[Game Thread] Group 1 - Ch1 - A Wandering Begins

[psuedenim]

Hemdan Hemdan surprised himself with his own excitement at seeing the tent being put up and the camp coming together. A sign that leaving the village for this adventure was actually real, the problem with the bog had not made them give up and it seemed we had added a fox to the group too. Hmmm - never eaten fox, wonder if the colour affects the flavour? Always good to have options if we get desperate The chat with Phol about that fox hadn't been as useful as the goblin expected, but with no other sign of his knobbles warming it was most likely a fox that was looking for an easy meal. Phol and and Old Dog weren't looking too great after we all had escaped from the bog. Hemdan had thought of Phol and Old Dog as the most likely to sense to danger but cold heavy wet mud had a way of weighing down more than just your clothes and the rain looked like it was weighing on more than just their clothes. "Hey Phol and Old Dog - That bog was crazy and you look colder and dirtier than ever. I will try and sleep now and then I can keep watch later, looks like its probably just me, a Fox and the stars and none of them look like trouble" Hemdan had watched Oni set up the tent but was sure he had missed some of the steps but he would worry about that some other day. "This is going to be much nicer than sleeping under the trees with this drizzle from the sky. Having never slept outside Kiersap or in a tent I want to try it now and sleep. I'm glad you stuck with us." The goblin was hoping his behaviour would be seen as reassuring but he still couldn't trust that fox, the singing, the warm knobbles, the odd following - not things easily dismissed! Hemdan was confident that he was the only one to be genuinely aware of the true nature of the world and the forces out there. This 'knowledge' led him to believe that he was the best equipped to deal with this fox and that it was just waiting for darkness to do its thing. Having looked at Stahl and Old Dog and assuming they would be doing non-sleepy stuff the Goblin found a goblin shaped spot in the camp, nestled in and drifted off to sleep

 

Name: Hemdan Whitefingers - Goblin | Sorcerer | ~20yrs

Strength: 3 - Crafting: 2
Agility: 4 - Sleight of Hand: 1
Wits: 5 - Insight: 2 | Lore: 2
Empathy: 3 - Manipulation: 1

---

WILLPOWER:__
REPUTATION:__
PRIDE: Nothing scares you, as you have seen the world behind the veil.
DARK SECRET: Your yearning for more magical power is stronger than anything else.
CONDITIONS - Sleepless:__ | Thirsty:__ | Hungry:__ | Cold:__

---

TALENTS
After rolling for STEALTH, you can spend Willpower Points which are turned into extra 6'sSneaky (1)
The hairs on the back of your neck stand up when enemies lurk in the bushes.

RANK 1: Your SCOUT roll is modified by +1 when an enemy tries to ambush you or performs a sneak attack.
RANK 2: When you spot an ambush or a sneak attack, you also see how many the attackers are, what kin they belong to, and what weapons they use.
RANK 3: You can add a D8 Artifact Die to your SCOUT roll when you try to spot an ambush or a sneak attack.
Sixth Sense (1)
Path of Signs (1)

---

WEAPONS Staff - Bonus: 1 | Damage: 1 | Range: Near
ARMOR Leather Vest - Rating: 2

---

EQUIPMENT (6)
Chalk | +1 HuntingSnares

CONSUMABLES
Food: d6 | Water: d8

[HotsuSama]

Stahl Hearthson "An Old Dog still hunts, eh?" Stahl huffs. "You might mean it, but you also sounds like the old husks in my clan hall." He listens to Old Dog's mournful recount of his clan days, and hears what once might have been longing, but is now just a dull ache for companionship long gone. "You're being sentimental. If you never enter your lands again, you have no need of your pack, no matter how you might miss them. If I intend to never return to Kiersap, does it matter how I left my family? I could have kissed them or spat on them if my honour allowed it." Ah, now you dwell on what honour allows? Stahl stiffens, feeling death on the back of his neck. He's not sure if Old Dog notices. "At any rate," he continues slowly, "we're here now, and even if this is no pack, it's a group of ... folk with mutual goals. I'll take that over a disagreeable pack." They continue. Phol and Hemdan trail nearer the back, discussing the fox that apparently continues to follow them. Stahl begins to take a mild interest - foxes are cunning enough to sniff out good sources of food like a rucksack or particularly slow goblin, but still too cunning to try its luck with a band like this unless it were desperate. They make its curiosity seem ... kin. Over one more rise, and the group agrees to make camp. Despite the morning's hardship, they've made decent progress with their remaining light. When Phol declares he'll sleep to keep watch during the night, Stahl announces, "I'll see if I can poach us some fresh dinner then." He lashes his horse to a nearby tree, and trots down the rise into the thick brush. It doesn't take him long to find tracks. He's never taken much delight in hunting, but he's decent at it. Is he as good as Phol, who might take more pride in the persuit? He's not sure - maybe they'll find out one day. But this boar could be tracked by hunters of much less talent than themselves - it's left a clear track. Stahl creeps along with his bow at the ready, finally spotting it snuffling through some soft dirt at the foot of an ancient tree - the rain has probably brought an abundance of worms and earth-dwelling insects to the surface. It's an old boar, apparently on its lonesome. Did its group leave it behind? Stahl doesn't dwell on it, quickly firing a shot into the side of the boar's neck. It squeals and looks around for the source of the shot, and Stahl fires again, this one sending it down. He closes the distance quickly and ends the struggle before it can suffer for too long. He wrinkles his nose as he begins field-dressing on the spot, skinning a sizeable amount of pelt quickly and slicing the best of its meat into large manageable chunks. He stomps back into camp with his haul wrapped and slung over his back. "I didn't find your fox, Hemdan, but I hope pig will-" he begins, until he sees Hemdan curled up within the tent. He drops the load onto the ground. "It'll keep until they wake, at least. I'm no cook but we can at least fire it until it's free of any parasites," he says to Oniver and Old Dog.

