Down the Ravine

Linwelin · June 23, 2016, 11:40:47 AM

Mini mission!

Max Players: 3
Exp Reward (varies from 50% to 200%): 200
Gold: 50g

While traveling along the southern region of the Korinthian Kingdom, heading through a craggy region, You come across an trader. The man is in what you would guess to be his late 50s, with his brown hair distinctly fading to grey. He's looking down the crag with his hands at his hips.

"i should have known to be cautious this morning after dropping all those things in camp. But why'd it have to be that..." As he turns around to go back to his wagon, he spots you. "Oh! You! Could I ask a favor? I dropped my bag of food stuffs for my trip through the mountains over the edge. I can see it caught on a branch some 10s of feet down, but I don't trust my strength to climb down without falling. The man pauses thoughtfully, "It's a, uh, long way down past that branch..."

He motions back in the direction he came from, "I'm already half way to my destination, and the nearest town is a long ways away. Without that food, I'm stuck trying to eat off the land or starve; unfortunately all my goods are inedible. That's when he turns back to you. "But you seem like a capable sort. Much more able than I at least. Could you possibly fetch that bag of food for me? I don't plan to have you risk your life for free; I will gladly pay you for your troubles. 50 gold! Deal?" The man offers his hand for a handshake.

Lia Starweaver · June 25, 2016, 10:13:30 AM

"Well! Mister...?" Lia asked as she readily shook the man's hand. She wasn't quite sure what to call him.

"Well Mister Lost-My-Goods! Today is your lucky day! Lia Starweaver is definitely one of those capable sort." She smiled happily with a grin on her face.

Lia looked down the ravine. She had to admit, being so close to the edge gave her some chills, but for the most part, being able to see much of the entire landscape in front of her made it worth-while.

"What exactly did you lose down there anyways?" She asked as she began trying to imagine the best way to get there.

Perception to see if I missed anything

Rolled 1d20+12 : 5 + 12, total 17

Linwelin · June 26, 2016, 09:41:27 AM

The man can't help but laugh at the extreme confidence in your response. "The name's Liam. And, as I said, the bag was food. Specifically breads, dried meats, and a couple treats my wife sent me off with. I was enjoying a meal by the cliff side, but fumbled with the bag, and it ended up rolling off the cliff. Lesson learned; I won't be eating with the entire bag next to me from now on."

What you see
As the man said, there was a linen sack around 30 feet down. It had caught on a branch, which was a miracle in and of itself, as you estimated the remaining distance into the ravine was at least 70 feet past that. Though it was hard to judge the distance at that range. Either way, it was a deadly drop. The climb didn't look to be too difficult, but losing your grip here had dire consequences.

I'm not going to direct you on HOW to get the bag. The brute force method is climbing, but I'm sure there's plenty of ways I can't think of.

Lia Starweaver · June 27, 2016, 01:05:25 PM

The archer whistled as she looked at the bag. 30 ft. downwards, and another 70 ft. after that was no laughing matter after all.

"Fifty gold pieces is quite a lot for a bag of food." Lia explained as she began carefully considering Liam's actions, the way he moved, or spoke, as well as seeing if there were any cues to his motive that were anything else but what he claimed.

Sense Motive 1d20+8 : 7 + 8, total 15

"Well, let's see..." She went over to her horse, and proceeded to unhook one of the bags from it, then throwing it over her back. That done, did she arrive back at the edge of the cliff. She sat down then, with her feet dangling on the cliff's edge.

She patted the ground next to her and beckoned for the man to come.

"Come sit with me!" She declared.

Any information on how big the bag is? What is the bag made out of?

Linwelin · June 27, 2016, 01:50:49 PM

Seeing your prying gaze, he realizes your suspicion and groans out a sigh. "Ok, ok...it's not just food. It also has my sketch book in it. I draw to relax on my travels. That's why it's 50 gold coins. I did well for myself lately, I'd like some food to survive, and I'd like my book so I don't lose something precious. And since it's a life-risking endeavor, I'm paying properly. I can lower it if you like?" He looks at you with the shrewd grin of a true merchant. Were he not in dire straits, he'd most likely be a lot less generous, which speaks to his mercantile skill quite well.

