Expedition - Corbin/Caravan Site- 01 May 2021

[Marullus]

01 May 2021

Just before noon, Corbin, Fingers, Silent, Markd, Baxtaw, and Carchannoi are seen exiting the south gate of the town, heading into the wilderness according to Corbin's hand-drawn map.

After some quick pints of ale, the group sets out southward, following Corbin's hand-drawn map to the site where he woke as the lone survivor of the caravan attack a month ago. The morning is brisk and bright, the road crowded with traffic coming the other direction as the caravan wagons continue to lumber forward from the campsite at the base of the mountain trail to the town. The terrain undulates, limiting visibility in any direction, the grassy foothills round and inviting in comparison to the stark mountain slopes that fill the southern horizon a just a few miles off.

Please confirm your movement speeds for me. Please let me know if you're following the road or heading cross country.

[KingOfCowards]

"I think that we should follow the road south and then southwest. When the road turns south again, we head off-road and we should find it before long."
From Corbin's directions it appears we are heading roughly to the hex NW of #2 on the map.
EDIT: Corbin is only moving 1/2 speed due to encumbrance.

[Zorroroaster]

Silent nods.

I believe his movement rate is 30'. He's pretty slow.

[KingOfCowards]

We'll need to get a marching order as well. I think we should wait for copies of each other's character sheets to make those decisions.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Moves out with his new group of friends. Making sure the big silent guy is coming along. Lets not forget the big guy, I don't want him mad at me. I am from RiverForge where are the rest of from?



1gp deducted

[Marullus]

(Silent does indeed set the pace at 1/4.)

The day is sunny and pleasant, the signs of spring abounding in the foothills that lie along the southern road. The group chats amongst themselves. Going is slower on foot heading south; the heavily-armored members set the pace. The group moves along to follow the map, focused on speed rather than searching while this close to the city. The group follows the road and makes good time, the stragglers of the caravan passing the other direction on the road. After travelling most of the a day, the group nears the bend where the road turns southward as the sun dips below the horizon, a small stream crossing near the path.

Distance travelled: ~9 miles (I'm giving you credit for a whole day's march on good roads)
High Temp: 55 F
Low Temp: 35 F
Wind: 9mph

(I'll pause to allow night time planning/discussion. Do you continue moving? Stop to camp at the stream? Once we have a precedent for the group's night activities, I'll move you forward more rapidly in the future.)

(Also, sharing sheets. I'm going to try to not do this. Share with each other what you wish IC, and lets see how that works.)

[KingOfCowards]

(Also, sharing sheets. I'm going to try to not do this. Share with each other what you wish IC, and lets see how that works.)

Not sure how well this will work out, but I am willing to give it a try. With no reason to share or to even be honest in-character, I would think convenience would make it the norm not to share.

Despite all his bravado, Corbin seems to be a man of very little usefulness. Not overly bright, nor strong, he fumbles with the map and is somehow befuddled even by his own writing. He is ugly and rude on top of that, often complaining about the silent man slowing them down along their journey. He walks with a limp, and his missing eye almost insures he will be a terrible shot with a bow (not that he owns one - Undoubtedly a good thing for those traveling with him). He is also frail, and gets winded easily, which Corbin attributes to an arrow that took him in the lung. The group is nearly certain they could not have chosen a less competent companion, which makes his false bravado seem foolhardy at best and boarder line suicidal at worst.

[Zhym]

Fingers follows along, not saying much.

[sirravd]

Carchannoi rides its horse at a slow gallop in back of the group. It seems a bit reticent but friendly enough, and erudite as well, though clearly on the frail side.

[onlyme]

Markd walks along with the others, quietly bouncing thoughts around his head.
He mentally notes how to use his weapons when the time comes.

[Marullus]

The day passes quietly as the group pursues its purpose - reaching the caravan site and finding goblins to fight. They didn't make it as far as they hoped, and no goblins were sighted in the daylight hours with so many caravan carts traveling to the city gate. The sliver of the moon, the last of it disappearing in the next few days, rode in the sky through the day and is already set, leaving a clear, moonless night head. The group crouches by the stream at sunset, eating their food, refilling their waterskins, and letting the horse drink deeply. It is almost 9 o-clock as the sun dips below the horizon, about 40 minutes of twilight ahead before the night closes in. Baxtaw asks where the others came from, and the group faces choices on how to proceed through the night which they must discuss.

