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Uru'vi "My kind have the ability to empathize with the creatures of the world, and would likely be willing to aid in guarding them. Beings of nature tend to be attuned to that which is unnatural." She sort of waves her horn at the skeleton to show, "And while it may work for awhile to have them be scared, those are not conditions we would like to keep them in, less they slowly grow unwilling to eat or anything similar. We could try to calm them and keep them from panicking if we must use the skeletons to watch them, or keep them contained until the orcish people can construct pens."
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Oct 24, 2013 20:55
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Skullguy "What? Animals don't have feelings! Orcs, do whatever it takes to build a fence!"
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Oct 24, 2013 21:07
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Uru'vi "I would not expect brutish races to understand that animals do indeed feel fear and loss the same as we do, if not as advanced. We will be sure to watch them, and aid in caring as much as we can, while you decide what to do with them." Uru'vi trotted off to go talk to her people about aiding in keeping the livestock safe while they scouted.
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Oct 24, 2013 21:12
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Szandra "Obviously it would not work long-term. Too much stress on the animals. The entire point is in fact that we are a stressor. In the short term, we are available, and would prefer that time be spent on scouting and locating a permanent site rather than putting so much work into structures we will soon abandon. If the centaurs can keep them calm and contained on their own that is acceptable as well."
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Oct 24, 2013 21:32
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Base Camp Zero? After a bit of initial confusion among the orcs surrounding the order to set up their tents, only to need to take them down again when it was decided that a camp in a less exposed area made more sense, the collection of tribes began to arrange itself in a sensible manner and began the trek throughout the unknown and foreboding jungle. With its leaders forming the vanguard, and Professor Kraken protecting the rear flank from any unexpected assault, the hundred-odd souls and like amount of livestock slowly picked their way down from the survey point, and into the deeper heart of the jungle. Slowly progressing through the area, with the fear of the unknown lending itself to an arguably healthy degree of paranoia among all parties involved, your troupe has been able to take note of several potential hazards in the immediate vicinity. It has been confirmed that a large and unknown species of snake appears to make its home in the trees of this area, with a single specimen having been spotted while you were on the move. It is unclear as to whether or not it is poisonous, but it did not seem to be particularly aggressive, although it did make threatening noises when various members of your entourage ventured too near. Of particular concern was the fact that it had three heads.  Additionally, as you continued to make your way deeper into the jungle, it became clear that the area was literally teeming with insect life (which came as no surprise to essentially everyone). Although most of the vermin appeared to be benign, one species has proven moderately aggressive and somewhat frustrating: about the size of a skeletal finger, with a needle-like protrusion extending from its head. Several members of the fetchling and orc tribes have been harassed by these creatures during the first hour of your journey, as it eagerly and swiftly approached them, implanted its needle-nose into their skin, and extracted a negligible amount of blood. The assault has left a few individuals with minor itchy rashes on their shoulders and forearms, but they appear otherwise unharmed.  Unsurprisingly, this species of insect has shown little interest in assailing the dryads and skeletons. However, curiously, they have also shown essentially no interest in the unicorns, giving them an extremely wide birth. This was first noticed by one of the younger fetchlings, who fled in terror from a group of three of the insects who were about to descend upon him, only to find himself beneath the legs of one of the unicorns, and the three hungry-looking creatures buzzing angrily about a dozen feet away. After observing this phenomena for about ten minutes, the young fetchling has concluded that for some reason this particular species of insect will not approach the unicorns at all, and that there is an apparent ‘safe zone’ around each unicorn. He has informed his tribe of this, and in short order the fetchlings have all taken refuge around the caravan of unicorns. Very quickly thereafter, the orcs have begun to innocently mingle about the fetchlings as well, also partaking of the apparent safety offered by the magical beasts. It begins to get very crowded very quickly when the orcs also begin shuffling in their miscellaneous livestock into the general vicinity of the unicorn procession. It is unclear exactly why this is happening, but both the orcs and fetchlings have taken it as a sign that the unicorns can protect them from the various unpleasant aspects of the wild in this area, and they are quite thankful for the boon (which they have taken upon themselves to enjoy). pre:A protective measure from a natural hazard has been identified by the fetchling tribe! If they are so willing, the unicorns are able to shield surrounding individuals from ravenous insects. Due to the large number of creatures with blood, this currently slows your movement speed, however. Continued travel in this manner will result in a reduction to your speed down to one-half mile per hour. “The U Formation”: The fetchlings are appreciative of this idea (no morale penalty while traveling through insects). The orcs are appreciative of this idea (no morale penalty while traveling through insects). The unicorns are annoyed with this idea, due to the crowding, and the smell. (-1 morale penalty per day traveled in this arrangement, after today).  The jungle canopy is somewhat sparse here, and the rising sun is now approaching what you believe to be its zenith, shining clearly overhead. It is beginning to get quite humid, but your people are rather glad to have found a source of water. They are looking to you for permission to set up an encampment around this area. The dryads would also like permission to close the canopy with entangling magic, to create various shaded areas from the sun for the livestock. The orcs are beginning to discuss how to best build a fence. pre:Points of Interest
Your journey through the jungle has revealed the following additional matters:
1. The feathers of what is apparently a very large bird were detected about a mile ago.
A knowledge (nature) check is required to gain further information.
A survival check is required to track the beast, if you are so inclined.
2. 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.
3. 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.
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Oct 25, 2013 21:07
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Zoka Looking up from the annotations he was making in one of the record books his group was keeping, Zoka let out a sigh. So many little things he'd never known the elders kept track of, and now he was supposed to know the details of what had been taken care of by an entire council previously. Sure, he specialists knew their areas better than him, and he could ask for their advice regarding their areas of expertise, but it was ultimately him who had to set the priorities and issue orders. Standing up and peering out of his private tent, he watched as the final sections of their evening camp were constructed. They'd just barely arrived and there was already multiple things to accomplish. It'd be inadvisable to accomplish them now, but they still had to be noted for the long term. He'd already annotated orders regarding those snakes, for example. Whenever they decided on a permanent camp, one of the hunters or initiates were to hunt down one and take it safely, alive if possible, or dead if not. Examining it for toxicity, as well as having someone examine the plants to find those that would work for that aspect of their profession, was at least a low-level, but still necessary concern. Pulling out the next paper, he almost laughed. No, he certainly had no problem with the request to travel in U-formation, as those damnable bugs were irritating the hells out of the entire group. If the unicorns had any complaints, perhaps they should simply be reminded how they needed to work with the group for the benefit of all. Alternatively, given that the bugs were repelled by the innate anathema to evil aura they emitted, make a mention of how they were voluntarily leaving others they were traveling with at the mercy of innately evil creatures.
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Oct 28, 2013 05:28
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Skullguy "Okay, men! Now you can set up the tents." With that out of the way, King Skullguy grabs a chicken and murders it with his axe. To hit: 1d20+5 24 Axe damage: 1d12+4 11 "There, now we should be safe."
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Oct 29, 2013 21:15
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Base Camp Zero? The ritual sacrifice of the chicken is super effective. ...?
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Oct 29, 2013 21:56
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Sieversii "My people will weave the canopy here, it should create sufficient shade and mild shelter to make sleeping beneath the boughs comfortable in this weather. With fresh water, we should explore inland and see if we can determine where this stream springs forth, or if it is a runoff from the higher elevations. In either event, today has gone well so far. In the interim, perhaps we could set some fish traps, they are simple enough and the stream seems the right type for them." ((I think we investigate the next hex inland that is in line with this stream. I don't see any reason to look at the coast caves or the clearing just yet, and while tracking the bird might be interesting as a source of food, I think we're better off moving inland if possible. I really want to try and get us to a good location for our settlement to begin, and this near the coast isn't safe in the event of hurricanes We want a few miles between us and storm surge.))
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Oct 29, 2013 22:10
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Szandra The skeletons drift around the edges of the camp. Occasionally, a stray animal gets too far away for comfort, and a skeleton or two will move to block its escape. Otherwise, they mostly stare off into the jungle, silent. At the start they'd remained huddled, clearly wary of the unicorns, but over time as things seem safe they'd spread out. Szandra watches as the others start to settle down, occasionally looking over at her charges when some movement of theirs catches her attention. She focuses on Sieversii. "Further inland sounds appealing. Unless the others need to hunt or rest, we should continue. We could aid in placing the traps, though we would need clear instructions on where."
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Oct 30, 2013 18:02
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Skullguy Skullguy stands for half an hour just staring up into the trees, his face twisted up in concentration. He looks as if he's on the verge of an aneurysm. Suddenly, he looks like he's finally formed a coherent thought. "GUYS! What if we build our camp in the trees themselves? A treetop fortress would keep us safe from most land-based predators. We'd only have to worry about insects and birds and maybe dragons or whatever. I dunno, I've never been in a jungle before! I should write this down and file it under 'long-term goals'!"