OOC Hunt: Successfully hunted a wild boar. Yields 4 units of meat and 2 units of pelts. I'm unsure of how units of consumables are weighed when they aren't part of the die value, so I've just added them to my horse's encumbrance as standard weight per category for now.

 

Forbidden Lands Stat Block Stahl Hearthson Adult Quard AslenianHuman Rider Willpower Points: - Reputation: ✦ Armour: - Conditions: - Injuries: - Pride: I can find anything in the wilderness, whether it be place or person or beast. Dark Secret: I killed my half-brother over a trivial disagreement, and am convinced his spirit haunts me. STRENGTH: ✦✦✦ Might: - | Endurance: ✦ | Melee: - | Crafting: - AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Stealth: - | Slight of Hand: - | Move: - | Marksmanship: ✦✦ WITS: ✦✦✦✦ Scouting: ✦ | Lore: - | Survival: ✦✦✦ | Insight: - EMPATHY: ✦✦ Manipulation: - | Performance: - | Healing: - | Animal Handling: ✦✦✦ TALENTS Humans are new to the Forbidden Lands and are seen as intruders by the other kin. But no other kin can adapt to new situations and living conditions the way the humans can. If you spend a Willpower Point when you are about to roll for a skill, you can roll for any skill of your choice to achieve the same result. You must be able to motivate how you use the chosen skill. The GM has final say, but should give you some leeway.Adaptive Your horse (or another riding animal) is your closest friend and companion, and will help you if you are in trouble.Path of the Companion: If you spend a Willpower Point when you are Broken (see page 107), your horse will stay by your side and defend you. The horse will attack any opponents that attempt to attack or move you.Rank 1 You are trained in the art of fighting from the back of a mount. All of the effects below require you to be in an OPEN zone.Horseback Fighter: You can fire a short bow or sling from a mount.Rank 1 You are a master at finding the right path through woods and over mountains in the wilderness.Pathfinder: Your SURVIVAL roll is modified by +1 when you LEAD THE WAY.Rank 1 ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲▲▲▲ COINS: 0G 0S 9C Food (d8 / ▲) | Water (d8 / ▲) | Arrows (d10 / ▲) | Torches (d6 / ▲) Short spear (Bonus: ✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 1H, Pointed / ▲) Short bow (Bonus: ✦✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 2H / ◭) Snares (+1 to Hunting / ◭) Knapsack Waterskin   Horse Stahl's Horse - Bladdanser Movement: ✦✦ STRENGTH: ✦✦✦✦✧ Melee: ✦✦ AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Move: ✦✦✦ ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲◭△△△△△△△△ Bandages (+1 Healing / ◭) Rope (+1 Climbing / ▲) Meat - 4 units (▲?) Pelts - 2 units (▲?)

[97mg]

Year 1165 - Springrise (early spring season) - Night Quarter

Weather: Cold and mostly clear

First Night Out With the darkness of night slowly descending on the forest, our adventuring team found themselves with much to be thankful for. Oniver's efforts to have a campsite established were well rewarded, his tent a beacon of shelter and potential for uninterrupted sleep. A campfire crackled bringing the comfort of warmth and light, as well as flame-licked sustenance. Boar meat would be on the menu this eve! Yes, Stahl had happened upon an angry boar, which had been subdued from a distance and efficiently broken down into its gifts of both food and hide. The light rain slowly dwindled as the evening turned to night, just an occasional drop on the tent's roof from time to time. Phol was at last able to warm his bones, and all slept well whilst the little goblin kept an eye out for anything nocturnal or suspicious... For the most part, the night was pleasant and uneventful. The odd hoot of an owl perhaps, and the sounds of leaves and branches swaying gently in a very light breeze. It was in the middle of the night, when Hemdan thought he heard something snoring a short distance from the fire. There, he found the fox, curled up and enjoying a sleep much as his other companions were. At hearing the goblin's approach, it looked up at him and then put its head back down. Trusting perhaps, that the bipeds had more than enough to eat this night. The closer Hemdan got though, the more that reaction to magic manifested in his knobbles. For sure, this was no typical forest scavenger...

