Difference between pages "The Next Morning" and "Returning to Treborg"

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'''The DM:''' There are clouds that roll in the evening of May 29th and at midnight it starts to spatter rain.  By three in the morning there is a steady light rain falling, but as you're all used to Norwegian weather, even being stuck in a tent is still tolerable.  Even through the night, the temperature is merely cool, so no one is freezing — it's just wet.  It is still raining when the sun rises, though all you see is diffused light, as the sky is dark grey throughout.  There's not much wind, no more than a light air.  We start the running with the rain stiffening a little, but not so much that pools are forming on the ground.
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__TOC__
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: Vafrandir and Willa each gain a hit point.  Vafrandir should roll a d20; his wisdom is effectively 3, so he has a 3 in 20 chance of waking up.  I roll a 15 for Willa, so she is still unconscious. Actions?
+
'''The DM:''' [I know I should pay more attention, but I'm still unclear as to where the wagon has been this whole time.  In Treborg?]
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I roll an '''18'''.
+
: Through the night of the 31st, it begins to rain again.  This light rain ends an hour after sunrise, but be clear, night lasts about 4-5 hours this time of year (though it is dim much of the time, as the sun swings around low against the horizon).  You break camp amidst cool weather, a northeast gentle breeze under a sky with fluffy clouds.  First, you must climb again towards the low pass (where you pass by the other route you did not take, the narrower "choked" valley).  There's the place where you camped after your first day out of Treborg; and here is the pass, and there is the way towards the small village.  As you set up camp late on June 1st, after a whole day of walking (2 lbs. each for food, please), it begins to spatter rain again.  The breeze blows from the northeast now, which often heralds a new storm (but not always).  Just now, the sky is almost clear, except for some high thin clouds.
 +
: Treborg is about four hours away.
  
−
'''The DM:''' you'll be able to make another check after Pandred gives you a drink from her bottle.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' We have the wagon/cart with us. I think I should have been more clear about that as we were setting off from Treborg. Is that a problem? I've marked the food off - how much was Embla able to forage?
  
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Welp, we should have someone here to watch over Vaf and Willa. Might Marcule do that while Pandred and I search the ship?
+
'''Pandred''': Importantly, now that I'm ''certain'' it's a new day, here's some bottle hp Vafrandir. '''2'''.
  
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'''The DM:''' You can have Oddsdrakken do that as well.
+
: '''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Much appreciated!
  
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'''Pandred''': Giving the salve to Willa. I roll a '''1'''. Willa, you up?
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'''The DM:''' No, it's not a problem.  There's no logical way you could drag the wagon as quickly across this terrain as I had you do, but that was ''my fault'' and certainly not yours.  I should have asked more explicitly.  We'll just say that, by chance, the path you took was very friendly to wagons. Just to check - is it four wheels, or is it actually a cart with two wheels?
 +
: Embla was able to forage 6 lbs.
  
−
'''Pandred''': Vafrandir, my rationale is that Willa is unleveled, and therefore can only go as low as -4. She gets more stats from her hp right now, and closer to activity.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' It's two-wheeled.
−
: '''The DM:''' you mean a drink from the bottle? Please don't refer to the bottle as a "salve." That just confuses things.  Yes, that wakes her up.  Assuming you want to know what happened, she explains that her and Fjall saw the flag, investigated, found the bag and Fjall opened it.
+
:'''The DM:''' Good. I'll remember to call it a "cart" going forward.  Apologies.
−
::'''Pandred''': Sorry, the bottle was explained to me as "dispensing a salve" per day. I assumed it was some ever-full unguent, not a potion.
+
:: Any other actions, or shall we continue into Treborg the next morning?
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::: '''The DM:''' It does dispense a salve; but for sanity's sake in a text-format, please include the word "bottle" in the description, as in, "I give a salve from the bottle" or "I let her drink from my salve bottle" — simply because we're stuck in this turn-based communication process.
 
  
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I return to the ship.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'll remember "cart" as well. On to Treborg!
  
−
'''Pandred''': I will join her. Willa and Odds will remain with Vafrandir.
+
'''The DM:''' presumedly, any other opinion can be retconned.  There are no encounters on this last four hours of the journey.  Throughout the night there is a slight drizzle, which clears, continues, clears, then continues again, finally becoming a good steady rain as you're breaking camp.  This continues steadily the whole way back, so that by the time you get yourselves into the hostel in Treborg, you're soaked to the bone.  Norway.
 +
: It is the sixth day after leaving the village; the stakes have been laid out for your house already and the holes are being dug for the foundation - a series of holes into which will be poured mortar and broken stone, upon which the flooring will be laid. This flooring will be flat pieces of carefully chosen stone, fitted as a pavement with mortar; flat, but not perfectly so, and a foot above the surrounding ground so dry throughout the year.  Even if the roof breaks, the floor will drain any water away.
  
