The Green Woman of the Erin

Longman's hex-based exploration PBP campaign

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The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Longman »

Wed September 10.

It's a simple 15 mile hike through pretty well traveled territory along the ancient road, which has been pretty well cleared in a few places, to the point where you could get horses in here quite easily.

Your ranger party have no difficulty at all in getting to the New Town without incident. The old watchtower is sometimes visible on the hill to the north. When you arrive you are made to wait, because Marshall Stack is apparently still on his way back from a trip to Lake Town.

You are inside a small fort with crude wooden buildings and tents, inside a palisade that is being constructed. The Marshall is not back for a few hours yet to see you so there's an opportunity to do stuff before he gets back.
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Woe »

who is in command of the expedition? If it's not Talin, he'll obviously obey orders of (insert commander here, Coll/Caradoc) and not do his own thing until/unless given leave.


Assuming this place is fairly lawful, the group will split up. Unless he's told to wait in a specific place, Talin will find a (not female given Anna's not-so-friendly glare when he first thinks of the idea) off-duty corporal or sergeant to chitchat with, ostensibly to both learn more about which missions are being run out of New Town and what's happening to the north of here. Why just north? Because the party is heading north not south in a few days. Getting a tour of New Town is optional but not required, and Anna+Fido are welcome to join. If he does end up with a female tour guide, I'm presuming Anna would be inviting herself along if Kilian doesn't rescue Talin from his own cluelessness.

Kilian, however, will be all about the place:
- check out the blacksmith, see what they're making (horseshoes or weapons or tools)
- check out the armory and fortifications to see how equipped they are for a goblin or nisha counterattack
- check out the pub, because ale
- check out what type of civilians and traders are in the town
- check out the larder, because ale
- check out that magick door they can't open, to see if it's similar to the one the party encountered earlier
- check out the pub again, this time to hear what the soldiers are saying about their orders and commanders
- check out the quartermaster to assess chances of asking for horses
- and should probably check on the pub one last time, just in case the marshal is a long talker. he won't get drunk though. this purely for information gathering, since the human ale is so watered down.
Freya HP 24/24 AC 16 (17 two weapons)
Kilian HP 20/20 AC 19 (18 no shield)
Talin HP 29 AC 16
Tiana HP 11 AC 12 SP 8/8
Fido HP 9/9 AC 16
Anna HP 12/12 AC 15 (19 defensively)
Bruce HP 20/20 AC 16 (15 no shield)

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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Longman »

Talin is in charge. (He is now Lieutenant Talin. Unless he has a last name, in which case he is Lieutenant His Last Name.)

Talin ends up speaking with Sergeant Toll, who is the only other officer except for the Marshall. He is no use, because he seems a bit cowed, and keeps saying to wait until the Marshall gets back.

However Talin does end up talking to some rangers who strees the importance of going to find out the truth about persistent rumors that there is a hag in the area to the north of here. Many of the soldiers simply won't go up there until that is dealt with. That's what both the Marshall and Emlin wanted you to do.

So this is good old fashioned "NPCs give the PCs a mission" style D and D.

There's only 65 people here. You can see the whole place, easy. From what Kilian can see they are building the exterior pallisade far too small for the number of people that will end up living here.

- There is no blacksmith. You are only 15 miles from Red Oak.
- There are kegs of warm beer in a log cabin with some stools. That's "the pub". It has no name as yet.
- The 20 Civilians are mostly servants, a few farmers, a baker, and out of work guys from Red Oak who jumped at the chance to get their hands on some royal money building palisades and roads.
- There are maybe 5 women here all up. Anna gets a lot of looks.
- You can't see the secret door because it is up in the watchtower on the hill above you, not in the new town below. You haven't been invited up there yet, but you could ask.
- The fortifications are just passable. Kilian could probably do a lot of good, here.
- Horses will not be provided for the reason that you will not get them through many parts the forest. The road from here to Red Oak has been cleared, but most other places have not been, so far.


