Quest #34 "The Search For The Ruined Tower”

[Bluehorse]

Keg

I've a feeling this is going to be too heavy to carry over this terrain or I'd be all for it. Best we find a way around before we wind up like one of those crushed skeletons back there.

[Darklin2]

Max
I am a Chosen of Boccob the God of Knowledge. He rarely answers my calls but I do have a couple spells that allow me to keep some alive. That is why I am here. I was sent my the Wizard Guild of Greyhawk City to investigate this Island and find a Lost Library that I was told was here. I am glad there is another healer with us. We should talk later Elnaerel.

Darklin
Does a double take at Max. How did you find out about this Library? From the Guild? I was sent here by Celene to find out about this Lost Library and the ancient spells that could be lost in side. We need to team up and compare our notes. But first could you help me to the shade of the jungle. Wait grab my sword. Give it to Keg, it is from the Pirate treasure anyway. I have a spare on my back. I won't be good for much anyway for a while. If you give me your old one I can mend it in the morning.


OOC- Keg take my spare sword I have two long swords on my back.

[Paladin]

Keyon

No stranger to seafood, the elf falls to work with his blade and carves away thick slices of meat for the party.

[Ahlmzhad]

Feanol

Watches as they help Darklin to his feet, and rushes to find a spot to put him down.



Gnodric

Follows Keyon's lead and gets what meat he can out and heads out with the rest for the shade.

[Karaunios]

Elnaerel offers her club to those preparing the meat. "Please don't break it." She says with a smile.

[OGRE MAGE]

Monster Crab Boil
Earthday, 25th of Goodmonth
Mid Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Breazy

Moving Darklin into a shady spot next to the piled rocks, the party decides to stay out of the hot sun for a while. Some prep the crab meat, others get a fire going to roast their lunch, and Max prays over his fellow elf, healing him a little better with a quick blessing from Boccob.

The continuous breeze up here on the cliffs is a welcome relief from the constant heat as you rest away the hottest portion of the day, eating and talking of lost libraries and ruined towers. The Knife keeps his distance during the feast, not sure his tiny stomach can handle the smell of the cooking crustacean.

Elnaerel still seems confused by something, looking out over the spotty forest beyond the cliffs. The area north of the rocks appears to be a swampy morass containing small tangles of patchy trees and other mounds of thorny vegetation. As hard as it is to travel over the natural rock of the cliffs, she is glad their march wont take them any deeper into that tangle of wet mystery.

After a few hours pass, with no further danger presenting itself, the sun starts its slow decline towards the ocean horizon, offering even more relief from its intensity. The party will now need to decide if they will continue their journey along the cliffs, or wait a bit longer, allowing the sun to drop a bit further in the sky.

Actions?

Keg Woodwright AC1 6/13
Gnodric AC5 6/10
Darklin Sylvanas AC4 2/8 0/1 CL, DM, RM
Elnaerel AC3 4/10 1/3
Max AC2 8/8 CL 0/2 MU 1/1 CL, DM, RM
Feanol AC10 4/4 0/1 CL, DM, RM
The Knife AC4* 5/5
Keyon AC4 6/6

[Jernau35]

The Knife

Once The Knife had finished his food, he looks over at Darklin, Keg, Gnodric and Elnaerel. "You all look like you could do with a good night's rest. If we move on now, we could put in a few miles. Then rest overnight. Travel again in the early morning."

He looks over at the remains of the two crabs. "The stench of that will attract scavengers too. We need to get away from it."

Ate the rations Elnaerel gave him.

[Bluehorse]

Keg

The big man nods. I agree. We need to get moving from here. Anyone have a suggestion how to go forward? I am not keen on running into another crab along the way. We need to consider how and where we are going to camp tonight too.

[Darklin2]

Darklin

Feeling weak and filled with bruised guts makes his way around slowly. Gathering his gear together.

Keg is right. Let's press on and find a place to camp away from this crab. We should camp early and rise before the sun to get a good cool morning walk in before the sun gets to high.


Max
Is everyone good to move? Getting away from that crab will be safer for everyone. if that big one comes back we are in trouble.

[Karaunios]

Elnaerel

"Our best chance is to continue on how we've done so far. Yes, we could come across some more crabs, but at least we can now tell them from rocks, right? Our at least we are now suspicious of rocks and that can be enough to save our lives. The jungle would be too difficult to navigate."

Elnaerel will use up her last spell to refill all waterskins when they run out of water during the rest of the day.

[Jernau35]

The Knife

"That's right," says The Knife, nodding along to Elnaerel's idea. "Every time we see a rock, we should shoot an arrow at it. If it gets up and runs away, it's a crab. If it stays where it is, it's a well-trained crab." He tries to remain straight-faced but cracks into a big grin.

[Ahlmzhad]

Feanol

"I think we should try to push as far as we can through the night, and rest when the sun comes up. No need in killing ourselves from the heat."

[Paladin]

Keyon

"Ready to go," Keyon says. "Thanks for saving my hide, Elnaerel."

[OGRE MAGE]

Getting Closer
Earthday, 25th of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Breazy

After a hearty meal of roasted crab meat, and a nice rest in the shade, the group decides it would be best to move along from this place before anything else comes calling. Leaving the dead carcasses behind, they set out across the black rocky cliff tops into the afternoon sun, now wishing they maybe didn't eat so much after all. A few more crushed humanoid skeletons are found nearby, but they are harmlessly passed by as the others were.