As for what you detect from his demeanor, you do not believe him to be lying. At the very least, he did not intend you harm, nor was he trying to trick you down the cliff for some nefarious reason.

After retrieving your pack and beckoning the man to the cliff, he hesitated, then finally sat beside you "Why are we sitting?" The man seemed to have expected other actions, and wasn't entirely sure why he was involved.

The Bag
It's coarse, woven linen that's maybe a foot and a half in length. (Think old fashioned potato sacks)

Lia Starweaver · June 27, 2016, 04:04:10 PM

Upon the mention of sketch book, Lia immediately perked up.

"So it's kinda like recording your travels then? But in the form of sketches that you see during them?" Lia had a knowing smile, and from the pack she wore, she pulled out what looked to be a leather-bound notebook of some sort. It was green, with decorative swirls of leaves, as well some caricatures of stars decorating it at various places.

"This is the most amazing book you'll ever find!" The elf said haughtily, though it was harder to tell if she was being serious or just in jest. "It's my Travelogue." Lia explained as she began opening the notebook, and leafing through its pages. In it were various entries, one marked for each day, written in her flowing scrawl. Each entry described a record for the day, though succinct enough to fit a page's worth of writing. At times there would be small drawings as well. Birds, trees, and even some attempts at landmarks.

"It records what I've done that day, things I've seen, and people I've met. It isn't worth much to be perfectly honest with you, but it's perhaps one of my most valuable possessions. You know?" She grinned as she placed both her hands on Liam's two shoulders. Looking at him directly in the eye, Lia spoke.

"The ever so capable Lia Starweaver will now proceed to help!" Though her words were just as comedic as they were the first time around - her tone of voice was serious. She understood what a personal diary meant, Liam's sketchbook was used in a similar way. How could she not help.

From the bag she had pulled from the horse she pulled out two long coils of rope. One she held herself, while the other handed it to Liam.

"BUT!" Lia said. "You are helping." She stood back up then, offering her hand for Liam to pick up.

She pointed towards her horse still standing in the background.

"We're tying these to him."

Linwelin · June 30, 2016, 02:38:31 PM

A grin quickly grew across across the merchant's face, happy to find someone that shared his hobby. "This Travelogue is great! I'm so glad to meet someone else that likes to record scenes from their travels." Despite the grandiose behavior, Liam's merchant senses told him that the girl was indeed serious and capable. He was happy to see her preparing, and eager to recover his supplies. That was until her next words.

Quote"BUT!" Lia said. "You are helping."

"We're tying these to him."

"Huh!? You want my help? I'm hardly an able bodied man, I doubt I can do much." He looks at the horse is a bit of confusion. "What's are you planning, miss?"

Lia Starweaver · June 30, 2016, 04:43:03 PM

"Look Liam." She said as she headed towards the horse, beckoning the man to come over.

"You're out in the wilderness, where bad guys of all sorts can just come and take everything you have. Not to mention the road can be a dangerous place. What if the ever-so-great Lia Starweaver was instead Great Demon Lord the Second? One, you would probably be dead by now, and two, I'd have eaten all your food and used your sketchbook to make paper planes to fly off the cliff!" She grinned as if to lighten her words.

"If you can help yourself, the better it is for you. Now, help me tie these ropes to my good steed here." She said as she proceeded to loop it around the horse and tie a knot. She would show the merchant how to tie it correctly, and going step-by-step to ensure that Liam was following the steps correctly.

"Next, tie the rope around yourself like this." She began demonstrating like she did with her first set of knots, this time tightening it around various placed around her own waist, as well as proceeding to tie a noose for her leg to slip through.

"Got it?" She asked examining her own handiwork.

Linwelin · August 08, 2016, 01:45:02 PM

Lia's analogy was grandly exaggerated, which is something Liam was picking up as a trend from the girl, but he got the point. He won't have someone nearby if he were to lose his book the next time. All the merchant did was nod, watching what Lia wished to teach him. Though these were all new ways of securely tying knots, if there's one thing merchants knew it was how to use rope. The man picked up what Lia attempted to teach him very quickly, he even seemed familiar with some of the knots.

