I’m going to approach the halfling bard, Tommy, to ask him some questions. (Or at least try, we’ll see how he reacts to my character...)
“Hullo, there, little man! Ye got a good singing voice, or I’ll be brewed and pickled in a teetolist pub!
“Mayhap ye can sing a good verse or two about the happening’s around here? Ye know anything about the forest hereabouts? Me and my friends here, we be thinkin’ it’d be worth a few gold coins ter help yer village out.
“Mayhap ye know of any friends that went missing in the course of recent events? Ye could do a good tribute to their memories, if’n they be found dead, by telling us in song of their misfortune. Here, I’ll even buy you a cookie.”
Hek’s grin is pained as his mind tries to grapple with the concept of buying a cookie in a pub.
"Could we ask for one cup from Master Gunthers' favourite drink? "
"Oh, you mean strawberry milkshake with three times extra cream, topped with crushed roasted almonds? Right away, Sir!"
"Master Gunther Grimrack is one of my regular and most esteemed customers. Every evening he comes and has a nice time here. To see him finish up dozens of milkshake jugs in a single go! Ha ha, you should see how he burps after that! Kindly dwarf, he is!"
"But alas! Ever since the cows have gone disappearing, business's been really difficult. The grazing fields are not far away from the Forests themselves, but we should have seen some signs if the cattle were disappearing into it, hoof marks or trampled grass, and things like that, you know. But we didn't find anything like that. I think we must have missed something, but who dares go into the Grim Forest!"
“Mayhap ye can sing a good verse or two about the happening’s around here? Ye know anything about the forest hereabouts? Me and my friends here, we be thinkin’ it’d be worth a few gold coins ter help yer village out.
“Mayhap ye know of any friends that went missing in the course of recent events? Ye could do a good tribute to their memories, if’n they be found dead, by telling us in song of their misfortune. Here, I’ll even buy you a cookie.”
"Coookie!", exclaimed Tommy excitedly, "That would be veery kind of you, Sir! You want to listen to me ballads? 'Tis an honour to sing to noble foreigners!"
Saying this, he starts on a song:
"Grim, grim all around, Forest, rivers, skies and ground, Darkness hangs in the day, Perils stalk you on your way.
The hamlet be cosy 'n' warm, No one can here do you harm, But outside be full of dangers, 'Tis not a place for noble strangers!
By and by they went on 'poof'! None even saw a cattle hoof 'Tis a state most sad, Never before was it so bad!
We cried, we mourned for the ones lost But we couldn't find them at any cost. We waited, we waited for the gods' favour, Maybe you all could be our saviour?"
Saying this, Tommy's voice choked, and he burst into tears. Those who were assembled there also appeared to be struck with sorrow.
"I see. By chance, do you know the most recent site of the disappearances?"
Also i have another question:
" Thanks for the milkshake i like to try out new things. Did the Triumvirate restricted alcoholic drinks on the whole region of the hamlet? And did the accidents lessen since the regulation?"
" Thanks for the milkshake i like to try out new things. Did the Triumvirate restricted alcoholic drinks on the whole region of the hamlet? And did the accidents lessen since the regulation?"
"Actually, it's not just the Hamlet." says Marlowe. "Any kind of beverage that causes intoxication, inebriation and insobriety is prohibited all over the land of Vardenshire. It's not just limited to alcohol, but also to certain other things like Phenidosium, Morphivalium, Flexbuis and other such things.
It's not the Triumvirate who directly passed this judgement. There was a decree in the Grand Senate of Hallowmoor, that was supported by the Dwarves of almost all the clans in Vardenshire. In fact, it was the Grimrack clan which first proposed this Act to be enforced. They believe that it was too much of ale that led many a brave dwarf to their imminent doom. Foreigners find it difficult to believe this, but it's true.
Well, the accidents due to intoxication had stopped, but as they say, as one problem is solved, another one crops up from nowhere. And that's what has happened now."
