"Yes, I'm sure we're being watched. I or you can sense anything that comes near but with so many curious onlookers, how do we find the actual enemy? (perhaps Gift has some ideas?) I'm occupied with gathering food for our new group - who at least seem to be growing stronger and more confident. And I must hand it to Ari, the Strandel has provided an energy we needed. Still, I think he could teach his followers other skills as well. But we will make do."
Strandel hears the iron dragon's words of wisdom over being serviced by two Strandelelian females. The satyr gets dressed and addresses his subjects.
"My dear Strandelelians! My beautiful children! Hear Me!" The bard shouts addressing those nearby. "You all have learned my lessons well, and have made me proud. But now that you are keen on the Lessons of Procreation, I must now teach you the Lessons of Survival: so that you may fend for yourself without need of outside forces, and The Strandelelians can stand toe-to-toe with the other races of The Planes!!"
Strandel the Sublime begins to organize hunting parties to learn about the natural world around them, and how to extract sustenance from it without damaging it.
Using <Shimmer> to contact Terecho in his library plane, Terexaltherin directs his copy to start looking up what they had on agriculture and the like.
Once he's started on that the little dragon shares with the others, Hunting is only going to get them so far, I'm looking into what it's going to take to get them started on farming. It's longer-term than we can afford ourselves but it needs to be done.
As for our enemies... I think Gift's drones and I should stay on subtle surveillance as you all work with this group. We're going to get a response sooner or later, we just need to see it soon enough to ambush it before it ambushes us.
Once he's started on that the little dragon shares with the others, Hunting is only going to get them so far, I'm looking into what it's going to take to get them started on farming. It's longer-term than we can afford ourselves but it needs to be done.
The Strandelelians are fey now. They might not be keen on farming, preferring now to live in the wild. I'll bring it up to them after our wilderness training, the satyr relents over the hivemind.
Over the next day or so...
Mind-hunting the creature the Terex lost, Gift discovers the location of the underground area where they reside - it is close to the center of this city, guarded magically and physically.
The situation with the Strandelians is a bit challenging - there's enough game to sustain them in their present numbers and to even allow some expansion - but you couldn't sustain 100,000 Strandelians, which is the population you're estimating for the city.
But also, reviving conventional farming would be difficult - it would requiring determining fertile land, clearing the land and treating it. The entire process certainly would not appeal to the Strandelians and it's uncertain whether it would solve the problem. But Terex and Terecho delve into the situation, they keep coming back to the problem of the plane being drained of energy (by the worms), so it supports little authentic life and the Tarnuviens only live a sort-of half-life
And, as far as the other Tarnviens goes, your observations and the reports you hear, are that the various groups are divided - some are very friendly and as at least playing with the idea of somehow also changing, some are neutral but a few groups are hostile and talk vaguely of "counter-measures".
And Strandelians themselves quickly grasp hunting and wilderness survival even as they gain a sense of themselves and willingness to make their decisions (while remaining quite respectful to their mentor) as well as the general willfulness characteristic of the fey. They express polite disinterest in farm when Strandel brings up the subject though they are worried by the land's carrying capacity and ask Strandel if the land is indeed cursed.
Gift had found the mind and passed on the intel to the others, as they worked to help the locals. She headed back to the worms. keeping air born she studded them, taking readings and trying to map out how they works,
All passive, nothing active. She was convened that they had to be passing on the Energys they were consuming.
And Strandelians themselves quickly grasp hunting and wilderness survival even as they gain a sense of themselves and willingness to make their decisions (while remaining quite respectful to their mentor) as well as the general willfulness characteristic of the fey. They express polite disinterest in farm when Strandel brings up the subject though they are worried by the land's carrying capacity and ask Strandel if the land is cursed.
With sad eyes, the satyr asks those Strandelelians to sit and listen. "My beautiful children. The land is not cursed, but the land is nearing the end of it's life", Strandel began. "The huge worms with vexed your former selves eat much of the land's life force. Sadly, I and my fellows did not know of your plight until it was too late."
"We may..or I may be able to stable more Tarnuviens in becoming Strandelelians, but it is uncertain if the land could support more of our kind", the satyr motions to all the Strandelelians around him. "I, and my fellows, may have to find another plane for you to live on. Since you have become fey Strandelelians, I was thinking a mass migration to The First World may be the answer."Strandel goes into a story describing The First World, it's ever changing landscape, the various fairy courts, and other denizens of the plane.
