GM West's DCC Adventure - Hole in the Sky (Inactive)

Game Master Stiehle

The Lady in Blue, a mysterious figure of cosmic power, enlists a band of simple peasants for a strange task. They are to follow an invisible bridge until they arrive at a hole in the sky – and then jump through. Death awaits all but the bravest, strongest, and luckiest, but the Lady offers a reward beyond all the riches of the world: the chance to change the very stars these peasants were born under, and thus change their destiny.

Twenty four peasants, each of them leading mundane and unfulfilling lives. Each of them feeling as though they are somehow trapped in a 'wrong' life, for surely they were destined for greatness! But how? When escape from their mundane existence is impossible? And then... the dreams...

A alluring woman, dressed in finery of deepest blue, but whose face is obscured as though seen through a shadowy, opaque mist. She stands on the edge of a cliff overlooking a tumultuous sea, and in the earliest dreams her mouth opens, but there are no words. But each night the dream returns, sometimes after days, or even weeks, but always it returns. And her voice, faint at first, is finally heard - though as some kind of chilling tapestry of unique voices blended together to form the words.

"Become my ally... find me at the cliff... your enemies shall become my enemies... the cliff... we shall take back the life promised you by the stars... at the cliff... find me... come..."

Even as the dreams continue, your everyday lives become more meaningless, and you each of you feel more and more detached. Whether from work, family, friends - all of it meaningless in the face of the dreams. These wonderful dreams full of hope and promise. Hope most of all. Hope to break free of the prison that has become your life - that has been your life for as long as you can remember. Leaving your homes seemed a most natural idea, one you should have thought of long ago. Freedom surely lies ahead, somewhere at the edge of a cliff that faces the ocean, where the Lady in Blue awaits you to fulfill the destiny that you know, that you have always known, is yours.

You meet others on the road, others that have shared this wonderful vision and you rejoice that you are not alone in this blessed pilgrimage. Twenty four peasants in all, some have even purchased equipment that they feel will aid them in fulfilling their destiny, selling heirlooms or valuables that must surely have meant something to them in their past. But no longer. As though in a fever dream, the pilgrims follow a path dictated by strange omens and portents that must certainly be leading them to the Lady in Blue...

Feel free to RP with other players, or have your own characters 'meet' each other for the first time. Flesh out your backgrounds a bit, if you'd like! Just... don't get too attached... :)

They had names, of course. The blacksmith, the trapper and the miner. They had lives of their own!

There was the blacksmith. He was not a large or burly man, as one would expect from his profession. But he was certainly not weak or frail either. Rather, he was a simple man, with his own small family, that lived in their own small house. He was content with his lot in life, and was most upset of being torn away from it. But the Lady in Blue waited for him, and he could not refuse.

There was the trapper. If he had been born to a wealthy family he would almost certainly have been a scholar, but he was not. He worked for a living, or more accurately, he worked so that he might live. He did not have any dreams, really, besides maybe finding a way to not have to work so hard to get by. He truly wished for nothing but a quiet life, with all the books he could read and all the time in the world to read them. But in his heart he knew that such a dream was far beyond his abilities.

And there was the miner. He had a decent life, until the cave-in broke three of his ribs. Unable to work like he used to, and not having the ability to find other legitimate work, he turned to smuggling. He was good at it! Far better than he ever was at a miner. He hoped to make enough money to afford a real doctor to see to his lasting injuries.

To each of them, their lives were the most important thing. The experiences, friends, family and enemies were the world to them. But on the grander scale? They were just four people. Four people like any other. And when looking at the entirety of the picture, it wasn't even worth writing down their names.

I thought we were dropping one? If not, the Apothecarist is named Trapfinder....

Please take 12 cp from each and add a large sack. We're treasure seekers, right!?! Need something to carry the treasure in! And 2 gold from Bucks, the moneylender for a backpack. Same reason!

Bucks felt the calling, and the dreams.... She was beautiful! He calls in the marks that he could, gathered the coin. He'd need a good pack for the treasures that he'd find!

Stinky hated his life. Who would want to do the work that he did? It was needed in society, but, yuck! He had lived with the smell for so long that he barely could barely smell anything. But the looks that he got. And who wanted to live without any friends!?! The dreams changed all that. The woman! And a new life, doing anything other than his current life! He tries dumping the sack that he had, but it still stank so he left it behind. He bought a clean bag on the way to the cliff.

