(3) Legend of the Elder Souls (Inactive)

Game Master mdt

"It's likely they have a path to the outside if it's closer and they are willing to make new houses near the enterance we could relocated to be able to trade and having an ally close by can't hurt."

Actually, you do find out (I forgot this) that nobody goes up to the valley you came from, they consider it cursed by the 'Forlorn ones', but they don't talk about it other than to say travel to it is forbidden.

That's actually good to know—'Forlorn' may relate somehow to the reasons why we're here or how we were transported.

"Or get them to build in the nearer caves. It will give us the opportunity to have a more localized trading station... and double as a way to keep other creepy crawlies from coming up to us... or going down to them. Maybe we can directly trade Mithral for Elinium, making some lighter armor out of that might benefit us by comparison to Mithral. They'd be basically Niche to each other. And the fire suit would be good for anyone who wants to actively use my volcano's heat for forging. Other than that, I don't really have much. So... what do we do with what we've found? Spend more months preparing?" he frowned a little. "I'm not really sure what the Ids want from us. Why they brought us here. Surely there's a reason but..." he shrugs.

"They gain strength, right? When we fight things, when we learn new things. We've seen what's out there beyond our village, and it's terrifyingly powerful. Maybe the crystals haven't given us new tasks because they want us to first learn more about how to use our powers."

"Then again, we do what we can to stay away from the eyes of those 'gods.' Maybe the reptilians have some beasts for us to hunt, monsters to fight, treasure to search for in the caverns, far away from any broader political or religious dangers on the surface. And maybe they'll pay us in magic."

"That makes sense. I'd prefer to avoid killing human beings though. Or anything approaching sentient. I'm not really here for war, even though I think we'll have to prepare for it to free the people from what they're suffering from. I think the worst part is that they don't even really know that what's happening to them isn't fair or right. Then we have to go about destroying their way of life to... what? Inflict our own will that they get to decide?" Neri sighed. "But it's the only reason I can think of for why they'd choose me. Sterling threw a wrench in that with how he kept trying to control everyone. I mean, why would they choose him -and- choose me? I guess Barrius doesn't really do the whole preferential treatment for right and wrong thing. So I guess we'll work on getting stronger, and building up. Making things inside the walls better and preparing for more refugees, while arming ourselves more effectively?"

Currently letting you all post and plan amongst yourselves, let me know when you're ready to move on, or if you have questions/specifics to research/buy/whatever.

Hmm... I thought we were a little too low on cash to buy anything without a timeskip.

Well, you haven't sold off your crystals yet. But if you want to time skip, you can certainly do that. I just need to know that's what you want to do.

"We should ask the others what they know about this and see if they'd be willing to relocate again. I'd prefer to be closer to allies plus they are our best hope of returning home right now.

We also need to pay our guide. :)

"Yeah, ultimately, I think the first step is talking to the villagers about what we've learned. Also, should we inform the raptors that we can move living things through the wall? Actually, would we be able to move them, given the shape of our armor? I guess Luna's trench-coat thing would work on just about anyone, now that I think about it."

Are those with two sets of armor able to have both manifested nearby, or does one wink out when they make the other appear?

You can try to manifest both. But then you have to make the saves, and the having both armor or both weapons out at the same time is a much harder as it requires both a Fort and a Will save (As you are straining both your mind and your body to keep them manifested

Alrighty, so still better to pass off armor and use two people to get things through the wall. :)

Lina can get her saves up to Fort +10 and Will +11 with tactical feats, but that might not be quite enough yet.

Random Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 42

The quartet pay the Raptor from Luna's bag of gems.

They also get some things appraised during the two weeks (Listing value in GP, but you'll get ingots or gems, not gp) :

Luna's Watch : 20 gp
Luna's Money : 1sp per bill (about 20 gp total)
Luna's Amulet : 5000 gp
Luna's ID : 5 gp
Lina's Jade : 200 gp (about a pound)
Lina's Silvershot Quartz : 500 gp (about a pound)
Lina's Amethyst : 450 gp (about a pound)

Pick and choose what you sell

The group makes it back to the crevasse without incident.

DC 17 checks to make it across, the rope you left has swollen up with water, making it harder to hold onto than before

Lina happily sells all the gems—it shouldn't be hard to get more.

Lina can only make it to 14 with a take 10... any chance someone can aid another her? or cross, then tie one of her grappling hooks to something in case she falls?

Neri will take 10 to cross, and aid whoever needs it. If we have more rope (was it Neri's rope, or osmeone else's?) he'll secure this set again. He'll also argue against selling Luna's money and ID.

I may have forgot to track it, but Lina should have two grappling hooks and 50' of rope. Also, does Luna's amulet do something important, or is it just valuable?

