Grandpre Academy (Second group)- DND 4E (IC)

[finalepic]

Dect ponders his options for a moment.

"Maybe the kobolds are in the general vicinity, again or still. If they are, and we make a lot of noise, some of them will come to investigate and likely leave a fresher trail."

[Dekkah]

DM
At Dect words, Herrick will reply,
"Wont work. I'v' nev'r seen their track. I som'times even go deep'r than her'. Also, tha town elves huntin' groun' is bigger than me own. They often go abou' a day mor' south than me."
You can all notice some displeasure when he speak of the elves. They aren't Herrick favorite villagers.

[Keler]

Then this seems a good time to set up camp". If the party sets up camp Dorn will ask if any one wants to join him in a quick scane of the surrounding woods.

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Nature (if needed):(1d20+7)[23], Perception (if needed) (1d20+7)[18]

[Shadow_Elf]

Ah, camping in the great outdoors! yawns Ace, stretching as they begin to set up camp. Dorn, if you're going to do a quick search around the area, mind if I tag along? I doubt I'll be much good, but you never know what a second pair of eyes and an extra brain can lend.

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I call evens on both checks for Beginner's Luck. If the d20 is an even number, I get +4 to the check.

Assisting Dorn:
Nature: (1d20+1)[12](13) (Even roll, so total is 17)
Perception: (1d20+1)[18](19) (Even roll, so total is 23)

I am really hoping his Beginner's Luck will kick in here

EDIT: And Ace proves to be lucky as sin yet again!

[Balricaso]

Damned kobolds. They can't hide forever... Marv mumbles as he pitches his tent.
Afterward, Marv begins performing routine martial exercises to unwind.

[Dekkah]

DM
Dorn and Ace leave to do a round as you guys start to prepare the camp. They come back about half an hour later.
In that time, camp is completed and meal ready.

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Gained a success from nature check (PMed info to Shadow elf and Keler)
Success : 4 Failure : 1

[Skinshifter]

Visk looks up from her search of the perimeter in time to see Dorn and Ace returning to the camp and curses herself quietly, taking her dinner with the group in silence and volunteering immediately for the first watch of the night.

[Dekkah]

DM
June 11, 1500

After a quiet night, you wake up under heavy rain. Herrick bid you farewell and Dorn proceed to follow the few tracks he have. The path isnt really clear and you often find yourselves guessing and then searching for some time until you finaly find some more evidence of the kobolds passage. After about 6 hours of travel, you seem to have lost them. Dorn double back up to where he found the last marks. After some time analizing the area, Dorn conclude that they seem to have splitted up in three groups. One going south, one going south-west, one going west. At this point Dorn isnt sure she could find more tracks and follow them, since the enemy groups have thined and surely left less markings.

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This is a continuation of the last perception (Dorn had highest roll I made).
You estimate to be in the middle of the forest area north-east of the Green Peaks (Les monts verts), about half way between them and the Grandvents.
If you still want to go with tracking, an other perception skill must be rolled (someone have to call and do it).
What do you do?
BTW, you still can do stuff last night if you weren't done.

[Shardan]

"There are two ways to find someone in this situation. Find where they were.. or find where they're going. They're not looking for more victims split up, so they likely are looking to roost. We might have better luck looking for their camp or den than their tracks. Dorn, you are th' ranger, which direction should we try first? Visk, mayhap you can scout ahead from th' shadows. Moradin knows they can probably hear me coming from the town. But if ye find trouble, come back to us, don' try and take things on your own."

[Shadow_Elf]

Wild Soul for today:

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(1d10)[7]

Poison. Ace has resist 5 poison today, and his eyes are correspondingly a murky green-violet mixture.

When Herrick leaves, Ace bows to him and tips hit hat. You are a good man, Herrick the Trapper. I am honoured to have had your assistance. When next we meet, perhaps we can have a rematch - I'm sure my luck cannot run on forever. he extends his hand to shake the man's hand.

After he leaves, and they are deciding courses of action:

Though I sometimes get lucky, I must say I am no outdoorsman. I will defer to Dorn and Visk's judgement on this, and help wherever I can.

[Skinshifter]

Visk fidgets with her armor and runs her hand through her short, pale hair while the two men suggest she go off into the forest alone. She turns to Dorn and nods, frowning slightly, but stops fidgeting.
What do you think, Ranger? Her voice cracks and she clears her throat, pulling on her collar slightly. I mean, which direction do you want to take? I'll take the other and if nothing presents itself by midday maybe we can meet back here and try the middle one together? Her voice is thin, but her usual confidence is still there, just hidden in the unfamilliar terrain of the forest.

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I'll follow with the Perception check after Dorn and I head out.

[Keler]

Well, There seems to be few traces of passage leading that way (points south-west) but im not sure how far they led. Anyways, it seems to be are best bet.

[/spoiler]Perception: [/roll]1d20+7[roll].[/spoiler]

((Face Palm))

[Keler]

Perception: (1d20+7)[17]

[finalepic]

"I'm for following the tracks. They probably lead somewhere interesting if not necesarily directly where we want to go."

[Dekkah]

DM
Dorn have some trouble fiding the tracks at first, but still manage to find some regulary enough to guide you throught. You go south-west for most of the day. A little bit before diner, you find some fresher tracks. As you take some time to investigate the area, you see that there is many set of tracks that come and goes in any directions but the one you come from (north-east). You now know you are on the kobold grounds and should find the camp with time. You can hear some river to the west and spot the Green Peaks directly south not too far, an hour or so on foot. Still being in their grounds can make it difficult...

