"Perhaps some shelter could be obtained from the boughs and branches... I can probably start a fire with some grease, lantern oil, and a couple firebolts." Thosar motions a hand further into the forest, where the trees stand thicker.
Galen looks at the tracks in the fast-dying light. "It may be prudent to follow it while we can, you are correct," he says, "and to put some distance between us and this location, for they may come to investigate. The rain, also, may be of concern to us, as it may weaken the trail." He contemplates their situation a bit more before speaking further.
"Yet," he adds, "to chase the trail in the dim light may be folly, and we could find ourselves losing it." Galen looks up towards the sky beyond the canopy of leaves. "Do we risk losing it from lack of sight, or by the waters clearing it away?"
((Galen will, naturally, follow the trail or set up camp here or nearby, pending the group's decision. If, for some reason, he believed they stood a good chance of not losing it, he would even be willing to follow it into the night, though that would come at a lessened rest.
And very nice thinking on Thosar's part. He and Galen can be camping buddies.
The hurried travel and the unpleasant drizzle slowly dampening his topmost layer of warmth, Fhiess' mood spoils to a meek disposition, "I don't know if I can muster the bravery to attack an overgrown canine like this," he admits. He suggests, "Perhaps we can chronicle the path on the map tonight under dry shelter, at least?"
On the way to Sagishi, Ludwig can't help but feel the presence of a single eye somewhere. "Fucking one world government statists," he mutters to himself.
As the group gathers, he finds himself agreeing with Sagishi. "Yeah, going after them in the dark will probably just lead to us getting lost and tired. Now that we've picked things up again, we can make some serious leeway in the morning. Let me know if I can help set things up." As camp is set up, the J'raffa looks for a tree tall enough to give some temporary rain cover.
((Sorry about that - for some reason I thought I was current but I was mistaken))
Keranos blinks at Sagishi. "I might work through the night on occasion, but not to go traipsing through the woods in the dark. When the time comes, we will rest."
As full darkness falls, the group finds a spot that looks to serve as well as any other to make sodden camp at the roots of a towering oak that looks as the blighted snag perched atop the gnoll's cave might have appeared in life. Its boughs are broad and lush with leaves, and while it doesn't prevent the rain from filtering down to the ground below, it's a sight better than standing out in open beneath the sky.
There's enough materials to put together a few lean-tos, but there's little to be done to dry out the ground beneath. Finding firewood seems a lost cause; barring the use of magic, it's going to be a cold, dark night as the cloud layer obscures the dancing lights of the Somnus night sky.
Night surrounds them in the incessant susurrus of raindrops pelting the leaves from all sides, and the shadows are intent to cling as closely to them as possible.
The party has found what will suffice as a place to camp for the night, and after some efforts to minimize the amount of rain getting on them, Ludwig offers to take the first shift, not having much else to do and hoping to sleep through the rest of the night after that. The J'raffa stands tall in the wet woods, keeping an eye out for ne'er-do-wells. However, being rained on leaves him disgruntled and distracted, making observation of anything but his soaked fur difficult.
((Gonna take the first, second, and third shift. Using a 24' ladder and sack patch on the robe of useful items as well as a pair of grease spells. I'll Arcane Recovery for them during watch just in case.))
Once the shelters are constructed, Thosar notes the lack of firewood and considers the need. While sitting beneath a lean-to he removes a sack and a ladder patch, creating puffs of smoke as they become their respective items. He cuts the sack open to make a flat surface that hasn't been soaked yet. With the help of stronger members of the party and the application of leverage and axes, he breaks down the wooden ladder into smaller pieces suitable for firewood and piles it to form a small campfire. Then, he soaks the pile with lantern oil and casts grease a couple times upon it followed by the liberal application of firebolts to light the bundle forming a warm, cheery fire.
Once the party begins its watch for the night, he stays up for the first three, taking a short rest after lighting the fire to restore the few spells he had cast earlier. With a fire to help keep warm and perhaps even somewhat dry, the night watch goes by a bit more easily than it could have. Still, something about the manner of his watch is unusual, almost like he knows exactly when a strange noise or passing shadow makes its way to the party as he looks about only during that time.
