Your eyes smart from the smoke as your ship approaches what you now recognize as a burning village. It does seem a bit odd that there's a stone dock here when just a day or two ago this body of water was a valley.

As you get close, Pock quickly explains he's feeling ill from too many raisins. He jumps and runs off behind a shrub.

The smoke is so thick as you make port that you can't even see Gorn up in the crow's nest. You hear him coughing uncontrollably, and manages to sputter once for help.

Brodd wets a rag and ties it around his mouth and nose, he steps ashore to see what he can do.

Dwarghar watches from the deck doing whatever work is required bringing up sails pulling and tying ropes.

Excited to see dry land, Durek can barely contain his desire to get off the boat.  As they close on the shore he also wraps a wet rag around his face and then follows Brother Brodd ashore.  His axe at a low carry he keeps an eye on the cleric while they search for any survivors.  "Be careful.  Whatever did this may still be around here."

Kalandra stands up and copies Brodd's move of fastening a wet rag around her mouth.

Then she jumps as high on the ship's ropes as she can get, scrambling nimbly toward Gorn in the crow's nest.

In reply to Kalandra (msg # 5):

Kalandra passes Jarvak, who is taking a slower and more methodical climb up the ropes to the mast.

She finds Gorn barely conscious in the crow's nest.

Kalandra, make a save vs. Dragon Breath (13) with CON modifiers if any.

Jarvak will also reach the top in the next round.

Kalandra, trying not to choke herself, hefts Gorn up and passes him down to Jarvak.
Once she is sure Gorn is safe, she will quickly descend, herself.

In reply to Kalandra (msg # 7):

Kalandra's wet rag is holding back the smoke, for now. You notice as you lifted Gorn that his canteen was empty.

Once Jarvak has Gorn slung over his shoulder like a sack of groat clusters, Kalandra swings to dangle from the underside of the ropewalk, and swings from one rung to the next until she stops halfway, where she makes a graceful landing on the deck.

Leohart wets a handkerchief and ties it around the back of his head to cover his mouth and nose before hefting his backpack. Settling into its shoulder straps, his eyes scan the land and remains of the burning village. He joins the others as they disembark from the Folly, falling in step near the middle-back marching order.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:48, Thu 06 Feb 2020.

Dwarghar makes sure the folley is secured to the dock. Exiting only to tie the lines.

Kalandra grabs her boating hook and vaults across to shore. Eagerly, she goes to catch up with those who have gone ahead.

Amalrik gives Dwarghar a hand securing the ship. Why walk when you can float along ... He then finds a suitable rag for smoke fume control to dampen and wear. Drawing his sword, he strides to the end of the ground-end jetty to stand guard for the moment. Would not do for someone to 'borrow' the Folly.

Jarvak whistles at Kalandra and Amalrik.

"Can you get Gorn safely on shore and come back and help me with the horses?

Don't think we should leave them here.  What do you think?"

Seeing no one nearby, Amalrik hastens to help with Gorn and the animals afterwards.

[DM for Pock]

From somewhere in the bushes, you hear the gnome.

"Might be best to leave Gorn on the ship until he recovers. I'm almost done over here...I hope. I can watch him on the boat. Someone needs to watch the animals too, right? Just leave me a large block of cheese before you go, if you don't mind?

Kalandra peels off to the side of the village that is upwind and hopefully not as smoky, moving a bit ahead of her companions, and a bit more quietly.

How many people lived here? she wonders, counting the number of huts and other buildings.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:32, Fri 07 Feb 2020.

Brodd looks to help the injured and fight the fire.

Manaku helps securing the boat in place and then follows others, instinctively taking post as a rear guard.

"I'd really hate to get into another fight right now. I was hoping to find a settlement and a fletcher, buy some arrows. I'm running awfully low on arrows." He says in quiet voice.

"Maybe we'll find one here Manaku."

12:04, Today: Brother Brodd rolled 1 using 1d6.  spot.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Fri 07 Feb 2020.

