More Preparation, Purchasing, Swamp Dragons
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
OOC: How much do healing kits cost? Oh, and in addition to the other items, Mission would like to buy a wide brimmed hat. Never can tell when one will need a hat. . .
Mission finishes his breakfast, and makes sure his boots are tied securely. He folds his shirt sleeves over his arms to cover his tatoos. While the others finish eating, he finds little odd jobs to do around the lodge-- sweeping, cleaning, etc.
Little jobs to keep his mind off the frustration of not yet being out after Anileth. Not to mention the frustration of not knowing which direction Anileth might have fled.
The connection between Anileth and the Black Pillar, and Elise seems tentative, yet what other clues can he follow? The Path leads eastward, and he will travel it.
Kessel. . . "What kind of giant lizards, Gully?" Mission asks. "How giant?"
From: Ty
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
A standard healing kit can be quite expensive, as much as 50gp. You guys can afford that, but only if you pool your money. However, Gully is willing to put together a pack of some clean bandages and a small jar of healing salve for only 5gp. It won't go far, but it's better than wrapping damp leaves around a wound.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
Are there other settlements nearer to Kessel? Other places we could stock up?
Would Gully be willing to buy the mace that neither Cadfael nor Rennick want, or to trade us some supplies for it?
From: Scott
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
BTW, in addition to his hat and rope, Mission will take Gully up on his offer of healing salve/bandages. He'll also buy a mallet and spikes for climbing Kessel, if he has enough money left over.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
No. Rennik thinks it unlikely that you will run into another outpost.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
OOC:
Maybe we should take stock of what we already have before we go buying anything. Garyth has the following:
Trail Rations (I think 5 days left?)
Bedroll
Flint and Steel
Silk Rope (50')
3 Fishhooks
Backpack
Whetstone
3 Waterskins
Hooded Lantern
Lamp Oil (3 pints)
Armorsmith's Tools
He's also carrying about as much as he can without becoming encumbered.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
Hmm. . . I have no idea what equipment I'm carrying. . . I look on my character sheet, and it's got nothing.
. .
Uh, oh.
From: Dan
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
OOC
Cadfael is carrying:
An empty waterskin that he refills with create water every day (and can easily do the same for anyone else. I realize that I haven't been including that in any of my writeups. I guess it's never really come up.
Backpack.
Healer's Kit
2 Flasks of Holy Water
Bedroll
Belt Pouch
Glove that has Continual Flame cast on it
I also realize that I'm out of food. So I'll either buy some rations from Gully or take Create Food as a spell today.
Like Garyth, I can't carry much more before I start running into problems.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: hitting the trail
Scott, I told everyone at the beginning to fill their sheets out with basic equipment taken from the garrison at Overlook.
It's your own fault you are going to starve to death on the road.
(You can fill the sheet out with basic equipment, though specific things like mountain climbing gear are right out, since you had no idea you would need that.)
From: Ty
Subject: hitting the trail; answering questions
Gully has been watching Mission help with the cleaning with an odd mix of gratitude and discomfort. He appears to feel strangely about a guest sweeping the floor.
When Mission stops sweeping to ask about the lizards, Gully says, "Hmmm... Hard to describe really. You never really see them well. I imagine that if one DOES see them well, it's the last thing he does see. Mostly they look like logs in the water, or lumps of mud on the jungle floor. Their skin is hard as iron, and that I know from experience. I was leading a group to Kessel for trapping when we ran into one, and one of the trappers shot it point blank with a crossbow. The bolt bounced off like it had hit a rock. The trapper lost a hand, and was lucky not to lose more.
"It's hard to tell just how big they are, since they blend in so well, but I've a friend who claims to have seen the skin of one that was 20 feet long. Says the trapper killed it with a poisoned spear, and it killed three beaters with its death throws."
From: Matt
Subject: Re: hitting the trail; answering questions
"My people know of the swamp dragons, and they are why we rarely enter the jungle. They are nature's guardians, protecting their mountain father. Legends say they are just children, and that their parents live within the mountain, their breath forming the clouds that hang on the slopes all year."