Then for ease of use, we'll say Neri left his here, and Lina still has hers. :)

With a new replacement rope (which we'll take back down, this time, instead of leaving it to effectively rot, that will drop the DC back to doable for Lina and Kong with aid, yeah? So we'll go ahead and get back across. In this way, we can get back to the others and inform them of what we found. Anyone opposed to fast-forwarding to town? Can Lina's mount use narrow frame to get through the space we carved, or would we need to widen it a bit in order to get it through? I'd say having the mount will do wonders for Lina's ability to carry us in a fight :p If we want to bring above-world goods, carving out the rock, and possibly getting lumber to try that avenue (and spices via survival or geography), could easily be handled while we wait on Kong to reply with wishes. I get the feeling Kong would rather go off and fight something, or try to leave the underground area if he were more 'talky' atm, rather than digging more holes, though.

Lina would also be okay waiting another day or two in the village if it gives those up above the ability to construct a crude rope ladder to toss over.

You'd need to widen it. The rope isn't rotten, it's just swollen and full of water, making it harder to hold on to. To get the horse across, you'd need to build a sturdy wooden or stone bridge over the gorge.

Hiring someone who can cast Stone Shape might work... unless the raptors have another way to get access to the surface.

When you ask around, the Raptor's shy away, they do not go to the surface here. They consider the valley to be cursed by the 'Forlorn Ones', but they won't elaborate on them. You get the feeling there's a superstition about talking about something draws it's attention. You can pay someone to go cast stoneshape and build a bridge, but it'll be 5 times the normal cost. Partly because it's a 3 day trip, and partly because it's close to the surface.

That would be... 750 gp for the bridge, then. Worth it probably only if she'd be able to get her mount through, and then only if there's something we might want to fight down in the caves.

So you're hiring a stone singer to go sing you up a bridge?

It's Luna's money, from the looks of it, until we can get more lumber and such through. So I guess what we do with her money is up to her :)

Money isn't really worth anything if they can't get her back home, she won't care

So, I guess building a bridge. The neat thing is, if they're afraid to go out to the bridge, then we don't have -any- worries about them wanting the gems. So pretty lucrative, and only a short way. Would they be willing to cast the stone shape one more time at normal price (since the danger is already handled) to get rid of the super slick spot just past the waterfall? Would we want that, guys?

The slick spot is about water on stones, so when they stone shape the bridge, the stones will get modified, because they have to reshape the stone. So just requesting they use that stone will wipe out the slick spots

The group finds a stone singer who's kind of young and willing to go back partway, but not all the way.

The young raptor trails along with them, as do two other younger raptors being paid by the stone singer as body guards. It's an interesting couple of days getting back to the waterfall, since the raptors don't talk upperworlder. But once shown the waterfall, the stone singer nods, and begins to chant and humm. As it sways in place, the stone on the floor begins to churn, and then it begins to flow.

Craft(Stonework): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

A servicable bridge forms out of the stone, covering the 10 foot crack. There is railing as well, also made of stone. The stone on the bridge is rough, not smooth, which will provide a better footing in the water.

While it's not fancy, it's solid and sturdy and will probably last a century or two. When it's done, the raptor tests the new bridge, jumping up and down on the center. When done, it motions for the humans to test it. So long as they seem satisfied, the Raptors will duck their heads and then take off.

The group then heads on past, and heads back to the compounds/village.

In the village, the small group has been busy, cleaning up and demolishing buildings. They've got a second building almost completed with rebuilding. There's also a good sized garden now just outside little village.

I meant the... I think it was silicate? It was just past the falls and the reason Neri leaping across was a bad idea. :) but I'll keep the money :p. Are they able to use the ash Neri adjusted for them as proper fertilizer? Hopefully it helps :)

Neri would thank the raptors with probably terrible body language, and terrible speech, but it would take practice to become fluent (if it's even possible. My genetics means I can't trill rs. My tongue doesn't work that way!). He's not surprised when they Sprint off.

Once above-ground, Neri gets in touch with Id once more. "So... the raptors are nice. Kind of surprising, given all the teeth. In the time I was down there, I spent a lot of time thinking... What exactly is it that you guys brought us here for? To sustain you? I kind of feel like we're brought here for something less obvious... And maybe something more obvious. Like helping the people outside... Or challenging the church... Or repopulating. Can you give me anything on that front?" He didn't expect much. Id was... eccentric, after all.

Neri would first head to the volcano to pull out what metal his volcano would give him as an allowance, then go to the village. He'd make sure the children weren't around when he spoke to someone about their adventure... given context, it was the adult's choice, and the kids resenting their parents was definitely something Neri didn't want.

"Alright, so... lizard-people... check. Well, maybe bird-people. They're like lizards, but with feathers, and they move like birds. Either way, they have powerful magic we don't have access to. They also agree with you guys that this place is cursed. They say it's Forlorn, I think. A place of hopelessness... which also explains a bit. But I -do- have good news... kind of. If you guys are willing to go down there with us... we can have the stories restore your bodies. Make you able to speak again. Both of you."

