ic Ghosts Come Home to Roost?

[rauhric]

Aeruiel Moonshadow   Half-Moon Elf Barbarian from Ashabenford

---

Once Rodin informed the group that the red was not blood she assumed it could be red wine, and once Jessie confirmed her suspicion she smiled as if knowing something important to contribute to the group. Somewhere in the back of her head she heard a little song creep up and she said, "I remember something. 'Seek the fruit of the vine To find the gold that once was mine.' A drunk and loud braggart Sembian mercenary sang that catchy tune and proclaimed that he was a descendant from one of the Sembian soldiers who sacked the famous bandit hold of Galath's Roost. That little verse must mean something."

OoC

Spot to look for grape vines around here.

---

AppearanceFemale half-elf, age 17, blonde, blue eyes, fair skin, 5'-7" tall weight about 125 lbs.

She is described as a willful and free spirited young woman, who likes playing pranks, and flies into fits of rage when bullied.

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Wiz]

Kethra looks about the area where the many feet have made strange marks at the top of the hill.  She takes out her book and makes a few markings and calculations in it, then when summoned over she looks down at the graves, gets out her crossbow and cocks it, putting a bolt in place to be ready for action.

"Something has been dining on the corpses here, we need to be wary as we traverse this area."

OOC

Spells: 

0 - Detect Magic

0 - Light

0 - Message

1 - Bless

1 - Command

1 - Detect Secret Doors (Knowledge Domain)

AppearanceTall, thin and blonde; the young 's woman's bone structure speaks to her proud Illuskan ancestry and the fierce warriors and sailors who founded her bloodline. The young scholar has eyes like the sea after a storm and a fair complexion made pale by hours and hours in ivory towers.

Scholar by nature and librarian by training; Kethra is a bibliophile, almost as passionate about books as she is about her goddess and the magic that Mystra brings to the world. Sometimes tending to be a know-it-all, the young Illuskan often has to moderate her superior-seeming attitude by being an affable person and an able negotiator.
 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Wiz (see edit history)

[Terran]

When Jessie finds the concealed campsite, the tiny halfling rogue silently points out the components and then continues to poke about while also keeping her eyes and ears focused on the surrounding environs watching and listening for the sight or sound of movement or anything unusual in the immediate area.

The diminutive burglar also looks skyward, with her loaded short bow in hand, to verify that the vultures are circling this specific location and that it is not something else nearby that is attracting their attention.

Whispering, Jessie surmises, "Perhaps this is the campsite of the missing soldiers.  Investigating the state of rot in their garbage and the coals in their firepit might reveal how old these concealed items are, possibly even information about their makers," she adds while doing the dirty work of poking through what even might be their toilet, who knows till the lid is lifted!

OOC

Take 20 on Search for a 24 total on the Search Check.

Jessie Tosscobble III's AppearanceJessie is small standing at 2 foot 8 inches and weighing a mere 27 pounds. As such, the lass intentionally keeps her brown hair long to cover her halfling features, which allows the rogue to pass herself off as a small humanoid or even young human or half-elven child when convenient or necessary.

Dressed dark purple clothing, which is overlaid with attractive black leather accoutrements, Jessie keeps the paraphernalia of her 'profession' secreted upon her person, and especially the authorities, except when in use.

Her friendly blue eyes and warm, sincere smile are disarming and allow the lass to paint a picture of a young girl who is completely unintimidating by all appearances, an assumption often made by others which suits her well and which she actively cultivates.

To promote this look of youth or innocence, most of Jessie's weapons, alchemical doodads, pack, and other equipment are kept hidden under her clothing and also by her large heavy dark green cloak.

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Terran (see edit history)

[Draidden]

 

---

Rodin Sethilaud

Wood Elf, Ranger

 

---

 

 

Hearing Jessie remark about the campsite found he moves over to it and checks the area out for anything he might find. He moves about the site and examines the spots where the garbage and campfires were located.

 

OOC

Will take 10 on Survival, Spot and Listen checks for a total of 15 each.

It gets a +3 bonus if any of those are applied to Drow or large spiders.

 

AppearanceRodin stands at 6 feet tall and appears a bit more muscular than the average elf. His skin has a light brownish tan look to it. His hair is brown with streaks of copper highlights through it and hangs down to just touch his shoulders. It normally has a bit of a wild windblown look to it. His eyes are a medium green which reminds most people of the color of leaves. He wears studded leather armor that has been dyed a camouflage pattern of browns and greens. His cloak is held closed by a brooch the shape of a silver arrow with green fletching. Aside from his dagger on his belt, the only weapon he carries is his longbow, which looks a bit thicker and sturdier than most bows.

