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The journey home... Sieversii and Uru'vi are able to find the rest of the group in short order, and there appears to be a consensus that - at least for the moment - the group should return to their encampment and check on their people. With thoughts of things such as treasure and mysterious crystalline entities out of their minds, the path back through the jungle, and along the tiny river, is relatively uneventful. In less than half a day's time, covering much of the remainder of the night, the group makes its way back to the temporary encampment where they had left their tribes. As the group of tribal leaders approaches the site of the encampment, they are a bit taken aback at the level of productivity achieved by their respective peoples. From several thousand paces away, two wooden towers can be seen where previously there was only jungle canopy, and an immaculate fence has been erected around the perimeter as well. A handful of skeletons stand guard in hunter's blinds (which are almost certainly the result of dryad magic) along the path leading to the makeshift gates of the encampment, and they greet Szandra heartily as the group continues along the path. Nehertrin, who is the first guard the group encounters, calls out as the leaders approach and suggests, "It is good to have you back...some of the others were beginning to worry." Home sweet (temporary) home...  Finally stepping back into the encampment, a throng of followers quickly amasses around the leaders, clearly eager to hear news of the journey. Many questions are asked by many voices, but they all take similar form, mostly about what was found on the journey, whether a site for a more permanent home has been located, and if the area appears to be safe. An elder member from each of the tribes also quickly informs the leaders about the activities they have undertaken in the absence of their elected officials. pre:Events in your absence: Level of industriousness (dryads) 86 (skeletons) 81 (fetchlings) 49 (orcs) 28 (unicorns) 22 We have the technology. (Craft: woodworking) The dryads have made liberal use of their wood shape ability, as well as their natural talent for woodworking. As a result, they have created a northern lookout tower and a fortified southern lookout tower. The latter has been carved directly into an existing (and still living) tree. You weren't using this anyway... (Diplomacy) The skeletons have negotiated with Professor Kraken for temporary use of the mallet of building! They have fully utilized its magic for the day, encasing much of your encampment in a decently-made fence. As payment, they have agreed to pay Professor Kraken 1,000 pieces of gold within two thousand years. Reasonably educated. (Craft: several) The fetchlings have pooled their expertise, and have collaboratively constructed a cooking fire. By their assessment it does not pose a fire hazard to the encampment, and a very minor risk that anybody would see the smoke it is giving off. Cut us some slack. (Dexterity) The orcs have spent much of their time tending to livestock, and as a result have otherwise not been very productive. However, they have managed to put up some tents. Let's see you try this without any hands. (Constitution) The unicorns have not accomplished anything of note. They are, however, well rested. Waador fucked around with this message at 23:08 on Mar 4, 2014 |
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Mar 4, 2014 23:04
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Szandra "Unfortunately, not yet. There were complications regarding local predatory wildlife. However, it appears the predator in question was both very large and solitary, and presumably territorial, so it is unlikely there are many more on the island, and it appears a single unicorn can easily fight one off." Szandra looks over the posts, and nods appreciatively to Nehertrin. "Excellent job. The arrangement sounds acceptable. I believe the dryads will be responsible for longer term constructions, and their leader's arguments regarding the other items was compelling, so long term requisition of the mallet won't be needed."
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Mar 6, 2014 06:44
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Skullguy commends his people on a job well done. "Good work, boys. You make me so proud. I return with a gift from the island!" He presents the Displacer Kitten to his tribesmen. "This animal has accepted into a contract with our group. I offered it a powerful potion, and in return it is now in crippling debt to us. We will find a way for it to repay us... slowly. Now I know what you're thinking. You all think we should eat it. We're Orcs, and that's what Orcs do. I disagree. We already tried that brand of evil, and it's just not working out for us. We need to be more sinister about it. We need an eye on the long-term goals. So let's cooperate and play along with everyone, and then we'll strike when they least expect it. We'll let the world forget our brutality, and then we will remind the universe just how ruthless us Orc boys can be!" After addressing his tribe and abruptly walking away (in order to preserve his air of unapproachable, unreasonable mystery), Skullguy approaches Kraken. "Hey pal, we got sidetracked by magical grass, some weird symbols, a dream ghost, and a floating torch. The dream ghost told me that we should definitely settle in a cave. This conversation happened in a cave. So, I think I found a cool house if everyone agrees. The cave would shelter us from any storms, and its inherent darkness would give my boys and those sneaky Fetchlings an advantage in the event of a hostile invasion. The skeletons are probably good with darkness, too. "As an aside, Mr. Kraken, the ghost in my dream mentioned something about treasures hidden on this island. Now, I had just eaten magical grass before having this dream, so it could be nothing, but have you heard anything about that? Any past civilizations on this island? I know about the pirates, and they're not a concern, but do you have any other knowledge about this land? Even the little things could be useful in the future." He suddenly notices that Szandra has been talking to the Professor as well. "Oh, sorry for talking all at once. Yeah, we don't need that mallet, but I would like to put in a vote for the cauldron. It would really be useful if I could learn to brew potions." El Fappo fucked around with this message at 06:13 on Mar 17, 2014 |
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Mar 14, 2014 00:54
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Zoka Staring blankly at Szandra's comment, Zoka felt the need to correct her. "Last time I checked, it was pretty clearly stated that the damned things are pack hunters, which means the one that attacked us was probably neither the only one in the area nor likely the only one looking for the kitten. Now there was a huge, and likely territorial, beast I'm fairly sure I spotted, but it also had wings and was in the distance. Oh, and don't forget the mysterious floating, glowing crystal you two mages somehow activated. Anyways, I suppose the answer to your question is that many fascinating things were found, but no decent spot for a camp yet." Starting to walk towards the section of the camp where his group had mostly pitched tents, he tossed the answer to the other question over his shoulder, both to Professor Kraken and the others. "Oh, and the only thing I thing is crucial is the Cauldron, so feel free to choose whatever. The Spike might come in handy though." Pausing for a moment to see if anyone calls him back for something, he proceeds to gather his healers and alchemist together in a tent.