−
'''The DM:''' Very well.  To make a long story short at this point, this isn't a lengthy dungeon that needs clearing out.  The spider appears to have eaten everything in the ship that may have been alive.  There are some thirty skeletons throughout the ship, most of them located in the spider's lair, which is the transformed mess-and-crew sleeping areas.  Hacking your way through the webs, you find access to the captain's cabin and the stores.  The ship is leaking water from the rain, but it seems to run in rivulets across the floor and drain out again.  In the captain's cabin, there's an iron coffer containing 472 g.p., 93 s.p. and 14 c.p.  The clothes, drapery, small bed and chair, along with a desktop, have all suffered water damage, as the window access to the outside is broken.
+
'''The DM:''' so what's next?
−
:'''The DM:''' The stores are mostly dry, but there are mice turds everywhere so that there is a danger of disease from eating any of the 30 bags of oats, the rotten salt-pork and anything else in a sack.  There are, however, ten sealed clay jars with about 5 lbs. of lutefisk, an airtight barrel of wine and 3 sealed barrels of beer; each barrel contains about 63 gallons of the liquid.
 
  
−
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I haul the clay jars, wine, and barrels back to our campsite. The money is a welcome sight.
+
== Father Arvin ==
 +
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Is there a chapel here in Treborg? Or someone who can properly bury Fjall?
  
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Do we want to try to find the person to whom the title belongs? That could be rather lucrative, albeit take us far from our newly-purchased home. Would it be possible to figure out in roughly which direction the ship was traveling?
+
'''The DM:''' Yes, there's a chapel and a graveyard.
  
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'''[[Pandred]]''': This is probably a stupid question, but would any amount of the ship itself be salvagable? Some quantity of lumber or other bits and bobbins that would still be usable? I don't particularly want to abandon our hexploration for a trip to Denmark...or Scotland for that matter, but I am interested in the title owner as well.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' It's probably too late tonight, but in the morning, we'll go over and see what can be done about the burial.
  
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'''The DM:''' Computer technical problems, I've been offline about an hour.  Embla, while each jar of lutefisk weighs about half a pound, the barrels weigh somewhere about 550 lbs. each.  There's no real way to tell which direction the ship was travelling.  Most of the wood of the ship would be salvageable to some degree, though it wouldn't be cheap to haul back to a town and the return would be minimal.  If something were built right here out of the wood that would be the best use for it.
+
'''The DM:''' It is never too late to knock on a priest's door with a dead body.  It is sort of one of the things surrounding the profession.  They'd want to begin managing the body as soon as possible.  You wouldn't want to take the body to the hostel.
  
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'''The DM:''' Allow me to point out that since the land grant was for a parcel of land near Bergen, and Bergen being about 80-100 miles north of here, that might be a place to start.
+
'''Marcule''': I imagine some sort of cost for burial?
  
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' We could build this into a hunter's lodge of sorts to support more exploration here. Or we could head to Bergen. Thoughts?
+
'''The DM:''' (welcome back)  huh.  Things not included on the prices table.  The average per capita income for persons is usually around 9 g.p.  Let's say a 10% tithe of that: 14 s.p.
  
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Bergen is a market town, I'm 99% sure. However, the transport cost would likely eat a significant portion of our new gains. With that in mind I think we should keep going with our exploration, and the hunter's lodge idea is to my mind fantastic. I like the idea of a big boat-shaped hideaway for our expedition. If we find another haul of similar size, or get lucky and turn out a bigger dungeon then we can afford a trip to Bergen.
+
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I pay it. And I think a good rest is in order while Vaf and Willa recover.
  
−
'''[[Pandred]]''': Alexis, if we were to return this haul to Treborg, would wheeling Vafrandir back on the cart interrupt his rest enough to deny him rest gains?
+
'''The DM:''' Father Arvin hears your story about how Fjall died, blesses each of you for bringing him back and asks who Fjall is and where he comes from.  The father explains that he will write a letter (yes, they have those) to his folks in Stavanger.  They may not want Fjall buried here.  He asks you which of you have been baptised.
  
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'''The DM:''' The beer is worth 32 g.p. for 63 gallons; the wine is worth 894 g.p.  Each barrel is worth 15 g.p., so each beer barrel is 47 g.p. and the wine barrel is worth 909.  The lutefisk hasn't been priced on my system yet; let's call it 5 g.p. per jar.  You can't divide experience for single items, so you have to name someone as the plunderer of the wine barrel and the other items for the sake of x.p.  Divide up the g.p. for experience as well.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Is that part of our backgrounds?
  
−
'''The DM:''' Answering Pandred's question: that's right, he can't rest in a cart.  You'd need to create some kind of tackle to get barrels into a cart, which Embla's logistics ought to allow.  Call it a day to build the frame and three hours to wedge the barrels out and load them, once the cart is present.  Is it? I thought you were walking without the cart. Shouldn't change your travel times if I'm in error about that.
+
'''The DM:''' It isn't.  I won't make a character adopt a religion, so the truth is none of you have.  But that is quite common at this time in history, so it is nothing to be ashamed of (many people simply never received the opportunity).  The question right now is whether or not you wish to admit it.  The father will probably offer to do so if you ask, but it will commit you to Lutheranism.
 +
: '''The DM:''' I feel I need to stress that the ostracism against those outside the faith was not as strong at this time as it is often perceived today among hard-core religionists.  That ostracism is largely part of the evangelistic movement; in 1650, Europe had just fought a 30 year war of religion in which somewhere between 8 and 30 million died, from irrational hatred of other people of other religions. As such, forgive and embrace is much more the standard than is hate; even if you were truthful about your baptism, the community would probably see you as people who would eventually come around, rather than people who deserved to be cast out.
 +
:: '''The DM:''' Beginning to feel I lost you guys.
 +
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I admit to not having been baptised and will happily accept one from the Father.
  