 

 

 

 

[Sorithar]

 

About the Roost

Aeruiel manages to spot no grape vines nor, for that matter, any edible flora in sight. Meanwhile, Jessie finds that the campers, whomever they may have been, were very good at disposing of any remains and little but ash is left to tell who they may have been.

Rodin however, doesn't need more than one take to ascertain that the campers were very likely elves or rangers and if not, then some other creatures highly versed in stealthy woodland survival.  

OOCA successful Survival Check at this campsite might reveal more.

MAP

[For sake of clarity, any reference to cardinal directions in posts will assume that North is Top of Map as posted, unless a Compass Rose is visible.]

Edited March 23, 2023 by Sorithar (see edit history)

[Draidden]

 

---

Rodin Sethilaud

Wood Elf, Ranger

 

---

 

 

After looking around the campsite for a while Rodin speaks up.

Whoever these guys were they are very good at getting rid of evidence that they were here. Could be elves or rangers. For that matter it could anyone  who knows how to cover their tracks. Lets go check out those ruins.

He moves over to the ruins of Garath's Roost and carefully moves in checking around for signs of danger and signs of someone else having been here recently.

 

OOC

Will take 10 on Survival, Spot and Listen checks for a total of 15 each.

It gets a +3 bonus if any of those are applied to Drow or large spiders.

 

AppearanceRodin stands at 6 feet tall and appears a bit more muscular than the average elf. His skin has a light brownish tan look to it. His hair is brown with streaks of copper highlights through it and hangs down to just touch his shoulders. It normally has a bit of a wild windblown look to it. His eyes are a medium green which reminds most people of the color of leaves. He wears studded leather armor that has been dyed a camouflage pattern of browns and greens. His cloak is held closed by a brooch the shape of a silver arrow with green fletching. Aside from his dagger on his belt, the only weapon he carries is his longbow, which looks a bit thicker and sturdier than most bows.

 

 

 

 

[Terran]

Jessie grins and nods affirmatively when Rodan explains that the concealed campsite was likely the work of elves or rangers because it was so hard to find, and then she says in a lowered voice, "The campsite was hidden well, but I'm so small that it's hard to hide anything big from me.  A crack to most folks is just a crack, but in my eyes it's more akin to a small crevice and thus easier to see just cause I'm so itty-bitty."

As the party wraps up the investigation of the hidden campsite and begins to make its way to the Roost, the diminutive rogue takes her customary place at the back of the formation quietly skipping to the beat of imaginary music as Jessie guards the rear flank with her loaded short bow in hand while keeping her eyes and ears focused on the surrounding environment watching and listening for the sight or sound of movement or anything unusual.

After the 'Tallies' have determined the coast is clear on the Roost, once again Jessie will quietly poke around the site looking for things bigger eyes might have overlooked as she helps Rodin and her other companions search the area for clues, while once again keeping her wits about herself as the rogue keeps an impromptu watch over her big new friends!

OOC

Take 20 on Search for a 24 total on the Search Check.

Jessie Tosscobble III's AppearanceJessie is small standing at 2 foot 8 inches and weighing a mere 27 pounds. As such, the lass intentionally keeps her brown hair long to cover her halfling features, which allows the rogue to pass herself off as a small humanoid or even young human or half-elven child when convenient or necessary.

Dressed dark purple clothing, which is overlaid with attractive black leather accoutrements, Jessie keeps the paraphernalia of her 'profession' secreted upon her person, and especially the authorities, except when in use.

Her friendly blue eyes and warm, sincere smile are disarming and allow the lass to paint a picture of a young girl who is completely unintimidating by all appearances, an assumption often made by others which suits her well and which she actively cultivates.

To promote this look of youth or innocence, most of Jessie's weapons, alchemical doodads, pack, and other equipment are kept hidden under her clothing and also by her large heavy dark green cloak.