We keep coming back to the fact that we have to do something about those worms, Terexaltherin states after he sums up his and Terecho's findings. Strandel's success here makes me wonder, though--might there be a way to starve them out by denying them their 'food'? Or at least weaken them. We already have something along those lines to work off of with Kolsaneosha, and now with what Strandel's accomplished here... we might be able to combine the two techniques somehow...
He turns his thoughts back to his copy, as the two confer (and Terecho researches) on how possible this might be.
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Looking down at the worms she sends over the Hive-mind
::"I was thinking the same thing Terexa. the word that keeps going around in my minds is 'Harmonics'. The worms affect some ineffable element, that gives that plane vitality and substance. In the language of science, a cosmos is formed from Vibrations, at both a sub-atomic and inter-Stella level. From cosmos spanning gravity waves to plank level Quark probability fields. At the core of it, all are Vibrations and the 'Harmonics' they form. I scanned your Labery, do you have any idea how many creation myths start a song? And exceedingly high percentage. Also, a lot of 'magic' has a semantic element, from melodies to words of power. Then the fact that Strandel 'sang' substance back into this plane. I don't know how but my instincts tell me that the worms somehow reduce the 'Harmonics' of a plane. What if they don't absorb, they 'Dammpan' and in doing so weaken the plane to the point the dark traders can come and rip it apart for what they want? It's only a basic theory but it could explain a lot if it's right. And it gives us options if we can de-tune them in some way, put them out of Harmonic balance with this plane, that could and this is a big could. Block their ability to damage it. We would need a counter resonator of some power, but if all this pans out as true then we could block them."::
She had to slow her mind send down a few times, as she was running at code speed. She hoped her ideas got over alright.
Observing the worms, Gift notices that they do seem weaker but more nervous. And with Gift, Terex and Terecho researching, it does seems logical that certain ways of manipulating, resonating, the energy absorbed (or modified) by the worms could weaken them. But where to find this resonator? One logical place in mythical/magically aligned planes is often the "area of creation". But in this world, the location is only dimly hinted at by the data you took from the library earlier - but still, the most strongly hinted location is on the opposite side of the ring surrounding the Nine Cities. A scan of this area may yield something but the area is maybe fifty miles away.
When Strandel gives his speech, one of the first Strandelians, going by Jephthenia currently, stands "Oh my lord and my love, you have taught to much and given us so much and I understand you want us safe but you have also taught to emulate the unpredictable fey as well as to love our brothers and sisters. So I say we must stay here - at least until all who wish to join us can join us. We will hunt, we will learn to eat the bramble bush if necessary, we will live on song if need-be, we're not giving up this fight" at which point the crowd shouts their boistrous agreement. At which point, Jephthenia shouts "See what you've created you lovely old goat" and attempts to occupy the eloquent satyr.
The satyr cannot help but smile as Strandel and Jephthenia embrace. 'Oh my brave children!' The bard says to the multitudes and through the hivemind. "I intend to then travel to other Tarnuviens communities, play my music and spread my teaching to them, in hopes of making more strong and beautiful Strandelelians."
"I should like to bring some of our adventurous number with us, so that the Tarnuviens can see the beautiful forms I offer to change them into and to have your help in my performance as you, too, dance and sing with me!" Strandel then leans down and kisses Jephthenia passionately.
That's an interesting way to think of it, Gift. Hmmm... we could look into the possible origin area of the plane. With what I learned back with the creation spirits we could maybe arrange a kind of counter-resonator in a significant location like that, Terexaltherin muses. But first we may want to look into that location you tracked that creature to. If they're really associated with the Dark Traders we can expect them to attack us if we start something, and I'd rather hit them first than get ambushed.
He doesn't have any comments on what Strandel's doing, since it seems to be the best that can be done until the worms are taken care of.
In the next two days... Research and preparations of the Strandelians continues. Strandel makes one trip each day - his transform process requires most of his bardic performance rounds but some portion of Tarnuviens in the area spontaneously convert (and a small portion also fall away). The group swells to 2,500. Armaund has on-hand a days worth of food.