Chopper had a OK life. It was boring though, getting up, working, dinner and back to bed.... His axe wasn't really heavy, but after chopping wood all day it felt like 50 pounds! The dreams promised.... Well, they hinted at something better. Maybe his axe could be put to a better use! It wasn't a sword, but it could split a skull at least as well! He gathered his meager belongings, purchased a sack to carry everything, and left for adventure!

Jeb, Burke, and Franhk didn't really know each other...not really, but the Chandler, Trapper, and Apothecarist had become fast friends over several mugs of ale and their discussion of the nightly dreams of the 'Blue Lady".

At first, the conversation had been tentative and shy, but after each man revealed a little bit more, (and drank another mug or two), the trio were soon jabbering on like they'd known each other their whole lives.

Jeb said the least, obviously not that well educated or frankly, that bright, had trouble getting his own story across beyond saying, "The dreams just ain't stoppin'. An' I ain't sure I want em' to..."

Burke, the largest of the three by far, in girth as well as height, rasped out his own tale in a quiet voice, looking for hidden meaning behind the mystery woman's message and summons. "Does she seek help or servants? Does she intend for us to save her or will she somehow save us?"

For himself, Franhk sought to analyze the visions as deeply as the overweight Burke, but in more of a practical fashion. "I just don't understand...why us?"

And though they were open in their confessions, in the end, none of them had...well, ANY of the answers...other than the fact that they each knew, they just had to make their way to see the Lady in Blue.

A man with a hat leads a mule followed by a skinny shifty eyed man and a man with a bag of flower and a club.

The man with the mule turns to the party.

"Greetings..what news of the area?"

They were three brothers, Larry, his brother Daryl and his Other Brother Daryl. They had simple boring lives, Larry scrounged in the woods for food and furs, Daryl pretty much just lounged at the front gate making sure there was no trouble and Other Brother Daryl hid in the woods because he thought he was some dashing bandit.

The dreams started for all of them and it was OBD that suggested that they head off for fame and fortune just like in the stories! SO with nothing better to do, they kitted up and headed out and ran into a bunch of others.

Bucks hitches his backpack up a little. He must not have the straps right as it keeps sliding into an uncomfortable position. Or maybe he's just not used to wearing it? He taps the hilt of his sword and moves toward the man that had asked a question.... "News? Haven't heard any.... Did you get the dream too? The lady! Asking for allies! Gotta find her."

Stinky hears the conversation but keeps his distance. Gotta stay at least ten feet away, and down wind. Don't need these folk complaining. Maybe the lady would have a bath? And then he could become an adventurer, and earn enough to get rid of the smell, forever!

Chopper? Listens.

"News? Haven't heard any.... Did you get the dream too? The lady! Asking for allies! Gotta find her."

"Yeah it seems like a LOT of us did!"

One of the men near Ferambus turns to the others.

"But will it make us rich! I won't want to be stuck in this village forever!"

The hen kicked and fussed, straining against the arm clamping it to the farmer's side. Clucks made an arrhythmic counterpoint to the step, step-thump of a pitchfork-steadied tread on the path. The weight of the waterskin and a couple days' worth of food in the nearly-empty sack dangling from a crude rope belt were small comfort. Gonna hafta et this hen afore long, ah know. A grimace, spit on the ground. Odd buncha folk . . . Takes all sorts, reckon.

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Fool of a healer could have done a better job with this brace! crrreaaak I knew I should have studied with the physicker instead of that naturalist! But, then . . . she was attractive and . . . energetic. A smile flashes across his face. crrreee-eeaaakk The going was slow with all the metal and leather wrapped around the right knee, but it made for easy watching of the motley lot.

The last to arrive at the resting spot, the herbalist unstrapped the knee brace with a series of frustrated yanks, cursing the world as he did so. But once free of its confines and reclining against a fallen log, cursing turned to blessing.

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In the rush to leave home, the barrel had never left his hands, and it now perched on his left shoulder, its circumference forcing his head to an odd tilt as he strode along. The faint clatter of his picking tools against the crowbar -- of all things, a crowbar! -- in the belt pouch reminded the barrel-builder that sometimes night jobs were far more profitable than day jobs. But the series of enticing dreams had shoved all plans and goals aside -- after all, he was going on an adventure with a barrel on his shoulder . . . . Did that mean he was ready?

