Doug's Strength of Thousands Campaign

Game Master Doug Hahn

If guidance helps, I cast it on myself.

"Come along little chicks!"

Wisps makes a swaddle for the chicks out of her shawl.

Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 + 1 if guidance is allowed

Wisps swaddles the chicks, which huddle together for warmth. At first, the ones from Seydou's stall don't seem to get along with the ones from Makena's stall, but they work it out in the end.

Success! All chicks make it back healthy!

☀☀☀

Back at Spire Dorm, Esi and Haibram accept all the chicks. Great work! Was there any leftover gold, or did these cost all 20 gold?

Anchor Root and her own chicken are here. Anchor glances at the chicks swaddled in the shawl. She taps Esi on the shoulder. Ummmmm… sorry. Two of those aren't Ojofiri Chickens. Sorry. Did you mean to get a variety? She strokes one of the chicks Chimwemwe and Akoril bought. It's a good little chicken… but the color is a little dark. Sorry. Ummmm… it's hard to tell the difference.

Esi tsks. You should be wary of tricks in the future, o! She pauses. But you have still done well. Five authentic Ojofiri Chickens will please farmer Bisola.

What're we gonna do with the fakes? Asks Haibram. Bit young ta eat, but maybe we can raise 'em an cook 'em! Anchor Root's eyes water and she runs out of the room. He own chicken squawks and runs after her.

Ahh, dang it. Haibram blushes. Was only a joke… kinda. He kicks the ground. Maybe we outta think of somethin' else…

"We have six gold left. Perhaps we could raise the additional chickens for eggs?"

Wisps carefully pulls the chicks out of the swaddle.

Chimwemwe flushes and looks away at Esi's mild scolding. "I'd be happy to build a warming hutch to raise them," he offers. "Once they're bigger, they'll need something outside."

”If nothing else, I’ve heard chicken blood is useful for all kinds of magic and rituals. Probably their bones too.”

"True," Chimwemwe agrees with a nod a Soomdevi. "However, I have had some success--some more than others, mostly less--using sustainably harvested or found reagents as an alternative in my techniques."

Akoril tries to give himself too much credit "See, I was worried they were too dark, not worried enough I guess."

"You're right, I should have listened to you," Chimwemwe says sheepishly. "I wrongly assumed the trader would know his wares best."

Akoril looks back sheepishly "Sorry Chimwemwe, wasn't trying to make you feel bad, I just made the comments about the color to help us get a discount."

Haibram will take the chicks to the farmer, and for now, you can build them a small warming hutch with Chimwemwe's help. That night the dorms are quiet. It's cold and rainy out, and everyone — like the chicks in their warming hutch — seems interested in keeping to themselves in their cozy rooms.

☀☀☀

The next day after breakfast you meet Esi again for your next Prerequisite task. Morning, o! Esi bobs her umbrella in greeting. It’s only me today, I’m the only one of us who plans to join the Tempest-Sun Mages. That’s the branch that defends Nantambu and the people around the city from outside threats, big and small. Today, you’re going to help us with a very small threat. Some gremlins have gotten into one of the school’s storage rooms. I want you to get them out without harming them. I have been told they are pugwumpis, o.

I mean it, o. Esi adds with emphasis. They’re sour little pests, but they haven’t done anything except throw some jars around and be obnoxious. The Magaambya doesn’t approve of killing anyone just because of who they are. A student was even expelled because of it, just before I came here.

Between you and me, I don’t think anyone will mind much if you gave one or two a whack to the head, but get them out of the storage room and release them off the grounds—really, it’s probably best to release them outside of Nantambu entirely.

You don't have to go right away; the Tempest-Sun mages fight smarter, not harder! You have access to the school resources such as the library for a bonus on recall knowledge, example.

"Does anyone know anything about gremlins or, hmm, or pugwampis?" Chimwemwe asks his cohort, stumbling over the unfamiliar name. "If not, we should learn about them beforehand."

Soomdevi shakes his head.

"I don't have a clue, but if they've got that much energy, maybe we can put them to use some other way? Like, is there a garden around that needs weeding or the rocks pulled out?"

Akoril stops by and checks on the chicks before breakfast.

---

Akoril suggests "I've been eager to check out the library since we got here. Lets check that out and see if we can find some historical song to lead the gremlins out before we resort to hitting them with sticks."

The chicks are doing well; Anchor Root is there giving them their breakfast worms. She dashes away to when her fellow gnoll enters, but just for a moment the shy gnoll pauses. Ummmmm… its really nice of you to check on the little ones, too. She gives Akoril a rare smile. Its big and bright. With that, she’s gone.

☀☀☀

Archhorn Library is carved from a massive, tilted slab of granite. Its curved shape is evocative of a horn laid upon its side. The windowless facade is carved with artistic scrollwork rendered from the languages of Garund. At the building's top shines a mirrored dome that must contain a planetarium.

