IC IX

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

"I have read about a breed of natural shapeshifters who could read the mind of the creature they are mirroring. I do not know the extension of the abilities such a thing might possess, but I think we must have injured it seriously for it to run away like this. a moment before it seemed like it was going to wipe us out. We should think of givong chase, now that we are all equipped. If it can change form freely it might be impossible for ua to track it tomorrow, there may be no trace left. If we give it more time it will continue to have an advantage over us since it knows the area and can probably track us with no difficulty."

[thirdkingdom]

Note that it is about 1:00 am. If Yuri out guys are going to regain spells tomorrow you'll need to rest.

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Lanny nods quietly at Drudsa's words about the shapeshifter.

"And yet, we cannot assume that this so-called doppleganger and the Great Cat are one and the same being... although they may very well be partners in crime. The only way to know for certain if they are one and the same being is to follow both sets of tracks in the morning to see if they meet one another. As a ranger, I have strong skills both in tracking creatures and in navigating the terrain, so we should do well, as long as we do not wait longer than a day. But to try to track the doppleganger right now, especially with no natural light to guide us, would be very difficult indeed, not to mention that we would be moving at a snail's pace while it moves at a full run..."

Lanny paces around the campsite a bit.

"I think we need to fully rest for the night, to be able to regain our spells. If we are to defeat the Great Cat without further loss of life, we will need to have a full complement of Magic Missile spells prepared. The Sleep spell will also come in handy in case the doppleganger returns... I think it might be the only sure way to identify the true person from the false person in the event of another body duplication, as I would imagine that any marks we were to make upon ourselves right now could also be duplicated. If we do rest, we must remain extra vigilant throughout the night, in case either creature returns..."

Lanny has skill points invested both in Tracking (to follow a specific trail of footprints) as well as Navigating (to prevent becoming lost in general), and he has a high wisdom score too, so it might be best to utilize Lanny's rolls for any tracking/navigating checks that need to be made (these skills are described on p. 49 of the DD Rulebook).

I also posted a proposed house rule in the OOC thread that we might optionally use to allow some PCs to sleep in their armor if they choose, but take a few penalties as a result. Let me know what you think.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

"I strangely feel well-rested right now. Some of you others get some sleep; I think it's about my turn for a watch, anyway... What say you, Aquar?"

[Grognardsw]

Aquar, cleric

"Aye, I guess you all should go back to sleep," answers Aquar, readying for his watch with Rhys. "Though these unanswered questions trouble me. I will pray on the matter."

Before the party retires, he raises his hands and prays:

"Oh mighty Procan, guard us in nighttime as in day,
so that no cat may bite us, no wild beast tear us to pieces,
No tree fall upon us, no water rise against us,
No weapons, no steel, no iron cut us, no fire burn us,
No false sentence fall upon us, no false tongue injure us,
No thief enrage us, and that no fiends, witchcraft or
enchantment harm us. So asks your humble servant."

[Alethan]

Er... Aquar is Rhys' night watch partner after Innana and Semele.

See: viewtopic.php?p=55352#p55352

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Lanny hands Swift Fang over to Rhys at the changing of the guard.

"You might need this during your shift... especially if your evil twin makes another appearance..."

Before retiring to his tent, Lanny stops over by Semele.

"Innana... wherever you are... it looks like your intuitions about a changeling being in our midst were correct. Well done... Now then, rest up. We will need you to be able to walk on your own two feet once morning has broken."

Lanny retires to his tent and tries to sleep, knowing that he must be well rested to study his spells in the morning...

In the morning Lanny will memorize:

Level 1: Magic Missile, Magic Missile
Level 2: Invisibility

[Finglas]

Bregalad the elf

After the commotion has ended, Bregalad will retire for the night. He will keep his weapons and shield within arm's reach.

Bregalad will memorize Magic Missile x 2 and Invisibility, after he has gotten sufficient rest.

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

"Perhaps chasing it in the morning is indeed the best course. Have we exhausted all of our healing capabilities for the day? If not I suggest we use any resources still available to bring Innana back on her feet, otherwise let us forget the beast for a few hours and go back to rest. Judging by the way it retreated I don't think it will return tonight but we must be prepared in case it does."

Drudsa is keeping the same spells memorized.

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

In the morning, Lanny would prefer to examine both sets of tracks (the Great Cat's and the False Rhys's) in the immediate vicinity of the campsite, to see if they intersect at some point. However, if both sets of tracks ultimately go off in two different directions, then Lanny will most likely favor focusing on the tracks of the Great Cat, since defeating the beast is their primary objective.

