Session 21: Casting off on The Fraid Knot

General Summary

Summary: 2 points (lots of tangents)
There was a discussion about scrubbing the next scheduled session due to lack of player availability. Next session with be August 7 and decision will be made about whether the following session will proceed as planned.
After some discussion and rehashing of last session's decision making process, the group separates for the evening to rest, intending to set out for Grayhill in the folding boat on the morrow.

Ironday, 3rd of Leafbreak

Set sail for Grayhill

Coordinating at The Spotted Cap, the group has a leisurely breakfast (Harb enjoys a stem beer and Maya gets an acrid chicory coffee. The shroomfolk seem a bit down that their favorite local celebrity is leaving.
They collect their gear and head to the Stonebridge Docks.

Loading and assessing the vessel

The worker minding the dock states that the fee to tie on or launch is 2 copper for a small fishing boat, 2 silver for a larger vessel. Kolvonnin politely suggests that perhaps if it's an interesting show, the fee could be reduced - much to the dock minder's confusion.
After some tinkering, Harb ties a rope to the handle on the box and speaks the command word for the full size ship. The folding boat expands into the available space; Kolvonnin plies the dock minder for the reduced fee in light of the ship appearing from nowhere, as well as use of a ramp. In his shock at the sudden appearance of a ship from basically nowhere, the man doesn't respond, just waves the paladin in the direction of a ramp.
Retcon: the group decides to call the folding boat "The Fraid Knot".
Maya convinces Cinnamon to board the Knot using Speak with Animals and bribing with carrots. The donkey boards with some hesitation and uncertainty but no major issues.
It's noted that there's no cooking area. The group decides that they will exit the river at night as a way of keeping Cinnamon less miserable, which means they need a ramp. Sunny, unable to penetrate the stupor of the dock minder, presses a silver into his hand and takes the ramp.
Kolvonnin removes his armor and secures his shield and weapon on the deck, then makes ready to row if need be. Seeing this, Leucis decides to do the same.
Saf boards the Knot with some visible concern. Sunny checks on her and she insists that she's fine, but she holds tightly to a railing for a bit.

On the river

Based on his experience with the Chestnut Mare, Harb estimates a three or four day trip if they make good time - which may require some rowing. Maya recalls that Yok mentioned some threats along the river - giant toads, many-headed crocodiles, and axebeaks. These weren't a serious threat to the Chestnut Mare, but the Fraid Knot is much smaller...
The group decides to handle the Knot with the following standing guidelines:

• Harb is piloting from the helm.
• Wind is used whenever available. Oars are used for occasional course corrections or when the wind is not cooperating.
• Saf, Sunny, Leucis and Kolvonnin take shifts rowing when needs press. Leucis alternates between being avaialble for rowing and fishing (after the first day).
• Maya will stand in the prow, keeping watch and checking the weather using Druidcraft.
• The boat will hold to the area of the river between the shallows (more obstacles) and the deeper parts of the river (better current but potentially larger threats).

The party picks its way through the tricky obstacles near the docks and gets underway. The winds are favorable this first day, so between that and the current carrying them downstream there's not much need for rowing. Maya spots a few axebeaks and giant toads but they don't take an interest.
At the end of the day, the group exits the ship, folds it back up, and camps for the evening on the bank. They eat rations (because no one thought to fish while they were on the river) and pass a quiet night in the comfort of the Tiny Hut.
Saf points out that the Wind Fan might prove useful in a pinch. Sunny gives her a jaunty salute and takes this under advisement for the next day's travel. Maya notes that there's rain in the forecast.

Starday, 4th of Leafbreak

Cinnamon is a bit grumbly about wading onto the ramp to get back onto the boat. A few crocodiles are catching what sun can be had on the banks as the Knot glides downstream, but the wind is against the path of travel today so progress is a bit slower and the rowers have to work a bit harder.
It starts to rain midmorning, so this day is less pleasant than the preceding one. Leucis pulls in a few fish during the trip, and the boat gets out from under the raincloud in the afternoon. Fresh fish cooked over the fire with some Goodberry to fill it out goes down nicely.
During the watch they share, Maya asks Saf about her apparent discomfort with the boat trip. Saf isn't especially forthcoming with her feelings on the matter, and the druid elects to let it drop. The remainder of the evening is uneventful.

Clothday, 5th of Leafbreak

Cinnamon has resigned himself to the necessity of the boat, and chooses to look on the bright side (that he gets a carrot). The wind has shifted to coming out of the NNE, so it's helping with the speed.
About midday, Maya spots a stirring in the brush on the riverbank to the Fraid Knot's starboard side. He calls out to Leucis to verify what he's seeing, and the cleric sees it too. It's not clear what it is, but the sharp-eyed halfling can tell it's many smallish creatures and not merely one large one.