I'll get specific on any cash-to-gear exchanges for the herbalist and cooper a bit later. Got life things to do. Again, apologies for the wait.

Among the modest crowd of twenty-four gathered souls, a Locksmith [by the name of Berry], Slave [by the given name of Charmy], and Gravedigger [by the name of Stormy] looked around in interest at the spoken conversations amongst all of the others present in the crowd.

Like all of the others, they too responded to the grandiose pronouncement made by mysterious lady within their respective dreams. Will their respective fates help to fulfill their preordained quest? Only the Gods- and that mysterious lady- knows.

You arrive, exhausted, mildly confused and with a rising excitement, at the cliff overlooking the ocean. The scene is exactly as it appeared in your dreams, and you are suddenly grateful as this must mean that you are not insane. There at the edge of the cliff is the woman who has haunted your nights for many weeks, standing behind a long table, incongruously set for a banquet here in this wild place. The woman is nearly seven foot tall, wearing tattered finery of deepest blue, and for the first time you see her face – and somehow her head is that of a statue of a woman. Her features are inanimate and yet softened, as if rain and wind had gently eroded the statue head over time. In her left hand she holds two severed human heads by the hair. In her right hand she holds three more.

As you approach she holds all five up as if to great you with their dead faces. Then those dead eyes open, and the five heads speak to you nearly in unison, each in their own voice and only very slightly overlapping each other, and again you are struck that the 'voice' you hear is exactly as the one you heard in your dream. “Welcome, brave friends. I know you have many questions, but let them wait for now. You must certainly be exhausted from your journey. Sit, eat and rest. All of your questions shall be answered this day.” You notice that one of the heads, a pale-skinned outlander with bright red hair, speaks in a foreign tongue - and yet somehow the voice mingles with the others in a perfectly understandable fashion.

The feast laid out upon the table is a smorgasbord of various meats, breads, cheeses, vegetables, fruits and wine. Certainly more than thirty dishes and a couple dozen bottles of fermented alcohol in all. But after a moment, you realize something is off, and then you realize what it is. For every ten dishes or bottles, eight of them seem fresh and delicious while the other two are rotted or otherwise despoiled. Here a plate of mutton crawls with maggots, there a bowl of berries is crowned with a green fungus, and that bottle of wine is clearly badly settled and smelling strongly of vinegar. The Lady in Blue stands tall and motionless, the heads dangling from her outstretched hands seeming to watch you with their marble-like eyes expectantly...

The Lady in Blue

Bucks holds back. He is struck by the incongruous sights in front of the group. The lady.... is a statue? holding severed heads that speak the words from the vision. And the feast? He is too confused and disappointed to even know what he feels.

Stinky steps forward. While he hopes that his personal odor doesn't kill anyone's appetite.... Well, the spoiled food and drink are worse! He sits down at a plate that looks like good food, examines the plate for any hidden rot or parasites. If he doesn't find any he digs in. He hadn't really enjoyed a meal in over a decade so hopefully at least some of the food is good!

Chopper barely glances at the feast and drink. That wasn't why he was here. "Sorry Ma'am, but I'm here for the life I was promised, by the stars or by you. Where do we go from here? What's next?"

Larry,Daryl and Daryl are awed and disgusted by the head holding statue but aSAN check keeps them from screaming in terror. When she offers large amounts of food to them, their eye slight up and they go to take their places. As they suddenly notice the rotted food, they shuffle a bit and choose some fresher vittles, sharing amongst themselves. Much obliged, Ma'am. Larry says, doffing his hat.

Well comrades, the wily comrade Bukharina (int 17 moneylender) said, "through hardship the stars!" and with our great equipment, she continued, eying the massive blackjacks handled by comrades Marx the miner and Engels the Rutabaga farmer (used the funds to buy these weapons, selling their original ones) we will certainly capture many enemies to then convert them towards liberty, egality and fraternity!

Suspicious at the offer of food from a clearly debatably revolutionary, head hunting afficionada and probably member of a counterrevolutionary class (she was a Lady after all), none of the trio touch the food, sceptically eying those who do.

Comrade Marx however gives particularly large cockroach that advanced from its roasted pig into his general direction a self defensive smack with his blackjack, probably knocking it out.

