The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[thinkslogically]

Deception is for lying to someone's face, you just need more perception if you're going to stay put and watch them.

Are you telling anyone else what you're doing, or have you just stopped walking?

[Arch Lich Burns]

I thought deception is also fooling people that I'm doing something when I am actually doing something else?

[thinkslogically]

Yeah ok, I'll go with that. I'll still need a perception roll though to know how much you see while pretending you're not looking.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Oh I thought the original per roll was for that.

per: 1D20+1 = [6]+1 = 7...dangit

[thinkslogically]

Nah, that was to see the guard through the square and stands and stuff.

[Dlover]

Mehriv makes his way through the crowd around the Dancing Minstrel, paying little mind to any of the people other than to keep an eye on his coin pouch, and asks after his room.

[LAYF]

Sorry for the slow response:

Perception : 1D20+4 = [18]+4 = 22

► Show Spoiler

I'm going to have a set of slow days due to work.
Please, vote for Darr├╝k in combat, outside combat he will follow Gwen as priority 1. If not that he will do what Mehriv wants them to do....

[thinkslogically]

Gwen hangs back a bit and makes a stunning job of looking like she's not watching the guard on the far side of the square. Unfortunately, she does such a good job of pretending not to look that she actually loses sight of him as he moves through the square. By the time she gets a clear view of where she last saw the guy, he's no longer there.

Gwen and Darruk are welcome to stay out here or follow the rest of the group to the Inn.

The party then head on to the Dancing Minstrel, where they find a bustling crowd of what appears to be tourists, merchants, and locals all enjoying drinks and some music at the end of a long and hot day. More than a few are eating, and even though none of you are particularly hungry after the goodberries, the food smells pretty good.

The surly dwarf is still behind the bar, though looking a bit more cheerful compared to when Mehriv saw him earlier. Most of the seats are taken, but Syli spots an empty table near the back corner that seems to be available.

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[Dlover]

Ignoring the smell, Mehr opts to save money on food and just go to bed without a meal.

[WearsHats]

"What do people want to do? I'm content with the berry - and thank you for that - but would be happy to sit a while and listen. My people have music, but no minstrels, and we do not sing human songs. It would be pleasant to spend an hour listening. Still, we've work to do and perhaps things to plan, I haven't much coin to spare, and I'm sure there will be other opportunities. I know I have not been as useful as I'd meant to be today. I'll try to do better tomorrow. Which is, I suppose, the long way of saying I defer to the group. "

[spiderwrangler]

"I'm getting up early to watch the ships come down river, up at the swing bridge, if anyone is interested. The berry has me full, thanks again Syli!... so I don't think I'm going to get up to much tonight."

I hang out for a bit longer before heading up to bed.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gqen will go back to the inn for the night.

[thinkslogically]

Those of you who decide to stay up take a seat near the back of the room and pass a pleasant evening listening to the musician's songs. Most are fairly well-known, but slow songs, like the "Song of the Giant Hunter" and "The Maiden's Farewell" but there are some that are new to all of you, including one long epic that tells the tale of five ancient dragons that fell from the heavens at the beginning of time and created the world, and another about an elvish prince who spurned the leaves and stars beloved by his ancestors to live amongst the roots and gemstones beneath the ground.

The atmosphere in the inn tonight is busy but quiet and folk seem happy enough to sit and eat and listen.

After a pleasant couple of hours, those of you who wish to go to bed collect your room keys from Bren and head upstairs. There are two moderately-sized rooms available to you, each able to sleep 4 people. The rooms are basic but clean enough and each have a shuttered window (no glass).

"Let me know if there's anything you need. I'll have Sam bring up a basin of hot water for you. Sleep well!"

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Unless anyone wants to do anything else tonight, the next update (later today) will bring us to Day 2

[Nioca]

"No problem," Syli replies, taking a deep swig of water. "I think I'm going to keep snooping around the city, see if I can turn up any leads on where we might actually find something we can sell."

Syli opts to spend some extra time downstairs, ostensibly for the music, but in fact listening to the patrons around her for any rumors or strange news that might be going around.

When she turns in, she'll opt to create ten more goodberries for the next day.

Perception (+5): 22

(Probably won't turn up much, given everyone's staying pretty quiet, but it'll make it easier to pick up on anyone who does start rumormongering.)

[thinkslogically]

Syli sits with the others, but doesn't take part in the conversations so much as she listens to other folk around her, occasionally surreptitiously wandering past other tables as she refills her drink at the bar.

Most folk are just passing the time with family gossip and other mundane details of their lives. Two halflings at a table near the bar catch her attention and seem to be talking urgently about something they don't want to be overheard. She doesn't catch much, but she hears a snippet:

"...right here, look! It's only half a day north of dragons bluff and- "
"You need to let this one go, you idiot. You'll only get yourself in worse trouble..."