Inside, the first level is comprised of a maze of smaller collections, decorated with colorful frescoes made by local artists and often featuring Old Mage Jatembe himself and his Ten Magic Warriors; they are pictured spreading knowledge and teaching rather than fighting battles. The study rooms are full of old mahogany desks, overstuffed chairs, and the smell of old and well-loved books. The cavernous main hall on the second floor is ten levels high, filled with books from floor to ceiling and lit with skylights. Gracefully winding stairways carved from green-veined marble wind like ivy along the shelves. Floating platforms built of glass and mithral are available to any who need assistance reaching the heights.

There are not only students and visiting scholars here, there are many locals about — farmers, merchants, businesspeople make use of the library's resources and free classes. Knowledge shared here, for one and all.

An attendant wearing a mask carved like a halibut helps you find the wing dedicated to common Fey creatures. There is a relatively small section about Pugwumpi studies. Nevertheless, there is a surprising amount of scholarship on the topic. It will take you at least an hour to sort through it all.

Go ahead and make a Nature check or Gremlin Lore check, with a +2 circumstance bonus.

Chimwemwe's eyes widen as they walk into the library, impressed with the artistry. However, when they reach the second floor, his jaw hangs open in amazement. "I have never seen so many books."

It takes true effort for the Lirgeni to stay on task as the knowledge held within the prodigious library is powerfully tempting. However, he drives himself on task and pours into the available tomes and scrolls on the pugwampi.

"This building. I have seen it before, long ago I believe, on some previous visit to Nantambu. I was told it was built by one of the Magic Warriors, White Bull. I think there was significance in the reflection of the dome."

Figuring the other students are more suited to the research than he is, Soomdevi wanders off to look for sequential art books (comics!).

He asks for directions, adding, ”How do students check books out here?”

Chimwemwe yawns widely. "Sorry," he apologizes to the others. "Still acclimating to a diurnal schedule." As he watches as Soomdevi slips away, he thinks to himself, We'll spend years in this library. The metal plates of his bronze armor pinch and squeeze him. Hopefully, not always in armor.

Curling Wisps of Smoke Reliava's Magaambya Lore (T): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Wisps gasps.

"White Bull's library! So very many stories contained inside."

Curling Wisps of Smoke Reliava's Nature (T): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 2 = 26

"I have heard of pugwampis before."

Soomdevi is directed to the Sequential Art wing, which contains bound books from various artists across Garund, as well as picture scrolls full from a distant empire called Minkai. These scrolls are meant to unroll from right to left.

There are many kinds of stories here, from children’s tales to history to literary fiction for adults… so many to choose from…

☀☀☀

The attendant gives each of you a horn-shaped bead carved from magically-hardened granite; they will allow you to borrow a book from the main collection for two weeks at a time.

☀☀☀

You learn that pugwampi dog-faced gremlins who cause misfortune to others nearby; they have an obsessive love of gnolls.

Wisps With the crit! finds a tome titled ”Conditioning by Sight & Sound: Semiprecious Metal Aversion as a Tool for Mitigating Humanoid-Fey Conflicts” — it’s all about how gremlins and some other fey have an aversion to small bells made of semiprecious metal.

"So we need to arm ourselves with copper or bronze cowbells?" Chimwemwe asks for clarification from the anandi. Looking to Akoril, he wonders aloud, "If their adoration for gnolls bears true and universal, do you think you could leverage that to negotiate with them?"

Akoril strokes his chin, much more common with Elven than Gnoll culture. "I could try, but I've never been especially persuasive."

The bells might help keep fey from returning to an area as a more permanent solution, as well. If you can think of anyone nearby who sells trade goods, that is.

"Perhaps Xhokan has some bells at the Powderpile."

You exit the library, checking out whatever books you like. Off-stage

At the Powderpile, Xhokan shows you your beads added to his fantastic collection. Good work. What can Xhokan do for the newest initiates?

Soomdevi checks out the first volume of The Vampire Butler, a comic from Minkai about a young man trying to maintain his humanity working for a wealthy vampire. The book is a translation, but the publisher kept the left-to-right pagination of the original!

"It seemed interesting," Soomdevi says sheepishly. "Besides, we don't get much of this stuff in Bloodcove."

At the Powderpile, Soomdevi hands over the bead he'd been working on, a skull with vampire fangs.

"It's whatever," he says of the bead.

"We need bells made from semiprecious metals. Maybe copper?" Chimwemwe answers Xhokan. "We need to exorcise a pugwampi infestation in the school's storage rooms. Do you have any in stock? Bells. Not pugwampis."

Akoril half ponders out loud "Isn't brass more traditional?"

Xhokan whistles at Soomdevi's skull. Well. That is… something. He seems impressed and adds it to his strings.

Gremlin Bells? Yeah, I got those. But brass isn't traditional, truth be told. The old tales say that gremlins fear the bells of silver or gold. I should say, most bells lack any genuine gremlin-repelling power, but most gremlins believe this superstition and avoid strings of valuable-looking bells anyway.

He provides you with a string of silver bells for free, since it is a school project. The school reimburses me for project expenses. Just sign this receipt, please.

