Book One: Chapter Four: "Plots Unearthed"

Harley wrote:She says "Ai cali mysti shaer." (I have some bread.)

Vangg wrote:Vangg also studies the woman.
Insight: Roll = 20

The girl is full of vigor and moxie. Vangg senses that she is barely able to contain her excitement; excitement over the prospect of tending to such grand beasts.

Still, a gold piece a day? That's cheap; it's only 2 silver per animal. A feedbag of fresh steelcut oats would cost that much on it's own. (Of course, cheaper grain would cost significantly less). Vangg considers asking the girl what she'll be feeding the animals, but realizes (through powerful insight) that this girl will eagerly spend her last coin to give any animal a good meal. Your horses will be feasting while you're away.

"Let me show ya where they'll be stayin.' I'm sure ya'll find the accomodations suitable. Then, we'll settle on the price. A'right?"

Assuming everyone agrees to look at her stable, she leads you, around the side of the hill, to where a long ramp has been contructed of packed dirt and timber. The ramp isn't nearly as steep as the hill, but eventually climbs to the same height; by the time you reach the top, you're a good 100 yards behind the cabin ... but you can see a narrow wooden stable built into the cliffside maybe a quarter of mile back.

It's now that you realize that a narrow plateau opens up and stretches back behind the cabin; the stable appears to be at the end of it. As you walk toward the stable, she asks "Ya must be takin' a boat? I can't fig're why else you'd want to leave these majestic steeds out in the middle o' the hills. So, where ya goin'?"

Sheep and goats get out of your way, as you draw near to the stable. And then you see an enormous head moving inside the stable. There's no way that was a horse! It was way too big! You also see that the narrow plateau curves and stretches behind the next hill too. And the next. Who knows how far it winds?

And then you're there. Inside the stable, there are six roomy stalls. The last is home to the biggest horse you've ever seen. "This my horse, here. Her name's Bri." Davin quickly takes stock of the horse's condition; she's healthy, strong, and extremely happy.

"Like I sayd ... they'll be well-fed and well-groomed, and they'll have plen'y of room for walkin' or runnin'. What say ya? We got a deal or what?"

“Deal indeed, fair lass! You’ll have your gold per day, and a substantial bonus assuming we find the beasts well cared for when we return. By the looks of your own mare, I’m sure that bonus will be yours.” Verity extends a hand to seal the deal. “If you seek to breed her, mine own stallion…” He looks up at the incredibly huge Bri, “well, he might be persuaded. Ahem. Gods! What do you feed her, other horses?”

“You asked where we’re going. That be to the mountains, on a quest commanded by the Goddess of Death to save the world.” He pauses for a moment, brow furrowed, then nods to himself and continues on.

Verity digs 60 gold from his belt pouch. “I know not how long the Queen’s mission will take but here’s a start.”

“So, you say you have bread. We’ve fresh boar and stag, dried just yesterday, and ale to wash it down. It would be our pleasure to share a meal with you here before we embark. No offense, but I’d rather not share it with goats; to the cabin then?”

Harley eagerly meets Verity's grasp, her petite hand swallow up by the hands of the warrior. "To the cabin, then! For bread!"
After a hearty meal of bread & cheese, stag & boar, and ale ... the party is bakc on the road. This time, on foot.

The Rusty winds towards the ocean, gradually becoming greater is size and speed. The thought occurs to some of you that the Rusty was narrower a ways back, where it could be gingerly crossed, if not dryly ... but then Juugug says "We gonna be comin' t'da ol' Masoner Bridge 'ere quick; a tad bericketsy, if I 'member right."

A short while later, the river falls into a deep canyon; and a little after that, party reaches the Old Mason's Bridge [about 45 minutes after leaving Harley's place]. It's a brickwork bridge, only wide enough for two abreast, and it doesn't appear to be in good condition. Patches of it have crumbled away, leaving holes in the surface, the side wall, and even the support columns. Still, there doesn't seem to be much other way across; the canyon is just too steep and deep for convenient crossing ... but the bridge looks dangerous.

What do you do?

Prior to leaving -

"This lady here is Hannibell." Patting the large horses flank.

Davin motions to Meridock, Beatrice Anne, and Facey.

"Harley, I am training these three for battle. I have several days in already, and I would hate to have it go to waste. Would you continue their training?"

At the bridge -

With Hounds help, Davin closely inspects the bridge, looking for the safest route across (Perception 30).

Davin [i][b]Prior to leaving[/i][/b] wrote:"This lady here is Hannibell." Patting the large horses flank.

Davin motions to Meridock, Beatrice Anne, and Facey. "Harley, I am training these three for battle. I have several days in already, and I would hate to have it go to waste. Would you continue their training?"

[color=OrangeRed]"Oh, yeah! That won' be a problem."

Swifthand [i][b]At the bridge[/b][/i] wrote:With Hounds help, Davin closely inspects the bridge, looking for the safest route across (Perception 30).

In addition to the holes that have crumbled through, the bridge seems wobbly ... but it will probably hold, so long as everyone crosses one or two at a time. Even from this distance, Davin is able to scope out the surface of the bridge, as well as the underside, and manages to plan out a safe route that should avoid most of the unsafe spots.

He also looks and listens to the surrounding landscape, checking for potential enemies; be he senses nobody outside of the party.

"Alright. One at a time should do it."

