"As much as I dislike it, I think Mlinzi is right. We need to split up, and the longer we stick together, the more we'll hurt the world. Going for the lake lake as a group is going to be like swarming locusts... We'll destroy everything between here and there. So... it's probably better if we're looking for civilization, that we cut away from the lake, and head along the stream, once we meet it."
She looked over to the batrider, Grobly, raising her voice enough to be heard by him.
"The lake is that ways a way!" Grobly will point in the direction of the Mountain lake. "And the water runs downhill! Always down! " The goblin finishes his statement as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "Down and down!" Grobly will move his hands into he direction of the river, showing with his arms how it goes down.
she calls over. "If we're going to do anything, we need to find answers, first." Makoto explained. "I think I'm going to head that way." she said as her tails danced, "We can find food along the way."
She then turned her attention to the Homunculus. "Jovar, is there anything else we should do before we go?"
Mlinzi nods. "We would probably be okay for a few days, but a single place can only support so many people for so long, unless we all want to take up farming." Though not a rabid scholar like many of his allies, he had read a few books in his time with Goodwin, and he remembered reading that animals who concentrated in too high of numbers in a single area tended to deplete their resources. "Still, I'm eager to scout around a bit more and see what we can find. I'd be happy to go with you, Maks, and see where this river leads. With Jovar to help us communicate, we can split up and share what information we gather."
Then, realizing a possible flaw in his plan, Mlinzi turned to the Homunculus. "By the way, Jovar, how are you planning to do that? If we need to send a message to the others, how should we let you know?"
The discussion and chatter has been nonstop since the group initially arrived. As people broke off to hunt, explore and discuss their future, many began to assemble into smaller groups, often into cliques of friends that hung out together in the demi-plane. Here and now some of the same groups reformed and you note that one of Goodwin's Daughters, one of the half construct golem race, created by Goodwin has been organizing and assembling many of your kin into a large organized unit. She had sent some off to hunt or explore, according to their skills, while she requested casters to prepare various spells for the ordeals ahead. You know her as Tolheimia Brass. After a while she addresses the group in a powerful voice. "There are some of us who deem the lake to be a good starting place. We wish to visit it first, and perhaps gather food and take shelter there for a few days. From there we will move cautiously and learn what we can of this world. There are many of you who will do better moving swiftly and utilizing your skills in other ways. We will do our best to maintain contact with all of you. Jovar will come with us, and be a messenger of sorts between the groups. Those to whom I have spoken, please gather with us now, we leave immediately for this lake. Thank you brother Grobly for your scouting prowess."
The construct woman bows, tightens a short white cotton robe, and casts light on the tip of a staff she fashioned from a sapling. She begins to slowly lead a large group away towards the lake. Several members fan out as scouts in front of the company. The sun gleams off of her one brass colored arm, and off of her legs, brass from the thighs down. She turns one final time and says, "Goodspeed. May we see some of you soon." before leading the large group away.
Jovar responding to several questions before he leaves with the large group. "I have at my disposal some magic which helps me find you. In conjunction with my flight I can act as messenger. It is not instantaneous."
Mlinzi watches as Tolheima leads a sizable group toward the lake.
Turning back to Jovar, he continues his line of inquiry. "Perhaps you will visit us daily and act as a mail carrier? Or is there a way to hail you should we need to send an urgent message?" He began to think of how best to share his information about the scurvy-preventing tea with everyone. In such a large group, getting the information out would be difficult, but as the groups split off, it would get even harder. If the Homunculus could tell each group individually, though, maybe it would not be so bad. "Once everyone has mostly settled in to camp, I have a message I'll need to send them - advice for staying healthy out here. I'll have to find a way to write it down for you."
He began to think. Tree bark and charcoal might work in a pinch. It wouldn't be the nicest-looking message, and he couldn't write too much, but it would at least be something.
Satisfied that he'd figured out the best plan of action, he turned to those who remained nearby. [b]"Anyway, who else wants to come with me and Maks? We'll be heading toward the lake, then following the water downhill to see where it goes. Hopefully we'll find some people eventually!"
Eleanor looks around at those that remain in the clearing who are already forming into smaller groups.
"Their group is large enough already, I think I'll head the opposite direction and hope for the best." Eleanor says glancing at those around her and those without a group of their own.
"I will be relaying your messages by mundane means, by flying between the groups. The closer together they are, the quicker I can relay messages. I do not get tired."
"There is little else I can tell you. I spent a long time researching how wake you and remove you from the plane before it collapsed. I have no knowledge regarding the current state of affairs on this plane."
Maks's tail curled around Lucina's arm, before she turned her attention in the approximate direction of the woods. She nodded to Hover, in quick acknowledgement.
"Meet back up at the solstice, at latest, Kiks!" Makoto called, as she excitedly moved off into the woods. Every other time she'd been taken out of the demiplane (which hadn't been overtly uncommon), she'd been kept close. It was good to be free again!
