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[13th Age WM]Hunt for the Missing Hunters! Adventure Thread
Grunt's Ghosts
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Registered User regular
The group gathered themselves together and took the Guide's note from the bulletin board. They found the legendary wood elf in the Tannery, curing leathers and smoking deer meat. A few other hunters were talking with him. "They knew what was out there. Bojon saw them monsters with his own eyes. Why would he lie?" The Guide gave the hunter a stern look. "First, Bojon got one good eye and can't see beyond the tip of his nose because he drinks like a bluegill. Second, we look out for each other. Always have, always will. That's how we run this. We take care of our own." The Guide sees the group. "Which is why I asked the new Adventures' Guild for help." This gets a sour look from a few hunters but most seem pleased to see someone help them out. "If that is what you are here for..."
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As Guile enters the room, he nods a greeting at a few of the more familiar faces.
A smile cracks across Guile's face.
"Yes, that would be us! What trouble have you guys gotten into this time?"
Geth roll 1d6 for Positive Guide
Geth roll 1d6 for Negative Exiles
Following a moment behind, Zariya sweeps into the room, scanning the faces before settling her eyes on The Guide. With a nod of greeting, she stands behind Guile, ready.
Geth roll 1d6 for The Boss (negative)
Bud turns and addresses the hunter who spoke first.
"What menace did Bojon say he saw? A pack of howlers up from the south? A grey cat or two from the mountains?"
Geth roll 1d6 for Positive The Boss
Geth roll 1d6 for Positive The Martyr
Addressing the hunters:
I'm sure you all could handle it, but we'd rather free you up for feeding all the other fine folks!
Turning to Guile with what he hopes is an ingratiating smile, so what's the plan, your righteousness?
Geth roll 1d6 for The Dryad (conflicted)
"Well", Guile starts raising an eyebrow, "I figure we get pointed in the direction of their lost brethren, and then we go and drag them back!"
Eyes saddened for a second, you also catch him mutter "Gods' willing, they'll be in better shape than you."
The Guide looks at Guile, "It's pretty much what I stated in the note. We had a hunting party, 4 men, two of them had years of experience, the other two were green. They were suppose to go out for three days. It's been seven. Ain't none of my boys seen a hide or hair of them. Bojon's story of dire beasts in the woods is got me concerned, but the only person who has seen them is Bojon, so I'm not putting my full faith in it. The Banished like them woods, well, they like anywhere really, but my guess the hunters and the Banished got into some trouble. The boys where suppose to head to the west, which is all I can say to where they were going. They really didn't have any set place they were suppose to go. The Game has all but gone away now, and pushing out further than we are now is a risk. Which is why I hope you guys get to finding and starting outposts soon. Having save spots my boys can stay at would make these trips less dangerous than they are."
Well then lets get to it, westward ho people! (Mort and muggs are raring to go, but will be amenable to things the living need before striking out if you remind him....also I'm assuming I just have my zombie dog all the time until it dies, and then I need time to raise him ALSO Grunt's, you are running at least two sessions, don't sweat it, hope things are good)
I say we strike out towards the hammer and pick on the map, and see what signs we can see from there.
She trails off, seemingly lost in thought.
"We should probably get a move on, lots of rough land out west."
Mort, The mines are to the east not west.
Guile
"Well, if that's as much as we know, then I guess we're off.
And if you don't hear back from us in like a week, we're probably dead too.
Perhaps best not to send any more villagers out in that circumstance."
Meeting the others down at the West gate, after checking with the other guards that indeed the hunters in question did set out this way a week ago, Guile gives one last look over the pack The Captain's Lieutenant had given him when he had left for the Adventurer's guild.
Traveling gear, a lantern and oil, an extra ration on top, and some grappling hook some smart-arse had packed.
Also some spare change, although what good gold will do outside the wall is another question entirely.
Not to mention his standard attire.
Two braces of hand-axes cross at his mid-riff, the rationale being it's hard to find a good whetstone when you're away from the wall.
Some relatively good half-plate armour, a standard kite shield with the city emblem splayed across the front, and a sheathed longsword complete the picture.
"Everyone else ready?", asks Guile.
After they finish preparations, Guile starts leading them into the underbrush.
(So that's level + Wisdom + background for tracking?)
