Creeping Beauties of the Woods

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fireinthedust
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by fireinthedust »

OOC: catching up!

Btw: if Borok sold his Mithril, how much does he get for gear and horses? Whatever it is, he and the others arrive with said gear (as the Omen of the apple told them they must journey together).


IC:

A party of four show up on horseback, an elf on one horse, a human hunter on another, with a dwarf and a halfling on a sturdy pony behind them. The halfling has a look of extreme depression on his face, which is filthy, but he seems not to care. The dwarf he rides with seems to care for him, as he lifts the wretch off and sets him down. The halfling takes a swig of something foul-smelling in a flask, hacks a terrible cough, and spits.

The elf and the hunter dismount at the same time, athletically landing on their feet.

"I am Graham, huntsman of the Baron. We were sent out to assist you, myself and the Blacksmith Borok. This elf is with me, a navigator of great skill. The... the dwarf brings his own companion. I know little of what has happened, having just come from a hunt for the Baron's cooks. We know that this matter is to find out what we can about the curse that haunts this forest: that the stories may be true, that undead brides of other princes have taken people into the woods, and are about to commit some evil upon them. Is this true? If so, you have my bow, the elf's blade, and the dwarf's hammer."

"An my flask! *hack-cough-retching*" the halfling Xim empties his stomach of the gut-rot he had been imbibing.

"Och, don't do that, y'll make us all sick!" Borok snatches the flask out of Xim's hand and smacks his back. "I brought y'along so ye could snap out of it, lad. C'mon, stop being... well, vagrant an' all!"
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

fireinthedust wrote:OOC: catching up!

Btw: if Borok sold his Mithril, how much does he get for gear and horses? Whatever it is, he and the others arrive with said gear (as the Omen of the apple told them they must journey together).
Nothing.

No merchants who would buy it are coming to Westlake because of the problem in the Grimmswood.

Where did those horses come from?!?!

Just to be perfectly clear, there were two (2) horses in Prince Charming, Reanimator, rode by the Prince and his bailiff.

http://goodman-games.com/forums/viewtop ... &start=325

Monday, Aug 4 6:03 am: "The woods are now eerily silent. The remains of horses and men litter the ground. The Prince, except his head, also lies upon the ground, his blood soaking into the dark earth."

And yes, I see that I should have made it clearer to you that you fled without horses.

If you had actually taken the Prince's (or the Bailiff's) horse and not returned it, you would have been swinging from a gibbet, have slain all the soldiers available, or have been forced into a life of outlawry as soon as you returned. You may well have other treasures it would be unwise to show anywhere in the vicinity of Westlake. The Prince's ring, for instance. You certainly could not sell them there.

That's fair warning, and only offered once.

The phantom faerie steeds vanish in the sunshine.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

fireinthedust wrote: "I am Graham, huntsman of the Baron. We were sent out to assist you, myself and the Blacksmith Borok. This elf is with me, a navigator of great skill. The... the dwarf brings his own companion. I know little of what has happened, having just come from a hunt for the Baron's cooks. We know that this matter is to find out what we can about the curse that haunts this forest: that the stories may be true, that undead brides of other princes have taken people into the woods, and are about to commit some evil upon them. Is this true? If so, you have my bow, the elf's blade, and the dwarf's hammer."
"Yes," chimes in Enlo, "what do we expect to find in the woods? As for these zombie brides, are they fast or slow, strong or weak? Any idea how many of them there are?"
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

After a nice rest, along side the road, the three adventures notice a few travelers coming toward the party. Listening to their story Balin, speaks first. "I am glad the Baron sent you but this fellow you call Xim looks ill. Does he have some sort of cold or other injury which needs attended to?" Tapping his foot onto the ground the dwarf looks worried and gives a half smile to the sicken Halfling as he vomits across the road.

Tarpy drops his jaw and points at the vomiting Halfling. "Good gods man, what the hell is wrong with you!"

Laughing so hard his belly hurts, Rafo comes up to the newcomers. "I am called Rafo, and glad to have you aboard. Well, I suggest we gather ourselves up and head out to the Grimmswood before darkness. Our fastest and safest path is along this road...what say you?"
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by fireinthedust »

Raven_Crowking wrote:
fireinthedust wrote:OOC: catching up!

Btw: if Borok sold his Mithril, how much does he get for gear and horses? Whatever it is, he and the others arrive with said gear (as the Omen of the apple told them they must journey together).
Nothing.

No merchants who would buy it are coming to Westlake because of the problem in the Grimmswood.
Borok shakes his fist, more determined than ever to rid the Grimmswood of this evil.

"Fer the sake o' Commerce and free enterprise!" he grumbles, as he now must lug Xim on his shoulder all the way towards the wood.

Where did those horses come from?!?!

