Encounter at Shadow Castle Keep Parts 1 and 2

[Duniagdra]

“Any maps of where the last know site of these lizardfolk settles at? Might give us better ide where to find these men.” seeing everyone else throwing questions Marcus leaves his the only he will ask.

[patransom]

“Word has already been delivered by this time for reinforcementsto be dispatched ASAP.”

“Do you mean you sent a member of your group before you engaged? If so, that's one less task for me to worry about. I assume it's someone the garrison at Rastingdrung would trust?” Corporal Luben then does his best to answer the party's questions...

“Lemme git this straight. You sez they breached the doors last night, kidnapped Marzena and four of you men? How many of the green skins were there? Shore but she didnnt go without no fight?”

“Yeah. They attacked last night and broke down the doors during the fight. Marzena and THREE others were in the front trying to keep the lizards from getting further into the fort when they were taken. Not sure the total numbers. Fifty maybe? Most of them are dead out there now, though, thanks to you lot.”

“Any ideas where they took em?”

“Do you know anything about the swamp or, even better, have a map?”

“Any maps of where the last know site of these lizardfolk settles at?”

“Maps of the swamp? No. It's not a place normal folk spend much time. Methinks there are several lizard tribes and I can't even say which tribe these ones are from. Not that it matters, since who knows which tribe makes it lair where? Marzena was our best expert on such things and... well...”

“For that matter, have these lizardmen raided and stolen people in the past?”

“Like I said, it's been years since the lizards caused any trouble. But I heard some rumors that some of 'em are man-eaters, or were back in the day. Makes me worried for ours...”

With the questions answered, Marcus suggests taking inventory. Since the party had brought only enough rations for the trip from Rastingdrung and back, Luben gladly agrees to supplement their food with some extra hardtack from the keep's stores, in case their search of the swamp takes much time.

OUT OF CHARACTER

I'm handwaving the rations count for this adventure. It doesn't make things any more interesting or fun... If you're ready to start tracking the lizardfolk, Survival skill checks would be appropriate to try to find their tracks into the swamp. If Survival is not your character's strong suit, you can try Perception to help find their initial point of departure, although this won't help follow them. It might also be worthwhile at this point to make Spellcraft checks in combination with Detect Magic to identify the items you took from Kushak and Shesht.

 

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Evan Prost: 12 +1 bullets left 2. Fluffly: 1 hp damage 3. Marcus Tilsworth: 42 bolts left 4. Worrel: 38 arrows left, 5 hp damage 5. Texudus TreeBender: 23 arrows left 6. Lola: 49 bolts left, 2 hp damage 7. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: 17 bolts left, 2 hp damage

[CGM3]

Cyrius has a Perception of +9 (+10 vs surprise).

His Survival is +9, so if nothing else he can Aid a better tracker (10+ check gives +2 to the tracker).

3 Perception checks (w/out +1 to detect surprise):




3 Survival checks (for tracking or Aid another tracker):

[ElectroZman]

Tex will start tracking in his favored Terrain. (If we don't start off in the swamp, subtract 2 and well, that first check is pretty awful anyways.)

But it looks like, with a little help, he might get us there in the end.

[smeltdm]

Prost and Fluffy move along the edge of the swamp looking for lizard folks departure point.

[kabkal]

Lola will do survival x3






Spellcheck

[Duniagdra]

OUT OF CHARACTER

I'll make my rolls tomorrow.

 

[JPetherick]

Worrel lends his eyes to the search for the start of the lizardmen's trail.

[Duniagdra]

[patransom]

The party easily locates the lizardfolk's point of departure into the swamp. In fact, they identify two separate points of departure: (1) one group of lizardfolk tracks, accompanied by several human-sized boot prints and (2) a fresher set of lizard prints, without any humans along, obviously the group that just fled from the battle. Not far into the swamp, however, the two tracks join each other. Clearly, the second group headed the same way as the group with the prisoners: southwest toward the center of the swamp.

Tex notes that the soft ground and number of prints will make these tracks easy to follow, the only decision will be how careful you want to be. Moving more slowly will make tracking easier, but either way the boggy marsh will make it slow going.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Pick a travel speed. It will be DC5 to follow the tracks at half speed of 0.5 miles per hour, DC10 at normal speed of 1 mile per hour. Even though you don't know where the tracks lead exactly, the map below will give you an idea of the extent of the swamp (i.e., how far you could possibly go at the most). One hex is five miles.

 

Lola attempts to examine the known and suspected magic items, but realizes she hasn't prepared Detect Magic, so her efforts are for naught.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Evan Prost: 12 +1 bullets left 2. Fluffly: 1 hp damage 3. Marcus Tilsworth: 42 bolts left 4. Worrel: 38 arrows left, 5 hp damage 5. Texudus TreeBender: 23 arrows left 6. Lola: 49 bolts left, 2 hp damage 7. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: 17 bolts left, 2 hp damage

[CGM3]

Cyrius thinks the party should press on at best speed.

[kabkal]

Lola agrees we should move on.

[JPetherick]

Worrel agrees. “"The soldiers felt that time was of the essence."”

