ATCL08 The Iron Shadows Camp

Following the route from the night before, you ride back up the hill to the edge of the forest where the Suzi and the other bandits originally attacked the wagons. Despite the heavy rain that occurred overnight, there's still plenty of indications that a struggle occurred.

Do Asus and Suilven trust Suzi? Why?

Is there anything that wish to do while you're here in the light of day. Investigation DC15 - you find evidence of Roland, and coins.

Suilven holds on to the horses while Asus takes a careful look around.
While the area around the road is heavily marked by the horses, oxen and caravans the passed along it, there is little to tell, but you scout around the tree line where you suspect Roland headed. You find an area of compressed moss and grass where someone briefly waited. A tiny glint of something pushed into the moss catches your eye, and you pull out a gold piece. A broken branch a few feet away indicate the direction he fled, and you carefully follow this toward the area where Suzi explains the bandits tied their horses up. Severed ropes hang from the tree branches to which the horses had been tied. Roland was in too much of a hurry to untie them. The hoof prints are all over the place, but seem to eventually lead out as Suzi suspected in the direction of the bandit camp. Suzi spots three more coins, 2 silver and a copper trodden into the mud. A hole in one of the purses may have let Roland down. At least you have something to take back to Miriam and Thomas.
N/A While the area around the road is heavily marked by the horses, oxen and caravans the passed along it, and therefore there is little to tell, you scout around the tree line where you suspect Roland headed. You find an area of compressed moss and grass where someone briefly waited. A broken branch a few feet away indicate the direction he fled, and you follow this toward the area where Suzi explains the bandits tied their horses up. Severed ropes hang from the tree branches to which the horses had been tied. Roland was in too much or a hurry to untie them. The hoof prints are all over the place, but seem to eventually lead out as Suzi suspected in the direction of the bandit camp.
You return to horseback, but have to navigate in and out of the trees and bushes. All the while you can see tracks and brokens branches where Roland must have forced his steeds to go. Blood on the tips of some of those branches show that the horses were suffering at his ruthless desperation to escape.
At one point, the tracks diverage, and he seems to have let some of them go. Unfortunately in the stormy weather it is anyone's guess where they would have ended up. The certainly didn't follow the route to the camp.

Roll perception check Suzi DC15, to see if you can see anything on the cliff top in the distance where the bandit camp is located.

As you pass through a clearing, Suzi looks off toward the cliffs where her former camp was located. A plume of smoke can be seen rising from the location. Is Dorian there? Would he be dumb enough to light a camp fire with damp materials?

Suzi fears the smoke is too big to be a camp fire.
As best you can, you duck and dodge branches here and there along the path, egging the horses as quickly as you dare. Eventually you reach the bottom of the cliffs and a steep path leads up to the camp. The horses will have to be led up the path, or left at the bottom. Suzi explains it will take about an hour to climb up the path with horses, half an hour without.
You decide to leave the horses at the foot of the cliff. You tie them up and start up the path taking it careful as your near the top, in case Roland is still there and prepared to defend himself.

What's your decision. Take or leave the horses?

The smell of burning timber is evident as you start up the steep path toward the camp.

What are your plans?

Despite all the caution, nothing prevents you from reaching the camp. On reaching the summit, the camp appears to be deserted.... and destroyed. Dorian's cabin has been burnt out, and the tents and belongings torn apart and ransacked.

What do you do? Investigation check on the cabin remains. DC15 - find the locked box. Investigation check on the tents. DC5 - to find the note. Investigation check in the general campsite. DC10 - to find weapons.

As you sift through the ashes and remants of the cabin, there are some parts that have withstood the burning. You prise up the floorboards and find a small box under a cloth.

The box is locked and trapped. If no attempt to check for traps, or disarm them, then victim will take 1d2 piercing damage, as a small needle shoots out. The trap is easy to disarm (+30%), and easy to unlock assuming tools (+30%). It can be smashed open, but this will destroy the vial inside.