Burke sighs skeptically and frowns at the odd set of sights before him, not sure what to make of it all. He quietly mutters,"Um...what's with the severed heads...?"

Franhk takes in the display and then takes a step forward, following Chopper's lead and says, "Aye. Who indeed are you, milady? What is it you want us to do?"

For his part, Jebediah nods at the Lady's words and sees only the broad display of food. The chandler ambles over to the table, winces and avoids the obviously rotting plates, then shrugs and takes some fruit from a plate that appears most fresh and delicious.

Ferambus and the others eat.

He turns to Burke. "Yes what's with the heads?"

The miner turned smuggler muttered "Don't look at them and don't mention them. Just nod, smile and eat what's given. Unless you want your head to join them?"

The heads continue to speak in answer to queries, and don't appear to take offense at being stared at or commented upon. "Eat, take your rest. Your questions will all be answered in good time. I bid you to eat of the food that awaits you. Certainly you must be tired, my brave friends. Sit, eat and take your rest..." And on and on, in that eerie, slightly overlapping tapestry of voices. The statue-like face of The Lady in Blue never wavers, nor alters its stony (forgive the pun...) expression.

At the moment, it appears that your questions go unheeded. Please detail exactly what EACH of your characters are doing. So far I have the following that are partaking of the buffet laid out:

Ferambus - Eating the good food
Casper - Eating the good food
Marco - Eating the good food
Jebediah - Eating the good food
Larry - Eating the good food
Brother Darryl - Eating the good food
Other Brother Darryl- Eating the good food
Stinky - Eating the good food

The others are questioning The Lady in Blue or watching the others eat with wariness and/or revulsion. Lilly, can you give me details of your equipment selling/purchases in the Discussion forum? I need a bit more detail, but make it quick! I'll allow a last minute deal here, but not for much longer - the adventure is underway! After my next big post it will be too late for trading. You have been warned... :)

With some hesitation, Comrade Marx is proclaimed to be the proletarian Vanguard and begins to eat the good food.
Assuming he does not fall over immidiatly, Comrades Engels and Bukharina join in.

After a long moment, Burke sighs and steps over to the table. He suspiciously eyes the plates, looking for anything of value whatsoever among the platters of fetid, rotting food, (and if he spots nothing) he will shake his head and take a bit of meat from one of the "good" plates.

Franhk frowns and crosses his arms across his chest. "Ain't really hungry. I'll pass."

Jeb continues to munch on good morsels of fruit.

The orphan, trapper and miner huddled together. The three shared their stories, their names, their hopes and dreams, all in an effort to pass the time and feel some comfort. It had created a bond, in that they had agreed to get through this together. After some time, they decided that if the Lady in Blue wanted to kill them then she could, so they might as well eat what was offered. Best not to offend the homicidal deity.

Bucks and Chopper both watch for a bit longer. Then, realizing that neither carries any food for the road they both pick from a plate of non-rotten food, and take up a cup of whatever looks safe to drink.

Bucks speaks with a sour tone of voice. "Only 'cause I didn't pack any trail rations...."

Tater (potato farmer), O'Dweeds (herbalist), and Stave (cooper) show a great deal of hesitation in approaching the table. They each sort out one humble dish to consume -- simple food for simple folk.

Tater peers around the gathering. Any of yuh reckoned just how tough it be t'walk an invisible bridge? Hmmm?? He seems more intrigued by the folk present than the unusual Lady hosting -- whether actively ignoring the eldritch, or just willing to take the weirdness in stride until all becomes clearer, is unclear.

Stave begins casing the scene, using his barrel as a low stool. He eyeballs some other guests, he scans the underside of the table, and quickly but intently sizes up more of the Blue Lady's features. Doesn't look too profitable a venture, so far . . . .

O'Dweeds, grateful for the time to let his crippled leg breathe free of the brace, keeps his own counsel as the others feast or fast. He is able to appreciate some of the seasonings in the food before him, and even catches hints of herbs he's never encountered in the banquet air.

EDIT: final gear tally updated in Discussion

Gotta admit, there's a part of me curious about what happens when somebody eats the rotted food; going to have Berry not partake of any of the food but will stow some of the fresher food in his sack while Charmy eats the rotted food because he's used to it as a slave. Stormy will eat of the fresh food though. ;p

Berry continues to stare at the animated severed heads while his appetite, if there was any, slowly fades away from his revulsion at the ghastly sight. He does have enough presence of mind to take some of the more portable of the fresher of the foods and place them into his small sack. "Not very hungry now... going to get some of the food to go, if the... goddess doesn't mind." is what Berry gives as an explanation to any who observes him.

