DM Jesse's Kingmaker PbP (Inactive)

Game Master Jesse Heinig

Vallen sighs, lightly kicking Nelly's flanks as he follows after Cassandra. "Aye, we make doubly sure Tig wasn't here, then we can look into the lizardfolk. Maybe they've seen him. If not, I still suspect that old human woman in the hut... Did you see the way that scarecrow moved? Witch magic."

Notifications failed for me so I didn't even know that people were back in.

Cass does a good bit of searching along the shore of the lake and she eventually has a stroke of luck: She finds a small stump with a few tiny scraps of blue fabric next to it - possibly from a bag or sack - that indicates that someone was sitting on the stump. Possibly fishing, due to its proximity to the lake. A set of small humanoid footprints meander west-southwest, away from the lake.

Good eye Cass! Jenya says relieved at the sight We finally got something to go on!

Vallen is excited when Cassandra points out the pieces of fabric left behind on the stump. "Ah! Perhaps the witch did not get him after all." The priest intones, bending over and picking up the scraps of cloth between his large, stabby fingers. "If this is Tig... he could be nearby. We should keep moving, but I will beseech Torag for aid."

Sitting on the very sae stump that was used before, the dwarf opens the iron-bound holy book Hammer and Tongs, flipping through its beautifully stitched leather pages. After several minutes of study and prayer, he closes the book and his eyes simutaneously. "Torag, please hear your humble servant. We search for a lost human boy, and wish to reunite him with this family. Let him find us, or us find him."

Though no one else but he can see it, a hand appears and hovers in front of Vallen's face. THe priest opens his eyes, almost surprised to see it there. "Uh... Human boy... ah... what was his hair color..." The priest relays the description of Tig they were originally given so the hand can begin searching the area.

Vallen uses his open 3rd level spell slot to prepare and cast Helping Hand.

Vallen spends some time in prayer and then the team hunkers down to wait as he casts a spell with no visible effect (to anyone other than himself).

While we're waiting for the hand to return, maybe we can start following the tracks? Will your hand find it's way back to you Vallen? Jenya asks.

If it can find Vallen no matter where he is then maybe we can get a start on following the tracks? Otherwise we can start following the tracks four hours later.

Yeah the idea was to keep following the tracks while the hand was scouting. It makes it less effective because we're moving, but I'm using it more as a "is anyone of this description within 5 miles" spell rather than a "bring this person to me" spell. I agree we should keep following the tracks.

Vallen looks suddenly crestfallen when the hand returns, putting a hand on his forehead and sighing. "Well, Ijust recieved the results of my spell, and there's no sign of anyone with Tig's description in a 5 mile radius of our location." He says with clear disappointment, having hoped the spell could at least tell them if they were in the right place.

"It wasn't useless, at least. We know Tig isn't in the tower, or at the witch's hut." A sudden, grim realization hits him, causing the dwarf to grimmace. "Ah... unless he's dead. I don't think the spell works on the dead."

So, the spell is a little unclear, but because it specifies that you give it the description of a creature, I presume that if it finds a dead body that meets the description, it ignores it because it is an 'object' and not a 'creature'. Thus if he's dead the spell will just come back empty-handed. This is because the spell's target is "one ghostly hand" (so it creates the hand, which then looks for a creature) rather than "one creature within five miles" - if it were the latter, the spell would fail (since you'd be targeting an object instead of a creature) and you would know that the subject is dead.

On the grim side, if you think you are within 400' +/- some amount of Tig, locate object can find a specific corpse.

You head west and follow the trail away from the river and the lake. You pass through swampy terrain and find yourselves slogging through mud from hillock to hillock.

You push your way through cattails and reeds and hear a panicked wail in the distance. To the west you spot a low muddy hill covered in reed-and-mud huts, some 200' away. From this distance you can see occasional movement but it's too obscured to tell what's there.

"Can you...check for that?" Cassandra asks, nervously. That would be terrible news to bring back. It would be a since of closure but no mother wants to bury their son. Aside from checking for a body, their only other clue was tracks headed south-west. "If that still turns up negative the only thing we have to go on are these tracks. Up to you if you want to use the spell."

Survival: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

Edited

The ghostly hand has no physical form. It is invisible to anyone except you and a potential subject.

(Emphasis added)

That was my interpretation too, GM. Thanks for looking at it.

Vallen sighs and looks at the ground for a moment, thinking. "Yes. I could check for something specified as Tig's corpse, but it is a different spell and has a much shorter range, down to hundrds of feet. I... Do not want to use it unless we are sure he died somewhere nearby. We could at least return his remains for a proper burial."