N/A As you break open the box, you hear the crack of glass, and upon opening, a broken vial has leaked a sticky liquid over the coins that well also held inside. A label is still attached to the vial, although the letters have partly disappearred with the presence of the liquid. ..iso.. is all that you can make out.
Suzi examines the small chest, identifying and carefully disarming a small spring loaded needle trap by pulling the needle out with a small pair of pliers. It wasn't that hard. Neither was the lock. Suzi's lock pick easily finding the locking mechanism, and with a deft twist, she hears the catch slip back and opens the lid. Inside a glass vial rest on top of a small cache of coins. The vial has a label with 'poison' written on it. The coins are a mix of a few gold, mainly silver and some copper. (4gp, 20sp and 8cp). There are also a couple of cut gems, a ruby and an emerald. Underneath the coins, there's also a note.
It reads "Sabotage bridge. I'll send smoke signal. Attack at forest edge. Take money, jewels and me prisoner. Roland"
Nailed to one of the boxes inside a tent you find a note. It appears to have been scrawled in charcoal. "Sorry. I had to do this. My life was in danger from men in Arncastle to whom I owe a great deal of money from bad gambling losses. Dorian was going to give me half the takings, but he broke the deal. He was never to touch the women. I never meant harm to anyone. You must not try to follow me. So I have taken the horses, provisions, and what was left in the camp that was not worthless.
Amongst the debris, you manage to recover a short bow and a quiver of 18 arrows. You also find a rusty and blunt short sword.
There's very little of value left. The food provisions have been saboutaged. Sacks of grain split, barrels unplugged, crates of fruit strewn on the ground, and trodden by horses. Anything that was worth taking seems to have been taken by Roland.

Investigation check DC15 - to reveal anything about where he went.

The indications reveal that there appears to have been 3 horses, equally laden going together in a straight line. Maybe with a person, maybe with provisions. They headed further up the hill behind the camp, but must have left early in the morning. A trodden flower still holds some early morning dew in its petals. It is now beyond midday, so Roland would be at least 10 or more miles away by now if he progressed without hinderence. But he's heading into the wilderness. A brave and foolish route to take.
N/A It's hard to tell, but tracks head off up the hill behind the camp. You suspect these would be Roland's on horseback, but he's heading into the wilderness. A brave and foolish route to take.
You consider following him, but as if on queue, you hear a drum beat from the forest down below, and then they stop. From a different direction and a little closer, a crude horn blasts a few times and then stops. In response the drums start again, and this time maintain a more constant rhythm.

Perception check D5 - to identify the drum beat.

The drum beat is the same as the day before, and approaching the camp direction, but still maybe 2-3 miles away.

What do you do?

You have no other choice but to get back down to the horses as quickly as you can, and pull them back up the hill. Asus being the fastest and the most athletic, elects to go alone.

Make an acrobatics check DC10 for Asus - Any failure incurs 1d2 of damage.

Asus takes off down the path. Faster and faster you run, leaping down ledges rather than following the path fully. Jumping and sliding down embankments until you reach the base where the horses are getting angitated by the approaching drumming and horns blaring. By now you can hear a choitic mix of shouts and guttural noises getting close as goblins shout to each other, the clanging and clattering of crude weapons on armour, and the heavy, rapid footsteps pounding the ground as they rush toward the cliff base. There are many approaching. Too many to defend against. You grab the horses and with a quick word in their ears to ease their nervousness, you climb onto one, while pulling the other two. With your encouragement, you scramble back up to the top of the cliff before the goblins reach the bottom.

What are your intentions?

Bringing the horses up to the camp was a wise choice Suzi advises. It will take much longer, about 15 miles, but there is an escape route heading up and over the hill behind the camp, through thick, dense forest, and then down the other side circling back towards Brightwater.

Suzi make an insight check DC10 - to remember the boulders.

It would be a delay for the characters, but Suzi remembers there are a couple of defensive traps that they could make use of before they leave. To be most effective it would require waiting for the goblins to not only reach the cliff base but already be climbing up the path to make it most effective. It would add a risk, a substantial risk.
Three large boulders are placed above the path, and nearby each a pole to release the boulder down the path. Each character heads to one of the poles. The higher up the path they get, the better chance you'll have of knocking them from the cliff to their death, but the higher risk you have of missing and not being able to escape.

There are 80 goblins approaching, but strung out.
if you drop the boulders when none are on the path, then the goblins will all scatter and only 1 or 2 stupids ones will be caught by the boulders.
If you drop when 20 are on the path, then each boulder will have a 20% chance of hitting 3-30 (3d10), crushing them including those waiting to climb the path(1d2) or knocking them off (1d2), but knocking them off will not kill them from this height.
If you drop when 40, then a 40% chance of hitting 4-40 (4d10), crushing (1-2 d3) or knocking (3 d3) - knocking them not dead.
If you drop when 60, then a 60% chance of hitting 5-50 (5d10), either crushing (1-3 d4) or knocking (4 d4) - knocking them not dead.
If you drop when 80, then a 80% chance of hitting 24-60 (4d10+20) , crushing (1-5 d6) or knocking (6 d6) - knocking them not dead. But then a 10% chance that 40% of those surviving will reach the summit.
If you drop when 80 are at least quarter way up the path at the back of the group, then a 100% chance of hitting 34-70 (4d10+30), death inevitable. But then a 25% chance that any surviving will reach the summit before you can escape, and they will most likely follow.
If you drop when 80 are at least half way up at the back of the group, then a 100% chance of hitting 42-80 (2d20+40), death inevitable. But then a 100% chance that any surviving will reach the summit.
Or you can escape with at least a half hour advantage, possibly longer.