OOC There are no random evils or distractions for the evening and night quarter, so you are free to get your day's sleep. When you are ready let me know, and we'll move to the Morning quarter. Old Dog can still take his actions for the evening quarter too, just write / roll them in retrospectively if you want. 4 of you get a free meal! So one of you will need to roll a Food dice to make sure the group has enough to get everyone's belly full. Have a think about who is going to be doing what in the morning, what direction you'll go etc. You will awaken with all attribute damage healed

[DBCowboy]

Phol The poor half-elf woke with an ache and felt as if ice clung to his veins. He'd slept, true, but only now he realized that his vaulted sleeping furs were old and rotted, thin enough in spots to let the precious warmth leak out and the chill to seep in. He spent a miserable night huddled close to the warm fire the Oniver and others had built. By morning he would still looked a sorry sight and his nose run fierce for most of the day, but he would be no worse the wear. Poor half-elf. (Ha!) Perhaps it was the congestion in his head which made him feel slightly loopy but he mumbled of Druids now and then. To himself as much as any who sat near. Surely Hemdan heard his ramblings as the hearty Goblin took the watch which Phol himself had intended to stand. Perhaps Old Dog's ears were sharp enough as well? "Foxes no. Yes. Thistle said she could not take their shape but claimed others could, yes, claimed they could she did. Druids more learned than she there are.....or were. Did the mist claim them or were they safe in their forests from its touch?" "The forest..." "The forests hold secrets, says she. A ring of stones it holds, and an elven queen did claim them. She....she...oi, what was the queen's name? Old, older than I. The ancient oaks. The elves. Not I..." He woke later, wrapped in his furs near the low embers of the night's fire. He remembered little of his sleepy rambling, grateful to find himself not as soar or tire from the previous day's toil as he had expected. His throat was soar and raw and he took many a sip from his waterskin to ease his discomfort.

OOO Stats recovered. Need a Tanner to fix his sleeping furs...or can anyone do that with Crafting? Do we need talent to repair or just to create? Dice Water: 1d8 2 Oops wasn't very careful with his water

Phol's Sheet: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...46#post9486246

[Effete]

Oniver Stramont As Oniver erected the tent, Hemdan stood nearby watching, a strange captivated look on his face. Nearly before the last string was pulled taut, the young goblin was crawling through the opening to curl up in a corner, and before long was fast asleep. Oniver frowned momentarily, then shrugged in resignation. He had thought the goblin might offer help with setting up the rest of the camp, but the peddler was quickly becoming accustomed to disappointment. He found some catharsis in gathering stones for the fireplace, and within the second hour had a decent ring built with a fledging fire lit within. Oniver then spent much of the rest of the evening gathering in as much dry wood as he could. With the day's soaking, it wasn't easy, and the fire billowed thick, white smoke for a long time, threatening to go out once or twice. However, by the time Strahl returned with his hunt, the fire was burning hot, with a nice bed of embers glowing at its base. "Ho ho! Just in time my good man! I had worked up a ravenous appetite playing home-maker to our little band of wanderers. Come, hang your cloak to dry and let's see your day's catch." Oniver indicated a roughly assembled drying rack near one edge of the fire, his own cloak already slung over it. Hemdan's earlier question about having culinary supplies was very astute, as cooking the meat became an immediate concern. Ultimately, it was skewered and char-roasted into somewhat bland, though filling, little morsals. Meat alone does not make a meal, so Stahl shared some of his rations to supplement the pork with dried fruits and bread. It was full dark when Phol came to the fire, sniffling and sneezing and sopping wet. He had apparently lain down in a poor location, and it ruined his nap. Whatever he had planned was surely ruined as well. "Get some food in you. There's plenty to go around." Then, turning to Stahl, "You've led us well, rider. Would you continue to be our pathfinder? Where next? Are we to continue north, hooking back west to meet the river? After all, the river is the one landmark we have any real certainty of... besides the mountains behind us." The group talked, planned, and bantered throughout the evening and early night. Eventually Oniver found it difficult to keep his eyes open, and parts of the conversation drifted away as he nodded off. Standing up abruptly, the peddler said to no one in particular, "Well, that's it for me. I presume we'll see each other in the morning. G'night." With that, he crawled into the tent, found a comfortable position, and fell asleep.