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Terran (see edit history)

[Sorithar]

 

 

Following Rodin's lead, you make your way back around the ruins of the keep and carefully across the ancient causeway. The dry moat you're crossing is roughly 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Its packed earth walls have slopes of about 60 degrees. The inner slopes were probably once studded with sharpened wooden stakes to discourage attempts to scale them, but even if that was so, these must have long since rotted away. Now, the whole ditch is filled with vines and brambles. Those of you familiar with keeps, such as those commonly found in Cormyr, know a timber gatehouse with two portcullises and several murder holes most likely once guarded the keep's main entrance, but any such structure is long since gone without a trace.
A glance about confirms that all the surviving parts of the ruin are made of stone, now mostly badly cracked with evidence of damage from fire and weathering.

What remains of the outer, curtain, walls is roughly 10 feet thick overall, made from courses of stone a foot thick, with dirt and rubble sandwiched in-between. They now rise anywhere from 5 to 15 feet high around the ruin but no higher. What you can make of the inner walls, what's left of the ruined buildings inside the curtain wall have stone walls roughly 2 feet thick and 10 to 15 feet high. 

Bushes, weeds and brambles fill the open courtyard of the ruin, bursting through the flagstone floor and a single stately looking oak rises above the remains of the walls of one of the innermost structures. A pile of rubble is strewn across the floor of the smaller interior structure, visible from the entranceway. 

OOCA successful Survival Check at this campsite might reveal more.

MAP

[For sake of clarity, any reference to cardinal directions in posts will assume that North is Top of Map as posted, unless a Compass Rose is visible.]

Edited March 25, 2023 by Sorithar (see edit history)

[Draidden]

 

---

Rodin Sethilaud

Wood Elf, Ranger

 

---

 

Rodin moves in cautiously. He moves to get a good look inside the small building in the NE corner. His bow is in his hand and ready in case he needs to defend himself. If there is nothing of interest in the building he continues forward to check what is hidden behind the building. His senses are alert for trouble.

 

OOC

Will take 10 on Survival, Spot and Listen checks for a total of 15 each.

It gets a +3 bonus if any of those are applied to Drow or large spiders.

AppearanceRodin stands at 6 feet tall and appears a bit more muscular than the average elf. His skin has a light brownish tan look to it. His hair is brown with streaks of copper highlights through it and hangs down to just touch his shoulders. It normally has a bit of a wild windblown look to it. His eyes are a medium green which reminds most people of the color of leaves. He wears studded leather armor that has been dyed a camouflage pattern of browns and greens. His cloak is held closed by a brooch the shape of a silver arrow with green fletching. Aside from his dagger on his belt, the only weapon he carries is his longbow, which looks a bit thicker and sturdier than most bows.

 

 

 

[Wiz]

As Kethra joins the group, following them down somewhat belatedly after spending a little time on the hillside, she makes her way with the others down to the keep.  Pausing outside, she gets a scroll from h er scroll case and reads it off, apparently casting a spell of some kind on herself, after which she rereadies her crossbow.

"In answer to the question asked before, there is what I believe to be an inactive or dormant portal on top of  the hill, which explains why the foot traffic seems to disappear to  nowhere."

OOC

Spells: 

0 - Detect Magic

0 - Light

0 - Message

1 - Bless

1 - Command

1 - Detect Secret Doors (Knowledge Domain)

AppearanceTall, thin and blonde; the young 's woman's bone structure speaks to her proud Illuskan ancestry and the fierce warriors and sailors who founded her bloodline. The young scholar has eyes like the sea after a storm and a fair complexion made pale by hours and hours in ivory towers.

Scholar by nature and librarian by training; Kethra is a bibliophile, almost as passionate about books as she is about her goddess and the magic that Mystra brings to the world. Sometimes tending to be a know-it-all, the young Illuskan often has to moderate her superior-seeming attitude by being an affable person and an able negotiator.
 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Wiz (see edit history)

[rauhric]

Aeruiel Moonshadow   Half-Moon Elf Barbarian from Ashabenford

---

Following her adventuring companions she looks about and tries her best to pick up on the observational and detective skills each of these adventures tends to rely on. She still feels that little verse is somehow important. "Seek the fruit of the vine To find the gold that once was mine."

OoC

Nothing at the moment, other than trying to figure out the meaning. If it isn't a literal meaning, as in a grape vine plant, then maybe it is a drawing somewhere in the ruins.

 

She will keep a look out using Spot for maybe some drawing, carving, or graffiti of "vines".

---

AppearanceFemale half-elf, age 17, blonde, blue eyes, fair skin, 5'-7" tall weight about 125 lbs.

