Expedition - Blackjack/Troll Lair - 20 May 2021

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc thinks a moment, "Might it be easier to assume if there is an underwater entrance, then there is a space above with air? If that is the case, then maybe we should first try to see if we can acquire a large waterproof bag, waxed canvas or leather, that we could seal up and then open inside. It could hold torches and flint and steel. I would wager there are no more trolls. But... We could return to camp, clear the bank of tracks again, and spend another night or two to see if there are any more."

[Alethan]

Oh!!! Here's an idea. Earc isn't far from leveling. If killing the two trolls yields 500 XP for Earc, then he can level and cast Continual Light. Problem solved.

[Marullus]

Yep. Just the two trolls will get you each 600xp. I can count the Ford as a "return to town." I will post the XP tomorrow, then continue "expedition part two." The risk is you need to roll to retain your retainers, or they might have "had enough" after the troll bait encounter. Amistad, please roll 2d6 twice, one for Alcide and one for Achaedany.

[Alethan]

Excellent!!! So that problem is solved!

I mean, if they want to bug out before we get the treasure, then... Too bad for them I guess!

[Marullus]

Pooh, good point. That's definitely a modifier on Amistad's roll.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

I'm not really keen on cashing in the XP just yet, I think the role playing of finding a creative answer like making those suggested can be productive but I do see the point. Getting Earc leveled up gives us the underwater access straight away and Earc gets to roll his extra HP and gain any extra spells. For the expedition success I think it is the way to go so will support that.

Amistad goes to speak with Alcide as he recovers in the cabin. "Alcide, I've appreciated your help these last two expeditions, your keen eye and senses have served the party well and you took a great wound. I am glad that we are able to get you back to reasonable comfort and a safe place. I would hate to lose out on your companionship so I have suggested we wait until you are fully fit and up to speed so you can continue. Here this may help your wounds recover. Amistad will apply one of the BT poultices to his wounds maybe we can raid the troll lair and get enough gold to kit you out in a suit of scale mail. Made from the skin of the reptiles who live in the river? You might even get a tavern song in your honour, Alcide, the Raiding River Ranger." Amistad makes jovial with him to encourage his mood, sharing their escapades over a skin of wine.

Alcide retainer [2d6] = 10


Then after treating Alcides' wound, Amistad goes to see Achaedany. "Al will recover soon and Earc is about to head off on his studies. I expect we will go for another delve tomorrow and I hope we can get down under the currents. Great work with the trolls, those traps you helped design got the beasts really tangled and held. Now we can raid their lair with less trouble.The forgemasters in town can make some quality gear. I saw their designs for a harpoon. Maybe they can design and craft some artisan tools to help you refine those trap skills, be a little reward for sticking with us."

Achaedany retainer [2d6] = 2


We had six BT poultices, five now with Alcide using one. So share one each in our supplies and maybe Earc take the extra one. If you are returning to Gaul for the day then 'old granny merchant' could buy the other or use it for some healing potions, make it more stronger in potency, or use it in trade for another potion?

Still like to check out if the Morlock chains are magnesium built, it could offer up interesting side options.

[Alethan]

No, our GM says I can level up at the Ford, so no worries there. No need to travel back to Gaul.

I think the poultice means it isn't raw materials anymore, which was what the old woman requested. We could always make an expedition of finding those plants at some point if we wanted to get some reduced cost healing pots.

The magnesium burning idea is interesting for an underwater light source, but I think it has a lot of details that would need to be worked out, like how to contain it without it burning through the container while also producing light. And determining how long such a light source would work. Maybe something to research the next bout of downtime. But leveling and getting access to Continual Light moves the game along and allows us to achieve our goals.

[Spearmint]

Okay so we wait to see how Alcide and Achaedany are. Put the light spells on something easily carried, lanterns wouldn't be good too cumbersome underwater. Don't think the XP helps Amistad much, he leveled before but the HP rolled were crap even after a reroll.

Amistad is good to go and make a new camp. Did he get any answers from Uthred regarding the scrying and other business he asked about?

[Marullus]

Alcide is rather put out about his role as "Bait for trolls." Even without being paid, he's intending to leave. You heal him, mollify him with promise that you'll enshrine him in tale and song (100gp song when you return), and ply him with wine. Finally he acquiesces. "Next time, angry girl there is the bait, though. I'll stay along for the treasure hunt, at least."

You talk to Uthred, asking him about scrying. He smiles, bemused. "No need for magic. Those Frogmortons... they could be picking your pocket and you'd never know. Keep an eye on things along the river here better than any man I know. You go lighting bonfires on the river bank, people check on you. They did say they were impressed as hell that you killed three trolls, of course. But your traps..." He smirks. "It was a nice try."

There's no magnesium in the chains. It's magic.

Expedition - Part 1 Complete

Encounter: The Troll Boys
New Hexes: None

Total: 3,600 xp. (1,200 for Earc and Alcide, 600xp for Alcide and Achaedany)

Treasure: None

Day: 24 May 2021
Time: 8:00am
Light source: Sun

Day of rest: Alcide [1d3] = 1 Amistad [1d3] = 2 Blue Tormentil [1d6] = 3

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

just 1 hp down, am fit to go.

"Sssh Al, don't tell Achaedany you want to see some lucky critter bite her ass. Good to have you on board now you're at full health. Now let's gather our stuff and get ready to trek off."

Amistad gets the gang together, he will replenish the oil stock if the Frogmorton or guards can spare, -1gp for 6 flasks and the change covering a contribution for the hospitality

To Captain Uthred, "Sure the traps were a bit rough and ready, but they all sprung and all maimed a troll. Did their job so I'll credit the team with the work. Do you need anything bringing back from the forest? We might go further up and I've a mind to raft back again."

ready to pick up at troll site if Earc is ready. Do you need to study for these spells?