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Oct 31, 2013 20:49
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Szandra "My understanding is that during a hurricane the upper reaches of trees are blown about by high winds, and that many trees are completely uprooted and fall down. Constructing buildings in the trees would be an extremely bad idea." Szandra looks to Sieversii. "Unless I am mistaken again?"
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Nov 1, 2013 00:46
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Sieversii "If we can find a suitable valley, there are trees which should weather even hurricane force winds, but it takes a certain type of valley to allow the tree to grow the right way. Without the proper ridges and hills to break the wind and channel it in a single direction, the tree would need to be equally flexible in all directions, and no such tree would be able to support the weight of construction." She points to a sample tree. "This tree, for instance, might support our weight, but it would not stand the wind from the east. If the storm were to blow particularly fiercely from that direction, it would likely take damage. If you look around, you can see some signs of that. This is a denser growth than I would expect from a jungle of this age. The summer storms are likely quite real."
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Nov 1, 2013 01:29
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Base Camp Zero. The expert opinion of the dryad leader on all matters related to trees is taken in by various members of the tribes within a close enough distance to overhear your conversation, and there seems to be a general consensus that a home in the canopy would be unwise if it could all come crashing down. A particularly loud orc (who is, surprisingly, not King Skullguy), chimes into the conversation, suggesting, "Why don't we build shelters underground? A little rainwater and wind can't hurt you if you're ten feet deep with five feet of stone between you and it. A few good tunnels is all that we'd need to ride out a storm anywhere. We could keep our stuff in there as well, so that it would stay dry." Many of the orcs nod in agreement to this sagely wisdom. To everyone's surprise, he follows up his advice with something astoundingly 'better', proclaiming, "Or why don't we just declare these 'hurricane' storms to be evil according to our laws? That way the unicorns will be able to protect us from them. That's how it works." Several of the orcs nod in agreement. A few fetchlings raise their eyebrows and look amongst each other, smirking, but not saying anything. pre:The following apparent actions will be executed in my next post (in about 24h), unless otherwise requested: 1. The leaders are following the stream inland, exploring the area for a more suitable permanent home site. 2. The dryads are going to weave shut the canopy over the temporary encampment, securing the area from sight. 3. The orcs are going to set up camp in the stream area, and will do whatever it takes to build a fence. 4. The skeletons are going to watch over the livestock, and generally serve as sentries. 5. Various people are likely to do a little bit of fishing. 6. Pretty much everyone is going to set up their own camp area as they see fit. Any additional orders to execute while you are away should be noted before the next update. While you are away exploring, you will be unable to issue or amend any actions that are in the process of execution. As a heads-up, in order to speed the exploration process I will likely make relevant knowledge and other rolls for you.
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Nov 1, 2013 06:58
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Skullguy "Try not to disturb the magic trees and poo poo when you build the fence, guys. Those Dryads scare me. Otherwise, go nuts!"
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Nov 3, 2013 20:17
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Uru'vi The unicorn seemed extremely displeased with the bug's appearance, as well as with how they had to protect from them. But most of all, she seemed displeased by the understanding of why they repelled them. Moving close to the other unicorns, she concocted a plan to try and figure out how otherwise to repel them, until a time when they could commit to hunting down and destroying this evil. 1d20+7 = 15
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Nov 5, 2013 21:12
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Exploring: Following the stream inland. pre:Exploration duration: 17 hours Perception rolls... 24 – Uru’vi 17 – Sieversii 17 – Zoka 12 – Szandra 11 – Skullguy Traversing through the jungle proves to be a tolerable proposition in this area, and for several hours you follow the stream through the land as it twists and turns, snaking up to higher elevations inch by inch. As time goes by, it becomes clear that you are working your way closer and closer towards the mountains that were originally to the north of you when you arrived on the island earlier in the day, at the survey point overlooking the bay. More tangibly, as you move closer towards the mountains, your elevation also continues to rise, and in due time you find yourself in an area of rocky outcroppings and cliff faces, which stand in stark contrast to the thick and unrelenting jungle through which you have waded. It is approaching evening by the time that your progress is ultimately impeded, as the cliff faces become too cumbersome to safely ascend with footfalls alone. Although these mountains could be passed, given that the area near the stream appears to contain reasonable amounts of workable natural handholds and footholds, it would be dangerous to do so in the dark, and will also require some small skill at the art of rock climbing. A logical question is also posed as to how to safely transport a unicorn up a cliff. Your current position affords you a much better vantage point of the surrounding area, however, and there are many sights to be seen. Eyeing the stream as a frame