She is described as a willful and free spirited young woman, who likes playing pranks, and flies into fits of rage when bullied.

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Sorithar]

 

 

Entering the remains of the gatehouse to to the left of the entry, Rodin glances about and spots nothing of interest. The roofless shell appears empty, save for a tall bush that obscures sight of two of the arrow slits visible one corner of the gatehouse.

Content, Rodin moves out and around the gatehouse to find himself faced with a depression in the ruin's floor here, ringing a sinkhole roughly five feet in diameter in the courtyard floor.

 

OOC

Note: The Rodin token with a dashed orange border indicates how far I assume Rodin entered that east chamber to inspect it. If he searched it more thoroughly, please let me know.

MAP

[For sake of clarity, any reference to cardinal directions in posts will assume that North is Top of Map as posted, unless a Compass Rose is visible.]

Edited March 25, 2023 by Sorithar (see edit history)

[Draidden]

 

---

Rodin Sethilaud

Wood Elf, Ranger

 

---

 

There is a sink hole over here. Someone want to keep an eye on it while I finish searching the rest of this place?

Rodin continues south, giving the sink hole a wide berth. He moves to check out the insides of the large building that has the big oak growing out of it.

 

OOC

Will take 10 on Survival, Spot and Listen checks for a total of 15 each.

It gets a +3 bonus if any of those are applied to Drow or large spiders.

AppearanceRodin stands at 6 feet tall and appears a bit more muscular than the average elf. His skin has a light brownish tan look to it. His hair is brown with streaks of copper highlights through it and hangs down to just touch his shoulders. It normally has a bit of a wild windblown look to it. His eyes are a medium green which reminds most people of the color of leaves. He wears studded leather armor that has been dyed a camouflage pattern of browns and greens. His cloak is held closed by a brooch the shape of a silver arrow with green fletching. Aside from his dagger on his belt, the only weapon he carries is his longbow, which looks a bit thicker and sturdier than most bows.

 

 

 

[Terran]

Jessie nods affirmatively when Rodin asks for the party to cover him while he pokes his head into one of the ruined towers.  Staying clear of the sink hole, the tiny rogue takes a single step south-west so she can put her back against the remains of a stone wall with her loaded bow still in hand.

After glancing around the corner to ensure that the small area to her rear flank is clear, the rogue then raises her bow with a clear line of sight at the sink hole and into the broken tower being explored by Rodin.

As she sets up the perimeter of a makeshift watch, the diminutive burglar keeps her eyes and ears focused on the surrounding environment watching and listening for the sight or sound of movement or anything unusual in the area.

OOC

 

Jessie Tosscobble III's AppearanceJessie is small standing at 2 foot 8 inches and weighing a mere 27 pounds. As such, the lass intentionally keeps her brown hair long to cover her halfling features, which allows the rogue to pass herself off as a small humanoid or even young human or half-elven child when convenient or necessary.

Dressed dark purple clothing, which is overlaid with attractive black leather accoutrements, Jessie keeps the paraphernalia of her 'profession' secreted upon her person, and especially the authorities, except when in use.

Her friendly blue eyes and warm, sincere smile are disarming and allow the lass to paint a picture of a young girl who is completely unintimidating by all appearances, an assumption often made by others which suits her well and which she actively cultivates.

To promote this look of youth or innocence, most of Jessie's weapons, alchemical doodads, pack, and other equipment are kept hidden under her clothing and also by her large heavy dark green cloak.

 

Edited March 27, 2023 by Sorithar
OCD-ism (see edit history)

[Sorithar]

 

 

Rodin moves carefully across the ruined courtyard and just into the remains of the chamber now hosting the large oak tree. A glance behind him reveals what appear to be a gaping hole with a hint of stone stairs leading down through a solidly built U shaped wall that once may have had a roof and a sturdy door, but both, if ever they were, are long since gone.

Whatever the chamber before him may once have been, all that remains now are some minor rubble and bulk of two large fireplaces at either end of the chamber, each with a few feet of stone chimney still extending above. A stately oak tree has grown up in the dirt floor here.

 

OOC

Note: The Rodin token is now placed as far I assume Rodin entered the oak chamber to inspect it. If he searched it more thoroughly, please let me know.

MAP

[For sake of clarity, any reference to cardinal directions in posts will assume that North is Top of Map as posted, unless a Compass Rose is visible.]