Day: 01 May 2021
Time: 8:50pm
Light: Twilight until 9:35pm
High Temp: 55 F
Low Temp: 35 F
Wind: 9mph

Deduct one day's rations.
You need a plan for tonight - camp or travel by torch/lantern. If you camp, you need a watch order (four-hour shifts).
For tomorrow, you are going off-road. You need a marching order. You also realize that if Silent puts his backpack on Carchannoi's horse, you'd double your speed. (1/4 to 1/2) I effectively gave you that benefit for the first day to help move you along, by giving you credit for a full-day's travel.

[onlyme]

Markd looks around and mentions,
S'spect we need to find a place to bed down. I aint got the eyes to see too well at night.





updated rations from 5 to 4.

[sirravd]

Yes, I suggest we camp. I'll take the first watch.

[Zorroroaster]

Silent pulls his pack off the horse, patting Carchannoi on the shoulder. He thumps his own chest and nods, smiling to the man in thanks for having his horse carry his burden.

He settles in to making camp, busting himself with the menial tasks of the evening.

Once done, he sits down and motions his willingness to take first watch.

[Marullus]

First Watch: Silent, Carchannoi
Second Watch:

Note: This far north, daylight shifts dramatically with the seasons. Dawn will come about 5:30am, allowing only eight hours of night. Spellcasters need eight hours of rest to change or refresh spells. I'm typically dealing with things in four-hour blocks, but if you want to use different intervals you may.

[Zhym]

Fingers pats his dog on the back of the head. "Guard," he commands. The dog sit up, alert.

He lays out his bedroll and climbs in. "Sprinkles and I will join the first shift," he says.

[KingOfCowards]

First Watch: Silent, Carchannoi
Second Watch:

Note: This far north, daylight shifts dramatically with the seasons. Dawn will come about 5:30am, allowing only eight hours of night. Spellcasters need eight hours of rest to change or refresh spells. I'm typically dealing with things in four-hour blocks, but if you want to use different intervals you may.

4 hour shifts work well for tonight. We'll probably need to change up shifts when our spellcasters start using their spells.
"A'right by me, I could use some shut-eye. Markd and Baxtaw will be on second watch wit' me.", Corbin says with a yawn. He'll bundle his belongings in close to him and his bedroll, and stuffs his map in his shirt.

[Marullus]

Silent, Carchannoi, and Fingers (and Sprinkles) settle in for the first half of the night. The night is clear, moonless, and getting colder as the land cools. It is just above freezing when they wake Corbin, Markd and Baxtaw about an hour after midnight. They bundle around the small campfire, blankets around them against the chill. The dog begins to snore, his paws twitching as he chases something in his dreams.

About two and a half hours pass as the three sit, watching through the witching hour as their companions sleep. Markd sits off by himself a bit, looking up at the stars. Perhaps the solitude appeals to him in this hillside, or perhaps the ability to look up instead of pondering the ground from within his cowl. The wind picks up, a low moaning as it brushes the hills, and... a fluttering.

The attack is sudden and from above, catching the watchmen by surprise. There is a sudden chaos of leathery wings as a creature dives from the sky and impacts Markd squarely. It seems massive - its wingspan about six feet across, but its slender, furred body stands only as tall as Markd's torso as he is sitting. It bites viciously at his back, its teeth blocked and momentarily confused as it finds banded metal instead of soft flesh. Taking advantage of the shock of this moment, a second creature dives at Baxtaw as well. Baxtaw reels and flails instinctively. The creature impacts awkwardly against him as it tries to bite, letting out a high-pitched shriek, its left wing flopped at an impossible angle as it clings to his chainmail with its claws.

(Surprise round over; watchmen get to act this round. The shriek woke the others who can act next round.)

[onlyme]

Markd spins around and attempts to skewer the bird with his long sword, flailing mightily.

long sword [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10; damage [1d8+2] = 6+2 = 8

[KingOfCowards]

Corbin glances behind him to make sure there is not another winged menace flying around, and thanks his luck that there are only two. If he can get a good attack in from behind, he will. Otherwise he jabs at whichever creature is closest to him with his spear.

Attack w/ Spear: [1d20] = 12, Damage: [1d6] = 6