GM Qronos's Strength of Thousands Campaign

Game Master Qronos

Much saunters over, grabs and downs a drink, before turning back to the game.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Even at a glance she realizes this is not a game she is familiar with. While she is not dressed in anything nice, she does her best to mimic Laesah's ploy. She leans in close to Okoro
"Okoro, I'm not familiar with this game, could you be a dear and explain it to me?"

Diplomacy to get some help understanding this game.: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Regardless of that outcome, Much bends her mind to understanding the game before her.

Understanding the game: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Playing the game: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Okoro nods and says, "Well, the gist of it is we're all Pathfinder agents searching through a tomb for an artifact. One of us is secretly an Aspis operative, trying to get the artifact out first, but even they don't know that at the start of the game. They are a magical sleeper agent, activated by... something... At some point, there is a lich to deal with." By now, even Okoro looks confused by his description of the game.

"I know I love the concept, but I'm honestly a little baffled for how to play. Which is part of the fun! It's going to be totally worth it once we figure it out."

Even this bit of somewhat confusing explanation is enough to give you all a +1 circumstance bonus on your roll to decipher the rules.

Much, you don't think you've mastered the game by any stretch, but you have a good enough handle to play it when the time comes.

Society or Occultism? Grrrrrrreat.....

"Unh-hunh..." Laesah listens idly, twirling a long strand of her hair in a decidedly-distracting kind of way as she concentrates on Okoro.

To understand: 1d20 + 0 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 0 + 2 + 1 = 9

"Yeah, I think I see how to play," Laesah slowly intones, indicating clearly that she has no clue how to play.

To play: 1d20 + 0 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 0 + 2 = 19

She then sculls her second cup of potionwine.

Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"Okoro, lovely, you need to dance with meeeeeeee......"

Laesah begins rhythmically swaying her hips to an unheard melody.

Diplomacy Check, Buzzed: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 1 = 25

Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Oy vey.

Assuming these checks count as knowledge checks (if not, please modify by +2:
Occultism to understand the rules, potionwine penalty, circumstance bonus: 1d20 + 5 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 - 2 + 1 = 11
Occultism to play the game, potionwine penalty: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 2 = 19

"Hey, this isn't bad at all!" The catfolk downs the rest of his potionwine and quickly refills his mug.

Haunt is the most annoying type of game player: he doesn't understand the rules at all and doesn't care, but all of his rolls are hot. Pure luck, but...

The amurrun leans over and whacks Okoro on the shoulder, just a little too hard. "Hey, look at that! I'm a natural!"

Maddox stands next to Haunt and watches the explanation of the game, holding his glass of potionwine without drinking it. He side-eyes Haunt, worried, after watching him drink and decides to set his glass down on the table. He turns his attention back to the game with interest.

Society to understand: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 1 = 16

Society to play: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Maddox excitedly looks at Okoro, "What do you think? Did I do it?" he asks.

Much struggles mightily, and the game seems hopelessly beyond her. Laesah and Haunt don't have much thought behind what they do, and while they make some good rolls they struggle to manage solid contributions to the game overall.

Okoro winds up being the sleeper agent, but doesn't get very far. Maddox is on top of things from the first roll of the dice, and even when the dice fail him, his strategy makes up for it. The android has an instinctive understanding of the most broken parts of the rules, and exploits them instantly. Soon, there is no stopping him, and Maddox carries the team to victory, finding and eliminating Okoro's sleeper agent almost single-handedly.

The normally intensely competitive Okoro doesn't seem to be bothered by the loss. He's completely wrapped up with Laesah's dancing. As soon as the game ends, he quickly shakes Maddox's hand and mutters "Good game," his eyes fixed on Laesah the whole time. He's two drinks in, but doesn't seem to be showing many ill effects, and goes to quickly grab another round for himself and Laesah so they can get to dancing.

While he's gone, Noxolo and Tzeniwe slide over. Tzeniwe chuckles ruefully and says, "Your timing is impeccable, Laesah. Noxolo was just showing me some dance moves. Much, you should join us! Let's have the girls take over this dance floor."