Fhiess, despite his supplies, has very little that he can use to help build a shelter. He huddles up next to a tree in waiting. His silence and seclusion brings him to thought, will they have to fight the wolf and kill it?
"Shagisi, sir?" He asks aloud before while camp is still being set up, "I..I wanted to ask somebody. What kind of person do you think rides a giant wolf? They would have to be, ah, pretty cool to earn their respect, wouldn't they?"
"I'm not sure what temperature would have to do with it." Sometimes the language up here still confused him slightly. "But back when I was a boy, we had this man..." he stops, thinking. "... I actually forgot his name. Well anyway, he trained dogs. The dogs did all kind of tricks for him. He just had to give a little whistle here or a slight wave with the hand there. And his dogs would dance on two feet, jump through obstacles and that sort. I remember that I once asked him how he did it, and if he could talk to dogs? And he laughed and showed me a small bag with small stripes of dried meat in it. 'The only thing you have to understand that dogs just really like to eat and will do almost anything for it,' he said. Kind of destroyed his act in my eyes. For now all I could see were a bunch of greedy little dogs desperate for their next treat."
He shrugs as if the matter was settled by that.
"I mean wolves are basically dogs and giant wolves are still wolves, just bigger. So I guess the only thing you really need is a bigger bag of treats."
Quite happy with his solution he pats the young bards back.
"See, you have nothing to worry. Now how about you play us a little song on that instrument of yours? Something cheerful to drive the cold away, huh?"
((Sagishi will take whatever shift is still left. No preferences.))
((All Galen really has to help in this sort of situation is a bedroll and a tinderbox. I assume the bedroll will be used by somebody not on watch. I also expected the ladder and canvas would be used to build some shelter, so I suppose Thosar managed to surprise me.
It looks like the first shift is very well covered, and Galen will just fill in with whoever wants him most, I suppose, or in any empty location.
Since my last roll, this is the first time CoyoteCode actually worked, so I am rather pleased. Perception:
[18]+5=23
))
Galen hears the exchange between Fhiess and Sagishi, and he adds his thoughts: "It is also quite possible a giant wolf may serve a cruel man, as even the wolf would understand pain and fear. If one believes they must be subservient in order to survive, such actions could be expected, yet those who live so may seek to throw off their oppressors should the opportunity arrive."
He presents a comforting smile toward Fhiess. "I do suppose, though, that one who rides such a creature may be able do so as a result of, as you put it, being cool, or by simply earning the wolf's respect."
Galen at some point, breaks from the camp, moving off to the side to an extent, and, wrapped up in his cloak, he stands against a tree, holding a small object, glinting in whatever dim light there is. He appears as if in thought, or reminiscing, and his lips move in a whisper. Before long, he places it back in his pouch, looking around at the shadows, and returns to the group.
((There's probably enough material with a 24' ladder to make a post or two using the rails along with the canvas bag for a bit of cover. The rungs we'd use for firewood. Between survival checks and class features, we should an easy time filling out a roof using rope and leaves/ferns/etc.
((I'm sure Ludwig can do some impromptu carpentry to help with that.
Uhhh, I'm all for helping with dilemmas Song, but with the assortment of stuff you have in spoilers, I don't know what you want us to look at, so I don't even know what you're asking without clicking those, let alone where to start undilemma-ing.))
Fhiess seems flustered and feels silly for asking, "Ah, I suppose so. I never had a dog of my own so I never thought it would come down to food."
Galen's answer is less optimistic news to him, "You're right.. I hope it doesn't come to a cruel master. That would mean.. That would mean that the wolf could be frenzied with anger, and have been taught to take it out on things it's told to attack.. which could be us."
Once his query about the wolf is answered, he pulls the small ocarina from under his shirt. He says, "I still don't know how to play this. If I try," he places his lips on the mouth piece and produces a shrill noise, "then I make an awful noise."
Uhhh, I'm all for helping with dilemmas Song, but with the assortment of stuff you have in spoilers, I don't know what you want us to look at, so I don't even know what you're asking without clicking those, let alone where to start undilemma-ing.))