On the third day, Strandel is set to visit a larger scene whose inhabitants have debating the situation a lot.
On that fateful third day, Strandel the Sublime and several other Strandelelians slowly approach the larger scene, making sure not to do so in a threatening manner, yet boldly stepping forward.
Once the larger scene is met, the satyr makes introductions.
"Greetings and well met, Tarnuviens. I am Strandel the Sublime, whom you must have heard of by now. As you no doubt know, I have come to offer you greater stability and happiness in new forms. These are the Strandelelians", the bard makes a sweeping motions with his hand to present the fey forms to the Tarnuviens. "They now possess enhanced vision, even in low-light, such as twilight, and a lightness of spirit and closer connect to nature. I know some of you have reservations about my assistance in your rebirth. Feel free to ask any questions of me or the Starndelelians you see before you", Strandel ended with a bow.
Terexaltherin cautiously sticks his snout into the area where the Tarnuvien who seemed suspicious retreated to, scouting around to see if he can figure out if it's just a solitary character or if they might be a Dark Traders agent. He does this while Strandel is making his big scene, thinking it would attract attention.
Terex investigating the suspicious Tarnuvien's lair, goes to the center of the city - some five miles from the party's base of operations. Moving like a shadow, he heads down a several tunnels in a large maze and finds what looks like the entrance to a Dark Trade outpost - fairly similar to what the party discovered back in Syranix.
As this is happening, Strandel and group of fifty adventurous arrive at the large scene (known as the "market square scene"), along with Armaund, Minna and whoever else chooses to come. This Tarnuvien often enacts scenes of financial dealings but it's as fleeting and varying as all the scene. After introductions, the group of about 1,000 Tarnuviens are friendly but a few have questions. These are easily satisfied except for one large creature in the back, who has taken the form of a fantastically large and fat banker, and who suddenly begins shouting "This is all a plot to steal our wealth, thieves!" and as the rest of crowd backs away, he swells to 30', grows bat wing and a multi-layered jaw, and rushes at Strandel, grabbing him in his mouth and biting him for 60 points of damage. At that point, Armaund, in human form leaps up and forces open the jaws, freeing Strandel and standing between him and the creature. Minna quickly crafts her adamantite chains into a barrier between the creature and Strandel and retreats twenty feet further backward.
The Tarnuvien from the scene flee in all directions but Standelians and rather futilely attack the horrific creature.
Gift worked with Minia, to create a little nanite virus that would infect the worms.
She spends a day, using her rail gun to shoot a single round into each worm.
::"So I have infected the worms with a small virus based on their own DNA, simply put it does them harm just turns their nervous system into a resonator reserver. And IF we ever get a reserver with the power to affect them, then we should be able to target them."::
From his super-cool superhero landing, Strandel addresses his fey children.
"How rude. Strandelelians! Stand back! Let Daddy take care of this delusional lout!"
The satyr draws his stained-glass longsword and rushes forward to leap over the barrier and attack the Moneybags Tarnuvien.
Gift had gone with the others and was tracking Terexaltherin with one of her drones. The others were buzzing around the area keeping an eye on things. But it seemed like was all going down swimmingly. So she found a nice coffee shop, hot herself a Moca-Choka- Capppchinko and was sitting relaxing when all Hell broke loose. She dropped her coffee and
::"Blast it all...."""
She kicked the seat and table over when she stood and bent her Kneese and did the opposite of a hero's landing, she jumped high and landed on the coffee shop's roof.
Going prone she leveled her rail gun at the winged beat just as Minia made her shield.
::"Well that went sideways fast, I have height and a target, keep out of my line of fire... or it could be messy."::
She then powered up disintegrate into one of her hyper denice rounds. As a small red dot came into being at the center of mass of the winded beast.
Strandel deftly jumps past the floating metal barrier but his sword bounces uselessly off the huge creature's thick hide - the barrier then instantly jumps in front of him, only to be splintered to bits by the creatures bite and one claw while the other claw and a wing slash then hit Strandel
Meanwhile, Armaund hoists his hand cannon and fires a carefully aimed shell into the behemoth's mouth and down it's throat, blasting open a hole in it's stomach but not slowing the thing down appreciably . Armaund hoarsely whispers to Strandel - "I applaud your bravery my friend but you're a lover not a fighter and it's after you. At least I've opened out a way out if it actually swallows you next time" as he moves to at least partially shield the tough and courageous satyr.
