|
 Let's Hexplore A Whole New World! The discovery of previously unknown lands beyond the sea was the big news of last year. Emperor Marcus wasted no time and ordered a settlement to be established there. Now that the colony of Farport survived its first winter, the emperor has outfitted another expedition, bringing supplies and additional settlers to Farport. Among these are six adventure-minded people, tasked with exploring Farport's surroundings and the new world in general:
By late afternoon the ship sailed into the bay and approached Farport, a small collection of log cabins and a couple of houses built of stone surrounding what seems to be either a large square or a village green. It's protected by a 8' wooden wall with a banquette manned by a handful of crossbowmen. The bay provides a quiet harbor and the town's pier, while almost too small for the Silent Servant, proves adequate. The arrival of your ship had of course drawn the interest of the townsfolk who assemble by the beach to greet you. Only one of them stands on the pier, though, a resolute dwarven woman who you quickly learn is the leader of Farport, one Skornabena Berylview. She greets everyone assembles at the portside railing with a view curt words that are more a reminder that the cargo won't unload itself than a congratulation on a successful journey.  Captain Fusebrand goes on land first, shaking hands with Berylview and leaving the dock to confer with her while you and the settlers leave the ship before the crew and a couple of villagers start unloading the cargo. You have some time to get a better impression of Farport itself. The town is as clean and as good in repair as one would expect from a young settlement. The largest building is the lumber mill which has been working hard providing building material for the houses and the walls surrounding them. The villagers are all friendly and happy the ship arrived safely. You quickly gather that the town has so far been spared from any misfortune. The villagers have kept close to the safety of Farport's wooden walls and can't tell you much about what's going on beyond the town's immediate surroundings. The wildlife is little different from the one at home and so far nobody has encountered anything bigger or badder than a bear. "It's like back home, only better" is a common refrain. After a while, Fusebrand and Berylview track you down. "There they are - your scouts!" Fusebrand proclaims proudly, but the dwarf seems unimpressed, greeting you with a curt nod. "Better than nothing, I guess. I'm Skornabena Berylview, the town's elderwoman. You call me Lady Berylview. It's Lady Beryl to friends, but you're not." There is no hint of humor in her voice. "I had some guys that thought crawling up Cape Marcus was a good idea. None of them came back. I expect you to do better." She orders you to follow her to your new home, a small, but brand new cabin near the gate. As you settle in, she explains what she expects from you: "The Emperor wants a good account of the lands by the end of the year. For now, I would like to know more about our immediate surroundings. I've ordered the townsfolk to not stray too far until now. We didn't have enough men to spare for getting lost in the woods. Not that I think you're going to get lost. I wouldn't send you out if I didn't trust that you've been vetted thoroughly for your skills before being sent here. I'd rather not have you waste time and get exploring tomorrow. I'll leave to getting your things in order. There's a bathhouse on the town square if you need one. You don't need to seek me out before you leave, just tell the guard at the gate how long you expect to be gone when you leave." If you have any questions for Berylview, ask away. Otherwise, you can either look around town some more, although it's close to dusk already. You should also plan your trek. Here's a map of what little is known so far:  Hexes are 6 miles from edge to opposite edge or 7 miles from vertex to opposite vertex. There's swampy coast to the southwest of town, a corridor of solid, plain land to the northwest, mountains to the north and forest to the east. The eastern side of the bay is towered by the mountains of Cape Marcus which lower into hills futher southeast. The hexes diretly adjacent to Farport have already been established as devoid of any special features which cannot be said from the known coastline further out, let alone unexplored areas. The regional climate is temperate. It's mid-spring and temperatures are usually around 60°F/15°C during the day. For travel rules see the second post. Since not every hex you explore has something interesting in it, you should plan out a route you want to follow instead of deciding from hex to hex. When you find something, I'll "interrupt" to let you investigate, adjust your route etc.
