CH 1

[Oath]

Ayumi nodded as Ravic spoke, taking in his words. "If we find anything, I will be sure to share knowledge. Do you have any specialty knowledge, Ravic? What sorts of things did the guards talk about?"

[Mysticsage]

The sun has fully set now, a full autumn moon makes it easy enough to see as if it was still daylight out. After following the trail for ten miles, the party hears the ringing of a bell somewhere faint in the distance. The conversation gets cut short, as the sound grows louder as Nightstone comes into view. A river flows around the settlement, forming a moat. The village itself is contained within a wooden palisade, beyond which you see a windmill, a tall steeple, and the high-pitched rooftops of several other buildings. Apart from the ringing bell, you detect no other activity in the village. The trail ends before a lowered drawbridge that spans the moat. Beyond the drawbridge, two stone watchtowers flank an open gap in the palisade.

South of the village and surrounded by the river moat is a cone shaped, flat-topped hill on which stands a stone keep enclosed by a wooden wall. The keep, which overlooks the village, has partially collapsed. A wooden bridge that once connected the keep to the village has also partially collapsed.

[pringerbeam]

     Arshae's ears perked up at the sound of the bells.  Breaking his engrossment with the map, he looked up to see the village come into view.  "I guess we have arrived.  Here, thank you for letting me borrow this curiosity."  Arshae offered the map back to its owner as he took stock of the town.  The keep drew his gaze.  While seeming ruined, it was still a greater construct than any he had seen before and it felt as if it loomed over the wooden walls surrounding it.  "What is that clanging sound?  Is there some festival this day?"  Arshae was sure that the moon was not in a position of power on this day and puzzled over the need for the bell.  Perhaps a festival of one of the gods was taking place.  It couldn't be the equinox, that was still some time off.  The increasing volume of the bells as they drew closer to the village began to irritate Arshae and he drew the bearskin cloak around his ears to try and dull the noise and looking to the other travelers to see their reaction to the noise.

[pwn0saurusrex]

Out of suspicion Ravic draws his hammer and shield. Under his breath he whispers, "This can't be right..." as he looks for any movement beyond his new group. He carefully listens for any other sound as he makes his way toward the lowered drawbridge.

[Oath]

click for music

http://youtube.com/v/Mb_HAr9y5-o&autoplay=1

[close]

"Not a problem, friend. Ayumi's response was terse as the bell broke her train of thought.  Her eyes scanned the scene, quickly darting back and forth looking for anything odd. "I cannot say what this bell is, mayhaps it is a daily thing to signal some time that the villagers wish to know? They keep time in this part of the world, yes?" The suspicion and disdain among her new companions led Ayumi to wonder what purpose the bell could serve. There weren't any people in obvious sight.
"We can't see anyone. Could the bell potentially be a warning for those that live here? Strangers are approaching, it is weird enough to see one person traveling here, but friends, we are many more than one. mayhaps the people ahead are worried."

Perception check for if Ayumi can see anyone/anything that seems odd.

Rolled 1d20+1 : 10 + 1, total 11

[Mysticsage]

General
As you get closer to the drawbridge black smoke becomes more apparent in the moonlight. The thick wooden walls now no longer hiding the degree of the destruction. The drawbridge is down and a good twenty feet wide and 30 feet long. The sound of the bell can  be heard just off to the north and does not seem to be stopping. (5) There are several watchtowers that all seem to be currently unmanned that line the wooden outer walls (2) Things otherwise seem unnaturally quite. The destroyed bridge to the southern keep and the large boulders that scatter then landscape scream of a recent monster attack most likely from giants or something of equal size. From a glance off in the distance several of the homes and other buildings have suffered some major structural damage.

Two monsterous wolf like creatures are busy eating some corpse in the middle of the square. (3)  It is difficult to make out exactly what from your distances.

Once you are in town if you want any more specific information about a place feel free to roll a perception check about a specific number otherwise you can go anywhere you please. I'll also give any gen

Ayumi
Just outside of the drawbridge into town as you approach from the path you are able to make out a series of humanoid monster tracks in the nearby dirt (around the 1 on the map) all headed in a similar direction. But someone would need to study them in a little more detail (survival check to figure out things like type or direction of movement.

Tension fills the air and time feels like its working against you at this moment so be aware when choosing major actions like going to one building over another ect. Because spending to much time in one place may have consequences

[pringerbeam]

     Seeing the preparations for battle that the knight undertook Arshae unslung his shield from his pack and gripped it in his left hand.  "I take it this is not normal?"  With his right hand he raised his staff and focused a portion of the magic of the wilds through the wood.  The crystal tip of the staff glowed briefly with a faint internal light as the staff became inmbued with power.  He surveyed the area immediately around them trying to see what he could learn from the tracks and if he could recognize the creatures in the town square at their current distance.