"The Kholo don't dance per se, but I think you will appreciated this."
Much steps to the center of the dance floor, her bulk naturally clearing a space. She scans the room for Anchor Root, hoping her diminutive sister is somewhere around to join her as honor demands, the whole time combing her memory for the precise rhythm of necessary for Kholo war jumping.

Lore: Warfare: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
With the pattern firmly in mind, Much begins to jump as high and as smooth as she can
High Jump: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
I have to carry this weight higher.
Much digs deep.
A failed high jump is still a normal jump, Much just wants to go higher. Hero point reroll
High Jump: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
After a series of jumps rising higher and higher above the crowd, Much lands in a heavy, panting crouch of a crescendo.
Bad-ass kholo climax crouch, i.e. Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

The crowd goes silent as Much leaps around the room, landing in a terrifying display. Okoro stumbles backward and the drink he was holding out towards Laesah sloshes and spills on her dress. After a beat, the silence is broken by Mariama, who screams another obscenity in kholo and smashing her drink to the floor, leaping gracelessly around the room, slamming into some of the partygoers. She hits Haibram and they both go down in a heap, laughing. Noxolo's eyes roll back into her head and she begins an artistic interpretation of Much's dance, beautiful though less athletic. The crowd claps along to the rhythm of the dance.

Tzeniwe smiles serenely. "Much, that was amazing. I felt my heart skip a beat. I don't know where you get the energy." She furrows her brows and champs her teeth together twice, a gesture known to anadi as concerned concentration, and turns to Laesah. "Here, let me help you with that mess. Some boys can't hold their drink, though that won't stop them trying to fill your hand with one."

She mutters an incantation, and begins to magically clean Laesah's garment.

I'm not about to let someone out jump ME on the dance floor!

Laesah seems not to notice Okoro's spill, or even Tzeniwe's assistance at cleaning her garment. With a sudden burst of energy, Laesah's garments and her form go fuzzy as the young anadi leaps high into the air from a curious avian pose.

Ki Rush. Crane Stance. Quick (High) Jump.

Athletics Check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

At this point, lots of people are jumping around. Much is jumping scarily, Laesah is scraping the rafters, Noxolo has a subtle grace, and Mariama is just basically moshing. Hatsi and Ignaci have joined in, but they are mostly dancing together. A'mino storms off, grabbing two potionwines on the way out the door. Okoro keeps trying to dance with Laesah, but finds himself dancing with Tzeniwe more often than not.

This party is wrapping up, but we'll leave things open for today in case anyone wants to do any more RP.

The party wraps up and Okoro greets you on the way out the door.

"Thanks for the game," he says. "Maddox, you are a force. You'd better come back so I can beat you." He glances at Laesah but struggles to hold eye contact. "And thanks for the dances, Laesah. That was... You're really something." Okoro chugs his potionwine, looking flushed, then disappears to grab another.

Tzeniwe approaches Much and Laesah afterwards and says, "You two have so much energy! Esi and Anchor Root help me with my little ones. Is there any chance I could ask for help from you two as well? I'm sure the kids would love to see some new faces. You don't need to answer now, but please think about it."

The next day, you are awakened by a blood curdling scream. Anchor Root is in the hall, crying. "Pelaksana is gone! Help me, please!"

Laesah has, at the point the party wraps, had a few further potionwines resulting in the expected outcome of gross inebriation.

”J5mp!! L3tz a11 Jum4 summooor! Watterryu on ab0uut, Zin-w3y?! Babys4t dooteez?!”

She’s momentarily overcome by a fit of hiccups, then wanders off from the dorms onto one of the campus green spaces. Laesah practices her “jumping” (more like rhythm-less thrashing) for a few minutes before curling up in a ball on the grass ”f0r juzt a SwE3t nappy t1Me…”

In the morning, wherever Laesah wakes up, she does so bolt-upright in a panic.

”POTIONWINE! I needed to get some for Teacher Koride! ohhhhhh my head….”

She then lays back down until she hears Anchor Root screaming, and then tries to lay down some more.