Sorry about that Axel. I should probably give some clarification on my use of spoiler tags:
I have been placing them around my skill check results, and sometimes what they are for, because only Mike really has to worry about it. If people want to see them, they can, but if anyone is concerned it might influence their characters' actions, such as knowing Galen almost certainly failed a spot check, they don't have to bother with it.
The second spoiler tag in my last post relates to Galen's actions which, if no effort is put into figuring out what he is doing, people's characters won't know. It is more to allow people to not have to worry about unwanted out-of-character knowledge.
The last batch of spoiler tags in that post was entirely in case people really did not want to know something Galen should be capable of, even if I have no idea why this piece of information would matter in that sense. There's a lot there, and I should have been more clear with it.
Any unassigned tags should be safe to look at, really; they're just there if you decide you do not want to know what is behind them.))
((The trouble with spoiler tags is... how will we know we want to avoid seeing them if we don't know what they're hiding? >_>
I appreciate the effort, but I think everyone it's fine if you happen to reveal small character details like that. Stuff like
perception rolls or portent rolls, etc
might make more sense to spoiler tag. Then again, I write entire dream sequences that happen to involve the ability. They have absolutely no bearing on the campaign, though... I think.))
((I'll second Ninja there. It's kind of a nice touch on rolls, encourages to cut back on metagaming a little . That said, for mundane details and stuff, it kind of makes it seem more important than it is, and like he said, we can't really know if we want to skip it until clicking it; easier to just not have the characters act with the knowledge until they get it.
It doesn't really damper anything though, so regardless, you do you. And since you had it spoilered in the first place,
a high pitched xylophone is probably the way to go. If you want to be fancy and specific, get a glockenspiel.
Watching Fhiess' struggle with the instrument, Sagishi shakes his head slowly. "You are too tense," he observes. He thinks for a moment, searching for the right words to encourage the elf.
"My mother used to play the lute and sing songs to it. She tried to teach me when I was younger but I could never quite muster the patience that was needed to become more than an amateur at best. But when she played...,"
He stops considering how to put it best.
"Maybe look at this way. You are a painter, right? So you use all those different brushes and tools and colors to create a painting, a picture, a story. A good musician does the same, I think. Only that his tool are the instrument and his fingers and breath and his colors are the sounds and melodies. Maybe try thinking about playing more in that fashion. Try to create a picture for us with music."
((Regarding watch shifts, we are doing four watches, correct? That would mean, with the currently claimed shifts, there is one person currently per shift, with the first shift doubled up. At this point, Galen can join Thosar on the second shift unless Fhiess would like to have him on the fourth.
As far as the dilemma, thanks for the suggestions.
-Warning: I learned I cannot effectively use Lord of the Rings music as examples of the instruments I am looking at, but there was one song that always turned up. I hope you like owls.-
I had actually considered the glockenspiel, and it has a great sound, but I decided against it as it would not be efficient for use and would really work best when set down. For this reason, it seems the best choices may be woodwind or reed. This is also part of why it could not be one of these harps.
I actually received a suggestion for the alto flute, which apparently took over what I was looking at, as I have realized the only things I looked into that I didn't discard were the flute and the piccolo.
I also spent too much time pining over the celesta...
Though, really, what we need is for somebody to play this thing, or, if we really want to be fancy and carry around large objects, there are some possibilities that have been around much longer.))
((Five shifts, as before. Most people don't have a preference, so I'm just putting folks in. So far the order is ludwig/Thosar, keranos/thosar, nyx/Thosar, sagishi/galen, Fheiss ))
((Okay, so I was missing one. That answers that question.
I am perfectly okay with this current setup. By the end of Galen and Sagishi's shift, that should be eight hours, so there should be no ill affects to Galen's rest if he takes a four hour shift and continues on through Fhiess', correct? That could be a possibility.))
((I just noticed that you can do 2 hours of watch during a long rest without issue. That changes the setup a bit. Thosar/ludwig, Thosar/keranos, Sagishi/Galen, Nyx/Fheiss))
He tries to operate the wind instrument again, this time trying to play a variety of notes by blocking the holes, but just as an artist starts with jagged lines and ill defined forms, does his song play with uneven pitches and random twirling of notes.