Minna shoots an adamantite bolt that also bounce off the thing and she puts a bit more distance between herself and the thing. The Strandelians do their best but to little effect. The braver of the original tarnuviens seem to watching from a ruined office building maybe a 1000 feet or a 1/4 mile away, alternately cheering for the party and the monstrosity.
Strandel gets slammed Moneybags Tarnuvien's wing and claw, but despite his damage, the satyr doesn't appear concerned.
Armaund hoarsely whispers to Strandel - "I applaud your bravery my friend but you're a lover not a fighter and it's after you. At least I've opened out a way out if it actually swallows you next time" as he moves to at least partially shield the tough and courageous satyr.
"Of course it's after me. I'm used to it", Strandel answered the iron dragon. "Thanks for making that stomach exit. Most people aren't that considerate when fighting giant monsters."
The bard taps Armaund's shoulder and casts heroism on the dragon.
1d20+13
Terexaltherin looks at the entrance warily. On the one claw, the agents were probably busy with Strandel right now, so it might be an opportunity to get in and look around.
On the other claw, it *was* a Dark Trader hideout, which meant it was dangerous no matter what.
He rather wishes his telepathy had the range to communicate with the others, but stretch as he might the little dragon can't contact them--not that he expected otherwise. So he'd just have to decide on this himself.
Well... first rule of infiltration is observation. So Terexaltherin settles in for a couple minutes to watch and listen, trying to identify every trap around the entrance and listen for any movement before he acts.
The round was tiny, just a few grames of Adamantium, but moving at 1000s of miles a second its mass was greatly increased, it bunched through the thin atmos between it and the beast in a fraction of a second, even 800' away it did not falter. As it impacted the outer shell of the tiny projectile detonated. Designed to munch through spaceship armor, the shockwave disintegrated the matter it encountered.
Once past the Armor, the inner flechette round kept going,
Cavitating its way into flesh and bone.
There was a flash and then a boom.
She reloaded and round and started to charge it.
In the city center: A couple minutes observation tells Terex the lair is from deserted - a few Tarnuviens as well as disguised undead pass in and out of the tunnel as he watches, careful to maintain 60' distance from the undead's life sense. There could be a dozen or two creatures inside.
At the scene: Gift's attack opens another large whole in the creature's hide and then the creature lifts a huge claw, simultaneously ripping Strandel's hide and tossing him into it's multijawed mouth to be bitten and swallowed to finally, indeed come out the opened by Armaund. And at that point, Armaund's next shot takes the things head entirely off...
Tarnuviens and Strandelians cheer wildly and celebrate... Armaund looks at Strandel and whispers "I'm glad your tough enough to survive your foolishness, congratulation! Lets hoist tankards once you've taught them how to make wine!
Tarnuviens and Strandelians cheer wildly and celebrate... Armaund looks at Strandel and whispers "I'm glad your tough enough to survive your foolishness, congratulation! Lets hoist tankards once you've taught them how to make wine!
The bloody and ragged Strandel gives a half-hearted chuckle to Armaund, then raises his hands above the crowd.
"ANY WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED, COME FORWARD AND BE HEALED!" The satyr cries out over the crowd. When everyone is gathered, Strandel the Sublime unleashes a wave of positive energy.The satyr channels energy a second time.
Slowly, those nearest the satyr see his wounds slowly heal and disappear.
Looking down, Strandel shakes his head and casts prestidigitation on himself, removing the blood and mucus and leaving a lavender smell upon his person.
"Alright, everyone! LET"S PARTY!"
Strandel begins to play songs of fey prince and princesses, rolling hills in The First World, fairy court intrigue and passionate love.
.
The satyr steps forward. "Armaund. I and the Strandelelians would like to formally thank you for working so hard for my new children. You surely must be tired. Please lay down and allow us to take care of your every need."
If Armaund will allow it, Strandel and a few dozen Strandelelians will ask the dragon to lay down as they massage his wings, limbs, back, neck muscles, toes, etc. It isn't long before the massages get more erotic, ultimately devolving into a 50+ orgy with the iron dragon and satyr in the middle.