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2017 23:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 20:36 |
|
|
Microlite20 rulebook https://donjon.bin.sh/m20/Microlite20.pdf Mapping and Hexes At some point, I'll post a map key. The map hexes are 6 miles from edge to opposite edge and 7 miles from vertex to opposite vertex.  Travel Times You can travel for 15-18 hours per day. You can go longer, but take a cumulative -1 on rolls if you do unless you rest longer the following day to make up for it. You can expect to cover 4-5 hexes per day. The following tables list "times to cross" a hex of a certain terrain type. When you're leaving a hex of a certain terrain type that terrain's value is applied regardless of the type of hex you're headed into.  *: see below **: when following the road, otherwise base hex type applies ***: when travelling on the river via boat without magical assistance or when swimming "Water hexes" are not completely water and can be entered from an adjacent land hex and traversed into other hexes by following the coast like so:  A weird consequence of the system I'm using for terrain generation is that you never know if a water hex is fresh or saltwater. Just roll (no pun intended) with it. Food Each character eats one ration per day. You can go without, but you take a cumulative -1 penalty to rolls for every day you're not eating enough. If you run out or just want to stock up on food, you have the options of foraging or hunting. You will automatically foraging for a 1 in 6 chance to find enough food to make 1d6 rations every day (unless you specifically don't want to forage). If that's not enough you can forgo that roll and forage more extensively. You can spend 30 minutes per attempt up to your Survival skill times (minimum of 1); success depends on the terrain type you're foraging in. You can also go hunting for 1 or 2 hours in the morning or evening (or - at reduced chance of success - during the day). Success depends on number of hunters, Survival skill and terrain. Hunters need to have a ranged weapon. Each hunter gets a seperate success roll, but each additional hunter reduces the chance of a real big catch. frankenfreak fucked around with this message at 07:41 on Sep 6, 2017 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2017 23:39
|
|
|
Reserved for stuff
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2017 23:39
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "I don't know about everyone else, but I want to stretch my legs out, maybe sleep somewhere that doesn't smell like fish for a change. I'm thinking we follow the grassland west and see if we can find out how far the marsh extends, unless anyone else has a better idea?" Gregor says with a grin as he cranes his neck to look up at all the unnaturally tall folk. chin up everything sucks fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Aug 30, 2017 |
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 00:09
|
|
|
Eredain When it came to unnatural and tall, the gaunt, robed elf certainly fit the bill, leaning on his weapon of choice. Replying to the diminutive warrior, "I can go with that plan, gives us a good sense of the easiest line for the colonists to work on, maybe double back towards the coast to the east once we round the marshlands."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 00:37
|
|
|
Riyl Riyl already likes this place. The air even smells better. "Following the wetlands seems like a good place to start, though we should consider making for higher ground for a better view at some point. But we don't need to break our necks just yet."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 01:23
|
|
|
Belafron Silvertooth The lizardman drops his mace to the ground and rests both hands atop the thick handle. His nostrils flare as he surveys the area. "Way I see it, I'm here to protect those of you with better navigational skills than I. I can give my opinion on journeying when it's necessary, but for the most part, you will be better scouts than I will. If you say that west is the way to go, then I agree."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 10:08
|
|
|
Hyacinth "I agree with Riyl, we should eventually aim for higher ground to give us a better view of what's nearby. But as it stands, exploring the marsh and mapping the western coastline sounds like a good starting option."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 10:56
|
|
|
Matdy "It is decided, we follow the coastline. Just like eating fruit, peel first."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 20:06
|
|
|
Fireday, 13th of High Spring (Calendar) Your quarter in Farport is adequate for a night or a few, but you're not here to stay. Still it's nice to enjoy a proper bed on land even if it's only one night. You rise with the first hint of dawn. You check your equipment and get ready to strike out. The guards wish you best of luck on your journey as you pass the gate. You can see some of the townsfolk are already up and have started working on the fields just north of the town gate. You turn west, however, following the coastline. You make good pace early on, marching on firm ground near the stony shore. The weather seems to be a fair bit colder than the previous days with a thin blanket of clouds having formed overnight, the sun fighting its way through them. After two hours the shore and the ground beneath your feet changes. The shore becomes more mud than stones and pebbles and the ground is becoming softer. In the distance you can see the high grass and the occasional grove of the marshland you've decided to head into. The soft wind alternately blows fresh, salty sea air and brackish, salty swamp air into your faces. New animal sounds add to the calls of the birds overhead. Then you hear something different. At first it sounds like the very distant skittering of animals, but it persists, with different voices, almost as if they're carrying a conversation. Something, someone is out there. What do you do? You marched 3 hours into the first marsh hex southwest of Farport and immediately rolled an encounter. 