Much wakes up to screams, face down in a groggy haze.
She is not entirely sure she didn't eat Pelaksana. Scanning her room and finding neither feather nor bone, she stumbles out into the hallway.

Anchor Root sees Much and throws herself down at the larger gnoll's feet. "Please, Great One! Please, Much! Help me find my friend! I have no idea where they could have gone! I'm so stupid!"

Anchor Root begins sobbing. It's clear she won't be much help with this investigation.

"What? Where? Who? Back off, Spire Dorm is protected!... what the what?"

Hearing screams, Haunt staggers into the hall in the boxers brawler shorts he slept in. His fur sticking out in all directions, and he holds his rapier unsheathed and at the ready with one hand, his amulet with the other. He manages to avoid accidentally stabbing Much, but it's a close thing.

Once he realizes that for all the screaming, there isn't any visible blood on the floor or his friends, he puts his sword away. As Anchor Root stammers out the cause of her distress, the amurrun starts looking around for feathers or any other sign of what might have happened to the super-chicken.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Hope someone else rolls a better Perception check, or that chicken's goose is cooked.

Laesah makes a distinct lack of an entrance onto the scene.

Much barely manages to avoid physically recoiling from the expression "Great One" and sliding back onto to Haunts rapier.
Now is not the time for debates on caste. Anchor Root deserves our help.
She turns to her compatriots with pleading eyes.
"I'll search her room. Can someone else try to console her please?"
Much moves with all haste towards Anchor Root's room and away from her prostrate form.

Rolled a perception check for Much off camera. Also, gentle reminder that there are other ways to look for clues in a dorm full of people.

Much pokes around the room and finds a few things worth noting. The room is well kept. The ritual tools - easily recognizable to Much as those used in kholo bonespeaking - textbooks, and clothes are all in good order. The window is cracked open, and upon closer inspection some fine, bristly, hairs are found on the top ledge and the bottom of the window. Maybe something scraped this off as it came in or out? A couple feathers, clearly belonging to a chicken, are found outside the window.

Also rolled a nature check off camera to speed things along on identifying the hairs.

Much scrutinizes the hairs and can tell these belong to a spider. In fact, they are reminiscent of Laesah when she's in her spider or hybrid forms.

Much's eyes snap open when her foggy mind realizes the hairs in front of her are Laesah's. She straightens herself and heads directly back to her friends surrounding the overwrought Anchor Root.
"My friends, this situation is much more dire than I imagined. We'll need the help of our compatriot Laesah. I suggest we leave Anchor Root to compose herself and find Laesah immediately." Much says, will bent to not letting her ears rise in a manner Anchor Root might recognize.

"Let's see if she's in her room, but if not, I want to start knocking on doors. Maybe someone saw or heard something." He looks down at what he's wearing. "But maybe I should put on some pants first."

Haunt ducks into his room and quickly gets dressed and equipped for the day, then goes with Much (and Maddox, if the android has joined us) to wake up Laesah.

”…..ehrrrrruuuggghh. i’m not in. i’m dead,” Laesah feebly calls out in response to the pounding on her cranium (and door).

Haunt looks at Much and shrugs before knocking again. "Hey, come on Laesah. There's a problem and we need your help."

The door to Laesah’s door rattles before violently opening, revealing a massive spider!

Roll for initiative! Kidding…

”Yeah?” Laesah groans flatly, as of yet unaware of the effect her arachnid appearance has on her colleagues, or perhaps unsympathetic. ”I’m not sure that hurricane named potionwine was so good for me last night. I feel like I’m a breath away from a belch of fire that’ll consume all of me.” She blinks for a second, focussing her 4 pairs of eyes on Haunt. ”What’s up?”

Haunt is awake, but he's still exhausted and hungover, so he doesn't even consciously notice that Laesah is in her arachnid form. "Oh good, you're up. Listen, Pelaksana is missing! Anchor Root's chicken! Anyway, we're going to try to find out what happened and try to get her back. Can you get yourself together quickly and give us a hand?"