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Mar 18, 2014 05:48
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Szandra Szandra's jawbone clatters open. "Pack hunters? But what would they eat? An island this size could barely support a handful of the things. That's ridiculous!" She clutches her skull, wandering away and mumbling to herself. "Pack hunters... this island... we're doomed..."
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Mar 18, 2014 06:35
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Skullguy "I have still seen no evidence that an adult version of this pretty kitty exists. Even if it did, and there are more of them, why didn't they all attack at once? What are they going to do? Ambush us in our sleep and tear out our throats? HA! We're all going to die tonight!" After saying this, Skullguy wanders off to count the chickens, laughing nervously.
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Mar 18, 2014 09:09
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Sieversii "Well done sisters. We found a cave system, but no clear sign of a good place to plant our trees. We will have to move inland though, there are definitely signs of severe storms." She smiles tiredly. "For now, I suspect we must rest, and in the morning we can discuss our move."
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Mar 18, 2014 09:51
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Day 2 approaches... [timg]http://i.imgur.com/Rb3WpjX.png[/img][/timg] pre:Legend:
Area 1:
1A The feathers of what is apparently a very large bird were detected yesterday, a few miles away.
A knowledge (nature) check is required to gain further information.
A survival check is required to track the beast, if you are so inclined.
1B While you were following the coast, a cave entrance was visible, jutting out from the rocks.
The entrance was approximately thirty feet below a sheer cliff, ten feet wide and four feet long.
It was a sixty foot drop from the cliff to the waters below.
A difficult climb check will be required to safely reach the cave entrance.
You could not see or hear anything within.
1C Along the cliffs, you spotted a clearing several miles to the east.
It appeared to have a significantly large number of dead trees, seemingly snapped in half.
It was difficult to gauge what had happened from the distance, but this seemed unusual.
Closer investigation of the area is needed to gain further information.
Area 2:
2A You encountered a strange (magical?) anomaly in this area, where the jungle met the mountains.
It seemed to react strongly with Uru'vi's natural abjuration aura.
Furthermore, something "someone" did set off some kind of alarm or guardian: a strange crystal.
Additionally, very close to this location, King Skullguy found a cave and put himself to sleep inside.
Within the cave, after ingesting a strange plant and lacing himself with spells, he had visions of a ghost.
As the group begins to reveal more of what they found on their first expedition into the wild unknown, Professor Kraken listens with a keen interest. As Skullguy delves into his story of magical grass, weird symbols, dream ghosts, and floating torches, he starts to interact on the subject, suggesting, "That is... an interesting day you have had, to say the least." He seems to laugh at the suggestion that the orc ingested some 'magical' grass prior to having his "experience" with the ghost, but doesn't speak to it very much, trying to take whole situation rather seriously. In response to the question about prior civilizations on the island, he responds, "I am afraid I don't really know very much, to tell you the truth. As I explained previously, these places that I offered to take you - I am aware of them because of the genetic memory of my people, which is passed on when we ...spawn." He shrugs, lacking a better word for the process. He continues, "I know they are safe - relatively, at least - because they are worlds that have been culled by my people centuries ago, and as a species we do not return to worlds en masse. The civilization that once held dominion over this world, and this island, was wiped out a very long time ago. I have some memories of an ancestor who participated in that culling, though only the tail end of it, and unfortunately my people do not tend to get to know the names or read the history books of the races they are wiping from existence. From what I can recall of those generational memories, other than the minotaurs - whom were spared, by virtue of tasting rather horrible - the dominant species of this area was one that came about as a result of crossbreeding between humans and giants. These half-giants possessed an intellect far surpassing their giant kin, and a strength far beyond that of their human parents, allowing them to thrive across much of the world." He sighs, seemingly scowling at the memory, as he explains, "Unfortunately, their brains were as delicious as a human's, and nearly twice the size due to their powerful build. Although this made them brilliant engineers, and half-decent mentalists, it also made them a delicacy. Like a fine steak from a cow the size of a tree. My people ate them, as far as I know, into extinction over the course of a few decades." Waving his hand as if to banish the memory, he explains, "Anyway, if you found some ruins or something, it was likely that race which built it. Some refugees fled to this island during the later years of the culling, but it was never home to any large settlement." Finally, he states, "On the subject of the pirates, most of those minotaurs were previously enslaved by the preceding half-giant civilization. When the delicious half-giants went into decline, the seafaring minotaurs took over, but as far as I know they aren't really big on permanent island settlements. Then again, I'm not a minotaur, so what do I know?" He laughs at his own apparent 'joke'. When the subject of the conversation turns to the treasures he had offered the group, he is ecstatic, saying, "oh good! You've made a few choices! I should be going rather soon, so can you figure the rest of that out before morning?" pre:Professor Kraken's Treasure Emporium Available credit: 9,000gp Purchased items: 3,000gp: Cauldron of brewing Remaining affordable items: 1,000gp: Dowsing syrup 2,000gp: Iron spike of safe passage 2,400gp: Sovereign glue 2,700gp: Stone of alarm 3,000gp: Rope of climbing 4,400gp: Wind-caller compass 5,000gp: Bone razor 5,000gp: Box of stubborn nails (x50) 5,000gp: Immovable rod 5,000gp: Mallet of building 5,400gp: Eversmoking bottle 7,000gp: Instant bridge 7,200gp: Folding boat 8,700gp: Scholar’s ring pre:Community inquiries: All: When will we find a place to settle more permanently? Skeletons: ...how are we going to make more skeletons? Dryads: We should find a place to root the trees within the week. Can we help in some manner? Orcs: Can we play with the kitten? Fetchlings: What shall we focus our time on, while you search for a more permanent location to settle? Unicorns: Attunement to the forest remains our top priority. Have you found any glades to begin the ritual? Waador fucked around with this message at 06:05 on Mar 21, 2014 |
