Greas: forgot to answer your third question, if you could replicate the trap. You study the trapped doorknob and realize that there's a simple rune scratched into the metal. You could easily replicate the rune, but there has to be some kind of magical trigger word or action in relation to it that would activate the spell to make the doorknob hot.
Oadir, answer to your question: Going to rule that you can teleport with your shadow creatures without difficulty, but bringing others along will require a Defy Danger: Constitution roll from you. Complications could arise.
Greas, when you begin to set up your tripwire traps, you have to re-roll out the sensitive wire when Hegh corrects you. His criticism is accurate, but you feel a little nettled by it regardless. Your trap is sound, but you take a -1 to your next Trap Expert roll, which brings it down to 9. As a result, instead of spending 2 adventuring gear to set up these two traps, you screw up and have to start over on each, spending a total of 4 altogether. You can recover two Gear if you successfully dismantle your traps without them being triggered.
The camp thus protected, the kobolds, goblin, and drow settle in at their respective places. The Yellowjackets crowd in on each other without complaint, taking up little space in the clearing area. The drow noble, by contrast, takes up more space than her thin frame would suggest, simply by being openly hostile to anyone who tries to share her space with her. The rest of you are scattered about, casting your magic, resurrecting your corpses, or simply sleeping.
When you settle in to rest consume a ration. If you’re somewhere dangerous decide the watch order as well. If you have enough XP you may level up. When you wake from at least a few uninterrupted hours of sleep heal damage equal to half your max HP.
You usually make camp so that you can do other things, like prepare spells or commune with your god. Or, you know, sleep soundly at night. Whenever you stop to catch your breath for more than an hour or so, you’ve probably made camp.
Staying a night in an inn or house is making camp, too. Regain your hit points as usual, but only mark off a ration if you’re eating from the food you carry, not paying for a meal or receiving hospitality.
When you reach the end of a session, choose one of your bonds that you feel is resolved (completely explored, no longer relevant, or otherwise). Ask the player of the character you have the bond with if they agree. If they do, mark XP and write a new bond with whomever you wish.
Once bonds have been updated look at your alignment. If you fulfilled that alignment at least once this session, mark XP. Then answer these three questions as a group:
Did we learn something new and important about the world?
Did we overcome a notable monster or enemy?
Did we loot a memorable treasure?
For each “yes” answer everyone marks XP.
Level Up
When you have downtime (hours or days) and XP equal to (or greater than) your current level+7, you can reflect on your experiences and hone your skills.
Subtract your current level+7 from your XP.
Increase your level by 1.
Choose a new advanced move from your class.
If you are the wizard, you also get to add a new spell to your spellbook.
Choose one of your stats and increase it by 1 (this may change your modifier). Changing your Constitution increases your maximum and current HP. Ability scores can’t go higher than 18.
Note that you can resolve as many bonds as you like per level up move, I houseruled that.
-
Smoog spreads out his tinkering apparatus and begins cataloging and organizing.
Many of the things he has acquired recently are still a mystery to him.
He looks over the items that need repair and sets aside those that need further research.
-
Steamer has taken quite a beating lately and she needs too much repair to put back to her original condition.
I think she will be perfect to incorporate into my next great invention.
-
Two items intrigue Smoog the most; the eye implant and the tail sleeve.
He settles down to examine and test both of these now...
There's a noticeable difference to this camp if compared to the campsites managed by Sees-Death in the past. There's no community meal, no circled wagons, and after leaving the acorn in the center of the dry area to muffle the camp, the diminutive Kobold seeks privacy. A small tent is built in the corner of the campsite where she and Tanard prepare for sleep. She doesn't undress, does nothing to clean herself, and leaves her mending and vanity boxes packed. anyone who peeks into the tent will find her curled in a pallet of colorful textile scraps from the Dwarves. The whole tent reeks of swamp gas. Any Kobold who disturbs her is sent away with curt words. (at least, words more curt than usual)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You must help mend her.
As the kobolds turn in, Hegh sighs under his breath and then steels himself for what must be done. He approaches Sees' tent and enters, heedless of the kobold's harsh words. He sits next to where she lays, cross-legged, and grabs her claw in his. He holds on tight, and closes his eyes without saying a word. Unless this provokes a combat response, Hegh will fall asleep in this position, holding Sees' hand throughout the night.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
When Hegh ignores her terse words, she bites her lip, and when he touches her she pulls away. Her scales are warm. "This is not a good time, Hegh. No, I know. You're sweet, really, but this is actually a-" Her breath is short, and her voice waivers with hairline restraint. "-a bad time... for you... to be here... with me." Magic fills the room like an avalanche, distorting the wane light coming in from the tent flap. In a frank and steady voice she asks. "How can I get you to leave?" Her eyes are closed, and her face is slightly turned away with a tortured expression.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
You need only ask. You can have today. But tomorrow does not belong to you. Tanard has chosen you to lead, and the others look to you. I look to you. I cannot bend these newcomers to Tanard's will ... but you can. He stands to leave, but pauses at the entrance. I'll stand by your side though you shut me out. What do you wish I would do?