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An other success .
Success : 5 Failure : 1

Now, tracking isnt a problem (so you cant use perception to track, but can come up with others ideas to use that skill). The main danger is to get caught by patrols or hunter pack that can alert the whole camp, and the more time you take, the most chances you have that it happens.
So, the default way to try for an other success is to track until your lucky and find to right tracks (no need to roll for it), but this require a Group stealth check (roll for each character, need 3 success on 5).
If you have others ideas or skills you want to use, justput it IC.
If you decide to go for the follow the tracks until lucky, just say so IC as well.

[Skinshifter]

If you all want to camp here for the night I can sneak over to the river and find a place to stay the night out there, watching for the comings and goings of the kobolds. If anyone wants to come with me I won't discourage you.
She shrugs. And if you want to continue searching through the night I'll take point. They'll never see me coming.

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Stealth check: (1d20+10)[12](22)

[Shadow_Elf]

Just a thought, but from what I know of kobolds, they're sneaky and fond of traps. I don't think fighting them on their home ground is wise - but if we bait them out here and take out as many as we can in the open, I think that will improve our odds when we weed the last of them out of their lair. The Vistani grins. Of course, I'm no tactician, so why don't you all tell me what you think of the idea? I would have no problems... drawing us some attention, should the need arise.

[finalepic]

"Oh, you all know I'm for his plan. It has a special place in my heart right now."

[Balricaso]

Marv slaps Ace on the back with probably more force then he intended.

Now theres an idea! I've had enough of this damned walking! Bring the blighters to us! They've been cowering in their holes far too long. Marv visually begins to perk up after the drudgery of all this tracking nonsense.
I'll gladly be the bait if it'll finally bring the scaled cowards out of their hidey-hole!

[Skinshifter]

Visk sighs and runs her hand through her hair agitatedly, but suddenly stops. Wait she says jarring herself out of her reverie.
We're not here to kill the kobolds, we're here to retrieve the papers for L'aurore. If we bring wave upon wave of the nasty things upon us all we are doing is endangering our lives without giving ourselves a chance to find their lair and catch them by surprise.
And I, for one, would like to know why kobolds are stealing papers instead of food or shiny metals.
She pauses a moment, thinking of a way to compromise. Her eyes brighten and she looks up at Dorn. Give me . . . and Dorn if he wants, a day to find them. Then you can bring them out to us and I'll try to sneak into the lair and get the papers back--and any clues as to why they're stealing papers in the first place.

[Keler]

"I agree with Visk, lets not put ourselfs in any unnecessary danger. Visk and I can probably find those kobold with out any trouble."

[Keler]

((hate double posting))

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Im going to go ahead and roll for perception and stealth (assuming were going with the plan in OOC).
Perception:(1d20+7)[13], Nature to see if Dorn can use anything in the surrounding to make our approach more silent: (1d20+7)[21], Stealth:(1d20+2)[7]

[Skinshifter]

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I will keep my previous stealth check unless DM wants a different one
Perception: (1d20+7)[17](24)

[Shadow_Elf]

I think we can run both plans... at the same time. Dorn and Visk move up close to the kobolds' base, we generate a distraction and make our stand out here, and then they steal the plans and the flag back. When they have succeeded, Visk must simply fire a crossbow bolt straight into the air, and we'll retreat and rendezvous with them back down the road. How does that sound to everyone? Ace looks at his companions' responses, and then has a sudden "eureka" moment. We could perhaps even additionally prepare this field of battle so that it serves to our advantage. Just a thought, though.

[finalepic]

"I like it. It suits everyone. Perhaps something rather flashier and more obvious than a crossbow bolt, though? I'm not sure I can spot one of those over the din of combat. If push comes to shove, light it on fire or something?"

[Balricaso]

Aye, if you want to do it your way ye can. I'll not throw you to the "lions" haha.
Marv starts looking around the surrounding area for stones and other miscellaneous objects.
Reckon I could probably fashion some makeshift barrier or hidey holess for you all to hide behind when we call the blighters out

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Nature for materials: (1d20+2)[13]
Dungeoneering for Marv's perceived ability to fashion barriers (1d20+4)[17]

[Shardan]

"I think I just need a way to get close enough to deliver some of Moradin's justice to these things." He pats the head of his mordenkrag. "Something to make sure Dect an' Ace have plenty of cover so they are not easy targets for their slings."

[Dekkah]

DM

Just before dusk, you find a good spot to hide and make camp, where kobold dont appear to go usually (no tracks). You make camp and all do your guard duties without troubles.

June 12, 1500
As morning comes, the rain had stopped and the sun is shinning. Visk and Dorn quickly eat and then go search for the kobolds.

Marv starts to gather some usefull materials to build some defenses later when you decide where your gonna do your stand.

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Keler and Visk got the Final success. Skill challence completed : XP : 300 (50 Each).
They got informations via PM (still playing it in PM).
Everyone use one ration (unless you wanna try to find food - use regular forage rules).

You have at least up to mid afternoon before Visk and Dorn come back (unsure yet, they still have to decide what they do). So what do the rest of you do while they are gone? (your part will be played in this thread).

[Keler]

At mid day Dorn reaches the camp. After taking a long drink of water he relays the information he gained.

"I only saw bout 8 kobolds with weapons and a small hunting pet, nothing that looks threatening. The village is located somewhere at the foot of the Green peaks. Visk says to start when ever ready."

[Shadow_Elf]

Wonderful! Well, we should prepare the field of battle in our favour, and then launch the distraction. I will happily set things off by launching an incendiary high into the sky. He rolls an Ace of Spades along his fingers, then shoves it back into the deck. So, how can I help?