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'''The DM:''' by the time you get the ship checked out, the sun is past the zenith; the rain has slackened a bit but it still goes on.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I will accept a baptism as well. [''I was in a meeting that required more attention than usual, apologies'']
  
−
'''Pandred''': I'm doing math now, but I wanted to say before someone else did it that I fully intend to give Vafrandir the wine. If he's got a 10% bonus to XP as I assume he does, that gives him the 2k experience needed to level. I assume there are no objections to this?
+
'''The DM:''' never apologize.  I just felt I had put you on the spot is all.  The father will waste no time with either of you, and will insist on performing the ritual at once.  Each will take about 5 minutes but it can only be done once in your lifetimes.  You feel enormously better, the pain that Vafrandir was experiencing from the leftover spider poison vanishes (though hit points are not restored) and you both will enjoy a +1 to all saving throws until 2 p.m. on the 9th of June (1 week).
  
−
'''The DM:'''  Vafrandir?
+
'''The DM:''' By the way, it's not late at night. It was only 4 hours of travelling on the 2nd to reach Treborg.
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Were I conscious, I would certainly not object!
+
'''Marcule:''' I will remain quiet and choose not to be baptized.
 +
:'''The DM:''' Understood.
  
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== Treasure Distribution ==
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': When Fjall has been buried I'd like to ask Father Arvin if he's the only man of letters about, and if so if he could write a letter to my own family. They like news, and I can't receive gifts if they don't know where I am. If there's anything this derelict airship has shown me, it's that you've got to leave a forwarding address.
  
−
'''Pandred''': Okay. I think I've got this down. Everyone gets 118 gp. 23sp, and 3cp. There is 1 cp left over, congratulations Marcule.
+
'''The DM:''' Father Arvin tells you that he can manage that nicely. He was going to send along a nurse, Monica, to help care for Vafrandir, as Arvin has no healing spell to give.  She can aid Vafrandir's rest so that he will heal more quickly.  Monica can read and write as well, so she may take down your letter. The father will inquire especially of Pandred if he is baptised, because he has not heard yet.
−
Individual items - Vafrandir gets the Wine at 909gp, Embla, Vafrandir and I each get a barrel at 47gp. Marcule takes the lutefisk at 5 times 10 or 50gp.
 
  
−
The silver gives an additional gp/xp. So totals:
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' "Thank you, Father."
−
*Vafrandir: 1028 gp/xp
 
−
*Embla/Pandred: 166 gp/xp
 
−
*Marcule: 169 gp/xp
 
  
−
10% bonuses were not factored.
+
== Hostel ==
  
−
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir and Pandred get 10%. The assassins do not.
+
'''The DM:''' I'm not sure if people are waiting for me to say something; retconning Pandred's response to the father, feel free to return to the hostel tonight, leaving Fjall in the father's care.  Is there anything else you'd like to deal with today, before sleeping.  It is too late for Vafrandir to get any rest today (I trust he hasn't been gaining h.p. since beginning to travel).
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Pandred, I'm looking at this again, and I think you didn't factor my XP from the spider fight. Once I wake up, I'll have enough to level just from that. With that said, I'm willing to give the wine to Marcule as he'll still be Level 1.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I believe I'm at 4 from Pandred's salves.
−
:'''The DM:''' Wasn't there also experience from the Toad and Demons?
+
: If you'll let her, Monica will take you to her parent's house to rest in a proper bed, rather than a plank; and she'll dote on you.  According to the rules under [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Aid_Rest_(sage_ability) Aid Rest], you'll heal at 2 levels higher than your present: so 4 h.p. per day from rest. Pandred can come around there to give you a salve if she wants to. Are you willing?
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' That brings me up to the current total on my character page. I have not yet added Spider XP since I've not technically taken "possession" of it.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I am certainly willing!
−
:'''The DM:''' Understood.  I'm just pointing out, 719 from the snow gate, plus the spider x.p., plus the wine ... you are way past 2,001 x.p.
 
  
−
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' This sounds good to me. Since we're not heading off to Bergen now, how about you and Odds head back to get the cart while Willa and I tend to Vaf and start cleaning the ship out of all the junk?
+
'''The DM:''' Very well; she'll have you settled in at 3 p.m., so that each 6 hr. period after, Vafrandir will be up 1 h.p.  Monica is quite social; you find that she's well-liked both by workmen and washer women, and by the father and the town's governor, Mss. Hendriksen.
  