---------------------------

After following the tracks, Vallen gives a start when he hears the panicked wail in the distance. "Lizardpeople?!" The priest hisses in a low whisper, hand reaching for his pistol. Nervously licking his lips, looks through the reeds. "I see huts! If we approach slowly, do you think they can be reasoned with?"

I don't know but I think that screamin' calls for speed on our part rather than stealth! Jenya says. She doesn't bother to whisper as she wants to rush in!

Perception Did the wail sound human?: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

A low, muddy hummock protrudes from the middle of the widening river, surrounded by a palisade of outward-facing, sharpened wooden stakes. Inside, tendrils of smoke rise from a handful of mounds clustered around a single larger mound. A simple wooden gate on the eastern side of the hummock seems to be the only entrance to the fortified island.

Map updated. You are all on the east side, in the shallow water. Nobody else is visible outside the palisade currently.

Jenya lets everyone know that the scream sounded human. It might be a trap, but then again if it isn't...

"W-wait Jenya, it could have been an animal! They could just be... making dinner!" He says in an attempt to stop the human from rushing in.

When she informs him the scream sounded human, the priest curses and jumps off his horse, touting his pistol. "Egh... well... We can't just stand here, then! Go!"

He starts to follow behind the gunslinger with his shorter legs, falling behind instantly.

Looking directly at the top of the palisades from where he is currently standing at, Vladric asks, "Would we be able to climb past this gate without being seen by anyone... or anything residing within?" while rummaging thru his pack for some rope and a grappling hook.

Out of her depth but swept up in the excitement nonetheless, Ilystria suggests, "Maybe it can be opened from the inside!" before flying off toward the wooden gate.

Hah. Illystria being Oblivous is great.

Illystria flies over the gate and disappears.

The rest of the group approaches and you can hear the sounds of someone on the other side - elevated, as if standing on a platform behind the palisade.

"Oh, I hope that's not our missing person," Cassandra says worriedly. Unfortunately, Tig's tracks came this way and it seemed like too much of a coincidence. Cassandra strings her bow as they wait just outside the palisade for whatever Illystria decided to do.

As you talk and discuss how to get inside, the guards on the other side seem to take notice, and you hear some shifting and shuffling.

Vallen stops in front of the wooden gate, a sour expression on his face and a loaded pistol in his hand. "Well we've rushed forward without any kind of plan. Now what?"

He clearly hears the shuffling on the other side of the gate, cocking an ear. Touching his holy symbol the priest mutters a prayer to Torag, granting him the ability to understand all spoken languages.

Vallen casts Comprehend Lanuages on himsellf.

"Uh... HELLO?" The dwarf calls in common, not quite sure what langauge lizardpeople speak, but maybe the others can figure it out.

With the gig up Jenya really only wants to know one thing. Follow the human voice and see if the boy is in the village Illystria! she calls out hoping their fey companion can hear.

Cassandra took a few steps behind Vallen and shifted. She didn't want to appear threatening if diplomacy was an option. She also didn't want to be unprepared if they decided not to talk.

A lizard-like face peeks over the palisade and looks down at the group. It hisses and growls something.

Vallen looks exasperated at the response, making a confused gesture at the face peaking over the palisade. Does that ever actually work? Do people just... leave? "We just want to ask some questions!" He responds in common, though he's fairly certain they don't understand.

Turning around to look at the group, the priest shrugs. "I don't know what language they're speaking, but thanks to Torag's blessing I know it said "go away". Not very helpful."'

If they don't have Tig then we'll leave, if they do, then they're going to have a very very bad day. Jenya glowers at the lizard like face and lowers her hand to Misfire on her hip.

"Vallen," Cassandra whispered. "Just keep talking. Doesn't matter what it is if they don't understand. Buy Ilystria time."

"You... want me to distract them? I don't...This isn't..." The dwarf cuts himself off with a loud sigh loudly, looking utterly defeated. I'm supposed to be building a castle...Torag, is this truly what you wish of me? He thinks before looking up at the head peaking over the gate.

How.. ah... Wait.. I remember a story I was told by a child long ago about a dwarf that always found himself in trouble but always managed to get himself out of it. What was his name... Urist Cavestalker? He was trapped by some goblins and needed to distract them while his companion, a sentient bulette, burrowed to his rescue.. how did he distract them, think Vallen...

Vallen seems to be very deep in thought, before the universal facial expression of epiphany crosses his face. He danced!

Turning to the others, he spread his hands out. "Okay, I have a plan! We are going to dance! Jenya, stand here.. Cass, here.... Vlad, here... And I stand here. This is called The Little Beat. It's hop, hop, hop turn 90 degrees left. Hop, hop, hop, turn left. Follow my lead!"