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Mar 21, 2014 06:00
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Skullguy "Of course you can play with the kitten, guys! Just don't hurt him or I'll eat your heart!" Putting my vote in for the rope of climbing and the mallet of building
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Mar 21, 2014 15:25
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Uru'vi The unicorn stamped off towards her fellows, mingling with the great 'herd' of unicorns happily, "I know that we are all anxious to begin attuning to this land, but I cannot say that we've found anywhere safe enough to properly attune. While the exploration yesterday revealed many sites which could likely be crafted into proper glades, the fact is that many things seemed to react with our natural weakening of evil. If it is wished, I could ask the dryad leader Sieversii if she could find a proper leyline to follow in that area, but safety should be our priority, and entering areas of strange magic that rejects us is the opposite of being safe." "More to what I believe is needed - there are beasts on this island, evil ones that would attempt to harm us. They may find us du-" She stopped for a moment, cutting herself off mid word, "The others would likely be at risk were they to appear, but I fell one quite simply, and I am certain that were they to appear our healing would prove useful in saving those ambushed. As such, I'd like to request that if someone leaves the perimeter to do a job today, that at least two of you accompany them.." She lowers her voice, speaking only to the nearest unicorns, "If more groups leave than you can guard, allow the orcs and skeletons to guard their own. The Orcs are proud and if they question why we are guarding the others, remind them that they are strong and we know they don't need help. Tell the others later." Secretive whispering later, Uru'vi trotted to the head of the herd, closer to the other groups, "I'm sure those who can properly use the tools would find the most use, and shall allow Zoka to make selections for me, as his people seem to be the ones most in need of tools when going about what they excel at, lacking the natural magics Siervesii's. I hope this is acceptable." Standing between the herd and the other tribes, Uru'vi awaited her people decisions on whether to rush to find a proper glade, or objections to her requests.
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Mar 21, 2014 19:09
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Szandra Szandra gathers together the skeletons, hushing their clattering and glancing around to make sure they're alone. "We are in an extremely precarious position. The unicorns are too dangerous, and too numerous. To my understanding, the leader, who I do not believe to be particularly unique, was able to gore a very large and powerful beast to death with a single blow. They are also capable of summoning holy power, each on their own more than enough to destroy one of us. The most, the very most important watchword is discretion. It is clear that she finds us abhorrent, and that opinion is shared by her people, and I do not believe the others would be particularly displeased if the unicorns wiped us out." She looks back and forth, emphasizing her point. "We are not in a position to slay them overtly, and I am fully of the belief that their leader would adore any excuse, no matter how flimsy, to go on a crusade. Thus, we must be extremely careful, not only to never attack any one of their people, or anyone else in this group, but to never be in a position where it might seem that we have caused one of their deaths. This is not for your own protection, this is for all of ours. A single slip by any of us could spell oblivion for all of us. Stay together, watch each other, and never be alone with one of them. Not only supposed 'accidents,' but real and honest accidents as well, are unacceptable." She pauses, waiting for that to sink in, then nods. "My current plan is this. We must first establish a base on this island, for immediate survival and mutual protection. I believe the full extent of this will take several years. Unfortunately, during this time I do not believe we can reasonably expect to be able to produce more of our kin from the remains of the others. The orcs, possibly, I am not sure of their customs or views, and I am also unsure of the shadowkin, but I doubt the unicorns would tolerate this behavior. However, as the illithid stated, this island was formerly well populated. Depending on the previous inhabitants' customs, we may be able to find a source of remains in the form of a mausoleum or similar site. In all cases though, we should neither expect nor depend on this becoming a reality. A long-term solution will have to come after we have gathered sufficient resources to have a better understanding of the rest of this world. At that point, we should be able to find an uninhabited site with a more reliable source of remains. We will be able to leave the others, particularly the unicorns, behind, and settle on our own." Another pause. "We must remember that in this situation our best move is to be as unobtrusive as possible. We do not need to eat, we need nothing more than space and reflection and security, all of which can be temporarily held by maintaining positive or at least neutral relations with the rest of the groups, and by appearing to be nothing other than helpful. Any act of aggression will almost certainly result in all of our destructions, and by extension the aggressor's. Understood?" Szandra returns to the gathering. "The items? I am still partial to the spike, but if it not appreciated, then..." She holds up the compass, then looks at Professor Kraken. "I'm sorry. My intuition is that this would not be sufficient to protect us against those storms you mentioned, but perhaps you have a better understanding of these items yourself. Would this be able to provide respite within its area of effect in an emergency?" The wind-caller compass is by default CL 3rd, meaning that it can only affect light winds and wouldn't have an effect on the storms. If this specific compass has a higher CL and would be able to reduce the storm winds from severe to strong, my vote would be for that.