He lowers the small instrument and shakes his head, "I am better off just telling a story when everyone needs my encouragement. Hogan is such a great motivator, I always try to think of what he would say to lift everyone's spirits."
((I will still be okay with that set up, though I take back my earlier comment that Galen could take a double shift.
As far as setting up camp goes, what all are we looking at?
If I understand correctly, Thosar is using a sack for a dry surface on which to have a fire, the fire using the rungs of a tall ladder for fuel. The rails of the ladder may be in use to provide a frame for shelter, with a roof of branches and leaves, and maybe a sack, depending. We should take precautions to keep the fire from starting the forest on fire, such as clearing out a sort of fire pit. Galen might also be able to put random bits of loose wood by the fire to try to dry it out some.))
Galen places a hand on Fhiess' shoulder. "I wouldn't be so concerned with your inexperience in playing your instrument," he says. "Sagishi speaks with wisdom: if you are to create music, it should be an art, not a chore."
He looks at Fhiess with kindness and warmth in his eyes. "A chore is something you must do, which you may come to resent, but art in its truest form is not done out of obligation; it is a work of passion and delight. Yet art takes time and practice to improve and perfect; it is a honed skill, even for one with talent. So it is with music, Fhiess. If you wish to play, none of us can fault you for inexperience, but it is your decision if that is something you want to do."
Galen walks off to continue helping set up camp, effectively leaving the conversation unless called back in.
((If I understand correctly, Thosar is using a sack for a dry surface on which to have a fire, the fire using the rungs of a tall ladder for fuel. The rails of the ladder may be in use to provide a frame for shelter, with a roof of branches and leaves, and maybe a sack, depending. We should take precautions to keep the fire from starting the forest on fire, such as clearing out a sort of fire pit. Galen might also be able to put random bits of loose wood by the fire to try to dry it out some.))
((That's the plan I think. The rails are pretty long, so we have plenty to work with on that end. Some rope and leafy branches with a sack should make a serviceable roof. A fire pit would be fine for setting up the campfire, probably wouldn't need a sack to make a dry surface in that case, even though I'm not too concerned about a forest fire at this point. Wet wood just doesn't burn that easily.
So we dig a fire pit, take out a ladder and sack from the robe, and set up a shelter against the oak with ladder rails, rope, sack, and branches. Then we use the rungs of the ladder, a couple grease spells, and firebolts to make a campfire. Profit?))
((Your guys' plan with the ladder and sundry other materials works out fine. Nice thinking, I had fully intended to make it a miserable night for all of you : P
In answer to Song's questions in no particular order:
- Galen won't know where the best place to ward with an Alarm spell would be, as all possible avenues of approach seem more or less equal in possibility and the ability to conceal anyone who's coming for you.
- You guys did go upstream.
- As for how long it takes for the word to burn... In the absence of any real-world knowledge to the contrary, I would say that the grease having a lower combustion temperature than the wood would mean that the grease would have to more or less burn off before the wood catches.))
Thosar:
As Sagishi, Galen, and Fhiess discuss the finer points of music, you think you catch something moving out of the corner of your eye every time Ludwig moves. When he moves to his next position on his patrol of of the campsite, a flickering green light the color of lightning bugs bobs along behind him, leaving a trail of glowing motes in its wake. When Ludwig stops, the light dives into the underbrush and winks out.
Sagishi is still encouraging Fhiess to simply practice a little more when Thosar suddenly appears to talk in his native tongue. Even though the dialect is slightly off. Confused Sagishi turns around.
Sylvan:
Huh? What do you mean? I'm right here.
He only then realizes that the scholar is not looking in his direction at all and begins scanning his surroundings.
Ludwig looks at Thosar confusedly. "Eh? Why are you talking in fancy scholarly gobbledygook? I didn't catch a word of that."
When Sagishi chimes in as well, he says "More scholarly gobbledygook? Wait, is that even scholarly gobbledygook?" Thinking it now might be related to his earlier chat with Sagishi, Ludwig opens his divine sense to see if there's something nearby that would share a language with those two.