SHe powers down her weapon and slings it over her back. The jumps down and walks over to the beast. She checks it is dead and takes samples to compear.
She walks over to Strandel.
:;"Your shore are more of a lover than a fighter Strandel, next time I suggest you stay back and let us deal with the big things with lots of teeth."::
She is not one for parties, so she heads off to find Terexaltherin, and see what trouble her little Dragon friend is getting himself into. Her Drones follow her.
She walks over to Strandel.
:;"Your shore are more of a lover than a fighter Strandel, next time I suggest you stay back and let us deal with the big things with lots of teeth."::
::"Hey!":: Strandel broadcast over the mindlink. ::"Nobody messes with my kids."::
Terexaltherin is rather surprised by the amount of traffic going in and out of the base. He does his best to keep track of the different individuals coming and going, though with the Tarnuvians that's rather... difficult.
Once he has a general feel for how many agents they're looking at, the little dragon carefully makes his way back outside and goes to look for the others. He finds Gift first.
We've got a pretty significant Dark Trader presence here, he tells her, sharing images of what he'd seen and his rough count. We're going to need to take care of it. The trick will be getting all of their agents, with how much they were going in and out. And we're going to have to check the other cities for them, too.
The battle excites the remaining, watching Tarnuviens and the entire group reassembles and begins a transformation leading to another 2000 recruits. Armaund is a lover of life with more stamina than any humanoid and stays for the festivities When things are done, everyone notices that the world feel more alive, plants have grown more overnight and the ever-present spiny brushes have begun to sprout berries something like blackberries.
When Gift and Minna catch up with Terex, he has determined that there are maybe 14 Tarnuviens and 6 full Dark Traders in the tunnel network along with a gate and the other elements he recognizes as part of a Dark Trader station. It's clear this world is being actively exploited by the Traders.
Looks like you're making good progress out here, the little dragon comments, keeping his thoughts about how maybe they should try to get some of them to be something other than fey to himself. But if you've already been attacked once, we'd better take care of these Dark Traders sooner rather than later. But there's six of them, we probably don't want to take them all on at once. We should try to pick some of them off while they're away from the base and then attack before they're missed, if we can.
"""Or we could just nuke them from orbit, Minna fancy helping me to make a small tactical nuke?"""
Wait! They're right in the middle of town! Under town, at that! Even a small nuke would probably collapse what's above it, and there's no way we could check and make sure everyone there is out before we set it off without warning the Dark Traders!
::"O yes the blast radius will be most of this city, and heat blast will take the rest out. But Hay we can get them all at once"::
And she winks at Terexaltherin.
Sense motive CD12 = she is pulling his wing.
::"alright, spoil-sport, we will do it your way, take them out peace meal."::
Armaund is a lover of life with more stamina than any humanoid and stays for the festivities When things are done, everyone notices that the world feel more alive, plants have grown more overnight and the ever-present spiny brushes have begun to sprout berries something like blackberries.
"Well, the evidence is clear" Strandel said, hands on his hips, examining the spiny berries. "MORE ORGIES! More orgies, means more of the food and vegetation return. Should we call all the other members of The Organization to come and have sex with all my Strandelelians. Minna and GIFT need to get in on this action. What wonders the planes hold!! We must HAVE SEX to SAVE THE WORLD! I role I was BORN to play!!"
Hah hah hah, Terexaltherin replies to Gift, a hint of genuine amusement beneath the faked annoyance. So the next question is, how do we want to go about it? Set up an ambush just out of earshot of the entrance to their base and pick them off as they come and go?
He sends Strandel a telepathic eyeroll. Okay, we really need to expand beyond this. Not everyone's so into orgies, you know? Maybe some of us should introduce them to the wonders of learning and exploration and see if some of the Tarnuviens are more attracted to that?
As the festivities among the newly recruited Strandelians continue, Strandel notices that while there is always a knot of, ah, pleasure seekers around him, the larger circle involves a wider range of activities, dancing, singling, ritual battles and all manner of ways these shape-shifters can re-engage with full experience of their senses.
Armaund, after enjoying himself with Strandel for period, moves among these other groups, teaching and playing. But still, the knot of creatures around Strandel remains the energetic center of the affair.