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Mar 22, 2014 00:45
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Within the safety of your camp... Within the blessing of unicorns... The majestic beasts listen carefully to the words of their leader, acknowledging readily that safety is of the utmost concern. A consensus is quickly reached among the population, and they echo an opinion that although it would be nice to attune to the surrounding forest, they are willing to delay until a better understanding of the area can be developed, and any concerns about latent magical effects in the area are put to rest or otherwise dealt with. On the subject of the potential threat of local wildlife, the blessing appreciates the advice of their leader, and agrees to travel in packs, rather than alone. They also appreciate the wisdom of prioritizing the fetchlings and dryads, commenting, "this approach is sensible. We would not be able to heal the skeletal beings if they were to be attacked, anyway, so remaining close to them is merely keeping us farther away from those to whom we could lend aid in a time of need." It would appear that the unicorns, as a species, are quite good at convincing themselves of the morality of their actions. Within the clutter of skeletons... The skeletons hang onto the words of their leader quietly, with a sort of patience unique to the living dead. "Your proposed course of action is sound, as always." they concur, explaining, "it is not that we wished to accelerate any such actions, we merely wished to understand how they might fit into the higher strategy." On the subject of the other tribes, they are also in agreement, "So far, our experience has been surprisingly positive with the other races. Their ability to feel fear is likely working to our advantage from a social perspective, as the need to band together in order to survive whatever imagined dangers this new land holds are at the forefront of their minds. Still, you are right, as we begin to settle in and grow comfortable in this land, the risk of a misunderstanding with the others will grow with each passing day. It is our view that we must make ourselves as useful as possible to them in the short term, to mitigate any such risk. Our sleepless, tireless efforts to build structures, till the land, and stand guard will serve us well, we expect." On the subject of coordination with other groups, they are in agreement, stating, "we will arrange our affairs to ensure that we are never paired with a single member of other races, but rather in bands that combine two of the goodly races. If a dryad sides with us were an accident to occur, it is likely that scenario will play out better than an orc speaking on our behalf." The skeletons clatter their bones together in appreciate of this wise course of action. Speaking with the Professor... As the tribal leaders reemerge, Professor Kraken responds to the keen-eyed Szandra, explaining, "you are right that the device is limited in its purpose, and certainly does not possess the power necessary to quell a powerful storm. It has four charges that are renewed at dawn each day, and they can be spent by the user to increase the strength of the effect by a factor of three. Picking up the golden compass, and looping the silvered cord attached to it around his wrist, he explains with a wave of his hand: "By expending one charge, a light wind can be reduced to nothing. By expending two charges at once, a moderate wind could be reduced to a light wind. And by expending all four charges at once, a strong wind could be reduced to a moderate wind. Each of these effects would last for a period of about three hours. But the compass does not contain the power necessary to combat a severe storm, such as a gale-force wind." Clarifying further, he adds, "although, the area this compass can protect is only a ten-foot-radius emanation. So I am not sure what use you might get out of it as a larger group. It's really more valuable for small ships caught in rough storms." He laughs, adding belatedly, "although, it can shift winds in the other direction as well. By expending all four charges, you could enhance a strong wind into a severe one for a few hours. That'd make for a nasty little surprise to something vulnerable to the weather, if you happened to already have the weather sort on on your side. Though that's mostly useful in ship-to-ship combat, I suppose." He shrugs apologetically, stating, "I never said these items would be useful, they just happen to be what I have on hand." Waador fucked around with this message at 06:47 on Mar 22, 2014 |
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Mar 22, 2014 06:29
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Skullguy "Well that doesn't sound nearly as useful as I thought it would be."
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Mar 27, 2014 21:51
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Szandra "Odd. For some reason I'd gotten the notion we could use it to... protect the entrance to a cave, or somesuch thing." She looks over the items, then glances at their makeshift camp. "Actually... I realize I dismissed it earlier, but perhaps the mallet would be useful after all? Perhaps for emergency situations, where we need to secure something, where we'd be able to rapidly hammer in several pitons at once without having to worry about forging or allocating them ahead of time, to secure doors or lashings or the like."