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'''Pandred''': Since the difference doesn't level Marcule, I'd just keep you with the wine for simplicities sake. Honestly if I ''were'' going to reconfigure, it'd be with an eye towards my own looming 4th level, as I ''was'' second closest previously.
+
'''The DM:''' At the hostel, Willa would like to approach the remaining party and explain that she'd like to take Fjall back to Stavanger. She knows that's what his parents would want.
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Sounds good. It'll all come out in the wash, I'm sure.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': Acceptable to me. Are there any basic goods we can purchase here? A town market, etc? I'd hate to have to ask poor Willa to come back with groceries. Vafrandir, I will dole out another '''3''' from the bottle.
  
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== Planning ==
+
'''Willa''': "Well, actually Pandred ... I'd just as soon bow out completely.  With Fjall's mistake, I nearly died; now I'm thinking I'd rather go home, rethink my options and perhaps look up Bergthora and Lothar."
−
'''The DM:''' What sort of raingear do people have to travel in?  Oddsdrakken would have a oiled coat and hat.
 
  
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'''Pandred''': I have my very large fur coat, and the woolen cloak that comes with the adventurer's gear. Whichever of those is most suitable.
+
'''The DM:''' Willa really is only here because she was Lothar's childhood friend, as were Fjall, Bergthora and Peter; and now two of those are dead.
−
:'''The DM:''' Just pointing out that everyone is somewhat soaked just now.  Attending to Vafrandir is fine; Willa is effectively at zero hit points.
+
:'''—''' Also, Pandred, if you look up the list, you'll see that you already gave Vafrandir 2 points after breaking camp on your way back to Treborg, when you were four hours away from the village.  Today is the same day, June 2.
−
:: '''The DM:''' Let me know if you have any other plans for today, or if you just want to wait for the next day to give Vafrandir another hit of points.
 
  
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'''Pandred''': I'm ready for a new day. The new hit die might take our intrepid elf back into the realm of the living as well.
+
'''Pandred''': Jesus, again? Sorry, not trying to flub it. Also, damn. I thought Willa was Embla's man. That's a shame, but I can hardly begrudge them.
 +
:'''The DM:''' Heh heh, no worries.  You know, she might be Embla's '''wo'''man.  It's been quite a while, I could be confused about that, but I think you're right, because Lothar survived the first round with the fire beetles and I don't think Willa was there.  So, I'll just change the story to say that Willa will miss you all, one way or another; she's been with you a long time.
  
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'''The DM:''' Waiting for one other person to confirm.
+
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Willa is my follower, but I understand her leaving. I'll give her another 50gp as a thank you for her hard work and companionship.
 +
: '''The DM:''' Excellent.  Sorry for confusing that.  She will give you a hug and make you promise to look her up in Stavanger when you get back there.  She just wants time to think.  Then Willa will set off to arrange for a journey back to Stavanger and to talk to the father about it.
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Aye.
+
'''The DM:''' I am being called out in the time of covid to do an errand.  I managed a rewrite of the [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Hunting_(sage_ability) Hunting skill], so that's there for your convenience.
 +
'''—''' I also want to add that I'm going to take the week off after Halloween to work more intensely on some projects.  It's only one week and I promise we'll be back in the groove right after.
  
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== May 31st ==
+
== Continuing ==
−
'''The DM:''' The rain reduces hour by hour until nightfall, when it finally tapers off. There are a few drops that fall around midnight, but no more; still, as the sun rises on the 31st, the landscape is still damp and misty, moreso because the temperature is so pleasant it is verging on becoming actually warm.  There is a good, dry, light easterly breeze blowing, which, with the warmth, is most promising; and the sky is blue and very promising.
+
'''The DM:''' So where are we today, then? What does the party want to do with the evening of June 2nd?
  
−
'''—''' Vafrandir climbs to -6 h.p. on his own; Pandred can give him a sip of the bottle and see how he's doing, but he's entitled to a wisdom check (4 in 20) before drinking).
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': This evening? Nothing. I would like to know if it's possible to resupply in Treborg: when/if the market is open and what services are available. Assuming Embla can routinely forage around 6lbs then in an emergency I think we could hole up in our bivouac indefinitely out there, but I think I'd feel safer at least if we had reserves, since at 6lbs per day that means if we get in a fight she can feed exactly one of us. God forbid she get injured like poor Vafrandir, nevermind what happened to Fjall.
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' '''16'''. No luck of the die so far.
+
'''Marcule:''' once we have supplied should we return to the ship?
  
−
'''[[Pandred]]''': Take another '''1''' from the bottle. Unlucky rolls today. Good thing there was just the one spider in the boat.
+
'''The DM:''' resupply: there is no market of any kind in Treborg; it is possible to buy fish here off the boats, if you were licensed to do so, which you're not — the fish must make its way to domestic and foreign markets and strangers who have no relationship with guilds or merchants cannot be trusted as wholesalers.
−
:'''The DM:''' Takes him to -5. That's a 5 in 20 roll, Vafrandir.
 
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' A '''4'''!
 
  
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'''[[Pandred]]''': He lives!
+
'''The DM:''' foraging: if you look at the [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Foraging_(sage_ability) foraging page] that I've created, Embla can reliably forage an average of 10½ lbs. of food until Sep 7th.
  
