Roy has some great reaction time to the explosion, throwing his arm up between himself and the detonation.
As the explosion rolls over him, a round, spiral shield appears where the force impacts it, deflecting it away from him and keeping him upright.
After the immediate reaction to check and see what happened, and reasonably sure it was just the explosion, he turns back to Lwazi.
"I was hired to be the miner for our group. If we're going to be here for, it seems as long as the company decides, I may be able to help get a real fortress built sooner rather than later."
He indicates his magic pickaxe.
"I've got that, and I'm a good enough warrior to have made it this far in my own, so there's that."
Bareth is thrown off of the shoulder he was perched upon and lands in the dirt, clearly unhappy as he glares at the psion and the orc
Roy isn't sure why he is being glared at, as he didn't have anything to do with the explosion, but offers a hand to help him up anyways.
"Do we want something with nuts or-"
"...Perhaps something spicy to fit the mood?" Luca starts to clean up his makeshift station before getting back to work.
Lwazi shrugs slightly at Luca's question, not really caring. Food is food to him.
"We should investigate the properties of the items we found on this expedition," he suggests. "If our stay here is... being extended, we will need every advantage we can get from the environment."
Sorry guys.. I think I screwed up... The Psion looks completely dejected and downtrodden.
I'll, uh, I'll make myself useful now...
Midioto s over to Gin, Hey. You figure now is as good a time as any to get that lab set up? I would very much like to do some tests and whatnot on these materials we have aquired and the lab would help tremendiously.
Midioto waits until the lab gets set up then gathers up the ingredients that the group has collected so far so that he can examine it, however he ends up dropping one of the fangs, as it seems that he has become rather clumsy.
OOPS! Sorry!
Midioto sets himself up in the lab and begins working with the materials.
First he examines the purple apples, shaking slightly as he does so.
Then concentrates, calling anything else he can to his mind.
Next he begins to work on the Green Slime, but quickly realizing that he does not have the necessary knowledge, so he "Borrows Gins Knowledge for the task.
Midioto then calls over to Lwazi; Hey Lwazi! You had those magical papers, right? Mind handing them over here and I'll take a look at them?
Midioto then casts Detect Psionics on the papers, and then concentrates on the papers for a while. Depending on what that tells him, he will just shrug and read the papers.
Next Midioto will examine some of the spiders webs.
Then concentrate again, calling anything else he can to his mind.
After that, he observes the spider fangs once more.
Finally, he examines the venom itself, attempting to learn what he can.
Then concentrate again, calling anything else he can to his mind.
"Yeah, none of this is really my wheelhouse. I just know mining. A little bit about mountains and stuff, and enough about machines to fix a mine cart."
He does what he can to help cooking, chopping and etc.
Day 5-
We've encountered a mighty beast, titanic in scope. It was taller then even some of the tallest Giants. The beast has strange tendril like limbs, a body like a centaur, and dozens of pairs of maindbles running down it's chest. This creature, and others of it's scope, seem to be unfathomably durable, due to a lack of any internal processes to fail- the only way to truly defeat one is to tear it up until it can't move. We have dubbed these creatures primal beasts. A dozen of the subjects were lost to the beast, a fortunately low number to be sure.
It seems that some of these beasts have derastic effects on the envorment around them- in the distance, we can see a figure in a firestorm, and another a sandstorm.
Dispite all this, this place is turning out to be the bounty we had expected- resources aplenty. I will continue to update my book on ingredients I have discovered, and combinations I have tested.
-sal-vallana.
Lwazi frowns. "Someone else has been here for certain--long ago, it would seem. With luck these giant creatures no longer roam, at least not close to our camp."
"Just finished setting it up." Gin informs Midioto as he sorts through the equipment.
Following this Gin examines some of the slime, as well as the webs.
Midioto finishes his tests, and with a he teleports a little ways into the air.
Ok guys, gather round! I have some interesting discoveries from the materials we have gathered so far, and I figured you guys would be interested to know about them.
Midioto returns to the ground, he then picks up one of the purple apples. It seems to take him some effort.