OOC Apologies for taking some liberties with Stahl's "Food roll." It didn't make a lot of sense to me that he wouldn't eat some of the boar, so I re-interpretated the roll to mean that Stahl added to the meal from his own rations. Mechanically, nothing's changed; narratively, I think it has a better flow. Also, I think everyone needs to make a Water roll, right? Here's Oniver's... Dice Water roll for the day: d8 4   STRENGTH 3/3 | Might 0, Endurance 1, Melee 1, Crafting 0 AGILITY 3/3 | Stealth 0, Sleight of Hand 2, Move 0, Marksmanship 0 WITS 3/3 | Scouting 0, Lore 0, Survival 1, Insight 2 EMPATHY 5/5 | Manipulation 3, Performance 0, Healing 0, Animal Handling 0 Weapons: Knife (+1 bonus, 1 damage) Armor: Leather Vest (Rating 2) Food: d8 Water: d8 Pack-of-Many-Things: d12 Copper/Silver/Gold: 0/8/0 Willpower Points: 1 Full sheet

[psuedenim]

Hemdan The smell of cooking meat finally got through to the young Goblin when the grumbling in his belly started to intrude upon his sleepy dreaming. The novelty of this journey had stirred something almost forgotten, more tales from when he was a child listening intently to the tales the elders told of times before the mists. Hemdan used to find it hard to believe that there was 'time before the mists' but recent events had changed that certainty. Getting up he headed out the campfire. mouth watering at the sight, sound and smell of roasted Boar "What a fine treat to start the watch with. Dont feel obliged to keep me company tonight, go get some rest. I feel our luck has turned and tomorrow will be easier on us" - he chomped down another bite, tore a bit off and threw it near the fox - "Plus we have the fox watching too and its hearing will be better than mine I reckon. Hemdan kept a close eye on the fox whilst he finished his meal off curious as to whether foxes preferred their meat fresh. Before Oniver left to sleep the Goblin looked over and said "Not sure how to thank you for the tent Oniver but it made sleeping much better out here - glad you came. This fire is really helping Phol and who knows all that mud from the bog might be good for getting rid of some lice or some such" which prompted the Goblin to have a good scratch but probably not from lice. Phols words were wandering through Hemdans reminiscences from when waking "Shapehifters, Druids hmmm. The fox isn't giving me warm feelings but it never gets too close and I've never been this far from Kiersap so who knows." "HEY Fox whats your name?" "Oh - I just remembered, the elder Goblins back in Kiersap would tell tales of an Orc Tribe - The Virga. Sounded like a nasty bunch, carried bits of Foxes and they might be on the way to this city I mentioned. North covers a wide area so it might be far away but I thought it best to let you know" It wasn't long till dawn arrived and the the night had been peaceful when the rest of the group started stirring. The Fox was still around and Hemdan poured some of his water out into a large leaf for the fox to drink Keep you friendly and close. Good ears not much meat. After taking a long drink himself he realised the stopper no longer fit properly and water was slowly leaking out as he moved around. Gonna need to look at that pretty soon. Wonder if anyone here can craft better than me? I shall ask at the next camp as well as quizzing Phol about those elves, could be sorcery He stood up collected his items together, stoked the fire up a little for those wanting warmth or to eat breakfast and headed over to Oni to see how this tent came down "Let me help. Undoing it might help me see the way of Up doing of it" By way of showing appreciation for Phol sharing his tales, even though he was seriously cold, Hemdan went to help fix his blankets as they were looking very tatty. He had done this many a time and thought this simple act would be a good way to improve his relationship with Phol. What started out as a simple case of cut a little here, twist and fold it in there soon became a much more daunting task. It wasn't long before the Goblin was starting to realise that he was being outclassed by the sheer number of holes in the furs and blankets. They were now caught in this arms race - holes vs patches and the the holes were winning. It got to the point that the patches developed holes before they could even be applied and the repair attempt was futile. Hemdan scrunched up his face and his fingers dashed around the threads but but to no avail, he was defeated by the holes. It was time to stop the repair work before the furs became a pile of hairs and the blankets became fine threads lost to the morning breeze. Standing up he looked at Phol, slumped his shoulders and said "Bugger." - then slopped off to see Stahl whilst rubbing his hands and forearms, the patching had given him cramps and weakened his grip. I hope Stahl missed this catastrophe as he might not let me use a pelt to try and fix this mess

 

Name: Hemdan Whitefingers - Goblin | Sorcerer | ~20yrs

Strength: 2/3 - Crafting: 2
Agility: 4 - Sleight of Hand: 1
Wits: 5 - Insight: 2 | Lore: 2
Empathy: 3 - Manipulation: 1

---

WILLPOWER: 1
REPUTATION:__
PRIDE: Nothing scares you, as you have seen the world behind the veil.
DARK SECRET: Your yearning for more magical power is stronger than anything else.
CONDITIONS - Sleepless:__ | Thirsty:__ | Hungry:__ | Cold:__

---

TALENTS
After rolling for STEALTH, you can spend Willpower Points which are turned into extra 6'sSneaky (1)
The hairs on the back of your neck stand up when enemies lurk in the bushes.

