Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master dinketry

Min grumbles a lot, but posts his notice about missed lessons.

While he does, he thinks about those tentacles, curious if it could have been a wizard...

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

Before we go, can we get healed by someone? I don't want Layaali to waste her magic cause we might need it. But I'm almost dead.

Drael will definitely want to rest, so once we all meet up we can talk through wanting to take a day's rest in-character.

"You are most welcome, Miss Rab-rab," Torte-tellis' eyes grow bigger as he watches the sheer volume of rabbit cages deposited in the anteroom of the small shrine. He squints his vertical irises at the pink-haired gnome and smiles. "Such an impressive growth of bunny stock...what do they eat?"

The team spends the remainder of their extraordinarily-long day resting and preparing themselves - not to mention preparing New Kelmarane for a potential extended period of time without their presence. Healers are sent for by the Princess to tend to your needs and most of you go to bed with bandages, stitches, and unguents to soothe your ills, tucked away in soft beds that you aren't likely to enjoy again for some time.

You all are now fully healed.

One such Knight-Protector spends a fitful night tossing and turning, visions of black tentacles swimming through his head. A fretful mind often turns up clues discarded by other quieter psyches.

A sudden knock rouses the adventurers within their large house at first light. The hobgoblin Kurella stands at your door, a wooden rack of mismatched glass elixirs in one hand. Over the past month, the Accidental God worshipper has learned a passable number of words in Taldane, though she avoids speaking if she doesn't need to do so. She thrusts the wooden rack at whoever answers the door.

"For journey. Harpy make red - healing. Harpy make brown - wood...skin." The hobgoblin seems lost for words, knocking on her chest. "Make hard, yes? Old hu-man make grey - make you smoke." Kurella makes a blowing sound and traces an open hand through the sky. "I make blue-green. Very special. Hero's Brew. Very ---" She rubs her fingers together --- "Rich. I gift. Take."

Kurella can be plied to switch into Celestial to speak with Layaali before leaving abruptly.

Rab-rab gives Torre-tellis super detailed instructions so he take care of her bunnies great!

The next morning she is ready to go.

"Onward! Let's do this totally-bad-idea-mission!"

King Jack-jack hops along beside her looking very brave.

Min looks super disgruntled the next day.

"I've spent time mulling over your tale, Razif, and I've come to the conclusion it was an illusion — the tentacles and the gnoll. Someone wanted to scare you away from the falls. The question is... why?"

He adjusts he backpack and gestures to the road. "We should hurry."

Layaali thanks Kurella sincerely for the gifts, then rejoins the others. "We should divvy these up before we go."

We've got the following potions. Who wants which? I think they're better served with you four than Layaali.
(3) cure moderate wounds, (2) barkskin, (2) gaseous form, and (2) Hero's Brew

- Min says he wants a healing potion and gaseous form potion.
- Rab-rab wants a healing potion.
- They both say if there's any leftover barkskin they'll take them, but its probably better for Razif and Drael.

Drael will take a Barkskin and a Hero's Brew if nobody objects.

Razif will be fine without potions, except maybe a gaseous form.

Razif ponders what Min tells him. "Sounds about as good of an explanation as the summoning I theorized. Guess there's only one way to find out!"

Later in the morning, the team heads north out of New Kelmarane, Razif leading the team towards the cascades just within sight of the upper town. From the jagged Brazen Peaks, a glorious 80-foot waterfall crashes down beneath the northern trade road in desperate need of maintenance. The mile-long hike takes less than an hour, the calm weather a non-factor in affecting travel.

As the road reaches the bluffs above the town and slips out of sight, it passes through a ruined postern gate overlooking the lip of the waterfall some 20 feet below. In better times, this gate and tower guarded access to Kelmarane against Brazen Peaks marauders, but now it lies completely abandoned. One of the iron gates has been bashed down; the other gapes open, its hinges rusted solid. The iron bars are missing, having long since been scavenged for scrap. All of the wooden doors have either been bashed in or are swollen shut. A few gnawed human bones are scattered about in the tower.

Razif previously was here with Brotis on patrol, as he informs the team as they poke around. He further indicates that the road north would lead to a narrow and treacherous footpath descending to a clearing near the base of the waterfall, but he thinks he can do better than that. The ranger just wanted to show you the ruined guardpost.

Razif marches you all out of the decrepit guard tower back towards New Kelmarane, then abruptly turns off the trade road into the foothills, leading you across rough terrain barren save for tenacious scrub bushes. A swift, ten minute-descent brings you down to the level of the plunge pool. The roar of the falls is concentrated here, making communication nigh-impossible. Moss and weeds poke up between the boulders, and a spray of mist sparkles with the light diffusing down on you from above. A few dried-up castoff pools can be seen as you pick your way along the boulders on your way to the falls.