Just to be perfectly clear, there were two (2) horses in Prince Charming, Reanimator, rode by the Prince and his bailiff.

http://goodman-games.com/forums/viewtop ... &start=325

Monday, Aug 4 6:03 am: "The woods are now eerily silent. The remains of horses and men litter the ground. The Prince, except his head, also lies upon the ground, his blood soaking into the dark earth."

And yes, I see that I should have made it clearer to you that you fled without horses.

If you had actually taken the Prince's (or the Bailiff's) horse and not returned it, you would have been swinging from a gibbet, have slain all the soldiers available, or have been forced into a life of outlawry as soon as you returned. You may well have other treasures it would be unwise to show anywhere in the vicinity of Westlake. The Prince's ring, for instance. You certainly could not sell them there.

That's fair warning, and only offered once.

The phantom faerie steeds vanish in the sunshine.
OOC: I wasn't in that thread, but I see I may have to read it. I just don't want to meta-game accidentally based on information I couldn't know. Ergo, I assumed that someone, somewhere, has horses. Maybe a local milk maid? Are there oxen we can buy?
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

Horses and oxen are both expensive in a feudal world, but it is possible to buy either if you have the gold. An ox is worth 15 gp.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by fireinthedust »

MrHemlocks wrote:After a nice rest, along side the road, the three adventures notice a few travelers coming toward the party. Listening to their story Balin, speaks first. "I am glad the Baron sent you but this fellow you call Xim looks ill. Does he have some sort of cold or other injury which needs attended to?" Tapping his foot onto the ground the dwarf looks worried and gives a half smile to the sicken Halfling as he vomits across the road.

Tarpy drops his jaw and points at the vomiting Halfling. "Good gods man, what the hell is wrong with you!"

Laughing so hard his belly hurts, Rafo comes up to the newcomers. "I am called Rafo, and glad to have you aboard. Well, I suggest we gather ourselves up and head out to the Grimmswood before darkness. Our fastest and safest path is along this road...what say you?"
Xim waves to the others, giving them a thumbs up.

Borok sighs. "Tis a disease o' the spirit, since he lost his cousin, Zim; a finer lass we ne'er met, but tha Fates decreed tha she'd ne'er make it past the doorway. He was a decent Dyer then, but now look at him! A vagrant! Fie, what a bad turn. I figger, if we can end the curse 'pin the Grimswood, maybe it'll break his curse as well. He dragged me out of there when I was wounded, so I'll drag him through this if I can. After that, my debt is paid, healed spirit or no."

The elf, Elroth, nods. "A most worthy quest, and so the four of us have sworn to see it through. An omen brought the four of us together, and warned us that we would meet others as well. By my count, if the stars have aligned a'right, this group here has EXACTLY the number we were promised would join us. If this be Fate, then so be it."

Clearly the Elf, the huntsman, and the dwarf stand ready to enter the Grimswood with the more-storied members of the Baron's men. Xim, still hunched over, passes gas in an affirmative way.

OOC: Meh, we're here.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

fireinthedust wrote: Xim waves to the others, giving them a thumbs up.

Borok sighs. "Tis a disease o' the spirit, since he lost his cousin, Zim; a finer lass we ne'er met, but tha Fates decreed tha she'd ne'er make it past the doorway. He was a decent Dyer then, but now look at him! A vagrant! Fie, what a bad turn. I figger, if we can end the curse 'pin the Grimswood, maybe it'll break his curse as well. He dragged me out of there when I was wounded, so I'll drag him through this if I can. After that, my debt is paid, healed spirit or no."
Enlo pipes up, "A dyer you say? So was I, before the life of adventure called. I'm Enlo. It's nice to meet you Xim."
fireinthedust wrote: The elf, Elroth, nods. "A most worthy quest, and so the four of us have sworn to see it through. An omen brought the four of us together, and warned us that we would meet others as well. By my count, if the stars have aligned a'right, this group here has EXACTLY the number we were promised would join us. If this be Fate, then so be it."
"What omen and what number?" asks Radny, "I always knew I was destined for greatness."
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

It is a little more than two miles from the outside of the forest to the place where the path forks. Those who have been here before know that the left fork leads to Sefton Castle; the right should lead through the Grmmswood and eventually to Portsmouth beyond. The pathway here is part of an ancient road, now covered with soil. You can see the occasional corner of a brick sticking up through the loam.

When walking along the main paths of the Grimmswood, you are assumed to be moving 2 miles per hour. This is slower than typical walking pace, but visibility is poor and the paths are uneven, with many roots poking up from the ground to trip the unwary. Smaller trails, or moving through the forest off the paths, may be more difficult.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

Los hobbles along surprisingly fast for a man on crutches, "Can someone please fill us in," he asks, "We know this is going to be dangerous, but what are we going to be facing out here? Some sort of zombie princesses? How many of them are there, and has anyone ever fought one before?"
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

"Well Los," Rafo answering the man's question, "we know of three tormented, evil, undead princesses that roam the area and these control the other undead. The baron sent us on s scout mission in and around the Grimmswood and report our finding back to his people when completed. We are NOT here to engage the 'enemy', unless attacked."