RANK 1: Your SCOUT roll is modified by +1 when an enemy tries to ambush you or performs a sneak attack.
RANK 2: When you spot an ambush or a sneak attack, you also see how many the attackers are, what kin they belong to, and what weapons they use.
RANK 3: You can add a D8 Artifact Die to your SCOUT roll when you try to spot an ambush or a sneak attack.
Sixth Sense (1)
Path of Signs (1)

---

WEAPONS Staff - Bonus: 1 | Damage: 1 | Range: Near
ARMOR Leather Vest - Rating: 2

---

EQUIPMENT (6)
Chalk | +1 HuntingSnares

CONSUMABLES
Food: D6 | Water: d8 D6

[HotsuSama]

Stahl Hearthson The meat cooks well enough on their decent little fire. Between all five of them, the good boar meat is gone, or set aside for the sleepers, quickly. Stahl gets up to grab his waterskin and see what dried fruits he can add to the mix. He fishes the skin out of the saddle-bag, and takes a small drink - best to keep it light until they're close to the river again. And fishing around, he finds his pouch of raisins and ... what's this? Stahl pulls out a sweetroll. He looks at it for a moment. It's not very big, but it's glistening with ... well, with sweetness. He doesn't remember putting it there. No one else in this group would just slip a treat in with his food. No, this ... was secreted in his bag before he left, by someone else in his clan. His cousin, his aunt, perhaps even his normally-apathetic mother? He can't say now. But it would be a shame to let a sending-off gift go to waste. He devours the sweetroll on the spot, not caring who sees him have the whole thing to himself. Then he brings over raisins and prunes to distribute with the cooked meat. Talk turns to their next move. Stahl thinks on the question Oniver has presented to them. East or north? The answer comes quickly. "North, for now. Our original intention was to circle the bog, and there's little reason to cut from that now. We think there's a city northward, and we know there's a river for drinking water if we skew westward." He looks at Old Dog. "That is, if you're not disappointed about passing by territory of your kin." Then it's Hemdan's turn to receive a scrutinising look from Stahl. "And if we run into this tribe of yours on the way, we can perhaps steer wide of them. I don't fancy having to scrape orcs off Bladdanser's flanks." The night is uneventful, except for Hemdan's constant fussing. Stahl is asleep for most of it, at least. Then the goblin comes to see him, flexing his fingers and looking guilty. "What did you do, you little imp?" Stahl sighs. If Hemdan owns up to the botched repair job, Stahl will gesture to the rough cuts of pigskin draped by his belongings. "If you can use some of that to clean up your mess, you may. But don't use it all up! The more we can sell or shape, the better."

OOC Success on eating and drinking without losing any supplies. I'm all cool with the liberties, @Effete. I added a little tease with Stahl scoffing a sweetroll just to play with getting a max roll - dude's feeling pretty good right now.

 

Forbidden Lands Stat Block Stahl Hearthson Adult Quard AslenianHuman Rider Willpower Points: - Reputation: ✦ Armour: - Conditions: - Injuries: - Pride: I can find anything in the wilderness, whether it be place or person or beast. Dark Secret: I killed my half-brother over a trivial disagreement, and am convinced his spirit haunts me. STRENGTH: ✦✦✦ Might: - | Endurance: ✦ | Melee: - | Crafting: - AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Stealth: - | Slight of Hand: - | Move: - | Marksmanship: ✦✦ WITS: ✦✦✦✦ Scouting: ✦ | Lore: - | Survival: ✦✦✦ | Insight: - EMPATHY: ✦✦ Manipulation: - | Performance: - | Healing: - | Animal Handling: ✦✦✦ TALENTS Humans are new to the Forbidden Lands and are seen as intruders by the other kin. But no other kin can adapt to new situations and living conditions the way the humans can. If you spend a Willpower Point when you are about to roll for a skill, you can roll for any skill of your choice to achieve the same result. You must be able to motivate how you use the chosen skill. The GM has final say, but should give you some leeway.Adaptive Your horse (or another riding animal) is your closest friend and companion, and will help you if you are in trouble.Path of the Companion: If you spend a Willpower Point when you are Broken (see page 107), your horse will stay by your side and defend you. The horse will attack any opponents that attempt to attack or move you.Rank 1 You are trained in the art of fighting from the back of a mount. All of the effects below require you to be in an OPEN zone.Horseback Fighter: You can fire a short bow or sling from a mount.Rank 1 You are a master at finding the right path through woods and over mountains in the wilderness.Pathfinder: Your SURVIVAL roll is modified by +1 when you LEAD THE WAY.Rank 1 ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲▲▲▲ COINS: 0G 0S 9C Food (d8 / ▲) | Water (d8 / ▲) | Arrows (d10 / ▲) | Torches (d6 / ▲) Short spear (Bonus: ✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 1H, Pointed / ▲) Short bow (Bonus: ✦✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 2H / ◭) Snares (+1 to Hunting / ◭) Knapsack Waterskin   Horse Stahl's Horse - Bladdanser Movement: ✦✦ STRENGTH: ✦✦✦✦✧ Melee: ✦✦ AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Move: ✦✦✦ ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲◭△△△△△△△△ Bandages (+1 Healing / ◭) Rope (+1 Climbing / ▲) Meat - 4 units (▲?) Pelts - 2 units (▲?)