At the Dark Trader station... Terex, Gift and Minna maintain a hidden but thorough surveillance of the area - Dark Traders only leave or enter occasionally but allied Tarnuviens move in and out often. And them, you notice the sinister energy of those living things attracted to an undead existence... At one point, you notice three Tarnuviens, in the form muscular bird-headed humanoids, you've monitored, talking once they're a fair distance past the station... The first: "So a great gathering? The second: "Yes, it seems who this enemy is, the masters are not strong enough to confront them directly" The first: "So there are limits to their power, ha, but what is the plan. The second: "I think introduce many to the way, finally " The second: "Yes, they have withheld it from our kind too long" ...
Terexaltherin stealthily keeps up with the Tarnuviens.
We probably want to stop them before they do this, he notes to the others.
The initially bird-headed Tarnuviens leave the cave complex, shifting form several times and arrive at a two-story sized stone and metal building. They enter the rotunda, resume their bird-headed forms and go up a flight of stairs to a large, laboratory like room. They then take large bottles of nutrient that they have been carrying and "cut" it with various other substances that are kept in bottle and cases around the room. One of them "Yes, a new formula should draw a crowd and this formula should inspire anger and jealousy. We will need to get the a strong reaction to move against these 'Strandelian', whatever they might be." The second one says "But will the master give the crowd The Gift before it move?", "I doubt it, maybe to their select servants but I think they're limited in our world" The first look at the other two, "We can only assemble our tools and see. I will gather the West quadrant, you Veenon the South-East quadrant and Vornon the North-East quadrant..." and they prepare to move in different directions.
::"Well, best stop them"""
vShe also sends a drone to follow each of them
She raises her weapons and zeros in on one of the undead.
::"Say when Terexaltherin"::
During the conversation of the three bird-headed figures, Terex describes the situation and Gift ports in. Raising her weapon, she realizes these aren't actually undead but living Tarnuvien servants of the Traders (not that it makes that much difference, they have the same intentions).
Meanwhile, at the festivities, thing proceed with joy and gusto and Armaund monitors the communication. At an opportune moment, he whispers to Strandel "I hate to interrupt the ecstasy but we may soon need to think about defenses again. Perhaps be ready?"
Terexaltherin briefly considers if it might be possible to turn these Tarnuviens aside from their current path, but decides quickly that there's not enough time to try. Instead he positions himself in a good ambush spot, draws his wand, and then replies to Gift.
Wait just a moment... now!
He fires his scorching rays from ambush at one of the Tarnuviens.
Meanwhile, at the festivities, thing proceed with joy and gusto and Armaund monitors the communication. At an opportune moment, he whispers to Strandel "I hate to interrupt the ecstasy but we may soon need to think about defenses again. Perhaps be ready?"
At first, Strandel's voice becomes muffled, then the satyr moves the Strandelelian's waist out of his way. "Yeah, I suppose so", the bard gasped for air.
Standing, Strandel clapped his hands to get the majority of the other's attention. "Lovelies! Lovelies! Eye's here. Please show Armaund and I what your current defenses are."
At the party's camp: When Strandel mentions defense, the strandelians immediately begin preparations, find improvised and actual melee weapons and honing their skills with mock duels. Still, it's obvious that they may have bravery and a small amount of skill but they lack organization and real experience. Armaund does his best to organize them but his ability to get their attention in human form is somewhat limited...
Among the Tarnuvien Dark Trader Allies Terex emerges from the shadows and burns one of the bird-head figures to cinders as the other two gasp...
Gift waits for two in a line and fires, the 1st one gets the disintegration, they both get the rail round.
Gift's shot disintegrates the second of the Bird-headed figures and injures the other. Minna tosses a metal net on the remaining injured creature but it transforms into something tiny and runs through the net into another room of the building.
It's in the form of tiny lizard crawling down a pipe leading down into the sewers.
Her drone lost it, but she flipped her scope to infrared and there it was. She aimed and shoot throw the building.
She then sent 4 drones after it, to translight it.
Terexaltherin tries to keep track of the fleeing Tarnuvien, aiming to sting it if he can.
The last creature survives Gift's rail gun attack, flees down into the deserted sewers and takes the form of a large rat to continue - but once Terex catches up and stings it, it fall unconscious and takes it's true form - a fairly standard tarnuvien.