of reference, as it cuts in and out of sight throughout the jungle, it becomes clear to you that to the west there are several miles of raw and apparently untamed jungle. To the southwest you see the beginnings of a peninsula that appears to extend farther into the ocean, although the setting sun makes it difficult to see as far as you would like in that direction. More critically, to the north, southeast, and northwest are mountains as far as the eye can see. From your current vantage point you have a better sense of where the coast of the island lies, being visibly to the south and west. Although there is the risk that there is another coast immediately beyond the mountains to the north, it is just as likely that the area beyond would be sheltered from winds to a reasonable degree, and that somewhere beyond the mountains might lie a suitable location for a more permanent encampment for your respective peoples. You believe that it might be possible for your small group to scale the mountain, unicorn-hooves notwithstanding, but it would be a difficult proposition indeed to safely traverse these cliffs with the full entourage back at the encampment, and certainly impossible to do so with the wide variety of livestock at your disposal. It would perhaps be possible to navigate around the mountains, although as far as you can see they do not appear to part in any discernable fashion. A higher elevation might afford a better vantage to discern that, but in your current position it remains a mystery how many days or weeks travel might be required to achieve such a feat. As it begins to grow dark, you are left with a decision: do you make your way back to your tribes in order to report your findings, or will you continue to explore further inland in some manner? Shelter for the evening will likely be easily obtained, as the keen eyes of Sieversii and Zoka have detected a handful of small alcoves and at least one apparent cave entrance within climbing distance that could be used to keep you out of sight and away from the chill of the night. Uru’vi, for her own part, also notices the alcoves and caves. However, she finds herself distracted by something else: a barely-audible, monotone droning that seems to be hanging in the air. The others do not appear to hear it, perhaps because it is outside the range of frequencies their lesser ears can detect, or perhaps for some other reason. You hadn’t noticed it as you were traversing through the jungle, and really hadn’t even picked up on it as you began to make your way ever so slightly into the mountainous region, but now, in the silence of the night and within the peace and quiet of no longer moving at an arduous pace, it is impossible to miss. Your knowledge of the natural world suggests that there is a slight chance that it might just be due to the pressure change as you followed the stream inland and upwards, or perhaps the same pressure change that comes with moving from one world to another plane entirely. But why, then, would you be the only person who could hear it? And why does it unnerve you ever so slightly? These questions gnaw at the back of your mind, and no clear answers present themselves. Uru’vi’s thoughts also continue to wander back to the strange insects that the tribes happened upon much earlier in the day, who (thankfully) appear to have lessened in presence as they traveled further inland. It seemed obvious that the vermin were reacting to the natural shell of protection that all unicorns created, which among other things served to ward away creatures of evil bent, and that did not bode well at all. There were certainly ways to shield the various members of the entourage of the other races from harm from the insects, but they were not particularly palatable. It was well known among unicorns that clothing hewn from the sheared mane of a unicorn (or, in a pinch, the sheared fur of their tails) retained small traces of the protective qualities of the creatures themselves, albeit only for a few months at a time. It could absolutely protect the other tribes, but it would come at a cost that the unicorns would likely not appreciate: being sheared for garments was degrading, and not having a mane or a plush tail was simply not stylish. In a race of people with relatively few options for garments and preening, these were big deals, and it would be a significant concession to provide such a thing every two or three months as the magic in the previous season’s garments began to wane. There would also be concerns with sharing this information at all, as it had historically been something that unicorns never mentioned to other races, for fear of this becoming one of an already concerning number of reasons to hunt the majestic creatures. Waador fucked around with this message at 07:47 on Nov 6, 2013 |
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Nov 6, 2013 07:38
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 Scored this rad, poorly-colored drawing of my dude. King Skullguy, King of the Skullguys "Guys how about we check out this cave over here tonight? It seems safe enough. Unless you wanna head back." pre:Spells Prepared Today: level 0: Daze Detect Magic Stabilize Touch of Fatigue level 1: Mage Armor Burning hands Web Bolt Level 2: Vomit Swarm Enemy's Heart El Fappo fucked around with this message at 09:11 on Nov 6, 2013 |
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Nov 6, 2013 08:49
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Zoka Glancing at Skullguy, Zoka considered his response. "Given distance, it would certainly be advisable to make camp rather than find our way back, and a cave is certainly a better place to bivouac than in the middle of a clearing. The only issue is whether it has a rear entrance or not, as that could be considered both an advantage and disadvantage. We wouldn't be in danger of becoming trapped, like in a cave with only an entrance, but we'd also have an additional path to be cautious of. While picking a cave to hole up in overnight is sound, there is the question of that. What are the thoughts of the rest of you?"
