Chapter 4.2: The Dim Journey to Orlane

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May 29, 2026 3:50 pm
After much discussion, the group agrees to remain at the farm for the remaining hours of the day, rest overnight, and continue on to the village Orlane to meet up with the elder Dungeon Busters tomorrow evening.
OOC:
Is there anything else you want to do before leaving tomorrow morning? It sounds like the majority are for releasing the captives; when will you do this?

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

May 29, 2026 4:08 pm
Amnestria is of the opinion that the prisoners should be released now. Let them wander off where they may while the party is still awake.

"Grallaria and I just need a bit of rest in the early evening," she says, referring to her elvish tradition of meditation. "We can then spend the remainder of the night on watch from one of the second story windows."
OOC:
Assuming a standard 4-shift rotation for keeping watch, Amnestria can take both third and fourth shifts. This assumes she is able to spend 4 hours in her trance, and that both of her shifts constitute light activity to satisfy the 8-hour long rest requirement.
May 29, 2026 6:55 pm
"I think we should let them go in the morning when we leave. That way they can use the road and have all day to get back to town. Best chance for them to survive."
May 29, 2026 11:53 pm
"They might try to set up an ambush at night. Send them down the road in the morning so we can watch where they go."
May 30, 2026 2:57 am
Antonius considers the various suggestions before giving a slow nod. "Dell and Kazzak have the right of it," he says. "If we release them now, they vanish into the forest where we cannot see them. By morning, we can at least watch which road they take and know they are moving away from us." He glances toward the captives, his tone firm but not unkind. "A night bound in a barn is a small price compared to the gallows that might have awaited them elsewhere."

After a moment he adds, "And I agree with Amnestria on one point. If we mean to give them a chance at a different life, we need not leave them completely helpless. We can leave their weapons some distance down the road after they depart—far enough that they cannot turn them against us immediately, but not so far that they are defenseless against the dangers of the Dim." With the matter seemingly settled for him, Antonius rests a hand on his Warhammer and looks toward the fading afternoon light. "Then we rest, keep a proper watch through the night, and leave for Orlane at first light."
May 30, 2026 8:15 am
"Weapons such as crossbows and long blades of any sort are not weapons of the ordinary traveller or of the common folk; I do not favour handing them back their means of doing harm to others. Daggers for self defence, a quarterstaff — mostly a walking stick — those are the tools of honest travellers, which these two must become, if they are to evade our wrath. Simpler tools will keep them honest, one hopes," here Berthold’s eyes turned to the captives. "Let us all get fed, captives included, and I’ll write a message for them to take to Razorsson. If they follow the road in full daylight, and are not tempted by our offering them weapons of war, they should reach Hochoch before nightfall. Either Razorsson puts them to good use, or they betray our trust and we’ll have to handle them later."
Last edited May 30, 2026 8:17 am
May 30, 2026 9:20 am
After dinner, Berthold will take time to compose his thoughts and write the following message and seal it with wax and imprint his standard with his signet ring.
[ +- ] Berthold’s letter to Razorsson
Last edited May 30, 2026 9:21 am
May 30, 2026 11:56 am
Dell as they sit eating and talking nods his agreement with Berthold"Yes, daggers and staffs seem appropriate arms for them. After I finish my meal I will go and find a couple of stout limbs for staves for them. I will also volunteer for mid watch." Dell will finish his meal and head out to find a couple of staves for the ladies and do as little investigating around the forest just around the farm to see if he can get a read on maybe how or where Black come from.

Rolls

investigate - (1d20+5)

(7) + 5 = 12

May 30, 2026 2:25 pm
Antonius waits until the watches are being assigned before speaking. "Give me the dawn watch," he says simply. "I’ll be awake regardless." Resting a hand upon the ruby-inlaid symbol of Wee Jas hanging at his neck, he offers the faintest hint of a smile. "The Lady of Death and Magic has little use for priests who sleep through their prayers."
May 30, 2026 3:05 pm
"I'm good for any watch," Sora says, leaning back against a bale of hay.
May 30, 2026 6:41 pm
The rest of the afternoon drags by. The Dungeon Busters keep a close watch on Fern and Ene, frequently checking on the women they have tied up in the barn and left in a stall that is not occupied by the bandit corpses that Antonius bound and gagged earlier. Cobbling together their rations, Olyena uses the kitchen to prepare food for themselves and their captives.
OOC:
Each PC should decrement one ration from their inventory, and five more rations need to come from somewhere. Who is providing those?
Amnestria has suggested dividing the night into four sequential watches. While the farm is in a clearing, the thick canopy of the Dim Forest around it falls into deep gloom before the sun has fully set, and the woods are in darkness for twelve hours each night. Four shifts of two hours each would cover most of a normal night, but here in the Dim, it would take four three-hour shifts, or six two-hour shifts. Dell has volunteered for a middle shift, Amnestria for middle and last shifts, and Antonius has volunteered for the last shift. Sora has volunteered for any shift.
OOC:
Though they have been resting for hours by the time night falls, the party has not completed a long rest yet, because characters can only have one long rest per day (and their last long rest was completed when they got up this morning, Day 28). When they finish the night tomorrow morning (Day 29), each PC will have completed a long rest. In the meantime, anyone who still has a hit die can use a short rest and an application of a healer's kit to spend that hit die and regain HP.