"I see. By chance, do you know the most recent site of the disappearances?"
"As for the most recent site, I'm not very sure, since these incidents are happening quite frequently these days. But as far as I know, the greatest number of disappearances have occurred mostly near the Grim Forest. Very uncanny place, especially after sunset. Most of us avoid treading near it when it's dark."
It's not the Triumvirate who directly passed this judgement. There was a decree in the Grand Senate of Hallowmoor, that was supported by the Dwarves of almost all the clans in Vardenshire. In fact, it was the Grimrack clan which first proposed this Act to be enforced. They believe that it was too much of ale that led many a brave dwarf to their imminent doom. Foreigners find it difficult to believe this, but it's true.
“I see.” I munch on a . “Sounds like the perfect place to start our search. Never fear, my good man, for we shall solve this crisis and hopefully return your missing cows to you!” I stuff the remaining s in my inventory.
Hello all. Sry for the late arrival but I'd like to join this crew. Since I am late I hope you don't object to my character being in the tavern and seeing this crew and then attaching himself to you that way. This means I have not met the quest-giver, nor have I recieved any gold or visited the vendors. I only possess the starting equiupment of a leather armor and a unenchanted weapon. Details below.
Character: Sorry if something is off, trying my best to quickly google IWD2 char creation but hard to find good data, so making some stuff up. Rounding down rather than rounding up, so to not make char OP by mistake. If I unknowingly use illegal combo of race/class and weapons etc, sorry for that. OK, reading @Rik_Kirtaniya comment in the activity thread, I have finally managed to create legal stats, hehe..
Race: Shield Dwarf (+2 CON, -2 CHA) Name: Vidar Alignent: Neutral Good Class: Druid Stats STR 10 DEX 14 CON 10 WIS 16 INT 16 (I like skill points!) CHA 10
Description: A weary wanderer have walked into the inn. His clothes are dusty, torn and has seen long use. Yet they are sturdy, patched again and again and obviously cared for. It's the kind of clothes you wear for a purpose rather than for fashion. Dressed in ash grey/black; boots, trousers, a long coat. Underneath all that dusty ash-grey clothes you can see a shirt that once upon a time must have been white over a grey-brown leather armor of sorts. The armor seems to be made from some kind of flexible tree bark rather than leather, but has equal protection. He has a pine green cloak carelessly over his shoulders and back. On his shaven head he wears a dusty wide brimmed hat. It's not the beard that gives him away, but even though he's unusually lean and tall he's still obviously a dwarf. His skin coarse and bark-like, his brown beard kept semi-short and his eyes are green with a neutral expression of equal interest and curiousity as with neutrality and distance.
A wanderer. A vagabond. In his hand he has a walking stick. Though looking in prime shape, it's a wanderer's tool rather than a weapon. Just before he closed the door behind him, two magpies fly in and sets down, one one each of his shoulders. One cackle a bit, the other all silent. They look comfortable where they sit and it's obvious they are use to it. These small, insignificant magpies seem to be the only animal companions he has. The dwarf closes the doors, turns around halfway and uses his hat to pat of some of the dust, careful not to drag in the dirt into the inn. The dwarf finds a free table at the side of the inn and sits down with his back against the wall so he has clear sight of the bar, the floors and the doors to the kitchen and the outside. He looks around and spots a adventurous crew. He stands up again and walks to them..
That's a grand entry @Skatan! I'm impressed by the character concept. You surely must have put some good efforts into it, for it's fantastic! As for the stats, you still have 4 more points to add (Max starting value of any stat = 18, except CON which is 20 for Dwarves.) So as soon as you update those stats, I'll update them on the participants' name list on the first page.
I'd like to see how the interaction begins. I'll give the others some time to get their characters acquainted with yours' in the adventure, since your character doesn't know what is happening here. (And meanwhile I'll take some time off and play Icewind Dale ) You may also choose to share something about your character's background with your party-members. As soon as it's done, we shall move on to the Grim Forest (or any place that everyone decides ).