Whatever Much might be thinking, Haunt hasn't picked up on it.

Much leans back to poke her head into room, suppresses a pang of arachnophobia, and forces her large body into the already crowded dorm room.
She leans out and checks the hallway. Left, then right. Satisfied they are alone, she pushes the door closed.
Much is distracted momentarily at the absurdity of the scene: a wildly gesticulating cat, a drunken spider and a 2 meter tall Hyena locked in a very tiny room.
Much. Focus! Something is afoot.
Much shakes her head and brings herself back to the situation before them.
"Laesah, we need your help. Whoever took Anchor Roots familiar was anadi."

”What?! Oh, Grandmother’s beard…”

The last comment from Much startles Laesah into realising not so much that she’s in full arachnid form, but that she’s NAKED. Laesah quickly grabs a swath of clothing from the floor of the cramped room as the gnoll closes the door. She quickly drapes it over something that the two of them weren’t supposed to be seeing of her alien anatomy, then gives herself a shake.

”What are you on about, you two? My head is moving far too slow, or you’re speaking way too fast, or some combination of both…”

Laesah looks between the two of them, alarmed about something she knows not what.

Much pauses and exhales slowly, recalibrating herself to her friend's hungover state.

"Anchor Root's chicken, her...her.. familiar is missing. Anchor Root fawns and that annoys me, but she truly is beside herself=. She needs our help. I looked in her room and found Anadi hairs on the window frame, as if someone had squeezed in or out. As soon as I saw that, we came straight to you."

Haunt nods. "Like Much said, her chicken is missing. She woke us up screaming and now she won't stop crying, so we need to find it. Also, I'm almost out of feathers, so we're going to have a problem if we come across more of those centipedes." He pauses and rubs his head. "Also, how did you sleep through all that noise?"

"Anadi hairs? And you came to me because......?" Laesah lets the uncomfortable pause hang in the air before she transitions swiftly to her bipedal humanoid form, the recently-donned swatch of cloth incorporated into a stylish sari across her form.

She giggles, dispelling the tension.

"I am poking fun. We anadi are communal creatures...I think there is a term for it, uh "hive mind"? Yeah, it's not like that, but it's close. If one of my web were to have swiped Anchor Root's chicken, then it's quite possible that I'd have some inkling."

Laesah stops, tilting her head up and to the left.

"I can tell you that Strands-of-Glowing-Dawn has not abducted Pelaksana - I mean, Tzeniwe. Beyond that, I'm in the dark like you, but intrigued."

Laesah winks at Haunt with a wince. "I didn't sleep through it. I tried to do so."

"I would love it if someone who is not me questioned Anchor Root. I can't stand being called 'Great One'. Ugh!"
Much shudders involuntarily.
"Other than that, I can't think of what our next best step would be."

"I did not get the impression that Anchor Root would be much help until she stopped panicking. Which may not be until next semester. I'd like to try talking to her neighbors first. Maybe somebody saw or heard something useful. We could do that together, unless you'd rather split up and the two of you could check for footprints or feathers or something outside the window?"

Haunt starts by knocking on Okoro's door, as his room has a window on the same side as Anchor Root's, so he would be the student most likely to have noticed Pelaksana being abducted through her window.

Knock knock...

"Hi, Okoro, how's your head this morning? Me? Oh, could be worse - ask me how I know. Anyway, I know this is going to sound weird, but did you notice anything or anyone unusual around the dorm last night? Not counting the goings on at your party, I mean."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Okoro opens the door and you can see he's already started cleaning up after the party from last night.

"Head's fine now - would have given you a different answer when I got up. If I could have answered you at all. I host enough of these parties that I know to keep some strong tea around for the day after. You want some?" Okoro asks, gesturing at a pot sitting on his gaming table.

"That party was great. I didn't really notice anything else. Mostly just the drinks, the game, and Lae..." He flushes and looks away. "Nothing else from last night."

"Oh, this morning I thought I heard some giggling when I opened my window to let some of the party funk escape. Like kids or something? That's not too strange though, right? Zachva and Zanvi are always running around here getting into something around here."