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sees' mouth opens, eyes wide, and she chokes. She's never had someone take advantage of the two-way street this compulsion offers. The magic compels her to answer with the truth, but the truth is more complex than she can express. Like a poorly forged blade, the truth shatters in the tempering water of her own magic.
Through grit teeth, Sees-Death lets the words come in measured handfuls like lowering a rope, hand over hand. "I wish that you would ignore me, press me down into this blood-cursed nest, and begin a new tribe of Kobolds with all the strength and cunning in our conflicting bloods. We just- we can't. Not tonight. I couldn't stand losing them, and that is what would happen if we started breeding now. We have no hold, our dragon is young, and I-" she swallows, "I've been touched by a darkness that threatened to consume me tonight. I do not know what would happen if life and death touch in that way. I need to pass this clutch without you. and I can't trust myself... around... you as I do so." The compulsion ends, blessedly. She had come too close to some harmful revelations, and while she didn't like what she had to expose to complete the exchange, she felt the need to swallow to tamp down the words that might hurt her bloodguard. She couldn't be near anyone, at least not anyone who might fertilize the eggs, but she couldn't say to his face that she'd just as quickly have Smoog or Thunk... even Kibra or Greas. She wasn't ready to make that decision, but it wouldn't be a choice tonight. It would be instinct. All the tension in her muscles ebbs, and she collapses into the cloth pallet.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Hegh turns a dark shade of pink as Sees speaks, and this time it isn't draconic magic. He begins stammering. No ... not that ... I meant ... not that. He lets the tent flap close as he exits, and returns to a cross-legged sitting position in front of the tent, eyeing the others as they settle in.
What is this?
She is not well. Stay near, I may need you.
I'll be here Bloodmother.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Smoog looks up from his studies when he senses a "Mental Disturbance".
His recent run-in with the Mental Realm has temporarily made him sensitive to the gathering of minds and the Hegh/Sees/Tanard confluence piques his feelers.
-
He smiles when Hegh emerges from Sees tent and he returns his attention to his studies...
-
Well, Hegh has finally stepped up and taken her head on.
Bravo. Her maternal needs are paramount in the continuation of our Klan.
Better he than Greas or... well... yeah, Bravo Hegh.
-
Smoog sends out a Mental Barrier to protect Sees and Hegh from any outside influence...
Disappointed to have gotten no response from Tannith, Krish settles down in front of a small tent. He takes a leg bone out of his pack and dons his new mask once more. He drums softly on the spirit drum, singing softly in his chanting way. Far from being distracting or keep anyone awake, the sounds are soothing to the other kobolds, reminding many of them of the sounds of the hold. After a time of preparation, Krish picks up the bone and draws his ritual knife. First shedding some blood on the bone, he begins to carve. His singing is different, now. These are the sacred songs that his mentor taught to him. He calls to the old dragon spirits of his people, to the ancestor spirits. He is not carving a totem for a particular one and even Krish does not know exactly what he carves nor what he summons.
Kibra is relieved to be back to his natural color. He is unsure of how the pen will come in handy, but he places it into his pack.
Kibra stays with Smoog and watches his tinkering intently, like a student on their first visit to museum, Kibra is wide eyed and soaking in as much as he can about gears and cogs.
The "magic" of these machines is impressive, I will learn to use them in my traps.
Smoog, now that we have some time to rest, can you show me how to make a spring activated mechanism that traps the subjects foot, sloweing them for my arrows?
Kibra stays relatively clueless to the goings on with Hegh and Sees. Although he notices Smoog's watchful eye and he is aware that Sees is troubled and acting different.
As everyone settles down to rest, Kibra climbs the wall to a small ledge where he takes his rest. He always feels more comfortable being above the action. For some reason it calms him, reminding him of his nights in the swampland. Listening to the soothing drumming of Krish, he rests well, reminded of home...
As he still himself against the wall and the ledge his scales begin to blend in with his surroundings. Unless you knew he was there you would likely miss him entirely.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hegh's correcting me on traps? Of all the things he's done, THIS is new.
Pondering his decisions and severely irritated by the sequence of events, he tries to untangle the mess he's made.
It's all too easy. Just like disarming a hatchling's noose. There's a brief moment of satisfaction as he collects his gear before the world returns.
Hegh's watching out on the behalf of Scoops. The happenings of that tent were not his business, but Hegh's presence should hopefully keep that tiefling at bay. Oadir needed to be dissuaded swiftly from the path he intended to follow, and preferably shifted to one more useful to the group. The question was how to achieve that.
