Sunday, September 21, 2025
Present: Blaylocke, Enkili, Jolrael, Leiya
Grynn is away this week.
Jolrael will be away next week.
Jolrael's question: Where is the book The Manifest of the Drowned? Last location was with Ebanin in the guild chantry near Elvold. Currently it is not there. The whereabout of this book are unknown at this time.
Note on Bhell: arcane casters not banned; but tend to be either in official positions of power; or independent ("feral" to use Jolrael's term).
Jolrael checks Ring of Spell Storing. It has Detect Magic; Feather Fall; and one blank spot. He fills the spot with Thunderstep spell.
It's gray and cloudy and windy, 27th of Iyoltan. We're sailing from Lur to Kozorth, a small port village on Bhell's coast. Slightly more than 2 days' journey for this. The party members cast coinage into the waters before sailing.
Blaylocke plays tunes, especially sea shanties, as we travel. With a roll of 14, these tunes are pleasant enough and enjoyed by the listeners.
The ride is rough and choppy compared to the magical Quendi’s Fortune.
On ship, there are a few other merchants. They keep to themselves. Enkili and Leiya chat with the merchants about traveling as a group/caravan to Nemsh. These merchants are indeed traveling there. Leiya (Persuasion roll and Deception roll) discreetly/cheerfully asks about traveling together, pitching this towards the merchants’ self-interest, safety, etc. Another Persuasion check; the merchants seem to agree group travel could be mutually beneficial.
Note on Bhell: there are bandits and such on the roads; to a point, the Maklu allows/encourages this, in a “survival-of-the-fittest” type of thinking, as long as they don’t overdo it or challenge the Maklu.
The ship's crew rejoiced and celebrated the third night at sea. We had evidently passed (safely) through a dangerous area or point of the journey at that time.
We arrive at Kozorth at sunset. Per common protocol, we must await until morning to disembark. Our fellow merchants, however, have a followed a different (and still common) protocol by greasing the palms of some dock workers, and thus enabling themselves and their merchandise to be offloaded in the evening after our arrival. They invite us to join them, but the party respectfully declines. (Blaylocke feels uncomfortable about flouting the law to such an extent; and Leiya is unwilling to leave Blaylocke alone on the ship or draw undue attention.)
Third day of Drindos. The merchant group traveling overland plans to go by noon, but is delayed by the preceding heavy rains and attendant mud, so it’s more like 2pm when they set out. The party weighs the pros and cons of traveling alone (faster) vs. traveling with the merchant caravan (safety in numbers; people who know the local language). In the end, the party decides to stick with the caravan for now. The caravan has 8 wagons (drawn by horses), and a moderate number of guards. The party rides atop their own horses, which were shipped over with them.
Spell note: Leiya removes 4th lvl Stone Shape/replaces with Freedom of Movement. Also replaces 3rd lvl Remove Curse with Tongues.
Spell note: (retroactive) Leiya re-does her Word of Recall to be located in Freehold instead of Anstarre.
First couple of travel days are uneventful. It rains for the first three days, which slows our travel. On the morning of the 7th day, we get some sun.
Spell note: each morning: Leiya – cast Aid upon Enkili, Jolrael, Leiya.
On this day we are attacked. The party and the caravan members are Surprised (Surprise Round). (Note: enemies are identified as #12, #5, etc.)
Round 1
Round 2
Note: At this point, the map in Fantasy Grounds (Caravan Attack) exited stage left, leaving only the bleak blackness of the Dark Side for the party to see. The DM spent time reconstructing the map as best as he was able.
Game ends at this point. Some discussion of the Bastion system/stuff, which is listed below. We'll have more discussion about the Bastion topics later.
Further reading about Bastions can be found in the 5th ed. Dungeon Master's Guide (2024 version), and also at this link below:
https://5e.tools/book.html#xdmg,7
Bastion basics: bedroom, dining room, parlor, courtyard, kitchen, storage.
Each characters gets two basics -- a bedroom and something else.
Blaylocke – bedroom, dining room
Enkili – bedroom, courtyard
Leiya – bedroom, parlor
Jolrael – bedroom, kitchen
Grynn – bedroom, ?
Bastion special facilities. Each character gets four. Here is what we have so far:
Blaylocke: Armory, Smithy, Storehouse, Theater
Enkili: Armory, Barracks,* Stable,* Training Area
Leiya: Garden (Food and Herb),* Greenhouse, Sanctuary, ?
Jolrael: ?
Grynn: ?
* Items with * were enlarged to the "Vast" category, at a price of 2000gp per expansion (for a total of 6000gp).
Present: Blaylocke, Enkili, Jolrael, Leiya
Grynn is away this week.
Jolrael will be away next week.
Jolrael's question: Where is the book The Manifest of the Drowned? Last location was with Ebanin in the guild chantry near Elvold. Currently it is not there. The whereabout of this book are unknown at this time.
Note on Bhell: arcane casters not banned; but tend to be either in official positions of power; or independent ("feral" to use Jolrael's term).
Jolrael checks Ring of Spell Storing. It has Detect Magic; Feather Fall; and one blank spot. He fills the spot with Thunderstep spell.