"You are already veering to the north, Makoto," Miyu said, in a somewhat stern tone, interrupting her exaltation.
"Right. Tavros, if you're coming with, do you mind taking point?"
Grobly will look around as they begin to gather into groups to head out. The goblin will sit down onto his haunches and begin rummaging through his bandolier, pulling out an assortment of herbs and ingredients, chewing them and then spitting them into a bottle. Bazzt will flop down and begin to doze off. Whatever might happen next, Grobly was sure to be ready. He missed the kitchens on the demi-plane. So much of his ability to learn had to do with such an ample supply of food. The hungrier the Goblin got, the more impulsive he was likely to act. As if to emphasis this fact, Grobly's belly lets off a slight rumble.
Karkoran tosses his spare rabbit to Grobly, and while still addressing Lump. "Come with me frog, people seem to be moving on. It is time to find our teacher. Grobly, are you in with us?"
He motions and Warcat falls in line as the ready to move. "Any preference for a location?"
Tavros sadly waves goodbye to the various group heading away and then hurriedly moves to catch up with Maks and the rest of his group. He plasters another big dumb smile on his face, although those who are observant can tell it's somewhat less than sincere. We will meet again. And it's not like all your family is leaving. You are keeping some close by.
Karkoran nods solemnly as the fellow minotaur heads off with his group.
Grobly snatches the rabbit hungrily. "We can be traveling together if you want. The Long-shins will have to be thinking twice before messing with one as tall as Mrmmphmmm..." The goblins words become unintelligible as the rabbit finds its way half into the small druids mouth. "Mrhmmpmmffpm?" Instead of chewing, the Goblin keeps trying to talk, and offers Lump a wave of greeting.
Bazzt will wake from his dozing and eye the rabbit in his masters jaws with passing interest. Seeing the group begin to disperce, the Bat will yawn and stand on all four limps, sniffing the air. Traveling during the day never suited the bat.
Lucina would blindly follow after Makoto and anyone else that did the same.
"Excellent. I have no preference, though if we can't make it to town a cave would be nice. Unless you know how to make shelter. I suppose I could sleep in a big tree, like the old days."
Lump heads over to where Karkoran and Grobbly are situated.
"Also, you're going to need to eat. I see Grobbly has eaten. I also need to eat, but I can survive on very little food. I think I still remember some tricks to get food. It's been awhile."
Xanya looks to Eleanor, "That's a good idea. If we travel in different directions, we'll learn more than if we all go the same way. What say you Quassine? Are you with us? Kiki want a ride? You can help us with water since we won't be by the river." Xanya quite liked the little spidering, she reminded her of the underdark. "Anyone else ready to head off the path?"
Noticing that Teniel seems to be all alone as everyone splits off into groups, Mlinzi turns back, waving for the Wayang to join them. "Hey, Teniel, you can come with us if you want!" Mlinzi doesn't know much about Teniel, but he hates to see anyone left behind.
Gunther waves farewell to those still gathered, longbow held gingerly in his primary hand. "Stay safe, comrades. I'm expectin' t' see th' lot o' ya again," he calls, before turning and walking off after his troupe of mismatched folks.
Prar whispers to his Mindflayer brother.
He "smiles". It just looks like wiggling tentacles. Shielding his eyes against the sun, he walks off after a Gunther.
Nathan looks the groups over in his immaculate clothing, straightening his hat as he thinks.
Which group will need my skills the most? I must put myself to the best use for all of us.
He grabs his bow and says as a ray of sun shines on a group, "Yes my Lady, I shall go with that group." With his long legs he quickly catches up.
As the groups begin to split up, Teniel calls his tiger, and dashes off to catch up with the Paladin, deciding he'd be most happy with the other advocates of nonviolence.
" I will be there Maks, belive it." says Kiki and waves Maks godby.
"sure Xanya" the spiderling walks up Cryxial's leg, flollowed by Xanya's leg and torsos stopping at her shoulder.
Shaeyl wanders over towards Sly Too many chefs... nodding to the rest of the gang, we can't have a hundred people of our ilk wandering into the first village we find, so lets move off on our own. It's not like there's anyone here to give orders.
Watching as several other groups of people, many that he recognized as having trained together in the past, Shaeyl suggested we should follow Tolheimia and the others. The lake will be a good place for us to get some food gathered, and then we can head downstream. Though I think maybe many others will do that too. We could head upstream as well. If there are any dwarves in the area, the headwaters of the stream may lead us into the mountains. Our third option is to explore this valley. This would ensure we knew what was here, any other ways into it, if there are any signs of habitation, current or old, as well as providing assurance for those that are staying here.
Quassine sends his brother Prar a message,
Quassine remains near Xanya under protection of the Darkness spell from the sun's rays.
The rest will in Table 2
.
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon
Maks claps excitedly and bounces once as she sees the others, everyone in her group seeming perfectly healthy and all of the goatling warriors are mostly healed, save one. Their shaman (the larger healing goat) having had his skull caved in makes for a pretty terrible sight. He's being carried by Mlinzi with some of the goatling's aid.
