floating disc spells to get back to town.

One roll for each segment of the escape.
Foxy moving damage [1d2] = 1
Foxy moving damage [1d2] = 2


Date: 22 May 2021, 4:15 pm
Light: The Sun; Idriss' Lantern (until 7:00)
Weather: 50 F, Clear skies (9% cloud cover), 19-26mph winds WSW
Injuries: Foxy (mortally wounded)
Spell effects: Floating Disc (until 4:15 pm)

[Spearmint]

Idriss

Will make a stretcher, chopping at the wood with the sword and using ropes to bind it together. Spare wood will go on a campfire, we need to be warm. Feed horse from the supplies and use bedrolls and stuff left on the horse.

More oil was left on the horse so Idriss will take those and prep them for Molotovs'.

If he can take time to study he will, 1x Magic Missile, 2x Floating Disc. Then just wait for guards, goblins or Foxy.

[Marullus]

Idriss prepares a camp, feeds the horse, and prepares for the worst. While he considers the memorization of spells, he's been awake for some time and would need eight hours of good sleep to do so. Prepared for goblins or worse, he steels himself to remain awake and guard their small camp past midnight and into the witching hours.

It is around 2:00am when a group of Guardsmen come upon him, inspecting the firelight which they saw in the darkness. Finding Foxy's condition dire, they help to ensure she is stable and when the sun rises, assist with the transport back to town. With the sun rising before 5:00am, it is mid-morning when you reach the gates.

Do you take her to her room in the inn (you found the key in her personals), to the Infirmary of Eruanna, or somewhere else?

Date: 23 May 2021, 8:00 am
Light: The Sun
Injuries: Foxy (mortally wounded)

WIS check (will to stay awake) [1d20] = 6

[Marullus]

Expedition Summary:

Encounter: Fire in Rat Town
Encounter: Saving more with Geckos
Encounter: Dropping in on Zombies for dinner
Encounter: Fleeing the Fungus
Encounter: The half-headed hunters
Encounter: The rats who popped the weasel
Encounter: All choked up with the Goblins
Encounter: Winning the Alamo
Encounter: Foxy invites the Zombies to Dinner

No New Hexes Explored.
4 days spent.
4 caverns and 4 dungeon rooms explored

Treasure collected:
500sp (50lbs in one large sack)
One human-made shortsword
One human-made roundshield
Three goblin-made shortswords with frayed hilt-wrappings
Blood-stained sling tooled with runes and a symbol of a flaming skull.
One box of incense sticks

(-19gp, -4 sp lost to the goblins from Idriss' purse)
(Foxy's shortbow, ropes, and pitons left behind in the meat-hook room by Idriss.)

Final Totals: 2285 character XP / 2256 item XP each

[Rusty Tincanne]

I might have jumped the gun on this, but I posted that Clay tried to meet them at the guard tower to offer CLW. Didn't they also find that cursed necklace of choking ?

[Marullus]

Treasure only counts if you bring it with you.

[Spearmint]

Idriss

Grateful he survived the ' bounty hunting's expedition, though returning without much bounty and little health. U think Foxy would prefer her room to the Infirmary though they have more headers there. It will give Idriss chance to meet this Bro Mylo she got cut up about.

The three goblin short swords are left behind also. First thing to bath, renew spells and check about town.

Will close this thread if Stirling happy, hey she survived which I didn't think would. Will post in Infirmary thread.

[Marullus]

25 May.

Clay Weatherwax hears murmurs of the Flame of the North returning near death. He arrives at the guard tower to see the truth of the matter. He is disturbed to see her in a similar state as their last foray together. He gathers any information he can from Idriss and the guards. Ms. O'Hare's company was strained, but tales of battling undead warms Clay's heart. Idriss, your actions are incredibly brave! It is not right that a person should die at the hands of such abominations. Thanks to you both for ridding the world of their taint.

Mixing fertile soil and wine, he creates a thick paste. He draws three, interconnecting circles on her forehead and smears the rest over and around her wounds. Holding his beads over her as he prays, Clay invokes the healing powers of his goddess. The mud dries at an accelerated pace, cracking and then flaking off to unmarred fresh skin.

Cure Light Wounds [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4

He rises and leaves before she wakes. I believe she has a room paid for at the tavern. Have them draw a warm bath with bubbles. She should like that. He leaves the rest of the sentence in his head, Beith knows she rambled on about it enough...

Great adventuring to Spearmint, Sterling and Marullus! That story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout!

[Marullus]

Clay hears the rapid gossip of the Flame of the north arriving on a stretcher and finds them at the guard post. Adding his blessings upon her, she is more stable but still unable to wake. Idriss continues onward to the infirmary to leave her in the care of Brother Mylo.

I will close it out, assuming Idriss retains possession of the coin and other items (sans shield). She can address that with you when she wakes unless you leave them in the infirmary.