Lanny's Tracking Ability: WIS+1=16
Lanny's Navigating Ability: WIS+1=16

[Grognardsw]

Aquar, cleric

During his watch Aquar will set up the rope and pans perimeter defense. He'll do so every evening. The cleric makes small talk with watch-partner Rhys. Then he goes to bed. Upon awakening the priest prays for divine restoration of his cure light wounds spell and orisons.

[thirdkingdom]

Flaurmont 13, AC 1000
Morning

The good weather continues to hold, luckily for the adventurers. Rising in the morning they discover their campsite to be in shambles from the fight the previous night. Blood and gore spatter the ground where Innana fell and the doppelganger was wounded.

While the others are breaking down camp, Lanny does some preliminary scouting. The trail of the giant cat are easy to see and, for the little distance he ventures, easy to follow. The giant pawprints lead off in a southern direction. He has less luck with the tracks of the false Rhys. He is able to follow the tracks for several dozen feet west past the boundaries of the campsite before he loses them.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

"Let's follow the cat, then. And everyone needs to keep within visual contact at all times. We don't want to give that mimic a chance to change places with any of us."

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Lanny finishes his analysis of the tracks around the campsite.

"I agree with Rhys. For all I could tell, the shapeshifter might have turned into a mouse and scurried away. The cat's tracks, on the other hand, are clearly defined. Let us pursue with haste and strike with conviction, lest time should pass and its wounds should heal..."

When Rhys mentions staying within eyesight of one another at all times, Lanny looks around to make sure everyone is accounted for.

"Where's Innana?"

Hmmm... Innana might be invisible for a while if the only way to end the spell is to either cast a spell or attack. I suppose if she wanted to reappear she could try punching Bregalad on the shoulder (lightly, of course, and with a pulled punch).

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

Innana gets up, and remembers the surprised look in her comrades eyes when she was rezerected with the Fae stone. She gets up to look at herself in a reflection somewhere. As soon as she moves to get up she remembers she is invisible.

Innana takes the net back, and buries it under leaves and dirt under the area of where the pots and pans were hanging on the rope as an alarm for any intruders. Innana attaches a piece of rope to the net and buries that as well, leaving the end exposed near the camp fire.

Innana sits near the camp fire as everyone gets up, moving occasionally so that nobody sat on her.

If it is not too much trouble for Aquar and Semele, Innana could use some Healings. Innana can travel with the group and will be getting up soon. She is the middle of a good dream.

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Since we are just starting a new adventuring day, we might want to consider reserving at least one (and maybe both) of the Cure Light Wounds spells in case we get attacked during the day and someone else needs it in order to survive. If, at the end of the day, no one has needed them, then Innana should definitely be the recipient of both spells at that time. Since she is currently invisible, hopefully that will keep her safe for the moment. Just a thought.

By the way, both Innana and Thordin regained 1 hp for overnight rest (bringing them up to 5hp and 26hp, respectively)

[Grognardsw]

Lanny the Elf

Since we are just starting a new adventuring day, we might want to consider reserving at least one (and maybe both) of the Cure Light Wounds spells in case we get attacked during the day and someone else needs it in order to survive. If, at the end of the day, no one has needed them, then Innana should definitely be the recipient of both spells at that time. Since she is currently invisible, hopefully that will keep her safe for the moment. Just a thought.

By the way, both Innana and Thordin regained 1 hp for overnight rest (bringing them up to 5hp and 26hp, respectively)

Aquar / hearing voices

Aquar awakens that morning. During the night he dreamed a messenger of Procan advised him on healing strategies. It is best not to doubt such wisdom, he thinks. I am so blessed.

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

That is fine I guess. Even at my sickened and weak state I have just a little less Hp than Bregalad without his armor. Lol.

[thirdkingdom]

The adventurers set off on the trail of the giant feline. Lanny finds the trail easy to follow at first; the soft, wet soil leaving distinct and easy to spot tracks. But before long the trail becomes less distinct and more difficult to follow. Lanny gets the impression that, whether by dint of native cunning or outside manipulation the Beast is intentionally trying to lose its pursuers -- following along a rocky outcropping here, padding east through a stream some distance before emerging on the far shore there.

Finally, around lunchtime, he loses the trail entirely. For the past hour or so the Beast had been heading almost due east, and the ground begins to grow steeper and the tree cover less dense.

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Lanny looks around for any hint of a cat track.

"I'm afraid we've lost the trail... and now it looks like we are emerging out of the foothills and into the mountains. I'm not sure what else to do at this point... We've brought provisions for a week and now this is the sixth day of our search. What do you all think we should do?"

While waiting for a response, Lanny looks to the position of the sun and the mountains to try to determine where exactly they are in relation to the logging camps...

Navigation: WIS+1=16

Are we able to determine which hex we are in?