Tests and Trials

[Rodgeir]

((Kroshav's sense of Tarneth has been getting stronger, rapidly during the day. He doesn't have a good sense of the distance between them or an exact direction but now it is mostly east-ish and close.))

Arbelm nods her understanding and assumes Jaq doesn't have any means of helping them before moving back to the group and explaining the new orders. The news is met with muted resignation. She concludes with,

"We will be traveling as fast as we can and without light, those of you without darkvision should find someone with it and stay close. We will take a quarter hour break to eat something, get the rest you can."

((Can I get two d20s and a d100 from someone please.))
---
Ves and Joe begin the process of sneaking around to the north side of the hill, Ves doing better than Joe. About midway around the pair both hear the sound of something big and unafraid moving through the underbrush to the west of the hill, nearly directly west from where the pair currently are hidden. A moments latter a large brown bear trundles into the small clear space in front of the cave. It initially doesn't break its slow stride towards the darkness of the cave but something causes it to stop and start taking deep, snuffling breathes while swinging its head left and right. It pauses it snuffling as a deep, ominous growl escapes it as its eyes focus on the spot the pair first would have spotted the cave.

((If that isn't clear, it knows something is up but hasn't yet spotted/located you. Doing anything?))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe stops in her tracks, mot wanting to make anymore sound.

[Dlover]

???: 1D20 = [6] = 6
1D20 = [16] = 16
1D100 = [29] = 29

[Rodgeir]

The squad eats what they can and begin spliting into small groups so that they have someone that can see. Just as the sun falls behind the trees you begin moving again, Dama in the lead and Indra in the back with Ern. It is definitely slower going in the dark with a great deal more stumbling though Dama does manage to find relatively clear paths. A few hours in Arblem calls another short quarter hour break, indicating that everyone should be quiet while they do. It becomes clear during the pause that some are starting to lag as Fand falls asleep leaning against Lurn, he head slipping to fall in the firbolg's lap. Ern and Amar look on the verge of dozing off while Beck and Indra both sit chewing jerky and staring into space. On the other side of spectrum Dama can't sit still and spends the break scouting ahead while Arbelm walks around and checks everyone's gear, maybe energized by the thought of impending fight. Hep is also on edge but not exactly being productive with that energy as he sits tapping his foot.

Jolly sits by beside Jaq, both looking quite fresh, and whispers conversationally,

"Too bad we ain't got any spark weed. That'd give'm a boost... don't imagine they'd start puking and shitting themselves till after we got to where we're heading."

► Show Spoiler

Jesp, Celus, Indra, Amar, Dama, Ern, Beck, Fand, Hep, Jolly, Arbelm:
Jesp 1D20 = [9] = 9+4
Celus 1D20 = [12] = 12+4
Indra 1D20 = [2] = 2+5
Amar 1D20 = [2] = 2+2
Dama 1D20 = [19] = 19+2
Ern 1D20 = [2] = 2+2
Beck 1D20 = [7] = 7+0
Fand 1D20 = [2] = 2+0
Hep 1D20 = [18] = 18+0
Jolly 1D20 = [12] = 12+4
1D20 = [20] = 20+5

Perception checks Dama, Arbelm: 1D20+3 = [9]+3 = 12
1D20+3 = [17]+3 = 20

Jaq perception: 1D20+2 = [3]+2 = 5

Jaq con sav: 1D20 = [17] = 17

((Give me a con save and perception rolls with disadvantage if you don't have dark vision please.
Also since NSF may not be checking in for a bit you can weigh in on the spark weed and what Jaq would do with the suggestion. You can roll a nature check for him to find out more about it, or decide to present the idea more openly. Or, of course, to let it simply pass.))

[Dlover]

Con;Per: 1D20+4 = [4]+4 = 8
2D20.LOW(1)+7 = [10, 15]+7 = 17

Feeling the weariness himself, Lurn sits quietly in their break, silently mouthing prayers asking that he be granted the strength he needs.

[Rodgeir]

((Lurn could carry Fend if he so chooses, the little halfing weighs nothing but may be awkward to cradle in his arms for the next six or seven hours.))

[Dlover]

((Yeah, he'll be doing that. The guy's little legs would slow them down eventually even if he wasn't worn out.))

[thinkslogically]

Ves freezes, and waits, poised and ready to fly if the bear detects them...

[Rodgeir]

The bear trundles slowly to the edge of the clearing, angling south east of the hidden pair, to where they first approached the hill. The sound of heavy sniffing can be heard as it pushes it way along the path the two took. The bear isn't going fast but it isn't very far away either leaving not much time before it comes upon them.

((What you gonna do?))

[thinkslogically]

Ves pulls out some jerky from her pocket and drops it near where they're hiding and tosses more a little ways away from them and starts edging away from the bear, moving slowly and quietly for now and keeping Joe behind her (she's backing up so she's between Joe and the bear, facing the bear).

[NotStickFigures]

Nature: 1D20+5 = [16]+5 = 21

Jaq thinks back on what he knows about spark weed.
(Gonna have to see what Jaq knows about the weed before he can make a comment about it)
(back, sorry, way more busy that I thought I'd be on vacation, which is a good thing overall I guess!)

[Rodgeir]

Jaq ponders what he has heard and read about spark weed.