Zachva and Zanvi are Tzeniwe's children

At the mention of the anadi, Much meets her compatriots' eyes with raised ears.
"Well Okoro, thank you again for the party. We'll be on our way."
Unless the team has other thoughts, Much is heading to Tzeniwe's.

At the mention of the anadi, Much meets her compatriots' eyes with raised ears.

"Well Okoro, thank you again for the party. We'll be on our way."
Unless the team has other thoughts, Much is heading to Tzeniwe's.

"Yes, thank you. Just asking around. In case. And thanks for the offer of tea, maybe another time? Talk to you later." Haunt hurries after Much toward Tzeniwe's [house? dorm? condo?] residence.

Tzeniwe is home in her room, along with her kids Zanvi and Zachva. As soon as she opens the door, Zachva, in spider form, scurries out running into the hallway. Tzeniwe idly flicks a wrist and a glowing strand of magic unfurls, grabs the child and gently reels them back into the room.

"Good morning! Please come in." Tzeniwe says, smiling warmly and opening up the door for you all. As you file in, Zanvi starts climbing up Much, chittering happily, and Zachva takes a seat in the back of the room, playing with some wooden dolls.

"What brings you here this morning? Would you like some tea?" Tzeniwe asks.

"I would love some tea. The stronger, the better. Thank you, Tzeniwe."
Niceties completed, Much's ears shift awkwardly as she considers how to broach the topic.
"We're trying to help Anchor Root. Her familiar has gone missing and we only have a clump of Anadi fur for her window to follow up on. Laesah wasn't able to identify the fur, we're hoping you might be able to help us."
Much holds out the fur for Tzeniwe's inspection.
"I know it's a long shot. I certainly couldn't identify another Kholo with just that. Still, it's all we have. Any guidance would be appreciated!"
Much is going out of her way to be polite. She really wants a positive relationship with Tzeniwe. I'm not sure how fraught it is to bring this to her: maybe her kids are constantly killing chickens and this is no big deal? Maybe she is a super-protective mom? I don't know. Diplomacy check below, in case it matters.
Please don't hate me, Tzeniwe! roll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Perhaps Tzeniwe would have put up some resistance if Much had been less sincere. As it is, you see her study the fine hairs with a scowl - she knows these belong to her kids. Then she plucks the squirming Zanvi off of Much's shoulders and puts them near their sibling. If you don't speak anadi, you don't know exactly what Tzeniwe is saying, but if you've ever had a mother, you more than get the gist. Tzeniwe is at her wit's ends and is reading the kids the riot act.

After some denials, the kids crack and offer some details. Tzeniwe fills you in. "They were playing with the chicken while Anchor Root was minding them last night. While I slept, they decided they wanted to play some more, and snuck into Root's window, took the bird, which miraculously didn't scratch them to bits, and went out the window to the courtyard..." Here Tzeniwe rubs her eyes. A gesture of frustration and fatigue that serves to buy her some time. "Where they then launched poor Pelaksana up the soaring spire. Where the bird has landed now, they have no idea. I will be out to join the search, but for now I need to talk to these children about many the different forms of respect, decency, and trust they have violated. And find someone to watch them that they won't steal from."

She takes a calming breath, lowers her head, and says. "Forgive them. Forgive me. Maybe this is my fault for bringing them here. It's hard on all of us. If you will excuse me."

Sounds like the chicken got a ride up the spire. You guys are pretty good at getting up that thing by now, so no rolls to get to the top, but if you want to start tracking or looking around from there, those are survival or perception checks.

”Oh dear,” Laesah intones to Tzeniwe’s explanation. ”It seems that the chicken has flown the spire.”

She pauses, then cracks a smile. ”Oh come on - that was funny. And so will this be, Tzeniwe, when we find Pelaksana at the top. You’ll see.” The anadi gives Tzeniwe a warm embrace and then heads out of the dorm. She looks at Much with a serious expression.

”IF we find the chicken,” she clarifies.