He stood by the entrance of the camp, trying to focus on this line of thought and any possible intruders rather than anything concerning the rest of the group. An exception was made for Kibra's enquiry, sharp eyes relocating in the background to catch the relevant procedures, but he dared not approach to look more closely given that there was no need to do so. From there, the dagger found in Smoog's collection caught his eye, but the way the little kobold's eyes bored into him, this wasn't something that could be acted on. Even if he stole it undetected, he'd be caught if he tried using it, and the meticulous cataloguing meant it would be noticed missing anyway. Still, it was tempting.
As with Hegh, he did not sleep, instead keeping watch. He did not trust his unconscious mind not to torment him in his rest, currently. It wouldn't be the first time since leaving.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Smoog, now that we have some time to rest, can you show me how to make a spring activated mechanism that traps the subjects foot, sloweing them for my arrows?
-
Now that they were together in a calm environment; not in the heat of battle or being chased; Smoog and Kibra have a chance to talk at length about a topic they share common interests in.The conversation skips around and covers all aspects of the spring trap contrivance. Smoog references his manuals and encyclopedias and shares the story of how he found them.
-
When this happens and thoughts of home flood his memory....Smoog pauses.
-
"I miss Falla.
I do not know whether you knew she and I had... feelings for each other,
but I wanted to let you know I am sorry for your loss.
She may have been just one of your many sisters but she was special to me.
Ever since we found you and sprung you from the Orc Slavers jail, I have been vacillating between joy and anger.
Happy that you are alive; mad that it is you and not her that we found.
It is not your fault the circumstances of our reunion and you have no guilt in it, but it is something I must work thru and let it go..."
-
Smoog stares at Kibra for a few seconds, letting the memory of Falla take an appropriate place in his mind; trying to let go of the misplaced anger he feels towards Kibra.
-
Then his expression snaps into surprised excitement.
-
"I GOT IT! We don't make a trap for your arrows, we make your arrows TRAPS!"
Seeing that Sees will not be disturbed, Hegh decides to spend the night studying the spellbook he found at the Orc slaver camp.
He will call for Smoog to join him once the blue kobold seems unoccupied.
Great roleplaying from everyone in this group. I'm really happy with how things are shaping up, the shifting personality and the drama of the group are really interesting - especially in contrast to the death and destruction happening above.
Those of you who do not get any rest may opt not to do the Make Camp rule, receiving none of the move's benefits. You may choose whether or not to consume a Ration during your time resting in the clearing in the sewer network. If you do not, hunger will begin to elevate your stress levels over time, and the next time you consume a ration, you will have to Defy Danger: Wisdom not to consume two rations instead of one.
Smoog's mental protection field is unnoticed by either Hegh or Sees when he successfully projects it over them. A stray thought occurs to him as he does so...the best protection is the kind you never know is there. He smirks involuntarily at the thought before shaking his head a little and returning to his normal line of thinking.
The little blue kobold tinkerer turns his attention to his eye-implant and his tail-sleeve. The ocular implant's purpose seems obvious when he realizes it; it's a prosthetic. There's very clear evidence of connector cables that autonomously seize and attach on to the optic nerves in the subject's skull. As you study it more, it dawns on you that you've almost never seen anything so advanced anywhere else. This goes far beyond even the most arcane of dwarven tech. Turning it over and studying it closely, the kobold's questing claws find a latch that he flips open, revealing setting indicators. Toying with the cables that attach to the optic nerves also switches between the three listed settings, implying that switching between modes only takes a mental command. The three settings are Cutting Laser, Composition Scanner and Flashlight.
The cutting laser deals your level in energy damage to anything you're looking at while it is on, with an effective range of 3 meters. The composition scanner gives you a +2 on Spout Lore rolls to determine what something is made up of, or to find things like structural weaknesses, with an effective range of 100 meters.
The tail prosthetic looks mean. It's got tech that looks inspired by dwarven innovation, but scavenged for kobold purposes. There are injection points along the inside of the tail that are braced by leather ringlets when not in use, and the injection needles connect to the tubing along the outside of the tail prosthetic. You could imagine putting any potion you like inside this kind of tool and injecting it quite easily on the fly by activating this mechanism. It wouldn't be comfortable, but the rush of the potion setting in should make up for that.
Thunk question: Did the All-Eater's tribe of kobolds know of the Yellowjacket kobolds that now accompany you? Did you ever have dealings with them, or not? If you didn't, what would your tribe have thought of a group of kobolds worshiping a wyrm instead of a dragon?
Greas disarms the traps masterfully, and with the vigilance of the paranoid former slaves, the drow noble, and survivalists like Kibra, the time you spend encamped is spent fitfully. By all means continue any RPing you're doing during your downtime until it finishes naturally. It seems that only Sees spends the requisite time being unconscious, with Tanard staying within her tent and curled up in her wings, like a coiled snake.
Krish, something special happens as you connect to the spirit world all around you. The strange mask that you wear acts as a draw on the wandering spirits from above that are fleeing the hunger of the Deathclaw.