[97mg]

Year 1165 - Springrise (early spring season) - Morning Quarter Day Two

Weather: Clear

A New Day If a ruined sleeping blanket and a curious fox were the worst things that might face the group on its first night out, then it hadn't really been a bad night at all! Plenty of food to go around, a warm fire, and well-deserved sleep. The fox had certainly accepted the gift of cooked meat, perhaps to the goblin's amusement. The animal seemed to be getting more comfortable around the group of bipeds now, but still wouldn't move too close. Maybe this was a friendship that just needed more time? The day that greeted the explorers on the next sunrise, was a wondrous one! No clouds. No rainy trickles. The air was a tad cold on one's cheeks at first, but as the morning progressed and folk's got to work dismantling tents and the like, it seemed that today would be a rather pleasant one for traveling! Indeed, the northwards journey went very well at first, until of course Stahl came into contact with some boggy earth. Again? Really? The mount's legs slowly sinking into gluggy muck must have really done his head in. Surely today wasn't going to be a repeat of the day before? Well, thankfully, it wasn't. The rider pushed hard, refusing to be defeated, and soon enough had the group back walking on mostly stable ground... They'd made good time, and were pretty sure they'd be able to get some more miles under their belts before the morning was up.

OOC No encounters (yet), you lucky people! If you're splitting up so that those on horseback can explore an extra hex, the folks left to travel on foot will need to make their own lead the way roll, but for now, if the team stays together, you're golden for this quarter. I just need to know which hex(es) you're going to next?

[97mg]

Year 1165 - Springrise (early spring season) - End of Morning Quarter Day Two

Weather: Clear

A Snake's Path Undeterred by occasional soft ground, the group steered themselves in a direction that they presumed was northwest, hoping to catch sight of, or hear the trickles of, the river. All was well as they made their approach, and with some careful navigation, and keen eyes on the surrounding trees, nothing dared interrupt the team's progress. They'd made great time this morning, and found themselves with a river to their left, and endless trees still stretching out in all directions. The further they progressed however, the quieter the waters seemed to become. Well, rivers were known to wind around as they desired. The full light of day came over the forest canopy then, and in rare places where no branch, leaf or trunk dared stand in the sun's path, sections of nice warm dappled light danced upon the party.

OOC We move to Day Quarter next. Feel free to RP a bit and or scheme what you'd like to do with your daylight hours

[psuedenim]

Hemdan Hemdan was still brooding a little about the big mess he had made of Phol's blankets. He kept glancing over but the the old Half-elf seemed his usual self so far. Still it bothered the young Goblin, he was well aware of the gap in experience and grit within the group and the ruined blanket felt like another blight on his character. His hands and arms were still cramped from the failed repair work but he tried to work them out by tossing a few scraps towards the Fox to see if it would come closer. His knobbles had been quiet all night but he still had a nagging doubt about that fox and figuring that out would be redeeming. Come close little foxy, lets see what you are all about With the way the weather was going and the steady pace it was feeling like a nice stroll in the woods. Stahl and his horse had stuck with the group rather than risking scouting alone. "Hey Stahl, appreciate the offer of the pelts I must get Phol something to sleep in as he seems susceptible to the cold.". Looking over at Old Dog "Would appreciate your help with the blanket if you are able, in fact it might be better if I help you I dont want to be the one that ends up destroying Phols sleep." Oh and there's Oni on the other side of the group. Clever idea these two agreeing to keep watch on either side, wonder when they planned that. Ahhh, here comes the fox again. Hemdan throws another little scrap towards the fox. Seeing that the river and shadows cast by the sun are not in agreement the Goblin asks the group "Hey - looks like the river is turning West. Do we follow the river or risk striking out North?"

 

Name: Hemdan Whitefingers - Goblin | Sorcerer | ~20yrs

Strength: 2/3 - Crafting: 2
Agility: 4 - Sleight of Hand: 1
Wits: 5 - Insight: 2 | Lore: 2
Empathy: 3 - Manipulation: 1

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WILLPOWER: 1
REPUTATION:__
PRIDE: Nothing scares you, as you have seen the world behind the veil.
DARK SECRET: Your yearning for more magical power is stronger than anything else.
CONDITIONS - Sleepless:__ | Thirsty:__ | Hungry:__ | Cold:__

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TALENTS
After rolling for STEALTH, you can spend Willpower Points which are turned into extra 6'sSneaky (1)
The hairs on the back of your neck stand up when enemies lurk in the bushes.