I re-used the char concept from a bio I wrote once. I posted it once also in a discord channel for RP but that channel was dead so I never played that char anymore. So I could re-use it here.
Vidar walks up to the bar, nods at the innkeeper and says "A cup of hot water please". He's served both a cup of hot water, as well as, a glare since there's little money to be made from serving water. Out of a small pouch attached to his belt he adds a few green tea leaves into the cup and stirs with his finger. The hot water doesn't seem to burn him. Looking around his eyes fixate on Glem.
"Hello stranger. Did I hear something about an excursion into the Grim Forest? You see, I have some experience about such things and was wondering if I might accompany you? Long story short, I am searching for certain herbs that are rumored to grow in great numbers in those woods and I wouldn't mind some company on the way. "
The left magpie fixate its eyes on Glem as well. The right one, seems to be almost asleep. They both sit idly on Vidar's broad shoulders.
I shrug and say “Sure. One cannot have too many friends, no matter where they hail from. How do you think I met these guys?” I point to all of my companions. “Crazy bunch, this lot. You look like you’ll fit in.” I flash him a huge smile.
By the way, my character’s name is Grem, not Glem
I look to my other companions and say “Anybody have any other questions to ask? If not, we should leave these gentlemen to their business and continue our own.”
“Hello there, friend.” Vidar looks at Korb. “I have traveled from grove to grove, from town to town, in rain and in sun and met all of nature’s creatures, but never have I had the pleasure of conversing with a red-scaled kobold. It’s my pleasure to make you acquaintance. Let us share a cup and share our tales together you and I. My flying friends here are Maggie (Vidar nods slightly to the left and point out the active one) and Picca ( nods to the right, the half asleep one).
Vidar turns to Glen. “Thank you friend. I look forward to traverse the planes with you fine lot. “ Maggie chirps a happy sound at this and if magpies could smile it’s obvious she flashes one back at Glem. Picca turns around and tucks his head into the cloaks and collar, as if to hide from the annoying sounds disturbing his sleep.
@Rik_Kirtaniya I too am enjoying this. I like the laid back pace and fellow players. It works for me since I only have brief moments where I can jot down a reaction or input!
@Skatan Well met Vidar! You are a fellow walker in the woods, yes? I too was pleased with the meeting of Little Dragon. I have never traveled with such a lively bunch. Truly this is a day to embrace new friendships.
@Skatan You can still add 2 more points to what is now there. (If I start explaining about the modifiers, it will get complicated. It's just that the maximum values shouldn't exceed the restrictions imposed by the modifiers, that's it. ) The total should come to 76.
@Rik_Kirtaniya I too am enjoying this. I like the laid back pace and fellow players. It works for me since I only have brief moments where I can jot down a reaction or input!
Thanks @RVNS! Most of us who like to enjoy roleplaying adventures do not get a fixed leisure time due to real life workload and time zone differences. That's exactly why I had formulated this system of comment-when-you-can. I was not sure how it would turn out, but as we can see now, it's working well enough!
@rvns “Well met yourself, woodelf. A pleasure meeting another one of Mothers children. I didn’t catch your name, may I ask for it? “
Vidar sips on his tea. From his pocket he picks up a couple of small seeds and begin feeding Maggie. So.. what’s the plan?
Off to bed. Online in 10 hours or so. In the meantime Vidar Will follow the group, mostly silent but always polite if addressed directly. He will follow the lead of Glem or off the DM Rik
"Ave' Theran. Most call me Ave." Ave leans on the bar top stretching before saying "looks like the Grim Forest for us." Ever traveled through? I've heard tale of magic artifacts and mysterious tribes live under the leaves." He lets a quick grin flash. "lets hope things are exciting, sometimes locals exaggerate."
Since everyone has decided to start from the Grim Forest, I'm taking you all there.
Starting Chapter 1...
Loading Grim Forest Area...
Chapter 1: What's all the Grim about?