You find your thoughts to be lingering on the Deathclaw above, on its scaly body, outwardly so similar to kobolds and dragons themselves. You feel a strange sense of kinship to the beast.
To the last ghost, the spirits that you call upon are angered, Krish. The Deathclaw has already claimed so many souls that will never find a happy afterlife; a soul that is devoured by a Deathclaw before it can pass on is faced with utter oblivion. The spirits from above call upon you for revenge against this creature.
Roll Defy Danger: Wisdom as your mask begins to glow faintly during your ritual. The results of your roll will determine the shape of the totem you're carving out of bone.
Oadir, how do you react to Hegh's blessing/curse? Do you attack someone or one of your shadow elementals, or do you take the damage upon yourself?
Underground as you are, day and night have no meaning; but enough time passes that can be called a full night's rest. What do you all do next?
Oadir eats his fill of the day in rations - beef and vegetables, saving the little bit of chocolate and oats for first thing in the morning. Before laying down for the night. He's checking to see if anyone's out of rations and looking very longingly at the little bits he's eating. The flavour of course doesn't carry around in the air but activates as it touches the tongue. It's no true cooked meal, but one that will do very well for the daily needs of a big guy like Oadir, he's done very well in holding on to the best foods he could for what he could afford.
He finishes off the evening with a good balm rub on his feet, they are real sore from the day, this is why he doesn't do running much, for his conduit to function best he must be bare-foot after all.
Throughout the 'night' Oadir has repeated dreams of encasing those he'd held dear once in Ice and shattering them into as many pieces as his mind could conceive of. He was feeling a sense of abandonment washing over him as he remembers each and every one of his loved ones leaving him to fend for himself. Oadir wakes up with in a bad mood, someone's going to pay today for all the s&&@ the world has dealt him.
Edit: Oh didn't see that question originally Moosh, eehm I guess I'm going to hold off on that since I kinda am roleplaying it already, and I can fulfill the condition in any way as long as I haven't spent my Ice yet, right?
|
Retzack spends some time going over the zombie and making sure that the colony is well-established. After the queen takes up residence in the spleen and the gall bladder is cannibalized for more egg sacks, he starts to relax and look about him.
He notices Oadir rubbing his feet and goes over to the Tiefling.
Retzack has always been shy around strangers, and now seems especially awkward. He lacks both a plan and the means to execute one. As he approaches, his stomach gives a great rumble reminding him that he had no time to either pack or prepare rations in the hurried flight, and his eyes keep involuntarily going to the remains of Oadir's meal.
Still, he doesn't want to seem unneighborly, so he sits down and, searching desperately for something to say to break the ice, mimics a line he heard a bard say once. And it seemed to work for him.
"Hi friend."
It seems strange to his tongue. It's unlikely he'll ever use that phrase again.
"You know, if you'd rather relax more, I could have my servant rub your feet for you? The flesh of a Reborn is actually quite subtle, and the larvae that inhabit the phalanges can be very squishy and, dare I say, nubile. Care to give it a try? Why rub your own feet when you don't have to?"
Ugh. He sounds like a businessman. And not even a good one. When this is done he should definitely find a nice quiet tower and live out the rest of his short life.
His stomach rumbles again. The Reanimated looks on passively, the revealed teeth and massive smile unmoving.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hegh discovers a spellbook. Many of the pages have been ripped out - maybe the orcs needed toilet paper - but 8 pages remain within, with 5 different spells recorded. The fifth and final spell takes up three pages of explanation, whereas the other 4 only took a page each. The book is written in Draconic script, so you can understand it.
Hegh, many of the pages are missing from this book, so you mentally reclassify the remaining 8 pages as pages 1-8 even though they're actually labeled "46, 49, 51, 60, and 98-100." Better save this to your profile:
Page "1" is a spell to call for a Spectral Servant - an invisible being of force that wears a false white mustache so you can track its location. It also wears white gloves and a black top hat. The material components are: anything that can be used to create a false mustache.
Page "2" is a ritual that creates some kind of silvery fluid in a bowl, from the looks of the picture. The fluid you add to the bowl is water from a non-flowing, stagnant source, and the spell transforms the physical properties of the water you add. The resultant material will make any non-organic object that is dipped into it permanently invisible.
Page "3" is an incantation that requires the body of a sentient being that was murdered in cold blood. The incantation opens mini-gateways smaller than the head of a pin all over the corpse, exposing it to the worst diseases known to the civilized world. The corpse becomes a nexus of pestilence and disease that spreads until there is nobody left to spread to.
Page "4" is a recipe for a tea brewed with poppy seeds and oil of lethe, made from animal fats. The tea, when enchanted by the person who brewed it, and consumed, will cause the drinker to lose all memory of the last 24 hours, forever.
Page "5" gets so technical and involved, with so many footnotes and scrawlings in the margins, that you need to Spout Lore to even make heads or tails of it. It'd be like your average laymen trying to understand an engineering blueprint in AutoCAD.