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Mar 27, 2014 22:25
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Zoka Having spent a long time in discussion with his subleaders, Zoka felt he'd hacked together at least a decent temporary plan. Joining the other leaders in conference, he joined the conversation. "Actually, that point about the mallet may be a decent one. My current thoughts were for the Iron Spike, as there's more than a few things we can do with an object that permanently conceals a small passage, and the Instant Bridge, as that nicely finishes off what we can take, and a quick bridge could be useful. The spike I'm fairly sure I want, but we could replace the bridge with the Mallet and something else, I suppose." Marching orders are for the herbalists to carefully start investigating the various flora nearby on the island, for any properties they may have(And I do mean any). Looking for possible edible ones, as well as for medicinal use. I did warn them about the one plant we've already stumbled across, as well as the strange things that happened when it was spit up. Also, due to the pack animal situation, have suggested talking to the other camps and taking guards along-likely unicorns or orcs.
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Mar 28, 2014 06:08
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Szandra "I recall the rope being important as well. Hmm... well, spike, cauldron, rope, and mallet all together is..." She trails off, then seems to somehow have a glint in her eyesocket and a smile creeping into her cheekbones, and turns to face Kraken. "Dear Professor, I am wondering... we have already entered into a rental agreement for the mallet. Might we convert the arrangement to a lease?" 13,000 gp together. 1,000 "down payment" on the mallet, total 12,000. Eh? Eh?
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Mar 28, 2014 06:16
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Sieversii She lets the others talk with the professor and instead explains about the terrible lassitude affecting the fauna near the cave system. After a long discussion, in which the dryads are convinced to keep careful watch on their trees and companions, she moves back to the rest of the group, nodding her agreement with the choices made for items. "I think we should check to the north east today. My people are eager to found a defensible settlement, and cannot be put off much more than a week. The cave system isn't large enough to plant their trees, although it certainly bears investigating in the future. Hopefully there is a pass to our north east, or even a suitable valley." I'm ok with any choices that include the rope of climbing.
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Mar 28, 2014 14:52
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Within the safety of your camp... The professor laughs heartily at Szandra's negotiation tactic, responding, "I suspected your people, with their puppy-dog eyes, were just softening me up for some larger request!" He taps his hand to his tentacles for a few moments, seemingly thinking on it, before confirming, "but all right, here's what I'll do. I'll throw in the cauldron of brewing, the rope of climbing, the spike of safe passage, and the mallet of building, putting you at a deficit of one thousand pieces of gold. In six months time I shall return to this plane, and try to reconnect with you folks. At that point, you can choose to either return the mallet to me, or provide something of equal or greater value in return in exchange for your 'lease' of it during that time period. If that sounds fair to you, you've got yourselves a deal." With that said, he ambles into the tent that he had been residing in while the group was away, and presents you with the remaining magic items that you have requested, inclusive of a fine iron cooking pot about the size of a wild boar, a sixty-foot-long rope made of what appears to be fine threads of steel, a nine-inch-long golden piton that for all the world looks like a mildly-unsafe marital aid, and a sledgehammer with a darkwood shaft and a head constructed from solid stone. Slung over his shoulder is a backpack that you suspect contains the remainder of his belongings. Nodding solemnly to each of the tribal leaders, he explains, "if you accept these, along with my terms and conditions, they are yours to use as you will." With a wave of his tentacles, he then summons a gate very similar to the one that you walked through previously to enter this realm, although looking through the other side the landscape has changed somewhat: it appears to be the mountaintop that you previously gathered upon, but it is now - tragically - nearly entirely submerged in water. Looking at each of you wistfully, he concludes, "I have to go now. Your planet needs me." With that said, he begins to back away, slowly stepping through the portal. Unless you act to stop him with more questions or requests, Professor Kraken will soon be gone, and you will be free to explore and shape this world as you see fit. pre:Professor Kraken's Treasure Emporium Available credit: (1,000)gp Purchased items: 3,000gp: Cauldron of brewing 3,000gp: Rope of climbing 2,000gp: Iron spike of safe passage 5,000gp: Mallet of building Unaffordable items: 1,000gp: Dowsing syrup 2,400gp: Sovereign glue 2,700gp: Stone of alarm 4,400gp: Wind-caller compass 5,000gp: Bone razor 5,000gp: Box of stubborn nails (x50) 5,000gp: Immovable rod 5,400gp: Eversmoking bottle 7,000gp: Instant bridge 7,200gp: Folding boat 8,700gp: Scholar’s ring
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Apr 2, 2014 06:43
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Skullguy "Okay seeya later, Kraken" Skullguy says to the professor. He then leans towards Szandra and whispers "This guy is totally gonna come back in a few years and try to eat our brains. Oh well, time to call it a day and get some rest."
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Apr 8, 2014 18:38
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Szandra Szandra bows deeply to the professor, looking fairly ceremonial and fancy. "Your generosity is unmatched. Though words might be insufficient, thank you for all you have done." She watches him go, then whispers out the side of her unmoving jaw to Skullguy. "Haha, jokes on you. We don't have brains to eat."
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Apr 12, 2014 07:46
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Sieversii Once the professor is gone and the portal closed... "He might try, but we'll have had plenty of time to learn what we need to keep ourselves safe by then. For now, we have much work to do friends. Let us be about it." OOC Are we ok with our next move being exploring the NE hex from our current location with an eye towards moving our settlement over the mountains?
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Apr 12, 2014 08:23
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Skullguy whispers back to Szandra "My brain would probably kill him." OOC I'm fine with that, Anias.
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Apr 12, 2014 18:27
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Szandra "That would not be a surprise." Szandra clatters away, finding a nice spot to study her book and murmur with the other off duty skeletons. OOC: Sounds like a plan.