If Syli wants to get up and see the riverboat with Korrik, shell need to go to sleep now or else you'll need to make a CON save to avoid taking one level of exhaustion tomorrow from being up all night.

[Nioca]

Syli opts to head up, creating her goodberries before settling into a trance for the night.

[thinkslogically]

The group head upstairs and turn in for the night, distributing themselves between the two rooms as they see fit. The rooms are pleasantly cool and the beds are decent enough, although after long weeks at sea they are just a little too motionless to actually feel motionless.

The next day hasn't even dawned when Korrik rouses himself and pulls his clothes on, ready to go and see the River Ship arriving in town again.

Who else was going to see the boat? Does anyone want a lie-in?

[spiderwrangler]

I head downstairs. If anyone had indicated they wanted to join me, I'll make sure they are awake as well.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen will go with Korrik on his journey.

[Dlover]

Mehr will join the boat watchers.

[spiderwrangler]

"Ah, company! Well, if you're ready, let's head out!"

((Is Syli's navigation on line?))

Keeping an eye out for shops or stalls selling breakfast.

[WearsHats]

Kal had planned on sleeping 8 hours, getting up with the group, and going to work on the shop. But if everyone is going to go boat watching for some reason... I guess he'll stick with the group? Or does anyone have any other plans?

[thinkslogically]

Korrik wakes everyone who wants to be woken and the party set off into the sleepy pre-dawn air of the town. A couple of people are already up and about, making their way quietly to wherever they need to be today. The cats watch you secretly from the alleyways as you all make your way to the riverside and start your walk westwards towards the swing bridge. In the darkness, you can just make out the faint multicoloured light of the Archipelago dancing faintly in the east. It was a familiar sight on the last part of your journey to Hightown, and apparently glows more brightly when the tides are about to turn for the next year.

The group walk past the closed shops and bars and occasional snoring drunk (who you check quite carefully to make sure there aren't any more sneaky corpses in amongst them), and the occasional sailor stumbling their way back to the docks. The walk is pleasant and quiet, though a few more people appear on the path the closer you all get to the bridge, including a good number of very excited children.

By the time you get to the bridge, Thaquorel and another black dragonborn guard are already there and preparing to open the bridge. Thaquorel spots Korrik and Kal and gives them both a cheery grin and waves them over.

"Hey! That's good you got here early! Here, hop on the bridge. We're not really supposed to let people up here any more, but I won't tell if you won't, huh? Just don't fall in. That would be bad for everyone."

The other guard snorts.

"I'm going to watch the other side of the bridge and pretend I can't see this. R'vork will have your scales if he catches you!"
"Pffft! What's he going to do? Put me on bridge duty? Go and make sure those gnome kids don't try and jump onto the boat again!"

Hopping onto the swing bridge, the group wait patiently as Thaquorel turns a large mechanical wheel to pivot the bridge so it's parallel to the river. You are now essentially stuck with her in the middle of the river, and are the envy of at least a dozen small children who would very much like to know why they weren't allowed to stand on the bridge too. The sky to the east gradually lightens and the chirping insect sounds of the night are gradually replaced by birdsong and the crowd grows.

You wait. Dawn comes and goes, and both the guards and the crowd begin to grow restless and a little nervous, but there is still no sign of the boat.

After some increasingly agitated hand gesticulating between Thaquorel and the other guard, Thaquorel is just about to close the bridge again when a shout goes up from someone a little upriver:

"Here! It's coming! They're here!"

A cheer goes up from the crowd as the boat drifts quietly into sight, but it's quickly subdued as the large vessel fails to turn and bumps aimlessly into the riverbank and drifts towards the bridge. The crowd jostle each other to try and get a better view of what's going on...

The boat is about 50 m away from you and drifting closer to your position with the current. None of you can see anyone on deck from this distance

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I made a bunch of assumptions to get things moving for you guys again, but if you want to adjust any part of what you've done in the update please go ahead and add them to your actions. And yes, if Syli's with you, you will have made excellent time, allowing you to nap a little longer in the inn

[Dlover]

Mehr eyes the ship, then turns and calls to the guards, "Move the civilians away from the riverfront. The ship appears to be abandoned, possibly as a result of some danger aboard it.

[Nioca]

"...so, am I going to have to chase after you guys when you decide to play hero and jump on this thing?" Syli asks dryly. She sits tight for the time being, although she carefully undoes her sling in case there's more than meets the eye to this development...

► Show Spoiler

Well now I'm going to feel weird posting my spell selections for the day. Although I was already planning to shuffle things up a bit and go for a more combat-oriented loadout. *shrug*

1st Level Spells
-Detect Magic
-Faerie Fire
-Goodberry
-Healing Word