D&D: The Rise and Fall of Knoss

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:09 am #94389

Bottom post of the previous page:

Karag squints at the soldiers. Mainlanders are hard to tell apart. He describes the sigil to the rest of the group.

Table Turning · Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:14 am

Joey seems too busy picking his nose to pay attention to this, though you noticed him eat yet another day's rations on the way here.

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:15 am #94391

((Joey Ration Count: 6 out of 20

For those of you keeping track at home, that's 12 pounds of food in one day.))

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:37 am

((The average mofo apparently eats 3 to 5 pounds a day if google is to be trusted.))

"People! This is good, yes?" Says Marko as he points towards the settlement. "We can make the camp there and have the time of resting and the merriness!." He snaps his fingers and almost instantly through the power of prestidigitation any stains he had on his clothing are gone. "Nobles should look like clean in front of people, no?"

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:38 am #94395

Karag grunts and trudges through the snow towards the came, not looking back to see if anyone follows.

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:57 am #94397

Bizarre sees the big guy lumbering off towards the camp and without looking back scurries along to his side.

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:59 am #94398

((Did anyone take mending? Because if they did whether Galvatron scorched the fur or not it could still be fixed.))

As you enter the town, you pass by an old, toothless tiefling, one with a face marked by several hideous wounds, including a long split down his nose and a missing ear. It doesn't seem to damper his spirits one bit, as he still calls out to you, offering to sell you one of his beasts of burden. Medium-sized, fat little creatures similar to horses, with long shaggy white coats to help them blend with their surroundings. "Snosel," the toothless tiefling calls them. "Like mule. I sell you one and cart for twenty-four golds?"

Further along, you see a hut in the middle of town with leather skins and fur pelts nailed to a wall outside, along with a big notice board with a letter stuck to it, but you can't read it from here.

The village does not appear to have a smith of any kind, and the closest there is to a trading post sits right across from the hut with the furs nailed to it. Most of the houses in the village seem to be makeshift huts or tents, made to where they can be picked up and moved very quickly if they needed to be. You wonder if that's a sign of anything.

((Here you can buy and sell any furs, pelts, meat, etc. that you acquire, though don't expect it to be as good as bringing things back to the Kingmaker. This is just a tiny little village, they don't even have a smith, so obviously you can't buy everything here you could buy at home base. Also, everyone but Joey, mark off one ration. This is the end of day 1.))

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:12 am #94405

((*Ahem* Karag is a proud sea raider who strikes fear into the hearts of mainlanders like these. Whatever passes for a tavern or common hall here he plunks himself down at, eats and drinks, and then browbeats anyone who tries to make him pay))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:14 am #94406

Karag plops himself down in a circle of tiefling men and women eating rank-smelling stew, sitting cross-legged. He gets no more than a brief, uncomfortable stare from everyone before they immediately try to keep their gaze away from him.

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:18 am #94407

I eat their food and drink, satisfied to be left alone while listening for anything interesting.

((For something that seemed like a pretty weak background feature I think it may actually prove really useful. I have the ability to barge in, eat and drink for free, steal minor things, and basically spy on people. I don't imagine I'll be able to browbeat my way into like, the king's home or something, but for minor shit like this it's pretty clutch.))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:31 am #94410

The people seem more in awe of the giant Islander than outright terrified of him. Some even offer their stew to him. "Where did you coming from?" one asks.

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:34 am #94411

Bizarre walks up to the toothless tiefling and begins to haggle. "Look buddy, we both know nobody around here can afford to pay you 24 golds. How about we comes to an agreement here. You sell the Snosel to me for 17 golds and I'll throw in my magical rabbit's foot. It'll bring you good fortune, I mean look it brought me to you didn't it?"

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:36 am #94412

Karag grunts and begins to tell the great stories of his accomplishments, starting with deadly cliff wrestling matches as a child, the story behind his finger necklace, all the way up to pointing out the fresh bear bite on his arm. He's a mixture of boisterous and also offended that people haven't heard of THE GREAT PEOPLE OF ARAMANKATHI.

If that's not enough he invites a few (6-7?) villagers to sit on a bench while he lifts it up and carries them in a circle around the fire.

"KARAG WILL BENCHPRESS A SNOSEL!" he boasts, pointing towards the gathering of horse-like creatures.

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:44 am #94416

((Wiz, roll Persuasion.))

The people of the village begin to clap, in awe of this strange Aramankathi strongman.

Table Turning · Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:46 am

Joey nonchalantly plops his fat ass down next to a couple of villagers. He seems even more relaxed among the peasantry than he is usually.

"I can eat 15 pounds of meat in 5 minutes."

