The Unchosen [IC]

[JNAProductions]

You are in the Drunken Lamb, a well-to-do tavern that you've all had a habit of frequenting.

Vex is just winding down a performance, with a good round of applause after his voice and lute finish. He bows, and grabs a drink before sitting with the rest of you.

John has been sitting with Dorothea since the two arrived, just partaking in idle chatter while the two wait for the others.

Second, meanwhile, finds herself unable to sit still during the performance, and has been pacing (one might say stalking) the area.

But, now that Vex is done, she sits herself down at the table, letting all of you talk frankly. At least, once Dorothea's eyes leave the busty barmaid who's dropping off her meal.

Spoiler: OOC

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Just setting the scene. If you feel I misrepresented your character in any way, please let me know so I can modify the post.

OOC Thread Link

[The BBEG]

John is idle around the small table, enjoying the performance and clapping as each set is completed. He jokes with his friends and nurses the same mug of honey mead that was brought to him when he first arrived. He expect a fairly serious conversation tonight, and intends to be fully sober for it.

With everyone finally around the same table, John asks the obvious. "Is it finally time? I can't wait any longer. Something has to be done about the darkness, and it needs to be done now."

[NontheistCleric]

Second curls in her chair, both feet up on the seat. She whispers something unintelligible and draws rough-cut fingernails across her collarbone. It is a minor nature charm, the ritual coming instinctively and calming her. The skittishness that descended upon her when the music started seems to dissipate as she looks up, and she notes Dorothea's gaze.

"Mating urges, Dorothea?" she asks. "I understand—we are likely to die soon."

To John, she says, "Since you cannot wait, it must be the time. But if you are asking if we also wish to fight the darkness, I can only say we would not be here if we did not."

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting guidance.

[The BBEG]

John jokingly feigns indignation. "You mean you wouldn't be here for my terrible jokes, sub-standard looks, and the warm beer?"

[NontheistCleric]

"No," Second replies, "but I would be here even less because of the music."

She glances over at Vex. "I hate music," she explains. "Yours wasn't especially horrible."

[The BBEG]

John glances over at Vex. "Yeah, I mean it's not the worst." John stares straight-faced at Vex for a few moments before smirking and an ever so slightly laughing to himself. "You know I love music, and I hate to admit it, but you play very well my friend. You repeat that to anyone not at this table and I'll deny it though." John takes another sip from his piss-warm mead.

[Illven]

Dorothea blushes, the tall blonde's eyes turning as she realizes her compatriots to be are in fact here.

Forgive me for my distraction.... She starts clearing her throat before she addresses the group. Something must be done about the grave darkness, every day more and more lives are lost thanks to my brother's idleness. My family will never proclaim me the chosen one, due to my gender. But. Something must be done, and we can't wait for my brother to find his courage any longer. I seek allies to fight that which threatens all of us. Will you join me?

[Kvard51]

Vex makes his way from the stage to the table where his friends are. He flops into his chair with a loud sigh, doing his best to shake off the elated feeling he always has when he performs. He looks to Dorothea, then follows her eyes to the ample bosom of the barmaid, grinning at her in appreciation. John's half-heard question draws his attention back to his friends, and he takes a deep swig of ale as he considers an answer. Before he can respond, though, he has to smile as the friendly ribbing starts about his music. "Second, you might learn to appreciate it more if you would sit and listen, instead of pacing a track in the floorboards like you were trying to get away."

He laughs at John's compliment, "Oh, no! I'd never let anyone know you actually said something nice, John. That would ruin your reputation."

At Dorothea's speech, though, Vex turns serious. "I've never seen myself as a hero, my friend. But I'll do whatever I can to help you. You were my first friend here, and true. I owe the same in return."

[The BBEG]

"I think that settles it. We're in. Whatever comes our way, in the good and the bad... but truth be told, I think there will be a lot of bad... really bad, before we get to the good." John grabs his mug and raises his glass to cheers the others. "To success!"

[JNAProductions]

You raise your mugs and down your ale, with a few others seeing the toast and raising their glasses with you.

The room is warm, and the outside is cold as night settles in. Will you spend one last night in peace and comfort, or do you set out lit only by the moon?

[Illven]

Dorothea will attempt to set out in the morning, only seeing 60 feet seems reckless.

[The BBEG]

Only seeing so far as a torch allows seems even more reckless. John will push for leaving in the morning.

[JNAProductions]

Morning comes. There's a slight haze over the town, but it vanishes with the rising sun as you ready yourselves to leave.

Spoiler: OOC

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Now's your last chance to get gear in a city that's guaranteed to have most things! I'd recommend horses, for traveling, but anything else you can think of, you can get now (within your budget).

[The BBEG]

John is prepared for anything. Most anything at least. He meets of with Vex planning to get ride in a wagon. It's much better than walking. John has a smile on his face that absolutely beams. More so than most of you have ever seen him have. It's obvious the idea of finally doing something about the darkness has him excited.

[NontheistCleric]

Second awakens as the earliest rays of sunlight lance through the grimy rookery window. With no money of late, this is the best place she has found to stay. Though there is technically rent, she makes herself useful enough around the place that the rest of the inhabitants do not mind her staying, even ignoring that few of them can stand up to her in a fight.

