Difference between pages "Stavanger in June, 1650" and "An Unpleasant Discovery"

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'''The DM:''' The morning of the 25th of June is a beautiful, clear, pleasant day, as nice as you might desire for this part of the world.  The sun is shining, the ground is dry and the wind is a mere 2 knots out of the northwest.  There are a few small puffy clouds, but no sign of rain at all. The air is clear and the various denizens along the cart path to the wilderness are beginning to recognize you, nodding as you pass.  You climb up the familiar track off the road, the cart wheels banging over the rocks as you take the best route, with Treborg's bay falling out of sight.
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' no worries. I've errands to run for the next few hours anyways.
 
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In. I'll buy a longsword and studded leather armor: slow but sure upgrades. We need to discuss what supplies we need to buy: we've come very close to running out of food several times while up in Treborg. What are our next steps and how can be best prepare?
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Yet, as you reach a point about four miles from the village, you find the carcass of a cow laying slaughtered on an open rock. As Embla has skill as a butcher, you can see at once that it's a domestic cow, not wild. That while the principle meat has been cut out, by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, much of the meat has been left. Judging by the meat, this was done last afternoon or evening; and it looks as if someone cut away about a yard of the cow's hide, but left most of it behind.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': In. As much food by weight that we can manage. I think I will get a pocket telescope as well. Given we're in Norway, we should be prepared for trolls in the mountains, although what that looks like I'm not sure.
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Oh dear. We should get to the bottom of this - it's too close to home to ignore. Are there any tracks or traces left behind by whoever did this? Does the cow have a brand or something that would indicate an owner?
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': How do we think we can turn a profit here? The giant was a good friend, but not lucrative. Could we find Dilhak again, see what his people know about ghoulies in the valleys?
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'''The DM:''' You see no brands, but the cow must come from near Treborg. There is no other settlement or group of farms in this part of Ryfolke.  A look around will reveal that the skin or chunks of meat were apparently dragged over the ground away from the carcass.  You can't track, obviously, but this trail is obvious; anyone can see it.  It strikes you as odd that anyone would ''drag'' meat ... as though it were too big to carry properly.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' A chest full of 150 lb of food would last for less than a month. If we can find him again it'd be good to find what he knows, but I think he's from further north and may return soon.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Embla, shall we two follow the trail?
  
'''The DM:''' In.
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'''Marcule:''' In
 
 
'''The DM:''' Catching up.  We need to manage the cost to freight your goods into Stavanger.  As said before, freight is 9 g.p. per ton of goods to be moved, or 2,000 lbs, per 24 hr period or part thereof. Each living being counts as 2 tons.  Only 1 day occurred, as the journey took 5 hours.  I'll need this paid.  Since it will cost 18 g.p. to ship Oddsdrakken to Treborg, do you want to continue to leave him in Treborg or bring him along?
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' 2204.5 lb of freight + 3 living persons. Does my body count as freight?
 
:'''The DM:''' "Each living being" ... so, yes.  As 2 tons.  So that is 8 tons, or 72 g.p.
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' + 2 more tons of freight (assuming we round the weight up to the nearest ton) = 90 gp even for the trip. I say we split it 4 ways (and I'll take the slack).
 
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': I'll handle the whole thing in cost. I've purchased a lot of things on previous trips, I don't mind going light this time.
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'''Marcule:'''"I agree this is to close to home we had better investigate before something nasty appears at our door."
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': I'll also pick up a pocket telescope. That leaves me with about 50gp to contribute to whatever we decide to do about food. If any of us had some kind of food scrounging ability that would be ideal. I could always have Odds go fishing, but as an amateur he'd be lucky to support himself with it, never mind the rest of us.
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'''The DM:''' Action?
  
'''OOC-DM''': ''as an aside, I've returned to the monumental task of reworking my pricing table; this is a nitpicky process which will result in corrected prices and more in-depth descriptions, more available goods and, in this case, I'll be building things like freight costs into the system.''
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'''Marcule:''' I do my best to follow the trail and proceed forward
  
'''The DM:''' Have you considered the possibility of buying a rowboat?  You don't have much need for navigation, as you can nearly get across the fjord without leaving sight of land.  A long boat is much more seaworthy than a tiny rowboat and you don't need sailing for it.  Costs 206 g.p.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' We go with him. I know we can't speak for Pandred but can we assume she stays with the cart?
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': That sounds pretty good, and it pays for itself in one round trip. I can contribute up to 50gp.
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'''The DM:''' In general, presume that players who are not here to be following along, but having a pee or some other such thing when the fight occurs.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What is the requirement for docking in Stavanger and Treborg? Would we need special permission to do so?
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'''The DM:''' the trail continues on for about three quarters of a mile before the dragged parts have become dried by the landscape; you haven't the skill to follow the trail that would still be there, but now can't be seen.  You guess there must be more than one, as occasionally there are as many as three blood trails.  Moreover, they're not trying to hide their passage, either.  They are making a straight line for a group of ledges straight ahead from where the trail stops, where the earth-and-rock plateau rises about 75 feet over a series of easily climbable steps.  You couldn't take the cart there, however.
  