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 21:33
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "Huh, have some of the townsfolk already explored the marsh? Maybe they can save us time and fill in some of our map" Gregor is going to cheerily trudge towards the voices to say hi
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 22:07
|
|
|
Riyl "That didn't take long. I don't think those are people from the village, Gregor," Riyl warns, taking his crossbow and following.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 22:23
|
|
|
Gregor moves closer with Riyl close behind. Some 150 yards in the distance you can something move in the tall grass. You spot the tips of long spears moving around. Then you can make out small, hunched-over, grey-skinned humanoids clad in leather vests and caps with large pointed ears sticking out. They seem agitated, yelling at one another, waving their spears around as they walk in this direction then that direction. Then they spot you. One of them cries out, pointing in your direction. The bickering subsides and they draw together, spears pointed towards you. They're standing their ground, waiting.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 22:41
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "Huh, halfling-lizardfolk? Wait, I know there is a name for them..." Gregor stares in consternation at the creatures for a moment, before turning to the others. "drat if I can remember the name... do we have any rules on what to do if we find natives? I mean, they aren't attacking us."
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2017 23:15
|
|
|
Riyl "She never mentioned. Maybe we should have asked."" Riyl squints at the creatures. "Lets not start a war or anything. If the village gets raided I bet they'll want to blame us." He waves towards the spear toting things.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 00:13
|
|
|
Eredain Using the haft of his scythe as a walking aid, the elven mage drew level with the forward elements. "My advice: Attempt peace, prepare for war. Here, hold this a moment." Handing off his obvious weapon, the caster dropped his hands to his sides, palms open and towards the phalanx of spearbeings. A gesture of apparent non-hostility: The other side didn't need to know the ease with which he could send arcane projectiles through their skulls unimpeded, should that prove necessary.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 00:26
|
|
|
Hyacinth Hyacinth quietly hangs back, scanning the surroundings for suitable cover should things turn violent. She's prepared to ready her bow, but makes no move to do so yet.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 05:01
|
|
|
As Eredain steps forward, the other group begins chittering. Then they stop and one of them hands off the spear they were carrying and starts moving forward, similarly holding up empty hands. In between you is a patch devoid of any of the tall grass that is everywhere which looks like as good a place as any to meet. The rest of the group follows their envoy, staying 30-40 yards behind, weapons still in hand. You also get a better look at them now.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 18:14
|
|
|
Riyl Riyl stands back, letting the heavier armored folk move to support Eredain. He lowers his crossbow to what he hopes is a non-threatening position.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 18:43
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "Ok, so not halfling-lizardmen... argh, the right name for those is going to bug me for hours. Think these are some kind of goblin? Do goblins count as natives or pests. Wait, that's a speciest question, don't answer that." Gregor muses to himself as he waits for someone else to make the approach.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 19:00
|
|
|
Hyacinth "From the way they act, I'd say they're looking for something." Hyacinth hangs back, curiously observing the behavior of the small humanoids.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2017 20:50
|
|
|
Eredain A good sign that they weren't entirely devoid of reason. He continued advancing to the convenient meeting spot, trying to see if he could make any sense of their chittering.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 00:30
|
|
|
Belafron Silvertooth After a few moments of thought, Belafron places his war mace on the ground and steps forward alongside Eredain with his shield ready. Back in his home kingdom, goblins make up a protected underclass but he is well aware that in other lands they are little more than vermin who can be slain without question. "We should really have gathered some more information from Berlyview," he says. He then lowers his voice and whispers to Eredain from the corner of his mouth, "one word from you and I'll have my weapon back in hand and turn these things to paste."
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 09:26
|
|
|
As you approach signalling peaceful intentions, the creatures relax a bit. When you enter the meeting place the one that stepped forward starts miming and gesturing. With one hand held above their eyes they seem to mime looking around then they stop and draw an equilateral triangle into the air. They repeat that three times then look at you questiongly. I think I forgot to mention how many of them there are: 9.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 14:31
|
|
|
Riyl "...triangulate? Are they scouting too?" Riyl offers from the back where he's watching. This has already gone much better than he had hoped. "Maybe they can help us."