Yep, it was high silica in the water pooling on the stone. Silica is stone. :) The bridge used the stone from around the area, so the singe was able to roughen that area up as part of moving stone around

Mahb speaks for the group, which is not unusual, given the one Neri is really asking can't speak. "Lizards with feathers? Sound like Demondrakes. You sure they ain't dangerous? The church says they're abominations. Granted, I ain't all that religious, but it's hard to believe everything they said was completely opposite wrong, ya know?" The old woman asks, and the tongueless daughter nods in agreement.

"Well, I'm definitely not sure about going around alone, but they seem keen to trade. As long as we have something they value... And we have a lot, I'm sure they can be trusted. After all, they could have easily killed and eaten one of us when they found us in the caves. We fought some kind of stone monster, and they finished it off for us." He smiled, "That being said, I'm fairly certain the church would say the same of you and me, but I kind of feel like none of us are that bad, so far. They also are stuck mostly on this side of the wall; it goes underground, by the way, so the church probably only met their cousins... And as I understand it, the cousins don't much care for the church, either."

'Thanks Id. Do you know if we're chosen at random?

Alright, so there's a specific purpose, in theory, for each of us, or maybe all of us together. If I think of it individually, hopefully I'll get a better understanding of what I want to do. Thanks again, Id.

"Yes," Lina adds, "And the church calls us abominations, and demons. That gives us a common enemy with them—and, from the one priest we met, I'm beginning to suspect that everything the church says is at least a little wrong."

Well, she might as well talk to her crystal too.

"And Neri... my crystal isn't a fan of the church either."

"Id thinks each of us is chosen specifically, but he can't remember why. He thinks the raptors just don't matter. He says soul-less... but I find that questionable. But... we probably have a different view of souls."

'Can you see what I saw down there, Id? Or are we completely cut off when I'm underground or outside of the wall?'

'Actually, the raptors say the wall goes down underground. Is there something underground that you don't want to spot you? Or well... I guess 'me' is more operative here. Or does it have nothing to do with the wall, and I'm just thinking it's more important than it is?'

"So what happens after if we do get a trade route established? We've still yet to set a goal and aren't any closer to getting back home."

"I think I asked a few too many questions again. Alright, Id says that if they follow us underground or outside the wall... it's the equivalent of praying to the Trinity. It's just a really bad idea, because it gets the big guy's attention. The wall, as we know, can be seen through... so even though it goes underground, I'm guessing at least one of the three is as good at seeing underground as Ptaleon is." he acknowledges.

"I'm leaning towards getting as much arming done as we can... and then freeing more people. Who knows, if we become powerful enough, maybe one of us will learn how to make a magic lamp, so we can get a few wishes from a Genie." He shrugs, hopefully.

"Yep. It's not too tricky—trade gets us more metal, income streams, and access to magic. Now we just need another task to occupy our time."

"Well, I'm definitely not sure about going around alone, but they seem keen to trade. As long as we have something they value... And we have a lot, I'm sure they can be trusted. After all, they could have easily killed and eaten one of us when they found us in the caves. We fought some kind of stone monster, and they finished it off for us." He smiled, "That being said, I'm fairly certain the church would say the same of you and me, but I kind of feel like none of us are that bad, so far. They also are stuck mostly on this side of the wall; it goes underground, by the way, so the church probably only met their cousins... And as I understand it, the cousins don't much care for the church, either."

'Thanks Id. Do you know if we're chosen at random?

Since it looks like no PCs are commenting on this

Mahb pulls the daughters aside for a family conference, and when they come back, she nods at Neri. "Arna will go back with you, and if they can heal her, and she feels it's safe for young Trobit, then she'll go back down a second time with him." Arna nods.

Slota pulls her knife out, and pipes up. [b]"I'll go the second time, I'd like a chance to see some new things, and kill them..."[b] She grins, before putting her dagger back.

"Alright, sounds good. They use metals for money. They like exotic spices as well. So if you guys start growing wild spices, there's probably value in that for trade. We've got a few sources of money to work with, and I can bring metals down to make things easier. I'll come back when we're ready to head down in. Probably before." He nods to them with a smile. [B]"As it stands, we need to make the money for it, first." He starts to head for the door.

I usually act as though mia players don't exist. I never know how to handle that, as a player. If you have a plan for figuring out what to do with Jacob, then add the following:

On his way out, Neri stops and looks over his shoulder, "Have you guys seen Jacob?"

"We should also ask, this time, if they'd value lumber, horn, or fabrics like flax... things exclusive to the surface."

"I think we'd have to bring anything down that we'd like to try to sell to them, if it's a rarity, there's a high chance they won't even know what it is. So right now, we need to gather the things first."

Neri will pull whatever metal he can while we're out. Does it have a 'backlog' for pulling, such that he'd have a surplus since he hasn't pulled, or will it remain a once per week thing? However long we stay up, he'll pull metal (whichever metal the group suggests. Gold seems best for money per pound) for, in addition to seeking out more herbs and other plant life. (How long do you guys want to be out this time? I'd suggest long enough to finish digging the tunnel for the elk. That way we can stop on the way in and get a huge haul of minerals as well. How long will unplugging the cave enough for a mount take? What will everyone do while we work at that?)