RANK 1: Your SCOUT roll is modified by +1 when an enemy tries to ambush you or performs a sneak attack.
RANK 2: When you spot an ambush or a sneak attack, you also see how many the attackers are, what kin they belong to, and what weapons they use.
RANK 3: You can add a D8 Artifact Die to your SCOUT roll when you try to spot an ambush or a sneak attack.
Sixth Sense (1)
Path of Signs (1)

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WEAPONS Staff - Bonus: 1 | Damage: 1 | Range: Near
ARMOR Leather Vest - Rating: 2

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EQUIPMENT (6)
Chalk | +1 HuntingSnares

CONSUMABLES
Food: D6 | Water: d8 D6

[Effete]

Oniver Stramont That morning, after the others had awoken and begun their preparations, Oniver was pleasantly surprised to hear Hemdan's voice behind him asking to help pack up the tent. "Ho ho! So my shadow now wishes to mimick my motions? Very well." The goblin watched as Oniver pulled up a stake at one corner, eased the tension off the support pole, and let the corner of the tent fall flat. "Do this with those two corners, then I'll show you how to fold and roll it nice and compact. As for setting it up again," Oniver beamed a toothy grin at the little green fellow, "that's just the same thing in reverse." With the tent stowed, Oniver found some breakfast and ate quickly. A short time later, Stahl was leading them down the other side of the hill. The morning hike was largely uneventful. Oniver took the right flank and often peered off through the trees, but his mind was too preoccupied for him to serve as a useful scout. Sloppy, really, but perhaps it was an unconscious sign that the peddler was beginning to trust his travel companions. Some of them anyway. Hemdan continued his fussing, rambling on about this-or-that and throwing bits of food at the trailing fox. Oniver silently shook his head. The young goblin may become a liability. His mind was like a sponge, soaking up all the trivial little stories of his tribe, but it seems it didn't have much room left for common sense. "Ho, little fellow! What happens when you run out of food? Who will throw scraps to you? And what will the fox eat once it becomes accustomed to being hand-fed? The answer to these questions may be more closely related than you think." He flashed a toothy smile, trying to add some levity to the morbid warning. In hindsight, perhaps it made him look more malevolent. At about mid-morning, a section of soggy ground dampened the mood by threatening to repeat the events of yesterday, but through either luck, providence, or Stahl's skill it was traversed with no major issue. By noon, the group was resting their legs in a small clearing on the river's bank, the warm sun driving the morning's chill from their bones. "Well done, horseman! Well done," Oniver said with his trademark smile. His face was clean, having just been washed in the river, but a bed of stubble covered his chin and cheeks. He wondered whether or not he had time for a shave. At Hemdan's question, Oniver stood and peered up the river, trying to judge its course. It indeed continued in a north-westernly direction, but its waters were soon lost in a thicket of greenery. There was no telling if it bent back to the north or hooked over to the west. Maybe the goblin's eyes were better his own, but the answer to the question was obvious, regardless. "We keep to river's edge, naturally... and hope the ground stays dry," he laughed. Hopefully, this fabled city was also near the banks, or the travelers may end up walking right past it. The thought dimmed his spirits, but the peddler tried to remain optimistic. Old books sometimes mentioned cities⁠—settlements so large they were often partitioned into districts, like a bunch of villages all clustered together. Why, in over three hundred years, hadn't Kiersap grown to a city? What force, conceived by either nature or man, kept it from expanding? As Oniver's ambitions grew, Kiersap refused to grow with him, and as a result he had worn out his welcome. A city sounded like just the thing he needed, and if Hemdan was right, there was one out there. His optimism turned to impatience. "How soon do we leave, esteemed pathfinder?" Oniver asked, looking to Stahl for an answer.

OOC   STRENGTH 3/3 | Might 0, Endurance 1, Melee 1, Crafting 0 AGILITY 3/3 | Stealth 0, Sleight of Hand 2, Move 0, Marksmanship 0 WITS 3/3 | Scouting 0, Lore 0, Survival 1, Insight 2 EMPATHY 5/5 | Manipulation 3, Performance 0, Healing 0, Animal Handling 0 Weapons: Knife (+1 bonus, 1 damage) Armor: Leather Vest (Rating 2) Food: d8 Water: d8 Pack-of-Many-Things: d12 Copper/Silver/Gold: 0/8/0 Willpower Points: 1 Full sheet

[DBCowboy]

Phol Recovered from the night's chill, the half-elf kept a steady pace on the morning's walk. Hemdan's concern over his sleeping fur seemed to annoy or perhaps confuse Phol. Twice he waved the sincere goblin away. He could see the rot that had weakened the fur over time which let in the damp. Perhaps he blamed himself more than Hemdan. Regardless it did nothing to break him from his normal, bitter mood such that when Oniver finally ask when should they depart he was heard to grumble, "Oy indeed! Here we are where we should have been by the first of days. An increase in pace and direction would do us well." Would his bite soften as the distance to Kerisap lengthened? One could only hope. He scowled at his waterskin, then at the nearby river, but only took a small drink before replacing the skin and preparing to set out once more.