Stormy, being more used to the sight of corpses due to his past experience as a Gravedigger, is not too bothered by the sight of the severed heads and, with a shrug, digs into the fresher of the offered food with a grunt of "Thanks for the meal.".

Charmy, being used to getting mere scraps and unpalatable trash for food as a lowly slave, goes with the more familiar fare of rotted food- although he does use the vinegary wine to wash off the maggots and green fungus as best as he's able before digging into his repast while seated on the ground. "Thank you for your kind bounty, milady". The rotted food wasn't in the best of condition but it was plentiful and Charmy was able to eat his fill and then some.

Several of the group wait a bit to make sure nothing horrible happens to those that eat, before sitting down to partake themselves. Only Franhk continues to stand aloof, with a polite word of excuse. Those near Charmy lean away in revulsion as the man in rags eats some of the very obviously spoiled food with a word of thanks.

Despite some of the very fine manners shown by the collection of peasants, neither The Lady in Blue nor the severed heads respond in any way. The good food is quite delicious and tastes very fresh - an oddity, considering how it all got here out in the middle of nowhere alongside a cliff! Charmy is unfazed by the disgusting taste of the spoiled food, as he is used to such fare. But it fills his stomach, whereas Franhk ignores the occasional rumble of his own as he steadfastly looks away from the table, his eyes on the ocean beyond the cliffs.

Conversation is muted among the strangers who have come together to this place, chasing dreams and finding the woman in their nighttime vision after weeks of travel. Whether they are confused, joyful, mistrustful or disgusted is known only in their own minds and, in some cases, echoed in the few words they speak.

In any case, after about a half hour of consuming the food laid out upon the banquet table, the peasants find to their amazement that all begins to fade, until the table, dishes, food and even their chairs have disappeared - slowly and yet inevitably as some take a few last bites before the spread is gone entirely. Berry quickly takes a look in his sack and finds the food is gone! But for those who partook of the repast, their bellies remain full and their appetites sated as the heads begin to speak again in their unearthly chorus of voices.

“Thank you friends, for taking the dangerous journey to be here today. I know each of you, your minds and your hearts, and yet I must keep my identity veiled. If I were even to think my true name it would instantly be sensed by our enemies, and they would race here to break our fellowship and confound our plans. Please let me be known to you as the Lady in Blue. Trust that I am a friend, and not one that would mislead you. Know this – our enemies, who are indeed the enemies of all right thinking people of this world, have kept you from living the lives you were meant to live. Each of you was born under the wrong stars, a misfortune fostered upon you by our enemies. But I wish to be your ally. I can set this misfortune right. If you wish to have me for an ally, I ask just this: that tonight, when the full moon reaches the top of the sky, you step off that cliff and on to an invisible bridge that does not yet exist, but shall exist tonight. This bridge will take you on a long journey across the ocean. This journey will be difficult, and some of you may not live to see its end. But those who do shall find the hole in the sky, a porthole to another world. That world is a prison, and its warden is a titan, a fierce creature that cannot be slain by mortal means. This titan keeps a prisoner in a cage of Alder wood. Its prisoner is our ally, and to say her name aloud would give my presence away to our enemies.”

She pauses then, and for the first time The Lady in Blue moves. She gently swings the heads she holds in her hands as each of their mouths begins to trickle a steady stream of blood, and within the span of several seconds a name is writ upon the dirt before the group. DREZZTA. In the next moment, a mass of black beetles bubble up from the earth and devour the word, disappearing an instant later and leaving only bare ground in their wake. “Never speak the name aloud. Friends, I would ask that you take this bridge tonight under the full moon to the hole in the sky. Free our ally. Those who do shall be my trusted friends, and I shall set their stars right with this…”

Again, the Lady in Blue gestures and you hear an immense tearing noise, as if the spinning of the world was grinding to a halt. Incredibly, a seam opens in the morning sky, and you are looking through it into another world, one where a massive black monolith is the epicenter of what seems like the mother of all storms. The wind blows so hard you are all shoved back several feet, almost to the edge of the cliff. As your eyes adjust, you see that the monolith is actually the edge of an immense black wheel. The wheel turns slowly and seems to be made of the night sky itself. You see stars, clustered in groups or shining alone, in its surface. As it spins you feel as if reality itself might slip from beneath your feet at any moment. You clearly hear every word the Lady in Blue speaks, despite the hurricane winds. “This is the Wheel of Destiny, at the very foundation of our universe. For each brave friend who aids in the rescue of our ally and returns, I shall allow them to spin it... once. One time, and the true destiny you were meant for shall be yours.”