Is that it, or do you want to do more stuff before the illustrious Marshall gets back?
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Woe »

Kilian will "help" with the fortifications, squeezing thirty years of experience into an equal number of minutes. When he hears that the Marshal is coming, he'll swear a bit then decide to skip the meeting to continue on the fortifications, especially if the local engineers show appreciation to his advice. If he has spare helpers, he'll direct some to improve the pub as the next order of business. :lol:

Talin will find out what he can about the trip north, both hazards and best paths to take. Have there been new sightings of the hag and/or new disappearances, or is this just the same old rumor with new life?

Ready to move on btw.
Freya HP 24/24 AC 16 (17 two weapons)
Kilian HP 20/20 AC 19 (18 no shield)
Talin HP 29 AC 16
Tiana HP 11 AC 12 SP 8/8
Fido HP 9/9 AC 16
Anna HP 12/12 AC 15 (19 defensively)
Bruce HP 20/20 AC 16 (15 no shield)

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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Longman »

The thing I find continually amusing about Kilian is that he takes up leadership roles, but has a Cha of 11.

Kilian's attempt to give suggestions goes awry when he runs into the actual camp engineer, a Mr Williams.

"You trying to criticize my design?"
says the man. "You're here for a mission, I happen to know. Not give the rest of us orders." He is pretending to be half-joking but Kilian can sense genuine irritation underneath.

Talin figures out the answer to his questions in conversation with the Marshall, who returns from his mission looking tired and angry.

Talin's immediate impression of the man is: JERK. Marshall Stack is out of of shape, defensive, and you learn later he only has his position through family relationships, not actual talent.

"Let's get one thing straight," he says as soon as he meets Talin. "I'm in charge here. Not the rangers. The rangers are second to the Duke in terms of chain of command, that's in the town charter. So I don't want any @$%^from you and your people. You're here to do what you are told."

(This is actually true, but there is no reason to be such a jerk about it, as the rangers were playing along anyway.)

"Your job is to head up north, to the next river, and scout around, and come back alive. Your job is to prove there's nothing there. Or if there is something there, you bring it's head back. And then we can get on with exploration.

No, there haven't been any recent activities or sightings up there. But you've been tramping in and out of this place for five months, haven't you. So you would know the sort of things that are really here, wouldn't you. And that's your job. You're the bloody rangers. So, range. That means go and find out stuff. See?"


After that, he asks a lot of questions about what you found to the south of this location, and in the mountains. You can elect to tell him what you wish but it would help for me to know what that is, and isn't. If you tell him about all the Boar Goblins at L11, that's a potential game-changer.

He wants you to leave tomorrow, heading up to the old goblin caves at E06 and then to the unexplored areas north of there, to Hag Rock, and then along the river. If you want to actually about anything else that he knows, you will have to ask him because he is not offering information.
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Woe »

The thing I find continually amusing about Kilian is that he takes up leadership roles, but has a Cha of 11.
Yep! Apparently where he's from, a CHA of 11 is leadership material! :lol: He's not a natural, but 'e shure 'erks 'ard at it.

"Ye right. Ima jus' passin' tyme 'til 'e 'ead north. If ye dink ye be as good as a dwarven sapper at readin' forteefications, me 'at's off to ye. I ken pass me time at dee pub and dee smithy too." Kilian also half-joking, but definitely annoyed this kid... this human... is trying to pass himself off as not needing any advice.

(and you guessed it... where's the pub? Or maybe a good smoke.)

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

Based on the Marshal's initial reaction, Talin isn't forthcoming with much news south of the Swell. A few goblins farther in the mountains, occasional nisha, and beyond the mountains, stranger things such as dragons (wyverns; I don't recall if Kilian advertised as dragons or wyverns, but Talin will continue with whatever it was initially reported as). However, some of that reticence is due to what will happen next.

With all that said, he'll step onto a small land mine. "One thing I don't understand, sir. We're scouts, not soldiers. Shouldn't we just identify the number of goblins and the location of the hag, then let you and the other veterans eliminate the threats? "
Freya HP 24/24 AC 16 (17 two weapons)
Kilian HP 20/20 AC 19 (18 no shield)
Talin HP 29 AC 16
Tiana HP 11 AC 12 SP 8/8
Fido HP 9/9 AC 16
Anna HP 12/12 AC 15 (19 defensively)
Bruce HP 20/20 AC 16 (15 no shield)

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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Longman »

In addition, Talin has high Charisma but is somewhat tactless. Is he just very good looking or what?