"Yes." Replies Tarpy. "You guys understand now?" Tarpy wonders what would happen if these rag tag bunch really had to fight the undead, and than quickly changes his thoughts to a more pleasant one and starts to hum a happy Halfling tune.

Balin, trying to avoid the roots and upturned stones, of the road, lights up a smoke as the party makes their way toward the woods.

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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

MrHemlocks wrote:"Well Los," Rafo answering the man's question, "we know of three tormented, evil, undead princesses that roam the area and these control the other undead. The baron sent us on s scout mission in and around the Grimmswood and report our finding back to his people when completed. We are NOT here to engage the 'enemy', unless attacked."

"Yes." Replies Tarpy. "You guys understand now?" Tarpy wonders what would happen if these rag tag bunch really had to fight the undead, and than quickly changes his thoughts to a more pleasant one and starts to hum a happy Halfling tune.
"Yeah, we understand," says Lyfina, "Find a zombie, then run away. Sounds like a good plan to me."
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by fireinthedust »

Elroth nods. Aye, not engage them. These undead princesses are deadly dangerous, and it would be more use to the Baron to give him an idea of what his forces are up against. I'll see if I can keep an eye on the roads we take, see if we can't also give the Baron a lay of the land for when his troops move in.


Borok carrying Xim is certainly one reason for the party being so slow. The Omen? It was an apple, fell onto the path right in front of us, breaking into many pieces. One for each person here, when we put it back together. Evenly sliced, like the fates had cut it apart with a knife. That's what the elf says, tha' it's the Fates.

Elroth nods solemnly.

The four of them are in a group, with Borok and Xim in the rear. Graham and Elroth are in front, the Hunstman scouting, the Elf keeping an eye out for the path ahead.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

I have already described the initial trail, to the first fork. What are you doing?
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

ooc... headed to Grimmswood. I think you said the right path leads that way.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

Sefton Castle is in the Grimmswood. The left path will lead you there; the right will lead you deeper. For what it is worth, the right path looks more travelled. The fork is about 2 miles in. Avoiding bits of brick and upturned stone, Balin notices that the bricks of the right-hand fork are made of yellow clay, whereas the bricks toward Sefton Castle are more red-brown.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

Looking at the two paths, Los says, "I suppose the zombies aren't haunting well-travelled roads, else we wouldn't have to be out here looking for them."
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

Rafo, looks at Los. "You suggest we head straight into the woods. Taking neither path than?"
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

MrHemlocks wrote:Rafo, looks at Los. "You suggest we head straight into the woods. Taking neither path than?"
"No," says Los nervously, "This overgrown path is more likely, I think. At least we should explore it a bit to make sure they're not on it..." He trails off.

"Let's just go," says Radny, "Either path is fine, and certainly better than getting lost in the woods. Let's see if we can find someone to talk to, or some sign, or something."
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

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Elroth shakes his head.

Either path is possible, but the issue is that none can pass through the Grimmswood as they normally can. Doesn't that suggest we take the more used path? That they haunt normal traffic? If we're scouting, it seems we'll be heading down either pathway eventually.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

Balin speaks quietly. "Ok, let's head down the path more traveled." Balin along with Rafo and Tarpy start to make their way along the right side of the road.

"We already been down to that nasty Sefton Castle, and I for one have no desire to return there anythime soon."
Tarpy says as he pulls his cloak around himself more.

"But my little friend," Rafo places his hand across Tarpy's back, "you are aware that after we scout the right side of the Grimmswood we will more than likely need to had back to Sefton Castle and scout around it also."

ooc... Unless there is further debate, I guess all the party, heads down the right path.

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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by fireinthedust »

ooc: Yep, we head along the road. I hope that was a reasonable thought. I wasn't in the last thread, but am I correct in thinking that the well-worn road leads through the forest and past the old Sefton Castle?
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by MrHemlocks »

fireinthedust wrote:ooc: Yep, we head along the road. I hope that was a reasonable thought. I wasn't in the last thread, but am I correct in thinking that the well-worn road leads through the forest and past the old Sefton Castle?
ooc... My thought exactly :)
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by Raven_Crowking »

Two things:

(1) Two may move abreast on the path. What is your "marching order"?

(2) All characters, 1d20 + Luck modifier; I just need to know the lowest roll.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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Re: Creeping Beauties of the Woods

Post by rhh »

Raven_Crowking wrote:Two things:

(1) Two may move abreast on the path. What is your "marching order"?

(2) All characters, 1d20 + Luck modifier; I just need to know the lowest roll.
Radny positions himself at the front of the marching order, seeking as he does action. Enlo, Los, and Lyfina would be happier towards the center.

Rolls:

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4692032/

Los - 1d20=16
Radny - 1d20-1=16
Enlo - 1d20=13
Lyfina - 1d20+1=14
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