To cast any of these spells, fulfill the criteria listed and roll +Int.
Sees, when you awaken, you find that you have indeed laid a clutch of eggs. Four of them reside in your bed. They are all lifeless and unfertilized, but appear otherwise normal. Miraculously, after all that has happened, you appear to be fertile.
Oadir, I think you have to choose whether to embrace the pain or inflict it on someone else when you receive the gift from Hegh. Can you confirm, Hegh?
Here's the thing, we're no friends. At least not yet. I'd also very much like to do this myself, let alone the fact that I don't want that wench's hands on me any more now than I did when she was alive. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some shockstick to sleep off, I suggest you do the same.
As he stands by, Greas goes through a portion of rations. Nothing quite as lavish as the tiefling had managed to save, but it would stave off hunger. With how little sleep he'd had in recent times, he couldn't afford further biological distraction. He simply continued to watch, smiling at hearing Oadir's address to the goblin. It seems he really did have some sense.
Of course, that lead to watching Retzack again, and that drained all good humour from him. The...thing following him around was an affront to Greas's beliefs, his principles, and his ability to keep his wits about him. He'd tried severing the tendons of it when the goblin wasn't paying enough attention, but the thing just seemed to...
Noooooo, nonononono. I refuse to think on what happened further.
He would investigate Hegh's behaviour, since as far as could be recalled the only things Hegh ever tended to start reading contained either pictures or explosive runes, but the goblin took priority. It'd started eyeing up the box, and that was not something that wanted opening. After hastily dragging it away from Oadir and telling it that he needed rest, he went back to his position by the entrance, and watched. Something always happens, however minute it is. Hopefully, it would be nothing terrible.
After struggling through the spellbook for about an hour, Hegh beckons Smoog to join him.
This makes my head hurt. You should take this.
Hegh hands the spellbook to Smoog, and spends the rest of the evening keeping an eye on the camp and any approach paths.
He waits for Sees and Tanard to awaken.
Thunk wakes up with a start, it had been a while since he had slept. He takes his hard tack, breaks it into two pieces, then scoops up some beetles, nodding thanks to Retzak, then he squishes them between the hardtack making nasty sandwich and eats it.
Thunk question: Did the All-Eater's tribe of kobolds know of the Yellowjacket kobolds that now accompany you? Did you ever have dealings with them, or not? If you didn't, what would your tribe have thought of a group of kobolds worshiping a wyrm instead of a dragon?
We had definitely never heard of them. First of all Yellowjackets is a stupid name. Seriously, Thunk swats them out of the sky for fun. So stupid. The only thing stupider than that would be if they thought that their wyrm is remotely the same as a dragon. I mean that is like being on the JV team. As long as you know you are on the JV team and don't think you are varsity, and recognize how much better the Varsity is, you are all good. Think you are better? Then you have to be taught a lesson.
So end of the day...they would be giving us tribute.
Why you bug full? Thunk asks Retzak as he munches on his beetle sandwich
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Krish, as you commune with the spirits of the people of the town of Estr, you allow your carving knife to move on its own accord. Slicing and turning sharply around the bone you hold, a form begins to take shape. The totem resembles the rook of a chess set, a castle tower with a deathclaw's skull built into the very top. The mask glows and pulses faintly with a spectral light as you work feverishly without using your mortal eyes.
You feel your hackles raise as you work, Krish, an accelerating drumming sound coming from your drum of its own accord as the wandering spirit challenges you for control, via the mask. But your will is the stronger. You finish the totem carving and look down at it. The bone is smeared with your blood and its eyes are carved into deep holes that seem to stare out malevolently at the world. You feel a great understanding of its feelings from your work on the totem and your connection through the weird mask you wear.
You recall Oadir attempting to tame the Deathclaw for his own purposes when he first released it. As you gaze upon the totem you've just created, fueled by the hatred of the spirits of the slain, you realize you've discovered the missing piece to that puzzle. This totem can be used to bind a deathclaw to your will.
Pocketing it, you feel your mask shifting slightly and take it off to peer curiously at it. Feathers, tall and shining red, seem to have grown from nothing on the eyebrows of the mask, enhancing its shocking appearance.
Thunk: the Yellowjackets are definitely deferential in their attitude towards those kobolds among you that are watching Tanard. Their time spent as slaves does not appear to have helped matters, either.
When Sees-Death wakes, she finds the worst of her troubles to be the pounding headache that had been following her since the temple escape. While an annoyance, it's a bit of a relief.
When she spots the eggs, a dry lump rises in her throat. All night, her dreams had been filled with what to do if there had been no eggs, or the horrors of finding black stones or inky gremlins in her nest. She even dreamed of tiny blue and black hatchlings, though the odds had seemed so far off. Looking at the perfectly normal, inert eggs Sees could only think of how the stress and pressure would continue.