'''The DM:''' These are things I need to bake into the system.  Since it is just a long-boat and any mooring post will do, we'll call it the equivalent of a low-rent inn room, or 12 c.p. per day.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I don't wish to miss the action but I'm also loathe to leave the cart. You three go on ahead, carefully. Whistle if there's trouble.
  
'''Pandred''' 1sp per day, so just shy of 2gp per month. That seems doable.
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'''The DM:''' I'll have to wait for them to say they do.
  
'''The DM:''' That will be the price in Stavanger; I'm not just correcting the old price tables, I'm rebuilding them in parts, so "mooring post" should, unless I forget, be showing up on the new table.  Just now I am buried in textiles, distinguishing "wool plush" from "wool velvet."
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Of course!
  
'''[[Pandred]]''' Out.
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'''Marcule:''' I encourage Vafrandir to keep his whistle close and make my way up the steps.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. I'll see how much I have left over after buying food. I suggest we use Marcule's credit for the longboat but I'll let him weigh in on that. That'll save us a good bit on coin on the back and forth. But we need a more reliable source of food around Treborg, otherwise we're stuck sending Odds back and forth every so often to Stavanger.
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I follow, readying my whistle.
  
'''The DM:''' As regards Embla's ability to translate the barrels into wealth, I'll retcon it if she doesn't return before you leave StavangerHave you considered [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Bargaining_(sage_ability) haggling] for the cost of the boat?
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== The Footprint ==
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'''The DM:''' as you climb up into the ledges, you find that they're filled with small troughs and dips where water has gathered.  It hasn't rained in a couple of days, so most of these are empty, and only a few inches deepYet you can also see that there's silt along the bottoms of these, where there are hoof prints. Then, Marcule stops in surprise, when he sees the plain outline of a foot, not wearing a shoe or boot. A foot about as large as Marcule's, and definitely not a gnome's foot.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I would like to but I can't do it personally.
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'''The DM:''' Plainly I lost everyone.  Please, if you're not going to check every 20 minutes, simply mark yourself "out."  It's no big deal if you do, I won't judge.  But I will know there's less reason for me to check every ten minutes.
  
'''The DM:''' Ah, I see. I thought I wrote this with an "unskilled" option.  Oops.  Memory isn't what it used to be.  Okay.  Let's call it here, until tomorrow.  Any last items before we go?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm waiting by the cart. Can I still see the rest of the party?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I think that's all for now. Hopefully we can get these logistical issues ironed out soon!
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'''The DM:''' They would probably be clustered together, peering down at something between the rocks.  It's 2 pm for me, so I'm Out.  Better luck tomorrow.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Out.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' No problem. Just curious. Out.
  
'''The DM:''' Out.
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'''Marcule:''' "this foot scares me" What do the strides look like?.
  
'''The DM:''' In/Out.  Sorry all.  Stealth visit from my daughter and grandson.  I'm afraid you just can't compete.  Be well until tomorrow.
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' 14:04, 26 January 2021 (MST) My apologies. Out.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': I am personally affronted, and the damage to my self-esteem is immeasurable. Have fun!
 
 
== What's Next ==
 
 
'''The DM:''' In.
 
'''The DM:''' In.
  
'''The DM:''' I'm beginning to wonder if Embla is going to turn up any time soon to barter away the goods you have to sell.  If you wish, you can take 40% of the coin-value I named for the items and let done be done.  Marcule can also tell me if he wishes to take out a loan.  Loans are 2% interest per month with a minimum of six months before they can be paid back (Renaissance practice).
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'''The DM:''' Out.
  
'''Marcule:''' In
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
  
'''Marcule:''' (sorry for this late reply) I do not drink my potion.
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'''The DM:''' In.  Just you and me, Vafrandir.
  
'''Marcule:''' “I like the idea of the rowboat happy to put it on my credit if we would like to get it" just waiting to see how big of a loan to take.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Hm, I've worked myself into a bind, haven't I.
  
'''Marcule:''' I approach the party with little bundles in my hands giving one to everyone this includes Oddstraken and Willa when we reach her. Each bundle contains bell (small), brass  -- 3 in. by 3 in. diameter  0.37lbs. mirror (hand) -- 4 in. by 3 in., without frame 0.19lbs. fishhook, iron 1 in. long with ⅛ in. diameter 0.01lbs – 3 each. boatswain's pipe, tin whistle, 5 in. long, with 39 in. chain lanyard 0.04 “some items just to help everyone out”.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I've already committed to watching the cart, but I don't want to do nothing. Let me think.
:'''The DM:''' Willa has left the party; you can get a refund if you wish.
 