The Little Beat was a traditional dance from Five Kings mountains that had existed for hundreds of years. It was a series of hops and turns meant to be performed in unison as a crowd that when viewed from above would create a pleasing array of orderly, linear movements. Typically it required at least 4 dancers in 2 x 2 grid that could be scaled up so long as there were an equal number of dancers on every corner of the square.

The priest begins to comically hop about, expecting the others to follow. Unfortunately Vallen has a sense of rhythm akin to a rotting tree stump, and every time the others think they have the rate of the hopping down, he changes speed!

bluff: distract: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12

perform dance: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

This is what happens when the engineer-priest becomes the party face!

What you're saying and what you're doing ain't the same thing! Jenya protests trying to follow along.
Bluff aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Perform: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Ilystria slowly reappears a few feet behind the group, grassy green eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the strange befuddlement that's overcome her allies. She's beginning to think she can't take her eyes off of them for a few moments without at least one of them taking leave of their senses. "Friends! Quit your capering! I saw no sign of Tig-Tanner-Sen in the dragon-folks' village," she informs them, looking back the way they came. "Should we go see the old woman again?"

If there's no one in trouble then we shouldn't bother these people. Jenya says stopping her dwarf dance with a huff. Hey, do you speak lizard language? Can you ask them if they've seen a human child wandering around? And did you find out what that screaming was?

Vallen begins a ridiculous caper. The lizardfolk watches, cocks its head, then turns and slowly descends below the palisade. You hear something in Draconic, then the lizardfolk peers up again, and another lizardfolk likewise. Both of them seem engrossed in watching Vallen doing the absurd and asynchronous dance.

The two lizardfolk slowly look at one another and then have a short conversation.

The two lizardfolk then slowly disappear below the palisade again and you hear one of them making some kind of barking, coughing sound that you assume is the equivalent of a whistle or yell.

(Feel free to read the Draconic text even if you don't speak Draconic, just for fun.)

That was hilarious, GM. Fuzzy people homes, lol.

Vallen stops mid-caper when he hears the lizardfolk talking about him, causing Cass to run into him. The two stumble for a moment, but Vallen eventuallyrights himself. "Fungal infection?" He sputters in the general direction of the barricade, though the lizardfolk were already leaving.

The priest makes several futile gestures and half-noises towards the gate before his arms fall in defeat. "Ugh, if Tig isn't here, let's... let's just go. The gate guards think we're crazy and went go go fetch someone. I can't speak their langauge, so I'm not very helpful as Head Diplomat."

He folds his arms over his chest, still perturbed about the beard comment. "That witch was suspicious, I have to say, but the tracks led in this direction."

Ilystria shakes her head at Jenya's questioning. "Well, I can, yes, but they aren't speaking lizard, they're speaking Dragon. It's a great insult to liken anything related to Dragons or their kin to mere lizards. Poor Perlivash's feelings would be hurt if he heard you say that." She is about to translate the conversation between the two dragonfolk for the benefit of her companions when Vallen relays the gist of it, so instead she nods in agreement.

Going back to answering Jenya's questions, Ilystria says, "There's a human child tied to a post in the middle of their village. He was probably the one screaming. The dragon-people don't seem to be very interested in him, but there is a will-o'-wisp floating around him that is. I wonder if it could be the same will-o'-wisp I suggested you make nice with before it started playing tricks on your people..." Ilystria spends a moment pondering the chance of that before giving a shrug and moving to go back the way they came. "Do you think we might be able to come back and help the other boy after we find Tig-Tanner-Sen?"

"What? I...wait." Cassandra fumbles over her words as she is pushed into position and forced to learn an awkward dance.

Dance: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7

She is too confused by what is going on to truly feel embarrassed by how bad she is doing. Then again, considering Vallen's performance her's looks mildly competent. All he needed to do was talk gibberish. Why am dancing now?

When the lizardfolk disappear from the palisade she stops. No point continuing if the gallery is empty. Finally, Ilystria returns and she gives a sigh of relief. It is short lived as the fae woman announces that Tig is not hear. "If he's not hear then who is crying?" Tig might not specifically be captured but some child apparently is. They couldn't leave him like that.

Ilystria responds.

Cassandra facepalms.

"You could speak their language this whole time!?" she asks loudly in frustration, throwing her arms in the air. "Why didn't you just ask!? Why did you disappear!?"

OMG she's the perfect fae.

Ilystria is the best fey I've ever seen.

Vallen looks aghast at Ilystria's report. "Wait, there's a boy crying in the middle of village, and it's not Tig? AND there's a will-o-wisp... doing something to him?" Making a disgruntled groaning noise, the priest runs a hand through his blond hair.

"Well we can't just leave him there! I don't know what wil-o-wisps do to people, but it can't be good!"

What knowledge roll are wil-o-wisps?