[ElectroZman]

“I'm with ya. They ain't hiding there tracks. Lets move!”, says Tex. He then presses on with all speed.
Tracking roll:

[smeltdm]

Prost comments...“Let's get them Fluffy” prost gives him a treat

OUT OF CHARACTER

since Fluffy seems to eat anything (someones bloomers) , I'm guessing a hand full of dog food would be a treat

 

[Duniagdra]

Marcus feels that urgency needs best movement. Of all persons here at least one of us will spot the trail if any others miss it.

[patransom]

The party follows the lizardfolk tracks into the Calenvicar Swamp, making all possible haste. Even moving as quickly as possibly, they have no difficulty following the trail. Of course, "as quickly as possible" is not particularly quick, since the terrain is quite difficult. The swamp features frequent patches of deep water and mud. Although the trail seems to stick to drier areas, even these are muddy, often calf-deep on a human. Occasionally, the path climbs directly over “islands” of mangaroo trees that are really just great tangles of roots and branches. Once or twice, the group spots crocodiles lurking in nearby pools and waterways, although these creatures do not interfere with their progress. The constant clouds of insects are a greater irritation.

The lizards' route seems to be somewhat circuitous. The trail frequently changes directions, almost as if the lizardfolk were avoiding certain specific locations in the swamp. As a result, the party follows the trail for a full 12 hours without reaching any significant destination. Exhausted at this point, they are forced to make camp and rest overnight. Although camping in the swamp is unpleasant, the group is able to rest unmolested.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Everyone is back to full health. Those of you who memorize spells can change what you have ready, if you want. Just let me know when you post.

 

The next day, they continue following the tracks. At dusk the next day, after almost a full 8 hours of forcing their way through the swamp, the trail leads them to an area of slightly elevated ground. A very large, regularly shaped clearing lies just ahead. At its center is one of the "islands" formed by a grove of mangaroo trees, an impenetrable mass of roots, trunks, and branches, choked with mud and leaves. This is the largest such "island" the party has encountered. It appears to be more than 200 feet in diameter. Something tells the group that they might want to be cautious before entering the clear area surrounding the grove.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Everyone should make a perception and a stealth check...

 

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Evan Prost: 12 +1 bullets left 2. Fluffly: uninjured 3. Marcus Tilsworth: 42 bolts left 4. Worrel: 38 arrows left 5. Texudus TreeBender: 23 arrows left 6. Lola: 49 bolts left 7. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: 17 bolts left

[ElectroZman]

Texudus
Perception


Stealth

[JPetherick]

Worrel peers ahead into the tangled mess, trying to spot any threat that might be lurking. After a moment, he mutters a prayer to Mitra and seeks any taint of evil in the immediate area.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Paladin ability - Detect Evil

 

With his armor and shield, Worrel is not stealthy. He might, however, serve as a distraction for his companions.

[CGM3]

For Cyrius:

[smeltdm]

Cautiously before entering the clear area, Prost dismounts Fluffy as they approach the and commands him down (assuming it is a hand signal).

[kabkal]

Lola looks and tries to sneak, and fails both miserably:

Perception

Stealth

[patransom]

The party lurks in a relatively overgrown area at the edge of the large, regularly shaped clearing. Ahead is the huge mangaroo grove towards which the lizard and prisoner tracks lead. As the group considers how to approach the grove, Prost hears the faint splat of webbed feet coming from the swamp to the group's left. Turning to look, he sees two lizardfolk about 60 feet away. Like the party, they are somewhat concealed by the overgrowth, but Prost, with his keen senses, has spotted them.

Rather miraculously, the pair of lizards do not appear to have detected the party's presence. However, they are currently moving parallel to the edge of the clearing such that their route will soon bring them directly to the group's location...

OUT OF CHARACTER

Sorry guys, no time to make a map right now and I'm going to be out of town the next 10 days. So there will be another delay before I post again. In the meantime, however, you've got a full round before the lizards stumble directly onto you. Go ahead and post what you'd like to do. Some possibilities: sneak back into swamp and out of their path, charge to attack them, stand up and say hello, run into the clearing and start dancing, I dunno...

 

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Evan Prost: 12 +1 bullets left 2. Fluffly: uninjured 3. Marcus Tilsworth: 42 bolts left 4. Worrel: 38 arrows left 5. Texudus TreeBender: 23 arrows left 6. Lola: 49 bolts left 7. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: 17 bolts left

[smeltdm]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Table talk: So hide from them and let them pass then follow them...they may lead us to their camp with prisoners

 

[kabkal]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Table talk: So hide from them and let them pass then follow them...they may lead us to their camp with prisoners

 

OUT OF CHARACTER

Agree with that idea.

 

[ElectroZman]

OUT OF CHARACTER

I agree as well

 

Tex whispers, A patrol? Fall back and hide!

[JPetherick]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Worrel is in agreement.

 

[CGM3]

Cyrius concurs with the plan to let the lizardfolk pass and then follow them.

[Duniagdra]

Table Talk

Seems we're all on board.

 

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Cool. Everybody make a stealth check again.