This is an Adam's Apple. It can be significantly addictive and seems to initiate change in things. Specifically, it acts as a catalyst, not causing mutations itself but rather causing other things we eat to mutate. It would also probably make for a great catalyst within a potion! As for my case, as I did not eat anything afterwards I should be ok... The Warp Jump was a bad idea, but that should have passed now...
He puts the apple down and picks up a sample of the green slime.
This lovely stuff is called Gelato, and its potent stuff!! It makes a great curative as it seems to bond any wounds it is placed over. I wouldn't use too much tho, I would need to run further tests to determine its long term effects but I suspect they wouldn't be enjoyable.
He sets the sample down and picks up a few strands of spider silk
These durable threads are very cut resistant, and would make for some very high quality cloth, if anyone can sew... I couldn't come up with a catchy name for them, all I got was Spider Man! Spider Man! and a red-and-blue tights. Any ideas?
Setting that back down, he then picks up a fang.
These potent puppies would obviously make for a great venom or toxin, but I doubt that any one of us can actually brew poisons? Gin, maybe? If not, I am pretty sure I could extract the essence within to enchant some other items, it just wouldn't be as effective.
Lastly he picks up the paper very gently with 2 fingers of each hand.
And this. This is probably the most scary of the lot. The magics emanating from this bad boy are impressive. This things old. Like really old. And held together by powerful abjurations. Yet it is still rather fragile. The contents seems to be about a previous research team that was posted here, and it seems they ran into one of our raptorbunny friends only theirs might have been significanly larger. It mentions losing a dozen to the attack, so they must have had a significantly larger party too.
Midioto then reads the note out loud for the rest to hear;
Day 5-
We've encountered a mighty beast, titanic in scope. It was taller then even some of the tallest Giants. The beast has strange tendril like limbs, a body like a centaur, and dozens of pairs of maindbles running down it's chest. This creature, and others of it's scope, seem to be unfathomably durable, due to a lack of any internal processes to fail- the only way to truly defeat one is to tear it up until it can't move. We have dubbed these creatures primal beasts. A dozen of the subjects were lost to the beast, a fortunately low number to be sure.
It seems that some of these beasts have derastic effects on the envorment around them- in the distance, we can see a figure in a firestorm, and another a sandstorm.
Dispite all this, this place is turning out to be the bounty we had expected- resources aplenty. I will continue to update my book on ingredients I have discovered, and combinations I have tested.-sal-vallana.
After doing so, Midioto carefully folds up the note and sticks it inbetween a few pages of his unending notebook. Hey Lwazi, mind if I hold on to this? I figure I can keep it safe and preserved inside this magical book.
Well? Any thoughts on these? Or possibly where we should investigate next? That maze looks interesting and designed. Or we could go back to the entry point, try and get some answers there.
It seems that having something to do has been good for the youths mind, keeping it off of other... Failures.
"Go ahead," Lwazi responds to Midioto's request to keep the paper.
He frowns in thought at Midioto's questions. "I do not think we have the right skills and the right ingredients to make much of use quite yet... and that maze makes me nervous. I would rather scout its perimeter first before trying to penetrate it."
Roy looks up at Midioto, watching with relative interest. He wasn't aware there was anything to analyze, but hearing about some of their discoveries so far was interesting.
"If we can trust this paper more than me initially, seems that neither of us is really the first expedition here. You think these creatures they talk about are still around? I don't know much about paper, but that seems pretty old."
"yes, well, this group doesn't claim to be part of the company as near as I can tell" the miniature fiend says as he starts hovering once more
Roy looks at the imp and sighs.
Listen, I've offered to do whatever you want to prove I am what I say I am. If you want me to sign something, I'll sign something. If you wanna strip me down and check my supplies, go for it. I spent most of my life in worse than that. Right now, as far as I'm concerned, I'm taking a much bigger risk staying here and trusting that all seven or so of you are from the company than y'all are from letting the one of me stay and help. You could kill me in my sleep as far as I know, but I'd prefer that than wandering around this place and getting cut in half by a tricer-thing, whatever it is. So its up to you or anyone else. You can take my word now, or I can jump through whatever hoops you want to prove it. Seems like we have plenty of time."
Luca cant help but chuckle at Roys indignance.
"Quite defensive for one with nothing to prove. If you wouldn't mind, what do you say to a walk nearby? Just the two of us? At this point we just need to let our concoction simmer for a while, so we'll have time."