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Apr 13, 2014 01:50
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In the morning... Professor Kraken fades from view as the blurred hole in reality created by his gate winks away, and your group is left - at last - to its own devices. With a handful of moderately powerful items, and a few fistfuls of future townsmen and supplies at your command, your minds all inevitably turn towards how precisely you will manage to forge a better future. The night passes without incident, enabling you to recuperate from the physical exertion of the day's travels, and to prepare yourselves for the coming day. As the sun rises, the majority of leaders decide that it would be rational to explore the mountainous area to your northeast, with a view towards finding a location more suitable for permanent settlement... pre:Exploration duration: 16 hours Cloud cover for the day obscures long-range vision to a degree of 94%. Long-range vision is otherwise limited to 9 miles. Perception rolls... 26 – Zoka 22 – Uru’vi 21 – Sieversii 16 – Szandra 7 – Skullguy Climb checks... 24 – Uru’vi +10 to perception 19 – Sieversii +10 to perception 18 – Szandra +10 to perception 12 – Zoka +5 to perception 7 – Skullguy +0 to perception Relevant perception results... 32 - Uru'vi 31 - Zoka 31 - Sieversii 26 - Szandra 7 - Skullguy  Although your idea has a fair deal of merit to it, nature appears to be conspiring against you today, with significant cloud cover impairing a timely survey of the area beyond the mountains. However, your group as a whole is met with reasonable success scaling the inclines of the mountains to your northeast, with Uru'vi, Sieversii, and Szandra taking surprisingly well to the task (one would not normally expect a glorified horse, nor a glorified tree, to scale mountains particularly well, would they?). King Skullguy trails behind the rest of the group by several hundred feet, readily within view but clearly not particularly adept at this task. Over twelve hours of this journey passes, and it is at times arduous, but not particularly lethal. With sufficient time, and cooperative weather, you are reasonably confident that your tribesmen and their property could weather this journey without much danger. There would always be a risk, of course, but not a significant one. pre:Points of Interest
Your journey through the mountains has revealed the following additional matters:
1. The peak of the mountain is readily visible, perhaps another half-day's climb away.
A difficult climb check is required to ascend to this height.
If the weather were to improve by morning, this would provide an excellent vantage point.
(For clarity, if you stay where you are, you will see about 6 hexes to the south, west, and
southeast. If you ascend to the peak and the weather improves, this should improve to 6
hexes in all directions.)
2. A strange rock formation - clearly not naturally occurring - is visible half a mile to the east.
Reaching this area would take some time, but would not be difficult from a climbing perspective.
3. While scaling the mountain, a series of very strange patchwork stains were visible upon the rocks.
It was almost as if the rocks had been burned, or perhaps struck by lightning, regularly.
An appropriate knowledge check, or continued observation, might reveal more information.Waador fucked around with this message at 07:02 on Apr 14, 2014 |
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Apr 14, 2014 00:27
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Skullguy "Well guys, that unnatural rock formation to the east looks very interesting. Could be a sign of some indigenous peoples we can subjugate. Or maybe it's the treasure that ghost told me about in my dream. Anyone wanna come check it out with your old buddy Skullguy?" Skullguy's face stretches into a grotesque attempt at a friendly smile, as he stares at the unicorn, unblinking.  pre:Spells prepared: Level 0: Daze Detect Magic Stabilize Touch of Fatigue Level 1: Mage Armor Web Bolt Mud Ball Level 2: Vomit Swarm Enemy's Heart El Fappo fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Apr 16, 2014 |
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Apr 15, 2014 05:56
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Szandra Although undead don't precisely feel emotions (aside from unending hate), Szandra manages to be quite well put off by Skullguy's expression, meeting it with the unblinking and hollow face of terror. "I'd... perhaps rather avoid subjugation of any remaining natives, as a matter of course. The formation is likely a ruins. Treasure is... certainly possible, but I'd be more interested in information regarding the area."
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Apr 29, 2014 03:18
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Sieversii "There is still a hard climb ahead of us, but we need more information on the land surrounding us before we begin investigating it. The lightning strikes and the ruins will be there in the morning, but there might also be other things to investigate. I vote we push on." (The rope of climbing can provide a +10 bonus to our climb checks, which is handy since the dc for climbing a knotted rope is by default 5.)
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Apr 29, 2014 04:03
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Uru'vi The unicorn stared back at the orc, refusing to look away from the unblinking challenge, "I believe that if the weather clears that the climb would be worth making. However, we know little of the area and its weather - it may persist for days, or even weeks. Unless one of you can read the patterns and divine it, I don't believe making a trip up such a steep incline would be fully worth it. Of course, if Sieversii believes it the wisest course, I will follow." She doesn't look at anyone besides the orc, but talks just fine. (The image of a horse climbing a rope is hilarious, as a note.)
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May 1, 2014 04:04
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Zoka Tapping a foot against the ground thoughtfully, Zoka pondered the options the others had suggested. "I'm somewhat in agreement with Uru'vi on this one. Though reaching the peak would be useful for seeing the entire if the weather clears, we have no idea if it will or not. And if it doesn't that will have wasted another day. There's also the fact that there's at least one rather large flying creature on the island, and I'd imagine it would prefer peaks. I say we spend some time investigating these strange marks, while keeping an eye on the weather. If it seems to be starting to clear in a candlemark or so, we'll not have lost much time and should still have time to ascend. If not, well at least we'll have gotten something accomplished, and it's possible the cloud cover may thin at this lower altitude, thus at least giving us some idea of the area."