"Goblins are fine," responds the Marshall. "Killing them is our job. But these 'nisha' and any other supernatural bollocks? That's your department. I'm not sending in my men against something they know nothing about. Speaking of which, I was told there was going to be elves. People who knew something about the history of all this. And one of them made maps? What happened to them?"

If you tell him the location of any groups of goblins, he'll be interested. Otherwise, he seems somewhat preoccupied. Please let me know if you tell him about Malagosbe (L11).

Anna, who has been keeping quiet in the background, happens to hear one of the soldiers talking to one of the erstwhile carpenters. It sounds like the Marshall has a plan to make several large rafts, in Lake Town, for an unknown purpose. But crossing the lake seems likely. You can't see any other reason why you'd build large rafts there.

The Marshall wants you to move out on the following day. If you are ready, let me know, or keep RPing here and see if you can make any progress.

(Incidentally, Kilian, there is no smithy here. And not much of a pub. I did mention that.)
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Woe »

In addition, Talin has high Charisma but is somewhat tactless. Is he just very good looking or what?
He's not so much tactless as clueless. After all, he said 'sir' I guess he uses his looks to get out of trouble, whereas Kilian is older and tries harder to not get into trouble.

"The elves went to Brant. I'm not sure when they'll be back. They didn't say much, just that this area used to be ruled by humans before the goblins came. I'm not sure when rangers became supernatural hunters. We'll do what we can against these supernatural creatures but we're even less equipped than you for a fight. All we have are our bows and brains."

He debates whether to warn them of the hedge wizard, but doesn't. They'll likely just embark with more force, and the wizard didn't seem to be a violent threat. He also won't mention anything of L11, and the marshal conveniently hasn't asked.

(let's move on; Talin is losing patience with this knot of a soldier. As for Kilian, you did mention the smithy. He'll just move into the pub and hang out with the soldiers until Talin or another ROR claims him.)
Freya HP 24/24 AC 16 (17 two weapons)
Kilian HP 20/20 AC 19 (18 no shield)
Talin HP 29 AC 16
Tiana HP 11 AC 12 SP 8/8
Fido HP 9/9 AC 16
Anna HP 12/12 AC 15 (19 defensively)
Bruce HP 20/20 AC 16 (15 no shield)

Red Oak map
Red Oak loot
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Longman
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Longman »

As for Kilian, you did mention the smithy.

If I have somewhere given you the idea there was a smith here, I don't know where that was.

So, the Marshall has been told numerous stories about goblins in various locations, but NOT L11. Thanks for clarifying.

The following day, it is overcast with fast moving cloud and winds, but possible for travel.

Two soldiers will escort you to the old goblin caves and I am assuming you are only spending 1EP in these hexes on the way to the caves, getting through them along a fairly well-known route. If that's not the case, let me know.

Anything you want to add before we proceed?
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Re: The Green Woman of the Erin

Post by Woe »

Longman wrote:As for Kilian, you did mention the smithy.

If I have somewhere given you the idea there was a smith here, I don't know where that was.
Better written: As for Kilian, you did mention the smithy ((doesn't exist)). I understood what you meant, even if you didn't understand what I meant. :)
So, the Marshall has been told numerous stories about goblins in various locations, but NOT L11. Thanks for clarifying.
Talin doesn't mention any specific areas, just vague areas unattached to map locations. "Near the pass" and "over the mountains" are obvious examples.
Anything you want to add before we proceed?
Nothing. Moving forward to the interesting stuff. What are the names of the soldiers? I'm going to personify them so you don't kill them or have them disappear. 8-)
Freya HP 24/24 AC 16 (17 two weapons)
Kilian HP 20/20 AC 19 (18 no shield)
Talin HP 29 AC 16
Tiana HP 11 AC 12 SP 8/8
Fido HP 9/9 AC 16
Anna HP 12/12 AC 15 (19 defensively)
Bruce HP 20/20 AC 16 (15 no shield)

Red Oak map
Red Oak loot
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