Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[nikolokolus]

The key fits the keyhole perfectly. You turn the key and you hear and audible *snick*. However, when you try to pry the box open it doesn't budge.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Just thought I'd remind, that Sokrates gets one shot on the charging horse bert

 

[Siveon]

OOC

Am I still in range to pursuit the horse? Or is it long gone?

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

Am I still in range to pursuit the horse? Or is it long gone?

Answer

On foot? Not a chance. On the elderly, broken down, swayback, piebald gelding? A very slim chance . . . Perhaps somebody in the party possesses a skill that could help? *cough, cough*

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Throwing Save

Saving Throw: [1d20] = 17

Spoiler

Oh hey, I could chase the horse down. Kurgans can into riding. Should I roll for it?

 

[nikolokolus]

Throwing Save

Saving Throw: [1d20] = 17

Spoiler

Oh hey, I could chase the horse down. Kurgans can into riding. Should I roll for it?

Answer

Kurgan horsemanship (and "wooly lizardship" . . . is that a word?) is indeed impressive and so is the Kurgans' reputation for hardiness and tolerance of extreme hardship, but when you look over at the ancient, swayback gelding you're fairly certain the horse would be lucky to last a mile at a full gallop before collapsing and dying. Also you are uncertain how it will be received if you were to take the nag. Not to suggest that there'd be anything wrong with a good faith effort to pay for it should something bad happen . . .

 

[Grimgravy]

"Do we need to find the horse?" Rhenmyr asks. "I'm not certain we can take it alive, given its attitude. I could track it down we feel it worth while."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Ha, a horse of that temper could run a few days before it tires. If we can track it, a Kurgan can trace it for weeks." Borric's brow furrows in distate. "Unless it's magical somehow, and then I say we leave it to be someone else's problem."

 

[Grimgravy]

"So lets track it down. Are we looking to capture or kill the horse?" Rhenmyr asks.

 

[nikolokolus]

Housekeeping

Just wanted to note I still need bert to tell me if he's attacking the warhorse as it flees and Sokrates needs to make a sanity saving throw.

Additionally, I have experience point awards calculated for everybody so far (bonuses for high ability scores factored and Borric made a donation to the good widow Ophelia from his share of the loot, which is why he is so much higher). I'm basing this all of this post where Grimgravy broke down the distribution of loot and I didn't see any objections afterward. By my calculations, everybody's HPs are whatever I have below. Let me know if these totals seem wrong or if something got messed up before we move on.

Heron: 140 XP - Mahogany box with silver hasp and silver key, lock of perfumed hair tied with a silver cord, 1 flask of "goop" 1 pp
HP: 4/ no wounds

Marcán: 146 XP - Orichalcum Falcata (eqv bastard sword, +1 to-hit, no bonus to damage) 1 pp
HP: 8/ 6 wounds (from the warhorse)

Sokrates: 153 XP - Bronze coat-of-plates (sized to fit a Hyperborean, will need to be adjusted if you want to wear it), silver helm, 1pp
HP: 11/ 5 wounds (9 damage, then healed by lay on hands for 2 and sleep for 2 more points of healing)

Borric: 201 XP - Pair of fine leather boots with a hidden compartment in right heel and spring-loaded toe-blade (1d3 dmg), 1 pp
HP: 6/ no wounds

Ker: 153 XP - Belt with hidden slot, 5pp
HP: 4/ no wounds (1 HP of damage healed with rest)

Rhenmyr: 146 XP - Heavy fur-lined traveling cloak, 5 pp, 45 gp, 64 sp
HP: 16/ no wounds

Ophelia eventually lifts her head from the side of the stable where she was heaving. Her eyes wide with fright and her face ashen gray and dazed looking as she sits heavily on a pile of firewood, "I . . . What was that?! Why would anybody do . . . that to themselves?"

Slaves and servants around the outpost can be seen turning their heads looking on at the ruckus created by the events of the past minute or so. A stable boy runs up presumably to try and calm the frightened animals, but pulls up short - his mouth hanging open in shock. Erasmos can be heard sobbing through his gag, while his compatriot Theron looks on at the horror in the middle of the stable in stunned, wide-eyed silence.

 

[Helly]

Ker checks first that the old man is safe, then the two minions.
"You two... Do you have any, well, explanation? What was that?"

 

[Grimgravy]

re housekeeping

Rhenmyr wants to donate 25gp and 30sp to the widow. edit: shouldn't Marcan be listed on the front page as a bard now?

 

[bert]

Spoiler

Attack: [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4 Damage: [1d8+2] = 2+2 = 4
Saving Throw: [1d20] = 6 Don't forget the special saving throws paladins get!

"Mitra!" Sokrates drew his sword and reluctantly tried to cut down the horse as it charged through the stables. He had a feeling of dread should he let the charger go free, especially since he saw the hyperborean melt before his own eyes! There was something much more at stake here. Evil people, doing evil things.

He checks on Ophelia and helps her to her feet. The others he checks to see if they are injured, and promptly uses his divine healing ability on Marcan. "Mitra...Mitra.." He mutters aloud, but whether it is a prayer or just mumbling to someone it remains to be seen.

