Pepper scratches his cheek as he looks around, "How do ya plan to figure out where we be when we be in the mittle of a corn fielt and canna see anythin' else?" He smiles lopsidedly at Aku.
** spoiler omitted **
Actually I have breadth of experience and those should be +6, not +2. I'll fix it now.
Tarek looks around. I'm hoping he was smart enough to have it marked... But, good point.
Guys, when we move... let's lead with Weyland, he's got a good eye... and Einar who is pretty quiet. Aku, then Shae and Anton. I'll bring up the rear... I'm pretty wired and have excellent peripheral vision.
Key is going to be communication, so we can coordinate. Later on, we should pick up some screwy rare language only we know.
Placing the amulet over his head, Tarek looks over the group. Flipping his clubs, and taking practice swipes with them to test their weight and balance. He seems satisfied.
"That spell took far too long. This must be a fast time demiplane. Seems to be a lot of food too. I suspect the plane is self sustaining. Meaning we won't starve. Also, I don't hear birds. The ceiling of this place is probably too low for flying."
Corn doesn't just grow like this. This is some of the biggest, healthiest corn you've seen. Further, this appears to be wild corn - corn that is competing with weeds and so forth. Wild corn is normally about 4 feet tall, so this is eerily healthy.
The ground (as much as you can tell under the flattened corn) is dry and granular, pretty much perfect for corn.
Without some sort of landmark there is no way to know where you are.
You vaguely remember some talking about real (as opposed to magical) food being a new boom industry as refugees start to find their feet and turn up their noses at conjured slop. Nobles used to be the only ones who could buy it, but more and more an increased supply has allowed progressively poorer people to buy it.
** spoiler omitted **
I can add the note, but the only difference is that i'll add the +3 trained bonus. Presently it's just the +2 from my BOE and my int bonus. Next level I'll have at least one rank in all knowledges. It's kind of my bag. ;-)
Glancing around with an eye raised.
"This corn is big. ... Too big. Wild corn doesnt grow this large and it usually loses cometition with weeds. Also, wasn't food a new boon industry? Refugees getting tired of conjured food and all. I guess not only Nobles can afford standard food."
Does that mean we'll be away from home longer or shorter? We still have Grandmother to get back to.
Does that mean we'll be away from home longer or shorter? We still have Grandmother to get back to.
"I think it means that time is faster here. Perhaps a factor of 2. It would make sense if this place is used for food production." Glances around "It's hard to be sure though."
Weyland slips the amulet over his head. He grimaces at the encircling walls of corn.
"Hey Pepper, gimme a boost up and let's see if we can't get the lay of the land."
Weyland's head bobs above the corn a few times. It stretches in almost all directions forever, an endless sea of green and gold.
To the north is what could be some walls just poking above the corn and intersecting, a few feet higher, with the sky.
To the south, a little further away is another roof.
Nearby, to the northeast is what could be a gap in the corn.
To the east something like a mound of dirt stretches up into the sky. A similar mound is to the west.
The map indicates the plane is a torus. There is a single lake and a single building: a combination fort, barracks, barn and gatehouse.
Know Geography
Shaezon integrates the descriptions with the maps, and works out exactly where they must be.
There isn't multiple buildings, just one (that as the realm is a torus you can reach from two directions.
There is also the large dirt-pile
There is a gap that Shaezon believes is the lake on the map.
Shaezon integrates the descriptions with the maps, and works out exactly where they must be.
There isn't multiple buildings, just one (that as the realm is a torus you can reach from two directions.
There is also the large dirt-pile
There is a gap that Shaezon believes is the lake on the map.
Pointing at the map then to the analogous locations they can see.
"Mound. Mound. That's a lake i think. So we're about here on the map. "
Excellent, Shae. Tarek give the wizard a complimentary clap on the shoulder.
Weyland, you've got point... Pepper, keep him in sight, but not too close. And, Weyland... your guess for direction is an good as anyone's.
Any of you hokus-pokus types, get the urge to cast anything defensive on me, feel free if it gets to where I need to mix it up. And, thanks in advance. We wanna make this quick and decisive.
"I guess we can start out investigation at the building. Give me a 60 count then follow in my wake. Be ready to hurry if you hear me holler and have to fear, if there is trouble I'll be back in a flash."
Weyland draws out his knives and heads out, slowly moving north towards the building and treading carefully, so as no not disturb the corn stalks as he passes through.
stealth
Perception
Spoken too Loud:
"Why are we sneaking?"
The chip of crickets cease, and what looks at first like a pack of small dogs darts out of the corn away from Weyland and towards the group. The mouthparts open, the antennae dart forwards and back and the locusts dart to attack.
Anton swings his club at the nearest creature, before stepping back, wondering what it is.
Anton's club cracks into the chitin, crazing it. Ichor oozes out as he springs back, and the locust lurches dramatically as it tries to snap back.
No one knows exactly why harmless grasshoppers can change into swarms of ravenous locusts, but it seems to have gone further here. This is a locust, but a locust the size of a small dog.
Locusts can eat their own body weight a day, grow rapidly, are highly fecund and are an excellent source of meat. These four, for example, could probably feed everyone in the house for a week.
The fully developed wings suggest that these are adult specimens, so this is probably as large as they get. On the other hand locusts are associated with swarms for a reason, so there are probably a great many more locusts around the farm. Given the terrain they could be anywhere.
Initiative
Shae spends his first full action calling and casting a defensive spell on himself.
Weyland moves to J6(5'Step) and attacks the locust with both daggers.
One of Welyand's daggers miss, but the other bisects a locust.
Pepper grimaces at the giant insects, "Be wary, we pro'ly be surrounded."
Weyland 5' steps to K7 and attacks again.
Miss
Hit
Tarek takes a 5ft-Step (right) and takes a whack at the Locust, with his stick.
The locusts fall like grain to the onslaught. Only the one next to Aku remains as he lashes out masterfully with his staff
but with insufficient force to kill it.
The remaining locust hops into the air, bounces off the 'sky' and lashes out at Aku., missing as it dodges the whirling staff.
"Why the hell didn't i bring a bow, or staff, or anything. "
Sha will spend the round fumbling in his bag for the hatchet he carries.
Current AC: 17
HP: 7/7
Anton keeps an eye out in case more come. "I've never heard of locusts this big. I hope they don't have the numbers their counterparts typically have."
Perfect food supply. No worries, Shae... Sure we'll find something.
For now, here... Have one my fighting sticks. It's simple, get up close and take a whack. Flank if you can, small steps help.
Perfect food supply. No worries, Shae... Sure we'll find something.
This isn't exactly my forte' but I'm sure I can find somethign useful to do.
Shae looks around for a length of wood to use as a quarterstaff.
Edit: or he just takes one of Tarek's sticks. "Thanks."
Pepper steps up to the final locust and crushes it with his club. "We ought to be findin' a safe place before we be lookin' for more of these things. We may be needin' a place to run to if we be overwhelmed."
The last of the locusts in this area falls.
Okay - the map indicates the building is approximately two hundred fifty feet away at this point. Knowing to avoid the noise of the "crickets" you make good progress towards the building when Tarek, Anton and Pepper realise from crickets falling silent that something nearby is moving towards you.
You could stay and wait for it, charge at it or sprint the remaining seventy five feet to the building.
When he figures that something is coming through the corn towards the group, Pepper stops and hisses out to Weyland,"Psss...Weyland, stay hidden." Over his shoulder he says louder, "Casters back up. Tarek, make sure there no be anyone sneaking up behind us."
Got it.