"Many have journeyed to the mountain, but only few have returned. These are the halflings smiled upon by the gods. It is a rite of passage for young Chorrdath to be left alone in the jungle for three nights, to test their courage. Most stay near the edge, a minute's run from the forest..." he pauses, looking at his feet for a moment before continuing.
"Horan and I venture deep. We were young and foolish. We thought we could not die. We journeyed a full day into the jungle, but we made our camp high in the trees. On the second day, we saw the swamp dragon beneath us, and we could not climb down. It was nearly a week before it moved on, and Horan and I nearly starved - spared by Mielikki... we were to lead our tribe..."
His voice trails off as anger and sadness war in his eyes.
"If we follow Elise into this jungle, we must take great care. Brother Cadfael and Friend Garyth, your shield and armor must be covered with cloth. We cannot afford the attention the reflection may bring. I will do my best to show you how to secure any loose equipment that might cause noise, and to cover what may catch the sun's rays." (OOC: Ty's rolling my wilderness lore to batten down all of your hatches).
From: Ty
Subject: Re: hitting the trail; answering questions
Gully nods at Rennik's story. "The courage of the Chorrdath is well known in the interior. Not many would brave the jungle for three days. Lucky your 'swamp dragon' couldn't fly, eh?"
"I can see why you call them dragons, friend. They are as close to it as can be. But there are no real dragons on Huss, not that I ever heard. These things are big and strong, but stupid. They kill only to eat, and they hoard no gold. But they are dangerous, even without breathing fire and flying."
Gully finishes putting together a small first aid kit for Mission. Mission notes that the good hearted lodge keeper puts more in it than they agreed to. The monk wonders how such an open and honest man can live here in this apparently danger fraught place. Perhaps the gods do favor the good, sometimes. It is an encouraging thought.
Rennik goes around to the rest of the party, tying cloth around loose metal, and tucking Garyth's cloak into his belt, to hid the studs on his armor. He does what he can to cover Cadfael's shiny breastplate, but it is mostly a lost cause, as it gleams like a mirror, and is almost impossible to cover up. "Well, that's as good as I can do on short notice. Let's hope no gleaming armor draws the eye of a swamp dragon." [Wilderness roll 21]
From: Matt
Subject: Re: hitting the trail; answering questions
(OOC: Hey Dan, think we can convince you to roll around in mud for a half hour or so before we start? ;)
From: Mike
Subject: Re: hitting the trail; answering questions
Something about the idea of skulking about and trying to avoid notice rubs Garyth the wrong way, but there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. He does what he can to help make himself more stealthy.
He buys a couple of days more trail rations from Gully (OOC: for a total of 7 days' worth), thanking the man for his hospitality. "And remember," he says, "I will return when my task is complete."
Loading up his pack, he can't help glancing at the halfling's mace out of the corner of his eye. Finally, he calls to Rennik. "The staff I used last night proved effective against the skeletons, and we may yet encounter more. I think that mace would work just as well, and I'd like to carry it, but I'm carrying enough as it is and don't want to risk slowing myself in combat. Would you be willing to carry one or two of my waterskins for me?" (OOC: Four pounds each.)
From: Matt
Subject: Re: hitting the trail; answering questions
"You will get more use from it than I will, surely. I can carry your waterskins to lighten your burden - they aren't close to enough to slow me down in combat." He grins. "Besides, they will get lighter with time."
Looking the group up and down, he nods a bit as though to deem his job satisfactory, but not his best.
"Brother Cadfael, your armor has proven too much for my limited skill in concealment. Unless we put you in a sack and bind you with ropes, I'm sure we cannot keep you from reflecting your god's light. You may become a target, or draw the curious eye of some beast of the jungle, so be cautious. I know it may be hard, but please try to stay out of direct sunlight on the path. Hopefully if we are not seen, it will make our journey less... eventful."
Rennik feels awkward telling the man of the sun god to avoid direct sunlight, and this plays across his face. He doesn't hide his understanding that the request is a large one, but he tries to make as calm and serious of eye contact as he can with Cadfael to impress how important it is to remain undetected.
Before the group departs, he will say his goodbyes to Gully and Cutter, and will scout ahead with axe in hand looking for Elise's track.