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Nov 11, 2013 21:07
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Szandra "I would be partial to the cave. A clearing is too open. Multiple avenues of attack. A cave has one, or, as you noted, perhaps two. Much easier to guard against. If there was a threat that would force us to flee, I assume we could at least run past it, even if we could not defeat it. Besides, where would we flee to, in the night in this place? Better to settle in a cave for now." This is probably the most opinionated Szandra has been so far. Apparently she likes caves.
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Nov 12, 2013 05:39
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In the mountainous foothills... The conversation between Zoka, Szandra, and Skullguy appears to be gravitating towards a shared opinion: namely, that the evening would best be spent hidden in a nearby cave, out of sight and hopefully out of mind of anything that might prove particularly hostile towards the group of intrepid explorers. Although Sieversii and Uru'vi have not yet offered their input into the plan, it seems likely that a three-to-two vote will have the group heading in that general path. At least, that is the logical explanation that occurs to the three conversationalists with regard to why their dryad and unicorn companions have fallen silent on the matter. Sieversii... Among dryads, the call of the natural world is a pervasive thing, permeating every aspect of the awareness of any given specimen of the species. Like sight and sound for a humanoid, or the keen and supernatural senses of other creatures, the song of the forest (or, in this case, the jungle) swirls around Sieversii like a tangible, observable thing. While you were traveling through the jungle, it had been business as usual: although common plants are not particularly intelligent, they are quite communicative when given the chance, and much information had been gathered during the journey. You learned during your trek that the last major storm did indeed wreak havoc upon the area through which you have traveled, and that it is generally a seasonal occurrence, confirming your fears that the area in which you have landed would be a dangerous proposition at best for a settlement. You have also endured a great curiosity from many of the older plants - mostly, the trees - with regard to your nature, and that of your traveling companions. Their specific commentary has led you to believe that fey creatures such as dryads and unicorns are a new experience for the plants in this area, and they have expressed a general approval of your 'leaf-scent'. The vegetation consensus received from the surrounding area, as you slowly progress into the mountain foothills, however, is confusing. Although sparse, some trees and a fair deal of shrubbery cling to the low hills and rocky walls of the area, and they are all but ignoring your presence. This is unusual in and of itself, as plants - being stationary creatures - are remarkably social when someone comes to 'visit' them, and they often excitedly greet a newcomer of any race or species before realizing the creature can't hear or understand them. However, of deeper concern is what they are saying: absolutely nothing. Although these plants appear perfectly healthy in all observable respects, it is as if they are and are not there, simultaneously. Rare indeed is it for so many plants to be so silent, and it is an experience that you have never, ever witnessed. It is only belatedly that you realize your companions have been discussing something. Likely something entirely unimportant, in contrast. Uru'vi... As your group continues to press further into the mountainous foothills bordering the jungle, the unsettling droning that was once only on the periphery of your hearing begins to magnify in intensity, until it is all but impossible to ignore. Whatever it is, you surmise that you are nearing closer to its source, for it has ceased to be a barely discerned 'buzz' and is now a much clearer sound: amidst a background noise of difficult to describe static, every thirty to forty seconds there is a clear bass-pitched hum which seems to issue forth from everywhere and nowhere, as if a hundred voices were singing in unison. Deep voices, at that. The sound grows in a second from hardly noticeable to as loud as a clarion call, and then fades as quickly as it came, reverting back only to the white noise seemingly permeating this area. Without fail, within the next minute the process repeats, over and over and over again. It is only belatedly, amidst the recurrence of this hypnotic sound, that you realize your companions have been discussing something. Likely something entirely unimportant, in contrast. Waador fucked around with this message at 07:05 on Nov 12, 2013 |
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Nov 12, 2013 06:59
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Uru'vi The unicorn seems to thrash its head back and forth the first few times the noise begins playing, finally growing just a little used to it. How does she properly explain it to her companions is an issue for the unicorn woman, but she finally just stomps her hoofs loud upon the ground, "We cannot stay here. There is something in the air that I do not understand how you do not feel it. Something calling or something. Buzzing. Screeching." The unicorn is obviously not in the rightest of minds from the annoying noise, "It will not work to stay here, something is here, or we are getting closer to it. It must be fixed." She 'nods' the best she can, looking around, horn glowing a bright silver. Gonna do her best to cover everywhere she can with a Detect Evil if she can, continually. Trying to find the source. But it only goes 60 ft, and she would not be too willing to go too far from the group.