You wait for the most opportune moment, when all the goblins have started up the path, and Suzi yells out "Now!". With all your effort you leverage the rocks from their seating. One by one, the rocks crash down the front of the cliff. Rocks splintering and goblins crushed, decapitated, ejected off the pathway and dropping to their deaths below. One by one, there is a shockening crash as they each land at the base of the cliff. Alongside scatttered remains of goblins. With even more ferocity the remaining goblins, now screaming each other on in encouragement, rally and charge up the path faster. Some scrambling up the rock face itself.
In all 44 goblins were caught by the falling rocks (you rolled 24 and add 20 - avg 4hp - total 176 - avg 59hp).

Fight or flee?

Jumping back on the horses, you give a quick double dig with your heals and encourage them on quickly, heading towards the paths through the forest that leads west. For the majority of the route, an easy gallop can be maintained. The path works it's way further up the hill, until eventually you break out from the tree line.
Any attempt by the goblins to chase you has been abandoned by the sound of it, and you all breathe a sigh of relief, and pause to assess the route to take next.
By now it is mid afternoon, and the route takes you back down the far side of the hill, and into the forest again. Care should be taken not to attract attention from other hostile forest dwellers, but you are able to maintain a steady pace.
You take a moment when you come to a stream for the horses to have a drink and for you to refill your waterskins.

Check passive perception on DC13 - Suzi only - 10 + wisdom moidifer + perception proficiency modifier if any. If above 13, then they pass.

You hear the distinctive, melodious shrill of the Treetrill bird, known for its vibrant plumage and enchanting call. This time, however, the call ends with an unusual chirp, something not typically associated with the bird.
Sensing the rising suspicions, Suzi quickly reassures Asus and Suilven, her voice calm and steady. "Don't panic! A friend from the forest approaches. He brings no danger." In response to the Treetrill's call, she cups her hands to her mouth and mimics its shrill, answering back with confidence.
A young man steps into view, only 20 yards away from where you have stopped by the stream, and approaches the group. Suzi and Elaric smile and embrace each other, and then he turns towards Asus and Suilven. Suzi gives the introductions, and explains that Elaric is a close friend and alliance that Suzi has made while she has been forraging in the forest. They have a strong bond, and she knows he can be trusted.

What does she want to tell or ask Elaric?

"I am glad to hear you have rid yourself of those bandits. I watched from afar, worried about the danger they brought into this forest. But while one evil is extinguished, I fear more are arising. There have been more frequent sightings of goblins in the far reaches, and where they go, boarath, gnollak, and even orcs are likely to follow. Something is stirring, and though I do not know what, it makes me nervous."
"You would do well to leave this place for now. I will continue to watch over my forest friends, and they will, in turn, watch over me. If you ever pass through the forest again, wander amongst the trees and they will alert me to your presence. Take care until we meet again, fair Suzi!" A sad flicker in his eye belies his worry, but he is heartened to know that you have escaped your immediate peril.
Before he departs, Elaric hands Suzi a handcrafted pendant made from wood. He explains to her that it is intricately carved with symbols of protection and friendship. The pendant is embedded with a small, glowing gemstone that holds a drop of morning dew from the heart of the forest, symbolizing the enduring bond between them and the magic of the woodland. This keepsake will serve as a reminder of their friendship and the druid's protective watch over her, wherever she may go.
After exchanging farewells with Elaric, he watches as you mount your horses and begin your final journey back to Brightwater. As dusk approaches, you reach the edge of the forest, but this time the skies are clear and a light breeze gently stirs the air. The warm evening creates a pleasant atmosphere for a canter back toward the village lights twinkling on the horizon.
As you enter the center of the village, a few merchants finishing up their day see you approaching and let out a welcome cheer. Concern for your safe return had weighed heavily on the wagon teams all day, and they are overjoyed to see you back. They quickly help you stable the horses, ensuring they are fed and watered. Excited and impatient, they eagerly await the news of your day's adventures. Encouraging you to make haste to the tavern, they promise a hearty ale and stew await you, along with many eager ears ready to listen.

Once in the tavern, and with an ale in hand, and the contents of a bowl of hot stew in your belly, what do you tell the merchants about the day.
Do you offer all the bounty to the villagers?
What more do you do this evening before you finally retire to your beds?
Who is paying for Suzi's lodgings?

Parent Plot

337-088 Arncastle to the City League