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
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'''The DM:''' While we're here, explain to me a few things; why do you feel you need the cart; why are you loathe to leave it; and why not bring Oddsdrakken along to watch it?  Maybe we can work out a compromise.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Let's get the longboat (208 gp) - the rowboat is much smaller. I would like to sell the goods today. If Embla doesn't barter them by the time we're played out this afternoon, we'll take the 40%. Is that amenable?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Odds is helping with the clearing of the land, if I recall correctly. I don't believe you would screw us by having something happen, but at the same time if someone is stealing food or hides (poorly), then it's possible this is either a trap or that there's others about from the same band who wouldn't say no to a free cart of food.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' "Thank you, Marcule! These will be quite useful."
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'''The DM:''' bit of an overthink there; it looks more like a few somebody's grabbed a cow from civilized land, cut away all they thought they could carry (the dragging on the ground suggests they're overloaded) and are on their way with it.  No attempt to hide their trail was made at all and it was as straight as an arrow.  Doesn't look like a trap (and both assassins in the party would tell you so).
  
'''Marcule:''' The longboat sounds fine. I'm fine to wait and see about 40%.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. In that case, I'll continue up towards the others, see the footprint, and observe that "It looks like a human or elf child's." We will proceed carefully up the steps.
  
'''The DM:''' I wanted to give a speed for the longboat.  A familiar-looking rowboat sculls about 4-5 knots per hour; this is much bigger, but also has three sets of oars, so I'm going to judge the speed at 2½ knots up to a weight of 1 ton carried; 2 knots up to two tons carried; and 1½ knots up to one ton carriedI can't find numbers so far, but I will make changes if need be.  The distance between Stavanger is 30 miles. A knot is 1.7 miles/hour. From what I can see, the current flowing against you is ½ mile per hour, so that your fastest speed will be 1.2*2.5, or 3 mph; the distance is 30 miles between Stavanger and Treborg.
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'''The DM:''' You might think so at first glance, but then you'll notice that there are claws on the end of the toes and a point in the silt that might be a back clawLedges; these require some minor scrambling, but nothing requiring a [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Scrambling_(sage_ability) sage ability].
  
'''The DM:''' I could get finer than that. Suppose we argue that these are the speeds for three men with 12 strength rowing, and that the speed can be adjusted 1% for every pt. of strength different.  Vafrandir, Pandred (counts as 18) and Marcule have a combined strength of 50. This would make the longboat's speed 3.42 mph.
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== Beyond the Footprint ==
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Interesting. That raises the stakes a bit. We'll continue up the ledges. Are there any caves in the rock that we can see from here?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' How many hours of daylight do we have, roughly, at this time of year? An 8-10 hour trip is a full day, essentially.
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'''The DM:''' Not immediately.  But this is a place you haven't ventured into yet; towards a mountain you've seen from a distance, but which is now beginning to dominate the eastern horizon.  Ahead is a low ridge, about half a mile from you, reached over a gentle slope of about one hundred feet up.  It looks to be the nearer edge of a mountain caldera; in modern parlance, where a glacier has pushed up the ridge in the last ice age, only to vanish now.  You're characters wouldn't understand that, but I need to describe this in a way that you can see.  It's called a "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque cirque]."
  
'''Marcule:''' "Definitely a day."
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. Is the trail still obvious?
  
'''The DM:''' You spend the 14th & 15th buying and arranging purchase of the boat.  Sunrise is 4:24 am.  Sunset is 10:52 pm.
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'''The DM:''' No. You're continuing in the approximate direction the trail was following.
  
'''Marcule:''' out
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. Continuing, at a careful or wary pace.
  
<div style="text-decoration: underline; color: green; text-align: center">'''Present:''' DM, Embla, Vafrandir</div>
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'''The DM:''' Climbing to the top of the lip, you have either Marcule or Embla move ahead to look over the lip and see what's in the cirque.  The whole circle is a square mile in size, about 640 acres. There's a small lake, or tarn, about an acre in size, of clear water; this tarn is in the center of the caldera, about 700 yards away.  A herd of small cows, no taller than Marcule, are scattered over the area to the right of the tarn.  These are called rothe; they dwell both above and below ground.  You can't see any camp, but there is a steady curl of smoke arising from beyond the rothe.  Two thirds of the cirque are contained in the arms of the mountain, a modest peak about 3,500 ft. high.  The other third makes the ridge you're presently crouched upon.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' In. I barter our tradegoods. Give me a minute to recall which we have and work out what we'll take for them.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What kind of ground cover is there?
  