Maybe I can get that spider song out of my head this way.
Roy sighs and slumps his shoulders.
"I'm sorry. It's been... A rough day."
He nods and motions a hand as if to say 'lead on.'
Bareth winces and mouths "sorry" before turning invisible
Roy sighs and slumps his shoulders.
"I'm sorry. It's been... A rough day."
He nods and motions a hand as if to say 'lead on.'
Luca does so. Walking with a thus far unseen level of graceful dignity.
"Rivet my friend. You're a well educated fellow, I'll entrust the meal to you if we linger too long. We won't be far, just on the outside of the wall. I only ask no-one follow us for trusts sake."
He rounds the corner to the doorway, making attempts at small talk before he moves to business.
"A shame about those apples we found, eh? I had my hopes up that we found something edible here. Breathtaking as it is, we've had a rough time of it as well here. Two encounters in one day we were attacked. Yet, two more, and we made allies. I'd like to be clear; I am fully willing to trust you at your word. Yet I have a question: What do you plan to do now?"
"Of course," Rivet nods. He wouldn't even think of eavesdropping.
Turning to Lwazi and Midioto, "Our camp here is not secure as we have seen. If at all possible I believe we should relocate to the cave and set up a simple barricade across the entrance, and perhaps carve another exit to avoid being trapped there. Or most of an exit and finish it when we need it. What do you say?"
Lwazi frowns in thought. "Some of the equipment might be difficult to move now, but it *is* likely more defensible. The true problem, however, is that we do not have the manpower to both defend our camp and explore, given the dangers here. If we split up, we run too great a chance of being killed separately, and without guards, even the best walls will fall eventually."
Roy follows, leaving his pack on the ground where it was placed next to him when he woke up.
When they're outside the camp, he leans against a tree, keeping his back towards the camp, a distinctly tactical move, facing the forest to make sure nothing would sneak up on them.
"It does seem that most things here are more suitable for potions and things than eating. This place is more... Raw. Than back home. Back home most people have to study to get any magic done, but here it grows on trees."
The half orc laces his fingers, putting them behind his head. He takes a breath and lets it back out slowly.
"There's really not a whole lot that can be done. It seems something wanted me with y'all enough to put me here, which might be enough concern on its own, but as it stands, I can hope to stay with you and probably live a while longer, or I can take my chances out there and see where that gets me. Either way, I don't have a way back home on my own. I'm just glad, if anything, that you all seem a bit more capable than the folks they sent me here with."
Hmmm! This adds more credibility to my theories about multiple dimensions! Is it possible we have 3 "First" expeditions? This raises so many exciting possibilities!!!
Midioto returns the green slime and venomous fangs back to Gin then responds to Lwazi.
I agree. We can't yet use much of the ingredients we do have, however it would not be amiss to start planning on what we would like to use them for. It would also probably be a good idea to try and set up a safe location with which to store these ingredients. I also do not like having those Raptor remains just lying out in the open. They may attract other native wildlife.
Say, Roy. Would you be able to dig us an underground vault with which to store these materials? I can draw up some plans for you to follow later if we can do that.
Midioto frowns when Roy attempts to defend himself, the youth had already accepted the man due to the present circumstances.
Don't worry Roy, I believe you. An I think we should all act on the assumption that the things here are what they say they are. Besides, we know that there are current sentient beings here on this island. He gestures to the Elemental, And we have too little knowledge here to know truth from fabrication. The rules here are different, and that seems to apply on a fundamental level. Our main objective at this point is to absorb as much knowledge as we can, so that we can base our later observations on our initial findings, and through that, begin to determine what is real.
Roy. Give me you knowledge, and give me your skills and that is enough.
Then Luca and Roy leave the camp for a bit and Rivet suggests relocating camp.
That may very well be a good idea. With the magical pickaxes that Roy and Thorek have, we should be able to fortify the cave MUCH better then our open fort here. It may very well be a better location.
HOWEVER. I am starting to run on empty! We should rest here and recover at minimum before we do! And if we do decide to do that, it may take a fair few trips to relocate everything of importance from here to there. So we will have to decide on that.
