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1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend. If you disappear for more than 24 hours, especially during combat, I will simply place your character on infinite delay just to keep things moving.
2) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.
3) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same. Real life happens, and real life will always take priority over the game, but out of fairness for your fellow players, please let us know if you will be unavailable for an extended period of time.
4) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.
5) Let's have some fun! After all, that's what we are here for.
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Your adventure begins in Anthusis, capital of Vidrian in the Mwangi Expanse. You are currently in the Broad Captain Inn, a favorite gathering place for aspiring adventurers, mercenaries, and sailors due to its low prices, decent fare, and a meticulously maintained bulletin board displaying job opportunities and upcoming events. You are seated at a table, finishing a decent meal with a complimentary mug ale when you see two people walk up to the board to read a prominently displayed scroll.
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"You don't even have a butt, why do you insist on having a chair?"
You see a well-dressed human male seated at a table next to an octopus-like creature that has draped themselves over a chair. The creature gurgles back in a strange dialect of Mwangi.
The human laughs and passes the creature a roll. "You don't eat either! You are correct though, Ecthelion, you are not a pet and you can certainly sit at the table whenever you wish."
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Rather than focusing on the meal, a male half-elf with nearly a dozen scrolls sticking out of his backpack sits at the table, appearing to read a book. The book is large, a veritable tome, and extravagantly decorated with gold leafing on its black cover and spine. Oddly, the pages appear blank, but the half-elf seems totally consumed by starting at it.
Upon seeing the scroll appear, "Is that a scroll? What spell is on it? Can I see it?" he says quickly as he pulls out a pen and parchment.
His attention is then grabbed by the strange octopus-like creature, "Oh! You must be a summoner! Can I get a sketch of the symbol that connects you? Tell me, how does it feel to use your magic? I have a theory that the way you become better at magic involves siphoning off energy from the lower degree access points inside your body. Right now is the most peculiar point in my theory because you have no excess energy to direct to the eidolon...yet it remains here on this plane. I have yet to discover an explanation for where the energy comes from."
He then looks back down at his book for a moment, "Yes, yes, I know you can tell me all the greatest secrets of magic, but I need to learn and document them for science."
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From one of the tables stands a nearly 7 ft tall gnoll. His fur is short and stripped his jaws look a bit and with plenty of sharp and strong teeth. On his back, he carries a long composite bow and a quiver of arrows. He stops and looks at the octopus and responds in mwangi
"You not only speak but use the language that I know." he chuckles for no particular reason. ANd sits next to Giles. "Where did you find it? In one of the swamps? I hunted a bit but never found a creature like that?"
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He's a big un. Wide and round and tall. A green paunch pokes out from underneath his shirt.
"Why I do declare, it is right shiny here in the Mwangi. Back in Nirmathas, they think us Oxcatchers are nothing but cattle rustlers and horse thieves, and that's a damn sight better than they think most of us orc-blooded individuals." He fans himself as he drinks his tea. "Here, they don't object so much to a half-orc individual such as myself."
"Now, I say, I say, that there octopode yonder sitting at the bar. Is that common in these here parts?" he says to no one in particular. He's not the type to not say a thought that passes through his head.
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"Well Ecthelion it appears you have a lot of fans here."
Ecthelion turns to each of the interested folks and gurgles excitedly.
a small sliver of power from the astral plane directly? You may sketch the symbol if you'd like"
Giles turns to the gnoll. "Well I'm not sure, I was absolutely lost in the middle of the jungle and was delirious when Ecthelion first contacted me. I'm not positive he is a traditional "creature" since he does not seem to be alive in the usual sense."
He looks around at the quickly filling table. "I'm Giles Morningstar the second, by the way. It's nice to meet you all. Everything seems to be getting busy here due to some kind of fishing tournament coming up."
Giles attempts to flag down a barmaid for another drink.
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Tural begins sketching the mark that appears on the tentacle, "Interesting. You do know this is an Eidolon, right? I'm sure you do, and you're right, they are not really "creatures" as we usually think of. Rather, they are raw essence given form in the shape of a creature that is bonded to a particular person of magical talent, the "summoner," which would be you." Tural says, pointing with his pen.
Tural then consults his blank book, "I believe that this is either a beast type made of life essence or a construct made of arcane essence. The exact nature is a bit hard to pin down just by looking at it, though I suppose you could try asking it. I would, but I don't speak Mwangi...hmm, now that I think about it, tentacles are often prevalent in occult eidolons as well. Truly a mystery worth solving." Tural says as he consults his book once again, "We don't have a mission, right? Let me run some tests on Ecthelion, and I'll be sure to find out what type it is."