So after having some unconventional, yet novel refreshments at the local tavern, you make your way towards the Grim Forest. It lies on the far eastern edge of the village, a few hundred metres off the grazing pastures. The land starts sloping down here. While on your way, you have been questioning the villagers about any information about the Forest, and you gathered some strange tidings regarding the place, but whether they are useful insights or just rampant rumours, you cannot be sure.
It seems that there are more areas within the forest. The knowledge of most of their whereabouts, as you can understand, have been passed from generation to generation as local folklore, for once did man and his cousins live in those forests which covered the hamlet as well in some remote period way back. Mixed with myths, rumours and fantastic tales, of the kind that is woven by the fire-light on dark nights to keep off thoughts of fear and loneliness, the Grim Forests are an ever mysterious land, as dark as the shade of the dense impenetrable canopy that forms its green, leafy roof.
Note: Ave and Vidar will receive certain advantages while within the Forests. I'm not revealing everything now, but they will become apparent as we progress onwards.
You make your way through the dense undergrowth of shrubs, treading over the damp forest floor littered with dead, decaying leaves. You hear the chirping of various insects, and occasionally the hasty scurrying of a squirrel or a mongoose through the bushes. Soon you reach a fork, where it appears as if the trees have made a natural division of the pathway. On the three sides, you can see three areas of less dense woods, separated from each other by thick rows of trees.
The first one is dry and stony, with some cover of lichens and moss. You can see a number of rocks on both sides, smoothened by the relentless phenomenon of weathering.
The second is covered in a lush green vegetation, and you can see intertwining lianas growing above it. On them, you can see beautiful, vividly-coloured wild flowers growing freely, untouched by the tampering paws of civilization.
The third is peculiarly damp, and you can get the smell of wet leaves. Strangely, you fancy a smooth flow of cool breeze coming from this way, carrying the earthly smell of muddy soil.
Hint: Read the descriptions carefully. They contain implications as to what you might face next.
Vidar stops at the fork in the road and breath in the air, looks intensively at the different roads ahead and smell the scents carefully.
"I've seen many a forest before, but this is surely a rare sight. Three so different environments so close to eachother. I sense a disturbance in the balance of nature. Something is amiss. Let us tread carefully ahead, my friends, for I sense peril in all three directions. The trees, the plants, the rocks and the streams.. they should talk to me, yet they are oddly silent here. I cannot get the correct bearing from them, they do not reach out to me as usual. I regret to inform you I cannot council you on the best way."
After walking to the Grim Forest, Picca has awoken and soars to the skies. Maggie instead seem to have been released from her watch and move closer to Vidar's neck and falls into slumber. Every now and then Picca returns to Vidar and whispers into his ear what he's seen. But for now, Picca has yet to reveal anything of value that could influence the choice.
Vidar turns to the team. "What do the rest of you think, where to go?" Vidar intimately and subconsciously strokes Maggie over her neck and back while waiting for input from his newfound friends.
I've updated my original post about stats again, but I can post them here as well for you. I used a NVN2 char creator online since I assume they are based on the same kind of rules, though NVN2 is 3,5 they should use the same point-buy system I think. The stats according to that side (NVN2DB) are: STR 10 DEX 14 CON 10 WIS 16 INT 16 (I like skill points!) CHA 10
Sorry for the confusion, but though I've played NVN1 many years ago and NVN2 to some degree, 3E+ rules don't come naturally to me and apparently not math either since I tried to quickly do the math of point-buy with increasing cost for 15-16 and 17-18, hehe..
And also, some info for you as DM. I hope it's ok I've switched my animal companion that druids in 3E get to help them in combat for my two magpies that fly around and scout for my character instead. It's just a concept I like and it's inspired by tales of Oden, the old Norse god that travels the world dressed as a wanderer with his cloak and wide-brimmed hat, long beard, walking stick and his two ravens Hugin and Mumin that scout and tell him news from the world. If this in any way break your planning and world-building, let me know and I will keep it at a minimum by just writing that they fly away and don't return for a long time, this they cannot aid me in the areas where you want them excluded.