[Marullus]

I have Amistad at 10 / 13 hit points.

[Spearmint]

Yes, he took -8 and recovered +5, I missed taking off the second hit he took.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc is ready to go, having prepared his spells after a restful night's sleep, but first he buys 12 days worth of fresh rations (giving 3 days' worth to the other three party members) to replenish and avoid having to use their preserved trail rations.

OOC: Will look up cost of fresh rations and deduct appropriate amount.

Edit: 24sp

[Marullus]

Fresh rations at this rest stop equate to asking Mother Frogmorton if you can pay her for some of her cooking. She happily obliges with bread, cheese, butter, meat pasties, tea tarts, and fresh fruits such as you can carry. It costs double town prices, but would be well worth it.

[Alethan]

Adjusted to account for another 24sp worth of food. Figured that would be good for retainer morale, as well, even if just superficially.

Once they have foodstuffs purchased, Earc indicates he is ready to head back to the campsite.

Once there, the first thing he does is check the riverbank to see if there are any more prints from additional trolls.

[Marullus]

With some delicious food packed and in-hand, the quartet makes their way back up the riverbank to their campsite. The scattered ashes of the trolls mark the spot easily and they make their way down to the riverside. There are additional animal tracks of the more mundane variety along the riverbank, but nothing as distinctive as a troll print in the soft mud. The river has also subsided in its banks somewhat and cleared considerably. The turbulent water doesn't have as much visibility from the surface, dropping deep rather quickly away from the bank, but you estimate you'd have 20' or so visibility under the water.

Day: 24 May 2021
Time: 10:00am
Light source: Sun

[Alethan]

OOC: Ah, crap. Can we retro something real quick? Earc will check with the rest of the group and see if anyone has any rope. If nobody has any rope, then he will see if any locals nearby are willing to sell them or let them borrow some, so they can use it to help secure entrance into any underwater cave openings they might find.

Earc reminds everyone that large aggressive (shrieking?) eels have been spotted in the river water before, so that is something to be mindful of as they begin their searches. Most likely, just one or two people should use the water breathing potion to search, beginning with the banks nearest them.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Amistad has 50ft of rope and a weighted grapnel. The 20ft if visibility in the water. Is that with eyesight or from the continual light spell?

So, how do the potions of H2O breathing work? How many light spells could you cast?

Marullus can you give us info on swimming without the potion use, how long for and if in armour or with encumbrance. Amistad is fine with trailing a search if he can see 20ft and hold his breath for a few rounds.

[Marullus]

Sunlight impacts visibility down to 15'; below that it is continual light providing illumination but you still can see a max of 20' through the silt. Swimming in metal armor is generally a bad idea - I'll impose strength checks to make it back to the surface and hp damage if you fail. The potions work as in the book - each has four doses and each dose lasts for about an hour. You're getting 15 minute search checks. If you have the potion you have automatic success in getting to the bottom, searching, and moving a normal distance to do so. If you don't have a potion, you need to succeed at a CON check (-4 for depth here). If you fail, the 15 minutes is wasted. If you succeed then it is about the same. For searching purposes, you'll spend more time trying to get it done without the potions. If you find something, that may have different challenges.

[Alethan]

Earc Orctongue

Earc searches the shore for two smaller pieces of driftwood - something smooth and worn, with either a knothole in it or a "Y" shape to it, each about the size of his fist, maybe a bit larger.

Once he finds two suitable pieces, he bends down and scoops up several handfuls of mud, packing it tightly around the first piece of wood. Then using a small stick as a stylus, he begins writing arcane symbols into the mud while quietly speaking words none of the others can understand. After several minutes, the mud-caked stick is covered in magical writing.

As he finishes the final stroke on the last letter, waves of heat can be seen above the object, distorting the grassy bank behind it. The mud quickly bakes and hardens into a tan shell-like material. Holding the mud/stick object in his left hand and dagger in his right, he uses the pommel of the dagger to carefully tap tap tap around the brittle shell.

On the seventh strike, the mud casing crumbles away to dust, leaving the piece of driftwood sitting in his hand. It looks completely unchanged... except that even in broad daylight you can tell the object now glows with an unnaturally warm light.

He follows the same procedure for the second stick and, 20 minutes later, presents the two sticks to the rest of the party.

"Now, all we need to do is use a piece of twine or strap or unbraided rope or... whatever... to attach the stick to an arm or belt. Since it is wood, it will float in the water. Certainly not enough to prevent the person from staying underwater, but enough that the wielder might have both hands free and still have adequate lighting trailing behind them by which they can search for the entrance. We need to remember that the potion of water breathing does nothing to help us move under water. So we'll be struggling with current and just the general clumsy effects of being in an unfamiliar environment."

Nodding at Amistad's rope, he adds, "Maybe we can use the rope to secure the swimmer in case they need to be hauled up quickly. And if they find the entrance, they can attempt to secure the rope to or near it, so that we might use the rope to easily and quickly get to the tunnel to enter."

"I think we might do better to just send one person down at a time to search - someone with good constitution, in case the potion wears off and they need to hold their breath and swim for the surface. That," he glances down at his not-quite-frail-but-also-not-robust frame and continues, "is maybe not me. But I might be of better use up here at the surface. If whoever is swimming gets in trouble, say by carnivorous eels, just surface and shout out and I can try to put them to sleep. We need not kill them; just get them out of the way while we work."

"If we can find the entrance with just one or two uses of the potion, then maybe we can use the remaining doses to aid in getting whatever we find hauled out."

OOC: That's my plan anyway. Open to other ideas, though...