'''The DM:''' This is tougher to do online than it would be at a game table; go ahead and trade the wine/ale/lutefisk for anything on the trading table; remember, at 90% of cost.
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'''The DM:''' Much [https://www.123rf.com/photo_153818186_glacier-landscape-in-finse-norway.html like this].
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' That gives us about 900gp for supplies. I'll get to shopping.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' With little mountaineering ability among us, how does the descent into the caldera look? Could be tricky.
  
'''The DM:''' Too, remember, the heavier you buy, the slower the boat goes.
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'''The DM:''' the image gives the appearance of the ground, not your relative position.  The "caldera" is below you; you're on the forward lip, looking down into it.  The 3rd image down on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque cirque] link shows the "formation of cirque" ... you're standing on the "zone of abrasion" looking down into the depression (not technically a "caldera," since there's no volcano, but I'm struggling for terms); the mountain is across the resulting hole, which is not completely filled by the tarn.
  
'''The DM:''' Out (for about an hour).
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. I had in my mind that we were on the headwall. So it should be no problem to descend safely.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Could I use some of the barter funds to purchase the longboat? How do hunting dogs aid in hunting? How many chickens might I feed from a pony's feed ration? How much do chickens and hunting dogs weigh? Vafrandir, would you like chainmail or something heavier than the studded leather?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' May we stop here today? I don't want to get into something sticky without the rest of the party. Must be one of those weeks, I suppose.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'll look at the numbers. I can (or should be able to) buy better armor but I don't have a super high carry so my AP would suffer greatly. Maybe one of you more experienced players can comment on the viability of fighting with 2-3 AP? Doesn't seem worth the extra protection.
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'''The DM:''' Apparently.  Have a look at the blog; I just posted something interesting. Out.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Ringmail is only 5 more lbs than studded leather. We have a lot of money that we have to spend now and a significant weight limitation, so I'm trying to think of upgrades for everyone's stuff.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' It's always interesting. Out.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Pushes me into 3 AP minimum. I'll think about it. For now I'll upgrade my helmet at least to iron, I've got the coin. I think the party funds might be well spent on intangibles. Our party size is significantly depleted: can we get get some more hirelings? Or otherwise put some coin towards our house upgrades? We need a steady source of food supplies at least. Not sure how to go about that.
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'''The DM:''' In.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I've got a new chest (large) with 40 lb of food. Embla, if you'd like to fill it up with 110 lb more (110 gp, daily ration [travel]) we'll have a nice emergency stash.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In. Hoping to wait a bit to get the others caught up.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I've tentatively purchased 500lbs of food and if I can get info on chicken feeding, we'll have two dozen chickens at the house, providing 2lbs-ish of eggs a day. We'd need to pay for a coop, but that shouldn't be too expensive. Hopefully between a hunting dog and my ability to hunt, we can bag some larger animals at home.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': In.
  
'''The DM:''' In.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': I'd like to pop out my pocket telescope and see what there is to see. What's up with the smoke?
  
'''The DM:''' Yes, you can use the barter funds to help purchase the longboatI haven't written rules for hunting dogs; in any case, they'll require an amateur skill in dog training (10pts).  Chickens don't require feed, except when raised in town.  In a rural setting, they just scour the land itself, though on the trail they get eaten by foxes and such.  Chickens weigh 5 lbs.  A hunting dog weighs 60 lbs.
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'''The DM:''' Looking at it closely, it seems to be about the size of a campfireIt is blocked, however, by several lumpy boulders and striations between you and it, so that all you can see is the smoke.
  
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir, the stride rules make fighting with 3 AP a more practical thing.  You can move up to 8 hexes and still have room to fight.  With 2 AP, however, all you can do is stand your ground.  Good for a dungeon, bad in the wilderness.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': How close is the nearest boulder? Could we approach from a nearby slope for a slightly higher vantage, even one of the lower sides?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Great, Embla. Everyone, please let me know which items you plan to put into general storage so I can add them to the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KK9o9c-HPQjTqafZt7mZAUOjY9aqmg63ryWaBjI2V8U/edit?usp=sharing Cargo] page.
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'''The DM:''' To some degree, you can.  It would be an uncertain thing.  You are familiar with the [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Stealth_(sage_ability) stealth rules]?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good re: 3 AP. In that case, Embla, I'll take the ringmail.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': So it looks like if we stay 25 hexes or so away while sneaking we should be okay, assuming whatever we're trying to observe has no stealth ability on it's own. You described the tarn as about 700 yards off, so unless I'm wrong any attempt at being sneaky is pretty much golden assuming something isn't already quite close. Could we climb the opposite end from the rothe and the smoke? Is that slope too steep, or would the sight-line still be obstructed by anything if we wanted to get, say, a fifty to a hundred feet more vertical?
  