You are at a set of boulders that you know, if you climb up, will put you directly in sight of the plunge pool at the base of the falls. This is a different approach to the pool from where you previously were, Razif, but it is closer and offers the option of stealth. How would you all like to do this? Of note, there will be no map for this: we will use theatre-of-the-mind.

Drael shakes his head at the sight of gnawed bones as they pass through the tower, but keeps his quiet.

When Razif pauses at the boulders, he pipes up, looking around. Do you think this is the safest way to get to the pool?

Razif nods. "If we go the other route, we'll be easily spotted by whom- or whatever lies at the pool. This'll make it that much easier to stay hidden."

Suddenly, something comes to mind, a few dots that he'd forgotten about connecting in the back of his head.
"Actually, me and Brotis found some stuff while on patrol. It slipped my mind. But judging by some things strewn around on the area, some gnoll constructions et cetera, I'm wagering the Kulldis specifically warned people away from the falls."

Without a doubt in his mind, he starts climbing, and once at the top, he checks the place out.

Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Razif, what would you like to do?

Razif doesn't feel quite comfortable approaching them just like that, so he slowly climbs back down and meets with the rest of the party. He shares what he saw:

A child, or what could pass as a human child, with webbed fingers and toes poised on one of the boulders just to the side of the falls with their back to you. They have scaly skin, pointed ears, and long hair the colour of seaweed. They have not noticed you.

Knowledge Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

If anything comes to mind, he'll share this as well.

"I'm not exactly in the business of harming children if I can help it, so I was hoping we might be able to figure out a more peaceful way of approach."

"Wait... it's a nixie!"

Very cheap, I know, but I couldn't resist.

Drael frowns, You didn't see any nixies when you were here before, right? I can't tell if we should be warning them to get out of there, or preparing in case they're the cause of those tentacles.

"Min alleges the tentacles might be an illusion. Maybe the illusion's being made by this nixie. I think we should approach it, peacefully. See what happens."

The falls pound down, ensuring that no one could overhear the party planning their scheme.

Please give it a go.

Layaali nods, then does her best to follow the others toward the pool, staying as quiet as she can on the approach.

Climb (if needed): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15
Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 20

If spotted, she makes sure to smile and remain calm, in hopes of speaking with the nixie before it flees—or worse, turned violent.

Drael nods, Your call, it seems like a reasonable approach to me. He shoulders his axe, getting ready to climb up after Razif.

Climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (9) - 3 = 6

Razif joins them.

Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

The ranger, oracle, and bloodrager climb up the easy-to-scale boulders on the south end of the splash pool. Mist sprays in all directions and reeds, moss, and lichens grow all around. The ranger points out the back of the nixie crouched on a rock, 80 feet across the water at the northern end of the turbulent pool, far too near the base of the falls to detect them...

...and then the aquatic humanoid turns her head and locks her shocked, large eyes on Drael.

Razif, Layaali, and Drael only: you have ONE chance to react; what do you do?

Drael holds his open hands up for her to see, doing his best to smile reassuringly. Hello. I'm Drael.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Drael’s words are unfortunately drowned out by the waterfall.

Razif gives a laid-back smirk and waves.

Gods, I hope I'm doing this right.

Layaali adopts a pose similar to that of the nixie — crouched down and head tilted — then holds the nixie's gaze, doing her best to look calm and inquisitive.

The nixie straightens up at the gestures and postures of the trio and turns around, a suspicious look on her face. With an effortless and graceful leap, the green-skinned humanoid leaps into the splash pool and disappears.

"Damn... Guess we didn't do it quite right."
Razif thinks for a bit. "Nixies are mostly aquatic, right? I can't imagine she would hang around a river in a desert area and NOT know it's full of bad tentacly danger. I'm guessing she's either behind the display Brotis and I saw, or she's in cahoots with it in some way. I'd love to talk to her, though..."

At that moment, the nixie pops up onto the rocks where Layaali, Drael, and Razif stand. She addresses the ranger.

”I’ve sent you away once before; I can do it again, but this one —-“ here, she extends a webbed hand and her gaze at Drael —- ”intrigues me. Who are you? Tell me why you are here TRUTHFULLY. I have ways of knowing if you lie.”

Drael keeps his hands in the air as he speaks loudly to be heard over the rushing water. We live nearby, and are tasked with keeping the city safe.[b] He gestures in the direction of Kelmarane. [b]Our friend saw the tentacles before, and we were worried that they might be dangerous for the villagers, so we came here to find out.

The nixie looks puzzled at Drael's words.

"So the Kulldis are now employing the djinni-touched in the subjugation of the Uwaga?" she stands and points her webbed hand at the pool. "This is MY home, and you would do well to tell your gnoll overlords that it is guarded by tentacles and far worse."

Drael shakes his head quickly, No, we fought the Kulldis and drove them out to make this region safe for everyone. We have no desire to conquer the Uwaga, only to make sure that the peaceful residents of new Kelmarane will not be attacked.

