Breaking Chains IC

[Tanaar]

The party hustles down the trail for the rest of the day. Every half hour or so, Locke drops to one knee, examining the trail. Confident that the group remains on track, the day passes uneventfully. As twilight settles over southern Rhodesia, Locke is confident that the group is closing with its quarry.

The sun is setting, it is now evening.

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Figure out what you're going to be doing for the night, including whether you'll camp or push on, watch rotation, etc. Also, for future reference, figure out a marching order. (No, you shouldn't take that as warning of an imminent ambush, just realized I needed it.

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bartleby

I'm exhausted; let's pick up the trail in the morning. I'll take the last watch. Bartleby takes up a position in the group's center, both when sleeping and when marching.

[Moff Chumley]

Ulza

Having marched twenty or thirty feet to the side of the party for most of the day, Ulza sleeps in a tree as high as possible above everyone else.

[Chineselegolas]

Mariz

"Well we could rest out here, or I could use this" Mariz said, drawing the dagger from his belt and walking over to a tree, cutting a door into it and pushing it open. "Much safer in here" he said moving to just inside the door waiting for the others to enter before closing the door. "And I'll take first watch"

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The dagger is an Exodus Knife, creates a 4x4x4 (squares, so a 20x20x20ft) extradimensional space for 8 hours. When the door is closed those inside can see out but those outside can't see it. And only those inside can open or close the door.
When the 8 hours run out those inside appear outside, no negative effects


Mariz will be near the front while marching, just to the left of Locke is he tracking so presumably at the head
As for watches... Well its rather safe in here but I suppose he'll take first

[Inyssius Tor]

Locke

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Locke will take last watch. Obviously, he's first in the marching order right now; when not tracking, he'll... well, he'll still walk first.

[Poru93]

Ghesh

"Stopping sounds fine with me. I shall take first watch, if no one minds. Lisbiss, would you mind taking the second watch with me? I'd like to continue our conversation."

If no one objects, Ghesh will take up a post on the side of the camp that faces where they haven't traveled yet.

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bartleby

Mariz, have I told you lately how much I like you? Bartleby exclaims exaggeratedly. Plainly, Bartleby will spend the night inside the tree.

[Chineselegolas]

Mariz

Rolling his eyes at Bartleby, Mariz grinned smugly

[Tanaar]

The night passes, each of you taking a turn at watch. For the most part, your watches are dull and uneventful, and almost interminable. As a new day dawns, Locke, having the last watch, is up and breaking camp when the rest of you wake.

DM's rolls, ignore.

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(d20)[13]
(d20)[15]
(d20)[8]
(d20)[14]
(d20)[20]
(d20)[7]

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bartleby

Did anyone else hear the crows on the wind last night? There are some things I never get totally used to, no matter how much I travel. He idly comments after waking up. Let's hit the trail sharp, whaddya say Locke?

[Poru93]

Ghesh

Yawning Ghesh quickly and efficiently packs up his bedroll, used to living a humble life though it hasn't been on the road very much. Once he finishes he eats a simple breakfast from his pack, and finally throws his pack across his broad shoulders. "So is everyone ready to go?"

[Chineselegolas]

Mariz

Opening the door and wandering out Mariz wandered barefooted for a short time, feeling the dew brush of the grass, the dirt under foot, wind through his... well not hair, but... as he focused himself. Putting his shoes back on he waited for everyone to leave his room and then shut the door sealing it off.

[Moff Chumley]

Ulza

Ulza descends from the tree. Today, Alesus appears much more rough hewn and dwarfy than last night, although he's still quite tall. Lets be going, then?

[Tanaar]

Locke picks up the trail easily, and the group sets out in pursuit. After only a few minutes on the road, he stops, kneeling down to more carefully inspect some boot prints in the dirt. "These tracks are fresh, and heading back the way we came...we didn't see someone traveling by themselves all day yesterday...anyone see someone in the night?" No one had. Locke backtracks a bit, and finds where the trail stops, 100 yards away from the previous night's camp and off the path. They then return to the path and blend in with the rest of the southward tracks. "Someone was watching us last night."

[Chineselegolas]

Mariz

Chuckling slightly Mariz turned to Urza "Well we didn't see anyone when we stopped for the night, so you and sleeping up there would be the only one seen. My room" he said tapping his dagger, "can only be seen from the outside when the door is open"

[Poru93]

Ghesh

"That may be true, however, what about when we were traveling here? These guys aren't rookies. They've managed to evade every attempt to apprehend them, despite the king's best efforts. Surely they would have posted lookouts along their trail which we followed. They would have watched you, Mariz, cut the hole in the tree, open the door, see all of us go into the tree, close the door, then open it in the morning. We have to keep in mind from now on that we can't just treat these bandits like a bunch of half-brained kobolds. We have to respect them and not underestimate their cleverness and abilities. Otherwise, none of us may leave this forest."

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bartleby

Ghesh is most likely right. As much as I appreciate the comfort of Mariz' home-away-from-home, I'm not going to assume that it can hide us. Anyway, we should be looking for traps -- false trails, gullies, thick undergrowth and suspiciously full trees. Let's keep moving; we don't need to give Ardald free time to lay those traps.

[Moff Chumley]

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I thought I had made it clear that I was effectivly concealed in the tree.

Ardald's knowledge of our whereabouts doesn't change much. If he's half the villain he's being made out to be, he probably knew about it when we were brought to the palace.

[Tanaar]

As the party gets moving again on the trail, the air suddenly grows cold, and a minor storm develops with supernatural speed. Amidst the sudden snowy flurry, a curiously red-suited djinn swirls out of the snow and materializes in front of you. Chuckling and beaming widely at you, you realize that this is the legendary djinn of a forgotten holiday. Make a wish!

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A little lame, perhaps, but Merry Christmas anyway, or Happy New Year if you aren't Christian. Make a wish, and I'll be back in a couple days to grant them. Don't get too greedy, or you won't get exactly what you asked for!

[Chineselegolas]

Mariz

"Fair enough. But if they had of been out there this morning, surely one of us would have seen them?

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I wish I had a Gem of Auditory Recollection (page 172, Adventurers Vault)

[Poru93]

Ghesh

"Not necessarily. As I said..." Ghesh trails off as the djinn appears in front of the group. Recalling the stories that the priests in the temple told him as a child, Ghesh remembered that if a person made a wish, that it might be granted. He thought about what he wanted for a moment and then made up his mind. Silently, he wished that he could have something that would allow him to help his allies even more than he could now.

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Ghesh's wish is to have the Gloves of the Healer (Level 12)

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bartleby casts ghost sound to whisper in the djinn's ear I wish I knew the secret of everlasting life and health. If he only grants material wishes, Bartleby will wish for Bracers of Iron Arcana. (AV, pg 115)

[Inyssius Tor]

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Perception check to track - (1d20+15)[18]

log log logorrhea

[Inyssius Tor]

Locke's mind reacts weirdly to the featureless semi-real spaces created by Mariz's magic knife. Sometimes he barely notices, sometimes he finds the space fascinating... and sometimes he gets up in the morning with eyestrain, a lingering headache, and a troublesome yet persistent feeling that he can see time.

In short, he's having a little trouble concentrating today. Staring abstractedly at the ground in front of him, in passable imitation of a hunter tracking his quarry, he practically walks into the ancient winter spirit before he realizes that the conversation has stopped.

When he finally notices, he jumps back in surprise and glances at his teammates (obviously at a loss as to the proper etiquette in this situation). Following their lead, he inclines his head in the general direction of the djinn and wishes as "loudly" as he can: I'd really, really like to be faster on my feet.