If you want to picture my character Vidar, here's my inspiration. Remove the "Gandalf" look and add in a more dwarf-like face but with a shorter beard and you got it.
The reason for his perhaps unusual clothes for being a druid you can ask about if interrested, but he haven't always been a druid. Also, his constant referrals to "Mother" is part of the character concept and can also be asked about if you want to. Vidar is not a regular druid which is tied to a grove and worships Silvanus or Chauntea, instead he has a calling from the very nature itself, the complete sum of which he believes to be "Mother", similar to what on Earth is the mythos about Gaia - the earth mother. But since Chauntea unfortunately has already the nickname "Earth Mother", Vidar's proclaimed ûber-mother-nature-thingy is just called "Mother".
This is an uncommon sight indeed. To me the first site is the most welcoming, but we don't come here for enjoying the nature, but to discover the source of the troubles. Still i suggest to start our investigation at first part of the wood.
If this in any way break your planning and world-building, let me know and I will keep it at a minimum by just writing that they fly away and don't return for a long time, this they cannot aid me in the areas where you want them excluded.
Not at all, @Skatan! It's absolutely okay! In fact, I really love the idea of the two magpies. It makes me have some deep philosophical thoughts. The idea of your character and his philosophy of Mother Nature has impressed me a lot. It's enlightening.
And as for my planning, well, let me tell you, nothing is planned at all! I'm making it all happen spontaneously. So Maggie and Picca can help you!
Just keep them close to you when you enter any underground dungeons.
"I trust the instincts of a priest of Chauntea and would follow him down the first path. "Korb, what does your ranger experience tell you? And Ave, what does your keen woodelf senses suggest?"
"Perhaps we can agree to move down the first path.. "
I second @lolien 's question. I've assumed so far we have some kind of 3E base, but since I've never played IWD2 I have to wing it. I assume a druid had basic healing, animal summoning, stat enhancing spells (like bull's str or whatever) and animal companion and maybe animal charm spells, and will write my actions based on that unless you say no. I will also assume I have some kind of survival/herbalist/alchemy skills.
Since you base things on iterative actions I guess you will give us this freedom to choose what our characters can and cannot yet do, so I will try my best to play along and use low-level spells and skills until you tell us we've leveled.
Dunno why, but I'm so excited about this! Make it progress faster!!
Yes you have access to the basic 3E spells of the first level. However, nothing is quite hard-and-fast here, and things are more flexible than you can imagine. You have the complete freedom to design your character as you like, as long as you keep it consistent with the actual character concept.
Since this is more of a roleplaying adventure rather than a conventional Pen and Paper module, things here are more based on your choices and decisions. So you can use your skills and abilities according to the demands of the situation created, however, they will be implemented by our imagination, rather than dice rolls and calculations (since the latter option will make it clumsy, complicated and inconvenient). I hope my point is clear.
Dunno why, but I'm so excited about this! Make it progress faster!!
I'm glad that you are excited about this. I could have hastened the pace, but that would make me compromise with the quality and depth of the storytelling. So I would rather have it progress slowly but steadily. For we know, the fruits of patience are always sweet.
I'll continue the story, but let the others arrive and react to the Forest setting, since this is the beginning of this chapter (and you wouldn't want to take hasty decisions).
Grem pulls out a weird three-sided object and tosses it into the air, catching it with his hand. He then opens his hand and checks what side the object landed on.
Comments
“Hullo, there, little man! Ye got a good singing voice, or I’ll be brewed and pickled in a teetolist pub!
“Mayhap ye can sing a good verse or two about the happening’s around here? Ye know anything about the forest hereabouts? Me and my friends here, we be thinkin’ it’d be worth a few gold coins ter help yer village out.
“Mayhap ye know of any friends that went missing in the course of recent events? Ye could do a good tribute to their memories, if’n they be found dead, by telling us in song of their misfortune. Here, I’ll even buy you a cookie.”
