Wait! I mean no harm. At least collect your sap and bucket!

Saran tells Spot telepathically to follow the dwarf and then return.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Tue 14 May 2019.

Ok, Spot does so. Lampwick becomes visible and says, "I can almost taste the syrup from here. They are brewing some down there now."

To clarify, Spot comes back in just a couple minutes and can lead you to where the dwarf went.

Saran quietly moves within 100' of Spot, who is overlooking the brew operation.  What does Spot see?

He sees a small cottage with a lean-to work area where there is a cauldron type operation with some liquid slowly boiling.

The forest is cleared away around the house. You see nobody at the house.

Saran approaches the cottage and says hello!

An older dwarf voice says, "what is your business here? Why did you sneak up on my son?"

In reply to GM (msg # 394):

I'm searching for monuments or signs of foxes.  I would be obliged if you have information on either.  I apologize for startling your son.  I certainly didn't intend it, though I can understand how it might have seemed that way as I hailed him from a shady spot where I was resting. I assure you I mean no harm.

Roll a deception check.

Jk.

Roll a persuasion check.

In reply to GM (msg # 396):

15:52, Today: Saran Helder rolled 17 using 1d20 ((17)).

The door to the cottage opens, you hear a woman's voice, though pretty low, so either scarlet Johansson or a dwarves woman, protest, then a dwarves man with a loaded crossbow and round shield step out.

"Foxes? You don't look like no pelter. What's this about?"

He is dressed in frontier type clothing, but with a stained, leather apron.

You are quite right. I am no pelter.  You might say I am a seeker.  The foxes and the monuments are related, at least that is my hope.  I'm sorry to be vague, but it is a long story. I'm happy to share it if you care to hear it, but I can see that my presence is a source of consternation. If you wish me gone, say the word and I will bid my farewell with no ill feeling.  However if you can help me I promise a share of any treasure I may find, plus a pinch of coin upfront.

He lowers the crossbow.

"Go on. What's foxes got ta do with monuments? Also, are you alone? "

occ: I am going to change Saran's color to purple

I am not alone.  I have my pet raven and a traveling companion who may be at this moment invisible.  Hello Lampwick...  Saran waits a momment and then proceeds whether Lampwich shows himself or not.

Yes, well, let me start with a story then.

Saran relates the nursery tale of Boccob and the fox with as much elaboration as he can manage, complete with illustrations via minor illusion.

This is an interesting children's story, but maybe more than a story...  You see, independent research of a friend of mine tells me that some kind of a monument related to Boccob is located near this area. Some legends have said that the den the fox built Boccob is also located near here. I am guessing that these are related, and hoping that some sign of foxes may help me to locate the monument.

Unrelatedly, have you had any encounters with Zombies?

He pauses you when you start using minor illusion and calls his family out which includes a wife and a son and a daughter. They eventually invite you around back to a fire pit with log seats (no fire at this time) and you continue the story above the fire pit with you all sitting round about. Lampwick does show himself when invited to do so. The adult male dwarf keeps a wary eye on him, the way one might a mischievous child, but the others are (non magically) enchanted.

They tell you of some fox runs and other game trails for you to follow. They have not heard about any zombies in the area.

The dwarf considers the information fair trade for whatever you deem appropriate to pay him, but as far as any treasure you find, he says you are welcome to come and purchase any of their wares on your way out. His wife seems a bit chagrined by this, but doesn't say anything. You are not sure if it is because he won't accept money foe nothing or if it is to invite strangers back again. You see now there is a very narrow cart path leading down the valley away from the home.

If you are i ntersted in buying anything, he sells syrup related items, as well as some potion/antitoxin/medicines that are in syrup form "medicine, as you know is notoriously foul tasting. I believe there is a real opportunity in the market for syrup based medicines."

Saran buys some regular syrup and some medicinal syrup, throws in an extra gp or 2 thanks the family and heads in the direction indicated for the nearest fox run.

Ok, the syrup is a silver, and the medicine is 10gp (advantage on saves vs poison/disease, as in, if you are fighting a longer term condition which gets periodic saves to recover from, medicine will give advantage on these saves. For verisimilitude, let's say that the medicine is a concoction of steroids and antibiotic type drugs).

So, remove 12gp from your sheet.

Roll a perception, survival, or investigation check with advantage.

15:14, Today: Saran Helder rolled 14 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only ((9,8)).

Ok, you follow several fox trails and with the help of Lampwick and Spot you discover one that leads into a small cave in a rock face in the side of a small hill, so it is relatively flat on the one side and more of a slope on the others. Upon inspection you see that the stone is worked in places as a facade. It appears to be a building that has been covered over the years by dirt and foliage. The opening is large enough for you to squeeze into without much trouble. Lampwick peaks in and says that it opens up inside, but smells like animals. It is approaching nighttime.

OOC: I was looking for a DC 15, and the advantage was from the info from the dwarff, but I realized that you had help. I think my general philosophy is that the first help gives you advantage, the second help (for a different type of source) gives you +2, and overwhelming help gives you another +3 (for a total of +5). So, in this case it was advantage with a +2. I suppose alternatively, I could have had Lampwick help also, but I like to have one person roll for things that the party is doing together. Otherwise, rolls just overwhelm the check.

Saran casts light on a pebble or small stone, tosses it a ways in the cave, and then squeezes in to see for himself.

Ok, you toss a lit pebble and go in. It does indeed look as if animals have made it into a den, though you see none at this time. The walls and ceiling are covered in roots and creepers. The stone floor is broken and covered in dirt with jagged corners of cut stone jutting up at all angles.

In the back right side of the 10x10 space there is what appears to be hallway. It looks like the opposite side also had a hallway, but it is caved in.

Saran casts light on his belt, beckons Spot and Lanpwick to follow and proceeds cautiously down the hall.

Ok, I am going to say that between the Guard Drake/Kobold encounter and the skill check/dwarf encounter, and anything I may have missed, I will award you 300xp.

I wouldn't mind if you kept slightly better notes on your characters sheet. Like with your inventory more as a list, with some more description of your magical item (physical description and properties).

You can level up before we proceed into the ruins.

OK, I think I am read to go.

If it works for you, I would rather keep track of my character sheet in a Google sheet, which I put a link to in the rpol character sheet.

Sounds good.

As you proceed into the hall, you hear a rustling behind you are the entrance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:35, Fri 10 Jan 2020.