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Marching for about three more hours in the hot sun, with the crumbling ruins in the distance growing closer with every arduous step, the overladen members of the group really wish they had brought less gear and heavy weapons with them. Their pace slows dramatically from the sheer fatigue of moving across difficult terrain with too much equipment and supplies, the heat of the mid-afternoon blazing sun only making the situation worse.

Once the late day sun drops down enough to become far more tolerable for walking, the now badly sunburned party discovers disheartening news ahead of them. Looking out over the sea towards their destination in the distance, they notice that their upcoming route takes a sharp natural turn back towards the north following a huge bend in the cliff face. (see map below) With less than a mile or two left to reach the ruins, that are now separated by the Azure Sea, they realize that with this new obstacle ahead of them, their long trip is less than half over. With evening setting in quickly, they will need to decide if they will camp now, or continue walking into the night. Another option might be to repel the cliff face and enter the uncharted water in order to swim the distance, but TK really frowns at that notion.

With their fresh water supply already running dangerously low, Elnaerel is glad she saved one of her prayers to create more of the precious commodity, once they decide how to continue.

Actions?

44739A3E-04AB-4371-B11B-1BDE66069D7E.jpeg (111.21 KiB) Viewed 332 times

You are near the red arrow, with the wide gap in between you and the tower ruins on the other side.
Keg Woodwright AC1 6/13
Gnodric AC5 6/10
Darklin Sylvanas AC4 2/8 0/1 CL, DM, RM
Elnaerel AC3 4/10 1/3
Max AC2 8/8 CL 0/2 MU 1/1 CL, DM, RM
Feanol AC10 4/4 0/1 CL, DM, RM
The Knife AC4* 5/5
Keyon AC4 6/6

[Jernau35]

The Knife

The Knife looks across the gulf at the large expanse of barren rock on the other side. "I doubt we'll cross that lot all in a day. The sun will catch us out in the open and make us suffer."

"How about this for a plan?" He points across to where the rock plain begins. "Once we reach that spot over there, we take a rest under the trees. While we do that, we gather enough wood and big leaves to build a couple of lean-to's."

"We set out when we're ready. Once the sun gets too bad, we set up the shelters for some shade. Then carry on when the day gets cooler."

[Karaunios]

Elnaerel

The elven cleric bows slightly with a smile to her kinsman: "Of course, Keyon. I couldn't let you suffer like that! I'm glad I could help before it got worse."

To The Knife: "That sounds like a good plan! Although I think no one will forget to take a rest, remember that I have to be fresh to be able to call upon my goddess' power to heal up to two of us plus more fresh water when we need it. And we don't know what awaits us on the way." She looks at the most battered members of the party and at her own wounds, then at the distant tower.

"We've come this far, we can go further!"

Before going back to her marching position, Elnaerel will walk a short while with her friend Feanol and reveal her her musings. "Did you see what happened during the combat? A huge crab came out of nowhere and left. What do you think of it? I know you, being a mage, are probably the kind of person that looks for a logical explanation, but... I don't know, something tells me that Ehlenestra, our Lady of the wood, has a hand in it. She saw we were in danger and sent us help when we most needed it." She scratches the back of her head as if embarrassed. "I don't know..."

[Ahlmzhad]

Feanol

She smiles at Elnaerel's comments "Well that explanation is as good as any I can think of. I was just hoping it would decide to eat the dead crabs and not us, why it retreated was a complete mystery to me. The only thing I can think of is they were young males fighting with an older male for territory, and he simply let them get the full measure of their actions. However, that still doesn't preclude her gracious assistance to us."

"As much as I'd like to push until dawn, how far can you go Darklin, that is going to have to be our ultimate guide regardless of our desires. Now maybe push on until he needs rest, take one watch, and then push on until he need to rest again or the sun is starting to heat us up. Once we make that turn we won't get much shade morning or afternoon." Then looking over at Keyon and Gnodric "Or the two of you could make yourselves useful and carry him on a litter".

Gnodric Looks at her, "or you could put him on a floating disc, and....Oh wait you don't have that spell yet." Then aside to Keyon "She was always this bossy. I'm surprised you guys haven't booted her from the party."

[Darklin2]

Darklin

Continues to struggle with the heat and wounds. But manages to make his way.

I brought a tarp for a lean to and it might be a bad idea to climb down by the water to get in the shade. There could be another giant squid just waiting for us.


Max

We should think about resting. I am with Elnaerel on this one. We should rest here and get a good fire going to keep the bugs away and get some rest. I can heal Darklin in the morning and we can all be healthy before venturing into a ruined tower. I will still have another blessing to heal someone after Darklin is healed again.

[Ahlmzhad]

Feanol

"Well Max we are 2 days away from the tower at best, and if we spend nights resting and try to move only during the heat of the day it is more likely it will be 4 days to get there. If Darklin has to rest we should get some and move as soon as he can as long as its dark, we can take a long rest during the heat of the day tomorrow."

[Bluehorse]

From what they are seeing right now, especially in that cove, what does the water look like? Smooth, choppy, shallow, deep?