((Your guys' plan with the ladder and sundry other materials works out fine. Nice thinking, I had fully intended to make it a miserable night for all of you : P
Thosar -and by extension, Noisy Ninj4 -is clearly a hero here. I had forgotten that cloak was a thing, and Galen likely wouldn't have considered it even if I had. Well, he may have suggested using it as a canopy...
In answer to Song's questions in no particular order:
- Galen won't know where the best place to ward with an Alarm spell would be, as all possible avenues of approach seem more or less equal in possibility and the ability to conceal anyone who's coming for you.
Okay. Just to clarify, I still intend for him to place it, as I have said he does. It'll just have to be somewhere in the general direction of the trail.
Fhiess darts his attention to what Thosar had just said, "Ah, wait! A pixie? What if I had startled them with my horrendous music playing? I feel as though I've been impolite already." He worries.
Keranos is in the middle of preparing his bedroll when Thosar announces the visitor. "We mean you no harm, forest dweller," Keranos says in the general direction that Thosar is looking. "We only seek shelter for the evening. If you wish to speak with us, we would welcome your companionship. If not, I bid you a pleasant evening."
(I'm guessing that this scene happens before everyone goes to bed but it's not really clear based on the visible text))
"It'd been following behind Ludwig's tail, ducking back into the bush each time he stops. Not sure what called its attention, maybe its curious about you big guy."
He points toward the bush where he last saw the small fairy.
Fhiess is puzzled by these turn of events, "So it had been following us for awhile now? So that means it might not have seen where the giant wolf went. Maybe they became lost, or... or appeared out of nowhere?"
"It was following Ludwig as he paced the perimeter, that's when I noticed. I think this is its territory, so it might have seen the wolves and their riders."
Galen slowly draws nearer the bush which Thosar has indicated, lowering himself and resting on his knees.
"You may come out, little one," he says quietly. "You are safe here, for we mean you no harm." He continues, almost at a whisper, his spoken tongue now changed to something more elegant: (Sylvan)
"We are simply passing through, and have stopped here to rest for the night. If it would please you to come out, we would very well welcome your company."
Off the top of his head, Galen can recall... not much about pixies. They're a small, winged variety of fey, and he's almost certain he's heard someone mention pixie dust in passing in the context of a magical spell component. Thosar is more successful in his attempt to summon what he knows about pixies from the depths of his broad knowledge, and knows that they are supposed to be insatiably curious to a fault. They also have a penchant for playing harmless pranks and games with those that catch their interest.
Almost as soon as he has completed this thought, the bush Thosar has pointed out lights up with a green glow emanating from somewhere within its foliage, and the pixie shoots up to a position above her hiding spot. ((Speaking sylvan))
"You found me!"
she cries enthusiastically in a high-pitched, childlike voice before she zips off in a circuit around the camp, buzzing past everyone in turn while filling the air with a trail of glowing specks of dust and giggling that sounds like the tinkling of tiny bells.
She alights on Ludwig's nose, and holds her arms out in an exaggerated show of maintaining her balance as she steps along his muzzle toward his eyes. Now that she's holding relatively still, her guests can see that she is perhaps a foot tall at the highest point of her wings, which glow with bioluminescence. Her skin has a greenish cast--it's impossible to say in the dark if she's naturally green or if it's just the light of her wings--and her hair appears to be the pink of spring tree blossoms. She's wearing clothing after a fashion made from a variety of different sorts of leaves and fronds.
"What's this one?"
she asks as she mounts the top of Ludwig's head and grabs on to his horns.
Simultaneously speaking out loud in Common and projecting his message directly into the pixie's mind ((because per the description for Awakened Mind, doing so transcends language barriers)), Keranos says, "He calls himself a J'raffa. Says he comes from a continent very far away. His name is Ludwig, and mine is Keranos, god of storms. Do you have a name?"
The elf's head turns in wonder as the flying light dances about them like a fire fly taking on new life. In inspires him with childlike wonder in that moment.
Once the fairy had landed where she almost can't be seen as tall as the J'Raffa is, Fhiess can't help but chuckle. "It seems you have a new friend, Ludwig!" he teases.
. That said, for mundane details and stuff, it kind of makes it seem more important than it is, and like he said, we can't really know if we want to skip it until clicking it; easier to just not have the characters act with the knowledge until they get it.