The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[Dlover]

"Two things at once? ... Finding Varsk and finding a safe place to sleep?"

[spiderwrangler]

"Or zero things at once!", I pipe up helpfully.

"I don't feel great about splitting up again, but like Mehr said, he and I aren't going to be of much use in the dark. Lead us by the hand or swaddle me on your back, we're still not adding anything to the effort. But leaving us here, like you said, leaves us vulnerable if they do show up and start poking around. You taking off and us trying to find a place to stay means you having no idea where we end up... I say we leave here as a group, but keep an eye out for a good place to stay the night.

If the Big Guy comes back here, without running into us on the way, can we leave him a message the lizards won't be able to understand? Maybe leave a trail only he'd know to look out for?"

[Dlover]

"I wouldn't have any idea what to look for, let alone a person who only met us recently..."

[spiderwrangler]

"Yeah, I was kind of assuming that he speaks Orc, and if one of us knew it, we could leave a note... but if any lizardfolk know orc too... It'd just stink for us to leave right before he shows up here."

[Arch Lich Burns]

"I know orcish. They use a version of dwarvish for thier script. As for what to write, so that the lizards would think we had different amount of people searching or try to confuse them."

[Dlover]

"And how do we write a note that the lizards won't just take down?

[Nioca]

"If we decide we aren't looking for him, I'm not gonna argue. It's his own fault if he gets himself lost anyway."

((Once we get this show on the road, here's Syli's assisted survival roll:))
--Survival (+3 w/ Advantage): 8

((See? Told you, Burns.))

[thinkslogically]

((wow. Just... Wow. Coyotecode really has it in for folk in really weird ways...))

[Rodgeir]

((Come on, that should get them lost in the same direction as Varsk! It was a 5 and a 2, just like Varsk got ))

[Theis2]

"Are we sure we have to go? I'm sure they won't be here before we get a chance to take off tomorrow and the big fellow gets a chance to get back.. So who can actually see where we are going? The trees don't let a lot of light through.."

Merric will reluctantly get up as the others want to move onwards.

[thinkslogically]

((Come on, that should get them lost in the same direction as Varsk! It was a 5 and a 2, just like Varsk got ))

that's awesome. But he rolled his for the return trip, so that probably puts you guys in exactly the opposite direction to each other

[Theis2]

Hmm, would it be possible to notice that Syli is likely leading us west while the woman turned east when we saw her?

Merric wisdom: 1D20-1 = [3]-1 = 2

Actually never mind.. Merric is certain she merged with a tree and that she is traveling through the roots

[Nioca]

((To be fair, that'll be quite possible once she's higher level. ))

[Rodgeir]

((Getting a sinking feeling that Varsk is gonna get to have some alone time tonight. You know, with gators and snakes.))

[spiderwrangler]

I try to pitch in as best I can while there is still light to see by. "Oh, Hi Big Guy! Hey everyone, I foun.... oh. Never mind, that's just a half orc shaped stump."

Survival: 1D20+2 = [4]+2 = 6

[Dlover]

5

Mehr's not finding the way either.

[WearsHats]

Kal, like me, is distracted by being mostly dead.

Survival: 1D20+3 = [2]+3 = 5

We're screwed. On the other hand, if we're trying to move away from our missing friend but heading in the wrong direction, maybe we'll run right into him and be lost together!

[Arch Lich Burns]

( I would like to point out that dc 5 is for an easy check. Also this just confirms what Gwen should be going for after lv 5, which is bard. And to get guidance and find familar next level so we have better chances of success.)

[thinkslogically]

The group gather their things and decide to head out to find Varsk, and also leave the battleground behind them for the night before anyone comes looking for them. Unfortunately, whether due to the weather or to Gwen and Syli's foraging trip, not a single person in the group can find any hint of Varsk's trail after about half an hour of searching for it. With around another half-hour of daylight left to them, you'll need to start moving if they're going to find somewhere else to spend the night. Thanks to Gwen's skillset, you are pretty sure you can find your way back to the tower though if you want to risk it.

((You can give me survival, nature or history checks to find somewhere else; whichever you are better at))

-----------------------------------------

Varsk eats a little food and then wades across to look more closely at the little shrine, expertly giving a wide berth to a snoozing gator.

The shrine seems to be a simple image carved in in the shape of a humanoid crocodile of some form. It's somewhat crudely carved, and there don't seem to be any offerings or anything nearby. He's not completely sure, but maybe it's a representation of a lizardfolk god, or folk-hero maybe?

[spiderwrangler]

I stick by Kal, trying to be helpful by pointing out anything I notice, and letting him figure out what that means.

[Nioca]

Syli shakes her head. Not being sure where Varsk went and having only a short time before nightfall, she switches to trying to find suitable shelter for the night.

Survival (+3 WITHOUT ADVANTAGE): CRIT! [23]

((Heh. That's more like it. ))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen tries to pick up any hint of Varsk. Survival: 1D20+3 = [14]+3 = 17

[thinkslogically]

As the group wander through the forest a bit, something angular JUST catches Syli's eye in the fading light. On closer inspection, you find an almost completely overgrown, ancient little building. What little is left of the walls and floor has been completely overgrown by vegetation, which seem to be partly supporting what's left of the blocks and simultaneously disguising them amongst the roots and leaves. The entrance is almost completely hidden by trailing lichens and spider webs. This is perfect for what you need.

...Except... you don't seem to be the first people to find it. A small, waterproof pack has been tucked up into the treeroots, to keep it dry and off the ground, and a small lantern has been hung from the ceiling by a silken rope. No-one seems to be here right now, but you wonder if someone else is using this place, and when they might return.

---------------------------------

Gwen is still worried about Varsk, and now they're a little way away from the battleground and their foraging trails, she finally manages to pick up what she thinks is his trail. It certainly looks like his boot size prints in the soft ground.

[spiderwrangler]

I scurry up to the pack, trying to assess how recently it and the lantern had been placed there, before rummaging through it to see if I can pull out any more information.

Investigation: 1D20 = [6] = 6

[Rodgeir]

Varsk sighs and starts to look for some form of shelter for the night that he can get some sleep in.

Probably sleeping the mud.: 1D20+2 = [17]+2 = 19

Or not...!

((Seems like Coyote code has decided to give us a break))