 

[Grimgravy]

Stomach rumbling despite the melting Hyperborean, Rhenmyr asks "Is there anything to eat while we track down this horse?"

 

[nikolokolus]

re housekeeping

Rhenmyr wants to donate 25gp and 30sp to the widow. edit: shouldn't Marcan be listed on the front page as a bard now?

I'll fix it. Thanks.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker checks first that the old man is safe, then the two minions.
"You two... Do you have any, well, explanation? What was that?"

Ker removes the prisoners' gags. At first Erasmos can only rock back and forth mumbling incoherently, but eventually the short, stocky Theron breaks his gaze, looks up at you shaking his head, "I swear I've never seen anything like it . . . gods, I just want to get the fuck out of here! Please, I'm begging you. I don't want nothing to do with black sorcery I just want to get back to Odessos and forget I ever met you or that freak of nature."

Spoiler

Attack: [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4 Damage: [1d8+2] = 2+2 = 4
Saving Throw: [1d20] = 6 Don't forget the special saving throws paladins get!

"Mitra!" Sokrates drew his sword and reluctantly tried to cut down the horse as it charged through the stables. He had a feeling of dread should he let the charger go free, especially since he saw the hyperborean melt before his own eyes! There was something much more at stake here. Evil people, doing evil things.

He checks on Ophelia and helps her to her feet. The others he checks to see if they are injured, and promptly uses his divine healing ability on Marcan. "Mitra...Mitra.." He mutters aloud, but whether it is a prayer or just mumbling to someone it remains to be seen.

Results

Your saving throw target is 12, so unfortunately you still suffer the ill effects of experiencing something supernaturally horrific: Sokrates' (Temporary) Wisdom loss [1d2] = 1

Despite his best efforts Sokrates can barely clear his blade from its scabbard before the horse nearly knocks him off his feet. Perhaps the sight in the stables has taken its toll and slowed his reactions? To complicate matters, the urge to vomit is almost irresistible; this was not a "clean" death.

Rhenmyr's casual reference to food earns him a disbelieving look from the two captives and Ophelia stiffles a gag with the back of her hand. The emaciated, filthy and catatonic man seems blissfully unperturbed.

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr considers, "I wouldn't mind cutting those two loose. They've lost everything they brought with them. That's good enough for me. Borric and anyone else who wants to find the horse, meet me outside in fifteen minutes."

Rhenmyr heads into the longhouse in search of breakfast and or travelling food. Then he waits outside for others to join the expedition to track the black beast.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Heron will spend a few moments looking for a hidden mechanism or lever on the chest which he may have missed. If he finds nothing, he will emerged with the chest under his arm. "The horse could give some clues as to what is going on here. It's was well-saddled and provisioned, likely it has something of it's masters belongings." He weighs the chest, "the key I took fits, though I still cannot open it. Very likely warded. With time I'll have it open."

He glances at the other men "I make no claim on their fates. Do with them as you will, I won't object"

 

[nikolokolus]

The befuddling box yields no more secrets to Heron's tests and inspections and he returns to the gathering of people with it clutched under his arm.

The stout lackey, Theron flicks his eyes nervously back and forth, scanning the faces of the troupe. His mania seems to have subsided a bit, but his face still looks haunted and more than a little desperate, "Look, if you're headed into the city, I can help you. I know people . . . It's a tricky place with hidden dangers for people unaccustomed to its vagaries." His oafish and hulking companion Erasmos is still babbling softly; his thousand yard stare focused firmly on the sickly pool of gore.

 

[Grimgravy]

While looking for breakfast in the longhouse, Rhenmyr also looks for apples, carrots, or other tasty things to entice the horse.

 

[nikolokolus]

"It's a bit early in the year for apples, but we've got some carrots." The bartender says. "For the porridge and the carrots,
that'll be 5 coppers, if ya please."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Sounds good." Rhenmyr passes over 5 coppers, pockets the carrots, and sits down to eat his porridge. When he's done eating, he returns the bowl and spoon saying, "Thank you kindly!" and sits outside to wait for the others wanting to track the horse. "Don't take too long! The horse could be getting farther away as we speak." he calls to the stable.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric joins Rhenmyr in waiting for others.
"I wonder if this is not a wild-goose chase, could be there are better things to do with our time."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Perhaps there are better ways to spend our time. I, for one, have business in Odessos. But that mess in the stable and the comatose old man are a mystery, and my curiosity is piqued. The horse and what it carries may be the only clues."

After resting a while, Rhenmyr checks the ground outside the stable for the horse's tracks. When he's found the trail, he waits for the others. After the 15 minutes he mentioned earlier, he sets off on the horse's trail.

Tracking

d100: [1d100] = 83

 

[Siveon]

"Be sure to look out for some blood." Marcán says as he sheathes his newfound favorite blade. "Got one good shot on the blasted thing before it tore off. Sadly, I won't be much help to you, I got nicked pretty bad" Marcán winces as he puts a hand over his bruised chest. "- and I don't think I could take another one. I'll go talk to our 'prisoners' about Odessos, maybe get some rest while I'm at it." Marcán pauses for a bit before addressing Ker.

"You needn't worry about me. It was just a damn horse."