OOO

Phol's Sheet: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...46#post9486246

[HotsuSama]

Stahl Hearthson The morning's march is mostly uneventful. The only encounter is Hemdan's fox - somehow it became Hemdan's in Stahl's mind. The creature certainly seems accustomed to kin, and cunning enough to remain affable for as long as Hemdan throws it scraps of meat. Oniver chides the goblin for his charity, and Stahl is ambivalent. They sure could stand to hand on to their food more carefully, but he's also curious how this impromptu training campaign will end. "Foxes have keener senses than us. If the fox remains with us and stays calm, there's less chance of danger," Stahl points out. "If something we need to worry about approaches, it'll either move closer to us or flee, likely before we see or hear it. Think of it as a furry bell." The morning is sunny and dry, and allows them the chance to complete their arc around the boggy lowlands. But even away from the worst of the muck, the ground becomes soft and muddy - Bladdanser is almost too heavy for even this relatively stable terrain. Stahl exhausts himself tending to his horse's wary nerves and pushing the beast onwards, and is glad to find rockier ground a little higher up the next rise, even if Bladdanser clearly doesn't like the uneven rocks as much. The horse knows how to pick through the jagged way, and it's better than getting stuck in mud. The sun is high in the sky and lancing through holes in the canopy when the group spots the river down an undulating slope. Stahl looks ahead. The ricer seems to arc westward, then back towards them as it continues to flow northward. "We'll need to full our skins in the river before day's end. Long as we keep it in sight, we've nothing to worry about. Might as well make use of the light and press a little more northward if we want to find this city. I'm unconvinced we'll find it today. If it were this close, Kiersap would know for certain. So we still have ground to cover."

OOC Double success on LEAD THE WAY. Wits damage and WP updated. Stahl is all for pressing on northward for the afternoon, following the river's course on the second hex travel if we press on.

 

Forbidden Lands Stat Block Stahl Hearthson Adult Quard AslenianHuman Rider Willpower Points: ✦✦ Reputation: ✦ Armour: - Conditions: - Injuries: - Pride: I can find anything in the wilderness, whether it be place or person or beast. Dark Secret: I killed my half-brother over a trivial disagreement, and am convinced his spirit haunts me. STRENGTH: ✦✦✦ Might: - | Endurance: ✦ | Melee: - | Crafting: - AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Stealth: - | Slight of Hand: - | Move: - | Marksmanship: ✦✦ WITS: ✦✦✧✧ Scouting: ✦ | Lore: - | Survival: ✦✦✦ | Insight: - EMPATHY: ✦✦ Manipulation: - | Performance: - | Healing: - | Animal Handling: ✦✦✦ TALENTS Humans are new to the Forbidden Lands and are seen as intruders by the other kin. But no other kin can adapt to new situations and living conditions the way the humans can. If you spend a Willpower Point when you are about to roll for a skill, you can roll for any skill of your choice to achieve the same result. You must be able to motivate how you use the chosen skill. The GM has final say, but should give you some leeway.Adaptive Your horse (or another riding animal) is your closest friend and companion, and will help you if you are in trouble.Path of the Companion: If you spend a Willpower Point when you are Broken (see page 107), your horse will stay by your side and defend you. The horse will attack any opponents that attempt to attack or move you.Rank 1 You are trained in the art of fighting from the back of a mount. All of the effects below require you to be in an OPEN zone.Horseback Fighter: You can fire a short bow or sling from a mount.Rank 1 You are a master at finding the right path through woods and over mountains in the wilderness.Pathfinder: Your SURVIVAL roll is modified by +1 when you LEAD THE WAY.Rank 1 ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲▲▲▲ COINS: 0G 0S 9C Food (d8 / ▲) | Water (d8 / ▲) | Arrows (d10 / ▲) | Torches (d6 / ▲) Short spear (Bonus: ✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 1H, Pointed / ▲) Short bow (Bonus: ✦✦ / Damage: ⚔ / 2H / ◭) Snares (+1 to Hunting / ◭) Knapsack Waterskin   Horse Stahl's Horse - Bladdanser Movement: ✦✦ STRENGTH: ✦✦✦✦✦ Melee: ✦✦ AGILITY: ✦✦✦✦✦ Move: ✦✦✦ ENCUMBRANCE: ▲▲▲◭△△△△△△△△ Bandages (+1 Healing / ◭) Rope (+1 Climbing / ▲) Meat - 4 units (▲?) Pelts - 2 units (▲?)

[97mg]

OOC And here ends Chapter One! Chapter Two is ready for posting in https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...43#post9506943