"Must be a translation error," Chimwemwe murmurs. "Thank you for the education." He signs the receipt. "How much would a string normally cost? I might want one to guard my room from reprisal."

He tinkles a silver bell. Five silver per bell.

You acquire bells for the barn, and perhaps some for your own room or the dorms, and make your way to the barn. Map updated; I added a note for the Archorn Library too.

The storage barn consists of a main area and six rooms. A broom handle stuck sideways through infested storage room’s door keeps it jammed shut. Clearly, someone is trying to contain the Pugwumpi to only one room.

I have added a "Tactical maps" slide link to my byline. We'll use that for battlemaps.

Please let me know who opens the door to lead the way in, rearrange yourselves in the order you want, any other preparations you're making, etc. You certainly have time to revise/ modify your plan if you want, which seems to be "Ask Akoril to talk to them and use bells to scare them if needed"

Chimwemwe walks over to the door, a strand of silver bells in one hand, and places his free hand upon the broom. "Do you feel up to entering on your own, Akoril? Or do you want me to lead the way?"

If Akoril takes the lead, my door-opening routine would be to unbar the door, open the door, take cover behind the door. Else it's cast shield, unbar, open.

Soomdevil takes a bell. He likes to be intimidating sometimes.

Alrinkiri moves next to the door, pressing themselves against the wall to hide their presence from any pugwampis inside so they can get the drop on their prey should things turn hostile. Avoid Notice.

Skoril shrugs "I'll give it a try"

Akoril is ready to go forward with the 'plan.'

Chimwemwe pulls open the door and takes cover — not a moment too soon as two jars whizz through the air and shatter on the nearby wall. An eyeball that had been pickled in formaldehyde slides towards your feet.

Inside you see a trio of sunrods that have spilled out of a gnawed barrel, illuminating the chamber with bright light. Broken jars litter the floor. You hear a spooky voice coming from behind a clay jar under a table:

Undercommon THIS IS THE BIG SCARY BARN GHOST! NO STUCK-UP WIZARDS ALLOWED! GET OUT! Another jar shatters against the wall… whatever was inside, it smells terrible. The Scary Barn Ghost laughs… it sounds like it's coming from several places at once.

It repeats its message in Gnollish.

All of you can see three pugwumpis hiding behind the various odds and ends; Wisps notices a fourth one — the only one who seems even a little competent at hiding — under the table, behind a clay jar. This is the pugwumpi who's speaking.

Not rolling initiative yet, but we may depending on your next actions.

Akoril steps forward and responds in Gnollish "Uhhh, we have come to offer you u... upgraded lodgings, appropriate for your standing."

deception?: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

Wisps doesn't speak either language, but she does walk over toward the one hiding behind the clay jar and gestures toward her friend, as if to say, 'listen to us'.

Moved you on the maps

When the pugwumpi finally take full note of Akoril, they freeze in place. Then they grovel on the ground.

Gnollish Please forgive us, powerful gnoll! It was only a joke! They squeeze their eyes shut, turning off their unlucky auras. We are sorry, we didn't know you were here. We thought it was only dumb big-head wizards! Please do not test us with promises of houses we know we deserve nothing from you. The pugwumpi crowd around their new gnoll friend, wanting to be near him.

Wisps and Soomdevi notice a trap door in the floor, poorly concealed among the mess.

Chimwemwe peeks around the door to see the obsequious pugwampis gathered around Akoril. His eyebrows rise. So far so good.

Wisps gestures toward the trap door.

"Can you ask them what is down here?"

The fey bare their teeth at Wisps and Chimwemwe.

Gnollish What are those snooty wizards saying? Can we smash up more of their dumb stuff? C'moooon… it's fun! They are clearly trying to change the subject from the trap door.

It's apparent they only speak two languages: Undercommon and Gnollish.

Soomdevi rings his silver bell and, in undercommon, says, ”Get away from that trap door!” as sternly as he can.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Akoril looks to his companions "I don't think that's a good idea, let me just get them out of here."

Turning to the gremlins "Come now, they're starting to get suspicious of the..." Akoril nods subtly/not subtly towards the trap door before continuing "If you break too many of their things they won't be afraid to use their big magic that breaks all things. Follow me outside, ya?"

If you're scared of big stuck-up wizard magic we should be too! They gather around Akoril, hiding in his shadow and making rude gestures at Soomdevi. Make him put the bells away, and we follow!

Akoril seems to be safe, so Chimwemwe backs away from the door. The fingers of his free hand twitch and drift toward the pouch holding his puzzle box, but he forces himself to keep his hand free just in case a fight with the gremlins breaks out.

Alrinkiri crouches down into a predatory position, ready to pounce if the gremlins make a wrong move on their way out the door.

Soomdevi snarls and menaces the bells. Soot ducks under the hood and out of sight.

"Don't make me ring this bell again," Soomdevi says.

Skoril shakes his head "Lay off the bell and stay back for now."

Before turning to the gremlins "Come on, they'll leave us to go outside."

and Akoril leads them outside.