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May 1, 2014 04:34
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In the motherfucking mountains...pre:I have made a secret survival roll for each of you. Uru'vi... Although the weather patterns of this world are admittedly unfamiliar to you, the wind smells the same to your powerful scent, and you have literally spent your entire life in the outdoors performing this very sort of analysis. It was, in fact, your abilities to predict the weather that enabled your tribe to survive the hardships of the storms in the previous months on more than one occasion. So, to say that you are confident in your abilities is to put it extremely lightly. After observing the skies and the movement of the clouds for a few moments, it becomes obvious to you that the cloud cover is likely to improve over the next twelve to sixteen hours, though not incredibly: however, visibility should improve for about a mile around the area, with the remaining distance still obscured to a fair degree. However, that pattern, you are certain, is likely to continue for the next thirty-six to forty-eight hours, at which point it should be possible to see for at least two to three miles in every direction, with vague cloud cover obscuring most of the area beyond that. Thereafter, it is quite likely that the cycle will repeat, and cloud cover will worsen in this location over the following day. So, if you wish to get a look of the surrounding area, your best vantage point will be afforded during a window of approximately 36 to 48 hours from now, when both the weather and sunlight is in the best possible position. It also occurs to you that after that forty-eight-hour window, as the weather begins to worsen again, there appears to be a risk of a lightning storm. Sieversii and Szandra... You don't necessarily believe yourself to be an expert on the weather, but it is obvious from the way the clouds are moving that they are not going to improve within the next day or so. If you were to ascend to the peak at this time, you would find yourself obscured in nearly impassable fog on the way up, which would be risky, and would make the route down extremely dangerous if you didn't wait for it to clear. Zoka and Skullguy... From what you can tell, it seems likely that the clouds are going to part within the next few hours. If you can manage to get up to the peak in that timeframe, you feel assured that you will be afforded with clear visibility of the surrounding area for several miles in each direction. However, you would need to hurry, as there is no telling how long the break in cloud cover would last before reasserting itself. Also, although Zoka considers the possibility and dismisses it, it is quite apparent to Skullguy that there is an incredibly high risk of the fog in the surrounding area becoming electrically charged with the power of a thunderstorm as you continue to ascend the mountain. pre:Based on this information you may wish to discuss and confirm a course of action. Waador fucked around with this message at 06:15 on May 2, 2014 |
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May 2, 2014 06:10
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sieversii The dryad nods at the unicorn's words as she considers the matter. "very we'll. I am not certain the fog would clear in any case. If not the peak, then perhaps the ruins are the better choice for our remaining time today, people usually build near passes among other features, and we will need a way north if we are to settle further inland."
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May 2, 2014 16:35
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Zoka Zoka shrugs in indifference. The sky seemed like it was going to clear soon to him but he'd certainly never learned how to predict the weather, so he'd defer to those who actually lived outside for this decision.
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May 6, 2014 00:19
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In the mountains... With several voices supporting the journey, Skullguy, Zoka, and Sieversii included, it is quickly decided that the remaining daylight would best be spent heading towards the strange rock formation visible about half a mile to the east. The pathway directly across is treacherous at times, but with the aid of your recently-acquired rope of climbing, it is simple enough to scale the ledges and traverse the minor chasms that stand in your way. Much of the journey is uneventful, if occasionally amusing as a result of the sights the rest of you are provided when watching the unicorn implement the rope of climbing with her mouth. You begin to think she might be setting a world record for speed of ascending a mountain while technically being a horse, if not for the fact that you aren't entirely certain about any records that may have been set upon this world (or, perhaps, in the former one either). Within a few hours, you find yourself approaching what from afar appeared to be simple, if mortal-made, rock formations. As you ascend the ledge that takes you to the area, however, it becomes clearer that your line of sight was obscured based on the angle you were viewing this area earlier in the day: the rock formation certainly exists, but up close it is apparent that it was once an obelisk of some sort, which with time (or perhaps other impetus) has crumbled in upon itself, into three distinct shards of stone, each about six feet in height and four feet in both length and width. Upon the whole of the object there is an inscription of a strange crisscrossing pattern, the likes of which you have never before seen. The inscription is best described as a massive clockwork rotation of parallel carved lines, occasionally interspersed with shorter lines and blank spaces in the stone. Given the context of previous obelisks you have seen, you would surmise this might be a form of decorative artwork, or perhaps that it carries some religious significance. What exactly it signifies, however, is a mystery.  Of perhaps greater interest, and an almost certainly correlated mystery, is the sixty-foot-wide hewn stone entrance built into the mountainside about a hundred paces from the ledge you have just ascended from, and perhaps fifty paces from the shattered obelisk. The cave entrance - if you can call it that when clearly shaped by craftsmen specializing in masonry - measures almost twenty feet in height, and similar simple geometric patterns can be seen on the hewn stone leading into the cavern beyond. No signs of life appear to be emanating from within, or at least, none which are immediately obvious: none of you detect any sounds other than those of the general area, being the occasional call of a bird and the wind in the air, and there is no telltale light source glittering from within the mountain corridor. Even Uru'vi, with her powerful scent of smell, does not detect any threats or signs of life from this distance, though that is not necessarily a guarantee of safety.  A few tentative moments pass as you take in this unexpected sight, with some of you instinctively believing it to be a calamity-in-waiting, and half-expecting to be attacked by ghosts, or fiendish mountain goats, or something equally sinister. No threat presents itself, however, and you are left to decide what to do with this strange discovery. There are also a number of delicious-looking mushrooms growing about the area. Waador fucked around with this message at 06:05 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 14, 2014 06:02
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Sieversii Know: Nature, Mushrooms: 1d20+12 17 (What do I know about foreign mushrooms?) Sieversii surveys the cave a moment and talks with the mushrooms. "Greetings small ones. What grows and nests here?"
