Chapter 2A - A Jaunt Into The Country

[Nocturno]

"They knew you would break a normal horse!"
Nature: [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9
He has no idea what kind though.

He will don the hood, and mount up.

"Tally ho!"

[Squirrellord]

Unbar looks at the horses and grumbles to himself while donning the cloak and proceeds to struggle a bit to get himself astride one of the horses. Anyone who sees him can clearly tell he is not comfortable.

[counterkid]

Nature check [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19

"This is one nice horse, it's good that it can support my weight" as Val gets comfortable on the back of the animal.

[Chris1234]

The four, wearing anonymous hooded cloaks, mount up and leave Waterdeep though South Gate to head south along the High Road.
The patrol pass other travelers, mostly caravans of one sort or another passing north and over take a couple heading south.

***
At Highsun the patrol have covered perhaps 30 miles when the patrol leader calls a stop and says, "There you go, boys," pointing to a wooden signpost next to a trail that heads north into the hills.
Nailed to the post are three arrow-shaped signed. Thew two marked "Waterdeep" and "Daggerford" follow the High Road but point in different directions. The third, marked "Blackstone" beckons you to follow the trail. She adds, "If memory serves, Blackstone is about ten miles up the trail."

Clearing up some confusion, it becomes clear that the adventurers are to surrender the hooded cloaks and horses, each taking their own equipment plus the contents of their saddlebags. Each has:

• Perishable food for two days
  Trail rations for five days
  A full waterskin (1 gallon of water)
  A healing potion [2d4+2]

Additionally the group have one vial of antitoxin, one medical kit, a hooded lantern with 3 flasks of oil and a tinderbox and finally another healing potion [2d4+2]

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Val estimates that the Percheron can carry 500lbs or so.

[Nocturno]

Vic packs away the things from his bags.

"Val you take this, hopefully we don't need it but, we know how it goes." He hands Val the extra healing potion.

Unbar, you should probably have these." He hands out the antitoxin, and the med kit.

"I'll keep these safe." He packs the lantern, oil, and tinderbox.

[Chris1234]

Isaril waits at the side of the trail.

[counterkid]

"Thanks Vic, hopefully we don't need the potions of healing."

[Nocturno]

"Well let's not get caught holding hands." Vic starts to walk.

[Chris1234]

After following the trail for miles, the sun now well over halfway to the horizon, you hear the ringing of a bell.
The sound grows louder as Blackstone comes into view.

Blackstone.png (293.3 KiB) Viewed 13725 times

A river flows around the settlement forming a moat.
The village itself is contained within a wooden palisade, beyond which you see a windmill, a tall steeple, and the high-pitched rooftops of several other buildings.
Apart from the ringing of the bell, you detect no other activity in the village.
The trail ends before a lowered drawbridge that spans the moat.
Beyond the drawbridge, two stone watchtowers flank an open gap in the palisade.
South of the village and surrounded by the river moat is a cone-shaped, flat-topped hill on which stands a stone keep enclosed by a wooden wall.
The keep, which overlooks the village, has partially collapsed.
A wooden bridge that once connected the keep to the village has also partially collapsed.

What next?

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Random occurances [1d12] = 5
Random occurances [1d12] = 6

[counterkid]

Perception check [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14

Val is looking for anything on interest, more specifically it the bridge is safe to cross. Team what is your assessment of this bridge? Is it safe to cross?

[Chris1234]

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The drawbridge into the village is on its west side. (The view presented is from the village's east.)

[Nocturno]

As the group approach town. "Elf friend. Do you wish to head into town, or meet with your own people? I'm hoping you will give us a flattering introduction to your people since we are here to find a peaceful solution."

"You dont weigh that much Val. It will be fine."
But Vic will inspect from afar it just in case.

[Chris1234]

Isaril answers, "The town is wrong." He points to the unpopulated guard towers and the lowered drawbridge that leads into the town.

The bridge, which is damaged, links the town to the keep (and cannot be accessed from other than the town or the keep).

[Nocturno]

"That does seem strange. We best be on alert. Val lead the way!"

[Squirrellord]

Unbar turns to the elf. Wrong how? Was it in better shape before you came to Waterdeep? Unbar follows along with the others as they move closer to the town but is curious as to the nature of Wrong the elf spoke of.