Iosis smirks. "There is only one, a great female spirit. And my recipe calls for an unfertilized roc egg, so they must lay them."
Kern turns to Piotr's questions and shrugs.
"Never dealt with a roc, but manticores are fierce beasts. However, they do enjoy sending their quills flying your way if you rile them, so we could just all buy shields and collect them that way. It could be fun."
Kern gives a sly smile.
I wonder what manner of tattoo you create from a giant flying castle egg... and why does Piotr know so much about birds mating? Kern thinks.
Alister glances at Kern. "You and I have different ideas of fun. Manticores don't figure into mine."
He looks back to Iosis. "I suspect the spirit will not appreciate us taking one her eggs. Any idea what it might do to us?"
"Drop you from a mile up, I expect. Best you take care not to be seen."
Aristu leans in towards in towards Alister and whispers, "I think I'd rather explore cyclops ruins than steal eggs from a mama giant bird."
"Is there a timeframe for finding these materials?" Mikhail asks.
Take care not to be seen... how easy does a field mouse conceal itself from a hawk. Kern thinks.
"Do you know how to hide from spirits?"
Turning to the party, Kern says "This roc seems best thieved after some serious preparations, if we are to thieve from it at all."
"Is there a timeframe for finding these materials?" Mikhail asks.
"It's important," says Iosis, "but it needn't be done immediately."
Take care not to be seen... how easy does a field mouse conceal itself from a hawk. Kern thinks.
"Do you know how to hide from spirits?"
"No," she admits. "I'm only a tattoo artist."
Turning to the party, Kern says "This roc seems best thieved after some serious preparations, if we are to thieve from it at all."
Piotr thinks for a moment, trying to recall anything that he has heard about rocs.
Piotr erplies to Kernithar, "And the best preparation, I believe, would be to understand the land near those mountains. We cannot rush blindly forward. Besides, we may find other resources or things of interest."
Alister nods. "Certainly the Tors would be worth exploring."
In my opinion, kingdom building cannot be front and centre. We can set general direction and initiatives, but there simply isn't enough time in this gaming format to handle the regular production and construction details.
Sure, we can react to random events when they actually require the rulers to respond. But many, so far, could now be resolved by delegating the response to someone else ... which can be handled by standing orders.
Personally, I would not mind using Piotr's Crafting feats ... the loot for an arcane caster has been pretty slim, so far. Those are perfect things to put into the background.
"Let us return to Stagfell via the route along the Tors. Then we can stop in if need be."
Kern prepares to depart the centaur village.
Alister and his group spend a couple more nights in the Nomen camp making preparations to leave. He bids Aecora Silverfire farewell, telling her that he needs to return to his own family, but that they hope the centaurs would welcome further visits and trade eventually. He thanks them for their hospitality and gifts.
The centaurs are clearly glad to see you go, with perhaps only chief Aecora looking forward to eventual better relations.
The first hex to the west of the camp (0626) is barren, a windswept expanse of grass that stretches to the horizon. Moving west, you encounter the northern arms of the Tors of Levenies (0625). Searching the area, you find a large cave system with plenty of evidence of a large body of Queen Roswen's spriggan soldiers, but they're gone now and the place has been abandoned for months. Here you find the lake that is the source of the Gudrin river, that flows east into your own realm after passing through Lake Silverstep.
Days later you survey yet more mountains (0624), finding the source of the Kiravoy river that flows north to join the Shrike at Fort Serenko. Finally you come to the mighty northwestern spires of the Tors of Levenies and the source of the Crooked River. Looming above them all, its top wreathed in clouds, is the mighty crag of Talon Peak.
Kern takes flight to survey the terrain as a small falcon.
You’re adapted to life in the forest or the deep jungle, and you know how to climb trees and use foliage to your advantage. When Climbing trees, vines, and other foliage, you move at half your Speed on a success and at full Speed on a critical success (and you move at full Speed on a success if you have Quick Climb). This doesn’t affect you if you’re using a climb Speed.
You can always use the Take Cover action when you are within forest terrain to gain cover, even if you’re not next to an obstacle you can Take Cover behind.
Alister looks around the Tors with a marvel at the landscape. He looks up at Talon Peak with some trepidation.
Piotr considers the distant Talon Peak, studying the movement of clouds moving around the steep sides of the mountain.
Mikhail considers how he would get up.
Aristu looks out at the majestic mountain and examines the approaches.
"I think I see where there should be a somewhat easier path to the top, but I have no idea how we would get a giant, fragile egg down from a mountaintop without breaking it."
"Is that not where a Fly spell would be useful?," asks Piotr.
"Although, that does raise the question of exactly how big and heavy is the egg of a roc. Could it be carried by one person?"
Piotr thinks for a moment before continuing.
"We should probably puzzle over how to retrieve the unfertilized egg of a roc. Do any of you know anything about how rocs ... you know?"
"Fornicate?"
Kern smiles at Piotr's prudishness.
"Never studied them myself. And I don't recall any in Kyonin, at least, none that were known. If they're as big as the centaur says, I'm not sure any of us will be able to carry it away."
"Would it be possible to charm or, somehow, control the roc?," asks Piotr.
"Control it, get it to fly to the centaur camp and then lay the egg? Or, kill it there and then retrieve the egg."
"We shouldn't kill the beast unless we plan to use more than its unhatched egg. We're the provocateurs here."
Humans... always hunting for sport... thinks Kern as his eyes narrow at Piotr.
"What if we were to burrow underneath it to grab the egg? Then it couldn't use its advantage against us. I'd hate to fight this thing in the open or in the sky. And if we burrow, we can easily retreat without killing it."
Aristu shoots a questioning glance at Kern, "Burrowing is a smart way to approach, if you have a way to manage it. But that won't help us move the egg safely." He tries to recall how big roc eggs are supposed to be.
"And how do we tell if an egg is fertilized or not?"
"Perhaps teleportation might suffice? If anyone can do that anyway." Mikhail says.
"Well... hopefully rocs aren't territorial. It would make reconnaissance easier. A tiny sparrow checking out it's nest shouldn't be a bother." Kern smirks, as his facial features shift ever so slightly to bird like and back quickly.
"Well, I've never seen one, but from what I've read, we should expect the egg to be around 4 feet wide and to weigh a few hundred pounds."
"Are we going up there?," asks Piotr.
"How many days do you think it will take to find trails or paths around the mountain?"
"I can find us a path up. It may not be easy, but I will find a way."
(+1 Sense Direction/Track)
"We will need to go up and see what we will find. There might not even be any eggs. But if there is an egg and it is that large, do we have the means to transport it even just back to the centaurs?" Mikhail asks.
"No use talking about an egg that is both there and not there at the same time. Let us go see this for ourselves. Aristu, where's that path you saw?"
Aristu walks with Kern. He points out the tower on the peak, and shows the elf the slope below it where he thinks the path to top will be easier. Then he lets the ranger take the lead.
"I don't know how we'll move the egg, but getting a chance to see a roc should be worth the climb."
"I think Kern is right. We won't know exactly how big it is until we see it. Let's see if we can scout it out first. Maybe simply flying it off while invisible will do the trick." Alister motions for them to head up the mountain path.