−
'''The DM:''' Okay, Vafrandir awakes; he's second level and he should roll a d10 (reroll if "1" comes up) +2 for his new hit points, adding those to -5.  You heal at 2 h.p. per day now, Vafrandir, as per your level.  That was a good day, all!  Lots of interchange, lots of posts.  Looking forward to tomorrow.
+
'''The DM:''' holing up in the bivouac indefinitely: I don't know about that; you're north of 60° latitude, and though Norway stays relatively warm compared to other arctic territories in the winter by the shore, you'd be higher and it would be sure to be a lot colder.  Additionally, one gale will blast your constructed bivouac out of existence, leaving you potentially amidst a blizzard 14 hours from civilization with only the wrecked ship for shelter.  Something to think about.
  
−
== Vafrandir Levels ==
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'd like to stay here until I'm mostly recuperated. I echo the concern about reserve supplies. What do the locals usually have for day to day supply?
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I roll a '''5 raw, 7 adj''', bringing my current to 2 and total to 20. Is there anything besides skill points I need to be aware of for leveling?
+
:'''The DM:''' They fish and grow vegetables in gardens; they harvest apples and berries; they harvest fields of oats.  In early June, the apples are barely flowering on the trees; the oat fields have only just been planted; the berries aren't ripe; and none of this vegetation has been harvested since last October, so that the resident are living on the very edges of their stores, waiting for the days in late June and early July when they will be able to eat as many berries as they can stuff in their mouths. In other words, they are hungry most of the time just now, trying to make the last of their food last.
  
−
'''The DM:''' Your thac0 is improved to 19. Apart from that, I can't think of anything. Are you good with rolling your own skill points?
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': I mostly meant "the foreseeable future" by indefinite. I don't think it's wise to hide in an abandoned boat through the winter, especially when we'd have a small house by then. I have the crossbow for hunting, so if we have need I can assist in that regard now.
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Yes I am, I've done so.
+
'''The DM:''' Understood.  However, until I hear clear statements from more than one player that say to the effect of, "I am ready so I sack in for the night," I must presume you're still talking and sitting up.  I'm in no hurry; but you haven't done enough in physical actions at this time for me to push the clock forward, and I'm a stickler about that.
  
−
== Beginning of a Fine Day ==
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm certainly ready to "sack in."
−
So, what are the plans for today?  Vafrandir is sore and his insides don't feel too great, but he can walk about on his own now.
 
  
−
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm fine with putting a journey to return Hamish Ross's title to him on the planner, at least after I recover and we set to rights our haul here. But if we show up at his door (or are questioned otherwise) with a document we're not authorized to carry and having taken possession of the salvage? That seems unwise to me. What are our options for building a small shelter here as discussed above? I'll do the math in a bit but I don't think we can haul all of this back in a single trip in any case.
+
'''Marcule:''' I'm good to call it a night
  
−
'''The DM:''' At present, the best shelter you can build is a bivouac, as per Embla's (as yet unwritten) logistics skill.  A permanent construction is beyond any of your skill-sets (unless I am wrong in my memory?).
+
== June 3rd ==
 +
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir receives the first 4 h.p. under Monica's care, learning that she is the governor's niece, that she is unattached and that she is "profoundly moved" at getting to know the first elf in her experience.  The remainder of the party sleeps on plank beds with blankets for padding, listening to the wind outside and being grateful not to be out in it.  By 9 o'clock the next morning, the sky being blue with a few clouds, a moderate wind blowing and absolutely pleasant weather that will let you wander about in your shirt-sleeves, all of the party feels rested.
 +
:'''—''' There is nothing to forage here, it's been picked over, so you will have to walk an hour before you can begin searching; hunting is regulated in Treborg's environs, so you will have to walk two hours before you can begin hunting.  If anyone would like to take a hand at fishing, you can do that anywhere.
  
−
['''OOC-DM''': ''I should add that I'm due to get a flu shot this afternoon, so I'll be ending this Friday session at 1 p.m. today'']
+
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' In that case, I'll see if I can help our contractor build our house.
 +
:'''The DM:''' Oh, I am most sorry.  Without any actual construction experience, your contractor Anders Hagen could only use you as labour, and he doesn't need more labour.
  
−
'''Pandred''': I know we keep saying it's unwise...but is it? I mean, is the truth not good enough? "Hey, we found this a few miles outside Treborg, and we thought the right thing to do would be to return it. Oh, you need to cast Detect Truth or something on us? Yeah, no problem. Anyway, you're welcome." In either case, take another '''3''' hp from the bottle.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I am glad for Monica's attention. Although I can't go, I think a hunt might be a good idea for a few of the able-bodied among us since we can spare a few days.
−
:'''The DM:''' Um, no.  It is still the 31st.  You used the bottle already today.
 
  
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'''Pandred''': I think we should set up this site as our drop-point, and maybe when Vafrandir has two digits worth of hp we can stake out the area more thoroughly. Maybe climb one of the mountains that surround this valley and get a good look around.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': I will try to hunt for burrowing animals. I'm concerned that without the ability to track, I can't really do much. If I don't down a larger animal in one go, I have no way of following it to finish it off.
  