In fact, everyone who wants to heal SHOULD spend their hit dice, since a long rest doesn't heal you, only restores hit dice. Who has brought healer's kits?
May 30, 2026 7:12 pm
OOC:
Dell will give up 3 rations to count towards the 5. What are the 5 rations for actually?
May 30, 2026 7:23 pm
mathias0077 says:
Dell will give up 3 rations to count towards the 5. What are the 5 rations for actually?
OOC:
The five other people with the heroes you're feeding: Fern, Ene, Olyena, Guilbert, and Reynald.
May 30, 2026 9:54 pm
Amnestria provides 2 more servings out of her own pack to supplement the others. "We can let the two bandits have a staff or club for self-defense. I think even a dagger is too much, but I defer to you all for how generous we ought to be to our would-be killers."
OOC:
I do not have a healer's kit. I think Amnestria took damage at the ambush on the road, but Antonius healed her so she's back to full?
May 30, 2026 10:12 pm
Sora presents herself for bandaging and spends a hit die to regain hit points.

Rolls

Healing - (1d8)

(4) = 4

May 31, 2026 8:49 am
"I’ll provide for my retinue, of course" Berthold stated as preparations were made for the distribution of rations and drink.
OOC:
Berthold will provide five rations, covering his retinue and one of the captives.
He will also volunteer himself and his two servants to keep watch, whenever it is necessary, so they can pair up with one of the others.
Berthold can heal up to 5hp magically as well. He can spread those out among the party members.
He’ll also use a hit die to recover, before spreading any healing around.

Rolls

Using a hit die to heal - (1d10+1)

(8) + 1 = 9

May 31, 2026 9:06 am
OOC:
Antonius only has 2 ration packs, used most of them traveling this far. But can help with the healing with a high medicine rating. I think Dell has a few healing kits, we will need more once we get a chance. The bandit’s money with help.

Rolls

Healing dice - (1d8+2)

(4) + 2 = 6

May 31, 2026 11:55 am
OOC:
I do not have any healing kits. We may have over looked this when leaving town. He isn't the medicinal type.
May 31, 2026 2:49 pm
OOC:
Sorry; I should be in the habit of reposting current HP any time I talk about healing. The only hurt party members are Antonius, Berthold, Olyena, and Sora.
Amnestria (9/9) (Grallaria (1/1))
Antonius (7/10)
Berthold (1/11) (Reynald (4/4), Guilbert (4/4), Olyena (1/4))
Dell (9/9)
Kazzak (12/12)
Sora (8/12)

In order to heal, you need to use magic or a healer's kit application with one (or more, once you gain levels) hit dice. Since we are using both the "Healer's Kit Dependency" and "Slow Natural Healing" rules in this game, there is no natural healing without a healer's kit; the medicine skill is used to stabilize dying characters (and sometimes to diagnose maladies/afflictions).

I suspect everyone was so accustomed to Aanbo using his healer's kit applications in the previous party that they forgot the need to buy healer's kits when outfitting the new party.

So, how do you want to play this out?
We could say that this is a believable mistake by neophyte adventurers, and the party can seek to acquire healer's kits in either Orlane or Hochoch when they get there (using Berthold's Lay on Hands and Antonius' spells in the meantime).
or
We could rewind time just this once and say that one of the characters didn't forget this key piece of equipment and bought one healer's kit back in Hochoch. That PC would decrement the 5 eagles (GP) and have the healer's kit that the three characters need now.
For the food, between all of you, you're offering too many rations! I think it's reasonable for the contributions to be thus:
Amnestria - 2 rations (pitching in one extra)
Antonius - 1 ration
Berthold - 4 rations (covering only himself and his retainers)
Dell - 2 rations (pitching in one extra)
Kazzak - 1 ration
Sora - 1 ration

Does that work for you?
May 31, 2026 4:14 pm
OOC:
Sounds good to me. Dell will have the healer's kit being used to working on his own he would carry something of the sort. Also good with an extra ration.
Dell after eating will move around to those wounded and administer first aid to the three in need.
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