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Nov 12, 2013 07:26
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In the mountainous foothills... Uru'vi's scouring of the area with an evil-detecting gaze does not reveal anything out of the ordinary. Entirely not to her surprise, Szandra is lit up like a plague-green and nightmare-purple holiday tree, but other than that the area remains essentially devoid of the tangible presence of evil. It is possible that whatever is happening here is not innately wrong, or that the foul source of the sound is merely removed a bit further than the range at which her sight can detect such things.
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Nov 12, 2013 07:33
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Sieversii "Even the plants have gone quiet. We should be cautious, for something to silence even the moss and fern." She trails off, disturbed. "A shelter is reasonable, but we must be sure it is we who are sheltering, and not simply invading trouble's den."
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Nov 12, 2013 14:44
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Szandra Szandra looks at the other two. "Really? That is... alarming." She murmurs a few words, peering off into the growing dusk. Casting Detect Magic.
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Nov 12, 2013 19:16
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In the mountainous foothills... Muttering her incantation, Szandra's vision slowly shifts into the arcane spectrum, and she is quickly assailed by a number of surprising sights. Within the sixty-foot cone afforded by the cantrip, it becomes clear that essentially all of the plants in this sparse and rocky area are infused with some form of apparent magical essence, although it does not appear to correspond to any school the skeleton is familiar with. Looking back to the jungle threshold which the group has recently crossed, the effect - whatever it is - does not appear to spread into the life-filled area. Each plant appears to be radiating an aura that shares some of the telltale traits of a conjuration spell, but is obviously not of that particular school: its color is all wrong, for one thing. This particular effect is best described as something of a hybrid between what you know should be the hues of a conjuration spell and a transmutation effect. Such a color would normally be seen on the fringes of an object that had been laced with two separate spells of the appropriate schools, where the effects intersected, but that is not the case in this particular instance: rather than a solid green for the transmutation school, and a solid orange for the conjuration school, with a faint line of tan brown at the point of convergence between the two effects, the plants are suffused with a tan-hued energy throughout: something that should essentially be impossible to achieve. More strangely, while a magical aura normally pulses and flickers, like the embers of a fire, it is as if these plants have been painted over with their aura, which is dull and steady. Whatever this effect is, it is unusual to say the least. A few moments pass, and as Szandra continues to focus her attention on the spell, a second curiosity emerges: amid the rocky walls of the area, the faded outline of a previously invisible arcane mark catches her eye, just barely at the range of her spell effect: a curiously shaped symbol not entirely dissimilar to an eye. Its iris appears to contain a few symbols illegible from your current distance, and would likely require closer inspection to read given the diminutive size of the marking.  Finally, and only for the briefest of moments, a wave of energy washes out the entirety of everything else you are seeing in this area. The meager aura of the arcane mark is overwhelmed entirely, and the strange dull auras of the plants in the nearby area fade to a barely visible state as an omnidirectional pulse of blue energy - the obvious sign of an abjuration - rises from the ground upon which you are standing, ascending in forked tendrils to a height of twenty or perhaps thirty feet. Reflecting on the sight, it strikes you as reminiscent of the visual effect of chain lightning, though obviously only in appearance rather than in effect. It appears to have occurred everywhere around you for at least sixty feet in the direction you were facing at the time, and sure enough, after another minute passes it happens again. Exactly what is happening here is...questionable, though with a bit of time to study it you might be able to make some sense of the matter. pre:A spellcraft or knowledge (arcana) roll may reveal further information.
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Nov 12, 2013 20:29
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Szandra "This is... extremely alarming. I do not believe these plants are naturally occurring, but rather are... conjured, or something similar. There is another sort of active effect as well, perhaps one to renew the plants. This is... highly involved magic. We should leave." She turns, facing the others, and almost subconsciously raises the sleeve of a robe to obscure line of sight to the mark. "We should leave immediately, at least back to the edge of the effect. This is not a good location to examine it from, we are too far in." If people agree, After the group retreats from the effect, and if it seems nothing major is happening, Szandra turns to stare at the 'conjured' plants for a few minutes, possibly while the others discuss where to go next. No Orokos at the moment, Spellcraft +15 please.
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Nov 12, 2013 22:13
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In the mountainous foothills...pre:Spellcraft rolls... 19 – Szandra At present, the other members of your entourage remain in the area, though you have only just requested they heed your words and retreat from the unknown auras of this place. As a result, little has changed from your preliminary observations of the area and its behavior.