► Show Spoiler

First thing that comes to mind is a story in Stenrek's papers about some little kids dying from having eaten it's berries. The plant is an unassuming green but it has vibrant blue berries that birds love. It is a moderately strong stimulant that grows like a weed all over but due to it's intense, and unavoidable, side effects only the most destitute and desperate addicts use it. It doesn't normally kill healthy adults but it has killed many children attracted to it's berries. To his knowledge there is no safe amount of the plant to eat and after a high of around 8 hours it causes: nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, pallor, sweating, chest pain, tremors, intense headache, dizziness and uncontrollable diarrhea.

He is confident he could easily find some.

[NotStickFigures]

“Jolly, spark weed is not the answer. You’ve apparently seen the after effects of the drug. It is bad. And if someone is sick from it and another attack comes, they’d be useless in the fight.” Jaq tries not too sound too harsh in his tone.

[Rodgeir]

Jolly isn't too put out by Jaq's disagreement with his suggestion and scratches absently at a burn scab on his cheek.

"Sounds like we are the ones that are gonna be doing the attacking. We lose that there ain't gonna be much for us after."

[spiderwrangler]

Con: 1D20+2 = [13]+2 = 15
Perception: 2D20.LOW(1)+1 = [15, 13]+1 = 14

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq doesn't want to make this a possibility even, so he just ignores the conversation at this point, hoping it just goes away and hoping Jolly doesn't know how to find and harvest it. He just keeps his eyes and ears open to see if anyone is talking about the weed or is harvesting it.

[Rodgeir]

Jolly chuckles at Jaq's discomfort and gives Jaq a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"Relax. Ain't like I'm gonna go suggesting nothing to the corporal. She probably already knows anyhow."

Ten minutes later Arbelm has everyone up and moving. She raises her brow at Lurn carrying Fand but doesn't comment. Fand doesn't even notice he is being carried.

The squad moves steadily on in the small hours of the morning without interruption until Kroshav, Lurn and Arbelm hear a branch snap somewhere ahead. Arbelm raises her hand and everyone halts. Dama, who is ahead, also halts without having seen Arbelm's signal. The corporal turns slowly and points at Jaq and then points in the direction of the sound before pointing at Indra and pointing to another point slightly off from where she has directed Jaq. She moves forward towards Dama after sending the pair off and, after a brief conversation, waves the party forward at a walking pace.

((Stealth roll from Jaq and a perception.))
----
((Is Joe doing anything more Burns or just letting Ves shield her?))

[NotStickFigures]

Stealth: 1D20+9 = [18]+9 = 27

Perception: 1D20+1 = [5]+1 = 6


Jaq slinks off in the direction the Corporal points.

[Rodgeir]

Jaq slinks like a lynx into the darkness. Unfortunately he is so concerned by moving silently that he almost bumps into a lightly armored hobgoblin. The hobgoblin is, fortunately, watching the progression of the rest of the squad and hasn't noticed Jaq. The hob suddenly straightens and readies her longbow aiming at something in the woods to the east, but not at the main squad. If he is going to stop her he will need to act immediately.

► Show Spoiler

Perception: 1D20+2 = [14]+2 = 16
1D20+2 = [12]+2 = 14

Indra Stealth and perception: 1D20+6 = [10]+6 = 16
1D20+2 = [15]+2 = 17

((So Jaq is in melee with her but is still hidden, if he backs up she will take her shot before he can act. What's your move?))

[Arch Lich Burns]

(Oh! Sorry I didn’t realize you were waiting for me.)

Hmmm.....Joe picks up a rock and tries to throw it far away from them and the bears, deeper into the woods.

[Rodgeir]

The bear pushes its way effortlessly towards the pair sniffing wetly. The sound of the rock bouncing off in the woods draws it off in that direction a dozen feet before it swings back to the pair. It is very much relying on its sense of smell and hasn't bothered to look around and isn't in a hurry.

Around forty feet from the pair the bear pauses and begins loudly eating something, likely a piece of jerky. The jerky doesn't last long and the bear begins looking around that spot for more a few moments before moving back along the duo's path and finding another piece of jerky off to the side.

The bear's progress has been slowed but the jerky trail and their scent will likely lead it to them at this rate.

((I have got Joe and Ves edging north slowly while the bear moves in a more zigzagging path the same direction just faster. Any other ideas?))

[Arch Lich Burns]

(Just how close are they currently and is it obvious they are using thier noses?)

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq will immediately take a shot at the hobgoblin before it can fire on his fellow sniper.

Longbow attack from hiding: 2D20.LOW(1)+8 = [4, 2]+8 = 10


Hoping the shot distracted it at least and then he moves 30 feet further away into some trees or bush and hides using his cunning action.
Stealth: 1D20+9 = [1]+9 = 10

[Rodgeir]

Jaq's arrow passes in front of the hob who blinks and, half lowering her bow, turns to find it's source standing right beside her. She is surprised enough she doesn't manage to attack immediately but does follow Jaq to his hasty hiding spot and fire her own arrow before moving north 30'. The arrow sails wide in the forest, and the hob gives a sharp whistle.

► Show Spoiler

Hob attack Jaq: 1D20+5 = [4]+5 = 9
1D8+3 = [5]+3 = 8

There is a responding whistle and a curse to the east and then some crashing noises.

► Show Spoiler

Indra attack hob 2: 1D20+6 = [6]+6 = 12

Arbelm halts the company again but doesn't send anyone else to help and seems on the verge of ordering the party forward again.

((Jaq is back up, the hob is 45' away to the NE and has half cover in the trees. Moving closer would remove the cover.))
----
((It is obvious it is relying on its sense of smell primarily, otherwise it would have clearly seen you. The bear is now only 40' off.))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe will use presigigitation to clean where they walked of smell.