Adventurer’s Wanted: A West-Marches Campaign

[Heidi]

2 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I just chose to work on my fences instead. 

I mean, given the amount of effort and steps, this might count, but even if it doesn't it's a solid choice.

1 hour ago, Elastigirl said:

This was a smart call.Fences are important.

Agreed.

1 hour ago, Ranger Hal said:

Yeah, I was definitely feeling this a little myself after having started my big fancy DnD challenge, this, and then joining Inktober. So much fun stuff going on that I didn't want to miss out on.

I got into the same boat and then had to walk away from Inktober. I was distracted by the shiny thing ,and definitely had to do some triage in Week 4.

[Heidi]

Heidi notices Grewynn and Shava have entered the Inn, and their travels are evident beyond just the dust on their shoes. Something about the way they carry themselves is slightly different, a bit more solid and sure, though they might not know it. And yes, there is dust on their shoes, too, and perhaps they look a bit leaner. Heidi sets out more bowls of dumpling stew for replenishment and listens to their tales as she sets up another kettle for tea.  Dark_Raider's postcard dangles from the now-empty job board, and she looks forward to the coming stories from Avolen, who is off on her own journey just now, likely securing all manner of delights for the Inn and its inhabitants. No one has heard from Guglug in a bit, and the ways of half-Orcs are mysterious in any case. She hopes to see Guglug again and thank her for the updated map. 

 

The remainder of the party is likely heading this way.

Heidi considers making a shepherds pie with some of the root vegetables she found in the kitchen store.  

[DarK_RaideR]

3 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I definitely lost steam at Week 4 and did not get it back for Week 5. Partly because I was dealing with back soreness and a posion ivy outbreak, partly because I think I may have spread myself a little too thin between this, the Villain Era, Inktober, and my own challenge.

 

3 hours ago, Ranger Hal said:

Yeah, I was definitely feeling this a little myself after having started my big fancy DnD challenge, this, and then joining Inktober. So much fun stuff going on that I didn't want to miss out on.

 

3 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

This was a smart call.Fences are important.

It's like we need to do a weekly challenge about learning to say no to things...?

[Artemis Prime]

47 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

 

 

It's like we need to do a weekly challenge about learning to say no to things...?

Ok! Or wait...I'm supposed to be saying no to things. This feels like entrapment!

[Snarkyfishguts]

Ursina did get an extra walk in late one evening when she took pictures of the northern lights.  She did not see them directly with her bear eyes, but she was glad she could see it through technology.  She also finally got that long bath she wanted so dearly and was happy to see her fur so shiny and clean. Sniffing under her bear arms, she nodded approvingly. Much better.  She wore new clothes too, and they smelled like soap and flowers. She liked that.  She looked over at her fellow adventurers and smiled at them. She wondered that she didn’t have anything better to narrate in her head but  she was pretty tired, and it looked like everyone else was too. Perhaps she didn’t need to say anything. That was fine, too.

[Heidi]

50 minutes ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Perhaps she didn’t need to say anything. That was fine, too.

Heidi pours Ursina a large mug of tea and sets it near the lovely bear. It’s good to see her, and she seems very at peace, and very clean.

[Snarkyfishguts]

7 hours ago, Heidi said:

Heidi pours Ursina a large mug of tea and sets it near the lovely bear. It’s good to see her, and she seems very at peace, and very clean.

Ursina’s ears perk up and she accepts the mug of tea. “ooooh thank you, Heidi.”  She breathes in the pleasant aroma, and finds contentment. “thank you very much.” 

[DarK_RaideR]

Okay so given the announcement about the server migration, I think it's better to take this week off and not risk any confusion, such as post losses or whatever. Everyone take a break and we'll be back after the move.

[Radost]

Radost arrived at the broad path that would lead her to the inn. Just at that moment, a farmer was passing by with a cartload of fresh vegetables. The broad-shouldered woman waved cheerfully. 

“That squash looks delicious,“ Radost called.  “I hope some of it is going to the Emberwood!” 

“That’s my next stop! Want a lift?” 

“Thanks, but I think I’ll walk today. I might buy some apples, though, they smell divine!”

Minutes later, Radost crouched at the side of the path shuffling things in her pack to make room for a dozen fragrant, purple-red apples. “Oh no, my water!” she cried and turned back the way she’d come. Several hundred metres back up the game trail, the water skin was still set up to collect dew from one of the great spider webs. By now, it was completely refilled! “That will be handy for the walk back…oh, my tea!” The tea she’d made when pausing here with the other adventurers still sat at the base of a tree in her small, thick-walled mug with its cork-lined lid. “Still warm! Wonderful!”

Heavy apples in her pack, water skin in one hand and tea in the other, Radost walked towards the inn. 

 

By the time Radost could see the golden flicker of lamplight and smell the savoury scent of shepherd’s pie browning in the inn’s big oven, she was trudging heavily, stopping every hundred metres to pull at the straps of her pack where they cut into her shoulders. Laughter rang out from the common room as she approached, and she could hear the warm rumble of Ursina’s voice. She entered, raising a hand in greeting to Shava, Grewinn, Evanna, Kaja, and Ursina, and turning a broad, tired smile on the adventurers she hadn’t met yet. 

“Whoof, I need to sit for a bit. But I have these apples, I’ll get up in a bit and make a crisp, if there’s room in the oven. Nothing like a bit of sweet to end the day!”

 

I know we’re on pause but I wrote my piece already. I had a tough time fitting in a walk this week but I did get Mr. Radost to drop me off at the mall for some errands on Saturday, and I walked home. With eight or nine litres of fluid in my backpack, it was HEAVY. ?