Hek’s grin is pained as his mind tries to grapple with the concept of buying a cookie in a pub.
"Master Gunther Grimrack is one of my regular and most esteemed customers. Every evening he comes and has a nice time here. To see him finish up dozens of milkshake jugs in a single go! Ha ha, you should see how he burps after that! Kindly dwarf, he is!"
"But alas! Ever since the cows have gone disappearing, business's been really difficult. The grazing fields are not far away from the Forests themselves, but we should have seen some signs if the cattle were disappearing into it, hoof marks or trampled grass, and things like that, you know. But we didn't find anything like that. I think we must have missed something, but who dares go into the Grim Forest!"
Saying this, he starts on a song:
"Grim, grim all around,
Forest, rivers, skies and ground,
Darkness hangs in the day,
Perils stalk you on your way.
The hamlet be cosy 'n' warm,
No one can here do you harm,
But outside be full of dangers,
'Tis not a place for noble strangers!
By and by they went on 'poof'!
None even saw a cattle hoof
'Tis a state most sad,
Never before was it so bad!
We cried, we mourned for the ones lost
But we couldn't find them at any cost.
We waited, we waited for the gods' favour,
Maybe you all could be our saviour?"
Saying this, Tommy's voice choked, and he burst into tears. Those who were assembled there also appeared to be struck with sorrow.
If the others agree we take seat by a table and invite Tommy to our company too. When Marlowe shows up again we repeat our earlier question: Also i have another question:
" Thanks for the milkshake i like to try out new things. Did the Triumvirate restricted alcoholic drinks on the whole region of the hamlet? And did the accidents lessen since the regulation?"
It's not the Triumvirate who directly passed this judgement. There was a decree in the Grand Senate of Hallowmoor, that was supported by the Dwarves of almost all the clans in Vardenshire. In fact, it was the Grimrack clan which first proposed this Act to be enforced. They believe that it was too much of ale that led many a brave dwarf to their imminent doom. Foreigners find it difficult to believe this, but it's true.
Well, the accidents due to intoxication had stopped, but as they say, as one problem is solved, another one crops up from nowhere. And that's what has happened now." "As for the most recent site, I'm not very sure, since these incidents are happening quite frequently these days. But as far as I know, the greatest number of disappearances have occurred mostly near the Grim Forest. Very uncanny place, especially after sunset. Most of us avoid treading near it when it's dark."
Character: Sorry if something is off, trying my best to quickly google IWD2 char creation but hard to find good data, so making some stuff up. Rounding down rather than rounding up, so to not make char OP by mistake. If I unknowingly use illegal combo of race/class and weapons etc, sorry for that.OK, reading @Rik_Kirtaniya comment in the activity thread, I have finally managed to create legal stats, hehe..Race: Shield Dwarf (+2 CON, -2 CHA)
Name: Vidar
Alignent: Neutral Good
Class: Druid
Stats
STR 10
DEX 14
CON 10
WIS 16
INT 16 (I like skill points!)
CHA 10
Description: A weary wanderer have walked into the inn. His clothes are dusty, torn and has seen long use. Yet they are sturdy, patched again and again and obviously cared for. It's the kind of clothes you wear for a purpose rather than for fashion. Dressed in ash grey/black; boots, trousers, a long coat. Underneath all that dusty ash-grey clothes you can see a shirt that once upon a time must have been white over a grey-brown leather armor of sorts. The armor seems to be made from some kind of flexible tree bark rather than leather, but has equal protection. He has a pine green cloak carelessly over his shoulders and back. On his shaven head he wears a dusty wide brimmed hat. It's not the beard that gives him away, but even though he's unusually lean and tall he's still obviously a dwarf. His skin coarse and bark-like, his brown beard kept semi-short and his eyes are green with a neutral expression of equal interest and curiousity as with neutrality and distance.