Another gesture, and the Lady closes the seam in the morning sky. The winds dissipate and all of you step away from the edge of the cliff, where you had been so perilously blown. Silence reigns as the Lady in Blue and the severed heads she holds watch you all with unblinking eyes. As though waiting for an answer…

The three brothers thump to the ground as everything vanishes. When the Lady begins her speech and rips open the fabric of space and time, this seems to be too much and they start drooling and babbling some. Odd words like 'Fartgnnnn!' echo from their lips.

How long, more or less, would we guess it will take to be 'high moonrise'? Also, is it possible for any of us to get rolls to see if we know the name we just read? (With his 3 INT, obviously that wouldn't include Jeb. ;)

Jebediah's jaw drops when the table of food fades, and he blinks up at the Lady in Blue in awe as she delivers her statement. Dumbfounded, he just nods at the impressive figure.

Franhk keeps his arms crossed and frowns up at the Lady, though he finds himself intrigued by her offer. Still, he says nothing.

Out of the three drinking buddies, it's Burke, however, actually speaks. "Aye. I'll go. I'm naught but a trapper back home, and not even a great one at that. I'll see this done if it means I can change my stars!"

Avances comrades! We can revolutionize our very destiny!
Shouts Comrade Bukharina.

While very silently trying to remember if the words "Titan" or "Drezzta" mean anything to her relatively high intelligence.

As the food starts to fade Stinky drops the utensils and grabs to big fistfuls, stuffing the last of the best meal he's ever had into his mouth. When the table and chairs disappear he drops to the ground and just sits, grumbling below the hearing level of anyone.

Bucks notices the things fading and jumps to his feet. "I knew it was too good...." He stops when he realizes that his belly is full and that isn't fading. It had been a good meal and he hadn't spent a single copper on it!

Chopper steps away from the fading table, more curiosity than anything else. This was all a new experience. His hand settles near his axe as he watches and listens. An invisible bridge? That wouldn't be any more of a dream-like experience than the meal was. They'd been led here by a dream, so.... "Okay then. When do we 'step off' on the invisible bridge? And where will we wake up? Is that what.... that word is? The name of the land? Nevermind! I guess we'll all learn when it happens."

The heads speak their answers to Chopper's pragmatic questions. "When you reach the hole in the sky, then you will stop off the bridge. The journey will be long and difficult. It is likely you will not all survive to reach you destination, but those that do and manage to free our ally will be rewarded beyond your greatest dreams."

The name means nothing to any of the group, though perhaps some of the brighter ones might make sense of the word 'titan'.

If you have a background that you can convince me is scholarly in nature, give me a 1d20 roll modified by your INT modifier. If you do not, give me an 'untrained' roll of 1d10, again modified by your INT modifier.

Ferambus stares at what's going on and tries to figure out the meaning.

"We can try to rescue your ally. I don't mind a hard journey"

Casper dreams of lying in a pile of gold.

rolling

Ferambus

1d10 ⇒ 3

Marco

1d10 ⇒ 6

Casper

1d10 ⇒ 9

Bukharina tests her intelligence (of 17) a cunning plan?: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
And presumably comes up with a new way to cook potato instead.

Casper feels like he's heard the term before. A god or something like it?

Casper feels like he's heard the term before. A god or something like it?

Casper tells the others about the titan.

"It might be a god of some sort?"

The heads speak their answers to Chopper's pragmatic questions. "When you reach the hole in the sky, then you will stop off the bridge. The journey will be long and difficult. It is likely you will not all survive to reach you destination, but those that do and manage to free our ally will be rewarded beyond your greatest dreams."

The name means nothing to any of the group, though perhaps some of the brighter ones might make sense of the word 'titan'.