Davin carefully steps out on the bridge and then crosses, using the path plotted out. Once across, I whistle for Hound to do the same.

-Swift

DM EDIT: Taking-10 (with a +2 Bonus from his Perception) that's a 21.
Davin & Hound make it across just fine.

Mordax pauses, surveying the bridge. Eventually, he says "Weel, boyos, there's nothin' fer' it. If it'll hold me weight, it'll hold ye' all."

With that, he sprints forward on the balls of his feet.

OOC: Trusting to his prowess in all things athletic, the fisherman does his best to keep his balance, and to turn a fall into a dive should the worst happen.

Athletics: 1d20+11=14
DM EDIT: +2 because Davin aided with Perception, that's actually a 16.
Mordax makes it across just fine.

Shite.

After Davin and Mordax make it across, Juugug looks to Vangg with a puzzled expression, and finally shrugs. Then, the Goblin easily strolls across the bridge, as if no danger is even present. (And in fact, the bridge seems perfectly stable under his slight mass).

Before leaving:
Verity removes Zephyrs (Gandor’s) Bridle and tucks it in a belt pouch. Scanning the rolling hills and distant peaks, he converses with the horse. “Can you believe this place? You’ve never had it so good: a vast plateau of hay, the wagon team to keep you company and all sorts of new friends to boot. That Bri too, I think she’s sweet on you.”

“Neeiighgh!”

“Are you kidding? You’d be the envy of every horse in Brackwater to win over a mare so…er…formidable.

“The shepherdess has promised you regular grooming. She knows her way around your kind, that one. I expect you’ll be sad to have to leave when we return. Take care old boy.”

At the bridge:
He removes his armor and says “Mind if I take one of those magic’d bags? Oh, yeah, I have one. Nevermind. He-he.”

Before Vangg attempts the bridge, he looks to Straegis and pats him on the back.

"Bedoubt not me friend, me 'ad ta find me ol' friend Juugug an' bringeth 'im abouts. Ah brother ta me 'e 'as foreverways been. Me thunk 'e be dead an' what nots, an' when me findeth 'im notsosuch, me 'ad ta bring 'im inta dis mess as wells." The dwarf smiles, "An' brothers me lookers sees in ye . . . an' da others as well."

The dwarf makes his way across the bridge, "Bedamned Masonridge!"

Vangg uses Dungeoneering to decipher who constructed the bridge, as well as to get across: Take 10 on both = 23, 23 (With Davin's +2)

"Vangg, wait! Tie off to this rope, don't be in such a hurry to meet the Queen, brother."

Vangg works his way cautiously across the bridge. Before he's even halfway across, it becomes obvious that the rope is too short. But Vangg continues on, and makes it across nonetheless.

He also studies the bridge on his way, and by the time he reaches the other side, he's convinced that it was constructed by Goblin hands. The bridge is atleast 150 years old, but has not been attended to in nearly that long (though many pilgrims have crossed it on their way to the Cave Temple ... and Vangg crossed it once, long ago, while leaving the scene of the massacre).

Halfway across the bridge Vangg yells, "Bedamned decrepit'd bridge! Misconstruct'd by go'bin 'ands me wages!"

Alex crosses the bridge tentatively. He is the last to do so.

Before he crosses he forms a ghostly set of watery hands, he hands his bag to them (in a hope of reducing his weight) and the float by his side.

Straegis will follow Verity's lead and place his armor in the bag of holding while he crosses the bridge, he is careful to follow the path laid out before him by the others but he moves quickly. He tries to take note of any carvings, symbols or warnings he may see on the bridge.

Athletics: 1d20=14+13(s)+2(assist)=29
History: 1d20=16+15(s)=31

After Vangg, Verity works his way across (Taking 10?). He is then followed by Straegis, and finally by Alex (Taking 10?). Once on the other side, a feint dirt path can be seen, winding it's way toward the mountains; and the journey contines.

OOC: Bridge Skill Challenge. 200 XPs Each (Bringing you to 15,263).

The journey through the foothills takes a couple hours, but the sun is still high in the sky when the party finds where the mountains and the ocean "meet." The vast sea stretches past the horizon.

The shoreline butts up against the mountains, which continue to jutt up even from the ocean's surface. Mighty waves crash against the stony beachhead.

Right where the mountains meet the beachhead, however, is a massive cave. Dozens of heads-on-pikes are displayed before the cave mouth; most of them rotted to the skull, with the passage of time and salty air ... but a few look relatively fresh.

Cautiously, the party approaches the cave, trying to stay quiet and out of sight. When they are about a hundred yards or so from the entrance, gruff voices can be heard grumbling inside.

Verity whispers,"The dwarven Clan Head said stealth and trickery would get us passed the enemies massed in the Cave. Any ideas?"

Vangg also whispers, "Mayhaps 'ave Sir Alex floods da place? Or sets up ah ambushery? What ye's bethinks?

Mordax growls "We 'ave a goblin, why no' use 'im? If there be giants or goblinkind, they'll think e's one o' them. We could lure them oot an' kill 'em one by one, oor in small groups, if we could keep 'em quiet."

"Aye" grumbles the fisherman, "like I said, we've a dwarf in tha' group. Should be easy enou' tae disguise 'im sae they dinna' recognize tha' traitor. Tha's who tha' dwarves were lookin' fer when tha' war started, yes?"

Mordax fixes Vangg with an appraising stare.