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'''[[Embla Strand]]''' A biouvac sounds good for now. Once the house is built we could have carpenters come and enhance the place, but that's an issue for later consideration. I agree with Pandred. For today, I forage to supplement our stores and perhaps see what's nearby and notable.
+
'''The DM:''' First time using the rules: the die shown +1 die, since you don't have hunting ability.  You hunt for everything on the list simultaneously: 4-48 hours for ground fowl, 2-12 burrowing mammal, 3-13 waterfowl, 3-18 light herd animal, 4-24 heavy head animal, 3-30 predator.  Two hours to get started and I roll for everything.  Ready?
−
 
 
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' That sounds like a good idea to me.
 
−
 
 
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'''The DM:''' Foraging finds 6 lbs. of food; we'll say a rabbit, a salmon caught in a shallow brook and 2 lbs. of fresh greens.
 
−
 
 
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' How much food did we need for yesterday?
 
−
 
 
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'''The DM:''' The bivouac will take three days to put together, with Embla directing the stripping of the ship for materials and supervising the construction; this will make a 10 x 8 ft. building.  I'm calculating storage, though most of that will be taken up with the six of you (five, really, since Marcule and Oddsdrakken will count as one human) sleeping inside.
 
−
 
 
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'''The DM:''' Right, I haven't said so since the 28th.  Let's see; travel & combat on the 29th, 2 days rest = 5 lbs. per person, including full rations for Oddsdrakken and Marcule.
 
−
 
 
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'''The DM:''' Storage for the bivouac would be 19.3 tons; since you wouldn't be "living" in it, like the house, count each person as 2 tons, not four.  While I'm on this, a standard tent will provide space for 11.7 tons.
 
−
 
 
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['''OOC-DM''': ''Okay, I'm out until Monday.  Good week, all.  Stay safe, keep warm, have faith.'']
 
−
 
 
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good - we have 73 lb remaining (I'm not counting the lutefisk...) so we should be fine to make it back after a few days of easy exploration. Do we want to bury Fjall here? [''Have a good weekend! Looking forward to next week.'']
 
−
 
 
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'''The DM:''' Me again.  Back with shot in my arm and anticipating small flu symptoms in the next few days.  Just want to say I forgot I had written rules for [https://tao-dndwiki.blogspot.com/2018/03/construct-bivouac-sage-ability.html constructing a bivouac] — in ''hours'' not days.  Food for thought.
 
−
:'''The DM:''' Slightly amending the size of the bivouac to 19.3 tons, as I'm writing out the create bivouac rules now.
 

Revision as of 14:10, 29 October 2020

The DM: [I know I should pay more attention, but I'm still unclear as to where the wagon has been this whole time. In Treborg?]

Through the night of the 31st, it begins to rain again. This light rain ends an hour after sunrise, but be clear, night lasts about 4-5 hours this time of year (though it is dim much of the time, as the sun swings around low against the horizon). You break camp amidst cool weather, a northeast gentle breeze under a sky with fluffy clouds. First, you must climb again towards the low pass (where you pass by the other route you did not take, the narrower "choked" valley). There's the place where you camped after your first day out of Treborg; and here is the pass, and there is the way towards the small village. As you set up camp late on June 1st, after a whole day of walking (2 lbs. each for food, please), it begins to spatter rain again. The breeze blows from the northeast now, which often heralds a new storm (but not always). Just now, the sky is almost clear, except for some high thin clouds.
Treborg is about four hours away.

Vafrandir: We have the wagon/cart with us. I think I should have been more clear about that as we were setting off from Treborg. Is that a problem? I've marked the food off - how much was Embla able to forage?

Pandred: Importantly, now that I'm certain it's a new day, here's some bottle hp Vafrandir. 2.

Vafrandir: Much appreciated!

The DM: No, it's not a problem. There's no logical way you could drag the wagon as quickly across this terrain as I had you do, but that was my fault and certainly not yours. I should have asked more explicitly. We'll just say that, by chance, the path you took was very friendly to wagons. Just to check - is it four wheels, or is it actually a cart with two wheels?

Embla was able to forage 6 lbs.

Vafrandir: It's two-wheeled.

The DM: Good. I'll remember to call it a "cart" going forward. Apologies.
Any other actions, or shall we continue into Treborg the next morning?

Vafrandir: I'll remember "cart" as well. On to Treborg!

The DM: presumedly, any other opinion can be retconned. There are no encounters on this last four hours of the journey. Throughout the night there is a slight drizzle, which clears, continues, clears, then continues again, finally becoming a good steady rain as you're breaking camp. This continues steadily the whole way back, so that by the time you get yourselves into the hostel in Treborg, you're soaked to the bone. Norway.

It is the sixth day after leaving the village; the stakes have been laid out for your house already and the holes are being dug for the foundation - a series of holes into which will be poured mortar and broken stone, upon which the flooring will be laid. This flooring will be flat pieces of carefully chosen stone, fitted as a pavement with mortar; flat, but not perfectly so, and a foot above the surrounding ground so dry throughout the year. Even if the roof breaks, the floor will drain any water away.

The DM: so what's next?

Father Arvin

Vafrandir: Is there a chapel here in Treborg? Or someone who can properly bury Fjall?