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Ecthelion pulls his tentacle back. Giles and Ecthelion both looking a little worried. "I don't think there's any need for experimenting. We're doing just fine." Ecthelion appears to nod in agreement.
Giles tries to change the subject "Maybe we can find a mission." He glances around for something and sees Amelia at the notice board. He calls over to her. "Hi, uh, excuse me miss. Did you say there's a fishing tournament?"
Then he looks back at the new acquaintances around the table. "I know almost nothing about fishing, but let's try that tournament? Of course I'd probably need some help." He looks around at the rest of the table raising his eyebrows in question.
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Tural nods, "Got it, no problem! Let me know if you want answers, and keep in mind that I never utilize any process of experimentation that involves intentional or consequential harm to any subjects." with that, he returns to reading his blank book.
When the leshy enters and makes a statement, Tural looks up again, "Please tell me you're not bringing incendiary effects to this group." he says as he holds his book behind him, "My Grimiliar is very valuable and also intensely flammable, please be careful around it." a flash of recognition appears on his face, "Wait, are you a leshy? I highly doubt you are aligned with incendiary effects, though it tends to exist inside the same tradition of magic that animates you." he says with a slight pause, "Although, I will admit, my experience with natural magic is quite limited, and I usually ask my Grimilar for data on the matter. Is there any chance you have an affinity with natural magic? No? Do you mind placing one of your limbs carefully on this page here in my Grimilar?" Tural says as he opens the book from one blank page to a different one and pushes it towards Connall.
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A tall Mwangi woman with dark hair and a red headband lets out a booming laugh, "Think you can do better this time, Demed?"
"Better than you and your crew? Certainly!" retorts a slender Mwangi man, who pulls out a notebook as he walks to his seat.
The woman snorts derisively before joining him at a table. "If you can avoid falling into the water, that would already
be an improvement."
"I think you forget that my crew is the only one that managed two victories in a row, sis," the man boasts. "This year we’ll do even better, and you’ll eat your words before the day is over."
The siblings smile widely at each other, a fierce love for competition burning brightly in their eyes.
You confirm what the twins say and also know that the waters around Anthusis teem with all kinds of sea life, giving competitors ample opportunities to show off to the crowd.
Noticing that some of you had also checked out the tournament announcement, both siblings turn to you:
"Demed and I participated in the last four tournaments are we are currently tied at 2 victories apiece. Last year, Demed took the early lead with one of his elaborate contraptions. But then it malfunctioned and he and his entire crew went flying into the sea!"
"We love the Silverscales Tournament because you not only can win by catching the most fish, but you can impress the judges as well!"
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Buford leans on one cheek and releases some gas. "I say now that's a little flammable, son." He chuckles at himself.
"Oh, I'm very impressive," Buford says patting himself on his stomach.
He turns to look at Tural and his book, "Hey, now there, boy, that book there doesn't any pictures, I say. Any words. What can you be doing there with a blank book, boy?"
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Tural first responds to Buford, "I'm so glad you asked! You see, my mentor recently traveled to Irrisen and met with an old witch named Baba Yaga. She gave him this grimoire, but he also thought the pages were blank. When he returned, he lent me the book to see if I could figure out what it was. Almost immediately, the book began speaking to me, not out loud, but with writing only I could see. It helps me study magic and provides various tidbits of lore when I need them." he then snaps his fingers and causes three mugs on the table to grow tiny legs and start dancing for a moment, "Now I can do that and, after further study, I realized that this grimoire is also a kind of unique familiar. "Grimiliar" is a portmanteau of grimoire and familiar; a word of my design."
After hearing about the fishing competition, Tural looks up, "Last I heard, the lake was empty due to magical anomalies. Tell me more about the fish you've caught here." Tural says before looking back down at his book, "What do you mean you lied to me as a joke? This is why I don't trust you and have to run my own experiments."
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Giles listens to the siblings squabble a turns back to his companions. "There are all sorts of creatures in the waters nearby. I'm sure there would be plenty of opportunity to catch something strange. Although I'm still not sure how we would go about it or how we would impress some judges while doing it.
He grimaces and covers his nose. "Buford! that is vile."
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"I am Gnavy" introduces himself to the Giles. When he hears that the man has no experience with fishing he grabs his bow.