'''The DM:''' Studded leather and ring mail both provide the same AC.  Ring mail is more durable.  You can get hirelings, but it will take a week.  You can buy cheaper food if you don't buy daily rations; see Town Market and Grocer.  I'll have to figure the price of a coop.  You'll need someone to hunt the eggs; you might want to get an extra house servant for that, rather than using Oddsdrakken, who is more of a travelling/purchasing servant.  It will take only 3 days to get a house servant; I'll tentatively charge you 2 s.p. a month for one.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm fine with sneaking closer.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Thank you. I'm purchasing soap, 24 chickens, the longboat, 637lbs assorted food (cheese, beef jerky, dried haddock, and potatoes), chests for said food, 400ft rope for the boat, and a couple of equipment items for me. We've 300-ish gp left, so let's put everything y'all have bought on the tab so you can get your coin back. A house servant or two is an excellent idea. And I'll take the dog, then, as I should have the requisite dog training in a level or two.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''' Out. Sorry, should be back soonish. I leave things in your capable hands Vafrandir.
  
:'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'll work on adding the soap, chickens, food, chest, and rope to the Cargo sheet. A helmet, ring mail, and a longsword runs to '''33 gp''' even, so you can subtract that. I'll let others weigh in on their needs for a bit.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very well. We will approach stealthily as we are able.
  
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir, the 2-tons charge per human is the arbitrary cost for a character living and being an inconvenience on a ship.  In your own boat, characters weigh exactly what they weighThat should give you a lot more roomEmbla, I should argue that a hunting dog will still be a "dog" ... you can start building a relationship with the dog now, even if you can't send it to hunt for youA hunting dog will hunt randomly on its own, though not consistently.
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'''The DM:''' That would be my assessment as well, Pandred ... so long as nothing amid the rocks surprises you, and reveals your positionI'm afraid I'm going to have to bail myselfSomething has come up and it's going to take up my time for the afternoon.  My apologiesOut.
  
'''The DM:''' Embla, if you want to hold back bartering a barrel or two of ale, you still have family here in Stavanger that you can leave it with for free. ['''OOC:''' My partner has a doctor's appt; we'll be going in half an hour]
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' No worries. Out.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' In that case, I'll hold off on bartering all 3 ale barrels, as the 800ish gp from the wine barrel well-covers our expenses to-date.
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'''The DM:''' In.  Vafrandir, you feel fairly exposed out here on the rocky tundra.  The terrain, as pictured, was once a glacier, so there are stones and boulders everywhere; these give some shelter, but you cannot help noticing that as you move forward, the rothe are becoming more agitated ...
  
'''The DM:''' OOPS.  Ride's here.  Gotta go now.  Out.
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'''Marcule:''' In
 +
'''Marcule:''' Am i with them?
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Cya! In that case, I'll hold off on bartering all 3 ale barrels, as the 800ish gp from the wine barrel well-covers our expenses to-date. We've 162gp left. What else would folks like to purchase?
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'''The DM:''' Yes, if you wish.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Out-ish. Working on laying out the cargo we've got so far. I'll keep an eye on the page.
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'''Marcule:''' Last thing i want to do is unsettle a bunch of cattle. How am i doing for sneaking amongst the rocks given my size?
  
:'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' How's this: 83 lb of cheese, 54 lb of beef jerky, 70 lb of haddock, 430 lb of potatoes (hey, they're the cheapest!). That's '''30 gp, 14 sp'''. We'll need 5 chests for that.
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'''Marcule:'''Out; back in 20 min (10:49)
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' As an addition? Sure.
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'''The DM:''' Have a look at the stealth chart I linked.  It is full daylight, so you will be noticed at 3d6 hexes (5 ft. per hex), with no adjustments, not for level, equipment or appearance.  However, you're already lacking armour; if you get rid of your pack, and anything you're carrying except for a dagger, you can improve that by -1 hex.  Essentially, let's say I roll a 10 on 3d6, and you improve that by -1.  This means that you'll be seen at 9 hexes from an observer you're trying to approach.  Incidentally, I notice you haven't actually rolled your sage abilities.  Need help with that?  Steal the tables from [[Embla Strand|Embla's]] page.
  
:'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' No, that's the 637 lb assorted food from above. I broke it out into individual items for pricing.
+
'''Marcule:''' In
 
 
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Since money isn't an object, I did a more even split to have nicer foods.
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What was the split? I'd like to put it on the page is all. We'll add it to what I just said.
 
:'''[[Embla Strand]]''' 150lb cheese, 200lb jerky, 125lb haddock, 162lb potatoes.
 