 

It’s been fun here in the Emberwood, folks! Fingers crossed that the forum migration goes smoothly. I hope you all have a restful and creative zero week. 
 

[Heidi]

Heidi smiles as Radost makes her way into the Inn, her heart warmed by seeing all of those who stumbled into each other just a few weeks ago. She sets the shepherd’s pie on the side board with a server and some plates. “Help yourselves,” she calls to the group. The chicken and dumplings is now half gone, and it’s always a good time to make another pot of tea. “Radost, the oven’s still warm and all yours. As long as we keep the kitchen clean enough that Avolen doesn’t have to sand-blast her way through, I’m sure we’re welcome to it.”  Heidi pours a steaming cup of tea and settles into a large chair by the others. It has been a good journey, and she’s looking forward to hearing the tales of the group before they all set off on other adventures.

 

 

 

[Jarric]

Guglug wearily pushes open the taproom door, a slight smile crossing his face as he takes in the other adventurers enjoying their meals, bonding over tea, or sleeping off the work of the past few weeks.

 

He drops his pack heavily to the ground, slumps into a too-small chair, and takes in his surroundings.

 

I've been AWOL for a couple of weeks, so missed the end of this challenge, but I wanted to come here and thank @DarK_RaideR and @Sovalis for setting this up, and thank everyone who took part. The bits of this I did do were really good fun, and I look forward to the next one!

[Sovalis]

Avolen comes in through the kitchen door hauling a massive armload of wood for the fire. She sniffs approvingly at the scent of shepherds pie and the currently baking apples. 

 

“Glad you felt like you could make yourselves at home. That is always for the best when I get busy.” She stacks the wood into the nook by the fireplace with ease and then brushes the bits of bark off the front of her tunic onto the hearthstones. Surveying the crowd she notes that they look tired but satisfied, accomplished and now in need of a rest. “Take some downtime, Friends. You deserve it. Things have been pretty quiet here while you have been gone and I look forward to the sounds of you filling up the place again.”

 

She smiles around the room and resumes her position behind the bar, refilling Heidi’s tea from the earthenware pot it steeped in. It was good that they were home. 

 

Home. What a thought. 

[DarK_RaideR]

It's been about a week since the first search parties returned to Rebel's Refuge. Their forays have been successful, but there's clearly much out there to still be explored. Everyone has had some time to rest and recover, but Avolen already put the word around for anyone who'd drop by the Emberwood Inn for a meal or drink: seems like Lukaas has an announcement to make. Well, the day has finally come and everyone settles down while the half orc takes the floor at the center of the common room.

"Alright, first of all thank you to everyone for answering the call, and thank you for your efforts thus far" he begins. His words are answered by a round of low applause, some choosing to knock on their table approvingly instead of clapping. "It seems our current forces can support up to two different parties at the same time, so I've taken in the information you brought back and used it to plan the next two missions, if you want to call them that. But first, Ellereth told me he wanted to get something in before we get into the nitty gritty of it."

 

The apothecary shuffles from his table to stand next to Lukaas and produces a small vial of a bright red liquid in it. "I have been using the herbs brought to me in order to brew the remedies we'll need for the winter. This is a little extra I made, a healing potion the likes of which come handy to warriors and adventurers such as yourselves". With that, he hands the potion to Lukaas and quickly resumes his seat, clearly happy to be out of the spotlight.

 

The half orc holds the potion and raises a finger to point at Rezka. "I was told you were the one who brought in the biggest batch of herbs, so to me it's only fair you get this, but of course it's up to you lot to manage your resources. However, I will not accept any infighting over such things. I'll hand this to you and it will be your decision, and yours alone, if you want to keep it or give it to someone, and who that might be."

Lukaas takes a few steps towards Rezka's table and leaves the vial on it, before stepping back again. "Now, onto business. Those of you who joined Rezka reported signs of activity in that area, and paths branching off the path you followed. Whatever this is, it's too close for comfort. We must know what's going on. Thanks to Guglug's efforts and assistance, Niko was able to identify a path between the mountains and the Emberwood. Should get you to the region further north of the mountains, without having to trek up that rough terrain again, or going too deep into spider territory in the forest. I want you to follow up on those leads, identify who's out there and whether they're friend or foe. No interaction if possible, just observation. Report back to me and we'll plan our next moves. Understood?"

 

Few hums and yeahs later, the half orc responds with a satisfied nod of the head. "It's a similar deal for those of you who went into the Emberwood. Them trinkets and whatnot. Something's clearly behind those spiders, or at least interacting with them. I need you to circle around the woods from the south side, as far up as we've dared to farm and forage. Past that there's a hilly area as you turn around and head back up north again. If who we're searching for doesn't reside in the forest, that's our next best bet. Two things are different for you though. One, it's a longer trek over flat land and I don't want you to waste time, or risk a shortcut through the woods, so I've secured a few horses to make your journey easier. Two, if you do run into whoever it is you're searching for, you have permission to interact with them. I want you to be friendly and diplomatic. Should things get ugly, or if they prove to be hostile, do not engage. We don't know what we're up against, so if it comes to that, retreat and we'll make a more calculated move to take care of that."

 

"That is all, sort your teams out, pack your things and come talk to me if you have any questions."

 

Alright people, it's time for another round of adventuring! As always, let us know if you'll be participating and which team you want to join. Don't forget to drop a link to your challenge and also follow the challenge thread of all the people in the same party as you. Last but not least, @Ranger Hal, what you do with that potion is up to you. Can hand it over to whoever you want now, or hold onto it and use it on yourself or one of your party members when the need arises. No specific mechanics about how it works, we're not doing the maths thing, just consider it as a little narrative prompt that gives you players the right to chip in and slightly alter the story in your favour.