Geth roll 1d20+7 for Tracking
After grabbing a few extra days of road rations (3 days worth [1.5gp]), Zariya meets with the others at the west gate, shouldering her pack and shield over her plate armor, the darkened metal barely gleaming in the sunlight. She fiddles with her helm in one hand, an awkward piece designed to fit around her prominent horns.
She nods to Guile, adding, "We should still have plenty of light left. We should try to catch up while we can." With that she dons her helm, and follows Guile into the woods.
What is this "being good at throwing axes" thing?
Everyone knows you need a throwing axe brace full of axes for when you inevitably miss the first 5 shots!
Also for chopping trees.
I'm rather amazed how close I've accidentally built my commander to the other paladins...
Possibly due to the high lethality that was forewarned.
Oh well.
I'll have to differentiate myself by musing about the wall a lot :rotate:
Leaving Havenhold out the west gate, the group travels past the farm houses that are struggling to feed everyone. It's late in the morning and many of the farmers are out in their fields, trying to get their crops to grow after the late start to the growing season. Many give the group friendly waves, nods of their head, or even hellos as they pass. For some, these adventurers might be the last hope for civilization...
As the day creeps into the afternoon, the group reach the thick forest. Just known as the Western Woods by the hunters, the evergreen trees here are tall and block out most of the sunlight, giving the area a dark, green shade for the little bits of light that does pass through. Guile spots a tree with a bow and arrow craved into it, a sign by the hunters of one of the paths they use as they travel through the woods. The rain from the night before had dampen the ground, which was good for hunters as it soften their steps on the wet, spongy forest floor below.
The group followed the bow and arrow trail, figuring out that the direction of the arrow was the direction the hunters would take. Some time in the afternoon, they found a small hut. The wooden hut was meager in size, just large enough to house a person and some of their goods. There was a tanning stand with a boar skin stretched across it. There were a few hunters around a campfire, cleaning their kills and laughing about some joke that one of the dwarven hunters was telling. "Then he wakes up and says 'Why I got this slime on me?' Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha."
Geth roll 1d20+8 for Does Guile recognise them?
"My eyes must be going dull. I thought surely we were farther from town than to have the wall guards show up out here. Must be something in my drink!" the wood elf laughed as he stood up to meet with the group.
We were hoping to know what foul beasts you've seen around, and if you've seen any sign of the lost party. We aim to bring them home."
(I'm rolling based on wandering trouper:4, salesman:1, and cha:+3, GM mod if you disagree obv.)
Geth roll 1d20+8 for Will they trade info for a song from Mort?
"As far as your hunters, we've only seen Jolie and her group, about a week ago. They were heading towards the Blackwire Camp southwest of here, about a day's travel. After that, they should have done some hunting and headed back. Any more south they would ruin into the hills, any more west they would run into the Exiled at their damn keep."
Most we get at the wall are a few ill-advised raiding parties attacking when and where they think we're weakest."
Guile cracks a smile.
"Turns out they're not so great at climbing after they've lost a few limbs!"
(Saying +2 from icon barkeep.)
Geth Roll 1d20+2 for has Mort heard any rumors of the exiled or banished at the bar?
Mort has heard just normal things, Exiled camps being spotted every now and then, raids on the wall, but for the last few days, Mort's conversations with the Barkeep hasn't had anything to do with Exiles, instead focusing on his personal requests.
I would have normally given you more, but because of the things we talked about in PMs, it doesn't make much sense for Mort to be paying attention to that when his attention has been on other subjects...
Idk if Bud might has met him before because of his relationship with The Martyr and him being an orphan, but I'm going to try and see if the kid has anything to mention that the more experienced hunters might be dismissing.
"Hey little man hows it going? Seen anything cool out here?"
Geth Roll 1d20+3 for ask the teenager about his time in the woods.
Mort: "Well, we sure are glad you took him out, surely there can't be too many of those about." *Muggs gives some sniffs around the dire boar hide, but seems put off by whatever he smells there.*
Bud: "How much light we got left out in this woods? If we got a good chunk of day still we should carry on, but I aint partial to running into a direwolf in the dark. Perhaps we're better off settling in here with these fellers, and continuing on our separate ways at dawn"
She removes her helm and looks to the hunters. "If you'll have us."
So night one draws close for you guys. Decide how you want to do wait. Any of the hunters can do watches too.
"Am I right to go out and search for some small game?
I'm a little uncertain as to whether I could take down a brute such as this one by myself if I came across it."