The DM: Yes, there's a chapel and a graveyard.

Vafrandir: It's probably too late tonight, but in the morning, we'll go over and see what can be done about the burial.

The DM: It is never too late to knock on a priest's door with a dead body. It is sort of one of the things surrounding the profession. They'd want to begin managing the body as soon as possible. You wouldn't want to take the body to the hostel.

Marcule: I imagine some sort of cost for burial?

The DM: (welcome back) huh. Things not included on the prices table. The average per capita income for persons is usually around 9 g.p. Let's say a 10% tithe of that: 14 s.p.

Embla Strand I pay it. And I think a good rest is in order while Vaf and Willa recover.

The DM: Father Arvin hears your story about how Fjall died, blesses each of you for bringing him back and asks who Fjall is and where he comes from. The father explains that he will write a letter (yes, they have those) to his folks in Stavanger. They may not want Fjall buried here. He asks you which of you have been baptised.

Vafrandir: Is that part of our backgrounds?

The DM: It isn't. I won't make a character adopt a religion, so the truth is none of you have. But that is quite common at this time in history, so it is nothing to be ashamed of (many people simply never received the opportunity). The question right now is whether or not you wish to admit it. The father will probably offer to do so if you ask, but it will commit you to Lutheranism.

The DM: I feel I need to stress that the ostracism against those outside the faith was not as strong at this time as it is often perceived today among hard-core religionists. That ostracism is largely part of the evangelistic movement; in 1650, Europe had just fought a 30 year war of religion in which somewhere between 8 and 30 million died, from irrational hatred of other people of other religions. As such, forgive and embrace is much more the standard than is hate; even if you were truthful about your baptism, the community would probably see you as people who would eventually come around, rather than people who deserved to be cast out.
The DM: Beginning to feel I lost you guys.

Embla Strand I admit to not having been baptised and will happily accept one from the Father.

Vafrandir: I will accept a baptism as well. [I was in a meeting that required more attention than usual, apologies]

The DM: never apologize. I just felt I had put you on the spot is all. The father will waste no time with either of you, and will insist on performing the ritual at once. Each will take about 5 minutes but it can only be done once in your lifetimes. You feel enormously better, the pain that Vafrandir was experiencing from the leftover spider poison vanishes (though hit points are not restored) and you both will enjoy a +1 to all saving throws until 2 p.m. on the 9th of June (1 week).

The DM: By the way, it's not late at night. It was only 4 hours of travelling on the 2nd to reach Treborg.

Marcule: I will remain quiet and choose not to be baptized.

The DM: Understood.

Pandred: When Fjall has been buried I'd like to ask Father Arvin if he's the only man of letters about, and if so if he could write a letter to my own family. They like news, and I can't receive gifts if they don't know where I am. If there's anything this derelict airship has shown me, it's that you've got to leave a forwarding address.

The DM: Father Arvin tells you that he can manage that nicely. He was going to send along a nurse, Monica, to help care for Vafrandir, as Arvin has no healing spell to give. She can aid Vafrandir's rest so that he will heal more quickly. Monica can read and write as well, so she may take down your letter. The father will inquire especially of Pandred if he is baptised, because he has not heard yet.

Vafrandir: "Thank you, Father."

Hostel

The DM: I'm not sure if people are waiting for me to say something; retconning Pandred's response to the father, feel free to return to the hostel tonight, leaving Fjall in the father's care. Is there anything else you'd like to deal with today, before sleeping. It is too late for Vafrandir to get any rest today (I trust he hasn't been gaining h.p. since beginning to travel).

Vafrandir: I believe I'm at 4 from Pandred's salves.

If you'll let her, Monica will take you to her parent's house to rest in a proper bed, rather than a plank; and she'll dote on you. According to the rules under Aid Rest, you'll heal at 2 levels higher than your present: so 4 h.p. per day from rest. Pandred can come around there to give you a salve if she wants to. Are you willing?

Vafrandir: I am certainly willing!

The DM: Very well; she'll have you settled in at 3 p.m., so that each 6 hr. period after, Vafrandir will be up 1 h.p. Monica is quite social; you find that she's well-liked both by workmen and washer women, and by the father and the town's governor, Mss. Hendriksen.

The DM: At the hostel, Willa would like to approach the remaining party and explain that she'd like to take Fjall back to Stavanger. She knows that's what his parents would want.

Pandred: Acceptable to me. Are there any basic goods we can purchase here? A town market, etc? I'd hate to have to ask poor Willa to come back with groceries. Vafrandir, I will dole out another 3 from the bottle.

Willa: "Well, actually Pandred ... I'd just as soon bow out completely. With Fjall's mistake, I nearly died; now I'm thinking I'd rather go home, rethink my options and perhaps look up Bergthora and Lothar."

The DM: Willa really is only here because she was Lothar's childhood friend, as were Fjall, Bergthora and Peter; and now two of those are dead.

— Also, Pandred, if you look up the list, you'll see that you already gave Vafrandir 2 points after breaking camp on your way back to Treborg, when you were four hours away from the village. Today is the same day, June 2.