What's that in the bushes...

Round 1

• Harb rings the ship's bell to signal to those below deck that something's afoot.
• From the brush emerge mosquitos the size of bats, flying towards the ship.
• Leucis calls upon Thaumaturgy to get a bright flash of light between the creatures and the ship, but they seem unaffected. The cleric calls out the danger to his allies - "Giant mosquitoes!" and grabs his shield and hammer.
• Maya climbs the mast and wild shapes into a giant spider, then hurls a web at one of the mosquito creatures. Its wings bound, the mosquito falls into the river. (rule clarification #1)
• Kolvonnin gathers his morningstar and shield, looking to dodge incoming fliers.
• The boat moves a bit downstream.

Round 2

• Sunny casts Shatter on a group of enemies, destroying them utterly.
• Harb steers the boat southerly, moving its path of travel to exclude the rock ahead.
• As they fly by, Saf skewers one of the mosquitos and shakes it off her blade into the water.
• A pair of giant toads surface and start consuming the downed insectoids.
• Leucis sizzles one of the insects out of the sky with a crackle of Sacred Flame.
• More toads arrive and eat the fallen stirges.
• The ship moves further downstream, bumping a toad - Saf swings at the toad as they float by.

Round 3

• Sunny activates the Wind Fan and aims it at the sail of the ship. Maya is shaken but retains his hold on the mast.
• Harb steers the ship, a little squirrely in the gusting wind but moving faster than before. It bonks into another toad, doing some damage to the beast in the process. Kolvonnin slams into it with his morningstar.
• There's some scuffling among the stirges and toads, resulting in a few stirges getting blown into Maya's mandibles, but he doesn't land the blow.
• Maya chomps his mandibles down on a nearby stirge.
• One of the stirges lands a hit on Leucis despite Sunny's Silvery Barbs, sinking its proboscis into the flesh of the cleric. Leucis retaliates by splattering its companion with his warhammer.
• A toad attempts to bite Saf, then heads downstream.
• The steady rain of dead stirges lures another pair of toads up from the river
• The current carries the boat downstream. Saf and Kolvonnin swing at a toad as they pass by and Kol's blow finishes it off.

********Combat halted at the top of the round for time concerns.************

Combat summary:

• Total duration: 3 rounds (so far)
• PC drops: None.
• Rule clarifications:
  
  1. A flying creature became restrained (speed drops to 0) while midair.
     RAW: "If a flying creature is knocked prone, has its speed reduced to 0, or is otherwise deprived of the ability to move, the creature falls, unless it has the ability to hover or it is being held aloft by magic, such as by the fly spell."
     Ruling: The timing on this is not explicit, so it could theoretically happen immediately or on the creature's next turn. In the interest of simplicity, these falls will happen as soon as the status takes effect.
     
• Kill board:
  1. Sunny: 3 stirges with Shatter(2)
  2. Maya: Stirge with web (1), stirge with bite(3)
  3. Saf: Stirge with longsword(2)
  4. Leucis: Stirge with Sacred Flame(2)
  5. Kolvonnin: Giant Toad with morningstar(3)

Next steps:

1. Plan places to go and/or things to do upon arrival in Grayhill.
2. Work with Heather on Blue Moon Circus NPC details.
3. Work with Eddy on contact coming up with his NPCs (Laumia, Jaxazat) in Grayhill.
4. Set up a character survey, full disclosure not required (out of character info):
   
   • Motivations
   • Goals
   • Known Allies/Enemies

Session Feedback

Eddy: Agreed that the first part of the game was overly long. Understanding the goals of the other characters would be good to avoid uncertainty about future actions.
Heather: Enjoyed the interaction with the dockworker. Boat combat is new and exciting, a little disappointing to not get to use Deep Rumble.
James: Agreed that we shouldn't have attacked the toads, but it wasn't called out in character. First part bogged down by logistics. Don't be shy about wrangling the party. Name similarity was a bit of a problem, try to avoid that in the future.
Jeremy: No armor changes the feeling a lot. Those toads looked dangerous, even if they weren't after the party specifically. What is overkill?
Matt: I tried to make the logistics questions easier. Items placed on the map that aren't called out as being neutral will not be treated as neutral. More rails wouldn't hurt if it increases the speed of things happening.
Meg: Didn't like aggro-ing toads before they went after the party. Stirges, ok, but toads... meh. Lot of time on logistics.
John: If my understanding of what has happened is wrong (and thus incorrect in the session notes), please let me know. I should create a Forms survey with goals (top 3), motivations, allies, enemies.