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May 14, 2014 18:11
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Skullguy "Lets gather three of those mushrooms just in case, and then we're going in. Or at least I'm going in. You guys can do whatever you want. I'm not your king... yet." Skullguy is gonna go in.
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May 14, 2014 18:23
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Szandra Szandra stares at the obelisk remains for a bit. "Hm. This is curious. On the off chance this is simply a different alphabet, it may be warning us of eels. Otherwise I doubt I could translate it, the message is too short." A pause. "It could also be ooze, perhaps, but eels are more likely." She glances over at Skullguy. "I forsee electric eels, and dank underwater adventures. Although that would be more likely closer to the coast... hm." She looks back at the obelisk, pondering, then shrugs and follows Skullguy into the cave. zachol fucked around with this message at 21:02 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 14, 2014 20:58
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In the mountains... Sieversii approaches the mushrooms, wisely leveraging her ability to speak with plants in order to gather some feedback about the local area. Normally, one would not expect a mushroom to be particularly helpful (fungi in general are reclusive, the dryad knows all too well). The batches in this area, however, are surprisingly eager to interact. In response to her question about what nests in the area, after a few moments of clearly exchanging plant-looks at one another to see if the dryad was truly talking to them, they excitedly burst into song: "Closed behind their mighty shield, beyond which none can fly; their world is safe from pain and strife - they need not fear the sky. They have not fought for countless years. They have no need to cry! War and death are forgotten fears, for here they never die. The Crow King's kin still lie within, our Mother saw in dreams. She left our spores to guard the doors, and never again was seen! A thousand growths have stood here since, and ten thousand more would still; for inside now roosts lightning, young and wrathful, to whom our secrets we must never reveal." Not ominous at all. Beyond that, Sieversii's knowledge of these mushrooms is somewhat limited: she does not believe they would be poisonous, although they also almost certainly have minimal nutritional value. Their reference to a 'mother' is a bit unexpected, as most plants don't tend to see the world that way, but the exact meaning of their words eludes her. Meanwhile, Skullguy and Szandra walk into the stonework entrance nonchalantly. Skullguy and Szandra... Within the cavern, the walls of the tunnel are hewn stone, and the ceiling of the chamber measures almost twenty feet above the stone floor. Running across the floor of the tunnel are the same geometric patterns that you saw on the obelisk outside, which also adorn the walls in a similar fashion. It appears that the tunnel continues for approximately sixty feet, curving on a forty-five degree angle into a wider, more open area, which you will be able to easily reach with a few strides. There continues to be no light within the tunnel, which is not a problem whatsoever for your darkvision. However, as you make your way along the tunnel, you do hear something unmistakable and unexpected - the sound of running water. Waador fucked around with this message at 02:56 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 02:42
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Sieversii "I thank you, young ones. May your spores sprout and flourish." She inclines her head, then follows the others into the cave. Once she catches up, she relays the song, paraphrasing as she can. "There are crow kings kin here, and another, lightning as well. We should be wary, and remember to watch above. Neither crow nor storm are creatures of ground and earth, so they may have strange ideas of tunnel and lair."
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May 15, 2014 03:17
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Skullguy "Well that sounds fantastic to me. I'd better go investigate." Skullguy is heading deeper into the cave, fearing nothing.
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May 15, 2014 03:37
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Inside an ominous cave... Heedless of Sieversii's warning - in fact, by all appearances encouraged by it - Skullguy charges headlong down the tunnel another fifty feet, winding around the bend. Stepping through the threshold into the larger open area, he at last detects the source of the sound of running water: an underground stream, which apparently is crossing through the mountain within this cavern. His eyes first head towards the east, where (at the very limits of his darkvision) he believes he sees the faint outline of a massive iron door, which happens to be slightly ajar. However, his attention is quickly redirected towards the north, where the stream is, when his mind finally catches up with what he had initially glanced over: a massive snake is coiled up in a nest along the bank of the stream, and it does not look particularly amused with Skullguy's intrusion. It is already hissing wildly, presumably in an effort to warn him away, which is a pretty obvious indication of danger to the nearby Szandra and Sieversii. pre:Initiative: Szandra - 23 Sieversii - 12 Skullguy - 5 Snake - 4 Map note: one square is equal to ten feet.  Meanwhile, Zoka and Uru'vi are lagging behind, presumably still aghast at the trio charging heedlessly into the dark unknown in a matter of seconds after stepping atop the ledge to the obelisk.
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May 15, 2014 04:30
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