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Nov 13, 2013 01:27
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Uru'vi The unicorn, perhaps smarter than her own kind, or simply annoyed by the noise, trusts Szandra on her word, and gallops back out to where the mage had judged 'safer'. Possessing no knowledge of spellcraft nor the arcane, she cannot help.
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Nov 13, 2013 06:51
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Sieversii "That is an excellent reason to back away. Quickly." So saying, she too moves back towards the calming sound of the real plants.
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Nov 13, 2013 10:44
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Backing away. Ever so quickly.pre:Spellcraft rolls... 24 – Szandra With Szandra and Sieversii in tow, and Skullguy and Zoka looking on in confusion, a curious thing happens before the all-seeing eyes of Szandra: from her revised vantage point, the repeated bursts of abjurative energy fade away entirely, and cease to writhe forth from the ground like so many blue tentacles. Your current location no longer affords you the range necessary to observe the minute arcane mark you had previously detected, and the plants still within your range continue to contain a dull and difficult-to-understand tan-brown aura, but these lesser effects presently do not occupy your mind as much as the hole in the scene left by the missing abjuration. Meditating upon the matter for several minutes, the arcane knowledge suffusing (and, in truth, powering) Szandra's mind pulls a few facts together, although in context they make little sense. There appears to have been an obvious cause-and-effect between the abjuration energies that were exploding all around them, and the presence of the group of five explorers. Moreover, it is a well-known piece of trivia among magi that, if one abjuration spell is active within some distance of another, the magical fields will interfere with each other and create visible energy fluctuations. However, normally such effects require three elements: two abjuration effects bordering each other, a proximity of 10 feet or less, and a continuous proximity of at least 24 hours. And even when exposed to such things, the normal result is only a barely-visible fluctuation, not mystical chain lightning pluming from sky to ground and back again. By Szandra's estimation, it was clear that at least one abjuration effect had been introduced into the area: the natural aura of protection exuded by the unicorn herself, which could not be tempered even by the creature herself. It was possible, if inexplicable, that this effect was causing a reaction to something else in the area. But her arcane vision did not reveal any source of abjuration within sight either on the ground or in the air surrounding the area, so by all logic there was nothing that the unicorn's aura should have interacted with to generate such abjurative friction. And, certainly, they hadn't been in the area for over a day, so any reaction at all should have been impossible, let alone one with the strength of what had been observed. Still, the effects observed were mildly consistent with some of the defined rules of magic of which the skeleton was aware, so warranted some additional consideration. A concerning thought occurred to Szandra in this moment: between the casually observed and utterly impossible 'hybrid' of the conjuration and transmutation schools present within the plants in the area, and the completely inexplicable timing and strength of the reaction of the abjuration, it was possible that the laws of magic in this new plane were different from those which she had studied and mastered in her homeland. If that were the case, the ramifications could be...significant. If difficult to foresee. Waador fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Nov 13, 2013 |
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Nov 13, 2013 15:47
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Skullguy Realizing there's something magical going on that he's missing out on, Skullguy casts his own Detect Magic spell, and tries to figure out what all the fuss is about. Spellcraft: 1d20+5 6 "I don't see why you guys are being such babies about this. It's just an old arcane mark. Probably left here by some idiot cultists before they all got eaten by chupacabras or something."