As with most of the others, Alietra had followed Brother Brodd's wise action, and used a damp rag to filter against smoke inhalation.

It's great having a wise guy in the group, she reflected earnestly.

Moving out after the others, she noted the gnome as well as Amalrik, tending to Gorn and guarding the ship as well as its animals.

"No lack of cheese aboard this ship, Mr. Gumshoe," she replied to the little man, slightly off as regards the name, overhearing his request.

"Hey," she said to the two of them, "that sorrel mare with the white mane -- one day, I'm riding off into the sunset on that very horse.     Make extra sure she's safe.   Amalrik, if you're watching the ship, then I know my destiny is secure!"     

With that, she turned and followed the others out toward the village, frowning at the grim scene, and wondering what had happened, and what sort of people (or otherwise) were responsible...

The party conducts the basic survey of what must have been a mid-sized village.

The thatched huts where families dwelt and made their crafts burned all too easy.

The tavern is half-burned and still smoldering. No sign of the kegs or the iron hoops they would have left behind.

The blacksmith's hearth is ransacked and the anvil tipped over.

Brother Brodd identifies the circle in the center of town where the villagers regularly gathered around in good weather for solar worship. The huge iron solar wheel that was the center of the worship still stands. It looks like it could be pushed over easily, but a shattered axe at the base of the symbol indicates otherwise.

[If Gorn is able to log in he can try and make a Tracking roll.]

A dirt road leads north and steadily uphill. The other pathsdown to the drowned valley have been washed out.

Still feeling the effects of the smoke, Gorn eases his way around the burned out village looking to see if he can find tracks leading away from the village. His eyes are still watery and he has to focus mentally to discern if any of the tracks will help.

16:05, Today: Gorn rolled 22 using 1d100.  Tracking Roll (20%)

Kalandra glances into some of the less-damaged huts. Anyone alive? Lots of corpses?

Jarvak stayed aboard the ship actually.

His eyes wandered the shoreline, surrounding forest, and skys.

Last thing they needed was their ship sank or people trying to take it and their horses while everyone else wandered away.

Dwarghar nods his thanks to Amalrik and with Pock and Jarvik staying aboard he climbs clumsily off the boat and goes partway into the town. He looks around in thoughtful investigation for corpses, shields, armor, arrows stuck at angles or any other sign of conflict or other cause of this.

20:15, Today: Dwarghar Stoneblood rolled 2 using 1d6.  look around.

"I don't see anyone, hurt or other wise. We need to get upwind of the smoke." Brodd walks back to the others "Well Einhard, what do we do? No one is around, should we follow them to where ever they went? Should we leave a guard here or abandon the boat? Or, scrounge for what we need and simply leave?"

Kalandra sticks the butt of her boating hook into the gravel and says, "I'm not sure of anyone else's opinton, but I've been on that ship quite long enough for me."

While not in town, Amalrik's opinion is to find the princess first.

Durek continues to stay close to Brother Brodd as he checks out the town.

Regdoc made rounds with a hand grasping Chomper's collar. The smoke was disorienting to the old cleric and he relied heavily on his pack-dog's sense of direction and his nose for clues.

"Food Chomper. Survivors and food is what we're looking for... oh yes, and a shield to replace the one broken at the vineyard. There may be enemies, so stay sharp you mongrel!"

The bard sprinkled a bit of water upon the copious laces about his neck and plied them to cover his face.

"I'mph shhay 'ere an' guar-uh-boa 'oo..." he said, muffled as he was by his smoke filter.

Guarding the boat wasn't very exciting however, so after a little while, he trotted off into the smoke hoping to see the company in action rescuing half-burned maidens and over-done tarts.

"OOOO-HOOO! eh-wee-bu'y ou'ere?"

"How many people do you think made it out of here alive? It doesn't look like it was very many."