She opens the window to let the cool morning air in, then changes clothes and packs up her bedroll. Pulling out a length of hempen rope from her backpack, she loops it around a piton she has hammered into the wall beneath the window. Throwing the ends out of the window, she whispers her nature-charm and shimmies down. It is never a good idea to take the stairs unless necessary, as one is liable to have one's pocket picked or suck down some affliction. Once at street level, she reels the rope in and coils it as she walks away. She won't be coming back to this place.

Having passed by the estate of Dorothea's family once before, she remembers the way and is soon standing across the street from the gates, waiting for Dorothea to emerge. She waves when she sees the other woman and lets her approach—she's savvy enough by now to know it's not a good idea to go up to a noble's house unprompted, especially for someone as obviously unsophisticated as herself.

"Do we actually have a plan?" she asks Dorothea. "I've skirmished with the dark ones once or twice before, and it never felt as though their advance could be stopped head-on. Also, I think Vex said he was going to get us a horse and cart—John is probably already with him now. Unless a noble like yourself has horses we could all use?"

Spoiler: OOC

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In case an Athletics check is needed to climb down the rope, Second will make one with guidance. Hopefully it will succeed... it would be embarrassing to lose HP this early on.

Athletics: (1d20+1)[10]+(1d4)[4]

[Kvard51]

Vex awakens early to prepare for the trip. A quick trip to the livery stable scores a small buckboard and a horse to pull it. He returns to Drunken Lamb to load his gear and wait for John. Upon his arrival, they stow John's gear and make their way to Dorothea's family estate.

[The BBEG]

John loads into the back of the cart. As they travel to the estate, he occasionally whistles just a little bit of a tune, a smile still on his face.

[Illven]

My plan is to go into the most recent area declared a no-go zone for civilians and try to drive the forces of darkness back. Dorothea explains.

[Kvard51]

Vex grins at Dorothea's plan, "Why, that seems like a capital idea, 'Thea! Start close to home, so that, if we must flee we are far closer to safety!"

[JNAProductions]

The likeliest spot would be about three days travel away, along a road that's still pretty safe. There is, a short way from the road (maybe two hours travel by horseback) a small fishing village. It's gone entirely silent, for just over three weeks.

Assuming none of you have any objections to Dorothea's plan, you gather the last of your supplies, mount your horses and cart, and set off to traveling.

The road is smooth from many years and people, and there are a few other travelers (mostly coming in to the city) when you leave.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can travel at...

Slow Pace-32 Miles Per Day, but you can use Stealth.
Normal Pace-48 Miles Per Day, nothing special
Fast Pace-64 Miles Per Day, but a -5 penalty to Passive Perception

It's just shy of 150 miles away.

[Illven]

Dorothea will suggest 2 days normal, 2 days slowed pace.

[NontheistCleric]

Second isn't sure that the plan is really a coherent one at all, but decides to stay quiet about it as she doesn't have a better one. She regains a little confidence once the group starts discussing travelling speed, something much easier to wrap her head around.

"I think we should travel at the horse's regular pace," she says. "Keep a lookout, and if we see anything that ought to be avoided, then we choose whether to slow down or speed up to avoid it."

[The BBEG]

John is happy with the plan. "Whether we take 3 days or 4 days matters not to me. I just wish to be prepared along the way."

[JNAProductions]

Spoiler: OOC

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Two days of normal pace, covering 96 miles.

I'll use Second's passive perception +5 (advantage from y'all helping) to notice anything untoward.

Speaking of which, two days!

Spoiler: DM Rolls

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(6d20)[14][20][20][19][9][13](95)

Around three or four, on the day you leave, you encounter some refugees, coming in from the north and swinging around to this road. There's about thirty of them, looking rather weary and haggard.

[The BBEG]

John sizes up the group and worries would could have them all coming in at once. "Well met travelers. What news do you have from the north?"

[JNAProductions]

One of the apparent leaders of the group-a woman with a baby in a papoose-answers you. "Nothing good, I'm afraid. We haven't heard from Liverly in over a month, so when our village was attacked, we made the trek to Indos. Most of us made it out alright. Most."

Spoiler: OOC

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Liverly is a northern city.
Indos is your city.

They've clearly had quite a journey, given the distances involved.

[NontheistCleric]

"Attacked by monsters?" asks Second, slipping down from the cart and walking towards the group. "How long ago was this?"

[JNAProductions]

"Three weeks," she replies, shifting the baby slightly to get a more comfortable grip. "They came in the middle of the day, but with a fog that blanketed the sky out."

[NontheistCleric]

Second spends a moment or two reckoning the distances in her head. Would a journey of three weeks with such a large group in that condition put the attacked village closer or further than Liverly? Both seem to merit investigation, especially if the city has been quiet for a month.

"Can you give us directions to where your village was?" she asks the woman.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can we assume that Liverly is well-known enough that we would know at least roughly how long the distances would be on foot, although we might not know about this village? Could the Wanderer feature help, if that's even needed?

Wanderer: 'You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you.'

[JNAProductions]

Spoiler: OOC

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The distances involved are sufficient that you'll certainly arrive at your current destination sooner. Given how far Liverly is, these people seem to have booked it-it's possible they HAD horses at some point, and have lost them.

"If you know where Liverly is..." she says, and gives directions relative to that landmark. "But we aren't rich folk. Nothing we left behind is worth risking your lives for."