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 14:41
|
|
|
Eredain Looking for something, but what was the triangle they were looking for? A pyramid? A river delta? On a whim, He took three twigs of roughly equal length, sketched a triangle on a flat bit of the dirt, and piled the sticks against one another to form a tetrahedron, pointed at it, mimicked their search gesture and looked at them questioningly, to see if that was it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 15:24
|
|
|
When you sketch the triangle, the creature comes closer, but when you set up the twig pyramid, they take the twigs and hold them up in a triangle that hovers a little bit above the one you drew. They stick a finger up from the hands holding the twigs, perhaps indicating poles or towers if they are indeed thinking of a building, too. Another one steps forward, too, watching all this. Now they also start gesturing at you. First they point in the direction you came from, then mimes walking, then looking, then points at the structure the other one is still holding up. Then they look at you with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2017 17:53
|
|
|
Riyl "A temple? Tower? I'm not good at this," Riyl mutters as he moves forward to look at the stick structure. He's apparently clueless, and looks to Eredain.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2017 18:14
|
|
|
Riyl Riyl steps forward to the creatures to get their attention. "We don't know. I'm sorry?" he tries to impart, pointing at the construct and shaking his head a few times, as well as shrugging. "Let's keep going. We aren't really getting anywhere with them." Assuming nobody really knows what to tell them. IPlayVideoGames fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Sep 4, 2017 |
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2017 17:49
|
|
|
Hyacinth Hyacinth shrugs. "Could mean anything. At least they're peaceful, I suppose that's something. Maybe we can ask Berylview if she knows anything about them once we get back? If they usually move around this close to Farport, someone in town may have seen them."
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2017 18:20
|
|
|
Eredain He tries to see if they can establish a mutually comprehensible pidgin, through the use of the 'point at things and name them' trope. Sustained peace depended upon being able to communicate, and to the mind of the elf, that was worth a moment's consideration.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2017 19:25
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "Do you think we should direct them towards town? We might get trading partners and knowledge of whats out here. I mean, we are only a couple hours out..."
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2017 22:09
|
|
|
Eredain's attempts to establish a more efficient means of communication doesn't work. Maybe it could work, but it would require a lot more time to do so. These guys are not quick on the uptake and are starting to get restless. Any other ideas or get going again?
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2017 22:43
|
|
|
Hyacinth Hyacinth impatiently shifts from one foot to the other. "We should get moving. Whatever they're after, we can't help them. I'd prefer it if we got across the rest of the swamp before sunset."
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 06:11
|
|
|
Gregor Giantshield "Right, lets move on."
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 06:34
|
|
|
The other group seems to think likewise and moves around you in a respectful and/or cautious distance, heading in the direction you came from. You get moving again, continuing to follow the coast in a roughly southward direction. The ground beneath your feet becomes ever softer and wetter and soon you decide to keep further away from the coast without losingsight of it as it's easier walking there. The terrain around you changes, too, from a mostly grassy marsh to a tree-covered swamp. Hours pass as you march when Eredain and Hyacinth spot something in the distance. Through the trees they can barely make out what looks to be a single stone building in a distance of maybe one mile further inland. First, you all get 1 EL each for the previous encounter. Second, if you go investigate, one of you should take the lead and make a Mind+Survival roll to find a quick path to the building. Third, a little more than 7 hours have passed so far.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 08:06
|
|
|
Hyacinth "Well, this looks interesting." Hyacinth advances a few feet ahead of the rest of the group, scanning the terrain. "I could move on ahead and have a closer look. But I'm open to suggestions."
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 19:32
|
|
|
Riyl "If you want to scout ahead, I can lead the others through. If nothing else, maybe it can be a good place to sit and rest for a little. Who's hungry?"
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 19:45
|
|
|
Hyacinth "True enough. It beats camping out in a swamp, that's for sure. I'll go on ahead then, see you in a little while." Hyacinth unslings her bow and proceeds cautiously through the swamp towards the stone building. d20 + Mind + Survival = 23
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 19:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 20:36 |
|
|
Eredain With Hyacinth going to investigate, he keeps watch: With an eye on the building, he follows her progress towards it as best he is able, scythe in hand.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2017 20:51
|
|