--Later, after Roy and Luca return--
Midioto gathers the group together once more
Alright, listen up guys! Rivet has brought up a very good idea. He is suggesting that we relocate our base to the spider caves. His reasonings include that it would be significantly easier to fortify and barricade, and safer too. Light sources may be a concern but if we can figure that out we may be better off then here.
Now I want your guys opinions and concerns on the matter and then I would like to take a vote on whether we should move or not. Any comments?
--At some point after we return to camp--
Midioto appears next to Roulette the elemental and immediately enters a barrage of questions.
Midioto takes a breath before continuing...
Hmmm! This adds more credibility to my theories about multiple dimensions! Is it possible we have 3 "First" expeditions? This raises so many exciting possibilities!!!
"It seems more likely simply that the White Butterfly Company were not the first to discover this place," Lwazi retorts.
"As for moving into the cave, if we can transfer all of our equipment it seems wise."
Great! With everyone in agreement then we should make preparations to move everything in the morning, or rather, when we next wake up... Stupid light cycle here. No freaking nighttime. At least I'll sleep better in the cave.
In the meantime, we should begin packing up camp. You, get those supplies gathered together. You, gather up the remains of the Raptor. I'll help Gin pack up the Alchemy Lab.
When we move, it would be best to move as a group, leave no one behind. Make sure we take the most valuable things in the first trip, in case something happens to the camp while we are gone.
Midioto keeps himself busy with packing up the alchemy lab as best he can.
But at some point after that, and before everyone goes to bed, Midioto will once again attempt to explore the Maelstrom.
Once he Unthaws, he will attempt it again.
After all that, he finally settles down for a much desired rest.
So what is the watch going to look like? Who's up first?
Roy follows, leaving his pack on the ground where it was placed next to him when he woke up.
When they're outside the camp, he leans against a tree, keeping his back towards the camp, a distinctly tactical move, facing the forest to make sure nothing would sneak up on them.
"It does seem that most things here are more suitable for potions and things than eating. This place is more... Raw. Than back home. Back home most people have to study to get any magic done, but here it grows on trees."
The half orc laces his fingers, putting them behind his head. He takes a breath and lets it back out slowly.
"There's really not a whole lot that can be done. It seems something wanted me with y'all enough to put me here, which might be enough concern on its own, but as it stands, I can hope to stay with you and probably live a while longer, or I can take my chances out there and see where that gets me. Either way, I don't have a way back home on my own. I'm just glad, if anything, that you all seem a bit more capable than the folks they sent me here with."
"Oh please, the others deserve the credit thusfar. All I've done is speak. As for a next step, I did have an idea after we settle in. But! Until then, we are in need of a miner for the cave we'd found. Hopefully there will be more of a plan when we return. Roy, I'm trusting you. Because we need more than base pragmatism. We require the will to do right by each other. I didn't want to show it in front of our team as a whole, but the fact that our only communication line is dead terrifies me. To be stranded out here... Well, I'm sure I don't need to prattle on any longer. Let's leaf here, shall we?" With that Luca heads back to the camp to finish preparing the heavily improvised meal he started.
"I will watch first," Lwazi says. "With no night, it matters little who goes when."
Bareth' voice can be heard nearby "I don't need to sleep so..."
Before leaving, Roy would smile and nod in thanks to Midioto.
Roy gives an ever so slight laugh at Luca's joke as he straightens back up off the tree. He offers his hand to shake once with a nod. "Thank you for trusting me. We'll get back home. We've got a lot of gold waiting for us."
And with that, he heads back to camp, and elects to move into the cave on account of it being safer and easier to build, provided the spiders had been removed. 'Spider Caves' doesn't quite sound like the place to put a home pre-extermination.
"I haven't really put this pick to use yet, but if it works like they told me it does, I should be able to get us some decent if roughly made rooms dug out of there. As far as watch goes, I only need to sleep for 2 hours, but I'll understand if you'd prefer someone else to take watch with me until we get more acquainted."
"Bareth would be pleased to share a watch with you Roy, I am sure. For now, this has been a wearying day and I intend to rest before attempting this move" answers Rivet.
Despite this he wakes at least once to make notes on runic detection wards, a subject which has crossed his mind recently.