In reply to Creston Fairwood (msg # 32):

Kalandra looks over to the elf. "I think if anyone is left alive at all,, they're still hiding. Not holding out much hope for that, though."

She then walks over to the solar disk. "It could have been religious. If this town were the subject of regular raids, seems like something would be left to rebuild to get raided again later."

"Scavenge for food, arrows and such then. Then we'll sail further to the next town."

Leohart scavenges carefully for food and anything of use to the party, staying within sight and hearing of the others.

Nodding in understanding when Brother Brodd speaks; "Got it.  Still one wonders what caused this much destruction?"

With that the dwarf looks through the rubble using his axe to move things around.

Most of the farm animals have been crudely killed and hacked for meat, less than a day ago you estimate. A couple chickens are still running loose. But there are no human corpses, not even the telltale dark stains on the ground of bodies being dragged. You do see personal effects strewn about: a pewter mug here, a peasant hat here, a rag doll there.

This place was a mountain ridge before the gnomish dam was opened, so in addition to what's left of the village you have several miles of thick woods, and cut trails through the brush.

Walking back to the group, "I can't find any indication of tracks leading away from here. It would probably be best if we just move on, either via boat or one of these trails that are cut into the woods."

Kalandra walks over to the nearest cut trail, squats down and says, "Isn't anyone in the least curious?"

"The flood from opening the dam was devastating, just on the edge of the water now. I suggest we stick to the water for now."

Kalandra walks back to the ship, dragging her pole. "Fine. But the next island, we explore. I don't care if it's raining carnivorous apes or sdomething."

After poking some things; "It doesn't look like much is left anyways..its almost as if the people left, or were taken in a hurry."  Shouldering his axe he heads back to the boat and turns to Kalandra; "Agreed.  Exploring means more time on land.  Something that my stomach would myuch appreciate."

"Einhard? It's up to you to decide, it is your niece that was taken."

Alietra was more than curious.   Unusual for her, she was disturbed. This whole thing rang really funny to her.

"No stiffs, and no tracks?  I mean, I'd think slavers, for sure.   But there'd be tracks to show they were taken.    You don't need to be a tracker to see the footprints of a whole village worth of people.  Did they all disappear, somehow?  Shouldn't we really try to learn what happened?"   

Manaku looks for useful supplies and especially arrows.

OOC: Find any?

"There are no bodies and it looks like the domestic animals have been slaughtered for food. I think they evacuated, but where to?" The elf ponders when he returns.

"There are trails leading out we could follow. The ship, however, is much faster transport -  provided we want to go downstream, of course."

Manaku and Gorn come to the conclusion from the scattering of debris that the villagers were taken along a trail through the forest.

Add to that there's no evidence that any other boats have been here in the time since the village was raided.

Kalandra secures her boat oar to her back and says, "I'l let you know if I find any other clues."

Then she crouches and starts sneaking down the trail.

These people were taken only a day ago.  Follow them if you want to do good.
Dwarghar says. He’s thinking about what he’s lost and decides to follow the trail himself. He goes to the ones at the front to get the direction and start moving.

Returning to the boat, he quickly gathers up his equipment and leads his horse off the boat. "May not be able to ride her through that undergrowth but she may come in handy if necessary." he comments to the rest of the group. Once off the boat he secures on the horse the equipment that he doesn't needs and leads her over towards the trail.

Leohart falls in with the party.

Shaking his head Durek turns around with a grin on his face; "Excellent.  We stay on dry land.  gods be praised." He moves to join the party.

[Thanks to Regdoc for finding a good visual reference!]

https://i.imgur.com/pPVlhH9.jpg?1

[GM]

Once the mounts are off the ship, Pock stares up at the bottle nestled at the tip of the bow.

"So...you're telling me that this entire boat magically fit inside this bottle? Hmmm...can someone give me a boost? I want to try something."

The bard enthusiastically helped the gnome to reach the bottle, having in mind - or hoping he did at any rate - what the little fellow might be UP to... _heh.