It's gray and cloudy and windy, 27th of Iyoltan. We're sailing from Lur to Kozorth, a small port village on Bhell's coast. Slightly more than 2 days' journey for this. The party members cast coinage into the waters before sailing.
Blaylocke plays tunes, especially sea shanties, as we travel. With a roll of 14, these tunes are pleasant enough and enjoyed by the listeners.
The ride is rough and choppy compared to the magical Quendi’s Fortune.
On ship, there are a few other merchants. They keep to themselves. Enkili and Leiya chat with the merchants about traveling as a group/caravan to Nemsh. These merchants are indeed traveling there. Leiya (Persuasion roll and Deception roll) discreetly/cheerfully asks about traveling together, pitching this towards the merchants’ self-interest, safety, etc. Another Persuasion check; the merchants seem to agree group travel could be mutually beneficial.
Note on Bhell: there are bandits and such on the roads; to a point, the Maklu allows/encourages this, in a “survival-of-the-fittest” type of thinking, as long as they don’t overdo it or challenge the Maklu.
The ship's crew rejoiced and celebrated the third night at sea. We had evidently passed (safely) through a dangerous area or point of the journey at that time.
We arrive at Kozorth at sunset. Per common protocol, we must await until morning to disembark. Our fellow merchants, however, have a followed a different (and still common) protocol by greasing the palms of some dock workers, and thus enabling themselves and their merchandise to be offloaded in the evening after our arrival. They invite us to join them, but the party respectfully declines. (Blaylocke feels uncomfortable about flouting the law to such an extent; and Leiya is unwilling to leave Blaylocke alone on the ship or draw undue attention.)
Third day of Drindos. The merchant group traveling overland plans to go by noon, but is delayed by the preceding heavy rains and attendant mud, so it’s more like 2pm when they set out. The party weighs the pros and cons of traveling alone (faster) vs. traveling with the merchant caravan (safety in numbers; people who know the local language). In the end, the party decides to stick with the caravan for now. The caravan has 8 wagons (drawn by horses), and a moderate number of guards. The party rides atop their own horses, which were shipped over with them.
Spell note: Leiya removes 4th lvl Stone Shape/replaces with Freedom of Movement. Also replaces 3rd lvl Remove Curse with Tongues.
Spell note: (retroactive) Leiya re-does her Word of Recall to be located in Freehold instead of Anstarre.
First couple of travel days are uneventful. It rains for the first three days, which slows our travel. On the morning of the 7th day, we get some sun.
Spell note: each morning: Leiya – cast Aid upon Enkili, Jolrael, Leiya.
On this day we are attacked. The party and the caravan members are Surprised (Surprise Round). (Note: enemies are identified as #12, #5, etc.)
Round 1
- A volley of crossbow bolts strikes the caravan. One guard is struck in the chest and dies.
- One attacks Leiya (melee) but misses.
- Another guard bites dust.
- Then a third.
- Then a fourth.
- Party – surprised; no action.
- Guards – surprised; no action.
- A driver/merchant – dies.
Round 2
- Jolrael: Dismounts horse; forgoes Handle Animal check. Sling bolt+1 again to #14 again; hits, 6 pts dmg.
Note: At this point, the map in Fantasy Grounds (Caravan Attack) exited stage left, leaving only the bleak blackness of the Dark Side for the party to see. The DM spent time reconstructing the map as best as he was able.
- Guards: One lays out #14 (prone/splutch).
- One guard hits #2.
- One guard hits #17.
- A guard dies.
- Enkili: Dismounts. Handle Animal check (20) to prevent mount from running away. Goes into bushes to the north and attacks. Hits #17, 11pts of dmg, kills #17. Gets bonus round due an ability. Attacks #10, hits (critical – rolls a 19), kills # ( ). Third attack at #2, hits, 19pts dmg, kills #2. Bonus attack: n/a
- # 8 attacks Enkili, misses.
- Leiya: Animal Handling check (passes, with a 12 roll). Dismounts. Moves up (to south) by Enkili. Takes out crossbow; fires at #8 (disadvantage; misses).
- Blaylocke: Passes Animal Handling (13); dismounts; casts Conjure Volley at the southward group. The remaining south group is killed off. This was a dramatic moment and brought the combat to a sudden close. He gives Bardic Insp. to Enkili.
Game ends at this point. Some discussion of the Bastion system/stuff, which is listed below. We'll have more discussion about the Bastion topics later.
Further reading about Bastions can be found in the 5th ed. Dungeon Master's Guide (2024 version), and also at this link below:
https://5e.tools/book.html#xdmg,7
Bastion basics: bedroom, dining room, parlor, courtyard, kitchen, storage.
Each characters gets two basics -- a bedroom and something else.
Blaylocke – bedroom, dining room
Enkili – bedroom, courtyard
Leiya – bedroom, parlor
Jolrael – bedroom, kitchen
Grynn – bedroom, ?
Bastion special facilities. Each character gets four. Here is what we have so far:
Blaylocke: Armory, Smithy, Storehouse, Theater
Enkili: Armory, Barracks,* Stable,* Training Area
Leiya: Garden (Food and Herb),* Greenhouse, Sanctuary, ?
Jolrael: ?
Grynn: ?
* Items with * were enlarged to the "Vast" category, at a price of 2000gp per expansion (for a total of 6000gp).