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:53 am #94419

((19+3 = 22))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:02 am #94420

The hideous tiefling rubs a mangled hand along his rough face as he mulls over your haggling.

"Okay, we have deal. Seventeen golds and good fortunes," he says, opening the pen to the Snosel.

Meanwhile, Joey tips an entire bench, sending some of the villagers spilling off of it.

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:21 am #94423

((I didn't make it clear I guess but did haggling the snosel down get me only the snosel or did I manage to get the cart too?)) Bizarre thanks the toothless tiefling for his buisness and hands him the coins and the rabbit's paw before heading towards the rest of the party with his snosel. He ties it up nearby before he gets out his bagpipes and begins to play some music. ((using the 'by popular demand' feat. I just play some music for the rest of the night hoping to earn even a few cp before a long rest.))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:27 am #94425

((24 was for the Snosel AND the cart so I assumed you were haggling for the full package instead of just one))

Over the course of the night, Bizarre's strange melodies manage to earn him 16 coppers from the villagers.

((This'll be our long rest both in character and out pretty much since I need to get to sleep right now, so feel free to level up now, take this opportunity to RP with one another, brainstorm for ideas on how you're wanting to handle the Leopard King, etc.))

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:01 pm #94470

Aeden sits around the fire and opens a nearly empty bottle of liquor, eating the last of his daily rations. He stares intently into the fire in somber silence for several minutes before offering the remainder of the alcohol to whomever in the party is closest and asks them how they came to be an adventurer.

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:22 pm

"You want hear tale of how I becoming adventure-man?" Marko asks as he swipes the bottle. "Okay, I tell you tale. Long ago, my family was one of beeg house of Knoss. Own lots of land and nice castle! Good times, yes yes." He takes a swig of the bottle, and pauses for a moment. "Then... bad times come, war come, lots of death. Everything loss! Family struggle now, like everyone else in motherland, but we not forget... no no we not forget." He shows Aeden the ring on his finger, a small silver thing with the image of a bird in silver embedded into a red jewel. "See burd? That is Knossian Eagle symbol of my house. I here to bring house back to glory, like in good days!"

He passes the bottle back to Aeden and asks, "And you, why you being adventure-man?"

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 6:18 pm #94537

Aeden take another swig and taps the insignia on his shoulder.

"Spent many many years in the Reland military. Killed many men, got commended, got promoted. Lot of bloodshed over a bunch of political dickwaving by petty nobles with no concept of hardship. Eventually it just didn't seem worth it any more. My patriotism only goes so far, i suppose. Decided to carve out a name for myself, and possibly make a change to killing men who might deserve it. Although i must admit, it is nice to travel with companions again."

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:04 am #94617

The Snosel herdsman stares at the giant lumbering towards him, unsure what to make of him. "You intend press Snosel?" he asks in broken Common.

EDIT: Meanwhile, the people seem wary of Joey. "We don't even have that much food IN Zindva!"

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:26 am #94631

((how much snosel food can I buy here, or like how much does it cost in this village?))
Bizarre passes the time quietly staring at his bagpipes in the back of his newly acquired cart. It almost looks as if he is speaking to the bagpipes.

Timbrewolf · Post by **Timbrewolf** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 5:34 am #94639

((If there's still any doubt in the minds of these villagers (or other party members) that I can lift that animal Karag does it. Othwerise that's enough silliness for now.))

Table Turning · Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:04 am

"Okay then, watch this." Joey takes his backpack and dumps roughly a quarter of it onto the ground - you see cooking utensils such as pots and pans scatter everywhere along with what must be five days worth of five days worth of the rations that Joey has been systematically eliminating during the day.

"Heyyy everyone, it's Joe, from Joey's Knossian Tour. And today we're gonna do the HARDTACK CHALLENGE. Hands free." He gets onto all fours and begins consuming the entirety of the 5 days rations like a dog would, making a series of grunts during the process.

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:12 am #94643

Aeden looks on with a mixture of horror and fascination, and polishes off the bottle

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:49 pm

"This no good, fat man will eat our rations when he out of his! Must slow his hunger!" And with that Marko points towards the piles of food being wasted and uses prestidigitation to make them all taste like ash for the hour.

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:00 pm #94720

"He has a point, what is he planning on eating for the rest of the journey?"

Table Turning · Wed Jun 10, 2015 5:53 pm

Joey stops for a moment as the already hardly palatable hardtack in his mouth turns foul, but he quickly swallows what he was chewing on. Tears stroll down his face as he forces another piece of it into his mouth. Even a creature such as Joey has his limits however, and the ashen food doesn't stay down for long. Ultimately, Joey was only able to devour two more days of his rations due to the spell.