::'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Great! So that's 10 chests (30 gp) and nearly 1300 lb of supplies. Should last for a good while, I reckon.
 
:::'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Actually we can do it in 9 chests. 27 gp.
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Out.
 
  
== Moving on from Stavanger, mid-June ==
+
'''Marcule:''' I will work on my sage abilities; Ok, i drop my pack and would like to keep my blow dart. how far are we currently for the smoke approximately?
'''The DM:''' In.
 
  
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Repeating from above: Everyone, please let me know which items you plan to put into general storage so I can add them to the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KK9o9c-HPQjTqafZt7mZAUOjY9aqmg63ryWaBjI2V8U/edit?usp=sharing Cargo] page.
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'''The DM:''' As close to the smoke as you say, since you're moving upYou're about 15 hexes from the nearest rothe.
 
 
'''The DM:''' Starting with time.  Vafrandir is raised on the 13th, and Embla barters for the price of the barrel of wine with a Rurik, a member of the town market; Rurik puts you in touch with his cousin who owns the longboat, while selling you the food; Rurik in turn makes deals to arrange for other items which could not normally be traded for a barrel of wine, so that we can maintain some momentum here and the players can obtain what they need.  This all takes two days, leading us to the 15th of June.  If the players want a servant, that will take us to the 18th.  Otherwise, you can leave with your boat loaded on the morning of the 16th of June.
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' (barring any action from the rest of the party) We will stay until the 18th to hire a servant.
 
 
 
'''The DM:''' You're doing the interviews, so is there any particular skillset or character-trait you're looking for?  17th century and there are no hiring practice guidelines, so feel free to be as politically incorrect as you like (heh)Seriously, though, you could save a great deal of trouble with your arms if you also search for a boat pilot (will cost you one more day of searching).  One of the adjustments I'm trying to make to the pricing table is to add hireling costs (I finally figured out how to do that); but at present, any price I give you this month is a temporary patch.  Remember that when you hire someone for starting on the 18th/19th, is to only pay them for 13/12 days of work.
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Trustworthiness, which is hard to gauge on first meeting. Since we already have met Rurik, I'll buy him a few ales at his convenience and see if he can recommend anyone. Since we're here for a few days, I'll make the same offer to Rurik's cousin, since he may know of a good pilot. The price shouldn't be an object after this month but we can deal with that when the price gets worked out.
 
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Foraging, hunting, or other agricultural skills would also be useful.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Perhaps we should simply wait for a bit to let the rothe become more adjusted to us.
  
'''The DM:''' Then you don't want a house servant, you want a farmer?  One who will manage storage of food and set out to gather more, yes?  Said person will eat 4 lbs. of food per day (perhaps a farmer "skill" might be that they can live on less food?)[[Category:Rule Notes]] and will make a plan to cultivate a crop of "spring oats", which can be planted July 1st to be ready for harvest in early-September.  Yield is 4:1.  Cost for seed oats is the same as for ordinary oats; which you won't find on your price list.  Oats are 2 s.p. per lb, with 97 lbs. per acre requiredAn oats farmer will cost you 23 c.p. per month.  Add foraging (10 c.p.) and hunting (60 c.p.) for your monthly cost.
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'''The DM:''' Judging by that and the questions asked, I've presumed you're holding your ground just nowThe rothe will after a few minutes go back to eating the thin grass between the rocks.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': In.  Two Healing Salves for me. Vafrandir, Marcule, don't forget you guys have both the wolf pelts.
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'''Marcule:''' "Vaf how close do you think we should get to this thing?"

Revision as of 13:05, 29 January 2021

The DM: The morning of the 25th of June is a beautiful, clear, pleasant day, as nice as you might desire for this part of the world. The sun is shining, the ground is dry and the wind is a mere 2 knots out of the northwest. There are a few small puffy clouds, but no sign of rain at all. The air is clear and the various denizens along the cart path to the wilderness are beginning to recognize you, nodding as you pass. You climb up the familiar track off the road, the cart wheels banging over the rocks as you take the best route, with Treborg's bay falling out of sight.

Yet, as you reach a point about four miles from the village, you find the carcass of a cow laying slaughtered on an open rock. As Embla has skill as a butcher, you can see at once that it's a domestic cow, not wild. That while the principle meat has been cut out, by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, much of the meat has been left. Judging by the meat, this was done last afternoon or evening; and it looks as if someone cut away about a yard of the cow's hide, but left most of it behind.

Embla Strand Oh dear. We should get to the bottom of this - it's too close to home to ignore. Are there any tracks or traces left behind by whoever did this? Does the cow have a brand or something that would indicate an owner?