She was hungrier than usual--the natural effects of devoting nutrients to possible progeny--but she didn't like eating eggs, certainly not her own. She knew some Kobolds who did, even some who considered it good luck, but she was not in the habit of putting things back into her body that it had rejected. Tanard seemed to show some interest, but Sees waved her away.
She opened another package of orcish jerky, the pungent spices having become familiar. She had Tanard warm some water for tea and they both had a small breakfast in silence. Then sees-Death tied the large, leathery eggs into a bundle of green cloth, and exited her tent.
She spots Hegh and Smoog bowed over a book and approaches them, setting down the bundle in front of them. It hasn't been apparent until now that Sees-Death usually applies makeup in the mornings. Her eyes are ringed by brilliant red scales that give her a dominating hardness, and her eyes themselves appear darker, like pools of lavender ink without a distinct line between slit iris and pupil. "The two of you have been irresponsible with your rations. We're not village dandies with the luxury of stopping off at the corner store for pastries. I need the two of you strong and alert. If there's anything we learned last night, it's that I won't always be there to drag you out of the messes you put yourselves in."
Turning to the rest of the camp, she blows Gorlaug's Woe in a series of clear, cantering notes contained within the camp by the acorn figure. Tanard lounges on See's shoulders, wings opened in anticipation of flight. "It's almost noon, idiots, we're wasting sunlight. We have a town to pillage. Pork, Kibra, Hegh, I want your reports of what's going on on the surface in two hours. Greas, make good on your word and get us past that door. Krish, Smoog, we need to know where the temple is relative to us. Figure that out. Thunk, thump Oadir if he tries to summon another shadow, but both of you cover Greas. Retzack..." Sees pauses and takes a calming breath, "Come keep an eye on the Yellowjackets with me. I need to talk to them, and I need a boogieman I can trust."
Thunk like thump. thunk says matter of factly, but sad that his conversation w the goblin was interrupted
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
As Thunk poses his question, Retzack sits a moment in silence, idly considering the hive of Red Stalkers that had taken up residence in the Reborn's kneecap. The labyrinth of tendon grooves made a perfect residence for them, but he worried that it would corrupt the structural integrity after too long. But as the bugs moved under the skin it gave the right leg a cool look like it there was a fire burning under it, so that made it alright.
Retzack stared hungrily at the kobold's sandwich but said nothing. He had already been admonished once by this kind, and did not relish a second such treatment.
Then he answers, "I'm sorry but I have literally no idea what you are asking. If you're asking why bugs make such a filing sandwich, it's because they're a high-protein nutrient source, and protein giveth the greatest satiety.
If you're asking why the Reborn is full of bugs, it's because the lack of intrinsic immune responses in a corpse combined with the abundance of nutrient rich fluids make a perfect incubator for the various colonies.
If you're asking why -I'm- full of bugs, it's because I performed mighty magicks that allowed me to hyper-evolve several strains to form symbiotic relationships with goblins that understood how to use a mind-based wave-form thought-pattern to enhance the lives of both user and used.
If you're asking something else, then I admit I have no idea what it could be."
As the other kobold--the female of the tribe--approached and made request, Retzack nodded and rose. "I'm no boogieman to scare primitive peoples, but if you desire use of the chilling visage of the Reborn, then I acquiesce to your request."
He sullenly follow Sees.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Smoog breathes an inner sigh of relief as Sees asserts her usual place in the Klan as the Bossy Bloviating Bully they all have come to know and love.
He also is relieved to have been assigned a task.
Smoog packs away the spellbook he and Hegh had been discussing and approaches the Spirit Shaman...
"Spiritmaster Krish, the task of locating the Time Temple within ERST has been handed to us.
These Temples have proven to be not only a treasure trove of knowledge and ancient technology but also very defensible and would make a perfect secret base for our long-term campaign against the Longlegs.
I have a general idea of the city layout but we need a more detailed view to use in planning future missions.
-
I propose to travel the Mental Realm and secretly skip from brain to brain almost as if playing a game of Hop-the-Scotch.
There must be an endless web of interconnected brains running thru ESTR, whether they be insect, animal or sentient being.
Can you consult the spirits and gather location information from them as well and we can then put together a map of this city for all to use.
Also, please watch over my trance. If you need me back just shake me and call my name."
-
Smoog then settles down in a comfortable seated position to begin his psychic trip.
This time he will leave a small residual consciousness to maintain his body and act as a recall switch if needed but the majority of his mental energy assumes the tightly packed shape he had used before.
Then he whispers to a nearby mind...
-
-
Then up and out he goes, leapfrogging from brain to brain, memorizing the street layout, the important buildings such as blacksmiths, apothecarys and city hall.
He hitchhikes along each psychic vehicle; the drivers of each never knowing he was there.
If at any time he senses the Deathclaw, he steers wide of that mind.