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Nov 13, 2013 19:42
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In the mountainous foothills... There is, in fact, no evidence to suggest that anybody or anything has been eaten by chupacabras within the general vicinity. Yet. Waador fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Nov 13, 2013 |
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Nov 13, 2013 19:59
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Szandra "I'd strongly suggest that you..." Szandra pauses, thinking. "...investigate... that mark? Yes. Please investigate the arcane mark. I will continue to investigate from here." She looks at Uru'vi. "It seems as if your natural warding properties were interacting with a separate, previously existing ward. This could have been the cause of the buzzing you heard." She then turns to face the effect again, meditating. "This is... highly unsettling. Either this whole effect has been constructed by an 'alternate' system of magic, or magic simply functions... differently here. This is very dangerous. Is the Professor still about?" Alright, Knowledge (arcana) +12 to maybe figure out what the gently caress. zachol fucked around with this message at 21:47 on Nov 13, 2013 |
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Nov 13, 2013 20:22
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Skullguy "Well if you're all scared of a little sigil, I guess it's up to me to check it out." Skullguy approaches the mark while trying to figure out what the big deal is. Knowledge (arcana): 1d20+5 12
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Nov 13, 2013 21:45
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In the mountainous foothills... Szandra... You are quite pleased with yourself, having convinced the orc to investigate the potentially ruinous symbol, while you safely observe from afar. As you continue to think upon the issues at hand, and reflect on the activity you have observed thus far, a few things stick out in your mind as not making a whole lot of sense about this situation. First and foremost is the lack of an apparent abjuration for the unicorn's own warding to have interacted with. Secondly, and equally oddly, is the manner in which the reaction occurred: it essentially boiled out of the ground, and seeped into the air above you, and it did so much faster than known interactions between abjurations should have allowed. You are fairly learned in the ways of magic, but the specifics of this situation are beyond your current knowledge base. However, you know enough to know when you are out of your depth: so you avoid making wild suppositions on the matter, and instead go back to the basics, which you are certain you do understand (assuming the laws of magic function as you know them, at least). You observed this reaction through the use of a simple cantrip to detect magical effects. The limits of that spell, as you well know, enable it to penetrate barriers, inclusive of up to one foot of stone, one inch of metal, a thin sheet of lead, or up to three feet of wood and dirt. You can clearly observe the ground from your position slightly removed from the area you believe to be potentially dangerous, and it is clear that there is no abjuration magic radiating from the ground. As a result, it is markedly strange that the ground would be the apparent source of an abjurant reaction, when it isn't suffused with that magic in any noticeable fashion. Your conclusion, as less-than-helpful as it may be, is simple: at least two abjurations were obviously interacting with each other. One is accounted for, in the unicorn. The other is not accounted for, but does not appear to be coming from the general area, as there is no apparent source of such magic in the sky, the ground, or the general surface vicinity of the mountainous foothills within your sight. This seems to suggest that, somehow, the unicorn's warding was reaching - and interacting with - something in the general area. However, this makes no sense, as the unicorn's abjuration should be limited to line of effect, which is an even more stringent limitation than the barrier-penetrating gaze currently afforded to you by your divining eyes. pre:21 - Intelligence 3 - Wisdom Skullguy... You think to yourself, "Whatever, these guys are terrified of a little 'arcane mark'?" Whatever that is. (Spellcraft 6) It's time to man up, and show them why orcs are the best and how they have a lot to learn about living life to the fullest, including a night course on not being a coward. You march straight up to the symbol and stare it right in the eye, essentially daring it to do something to you. Because that's how leadership works. In so doing, you notice something that Szandra perhaps missed, or neglected to mention: a multitude of strange characters contained within the iris of the symbol. Unsurprisingly, they are in a language you do not understand, given that you only speak orc, goblin, and the common tongue of a different planet. pre:17 - Intelligence 12 - Wisdom
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Nov 14, 2013 00:38
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Skullguy Skullguy was told to investigate, and he's gonna try his hardest to do it. "Okay so we've got a magic problem. This thing is magic. I'm magic. Szandra, you're magic. Lets butt our heads against this problem until it's solved. If this is all being caused by abnormally overlapping magical auras, let's introduce a couple more of those into the picture. Worst case scenario: the arcane energies somehow stabilize whatever this is. Or we die. Who knows! Also there's some weird writing on this thing that I can't read BUT WHO CARES LETS DO THIS!" Skullguy casts Daze, Touch of Fatigue, and Stabilize on the eye, hoping for a response.
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Nov 14, 2013 00:55
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In the mountainous foothills... Although it is unclear where this is a case of great fortune, or terrible misfortune, as Skullguy slings not one, not two, but three spells into the eye that taunts him with its mysteries... ... Nothing happens.
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Nov 14, 2013 01:20
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Szandra "No, wai--" ... "Oh. Hm. Well, that is good. Perhaps it is safe..." She trails off, shakes her skull once, then sits down cross-legged. "Give me a bit of time for this. We still need to find a safe place to rest, yes? Perhaps someone should scout." If allowed, 15 minutes to prepare Read Magic. Once finished, Szandra walks over to the arcane mark, peering at it, and murmuring the incantations for her new spell. Read magic on the mark, detect magic first if necessary.
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Nov 14, 2013 01:45
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 18:44 |
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Zoka Having no particular knowledge regarding anything magical, Zoka simply keeps a wary eye on the proceedings from slightly farther back than Szandra suggested. Trying to relieve his boredom, he takes a look around. After all, with everyone seemingly intent on the symbol, it would certainly be a shame should something sneak up on them. Or just take a better look at the wildlife, he'd always liked bird-watching after all. Perception +6
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Nov 14, 2013 06:01
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