Haunt starts to chuckle at Laesah's joke, then forces it back until they get outside. "Oh, sure, we'll find the chicken. How hard could it be?" He puts a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun and scans the sky. "I mean, it might not be easy. You ever notice how many little puffs of cloud are shaped like chickens?"

With his eyes on the skies, Haunt stumbles a few times as they walk back to Spire Dorm, but manages not to bump into anything or anyone. Once there, he leaps for the top and begins to look in earnest.

◆◆◆: Seek Poultry
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Much squints her eyes and watches her friend's great leaping bounds up the spire.
Never thought I'd be jealous of a cat. She thinks before starting up herself.
At the top she drops to all fours and begins to sniff for the chicken.

◆◆◆: Also Seeking Poultry
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

All that sniffing is just for flavor, Much doesn't have scent.

Laesah grimaces as she ascends the spire with a mighty leap.

It’s just not natural jumping, the purist complains to herself. Laesah then glances around.

Seek Poultry: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Much takes some sniffs, and then remembers the skills she does have. As one of bola hunters of her pack, she's used to tracking the movements of birds through the air. She stops to feel the air, thinking about the force that would propel the chicken, it's limited flight abilities, and... Her eyes lock onto a building in the distance where she sees some movement on the roof.

Laesah, just a step slower, also finds Pelaksana on the roof, but her process is more intuitive. For a moment she thinks she sees a pattern in all the possibilities, then she squints and sees the bird, up on the roof.

Haunt is looking under some nearby rocks, but his two friends collect him before they get the bird.

With Laesah's climbing abilities, it's no chore to collect Pelaksana. The normally pugnacious bird coos happily as she's brought down.

Anchor Root is still inconsolable when you find her. She screams with delight when her familiar runs up to her and gives her foot a gentle peck.

She leaps up, then calms herself. Taking a bearing Much would recognize as serious, nearly ceremonial. She approaches Much, placing her hand on her elbow, gently showing her neck, and saying, "Thank you, Much. I am happily obliged to you, and can't wait to repay this service."

She takes a deep breath, and cautiously reaches her hand out to touch the bone that hangs at Much's neck. She shows more of her throat and says, "And thank you, Great One. You guide your kin well. Wisdom and strength endure."

She has many words of thanks for you all, and gives you each a Rythmn Bone.

Description of said bone will be in the chat

Laesah beams a bit, then recognises how hungry she is this late in the morning.

"We should get some breakfast before they stop serving it. I think I remember reading that it's good for hangovers. Or maybe it's just good for the awful bitter pang in the back of my throat. Whatever."

Laesah lopes off to the mess hall.

Over the course of the month, between her classes and studying, Laesah busies herself in the kitchens of the Magaambya, marinating in the atmosphere of culinary arts and learning what she can of conviviality from Madame Yao. Laesah keeps a weekly sparring date with Esi, learning to incorporate her mastery of vertical jumping into her combat moves (Crane Forms). She also strikes up an odd friendship with Chizire, recognising a similarly introspective soul with a penchant for meditation - it's just too bad that most consider it to be lazing about.

Lastly, Laesah frequents the common room late in the evening, coming and going from Okoro's room regularly. Her board game enthusiasm seems to keep her up late at night some evenings.

Laesah will take her exam with the Cascade Bearers (her minor school).

"She takes a deep breath, and cautiously reaches her hand out to touch the bone that hangs at Much's neck. She shows more of her throat and says, "And thank you, Great One. You guide your kin well. Wisdom and strength endure."

Much steps back a moment, embarrassed to have been annoyed with Anchor Root before and for forgetting the weight of carrying someone as well-regarded as her Grandmother.

Much bares her own throat, and let's her ears settle into what could hopefully be construed as 'mollified'.

Much follows Laesah to the mess hall.

Over the next month Much is an infrequent presence in the dorms. Her free moments during the day are spent with Zachva and Zanvi. Incidents of students falling into child-led, Kholo-style ambushes skyrocket- as do sightings of Chizire being chased across the green by Anadi kids, stones tied to strings whirring over their heads.