Gnoll jumps on a chair and speaks
"Fishing is easy, you grab a bow" he reaches for an arrow and aims at the ground, standing on the chair
"Then when you see a fish you need to aim, and wait for the right moment" he chuckles in his hienna like voice and puts the chair off balance.
Then he shoots and falls to the ground laughing like a mad man.
"Easy!"
"You could build a more stable boat to be able to bowfish or spearfish from the water."
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The journey from the inn to the Lower Harbor takes two hours due to the crowds converging along the rocky cliffside path leading down to the harbor. Once they arrive at the docks, you can make their way past the gathered crowds to join the other participants and locate a fishing spot. As stated in the announcement, there’s limited space in the event. By the time you arrive, the contest only has room for one more team, so you must participate in the event together.
The docks creak under the weight of the crowd. Mwangi and Chelaxian citizens stand shoulder to shoulder in the midday sun, waiting for the excitement to begin.
The contestants stand in line with their teammates, waiting for the signal to claim their fishing spots. Some aspiring anglers seem to have already chosen their spot, while others are carefully scanning the waters for a glimpse of the glimmering scales that give the tournament its name. Tall and imposing, Deka stands out from the crowd as she inspects her reinforced grappling hook. To her right, Demed hurriedly jots down notes before telling his crew to be ready to cast.
A silver-haired Zenj woman wearing a judge’s colorful sash raises her hands to silence the crowd. With a warm smile, she utters a single sentence that unleashes a flurry of activity.
"FIND YOUR STATION!!"
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Tural looks up and notices that everyone seems to be leaving, "Unexpected outcome. I should follow my fellow agents to determine if they require my insight for their future endeavors."
Looking around, Tural identifies two locations, "My grimiliar states that a good spot would be there, but this place here has water, so it's likely as good as any other. I believe fish...live in water? That sounds right."
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The party manages to find a great spot. As you set up, the judges explain the rules:
The tournament plays out over the course of four rounds, each representing about 15 minutes of activity. During every round, each one of you can attempt a single skill check to contribute to the team’s success.
Examples:
Deception to distract other competitors
Performance to impress the crowd
Crafting to build elaborate traps
Survival/Fishing Lore for using bait/lures
Stealth to grab fish w/o disturbing water
Other skills possible as long as you can explain what you're doing
Be Creative
If you use the same skill from the previous round, you do so at a -2 penalty as both the crowd and judges are looking for entertainment as well as a display of skill.
You may use an attack roll to 'attack' the fish. Weapons that do piercing damage (melee and ranged) incur no penalty. Melee weapons that do slashing/bludgeoning damage incur a -2 penalty. Ranged weapons that do slashing/bludgeoning damage miss automatically.
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Ecthelion points a tentacle at Tural and one at Gnavy and gurgles at Giles.
Giles rolls his eyes "Well, I guess I could, but I don't think there is enough time for tutorial lessons. His face lights up with an idea. "Oh!, hey lets go try and find a big net. Maybe we can help with quantity of fish instead of quality."
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Gnavy pulls out his bow and with his sharp eyesight, shoots a fish. Tural builds a simple fish trap and successfully catches some large fish. Meanwhile, Giles tries creating his own fish trap but its complexity makes it too cumbersome. It's back to the drawing board for him. Amelia tries distracting the crowd, but after a while, the crowd just ignores her. Connall dives into the water and tries to swim after the fish, but they are too fast and escape. Buford casts his line into the water but no bites.
Suddenly, Demed shouts, "Deka, your lines!"
Four lines snap in quick succession, causing those nearby to yell in surprise and frustration. While the crew hurries to pull the remaining line, Deka points at a dark shadow in the water.
"Not him again! He almost ruined my chances last year!"
The shadow belongs to Linesnapper, a young tiger shark attracted by the large number of fish in the area.
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Connall sees the shadow of Linesnapper and dives in. The water boils as Connall and Linesnapper battle in the water, no obvious hint as to who's winning. Suddenly Connall emerges victorious, dragging the massive fish out of the water and onto the dock. A loud cheer erupts as the judge declares Connall's catch the biggest catch.
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Deka curses her luck, inspecting the damage. "Almost all of our lines snapped, and we're out of spares," she growls.
With an angry sigh, she grabs her grappling hook and nods to the robust Chelaxian man holding the team's only remaining line.
"Never give up, right?" asks the man with a grin.
"Never give up," agrees Deka, hoisting her grappling hook