Pandred: Jesus, again? Sorry, not trying to flub it. Also, damn. I thought Willa was Embla's man. That's a shame, but I can hardly begrudge them.

The DM: Heh heh, no worries. You know, she might be Embla's woman. It's been quite a while, I could be confused about that, but I think you're right, because Lothar survived the first round with the fire beetles and I don't think Willa was there. So, I'll just change the story to say that Willa will miss you all, one way or another; she's been with you a long time.

Embla Strand Willa is my follower, but I understand her leaving. I'll give her another 50gp as a thank you for her hard work and companionship.

The DM: Excellent. Sorry for confusing that. She will give you a hug and make you promise to look her up in Stavanger when you get back there. She just wants time to think. Then Willa will set off to arrange for a journey back to Stavanger and to talk to the father about it.

The DM: I am being called out in the time of covid to do an errand. I managed a rewrite of the Hunting skill, so that's there for your convenience. — I also want to add that I'm going to take the week off after Halloween to work more intensely on some projects. It's only one week and I promise we'll be back in the groove right after.

Continuing

The DM: So where are we today, then? What does the party want to do with the evening of June 2nd?

Pandred: This evening? Nothing. I would like to know if it's possible to resupply in Treborg: when/if the market is open and what services are available. Assuming Embla can routinely forage around 6lbs then in an emergency I think we could hole up in our bivouac indefinitely out there, but I think I'd feel safer at least if we had reserves, since at 6lbs per day that means if we get in a fight she can feed exactly one of us. God forbid she get injured like poor Vafrandir, nevermind what happened to Fjall.

Marcule: once we have supplied should we return to the ship?

The DM: resupply: there is no market of any kind in Treborg; it is possible to buy fish here off the boats, if you were licensed to do so, which you're not — the fish must make its way to domestic and foreign markets and strangers who have no relationship with guilds or merchants cannot be trusted as wholesalers.

The DM: foraging: if you look at the foraging page that I've created, Embla can reliably forage an average of 10½ lbs. of food until Sep 7th.

The DM: holing up in the bivouac indefinitely: I don't know about that; you're north of 60° latitude, and though Norway stays relatively warm compared to other arctic territories in the winter by the shore, you'd be higher and it would be sure to be a lot colder. Additionally, one gale will blast your constructed bivouac out of existence, leaving you potentially amidst a blizzard 14 hours from civilization with only the wrecked ship for shelter. Something to think about.

Vafrandir: I'd like to stay here until I'm mostly recuperated. I echo the concern about reserve supplies. What do the locals usually have for day to day supply?

The DM: They fish and grow vegetables in gardens; they harvest apples and berries; they harvest fields of oats. In early June, the apples are barely flowering on the trees; the oat fields have only just been planted; the berries aren't ripe; and none of this vegetation has been harvested since last October, so that the resident are living on the very edges of their stores, waiting for the days in late June and early July when they will be able to eat as many berries as they can stuff in their mouths. In other words, they are hungry most of the time just now, trying to make the last of their food last.

Pandred: I mostly meant "the foreseeable future" by indefinite. I don't think it's wise to hide in an abandoned boat through the winter, especially when we'd have a small house by then. I have the crossbow for hunting, so if we have need I can assist in that regard now.

The DM: Understood. However, until I hear clear statements from more than one player that say to the effect of, "I am ready so I sack in for the night," I must presume you're still talking and sitting up. I'm in no hurry; but you haven't done enough in physical actions at this time for me to push the clock forward, and I'm a stickler about that.

Vafrandir: I'm certainly ready to "sack in."

Marcule: I'm good to call it a night

June 3rd

The DM: Vafrandir receives the first 4 h.p. under Monica's care, learning that she is the governor's niece, that she is unattached and that she is "profoundly moved" at getting to know the first elf in her experience. The remainder of the party sleeps on plank beds with blankets for padding, listening to the wind outside and being grateful not to be out in it. By 9 o'clock the next morning, the sky being blue with a few clouds, a moderate wind blowing and absolutely pleasant weather that will let you wander about in your shirt-sleeves, all of the party feels rested.

— There is nothing to forage here, it's been picked over, so you will have to walk an hour before you can begin searching; hunting is regulated in Treborg's environs, so you will have to walk two hours before you can begin hunting. If anyone would like to take a hand at fishing, you can do that anywhere.

Embla Strand In that case, I'll see if I can help our contractor build our house.

The DM: Oh, I am most sorry. Without any actual construction experience, your contractor Anders Hagen could only use you as labour, and he doesn't need more labour.

Vafrandir: I am glad for Monica's attention. Although I can't go, I think a hunt might be a good idea for a few of the able-bodied among us since we can spare a few days.

Pandred: I will try to hunt for burrowing animals. I'm concerned that without the ability to track, I can't really do much. If I don't down a larger animal in one go, I have no way of following it to finish it off.

The DM: First time using the rules: the die shown +1 die, since you don't have hunting ability. You hunt for everything on the list simultaneously: 4-48 hours for ground fowl, 2-12 burrowing mammal, 3-13 waterfowl, 3-18 light herd animal, 4-24 heavy head animal, 3-30 predator. Two hours to get started and I roll for everything. Ready?

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