Holding his breath in anticipation, Harald watched to see if his suspicion was correct. If so, this would be something marvelously noteworthy to include as he penned the ballad of his journeyings with this odd troupe!

[DM]

The gnome balanced precariously on the bard's shoulders.

"I watched my grandfather make a ship in a bottle once...it was all flattened out and connected by a string...and then he pushed it all in, like this!"

Pock firmly places a stubby digit against the base of the bottle. In complete defiance of the laws of physics, the boat quickly collapses in on itself and crams into the bottle. The gnome stares down at his handiwork.

"Barely any weight change at all. Half a smidge, maybe..."

He corks the bottle securely.

"Have ship, will travel! Put me down gently, please.."

Regdoc and Chomper continued to search for victims while the others prepared to move from the village. They would join the search party of course. The old cleric looked for a shield in the ruins.

"Well done Pock! We can take the ship with us now!"

Regdoc finds the charred remains of a tavern door with the handle still intact along with some iron bands the could function a shield.

Manaku manages to find an arrow lodged into the timber of a ruined shop's doorframe. Far below elven quality. Almost certainly humanoid manufacture.

Chomper presses his nose to the ground, sniffing in long circuits around the village. He picks up the doll in his jaws and trots until he stops and points towards the northern path.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:20, Tue 11 Feb 2020.

"North it is then Chomper, good boy." Brodd walks over and scratches the old cur between the ears.

"Lead the way tracker. We'll follow." Brodd says to no one in particular.

Brodd takes up the reins of the mule in hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:26, Tue 11 Feb 2020.

[if there's any unanswered questions, let me know before I start the next scene]

In reply to DM (msg # 60):

PM

Dwarghar was looking for clues a while back apparently had t found any but he would love make himself a shield as well.

In reply to Dwarghar Stoneblood (msg # 62):

You noticed one thing unusual: In the Inn and all of the domiciles, the kitchen areas weren't trashed, but cleared out. Salt, spices, herbs, utensils, all gone. Not even a pot for a helmet.

Given an hour, a hammer on your person and some scrap you find, you can improvise a shield. There! Fine dwarven craftsmanship! It looks better than the burnt hunk of planks the Traveler is lugging around in any event!
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Wed 12 Feb 2020.

The cleric of He Who Explores Trails Through The Ever-encroaching Woodlands At The Base Of Mountains Guarded By That Which Flies took the doll gingerly from Chomper and scratched the mutt behind one ear. He didn't say much, but there was an understanding. Whatever had happened was what they needed to look into at the moment. Regdoc stuffed the doll into his pack and hefted his make-shift shield, stepping into line with those exploring the path through the woods.

"Such creativity!" Harald remarked as his companions made use of their surroundings to better fortify their own persons.

"The village-with-no-Name... a sad chapter. But lo! we've a trail to follow have we not? Let us mold this history my stalwart companions! To the rescue!"

This was punctuated by an impressive chord strum and lute solo.

With somewhat of an idea on the direction they should travel, Gorn takes the reins of his horse and begins the slow walk, cautiously following the path of least resistance. "Like the old days, huh." as he looks back over his shoulder, a slight nod coming from his horse. With his eyes watching the path closely, every so often he would stop and retrieve something from the ground, study it, then move on.

[Make another Tracking roll in the next scene, Gorn]

As you all gather to continue up the trail you realize Kalandra isn't among you.

[Loading Next scene...]

After a long time of contemplative silence, Einhard speaks,

"Even though my niece may be among the captives, that does not diminish the importance of others.

We must find these miscreants, rescue the captives, and dispense our brand of justice.

Now let us follow the trail before it turns cold..."

OOC right tone ?, will edit for color when I get home edited
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Wed 12 Feb 2020.

In reply to Einhard (msg # 68):

[Perfect!]

Creston continues looking for arrows he can add to his supply, and does not immediately notice the others have moved on. He runs to catch up.