The DM: You see no brands, but the cow must come from near Treborg. There is no other settlement or group of farms in this part of Ryfolke. A look around will reveal that the skin or chunks of meat were apparently dragged over the ground away from the carcass. You can't track, obviously, but this trail is obvious; anyone can see it. It strikes you as odd that anyone would drag meat ... as though it were too big to carry properly.

Vafrandir: Embla, shall we two follow the trail?

Marcule: In

Marcule:"I agree this is to close to home we had better investigate before something nasty appears at our door."

The DM: Action?

Marcule: I do my best to follow the trail and proceed forward

Vafrandir: We go with him. I know we can't speak for Pandred but can we assume she stays with the cart?

The DM: In general, presume that players who are not here to be following along, but having a pee or some other such thing when the fight occurs.

The DM: the trail continues on for about three quarters of a mile before the dragged parts have become dried by the landscape; you haven't the skill to follow the trail that would still be there, but now can't be seen. You guess there must be more than one, as occasionally there are as many as three blood trails. Moreover, they're not trying to hide their passage, either. They are making a straight line for a group of ledges straight ahead from where the trail stops, where the earth-and-rock plateau rises about 75 feet over a series of easily climbable steps. You couldn't take the cart there, however.

Vafrandir: I don't wish to miss the action but I'm also loathe to leave the cart. You three go on ahead, carefully. Whistle if there's trouble.

The DM: I'll have to wait for them to say they do.

Vafrandir: Of course!

Marcule: I encourage Vafrandir to keep his whistle close and make my way up the steps.

Embla Strand I follow, readying my whistle.

The Footprint

The DM: as you climb up into the ledges, you find that they're filled with small troughs and dips where water has gathered. It hasn't rained in a couple of days, so most of these are empty, and only a few inches deep. Yet you can also see that there's silt along the bottoms of these, where there are hoof prints. Then, Marcule stops in surprise, when he sees the plain outline of a foot, not wearing a shoe or boot. A foot about as large as Marcule's, and definitely not a gnome's foot.

The DM: Plainly I lost everyone. Please, if you're not going to check every 20 minutes, simply mark yourself "out." It's no big deal if you do, I won't judge. But I will know there's less reason for me to check every ten minutes.

Vafrandir: I'm waiting by the cart. Can I still see the rest of the party?

The DM: They would probably be clustered together, peering down at something between the rocks. It's 2 pm for me, so I'm Out. Better luck tomorrow.

Vafrandir: No problem. Just curious. Out.

Marcule: "this foot scares me" What do the strides look like?.

Embla Strand 14:04, 26 January 2021 (MST) My apologies. Out.

The DM: In.

The DM: Out.

Vafrandir: In.

The DM: In. Just you and me, Vafrandir.

Vafrandir: Hm, I've worked myself into a bind, haven't I.

Vafrandir: I've already committed to watching the cart, but I don't want to do nothing. Let me think.

The DM: While we're here, explain to me a few things; why do you feel you need the cart; why are you loathe to leave it; and why not bring Oddsdrakken along to watch it? Maybe we can work out a compromise.

Vafrandir: Odds is helping with the clearing of the land, if I recall correctly. I don't believe you would screw us by having something happen, but at the same time if someone is stealing food or hides (poorly), then it's possible this is either a trap or that there's others about from the same band who wouldn't say no to a free cart of food.

The DM: bit of an overthink there; it looks more like a few somebody's grabbed a cow from civilized land, cut away all they thought they could carry (the dragging on the ground suggests they're overloaded) and are on their way with it. No attempt to hide their trail was made at all and it was as straight as an arrow. Doesn't look like a trap (and both assassins in the party would tell you so).

Vafrandir: Very good. In that case, I'll continue up towards the others, see the footprint, and observe that "It looks like a human or elf child's." We will proceed carefully up the steps.

The DM: You might think so at first glance, but then you'll notice that there are claws on the end of the toes and a point in the silt that might be a back claw. Ledges; these require some minor scrambling, but nothing requiring a sage ability.

Beyond the Footprint

Vafrandir: Interesting. That raises the stakes a bit. We'll continue up the ledges. Are there any caves in the rock that we can see from here?

The DM: Not immediately. But this is a place you haven't ventured into yet; towards a mountain you've seen from a distance, but which is now beginning to dominate the eastern horizon. Ahead is a low ridge, about half a mile from you, reached over a gentle slope of about one hundred feet up. It looks to be the nearer edge of a mountain caldera; in modern parlance, where a glacier has pushed up the ridge in the last ice age, only to vanish now. You're characters wouldn't understand that, but I need to describe this in a way that you can see. It's called a "cirque."

Vafrandir: Understood. Is the trail still obvious?

The DM: No. You're continuing in the approximate direction the trail was following.

Vafrandir: Very good. Continuing, at a careful or wary pace.