If you have a background that you can convince me is scholarly in nature, give me a 1d20 roll modified by your INT modifier. If you do not, give me an 'untrained' roll of 1d10, again modified by your INT modifier.

The miner was not an educated man, but he had dealt with many a rough sort. While the lady in blue said that she was a friend, he had heard that line before, and in his mind talking heads meant trouble. Not that he could get away, for he was far too terrified to do so.

Untrained Int for miner: 1d10 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

The orphan, though? He was not truly a scholar, but he loved to read. It was one of the few things that gave him enjoyment. Whenever he had a chance he would hide in a book. All of what he experienced made him think...

Scholarly? At least in the sense of a self-trained scholar?: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

And for the trapper? He cried, though he did not know why. He did not sob, but tears came down his cheeks none the less. For he was intelligent enough to know that he was no hero, and that even if he was, heroes could still die. He could imagine all of the horrible things that might happen, and it filled him with abject terror.

Trapper untrained: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

The orphan, though? He was not truly a scholar, but he loved to read. It was one of the few things that gave him enjoyment. Whenever he had a chance he would hide in a book. All of what he experienced made him think...

That works! You had that description in your background post, which is perfect!

The orphan starts at the word 'titan'. He has come across that term once or twice in his books - usually of high adventure in far distant lands. The titan is a massive humanoid monster ten times the size of a normal man - sometimes even bigger! Supposedly quite stupid and a bit slow, their skin is thick and a single blow from their mighty horned fist is enough to smash a man into a pulpy smear!

Franhk is no scholar, per se, but he is a apothecarist, so he has studied a good deal, and has an INT of 13. * shrug * Figured I'd try. :D

Jebediah, "I think I heard o' a Titan a'fore. In a bedtime story...or was that a Troll?"
Untrained: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Burke "This is a waste of time."
Untrained: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Franhk
(TBD)

I'll make aliases for my trio in the next few days. For now, though, here are their next moves.

Stave marvels at the visions supplied by the Lady in Blue, and is cowed into silence as the feast fades from sight. At least my belly's still full. Not sure how that worked, but . . . okay. He looks about the group and quietly asks, Anyone got a length of rope they're willing to trade? It'd be nice if I could make a harness for hauling this barrel . . . .

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O'Dweeds begins to fit the irritating brace back onto his knee, grunting and grumbling as he fiddles with the straps. All this magic stuff, and the first thing to do is take a long walk. Just perfect. Propping his useful 'walking stick' onto his shoulder, he remains sprawled on the ground, waiting and watching for the moon's glow to show them the way to the invisible bridge.

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Tater grows more and more nonplussed at the prospect of carrying the cantankerous hen in hand, but isn't yet willing to end the bird's life. No sense in using it too soon, he reckons.

Is it at all reasonable that, as a soul of agricultural bent, Tater would have had the foresight to feed the fowl from the banquet table? It would be easier to move the critter about if it had some sort of incentive to follow along -- and I know we haven't specified just how 'domesticated' this hen is . . . . And I can see it now -- a hen as animal companion! Ha!

Mimicking the lamed man nearby, Tater folds himself comfortably onto a rocky perch, 'tato-fork resting against his shoulder in the crook of his right arm. He leans forward, forearms braced on his knees, and gazes out across the ocean below.

The orphan looked around, and then said, with some hesitation "I've read about titans. They are giants in every sense of the word, standing ten times the height of a normal man. Are...are we supposed to defeat it, or can we just sneak past it?" It sounded ridiculous to even give voice to such a question.

Jeb has heard the term before, a monster of some kind... big, he thinks. Or was that a troll?

The orphan pipes up with his knowledge of titans and the heads regard the young man. "The titan guards the cage made of Alder wood, in which our ally is held. How you free her is up to your cunning and skills. You are wise beyond your years to fear a fight, for it cannot be slain by mortal means."

You know that according to The Lady in Blue, the invisible bridge is due to arrive at the cliff's edge tonight at midnight. It is currently mid-morning, and you figure you have about fourteen or fifteen hours until that time. You also recall that you saw a signpost for a village a couple miles back on the road. Some of you had thought about stopping there this morning in fact, but your obsession with meeting The Lady in Blue drove you onward without stopping. But now you realize you have some time to stop there for a short time before the appointed hour, if you so desire. If the sign post was correct, the village is only about two hours away or thereabouts. Figure a six hour round trip total if you don't dawdle overly long. That'd put you back here right around dusk.