A wanderer. A vagabond. In his hand he has a walking stick. Though looking in prime shape, it's a wanderer's tool rather than a weapon. Just before he closed the door behind him, two magpies fly in and sets down, one one each of his shoulders. One cackle a bit, the other all silent. They look comfortable where they sit and it's obvious they are use to it. These small, insignificant magpies seem to be the only animal companions he has. The dwarf closes the doors, turns around halfway and uses his hat to pat of some of the dust, careful not to drag in the dirt into the inn. The dwarf finds a free table at the side of the inn and sits down with his back against the wall so he has clear sight of the bar, the floors and the doors to the kitchen and the outside. He looks around and spots a adventurous crew. He stands up again and walks to them..
I'd like to see how the interaction begins. I'll give the others some time to get their characters acquainted with yours' in the adventure, since your character doesn't know what is happening here. (And meanwhile I'll take some time off and play Icewind Dale
Things are going to get interesting now...
Vidar walks up to the bar, nods at the innkeeper and says "A cup of hot water please". He's served both a cup of hot water, as well as, a glare since there's little money to be made from serving water. Out of a small pouch attached to his belt he adds a few green tea leaves into the cup and stirs with his finger. The hot water doesn't seem to burn him. Looking around his eyes fixate on Glem.
"Hello stranger. Did I hear something about an excursion into the Grim Forest? You see, I have some experience about such things and was wondering if I might accompany you? Long story short, I am searching for certain herbs that are rumored to grow in great numbers in those woods and I wouldn't mind some company on the way. "
The left magpie fixate its eyes on Glem as well. The right one, seems to be almost asleep. They both sit idly on Vidar's broad shoulders.
I look to my other companions and say “Anybody have any other questions to ask? If not, we should leave these gentlemen to their business and continue our own.”
Vidar turns to Glen. “Thank you friend. I look forward to traverse the planes with you fine lot. “ Maggie chirps a happy sound at this and if magpies could smile it’s obvious she flashes one back at Glem. Picca turns around and tucks his head into the cloaks and collar, as if to hide from the annoying sounds disturbing his sleep.
@Skatan
Well met Vidar! You are a fellow walker in the woods, yes? I too was pleased with the meeting of Little Dragon. I have never traveled with such a lively bunch. Truly this is a day to embrace new friendships.
Vidar sips on his tea. From his pocket he picks up a couple of small seeds and begin feeding Maggie. So.. what’s the plan?
Starting Chapter 1...
Loading Grim Forest Area...
Chapter 1: What's all the Grim about?
So after having some unconventional, yet novel refreshments at the local tavern, you make your way towards the Grim Forest. It lies on the far eastern edge of the village, a few hundred metres off the grazing pastures. The land starts sloping down here. While on your way, you have been questioning the villagers about any information about the Forest, and you gathered some strange tidings regarding the place, but whether they are useful insights or just rampant rumours, you cannot be sure.
It seems that there are more areas within the forest. The knowledge of most of their whereabouts, as you can understand, have been passed from generation to generation as local folklore, for once did man and his cousins live in those forests which covered the hamlet as well in some remote period way back. Mixed with myths, rumours and fantastic tales, of the kind that is woven by the fire-light on dark nights to keep off thoughts of fear and loneliness, the Grim Forests are an ever mysterious land, as dark as the shade of the dense impenetrable canopy that forms its green, leafy roof.
You make your way through the dense undergrowth of shrubs, treading over the damp forest floor littered with dead, decaying leaves. You hear the chirping of various insects, and occasionally the hasty scurrying of a squirrel or a mongoose through the bushes. Soon you reach a fork, where it appears as if the trees have made a natural division of the pathway. On the three sides, you can see three areas of less dense woods, separated from each other by thick rows of trees.
The first one is dry and stony, with some cover of lichens and moss. You can see a number of rocks on both sides, smoothened by the relentless phenomenon of weathering.