The DM: Climbing to the top of the lip, you have either Marcule or Embla move ahead to look over the lip and see what's in the cirque. The whole circle is a square mile in size, about 640 acres. There's a small lake, or tarn, about an acre in size, of clear water; this tarn is in the center of the caldera, about 700 yards away. A herd of small cows, no taller than Marcule, are scattered over the area to the right of the tarn. These are called rothe; they dwell both above and below ground. You can't see any camp, but there is a steady curl of smoke arising from beyond the rothe. Two thirds of the cirque are contained in the arms of the mountain, a modest peak about 3,500 ft. high. The other third makes the ridge you're presently crouched upon.

Vafrandir: What kind of ground cover is there?

The DM: Much like this.

Vafrandir: With little mountaineering ability among us, how does the descent into the caldera look? Could be tricky.

The DM: the image gives the appearance of the ground, not your relative position. The "caldera" is below you; you're on the forward lip, looking down into it. The 3rd image down on the cirque link shows the "formation of cirque" ... you're standing on the "zone of abrasion" looking down into the depression (not technically a "caldera," since there's no volcano, but I'm struggling for terms); the mountain is across the resulting hole, which is not completely filled by the tarn.

Vafrandir: Understood. I had in my mind that we were on the headwall. So it should be no problem to descend safely.

Vafrandir: May we stop here today? I don't want to get into something sticky without the rest of the party. Must be one of those weeks, I suppose.

The DM: Apparently. Have a look at the blog; I just posted something interesting. Out.

Vafrandir: It's always interesting. Out.

The DM: In.

Vafrandir: In. Hoping to wait a bit to get the others caught up.

Pandred: In.

Pandred: I'd like to pop out my pocket telescope and see what there is to see. What's up with the smoke?

The DM: Looking at it closely, it seems to be about the size of a campfire. It is blocked, however, by several lumpy boulders and striations between you and it, so that all you can see is the smoke.

Pandred: How close is the nearest boulder? Could we approach from a nearby slope for a slightly higher vantage, even one of the lower sides?

The DM: To some degree, you can. It would be an uncertain thing. You are familiar with the stealth rules?

Pandred: So it looks like if we stay 25 hexes or so away while sneaking we should be okay, assuming whatever we're trying to observe has no stealth ability on it's own. You described the tarn as about 700 yards off, so unless I'm wrong any attempt at being sneaky is pretty much golden assuming something isn't already quite close. Could we climb the opposite end from the rothe and the smoke? Is that slope too steep, or would the sight-line still be obstructed by anything if we wanted to get, say, a fifty to a hundred feet more vertical?

Vafrandir: I'm fine with sneaking closer.

Pandred Out. Sorry, should be back soonish. I leave things in your capable hands Vafrandir.

Vafrandir: Very well. We will approach stealthily as we are able.

The DM: That would be my assessment as well, Pandred ... so long as nothing amid the rocks surprises you, and reveals your position. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bail myself. Something has come up and it's going to take up my time for the afternoon. My apologies. Out.

Vafrandir: No worries. Out.

The DM: In. Vafrandir, you feel fairly exposed out here on the rocky tundra. The terrain, as pictured, was once a glacier, so there are stones and boulders everywhere; these give some shelter, but you cannot help noticing that as you move forward, the rothe are becoming more agitated ...

Marcule: In Marcule: Am i with them?

The DM: Yes, if you wish.

Marcule: Last thing i want to do is unsettle a bunch of cattle. How am i doing for sneaking amongst the rocks given my size?

Marcule:Out; back in 20 min (10:49)

The DM: Have a look at the stealth chart I linked. It is full daylight, so you will be noticed at 3d6 hexes (5 ft. per hex), with no adjustments, not for level, equipment or appearance. However, you're already lacking armour; if you get rid of your pack, and anything you're carrying except for a dagger, you can improve that by -1 hex. Essentially, let's say I roll a 10 on 3d6, and you improve that by -1. This means that you'll be seen at 9 hexes from an observer you're trying to approach. Incidentally, I notice you haven't actually rolled your sage abilities. Need help with that? Steal the tables from Embla's page.

Marcule: In

Marcule: I will work on my sage abilities; Ok, i drop my pack and would like to keep my blow dart. how far are we currently for the smoke approximately?

Vafrandir: In.

The DM: As close to the smoke as you say, since you're moving up. You're about 15 hexes from the nearest rothe.

Vafrandir: Perhaps we should simply wait for a bit to let the rothe become more adjusted to us.

The DM: Judging by that and the questions asked, I've presumed you're holding your ground just now. The rothe will after a few minutes go back to eating the thin grass between the rocks.

Marcule: "Vaf how close do you think we should get to this thing?"