In the evening, Much bends to her studies. She hates it, but hates failing more.

Much will take the Emerald Boughs exam (her major school.)

Haunt accepts Esi's invitation to sparring practice, sometimes together with Laesah or Much, but as the month wears on he finds himself missing almost as many practice sessions as he attends. Instead, his friends run into him uncharacteristically at the library at all hours, or throwing around a light metal pie plate (which may or may not have been liberated from Lumusi's kitchen) with Chizire on the lawn near the Circle Obelisk, or racing Mariama across the sparring field, each running with an odd, stuttering pace - slow FAST FAST, slow FAST FAST - while shouting out words of arcane power.

Learn a Spell (cantrip, Arcana DC 15): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Haunt borrows someone's spellbook and scribes mage hand into his own (cost 2gp).

A couple of weeks in, his friends see Haunt and Chizire throwing their borrowed pie tin on the Circle lawn, this time without using their hands. The disk moves very slowly between them. Haunt waves at his friends and calls out, "We're trying to play Mage Hand Floating Disk! Not floating disk the spell, we make the pie tin float between us! Come join us if you have mage hand prepared!"

The next time anyone stumbles across the thaumaturge and Mariama running on the sparring field, they see that instead of competing with each other, the two are running (with the same stuttering pace) side-by-side, inside legs tied together as if in a three-legged race, and shouting their spell in sync. By the end of the month, Laesah, Much, and Maddox hear that the amurrun and the Chaos Magnet have each ended up in the infirmary at least once: Haunt with friction burns (and grass stains) from being dragged along the field, and Mariama with a badly sprained ankle.

"We both like the idea behind warp step, but what if it were warp run? Just running together didn't seem to change anything, even when we were tied together and casting in sync with each other. But then after we realized we could totally win the three-legged race at the next Academy Games, we wondered if we could bring someone with us when we run after casting the spell or if it would only work if we both cast the spell and ran together. So we tried it with one of us casting the spell and the other just jogging alongside or casting something else. Turns out that doesn't work very well for the person who gets dragged behind the caster, or for that matter for the caster -- honestly I still have some abrasions on my leg from where the rope cut into me the last time I was the dragger and not the dragee."

At the end of the month, Haunt tests for his secondary branch, the Cascade Bearers. Also, I assume we get another 4gp for the month?

Much spends two weeks (and a small fortune on candles) writing an in-depth cross-cultural comparison of Anadi use of swung webs as weapons and Kholo stone-ropes.

At 2 am on the Saturday of the second week, she realizes it is garbage. Comparing weaponry across cultures simply because they are both rope-based might be fine for a day of training, but it does nothing to enhance the Emerald Boughs' understanding of Anadi and Kholo culture.

With some tears and more cursing, Much clears her desk and places a fresh sheet of velum on her desk.

On the Saturday of the third week, whilst guiding Zachva and Zanvi through a live-capture bola attack drill on Pelaksana, inspiration strikes.

Much returns the children to Tzeniwe, hugs each of them and rushes back to her still-blank sheet of velum.

Nearly every free minute until the deadline is spent crafting a comparative analysis of the familial structures of Anadi and Kholo tribes, with a special emphasis on child-rearing.

Pass or fail, this is good.
Much, sleep-deprived, filthy and proud, sets off to turn in her essay.

Society: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Much comes out of the test feeling good, but unsure of herself. When she gets her result, it's better than she could have hoped! Her time studying with Tzeniwe has paid off.

Critical success! Haunt and Laesah, please roll your tests (and take your 4GP for the monthly stipend). Haunt you can roll twice because of Mariama's chaotic presence.

Best of two rolls:
Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Looks like either would succeed, neither would crit. Advance to level 1 in Cascade Bearers?

Laesah turns in her report on Grandmother Spider’s religious relevance to the continents of Garund and Avistan, notwithstanding the anadi people.

Religion Check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

”You tested with the Cascade Bearers, too, Haunt? YES!” Laesah seems genuinely pleased that she and the amurrun tested with the same school.