The second is covered in a lush green vegetation, and you can see intertwining lianas growing above it. On them, you can see beautiful, vividly-coloured wild flowers growing freely, untouched by the tampering paws of civilization.
The third is peculiarly damp, and you can get the smell of wet leaves. Strangely, you fancy a smooth flow of cool breeze coming from this way, carrying the earthly smell of muddy soil.
"I've seen many a forest before, but this is surely a rare sight. Three so different environments so close to eachother. I sense a disturbance in the balance of nature. Something is amiss. Let us tread carefully ahead, my friends, for I sense peril in all three directions. The trees, the plants, the rocks and the streams.. they should talk to me, yet they are oddly silent here. I cannot get the correct bearing from them, they do not reach out to me as usual. I regret to inform you I cannot council you on the best way."
After walking to the Grim Forest, Picca has awoken and soars to the skies. Maggie instead seem to have been released from her watch and move closer to Vidar's neck and falls into slumber. Every now and then Picca returns to Vidar and whispers into his ear what he's seen. But for now, Picca has yet to reveal anything of value that could influence the choice.
Vidar turns to the team. "What do the rest of you think, where to go?" Vidar intimately and subconsciously strokes Maggie over her neck and back while waiting for input from his newfound friends.
I've updated my original post about stats again, but I can post them here as well for you. I used a NVN2 char creator online since I assume they are based on the same kind of rules, though NVN2 is 3,5 they should use the same point-buy system I think. The stats according to that side (NVN2DB) are:
STR 10
DEX 14
CON 10
WIS 16
INT 16 (I like skill points!)
CHA 10
Sorry for the confusion, but though I've played NVN1 many years ago and NVN2 to some degree, 3E+ rules don't come naturally to me and apparently not math either since I tried to quickly do the math of point-buy with increasing cost for 15-16 and 17-18, hehe..
And also, some info for you as DM. I hope it's ok I've switched my animal companion that druids in 3E get to help them in combat for my two magpies that fly around and scout for my character instead. It's just a concept I like and it's inspired by tales of Oden, the old Norse god that travels the world dressed as a wanderer with his cloak and wide-brimmed hat, long beard, walking stick and his two ravens Hugin and Mumin that scout and tell him news from the world. If this in any way break your planning and world-building, let me know and I will keep it at a minimum by just writing that they fly away and don't return for a long time, this they cannot aid me in the areas where you want them excluded.
The reason for his perhaps unusual clothes for being a druid you can ask about if interrested, but he haven't always been a druid. Also, his constant referrals to "Mother" is part of the character concept and can also be asked about if you want to. Vidar is not a regular druid which is tied to a grove and worships Silvanus or Chauntea, instead he has a calling from the very nature itself, the complete sum of which he believes to be "Mother", similar to what on Earth is the mythos about Gaia - the earth mother. But since Chauntea unfortunately has already the nickname "Earth Mother", Vidar's proclaimed ûber-mother-nature-thingy is just called "Mother".
And as for my planning, well, let me tell you, nothing is planned at all!
Just keep them close to you when you enter any underground dungeons.
"Perhaps we can agree to move down the first path.. "
And i have a question for @Rik_Kirtaniya : what spells do we know as a cleric and druid? (
Since you base things on iterative actions I guess you will give us this freedom to choose what our characters can and cannot yet do, so I will try my best to play along and use low-level spells and skills until you tell us we've leveled.
Dunno why, but I'm so excited about this! Make it progress faster!!
Since this is more of a roleplaying adventure rather than a conventional Pen and Paper module, things here are more based on your choices and decisions. So you can use your skills and abilities according to the demands of the situation created, however, they will be implemented by our imagination, rather than dice rolls and calculations (since the latter option will make it clumsy, complicated and inconvenient). I hope my point is clear.
I'll continue the story, but let the others arrive and react to the Forest setting, since this is the beginning of this chapter (and you wouldn't want to take hasty decisions).
“I say we go down the middle path first!”
You think that the first path might be the easiest one, but Gremmalie (owing to his high CHA
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