Near the end of the trip he also plans to hijack a sparrow or other winged creature and swoop once around the city to confirm the overall layout and set his bearings true.
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Krish stares in reverence at the totem in his hands. The totem made by the spirits through him. Never before has one of the spirits acted through him so directly. He whispers into the dark, I accept your charge. I will accomplish this task, or die trying.
Krish rests only as long as is necessary to recover his strength, then is up and makes ready to depart. His face is grim behind his new mask.
Retzack stared hungrily at the kobold's sandwich but said nothing. He had already been admonished once by this kind, and did not relish a second such treatment.
Krish sees the hungry look on Retzack's face. Though he is unsure of the reason for the bitterness in the expression, he knows hunger. Nothing should be made to be hungry without a very good reason. Krish walks over to Retzack and squats beside him for a moment, then wordlessly offers one of his rations.
...Krish, Smoog, we need to know where the temple is relative to us. Figure that out....
"Spiritmaster Krish, the task of locating the Time Temple within ERST has been handed to us.
These Temples have proven to be not only a treasure trove of knowledge and ancient technology but also very defensible and would make a perfect secret base for our long-term campaign against the Longlegs.
I have a general idea of the city layout but we need a more detailed view to use in planning future missions.
-
I propose to travel the Mental Realm and secretly skip from brain to brain almost as if playing a game of Hop-the-Scotch.
There must be an endless web of interconnected brains running thru ESTR, whether they be insect, animal or sentient being.
Can you consult the spirits and gather location information from them as well and we can then put together a map of this city for all to use.
Also, please watch over my trance. If you need me back just shake me and call my name."
Krish listens to both Sees-Death and Smoog, then rises to his full height for the first time anyone has seen and looks at Sees-Death. His speech is odd when he responds; odd for Krish, that is. It has a strange rhythm and complete, proper grammar, "Sees-Death, the spirits of this place are angry beyond all reasoning. They have charged me with a task. They will not respond to anything that does not pursue this end. Until I complete their task, or die, I cannot be diverted or I risk bringing the wrath of all the angry spirits of this place upon us all. I must bind the Spirit-Eater, what you call the Deathclaw, to my will. It must be chained and controlled or no spirits in this world are safe." His voice carries authority, confidence, and clarity and no trace of the bumbling, nearly mad speech from before.
He glances around their safe haven, "Will any assist me in this task?"
"Yup, O.K., that is ominous and downright frightening.
Yet you should not go alone.
I'm not saying I will go with you but you should not go alone.
Any volunteers? Pork? Thunk?
I will join you on the surface, Krish. The Bloodmother has tasked me to scout. We will kill two pink-skins with a single trap, as the saying goes.
After having finished his last ration he looks at the empty pack with mild concern.
Bloodmother, perhaps Kibra could borrow your odd hat?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"As you wish. Though, the tiefling's talents may be of assistance to my efforts, if he maintains proper focus. I'll take responsibility for him." It was just relieving to see that Scoops had regained her sanity, but the fact that she was directing the group showed how times had changed. It was not unwelcome, though. Gorlaug knows most of this lot needed direction. And he had his.
Problem was, it left the goblin out of his means of supervision. So what should he...
For some reason, his eye fell on Krish. He hadn't had any particular feelings about the kobold before, but now...he seemed trustworthy. Very much so. The spirit-talker would likely understand his desire to watch the individual using their former vessels...and perhaps tell him whether his so-called "Instant Reincarnation" was what really happened. He seemed a suitable...
Greas was forced to abandon this thought as Krish made his speech. It seemed he wouldn't stay here. But, this also meant he may be able to acquire his help for himself. And that would be most useful, currently.
"As soon as possible, you'll have my aid. You'll want assistance to approach the Deathclaw undetected. But currently, I have a job to do. Oadir, if you would come with me, I would appreciate being able to get past the door if the tripwire cannot be handled safely on this side. And Krish, this door may lead you closer to your goal. I'm sure the spirits would be willing to tell you if this is a faster path to the creature."
Within a moment, all that can be seen is the cloak getting further away, gesturing for Oadir to follow to where the door lies. Business as usual, even now.
Sees-Death reshuffles the priorites she had set out. She doesn't want anyone in a group of less than three. "Retzack and I will watch Smoog. Go with the scouts, Kibra, Hegh and Pork. Don't take any chances. This is purely to gather intelligence. We all meet back here in two hours even if its with the very legion of fallen heroes at our backs. We make our plans for tonight when we return. I have much respect for the spiritual leaders of our kind, don't be the first to disappoint me."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"As soon as possible, you'll have my aid. You'll want assistance to approach the Deathclaw undetected. But currently, I have a job to do. Oadir, if you would come with me, I would appreciate being able to get past the door if the tripwire cannot be handled safely on this side. And Krish, this door may lead you closer to your goal. I'm sure the spirits would be willing to tell you if this is a faster path to the creature."