"If there's one thing I'm fairly confident in, besides making a deal, is securing goods with rope!" He grins at the elf girl, "I've got it."

Lia Starweaver · August 09, 2016, 03:43:19 PM

Once they both situated, Lia went over Liam's handiwork, carefully looking over the knots and ensuring they were tight. Everything looked in order as Lia playfully tugged on each of the ends on the knots one last time.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights." Lia said as she began making her way towards the cliffside. Her smile never left her face as she beckoned the merchant to come forward as well.

Holding the rope tightly in both of her hands, she left the excess rope fall down further behind her. Her eyes locked on to Liam, she took a careful step behind her. Pulling the rope to keep her aloft, her feet were already on the cliffside, finding any place that looked possible to place her foot on.

"Ever did climbing?" Lia asked as she waited for the merchant to follow her example.

Linwelin · August 30, 2016, 10:10:35 AM

"I'm not afraid of heights, but...are you sure your horse can hold the both of us up? That's quite the drop if we both fall." Liam looked on in uncertainty. "I've climbed, but not with my life on the line. I may not fear heights, but I fear death." He was now looking on as the girl before him began climbing down. she had the strength and confidence of youth, it was in another league than the middle-aged merchant. But something inside him tugged incessantly. 'Why are you letting a random passerby do all the work for something that's only important for you?' his mind questioned. His conscience, and pride, pushed him past his fear, and he joined her on the cliffside, though in a much slower manner.

Roll climb with a +5 for rope use.

Lia Starweaver · August 30, 2016, 01:01:16 PM

"As long as you don't weigh a ton!" Lia chuckled as she looked over to Liam, looking at his body as she did so. She was cheery at first, but her tone softened as she responded again to Liam's more somber comments.

"I won't let you die Liam, you have my promise as a member of the guild of Galas'nor." She shrugged and grinned a moment later.

"Though I admit, from what I heard in the last few years, Galas'nor has sometimes been doing the opposite?" She smiled fiercely as she coiled her body, preparing to quickly zoom down.

"But have no fear! Lia Starweaver is definitely the capable sort!" With that she began to descend down, keeping herself right under Liam as she did so.

Climb
Rolled 1d20+10 : 20 + 10, total 30

Linwelin · August 31, 2016, 10:29:56 AM

You descended flawlessly down the cliff face, as though you'd done this hundreds of times before. It allowed you to focus more on making sure the merchant above you was fairing well. Liam, though shaky in his climbing ability, also did not seem to struggle. You both managed to get to the bag below in around 10 minutes' time.

Liam grunts as he levels with the branch the bag rests on, "Finally. Now what?" The man asked, realizing that the sack doesn't have a strap of sling, and will take up a hand to carry by its closing rope. "I really should have brought a pack to slip it into..." Liam says in hind-sight.

Lia Starweaver · August 31, 2016, 11:19:09 AM

"So Liam, how do you normally carry the bag?" Lia chuckled at the predicament. "Let's at least pull out your sketchbook." She said as she began to reach for the bag with one of her hands, leaving the other gripped on the rope. She would attempt to peer into the bag, and pull out specifically Liam's sketchbook.

Rolls in case you need them.

Perception to see if Lia can find them with a quick glance without rummaging too much in the bag.

Rolled 1d20+13 : 1 + 13, total 14

Acrobatics to carefully pull the item without tipping the bag over.

Rolled 1d20+11 : 17 + 11, total 28

Linwelin · August 31, 2016, 11:33:33 AM

"I usually grip it closed just under the opening and just carry it with one hand, or by the pull-rope and sling it over my shoulder." He says matter-of-factly. I've never had an issue being one-handed while carrying it until now.

As you look in the bag you see there're a lot more objects than expected, and finding the book wasn't as easy a task as you thought. Still, with a bit of digging, you do find and retrieve it. however, because of the excess movement, the bag begins slipping.

"Nonononono!" Liam begins muttering with increased volume as he reaches his hand toward it, despite being out of range.

You are unable to quickly locate the book at a glance, but do manage to retrieve it with a bit of digging. But due to the excess rummaging required, the bag begins to slip.

Roll Reflex to keep it on the branch.