"Two to a watch--Bareth and another--sounds best to me," Lwazi states, wary Leopard agreeing within him. "Myself for two hours, and then Roy for the rest?"
He still doesn't really know what to make of the half-orc, but with Bareth also watching does not really fear he will try something foolish in the middle of the night.
After the meal, Roy takes directions to wherever they choose for him to sleep and unrolls the bedroll from his pack. He takes a place nearer the entrance so he can be woken easily and won't have to climb over anyone when it's time for his watch. He doesn't seem to have trouble sleeping after the day it's been, even with the light as bright as it.
He tries to talk with Bareth while the others sleep, as well as checking out the camp, his own magic pick axe,and unpacking and repacking his things, looking them over. They all look unused, so it seems like he got this pack pre-assembled. Several more things inside are White Butterfly branded.
The night passes by with no problems to speak of, and the group can begin moving camp.
The day goes on, and packing up goes well too.
If he's told that they have a bag of holding, Roy would suggest loading up as much of the Alchemy lab as possible in that to prevent it from tipping and being so cumbersome. He'd also volunteer to carry anything else, especially the larger objects.
In his morning meditations, Lwazi calls on clever Cheetah. None of the spirits appreciate manual labor, but canny Cheetah at least is cunning enough to understand the need for it.
He suggests taking the food first, it being the only safe food they know of, and crafting materials and tools next, being the most essential to their long-term survival.
with the bag of holding, the trip really isn't that hard, and soon the group has all thier gear at the cave.
Once everything is settled, Lwazi gazes back out of the cave. "So now where, yes? We still must see what else is here."
"Where all have you found to need exploring? Is there anything we should clear out of the cave first? Spider carcasses or webs or stuff?"
Midioto wakes up once more, grumpy and irritable. The constant daytime is really messing with the highly sensitive lad and it was bothering him even when he was covered. It just felt... wrong.
Nevertheless, Midioto begins the day (I really need to come up with a better descriptive term then that... Cycle?) with what is becoming his new routine, and starts by casting Inertial Armor and Defy Gravity . He then prepares for his excursion into the Maelstrom.
This time, he attempts some things a bit differently.
First he calls (Somebody) over to help him out with his studies.
Hi! Thanks for the help, first off, I am going to enter the Maelstrom, then I am going to send into the Maelstrom! Exciting isn't it? Just think, I wont be the only one experiencing this and I will have someone to compare experiences with! I cant wait!
First, he gives his hourglass the his helper and instructs him to time his duration into the Maelstrom.
Next Midioto concentrates once more and casts Touchsight , becoming hyper aware of his surroundings, almost as if he could feel every minute disturbance around him.
Then, he pulls out a shard of obsidian and grasps it tightly, the shard dissolving into his hand.
Right. Ready? GO!
Midioto s into the Maelstrom once more...
Once inside the Maelstrom, Midioto will also attempt to perceive his surroundings with his enhanced vision, feeling everything within 60ft of him automatically.
Then Midioto returns to the real world, frozen once more.
After a good 4 minutes, he slowly thaws out and looks at his assistant excitedly
That is great! Now its YOUR turn! Are you ready?
Once his assistant is, Midioto will cast Time Hop once more, but this time on someone else.
Welcome to the other side!
Feel free to make a perception roll or something and see what Icehawk has to offer you :)
Once you exit the Maelstrom (about 6 rounds later) you need to make a DC 30 Fort save. Success means you are stuck in stasis for 1d4+1 rounds. Failure means you are stuck for 1d4+1 minutes.
Midioto will hover around his assistant while he thaws, extremely interested in everything he can observe. Once he thaws, he will hound him with questions, Well? How was it? What did you see???
Later, as the group readies to leave, Midioto looks around at the group, a satisfied look on his face
Right. Well, we are exactly 5.1 miles from the Spider Cave, in this direction. He points with his finger, So that should take about an hour and a half, walking. We should probably go a bit slower to keep alert and safe but it won't take long.
Once at the cave, Midioto Responds to Roy, Well, we did clear out the cave the last time we were here, however that might have changed since then, and we might have missed something. So we should go at this as if it is still inhabited. We should be able to leave most of the stuff near the entrance and explore the cave with greater care this time.
Bareth backs up rapidly when asked to help in the expirament