Figure you've got a harness or something to strap that barrel to your back, Syrus. No problems there. As to the hen, again no worries about keeping it fed and only as cantankerous as you want it to be. In fact, if you want to see a 'real-life' example of a hen as an animal companion? Watch the 'new' Lost in Space series! I actually liked it a lot. I remember the original series from my youth, and it keeps the same spirit - just updated and changed a bit here and a lot there to appeal to a new world.

Bucks Int: 1d10 ⇒ 6
Stinky Int: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Chopper Int: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

A titan had nothing to do with money, so Bucks had never paid attention to anything that he might have heard....
Chopper.... Nope.

But Stinky perked up at the story. "Not by mortal means.... But if it is alive it can die!"

Marco holds out his role and grappling hook.

"This might come in handy recusing the titan! If we have to climb to get there"

Casper turns and yells "There better be some loot!"

Larry manages to pull himself together and stop drooling. Standing up, he slaps his brothers across the face before speaking. Hm. We might need tome more gear if we set out on a journey. It is a trek, but we could hustle back to town and get some things like extra food.

Will pass on the knowledge checks since my three aren't really scholar-like.

Strangely enough, the wheel of fate revealed by the lady in blue doesn't seem to disturb Berry much since the locksmith personally thought it reminded him of lock mechanisms- but on a bigger scale. The bleeding and beetles that spelled out the unspeakable name, on the other hand, that does creep him out much more though.

Being a third generation slave, Charmy is unable to comprehend anything about the bloody beetled name being the illiterate that he is and if the statue says to ignore it, then he'll do just that. Likewise, the name of Titan doesn't mean anything to him but that's alright- somebody else among the gathered group [the Orphan] have figured out something about the name.

Stormy readily agrees with Larry by saying, "May as well visit the town- I've some coin left for things such as supplies."

O'Dweeds is quite unwilling to make the trip into town, but Stave and Tater express delight at the notion. They're both interested in trying to find some quick coin for the sake of rounding out their supplies -- long journeys and battles against invincible monsters call for food and weapons, at least. Maybe the village holds some reward for . . . enterprising individuals!

Jeb and Franhk chat excitedly while both ready themselves for the journey as best they can with their meager possessions.

Franhk, an apothecarist, tries to explain to Jeb that it was unlikely that most things they could purchase in their small village would be unlikely to make a huge difference when dealing with otherworldly matters.

Burke listens to the conversations swirling around him and then says loudly to anyone who cares to listen, "Um...I'm pretty sure she said the Titan-thing couldn't be killed by mortal means. We might need to fight, but we'll have to be clever if any of us are to survive this."

Making funny faces at it and running away may be fairly reasonable actually.

Comments Comrade Bukharina.

"It seems I have chosen well, therefore go forth with my blessings. Those of you that would make the perilous journey and rescue our ally from her confinement may step forth to accept this quest and receive my blessings before I depart this realm." Holding the severed heads aloft once again, The Lady in Blue gestures for the group to approach, bestowing her blessings upon those that agree to embark upon her quest and in so doing, fulfill their own dreams of becoming greater than they had ever believed possible. Those that approach are kissed upon the forehead by one of the severed heads, after which the Lady in Blue sinks down into the earth, and in the next moment is gone without a trace...

The nearby 'town' is little more than a village itself, though perhaps larger than those seen by those that have gathered together at this place and time. The village of Mherkin appears to be a fishing and trade center. Typical goods are easily found, as well as a selection of basic weapons and even leather armor - though most of these are unaffordable save for those that possess valuable items that could be traded. Several men-at-arms that wear insignias depicting a trident and a jagged bolt of lightning are present to maintain the peace - and to dissuade would-be thieves.

Everyone give me a brief reaction to the blessings of the Lady in Blue and let me know if you have any last minute purchases to make! I don't want to spend much time describing a shopping spree, so feel free to do so yourselves if you'd like. Just keep it reasonable and know you can sell your own goods for 50% of their value and purchase basic equipment if you wish. The next post will see you returning to the cliffside a few hours before midnight...

Larry sells his 10` of chain for 15 gp! and sees how much he can sell his deer pelt for.

Daryl also sees if he can requisition some equipment for his deputies since he needs to roust some bandits from the forest(Or bandit actually since Daryl is technically one)