DM After a while morning nears noon and everyone in the group eventually is sitting together at a table, all gear has been collected the decision about where to head needs to be made.
The discussion comes down to the fact that there are two paths to follow. One is to head north, to Olostin's Hold which is where the doppelganger that has been impersonating Bern and Worvil Forkbeard, also known as the Weevil had last been seen. The other is into the High Forest.
Zindra explains, "We must head into the High Forest where we are to meet with Turlang. If you do not know, the region of woodlands to the east is called Turlang Forest by many. But it's a heavily protected and insular region that does not trust outsiders. So a large group of outsider will be unwelcome no matter who is in that group. There are three of us that are invited. We can take two more with us." She identifies Davroar and Bern as the two others that were invited. "I don't think that Jaliera and Davroar can be separated so that leaves us with a choice of one more."
Arus contributes that he has an obligation to deliver goods from the company he had been working for to Noanar's Hold. He's learned that it's half a day away and that would get him there by evening. It just so happens that Noanar's Hold is on the very edge of the High Forest and that there's a trail from there north. Those who had spoken with the elf Berris repeated what he said about that place "Some who ventured to Noanar's Hold never returned. There were dark rumors that the Hunt Lords who ruled Noanar's Hold were arranging wanton slaughters to amuse their guests and even allowing their guests to hunt one another. Once the rumors started to spread, the place was shunned and the village fell on hard times."
OOC: Some quick info... Aquadyne needs a break. We've discussed it and what works well is for me to "take over" for a bit before the party splits. So that's a slight change in plans but works out well. I'm going to assume that you all are okay with that and that I lead you a bit by the nose to help fulfill Arus's mission. The split can happen right there.
As far as the party breakdown, I laid out the major constraint through Zindra in character. The reality is that any other one PC could join that group. My plan was to add Pavel to that group but the truth is it could be anyone. Pavel has an in-character tie-in with Jaliera and fills a tactical needs as a wizard/fighter. But anyone could work well with that group. You have time to decide.
I've attached a map and a travel rate chart to make things somewhat clearer.
(OOC - I doubt it's critical to anyone so I suggest we use the best tactical split.)
Zhu
She nods towards Zindra, aware of the High Forest, having visited years ago. "We should make up a place and a time to meet up again, after we each complete our missions. I can go to both Holds but then my path takes me to Silverymoon. Where did you plan to go after Turlang?"
"Noanar's Hold, Olostin's Hold, Everlund, Silverymoon, thence a brief detour to Zymorven Hall to see a man about a sword. I know my itinerary." The Dragonborn shared.
"Word has it that Noanar's Hold is no longer a welcoming place, its lords fallen to evil. Leastways those who go there do not return." the paladin reiterates for the party.
From their maps he'd expected Noanar's Hold to be one more settlement and inn along the way but last night's news from the Harpers has quashed that idea.
"I will gratefully travel with companions but forewarn that the road may be tough, the destination tougher."
"I appreciate the warning Arus," he said sincerely. "As heroes maybe we can cull the evil from it, and help liberate the people, once again." The words sounded high and mighty, full of florid description, but it was clear the half-elf meant them none the less.
She shakes her head. "I don't think so. Much of it depends on timing. I have no idea how long it will take the group going to Turlang to complete their mission. The other group is heading to two different villages and then to Silverymoon so I suspect we have a longer journey. And, of course, things are likely to intervene unexpectedly."
She muses. "How about this? We can wait in Silverymoon for a little while once we complete our mission. If more than a pair of Fortnights pass from the time we leave here and the Turlang group hasn't arrived, we will either come look for you or go on to another mission, should it be pressing. Either way, we will leave a message with Sir Trasus Maricus of the Order of the Gauntlet. When you arrive at Silverymoon, you can go to him or ask for me in the Arkhan Tower. They will know my whereabouts if we are still there."
She pauses a moment more in thought. "I also believe Davroar can send an animal messenger to find me to deliver a message."
"Well stay safe friends and good luck. It will seem strange without some of you around. We did get our meet up again place agreed. yes?"
She looks around enquiringly.
ooc: You may have missed what I said. All of you are continuing on together for another leg to Noanar's Hold so that Aquadyne can get a short break before we split up the party.
BTW, I'm away from home so posting for this week is going to be erratic at best.
The cleric is quiet, as he is mostly new to the party and only here by invite, although this does seem an interesting bunch.
"As I've said earlier, my initial interest has been claiming the prize for capturing the Weevil, although it seems you heroes are not as in need of such coin as I am." He chuckles.
"I'll go where I'm needed but galavanting through a forest isn't going to fill my coinpurse."
[OOC: Obviously I'm going in the group Nep is DMing. ;)]
"One thing I may add, though, as we eventually may split up. We can discuss on the road to Noanar's Hold, but I do know a skill that allows communication long distance. Short messages, but we can definitely keep in touch with each other. So let's not just part ways without at least discussing that bit."
"Anyone I know," Aubric replies to Jaliera. "Which includes all of you. I can convey about twenty five words, and whoever I communicate with can respond in like manner. On the road we should maybe discuss some shorthand terms."
He pauses, and then adds, "And like any spell, it requires the capacity to cast it...best not to do before or after a battle, but as a routine while traveling before resting for a while would be good to be in the habit of."
"I'd suggest we start with a single word that sums up several different potential situations. Something like 'Good', to mean everyone is OK and no emergency exists, or 'Danger' to mean the group is in peril and needs assistance. That could be followed by location information I guess. Might not be bad to create a dictionary of single words with longer meanings?"
"A shorthand of known terms is no bad thing. Perhaps giants by type, so 'hill' or 'hills', 'fire' or 'fires', 'storm' or 'storms' and so on. Every word saved a word we can use elsewhere." The scholar mooted.
"Let's not make it too complicated to remember," Aubric offers, with a nod toward Bern. "Given that I, and whoever I communicate to, has to learn it all. Just shorter words with pre-understood meanings. Like 'Arcana' could mean we found a magical item. 'Skirmish' means we had to fight something but nobody was really hurt badly. 'Gossip' followed by information means we learned something but it's secondhand information. Stuff like that."
He does not have any suggestions for keeping messages short. Instead he just comments, "It sounds like a great spell, Aubric, yet we should still keep the idea of leaving a message in Silverymoon as a backup."
OOC: As a DM I wouldn't put a "sleeping" restriction on the spell. The spell has a purpose so I would make sure it gets through unless there were major factors like the recipient was dead, petrified or similar. Only DMs that try to "win" would pull crap like that on a party doing the right thing.
Also, I found a work-around for the fried keyboard issue. I borrowed a USB keyboard from my brother and disabled the built-in keyboard. It's not perfect but it works.
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