"Ah." The nixie levels a cool look at Drael. "And just who are the new peaceful residents of this so-called New Kelmarane?"

Anyone who wants to live there unbothered. We have humans, harpies, tribesmen who no longer wish to fight each other, and more. You would be welcome to visit and meet them, if you wish.

The nixie sniffs at the invite. "A gracious invitation, but I relish my privacy. I only wish to be alone with my pool..." She looks behind her with a sour expression on her face, then turns back, her eyes sultry.

"And you could help me towards that aim, you three as well as the pair of gnomes below the rocks. I have an unwanted intruder. What say you?

Drael shrugs, What kind of intruder? Maybe they're someone that we would view as a danger to our town as well...

The nixie sniffs. "A leucrotta is a danger to most - a vile scavenger that connives its victims to their ends. It has fled something, this one, and trespassed into my cave."

She glowers imperiously. "The pool is mine, as is the cave behind the waterfall. I will not share it with a fiend, nor will I stomach the 'peaceful denizens' of 'New' Kelmarane traipsing about my property! But I entreaty with you, so in return, I will give you something you may find of value should you remove the pest that refers to itself as 'Jawcracker' from my home."

The nixie smiles. "If you have driven the Kulldis out of the city-place, then you would have drawn the eye and the ire of the Pale Mountain, and the Carrion King will come for you. I may know of a hidden way into the House of the Beast." She shrugs casually. "Do we have an accord?"

Before you can answer, she clarifies. "The leucrotta talks to itself. That's how I know that it calls itself Jawcracker. I surely don't call it anything."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Layaali looks at Drael and gives him a nod.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Seeing no interest from the others in asking questions, Drael continues the conversation. We may be able to help you with this Jawcracker, but first we need to know that any villagers that accidently wander to your pool won't be killed on sight. We will tell them to avoid this area, but I have no doubt you have more peaceful ways to deter visitors than death.

Arcana: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Min nods. "Oh, dear me! Yes, leucrotta's are bad news! Bad news indeed!" After a moment he realizes not everyone knows what he's talking about. "Right! A leucrotta has the head of a badger, the hooves of a stag, and the wide mouth of a lion, its teeth replaced by jagged bone. It is said to be the spawn of hyenas and a demon lord, and its depredations match. Leucrotta are intelligent, insatiable, and possessed of an amazing vocal mimicry which they use to magically lure their prey to into their bellies. They sometimes ally with gnolls, but mainly as a tyrannical leader." With a pointed LOOK at his sister he adds, "Definitely NOT for cuddling. Also, they eat rabbits!"

He nods, certain his sister NOW understands the danger they might pose...

@Drael: Take both hero's Brews if you haven't yet.
@Razif: Definitely take the gaseous form you want.

"THEY EAT BUNNIES?!? THEY'RE HORRIBLE! WE'VE GOT TO STOP THEM! QUICK! WHERE IS IT?!?! SHOW ME THIS VILLAIN!!"

Razif smirks. "So, something to hunt, right? Now you're talking my language." He nudges towards Drael. "If you can agree with this guy, we'll solve this for you, no problem."

”Well that’s the challenge, then, eh?” the nixie takes on a pained expression. ”Rest assured, I am good at scaring any notion of exploring my pool out of interlopers,” here, the nixie gives Razif a pair of raised eyebrows, ”but how do you communicate with the ‘good people’ of ‘New Kelmarane’ that something fearful dwells beneath the falls? How do we deter ‘heroes’ from coming to rid this place of me? I trust not the rules and trappings of civilisation. I wish to be alone. I will not harm any who trespass out of ignorance - this, I can promise you. Should they choose to continue to be ignorant, however...”

She lets the statement go unfinished.

Drael nods, That's fine. We'll find some story that keeps them away. Now that's settled, let's talk about this leucrotta. What do you know about it so far, and where is it now?

"It's been talking to itself," the nixie replies, "so all I know is what it has been saying. It calls itself Jawcracker, it fled from somewhere nearby, and it was working, up until recently, with gnolls and...well, someone else called Zakhan."

The nixie pauses and muses on her words. "I could've sworn that Jawcracker has said on more than one instance that he was working with a 'gholl', but I don't know what that is. Is that another type of gnoll?"

She looks sincerely puzzled, shakes her head, and continues.

"The cavern behind my falls is a simple two-chamber affair, but expansive. I think the interloper has squatted in the the far cavern - as deep into the darkness as it can be. I do not have the ability to see in the dark, so I cannot drive it out. Please assist me and I will return the favour."

I don't recognize the term 'gholl', or the name Zakhan. Drael turns to the others, Do those ring a bell for any of you?
Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Drael has nary a clue.

Razif shrugs. "Maybe he just accidentally mispronounced?"