Arshae casts Shillelagh (cantrip) on his druidic focus

Survival roll to examine nearby tracks

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

Perception check to try and make out beasts

Rolled 1d20+5 : 15 + 5, total 20

Nature check to identify beasts if applicable

Rolled 1d20+3 : 3 + 3, total 6

[Mysticsage]

Arshae
Ash take a moment and lean close to the tracks in order to examine them. At first things appear to be a chaotic mess of footprints, but as he studies them closer they begin to make sense. There appears to be two different times these footprints were made. The older set represents several dozen larger humanoids with shoe and boot prints are all heading to the north away from the town. Because of the chaos however, it is difficult to tell whether these tracks are fleeing north or being herded in that direction.

The second fresher set appears to be from roughly a dozen smaller humanoids rushing towards the drawbridge and the center of the town. This set also contains a set of two overly large wolf like tracks that you can guess belongs to the creatures you can see eating out in the open.

You don't make out where exactly any of the smaller humanoids are from your position. They've probably scattered elsewhere throughout the town, However, as you study these lupine creatures you are struggling to identify what those things are in the moment, but you are certain that they are not simple beasts but something more monstrous. As you watch them tear the flesh from this corpse with the bell still continuing to ring. You can still smell fear and blood hanging in the entire area.

[pringerbeam]

     Arshae stood tall after examining the tracks.  "It looks as if whatever happened here, some of the small folk have come to the village afterwards.  Gnomes or some such judging by the size of their tracks... They seem to have brought some warbeasts as well by the looks of it."  He pointed to the beasts with the tip of his staff.  "I have a feeling they are mere opportunists though, crows scavenging the spoils of some greater wolf I would think.  Their numbers don't seem great enough to undertake an assault on a fortified town on their own."

[TheOtherGuy]

The ringing bell's annoyance began to overcome Roland's fear of the beasts. He decided to add his own guess as to the ringing's purpose, recalling one of the few occasions for a bell.

A funeral. Could that be what is? Everyone's gone, too. Maybe they're paying last respects, or whatever it is you do.

Roland looked down at the tracks.

And you, Ash or Ashy or whatever, you mentioned there was a group of people walking through these streets. Maybe they all marched to the church with the dead. And maybe these freaky things are killing the people, so they need funerals.

Roland surprised himself at how much he talked. He stared down at his feet when he finished.

[pwn0saurusrex]

"Be wary of the wolves, friends". Ravic keeping his eyes locked on the beasts and his hammer drawn. Should we take care of them, or leave them be? Whatevers left of whoever they're eating might lead us in the right direction.

History Roll to see what Ravic might know of the town.

Rolled 1d20+0 : 4, total 4

[pringerbeam]

     "The beasts, not wolves by the way, will need to be put down.  Once animals get the taste for the flesh of manlings, they usually need to be slain before their hunger drives them to attack the living."  Arshae turned to the final human who had approached the group.  "It's Arshae by the way, though I don't expect you to be able to grasp the language of my people so easily.  I am curious as to what kinds of funeral rites you seem to be privy to and why you choose to voice your concerns now.  You did not seem to be interested in approaching us up to this point."

Spells prepared for the day (forgot to bring these up earilier)
Cure wounds
Entangle
Faerie Fire
Thunder Wave

[Oath]

Ayumi looked to the ground, a bit sullen. "So many innocent people seem to have died here. The spirits of the land are certainly in a state of disharmony. The beasts or whatever have upset the balance of this place so I concur, we must eliminate them. I may slay them with a heavy heart, for they are living things trying to survive as well. But they stand in our way as we seek the answer for what has befallen this place. She then wrapped her hands around her staff tightly, knuckles looking as if they could burst out of her skin and a look of determination swept across her face.

[Mysticsage]

As the group continues to chat huddled together in a group by the drawbridge they hear the sudden barking of wolf like creatures. It appears as if what the two creature's in the square have stripped the corpse of what they could raised their heads towards your direction most likely smelling you on the wind. The pair was salvaring seeing the prospects of an easy kill among the group of you.

First BLOOOD!!!!!
anyway I'm going to roll your initiative for you to make this more streamlined and then everyone can post in order
Ash

Rolled 1d20+3 : 12 + 3, total 15

Ayumi

Rolled 1d20+2 : 19 + 2, total 21

Ravic

Rolled 1d20-2 : 10 - 2, total 8

Roland

Rolled 1d20+4 : 9 + 4, total 13

[Mysticsage]

Dogs make it from around the center of the square to the lip of the bridge using their 50 feet of movement making a general ruckus in the progress. they are about 30 feet away from you when you are able to react

Log

Spoiler

Round 1 begins.

[close]

Initiative Order

Spoiler

Ayumi
Ash
Roland
Worg 1
Ravic
Worg 2

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Damage Taken and Status

Spoiler

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Daily Resources Used

Spoiler

[close]

Ayumi to take next turn