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:39 pm #94762

((Joey Ration Count: 8 out of 20))

Joey scarfs down several more pounds of food to the amazement of roughly a third of the village, hacking, grunting, and sputtering with each wet, sloppy bite. Not to be outdone, Karag hoists one of the strange snow donkeys over his head. Many gather around, clapping at these displays of constitution and strength. Tales will be told of this day, no doubt. Meanwhile, nobody seems to catch Marko

((When we're ready to continue, just say, and I'll start us on Day 2.))

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:47 pm #94763

((I'd like to buy as much snosel food as I can in this camp, otherwise I'm ready to go))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:49 pm #94764

((For 25 copper pieces you can buy 5 days worth of feed))

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:03 pm

((Totes ready, leveled up and all that good stuff. Got some nice invocations.))

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:24 pm #94783

Bizarre walks up to each of the group members and says "For the low low price of 5sp I'll let you use my cart for storing anything you might find or don't want to carry. This is a permanent deal and you can use this cart as long as it still rolls across the ground. I'm low on funds and every donation helps feed my snosel so it can keep on going."

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:30 pm

"Snosels are very nice animal but very dangerous when hungry! Here 10 silver for the snosel feeding!"

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:35 pm #94785

"Thanks Marko, feel free to put anything you don't want to carry on the cart." Bizarre replies kindly. ((I'd like to buy 10sp worth of snosel food, so that's I think 20 days worth of snosel food))

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:06 pm #94794

Likewise Aeden hands over 10sp and places a few of his belongings on the cart.

"The tools of our trade can be quite cumbersome, buy the beast something nice to eat."

Table Turning · Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:12 pm

Joey begins cleaning up the mess he made, putting the remaining rations and his scattered cooking supplies into his bag and taking a bow before the villagers.

((Ready))

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:34 pm #94806

((Also ready by the way))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:02 pm #94812

((Do you mean 10 copper pieces, Wiznard? Because 20 silver pieces worth of food is 200 days of snosel food.))
((Going to assume you are, just for the sake of moving things forward))

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun rises in the east, and with it you're ready to continue your journey to the lands of the leopards. Fastening your bootstraps, sharpening your blades, and checking your supplies twice, you find everything in order for continuing the journey. Hours pass as you stomp through the Knossian Wilderness, and much to your surprise, you aren't confronted with monsters immediately. The snosel does a fine job carrying your supplies, only occasionally stopping to spit at you for making eye contact with it or sit and drool onto the ground. After a few hours, you see leopard hides nailed to trees marking the beginning of possibly-hostile territory.

It's not long before you come across something horrid. Almost a mile's worth of corpses, impaled from the bottom of one's bottom to the roof of one's mouth, planted into the ground like signposts, each with their hands bound behind their backs, looking to the skies in their last moments. The smell is something even Bizarre's snosel's stench cannot drown out. Some of the corpses appear to be no older than children, to some of the party's horror.

TheWiznard · Post by **TheWiznard** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 12:01 am #94855

Bizarre does a three sixty turn and takes in the whole sight. "Man this doesn't bode well for us, does it lads? These poor people didn't deserve this." He slowly reaches around his shoulder and takes off his bagpipes and begins to play. ((song)) ((also in that previous round I thought you said 25coppers for 5 days of food and I thought 5sp turned into 50 coppers which would have been 10 days of food / It's all good though though, can you tell me how much 10 coppers actually wound up getting me?))

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 12:15 am #94858

Aeden face looses its usual cheer at the site of the carnage, replaced by a stony gaze.

"Bloody cowards, impaling children. i look forward to bleeding a few of them myself. As if maiming unarmed villagers makes you a force to be reckoned with. Even so, we should proceed with caution, it may be prudent to stray from the road to remain unseen."

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 12:16 am #94859

((10 coppers gets you 2 days worth))

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:27 am

"Oh, this is a lot of death. We avenge them by taking Leopard head. Remember to be watching your behind-sides, we in enemy land now."

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:51 am #94878

((Not wanting to spoonfeed or anything but I do wanna say that at any point you can roll history on a location to try to figure out how much you'd know about it. Make use of those skills, people! Survival will come in handy quite a bit when you're on longer treks.))

((Oh yeah, and roll perception.))

THE MIGHTY GALVATRON · Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:52 am

((1D20 => 7, Thanks rolz!))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:53 am #94880

((You don't notice a thing, friend.))

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:58 am #94883

((Do we all roll it? if so i got a 16))

Maccus · Post by **Maccus** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 2:54 am #94893

Aeden suddenly hears feet crunching on snow behind him.

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 2:55 am #94894

Gonna whip around and level my crossbow towards the sound