Jenya's jaw drops as she processes what Illystria told them. Even growing up with gnomes hadn't equipped her to deal with someone so... flighty. When she finally regains control of her mouth muscles she says. We need to get in there. Now!

Plans guys? Jenya's going to start shooting really soon!

Will-o-wisps are aberrations, so they are dungeoneering knowledge.

As you are arguing you hear a ruckus, and a tremendously large lizardman(?) pokes his/her/its head over the palisade wall. It says something in a loud, firm, gravelly voice.

Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Don't know nothing bout no willowy wispys.

"What did he say?" Cassandra says turning from the angry lizard head to Ilystria. "What did he say exactly?" she clarifies.

Aww, thanks so much you all! You don't know how happy that makes me to hear. =)

"Well I..." Looking up at the frustrated, stricken and just plain flabbergasted faces of her companions, it slowly starts to dawn on Ilystria that she may have, somehow, done something wrong. "I just..." The fey shrinks a little at the unfavorable reactions her attempt to help has elicited. "Everyone was running and shouting and talking about climbing over the wall and I got excited," she sheepishly confesses.

While happy to hear that they would indeed try to help the boy and eager to start—even if she doesn't understand their willingness to help him before they found Tig considering the latter was apparently the special one—Ilystria nearly forgets all about it when the exceptionally large lizardperson pokes their head over the gate. "Woah..." Her gaze flicks over to Cassandra as she answers, but she can't keep her eyes off the majesty of the looming lizardfolk for long. "They said, 'You are encroaching on our demesne. Away with you, or I will have my warriors smush you!'"

Knowing that none of the mortals speak Draconic and wanting to make up for her earlier misstep—whatever that could have been—Ilystria takes the initiative to begin diplomatic relations with overlarge lizardfolk. And so, she flies up to speak with them face-to-face, coming to hover above the palisade just before its great maw.

"Emeria..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29 Please don't eat me!

The faerie opens a dialog with the lizard king on behalf of the dancing dwarf, the were-woman and their other outlandish companions.

The lizard-king gestures with one arm to encompass the whole of the village.

Vallen reaches up and puts a hand on Jenya's wrist. "Whoa, whoa... Calm down. This could all be a big misunderstanding! We should talk with them first."

The priest looks back and forth between Ilystria and the big lizard man. He can understand them both speaking, and realizes something... the fey queen is far, far better at this than he is. It dawns on Vallen that this could be the chance he's been waiting for... someone to free him from the awful position of Head Diplomat!

Though thoughts of freedom dance through his head, he is shaken out of it by the speech of the lizardman chieftain. "Uh... Illystria, we don't want to do any of those things. We just want the human child so we can return him to his family, and we'll leave. If that will o the wisp is bothering them, maybe we could do something about it as well."

Vallen turns to Cassandra, a question on his face. "Are will o wisps ancestor spirits? I don't think they're ghosts or anything like that, or I'd know. What kind of peaceful ancestor would want to terrorize a human child?"

The delicate features of Ilystria's face are drawn into a sympathetic frown as the lizard-king shares his tribe's tale. The fey queen nods solemnly when he talks about the mortal's proclivity for destroying the land around them in the name of advancement. She also notes, however, that he pointedly avoids answering her question about the human. Had she not seen him with her own eyes, she might have taken his non-answer as an answer in the negative, apologized for the interruption and gone on her merry way. So it was lucky for the boy that she had disappeared to snoop around first, she thinks, feeling no small amount of vindication at the idea. But Ilystria tries to smother that feeling for now. There would be plenty of time to celebrate her own cleverness after the boy was rescued.

The only indication that Ilystria hears what Vallen suggests is a minute shift of her head in his direction and a wiggle of one of her ears. She wants to warn the lizard-king about the will-o'-wisp, to tell him that they are notorious tricksters and that this likely has his entire tribe fooled. But levelling an accusation like that would likely only escalate the already tense situation into open hostilities. So instead she goes with what she thinks is a more innocuous line of questioning.

What is she saying? What's happening? Cassandra fretted as Ilystria continued to talk. "Ilystria," she hissed under her breath. "What is he saying? What are you saying?" She wasn't sure which was more important at this point. "We need to be in the loop here."

"I don't know," is her terse answer to Vallen. Which was the truth. She didn't know anything about them. Only a vague memory about them being some kind of floating balls of light and not to go near them. It was the least of her worries at the moment.

Vallen gestures to Jenya in a calming manner as well. "Just hold on.. She's doing really well. Let her concentrate. Basically, the lizardfolk don't like us because we cut down their forests and take thier fish. To protect their land they give reverance to their ancestors. What doesn't make sense is the kid and the will o wisp, which Illystria is asking about now." The dwarf fills in the rest of the group, trying to assauge his fretting companions in a bizzare role reversal.