Makoto, on the other hand, is still in her golden-furred kitsune form with a dancing rune floating above her forehead. Her eidolon, a white fox the size of a wolf, and with fur thick enough to match follows near Mlinzi. With a quick spell, Makoto's fur slowly gets cleansed of all of the sap that's dug into it, as she moves towards the others from 'home'. She waves towards them, as she says "One moment, Bowki. I see that some folks beat us here!"
She moves to join the others with a foxy grin, tails swaying. "It's good to see that others have made it through okay. How is everyone doing?"
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon
"He said that there are many dangerous things all around the plateau and that we need to be careful. That the mountains were treacherous even for them... and that they have no idea where the monastery we're looking for is."
She motions to Tavros, "But we did arrive during a ceremony of some kind, so there's going to be dancing, and maybe some spirits will show up to bless them."
As she drew closer, her typical honeysuckle scent followed her, but there was also the smell of firewood and fish on her. She'd also gained a javelin quiver that she had strapped over her shoulder and waist since they'd last seen one another.
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon:
Lucina follows behind Maks to meet the other group."We have a translator if you want to ask them any questions."
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"Good to see you're all getting along well. I was a little worried about everyone."
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon:
Bowki and the other goatlings all meet and share greetings, doing a symbolic 'headbutt', more of a touching together of foreheads, than a bone crunching crack of skulls.
They talk excitedly amongst each other while multiple conversations go on.
The various groups of goatlings fill each other in on events, and there is a lot of nodding as the story is filled in, the same as your groups learning the details of the goatlings.
One of the shamans confers with them.
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon
"I'd search beyond the plateau," Teniel interjects from the shadows, without bothering to introduce himself. "These are sacred lands to the goatmen—though we have not yet asked what they call themselves—and sixty of us tramping around will just cause more problems. We are traveling back to their town to learn more of their people and culture, which we think might be more productive than searching the forest—but they are not a monastic people, and they have the whole run of the forest."
"More importantly, we think the other groups may have more success searching to the South—human society is more likely to speak our languages, and possibly have less of a warrior culture—but we are unsure of how successful our skywriting was at communication, and we have not seen Jovar since we learned of the geography of the forest."
"We plan on continuing through to their city, to participate in their yearly festival. We hope to make a good accounting of their language, maps and legends before we travel on; if you have less interest in traveling with us, we can heal any wounded you've brought with you and ask the shamans for detailed instructions on the safest route to the human or dwarf settlements nearby."
Tables 1 and 6, Goat Camp, Day 2 - Afternoon
He's about to enthusiastically join the goatlings in their headbutt greeting before he seems to think better of it. Instead, he merely reiterates what Maks had said earlier, a huge grin on his face. "There is to be dancing!"
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"No sky gods. Just us. We should really try to find a better way to communicate before we get too far split up..."
Eleanor joins in the pleasantries as two groups are reunited.
"I'm glad we were able to resolve this peacefully I don't think many of their people who attacked our group survived." She says.
"Well—we assumed there was a misunderstanding at hand, and as soon as we had the fight under control we started pulling our punches," Teniel replies. "Then again, the only casualty in our fight was their leader—which means that we might be more sympathetic to their chieftains than the other groups."
"We suspected a misunderstanding?" Maks asked, tilting her head. "I was just trying to keep everyone from dying.." she trailed off for a moment. "I'm glad we killed as few as we did... but I think that was more luck than pulled punches. Aside from you, of course." she nodded to Teniel. "I think that was the most frightened I've ever been, to be honest..."
"I was too surprised to be scared," Teniel agrees, "But the others mostly kept their cool. I just noticed pretty quickly that they couldn't communicate with us, which meant there was something problematic at play—possibly just a territorial dispute."
"I hope our brethren didn't kill too many of them. They're pretty nice now that we've gotten to know them."
Although he regrets that he cannot make pleasant tapping sounds with his hoofs on the dirt ground.
hah, i hope someone spreads the word on whatever you all are doing! good to see two tables working together towards something. I take it you all went to the goat camp? (havent read spoilers, just saw one included Goat Camp)
She waved at him and called out, "When you have a moment, I think my friends may have some questions for you!"
Day 2, Tables 1 and 6 - Goatling Camp
The goatlings spread out and start working at gathering gear they had left earlier. Some of them break into packs and they pull out food. They look like oat and barley cakes, wrapped in leaves. They put the cakes in earthenware bowls and pour some water in them and eat the resulting mash.
Escorted by Bowki, one of the shamans comes over to talk to the group. Bowki says "Can you make the magic that will allow our shaman to talk to you? He says he has had quite a good interaction so far with your ogre friend Nathan, but communication had been one way and somewhat difficult. This is Bavari." he states it reverently. Next to Bavari, as it seems with all their shamans, is a small actual goat, rugged and battle hardened, and apparently tempermental as it brays at you.