Within a moment, all that can be seen is the cloak getting further away, gesturing for Oadir to follow to where the door lies. Business as usual, even now.
Greas' words ring with good sense, and Krish focuses his attention on the spirit world once more, speaking what seems nonsense to the others, Angry dead, fearful spirits, help me find the quickest route to this threat.
Sees-Death reshuffles the priorites she had set out. She doesn't want anyone in a group of less than three. "Retzack and I will watch Smoog. Go with the scouts, Kibra, Hegh and Pork. Don't take any chances. This is purely to gather intelligence. We all meet back here in two hours even if its with the very legion of fallen heroes at our backs. We make our plans for tonight when we return. I have much respect for the spiritual leaders of our kind, don't be the first to disappoint me."
Krish cocks his head at her slightly. His voice is soft, but with an iron-hard core to it, "Perhaps I did not speak clearly. Sometimes my mouth tangles my words. I am not going up to the surface to gather information. I am going to face the Spirit-Eater. It devours all spirits: dead, elementals, kobold, dragon, it does not care. Devoured spirits are forever lost and destroyed. Please do not misunderstand: I mean no disrespect, and I will endeavor to return in your time limit, but I cannot be bound by it. But in this matter, Sees-Death, I am not your subject; I serve the spirits today. If the others must leave me behind, then so be it. If my path diverges from their own, then it must do so. To turn aside from this is to forsake all that I am."
Bug let you thump! Like Thump! He says after he offered the last bite of his sandwich to Retzak
Fascinating use of insects...a powerful one this will be
Thunk wanders up to Krish
Thunk go to thump things that not ghost. Ghosts be thump by Krish
Without breaking eye contact with Krish, Sees-Death adresses Hegh. "Hegh, see that Krish doesn't get any of you killed. We don't give aid to fanatics who can't work as a team."
Thunk right here.
Thunk says when Sees sends someone else
"Thunk, I told you to watch Oadir and Greas. Where is Greas now? Groups of three or more, everyone. We're not losing any of our hard-won allies. When we move to take action, I want us to be together. If Krish can't hold for two blasted hours, I don't want any more of you captured or killed because of it."
Hegh turns towards Sees.
Tanard has granted me the power to fly while burdened by one of you. Krish and I could locate the Death Claw from above, and hope his magic works from a slight distance. He looks towards Krish as if seeking confirmation. We will also be able to get a general sense of the town.
He gestures to Kibra. I cannot carry more than one.
Sees' eyes close. "It's daylight. They have crossbows. Stay out of the skies. If we've gone through last night just so you can take a bolt to the chest, so help me, Hegh! No, you know what? Thunk, you go with Krish, Pork and Kibra. Hegh, you chase down your contrary little friend and keep an eye on Oadir."
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Krish meets Sees-Death's gaze for a moment longer, then lifts one of his totems, an exquisitely carved femur decorated with blue scales and stones, "This is Skreex-Sha. She is a powerful Earth Dragon spirit that helps me to heal my wounds and the wounds of others." He lifts another, a short thick bone that gives an impression of immense strength, "This is Farsssin, the Leviathan Dragon's spirit. Many times has he held my enemies immobile while I ended them." He lifts a third, one whose carving evokes thoughts of flight, the open sky, and the power of a storm, "This is Hessai, the spirit of an ancient Steel Dragon. When I call upon her, lightning strikes my foes." He brushes his hands across the others at his waist, "Each of these, save this last one, is the spirit of a long-dead dragon. They serve us willingly in our time of need, each in their own way. If the Spirit-Eater is left to rampage, they could all be lost for all time." The last one is different, shaped like a Rook with the head of a deathclaw, "I thought, last night, I would carve another totem like these others. The spirits guided my knife, and the one that has taken up residence in this totem has offered himself that the deathclaw will devour no more spirits. I am no fanatic, Sees-Death, but this I must do. I am sorry that it has brought conflict between us."
With that he simply turns away. He nods to Thunk and checks his totems and his weapons once more. Satisfied that he is ready, he waits patiently for the others.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
A change comes over Sees, lines softening as a grin splits the hardness in her eyes. She draws Gorlaug's Wrath. "You carve bone!?" That seems to be the sum-total of what she's gotten from your speech. "I kind of messed up the first one, it works okay as a horn, but this one is so deep it doesn't make sense. A horn this size isn't really meant to shake the earth, but I carved these intricate designs the morning after Moontower Mountain erupted." The designs in the surface of the horn are deceptively well placed for a correspondence matrix. Somehow this untrained, disrespectful, downright blasphemous Kobold has managed to make the sounding of this horn hearken to the anguish and rage of Gorlaug's spirit.
Clearing her throat, she continues in a quieter tone. "No one ever really does what I tell them anyway. They'd be much safer if they did. If I'm mad, it's because I can't stand the thought of any of you in danger. You have your reasons, and I don't understand them, but I can't afford to endanger them all for your quest."